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.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has urged the public to remain calm and united following a knife attack on Father Christopher Lee , a priest at St Joseph’s Church in Bukit Timah on Saturday. In a social media post, Wong expressed his shock and sadness over the attack, emphasizing that violence has no place in the country. He also called for support and solidarity, stating, "We must uphold the safety and sanctity of our places of worship." The incident occurred during the 5:30 pm Mass , when a 37-year-old Singaporean Sinhalese man , armed with a knife, attacked Father Lee. Fortunately, several parishioners managed to disarm the suspect before he could cause further harm. The assailant, who has a history of serious offenses and drug-related crimes, was arrested by police. Preliminary investigations suggest the attack was not terrorism-related, and the suspect acted alone. Father Lee is currently receiving treatment at National University Hospital and is in stable co...