KLIA among world’s top 10
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic restricting international travel, the KL International Airport (KLIA) has earned a Top 10 ranking in the latest global survey by Airport Service Quality (ASQ), a programme carried out by Airports Council International. Malaysia Airports said KLIA leapt from 17th last year to ninth in the ranking for 1H 2020 among airports of similar capacity despite the challenging times. KLIA achieved an improved overall score of 4.94 out of 5.00 – from 4.69 in 2019 – and the success included scoring a perfect 5.00 for the overall satisfaction by both business and leisure passengers. The airport also scored 4.99 for cleanliness of its terminal and 4.97 for the availability of washrooms. Malaysia Airports group chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh said that KLIA set up an operational excellence division “to ensure a new air travel journey that remains hassle-free and safe for passengers.” “This year, we are focusing mostly on safety initiatives as part of our efforts to reinstil passenger confidence in air travel,” he said. (The Star Online)
MBSA plans ‘silicon valley’ in Selangor’s Golden Triangle
The Golden Triangle of Selangor (SGT) may transform into a global centre of technological innovation similar to Silicon Valley in the USA. The Shah Alam City Council’s (MBSA) new rezoning plan (MBSA Local Plan Draft 2035) outlines land use and development from the year 2021 to 2035. Listed in the draft plan 2035 are proposed developments and townships surrounding six key cities in Selangor, including i-City SGT, a smart technology city. The plan will widen the footprint for the RM10 billion i-City SGT, which will morph from a 72-acre ultrapolis development to a 1,766-acre economic zone within the state encompassing the neighbouring Section 4 and Section 7. This includes establishing a light industrial zone in the western corridor, a commercial zone, technology zone, and an education zone in the eastern corridor comprising two institutions of higher learning, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and University of Selangor (UNISEL). The immediate surrounding industrial area will be gazetted for commercial purposes for ICT-related developments, similar to Silicon Valley. (NST Online)
Health D-G: MOH working to ensure Rt doesn’t reach 2.2
The Ministry of Health (MOH) is working to ensure that the COVID-19 Rt or R-naught (R0) infectivity rate does not reach 2.2, as health facilities may not be able to accommodate the number of patients if it reaches that level, says Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. He said the Rt was currently at 1.3, significantly reduced from the 2.3 when the third wave first hit the country. “But if the Rt remains at 1.3 as it is now, we will see a slow increase in the number of cases until Oct 31. What we are trying to avoid is for the R-naught to increase to 2.2, where we will see a sharp increase in the number of cases, and MOH facilities, hospitals and also quarantine centres may not be able to accommodate more patients,” he said. Earlier, Dr Noor Hisham announced there were 561 new cases recorded, with two more casualties. Apart from that, five new clusters were identified, namely three in Sabah, and one each in the Federal Territory of Labuan and Selangor. (Bernama)
UEM Sunrise to sell land in Iskandar Puteri for RM434.3m
UEM Sunrise Bhd is disposing of its 72 freehold industrial plots in Iskandar Puteri, Johor for RM434.3 million to AME Elite Consortium Bhd. The property developer said this will allow the plots, measuring 68.71 hectares in Phase 3, Southern Industrial and Logistics Clusters (SiLC), to be monetised at a quicker rate as compared to individual plots sale. It added that it would partner with AME to develop the area into an integrated industrial park development. UEM Sunrise, which is the landowner and master developer of Iskandar Puteri, said AME and its units specialise in the construction of customised large manufacturing plants, design-and-build, and development of industrial parks. AME also provides engineering services and property investment and management services in Malaysia. (Malay Mail)
Johor to table plan on reopening Malaysia-Singapore border to federal govt
The Johor government will be tabling a special plan for the prompt reopening of the Malaysia-Singapore border involving the Johor Causeway and Linekdua to the federal government soon. Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the plan would be tabled to the Economic Action Council on October 19. The plan will not only touch on the needs to reopen the border, it will also be looked at those working in the republic and the effects of investment in Johor as well as those intending to enter (to invest) in Johor. Elaborating further, Hasni said Johor has various reasons to consider the demand and its special position as revenue from the two gateways which contributes up to 50% of the Customs’ tax collection to the country. The topic of opening the border between Malaysia and Singapore was an ongoing issue being discussed between the two countries lately as there was a need to fully reopen after so many employment and business sectors were affected. (Malay Mail)
