Addressing food security for the long term
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October 8, 2020 @ 8:31pm
LETTER: The Asean Economic Recovery Plan is meant to ensure a smooth flow of food supplies among the Asean countries for the post-Covid-19 and because of this and the pandemic, Malaysia needs to re-strategise in order to localise its food supply chain in response to restricted border policies which may take some time to ease.
Due to those restrictions for the time being, local producers will not be able to fully meet the demand for domestic fresh produce and among the reasons are low production capacity, high labour cost, transportation and equipment issues.
These constraints have left them without much choices except for direct sales to market and/or being dependent on wholesalers.
The Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (FAMA) highlighted that Malaysia's fruits and vegetables import bill has been in excess of RM8.5 billion per year.
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Water treatment plants not fully operational yet, says Air Selangor
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October 5, 2020 9:08 AM
PETALING JAYA: The Sungai Semenyih and Bukit Tampoi water treatment plants are not fully operational yet after the river was found to be polluted yesterday.
Air Selangor corporate communications head Elina Baseri said that as of 7.30am today, pollution was still being detected with a reading of five threshold odour number (TON) near the Bukit Tampoi plant and seven TON near the Sungai Semenyih plant.
She said Air Selangor could not yet tell when the water supply will be fully restored.
“In the past 14 hours, Air Selangor has not been able to produce the daily 602 million litres of water needed to supply users in the 274 affected areas.
“Air Selangor advises users to get water supply aid from public taps as water tankers will be prioritised for critical premises such as hospitals and dialysis centres,” she said in a statement.
Read more: Water treatment plants not fully operational yet, says Air Selangor
Sungai Semenyih pollution likely from Nilai industrial area, says minister
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October 5, 2020 7:31 AM
SEPANG: The odour pollution in Sungai Semenyih, which resulted in the closure of the Sungai Semenyih and Bukit Tampoi water treatment plants (LRA) since 4.30pm yesterday, is suspected to have originated from the Nilai Industrial Estate in Negeri Sembilan.
Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said initial investigations found that the polluted water was flowing to Sungai Semenyih from Sungai Batang Benar, close to the industrial area.
“We have to wait for the odour pollution to subside before the plants can operate again. As of now, we are not sure how long (it will take) because we are still investigating the cause,” he said.
Tuan Ibrahim was speaking at a press conference with Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari after listening to a briefing from Air Selangor at the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant raw water pump station at Jenderam Hilir here last night.
Read more: Sungai Semenyih pollution likely from Nilai industrial area, says minister
Bank hubungi dua juta peminjam
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Kuala Lumpur: Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) memberi jaminan sektor perbankan terus komited membantu isi rumah dan perniagaan yang memerlukan bantuan selepas moratorium secara automatik berakhir semalam.
Ia berkata, institusi perbankan memperkenalkan pelbagai pakej untuk membantu peminjam yang terjejas termasuk lanjutan moratorium secara bersasar serta fleksibiliti bayaran balik pinjaman bagi membantu peminjam berdasarkan keadaan kewangan mereka yang khusus.
"Pendekatan bersasar ini akan memastikan lebih banyak sumber tersedia untuk membantu mereka yang mudah terjejas. Pendekatan ini juga membolehkan sektor perbankan menyokong ekonomi secara lebih meluas melalui pemberian pinjaman yang berterusan," katanya dalam satu kenyataan, semalam.
BNM berkata, industri perbankan menghubungi peminjam secara aktif melalui pelbagai cara, malah bank pusat itu bersama-sama dengan industri perbankan mengadakan lebih 150 sesi perbincangan dan interaksi.
Take up low-paying jobs for now, fresh grads told
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October 1, 2020 7:30 AM
PETALING JAYA: A sociologist has advised unemployed fresh graduates to take up lower-paying jobs for now, as they struggle to look for jobs in the midst of the economic impact from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Denison Jayasooria, a research fellow at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), said this would require a change of mindset but only for the short-term.
“They should not push away low-paying jobs, but this is for two years at the most. Then they can move on to other opportunities as the economy picks up,” he told FMT.
“During this period, self-employment might be the best option. Get the unemployed graduates into induction camps jointly organised by the higher education and human resources ministries.
Read more: Take up low-paying jobs for now, fresh grads told
BNM regrets MyCC decision to penalise General Insurance Association of Malaysia
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Wednesday, 30 Sep 2020 04:13 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) regrets the Malaysia Competition Commission’s (MyCC) decision to penalise General Insurance Association of Malaysia (Piam) and its 22 members for infringing Section 4 of the Competition Act 2010.
In a statement today, BNM said on September 14, 2020, MyCC concluded that Piam and its 22 members had infringed the Act when it had entered into an agreement on the application of trade discounts on parts prices and hourly labour rates for motor vehicle repairs by workshops under the Piam Approved Repairers Scheme.
Besides imposing financial penalties, MyCC had also directed the parties to cease and desist from implementing the agreed parts trade discount and the hourly labour rates, and for such discounts and rates to be determined independently by individual insurers and workshops.
Read more: BNM regrets MyCC decision to penalise General Insurance Association of Malaysia
Salt shortage ‘in days’ if iodine condition enforced, warns sundry shop group
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September 30, 2020 4:53 PM
PETALING JAYA: An association representing more than 4,000 sundry shop owners has warned of a possible salt shortage “in days” because of Putrajaya’s requirement for iodine to be added to salt from today.
In a statement today, the Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Association of Malaysia said the entire supply chain did not have enough time to comply with the requirement.
Its president Hong Chee Meng said the health ministry’s statement, issued on Sept 25, said iodine must be added to salt less than 20kg before it could be sold.
“It is very difficult for the market to comply within five days which is a very short notice,” he said, adding manufacturers and importers needed to be given time to comply with the new requirement.
Read more: Salt shortage ‘in days’ if iodine condition enforced, warns sundry shop group
Dr. Marimuthu Nadason: Government of Uzbekistan is doing a great job of greening the dried-up bottom of the Aral Sea
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30.09.2020 / SATURDAY
Mr. Mirziyoyev announced a number of initiatives of both regional and global character at this Session. I drew attention to two of them, which directly concern protection consumer rights.
The first one is the establishment of the International Code of Voluntary Commitments of States during pandemics.
According to the President of Uzbekistan, this Code “should reflect each state’s commitments to its citizens and international partners.”
The adoption of such a document would soon contribute not only to the improvement of medical services to the population during pandemics, but also its social status, protection of all its rights and interests, including consumer ones.
The second one is “to adopt a special resolution of the UN General Assembly declaring the Aral Sea region an area of ecological innovation and technologies.”
He calls on the world community to cooperate to turn the region into a zone of environmental innovations and technologies.
Bekalan air Selangor cukup hingga 2065
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26 September 2020, 4:04 pm
SELANGOR: Bekalan air untuk kegunaan domestik dan perindustrian di Selangor cukup sehingga 2065, kata Menteri Besar Selangor..
Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari berkata, jaminan tersebut berdasarkan pembangunan sistem bekalan air bagi mempertingkatkan jumlah sumber melalui Projek Hybrid off River Augmentation System (HORAS) 3000 dan Sungai Rasau.
“Ini kajian kerajaan Selangor berhubung sumber, bekalan dan agihan air negeri ini. Pembangunan bekalan air ini akan melibatkan kos tinggi.
“Hingga Ogos lalu semua empangan mencatatkan kapasiti takungan air melebihi 95 peratus ekoran taburan hujan tinggi di kawasan tadahan,” katanya ketika merasmikan majlis Sambutan Hari Sungai Sedunia 2020 peringkat negeri dan pelancaran Inisiatif Friends of River (FOR) Selangor, semalam.
Rising number of property scams alarms estate agents
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September 29, 2020 9:45 AM
PETALING JAYA: Property experts agree the number of housing scams during the movement control order (MCO) and recovery MCO may be higher than reported.
Expressing its concern about the increasing number of property scams and illegal brokers in the industry, the Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA) recently noted a 30% increase in the number of complaints received during the MCO and RMCO – most of them from members of the public who have been cheated by illegal brokers.
Speaking to FMT, Siva Shanker, CEO of real estate agency Rahim & Co International, said these complaints are just skimming the surface.
“I’m sure there are many more,” said Shanker.
“Scams and con jobs increase during bad times (as) people prey on fear, insecurity and greed. More people are desperate when times are bad. You sell them a story, they buy the story.”
Read more: Rising number of property scams alarms estate agents
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