Road tax grace period extended
Any road tax that has not been paid for not more than 36 months can now be renewed without having the vehicle inspected at Puspakom, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. However, this is only applicable to private vehicles and does not cover commercial vehicles such as buses, lorries and e-hailing vehicles. “We have been getting a lot of requests from people… during the Covid-19 pandemic, so we made a decision that those whose road tax has expired between one and three years can renew it, ” he said. Prior to his announcement, vehicle owners are only given a grace period of up to a year before needing to undergo vehicle inspection if they want to renew their road tax. To date, there are 4.274 million vehicles that have expired road tax of between one and three years. Dr Wee also announced an extension of the 70% discount on JPJ summonses until the end of this month after the initial offer lapsed on Aug 31. (The Star Online)
Operations at 4 Air Selangor water treatment plants still suspended
The operations of four water treatment plants in Selangor, supplying water to seven areas in the Klang Valley, are still suspended as at 6.30am today, says Air Selangor. This is because pollution is still being detected near the plants with a pollution reading of 1 threshold odour number (TON). “The treatment plants can only operate when the pollution reaches 0 TON,” the company’s corporate communication head, Elina Baseri, said. She said mobile water tankers will continue to be dispatched to affected areas, and consumers are urged to collect water from public taps and local service areas which are operating 24 hours a day until water supply is fully restored. A total of 1,292 locations across seven areas in the Klang Valley have experienced water supply disruption since yesterday. (Free Malaysia Today)
Global Innovation Index 2020: Malaysia ranks 8th in Asia, 33rd in world
Malaysia ranks eighth in Asia and 33rd in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2020 report released by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Malaysian Intellectual Property Corporation (MyIPO) director-general, Datuk Mohd Roslan Mahayudin said Malaysia’s position jumped two steps to be in 33rd place from its 35th spot for two consecutive years. In the report, Malaysia became the second most innovative country after China among the 37 high middle-income economies and ranked eighth among 17 economies in South-east Asia, East Asia and Oceania. “The improvement of Malaysia’s position in GII 2020 is supported by high achievement in five of the seven pillars of GII, namely Market Sophistication, Human Capital and Research, Business Diversity, Knowledge and Technology Output, and Creative Output. Compared to other economies in Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania, Malaysia exhibited above-average performance for all seven pillars of the GII,” he said. (Malay Mail)
High-risk countries’ citizens to be barred
The government will impose an entry ban on citizens of countries recording more than 150,000 cases of Covid-19 starting next Monday, says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob. He said among the countries in the list were the United States, Brazil, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Bangladesh, as well as three countries announced previously, namely India, Indonesia and the Philippines. “However, for emergency cases or involving bilateral relations, such as if a person needs to come for a meeting between countries, we will allow entry. But it requires permission from the Immigration Department, ” he added. (The Star Online)
Region’s oldest girls’ school to become international school
Southeast Asia’s oldest girls’ school – Convent Light Street – is opening a private international school on part of its sea-fronting premises. The 168-year-old school which is located within George Town’s United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) heritage core zone, is part of the Roman Catholic Convent Light Street, which was established by three French sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus Mission in 1852. The school’s last batch of students are expected to graduate from the national education system in 2024. In a statement, The Infant Jesus Sisters Malaysia, the owner of the Convent Light Street Penang (CLS), said that it would be collaborating with education provider ACE Edventure to open a co-ed private international school using part of the CLS’s premises. Penang is currently home to nine international schools, with another one scheduled to open its doors this month. (NST Online)
