Paramount Corp and Star Media Group apply for digital banking licence
KUALA LUMPUR: Paramount Corp Bhd and Star Media Group Bhd (SMG) have jointly applied for a digital banking licence from Bank Negara as part of a five-member consortium with the aim of accelerating their digital growth strategies. “Paramount had earlier mentioned that it was looking at the feasibility of applying for a digital bank licence. “The venture into digital banking is in line with SMG’s digital transformation strategy and is synergistic with our continuous efforts to grow within the digital sphere,” Star Media Group CEO Alex Yeow said in the same statement. It still has 35% and 20% stakes in the tertiary education business and pre-tertiary education businesses that it could monetise from 2022. Paramount also owns the tertiary education campuses in Penang, Shah Alam and Petaling Jaya worth about RM500.4mil.
Source:The Star
June 30, 2021 11:34 UTC
Soccer-Spain's Simon 'tortured' by error but appreciates team mates' solidarity
ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) - Spain keeper Unai Simon said he has gone through a torturous process trying to comprehend his tremendous error against Croatia at Euro 2020 but showed gratitude to his team mates, including fellow keeper David de Gea, for lifting his spirits. Sincerely, I've seen it six or seven times and I can't find an explanation, I just controlled it badly," Simon told a news conference. "I don't know how many times I've tried to control the ball in my life and the ball had never gone in before. "He calmed me down a lot, the fact he came over to support and encourage me helped a lot. When a goalkeeper like that comes over to you and says that to you all you can do is improve and go again," Simon added.
Source:The Star
June 30, 2021 11:03 UTC
European stocks, US stock futures dip from peaks on pandemic jitters
LONDON (June 30): European stocks and US index futures fell on Wednesday, and world shares retreated from recent record peaks, as markets once more grew jittery about the pandemic ahead of the half-year-end and before key US jobs data later this week. European stocks fell 1% and US S&P futures dipped 0.2%. German stocks dropped 1.4% and British shares fell 0.67%. The US dollar was headed for its best monthly rise since March, mostly in the wake of a surprisingly hawkish shift in the Fed's rates outlook. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury note yield fell more than 2 basis points to 1.4578%, while Germany's 10-year government bond yield also fell 2 basis points to -0.19%.
Source:The Edge Markets
June 30, 2021 10:30 UTC
From The Archives: Mokhtar Dahari, Malaysia's eternal football icon
Late Malaysian football icon Mokhtar Dahari was recently recognised by world football governing body FIFA as the third-highest goal scorer in international football. And like the diminutive Argentine giant, the late great Datuk Mokhtar Dahari also donned the legendary No 10 jersey, the emblem of a star player. The late Mokhtar Dahari holding aloft the Malaysia Cup after Selangor's win in 1979. Former Malaysian footballers Mokhtar Dahari (centre) and Reduan Abdullah during training in 1979. It’s an undisputed fact that Mokhtar Dahari was the greatest footballer to grace our pitches.
Source:The Star
June 30, 2021 09:56 UTC
Selangor to help M40 with Internet subsidy scheme, says Amirudin
SHAH ALAM (June 30): The Selangor government has announced that online registration for SISM40, an Internet subsidy scheme for the middle 40% income group (M40) in the state, will begin tomorrow. The Skim Internet Selangor M40 by Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated (MBI Selangor) is in partnership with Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM). “In the past, many of the government’s initiatives were for the B40 (bottom 40% income group), but we realise the M40 are badly affected too. “Therefore, the government has collaborated with TM to introduce SISM40 to help Selangor’s residents adapt to the new norm in the digital era,” said Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari in a statement today. He said TM’s assistance is greatly appreciated and welcomed more collaboration with the private sector to help the rakyat.
Source:The Edge Markets
June 30, 2021 09:45 UTC
Restaurant owner cooks food and leaves it outside eatery so the hungry can take it for free
SINCE the announcement of the first movement control order (MCO) in March last year, a restaurant owner has been serving from 200 up to 1,000 packs of cooked food outside his restaurant in Damansara Damai, Petaling Jaya, for free. He serves cooked meals three times a day outside his Kedai Makan Abang Tukang Masak in Plaza Surian. “I started to serve packed food such as nasi goreng (fried rice) outside my restaurant a week after the MCO started last year. “Many who have benefitted from the food aid are also contributing to my free food programme. Shahrul said he decides on the number of food packs to donate each day depending on the profit he makes.
Source:The Star
June 30, 2021 09:11 UTC
Deputy Speaker: Yes, I attended durian party recently as seen in video clip
JOHOR BARU: Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon has admitted to attending a durian party recently as shown in a video clip that went viral on social media. The Batu Pahat MP apologised and promised to give his full cooperation to police in their investigation of the matter. He added that the viral video was taken during his visit to a durian orchard run by the local community. “After the entourage left, I was then brought to a durian orchard in the afternoon to listen to the farmers' problems," he said. Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Ismail Dollah said a police report had been lodged and one investigation paper was opened.
Source:The Star
June 30, 2021 08:15 UTC
In new round of PKR infighting, group calls for Youth chief Akmal Nasir to step down
PETALING JAYA: A group of axed PKR Youth leaders has called for an emergency general meeting of the wing, citing their loss of confidence in its chief Akmal Nasir's leadership as the reason. According to them, he had failed to carry out his responsibilities wisely as PKR's Angkatan Muda Keadilan (Youth wing) chief when he axed the six from their party positions recently. "It is clear that Akmal Nasrullah is the weakest leader in the history of PKR Youth leadership. "PKR Youth must hold an EGM to appoint a new chief with credibility," they said in the joint statement on Wednesday (June 30). At the same time, they also said the organisational reshuffle should have been applied to the entire PKR Youth leadership, rather than just the six of them.
Source:The Star
June 30, 2021 07:18 UTC
Durian farmers going online to cut out middlemen
Durian traders have also jumped on the online bandwagon to market the king of fruits without going through wholesalers or middlemen to sell the fruits from their farms. Sixty-six-year-old Musa Nayan, a durian farmer in Wang Gunung near Bintong here, said he chose to market durian online as it was easier to deal with customers directly without depending on wholesalers. The father of five said he initially planted durian for his grandchildren but when the price of durian rose, he turned to managing the farm seriously. Also sharing his experience was Nordin Salleh, 64, who said he also planted durian only for his grandchildren. He said apart from selling online, he is also putting some on sale in front of his farm.
Source:The Star
June 30, 2021 06:00 UTC
Cops cordon off black shirt protest target sites in KL, warn of stern action if SOPs breached
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have closed and will monitor the locations targeted by the black shirt protest group, which has called on the people to gather at a few locations in the city on Wednesday (June 30). "I advise the people in the city and others not to gather as instructed by this irresponsible group. Dang Wangi police also set up roadblocks at several locations leading to the central part of the city, especially to locations targeted by the group, he added. A check by The Star also found police roadblocks at Jalan Kuching and Jalan Bangsar, in front of the National Museum. The group also called on the people to take videos and photos of themselves and to honk their vehicle horns while gathering on Wednesday.
Source:The Star
June 30, 2021 05:26 UTC
my Say: Emerging Asian markets’ fundamentals do not justify a derating
These comments prompted financial markets to rethink their expectations of monetary policy and liquidity, and the result was a sharp sell-off in emerging Asian markets as investors remembered how the former Fed chief Ben Bernanke’s similar hints in 2013 caused the “taper tantrums” that rocked Asian equity and currency markets. Tighter US monetary policy could be a threat to emerging Asian markets and economies, going by previous experience. However, there are four good reasons why emerging Asia is better positioned today to deal with the likely turbulence in markets than in 2013. Third, better fundamentals have also strengthened emerging Asian markets’ resilience to financial turbulence. Overall, liquidity conditions will therefore continue to support asset prices globally as well as in emerging Asian markets.
Source:The Edge Markets
June 30, 2021 04:32 UTC
Berkshire's Munger says China right to clip Ma's wings
BENGALURU (June 30): Berkshire Hathaway Inc Vice Chairman Charlie Munger praised China's move to impose a sweeping restructuring on Jack Ma’s Ant Group, the fintech giant whose record $37 billion IPO was derailed by regulators in November. Alibaba was also hit with a record $2.75 billion antitrust penalty as China tightens controls on the booming “platform economy”. "Communists did the right thing. He also praised China's response to the novel coronavirus. And that turned out to be exactly the right thing to do," Munger said.
Source:The Edge Markets
June 30, 2021 04:07 UTC
Who cares about our old age when we have no food now!
At this point, who cares about our old age when we cannot even feed ourselves right now! Some of us can barely make it to tomorrow, let alone think about our old age. For me and I am sure for thousands more, we are truly grateful for the i-Citra withdrawals as that will give us some breathing space. I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the government for this scheme and whatever food aid extended to those affected. Every little bit goes a long way these days and we are truly grateful.
Source:The Star
June 30, 2021 02:37 UTC
Company is operating at a loss but appeal for aid (BPR) is rejected by LHDN
My appeal was rejected as I am a shareholder of a company. This time, the LHDN officer told me that the aid given in 2020 and 2021 are not the same. In my opinion, LHDN should not have stopped at checking the ownership of shares in a company but should also check with SSM whether the company is profitable or not, before rejecting my appeal. LHDN wants me to provide proof of loss from SSM. I hope LHDN will be more considerate before rejecting an appeal, and not only in my case.
Source:The Star
June 30, 2021 01:41 UTC
Maintenance of playgrounds and sports facilities
When new facilities are built, such as playgrounds, outdoor exercise areas, futsal courts, etc, by the council, they only provide a short-lived good impression. It’s a two-way communication whereby as members of the public, we can play our part by informing the local town council. It is not a huge task for each local town council to perform a monthly check of all the facilities in their area. I have been there and seen how the local town councils take pride in ensuring the facilities are well maintained, cleaned and overall in tip-top condition. It's time for local town councils to tighten their performance and provide value for the taxpayers' money spent.
Source:The Star
June 30, 2021 01:30 UTC