Higher EPF dividends expected
The EPF reported a 19.34% year-on-year increase in total investment income to RM14.67bil in the third quarter of last year after netting off write-downs. ALSO READ: EPF switch won’t pay dividends so soonSome RM4.62bil of the investment income was generated from mark-to-market (MTM) gains of securities that have not been realised, due to the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates. As such, Mohd Afzanizam said a better dividend payout can be expected. “We shall expect a better EPF dividend this year. Already, the EPF has recorded a 33% increase in total investment income for the first nine months of 2023,” he said.
Source:The Star
February 24, 2024 20:20 UTC
Trump enters South Carolina's Republican primary looking to embarrass Haley in her home state
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Source:The Star
February 24, 2024 19:57 UTC
Take a chance on Fred
The players are now under the microscope as they prepare for the Olympic Games in Paris in July. He was the man behind former great Lee Chong Wei when he went on to win his first Olympic Games silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. “Time is short as the Olympic Games is around the corner. Frederick has taken up the job upon the request from Chong Wei, national coaching director Rexy Mainaky and BAM president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria. Frederick has a high regard for the national shuttlers and believes teamwork will take them to success.
Source:The Star
February 23, 2024 12:31 UTC
Man loses two cats worth nearly RM10,000 during armed robbery
PETALING JAYA: A cat breeder was robbed at knife-point of his mobile phone and two cats worth nearly RM10,000. "The man came to my house and purchased a cat on that day. "Once the other man took the cats I saw an opportunity to escape and unlocked the car door and tried to get out. He said the suspects managed to flee the scene with the two cats worth nearly RM10,000 and his mobile phone. "We have made arrests in connection with this case and will issue a statement on the matter soon," he said.
Source:The Star
February 22, 2024 23:13 UTC
S&P predicts 9% rebound in ringgit by end 2024
PETALING JAYA: S&P Global Ratings forecast a 9% rebound in the Malaysian ringgit by the end of the year, and said the weak currency doesn’t pose a risk to the sovereign rating. "We do not see the depreciating ringgit as a risk to the sovereign rating,” said YeeFarn Phua, sovereign analyst at S&P in Singapore. S&P joins Moody’s Investors Service in highlighting the safety of the nation’s credit rating despite the ringgit’s weakness, as almost all the nation’s debt is denominated in the local currency. The government’s foreign debt was about RM30bil (US$6.26bil) at the end of 2023, just under 3% of the total, S&P estimated. Malaysia is rated A- at S&P since 2003, signifying its strong ability to pay debt.
Source:The Star
February 22, 2024 16:41 UTC
Celebrate your favourite fiction writers
Malaysian readers have the chance to select the winners by voting for their favourites from the 10 nominated fiction and non-fiction titles respectively. The responsibility then falls on the readers themselves to determine the winners by casting their votes for their favourite titles in both fiction and non-fiction categories. To participate and make your voice heard, visit http://bookfest.popular.com.my/?l=12 and cast your votes for three favourite titles in each category for the POPULAR – The Star RCA 2024. And the rewards don't end with the satisfaction of supporting your favourite authors. Exercise your power, cast your votes, and be part of the celebration of literary excellence at the POPULAR – The Star RCA 2024.
Source:The Star
February 21, 2024 10:00 UTC
Quality, not quantity
EARNING a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) heritage accreditation for a place drives many countries to seek it because of its economic value to tourism as it offers international recognition. It creates jobs and business opportunities, helps tourism promotion and marketing, and often improves the quality of local lives.
Source:The Star
February 18, 2024 06:09 UTC
Company director, engineer remanded five days over RM13,000 bribe
PUTRAJAYA: A company director has been remanded over suspicions of giving a RM13,000 bribe to an engineer in return for contracts with a department in Penang. Magistrate Shyahirah Abdul Salim allowed the MACC’s application for the suspect to be remanded for five days until Feb 20. The engineer in question has also been remanded, over claims of accepting bribes from a contractor sometime in 2022. Sources said he was believed to have used the money to buy a snooker table and a ping pong table and had placed it in his office. The engineer, who is in his 30s, has also been remanded for five days beginning Friday after the order was issued by Magistrate Mohamad Azlan Basri.
Source:The Star
February 16, 2024 20:27 UTC
Mentally ill man rescued in dramatic fashion in Sandakan
KOTA KINABALU: A man believed to be mentally ill has finally been rescued after refusing to come down from the rooftop of his apartment for over 60 hours in the east coast Sandakan district on Thursday (Feb 15). Sandakan Fire and Rescue station chief Severinus Sainkui said they managed to restrain the man and bring him to the ground safely at 1.24pm on Thursday (Feb 15). The man was also holding a sharp iron object as well as a stick that made the rescue operation delicate, he added. He said the man was then handed over to Health Ministry personnel before being sent to the hospital in an ambulance. They ended the operation at 2.08pm after assessing there were no other risks at the site, he added.
Source:The Star
February 16, 2024 03:45 UTC
No more nose issue to deal with, Lakshya bent on qualifying for the Games
SHAH ALAM: A nose surgery almost halted Lakshya Sen’s (pic) career in 2022 but the Indian shuttler didn’t allow the setback to completely destroy his Olympic dreams. Lakshya, having won the Birmingham Commonwealth Games gold, was forced to undergo a surgery for a deviated septum right after the 2022 World Championships in Tokyo in August. Lakshya is also looking forward to helping India’s strong run in team events and win the Asia Team Championships for the first time. “This team gel well on and off the court and winning the Thomas Cup has given us the motivation. The Thomas Cup Finals will be held in Chengdu, China from April 28-May 5 where the hosts are likely to be India’s strongest rivals.
Source:The Star
February 15, 2024 10:33 UTC
Islamic laws strengthened
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Islamic laws will be further strengthened with the recent landmark judgment by the Federal Court nullifying 16 provisions in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal code, says the Syariah Judiciary Department. The Feb 9 ruling will also harmonise offences that exist under both syariah and civil laws, the department said. “It is just (that these offences) cannot be tried in syariah court, but can be tried in civil court. If a Muslim in Kelantan commits sumbang mahram (incest), the offence can be tried in civil court,” the department said. “In fact, the punishment provided in the Penal Code is also higher, compared to the punishment provided in the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code Enactment”.
Source:The Star
February 12, 2024 20:07 UTC
Over 13,000 litres of diesel seized in Kedah raid
PETALING JAYA: More than 13,000 litres of diesel have been seized from two storage facilities in Kedah, putting an end to the smuggling of the subsidised fuel. “Based on our initial information, the syndicate would fill up a modified lorry with diesel at several petrol stations in Changlun and Bukit Kayu Hitam. “The diesel would then be transported to the illegal storage sites and later transferred for sale on the black market,” he said in a statement. Azman said more than 13,000 litres of diesel, a lorry, several intermediate bulk container tanks, a motor pump and documents were seized for further investigations. “Nine men, who admitted being workers at the two sites, were detained to assist in investigations,” he added.
Source:The Star
February 12, 2024 14:27 UTC
Convicted Thai ex-PM Thaksin facing possible royal insults charge
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's attorney general is considering prosecuting convicted former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra over an alleged insult of the powerful monarchy, an official said on Tuesday, just weeks away from his possible release on parole. The lese-majeste law is among the world's strictest, with each perceived offence punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The influential Thaksin, prime minister from 2001-2006, made a dramatic homecoming last August from 15 years in self-imposed exile to serve an eight-year jail sentence for abuse of power, later commuted to one year by the king. Prayut Petchkhun, spokesperson for the attorney-general's office, told reporters the seven-year delay in acting on the royal insults complaint was because Thaksin had been abroad. Thailand current government is backed by the Shinawatra family, with Thaksin's return coinciding with ally and real estate mogul Srettha Thavisin becoming prime minister that same day.
Source:The Star
February 06, 2024 17:47 UTC
Soccer-South Korea and Jordan expect to 'suffer' in Asian Cup semi-final
"It's true that South Korea have great potential in terms of mental, technical and tactical preparedness. "Despite playing 120 minutes twice everyone knows the value of South Korea at an individual and collective level. Playing 120 minutes means they're in good shape," the Moroccan coach said. I don't think playing 120 minutes will make a difference in tomorrow's game." While Jordan are playing in their first semi-final, South Korea are looking to advance and end a 64-year trophy drought in the Asian Cup.
Source:The Star
February 06, 2024 02:42 UTC
QuickCheck: Were fighter aircraft once based near Banting, Selangor?
Given enough time, the very existence of these bases might wind up forgotten by the vast majority of people. Over the years, a claim has emerged occasionally that fighter aircraft were based less than 10km from Banting, Selangor. “The Gazette stated that the Allied forces moved ashore from Morib to the Kelanang airfield on Sept 10, 1945 before proceeding to Telok Datok on Sept 14, 1945,” said the three. They added that the Kelanang Airfield was also mentioned in other British documents closer to the time of the Allied landings in Morib in 1945. The Forgotten World War II Airfield: The Case of Morib Airfield.
Source:The Star
February 06, 2024 00:37 UTC