Highlights:

  1. Auditor General and MACC to sit in all Sarawak project award committees
  2. DHL Express Malaysia and Everpeaks sign MoU to help local SMEs go global
  3. Smoking ban at all eateries stays
  4. Mega projects achieving 5 per cent implementation to go on
  5. Rosmah, Tengku Adnan to be charged tomorrow
  6. Chinese investment into the UK flourishing

Auditor General and MACC to sit in all Sarawak project award committees
The Sarawak government will include the Auditor-General to sit in all its project award committees under the State Tender Board chaired by the State Financial Secretary. Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said he would also be inviting the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to attend the state tender meetings. He said this was to further enhance its excellent achievement and good record of governance.

DHL Express Malaysia and Everpeaks sign MoU to help local SMEs go global
DHL Express, the world’s leading international express services provider, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Everpeaks Consulting, a local multi-channel e-commerce solutions provider for an Accelerator Programme which will see SMEs benefiting from an end-to-end consultation, management and fulfilment for their e-commerce business. From January 2019, SMEs can focus on product development and production, and leverage on the Accelerator Programme for their other e-commerce requirements. Everpeaks recognizes that logistics and fulfilment are crucial to the success of SMEs and navigating the complexities of international trade can be daunting, especially for SMEs who are just starting out. For these reasons, Everpeaks is bringing on board DHL Express, with its extensive global network and outstanding quality service, for the Accelerator Programme. The exclusive partnership will see DHL Express as the sole logistics partner who will manage all shipping needs such as international trade facilitation, track and trace of deliveries, and handling of returns for SMEs who sign up for Everpeaks’ Accelerator Programme. SMEs will also benefit from a special shipping rate, a dedicated account manager, web-based tools that will ease the tracking and tracing of each parcel, and increased customer satisfaction. SMEs who sign up for the Accelerator Programme will have their e-commerce business completely managed by Everpeaks for 12 months. Everpeaks will research, evaluate and analyse the SME’s competitors, target industry and devise a tailored strategy. They will also manage operations of the SMEs including online marketing, platform recommendations, customer service management, content management and order aggregation.

Smoking ban at all eateries stays
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the government will not compromise with the smoking ban in all restaurants, food outlets and hawker stalls as it involves public interest. He said the government’s directive to ban smoking at all eateries would stay despite the protests from restaurant operators and eatery owners who voiced dissatisfaction with the rules which would take effect in January. “Well, while I fully understand where they are coming from but it’s clear that our stand places the public as our priority and we are not ready to compromise in this issue.

Mega projects achieving 5 per cent implementation to go on
Mega projects which have been approved by the previous government and have achieved 5 per cent implementation will be continued. Works Minister Baru Bian said projects which have yet to meet five per cent implementation would be reviewed according to a circular outlined by the Finance Ministry. “So projects below five percent implementation will be reviewed. Projects achieving five per cent will go on. We will look considered accordingly at critical projects such as food supply, medicine supply or roads with many accidents,” he said.

Rosmah, Tengku Adnan to be charged tomorrow
The wife of the former prime minister, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and former federal territories minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and two others will be charged in court tomorrow. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said that it had received the consent to prosecute from the Office of the Attorney-General with regard to Datin Seri Rosmah and a former special officer to the former prime minister, Datuk Rizal Mansor. The MACC said Datin Seri Rosmah and Datuk Rizal would be charged on the case involving the project to supply and instal solar energy in schools in Sarawak. In the same statement, the MACC also disclosed the detention of Tengklu Adnan regarding the investigation on the sale of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) land. The MACC said Tengku Adnan would be charged with a businessman, Datuk Tan Eng Boon at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

Chinese investment into the UK flourishing
TMF Group and China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) today jointly released a white paper – China-UK Investment: Strategies for success in the new ‘golden age’. Based on research and the views of experts, the paper examined the present and future prospects and challenges of Chinese investment in the UK and what promises to be a new ‘special relationship’. The paper argues that the UK is attractive to Chinese companies with global ambitions. As a major international financial centre and the world’s biggest foreign exchange trading hub, London plays a key role in China’s push to internationalize its currency, the renminbi, and for its banks and financial institutions to expand globally. Other factors underpinning the UK’s appeal as an investment destination have been that it is a traditional defender of free trade, has a liberal economic environment, and currently has a relatively weak currency. Wincy Wong, Director of Consultancy Solutions at TMF Hong Kong said: “In the first half of 2018, the UK attracted US$1.6bn in investment from China, and making it the most popular European destination after Sweden. As a mature, services-oriented economy, the UK offers a range of investment opportunities that correspond to China’s strategic priorities This alignment is set to drive further investment and partnerships in sectors like education, healthcare, energy, logistics and transport.” Weifeng Ma, Director, Financial & Professional Services and China Outbound at CBBC added, “Uncertainties surrounding Brexit could temporarily impact investment activity, but in the long run CBBC is confident that the UK’s investment environment will prove attractive to Chinese investors. As the UK creates new trade and investment relationships after leaving the European Union, China will become an even more important partner.”