Universiti Malaya among Asia top 20 universities
University of Malaya (UM) has again made Malaysia proud by breaking into the top 20 bracket in the 2019 edition of the QS World University Rankings: Asia, released by global higher education analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds. From the 24th position it held last year, UM has moved up to 19th – its highest spot since the inception of the ranking. The latest assessment of Asia’s 500 best universities sees National University of Singapore (NUS) taking back the lead from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), which dropped to third place, and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) moving three places to second. Malaysia, with 26 universities ranked, is the fifth most represented country in this rankings after Mainland China (111), Japan (89), India (75), and South Korea (57). According to QS, apart from UM, Malaysia has four more universities in the top 50 and the country’s top 19 universities have all moved up. (NST Online)
(Image from The Star)
Selangor aims to build 30,000 homes under RM250,000 by 2023
The Selangor government is targeting 30,000 new housing units to be built within the next five years through its revised Rumah Selangorku 2.0 policy. Selangor Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari said the state government wanted to provide a win-win situation for both the people and developers and will be offering the houses at prices between RM200,000 and RM250,000 each. This also means downsizing them from 1,000 square feet to 900 square feet; but keeping the maximum residential density to 120 units per acre. “We have completed 6,303 units and 22,336 are being constructed to allow owners to move in through phases between 2018 and 2022,” said Amirudin. (Malay Mail Online)
Najib, Irwan Serigar to be charged for misusing govt funds to bail out 1MDB
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah will be hauled to court tomorrow to face charges for misusing government funds to bail out 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), following a settlement agreement it inked with Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) in 2017. Under the settlement, 1MDB had to repay US$1.2 billion (RM4.99 billion) loaned from IPIC, and fulfil all future payments of interest and principal sums related to US$3.5 billion bonds. the duo will now be jointly charged for misusing funds from Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M), as well as the federal government’s Consolidated Fund, to repay IPIC. It is unknown how much was allegedly taken from either account. (The Edge Markets)
Public housing in Malaysia (Photo from Malay Mail)
Ministry prepared to review high-rise building specifications
The Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) is prepared to review the structures and safety features of high-rise buildings to prevent accidents, such as children falling off, from recurring. Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the construction of existing high-rise blocks met the Uniform Building By-Law (UKBS), but KPKT would improve the provisions if necessary. “UKBS has stipulated that every balcony must have a railing of not less than one metre… We have to look back to determine whether to build them higher,” she said. The matter was brought up following the case of a four-year-old girl dying after falling off the balcony at her home on the 17th floor of Kota Damansara’s People’s Housing Project (PPR). (The Borneo Post)
MPS warns legal action against errant property owners
The Seremban Municipal Council (MPS) will take legal action against property owners in the municipality who fail to pay arrears in assessment rate and compound fines. The compound fines were not limited to traffic and parking offences but also unapproved renovation of buildings, unkempt houses, advertisements without permit, keeping dogs without a licence, operating massage parlours without a permit and hawking without a permit. Defaulters will be given until Nov 30 to settle the arrears, failing which action would be taken, including sealing their properties and auctioning them off. Currently, the highest arrears are for assessment rate amounting to RM34.88 million, followed by traffic compounds, which have exceeded RM30 million. (NST Online)
