As a BPR recipient, I am eligible for the RM150 subsidy under the programme. When I asked my telco service provider how I could use the subsidy for 12 months with my current postpaid plan, I was told that I had to change to another plan. According to the company’s website, the minimum postpaid plan required to use the subsidy was RM50. The terms and conditions should be simple and straightforward so that subscribers can enjoy the subsidy with their current data plans. For new subscribers, service providers should offer the “cheapest” plan.

KUALA LUMPUR: The reactivation of the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme is considered timely to spur the local economy, especially the real estate, health services, education and domestic tourism sectors that have been hard-hit by the pandemic. Zerin Properties chief executive officer Previn Singhe said “it was about time” that the MM2H programme was reactivated. However, Previn felt that the new conditions that have been added to the programme may just deter potential applicants. The MM2H programme has been reactivated with new conditions by the government to attract applicants who can contribute to the country’s economy, such as high-income earners. Between 2002 and 2019, the MM2H programme generated a cumulative income of RM11.89bil through fee and visa charges, purchase of properties and vehicles, fixed deposits, and monthly household expenditures.

GEORGE TOWN: Expatriates living in Penang under the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme have expressed their concerns over the new stringent requirements, especially when renewing their passes. One of the MM2H participants urged the government to make a distinction between existing MM2H participants and future applicants, and to only apply the new conditions to the latter. “I hope the relevant authorities will take into account the plight of existing MM2H residents and make them subject to only the same financial conditions that they have initially signed up for during renewal,” the participant said under anonymity. The new conditions have also caused significant concern to the sizeable Australian expatriate community living in the state. “This latest decision feels like a slap in the face and we urge the government to reconsider and reverse it,” Gerry, 61, said.

With the easing of travel restrictions for those who are fully vaccinated, long-distance married couples are looking forward to seeing each other soon. Nor Fazilah, 34, works as a customer service administrator in Kuala Lumpur where Covid-19 cases are very high. “But we may need to stay put and not meet each other yet for the time being as cases in Kuala Lumpur are high. When I am fully vaccinated, then we will decide, depending on the Covid-19 situation then,” she added. Long-distance couples who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to travel across districts and states to meet each other.

KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive financier Low Taek Jho had attended a 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) board of directors meeting some 12 years ago, but his name was later omitted from the meeting’s minutes, the High Court has heard. Tan is the eighth prosecution witness in the 1MDB audit report tampering trial involving Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy. Tan, who was reading his witness statement, said he had prepared minutes of the meeting that contained Low’s name as one of the participants, as instructed by Shahrol Azral and Tang. The witness was also referred to another copy of the minutes of the meeting by the prosecution, but this version did not have Low’s name. “I have no knowledge how Low’s name was omitted from that document.

The sources added that Muhyiddin also said that if he failed to garner enough votes in the House, he would advise the King to dissolve Parliament. “We discussed a few scenarios should the King not agree to a dissolution,” said the sources. They also said that Muhyiddin asked the various party leaders for their full support during the vote of confidence. “The government is intent on following the Constitution and we have agreed that it will be held in September. “Even if we have a minority government, it will stop a general election during a pandemic.

HAVANA (Reuters) - Hundreds of people, including dozens of dissident artists and opposition activists, remain detained in Communist-run Cuba a month after unprecedented anti-government protests, according to rights groups. While 249 people have been released, many to house arrest, most remain in "preventative jail," she said. All but one have been deemed guilty of crimes including public disorder, resisting arrest, and vandalism, they said. She said four of her relatives in Havana and the eastern city of Guantanamo remained behind bars for protesting peacefully. Dozens of political activists and dissident artists were among the detained, including some who did not participate in the protests but appeared to have been arrested pre-emptively, said Diversent from Cubalex.

PETALING JAYA: Deputy Agriculture and Food Industries Minister II Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi is under home quarantine after his son and daughter-in-law tested positive for Covid-19. In a post on his Facebook page, the Tumpat MP said he, his wife, and other family members however tested negative. "I’m sorry that I will not be able to physically able to serve for the time being," he said in the post. "I urge the public to pray for my son and daughter-in-law to recover, and for my family to be protected from the pandemic so that I may return to my commitments and people as usual," he said. Article type: metered User Type: anonymous web User Status: Campaign ID: 46 Cxense type: free User access status: 3Join our Telegram channel to get our Evening Alerts and breaking news highlights

PETALING JAYA: MIC shouldn't "jump the gun" over the issue of Umno supreme council being the "caretaker" of the party until the Registrar of Societies (ROS) has completed studying all evidence pertaining to the matter, says Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan. On Thursday, MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran called for a Barisan meeting to be called as soon as possible to discuss the direction of the coalition. According to Vigneswaran, this was because the ROS said the Umno supreme council was only a "caretaker" of the party. Ahmad Zahid said Umno would not accept the ROS' demands for the party to hold its elections this year. ROS director-general Jasri Kasim said the Umno supreme council led by Ahmad Zahid can only carry out administrative matters before party polls.

KLANG: Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad can now heave a sigh of relief after testing negative for Covid-19 following a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. In a rapid antigen test (RTK-Ag) on Wednesday (Aug 11), he tested positive for Covid-19. “I first did the RTK test and it showed positive, but I felt fine and did not have any indication of being infected. Given that the PCR test is deemed more conclusive than the RTK test, Khalid said he would regard himself as negative for Covid-19. Khalid, who is also Amanah’s communications director, had been under self-quarantine from early this month after his first aide tested positive.

PETALING JAYA: Ahmad Firdous Raissuddin, the brother of late singer Siti Sarah Raissuddin, has now been put in a medically induced coma at Hospital Serdang, where he has been hospitalised due to Covid-19 since Tuesday (Aug 10). "I ask for your prayers that Ahmad Firdous Raissuddin be granted immediate recovery," he wrote on his Instagram page on Thursday (Aug 12). Shuib, whose real name is Shahmira Muhamad, 37, said that Ahmad Firdous has been in a medically induced coma since 5am on Thursday to give his lungs a rest after his oxygen levels reached 85%. Ahmad Firdous and his wife were confirmed to be positive on Aug 2, four days after Siti Sarah's whole family tested positive. Siti Sarah passed away on Monday after days of being in a medically induced coma.

Disgraced former K-pop star Seungri was convicted of arranging prostitution and other charges stemming from a sex and drugs scandal and jailed for three years Thursday (Aug 12) by a military court, reports said. Bigbang enjoyed widespread fame following its 2006 debut and Seungri - real name Lee Seung-hyun - went on to become a successful businessman. Seungri had changed his testimony under police questioning and in court, he added, and "lacked credibility". "While it is fortunate he is finally being jailed, the term is too short," a user on Naver, the country's largest portal, posted. The verdict came a month before he was due to be discharged from his mandatory military service.

Just check his official Facebook page, “Muhyiddin Yassin”, and observe the endless functions, albeit some virtually, that he had done. He looks set for herd immunity as outlined under his government’s phased National Recovery Plan to be met, way on track. Yet, he remains patient and soldiers on, not easily raising the white flag or choosing to leave the rakyat behind. Muhyiddin has said clearly that he would not cut a deal with leaders who are facing legal trials. He must have been their prime source of stress and desperation – the reason for their continued angst and endless clobbering.

Due to the misinformation he received from the hospital on the status of his wife’s condition – who is being treated at the intensive care unit at Kuala Lumpur Hospital for Covid-19 – actor Badrol Shah is now accused of being an attention seeker. But the fact of the matter is Badrol, 39, himself is traumatised with being wrongly informed that his wife had died on Tuesday (Aug 10) when she had been in critical condition. As of the writing of this article, the doctors told Badrol that Farah Sheila Mazlan is still alive but is in critical condition. In today’s interview (Aug 12), Badrol told mStar: “I am truly traumatised by what had happened ... the first call I got on Tuesday I was told my wife had died, then at night I got another call informing me that she’s in critical condition. Nonetheless, the incident has distressed not only himself, but his children as well as his wife’s parents.

IT WAS a decision he made some 30 years ago, for which salesman-turned-newspaper distributor Cheng Kong Sooi is thankful. Cheng, 60, is also grateful to his older brother, a newspaper distributor in Negri Sembilan, for inspiring and influencing him to take on the job. “With my business expansion plan, I was able to provide opportunities for more workers and news agents through my newspaper distribution agency,” said the pioneer distributor based in the south of Hulu Langat, who runs Min Choon Agency. “While most people think that newspaper distribution is an easy job, there are many unseen hardships. “Thankfully, the newspaper distribution business has provided me with a steady income over the years.”Being in the industry has encouraged Cheng to read newspapers every day to keep abreast of the latest news and happenings.