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ASB declares 5.75 sen per unit income, total dividend of RM10.4b

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AMANAH Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) has done it again, declaring a total income distribution of 5.75 sen per unit for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2025 (FY25).

The flagship fund under Permodalan Nasional Bhd’s (PNB) today announced a total payout of RM10.4 billion, benefiting 11.4 million ASB unitholders.

ASB is managed by Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB), a wholly owned unit trust management company under PNB.

The government-linked investment firm said ASB maintained its dividend payout from 2024 and continued to deliver two sustainable, above-market returns, widening its competitive spread over the 12-month fixed deposit benchmark of a large local financial institution which averaged 2.29% to 346 basis points.

In a statement, PNB group chairman Raja Tan Sri Datuk Seri Arshad Raja Tun Uda said the RM10.4 billion payout was the highest quantum of annual distribution paid since ASB’s inception, bringing ASB’s cumulative income distribution to RM206.7 billion.

ASNB has distributed a total dividend of RM15.3 billion in 2025, the highest ever, bringing total distributions since inception to RM279 billion.

It said the payout reflected a consistent performance across all its 18 unit trust funds, including ASB and Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM), three for fixed price funds, as well as ASN Equity, ASN Imbang and ASN Sara, for variable price funds.

PNB president/group CEO Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad said PNB was now in the second year of its LEAP-6 strategic plan and it has lifted assets under management by 4.5% to RM364 billion.

“We had made good progress in the past year and are on track towards our target of achieving RM400 billion AUM by 2027,” he said in the same statement.

ASNB’s unique account holders remain steady at 13 million, supported by a gross addition of 560,000 account holders during the year.

Moving forward, he said PNB would remain cautious on the investment outlook for 2026, as global capital markets continue to face volatility and uncertainty amid profound structural shifts in the global economic order, including trade policy disruptions and concerns over potential overvaluation, particularly in AI-driven investments.

“Domestically, PNB will work closely with policymakers and key market players to accelerate reforms and improve corporate performance needed to strengthen the competitiveness of the domestic equity market, ensuring it reflects Malaysia’s strong underlying fundamentals and economic growth driven by the MADANI framework, while catalysing domestic investment and promoting inclusive growth,” he said. –TMR

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Flood victims rise to 14,905 across six states

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(PIC CREDIT: MEDIA MULIA)

FLOOD victims have increased to 14,905 people from 4,837 families nationwide as at 7am today, with evacuees housed at 110 temporary evacuation centres (PPS) across six states, NST reported. 

Data from the Social Welfare Department’s Disaster Info portal showed that those affected comprise 4,831 women and 4,895 men, including 1,400 senior citizens and 512 persons with disabilities. Children accounted for 4,735 victims, while 444 were infants.

Pahang recorded the highest number of evacuees, with 13,481 people from 4,436 families sheltering at 82 PPS across six districts — Kuantan, Maran, Rompin, Pekan, Jerantut and Lipis.

Terengganu followed, with 802 victims housed at 18 PPS in three districts, namely Kemaman, Hulu Terengganu and Dungun.

In Kelantan, 180 victims were placed at four PPS in Gua Musang and Kuala Krai. Johor recorded 356 victims from 93 families at three PPS in Mersing, while Selangor reported 47 victims at one PPS in Gombak. Sarawak had four evacuees in Miri.

The Drainage and Irrigation Department’s (DID) Flood Info Portal recorded 11 rivers at danger level in Pahang, one in Kelantan and two in Sarawak.

In Pahang, 11 river monitoring stations recorded danger-level readings, including Sungai Pahang at Jerantut Ferry, Kuala Tembeling and Kuala Krau; Sungai Tembeling at Kampung Merting; Sungai Kuantan at the Kuantan Bypass; Sungai Soi at Jalan Pekan; Sungai Lepar at Jam Gelugor; Sungai Luit at Kampung Subuh; Sungai Keratong at Kampung Rekoh; Sungai Belat at Sri Damai; and Sungai Pahang at the Waterfront in Bera.

In Sarawak, rivers at danger level were recorded at Marudi and Long Teru in Miri, while Kelantan reported Sungai Lebir at Kuala Tualang, Kuala Krai.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as intermittent rainfall persists in several affected areas.

The post Flood victims rise to 14,905 across six states appeared first on The Malaysian Reserve.

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Seven ministers, eight deputy ministers sworn in

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(pic: MEDIA MULIA)

KUALA LUMPUR — Seven ministers, including two new appointees, and eight new deputy ministers took their oath of office, allegiance and secrecy today before His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, at Istana Negara here.

The swearing-in took place at the Singgahsana Kecil of the palace at 10 am.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was present at the ceremony.

Yesterday, Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, announced the appointment of new ministers and deputy ministers, as well as the reshuffling of several portfolios, following several vacancies within the MADANI Government Cabinet and the need for adjustments.

The ministers and deputy ministers also signed the instrument of appointment, witnessed by Chief Justice Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh.

The ministers are:

  1. Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup, previously Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, has been appointed as Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister.
  2. Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad, previously Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister, appointed as Minister of Plantation and Commodities.
  3. Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, previously Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development, appointed as Human Resource Minister.
  4. Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, previously Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, appointed as Minister of Economy.
  5. Dr Zulkifli Hasan, previously Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), appointed as its minister.
  6. Datuk Mustapha Sakmud appointed as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs).
  7. Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari appointed as Youth and Sports Minister.

— BERNAMA

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Cabinet Reshuffle: Johari to helm MITI, Akmal Nasrullah made Economy Minister, Noraini Ahmad named KPK Minister

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(Pic credit: MEDIA MULIA)

KUALA LUMPUR — Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani (picture) has been appointed as Investment, Trade and Industry Minister, changing his Cabinet portfolio from Plantation and Commodities Minister.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who announced this as part of a Cabinet reshuffle today, also said Sim Tze Tzin will assume the post of Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister.

Another appointment announced is Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir as the new Economy Minister, changing from Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, while Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah has been made his deputy.

Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad, formerly Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister, takes over from Johari at the helm of the Plantation and Commodities Ministry (KPK), while Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii has been named her deputy.

Anwar also announced the appointment of Liew Chin Tong, formerly Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister, as Deputy Finance Minister.

“The swearing-in ceremony before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim will be held tomorrow at 10 am at Istana Negara.

“A Cabinet meeting will follow at 2.30 pm,” the Prime Minister said. — BERNAMA

The post Cabinet Reshuffle: Johari to helm MITI, Akmal Nasrullah made Economy Minister, Noraini Ahmad named KPK Minister appeared first on The Malaysian Reserve.

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Solarvest retains Buy, target price stays at RM3.55

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SOLARVEST Holdings Bhd has secured additional Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning (EPCC) contracts worth RM171.7m for 56.5MWac of LSS5 solar projects, lifting its order book to RM1.8b, equivalent to 3.4x FY25 revenue. This raises LSS5 EPCC market share to 34.3%, well above its historical average of ~20%. Near-term job flow momentum is expected to be driven by LSS5+, where EPCC awards typically materialise 6-8 months after developers achieve financial close. Based on our estimates, the unallocated LSS5+ pipeline could offer RM4-5b in EPCC opportunities, supporting medium-term order book visibility. Maintain a Buy recommendation with an unchanged target price of RM3.55, based on a sum-of-parts valuation and a three-star ESG rating. — APEX Securities (Dec 16, 2025)

(Calls by analysts tracked by Bloomberg: 7 Buy, 2 Hold, 0 Sell; Consensus target price: RM3.32)

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MAG targets RM24b revenue, top 10 global airline ranking by 2030

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(TMRpic)

MALAYSIA Aviation Group (MAG) has unveiled its Long-Term Business Plan 3.0 (LTBP3.0), aiming to double topline revenue to more than RM24 billion and position Malaysia Airlines among Skytrax’s Top 10 global airlines by 2030.

LTBP3.0 marks a shift from stabilisation to scaled and disciplined growth. It sharpens our premium position and deepens the value we create across our broader aviation ecosystem… Our ambition to see Malaysia Airlines ranked among Skytrax’s Top 10 Global Airlines by 2030. It is a bold aspiration, perhaps a distant dream to some, but one we are fully committed to realising…,” group MD Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said in a statement today.

Under LTBP3.0, MAG expects to grow third-party revenue across aviation services by more than 60%, expand capacity by over 50% at an average annual growth rate of 8.5%, and modernise its mainline fleet to 116 aircraft by 2035, including 40 A330neos, 43 Boeing 737-8s, and 12 Boeing 737-10s.

The plan is guided by four strategic pillars: delivering premium end-to-end travel experiences, building deeper partnerships to extend global reach to over 1,100 destinations, developing talent and operational expertise, and strengthening financial resilience through non-airline operations such as cargo and in-flight catering.

The five-year roadmap builds on LTBP2.0, which helped MAG reduce liabilities by over RM15 billion and eliminate RM10 billion in legacy debt.

Since then, the group has achieved three consecutive years of operating profit, two years of positive net income, welcomed 22 next-generation aircraft, expanded regional connectivity with new ASEAN routes and the realignment of Firefly’s jet operations to KLIA Terminal 1, and grown non-air revenue to 18% of total revenue in 2024, including leasing Hangar 4 at Subang Airport to expand maintenance, repair and overhaul capacity.

MAG has also strengthened its digital capabilities, deploying an in-house middleware system to enhance website and mobile app performance, rolling out dedicated phone lines, improving live chat support, and introducing an AI-powered chatbot.

These initiatives have helped raise the Customer Satisfaction Index to 84% year-to-date, with the contact centre scoring 91%, up from 80% in 2024.

MAG said the roadmap will deliver disciplined growth, elevate customer experiences, and reinforce its role as a leading aviation and travel services group in the region under the broader Destination 2030 vision.

“The progress we have made under LTBP2.0 reflects the capability and resilience of our people across the group, and it gives us the confidence to move into our next chapter with greater ambition,” Izham said. — TMR

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Foreign investors back to net selling on Bursa Malaysia

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FOREIGN investors returned to net selling on Bursa Malaysia for the week ended Dec 12, with net foreign fund outflow amounting to RM472.1 million.

The top counters they net sold were Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), Westports Holdings Bhd, AMMB Holdings Bhd and 99 Speed Mart Retail Holdings Bhd, according to a fund flow report by MBSB Research.

Local institutions recorded a fourth consecutive week of net inflows, amounting to RM534.9 million, according to the report. Topping their list were Gamuda Bhd, Tanco Holdings Bhd, Inari Amertron Bhd and SNS Network Technology Bhd. — TMR

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Death toll rises to 16 in Sydney’s Bondi Beach shooting

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A police officer keeps watch near flowers laid in memory of the victims of a shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 15, 2025. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)

SYDNEY — The death toll from a shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday has risen to 16, with a father and son identified as the attackers, police said Monday, reported Xinhua.

Police in the state of New South Wales (NSW) said on Monday morning that 16 people have been confirmed dead after the shooting. 

A police statement said that 14 people died at the scene and two others died in hospital. The deceased range in age from 10 to 87 years old and includes one of the attackers.

Another 40 people were being treated in hospital for their injuries as of Monday morning, five of whom were in critical condition.

NSW Police Force Commissioner Mal Lanyon told a press conference on Monday morning that the two alleged shooters were a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son.

The 50-year-old, who was killed at the scene, was a licensed firearm holder with six guns legally in his possession, Lanyon said.

The shooting occurred at around 6.47 pm local time on Sunday when the two men opened fire on a crowd of at least 1,000 people who gathered at the beach for an event celebrating the first day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

Lanyon, who on Sunday night officially declared the shooting as a terrorist attack, said Monday that investigations into motives behind the attack are ongoing.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the attack was an act of “pure evil” and that Australia would do whatever is necessary to stamp out antisemitism.

“It is a scourge and we’ll eradicate it together,” he said.

It marks Australia’s most deadly mass shooting since 35 people were killed at Port Arthur in the island state of Tasmania in 1996, which prompted fundamental changes to Australia’s gun ownership laws. — BERNAMA-XINHUA

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