26/04/2026

NATIONAL 3 theSun on Sunday APR 26, 2026 WFH incentives for private sector being explored

Move to tighten guidelines for public fundraising PUTRAJAYA: The Registrar of Societies (RoS) is reviewing the need to enhance the legal framework governing registered organisations, including proposals for specific guidelines and an independent audit mechanism for those collecting public funds above a certain scale. RoS director-general Datuk Mohd Zulfikar Ahmad said the effort is part of ongoing improvements to the Societies Act. “RoS takes note of media reports that are going viral on social media regarding allegations of fund misappropriation involving NGOs, amounting to millions of ringgit and linked to influential individuals. “These reports have raised public concern over the transparency and integrity of the management of donation funds by registered organisations,” he said in a statement yesterday. Sharing the latest data, he said as of March 31 this year, RoS had received 314 complaints related to alleged misuse of funds involving registered organisations over the past five years. “During the same period, 21,013 organisations had their registrations revoked between 2019 and 2026 for various offences, including non compliance with legal provisions,” he said. He stressed that RoS remains committed to carrying out its regulatory functions in a transparent and integrity-driven manner, based on the provisions of the Societies Act as well as the constitution of each registered organisation in Malaysia. He said RoS monitors the fund management of organisations through compliance requirements such as maintaining complete financial records, presenting financial statements at annual general meetings and submitting documents to RoS when requested. “This monitoring covers all forms of fundraising, whether conducted physically or through online platforms, including social media,” he said. On enforcement, he said RoS carries out reviews and takes action based on complaints, non-compliance or breaches of the prevailing legal provisions. – Bernama

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“Ultimately, these measures are about ensuring sustainability. We want to make sure that both the government and the private sector can adapt efficiently without compromising service delivery or economic activity.” Ramanan said further announcements would be made once the government finalises its approach, taking into account feedback from stakeholders and the economic outlook. Ramanan also confirmed that the government has begun implementing internal cost-cutting measures, including limiting official travel among members of the administration. Responding to a question on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent call to restrict movement or unnecessary travelling among Cabinet members, Ramanan said the directive was not new and had been discussed in earlier Cabinet meetings. On Vetri Madani, a targeted skills development initiative designed to widen access to structured training and job opportunities for the Malaysian Indian community, Ramanan said the programme is open to all eligible participants on a first-come, first-served basis. “A total of RM10 million has been allocated to train 2,000 participants in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine-related skills, as well as reskilling and upskilling programmes, among other training modules. “The courses will be conducted both physically and through hybrid formats, ensuring accessibility for participants who may be located farther away. Applications can be submitted via the HRD Corp website. “I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to enhance their skills,” said Ramanan.

More time needed to determine most effective way to implement measures as govt navigates global economic uncertainty, says minister

KUALA The government is considering incentives for the private sector to adopt work-from home (WFH) arrangements as part of it measures for cost-containment and efficiency amid ongoing global economic uncertainty, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan. He said a proposal is under consideration, stressing that the government needs time to assess the most effective mechanisms before rolling out any policy. “We are looking into it, but we need a bit more time to determine how best to implement such measures. At this point, we are operating in a global crisis environment, and it is crucial that we manage spending prudently,” he said after officiating at the Vetri Madani Carnival at Dewan Kandiah Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Also present was Human LUMPUR:

ensure that public funds are utilised efficiently while safeguarding the welfare of Malaysians. “We have to take the necessary steps and measures to ensure that we are able to protect the interests of the rakyat ,” he said. Ramanan added that while global geopolitical developments remain beyond Malaysia’s control, domestic policy responses must be calibrated to mitigate their impact, particularly on operational costs and public expenditure. The consideration of WFH incentives, he said, reflects a dual objective – reducing operational costs while maintaining productivity across sectors.

Resources Secretary-General Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof and the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) CEO Datuk Mohamed Shamir Abdul Aziz. The Sungai Buloh MP also highlighted the mounting fiscal pressure faced by the government, particularly in relation to fuel subsidies, which have surged significantly in recent months. “As has been shared before, our monthly subsidy bill used to be around RM700 million, but it has now increased to about RM4 billion a month,” he said. He stressed that such a sharp rise necessitates careful fiscal management and targeted interventions to

Ramanan (centre) with Azman (third from left) and Mohamed Shamir (second from right) at the launch of the Vetri Madani Carnival. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

Do not weaponise petroleum royalty payments issue, Opposition told IPOH: The federal government approach towards petroleum royalty payments to state governments should be viewed within the context of development project mechanism involving coordination between the federal and state governments to ensure funds are utilised effectively. previous Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M) model. existing market brands. Entrepreneurs interested in running these businesses must utilise their own capital, while Yayasan Madani provides technical assistance and

leakage or wastage. He was responding to media reports on April 23, in which the Terengganu government revealed a total of RM2.25 billion in petroleum royalty payments had not been channelled into the state government’s account since 2023. On another matter, Muhammad Kamil said the implementation of the Madani Mart initiative uses a different approach compared with the

He said while the previous model involved large-scale use of government funds, Madani Mart is implemented through collaboration between Yayasan Madani and private parties interested in the retail business. He added that unlike the previous method, in which items such as rice, sugar and milk were rebranded under the KR1M label, the current initiative maintains

He stressed that the goal is to ensure the special funds are not used solely to cover salaries and emoluments, but are instead coordinated between the Finance Ministry and the state government to guarantee that projects benefit the people and are monitored to prevent

operational coordination to ensure uniform implementation. He added that the government remains open to feedback and suggestions to ensure these facilities benefit the public, particularly low-income groups. – Bernama

implementation and should not be used as political capital by the Opposition to gain public support. Political Secretary to the Minister of Finance Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim said this procedure is an existing