Johor's Iskandar region to get rapid bus system

ISKANDAR PUTERI • Johor's Iskandar region will have its own so-called Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, to be built at a cost of RM2.56 billion (S$826 million).

Prime Minister Najib Razak said last Saturday that the system will be ready by 2021, with the bus routes covering 90 per cent of the Iskandar Malaysia district in southern Johor.

Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang already have the BRT system of large, air-conditioned buses plying the roads regularly.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

Duterte's popularity falls sharply, says pollster

MANILA • The popularity of Mr Rodrigo Duterte has fallen by the most since he became Philippine President in June last year after minors were killed in his deadly anti-drug war and allegations of his hidden wealth.

Mr Duterte's net satisfaction rating fell 18 percentage points to 48 per cent, according to a Social Weather Stations survey of 1,500 adults from Sept 23 to 27. His trust rating also dropped 15 percentage points to 60 per cent, according to the survey posted on the pollster's website yesterday.

BLOOMBERG

Indian woman strangled for refusing marriage

NEW DELHI • An Indian woman was strangled after she refused marriage, and her body was burnt to conceal the crime.

Police in the Indian capital said on Saturday that they found the woman's partially burnt body on a narrow street in south Delhi.

She was identified as Ms Mithu Das, 26, from West Bengal.

Police have arrested a suspect, Sarat Das, 43.

He told police that he strangled Ms Das after she refused to marry his brother-in-law.

THE STATESMAN/ASIA NEWS NETWORK