Day: April 9, 2023

5G network coverage in Malaysia as of the end of March has reached 55 per cent, said Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

He said it was a positive development and showed that the government was on the right track in ensuring that the target of 80 per cent of populated areas getting 5G network coverage before the end of 2023 could be achieved.

“We have approximately 25 per cent more for us to reach 80 per cent of 5G network access for populated areas by the end of 2023. It is important that this is not interrupted.

“In discussions with the telecommunications companies, there are some recommendations on what we can do to expedite the process,” he told reporters after the ‘Sumbangan Cahaya Ramadan’ Programme at Dataran PPR Kerinchi, here today.

Fahmi said he will hold a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim this week to finalise the policy and direction of 5G implementation in Malaysia.

Earlier, he distributed 500 packs of food and cash donated by Yayasan TM to the residents of PPR Kerinchi, which comprised the hardcore poor, orphans, B40 families, single mothers and persons with disabilities (PwD).

Yayasan TM has allocated RM260,000 for the implementation of the programme throughout the country for this year and so far a total of 2,100 people have received contributions

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

The Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) will set up 103 farmers’ markets across the country to carry out the ‘Syawal Madani Special Sale’ starting April 15.

FAMA deputy director-general (Operations), Abdul Rashid Bahri, who is currently assuming the duties of the FAMA director-general, said the farmer’s market, which focuses on the sale of essential goods for Hari Raya Aidilfitri this year will operate for six days until April 20 offering reasonable prices.

He said the farmers’ market, which targets sales of RM12.5 million, will be officiated at the Kelana Jaya Farmer’s Market on April 15 by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu.

“Among the items that will be sold at the 103 farmers’ markets at attractive and reasonable prices are beef, chicken, vegetables and just before Hari Raya, we will sell coconut palm leaves to make ‘ketupat’.

“Locations include farmers’ markets in Sabah and Sarawak, with Johor having the most with 29 farmers’ markets participating in the Syawal Madani Special Sale,” he told Bernama here today.

He said this after the Johor FAMA-Bank Rakyat 2023 Strategic Cooperation Ramadan Tour at the Bukit Gambir Permanent Farmers’ Market, here, which was also attended by Johor FAMA director Shahrizan Sudiman.

Abdul Rashid said FAMA was also confident that the items needed for Hari Raya sold at the farmer’s market were sufficient while adding that ground monitoring will also be carried out by FAMA personnel.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has asked the Ministry of Health (MOH) to give priority to Sabah in terms of the distribution of allocation for the development and upgrade of health facilities in the state.

He said that Sabah is one of the states which have the largest number of hospitals and clinics in Malaysia, however, most of them are in dilapidated condition.

“Sabah needs a fair and larger distribution of allocation, compared with other states, including for new construction and upgrade of existing infrastructure and health facilities,” he said in a statement today.

Hajiji discussed the matter when receiving a courtesy call from Health Minister, Dr Zaliha Mustafa, here today. He was also given a briefing on health development programmes and projects which have been and will be implemented by MOH in Sabah.

Zaliha also held a discussion with the Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, Datuk Ewon Benedick, who is also a Member of Parliament for Penampang, regarding the construction of Penampang’s Class 3 Health Clinic (KK3), which has been delayed.

Ewon, in a separate statement, said that expediting the construction of KK3 is important, to provide health services and outpatient treatment to the Penampang community.

“I have informed Dr Zaliha that works can commence next year as soon as the tender procurement process, expected to take up to six months, is completed,” said Ewon

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

Raising big chick balloons and other Easter symbols, about 4,000 Christians marched in central Seoul on Sunday in South Korea’s first large-scale Easter parade.

Paraders, some featuring a procession of the Ark of the Covenant and a cross structure and others with musical instruments and in inline skates and unicycle, set out from Gwanghwamun Square early afternoon to march through Seoul Plaza back to the square.

The parade, organized by the United Christian Churches of Korea (UCCK), featured not only religious events but also festive elements, such as a percussion band, a choir and a traditional mask dance.

An Easter music concert was also scheduled to take place at Gwanghwamun Square at 5:30 p.m.

Traffic was closed on the route.

Kam Kyung-cheol, a co-organizing head of the parade, said it was the first large-scale Easter parade in central Seoul in the 140-year mission history of Christianity in Korea.”

Christian and Catholic churches nationwide celebrated Easter Sunday with Easter services and Masses, with President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, attending a service at Youngnak Presbyterian Church in central Seoul.

Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick said “Let us open our eyes to the fact that there are neighbors under harsher difficulties and start from something small through which we can extend a warm hand and walk together,” in a Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad (PruBSN), through its charity arm PruBSN Prihatin, channelled donations totalling RM200,000 to more than 750 underprivileged recipients, under the Sumbangan Prihatin Ramadan programme, in selected locations nationwide.

Held in collaboration with Yayasan MYPRIHATIN, the programme is one of various initiatives during Ramadan to ease the burden of the lower-income (B40) group, with essentials such as food packs, bubur lambuk and Aidilfitri contributions.

Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad chief executive officer, Wan Saifulrizal Wan Ismail, said that the programme is in line with the company’s Raya and Ramadan concept this year.

“As a takaful company, the concept is to help each other, and our aspiration at PruBSN is to help the community make the most of their lives,” he said at a press conference after the programme, at Taman Mulia public’s housing project (PPR) in Bandar Tun Razak, here today.

The donations were presented by the wife of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also the Bandar Tun Razak Member of Parliament.

Also present were Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad deputy chief marketing officer, Teh Siew Peng and Yayasan MYPRIHATIN deputy chairman, Rahimi Abd Karim.

Wan Saifulrizal said that PruBSN also organised the One Donation, One Family campaign, which allows the public to make donations to be used to provide special takaful protection for the B40 group under the PruBSN Microtakaful Jariyah programme, with a value of RM10,000 coverage in one year.

”The campaign is open for all until April 21, and the contribution can be channelled to PruBSN Prihatin’s account number 312409962689 at Standard Chartered Saadiq.

“PruBSN Mikrotakaful Jariyah has thus far issued more than 100,000 protection certificates and death benefits, amounting to almost RM3 million, which have been claimed by next-of-kin,” he added.

Meanwhile, recipient Afizah Mohamed, 39, said that this was the first assistance she received after being jobless due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am grateful for getting help with kitchen items like this. At least it can lighten the burden for families,” she told Bernama.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

The presidential office said Sunday it will hold necessary discussions with the United States following a U.S. report accusing the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of intercepting South Korean government communications regarding aid to Ukraine in war with Russia.

In a report published Saturday in the U.S. (local time), the New York Times said some parts of the CIA documents, posted on a social media chat platform Discord, detailed South Korea’s “internal debates about whether to give the U.S. artillery shells for use in Ukraine, violating Seoul’s policy on providing lethal aid.”

The newspaper noted South Korean officials were concerned that U.S. President Joe Biden would pressure President Yoon Suk Yeol to come through and that the U.S. learned about South Korean deliberations through “a signals intelligence report.” It’s a term used by spy agencies to describe intercepted communications, from phone calls to electronic messages, according to the New York Times.

In a press briefing Sunday, a presidential official said, “We will review precedents and instances involving other countries, and come up with our response accordingly.”

The official said South Korea has not yet decided on whether to supply Ukraine with weaponry.

“There is no change to our government’s basic stance on Ukraine,” the official said, referring to South Korea’s stated focus on providing humanitarian aid, rather than lethal weapons.

The presidential office reportedly held a meeting presided by National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong in the morning to discuss ways to respond to the New York Times report.

Yoon reportedly also ordered a thorough review of the issues upon receiving a report from officials on the matter.

Source: Yonhap News Agency