MUAR, April 29 — A businessman lost RM610,000 after falling victim to a non-existent investment scheme that promised unusually high returns.

Muar district police chief ACP Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz said the 49-year-old man was drawn to an investment advertisement on Facebook before getting in touch with the suspect via WhatsApp.

Lured by lucrative returns of up to 750 per cent, the victim proceeded to make multiple payments to different bank accounts from April 1, he said in a statement today.

Raiz Mukhliz said the victim was also informed by the suspect that all investment matters would be handled by a broker.

"The victim only realised he had been scammed when he was asked to make an additional payment to withdraw the profits purportedly earned from the investment.

"He subsequently lodged a police report yesterday (April 28) for insurance claims on the losses suffered,” he said, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

Raiz Mukhliz advised the public to remain cautious of online investment offers that promise extraordinary high returns. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — Muar is set to get its own cinema with FST Cinemas planning to open a new standalone seven-hall cinema complex in the Johor town by the third quarter of 2027.

FST Cinemas general manager Dr Sai Suthan Krishnan said the project, to be developed as part of The Hub Business Park Muar in collaboration with YKL Capital Sdn Bhd, would support FST’s strategy to expand into underserved suburban and underpenetrated markets.

“We are positioning ourselves as a friendly neighbourhood cinema. Muar currently does not have an operational cinema, and we see an opportunity to bring that experience closer to the community,” he told Bernama after the FST Rebranding Launch attended by National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) chairman Datuk Hans Isaac and local celebrities here last Friday. 

He said the standalone cinema will have a seating capacity of between 800 and 900, and, rather than one located within a shopping mall, is designed to offer a distinct movie-going experience, with improvements in seating, sound, projection quality, ambience and concessions forming part of FST’s rebranding strategy.

He also noted that the Muar project forms part of the group’s broader expansion plan, with FST aiming to grow from its current 16 cinemas to at least 21 by the fourth quarter of 2027.

Meanwhile, Sai Suthan said the rebranding reflects a unified identity across FST’s film exhibition, distribution and production divisions, anchored on its new positioning as “Your Friendly Neighbourhood Cinema” and tagline “Feel Stories Together”.

In line with its growth strategy, he said FST, a Malaysian entertainment company, would continue focusing on suburban markets while investing in digital transformation to improve operations and customer experience.

Separately, Sai Suthan said support for local productions has risen significantly, with Malaysian titles now accounting for more than 50 per cent of audience demand, compared with a previous 70:30 split favouring foreign films.

“This shows growing support for locally produced films, and we want to continue encouraging that trend,” he said, while highlighting the upcoming Tamil film ‘Karuppu’ starring popular Tamil actor Suriya, which is set for release on May 14, as an example of a production designed specifically for the big-screen experience.

Meanwhile, Hans Isaac, in his speech, said that Malaysia’s local film industry recorded its highest-ever ticket sales last year, reaching RM240 million, reflecting strong post-pandemic recovery and growing public support for local productions. — Bernama