Business

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia’s new national shipping policy must not only encourage the development of a robust domestic fleet to reduce dependency on foreign vessels but also provide more funding to modernise and accelerate the transition to green shipping. Industry players said, among other things, the policy should prepare Malaysian shippers to navigate the shifting dynamics of global trade and a volatile environment due to unforeseen circumstances, such as regional conflicts. They also hope that the new policy, which is expected to be presented to the cabinet by year-end, will focus on increasing Malaysian tonnage and reducing reliance on foreign vessels.

PUTRAJAYA, MYNIC Bhd, an agency under the Digital Ministry, targets a five to ten per cent increase in local and international ‘.my’ domain users in 2025, from the estimated 400,000 users by this year’s end. Its chief executive officer (CEO), Datuk Hasnul Fadhly Hasan, shared that the agency has received numerous applications from various sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, technology, and banking. ‘We are receiving applications from both local and international companies. With new businesses joining the digital economy, including cryptocurrency ventures, we are confident in achieving our target,’ he told Bernama. Hasnul emphasised the agency’s goal of encouraging entrepreneurs to

SINGAPORE, Positive outlook from analysts and rating agencies, supported by encouraging economic figures, signals that Malaysia is making great strides to reclaim its Asian Tiger status, said Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan. The minister, on a working visit to Singapore, said he has also received great feedback regarding Malaysia’s strong economic performance during meetings with investors and analysts, who expressed optimism about the country’s future growth. ‘To reclaim the Asian Tiger status is not a pipe dream. The government and I are very confident that we can achieve this. ‘We are also seeing a lot of financial

JOHOR BAHRU, The Johor pilot school which will be introduced by the state government next year is believed to be able to improve the quality of education and its success is expected to be seen within a year or two. Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the teachers involved will be prepared with the necessary curriculum and knowledge before the programme starts in February 2025. He said the proposed action to be implemented in relation to the pilot school had also received the approval of the Acting Sultan of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, and that the

KUALA LUMPUR, SME Bank group president and chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Aria Putera Ismail will leave the organisation at the end of his tenure to pursue new opportunities. Group chief corporate strategy officer Datuk Dr Mohammad Hardee Ibrahim will assume the role of acting group president and CEO starting from Sept 3, 2024, the development financial institution said. ‘Mohammad Hardee brings over 20 years of extensive experience in the financial services industry, specialising in business banking and strategic management. He has served SME Bank in numerous portfolios including treasury, corporate finance, business banking and most recently, corporate strategy,’ it