Seberang Perai to gain city status on Malaysia Day
Seberang Perai will finally be declared a city this September 16, more than a year after the state government took the first steps to apply for the status. State local government, housing and town and country planning committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the state is now waiting for Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to approve and sign the city declaration. With the declaration, both local authorities in Penang would be city councils. The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) obtained city status in 2015 and soon after, MPSP implemented several initiatives to achieve the same. (Malay Mail)
Malaysia to fully adopt 5G by 2023
Malaysia is currently working to fully adopt 5G technology by 2023, said Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Marzuki Yahya. He said Malaysia believes it will greatly facilitate the government’s efforts to improve the livelihoods of Malaysians and catalyse Malaysia’s development. “Malaysia is also one of the first few countries in the region to welcome 5G technology. Last year we established the 5G Task Force. The Task Force has already submitted its mid-term report on Malaysia’s process towards the adoption of 5G,” he said. (Malay Mail)
Loke: ECRL a done deal, Malaysia’s focus now on maximising benefit
Negotiations concerning the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) are over, Anthony Loke said today amid calls for a review. The transport minister added that the focus now should be directed towards ways all involved states can benefit from the project. Malaysia had already signed a new revised deal with China that revived the coast-to-coast project. The revelation of the infrastructure projects being mooted as 1MDB bailouts was made by Najib’s former special officer Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin. He also testified that the Multi-Product Pipeline (MPP) and the Trans-Sabah Gas Pipeline (TSGP) — which have been terminated — were also originally mooted as part of the bailout plans. (Malay Mail)
Sunway to pump billions into malls despite oversupply
Sunway Group believes there are still pockets nationwide that are underserved, despite some cities having too many malls. Over the next four years, the group plans to invest RM2.25 billion in mall openings in Johor, Ipoh, Penang and Seberang Perai, adding three million sq ft in NLA to its total supply. These new openings will raise the number of malls operated by the group to nine with a combined NLA of 7.271 million sq ft, strengthening its position as the largest township developer-cum-mall operator in the country. At this size, the group’s operations will be more than five times that of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and four times that of Mid Valley Megamall. (The Edge)
IRB increases donation reporting threshold to RM10,000
The Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (IRB) has announced that it requires only information of donors contributing RM10,000 and above, according to its new guidelines effective Sept 5. The new guidelines take into account the recommendation of the Minister of Finance whereby only information of those who donated RM10,000 and above are needed to be provided to IRB, instead of information on those who donated RM5,000 and above. (Malay Mail)
