KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Franchise Association (MFA) expects the franchise industry to contribute RM25.6 billion to the country’s economy in 2015. Last year, the industry contributed 2.5 per cent or RM24.6 billion to the economy. MFA Chairman Datuk Mohd Latip Sarrug …

KANGAR: Ten minutes of rainfall was enough to cause the canvas canopy roof at the State Aquatic Centre here to start to tear. The men’s diving platform synchro competition was under way when it began to rain at the venue, which received a lot of attention in the past two weeks as contractors r …

KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 (Bernama) — The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on May 28, 2014 approved additional extended operations (ETOPS) for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The move will allow 787s to be operated up to 330 minutes from a landing field and signals continued confidence in the airpla …

KUALA LUMPUR: Prominent businessman SM Nasarudin SM Nasi­muddin has been bestowed with a prestigious award from France in recognition of his contribution to the country, especially in the automative industry. The Naza Group of Companies joint group executive chairman received the Chevalier de l’Ord …

KUALA KANGSAR, May 29 (Bernama) — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor on Thursday paid their last respects to the late Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah. Najib, who had interrupted his official six-day visit to China, arrived with Rosmah at the Bala …

IN his lifetime, Sultan Azlan Muhi­bbuddin Shah was Malaysia’s ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Sultan of Perak for three decades and the head of the country’s judiciary. In all these positions, he left an indelible mark. But for many, he will be best remembered as the Chief Justice of the High Cour …

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 (Bernama) — Bernama, the Malaysian national news agency, has published a 100-page pictorial book to commemorate the 40 years of strong bilateral relations between Malaysia and China, said its general manager, Datuk Yong Soo Heong. The first edition of the book, entitled &# …

Washington (AFP) – Malcolm Glazer (pic), the controversial American owner of English Premier League giants Manchester United, died Wednesday. He was 85. Glazer gained a global profile through his ownership of United, one of the biggest and best supported football clubs in the world. But he was …

TAWAU, May 28 (Bernama) — The big challenge facing the public sector is to raise the confidence of the public and investors on the government’s ability to translate the policies and strategies into results. Sabah Assistant Minister of Resource Development and Information Technology Datuk …

XIAN: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak fulfilled his wish to visit two key attractions in this ancient Chinese capital – the Great Mosque of Xian and the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses – on the second day of his official visit to China. Immediately after launching the Malaysia-Xian Halal Foo …

Prime Minister and wife in front of Xi An mosqueBy Niam Seet Wei XI’AN (China), May 28 (Bernama) — Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was enthralled when visiting the 1,200-year-old Great Mosque in Xi’an, the capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi province. He …

They fit in a pocket, have batteries that last all week and are almost indestructible: old-school Nokias, Ericssons and Motorolas are making a comeback as consumers, tired of fragile and overly-wired smartphones, go retro. Forget apps, video calls or selfies, old school handsets like the Nokia 3310 …

IPOH, May 28 (Bernama) — The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, passed away at 1.30 pm WEdnesday. His Royal Highness was 86. The death was announced by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir over Radio Television Malaysia (RTM). Zambry said the late sultan would be laid to rest …

XI’AN: The Great Mosque of Xi’an was delighted to receive Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during his official visit to Xi’an on Wednesday. The mosque’s management committee deputy director Lin Mingzhi, 61, said the USD10,000 (RM32,200) donated by Najib on behalf of …

By Alan Ting KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) — It was a letter from former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein to his Chinese counterpart Zhou Enlai in 1971 that started the ball rolling for the establishment of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations. As both nations celebrate the 40th anniversary of M …