Category: General

KUALA LUMPUR, Experts have recommended that the government allocate 2.5 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) annually in the budget for public infrastructure maintenance to ensure the long-term sustainability and functionality of national assets. Malaysia Institute of Transport (MiTRANS) director and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Associate Professor Dr Wan Mazlina Wan Mohamed said the investment is important to preserve the quality and usability of the country’s infrastructure. ‘The government can help prevent deterioration and extend the lifespan of critical infrastructure assets by committing to this annual maintenance budget. ‘The golden rule of percentage for transportation project maintenance allocation

BACOLOD CITY – The municipality of La Castellana in Negros Occidental, which has several villages at the foot of Mt. Kanlaon, suspended classes on Tuesday following the increased seismic activity of the volcano in Negros Island. “Due to increasing unrest of Mt. Kanlaon, classes in all levels, both in public and private schools, are suspended today,” the local government said on its official Facebook page. The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, chaired by Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan, cited the 11 a.m. advisory of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), saying 288 volcanic-tectonic earthquakes have been recorded by

Manila: The country’s total external trade in goods went up by 4.5 percent in July this year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said. Data released on Tuesday showed that the total external trade in goods reached USD17.37 billion, up from last year’s USD16.62 billion. Of the total amount, 64 percent were imported goods, while the remaining 36 percent were exported goods. PSA data showed that export sales slightly went up to USD6.249 billion in July from USD6.246 billion in July last year. Copper concentrates recorded the highest increase in exports in July followed by other manufactured goods, coconut oil, machinery

KOTA KINABALU, Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) organised the eighth edition of the World Engineering, Science and Technology Congress as a platform for researchers, academics, scientists, engineers and industry players to exchange views as well as develop knowledge for sustainable future. Running for two days until tomorrow at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here, the biennial event which is supported by PETRONAS and the Higher Education Ministry, brought together 1,000 participants from 25 countries to discuss the latest trends and challenges in engineering, technology and humanities. UTP vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib said with the theme ‘Future

SEOUL, An international framework is essential to ensure the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the military, particularly for developing countries and the Global South, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He emphasised the need for this framework due to the substantial disparity in the deployment of AI technology, especially within the military sector. Mohamed Khaled highlighted that the framework should focus on creating constructive pathways to assist disadvantaged nations in catching up and receiving meaningful support. ‘The international framework must address potential biases in defining what constitutes ethical and responsible AI use in