Water disruption in 577 areas in Klang Valley from April 24
There will be water disruption in the Klang Valley for up to 86 hours beginning April 24. This is due to the shutdown of the Selangor River Phase 2 Water Treatment Plant (LRA SSP2) for upgrading works. The districts affected are Klang, Shah Alam, Petaling, Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Langat, and Kuala Selangor. The upgrading works carried out by Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) have to be carried out immediately to prevent any damage or failure to the electrical system to avoid unplanned water disruptions. Consumers are advised to save up enough water during the disruption and to avoid wastage. Click here for a list of affected areas. (The Star Online)

No green light for Penang South Reclamation project yet
Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad today clarified that the National Physical Planning Council (NPPC) has not approved the proposed Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project to create three islands off the southern coast of the main island. He said NPPC had only advised the Penang state government to look into 18 conditions in accordance with Section 2A(2)(b) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976, which included reviews from the Energy, Green Technology and Water; Rural Development; Agriculture and Agro-based; Transport; Housing and Local Government; and Economic Affairs ministries. Earlier this week, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yew had said the NPPC had given the green light for the PSR project. (Malay Mail)

MEH explores possibilities for third project
Mammoth Empire Holding Sdn Bhd (MEH) has several ideas for its third project in Damansara Perdana in Petaling Jaya — one which includes developing the land in a joint venture with a reputable developer. Group executive director Datuk Danny Cheah said another possibility is an outright sale of the land. MEH owns 18.2ha of land to develop Empire City Damansara 2 (ECD2). ECD2 depends very much on the market environment and whether it is conducive. Our focus right now is to complete Empire Damansara City 1(ECD1),” he said. Cheah said ECD2 would take about 10 years, and planning approval from Petaling Jaya City Council has been granted for the development. The plan is to build residential towers, offices, hotels, retail and a theme park. (NST Online)

Sime Darby Property launches online platform for property purchases
Property developer Sime Darby Property Bhd has launched a new platform based on co-creation and crowdsourcing which is expected to transform the future of property buying. The platform, called dto, is Malaysia’s first experiential online platform. It allows customers to be involved in the property purchase process. Companies, meanwhile, are allowed to engage with potential customers on their preferred development concept, design and amenities. The company has launched two residential projects with the dto platform in Subang Jaya. A third project on landed property is expected soon. (Free Malaysia Today)

(Source: Nikkei Asian Review)

Malaysia jumps 22 places in latest Press Freedom index
Malaysia has jumped 22 places to 123rd in the latest World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Malaysia lowered its score by 10.67 points to 36.74 points in 2018. A lower score indicates better press freedom. Malaysia is at the top of the rankings among countries in the South East Asian region, with Indonesia (124th), Philippines (134th), Thailand (136th), Myanmar (138th), Cambodia (143rd), Singapore (151st), Brunei (152nd), Laos (171st), and Vietnam (176th). At the top of the rankings are Norway, Finland, Sweden, Netherlands and Denmark, while North Korea, Eritrea and China find themselves at the bottom of the pile. (The Star Online)