Kuching declared ‘world’s most air-polluted city’
Due to the worsening haze in southwestern Sarawak, Kuching has earned the title of the most air-polluted city in the world. This is the second time in a week that a Malaysian city has topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities, according to US-based website World’s Air Pollution. Kuala Lumpur took first place on Wednesday (Sept 11) with a 165 reading on the Air Quality Index (AQI), which is the index used by the website. According to the Department of Environment’s (DoE) monitoring of the Air Pollutant Index (API), Kuching recorded the highest API reading of 245. API readings of 0 to 50 represent “good” air quality, while 51 to 100 is considered “moderate”, 101-200 is classified as “unhealthy”, 201-300 is “very unhealthy”, and above 300 is deemed “hazardous”. Hazy conditions in the region can be expected to continue with the hotspot activities in Sumatra and Kalimantan persisting under the prevailing dry weather. (Business Insider)
Johor wants MM2H enhanced to address surplus of luxury houses in state
The Johor government is in favour of efforts made to promote the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme to address the problem of unsold luxury houses in the country. State Housing, Communications and Multimedia Committee chairman Dzulkefly Ahmad said by promoting MM2H, it would indirectly attract foreigners to buy property in Malaysia and spend their retirement years in the country. Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin was reported to have proposed the Home Ownership Campaign (HOC) to attract buyers from China and Hong Kong as a solution to the issue of surplus of high-end homes which are worth about RM100 billion. (Malay Mail)
DBKL identifying public housing, PPR flat tenants to settle rent arrears
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is identifying Public Housing (PA) and People’s Housing Project (PPR) flat tenants in the federal capital who are eligible for the Rent Arrears Payment Services Scheme (Skim Khidmat Menjelaskan Tunggakan Sewa). Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad said the initiative was to help tenants who were really in need of assistance to settle their unpaid monthly rent. He noted that DBKL incurred a loss of RM58 million in rent arrears while the monthly rental was only RM124. (Malay Mail)
Ideal to acquire 1st Avenue Mall in George Town for RM153m
Ideal United Bintang International Berhad (IUBIB) has announced its proposed acquisition of 1st Avenue Mall in George Town at RM153 million. Its subsidiary, I Homes Properties Sdn Bhd (IHomes), entered into a conditional sales and purchase agreement with 1st Avenue Mall Sdn Bhd (1AMSB) for the proposed acquisition of the property located along Magazine Road. 1st Avenue Mall, opened nine years ago, has 407,076 sq ft of net lettable space and is sited within the inner city of George Town. It is connected to Komtar and another mall, Prangin Mall, through indoor pedestrian bridges. The proposed acquisition is the group’s first venture into property investment holding. (Malay Mail)
Guan Eng: RON95 price cap to stay for now
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said that the current price limit on RON95 petrol would stay for now, despite the drone attacks on two of Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil facilities which have affected 5% of global oil output. Lim said that the government is still assessing the impact of the attacks and that it could affect Malaysia’s petrol production industry, adding that the bombing could affect the government’s subsidy payout for petrol price. On Saturday, British national media agency BBC reported that Saudi Arabia had halved its oil and gas production following drone attacks on two huge oil facilities operated by Aramco. The strikes had reportedly reduced crude oil production by 5.7 million barrels a day – approximately half the kingdom’s output. (Malay Mail)
