Highlights:
- Is there a need for deputy ministers?
- Centre to handle governance, integrity and anti-graft activities to be set up
- Global trade war looms after latest US move
- Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022 appoints CSM to drive commercial revenues
Ministers to determine if they need deputies
Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the Cabinet Ministers will decide if they need deputy ministers. “We do not know how many deputy ministers will be required. We will give the ministers the right to determine whether they need deputy ministers or not, ” he said at a media conference after chairing a meeting of the Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council in Petaling Jaya. Thirteen ministers have been appointed so far.
Tun Dr Mahathir has also agreed to the establishment of a National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC). The Centre will coordinate and monitor all activities related to governance, integrity and combating graft in the country. The Centre will be headed by former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed (pic). Tan Sri Abu Kassim currently sits as a member of the 1MDB special investigation team and is an expert at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Austria. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said the GIACC would be responsible for planning, drafting and evaluating policies in ensuring that all government affairs were to be implemented on the basis of good governance, integrity and zero tolerance to corruption. The GIACC’s initial tasks include ensuring that the 21 promises related to governance, integrity and anti-corruption contained in the Pakatan Harapan government manifesto would be given special focus for implementation at certain phases. “All GIACC recommendations for improvements will be tabled at the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption (JKKMAR). The statement also said that the soon-to-to-be-established JKKMAR will replace the Special Cabinet Committee on Government Management Competency (JKKMKPK). JKKMAR would play a role in deciding on policies and direction of governance, integrity and anti-corruption efforts in the country through the framework of the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) that would be formulated later, it said.
U.S. allies hit back at Washington’s steel and aluminum tariffs
Canada and Mexico have retaliated against Washington’s imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and the European Union is expected to do so, reviving investor fears of a global trade war. Germany’s Economy Minister said the EU might look to coordinate its response with Canada and Mexico. The tariffs, announced by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, ended months of uncertainty about potential exemptions and suggested a hardening of the U.S. approach to trade negotiations. The measures, touted by President Donald Trump in March, drew condemnation from Republican lawmakers and the country’s main business lobbying group and sent a chill through financial markets.
Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022 appoints CSM to drive commercial revenues
CSM have been appointed by the Organizing Committee of Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022 as its exclusive commercial sales partner, to drive global partnerships. The project will be led by the CSM APAC team in Hong Kong, but will involve collaboration across all CSM’s global offices. The 2022 Gay Games in Hong Kong will be the eleventh time the event has been staged and the first time it has been hosted in Asia. The Games rely heavily on commercial partnerships to be able to take place. The estimated cost to host the event is 7 million USD. Since 1982 the Gay Games have been held every four years, organised by the Federation of Gay Games and the host city. The event will have an estimated economic impact of up to one billion Hong Kong dollars in transport, accommodation, food & beverages and shopping to the host city, attracting up to 15,000 participants and 40,000 spectators during a 10-day period in November 2022.
