Director of white house office of management and budget

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Four foreign security guards have been arrested here for failing to provide valid documents. Iskandar Puteri OCPD Asst Comm Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the four individuals from Pakistan and India, who are between 23 and 34 years old, were arrested separately on Thursday (April 15) at a housing area in Mutiara Rini, Skudai. "A police team from Iskandar Puteri was making checks on a security post at a housing area in Mutiara Rini when it met two Pakistani security officers. "The duo failed to show their identification documents and valid security officer permits," he said in a statement here on Friday (March 16). He added that the security officers' manager was also arrested at the same location for violating the licence condition of a private agency for employing foreigners without a permit. "The 32-year-old manager also tested positive for methamphetamine and has a criminal record with three drug-related offences," he said, adding that the manager was a local. ... » Learn More about Four foreign security guards arrested for failing to provide valid papers, manager held too

The National Housing Authority (NHA) has been ordered to speed up the rental housing scheme for low-income earners under the "Baan Kheha Sukpracha" project. The State Enterprise Policy Commission chaired by the prime minister, which met virtually yesterday, agreed to order the NHA to hurry the development of 100,000 housing units nationwide under the five-year Baan Kheha Sukpracha project. Pantip Sripimol, director-general of the State Enterprise Policy Office (Sepo), said the meeting also allowed the NHA to apply for a public-private partnership agreement in order to speed up the project, while assigning the authority to partner to the Social Development and Human Security Ministry to propose details of the development plan at the next meeting of the State Enterprise Policy Commission, which has not been decided. The cheap rental housing scheme aims to reduce expenses and create opportunities for people with low incomes to access housing units. The project is also meant to ... » Learn More about Housing rental plan sped up

SINGAPORE: Like most office workers, economist Song Seng Wun used to spend his workdays behind a desk at his bank and never questioned it. Now, after being forced to work from home during the “circuit breaker” period last year, he has adjusted to a new rhythm. His mornings are spent at the office, then he may have meetings outside or travel around the island to check on any economic developments that piqued his interest - taking him to a manufacturing plant in Tuas or an airfield in Seletar. Later in the afternoon, he settles down at a pub near his home in Tanjong Pagar to go through reports and other reading material – washed down with a gin and tonic or a beer. He thinks he gets more done now, with the flexibility to structure his own time. “Technology essentially allows us to be more mobile … then the mindsets of companies and bosses were forced to change. If not for the pandemic and workers being stuck at home, most employers would have been reluctant to let workers out of ... » Learn More about IN FOCUS: Thinking out of the cubicle – What lies ahead for hybrid working?

At least eight people were killed in a shooting at a delivery company by a gunman who is believed to have then turned the gun on himself, police in the US city of Indianapolis said. The victims all died at a Fedex facility where the shooting took place late Thursday, police spokeswoman Genae Cook told a news conference, adding several other people had been taken to hospital. Four people with gunshot wounds were transported by ambulance, including one in critical condition, police said. Three were transported with other injuries, while two were treated at the scene and then released. One man who was working a twilight shift at the plant near the city's international airport told local broadcaster WISH-TV he saw the gunman start shooting and heard more than 10 shots. "I saw a man with a sub-machine gun of some sort, an automatic rifle, and he was firing in the open. I immediately ducked down and got scared," Jeremiah Miller said. "My friend's mother, she came in and told us to ... » Learn More about Eight dead in Indianapolis Fedex facility shooting: police

Several people have been shot in an incident in Indianapolis, police say. WASHINGTON: At least eight people were killed in a shooting in the US city of Indianapolis by a gunman who is believed to have then killed himself, police said. The victims were all found at a Fedex facility near the international airport where the shooting took place late Thursday, police spokeswoman Genae Cook told a news conference, adding several others had been taken to hospital. One man who said he works at the plant told local broadcaster WISH-TV he saw the gunman start shooting and heard more than 10 gunshots. "I saw a man with a sub-machine gun of some sort, an automatic rifle, and he was firing in the open. I immediately ducked down and got scared," Jeremiah Miller said. Cook told reporters officers had responded to an "active shooter incident," adding they believe the gunman died by suicide. She said authorities judged there was no longer an immediate threat to public safety. A Fedex ... » Learn More about Shooting kills 8 in US city of Indianapolis

SIBU: Five more Mountain and Cave Search and Rescue (Mocsar) teams will be set up in the state after the first one in Mulu National Park, says Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin ( pic ). Mocsar is a special team set up to handle SAR operations in mountains and caves as well as fight forest fires. The Mulu National Park Mocsar was set up by the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department in 2017 after a drowning incident in Deer Cave which involved a Dutch tourist and a local tour guide on July 12,2016. Speaking at a press conference after commissioning the new fire station at Sibu Jaya on Saturday (April 10), Zuraida Kamaruddin said the department would be scouting for local residents who are well-versed with the area to be members of the team. "There is a need to form more Mocsar teams in the state. We will identify locals who are familiar with their areas and train them to be team members," she said. Members of the Mocsar team, she said, would be ... » Learn More about Fire and Rescue Department to set up five more Mocsar teams in S’wak, says Zuraida

KUCHING: Public officials in Sarawak are warning against complacency as the state remains the only one in Malaysia not placed under a movement control order. State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, who oversees public health, said the only way to prevent stricter movement restrictions in Sarawak was for everyone, from government agencies and policymakers to businesses and local communities, to play their part and go the extra mile in the battle against Covid-19. “Sarawak is the last one standing, but for how long? Let’s sacrifice and suffer together now in solidarity to fight Covid-19. “Otherwise, we will be like Sabah in terms of cases and deaths, ” he said, adding that Sarawak’s fate was in the hands of Sarawakians. Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced on Tuesday that six more states in Peninsular Malaysia would be placed under the MCO from Jan 22 to Feb 4. With the MCO already enforced earlier in the other peninsula ... » Learn More about S’wakians urged to stay vigilant as only state not under MCO

INTERNATIONAL nongovernment organization Oceana urged the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to recall an order that limits the participation of local government units, fisherfolks, and key stakeholders in the 12 Fisheries Management Areas (FMAs) in the country. In its Fisheries Office Order 10, series of 2021, BFAR ordered for the rotation of the chair of the Management Body of Fisheries Management Area (FMA) among the covered BFAR regional offices and exclusion of the co-chairperson as representative from local government units. This policy, according to Oceana, is not practicable as the other BFAR regional offices are already tasked to lead other FMAs, noting that this might derail the activities and timeline of the FMAs, whose management body members have been working tirelessly amid these difficult times. “This may pose a problem because not being a member of the management body, the other BFAR regional directors cannot act as an alternate as they do not have ... » Learn More about Limited fisherfolk role in FMAs protested

NEW YORK: Racial inequality has cost the US economy $16 trillion in wealth over the last two decades, Citigroup said in a report Thursday (Friday in Manila). The banking giant — pointing to the drag from unequal pay, housing discrimination, education disparity and other longstanding ills in the United States — simultaneously pledged $1 billion in initiatives for Black-oriented business needs. “Addressing racism and closing the racial wealth gap is the most critical challenge we face in creating a fair and inclusive society and we know that more of the same won’t do,” said Citigroup Chief Executive Michael Corbat in a press release. “Citi is committed to leading the way and investing in communities of color to build wealth and strong financial futures.” The glossy 104-page report, which features a photo of a fist-bump between a white and Black person on its cover, lays out a gamut of issues, including policing and voting rights. Its release come as US businesses face pressure to ... » Learn More about Racial inequality costs US $16T – Citi

A sand quarry manager learnt a lesson to only engage a reliable contractor to undertake his house renovation project. He paid for works on his house to be done by a contractor, but it was not fulfilled. He then took the matter up with the Johor Baru Consumer Claims Tribunal, which ordered the contractor to return over RM40,000 to him. Sam Fut Meng had hired a contractor with an office in Kulai to renovate his single-storey house in Taman Puteri Wangsa, Ulu Tiram near Johor Baru. The initial cost of the renovation package was RM51,200 as quoted by the contractor to instal an auto gate and kitchen cabinets including the top flooring. “The sum was revised to RM55,000 to include renovation of the car porch and instalment of a canopy, ’’ said Sam when met outside the tribunal office in Menara Ansar. The 60-year-old made the first payment of RM5,200 on Oct 14,2019 to the company’s bank account followed by RM25,000 on Nov 17,2019 and RM13,000 on Dec 11,2019. Sam said the last ... » Learn More about Paying high price for unfinished work