03/10/2026

SATURDAY | OCT 3, 2026

/thesuntelegram FOLLOW / Malaysian Paper

ON TELEGRAM m RAM

4

MCMC takes action over manipulated Tun M video

Company seeks to resolve dispute over massive quit rent increase PETALING JAYA: Berjaya Hills Resort Berhad (BHRB) is seeking to resolve a disagreement with the Pahang government over a 13-fold increase in quit rent, which the resort operator said could affect investor confidence. The dispute began in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the state government revised quit rent rates for BHRB. Its annual bill rose from RM2.4 million in 2019 to RM33.7 million in 2020, an increase of 1,304%. BHRB operates major tourism properties in the area, including Colmar Tropicale, The Chateau Spa & Wellness Resort and Berjaya Hills Golf Resort, which attract domestic and international visitors. In a statement yesterday, BHRB described the increase as unprecedented in Malaysia and claimed that no landowner globally had faced a land tax revision of such scale. Between April 2020 and December 2022, BHRB submitted 11 appeals to the state government seeking a review and tax remission. The annual bill was eventually reduced to RM25.75 million, still 973% above the 2019 rate. BHRB said it paid about RM42.65 million in quit rent and associated penalties under protest between 2020 and 2026. It continued to seek a review from the state administration, including the menteri besar, but said it received no response. The company initiated judicial review proceedings at the Temerloh High Court in April 2023. The court dismissed its application in May 2024, ruling that the judiciary could not interfere with the state government’s policy decisions on land taxation. The Court of Appeal upheld the ruling on July 16 this year. BHRB filed an application for leave to appeal to the Federal Court on Aug 14, and the application is scheduled to be heard on Dec 8. On Sept 28, state authorities initiated enforcement action. BHRB said the measures affected staff quarters, the central laundry facility and other essential operations. While respecting the decisions of the High Court and Court of Appeal, BHRB said it was disappointed by the rulings. It described the enforcement action as heavy-handed and irregular while its application to the Federal Court remains pending. The company maintained that the measures disrupted its operations and went against its legitimate expectations as a long-term operator. BHRB, which has extensive properties in the state and on Tioman Island, added that the tax increase and enforcement action could impact domestic and foreign investment in Pahang. It said it remains hopeful of a favourable legal outcome and urged the state government to resume discussions towards an amicable resolution. In the meantime, BHRB said it would take the legal steps necessary to protect its operations, employees and their families. – by Andrew Sagayam

o Social media platforms contacted following circulation of AI-generated footage linked to death of Siti Hasmah

Technology should not be used to distort the truth or exploit someone’s grief at the expense of dignity and humanity,” the commission said in a statement. The incident comes amid growing concern over deepfakes. In March, the government warned that deepfake technology was increasingly being used to fabricate content, often targeting the likenesses and voices of prominent public figures. MCMC has been working with social media platforms and law enforcement agencies to curb harmful online material. The public was urged to verify digital material before sharing it, avoid creating or distributing misleading content, and report suspected deepfakes to platform moderators or the authorities.

the recent death of his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said yesterday it had contacted the relevant platforms to address the video. It warned that action could be taken under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 if any law was found to have been breached. The video appeared online shortly after Siti Hasmah’s death on Sept 28 at the age of 100. MCMC condemned the manipulation of genuine footage during a period of bereavement, saying that distorting the context of an event to mislead the public or undermine the dignity of grieving families “should not be taken lightly”. “While AI offers significant benefits, the technology must be used responsibly.

Ű BY ANDREW SAGAYAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s media regulator has contacted social media platforms over AI-manipulated footage showing former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad grieving

Commuters waiting for the train at the Seksyen 7 Shah Alam station. – BERNAMAPIC

LRT3 boosts businesses along Shah Alam line SHAH ALAM: Three months after it began operations, the Light Rail Transit 3 (LRT3) Shah Alam line is boosting local businesses as rising ridership creates opportunities for traders and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). The 37.8km line also improves access to commercial areas and attractions, including Jambatan Kota in Klang, Section 7, Universiti Teknologi Mara and Shah Alam Stadium, with the potential to support domestic tourism. Little India, the Sultan Abdul Aziz Gallery and Heritage Trail Art Safari easier to reach. “Tourists do not need to worry about parking issues or traffic congestion, as they can use public transport to travel from one location to another,” he said. The LRT3 project, launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on June 28, cost RM16.63 billion and is expected to benefit about two million residents along the route between Bandar Utama and Johan Setia in Klang.

Student Muhammad Noor Fadzly, 25, said the LRT3 gave him more travel options for getting to campus, visiting commercial areas and running daily errands. “I used to rely heavily on my own vehicle and had to deal with traffic congestion, but now it is much easier to travel to commercial areas for food, services or daily errands,” he said. Snacks entrepreneur Lizawati Shukor, 46, who has been in business for 25 years, hopes the LRT3 will bring more customers to her business near Pasar Jawa. She said business had increased since the line opened, giving her confidence that the area could remain a hub for MSME. Lizawati said the business area, which has been operating since the 1970s, had historical significance and could benefit further from better public transport access. First-year student Nurul Asyiqin Mohd Sham, 20, said her first ride on the LRT3 left a positive impression, citing affordable fares, short waiting times and comfortable trains. – Bernama

For Shahjahan Jalal Khan, 48, a cendol vendor at Jambatan Kota, the nearby LRT3 station has brought more customers to the family business, which his father started at Pasar Jawa in the 1970s. Shahjahan, who took over the business in 2015, said he had previously relied heavily on regular customers, but sales had risen since Jambatan Kota station opened on June 29. “We can now sell up to 800 bowls of cendol a day, especially on public holidays and weekends,” he said. He added that the line could also support domestic tourism by making attractions such as

The Shah Alam line connects to the city centre through interchange stations at Glenmarie 2 and Bandar Utama. Prasarana Malaysia Bhd has deployed 40 feeder buses and 40 Rapid On-Demand vans to support the line. It is targeting 67,000 passenger trips a day in the first year of operation, rising to a projected 117,700 a day within five years. Prasarana’s My50 pass helps reduce commuting costs, encouraging more residents to use public transport and leaving them with more to spend at businesses along the route.