27-Mar-24 17:00

Megat Johari Megat Mohd Noor, President, Malaysian Society for Engineering & Technology

Today's top 5 stories are:

1. Our mini Popek Popek Parlimen, where we cover updates from the Dewan Rakyat. Today's main topics: renewable energy project between UAE company Masdar and MIDA, taxes and e-invoice, and the implementation of the Malaysian Checkpoint and Border Agency (MCBA).

2. Last Friday, southern Thailand witnessed multiple bombings and arson attacks by insurgents who have been in conflict with the government for decades. This incident happened 20 years after the Tak Bai Massacre, where 85 villagers from south of Thailand were killed by Thai authorities.

3. AirAsia announces 22,000 fixed-fare seats for citizens who are returning to East Malaysia to celebrate Hari Raya, but not all flyers are benefitting off this initiative.

4. Onion prices are expected to rise with ongoing supply issues, and the government is looking at India to import 100,000 tonnes of this vegetable ahead of the Hari Raya celebrations, as onions are a staple ingredient in many dishes.

5. And today's top story: the interest in STEM studies and wages has been at a consistent low in Malaysia, which is detrimental to the growth of our country. We discuss how companies can recruit and retain engineers through higher wages and better working conditions.

For these stories, we heard from Bunn Nagara, Director and Senior Fellow at the BRI Caucus for Asia-Pacific and Honorary Fellow at the Perak Academy, Luqman Zulkifli, Mohd Fauzain Izzuddin Ahmad Fauzi, and Datuk Wira Dr Ameer Ali Mydin, Managing Director of Mydin.

Image credit: YP_Studio, Shutterstock