<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 24): Social media platform TikTok recorded 2,606 requests from the Malaysian government to remove or restrict content on its platform in 1H2024, the highest among all governments in the period, according to its latest report on government removal requests.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>This marks an increase of 39.96% from 1,862 requests to the social media platform in 2H2023, and more than seven times compared with 340 similar requests in 1H2023, the report’s statistics showed.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The tally comprises government requests to remove or restrict content or accounts, including requests with inaccurate URLs, according to TikTok’s terminology.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In response, TikTok took action on 86% of the requests, the data showed.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In the same period, TikTok also took action against 5,296 posts and 423 TikTok due to local law violations.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Conversely, 2,229 posts and 2,080 accounts were targeted for violating community guidelines.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Meanwhile, the platform did not take action against 1,311 reported content and 319 reported accounts. These are posts and accounts which had been reviewed and deemed not to have violated TikTok’s community guidelines and/or local law.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>After Malaysia, the second on the list was Indonesia with 778 content removal requests, followed by Australia (522), Russia (492), Pakistan (371) and Türkiye (295).</p></div>


Social media platform TikTok recorded 2,606 requests from the Malaysian government to remove or restrict content on its platform in 1H2024, the highest among all governments in the period, according to its latest report on government removal requests.

Malaysia tops TikTok content, account removal requests in 1H2024 among govts

SCGM Bhd's (KL:SCGM) substantial shareholders are to inject their agriculture-related business into the cash company in return for RM207.94 million worth of shares as part of the company's regularisation plan.

SCGM formalises injection of agriculture business, proposes 25 sen special dividend 

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

ViTrox, Kim Loong Resources, Crescendo, JcbNext, OCB, Paragon Globe, Tropicana, Asia Poly, Nova MSC, PUC, SCGM

A mystery seller is asking US$200 million (RM893.43 million) for an empty waterfront lot next door to the properties Jeff Bezos bought in South Florida.

The roughly 1.84 acre lot (0.74 hectare) is located at Indian Creek, a man-made barrier island that’s been dubbed “Billionaire Bunker.” Ilya Reznik, who’s brokering the transaction, declined to identify the seller but said they are “willing to negotiate” on price.

Bezos’ Miami neighbour seeking US$200 mil for empty lot

Brazil’s annual inflation unexpectedly slowed in early December as energy costs dropped, giving central bankers limited relief as they pledge two more jumbo interest rate hikes by March.

Official data released on Friday showed consumer prices rose 4.71% from a year earlier, below the 4.83% median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists and the prior reading of 4.77%.

Brazil’s annual inflation unexpectedly slows, giving central bank limited respite

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh instructed the investment ministry and other authorities to work on development scenarios and measures that will enable the country to attain “double-digit” growth in gross domestic product next year.

Vietnam PM seeks steps for double-digit GDP growth next year

Shell has shut down one of its oil processing units at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park on Singapore’s Pulau Bukom to facilitate an investigation into a suspected leak in the system.

Shell shuts down oil processing unit at Singapore's Pulau Bukom to probe leak

A Norwegian shipping company on Friday rejected an accusation from Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, that it refused to rescue sailors from a sinking Russian cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea.

Norwegian shipping firm denies Moscow's claim it refused to help sinking Russian ship

OpenAI, founded a decade ago as a research organisation, is considering a change to the AI company’s structure that would create a more conventional money-making corporation alongside a non-profit arm.

OpenAI mulls plan for more conventional for-profit business 

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

<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>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>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>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>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>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>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>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>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>Industrial services firm Swift Energy Technology Bhd's initial public offering (IPO) was oversubscribed by 58.09 times for the 50.04 million new shares offered to the public, the issuing house said on Friday.</p>


Swift Energy's IPO shares for public oversubscribed by 58 times

<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>


Penang, Johor, Selangor, Sarawak and KL the top exporters in November, data show

<p>The staff involved in the Christmas celebration at the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) in Putrajaya recently were mostly Christians.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Minister Nga Kor Ming said many of those who sang “<em>Jingle Bells</em>” were Kadazans&nbsp;from Sabah, apart from employees from Sarawak.</p>


Nga says ministry's Christmas celebration involved mostly non-Muslims

<p>The Netherlands, Hong Kong and Japan are the top three foreign investors in Melaka, said Chief Minister&nbsp;Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.</p>

<p>He said the Netherlands had invested RM8.4 billion, creating 2,505 job opportunities,&nbsp;while Hong Kong invested RM1.7 billion (1,230 jobs), and Japan invested RM1.296 billion (7,359 jobs).</p>
