KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed almost flat on Tuesday as buying interest rotated away from index heavyweights towards smaller-cap construction stocks, with sentiment affected by geopolitical uncertainty, said an analyst. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 0.39 of a point to 1,714.40 from Monday’s close of 1,714.79. The benchmark index opened 1.65 points lower at 1,713.14 and moved between 1,710.44 and 1,714.50 throughout the trading session. The broader market was almost evenly balanced, with decliners leading gainers 548 to 546, while 598 counters were unchanged, 1,107 were untraded and 25 were suspended. Turnover expanded to 4.13 billion units valued at RM3.14 billion from 3.60 billion units valued at RM2.45 billion on Monday.
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...