Endangered species NGO Bora bags inaugural Hornbill award, will share winnings with other finalists
KOTA KINABALU: Non-governmental organisation Bringing Back Our Rare Animals (Bora) has won the inaugural The Hornbill Award competition organised by Climate Governance Malaysia (CGM), beating five other finalists but pledging to share some of its winnings with them. "However, one of the finalists just graciously said it’s best Bora keeps the funds. This involves the removal of weeds as well as planting figs and nutritious grass species, Payne added. “RM6,000 will be used for supplies such as organic fertiliser, mineral blocks and small equipment, while the remaining RM13,000 is for Bora's running costs including our office and on-site vehicle at Tabin,” Payne said. He thanked all Bora supporters who backed this idea of targeted intervention to support endangered wildlife through attention to diet, habitat expansion and reproductive health.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 04:52 UTC
My Say: Could Evergrande be China’s Lehman moment?
Exactly 13 years ago and also in mid-September, Lehman Brothers, the US’ fourth-largest investment bank, filed for bankruptcy, brought down by its exposure to real estate through investment in subprime loans. Today, Evergrande, China’s second-largest real estate developer, is teetering on default. Debt and real estate, it seems, can be combustible anywhere in the world. China’s debt-fuelled real estate bubble was clearly worrying its policymakers. They point to China’s massive financial clout and the fact that the country’s debt, though large, is mainly domestic.
Source:The Edge Markets
September 27, 2021 04:41 UTC
Indian farmers stage nationwide protests against reforms
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Indian farmers opposed to reforms they say threaten their livelihoods renewed their push against the changes with nationwide protests on Monday, a year after laws on the liberalisation of the sector were introduced. In Noida, a New Delhi satellite town, farmers confronted police and pushed past them to break through barricades. Nearly a dozen opposition parties have supported the farmers' protest to step up pressure on Modi's administration to repeal the laws.. Small farmers say the changes make them vulnerable to competition from big business, and that they could eventually lose price supports for staples such as wheat and rice. The government says the reforms mean new opportunities and better prices for farmers.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 03:45 UTC
Indonesian man nabbed with RM1.7mil worth of drugs in two gunnysacks
IPOH: A 56-year-old Indonesian man was arrested with two gunny sacks believed to contain syabu worth more than RM1.7mil while trying to make arrangements to ‘export’ the drugs to his country. Perak police chief Comm Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said the Hilir Perak police's narcotics criminal investigation department arrested the man with the drugs weighing 29kg. “Initial investigation revealed that the suspect would purchase drugs from a local distributor, and later ‘export’ the drugs via a boat at illegal jetties. Comm Mior Faridalathrash added that this was the first time state police have encountered this modus operandi in smuggling drugs. “All five of them tested positive for drugs, and four of them have previous criminal records,” he added.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 03:11 UTC
Shareholder vote soon in Morrison battle
Morrison said in the document that as neither CD&R nor Fortress had declared its offer final, “a competitive situation” existed. It’s expected the Takeover Panel, a body that oversees United Kingdom takeover transactions, will announce the terms of the auction process soon. Private equity investors want to capitalise on the improving fortunes of leading chains after lockdowns triggered a surge of in-store and online grocery spending. The private equity firm has made pledges to maintain Morrison’s policy on pay and pensions. The offer from CD&R will be funded with more than £3.4bil (RM19.49bil) of equity from funds managed by the private equity firm.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 02:03 UTC
Cybersecurity: How safe is your email from hackers?
A seasoned hacker will be able to get access to an absolute treasure trove of personal, financial, and health information. A new cyberattack is launched every 40 seconds and ransomware attacks are increasing at the rate of 400% on year. Warning signs to be aware ofGhanem says that there are usually some warning signs when hackers are trying to compromise your accounts. "Regaining control of an account may not be straightforward and depends on whether you can still access it," Ghanem notes. Staying one step ahead of hackersGhanem says that hackers use social engineering attacks to manipulate people into giving up confidential information.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 02:00 UTC
5.7-magnitude quake shakes Philippines' main island: USGS
MANILA (AFP): A strong earthquake hit off the Philippines' main island Monday (Sept 27), but there were no immediate reports of damage, the US Geological Survey and local officials said. The deep 5.7-magnitude quake struck off Batangas province on Luzon island at 1.12am (1712 GMT), with residents in the nearby capital of Manila woken by their buildings shaking. The quake was recorded at a depth of 98km (60 miles), the USGS said. But authorities near the epicentre said they had not received any reports of damage. Leonardo Tristan, a disaster officer in Looc town on Occidental Mindoro island, said the force of the quake sent some residents rushing outside.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 01:52 UTC
Bursa opens flat ahead of 12MP unveiling
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's benchmark stock index opened on a flattish note on Monday ahead of the tabling of the 12th Malaysia Plan later today.At 9.11am, the FBM KLCI was down 1.11 points to 1,530.95, displaying vestiges of selling pressure from the previous week even as bargain hunters picked up on sold-down counters.There will be a series of macro-developments over week, not least of which include the 12th Malaysian Plan which will unveil the economic roadmap for Malaysia with key development initiatives to be carried out over the next five years.Bank stocks could also be seeing some investor interest over the coming days. Kenanga Research noted in its weekly outlook report that there will be news flow on the government's instruction for finacial institutions to waive interest payments during the loan moratorium period for the bottom 50% income bracket group.The initiative is scheduled to take effect for three months starting from this Friday.Meanwhile, Kenanga expects more downside ahead given the negative momentum on the market, although bargin hunters are also expected to provide buying support. "On the chart, following the benchmark index’s crossing under the 25-day SMA line and the DMI Plus cutting below the DMI Minus indicator, the FBMKLCI could swing sideways – with a slight downward bias – between our immediatesupport and resistance thresholds of 1,510 and 1,550," it said.On Bursa Malaysia, tech-related counters remains in the spotlight following reports of unfulfilled demand for semiconductors.Genetech rose 58 sen to RM38.52, Unisem up 16 sen to RM8.92 and Visdynamics gaining 23 sen to RM1.60.Glove stocks were seen falling further into the red, led by Top Glove down nine sen to RM2.66, Hartalega falling eight sen to RM5.45 and Supermax dropping seven sen to RM4.02.Most active counters were DNeX down one sen to 80 sen, Impiana rising 1.5 sen to nine sen and KNM gaining 1.5 sen to 24.5 sen.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 01:30 UTC
Rules for a Covid-safe festival
FOR the upcoming Kew Ong Yeah (Nine Emperor Gods) Festival, dining-in at temporary roadside stalls in Penang is still a no-no, said Penang Island City Council (MBPP). “Those observing a vegetarian diet during the nine-day festival are not allowed to dine-in at roadside stalls. “Fully vaccinated devotees dining-in at shops, restaurants and food complexes must register via the MySejahtera app and have their temperature taken. Theng said hawkers applying for roadside stall permits for the festival also need to provide a floor plan for their stalls for strict standard operating procedure compliance. The Nine Emperor Gods Festival will begin on Oct 6 and end on Oct 14 this year.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 01:18 UTC
Maxis urges its 3G customers to upgrade to 4G
PETALING JAYA: To further drive the 4G upgrade of its 3G customers, Maxis Bhd has also rolled out a campaign called “Balas Budi dengan 4G”, which aims to support and assist customers to prepare for the eventual network transition. The campaign encourages existing 4G users to help their parents, families and friends who are still on 3G devices to quickly switch to 4G devices, including how they can have easy access to 4G devices. “Our lines are always open to those who have questions or need assistance regarding the upgrade. While the 3G sunset will not affect current Maxis 4G users, they should enable Voice Over LTE (VoLTE) on their devices. For more information on 3G network sunsetting, or to request for assistance with device migration, call Maxis at 123 or visit https://www.maxis.com.my/en/faq/network/mobile/3g-sunsetting/.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 01:12 UTC
All for voluntary closure
TRADERS in Pulau Tikus Market, Penang, have decided it is better to be safe than sorry following the detection of Covid-19 cases there. They opted for voluntary closure starting yesterday although the Health Ministry had decided not to close the market. Pulau Tikus Market Traders Association chairman Lee Kok Boon, 58, said the closure would affect over 70 traders inside the market and by the road. “It is better to close now so that we can undergo swab tests and carry out sanitisation at the market. “We have arranged for some 100 traders, hawkers and business owners in this area to undergo swab tests.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 01:07 UTC
Some consideration for senior citizens
BEFORE the first movement control order was implemented to control the outbreak of Covid-19, senior citizens were given some privileges at offices and banks. I would like to think that this was a gesture to honour the senior citizens’ contributions to the country and that these places also realised that many among the elderly population are not computer savvy. It is fine to give preference to people who had made an appointment online (generally youngsters), but senior citizens who are not computer-savvy should also be given due consideration. It is gravely wrong to treat us as second class citizens. Even if employees are working from home, there should still be skeletal staff at the office to attend to the needs of the public.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 01:07 UTC
Gyms reopening with tight safety measures
“It is tough wearing a face mask during workouts as it can affect breathing, but I am trying to be very careful. He said wearing a face mask was not mandatory for members as a mask would make it difficult to breathe during workouts, unlike face shields. X Gym member R. Krishnasamy, 67, said it was a hassle wearing a face mask or face shield while hitting the gym. “Breathing exercises are part of the workout at gyms, so wearing a face mask or face shield will defeat the purpose.”Another member, William Chiang, 35, said it was not right to exercise with the face shield on. “Most air-conditioned gyms too have converted to opening their windows and using fans for better ventilation,” he said.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 01:07 UTC
Growth catalysts could propel VS Industry further
KUALA LUMPUR: VS Industry Bhd 's rally may still have legs given the favourable shift in growth dynamics and a more balance earnings profile, says RHB Research.On the back of upbeat FY21 earnings, the research house expects near-term earnings growth as the group returns to full workforce capacity. "Over 90% of VSI's workers have been fully vaccinated and it should be able to resume full workforce capacity by October. "This will come in handy for VSI to commence more new production lines and take on the seasonal demand that kicks in towards the year-end," it said.It added that VS Industry's earnings base will become more diversified moving forward, which will set it apart from peers that depend relatively more on the organic growth of existing customers.The research house projects 39% earnings growth in FY22, indicating another record year, supported by the ramp-up in new production lines progressively from the two new customers secured earlier in 2020.Post-results, it also raised FY23-23 forecast earnings by 3% and introduced FY24 projections, which imply 8% growth.RHB increased its ascribed FY22 price-earnings to 23 times from 19 times previously to arrive at a new target price of RM2.01.The new valuation is at plus-three standard deviation over the stock's five-year mean and reflects a 20% premium to its close peer SKP Resources. It said this was jutified by VS Industry's relatively larger market capitalisation and higher trading liquidity.In FY21, VS Industry's core net profit jumped 120% year-on-year to RM270mil, representing 99% and 108% of RHB's and consensus full-year forecasts respectively.RHB considered the results above its expectation as it had not taken into account the lockdown restrictions.
Source:The Star
September 27, 2021 01:06 UTC