Rain Next Month Expected To Check Hot Spell

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- The current hot weather in the country is a normal phenomenon and is expected to end next month, according to the Meteorological Department.

Forecaster Azmi Atan said this phenomenon often occurred early in the year but would not lead to drought.

"Such weather is not expected to prolong and rain is expected beginning next month," he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Records at the department show that the hottest area in the country was Chuping district in Perlis, which experienced 36.6 degrees Celcius yesterday, while the highest temperature in the Klang Valley was recorded in Petaling Jaya, at 34.7 degrees.

Meanwhile, Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) Corporate Communications and Public Affairs General Manager Abdul Halem Mat Som said usage of water in the Klang Valley so far this year was normal.

"Generally, Malaysians use a lot of water. However, the usage of water over the last one month during the hot weather has been normal and any increase was not too drastic," he said.

He said Syabas still had adequate reserves of water to meet the needs of the people in the Klang Valley. However, he advised the people to use water sparingly so that sufficient water would be available should the hot spell prolong.

-- BERNAMA

Debt market set for a rebound

AFTER a dry spell in 2009, the Malaysian debt capital market is set for a rebound this year. This follows an uptick in bond-market activity since the second half of last year and as the economic recovery gains traction.

The uncertainties weighing down the health of the domestic economy throughout last year had, undoubtedly, influenced overall market sentiment. This had been apparent in the pricing hurdles and investors’ diminished risk appetite; the market only favoured debt papers with at least double-A ratings.

The rated value of newly issued private debt securities (PDS) came up to RM61bil last year.

Of this, RM46.9bil was rated by RAM Ratings, about 77% of the rated market.

Nonetheless, actual fresh PDS issuance amounted to RM20.8bil – a 31.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) drop amid the bleak economic and investment landscapes last year.

Looking ahead, however, RAM Ratings expects RM55bil to RM60bil of gross corporate and sukuk issues this year. 

Selangor Agrees To Make Public Concession Agreement With Syabas

SHAH ALAM, Feb 2 (Bernama) -- The Selangor government has agreed to make public the water concession agreement it signed with Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (SYABAS).

A statement issued by the Selangor Menteri Besar's Press Secretariat Tuesday stated that the decision was reached at the state executive council meeting last Jan 20.

As such, it said the federal government should also make public the concession agreement involving the state government, federal government and SYABAS.

According to the statement, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim also agreed to assist the Kuala Lumpur High Court in the case involving an application by the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) and 13 others to seek a declaration that the audit report and concession agreement signed between SYABAS and the Selangor government were public documents and not confidential documents.