Lower housing prices after MCO
KUCHING: Sarawak Housing and Real Estate Developers’ Association (Sheda) Kuching branch chairman Sim Kiang Chiok anticipates that housing prices in Sarawak will stabilise albeit slightly lower once the movement control order (MCO) is lifted. “We had a few poor years prior to the MCO, and presently prices of properties have already adjusted downward with the […]
Rubber price, rubber gloves demand to go up
KUALA LUMPUR: The Covid-19 pandemic will drive up the rubber price in the market to a higher level as well as increase the demand for Malaysian rubber gloves this year, said the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB). Director-general Datuk Dr Zairossani Mohd Nor said economic experts had projected that Malaysia would control 65 per cent of the […]
BNM reaffirms commitment to ensure sufficient onshore market
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensure sufficient ringgit liquidity in the onshore market. In a Financial Markets Committee meeting minutes released yesterday, the central bank said its recent measures, particularly the reverse repo operations, Statutory Reserve Requirement (SRR) adjustments, Principal Dealer facilities and the purchase of government bonds, have ensured sufficient […]
Asia expects zero growth in 2020
WASHINGTON: Growth in Asia is expected to stall at zero per cent in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the lowest growth since the 1960s, Xinhua news agency quoted the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as saying Wednesday. “This is a crisis like no other. It is worse than the Global Financial Crisis, and Asia is […]
UN chief says not time now to stop funding for WHO
MOSCOW: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, after US President Donald Trump’s statement on the suspension of funding for the World Health Organisation (WHO), that it was not the right time now to do so, reported Sputnik news agency. Trump said Tuesday evening that he had instructed his administration to stop US funding for the […]
No track & field competitions till green light from health authorities
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Athletics Federation (MAF) is not going to jeopardise the safety and well-being of its athletes by organising any competitions before the Covid-19 pandemic fully settles down. As much as the athletes and officials want to get back in action in the wake of the movement control order (MCO) to contain the pandemic, which […]
IMF approves debt relief for 25 countries
ISTANBUL: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday approved immediate debt service relief for 25 countries to help them address the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Anadolu Agency reported. “This provides grants to our poorest and most vulnerable members to cover their IMF debt obligations for an initial phase over the next six months and […]
RM500 for all Sarawakians?
KUCHING: Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) is asking the Sarawak government to provide an emergency basic income (EBI) of RM500 to all Sarawakians aged 18 and above for six months. Its chairman Buln Ribos said he is making this call because he feels there is a desperate need to help Sarawakians who have lost their […]
Asean to set up Covid-19 response fund
BANGKOK: Asean Foreign Ministers have agreed to set up a Covid-19 Asean Response Fund to fight the pandemic in the region. In a statement yesterday, the Thai Foreign Ministry said it was one of the outcomes reached during the 25th Asean Coordinating Council Meeting via teleconferencing on Thursday. Thailand’s Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and his Asean counterparts, including Malaysian Foreign Minister […]
BWF postpones May-July Tournaments
KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has postponed all tournaments including grade two and three competitions from May to July due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. BWF in the statement issued yesterday said, the decision was reached after consulting the host countries and also the continental confederations. “The escalation of the Covid-19 pandemic globally has led all parties […]
