Kuala Lumpur, Apr. 25 : The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) is reportedly concerned that many Malay Indians may not have the financial means to take up the 15 per cent quota of Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM) units allocated to the community.

Party president S. Samy Vellu was quoted by The Star as saying that according to Permodalan Nasional Berhad, as of last Wednesday, Malay Indians had bought only 10.71 per cent or 53.5 million units of their quota of 499.5 million.

Kuala Lumpur, Apr 25 : Indian businessmen in Malaysia working in the restaurant, textile, provision and hairdressing industries have been greatly affected by the Malaysian Government decision to increase in levy for foreign workers.

Klang Indian Chamber of Commerce president T. Muthusamy said the levy increase has forced many foreign workers to return home as their income had been reduced drastically.

The Tamil Nesan quoted him as saying that many traders in the Little India area in Klang were finding it hard to hire local workers.

Kuala Lumpur - International passenger volume and demand for air cargo were down again in March, as airlines were warned that an end to the industry crisis was nowhere in sight, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) said Friday.

Asia-Pacific airlines carried a total of 11.2 million passengers in March, a drop of 10.8 per cent from March 2008, while air cargo volumes dropped by 21.9 per cent.

Kuala Lumpur, Apr 24 : Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy, who is in self-exile in London, has vowed to keep the organisation non-political.

The Makkal Osai quoted him as saying that any former Hindraf coordinator or leader who was interested in forming a political party should temporarily detach themselves from the movement.

In his statement, Waythamoorthy also announced the appointment of a three-man interim committee to the lead the organisation while its leadership structure was being revamped.

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia has ruled that religious conversion of children cannot be done without the consent of both parents, news reports said Thursday.

The ruling is set to ease strained race and religion relations in this Muslim-majority but constitutionally secular nation.

Law Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz said the cabinet decided that after a couple separates, their children must be raised in what was the common religion practised in the family during the marriage, the Star newspaper reported.