21/09/2025

NATIONAL 5 theSun on Sunday SEPT 21, 2025

Action taken to resolve nomad pass setbacks

Eatery owner injures hand in meat grinder IPOH: A restaurant owner was seriously injured after his right hand became trapped in a meat grinder at an eatery in Jalan Silang 3, Chemor, on Friday. Perak Fire and Rescue Department acting assistant director of operations Shazlean Mohd Hanafiah said his department received a call at 8.17pm, after which a team from the Meru Raya Fire and Rescue station was despatched to the shop. The 41-year-old man had been preparing cooking ingredients in a food grinder for fish fillet when his right hand got stuck. “When fire personnel arrived, the victim’s hand was still in the machine. He was conscious, so we needed the Health Ministry’s medical team to administer anaesthesia to his hand as he was in pain. The victim had to wait about 40 minutes before the procedure could be carried out,” Shazlean explained in a statement. He added that his team managed to free the victim’s hand by opening the base of the machine with special equipment and turning the grinding gear in the opposite direction. The victim sustained serious injuries to four fingers on his right hand and was sent by a medical team for treatment at a hospital. – Bernama Obstructing traffic remains top offence KUALA LUMPUR: Traffic obstruction, with 3,559 notices issued, was among the top offences recorded during three days of Ops PUU (Operation for Law Compliance) in the capital. Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Datuk Mohamed Usuf Jan Mohamad said a total of 10,036 notices for various offences were issued between Sept 16 and 18. Of these, 8,006 were issued through daily operations, 1,330 through integrated operations and 700 under the Ops Didik programme. “A total of 9,508 notices involved various types of vehicles while another 528 were issued to pedestrians. Apart from traffic obstruction, other offences included failing to obey traffic lights with 2,326 notices, stopping in the yellow box with 525 and stopping past the white line at intersections with 470,” he said in a statement. Motorcyclists accounted for the highest number of notices with 4,578, followed by car drivers with 4,353, taxis with 219, vans with 207 and lorries with 146. Other offences included the use of non-compliant registration numbers with 224 notices, dirty, blurred or decorative plate numbers with 458, failure to wear seat belts with 408, motorcyclists without helmets with 32 and unauthorised motorcycle modifications with 199. Ops PUU, launched on Sept 6, emphasises advocacy and community engagement in addressing minor traffic offences rather than immediately issuing summonses. – Bernama

MDEC vows to improve efficiency as delays risk blunting Malaysia’s

been taken since the report on Sept 8 highlighted individual cases. Penang-based digital nomad Sandra Iskandar, who was previously stranded, confirmed her renewal was finally approved last week. “Just on Thursday, we got our renewals. MDEC responds quickly, but most replies were ‘not much we can do, it’s an IT issue’. I hope others will also get theirs soon because many are still struggling and facing massive financial losses,” she said. Ukrainian software engineer Nikita Shaposhnik said his case had also progressed. “They are now working on my case, but the timeline for approval has yet to be confirmed. I’m just happy I’m finally getting a positive update,” he added. The DE Rantau Nomad Pass, introduced in October 2022 under the Malaysia Digital initiative, was designed to attract high-spending, location-independent workers and help generate RM4.8 billion by 2025. Since its launch, more than 6,000 applications have been submitted, with over 1,500 pass holders and their families now residing in Malaysia. However, experts warned that bureaucratic setbacks could blunt Malaysia’s edge as a digital nomad hub. UKM digital economy expert Assoc Prof Dr Stephanie H.W. Chuah noted that nomads spent between RM8,000 and RM10,000 monthly in 2023, with spillover benefits in housing, food, travel, education and healthcare. “With many being high-income earners, the spillover into sectors such as education and healthcare should not

be underestimated. They are not just consumers but also create demand for services such as co-working and co-living,” she said. UM Asia-Europe researcher Assoc Prof Dr Sameer Kumar described nomads as “agents of knowledge” who bring global networks and cutting-edge practices. “The RM4.8 billion target is significant but the real value lies in the spillover effect. Delays risk becoming psychological barriers for nomads deciding where to live. “Malaysia should consider publishing real-time processing dashboards and creating a ‘Trusted Nomad’ tier with expedited renewals after one compliant year,” he suggested. UniSZA economist Dr Sheikh Ahmad Faiz Sheikh Ahmad Tajuddin agreed unresolved hiccups could weaken Malaysia’s appeal. “Their contribution extends beyond housing, food and transport into wider multiplier effects across the services sector. Nomads also bring globally earned income into Malaysia, strengthen its knowledge economy and enhance its visibility as a remote-work hub. But bureaucratic issues must be ironed out,” he stressed. The National Tech Association of Malaysia said the country’s fundamentals remained strong but consistency was crucial. “While we have not heard of significant delays in processing of DE Rantau, we would need to ensure that expectations of remote professionals are met,” said its chairman Alex Liew.

appeal to global remote workers █ BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Following theSun’s earlier report on prolonged delays in the DE Rantau Nomad Pass, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has issued assurances that swift measures are being taken to resolve the issue. MDEC explained that it is working closely with the Immigration Department to address renewal backlogs that left some applicants stranded abroad or placed on tourist passes, despite approvals being promised within six to eight weeks. Some delays stretched up to five months, causing financial strain and uncertainty. “We acknowledge the concerns that have been raised and are addressing them on a case-by-case basis. Some have already been resolved, while others are ongoing,” a spokesperson said via WhatsApp, adding that improved coordination with the Immigration Department, enhanced tracking systems and streamlined procedures are being implemented to ensure both efficiency and security. The agency stressed that action has

Sameer said nomads bring into Malaysia global networks and cutting-edge practices. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH/THESUN

Thai police seize 450,000 yaba pills bound for Malaysia KOTA BHARU: Thai authorities foiled an attempt to smuggle 450,000 yaba pills worth 13.5 million baht, or about RM1.8 million, into Malaysia via courier services on Friday. Sungai Golok Narcotics Prevention and Control Centre director Supeeyan Daemokleng said the seizure followed intelligence on a planned delivery through a courier company to the Sungai Golok district. “Our team had been monitoring the situation since early morning to track down the individuals expected to collect the package containing the drugs. However, no one showed up. All the drugs were seized and taken to the Sungai Golok police station for further investigation,” he said when contacted yesterday. Supeeyan added that the drugs

are priced at about 30 baht per pill on the market and are believed to be destined for Malaysia via an illegal Sungai Golok route. The seizure, carried out at about 2pm local time, was conducted under the directive of Narathiwat provincial governor Second

Lieutenant Trakul Thodham. Supeeyan stressed that Thai authorities remain committed to tightening controls to curb drug smuggling into Malaysia, which remains a regular destination of illegal drug distribution operations by syndicates. – Bernama