<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>PUTRAJAYA (March 18): Foreign worker employment quota approvals, including through the Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan, will be halted from Saturday (March 18)&nbsp;until further notice to shore up utilisation of approved quotas.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In announcing the decision, Human Resources Minister V&nbsp;Sivakumar said 995,396 foreign worker employment quota applications had been approved as of Tuesday across various sectors, namely manufacturing (387,122), construction (342,106), services (143,568), plantation (76,325), agriculture (45,899), as well as mining and quarrying (376).</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>"Approvals for foreign worker quotas so far are expected to meet foreign labour needs by industry, including in critical sectors," Sivakumar said, urging employers with approved quotas to speed up the bringing in of foreign workers during this period to fill their needs.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>"The number of foreign workers entering is still low, compared to the number of quotas that have been approved," he added.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan, implemented with the Ministry of Home Affairs between Jan&nbsp;17 and March 31, was meant to speed up approvals of foreign worker quota applications to fill the needs of five critical sectors, namely plantation, manufacturing, construction, agriculture and services (restaurants).</p></div>


Foreign worker employment quota approvals, including through the Foreign Worker Employment Relaxation Plan, will be halted from Saturday (March 18) until further notice to shore up utilisation of approved quotas.

Foreign worker employment quota approvals halted until further notice

Trafigura Group, the commodities trading giant, is positioning for record growth in the beleaguered market for carbon credits, as it bets new regulatory frameworks will propel the instruments into the mainstream of emissions accounting.

Trafigura bets troubled CO2 credits market set for rebound

Catcha Digital Bhd (KL:CATCHA) is to purchase a 51% stake in software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider Nexible Solutions Sdn Bhd for RM11.38 million, cash.

Catcha to buy 51% stake in software-as-a-service provider Nexible for RM11.4m

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said on Thursday that Digital Nasional Bhd's (DNB) governance, financial practices, and administrative operations are in order and comply with legal requirements.

Due diligence on DNB finds its operations, financial practices all in order, says Gobind

Solar District Cooling Group Bhd (KL:SDCGB), which listed on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia on Sept 19, posted a net loss for the third quarter on high administrative expenses related to the initial public offering (IPO) expenses.

Newly listed Solar District Cooling posts 3Q net loss on IPO-linked expenses

The number of long-term migrants arriving in the UK slipped in the year to June, but remained historically high despite curbs introduced by the last Conservative government.

An estimated 728,000 more people moved to the UK than left the country, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). That’s down from 906,000 a year earlier, a level bigger than the population of most UK cities that was revised up heavily from earlier estimates.

UK net migration up to June drops as Tory curbs took effect

Top Glove Corp Bhd (KL:TOPGLOV) has lodged with the Securities Commission of Malaysia the establishment of an Islamic notes issuance programme (sukuk programme) with an aggregate nominal value of RM3 billion.

Top Glove to establish sukuk wakalah programme of up to RM3bil

Israel and Hezbollah traded accusations that their ceasefire had been breached on Thursday, a day after a truce went into effect halting more than a year of fighting in Lebanon.

Israel says ceasefire with Hezbollah violated, fires on south Lebanon

Globetronics Technology Bhd (KL:GTRONIC) said it is partnering Canada-headquartered POET Technologies Inc to work together on advanced manufacturing and testing of optical engines, designed for applications such as data centres and telecommunications.

Globetronics partners with Canada's POET Technologies to manufacture optical engines for data centres

Indian banks are reviewing their Adani exposure and whether they need to tighten due diligence, eight bankers said on Thursday, after the group's billionaire founder Gautam Adani was indicted by US authorities over an alleged US$265 million (RM1.2 billion) bribery scheme.

Indian banks review Adani exposure in wake of US bribery allegations

Alternative fuels could account for up to a fifth of AP Moller-Maersk's marine fuel consumption in 2030 as part of its goal to reach net zero by 2040, a senior company executive said on Thursday.

Maersk could use 15-20% alternative fuels for its fleet in 2030

<p>T Ananda Krishnan, a billionaire tycoon with an empire stretching from telecommunications to oil and gas, passed away on Thursday at the age of 86.</p>


Billionaire tycoon Ananda Krishnan passes away

<p>Genting Malaysia Bhd's (KL:GENM)&nbsp;third-quarter net profit jumped over threefold from the previous year, as it recognised net unrealised foreign exchange (forex) translation gains totalling RM601.8 million on its US-dollar denominated borrowings, as opposed to a forex loss of RM1.7 million previously.&nbsp;</p>


Genting Malaysia's 3Q profit highest in nearly six years on forex gains

<p>Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid, the widow of the late former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, will have her passport unconditionally returned to her by the Sessions Court, after the Court of Appeal (COA) on Thursday overturned a High Court decision which previously denied her application to have the documents returned to her.</p>


Daim’s wife gets unconditional return of her passport from Court of Appeal

<p>CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (KL:CIMB), Malaysia’s second-largest bank by assets, said its net profit for the third quarter rose nearly 10% from a year earlier, thanks to healthy growth in both net interest income (NII) and non-interest income (NOII).</p>


CIMB Group’s 3Q net profit rises nearly 10%, on track to hit ROE target

<p>Carlo Rino Group Bhd (KL:CRG) is selling its shares at 27 sen apiece in an initial public offering (IPO) that could raise over RM46.4 million, according to its prospectus unveiled on Thursday.</p>


Carlo Rino selling shares at 27 sen apiece for ACE Market listing, IPO may raise RM46.4 mil

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): Shares of Kerjaya Prospek Group Bhd (KL:KERJAYA) climbed to their highest in eight years, following an unexpected special dividend following third-quarter results.</p>


Kerjaya Prospek shares test eight-year high as investors celebrate dividend surprise

<p>Supermax Corp Bhd (KL:SUPERMX) extended its streak of losses to seven quarters, as a surge in&nbsp;operating expenses sank the glovemaker&nbsp;into the red,&nbsp;compounded by currency losses.</p>


Supermax trudges through 1Q as losses pile up, expects better finances next year

<p>Sime Darby Bhd's (KL:SIME) net profit jumped 36% in the first quarter ended Sept&nbsp;30, 2024 (1QFY2025) from a year ago, mainly on profit contributions from the UMW division and gain on disposal of Malaysia Vision Valley land.</p>


Sime Darby's 1Q profit jumps 36% on UMW earnings, Malaysia Vision Valley land disposal

<p>The total cost of the expansion of the Penang International Airport (LTAPP) is estimated at RM1.55 billion, with almost all of it to be financed through a private financing initiative by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd or MAHB (KL:AIRPORT).</p>


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<p>China's ByteDance is suing a former intern for US$1.1 million (RM4.9 million), alleging he deliberately attacked its artificial intelligence large language model training infrastructure, a case that has drawn widespread attention within China amid a heated AI race.</p>


ByteDance seeking US$1.1m damages from intern in AI breach case, report says

<p>Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd (KL:HLFG), the financial services flagship of tycoon Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan, said on Thursday its net profit rose 14% in the first financial quarter from a year earlier, driven by the banking and insurance businesses.</p>


Hong Leong Financial Group's 1Q net profit rises 14% as banking, insurance arms report gains

<p>Farm Fresh Bhd's (KL:FFB) net profit more than doubled in the second quarter ended Sept&nbsp;30, 2024 (2QFY2025), as contributions from Inside Scoop, Sin Wah and profitable Australian operations were boosted by decreased dairy raw material costs.</p>


Farm Fresh declares dividend of one sen as 2Q earnings double

<p>IPOH (Nov 28): Developer Advancecon Holdings Bhd (Advancecon)(KL:ADVCON)&nbsp;has provided ex-gratia payments to 97 farmers engaged in farming activities on the site of the Silver Valley Technology Park (SVTP) project, owned by the Perak State Development Corporation (PKNPk), in Khantan, Chemor, here.</p>


Silver Valley Tech Park project: Perak committee chairman says Advancecon paid ex-gratia to 97 farmers

<p>TA Securities has valued Main Market-bound TMK Chemical Bhd (KL:TMK) at RM1.99, given its main competitive advantages, including a strong market share in the inorganic chemicals market.</p>


TA Securities assigns RM1.99 fair value to Main Market-bound TMK Chemical

<p>The weaker US dollar was a tailwind to Capital A Bhd (KL:CAPITALA) in the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2024 (3QFY2024).</p>

<p>After four consecutive quarters of losses, Capital A posted a record-high net profit of RM1.64 billion for 3QFY2024, as opposed to a net loss of RM102.75 million a year ago, as the group recognises RM2.27 billion in foreign exchange (forex) gains compared with a forex loss of RM93.92 million in the corresponding quarter.</p>


Forex gains of RM2.27 bil lift Capital A earnings to record high in 3QFY2024 

<p>OVER the past few weeks, contracts from Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) and its production sharing contract partners have been coming in, largely for maintenance, construction and modification (MCM) as well as hook-up commissioning (HUC) services, benefiting a number of local oil and gas (O&amp...

Cover Story: O&G jobs coming in, more expected

<p>Gaming-to-plantation conglomerate Genting Bhd (KL:GENTING) reported a 57% drop in its third-quarter net profit, as it was hit by higher property, plant and equipment (PPE) write-off totalling RM207.3 million, as opposed to RM1.3 million previously.</p>


Genting's 3Q net profit more than halves on higher write-off

<p>Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday that the approach of obtaining helicopters for the country’s security forces through a leasing arrangement could ease the burden on the nation’s coffers.</p>


PM defends RM16b leasing arrangement of helicopters for country's security forces

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): The prosecution has sought a postponement in their appeal against the acquittal of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the foreign visa (VLN) system bribery case.</p>


Zahid’s foreign visa bribery appeal: Prosecution seeks postponement, to brief new AG

<p>Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA) posted an 85% rise in net profit to RM1.58 billion for its third quarter ended Sept 30, 2024 (3QFY2024) thanks to hefty foreign exchange (forex) gains, against RM856.2 million in the same quarter last year, according to the utility giant’s bourse filing on Thursday.</p>
