Tumpuan kepada industri keselamatan makanan kurang menonjol
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KUALA LUMPUR: Tumpuan kepada industri keselamatan makanan kurang ditonjolkan dalam strategi kerajaan mengemudi naratif ekonomi negara.
Pensyarah Pusat Pengajian Siswazah Perniagaan, Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK), Prof Emeritus Dr Barjoyai Bardai berkata kerajaan perlu bertindak mengindustrikan sektor pertanian kecil-kecilan untuk membawa masuk lebih banyak pelaburan.
“Saya melihat bahawa keselamatan makanan sebagai satu strategi yang penting. Strategi kita sepatutnya ialah mengindustrikan keselamatan makanan ini.
“Selama ini kita ada inisiatif untuk petani kecil tetapi kita tidak mengindustrikan. Kalau kita berbuat demikian kita boleh bawa masuk pelaburan dan teknologi,” katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian dalam program Dialog Tiga Penjuru terbitan Astro AWANI pada Khamis.
Read more: Tumpuan kepada industri keselamatan makanan kurang menonjol
RHB, TNB bekerjasama promosi peralihan tenaga hijau kepada PKS dan individu
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KUALA LUMPUR: RHB Banking Group dan Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) telah menjalin kerjasama untuk mempercepatkan penggunaan rumusan tenaga boleh diperbaharui dan kecekapan tenaga dalam kalangan perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS) dan individu.
Di bawah kerjasama tersebut, TNB berperanan untuk menyediakan nasihat teknikal mengenai kecekapan tenaga dan rumusan tenaga boleh diperbaharui, termasuk membekal dan memasang sistem solar fotovoltaik (PV) kepada PKS, mengutamakan pelanggan PKS RHB, serta pelanggan dan rakan kongsi perniagaan TNB.
Sementara itu, RHB menawarkan rumusan pembiayaan hijau PKS, merangkumi tenaga boleh diperbaharui, pembinaan, hartanah komersial, modal kerja dan perbelanjaan modal (capex).
RHB dan TNB akan bersama-sama menganjurkan jerayawara kelestarian bermula suku ketiga tahun ini untuk melibatkan PKS di bandar-bandar utama Malaysia bagi menggalakkan kesedaran tentang amalan perniagaan mampan.
Read more: RHB, TNB bekerjasama promosi peralihan tenaga hijau kepada PKS dan individu
Bekalan beras kurang, peniaga makanan terkesan
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Alor Setar: Kekurangan bekalan beras putih tempatan (BPT) di negeri ini memberi kesan ketara kepada peniaga makanan kerana sukar memperoleh stok hinggakan terpaksa membeli beras import walaupun berlaku kenaikan harga.
Peniaga makanan, Zaiton Othman, 52, berkata, sebelum ini dia membeli bekalan beras tempatan sekitar dua atau tiga kampit untuk jualan nasi lemak seminggu sekali tetapi namun terpaksa keluar mencari setiap hari sejak kebelakangan ini.
Katanya, ada kedai yang mengehadkan pembelian beras tempatan hanya sekampit bagi 10 kilogram (kg) hinggakan dia terpaksa mencari di tempat lain.
"Saya kena pusing cari kedai lain untuk beli beras tempatan untuk stok berniaga setiap hari kerana tak mampu beli beras import yang mahal harganya.
"Walaupun bekalan beras berkurangan namun saya masih kekalkan harga nasi lemak sekitar RM1 hingga RM1.50 kerana kasihan pada pelanggan jika harga dinaikkan," katanya ketika ditemui di Pasar Besar Alor Setar, di sini hari ini.
'OPR has minimal impact on Ringgit'
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KUALA LUMPUR: A status quo in Malaysia's key policy rate is not expected to adversely affect the ringgit, which has risen by nearly 0.5 per cent vis-a-vis the US dollar since early July.
Bank Negara Malaysia is set to update its key Overnight Policy Rate (OPR), which stands at 3.00 per cent currently, at 3pm today. The central bank is widely expected to stand pat as most of its Asian peers.
The strength or weakness of the ringgit is dependent on a myriad of factors, not mainly on the OPR, said economists.
Malaysia University of Science and Technology economist Dr Geoffrey Williams said as the OPR remains steady, he anticipates minimal impact on the value of the ringgit.
Williams said this stability is attributed to the fact that market expectations have already factored in the OPR's status quo, adding that the ringgit's recent fluctuations were influenced by familiar factors.
"The ongoing fluctuations in the ringgit's value are primarily driven by external elements, including the international geopolitical landscape, the appeal of the US dollar as a safe haven, and economic policies in foreign nations - factors largely beyond Malaysia's control," he told the New Straits Times.
Consumers to tighten belts over rising prices
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PETALING JAYA: Many Malaysian households are now indulging in mutton only occasionally due to the high prices these days.
“As Indians, we love mutton. But it’s costly these days, so I would buy it only once in a while,” said content manager, A. Siva, 42.
He said the price was usually about RM50 per kg, but it could go up to RM70, especially during Deepavali when the demand is high. At one point during the movement control order, he said the price even went up to RM83 per kg at a local market in his Subang Jaya neighbourhood, which he described as “shocking”.
To him, he felt that the price was rather arbitrary as the trader did not put it up on a price board. However, Siva acknowledged that prices for local mutton had always been higher than those imported from Australia or New Zealand.
“Local mutton is never frozen and there is a variation in terms of taste,” he said, adding that his family would opt for local or imported ones, depending on the need and occasion.
Homemaker Fazilah Kamal, 31, would only buy fresh mutton from the wet markets as she finds it more tender. It also takes less time to cook.
She said the average cost of lamb was around RM37 to RM40 per kg, but chops and shoulders were even more expensive as they tend to have more meat.
Barangan tempatan mampu harung kesan pengurangan AP, permit import, kata pakar
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PETALING JAYA: Barangan tempatan dipercayai tidak akan terjejas teruk sekalipun pengurangan permit diluluskan (AP) dan permit import (IP) membawa kepada lambakan barangan import yang lebih murah, menurut pakar ekonomi.
Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff dari Putra Business School berkata barangan tempatan mampu bersaing dengan barangan import yang lebih murah kelak atas dua sebab utama iaitu tarikan harga dan keperluan pengguna.
“Majoriti barangan tempatan sudah sedia murah berbanding barangan import. Pada masa sama, permintaan terhadap barangan tempatan juga sentiasa tinggi,” katanya kepada FMT.
Kementerian Ekonomi sedang membangunkan satu kertas dasar untuk mengkaji dan mencadangkan kepada kerajaan pengurangan AP dan IP membabitkan keseluruhan sektor, bertujuan menurunkan harga barangan.
Read more: Barangan tempatan mampu harung kesan pengurangan AP, permit import, kata pakar
Rugi RM31,638.85 ditipu scammer emel saman polis
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SHAH ALAM – Hasrat seorang wanita melunaskan saman dikatakan sebanyak RM50 berkecai apabila dipedaya scammer sehingga kerugian RM31,638.85, baru-baru ini.
Ini selepas scammer menggunakan emel palsu dalam urusan pembayaran saman trafik PDRM.
Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan berkata, mangsa berusia 37 tahun itu telah menerima satu emel menyatakan mempunyai satu rekod saman PDRM.
Katanya, emel tersebut turut menyertakan portal rasmi MyBayar PDRM untuk mangsa membuat semakan dengan wanita itu mendapati saman tersebut atas kenderaannya.
“Emel palsu tersebut kemudian memberi amaran supaya mangsa segera membuat bayaran saman tersebut atau tindakan selanjut akan diambil.
“Mangsa kemudiannya telah menekan pautan laman berkenaan palsu itu bagi pembayaran,” katanya dalam kenyataan hari ini.
Menurut beliau, mangsa juga telah mengisi butir-butir perbankan menerusi borang yang disediakan dalam pautan tersebut bagi pembayaran saman RM50.
Setelah butiran perbankan dimasukkan, transaksi bayaran tersebut telah gagal dengan skrin laman web palsu itu menyatakan nombor kod khidmat pesanan ringkas (SMS) yang diterima tidak sah.
“Mangsa hanya menyedari ditipu selepas menerima panggilan daripada pihak bank menyatakan wang daripada akaunnya dipindahkan sebanyak tiga kali berjumlah keseluruhan RM31, 638.85 dalam masa singkat ke akaun lain,” katanya.
GXBank receives approval from Bank Negara to commence operations
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KUALA LUMPUR: The Grab-led digital bank, GX Bank Bhd (GXBank) has completed an operational readiness review and has been approved to commence operations effective Sept 1, 2023, by the Minster of Finance and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).
The latest development makes GXBank the first of the five digital bank license applicants to receive approval, and it is ahead of the April 2024 deadline set by BNM.
In a statement, GXBank said it will leverage technology and innovation to serve the needs of the unserved and underserved individuals, and micro and small medium enterprises (MSME).
Additionally, the digital-only bank will support customers’ needs through various channels including a bank app and 24/7 customer support via multiple platforms.
“At GXBank, we are driven by our shared purpose and passion to bring positive transformation to the financial industry, starting with solutions to address the financial struggles of Malaysians and businesses.
Read more: GXBank receives approval from Bank Negara to commence operations
Rise of AI-based scams (Poll Inside)
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PETALING JAYA: Operators of dubious investment schemes are exploiting the buzz around artificial intelligence (AI), using it as a tempting facade to entice victims.
The new wave of fraud is being promoted by these operators, who claim their AI-backed schemes are almost fail-proof and a sure-fire way of making profits.
Raymon Ram, a criminologist who specialises in the field of financial forensics, said that with AI appearing as a symbol of advanced capability and promise, unscrupulous individuals are exploiting it to gain the trust of the public.
“We have seen AI-driven chatbots that are designed to replicate genuine human interactions and make scams appear more authentic.
“Then there are technologies such as deepfakes, which can craft extremely realistic videos and be misused to show prominent businessmen and celebrities supposedly endorsing these investment schemes.
MCMC working on regulations to address online harm, media ‘imbalance’
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PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will follow Australia and Canada’s adoption of a digital regulation policy to address online harm and media imbalance.
MCMC said it held a meeting to address these challenges yesterday with the communications and digital ministry and online platforms Meta and Google.
“The ministry and MCMC are engaging in discussions with major online platforms, including Meta and Google, to establish a licensing and regulatory framework,” it said in a statement today.
The challenges include child sexual abuse material; online gambling; content on race, religion and royalty; scams and phishing; online trade of illegal drugs and substances; impersonation; and fake news.
Read more: MCMC working on regulations to address online harm, media ‘imbalance’
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