Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia continued its efforts to rein inspending by reducing cost of a multi-billion-dollar mass rapid transit (MRT)project.
The Ministry of Finance on October 7 announced that it cut 5.22 billionringgits (1.27 billion USD) from the above-ground portion of the 14 billion USDMRT2 project. It also accepted a new construction tender by the MMC-Gamudaconsortium.
As the Malaysian Government and the MMC-Gamuda failed to reach an agreement forthe underground portion, construction for this part will be tendered outthrough an international open tender process.
Currently, Malaysia is grappling with debtsof up to 1 trillion ringgits while state revenues have been curbed by theremoval of the goods and services tax (GST) by the sales and service tax (SST).
Since Prime Minister Mohamad Mahathirassumed power in May 2018, he has reviewed all billion-dollar infrastructureprojects, many of which were cancelled or suspended due to budget limitation.
The MRT2 is designed to link Putrajaya where the government is based and SungaiBulong in the north of Kuala Lumpur. The project was initially earmarked tocost about 28 billion ringgits (6.74 billion USD), but the budget then balloonedto 56.93 billion ringgits (14 billion USD) following a plan to extend a road toBandar, where the previous government want to develop into a transport hub.-VNA
Foreign workers holding the Visit Pass – Temporary Employment (PLKS) for the past 10 years will be given a reprieve to continue working in Malaysia for a maximum three years.
Malaysian police have seized drugs this year worth 72.5 ringgits (17.5 million USD) during a raid in an industrial zone in Bukit Tengah, Seberang Perai district, Penang state.
Malaysia’s cancellation of some controversial China-backed infrastructure projects might cause an initial headache but will be beneficial in the long term, said an article published by Malaysian-based the Star Online news agency.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Illustrative photo (Photo: thestar.com.my) 
