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Fresh out of the oven is exclusive news that Malaysia's Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz will be appointed treasurer of the Umno-led Barisan Nasional’s Selangor chapter on Sunday, paving the way for the ex-CIMB boss to fly the ruling party’s flag at the next general election due in a year.
For now though, he has to lead the government’s mammoth effort to trim expenses, so it can continue to pay for subsidies that help suppress the effect of soaring prices and manage unhappiness with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s administration.
The close ties between Singapore and Malaysia were underlined again last week when Johor's Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar was conferred an honorary doctorate by the National University of Singapore (NUS). Singapore President Halimah Yacob said “Singapore and Malaysia are close neighbours with deep ties between our peoples, particularly in Johor. The daily traffic flows across our land borders bear testament to this.”
Sometimes however, the traffic doesn’t flow so well, such as when the driver and passenger of a Singapore-registered car were arrested after a road rage incident at the Second Link bridge.
Read also about Malaysia's fight to turn the tide on coastal erosion, as 15 per cent of its beaches shrink by more than four metres annually.
Finance Minister Zafrul Aziz to spearhead Umno's charge to regain Selangor
It confirms months of rumours that he is being groomed to be among the party's next generation of leaders.
KL's austerity drive hurts election prospects despite record subsidy bill
Despite subsidies, rising cost of living is still main issue amid post-Covid-19 recovery.
Saving Malaysia's vanishing beaches: From Tioman to Port Dickson, erosion causes land to shrink
Unsolved mysteries of South-east Asia: The screaming schoolgirls of Kelantan
S'pore duo in alleged road rage incident at Tuas Second Link out on bail after arrest in Johor
Johor plays crucial role in maintaining close link between S'pore and Malaysia: PM Lee
This was especially important during the Covid-19 pandemic.
