GIS

Judicial Review Sought Over Amendments to Geomatics Laws and Regulations in Malaysia

An application for judicial review has been filed with the High Court of Malaya regarding recent amendments to surveying laws and regulations. The applicant, the Institution of Geospatial and Remote Sensing Malaysia (IGRSM) representing the interests of its members and geomatics professionals impacted adversely by these amendments, is seeking to address concerns over the Amending Act and Amending Regulation that could significantly impact the geomatics industry.

Key Points of the Judicial Review Application:

1. Challenging Vague Definitions: The application questions the use of broad, undefined terms such as “geomatics survey” and “survey-accurate technique” in the new regulations. These ambiguities could lead to confusion and potential overreach in enforcement. With the amendments, it can now be an offence for persons who carry out the various types of geomatics surveys.

2. Inadequate Consultation: The applicant argues that the consultation process was flawed as a large number of stakeholders were not consulted. In a town hall meeting to discuss the changes, the draft regulations were not shared beforehand nor during the meeting with the stakeholders.

3. Request for Stay Order: The applicant has requested for a stay on the implementation of both the Amending Act and Amending Regulation. They argue that without this stay, many geomatics practitioners will be impacted negatively, and some forced to cease operations and could potentially face criminal charges if they continue to operate.

4. Concerns Over Impact: The application highlights worries that these amendments could severely affect existing geomatics professionals, potentially threatening their livelihoods without clear justification or safeguards.

5. Legal Basis: The applicant believes there are strong legal grounds for this judicial review, in particular that several constitutional protections such as the right to life, right to equal treatment before the law and right to property have been violated.

Background:

The concerns stem from a debate in Parliament, Dewan Rakyat sitting on 25 March 2024, and Dewan Negara on 4 April 2024, where issues were raised about the ambiguity of “survey-accurate techniques.” Despite assurances that further specifications would be provided, the subsequent Amending Regulations failed to clarify these ambiguities.

What’s Next:

The High Court has been requested to grant leave to consider this application for judicial review. The leave stage is a filtering stage where the High Court need only determine that the applicant has an arguable case. If granted, it could lead to a more thorough examination of the amendments and the potential striking-down of the key provisions in the amendments.

IGRSM and other stakeholders in the geomatics industry are hoping for a fair review of their concerns, and a resolution that ensures clarity and fairness in the geomatics laws and regulations. The hearing for the leave and stay has been fixed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on 13 March 2025.

MBRSC, SPACEDATA to advance UAE digital twin tech for space and economy

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According to the MoU, SpaceData will create a high-fidelity lunar digital twin platform for space exploration. At the same time, to support economic initiatives, they will deliver a detailed Earth-based digital twin platform.

For the Emirates Lunar Mission, SpaceData will provide a simulation environment leveraging MBRSC’s rover observation data for enhancing mission efficiency and accuracy in upcoming lunar exploration. It will also develop a digital twin environment to support lunar exploration training for UAE astronauts. This high-fidelity simulation will replicate lunar surface conditions, providing detailed three-dimensional spatial and physical environmental data. The training will enhance UAE astronauts’ capabilities, ensuring safe and efficient exploration activities.

SpaceData will also develop a highly detailed digital twin of Dubai’s urban environment. The platform will enable virtual tourism, transcending geographical and temporal limitations, and unlocking new opportunities for global tourism demand. Furthermore, by incorporating satellite and meteorological data, it will construct a disaster prediction digital twin for Dubai, focusing on large-scale disaster simulations to enhance safety. mystartupworld.com

The SoilFER Geospatial Platform launched at UNCCD COP16

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In Central America and sub-Saharan Africa, the Soil Mapping for Resilient Agrifood Systems (SoilFER) project stands out as a unique framework aimed at unearthing valuable information from soils to guide policymaking and fertilizer recommendations both at national and field scale.

The project’s emphasis on strengthening capacities as well as empowering stakeholders with full ownership and control over the data and tools underscore its long-term ambition to sustainably equip both participating governmental institutions and farmers. By providing farmers with digital solutions based on the variability of soils, SoilFER promotes the efficient use of fertilizers, sustainable farming practices and the selection of major and opportunity crops as part of VACS, positively impacting soil health, agricultural livelihoods and enhancing the resilience of agrifood systems in the five beneficiary countries – Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Zambia.

Northrop Grumman enhances US Navy Airborne Navigation

The U.S. Navy has selected Northrop Grumman to advance its airborne navigation capabilities by integrating its LN-251M, the upgrade of the LN- 251 inertial navigation system (INS)/ GPS. This new system incorporates M-Code technology, which provides an encrypted, military-specific signal with improved resistance to jamming, offering better protection against potential threats. northropgrumman.com