24/12/2025

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Malaysian Paper

/thesundaily /

‘More Cabinet seats won’t ease cost pressures’

PETALING JAYA: The Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) has moved to clarify a viral RM1,000 compound notice circulating on social media, stressing that it is not related to parking offences but concerns a separate breach under its 2005 park by laws. The Facebook post, which gained traction last week, questioned the impact of privatising parking management and summons collection in Selayang, suggesting that outsourcing could disproportionately benefit private companies, which reportedly receive up to 50% of parking and summons revenue. The post also claimed that similar arrangements had already been implemented in Shah Alam and Subang Jaya, and could soon be introduced in Petaling Jaya. In a statement to theSun, MPS clarified that the compound in question falls under Section 8(1) of the MPS Park By-Laws 2005. “It is imposed for the offence of placing motor vehicles, bicycles or tricycles anywhere in public areas or within any park, except in designated spots provided by the Yang Dipertua (YDP) for that purpose,” the council said. MPS stressed that the RM1,000 compound amount is prescribed by law for such offences and is unrelated to any parking management concession or privatisation arrangement. “There has been no increase in the standard parking compound despite changes in the management of parking facilities under MPS,”the statement added. The council also clarified that the standard rate for parking violations remains unchanged. “The compound for parking offences is RM60. If payment is made within 72 hours of issuance, offenders are eligible for the minimum compound rate of RM10, reflecting an automatic reduction of RM50,” it said. For convenience and transparency, members of the public can check and settle parking compounds online via MPS’s official portal at https://mymps.mps.gov.my “We hope this clarification helps to prevent confusion and reinforces our commitment to fair enforcement in accordance with the law, for the benefit of public facilities and community well being,” the council added. – by Qirana Nabilla Mohd Rashidi and Harith Kamal Selayang council debunks RM1,000 parking claim successes of this plan appear in newspaper headlines or are broadcast on television. These reports motivate us to continue creating more successes together,” he said. Saarani also acknowledged the demanding nature of media work, noting that many government initiatives would not reach the public without the dedication of journalists, photographers, editors, portal writers, broadcasters and others within the media ecosystem. “They work day and night, often under intense time pressure and sometimes without rest. Some even endure disasters for days on end to ensure information reaches the people,” he said. – Bernama

“The cost of living keeps going up. Taxes are increasing. People are worried about subsidies being reduced further,” he added. While acknowledging recent government signals on reviewing taxes, adjusting thresholds and reconsidering subsidy rationalisation, Wong said the public remains cautious. He said the key issue for the rakyat is not the Cabinet line-up, but whether the government can effectively address bread-and-butter concerns over the next two years. “Solving everyday problems, including job creation, support for small-and-medium enterprises and easing financial burdens, should take priority over political optics,” he said. With the next general election still some time away, Wong said political appointments have generated little public excitement. “Is there excitement among the rakyat over this Cabinet reshuffle? I don’t think so. The rakyat want solutions. They want their problems fixed. That is the voice of the people now.”

o Rising living costs, taxes and subsidy worries matter more to the rakyat than political representation: Warisan VP

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

perspective, of course it is better to have more representation. More voices at the federal level is always a good thing,” he told theSun when contacted. Wong also congratulated all newly appointed ministers and deputy ministers but said it was too early to determine whether East Malaysia would truly benefit from the reshuffling of the Cabinet. “They have just been appointed, so it is difficult to comment at this stage,” he said. He noted that Sabah and Sarawak appear to have gained additional Cabinet representation, including portfolios linked to East Malaysian affairs, which he said would naturally be welcomed by Sabahans. “As Sabahans, we will feel it is better because we have more representation and more voices to forms the government. That is what we mean by cooperation,”Wong said. According to him, the party respects the democratic process and the choices made by voters nationwide, including those in Peninsular Malaysia. “Ultimately, we must accept the decision of the Malaysian people. We may have personal preferences, but when the people vote, we have to respect that decision,” he said, adding that it would be unreasonable for Sabah-based parties to attempt to influence voters in Peninsular Malaysia. Wong stressed that Warisan’s role is to contest elections independently and to ensure its political space is not disrupted by external parties during the campaign period. “Our role is to contest and to ask that others do not interfere with us. After that, when decisions are made, we will cooperate for the good of the country,” he said. On a separate matter, Wong declined to comment on whether Warisan will contest the Lamag state and Kinabatangan parliamentary by elections, saying the issue had only recently been raised. Wong, who is also the Tanjung Aru assemblyman, said it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage as party leaders require more time to deliberate. “We will take a couple more days to decide, after which the president will announce the party’s official stance,” he said, adding that an announcement is expected after Christmas. – by Ikhwan Zulkaflee

PETALING JAYA: Warisan has reiterated that it will not enter into any electoral pact with parties from Peninsular Malaysia ahead of the next general election, while leaving the door open for post-election cooperation to form a federal government. Warisan vice-president Datuk Junz Wong said the party’s position has remained consistent, stressing that Sabah should continue to be governed by local-based parties, with any collaboration at the federal level considered only after polling day. Wong said reports suggesting Warisan had decided to work with Peninsula-based parties before the election were taken out of context. He explained that the party’s long-standing stance is that Sabah’s political landscape should be led by Sabah-based parties, without external involvement during elections. “Our position has never changed. We want Sabah to be governed by local parties. That is very clear,”he told theSun when contacted. However, Wong stressed that Warisan remains pragmatic at the federal level and open to cooperation after the election. “At the federal level, we can work together to form the government. But that does not mean we are working together now,” he added. He said any form of collaboration with Peninsula-based parties would only take place after the election and would depend entirely on the outcome. “Let us go through the election first. After that, we can discuss who PETALING East Malaysian representation in the federal Cabinet may signal political progress, but it does little to ease the pressure of rising living costs, higher taxes and daily financial strain faced by ordinary Malaysians, said Warisan vice-president Junz Wong (pic) . Wong said the rakyat are more concerned with whether they can make ends meet than with who holds ministerial posts. He acknowledged that the appointment of more representatives from Sabah and Sarawak was a positive political development, but stressed that it does not address the immediate economic pressures confronting the public. “From a Sabah and Sarawak JAYA: More

bring Sabah and Sarawak issues to the federal level,” he said. However, Wong stressed that political representation is not the most pressing concern for the people. “People are tired of politics. Their lives are becoming more difficult financially and economically, and in terms of income,” he said, pointing to rising living costs, higher taxes and uncertainty over subsidies as issues directly affecting daily life.

No electoral alliance before polls, says Warisan

URBAN CANVAS ... Visitors and tourists taking photographs of mural artworks at Jalan Sultan in Kuala Lumpur which depict various aspects of Malaysian society. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH / THE SUN

RM500 incentive for media practitioners in Perak

IPOH: Media practitioners in Perak will receive a one-off incentive of RM500 as a token of appreciation for their role in disseminating the state government’s initiatives and policies to the public. Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the media should not be viewed as an external entity, but as an integral part of the ecosystem that helps strengthen governance and make it more mature and effective. He said many state government initiatives directly affect people’s daily lives and risk being misunderstood or overlooked if they are not communicated clearly and in a manner that resonates with society.

“If these initiatives are not conveyed in clear language and aligned with the realities faced by the people, all the efforts invested may not be fully understood or appreciated,” he said in his speech at the Perak Sejahtera Media Night 2025 here on Monday night. Saarani said the incentive was a modest gesture to acknowledge the media’s contribution. “Our journalists need to be appreciated — not much, just what we are able to give as a token of appreciation,” he said. He added that the media has played a significant role in the state government’s efforts to realise the Perak Sejahtera 2030 agenda. “Every day, stories about the