<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 14): Labuan member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Rozman Isli pleaded not guilty to one charge of using his position as a deputy director in Labuan Port Authority to award employment contracts to a company allegedly linked to his father and sibling at the Sessions Court here on Thursday.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Rozman was charged under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act related to the offence of abusing one’s official position to seek gratification for oneself, a relative or an associate.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The charge, which was read out to him on Thursday morning, stated he had allegedly committed the offence on March 21, 2018.&nbsp;</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The charge stated that he used his position as a public officer to secure employment contracts for Liberty Port Management Sdn Bhd — the company linked to his father and sibling — at Labuan Liberty Port.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The presiding judge Rozina Ayob then set bail at RM100,000 and ordered the MP for Parti Warisan Sabah to surrender his passport.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Rozman was represented by lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali while the deputy public prosecutor was Ahmad Akram Gharib.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The judge then set Nov 19 for case management.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>If Rozman is found guilty, he could face a jail term of up to 20 years or five times the amount of the money made from the contract or RM10,000, whichever is higher.&nbsp;</p></div>


Labuan member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Rozman Isli pleaded not guilty to one charge of using his position as a deputy director in Labuan Port Authority to award employment contracts to a company allegedly linked to his father and sibling at the Sessions Court here on Thursday.

Labuan MP pleads not guilty to abuse of office

Over 330 initial public offerings (IPOs), US$20 billion (RM89.34 billion) of proceeds and more than US$160 billion addition in country’s market value, sums up a bumper year for India that is set to further strengthen its position among top global destinations for capital raising.

Roaring debuts cap a bumper year for IPOs in India

Chinese national Huang YongKang has emerged as Asia Poly Holdings Bhd's (KL:ASIAPLY) second biggest shareholder after taking up the entire 95.85 million shares issued under a private placement. 

The shares represent a 9.09% stake in the Klang-based cast acrylic sheets manufacturer.

Asia Poly sees emergence of new substantial shareholder

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier dissolved parliament and set the country’s snap election for Feb 23, formally endorsing a timetable proposed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Germany set for February election after parliament dissolved

One week after the Dec 4 murder of UnitedHealth Group Inc executive Brian Thompson, Americans were able to bet on the fate of his alleged killer. Some people, including financial regulators, may have a problem with that.

Bets on fate of UnitedHealth CEO murder suspect test rules on event contracts

Nato said on Friday it will boost its presence in the Baltic Sea after the suspected sabotage this week of an undersea power cable and four internet lines, while alliance member Estonia launched a naval operation to guard a parallel electricity link.

Nato to boost Baltic Sea presence after power, internet cable damage

San Francisco is projecting a US$876 million (RM3.9 billion) budget shortfall over the next two fiscal years, prompting Mayor London Breed to instruct city departments to plan for 15% across-the-board spending cuts.

San Francisco expects US$876m budget gap, warns of cuts

European natural gas advanced after Russian President Vladimir Putin cast further doubt on the likelihood of a deal to maintain flows to Europe via Ukraine.

Benchmark futures jumped as much as 5% on Friday, the most in a week. Putin said on Thursday it would be impossible to arrange a new transit contract before year’s end, when the current agreement expires.

European gas jumps as Putin doubts new transit deal can be made

EVENING 5: Electricity tariff adjustment won’t burden majority, says PM

The LED Fantasy Light Carnival held at the Bukit Gambir Multipurpose Hall has been ordered to cease immediately and has been fully shut down.

The Tangkak District Council (MDT), through a post on its Facebook page, announced that an investigation found the organisers had failed to comply with the conditions for holding the carnival, particularly in terms of its sensitivity to the local community.

Tangkak LED Fantasy Light Carnival shut down over Chinese flag on rocket

Here’s a quick look at some of the stories that made headlines today.

EVENING 5: Five things you need to know today

<p>The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has ordered Bybit Technology Ltd to disable its website and mobile applications in the country as part of enforcement actions against the cryptocurrency exchange.</p>


SC orders Bybit to disable website, apps in Malaysia for operating illegal crypto exchange

<p>Shares of Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA) rose on Friday to their new record high as analysts flagged potential earnings upside from implementation of Regulatory Period 4 (RP4).</p>


Tenaga Nasional shares hit new record high as analysts flag upside from RP4

<p>Shares of MyMBN Bhd (KL:MBN) fell on Friday to their lowest since listing 17 months ago, and below the initial public offering price, after the Malaysian government temporarily suspended bird's nest exports to China.</p>


MyMBN shares slip to lowest on record after govt suspends bird's nest export to China

<p>Khazanah Nasional Bhd announced on Friday that it has invested in private equity Cambrian Fund and California-based artificial intelligence (AI) firm Syntiant Corp.</p>

<p>In a statement, the sovereign wealth fund said the investment was made through its RM1 billion Dana Impak fund, which aims to drive greater growth and innovation in Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4) technologies and capacity development, and boost research and development (R&amp;D) in AI and semiconductor technologies.</p>


Khazanah announces investments into ViTrox-backed Cambrian Fund and AI firm Syntiant Corp

<p>The proposed adjustment in Peninsular Malaysia’s base electricity tariff under the Regulatory Period 2025-2027 (RP4) is mainly a “rebasing exercise” to reflect higher fuel costs assumption, said Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA).</p>


Base electricity tariff adjustment reflects higher fuel costs, won't burden vulnerable groups, says Tenaga

<p>The government will not allow increases in electricity tariffs that would burden the majority of the public, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.</p>


Electricity tariff adjustment won’t burden majority, says PM

<p>South Korea's parliament impeached acting President Han Duck-soo on Friday over a short-lived martial law, plunging the country deeper into political chaos, as the Constitutional Court said it would swiftly trial suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol.</p>


South Korea's parliament impeaches acting president Han, as Yoon goes on trial

<p>A less-than-perfect debut for the new season of Netflix Inc’s blockbuster series Squid Game sent shares of related South Korean companies sharply lower Friday.</p>


‘Squid Game’ stocks tank in Korea on Netflix new season letdown

<p>PUC Bhd’s (KL:PUC) photography associate Pictureworks International Holdings Ltd has filed for a listing on Nasdaq in the US.</p>

<p>The initial public offering (IPO) of its 27.53%-owned associate has been registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission though the terms such as pricing, number of shares to be offered, and timetable for the public offering were not disclosed.</p>


PUC’s associate Pictureworks files for IPO on Nasdaq in US

<p>PAS'&nbsp;move to 'politicise' the recent Christmas celebration&nbsp;at the Ministry of Housing and Local Government was&nbsp;disrespectful to the rights of Malaysia’s multiracial and multi-religious society, according to three DAP leaders.</p>


DAP leaders criticise PAS for 'politicising' Christmas celebration

<p>Chinese workers at a construction site in Brazil for a factory owned by China's electric vehicle producer BYD are victims of human trafficking, Brazilian labour authorities said on Thursday in a growing controversy in BYD's biggest overseas market.</p>


Brazil says workers at China's BYD site are victims of human trafficking

<p>On Nov 20, the Kuala Terengganu Shariah High Court handed down the sentence of six lashes in public for repeated offences of <em>khalwat </em>(close proximity) against a carpenter named Mohd Affendi Awan.</p>


Shariah whipping in public — does it exceed the Shariah Courts’ jurisdiction?

<p>The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) has received 114 million e-invoices from 9,000 taxpayers as of Thursday.</p>

<p>IRB corporate services department director Noraini Mustafa said that the response has been very encouraging, particularly in Phase 1, with some companies originally scheduled for Phases 2 and 3 voluntarily participating earlier than required.</p>


IRB says 114 million e-invoices received as of Dec 26

<p>The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) expresses its deep concern over the decision of the Terengganu Shariah Court in the case of Mohd Affendi Awang, a 42-year-old carpenter, who was sentenced to six lashes in public, after being convicted of repeated khalwat (close proximity) offences under Section 31(a) of the Shariah Criminal Offences (Takzir) (Terengganu) Enactment 2022. This punishment undermines human rights, dignity, and the rule of law. The commission takes note that whipping under shariah laws is different from civil law. Be that as it may, the sentence not only constitutes cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, but also raises serious questions regarding the legality of public whipping under the Federal Constitution and federal law.</p>


Public whipping in Terengganu: A violation of human rights and rule of law

<p>No decision has been made regarding electricity tariff hikes in Peninsular Malaysia as of now, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.</p>


No decision on electricity rate hike just yet — DPM Fadillah

<p>Crescendo Corporation Bhd (KL:CRESNDO) reported a more than fivefold increase in net profit for its third quarter, driven by data centre land sales in Nusa Cemerlang Industrial Park (NCIP) in Iskandar Puteri, Johor.</p>


Data centre land sales lift Crescendo's 3Q net profit

<p>Malaysia's Foreign Ministry through the Embassy of Malaysia in Stockholm, is in constant communication with the Norwegian authorities to gather more information regarding a bus accident near Lake Åsvatnet on Dec 26 which reportedly involved passengers from several countries including Malaysia.</p>


Malaysia sends consular team following bus accident in Norway

<p>A man was whipped at a mosque in Terengganu on Friday for the Islamic crime of close proximity with a non-family member of the opposite sex, local media reported, in a rare public sentencing.</p>


Man publicly whipped in Terengganu for Islamic crime of close proximity

<p>Cocoaland Holdings Bhd co-founder Lau Pak Lam has ceased to be a substantial shareholder in PUC Bhd (KL:PUC) after disposing of 100 million shares or a 3.6% stake in the digital payment solutions provider via a direct business transaction on Dec 23.</p>


PUC changes substantial shareholders

<p>Penang, Johor, Selangor, Sarawak, and Kuala Lumpur dominated Malaysia’s exports, accounting for 83.8% of the total in November, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).</p>
