TMR

RESIDENTS of three villages in North Kalimantan, Indonesia, that were reported to fall within Malaysian territory will remain Indonesian citizens and will be relocated to new locations yet to be determined.

Indonesia’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Raden Mohammad Iman Hascarya Kusumo, said that the Indonesian government will also provide compensation to those affected.

“The citizenship of residents in the three villages will remain Indonesian, and they will not become Malaysian citizens.

“All matters relating to relocation sites and compensation are still under discussion,” he explained.

He added that most residents have already vacated the areas and moved to relatives’ homes, with only a small number still remaining but expected to leave soon.

According to Indonesian authorities and border management agencies, negotiations between Malaysia and Indonesia over the status of the affected areas have long been ongoing.

The residents, he said, understood the implications of the border developments and had prepared themselves and their families for relocation, with some already moving to other towns.

Current efforts are focused on verifying land ownership documents and land sizes to facilitate compensation, although the form of compensation has yet to be finalised. 

Earlier reports by Indonesia’s Antara news agency stated that only 34 families in Pulau Sebatik, North Kalimantan, across the three villages were affected following the border adjustment, involving 4.91ha of residential land and 127ha of oil palm plantations now declared within Malaysian territory.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently said that border determinations between Malaysia and Indonesia, including the three villages in Nunukan, North Kalimantan, were based on established conventions and agreements, rather than compensation, reciprocity or profit-and-loss considerations.

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MELAKA — A security guard was fined RM6,000 by the Magistrate’s Court here today for impersonating a police officer and attempting to abuse that authority against a Bangladeshi man last Sunday.

Magistrate Sharda Shienha Mohd Suleiman imposed the fine on 51-year-old Saril Ismail after he pleaded guilty to the charge and ordered him to serve five months’ imprisonment in default.

Saril was accused of committing the offence at Jalan Bendahara here at 2.54 pm on Feb 1 and charged under Section 170 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both.

According to the facts of the case, the victim was cycling along Jalan Bendahara when a man dressed in black, wearing a blue helmet, approached him, claiming to be a police officer.

Saril then grabbed the victim’s bag, checked its contents, and took RM720 in cash. The victim, suspecting the man was not a real police officer, subsequently filed a report.

Deputy public prosecutor Syaza Nur Sharif appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was represented by Muhammad Izzuddin Ab Malek from the National Legal Aid Foundation.

Earlier media reports stated that police had arrested a father and son suspected of impersonating police officers and robbing RM720 in cash from a Bangladeshi man here last Sunday.

Central Melaka police chief ACP Christopher Patit said the father, 51, and his 25-year-old son were detained at the Telok Mas Light Industrial Area and at a hut near Masjid Al-Alami in Ayer Keroh on Feb 1 and 2, respectively. — BERNAMA

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BUTTERWORTH — The Penang branch of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) thwarted an attempt to smuggle cigarettes, worth RM9.9 million, into the country after detaining a container at Port Klang, Selangor, on Dec 24 last year.

Its director. Datuk Rohaizad Ali said the container from Vietnam was seized by an Enforcement Division team at 10.40 am, and the results of an inspection found 930 boxes labelled ‘Furniture’.

“From this number, 908 boxes were found to contain 9.08 million white cigarettes suspected to be prohibited goods, worth RM9.9 million, including customs duty, while the remaining 22 boxes contained furniture,” he said at a press conference at the State Customs Prevention Complex here today.

He said the syndicate’s modus operandi was to make false declarations by hiding the cigarettes in boxes supposedly containing furniture, and it is believed that all the cigarettes involved were for the local market.

Rohaizad said the importation of cigarettes is permitted subject to an import permit in accordance with the requirements under Part II, Schedule III of the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023. — BERNAMA

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JOHOR BAHRU — The Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) has called on the government to impose more structured controls on shrimp and fishery product imports to protect the local market and ensure the sustainability of aquaculture operators.

LKIM chairman Muhammad Faiz Fadzil said the authority currently lacks specific powers to regulate fishery imports and exports, but is planning to raise the matter to higher levels to establish an effective control mechanism.

“Unregulated shrimp imports could affect local production, particularly farms under LKIM supervision. While there are no specific rules to prevent such imports, the government needs to take proactive measures to manage the situation collectively.

“This applies not only to shrimp but also to other fishery products, so that local operators are not impacted by a surplus of imported goods,” he told Bernama after inspecting a tank shrimp farming project run by the Johor State Fishermen Association (JOSFA) in Kampung Sungai Danga today.

He said import and export controls require coordination among multiple agencies, as LKIM is not the primary body overseeing international fishery trade. 

Muhammad Faiz said the Authority is actively encouraging fishermen’s associations to participate in aquaculture by providing financial and technical support and leveraging existing assets. 

The initiative aligns with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s target of achieving 40 per cent of national fish production from aquaculture by 2030.

“If associations do not seize these opportunities, the sector will be dominated by private companies. We want a structured system including private players, but within a framework that prevents oversupply and price instability,” he added.

LKIM recorded aquaculture production of 1,495 metric tonnes valued at RM37.77 million in 2023 and 1,200 metric tonnes worth RM23.67 million in 2024.

Meanwhile, JOSFA general manager Abdul Fatah Alkhairi Mustapa said the infrastructure cost for the tank shrimp farming project was RM1.2 million. The project began on March 1, 2025, with shrimpfry introduced on Sept 8, 2025. 

“As of January, the farm has harvested 20 tonnes of shrimp, with RM500,000 in sales, showing aquaculture’s potential as a sustainable source of income for fishermen,” he said. — BERNAMA

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IPOH — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) of Perak carried out a medical evacuation (Medevac) of a merchant ship crew member who was injured after falling on the vessel, located about 3.9 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Dua, near Lumut, yesterday.

Its director, Captain Mohamad Shukri Khotob, said in a statement today that they received an emergency call at 10.52 am stating that a 54-year-old male crew member had fallen and suffered injuries to his leg, neck and face on board MV Artenos.

He said they dispatched a patrol boat to the location and took the victim to the Kampung Acheh Fisheries Jetty, where he was rushed to the Pantai Seri Manjung Hospital.

Mohamad Shukri stressed that every emergency call at sea will be given priority, irrespective of location and nationality.

He advised the maritime community to immediately report any emergencies via the 999 hotline or to contact the Perak State Maritime Operations Centre at 05-683 8737 for prompt response. — BERNAMA

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KUALA LUMPUR — Police have confirmed that a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that went viral recently for using a siren and flashing blue lights to avoid traffic jams on the Maju Expressway (MEX) was being used for official duties by a ministry.

Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) chief ACP Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa said the use of beacon lights on the vehicle had been approved by the Director-General of the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

“The police have identified the owner and vehicle involved and will call them in soon for inspection purposes,” he said in a statement today.

Yesterday, the police sought the public’s cooperation to provide information regarding the incident, as initial investigations into the viral video were unable to identify the vehicle’s registration number. — BERNAMA

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KUALA LUMPUR — Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia (UPTM) has further strengthened its standing as a tertiary institution after receiving international recognition at the BrandLaureate BestBrands Awards 2026.

According to the media statement by UPTM Chancellery Office, UPTM was honoured in the Excellence in Professional & Skills-Focused Higher Education category, marking its continued leadership in delivering industry-relevant education aligned with national human capital development goals.

The prestigious award was presented to Kolej Poly-Tech MARA Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Radzuan Razali and UPTM vice-chancellor Prof Dr Sharifah Syahirah Sy Shiekh, symbolising the university’s strategic leadership and commitment to professional and skills-based excellence.

It said the BrandLaureate BestBrands Awards recognise brands that lead in strategy, innovation and industry impact, with evaluations covering leadership, credibility and sustained contributions to the community and industry sectors.

Meanwhile, the statement quoted Sharifah Syahirah as saying that the recognition underscored UPTM’s consistent focus on offering relevant, inclusive and future-ready education. 

“This award is not merely brand recognition, but a validation of UPTM’s approach that prioritises professional skills mastery, industry-based learning and the development of graduates who are not only competent but prepared for real-world employment,” she said.

She added that UPTM remains committed to strengthening skills-focused education through strategic industry collaborations, responsive curricula and learning approaches that balance academic knowledge, technical skills and human values.

Held under the theme “Your Brand, Your Award, Celebrating, Championing, Commemorating the Best of Your Brand”, the BrandLaureate 2026 honours institutions and leaders that build strong brands through clear vision, resilience and long-term confidence.

“The achievement reinforces UPTM’s role as one of Malaysia’s leading providers of professional and skills-focused higher education, in line with national aspirations to produce a highly skilled and globally competitive workforce,” the statement read. — BERNAMA

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MALAYSIA’S ban on electronic waste (e-waste) imports is seen as a strong environmental stance, but experts caution it could threaten the country’s circular economy ambitions if domestic collection and recycling systems are not rapidly strengthened.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) senior lecturer Dr Muhammad Ammirrul Atiqi Mohd Zainuri said improper handling of e-waste has long posed serious environmental and public health risks, including soil and water contamination from toxic metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium.

“When electronic devices are disposed of in landfills or openly burned, toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium could leach into soil and groundwater, contaminating water supplies and harming aquatic ecosystems,” he told an English daily.

He added that burning e-waste, classified as “scheduled waste”, releases hazardous fumes containing dioxins and furans, worsening air pollution and posing severe health risks.

He stressed that exposure to such toxins could result in neurological damage, respiratory illnesses and kidney failure, with children and pregnant women particularly vulnerable.

While the ban aims to prevent Malaysia from becoming a global dumping ground, Muhammad Ammirrul said managing all e-waste domestically presents major challenges.

He said there is a critical mismatch between policy and infrastructure, noting that most of Malaysia’s roughly 128 licensed e-waste facilities are partial recovery plants limited to basic dismantling, with fewer than 20 equipped for full precious metal extraction.

He warned that advanced recovery plants now face a feedstock shortage after imports were cut off, threatening their financial viability.

Describing the ban as a strong legal deterrent against international waste syndicates, he cautioned that it remains a “high-stakes gamble” unless domestic collection rates improve significantly.

“Without foreign supply, high-tech plants risk insolvency unless domestic collection is drastically improved,” he said.

He added that Malaysia must redirect household e-waste into the formal recycling chain to ensure long-term success.

Looking ahead, Muhammad Ammirrul pointed to advanced “urban mining” technologies such as AI-powered sorting, hydrometallurgy and biometallurgy as key to unlocking e-waste’s economic value, while warning that policy instability could deter green investment.

Under the 13th Malaysia Plan (MP13), he said Malaysia must move beyond import bans and build a fully integrated closed-loop system for household e-waste management if it aims to position itself as a regional leader in sustainable resource recovery.

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KOTA KINABALU — The Sabah Ministry of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transportation has drafted and coordinated an Interim Action Plan to address congestion at the Teluk Sapangar Container Port.

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ewon Benedick (picture), who is also Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport, said the Interim Action Plan is a temporary mitigation measure while waiting for the completion of the ongoing port expansion project.

“The interim plan that has been approved by the (state) Cabinet, focuses on optimising existing capacity, more efficient container flow management, and enforcing port operational regulations,” he said in a statement here today.

Ewon said among the main steps outlined and will be implemented is the creation of additional temporary containers to increase container storage capacity and reduce congestion in the port area.

“This facility is expected to commence operations by the end of March this year, subject to the completion of site preparation works and related operational requirements. 

“Revised container storage tariff rates will also be implemented to encourage faster container clearance, thereby reducing congestion in container storage areas,” he said.

Ewon said that to support the smooth flow of logistics operations, a trailer parking site at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) has been identified for use.

“This initiative is aimed at reducing congestion in the port area as well as to streamline the movement of trailers and containers in and out. All involved transportation companies will be required to fully utilise the Vehicle Booking System (VBS) as part of their operational requirements to arrange vehicle movements in a more planned and controlled manner,” he said.

He also said that overall, the implementation of this interim action plan is important from the perspective of immediate operational needs and its direct impact on reducing congestion.

“The ministry is confident that these measures are capable of maintaining the competitiveness of the Sapangar Bay Container Port, ensuring the continuity of the supply chain, and preserving the confidence of industry players and investors until the expansion of the Sapangar Bay Container Port is fully completed,” he added. — BERNAMA

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