KUALA LUMPUR, The government has been urged to introduce a mechanism under Budget 2025 that allows Malaysians to enjoy tax rebates when spending in the creative arts industry. MyCreative Ventures Sdn Bhd Group chief executive officer Zainariah Johari said this would encourage Malaysians to appreciate and spend in the creative industry, thus creating a demand for local art products. “One of the things we are hoping for under Budget 2025 is something to do with the tax rebate. For example, if someone goes to watch a theatre performance at Istana Budaya or buys a piece of art (work), they can

KUALA LUMPUR, The Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA) has launched the Maqasid Shariah Scorecard (MSS), a transformative initiative aimed at assessing the industry’s impact and sustainability. Officiated by Bank Negara Malaysia assistant governor Suhaimi Ali, the scorecard aligns with Maqasid al-Shariah’s principles, which focus on preserving key aspects such as faith, life, wealth, lineage, and intellect. MTA chairman Elmie Aman Najas said that the takaful industry has reached a mature stage where integrating Maqasid al-Shariah’s principles into business models, not only meets regulatory expectations but also enhances the ethical foundations of takaful operations. “I believe that we have moved beyond simply

KUALA LUMPUR, NS BlueScope announced the 2024 BlueScope Steel Architectural Awards ASEAN is now open to projects harnessing the company’s steel in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Entrants are accepted in Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Institutional building sectors, while there is an additional category of ‘Long Lasting Beauty of COLORBOND’ which celebrates projects that have used BlueScope’s COLORBOND steel to weather all conditions to maintain their beauty and strength. NS BlueScope Chief Executive, Connell Zhang said the company aimed to create and inspire smart solutions in steel, and its new awards programme is a great opportunity to showcase some of

KUALA LUMPUR, CAI, a trailblazer in operational readiness and excellence, has launched a comprehensive rebranding initiative, where attendees can preview CAI’s new branding and connect with the team at the ISPE Annual Meeting and Expo at Orlando, Florida. Taking place from Oct 14 to 16, this milestone will be celebrated to reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to purposeful evolution and its role in driving progress for life sciences and mission-critical companies. CAI Chief Operating Officer Richard Tree in a statement said: ‘Our new brand identity is more than a visual change; it is a reflection of how we have adapted

Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said that through strict and phased fiscal consolidation, the government managed to curb the increase in the amount of net loans while reducing debt growth. During the winding up of the Auditor General’s Report (LKAN) 3/2024 on the federal government’s Financial Statements in 2023 in Dewan Rakyat today, he explained that the amount of federal government loans in 2023 actually decreased to RM226.595 billion compared to RM230.949 billion in 2022. “The fiscal deficit has been consistently reduced. The amount of net loans is expected to continue to decrease, from RM99.4 billion in

PUTRAJAYA, AirAsia hopes the upcoming Budget 2025 will offer more initiatives to promote and advertise Malaysia. Capital A Bhd chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said the airline did not expect specific incentives for aviation but would like a bigger budget allocation for the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry. He said tourism was a big economic contributor and could work in sync with airlines to make Malaysia a more attractive destination. “My big goal is to work closer with Malaysia Airports, which need to be more efficient and cost competitive. We need them to help us with advertising. “I