Najib: Port Dickson is now 'Army Town'

Port Dickson made history today when it was announced as Army Town by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The announcement was made in recognition of the contributions of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), the Army in particular, as Port Dickson has produced many army recruits.

"The government will implement a number of projects here to lend more meaning to this announcement of Port Dickson as Army Town. We will leave it to the Defence Minister, the Armed Forces chief and Army chief to suggest to the government what we should do," Najib said at an Aidilfitri function at the Army Basic Training Centre (Pusasda) Square, here, today.

Beware of RM500 laptop scam

The Pahang police today urged the public to be wary of offers for cheap laptops for as low as RM500 per unit.

State Commercial Crime chief Supt Zaini Jass said the police had received two reports on the scam last Saturday and Sunday after the victims were approached by a 31-year-old man who offered to sell a laptop, supposedly goods seized in a customs raid.

Buy ringgit against Singapore dollar: ANZ

Investors should buy the ringgit against the Singapore dollar because higher commodity prices will spur Malaysia’s economic recovery over the next six months, according to Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd.

The ringgit may advance 2 per cent to 2.40 per Singapore dollar by the end of the first quarter of 2010 as increases in the prices of crude oil, palm oil and rubber will help Malaysia’s economy expand at a faster pace than its southern neighbour, strategist Yeo Han Sia said in a research note today.

“We expect the base effect in commodity prices to narrow the export gap in Malaysia’s favour, having knock-on effects for portfolio flows and the currency cross rate,” wrote Yeo, who is based in Singapore.

Influenza A(H1N1): No new deaths since last Friday

The country's fatality toll from the influenza A(H1N1) virus remains at 77 with no new deaths recorded since last Friday to Thursday.

Health director-general, Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican, said 192 new patients with influenze-like illness (ILI) were reported and admitted to the hospitals.

Far Eastern Economic Review to cease publication

The Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER), one of Asia's most respected English-language news magazines, will close in December, its owner Dow Jones and Co. has announced.

"Unfortunately, despite several attempts at invigorating the brand, the Review's continued losses in advertising revenue and readers are now unsustainable," News Corp.-owned Dow Jones said in a statement.

It said the magazine, which was launched in 1946, "will cease publication in December so opinion and commentary resources from Asia can be expanded across all Dow Jones properties," which include The Wall Street Journal Asia.

Chinese demand behind higher prices of dairy raw materials

Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd foresees the price of dairy raw materials, such as milk, increasing by between 10 and 20 per cent from the US$2,000 per tonne currently due to an increase in demand.

"Raw material cost has started to increase again, mainly due to a change in buying behaviour. China is purchasing a lot of raw milk powder in line with the country's economic growth," its managing director Hans Laarakker said.

"The volatility in prices is worrying," he added.

Grade A fish prices in Labuan escalate

Labuan MP Datuk Yussof Mahal has called on the the Fisheries Development Authority Malaysia (LKIM) and the fisherman's association to address the escalating prices of Grade A fish at the Labuan market, which were deemed to be the highest among the states.

Making a surprise check at fish and vegetable markets here, he said that the unacceptable high fish prices should not have happened as Labuan was an island.

The high prices of fish like white fish (RM20 per kilo) had resulted in people in the low-income bracket not being able to afford to eat Grade A fish, he said today. -- BERNAMA

40000 doses of anti-H1N1 vaccine to be available next month

A total of 40,000 doses of the 400,000 doses of anti-H1N1 vaccine ordered by the Health Ministry are expected to arrive in the country by the end of next month, said its minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

He said the vaccine would be evenly distributed with priority given to front line personnel and high risk groups like pregnant women and children.

The balance 360,000 doses would arrive in early January, he told reporters after attending a breaking of the fast function with the orang asli community in Sunagi Gapoh near here today.

Liow said the anti-H1N1 vaccine was being sourced from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) which is based in the United Kingdom.

Several tourist attractions to be closed for Aidilfitri

Several tourist attractions in the city will be closed for Aidilfitri.

According to a statement from the Museums Department, the National Museum will be closed on Sunday, but will resume operations the following day.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) said that both the Orchid and Bunga Raya Parks at the Perdana Lake Gardens will be closed on Sunday and Monday.

Horse riding at the Titiwangsa Lake Gardens will also not be available to the public from Sept 20 to 22, it said in a statement.

More dengue and chikungunya cases recorded this month

A total of 478 cases of dengue fever were recorded by the Health Ministry from Sept 6 to 12, an increase of 68 cases or 17 per cent from the previous week which recorded 410 cases.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican, in a statement here said, nine states recorded an increase in the number of dengue cases for the week from Sept 6 to 12.

They are Pahang (83 per cent), Sarawak (67 per cent), Sabah (67 per cent), Kedah (43 per cent), Terengganu (38 per cent), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (33 per cent), Malacca (11 per cent), Selangor (six per cent) and Penang (four per cent).

USAF Thunderbirds to be among air show attractions

The Thunderbirds, a revered air demonstration squadron of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) will perform their aerobatic formation and solo flying stunts in specially-marked jets during an air show here on Oct 3.

The air show which would feature the Thunderbirds F-16 and C-17 aircrafts has been scheduled to take place at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Subang Air Base.

"The US Embassy is proud to announce the visit of the USAF Thunderbirds to Kuala Lumpur in partnership with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF)," said the US Embassy in a statement here today.

The statement added that the RMAF's Sukhoi aerobatic team will also perform at the one-day show that is open to members of the public for free.

Express bus operators get warning on incomplete tickets

The Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) will take action against express bus operators that issue incomplete ticket information and those not following stipulated schedules and routes.

Its chairman Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique said passengers should check that their bus tickets had the information on the fare, name of the bus company and the date and time of departure before purchasing them.

Influenza A(H1N1): Death toll now 76

Two new deaths were registered today due to Influenza A(H1N1), bringing the number of deaths till now to 76. Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said the victims were a 45-year-old woman from Sabah who had high fever and a 19-year-old girl from Bentong, Pahang.

US firms satisfied doing business in Malaysia

American companies operating in Malaysia have indicated a much higher level of satisfaction in doing business there than in past years.

Four categories – ease of moving products through customs, availability of raw materials, labour cost and laws and regulations – registered high level of satisfaction for the first year, according to the latest regional business outlook survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (AmCham Singapore).

KLIA to facilitate seamless connection

KL International Airport (KLIA) will introduce facilities called "Next Generation Hub" that enable passengers to connnect seamlessly between all types of carriers and between different types of terminals.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) announced this at the 15th World Route Development Forum that took place in Beijing from Sept 13 to 15, the company said in a statement today.

MAHB general manager (marketing) Sallauddin Mat Sah said KLIA''s Next Generation Hub would provide the passenger with "tools to plan an itinerary that best suit his or her needs, as well as the physical infrastructure to integrate and enable connections between full service and low cost carriers".

The airport operator said there was already a growing trend of passengers who self-connect between the Main Terminal Building and Low Cost Terminal at KLIA.

A study had revealed that there were at least 500 self-connect passengers per day or 1,000 passenger movements, representing an annual market of over 180,000 passengers, it added.

It said KLIA was well positioned as a Next Generation Hub as the airport offered both the largest volume of routes and traffic carried out by low cost carriers, making it a market leader in the sector in the Asia Pacific Region and globally.

Kelana Jaya, Ampang LRT lines to be extended

Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (Prasarana) has proposed two new extensions for the Kelana Jaya and Ampang Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines which are estimated to cost RM7 billion.

Managing Director Datuk Idrose Mohamed said the proposed Ampang LRT line extension will begin from the Sri Petaling Station, passing through Kinrara and Puchong before ending at Putra Heights, covering 17.7km with 13 new stations.

The Kelana Jaya LRT extension will begin from the Kelana Jaya Station, passing through 13 new stations, including Subang Jaya and USJ, before ending at Putra Heights, covering 17km.

Idrose said Prasarana would raise RM4 billion in bonds to part finance the project which is expected to be completed by end of 2012.

All the stations will have facilities such as lifts, escalators, suraus, public phones and toilets.

The stations will also be equipped with facilities for the disabled such as ramps, lifts, tactile tiles, low ticket counters and toilets.

MAS to introduce Sibu-Kuala Lumpur direct flight

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will introduce a direct flight daily from Sibu to Kuala Lumpur beginning Oct 25. MASwings' managing director Mohd Salleh Ahmad Tabrani said travellers from here would be able to catch the 7am flight to arrive in Kuala Lumpur by 8.50am.

"They can then return home by the evening flight the same day at 7.30pm to arrive here at 9.25pm. The new flight will allow them ample time to do their business in the city without having to stay overnight," he said at a dialogue session here today.

Influenza A(H1N1): No new deaths over past week

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said today that no new death from influenza A(H1N1) was reported in the last seven days and the death toll remained at 73. He said 75 influenza-like illness (ILI) patients were admitted for treatment while 154 more patients were discharged.

This brings the number of ILI patients to 1,096 ILI in 104 hospitals, including 11 private hospitals, nationwide and only 257 of them (23 per cent) are confirmed H1N1 patients, he added.

Influenza A(H1N1): No deaths for sixth day in a row

No deaths from Influenza A(H1N1) were reported in the country for the sixth consecutive day today, with the death toll remaining at 73.

Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said 1,175 cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) were under treatment at 98 hospitals nationwide, with 275 or 23 per cent of the cases confirmed as H1N1. 

He said that of the 275 cases, 41 were under treatment in intensive care while three cases were new and two cases had been discharged. 

"173 new patients with ILI have been admitted to hospital while 174 have been discharged," he said in a statement.

Petronas coffee-break campaign returns on Sep 17

Petronas's Coffee Break campaign will be held at 32 selected Petronas stations nationwide for three days beginning September 17.

Entering its 10th anniversary, the campaign will offer more beverages and snacks with new partners coming onboard.