KUALA LUMPUR (March 2): The latest tariffs imposed by the United States have only a minimal impact on Malaysia’s palm oil exports, according to Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad. She said the US is not a major market for Malaysian palm oil, with exports to the country accounting for only 1.1%, unlike key markets such as India, Kenya and China. The senator wanted to know about the direct impact of the latest tariffs announced by the US on Malaysian rubber and palm oil. Noraini said there is stable demand from industries in the US, particularly in the bakery and cosmetics sectors requiring palm oil, which is difficult to be substituted with other vegetable oils. As such, she said the tariff decision has had a relatively minimal effect on the country’s palm oil export performance.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is charting a strong path of economic growth marked by structural reforms, political stability and record trade performance under the Madani framework, says Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming (pic). He pointed out that under the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia had attracted high levels of foreign investment, besides recording the highest trade value in its history amounting to RM3.05 trillion. Nga also said that Malaysia’s competitiveness ranking in the Global Competitiveness Index has risen from 34th position to 23rd. “These achievements clearly demonstrate that Malaysia is now on a solid path,” he said, Bernama reported. Nga stressed that the government is committed to implementing institutional reforms, including limiting the Prime Minister’s term to 10 years and separating the roles of the Attorney General and the Public Prosecutor.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, will close to the public due to the ongoing regional security situation. In a notice on Monday (March 2), the embassy stated that in-person consular services would be unavailable during the closure. However, it said the consular team would remain reachable via telephone and e-mail to provide advice and assistance, including for urgent matters. ALSO READ: It wasn't sand, it was missiles: Malaysian housewife recounts airstrike in UAEFor emergencies, they can be reached at +971 50 614 6894 or mwabudhabi@kln.gov.my. Malaysia previously advised its citizens in the region to remain vigilant and stay in contact with diplomatic missions for updates and assistance.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 2): The proposed constitutional amendment to limit the tenure of the prime minister to 10 years does not affect the prerogative powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. However, the Constitution does not set a term limit for this position, even though it holds a very significant role in the administration of the country,” he said. He said this when presenting the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026 for its second reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday. Therefore, Anwar said the amendment is proposed to complement the existing constitutional framework with an additional institutional check-and-balance mechanism, rather than a personal one. “From a constitutional framework perspective, limiting tenure is a governance mechanism recognised in modern democracies.

While Daniel Cheang is looking forward to Ramadan, he admits the holy month will carry a very different vibe this year, as it begins on the third day of Chinese New Year. “Chinese New Year and Ramadan overlap this year. “On other days, my mum and my Chinese aunts would prepare the food for breaking fast. “Breaking fast with different people, far away from home and away from family, teaches you a lot,” he reflects. This Ramadan, he is hosting the programme Surau Hunting available on Astro Oasis (Ch 106).

KUALA LUMPUR (March 2): OM Holdings Ltd (KL:OMH) has completed the sale of its 26% stake in Ntsimbintle Mining Proprietary Ltd (NMPL) to South Africa-based mining company Exxaro Resources Ltd, according to its bourse filing on Monday. NMPL holds a 50.1% stake in Tshipi é Ntle Manganese Mining, operator of the Tshipi Borwa mine in South Africa’s Kalahari Manganese Field, which is among the largest manganese operations globally of high-grade manganese by production and export volume, located in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. OM Holdings mainly produces and sells manganese ferroalloys, ferrosilicon, silicon metal, manganese sinter ore, and trades manganese ore.Manganese is used to reinforce steel and as a component in battery production for consumer electronics and electric vehicles. The transaction, valued at RM474.12 million, was undertaken by OMH (Mauritius) Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary of OM Holdings. The sale also marks OMH (Mauritius) Corp’s exit from the Tshipi Borwa manganese mineThe company first announced its intention to sell its 26% NMPL stake in May last year.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 2): PTT Synergy Group Bhd (KL:PTT) has appointed Dan Then Ikh Choo as its new group chief executive officer (CEO), effective March 2, 2026. Concurrent with the appointment, former group CEO Tang Choi Peng has been redesignated as group chief strategic officer (CSO) cum executive director. PTT said its renewed focus centres on developing smart warehouses that are data-enabled, automation-ready and flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of industrial users. He said the group intends to strengthen its smart warehouse, automation and intralogistics solutions by integrating design, operational excellence and customer-focused capabilities. He previously served as CEO of PTT Logistics Sdn Bhd since May 2023, and sits on the boards of several PTT subsidiaries.

GEORGE TOWN: Low savings and rising expenses are causing many in the lower-income bracket to tighten spending ahead of this year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Factory operator Mohd Noor Firdaus Abdul Rahim, 31, said he worries that his Employees Provident Fund (EPF) reserves may run dry. With his savings in the EPF already low, Mohd Noor said the newly announced EPF dividend provided little boost to his funds. Under the EPF structure, 75% of contributions are channelled into Account 1 for retirement, 15% into Account 2 for pre-retirement needs, and 10% into Account 3 for flexible withdrawals. Retail assistant Andrea Tan, 24, said her EPF savings have yet to reach RM10,000 as she only entered the workforce less than two years ago.

(March 2): Soybean oil jumped to the highest level in more than two years, tracking crude prices higher after strikes by the US and Israel on Iran over the weekend. Higher crude prices usually make other fuel sources such as biodiesel more attractive, boosting demand for vegetable oils. “It will be like a magnet with crude oil this week following the attacks in Iran,” said Joe Davis, director at brokerage Futures International LLC. Crude spiked before paring the biggest surge in four years, with the US-Israeli war against Iran plunging the oil market into turmoil, triggering concerns about prolonged disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz. Benchmark palm oil futures traded in Kuala Lumpur jumped as much as 1.1% to RM4,086 a tonne.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 2): Foreign investors extended a two-week streak of net selling across eight Asian markets, with net outflows totalling US$2.02 billion (RM7.89 billion), according to MBSB Investment Bank Bhd (MBSB IB). Vietnam returned to net selling after the Lunar New Year market closure and the previous week’s inflows, registering US$181.6 million in net foreign outflows. On Bursa Malaysia, foreign investors extended a two-week streak of net selling, recording net outflows of RM156.4 million. For February, foreign investors marked a fourth consecutive month of net selling. “Across the eight markets we track, net foreign outflows from Asian equities totalled US$1.52 billion, driven primarily by outflows in South Korea,” MBSB IB added.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 2): OSK Property is set to unveil OSK Yarra 33, a RM43.23 million commercial development comprising 33 freehold shop offices within the OSK Yarra Park township in Sungai Petani, Kedah, in the third quarter of 2026. Situated on a 5.77-acre freehold site in Precinct 4 of OSK Yarra Park, the project will feature two- and three-storey shop offices designed to support modern business needs. “Following the strong response to BPJ Business Park, which was fully taken up, OSK Yarra 33 is envisioned as the next standout commercial offering within our Sungai Petani portfolio. As OSK Yarra Park continues to mature, we see increasing demand for well-located, thoughtfully designed business spaces. OSK Yarra 33 reflects our commitment to building commercially resilient environments that support long-term growth for businesses and the surrounding community,” said OSK Property chief executive officer Ong Ghee Bin in the statement.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 2): Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA) is set to benefit from a more favourable tax incentive going forward, after receiving approval for its Schedule 7B Investment Allowance from the Ministry of Finance in November 2025, according to TA Securities. “Although the exact amount of approved tax incentive was not forthcoming, Tenaga is guiding for lower effective tax rate of around 24% going forward, as opposed to its 29%-30% guidance pre-Schedule 7B approval. This should serve as a sustainable catalyst for the group’s bottom line going forward, in our view,” the research house said in a note on Monday. In contrast, cumulative electricity supply agreements signed now stand at 56 projects with a total demand of 7.5 gigawatts, up from 49 projects with a total demand of 7.1 gigawatts. Therefore, CIMB Securities decided to lift its target price by 5% to RM15.90 and maintained its ‘buy’ call on the stock.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 2): Malaysia’s tax revenue is projected to increase in 2026, underpinned by steady wage growth, stronger corporate earnings and improved tax compliance. Individual income tax revenue is expected to rise 9.4% year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM49.07 billion, while corporate income tax collection is projected to grow 6.5% y-o-y to RM103.35 billion. For 2025, the estimated collection for individual income tax stands at RM44.86 billion, while corporate income tax is projected at RM97.03 billion. Sales tax collection is forecast at RM26.6 billion in 2026, with service tax revenue projected at RM33 billion. Higher corporate earnings, particularly in the services and manufacturing sectors, along with the phased implementation of e-invoicing beginning August 2024, are also expected to lift corporate tax revenue, reduce leakages and strengthen compliance.

the hidden mental health crisis among men. Many men themselves do not recognise that they are experiencing a mental health condition. Recently, I met Maurizio Rosini, a Kuala Lumpur-based men’s coach who runs a group dedicated to supporting men’s mental health in Malaysia through workshops, retreats and “men’s circles”. Understanding men’s mental health is not about assigning blame. Datuk Dr Andrew Mohanraj is a consultant psychiatrist and the Malaysian Mental Health Association president.

PETALING JAYA: Herry Iman Pierngadi has been one of the successful Indonesian coaches who has churned out many All-England winners for his country. This week, Herry will get a second shot at making his Midas touch work for the Malaysian squad in Birmingham. His first All-England stint with Malaysia last year ended miserably when none of the top pairs cleared the early rounds. Herry said he has many good memories with the Indonesian team at the All-England but highlighted three. Herry’s top two charges — former world champions and second seeds Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and sixth seeds Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun — are in the lower half of the draw.