Portal:Malaysia/Malaysia news/Archive/March 2006

3 March: Almost 1,000 protestors led by the Islamic opposition party, PAS gathered in Kuala Lumpur to protest against the government's 30 sen increase for fuel. (Reuters)
3 March: The sudden rise of hand, foot and mouth disease in Sarawak children has prompted the government to impose a two-week closure of all 488 kindergartens in the state. (The Star)
3 March: Sabah's health and veterinary officials are keeping watch at the state's border with Sarawak in light of the hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak in Sarawak. (The Star)
3 March: A government decision to limit visitors to Sabah's ex-resort island of Sipadan was found to be benefiting towards the island, as the island's plantlife and turtle landings have increased. (The Star)
3 March: A 1:45 p.m. fire broke out at the trainers' quarter in a National Service camp in Macang Bubok, costing around RM250,000 in damages. (The Star)
3 March: A new public transportation zoning system will be introduced in Penang to improve the state's public bus service. (The Star)
3 March: In an alumni dinner at Menara Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi indicates that the Ninth Malaysia Plan will emphasis on producing skilled Malaysians to ensure Malaysia reaches developed nation status by 2020. (The Star)
3 March: Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak says that the government has plans to build a "book city" to promote local books by local publishers. (The Star)
3 March: The Housing and Local Government Ministry will blacklist the developers of 150 abandoned projects will stay blacklisted until the projects will be revived. (The Star)

2 March: Iranian President Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in Malaysia for a three-day visit. (Bernama) (Bloomberg)
2 March: Malaysia has potentially exploitable mineral reserves worth RM148.7 billion. (Bernama)
2 March: 488 kindergartens in Sarawak has been ordered by the government to be closed to curb hand, foot and mouth disease, which has already claimed the lives of 3 children in the state. (The Star)
2 March: Following an unexpected flooding in parts of Shah Alam, the Sultan of Selangor summons the mayor of Shah Alam and state department officers to his palace to enquire the reasons of the flooding. (The Star)
2 March: MiTV Corporation and TTDotcom were both awarded a licence each to operate 3G services in Malaysia, but frontrunner DiGi Telecommunuications was unsuccessful in its application. (The Star)
2 March: Yasmin Ahmad's sequel to Sepet, titled Gubra has been approved by the Censorship Board to be released without any portions being cut off. (The Star)

1 March: Singapore and Panama sign a Free Trade Agreement, under which tariff on 98% of Singapore exports to Panama will be eliminated. (CNA)
1 March: In an interview on RTM, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak explains the rationale of 30 sen price hike in fuel. (Bernama)