<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 26): Malaysia is now more selective in choosing foreign direct investment,&nbsp;with a focus on projects that would&nbsp;greatly benefit the country, especially in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and data technology, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>He said the opening of a data centre that used to depend on cheap energy and water&nbsp;to move and cool the operating system is now no longer sufficient.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>"Now, if you want to [establish]&nbsp;a data centre, you must have AI,” he said, referring to projects like Nvidia's in Johor.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>"This is&nbsp;an example of how technology needs to be improved to remain relevant," he said at the Ilmuan Malaysia Madani Forum here on Wednesday&nbsp;organised by Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:<a href="/askedge/klse/5347" class="ce-stock" target="_blank">TENAGA</a>).</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Anwar said universities in this country should also be empowered to produce a skilled workforce in the field of AI and engineering in order&nbsp;to meet the needs of high-tech investors.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>"If the investment is big...we are now more selective in choosing the ones that can benefit the country more," he explained.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Meanwhile, touching on Budget 2025 to be tabled in Parliament on Oct 18, Anwar outlined education and health as the main priorities, with the highest allocation given to the education sector, followed by health.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p><em>Uploaded by Tham Yek Lee</em></p></div>


Malaysia is now more selective in choosing foreign direct investment, with a focus on projects that would greatly benefit the country, especially in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and data technology, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Malaysia now more selective in choosing foreign investment for country's greater benefit — PM

Barclays plc said it expects a raft of senior dealmakers it’s hired in recent months to become more productive in the coming year, which executives hope will help them boost returns at the company’s investment banking division.

Barclays expects new dealmakers to take 18 months to ramp up

Some liquefied natural gas (LNG) traders are opting to pay fees for supplies they initially intended to send to Germany in order to chase higher profits in Asia, according to the nation’s state-owned terminal operator.

LNG traders choose to pay rather than shipping to Germany

Tesla Inc is expected to post its first quarterly sales increase this year after car buyers in China, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) market, seized on a sweetened government incentive.

Tesla sales perk up after China boosts electric vehicle subsidy

Samsung Electronics Co is laying off workers in Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand as part of a plan to reduce global headcount by thousands of jobs, according to people familiar with the situation.

Samsung to lay off thousands of workers worldwide 

Sluggish car sales are expected to pick up later this year once the US presidential election is over and the Fed’s recent reversal on interest rates starts to ease financing costs.

US auto sales likely to pick up as rates fall and political uncertainty fades

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to make a brief visit to Bangladesh on Oct 4 to take forward the relations between the two countries to the next level by exploring new areas of cooperation and strengthening the ties in diverse areas, United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported.

Anwar to visit Bangladesh on Friday to elevate relations to new heights

India’s securities regulator on Tuesday notified steps to limit a surge in equity derivatives trading in the nation after growing retail participation took the speculative bets to the highest in the world.

India clears steps to curb trading rush in stock derivatives

Here is a brief recap of some business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Tuesday.

MISC, MHB, PA Resources, Tanco, Ho Hup, Central Global, Sunzen Biotech, Aemulus, Pharmaniaga, Plenitude, Pasdec

Appetite for public housing in excess of S$1 million (US$776,940 or RM3.23 million) is growing strongly in Singapore, with the number of units sold so far this year surpassing all of 2023 and hitting a record in the third quarter (3Q2024), market data showed on Tuesday.

Singapore's million-dollar flat sales hit record in 3Q, research shows

The US has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel, according to a senior White House official.

The US is actively supporting preparations to defend Israel against the possible attack, which would carry severe consequences for Iran, said the official, who asked not to be identified.

US says Iran preparing to hit Israel with ballistic missiles

<p>The Malaysian ringgit fell more than 1% on Tuesday as emerging Asian currencies lost ground against a stronger dollar after Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell signalled that another outsized interest rate cut was unlikely in November.</p>


Asian FX weakens against sturdy dollar, ringgit down more than 1%

<p>SRC International Sdn Bhd and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd and Jendela Pinggiran Sdn Bhd, on Monday settled their RM167.01 million suit against two former directors of Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd (IPSB) — Datuk Abdul Aziz Ismail and Datuk Dr Shamsul Anwar Sulaiman&nbsp;—&nbsp;by filing a notice of discontinuance.</p>


SRC settles RM167m suit with former directors of Ihsan Perdana

<p><em>The Edge Malaysia</em>’s only agenda is to serve the truth and to earn the readers’ trust, said its chairman and owner Tan Sri Tong Kooi Ong, reinforcing that the publication has no political or personal agenda.</p>


The Edge’s only agenda is to serve the truth, says chairman Tong as publication unveils book on 30-year journey

<p>The trial judge in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case on Tuesday questioned the defence team about the distinction between the former prime minister’s personal expenses and those for political purposes.</p>


Judge questions Najib's counsel on distinction between personal and political spending

<p>Chinese automaking behemoth BYD Co&nbsp;set a new record for monthly deliveries, selling more than 400,000 vehicles in September for the first time.</p>

<p>Passenger vehicle sales last month came in at 417,603 units, BYD said in an exchange filing on Tuesday, including 164,956 battery electric cars and 252,647 plug-in hybrid models.&nbsp;</p>


BYD's monthly sales surge over 400,000 mark for first time

<p>The Ministry of Human Resources, through the Social Security Organisation (Socso), is raising the salary ceiling for contributions from RM5,000 to RM6,000 per month, effective from Tuesday.</p>


Socso raises salary ceiling for contributions to RM6,000

<p>The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has lauded <em>The Edge Malaysia</em> for its significant contribution to the Malaysian media landscape over the past three decades.</p>


Selangor Sultan commends The Edge Malaysia for 30 years of quality journalism

<p>Trading app e-Trade is now officially launched, enabling investors to participate in the stock market via Touch 'n Go eWallet.</p>

<p>TNG Digital Sdn Bhd’s e-Trade, powered by Affin Hwang Investment Bank Bhd (Affin Hwang IB), is looking to enhance stock market participation by offering seamless convenience and accessibility through the platform.</p>


e-Trade app allows share trading via Touch 'n Go eWallet, aims for 100,000 users within a year

<p>Sabah-based construction firm Azam Jaya Bhd said on Tuesday it has signed an agreement with Inter-Pacific Securities to underwrite its initial public offering (IPO) on the Main Market.</p>


Azam Jaya signs Inter-Pacific as IPO underwriter, to list on Main Market in November

<p>CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (KL:CIMB), Malaysia's second-largest bank by assets, announced on Tuesday its commitment to extend RM1.5 billion in financing to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in partnership with Credit Guarantee Corp Malaysia Bhd (CGC).</p>


CIMB teams up with CGC to allocate additional RM1.5b for SME financing

<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Iranians on Monday that there was nowhere in the Middle East beyond Israel's reach, three days after Israel's military killed the leader of Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.</p>


In address to Iran, Netanyahu says nowhere in Middle East out of Israel's reach

<p>If there were any illegalities concerning the funds that flowed into former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's accounts, it was feasible for him to expect the relevant authorities to alert him or take necessary action. However, this did not transpire, the High Court heard on Tuesday.</p>


Defence questions why no red flags raised, claims reasonable therefore for Najib to believe monies were donations

<p>To Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the dominant political figure in Malaysia for much of the country’s life, currency traders had accrued way too much power. They were prone to charge from one direction to another with a herd mentality and little regard for who got trampled.</p>


Malaysia loses its FX rebel tag — and wins

<p>Titijaya Land Bhd (KL:TITIJYA) has secured Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd (KL:PMETAL) as the first customer for its centralised labour quarters (CLQ) project called HALO (Housing, Accommodation and Lodging) in Klang Sentral, Selangor.</p>


Titijaya inks long-term rental agreement with Press Metal at HALO centralised labour quarters

<p>Tanco Holdings Bhd (KL:TANCO) said its 79%-owned subsidiary, Midports Holdings Sdn Bhd (MHSB), had received the nod from the Malaysian Marine Department (MMD) to develop a container port in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.</p>


Tanco gets unconditional nod from Marine Dept to develop container port in Port Dickson

<p>Plenitude Bhd (KL:PLENITU) has appointed chief financial officer (CFO) Ang Kooi Yong as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately.</p>

<p>Ang, 58, is succeeding Lee Wee Kee, 59, who resigned on Monday (Sept 30) due to personal reasons after serving as group CEO for 19 months.</p>


Plenitude promotes CFO Ang Kooi Yong to CEO

<p>BlackRock Inc chief executive officer Larry Fink said the market is pricing in too many interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve (Fed), given that the US economy continues to grow.</p>


Market pricing in too many Fed rate cuts, says BlackRock's Fink

<p>Ho Hup Construction Company Bhd (KL:HOHUP) said its 52%-owned unit, Golden Wave Sdn Bhd (GWSB), has obtained an interim restraining order from the High Court in Kota Kinabalu, shielding it from legal actions by its creditors.</p>

<p>This follows the dismissal of GWSB's application to be placed under judicial management by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on the same day.</p>


Ho Hup unit gets restraining order against creditor following dismissal of judicial management application

<p>The future of financial technology in Malaysia will be shaped by supply and demand, increased options of technologies in driving new business models, and key technologies that have emerged and are still emerging, said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) assistant governor Suhaimi Ali.</p>


Supply and demand to shape future of Malaysian fintech — BNM 

<p>Life Water Bhd has&nbsp;entered into an underwriting agreement with MIDF Amanah Investment Bank Bhd (MIDF Amanah IB) for its initial public offering (IPO) on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia.</p>
