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[SIDE BAR] MFPC welcomes new SC rules, warns against unlicensed finfluencers

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC) has welcomed the Securities Commission’s (SC) revised Advertising Guidelines, saying the move marks an important initial step in addressing the growing influence of finfluencers and unregulated investment advice online. MFPC president Andy Ng Yen Heng said professionalism and accountability were essential in maintaining trust in the financial system. “Unlicensed advice erodes trust, but professionalism restores it. MFPC will continue raising the bar for ethical and responsible financial guidance to uphold the integrity of the profession and protect the public,” he said. The council warned that misleading or unlicensed online advice could expose consumers to serious financial risks, particularly as such practices undermine consumer protection, professional standards, and overall market integrity. MFPC said it supports clearer regulations that distinguish genuine financial education from regulated advice ...
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[MAIN] SC steps up action against errant finfluencers

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By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: The Security Commission (SC) is stepping up the action against errant finfluencers and companies that employ them to give misleading or false financial advice to the public. To date, the SC has taken targeted enforcement actions against finfluencers, issuing 31 cease-and-desist notices and one warning letter to those providing unlicensed investment advice. The commission has also pursued stronger measures against five finfluencers, including two criminal charges as well as five reprimands with fines. “The actions were taken amid growing regulatory concerns over the proliferation of self-styled investment gurus online. “SC’s enforcement actions send a clear message that providing investment advice is a regulated activity and must only be carried out by licensed individuals or entities,” it said.  The commission said it is actively monitoring the capital market, including soci...
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Kitchen hygiene beats meat bacteria

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Meat, eggs and dairy products are safe to consume if handled and cooked properly, say experts. A microbiologist from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin’s (UniSZA), Prof Dr Yeo Chew Chieng, said proper cooking and hygiene practices will protect consumers from being exposed to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in food-producing animals. “These drug-resistant bacteria might contaminate foods like meat, eggs and milk, but the bacteria will not transmit to humans if the foods are properly cooked as most of the bacteria could not survive. “Cooking, if done properly, destroys these bacteria. “The main issue is not the cooked food itself, but contamination that happens when raw meat juices come into contact with ready-to-eat items like salads or fruits,” said Prof Yeo.  Prof Yeo, who is chairman of the Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology at UniSZA’s Faculty of Medicine, said drug-resistant bacteria can survive in animal guts or on their...
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INTERACTIVE: Superbug risk grows at farms

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By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Rising antibiotic resistance has been detected in livestock due to improper use of antimicrobial drugs at farms, says the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS). The department said samples of bacteria taken from livestock, including poultry, pigs, and dairy cattle showed increasing resistance to certain types of antibiotics over the past few years. The department assured that animal-based products are safe to consume (see related story) but said measures are needed across the entire food chain to deal with the problem. It said rising Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in livestock is mainly due to the improper use of antibiotics among farmers. This includes administering the wrong dosage, extending treatment beyond recommended periods, or using unsuitable types of antibiotics that do not align with regulations and guidelines. “High usage of antibiotics for preventive (prophylactic) and growth promoter purpose...
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INTERACTIVE: EV buyers race to beat deadline

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By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Sales of fully imported electric vehicles (EV) surged by 33% last month with customers rushing to beat the EV tax holiday deadline on December 31. The import tax and excise duty exemption for completely built-up (CBU) battery electric vehicles (BEV) was first announced in Budget 2022. BEVs are cars that are fully electric, powered only by a battery pack, with no internal combustion engine to provide additional power. Also announced in the Budget was a road tax exemption for all EVs - both CBU and complete knocked down (CKD) - which also expires after Dec 31, 2025. Beginning January 1, all EVs will need to pay road tax, calculated based on the vehicle's power output. Currently, all EVs in Malaysia enjoy full exemptions on import duty, excise duty, and road tax, although they remain subject to sales tax. According to the latest available figures from the Road Transport Department, CBU BEV registrations ros...
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INTERACTIVE: Surge in CBU EV registrations as tax holiday nears end

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By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Sales of fully imported fully electric vehicles (EV) has jumped by 33% last month compared to others as customers rushed to beat the EV tax holiday deadline on December 31. The complete built-up (CBU) EV car tax exemption, which ends after Dec 31, 2025, was first announced in the Budget 2022. Also announced in the Budget was a road tax exemption for all EV cars - both CBU and complete knocked down (CKD) - which also expires after Dec 31, 2025. Beginning Jan 1, all EV vehicles will need to pay road tax, calculated on the car's power output. Currently, all EVs in Malaysia enjoy full exemptions on import duty, excise duty, and road tax, although they remain subject to sales tax. According to data from the Malaysian Road Transport Department, CBU EV registrations surged to an all-time high of 4,282 units in November, the highest monthly figure recorded since 2000. This was a sharp rise from 3,211 units in ...
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[STORY 3] Don’t panic. Just handle and cook food safely, say experts.

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: It is still safe to consume meat, eggs and dairy products as long as they are handled and cooked properly, says microbiologists. Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin’s (UniSZA) microbiology expert, Prof Dr Yeo Chew Chieng said while antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli can be present in food-producing animals, proper cooking and hygiene practices can prevent them from reaching consumers. “These drug-resistant bacteria might contaminate the food like meat, eggs and milk, but the bacteria may not transmitted to humans if the foods are properly cooked as most of the bacteria could not survive. “Cooking, if done properly, destroys these bacteria. The main issue is not the cooked food itself, but contamination that happens when raw meat juices come into contact with ready-to-eat items like salads or fruits,” said Prof Yeo.  Prof Yeo who is also chairperson of the Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology at the Fa...
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