DEWAN RAKYAT NEWS IN BRIEF: OCT 28
IWK ACCUMULATES RM760.19 MLN SEWERAGE BILL ARREARS AS OF DEC 2020
KUALA LUMPUR -- Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK) recorded a total of RM760.19 million in sewerage bill arrears up to December last year, said Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
He said of the total arrears, domestic consumers contributed to the highest overall unpaid bills of RM463.77 million or 61.01 per cent, followed by commercial users (RM255.51 million or 33.61 per cent), government (RM33.23 million or 4.37 per cent) and industries (RM7.67 million or 1.01 per cent).
“The total cumulative collection is at 92 per cent of the total billing of RM9,709.49 million up to Dec 31 last year,“ he said in reply to a question from Chan Ming Kai (PH-Alor Star) on the IWK sewerage bill arrears for each category by state and the list of government premises that still have unpaid arrears and the total value of the arrears.
-- BERNAMA
BUILDING MATERIAL COST INDEX INCREASES THREE TO 19 PCT
KUALA LUMPUR -- The cost index for building materials increased between three and 19 per cent nationwide in the first nine months of the year, and is projected to further increase until December this year.
Deputy Works Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup told the Dewan Rakyat today that the increase in the cost was due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising global market prices.
“Among the affected materials that are directly related to the construction industries are reinforced iron and crushed aggregates (crusher run),” he said in reply to a question from Datuk Ignatius Darell Leiking (Warisan-Penampang) on the government’s measures to control the price of building materials which have increased drastically.
-- BERNAMA
14 CASES INVOLVING DEVIANT WORSHIP FROM JAN-SEPT THIS YEAR
KUALA LUMPUR -- A total of 14 cases involving deviant worship, misconduct or teachings, false doctrines and allegations were reported from January to September this year.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Idris Ahmad said a total of 33 cases were recorded for the same offence last year.
He added the government is working closely with state religious departments to identify those involved in the suspected deviant Islamic teachings.
Idris said closed-door meetings and dialogue sessions with the groups were held, besides conducting a comprehensive study before teachings or doctrine was given a legal opinion by the National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia (MKI).
He was responding to a question by Datuk Mohd Nizar Zakaria (BN-Parit) who asked about the number of reports received on deviant teachings and the efforts taken to curb such teachings at the Dewan Rakyat today.
-- BERNAMA
PH PROPOSES IDEAS TO STRENGTHEN AGRICULTURE SECTOR IN BUDGET 2022
KUALA LUMPUR -- Pakatan Harapan (PH) suggested several proposals to further strengthen the country’s agricultural sector for Budget 2022, which will be tabled tomorrow.
Bayan Baru Member of Parliament (MP) Sim Tze Tzin said it proposed that the Agrofood Loan Fund be increased to RM10 million per loan, from RM5 million, and increase the use of technology in terms of automation and plantation machinery among farmers through grants or low-interest loans.
Apart from that, PH also suggested increasing Young Agropreneur grant, implementing Farmers Social Security Organisation (Socso) programme (Perkeso Petani) to protect farmers and change the subsidy system to output based that takes into account the production amount as well as increasing the fuel subsidy quota for fishermen.
NATIONAL CYBER CRISIS EXERCISE INCREASE COUNTRY'S PREPAREDNESS AGAINST CYBER ATTACKS
KUALA LUMPUR -- The National Cyber Crisis Exercise (X-Maya) has successfully increased the preparedness level of the country's Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) agencies against cyber attacks.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mastura Mohd Yazid said based on the six series of simulation exercises carried out, most of the organisations involved began to realise the importance of proper mechanisms and procedures in managing cyber attacks.
"Similar exercises were also conducted at the sector level, with simulations chosen based on the actual and latest threat trends,” she said when replying to a question raised by Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli (PAS-Dungun) on the ministry's plan in ensuring protection from cyber-attacks that can threaten the country's digital infrastructure security, at the Dewan Rakyat today.
-- BERNAMA
MORE THAN 1.14 MLN INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE AID FROM NADMA COVID-19 FUND
KUALA LUMPUR -- A total of 1,146,050 individuals has received contributions from the National Disaster Management Agency's (NADMA) COVID-19 Fund to date, according to the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions) Datuk Dr Abd Latiff Ahmad.
In a written answer posted on the Parliament website today, he said the COVID-19 fund has received contributions of RM139.314 million as of Oct 15.
"Of the total, RM34.63 million was channelled to the Yayasan Kebajikan Negara to distribute food baskets, RM30.07 million for special assistance for COVID-19 death management and RM25.48 million for special assistance for loss of income," he said when replying to a question from Wong Kah Woh (PH-Ipoh Timur) on the total collection of Nadma COVID-19 Fund and its use to date.
-- BERNAMA
