21/07/2025

MONDAY | JULY 21, 2025

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Selangor Sultan participates in run BANTING: The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and the Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor, Tengku Norashikin, took part in the Kita X Pesta Kelaut@Pantai Kelanang 2025 run held yesterday. The royal couple arrived at the venue at 7.30am and were welcomed by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari. The event saw the participation of more than 1,000 runners across two categories – five kilometres and three kilometres. Sultan Sharafuddin officially flagged off the run and later joined the participants on the course. Before departing, the Sultan and Tengku Permaisuri visited exhibition booths set up by participating government agencies and local entrepreneurs. The royal couple also witnessed the Pertandingan Sukan Rakyat Pesta Kelaut activities, that featured games such as pillow fighting, slippery pole climbing, beach tug-of-war and coconut bowling. – Bernama Unity keeps Madani govt strong, says PM PORT DICKSON: The Madani government remains strong due to its commitment to unity among coalition partners and their shared dedication to national development, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He acknowledged that while the parties within the Madani government may differ in beliefs and political positions, their cooperation continues to set an example. “Alhamdulillah , although we are a coalition of parties with different stances and beliefs, the shared spirit to develop the country makes our cooperation extraordinary. “I would like to thank deputy prime ministers Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, and all colleagues for their unwavering commitment to unity,”he said at the Kenduri Rakyat event held yesterday in Kampung Pachitan. The event was held in conjunction with the Madani Ukhwah programme and the Madani Government Administration and Parliamentarians’ Retreat. Also in attendance were Anwar’s wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Ahmad Zahid and Fadillah as well as Cabinet members and Madani government MPs. Among them were Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and Port Dickson MP Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun. Anwar also stressed that the Madani government is a caring administration that remains committed to listening to the voices of the people. He added that while macroeconomic indicators point to encouraging trends – such as improved investment inflows and a decline in unemployment – many Malaysians continue to face challenges at the grassroots level. A total of 143 MPs took part in the Madani Government Leadership Ukhwah Programme, held as part of the retreat. – Bernama

Litterbugs to face clean-up duty under new Bill o Mandatory community service part of broader campaign to instil responsibility and build civic consciousness Nga (centre) with participants of the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Week event. – PIC COURTESY OF NGA KOR MING FACEBOOK PAGE

and instilling personal responsibility,” Nga said. “We want tourists to see a Malaysia that is clean, beautiful and welcoming – not dirty and neglected. Cleanliness speaks volumes about who we are as a nation.” He also cautioned that failure to comply with the community service order could lead to further legal action, including possible jail time, depending on the ruling of the Magistrate’s Court concerned. According to the ministry, the revised penalties represent a significant increase from current fines. Under the new provisions, those who fail to complete their community service could face fines ranging from RM2,000 to RM10,000 – up from the existing RM500 to RM2,000 – or up to one year in prison. The ministry added that the stricter measures are aimed at fostering a culture of accountability and curbing irresponsible waste disposal in public areas, especially as the government targets 35.6 million international visitors in 2026. measures would be taken to prevent similar disruptions in future. Earlier reports indicated that a data integration error within MyIMMS had hindered the verification process, triggering congestion at several major checkpoints, including KLIA, the Sultan Iskandar CIQ Complex and the Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ Complex. The agency confirmed that Malaysian passport holders were unaffected and that swift action was taken in coordination with the Immigration Department to mitigate the impact. – by Harith Kamal

Ű BY HARITH KAMAL newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“This is the time. We cannot afford to delay,” he said. “The government is committed to implementing this law within the year.” He said the initiative draws on best practices from countries such as Sweden, Japan and Singapore. Under the proposed legislation, individuals caught littering will face a compound fine and be required to perform up to 12 hours of community service. Offenders will be issued green uniforms by the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation, and tasked with clean-up duties such as sweeping streets, clearing drains and scrubbing public toilets. “This initiative is not just about punishing people. It’s about building civic consciousness

KUALA LUMPUR: Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming has called on all MPs to fully support a proposed Bill that would make community service mandatory for those caught littering. The measure is part of a broader campaign to improve public hygiene in preparation for the Visit Malaysia 2026 tourism initiative. Speaking at the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Week 2025 event, Nga said the Bill – involving amendments to the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 and the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 – is scheduled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.

No sabotage in e-gate system failure: Border control agency chief PETALING JAYA: The Border Control and Protection Agency has ruled out sabotage or cyberattacks as the cause of the recent disruption to the automated gate (e-gate) system, which led to significant delays for foreign travellers at key national entry points. queues and severe congestion. We deeply regret the incident,” he said during a press conference at KL International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 yesterday. Sultan Iskandar CIQ Complex, Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ Complex and KLIA terminals 1 and 2 – were gradually restored by Saturday night.

Mohd Shuhaily clarified that while the agency oversees frontline border enforcement, the infrastructure and maintenance of the system fall under the Immigration Department’s responsibility. He stressed that both agencies had worked closely to resolve the issue. “We’ve been in constant communication with the Immigration Department to respond to challenges on the ground,” he said, adding that

He confirmed that about 380,000 travellers were affected over the two-day period, with the worst congestion reported at the Sultan Iskandar CIQ Complex in Johor. “A full investigation is ongoing, but so far we’ve found no evidence of sabotage or cyberattack. I prefer not to speculate further to avoid causing unnecessary public concern.” The affected e-gate systems – located at the

Its director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the issue, which occurred last Friday and Saturday, was due to a technical fault in the Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMS), linked to an international enforcement agency. “The system failure slowed down cross verification of visitor records, resulting in long