PLANMalaysia director-general Datuk Dr Alias Rameli stated that the views of the SG4 states (Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis) were sought during the drafting of the Urban Renewal Bill 2025 (URA). He said the matters related to the Bill were brought to the attention of the states through the National Council for Local government which included the four states.
The matter related to the consent threshold was brought to the council thrice, he said.
“The last time this was brought to the council was on Aug 20. There were no conclusive views given on whether they agreed or disagreed,” he said at a press conference in Parliament yesterday adding that some of their views were also incorporated into the Bill.
> Vape products should have labels identifying them as “poison”, the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Health has recommended. In the long-term, it said a total ban of vapes would be the most effective public health measure.
“The committee recommends that public awareness campaigns be intensified with clear messaging about the dangers of the toxic substances in vape products, along with strict labelling identifying them as poisons,” it said.
This comes as the committee tabled a report entitled ‘Health Committee report on the use of Vape among Malaysians’, after it held engagement session with the Health and Education Ministries as well as experts on the increasingly worrying issue of the use of electronic cigarettes including vape.
> Despite over 1,000 vacancies, only 22 medical officers have chosen permanent placements in sabah and sarawak, says Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni.
This is despite a ministry mandate in June that required contract medical officers to select at least one of their three placement options in either state to curb the manpower crunch.
“We want to ensure that the vacancies are filled even though not to its maximum.
Please come and report for duty and you can appeal later to return to the placement of your choice,” he said. Health Ministry data from April 2025 shows sabah has only 4,708 doctors but requires 9,356. similarly, deputy sarawak Premier Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said the state has around 4,000 doctors against a need for 6,000.
