KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed higher, buoyed by Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) decision to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 2.75 per cent, alongside positive cues from Wall Street. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 19.30 points, or 1.19 per cent, to 1,635.86 from Wednesday’s close of 1,616.56. The benchmark index opened 6.72 points higher at 1,623.28, and fluctuated between an intraday high of 1,642.44 and a low of 1,622.62 during the trading session. However, market breadth was negative, with losers outnumbering gainers 723 to 497, while 466 counters were unchanged, 1,075 untraded and 10 suspended. Turnover rose to 3.74 billion units valued at RM3.61 billion compared with yesterday’s 2.81 billion units valued at RM2.57 billion.
The construction of Phase 1A of the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway (LPB) is facing delays primarily due to land acquisition issues and the lengthy process of utility relocation , according to Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan . Some landowners' refusal to cooperate , with several taking their cases to court, has significantly delayed the project and required extensions of time . Ahmad emphasized the need to prevent similar issues in the implementation of Phase 1B , where the contractor recently received the letter of acceptance. As of August, the progress of the 15 work packages in Phase 1A stood at 79.48% . Four packages have been completed and are open to road users, while the remaining packages are expected to be completed in phases by the first quarter of 2026 . Phase 1A spans approximately 283 km . Ahmad urged contractors to prioritize traffic management and ensure quality, cost, and time standards are met, aligning with the MY Jalan KK programme’s goal of providin...