The Budget 2025 introduces several crucial tax incentives and initiatives aimed at supporting SMEs and enhancing their financial sustainability and growth. By leveraging these incentives, SMEs can manage increased labour costs, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen their financial resilience. Budget 2025 affirms that Goods and Services Tax (GST) will not be re-introduced but the existing…
BY: NG WEI JIE Since 2010, the number of Malaysian companies focusing on factory automation has doubled, with the top 10 firms now boasting a combined valuation exceeding RM25.8 billion, according to Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA). Automation has proven to be a game-changer, reshaping how industries approach operation scalability, production optimization, engineering efficiency, and…
BY: A Media Practitioner Out Cold It is looking to be a bleak Deepavali for several Hindu journalists of a local online portal as their employer has gone rogue in terms of settling their wages. With 48 – hours to go in the anticipation of the celebrations of the festival of lights – the victory…
BY: KHALDOON ABDULLA The foreign policy of the United States (US) towards the Middle East involves a complex mix of strategic and ideological factors. On one level, US policy is shaped by traditional geopolitical considerations, including the pursuit of hegemony through control of strategic passages, the promotion of the liberal international order, and the containment…
Dr Paul Anthony Mariadas and Dr Uma Murthy Malaysia, a fast-growing Southeast Asian nation, has often sought to strike a balance between maintaining good relations with Western nations while also fostering deeper connections with emerging economies. One avenue Malaysia is considering is closer engagement with BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), a bloc…
BY: DR PAUL ANTHONY MARIA DAS The Malaysian Budget 2025, unveiled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on October 18, 2024, marks a significant turning point in the nation’s economic strategy. With an unprecedented allocation of RM421 billion, this budget is not only the largest in Malaysia’s history but also encapsulates a vision for…
Ayer Hitam MP Datuk Seri Ir Dr Wee Ka Siong was appointed as investment adviser for nationals and companies from China in Malaysia by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday. The appointment was made when Ahmad Zahid officiated MCA’s annual general assembly at the San Choon Hall, Wisma MCA. While many on…
BY: Dr A Lingeshwaran The overall budget for Ministry of Health (MOH) saw an increase of 9% compared to this year. However, the increase is at a much lower pace compared to Budget 2024 and also far from the 5% GDP that was the benchmark for upper middle income country. Hence, the MOH should focus…
Guided by the ‘MADANI Economy framework’ and three focus areas of ‘Reinvigorating the Economy, Driving Reforms, Prospering the Rakyat’, Belanjawan 2025 incorporates right measures to breath new life into the ‘soul’ of Kuala Lumpur (KL). This involves a combination of allocations designed to climate-proof, preserve culture and heritage, develop talent capacity, as well as improve…
BY: PROFESSOR OSMAN BAKAR In the post-colonial Muslim world, especially since the 1980s following the historic First World Conference on Muslim Education in 1978 held in Mecca, universities and colleges carrying the label “Muslim” or “Islamic” in their names have rapidly increased in number. These institutions are either public or private and are either national…
