News

Malaysian company Power Root Berhad finds itself entangled in a legal conundrum after its subsidiaries were unexpectedly ordered to pay RM23 million in a trademark infringement case involving its "Ah Huat" brand in Indonesia. The case stems from allegations that an Indonesian company registered the "Ah Huat" trademark without Power Root's consent. Despite intending to appeal the decision, Power Root faces a setback as its subsidiaries were ordered to pay the substantial sum without being informed or given a chance to defend themselves. The legal dispute originated in 2013 when an Indonesian party allegedly registered the trademark without Power Root's knowledge or permission. Last year, Power Root initiated legal proceedings to cancel the trademark's registration, citing ba...

Pharmaniaga Logistic Sdn Bhd (PLSB), a subsidiary of Pharmaniaga Bhd, has inked a seven-year concession agreement with the Ministry of Health (MOH) for medical supply logistics services, effective from July 1, 2023. Under the agreement, PLSB is granted exclusive rights to oversee the procurement, storage, supply, and delivery of medical products to public sector customers. Additionally, PLSB has the authority to offer Pharmacy Information System services and is empowered to either construct or acquire four new warehouses dedicated to medical product storage. While the specific contract value remains confidential, this deal marks a significant development for Pharmaniaga, which has held a similar agreement since 1994 with extensions. Currently designated as a Practice Note ...

Penang has recorded an increase in the supply of affordable houses (RMM) by 154,685 units or 70.31% at various stages from 2008 to December 31 last year. State Housing and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Seri S. Sundarajoo said from the total, 50,700 units of RMM have been completed followed by 20,249 units under construction while 83,736 units are still at planning or approval stage. “The RMM segment has strong demand and I urged all developers to continue actively supply RMM and the state government haS also extended Home Ownership Campaign 3.0 Plus (HOC 3.0 Plus) starting January 1 to December 31 this year. “The policy which was implemented since 2020 is aimed at stimulating the property sector and at the same time assist the people to own houses in Penang,” he told a...

In a bid to fortify market competitiveness and deter the formation of cartels, Malaysia is considering the introduction of a merger control law, with hopes to table it in Parliament by June, according to a recent report by The Star. Iskandar Ismail, Chief Executive of the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC), revealed in an interview that Malaysia is the only country in Southeast Asia lacking a merger control law. The proposed legislation, about 80% complete, is expected to undergo final adjustments for presentation in the Dewan Rakyat. Under this prospective law, companies planning mergers would be required to seek approval from MyCC. Iskandar highlighted that the goal is to analyze and ensure that mergers do not lead to reduced competition in the market, stemming from the fo...

In a resolute move, Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) has declared a non-negotiable deadline of January 5, 2024, for its privatisation bid for Boustead Plantations Bhd (BPlant), offering RM1.55 per share. LTAT, having secured over 90% of BPlant's shares, emphasized that there will be no extensions beyond the specified closing date. LTAT's significant acquisition, amounting to a 92.2% stake, equivalent to 2.07 billion shares, was disclosed in BPlant's latest bourse filing on January 3. With this majority ownership, Bursa Securities is expected to cease trading within five days of the stipulated closing date, which may pose challenges for holders of unlisted shares. This development follows LTAT's determined stance amid a prior unsuccessful RM1.15 billion takeover attempt by ...

In a harrowing incident at Tokyo's Haneda airport, a Japan Airlines plane burst into flames following a collision with a smaller coastguard aircraft on the runway. The catastrophic event unfolded as the Airbus, arriving from Sapporo, skidded on the blazing tarmac, resulting in a fire that engulfed the aircraft. All 379 passengers and crew aboard the Japan Airlines Flight 516 were successfully evacuated, displaying commendable efforts by the flight crew. Unfortunately, five of the six crew members on the coastguard plane lost their lives, with the captain sustaining injuries. The incident occurred shortly before 18:00 local time after the flight had departed from Sapporo's New Chitose airport. Video footage captured the dramatic moment when the plane burst into flames upon landin...

Che Puan Besar Khaleeda Bustamam, the wife of Tunku Mahkota of Johor has been conferred the title Che Puan Mahkota effective Monday (January 1). The announcement of the new title was made by Johor Royal Court Council president Datuk Abdul Rahim Ramli through a statement posted on The Royal Johor’s Facebook page. “The Royal Court Council announces that, in accordance with the authority and privileges vested in His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim ibni Sultan Iskandar under Part One of Article 23 and Part Two of Article 7(2)(e) of the Johor Constitution 1895, and with the agreement of the Royal Council on December 31, 2023, the title of Her Highness Che Puan Mahkota Khaleeda Binti Bustamam has been conferred upon the consort of the Johor Crown Prince, Tunku Ismail,” read the statement. A...

Yesterday marked a monumental day for Malaysia's digital transformation. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim officially launched PADU, the national database that will revolutionize how the government provides targeted aid and services. But what exactly is PADU, and why does it matter? Here's your complete guide: What is PADU? PADU (Education Performance and Delivery Unit) is a secure database that integrates citizens' personal data from various government agencies. By compiling comprehensive profiles of Malaysians, PADU allows for more accurate analytics to formulate data-driven policies. It also enables targeted and efficient implementation of services like subsidies. PADU was fully developed domestically over 6 months through collaboration between the Ministry of Econom...