Bank Negara Malaysia to redevelop its mint
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) plans to demolish its mint — Kilang Wang Bank Negara Malaysia building — in Persiaran Selangor, Shah Alam, and redevelop the site as part of its mint modernisation project. It is understood that Kilang Wang Bank Negara Malaysia, formerly known as The Royal Mint of Malaysia, is over two decades old. The facility produces coins and commemorative coins. A local daily reveal that its new plan comprises a two-storey coin production facility, a three-storey office building, and a two-storey exhibition centre. In 2017, BNM made a request for proposal (RFP) for the appointment of a mint consultant to manage the planning and design phase and oversee the development and implementation of the operations design for the new mint. The central bank said it was planning to set up a new automated and integrated mint facility to cater to its business operations as part of the BNM Mint Modernisation Project. (The Edge)

It’s illegal – but short-term property rentals on the rise
The number of stratified residential properties offering short-term home-sharing or rentals seem to be rising in Penang even though the practice is deemed illegal by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP). Interviews with several Airbnb operators showed even developers with unsold units would furnish them and rent them out for holidays. As far as Airbnb operators understood it, there were no issues if the residential property joint management bodies (JMBs) allowed them. However, a check with MBPP showed no such policy exists. “It is still illegal to rent out a residential property like a hotel… But we are waiting for the state government to issue guidelines on regulating home-sharing operators, ” said a city councillor. The National Land Code clearly states that property owners have the right to enjoy rental income from their properties. The Code, which is equal to an Act of Parliament, does not restrict tenancy to short or long terms. (The Star Online)

(Source: The Business Journals)

Penang exco: 20% of PSR land reserved for construction of affordable homes
A minimum of one-fifth portion of the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) land will be used to increase the number of affordable housing units, said Jagdeep Singh Deo. “The first island of PSR would take between 10 and 15 years to complete, and by that time as the Penang population increases, so will the demand for affordable housing,” he said. The state government would require adequate stock of low-cost (LC) units, low-medium cost (LMC) units, as well as affordable housing units in the long run, as the number of housing applicants has been increasing each day. Under the PSR project, the state government is proposing to reclaim 1,821.085 hectares of the sea on three man-made islands to create a land bank to fund the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP). (Malay Mail)

Register with dept, home-based daycare centres told
Home-based daycare operators should make an effort to register with the Welfare Department and obtain an operating licence. Early Childhood Care and Education Council president Datuk Dr Chiam Heng Keng says operators should not use “high demand” from parents for their service as an excuse not to register and obtain a licence. “Malaysia is far behind when it comes to the professionalism of babysitters and childcare givers, and we should change this,” she said. Chiam says parents must be vigilant when choosing nurseries. “They should not choose convenience over safety of their children as it may lead to tragic consequences.” In July last year, the discovery of 5-month-old Adam Rayqal Mohd Sufi’s body in a freezer at his babysitter’s house shocked the nation. (NST Online)

Hong Kong airport reopens after protests, but hundreds more flights cancelled
Hong Kong airport reopened on Tuesday (Aug 13) after a rally by thousands of pro-democracy protesters, but hundreds of flights were still listed as cancelled. Early on Tuesday, passengers with luggage were being checked in at the departures hall and information boards showed several flights were boarding or about to depart. But the woes at the airport remained far from over, with a massive backlog of flights to clear and activists calling for another protest there on Tuesday afternoon. “It is possible that the airport authority will cancel more flights as they need to control the air traffic movements at the Hong Kong International Airport,” said a Cathay Pacific customer officer. The abrupt shutdown came after thousands of black-clad demonstrators flooded the airport for a peaceful rally. More than 250 flights on Monday were cancelled at the world’s eighth-busiest airport, which handles around 200,000 passengers a day. (Channel NewsAsia)