KUCHING, The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly today passed the Sarawak Ports Authority Bill to establish a central port authority to manage, regulate, control and administer all ports in Sarawak.

Tabled by Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, the bill was passed after 20 members of the state assembly participated in the debate session.

When tabling the bill, Uggah said Sarawak has recently undergone a massive economic development whereby port development plays a crucial role and must undergo transformation by forming a central port authority.

‘The consolidation of Sarawak port authorities into a central port authority could bring increased efficiency. A centralised authority can streamline operations, remove redundancy, and implement uniform policies across all ports.

‘This can lead to more efficient use of resources, faster turnaround times and reduced operational costs,’ he said.

Uggah said with a central body, strategic planning can be
more coordinated and comprehensive, taking into account the development needs of the entire region rather than individual ports.

‘The proposed new centralised Port Authority will replace all existing Port Authorities in the state.This Bill, when passed will also replace the pre-Malaysia law, the Ports Authorities Ordinance 1961,’ he added.

When debating the bill, Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman (GPS-Tupong) said in order to achieve maximum efficiency, it is crucial to ensure that Sarawak’s port infrastructure and system are of the highest quality.

‘A strong and efficient operation will foster the necessary confidence to attract investment in production and distribution systems, supporting the growth of manufacturing and logistics, thus creating employment and increasing the level of income of the people,’ he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

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KUALA LUMPUR, Pharmacy, health and beauty retail outlet, guardian Malaysia announces a significant expansion of its iconic #IYKYK Beauty category, welcoming 34 new trendsetting beauty and wellness brands into its stores, making a total of 76 brands on offer now.

The company said the expansion encompasses six distinct areas within the #IYKYK Beauty category which includes Trending Beauty, Clean Beauty, Gentle To Skin, MY Beauty, Glass Skin and Glowing Inside Out.

‘In the Clean Beauty space, Guardian now has 13 brands, while 14 brands will be available in the Gentle To Skin segment. Additionally, six new brands will be featured in the Trending Beauty category, along with six brands for Glass Skin and 14 brands for Glowing Inside Out.

‘Furthermore, 12 new made-in-Malaysia brands will complement the existing 11 brands already available,’ it said in a statement today.

It said the #IYKYK Beauty category is designed to spotlight brands that have captivated online audiences, generating buzz on platforms like Ins
tagram and TikTok.

By bringing these brands into all guardian stores nationwide, the company aims to provide customers with direct access to the products that have dominated online conversations, according to the statement.

On another note, it said the guardian’s House of Creators, which aims to engage, educate and empower Malaysian content creators on what is trending and what is new in addition to upskilling them has progressed tremendously with over 80 digital content creators now trained to create more impactful content.

‘The latest House of Creators class has trained 40 creators on how to create great stories with the help of #IYKYK Beauty brands CUURA and BBIA.

‘This expansion also reaffirms guardian’s commitment to offering cutting-edge beauty products to its customers, providing them with an unparalleled selection of the latest and most coveted brands that have taken the online world by storm, racking up explosive sales and becoming the talk of the industry,’ it added.

Meanwhile, commercial direc
tor at guardian Malaysia, Anna Hull in the same statement said the overwhelming response to the #IYKYK Beauty category underscores its belief in the importance of making these sensational online brands accessible to customers, both online and in-store.

“With the #IYKYK Beauty category, we have positioned ourselves as a leader in showcasing emerging beauty trends in Malaysia. By collaborating with social media platforms and content creators, we have successfully curated a collection of sensational brands that have captured the attention of online beauty enthusiasts nationwide,’ she said.

She also emphasised guardian’s commitment to staying at the forefront of global beauty trends and ensuring that customers have access to the latest innovations at competitive prices

‘guardian is now your go-to destination for everything that’s making waves in the beauty care space. The #IYKYK Beauty category will be regularly updated with new brands introduced on a timely basis, ensuring customers stay informed about the la
test online beauty trends and this is what we have done,’ she said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

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HULU SELANGOR, The Election Commission (EC) has not received any complaints or reports from any party regarding bribery to voters or misuse of government assets and machinery during the Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) by-election campaign.

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh said that to date, it has only received one report concerning the display of the image of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, during the campaign.

Yesterday, a man was sentenced to one month in jail and fined RM3,000 by the Kuala Kubu Baharu Magistrate’s Court for displaying Sultan Ibrahim’s photo during the by-election campaign.

‘The case has been resolved. So, we hope all quarters will continue this positive momentum and conduct the remaining days of the campaign with civility and mutual respect,’ he told reporters here today.

Abdul Ghani was met after observing the early voting process held at two polling centres, namely at the multipurpose hall of the Royal Malaysian Police College and the 4th Infantry Division of the Royal
Signals Regiment.

He said this in response to PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan’s claims as reported by the media yesterday that the government misused assets to campaign in the KKB by-election.

Takiyuddin said Perikatan Nasional (PN) would file a petition in the Election Court if Pakatan Harapan (PH) wins the by-election.

Abdul Ghani explained that a petition can only be filed by any party within 21 days after the results are announced.

Meanwhile, he said the EC expects voter turnout for the KKB by-election this Saturday to exceed 75 per cent.

The by-election sees a four-cornered fight between Pang Sock Tao (PH), Khairul Azhari Saut (PN), Hafizah Zainuddin (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Independent candidate Nyau Ke Xin.

It is being held following the death of the incumbent Lee Kee Hiong, 58, due to cancer on March 21.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

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KUCHING, A special task force will be formed to look into the terms of reference (TOR) for the initial financing initiative by Sarawak for federal projects in the state.

Sarawak Public Health, Housing, and Local Government Deputy Minister Datuk Michael Tiang Ming Tee said the Chief Secretary to the Government and the Sarawak State Secretary will jointly head the task force.

‘The task force will come up with the details of the (initial financing initiative) implementation.

‘Therefore, all issues pertaining to the status of implementation and timeline of the upgrading of dilapidated clinics and hospital in Sarawak, which have funding issues will hinge on the success of the TOR and details of the new funding mechanism,’ he said in his reply to a question from Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh (GPS-Bawang Assan) during a question and answer session at the state assembly sitting today.

Wong wanted to know if there had been any definite plan to rehabilitate and upgrade the dilapidated and ill-equipped rural clinics in
Sarawak.

On March 30, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Sarawak government will be the first state to provide initial financing for federal projects in the state to speed up their implementation.

Anwar said that the cooperation, which is of historical significance, would begin with the implementation of the Sarawak Cancer Centre at Kota Samarahan.

‘I agree, we use a new method, where Sarawak can start the construction first, and we cover the expenses later through the federal government. We begin the construction and development of this cancer hospital as soon as possible,’ said the Prime Minister.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

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HULU SELANGOR, Two early voting centres for the Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) state by-election, namely at the multipurpose hall of the Royal Malaysian Police College and the 4th Infantry Division of the Royal Signals Regiment, were opened simultaneously at 8 am today.

The early voting process for the state by-election involves 625 police personnel and 238 military personnel and their spouses who would cast their votes to elect their new representative at the State Assembly.

The two early voting centres would close at 5 pm.

The by-election sees a four-cornered fight between Pang Sock Tao (Pakatan Harapan), Khairul Azhari Saut (Perikatan Nasional), Hafizah Zainuddin (Parti Rakyat Malaysia) and Independent Nyau Ke Xin.

It is being held following the death of the incumbent Lee Kee Hiong, 58, due to cancer on March 21.

The KKB state constituency has 40,226 registered voters.

The Election Commission has set the polling for the state by-election on Saturday.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

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WASHINGTON, South Korea has raised its automotive industry’s concerns with the United States over Washington’s inquiry and envisioned rules to address potential security risks from “connected vehicles” that use technology from China and other countries of concern.

On April 30, the South Korean government submitted its comments to the U.S. Department of Commerce as the department has requested public feedback on its rule-making process designed to tackle those risks stemming from supply chains for connected vehicles.

Connected vehicles refer to smart cars linked to the internet and other wireless networks for navigational programs and other online services. In February, the Biden administration said it would launch the inquiry into the risks posed by the vehicles, especially those involving Chinese-manufactured technology.

“The Korean automotive industry expresses concerns about the broad scope of the investigation into connected vehicle supply chains, uncertainties surrounding the scope of potential regul
atory targets and the timing of the implementation, all of which may lead to significant burdens on the industry,” the Korean government said in the comments.

The government expressed expectation that the U.S. will provide a “precise” definition of the scope of connected vehicles, as it pointed out that the current U.S. definition of the cars in question is “excessively broad.”

It also requested that the U.S. investigation and subsequent measures about the supply chains for connected vehicles focus on “components and services that pose significant risks to national security.”

“The Korean automotive industry is concerned that the current scope of the investigation is highly likely to become subject to regulatory measures, which could significantly undermine the predictability and stability of its business operations,” the government said.

In addition, it called for the U.S. to give “sufficient” time for the auto industry to thoroughly investigate and restructure its supply chains in anticipation of new U.S
. security regulations.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

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SEOUL, South Korea’s homegrown fighter jet KF-21 under development is set to conduct its first live-fire test with long-range air-to-air Meteor missiles this week, sources said Tuesday.

A prototype of the KF-21 is scheduled to conduct the test over the waters off the country’s southern coast Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the issue.

In March 2023, two prototype aircraft succeeded in separating the Meteor test missiles in midair.

If the test is successfully conducted, it is expected to extend the KF-21’s long-range and demonstrate interception capabilities.

A successful test would make the KF-21 join the ranks of select fighter jets, including the Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafael and Gripen in achieving this feat.

The Meteor missile is capable of flying at over Mach 4, equivalent to four times the speed of sound, and can intercept targets over 200 kilometers away. It measures 3.6 meters in length, 17.8 cm in diameter and weighs 185 kg.

Each KF-21 can carry up to four Meteor missiles, with depl
oyment scheduled to begin next month.

Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. plans to build 20 KF-21s this year and produce 20 more next year.

If the project proceeds as planned, the Air Force is expected to receive its first KF-21 in the second half of 2026 to replace its aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 jets.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

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KUALA LUMPUR, The National Disaster Management Policy will be reviewed to enhance the country’s resilience, preparedness and capabilities in managing disasters, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid said he had obtained the Cabinet’s approval for the policy review, which would ensure that the nation’s disaster threats are kept to a minimum.

“As an initial step towards this aspiration, the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) is in the final stages of reviewing MKN Directive No. 20: National Disaster Management Policy and Mechanism to align with the requirements and evolution of increasingly complex disaster management.

“The amendments to MKN Directive No. 20 are expected to further enhance management, especially as it is the primary reference document for national disaster coordination and mechanism,’ he said.

He said this at an appreciation ceremony for Frontline Personnel of the Northeast Monsoon 2023/2024 at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre here today.

So
urce: BERNAMA News Agency

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