Source : @ShafinaAmin
KUALA LUMPUR, 20 Oct — A one-off RM1,000 payment for taxi, hire car and school bus drivers, closer Malaysia–China cooperation against online scams, a push to extend strong mobile coverage to ports and highways, and the Health Ministry’s preparations for the haze led this week’s edition of the Seminggu 7 Hari government update video.
The clip, shared on X this morning by Information Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Penerangan Malaysia) Deputy Director-General (Digital Content) Shafina Mohd Amin with the caption “7 hari – Untuk kita, untuk negara” (“Seven days – for us, for the nation”), is the latest in a weekly series of short Malay-language explainers on government initiatives that has also been carried by the Information Department’s Labuan office. The two-minute clip covers four items from the past week and signs off with “Inilah MADANI Bekerja” (“This is MADANI at work”).
RM1,000 for drivers
The first item covers the special financial assistance for taxi, hire car and school bus drivers. The video explains that the aid is a one-off payment, that recipients are identified through the records of the relevant agencies on condition that they hold a valid Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence, and that drivers who have yet to receive it can contact their respective associations.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the payment in his Budget 2027 speech on 9 October. Transport Minister Anthony Loke launched it in Putrajaya on 14 October, saying about 53,000 drivers – 38,000 taxi and hire car drivers and 15,000 school bus drivers – would receive it at a cost of RM53 million. He said no registration was needed because drivers’ details were already held by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD), with Sabah and Sarawak drivers verified through the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (LPKP). The aid is funded from the RM91.21 million raised through bidding for the special “H” number plate series.
A second handover was held in Penang on 17 October, where Loke said the remaining eligible drivers would be paid by electronic funds transfer before Deepavali. APAD has also asked school bus operators to update their drivers’ details on its portal between 16 and 30 October, with payments to begin in stages from 22 October.
Fighting scams across borders
The second item notes that Malaysia continues to strengthen cooperation with China to combat cyber fraud, with intelligence sharing, cross-border investigations and the recovery of stolen assets among the main areas of focus. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi set out those priorities during a five-day working visit to Beijing and Tianjin last week.
Coverage beyond populated areas
Third, the video says the Communications Ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will study how network coverage is measured, so that places such as ports – which may have no residents but play an important role in the economy – also get strong coverage, including for lorry drivers on highways and at ports.
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil raised the idea on 17 October when he launched Penang Port’s private 5G network, the first at a Malaysian port to run on dedicated spectrum, covering about 2.5 square kilometres of the North Butterworth Container Terminal and Butterworth Deep Water Wharves. He said Malaysia would propose a review of the international “coverage of populated areas” metric at an International Telecommunication Union forum in Doha in November, and that a Cabinet note would be prepared with the Transport Ministry on extending 5G to other major ports.
Ready for the haze
The final item highlights the Health Ministry’s addition of 1,793 pieces of respiratory treatment equipment at health facilities as a precaution in case haze-related illnesses rise. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad told the Dewan Rakyat on 15 October that the equipment comprised 841 adult and 396 paediatric aerochambers and 556 nebulisers. The ministry activated the National Haze Operations Room on 4 September and is monitoring upper respiratory tract infections, asthma and conjunctivitis through 78 sentinel health facilities.
The video ends with practical advice for viewers in hazy areas: cut down on outdoor activities, wear a face mask and drink enough water. “Jaga kesihatan tau” (“Take care of your health”), it reminds viewers, before closing with the series’ tagline, “Untuk Kita, Untuk Negara”.
Source: @ShafinaAmin on X
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