Malaysian PM cuts Cabinet salary
Kuala Lumpur, May 23: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Wednesday announced a 10 per cent pay cut for ministers in his Cabinet in a bid to control spending as the new government deals with high-level debt exceeding more than $251.5 billion.
Mahathir made the announcement at the first Cabinet meeting attended by more than a dozen of the newly sworn-in ministers, Xinhua news agency reported.
"Malaysia's debt is around 65 per cent of the country's GDP. We are concerned about the country's financial problem, Mahathir told reporters after the meeting.
The Prime Minister said he will not force other senior civil servants to follow suit, but they can do so if they want to contribute towards reducing the cost of running this country.
Since taking power after the election victory, Mahathir has been focusing on implementing the commitments promised during the campaign, including abolishing the 6 per cent goods and services taxe, which the rating firm Moody's said could narrow the country's tax base and strain fiscal strength.
Aside from the pay cut, he has been advocating other measures, including forming a small Cabinet, downsizing the government and recovering some assets related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund overseas.
He said, the Land Public Transport Commission will be disbanded, with its previous functions placed under the Transport Ministry, while several other "non-essential" institutions will be dissolved.
Besides, he touched on the review process of some mega projects, saying the government is studying which will be scraped and which will be continued.
In addition, he said the government is reviewing the contract for the search of the missing MH370 flight. "If we find that it is not necessary, we will not renew (the contract)," he said.
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Al Jazeera condemns Palestinian Authority's decision to bar it from operating in occupied West Bank
Dubai, Jan 2: Al Jazeera has condemned the Palestinian Authority's decision to bar it from operating in the occupied West Bank, saying the decision was “in line” with similar actions taken by Israel.
In a statement Thursday, the Qatar-based broadcaster accused the Western-backed authority of seeking to “hide the truth about events in the occupied territories, especially what is happening in Jenin and its camps.”
The Palestinian Authority, which cooperates with Israel on security matters, launched a rare crackdown on anti-Israel group in the urban Jenin refugee camp last month. The authority has international support but is unpopular among many Palestinians, with critics portraying it as a subcontractor of the Israeli occupation.
The Palestinian Authority announced the suspension of Al Jazeera's activities on Wednesday, accusing it of incitement and interfering in Palestinian internal affairs. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited autonomy in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Israel banned Al Jazeera last year, accusing it of being a mouthpiece of Hamas. Israeli strikes have killed or wounded several Al Jazeera reporters in Gaza, and Israel has accused some of them of being Hamas members. Israeli forces raided Al Jazeera's West Bank headquarters last year, but the broadcaster has continued to operate in the territory.
Al Jazeera denies the allegations and accuses Israel of trying to silence its coverage. Its 24-hour reporting from Gaza has focused on the deaths of Palestinian civilians. It has also broadcast Hamas and other group videos in their entirety, showing attacks on Israeli forces and hostages speaking under duress.
Al Jazeera deplores the Palestinian Authority's decision to close its office in the West Bank and considers it in line with the occupation's actions against its staff. pic.twitter.com/VrGHiM9UzC
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 2, 2025
