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Tag: Malaysia

  • Malaysia Likely To Price VEP At RM20

    Malaysia Likely To Price VEP At RM20

    The prospect of having to pay more than double what they are currently forking out to drive across the Causeway has jolted Singaporean motorists into saying they will drastically reduce the frequency of their trips up north.

    Although the RM20 (S$7.55) Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) fee that Malaysia plans to charge for foreign-registered vehicles entering the country from around the middle of next year is less than half the RM50 figure bandied about previously, drivers say cost savings from shopping in Malaysia — already slashed as a result of toll hikes imposed by both countries since Oct 1— will be negligible with the latest VEP charge.

    Malaysian daily New Straits Times, quoting the country’s Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi, reported last Saturday that the details of the VEP fee implementation for foreign vehicles, including the installation of charging devices, are being worked out. Once completed, the fee will be levied at the Causeway and the Second Link, said the minister, adding that Malaysia is also mulling over the implementation of the fee for vehicles entering from Thailand and Brunei.

    The charges for Singaporean drivers crossing the Causeway recently increased by more than five times from RM2.90 to RM16.50, after higher toll rates kicked in on Aug 1 at the Johor Baru Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex.

    Two months later, Singapore raised the toll charges at the Woodlands Checkpoint to S$6.50.

    With the new VEP fee imposed by Malaysia, Singaporean drivers would have to pay more than S$20 for a round trip to Johor.

    Freelance videographer Edwin Cheng, 32, who drives to Johor at least once a week to buy groceries and pump petrol, said he was shocked and disappointed by the third round of hikes.

    “I used to be able to save up to 40 per cent for a full tank of petrol and up to 20 per cent for groceries in Johor. Now, it would make no difference if I pumped petrol and did my grocery shopping in Singapore,” he said.

    Mr Cheng added that he would cut back on trips to Johor once the new VEP fee kicks in and would also stay there for longer periods so he can do more things.

    Student relations officer Rosnah Hussain, 30, shared the same sentiment. Before the toll hikes, she would drive to Johor at least thrice a week to buy groceries, go for massages and pump petrol.

    Ms Rosnah added: “After the (toll) hikes, I go (to Johor) only once every two weeks. Once the VEP fee is imposed, I don’t think I will go so often, it is too expensive.”

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • Malacca Government Supports Chinese Peranakans Bid For Bumiputra Status

    Malacca Government Supports Chinese Peranakans Bid For Bumiputra Status

    The Malacca government has declared its backing of a move by the state’s Peranakan Chinese to obtain Bumiputera status, pointing out the community had played a pivotal role in protecting the state from attackers during the early days of the Sultanate.

    According to The Star today (Dec 18), Chief Minister Idris Haron said his administration already regards the community, which is said to have settled in the bustling southern state from as early as the 14th century, as Malacca’s indigenous people.

    “Based on historical facts, they arrived on this soil with noble intentions and they extended their friendship to the Malacca Sultanate,” Mr Idris was quoted saying after a meeting with the state executive council yesterday.

    As such, the chief minister said his government will support the Peranakan Chinese Association of Malaysia’s (PCAM) bid to secure Bumiputera status for the community.

    He also called for more documentation to endorse the community as the state’s indigenous people.

    According to the English daily, it has been reported that PCAM president Ronald Gan is seeking to endorse Malacca’s Peranakan Chinese as Bumiputeras, along with the state’s Malay and Portugese communities.

    The paper said Gan had reasoned that the Peranakan Chinese were recognised as Malays when the Malay Customary Land was established under the Malacca Land Customary Rights Ordinance, which was drawn up under British rule between 1826 and 1957. THE MALAY MAIL ONLINE

     

    Source: www.todayonline.com

  • Religious Fundamentalism In Malaysia Edging Muslims Out Of The Country

    Religious Fundamentalism In Malaysia Edging Muslims Out Of The Country

    It was 3am when a 30-year-old female Malay financial researcher was woken up by her flatmate in a middle class suburb in Kuala Lumpur early this year.

    Six to seven men from the Selangor State Islamic Department (Jais) had entered her apartment in a “morality” raid.

    An anonymous phone call to the religious department alleging a man was seen entering her flat was all it took for the religious officials to descend on her home.

    “The men were not accompanied by any woman. They searched all our bedrooms, closets and even looked under the bed as they thought a man could be hiding there,” said the researcher who spoke on condition of anonymity.

    The incident left her angry and helpless and helped compel her to make plans to leave Malaysia in two years.

    The researcher is one of an increasing number of Malay Muslims aspiring to leave this country of 30 million.

    In the past, it was the country’s ethnic Chinese and Indians who left Malaysia in large numbers for better opportunities that would be based on meritocracy and not race.

    The World Bank estimated in 2011 there were 1 million Malaysians who migrated overseas and the real number could be much larger.

    As the majority in the country who enjoys special privileges in education and employment under decades-old affirmative action programmes, it makes their aspiration to migrate more compelling and highlights the growing extremism creeping into modern and moderate Malaysia.

    “I don’t feel safe in this country anymore,” the researcher said. “It’s like you are guilty until proven innocent. Anyone can make a phone call to accuse another person out of malice or vengeance and, without proof or investigation, the religious authorities will come to your place.”

    The researcher, who has been living in the apartment for two years, shares the flat with three other women.

    “They found cigarette butts on the balcony and said that showed a man was in the house. We told them all of us in the flat smoke,” she said. “Then they saw two pairs of boxer shorts which belonged to me and said that must belong to a man. I told them they were mine.”

    Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said Malays would soon join the Chinese in emigrating from Malaysia to escape the growing religious fundamentalism and authoritarianism where a Muslim can be easily persecuted for anything that is perceived as “insulting Islam”.

    “The rising extremism affects Muslims more than anyone else in the country. This fear of extremism drives Malays out of the country,” Zaid said.

    “We (Muslims) are having more and more laws. In the state of Kelantan, a person can be arrested and jailed if he fails to attend Friday prayers three times in a row,” said Zaid, adding that a lot of moral issues have been criminalised.

    “Before, they (religious authorities) tell you gambling is sinful. Now you can be arrested for buying a four-digit lottery.”

    Under the constitution, if a person is born Malay, speaks the Malay language and practises the Malay culture, he or she must be Muslim.

    The country’s religious authorities’ power has grown significantly in recent years with an expanded government budget for their departments where they answer to no one, he said.

    “The politicians do not rein them in as they do not want to lose votes,” Zaid said.

    “Malaysia has become a Saudi Arabia but with the Twin Towers,” he added referring to the iconic Petronas Towers in the capital, Kuala Lumpur.

    “The only difference is, the women here are allowed to drive.”

     

    Source: www.scmp.com

  • Soldier And Firefighter Among Latest Malaysian IS Recruits

    Soldier And Firefighter Among Latest Malaysian IS Recruits

    KUALA LUMPUR: A SOLDIER and a firefighter are among the latest Malaysian recruits to join the Islamic State (IS) movement in Syria.

    Sources revealed that the soldier, who was supposed to attend an 11-month course at the Sungai Besi Army Music Training Centre from April 7, had gone missing on Oct 14.

    Investigations showed that the soldier had applied for an international passport on July 31 at Terengganu Immigration Department before leaving the country on Oct 25 via Bangkok on a 6.05am flight.

    The 27-year-old corporal attached to the 7th battalion Royal Malay Regiment had allegedly taken a flight from Kota Baru, Kelantan, to Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 the day before.

    The New Straits Times learnt that the corporal, who goes by the name Al-Azhar Malize, is with other Malaysians who have established themselves as senior IS fighters.

    What made him stand out among other Malaysians fighting in Syria is that he is always seen in pictures on Syrian battlefields clad in Malaysian military fatigues.

    Investigations also revealed that his brother, a soldier at the Seberang Takir, Terengganu camp, received a WhatsApp message from him saying he had left to join IS in Syria.

    Sources told the NST that ongoing probes were centred on how he was recruited and who his contacts were.

    “The military’s Defence Staff Intelligence Division is monitoring the status of the corporal and identifying parties who are bent on recruiting more fighters, including military personnel, to join IS,” the sources said.

    Sources said they were establishing the background of the fireman said to be posted at the Shah Alam fire station.

    Meanwhile, the NST was made aware of a Malaysian family of six, including two toddlers, that had made its way to Syria recently.

    “Like other families that have left their home countries in pursuit of martyrdom in Syria, the man will be sent out to the battlefields. The woman will be given specific tasks, and the children will be taken care of,” the sources said.

     

    Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

  • Teenage Muslim Weddings In Malaysia

    Teenage Muslim Weddings In Malaysia

    KLUANG (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – A 15-year-old boy ended his bachelorhood early when he married his 17-year-old girlfriend here after dating for about two months.

    Muhd Muaz Mislan, 15, and Nur Izzati Amiera Ishak, 17, tied the knot on Nov 30 and captured the attention of social media after the newlyweds posted photos and a video of their akad nikah (solemnisation ceremony) on Facebook.

    In his posting, Muhd Muaz said he wanted to marry the girl to make their relationship legal after receiving both families’ nod.

    “Young marriage will stir talk from others; but I am ready,” he added.

    Muhd Muaz, who is believed to be waiting for his Form 3 Assessment result, is said to have decided to discontinue his studies next year.

    The video footage showed that Muhd Muaz and Nur Izzati’s marriage was solemnised with a wedding dowry of RM22.50 (S$8.40).

    Nur Izzati has just completed her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations.

    For Muslims, the legal age of marriage for is 18 for males and 16 for females. With the permission of the syariah court, however, Muslims can marry at any age.

    In Malacca, 15-year-old Nurulain Mohammad married businessman Zulhelmi Kaharudin, 21, at a mass akad nikah (solemnisation of marriage) ceremony at the Malacca International Trade Centre in Ayer Keroh on Sunday.

    Nurulain and Mr Zulhelmi, 21, had the blessings of their respective families. From the start, their love story was not a secret.

    Mr Zulhelmi, who runs a restaurant business, said he was brought up in a strict family.

    “Neither of us dared to meet secretly.”

    The eldest of three siblings said he encouraged his new bride to study right up to tertiary education level. “Only after that will we have children,” he said.

    “She is still a girl but I will guide her with the right values,” he said.

    The couple saw each other while walking around the neighbourhood. Mr Zulhelmi said it was love at first sight.

    “She was walking back from school a few days later when I said ‘I love you’. To my surprise, she said the same back to me.”

     

    Source: www.straitstimes.com