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It’s Wednesday, October 28, and these are the updates for you.
Let’s begin with national news.
Firstly, the government is preparing to take legal action against Zetrix AI and its subsidiary, MyEG, over RM314 million in outstanding revenue collected for the Road Transport Department, or JPJ.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the government is pursuing civil action after the companies failed to remit the funds within the stipulated period.
The outstanding amount involves government revenue collected between May 19 and September 30 this year.
Loke said the authorities had issued 35 reminders and held several engagement sessions before suspending the companies’ services as JPJ collection agents on October 5.
The government is also reviewing measures to prevent a similar situation, including channelling collections directly into government accounts and strengthening digital systems to automatically suspend transactions when agents fail to transfer funds on time.
The public can still access JPJ services through official channels, including the MyJPJ app, the MySIKAP portal and physical counters.
Secondly, Bersatu has confirmed it will contest the upcoming Melaka state election, although the possibility of cooperation with Pakatan Harapan remains unresolved.
Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said the decision to participate in the election was finalised during a meeting of the party’s supreme leadership council on Monday.
Further details on the party’s election plans are expected to be announced on Thursday.
The development comes amid reports of discussions over possible cooperation between Bersatu and PH, but no formal agreement has been announced.
The uncertainty also comes as parties continue negotiating their positions and seat allocations ahead of polling.
Thirdly, MCA president Wee Ka Siong has rejected Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s description of recent Melaka seat negotiations as positive.
Wee said MCA remained dissatisfied with the allocation of seats and that it was premature to describe the discussions as having achieved a positive outcome.
The party had previously protested after MCA leaders walked out of a BN candidate announcement event over the seat allocation process.
Wee said further discussions were needed, while MCA’s central leadership would collectively decide the party’s final position in the state election.
The disagreement highlights continuing tensions within BN as its component parties work to finalise their arrangements before polling.
Fourthly, the Education Ministry will investigate allegations of cartel activity involving tenders for school food supply services.
The ministry said it would review claims that companies sharing the same registered address may have been involved in collusion during the second phase of the 2026 tender for cooked food supply services covering the 2027 to 2029 period.
Education Ministry secretary-general Wan Hashim Wan Rahim said the allegations were being taken seriously.
The ministry is also prepared to cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission if further investigation is required.
The review will focus on whether the tender process was conducted fairly and whether any parties may have coordinated their bids.
The allegations have not yet been established, and any further action will depend on the findings of the review and investigation.
Fifthly, the National Higher Education Fund Corporation, or PTPTN, is finalising the mechanism for repayment relief for borrowers earning below RM3,000 a month.
Under the initiative announced in Budget 2027, borrowers earning less than RM2,500 a month will have their loan repayments deferred.
Those earning between RM2,500 and RM3,000 will only need to pay RM50 a month, while borrowers earning above RM3,000 will continue with their regular repayments.
PTPTN chairman Norliza Abdul Rahim said the implementation details were still being discussed with the Finance Ministry and would be announced soon.
She also encouraged borrowers who can afford to repay their loans to continue making payments, as eligible borrowers could benefit from a 10 per cent repayment discount announced under the budget.
Borrowers with outstanding arrears are encouraged to contact PTPTN to discuss restructuring their repayments.
Moving on to Penang.
Sixthly, a petrol station in Sungai Buaya, Nibong Tebal, has been barred from selling subsidised RON95 petrol and diesel under the BUDI MADANI programme over suspected subsidy abuse.
The Finance Ministry said the action followed complaints from subsidy recipients who alleged that their MyKad details had been used without their knowledge to purchase subsidised fuel.
A review of the station’s records found more than 1,000 transactions involving manual bypass methods, covering over 100,000 litres of petrol and subsidies worth more than RM270,000.
The ministry has withheld the subsidy payments pending further review and temporarily blocked nine individuals, including the station owner and family members, from accessing the programme.
Authorities are also examining transaction records involving other individuals suspected of being linked to the case.
The ministry said further action would be taken if wrongdoing was established.
The case raises concerns over the safeguards used to ensure fuel subsidies reach eligible recipients and are not misused.
Let’s take a look at sports.
Malaysia’s Under-15 national football team has secured promotion to Tier B competition, marking a significant step for the country’s youth football development.
The achievement gives the young Harimau Malaya squad an opportunity to compete against stronger regional opposition and gain more experience at international level.
The promotion also highlights the importance of developing young players to strengthen Malaysia’s future football talent pool.
And finally, in international news.
Israel’s general election has pointed towards another political deadlock, with initial exit-poll projections indicating that neither major political bloc is assured of a parliamentary majority.
The election is a key test for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose political future depends on whether his bloc can secure enough support to form a government.
Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has 120 seats, meaning a bloc needs at least 61 seats to secure a majority.
However, the country’s proportional electoral system means smaller parties could play a decisive role in coalition negotiations.
If no bloc can secure enough support, party leaders may need to negotiate with smaller groups to form a governing coalition.
The final outcome will depend on the official vote count and the negotiations that follow. The exit polls are preliminary indicators and do not determine the final allocation of seats.
The result could shape Israel’s domestic policies and leadership at a time when the country continues to face significant security and diplomatic challenges.
And that’s your catch-up with Newsenz for today.
Stay informed, stay ahead.