Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Friday announced his government would increase development spending in 2009 as part of initiatives to help the public deal with soaring inflation.

Abdullah, who is also finance minister, said a budget of 207.9 billion ringgit (63 billion dollars) would be allocated for next year, out of which 53.7 billion ringgit would be used for development expenditure, an increase of 11.8 per cent from 46.3 billion ringgit allocated for this year.

Abdullah said the budget, which was announced in Parliament, would focus on developing quality human capital and strengthening the nation's economic resilience.

Tokyo - Japan's Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co on Friday unveiled a plan to build an electrodeposited copper foil factory in Malaysia as the company expects demands to rapidly grow in Asia.

The nonferrous metal company plans to invest about 15 billion yen (137.22 million dollars) for a new plant to be located next to an existing factory in Shah Alam, Selangor, the company said.

The firm plans to complete the first phase of construction and start operations with a monthly output of 700 tons of electrodeposited copper foil by the beginning of 2010, with an aim to expand its production capacity to total 1,200 tons.

The Japanese company is hoping to lead the market with a total production capacity of 2,800 tons per month at both facilities.

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 29 : Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has reportedly set up a new cabinet sub-committee to champion the commercial interests of the Indian community.

The committee will build a bridge with the Cabinet Committee on Indian Welfare.

Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysia said Thursday its team of peacekeepers was to remain on troubled Mindanao island in the southern Philippines for another three months to monitor peace negotiations between Manila and rebel Muslim separatists.

The announcement comes in the wake of a recent outbreak of fighting between Philippine government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which killed at least 40 civilians and displaced more than 340,000.

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia on Thursday blocked access to a popular news website that often carries anti-government articles, sparking criticism of cyberspace censorship.

The extremely popular Malaysia Today website is run by Raja Petra Kamarudin, who was charged with sedition in May for allegedly implying that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak was involved in the gruesome murder of a Mongolian woman.

Raja Petra has in the past been accused by the government of spreading lies and false rumours in his often sensational articles.

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim took his place Thursday as a member of Parliament, ending a decade-long political hiatus.

Anwar - dressed in a navy traditional Malay shirt, pants and cap - was sworn in as a legislator in a simple ceremony in Parliament amid loud thumping of desks by approving opposition members.

Anwar was also officially declared leader of the three-party opposition alliance.

"I was touched and vindicated coming back to Parliament after 10 years," Anwar told reporters after the ceremony.