Malaysia needs to leverage on ASEAN

China Press and Guang Ming Daily reported that an insurance syndicate that targeted individuals without close relatives was busted by the police.

Agents of the syndicate would befriend the victims, to obtain their personal information without their knowledge.

Afterwards, they would take out an RM 500,000 life insurance policy in their name and stage a car accident, to create the illusion of accidental death to fraudulently claim the insurance money.

Nanyang Daily and Sin Chew Daily headlined that AirAsia, the largest low-cost airline in Asia, noted that since the recovery of the global aviation industry post-COVID-19 pandemic, high airfares had become the norm. The dallies said that there were no signs indicating that ticket prices would become cheaper within this year.

Kwong Wah Daily reported that at a press conference yesterday, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan had informed him that Malaysia was currently facing severe financial challenges and constraints.

Additionally, Amir said that the constitution did not provide for tax rebates, so the federal government could not return 20% of the taxes paid by Penang to the Penang state government.

Editorial

Sin Chew Daily highlighted that the correct direction for Malaysia was to promote national progress and create a better life for the people through pragmatic approaches. Malaysia’s decision to join BRICS was also a pragmatic move, as it benefited the country and supported national development, the daily said.

After all, in those challenging times, a pragmatic approach was essential for steady and long-term national progress, the daily added.

Nanyang Daily said that as a country within the ASEAN region, Malaysia must cherish and leverage the opportunities provided by this harmonious area to strengthen its unity and work together to build a prosperous and thriving nation.

Politics was a major national undertaking: the actions, behaviours, and governance philosophies of political figures would determine the future development of the country, the daily said.