<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>Budget 2021 speech by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul begins.</div>
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Budget 2021 speech by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul begins.

Budget 2021 speech by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul begins

Police have not ruled out the possibility that illegal electronic waste (e-waste) processing activities raided under Op Hazard nationwide are linked to organised crime syndicates, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Illegal e-waste factories may have links to organised crime syndicates — Saifuddin

Indonesia exported 29.54 million metric tonnes of palm oil products last year, a drop of 8.3% from 2023 according to data released on Thursday by GAPKI, the Indonesia Palm Oil Association.

Indonesia's 2024 palm oil exports down 8.3%

Exsim has clarified that discussions to terminate its data centre contract with Singapore-based technology company Aperia Cloud Services had started before Aperia Cloud became embroiled in a legal case involving two of its executives.

Talks to terminate data centre deal with Aperia Cloud began prior to court case — Exsim

Malaysia's air passenger traffic for January 2025 stood at 9.2 million passengers, representing 106.1% of January 2019 levels. This marks the first time it has exceeded the pre-pandemic volume.

Mavcom: January passenger traffic of 9.2 mil surpasses pre-pandemic levels for first time

PUTRAJAYA (March 6): Officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), stationed at the Integrity Unit (IU) or Integrity and Governance Unit (IGU) within external agencies, have been urged to identify weaknesses in the system and procedure.

MACC integrity officers urged to strengthen governance practices

The Dewan Rakyat on Thursday passed amendments to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Act 1991, which makes EPF contributions mandatory for foreign workers. The new policy is expected to kick in by the fourth quarter of this year, according to Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.

Parliament approves mandatory EPF contribution for foreign workers, implementation in 4Q2025

ISKANDAR PUTERI (March 6): The Johor government aims to expand new paddy fields by 80 hectares this year and next, in a bid to boost rice production and contribute to the nation’s self-sufficiency ratio (SSR).

Johor to expand paddy plantation by 80 hectares to boost rice production

Five years after Macau casino magnate Stanley Ho passed away, lawsuits involving the billionaire’s assets continue to pile up.
 
In the latest twist, the administrators of Ho’s estate are suing 18 of his descendants to ensure the payment of costs and expenses that would be incurred from representing Ho in another court case involving his late sister’s estate executor.

Stanley Ho’s estate administrators sue 18 of his descendants

China is considering scrapping a price cap for local governments buying unsold apartments, according to people familiar with the matter, as Beijing seeks to speed up the clearance of millions of empty homes and stem the property downturn.

China could end price cap on unsold home purchases, Bloomberg reports

Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Bhd's (MHB) wholly-owned subsidiary Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Sdn Bhd (MMHE) has signed a joint development agreement (JDA) with FuelCell Energy Inc, a United States firm.

MHB's unit to co-develop hydrogen production systems with US firm FuelCell Energy

CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (KL:CIMB) will need to focus on increasing low-cost deposits and generating capital-light income from non-interest sources in the first half of its six-year plan to reach its 12%-13% return on equity (ROE) target by 2027.

CIMB will need to do some heavy lifting in first half of six-year roadmap to achieve ROE target — analysts

KUALA LUMPUR (March 6): Analysts predict that Malaysia’s domestic fabless semiconductor companies will be the first to benefit from the groundbreaking partnership between Arm Holdings plc and Malaysia, followed by outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) and electronics manufacturing services (EMS) players.

Malaysia’s fabless semiconductor firms to lead gains from Arm Holdings partnership — analysts

South Korean finance tycoon Cho Jung-ho is edging closer to ending Samsung Electronics Co executive chairman Jay Y&nbsp;Lee’s two-and-a-half-year reign as the nation’s richest person.

Finance billionaire closes in on Samsung’s Lee as richest South Korean

Sunway Construction Group&nbsp;Bhd's (KL:SUNCON) winning of a Rapid Transit System transport-oriented development (RTS TOD) project in Bukit&nbsp;Chagar, Johor, marks a strategic shift away from its reliance on data centre (DC) projects for now.

Bukit Chagar TOD job win seen reducing Sunway Construction's data centre reliance for now

(March 6):&nbsp;DBS Group Holdings Ltd&nbsp;increased chief executive officer Piyush Gupta’s total pay by 56% for 2024, a year in which the Singapore-based bank reported record profits and strengthened its technology.

DBS outgoing CEO gets US$13m in ‘another banner year’

The Penang High Court lifted a travel ban imposed on four directors of Wellesley Spice Sdn Bhd (WSSB), the producer&nbsp;of Rabbit Brand chilli sauce, after finding the ban illegal and a breach of natural justice.

Court overturns Customs' travel ban on company directors over unpaid sales tax

Fifteen people were injured in South Korea on Thursday after bombs dropped by fighter jets landed in a civilian district, damaging houses and a church during military exercises in Pocheon, the Air Force and the fire agency said.

The fire agency said in a statement that 15 people were wounded, including two who were seriously hurt.

South Korea air force jets accidentally drop bombs on homes, injuring 15

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) maintained the overnight policy rate (OPR) at 3% on Thursday, as widely expected, citing an outlook of continued global&nbsp;and domestic growth, despite tariff and geopolitical uncertainties from major economies, and manageable inflation.

BNM keeps OPR at 3% as it bets on steady growth, with manageable inflation

AirAsia Aviation Group said it is relocating its domestic services from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 (klia2), effective April 7.

AirAsia to bring Subang airport ops back to klia2, effective April 7

The Transport Ministry (MOT) will introduce a policy to encourage cargo and transport companies to utilise the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) service as an alternative to heavy vehicles on roads.

Its Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the policy would include providing incentives to industry players to promote the shift to ECRL services once the rail project is completed.

Transport Ministry to introduce policy to encourage cargo companies to use ECRL

WASHINGTON (March 5): The US&nbsp;needs tougher legislation to enforce trade laws and ensure criminal prosecution of Chinese government-subsidised companies that circumvent US tariffs by shipping goods through third countries, US&nbsp;companies said on Wednesday.

US firms demand crackdown on tariff-evading Chinese importers

Investment, Trade and Industry&nbsp;Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said there are no findings or reports indicating that Nvidia artificial intelligence (AI) chips in servers were transferred to Malaysia from Singapore as claimed.&nbsp;

No finding, report on Malaysia's link in Nvidia chip fraud case, says Zafrul

Malaysia is discussing with chip companies based in the country whether they can absorb the impact of potential US tariffs on semiconductors, its trade minister said, as it looks to hedge against risks to its export-driven economy.

Malaysia discussing response to US chip tariffs with companies, Zafrul says

GENTING HIGHLANDS (March 6): Tropicana Corp Bhd (KL:TROP) has unveiled its latest integrated development, Breeze Hills Shoppes and Service Apartments (Breeze Hills) in Genting Highlands, Pahang, via a groundbreaking ceremony at its site in Gohtong Jaya on Thursday.&nbsp;

Tropicana Corp breaks ground for Breeze Hills Shoppes and Service Apartments in Genting Highlands

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has flagged irregularities in the Ministry of Home Affairs' issuance of the letter of acceptance (LOA) for the Foreign Worker Centralised Management System (FWCMS) to Bestinet Sdn Bhd in 2018.

PAC flags irregularities in the award of foreign worker management system contract to Bestinet

KUALA LUMPUR (March 6): The Dewan Rakyat on Thursday approved a proposed legislation to regulate carbon capture and storage (CCS) activities in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan.

Dewan Rakyat approves Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage Bill 2025, targets March 31 enforcement to secure investment opportunities

House arrest is already a permissible form of punishment under existing Malaysian law, without the need for new legislation.

In a written parliamentary reply on Wednesday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said Section 3 of the Prisons Act 1995 grants the minister of home affairs the authority to declare any home, building, or place as a “prison” for detaining inmates.

Home minister can declare any 'home' a prison under existing law, says Azalina

KUALA LUMPUR (March 6): Shares of MyNews Holdings Bhd (KL:MYNEWS) slipped 3.5 sen or 5.5% to 60.5 sen on Thursday morning, but analysts view it as a buying opportunity with a positive outlook.

MyNews slides in early trade, but analysts see a buying opportunity

CIMB Securities expects car sales to drop 7% in 2025, below the industry’s projected 780,000 units, mainly due to the introduction of targeted subsidies for RON95 fuel in July 2025.

CIMB forecasts 7% drop in car sales due to targeted subsidies for RON95

The High Court has granted a restraining order on Prince Faisal bin Turkey Bandar Al Saud and Datuk Seri Najib Razak's former media advisor, British national Paul Stadlen, to access assets that are believed to be linked to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The restraining order prohibits Prince Faisal from accessing approximately US$4.5 million held at Riyad Bank, as well as Paul Stadlen from controlling over 12 million units in UK companies and investments, including equity funds and bonds, through Wealthtek LLP.