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‘Hari yang luar biasa untuk Asia Barat’

‘Hari yang luar biasa untuk Asia Barat’

KAHERAH – Mesir, Qatar dan Türkiye menandatangani dokumen gencatan senjata Gaza bersama Presiden Amerika Syarikat, Donald Trump, lapor laman berita TRT  Dokumen itu ditandatangani pada sidang kemuncak antarabangsa yang dihoskan oleh Mesir di pusat peranginan Laut Merah, Sharm el-Sheikh semalam. Trump memuji ‘hari yang luar biasa untuk Asia Barat’ ketika beliau dan pemimpin serantau menandatangani ... Read more The post ‘Hari yang luar biasa untuk Asia Barat’ appeared first on Kosmo Digital .

Include small traders in economy plans

Include small traders in economy plans

I REFER to theSun report dated Sept 15, “MPs divided over night business concept”, which discussed proposals to expand Malaysia’s night-time economy by looking to models in Amsterdam and Sydney. Such ideas can boost tourism and enliven cities after office hours. While the objective of stimulating the national economy is commendable, we must ensure that in the rush to promote the “night economy”, our existing small traders and hawkers – who have long been the backbone of the people’s economy – are not marginalised. Small traders generate income that not only sustains their families but also circulates back into the community. Every ringgit earned is spent on household needs, suppliers and local services. This cycle strengthens grassroots economic growth. Yet, recent media reports and social media posts have shown how local authorities in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and other states have confiscated basic belongings of hawkers during enforcement operations. Umbrellas, small tents, folding tables, chairs, gas cylinders, food items and even clothing are seized. These actions strike directly at the hawkers’ ability to survive. Most of these confiscations occur because traders lack licences or operate in restricted areas. But confiscating goods – often without return – amounts to double punishment: loss of capital, loss of goods and loss of daily income. Such measures undermine their basic right to livelihood. India offers a useful example. Its Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014 formally recognises street vendors, issues licences, designates vending zones, and most importantly, protects livelihoods from arbitrary eviction. By ensuring no vendor is evicted without due process, the Act aligns with Article 19(1)(g) (right to trade) and Article 21 (right to livelihood) of the Indian Constitution. Malaysia has no equivalent nationwide protection law. Our Local Government Act 1976 allows local councils to make by-laws but these usually focus on control and enforcement rather than livelihood protection. This leaves hawkers vulnerable to arbitrary and inconsistent actions. It is important to note that Article 5 of the Federal Constitution guarantees that no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty, save in accordance with law. This has been interpreted to encompass the right to live with dignity, which necessarily includes the right to sustain a livelihood. Malaysia should move towards a progressive legal framework that not only regulates but also safeguards the livelihood rights of hawkers and small traders. Finally, MPs should first understand the real grievances and the needs of small traders in this country before the “night economy” issue is brought to Parliament or debated as a matter of national policy. K. Kunasekaran Ipoh

FPMPAM urges govt to revisit fee cap

FPMPAM urges govt to revisit fee cap

THE government’s decision to raise the upper consultation fee cap for private general practitioners (GP) to RM80 while maintaining the outdated lower cap of RM10 is concerning and raises questions about its potential impact on the sustainability of private primary care services in Malaysia. For over three decades, private GPs have operated under an outdated Schedule 7 fee structure that does not reflect rising inflation, regulatory compliance costs, staff wages or medical indemnity premiums. The newly revised range also remains below the rates in Schedule 13, which has had a ceiling of RM125 since December 2013. This decision – made despite repeated representations to the Health Ministry, Parliamentary Select Committees and even direct memoranda to the prime minister – shows that economic modelling has overtaken practical healthcare realities. While the government may have acted on advice from health economists seeking to preserve affordability by maintaining a low floor price, this logic fails completely in a third-party administrator (TPA)-dominated market. The RM10 “floor” immediately becomes a corporate anchor for reimbursement, handing managed care organisations (MCO) and TPA a ready-made tool to suppress fees and dictate terms – undercutting consultation time, continuity and patient safety. The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations, Malaysia (FPMPAM) urges the government to immediately revisit and rectify this decision by: 0 Synchronising Schedule 7 fees with Schedule 13, which itself was last reviewed 12 years ago. 0 Prohibiting TPA and MCO from pegging reimbursement rates to the statutory minimum. 0 Aligning community GP fees with Schedule 13 to remove the two- tier disparity between clinics and hospitals. FPMPAM will take the following steps: 0 Call for deregulation of all consultation fees. 0 Advise GP to unbundle charges in line with transparent costing. 0 Advise medical practitioners to continue rejecting any TPA instructions or guarantee letters (GL) that restrict or compromise patient care. 0 Publish, based on verifiable evidence, a list of TPA with contracts that contravene the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 or Malaysian Medical Council Code of professional conduct. 0 Launch a national campaign for change. FPMPAM will remain open to working with TPA that respect professional autonomy, transparency and the law. However, any GL that compromises clinical judgement, limits treatment options or endangers patient care will continue to be unacceptable. There may be political implications if the government continues to prioritise the interests of TPA over the sustainability of primary care. Should this trend persist, the impact will be felt by patients – through clinic closures, longer waiting times and fewer treatment options – and public accountability will inevitably follow. A government that loses the trust of doctors and patients will also lose the moral legitimacy to speak for healthcare reform. The government must decide whether it stands with patients and doctors or with corporate intermediaries who profit from their suffering. Dr Shanmuganathan Ganeson President FPMPAM

Wan Saiful dipecat, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal digantung keahlian Bersatu

Wan Saiful dipecat, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal digantung keahlian Bersatu

PETALING JAYA: Ahli Majlis Tertinggi Parti Pribumi Bersatu (Bersatu), Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan dipecat keahlian parti itu berkuatkuasa serta merta. Sementara itu, Ahli Parlimen Machang yang juga MPT Bersatu, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal digantung keahlian selama satu penggal. Lembaga Disiplin Bersatu berkata, selain Wan Saiful, turut dipecat Ketua Bahagian Ipoh Timor, Muhammad ... Read more The post Wan Saiful dipecat, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal digantung keahlian Bersatu appeared first on Utusan Malaysia .

Pearly-Thinaah buru satu lagi gelaran Eropah

Pearly-Thinaah buru satu lagi gelaran Eropah

Pearly-Thinaah mahu satu lagi gelaran Eropah oleh KHAIRUL IDHAM MOHAMED ZARAAI idham.zaraai@mediamulia.com.my PETALING JAYA: Beregu wanita No. 2 dunia, Pearly Tan–M. Thinaah enggan sekadar berpuas hati dengan kejuaraan Terbuka Arctic 2025, sebaliknya memburu satu lagi gelaran di bumi Eropah apabila kempen Terbuka Denmark membuka tirai hari ini. Kejayaan bergaya menewaskan pasangan Jepun, Rin Iwanaga–Kie Nakanishi ... Read more The post Pearly-Thinaah buru satu lagi gelaran Eropah appeared first on Utusan Malaysia .

BN kemuka 81 peratus muka baharu calon PRN Sabah

BN kemuka 81 peratus muka baharu calon PRN Sabah

PETALING JAYA: Kira-kira 81 peratus muka baharu akan dicalonkan Barisan Nasional (BN) termasuk 50 peratus anak muda dalam Pilihan Raya Negeri (PRN) Sabah nanti. Pengerusi BN Sabah, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin berkata, jumlah itu akan dipertaruhkan di 48 kerusi yang disasarkan BN dengan merangkumi UMNO, MCA dan Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), manakala selebihnya ... Read more The post BN kemuka 81 peratus muka baharu calon PRN Sabah appeared first on Utusan Malaysia .

Cape Verde mara ke Piala Dunia 2026

Cape Verde mara ke Piala Dunia 2026

CAPE Verde mencipta sejarah baharu dalam bola sepak dunia apabila layak ke Piala Dunia 2026 selepas menewaskan Eswatini 3-0 di Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde, pada Selasa.Kemenangan itu mengesahkan skuad Blue Sharks sebagai juara Kumpulan D kelayakan zon Afrika sekali gus menyingkirkan pasukan pilihan, Cameroon, untuk menempah tempat ke temasya berprestij yang bakal berlangsung di Kanada, Mexico dan Amerika Syarikat.Dailon Livramento membuka jaringan sebaik babak kedua bersambung selepas menyambar bola muntah dalam kotak penalti, sebelum Willy Semedo menambah gol kedua menerusi voli menarik tidak lama kemudian.Pertahanan berpengalaman Stopira memastikan kemenangan mutlak Cape Verde dengan jaringan ketiga pada masa kecederaan.Sorakan gemuruh penonton di stadium menandakan detik bersejarah buat negara kepulauan kecil di Atlantik itu apabila ribuan penyokong membanjiri padang meraikan kejayaan pertama mereka mara ke Piala Dunia.Cape Verde yang mempunyai populasi sekitar 525,000 orang, memperoleh kemerdekaan daripada Portugal pada 1975 dan mula menyertai kempen kelayakan sejak edisi 2002 di Jepun dan Korea Selatan.Negara itu turut mencipta nama di Piala Negara-Negara Afrika (Afcon) apabila mara ke suku akhir pada penampilan sulung 2013 dan mengulangi pencapaian sama pada 2023.Kemenangan 1-0 ke atas Cameroon bulan lalu menjadi titik penting dalam perjalanan mereka apabila keputusan itu melonjakkan Cape Verde ke tangga teratas kumpulan dan hanya memerlukan satu kemenangan lagi untuk mengesahkan tiket ke Piala Dunia.Kini, Cape Verde muncul sebagai negara kedua terkecil di dunia yang layak ke Piala Dunia selepas Iceland pada edisi 2018 di Rusia, bukti nyata bahawa semangat dan kerja keras mampu membawa sebuah negara kecil ke pentas bola sepak terbesar dunia.