- The Construction Industry Development Board has 165,000 vacancies, Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry (140,000), Home Ministry (10,000), Tourism Ministry (2,041) and Transport Ministry (963).
- Most of the vacancies involved five sectors identified as the ones using the highest number of foreign workers which were manufacturing, production, plantation, agriculture and construction. (Bernama)
The construction of the multi-billion ringgit MY Rapid Transit (MRT), is likely to begin by Jan next year and completed in 2016, Abdul Malik Azman, head of Prasarana's MRT Procurement Management Department said. The first tender for the V5 and V6 packages will be awarded in Jan or Feb next year.
- “Based on our plan, by the end of next year, all 18 works packages will be awarded accordingly," he said.
- The V5 package stretches from Taman Bukit Ria to Plaza Phoenix in Cheras and comprising four stations.
- The V6 runs from Plaza Phoenix to Bandar Tun Hussein Onn with three stations.
- He said Prasarana will announce its shortlist of contractors for underground tunnels by early next month. (Bernama)
A RM15m loan under the Skim Pinjaman Khas Penduduk di Kampung Baru Cina (Special Loan Scheme for Chinese New Village Residents) has been set aside this year for eligible applicants, said Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung. RM35m would be used for next year while another RM50m would be disbursed between 2013 and 2015, he noted.
- The total allocation of RM100m comes under a micro-credit scheme announced by DPM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin last month to allow residents in the Chinese new villages to pay land premiums, refurbish their homes and use as seed money to start up businesses in the villages.
- The loan was subject to 4% interest per annum.
- For a premium loan, applicants could get loans of between RM1,000 and RM10,000, with repayment period of between two and five years. For a business loan, the amount is between RM5,000 and RM50,000. (Bernama)
Johor is likely to win the most investments among Malaysian states this year, said Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mukhriz Tun Mahathir. For the first six months of the year, Johor attracted RM4.5bn in approved investments.
- According to the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (Mida), 74 projects were approved between Jan and May, totalling RM4.0bn, of which RM2.8bn were from domestic investments.
- "Note our figures did not include those in the oil and gas sector. Petronas announced a big petrochemical plant in Johor that worth RM60bn," he said. (BT)
U.S. new home sales declined more than projected in Jul to the lowest level in five months, indicating the industry is struggling to stabilize two years into the economic recovery. Purchases fell 0.7% to a 298,000 annual pace in Jul (300,000 in Jun), figures from the Commerce Department showed. Economists projected a 310,000 rate in Jul. (Bloomberg)
Eurozone manufacturing activity shrank in Aug for the first time in two years, a survey has indicated. The Markit Manufacturing PMI measure for the eurozone fell to 49.7 in Aug (50.4 in Jul). A reading below 50 indicates contraction in the sector. Economists expected a reading of 49.5 in Aug. (BBC, Bloomberg)
Eurozone service sector grew only modestly. The Markit service sector PMI measure fell to a 23-month low of 51.5 in Aug from 51.6 in Jul. Economists were expecting a reading of 51.0 in Aug. (BBC, Bloomberg)
The European Commission said the eurozone’s preliminary, or flash, consumer confidence indicator plunged to -16.6 in Aug from -11.2 in Jul. Economists were expecting a reading of -12.5 in Aug. (WSJ)
Singapore's consumer price index (CPI) rose by 5.4% yoy in Jul (5.2% in Jun), just shy of the two-year high of 5.5% in Jan. This shattered market forecasts of a moderate 5% rise. The rise in Jul was due largely to higher costs of accommodation, private road transport and food. (CNA)
The Thai government should avoid stoking inflation by aiming fiscal spending at infrastructure investment and not stimulating domestic consumption, Bank of Thailand governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul said. Although there is a growing likelihood that the United States and Europe will slide to an economic downturn, the pressure for increases in the cost of living remained high, Mr Prasarn said. (Bangkok Post)
Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shina-watra remained non-committal regarding her controversial election pledge to scrap the Oil Fund, telling Parliament the measure is "not the only solution" to the problem of rising cost of living. Her brief statement suggested her government might backtrack on the much-criticised policy plan. (The Nation)
Thailand’s Commerce Minister Mr. Kittirat Na Ranong has assured the public that the government will implement what it has promised during the election campaign as early as next year.
- During the policy debate today, Mr. Kittirat said the THB300 wage scheme would be implemented as soon as possible without creating impact on employers and workers.
- The salary for government civil servants who hold a bachelor’s degree will be raised to THB15,000; however, it will be taken into consideration if similar approach would be applied in other occupations.
- The Commerce Minister added that with all factors considered, the price guarantee scheme for jasmine rice and normal rice for THB20,000 and THB15,000 per ton would be difficult to implement, but it would be beneficial to farmers. (Thai Financial Post)
The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.’s list of “problem” banks fell in 2Q for the first time since 2006 as the industry’s income improved and costs tied to bad loans eased. The confidential list of banks deemed at greater risk of collapse shrank by 23 firms to 865, the FDIC said. The last time that happened was the 3Q06 before the credit crisis began, the agency said. (Bloomberg)
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