Dewan Rakyat News In Brief: Aug 7

RANTAU PANJANG ICQS DEPLOYS AI-POWERED SCANNERS TO DETECT CONTRABAND SMUGGLING

KUALA LUMPUR -- The Rantau Panjang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex in Kelantan is now equipped with two AI-powered scanning machines to enhance the detection of contraband goods.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the technology enables more efficient screening; however, cargo scanner facilities are still lacking due to infrastructure limitations, with inspections still being carried out manually.

“The Home Ministry will ensure the proposed installation of cargo scanner systems is included in the redevelopment plans for the Rantau Panjang ICQS Complex.

“For the Honourable Member’s information, the redevelopment of the Rantau Panjang ICQS Complex has been proposed. The government has approved RM65.4 million for land acquisition,” he said during the question-and-answer session in Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a question from Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang), who had asked about the ministry’s plans to improve the use of X-ray scanners and drug detection systems at the Rantau Panjang border to curb smuggling syndicates.

-- BERNAMA  

OVER 14,000 BUMIPUTERA GRADUATES IN ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE IN 2024

KUALA LUMPUR -- A total of 10,342 Bumiputera students completed their undergraduate studies in engineering, while 3,781 graduated in architecture at public universities in 2024.

Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said, based on the latest data from the Malaysian Higher Education Data System (MyMoheS), there were 10,274 Bumiputera engineering graduates in 2023, and 3,327 in architecture.

Regarding the number of certified professionals, he said there are currently 35,760 registered engineers in the country as of 2024, of whom 16,223 are Bumiputera.

“In the same year, 1,066 of the 2,062 registered professional architects were Bumiputera,” he said in response to a question from Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah (PN-Indera Mahkota) in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Saifuddin had asked about the number and performance of Bumiputera students graduating with bachelor’s degrees in professional fields such as engineering and architecture, as well as the number who have progressed to obtain professional certification as engineers (Ir) or architects (Ar).

-- BERNAMA