PETALING JAYA: The Finance Ministry has refuted recent allegations that Malaysia is on the verge of bankruptcy and highlighted that the government has always been “highly disciplined” in managing its debt levels. He added that the federal government’s debt remained at a manageable level. Tengku Zafrul said the federal government practiced prudent debt management through existing laws. In this regard, the federal government’s debt is “clearly still under control”, according to him. Tengku Zafrul said the false social media reports on the country’s debt position are seen as intending to mislead the public and could potentially affect investor confidence in Malaysia.

BERA (July 14): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Thursday (July 14) announced an allocation of almost RM65 million for the implementation of five initiatives to help Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) settlers and their new generation in various aspects, including housing. The initiatives include a fund of RM20 million under the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme as collateral for housing loans to be made by the new generation of Felda settlers, so that they need not have to offer other collateral for a loan, thus facilitating the financing process for house construction in Felda generation lots. Ismail Sabri said Felda had also allocated a revolving fund of RM10 million to provide more opportunities to start a business or increase the capacity of the business to entrepreneurs among the younger generation of Felda settlers, involving interest-free loans of RM5,000 to RM20,000, with applications to open in August. “In a bid to provide necessary facilities for the new generation of Felda settlers to reside in its areas, Felda has previously implemented the Felda New Generation Project (PGBF). “This means, if the total rent paid for 36 months is RM10,800, then the price they have to pay for a middle unit worth RM90,000 will be reduced to only RM79,200,” he said when officiating at the Felda Settlers' Day 2022 celebration at Felda Rentam here on Thursday.

KUALA LUMPUR: An application for injunction by Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to prevent Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin from issuing any statement on the allegation the latter had sought help to resolve or postpone his criminal trials will be heard on Aug 8. He said the court had ordered Ahmad Zahid to file his affidavit in reply before or by July 22. “The hearing of the application has been set on Aug 8 before High Court Judge Rozana Ali Yusoff through online proceedings,” he said, Bernama reported. On the same day, he said, the video footage of the defamatory statement was published on Astro Awani’s YouTube channel, which is managed by Astro Awani. Ahmad Zahid claimed the allegations were false and aimed at tarnishing his good name and reputation.

IPOH: A relative of a family of four who perished in a seven-vehicle pile-up on the North-South Expressway had an uneasy feeling when her calls to them went unanswered. The victims were identified as retired police corporal Rahim Ramli, 60, his wife Siti Petimah Omar, 59, and their two daughters Nor Nadirah, 28, and Nor Hamizah, 27. The trailer is believed to have crashed into the car the family was in on KM277.1 of the expressway, near here. The relative, who wished to be known only as Atie, said she had last spoken to Siti Petimah at noon when they were somewhere near Alor Pongsu, Perak. It is learnt that the family was travelling from Sungai Petani, Kedah, to Kuala Lumpur.

Indonesia's Ambassador to Malaysia Hermono told Reuters the freeze was imposed after Malaysia's immigration authorities continued using an online recruitment system for domestic workers that had been linked to allegations of trafficking and forced labour. The system's continued operation violated the terms of an agreement signed between Malaysia and Indonesia in April, aimed at improving the protection of domestic workers employed in Malaysian households, said Hermono, who goes by one name. Malaysia's Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan confirmed receiving a letter from Indonesian authorities informing him of the freeze. Malaysia relies on millions of foreign workers, who mainly come from Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Nepal, to fill factory and plantation jobs shunned by locals. Read also:MoHR, Home Affairs Ministry to discuss Indonesia’s domestic worker ban

Monkeypox adds to the stakes for University of Minnesota special pathogen training Common medical and surgical procedures take on complications when patients are infected with highly-transmissible pathogens. Minneapolis police in standoff at apartment after shots fired inside Police responded after report of gunshots in apartment building near Franklin and Cedar avenues. Local Anoka County tobacco wholesaler charged with skirting $1.3 million in taxes Fady Bshara Daw of North Oaks faces up to three years for the crimes,Local Dial 988: New mental health crisis hotline launches Saturday The new hotline is expected to send crisis call volumes soaring, prompting some to ask if Minnesota is ready. Local 4-year-old boy operating full-size ATV crashes and dies in central Minnesota His 6-year-old cousin riding along jumped from the ATV just before it rolled over, the Sheriff's Office said. Unlicensed driver jailed after head-on crash near Little Falls kills other motorist Authorities suspect that the surviving motorist, whose license was revoked at the time of the crash, was driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol.

Total turnover fell to 1.76 billion units valued at RM1.28 billion, from 2.36 billion units valued at RM1.27 billion on Tuesday. Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index gave up 68.02 points to 16,020.20, the Industrial Products and Services Index shed 3.50 points to 166.71, and the Plantation Index trimmed 33.23 points to 6,686.70. The Main Market volume narrowed to 1.09 billion shares worth RM1.12 billion, against 1.64 billion shares worth RM1.10 billion on Tuesday. Warrants turnover decreased to 263.33 million units valued at RM45.05 million, versus 452.94 million units valued at RM86.22 million on Tuesday. The ACE Market volume expanded to 396.49 million shares worth RM112.67 million, from 267.91 million shares worth RM86.74 million previously.

PETALING JAYA: The shortage of medical officers in the national healthcare system may take a turn for the worse due to a change in policy, laments a group of affected doctors. Those working in the already short-handed national healthcare system are concerned that they will be overburdened further. “Although this move can make the affected contract doctors happier, it will be better for the government to improve the current contract system holistically and tackle the predicament faced by contract doctors,” he said. Dr Muhammad said the Public Service Commission should create more permanent positions for contract doctors, alongside specialist programmes to allow them to serve within the national healthcare system. Contract doctors appointed after 2016, as well as those who had taken loans before 2016, are eligible to terminate their bonds.

KUALA LUMPUR (July 13): MN Holdings Bhd has secured a contract for the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) of high-voltage systems and related works for a large-scale solar photovoltaic (LSSPV) plant in Pekan, Pahang worth RM12.2 million. According to the group, ERS Energy is a solar EPCC service provider with over 10 years of industry experience in residential solar, commercial and industrial solar and large-scale solar projects. “We will continue to leverage our deep experience in the underground utilities and substation engineering segment to secure more projects moving forward,” said MN Holdings executive director Dang Siong Diang. The contract, which spans for 13 months, is expected to be completed by August next year. At noon break, shares in MN Holdings closed unchanged at 21 sen, giving it a market capitalisation of RM85.84 million.

“No, people … I mean the civil service,” he replies. The civil service, those in the top brass, are supposed to be responsible gatekeepers. “It is a cliché but I guess one worth repeating if it is about the civil service. He was a stickler for procedures and the civil service general orders (GO). What was right was right, and what was wrong was wrong — it was as simple as that.

IT is said that a squadron in the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force (RAF) had a motto in the Malay language – standing out from the English or Latin more commonly used. VERDICT:TRUEThe motto of the RAF's recently-disbanded No.100 Squadron was "Sarang Tebuan Jangan Dijolok" or "Do Not Poke a Hornet's Nest". No.100 Squadron was originally established on Feb 23, 1917, as a Royal Flying Corps night bomber unit, serving in France during World War One. 100 Squadron would eventually serve in the European Theatre of World War Two as part of the RAF's Bomber Command. It would then serve as a nuclear bomber unit before becoming a training squadron – a role it would serve until it was eventually disbanded on March 31 this year.

THERE is growing concern about Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s (Tenaga) likely strained cash flow, as the electricity tariff is not rising fast enough to cope with escalating fuel costs. The utility group will have to borrow more to sustain its operations, as it needs to fork out a bigger sum in advance in view of the big jump in fuel prices. They had believed that Tenaga would be immune to high fuel prices owing to the fuel cost pass-through mechanism. The average coal price agreed upon by the government and Tenaga for the Regulatory Period 3 (RP3) is not known. The credit agency believes Tenaga will be able to pass on any under- or over-recovery of fuel costs through tariff adjustments.

KUALA LUMPUR (July 12): Foreign selling of Malaysian equities narrowed to RM120.55 million last week from RM320.28 million the prior week. “Local institutions remained to be net buyers for two consecutive weeks after buying RM29.9 million last week. “They were net buyers last Monday at RM50.2 million and turned into net sellers last Tuesday at RM22.2 million,” it said. It said local institutions were net sellers for 20 out of 27 weeks, with a total net outflow of RM7.78 billion. It said local retailers had been net buyers for 18 out of 27 weeks of 2022, adding that year-to-date, they are net buyers at RM1.83 billion.

KUALA LUMPUR (July 12): Malaysia is ready for any eventualities, including a global recession, just as any country in the world should be prepared for such a possibility, said Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz. This is based on preliminary economic data that showed the second quarter of this year had charted strong growth, with the momentum expected to continue into the third quarter, he said. We will watch this closely but for now — based on the data we have — the projection still remains because Malaysia's economy is diversified. The global economy expanded by 6.1% in 2021. Read also:EPF targets 300,000 members in the first year for i-LindungCukai Makmur to lighten govt’s financial burden, says Tengku Zafrul

PETALING JAYA: Seasoned campaigner Tan Wee Kiong is feeling optimistic although he has a tall order with partner Tan Kian Meng to clear the first round of the Singapore Open which starts today. Wee Kiong however has an extra reason to do well in the first meeting with their opponents. “Our goal is to win as many matches as possible in Singapore,” said Wee Kiong, who teamed up with Kian Meng last October. “My main goal is qualify for the next Olympics with Kian Meng. I will not play with Kian Meng after this Singapore Open as I will be focusing on the world meet.