HSBC Malaysia launches Visa instalments
KUALA LUMPUR: HSBC Malaysia launched Visa Instalments, a new credit option to establish fixed repayment terms for select purchases over a set period of time. In a statement on Monday, HSBC said the plan is to meet customers’ needs for instalment plans at the point of sale on eCommerce platforms. “HSBC Visa cardholders can now instantly select to pay for their purchases in equal instalments at participating merchant websites. HSBC cardholders will also be able to access Visa Instalments on international merchants’ eCommerce platforms by 2022. All instalment plans selected for the purchase amount within an eligible HSBC customers’ total credit limit will be approved automatically, with no new credit checks or additional lending required.
Source:The Star
October 04, 2021 06:45 UTC
Petronas unit to provide support services for Sarawak’s first mega methanol plant
KUALA LUMPUR: Petronas Global Technical Solutions Sdn Bhd (PGTSSB) will provide advisory and technical support services for Sarawak’s mega methanol project. PGTSSB said on Monday, it had inked a deal with Sarawak Petchem Sdn Bhd to provide the advice which covers advisory on technical services, procurement and turnaround. In 2018, Petronas Chemicals Marketing (Labuan) Ltd became Sarawak Petchem’s partner to market methanol products for the project. Noor Ilias said PGTSSB is committed to help facilitate Sarawak’s vision for their first mega methanol plant with its best-in-class technical and project delivery expertise. PGTSSB offers technical services to the oil and gas sector.
Source:The Star
October 04, 2021 06:22 UTC
Cops record statements over vaccine allegations in viral video
IPOH (Bernama): Police here have recorded statements from several individuals, including the suspect, over the allegation in a viral video that two students of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tasek Damai here have died after getting vaccinated against Covid-19. Perak police chief Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said the 39-year-old suspect had her statement recorded at the Klang Selatan District Police Headquarters yesterday. Mior Faridalathrash added that the investigation paper would be submitted to the state prosecution director to charge the suspect. On Sept 29, Perak Police dismissed as fake an allegation in a viral video that two students here had died after getting their vaccinations. "The female student died of Covid-19 on July 18 while the male student died of a heart ailment on Sept 17,” said Mior Faridalathrash.- Bernama
Source:The Star
October 04, 2021 05:37 UTC
Fumio Kishida officially elected Japan's 100th prime minister
TOKYO (Reuters) - Fumio Kishida was officially elected as Japan's 100th prime minister on Monday after winning a majority of votes in both houses of parliament. The new cabinet members under Kishida, who succeeds Yoshihide Suga, are due to be announced later in the day. (Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim)
Source:The Star
October 04, 2021 05:03 UTC
Malaysia records increase in external trade unit values in August
However, the export volume index declined 3.2% in August due to decreases in the volume index of the same export products. "When compared to the previous year, the export unit value and volume index grew 16.2 per cent and 1.9 per cent, respectively,' said Mohd Uzir. Meanwhile, the increase in the import unit value index was owing to the growth in the index of mineral fuels, animal and vegetable oils and fats and manufactured good. The seasonally adjusted import volume index in August 2021 posted a decrease of 11% from 154.1 points to 137.2 points. "On a year-on-year basis, both the import unit value and volume indices expanded 6.4 per cent and 5.7 per cent, respectively," said Mohd Uzir.
Source:The Star
October 04, 2021 04:05 UTC
NTPC to plan IPOs of three units, may raise US$2bil
The state-run generator plans to sell shares in NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd within a year, the official said, asking not to be named as the plans are still not public. Rising climate change concerns have restricted funding to fossil fuel projects and funnelled investments into green energy. By the time it’s listed, NTPC Renewable Energy will aim to have at least 10 gigawatts of generation capacity, according to the official. NTPC has won bids for 2,765MW of renewables projects since the start of the fiscal year in April, 77% more than the whole prior fiscal year. Its power trading unit NTPC Vidyut Vyapar has started to tap energy transition projects, including electric mobility.
Source:The Star
October 04, 2021 01:45 UTC
Covid-19: 87.6 percent of Malaysia's adults fully vaccinated as of Sunday (Oct 3)
PETALING JAYA: A total of 206,574 Covid-19 vaccine doses were administered nationwide as of Sunday (Oct 3). In a series of tweets on Monday (Oct 4), the Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV) said that 20,513,168 individuals or 87.6% of the adult population have been fully inoculated while 22,081,548 adults (94.3%) have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. It also added that out of the total doses administered on Sunday, 96,024 received their first dose of a two-dose vaccine and 110,550 people have received their second dose. Johor leads the state with the most first doses administered at 21,249, followed by Penang (10,931), Kedah (10,747) and Perak (9,853). It also topped the list of the most second doses administered with 20,728, followed by Perak (14,038), Sabah (13,325) and Sarawak (12,374).
Source:The Star
October 04, 2021 01:41 UTC
Bursa turns positive after weak October start
At 9.30am, the FBM KLCI was up 6.53 points to 1,531.01, bucking the negative trend on the market. "After suffering losses in September- which saw the FBM KLCI dropping 4% - investors will be hoping for a reversal of fortunes as we enter the last quarter of 2021. On the blue-chip FBM KLCI, MISC was seen bouncing 18 sen higher to RM7.01 to lead the index's gains. Other top active movers included Axteria up 1.5 sen to 25.5 sen and KNM rising 0.5 sen to 22 sen. 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
Source:The Star
October 04, 2021 01:34 UTC
CTOS Digital sees stock pullback as market reacts to suspension of CCRIS access to credit reporting agencies
On Friday, CTOS announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary CTOS Data Systems Sdn Bhd had received a letter/directive from BNM regarding the temporary suspension of access effective Oct 1. Later on the same day, BNM told theedgemarkets.com that it has been “made aware of a credible threat involving credit reporting agencies in Malaysia”, without elaborating. As a pre-emptive measure, BNM has temporarily suspended the access of all credit reporting agencies to the CCRIS database effective immediately. “Access will be restored once the credit rating agencies' secure access is assured,“ the central bank said. Read also:Bank Negara temporarily suspends credit reporting agencies' access to CCRIS servicesCTOS offers free dark web monitoring to all Malaysians for one month
Source:The Edge Markets
October 04, 2021 01:23 UTC
CTOS disruption of service likely a temporary hiccup
"In our view, the pullback in share price was an overreaction by the market," said RHB Research in a note. "The central bank has also promised access will resume once the CRAs complete data security assessments," it added in a note. However, RHB deems this highly unlikely given the level of disruption to the financial system, especially for non-bank lenders. Further, this would likely result in tightening in lending, especially to the B40 group, which goes against Bank Negara's agenda. 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
Source:The Star
October 04, 2021 00:33 UTC
Call to enhance retirement savings
CLICK TO ENLARGEPETALING JAYA: With the country’s economy entering into recovery mode, it is timely to put in place comprehensive social safety nets and measures to boost the retirement savings. Economists when contacted by StarBiz generally opined that the government should seriously look into retirement security, especially after the Employees Provident Fund’s (EPF) retirement savings took a hit from the Covid-19 pandemic.The Covid-19 has disrupted businesses and livelihood, and those in dire need had been forced to withdraw from their EPF savings via the i-Sinar and i-Citra schemes, resulting in lower retirement savings. To ensure retirees have adequate savings throughout their retirement, economists suggested measures including the reinstatement of the EPF contribution rate by employees, option to contribute at a higher rate, raising the maximum amount of the EPF allowable for tax-deductions, increasing the retirement age as well as deepening financial literacy to enhance retirement savings. “This will also diminish the retirement savings of the low and middle income households,” explained Yeah. While the decision to withdraw from the retirement savings is regrettable, especially for workers in their 30s, 40s and 50s, he acknowledged that it may be unavoidable.
Source:The Star
October 03, 2021 23:03 UTC
Nervy markets await outcome for opaque bond tied to Evergrande
The world’s most indebted developer may be facing its next big debt test from yesterday, underscoring the broader risks of opaque obligations in credit markets already on edge. Sources have said that a dollar note maturing Oct 3 issued at an initial amount of US$260mil (RM1bil) by an entity called Jumbo Fortune Enterprises is guaranteed by Evergrande. Any failure to pay Jumbo Fortune’s note may also pose a risk of cross-default for Evergrande’s other bonds, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Daniel Fan. Standard Chartered’s head of China macro strategy Becky Liu expects Evergrande has more structured products such as guaranteed bonds, similar to the Jumbo Fortune note, with offshore dollar bonds making up just 6% of the firm’s total reported liabilities. The law firm White & Case is advising various investors with regard to Jumbo Fortune, a spokesperson for the firm said.
Source:The Star
October 03, 2021 23:03 UTC
Algeria to reduce income tax amid soaring food prices
ALGIERS: Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Sunday ordered his government to reduce tax on overall income amid soaring food prices in the drought-hit North African country, the presidency said. Avoiding social unrest has been a priority for authorities in Algeria where the middle class has been hit by soaring prices for some food products. "-Algeria has also closed its airspace to French military planes, France's military said on Sunday, escalating the biggest row between the countries in years. The Algerian government did not specify which Macron comment had prompted the recall of its ambassador, but it accused him of interfering in Algerian internal affairs. A source in the Algerian government said the comment about Algeria's existence as a nation had caused particular anger.
Source:The Star
October 03, 2021 22:44 UTC
Black panther sightings spook Negri villagers
MISSING livestock and recent sightings of a pair of black panthers has spooked villagers in Kampung Batu Chondong in Kuala Pilah, Negri Sembilan, Kosmo! Villager Mumtaz Ahmad said the first panther was spotted at about 6.30pm on Thursday near an orchard and came back about an hour later with another leopard. Negri Sembilan Wildlife and National Parks Department director Wan Mat Wan Harun said they set up a camera trap to detect the presence of the big cats in the complainant’s property. > A recent TikTok post by a 23-year-old security guard at SMK Gudang Rasau in Kuantan has won the admiration of Internet users, Metro Ahad reported. She said she was not embarrassed to work as a security guard and enjoyed her work.
Source:The Star
October 03, 2021 21:56 UTC