Malaysia’s passport ranks 11th globally

ANDREW ONG

China Press headlined that the Education Ministry stated that it is taking a serious view of a recent fundraising event at a local school involving sponsorship by a beer company and is investigating the matter.

Nanyang Daily reported that Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that strict action will be taken against billionaires who evade taxes to close potential financial leaks and emphasize the importance of taxpayer compliance.

Sin Chew Daily headlined that U.S. President Joe Biden, who was criticised for his poor performance in last month’s debate, has announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race on July 21 after weeks of pressure from fellow Democrats, and expressed support for Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate.

Guang Ming Daily reported that Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that Malaysia’s passport ranks 11th globally in the strength index according to Global Passport Power Rank 2024 by passportindex.org.

He also said the Immigration Department can process passport applications in just 60 minutes, making it one of the fastest passport issuance countries in the world.

Kwong Wah Daily front-paged that Penang Deputy Chief Minister Jagdeep Singh Deo has refuted allegations that he was requested to step down from his position in the state executive council.

Editorial

Sin Chew Daily said that President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race and Kamala Harris’s succeeding him might not make things easier for former president Donald Trump. 

Unlike Biden, who was often criticised for being “old and confused,” Harris does not share these flaws, the daily said. 

However, her main weakness is the limited time left for the campaign and her unimpressive record as vice president, said the daily.

Nanyang Daily said that the government’s decision to rationalise subsidies to improve the national financial situation was expected to receive public praise.

However, the practice of shifting funds from one area to another has proven ineffective and has not sufficiently deterred or addressed illegal practices or unauthorised price hikes by businesses, the daily added.