25/06/2025
WEDNESDAY | JUNE 25, 2025
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High living costs burdening low-income workers
Warrant issued for lorry company owner TELUK INTAN: The Magistrate’s Court here yesterday issued an arrest warrant for the owner of a lorry company that was connected to a fatal crash involving nine Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) members. DPP Izzuddin Fakri Hamdan filed the arrest warrant application after the individual failed to appear for proceedings yesterday on two charges under Section 57 and Section 58 of the Land Public Transport Act 2010. Magistrate Naidatul Athirah Azman set July 29 for mention of the arrest warrant. It is understood that the Road Transport Department had also sent a summons to the owner of the company to appear in court for yesterday’s prosecution proceedings. In the incident at 8.54am on May 13, nine FRU Unit Five members based in Sungai Senam, Ipoh died after the truck they were travelling in collided with a lorry loaded with gravel. On May 30, the Land Public Transport Agency announced that it had revoked the operating licence of Tashveen Trading, the lorry company that carried the gravel load, effective May 29. The lorry operating company was found to have failed to comply with the requirements of the Industrial Safety Code of Practice and failed to ensure its GPS was functional, in addition to carrying a load that did not comply with the type of goods specified in the vehicle permit. – Bernama Probe into ‘phantom travel’ syndicate PUTRAJAYA: The Border Control and Protection Agency is conducting an investigation into allegations of “phantom travel” syndicate activities at the KL International Airport (KLIA). It announced yesterday in a statement that the investigation is looking into the involvement of officers who are in cahoots with a syndicate that uses a modus operandi of not recording the movements of visitors entering the country at entry points and charging a fee to enable travellers, especially civil servants, to avoid their movements being tracked by their employers. “The agency will not compromise or protect any officer who commits a breach of integrity that tarnishes the good name and image of the department. “Action and punishment will be taken based on existing legal provisions, including dismissal if the officer who committed the offence is proven guilty,“ the statement said. The agency said it is working with the Home Affairs Ministry and Immigration Department to improve the process of screening visitors at the country’s entry points, especially at KLIA, including the full use of autogates. “With the full use of autogates for exit clearance, the development of the National Integrated Immigration System and the use of artificial intelligence technology, the agency believes that the issues of counter setting, flying passports and phantom travel involving officers could be reduced and eliminated.“ – Bernama
o Government aid could help lighten load, especially for private-sector employees: Veteran chef
Damansara with her younger sibling, a university student at Bandar Sunway who also works part-time in retail. Rent costs RM1,000 while the rest of her income is stretched between essentials and a monthly remittance of around RM500 to her family back home. “It is not really enough, and we do not live fancy,” she said. “I walk to work, I do not buy food since my workplace provides lunch, and I try to save. “As a foreigner, I just go along with what the government decides. As long as I can support my family, that is all that matters.” For others, the struggle is more visible than personal. Muhammad Zahid Zainul Rashid, 44, has over 20 years of experience as a chef and acknowledges that he is in a better position than many. “If you are not single and earning below RM3,000 in Kuala Lumpur or Selangor, it is hard to survive,” he said, referring to the younger staff under his watch. “Some do not even get overtime. They take on Grab jobs after work just to get by, and even then, they might only make RM100.” He pointed to rising food prices and sales and service tax-related disruptions, but expressed belief that government aid could help lighten the load, especially for private-sector workers. “I feel for my team. They are doing their best but it is not enough. They are tired and still have to hustle.”
Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com
on the quantity and scale.” “I do not know the full rent amount because my mother handles it, but I try to help however I can.” His daily income also goes towards petrol, which can cost up to RM10 a day, and the occasional bike repair. “Just changing the tyres can set me back RM80, and a chain and sprocket set costs about RM60. It all depends on my luck. “But when repairs come up, it really stretches my budget.” Syazreen is doing food delivery part-time while hunting for a full-time job. He did not share much about his previous employment, only that he was laid off and turned to delivery work to support his mother and himself until he finds something stable. “I wish I could do more. Grocery prices keep rising and it is getting harder to keep up. “Although fuel prices have not changed much in recent years, they still eat into our income, whether for delivery work or daily errands.” Puspita Reni, a 25-year-old waitress from Indonesia, has been in Malaysia since 2022. Earning RM1,800 a month with meals provided at work, she is just scraping by. She rents a flat in Seksyen 11, Kota
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Consumer Price Index rose 1.4% year-on-year in April, with food inflation hitting 2.3%, according to the Statistics Department. While the overall inflation rate is easing, daily living costs continue to weigh heavily on low-income earners, particularly in urban areas. Muhammad Syazreen Ismail, 33, has been working as a food delivery rider for the past five months, earning around RM40 a day, sometimes up to RM100, depending on the number of jobs he picks up. He usually works weekday mornings and takes weekends off to help his mother run a food stall. They live in a rented single-storey house in Petaling Jaya. Although the rent is mainly borne by his mother, Syazreen chips in RM200 a month towards household expenses. “Things have been tough. Since my mother runs a food stall, our daily costs are even higher,” he said. “A 10kg bag of rice is about RM30. Adding eggs, santan and other ingredients, it easily costs over RM200 (to run the stall), depending
Muhammad Zahid said some of the younger staff under his watch take on Grab jobs after work just to get by. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN
Govt retains Duta Enclave but ordered to compensate company PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court yesterday ruled in favour of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Land Registrar’s appeal to retain the land title over the 263.27ha “Duta Enclave” acquired from Semantan Estate (1952) Sdn Bhd. assessed based on the land value in 1956, the time the government took possession of the land. He said the company is entitled to mesne profits for the land, which will accrue until the government fully settles the compensation. on Dec 21, 1956 and RM79, 241 on Feb 3, 1959, would be deducted from the amount of compensation to be assessed, Bernama reported. the
Malaysian
Anti-Corruption
subject land back to Semantan Estate. “As such, there was no order to execute. In the absence of an order for the transfer of the land back to Semantan Estate, an order for declaration cannot be executed as it is only declarative of the rights of parties.” He said a declaratory order affirms the legal rights of parties involved and does not carry with it the power of enforcement, such as specific performance, adding that such orders are non-executable by nature. Lee, who delivered the court’s unanimous decision, ruled that Semantan Estate is entitled to adequate compensation, to be
Commission Academy. Semantan Estate’s legal battle began in 2003 when it sued the government, claiming that the land was unlawfully acquired. In 2009, Judicial Commissioner Zura Yahya ruled in favour of Semantan Estate that the government had unlawfully acquired the land. The government’s appeals at the Court of Appeal and Federal Court were unsuccessful. In February 2017, Semantan Estate initiated a lawsuit against the Kuala Lumpur Land Registrar to enforce the High Court judgement.
He awarded interest of 6% per annum to the company from Dec 3, 1956 to the date of payment upon fulfilment of the compensation as assessed. The disputed land, located in the prime Jalan Duta area known as the Duta Enclave, houses government buildings that include the national hockey stadium, Malaysian Institute of Integrity, national archives, Kuala Lumpur Syariah Court, the Inland Revenue Board building and
The amount of mesne profits, to be assessed by the High Court, shall no longer be payable once full payment of compensation has been made. He directed parties to file their expert valuation report on the market value of the subject land as at Dec 3, 1956, within 90 days from yesterday. Lee said payments made by the government, namely RM1.321 million
A bench consisting of Federal Court judge Datuk Lee Swee Seng and Court of Appeal judges Datuk Azimah Omar and Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh allowed the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Land Registrar’s appeal to set aside the High Court decision. Lee said the 2009 decision did not order the government to transfer the
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