[{"title": "Asian Insider: Malaysia\u2019s election trends | Welfare of India\u2019s elephants in doubt", "text": ["\nDear ST reader,\u00a0\nWe hope you\u2019ve been keeping well.\nIn our Asian Insider newsletter this week, a landslide in Malaysia that killed dozens of people has spurred calls for a review of existing hillside development regulations, while Japan doubles its military spending as part of a new security strategy. Read also about how Australia's pharmacists are taking on a greater role in medical treatments.\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s landslide tragedy\n", "\nA child is still missing and feared dead, nearly a week after a landslide at a recreational site near Genting Highlands which killed 30 people, including children.\nAuthorities are still investigating the cause, but the disaster has prompted a move towards reviewing existing regulations on hillside developments, as well as safety measures for outdoor activities such as camping and hiking, especially during the monsoon season.\nInteractive: How the landslide happened\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nListicle: Major landslides in Malaysia\u00a0\n\nIn pictures: Scenes of rescue efforts, survivors\u2019 shock and anguish\n\n", "\nAnwar wins confidence vote\n", "\nMalaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim won Parliament\u2019s backing in a confidence vote, cementing his mandate as premier, after an election last month returned an unprecedented hung Parliament. The Nov 19 national polls threw up some interesting trends, including how young voters opted for a coalition that included the Islamic rightist PAS and how the ethnic divide has hardened.\u00a0\nRead more: Malaysia\u2019s Parliament passes temporary supply Bill\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nAlso read: Malaysia\u2019s 2023 budget likely to be trimmed down\u00a0\nAnalysis: Malaysia\u2019s PM Anwar cruises through Day One of Parliament \u00a0\nInteractive: How a divided Malaysia gave rise to Perikatan Nasional\u2019s \u2018teal tsunami\u2019 \n\n", "\nCovid-19 wary Guangzhou crawls back to life\n", "\nAs Covid-19 infections soar across China, turning many cities into ghost towns, it is a different story in Guangzhou. The capital of Guangdong province is slowly coming back to life after a wave of infections, with the urban village of Kangle a hive of activity and the city\u2019s residents hoping for life to return to pre-pandemic days.\nIn other news: Taiwan officials urge public to stop buying Panadol in bulk\u00a0\nCommentary: As China opens floodgates, we\u2019re finally facing Covid-19 tsunami \n\n", "\nJapan\u2019s new security strategy\n", "\nLabelling China as an \u201cunprecedented and greatest strategic challenge\u201d, Japan announced a new national security strategy that will double the budget earmarked for the country\u2019s military defence and allow it to acquire controversial \u201ccounterstrike capabilities\u201d.\nRead more: Key changes of Japan\u2019s new defence strategy\nAnalysis: Japan divided by PM Kishida\u2019s drastic security overhaul\nIn other news: South Korea\u2019s rise as major arms exporter in Asia \n\n", "\nElephants welfare in doubt\n", "\nThe future well-being of India\u2019s captive elephants is in doubt after rules on these animals\u2019 transportation and transfer of ownership were relaxed. The move has raised concerns that it will further encourage the illegal capture of wild elephants, reports India correspondent Debarshi Dasgupta.\n\n", "\nWider role for Australian pharmacists\n", "\nPharmacies in some Australian states such as New South Wales (NSW) are now allowed to take on a greater role in medical treatments, including prescribing medicine and giving vaccines. The move, however, has polarised the healthcare profession, writes Jonathan Pearlman in the latest dispatch of Letter from the Bureau.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/asian-insider-malaysia-s-election-trends-welfare-of-india-s-elephants-in-doubt-0"}, {"title": "Brain drain: Majority of Malaysians who emigrated moved to Singapore, says human resources minister", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A total of 1.13 million out of 1.86 million Malaysians who have migrated overseas are residing in Singapore as at 2022, said Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar.\nHe was commenting on Malaysia\u2019s brain drain issue, which was discussed an industry dialogue session held by Talent Corporation Malaysia (TalentCorp) themed \u201cMalaysia Madani: Addressing Challenges in the Talent Ecosystem\u201d on Tuesday. \nHe said questions were raised on how to retain and pull talent back into Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBrain drain is happening everywhere in the world... 3.6 per cent of the world\u2019s population have migrated from their home country to other countries.\n\u201cFrom the Malaysian perspective, the migration percentage is 5.6 per cent of the total population (33 million)... The migration consists of 1.86 million people.\n\u201cSo, to say it is a brain drain or migration, they have only gone to our neighbouring country Singapore,\u201d he said after the dialogue session, which he chaired and was attended by 20 industry captains from the private sector.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe business leaders are members of TalentCorp Industry-Talent Advisory Council and TalentCorp Malaysia Global Talent Advisory Group. \n\nHe added that Malaysians have also migrated to the United States, Australia and Canada, noting that some people say it is good to gain experience and knowledge from other countries. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/brain-drain-majority-of-malaysians-who-migrated-moved-to-singapore-says-hr-minister"}, {"title": "Daughter of Malaysia\u2019s ex-PM Najib to contest for Puteri Umno exco seat", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 The daughter of former Malaysia prime minister Najib Razak will run for the executive council post for Puteri Umno, the women\u2019s youth wing, in the upcoming party polls, said Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi. \nDatuk Puad shared on Facebook that Ms Nooryana Najwa Najib had visited him at Rengit service centre in Johor on Saturday. \n\u201cYana (Nooryana) came to visit with Dr Masliha, the candidate for the Puteri Umno chief post. Yana will be contesting to be a Puteri Umno exco. All the best,\u201d said the Rengit assemblyman.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Masliha Harun is the Lembah Pantai Puteri Umno\u2019s division chief and wing exco member. Ms Nooryana is a member of the Umno Lembah Pantai division.\nUmno elections for all party posts and at all levels must be done before May 19. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/daughter-of-malaysia-s-ex-pm-najib-to-contest-for-puteri-umno-exco-seat"}, {"title": "China willing to work with Malaysia to improve Belt and Road construction, says President Xi", "text": ["\nBEIJING \u2013 China\u2019s President Xi Jinping said Malaysia and China should continuously improve their joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and promote key projects, state media reported on Friday.\nMr Xi also said China is willing to work with Malaysia, support Asean\u2019s centrality and resolutely resist a \u201cCold War mentality\u201d, CCTV reported.\n\nMalaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met Mr Xi in Beijing on Friday. REUTERS \n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-willing-to-work-with-malaysia-to-improve-belt-and-road-construction-says-president-xi"}, {"title": "Macau\u2019s 6 casino operators get licences; Malaysia\u2019s Genting is out", "text": ["\nMACAU \u2013 Macau\u2019s government said on Saturday that its six incumbent casino operators would be given new licences to operate in the world\u2019s biggest gambling hub from January, with Malaysian operator Genting missing out on a spot.   \nThe highly anticipated announcement signals stability and continuity for the Macau operators that have invested more than US$50 billion (S$69 billion) in the Chinese special administrative region in the past 20 years. \nOfficials in Macau, the world\u2019s biggest casino hub, told a news briefing that the main considerations for granting licences included ensuring local employment, developing overseas tourist markets and developing non-gaming projects.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe new licences, expected to take effect at the beginning of 2023, are allowed to carry a maximum term of 10 years, according to Macau\u2019s gaming law.\u00a0\nGenting earlier emerged as a strong contender to unseat an incumbent Macau casino operator for a new licence due to its strong non-gaming track record and mass market appeal, fitting key criteria for Beijing that is adamant that Macau diversify away from gambling and attract foreign tourists.\nThe company, headed by Malaysian Chinese billionaire Lim Kok Thay, went head to head with Sands China, Wynn Macau, Galaxy Entertainment, MGM China, Melco Resorts and SJM Holdings, which have all operated in Macau since 2002.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf any incumbents had lost, they would have had to return the casino area to the government for free at the end of 2022, making it financially unviable to operate the remaining facilities, as gambling accounts for 80 to 90 per cent of its total revenue.\n\nAnalysts have said a win by Genting would have sent tremors throughout Macau\u2019s gambling industry, as the six companies are tied closely to the economic fortunes of the city and employ tens of thousands of workers.   \nMacau, the world\u2019s biggest gaming hub by revenue, raked in US$36 billion in gambling revenues in 2019 \u2013 six times that of the Las Vegas Strip, before Covid-19 decimated it by 70 per cent to US$10.8 billion in 2021. \nThe announcement concludes a sweeping change to Macau\u2019s gambling industry that started in September 2021, when the authorities proposed new gaming regulations to strengthen government control over casino operations and crack down on junkets\u2019 role in soliciting high-rolling bettors from mainland China, where gambling remains illegal.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe law was passed in June and the bidding process for new gaming licences started at the same time, with existing ones due to expire by the end of 2022.\u00a0\u00a0\n", "\nThe decision to retain all existing operators eliminated a major uncertainty facing an industry hit by the double whammy of Covid-19-induced tourism drought and China\u2019s crackdown on high rollers to curb capital outflow.\nBy reshaping Macau\u2019s gaming landscape, Beijing is pushing the enclave to reduce its reliance on gambling and diversify into other sectors such as tourism, conferences, Chinese medicine and finance.\u00a0\nThe licence holders must prioritise the safeguarding of local employment, the development of the overseas tourism market and investment in non-gaming businesses, Secretary for Administration and Justice Cheong Weng Chon told reporters.\n\u201cThe operation and development of our gaming industry has come to a certain scale today, but there are also some problems,\u201d he said. \u201cFor example, the source of our tourists is too concentrated. It\u2019s not healthy.\u201d \nMacau relies on mainland China for the bulk of its visitors, and its tourism has been severely battered during the Covid-19 pandemic, as Beijing\u2019s zero tolerance to the virus means repeated lockdowns and visa restrictions that keep people from travelling.\nIn July, when the enclave faced its biggest outbreak, the city shut down for two weeks, leaving casinos with almost zero income.\u00a0\nWhile the final contracts will stipulate how much operators need to invest in developing the overseas market and non-gaming sectors, as well as specific projects, in a force majeure, some of the contract terms and conditions could be temporarily waived, Mr Cheong said.\u00a0\nMelco chairman Lawrence Ho said the company is committed to Macau and its development as Asia\u2019s premier tourist destination, according to a statement on Saturday.\u00a0\nSJM said in a separate statement that it is confident in Macau\u2019s long-term growth prospects and is committed to the sustainable development of the local economy. REUTERS, BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/macau-announces-new-casino-licence-winners-genting-is-out"}, {"title": "Experts call for uniform air quality indicator in Asean ahead of transboundary talks in S\u2019pore", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE -\u00a0 The need for a common indicator to track air quality in South-east Asia has become more urgent, with drier weather conditions and the likelihood of the warmer El Nino weather phenomenon developing in the coming months. \nThis call from experts comes as Singapore is set to host talks from June 7 to 8 with Asean members Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to develop a second road map for transboundary haze cooperation. \nAssociate Professor Helena Varkkey from the Department of International and Strategic Studies at Universiti Malaya described the development of a common indicator to track air quality in the region as low-hanging fruit.\n\n\n\n\n\nAsean members must agree collectively on which indicator to use, she said. \u201cThe importance is that there will be a uniform number to indicate air quality across the region, not like now, where the number for Singapore and Johor Bahru, for example, can be very different,\u201d she added. \nAs there are currently no international guidelines on how air quality indices should be computed, Asean countries have adapted different index systems based on their needs and circumstances. \nFor example, Singapore uses the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI), Malaysia has the Air Pollution Index, while Thailand uses the Air Quality Index (AQI).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis makes it incorrect to compare air quality based on one index with that calculated using another index which has a different methodology.\u00a0\n\nProf Varkkey, an expert in environmental politics and governance, is among a number of independent consultants from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia who had contributed to a review of the first road map, which focused on strategies towards attaining a haze-free South-east Asia from 2016 to 2020. \nThe review called for more coordination among countries, as well as quantifiable indicators to measure progress. \nThese indicators include a decrease in size of transboundary haze pollution area; an increase in the number of days with good or moderate air quality in terms of the PSI or AQI; and a reduction of hot spots to ensure a lower risk of transboundary haze under the Asean\u00a0standard operating procedure\u00a0(SOP) on haze.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe SOP spells out common alert levels and the corresponding actions to monitor and respond to the fire and haze situation in the region. \nBut air quality scientist Erik Velasco said the measurements in Asean countries \u201care based, to a greater or lesser extent, on the air quality index used in the United States, but each one has its peculiarities\u201d.\nIn Singapore, where the PSI is used, monitoring stations islandwide measure concentration levels of particulate matter (PM10), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and carbon monoxide. PM2.5 was the dominant pollutant during transboundary haze episodes. \nFor a 135-day period from Jan 1 to May 15, 2022, and the same period in 2023, the 24-hour PSI was in the \u201cgood\u201d to \u201cmoderate\u201d range on all days.\nBut\u00a0around the same period, lower Mekong sub-region countries\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand\u00a0\u2013\u00a0as well as Malaysia experienced\u00a0episodes of haze due to dry weather conditions and the burning of agricultural waste.\n", "\nSingapore\u2019s Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment said the meetings in June will take stock of the implementation of initiatives aimed at mitigating transboundary haze in the region. \n\u201cThese initiatives include the development of the second road map on Asean Cooperation towards Transboundary Haze Pollution Control with Means of Implementation,\u201d said a spokesman for the ministry.  \n\u201cThe road map will guide Asean\u00a0member\u00a0states in making demonstrable improvements to achieve our vision of a haze-free Asean.\u201d\nAssociate Professor Simon Tay, chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), said the first haze road map made good progress on fire prevention and implementing anti-haze regulations. But gaps remain.\u00a0  \n\u201cOne key is to work with the private sector on environmental, social and governance (issues) and bring in green finance. There needs to be a renewed road map to address set specific targets and standardised metrics across the region.\u201c  \nHe also noted that in the months leading up to the June meetings, Indonesian and Malaysian officials issued warnings about the need to keep forest and land fires in check in 2023, \u201cas we\u2019re facing drier weather in the months ahead and higher demand for plantation commodities in the wake of the pandemic\u201c. \nMr Aaron Choo, SIIA\u2019s senior assistant director of special projects and sustainability, noted that prices for certain agricultural commodities reached record levels in 2022 and remain relatively high. \n\u201cThese price signals could encourage more activity on the ground, with bad actors using fire to clear land for expansion or replanting,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd with drier conditions, the real risk is that fires burn out of control.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/experts-call-for-uniform-air-quality-indicator-in-asean-ahead-of-transboundary-talks-in-s-pore"}, {"title": "Govt open to reviving high-speed rail project without using public funds, says Malaysian transport minister", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The high-speed rail (HSR) project can continue as long as there are investments from the private sector, said transport\u00a0minister Anthony Loke.\nMr Loke said that the government is open to proposals to revive the project connecting Singapore and Kuala Lumpur without using public funds.\n\u201cWe\u2019re open to any proposals as long as there are private investments. We\u2019re not stopping it (the HSR project),\u201d he said at the Invest Malaysia event held at The St Regis hotel on Wednesday.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe minister, however, added that to date, the government has not received any complete proposal from any party despite talks pushing for the project.\n\u201cA lot of parties are talking about the project but we haven\u2019t received any complete proposal.\n\u201cThere is no timeline for the project because the agreement had been cancelled by the previous administration led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s no urgency in reaching any milestone,\u201d he added.\n\nMr Loke also said that the government is accepting new mechanisms of funding and implementation of the HSR project.\nThe HSR project was initially agreed in December 2016 bilaterally, and was to be completed by 2026 to reduce travel time between the island nation and Kuala Lumpur to 90 minutes.\nHowever, the project was put on hold in September 2018, with both sides agreeing to shelve the bilateral project worth RM110 billion (S$32.9 billion) until Dec 31, 2020.\nOn Jan 1, 2021, Malaysia and Singapore jointly announced the termination of the HSR project, as there was no agreement reached on the changes proposed by Malaysia and the agreement had expired on Dec 31, 2020.\nIn March 2021, Malaysia announced that it had paid $102.8 million to Singapore for the cost incurred by the republic for the development of HSR and the delays involved. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/government-open-to-reviving-high-speed-rail-project-without-using-public-funds-said-malaysian-transport-minister"}, {"title": "Indonesia, Malaysia agree to strengthen Asean, urge Myanmar to implement peace plans", "text": ["\nBOGOR, Indonesia - Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to continue strengthening the role that Asean plays in global affairs.\nIndonesian President Joko Widodo and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday also urged the Myanmar military to implement peace plans drawn up by the regional grouping.\n\nFollowing a meeting between the leaders at the state palace in Bogor outside Jakarta, Mr Widodo, better known as Jokowi, said: \u201cWe agreed that Asean must continue to play a central role in making the Indo-Pacific region peaceful, prosperous and stable.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOn Myanmar, Indonesia and Malaysia have the same view of the importance of implementing the Five-Point Consensus. We urge the Myanmar military junta to implement the Five-Point Consensus,\u201d he added. \nMr Widodo was referring to the peace plan drawn up in April 2021 that was intended to bring an end to the chaos following the February 2021 military coup that has killed more than 2,000 people so far.\nBoth leaders also reaffirmed the close ties between the two countries, and Datuk Seri Anwar thanked Mr Widodo for the reception he and his delegation received in Indonesia. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Malaysian Prime Minister\u2019s two-day visit to Jakarta is his first since he was sworn into office on Nov 24. He is accompanied by several ministers.\n\nMr Anwar, who arrived on Sunday, was given a 19-gun salute at the official welcoming ceremony at the palace on Monday. Mr Widodo also hosted an official banquet for Mr Anwar that day.\nState visits by new leaders in both countries are a diplomatic tradition, and Mr Anwar is the fourth Malaysian prime minister to visit Indonesia in less than five years.\nMr Widodo visited Kuala Lumpur in 2015. In turn, he received former Malaysian premiers Mahathir Mohamad in June 2018, Muhyiddin Yassin in February 2021 and Ismail Sabri Yaakob in November that year.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe two current leaders also agreed to further strengthen the protection of migrant workers.\n\u201cThe solution must be more comprehensive so that workers will be protected,\u201d said Mr Anwar, adding that both sides will ensure that employment agencies do not exploit such workers. \nMalaysia\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that in 2021, Indonesia was Malaysia\u2019s seventh-largest trading partner globally and third-largest within Asean, with trade valued at RM95.31 billion (S$29 billion). \nFor the period between January and November 2022, Indonesia was Malaysia\u2019s sixth-largest trading partner globally and the second-largest within Asean, with total trade increasing by 41.7 per cent, amounting to RM120.26 billion.\nDuring the visit, eight memorandums of understanding between the private sectors of Malaysia and Indonesia were signed, with total projects estimated to be worth RM1.16 billion.\n", "\nOn Monday, a ceremony was also held to hand over 11 letters of interest by Malaysian companies to Mr Bambang Susantono, who heads the Nusantara Capital City Authority, a special agency tasked with managing and governing Nusantara city, the future capital of Indonesia. \nMr Widodo said he welcomed these letters of interest, and added that they were in fields including health, construction, electronics and property. \nIndonesia has been courting the private sector, including foreign investors, to participate in the 466 trillion rupiah (S$40 billion) project, of which 20 per cent is expected to be covered by the state\u2019s coffers.\n\nMr Reza Widyarsa, who teaches international relations at the University of Indonesia, said there is a higher chance Malaysian investors will be interested in investing in the new capital, thanks to both countries\u2019 similar cultures.\n\u201cMalaysian investors would likely enter into agreement as they can understand Indonesia\u2019s offer better,\u201d said Mr Reza. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/indonesia-malaysia-agree-to-strengthen-asean-urge-myanmar-to-implement-peace-plans"}, {"title": null, "text": [], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/interactive-how-a-divided-malaysia-gave-rise-to-perikatan-nasional-s-teal-tsunami"}, {"title": "Malaysia confident of victory in $20.1 billion legal case, says senior minister", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Lawyers for the Malaysian government are \u201cconfident\u201d of winning a Dutch court case over a US$14.9 billion (S$20.1 billion) award against the South-east Asian nation that stems from a 19th century deal with a Philippine sultan, a senior minister has said. \nThe complex legal battle being fought in European courts is rooted in Malaysia\u2019s colonial past, and at stake are territorial claims and potentially billions of dollars worth of state assets.\nThe Malaysian government has warned that the legal action being waged by the Sultan of Sulu\u2019s descendants \u201cthreatens the sovereignty and security of the country\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\nBut in a Facebook post late on Thursday, Ms Azalina Othman Said, a minister in the Malaysian Prime Minister\u2019s department, said the lawyers were confident of victory.\n\u201cMalaysian-appointed lawyers are confident that Malaysia has a good chance of winning based on the facts and evidence that is clearly on Malaysia\u2019s side,\u201d she wrote.\nThe Sultan of Sulu once ruled over the tropical islands that are part of the southern Philippines as well as Sabah in Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOil-rich Sabah fell under the control of European colonial powers in 1878 in an agreement that saw the sultan and his descendants receive annual payments \u2013 the equivalent of around US$1,100 \u2013 that independent Malaysia continued to make after it was formed in 1963.\n\nKuala Lumpur stopped the payments in 2013 after a bloody incursion from the Sulu archipelago into Sabah, where the Philippines\u2019 has a long-dormant territorial claim.\nEight heirs of the sultan have been pursuing a claim for compensation following the cessation of payments.\nA French arbitration court in 2022 awarded US$14.9 billion against Malaysia, but a judge later issued a stay on the enforcement of the ruling while Kuala Lumpur appealed.\nLawyers for the Sultan\u2019s descendants have since petitioned The Hague Court of Appeal to allow the Paris decision to be enforced in the Netherlands, arguing the award was international and the suspension applied only to France.\nA decision is expected in the case next Tuesday.\nDatuk Seri Azalina said the Malaysian government \u201cremains committed to continuing efforts to ensure Malaysia\u2019s sovereignty is preserved in this case\u201d.\nA spokesman for the claimants said on Friday that if the court agrees with the heirs\u2019 petition, it could pave the way for the freezing of Malaysian state assets in the Netherlands worth billions of dollars.\nHe added that there were more than 160 countries where such a petition could be filed. AFP\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/malaysia-confident-of-victory-in-us149-billion-legal-case-minister"}, {"title": "Malaysia expects dry weather to be worse than in recent years", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia may experience drier weather than in recent years during the ongoing South-west Monsoon season that is set to run through September, according to the Meteorological Department, bringing little respite from the hot spell that has engulfed the country.\nThe South-east Asian nation may continue to see temperatures of up to 37 deg C for at least three straight days on less rain, the weather office said in a written response to Bloomberg News. Such conditions, characterised as a Level 1 alert by the authority, prevailed in five districts as of Thursday.\nAsia is in the grip of blistering heat over the last several weeks amid an emerging El Nino weather pattern. Temperatures soared to an all-time high in Vietnam and Laos earlier in May, while Singapore posted its highest temperature in 40 years at 37 deg C on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\nStill, strong winds and heavy rain in some parts of Malaysia will likely prevent the heat from worsening, the Met Department said. Malaysia defines a technical heat wave, or Level 2 alert, as temperatures of between 37 deg C to 40 deg C for at least three straight days.\u00a0\nMET Malaysia said \u201cthe potential to reach Level 2 (Heatwave) is small\u201d. \u201cHowever, Level 1 may happen especially in the outbacks because the days without rain outnumber days with rain.\u201d\nMalaysia has been protected from the worst of Asia\u2019s scorching temperatures due to a combination of heavy rain and wind speeds of as high as 50km per hour over the west coast of the peninsula and west of Sabah, MET Malaysia said. The country\u2019s all-time highest temperature of 40.1 deg C was recorded on April 9, 1998, during the El Nino phenomenon.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe weather office said it is still prepared for the situation to worsen, given the potential for the dry weather to lead to open burning and haze.\n\nCross-border haze may also occur on the possibility of uncontrolled open burning and less rainfall in neighbouring Indonesia, the Met Department said, as it outlined the worst-case scenario for Malaysia. Prolonged dry conditions could affect water levels in dams, while power consumption may climb on rising use of air-conditioners, it added.\nThe South-west Monsoon Season is characterised by less rainfall, more dry than rainy days, and the squall line phenomenon. The squall line brings downpours, strong winds and lightning in some parts of Malaysia in the early mornings and could last several hours. Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak is expected to be drier throughout the season, according to the weather office.\nEven so, Malaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government does not see a need to declare a heat wave emergency despite the country currently experiencing a spell of hot weather, local media reported on Tuesday.\u00a0\nThe authorities are monitoring the situation and the government may reconsider if the temperature reaches 40 deg C, Mr Zahid said after chairing the National Disaster Management Agency meeting. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/malaysia-expects-dry-weather-to-be-worse-than-in-recent-years"}, {"title": "Malaysia faces 'inconvenient truth' on clean energy goals", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Ko Chuan Zhen\u2019s passion for clean energy and climate change was first ignited by his university lecturers and watching the 2006 Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth, starring former US vice-president Al Gore.    \nMr Ko, now 39, launched himself into a career in the renewables industry about 15 years ago, working on green projects in a dozen countries before returning home to the capital Kuala Lumpur.   \nThere he teamed up with two school friends in 2012 to co-found Plus Xnergy, a company that helps homes, businesses and buildings to develop their own solar power systems or source clean energy supplies from elsewhere.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe entrepreneur \u2013 who has worked with the likes of furniture retailer Ikea, logistics giant DHL and entertainment conglomerate Sony and has developed six solar farms across Malaysia \u2013 said awareness about renewable energy among his country folk is the highest he has known.\nNonetheless, Mr Ko and other energy experts warned that Malaysia is trailing its South-east Asian neighbours on clean energy expansion, as a lack of financial incentives and investment, coupled with red tape, holds back the big projects needed for the country to meet its ambitious climate goals.\n\u201cMalaysia is considered quite average in South-east Asia,\u201d said Mr Ko in an interview with Thomson Reuters Foundation. He added that Malaysia\u2019s renewables efforts have seen \u201csteady growth but not super fast\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLike many countries in the region, Malaysia is hit regularly by the impacts of extreme weather and rising temperatures \u2013 whether choking haze linked to regional forest fires, water shortages, droughts or severe floods.\n\nFlooding that began in late 2021 caused nearly US$1.5 billion (S$1.97 billion) in losses and displaced more than 120,000 people, for example.\nIn that same year, to help tackle climate change, Malaysia \u2013 which has pledged to cut its planet-heating emissions to net zero by 2050 \u2013 set goals to source 31 per cent of its power capacity from renewables by 2025 and 40 per cent by 2035.\nThen last September, the previous government published a policy targeting a 17 per cent share for renewables in the total national energy supply by 2040.\n\n\n\n\n\nBut with renewables today accounting for only about 9 per cent of Malaysia\u2019s electricity generation capacity, the government targets seem \u201chighly unrealistic\u201d, said Mr Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, a power analyst at data company GlobalData.\nMalaysia lacks strong renewable energy policies, said Mr Saibasan, whose firm published a report on Malaysia\u2019s power sector last week.\n\u201cThere are no incentives offered to large-scale renewables,\u201d he said, adding that climate-heating coal and natural gas currently make up about 75 per cent of Malaysia\u2019s power capacity mix.\n", "\nSlow investment\nDespite expensive and deadly climate impacts and lofty clean energy targets, environmental issues did not feature in 2022\u2019s election, dominated by the economy and cost of living.\nMalaysia trails Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam in renewable power generation, said Mr Saibasan.\nThe government has struggled to attract investment in large-scale renewable energy projects due to a sluggish economy and a lack of robust policies to make clean power more attractive than fossil fuels, he added.\nMalaysia has previously provided incentives to invest in solar energy \u2013 which has the greatest potential, experts say. Other promising options for Malaysia are bioenergy sourced from the palm oil industry and hydropower.\nBut while policy encouraged initial take-up of solar, larger investments will be needed towards the end of this decade to modernise the power grid, boost energy storage and support larger-scale renewables, said Mr Joel Kwong, a partner at Boston Consulting Group in Kuala Lumpur.\nThose measures are needed because the best areas to generate solar power are in the north, while demand is concentrated further south in the industrial Klang valley, which includes the capital Kuala Lumpur, he added.\nSabah and Sarawak states on Borneo island would also benefit from greater freedom to develop their own renewable power projects, alone or with neighbouring countries, experts said.\nMalaysia\u2019s 2050 zero-emissions goal is a \u201csignificant signal of intention\u201d for a developing South-east Asian country, noted Mr Kwong. But consistent, longer-term plans to aid the expansion of renewables are needed to reach that and other targets, he added.\nMalaysia\u2019s Energy Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.\n", "\nCostly coal\nIn recent months, Indonesia and Vietnam have clinched big finance deals with rich nations to shutter coal-fired power plants early and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their power sectors.\nMr Kwong, who focuses on energy and climate, urged Malaysia to make a clear pledge to phase out coal-fired power plants.\n\u201cIt makes sense for the country because we import all our coal today, so that also improves our trade position,\u201d he added.\nMalaysia is largely reliant on Indonesia and Australia for its coal supplies.\nMr Peter Godfrey, managing director for the Asia-Pacific at the Energy Institute in Singapore, said he expects Malaysia to discuss a similar energy transition deal with donors, to accelerate coal power closures.\n\u201cRetiring modern or relatively new coal capacity is a very expensive business \u2013 because who is going to pay for it?\u201c he said.\n\u201cThe way that gets managed is not only through Malaysia but through international assistance and support, and that conversation has begun,\u201d he added.\nHowever, Malaysia\u2019s abundant natural gas supplies mean there is little urgency to meet renewable energy targets, he said, underlining the importance of efforts to reduce emissions from the natural gas industry.\n", "\nGradual green growth\nDespite the challenges Malaysia faces, more renewable energy is inevitable, said Mr Ko, the solar entrepreneur, who is positive about the country\u2019s green energy outlook.\nBusinesses have faced rising costs for labour, raw materials and energy in recent years \u2013 which switching to solar could help alleviate while also helping to narrow the \u201chuge gap to go\u201d on the country\u2019s clean energy goals, he said.\nGovernments cannot afford to continue providing large subsidies for some power users, while smaller companies doing business with major corporations are now under growing pressure to lower their emissions and go green, he added.\nMr Ko, whose company also organises free engineering workshops for students, called on banks to offer favourable lending rates to companies seeking to adopt cleaner energy.\n\u201cThere is room for local players and local government to trial and error, to learn from mistakes, to improve policies, quality of work and technologies,\u201d he said. \u201cIt can gradually grow.\u201d REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/malaysia-faces-inconvenient-truth-on-clean-energy-goals"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s coral reefs under threat as El Nino looms", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Coral reefs in Malaysia\u2019s Island Marine Parks, mainly off  the peninsula, are starting to see the onset of bleaching, a consequence of the intense heat and the rapidly warming ocean as El Nino looms. \nThe Malaysian government said it has been monitoring its coral reefs and if the sea surface temperatures remain high in the next few weeks, they will start to bleach.\n\u201cWe have noticed that the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coral Watch Programme has issued a \u2018Bleaching Watch\u2019 alert for Island Marine Park Malaysia in May 2023,\u201d Fisheries Department director-general Adnan Hussain said in a reply to queries from The Star newspaper. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis notification indicates that sea surface temperatures around Malaysia are above normal temperature of 28 deg C \u2013 29 deg C, and that coral bleaching is a possibility if conditions do not return to normal within a few weeks.\u201d \nDatuk Adnan said Malaysia had set up the Malaysian Coral Reef Bleaching Advisory Panel and the Coral Reef Bleaching Response Committee following a mass coral bleaching event in 2010. It also published the Coral Reef Bleaching Response Plan to respond to future bleaching events. \n\u201cThe Bleaching Response Committee has begun surveys of coral reefs since March 2023 to monitor the situation in the country, and track the onset of any bleaching. The current data showed that reefs in Payar Island Marine Park, Kedah; Redang Island, Terengganu; Tioman Island Marine Park, Pahang; and the Aur Island Marine Park, Johor are under thermal stress with sea surface temperature reading of 28 deg C to 29 deg C,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cA few dive sites in Tioman Island Marine Park has shown early signs of bleaching. Action plans to respond to such an event have already been prepared.\u201d\n\nParts of South-east Asia, including Malaysia, have been gripped by a heatwave, with countries charting record high temperatures like Vietnam at 44.1 deg C, Singapore at 37 deg C, and Thailand at 41 deg C. \nOn May 13, MetMalaysia issued level 1 heat wave warnings for 31 districts in the country. It was reported in April that preliminary data from the NOAA showed the average temperature at the ocean\u2019s surface has been at 21.1 deg C since the start of April \u2013 beating the previous high of 21 deg C set in 2016.\nMr Adnan said the Committee will provide further information as it becomes available, and will communicate accordingly to ensure that all stakeholders are kept fully informed of the changing situation. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Advisory Panel, which is responsible for supervising the overall implementation of the Coral Bleaching Response Plan, is represented by various relevant federal agencies, state agencies, NGOs and Local Universities. \nThe Bleaching Response Committee, which acts as a working committee to implement the response plan, is represented by the Fisheries Department, Sabah Parks, Sarawak Forestry Corporation, Reef Check Malaysia and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). \n\u201cThe Advisory Panel and the Response Committee are monitoring the situation and consulting with stakeholders to develop appropriate management responses, in order to protect Malaysia\u2019s valuable coral reefs,\u201d he said.\nCoral bleaching, Mr Adnan said, posed a major threat to the health of coral reefs and deserved serious attention due to the implications for marine biodiversity, coral reef fisheries and tourism in Malaysia. \nBleaching is a natural response of corals that are under stress, he said, adding that a sustained rise in seawater temperature is one of the most common reasons for mass coral bleaching. \n\u201cThe term \u2018mass bleaching\u2019 describes the large-scale phenomenon of many species of corals bleaching simultaneously over a significant spatial scale. The previous record of mass bleaching in Malaysia was in 2010 at the Marine Park Malaysia,\u201d he said. \u201cOur reefs suffered between 5 per cent and 10 per cent of damage during the bleaching event.\u201d\nHe said reefs in Malaysian waters had begun to recuperate to its healthy status before the 2010 bleaching event through various conservation efforts by agencies, local island communities, NGOs and corporate organisations. \nAs at May 15, the stations in Malacca Strait, Terengganu, Johor and Pahang, Sabah and Northern Borneo were all showing the orange bleaching warning on the NOAA website. The station in southern Borneo is showing the red Bleaching Alert Level 1. Also showing warning for bleaching are the stations near to Malaysia, such as those in Singapore Strait, South-western Thailand, and the waters off Brunei and Southern Philippines.\nThe NOAA\u2019s Coral Reef Watch Programme publishes satellite data on sea surface temperatures, providing an indication of current reef environmental conditions to quickly identify areas at risk of coral bleaching. Reef Check Malaysia general manager Julian Hyde said they were starting to see the onset of bleaching.\n\u201cThe first signs are apparent now \u2013 corals are paler than normal. This is the early stages of bleaching and if water temperature remains high (it is already 30-32 deg C, which is above the usual 28-29 deg C), then full bleaching could happen, possibly on a wide scale,\u201d he said in an interview.\nWhen corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as warmer water temperatures, they expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white. Prolonged bleaching can cause corals to die from starvation. Besides being an attraction for divers, coral reefs act as a habitat for many marine species. \n\u201cIf the corals die, the reef will slowly degrade and all those habitats will disappear, and the population of those other species will also decline\u201d said Mr Hyde.\nHe said its own staff were monitoring the situation closely, and it was also asking other divers to report if they see anything. \u201cRight now, all we can do is monitor how quickly bleaching happens, and then how long it lasts, and eventually whether any corals die.\u201d\nHe said in reality, bleaching cannot be stopped once it has started .\u201cWe can\u2019t do anything about the warm water. About all we can do is reduce other threats as much as possible to give coral the best chance to recover,\u201d he said. \u201cThis might include closing key reef areas to diving and snorkelling to reduce physical impacts.\u201d\nOther measures are improving waste management to reduce physical impacts from rubbish, ensuring enforcement to prevent fishing in reef areas, and controlling coral predators. \nMr Adnan said continuous monitoring of sea surface temperature at global scales provides researchers and stakeholders with tools to understand and better manage the complex interactions leading to coral bleaching. \n\u201cWhen bleaching conditions occur, these tools can be used to trigger bleaching response plans and support appropriate management decisions,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/malaysia-s-coral-reefs-under-threat-as-el-nino-looms"}, {"title": "Malaysia to lift export ban on renewable energy in accelerated transition plans", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia will lift a ban on exports of renewable energy as part of efforts to develop its clean power industry and boost generation from non-fossil fuel sources, said its economy minister on Tuesday. \nThe South-east Asian country, which currently generates just over 1 per cent of its electricity annually from renewable sources, banned its exports in October 2021 in the hope of developing the local industry. \nEconomy Minister Rafizi Ramli said reversing the ban will help firms build renewable power generation capacity on a larger scale and take advantage of high demand from neighbouring Singapore.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe creation of an electricity market system to implement cross-border renewable energy trade will put Malaysia ahead as a regional renewable energy hub,\u201d he said in a statement, adding that the system will be developed by the government at a later, unspecified date.  \nHe did not specify when the export ban would be lifted. \nMalaysia has pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions dramatically by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe International Renewable Energy Agency said in March that Malaysia will need to double its investments in renewable power capacity, infrastructure and energy efficiency to at least US$375 billion (S$498 billion) in order to achieve that ambitious target.  \n\nMr Rafizi said the government aims to increase the proportion of renewable energy supply to 70 per cent of its total capacity by 2050 in a bid to create new economic opportunities and attract foreign investment. The current installed capacity is 25 per cent of the total, he said. \nThe expanded capacity would allow surplus renewable capacity to be traded with neighbouring countries, he said. \nIncreasing renewable energy capacity will require an estimated RM637 billion (S$190 billion) in investment until the year 2050, Mr Rafizi said, including in power generation resources, grid infrastructure and energy storage capacity. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/malaysia-to-lift-export-ban-on-renewable-energy-in-accelerated-transition-plans"}, {"title": "Malaysia to meet Coldplay concert organiser over ticket scalpers", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian authorities will meet the organiser of a Coldplay concert after complaints from fans who could not get tickets for the British rock band\u2019s performance because scalpers have bought them in bulk for resale.\nThe meeting will focus on measures that can be taken by the organiser to ensure the issue does not reoccur, Bernama reported, citing Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil. The ministry will also examine legal provisions in case it needs to take action, Mr Fahmi said, according to the report.\nTickets for Coldplay\u2019s Nov 22 concert were snapped up within hours after sales began May 17, local media reported. Fans took to social media to vent their frustration, with many urging people to stop buying from scalpers, who purchase tickets in large quantities and resell them at a higher price.\n\n\n\n\n\nPrices skyrocketed after bookings opened, with the cheapest ticket \u2013 originally priced at RM228 ($67) \u2013 being sold for almost eight times more on event marketplace Viagogo, The Star newspaper reported. Official prices for the event ranged from RM228 to RM3,000.\nIn a tweet on May 17, Mr Fahmi described the ticket resale prices as \u201coutrageous\u201d and said he would discuss the issue of scalpers with Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/malaysia-to-meet-coldplay-concert-organiser-over-ticket-scalpers"}, {"title": "Malaysian police seek eyewitnesses to accident in Johor that killed Singapore-bound couple", "text": ["\nThe Malaysian police are appealing for eyewitnesses to assist in investigations into an accident last Thursday that killed a Malaysian couple who were on their way to Singapore for work.\nThe Johor police issued a statement last Saturday for eyewitnesses to contact Inspector Muhammad Hafizuddin Hamdan on +60185779391 over the accident that resulted in the death of Mr Low Kim Cheong, 36, and his pregnant wife Tan Lay Ru, 30.\nThe couple were on a motorcycle on the Bukit Indah Highway in Malaysia, heading towards the Tuas checkpoint, when the accident happened between 6am and 7am. Both were pronounced dead on the spot. \n\n\n\n\n\nMs Tan was due to give birth to a boy in May this year. The couple left behind a son, aged about three years.\nMs Tan\u2019s elder sister, business owner Tan Lay Khim, told The Straits Times that the family suspected that another vehicle was involved in the accident.\nThe 38-year-old said: \u201cWe are appealing for eyewitness accounts. After looking at the motorcycle, we believe there might be a possibility that the motorcycle might have come into contact with another vehicle.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Low and Ms Tan were buried on Sunday at the Chaah Chinese cemetery in Johor, she added. \n\nThe couple\u2019s son is currently under the care of Mr Low\u2019s family.  \nBoth Mr Low and Ms Tan\u2019s families told ST that they are keen to care for the boy in the long term. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/malaysian-police-seek-eyewitnesses-for-accident-in-johor-that-killed-singapore-bound-couple"}, {"title": "PM Lee and Malaysian PM Anwar reaffirm close ties on sidelines of Boao forum in China", "text": ["\nBOAO, Hainan - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday reaffirmed the close ties shared by both countries at a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in Hainan, China. \nDuring the meeting, the two leaders reviewed the progress both countries have made in bilateral cooperation, following Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s visit to Singapore in January. It was Mr Anwar\u2019s first visit to the Republic after he was sworn in as Malaysia\u2019s 10th prime minister in November 2022. \nPM Lee and Mr Anwar had witnessed then the signing of three agreements for Malaysia and Singapore to\u00a0strengthen bilateral cooperation and jointly seize opportunities in the digital economy and green economy. The countries also agreed to work closely on data protection and cyber security.\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter the bilateral meeting on Thursday, Mr Anwar posted on Facebook saying that he hopes the close relationship between Singapore and Malaysia will become stronger. PM Lee also posted on Facebook that he had a fruitful catch-up with Mr Anwar.  \n", "\nPM Lee, who arrived in Beijing on Thursday evening and was welcomed by Vice-Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, added that he was glad to see fellow leaders and friends, including Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Boao Forum for Asia chairman Ban Ki-moon, at the annual conference.\nHe added that he is looking forward to meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping to deepen bilateral ties and cooperation between Singapore and China. PM Lee and Mr Xi are expected to meet on Friday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nBefore his flight to Beijing, PM Lee had a separate meeting with Mr Feng Fei, Communist Party chief of Hainan, where they discussed economic developments in Singapore and Hainan, and explored collaboration opportunities. They also discussed having Singapore as a launch pad for companies in Hainan to venture into South-east Asia, in a move to increase economic exchanges. \n\nPM Lee, along with Mr Anwar and other leaders who spoke at the Boao plenary, also attended a lunch hosted by Premier Li.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/pm-lee-and-malaysian-pm-anwar-reaffirm-close-ties-at-sidelines-of-boao-forum-for-asia-in-china"}, {"title": "12 S\u2019poreans in tourist van injured in four-vehicle accident in Johor", "text": ["\nTwelve Singaporeans were injured, one of them seriously, when the tourist van they were travelling in were involved in a four-vehicle pile-up in Johor, Malaysia. \nMalaysian police said the accident took place at 5.15pm on Sunday, southbound along the North-South Expressway.\nAn express bus carrying 28 passengers collided with the tourist van as well as two sports utility vehicles (SUVs).\n\n\n\n\n\nInitial investigation by the police revealed that the bus was on its way to Johor Bahru from Melaka when the accident occurred.\n\u201cThe bus was on the left lane of the expressway when it hit the tour van, which was in front of it. \n\u201cThe van then rammed into the back of an SUV, which then collided into another SUV,\u201d Muar district police chief Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz told the Malaysian media.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said the driver of the express bus was slightly injured in the collision. All his passengers were not injured. \n\n\u201cIn addition, a total of 11 tourists from Singapore suffered minor injuries while another was seriously injured,\u201d said Mr Raiz.\n\n\u201cThe van driver did not suffer any injuries. However, the driver of one of the SUVs was also injured.\u201d\n\nPagoh Fire and Rescue Services chief Mohd Fadli Ismail told Malaysian newspaper Berita Harian that his team helped to extricate four victims who were trapped in the van. \nAll the injured were sent to the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar.\n\nThe police are investigating the accident, and the bus driver was made to undergo a urine test to check his blood alcohol level.  \nIn response to The Straits Times\u2019 query, Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said it is in contact with and assisting the affected Singaporeans and their families.\n\u201cA team from the Singapore Consulate-General in Johor Bahru travelled to the hospital to render consular assistance and support to the injured and their families. \n\u201cWe wish the injured a smooth and speedy recovery,\u201d a MFA spokesman said. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/12-s-poreans-in-tourist-van-injured-in-four-vehicle-accident-in-johor"}, {"title": "$185b scandal: Serious procedural breaches during Muhyiddin administration, says PM Anwar", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR -Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday said the Ministry of Finance has flagged \u201cserious procedural breaches\u201d in the spending of RM600 billion (S$185.29 billion) on several projects during Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s term as premier, adding that the mark-ups were \u201ctoo high\u201d and handed over to \u201cspecific parties\u201d.\nThe Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, who is also Finance Minister, said the excessive procurements have resulted in \u201cthose parties spending extravagantly\u201d.\nTaking a veiled jab at those who criticised kleptocracy but were not \u201cclean\u201d themselves, Datuk Seri Anwar told reporters:\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt is interesting that those who have been using \u2018kleptocracy\u2019 as criticism are themselves very much compromised. (There are many) big dealings benefiting their sons or children or in-laws.\u201d\n\u201cI must remind them, if you really want to get to the bottom of it (corruption), you must be prepared to be truly transparent and be investigated,\u201d he added.\nMr Anwar said he would leave the matter to the Cabinet to decide, adding that there was no discussion on the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to probe the issue.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDenying the allegation, Tan Sri Muhyiddin said he\u00a0has never pocketed\u00a0or misused any funds meant to help the people. Even if he did, he said investigations would have started a long time ago. \n\n\u201cSuch a large sum of funds would definitely not have gone unnoticed by the National Audit Department (JAN) which audits government spending annually, of which the report is then presented by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Parliament,\u201d he said in a Facebook post.\n\u201cIt\u2019s very unlikely that both JAN and PAC somehow overlooked such a large amount. Bank Negara would also definitely have been alerted if my bank account were to suddenly receive such a large sum of money as some have claimed,\u201d he said, referring to the central bank.\nMr Muhyiddin added that the government should stop pointing the finger at others and start looking into solving people\u2019s problems.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cYou are the government, so act like a government,\u201d said the chairman of Perikatan Nasional (PN).\nPreviously, Mr Anwar had consistently challenged PN leaders, especially Mr Muhyiddin, to declare their assets as he has, in a bid to foster transparency and fight corruption.\nBut this was met with resistance, with PN ally Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) president Abdul Hadi Awang calling it \u201cstupid\u201d.\nOn Nov 25, PN officially decided to be an opposition bloc and play the role of \u201ccheck and balance\u201d on the new administration. \nMr Anwar and Mr Muhyiddin, both 75, had earlier been in a deadlock and unable to gather the 112 MPs needed for a simple majority in the legislature.\n", "\nOn Monday, Mr Anwar also implied that part of the election funds used by PN came from gaming companies involved in special draws.\n\u201c(I have asked for) checks on that.  Whether you call yourself a Malay party or Islamic party, notwithstanding, the (election) funds came from gaming companies,\u201d the Prime Minister said.\nMr Anwar had previously condemned PN for increasing the frequency\u00a0of special draws from eight per year to 22, a decision made in late 2020 during the Muhyiddin administration.\nAs Finance Minister, Mr Anwar said he decided that the number of special draws would be back to eight per year starting from January 2023.\n\u201cWe have taken such a measure as we have no intention of collecting funds from \u2018haram\u2019 (forbidden) sources,\u201d he said. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/185b-scandal-serious-procedural-breaches-during-muhyiddin-administration-says-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "1MDB fraud mastermind Jho Low reportedly hiding in Macau", "text": ["\nMalaysia\u2019s anti-graft regulator has confirmed that it suspects alleged 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fraud mastermind Jho Low is hiding in the Chinese special administrative region of Macau.\nIn a written reply to the Al Jazeera media network, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said that it \u201cbelieves the individuals wanted for the 1MDB case, especially Jho Low, are hiding in Macau\u201d, adding that it was confirmed by \u201cseveral individuals who have seen Jho Low in Macau\u201d. \nMalaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the law minister in his Cabinet, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, have previously said the government is working with other countries on bringing the fugitive businessman back to the country.  As the alleged mastermind behind the 1MDB corruption case, Low is wanted by the authorities globally and his arrest is viewed to herald the denouement of the Malaysian scandal described by the US Justice Department as the biggest case of kleptocracy it has investigated.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe scandal first came to light in 2015 when the Wall Street Journal and Sarawak Report said nearly US$700 million (S$950 million) was suspected to have been taken from 1MDB and deposited into then Prime Minister Najib Razak\u2019s personal bank account.\nNajib, who launched 1MDB in 2009 for strategic investments, began serving a 12-year jail sentence in August 2022 after he was found guilty of graft tied to a 1MDB subsidiary. Low was said to be an adviser to Najib.\nLow now\u00a0faces separate federal criminal charges for allegedly embezzling US$4.5 billion from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund, which is now insolvent.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe US Federal Bureau of Investigation also accused Low of stealing US$1.4 billion from bond transactions that Goldman Sachs Group helped facilitate for 1MDB.\u00a0\n\nThe MACC had issued an Interpol Red Notice and arrest warrant against the Penang-born Low, after he was in 2018 charged in absentia for money laundering.\nThe revelation of Low\u2019s whereabouts in the Qatar-based news network\u2019s report on Tuesday also corroborates images surfaced by former Wall Street Journal reporter Tom Wright in September 2022 of Low being spotted in Macau with a Chinese handler.\n", "\nIn April, Mr Wright and Mr Bradley Hope, co-authors of the Billion Dollar Whale book documenting Low\u2019s role in the 1MDB case, also revealed that Malaysia\u2019s government had been working on a deal with China to repatriate the Malaysian ahead of Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s March visit to China.\nThe Cyprus Mail reported on May 18 that the European country had revoked Low\u2019s Cypriot citizenship, awarded in 2015.  \nIn March, Kuwait also sentenced the fugitive financier to 10 years\u2019 imprisonment in absentia for money laundering.\nLow captured international media attention as the \u201cAsian Great Gatsby\u201d after throwing lavish parties and romancing supermodels with diamonds worth millions of dollars, allegedly siphoned off 1MDB funds. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/1mdb-fraud-mastermind-jho-low-hiding-in-macau-says-malaysia-s-anti-corruption-body-in-report"}, {"title": "2 members of Muhyiddin\u2019s party charged with graft; more charges expected on Wednesday", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Two members of the party led by Malaysia\u2019s former premier Muhyiddin Yassin were charged on Tuesday with corruption and solicitation totalling at least RM7.4 million\u00a0(S$2.23 million), and are purportedly set to face new charges related to the Jana Wibawa initiative on Wednesday. \nParti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan on Tuesday claimed trial to two charges, which were read out at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court before Judge Azura Alwi. One charge is over allegedly accepting RM6.9 million in bribes from a firm in relation to the Jana Wibawa initiative. The second charge the Tasek Gelugor MP faces is over allegedly soliciting from the same firm an unspecified amount for a road project worth RM232 million under the same initiative. \nJana Wibawa was a programme to help bumiputera, or Malay-Muslim, contractors during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was conceived by former finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who is now International Trade and Industry Minister. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe initiative became embroiled in controversy after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said costs were too high for some projects and that some of them had been approved without going through a tender process. \nOn Tuesday, Judge Azura set bail at RM400,000 for all the charges and ordered Wan Saiful to surrender his passport and report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters every two months until the case concludes.  \nIf convicted, the accused faces up to 20 years\u2019 jail and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAmong Bersatu top guns who were in the courtroom were Tan Sri Muhyiddin, its president, and opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin. \n\nAdam Radlan Adam Muhammad, who is also Segambut Bersatu division deputy chief, was charged in a separate courtroom over allegedly soliciting 3.5 per cent to 7 per cent of the overall worth of a project linked to the Jana Wibawa programme from a managing director of a contracting firm, MIE Infrastructure and Energy, and receiving RM500,000 in bribes from the same man. \nIn response to the charges, Mr Muhyiddin said a \u201cselective prosecution\u201d is being carried out against the Bersatu leadership, claiming that Umno president Zahid Hamidi had \u201chinted at it\u201d.  \n\u201cI feel sad because this is the first time Bersatu has been taken to court. If you remember the statement made by the Umno president, he said there will be a new court cluster. That is like something planned from the beginning,\u201d he told reporters outside court.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAs Bersatu president, I think this is planned. The intentions are definitely not good, and we have filed a police report on Feb 15 on 11 matters, which I think are quite serious, related to the current government.\u201d \nWan Saiful said in a press conference: \u201cThe charges against me are just the government\u2019s way of diverting attention from their failure. They\u2019re trying to cover it up with a non-existent case.\u201d\nOn Monday, he was summoned to the MACC, where he was held for the night to be taken to court on Tuesday, while Adam was asked to be present in court. \nA source familiar with Adam\u2019s case told The Straits Times on Tuesday that\u00a0Adam will face new charges related to Jana Wibawa at the Shah Alam High Court on Wednesday.\nAdam\u2019s new charges are related to him allegedly soliciting and accepting two bribes of RM2 million and RM2.1 million linked to the programme.\nThe source said: \u201cThese new charges of Mr Adam\u00a0involve different transactions involving different parties. The charges would be read out at Shah Alam High Court because the alleged crimes were committed in Selangor.\u201d\nAdam is also a council member of the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Charity Golf Foundation.\nIn the course of investigating allegations that Bersatu had received funds from contractors chosen for the Jana Wibawa programme during Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s tenure, the MACC froze the party\u2019s accounts.\nLast Thursday, Mr Muhyiddin was called in by the MACC for questioning over the Jana Wibawa case. But he said on Sunday that he was there as a witness, not a suspect.\nHe said he was clueless as to why he had become the target of such accusations, and vowed legal action against those who insinuate that he is corrupt.\n", "\nHe reiterated that he did not take a single cent from the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines during his tenure as prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021. Datuk Seri Anwar had earlier commented on irregularities discovered in the procurement of the vaccines. This will be among issues included in a White Paper to be tabled by Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa in the\u00a0Parliament in the middle of 2023.\nIn a separate update, Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said said Jana Wibawa involved 56 projects that were issued letters of acceptance, for a total project value of RM6.3 billion. She said a few of these letters of acceptance involved family members of top leaders from a \u201ccertain political party\u201d. \nIf the allegations are convincingly backed by evidence during the trial, some political observers believe the Muhyiddin-led Perikatan Nasional (PN) would lose its moral high ground and any backing for claiming to be a \u201cclean and stable\u201d alternative to Umno. \nProfessor Wong Chin Huat, a political scientist at Sunway University, told ST: \u201cAt best, PN can try to sling mud on Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN), hoping to convince the middle-ground voters \u2013 especially ethnic Malays \u2013 that all parties are equally dirty; but it would lose the commanding appeal to swing anti-establishment voters.\n\u201cHowever, should the case be handled poorly by the prosecution or some case of corruption implicating PH or BN get let off by the Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers, this would be widely perceived to be a political witch-hunt. Then sympathy votes would swing towards PN. The second possibility is what PN is hoping for.\u201d\nProfessor James Chin from the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania said it would be a double-edged sword for both parties to use the graft charges levelled upon their leaders\u00a0in the upcoming state elections.  \nMalaysia is expected to hold state elections in six states in 2023. \n\u201cBN will play up Bersatu\u2019s alleged corruption, but since the trial has not concluded yet, it\u2019s difficult for them to use it as a weapon as PN, too, can use Zahid\u2019s graft charges when they campaign,\u201d he told ST.\nDeputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi, who is BN president, is facing dozens of charges. He has been accused of receiving bribes to extend a contract given to private company Ultra Kirana to operate a one-stop visa processing centre service in China for foreign workers, as well as the wider visa system involving the Home Ministry.\n\nAdditional reporting by Zunaira Saieed\n\nThis article has been updated to state that only Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad will face new charges related to Jana Wibawa on Wednesday. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/2-members-of-party-led-by-former-malaysia-premier-muhyiddin-charged-with-graft"}, {"title": "2 Malaysian teens arrested over viral TikTok rant about questions on S\u2019pore in history exam", "text": ["\nTwo teenagers in Malaysia were arrested in connection with a viral TikTok video that showed them complaining about a secondary school history exam paper \u2013 and their frustration that questions about Singapore were included \u2013 using what police said were \u201cabusive words\u201d.\nThe boys from Hulu Selangor are both 18 years old.\nThey were arrested after a teacher filed a report, said Hulu Selangor district police chief Superintendent Suffian Abdullah in a statement on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe teacher complained about a video the pair had posted online that went viral. It shows them \u201cuttering abusive words as they were allegedly dissatisfied\u201d with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) paper.\nSPM, or the Malaysian Certificate of Education, is a national exam taken by all Form 5 students in Malaysia. It is the equivalent of the GCE O-level examinations in Singapore.\nIn the video, one teen can be seen swearing and making an obscene gesture while mocking questions about Singapore\u2019s history, saying these were not relevant to Malaysians.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cTo those who made this SPM history paper, what about Singapore? People don\u2019t read about Singapore,\u201d he can be heard saying. \n\n\u201cThis Singapore! You think I care about Singapore? Even for water, they use Malaysia\u2019s. Suddenly you come up with Singapore.\n\u201cAnd then with nationalism, the Constitution, making me tired reading about it, but it didn\u2019t make it (in the exam).\u201d\nThe two teens apologised in a later video.\nSupt Suffian said the mobile phone that was said to have been used by the two boys had been confiscated. \u201cA screening test found that both suspects were negative for drugs, in addition to having no previous criminal records,\u201d he added.\n\u201cThe case is being investigated in accordance with Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1995 and Section 233 of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act 1998.\u201d\n", "\nA group of human rights lawyers condemned what it said was the heavy-handed way the two boys were treated.\n\nLawyers for Liberty (LFL) said the manner in which the two were arrested was \u201cshocking\u201d, as they sought an explanation from Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.\n\n\u201cWe are deeply concerned that the actions of the police in this case will strike a chill in (the minds of) parents all across the country if left unaddressed and unrebuked,\u201d the group said in a statement.\nLFL said the police might have gone too far in raiding the boys\u2019 home in Hulu Selangor, and then making the two take a drug test. \u201cThis would have caused extreme trauma to them and their family, and all this over a video where they vented their frustrations on their SPM history paper,\u201d it said.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/2-teens-in-malaysia-arrested-after-viral-tiktok-rant-about-s-pore-questions-in-history-exam"}, {"title": "$20m worth of smuggled wildlife, contraband seized in Malaysia this year", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - More than RM64million (S$20 million) worth of smuggled wildlife and contraband were seized in Malaysia following 35 raids conducted nationwide this year.\nRoyal Malaysian Police Secretary Datuk Noorsiah Mohd Saaduddin said the Wildlife Crime Bureau (WCB) under the Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department (KDNKA)\u00a0detained 88 individuals during the operation held from Jan 1 until Jan 20.\nThose detained were 73 locals and 15 foreigners.\n\n\n\n\n\nDatuk Noorsiah said the police through the KDNKA would continue to work together with other enforcement agencies to combat the smuggling of contraband and other crimes.\n\u201cWe also encourage the cooperation of the public in supplying relevant information so that we can take action,\u201d she said.\nThe WCB was set up to provide a more effective impact in the war against wildlife crimes like poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani had previously said the creation of the bureau will enable investigations related to offences against wildlife and nature to be coordinated and supervised properly from Bukit Aman.\n\nWhile the bureau would be in Bukit Aman, it will also cover Sabah and Sarawak.\nThe WCB is tasked with investigating illegal hunting and trade of exotic wildlife and protected flora, among others.\nOps Bersepadu Khazanah, which was launched on Sept 3, 2019, has been successful in preserving the country\u2019s flora and fauna.\nAgencies involved included the police, Customs Department and the Wildlife and National Parks Department. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/20m-worth-of-smuggled-wildlife-contraband-seized-in-malaysia-this-year"}, {"title": "3 days of max 37 deg C temperature classified as heatwave in Malaysia: Health Department", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU \u2013 The Malaysian authorities are urging the public to drink more water, keep cool and cut down on outdoor activities during this hot season.\nThe Sabah Health Department said a heatwave is a period of time where the temperature exceeds the normal maximum average.\nIn Malaysia, it is classified as a heatwave when the average daily maximum temperature exceeds 37 deg C for three consecutive days, said the department.\n\n\n\n\n\nSuch conditions usually occur in March and April.\nThe department said that among other things, the public should use umbrellas or caps when outdoors and drink lots of water.\nPeople are also encouraged to wear light-coloured and thinner clothing and reduce the intake of caffeine or alcohol during this period.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDuring a heatwave, the risk of haze also increases \u2013 especially when open burning is not prevented, said the department, which urged the public to stop open-burning practices.   \n\nThose affected by long-term haze could suffer from itchy and painful throats that lead to coughing, runny nose and sneezing, difficulty in breathing, painful and watery eyes, itchy skin and chest pains.    \nThe public is advised to keep tabs on daily weather conditions and live their daily lives according to safety and health guidelines during this spell of hot weather. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/3-days-of-max-37-c-temperature-classified-as-heat-wave-in-malaysia-health-department"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s new Cabinet sworn in after appointment as ministers", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s new Cabinet ministers have been sworn in at the National Palace on Saturday, following their appointment in the Cabinet under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.\nThey took their oath of office before the Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah.\nThe Cabinet has 28 members including Datuk Seri Anwar and two Deputy Prime Ministers, Barisan Nasional (BN) chief Zahid Hamidi and Gabungan Parti Sarawak leader Fadillah Yusof. \n\n\n\n\n\nPM Anwar is also the Finance Minister, Zahid is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, and Datuk Seri Fadillah has extra responsibilities as the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister.\nOn Saturday morning, four new senators were sworn in at Parliament following their appointment into the Cabinet.\nThey took their oath of office before Parliament president Rais Yatim: Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail who will lead the Home Ministry and Tengku Zafrul Tengku Aziz who was appointed as International Trade and Industry Minister.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAlso taking the oath of office as senators were BN secretary-general Zambry Abd Kadir who will helm the Foreign Ministry and Chief Judge of the Syariah Court Mohd Na\u2019im Mokhtar who was appointed Religious Affairs Minister.\n\n", "\nDatuk Seri Saifuddin, Datuk Seri Zambry and Datuk Mohd Na\u2019im are new members of the Senate, or Upper House of Parliament, while Mr Zafrul\u2019s position is a re-appointment following the consent of the King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah. \nIn his speech at the ceremony, Tan Sri Rais called on all senators to re-examine the list of collective tasks for their respective Key Performance Indicators beginning 2023.\n\u201cLet\u2019s reinvigorate the proposed parliamentary institutional reform to fulfil the responsibilities entrusted to us,\u201d said Mr Rais, who congratulated the senators on their appointment.\nHe also congratulated Datuk Seri Anwar on his appointment as the 10th Prime Minister on Nov 24.\n\u201cHopefully Malaysia will continue to move forward under Anwar\u2019s administration,\u201d he said.\n\nDr Rais also conveyed his appreciation to former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/4-new-malaysian-senators-sworn-in-following-appointment-as-cabinet-ministers"}, {"title": "40 luxury handbags linked to 1MDB being auctioned off, says Malaysia\u2019s Law Minister", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Some 40 luxury handbags linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) that are worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit are being auctioned off, says Malaysian Law and Institutional Reform Minister Azalina Othman Said.\nShe said the government, through the Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers, has filed an application for the forfeiture of assets in relation to the misappropriation of 1MDB funds.  \n\u201cSo far, the assets seized by the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which have been forfeited, include 40 high-end handbags estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit,\u201d Datuk\u00a0Seri\u00a0Azalina said in a parliamentary written reply to MP Lim Lip Eng.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Lim had asked details about the total amount and type of assets resulting from the misappropriation of funds from 1MDB.\n\u201cCash amounting to RM66.96 million (S$19 million) seized by the police has been deposited into a special trust account under the Finance Ministry, while an estimated RM16.06 million seized by the MACC has been transferred to the government\u2019s revenue account.\n\u201cThe 40 handbags are in the process of being auctioned,\u201d Ms Azalina added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn 2018, police confiscated several boxes of designer bags from an apartment in Pavilion Residences in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. They included the 40 luxury bags.\n\nThe items seized were linked to former prime minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/40-luxury-handbags-linked-to-1mdb-being-auctioned-off-says-malaysia-s-law-minister"}, {"title": "5 Malaysian immigration officers arrested for alleged migrant smuggling", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s anti-corruption watchdog has arrested nine suspects, including five enforcement officers, for allegedly smuggling migrants into Malaysia via Sabah, Bernama reported on Saturday.\n\nThe five officers \u2013 two of them women \u2013 were arrested on Thursday evening in a joint operation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the National Registration Department (JPN), Bernama reported, citing a statement issued on Saturday by the MACC.\n\nThey were between 30 and 41 years old.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe four other suspects \u2013 three men and a woman, aged between 37 and 43 \u2013 were said to be working as agents for Indonesian workers.\nBernama reported that the suspects were allegedly charging illegal immigrants about RM2,500 (S$755) each for passage from Sabah to Kuala Lumpur using stolen identities.\nThe victims were given boarding passes based on the names stated in the MyKads given to them.  Enforcement officers who were purportedly in on the scam would escort them at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe MACC\u2019s investigation showed that the syndicate had been operating since 2018, and had been able to smuggle from five to 20 illegal immigrants per flight via KLIA.\n\n\nThe commission also confiscated mobile phones, Malaysian identity cards and Sabah exit stamps, and arrested 12 illegal immigrants, Bernama reported.\n\n", "\nThe Immigration Department, in a separate statement, confirmed that five of its officers in Sabah were arrested by the MACC on Thursday.\nDirector-General Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said the department was leaving the matter to the MACC to investigate and would extend its cooperation to ensure a transparent and fair investigation.\n\n\u201cThe Immigration Department will not compromise on any of its officers who commit integrity violations as these tarnish the good name and image of the department,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cWe will not protect those involved. Serious action and punishment will be taken, including dismissal, against those involved,\u201d he added.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/5-malaysian-immigration-officers-arrested-for-alleged-migrant-smuggling"}, {"title": "Six Malaysian states issued with 24-hour flash flood warning", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Six states in Peninsular Malaysia are at risk of being hit by flash floods within the next 24 hours, if they are hit by thunderstorms amid the current rainy season.\nThe National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, a unit within the Irrigation and Drainage Department, said the affected states are Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak and Selangor, Bernama news agency reported.\nIn a notice issued at 5pm on Monday, the centre detailed several districts which are at risk of flash floods in these states. In Johor, they included townships in Tangkak, Batu Pahat, Kota Tinggi, Muar and Pontian, with river levels expected to rise.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe notice of preparedness was issued to raise alert levels of residents around these areas, the centre said in a statement as quoted by the news agency.\nEarlier on Monday, Malaysian Meteorological Department said several parts of five states were expected to receive continuous rain until Wednesday: Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Sarawak and Sabah. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/5-states-in-malaysia-to-experience-continuous-rain-until-wednesday"}, {"title": "5 things to know about Malaysia\u2019s Conference of Rulers", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, met his fellow rulers at a specially convened gathering at the national palace on Thursday. \nSultan Abdullah had sought opinions on the impasse in the formation of a federal government following the Nov 19 General Election.\nHere are five things to know about the Conference of Rulers.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat it is\nThe Conference of Rulers is a council comprising the nine rulers of the Malay states of Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Johor, and Perak, and the governors of the other four states, Penang, Melaka, Sabah and Sarawak. However, today\u2019s special meeting was attended by only the nine Malay rulers, sometimes referred to as the Conference of Malay Rulers.\nHow it works\nThe sultans are the hereditary Malay rulers and the heads of Islam in their respective nine Malay-majority states. As the titular heads of their states, they perform largely ceremonial roles, but in recent years have had to intervene in the political crises that have taken place since Feb 2020, as an independent body that can provide a check-and-balance role against the government and Parliament.\nUnder the Federal Constitution, the Conference of Rulers has been vested with a number of key constitutional functions, including veto power over some constitutional amendments, the right to be consulted on some key government appointments and the right to deliberate on national policies, including matters relating to Islam and Malay privileges. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe governors of the other states do not participate when the Conference of Rulers meets to decide matters related to the election or removal of the king or his deputy; those related to privileges of the Malay rulers; and those related to the observance of Islam.\n\nHow it has acted in past key events \nIn February 2020, the Conference of Rulers met the King to discuss the political crisis following former premier Mahathir Mohamad\u2019s shock resignation. The King appointed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin after a week-long political impasse. \nIn June 2021, Sultan Abdullah again convened the Conference of Rulers amid public discontent over the government\u2019s handling of the Covid-19 crisis during an ongoing state of emergency.\nA few weeks later in August, a special meeting of the Malay rulers was held after the King met all the Members of Parliament to verify their support for Barisan Nasional\u2019s (BN) Ismail Sabri Yaakob as prime minister, after several BN MPs withdrew support for Mr Muhyiddin.\n\n\n\n\n\nHow it helped to resolve the current crisis\nSultan Abdullah met his fellow rulers at a special gathering of the Conference of Rulers at the national palace on Thursday to seek the opinions of the rulers on the impasse in the formation of a federal government. \nThe monarch had been trying to put up a unity government comprising Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) but had failed prior to the meeting. \nPH, led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, won 82 parliamentary seats and PN, led by Mr Muhyiddin, won 73 seats. \nA minimum of 112 seats are needed to win control of the 222-strong Parliament.  \n", "\nThe influence it has on Malaysian politics \nThe top leadership of the former ruling Umno agreed on Thursday to the decree of Sultan Abdullah to form a unity government, which brought Mr Anwar one step closer to the premiership that he has waited for for nearly 25 years. \nMr Muhyiddin, however, said he had turned down an offer from the King for PN and PH to work together in forming a unity government. \nIt was hoped that Thursday\u2019s meeting would bring clarity on who will lead the next government.\nMr Muhyiddin had previously clashed with the palace in 2021 over the revocation of emergency ordinances. \nMalaysia\u2019s politicians are normally wary of courting potential accusations of treason against the rulers, who are revered by the Malay Muslim majority as guardians of their ethnic and religious interests. \nPN, in a U-turn on Thursday, said it had agreed to consider the suggestion of forming a unity government for the sake of national stability.\nAt around 1.30pm, following the special meeting of the Conference of the Malay Rulers, the palace issued a statement declaring Mr Anwar as the country\u2019s 10th prime minister. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/5-things-to-know-about-malaysia-s-conference-of-rulers"}, {"title": "6-year-old boy in Langkawi crashes parents\u2019 car while driving it to buy a toy car", "text": ["\nA six-year-old boy in Langkawi wanting to buy a toy car sneaked out of the house with his younger brother on Tuesday night and drove his parents\u2019 car to get to the shop. \nHe travelled about 2.5km before he lost control of the vehicle and crashed it into a lamp post near Kampung Titi Chanwang.\nThe boy suffered a cut on his chin, while his brother, aged three, was unharmed. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe car suffered damage to its bonnet.\nFacebook user Muhamad Haji Noh, who witnessed the accident and posted a video about it online, pursued the car the children were in, thinking it was a case of drink driving.\nHe can be heard in the video saying: \u201cThe driver grazed my car near Ulu Melaka. We thought it was a drunk driver, so we gave chase. Where are his parents?\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe older boy said repeatedly to Mr Haji that he wanted to go to a shop and buy a black toy car. \n\nMr Haji responded with disbelief, saying, \u201cWho drove the car? This little boy drove the car?\u201d\nLangkawi police chief Shariman Ashari said the district\u2019s traffic police were alerted to the accident at 11.15pm. \n\u201cBased on investigations, the boy from Kampung Padang Mengkuang was driving the car without his parents\u2019 knowledge before it crashed by the roadside in Jalan Bukit Tangga,\u201d said Assistant Commissioner Shariman. \nHe added that the boys left their home while their father was asleep and their mother was using the toilet. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/6-year-old-boy-in-langkawi-crashes-parents-car-while-driving-it-to-buy-a-toy-car"}, {"title": "60 people evacuated in Taiping flood", "text": ["\nIPOH - A total of 60 people from 14 families were evacuated to a relief centre after their houses were affected due to rising floodwaters in Taiping, Perak, on Saturday night.\nA spokesman for District Disaster Management Committee said in a statement that the relief centre was opened at 9.12 pm at the Sungai Relong community hall to house flood victims from Kampung Sungai Relong and Kampung Baru Batu 5.\n\u201cThe flood was the result of continuous heavy rain which lasted for two hours and involved low-lying housing areas,\u201d it said, adding that it is not raining now, and several agencies and rescue teams have been deployed at the respective locations.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, eight victims were stranded in Gunung Liang, Tanjung Malim, while hiking.\nA Perak Fire and Rescue Department spokesman, in a statement, said the department had deployed a team from the Tanjung Malim Fire and Rescue Station to the location after receiving an emergency call at 5.35 pm.   \nHe added that the victims managed to come down safely with the help of the firemen as well as the Slim Village Volunteer Fire Brigade at 9.35 pm. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/60-people-evacuated-in-taiping-flood"}, {"title": "7 killed in Genting tourist van crash", "text": ["\nGENTING HIGHLANDS - Seven people have died while seven others suffered injuries after a chartered van crashed into a concrete divider on its way down the winding roads on Genting Highlands on Wednesday. \nPahang police chief Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said 12 female passengers and two male drivers were in the tourist van when the accident took place at around 1.15pm. \nHe said six of them died at the scene. Co-driver Chang Them Kong, 70, was among six victims who were taken to Hospital Kuala Lumpur but later died due to his injuries. \n\n\n\n\n\nTwo others were taken to Bentong Hospital for medical treatment but were later transferred to Temeloh Hospital.\n\u201cThey were on their way down from Genting Highlands when the driver failed to negotiate a sharp corner and crashed into the divider,\u201d the police chief said.\nHe also urged witnesses to come forward and assist in further investigations. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe also want to remind motorists to always be cautious and courteous and ensure their vehicles are well maintained before taking to the roads,\u201d he said. \n\nPahang Fire and Rescue Department director Wan Mohammad Zaidi Wan Isa told Bernama that the van passengers were a group of tourists from Kulim, Kedah. \n", "\nTransport Minister Anthony Loke said he was very saddened by the incident as he conveyed his condolences to the next of kin of the victims.\n\u201cI have instructed the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) and the Road Transport Department (JPJ) to look into the company behind the service,\u201d he said at a press conference on Wednesday.\nHe also asked the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research to look into the factors behind the crash. \u201cWe need to take note of the lessons from this to avoid a recurrence,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/7-killed-in-genting-tourist-van-crash"}, {"title": "85-year-old man dies saving pet from dog catchers in Malaysia", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - An 85-year-old man died following an incident where he was allegedly involved in a tug-of-war with Bentong Municipal Council dog catchers who came to remove his pet dog.\nMr Law Sei Kiew lived alone with his seven-year-old mixed breed dog in his two-storey house in Taman Saga in Bentong, Pahang.\nAccording to a neighbour, Mr Chan Poh Loong, 55, the incident happened at 5pm on Wednesday when a group of council dog catchers came to the housing area.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Chan said: \u201cThe dog was inside the compound, but the gate was not locked.\n\u201cThe dog catchers went near the gate, and the dog came out.\u201d\nHe said Mr Law was very attached to the dog, which he had raised since it was a puppy. It was never allowed to wander around.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe dog catchers had placed a noose around the dog, and when Mr Law heard the commotion, he rushed out of his house and pleaded for it to be released, according to the neighbour.\n\n\u201cThe dog catchers restrained the dog with the loop and pole and tried to drag it away, but Mr Law held on to the pole, refusing to let go,\u2019\u2019 he said.\nA struggle ensued, with the dog catchers also refusing to budge.\n\nHowever, Mr Law then collapsed and fell into a nearby drain.\nAn ambulance was called, but Mr Law was pronounced dead by the paramedics who had tried to revive him.\nAs for the dog, Mr Chan said, it was still at Mr Law\u2019s home, although its future was uncertain as Mr Law\u2019s children had returned to their respective homes in other states after the funeral.\nMr Law\u2019s son declined to speak to the media, saying that the family wanted to be left alone.\nWhen contacted, Bentong Municipal Council\u2019s Public Health Department head Norizam Saad said the council had made a police report on the matter.\n\nHe declined to elaborate, saying he was away attending a course and had not received full information regarding the incident. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/85-year-old-man-dies-saving-pet-from-dog-catchers-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "9-year-old boy in Malaysia fights off croc who attacked him on his swim home", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - A plucky nine-year-old boy in Malaysia fought off a crocodile that attacked him while he was swimming home in the sea when the tide was high.\nHe managed to stave off the reptile after a struggle, though he was left with bites to his left hand, shoulder and head.\n\u201cThe boy is in stable condition. He received eight stitches to his injured hand,\u201d said Sabah Wildlife Department\u2019s Sandakan assistant officer Mozain Abbas.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe attack happened at about 1pm on Tuesday at the water village of Kampung Batu Putih in Sandakan, Sabah.\nThe boy and his friends had decided to swim back to their seaside stilt houses as there was a high tide. Their journey was interrupted by the crocodile\u2019s emergence.\nMr Urbin Markum, 39, came to his son\u2019s rescue while the boy was fighting off the crocodile, before taking him to a private clinic for treatment.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSabah Wildlife\u2019s Mr Mozain said a wildlife team was deployed to monitor the area after the incident.\n\n\u201cWhen the water receded, our team surveyed the area but there was no sign of the crocodile,\u201d he said.\nThe residents there have been advised to stay vigilant.\n\u201cAdults must ensure children are not in the water or playing in the area near the river,\u201d he said.\nCrocodile attacks have been increasing in east Malaysian state Sabah\u2019s east coast rivers in Beluran and Lahad Datu, among others.\nOn Tuesday, a 12-year-old boy was killed in a crocodile attack on Sumangat Payau island in Sandakan.\nIn state capital Kota Kinabalu, crocodiles can be seen daily in a pond near the popular Likas Sports Complex.\nAlthough no untoward incidents have occurred, concerns remain over the presence of at least four to five crocodiles there.\nThe sports authorities have put up warning signs while wildlife rangers have placed traps, but so far none of the reptiles have been captured. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/9-year-old-in-malaysia-fights-off-croc-who-attacked-boy-on-his-swim-home"}, {"title": "Two-day wait for a bed in Malaysian government hospitals", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA, Selangor \u2013 With the emergency departments of some Malaysian government hospitals bursting at the seams, some doctors have said that the wait for beds can stretch to two days or more.\nSpeaking to The Star newspaper on condition of anonymity, these doctors say the shortage of inpatient beds, overstretched resources and a manpower crunch are the cocktail of reasons driving up the congestion at hospitals.\nAt a government hospital in Sabah, an emergency physician said the wait time could go up to two days and stretch to beyond four to five on bad days.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe main cause is there are insufficient inpatient beds. Therefore, patients have to wait in the emergency department to be admitted,\u201d the doctor said.\n\nWhile patient deaths cannot be attributed to the long wait, it does indirectly contribute to further deterioration of the condition of patients.\n\u201cIndirectly, I would say, it is possible,\u201d the doctor said. \u201cFor instance, the lack of intensive care unit (ICU) beds means that patients stay longer in the emergency department rather than being transferred to the ICU, where they will get better care.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, the patients are treated while they wait for beds.\n\n\nThe emergency department crowd could get worse during a dengue outbreak, festive seasons, school holidays and long weekends.\n\nAt a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, a doctor said the emergency department was already crowded.\n\u201cThe waiting time for patients to be seen can go up to three hours, but waiting for admission can be more than a day,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cGovernment hospitals deal with multiple problems. This does not only include clinical issues but also poor infrastructure, lack of human resources, social issues and even a lack of specialists.\n\u201cFor a mere RM1 (31 Singapore cents), a patient can be registered at the emergency department to wait to be seen. If admitted, then the patient is admitted to a ward.\n\u201cHowever, there may be pending admissions that require more critical care. Thus, a patient may end up waiting longer at the emergency department as beds are limited, and at times, patients are managed in different wards,\u201d he said.\n", "\nHe said that while specialist care was given once a patient was admitted to a ward, some patients might require further intervention and sub-specialist reviews.\n\u201cIn terms of specialist care, some hospitals don\u2019t even have enough medical officers and house officers, so the discharge process is delayed. Once the patient is scheduled to be discharged, some families refuse to answer calls or take their family member back home. Now it has become a social issue,\u201d he added.\nHe said staff quit when they become overburdened and can no longer manage.\n\u201cThis cycle repeats itself, but statistics often are portrayed differently,\u201d said the doctor.\n\u201cFor example, if a patient is admitted for a surgical procedure and the specific surgical treatment is delayed, what can be done is to put the patient on an intravenous drip or give medication first. Sometimes, there is a treatment delay due to an overload of patients.\u201d\nPatients and their next of kin have taken to social media to share their experiences with delays in getting a bed at hospitals, an issue that some have alleged has claimed lives.\nDr Muruga Raj Rajathurai, president of the Malaysian Medical Association, said the whole emergency department system needed to be looked into, and this would involve human resources, facilities and the admission system of each public hospital to address the overcrowding at emergency departments, manpower issues, and unavailability of beds.\n\u201cThe Ministry of Health will have the necessary data to address these issues and we believe they are being looked into as the Health Minister (Dr Zaliha Mustafa) has stated her strong commitment to addressing the issue of overcrowding at public healthcare facilities,\u201d he said.\nHe added that while it was known that the country has been underspending on healthcare, the government must ensure there are enough beds at hospitals.\nOn Jan 22, Dr Zaliha said her ministry would seek comprehensive solutions with stakeholders to address the issue of overcrowding at hospital emergency departments.\nThe minister said possible solutions included extending working hours, streamlining bed management systems, and increasing the number of healthcare providers. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/a-two-day-wait-for-a-bed-in-malaysian-government-hospitals"}, {"title": "Activists condemn Malaysia ban on LGBTQ books", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Activists in Malaysia on Thursday criticised a government decision to ban three books for allegedly promoting \u201cLGBTQ lifestyles\u201d, saying it would further erode gay and transgender rights. LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer.\nJacob\u2019s Room To Choose, a children\u2019s book about gender expression and identity, was banned in January, the Home Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. \nIn the book, a teacher educates children on gender identity at a school after a student wearing a dress feels unwelcome in the boys\u2019 toilet.\n\n\n\n\n\nAnother children\u2019s book, The Tale Of Steven, as well as Malay-language title Aku, were also banned.\nThe ministry said its objective was to \u201cprevent the spread of elements that are harmful to morality in the community\u201d.\nHomosexuality is forbidden in Malaysia, and laws criminalising sodomy can result in imprisonment, corporal punishment and fines.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Siti Kasim, a prominent Malaysian human rights lawyer, described the ban as an attempt \u201cto chisel away\u201d at LGBTQ rights.\n\n\u201cThis group has always been marginalised and oppressed,\u201d she said.\nMs Thilaga Sulathireh of transgender rights group Justice for Sisters said the move was part of \u201ca broader trend of censorship that we are seeing in the last couple of years\u201d.\n\u201cThe ban of the books further shrinks spaces for LGBTQ people to express and be themselves,\u201d she told AFP, urging the government to \u201cstop discrimination against LGBTQ people\u201d. \n\u201cIn the last couple of years we have seen the ban of at least six LGBTQ-related books,\u201d she added.\nIn 2017, Walt Disney shelved the release of its movie Beauty And The Beast after refusing to cut a \u201cgay moment\u201d to mollify film censors.\nAnd in 2022, Marvel film Thor: Love And Thunder was  banned over purported LGBTQ elements. \nMalaysia has experienced growing religious fundamentalism in recent years, sparking friction between conservative forces and those campaigning for greater rights.\nThe Muslim-majority nation routinely bans publications deemed to be pornographic, insulting to Islam or harmful to morality.\nLast year, Islamic religious officers broke up a large Halloween party attended by the LGBTQ community and arrested 20 people, accusing them of cross-dressing and encouraging vice. AFP\n", "\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/activists-condemn-malaysia-ban-on-lgbtq-books"}, {"title": "Aerotrain service at Kuala Lumpur airport suspended due to technical problems", "text": ["\nSEPANG - All Aerotrain operations at the main terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) have been suspended until further notice, said Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB).\nIts managing director, Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood, said this was because existing trains were beyond serviceability given that the assets were 25 years old. \nHe told a press conference at KLIA on Thursday: \u201cAerotrain operations were suspended since the breakdown yesterday and we made the official announcement on Thursday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe truly apologise for the inconvenience caused but we had to take this decision as safety is our utmost priority.\u201d\nOn the cause of the breakdown, Datuk Iskandar said it was due to its circuit breakers being tripped.\n\u201cThis happened to the first train that broke down, with the second train (sent to ferry stranded passengers) also experiencing technical difficulties.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThese are, however preliminary findings, as we have to dismantle all parts of the train (including the platforms) to diagnose the real cause of the issue,\u201d he said.\n\nHe added that round-the-clock shuttle bus services would be provided to assist passengers heading towards the satellite building.\nThe maximum capacity for passengers for each bus was 40 at a time, he said.\nDatuk Iskandar added that 114 passengers were stranded by the Aerotrain breakdown on Wednesday, and they had to walk almost half a kilometre to the satellite building.\n\u201cAssistance was given where possible. The 10 passengers who missed their flights were also compensated with new flight tickets and accommodation,\u201d he said.\n\nOn Monday, an Aerotrain halted mid-way on the tracks from the KLIA main terminal building to the satellite building.\nA second train was immediately deployed for stranded passengers but it experienced technical difficulties, resulting in passengers having to walk towards the satellite building.\nThe company has since employed other existing trains for passenger transits based on the following schedules: 6am to 10am, 12pm to 3.30pm, 5pm to 11.30pm, and 12.30am to 3.30am. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/aerotrain-service-at-kuala-lumpur-airport-suspended-due-to-technical-problems"}, {"title": "After $20b award, sultan's heirs target Malaysian properties in Paris", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 French bailiffs attempted to enforce a seizure order on three Paris properties owned by the Malaysian government in a case linked to a US$15 billion (S$20.2 billion) court award to descendants of a former sultan, according to the heirs\u2019 lawyers and court documents seen by Reuters.\nThe bailiffs tried to assess the properties on Monday following a court-issued seizure order in December, but Malaysian officials at the Paris embassy turned them away, the lawyers and the Malaysian government said.\nThe Filipino heirs of the last Sultan of Sulu are seeking to enforce a US$14.9-billion award granted to them by a French arbitration court last year to settle a dispute with the Malaysian government over a colonial-era land deal.\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia, which did not participate in the arbitration, maintains the process was illegal and has obtained a stay on the ruling in France.\nThe Paris properties are only the third set of Malaysian assets that the heirs have publicly acknowledged going after. \nThey have secured a seizure order for Luxembourg units of state oil firm Petronas and have sought permission from a Dutch court to seize assets in the Netherlands.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe award is enforceable globally against most Malaysian assets, aside from diplomatic premises, under a United Nations convention on arbitration.\n\nDespite the stay, a French judge in December 2022 granted the heirs\u2019 request to seize three Malaysian government properties in Paris to settle a debt of \u20ac2.3 million (S$3.3 million) that they said was owed to them, according to court documents shared by the heirs\u2019 lawyers.\nThe seizure attempt in Paris has not been reported previously.\nMalaysia had been ordered to pay the heirs the sum under a preliminary arbitration award granted to them in Spain, which was not bound by the stay in France, the lawyers said.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Malaysian law ministry did not respond to a request for comment on the preliminary award.\nThe French judge also found that the properties, located in the 16th arrondissement near the Malaysian embassy in Paris, did not qualify as diplomatic premises, according to the court documents.\nUnlike the embassy, they bore no official signage and were not subject to French tax exemptions, the judge said.\nOn Monday, French bailiffs attempted to evaluate the three properties in preparation of a sale, the lawyers said. \nThe proceeds of the sale would go to the heirs.\nA Malaysian law ministry spokesman said the bailiffs appeared at the Malaysian embassy in Paris but were turned away. \nThey declined to comment further. Malaysia\u2019s foreign ministry and its embassy in Paris declined to comment.\nReuters could not establish if the bailiffs attempted to enter all three properties subject to the seizure order.\nMr Paul Cohen, a lawyer for the heirs, said the court order was unambiguous in its directive to seize the properties and that it would be up to the court to decide the next steps.\n\u201cTo the extent that Malaysians blocked entry to the bailiffs, they are in open defiance of a French court order,\u201d Mr Cohen said.\n", "\nThe Malaysian government and the French court, the Tribunal Judiciaire de Paris, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.\nIn February, Luxembourg court bailiffs issued fresh seizure orders for two units of Petronas in a similar effort. \nThe company has said the heirs\u2019 actions were baseless and that it will continue to defend its legal position.\nMalaysia has previously vowed to take all legal measures to protect its assets worldwide.\nThe dispute stems from a deal signed in 1878 between two European colonists and the Sultan of Sulu for use of his territory in present-day Malaysia \u2013 an agreement that independent Malaysia honoured until 2013, paying the monarch\u2019s descendants a token sum annually.\nKuala Lumpur stopped the payments after a bloody incursion in 2013 by supporters of the former sultanate who wanted to reclaim land from Malaysia. \nThe heirs of the sultan, who once controlled a territory spanning rainforest-covered islands in the southern Philippines and parts of Borneo island, say they were not involved in the incursion and sought arbitration over the suspension of payments. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/after-20b-award-sultans-heirs-target-malaysian-properties-in-paris"}, {"title": "After divisive polls, Malaysia\u2019s new PM Anwar must bring the country together again", "text": ["SUNGAI LONG, Selangor - Malaysia\u2019s new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has his political and economic priorities cut out for him after taking the helm of the country on Thursday following divisive polls. At his maiden press conference, he said he will defend the rights of the Malay-Muslim majority, Islam as the official religion of Malaysia and the position of the Malay rulers, while emphasising that the rights of all Malaysians will be similarly protected vigorously. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/after-divisive-polls-malaysia-s-new-pm-anwar-must-bring-the-country-together-again"}, {"title": "After flipping the table in 2018, Malaysia\u2019s PH treats project rollbacks with caution", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - The installation of the Anwar Ibrahim administration, after the Nov 19 election threw up a hung Parliament, saw a surge of confidence in Malaysia\u2019s marketplace, especially with the return of a two-thirds parliamentary backing last seen 15 years ago.But concerns linger over political and economic stability, amid the prospect of witch hunts as well as wholesale reviews and rollbacks of key projects."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/after-flipping-the-table-in-2018-malaysia-s-ph-treats-project-rollbacks-with-caution"}, {"title": "After party purge, Zahid\u2019s allies come out on top in Umno wing polls", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Leaders aligned to Umno president Zahid Hamidi came out on top in the polls for its wing leadership roles on Saturday, underlining the hold that he has on the party months after purging his critics from Malaysia\u2019s longest ruling party.\nSaturday\u2019s polls saw comfortable wins for Melaka state executive councillor Akmal Saleh as the new Umno Youth chief, and Puteri Umno\u2019s outgoing vice-chief Nurul Aman Mohd Fauzi as the new Puteri chief. \nIncumbent Women\u2019s wing leader Noraini Ahmad retained her position, despite a stiff challenge from her predecessor Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. \n\n\n\n\n\nSaturday\u2019s results are bound to give confidence to Zahid ahead of the party\u2019s top leadership elections, which will take place on March 18.  \nWhile the president and his deputy Mohamad Hasan have retained their positions uncontested due to a controversial no-contest motion pushed by pro-Zahid party delegates during Umno\u2019s January assembly, Zahid is still expected to back strong allies among the three vice-president and supreme council positions. \nA resounding victory for the Zahid camp this week will likely secure his position for the foreseeable future, and also further guarantee Umno\u2019s backing for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nZahid was the chief orchestrator in pushing Umno to back Datuk Seri Anwar in the latter\u2019s bid to become prime minister following 2022\u2019s general election that resulted in a hung Parliament. \n\nZahid, who became Anwar\u2019s deputy, in January sacked and suspended a swathe of key Umno leaders who are seen as critical of his leadership \u2013  including former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein. \nThe purge came just days after the party\u2019s general assembly controversially passed a motion to block contests for the post of president and deputy president. \nThe Registrar of Societies (ROS) ruled the motion invalid, but Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution \u2013 from Mr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat \u2013 overruled the ROS letter and gave Umno an exemption to allow it to execute the no-contest motion. \nThere were mixed fortunes for the two children of imprisoned former premier Najib Razak, who contested junior positions during the Umno elections. \nNajib\u2019s daughter Nooryana Najwa secured the most votes to make the cut as exco member for the party\u2019s Puteri (Young Women) wing on Saturday. \nBut his son Nazifuddin Najib failed in his bid to become Umno Youth vice-chief, coming in third in a four-cornered fight. \nUmno currently has only 26 seats in Parliament, its lowest in history, but remains a major kingmaker in Malaysian politics as its support enabled Mr Anwar \u2013 a long-time nemesis \u2013 to secure a majority and become prime minister. \nThe move to back Mr Anwar initially divided the party in 2022, creating uncertainties as to whether his government would last if Zahid is not retained as president or loses control of the party during the Umno elections.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/after-party-purge-zahid-s-allies-come-out-on-top-in-umno-wing-polls"}, {"title": "Agitated patient at overcrowded hospital in Malaysia stabs another patient", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A middle-aged patient in Selangor was seriously injured after being stabbed by an agitated psychiatry patient as they waited in an overcrowded hospital on Tuesday.   \nThe Straits Times understands that the victim, who is a dengue patient, was stabbed three times by the other patient, who was upset over being stranded in the emergency department of Selayang Hospital while waiting for a bed in the wards. \nAll the wards in the hospital were full at the time of the incident, with dozens waiting for their turns at the emergency department \u2013 a reflection that the country\u2019s public healthcare continues to grapple with patient overload and inadequate staff.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe psychiatry patient took a knife from the staff nurse pantry and stabbed the victim once in the back and twice in the abdomen. \nThe knife ended up being wedged in the victim\u2019s abdomen, who needs to undergo an operation. The hospital and police have not yet commented on the incident. \nTuesday\u2019s incident adds to a growing list of reports of deaths, patient agitation and closure of emergency departments as the country\u2019s hospitals \u2013 especially in urban areas \u2013 deal with what the health minister called a \u201ctsunami\u201d of non-communicable diseases. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn January, a heart patient died after waiting for over 30 hours for a bed at the Serdang Hospital. \n\nThe same hospital was in the news again earlier in February when a group of patients was filmed confronting staff at the cardiology department after waiting 11 hours for an appointment. \nA hospital in Klang also had to close the non-critical zone of its emergency department temporarily earlier in February due to patient overload.\nAll three hospitals involved in recent incidents, including Tuesday\u2019s, are located in Selangor, which neighbours Kuala Lumpur and is the country\u2019s most populous state. \nSelayang Hospital in the densely populated Gombak district.\nMalaysia\u2019s public healthcare system is set for a thorough review, as four different administrations in the past four years have not been able to solve long-standing systemic problems. \nThe country has a highly subsidised public healthcare system, which most of the population is reliant on. \nHowever, its healthcare spending and bed ratio still lag behind more developed countries and World Health Organisation recommendations. \nThis has led to overcrowded hospitals and also poor employment terms for junior doctors, who eventually quit public service, exacerbating the staffing shortage at many hospitals that serve huge populations. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/agitated-patient-at-overcrowded-hospital-in-malaysia-stabs-another-patient"}, {"title": "All Johor checkpoint counters must remain open during Hari Raya, says Menteri Besar", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - All counters at Johor\u2019s Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex must remain open without interruption in anticipation of a large volume of traffic between Malaysia and Singapore because of the Hari Raya celebrations, said Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi.\nHe said efficiency at the BSI complex was not up to his expectations and it was currently not operating at its maximum level.\n\u201cWith the festive season getting nearer, the Causeway will be even busier in the next few days, with more people and vehicles travelling between Malaysia and Singapore for Hari Raya,\u201d he said after his working visit to the BSI complex on Wednesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFrom my observation, I can say that the level of efficiency is at 80 per cent.\u201d \nDatuk Onn Hafiz, who arrived at the complex at around 5.15am, said some two million people and vehicles are expected to travel between Malaysia and Singapore using the Causeway and Second Link throughout the Hari Raya period.\nHe extended an invitation to Immigration Department director-general Ruslin Jusoh to visit the BSI complex as soon as possible to find ways to increase its efficiency. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cDuring my inspection at the counters, some were closed due to staffing issues, while others had system problems pertaining to the Road Transport Department (JPJ). The JPJ concerns are expected to be addressed within a day or two,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cI have requested all counters, whether for cars, motorcycles, bus passengers or pedestrians, to be open and in working order. All the technical and staffing issues must be resolved fast.\u201d\nMr Onn Hafiz said it was important for the immigration director-general to visit the complex.\n\u201cAmong the issues is the welfare of the department personnel, who have been working hard and coping with the influx of people. I was told their overtime claims took a long time to process. I hope this can be resolved soonest,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe urged people using the two land checkpoints, particularly at the BSI complex, to be patient during Hari Raya because of the anticipated high traffic. \u201cWe are doing our best to help address the traffic issues at these two checkpoints.\u201d\n", "\nEarlier this week, Singapore\u2019s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority said those heading for Malaysia over the Hari Raya weekend should expect heavy traffic at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints from Thursday to Monday.\nIt advised those going by car or bus to factor in additional waiting time for immigration clearance.\n", "\nOn April 13, the Johor state government held a multi-agency task force coordination meeting involving the police, the Immigration and Customs Department, JPJ and the Land Public Transport Agency to address the festive traffic situation.\nAt the meeting, chaired by state works, transport and infrastructure committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh, the decision was made to open all counters at both the BSI complex and Sultan Abu Bakar complex (KSAB) in Iskandar Puteri to cater to the high traffic volume.\nAt the BSI complex, there are 27 car lanes for immigration clearance for those entering Malaysia and 29 lanes for those exiting.\nThere are also 50 motorcycle lanes open on both sides during the festive period.\n\nFor pedestrians and bus passengers, 32 manual and automatic gate counters will be operational.\n\nAt KSAB, there are 24 car lanes each for vehicles entering and leaving Malaysia, 50 lanes on both sides for motorcycles; and for bus passengers, there are 12 auto-gate lanes for entering and leaving, in addition to 26 manual lanes. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/all-counters-to-be-open-at-johor-s-immigration-on-hari-raya"}, {"title": "Almost 90% of young Malaysian voters unaware of current political developments: Survey", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - They were dubbed the kingmakers in the lead-up to Malaysia\u2019s 15th general election in November, but when the dust settled and the ballots were counted, it seemed the six million new voters had made a different type of impact.\nThey have instead raised the issues of political literacy and the danger of making premature decisions.\nExecutive director Hisomuddin Bakar of think-tank Ilham Centre said that in-depth interviews with Undi18 voters \u2013 referring to 18- to 20-year-olds now eligible to vote \u2013 found that almost 90 per cent were unaware of current political developments.\n\n\n\n\n\nSome were unable to differentiate between MPs and assemblymen, or even recognise existing political parties and figures, he added.\nHe said most of them cleaved to the influence of family members where politics was concerned, while others relied on social media as their main source of political information.\nNon-Malay urban and semi-urban youth were more inclined towards Pakatan Harapan, as they were influenced by the party\u2019s mega ceramah (campaign rallies).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMost of them said social media, especially TikTok, was their main reference \u2013 TikTok was comparable to television for them as a source of information,\u201d said Mr Hisomuddin.\n\nPerikatan Nasional, which used social media in its campaigning, including narrative content on TikTok, turned out to be more successful, with almost all young Malays voting for the coalition.\nMr Hisomuddin believes that more than 80 per cent of young Malays (18 to 25 years old) exercised their right to vote, adding that this is an encouraging figure.\nDespite their high turnout, data on their political literacy indicated that they were prone to making premature voting decisions.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Hisomuddin called on the Education Ministry to manage unhealthy political elements such as racial and extremist religious approaches.\n\u201cDemocratic education needs to be coordinated with noble values so that it will be embedded into their (young people\u2019s) final consideration when choosing a leader on the ballot,\u201d he said.\nThe co-founder of youth movement Undi18, Mr Tharma Pillai, said Malaysia\u2019s low political literacy rate could be attributed to the education system, which does not emphasise political knowledge enough in its curriculum.\n", "\nHe said that even though political education is embedded in the school syllabus, it is not taught to students in a proper, pragmatic manner.\n\u201cWe can\u2019t keep relying on political parties, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) such as Undi18 or individuals like Fahmi Reza,\u201d he said, referring to the activist, street artist and documentary film-maker.\n\u201cIt\u2019s not the right way \u2013 urban voters will be able to receive the information, but how do we reach rural voters? It\u2019s only through the education system.\u201d\nHowever, he said, young voters are slightly more politically literate than older generations, as they can access information online.\n\u201cI think it (political education) needs to be done. My only hope is that they will engage academics and civil society to vet the syllabus,\u201d said Mr Pillai.\n\u201cI think it\u2019s important to understand not only the basics, but also your rights, the Constitution \u2013 to understand the key elements that make you an educated voter.\n\u201cWhen it comes to citizenship education, there\u2019s a lot that\u2019s missing in our current syllabus.\u201d\n", "\nYouth in Politics co-founder Loh Kar Mun said a big shift is needed in Malaysia\u2019s educational institutions to build a politically aware and inclined generation of young people.\nShe said one way is to reform the curriculum to include more political education, especially for secondary school students.\n\u201cThe curriculum doesn\u2019t have to cover policy or party affiliations or anything of that sort that young people shouldn\u2019t be indoctrinated with, but it could cover the different forms of governance, why representation is important, why voting is important, and others,\u201d said Ms Loh.\n\u201cIf we think that 18- to 21-year-olds are not prepared to vote, then we have to make the effort to do effective outreach and education.\u201d\nEducationist N. Siva Subramaniam believes that Malaysia\u2019s education system focuses more on preparing students for the workforce rather than educating them on nation building.\n", "\nCommending the Johor state government\u2019s move to introduce a module for political education in secondary schools, he said he hopes other states would follow in its footsteps.\n\u201cIn the past, students were taught many things about their role, how to develop the nation and citizenship, but today? I am not sure if our education system talks about (national) development,\u201d Mr Siva said. \u201cIt is more about what job they can find after they have completed their studies.\u201d\nHe also said he is confident that if new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim takes up the issue, \u201cwe will put Malaysia on the right path\u201d.\n\u201cWe need to emphasise that apart from education, the students should also be taught civics, their responsibilities and proper discipline. There is no use in having high knowledge but failing to understand your duty as a citizen,\u201d said Mr Siva.\nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/almost-90-of-young-voters-unaware-of-current-political-developments-malaysian-survey"}, {"title": "An activist at heart, deputy youth and sports minister aims to be \u2018conscience\u2019 in Malaysia\u2019s motley govt", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - Just a little less than 18 months ago, Adam Adli was an activist who was just about making ends meet for his young family, even as he relished his new lease of life as a free man after a five-year court battle against politically tainted sedition charges came to an end.\nFast-forward to 2023, and the 33-year-old is now warming his seat at the Youth and Sports Ministry where he is Deputy Minister, after taking the reins of the youth wing of Malaysia\u2019s ruling Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and becoming an MP \u2013 all in the space of just six months. \nNotorious in his 20s for his anti-establishment protests and speeches that landed him in trouble with the law several times, he pushed for academic freedom, freedom of association for students, and electoral reform during Barisan Nasional\u2019s (BN) rule under former premier Najib Razak. He was also a key organiser for the Bersih 5 rally in 2016 which drew over 200,000 people to the streets. \n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s new government comprises an alliance between former political enemies Pakatan Harapan (PH) and BN \u2013 along with several other parties that make up Malaysia\u2019s most diverse administration in recent history. \nThere are concerns that PH could struggle to fulfil its reform agenda and push for civil liberties while being partners with BN. Malay nationalist party Umno, which leads the BN coalition, has been marred by accusations of corruption, abuse of power, and curtailing civil liberties during its 61-year rule. \nIn the thick of this, Mr Adam aims to provide a voice of conscience. \u201cI learnt to compromise, but only to a certain level. There are certain lines I would not cross,\u201d he told The Straits Times in an interview at his office at the administrative capital of Putrajaya. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe first shot to fame as a 23-year-old activist who brought down a flag-bearing then Premier Najib Razak\u2019s image at Umno\u2019s headquarters in 2011 during a student protest. He was later detained by the police for taking part in a protest calling for academic freedom at his alma mater, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), which later suspended him for six years.\n\nTwo years later, Mr Adam was arrested and charged with sedition for calling for a street protest following the 2013 general election, after perceived gerrymandering allowed the Najib-led BN to win a majority of seats in the fiercely contested polls despite the opposition, then called Pakatan Rakyat, winning the popular vote. \nBN was accused of using sedition laws to silence its critics and the opposition, with Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Karpal Singh and former PKR vice-president Tian Chua among those charged and convicted under the law. Both of their convictions were overturned after PH came to power for the first time in 2018.\nMr Adam spent five years in and out of court as he appealed his subsequent conviction and one-year jail sentence, before he was finally acquitted in early 2018. In September that year, UPSI finally lifted his suspension, allowing him to finish his studies in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL). \n\n\n\n\n\nWhile he is still new to politics, his rise has been rapid. \nHe became a member of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s PKR only in late 2021, but rose to be its youth chief less than a year after joining. That led to his electoral debut in the Hang Tuah Jaya ward in Melaka in the November 2022 general election, where he won with a margin of over 8,000 votes. \n", "\nHe had barely come to terms with being an MP before he was appointed Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports by Datuk Seri Anwar on Dec 9. \nThis is in line with PH\u2019s strategy of installing young leaders at a key ministry that engages the most with the youth \u2013 who now make up nearly half of Malaysia\u2019s population. In 2018, 25-year-old Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman was made youth and sports minister. \nMr Adam\u2019s transmogrification from activist to politician helps him retain his old perspectives as an outsider in the government, he said. \u201cI am able to ask myself, \u2018What would you do, how would you react, a year ago\u2019.\u201d\nDoing away with colonial-era legislation like the Sedition Act was part of PH\u2019s law reform agenda when it came to power for the first time in 2018. But the coalition\u2019s short-lived administration was upended in 2020 due to political defections \u2013 in part due to pushback from the Malay majority towards some of the proposed reforms, such as the ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination.\nMr Adam vowed that this government will not abuse the Sedition Act to clamp down on dissenters. While PH promised to repeal the Act should it come to power, it remains to be seen if such pledges will be carried out under a joint manifesto that PH is developing with its government partners, including BN. \n\u201cI can\u2019t guarantee no one will be arrested, but I will not be silent if (political arrests) happen,\u201d Mr Adam said. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/an-activist-at-heart-deputy-youth-and-sports-minister-aims-to-be-conscience-in-malaysia-s-motley-government"}, {"title": "Another person linked to Muhyiddin\u2019s Bersatu party nabbed by Malaysia\u2019s graft busters", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The treasurer of the political party led by Malaysia\u2019s former premier Muhyiddin Yassin has been arrested by graft busters and remanded for two days in relation to a probe into the party\u2019s funds.   \nAccording to a source, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia treasurer Mohd Salleh Bajuri was nabbed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Wednesday and his two-day remand will end on Friday, reported The Star Online.  \nThe source added that MACC made the application for remand on Tuesday at the Magistrate Court in Kuala Lumpur. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis is purely political persecution by those intending to taint Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional. The remand ends tomorrow (Friday) and he should be released tomorrow. However, we were told MACC is trying to get another remand for a few more days,\u201d said the source. Perikatan Nasional is the opposition coalition that mainly comprises Bersatu and Parti Islam SeMalaysia.\nOn Tuesday, Tan Sri Muhyiddin\u2019s close associate Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad was slapped with a fifth charge of bribery involving RM2 million (S$601,000) related to the Jana Wibawa initiative.\nJana Wibawa was a stimulus programme to help bumiputera contractors during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was conceived by former finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who is now International Trade and Industry Minister.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn February, Adam, who is also deputy chief of Bersatu\u2019s Segambut division, and Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan were charged with corruption and solicitation totalling at least RM7.4 million.\n\nThat same month, Wan Saiful, who is MP for Tasek Gelugor, claimed trial to two charges.\nOne charge is for accepting RM6.9 million in bribes from a firm in relation to the Jana Wibawa initiative. The second charge is for soliciting from the same firm an unspecified amount for a road project worth RM232 million under the same initiative.\nIn response to the charges, Mr Muhyiddin said \u201cselective prosecution\u201d is being carried out against the Bersatu leadership, claiming that Umno president and Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi had \u201chinted at it\u201d. \nIn February, Mr Muhyiddin was also summoned by MACC to record his statement on the Jana Wibawa programme.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/another-person-linked-to-muhyiddin-s-bersatu-party-nabbed-by-malaysia-s-graft-busters"}, {"title": "Anwar\u2019s move to team up with Barisan Nasional may backfire", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - When it became clear that they had wrested Padang Serai from the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) in a postponed election on Wednesday night, hundreds of Perikatan Nasional (PN) supporters in the usually sleepy hollow in Kedah gleefully burst into song.Ironically, it was PH\u2019s theme song for the Nov 19 vote that exhorts voters to reject corruption \u2013 one that even Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim performed on the campaign trail. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anti-barisan-nasional-fervour-gives-green-wave-added-push"}, {"title": "Anwar and I don\u2019t take ganja, says Malaysia minister Rafizi after receiving marijuana-laced toothpaste", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - There was a light moment at a press conference in Malaysia\u2019s Parliament, when Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said he and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim do not consume cannabis. \nMr Rafizi was responding to queries by reporters after the two men received a parcel at their offices containing toothpaste with cannabis extract.\n\u201cI don\u2019t know, it was sent to the office. I didn\u2019t open it myself,\u201d he said during a press conference in Parliament on Tuesday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt was addressed to the Prime Minister and myself. None of us takes \u2018weed\u2019 so I think it was a waste.  \n\u201c(The parcel) was then given to the police station.\u201d\nA police report was lodged on Monday after an officer for Mr Rafizi received a call from a delivery service regarding the package.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe tube of toothpaste had patterns of green and white marijuana leaves, along with a \u201cHappy Green\u201d label.\n\nThe case is currently being probed under the Dangerous Drugs Act, which deals with the possession of raw opium, coca leaves, poppy straw and cannabis.\nMr Rafizi is also deputy president to Datuk Seri Anwar in Parti Keadilan Rakyat, a component party of Pakatan Harapan.\nSeparately at the same press conference, Mr Rafizi said a special task force to facilitate business \u2013 Pemudah \u2013 was committed to announcing a simplified and shorter application for expatriate permits by June.\n\u201cWhile this may not sound like big news to most Malaysians, it is among the top key concerns of investors and industries because the current process can take up to five or six months,\u201d he said.\n\u201cSo, in three months, we can roll out ours, which is a simplified process.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-and-i-don-t-take-ganja-says-malaysia-economy-minister-rafizi-after-receiving-marijuana-laced-toothpaste"}, {"title": "Anwar appoints Goldman Sachs critic to lead 1MDB task force", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim appointed a vocal critic of Goldman Sachs Group to chair a task force formed to resolve matters linked to the multi-billion dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.\nDatuk Seri Anwar told Parliament late on Thursday that he agreed with criticism that Mr Johari Abdul Ghani had raised on Malaysia\u2019s settlement deal with Goldman Sachs on 1MDB. \nMr Johari said last week the government should review its deal with Goldman Sachs for its role in the scandal, as the final sum was too low.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI myself disagree with the past decisions, which were too light when the understanding was made,\u201d said Mr Anwar, speaking at the tail-end of the policy stage of the 2023 budget debate. \u201cGoldman Sachs profited off our hardship and pain.\u201d\nGoldman Sachs and Mr Anwar\u2019s government are currently in dispute over how much the US bank owes Malaysia for its role in raising US$6.5 billion (S$8.8 billion) in 2012 and 2013 for 1MDB. \nThe bonds were earmarked for redevelopment, but all except US$2 billion of the money was diverted to pay bribes to government officials, US federal prosecutors said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe settlement announced by the previous government in July 2020 called for Goldman Sachs to pay US$2.5 billion while guaranteeing the return of US$1.4 billion of 1MDB assets seized by authorities around the world, in exchange for Malaysia dropping charges against the bank.\u00a0\n\nMr Johari last week said the US$2.5 billion figure agreed upon was too little, and Goldman Sachs should be made to pay the US$1.4 billion sum outright. \nHe told Parliament the bank was including in its accounting of 1MDB assets settlement payments recovered from other institutions that had been involved in the case, such as AmBank, Deloitte PLT and KPMG.\n\u201cWhy should we sacrifice money that we can get from the number one investment bank in the world?\u201d Mr Johari said on Feb 27, to thumps of approval from fellow lawmakers. \u201cHow can we allow Goldman Sachs just to run away like that when Goldman Sachs\u2019 senior management was involved?\u201d\nMr Johari was the second finance minister during jailed former premier Najib Razak\u2019s administration at the height of the 1MDB scandal. \nHe lost his parliamentary seat in 2018 but won it back in November\u2019s general election.\nMr Johari has since raised the Goldman Sachs issue in Parliament and in interviews with local media. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-appoints-goldman-sachs-critic-to-lead-1mdb-taskforce"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar casts unity net wider to smother lingering uncertainty", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 As the mercury rises in Malaysian politics, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has set about recruiting former foes as he seeks to widen alliances in the face of unrelenting opposition pressure to undermine his leadership.\nHaving already allowed crucial ally and Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi to appoint Umno loyalists in key government agencies this past week, he surprisingly handed the chair of the government\u2019s premier think-tank on Tuesday to a top adviser of former senior minister Azmin Ali. \nThe latter was a key defector in the 2020 Sheraton Move, which blocked Datuk Seri Anwar from succeeding then Premier Mahathir Mohamad.\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Faiz Abdullah has been made chief of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia (Isis Malaysia), in a coup for Mr Anwar.\nHis government is also set to bestow a senatorship on Datuk Seri Anifah Aman next week, despite Mr Anwar filing and losing at a cost of RM100,000 (S$30,000) a defamation suit against the then foreign minister in 2015. \nMr Anifah said in 2009 that Mr Anwar had tried to bribe MPs to support him to become prime minister the year before.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anifah, a veteran of Sabah politics, confirmed his appointment to Parliament\u2019s Upper House when contacted by The Straits Times.\n\nIt remains to be seen if this is merely a reward or a mutually beneficial boon after Mr Anifah, a former Umno warlord, campaigned for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Anwar at November\u2019s general election when the latter\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition was locked in a fierce battle with the Umno-led Barisan Nasional.\nThe polls threw up a hung Parliament and even though parties in government now make up a two-thirds supermajority in Parliament, PH has just 82 of the 222 seats in the Lower House.\nMr Anifah\u2019s continued support could go some way in shoring up the Anwar administration\u2019s stability, as Sabah has been the shakiest state controlled by the parties in the federal government.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThese appointments not only widen Anwar\u2019s support base outside of Parliament but also help shore up his position as he faces increasing attacks. He is also setting his opponents back, buying his government time to show results,\u201d Mr Amir Fareed Rahim, strategy director of risk consultancy KRA Group, told ST.\nMeanwhile, the success in bringing Dr Faiz into Isis Malaysia is seen as a coup for the Prime Minister as he was among a clutch of former Anwar aides who took Datuk Seri Azmin\u2019s side when the then top two PKR leaders split in 2013.\nDr Faiz had been a key member of Mr Azmin\u2019s inner circle and brains trust both while the latter was economic minister in the 2018 Mahathir administration, and after Mr Azmin defected to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to become senior minister of international trade and investment under Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s premiership.\nST has learnt that Dr Faiz returned to Mr Anwar\u2019s camp after the unity government was formed in end-November.\nSeparately, the appointments in the past week of Kelantan Umno chief Jazlan Yaakub and outgoing Umno youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki as chairman of rural land authority Felcra and Majlis Amanah Rakyat, respectively, have drawn public ire, especially from civil society and supporters of PH\u2019s reform agenda. \nThey want to see an end to political appointees for government agencies and state-owned enterprises.\n", "\nBoth bodies are targeted at improving the livelihoods of bumiputera, a term grouping together the Malay majority and aboriginal minorities. \nThis has led to the view that the appointments of the two Umno chieftains are aimed at restoring the party\u2019s fading relevance among Malays, whose support is crucial to any government.\nThese recruitments come even as opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional seeks to spark a groundswell of dissent against what it claims is selective and political persecution of chief Muhyiddin after he was handed seven graft charges this month. \nSix states will elect new governments in polls expected by August, which are becoming increasingly viewed as a referendum on the Anwar government. \nA poor performance, especially a loss of one of three states currently held by PH, could be a fatal blow to confidence in his leadership of strange bedfellows and once bitter rivals. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-casts-unity-net-wider-to-smother-lingering-uncertainty"}, {"title": "Anwar delays Malaysia Cabinet picks amid intense lobbying", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is likely to delay the unveiling of Malaysia\u2019s new Cabinet to next week, as he tries to square conflicting demands both within and outside his unity government of strange bedfellows.  \nThe Straits Times has learnt that no swearing-in ceremony has been pencilled in the King\u2019s schedule, with reports saying he is set to go on an overseas trip on Saturday.  \nPakatan Harapan (PH) chief Anwar\u2019s audience with Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah on Tuesday triggered speculation that a Cabinet would be installed on Wednesday. \n\n\n\n\n\nThat did not happen, but there was heightened expectation that ministers \u2013 drawn not just from the two-thirds supermajority that the Premier enjoys but also non-politicians \u2013 would be appointed by Friday. \nHowever, several sources in the know told The Straits Times that Datuk Seri Anwar did not submit a list of candidates to the King during the audience on Tuesday.\nUp until Wednesday afternoon, the Prime Minister was meeting political leaders who have pledged support for his government after the Nov 19 General Election which threw up Malaysia\u2019s first hung Parliament.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar\u2019s press secretary said on Wednesday that the Prime Minister was only scheduled to be in his office all of Thursday, with no information available on the announcement of a Cabinet.  \n\n\u201cThe situation is now fluid because so many different factions are lobbying,\u201d said an official from Mr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).   \nSources said the King had wanted to swear in the new Cabinet before flying off on Saturday, but Mr Anwar had asked for more time. \nThe proposed window is now for the later part of next week before the King goes abroad again, this time for the closing stages of the football World Cup in Qatar. The Gulf nation has strong ties with Malaysia. \n\n\n\n\n\nThis would mean Mr Anwar would have governed alone for a fortnight, as he wrestles with several conundrums \u2013 not least demands for Umno president Zahid Hamidi to be made his deputy despite facing dozens of graft charges. \nPH has long campaigned on a platform of integrity and cleaning up a government many believe is riddled by corruption. \nHanding Zahid a senior role in government would court controversy not just among the wider public and supporters still sceptical of partnering the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN), but also within Mr Anwar\u2019s party. \n", "\nSeveral PKR MPs, including vice-president Nik Nazmi Ahmad, have expressed the need for the Cabinet to be \u201cwhiter than white\u201d. \nBut it is a gamble that would go a long way towards ensuring BN\u2019s crucial backing for the Premier for the rest of the term. \nUmno will have to hold leadership polls by May, and the deputy premiership would help Zahid \u2013 who has faced intense backlash internally over his years-long push towards allying with PH \u2013 see off any challengers. \nHowever, it is learnt that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), another important partner in the unity government which is likely to secure another deputy prime minister position, would prefer Umno No. 2 Mohamad Hasan to be installed instead of Zahid. \nGPS secretary-general Alexander Nanta Linggi said while it was the Prime Minister\u2019s prerogative to choose his Cabinet, having a \u201cclean\u201d line-up would be preferred.  \n", "\nA leadership change in Umno could see its support for Mr Anwar wavering, with opposition pact Perikatan Nasional waiting in the wings to capitalise on any cracks in the government. \nEven though the unity government will still hold a simple majority in the 222-strong Parliament without BN\u2019s 30 MPs, it would be an administration backed by less than one in five voters from the Malay Muslim majority. \nThere has also been lobbying from the private sector to be part of what Mr Anwar has insisted will be a slimmed-down Cabinet from the 32 ministers and 38 deputies in the past 30 months, giving him even less room to appease those who have helped him end a 24-year battle to take on the top job in the country.\nBloomberg floated the names of top corporate captains such as former CIMB chief Nazir Razak as well as sovereign wealth fund Khazanah\u2019s former boss Azman Mokhtar to head the Treasury.\nBut it is likely that Mr Anwar will maximise the political capital of the coveted position of finance minister to reward close allies or win over sceptical factions, or even appoint himself to entrench his hold on an administration made up of disparate ideologies. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-delays-cabinet-picks-amid-intense-lobbying"}, {"title": "Anwar disbands Muhyiddin-led National Recovery Council", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - The National Recovery Council (NRC) and several government agencies have been disbanded as they are now redundant, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.\n\u201cThe NRC was disbanded as there were overlapping tasks... it was created to fulfil needs then,\u201d said  Datuk Seri Anwar at a press conference after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.\nFormer prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was appointed as the NRC chairman with ministerial status in Sept 2021.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar said there had been proposals to dissolve government bodies that had overlapping duties.\n\u201cIf the matter can be handled by the police and the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), we want to reduce it. Each overlapping agency will add (administrative) costs,\u201d said Mr Anwar.\nHowever, Mr Anwar did not reveal the other government agencies that have been disbanded.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, Mr Anwar said he and the Government Chief Secretary Mohd Zuki Ali had identified several duties that the prime minister can be relieved of.\n\n\u201cI have let go of many duties because some of them can be entrusted to the deputy prime minister,\u201d said Mr Anwar.\nMr Muhyiddin was ousted as prime minister in August last year after 17 months in power, when several Umno MPs led by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi withdrew support for the government.\nDatuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was subsequently appointed as prime minister and served for 16 months until the 15th General Election in November. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-disbands-muhyiddin-led-national-recovery-council"}, {"title": "Anwar grapples with transforming economy, fighting inflation as state elections loom", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s efforts to transform Malaysia\u2019s economy, generate employment opportunities and address mounting costs of living will have to gain more momentum to ensure that his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition retains power in its stronghold states in the upcoming polls. The state elections, which will be held by August, will not affect the two-thirds majority Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s government has at the federal level. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-grapples-with-transforming-economy-fighting-inflation-as-state-elections-loom"}, {"title": "Anwar: I will be part of Pardons Board panel to decide on Najib\u2019s fate", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will be part of the Pardons Board panel to decide on former premier Najib Razak\u2019s request for a royal pardon. \nDatuk Seri Anwar also said that any individual can apply for a pardon in Malaysia, and it will be subject to the law and the legal process.\n\u201cI will be part of the process, and on the matters of the awarding of honorific titles and pardons, that is the prerogative of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the Malaysian King).\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t have to debate this in public because we have to go through that process,\u201d he said after launching a programme in Shah Alam on Saturday.\nHe also said there is no issue of conflict of interest. \u201cI have not seen the process. We have to look at the case. I think it is a bit premature for me to comment now, because I have not seen anything except Umno\u2019s resolution,\u201d said Mr Anwar.\nHe reiterated that any convict has the right to appeal. \u201cI don\u2019t want to preclude anyone in that matter. But the process is, of course, very elaborate. It has to be followed, and finally, the decision is solely the discretion of the Yang di-Pertuan,\u201d said Mr Anwar.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the Constitution, the Pardons Board comprises the attorney-general, the chief minister or menteri besar, or the Federal Territories minister, and no more than three members appointed by the King.\n\nIn December last year, the Federal Territories Ministry was restructured into a department under the Prime Minister\u2019s Department. Mr Anwar did not announce a Federal Territories minister when he announced his Cabinet last December. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-i-will-be-part-of-pardons-board-panel-to-decide-on-najib-s-fate"}, {"title": "Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s next challenge: Keeping his job", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim finally clinched the country\u2019s premiership after decades of waiting. \nNow, he must make sure he keeps the job.\nThat will not be easy in a country that has now had four prime ministers in four years. \n\n\n\n\n\nFormer finance chief Anwar is likely to control an unstable majority, and his administration looks set to include his longtime nemesis, the graft-tainted Umno. That may prove an obstacle to policymaking and could easily bring his government down.\nMr Anwar, 75, will also have to steer an economy that\u2019s on the most fragile of rebounds at a time of surging inflation and living costs. He will also face pressure from an opposition dominated by an increasingly popular Islamic party, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS). \nThe election has opened up \u201cmultiple religious and racial fault lines\u201d across the political landscape, said Mr Tan Teng Boo, chief executive and managing director of Capital Dynamics Asset Management in Kuala Lumpur. Mr Anwar\u2019s biggest task will be to \u201censure that these fault lines don\u2019t erupt\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHere are some of the challenges that Mr Anwar and his government will confront in the months ahead:\u00a0\n\nPower sharing\u00a0\nThe first test will be who gets what in Mr Anwar\u2019s new government under a power-sharing formula. \nMr Anwar will have to appease the majority Malays and Umno while keeping traditional coalition allies happy. That could see a bloated Cabinet as he seeks to ensure that the different parties each have roles.\u00a0\n\u201cMalaysia\u2019s new Cabinet should not be too big like the previous Cabinet,\u201d said Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi, an associate professor with the Academy of Malay Studies at Universiti Malaya. \u201cAnwar needs an efficient and trusted Cabinet.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nPakatan Harapan (PH), Mr Anwar\u2019s coalition, mentioned two deputy prime ministers in its manifesto, including one from the underdeveloped but resource-rich states of Borneo. \nAn Umno leader such as Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, the former prime minister, or former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein might also be put forward as a deputy premier to help keep the party within Mr Anwar\u2019s government.\u00a0\nThe centre-left Democratic Action Party (DAP), which holds the largest number of lawmakers in Mr Anwar\u2019s bloc and has the support of minorities, may take a back seat on Cabinet deliberations to ensure unity and to counter the polarising narrative that it\u2019s anti-Malay. \nDuring its short time in federal government, DAP controlled the finance and transport portfolios.\nUneasy Umno\n", "\nUmno, linchpin of former ruling bloc Barisan Nasional, is beset by infighting, and there is a push to remove its chief Zahid Hamidi, who is also the Barisan boss. The politician pushed for snap polls that saw BN lose significant ground in Malay-dominated regions and was instrumental in pushing for the coalition to be part of Mr Anwar\u2019s government.\nUmno will hold its general assembly on Dec 21, which may see Zahid lose his job, a development that would create turmoil for Mr Anwar. Zahid\u2019s potential replacements may not be as willing to work with Mr Anwar\u2019s coalition.\nKeeping Umno in government will also depend on the kind of Cabinet posts and policymaking input that Mr Anwar offers its leadership.\u00a0\n", "\nAnti-corruption push\u00a0\nWhen it was previously in government, Mr Anwar\u2019s multiracial coalition cracked down on institutional corruption, going after Umno leaders. It orchestrated investigations into the troubled state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, which led to former premier Najib Razak starting a 12-year prison term for his involvement this year.\u00a0\nWith Umno likely to be included in the new administration, it will probably push for a royal pardon for Najib, which could anger Mr Anwar\u2019s voters and allies. Any exoneration of Umno chief Zahid, who faces corruption charges associated with his foundation, would pose the same problems.\nAnd if Zahid does go to jail, he is likely to be replaced by a leader who might not want to work with Mr Anwar.\n", "\nCompromising on reforms\u00a0\nMr Anwar may have to compromise on his coalition\u2019s manifesto and pledges for reform as he seeks to maintain his unity government. \nWhile he will not face hurdles in carrying out welfare-oriented promises \u2013 which sound similar to those of his rivals \u2013 a pledge to eliminate racial and religious discrimination may not go down so well.\u00a0\nThe majority Malays and indigenous communities enjoy a \u201cspecial position\u201d per the Constitution, which has translated into government policies that give preferential treatment in areas such as public-sector jobs, housing and higher education.\nIn 2018, PH had to backtrack on a decision to ratify a key United Nations anti-discrimination treaty after opposition from Umno, raising concerns at the time that its momentum was stalling.\u00a0\n", "\nFragile economy\u00a0\nMalaysia\u2019s economy is set to expand at a slower pace of 4 per cent to 5 per cent in 2023, compared with more than 7 per cent this year, while economists expect the central bank to continue to raise interest rates in a bid to tame inflation. \nThat could prompt Mr Anwar to take an increasingly populist stance and adopt Umno\u2019s more generous promises of cash aid to help the country\u2019s poorest.\nSaid Dr Bridget Welsh, honorary research associate with the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute Malaysia: \u201cThere\u2019s a recognition that the focal point needs to be on the economy and the social fabric.\u201d There will be \u201cmore attention to the social safety net and to the vulnerabilities of different communities\u201d.\nUmno pledged to ensure every household earned more than RM2,200 (S$670) a month, meaning the government would top up incomes to ensure that they reached that threshold. \nIf Mr Anwar\u2019s government takes such measures, it may delay its fiscal consolidation plan and earn the ire of credit rating firms.\nThe new administration will have to table a 2023 budget soon, and that could well be the first test of confidence. It remains unclear if Mr Anwar\u2019s administration will make significant tweaks to the spending plan presented in October.\u00a0\nCountering Islamists \u00a0\n", "\nPAS won the most seats in the election, taking Malay support from Umno while positioning itself as scandal-free and focused on bolstering the Muslim faith.\u00a0\nAs the biggest opposition party, PAS is likely to campaign to limit the open sale of alcohol in Malaysia and to close gambling outlets. This could put pressure on Mr Anwar\u2019s moderate agenda and force his administration to offer more religious policies in education and the civil service, a strategy used by former leader Mahathir Mohamad in the 1990s.\u00a0\nPAS\u2019s long-stated objective has been to turn Malaysia into an Islamic state. \nFor years, it has pressured the federal government to allow it to implement strict Islamic laws in the eastern states of Kelantan and Terengganu. \nWith the most number seats in Parliament, PAS could band together with former premier Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s party and even pressure some Umno lawmakers to make an attempt to seize power again.\u00a0BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-ibrahim-faces-many-pitfalls-after-finally-becoming-malaysia-s-pm"}, {"title": "Anwar Ibrahim sworn in as Malaysia\u2019s 10th prime minister, ending 24-year wait", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as Malaysia\u2019s 10th prime minister on Thursday, ending a 24-year wait to lead the country.\nIn a black baju melayu, with gold sampin, Datuk Seri Anwar wore a wide smile as he was called upon to take his oath of office and secrecy.\nMr Anwar, 75, was appointed after the king, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, made the decision following a conference with other rulers in a special meeting of the nation\u2019s nine state monarchs. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAfter going through the views of the Malay rulers, His Majesty has consented to appointing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Malaysia\u2019s 10th prime minister,\u201d said Royal Comptroller Fadli Shamsuddin on Thursday afternoon.\nThe decision was nonetheless disputed by Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief Muhyiddin Yassin, who insisted that he had presented the Palace with evidence of backing from 115 MPs and challenged Mr Anwar to prove his majority.\nThe ceremony was attended by top officials such as the chief secretary to the government, the Chief Justice, Attorney-General, Speakers of both Houses of Parliament and leaders from both his PH and Barisan Nasional (BN).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar was seated next to his wife and former deputy premier Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, with their six children, including former MP Nurul Izzah Anwar in attendance.\n\n\u201cThis trust will be borne with humility and responsibility. I will carry out this solemn duty with my team guided by the will and desire of the people,\u201d Mr Anwar said in a tweet after he was sworn in.\n", "\nThis comes after most parties agreed to Sultan Abdullah\u2019s proposal for a unity government after Saturday\u2019s general election resulted in Malaysia\u2019s first ever hung Parliament.\nParti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Anwar and his PN rival Muhyiddin, also 75, had been deadlocked and unable to gather the 112 MPs needed for a simple majority in the legislature.\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter Umno confirmed early on Thursday that it would join a unity government, departing from the BN coalition\u2019s earlier stance of remaining in opposition, other parties across the country followed suit.\nEven PN said on Thursday that it would consider unity government discussions with like-minded parties.\n", "\nMarkets surged upon the end of the political deadlock. The ringgit currency posted its best day in two weeks and equities rose 3 per cent, hitting a 15-month high.\nMr Anwar\u2019s appointment was met with cheers from his allies and supporters. \nIn her Instagram post, Mr Anwar\u2019s daughter Nurul Izzah, who saw her father sacked and jailed in 1998 after a fallout with then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, said: \u201cI love you papa and I am always proud of you, even as you lay imprisoned as a prisoner of conscience.\u201d\n", "\nMr Rafizi Ramli, the deputy president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), a component party of PH, thanked the King for appointing Mr Anwar as the new premier. \n\u201cWe must all move forward and learn to cooperate to rebuild Malaysia for the sake of its future, and the prosperity of the people of different groups, races, states and backgrounds,\u201d the Pandan MP said in a statement. \nThe Straits Times has learnt that a deal struck between PH and BN \u2013 which found itself in the role of kingmaker with 30 MPs despite the Umno-led coalition being humiliated at Saturday\u2019s vote \u2013 will see Umno gaining several senior portfolios, with the party\u2019s No. 2 Mohamad Hasan set to be installed as deputy premier.\n", "\nMr Anwar\u2019s ascension to the top office, having been sacked as deputy premier in 1998 amid controversial allegations of sodomy and abuse of power, marks a remarkable triumph following a journey that included two stints in prison.\nHe was appointed deputy prime minister under Tun Dr Mahathir\u2019s Umno-led government in 1993, but his prospects dimmed after he was jailed for corruption in 1999. His imprisonment sparked street protests and the birth of his PKR, which now leads PH.\nMr Anwar was again imprisoned in 2015 for sodomy, but was given a royal pardon and released in May 2018 after PH won the general election that year. Dr Mahathir, who had left Umno and joined hands with Mr Anwar to secure PH\u2019s victory, became the prime minister.  \n", "\nThe PKR chief was then widely expected to ascend to power as part of an agreement within PH for him to take over as prime minister in two years from Dr Mahathir. But his progress was again thwarted when the PH government collapsed in February 2020 following defections.\nMr Anwar and Tan Sri Muhyiddin both staked their claim after their respective coalitions won 81 and 73 seats, respectively, in Saturday\u2019s general election, which also saw Dr Mahathir fall from grace in a thumping defeat.\nSultan Abdullah stepped in on Tuesday to surface the idea of a unity government. \nMr Muhyiddin\u2019s decision to reject the proposal, claiming he had a simple majority with backing from other parties, proved fatal to his hopes.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-is-malaysia-s-10th-pm"}, {"title": "Anwar orders Malaysia\u2019s security forces to be on alert amid spike in racial, religious rhetoric", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday said he has ordered security forces to be alert against those stirring up racial and religious rhetoric, ahead of a Malay nationalist convention on Sunday to be attended by former premier and opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad.\n\u201cAny attempt made by anyone to pit one race against another, or to increase the racial and religious temperature in this country will not be permitted,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar told a press conference after chairing a Cabinet meeting at his office in Putrajaya.\n\u201cI have ordered security forces to be on alert because those who are desperate or feel challenged will use these sentiments, and the poor will be paid to cause chaos,\u201d he said, without mentioning who, or what groups, he was referring to.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe \u201cMalay Proclamation\u201d convention will be held at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, with speakers including Tun Dr\u00a0Mahathir expected to raise issues regarding the Malay community. \nMr Anwar\u2019s government, led by his multiracial Pakatan Harapan coalition, is opposed in Parliament by a Malay-Muslim alliance, Perikatan Nasional (PN).\nResponding to Mr Anwar\u2019s remarks, the police said on Friday that they will clamp down on any ethnic rhetoric that endangers the national security of the country. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe current security level is under control and the police are giving a commitment to ensure law enforcement is performed properly to ensure safety is guaranteed,\u201d the police said in a statement.\n\nDr Mahathir, about two weeks ago in Twitter posts, made controversial claims that the Malays, who form more than 60 per cent of the population, \u201cdid not benefit\u201d from Malaysia\u2019s multi-ethnic make-up.\n\u201cThe business sector of Malaysia is dominated by the Chinese. Non-Chinese cannot find good jobs there. If the government does not take Malays, they will be jobless,\u201d he wrote.\nBowerGroupAsia senior analyst Arinah Najwa told The Straits Times that the discussion around race is still important among Malaysians. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe Malay Proclamation event can be seen to embolden more staunch Malay groups who feel they are not adequately represented under a multi-racial Anwar government,\u201d she said.\n\n\u201cThere are two types of parties, one that will flare up racial issues because they feel like any exposure to other races would be a threat to their own. But there are also those that feel exposure to difference races can help to build understanding and diversity,\u201d Ms Arina added. \nThere have also been several recent incidents that have spiked ethnic tensions, including a police report lodged by a member of PN this week accusing Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh of spearheading a Christian evangelist movement and bringing Muslim youth to visit a church as part of the ministry\u2019s programme.\nThe incident led Selangor executive councillor for religious affairs Zawawi Ahmad Mughni, who is from Mr Anwar\u2019s party, to say that Muslims are banned from attending events at non-Muslim houses of worship in the state.\n", "\nMs Yeoh slammed PN for using her as a \u201cpunching bag\u201d, saying the youth programme, which also had visits to a mosque and a gurdwara, was meant to foster harmony. \nShe said the opposition wanted to divert attention from its chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, who is facing multiple graft charges.\nOn Thursday, cars owned by film director Khairi Anwar Jailani and screenwriter Arjun Thanaraju were splashed with paint and acid, following controversy over their movie Mentega Terbang (Flying Butter), which some Muslims found offensive with some parts deemed to be questioning the Islamic faith.\nThere were death threats left on the cars by the perpetrators. \u201cMentega Terbang don\u2019t challenge Islam,\u201d\u00a0said one note.\nFor now, said Vriens & Partners Malaysia senior analyst Halmie Azrie Abdul Halim, ethnic rhetoric is being played up as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is just round the corner. \nMuslims will start fasting next Thursday.\u00a0\n\u201cWhen people are more focused on observing religious obligations, Malay politicians would likely play these tactics to make it more relatable to people. In the sacred month, anything that is perceived as \u2018anti-Islam\u2019 or \u2018anti-Malay\u2019 would be a selling point. This gives a politician an opportunity to be a hero,\u201d he added. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-orders-malaysia-s-security-forces-to-be-on-alert-amid-spike-in-racial-religious-rhetoric"}, {"title": "Anwar\u2019s accusations against old foes could disrupt detractors\u2019 agenda", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR -\u00a0Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s continuing attacks on \u201ccorrupt elites\u201d, including former premier Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, are giving him a chance to not just settle old scores, but also secure his position. Datuk Seri Anwar has been sued for defamation by Tun Dr Mahathir for claiming that the 97-year-old enriched himself and his family while in office. Meanwhile, Tun Daim is being investigated by the anti-graft agency after being named in the Pandora Papers for having offshore accounts, with Mr Anwar saying that politicians should take a firm stand against the \u201chundreds of billions\u201d of ringgit being taken out of the country."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-s-accusations-against-old-foes-could-disrupt-his-detractors"}, {"title": "Anwar\u2019s administration faces test in dealing with troubled GLC Pharmaniaga", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s pharmaceutical firm Pharmaniaga is hoping for government help to sell its massive Covid-19 vaccine stockpile, in what could be a litmus test for the four-month-old Anwar Ibrahim administration in managing troubled government-linked companies (GLCs). During the pandemic, the Malaysian government directly bought vaccines such as Pfizer and AstraZeneca from manufacturers. The government also allowed Pharmaniaga to exclusively import Sinovac vaccines from China. Malaysia also took part in the Covax programme supported by World Health Organisation to buy vaccines.\u00a0"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-s-administration-faces-test-in-dealing-with-troubled-glc-pharmaniaga"}, {"title": "Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Cabinet appeases warlords, but not the public", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - More than a week after taking power, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made Malaysians wait an extra three hours before unveiling a Cabinet that featured three politicians who lost at the recent general election and a deputy premier facing dozens of graft charges. He even took the coveted Finance Ministry for himself."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-s-cabinet-appeases-warlords-but-not-the-public"}, {"title": "Anwar\u2019s comfortable majority could hit stormy weather", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s political lexicon is filled with euphemisms, in part due to the humorous imagery, but also to soften otherwise harsh terms. Amid the political uncertainty since 2018, when Umno shockingly lost power for the first time in Malaysia\u2019s six-decade history since independence, the term katak, Malay for frog, has been widely used for the dozens of politicians who have switched parties, in many cases forcing a change of government. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-s-comfortable-majority-could-hit-stormy-weather"}, {"title": "Anwar\u2019s corruption-busting campaign opens up a Pandora\u2019s box of greed: Sin Chew Daily", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has kick-started his corruption-busting campaign, which we hope will reverse the culture of corruption in Malaysia\u2019s civil service lethally bogging down the government\u2019s image as well as the country\u2019s economic development.\nIndividuals probed must not be from only selected parties, and irrespective of their seniority or offices held, must be penalised if found guilty.\nCorruption in this country has been as omnipresent as air, sunlight and water over the last few decades, and has become a part of Malaysia\u2019s corporate sector, civil service and even the day-to-day lives of ordinary Malaysians.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt appears that the only way to bring the dust out from under the carpet is to change the government and its chief commander.\nGreed is very much an innate quality of humanity, otherwise we would have been from the scourge of corruption during the 4\u00bd between May 2018, when we changed our federal government for the first time since independence, and the 15th General Election last November.\nIt all started with the discovery of RM300 million (S$90.4 million) of dubious origin in Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia\u2019s bank accounts.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSubsequently, the party\u2019s information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan was slapped with two counts of charges for soliciting and receiving RM7 million in bribes. The first charge involved soliciting bribes from a businessman as an inducement for him to help a company, Nepturis, secure a government highway project at the pre-qualification stage in April 2020.\n\nAdditionally, Wan Saiful was charged with receiving through his company, WSA Advisory Group, RM6.96 million from Nepturis between July and September 2022, to help Nepturis secure a letter of acceptance for the highway project.\nBersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin pointed out later that the party was a victim of \u201cselective prosecution\u201d, as several of the party\u2019s leaders had been charged with collecting funds to carry out political activities.\nWan Saiful\u2019s case may just be the tip of the iceberg. Bigger cases may be uncovered soon.\n\n\n\n\n\nEven though Tan Sri Muhyiddin has cried foul over the charges faced by Bersatu\u2019s leaders, conditional offers (money in exchange for a project) cannot be indemnified from prosecution. Therefore, we will leave it to the court to decide the legality of the party\u2019s RM300 million in questionable funds.\nDatuk Seri Anwar says the government will take stern action against anyone involved in corruption, whether the person is from any specific party or is the relative of an important person.\nThe Prime Minister also says the government will never allow any company to rake in unjustified profits in the name of helping bumiputera companies, including demanding that the companies bank in specific amounts of money into personal or party bank accounts.\nThe International Consortium of Investigative Journalists started publishing some 11.9 million confidential records known as the Pandora Papers in October 2021, exposing the tricks of almost 100 national leaders, billionaires and socialites who used their offshore companies to conceal their wealth to the tune of US$32 trillion (S$42.9 trillion), including real estate, works of art, jewellery and other non-monetary assets, for tax evasion purposes.\nBack then, Mr Anwar, in his capacity as opposition leader, had urged Parliament to discuss the content of the Pandora Papers which implicated, among others, then Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin.\nNow that he has become the prime minister, Mr Anwar has instructed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Royal Malaysian Police, Bank Negara, the Inland Revenue Department and the Labuan Financial Services Authority investigating the matters exposed by the Pandora Papers to summon those involved for explanation.\nThose involved will be required to explain why they have set up offshore accounts to hold hundreds of millions of ringgit in assets from sources they have not been able to account for.\nThe Prime Minister says that some 3,000 names worldwide were mentioned in the Pandora Papers, although few countries have taken any action against the people involved. Nevertheless, Malaysia has resolved to initiate investigations where it can, to stem illegal fund transfers.\nMr Anwar also says that the authorities will focus their investigations on politicians, including former prime ministers and finance ministers, because these people could have abused their powers during their tenures to transfer their personal wealth out of the country.\nIt is believed that many politicians on both sides of the divide will have sleepless nights after learning about Mr Anwar\u2019s resolve to unveil the secrets found inside the Pandora Papers. As for ordinary citizens like us, we fully support the prime minister\u2019s move.\nAnyone found guilty of siphoning illegitimate funds into their own bank accounts must be dealt with sternly. SIN CHEW DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\nThe paper is a member of The Straits Times\u2019 media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 22 news media titles.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-s-corruption-busting-campaign-opens-up-a-pandora-s-box-of-greed-sin-chew-daily"}, {"title": "Anwar\u2019s daughter quits as economic adviser over nepotism accusations, joins Finance Minister\u2019s panel", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s eldest daughter, Ms Nurul Izzah Anwar, has stepped down as his economic adviser just over a month after her controversial appointment, but will co-chair a secretariat advising the Finance Minister instead.\nDatuk Seri Anwar, who also holds the finance minister post, was accused of nepotism after he appointed Ms Nurul Izzah, 42, who lost her parliamentary seat in the November general election, as his pro bono adviser on economics and finance on Jan 3. \nOn Feb 7, Mr Anwar announced the setting up of a special advisory panel which reports directly to the Finance Minister, and advises on matters related to subsidies, including reviewing and restructuring existing subsidies.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt also advises the Finance Minister on matters related to government-linked companies, including determining their relevance and consolidating them where appropriate, as well as national debt and good governance.\nThe panel includes national oil firm Petronas\u2019 former chief executive Hassan Marican, Sunway University economics studies director Yeah Kim Leng and Universiti Malaya distinguished professor of economics Rajah Rasiah.\nThe decision to form a secretariat for the panel was made at the panel\u2019s first meeting last Friday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAdvisory committee chairman, Tan Sri Hassan Marican, has invited me to join the advisory committee\u2019s secretariat to help in their efforts to strengthen the country\u2019s and the people\u2019s economy,\u201d said Ms Nurul Izzah in a statement.\n\n\u201cI humbly accept this responsibility. With this new role, I will no longer serve as senior adviser on economics and finance to the Prime Minister.\u201d\nEarlier on Sunday, Mr Hassan announced that Ms Nurul Izzah had been invited to co-chair the secretariat together with Petronas senior manager Khairil Anuar Ramli in order to support the committee\u2019s operations.\nDespite Mr Anwar insisting that his daughter\u2019s previous short-lived role was an unpaid one, critics said the move reeked of nepotism as Ms Nurul Izzah did not have experience in economics and finance.\nHe had defended her appointment, saying: \u201cNepotism is where (a family member) is given a position to abuse power, enrich themselves, obtain contracts and get paid a huge sum. This is not the case.\u201d\nMs Nurul Izzah has a degree in engineering and a second degree in public and social policy from Johns Hopkins University in the United States. \nShe is the vice-president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which is led by her father.\n\n", "\nIn the last general election, she lost her Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat \u2013 a traditional PKR stronghold \u2013 to Perikatan Nasional by nearly 6,000 votes, after having won it in 2018 with nearly 16,000 votes.\nSome netizens commented online that Ms Nurul Izzah\u2019s two posts did not seem that different.\nFacebook user Fadhirul Anuar wrote on TV station Astro Awani\u2019s page: \u201cThis is the same thing. He wants his daughter to have a role in his government.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-s-daughter-quits-as-economic-adviser-over-nepotism-accusations-joins-finance-minister-s-panel"}, {"title": "Anwar\u2019s first 100 days - from hope to concern: Sin Chew Daily contributor", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Pakatan Harapan had an unexpected win in last general election.\nPakatan Harapan\u2019s percentage of the aggregate vote went down from 45 per cent in 2018 to 38 per cent in 2022. The 2022 general election result didn\u2019t allow any individual political block to form a government on its own.\nPerikatan Nasional (PN) leader Muhyiddin Yassin was given the first opportunity by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or King, to form a government. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, leader of Barisan Nasional (BN) pulled out of the PN-BN coalition agreement at the last minute, leaving Muhyiddin Yassin in the lurch.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe King then called on Anwar Ibrahim to form a unity government with BN, and later Gabunan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Gabunan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Warisan joining the fray.\nThe vote of confidence for Anwar as prime minister appeared to have a two-thirds majority on the floor of the Dewan Rakyat. Anwar finally succeeded in his long journey to premiership. However, Anwar Ibrahim, or PMX as he is called, has a huge obligation to many people.\nThe policies, actions and behavior of Anwar\u2019s administration should be viewed from this perspective.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nReception\nFrom the PN side of politics, Anwar is seen as taking the position of prime minister in a cloud of illegitimacy due to the treachery of Zahid. PN believed they should have been the rightful government because they had the biggest single block of seats in the new parliament.\n\nIn contrast, Pakatan\u2019s supporters were jubilant. Umno was split into two factions, which has led to infighting and expulsions from the party by the Zahid-led supreme council.\nIt took Anwar nine days to put a cabinet together. The final announcement on Dec 2 of the cabinet was delayed by almost four hours while final negotiations were undertaken. This was the first sign that the cabinet was formed on agreements, IOUs and trade-offs.\nNevertheless, Anwar was able to place a number of loyalists within the cabinet, a decision that sacrificed competence and experience to get the people he wanted.\n\n\n\n\n\nAnwar had to project his legitimacy during the first 100 days. We have witnessed Anwar\u2019s trips abroad to meet with regional leaders, and his domestic visits to sultans and governors. This was done with public engagements around the country.\nAfter 100 days, Anwar, except for the launch of his Malaysia Madani philosophy, has not personally outlined any visionary \u201chard policies.\u201d\u00a0This he has primarily left to his respective ministers, which could be an indication that Anwar is running his administration as chairman of the board rather than a hands-on micromanager.\nAfter the first 100 days, Anwar has created the ambiance of stability for his government. Within a sea of threats to his government, Anwar looks set with the potential to govern a full term.\nHowever, the coming six state election some\u00a0time after June will be a major challenge to his stability. If his government holds Penang, Selangor, and Negeri Sembilan, this could be considered a victory for Anwar.\n", "\nEconomic management\nTo a great extent, political stability will depend upon the economy. The expected GDP growth this year is forecast at 4 per cent. The official inflation rate is also around 4 per cent, but much higher in the food category.\nMany are still financially suffering from the harsh Covid-19 restrictions over the last three\u00a0years, when\u00a0the incidence of poverty has increased dramatically. The domestic demand bubble of 2022, when\u00a0GDP grew by 7.8 per cent,\u00a0is not reoccurring this year.\nTherefore, the economy will depend much more on exports once again. However, at this time the global economy is very fragile.\nAnwar\u2019s recent budget hasn\u2019t addressed the issue of growing poverty. No welfare net was developed, as both the Pakatan and BN election manifestos pledged. Much of the budget continued to rely on handouts and subsidies.\nOn the market side, nothing was done to break down the government regulated monopolies or further deregulate the economy. The future of GLCs appears intact. The trend of big spending continues with Anwar delivering the largest budget ever.\nThere should be some benefit of doubt given to Anwar, as he effectively had only two months to prepare the revised 2023 budget.\nThe budget was still based upon the traditional template past governments have employed, with no signs of any major policy rethink. It appears the budget had the coming six state elections in mind.\nSocial and other policy reform\nAs mentioned above, Anwar has left many policy announcements to his respective ministers themselves.\nMost new policy announcements have been undertaken on an ad hoc basis. There doesn\u2019t appear to be any grand vision behind them, except Anwar\u2019s expensive launch of Malaysia Madani. \nSome of the more bizarre acts undertaken include the free sanitary napkins handed out at the health ministry to assist in reliving poverty (civil servants are by no means living in poverty), and the deployment of RM2 (S$0.60) nasi lemak meals by vending machines at train stations.\nConferring Malaysian citizenship upon children born to Malaysian mothers and foreign fathers overseas was accepted as a very positive move. However, the bill has yet to go through parliament so\u00a0that\u00a0a constitutional amendment can be made.\nThe clampdown on corruption has been welcomed by many. However, some see that arrests are skewed towards opposition politicians. These arrests continue to highlight Ahmad Zahid Hamidi\u2019s position as deputy prime minister, with 47 criminal charges hanging over his head.\nThe appointment of Anwar\u2019s daughter Nurul Izzah led to widespread disdain and claims of nepotism. Damage control was poor, with claims she was working pro bono. This eventually led to her transfer to another job.\nHome minister Saifuddin\u00a0Nasution Ismail\u2019s statement that the SOSMA laws, which allow for detention pending police investigation, angered many of Pakatan\u2019s old Reformasi-era supporters.\nAnwar also claimed the civil service is in no need of reform, which cast doubts about his administration\u2019s willingness to tackle the difficult issues facing the nation.\n", "\nRegional\u00a0affairs\nAnwar has made it a very high priority to travel the region to meet with political leaders. Before Anwar\u2019s visit to Thailand, the media drummed up the story that Anwar would be able to settle issues within Thailand\u2019s deep south insurgency.\nHowever, Anwar has run into a quagmire with the regional body Asean, where from Thailand\u2019s lead there is great hesitancy to criticise the military junta in Myanmar.\nIt appears that Anwar will not be able to play a major role through Asean due to the lost inertia of the organisation. Anwar\u2019s key challenge will be creating a balance between China, Malaysia\u2019s largest trading partner, and the US within the South China Sea region.\nWhere is the Anwar administration heading?\nPutting popularity polls aside, Anwar\u2019s key challenge will be to increase his popularity in the Malay heartland.\nIn reality, Anwar will have to sit back on reforms until this problem is successfully addressed. Anwar may also have to prepare for a setback to his legitimacy with the coming six\u00a0state elections. However, his term will still have four years to run.\nWe are seeing a prime minister who is not following the precedents of previous prime ministers. His \u201chands off\u201d\u00a0approach will work very well if he has a good cabinet. He doesn\u2019t have that today.\nHis new ministry, with so much inexperience, can be expected to make numerous mistakes over the coming year or so. At this point of time, the Anwar administration looks very much like a status quo government, which is probably the most prudent and conservative way to go.\nAnwar doesn\u2019t have the wow factor that Thailand\u2019s Thaksin had when he came to power two decades ago. He looks more like a Megawati Sukarnoputri\u00a0of Indonesia.\nThere is no doubt Anwar is an icon of Malaysian politics. He has the chance to shift the paradigm of politics in Malaysia come 2024, if stability to his administration continues. Alternatively, he may choose to steer the ship along steady seas.\nThe Malaysian people are still divided with their conclusions on Anwar. SIN CHEW DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\nThe writer is a contributor for the paper. The paper is a member of The Straits Times\u2019 media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 22 news media titles.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-s-first-100-days-from-hope-to-concern-sin-chew-daily-contributor"}, {"title": "Anwar government draws flak for controversial syariah law Bill", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A plan by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s government to table a controversial amendment that would raise the Syariah Courts\u2019 criminal powers has quickly drawn criticism from its own ally, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), over worries that non-Muslims will be affected.\nThis is the latest move by the Anwar administration in an apparent effort to appeal to Muslims and out-Islamise the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition dominated by Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), ahead of crucial polls expected in July in six states.\nOn Thursday, de facto minister for religious affairs Mohd Na\u2019im Mokhtar told Parliament that the government plans to table the amendment \u2013 also known by its Malay initials RUU355 \u2013 to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act after getting Cabinet approval. However, the minister did not provide a timeline for when the approval will arrive.\n\n\n\n\n\nPAS vice-president Idris Ahmad, who was religious affairs minister from August 2021 to November last year, said the previous Cabinet had already greenlit the amendment for tabling.\n\u201cDuring the previous administration, the Cabinet had already approved it, and sent it to the Attorney-General,\u201d he told The Straits Times on Friday, adding that it had been slated for tabling in November last year until Parliament was dissolved for the general election.\nMCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker tweeted on Friday that its leaders were \u201cprepared to quit the Barisan Nasional Cabinet\u201d back when the amendment was proposed and supported by Umno, but highlighted how this time, there was silence from the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP), a key ally of Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s unity government. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMCA has two MPs and DAP 40 MPs.\n\nAnalysts said the law will not affect non-Muslims as it will only involve the Islamic courts, but many non-Muslims remain wary of it. The Bill aims to raise the Syariah Courts\u2019 maximum sentencing limits for criminal offences to 30 years\u2019 jail, a RM100,000 (S$29,300) fine and 100 strokes of the cane. The current limits are three years\u2019 jail, a RM5,000 fine and six strokes.  \nSingapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun said that the unity government is facing a dilemma in how to boost its religious credibility without losing support from non-Malays.\n\u201cThe unity government would almost have to table this to buttress its religious credentials in anticipation of the state elections, in which another green wave looks set to sweep across,\u201d he told ST, adding that the DAP will most likely object or risk losing its traditional non-Malay support base.\n\n\n\n\n\nBy tabling the Bill, Mr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan coalition hopes it will not lose more supporters in the northern Muslim-belt states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah, which will hold their state polls soon. \n\u201cIt is difficult to match PAS\u2019 religiosity in those Malay heartlands,\u201d said Dr Oh.\nHe predicted a mixed response among urban Malays in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang, which will hold state polls at the same time. \n\u201cThose who are decidedly liberal would decry such a move. But there are also steadily growing pockets of urban conservative Malays who would welcome it.\u201d\nThe plan to table the amendment follows several government measures which also drew criticism from some quarters.  \n", "\nRecent raids by authorities on Swatch stores in Malaysia over the sale of Pride-themed rainbow watches have sparked an angry response from the Swiss-based watchmaker. The watches\u2019 six colours match the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community flag. \nOn the other hand, a decision by the government to drop an appeal against a 2021 High Court verdict that allows non-Muslims to use \u201cAllah\u201d to refer to God after a decades-long battle has sparked an outcry from Islamic groups, including the two largest Muslim political parties in Malaysia.\nThese disputes underscore the fragile inter-ethnic tightrope that the unity government of disparate parties must walk at a time when political parties have already begun unofficial campaigning for the elections. \nDr Mazlan Ali, senior lecturer at the Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, said: \u201cThe Anwar administration faces pressure from the opposition. It is accused of being pro-liberal and pro-LGBT. PN often uses religion and race to attack the government.\n\u201cThe PM wants to prove that the opposite is true and that the unity government is serious in tackling Islam-related issues.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-s-government-draws-flak-for-controversial-syariah-law-bill"}, {"title": "Anwar\u2019s govt finds irregularities by past administrations in Malaysia\u2019s Covid-19 vaccine procurement", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s government has found improprieties in the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines by previous administrations, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday.\nCertain parts of the procurement process were signed off by a minister without the approval or agreement of the Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers (AGC), Datuk Seri Anwar said.\n\u201cThe White Paper will present irregularities found in the procurement process,\u201d he said after chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, adding that there were procedural problems related to matters such as the management, cost and number of vaccines.\n\n\n\n\n\nHealth Minister Zaliha Mustafa will table a White Paper during a Parliament meeting, the Prime Minister said.\nAsked about which health minister had signed the procurement contracts, Mr Anwar said: \u201cIt is not the question of a particular minister, but the ministers involved will need to answer or explain.\u201d\nDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, two ministers were put in charge of pandemic-related matters and the national Covid-19 immunisation programme.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Adham Baba was the health minister and Mr Khairy Jamaluddin was the science, technology and innovation minister under the administration led by then Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Mr Khairy later succeeded Dr Adham as health minister when Tan Sri Muhyiddin resigned and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob took over as prime minister. \n\nMr Khairy on Wednesday refuted Mr Anwar\u2019s claims and said all purchases made during Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s administration were brought to the Cabinet.\n\u201cTherefore, the AGC would be privy and provide their comments. Procurement was signed off by KKM (the Health Ministry),\u201d he said in a text reply to the New Straits Times.\nLast December, Malaysia\u2019s anti-graft agency said it was investigating the alleged misuse of funds that were part of a Covid-19 stimulus package approved by the Ismail administration, focusing on RM92.5 billion (S$28.6 billion) spent by his government. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-s-govt-finds-irregularities-by-past-administration-in-malaysia-s-covid-19-vaccine-procurement"}, {"title": "Anwar says Asean should \u2018carve\u2019 Myanmar out for now", "text": ["\nBANGKOK - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday that Asean should \u201ccarve\u201d Myanmar out for now, rather than let the country\u2019s crisis hinder the 10-nation bloc.  \n\u201cWe should carve Myanmar out for now, and I don\u2019t think the Myanmar issue should frustrate our moves. It would be ideal if we could have just a strong consensus in giving a strong message to the Myanmar regime,\u201d he said in Thailand during his first official visit since assuming the premiership. \nMyanmar has been mired in political and economic turmoil since a February 2021 military coup. It is currently not represented at top-level Asean summits because the bloc invites only a \u201cnon-political representative\u201d from Myanmar \u2013 a stance which the Myanmar junta argues amounts to interference in the country\u2019s domestic affairs. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe remaining nine members of Asean differ in their views on Myanmar, with neighbouring Thailand more openly engaging with senior leaders in the military regime. Malaysia has spoken out strongly against the junta. Its former foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah has publicly met leaders from Myanmar\u2019s National Unity Government, which is competing with the junta for international legitimacy.\nIn his keynote speech at an event organised by the Malaysian-Thai Chamber of Commerce on Friday, Datuk Seri Anwar said he remains optimistic about the future of Asean. \nBut he stressed that the Myanmar junta must end \u201catrocities\u201d committed against its people.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cYou have every right to have your own domestic policies and priorities, but no country in these times should ever continue with discriminatory policies, marginalisation of their people, intimidating, or worse, perpetrating violence against your own people,\u201d he said.\n\nIt is not clear what Mr Anwar meant by \u201ccarve\u201d Myanmar out of Asean. As an opposition politician in March 2021, Mr Anwar co-signed a statement with five other Asean counterparts urging Asean governments to suspend Myanmar from the bloc if the junta did not free all political prisoners and reinstate the country\u2019s civilian government. \nMyanmar\u2019s military junta, which calls itself the State Administration Council, has so far paid little heed to a road map for resolution drawn up by Asean in 2021. On Feb 1, it extended the state of emergency by another six months, ostensibly to stabilise the country for fresh elections to replace the 2020 one won by the now-ousted National League for Democracy party. The junta is now battling armed resistance that sprang up in response to the coup.\nIndonesia, as rotating chair of Asean in 2023, has yet to announce whom it will appoint as the Asean special envoy on Myanmar tasked with handling this crisis. The previous two envoys were Brunei\u2019s Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof and Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn. Both were unable to gain access to deposed and imprisoned state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and former president Win Myint.\nIndonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has said Asean\u2019s development must not be held hostage by the Myanmar crisis.\nWhile meeting Thailand\u2019s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday, Mr Anwar urged Thailand to play a bigger role in addressing Myanmar\u2019s crisis. He also highlighted that\u00a0Malaysia hosts 200,000 refugees, mostly ethnic Rohingya from Myanmar.\nMr Anwar told Mr Prayut: \u201cYou are in a better position to express many of our concerns that the internal issue in Myanmar has to be resolved internally, but it has ramifications or repercussions into the region.\u201d\nMr Anwar on Friday revealed that he had been talking about the Myanmar issue with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Mr Prayut, Singapore\u2019s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Brunei\u2019s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and will soon reach out to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. \nHe stressed the need to \u201cgo beyond\u201d current efforts. \n\u201cWe don\u2019t want outsiders to interfere. We don\u2019t want the United States and Europe to tell us what to do.\u00a0But we have to do something. We have to be courageous enough to try and resolve this.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-says-asean-should-carve-myanmar-out-for-now"}, {"title": "Anwar says he is not an \u2018Islamist\u2019, trying instead to educate Malaysia\u2019s Muslims about the religion", "text": ["\nJITRA, Malaysia - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has rejected claims by certain parties that he tried to apply Islamic concepts excessively in his administration when he wanted to expand the role of the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim).   \nAccording to a report by Bernama news agency, the Prime Minister said the accusations thrown at him by a small number of non-Muslims showed that the group did not understand the importance of educating Muslims about the true concept of the religion.\n\u201cI want Jakim not only to talk about religion and Islamic law. Jakim, now under my administration as Prime Minister and the unity government, will expand its duties, talk about economic issues, look at digital programmes, and look at the education curriculum.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe responsibility is broader, so that the values of Islam can be applied, and this is objected to by those who do not understand, a small group of non-Muslims who write that \u2018Anwar is now displaying his strong Islamist attitude, which he has tried to hide all this time by ordering Jakim to control all the systems.\u2019\u201d\nDatuk Seri Anwar made the comments during his speech at the diamond jubilee celebration of a religious school in the northern Malaysian town of Kodiang on Saturday, Bernama said.\nMr Anwar explained that if Muslims in Malaysia do not get a true understanding of Islamic teachings, it is feared that it may result in clashes between communities. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI want to thank my non-Muslim friends for their support, but they also need to understand that if Muslims have shallow knowledge (of Islam), their tendency is to punish; if their attitude is cruel, harsh, and does not bring people to be attracted to and interested in Islam, then our future will be more chaotic in terms of fighting, clashing between communities,\u201d he said, according to the Bernama report.\n\nHe also said that during the seven months of governing the country, his government never received any opposition from non-Muslims. Instead they asked only about the efforts the government wanted to make.\nMeanwhile, Mr Anwar also welcomed religious scholars and teachers to give their views on the government, but reminded them not to get carried away by the politics of division.\n\u201cHence, if they want to protect Islam, there are many things that they can criticise me (for) which I can accept; (they) can criticise the government, I can accept it too, but defamation I will not allow.\n\n\u201cThere is a view, that if you are not with a certain party, you are not a member of Ahli Sunnah Waljamaah; isn\u2019t that dangerous?\n\u201cReligious scholars must say something, we should not have an obsession with the party that is above everything else,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-says-he-is-not-an-islamist-trying-instead-to-educate-malaysia-s-muslims-about-the-religion"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Anwar scores highly | Public healthcare worsens", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\u00a0\n\nMalaysia\u2019s unity government has the backing of most Malaysians, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim scoring 68 per cent, according to the first approval survey conducted since he took office in November.\nBut the support for his Pakatan Harapan-led government, at 54 per cent, is still significantly lower than that enjoyed by previous administrations early on - including the Mahathir Mohamad-led one in May 2018 and the government headed by Perikatan Nasional\u00a0chief Muhyiddin Yassin in 2020.\n\n\n\n\n\nThis may explain why the ruling parties are already planning to face upcoming state elections as a united bloc, even though the polls are only expected in the second half of the year.\nMeanwhile the government has to tackle a raft of legacy issues. This includes the renewal of a three-year licence to Australian rare earths miner Lynas, whose production of low-level radioactive waste has been a divisive issue within Pakatan Harapan. And systemic problems in public healthcare which has seen overcrowding and strained facilities in recent weeks, even as Putrajaya continues to wrestle with soaring costs of living.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nHigh approval for PM Anwar, but his government lags behind: Survey\n", "\nPoll results show government is not enjoying a honeymoon period.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia to insist rare earths miner Lynas go radiation-free by July\n", "\nPrevious rare earth projects had caused toxic radiation.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nChanging ministers and pandemic expose deep fault lines in public healthcare\n", "\nHospitals stretched due to underspending on public healthcare.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nF&B joints dish out RM5 meals to help fight inflation\n", "\nBut small eateries with low profit margins complain their business is affected.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nGovernment rules out reintroducing GST despite high debt\n", "\nIt will instead look to reduce subsidies enjoyed by Malaysia's wealthy.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nAnwar\u2019s daughter quits as economic adviser over nepotism accusations\n", "\nNurul Izzah will co-chair a secretariat advising the Finance Minister instead.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\n\u2018Sin industries\u2019 plan for rising Islamic conservatism ahead of state polls\n", "\nPlans include moving gaming outlets and diversifying business.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nEx-PM Mahathir quits Pejuang party he founded\n", "\nThe move indicates a split in political direction with his son and party chief Mukhriz Mahathir.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-scores-highly-public-healthcare-worsens"}, {"title": "Anwar set to win confidence vote, but two-thirds majority will be a close call", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will likely win three early tests of his majority on Monday, when the federal legislature reconvenes for the first time after the Nov 19 general election threw up Malaysia\u2019s first hung Parliament.\nHis government, which consists of three main coalitions and some smaller outfits, is set to pick the Speaker and Deputy Speakers of Parliament, before calling a confidence vote on the Premier.\nBut what remains to be confirmed is whether the Pakatan Harapan chief indeed commands a two-thirds supermajority in the 222-strong chamber, which would allow his government to make sweeping changes to laws, including amending the Constitution and changing electoral rules.\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter vying with former premier Muhyiddin Yassin for the King\u2019s nod to form the government, Datuk Seri Anwar cobbled together the unity government which he claims is made up of all MPs except the 74 in Tan Sri Muhyiddin\u2019s Perikatan Nasional.\nOn paper, this gives the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president exactly two-thirds support, or 148 MPs. But rumblings since his Cabinet was sworn in a fortnight ago may see him fall short.\nParti Bangsa Malaysia chief Larry Sng said \u201cwords cannot express my disappointment\u201d after his party, where he is the sole MP, ended up with no ministers or deputies, although he later committed to giving his full support to the government.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile Sabah\u2019s ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition has also pledged its backing to Mr Anwar, a move by top figures in the state\u2019s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chapter to leave Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s party has raised questions of whether its four MPs, who won the election on the GRS ticket, have breached anti-party hopping rules that came into effect earlier this year. \n\nAlthough GRS says they were already direct members of the pact, Bersatu claims they are still members of the party. \nMinister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department Armizan Ali\u2019s insistence that he and the other three MPs have not left Bersatu seems to indicate uncertainty on this issue. \n\u201cWe must also remember if there is a new party formed by (GRS chairman and former Sabah Bersatu chief) Hajiji Noor, we cannot join the party,\u201d the Papar MP said last Thursday.\n\n\n\n\n\nEven some in Mr Anwar\u2019s own PKR are discomfited by how the Premier has watered down the party\u2019s reformist ideals.  \nPasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim, in a poem clearly directed at Mr Anwar, said \u201chalf my soul is dead\u201d after the Cabinet was unveiled, with Umno chief Zahid Hamidi appointed as deputy premier despite facing trial for dozens of graft charges.\n\u201cYou said we would not sell out principles for power,\u201d the former Johor PKR chief wrote. \u201cI feel defeated when we triumph without integrity.\u201d\nLast Wednesday, he also criticised PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail for defending a security law which allows for detention without trial, reminding the party that it had decried such rules as draconian.\n", "\nYet again, Mr Hassan hit out at the leadership, saying a coalition agreement inked by leaders of the unity government had \u201cbecome a sharp weapon\u201d as it barred their MPs from voting by conscience in matters that \u201caffect the government\u2019s stability\u201d.\n\u201cI am not a robot, not a zombie. I have my dignity. I would rather be beheaded,\u201d the lawmaker said, although he stressed that he would still vote for \u201cmy friend the Prime Minister\u201d. \nMalaysian Indian Congress secretary-general Rajasekaran Thiyagarajan, whose party is a junior member of the Umno-led Barisan Nasional, also called for the coalition agreement to be discarded.    \n\u201cIt is a disgrace to a democratically elected Parliament and will make Malaysia a disgrace in the eyes of the world if it is enforced,\u201d he said in a statement on Sunday. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-set-to-win-confidence-vote-but-two-thirds-a-close-call"}, {"title": "Anwar to visit Indonesia on Jan 8 in first state trip as Malaysia\u2019s PM", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will be visiting Indonesia in his first official visit since assuming the premiership more than a month ago.\nHe will be meeting President Joko Widodo during his two-day visit to Jakarta that will begin on Jan 8.\nThe two leaders are expected to discuss issues relating to border demarcation, trade, manpower and palm oil and it is likely that the situation in Myanmar will surface.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIndonesia will hold the chairmanship of Asean in 2023.\n\u00a0Datuk Seri Anwar will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir.\n\u00a0Datuk Seri Dr Zambry paid a courtesy call on Mr Jokowi on Dec 30, ahead of Mr Anwar\u2019s visit. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/anwar-to-visit-indonesia-on-jan-8-in-first-state-trip-as-malaysia-s-pm"}, {"title": "Apologise for joke that objectified female student, Malaysia\u2019s PM Anwar told", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA\u00a0- Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim should apologise for a joke he made to a female student during one of his public dialogues with varsity students recently, says the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda).\nIts deputy president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz said that unfortunately, most older men think that this was just a joke.\n\u201cWomen see this on a daily basis, and we always have to explain whenever we don\u2019t smile or laugh at the \u2018joke\u2019. Seeing DSAI (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) doing it at a larger scale will perpetuate this belief,\u201d she tweeted on Sunday.\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Amira said Mr Anwar has to apologise publicly as a good example to other men.\n\u201cMake them understand that this behaviour is not okay. Especially coming from someone with a position of power.\n\u201cIf you\u2019re impressed by the girl, just compliment her without making comments that objectify her,\u201d she added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDuring an event at a university in Negeri Sembilan, the student had asked the Prime Minister about his administration\u2019s plans to tackle the ringgit\u2019s falling value.\n\n", "\nShe also asked him whether Malaysia can become a first-class nation, and what the government and the younger generation can do to realise that aim.\nMr Anwar responded by praising the student for how well she relayed her questions, and then allegedly said that if he was younger, he would have asked the student for her phone number.\nMs Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif, deputy chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia\u2019s Legal and Constitution bureau, said: \u201cThe host or moderator then followed Anwar\u2019s example by saying \u2018Dato Seri dah dapat, bagi dekat saya\u2019 (share the number with me when you\u2019ve got it).\n\u201cIn no circumstances is this kind of language acceptable; in a public televised forum, it is doubly shocking.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/apologise-for-joke-that-objectified-female-student-anwar-told"}, {"title": "Apple begins hiring in push to bring retail chain to Malaysia", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Apple has begun hiring employees for a retail push into Malaysia, preparing to bring its chain to the Asian country for the first time.\nThe company recently published job listings on its website for locations in Malaysia, seeking store managers, technical specialists and support staff, sales staff for businesses and operations experts.  \nThe listings indicate that the positions will be for Apple\u2019s own retail stores, not third-party reseller locations that have long operated in Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe move will bolster Apple\u2019s presence in South-east Asia, where it already has stores in Thailand and Singapore.\nThe company also recently started promoting job listings for its first location in India, which has been planned for several years.\u00a0An Apple spokesman declined to comment. \nThe job listings do not indicate where in Malaysia the first store will be, but Apple is likely to start in Kuala Lumpur, the country\u2019s capital.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nApple does not report sales in individual countries, but the company generated more than US$29 billion (S$38 billion) from its Asia-Pacific segment, which excludes Greater China and Japan, in the last fiscal year. \n\nThe Cupertino, California-based company already operates an online store in Malaysia.\nApple started its retail chain nearly 22 years ago and now has more than 500 stores globally, with the majority located in the United States. \nThe last international expansion occurred in 2018, with a location in Bangkok. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/apple-begins-hiring-for-effort-to-bring-retail-chain-to-malaysia"}, {"title": "Landslide off Genting: Death toll rises to 21, search continues for next 24 hours", "text": ["\nBATANG KALI, Selangor \u2013 At least 21 people were killed and around 12 others feared trapped after a landslide hit a campsite near Genting Highlands in the early hours of Friday, the Malaysian authorities said. \nSearch and rescue operations will continue for the next 24 hours, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis said on Friday evening. \nOver 700 personnel had spent hours scouring the muddy terrain for survivors. \n\n\n\n\n\nThree Singaporeans were found safe in the search and rescue mission, Malaysia\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday morning. \n\u201cThe Malaysian Government is working swiftly to ensure all affected in the tragedy be given immediate assistance,\u201d\n the statement added. \nCampers told reporters that they heard loud noises at around 2am that sounded like an explosion and trees being snapped, and many scrambled to escape from their tents in the dark. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Tee Yeow King, a Singapore permanent resident, said he shielded his wife and two children with his body after he heard a loud rumbling sound as he was about to fall asleep.\n\n\u201cThe sound got louder and it was nothing like I had heard before. It sounded like trees were being ripped apart and rocks crumbling,\u201d he told\u00a0The Straits Times after leaving the campsite. \nBy the time the sun was in the sky on\u00a0Friday, the three different campsites at Father\u2019s Organic Farm in Batang Kali, on the outskirts of capital Kuala Lumpur, had turned into a giant muddy ground as tonnes of earth had been displaced. \nThe authorities said the earth fell from an estimated height of 30m and covered an area of about 0.4ha.\n\n\n\n\n\nSearch and rescue workers on site, some with\u00a0rescue dogs, were frantically digging in places where they hoped to find survivors. \nThe vehicles of the campers had been shoved together and partly buried under mud and fallen trees.\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, after visiting the rescue operations centre near the disaster site, said families of those who perished in the landslide will receive RM10,000 (S$3,070). \nThe families of survivors will receive RM1,000 each. \n\u201cWe will expedite the assistance,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar said. \nThe Ministry of Local Government Development said on Twitter that 61 people had been rescued, and among them were three Singaporeans.\nLocal Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming said the campsite was operating illegally without a licence. \nHe said the site operators had obtained permission only for farming organic vegetable crops. \nNo approval for camping activities was given by the local authorities.  \n\u201cI have instructed 155 local councils to check and vacate all the campsites along the high-risk areas, including waterfall, river and hillside areas,\u201d he said.  \nMr Nga added that the penalties may amount to a\u00a0RM50,000 fine and a prison term of up to three years.\n", "\nHome Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who visited the site, has asked for a halt to all camping activities until further notice.\n\u201cWe are asking all organisers of camping sites around here not to accept any more visitors for the time being,\u201d he told reporters, noting that camping activities are popular during the school holidays.\nAmong those confirmed to have died are three children \u2013 including a five-year-old boy \u2013 seven women and two men, said Selangor Chief Minister Amirudin Shari.  \nHulu Selangor district police chief Suffian Abdullah said that most of the 94 victims were local residents, including workers at the campsite. \n", "\nAmong those who were at the campsite were 20 teachers from Chinese primary school Mun Choong in Kuala Lumpur, and their families, Malaysia\u2019s Berita Harian daily quoted an official from the school as saying. \nAt least five teachers were believed to be missing. \nThe campsite is located in Jalan Batang Kali-Jalan Genting Highlands, less than 15km away from the peak of Genting Highlands, a popular travel destination that houses a casino and theme park. \nThe camp, located about 4.5km or a 10-minute drive from Gohtong Jaya, a town below the Genting Highlands peak, offers eco-tourism packages, including educational guides on organic vegetable farming. \nRoads to the disaster site have been shut to allow easier access for trucks ferrying tractors and personnel for rescue operations. \n", "\nMinister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said initial investigations showed that the landslide at the farm was due to a slope failure involving 450,000 cubic m of soil. \n\u201cThis involves an area which is 500m in length, 200m wide and 8m deep,\u201d he told reporters at the landslide site.\nPersonnel from multiple fire stations, as well as the Special Tactical Operation and Rescue Team, have also been deployed to the site for search and rescue operations.\nOn Tuesday, the Fire Department\u2019s director-general Mohammad Hamdan Wahid advised Malaysians and the local municipal authorities to temporarily stop recreational activities, especially in high-risk areas such as mountains, hills, rivers and beaches, during the monsoon season.  \nMalaysian Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi  said on Thursday the ministry is closely monitoring federal roads prone to high-risk flooding that can lead to slope failures in the current wet season.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/around-100-people-feared-trapped-in-malaysia-landslide"}, {"title": "Around 70% of stolen 1MDB assets, funds recovered, says Malaysia anti-graft chief", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - Around 70 per cent of stolen assets and funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) have been recovered so far, said Malaysia\u2019s anti-graft agency.\nMalaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki said US$1.8 billion (S$2.42 billion) was the latest in funds recovered, following a legal dispute settlement with Abu Dhabi\u2019s International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) and Aabar Investments.\n\u201cOverall, we have recovered RM28.93 billion (S$8.73 billion) worth of 1MDB assets and funds. We estimate around 70 per cent of the assets and funds have been recovered,\u201d he said on Tuesday. \n\n\n\n\n\nTan Sri Azam said the MACC was among the main agencies tasked with recovering assets and funds belonging to 1MDB.\n\u201cWe have been instrumental in these recovery efforts, including conducting investigations, making arrests and prosecuting those involved in 1MDB,\u201d he said. \nThe MACC, especially its Anti-Money Laundering division, has played an important part throughout efforts to recover such assets, Mr Azam added. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cEfforts to recover the remaining assets and funds are still ongoing. We are doing our best to recover as much of the funds as possible.\u201d  \n\nOn Monday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised the efforts of civil servants, especially the Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers and the MACC, when referring to the settlement with IPIC and Aabar.\n\u201cIt far exceeded the amount that we had hoped for. Two weeks ago, during the 2023 Budget presentation, I gave a forecast (on the sum), but said that I was confident things would get better.\n\u201cAt the time, I wasn\u2019t sure if the sum was going to be US$1.5 billion, US$1.7 billion or US$1.8 billion. In the end, we got US$1.8 billion. This amount will go into the country\u2019s coffers. It is cash. This is not investment,\u201d he said. \nMalaysia\u2019s 1MDB is the subject of graft and money-laundering investigations in at least six countries. An estimated US$4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB by high-level officials of the fund and their associates between 2009 and 2014, the United States Justice Department has alleged. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/around-70-of-stolen-1mdb-asset-funds-recovered-says-malaysia-anti-graft-chief"}, {"title": "Calls for reconciliation as Umno AGM closes, party seeks to rebound from GE drubbing", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Two days of bluster and leaders\u2019 exhortations to commit to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s unity government made way for a more introspective tone, as Umno\u2019s annual assembly drew to a close on Saturday, with delegates offering their views on how to resuscitate the once-mighty party\u2019s fortunes.\nAfter licking its wounds from November\u2019s general election thrashing, there were calls from Umno\u2019s rank and file and veterans to reconcile with sidelined figures and consolidate their strength ahead of polls due by August to elect governments in six of Malaysia\u2019s 13 states.\nA recurring theme from delegates debating president Zahid Hamidi\u2019s policy speech was to strengthen the party ahead of the polls to avoid a repeat of its worst-ever general election performance, having won just 26 of 222 parliamentary wards in 2022.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe can no longer afford to be divided, we can\u2019t afford to have camps, so we should stop sniping at each other. If there are ideas and views for the good of the party or criticisms for the party, use existing internal channels for us to discuss and improve our weaknesses,\u201d deputy president Mohamad Hasan said on the sidelines of the congress on Saturday.\nYouth wing treasurer Kurniawan Naim Moktar called on the supreme council \u2013 the party\u2019s top decision-making body \u2013 to restore \u201cany of our sacked or suspended leaders who have yet to join other parties and continue to love our party\u201d.\nThis came on the back of former supreme councillor Tajuddin Rahman\u2019s plea on Friday to party chief Zahid to lift his six-year suspension and allow him to campaign at the upcoming state elections. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe former deputy minister said he had appealed three times but there has been no response from the party.\n\n\u201cI know the weaknesses of PAS, I know the weaknesses of Bersatu, I know all the weaknesses of PN,\u201d said the 75-year-old. Parti Islam SeMalaysia and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, the main components of opposition pact Perikatan Nasional, are Umno\u2019s main rivals for the Malay Muslim majority vote.\n\u201cI want to fight in the state elections. How can I fight without a keris? Give me the keris,\u201d he added, making reference to the traditional Malay dagger that is Umno\u2019s symbol.\nDatuk Seri Tajuddin was among a clutch of leaders who were critical of Datuk Seri Zahid and who were sanctioned prior to the general election. Another purge in January saw the likes of former youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin being sacked, while others such as former Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, who has spent most of the past 25 years in Cabinet, were suspended.\n\n\n\n\n\nYouth chief Akmal Saleh supported the call to bring exiled figures back into the fold, pointing out how even Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia and Umno\u2019s longest-serving leader, left and returned to the party.\n\u201cIt appears KJ still has hope in Umno,\u201d Dr Akmal told a press conference on Saturday, referring to former health minister Khairy\u2019s praise for his stance on the party\u2019s need to settle internal issues.\n\u201cUmno is at its lowest point. It is time for all who love Umno to sit at the same table because it needs assistance and ideas from all parties,\u201d the Melaka state Cabinet member added.\n", "\nMr Khairy, however, had said on Friday that he will meet Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin next week to discuss joining the opposition party, after the former premier offered him a place on its supreme council. \nDr Zahid,\u00a0in his closing speech, said the supreme council is always open to restoring members slapped with disciplinary action.\n\u201cWe will see if, after the punishment, they are really party men or enemies from within. If they are really loyal, they would not be crowing everywhere, attacking the party,\u201d he said. \nDr Akmal also stressed that there was no friction between the youth wing and the central leadership \u2013 especially Dr Zahid \u2013 despite the Deputy Premier disagreeing with his call for an apology from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) for past slights. \nDAP is a decades-old foe that is now the unity government\u2019s largest component.\n", "\n\u201cWe are just bringing the voice of the grassroots. We respect the institution of the president. In fact, in the president\u2019s policy speech, there were three points that came from the youth assembly,\u201d Dr Akmal said.\nHe clarified that the demand for a DAP apology was to improve ties between their respective grassroots, but it was up to the wisdom of DAP\u2019s leadership to decide on whether to do so.\nDeputy president Mohamad also clarified his support for the call, explaining on Saturday that \u201cI really think it\u2019s a good thing, but if Anthony (Loke) said to move on, then it is up to them\u201d, referring to DAP\u2019s secretary-general. \nSaid the defence minister: \u201cI don\u2019t want this apology issue to create a crack in the unity government.\u201d\nAsked at a press conference after the close of the assembly if Umno was ready to move on and cooperate with DAP, Dr Zahid responded with an emphatic \u201cdefinitely\u201d. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/as-agm-closes-umno-seeks-to-recover-and-rebound-from-ge-drubbing"}, {"title": "As egg shortage persists, Malaysian sellers scramble for more supply", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Mrs Raihan Thye used to spend only RM2,800 (S$854) a month for 6,000 pieces of grade A eggs to produce her kueh. But now, she would have to fork out at least RM3,900 for the same amount amid an egg shortage in Malaysia. The 34-year-old kueh seller said it has been a daily battle to secure enough eggs in the past few months, as none of her suppliers are able to meet her requirement."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/as-egg-shortage-persists-malaysian-sellers-scrambled-for-more-supply"}, {"title": "Attempts to topple government will chase away foreign investors, says Malaysian envoy", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Attempts from the opposition to topple Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s unity government will make it difficult for Malaysia\u2019s ambassadors to convince foreign investors to invest in the country, said an envoy. \nMalaysia\u2019s ambassador to the United States, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, said such attempts will portray the country as unstable and cause investors to lose confidence. \n\u201cMalaysia\u2019s ambassadors have the duty to gain foreign investors\u2019 confidence in investing in the country. Investors in America are particular about the stability of the country before investing,\u201d he told broadcaster Astro Awani. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI fully support (the) Johor ruler, who said it is important to maintain the stability of the unity government.\u201d \nJohor\u2019s Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar voiced his concerns on Wednesday about attempts from opposition parties to topple the government, even though six months have passed since the 15th General Election (GE15). \nHe said the people had placed high hopes in GE15 and voted for 222 Members of Parliament to return political stability to the country. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Sultan also called on people to safeguard the country\u2019s economy, peace and stability. \n\nMr Nazri said Malaysian ambassadors in other countries are worried if there are efforts to topple the unity government, as foreign investors will be dissuaded from investing. \nHe said he had spoken to the Malaysian diaspora in America and that they fully supported Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s efforts to end corruption. \n\u201cThey care about the country\u2019s stability and they support the Prime Minister\u2019s efforts to end corruption,\u201d he said.\n\u201cThey claim that Members of Parliament who want to topple the government might be motivated out of corruption.\u201d \nMr Nazri advised MPs to respect the unity government as supported by Malaysia\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah. \n\u201cIt should be remembered that the government was formed according to the Constitution after none of the parties and coalition could form a government,\u201d he said. \n\u201cThe King had carried out his duty based on the Constitution by advising for the unity government to be formed and Anwar to be made Prime Minister. \n\u201cMPs should prove their loyalty to the King by maintaining stability in the country.\u201d \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/attempts-to-topple-government-will-chase-away-foreign-investors-says-malaysian-envoy"}, {"title": "Honeymoon is over for Malaysia\u2019s PM Anwar, barely three months on", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - It was an impressive start. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim proclaimed early on in his leadership a zero-tolerance stance towards corruption, vowing to sack Cabinet members guilty of bribery."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/barely-three-months-in-honeymoon-is-over-for-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "Landslide near Genting: 24 killed so far; some Malaysian states suspend camping", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The search for campers still trapped after Friday\u2019s landslide near Genting Highlands, which has killed 24 so far, was set to continue on Sunday.\nThree more bodies \u2013 a woman, a girl and a boy \u2013 were found on the second day of the search, according to the fire department, leaving at least nine more missing.  \n\u201cWe are already on our second day and, if they are trapped underneath, they might not have oxygen,\u201d Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director\u00a0Norazam Khamis said on Saturday afternoon.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that some of the victims were found trapped between 1.5m and 3m underground, \u201cdragged by the soil movement, and their hands and legs dismembered\u201d. \nDatuk Norazam also bemoaned the muddy conditions. The search and rescue operation at Father\u2019s Organic Farm was halted around midnight due to bad weather, with 61 rescued from the Batang Kali site, which the authorities said was not licensed for camping.\n\u201cWe will call the operator and take follow-up action,\u201d Hulu Selangor district police chief Suffian Abdullah said on Saturday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOperations will continue as planned until 4am on Sunday. The search will then resume at 9am,\u201d he told reporters at the landslide site on Saturday. \n\nThe Hulu Selangor Municipal Council has also issued 25 temporary closure notices to campsites in the area, some of which have yet to be legalised.  \nAmong the nine missing were an eight-man group from Alor Gajah, Melaka, according to state assemblyman\u00a0Ngwe Hee Sem.\nThose found alive include three Singaporeans, Malaysia\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday morning.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe Malaysian government is working swiftly to ensure all affected in the tragedy be given immediate assistance,\u201d the statement added.\nSingapore permanent resident Tee Yeow Keng, 37, his 37-year-old Singaporean wife and two children \u2013 a son aged seven and a three-year-old daughter \u2013 were found unhurt after the deadly landslide missed hitting their tent on the camping ground. \nMr Tee told The Straits Times that the family would now head back to Kuala Lumpur before returning to Singapore a week later.\u00a0It is not known if any other Singaporeans had been caught in the landslide.\u00a0\nSearch and rescue operations resumed around 7.30am on Saturday with the assistance of excavators and seven canines.\u00a0\n", "\nIn the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, several states including Selangor, Pahang and Johor have suspended camping and other recreational activities. \n\u201cAll forest eco-parks, hiking trails and four-wheel-drive routes in Johor permanent forest reserves will be closed to the public starting Dec 17, until a date that will be announced later,\u201d the state\u2019s forestry department said on its Facebook page.\nIt added that this is a precautionary measure during the ongoing year-end monsoon.\nThe annual rainy season that stretches from November to February has regularly caused deadly and damaging floods. The last bout saw 54 killed and RM6 billion (S$1.8 billion) in economic losses nationwide.\n", "\nOver 700 personnel across various government agencies have been involved in the mission to rescue the 94 registered at the campsite, which was buried under 450,000 cubic metres of earth that fell from a height of 30m onto an area of about 0.4ha.\nLandslides around Genting Highlands have occurred regularly over the last three decades, including a 1995 incident that killed 20.\nAs recently as Dec 11, part of a road was damaged when the earth slipped less than 15km from where the deadly event occurred on Friday morning.\nThe authorities are investigating the cause of the tragedy and assessing whether it was due to work activities or a natural disaster.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/batang-kali-search-resumes-as-some-states-suspend-camping"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s ex-PM Muhyiddin remains as Bersatu party president despite graft charges", "text": ["\nCHERAS \u2013 Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin will remain as president of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, even after being charged in court with multiple counts of corruption and money laundering. \nMuhyiddin made this announcement at the party\u2019s annual assembly on Sunday, according to local media. \nThis comes a day after the Bersatu leadership rallied around its president, urging him to remain in command of the party.\n\n\n\n\n\nBersatu\u2019s former information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the party\u2019s leadership was unanimous in its stand despite the former premier\u2019s court cases.\n\u201cWe all agree that Muhyiddin does not need to step down just because he has been charged. We want him to remain as president. We will bring this view to the Bersatu supreme council and Perikatan Nasional (PN) top leadership,\u201d he said.\nMuhyiddin is the chairman of PN, which also comprises Parti Islam SeMalaysia, Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia and Sabah Progressive Party.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWan Saiful was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Bersatu annual general assembly at Menara PGRM on Saturday.\n\nThe Tasek Gelugor MP himself had relinquished his position as party information chief after he was charged with corruption in February.\nEarlier, Muhyiddin made a surprise appearance at the event to shouts of \u201clong live Abah!\u201d and \u201ctakbir\u201d from hundreds of Bersatu youth.\n\nDressed in a white baju melayu with red samping, the man who is known as \u201cAbah\u201d (father) by his supporters, was welcomed into the halls where the party\u2019s youth wings \u2013 Srikandi Muda (women) and Armada (men) \u2013 were holding their gatherings.\n\n\n\n\n\nBesides Wan Saiful, Muhyiddin was accompanied by Bersatu treasurer-general Mohd Salleh Bajuri.\n\nMuhyiddin, who attended as an observer, sat with the audience and spent half an hour each at both halls but declined to speak to the media.\n\nHighly energised by his presence, the delegates declared that they would defend their leader at all costs.\n\n\u201cEveryone predicted that Bersatu would be dead after 2018 but we returned stronger, and in 2022, we managed to win a record number of seats.\n\n\u201cWe are not going down. We will never surrender. Abah, stay strong!\u201d said an Armada delegate.\nMuhyiddin said he now has trouble sleeping at night, adding that the situation emerges whenever he reads the news about his charges. \n\u00a0\u201cIt is difficult to sleep at night. My wife also finds it difficult to sleep, and my children are also constantly worried. Reading news (about the charges) made things worse as I learnt that I would be jailed for over 20 years if found guilty,\u201d he was quoted as saying in The Star, which attributed an unnamed news portal on Sunday.\n", "\nOn Friday, Muhyiddin was charged at the Sessions Court with four counts of abuse of power involving a total of RM232.5 million (S$70 million) in gratification and two counts of money laundering involving RM195 million.\nThe Pagoh MP is the third Bersatu leader to face charges, after Wan Saiful and Segambut division deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/bersatu-urges-malaysia-s-ex-pm-muhyiddin-to-remain-as-party-president-despite-graft-charges"}, {"title": "Billion Dollar Whale author says 1MDB suspect Jho Low under house arrest in China", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Alleged 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal mastermind Jho Low is suspected to be in Shanghai, said an author of the book that documented the Malaysian fugitive\u2019s role in the financial fraud linked to the sovereign wealth fund, amid news that one of Low\u2019s associates has died.\nThe Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had earlier said that it suspected financier Low was in gambling haven and Chinese special administrative region Macau, in a written response to the Al Jazeera news network. \nHowever, Billion Dollar Whale co-author Bradley Hope on Tuesday claimed that Low is under house arrest in Shanghai. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cJho Low was in Macau a lot from 2015 to 2018, as well as Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Thailand, but after Najib (Razak)\u2019s electoral defeat his movements were more restricted to the mainland.\n\u201cWe at @WhaleHunting_ believe he\u2019s under house arrest in Shanghai,\u201d he tweeted.\nThe report also revealed that Mr Kee Kok Thiam, who was arrested and released by the MACC earlier in May, was one of several individuals who confirmed with the authorities that Low was in Macau, along with a few others wanted in the investigation tied to the insolvent Malaysian fund 1MDB.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Kee died on Monday owing to a stroke, said his lawyers on Wednesday.\n\nMalaysia\u2019s Sin Chew Daily said that a check at the Jinjang Funeral Parlour in Kepong town confirmed that there was a wake for Mr Kee on Tuesday, with the funeral held on Wednesday morning.\nSeveral mourners who were present, believed to be family members, said they \u201cknow nothing\u201d when they were approached.\nMr Kee, 56, was arrested upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur on May 3, having overstayed his visa in Macau. He was released by the anti-graft regulator after having his statement recorded.\nAccording to the obituary, he would be cremated at the Kepong Crematorium in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.\nHe was said to be one of Low\u2019s close associates.\nThe Malaysian authorities have been trying for years to repatriate Low, who was first charged in absentia in 2018 by a Malaysian court with eight counts of money laundering and then issued a warrant of arrest for his alleged role in orchestrating the 1MDB fraud.\nLow publicly declared his innocence that same year. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/billion-dollar-whale-author-says-1mdb-suspect-jho-low-under-house-arrest-in-china-not-macau"}, {"title": "Black panther dies after road accident in Malaysia", "text": ["\nA black panther died after being hit by a car in the Malaysian town of Simpang Pertang on Saturday afternoon. \nJelebu district police chief Maslan Udin said the multi-purpose vehicle was driven by a 38-year-old man who was with his family, reported news agency Bernama. \nThe adult male panther, weighing about 40kg, \u201csuddenly came out from the right side of the road\u201d and the driver was unable to avoid it, Deputy Superintendent Maslan added. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe panther managed to make its way to a nearby drain about 4m away and eventually died. The man and his family did not suffer any injuries,\u201d he said. \nThe carcass was later taken by the Negeri Sembilan Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department. \nVideos of the incident posted on Twitter by Jabatan Netizen Malaysia had been viewed more than 780,000 times as at Sunday morning. In one clip, the panther can be seen limping along a busy road. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nOther videos show the animal lying motionless on the road as cars drive by. Its body is also seen in a drain next to the road. \n\nAccording to Panthera, an organisation advocating the conservation of wild cats, the Malay peninsula has the largest population of black panthers in the world. The animal can typically be found in rainforests. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/black-panther-dies-after-road-accident-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Blocking top leadership contest a double-edged sword for Umno", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Umno\u2019s blocking of election for its top two leadership posts threatens to raise more questions about Zahid Hamidi\u2019s legitimacy as party chief and worsen a deep rift within Malaysia\u2019s longest ruling party.Delegates at Umno\u2019s general assembly have voted in favour of a no-contest motion for the posts of president and deputy president ahead of the party polls. This paves the way for Zahid to remain in the top position despite efforts by party rivals to remove him since he led Umno to its worst electoral performance in November\u2019s general election, where it won only 26 seats in the 222-strong legislature."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/blocking-top-leadership-contest-a-double-edged-sword-for-umno"}, {"title": "Body mix-up: Malaysian minister to reimburse family\u2019s funeral expenses", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013The family who was wrongly notified of their son\u2019s death and had spent RM20,000 (S$6,000) for his funeral will be compensated, said Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. \n\u201cI will pay the compensation of RM20,000 myself because they have made preparations and it isn\u2019t fair to them,\u201d he said in Parliament on Wednesday.\n\n\u201cThey might be a poor family, and RM20,000 is a big amount. So, I will settle this issue in less than 48 hours.\u201d  \n\n\n\n\n\nDatuk Seri Saifuddin was responding to a question from Pakatan Harapan MP M. Kulasegaran on whether the shell-shocked family would be compensated as they had spent a large amount on funeral expenses, only to be told hours before the cremation that the body was not that of their kin. \nThe family\u2019s ordeal started when the father, who wanted to be identified only as Mr Chantren, received a call from the prison authorities on March 1 to tell him that his son had died in jail.\nHe claimed the body he was told was that of his 19-year-old son, and noticed that the face looked different from his son\u2019s.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNevertheless, Mr Chantren made preparations for the funeral rites at their family home in Negeri Sembilan and made arrangements to cremate the body.  \n\nHowever, to the family\u2019s surprise, they were informed by the prison authorities via a video call just a few hours before the cremation that Mr Chantren\u2019s son was still alive, and that they had another person\u2019s body at the funeral. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/body-mix-up-malaysian-minister-to-reimburse-family-s-funeral-expenses"}, {"title": "Malaysia landslide toll hits 26 after man found hugging dog", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The death toll from a landslide at an unauthorised campsite in Malaysia rose to 26 after search and rescue teams on Wednesday found the body of a man in a tight embrace with his dog, officials said.\nSeven people are still missing after a predawn landslide on Friday hit the site located at an organic farm near the town of Batang Kali in Selangor state, just north of the capital Kuala Lumpur.\nAbout 680 people from various agencies led by the fire and rescue department and the police are involved in the rescue operations.\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Wednesday, emergency services crews combing through muddy terrain dug out the body of a man still hugging his dog, senior rescue official Hafisham Mohamad Noor told AFP.\nThe man\u2019s remains were brought to a hospital while the dog\u2019s were handed over to veterinarians, he added.\nOn Tuesday night, the remains of a young girl were recovered, officials said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLocal police chief Suffian Abdullah said the girl is believed to be between six and 10 years of age and that she was found 5m below ground.\n\n\u201cWhen found, the victim was dressed in pink pants and shirt, sleepwear,\u201d he said at a news conference on Wednesday.\nThe 26 fatalities include eight children.\nOfficials said that when the landslide struck, there had been more than 90 people, most of them asleep, at the campsite near a mountain casino resort. More than 60 campers had been found safe or rescued.\nThe farm did not have a licence to run a campsite and its operators will be punished if they were found to have broken the law, authorities have said.\n", "\nLandslides are common in Malaysia after heavy rains, which are regular at the end of the year.\nHowever, no heavy rains were recorded in the area on the night of the disaster.\nIn March, four people were killed after a massive landslide triggered by heavy rains buried their homes in a Kuala Lumpur suburb.\nIn one of the deadliest of such incidents, a huge mudslide in 1993 brought on by heavy rain caused a 12-storey residential building outside the capital to collapse, killing 48 people. AFP\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/body-of-man-recovered-from-malaysian-landslide-death-toll-now-26"}, {"title": "Boy, 12, killed in crocodile attack in Sabah\u2019s Sandakan district", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU \u2013 A 12-year-old boy died on Tuesday after he was attacked by a crocodile in Sabah\u2019s Sandakan district. \nThe boy was reported to have been attacked at around 8am on Sumangat Payau island.\nSabah Fire and Rescue Department assistant operations director Hamsa Isnurdini said his unit received a distress call at around 8.25am, and a team was sent out in response.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAn integrated operation with other enforcement officials was conducted to search for the boy,\u201d he said.\nThe boy\u2019s body was found at 10.38am about 2km from where he was last seen and recovered by marine police, Mr Hamsa said.\nWildlife Department officials have also been informed, he added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn another crocodile attack in Sabah in early May, the torso of 28-year-old Rudi Amiruddin was found in Beluran district.\n\nMr Rudi was last seen on May 9 washing his hands and legs at a river bank.\n\nHis remains were recovered on May 11, without his legs and arms. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/boy-12-killed-in-crocodile-attack-in-sabah-s-sandakan-district"}, {"title": "Boy dies after falling from 14th floor of Kota Kinabalu hotel", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU, Malaysia: Wailing cries of heartbroken parents awoke residents at a hotel in Kota Kinabalu city in\u00a0Sabah, Malaysia, when their 12-year-old son was killed after falling nine floors from the hotel room they were staying in on Monday.\nIt is learnt that the family was staying at the hotel\u2019s 14th floor, and the boy\u2019s body was found on a fifth-floor veranda.\nThe state Fire and Rescue Department\u2019s assistant director of operations said it was informed of the incident at around 6.44am and sent a team.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhen we arrived, our task was to carry the victim to the medical team at the scene, which pronounced him dead,\u201d he said in a statement.\nHe said the boy\u2019s body was later handed over to the police for further action.\nThe cause of the incident is under probe. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/boy-falls-from-14th-floor-of-kota-kinabalu-hotel"}, {"title": "Boy, 16, found in shipping container in Malaysia returns to Bangladesh", "text": ["\nSEPANG, Malaysia - A 16-year-old Bangladeshi boy\u00a0who was found in a shipping container in Port Klang in January has been safely repatriated back to his home country.\nMalaysia\u2019s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the teenager, named Fahim, had sailed from Chittagong in Bangladesh to Port Klang. He was found in a weak condition on Jan 17 when the ship docked at port.\nDatuk Seri Saifuddin said that based on investigations, there were no elements of human trafficking in Fahim\u2019s case. He added that the container in which the teen was found was brought in by the MV Integra, which had sailed out of Bangladesh.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe teen was unintentionally locked up in the container while playing with friends.\n\u201cOur consideration at that time was to save him and we sent him to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang until he was nursed back to health,\u201d he told reporters at a press conference at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Tuesday after seeing the teen off.\n\u201cDuring that period, the Home Ministry contacted the Bangladesh High Commission to help prepare his (travel) papers,\u201d he said, adding that Fahim did not have any travel documents.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe also said he enlisted the help of non-governmental organisation Yayasan Chow Kit to care for the teen pending the repatriation process.\n\n\u201cThe victim is a child that should be protected. Secondly, there is the need to protect lives because it was a miracle that he survived in the container despite being on sea for days,\u201d Mr Saifuddin said.\nHe explained that those without valid travel documents would normally be sent to immigration depots, but an exemption was made in this case.\nMr Saifuddin said that during a recent visit to Bangladesh, he had informed the Bangladeshi Home Minister that he would facilitate the repatriation process.\nHe said officials would accompany the boy from the Bangladesh High Commission to ensure a safe journey via a Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Dhaka.\n\u201cHe will be brought back to his family. This is a manifestation of the Malaysia Madani principle to show compassion towards another human,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/boy-found-in-shipping-container-in-malaysia-returns-to-bangladesh"}, {"title": "Businesses, service providers join in to celebrate Anwar\u2019s appointment with PM10 promos", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian businesses and service providers are celebrating the appointment of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the new Prime Minister by offering \u201cPM10\u201d discounts, as well as producing themed merchandise focused on him.From dental services to custom-made T-shirts, the Pakatan Harapan chairman\u2019s appointment is being celebrated like no other, a stark contrast from the previous elections. \u00a0Many online retailers are offering a 10 per cent discount with the code \u201cPM10\u201d."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/businesses-service-providers-join-in-to-celebrate-anwar-s-appointment-with-pm10-promos"}, {"title": "Cabinet posts for Barisan Nasional a trust, not the spoils of war, says Malaysian DPM Zahid", "text": ["\n\nPETALING JAYA - Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Zahid Hamidi has thanked Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for his trust in appointing those from BN for Cabinet posts.\n\nThe newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister also called for an end to the political instability that had damaged and hindered Malaysia\u2019s prosperity.\n\n\u201cThis trust is not the spoils of war, but a very heavy responsibility as the global economy is predicted to be very challenging next year.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe are confident that the unity government will be able to deal with the challenges that lie ahead for the benefit of Malaysia and its people,\u201d he said in a Facebook post on late Friday.\n\nZahid also reminded all parties to stop carrying out any provocative action that could cause unrest among the people or to hinder the government\u2019s efforts to revive the economy.\n\n\u201cLet us come together for a better future for Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cCongratulations to all those appointed and hopefully this will bring extraordinary success for the country. We stop the political instability that has greatly damaged and hindered Malaysia\u2019s prosperity.\u201d\n\n\n", "\nMr Anwar on Friday night announced Zahid and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) as the two deputy premiers as well as a leaner Cabinet with 28 ministers.\n\nIn total, there are six ministers from BN, namely Ahmad Zahid (Rural And Regional Development Minister), Mohamad Hasan (Defence Minister), Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz (International Trade and Industry Minister, Mohamed Khaled Nordin (Higher Education Minister), Azalina Othman (Law And Institutional Reform Minister), Zambry Abd Kadir (Foreign Minister).\n\nMr Anwar will also hold the Finance Ministry portfolio. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/cabinet-posts-for-barisan-nasional-a-trust-not-the-spoils-of-war-says-malaysian-dpm-zahid"}, {"title": "Cabinet to discuss single immigration clearance system at Causeway, says Malaysian DPM", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The proposal for a single immigration clearance system at the Malaysia-Singapore land border will be brought to the Cabinet in a bid to ease congestion at the Causeway, said Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof.  \nDatuk Seri Fadillah said a special committee looking into the traffic jams at the Causeway had agreed to the proposal in principle.\nHe said the proposal will be further refined by the Home Ministry, which acts as the secretariat of the special committee, before being tabled at a Cabinet meeting.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis means that those who want to enter Malaysia can get clearance in Singapore by the Malaysian immigration personnel deployed there,\u201d Mr Fadillah told Malaysian media on Monday after chairing the committee\u2019s meeting.\nMr Fadillah said if the idea was accepted by the Cabinet, a technical committee would be formed to discuss the possibility of its implementation with Singapore.\nThis is because it would require some changes to the law, as well as the agreement of the Singapore government, he added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt will ease movement of commuters between Singapore and Malaysia,\u201d Mr Fadillah said.\n\n\nAside from that, the DPM revealed that a total of RM190 million (S$57.2 million) had been allocated by the federal government to implement short-, medium- and long-term initiatives.\nThese include plans to improve facilities and ease congestion at the Causeway. \nHe said some short-term initiatives had already been implemented. For example, the number of motorcycle lanes has been increased from 50 to 75.\nOn the proposed idea to form a single border agency, the matter would also be brought to the Cabinet for further direction.\n\nMr Fadillah said the initiatives to ease congestion had to be taken into consideration as the number of commuters at the Causeway was expected to increase. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/cabinet-to-discuss-single-immigration-clearance-system-at-causeway-says-malaysian-dpm"}, {"title": "Car crashes into toll gate barrier in Malaysia after driver, passengers lose consciousness", "text": ["\nA suspected gas leak from a malfunctioning car air-conditioner caused a Malaysian family to lose consciousness, sending their vehicle crashing into a toll gate barrier in Pahang. \nThe incident happened at 2.40pm on Monday, when the family of two adults and two children were heading to Balakong town in Selangor from their home in Tok Bali, Kelantan.\nMalaysian police who were patrolling along the Kuala Lumpur-Karak expressway saw the accident and quickly rendered assistance, helped by the public and employees from the toll gate.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe family was taken to a nearby hospital.   \n\u201cA medical examination confirmed they were unconscious due to the lack of oxygen in their bodies. The condition caused the vehicle to crash into the toll barrier,\u201d said Bentong police chief Zaiham Mohd Kahar.\n\nIn a comment posted on Facebook, a man named Mr Syafiq Mok said he is the oldest child of the family and that his parents and siblings are safe.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMy family are safe, Alhamduillah (Praise be to God), they have regained consciousness. The reason why everyone fainted was due to a leak from the car\u2019s air-conditioner,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cMy father and our entire family are grateful to all those who helped us\u2026 only God can repay your kindness.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/car-crashes-into-toll-gate-barrier-in-malaysia-after-driver-passengers-lose-consciousness"}, {"title": "Cat rooming with capybaras becomes top draw at Malaysia\u2019s Zoo Negara", "text": ["\nCapybaras have become a top draw at Malaysia\u2019s Zoo Negara because of their unusual roommate: a domestic cat.\nIt is an odd pairing, considering capybaras are rodents, a group of mammals that includes mice and rats, and are closely related to guinea pigs.  \nBut the unusual living arrangement is drawing plenty of attention at the zoo, and the cat \u2013 a ginger short-haired feline named Oyen \u2013 and his rodent buddies seem very satisfied.\n\n\n\n\n\nOyen has been living with the capybaras for at least two years, zoo officials told Malaysia\u2019s Bernama news agency.\nThey said they began seeing him inside the capybara enclosure when the Kuala Lumpur zoo had to shut down because of the Covid-19 pandemic.\n\u201cWhen we first discovered him, we saw he was very friendly with the capybaras. He would eat with them,\u201d Mr Mohd Taufik Yazidbustami, senior zookeeper at Zoo Negara, told Bernama.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAt that time, we were also feeding the capybaras bread, which the cat ate,\u201d he said.\n\n\nZoo employees think Oyen was probably abandoned near Zoo Negara, which saw more cats dumped near its premises during the pandemic as pet owners struggled with their finances.\n\nThey decided to let the cat stay with the capybaras as he seemed to be getting along just fine with them.  \nBut they are keeping a close eye for signs of stress or disease, Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly Rahmat Ahmat Lana told Bernama.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhen the zoo reopened in September 2021, people began noticing the odd cat with the capybaras.  They snapped photos and took videos of him.  \nPretty soon, Oyen became somewhat of an Internet celebrity in Malaysia. People began going to the zoo to catch a glimpse of him.\n\u201cOyen has become so popular,\u201d said Mr Rosly.\nOne video on TikTok that has more than 40,000 likes shows Oyen affectionately rubbing his cheek on the forehead of a capybara that was munching quietly on its veggies.\n", "\nIn other social media posts, the cat can be seen cuddling or sleeping with the capybaras.\n\nMr Rosly said Oyen has made the capybara enclosure one of the most visited ones at Zoo Negara.\n\nThe cat has become so popular that the zoo is thinking of adding his name to the capybara sign in front of the enclosure, he said.\n\n\u201cThe majority of visitors are aware of this. They come... just to take photos of Oyen with the capybaras. But they\u2019re not always successful. If they\u2019re lucky and come during makan (feeding) time, they\u2019ll get their photo,\u201d he told Bernama.\nFor those who are not aware, the cat is a welcome surprise.\n\u201cWe did not know about it, but it\u2019s pretty adorable. We\u2019re here to see the capybaras, and the cat is just a bonus,\u201d Mr Seth Deister, who was visiting Malaysia from Seattle, told Bernama.\n\nIt is not surprising that the capybaras, which can grow to around 1.2m in length and weigh up to 65kg, have learnt to accept Oyen as one of their own.\nCapybaras, native to Central and South America, are known to be social, peaceful and docile animals that get along with other creatures, including dogs and cats when they are rescued and taken in as pets.\n\nThe Mail Online said of the capybara: \u201cIf the animal kingdom were a school, this chap would be the most popular student in every class.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/cat-rooming-with-capybaras-becomes-a-top-draw-at-malaysia-s-zoo-negara"}, {"title": "Caterer in Malaysia becomes victim of an expensive prank", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - When caterer Jolene Robin received an order for 150 lunch sets with beverages over three consecutive days, she was excited.\nThe order was worth a few thousand ringgit, but little did she know, she was about to be cheated.\nThe 43-year-old from\u00a0Penampang in Sabah\u00a0said her friend, who first got the offer from a person claiming to be an army officer about a week ago, had referred the order to her.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI contacted the person and wanted to get more details. He said that he needed 150 lunch sets for the new recruits in the territorial armies,\u201d\u00a0Ms Jolene\u00a0shared,\u00a0adding\u00a0that she tried asking for a deposit from the man.\nHowever, having dealt with government orders previously, Ms Jolene knew that she would have to submit a claim for payment only after the orders were sent.\n\u201cSo I did not get suspicious when the person said that he was not able to pay a deposit. He had asked me for a quotation and told me that he would pay me in cash once the food had been delivered,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn\u00a0the delivery date of May 30, Ms Jolene said she received a call from another man, who claimed to be from the same department.\n\nThe\u00a0man asked Ms Jolene if she could provide them with packed ready-to-eat meals and 20 cartons of packet drinks.\nThroughout\u00a0the process, she said that three people with different phone numbers contacted her.\n\u201cI told them I did not know any supplier for such meals. The man referred me to a supplier, but I did not proceed with the order because I did not have enough money to pay first,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Jolene then started to feel suspicious about the whole deal.\nShe said that\u00a0in\u00a0the evening when her customers were supposed to collect the meal sets, they could not be reached.\n\u201cWhen I checked my phone, I saw their messages on WhatsApp had all been deleted. They also blocked me,\u201d shared Ms Jolene, who has been in the food industry for three years.\nShe then took to social media, offering those who wished to buy food and drinks to drop by at her stall at the Kadazandusun Cultural Association compound, where the Kaamatan Festival was being held.\n\u201cI sold each lunch pack for only RM5 (S$1.50),\u201d she said, adding that she was lucky all 150 sets were sold.\n\u201cI am sharing this so that people are aware and will not fall for this scam,\u201d she added.\nNot long after her story went viral, an army man based in Kuala Lumpur came forward to inform her that his name had been used by the scammers.\nHe has lodged a police report to clear his name.\nIt is learnt that the district Commercial Crimes Investigation Department has received several reports on the matter and was investigating the case.\u00a0THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/caterer-in-malaysia-becomes-victim-of-an-expensive-prank"}, {"title": "Cebu Pacific passengers stranded in Sabah leave for Singapore at own expense", "text": ["\nDozens of passengers on a Cebu Pacific Air plane forced to make an emergency landing at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) in eastern Malaysia state Sabah have chosen to make their own way back to Singapore, their original destination, instead of waiting for a replacement flight. \nThe travellers from Cebu, a mix of Filipinos and Singaporeans, had been put up in a hotel in Kota Kinabalu by the Philippine airline. But despite on-site assistance from airline staff, passengers who spoke to The Straits Times said they decided not to wait another night to complete what was meant to be a routine four-hour journey to Singapore.\nThey would have been expected to go through another layover in Kuala Lumpur with Cebu Pacific Air, as the airline does not offer direct flights from Sabah to Singapore.\n\n\n\n\n\nTheir original plane, which left the Philippines at around 7.55pm on Wednesday, was scheduled to land in Singapore just before midnight but encountered problems with its left engine during the flight, a KKIA official said.\nThe pilot made an emergency landing in Kota Kinabalu at about 10.20pm. There were 92 crew members and passengers on the plane, which was in the air for just under two hours \u2013 around half the usual flight time from Cebu to Singapore \u2013 according to data from flight trackers.\nMs Chelonae Damayo, a passenger on the Airbus plane with the flight code 5J547, recorded the ordeal on Instagram \u201cin case anything happens\u201d. She also captured an audio recording of the pilot announcing that there was an \u201cengine malfunction\u201d and that the flight was under control but would be diverted to Sabah. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnother passenger on the same row as her, Mr Ryan Fernando, said he was sitting on the left side of the plane where he could see the damaged engine. He saw \u201ctwo flashes of flames, like a flamethrower\u201d and confirmed it with a flight attendant.\n\n\u201cOne of the plane engines caught on fire, two loud bangs were heard,\u201d Ms Damayo, 28, said. \u201cPlane was wiggling and unstable for 12 minutes and we had to do an emergency landing. I was so terrified... Flight attendants and passengers were crying.\u201d\nPassenger Edward Vistro, 41, said he was getting more worried when he saw a flight attendant in tears. But he credited the flight captain for keeping passengers calm by updating them optimally.\nThe aircraft \u201csafely landed\u201d at KKIA, said Cebu Pacific. \u201cWe apologise to our customers for the inconvenience. Cebu Pacific is currently working on bringing the passengers to their intended destination.\u201d\nAn airport official at KKIA, Mr Jamree Yumi, earlier told ST that plans were afoot for a \u201crescue aircraft\u201d from Philippine capital Manila to pick up the passengers in Kota Kinabalu on Thursday night and fly them to Singapore.\nA member of the flight crew confirmed that this was one of the proposed options for completing the passengers\u2019 trip to Singapore, adding that the crew would be taken back to Manila.\nBut, as at 8.30pm, passengers who spoke to ST said they had not received any offer for a replacement flight from the airline. Many had already left Malaysia at their own expense after spending a night in Kota Kinabalu to catch up on lost time in Singapore.\n", "\nThe 80-odd passengers had created a chat group to share information, said Mr Vistro. Most, like him, chose to book their own flights, even without assurance that Cebu Pacific Air would reimburse them. \nMs Damayo said the airline provided accommodation and meals but has been less forthcoming with updates on how they would continue their journey. \nShe said there were unconfirmed suggestions from Cebu Pacific ground crew that passengers could fly to Singapore via Kuala Lumpur on Friday, but she and a group of new acquaintances opted for a direct flight on the same morning instead.\n\u201cIf there\u2019s one positive thing this incident has (resulted in), it\u2019s definitely gaining a lot of friends,\u201d the tattoo parlour owner said.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/cebu-pacific-flight-bound-for-singapore-makes-emergency-landing-at-kota-kinabalu-airport"}, {"title": "Changing ministers and a pandemic expose deep fault lines in Malaysia\u2019s public healthcare", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - The Covid-19 pandemic and four different health ministers in as many years have exposed the deep fault lines of Malaysia\u2019s strained public healthcare system, with policy changes needed to address longstanding issues such as staff shortage and inadequate facilities. Last Friday, the emergency department of a Klang hospital had to stop accepting non-critical patients due to patient overload. This came just days after a heart patient at Serdang Hospital died after waiting for 30 hours for a bed in the public hospital. Both facilities are located in Selangor state."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/changing-ministers-and-a-pandemic-expose-deep-fault-lines-in-malaysia-s-public-healthcare"}, {"title": "Chicken supply in Malaysia sufficient until Hari Raya, minister says", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 The supply of chicken in Malaysia will be sufficient until the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations in April, said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub on Sunday.\nHe said consumers need not worry about chicken supply.\n\n\u201cI have received detailed information from the Veterinary Services Department. Officially, the data shows that there is enough supply until Aidilfitri,\u201d he told reporters after distributing dates to visitors and traders at a Ramadan bazaar on Sunday, news agency Bernama reported.\n\n\n\n\n\nDatuk Seri Salahuddin said his ministry\u2019s enforcement officers have been instructed to tighten monitoring throughout the fasting month of Ramadan until after Aidilfitri.\n\u201cMy advice to traders is if the government still sets a control price or ceiling price for chicken, which is RM9.40 (S$2.80) per kg, I hope it will be followed,\u201d he said.\n\u201cIf they are dealing with supply issues or need help from the ministry, we are ready to help.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSeparately, in Terengganu, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living admitted there had been a drop of up to 33 per cent in the supply of eggs in the state since Ramadan began, owing to a shortage from out-of-state suppliers.\n\nState ministry director Saharuddin Mohd Kia said people in the eastern state consume one million eggs a day and the supply received is about 600,000 eggs, but decreased to only around 400,000 eggs after the start of Ramadan.\n\u201cThere are no egg farms in Terengganu, which gets its supply from farm operators in Melaka, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Selangor and Perak,\u201d he said in a statement on Sunday.\n\u201cThe feedback received from egg wholesalers is that the main factor behind this sudden drop is... lack of eggs received from farm operators. There is increasing demand for eggs during Ramadan and the farms prioritise their own local markets first.\u201d\nMr Saharuddin said purchases above the normal rate by consumers and micro-, small- and medium-enterprise operators, as well as Ramadan bazaar operators, also caused certain outlets to run out of eggs before the next shipment arrived. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/chicken-supply-in-malaysia-to-be-enough-until-hari-raya-cost-of-living-minister-says"}, {"title": "Civil servant arrested over theft of items belonging to victims of Malaysian landslide", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The Malaysian police have arrested a civil servant in connection with the theft of items belonging to victims of last month\u2019s landslide near Genting Highlands. \nSelangor acting police chief S. Sasikala Devi said the 27-year-old suspect was arrested on Friday in the Klang Valley area.\n\n\u201cWe also seized items believed to belong to the victims during the arrest,\u201d she told reporters on Saturday at the Ampang Jaya police headquarters.\n\n\n\n\n\nShe said that the police were in the midst of obtaining a remand order on the suspect.\n\nOn Jan 1, Hulu Selangor district police chief Suffian Abdullah said the police were aware of a post on social media claiming that an individual was using a Touch \u2018n Go toll card belonging to one of the landslide victims. \nThe post was believed to be posted by a family member of one of the victims.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe police received two reports in connection with the incident and opened an investigation into the alleged theft. \n\nThe Dec 16 landslide at a recreational site killed 31 people, including children. The last victim, a boy, was found nine days after the incident. \nThe landslide was the third-worst landslide disaster in Malaysia in the last 30 years. A total of 61 people survived the tragedy.\nThe disaster has prompted a move towards reviewing existing regulations on hillside developments, as well as safety measures for outdoor activities such as camping and hiking, especially during the monsoon season. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/civil-servant-arrested-over-theft-of-items-belonging-to-victims-of-malaysian-landslide"}, {"title": "Coldplay\u2019s upcoming concerts in Indonesia, Malaysia ignite ticket wars", "text": ["\nJAKARTA \u2013 The chance to see Coldplay perform in Indonesia and Malaysia for the first time, in November, has ignited a ticket war, according to news outlets and netizens, as fierce demand has led to tickets for the British band\u2019s concerts being resold for six times the original price. \nThe rock band announced in May that they would be playing their first concert in Indonesia \u2013 on Nov 15 at Jakarta\u2019s Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium \u2013 as part of the Asia leg of their Music Of The Spheres World Tour. \nPK Entertainment and TEM Presents are the local concert promoters. \n\n\n\n\n\nPre-sale tickets exclusive to Indonesia\u2019s Bank Central Asia cardholders that were released on Wednesday reportedly sold out within 30 minutes, according to local news outlets, though the opening was for two days.\nTicket sales for the public started on Friday, and local reports have quoted one of the concert promoters as saying that 70,000 tickets in total are up for grabs. \nFans, however, are still finding it hard to secure tickets, and many took to social media to air their frustrations \u2013 some of them complaining about queueing in an online waiting room with 500,000 ahead of them.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDemand for tickets is so high that some in Indonesia are trying to turn a quick dollar at massively inflated resale prices. \n\nFor instance, on e-commerce website Kick Avenue, Coldplay tickets in the priciest venue zone are being sold for 60 million rupiah (S$5,400), more than five times the original price of 11 million rupiah.  \n\u201cIt\u2019s just annoying because those who really want to watch have been waiting for years and they can\u2019t get a ticket because they lost to brokers,\u201d said one netizen.  \nThe outrage comes on the back of already negative reactions to concert ticket prices \u2013 which range from 800,000 rupiah to 11 million rupiah \u2013 which some felt were too high.\n\n\n\n\n\nLocal musician Fiersa Besari posted on Twitter on May 11: \u201cEleven million. That\u2019s 22 million for a pair. I can buy bakso (meatballs) to treat an entire district (with that kind of money). But bakso sellers are around every day. Coldplay may never come back.\u201d \nNews of the ticket war has reached the band. In a video interview with Indonesian YouTuber Najwa Shihab uploaded on Thursday, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin said that this will not be Coldplay\u2019s only time in Indonesia, and that they will return to the archipelago to play again.     \n", "\nA day after it was posted, the video had been viewed more than 1.4 million times.  \nTourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno also addressed the issue in an Instagram post on Wednesday, saying that work is ongoing to add more shows.  \n\u201cFor Coldplay lovers, please be patient. We are working with them on not just a one-day concert, but more. At least adding one more day,\u201d he said.\n\n", "\nA similar situation is playing out in Malaysia, where frustrated fans found it hard to get hold of tickets for Coldplay\u2019s Nov 22 concert, after they were all snapped up within three hours on Wednesday.  \nPre-sale tickets exclusive to cardholders of CIMB bank were also sold out within hours on Tuesday.   \nThe band would be playing at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur. Ticket prices range between RM228 (S$68) and RM3,088.\nDemand for tickets has climbed to tremendous heights, with one prospective buyer on e-commerce marketplace Carousell offering to pay RM111,111 for the chance to see Coldplay live.\nThe buyer is seeking tickets in Category 1, originally priced at RM1,288, and Category 2, originally priced at RM758. \n", "\nThere was no mention of the number of tickets wanted, based on checks by The Straits Times.   \nDue to sky-high demand, scalpers are having a field day, with one offering tickets for as much as RM43,000 each on Carousell.   \nEnglish-language daily The Star reported on Wednesday that the cheapest ticket available was being sold for RM1,749 on online ticket marketplace Viagogo \u2013 almost eight times more than the original price.   \nOn Carousell, Category 4 and 5 tickets, originally priced at RM598 and RM498 respectively, were going for RM2,499 and RM3,000, added the report.   \nTickets for the Kuala Lumpur concert are also listed on Carousell in Singapore, with prices ranging from $350 to $8,000.\n", "\nColdplay, who played two concerts in Singapore in April 2017, did not list the Republic as one of their tour stops.\n\nOn Thursday, Malaysia\u2019s Domestic Trade and Costs of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub said it was unreasonable to resell a Coldplay concert ticket at RM43,000, adding that the ministry had yet to receive any official reports on reselling concert tickets at inflated prices.     \nThe ministry will investigate if there are reports on the resale of Coldplay\u2019s concert tickets based on the Consumer Protection Act 1999, he said.    \n\u201cIf there is an official report, we can advise the public on this matter. I know the public wants to attend the concert, but make wise decisions on this. Do not purchase a ticket sold at RM43,000.\u201d\n\nWhen news broke in May that Coldplay would be performing in the country, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim posted on Twitter: \u201cWelcome to Kuala Lumpur.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/coldplay-s-upcoming-concerts-in-indonesia-malaysia-ignite-ticket-wars"}, {"title": "\u2018Come to Parliament more often to understand govt\u2019s South China Sea stand\u2019: Anwar to Muhyiddin", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM - Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin should attend Parliament more often to understand the government\u2019s stance over the ongoing issue involving China on Petronas\u2019 exploration in the South China Sea, said Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.\nDatuk Seri Anwar said the Perikatan Nasional chairman and Pagoh MP did not understand the government\u2019s stand on the matter after he recently criticised Mr Anwar for being ready to negotiate with China.\n\u201cThis is the problem with the Opposition head. He was not present in Parliament, he did not listen to our views, read our statements and comments.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI have said consistently that the Petronas\u2019 Carigali project will be continued. That area belongs to us.\n\u201cBut now, China says no, this is an overlapping region. I said okay, if that is the case, let\u2019s talk,\u201d Mr Anwar said after launching a programme at a People\u2019s Housing Project in Shah Alam on Saturday.\n\u201cIf we are not going to discuss, are we going to war then?\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Prime Minister also said he had never given any indication of giving in to China\u2019s demands.\n\n\u201cWe will proceed with Petronas\u2019 exploration project. Full stop.\u201d\nOn Friday, Mr Muhyiddin criticised Mr Anwar\u2019s supposed readiness to negotiate with China on Petronas\u2019 exploration in the South China Sea, saying that it undermined the country\u2019s territorial sovereignty.\nMr Muhyiddin said Mr Anwar\u2019s remarks on negotiating with China indicated indirect recognition of China\u2019s claims.\nOn Tuesday, Mr Anwar said in a speech in Parliament that while Petronas would continue its activities, Malaysia was open to negotiations on Beijing\u2019s concerns.\nMr Anwar said Malaysia sees the area as its territory and Petronas would continue with its activities, but was open to negotiations with China\u2019s claims.\nIn 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China\u2019s \u201cnine-dash line\u201d \u2013 where Petronas currently operates \u2013 had no legal basis.\nOthers who lay claim to the area are Brunei, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/come-to-parliament-more-often-to-understand-govt-s-south-china-sea-stand-anwar-to-muhyiddin"}, {"title": "Comedian draws flak for joke referencing lost MH370 plane", "text": ["\nComedian Jocelyn Chia who joked about the missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 during a recent stand-up comedy show in the United States, has sparked a heated discussion about whether certain topics are off limits as comedic material.\nShe was born in the United States and raised in Singapore.\nAn 89-second video clip of her set posted on Instagram showed the New York-based Chia poking fun at the ongoing rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia, and making several expletive-laden snipes at Malaysians in the audience.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhen my prime minister went on TV to announce that you guys had dumped us, he cried because he thought we were not gonna survive without you,\u201d Chia said, referring to Singapore\u2019s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who announced the island state\u2019s separation from Malaysia in 1965. \n\u201cBut 40 years later, we became a First World country. And you guys, Malaysia, what are you now? Still a developing country,\u201d she said to laughs at the Comedy Cellar in New York City. \n\u201cNow, Malaysia you all are trying to come around, like, \u2018Hey Singapore, you\u2019re looking good lah.\u2019 And we\u2019re like, \u2018I know, but why haven\u2019t you visited me in 40 years?\u2019,\u201d she added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAnd (Malaysia\u2019s) like, \u2018Yeah I tried, but you know, my airplanes cannot fly,\u2019 \u201d Chia said to more laughter but also some audible gasps from the crowd.\n\n\u201cWhy, Malaysian Airlines going missing not funny huh? Some jokes don\u2019t land,\u201d she said, referring to the MH370 plane that left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing in March 2014 but never arrived. To date, the aircraft has not been located.\nThe clip drew the ire of many Malaysians shortly after it was posted.\nRadio broadcaster Kudsia Kahar was one Malaysian who took offence, writing on Twitter that she drew the line at turning MH370 into a joke. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cNot acceptable. A good stand-up never turns tragedy and deaths into a joke,\u201d she said.\nRenowned Malaysian stand-up comedian and actor Harith Iskander also weighed in on Wednesday, remarking that Chia\u2019s joke displayed \u201cinsensitivity\u201d towards the MH370 tragedy. \n\u201cI respect the freedom of expression that we comedians require to do our job, he said in a video he posted on Twitter. \n\u201cBut it is equally important to exercise some level of sensitivity and empathy when doing certain material, especially topics that are deeply personal or tragic.\u201d \n", "\nHarith added that while Malaysia is still a developing nation, the country was \u201cdefinitely First World\u201d when it comes to \u201ckindness and thoughtfulness\u201d.\nOthers said Chia\u2019s set would upset the family members of the 227 passengers and 12 crew members who were aboard the missing plane.\nMalaysia\u2019s Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir on Wednesday also condemned the actions of Chia, saying that her act shows a total lack of sensitivity and empathy towards Malaysians and the victims\u2019 families, Bernama reported.\nResponding to a critic on her Instagram page, Chia, an alumnus of St Nicholas Girls\u2019 School and National Junior College, wrote: \u201cTragedy plus time = comedy. It\u2019s been long enough man.\u201d\nThe American added that the criteria for comedy is whether a topic or material can be made funny.\nSingapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan condemned Chia\u2019s remarks on Thursday, and apologised for the \u201coffence and hurt caused to all Malaysians\u201d. \n\u201cI am appalled by her horrendous statements,\u201d he tweeted in response to Malaysian politician Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. \u201cShe certainly does not speak for Singaporeans. We treasure our ties with family and friends in Malaysia.\u201d\nSingapore\u2019s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Mr Vanu Gopala Menon, was similarly sorry for Chia\u2019s \u201churtful remarks\u201d and \u201cgratuitously offensive comments\u201d. \nIn a statement, he said: \u201cThe Singapore Government does not condone words or actions that cause harm or hurt to others and Chia, who is no longer Singaporean, does not in any way reflect our views. I sincerely apologise to all Malaysians for her hurtful remarks.\n\u201cAs our closest neighbour, Singapore and Malaysia enjoy a strong and multi-faceted relationship, with deep and cross-cutting ties... Comments such as those made by Chia are unhelpful and undermine the close trust and friendship that both our countries and peoples enjoy.\u201d\nSome netizens tagged Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng, known for his fried rice critic Uncle Roger character, urging him to respond to Chia\u2019s jokes at the expense of his country.\nNg had recently faced censure in China for his own stand-up comedy show.\nBut Chia\u2019s set, which she dedicated to Singapore\u2019s founding premier Lee, did earn the approval of at least one Malaysian, with comedian Jason Leong leaving a comment saying, \u201cI love this bit\u201d.\nChia had previously performed comedy sets with similar jokes comparing the varying states of development of Singapore and Malaysia. \nNew York City is no stranger to plane tragedies and comedy controversies itself. In 2001, a few weeks after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Centre, US comedian Gilbert Gottfried made a joke about planes \u201chaving to stop\u201d at the Empire State Building, to which a man in the audience heckled that it was \u201ctoo soon\u201d.\nCorrection note: An earlier version of this story said Jocelyn Chia was born in Singapore. This is incorrect. She was born in the US. We are sorry for the errors.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/comedian-draws-flak-for-joke-referencing-lost-mh370-plane"}, {"title": "Concerns grow in Malaysia over freedom of expression under Anwar government", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Concerns have been growing among civil society groups in Malaysia over freedom of expression since Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim became prime minister four months ago.\u00a0 \nDespite spending decades campaigning on a reform platform, which included promises of greater civil liberties, he and the Pakatan Harapan coalition he leads have done little to change perceived oppressive laws that were long used by previous governments against their critics. \nMembers of Mr Anwar\u2019s own coalition have previously been arrested or imprisoned under national security and sedition laws when they were in the opposition. \n\n\n\n\n\nIncidents of public rallies being probed by the police, investigations over online criticism and calls by government politicians\u00a0to use the colonial-era sedition laws have all continued under Mr Anwar\u2019s administration since he came into power in November 2022.\u00a0\nAt the centre of these moves is his own pursuit of his political critics from the opposition Perikatan Nasional. Defamation lawsuits and criminal defamation reports have been filed against them, including opposition leader and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin.\nLawyers for Liberty (LFL), a collective of lawyers pushing for civil liberties, said recently that using the police to protect Mr Anwar from criticism is \u201cunlawful and despotic\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHas Anwar Ibrahim forgotten that during the Najib era, the then opposition Pakatan Harapan was at the receiving end of similar police investigations for criticism of then Prime Minister Najib (Razak)? Have Anwar and his political coalition learnt nothing from the persecution they were then subjected to?\u201d LFL director Zaid Malek said in a statement. \n\nThe authorities have also pursued individuals who are behind online criticism directed at the government, as they mooted strengthening a controversial provision under the Communications and Multimedia Act to further regulate social media. \nIndividuals participating in a Women\u2019s March rally earlier in March and a rally supporting Muhyiddin after he was briefly detained for corruption were also investigated by the authorities. \nGovernment leaders have reiterated their commitment to civil liberties but have opted to prioritise economic challenges and political stability as their main agenda.  \n\n\n\n\n\nThis is partly due to Mr Anwar leading a mixed coalition unity government, whose members include former rival Barisan Nasional (BN), which is led by Umno. It was BN that introduced and used many of the provisions limiting civil liberties. \nDatuk Seri Amirudin Shari, a vice-president in Mr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat, said the Premier \u2013 who was jailed twice on sodomy and corruption charges that he maintains were politically motivated \u2013 remains committed to the cause, but reforms are a \u201cstaggered\u201d process and will not be achieved overnight.\u00a0 \n\u201cWe have to go for institutional reforms first. We have to do things slowly and in a staggered manner, before we can go for certain symbols of freedom,\u201d he told The Straits Times on Wednesday.   \n", "\nRights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia\u2019s executive director Sevan Doraisamy, however, said focusing on economic issues should not mean human rights matters should take a back seat. \u201cWe are not expecting changes overnight but at the same time they should not be delayed any further,\u201d he told ST.\u00a0\nBower Group Asia deputy managing director Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani said that while civil society groups need to learn to be more patient with Mr Anwar, the current use of oppressive laws on political opponents still sends out a wrong message and \u201ctarnishes the administration\u2019s reformist agenda\u201d.\n\u201cThe administration cannot be seen as bulldozing reforms, which can be seen as liberal and un-Islamic,\u201d he told ST.  \nMr Anwar\u2019s government faces a crucial test of its performance as his coalition members will head into six state elections later this year as partners, after years of being political enemies.    \nHis government has so far agreed to abolish the mandatory death penalty for certain offences and amend the Constitution to allow Malaysian mothers with equal rights to pass on citizenship to their overseas-born children.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/concerns-grow-in-malaysia-over-freedom-of-expression-under-anwar-government"}, {"title": "Concerns remain over Malaysia\u2019s public healthcare despite budget increase", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Concerns over Malaysia\u2019s public healthcare crisis have persisted in spite of the government announcing its biggest allocation to date for the Health Ministry in February, while unveiling several measures that it hoped would alleviate the burden on its public healthcare system. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced a RM36.3 billion (S$10.9 billion) allocation for the ministry under his first federal budget in February, making it the second-largest recipient of federal funding and recording the highest year-on-year jump compared with the 2022 federal budget.  "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/concerns-remain-over-malaysia-s-public-healthcare-crisis-despite-increased-budget"}, {"title": "Confusing, overlapping lane markings causing collisions on Malaysia\u2019s expressway", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - A full investigation has been ordered into an accident that occurred on the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), when two cars collided apparently due to confusing, overlapping yellow and white markings on the road, said Malaysia\u2019s Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi.\n\u201cThis needs to be given serious attention as it involves safety and the lives of road users.\u201d Datuk Seri Nanta was quoted as saying in The Star. \nIn the video which has since gone viral, a black car was seen swerving from right to left when the confusing markings appeared on the road. It hit a white car on its right, which crashed into the traffic cones and road barrier in the middle of the opposing lanes, before crashing into the barrier on its left itself. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cConcessionaire Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway (DASH) has since started repair works on Tuesday night, with the works expected to be completed over three nights.\n\u201cDASH authorities have also identified other locations where the infrastructure has to be improved,\u201d he said in a Facebook post on Thursday.\nEarlier this week, a video went viral showing two cars colliding, apparently also due to the drivers\u2019 uncertainty over confusing lane markings near the Kota Damansara exit of the NKVE. Both cars crashed into the roadside dividers. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/confusing-overlapping-lane-markings-led-to-crash-on-malaysia-s-expressway"}, {"title": "Floods displace more than 4,000 people in Johor as heavy rains expected to continue on Thursday", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - The number of flood victims in Johor doubled to more than 4,000 on Wednesday afternoon as the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) warned that \u201cdangerous-level\u201d heavy rains will continue in Johor and Sabah until Thursday.\nMetMalaysia  raised the highest level warning for several areas in Johor, including Mersing and Kota Tinggi, as well as Sabah\u2019s Sandakan and Kudat.\nThe weather authority issued a mid-level \u201csevere\u201d warning for Pahang state, including Pekan and Rompin, until Thursday.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe state disaster management committee in Johor said there are currently 4,368 flood evacuees at 44 relief centres across six districts, with Muar being the latest. \n\u201cAll the affected districts are showing an increasing trend, with the highest number of victims at Segamat, with 1,522 people, followed by Kluang (1,222), Mersing (708), Kota Tinggi (591), Batu Pahat (119), and Muar (206),\u201d it said in a statement.\nMinister for Sabah and Sarawak Affairs in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department Armizan Ali said Johor, Sabah and Pahang should be prepared for possible floods from a \u201cthird wave\u201d of the ongoing north-east monsoon.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe first and second waves of the monsoon occurred in December. Although there are no official reports from MetMalaysia, heavy rains that began on Tuesday and are forecast to continue until Jan 30 can be categorised as the monsoon\u2019s third wave,\u201d he told reporters.\n\nThe relief centre with the highest number of evacuees is primary school SK Tenang Labis in Johor, with 477 people from Kampung Tenang in Segamat.\nIn Labis, a town in Segamat, three people had a harrowing experience when their car crashed into a lake while it was raining. The incident took place at Jalan Impian on Tuesday.\nLabis Fire and Rescue Department operations chief Inggai Bakau said the victims, aged between 13 and 23, were heading towards Segamat when the driver lost control of his car. They suffered minor injuries and were treated at Hospital Segamat. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/continuous-downpour-wreaks-havoc-in-johor"}, {"title": "Controversial amendments to Terengganu state Islamic laws stoke concerns in Malaysia", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Human rights groups have expressed concern over amendments to Terengganu state Islamic laws by the Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) state government that punish Muslim women who become pregnant out of wedlock, or act like men, among other things. \nWomen who get pregnant out of wedlock can be fined up to RM5,000 (S$1,530) or jailed for up to three years or caned up to six times, or any combination of the three. \nWomen wearing men\u2019s clothing and behaving like men can be fined up to RM2,000 or jailed up to a year, or both. For subsequent offences, they can be caned up to six times or jailed up to three years, or both, and fined up to RM5,000.\n\n\n\n\n\nTen rights groups, including Sisters In Islam and Centre for Independent Journalism, have urged the Malaysian Human Rights Commission to conduct an impact assessment of the latest version of the Terengganu Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 2022, after the amendments were passed on Dec 1 by the state assembly.\n\u201cThe amendments to the enactment further exacerbate existing harmful impact on women, young people and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) persons, among others,\u201d they said in a statement.\nIn particular, the amendment criminalising premarital pregnancies is the subject of much debate, with conflicting opinions among Muslim medical professionals.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe criminalisation of out-of-wedlock pregnancies not only places unnecessary trauma on, but also burdens and shames, survivors of sexual assault,\u201d the statement added.\n\nBut the state\u2019s Syariah Implementation, Education and Higher Education Committee chairman Satiful Bahari Mamat said he hoped that \u201cthe well-being of Muslims, especially in Terengganu, will be better protected\u201d with the amendments.\nHe said the section on women acting like men was needed as existing legal provisions applied only to men acting like women.\n\u201cIn the past, it may not have been much of an issue (women acting like men). Now, however, we see that \u2018pengkid\u2019 (Malay slang for tomboys or lesbians) and similar cases are becoming more widespread. So, the state government intends to curb this issue,\u201d he was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.\nDr Mohamed Hatta Mohamed Tarmizi, vice-president of Muslim medical professionals group I-Medik, and Dr Murizah Mohd Zain, both gynaecologists, said critics of the amendments were influenced by \u201cmorally bankrupt\u201d Western culture.\n\u201cLaw must be equipped with morality if society is to function smoothly,\u201d they said in a joint statement. \n\u201cRather than offering \u2018consent and condoms\u2019 as some sort of solution to social ills, we must address the root of the issue which is comprehensive management of sexual desires.\u201d\n", "\nTwo other prominent doctors, Dr Musa Nordin and Dr Johari Bux, said that arguments which suggested that critics of the amendments were promoting premarital sex were \u201cirresponsible, outrageous and offensive\u201d. \nThey said the motives of those opposed to the amendments were to prevent negative consequences to and improve outcomes for mothers and babies.    \nReligion falls under the respective states\u2019 purview in Malaysia, and the approval of the federal government is not needed to effect legislative changes. About 63 per cent of the country\u2019s population of 33 million are Muslims. \nThe Perikatan Nasional coalition, of which PAS is a member, won all eight parliamentary seats in Terengganu in the Nov 19 general election, and 74 seats nationwide, out of the 222-seat Parliament.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/controversial-amendments-to-terengganu-state-islamic-laws-stoke-concerns-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Court date set for 1MDB suit against Najib\u2019s stepson who produced Wolf of Wall Street", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The hearing for a lawsuit filed by scandal-linked sovereign fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and three of its subsidiaries against Riza Abdul Aziz for the alleged misappropriation of funds amounting to US$250 million (S$333 million) will begin at a Kuala Lumpur high court in 2024, Malaysian news agency Bernama reported on Wednesday.\nRiza is the stepson of former prime minister Najib Razak.\nThe three 1MDB subsidiary plaintiffs are 1MDB Energy Holdings, 1MDB Energy and 1MDB Energy (Langat).\n\n\n\n\n\nLawyer Desmond Low, representing Riza and his two companies, Red Granite Pictures Incorporated and Red Granite Capital, said the trial had been set for separate hearings over Oct 16 to 18, Oct 21 to 25, Oct 28 to Nov 1 and Nov 4, all in 2024.\n\u201cThe hearing will be before Judicial Commissioner Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Shah Raja Mohzan,\u201d Mr Low told Bernama on Wednesday.\nAccording to Mr Low, Thursday has been set for case management.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn May 7, 2021, 1MDB and its three subsidiaries sued Riza and his two companies, alleging they had received around US$248 million in funds they misused for their personal gain, including financing a Hollywood film, The Wolf Of Wall Street, that starred actor Leonardo DiCaprio and buying multiple properties.\n\nThe plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that Riza is responsible for the misappropriated funds and demand repayment.\nRiza and his two companies, in a statement of defence filed on Oct 25, 2021, claimed to have obtained the loan from Saudi Arabia\u2019s royal family or the International Petroleum Investment Company to produce several films in the United States.\nHe claimed that it was difficult for an unknown film producer to obtain bank loans, compelling him to seek funds from other individuals or companies. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/court-date-for-1mdb-suit-against-najib-stepson-riza-who-produced-of-wolf-of-wall-street-set-for-2024"}, {"title": "Court\u2019s decision to force Najib\u2019s then lawyer to stay on a \u2018fundamental\u2019 error, says defence counsel", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 Forcing former premier Najib Razak\u2019s lawyer to stay on despite his request to be discharged was a \u201cfundamental\u201d error by Malaysia\u2019s apex court which amounts to the Umno politician not being given a fair trial, his current defence counsel told the Federal Court  on Monday.\nLead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, who was Najib\u2019s lawyer at the final appeal in the SRC International case, was \u201ccompelled to remain in court\u201d despite his attempt to discharge himself due to time constraints.\n\u201c(This is) enforced obligation, which was not meant to happen,\u201d  Mr Shafee said, when making his submissions in Najib\u2019s review application in the SRC International case.\n\n\n\n\n\nNajib is seeking a review of the Federal Court\u2019s decision that affirmed his conviction and 12-year sentence over the misappropriation of RM42 million (S$12.9 million) from SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary, claiming that he was not given a fair hearing.\nIn August 2022, Mr Hisyam asked for a postponement of three to four months, as he had taken over the case only several weeks earlier.\nThe request was dismissed by a five-judge panel, which was led by Chief Justice Maimun Tuan Mat.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Hisyam then refused to make any submission on Najib\u2019s behalf. The Federal Court subsequently upheld the conviction and sentence on Aug 23, 2022.\n\nMr Shafee said: \u201cThe counsel (Mr Hisyam) said it\u2019s not the fault of his client (Najib) but it is his fault because he had misjudged the timing (between taking over the matter and the hearing dates). So why punish my client?\u201d\nHe said the apex court should have allowed Mr Hisyam to discharge himself, but instead, it forced the lawyer to remain on record as the lead counsel.\n\u201cThis goes against every rubric of law and jurisdiction of the court,\u201d Mr Shafee said.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Hisyam was still present during the final appeal proceedings. But this, Mr Shafee said, \u201cwas decorative at best\u201d and \u201cnot sanctioned by law\u201d. \n\u201cAnd that is reviewable because that goes against the very root of fair trial, \u201d he said. \nNajib is also seeking a review of the court\u2019s decision to dismiss his attempt to postpone his appeal hearing, as well as its decision not to recuse Tun Tengku Maimun from the Federal Court appeal due to Facebook posts made by her husband in May 2018. \nThe latter had allegedly demonstrated negative views of Najib\u2019s leadership and had concluded that he had siphoned funds from 1MDB into his personal bank account.\n", "\nIn addition, Najib is attempting to nullify his hearing in the High Court on the basis of trial judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali not recusing himself over an alleged conflict of interest.\nOn Jan 4, Najib petitioned the United Nations Human Rights Council\u2019s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to rule that the dismissal of his appeal by the Federal Court in August 2022 was unjust and flawed as he \u201cwas sent to jail without the opportunity to defend himself\u201d.\nHis legal team had said that a failure to give a new set of lawyers more time to prepare \u2013 after being appointed three weeks before the appeal in the federal court \u2013 had unjustly punished Najib.\nThe hearing continues on Tuesday.\u00a0\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/court-s-decision-to-force-najib-s-then-lawyer-to-stay-on-a-fundamental-error-says-his-defence-counsel"}, {"title": "12 Arcturus Covid-19 cases detected in Malaysia, says Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 A total of 12 cases involving the Covid-19 XBB.1.16 (Arcturus) subvariant have been detected in the country, says Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa.\n\u201cAs of April 2, the subvariant has been detected in 31 countries including Malaysia,\u201d she said in a statement on Monday.\nSix cases were detected in Sarawak, four in Selangor and two in Kuala Lumpur, she added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe global risk assessment report stated that the risk of infections and ongoing cases because of subvariant XBB1.16 is lower than XBB.1.5,\u201d she said.\nThe XBB.1.16 subvariant was first detected in the country in March, but Dr Zaliha said the situation was under control and the nation\u2019s health facilities were not under any pressure.\nArcturus was classified as a variant of interest (VOI) on April 17 by the World Health Organisation.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, Dr Zaliha said the number of new Covid-19 infections decreased last week to 4,817 cases from 5,149 the week before.\n\nShe added that to date, a cumulative 18,319 cases involved variants of concern and VOI.\nShe said the Omicron subvariant remains the most dominant in terms of infections.   \nDr Zaliha reminded the public to practice TRIIS \u2013 test, report, inform, isolate and seek medical help \u2013 if infected.   \nShe also urged those who have yet to get their booster dose to do so as soon as possible. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/covid-19-a-dozen-arcturus-cases-detected-in-malaysia-says-health-minister"}, {"title": "Covid-19 sub-variant, haze fuel demand for test kits, face masks in Penang", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN \u2013 The ongoing haze and concern over the spread of Covid-19 have led to an increase in demand for face masks and test kits at pharmacies in Penang. \nThe Penang Malaysian Pharmaceutical Association chairman, Ms Gina Koay, said over the past two weeks, the demand for both items has seen a gradual increase. \n\u201cWe recorded between 10 and 20 per cent increases in sales for test kits, as they\u2019re now considered affordable and more people are concerned about being infected by Covid-19,\u201d she said on Wednesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSaliva test kits cost only between RM3 (90 cents) and RM5 per set, but we recommend those with nasal swabs that cost RM8 per set for better accuracy,\u201d she added.\nAs for face masks, Ms Koay said that while children and students continue to purchase them for when they are in school, there is a slight increase in demand from adults as well due to concerns over Covid-19 and the current haze situation.\nMs Koay said none of the pharmacies in Penang have reported any sudden surge in demand or supply disruptions.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Monday, Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa said a total of 12 cases involving the Covid-19 XBB.1.16 (Arcturus) sub-variant have been detected in Malaysia.\n\n\u201cSix cases were detected in Sarawak, four in Selangor, and two in Kuala Lumpur.  The global risk assessment report states the risk of infections and ongoing cases because of sub-variant XBB1.16 is lower than XBB.1.5,\u201d she said in a statement. \nThe XBB.1.16 sub-variant was first detected in Malaysia in March. \nDr Zaliha said the situation is under control and that Malaysia\u2019s health facilities are not under any pressure.\nThe number of new Covid-19 infections in Malaysia fell last week to 4,817 from 5,149 the week before. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/covid-19-subvariant-haze-fuel-demand-for-test-kits-face-masks-in-penang"}, {"title": "Covid-19 variants in China also detected in Malaysia", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Covid-19 variants and sub-variants found in China have been detected in Malaysia, said Malaysia\u2019s Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa.\nThis is based on information from the World Health Organisation (WHO), she said, without specifying which variants, while urging the public to get a vaccine booster shot as soon as possible.\n\u201cThe ministry is in close communication with the WHO, China and our peers from Asean. Based on reports, the WHO had a meeting with China on sharing the latest data and will continue to obtain detailed information, (updates) on the situation and Covid-19 management in the country,\u201d Dr Zaliha said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBased on the report by China to WHO, the variants and sub-variants found in China have also been detected in Malaysia.\u201d\nMultiple reports have attributed the surge of infections in China to the sub-variant of Omicron named BF.7.\nThe WHO had a high-level meeting with China on Dec 30, and the United Nations agency said after the meeting that it had requested regular sharing of specific and real-time data on the epidemiological situation. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis included more genetic sequencing data, data on disease impact including hospitalisations, intensive care unit admissions and deaths as well as vaccinations delivered and vaccination status, especially among  vulnerable people and those over 60.\n\nDr Zaliha urged those who have exceeded a six-month period since their first booster shot to get a second dose without waiting for the bivalent vaccine to be available.\nCiting existing data, she said the monovalent Covid-19 vaccines offered effective protection against serious symptoms and fatalities. The vaccines also reduce hospitalisation rates, she added.\n\u201cThe bivalent vaccines will be supplied soon, as the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) has already given conditional approval,\u201d she said, adding that an announcement will be made on recipients\u2019 eligibility after the supplies arrive.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe conditional approval for the bivalent vaccine was given on Dec 14, and supplies are expected to arrive in early 2023.\nBivalent vaccines provide protection against the original Sars-CoV-2 virus and the Omicron sub-variants such as BA.4 and BA.5, which were previously said to be vaccine-resistant. \nShe hoped that the uptake for booster shots would continue to rise especially among high-risk individuals, with 49.8 per cent of Malaysians receiving their first booster dose and 1.9 per cent their second.\nShe also advised the public to observe precautionary and safety measures as well as to practise TRIIS (trace, report, isolate, inform and seek treatment).\n", "\nDr Zaliha said the ministry was also weighing public considerations on the surge of infections in China and restrictions imposed by other nations on travellers from that country.\nAdding that the matter is a priority for the ministry, she said preventive measures and preparations to face any potential surge of Covid-19 cases would be stepped up.\nShe said that, if necessary, the measures could be expanded to travellers from other countries as well, not just from China.\nSeveral countries such as Japan, India, the United States and Italy  have imposed mandatory Covid-19 testing for travellers arriving from China. \nThe surge in cases and the lack of reliable official data on the spread of Covid-19 in China have become concerns ahead of anticipated tourist and business travel arrivals from the country. \n", "\nMeanwhile, Covid-19 surveillance using sewage water conducted from June to Dec 31 last year, showed that 96.5 per cent, or 28 out of 29 samples taken from international entry points contained the presence of the Omicron variant, said Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.\nHe said the results came from testing at the National Public Health Laboratory while one more sample was still being tested.\nIn the same period, the lab also received 301 samples from 15 locations representing each state in the country.\n\u201c288 samples (95.7 per cent) had the presence of SARS-CoV-2, and positive for Omicron. Three had no presence, while 10 are still being tested,\u201d he said in a statement on Monday.\nHe said the samples taken were aimed to be supplementary surveillance for Covid-19.\nTan Sri Noor Hisham said detecting the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 in sewage water samples provided early warning by allowing them to get an idea on the virus density trend, identify the variants in the community and monitor the intervention controls\u2019 effectiveness in general. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/covid-19-variants-in-china-also-detected-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Covid-19 virus found in 96.5% of sewage water samples at Malaysia\u2019s entry points, official says", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia has found that 96.5 per cent, or 28 out of 29 samples taken from international entry points contained the Omicron variant of Covid-19, said Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.\nHe said Monday in a statement that the results came from testing at the National Public Health Laboratory while one more sample was still being tested, Bernama news agency reported.\nMeanwhile, the lab also received 301 samples from 15 locations representing each state in the country.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201c(Of these) 288 samples (95.7 per cent) had the presence of SARS-CoV-2, and positive for Omicron. Three had no presence, while 10 are still being tested,\u201d he said in the statement.\nHe said Malaysia\u2019s Covid-19 environmental surveillance was done as additional monitoring of Covid-19 in the country, Bernama reported.\nTan Sri Dr Noor Hisham said detecting the presence of Covid-19, or its official name SARS-CoV-2, in sewage water samples provided early warning by allowing health authorities to know about virus density trend, identify the variants in the community and monitor the intervention controls\u2019 effectiveness in general.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia last week said that it will be testing wastewater samples from aircraft coming from China amid the soaring number of Covid-19 cases there, as inbound tourists are expected from the Asian giant. There have been calls in Malaysia to either ban all China travellers from coming in, or make them undergo tests before allowing them in.\n\nMalaysia\u2019s Health Ministry said the wastewater samples from these aircraft will be sent to the National Public Health Laboratory for polymerase chain reaction testing, before being dispatched for genome sequencing if the results are positive for Covid-19.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/covid-19-virus-found-in-965-of-sewage-water-samples-at-malaysia-s-entry-points-official-says"}, {"title": "Criticisms over Malaysia Airlines\u2019 plan to relook sarong kebaya of cabin crew", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 National carrier Malaysia Airlines is looking at making changes to the sarong kebaya of its air stewardesses in 2023, but aviation experts say the plan could divert attention from more pressing issues like making the airline more efficient and cost-effective. The Straits Times learnt that the airline\u2019s operator Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) on Monday sent an e-mail with a survey attached to members of its travel and lifestyle loyalty programme, Enrich, asking for their opinion on switching from the kebaya to a more \u201cmodest\u201d uniform."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/criticisms-over-malaysia-airlines-plan-to-refresh-sarong-kebaya-of-cabin-crew"}, {"title": "Crouching tiger, hidden danger at Felda area in Johor", "text": ["\nJOHOR BARU - A lack of prey in its natural habitat may have pushed a tiger from Kota Tinggi to roam into Felda Ulu Tebrau in Malaysia\u2019s southern state of Johor. \nThere are reasons to believe the tiger is searching for food, according to Malaysian Nature Society president Vincent Chow.\nThe animal has already mauled three cows over the past two weeks, each weighing around 100kg.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe tiger might have come down from the Panti forest in Kota Tinggi, which is the nearest jungle to Felda Ulu Tebrau,\u201d said Mr Chow when contacted on Sunday.\n\u201cWe have been carrying out research at the Panti forest, known as the gateway to Malaysia\u2019s tropical forests, over the past two years as it has a lot of flora and fauna.\n\u201cHowever, in our research, we noticed that the number of wild boars in the area has been dwindling since October last year, which could be due to African swine fever.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis might have forced the tiger to look for food elsewhere, he said.\n\nThe Panti forest area and Felda Ulu Tebrau \u2013 which is north of Johor Bahru \u2013 are about 50km apart.\n\u201cFelda Ulu Tebrau is an ideal hunting ground for the tiger as there are settlers rearing cows there\u2026 Hopefully, the big cat will leave the area soon and return to the forest,\u201d Mr Chow said.\nBased on the prey count, he estimates the tiger to be a large one, weighing between 180kg and 200kg.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Chow expressed concern that poachers would take the opportunity to hunt the animal and called for greater security within and around Felda Ulu Tebrau.\nHe also urged the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) to invite non-governmental organisations and tiger experts to help locate the animal.\n\n\u201cCapturing the tiger and relocating it to a new environment will cause more stress to it, especially if there are other tigers in the area, as it is a very territorial animal,\u201d he added.\n\nOn Saturday, the tiger\u2019s presence in Felda Ulu Tebrau \u2013 the first time in almost 60 years \u2013 had settlers worried about their safety.\n", "\nThe Felda settlement where the three cows were found mauled is about 20km from Johor Bahru\u2019s city centre.\nVillage chief Ab Jalil Sahlan said the first incident occurred five days before Hari Raya, when an adult cow was mauled, followed by another on April 20.\n\u201cThe latest was discovered on Tuesday with its neck ripped apart,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is the first time that the village has experienced such an incident.\u201d\nMr Ab Jalil said before Felda Ulu Tebrau was opened in 1960s, there were tigers in the area as it used to be a thick jungle.\nHe said Perhilitan and the Civil Defence Force had deployed personnel to the settlement.\n\nJohor Perhilitan director Aminuddin Jamin confirmed that the Felda Ulu Tebrau management had lodged a report about the tiger last Wednesday.\n\n\u201cPerhilitan has sent a team to carry out further checks. We are assessing the situation. If the signs show that the predator is lurking in the area, then we will set up traps to capture the animal,\u201d he said.\nHe also urged the Felda settlers and those living nearby to take precautionary measures and avoid going to secluded places alone. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/crouching-tiger-hidden-danger-at-felda-area-in-johor"}, {"title": "Customer ran amok in a restaurant in Malaysia after being called \u2018pak cik\u2019, say cops", "text": ["\nSUBANG JAYA - A customer in Malaysia, incensed at not being called \u201cbaby\u201d, had a meltdown and ran amok.\nThe incident, believed to have taken place at a restaurant in Putra Heights in Selangor, has since gone viral on social media.\nIn a statement on Tuesday, Subang Jaya OCPD Assistant Commissioner Wan Azlan Wan Mamat said the incident occurred on Sunday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cInvestigations showed that the incident stemmed from a misunderstanding between a male worker and the suspect.\n\u201cThe worker had called the suspect \u2018pak cik\u2019 (uncle) but was told to address him as either \u2018abang\u2019 (brother) or \u2018baby\u2019,\u201d he said.\nHowever, the worker ignored the suspect\u2019s request and continued to refer to him as \u201cpak cik\u201d. This led the suspect to have a meltdown when the worker passed him his food order.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShouts and threats to damage the restaurant were uttered.\n\nIn his rage, the suspect also threw his food packet and hot drink to the floor. The food and drink had also hit a four-year-old child there.\nSeveral chairs and a table were thrown, which scared other patrons.\n\u201cEfforts to trace and nab the suspect are under way,\u201d Mr Wan Azlan said.\nHe added that the child was uninjured during the incident and a report was lodged on Tuesday. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/customer-ran-amok-in-a-restaurant-in-malaysia-after-being-called-pak-cik-say-cops"}, {"title": "D-Day as Padang Serai and Tioman go to the polls in Malaysia", "text": ["\nALOR SETAR - Before Malaysia\u2019s 15th General Election (GE15) is done and dusted, Padang Serai in Kedah and Tioman in Pahang went to the polls on Wednesday.\nFour candidates are fighting it out in both the Padang Serai parliamentary seat and the Tioman state seat.\nVoter turnout was 63 per cent for Padang Serai and 54 per cent for Tioman at 4pm, the Election Commission said. Voting booths will be closed at 6pm. \n\n\n\n\n\nResults could be expected after 9pm Wednesday.\nThe Kedah seat has been held by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition in the last three general elections.\nThe Pahang seat that is synonymous with the holiday island of Tioman has been held by the Barisan Nasional (BN) pact in the last eight national polls.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVoting in the two seats was postponed from Nov 19 following the death of Padang Serai incumbent M. Karupaiya of PH three days before voting, and a candidate from Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance Md Yunus Ramli on the eve of GE15.\n\nThis time around, Datuk Azman Nasrudin (PN), Dr Mohamad Sofee Razak (PH), Hamzah Abd Rahman (Pejuang) and Independent candidate Sreanandha Rao are in the running for the Padang Serai seat. \nThe actual fight though will be fought between PN and PH, with the withdrawal of BN\u2019s Datuk Sivarraajh Chandran, to make way for PH. This is because PH and BN are now allies after they formed a unity government with several other coalitions at the federal level.\nThe Tioman state seat will also be a fight between PN and PH. PN\u2019s Nor Idayu Hashim ais facing off against BN\u2019s Datuk Seri Mohd Johari Hussain. Two others in the fray are Osman Bakar (Pejuang) and Independent Sulaiman Bakar.\n\n\n\n\n\nWill there be another \u201cgreen wave\u201d of PN hitting Kedah and Pahang again like in the Nov 19 general election? Or will PH\u2019s successful takeover of Putrajaya shine through?\nKedah businessman Hamidan Ahmad, 50, said looking at the current political climate, he intended to vote for PN in Padang Serai.\n\u201cI have made up my mind. After all, what have we seen since the formation of the new Federal Government?\u201d he asked.\nAnother voter who wanted to be known as Raju said he was unsure who to vote for.\n\u201cI have been a Barisan supporter all my life. Now, I have to choose between Pakatan or Perikatan. I am a bit confused,\u201d he lamented.\nThe result of the vote, especially for Padang Serai, will be seen as a testimony of how popular the new unity government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is.\nDuring the Nov 19 general election, PN won 13 parliamentary seats in Kedah with PH taking just one.\n", "\nSpanning some 343km, the Padang Serai constituency has 133,870 voters with a breakdown of 65,586 male and 68,284 female voters.\nThe majority of the voters are aged between 21 and 30 with 29.1 per cent, followed by those aged 31-40 at 19.7 per cent.\nThere are 62.6 per cent Malay voters at 83,841, followed by 19.2 per cent Indian voters (25,687), 17.6 per cent Chinese (23,600) and 0.6 per cent others at 742.\nMeanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) has advised voters in Padang Serai and Tioman to come during the gazetted time or time stated in their voter\u2019s information slip.\nIn a statement, EC secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak said 132,955 voters are expected to cast their votes in Padang Serai and 28,108 others in Tioman. He said the polling centres would open from 8am to 6pm.\nThe EC also encouraged the voters to wear face masks, use hand sanitiser and practise physical distancing at the polling centres, while those tested positive for Covid-19 should liaise with the district health officers at the centre for further instructions.\nMr Ikmalrudin also reminded all employers to give time off to their employees to vote as provided for under the Election Offences Act 1954.\nThe Meteorological Department has predicted sunny weather in the morning in Padang Serai with thunderstorms in the afternoon.\nIn Tioman, rain is expected in the morning with good weather in the afternoon. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/d-day-as-padang-serai-and-tioman-go-to-the-polls-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Daredevil couple who scaled Malaysia\u2019s Merdeka 118 tower under probe", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - An investigation has been launched into an incident where two climbers scaled Malaysia\u2019s Merdeka 118 skyscraper, the second tallest structure in the world.\nIn a statement, a spokesman of PNB Merdeka Ventures, which owns the 118-storey, 678.9m-high megatall skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur, said legal action will be taken against any person found trespassing the site.\n\u201cWe wish to highlight that the Merdeka 118 development is still very much a live construction site and safety remains our priority.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAs it is private property, any trespassers will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.\n\u201cWe are providing our full support and cooperation to the authorities on this matter,\u201d said the spokesman.\nOn Wednesday, photographs of two climbers on the top of the building went viral on social media.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe climbers are Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau, who identify themselves as extreme climbers. They post their daredevil acts around the world on their accounts regularly. \n\nMr Beerkus has more than 200,000 followers on Instagram, while Ms Nikolau has more than 700,000 followers. They also sell their pictures on Foundation, a marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFTs).\nIn an Instagram Story, Ms Nikolau shared that she was born and raised in a circus family in Moscow, adding: \u201cMany people say that the passion for extreme is in my blood.\u201d\nSome netizens initially questioned whether the pictures of the couple on Merdeka 118 are authentic, saying the duo themselves did not share them on their official accounts. On Wednesday, Beerkus himself said the building has an \u201cabsolutely unattainable height\u201d in his Instagram post. \nBut on Thursday, he followed up with a video clip of him and Ms Nikolau posing on top of the spire of Merdeka 118. \n", "\nMs Nikolau also shared another clip of herself sitting on the edge of the spire, while holding a long selfie stick to capture her balancing act with her camera.\n", "\nKuala Lumpur deputy police chief, Datuk Yahaya Othman, has confirmed to the New Straits Times that the duo will be called in to have their statements recorded, and will be investigated under the Penal Code for trespassing. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/daredevil-duo-who-scaled-malaysia-s-merdeka-118-tower-under-probe"}, {"title": "Daughter of Malaysia\u2019s jailed former PM Najib sad that he will be spending Hari Raya in prison", "text": ["\nThe daughter of jailed former Malaysian premier Najib Razak, Ms Nooryana Najwa Najib, is sad that her father will not be able to spend Hari Raya Aidilfitri\u00a0with the family.\nIn an interview with Malay daily Utusan Malaysia, Ms Nooryana said Najib has voiced his sadness at being in prison while the Muslim community celebrates the festival later in the month.\n\u201cAs a child, it is challenging to see my father fasting alone in prison. But it is sadder when we have to face the reality that there is a huge possibility that daddy will spend this year\u2019s Raya in prison,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShe added that if Najib had faced a fair system, she would feel more at peace. \nMs Nooryana previously shared on social media about the family\u2019s wish to break fast with her father.\nIn the latest post on her Instagram account dated April 10, she posted a picture of the walls of Kajang prison \u2013 where Najib is currently incarcerated \u2013 with the caption: \u201cDistance simply means separation in place but never in connection. Hearts remain inseparable.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis comes as Umno is redoubling efforts to push for the release of Najib, its former president, after he exhausted his legal appeals against conviction in a corruption case linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).\n\nHe is serving a 12-year prison sentence for misappropriating RM42 million (S$12.7 million) from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB.\nNajib has also applied for a royal pardon from Malaysia\u2019s King, which, if granted, would see him released without serving the full 12-year term.\nHowever, Najib still faces dozens of other charges related to the financial scandal surrounding 1MDB, including a criminal breach of trust charge involving RM6.6 billion. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/daughter-of-malaysia-s-jailed-former-pm-najib-sad-that-dad-will-be-spending-raya-in-prison"}, {"title": "Deadly pufferfish still sold in public markets in Malaysia: Fish suppliers\u2019 group", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 Pufferfish is still being sold in public markets in Malaysia despite deaths linked to the deadly delicacy, according to the Malaysia Fish Suppliers\u2019 Association. \nThe group\u2019s deputy president Tai Wai Sun said the sale of pufferfish should be stopped \u201cto prevent putting the people\u2019s health and life at risk\u201d.\n\u201cThe recent death of the elderly couple from Kluang in March was not a one-off incident, as there had been other similar cases including one in Kulai last year,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn March 25, Mr Ng Chuan Sing, 84, and his wife, Madam Lim Siew Guan, 83, ate a pufferfish they bought from a trader.\n\nMadam Lim died hours later. Mr Ng went into a coma and died on April 8.\n\n\u201cThe fish contains a substance toxic enough to kill a person when ingested in amounts as little as 25mg,\u201d said Mr Tai during the Johor Bahru Fish Suppliers\u2019 Association\u2019s 44th anniversary celebration on Sunday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Tai, who is also the association\u2019s Johor Bahru branch chairman, said more than 120 species of pufferfish could be found worldwide, but only two types are considered safe to consume.\n\n\u201cThe probability of consuming poisonous ones is quite high, so it is better for them to refrain from selling pufferfish at all,\u201d he said.\nPufferfish can be bought at shops selling ornamental fish, but the sellers must be licensed to sell such a dangerous aquatic animal.\n\nJohor Fisheries Department director Zainudin Abdul Wahab said earlier that pufferfish is not a popular food among Malaysians.\nIn Japan, pufferfish \u2013 known there as \u201cfugu\u201d \u2013 can be served only by chefs who have had years of training in removing the lethal toxin found in it. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/deadly-pufferfish-still-being-sold-in-public-markets-in-malaysia-says-fish-suppliers-group"}, {"title": "Death of couple from pufferfish poisoning: \u2018Nobody should experience this kind of loss\u2019, says daughter", "text": ["\nKLUANG, Johor \u2013 The family of the elderly couple in Johor who died after unknowingly consuming pufferfish has pleaded to the public to stop selling and buying the fish. \nThe couple\u2019s daughter, Ms Ng Ai Lee, 51, said losing her mother and father \u2013 Madam Lim Siew Guan, 83, and Mr Ng Chuan Sing, 84 \u2013 this way was very painful for her family.\nThe family laid Mr Ng to rest at the Chamek Chinese Cemetery in the town of Kluang on Wednesday. Madam Lim was also buried there on March 29.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI hope this tragedy stops with our family. Nobody should experience this kind of loss,\u201d said Ms Ng.\n\u201cFishmongers should also find it in their hearts to put aside their personal interest and stop selling pufferfish \u2013 my parents\u2019 deaths were two lives too many lost.\u201d \nMs Ng\u2019s parents bought the fish, commonly known ikan buntal in Malay and drumstick fish among the Chinese community (due to its resemblance to a chicken drumstick), unknowingly from a trusted fishmonger on March 25.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMadan Lim then cleaned and fried the fish for lunch on the same day.\n\nShe began experiencing breathing difficulties and shivered after that, while her husband began showing similar symptoms about an hour later.\n\nMadam Lim died later that evening, while Mr Ng subsequently died last Saturday, two days after he was transferred from the hospital\u2019s intensive care unit to the normal ward.\nMs Ng also called on the government to take firm action against the irresponsible parties involved in her parents\u2019 death, as well as fishmongers found selling the poisonous fish.\nShe said that Malaysia\u2019s director-general of health, Tan Sri Noor Hisham Abdullah, in a statement on March 31, had said Section 13 of the Food Act 1983 prohibits the sale of any food that is poisonous and harmful.   \n\u201cAs such, those responsible for my parents\u2019 death should be held accountable under the law and I hope the authorities will speed up investigations.,\u201d added Ms Ng.\nShe said her family will submit a letter to Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa soon to highlight the matter as her family wanted the government to take firm action to prevent the loss of more lives in future.\n\u201cThe public can also play a role in reporting the sale of pufferfish to the authorities to stop the sale of the poisonous items. I hope my family\u2019s experience is enough to raise public awareness and educate consumers about the dangers of consuming the fish,\u201d she added.\n", "\nWhen contacted, Johor health and unity committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said he had brought up the couple\u2019s death during a meeting with the Health Ministry and state executive councillors on Tuesday.     \n\u201cI highlighted the state government\u2019s major concern about the matter and urged the ministry to speed up its investigation.\n\u201cThe state also hoped the ministry could work with the Fisheries Department to seek law reforms to better control the sale of pufferfish and prevent such incidents from occurring again in the future,\u201d said Mr Ling. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/death-of-couple-from-pufferfish-poisoning-nobody-should-experience-this-kind-of-loss-says-daughter"}, {"title": "Desaru Coast: A destination resort with big ambitions", "text": ["KOTA TINGGI - Malaysia\u2019s luxury resorts or hotels have mostly been concentrated in bustling city centres or well-known resort islands such as Langkawi.In recent years, however, a premier retreat destination has sprung up in a less celebrated location \u2013 Johor state\u2019s Desaru, a favourite seaside haunt for locals because of its pristine beaches."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/desaru-coast-a-destination-resort-with-big-ambitions"}, {"title": "Dismembered woman found in bag at Johor bus stop likely a foreigner, say police", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - A woman, whose decomposing remains were found in a bag left at a bus stop in Johor on Thursday, is believed to be a foreigner, said the police on Friday.\nJohor police chief Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the findings were based on the post-mortem report.\n\u201cWe just received the report stating that there was no BCG scar on the victim\u2019s left upper arm,\u201d he told reporters during a road safety programme in Johor Bahru.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn Malaysia, the BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) vaccination is given to all children at birth or at the age of seven to prevent them from getting deadly forms of tuberculosis infections.\nDatuk Kamarul said the police would get more details from the pathology unit of Sultanah Aminah Hospital, which is handling the case.\n\u201cAs of now, what I can tell you is that the victim is probably not a Malaysian,\u201d he said, adding that the police had not received any missing person\u2019s report.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said the victim had head injuries believed to have been caused by a blunt object.\n\nHe added that the victim\u2019s body was dismembered, but declined to elaborate as police would gather more details from the hospital.\nMr Kamarul said investigations would focus on the motive of the murder and whether there is more than one suspect involved in the case.\n\u201cBased on previous records, the nature of this case is similar to those related to revenge, and we are looking at that angle, too,\u201d he said.\nThe hospital\u2019s pathology unit concluded that the victim is likely a woman aged 25 and above, and that she had been dead for more than two weeks. \nOn Wednesday, the police received a distress call from a local man who made the grisly discovery at around 1.50pm. \nA police superintendent said that over half of the remains were decomposed and had maggots when the body was found. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/dismembered-woman-found-in-bag-at-johor-bus-stop-cops-say-she-is-most-likely-a-foreigner"}, {"title": "Divers remove 100kg of ghost nets stuck on coral reefs off Sabah\u2019s Mantanani Island", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - A group of conservationists who were diving to check on the health of coral reefs were instead greeted by ghost nets stuck on the corals at Mantanani Island, off Kota Belud, some 100km from Kota Kinabalu. \nThe annual Reef Check Malaysia survey on the health status and trends of coral reefs for Sabah had only started last week at the island.\nOn the second day of the survey, the Reef Check Malaysia Sabah team and volunteers conducting the survey stumbled across the ghost nets.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cGhost nets are part of the impact left by humans that could endanger the reef and its inhabitants,\u201d said Reef Check Malaysia programme manager Nadhirah Rifai in a statement on Monday.\n\u201cThe nets were originally used for catching fish but were abandoned or thrown away in the sea and now continuously trap fish, turtles and in some cases, large marine life such as sharks and dolphins.\n\u201cIf left unattended without a quick response by divers, marine life will be stuck there for a very long time until they eventually die,\u201d she added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt is understood the divers managed to remove some 100kg of ghost nets that were caught on the reef.\n\nBird Thien, a dive operator at Mantanani Island involved in the net removal with the survey team, said all who loved the sea and life in it should work together for its preservation.\n\u201cWhile seven of us were removing the 20 to 30m-long net causing a threat to marine life and their home, it reminded me that all of us are responsible when it comes to taking care of this underwater world,\u201d he said.\nAccording to Reef Check Malaysia, in Tioman alone, 145 nets with an estimated weight of 21 tonnes were collected from 2016 to 2022, suggesting that the danger was more apparent in the area compared to Mantanani.\n\n\n\n\n\nMantanani Island is located about 45 minutes\u2019 boat ride from Rampayan jetty in Kota Belud and is one of the well-known island destinations in the west coast of Sabah.\nPost-pandemic tourism activities have witnessed an increase in visitors to the island, which is not only famous for its white sandy beaches and beautiful sunsets, but also the diversity of marine life that has mesmerised sea-goers.\nOnly recently, a manta ray was spotted by divers on the island.\nMs Nadhirah said proper management and collaboration with various agencies to protect this island was vital not only to tackle the issues of human-induced factors that threatened the reefs.\n", "\nShe said these issues go further than ghost nets, as there has been a global increase in the temperature of seawater today.\n\u201cOur surveys are halfway done. So far, there have been small patches of coral bleaching in most of the sites we have surveyed,\u201d she said.  \nMs Nadhirah added that coral bleaching is due to the warming of seawater.  \n\u201cIt is important that this is monitored to see if it (the bleaching) becomes worse,\u201d she said, urging divers to report any observation on coral bleaching wherever they dive around Malaysia to Reef Check Malaysia. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/divers-remove-100kg-of-ghost-nets-stuck-on-coral-reefs-off-sabah-s-mantanani-island"}, {"title": "Do something about Causeway traffic gridlock, Johor chief minister urges Malaysia govt", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - It takes only five minutes to drive across that 400m stretch on the Causeway linking Malaysia and Singapore. \nBut for regular commuters, numbering some 150,000 daily, most of them have to wake up at 4am to queue at the Johor Bahru border checkpoint by 5am to make it through the traffic gridlock for work or business.\nRelating to this is none other than Johor chief minister Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi, who made an impassioned plea to the Federal Government for a solution to ease the traffic congestion on the Causeway.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe brought up the matter with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the Prime Minister\u2019s one-day official visit to Singapore on Monday.\n\u201cWhen I accompanied the PM to Singapore, I appealed to him for something to be done to make the traffic between Johor Bahru and Singapore smoother,\u201d he said on Tuesday.\nAfter commuters\u2019 morning battle to get into Singapore, the return journey is no better via the Causeway, which is among the world\u2019s busiest land crossings.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBy the time they return to Malaysia and make it through the jam, it is already 10pm... have some sympathy for them,\u201d Mr Onn Hafiz said at the Johor Bahru City Council.\n\nHe also said that more than 90 per cent of the pending work orders to repair the faulty facilities at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex had been completed.\nDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, there were about 1,200 pending work orders at BSI where most of the escalators and lifts were not in service, he said.\n\u201cBack then, the jurisdiction of the building fell under the Public Works Department (PWD) in Putrajaya. What does the person in charge in Putrajaya know about the happenings on the ground?\n\u201cThankfully, with the combination of efforts, the authority was eventually given to the state PWD director.\n\u201cI am pleased to report to everyone that the pending work orders have since been reduced from 1,200 to about 100,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/do-something-about-causeway-traffic-gridlock-malaysia-govt-urged"}, {"title": "\u2018Don\u2019t entertain these dreamers\u2019: Malaysia PM Anwar unconcerned with alleged plots to topple government", "text": ["\nMalaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim acknowledged that there are parties plotting to topple his administration, but he remains unperturbed as his main priority is serving the people.\nHe described those who are focused on bringing down his five-month-old government as \u201cdreamers\u201d, adding that his unity government remained strong.\n\n\u201cThere are plots, but there is no basis (for them). We focus on our work,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar said on Monday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThose plotting to topple us are only doing their work. If they don\u2019t plan, what do they do? So we just focus on our work and ignore these people,\u201d he added.\n\nMr Anwar said his government, which comprises representatives from his Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalitions, remained solid.\n\u201cWe are focused on work. Don\u2019t entertain these dreamers,\u201d he dismissed.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHis comments come after a report by an online news portal last week claiming that at least 10 BN Members of Parliament, who previously backed Mr Anwar\u2019s predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister after last November\u2019s general election, were involved in a plot to overthrow the unity government by quitting their seats to force by-elections. \n\nThese individuals will allegedly re-contest their seats on an opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional ticket, of which Tan Sri Muhyiddin is the chairman. \nFollowing the report, Deputy Prime Minister and BN chairman Zahid Hamidi vowed to defend the legitimacy of the unity government in making sure that there will be no MP from BN quitting their respective parties.\nIn March 2023, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) president Abdul Hadi Awang asserted that the opposition bloc has a \u201cright\u201d to plan ways to topple the government, either through a vote of no-confidence or via statutory declarations.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/don-t-entertain-these-dreamers-malaysia-pm-anwar-unconcerned-with-alleged-plots-to-topple-government"}, {"title": "Doubts over Malaysia\u2019s graft busters undermine PM Anwar\u2019s anti-corruption pledge", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - A series of controversial events has brought the integrity of Malaysia\u2019s anti-graft enforcers into sharp focus in recent months, as claims of selective prosecution and abuse of power loom over the agency.In March, political economist Edmund Terence Gomez\u00a0accused the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) of selective prosecution in its investigation of persons named in the Pandora Papers. The 2021 document leak exposed offshore accounts and incriminated hundreds worldwide over tax avoidance and corruption.  "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/doubts-over-malaysia-s-graft-busters-undermine-pm-anwar-s-anti-corruption-pledge"}, {"title": "Drop in Malaysia durian harvest expected after Johor floods", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 Durian lovers may have to pay more to enjoy the king of fruit in the next harvest season, expected between May and July.\nMalaysia Fruit Farmers Association vice-president Francis Hong Sun Ho said he is expecting a significant drop in harvest following the Johor floods, which affected many orchards in the state.\n\u201cThis time, the flood happened during the flowering season, which is a critical time, as it determines how many fruits farmers would get,\u201d he told The Star.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe continuous rain, coupled with the floods, caused flowers to fall before they could grow into fruits.\n\u201cSome trees, especially those that were only a few years old, did not survive the floods.\u201d \nHe said Johor is among the top producers of durian in the country.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cDurian farmers in most districts, including those in Segamat, Batu Pahat, Kulai and Kota Tinggi, had been affected by the floods.\n\n\u201cWe expect to see a drop of more than 50 per cent in durian production from Johor this year, and this will surely affect the price.\u201d\nMr Han Chan Yong, who owns a 2.83ha orchard in Chaah, Segamat, said he expects to get only a 1,000-strong harvest in June.\n\u201cInitially, I thought I could produce 10,000. The floods also killed about six of my trees, including those that are over 10 years old,\u201d added the 80-year-old.\nMr Tee Pian Lam, 65, said that while his orchards were not hit by the floods, their production has been affected by the rainy season.\n\u201cThe flowering season started around mid-February and that was when we were experiencing heavy rain almost every day. That caused the flowers in my orchards in Muar and Kota Tinggi to fall.\n\u201cI believe the production of durians will definitely be very low this year, as not only farms that were hit by the floods are affected but those that experienced heavy rain are also going to see less yield,\u201d he noted. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/drop-in-malaysia-durian-harvest-expected-after-johor-floods"}, {"title": "Early tests for Malaysia PM Anwar in winning civil service over", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 How Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim navigates crucial decisions he faces now could determine whether his unity government can avoid the tense ties his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition had with public servants the last time it was in power \u2013 and his administration\u2019s stability. It has been three weeks since Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Cabinet was sworn in, but there has yet to be a final word on two major public service appointments or whether a governance watchdog set up four years ago during PH\u2019s first stint in power will be abolished."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/early-tests-for-malaysia-pm-anwar-in-winning-civil-service-over"}, {"title": "Egg prices go up in Malaysia even as supply stabilises", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Madam Nur Ilham Ahmad and her family used to consume at least three trays of 30 grade A chicken eggs a week. But ever since prices soared, the housewife has been tweaking her budget and grocery list, despite the product being considered the cheapest source of protein in Malaysia.\nThe mother of three said she no longer buys grade A eggs now and opts for \u201cdesigner\u201d ones which are within the same price range as imported eggs, but better in quality.\n\u201cIt used to cost less than RM11 (S$3.35) per tray for 30 grade A eggs. Then it rose to RM13.50. When it hit RM15 and above, I decided to buy designer eggs since they are more or less the same price,\u201d Madam Ilham, 35, told The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\nDesigner eggs are kampung eggs or those enriched with Omega-3 fatty acids and organically produced. \nIt has been nearly four weeks since Malaysia started importing eggs to make up for the shortfall it has been facing for several months. \nIt has been importing up to 10 million eggs daily from India since Dec 16.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDespite supply appearing to be stabilising, prices have gone up, with a tray of 30 imported eggs costing up to RM18.90 \u2013 almost the same price as designer eggs.\n\nIn December 2022, hypermarket Mydin Mohamed Holdings managing director Ameer Ali Mydin had said imported eggs are being sold for 50 sen each. The price is higher compared with locally produced Grade A (45 sen each), Grade B (43 sen) and Grade C (41 sen) in Peninsular Malaysia, but cheaper than designer eggs (65 sen each).\nImported eggs are not subject to price control and are not categorised by types, Mr Ameer said, but their quality is comparable with Grade D locally produced eggs despite being more expensive.\nSaid Madam Ilham: \u201cThe price difference may not seem big, but if we compare with how much we\u2019re spending on them in one month, it\u2019s actually a lot. I know we are eating better quality eggs now, but we lack choices. I suspect eggs that are priced above RM15 per tray are imported ones, but their size is smaller.\u201d \nMalaysian Chinese Association president Wee Ka Siong on Monday also said Malaysian egg producers should be paid 50 sen an egg, instead of allowing imports from India at the same price, as it would incentivise them to produce more.\nWhile Malaysians are paying more for eggs, experts believe that other countries are paying less for Malaysian eggs since no export ban is in place.\nThey added that importing will not resolve the supply shortage at the same price levels, unless the exporting countries produce eggs at lower prices. \n\u201cThat is unlikely given that Malaysian farms are quite competitive. Ceiling prices must be dynamic and correspond to movements in production costs which is a global phenomenon, not a local one. That\u2019s what the government should do,\u201d said economist Nungsari Ahmad Radhi. \nDr Nungsari added that Malaysia has the capacity to satisfy local demand, but the shortage is due to the price ceiling which is set too close to or below production costs.      \n\u201cIt\u2019s quite simple economics, really. If the ceiling price is too close or below cost, farms would stop producing and let capacity be idle rather than incur losses. Or they export their eggs, where they fetch better prices, thus reducing local supply,\u201d he said, adding that non-Malaysians will then enjoy cheaper Malaysian eggs.     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/egg-prices-go-up-in-malaysia-even-as-supply-stabilises"}, {"title": "Egg shortage in one-third of outlets in Selangor after inspection of basic necessities", "text": ["\nKAPAR - About 40 out of 110 premises in Selangor were found to be facing a shortage of eggs after enforcement officers carried out a four-day statewide inspection on the availability of basic necessities.\nSelangor Domestic Trade and Cost of Living director Mohd Zuhairi Mat Radey said three premises were found to have a shortage of chickens while 26 premises lacked a supply of subsidised cooking oil.\n\u201cOnly one outlet had no stock of cooking oil.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe found that the supply of eggs and cooking oil was mostly short in Petaling Jaya.\n\u201cHowever, the supply of basic necessities like bottled cooking oil and flour is stable,\u201d he told reporters when met at a supermarket in Kapar on Wednesday, Bernama reported.\nMr Mohd Zuhairi said inspections were carried out in stages and targeted premises selling basic necessities such as markets, mini markets, retail stores, small hawker stalls and eateries.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said they would utilise a traffic light mechanism to monitor the supply of basic necessities such as chicken, chicken eggs and cooking oil at these premises.\n\n\u201cThis system uses the green code (sufficient supply), yellow (insufficient supply) and red (no supply) to assist us in taking comprehensive action and ensure that the supply of necessities is not affected,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/egg-shortage-in-one-third-of-outlets-in-selangor-after-inspection-on-basic-necessities"}, {"title": "Elderly couple get help from Johor police after nearly fainting amid heatwave", "text": ["\nThe Malaysian police found an elderly couple lying by the side of a road in Johor after the pair nearly fainted amid the heatwave currently afflicting the country. \nAround 3.50pm on Thursday, two police officers patrolling the area came across the couple who were heading back to their home in Kampung Tenang, said the police of Segamat district in Johor in a Facebook post.\nThey were found along Jalan Bukit Mambai in Labis, which is about 21km from their destination.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe couple\u2019s unstable condition prevented them from riding their motorcycle, and the pair had to be driven home by one of the officers, the police said.\nThe other officer helped ride their motorcycle.\nThe police said the couple were doing fine but needed rest.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Thursday, the Malaysian Meteorological Department issued a Level 1 heat alert for seven states: Kedah, Kelantan, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak.\n\nThe daily maximum temperatures for these states are forecast to hit the range of 35 deg C to 37 deg C for at least three straight days. Negeri Sembilan saw the mercury peak at 38.4 deg C on April 22.\nSpecial attention should be given to young children and the elderly to ensure that they are not excessively exposed to the heat, the police said.\nThe Education Ministry on Wednesday instructed that all outdoor activities in schools nationwide be temporarily halted.\nThe scorching temperatures have already claimed several lives. On April 25, an 11-year-old boy died of heatstroke and severe dehydration in the east coast state of Kelantan. The same day, a 19-month-old toddler died of severe dehydration, also in Kelantan. \nMalaysia\u2019s heatwave is expected to last until June.\n\nAdditional reporting by Aqil Hamzah\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/elderly-couple-get-help-from-malaysian-police-after-nearly-fainting-due-to-heatwave"}, {"title": "Eliminating single-use plastics by 2030 seen as an uphill battle for Malaysia", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 With seven years to the deadline to ban single-use plastics, environmental and consumer groups say it will be an uphill battle for Malaysia to meet the target.\nMalaysia set an ambitious road map in 2018 to eliminate single-use plastics by 2030.\nOne weakness of the Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018-2030 is that it does not outline a uniform approach to address single-use plastics, other than just providing a policy direction to all stakeholders, including state governments, in taking a unified and collective approach to the issue.\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia ranks eighth among the top 10 countries with the most mismanaged plastic waste in the world. Another startling statistic is that of 0.94 million tonnes of mismanaged plastic waste in the country, 0.14 million tonnes to 0.37 million tonnes may have flowed into the sea. To give a visual example of how much 0.94 million tonnes is, it is equivalent to 1,634 Airbus A380 planes.\nThe groups say the government has much to do to meet the target for the ban. They cited public apathy, the lack of a uniform policy and lax enforcement as the biggest impediments to phasing out single-use plastics.\nEnvironmental group Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) honorary secretary S. Mageswari says the target might not be reached.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cDespite there being behavioural changes, with consumers bringing their own grocery bags, containers and even reusable straws, it is not widespread enough,\u201d she said.\n\n\u201cPlastic bags are freely and rampantly distributed in wet markets, sundry shops and pasar malam (night markets). If any ban or restriction is not thorough and all-encompassing, we will still see them being used.\u201d\nDespite the \u201cno straw by default\u201d policy introduced in 2019, Ms Mageswari said many food outlets were still providing straws with drinks.\nShe added that restaurants still provided plastic straws without customers asking for them.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSo, the government and local authorities must get serious with the implementation,\u201d she added.\n\n", "\nMs Mageswari said there was also a need to promote reusable alternatives to single-use plastics.\nShe said a list of unnecessary single-use plastics should be drawn up, beginning with those containing hazardous substances or additives.\n\u201cMeasures can then be taken to phase out and eventually ban the items, replacing them with alternatives. Policies should be also set in place to ensure corporations take responsibility for their products and packaging.\n\n\u201cA holistic approach covering all bases and sectors is also necessary to help Malaysia achieve the zero single-use plastics target. We need to identify the sectors using single-use plastics. Action plans must be drawn up to address these issues in tandem with stringent implementation,\u201d she said, adding that SAM was awaiting the midterm review report of the road map due in 2023.\nEcotourism and Conservation Society Malaysia president and CEO Andrew Sebastian said political will is crucial to achieve the target of doing away with single-use plastics.\n\u201cIt is feasible by 2030, or even sooner. But effort must be made properly in phases, with solutions readily available for us to go without single-use plastics.\n\u201cThe government and respective agencies at the federal and state levels have to be committed and driven to meet the target. Incentives must also be put in place, as with penalties,\u201d he said.\nMr Sebastian said industries affected by the ban of single-use plastics would have to find a way to adapt and provide eco-friendly alternatives once a solid timeline emerges.\nHe said the Covid-19 pandemic also led to a rise in the use of single-use plastics worldwide.\n\u201cThere are many advancements in this field where packaging can be relooked and have end-to-end usage,\u201d he said.\n\n", "\nConsumers\u2019 Association of Penang (CAP) president Mohideen Abdul Kadeer urged the government to ensure that more businesses be included in the list of those that must comply with restrictions on single-use plastics.\n\u201cHypermarkets, supermarkets, department stores, convenience stores, fast-food restaurants, petrol station convenience stores, chain stores and pharmacies are businesses that have been listed to comply with the restrictions on single-use plastics, and we find that they are in compliance,\u201d he said.\n\u201cAs for other businesses, they do not seem to bother and keep giving plastic bags to customers. We have observed markets, hawker stalls and food outlets still distributing free plastic bags. The use of straws is also rampant, even if (a customer) refuses one!\u201d\nMr Mohideen also lamented the low recycling rate in Malaysia, adding that the practice had yet to become a norm.\n\u201cEducating the people on the importance of recycling, how one should separate waste and where to drop off recyclables will provide a boost to recycling efforts.\n\n\u201cSchools and resident associations can play an active part in increasing awareness and taking initiative,\u201d he said, adding that CAP had done projects with schools and communities and found them to be effective.  THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/eliminating-single-use-plastics-by-2030-seen-as-an-uphill-battle-for-malaysia"}, {"title": "\u2018Enough is enough\u2019: Johor Sultan wants an end to political instability", "text": ["\nJOHOR BARU - Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar has expressed concern at the incessant reports regarding the stability of the unity government, even though six months has passed since the 15th General Election (GE15).\nHe added the people had placed high hopes in GE15 and voted for 222 Members of Parliament to bring back political stability to the country.\n\u201cBut until today, the 222 MPs cannot get on the same page with efforts made to derail the stability that is being carefully built.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis is not healthy for the entire nation, whether socially, economically or even our standing internationally.\n\n\u201cEnough is enough. How much longer must the 30 over million people of our country endure this situation? The economy must recover, and Malaysia\u2019s prosperity must be prioritised,\u201d said Sultan Ibrahim.\n\nThe ruler said this in a statement posted on Sultan Ibrahim\u2019s official Facebook page on Wednesday night.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Monday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said parties in the unity government have remained steadfast, so they were strong enough to fend off any plot to topple the administration.\n\n\u201cOur commitment is very clear,\u201d he said, referring to reports about a conspiracy to bring down the government.\nHe added: \u201cIf there is no conspiracy, then what work do they have? We are carrying out our responsibility as the government. We are focused on our work.\u201d\n\u201cThey (the Opposition) have their responsibility, and they will come out with their strategy (to topple the government) every month,\u201d he told reporters after launching the Labour Day celebration at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.\n\nMr Anwar said the conspiracy exists, but the government is focused on its work.\n\u201cDon\u2019t entertain those who are delirious,\u201d he said.\n\nMr Anwar was asked to comment on an online news report claiming that 10 MPs, who previously supported Mr Muhyiddin Yassin for prime minister after the general elections last November, are involved in a plot to overthrow the unity government. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/enough-is-enough-johor-sultan-wants-an-end-to-political-instability"}, {"title": "Environmentalists lambast Indonesia-Malaysia palm oil pledge over deforestation concerns", "text": ["\nJAKARTA \u2013 Environmentalists have criticised Indonesia and Malaysia\u2019s pledge to fight \u201cdiscrimination\u201d against palm oil, saying it puts the countries\u2019 commitment to halting deforestation into question. \nLast Monday, Indonesia and Malaysia, the world\u2019s largest palm oil producers, agreed to cooperate to develop the palm oil market and combat what they referred to as discrimination against the commodity. Environmentalists are worried that the agreement will undermine the two countries\u2019 efforts to combat deforestation. \n\u201c(Indonesian President Joko Widodo) did not explicitly mention the latest European Union regulation, but we suspect that\u2019s what he meant, as there are similar accusations from other Indonesian officials,\u201d Greenpeace Indonesia global forestry campaign head Kiki Taufik said in a statement last Wednesday. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe EU is seeking to phase out its use of palm oil in fuels by 2030. In December, it passed a law requiring companies to demonstrate that goods imported to the bloc, including palm oil products, have not contributed to deforestation. \nMr Widodo expressed his disapproval of the policy during the Asean-EU Summit in Brussels in December, saying that its inflexible approach would hurt Indonesia\u2019s development. \nMr Kiki said the EU deforestation regulation should not be viewed as discriminatory but rather as an opportunity to advance the global commitment to reducing deforestation through transparency and sustainability. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said the EU regulation would be a threat only if Indonesia and Malaysia were not committed to stopping deforestation resulting from palm oil development. \n\n\u201cHowever, the statement \u2018fighting discrimination against palm oil\u2019 may indicate that the two countries are still planning to let deforestation happen,\u201d he added. \nMr Kiki said that Indonesia already had its own commitments to halting deforestation, such as the primary forest development moratorium and the forest and land use net sink target by 2030. \nMadani Foundation executive director Nadia Hadad pointed out that the EU deforestation regulation did not single out palm oil, as other commodities such as soya would also be affected. \n\n\n\n\n\nShe said that while palm oil was often compared to rapeseed oil and sunflower oil produced by European countries, the farms for these latter crops had not caused deforestation. \n\u201cThe new European regulation should have been viewed as an opportunity for Indonesia to improve palm oil governance and to fulfil Indonesia\u2019s climate commitments,\u201d Ms Nadia said on Thursday. \nInstead of complaining about the supposed discrimination, she said, Indonesia should have demanded a more equal partnership with the EU to help it achieve a sustainable and deforestation-free palm oil industry. \n", "\nSeparately, the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) welcomed the President\u2019s plans to fight the so-called palm oil discrimination, saying Indonesia and Malaysia needed to further strengthen their cooperation as the largest producers of the vegetable oil. \nGapki spokesman Tofan Mahdi said Indonesia and Malaysia continued to face discrimination and negative campaigns from non-palm vegetable oil producers. \n\u201cThe discrimination and negative campaigns against palm oil are happening because this is a trade war,\u201d Mr Tofan said. \nWhen asked about the concerns that fighting \u201cdiscrimination\u201d against palm oil could worsen deforestation, Mr Tofan claimed that palm oil could actually halt deforestation. \n\u201cIndonesia and Malaysia already have sustainability standards, ISPO (Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil) and MSPO (Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil). These standards should have been accepted globally,\u201d Mr Tofan said last Thursday. THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/environmentalists-lambast-indonesia-malaysia-palm-oil-pledge-over-deforestation-concerns"}, {"title": "Even with Umno alliance, Pakatan Harapan battles to win Malay votes in crucial state polls", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Despite counting Malay nationalist party Umno as a new electoral partner, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) is set to face an uphill task of swinging votes of the Malay majority in their favour, as they head to the crucial six state elections that will be held later this year.Just as the Premier completes 100 days in power while leading a first-of-its-kind unity government, there are signs that holding a two-thirds majority in Parliament and having several more electoral partners have done little to stem the tide of Malay support for the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, as seen in the 2022 national polls."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/even-with-umno-alliance-pakatan-harapan-battles-to-win-malay-votes-in-crucial-state-polls"}, {"title": "Ex-Goldman banker Roger Ng seeks leniency in 1MDB scandal, says he \u2018suffered enough\u2019", "text": ["\nNEW YORK \u2013 Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng, the only employee of the bank to be tried and convicted over the global 1MDB scandal, has asked a US judge not to send him to prison for his role in the epic looting of the Malaysian fund. \nNg\u2019s lawyers said in a filing early on Saturday to a federal judge in Brooklyn, New York, that the 50-year-old native of Malaysia has suffered enough, having spent six months in a Malaysian prison and four years alone under house arrest in the United States. \n\u201cHe was incarcerated under brutal and cruel conditions in a Malaysian prison for over six months before being picked up by the US authorities,\u201d the lawyers said. \u201cThere can be no doubt that Mr Ng has suffered and has been punished every day since the day of his arrest.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\nThey asked the judge to sentence him to time served and allow him to return to Malaysia, where he faces additional criminal charges.\n\nNg was convicted by a federal jury in April of three felony counts, including conspiring to violate US anti-bribery laws and to launder money. \nHe faces a statutory maximum prison term of as long as 30 years but federal courts typically impose far shorter sentences. US District Judge Margo Brodie has scheduled Ng\u2019s sentencing for March 9.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nProsecutors said Ng received millions of dollars in kickbacks from three bond deals that Goldman arranged for 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB. The bank paid over US$2.9 billion (S$3.9 billion), the largest penalty of its kind in US history, and over US$5 billion globally, for its role in the scheme.\n\nJust as he did at trial, in Ng\u2019s 78-page sentencing memo, he and his lawyer Marc Agnifilo hotly contested the government\u2019s charges against him. He argued that he did not play a leadership role in the scheme, insisting that colleague Tim Leissner got the 1MDB deal done because he alone lied to Goldman\u2019s compliance about his interactions with corrupt Malaysian and Abu Dhabi officials.\n\u201cMr Ng\u2019s role in the offence was minimal, and the only claim to the contrary was provided by Tim Leissner, who was patently incredible,\u201d Ng\u2019s lawyers wrote. \nThey noted that Ng\u2019s family paid back all the alleged 1MDB funds, plus additional money not related to 1MDB, \u201cvirtually the totality of the family\u2019s combined wealth over generations\u201d.\nIn a memo to the court, Ng disputed some of the government\u2019s assertions, arguing that the total amount of bribes paid in the scheme was US$1.1 billion, while US court officials said in a memo to Ng\u2019s sentencing judge that it was about US$2 billion. \nMeanwhile, prosecutors in the office of Brooklyn US Attorney Breon Peace said earlier in February that it has been \u201cable to definitively trace\u201d US$1.6 billion from the 1MDB bond deals in bribe payments to foreign government officials. \nProsecutors will recommend a sentence to the judge in a filing later.\nLeissner, who pleaded guilty and was the government\u2019s star witness against Ng, is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept 6. BLOOMBERG \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/ex-goldman-banker-roger-ng-seeks-leniency-in-1mdb-scandal-says-he-s-suffered-enough"}, {"title": "Ex-Malaysian PM Najib Razak fails in bid to get 1MDB-linked conviction reviewed", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - Malaysia\u2019s apex court on Friday dismissed former prime minister Najib Razak\u2019s bid to review an earlier court decision affirming his graft conviction and 12-year jail sentence in a case linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).  \nThe decision was delivered by a five-member Federal Court bench chaired by Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abdul Rahman Sebli.\nThis means the former Pekan MP will have to continue serving his jail term unless he secures a royal pardon from the King.  \n\n\n\n\n\nNajib had sought a review of the Federal Court\u2019s decision that affirmed his conviction and 12-year sentence for misappropriating RM42 million (S$12.7 million) from SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary, claiming that he was not given a fair hearing. \nHe was also fined RM210 million for the offence.\nIn the majority 4-1 decision read out by Justice Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, the panel found there was no bias or breach of natural justice in the earlier court hearing. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWith respect, in the final analysis and having regard to all circumstances, we are constrained to say that the applicant (Najib) was the author of his own misfortunes,\u201d Justice Ong said.\n\nThe sole dissenting judge, Datuk Abdul Rahman, said Najib was \u201cclearly disadvantaged\u201d at the earlier hearing when his lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik\u2019s refusal to participate in the proceedings had effectively rendered him unrepresented.\n\u201cThe previous panel was wrong when preventing Hisyam from discharging himself\u2026 It appears to me there has been a miscarriage of justice,\u201d he said.\nIn August 2022, Najib\u2019s then lead counsel, Datuk Hisyam, at the final appeal in the SRC International case,  had asked for a postponement of three to four months as he had taken over the case only several weeks earlier.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe request was dismissed by a five-judge panel, which was led by Chief Justice Maimun Tuan Mat.\nDatuk Hisyam then tried, unsuccessfully, to discharge himself as Najib\u2019s lawyer, after which he refused to make any submissions on Najib\u2019s behalf. \nThe Federal Court subsequently upheld the conviction and sentence on Aug 23, 2022, and Najib has been incarcerated at Kajang prison since.\nThis review application was Najib\u2019s last chance to challenge the verdict in court. \nHe has also applied for a royal pardon from Malaysia\u2019s King, which, if granted, would see him released without serving the full 12-year term. \nHowever, Najib still faces dozens of other charges related to the financial scandal surrounding 1MDB, including a criminal breach of trust charge involving RM6.6 billion.\nNajib had also sought and failed to obtain a review of the court\u2019s decision to dismiss his attempt to postpone his appeal hearing, as well as its decision not to recuse Tun Tengku Maimun from the Federal Court appeal due to Facebook posts made by her husband in May 2018. \nNajib\u2019s legal team argued that the posts had demonstrated her husband\u2019s negative views of the former premier\u2019s leadership and had concluded that he had siphoned funds from 1MDB into his personal bank account.    \nIn addition, Najib had attempted to nullify his hearing in the High Court on the basis of trial judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali not recusing himself over an alleged conflict of interest. \nThis application was also dismissed. \nSpeaking to reporters after Friday\u2019s decision, Najib\u2019s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said \u201cit is not the end of the matter\u201d as there was a possibility of another action in court due to the dissenting view of one judge.\n\u201cIt could be a review or a court procedure, as long as there are grounds,\u201d he said, without disclosing further details.\nMalaysia\u2019s lead prosecutor V. Sithambaram said the prosecution hoped Friday\u2019s decision would bring closure to the SRC International case.\n\u201cThis decision by the Federal Court is also a vindication that the charges against Najib are legally mounted and not politically motivated,\u201d he said.      \nOn Jan 4, Najib petitioned the United Nations Human Rights Council\u2019s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to rule that the dismissal of his appeal by the Federal Court in August 2022 was unjust and flawed as he \u201cwas sent to jail without the opportunity to defend himself\u201d.   \nHis legal team had said that a failure to give a new set of lawyers more time to prepare \u2013 after being appointed three weeks before the appeal in the Federal Court \u2013 had unjustly punished Najib.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/ex-malaysian-pm-najib-razak-fails-in-bid-to-get-1mdb-linked-conviction-reviewed"}, {"title": "Rosmah gets passport back to spend Hari Raya in Singapore, will visit daughter and grandson", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - The Court of Appeal in Malaysia has allowed Rosmah Mansor\u2019s application for the temporary release of her passport to travel to Singapore and visit her daughter and her grandson who is unwell.\nA three-judge panel chaired by Justice Kamaludin Md Said made the order after hearing submissions from Rosmah\u2019s lawyer Jagjit Singh on Tuesday. \nDeputy Public Prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn did not object to the application.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe court granted the release of the passport for Rosmah to be in Singapore between March 23 and May 5. \nThe court also ordered the travel document to be returned to the court on May 10.\nJustice Kamaludin said the application was unanimously allowed following no objection from the prosecution.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOther judges on the bench were Justices Hadhariah Syed Ismail and Azman Abdullah.\n\nEarlier, Mr Jagjit told the court that Rosmah would be spending six weeks in the neighbouring country as it would be time for Hari Raya Puasa, which falls on April 22.   \n\u201cThe passport would be returned a week after my client returns from Singapore,\u201d he said.\nOn Sept 1, 2022, the Kuala Lumpur High Court convicted Rosmah of three charges of corruption in a RM1.25 billion (S$399 milion) solar hybrid project trial.\nShe was also found guilty of one count of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of accepting RM1.5 million and RM5 million, monies linked to the project in Sarawak. \nThe wife of former prime minister Najib Razak\u00a0is currently out on bail pending an appeal to the Court of Appeal in her corruption case.\nSurrendering her passport is one of the bail conditions imposed on her. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/ex-malaysian-pm-najib-s-wife-rosmah-gets-passport-back-to-spend-hari-raya-in-singapore"}, {"title": "Ex-Malaysian PM Najib\u2019s wife Rosmah gets passport back to visit daughter, grandsons in S\u2019pore", "text": ["\nMalaysia\u2019s Court of Appeal on Thursday allowed the wife of former premier Najib Razak, Rosmah Mansor, to get back her passport so that she can visit her daughter and grandsons in Singapore. \nA three-member bench chaired by Justice P, Ravinthran allowed Rosmah\u2019s travel document to be temporarily released after hearing submissions from Rosmah\u2019s lawyer, Mr Jagjit Singh. \nRosmah\u2019s passport is currently held by the court as part of her bail conditions relating to a bribery case involving a hybrid power supply deal for rural schools in Sarawak.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cRosmah has a court case on July 11, she will return by then,\u201d said Mr Singh.\n\nDeputy public prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn did not object to the application.\n\nMr Ravinthran said the passport will be released on Thursday for Rosmah to be in Singapore from now until July 7.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIn view of there being no objection from the prosecution, this application is allowed,\u201d he said, adding that Rosmah is required to surrender her travel document to the court on or by July 7.\n\nThis is the third time the court has granted Rosmah\u2019s application for the temporary release of her passport.\n\nRosmah was previously allowed to temporarily obtain her passport on Oct 15, 2021 to visit her daughter, Ms Nooryana Najwa, who gave birth to her second child in Singapore.\nShe also visited her daughter on March 21, 2023, when both Ms Nooryana and her son were unwell.\nMs Nooryana is married to Mr Daniyar Kessikbayev, the nephew of former Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev. The couple and their children currently live in Singapore.\n\nOn Sept 1, 2022, the Kuala Lumpur High Court convicted Rosmah on three charges of corruption in a RM1.25 billion (S$364 million) solar hybrid project trial.\nShe was also found guilty on one count of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of accepting RM1.5 million and RM5 million, monies linked to the project in Sarawak. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/ex-malaysian-pm-najib-s-wife-rosmah-gets-passport-back-to-visit-daughter-grandsons-in-s-pore"}, {"title": "Ex-Malaysian PM Najib\u2019s wife Rosmah withdraws  appeal to recuse judge from her money laundering trial", "text": ["\nThe wife of former Malaysian premier Najib Razak, Rosmah Mansor, has withdrawn her appeal to recuse a High Court judge from hearing her money laundering and tax evasion case.\nRosmah\u2019s defence team filed a notice of discontinuance on March 1, two weeks before her March 17 hearing of the appeal at the Court of Appeal. \nAccording to news site Free Malaysia Today, the appeals court was scheduled to find out whether it had jurisdiction to hear Rosmah\u2019s appeal and recuse High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan from presiding over the case, which involved 17 counts of money laundering and tax evasion.  \n\n\n\n\n\nRosmah, 70, did not want Justice Zaini as her trial judge, claiming he would be biased against her as he had found her guilty of corruption in an earlier case. \nIn September last year, Justice Zaini handed Rosmah a 10-year jail sentence and a RM970 million (S$291.6 million) fine in a corruption case over a solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak. \nRosmah\u2019s lawyer Geethan Ram Vincent told the Malaysian media on Friday that the appeal was discontinued as the High Court judge would no longer be presiding over the trial after his elevation to the Court of Appeal in January. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nRosmah is facing 12 charges of money laundering amounting to RM7 million and five charges of failing to declare her income to the Malaysian tax agency, the Inland Revenue Board.   \n\nShe is accused of committing the offences between Dec 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017.   \nMalaysian media reported that Justice K. Muniandy will now preside over the trial, which will take place on May 12.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/ex-malaysian-pm-najib-s-wife-rosmah-withdraws-appeal-to-recuse-judge-from-her-money-laundering-trial"}, {"title": "Appeal by ex-Malaysian PM\u2019s wife in corruption case to be heard on June 22-23", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA -  The wife of ex-Malaysian premier Najib Razak, Rosmah Mansor, will have her appeal heard in the Court of Appeal on June 22 and 23 next year, Bernama news agency reported on Monday.\nRosmah, 70, is appealing against her September conviction, 10-year jail sentence and a RM970 million (S$300 million) fine in a corruption case over a solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.\nThe High Court\u2019s Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan in September ruled that should Rosmah fail to pay the fine, she is liable to a total of 30 years in jail.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe High Court had granted her a stay of execution for the imprisonment and fine pending her appeal to the Appeals Court.\nThe hearing dates were fixed by Deputy Registrar Norkamilah Aziz during case management conducted online on Monday, deputy public prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn told reporters as reported by Malaysia\u2019s news agency.\n\u201cRosmah\u2019s appeal against the High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan\u2019s decision in rejecting her application for the judge to recuse himself from presiding over the case would also be heard on the same dates.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSubmissions must be filed before or by May 22, 2023. Submissions in reply, if any, should be filed before or by June 7,\u201d he said, as quoted by Bernama.\n\nShould her appeal at the Appeals Court fails, she has the option for a final appeal the apex Federal Court.\nRosmah was found guilty on all three counts of corruption in connection with the RM1.25 billion Sarawak rural schools\u2019 solar hybrid project. Justice Zaini ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.\nShe was charged with soliciting RM187.5 million from former managing director of Jepak Holdings via her former aide, to help the company secure the billion-ringgit project.\nRosmah was also charged with receiving bribes amounting to RM5 million from the ex-managing director through the aide at the prime minister\u2019s official residence in Outrajaya on Dec 20, 2016.\nShe faced an additional charge of receiving another RM1.5 million from the former company chief at her home in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 7, 2017.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/ex-malaysian-pm-s-wife-appeal-in-corruption-case-to-be-heard-on-june-22-23"}, {"title": "Ex-minister Khairy claims of plan to bulldoze no-contest move for Umno\u2019s top two chiefs", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Former Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has appealed to delegates at the ongoing Umno general assembly not to allow what he said was a plan to bulldoze a motion for the two top posts in the party to be uncontested in upcoming party polls. \nThe former Malaysian health minister alleged that there is a conspiracy by some delegates to \u201cbulldoze\u201d the motion in order for it to be approved at the four-day assembly that ends on Saturday.\nHe further claimed that some of the name tags of delegates at the main meeting hall, Dewan Merdeka (Independence Hall), had been removed to replace them with \u201cimported\u201d delegates to ensure the motion will be approved.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSo it is important for the delegates not to carry out the \u2018Dewan Merdeka Move\u2019 to kill democracy (within Umno) and deny the voices of the grassroots to determine the future of the party and to pick who is qualified to lead,\u201d he said in a video posted on TikTok on Saturday.\nBut the claims were dismissed by Umno\u2019s information chief Isham Jalil, who said in a Facebook post that the delegates know one another, and any person who isn\u2019t authorised to be in the hall would be identified quickly by the others. Isham said there were no \u201cimported delegates\u201d as claimed by Mr Khairy.\nThere are more than 5,000 delegates attending the meeting at party headquarters, with the vote to be held after 3pm on Saturday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Khairy and his allies are pushing for the two top posts - Umno president and deputy president - to be contested at its polls that must be held by May. \n\nUmno president Zahid Hamidi and his deputy Mohamad Hasan are Malaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, respectively.\nSome party leaders have said a contest for the two top posts could destabilise the party after it did badly in the November general election, as should they lose, this would affect the party\u2019s position in the Anwar Ibrahim administration.\nDelegates from Johor and the Federal Territories had earlier rejected the motion of no-contest for the top two posts in the party.\nMr Khairy has also given his assurance that a contest for the top two posts would not lead to a split within the party.\n\u201cWhoever wins will get the mandate from the party. Whoever wins we will support and we will set aside our differences after the conclusion of the polls.\n\u201cA contest during the party polls is normal and once a leader wins, we will close our ranks.\n\u201cThe narrative that a contest will bring a split is completely false,\u201d he said.\nHe said that Umno did not perform well in the 15th General Election, only winning 26 parliamentary seats.\nMr Khairy had previously said that party president Zahid Hamidi had given his assurance that he is \u201cready to fight\u201d in the party elections. Umno must hold its party polls before May 19. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/ex-minister-khairy-claims-of-plan-to-bulldoze-no-contest-move-for-umno-s-top-two-chiefs"}, {"title": "Muhyiddin\u2019s graft charges raise political temperature", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - None of the reactions to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s detention on Thursday, ahead of him being the second former premier to be hauled to court for corruption, will be surprising.After all, Malaysians have been here many times before \u2013 every prime minister says they do not interfere and that the law enforcers and the judiciary are independent, while every challenger who finds himself pleading not guilty cries of political persecution."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/ex-pm-muhyiddin-graft-charges-to-send-political-mercury-rising"}, {"title": "Ex-Umno members joining opposition unlikely to topple Anwar\u2019s government: Analysts", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The possibility that former Umno leaders, including former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, will join Malaysia\u2019s opposition for the upcoming state elections may not be enough to topple Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s administration, according to analysts.\n\u201cOverall, it is unlikely to create a large wave of support that could threaten the unity government,\u201d Dr Mazlan Ali, senior lecturer at the Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, told The Straits Times. \nMr Hafidzi Razali, associate director at risk consultancy BowerGroupAsia, said it will prove challenging for the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) to sustain its momentum among Malay voters in the semi-rural and rural areas, particularly among youth, and enticing former Umno members will do little to change this. \n\n\n\n\n\nSeveral Umno leaders, who were purged from the party in January for demanding that party president Zahid Hamidi resign over Umno\u2019s dismal showing at last November\u2019s general election, could join the opposition ahead of six state polls expected in July. \nFormer Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa \u2013 one of the key leaders sacked or suspended from Malaysia\u2019s longest-ruling party \u2013 confirmed he had applied to join Umno\u2019s long-time rival Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS). He claimed that more than 1,000 Umno members were following suit.  \nMr Khairy, another casualty of January\u2019s purge, suggested in jest on Thursday that he may form a new political party with former Democratic Action Party MP Ong Kian Ming, while contemplating an offer to join the Malay-centric Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia. \u201cThe media will then have their headlines tomorrow,\u201d Mr Khairy was quoted as saying by The Star daily.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf he (Khairy) is president, I would consider it,\u201d the DAP member said in response.\n\nBersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said last week that Mr Khairy, who is influential and popular among many voters, would be offered a post on the party\u2019s supreme council if he accepted. The PN coalition comprises PAS and Bersatu as its main parties.\nNot short of job offers, Mr Khairy\u2019s contract as a radio deejay at Hot FM has also been extended to the end of 2023, with an additional hour added to his segment, which airs every Monday at 7am.\nDuring Monday\u2019s podcast, Mr Khairy, who previously said he has received offers from other political parties, revealed he would not rush into a decision and would choose a party that represents his values and political stance. \n\n\n\n\n\nBut Dr Mazlan said it would be difficult for the Oxford graduate to reconcile with PAS\u2019 religious policies, highlighting how Mr Khairy criticised the Islamist party for demanding that British rock band Coldplay\u2019s upcoming concert be banned.\n\u201cKhairy\u2019s problem is simply with Zahid. His spirit is still with Umno. I don\u2019t think Khairy will like to be with PAS. It is dominant in PN. Khairy seems more suited to Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (compared with PN) \u2013 he is educated and progressive.\n\u201cIt remains to be seen if Khairy will return to Umno if there is a change in leadership.\u201d\nJoining Bersatu would also not make it any easier for Mr Khairy to achieve his ambitions of becoming prime minister one day, Mr Hafidzi said, given the standing of former PM Muhyiddin and party secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin in Bersatu\u2019s hierarchy.\n\u201cSustaining a PN government is also less certain, given the rising ethno- and religious conservatism within PAS \u2013 which is limiting PN\u2019s potential to expand its influence to non-Malays and fence sitters in the urban areas,\u201d said Mr Hafidzi.\n", "\nPAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan has said that at least 10 former Umno leaders will be joining PN. \nSeveral past Umno leaders, including former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and former Umno minister Noh Omar, were seen at recent Hari Raya Aidilfitri gatherings with PN leaders. \nAs former Selangor Umno chief, Tan Sri Noh could still sway grassroot support at the state election. \nAs for Mr Annuar\u2019s entry into PAS, Mr Hafidzi said it was not surprising. \nMr Annuar is a long-time politician in the conservative northern state of Kelantan, where PAS has ruled for more than three decades. Adapting to PAS will not be a difficult transition for him, Mr Hafidzi said.   \nThe move could weaken support for Umno in his former parliamentary seat of Ketereh in Kelantan. \nSaid Dr Mazlan: \u201cAnnuar entering PAS will provide it a slight advantage, he has been part of Kelantan politics for a long time.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/ex-umno-members-joining-opposition-unlikely-to-topple-anwar-s-government-analysts"}, {"title": "Faster clearance at Johor checkpoints with passport, VEP counters to be combined", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - The Johor state government\u2019s move to improve conditions at the two land checkpoints with Singapore has resulted in faster clearance for travellers, said the state\u2019s chief minister on Wednesday. \nDatuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the clearance process at the checkpoints had been reduced from an hour to about 30 minutes, especially during peak hours.\n\u201cWhile this is good, we will continue to work with our (federal) partners in Putrajaya to improve the situation further,\u201d he said at a business forum in Johor Bahru.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Onn Hafiz, who has made almost 20 spot checks at the Customs and immigration complex since 2022, said improving connectivity with Singapore was of paramount importance.\n\u201cThis will be a continuous effort,\u201d he said.\nOn Tuesday, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the Immigration Department would assign 100 fresh graduates to the two land checkpoints in Johor.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis would help BSI (Bangunan Sultan Iskandar) especially, which is one of the country\u2019s busiest international entry points, handling close to 220,000 daily transboundary movements,\u201d he said.\n\nDatuk Seri Saifuddin said a dry run was conducted recently, and it proved to be effective in reducing congestion during peak hours.\nHe said other steps taken included constructing more autogates and combining passport checking and vehicle entry permit (VEP) counters into a single counter.\nFrom August, visitors will need to make just one stop instead of two when clearing the land checkpoints.\nMr Saifuddin said these few seconds may seem inconsequential, but they can have a big effect on overall traffic flow.\nA lawmaker from Johor welcomed the Immigration Department\u2019s new work shifts for employees at both the BSI and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar entry points for travellers from Singapore, adding that it showed the government\u2019s seriousness in addressing congestion problems at the checkpoints.\n", "\n\u201cAs an elected representative from Johor, who is well aware of the bottleneck problems especially at the Causeway, I believe the new shift system will help ease the situation,\u201d Segamat MP R. Yuneswaran said.\nThe change will see immigration staff work three shifts, from 9am to 6pm, 4pm to midnight, and midnight to 9am.\nPreviously, the shifts were from 7am to 4pm, 3pm to 11pm and 11pm to 8am.\n\u201cThis is a proactive measure... to solve traffic congestion, especially during peak hours,\u201d he said in a statement on Wednesday.\nThe new shifts will take effect on Sunday. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/faster-clearance-at-johor-checkpoints-with-passport-vehicle-entry-payment-counters-to-be-combined"}, {"title": "Father drowns after rescuing son from a sinking car in Sabah", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU \u2013 A 40-year-old man drowned while rescuing his five-year-old son, who was trapped in a car that fell into a river near a village in the district of Putatan in Sabah.  \nSearch and rescue workers recovered the body of Mr Lasibi Lawadihu from a river in Kampung Imbahan at 9am on Monday. He had jumped into the river to save his son from the car, which rolled down into the water while Mr Lasibi\u00a0was fishing on the bank at 5.30pm the day before. \nHis body was spotted with the help of a police drone during search and rescue operations, and was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for a post-mortem. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Lasibi is said to have jumped into the river after the Perodua Myvi rolled and plunged into the river while his son Mushab Umair Lasibi was inside. \nPenampang district police chief Mohd Haris Ibrahim told reporters that before the incident, the victim was on the river bank and was fishing while his son was in the vehicle, which was parked nearby with the engine running. \n", "\nHowever, the vehicle suddenly moved before plunging into the river and Mr Lasibi jumped in to save his son, said Mr Mohd Haris. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe victim is said to have managed to get his son out of the vehicle before being helped by a man who happened to be there fishing. \n\n\u201cThe man took the child, (but) the victim apparently disappeared under the water,\u201d said Mr Mohd Haris.\nThe rescued child was sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for further treatment on Sunday evening. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/father-drowns-after-rescuing-son-from-a-sinking-car-in-sabah"}, {"title": "Fears linger over anti-Chinese social media posts after divisive election in Malaysia", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Advertising executive Angelica Lim got worried recently after seeing many short clips on TikTok about a possible repeat of the racial riots that rocked Malaysia on May 13, 1969. Many of the videos surfaced after the general election on Nov 19 which resulted in a hung Parliament with no clear winner."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/fears-linger-over-anti-chinese-social-media-posts-after-divisive-election-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Fed up with floods, Johor\u2019s Kota Tinggi traders want river deepened", "text": ["\nKOTA TINGGI, Johor \u2013 Owners of businesses affected by the recent floods in Johor\u2019s Kota Tinggi are urging the government to deepen the river that flows through the town.\nThey said the floods on March 1 marked the second time their businesses were badly affected in 2023. Johor was also inundated by floods in January. \nAn audio-system shop owner who wanted to be known only as Jackson, 50, said he believed the floods were preventable.    \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cYou can see that the river wall is filled with untrimmed tall grass and rubbish, disrupting water flow and causing floods,\u201d he said.\n\u201cHow long do we have to live in fear and suffer like this? Please pity the people and do something about this river.\u201d   \nJackson said he has been operating in the same location for the past 22 years, but the losses he faces because of flood damage are the biggest this time round. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSome of the damaged goods are worth RM3,000 (S$900). We did not manage to save some of the items, as we thought that the flood earlier this year was the end of it,\u201d he said.\n\nCosmetics shop owner Omar Misrat, 53, said he suffered RM5,000 in losses as the water destroyed the wooden furniture in his shop, including the partition walls.\n\u201cThe shop needs to be repaired, which is impossible right now. I am not sure when to reopen due to the uncertain weather.\n\u201cLuckily, I live above my shop, so I managed to save some of the items during the heavy downpour last Wednesday,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe pointed out that Kota Tinggi town was one of the low-lying areas in the Kota Tinggi district.\n\u201cThe water came from Sungai Bang, a Johor river tributary. We hope the government can do something like conducting regular clean-ups,\u201d he added. \nRestaurant owner Agus Rubianto, 53, said he had to discard some of the damaged furniture in his shop on Sunday. \n\u201cWhen I came to check my restaurant at around 6am, I noticed the water had started to recede, so I called some of my workers to help with the clean-up.\n\u201cSome of the wooden furniture had been soaked with flood water for so long that they had started to rot and smell,\u201d he said.\n", "\nMr Agus, the second-generation owner of the restaurant, which sells ayam penyet (pounded fried chicken) rice, said some of his workers were still stuck in other parts of Johor and could not return to work as the road was still cut off by flood waters.\n\u201cWe expect to reopen within the next two days, and we hope that our loyal customers will be patient until then,\u201d he said.\nKota Tinggi district officer Hazlina Jalil said her officials have identified 65 spots that are prone to flooding, of which 32 are currently inundated with flood waters. \nShe said flood mitigation works would be able to solve the issue, and expressed hope that the projects will take off soon. \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/fed-up-with-floods-johor-s-kota-tinggi-traders-want-river-deepened"}, {"title": "Fire at Malaysia\u2019s finance ministry may be due to renovation work: Police", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - A fire broke out at Malaysia\u2019s finance ministry headquarters in Putrajaya on Tuesday.\nSparks from nearby renovation works might have set a pile of papers ablaze, leading to the fire at a dumpsite on the ground floor of the finance ministry building, according to the police. \n\u201cThe fire, which occurred at the ministry\u2019s bulk waste storage area, was first noticed by an electrical maintenance staff member,\u201d said Putrajaya Officer in Charge of Police District\u00a0A. Asmadi Abdul Aziz.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWorkers tried to put out the fire on their own but to no avail,\u201d he said.\nInvestigations revealed that the fire might have been caused by sparks from renovation works, he said.\n\u201cHowever, the real cause of the fire is still being investigated by the fire and rescue department.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a statement, the finance ministry said: \u201cThe fire was successfully put out by the fire and rescue department. The fire did not spread to other areas at the headquarters.\n\n\u201cThere were no injuries or losses reported,\u201d the ministry said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/fire-at-malaysia-s-finance-ministry-may-be-due-to-renovation-work-police"}, {"title": "Fire breaks out at former pension fund building near KL", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 A fire broke out at the former Employees Provident Fund (EPF) building in Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya, on Monday.\nThe building, which was partly destroyed in a fire five years ago, is located beside the Federal Highway that links Malaysia\u2019s capital city Kuala Lumpur to the Petaling Jaya suburbs and the Selangor capital of Shah Alam.\nThe Selangor Fire and Rescue Department said it received a distress call at about 10.35am, and dispatched firefighters from the Petaling Jaya, Damansara, Penchala and Puchong fire stations to the scene, reported Malaysiakini. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department also assisted in the operation.\n\u201cThe fire occurred on the fourth and fifth floors of the building, and firefighters successfully controlled the blaze at 11.08am,\u201d said Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director Hafisham Mohd Noor. \nThe EPF is Malaysia\u2019s largest pension fund. In a statement, it said the building is \u201ccurrently empty and unoccupied\u201d, and no injuries were reported. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nEPF said it will investigate the cause of the fire. \n\nThe building was meant to reopen in 2024 after EPF signed a 30-year lease with Pacific Senior Living, which planned to open an eldercare facility there, reported Malay Mail. \nPacific Senior Living said on Monday: \u201cWe would like to assure the public and residents that we prioritise the safety and well-being of our contractors, staff and the community.\u201d\nThe same building caught fire in February 2018. There were no casualties, but 40 per cent of the building was damaged.\nThe fire in 2018 was caused by a spark that set alight illegal flammable cladding panels on the building\u2019s exterior, reported The Star. \nAn official confirmed that it was then the first fire involving flammable cladding panels in Malaysia. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/fire-breaks-out-at-former-pension-fund-building-near-kl"}, {"title": "Fire at KL\u2019s Mid Valley Megamall likely caused by overheated oil, mall to reopen on Thursday", "text": ["\nA fire broke out at the Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, forcing its operators to shut the mall for a day. \nThe Malaysian capital\u2019s\u00a0fire and rescue department said the fire was brought under control by 12.07pm and completely extinguished by 12.44pm, over two hours after it broke out. \n", "\nThe fire was believed to have been caused by overheating of oil that was meant to cool an electrical transformer at the mall\u2019s main power substation, a fire department official told reporters on Wednesday. \n\n\n\n\n\nKuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director Fatta Amin said the oil can withstand temperatures of 137 deg C, news agency Bernama reported. \n\u201cHowever, it is believed that the substation was excessively hot and suddenly started burning,\u201d he told reporters at the mall, adding that only one of four substations belonging to the building was on fire. \nAll the substations were capable of supplying power within a 10km radius of Mid Valley, Mr Fatta said. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nPower was disrupted at the mall due to the fire, Mid Valley said in a statement. As a precautionary measure, the management evacuated all shoppers and tenants from both Mid Valley Megamall and The Gardens Mall, it said.  \n\n\u201cWe sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and would like to reiterate that the safety of our shoppers and guests remains our top priority,\u201d the mall said.\nThe mall said its fire control centre received a report at 10.30am of a fire breaking out at an external substation, adjacent to the east facade of the shopping centre. \nThe Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department said in a statement that firefighters were dispatched to the scene after it received an emergency call at 10.32am. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAs of 11.38am, we can confirm that there have been no injuries or casualties reported,\u201d the mall said on Facebook, adding that investigations into the incident are ongoing.\nPower was fully restored to Mid Valley and its surrounding areas at around 12.30pm, said electricity provider Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB). \nAll offices, hotels and retail outlets located within Mid Valley City, the mixed development that includes Mid Valley Megamall, will resume operations on Thursday, the mall\u2019s operators said after receiving clearance from TNB and the fire department.\nNu Sentral, a mall linked to transport hub KL Sentral and located around 4km away from Mid Valley, was also closed, due to what it said was an unscheduled power shutdown. \nThe power cut at KL Sentral was due to a different power-supply issue, TNB said, adding that the transportation system at the city\u2019s main train station was not affected.\nResidents of condominiums near the station, including The Sentral Residences, had earlier reported unexpected power cuts to their buildings. \nNews of the Mid Valley Megamall fire emerged on social media after users began sharing photos and videos of the incident. \n", "\nThe photos showed a black plume of smoke rising from the building. \nThis is not the first time a fire has broken out at the mall. In 2017, a fire broke out at a shop lot in the premises. In that incident, a fax machine had caught fire and the blaze was quickly brought under control. \nAdditional reporting by Lok Jian Wen\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/fire-breaks-out-at-kuala-lumpur-s-mid-valley-megamall"}, {"title": "Flash flood warning issued in six Malaysian states", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia\u2019s Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID) has issued a flash flood warning in six states - Johor, Pahang, Terengganu, Penang, Perak , and Negri Sembilan.\nThe warning was based on forecasts by the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), the South-East Asia-Oceania Flash Flood Guidance System and the DID flood forecast model.\nSome rivers in four states - Pahang, Sarawak, Johor and Terengganu - have also reached \u201cwarning levels\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, National Water Services Commission corporate communications and consumer affairs director Mohd Fazil Ismail said most dams in Peninsular Malaysia have reached their maximum level.\nHowever, he said the situation is under control, adding that there were no closures of water treatment plants recorded in flooded areas as at 1pm yesterday.\n\u201cIn total, there are 57 dams and of these, 47 are major dams (relating to raw water sources) in Peninsular Malaysia.  The majority of dams have reached their maximum storage level. The other 10 are multi-functional dams such as for flood mitigation for dams regulated by the DID,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMetMalaysia warned that the monsoon is predicted to bring about continuous rain in the east coast states of the peninsula for four days starting Dec 17.\n\nThe wet weather is expected to last until early next year due to the north-east monsoon and the La Nina cycle, said director-general Muhammad Helmi Abdullah.\nMetMalaysia has also issued a Category 1 warning \u2013 strong winds and rough seas \u2013 for Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang, which is expected to last until tomorrow.\n\u201cA rise in the sea level is expected in waters in these states, and there is a risk of seawater flooding on the coast. MetMalaysia is monitoring this situation and will issue a Continuous Heavy Rain Warning if needed,\u201d said Mr Muhammad Helmi.\nHe added that prolonged rain could cause the temperature to drop to 22 deg C on the East Coast.\nThunderstorms with heavy rain and strong winds are also expected within the peninsula\u2019s west coast, west Sabah and north Sarawak in the afternoon to early parts of the night within the next few days.\nYesterday, National Antarctica Research Centre meteorological expert Prof Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah told Sinar Harian that the nation would experience significant flooding within the next three days due to heavy monsoon rain triggered by the active La Nina and negative Indian Ocean Dipole phenomena. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/flash-flood-warning-issued-in-six-malaysian-states"}, {"title": "Flash floods hit Kuala Lumpur city centre after heavy downpour", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Various parts of Kuala Lumpur have been affected by flash floods after the afternoon downpour on Wednesday.\nMany areas around the city centre such as Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan Raja, Jalan Parlimen, Jalan Damansara and Jalan Pudu are affected. Flash floods were also reported at Bandar Tun Razak exchange on the East\u2013West Link Expressway and outside the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. \nTraffic was badly affected in these areas, with severe congestion reported on the Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway (SILK). \n\n\n\n\n\nFlash floods also hit Ayer Keroh in Melaka and Kampong Sumpitan in Perak, according to videos posted on Twitter account@bencanamalaysia. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/flash-floods-hit-kuala-lumpur-city-centre-after-heavy-downpour"}, {"title": "Flash floods hit several areas in JB after Friday\u2019s downpour", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - A downpour on Friday afternoon inundated several areas in Johor Bahru as areas in Malaysia\u2019s southern state Johor continues to be stricken by floods.\nTaman Suria resident Elizabeth Dass Camoens, 67, said it started raining heavily at around 3pm and within an hour, floodwaters started entering her home along Jalan Murni 2. \n\u201cThe water came gushing into my house and entered my bathroom, dining area and two bedrooms,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe floods came and receded quickly but it still left me with a mess to clean up as I did not have enough time to move my belongings.\n\u201cFlash floods are a common occurrence in this area and this time, it was about 10cm high.\u201d\nMs Camoens said her home was also hit by flash floods last month and she has been experiencing it for the past three years.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI hope the authorities can do something to improve the situation,\u201d she said.\n\nSeparately, Senai assemblyman Wong Bor Yang said Taman Aman in Kulai was also hit by flash floods after it rained almost 30 minutes.\n\u201cAbout 30 houses in Jalan Bunga Dahlia 8, 9 and 10 were affected and the housing area is frequently hit by flash floods whenever it rains heavily.\n\u201cI have asked the SWM Environment\u2019s contractor and the Kulai Municipal Council to conduct maintenance works in phases to solve the issue and prevent it from happening again,\u201d he said, adding that he also informed the residents that the Taman Aman reservoir upgrading project will begin next month.\nMeanwhile, in Batu Pahat, 74 people returned home since 8am Friday, bringing the total number of flood victims seeking shelter at four temporary relief centres to 343 people as of 8pm.\nThe state disaster management committee said 87 families are still at the shelters compared with 113 recorded at 8am.\nEarlier in March, thousands were displaced by floods in Johor after consecutive days of persistent torrential rain. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/flash-floods-hit-several-areas-in-jb-after-friday-s-downpour"}, {"title": "Flooding worsens in Terengganu, Kelantan amid warning about continuous rain in 8 states", "text": ["\nKOTA BHARU/KUALA TERENGGANU -\u00a0The flood situation in Kelantan and Terengganu, two states along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, worsened on Sunday, amid warnings from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) about continuous rain in eight states until Tuesday, reported Bernama.  \nIn Kelantan, more than 50 residents in Kampung Chawas, Tanah Merah had to brace themselves for flooding on Sunday morning. The last time the village was hit by a flood was in 2014. \nMs Norita Mohd Noor, 48, said her house was flooded after a heavy downpour overnight. \u201cSeeing the water level rising rapidly, I immediately jolted my son awake to quickly move his car to higher ground because, at that time, it was already more than knee-deep,\u201d she told Bernama. \n\n\n\n\n\nAnother resident, Mr Shukri Ismail, 55, did not manage to save his Proton Wira, as the water level rose too quickly in the morning.   \nTwelve routes in four districts in Kelantan, including two in Tanah Merah, have been closed as at 2pm on Sunday, due to flooding.\nIn Terengganu, disaster committee deputy chairman Hanafiah Mat said six districts were hit by flooding. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis second wave of flooding is expected to be worse than the first wave earlier this month,\u201d he told Bernama. \n\nHe advised residents to be alert and follow the instructions issued by the authorities, especially when they are told to evacuate from their homes.\nMeanwhile, a mudslide took place along the East Coast Highway 2 (LPT 2) at around 11am on Sunday, and a short video of the mudflow crashing down the slope and spilling onto the road went viral on social media. \nThe incident was reported at Kilometre 393, from the direction of Ajil to Kuantan, on LPT 2. It did not lead to any accidents on the highway.\n\u201cThe overflow water receded at around 12.30pm. There is no road closure and all types of vehicles can still pass in both directions,\u201d said Hulu Terengganu district police chief Hasmeera Hassan in a statement. \n", "\nOn Saturday, MetMalaysia predicted that continuous heavy rain will hit eight states \u2013 Terengganu, Kelantan, Pahang, Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak and Johor \u2013 until Tuesday. \nTerengganu will likely see the heaviest downpour, followed by Kelantan and some areas in Pahang. In Johor, the affected areas are likely to be Segamat, Kluang, Mersing, Kulai, Kota Tinggi and Johor Bahru. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/flood-worsens-in-terengganu-kuantan-as-metmalaysia-warns-about-continuous-rain-in-8-states"}, {"title": "Flooding in Malaysia displaces over 66,000, 5 deaths reported", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Severe flooding in parts of Malaysia has resulted in the displacement of 66,718 people in five states, as well as five deaths, according to government data published on Tuesday. \nThe worst-hit areas are in the east coast of the peninsula, with 26,630 people from Kelantan and 39,108 people from Terengganu evacuated to flood relief centres, state news agency Bernama reported.\nThe other three states affected by rising water levels were Pahang, Johor and Perak, with several hundred people being evacuated.  \n\n\n\n\n\nThe authorities have confirmed five deaths, including that of a 15-month-old boy.\nFloods in the South-east Asian country have become a yearly phenomenon, triggered by the north-east monsoon that brings heavy rain from November to March. \nLast year\u2019s floods in Malaysia \u2013 the nation\u2019s worst in decades \u2013 left dozens dead, displaced more than 61,000 people and caused an estimated RM6.1 billion in losses.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis year, river water levels in several areas of the affected states have exceeded danger levels.\n\nThe Fire and Rescue Department\u2019s fire safety division director Ahmad Izram Osman said his team was conducting aerial monitoring for a better account of the flood situation in Terengganu and would do the same in Kelantan.\n Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his administration would provide extra funds for disaster management and rescue efforts following the monsoon floods, which have been more severe this season.\u00a0\nThe government has allocated RM400 million (S$122 million) to the National Disaster Management Agency for early preparedness initiatives in flood areas, and more funds will be provided when needed, Datuk Seri Anwar \u2013 who also doubles as Finance Minister \u2013 said in Parliament on Tuesday.\nPower utility Tenaga Nasional has advised the public not to touch electrical installations that are submerged in flood water for fear of current leakage. \nMalaysia\u2019s meteorological department has issued warnings for continuous rain through Thursday, calling the situation in Terengganu hazardous. The agency earlier said the wet weather is expected to last until early 2023 due to an active La Nina and negative Indian Ocean Dipole concurrences. XINHUA, BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/flooding-in-malaysia-displaces-over-56000-5-deaths-reported"}, {"title": "Flooding worsens in four Malaysian states; Johor still worst hit", "text": ["\nFlooding in four Malaysian states has worsened, with four deaths reported and over 36,000 people evacuated to 256 temporary relief centres, and there were no signs that there will be any let-up in the current wet weather.\nPolice said 369 of their officers have been deployed to assist in relief operations in states affected by the floods.\nJohor continues to be the worst-hit state with all 10 districts still flooded. The number of evacuees has risen to nearly 32,900 from 9,300 families, housed in 219 relief centres, as at 4pm on Friday.\n\n\n\n\n\nSegamat is the worst-hit district in Johor, followed by Kluang, Batu Pahat, Kota Tinggi and Muar.\nNational news agency Bernama reported that Segamat has turned into \u201csmall islands\u201d after several areas were submerged in flood waters, with the authorities saying that almost 80 per cent of residential neighbourhoods in the district were flooded.\nWater levels of 14 rivers in Johor breached the dangerous mark, following uninterrupted rain since Monday night.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAdditionally, waters in four dams in the state have exceeded their normal levels, with state executive council member Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh saying they are at \u201cdanger\u201d levels. Water is being released from the dams, he said.\n\nThe authorities have advised residents in Kota Tinggi town to evacuate to higher ground as the area is expected to be hit hard by floods.\nKota Tinggi was hit by a massive flood 17 years ago that saw the district submerged in flood waters for two weeks and cut off from neighbouring towns.\n\u201cWe see the trend of rising waters in the town because it is located near the Johor river,\u201d said Johor Zone 2 fire and rescue department\u00a0official Tahrin Saat on Friday, adding that the continuous torrential rain has resulted in strong river currents. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe situation in Johor is so dire that Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi has appealed for extra manpower from the federal government and other states that are not affected by floods.  \nHe said that with the number of evacuees set to rise, there were not enough people on the ground to provide assistance. Those who are helping out have been working round the clock and are exhausted from lack of rest and sleep.\n\u201cI appeal for additional assistance in terms of machinery or personnel from other states unaffected by floods,\u201d he said.\nThe floods have resulted in three deaths in the state \u2013 two in Segamat and one in Kluang. \nThe fatalities in Segamat have been identified as Ms Lee Amo Yee, 78, and Mr Tan Sue Ke, 74, who were found trapped inside their homes by their family members on Thursday. \n", "\nOn Wednesday, another man was found dead inside a car, believed to have been swept away by flood waters in Kluang.\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday said he has approved a RM50 million (S$15 million) allocation for Johor to repair infrastructure damaged by the flood. \nThis is on top of the RM10 million allocation announced by Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s deputy Zahid Hamidi a day earlier to help flood victims in the state. Thanking Zahid, Datuk Onn said he was grateful for the immediate allocation.\n\u201cThis will ensure all temporary relief centres have an adequate supply of essential items as the number of victims displaced due to the floods is increasing,\u201d he said in a Facebook post earlier on Friday. \nThe neighbouring state of Pahang is the second-worst affected state, recording about 2,200 victims placed at 23 relief centres.  \nThe state also recorded its first fatality, where a senior citizen was found drowned in his car at a Federal Land Development Authority settlement in Rompin after flood waters receded.\u00a0\nSeparately, a 23-year-old woman was feared drowned after being swept away by flood waters while crossing a bridge at her village in Muadzam Shah.\nIn Negeri Sembilan, the number of victims has decreased from 1,000 to 870 as at 4pm on Friday, while in Melaka, the number of victims has increased to 160 from 110 previously.\nIn Sarawak, the number of victims fell to 38, while in Sabah, the authorities have closed its sole relief centre as floods receded and the victims went home.\nThe Malaysian Meteorological Department in its advisory has said that continuous rain at \u201calert\u201d and \u201csevere\u201d levels is expected in Johor and three other states \u2013 Pahang, Terengganu and Sarawak \u2013 until Saturday. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/flooding-worsens-in-four-malaysian-states-johor-still-worst-hit"}, {"title": "Floods hit Klang due to heavy rain", "text": ["\nKLANG \u2013 Residents in some parts of Bandar Bukit Raja had a miserable morning when their neighbourhood flooded due to heavy rain.\n\u201cPhase 1 of Bandar Bukit Raja, especially the Jalan Makyong area, was badly hit after it rained continuously for over two hours early this morning,\u201d said Bandar Bukit Raja residents\u2019 association president Mohd Zulkifli Othman.\nHe said the downpour had caused the water catchment ponds in Bandar Bukit Raja to overflow, making it difficult for nearby Sungai Puloh to accommodate the huge volume of water.\n\n\n\n\n\nTo make matters worse, he said high tide also caused the area\u2019s water gate to be shut down.\n\u201cAs a result, the big overflow of water from Setia Alam towards Sungai Kapar Kecil and Sungai Puloh flooded the area, especially Jalan Makyong which is on lower ground,\u201d he said.\n\nThe main road and several homes were flooded, with the water level reaching about 0.3m.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe hope the Klang Municipal Council will deepen and widen Sungai Puloh right up to the water gate as well as create additional diversions for water flow,\u201d said Mr Mohd Zulkifli.\n\nHe said it would also be feasible to build a new floodwater catchment area in nearby Sementa.\n\n\u201cThis new catchment pond will be able to function as a flow conduit from Sungai Puloh in the event there is an overflow from Setia Alam and Bukit Raja due to heavy rain,\u201d he added.\nIn Shah Alam, seven employees of a driving institute in Jalan Kuala Selangor, Ijok, had to be rescued after they were trapped for about 30 minutes due to a flash flood on Sunday.\n\n\n\n\n\nSelangor Fire and Rescue Department director Wan Md Razali Wan Ismail said firemen received an emergency call at 11am seeking assistance to rescue the victims, aged 18 to 55.\nFive firemen from the Bestari Jaya fire station were deployed to the scene. The water was estimated to be about 1m deep.\n\n\u201cAll the victims were working when the flood hit, trapping them in the office of the driving institute,\u201d he said, adding that the rescue operation was carried out using a fibreglass boat.\n\nMeanwhile, a 57-year-old woman was trapped in her vehicle during a flash flood near Klang Sentral, Jalan Meru, at 5.45am.\nSelangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Mohamadul Ehsan Mohd Zain said the incident occurred when the woman was passing through a flooded road and her vehicle got stuck.\n", "\nThe victim was on her way home and is believed to have been caught in the flash flood about five minutes before her vehicle was submerged in the water.\n\n\u201cThe woman managed to exit her car with the help of the public before firemen reached the area. The victim was not injured.\n\u201cIt was reported that water had overflowed from a nearby drain and risen up to 1.3m. The water has since receded,\u201d he said in a statement.\n\nSeparately in Sepang, Selangor, two sisters drowned while swimming in Sungai Sepang Kechil while an adult man is missing.\nMr Wan Md Razali said the incident occurred at 2.35pm yesterday.\nHe said: \u201cWe received a distress call and dispatched a fire engine and six firemen to the scene.\n\u201cBased on our checks, two sisters aged seven and nine were swimming there when they got into distress.\n\n\u201cA man attempted to rescue them and managed to pull the nine-year-old girl out before going back in to get the younger girl,\u201d he said when contacted by Bernama.\u201d\nHe said the man disappeared while trying to pull out the younger girl.\n\nThe nine-year-old girl died at the scene while her younger sister\u2019s body was found some 50m away.\n\u201cThe 30-year-old man who was identified as Mr Mohd Faizal has yet to be found,\u201d Mr Wan Md Razali said, adding that search and rescue efforts were under way. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/floods-hit-klang-due-to-heavy-rain"}, {"title": "41,000 evacuated in Malaysia as floods worsen in Johor; heavy rain affects 5 other states", "text": ["YONG PENG, Johor - A group of some 35 volunteers from all over Malaysia have been busy in Johor state in the past five days coordinating efforts to deliver food, clothes and personal hygiene items to victims in relief centres. One of the volunteers, Mr Raymond Ang from Taman Desa in Kuala Lumpur, said that on Tuesday, he packed his bag and supplies to head to Johor in his four-wheel drive vehicle (4WD) after seeing the worsening situation.  "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/floods-in-johor-worsen-with-41000-evacuated-as-heavy-rains-affect-five-other-states"}, {"title": "Focus on your court case, Malaysian PM Anwar tells ex-premier Muhyiddin", "text": ["\nIPOH - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin should focus on proving his innocence in the court of law.\nResponding to questions from the Malaysian media about Muhyiddin\u2019s claims of premeditated political persecution after the former premier was slapped with corruption and money laundering charges, Datuk Seri Anwar said Malaysia\u2019s anti-graft agency and the Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers had responded to the accusation.\n\u201cWhat more does he want to say? For me, he\u2019d better focus on the court case. Answer in court as the charges have been made,\u201d said Mr Anwar.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe reiterated that he had nothing to do with Muhyiddin\u2019s case and that it was in the hands of the authorities.\nMuhyiddin was charged on Friday at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with four counts of abuse of power involving RM232.5 million (S$70 million) over projects awarded under his government\u2019s stimulus programme.\nMuhyiddin, who was Malaysia\u2019s prime minister for 17 months between 2020 and 2021 and is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia\u2019s president, was also charged with two counts of money laundering involving RM195 million.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe pleaded not guilty to all six charges and is currently free on RM2 million bail.\n\nThe Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers have denied claims of selective prosecution.\nMuhyiddin is the second former Malaysian premier, after Najib Razak, to be charged with corruption. Najib is serving a 12-year sentence after he was found guilty of one of the charges linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.\nEarlier, Mr Anwar had said he was unfazed by accusations from certain quarters that his administration was taking politically motivated actions.\nHe said his only focus was to bring development and change, and take care of the interests of the people, adding that he remained steadfast in eradicating corruption and \u201crobbers\u201d from the country.\n\u201cI am not bothered about what is said out there. I want Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country, to take care of the interests of all races.\u201d \nWithout referring to anyone in particular, Mr Anwar added: \u201cI cannot any longer allow the funds of the country to be taken illegally by a few to become richer, for them to feel free, and to be able to take what belongs to the people.\u201d\nThe Premier also said he is serious about change. \u201cBut my mission will only be accomplished if the government machinery, and people from all levels are with me on this,\u201d he said.\nHe added that his Cabinet ministers and heads of government agencies know that he is serious about change and development, noting that balanced development is very important. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/focus-on-your-court-cases-malaysian-pm-anwar-tells-ex-premier-muhyiddin"}, {"title": "For some Malaysians, the forbidden fugu is a delicacy while some remain unaware about toxins", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Numbness in the face and mouth as well as difficulties in breathing are among the effects of consuming deadly toxins found in the puffer fish.\nUntil today, there is no anti-toxin that can treat poisoning caused by the potentially deadly puffer fish, experts say.\nDespite that, the fish \u2013 which is known locally as ikan buntal \u2013 is still a delicacy among select groups in Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the Fisheries Department, a total of 1,337 tonnes of puffer fish were caught in 2020.\n\u201cConsumers who bought filleted puffer fish online must also be aware of the species, as most puffer fish varieties are poisonous,\u201d the department said in a statement on Wednesday.\n\u201cUnder the Food Act 1983, sellers who are found to be selling food that is harmful to humans can be fined or jailed.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDepartment of Fisheries director-general Adnan Hussain said that the public should avoid consuming unknown species of puffer fish.\n\nThe 83-year-old woman in Johor who lost her life after consuming puffer fish, and her husband, who was reportedly still in the intensive care unit, actually had no idea they were eating something that contained deadly toxins.\nTheir daughter Ng Ai Lee, 51, said her 84-year-old father purchased the fish unknowingly from a fishmonger last Saturday as there were not much offerings remaining.\nDespite having never heard of puffer fish, or \u201cdrumstick fish\u201d as it is known in Chinese, her father proceeded to buy it from the fishmonger, who visits their village in Kluang weekly in a van.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMy parents have been buying fish from the same fishmonger for many years, so my father did not think twice about it.\n\u201cHe would not have knowingly bought something so deadly to eat and put their lives in danger,\u201d Ms Ng told\u00a0The Star.\n", "\nIn Japan, where the fish is known as fugu, puffer fish handlers must be trained and certified by the government.\nFugu is often served raw after removing the poisonous parts of the fish.\nRelating his experience during a trip to Japan, e-commerce manager Evan Wong, 33, said he thought it would be an interesting and once-in-a-lifetime experience.\n\u201cI was at a market there and saw the dish on sale. After circling around the market several times, I decided to try it.\n\u201cAfter the first three bites, my face went numb, which scared me.\n\u201cFinishing the fish also left me feeling numb for about five minutes before things returned to normal,\u201d he said, adding that the experience also left him with shortness of breath.\nIn eastern Malaysian state Sarawak, there was even a festival in Betong called Pesta Ikan Buntal dedicated to the fish.\nThe villagers there would seek the puffer fish for its tasty flesh, cooked in curry or spicy tamarind sauce, grilled or fried.\nMeanwhile, in Sabah \u2013 especially among the Bajau and Suluk ethnicities \u2013 there is a dish known locally as \u201csagol\u201d or \u201csinagol\u201d, which commonly consists of puffer fish meat and liver cooked in spices and turmeric.\nA cook in a village in Semporna, Sabah, known as Norisa, said she would ensure that only specific non-poisonous puffer fish was selected for the dish.\n\u201cWe ensure that we use thorny puffer fish, which is usually non-poisonous,\u201d she said.\nUniversiti Malaysia Terengganu vice-chancellor Mazlan Abd Ghaffar backed this up by saying that not all species of puffer fish are poisonous.\nThe most common species in Malaysian waters, he said, is the Lagocephalus lunaris (green puffer fish), which is noted for its bright yellow tail.\n\u201cMost poisonous species contain a kind of neurotoxin known as tetrodotoxin, found in the muscles and internal organs of the puffer fish, as well as the skin.\n", "\n\u201cHowever, puffer fish species with spiny skin... widely sold in Sabah and the Philippines markets are said to be non-poisonous,\u201d the marine scientist specialising in fish, fisheries and the marine environment told The Star.\nProfessor Mustafa Ali Mohd from the Academy of Sciences Malaysia said that tetrodotoxin is commonly found in the liver, ovaries, skin and muscles of the puffer fish.\nThe toxin acts as a sodium blocker that inhibits minerals mobility through the cell membrane, which then leads to muscle paralysis.\n\u201cThe poisoned victim may be conscious but will experience difficulty in breathing and eventually may die due to suffocation or asphyxia.\n\u201cThe victim may feel tingling, numbness or paresthesia, especially in the mouth and arms,\u201d he said.\nProf Mustafa said the victim might be able to survive the poisoning if early treatment was given. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/for-some-malaysians-the-forbidden-fugu-is-a-delicacy-while-some-remain-unaware-about-toxins"}, {"title": "KL barber advertises haircuts \u2018from RM19\u2019 but tourist charged RM120; authorities investigating", "text": ["\nMalaysia is investigating a claim by a British couple who said they were charged RM120 (S$36) for a  haircut in Kuala Lumpur. \nA sign outside the barber shop advertised haircuts \u201cfrom RM19\u201d. \nDomestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub said action can be taken against the barber under an anti-profiteering law if the allegation is true.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf the allegation is true, let\u2019s ensure that those involved will be strictly dealt with. Not only did they charge excessively, but such action tarnished Malaysia\u2019s good name,\u201d he told the Malaysian media.\n\n\u201cAs a tourist destination, we should offer the best services and reasonable prices.\u201d\n\nThe couple are a pair of YouTubers known as Zoe and Czar. They recently uploaded a two-minute video on their TikTok account that showed them in a dispute with a barber after he charged Czar RM120 for a haircut.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe couple said they went to the barber in the commercial Bukit Bintang area after seeing a sign that advertised haircuts from RM19.\n\n\nAfter Czar had his haircut, they were shocked when the barber quoted him RM120.\n\u201cThat\u2019s more than what I paid in the UK,\u201d Czar said in the TikTok video.\nThe couple claimed they overheard another foreigner being charged RM250 by another barber in the same shop.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLocals they asked told them that the price should not be more than RM50.\nHowever, the barber insisted Czar had to fork out the amount because foreigners allegedly have to pay \u201cadditional taxes\u201d.\nThe barber also attributed the price to the trimming of Czar\u2019s beard, to which Zoe pointed out her partner \u201cdoesn\u2019t have much facial hair\u201d.\nSumming up their experience, Zoe said it was unfair to assume foreigners have a lot of money and that \u201cit is OK to charge us that much\u201d.\n\u201cIt gives people a bad impression,\u201d she added.\n\n", "\nThe video has since gone viral, with people saying the couple got scammed. Some netizens claimed the barber is not Malaysian, based on his accent.\n\u201cIf it is a local barber, a decent haircut and shave cost less than US$5 or around RM15 to RM30,\u201d said a commenter.\nMany also told Czar and Zoe that the government is looking into the incident. \u201cThat\u2019s good!!! Thanks for letting us know,\u201d they said.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/foreign-couple-charged-36-for-a-haircut-in-kl-authorities-investigating"}, {"title": "Foreigners entering Malaysia, including S\u2019poreans, can use autogates at KLIA, KLIA2 at peak hours from Monday", "text": ["\nForeigners entering Malaysia, including Singaporeans, will be able to use the autogate facilities to clear immigration at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and the second terminal, KLIA2, from Monday.  \nMalaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said travellers from \u201clow-risk countries\u201d can now use the autogates. \nThe move to allow more people to use the autogates will also help ease congestion at the airport\u2019s immigration counters, which recently has seen hours-long queues and led to complaints from travellers.\n\n\n\n\n\nDatuk Seri Saifuddin, speaking in Parliament on Monday, said: \u201cPreviously, the autogate facilities were limited to only Malaysians, but it will be opened to include foreigners, especially those from low-risk countries.\nThe countries are Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom.\nThe move is expected to benefit 855,000 travellers entering Malaysia. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWith this, we hope to be able to ease the congestion, especially during the peak arrival period.\u201d \n\nPeak arrival periods are usually between 3pm and 11pm, said Mr Saifuddin. \nHowever, Mr Saifuddin said later on Monday that international travellers who arrive outside the peak periods will not have access to the autogates. Instead they will have to go through manual clearance at the immigration counters.  \nThe New Straits Times reported that it took each passenger less than 20 seconds to clear the autogate, which involves scanning of the traveller\u2019s passport, followed by a facial recognition system clearance. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf the facial recognition process fails, travellers will be required to scan their thumbprint for verification before being allowed through.\nAccording to the Malaysian immigration department, travellers must hold passports with a validity period of at least six months, and submit a digital arrival card three days before their date of arrival. \nIn November 2022, the use of the autogate facilities was extended to long-term pass holders, who can choose to use them to exit and enter the country. \nSince Jan 20, Singaporeans have been allowed to use the electronic gate (e-gate) facilities at the two land entry points in Johor Bahru.\n\nSingaporeans who want to use the e-gates must hold e-passports with a validity period of at least three months.\nSingapore\u2019s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) also provides automated lanes for eligible Malaysians, who may be enrolled on the spot.\nSince May 2022, ICA has implemented the Automated Clearance Initiative that allows eligible Malaysian citizens to be enrolled for the use of automated lanes at all checkpoints in Singapore.\nEnrolment is done automatically during immigration clearance at the manual counters.\n\nTravellers who are enrolled will be notified via their electronic visit pass (e-Pass) sent to their e-mail address provided in their SG Arrival Card submission.\n\nPreviously, eligible Malaysian citizens needed to approach the enrolment centres separately to be enrolled for the use of the automated lanes. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/foreigners-entering-malaysia-including-s-poreans-can-soon-use-autogate-facilities-at-klia"}, {"title": "Former cop powers up old sampan as village in Johor gets flooded", "text": ["\nKOTA TINGGI - Fed up with the constant flooding at his village in Kampung Sungai Telor in Johor\u2019s Kota Tinggi district, a retired policeman has modified his sampan to make it easier to move his belongings when the water rises.\nMr Ahmad Asjam, 65, said the village became flooded after it rained continuously from Monday, which was a common occurrence as it is situated in a low-lying area near the Johor River.\n\u201cThe waters will rise and overflow into our village whenever it rains heavily for a few hours, and this has been happening for many years.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI decided to purchase a boat engine online and installed it onto my old sampan to make it move faster \u2013 previously, I rowed my sampan with a paddle but my wife and I are getting old.\n\n\u201cThis way, my family can load our valuables into the boat for us to get to a safer and dryer place faster,\u201d the retired sergeant major said when interviewed by The Star on Wednesday.\n\nMr Ahmad, who is also an oil palm smallholder, said his plantation is already submerged but he managed to salvage his tools and other items in time in his boat.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI modified the sampan in preparation for the recent monsoon season but it did not rain as much as we anticipated, so this is the first time I am putting my modified boat to use,\u201d he said.\n\nHe said he also helped his neighbours, whose homes were flooded, to move their belongings to a safer area.\n\u201cNot only do we have to worry about our homes being flooded, we are concerned about theft as there had been past instances where thieves took advantage of the situation to loot some of the flooded houses,\u201d said the father of five.\nMr Ahmad said his family has moved most of their belongings to higher ground as floodwater crept up to his doorstep. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/former-cop-powers-up-old-sampan-as-village-in-johor-gets-flooded"}, {"title": "Former Malaysia PM Najib\u2019s wife Rosmah says she\u2019s not responsible for loss of jewellery", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, has told a High Court she is not responsible for the loss of 43 pieces of jewellery belonging to a Lebanese company.\nIn her defence statement, she said the items were taken by the police. \nRosmah was answering a second suit filed by Global Royalty Trading against her on March 29, regarding the claim to retrieve the 43 pieces of jewellery.\n\n\n\n\n\nShe alleged that the jewellery was taken by the police or Malaysian government in a raid, adding that if they are missing, the police and the government must be responsible for the losses of the Lebanese company that is the plaintiff in the suit.\n\u201cI stress here that the statement that the said jewellery was taken by the police and Malaysian government has its merits, as an item of the missing jewellery was found with them,\u201d said Rosmah.\nShe told the court on Tuesday that all the jewellery involved was kept in the same place and was seized and taken by them.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt is common knowledge that all valuable property which belongs to me and my family was seized. \n\n\u201cThus, it is not possible that I will keep the jewellery worth millions at a time when I was not allowed to travel overseas,\u201d she added.\nRosmah, 72, also denied that she had asked for the jewellery, as alleged by Global Royalty.\nShe said the jewellery was given to her for the benefit and profit of the company to attract publicity and credibility among its customers.\n\nOn June 26, 2018, Global Royalty sued Rosmah as the defendant and demanded payment of US$14.79 million (S$20 million) for 44 pieces of jewellery sent to her for her to choose from.\nAccording to the statement of claim, the plaintiff alleged that only one of the 44 pieces of jewellery was in police custody.\nOn Aug 28, 2019, the Malaysian government, through its affidavit by Police Superintendent G/15177 Foo Wei Min (which was filed in the civil case), said one of the 44 pieces of jewellery was with the police.\nThe plaintiff then withdrew the suit to be filed again and intervene in the proceedings of the Malaysian government against OBYU Holdings, the owner of the jewellery seized by the police under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.\nOn March 11, 2020, Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussein allowed the application by the plaintiff to inspect the jewellery which was seized by the police.\nGlobal Royalty then filed a new suit to retrieve the 43 pieces of jewellery from Najib\u2019s wife.\nAccording to the writ which was filed at the High Court on March 29, the jewellery store had taken steps through its lawyers, David Gurupatham and Koay, naming Rosmah as the sole defendant.\nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/former-malaysia-pm-najib-s-wife-rosmah-says-not-responsible-for-loss-of-jewellery"}, {"title": "Former Malaysian PM Mahathir joins little-known party Putra", "text": ["\nFormer Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has joined little-known Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra). \nIn a Facebook post on Friday, Parti\u00a0Pejuang\u00a0Tanah Air\u2019s former central executive committee member Armin Banian Pahamin said 13 former Pejuang members also joined Putra. \n\u201cOur mission and goals need to be clear in order to succeed. The main struggle is for the unity of the Malay people, parties and organisations,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt is not known if Tun Dr Mahathir, 97, will hold any posts in Putra. \nLast week, Dr Mahathir said he was considering joining Putra after receiving an invitation from the party president to join the four-year-old organisation as its adviser. \n\u201cI do not see a reason why I should not accept the invitation, but I also always give myself time to consider the offer. The offer to join Putra goes well with my (political) struggle. If I find this is suitable for me, I will apply to be a member and if they want me as an adviser, I can be that as well,\u201d he told reporters last Saturday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe former premier recently announced his exit from Pejuang, the party he founded in 2020, along with 12 other members, following its decision to cut ties with Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA), a coalition of Malay-Muslim parties and non-governmental organisations that Pejuang was previously a part of. \n\nDr Mahathir also founded GTA along with several other Malay-Muslim parties in August 2022, ahead of the 15th General Election that took place in November. \nAfter the Pejuang-led GTA returned empty-handed from the Nov 19 national polls, with all their candidates \u2013 including Dr Mahathir \u2013 losing their deposits, he quit as Pejuang chairman. But he stayed on as GTA chairman amid reports that Pejuang was considering leaving GTA.\nPejuang, of which Dr Mahathir\u2019s son Mukhriz Mahathir is president, announced on Jan 14 that it was formally leaving GTA after its members came to a consensus at the party\u2019s annual general meeting. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/former-malaysian-pm-mahathir-joins-little-known-party-putra"}, {"title": "Mahathir questioned by police over Malay Proclamation campaign, says lawyer", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia\u2019s federal police questioned former premier Mahathir Mohamad on Friday afternoon over activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy over the Malay Proclamation campaign, says his lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali.\nAccording to Mr Rafique, Tun Dr Mahathir told the police that he was ready to answer all allegations in court.\n\u201cDr Mahathir said he is ready to be charged in court and he will answer queries there,\u201d said Mr Rafique in a video posted on Facebook.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Rafique, who earlier accompanied Dr Mahathir at the Albukhary Foundation at 12.30pm, also said it was peculiar that the nonagenarian was investigated under Section 124(b) of the Penal Code for carrying out activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.\n\u201cIs it against the law to speak about Malay issues?\u201d questioned Mr Rafique.\nSection 124(b) of the Penal Code carries a punishment of up to 20 years in jail.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPolice secretary Norsiah Mohd Saaduddin confirmed that the former premier was questioned on Friday.\n\nShe said that Dr Mahathir had his statement recorded by the Bukit Aman Special Investigation Unit at around 10.30am at the Albukhary Foundation in Kuala Lumpur.\n\u201cInvestigations are ongoing,\u201d she said.\nThe Malay Proclamation campaign by Dr Mahathir is to unite Malays, and it lists 12 key issues faced by the community.\nSeveral leaders have signed the Malay Proclamation, namely Parti\u00a0Islam\u00a0SeMalaysia\u00a0president Abdul Hadi Awang, Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu and Bersatu information chief Razali Idris. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/former-malaysian-pm-mahathir-questioned-by-police-over-malay-proclamation-campaign-says-lawyer"}, {"title": "Former Malaysian PM Muhyiddin takes govt to task over pricier goods, weak ringgit", "text": ["\nPAGOH \u2013 The price of goods is now more expensive thanks to the dip in the value of the ringgit, says Perikatan Nasional chairman and former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin. \n\u201cOther currencies are getting stronger but our ringgit value is falling, causing prices of goods such as a kilogram of meat to see a spike,\u201d he added.\nMr Muhyiddin, who is also Pagoh MP, said this in his speech before handing over 52 cows to villages under his constituency in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidiladha celebrations at Bukit Pasir, on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said that although the unity government had been in power for over six months now, there had been no improvement made to help the people.\n\u201cSome say that they (unity government) are new and should be given 100 days to see improvement but it is already more than 200 days,\u201d he added.\nMr Muhyiddin said people were still facing hardship and that there had not been any concrete effort made by the government to control prices of goods. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/former-malaysian-pm-muhyiddin-takes-govt-to-task-over-pricier-goods-weak-ringgit"}, {"title": "Former Malaysian PM Muhyiddin to lead Perikatan Nasional\u2019s shadow Cabinet", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia\u2019s opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional (PN) has unveiled its shadow Cabinet and its chairman Muhyiddin Yassin will be leading the line-up as chief of its MPs. \nIn the shadow Cabinet, known as the Perikatan MPs portfolio committee, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) president Abdul Hadi Awang will be Tan Sri Muhyiddin\u2019s deputy.\nPN secretary-general Hamzah Zainuddin remains as the opposition leader in Parliament.\n\n\n\n\n\nPAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan is the shadow home minister.\n Parti Pribumi\u00a0Bersatu\u00a0Malaysia\u2019s vice-president Radzi Md Jidin is the shadow finance and economic minister.\nOther notable appointments are former foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah as the shadow education and higher education minister, and Arau MP Shahidan Kassim as the shadow rural and regional development minister.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Muhyiddin said PN aspires to be an effective and responsible opposition.\n\n\u201cVarious briefing sessions regarding our duties and responsibilities have been held, where we gave explanations on the current situation,\u201d he said.\nMr Muhyiddin said the shadow Cabinet would have a research team consisting of experts to assist shadow ministers in improving their skills and also knowledge in their respective portfolios.\n\u201cThey have a duty and responsibility to assist the country in solving issues,\u201d he added.\nHe also said PN\u2019s secretariat would make policy statements from time to time on various issues such as the economy, education, environment, defence and security.\n\u201cWe will table it (policy statements) so that the people know what we present ourselves to be. We are ready to take on bigger responsibilities if the people give us a mandate to lead the country again,\u201d Mr Muhyiddin said.\nPN\u2019s MPs portfolio committee includes Pasir Mas MP Tuan Ahmad Fadhli Shaari as the shadow youth and sports minister, and Ms Mas Ermieyati Samsudin as the shadow minister of law and institutional reforms.  \nThe bloc currently has 74 MPs \u2013 31 from Bersatu and 43 from PAS. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/former-malaysian-pm-muhyiddin-to-lead-perikatan-nasional-shadow-cabinet"}, {"title": "Former Malaysian PM Najib tells Mahathir to stop using the Malay card", "text": ["\nJailed former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has once again hit out at Tun Mahathir Mohamad, telling his nemesis to stop using the Malay card to further his political agenda. \nIn a Facebook post on Tuesday, Najib said that when Dr Mahathir was in power, he had labelled the Malays as lazy, ungrateful, politically naive and spendthrift people who should not be envious of the wealth of others.\nWhen he was no longer in power, Najib said, Dr Mahathir claimed the Malays were marginalised and oppressed.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cEnough is enough. Stop riding on the Malay name,\u201d Najib said in the post which has received 17,000 likes, more than 550 shares and some 1,300 comments.\nHe also said Dr Mahathir has a penchant for blaming others for controversial incidents that happened during his tenure, citing a 1987 crackdown in which more than 100 people were arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA), and the removal of Tun Salleh Abas as Lord President of the Federal Court in 1988. \n\u201cEverything is not his fault. Apparently he was just a wooden pole during the 22 years he was the fourth prime minister,\u201d added Najib.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Mahathir served as premier twice \u2013 from 1981 to 2003, and from 2018 to 2020 \u2013 and resigned both times. He lost his parliamentary seat of Langkawi in the 2022 General Election.\n\nDr Mahathir said on Wednesday that it was the police who initiated the ISA crackdown, called Operation Lalang.\n\n\u201cI did not order it. A prime minister has to listen to the police. They are responsible for the security of the nation. Their opinions and advice cannot be simply brushed aside,\u201d he said in a Facebook post.\nHis statement was accompanied by snippets of a video from 2011 in which former police chief Hanif Omar admitted that it was his decision to go ahead with the crackdown.    \nThis is the second time in three days Najib has trained his guns on the 97-year-old Dr Mahathir.\nOn Monday, Najib called Dr Mahathir a dictator who has no right labelling others as such.\nThat came after Dr Mahathir on Sunday accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of being a dictator after a pro-Malay gathering was called off.\n", "\nNajib is serving a 12-year prison sentence after being convicted by a Malaysian court of corruption linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). He has consistently denied wrongdoing. \nMeanwhile, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the Prisons Department has allowed Najib to undergo medical treatment at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur.\nHowever, he did not say what sort of illness Najib is suffering from or the type of treatment the former prime minister is undergoing.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/former-malaysian-pm-najib-tells-mahathir-to-stop-using-the-malay-card"}, {"title": "Former PM Najib\u2019s fate over royal pardon up to the \u2018court of compassion\u2019, says Malaysia law minister", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 Whether or not former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak receives a royal pardon is now in the hands of the \u201ccourt of compassion\u201d, said minister Azalina Othman Said on Wednesday.\nThe Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department for Law and Institutional Reform said political party Umno, which both she and Najib belong to, no longer had a part to play as all legal avenues had been exhausted and that Malaysia\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, has the final say.\n\u201cThere is no other legal procedure left, only the court of compassion, meaning it\u2019s at the discretion of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the King), and we cannot force it,\u201d she told reporters after the launch on Wednesday of a public information website on disputes involving the so-called \u201cSulu heirs\u201d, who claim to be the heirs to the defunct Sulu Sultanate.\n\n\n\n\n\nLast Friday, Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party was appealing to the King to consider granting Najib a royal pardon.\nThis followed the Umno supreme council\u2019s decision earlier in April to ask the King to consider granting a royal pardon to Najib as per Article 42(1) of the Federal Constitution.\nThe request for a pardon drew significant criticism, with former minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department for Parliament and law Wan Junaidi Jaafar claiming on Monday that Umno had no legal standing to submit the appeal on Najib\u2019s behalf. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nNajib, Malaysia\u2019s sixth prime minister, has served eight months of a 12-year jail term for graft convictions in a case linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB.\u00a0THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/former-pm-najib-s-fate-over-royal-pardon-up-to-the-court-of-compassion-says-malaysia-law-minister"}, {"title": "Umno sacks former Malaysia health minister Khairy, suspends ex-defence minister Hishammuddin", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has been sacked from Umno for \u201cviolating party discipline\u201d, while former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein has been suspended, the party announced on Friday.\nDatuk Seri Hishammuddin, a former party vice-president, and former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan were among a handful of members suspended for six years, said Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan after a supreme council meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.\n\u201cTonight I was sacked by the party I love, to which I showed allegiance. Unbowed, unbent, unbroken,\u201d Mr Khairy tweeted after the decision.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe supreme council meeting on Friday night at Menara Dato Onn was closely watched by political observers amid mounting speculation that disciplinary action would be taken against former Rembau MP Khairy.\nHis party membership was in question after his recent claims that \u201cimported delegates\u201d were \u201cbrought in\u201d at a recent Umno general assembly to manipulate voting. \nThe assembly voted that there would be no contest for the party\u2019s two top posts at the upcoming party polls.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe former Umno youth chief said on Thursday he is ready to face any action, including sacking.\n\n\u201cOf course I\u2019m prepared for anything. This is politics after all \u2013 you don\u2019t go into politics not being prepared for any eventuality,\u201d he said.\nMr Khairy contested the Sungai Buloh parliamentary constituency at last year\u2019s general election, which saw a seven-cornered fight. The former three-term MP lost to Pakatan Harapan\u2019s Ramanan Ramakrishnan.\nEarlier on Friday, Umno, a key member of Malaysia\u2019s unity government, sacked its former Selangor division chief Noh Omar, the first of several members disciplined for speaking out against the no-contest decision.\n\n\n\n\n\nTan Sri Noh Omar had said that it was \u201cbetter to sack me than suspend me\u201d when he was told of the party\u2019s decision to suspend him for six years.\n\u201cTonight is historic for me. The party president (Malaysia deputy prime minister Zahid Hamidi) in his address at the Umno supreme council meeting announced that a few members would be sacked and suspended.\n\u201cAll of a sudden, I heard my name being announced that I was to be suspended for six years,\u201d he told reporters after leaving the Umno supreme council meeting.\n", "\nHe questioned the decision made by the party president as he has yet to be hauled up before the party\u2019s disciplinary board.\n\u201cHe (Zahid) told me to see the disciplinary board this coming Monday. What sort of \u2018jungle law\u2019 is this?\u201d a visibly shaken Mr Noh said after storming out of the meeting.\nHe said that he then requested to be sacked, and this was accepted by Zahid.\n\u201cHe accepted my suggestion. If I was not sacked, I would not be here speaking to the media,\u201d he added.\n", "\nThe purge comes ahead of Umno\u2019s party polls that are now set to run from Feb 1 to March 18.\nOn Thursday, Zahid said the party will be seeking a \u201cmass cleansing\u201d, including \u201csaboteurs\u201d and those who have \u201cshot themselves in the foot\u201d.\n", "\nAlso on Friday night, vice-president Khaled Nordin was announced as the new chief of the party\u2019s Johor chapter, replacing former state chief minister Hasni Mohammad.\nEarlier this month, Mr Noh said he fears for Umno\u2019s chances in the upcoming state elections following the party\u2019s decision not to contest its top two posts at upcoming party polls.\nAn Umno general assembly saw delegates supporting a motion to ensure there will be no challenge to party president Zahid and his deputy Mohamad Hasan.\nMr Noh pointed out that Umno had given the same reason when amending its Constitution last year to postpone the party polls until six months after last November\u2019s general election.\n\u201cIn the end, Umno won only 26 seats. Now, Umno is facing six state elections and the same excuse is being used (for the no-contest motion), that is, to prevent a split in the party,\u201d he wrote on Facebook.   \n\u201cI am concerned that voters in these six states will reject Umno candidates.\u201d  \nMr Noh resigned from his Umno post a day after the general election, saying he had lost confidence in Zahid\u2019s leadership following Barisan Nasional\u2019s poor showing at the polls, where it won just 30 seats. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK   \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/former-selangor-division-chief-says-he-s-been-sacked-from-umno-as-khairy-awaits-fate"}, {"title": "Four Singaporeans injured after car crash on North-South Expressway", "text": ["\nFour Singaporeans were injured after their Toyota SUV collided with another car on the way to Genting Highlands, Malaysian media reported on Friday.\nThe impact, which caused both cars to turn turtle, killed the Malaysian driver of the other car, a 41-year-old site supervisor.\nThe accident happened on the North-South Expressway at around 6.30am on Friday, said Malaysian police.\n\n\n\n\n\nAlor Gajah district police chief Arshad Abu said both cars were travelling from Johor towards Malacca when the Toyota changed from the left to the right lane, crashing into a Mitsubishi Lancer in the process, reported Sin Chew Daily.\nHe said: \u201cWhen we arrived at the scene, the vehicles involved in the accident were intact, and we could see tyre marks and debris all around. We have since seized the vehicles for inspection.\u201d\nHe added that the weather was fine and it was not raining.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe four Singaporeans \u2013 Mr Lim Beng Keong, 56, Ms Tan Lai Foong, 54, Ms Tan Lai Choo, 56, and Ms Brenda Lim Zhi Ning, 28 \u2013 were taken to Hospital Melaka and are in stable condition, reported The Star. \n\nThe Malaysian driver, Mr Mohd Selamat Besar from Kota Baru, Kelantan, was on his way to work at Port Dickson. He died of head injuries.\nThe police are currently investigating the accident.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/four-singaporeans-injured-after-car-crash-on-north-south-highway"}, {"title": "Khairy taking time to consider political future, will not appeal against Umno sacking", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who was sacked from Umno last Friday, still hopes to become prime minister one day.\nThe former Umno Youth chief who was ousted over \u201cviolating party discipline\u201d after 23 years with the party said he would like to  lead the country some day.\n\u201cRight now, I am not sure how that will happen but I know that being a politician is not a linear path,\u201d he told Malaysia business radio station BFM on Monday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere are many paths people go down before they reach there and I do still want to lead the country one day.\n\u201cHow I will get there I do not know, but I want to ensure that the decisions I make in the next few months are based on a vision of a country I am happy and comfortable with.\u201d\nMr Khairy said he would not appeal against his sacking as it would mean appealing to those who had sacked him.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI am not planning on appealing as there is no point. Those I will be appealing to are the ones that executed it,\u201d he said.\n\nMr Khairy added that he still considered Umno president Zahid Hamidi a friend. \u201cBut he probably does not consider me a friend any more,\u201d he said.\nMr Khairy said he would take his time contemplating his future in politics and confirmed that there has been a slew of offers since he failed to win the Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat in last November\u2019s general election, and now after his Umno sacking.\n\u201cI will decide and make an announcement in due course. I am a huge football fan, and right now, I am like a free transfer looking for a club and scanning my options,\u201d the former youth and sports minister said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt is not a decision I will make lightly and be flippant about as politics is serious business. I still want to be involved in politics, but whether and when I want to be back in the front line of politics, I am unsure.\n\u201cState elections (in six states) that will need to take place in the next six months is an option, or I can give that a miss and focus on business opportunities as well.\n\u201cIt was 23 years of my life, through thick and thin, with (Umno).\n\u201cIt is difficult for me to move on as far as my own heart is concerned, as I did not leave, I was thrown out, sacked from the party. I need to adjust to that reality and if I choose another vehicle, I have to do so carefully.\u201d\n", "\nAsked about his criteria for joining a political party, Mr Khairy replied the party has to be aligned with his own vision for the country.\n\u201cOne that is inclusive, based on good governance and is progressive. It has to be a comfortable fit and the chemistry has to be there. Joining a new political party will be awkward at first as presumably I would have been at loggerheads in the past with opposing parties. But that is what politics is about.\n\u201cThat is something I am up for, winning people over.\u201d\nAsked about his friendship with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Rafizi Ramli and PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, Mr Khairy said he will listen to everyone who wants to meet him.\n\u201cI am in no rush to decide. I will be open with whoever wants to meet me,\u201d he said.\nOn whether he would return to Umno one day, Mr Khairy said he fears Umno\u2019s gradual decline may have reached the point of no return.\n\u201cIf I do contemplate returning to Umno, it has to be different from the Umno of today. The brand and leadership have deteriorated and I am not sure it will be able to resuscitate itself,\u201d he said.\nUmno sacked Mr Khairy and its former supreme council member Noh Omar on Jan 27.\nFormer defence minister and Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein was suspended for six years, along with former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/free-agent-kj-says-taking-time-to-consider-political-future-won-t-appeal-umno-sacking"}, {"title": "\u2018Friends\u2019, job offers vanished once dad was not Malaysian PM any more: Ismail Sabri Yaakob\u2019s son", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Local actor and singer Dafi has claimed that many of his \u201cfriends\u201d started to disappear after his father, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, was no longer the prime minister. \nDafi, whose real name is Gaddafi Ismail Sabri, 35, however said he had already expected such a thing to happen.\n\u201cWhen my father was prime minister, many sent me direct messages to the extent that I had to spend as long as 5pm to 9am the next day to reply to them.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf I don\u2019t respond, I\u2019d be labelled as sombong (arrogant), especially if they approach me politely, so I obliged them.\n\u201cI\u2019d already expected that when my father is no longer the prime minister, they would all disappear just like that,\u201d he told mStar.\nRecalling when Mr Ismail was announced as Malaysia\u2019s ninth prime minister in August 2021, Dafi said several contacts who had not communicated with him in years suddenly reached out to him.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe most disappointing matter for Dafi was that some were bold enough to send him their proposal plans, in hopes that he would help them.\n\n\u201cI am merely sharing my experience about this. I\u2019m not hurt or offended because I do have people in my life who are with me through thick and thin.\n\u201cSo for those who come and go, I don\u2019t really care too much,\u201d he said.\nDafi claimed that not only did he lose these \u201cfriends\u201d, job offers extended to him also did not materialise without any specific reason.\n\u201cI still have some job offers but some of those that were agreed upon were simply cancelled,\u201d he said.\nDafi, however, stressed that he has never taken advantage of his father\u2019s position when the latter was helming the government. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/friends-job-offers-vanished-once-dad-was-not-malaysian-pm-anymore-ismail-sabri-yaakob-s-son"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s F&B joints dish out RM5 meals to help low-income cope with inflation", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Some 15,000 food outlets around Malaysia are offering meals for RM5 (S$1.50), in an effort to help the lower-income group cope with rising food prices.  \nThe government\u2019s Rahmah Menu \u2013 or compassionate menu \u2013 initiative will also extend to public institutions of higher learning in the Klang Valley after Hari Raya Aidilfitri. \nFrom mamak restaurants serving curry to Burger King and Chatime Malaysia, many are jumping on board the initiative. \n\n\n\n\n\nMost restaurants are offering meals of rice, vegetables and a protein such as fish or chicken, with tea or bottled mineral water. Burger King offers two combos, comprising a chicken or beef burger with mineral water, at RM5 each. \nWhile not exactly a meal, two types of milk tea are also being sold by bubble-tea chain Chatime Malaysia for RM5 each until end-February. \nThe government said talks are slated with fast-food chains KFC and McDonald\u2019s next week.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMydin Mohamed Holdings managing director Ameer Ali Mydin said 28 Mydin hypermarkets and foodcourts are serving breakfast meals such as fried mee, kway teow and nasi lemak at RM2.50 each, and lunch and dinner sets for RM4.90. \n\nThe menu changes daily, providing variety for customers. For example, on Saturdays, Mydin offers fish, rice, vegetables and bottled water, while on Sundays, it will serve a portion of chicken instead of fish. \n\u201cThe response has been very good. Some 20 per cent of our customers have been opting for the Rahmah Menu. You hear of people driving or going on a motorbike, for 15km to 20km, because they can get something that they can afford,\u201d Datuk Ameer Ali told The Straits Times. \n", "\nThe Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association\u2019s (Presma) deputy president, Datuk Mohammed Mosin Abdul Razak, said many of its 4,000 members have committed to taking part in the programme.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFrankly speaking, we are selling at a loss. But we consider it as a form of charity to ease the burden of the B40 group,\u201d he told ST, referring to the country\u2019s lowest income group. \nAnyone can purchase the RM5 meal as long as they dine in, he added. \nAt the Ali Maju mamak restaurant in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Sri Rampai, Rahmah Menu meals comprise a piece of chicken or fish, rice and vegetables, with some curry gravy, and a glass of tea.\n", "\nWhile customers may be happy with the initiative, the Rahmah Menu has hurt business for some small-scale food operators not offering these affordable meals. \nBumiputera Petty Traders Association president Rosli Sulaiman said it was impractical for small food operators to be part of the initiative, and he did not recommend it to those with a daily profit margin below RM150. \n\u201cThe price of chicken now is RM9.30 per kg. If you want to implement the Rahmah Menu and your side dish is chicken, you\u2019d have to cut it into 12 parts and that would cost you RM4 per part,\u201d he said, as reported by the New Straits Times on Wednesday. \n\u201cIf you add rice, that is RM2, and a beverage is RM1. That is already RM7. They would lose RM2,\u201d he reasoned.\nPresma\u2019s Mr Mohammed Mosin said: \u201cIt is true that some small businesses will be affected if they totally rely on the Rahmah Menu, as prices of raw materials or ingredients are soaring and profit is zero. But for bigger entities, they can still make ends meet.\u201d\n", "\nDatuk Ameer Ali said Mydin\u2019s\u00a0Rahmah Menu meals include one-eighth of a chicken, and that his company would not compromise on the size of the protein or quality of the food. \u201cOtherwise, it will not work,\u201d he said.\nThe meals cost about RM4 and his company will still make a profit, albeit smaller than that for normal-price meals, he said.\nPrices of several vegetables were reported to have gone up by more than 160 per cent in January due to poor weather and reduced production.\nAccording to a survey by the UCSI Poll Research Centre on Saturday, 89 per cent of Malaysians aged 18 and above are concerned with the cost of living, with groceries and food prices topping their list of concerns. \nCollege student Omar K., 18, said the Rahmah Menu makes it affordable for public college students to eat outside their campus, where a meal costs around RM9. \n\u201cThese meals are good for students like me because I only get an allowance of RM400 a month for food.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/from-burgers-to-bubble-tea-malaysia-s-fb-joints-offer-rm5-meals-to-fight-inflation"}, {"title": "From food to fashion and finance, Malaysia\u2019s halal industry seeks bigger slice of the pie", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Madam Aida Nurin, 44, used to find it difficult to find clothes that met religious obligations without looking too fuddy-duddy.\u201cI\u2019m thankful it\u2019s so easy to find fashionable modest clothing now. It\u2019s available everywhere and online as well,\u201d said the Muslim mother of three, who works in a bank."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/from-food-to-fashion-and-finance-malaysia-s-halal-industry-seeks-bigger-slice-of-the-pie"}, {"title": "Get ready to pay more for vegetables, consumers in Malaysia warned", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 The continuous wet spell that is expected to last until February has reduced the yield of highland vegetable farms in Malaysia, and several industry associations are warning that prices will go up.\nFederation of Vegetable Farmers Associations president Lim Ser Kwee said consumers would have no choice but to pay slightly more for vegetables during the New Year and Chinese New Year.\n\u201cIf the rain continues, prices of vegetables will go up,\u201d he said, adding that heavy rainfall is detrimental to yields, and eventually causes prices to increase.\n\n\n\n\n\nKuala Lumpur Vegetable Wholesalers\u2019 Association president Wong Keng Fatt concurred, saying prices would go up further in the event of floods.\n\n\u201cThe wholesale price of sawi (chye sim) was about RM3 (91 Singapore cents) per kg. Now it has gone up to RM5.50. Spinach was about RM3 per kg, and now it\u2019s RM6.50.   \n\u201cAt the retail level, prices will be higher,\u201d he said, adding that consumers may need to adjust their portions or selection to suit their budget. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nFarmers said they have been seeing a drop in yields since October, citing tomatoes as an example, with harvests down by half due to a lack of sunlight.\n\nTomatoes need at least eight hours of sunlight daily to produce fruit, though better results could be obtained by having anywhere from 12 to 16 hours of sun.\nCameron Highlands\u2019 Vegetable Farmers Organisation president Chai Kok Lim said farmers were making a loss by selling tomatoes at a controlled price.\n\u201cOur yields have dropped so much because of the frequent rain. Some farms that used to produce up to five tonnes of tomatoes daily are now down to only a tonne or two,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhen demand is higher than supply, the price should be higher. But we can\u2019t increase it to make up for the cost because of price controls.\u201d\nAlthough the festive price controls are not permanent, Mr Chai said farmers lose out when demand peaks during the festive season.\n\u201cWhen vegetables are expensive, it doesn\u2019t mean we are profiteering. The selling price should at least cover our costs,\u201d he added.\n\u201cIf farmers are to sell at a loss, the government should intervene with subsidies to farmers, at least to the point where we can break even.\n", "\n\u201cThe relevant ministries should study what\u2019s happening on the ground first before making rules or setting control prices.\u201d\nOn Dec 20, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living listed 11 items under the Festive Season Maximum Price Control Scheme for Christmas from Dec 23 to 27.\nThe 11 items under the scheme include live old chicken (in Sarawak only), chicken wings (in Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan), imported mutton, tomatoes, green capsicum and round cabbage (from China and Indonesia).\nThe rest are carrots, potatoes (from China), live pigs (controlled in Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan), pork belly, and pork meat and fat (in Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan).\nMr Chai said the production of other leafy greens has also dwindled due to the rainy weather. He called on consumers to diversify their consumption, especially during the festive season.\n\u201cSome people tend to stick to certain types of vegetables during Chinese New Year. But if things get expensive this time, they should find alternatives,\u201d he added. \n\u201cFor example, there are many different kinds of lettuce that can be used in salads, soup or for frying.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/get-ready-to-pay-more-for-vegetables-consumers-in-malaysia-warned"}, {"title": "Girl, 11, hospitalised after eating cannabis-laced biscuits in Malaysia", "text": ["\nIPOH \u2013 An 11-year-old girl from Gerik has been hospitalised after eating homemade biscuits baked with cannabis.\nPerak police chief, Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri, said the girl was being treated at Hospital Taiping following the incident which happened at 10.25pm on Monday.\n\u201cShe was initially sent to the Lawin health clinic for treatment after suffering from shortness of breath, dizziness and nausea. A medical assistant there contacted us about the matter,\u201d he said in a statement on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cShe was referred to Hospital Gerik before being sent to Taiping.\u201d\nMr Mohd Yusri said the girl\u2019s 38-year-old father was arrested on Tuesday.\n\u201cHis urine test came back positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). He will be remanded until June 3 to facilitate investigations under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act and Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/girl-11-warded-after-eating-cannabis-laced-biscuits-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Girl, 8, drowns in wave pool of Melaka theme park", "text": ["\nALOR GAJAH, Malaysia - An eight-year-old girl from Johor has drowned in the wave pool of a theme park while on holiday in Alor Gajah with her neighbours.\nAlor Gajah\u2019s officer in charge of police district (OCPD) Superintendent Arshad Abu identified the victim as Puteri Sofe\u00e0 Hanis Dania Jamaluddin, and said the incident occurred at 3.15pm on Tuesday.\nHe said the victim was travelling with a group from her village of Kg Sungai Tuansih Tanjung Sedeli in Kota Tinggi.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSeventy-nine families from the village were on a holiday trip here,\u201d he said on Wednesday.\nSuperintendent Arshad said the group arrived at the park at 11am and the victim went for a swim with some of her neighbours in the 1m-deep pool.\nWhen she got into difficulties, lifeguards pulled her out and tried to resuscitate her.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, she was pronounced dead at Hospital Alor Gajah later that day, Superintendent Arshad added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/girl-8-drowns-in-wave-pool-of-melaka-theme-park"}, {"title": "Heavy traffic expected on major roads during Johor\u2019s long weekend", "text": ["\nJOHOR BARU - Johor police are expecting heavy traffic at major roads and highways in the state due to the long weekend holiday, which coincides with the first day of Ramadan and the birthday of Johor\u2019s ruler, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, on Thursday.\nState police chief Kamarul Zaman Mamat said they will deploy officers and personnel to ensure smooth travelling for road users in the coming days.\n\u201cThe Muslims, especially, are expected to travel back to their hometowns to welcome the first day of Ramadan with their loved ones.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBesides having traffic personnel, we will also deploy members of other departments and police stations to help ease congestion at major roads and highways during the period,\u201d he said on Wednesday.\nHe urged those who will be taking advantage of the long weekend to go back to their respective hometowns to inform the nearest police station to ensure that their homes will be safeguarded.\nMeanwhile, Commissioner Kamarul Zaman also said members of the police force will be stationed at bazaars and roads throughout the fasting month.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cTraffic congestion usually gets worse when people rush to get home at the same time either from work or picking up their children from school to make preparations for their breaking of fast.\n\n\u201cWe have identified locations that will see traffic crawls and will be assigning personnel and officers there,\u201d he said.\nThe state government has declared a replacement holiday for March 26 if the first day of Ramadan coincides with Sultan Ibrahim\u2019s birthday, which is on Thursday.\nIt has been a practice in Johor to declare the first day of Ramadan a public holiday.\nWith the state adopting the Friday-Saturday weekend, it will be a four-day weekend holiday in Johor from Thursday. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/going-to-johor-be-prepared-for-heavy-traffic-on-major-roads-this-long-weekend"}, {"title": "Gordon Ramsay praises Malaysian influencer Khairul Aming\u2019s dish", "text": ["\nCelebrity chef Gordon Ramsay lauded Malaysian influencer and Internet personality Khairul Aming\u2019s cooking in a TikTok video posted on Wednesday, offering to show him how to prepare the dish when he arrives in Malaysia \u201cnext week\u201d.\nIn Khairul\u2019s original video posted on May 5 which Ramsay reacted to, he prepares a portion of burnt sugar steamed pudding, crediting the recipe to Gordon Ramsay\u2019s cookbook Uncharted.\n\u201cThe pudding tastes really good,\u201d Khairul said in the video\u2019s description. \u201cPlease give it a try!\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Thursday, Ramsay posted his reaction to Khairul\u2019s video on TikTok, where he has over 37 million followers.\n\u201cHello, Malaysia! We love Malaysia,\u201d he quips at the start of the video.\n", "\nRamsay then explains that the dish comes from New Zealand as Khairul continues making it, before commenting on the ingredients being mixed with an undersized spoon.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cKid, I\u2019ll need to get you a bigger spoon for Christmas, that\u2019s a tiny spoon!\u201d Ramsay exclaims.\n\nHe then animatedly notes that the mixture had \u201ca few lumps\u201d, before Khairul proceeds to steam the pudding.\n\u201cOh hello!\u201d says Ramsay, smiling as Khairul unveils the finished product. \u201cKid, I\u2019m gonna be in Malaysia next week. I\u2019ll show you again. Well done!\u201d\n", "\nOn Thursday, Khairul posted a TikTok clip of his own about six hours later \u2013 he has 3.5 million followers on the platform \u2013 reacting to Ramsay\u2019s comments, expressing appreciation for the attention he had received.\nHe said he realised that Ramsay had reacted to his video only when he was tagged in it by some of his followers, and quipped that he had been anxious to watch it, for fear of being cussed by the famously colourful Scot.\n\u201cOh, come to Malaysia and I\u2019ll give you sambal,\u201d says Khairul, smiling as the video ends.\nKhairul, 30, became a social media sensation after he started sharing videos of his recipes in 2017, with his fans enjoying both his culinary creations and the humour and tender style of narration over his videos.\nHis videos are widely shared on various platforms every year during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, when he embarks on a \u201c30 days, 30 recipes\u201d series.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/gordon-ramsay-praises-malaysian-influencer-khairul-aming-s-dish"}, {"title": "Govt working with global agencies to extradite fugitive businessman Jho Low: Malaysian minister", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian government is working on expediting the extradition of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low through collaborations with international agencies, said Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, the Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department in charge of law and institutional reforms.\nMs Azalina said that the efforts also involved the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). \n\u201cMACC has been cooperating with foreign enforcement agencies to obtain all information related to Low.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cVarious efforts and negotiations through diplomatic channels are being implemented to speed up the process of bringing Low back to Malaysia,\u201d she said in a written reply to Labis MP Pang Hok Liong on Tuesday.\nMr Pang was asking the minister whether the government has or will request the Chinese government to bring back Low to the country.  \nMs Azalina also said that MACC has issued an Interpol Red Notice against Low since 2018 for his involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Penang-born Low was first charged in absentia in 2018 by a Malaysian court with eight counts of money laundering and issued a warrant of arrest.\n\nThe US Federal Bureau of Investigation has accused Low of stealing US$1.4 billion (S$1.9 billion) from three bond transactions that Goldman Sachs Group helped facilitate for the Malaysian wealth fund. \nA separate Malaysian court in 2020 said Low played a key role in transferring RM42 million (S$12.4 million) from a former 1MDB unit to former prime minister Najib Razak\u2019s accounts. \nOn May 5, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government was negotiating with the authorities overseas to secure the return of Low. \nHe said the process was very complicated because it involves another country, intelligence services and Interpol. \nBut he declined to confirm the whereabouts of the fugitive businessman. \nIn April, former Wall Street Journal reporter Bradley Hope claimed in a report that the Malaysian government may have been working on a deal with the Chinese government during Mr Anwar\u2019s official visit in March.\nMr Hope and his colleague Tom Wright co-wrote the book Billion Dollar Whale, which documented Low\u2019s financial exploits. \nThey now share updates on the 1MDB case through videos, podcasts and blogs under their company Project Brazen. \nThe duo have asserted that Low is in China \u2013 based on tip-offs from their sources. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/govt-working-with-international-agencies-to-extradite-fugitive-businessman-jho-low-says-malaysian-minister"}, {"title": "Handcuffed Malaysian mum bids farewell to 4-year-old son who died after suspected abuse", "text": ["\nJOHOR BARU - A woman in handcuffs tearfully bade farewell on Wednesday to the lifeless body of her four-year-old son who died from suspected abuse by his guardians while she was behind bars.\nFlanked by two prison officers in Johor Bahru, the woman who was dressed in purple prison clothes wept as she said goodbye to her late son, Bernama news agency reported. Both the mother and the child cannot be named to protect the minor\u2019s identity. \nBoth the woman and her husband are serving jail sentences for drug offences. She is understood to be jailed at Simpang Renggam Prison in Kluang, Johor, while the husband is at Sungai Udang Prison in Melaka, the news agency said.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe woman was later led from the forensics room of Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) in Johor Bahru to a prison van.\nThe boy, the youngest of 11 siblings, died on Dec 26, four days after being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of HSI, Bernama reported, after becoming unconscious at the house of his older sister\u2019s friend in Batu Pahat.\nA relative of the victim, Ruslan Ahmad, 47, who previously had brief custody of the boy, expressed his sadness over the incident. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Ruslan said the boy was under the care of the Social Welfare Department for three years before he took over as guardian for a month. \n\nThe boy was later placed under the guardianship of another close relative of the mother.\nThe boy had suffered bruises and burn marks as a result of the suspected abuse, Bernama reported.\nFive individuals, aged 15 to 37, have been detained by the police to help in investigations.\nThese include the boy\u2019s 19-year-old sister, her 37-year-old husband and a friend, the report said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/handcuffed-mom-bids-farewell-to-4-year-old-son-who-died-after-suspected-abuse"}, {"title": "Malaysia prepares for return of haze following recent dry spell", "text": ["\nKUALA TERENGGANU - Malaysia\u2019s Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry is preparing for a potential haze spell in Peninsular Malaysia. \nMinister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said on Friday that his team will pay close attention to peatland, flammable areas and other sites that are prone to open burning, reported Bernama. \nHe added that the ministry will hold a meeting soon to discuss the measures. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe already have a system in place, but in the past two or three years, due to Covid-19, there were fewer problems and industrial activities were also reduced,\u201d he was quoted as saying in Bernama. \n\u201cBut now things have returned to normal, so we are ready to face the phenomenon.\u201d \nThe ministry is also checking if there is sufficient water supply, given the recent drop in rainfall in the country.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Malaysian Meteorological Department said that as at Wednesday, the maximum daily temperature was 37 deg C, which was recorded in the northern states of the peninsula and the interiors of Kelantan and Pahang states. But rain is expected in most places in the country over the next few days.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/haze-may-return-to-malaysia-after-dry-spell-says-minister"}, {"title": "Heart disease hitting Malaysians at younger age as cholesterol issues go undiagnosed: Paper", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Cardiovascular disease is on the rise in Malaysia. \nA paper released by a panel of medical experts in June revealed that Malaysians are getting heart disease eight years younger than the global average.  \nThe average age of Malaysians who suffer a heart attack is 58, compared with 63 in Thailand and 68 in Singapore. \n\n\n\n\n\nOne of the main causes is high cholesterol going undiagnosed among many Malaysians. \nDespite high cholesterol being the second most prevalent risk factor for heart disease, it had the lowest diagnosis rate of 35 per cent among the risk factors, according to the study.\nAbout a quarter, or 24.6 per cent, of Malaysians were unaware they had high cholesterol.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe relative age of cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients in Malaysia is lower compared with other countries,\u201d said the paper titled Heart Matters: The Rising Burden Of Cardiovascular Disease In Malaysia And Potential Touchpoints For Interventions. \n\n\u201cIn 2019, the mean age of these patients was 56 to 59 years, which is approximately 10 years younger than those in advanced countries, and as at 2019, almost one in four CVD patients was aged below 50.\u201d \nDr Alan Fong, consultant cardiologist and author of the position paper, said high cholesterol is often overlooked.\n\n\u201cHigh cholesterol typically presents no noticeable symptoms \u2013 that\u2019s why people often perceive it as being less dangerous,\u201d he added. \n\n\n\n\n\nA separate survey conducted in December 2022 on behalf of the Malaysian Medical Association and pharmaceutical company Novartis found that 75 per cent of Malaysians believe that high cholesterol comes with symptoms, which is untrue. \nA blood test is the only way to detect it.\n\nHigh cholesterol, particularly LDL cholesterol, increases the likelihood of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the most common type of heart disease. \nAtherosclerosis is a condition where LDL cholesterol and other substances accumulate inside the walls of blood vessels, forming atherosclerotic plaque. Over time, this can grow, especially when cholesterol levels are high, and cause severe narrowing of the blood vessels, which can lead to heart attack or stroke. \nThe paper\u2019s co-author and consultant family medicine specialist Sri Wahyu Taher told The Straits Times that screening for the public at outreach events in places such as malls involves a simple finger prick test for total cholesterol levels. But this does not reveal LDL-cholesterol levels, whose tracking requires drawing blood from the arm in a healthcare set-up. \nWhile she cautioned that the data compiled may not be representative of the entire population of the countries, she noted that Malaysia has the highest prevalence of obesity among South-east Asian countries, which could be one of the factors leading to Malaysians getting heart attacks at a younger age. \n", "\nIn 2019, the National Health and Morbidity Survey reported that one in two Malaysians was overweight or obese and four in 10 had high cholesterol.\n\nDr Sri Wahyu\u2019s advice is for people to get a health screening at least once a year to check their blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol, and monitor their body mass index at home.  \n\u201cPeople need to be active, undergo regular screening and pay attention to their health. Everybody needs to have that awareness,\u201d she said.\n\nBeyond the necessary lifestyle changes, the paper\u2019s co-author and senior consultant cardiologist at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, Datuk Wan Azman Wan Ahmad, said patients need to adjust their perception and beliefs towards cholesterol-lowering medication. \n\u201cStatins are generally the first-line medications prescribed to patients. There are also innovative treatments in the form of injectables available,\u201d he added.\n\nA cardiologist who declined to be named said the Malaysian patient demography differs from Singapore\u2019s, and that different races have different prevalence rates for cardiovascular diseases.\n\nCountries that are more affluent also tend to have patients experiencing heart attacks at an older age.\n\n\u201cSingapore is a small nation with a good public health system, good screening, and patients are compliant,\u201d he added. \nIn comparison, he noted, Malaysia has a wide spectrum of patients, with people in urban areas who have greater health awareness and easier access to healthcare facilities, while those in rural areas may not know where to go for screening, or may not take medication even if they have healthcare access.\n\u201cIn countries with a high economic status, you have access to a better and balanced diet,\u201d he said, adding that their populations are unlikely to eat at hawker stalls every day.\n\nIn 2019, CVD was the leading cause of mortality and ranked fourth as a cause of hospitalisations in Malaysia\u2019s public hospitals. \nTreating CVD costs RM3.9 billion (S$1.1 billion) annually \u2013 more than 40 per cent of the total healthcare costs for non-communicable diseases in Malaysia, according to a report by its Health Ministry and the World Health Organisation. \nA 2017 study estimated that CVD results in annual productivity losses of about RM4 billion.\n\n", "\nEngineer and start-up founder Ammar Zolkipli, 44, had a sudden heart attack in 2022. \nHe initially experienced what felt like gastric pain. He felt pale, was short of breath and had numbness in his left arm. \nA doctor at a clinic carried out an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check if there were any problems with his heart rate or heart rhythm. \nThe results were normal, and he was diagnosed with gastritis and told to go home. \nThat night, he had gastric pain again. His wife drove him to the emergency department at a private hospital, but the medical officer there was also convinced it was gastritis. \n\u201cBy midnight, the pain had become worse and he was admitted to an isolation ward while waiting for his Covid-19 test results to be ready. By morning, he said he could hear a gurgling sound when he breathed, and the ECG finally picked up something. He was wheeled to the operating theatre immediately and an angioplasty was done,\u201d his wife Bibi Misbah told ST. \nAngioplasty is a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries.      \nMr Ammar is now on eight types of medication for heart failure, blood thinning and blood pressure. \nHe was previously diagnosed with elevated cholesterol in 2011 but had gone on a strict diet then and got it under control. However, his last health check was in 2018. \n\u201cThe heart attack took us by surprise,\u201d Mrs Bibi said. \u201cI was very worried at the time, as he had a 100 per cent blockage of the left anterior descending artery and, because treatment was delayed, his heart was damaged. As a result, he now has heart failure.\u201d \nMr Ammar has changed his diet to include foods that have more fibre, a low glycaemic index and are plant-based. He has cut out sugary items. He exercises daily and tries to get enough sleep and reduce stress. \nHis advice is for people to get a regular check-up, especially those aged 35 and above, and who have a strong genetic disposition to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/heart-disease-hits-malaysians-at-younger-age-as-cholesterol-issues-go-undiagnosed"}, {"title": "Heartbroken Malaysian woman recalls last moments before husband drowned while trying to save 2 girls", "text": ["\nSEPANG \u2013 A day before he died while trying to save two girls from drowning in a river, Mr Mohd Faizal Mahasan suggested that he and his wife go for a walk to catch the sunset.\n\u201cLet\u2019s go on a honeymoon and a picnic,\u201d Ms Nur Fatihah Mohamad, 26, recounted her husband as saying.\nThe same night he made the suggestion, he went out to buy mats and asked her to fry some snacks for their picnic, she told Harian Metro news agency. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI didn\u2019t think that was going to be my last moments with my late husband,\u201d Ms Nur Fatihah said. \nMr Mohd Faizal, 29, drowned on Sunday while trying to save two girls who had been swept away at Sungai Sepang Kechil, a river in the Malaysian state of Selangor.\nAt the time of the incident, he and his wife were walking along the river near a group of children who were swimming.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSuddenly, they were alerted by two fishermen nearby that two girls were drowning in the river.\n\nMs Nur Fatihah said her husband ran off and jumped into the river to rescue the girls.\nMalaysian media reports say he managed to pull the older girl, aged nine, out of the water and then went back into the water for the younger girl, aged seven.\nMs Nur Fatihah said the last time she saw her husband, he was frantically calling out to her, shouting \u201cayang\u201d, or darling, as he waved his hands in the water, \u201cas if asking for help\u201d. \nHe was swept away and disappeared thereafter.\nMr Mohd Faizal\u2019s body was recovered on Monday morning, about 500m away.\nThe Selangor Fire and Rescue Department said the nine-year-old girl died at the scene, while her younger sister\u2019s body was retrieved some 50m away.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/heartbroken-malaysian-woman-recounts-last-moments-before-husband-drowned-while-saving-two-girls"}, {"title": "Heatwave sizzles Malaysia\u2019s northern states, with fears it could worsen", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN - Scorching heat and moderate air pollution have made the northern Malaysian states of Perlis, Kedah and Penang hot spots in more ways than one. \nThe oppressive environment is created by a combination of cloudless skies and humid weather, though there are occasional scattered bursts of rain.\nMr Phee Boon Poh, the Penang state environment committee\u2019s chairman, said on Thursday that there are worries temperatures may go up further, as neighbouring Thailand is facing unprecedented high temperatures.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe are now moving into the inter-monsoon period, from May until July. When there is no rain, the ocean heats up and there is hot wind. We expect temperatures to be around 32 deg C to 33 deg C.\n\u201cIn Thailand, they are facing temperatures as high as 45 deg C, which is unprecedented. We are worried it will happen here as well,\u201d said Mr Phee, who urged people to stay hydrated.\nHe also appealed for people to refrain from conducting open burning activities, as the overall dryness could lead to a fire that could rage out of control.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe have put all the voluntary fire squads on high alert for open fires,\u201d he added.\n\nMr Phee urged people, especially those in high-rise buildings, to avoid overusing their air-conditioners, as these would add more heat to the surroundings.\n\u201cIf everyone uses air-conditioning for hours, the warm air blowing out from the condenser or compressor will add to the problem, especially in high-rise buildings,\u201d he said.\nThe Air Pollutant Index (API) readings for Penang at 6pm on Thursday showed unhealthy air pollution in the town of Balik Pulau (at 104) and a moderate level in state capital George Town (at 96).\n\n\n\n\n\nAn API reading of between zero and 50 is good, while 51 to 100 is moderate, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, and 301 and above is deemed hazardous.\nIt is believed the readings are caused by domestic pollution, as according to data on the regional haze situation from the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre, no hot spots have been detected in Indonesia, Thailand or Vietnam as yet.\nIn almost all rural farmlands in South-east Asia, using fire to clear agriculture debris is still prevalent as this is cheap and works to return some minerals to the soil, other than killing pests. But the resultant smoke travels hundreds of kilometres and becomes haze in neighbouring countries.\nThe Malaysian Meteorological Department\u2019s website indicates that while the whole country is experiencing hot weather, only Sik, Kubang Pasu and Kuala Muda, all in Kedah, experienced temperatures between 35 deg C and 37 deg C for more than three days in a row.\nThe temperature in the other parts of the country remained below 35 deg C as at Monday.\nThe weather forecast for Penang for the next few days indicates rain in one or two places, with temperatures expected to hover above 30 deg C.\nWater levels at both dams on Penang island have dropped to about half their effective capacity, and Penangites have been urged to use water wisely until it returns to normal levels. \nPenang Water Supply Corporation chief executive K. Pathmanathan said this followed low rainfall recorded at catchment areas for the Air Itam and Teluk Bahang reservoirs since early 2023.\n\u201cThe water level at Air Itam Dam has dropped from 82.5 per cent to 51.8 per cent, while the level at Teluk Bahang dropped from 64 per cent to 51.3 per cent,\u201d he said. \nHe added that the Penang state government has written to the National Disaster Management Agency seeking assistance for cloud seeding operations to induce rain, as the water level at the two dams is projected to drop to critical levels. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/heatwave-sizzles-north-of-malaysia-including-penang"}, {"title": "Heavy flooding forces evacuation of some 14,000 in Johor, Sabah, Pahang and Terengganu", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Heavy flooding caused by torrential rain has forced the evacuation of over 14,000 people in the Malaysian states of Johor, Pahang, Terengganu and Sabah. \nDeputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi,\u00a0who is also the National Disaster Committee chairman, said on Saturday that there was no need for an emergency to be called and that the flood situation was under control.\n\u201cI think there is no need for an emergency to be called over the floods as they are only happening in certain states and districts,\u201d Zahid told the press after meeting flood victims in Mersing, in Johor. \n\n\n\n\n\nHeavy, continuous rain triggered by the north-east monsoon led to floods in six districts in Johor, five districts in Sabah and one each in Pahang and Terengganu.  \nBernama news agency reported that four rivers in Johor \u2013 Sungai Lenik in Segamat, Sungai Kahang in Kluang, Sungai Muar in Muar and Sungai Endau in Mersing \u2013 had already breached the level considered dangerous as at Saturday.\nDatuk Armizan Mohd Ali, Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Tasks), said that as at Friday, there were 4,569 families, involving 14,012 people, in the four states displaced by the floods. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMore than 10,000 of the flood victims were from the eastern state of Sabah. These flood victims were put up at 73 temporary flood relief centres in the four states, he said, after visiting a flood shelter in Sabah on Saturday.\n\nContinuous heavy rain is expected to occur over Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor until Monday, the Malaysian Meteorological Department said on Saturday afternoon.  \nSevere floods in December displaced close to 70,000 people in five Malaysian states. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/heavy-flooding-forces-evacuation-of-some-14000-in-johor-sabah-pahang"}, {"title": "Heavy police presence at Anwar\u2019s house in Selangor", "text": ["\nSUNGAI LONG, Selangor - There was a hive of activity at Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s residence in Sungai Long, near Kajang town in Selangor state, on Thursday afternoon.\nThere was a heavy police presence, media personnel and also supporters who had waited there since the morning.\nA convoy of black Volvo SUVs and two black BMW motorbikes arrived at Mr Anwar\u2019s house at 3.15pm and there were also four individuals dressed in suits. They were believed to be the official security detail for the prime minister-designate.\n\n\n\n\n\nA leader of Mr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Shamsul Iskandar briskly addressed the crowd, saying that after 24 years, this moment had finally arrived.\n\u201cI\u2019m urging everyone to be calm and patient. We must return to efforts in recovering the nation,\u201d said Datuk Seri Shamsul.\nMr Ronnie Liu, a leader of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), also expressed similar remarks, and added: \u201cAnwar has eaten and he is still resting.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nBoth PKR and the DAP are members of the four-party Pakatan Harapan, which will be Malaysia\u2019s governing coalition.\n\nMr Anwar is set to be sworn in as the 10th prime minister at 5pm Thursday. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/heavy-police-presence-at-anwar-s-house-in-selangor"}, {"title": "High approval for Malaysia\u2019s PM Anwar, but his government lags behind: Survey", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim scored a 68 per cent approval rating in the first poll conducted since he took office in late November, but his government was endorsed by only around half of the respondents.\nPollster Merdeka Center said on Friday that Datuk Seri Anwar was seen favourably by two-thirds of Malaysians polled, with over 80 per cent accepting his appointment as Prime Minister following a general election that resulted in a hung Parliament. \nBut his government \u2013 consisting of his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, former rival Barisan Nasional and several other smaller outfits \u2013 only had a 54 per cent approval rating, the pollster said.  \n\n\n\n\n\nThe survey, carried out between December 2022 and January, showed that Malaysians are keen to put the country\u2019s  political instability behind them and to let the current administration \u201cprove themselves\u201d, Merdeka Center said in a statement. \nThe approval ratings for Mr Anwar and his government lag behind those of the previous PH administration, which saw high ratings when it came into power for the first time in 2018.\n", "\nTun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had an approval rating of 71 per cent close to 100 days after taking office in May 2018, while his government received a 67 per cent rating. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnalysts have said the poll results show that Mr Anwar\u2019s government is not enjoying a \u201choneymoon period\u201d, which new governments typically get after elections. \n\n\u201cThere was never a honeymoon period for this government as it was precarious from day one,\u201d said Dr Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute for International Affairs. \nDr Oh, however, said that there is very little Mr Anwar and his government can do to improve their ratings, except to become more Malay- and Muslim-centric to battle the opposition Perikatan Nasional\u2019s wave of support among the Malays in the last general election. \n\u201cThis is nigh impossible and also contrary to its reformist ideology,\u201d he said, referring to the progressive and reformist ideals of Mr Anwar and PH. \n\n\n\n\n\nBoth Mr Anwar and his government had lower support among Malays compared with non-Malays. Despite receiving a rating beyond 70 per cent from other races, Mr Anwar had a 60 per cent score among Malays, while his government only had 48 per cent. \n", "\nMr Anwar\u2019s approval rating is comparable to those of his predecessors, Tun Dr Mahathir and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, but is far higher than that of his immediate predecessor, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.  \nDr Mahathir saw a rating of between 70 per cent and 80 per cent in the early months of his administration before his popularity started to dwindle, ultimately leading to PH administration collapsing in 2020 due to defections. \nMr Muhyiddin enjoyed a rating of above 70 per cent in the months after taking office in March 2020, largely due to his initial management of the Covid-19 pandemic, while his government had a 63 per cent score, higher than that of Mr Anwar\u2019s government.  \nDatuk Seri Ismail\u2019s highest rating was only 52 per cent, registered in the month after he took office in August 2021.  His government only had a 45 per cent approval rating as its best performance, registered when he became prime minister.\nMr Anwar took office on Nov 24, five days after a closely fought general election that produced no clear winner. \nHe leads what is on paper the strongest Malaysian government in over a decade, having control of 148 out of 222 seats in Parliament, but his government is made up of multiple ex-rivals offering conditional support. \nMalaysia has had four prime ministers in as many years, two of them coming into power via defections and political horse-trading rather than through elections. None of the three premiers before Mr Anwar managed to complete two years in office.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/high-approval-for-pm-anwar-but-his-government-lags-behind-survey"}, {"title": "High-end restaurants get a boost as Malaysians splurge on \u2018revenge dining\u2019", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Imagine being served melt-in-your-mouth beef from free-range cows raised on local straw, clean air and mineral water from Japan\u2019s Mount Daisen. Or sampling fine sushi served on trendy Louis Vuitton tableware, with panoramic city views from a restaurant perched at the top of a 50-storey tower.This is the sort of unique dining experience that many Malaysians emerging from coronavirus-induced lockdowns are seeking, if the number of high-end restaurants opening in the capital lately are anything to go by. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/high-end-restaurants-get-a-boost-as-malaysians-splurge-on-revenge-dining"}, {"title": "H&M Malaysia makes police report over hidden cameras in fitting rooms", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA, Selangor \u2013 H&M Malaysia has made a police report after Twitter users expressed concerns that footage from concealed cameras in fitting rooms at a Kuala Lumpur store was being sold online.\n\u201cThe safety of our customers is of the utmost importance to us. A police report has been made and investigations are currently ongoing,\u201d the company said in a statement to LifestyleTech.\n\u201cWe have conducted an inspection of all fitting rooms and are working to ensure that there are no security breaches that will compromise the privacy of our customers.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nH&M is a Sweden-based multinational clothing company that specialises in fast-fashion apparel for men, women, teenagers and children.\nIt is alleged that the videos circulating in Malaysia are being sold online, with sellers claiming to have recordings of couples and individuals in the fitting rooms.\nThe issue was first highlighted by user @meleisgw on Twitter on Jan 8, but she has since deleted her post.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShe later posted an update in which an alleged victim said she had recognised herself in one of the videos. The victim also said that the recording may have been taken in October 2022.\n\nIn another post, a user said she spotted her friend in one of the videos. According to @meleisgw, she received a direct message saying that a police report has been filed on the matter.\nNews of the alleged hidden cameras has sparked concern about safety and privacy.\nDang Wangi district police chief Noor Dellhan Yahaya said the security manager of the outlet in Jalan Imbi in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, made a report on Monday afternoon after seeing a message about the video being circulated on WhatsApp.\n\u201cAn 11-second video from the hidden camera was uploaded to Twitter,\u201d Assistant Commissioner Noor Dellhan said on Wednesday. \u201cWe sent our personnel there to investigate and could not find the camera. We believe it happened at another location.\u201d\nHe added: \u201cBut I want to assure the public that we are taking this matter seriously and will conduct a thorough investigation to bring those responsible to justice.\u201d\nAC Noor Dellhan said the case has been classified under Section 509 of the Penal Code for intentionally insulting the modesty of any woman by word, through sound, gesture or object.\n", "\nMeanwhile, on H&M Malaysia\u2019s Facebook page, some users left comments asking for an explanation from the company.\n\u201cAre there cameras in the fitting room? How long and how many customers have been recorded?\u201d one person named Omar Ali posted.\n", "\nAnother user who goes by the handle Sue Hae Dae said allegations about hidden cameras in the store are worrying. \u201cIt\u2019s stressful when I think back because I always shop there after work,\u201d she said.\nOn The Star newspaper\u2019s Facebook page, some users suggested that shoppers may want to start carrying devices that can detect hidden cameras. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/hm-malaysia-lodges-police-report-over-hidden-cameras-in-fitting-rooms"}, {"title": "Hopes on Anwar-Rafizi team to pull Malaysia out of economic doldrums", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Economists are anticipating that Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his Economics Affairs Minister Rafizi Ramli will make an effective team in steering Malaysia\u2019s economy towards a high-growth trajectory. The two men, who hail from Parti Keadilan Rakyat led by Datuk Seri Anwar, are expected to address the long overdue fiscal reforms, while aiming for Malaysia to become a high-income nation over the medium term. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/hopes-on-anwar-rafizi-team-to-pull-malaysia-out-of-economic-doldrums"}, {"title": "Hot, dry and hazy weather ahead for Malaysia", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Malaysians should brace themselves for more hazy days ahead as the weather will become hotter and drier in the coming months, said Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.   \n\u201cWe expect to see more haze, particularly during the current monsoon transition period that will last till August.\n\u201cThe conditions during this transition period are usually hot and much drier, which could result in more hot spots,\u201d he told The Star on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in several states reached unhealthy levels as at 9pm on Sunday. \nSegamat in Johor recorded an unhealthy API reading of 182. The API in other places in Penang, Kedah, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Terengganu also rose above 150.\n\u201cThis does not include other areas where their air quality is gradually worsening,\u201d the minister said, adding that the hazy conditions experienced by the country are caused by peat fires and open burning.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nPeat fires in the Bachok district in Kelantan have worried many local residents. Some villagers in Kampung Beris Lalang and Kampung Beoh were shutting the windows in their houses, reported Bernama. \n\nMs Rashidah Ab Razak, 53, told Bernama that some of her relatives, including the elderly and children, have been experiencing respiratory problems since the fire started three weeks ago. \nBesides the hot and drier weather during the monsoon transition period, resumption of economic activities after the Covid-19 pandemic was also contributing to the haze, said Minister Nik Nazmi.\n\u201cWe were spared the haze for the past two or three years, as there was a slowdown in economic activities due to the pandemic.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBut the economy is now fully reopened and at full capacity again. As such, we expect the haze to return,\u201d he said.\nMr Nik Nazmi said the government had anticipated the possibility of the haze returning.\n\u201cMalaysia is not the only country experiencing hot and dry weather. Several other countries in the region are also experiencing it,\u201d he said.\n\u201cWe have in fact already planned ahead and will hold a multi-agency meeting in the next few days to discuss the possibility of drier conditions and haze affecting the country.\u201d\nHe said several ministries headed by a special task force would be roped in to tackle the issue.\nAmong them are the National Disaster Management Agency, Health Ministry, Environment Department, Fire and Rescue Services Department, and the Irrigation and Drainage Department, he added.\nMr Nik Nazmi said the emphasis would be on illegal open burning carried out by the private sector. \nThis, he said, was needed especially to prevent peat soil fires. \n", "\nSeparately, in Penang, the state government has warned stern action will be taken against those found to be involved in open burning. \n\u201cAll commercial open burning will be investigated and submitted to the deputy public prosecutor for further action.\n\n\u201cThis usually means a fine or even jail. We will no longer compromise on such cases as this could result in serious consequences,\u201d said state environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh. \nAny person found guilty of open burning can be sentenced to a fine not exceeding RM500,000 (S$150,000) or imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both.\nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/hot-dry-and-hazy-weather-ahead-for-malaysia"}, {"title": "Hot, hazy weather: Use brollies, wear masks and limit outdoor activities, advises Malaysian Health Minister", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - The hot and hazy weather in Malaysia is expected to continue, leading to poor air quality, with a minister advising people to take precautionary measures. \nHealth Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the weather agency MetMalaysia and Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change have reported that some areas were experiencing heatwave with unhealthy air quality level, according to Air Pollutant Index (API) readings.\nThe areas are Johan Setia in Selangor and Kelantan state capital Kota Bharu, which recorded readings of 150 and 120 respectively.\n\n\n\n\n\nAn API of between 101 and 200 indicates unhealthy air quality.\n\u201cPeople should limit physical activities during the hot weather, which could lead to illness, and limit time outdoors,\u201d said Dr Zaliha in a statement on Wednesday.\n\u201cPeople should also use suitable face masks to minimise exposure to the haze and use umbrellas and caps to prevent direct exposure to the hot sun.\u201d  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nShe urged the public to halt activities that would lead to air pollution, such as smoking and drink more warm water to prevent dehydration.\n\n\u201cTake constant showers to cool the body and use air-conditioners and filters of high quality to filter tiny particles and prevent them from polluting the air inside the house,\u201d she added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/hot-hazy-weather-use-brollies-wear-masks-and-limit-outdoor-activities-advises-malaysian-health-minister"}, {"title": "Human torso, body parts found along North-South Expressway in Malaysia", "text": ["\nSUNGAI BULOH - A human torso and other body parts were found along the North-South Expressway in Malaysia. \nA man made a report to the police about the discovery near the Rawang exit on Tuesday. \n\u201cWe received a call about the find at around 11.45am,\u201d said Sungai Buloh police officer Shafaaton Abu Bakar.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe partial body (from neck to waist) was found at the scene,\u201d she said, adding that the head, legs and arms were found inside a suitcase.\n\u201cThe identity of the victim has yet to be determined. There were also no identification documents at the scene.\n\u201cWe have classified the case as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSuperintendent Shafaaton added that the body was taken to the Sungai Buloh Hospital, and that a post-mortem  would be carried out. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/human-torso-body-parts-found-along-north-south-expressway-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Hundreds of Indonesians cheer President Jokowi on his Malaysia visit to firm up ties", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Hundreds of Indonesian workers gave President Joko Widodo a rousing welcome during his walkabout in the Malaysian capital on Thursday, part of the Indonesian leader\u2019s working visit to strengthen bilateral ties with Putrajaya. \nMr Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, visited the country\u2019s biggest wet market at Chow Kit, which has a large Indonesian community. Malaysia is host to an estimated 2.7 million Indonesian workers.\nThe crowd cheered the arrival of Mr Widodo, who was accompanied by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. They chanted the President\u2019s name and sang the Indonesian national anthem as they followed him through the narrow lanes lined with stalls selling meat, fish and fruit.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Abi, 35, a poultry stall worker who hails from the Indonesian city of Medan, was thrilled when Mr Widodo took a wefie with him.\n\u201cI was waiting for him and he passed in front of my stall and noticed me,\u201d he told The Straits Times.\n\u201cI heard Joko was coming, so I came to the market today,\u201d said Ms Soleha, 52, a cleaner from Surabaya city who has been working in Malaysia for 33 years.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI like him, as he helps people who are struggling, such as poor people and orphans. He gives them assistance such as money and rice,\u201d she added.\u00a0\n\nEarlier on Thursday, Datuk Seri Anwar said that the visit to Chow Kit was at Mr Widodo\u2019s request.\u00a0\n\u201cI asked where he wanted to go, he said Chow Kit and Kampung Baru... This is the personality of the Indonesian President \u2013 besides going to the National Palace and Seri Perdana (Prime Minister\u2019s official residence), his choice is to go where the ordinary people are in Kuala Lumpur,\u201d he said at a joint news conference.\nKampung Baru is one of the oldest Malay enclaves in the city.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Widodo\u2019s two-day working visit to Malaysia ended on Thursday.\nThe President is accompanied by First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo, his Cabinet ministers and senior officials of the Indonesian government.\n", "\n\u201cThe visit is very significant in the effort of both sides to strengthen further the longstanding and close relations between Malaysia and the Republic of Indonesia,\u201d said a statement from the Malaysian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.\nAhead of the walkabout, Mr Widodo held a meeting with Mr Anwar to discuss cooperation and outstanding bilateral issues.\nTwo longstanding maritime border disputes that had dragged on for 18 years were finally resolved after the two countries signed agreements regarding the southern-most part of the Malacca Strait, as well as the Sulawesi Sea.\u00a0\n", "\nMr Widodo also sought stronger collaboration to fight \u201cdiscrimination\u201d against palm oil. Indonesia and Malaysia are the world\u2019s top two producers of the commodity.\n\u201cWe need to strengthen this collaboration. We don\u2019t want commodities produced by Malaysia and Indonesia to be discriminated against in other countries,\u201d he said at the news conference. \nThe European Union in 2023 passed a law banning imports of commodities linked to deforestation, a move which could hurt palm oil. The two countries sent a joint mission to Brussels last week to discuss the matter.\nThe President also said the two countries have agreed to set up a framework to protect migrant workers\u2019 rights, which has been a sore point, with some Malaysian employers having been accused of mistreating migrant workers. \nThe two leaders also boosted bilateral cooperation on trade, investment and the halal sector, with the signing of agreements.  \nMr Widodo attended an hour-long reception with the Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, at the National Palace on Thursday evening. \nIn 2022, Indonesia was Malaysia\u2019s sixth-largest trading partner and second largest among the Asean member states, behind Singapore, with total trade of RM130.14 billion (S$38.1 billion). This was an increase of 36.5 per cent from the RM95.31 billion of total trade transacted in 2021.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/hundreds-of-indonesians-cheer-president-jokowi-on-his-malaysia-visit-to-firm-up-ties"}, {"title": "Hurdles ahead for Malaysia\u2019s new PM Anwar as he builds new Cabinet", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Heading a unity government with multiple political parties, Malaysia\u2019s newly minted prime minister Anwar Ibrahim faces the acid test of introducing long overdue fiscal and subsidy reforms amid high inflationary pressures. With the federal government\u2019s whopping debt of RM1.04 trillion (S$320 billion), the arduous task for Datuk Seri Anwar, touted to be a reformist leader, would be to introduce fiscal reforms to broaden its revenue base, cut government spending while easing the rising cost of living that Malaysians are grappling with, said economists. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/hurdles-ahead-for-anwar-as-he-builds-new-cabinet"}, {"title": "Man dies of pufferfish poisoning in Johor weeks after wife\u2019s death", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Two weeks after his wife died of pufferfish poisoning, an elderly man died on Saturday following the after-effects of eating the fish. He had woken up from a coma and appeared to be recovering before he died of a blood clot.\nThe death of the elderly couple from the village of Chamek, in Kluang, Johor, has raised questions over the effectiveness of Malaysian laws and enforcement concerning the sale of the fish, which is purportedly being sold to unsuspecting customers who are unaware of the risks. \n\u201cIt is with deepest sadness I inform you that I have lost my father this morning,\u201d their daughter Ng Ai Lee, 51, told The Sunday Times in a WhatsApp message. \n\n\n\n\n\nMs Ng, the chief financial officer of a publicly listed company, is now campaigning to raise awareness among the public on the dangers of eating pufferfish. \nShe claims that the fish is openly traded on Facebook Live, e-commerce platforms and at stalls. \nAccording to Ms Ng, her father, Mr Ng Chuan Sing, 84, had bought the pufferfish from his regular fishmonger.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt was the first time he had bought pufferfish, and had no idea it was poisonous. He bought 1kg for RM18 (S$5.50) on March 25.\n\nAfter Mr Ng and his wife ate the fish for lunch, they suffered numbness in their hands and legs. \nOn the way to hospital, Ms Lim Siew Guan, 83, experienced shortness of breath. She lost consciousness upon arriving at the emergency department. Mr Ng also became breathless shortly after that. Ms Lim died at around 7pm the same day. \n\u201cMany residents in our home town commented they have purchased from the same seller before, without knowing it is poisonous,\u201d said Ms Ng. \u201cThe fishmonger\u2019s WhatsApp messages claimed her fish is safe to consume as she has sold this fish for years and no one has been hurt.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to news reports, the pufferfish came from a fisherman from the coastal Johor town of Mersing and was processed by a distributor in Batu Pahat. \nMs Ng is now urging the government to take action against those responsible and strengthen the enforcement of existing laws. \nShe said: \u201cIf the current legislation is not sufficient, amendments should be made to eliminate the trading of the fish. I doubt that we can regulate licences for sellers of pufferfish in Malaysia, hence we should ban this fish from being traded.\n\u201cIt is important to educate the public, and traders should have the social responsibility to stop trading. This incident will soon be forgotten, but no life should be lost further due to the poisonous fish. It is of utmost importance to create more awareness to protect lives.\u201d\n\n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s director-general of health, Tan Sri Noor Hisham Abdullah, said in a social media post on March 30 that Section 13 of the Food Act 1983 prohibits the sale of any food that has in or upon it any substance which is poisonous, harmful or otherwise injurious to health. \nUnder the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority Act 1972, fish containing toxins are also not allowed to be sold. But there are no specific laws pertaining to the sale of pufferfish.\nData from the Health Ministry showed that there have been 58 cases of pufferfish poisoning from 1985 to March 2023, involving 18 deaths.\nKluang MP Wong Shu Qi said there has to be stricter regulation, and not everybody should be allowed to buy raw pufferfish.\n\u201cFor instance, only licenced chefs with the knowledge and skill for handling pufferfish should be allowed to purchase it. That is how the Japanese government regulates it,\u201d she added.\n", "\nJohor assemblyman Chew Chong Sin said the incident is currently being investigated by the Health Ministry.\nDr Noor Hisham said that a survey carried out by the Food Safety and Quality Division in 2019 showed that 86 per cent of respondents, comprising members of the public, fishmongers, fishermen and cooks, had sufficient knowledge on the dangers of consuming pufferfish. Details about the number of respondents and whether the survey was conducted across the country were not available. \nHowever, many Malaysians still remain unaware of the dangers, and that the fish is sold openly in the country.\n\u201cThe fact that fishermen can catch them and sell them on the markets should be considered a crime,\u201d said freelance writer Amanda Khor, 35. \nFlorist Candice Ng, 43, said her mother had previously bought pufferfish from a market in Johor Bahru. Ms Ng said she found out only later that it was pufferfish. \n\u201cMy mother didn\u2019t know it was poisonous. I told her never to buy it again,\u201d she said.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/husband-dies-of-pufferfish-poisoning-in-johor-weeks-after-wife-s-death"}, {"title": "I don\u2019t know what I did wrong, says Malaysia\u2019s ex-PM Mahathir on his GE defeat", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Months after his disastrous defeat in Malaysia\u2019s 2022 General Election, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad is still in the dark over why voters rejected him.  \nExpressing sadness over the turn of events, Tun Dr Mahathir insisted he had not done anything wrong towards voters on the duty-free island of Langkawi, in Kedah, where he failed to retain his parliamentary seat.\n\u201cI was voted out and lost 14,000 votes. I do not know what I did wrong. What did I do?\u201d English-language daily New Straits Times quoted him as saying. \n\n\n\n\n\nIn the Nov 19 national polls, Dr Mahathir \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s longest-serving premier \u2013 secured just 4,566 votes and lost his deposit, as Perikatan Nasional\u2019s Suhaimi Abdullah garnered 25,463 votes.\nIt was the 98-year-old\u2019s first defeat in Malaysia\u2019s parliamentary elections since he lost in 1969.\nDr Mahathir admitted that the results were \u201ca little upsetting\u201d, especially since he had done a lot to develop the island. \u201cI\u2019m not sulking, but I did a lot for Langkawi.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Mahathir\u2019s loss came despite widespread appreciation for his contributions to Langkawi.\n\nHe is widely respected for bringing prosperity and development to the island by declaring it a duty-free haven in 1987, when he was prime minister. The move drew a slew of tourism investments, including an international airport, ferry services and luxury hotels.\nThe loss dealt a final blow to Dr Mahathir\u2019s Parti Pejuang Tanah Air, which lost in all the 121 parliamentary seats that it contested nationwide.   \nVoters were unconvinced by Dr Mahathir\u2019s promise to repair the country\u2019s economy and bring back foreign investments and jobs by eradicating corruption within the government and cleaning up some RM42 billion (S$12.9 billion) in national debt racked up by former prime minister Najib Razak.    \nThere were also voters who had grown disenchanted with Dr Mahathir\u2019s leadership after he resigned as premier in 2020 and failed to hand over the reins of government to current prime minister Anwar Ibrahim as promised. \nDays after his shocking defeat, Dr Mahathir said that he would turn to writing about his country\u2019s history.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/i-don-t-know-what-i-did-wrong-says-malaysia-s-ex-pm-mahathir-on-his-ge-defeat"}, {"title": "I don\u2019t know why I was labelled traitor, says former Malaysian defence minister Hishammuddin", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Former Malaysian defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein said he was not sure why he was labelled a traitor for signing a statutory declaration supporting rival party chief Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s bid to become prime minister after last year\u2019s general election. \nHe said that he and nine other MPs had reverted to Barisan Nasional\u2019s (BN) decision of remaining neutral after no party or coalition was able to secure a simple majority in Parliament.\nDatuk Seri Hishammuddin echoed the sentiments of fellow lawmaker, Jelebu MP Jalaluddin Alias, who said that they signed the declaration in accordance with BN\u2019s narrative at the time.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHowever, when the party decided to remain neutral, all of us revoked our support. And when the King decreed the formation of the unity government, we agreed to it. How was that treacherous?\u201d he told reporters on Friday.  \nMr Hishammuddin was one of the 10 MPs called out by Umno president Zahid Hamidi during a closed-door party briefing on Wednesday for signing statutory declarations backing Tan Sri\u00a0Muhyiddin to become prime minister after the Nov 24 General Election.\nSix of the 10 lawmakers are from Umno.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAmid calls for action to be taken against \u201ctraitors\u201d within the former ruling party, Zahid said he had \u201cforgiven\u201d the 10 MPs and that the incident was something from the past. \n\nThe individuals, he added, are now firmly backing the current government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that Umno-led BN is a part of.\nIn a hung Parliament following Malaysia\u2019s 15th General Election, 10 BN MPs backed Mr Muhyiddin to become premier despite Zahid claiming that he had his coalition MPs\u2019 mandate to decide who to ally with.    \nMr Hishammuddin on Friday also thanked Zahid for forgiving the 10 lawmakers and said he would leave it to the party to decide if it wants to take action against them.    \n\u201cIf they (the party) want to take action, go for it. I don\u2019t have anything to worry about,\u201d he said.     \nMr Hishammuddin reminded party members not to use the general assembly as a platform to attack one another as the public was tired of Umno\u2019s infighting.     \n\u201cThe general assembly should be the platform to discuss our efforts in reducing the trust deficit of the public towards the party and to prepare for state elections. This is better than attacking each other in the party,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/i-don-t-know-why-i-was-labelled-traitor-says-former-malaysian-defence-minister-hishammuddin"}, {"title": "\u2018I hope this is my last marriage\u2019: Malaysian great-grandmother, 62, marries 28-year-old man", "text": ["\nAge is certainly just a number for Malaysian great-grandmother Rokiah Samat who married a man 34 years her junior in 2022.\nHousewife Madam Rokiah, 62, decided to tie the knot with Mr Mohammad Amin Jundail, 28, after knowing him for about a year.\n\u201cEven though he is much younger, I am confident that my husband will be able to take care of me until the end of my life, and I hope this is my last marriage,\u201d Malay daily Harian Metro quoted Madam Rokiah as saying. \n\n\n\n\n\nA TikTok video of their unconventional union went viral, racking up 2.4 million views after it was posted four days ago.\n\nMr Amin, who is a masseur and sells beauty products, said he first messaged Madam Rokiah on October 2021 after coming across her TikTok account.\n\nHe had initially wanted to be just friends with her but, over time, he realised that he had feelings for Madam Rokiah, who has 10 children, 22 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSo he decided to travel from his hometown of Semporna in eastern Sabah to meet her. Madam Rokiah lives in the Pasir Puteh district of the east coast state of Kelantan.\n\n\n\u201cI arrived in Peninsula Malaysia on December 2021 but I got a job as a masseur in Johor. A month later, I finally met her on my birthday, which was on Jan 10 last year, at her house,\u201d Mr Amin told Malay portal mStar Online.\n\nThey got engaged on June 6, 2022, and tied the knot three months later, on Sept 9.\nMadam Rokiah said she decided to accept Mr Amin as her life partner, as they are compatible and he gets along with her children. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI do not like to live with my children, I am more comfortable living on my own. But at the same time, I need a life partner, and that is why I remarried.\n\n\u201cAfter all, this is God\u2019s provision. For me, what is more important is not the age but getting an honest and sincere husband,\u201d she said.\n\n", "\nMadam Rokiah had been married twice before.\n\nHer first marriage was in 1977 and lasted for 40 years before the couple went their separate ways six years ago.\nHer second marriage was to a Myanmar national in 2018 and lasted only two years.\n\u201cI had to get a divorce. I couldn\u2019t cope with a long-distance relationship with my former husband, who was then working in China,\u201d she said.\n", "\nDespite their vast age difference, Mr Amin and Madam Rokiah were thankful that their families accepted their union, with Mr Amin saying that God had destined him to marry Madam Rokiah.\nThey also share the same hobbies, as they both enjoy fishing and gardening. \n\u201cShe completes me. I am thankful I have a wife who is caring and perfect in my eyes in every way. My wife is also a good cook, I love her fishhead curry,\u201d said Mr Amin.\nAfter viewing their TikTok video where the couple shared their birth dates and the dates they met and got married, netizens sent their best wishes, with many commenting on the vast age gap. \n\u201cThis is like a mother and child or even grandchild... Whatever, it is a match from Allah, congratulations,\u201d said a commenter with the handle umi. \nSome commenters also shared the age gap between them and their partners.\n\u201cIf it is fated, then it is meant to be... I am 51 while my husband is 36, 15-year gap,\u201d said a commenter named Simahalim.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/i-hope-this-is-my-last-marriage-malaysian-great-grandmother-marries-man-34-years-her-junior"}, {"title": "\u2018I lay naked to cool down\u2019: Russian woman from daredevil duo details Merdeka 118 climb on Twitter", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - The Russian woman who claims to have scaled to the top of Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur has detailed her \u201cascent\u201d of the second tallest building in the world on social media.\nIn a series of tweets, Ms Angela Nikolau said she first rented an apartment close to Merdeka 118 in order to \u201cconduct surveillance of the building\u201d, adding that she spent several weeks figuring out important details before beginning the climb.\nShe also claimed to have donned glasses and a construction worker\u2019s uniform as part of her initial disguise to blend in when beginning her climb.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI ran the first 32 floors and overheated. I then had to lie down on the concrete floor naked to cool down and later drank all the water I had,\u201d she tweeted late on Jan 4 night.\nMs Nikolau said she was almost detected by site personnel and hid in a small concrete box for more than 20 hours.\n", "\n\u201cI was without food, water and rest. I couldn\u2019t even cry as the workers were right next to me, as I feared they would hand me over to security,\u201d she said, adding that she continued her journey to the top three hours later when the workers were resting.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe spire itself was 53 floors high \u2013 and I was wearing a 15kg backpack. If you look at the previous photo, you won\u2019t even see the bottom.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m not sure if I would climb it if I knew how high it was. After finishing the climb, I could not feel my arms nor lift them,\u201d she claimed.\nMs Nikolau added that she respected the laws of all countries, acknowledging that she did however trespass.\n", "\n\u201cDespite that (trespassing), I took special care not to damage anything which (others) sometimes do. My goal is to create memorable art by capturing moments of the world\u2019s tallest buildings,\u201d she said.\nNetizens were not appreciative of her sharing, with many questioning the authenticity of the stunt and also tagging the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and Home Ministry in their responses.\nTwitter user @bibbsDarling said the stunt was disrespectful as the duo had come into another country and proudly sneaked into a building.\nSimilarly, Twitter user @dyoguma said the authorities should take action as the individual had clearly trespassed and @FarhanahMel also questioned how Ms Nikolau could be so pleased with herself for committing a crime.\n", "\nOn Dec 28, it was reported that Ms Nikolau and Mr Ivan Beerkus had scaled up Merdeka 118, prompting questions of security by netizens.\nPhotos of the climb were uploaded on the Internet and reshared on Reddit.\nKuala Lumpur deputy police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Yahaya Othman had said on Jan 1 that PDRM was working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to verify the authenticity of the video. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/i-lay-naked-to-cool-down-russian-woman-from-daredevil-duo-details-merdeka-118-climb-on-twitter"}, {"title": "\u2018I\u2019ll show proof\u2019: Malaysian PM Anwar says after being accused of slander by Mahathir", "text": ["\nMalaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he will furnish evidence to back his claim that his predecessor, Tun Mahathir Mohamad, had enriched himself and his family while in power.\n\u201cI don\u2019t want to fight. He has asked for proof, I will give (him) proof, no problem,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar said on Friday.  \nIn a speech at his Parti Keadilan Rakyat\u2019s congress on March 18, Mr Anwar alluded to someone \u201cwho had been in power for 22 years and (later) an additional 22 months\u201d using his position to enrich his family and himself.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile Mr Anwar did not mention Dr Mahathir by name, he also said the person was complaining about Malays losing their dominance only after he was no longer in power.\n\nDays later, Dr Mahathir said it was clear that Mr Anwar was referring to no other former premier but him because \u201cI was in power for 22 years and 22 months\u201d.\n\nDr Mahathir, 97, served as premier twice \u2013 from 1981 to 2003, and from 2018 to 2020 \u2013 and resigned both times. He lost his parliamentary seat of Langkawi in the 2022 General Election.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs a result of Mr Anwar\u2019s allegations in March, Dr Mahathir sent a legal letter dated March 27 to him to retract his \u201cslanderous\u201d claims within seven days or face legal action.\n\nHe subsequently agreed to an extension until April 17 following a request from Mr Anwar\u2019s legal team.\n\nWhile acknowledging that Dr Mahathir had contributed to Malaysia\u2019s development, Mr Anwar on Friday also pointed out that his predecessor had done some damage while he was leading the country.\nThis included creating a negative perception of the Malay community, such as labelling them as lazy and forgetful.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt is untrue. Which race has no lazy or forgetful people? Every race has such people. The Malays have created huge figures, thinkers and also intellectuals. Do not hurl such insults,\u201d Mr Anwar added.\n\nDr Mahathir and Mr Anwar used to have a close relationship, with the former calling Mr Anwar his friend and protege.\n\nHe anointed Mr Anwar his successor in 1993, but later, amid disagreements over how to handle the Asian financial crisis in 1998, he said that Mr Anwar was unfit to lead \u201cbecause of his character\u201d.\nBetween his stints as deputy prime minister in the 1990s and as official prime minister-in-waiting in 2018, Mr Anwar spent nearly a decade in jail for sodomy and corruption \u2013 charges that he said were politically motivated.\nAfter decades of enmity, the two buried the hatchet briefly in 2018 to oust the then ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition \u2013 only to fall out again within two years, ending their 22-month-old Pakatan Harapan government and plunging Malaysia into a period of instability.\n", "\nThe last general election, on Nov 19, left the country in political limbo after no coalition gained enough seats to form a government.\nMr Anwar and rival Muhyiddin Yassin, whose coalitions had the two largest blocs in Parliament but no simple majority needed to form the government, raced against each other to become premier.\n\nThe situation was resolved only when Mr Anwar gained the backing of BN \u2013 led by Umno, the party once headed by Dr Mahathir who expelled Mr Anwar in 1998 \u2013 to form a unity government. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/i-ll-show-proof-malaysian-pm-anwar-says-after-being-accused-of-slander-by-mahathir"}, {"title": "\u2018I\u2019ll sue those saying I am corrupt\u2019, says former Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday vowed legal action against those who insinuate that he is corrupt. \nHe said he did not take a single cent from the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines during his tenure as prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021.\n\u201cI have informed the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) that I am not guilty and they seemed satisfied. I hope these matters are not raised again,\u201d said the chairman of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) opposition bloc, adding that those who want to tarnish his name should prove their claims.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMy lawyer is looking at taking legal action and we will not stop at that alone.\n\u201cThe Public Accounts Committee has looked into the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, but there are some who intend to go further and connect my name to bribery,\u201d he told reporters after launching a blood donation drive at a mall in Kuala Lumpur.\nThe president of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia added that he was clueless as to why he had become the target of such accusations. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI do not know why all these accusations are being thrown at me now. Perhaps because we will be facing six state elections so I can be painted as the bad guy and they (political rivals) can win,\u201d he said.\n\nNegeri Sembilan, Selangor, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu\u00a0are set to hold state elections this year. \nTan Sri Muhyiddin\u2019s PN is the governing coalition for Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, while Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Penang come under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Pakatan Harapan. \n\u201cI have been with the government for 50 years \u2013 I never had cases of misuse of power or bribery,\u201d Mr Muhyiddin said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI follow the rules. I hold on to the law and I have principles.\n\u201cI was also once the prime minister. Such insinuations should not have been made.\n\u201cI am also the Perikatan Nasional chairman and I know this is a political ploy so that the people are angered and think of me as a thief, a liar and that I had abused my authority,\u201d he added. \n\u201cThose who donated to party funds were those who supported our struggle and those who believed what Perikatan stands for. \n\u201cIt had nothing to do with Jana Wibawa,\u201d said Mr Muhyiddin.\n", "\nJana Wibawa was a programme designed to help bumiputera, or Malay-Muslim, contractors during the Covid-19 pandemic.\nIt was conceived by Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who was then finance minister in Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s Cabinet. He is now the International Trade and Industry Minister\u00a0in Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Cabinet.\n\u201cThe proposal was brought to the Cabinet and approved. We implemented it by getting the Bumiputera Wholesale Association to submit the names of contractors approved by the Construction Industry Development Board,\u201c Mr Muhyiddin said. \nHe stressed that he was neither involved in setting the eligibility criteria nor awarding contracts under the programme.\n\u201cI don\u2019t even know the names of the companies that were chosen for Jana Wibawa,\u201d he said. \nMACC had frozen the accounts of Bersatu in the course of investigating allegations that the party had received funds from contractors chosen under the Jana Wibawa programme during Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s tenure. \nOn Thursday, Mr Muhyiddin was called in by MACC for questioning over the Jana Wibawa case. But he said on Sunday that he was there as a witness, not a suspect. \n\u201cThe MACC officer informed me that I was not a suspect but was called in merely to give explanations in the process of investigations,\u201d he said. \n\u201cIt is not fair that the government of the day put the focus on me when it was the finance minister then who made the decisions,\u201d he added.\nMr Muhyiddin said he understood that MACC may soon call up Mr Zafrul to assist with the probe. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/i-ll-sue-those-saying-i-am-corrupt-says-former-malaysia-pm-muhyiddin"}, {"title": "\u2018I love you Papa. Am always proud of you\u2019, says Nurul Izzah in moving tribute to Anwar", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - I am always proud of you, even when you were a prisoner, says Ms Nurul Izzah Anwar in a moving tribute to her father Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who will be sworn in as Malaysia\u2019s 10th Prime Minister at 5pm on Thursday.\nIn the tribute to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, Ms Nurul Izzah said she loved him and was proud of him even when he was a prisoner of conscience.\nMs Nurul Izzah, who is a vice-president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, a component of the PH coalition, said that many challenges still lay ahead including efforts to unite fellow Malaysians, addressing economic issues and attracting investments.\n\n\n\n\n\nShe said that since 1998, it had been the party\u2019s struggle to demand justice not for themselves, but for everyone.\n\u201cIn life, in this world, we cannot escape from challenges. When we lose, we are tested. When we win we are also tested.\n\u201cChallenges still await, and after the swearing-in ceremony, efforts to unite compatriots, examine economic problems, attract investment through economic stimulation and local talent, and build an ummah and a nation based on social justice and patriotism.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI love you papa and I am always proud of you, even as you lay imprisoned as a prisoner of conscience\u201d, said Ms Nurul Izzah in a social media post on Thursday.\n\nShe added that the legacy that should be left behind for future generations was not property, rank or money, but idealism and principles of struggle that cannot be bought or sold.\n\u201cMake the future, our time together. Khayr (goodness), Insha\u2019Allah (God willing),\u201d she said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/i-love-you-papa-am-always-proud-of-you-says-nurul-izzah-in-moving-tribute-to-anwar"}, {"title": "\u2018I will cooperate, I have nothing to hide,\u2019 says Malaysia\u2019s Zafrul of probe into Covid-19 aid", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia\u2019s International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz has said he will fully cooperate if called by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over an investigation into Covid-19 financial aid during the Muhyiddin Yassin administration.\nTaking to social media, Mr Zafrul, who was the finance minister at the time, said he has nothing to hide.\n\u201cI will give full cooperation,\u201d he tweeted on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe media asked me about Jana Wibawa. There is nothing I need to hide and I am always ready to provide an explanation if asked to do so,\u201d Mr Zafrul said.\nThis came after Tan Sri Muhyiddin on Saturday pointed out that the Jana Wibawa programme was proposed by the then finance minister to help bumiputera contractors affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.\nAt a press conference on Saturday, the former prime minister said he was called up by the MACC to facilitate investigations as a witness, not a suspect, over the programme.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Muhyiddin, chairman of the Perikatan Nasional coalition, stressed that the MACC\u2019s investigating officer did not question him on the alleged billions said to have been accumulated during his tenure as prime minister.\n\n\u201cI explained to the MACC that only the Finance Ministry had the power to approve and select the companies, whereas the Prime Minister\u2019s Office (PMO) was involved to suggest names of the companies. The power to approve was not with the PMO,\u201d said Mr Muhyiddin.\nLast Wednesday, Rural and Regional Development Minister Zahid Hamidi announced that rural development projects worth RM5.7 billion (S$1.7 billion) under Jana Wibawa had been halted temporarily.\nThis, he said, was only until the procurement and expenditure procedures set by the Treasury are followed.\n\nZahid said the Finance Ministry, headed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, wanted to check if the projects were awarded according to government requirements.\nAside from Mr Muhyiddin, several other senior Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) leaders have also been questioned by the MACC.\nEarlier in February, it was reported that the MACC froze two of Bersatu\u2019s bank accounts to facilitate investigations under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act.\nThe two accounts reportedly contained about RM40 million.\nA MACC source claimed the account freeze was over allegations that Bersatu received contributions of about RM300 million from some 10 contractors who gained various projects when the party was running the government.\nMr Muhyiddin, who was the Bersatu president, denied the charges.\nHe said he would write a letter to the MACC requesting the accounts to be unfrozen, as it was hampering the party\u2019s operations, such as paying staff wages and office rentals. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/i-will-cooperate-i-have-nothing-to-hide-says-malaysia-s-zafrul-on-probe-into-covid-19-aid"}, {"title": "Illegal immigrants pay as little as $300 to risk their lives to enter Johor", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 For as little as RM1,000 (S$301), immigrants wanting to enter Johor illegally can come across the sea from Indonesia on rickety boats.\nThe money is paid to middlemen who make the arrangements to bring the illegals into the country, said Johor police chief Kamarul Zaman Mamat.\nHowever, he said that the middlemen could hike the prices up to RM4,000 to take advantage of desperate illegals.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe price set also depended on the type of boats used, said the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency\u2019s (MMEA) Johor director, First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria.\n\u201cFor RM1,000, they use small boats that are more dangerous. Bigger boats are costlier. Based on information we have received from investigations and arrests, the price could go up to more than RM3,000,\u201d he said.\n\nAsked if there has been an increase in the fees, he said that they have remained constant over the years.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe price has remained the same for years. However, during the festive season, some middlemen may increase their fees due to the high demand,\u201d he said.\n\n\nHe added that the MMEA has launched a special operation that is being carried out between April 1 and 30 to nab those entering or leaving the country illegally.\n\n\u201cSince January this year, we have arrested a total of 22 illegal immigrants at four separate locations,\u201d he said.\n\nDatuk Kamarul said that it is very dangerous to make the illegal sea crossings in the rickety boats.\n\u201cThere had been several devastating tragedies where boats ferrying illegal immigrants capsized, especially around the Kota Tinggi area. We urge immigrants to enter our border legally for their own safety. Getting on such boats could be deadly,\u201d he told The Star.\n\nIn December 2021, a boat carrying 50 illegal immigrants from Indonesia capsized near Tanjung Balau, Kota Tinggi. A total of 21 people were killed, 16 were reported missing and only 13 survivors were found.\nHe added that the authorities, including the police, the Malaysian Armed Forces and the MMEA, were closely monitoring the \u201clorong tikus\u201d (rat lanes) throughout the state, especially around the south-west coast.\n\u201cA majority of these lanes are around the Kota Tinggi and Pengerang areas. There will always be attempts to enter the country illegally, but we have sufficient security forces to stop human trafficking activities,\u201d he said.\n\nHe added that attempts to enter or leave the country are also common during the Hari Raya period.\n\n\u201cWe urge the public to be our eyes and ears and inform the authorities of such smuggling cases,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/illegal-immigrants-pay-as-little-as-300-to-risk-their-lives-to-enter-johor"}, {"title": "\u2018Thai Hot Guy\u2019 event in KL cancelled after police warning", "text": ["\nAfter Thai K-pop singer Lisa and her Blackpink bandmates, a group of Thai hunks are the latest performers to draw flak from local politicians as they prepare to go on stage in Malaysia. \nBut the dancing, cross-dressing hunks employed by Thai restaurant Staneemeehoi for the opening of Privacy Club Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur will not get to perform on March 30 as planned, after the Malaysian police ordered the event cancelled on Wednesday.\nParti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) had earlier denounced the event for promoting \u201ca culture of hedonism, obscenity and free sex\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt is in conflict with local culture and insensitive to the position of Islam as the official religion, let alone it being held in the month of Ramadan,\u201d PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said in a statement.\nPAS also expressed opposition to the club referencing former Malaysia prime minister Tun Abdul Razak in its name, saying it \u201cinsults the good name of the country\u2019s leader\u201d.\nMalaysian police said they received 60 police reports as at 4pm on Wednesday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSuperintendent\u00a0Ashari Abu Samah said the police have issued a stern warning to the club, and its management and the organiser have agreed to cancel the event. \n\nHe added that the police will monitor the premises in case any rules are broken. \nPrivacy Club Tun Razak also apologised over the event on Wednesday. \n\u201cIn response to the issue that went viral on social media over the official opening of Privacy Club Tun Razak, we apologise and would like to inform that the programme, which was supposed to feature \u2018Thai Hot Guy\u2019 on March 30, has been cancelled.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cPrivacy Tun Razak respects religious sensitivities in this country and will not go against any laws,\u201d the management said in a statement.\n", "\nStaneemeehoi is known for serving up beefy waiters as a unique selling point that differentiates it from other seafood eateries in the Thai capital.\nVideos on social media show its well-sculpted employees dressed in women\u2019s lingerie or Sailor Moon outfits cavorting with diners at their tables while music plays at regular intervals on regular nights at the restaurant.\n", "\nThe photogenic waiters have also been spotted in similarly stripped-down attire riding motorcycles as live advertising machinery for the restaurant while delivering meals and posing sultrily for photos with the restaurant\u2019s customers.\n", "\nPAS\u2019 disapproval of the Thai waiters comes after previous resistance against foreign performers.   \nEarlier in March, Dr Mastura Muhammad, an MP for Kepala Batas in Penang, accused the government of double standards for allowing a Blackpink concert despite its \u201cdeviant\u201d nature, with the K-pop group putting on a show in attire that \u201cviolated societal decency\u201d. \nHome Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the Thai Hot Guy event organiser should have been mindful of Muslim sensitivities.\n\u201cIt is best for such events not to be continued because they could create a certain uneasiness. This is because Muslims worldwide will be welcoming Ramadan,\u201d he said. \nDuring the month of Ramadan, which begins on Thursday, Muslims will abstain from food and drink, as well as other temptations such as sex and smoking, during daylight hours. \n\u201cThere must be mutual respect from those living in a multicultural society. They need to be aware of certain sensitivities of the respective communities,\u201d said Datuk Seri Saifuddin.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/immoral-thai-hunk-waiters-at-kl-club-during-ramadan-raise-ire-of-malaysia-politicians"}, {"title": "Imprisoned Malaysia ex-PM Najib hits the books, going for PhD in economics", "text": ["\nCurrently behind bars over 1MDB-related convictions, former Malaysia prime minister Najib Razak is not idling his hours away in Kajang Prison. Instead, he is hitting the books, according to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.\n\u201cNajib is now filling his time by continuing his studies at the post-graduate level,\u201d he told Sin Chew Daily, adding that Najib is pursuing a course from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. \nNajib is registered for a PhD in economics, Malaysiakini reported.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIn Kajang Prison, there are even those who have completed their Masters and PhD. Many people do not know this.\u201d\nNajib, Malaysia\u2019s sixth prime minister, has been serving a 12-year jail term for graft over funds linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund since August 2022. He is the first premier in the country to have been sent to prison after leaving office.\nNajib previously faced scrutiny over his education credentials, prompting Britain\u2019s Nottingham University to confirm that he was an industrial economics graduate in 1974. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe has also received honorary doctorates from Malaysian and foreign universities, including Ohio University, Monash University and Japan\u2019s Meiji University. \n\nMr Saifuddin confirmed that Najib\u2019s media team was keeping his social media accounts active, with his Facebook posts and tweets earning hundreds of thousands of views on a near daily basis. \nNajib remains the most popular Malaysian politician on Twitter with more than 4.1 million followers. In comparison, current premier Anwar Ibrahim is followed by around 1.7 million users on the microblogging platform.\n\u201cHe is physically imprisoned in Kajang but he has his own media team. I am told they have his username and password and they can post his thoughts on social media. \n\u201cBut whether he has access to gadgets, the answer is no. Take it from me, the most authoritative person on this matter,\u201d said the home minister.\nMr Saifuddin added that Najib is free to express his views, noting that Mr Anwar had managed to do so too when he was imprisoned while engaging himself with classic literature.\n\u201cThere are no laws stopping him from giving his views. Like Datuk Seri Anwar previously was also in prison. His method was when he had the chance to be outside to attend court cases, he would make spontaneous statements or he would make notes to be published. \n\u201cIt\u2019s the same. Najib is physically in prison but his mind is still free,\u201d he noted.\nMr Anwar was previously jailed for separate charges of sodomy and corruption, first in 1999, a year after he was sacked as deputy premier. He was officially pardoned by Malaysia\u2019s King in 2018, allowing him to return to politics before his appointment as Prime Minister in 2022.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/imprisoned-malaysia-ex-pm-najib-hits-the-books-with-post-graduate-studies"}, {"title": "Improper disposal of durian skins can cause dengue cases to rise, says Penang official", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN, Penang - With durian season fast approaching and dengue cases on the rise, a worrying connection can be made between the two.\nThe disposal of durian skin may seem simple, but the consequences of any failure to properly do so can be detrimental, said Penang state environment and welfare committee chairman Phee Boon Poh.\nHe said with the durian season starting by mid-May, there will be gorging galore, with roadside stalls selling the King of Fruits.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe problem arises when the skin is not properly disposed, as it can become a mosquito breeding ground due to its concave surface,\u201d he said.\n\u201cIt can collect water when there is rain and mosquitoes breed in clear stagnant water. This can lead to a higher number of dengue cases.\u201d\nMr Phee said he had proposed to the Penang Island City Council and Seberang Prai City Council that before issuing temporary licences to stall operators, they impose a condition that the skin must be disposed of properly.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe also proposed that the state agriculture department set up a shredding facility in durian orchards.\n\n\u201cIt is up to them whether they (the department) want to install it or the orchard owner does so. The bottom line is, the skin must be shredded.\n\n\u201cRoadside traders can collect the skin and place it in a basket which can then be collected and sent to the orchards.\n\n\u201cAs they will be receiving their durian supplies from the orchards, it is just a matter of exchanging goods. They can work together as a team.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere is use for the shredded skin as it can be converted into compost. This will make it a circular process where everything is used,\u201d he added.\n\nMr Phee said while this might seem like a small issue, there would be rain due to the inter-monsoon season.\n\u201cThere will be a big impact as we have seen the number of dengue cases on the rise.\n\n", "\n\u201cEven if durian skin is disposed of and sent to Pulau Burung landfill, dengue cases can spread from there. The best way is to not waste good resources and shred it. There are plenty of shredding machines in the market,\u201d he said.\nMr Phee acknowledged that this is not a new idea.\n\u201cMany years ago, it used to be done here, but when they (local councils) stopped enforcement, it stopped as well.\n\n\u201cIt used to be collected by the local councils years ago. I will ask the local councils to consider enforcing this again,\u201d he said.\nThe number of dengue fever cases reported from April 9 to 15 increased by 2.6 per cent to 2,399. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/improper-disposal-of-durian-skins-can-cause-dengue-cases-to-rise-says-penang-official"}, {"title": "In claiming innocence, Muhyiddin set for \u2018Bossku\u2019 role as lightning rod for anti-govt dissent", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Shortly after Najib Razak\u2019s fall from grace in 2018 as Umno \u2013 weighed down by the shadow of the 1MDB scandal \u2013 lost power for the first time in Malaysia\u2019s six-decade history, the graft-tainted former premier of aristocratic breeding had a complete makeover.      He was reincarnated as a motorcycle-riding, hoodie-wearing man of the people answering to \u201cBossku\u201d (\u201cmy boss\u201d in Malay and equivalent to \u201cbro\u201d in English). Najib became a driving force in a floundering Umno, helping it turn the corner in just half a year as the long-ruling party made gains in by-elections and eventually found its way back into government.    "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/in-claiming-innocence-muhyiddin-set-for-bossku-role-as-lightning-rod-for-anti-govt-dissent"}, {"title": "In Malaysia, migrants say they are in limbo after promised jobs fall through", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Stranded without work for months, hundreds of South Asian migrants in Malaysia say they are losing hope after failing to find jobs promised to them by recruitment agents in exchange for thousands of dollars in fees.\nAt a students\u2019 dormitory about 40km from the capital, Kuala Lumpur, about 500 migrants \u2013 mostly young men from Nepal and Bangladesh who had arrived in Malaysia since December \u2013 spend their days in crowded rooms or at an open-air cafeteria. \nThey say they arrived in the country on a three-month work visa that was meant to be upgraded to a work permit, but never was. \n\n\n\n\n\nBecause their legal status is unclear, they are afraid to leave the premises, the workers told Reuters at the facility where they are staying.\nMany say recruitment agents took their passports and continue to promise them jobs.\n\u201cWe are all depressed and helpless. We already paid a huge amount for the job. How can I pay that back if I do not have a job?\u201d a Nepali migrant at the dormitory told Reuters.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 23-year-old, who declined to be identified for fear of backlash from recruitment agents, signed a two-year contract with a Malaysian cleaning company but has not started work. \n\nHe said he, like others there, had borrowed 300,000 Nepali rupees (S$3,000) to pay an agent for the job. He was promised a monthly salary of RM2,062 (S$610) per month. \nThe workers at the facility all tell similar stories: upon arriving in Malaysia, recruiting agencies told them no jobs were immediately available and took them to accommodation facilities to wait. \nThey were then told they would eventually be employed; in the meantime, they must pay for their own food without a salary.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt is unclear how the workers ended up without jobs, despite arriving in Malaysia with employment contracts and promises that their temporary work visas would become permanent on arrival. \nMalaysia in April launched an investigation.\nPuncak Jupiter Management Services and Star Domain Resources, listed as employers on some of the workers\u2019 travel documents, did not respond to requests for comment.\n", "\nAmial International, one of the recruitment agencies the workers used, did not respond to requests for comment.\nMalaysia\u2019s Human Resources Ministry and the Labour Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. \nThe ministry has promised to find jobs for a separate group of 226 stranded workers from Bangladesh and Nepal.\nMigrants form the backbone of Malaysia\u2019s export-reliant economy, making up about 15 per cent of the country\u2019s 15 million workforce. \nMalaysian companies have faced US bans in recent years over use of forced labour.\nRights activists say migrant workers have been at greater risk after Malaysia eased recruitment processes in 2023 in a bid to fill a 1.2 million job shortage across its plantation, manufacturing and construction industries.\n\u201cIt\u2019s a bigger problem now,\u201d said Mr Adrian Pereira, the executive director of migrant rights\u2019 group North South Initiative, adding that his team had received reports of about 1,200 other workers across Malaysia caught in a similar plight.\nThe Bangladesh embassy in Kuala Lumpur in April called for more transparency by Malaysia to prevent its citizens from being cheated of jobs.\nA Bangladeshi official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, told Reuters a \u201cfew hundred\u201d of its citizens were stuck in Malaysia without jobs.\nThe Nepal embassy has also said it received such complaints.\nAt the facility visited by Reuters, the migrants lived four to six in small rooms with bunk beds and one shared bathroom.\nTwo workers \u2013 Nepali citizens aged 43 and 46 \u2013 died by suicide between February and April at the facility, the Nepalese embassy in Kuala Lumpur said, citing reports from the Malaysian police and hospitals. Reuters could not determine why the two men killed themselves.\nWithout income, the migrants find it difficult to buy food and pay back loans back home.\n\u201cWe still don\u2019t know whether we will get a job or not. The agent keeps asking us to wait\u2026 it\u2019s been three months,\u201d said one Bangladeshi worker. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/in-malaysia-migrants-say-they-are-in-limbo-after-promised-jobs-fall-through"}, {"title": "In southern Johor\u2019s east coast, a new economic region emerges from isolation", "text": ["KOTA TINGGI - For decades, the economic development of Malaysia\u2019s southern Johor state has been focused on the state\u2019s south-western coast, which is also home to its capital Johor Bahru and its surrounding areas.However, a relatively sleepy cluster of small towns on the lesser known south-eastern coast of the state is now showing signs of organically forming an economic region, spurred by a large oil and gas project in Pengerang and a rejuvenated tourism hub in Desaru. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/in-southern-johor-s-east-coast-a-new-economic-region-emerges-from-isolation"}, {"title": "Inaccessible roads hampering flood relief efforts in Malaysia", "text": ["\nPAGOH, Johor - The Malaysian authorities have been facing difficulties in extending aid to victims affected by floods due to lack of road access. \nMinister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Armizan Mohd Ali said strong water currents at flooded roads made it difficult for the Welfare Department to send officers to the affected areas.\n\u201cHowever, we have received assistance from the Fire and Rescue Department, the Civil Defence Force and the Malaysian Armed Forces to overcome this,\u201d he said on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\nSix states were affected by the floods, namely Johor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Sarawak and Selangor.\nDatuk Armizan said Johor is facing one of the worst floods in 17 years. \n\u201cThe high number of victims has also caused a lack of supply for certain items such as blankets and pillows at several flood relief centres.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe Welfare Department has made arrangements to increase the supply of the items with assistance from non-governmental organisations as well as state and district disaster management committees,\u201d he said.\n\nAt 4pm on Saturday, nearly 41,000 people were sheltering in hundreds of relief centres all over the country, with 238 shelters located in Johor state alone. Some 39,000 of the victims were from Johor.\nAlmost all the major cities and towns in Johor were affected by rising waters \u2013 from Muar and Batu Pahat in the north-west to Mersing and Kota Tinggi in the east.\n", "\nJohor health and unity committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said several government health clinics in Segamat, Batu Pahat, Tangkak and Kota Tinggi were not accessible following the floods.\n\u201cA total of 24 medical facilities have been affected by the floods where 11 are in Segamat, 10 in Batu Pahat, two in Tangkak and one in Kota Tinggi.\n\u201cAffected patients will be sent to other health clinics nearby that are accessible or they can seek treatment at temporary relief centres where we have deployed medical officers,\u201d he said.\n\nMore than 1,000 medical staff, including doctors and nurses, have also been deployed to all temporary relief centres statewide. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/inaccessible-roads-hampering-flood-relief-efforts-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Indonesia dangles lucrative Jakarta leases to entice investment in new capital Nusantara", "text": ["\nJAKARTA - Indonesia is dangling long-term lease concessions in the prime central district in Jakarta \u2013 where ministries and government agencies are located \u2013 to private investors as a sweetener if they participate in developing Nusantara city, the future administrative capital of Indonesia. \nA recent Jakarta governor regulation has revoked a 2014 law banning the private sector from using government buildings and land in such lucrative zones, according to two people who know of the plan to issue the concessions. \nPresident Joko Widodo has been struggling to court the private sector, including foreign investors, to participate in the 466 trillion rupiah (S$40 billion) administrative capital project, of which only 20 per cent will be funded by the government. The capital will be located in East Kalimantan\u2019s Penajam Paser Utara, about 2,000km from Jakarta. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe lease concession has been hailed by Indonesian property developers. \nMr Paulus Totok Lusida, Real Estate Indonesia chairman, said the concession offer will attract investors as the central district areas are very strategic, adjacent to the presidential palace, with nice views and greenery. \n\u201cJakarta will remain crowded and\u00a0good for business. Everywhere else when a country moved its administrative capital, the\u00a0original\u00a0capital city\u00a0got even more crowded because it became a purely trade and metropolitan city. Look at Kuala Lumpur, which today has more crowds and jams,\u201d Mr Totok told The Straits Times.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut he noted that there has been an oversupply of Jakarta\u2019s office space for several years, and the coronavirus pandemic \u2013 which saw many employees working from home \u2013 has further dented demand. He forecast the oversupply will last for at least two years.\n\nMr Totok said the concession offered will be on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangement, where investors may develop or renovate existing buildings and operate them for 20 to 30 years before returning them back to the government if no extension is requested. \nForeign investors are allowed to engage in the BOT agreement as long as they have a locally incorporated company, he added. \nWhen contacted by ST, Ms Merry Morfosa, head of the Jakarta administration department in charge of spatial planning, declined to give details on possible concession terms, saying that they were for the national government to decide.\nBut she stressed: \u201cThere is no regulation now that would block transferring of state land for private use.\u201d \nIn early 2022, the government said that the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were interested in investing in Nusantara, although no contract was signed. \nAlso, Tokyo-based SoftBank had pledged interest but later backed out. The government said it could not meet the bank\u2019s terms. \nOn Monday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his government will take a positive approach and seek ways so that the development in Nusantara would also benefit his country, especially Sabah and Sarawak which are nearer to the proposed Indonesian capital.\nEleven letters of interest by Malaysian companies operating in sectors that include electronics, health, sewage treatment, construction and property have been signed.\nMr Widodo, who has 1\u00bd years left to his second term as president, announced the plan to build a new administrative capital in the middle of a vast Kalimantan rainforest following the 2019 presidential polls, after his then rival Prabowo Subianto unilaterally claimed victory. \nObservers noted that announcing a long-term plan like building a new capital was an elegant way for an incumbent president  to assert victory as it conveyed a message that he would still be around to carry out such a long-term plan. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-dangles-lucrative-jakarta-leases-to-entice-investment-in-new-capital-nusantara"}, {"title": "Indonesia food regulator says Indomie noodles safe despite Taiwan, Malaysia recall", "text": ["\nJAKARTA \u2013 Indonesia\u2019s food regulator on Thursday said a popular product from one of the world\u2019s biggest instant noodle brands was safe for consumption in the country, despite its recall in Taiwan and Malaysia over concerns about a possible carcinogenic ingredient.\nTaiwan on Monday recalled \u201cspecial chicken\u201d flavoured Indomie, a popular Indonesian instant noodle variety produced by Indofood CBP, saying it had found traces of the carcinogenic ethylene oxide, which can elevate cancer risks.\nMalaysia on Wednesday ordered checks on the same noodle product at all entry points and asked Indofood to recall it. \n\n\n\n\n\nBut Indonesia\u2019s food and drugs agency (BPOM) said the product available in Indonesia was safe for consumption as it met its safety standards. It urged Indofood CBP to ensure its products did not contain high levels of ethylene oxide.\nEarlier, Indonesia\u2019s consumer watchdog and a senior lawmaker on the parliamentary health committee urged BPOM to examine the product.\nIndofood CBP, a packaged food producing unit of Indofood Sukses Makmur, has more than 20 production facilities globally and its noodles are available in more than 100 countries.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOverseas sales of Indofood CBP products in 2022, which also include dairy items and snacks, contributed to 29 per cent of its total sales of 64.8 trillion rupiah (S$5.9 billion), the company said.\n\nIndofood CBP declined to comment on Thursday, while its parent did not respond to requests for comment. Indofood was earlier quoted by local media as saying the product abided by regulator standards, both locally and in importing countries.\nMr Budi Santoso, an Indonesian trade ministry official, told reporters that Indomie in Indonesia was safe and that Taiwan\u2019s regulations \u201care very sensitive, different with us\u201d.\nEthylene oxide is a toxic, colourless and odourless gas mainly used to sterilise medical equipment and spices.\nMr Alendra Sakitama Ramadhan, 19, a resident of the capital Jakarta, described news of the recalls as \u201cterrifying\u201d.\n\u201cI hope the reports aren\u2019t true. Because many Indonesians are Indomie lovers,\u201d he said. REUTERS \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-food-regulator-pressed-to-probe-instant-noodles-after-taiwan-malaysia-recall"}, {"title": "Indonesia and Malaysia freeze trade talks with EU over palm oil, says media report", "text": ["\nLONDON \u2013 Indonesia and Malaysia will delay trade talks with the European Union while they seek fairer treatment for small palm oil producers, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Wednesday.\nMalaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said the EU\u2019s recently adopted law banning the import of products that come from land cleared of forests was \u201cpunitive and unfair treatment towards us and to smallholders in particular\u201d, the report added. \nIndonesia\u2019s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the policy favoured \u201clarge corporations or multinationals\u201d which could afford the level of bureaucracy that the regulation will demand, FT reported. \n\n\n\n\n\nIndonesia and Malaysia sent top officials to the EU in May to voice concern over the deforestation law, which they believe could be detrimental to small farming businesses.\nThe two countries are the world\u2019s biggest palm oil producers and account for about 85 per cent of global palm oil exports.\nThe EU is their third-largest market.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe EU\u2019s landmark deforestation law would also ban imports into the bloc of coffee, beef, soya and other commodities unless companies could provide \u201cverifiable\u201d information that the products were not grown on land that was deforested after 2020. \n\nDatuk Seri Fadillah and Indonesia\u2019s Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-malaysia-freeze-trade-talks-with-eu-over-palm-oil-reports-ft"}, {"title": "Indonesia urges importers to back sustainable palm oil, not boycotts", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Indonesia, the world\u2019s largest palm oil exporter, on Wednesday urged importing countries to recognise and pay the premium for sustainably produced palm oil rather than boycotting the widely used oil, whose production critics say has been linked to deforestation.\nThe European Union in April approved a deforestation law to block imports of palm oil, beef, soya and other commodities if they are linked to recent destruction of the world\u2019s forests.\nIndonesia\u2019s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said consumer countries were tightening entry requirements for palm oil.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhile trying to improve the environmental practices, we seek the cooperation of all the stakeholders to pay a premium for products that adopt sustainability practices,\u201d Mr Airlangga said at a ministerial meeting of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC).\nBoycotting palm oil will not provide a long-term solution for the environment, he added.\nPalm oil producers have in recent years said consumer goods companies do not buy enough sustainability-certified palm oil, undermining efforts to reward those who adopt greener practices and reduce deforestation.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIndonesia and Malaysia, the founding members of CPOPC, will send envoys to the EU at the end of May to discuss the impact of the bloc\u2019s deforestation law on their palm oil sectors.\n\nThe envoy will aim to seek clarity on the traceability requirements of the EU regulation and urge the bloc to recognise palm oil sustainability certifications, Malaysia\u2019s Commodities Minister Fadillah Yusof said.\nMalaysia is committed to progressively raising the proportion of palm oil in biodiesel, said Mr Fadillah, who is also the deputy prime minister.\nThe world\u2019s largest palm oil producers, Indonesia and Malaysia, use the edible oil as blending for biodiesel, with Indonesia in February raising its mandate to a 35 per cent palm oil mix and Malaysia maintaining its mandate at a 20 per cent mix.\n\u201cMalaysia continues its commitment to the implementation of the biodiesel programme, progressively incorporating increased biodiesel blending ratios,\u201d Mr Fadillah added.\nThe CPOPC also welcomed Honduras as its third full member into the organisation.\nHonduras is the third-largest producer and exporter in Latin America, and eighth-largest globally, said Honduran Agriculture Minister Laura Suazo. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-urges-importers-to-back-sustainable-palm-oil-not-boycotts"}, {"title": "Indonesian, Malaysian Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr as Covid-19 fears recede", "text": ["\nJAKARTA \u2013 Muslims in Indonesia and Malaysia gathered in large groups to usher in the Eid al-Fitr festival on Saturday, relieved to be able to celebrate freely after the lifting of most Covid-19 restrictions.\nIn Indonesia, the world\u2019s most populous Muslim-majority country, hundreds of worshippers turned up for morning prayers at the historic port of Sunda Kelapa in north Jakarta to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.\n\u201cI\u2019m very happy that we\u2019re free (of Covid-19 curbs) now,\u201d said Ms Laila, 35, who goes by one name, like many Indonesians.\n\n\n\n\n\nAnother worshipper, Mr Adit Chandra, 30, said: \u201cI hope it gets better from here on, and that we can gather together with our families after the last three years of not being able to go back to our home town.\u201d\nMore than 120 million Indonesians \u2014 nearly half the country\u2019s population \u2014 plan to travel from major urban centres to their home towns for Eid al-Fitr. That is about 44 per cent more than the number of people who made the exodus last year, the government said.\nIn neighbouring Muslim-majority Malaysia, devotees also celebrated with families.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe can visit the extended family, and do so without suspicious feelings... During the pandemic we were cautious,\u201d said Mr Khairul Soryati, a 39-year-old resident of Kuala Lumpur.\n\nMr Muhd Nur Afham, 31, who works in Singapore, said he could finally celebrate with the family in Malaysia this year after not being able to travel during the pandemic.\n\u201cI\u2019m grateful I can meet with my family... Last time, we only met through video call,\u201d he said.\nThe authorities in both countries have, however, urged the public to remain cautious amid reports of rising Covid-19 cases. REUTERS \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesian-malaysian-muslims-celebrate-eid-al-fitr-as-covid-19-fears-recede"}, {"title": "Influencer\u2019s $264k bid for \u2018FF9\u2019 plate in Malaysia raises eyebrows", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - The frenzied bidding for the special \u201cFF\u201d number plate series has cast a spotlight on entrepreneur Ivon Wong.\nHer eye-watering bid of RM909,999 (S$267,000) for the coveted FF9 plate caught the attention of curious netizens.\n\u201cSo this beautiful lady bought number plate FF9 for RM909,999??\u201d someone posted. \n\n\n\n\n\nMs Wong, 35, however, explained that she did not end up getting the number plate as she was outbid by RM2,000 after someone else pitched in RM911,999.\n\u201cPeople have been asking me why I made the bid for the number plate,\u201d she said.\nThe FF9 number plate, she said, was significant to her as a way to remember her beloved pet Fei Fei, which died three years ago.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt represents cherished memories and the bond that I shared with my dog Fei Fei,\u201d she said yesterday.\n\nFurthermore, she said she had two cars \u2013 a McLaren 720S and a Mercedes \u2013 with \u201c9\u201d on the number plate as well.\nMs Wong, who is in the retail and beauty line, said Fei Fei had been a faithful companion to her.\n\u201cWhen I came home from work or when I was going through difficult times, Fei Fei was always there to greet me,\u201d she said.\nThough she did not manage to get the FF9 number plate, Ms Wong said she was not sad about it.\nShe said she would continue to use her platform to raise awareness on mental health, something she felt strongly about.\n\u201cI came from a single parent home, a close-knit family that faced financial struggles. This early experience instilled in me the value of perseverance, hard work and resourcefulness.\u201d\n", "\nHer company recently embarked on a corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme called \u201cPeace of Mind\u201d aimed at supporting mental health awareness and relaxation techniques.\nThe special \u201cFF\u201d number plate series was launched to mark the 77th anniversary of the Road Transport Department. The online bidding ended on May 19.\nTransport Minister Anthony Loke said on Monday that the special \u201cFF\u201d number plate series had raked in a record revenue of RM34,296,327. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/influencer-s-264k-bid-for-ff9-plate-in-malaysia-raises-eyebrows"}, {"title": "International successes set to boost creativity of Malaysia\u2019s film industry", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s recent successes on the international film stage are set to give its movie industry a boost, as local talent find ways to express their creativity and overcome censorship without needing to venture abroad. \nIn March, the country had its first Oscar winner in Malaysian star Michelle Yeoh, who won the Best Actress award for her performance in the indie sci-fi flick Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022), which also marked the first time an Asian snagged the award. \nIn May, film-maker Amanda Nell Eu became the first Malaysian to win an award \u2013 the Grand Jury Prize \u2013 at the Cannes International Critics Week with her debut feature film, Tiger Stripes. It was also shown at the Sydney Film Festival, being held from June 7 to 18. \n\n\n\n\n\nAnother Malaysian, Adele Lim, was one of the co-writers of Disney\u2019s animated feature Raya And The Last Dragon, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2022 for best animated film. \nYet the local film industry generally does not have the international acclaim of the movies of its Asian neighbours such as Thailand and South Korea.\nYeoh\u2019s success could be attributed to her having started her career in the movie industry in Hong Kong in the 1980s before moving to Hollywood. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut other talent, such as Eu, are now being recognised without their having to step outside the country.\n\nThe 37-year-old film-maker\u2019s debut offering, which was made in Malaysia, is a unique \u201cbody horror\u201d film, about a girl who enters puberty and starts experiencing horrifying physical changes, morphing into a tiger-like creature. \nEu told The Straits Times that she drew inspiration from her own body and experiences.\n\u201cI like to use my body as a tool of storytelling.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOne of the most violent changes going through your body is puberty. It\u2019s a drastic change for everyone. \n\u201cSo I wanted to explore that sensation and, of course, you know, puberty is sometimes like a body horror because, especially if you don\u2019t know what\u2019s happening to you, it can be incredibly terrifying,\u201d she said.\nThe movie\u2019s release in Malaysia is being discussed. \nWhen asked if she felt that Malaysians in the local film industry can succeed only if they venture overseas, Eu said: \u201cAt the end of the day, Tiger Stripes is a Malaysian film, I live in Malaysia.\u201d \n", "\nWhat helped her was working with international partners, having been awarded public grants from eight countries and territories \u2013 Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Qatar \u2013 she said. She has also submitted the film for many other international competitions.\n", "\nLocal sensitivities may also be a factor in deciding whether or not a movie gets a release in Malaysia and finds commercial success. \nMalaysian movies need to be vetted by the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia in order to be released, and while the country is multiracial and multi-religious, the country\u2019s majority Malays are Muslim.\nOne of the many movies banned here include Hollywood director Steven Spielberg\u2019s 1993 holocaust movie, Schindler\u2019s List, after he refused to allow a heavily censored version of the movie to be shown.\nReports then said that Malaysia wanted to cut chunks of the movie due to claims of Jewish propaganda.\nAnother Hollywood movie, Brokeback Mountain (2005), was barred as it depicted homosexuality.\nDespite the censorship and other challenges, such as funding and a smaller market, insiders say the Malaysian film industry is changing as film-makers and producers seek new avenues for their artistic vision and freedom.\u00a0\nLast year, local company Kuman Pictures raised RM335,981 (S$97,400) via crowdfunding platform Indiegogo to produce Pendatang (Immigrant), a dystopian thriller set in a racially segregated country, expected to be released later in 2023. \nIts founder, Amir Muhammad, whose films The Last Communist (2006) and its sequel, Apa Khabar Orang Kampung (2007), were banned in Malaysia, said that with the world becoming increasingly borderless, people do not need to venture abroad in order to make a name for themselves.\n\u201cThe main restrictions come from our own individual lack of talent, drive and chutzpah,\u201d Amir, director of the films, told ST.\n\u201cIf a film runs afoul of the censors, you can opt to sell (it) to streaming platforms. We plan to release Pendatang for free online because it was totally crowdfunded. We want to bypass all official as well as commercial considerations.\u201d\n", "\nReferring to Eu\u2019s success, he said: \u201cThe fact that a first-time Malaysian female film-maker could win the top award in its category in Cannes without needing to move overseas is a sign that there are opportunities for those with talent and dedication.\u201d\u00a0\nHe said that the success of local film Mat Kilau: The Rise Of A Warrior, which was inspired by historical events involving Malay patriots who fought British colonialists, proves that there is a robust domestic market for local work. \nIt earned RM97 million at the box office in 2022, becoming the highest-grossing Malaysian film of all time, after screening in cinemas across Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei for 50 days.\nThe local movie industry grossed RM187.7 million at the box office in 2022.   \nMr Michael Simon is managing director of Homegrown Productions and has produced some of Malaysia\u2019s highest-rated entertainment programmes, including reality show Raja Lawak, which searches for comedic talent.    \nHe said: \u201cAlthough we have very strict rules and regulations by the censorship board which seem to hamper the creative freedom of directors, which could seem to be restrictive... if anything, it should make you more creative. It\u2019s how to tell your story and work around these restrictions.\u201d  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/international-successes-set-to-boost-creativity-of-malaysia-s-film-industry"}, {"title": "\u2018It\u2019s not disrespectful\u2019: Malaysian man urges non-Muslims to eat, drink freely during Ramadan", "text": ["\nYou can eat and drink in front of me \u2013 that is what a Malaysian man hopes all non-Muslims will understand, as the country welcomed the month of Ramadan on Thursday.\nMr Shukri Saleh, who goes by the handle @ShukClimbWalls on Twitter, reassured non-Muslims around him that they can eat or drink, without either act being disrespectful. He also said there is nothing wrong with doing so.\nDuring Ramadan, Muslims around the world are supposed to refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset. They also are not allowed to engage in sexual activities, use obscene language or smoke during that period of the day.\n\n\n\n\n\nThey are exempted from fasting if they are unwell.\nMr Shukri added in subsequent tweets that he has non-Muslim friends who used to hide from him to consume food or drinks. He said: \u201cYou don\u2019t need permission from us (Muslims) to eat and drink.\u201d\n", "\nHis tweets regarding Ramadan came a day before Malaysia\u2019s Education Minister said that school canteens need not close during Ramadan.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpeaking at an event, Ms Fadhlina Sidek said it would be unfair for non-Muslim students to fast, just because their Muslim classmates are fasting, said news outlet Astro Awani in a report.\n\nShe also said non-fasting students should be given a proper space to eat and drink, and have the support and respect of their school while doing so.\n\u201cIn the Malaysia Madani concept, we should be inclusive when it comes to respecting the Ramadan month so we need to let children know that Ramadan is a month of worship,\u201d she said, referring to the \u201cCivil Malaysia\u201d slogan introduced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.\n\u201cAt the same time, the process to understand other students should also begin, but it doesn\u2019t mean they should be marginalised and leave no room for the children to eat,\u201d Ms Fadhlina added.\n\u201cI don\u2019t want a situation where students eat in the storeroom or by the drain.\u201d\nIn previous years, some Malaysian schools have been known to ostracise the non-Muslim community during Ramadan.\nIn 2010, the headmistress of a school in Kedah told Chinese students that they were being \u201cinsensitive\u201d after they were found eating in the school compound.\nIn another incident in 2013, non-Muslim students at a Selangor primary school were made to eat in the shower room, which also doubled as a toilet.\nMr Shukri, whose tweets were laced with humour, said he wanted to spread the word and meaning of Ramadan, instead of the non-Muslim community being stuck with the notion that they were being insensitive.\n\u201cUnless you\u2019re eating Kenny Hills Bakers\u2019 peach strudel in front of my face, then it\u2019s an issue for me,\u201d he said.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/it-s-not-disrespectful-malaysian-man-urges-non-muslims-to-eat-drink-freely-during-ramadan"}, {"title": "It\u2019s \u2018raining prawns\u2019 in Penang but fishermen in Selangor report normal catches", "text": ["\nPENANG \u2013 For those raising eyebrows over the prices of various meats, here is some good news.\nCatches by fishermen in Penang are pouring in, sometimes so much that even storing them has become a challenge. Large shrimps are especially plentiful, followed by silver pomfret.\n\u201cDuring low seasons, we would receive only between 50kg and 60kg of prawns from fishermen each day,\u201d said a fishmonger who wanted to be known only as Siang at Penang\u2019s Cecil Street Market.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSince end-January, we have received much more, averaging between 100kg and 200kg and up to 500kg daily,\u201d he added.\nMr Siang said fishmongers are committed to buy everything caught by the inshore fishermen, which has led to another challenge of storing them.\n\u201cDue to tremendous supply, we reduced the price of large prawns from RM60 (S$18) per kg to as low as RM53 per kg so that people will buy more,\u201d he noted.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOur freezer storage is quickly filling up. We had not seen such good harvests from the sea in the past 10 years. \n\n\u201cHopefully, the stock would help us survive through bad seasons when harvests are low.\u201d\nInshore fishermen in the south of Penang island confirm that catches have been good, particularly for large prawns and also \u201ceveryday fish\u201d like cencaru (torpedo scad, popularly stuffed with sambal belacan and fried).\nBalik Pulau fisherman Pak Wan said he had not seen prawns in his nets for over a year but they started returning about two weeks ago.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFishermen in Balik Pulau waters had not caught prawns for over a year and had to travel up to 18km to Teluk Kumbar to catch them,\u201d he added.\n\u201cSince about two weeks ago, we started seeing their return and now a boat of three fishermen who spend between four and five hours at sea can return with at least 20kg of prawns.\n\u201cThis is good news for us as we missed out on the catches during the Chinese New Year season.\u201d\n", "\nA fisherman in Sungai Batu, who wanted to be known only as Ahmad, said the season this year is better than that in previous years.\n\u201cI got roughly 25 per cent more catches this season, from January to March.\n\u201cNot just me, many other fishermen here are also rejoicing over the rise in catches,\u201d he added.\nPenang Fisheries Department director Yazeereen A. Bakar said the increase in fishes and prawns is typically seasonal each year.\n\u201cUsually, the season in which they lay eggs will be around September and the new spawn reaches mature size between March and June,\u201d she noted.\n\u201cFishermen associations have given feedback that they can now breathe a sigh of relief and help to recover losses from poor seasons in the past.\n\u201cAs there is more to catch, some fishermen are going out to sea more often... Any surplus would be stored in freezers to help keep supplies stable during shortages.\u201d\nMs Yazeereen, however, said this year\u2019s yield from the sea remains unpredictable as Penang\u2019s haul saw a dip in 2021 compared with previous years.\n\u201cIn 2020, about 58,000 tonnes of fish landed but the amount dropped to only 38,000 tonnes in 2021.\n\u201cWe landed up to 70,000 tonnes a year in the past before rapid development around our sea started,\u201d she added.\nThe seas, however, have not been as bountiful for another state \u2013 Selangor.\nSelangor Fisheries director Noraisyah Abu Bakar said catch reports from inshore fishermen in Sekinchan and Kuala Selangor have been normal, and some observed that catches have been a little low.\n\u201cWe confirm that in January, Selangor fishermen enjoyed super-abundant catches of kembong (Indian mackerel). But that season has passed.\n\u201cNatural seafood resources move up and down the Strait of Malacca with the seasons. It is never the same between states,\u201d she noted. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/it-s-raining-prawns-in-penang-prices-to-fall"}, {"title": "Japanese boost for Malaysian durians a boon for Singapore fans", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - The days of durian lovers\u2019 wallets being at the mercy of the weather gods could soon be over. One of Malaysia\u2019s largest planters is partnering a top Japanese agritech firm to not only expand its acreage, but also boost yields, quality and efficiency. PLS Plantations will have a 51 per cent stake in the RM429 million (S$129 million) joint venture with MYFARM Inc, backed by the likes of SB Technology (formerly Softbank Technology), DCM Holdings and Tsumura & Co. MYFARM\u2019s RM210 million investment is the largest by a Japanese firm in durians to date."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/japanese-boost-for-malaysian-durians-a-boon-for-singapore-fans"}, {"title": "Jealous lover fails to kill himself after murdering girlfriend in Malaysia", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - A foreign man tried to take his own life by lying on a railway track in Malaysia after murdering his lover. \nThe man, however, laid on the wrong track and could only watch as the train passed by him.\nHe was caught by auxiliary police.\n\n\n\n\n\nPetaling Jaya police chief Mohamad Fakhrudin Abdul Hamid said the police were alerted of the incident around 4.50pm on June 3 after the man was caught at an Express Rail Link station near Salak Selatan, a town on the southern tip of Kuala Lumpur.\n\u201cThe suspect was then handed over to Cheras police. It was during interrogation that he confessed to have killed his lover at a condominium,\u201d he told reporters on Friday.\nHe said the suspect then led the police to the condominium unit in the suburb of Kelana Jaya, Selangor, where the police found six men and one woman.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIn a room, police found his girlfriend, also a foreigner, laying motionless and covered in blood. We also recovered a knife near the scene.   \n\n\u201cBased on our investigations, the suspect and the victim had entered Malaysia on visitor\u2019s passes three months ago,\u201d he said, adding that investigations revealed that the woman was married and had a child back in her homeland.   \nHe said the suspect was believed to have stabbed the woman at least 18 times and slit her throat.\n\n\u201cFurther investigations revealed that the motive was jealousy. The suspect believed that his lover was cheating on him and attacked her,\u201d he said, adding that the police have remanded seven men and one woman to assist in the investigation. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/jealous-lover-fails-to-kill-himself-after-murdering-girlfriend-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link on track to be operational by end-2026", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is on track to be completed by end-2026, as the foreign ministers of Singapore and Malaysia noted the good progress in the project.\nDr Vivian Balakrishnan and his Malaysian counterpart Zambry Abdul Kadir took stock of their countries\u2019 bilateral relationship on Monday during Dr Balakrishnan\u2019s visit, said Singapore\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).\n\u201cThey noted the good progress on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link project and looked forward to the commencement of passenger services by end-2026,\u201d  it added. \n\n\n\n\n\nWhen the 4km rail shuttle service is operational, passengers will be able to travel from Woodlands to Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru, or in the other direction, in five minutes. It can serve up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.\nSingapore\u2019s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on Monday said more than a million travellers passed through the land checkpoints during the year-end holiday season in 2022, with about 361,000 crossing daily.\nIn December 2022, Malaysia\u2019s Mass Rapid Transit Corp CEO Mohd Zarif Hashim disclosed that the RTS project was not affected by the recent change in government, and that it was more than 20 per cent completed. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe RTS project received its approval from Malaysia back in 2019. We have made good progress so far and it will continue,\u201d he told reporters during a seminar on RTS and its impact on the Johor property market. \n\nOn Monday, both foreign ministers also discussed expanding bilateral collaboration, especially in new areas such as the digital and green economies, according to MFA.  \nReaffirming the bilateral ties, Dr Balakrishnan invited Datuk Seri Zambry to make an official visit to Singapore. \nDr Balakrishnan was also granted an audience with Malaysia\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, at Istana Negara on Monday afternoon.\n\u201cDuring the audience, His Majesty and Minister Balakrishnan reaffirmed the excellent ties between Singapore and Malaysia, and our commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation,\u201d said MFA. \n", "\nDr Balakrishnan is on a four-day visit to Malaysia till Wednesday.\nMFA said on Sunday that the visit \u201cunderscores the longstanding friendship and close ties between Singapore and Malaysia, and aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation with the new Malaysian government\u201d. \nDr Balakrishnan will meet Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during his visit. He will also call on Malaysia\u2019s  Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli, Defence Minister Mohamad Hasan, and Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. \nThe Singapore minister, who is accompanied by MFA officials, will also be meeting other Malaysian politicians and personalities, the MFA statement said on Sunday. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-bahru-singapore-rapid-transit-system-link-on-track-to-be-operational-by-end-2026"}, {"title": "Johor chief says priorities are JB-S\u2019pore RTS Link, easing Causeway congestion", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is a priority for both sides of the Causeway, Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi said on Tuesday as he wrapped up his three-day working visit to the Republic. \n\u201c(The RTS) is important not just for business logistics, but also to improve the relationship between Malaysia and Singapore,\u201d he said on Facebook after meeting Singapore\u2019s Transport Minister S. Iswaran. \nDatuk Onn Hafiz added that he welcomed Mr Iswaran\u2019s suggestion to set short- and medium-term targets to ensure that the progress of the project remains on track.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe RTS link is slated for completion by end-2026. When the 4km rail shuttle service is operational, passengers will be able to travel from Woodlands to Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru, or in the other direction, in five minutes. \nIt can carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, and will be connected to Woodlands North MRT station.\nMr Onn Hafiz also said the state government is looking into adding more lanes for motorcyclists at the Johor Bahru checkpoint to facilitate speedier clearances and travel times across the Causeway, which is used by more than 300,000 people daily. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo ease congestion on the Second Link, the Johor chief also proposed a new ferry service connecting Puteri Harbour in the southern Malaysian state to Tuas in Singapore.\n\nOn Monday, Mr Onn Hafiz said Johor and Singapore will cooperate on climate-related issues, including measures to avoid floods and maintain food security, adding that the neighbours\u2019 mutually beneficial relationship will continue through \u201cimmense\u201d business investments.\nJohor residents have been plagued by floods during the past two year-end monsoon seasons, with heavy rain and ensuing floods sending thousands to evacuation centres in December.\nMr Onn Hafiz also noted Singapore\u2019s consistent top ranking in the Global Food Security Index despite acquiring more than 90 per cent of its food from more than 170 countries and territories \u2013 including Johor for items such as fruit, chicken and vegetables.\nHe said on Facebook that he had discussed those topics with Singapore\u2019s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, who welcomed the opportunity to also work together on river hygiene and carbon credits.\nAfter meeting Singapore\u2019s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Office Maliki Osman on Monday, the Johor Menteri Besar said the Republic will continue to be instrumental to Johor\u2019s economic development. \nMr Onn Hafiz said he was \u201cmoved\u201d to hear the two ministers reaffirm the close ties that Malaysia and Singapore share, and that he hopes to further improve the relationship between the two neighbouring countries.  \n", "\nA day earlier, on Sunday, he estimated that the state can attract investments worth up to RM15 billion (S$4.6 billion) from international companies based in Singapore.\nIn a meeting with leaders from the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) on Monday, the Johor chief touted investments in the state, which he hoped will create thousands of high-income jobs for residents. \nSMF represents almost 5,000 members from small and medium-sized enterprises, trade associations and multinational corporations. Its president Lennon Tan said its members will visit Johor to explore potential investment avenues and business relationships in Malaysia.\nAcknowledging that there were questions over the availability of a trained and qualified workforce and an investor-friendly environment in Johor, Mr Onn Hafiz promised the state government\u2019s commitment to facilitate investments for Singapore businesses. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-chief-says-priorities-are-jb-singapore-rapid-transit-system-easing-causeway-congestion"}, {"title": "Johor floods cut off families from loved ones", "text": ["\nYONG PENG, Johor - With many roads in Johor submerged because of ongoing floods, families find themselves separated by bodies of water from their loved ones.\nCanteen operator N. Komathy, 41, who lives in Yong Peng, has been unable to visit her brother in the small town of Chaah, 38km away, after access between the two areas was cut off by flood waters.    \n\u201cChaah was badly hit by floods on Wednesday, with water rising rapidly. My husband borrowed a lorry from a friend and we rushed to pick up my brother, his wife and two children as well as my mother before access to the town was cut off.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhen the water started to recede the next day, my brother decided to make his way back with his family so that they could start cleaning their house. Unfortunately, the water level rose again and now they are stuck there,\u201d she told The Star.\nShe is now trying to find ways to take her brother and his family back to Yong Peng.\n\u201cMy brother told me it\u2019s difficult to find food there as all the shops are closed. I am worried about them, especially my niece and nephew, who are only two and 11.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThankfully, my mother is still with us in Yong Peng. I will try to borrow the lorry again so that we can bring them here. I also wanted to take some food there for his neighbours as they don\u2019t have enough food,\u201d she added.\n\nFarmer Mohd Fahizan Ramlan, 44, was separated from his 13-year-old daughter for two days after she could not return home from a religious school at Kampung Jawa in Segamat district.\n\u201cShe had an exam on Wednesday and was supposed to come home around noon. But the road between my house in Kampung Padang Lalang, Segamat, and the school was already cut off by the floods,\u201d he said.\nA relative managed to pick the girl up from school.\n\u201cThankfully, the school is not far from my relative\u2019s house and she stayed with my relative for two days. I brought her home on Friday after the road cleared,\u201d he said.\nHe added that his house was almost submerged when the water level rose to the ceiling last Wednesday.\n\u201cWe have another house about 1.5km away. We moved there a day before it flooded as we expected it. We have been hit by floods numerous times before and know the drill.\n\u201cHowever, this is one of the worst floods we have seen. It\u2019s as bad as in 2006,\u201d he said, referring to the massive floods that saw towns cut off and more than 100,000 people evacuated to relief centres. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-floods-cut-off-families-from-loved-ones"}, {"title": "Johor High Court dismisses caning sentence for youth who set dog on fire", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 The High Court in Johor Bahru has dismissed the caning sentence on a youth who pleaded guilty to setting a dog on fire.\nHigh Court Judge Abu Bakar Katar made the decision after reviewing the sentence given by the Sessions Court to 18-year-old Braden Yap on April 19.\nYap was previously sentenced to be caned lightly seven times in open court on May 21 and to be placed on a good behaviour bond for one year with a surety of RM10,000 (S$3,000) by a Sessions Court judge.\n\n\n\n\n\nLawyer G.K. Sritharan, who represented Yap, said that the High Court judge called the prosecution and defence counsel on Sunday to hear the changes in sentence.\nHe said that the High Court judge revoked the light caning sentence, so Yap will only need to undergo the 12-month good behaviour bond.\n\u201cThe decision was made because under Section 293 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), two sentences cannot be given,\u201d said Mr Sritharan.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSection 293(1)(c) of the CPC allows the court to order a male offender to be whipped with not more than seven strokes of a light cane within the court premises and in the presence of the parent and guardian.\n\nOn April 12, Yap pleaded guilty to a charge of causing excruciating pain to a brown female dog by beating it and setting it on fire.\nHe committed the act at 1.49am on March 27 in Taman Impian Emas, Johor. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-high-court-dismisses-caning-sentence-for-youth-who-set-dog-on-fire"}, {"title": "Johor hotels enjoy brisk business with influx of Singapore visitors", "text": ["\nJOHOR BARU - The long weekend which coincides with the month-long school holiday in Singapore has resulted in good business for hotels in Johor, Malaysia. \nMalaysian Association of Hotels Johor chapter chairman Ivan Teo said many Singaporeans had been coming to Malaysia for holiday.\n\u201cWe are seeing quite a lot of them coming over due to the long Vesak Day break and the school holiday there (Singapore).\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cA majority of the hotels around Desaru and Johor Bahru are seeing a high occupancy rate,\u201d he said.\nSingapore celebrated Vesak Day, or better know as Wesak in Malaysia, on June 2, while the school holiday runs from May 27 to June 25.\nMr Teo said the influx of tourists from Singapore was good for Johor as well as other states.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThese travellers also drive up north to places such as Melaka and Kuala Lumpur,\u201d he added.\n\nHe said the constant visits by Johor Mentri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi to monitor traffic flow at the immigration checkpoints in Johor Bahru also gave confidence to travellers. \nClose to 250,000 travellers left Singapore for Malaysia through the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints on June 1, the highest number of daily departures since land borders between the two countries reopened in April 2022, according to Singapore\u2019s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-hotels-enjoy-brisk-business-with-influx-of-singapore-visitors"}, {"title": "Johor pins hopes on border reopening to ease property overhang", "text": ["ISKANDAR PUTERI - The mammoth Forest City development is impressive \u2013 its skyscrapers can be seen five kilometres away, rising from a man-made island off Malaysia\u2019s southern state of Johor, north of Singapore.It has struggled over the past few years, however. It targets foreign buyers, in particular investors from China, and with borders closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, they could not come."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-pins-hopes-on-border-reopening-to-ease-property-overhang"}, {"title": "Johor police confirm receiving 2 reports against comedian Jocelyn Chia", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - Johor police confirmed on Wednesday that two reports have been received so far against stand-up comedian Jocelyn Chia for insulting and belittling Malaysia.\n\u201cAn Interpol application was made on Tuesday to get more information related to the suspect to assist the investigation,\u201d state police chief Kamarul Zaman Mamat said in a statement on Wednesday.\nHe said the investigation was being conducted in accordance with the legal provisions under Section 504/506(C) of the Penal Code. If convicted, offenders could be punished with a jail term of up to two years and a fine or both.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCommissioner Kamarul Zaman said the case was also being investigated under Section 233 of the Multimedia Communication Act 1998. If found guilty, offenders could be fined not more than RM50,000 (S$14,530), be jailed for a year, or both.\n\u201cThe Johor police contingent welcomes any information from the public regarding the case,\u201d he said.\n\nHe added that the Johor police were committed to carrying out the investigation and the public was advised not to play up this issue, which could disturb public order and peace.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChia made a joke about the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in an April 7 performance at a Manhattan comedy club in New York.\n\nHer jokes on Malaysia and MH370 raised the ire of the country and Singapore, where she made a jibe about the flight\u2019s disappearance and uttered profanities towards Malaysian audiences while praising Singapore.\nIn an interview with the BBC, Chia said she was \u201cnot making fun of tragedy\u201d and victims of such events. She said she was instead trying to find humour in tragedy.\nChia was born in the United States and raised in Singapore.\n\n\n\n\n\nHer comments were criticised by Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and the Republic\u2019s High Commissioner to Malaysia.\nIt was earlier reported that Inspector-General of Police Acryll Sani Abdullah was seeking Interpol\u2019s cooperation to access Chia\u2019s full identity and location. \nChia\u2019s response to the move was that it might only make her more famous.\n\u201cWould love to see the face of the Interpol officer who received this request,\u201d she wrote on Twitter.\n", "\nShe said she has already been approached by several media outlets such as the BBC and CNN for interviews and at least one more interview is lined up with Fox News.   \nIn response to queries from The Straits Times, an Interpol spokesman said the organisation has not received a request involving Chia.   \nHe said: \u201cIf any request is made, it must be compliant with Interpol\u2019s Constitution, which forbids any activities which are religious, racial, military or political in nature.\u201d \nSimilarly, he added, any request in relation to offences related to freedom of expression would also be assessed in view of the possible application of international human rights standards according to Interpol\u2019s Constitution. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-police-confirm-receiving-2-reports-against-comedian-jocelyn-chia"}, {"title": "Johor residents rush to relief centres as water levels rise in towns and villages", "text": ["YONG PENG, Johor - When it began to rain a week ago, Mr Mat Isa did not think much about it. But by Saturday, the 67-year-old found himself with his wife and daughter in a tent at a relief centre after surviving what he said were the worst floods since 2006. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-residents-rush-to-relief-centres-as-water-levels-rise-in-towns-and-villages"}, {"title": "Johor residents who work in Singapore hog free parking space near checkpoint", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - \u201cIs this your grandfather\u2019s road?\u201d \nThat\u2019s the question posed to Ahmad (not his real name) every time he blocks the parking space in front of his shop in Jalan Storey, Johor Baru.\nHe said he had no choice but to resort to placing a rubbish bin there to prevent others from taking up the space.\n\n\n\n\n\nLocated in the residential area of Kim Teng Park, Jalan Storey is a favourite spot among motorists who want to park for free before travelling to Singapore for work.\nKim Teng Park is within walking distance to the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) in Bangunan Sultan Iskandar.\n\u201cThey want to work in a developed country but leave us to deal with their third-world mentality,\u201d said Ahmad. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf I do not block the space, then how will the bread, ice and other vehicles load and unload goods for my store?\n\n\u201cI have to book this space every morning by placing a rubbish bin so that they won\u2019t park here.\n\u201cBut even then some would try to remove it,\u201d he said, adding that he gets into heated arguments with such motorists almost every day.\nSharing the same experience is restaurant manager Subra (not his real name), who said those who park their vehicles there for the whole day do not bother about the inconvenience caused.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSome of the vehicles have been parked here for more than 10 days.\n\u201cImagine when they park in front of restaurants.\n\u201cThey do not care as they just want to park here for free,\u201d said Subra, adding that he has been forced to place four plastic chairs in front of his restaurant.\nStarMetro highlighted this issue in its report last June, citing complaints from residents and business owners. Some cars were parked on the road outside residents\u2019 homes. Others were parked in front of restaurants for days, inconveniencing customers who drove there.\n", "\nKim Teng Park Residents Association president Danial Lokman Hakim is calling for action from Johor Baru City Council (MBJB).\nHe wants them to either tow the cars away or impose a hefty fine on non-residents misusing the parking space as a long-term carpark.\n\u201cMBJB has every right to tow away these cars. Why aren\u2019t they enforcing the law? Do they lack manpower, towing vehicles or storage space? The council building is not even a kilometer away.\n\u201cThe situation is worsening day by day, especially after the pandemic,\u201d he said. \n\u201cThere\u2019s even an MPV parked here that is used to ferry those working in Singapore. It charges a fee to carry passengers but is parked here for free.\u201d\nAsked to comment on MBJB\u2019s move to fine shop owners who place traffic cones, chairs, rubbish bins and other items in front of their shops to stop people from parking there, he said the city council should focus on the root cause.\n\u201cThey should find a solution for this before going after shopowners.\n\u201cI don\u2019t think these shopowners would put up obstructions if people were not misusing the parking space,\u201d he said.\n", "\nAlso calling for MBJB to step up their enforcement is retiree Wong Lee Fei.\nShe said some motorists have even removed flower pots placed in front of residential houses to park their cars.\n\u201cI do not blame the shopkeepers for placing items in front of their shops to stop people from parking as they too have to earn a living.\n\u201cThis has been happening for a long time. MBJB should impose tougher penalties like towing away their cars,\u201d said Ms Wong, who has been living in Kim Teng Park for 36 years.\nAnother resident, Mr Vincent D\u2019Silva, 60, said: \u201cEnough is enough; the council should walk the talk (and take action).\n\u201cI have lodged two reports on this matter in June last year and January this year.    \n\u201cBut until now no action has been taken by MBJB,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m a resident here but even I can\u2019t find parking space.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-residents-who-work-in-singapore-hog-free-parking-space-near-checkpoint"}, {"title": "Johor\u2019s Kota Tinggi residents prepare for evacuation as they recall massive 2006 floods", "text": ["\nKOTA TINGGI - As Johor battles rising flood waters due to non-stop rain, fearful residents of Kota Tinggi district are packing their bags to prepare for evacuation, with memories of massive floods that inundated their area 17 years ago not far from their minds.\nDuring the 2006-2007 floods, several parts of Johor were submerged in water, with Kota Tinggi being the hardest-hit district \u2013 the worst floods in the state in over 50 years.\nEarlier this week, nurse A. Shamala, 47, took emergency leave from her workplace in Singapore and rushed home to be on standby for the disaster.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMy elderly parents and my children are staying in Taman Kota Jaya (in Kota Tinggi) and I was worried that something might happen to them,\u201d she said.\n\u201cI took emergency leave on Tuesday and Wednesday and packed our belongings. We are ready to evacuate at any time. The murky waters have been steadily creeping up.\n\n\u201cLooking at the floods makes us nervous. Back in late 2006 and early 2007, the flood waters rose suddenly and reached the roof of our house. It was quite scary.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor many residents in the district, the memories are fresh from 17 years ago when the entire Kota Tinggi town and nearby housing areas were submerged for nearly two weeks. \n\nResidents were cut off from neighbouring towns by flood waters and landslides, and more than 100,000 people had to be evacuated to relief centres.\nChecks by The Star on Thursday showed flood waters rising in Kota Tinggi town, with several roads, including the main bridge entering the area, closed off.\nMr Mohd Haidzir Zainal, who owns a motorcycle repair shop near the town, has opened up his shop to his flood-affected peers to temporarily store their items.\n\u201cAnother motorcycle repair shop operator nearby had his shop flooded on Wednesday, so he moved his equipment and motorcycles to my workshop,\u201d he said.\n\u201cWe have to look out for each other. I still remember the terrifying scenes from the major flooding incident in 2006-2007 when the waters reached as high as the top of the traffic lights in front of my shop.\u201d\nThe 40-year-old added that there were ankle-level floods in 2021. \u201cAt the time, I did not go home \u2013 I stayed overnight at my shop to monitor the water level in case I needed to move my equipment,\u201d he said.\n\u201cWhile floods were common in the district, I could not help but feel worried as photos and news of the floods in Segamat on Wednesday were quite bad.\u201d \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-s-kota-tinggi-residents-prepare-for-evacuation-as-memories-of-massive-2006-floods-haunt-them"}, {"title": "Johor Sultan revealed to be owner of FF1 number plate, paying RM1.2 million", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar has been declared the highest bidder of the FF1 number plate. \nIn a Facebook post on Sunday, he said he granted an audience to Transport Minister Anthony Loke, who handed over the plate. \nMr Loke posted on Facebook that the Sultan paid RM1.2 million (S$348,000). \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Sultan, an avid car collector, is no stranger to paying for unique licence plates. \nIn July 2016, he bought the F1 plate for RM836,660 before splashing out another RM990,000 on the V1 plate a month later. \nIn May, Mr Loke said the special FF number plate series generated over RM34 million in revenue. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis was the highest sum collected since the Road Transport Department\u2019s eBid system was opened to the public on April 15, 2019, he added. \n\nThe FF8 plate was clinched for RM950,000 and the FF9 one for RM911,999. FF3 and FF2 drew winning bids of RM639,000 and RM638,000, respectively. \nThe FF number plate series was launched to mark the 77th anniversary of the Road Transport Department. Netizens had been speculating on the buyer of FF1 since the series was launched in May. \n", "\n\u201cThere was an incredible response to this series, with up to 34,032 bidders,\u201d said Mr Loke. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-sultan-revealed-to-be-owner-of-ff1-number-plate"}, {"title": "Johor to add 250 immigration staff to ease jams at checkpoints", "text": ["\nIn a bid to reduce congestion, the southern Malaysian state of Johor will deploy an extra 250 immigration officers to its land border crossings with Singapore by September.\nJohor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi made the announcement during a state assembly sitting on Thursday.\nIn May, the Malaysian authorities said an additional 100 personnel would be deployed to the Johor land border crossings. The latest batch of 250 will complement this group.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Onn Hafiz was responding to questions from assembly members about resolving congestion at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in Johor Bahru and the Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ Complex in Iskandar Puteri.\nHe said the lack of staff was one reason for the traffic condition at the land checkpoints.\nMr Onn Hafiz said boosting staff numbers is one of several short-term measures to cut congestion at the Causeway and the Second Link.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEarlier in June, he said the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) will eventually help ease the traffic conditions. \n\nBut he pointed out that \u201cwe cannot wait\u201d for the project to be completed around December 2026.\nDuring Thursday\u2019s state assembly session, Mr Onn Hafiz also presented other measures to address the situation. These included traffic flow management, particularly that of bus routes. \n\u201cThe state government has chosen not to simply wait but has implemented immediate and short-term measures to address the issue that affects multiple parties while waiting for the RTS (completion) in order to overcome the congestion issue at land checkpoints,\u201d he said.\nMr Onn Hafiz is reported to have personally visited the checkpoints at least 60 times in his bid to solve the issue. \nIn late May, he said congestion at the land border between Johor and Singapore has gone on for far too long and must be resolved by 2023.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-to-add-250-immigration-staff-to-ease-jams-at-checkpoints"}, {"title": "Johor to reap $21b in investments amid US-China trade tensions", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The US-China trade war is providing tailwinds for Malaysia\u2019s southern state of Johor, as it is set to record approved investments worth nearly RM70 billion (S$21.1 billion) for 2022, surpassing the leading industrial hubs of Selangor and Penang.These investments are primarily from multinational companies seeking to diversify their operations to other countries as they adopt a China-plus-one strategy amid the trade war, said Johor\u2019s State Investment, Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman, Mr Lee Ting Han."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johor-to-reap-21b-in-investments-amid-us-china-trade-tensions"}, {"title": "Johoreans bracing themselves for flooding caused by monsoon rain", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - As the monsoon rain currently affecting Terengganu and Kelantan shifts towards Johor, residents in the state are getting ready to face the deluge.\nLiving in a flood-prone area has given father of three Azmi Adan the much-needed experience in facing the natural disaster as he builds a platform to keep his electrical items on higher ground.\nThe 47-year-old, who works as a ride-hailing driver, lives with his family in Kampung Pasir near Tampoi where flood is an annual occurrence.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cDuring the monsoon, whenever it rains heavily for more than three hours, my house will be flooded,\u201d he said on Wednesday.\n\u201cWe have been living here for more than 10 years. In fact, my in-laws used to stay with us, but they moved out as they could no longer endure the yearly floods.\u201d\nMr Azmi said he had built a platform inside the house to keep electrical items such as the refrigerator and furniture from getting damaged by floodwaters. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI have also prepared bags of clothes as well as kept all important documents inside a plastic bag during the monsoon season,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to adapt. The safety of my family is the most important,\u201d he said, adding that about two years ago, floodwaters that hit the village reached waist high.\n\n\nVillage chief Zaini Sinong said there were eight villages with a total of 1,188 houses in Kampung Pasir, situated along Sungai Skudai.\n\n\u201cIf heavy rainfalls coincides with high tide, then Kampung Pasir will be the first to be flooded, followed by other nearby villages such as Kampung Seri Serdang and Kampung Pengkalan Rinting,\u201d he said.\n\u201cThere is a water pump located near a water gate in the village. We have four volunteers on standby to operate the water pump in case the Drainage and Irrigation Department cannot get their workers on time to switch it on.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Zaini said the authorities had gazetted a primary school, SK Pengkalan Rinting, as a temporary relief centre for the villagers.\nMalaysia\u2019s army has appointed commanders in each state to organise the movement of troops and assets to provide assistance during the flood season, said army chief Zamrose Mohd Zain.\n\u201cThere is talk that a wave (of floods) will hit the south in states such as Johor and Melaka. So we are already on standby footing. We are ready as the first responder, but if more aid is needed, we will act,\u201d he said.\nJohor\u2019s Fire and Rescue Department acting director Rizal Buang said his personnel are on high alert following the landslide in Batang Kali and floods hitting east coast states.\n\u201cOnly 20 per cent out of our 1,501 officers and personnel can take leave, but they must be prepared to be recalled for duty at any time,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are ready and all our assets have been inspected and are working properly to carry out rescue operations during the monsoon season.\u201d \n", "\nMr Rizal reminded the public, especially those living in flood-prone areas, to always be prepared and immediately leave their houses once floodwaters rise.\n\u201cThey must go to the nearest flood relief centre and ensure that all electrical appliances, including the main power switch, are turned off before leaving their home,\u201d he added. \nMersing district officer Shakib Ali said a total of 31 relief centres have been identified and gazetted to provide temporary shelter to the flood victims. Some 24 high-risk areas had been identified in the east coast town in Johor.\n\u201cAs a precautionary measure, the disaster operation control centre has been opened to monitor the situation closely,\u201d he said.\n\u201cThe centre will operate from 8am to 5pm until Dec 24 while from Dec 25 onwards, it will operate for 24 hours.\u201d\nHe said tourism activities such as island hopping and hiking had been temporarily put on hold during the monsoon season.\n\n\u201cWe urge the public to be on alert and take note of the warnings issued by the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) as well as the Drainage and Irrigation Department,\u201d he said. \u201cThey should also abide by the order to vacate their homes immediately.\u201d \nSeparately, a review of a flood mitigation project has saved the government at least RM1.8 billion (S$548 million), said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday.\n\u201cWe want to ensure that any money spent by the government can be accounted for and that there will be no wastage,\u201d he said, adding that costs had ballooned because it was awarded via direct negotiations and not open tenders.\nEarlier in December, Datuk Seri Anwar said that RM7 billion that had been approved by the previous government for flood mitigation initiatives would be halted and reviewed.\nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johoreans-bracing-for-flooding-caused-by-monsoon-rain"}, {"title": "Johoreans urged to wear masks during Hari Raya celebrations amid rise in Covid-19 cases", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - People in Johor celebrating Hari Raya have been encouraged to continue wearing face masks and maintain good hygiene practices to protect themselves against Covid-19 during the festive season.\nJohor health and unity committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said that while the Covid-19 situation in the southernmost Malaysian state is under control, it is prudent to continue taking precautions when visiting other households.\n\u201cThose in the high-risk category should don face masks, especially when attending open houses during Hari Raya where there may be large crowds. They should also maintain good personal hygiene and wash their hands regularly,\u201d he said on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said a total of 289 cases were reported in the past two weeks in Johor, including 13 cases on Saturday.\nHe was speaking to reporters at Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi\u2019s open house at his official residence in Saujana.\n\u201cWe encourage high-risk groups and those with chronic illnesses or health issues to take up the second booster,\u201d he said, adding that take-up for the second vaccine booster dose was at 3.2 per cent of the population.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEarlier, Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa said the government would not be introducing Covid-19 safety measures for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.\n\nShe said that despite the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in recent weeks, there was no cause for panic.\nMr Ling said that the Johor state government would soon be launching an awareness programme to curb the spread of dengue.\n\u201cWe will amplify efforts to reduce dengue cases with a programme beginning next month. This includes cleaning up playgrounds that are a common breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes,\u201d he said.\nLast Thursday, the World Health Organisation advised Malaysians to take a Covid-19 self-test before heading back to their home towns for Hari Raya.\nThe health body also advised packing hand sanitisers and masks as protection to prevent Covid-19 from spreading to the elderly. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/johoreans-urged-to-wear-masks-as-more-cases-reported-amid-hari-raya-celebrations"}, {"title": "Joke about MH370 by comedian Jocelyn Chia sparks protest outside US embassy in KL", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Around 100 people gathered outside the United States Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, protesting against comedian Jocelyn Chia\u2019s remarks about Malaysia and the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 aircraft during a show in the US.\nThe protesters were members of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition\u2019s Umno Youth and Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) Youth, as well as the People\u2019s Progressive Party (MyPPP), a former BN component party. \nA lawyer-turned-comedian, Chia posted an 89-second video clip of her set on Instagram this week, poking fun at the rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia, and making expletive-laden snipes at Malaysians in the audience. \n\n\n\n\n\nChia, a former Singaporean, is based in New York. \nThe protesters marched to the embassy from a nearby mosque after Friday afternoon prayers, shouting \u201cGo! Go, Go, Go, long live youth chief, God is great\u201d, referring to Umno Youth chief Muhamad Akmal Saleh. \nAround 80 police officers monitored the protest. An area in front of the embassy was cordoned off. The protest started at about 2.30pm and ended 45 minutes later. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMany Malaysians took offence at Chia\u2019s remarks, as she had turned the MH370 tragedy into a joke. \n\nFlight MH370 left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing in March 2014 but never arrived. To date, the plane with 227 passengers and 12 crew has not been located. \nDr Akmal, who was the main speaker during the protest, condemned her joke, saying that freedom of speech must not be at the expense of issues deemed sensitive by Malaysians. \n\u201cWe urge the government to ban Ms Jocelyn (from entering) Malaysia,\u201d he told reporters on Friday. \n\n\n\n\n\nIndividuals like Chia, he added, should not stir trouble between Malaysia and Singapore, as both countries have a relationship where they understand each other\u2019s sensitivities.  \nUmno Youth submitted a protest letter to the embassy. \nThe letter, seen by The Straits Times, urges the US Embassy in Malaysia to convey the memorandum to the relevant authorities within the US government to \u201censure a thorough investigation into the incident and appropriate measures to rectify the situation\u201d. \nIt added: \u201cAs an embassy representing the United States, a country known for its commitment to diplomacy and inclusiveness, it is imperative to address this issue promptly and take appropriate action.\n\n\u201cI trust that the US Embassy will take the necessary steps to address this incident, foster cultural sensitivity, and uphold the values of mutual respect and understanding that are essential to the relationship between our two nations.\u201d \n", "\nMyPPP youth chief Sathiah Sudakaran told ST that Chia is disturbing the peace and harmony between Malaysia and Singapore. \nMeanwhile, MCA Youth chief Nicole Wong Siaw Ting, who was present at the protest, said her children were also irked by Chia\u2019s joke. \n\u201cWe understand that it was a stand-up comedy, but it is not funny if you attack MH370 as families are still mourning for their loved ones,\u201d she told reporters on Friday. \u201cI hope she learns from this lesson and be more sensitive.\u201d \nOn Thursday, Dr Akmal said Chia\u2019s act is an insult that cannot be accepted by Umno Youth and Malaysians. \n\u201cI have directed an Umno Youth exco member to lodge a police report against her,\u201d he added, addressing delegates at the youth wing\u2019s meeting earlier on Thursday. \n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi said the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission will conduct any investigation deemed fit into Chia\u2019s disparaging remarks. \nMr Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, a Malaysian politician, earlier said Chia\u2019s act of turning a tragedy into a source of entertainment was \u201cjust in bad taste\u201d. \nShe has since been criticised by Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and the Republic\u2019s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Mr Vanu Gopala Menon. \n", "\nIn a Twitter post\u00a0on Thursday, Dr Balakrishnan said: \u201cI am appalled by her horrendous statements. She certainly does not speak for Singaporeans. We treasure our ties with family and friends in Malaysia and are sorry for the offence and hurt caused to all Malaysians.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/joke-about-mh370-by-comedian-jocelyn-chia-sparks-protest-outside-us-embassy-in-kuala-lumpur"}, {"title": "Kelantan leader asks people to pray for rain to end hot weather", "text": ["\nKelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakob has urged mosques and suraus, or Muslim prayer halls, in the Malaysian east coast state to hold prayers for rain amid scorching hot weather. \nIn a statement, Datuk Ahmad said on Tuesday that the current hot spell has caused a drought and damaged crops in the state.\n\n\u201cAs such, I call on the people of Kelantan to pray to Allah and perform the solat hajat (prayers for a wish to be fulfilled) in their homes,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cImams should also hold prayers in mosques and suraus to pray for rain for the benefit of everyone. Hopefully, with this effort, Allah will be merciful by giving us rain and refresh the Earth.\u201d\nMalaysia\u2019s weather agency on Monday reported that four districts in Kelantan \u2013 Kuala Krai, Pasir Mas, Jeli and Tanah Merah \u2013 were placed at Level 1 alert. \nThe Level 1 or yellow alert is issued for an area that experiences maximum temperature of between 35 deg C and 37 deg C for at least three consecutive days.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLast week, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said Malaysia is expected to experience prolonged hot weather until August, following the monsoon transition season.  \n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/kelantan-leader-asks-people-to-pray-for-rain-to-end-hot-weather"}, {"title": "More people affected by monsoon floods in 2022, says Malaysian minister", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - Floods due to the north-east monsoon season in 2022 have caused more people to be evacuated than usual, said Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department Armizan Mohd Ali.\nHe said that within the space of a month, the number of evacuees hit 121,864, adding that this is 67 per cent of the total for the entire monsoon season in 2021.\nHe said the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) was carrying out round-the-clock monitoring from November to March.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Armizan\u2019s comments came after reports of a phenomenon called the \u201cking tide\u201d in the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah. More than 110 stilt houses in the state have collapsed due to the high tide phenomenon, coupled with strong winds and bad weather.\nMany more houses were damaged in the incident, which occurred at the end of last week, and more homes are in danger of falling as the high tide phenomenon is expected to hit again.\nCoastal villages in the state capital Kota Kinabalu were among several districts in Sabah that were affected.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, the number of people seeking shelter had dropped to 1,589 on Tuesday from 1,647 on Monday.\n\nAccording to the state Natural Disaster Committee secretariat, those affected include 355 families in Pitas, Kota Belud and Sandakan.\nIt said the situation in Kota Kinabalu was improving and the temporary evacuation centre at Sembulan had been closed after residents, mainly from Pulau Gaya, were able to return home.\n\u201cPitas continues to record the highest number of high-tide victims with 768. Sandakan has registered 686,\u201d the secretariat added.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn Kota Belud district, 135 people were in relief centres after floods hit their village.\nA king tide is known as an exceptionally high tide that occurs when orbital alignments of the Earth, Moon and Sun combine to create a powerful tidal effect. \n", "\nIt is a normal phenomenon and happens once or twice a year in coastal areas, causing unusually high water levels and tidal flooding. Local wind and weather patterns can also affect its intensity.\nA king tide can sometimes be at least 30cm above the average high tide level for the year. The highest tide ever was 16.34m tall \u2013 recorded at Burntcoat Head Park in Canada\u2019s Bay of Fundy in 1975.\nKampung Forest, a water village of several hundred houses in Sabah, has borne the brunt of the phenomenon over the past few days.\n", "\nA family of six who had earlier declined to leave the settlement had to finally abandon their house and spend the night in a car after the tide started rising on Sunday night, according to a report by Bernama.\nMr Riden Abdul Mutalib, 43, said his family feared that the only bridge linking their house to land at Kampung Forest would be submerged when the water level began rising at about 9pm on Christmas Day.\n\u201cIf the bridge collapses, we will be stranded in our house. Many stilt houses in the settlement had collapsed (last Saturday). There is no power supply now,\u201d he said at the village on Monday.\nMr Riden said the family chose not to be evacuated to a relief centre because they wanted to salvage more belongings, but security forces allowed him to go back only after the water level had subsided.\n\u201cWe just removed whatever we could. We thought the water would not rise to this height again,\u201d he added.\n", "\nA villager from Kampung Forest, Ms Zulaikah Ali, 23, said her family also chose not to move to a temporary evacuation centre but stayed at a relative\u2019s house on higher ground.\nShe said villagers were worried about break-ins and looting, which occurred every time the area was hit by a disaster.\nHer house was not badly affected by the rising water, but the power supply had been cut off for safety reasons since Saturday\u2019s incident. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/king-tide-tears-down-sabah-water-village"}, {"title": "KL has highest number of depression, anxiety cases in Malaysia, says Health Minister", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Kuala Lumpur has the highest number of depressed and anxious people in Malaysia, said Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa on Wednesday.\n\u201cThe state with the highest number of those suffering from anxiety and depression was the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur,\u201d she said in response to a parliamentary question in the Dewan Rakyat.\nShe added that a 2022 study, where 336,900 individuals were screened, revealed that the most vulnerable were those in the B40 group \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s bottom 40 per cent in income \u2013 and the urban poor.\n\n\n\n\n\nShe said cost-of-living concerns and relationship problems were among the causes for the mental health issues.\nEarlier, Dr Zaliha said that most mental health issues affecting teenagers and young people were due to financial and relationship problems.\nAlso contributing to this, she added, were factors such as bullying, high-risk behaviour, drug abuse, low self-esteem or having high expectations of oneself.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShe said such factors could result in stress, depression and anxiety among the young.\n\nTo address this, she said that there are 1,161 government clinics, 58 hospitals and 34 community mental health centres and four mental institutions nationwide that carry out preventive action, early detection and rehabilitation with regard to mental health issues.\nShe added that several programmes targeting the young have also been implemented by the ministry together with the Education Ministry and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.\nAmong them, she said, was the Pearl Programme \u2013 a collaboration between her ministry and the Education Ministry \u2013 to improve coping skills and resilience among school students to deal with issues such as bullying and high-risk behaviour. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/kl-has-highest-number-of-depression-anxiety-cases-in-malaysia-health-minister-says"}, {"title": "Kuala Lumpur High Court orders ex-minister to pay PKR $2.9m for defecting", "text": ["\nThe Kuala Lumpur High Court on Friday ordered former minister Zuraida Kamaruddin to pay RM10 million (S$2.9 million) to Malaysia\u2019s ruling Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) for defecting from it, breaching a bond she signed five years ago. \nJustice Akhtar Tahir found that the bond Datuk Zuraida signed on April 25, 2018, was a valid and binding contract.\n\u201cThe RM10 million was not disproportionate but a reasonable sum to act as a deterrence to members from acting against the party\u2019s interests. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAny lesser sum will not act as a deterrence,\u201d said Justice Akhtar.\nHe also ordered Ms Zuraida, who was PKR\u2019s vice-president and a former three-term MP for Ampang, to pay RM50,000 in costs to the party.\nMs Zuraida was the housing minister under the Mahathir Mohamad administration between 2018 and Feb 24, 2020, and the minister for plantation industries and commodities under the Ismail Sabri Yaakob administration from August 2021 to November 2022.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Zuraida said she will appeal against the court\u2019s ruling.\n\n\n\u201cI will appeal. I have advised my lawyers to (do so),\u201d she told The Star.\nMs Zuraida was MP for Ampang from March 2008 but lost her seat in Malaysia\u2019s general election in 2022.\nShe had been among the 11 MPs who quit PKR in February 2020, leading to the collapse of the Mahathir-led Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter that, she joined then Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), before leaving for multiracial vehicle Parti Bangsa Malaysia. \nPKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail initiated legal proceedings against Ms Zuraida on behalf of the party on Sept 28, 2020, claiming she had breached the contractual bond by joining Bersatu.\n\nDuring the trial in March, Ms Zuraida claimed she was \u201cforced\u201d to sign the bond documents, saying she was handed the papers on the eve of Nomination Day in 2018 without an explanation of the terms and conditions.\n\u201cWhat is certain is that I was not given any other choice apart from signing the documents,\u201d news portal The Malaysian Insight reported her as saying.\n\u201cI signed the documents under compulsion... because I wanted to continue to serve the people, especially those in the Ampang constituency,\u201d she said.\n", "\nHowever, Justice Akhtar on Friday dismissed her explanation as baseless.\n\nAfter the judge\u2019s decision, PKR\u2019s lawyer William Leong said the party will go after others who had defected.\n\u201cWe used Zuraida as a precedent... With today\u2019s decision, we can now sue others who left as well, and we will let the court process take its course,\u201d Mr Leong told The Straits Times. \nDescribing the court\u2019s decision as impactful, PKR\u2019s information chief Fahmi Fadzil said its central leadership council may discuss legal action against former members who \u201cbetrayed\u201d the party.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/kl-high-court-orders-ex-minister-to-pay-pkr-288m-for-defecting-from-ruling-party"}, {"title": "KL restaurant shut for 14 days after video of rat nibbling on fried chicken goes viral", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A restaurant in Kuala Lumpur where a rat was filmed enjoying a lavish meal of fried chicken in a food display has been ordered to shut down for 14 days.\nThe order came after the health inspection team, sent to check on the premises in Pandan Indah on Saturday, was dissatisfied with its hygiene levels.\nHealth Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the enforcement team was acting on a video clip, showing the rat munching on some fried chicken, that went viral on the social media platforms.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe ordered the restaurant to close for 14 days under Section 11 of the Food Act 1983,\u201d he said in a statement on Sunday.\nHe added that six compounds had also been issued to the eatery for food safety and hygiene violations under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009.\n", "\nThe 15-second video of a rat eating in a food warmer, which had been circulating like wild fire on various social media platforms, has garnered over 1.5 million views since it was posted online on Dec 23.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Noor Hisham said the ministry took food hygiene and safety issues seriously.\n\n\u201cWe call on the public, particularly food handlers and business owners to take the responsibility in ensuring food safety is maintained to avoid poisoning and food-borne diseases,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/kl-restaurant-shut-for-14-days-after-video-of-rat-nibbling-on-fried-chicken-goes-viral"}, {"title": "\u2018KLIA Karen\u2019 criticised online for rude behaviour against airline staff in Malaysia", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - A video of yet another rude foreign tourist in Malaysia, nicknamed \u201cKLIA Karen\u201d, is making the rounds on social media.\nThe 16-second-long clip shared by a TikTok user @missssssyl showed a woman uttering abusive words at an airline ground staff member.\nThe woman is said to have verbally \u201cattacked\u201d the ground staff member for two days, on Dec 25 and 26.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe incident is believed to have taken place at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).\n\u201cWhat would you do if people like this attack you for no reason?\u201d wrote the Tiktok user who uploaded the video in her caption.\nThe TikTok user, however, refused to divulge further on the incident, adding that she had no intention to make the incident go viral.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKLIA district police chief Imran Abd Rahman said the woman has been charged with behaving inappropriately and she was slapped with a RM100 (S$30) fine.\n\n\u201cThe woman had gone into the airplane and then she claimed that she had left some of her stuff and demanded to go out, but she was not allowed to do so, hence she made a scene.\n\u201cShe was arrested and we charged her for behaving indecently and she was fined RM100,\u201d Assistant Commissioner\u00a0Imran said when contacted.\nLast year, an incident involving another \u201cKaren\u201d went viral when a Caucasian woman who refused to wear a mask at a Dior boutique in Suria KLCC despite the requirement caused an uproar among social media users.\nA video of the woman arguing with retail staff in KLCC went viral leading netizens to label her as \u201cDior Karen\u201d.\nKaren is a pejorative term used to describe a woman with an inflated sense of entitlement. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/klia-karen-criticised-online-for-rude-behaviour-against-airline-staff-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Kuala Lumpur\u2019s Mid Valley Megamall resumes operations a day after fire", "text": ["\nThe Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur, which closed on Wednesday following a fire at its premises, reopened on Thursday.\nThe mall confirmed its reopening in a Facebook post on Thursday. It said it had received clearance from the relevant authorities to do so.\nA 38-year-old employee at the mall, who spoke to The Straits Times on condition of anonymity, said the shopping centre resumed operations and customers had returned as per normal.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that just a day before the blaze, a fire drill had been conducted at the mall.\n\u201cThis was not the first time there was a fire at the mall, and ironically, there was a fire drill on Tuesday.\u201d\nResponding to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for the mall said the fire drill was \u201ca pre-planned and routine exercise\u201d at one of the office towers within the Mid Valley City vicinity.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe drill was a proactive measure to ensure the safety and preparedness of the office staff and visitors in an emergency,\u201d the spokesman said.\n\nWhen asked about preventive measures the mall might take to avoid future fires, the Mid Valley spokesman said the mall is \u201cactively reviewing and assessing all aspects\u201d of its safety protocols.\nThe mall is committed to \u201cimplementing any necessary improvements together with the Fire and Rescue Department and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to ensure the well-being of their visitors and employees,\u201d the spokesman added.\nA fire broke out at the main power substation at the mall on Wednesday.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt disrupted the mall\u2019s power supply and caused traffic jams in the vicinity of the shopping complex.\nThe fire was brought under control by 12.07pm and completely extinguished by 12.44pm, over two hours after it broke out, according to Kuala Lumpur\u2019s fire and rescue department.\nThe fire was believed to have been caused by overheating of oil that was meant to cool an electrical transformer at the substation, a fire department official told reporters on Wednesday.\nKuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director Fatta Amin said the oil can withstand temperatures of 137 deg C, news agency Bernama reported.\n\u201cHowever, it is believed that the substation was excessively hot and suddenly started burning,\u201d he told reporters at the mall, adding that only one of four substations belonging to the building was on fire.\n\nAll the substations were capable of supplying power within a 10km radius of Mid Valley, Mr Fatta said.\n", "\nPower was fully restored to Mid Valley and its surrounding areas around 12.30pm, said electricity provider Tenaga Nasional Berhad.\nThis is not the first time a fire has broken out at the mall. \nIn 2017, a fire broke out at a shop lot in the premises. In that incident, a fax machine had caught fire and the blaze was quickly brought under control.\u00a0\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/kuala-lumpur-s-mid-valley-megamall-resumes-operations-a-day-after-fire"}, {"title": "Kuwaiti court sentences Malaysian fugitive businessman Jho Low to 10 years\u2019 jail", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysian fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, has been sentenced to 10 years\u2019 imprisonment in absentia by a Kuwaiti court on money laundering charges.\nAccording to a report in Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Qabas, the criminal court had also sentenced a sheikh and two others to 10-year jail terms.  \nA lawyer was sentenced to seven years in jail on money laundering charges in relation to a \u201cMalaysian fund\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile the newspaper did not name the Malaysian fund, The Sarawak Report stated that it was 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the insolvent sovereign wealth fund.\nAl-Qabas said the court ordered those convicted to return US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion) and they will be fined a total of 183 million Kuwaiti dinars (S$794 million).\nKuwait\u2019s public prosecution office had reopened the case following a two-year hiatus due to the lack of information from international parties.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cInvestigations showed that about US$1 billion entered the account of an influential Kuwaiti person, and then it was transferred abroad,\u201d the report said.\n\nKuwaiti public prosecutors had charged the defendants \u2013 \u201cas an organised criminal group\u201d \u2013 with having committed the crime of money laundering in Chinese currency, knowing that these funds were proceeds from crimes, theft of funds and investments of 1MDB. \nLow is accused of orchestrating the looting of billions of dollars from 1MDB, the brainchild of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, in a scandal that first made global headlines in 2015.\nThe United States Justice Department said more than US$4.5 billion was siphoned off from 1MDB between 2009 and 2014, in a globe-spanning theft that has implicated high-ranking officials and financial institutions in multiple countries, including Switzerland, Singapore and Luxembourg.\nNajib, who has consistently denied wrongdoing, is serving a 12-year prison sentence after being convicted in a Malaysian court of receiving US$10 million from a former 1MDB unit called SRC International. \nFormer Goldman Sachs Group Inc banker Roger Ng was sentenced in March to 10 years in prison and ordered to forfeit US$35.1 million by a US judge for helping to loot billions of dollars from 1MDB.\nHis former Goldman boss and 1MDB co-conspirator, Tim Leissner, previously pleaded guilty and was the government\u2019s star witness against Ng. \nHe is scheduled to be sentenced in September. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, REUTERS, BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/kuwaiti-court-sentences-malaysian-fugitive-businessman-jho-low-to-10-years-jail"}, {"title": "Deaths of couple from pufferfish poisoning in Johor: Lab reports to be completed in 2 to 3 weeks", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 Johor\u2019s Health Department is awaiting laboratory reports relating to the deaths of an elderly couple in the southern Malaysian state who died after consuming pufferfish. \nJohor Health and Unity Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said the reports are expected to be completed in the next two or three weeks. \nAt the same time, police are also investigating the case, he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Ling said the completed investigation papers will be submitted to the deputy public prosecutor who will decide if the relevant parties, including the supplier of the fish, could be charged.\n\u201cWe will also need to discuss with the Health Ministry and experts from universities on whether the existing laws are sufficient for us to charge the supplier of the fish,\u201d he said.\n\nThe elderly couple, from Johor\u2019s Kluang district, died after consuming the deadly pufferfish recently.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Ng Chuan Sing, 84, and his wife Lim Siew Guan, 83, consumed the fish they bought from a trader on March 25, unaware that it was a pufferfish.\n\nThe couple began experiencing breathing difficulties after eating it.\n\nSeveral hours later, Madam Lim died, while Mr Ng went into a coma and died on Saturday. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/lab-reports-on-johor-s-pufferfish-poisoning-to-be-completed-in-two-or-three-weeks"}, {"title": "Landslide almost hit shophouses in Pahang, Malaysia", "text": ["\nKUANTAN - A landslide occurred in Raub, Pahang, on Sunday afternoon, dislodging huge boulders that almost hit the business premises at Jalan Tun Razak. \nNo casualties were reported, said the Pahang Fire and Rescue Department. \nThe department\u2019s zone 3 chief Sharulnizam Nasir told Bernama that the landslide occurred from a height of 15m, and covered an area more than 30m wide. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that his team was carrying out an inspection to ensure that the area was safe. \nOn his Facebook page, Raub MP Chow Yu Hui said the authorities are clearing the rubble on the road, installing a canvas over the site of landslide and closing off the alleyway. He also urged shop owners and employees to avoid staying in the rooms at the back of the building. \nIn Melaka, some 300 residents of Taman Bukit Tambun Perdana in Durian Tunggal are worried about being hit by a landslide again, reported The Star.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTheir spokesman Zahari Samsuddin, 37, said their estate experienced a landslide last month, and subsequent soil movements might lead to a more damaging episode.  \n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a ticking time bomb. We are worried for our safety following the Batang Kali landslide tragedy,\u201d he said after holding a peaceful gathering with residents on Sunday. \nMe Zahari said cracks have appeared in the columns of some houses due to soil instability. \u201cThis is a newly-completed project and we want the local authority and developer to take remedial measures,\u201d he was quoted as saying by The Star. \nA devastating landslide hit a campsite at Father\u2019s Organic Farm in Batang Kali, Selangor on last Friday, claiming at least 24 lives while nine others are still missing. The youngest casualty is a one-year-old boy. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/landslide-almost-hit-shophouses-in-pahang-malaysia"}, {"title": null, "text": [], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/landslide-hit-malaysia-campsite-near-genting-what-we-know-so-far"}, {"title": "I could not believe it, first responder says of number of people affected by Malaysia landslide", "text": ["\nBATANG KALI - One hundred was simply too large a number even for experienced first responder Mohd Firdaus Abd Samad to believe as he received the initial report about the landslide that hit the Father\u2019s Organic Farm campsite in Batang Kali.\nThat number was what struck the 17-year veteran of the Hulu Selangor district Civil Defence Force (CDF) the hardest as he and his colleagues made their way to the site of the incident to begin search and rescue (SAR) operations.\nMr Mohd Firdaus said he was on duty at the Hulu Selangor district operations centre last Friday when they received a call from the Mers-999 (Malaysian Emergency Response System hotline) about the incident at around 2.30am.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI immediately contacted the fire and rescue station for confirmation, as I could not believe that the number of victims had exceeded 100 people,\u201d he told Bernama on Saturday night.\n\u201cAfter receiving confirmation from the authorities including the police, I along with CDF officer Hilmi Husman and five other personnel rushed to the incident site,\u201d he said.\nRescue efforts were already under way when they arrived.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThere were personnel from other security teams spread out across the area, responding to calls for help in the dark. \n\n\u201cAs we began to deploy for the SAR operation, I saw a few victims coming out of the landslide area on their own, heading towards safety. Several of them used their flashlights to signal for help,\u201d Mr Mohd Firdaus said.\nEveryone was wading through ankle-deep mud, he said.\nSlippery conditions made it hard for them to move to assist victims, and there was a fear that another landslide could occur at any time.\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nMr Mohd Firdaus recalled a \u201cvery sad situation\u201d when a male victim told rescuers that his wife and child were trapped in their car that was buried by the landslide.\n\u201cHe shouted to his wife to continue to press the car horn so that we could locate her,\u201d he said.\nGuided by the sounds of the horn, the rescuers made their way in the dark through piles of earth, strewn with half-buried cars and other debris. Before long, they managed to find the car with the man\u2019s wife and child.\n\u201cThe wife, even in her weak condition, urged us to save her child first. When we managed to get to the child, I immediately held him in my arms,\u201d he said.\n\u201cBut it was at that moment that I realised the child had already died. It was clear he was pale, cold and did not have a pulse.\u201d\n", "\nThe CDF is one of five main agencies involved in the SAR operations in the Batang Kali landslide, which is spearheaded by the Fire and Rescue Team. \nThe operation has now entered its third day.\nAs at Saturday evening, 24 victims were confirmed dead with nine still missing, based on official police information. \nChecks by Bernama as at 2am on Sunday revealed that the situation was calm at the incident site, with only rescue agency vehicles entering and exiting the incident area control post.\nThe SAR operation stopped at 4am and was set to resume at 9am.\u00a0THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/landslide-near-genting-first-responder-shares-first-hand-account-of-ongoing-sar-operations"}, {"title": "Landslide near Genting: 31-year-old school canteen assistant is first victim to be buried", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - One of the victims of the Batang Kali landslide at the Fathers\u2019 Organic Farm campsite was buried on Saturday night.\nThe deceased\u2019s mother, Siti Esah Hassan, 53, said the remains of Nurul Azmani Kamarulzaman, 31, were taken to a cemetery in Kuala Lumpur after funeral prayers.\nAccording to Siti Esah, Nurul Azmani was the eldest of three siblings who worked as a canteen assistant at SJKC Mun Choong.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cShe joined the camp because she was accompanying her employer who is also a teacher at the school, and she (Nurul Azmani) had promised to return to the village after the camping activity.\n\u201cOn Thursday (Dec 15), a night before the incident, she had contacted me to say that she had bought a ticket to return home to Kelantan, which would have been for yesterday (Friday),\u201d she said on Saturday. \nThe deceased was one of 24 victims who died in the landslide that occurred on Friday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Nurul Azwani is the only ethnic Malay victim who has been identified so far.\n\nFive other victims have been identified by the authorities as being Malaysian Chinese and included a nine-year old boy.\nAs of 9pm on Saturday, a total of nine people are still missing, while 61 have been rescued. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/landslide-near-genting-first-victim-is-buried"}, {"title": "Landslide off Genting: Anguish and shock among loved ones and rescue workers", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Grandmother Beh Su Lee made two trips in as many days to the morgue to identify four family members killed in the landslide off Genting Highlands last Friday.Each time, she wailed uncontrollably, like many others at the morgue."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/landslide-off-genting-anguish-and-shock-hit-loved-ones-and-rescue-workers"}, {"title": "Landslide off Genting caused by underground water, says Public Works Department", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - High soil saturation and pressure from the accumulation of underground water beneath the campsite in Batang Kali had led to the deadly landslide, says Malaysia\u2019s Public Works Department.\nInitial investigations indicated that there were two slope failures at the location, which happened within 20 to 30 minutes apart.\n\u201cThe first slope failure most likely occurred in the camping site.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe failure has caused the area at the foot of the slope to weaken, resulting in the occurrence of another larger (second) collapse.\n\u201cActive underground water flow is detected in the area where the slope collapsed, especially in the campsite area,\u201d the department said.\nThe estimated dimension of the slope failure is 70m tall, 120m wide and 330m long with an estimated 450,000 cubic metre of rubble soil.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe department said Jalan Negeri B66 in the Batang Kali-Genting Highlands route has been closed since Dec 16.\n\n\u201cThe shoulder of Road 66 Section 13.0 from the direction of Gohtong Jaya to Batang Kali has fallen and been damaged by the landslide.\n\u201cTension cracks can also be seen lengthwise on the left lane leading to Batang Kali.\n\u201cThe roadside drain was also found to have broken and fallen,\u201d it said, adding that a visual inspection of the area found that the drains were clean and dry, indicating that there was no issue with the drainage system.\nIt said short-term repair works have been implemented to avoid further collapse.\n\u201cThe works include immediately covering the exposed slope surface with a tarpaulin sheet, redirecting surface drainage water and water from the left drain to the right side, preventing runoff from entering the rubble area, and installing tilt sensors to monitor ground movement at the site,\u201d it added.\nA detailed ground investigation would be carried out as soon as the search and rescue operations are completed.\nThe landslide off Genting Highlands has so far claimed 24 lives with nine victims still missing. A total of 61 people survived the tragedy. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/landslide-off-genting-caused-by-underground-water-says-public-works-department"}, {"title": "Landslide off Genting: Rescuers use radar to locate victims, cops question campsite operator", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian authorities are exhausting all options, including radar, as hopes are fading that they will locate survivors among the nine victims still missing after last Friday\u2019s landslide that killed at least 24 at a campsite near Genting Highlands. \nSelangor\u2019s state fire and rescue chief Norazam Khamis said ground penetrating radar (GPR) that can detect buried objects had been deployed on Sunday to help with the search operations in Batang Kali, a hilly area about 50km north of Kuala Lumpur.\u00a0\n\u201cWe are using whatever resources we have to help locate the remaining victims. Due to the uneven surface at the scene, it\u2019s hard to mobilise the GPR, but we need it as it uses pulses of radar to image the subsurface,\u201d he said. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt makes it possible to measure the dimensions, depth and thickness of targets, and data is provided quickly and we can cover a large site... It is easier and effective in detecting what\u2019s underneath the soil.\u201d\nBecause of the uneven surface of the soil, rescuers are using wood planks to ease the mobilisation of the equipment, he added.\nEight excavators were being used to dig through more than a metre of debris in some places.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDatuk Norazam added that tracker dogs from the fire and rescue department as well as the police and the army were involved in the search and more would be brought in if needed.\n\nHe said last Saturday that the chances of finding more survivors were slim, given the lack of oxygen and the weight of mud pressing down on the site. \nOver 700 personnel across various government agencies have been deployed after 450,000 cubic metres of earth fell from a height of 30m onto the campsite area of about 0.4ha in the early hours of last Friday when the campers were sleeping in their tents.\nPolice have taken statements from the operator and two employees of the campsite where 94 people, including families with young children and teachers from a primary school, were staying. \n\n\n\n\n\nA total of 61 people have been rescued.\u00a0 \nHulu Selangor district police chief Suffian Abdullah said three people from Father\u2019s Organic Farm, where the campsite is located, were questioned last Saturday afternoon. \n\u201cWe do not rule out the possibility of calling other individuals to help with the investigation,\u201d he told reporters at the site of the tragedy on Sunday, where the search resumed in the morning after a break in the wee hours.\n", "\nIn a Facebook post on Sunday, the owners of Father\u2019s Organic Farm apologised to everyone affected by the tragedy and offered their sympathies to the victims and their families.\n\u201cWe humbly bow to everyone affected by this tragedy,\u201d the owners said in the post, which also paid tribute to the rescuers.\nLocal Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming said earlier that Father\u2019s Organic Farm was licensed only for farming and not camping. \nBut there has been confusion over the legality of setting up a campsite on private land, with Selangor\u2019s state government saying there are no specific guidelines to regulate such activities.\n", "\n\u201cCamping became popular during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is a new activity and a booming one too,\u201d said Mr Hee Loy Sian, who is in charge of tourism and environment in the state government.\nHe added that the state government would meet the Tourism Ministry to draw up regulations to be enforced by district councils.\nThe Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry is also awaiting a detailed report that can be tabled to the Cabinet for further action. \n\u201cIt is too early for any speculation. The study is ongoing. We will get the report soon and the details will be shared later,\u201d Minister Nik Nazmi Ahmad said last Saturday evening. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/landslide-off-genting-rescuers-use-radar-to-locate-victims-cops-question-campsite-operator"}, {"title": "Landslide off Genting: Set up commission of inquiry to probe incident, says NGO", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN - Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) has urged Malaysian authorities to set up a commission of inquiry to identify the cause of a landslide at a campsite at Father\u2019s Organic Farm in Gohtong Jaya near Batang Kali, Selangor.\nIts president R. Meenakshi said the inquiry should be conducted transparently and its findings made public.\n\u201cSAM was shocked to learn about the horrific landslide tragedy in Batang Kali ... we have warned many times about giving permission for earthworks and other forms of activity to take place on highlands and hillsides as these places are environmentally sensitive areas.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHow could a campsite be allowed in a hilly area? Photographs show that a major slope failure occurred under the nearby highway in that part of the campsite,\u201d she said in a statement on Friday.\nBased on reports, 61 people were reported safe while 18 victims died in the incident. The search and rescue operations for victims are ongoing.\nIt was initially reported that about 100 people were feared trapped at the campsite following the 30m-high landslide.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Meenakshi said SAM also wants the authorities to determine if the farm owner had a licence to operate the campsite. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/landslide-off-genting-set-up-commission-of-inquiry-to-probe-incident-says-ngo"}, {"title": "Malaysia landslide: Body of the last missing boy found", "text": ["\nHULU SELANGOR - The body of the last victim of the Malaysian landslide at Father\u2019s Organic Farm has been found.\nThe remains of a boy was discovered by the search and rescue (SAR) team at 4.53pm.\nAfter most of the day with no new developments, the media was alerted at about 5pm that the 31st deceased victim may have been found on the ninth day of the SAR operation in Batang Kali, Selangor.   \n\n\n\n\n\nWith all the victims discovered, the SAR operation at the foot of Genting Highlands was expected to stand down.    \nEarlier, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis said that the SAR operation on Saturday was focused on Sector A (Hillview) involving some 80 personnel from various agencies.     \n", "\nThe Dec 16 landslide that took the lives of 31 people was the third worst landslide disaster in Malaysia in the last 30 years.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe\u00a0worst was the Dec 11, 1993, collapse of one of three Highland Towers condominium blocks in Bukit Antarabangsa at the edge of Kuala Lumpur, that killed 48 people. Block 1 collapsed after being hit by a massive landslide from a steep hill behind it.\n\nThe second-worst incident occurred on Aug 29, 1996, when 44 people were killed after mudflow triggered by torrential rain inundated a village in Pos Dipang inhabited by the Orang Asli, Malaysia\u2019s indigenous people, in western Perak state.\nAll the dead victims at the ill-fated Batang Kali campsite have been identified by the authorities, with the youngest victim a year old boy, and the oldest, a 67-year old man.     \nA total of 61 people survived the landslide tragedy. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/last-body-of-malaysia-landslide-found"}, {"title": "Lebanese jeweller sues Rosmah over 43 missing pieces of jewellery", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A wholesale jeweller from Lebanon has filed a suit against Rosmah Mansor, demanding that she pay US$14.57 million (S$19.4 million) for violating a contract involving 43 pieces of jewellery sent to her five years ago.\nGlobal Royalty Trading, based in Beirut, as the plaintiff, filed the suit through the law firm David Gurupatham and Koay at the High Court on March 29, naming the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak as the sole defendant.\nIn its statement of claim, Global Royalty claimed that Rosmah, 71, had lied in her affidavit and in her statement of defence by saying that 44 pieces of jewellery, including diamond necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets and tiaras sent to her by the company\u2019s agent had been seized by the Malaysian authorities for offences under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe company said this was because only one of the 44 pieces of jewellery was kept by the police and the remaining 43 pieces were not in the custody of the authorities.\n\n\u201cTherefore, the defendant failed and was negligent to return to the plaintiff the remaining 43 pieces of jewellery amounting to US$14.57 million, which were sent to the defendant on Feb 10, 2018,\u201d it said.\nThe company added that based on the Letter of Undertaking signed by Rosmah, dated May 22, 2018, she admitted that the jewellery were in her possession and then confiscated by the Malaysian government.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHowever, in the company\u2019s efforts to recover all 44 pieces of jewellery, only one of them could be identified and retrieved from the government by the representative appointed by the plaintiff... that is the diamond emerald bracelet,\u201d it said.\n\nGlobal Royalty further said that it is the duty of the defendant to take care of all the jewellery and keep them safe.\nIt also claimed that the defendant had also deceived the company by shifting the burden to the Malaysian government when in fact, the jewellery had gone missing.\n\u201cTherefore, the defendant must be held responsible to pay for the losses due to the missing of the 43 pieces of jewellery, as the plaintiff has the right to claim damages,\u201d the jeweller said.\nThe company is seeking a mandatory order for the jewellery to be returned to the plaintiff in good condition within 14 days from the date of judgment, failing which the defendant has to pay the plaintiff damages of US$14,567,270, besides interest, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/lebanese-jeweller-sues-rosmah-over-43-missing-pieces-of-jewellery"}, {"title": "Let\u2019s set aside political differences, say moderates in Malaysia", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 With a new prime minister sworn in and a unity government in the works, moderates have called on Malaysians to move on from the 15th General Election and give their full support to the new line-up.\nFormer ambassador Noor Farida Mohd Ariffin believes that a majority of Malaysians are delighted that the King, Sultan\u00a0Abdullah Ahmad Shah, has appointed Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the country\u2019s 10th prime minister. \n\u201cThe rakyat has spoken decisively in favour of Pakatan Harapan. I hope all Malaysians and political parties will give their full support to our new prime minister and his government,\u201d said Datuk Noor Farida. \u201cLet peace and harmony reign in our beloved country.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia, she said, needed leaders who believed in inclusivity and refrained from using race and religion to divide the people.\n\nOn Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s challenge to Mr Anwar to prove that he had the majority support in Parliament to be prime minister, Ms Noor Farida said that \u201che should move on\u201d.\nShe added: \u201c(He should) accept the Yang di-Pertuan Agong\u2019s decision and be content with the role of opposition leader.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysian Unity Foundation trustee Lee Lam Thye said that following the King\u2019s consistent call for a unity government, the people  should give their full support.\n\n\u201cThe rakyat must now respond by giving full support to the unity government, even if the outcome is not exactly what some had hoped for,\u201d said Tan Sri Lee. \u201cAfter all, we are all in this together. We face similar problems, have similar aspirations and have hopes of living harmoniously with each other.\u201d\nHe added: \u201cLet us put aside our political differences and put our shoulders to the wheel for the good of all.\u201d\nMr Lee said that the political uncertainties had had an adverse effect on the economy, making investors hesitant, which was not good for the country in the long run.\n\u201cWe need stability and unity, both of which are precursors to economic progress and harmonious living,\u201d he said.\nCalling on the opposition to play its role, Mr Lee said it must always be vigilant against policies and actions not conducive to harmonious living in line with the Rukun Negara, or national principles.\n\u201cWe hope that on both sides of the political divide, those who propose and those who oppose act in line with democratic principles,\u201d he said.\n\nModeration advocate Mohamed Tawfik Ismail said that while it was okay to celebrate the results of the general election, no one should be gloating and goading the loser.\n", "\n\u201cSo far, we have shown maturity when changes took place during GE14, which was a sign of a truly democratic culture flourishing,\u201d he said.\n\nOn the new prime minister, Mr Mohamed Tawfik, who stood and lost in Bagan Datuk in the recent election, said that Mr Anwar should \u201creverse\u201d the Islamisation of the country\u2019s institutions, which had been unsettling the minds of moderate Muslims and non-Muslims.\nMr Anwar, he added, should also reaffirm the principles of the Rukun Negara and uphold the Malaysia Agreement 1963. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/let-s-set-aside-political-differences-say-moderates-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "\u2018Like a staircase to heaven\u2019: Unusual cloud formation appears over Sarawak town", "text": ["\nAn unusual cloud formation on Thursday in the town of Bintulu in Sarawak has caused excitement among residents.\nMany were curious about the long white horizontal streak that appeared in the dark grey sky that morning, and took the opportunity to post videos and pictures online.     \n\u201cReally beautiful... like a staircase to heaven,\u201d wrote Safiah Ros on Facebook, while Jeya Lee said it was \u201cbeautiful and extraordinary\u201d.    \n\n\n\n\n\nSome were excited by the unusual cloud appearance, while others wondered if it signalled an imminent thunderstorm. \n\u201cHopefully, it will not be like Sibu, which was hit by heavy winds and rain. A lot of trees collapsed and roofs went flying,\u201d said Este Bah on Facebook, in reference to a thunderstorm that hit parts of the nearby town on April 5.\nThe Malaysian Meteorology Department (MetMalaysia) said the phenomenon is known as an arcus cloud formation.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the British Met Office, arcus clouds are low-level, wide-ranging clouds typically associated with powerful storm clouds and thunderstorms. \n\n\u201cIn tropical areas, this cloud formation exists if there are cumulonimbus clouds, or clouds that bring rain or storms,\u201d Borneo Post quoted a MetMalaysia spokesman as saying. \u201cAlthough the arcus or roll clouds are harmless, they may bring heavy rain, strong winds and lightning strikes.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/like-a-staircase-to-heaven-unusual-cloud-formation-appears-over-sarawak-town"}, {"title": "Long lines, neglected loos: Malaysian associations urge facelift for KL airport to draw tourists", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 From long immigration lines and luggage waiting times to the now out-of-commission aerotrains, players in tourism and hospitality say Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) needs a serious revamp to attract more tourists.\nWhile KLIA has served Malaysia well since it opened almost 25 years ago, stakeholders feel it has lagged behind rivals such as Singapore\u2019s Changi Airport, said Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Tan Kok Liang.\nCommon complaints from tourists were of the long lines at immigration, the state of the toilets and amenities, transportation between the main terminal and satellite building, as well as the waiting and sitting areas, added Mr Tan.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cChangi already has four world-class terminals and is working on its fifth. We have no plan at all, and our KLIA is already more than two decades old.  \n\u201cAn airport is always the face and the first impression of a country. If the services such as immigration and the aerotrains are not warm and welcoming, it reflects badly on its people.\n\u201cIn the long run, it will affect tourism because travellers will choose airports that have better connectivity and transit facilities,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Tan said that immediate rectification, or rather, a new satellite or main terminal building, should be the main order of business.\n\nOnce this is done, the current main terminal and satellite buildings should be renovated and redesigned to meet current and future requirements, he added.\n\u201cInfrastructure, accessibility and convenience of travellers must be the top priorities,\u201d he said, adding that the Putrajaya MRT line should also be extended to KLIA.\n\u201cThese are the basics if we want to be near or on a par with Bangkok, Singapore, London and any other major airport in the world,\u201d said Mr Tan.\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia Inbound Tourism Association president Uzaidi Udanis said KLIA needs to be spruced up in terms of the facilities and services offered.\n\u201cAll the other countries are competing for tourists, so they have been sprucing up their services.\n\u201cFor example, Changi Airport does really well; they make it very comfortable for visitors and they have all kinds of facilities there such as the airport slides and children\u2019s entertainment,\u201d he said.\n", "\nHe added that there was also a lack of information about the aerotrain services at KLIA being suspended and that passengers must now transfer to the bus lounge to transfer between the main terminal building and the satellite building.\n\u201cClear information must be given to passengers rather than them looking around for it. These are the little things that are very important to make a good impression on tourists,\u201d he said.\nMr Uzaidi added that immigration services at the airports should also be improved.\n\u201cIn Bangkok and Singapore, the lines are also long, but the clearance is super fast.\n\u201cI\u2019m sure the Immigration Department wants to protect our country and I\u2019m not sure if there are any challenges to achieving shorter waiting times, but it\u2019s very important,\u201d he said.\nMr Uzaidi also suggested that Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) hold cultural events and shows at the airports to attract transiting passengers.\nHe added that the airports have, however, done well in terms of the cleanliness of the toilets and prayer rooms.\nMalaysian Chinese Tourism Association president Paul Paw said while KLIA could have been considered world-class when it first opened, this is no longer the case now as the poor maintenance culture leaves much to be desired.\nHe said the suspension of the aerotrain is not only the only inconvenience to travellers, the long immigration lines and baggage waiting times have also left them suffering.\n\u201cThe Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry talks about welcoming tourists, but our airports have lots of problems; international visitors are made to wait for hours and hours.\n\u201cThis atmosphere is not good at all,\u201d said Mr Paw.\nHe added that the move by the Home Ministry to open up autogate facilities at KLIA for travellers from 10 countries, including Australia, Brunei and Singapore, was a good idea and that it should be extended to cover more nationalities while the luggage waiting time must also be improved.\nAccording to the MAHB website, the performance standard for baggage to arrive was within 40 minutes throughout February.\nMalaysian Association of Hotels president Christina Toh has urged MAHB to set up a crisis management team.\n\u201cFor the short term, MAHB needs to come up with action plans to guide and inform the passengers on the ground until other long-term solutions take place.\n\u201cTo minimise confusion and hassle among passengers on the ground, there must be sufficient signs and guides after they have arrived in Malaysia. \n\u201cThis will make it easier for passengers to know where to go \u2013 for example, where to take the coaches,\u201d she added. \nWith entry points such as airports being the first impression of Malaysia for tourists, Ms Toh said in the case of a manpower shortage, the use of technology such as messages generated by artificial intelligence should come in handy.\n\u201cTheir website should also be frequently updated with the latest information, including flights and the availability of transport vehicles, so that people can always google it,\u201d she said.\nShe also called on immigration officers to be more friendly to foreigners, regardless of where they are from.\nMs Toh noted that prolonged issues at the airports will make Malaysia lose its advantage. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/long-lines-neglected-loos-malaysian-associations-urge-facelift-for-kl-airport-to-draw-tourists"}, {"title": "Lorry driver in Malaysia detained for allegedly posting TikTok video defaming traffic police", "text": ["\nKANGAR - A lorry driver in Malaysia was detained by the police for allegedly posting a TikTok video defaming the traffic police on Saturday, the New Straits Times reported.\nKangar police chief Yusharifuddin Mohd Yusop said the 39-year-old man, an employee of Muda Agricultural Development Authority, was detained at his home in Jitra, Kedah, hours after his post went viral.\nIn the 35-second video clip, three traffic policemen are seen conducting an inspection near a traffic junction in Jalan Kangar-Alor Star.\n\n\n\n\n\nAssistant Commissioner Yusharifuddin said the traffic policemen were issuing a summons to the man and their faces were visible in the video.\nHe added that the driver, who was unhappy with the policemen, uploaded the video, which \u201ccontained elements of provocation and defamation\u201d. \n\u201cThe driver was found to have committed several offences, including driving without a licence, illegal exhaust system modifications and using headlights that did not comply with specifications,\u201d said AC Yusharifuddin on Monday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe man is in remand until Tuesday.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/lorry-driver-in-malaysia-detained-for-allegedly-posting-tiktok-video-defaming-traffic-police"}, {"title": "Lynas faces part closure of Malaysian rare earths plant by July", "text": ["\nMELBOURNE \u2013 Malaysian regulators approved an operating licence renewal for Australia\u2019s Lynas Rare Earths\u2019 Malaysian unit, the company said on Tuesday, but the regulators have not lifted conditions that stop it from importing and processing rare earths concentrate after July 1. \nLynas, the world\u2019s biggest producer of rare earths outside China, will need to close the cracking and leaching part of its rare earths processing plant if the conditions are not removed before then, the company said in a filing to the exchange.\n\u201cAfter 10 years of safe operation in Malaysia, we are disappointed that the conditions that were applied to our 2020 operating licence remain,\u201d chief executive Amanda Lacaze said in the statement.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe will now proceed with administrative and legal appeals to ensure that Lynas is treated fairly and equitably as a foreign direct investor and a significant employer and contributor to the Malaysian economy.\u201d\nLynas produces neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) used in magnets in high-tech sectors from electric vehicles to military applications.   \nTwo International Atomic Energy Agency reviews found the plant to be low risk and compliant with relevant regulations, Lynas said.    \n\n\n\n\n\n\nLynas had applied to Malaysia\u2019s regulator for the conditions to be removed because they \u201crepresent a significant variation from the conditions under which... Lynas made the initial decision to invest in Malaysia\u201d, it added.\n\nShares opened up 2.5 per cent at A$8.50 after falling as much as 8.2 per cent after a news report at the weekend suggested its operating licence would not be approved. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/lynas-faces-part-closure-of-malaysian-rare-earths-plant-by-july"}, {"title": "Malaysian policewoman in viral video charged with criminal intimidation, insulting man\u2019s modesty", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian policewoman who got herself in hot water for shouting at her colleagues and arguing with a female civilian has been charged in court.\nSheila Sharon Steven Kumar, 35, pleaded not guilty to two charges (Section 506 and 509 of the Penal Code) before Magistrate Chai Guan Hock and one charge (Section 509 of the same Code) before Magistrate Nur Hafizah Rajuni at the Selayang Magistrate\u2019s Court on Monday.\nSection 506 of the Penal Code is for criminal intimidation which involves a jail term of up to two years or a fine, or both upon conviction. Section 509 of the same Code is for insulting the modesty of any person by word, through sound, gesture or exhibiting any object intentionally, and involves a maximum jail sentence of five years or fine, or both, upon conviction.\n\n\n\n\n\nAt the first court, Sheila, who is attached to the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department, was accused of making criminal threats to a 69-year-old woman in a shop lot in Taman Sri Gombak at around noon on June 15.\nShe was charged with insulting the modesty of a 41-year-old man an hour after the first incident at the same location on the same day.\nDeputy Public Prosecutor Wan Nur Iman Wan Ahmad Afzal offered bail at RM8,000 (S$2,300).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSheila\u2019s lawyer Manoharan Malayalam pleaded for the magistrate to issue a bond on the accused instead, on account that she was a serving police officer who has a clean background and has always put her career first.\n\nMagistrate Chai fixed bail for RM3,000.\nThe case is set for mention on Aug 7.\nAt a separate court before Magistrate Nur Hafizah, Sheila faced her third charge where she was accused of intimidating a male policeman of a lance corporal rank with intent to insult his modesty around 1.25pm on the same day and location as the previous two charges.\nDeputy Public Prosecutor Anis Farhan Ahmad Hilmi proposed a RM5,000 bail in one surety.\nHowever, Mr Manoharan pleaded for the Magistrate to tie the bail with the previous case before Magistrate Chai.\nMagistrate Nur Hafizah then fixed bail at RM2,000 bail and also fixed Aug 7 for mention.\nMr Manoharan said after the court proceedings that there were initially a total of six charges against Sheila, but three were dropped.\nSheila made the news earlier this month when a viral video emerged showing her arguing with other police personnel and civilians. \nShe was detained on June 18 by Gombak police and subsequently released on police bail. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/m-sian-female-cop-caught-on-viral-video-charged-with-criminal-intimidation-insulting-the-modesty-of-a-man"}, {"title": "Mahathir gives PM Anwar 7 days to retract \u2018slanderous\u2019 claims or face legal action", "text": ["\nFormer Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad has demanded that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim retract \u201cslanderous\u201d claims that he had enriched himself and his family while in power.\nIf Datuk Seri Anwar fails to respond within seven days to the letter of demand dated March 27, Tun Dr Mahathir said he will proceed with legal action.\n\u201cThese are terrible accusations and give a very bad impression of me. It is slander, unless he can show proof that I have billions of ringgit, I channelled money overseas and I don\u2019t pay taxes,\u201d he told the Malaysian media on Tuesday. \n\n\n\n\n\nIn a speech at his Parti Keadilan Rakyat\u2019s congress on March 18, Mr Anwar had alluded to someone \u201cwho had been in power for 22 years and (later) an additional 22 months\u201d using his position to enrich his family and himself. \nWhile Mr Anwar did not mention Dr Mahathir by name, he also said the person was complaining about Malays losing their dominance only after he was no longer in power.\n\nDr Mahathir demanded on Monday that the Prime Minister back his claim.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Tuesday, he said it was clear that Mr Anwar was referring to no other former premier but him because \u201cI was in power for 22 years and 22 months\u201d.\n\nDr Mahathir, 97, served as premier twice \u2013 from 1981 to 2003, and from 2018 to 2020 \u2013 and resigned both times. He lost his parliamentary seat of Langkawi in the 2022 General Election.\n\u201cAlthough I have heard similar remarks which he made in the past, but at that time he was not prime minister. Now he is prime minister, and prime ministers have the responsibility to not simply make such accusations without any clear proof,\u201d Dr Mahathir added. \nHe also said he will continue to be politically active as he believes the people still need his experience, adding that he could not say no if people sought him out for advice. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFor the love of the country... if someone comes and asks me for help, I could not say \u2018I am sorry I cannot help because I want to rest\u2019. I still have ideas and (if asked) I\u2019m ready to share,\u201d he said.\nDr Mahathir and Mr Anwar used to have a close relationship, with the former calling Mr Anwar his friend and protege. \nHe anointed Mr Anwar his successor, but later, amid disagreements over how to handle the Asian financial crisis in 1998, he said Mr Anwar was unfit to lead \u201cbecause of his character\u201d. \nBetween his stints as deputy prime minister in the 1990s and as official prime minister-in-waiting in 2018, Mr Anwar spent nearly a decade in jail for sodomy and corruption \u2013 charges that he said were politically motivated.\nAfter decades of enmity, the two buried the hatchet briefly in 2018 to oust the then ruling Barisan Nasional coalition \u2013 only to fall out again within two years, ending their 22-month-old Pakatan Harapan government and plunging Malaysia into a period of instability.\nThe last election, on Nov 19, left the country in political limbo after no coalition gained enough seats to form a government.\nMr Anwar and rival Muhyiddin Yassin, whose coalitions had the two largest blocs in Parliament but no simple majority needed to form the government, raced against each other to become premier.\nThe situation was resolved only when Mr Anwar gained the backing of the Umno-led Barisan Nasional to form a unity government. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/mahathir-gives-pm-anwar-7-days-to-retract-slanderous-claims-or-face-legal-action"}, {"title": "Mahathir sues Malaysian PM Anwar for $44.6 million over \u2018slanderous\u2019 claims", "text": ["\nFormer Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad has filed a RM150 million (S$44.6 million) defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over \u201cslanderous\u201d claims that the elder leader had enriched himself and his family while in power.\nIn the lawsuit filed at the Shah Alam High Court on Wednesday, Tun Mahathir is seeking RM50 million in general damages and RM100 million in exemplary damages over Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s remarks which he allegedly made nearly two months ago at his Parti Keadilan Rakyat\u2019s congress.\nMr Anwar on Thursday said: \u201cI have lawyers, let my lawyers handle everything.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nIn his March 18 speech, Mr Anwar \u2013 without mentioning any names \u2013 alluded to someone \u201cwho had been in power for 22 years and (later) an additional 22 months\u201d using his position to enrich his family and himself.\nDays later, Dr Mahathir said it was clear that Mr Anwar was referring to no other former premier but him because \u201cI was in power for 22 years and 22 months\u201d.\n\nDr Mahathir, 97, served as premier twice \u2013 from 1981 to 2003, and from 2018 to 2020 \u2013 and resigned both times. He lost his parliamentary seat of Langkawi in the 2022 general election.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs a result of Mr Anwar\u2019s allegations in March, Dr Mahathir sent a legal letter dated March 27 to him to retract his \u201cslanderous\u201d claims or face legal action. \n\nMr Anwar\u2019s lawyers replied in April, saying that they were ready to answer any allegations in court.\nIn his lawsuit, Dr Mahathir said Mr Anwar\u2019s remarks suggested that the elder leader had billions in wealth, enriched his family and avoided paying taxes.\nThe allegations also portrayed him as a racist, a scoundrel and a religious bigot.\n\n\n\n\n\nThis, said Dr Mahathir, marred his image as a statesman and a two-time former prime minister both locally and internationally, and would create a negative perception of him.\n\u201cAll my children are successful in their businesses without any interference from me or any form of abuse of power from me when I was the prime minister.\n\n\u201cMoreover, I have never been accused of, or punished for any offence related to abuse of power or misappropriation of funds during or after my tenure as prime minister,\u201d he noted in his statement of claim.\nHe wants the court to issue an order for Mr Anwar to retract all his remarks.  \nHe also wants Mr Anwar to extend an unconditional and open apology, with an undertaking that he will not repeat such statements in future. \n", "\nThe two used to have a close relationship, with Dr Mahathir calling Mr Anwar his friend and protege.\nHe anointed Mr Anwar as his successor in 1993. But amid disagreements over how to handle the Asian financial crisis in 1998, he said Mr Anwar was unfit to lead \u201cbecause of his character\u201d.\nBetween his stints as deputy prime minister in the 1990s and as official prime minister-in-waiting in 2018, Mr Anwar spent nearly a decade in jail for sodomy and corruption \u2013 charges that he said were politically motivated.\nAfter decades of enmity, the two buried the hatchet briefly in 2018 to oust the then ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, only to fall out again within two years, ending their 22-month-old Pakatan Harapan government and plunging Malaysia into a period of instability.\nThe last general election, on Nov 19, left the country in political limbo after no coalition gained enough seats to form a government.\nMr Anwar and rival Muhyiddin Yassin, whose coalitions had the two largest blocs in Parliament but no simple majority needed to form the government, competed to become premier.\n\nThe situation was resolved only when Mr Anwar gained the backing of BN \u2013 led by Umno, the party once headed by Dr Mahathir who expelled Mr Anwar in 1998 \u2013 to form a unity government.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/mahathir-sues-malaysian-pm-anwar-for-446-million-over-slanderous-claims"}, {"title": "Mahathir accuses PM Anwar\u2019s government of rejecting Constitution by scuttling Malay rally", "text": ["\nFormer Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has trained his guns on premier Anwar Ibrahim, accusing the government of rejecting the country\u2019s Constitution by scuttling a Malay solidarity rally.\nTun Dr Mahathir was scheduled to attend the Malay Proclamation rally on March 19, but the organisers were forced to scrap the event after several venues cancelled its bookings.\nThe event was organised to witness the unveiling of a 12-point Malay Proclamation, which argues that under Datuk Seri Anwar and his government, the majority Malay community is losing power.  \n\n\n\n\n\nIn a Facebook post on Monday, Dr Mahathir said in Malay that the content of the proclamation complied with the provisions in Malaysia\u2019s Constitution and that of Umno, the Malay party that is part of Mr Anwar\u2019s unity government.  \n\u201cThe obstruction of this launch means that the Anwar government rejects the Federal Constitution and the Umno Constitution,\u201d he said. \n\u201cWhen the government prevents other parties from launching this proclamation, it betrays the promises in the country\u2019s Constitution.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Mahathir claimed Malays had \u201clost everything\u201d after he resigned as prime minister in 2020 following the collapse of the then Pakatan Harapan government. \n\nThis was why he wanted to hold the Malay Proclamation gathering to make the community realise the issues they are facing. \nDr Mahathir, 97, served as premier twice \u2013 from 1981 to 2003, and from 2018 to 2020 \u2013 and resigned both times. He lost his parliamentary seat of Langkawi in the 2022 general election.\nIn the run-up to the rally, Mr Anwar had ordered security forces to be alert against those stirring up racial and religious rhetoric.\nOn March 18, he alluded to someone \u201cwho had been in power for 22 years and (later) an additional 22 months\u201d using his position to enrich his family and himself.\nWhile Mr Anwar did not mention Dr Mahathir by name, he also said the person was complaining about Malays losing their dominance only after he was no longer in power.\nThe following day, Mr Anwar said \u2013 without naming names \u2013 that desperate leaders who have lost power are manipulating sensitive issues.\n", "\nDr Mahathir on Monday demanded that the Prime Minister back his claim.\n\u201cI want Anwar to provide proof that I enriched my family and myself,\u201d he said. \u201cMaking accusations is easy, but accusations that are not proven cannot be accepted as truth. It is slander.\u201d \nDr Mahathir had previously said he had no evidence that Mr Anwar was behind the sudden cancellation of the rally, but he accused the Prime Minister of being a dictator who has been displaying increasing intolerance of free speech by attacking the opposition and his critics.   \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/mahathir-tears-into-malaysian-pm-anwar-again-accuses-government-of-rejecting-constitution-by-scuttling-malay-rally"}, {"title": "Mahathir to take Malaysian PM Anwar to court over \u2018slanderous\u2019 claims", "text": ["\nFormer Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad will proceed with legal action against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over claims that the elder leader had enriched himself and his family while in power.\nThis comes as the deadline for Datuk Seri Anwar to apologise to Tun Dr Mahathir for the \u201cslanderous\u201d claims lapsed on Monday.\nDr Mahathir\u2019s lawyer, Mr Rafique Rashid, said a letter from Mr Anwar\u2019s lawyer, dated April 17, states that they are ready to answer any allegations in court.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBased on the reply, Dr Mahathir has instructed our firm to pursue legal action against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,\u201d said Mr Rafique.\nIn a speech at his Parti Keadilan Rakyat\u2019s congress on March 18, Mr Anwar alluded to someone \u201cwho had been in power for 22 years and (later) an additional 22 months\u201d using his position to enrich his family and himself.\n\nWhile Mr Anwar did not mention Dr Mahathir by name, he said the person was also complaining about the Malays losing their dominance only after he was no longer in power.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDays later, Dr Mahathir said it was clear that Mr Anwar was referring to no other former premier but him because \u201cI was in power for 22 years and 22 months\u201d.\n\n\nDr Mahathir, 97, served as premier twice \u2013 from 1981 to 2003, and from 2018 to 2020 \u2013 and resigned both times. He lost his parliamentary seat of Langkawi in the 2022 General Election.\nEarly this month, Mr Anwar said he would provide evidence to back the claims he had made against Dr Mahathir.\nAs a result of Mr Anwar\u2019s allegations in March, Dr Mahathir sent a legal letter dated March 27 to him to retract his \u201cslanderous\u201d claims within seven days or face legal action.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe subsequently agreed to an extension until April 17 after a request from Mr Anwar\u2019s legal team.\nIn a Facebook post on Monday, Dr Mahathir said Mr Anwar had slandered him for years but he did not take any action because he felt it was the act of someone who \u201cdesperately wanted to become prime minister\u201d.\n\u201cBut now that he is the prime minister, he maintains his accusations. So I have asked him to retract (his statements), failing which I will take legal action,\u201d he said.\nDr Mahathir and Mr Anwar used to have a close relationship, with the former calling Mr Anwar his friend and protege.\n\nHe anointed Mr Anwar his successor in 1993, but later, amid disagreements over how to handle the Asian financial crisis in 1998, said that Mr Anwar was unfit to lead \u201cbecause of his character\u201d.\nBetween his stints as deputy prime minister in the 1990s and as official prime minister-in-waiting in 2018, Mr Anwar spent nearly a decade in jail for sodomy and corruption \u2013 charges that he said were politically motivated.\n", "\nAfter decades of enmity, the two buried the hatchet briefly in 2018 to oust the then ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, only to fall out again within two years, ending their 22-month-old Pakatan Harapan government and plunging Malaysia into a period of instability.\nThe last general election, on Nov 19, left the country in political limbo after no coalition gained enough seats to form a government.\nMr Anwar and rival Muhyiddin Yassin, whose coalitions had the two largest blocs in Parliament but no simple majority needed to form the government, competed to become premier.\nThe situation was resolved only when Mr Anwar gained the backing of BN \u2013 led by Umno, the party once headed by Dr Mahathir who expelled Mr Anwar in 1998 \u2013 to form a unity government.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/mahathir-to-take-malaysian-pm-anwar-to-court-over-slanderous-claims"}, {"title": "Major landslides in Malaysia", "text": ["\nA major landslide on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur on Friday has killed more than a dozen people, and rescue work is ongoing. The following are major landslides across Malaysia in the last 30 years: \n\nDec 11, 1993 \u2013 48 people were killed when one of three Highland Towers\u00a0condominium blocks collapsed after being hit by a landslide in Taman Hillview, Selangor.\nJune 30, 1995 \u2013 20 people were killed as a landslide buried 10 to 15 cars on a Genting Highlands slip road. \nAug 29, 1996 \u2013 44 people were killed by a mudslide and landslide in the aboriginal Orang Asli village of Post Dipang in Kampar, Perak.\n\nDec 26, 1996 \u2013 302 people died as a landslide buried village homes in Keningau, Sabah, following Tropical Storm Greg. \nMay 15, 1999 \u2013 More than 10,000 people were stranded in the Bukit Antarabangsa area of Selangor for a week, after a landslide blocked the only access road and damaged two water mains.\n\nNov 20, 2002 \u2013 Eight people were killed after a landslide hit a bungalow in Taman Hillview, Selangor.\nNov 26, 2003 \u2013 A section of a major Kuala Lumpur highway, the North Klang Valley Expressway, was shut for six months after debris from a landslide covered six lanes. No one was hurt.\nDec 6, 2008 \u2013 Four people were killed and 14 bungalows buried by a landslide in Bukit\u00a0Antarabangsa, Selangor.\nMay 21, 2011 \u2013 16 people at an orphanage, mostly children, died in a landslide in Hulu Langat,\u00a0Selangor. \nJune 5, 2015 \u2013 A 6.0-magnitude earthquake in Sabah triggered landslides on Mount Kinabalu, killing 18 people and injuring 11.\n\nOct 21, 2017 \u2013 11 foreign workers were killed by a landslide at a housing construction site in Tanjung Bungah, Penang.\n\nNov 10, 2020 \u2013 A couple died when their rented villa was hit by a landslide at Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Tambun, Perak.\n\nMarch 10, 2022 \u2013 Four people were killed by a landslide at Taman Bukit Teratai residential estate in Selangor.\n\nDec 16, 2022 \u2013 A landslide at a campsite in Batang Kali, at the foot of Genting Highlands, killed more than a dozen people.\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/major-landslides-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "\u2018Malay Proclamation\u2019 rally off for now after organisers were again denied a venue", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 The \u201cMalay Proclamation\u201d rally \u2013 originally set for Sunday and involving Malaysia\u2019s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad \u2013 has been called off for now. \nThe Malay Proclamation secretariat said the organisers were again unable to secure the venue.\nIn a statement on Saturday, the organisers said the  management of the hall where the event was supposed to be held did not give any reason for cancelling their venue booking. The first venue booked was a hotel near the Petronas Twin Towers, and that was cancelled.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe programme involving statesman Mahathir, which is due to be held tomorrow, faced difficulties when the first venue of the event, which was booked earlier, was cancelled due to technical issues,\u201d they said. \u201cThe organisers then were forced to find a new venue,\u201d they added. \n\u201cHowever, the booking of the second venue, too, was cancelled, and the management of the hall informed us of this at 9am \u2013 24 hours before the event was due to begin.\u201d\n\u201cNo reasons were given for the cancellation,\u201d said the secretariat.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Malay Proclamation rally was supposed to have been a gathering of Malay groups on issues of Malay rights.\n\n\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday issued a warning against parties that he said were using race and religion to promote strife, ahead of the rally. \nDatuk Seri Anwar, in his address at a special national congress of his Parti Keadilan Rakyat on Saturday, lambasted and threatened \u201chis foes\u201d whom he said were attempting to create racial disunity as well as destabilise the government.\nHe chided those who were bringing together \u201cTuns, Tan Sris and big towkays to create trouble using racial sentiments and asking the Malays to hate other races saying they (the Malays) were losing power\u201d.\n\u201c\u2018Patriotism\u2019, racism and religious bigotry combined are the last refuge of the scoundrel,\u201d said Mr Anwar.  \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malay-proclamation-rally-off-for-now-after-organisers-were-again-denied-a-venue"}, {"title": "Malaysia aims to finalise review of 5G rollout this quarter", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia expects \u201csome kind of finality\u201d in its review of the 5G mobile services contract by this quarter, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.\nThe government\u2019s concerns with the 5G services range from the contracts signed to the speed of the network rollout, Mr Fahmi said in an interview with local radio station BFM 89.9 Tuesday. The government has a meeting today with state-run Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB)., the network\u2019s owner, he added.\n\u201cI believe it might be early right now to say when the Cabinet will come to a decision, but I expect perhaps within this quarter we will have some kind of finality. Hopefully. Because any further delays will perhaps, you know, we\u2019re not sure what kind of effect or impact it would have,\u201d Mr Fahmi said.\n\n\n\n\n\nDogged by years of political instability, Malaysia has been one of the 5G laggards in South-east Asia. In terms of average mobile download speeds, the country trails Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, which have rapidly rolled out the network, according to a report by Opensignal.\nThe previous administration formed DNB in 2021 to spearhead the 5G deployment via a single wholesale network. DNB partnered with local unit of Swedish telecom major Ericsson AB to manage this for RM 11 billion (S$3.4 billion), courting criticism from then-opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim over the cost and transparency.\n\u201cPrior to this, the ministry of finance did not have full horizon visibility of the contractual obligations, whether it\u2019s about Ericsson,\u201d he said. \u201cI believe there are 145 contracts that DNB has signed. But more than that, it\u2019s about the speed of rollout.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMobile network operators in Malaysia were slow to execute their access agreements to lease the network amid disputes over equal stakes totalling 70 per cent that DNB offered to them. Six companies eventually signed up in October last year, with Maxis still seeking shareholders\u2019 approval.\u00a0\n\nDNB in a statement on Monday said that Malaysia\u2019s 5G network has achieved almost 50 per cent coverage of populated areas with some 3,900 sites as at end-2022 \u2013 exceeding the target of 40 per cent. These figures would take Malaysia\u2019s Communications and Multimedia Commission two weeks to verify, said Mr Fahmi.\nMr Fahmi said that as of Nov 30, DNB had rolled out 2,575 5G towers, according to the MCMC. This compared to the company\u2019s forecast of 3,433 towers by that period, he said. DNB must roll out a total 3,518 towers, he added.\nAnother key aspect was that just 87 per cent of the cellular towers were \u201cfiberised\u201d, said Mr Fahmi.\n\u201cSo that means if people have been complaining, \u2018yeah we have 5G, but it\u2019s still only about 30-40 MBps, not the 100-200, whatever that\u2019s been touted\u2019. A lot of it might be because, where they are, the towers are not fiberised yet,\u201d said Mr Fahmi. BLOOMBERG \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-aims-to-finalise-review-of-5g-rollout-this-quarter"}, {"title": "Malaysia aims to lift price controls for chicken, eggs from June", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is looking to circumvent chicken and egg shortages by removing price caps in June as well as by cultivating grain corn locally to mitigate higher prices of chicken feed imports. \nAgriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu told The Straits Times that his ministry will observe how market forces impact retail prices if price controls are lifted.  \n\u201cMaybe from May, we will start studying if we can float the prices \u2013 whether prices will be maintained or go up very fast,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe current retail ceiling price in Peninsular Malaysia for standard chicken is RM9.40 (S$2.80) per kilogram, while the ceiling price for Grade A eggs is 45 sen.\nSome farmers and retailers have said they are forced to sell their poultry at higher prices, flouting regulations. \nSome farms also prefer to increase exports to fetch better prices, thus reducing local supply.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPrice controls have distorted the market and led to export bans, and farmers and producers are further squeezed by high feed costs that government subsidies barely help mitigate.\n\nMalaysia aims to reduce its reliance on corn imports by 50 per cent, and is carrying out a trial to cultivate the grain corn in the northern state of Perlis. \n\u201cThis year, we have started to plant grain corn. God willing for the future, we hope that grain corn can be planted in Malaysia,\u201d Datuk Seri Mohamad said.\nAlmost 100 per cent of grain corn is currently imported from Argentina and Brazil, and this has been impacted by the worldwide surge in prices due to the Ukraine war, pushing up the prices of poultry and eggs.\nEconomic experts and industry players have previously urged the government to do away with subsidies and allow the prices of chicken and eggs to be floated.\nSome price controls such as ceiling prices, they said, have contributed towards a supply shortage as ceiling prices are set below costs.\n\u201cEggs and poultry are the cheapest source of protein, and Malaysia is largely self-sufficient in these, but feed for poultry is exclusively imported, hence subjected to... imported inflation,\u201d economist Nungsari Ahmad Radhi told ST.\nDiversifying the import sources for animal feed can reduce Malaysia\u2019s dependence on imports, which will in turn reduce the price of goods.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-aims-to-lift-price-controls-for-chicken-eggs-from-june"}, {"title": "Malaysia aims to maintain same spending level in new Budget 2023", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia aims to maintain the spending level set by the previous government for 2023 while keeping an eye on existing fiscal consolidation targets, according to Economic Minister Rafizi Ramli.\nAt the same time, the government is looking into expediting \u201chigh impact projects\u201d in the revised 2023 spending plan that\u2019s set to be presented to parliament on Feb 24, Mr Rafizi said at a briefing in the administrative capital of Putrajaya on Thursday.\nThese include projects related to food security and value chain as well as renewable energy and green technology, he said. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe economy ministry is also trying to get more resources allocated to upskill the workforce to better meet the demands of the industry.\n\u201cWhat we are trying to balance now is how to stay on course with the amount that we have, mindful of the deficit consolidation that we have to achieve down the line,\u201d said Mr Rafizi. According to the 12th Malaysia plan, the country aims to narrow its fiscal deficit to 3.5 per cent by 2025.\nThe previous administration led by Ismail Sabri Yaakob had in October presented a tighter budget for 2023 with a view to narrowing the government\u2019s funding shortfall. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nParliament was dissolved before lawmakers could approve that spending plan, placing the onus on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who doubles as finance minister, to present a fresh budget in line with his coalition government\u2019s aspirations.\n\nMr Rafizi said the government is finalising data on the impact that the expected global economic slowdown would have on Malaysia\u2019s gross domestic product ahead of the budget presentation. \nThe previous administration forecast GDP to expand between 4 per cent and 5 per cent in 2023, slower than the 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent expected for 2022.\nThe government isn\u2019t likely to make \u201cdrastic revisions\u201d to this year\u2019s GDP forecast, even as it expects the economy to have performed better than expected in 2022, according to Mr Rafizi.\n\u201cWe do have some breathing space hopefully to navigate this expected global recession without going through a recession,\u201d said Mr Rafizi. \u201cBut I think what we want to focus on is with that \u2018some breathing space\u2019 that we have, how to maximise it knowing full well that it will be challenging.\u201d BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-aims-to-maintain-same-spending-level-in-new-budget-2023"}, {"title": "Malaysian businessman pleads not guilty to bribery in exchange for not detaining Muhyiddin\u2019s son", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A businessman known as \u201cDatuk Roy\u201d and a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer were charged at the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday for allegedly soliciting a RM400,000 (S$117,500) bribe in an investigation involving the son of former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.\nMohd Hussein Mohd Nasir, 54, also known as Datuk Roy, was jointly charged alongside Mohd Rasyidi Mohd Said, 43, with soliciting for themselves a bribe from a Ms Siti Dalena Berhan to not detain Mr Fakhri Yassin Mahiaddin when the latter was being investigated by the MACC.\nThe offence was allegedly committed at a steakhouse in Lorong Kurau, Bangsar, around 9-11pm, on March 5.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Fakhri, who is the son of Muhyiddin, was never arrested by the anti-corruption body. \nMuhyiddin, the president of the opposition Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), was himself charged in March with abuse of power and money laundering, following other party leaders who have been charged in connection with the Jana Wibawa programme to stimulate economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic.\nHussein is believed to be the mastermind of an MACC case linked to the programme.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJana Wibawa was introduced by Muhyiddin\u2019s administration and aimed at improving the capacity of Malaysian indigenous contractors in the construction sector to spur Malaysia\u2019s post-pandemic economic recovery.\n\nHussein and Rasyidi also faced a second charge of allegedly receiving a RM240,000 bribe as an inducement to not detain Mr Fakhri during the investigation.\nThe second offence was allegedly committed at a fast-food restaurant in Desa Sri Hartamas in Kuala Lumpur around 2-4pm, on March 6.\nThe two face imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.\nHussein and Rasyidi claimed trial to the charges on Thursday.\nHussein also faced another charge where he was accused of soliciting for himself a bribe of RM2 million in Kampung Melayu Kepong in February.\nThe bribe was said to be an inducement to have the investigating authority proffer a lesser charge, to change the testimony of the accused to the witness, and to reduce the bail money involved in the MACC\u2019s probe involving Segambut Bersatu deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad.\nHe pleaded not guilty to the second charge.\n", "\nMACC prosecuting officer Selvam T. Armugom and deputy public prosecutor Nor Diana Nor Azwa offered bail between RM10,000 and RM15,000 in one surety for each of the accused and asked the court to impose an additional condition for the men to report themselves to the nearest MACC office on a monthly basis.\nHussein was granted bail of RM15,000 for all his charges while Rasyidi was granted bail at RM10,000. Both men were also required to surrender their passports in addition to reporting at the court on a monthly basis.\nThe case will next be heard in court on July 7. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-businessman-pleads-not-guilty-to-bribery-in-exchange-for-not-detaining-muhyiddin-s-son"}, {"title": "Malaysia cheers as Anwar Ibrahim is named Prime Minister", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - After four days of political wrangling in Malaysia, supporters of Pakatan Harapan (PH) leader Anwar Ibrahim cheered as the 75-year-old was sworn in as the country\u2019s 10th Prime Minister on Thursday. \nIn her Instagram post, Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s daughter Nurul Izzah, who saw her father sacked and jailed in 1998 after a fallout with then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, said: \u201cI love you papa and I am always proud of you, even as you lay imprisoned as a prisoner of conscience.\u201d\nMr Rafizi Ramli, the deputy president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), a component party of PH, thanked the King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, for appointing Mr Anwar as the new premier.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe must all move forward and learn to cooperate to rebuild Malaysia for the sake of its future, and the prosperity of the people of different groups, races, states and backgrounds,\u201d the Pandan MP said in a statement. \nSelangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, who is from PH, also congratulated the new premier, saying: \u201cWe are prepared to aid the Tambun MP to lead the country, especially in the face of tough economic challenges next year.\u201d \nDatuk Seri Anwar won the Tambun parlimentary seat in Saturday\u2019s general election with a majority of 3,736 votes. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nFormer MP Ong Kian Ming from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a component party of PH, said in a statement: \u201cWe should celebrate the peaceful handover of power and the appointment of a new prime minister to lead a new government. \n\n\u201cBut make no mistake, the hard work of forming and maintaining a stable federal government post-general election has just started.\u201d\nJohor DAP chairman Liew Chin Tong agreed. \u201cNow, a lot of hard work needs to be put in for Malaysia to achieve greater heights together,\u201d he told The Straits Times.\nFormer prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who was reluctant to work with PH, has also congratulated Mr Anwar. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI pray that the new government will be able to continue political stability and continue to preserve the country\u2019s economic sustainability,\u201d said Datuk Seri Ismail, who is also the vice-president of Umno.\nFormer Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa said in a Facebook post that Malaysians should respect the King\u2019s decision to appoint Mr Anwar and that \u201cany gathering and activity that can lead to disharmony must be stopped\u201d.\n", "\nSocial media was set alight after the palace confirmed that Mr Anwar would be made premierafter the special meeting among the nation\u2019s nine state monarchs.\n\u201cI was at the airport when the announcement of our 10th PM was made, and I heard people scream, and saw people smile from ear to ear. Might be coincidence but not long after, the airport started to play Standing In The Eyes Of The World,\u201d said Twitter user @itsraenu_, referring to a song recorded to commemorate Malaysia\u2019s hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and performed by the country\u2019s rock queen, Ella.\nAnother Twitter user @HIRAETHSXT, whose family is a staunch supporter of PH\u2019s rival coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN), also expressed her happiness. \n\u201cJust so you know, my whole family and extended relatives all voted for PN. It\u2019s me, and me alone, who voted for PH while I lied, saying I voted the same as them. \n\u201cYou don\u2019t know how much I sighed for relief and sobbed when DSAI (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) was announced as #PM10malaysia,\u201d she said.\n", "\nMr Anwar\u2019s appointment comes after most parties agreed to Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah\u2019s proposal for a unity government after Saturday\u2019s general election threw up Malaysia\u2019s first hung Parliament.\nPKR president Anwar and his rival PN chief Muhyiddin Yassin had been deadlocked and unable to gather the 112 MPs needed for simple majority in the legislature.\nAfter Umno confirmed early on Thursday that it would join the unity government, departing from the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition\u2019s earlier stance of remaining in opposition, other parties across the country have followed suit.\n", "\nMr Anwar has been on track to become Malaysia\u2019s prime minister since 1993, but has had his path blocked by imprisonment and party politics. This was his final bid for the top job.\nIn 1993, he was appointed deputy prime minister under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad\u2019s Umno-led government, but his prospects dimmed after he was jailed for corruption in 1999. His imprisonment sparked street protests and the birth of PKR, which now leads PH.\nMr Anwar was again imprisoned in 2015 for sodomy, but\u00a0was given a royal pardon and released in May 2018\u00a0after PH won the 2018 General Election.\nHe was then widely expected to ascend to power as part of an agreement within PH for him to take over as prime minister in two years from Dr Mahathir, who had left Umno and joined hands with Mr Anwar to secure PH\u2019s victory in 2018. \nBut his progress was again thwarted when the PH government collapsed in February 2020, following defections.\n", "\nSince then, Mr Anwar has struggled to return his coalition to prominence, but his persistence paid off when he was appointed the country\u2019s premier.\nDr James Chai, a visiting fellow at ISEAS \u2013 Yusof Ishak Institute, said: \u201cAnwar is appointed at a critical juncture in Malaysian history, where politics is most fractured, recovering from a depressed economy and a bitter Covid-19 (crisis) that killed thousands.\u201d \nHe added that it is \u201cfitting that Mr Anwar emerged during a divisive time\u201d as he is \u201calways regarded as the man who could unite all warring factions\u201d.\nTwitter user @logeishsri said: \u201cMany of us voted for the first time and we made it happen!! Historical moment to all those who\u2019s been fighting since 1998, this is for all of you.\u201d\n", "\nTwitter user @CHKen_2 said: \u201cAnwar\u2019s resurgence is something (inspiring) for many coming generations to come. Waited 24 years for this, went through all sorts of political backstabbing and even having to endure imprisonment \u2013 but never gave up on his principles. Keep on believing. #PM10malaysia.\u201d\nBut not everyone is happy.\n\u201cWe\u2019re having someone who had a sodomy case against him as PM, it\u2019s disgusting. Muhyiddin is still the best choice to lead the country. At least we know the Malays will be well taken care of,\u201d said Facebook user Raja Reme Harez. \nMeanwhile, Malaysian stocks saw their biggest jump in more than two years on Thursday. \nThe benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index rose 4 per cent, closing at 1,501.88 points. \nGenting\u00a0Malaysia, Sports Toto, Magnum\u00a0and\u00a0Carlsberg Brewery\u00a0Malaysia were among the stocks that rallied as Perikatan Nasional, which comprises Parti Islam SeMalaysia, failed in its bid to form the government. \nThe ringgit surged 1.8 per cent to 4.4910 against the US dollar in its best showing since 2015. It also gained 1.2 per cent to 3.2687 against the Singdollar.\nMr Khoon Goh, ANZ\u2019s head of Asia research, said investors will be keen to know \u201cwho will become finance minister, whether there will be any changes to the budget tabled by the previous government or any inkling that PH would introduce a GST (goods and services tax)\u201d.\nPrivate equity investor Ian Yoong said Mr Anwar should focus on enhancing revenue for the government\u2019s coffers and implement the GST. \u201cIt was a big mistake to have replaced GST with SST (sales and service tax) post-GE14,\u201d he said, referring to the 2018 General Election. \u201cImplementation of GST will go a long way in taxing the profits of the black economy.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-cheers-as-anwar-ibrahim-named-prime-minister"}, {"title": "Malaysia conducts probe into AirAsia ransomware attack, data of 5 million people affected", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Investigations are ongoing to find the source of a ransomware attack that compromised the personal data of five million passengers and all employees of AirAsia, said Malaysia\u2019s Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.\nHe said the ministry viewed the incident seriously, with personal information belonging to the budget airline\u2019s passengers and staff being breached by hacker group Daixin Team.\n\u201cThe investigation team from the ministry comprising the Personal Data Protection Department and CyberSecurity Malaysia has started its probe by having discussions with Capital A Bhd, the company that runs AirAsia on Dec 1.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cEarly investigations show that the cyberattack on the AirAsia server on Nov 12 was caused by an unpermitted access into the system. This led to the ransomware attack which could potentially cause a data leak,\u201d Mr Fahmi said in a statement on Saturday.\nFollowing the discussion with Capital A, the company was ordered to produce related documentation and evidence from the incident to assist in the probe.\n\u201cFurther investigations are still ongoing to identify the source of the attack as well as the impact caused by the incident.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHowever, details of the case cannot be revealed to the public for the time being while the probe is still underway to avoid any legal complications,\u201d Fahmi added.\n\nThe minister has urged all data users to always be on alert and beef up cybersecurity from time to time to ensure the safety of their databases and digital infrastructure.\n\u201cI also hope data users will outline cybersecurity policies and make sure these moves are followed as preventive measures against potential intrusions by irresponsible parties,\u201d he said.\nOn Nov 23, it was reported that the personal data of five million passengers and all employees of AirAsia were compromised by the Daixin Team, with the group claiming responsibility for the ransomware attack.\nReports said some of the personal data included passenger identities, full names and booking details, as well as employee details like photos, secret questions and answers likely for account recovery, nationality and date of birth.\nAirAsia has previously addressed the incident in an announcement made via the Bursa Malaysia website, stating that \u201cthe cyberattack was on redundant systems and did not affect our critical systems\u201d and that it had \u201ctaken all measures to immediately resolve this data incident and prevent such future incidents\u201d. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-conducts-probe-into-airasia-ransomware-attack-data-of-5-million-people-affected"}, {"title": "Malaysia confiscates Swatch watches over \u2018LGBT elements\u2019", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Swiss watchmaker Swatch said on Tuesday that the Malaysian authorities had seized 164 rainbow-coloured timepieces worth a total of US$14,000 (S$18,800) from its Pride Collection.\nIn Malaysia, homosexuality is forbidden and sodomy can be punished with imprisonment and corporal punishment, although enforcement is rare. \nEleven shopping malls with Swatch outlets around Malaysia including in the capital Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru\u2019s Mid Valley Southkey, Penang\u2019s Queensbay Mall, and Suria Sabah were raided on May 13 and 14, the company said.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Nick Hayek, CEO of Swatch Group, voiced dismay over the raids.\n\u201cWe strongly contest that our collection of watches using rainbow colours and having a message of peace and love could be harmful,\u201d he said in a statement.\n\u201cThis has nothing political.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a summons notice against one Swatch outlet that was seen by AFP, the law enforcement unit of Malaysia\u2019s home affairs ministry said \u201c22 Swatch watches with LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) elements\u201d were confiscated.\n\nAccording to the notice, the seizure was based on the Printing Presses and Publications Act of 1984, which critics have long condemned as draconian.\nThe law is often wielded to ensure content does not offend or undermine race relations in the Muslim-majority multicultural nation.\nA ministry official, who did not want to be named, defended the seizure, saying the watches bore the letters \u201cLGBT\u201d and had six colours instead of the seven in a rainbow.\nThe six-colour pride flag is one of the most well-known symbols of the LGBT community.\n\u201cAs per instruction from Switzerland HQ, we will still replenish the stock and display them on-shelf,\u201d said Ms Sarah Kok, marketing manager for Swatch Malaysia.\nMr Hayek added: \u201cWe wonder how the home ministry\u2019s enforcement unit will confiscate the many beautiful natural rainbows that are showing up thousand times a year in the sky of Malaysia.\u201d AFP\n", "\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-confiscates-swatch-watches-over-lgbt-elements"}, {"title": "Malaysia could become like Singapore with non-Malay PM, says ex-premier Mahathir", "text": ["\nMalaysia\u2019s indigenous Malays are losing political influence and the country may become like neighbouring Singapore, with a non-Malay prime minister in charge, when the next election comes around, said former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad. \nSpeaking at a dialogue in Putrajaya alongside other guest politicians on Saturday, he said Malaysian Malays\u2019 \u201ceconomic control has been gone for a long time\u201d, and they now risked losing their political power as well. \nMalaysia could become like Singapore within the next two elections, Tun Dr Mahathir said, according to Malaysian media.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe attributed this possibility to an unfounded claim he made, that the current government could redefine electoral boundaries in a way that would reduce the number of Malay-majority constituencies in the country.\n\u201cTo some extent, this situation will change the pattern of the existing government in GE16, and the situation will become worse in GE17,\u201d he said, referring to the next two general elections due to take place over the next decade.\n\u201cThere is no guarantee that the prime minister will be a Malay as anyone can be the prime minister. Even now, the Malay parties in the government are not in power and they are divided into three parties.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI am sure that if we\u2019re not careful, the next election will come and if the votes get bought off, we\u2019ll elect people who are not good and they will mortgage our country.\u201d\n\nThe other guest speakers at the talk titled The Lost Struggle were two former Cabinet ministers. Tan Sri Noh Omar was unceremoniously sacked from Umno in January, while Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin lost her deposit after contesting last November\u2019s general election, Malaysia\u2019s 15th.\nNow an adviser for Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia, Dr Mahathir, 97, frequently advocates bumiputera (indigenous people) rights in Malaysia. Upon joining the party, he said his \u201cmain struggle is for the unity of the Malay people, parties and organisations\u201d.\nSome Malaysians welcomed Dr Mahathir\u2019s foretelling. \n\u201cSingapore has faster Internet, better wages, better public transport, tight control over car ownership... Why yes, why can\u2019t we be like Singapore, Mahathir?\u201d said journalist Erna Mahyuni.\nA beauty blogger known as Paris B tweeted: \u201cI hope Mahathir\u2019s prediction is right. Can\u2019t wait for Malaysia to finally be like Singapore (but with better food).\u201d\nDr Mahathir also said Malaysia\u2019s unity government has failed to bring any major changes for the people, and that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has not made any impact on the country in his first 100 days in charge.\n", "\nDeputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said he respected Dr Mahathir, the country\u2019s longest-serving prime minister over two stints, but called for unity between Malaysia\u2019s various political parties. \n\u201cI respect Tun Dr Mahathir as someone who has contributed immensely to the country and hope he will continue to help us,\u201d he said on Sunday. \u201cNow, Malaysians need us to be united, as we cannot afford more politicking.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-could-become-like-singapore-with-non-malay-pm-says-ex-premier-mahathir"}, {"title": "Malaysia detains Chinese ship linked to suspected illegal salvage of British WWII wrecks", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s maritime authorities on Monday said cannon shells believed to be from World War II have been found on a China-registered bulk carrier ship detained at the weekend for anchoring in its waters without permission. \nThe discovery comes amid reports this month that scavengers have targeted two British World War II wrecks off the coast of Malaysia \u2013  the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse \u2013 which were sunk by Japanese torpedoes in 1941, just three days after the devastating attack on Pearl Harbour in Hawaii.\nFollowing reports of the illegal salvage activity, Britain\u2019s National Museum of the Royal Navy last week said it was \u201cdistressed and concerned at the apparent vandalism for personal profit\u201d of the two wrecks.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe defence ministry condemned \u201cdesecration\u201d of maritime military graves, the BBC said on Saturday.\nA ship registered in Fuzhou, China, and carrying 32 crew members failed to present anchoring permits during a routine inspection in waters off Malaysia\u2019s southern Johor state on Sunday, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said.\nThe authorities found scrap metal and cannon shells on the ship upon further checks. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe shells could be linked to a separate seizure by police at a Johor jetty last week of multiple unexploded World War II-era artillery.\n\nThe authorities believe those may have been scavenged from the HMS Prince of Wales, the MMEA said, adding that it was working with Malaysia\u2019s National Heritage Department and other agencies to identify the ammunition found. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-detains-chinese-ship-linked-to-suspected-illegal-salvage-of-british-wwii-wrecks"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: A second 'green wave'? | Restoring KLIA's shine", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nMalaysia\u2019s politicians usually hold fire during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan but the sniping has carried on this year, ahead of crucial polls in six states that are expected to be held by August.\nSelangor chief minister Amirudin Shari, who is hoping to secure another term leading Malaysia\u2019s richest state, believes that the vote will be a \u201clitmus test\u201d for the Pakatan Harapan-led ruling alliance that installed Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister four months ago.\n\n\n\n\n\nKey rival Perikatan Nasional is looking to capture Selangor in the polls as part of a second so-called \u201cgreen wave\u201d, referring to the stunning performance by its Islamist partner Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) at the November general election where PAS swept a-third of Parliamentary seats and became the largest party in the federal legislature.\nMeanwhile PM Anwar\u2019s shine has started to fade, after an apparent snub from Saudi Arabia, as well as disappointment at home over stalling democratic reforms\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nWill a second \u2018green wave\u2019 soon sweep Malaysia?\n", "\nAnwar Ibrahim\u2019s multiracial coalition's ability to woo Malay Muslim voters will be tested when six states hold elections later this year.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nSelangor state polls will be a \u2018litmus test\u2019 for PM Anwar\u2019s government\n", "\nFailure in Selangor will have a knock-on effect on the federal government.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nTouchy subjects to take a backseat during Anwar\u2019s China trip\n", "\nEconomic agenda to be prioritised over issues like overlapping claims in the South China Sea.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nConcerns grow in Malaysia over freedom of expression under Anwar government\n", "\nCivil society groups say using security laws against critics tarnishes reformist agenda.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia hopes major revamp will put KLIA back among world\u2019s top airports\n", "\nThe upgrade will tackle aerotrain breakdowns, long queues and slow luggage handling.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMore Stem students and engineers needed to drive Malaysia's tech ambitions\n", "\nCurrent number of engineers needs to double in push to become high-tech nation by 2030.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-a-second-green-wave-restoring-klias-shine"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Anwar administration's first 100 days | Good news for durian lovers", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nReality is starting to bite as Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s administration passed the 100-day mark last weekend, after a bright start.\nDespite unveiling the country's largest ever budget last month, there is still widespread pessimism in the marketplace.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nConcerns are also growing over whether parties in Datuk Seri\u00a0Anwar's unity government will perform credibly at the six state elections expected by August involving half of Malaysia\u2019s electorate.\u00a0\u00a0\nA long bout of flooding in Johor which has seen over 40,000 forced to evacuate their homes is also becoming a stern test of whether the new government can tackle longstanding issues better than\u00a0its predecessors.\nClimate change and resultant unpredictable weather patterns are wreaking havoc in food supply chain, impacting countries like\u00a0Singapore.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut on a more positive note, if you\u2019re a durian lover, more and better quality fruits are expected to be found in Malaysia including Johor, thanks to Japanese interest and investments.\u00a0\n\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n", "\n\nSurvival and stability trump election pledges in early days of Malaysia\u2019s unity government\n", "\nBut moves to stabilise the government could have a negative effect at upcoming state elections.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nAnwar grapples with transforming economy, fighting inflation as state elections loom\n", "\nHow the government is perceived to be resolving bread-and-butter issues will be reflected at the polls.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nReform icon Anwar faces criticism as he comes up against realpolitik\n", "\nPublic appointments have drawn flak but moves to reopen government tenders and\u00a0cut expenses lauded.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nEven with Umno alliance, Pakatan Harapan battles to win Malay votes in crucial state polls\n", "\nAnwar's PH coalition is at risk of losing ground in three states that it leads.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nEx-Malaysia PM Najib acquitted in second 1MDB-linked trial\n", "\nHis co-accused, former 1MDB chief Arul Kanda Kandasamy, was also acquitted.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nJohor residents rush to relief centres as water levels rise in towns and villages\n", "\nOvercrowding at some relief centres led to many victims being relocated to centres farther away from home.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nJapanese boost for Malaysian durians a boon for Singapore fans\n", "\nOne of Malaysia\u2019s largest planters is partnering a top Japanese agritech firm to increase yields.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-anwar-administrations-first-100-days-good-news-for-durian-lovers"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Anwar returns to Umno general assembly | Jokowi gets rockstar welcome in KL", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nLast week, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim returned to the Umno general assembly for the first time in a quarter of a century, taking his seat of honour on stage, as he did in 1998 before he was sacked as deputy president of the once mighty party.\nWhile Datuk Seri Anwar garnered huge applause from delegates and praise from party president Zahid Hamidi, he and his fellow Pakatan Harapan leaders were nonetheless ambushed by a call from Umno delegates to release former premier Najib Razak, who is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence linked to the 1MDB scandal.\n\n\n\n\n\nThere was also some introspection. Having been handed its worst ever electoral result at last year\u2019s national polls, Umno leaders recognised the need to rescue the party with the help of its allies in the unity government led by Mr Anwar, and to cease the infighting that has long plagued the party.\nBut there was no shortage of posturing either. Umno Youth called on the Democratic Action Party, its former foe and now an ally in government, to apologise for past slights. The youth wing also led a march to the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur to protest remarks made by Singapore-raised American comedian Jocelyn Chia regarding the missing MH370 flight.\u00a0\nFollow ST\u2019s\u00a0coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nUmno harps on pardon for Najib in bid to clean up party\u2019s image: Analysts\n", "\nIt is trying to divert attention from its leadership flaws and waning support among Malay-Muslim voters.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nCalls for reconciliation as Umno AGM closes, party seeks to rebound from GE drubbing\n", "\nMembers urge the return of sidelined figures to strengthen the party ahead of state polls.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nPM Anwar back at Umno assembly after 25 years, as Zahid repeats calls to support unity govt\n", "\nHowever, Zahid\u2019s call for Najib Razak\u2019s release from jail likely irked Pakatan Harapan leaders.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nJoke about MH370 by comedian Jocelyn Chia sparks protest outside US embassy in KL\n", "\nUmno Youth submitted a protest letter urging for an investigation of the incident.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nHundreds of Indonesians cheer President Jokowi on his Malaysia visit to firm up ties\n", "\nThere are an estimated 2.7 million Indonesian workers in Malaysia.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia establishes monitoring and warning system to predict level of fire risk for South-east Asia\n", "\nThe early fire alert system is important as approaching drier weather increases risk of transboundary haze.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-anwar-returns-to-umno-general-assembly-jokowi-gets-rockstar-welcome-in-kl"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Anwar revives old feuds | Hate speech surged during polls", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nPolls to elect new governments in six of Malaysia\u2019s 13 states are imminent, yet Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been reigniting old feuds with past rivals.\nThese include a\u00a0RM2.3 billion deal from 26 years ago that was widely linked to former finance minister Daim Zainuddin.\u00a0The premier has also doubled down on accusations of abuse of power against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has filed a whopping RM150 million (S$44 million) defamation lawsuit in response.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nAnalysts say Mr Anwar\u2019s moves are aimed at distracting his critics and opponents, and to prevent them from coalescing into a united force to dislodge him from power.\nOther issues that threaten to take centre stage at the upcoming state elections are race and religion.\nFresh from wrestling with blowback for\u00a0dropping an appeal against a court decision to allow non-Muslims to use the word \u201cAllah\u201d in their publications, the government has courted further controversy by reviving plans to increase the Syariah Courts\u2019 powers, which many fear could lead to hudud, or Islamic penal laws, being implemented.\u00a0Also making the news was the authorities\u2019 seizure of Swatch watches which allegedly contain LGBT elements.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFollow ST\u2019s\u00a0coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n", "\n\nAnwar\u2019s accusations against old foes could disrupt detractors\u2019 agenda\n", "\nKeeping influential figures like ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad distracted with lawsuits helps stave off PM Anwar's enemies.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nEx-Umno members joining opposition unlikely to topple unity government: Analysts\n", "\nSeveral who were purged from Umno in January could join the opposition ahead of state polls.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nHate speech on social media surged during November polls: Study\n", "\nThe study also found Parti Islam SeMalaysia and its president Hadi Awang to be the prime proponents of racial rhetoric.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia's government draws flak for controversial syariah law Bill\n", "\nGovernment faces the dilemma of boosting its religious credibility without losing support from non-Malays.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nRinggit slumps to record low of 3.41 against the Singdollar\n", "\nWith the latest drop, the Singdollar\u2019s value has increased by 4.15 per cent against the ringgit since the start of the year.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-anwar-revives-old-feuds-hate-speech-surged-during-polls"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Anwar to visit Singapore | Slave to scammers", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nLong-standing bilateral issues between Malaysia and Singapore should see \u201csignificant progress\u201d when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim makes an official visit to the Republic at the end of January, says Singapore\u2019s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan. Dr Balakrishnan was on a four-day visit to Malaysia this week.\nMeanwhile Malaysia\u2019s oldest party Umno emerged from its annual assembly last week with a decision to not hold contests for the posts of president and deputy president at the party\u2019s internal elections which are due by May 19. This move has been criticised by some members, but could help consolidate the party as it faces state elections in the coming months.\n\n\n\n\n\nRead too about how a Malaysian man was forced to work as an online scammer in the Golden Triangle after being duped by a lucrative job offer.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.\u00a0Thank you for reading The Straits Times.\nAnwar\u2019s Singapore visit to set stage for progress in bilateral issues\n", "\nHis end-January visit to the Republic will set the agenda for ministers to follow up on.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n", "\nUmno\u2019s no-contest move a double-edged sword\n", "\nBlocking leadership challenge ensures continuity but may widen rifts.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nAnwar warns of tighter spending for 2023\n", "\nWastage to be reined in amidst global economic headwinds.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\n\u2018It was traumatising\u2019: Scammer slave recounts ordeal\n", "\nJob near Laos border turns out to be forced labour for online scammers.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nEgg supplies stabilise, but prices stay high\n", "\nShortage of local eggs due to price cap being set too low, sometimes below production costs.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nTough love for fireman called to puppy\u2019s rescue\n", "\nVideo of fireman cajoling a dog stuck on apartment ledge goes viral.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-anwar-to-visit-singapore-slave-to-scammers"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Anwar's reform agenda in doubt | Vaping loophole sparks outcry", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nMisgivings over what would happen to Pakatan Harapan\u2019s (PH) reform agenda after it teamed up with the graft-tainted Umno party to form the government in November have deepened in recent days.\u00a0\nNot only has Umno begun undermining the judiciary in a bid to push for its ex-leader Najib Razak to be released from his 12-year jail sentence, its party president and deputy prime minister Zahid Hamidi has obtained his passport back from court and a trial adjournment to consider whether the 47 graft charges against him should be dropped.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his PH coalition have drawn flak for retaining the services of Tan Sri Azam Baki, the controversial chief of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, amid questionable moves made by him and the agency.\nPublic outcry has also ensued over the government\u2019s move to tax vaping products, which inadvertently created a legal loophole that allows minors to buy and consume these products.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nDoubts over Malaysia\u2019s graft busters undermine PM Anwar\u2019s anti-corruption pledge\n", "\nClaims of selective prosecution and involvement in hostile takeovers loom over the anti-graft agency.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nQuest for Najib\u2019s pardon, Zahid court move raise questions about PM Anwar\u2019s leadership\n", "\nMr Anwar's reformist credentials are at stake, say analysts, if Najib is pardoned.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nUmno casts aspersions on judiciary in renewed push to seek pardon for Najib\n", "\nUmno\u2019s division heads are being asked to sign a petition to Malaysia\u2019s King to pardon Najib.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nOutcry in Malaysia after tax move makes vaping legal for minors\n", "\nGovt says Bill to ban use, possession and sale of cigarettes and vape products to those born after 2007 will be introduced in May.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMan dies of pufferfish poisoning in Johor weeks after wife\u2019s death\n", "\nDeaths have raised questions over effectiveness of Malaysian laws and enforcement over sale of poisonous fish.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nNajib's daughter sad that he will be spending Hari Raya in prison\n", "\nMs Nooryana Najwa Najib had previously shared on social media the family\u2019s wish to break fast with her father.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-anwars-reform-agenda-in-doubt-vaping-loophole-sparks-outcry"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Behind Anwar\u2019s world tour | Covid-19 cases on the up", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been to nine countries in the first quarter of this year, in a series of diplomatic visits that appear designed to showcase his global renown to Malaysians.\u00a0\nThis focus on foreign relations is partly aimed at voters who are still doubtful over Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s political legitimacy after the Nov 2022 general election resulted in the country\u2019s first hung Parliament. But the diplomacy exercise was not without its pitfalls, as a snub from the Saudi royals and\u00a0a flap over \"negotiations\" on the South China Sea have shown.\n\n\n\n\n\nOn the domestic front, Mr Anwar\u2019s government is facing concerns over inflation and rising Covid-19 cases, as millions of Malaysians celebrate Hari Raya this weekend.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n", "\n\nAround the world in 80 days: What\u2019s behind Anwar\u2019s overseas trips\n", "\nThe flurry of foreign trips is unusual for a new Malaysian prime minister.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n", "\nCovid-19 cases spike ahead of Hari Raya, sparking fears of new wave\n", "\nThe number of confirmed cases rose 87.5 per cent in the 14 days up to April 8.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nPM Anwar unveils Hari Raya goodies, lifts highway toll charges for 4 days\n", "\nThe country will have a four-day holiday from Friday to Monday.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nSurge in pork prices could turn consumers to cheaper chicken\n", "\nLivestock farmers have been hit by the higher cost of animal feed and African swine fever outbreaks.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nPressure builds on KL to soften deadline for rare earth miner Lynas to go radiation-free\n", "\nOpposition says the facility can be a source of technology transfer and allow Malaysia to take part in an industry crucial for cutting-edge applications.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia plans $8.5b port to keep up with regional rivals\n", "\nIt will boost the handling capacity for both container and conventional cargo in Port Klang.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-behind-anwar-s-world-tour-covid-19-cases-on-the-up"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Bersatu's accounts frozen | Revenge travel revives tourism", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nPolitical intrigue continues to grip the nation as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s so-called unity government wrestles with the opposition Perikatan National (PN) alliance ahead of state elections expected in months.\u00a0\nPN has criticised the government\u2019s move to consult Singapore\u2019s HDB in a bid to solve long-standing public housing issues, claiming it will undermine the interests of the Malay Muslim majority.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, PN chief Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia had its accounts frozen by graft busters, the latest in a series of developments suggesting the former premier and his coalition had abused public funds, although no criminal charges have been filed.\nFinally, Malaysia\u2019s tourism industry is set for revival as it gears up for the return of Chinese tourists and locals revenge-travelling abroad.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nFormer PM Muhyiddin\u2019s party accounts frozen by graft buster\n", "\nBersatu\u00a0is being probed for graft, but no charges have been filed.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nHousing debate takes racial turn on plan to consult S'pore's HDB\n", "\nPM\u00a0Anwar has to walk tightrope as he faces Malay-Muslim opposition.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nTravel industry gearing up to welcome back Chinese tourists\n", "\nBusinesses are hiring to ready for influx, as\u00a0Chinese tourists\u00a0are the biggest spenders.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nSurge in \u2018revenge travel\u2019 drives more Malaysians abroad\n", "\nBangkok, Singapore, Hat Yai, Seoul and London are popular destinations.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nUmno purge puts Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan in a tight spot\n", "\nNot keen on being in opposition, ex-Umno members are seeking to join parties in PH.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-bersatus-accounts-frozen-revenge-travel-revives-tourism"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: BN team-up may backfire on PH | By-elections in Sabah?", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n", "\n\nMalaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim may have a two-thirds majority in Parliament, but his administration already faces early headwinds especially after dismal performances in two votes that were postponed from the Nov 19 general election.\nHis Parti Keadilan Rakyat lost Padang\u00a0Serai, a parliamentary seat it had held for three terms. Meanwhile Umno, the crucial partner in his \"unity government\", saw its majority more than halved in the Pahang state assembly ward of Tioman.\n\n\n\n\n\nThis was likely the result of a protest vote\u00a0against the ruling Pakatan Harapan\u2019s (PH) move to form government with the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) and appoint graft-tainted leaders like BN chairman Zahid Hamidi as ministers and deputy ministers.\nBut having appointed Zahid loyalists to Cabinet, Datuk Seri Anwar will hope that they can triumph at party leadership polls\u00a0due early next year and stave off potential instability in his government of strange bedfellows.\nIt is not all plain sailing for the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) either, after top Sabahan leaders announced their exit from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, the party which helms PN and is led by former prime minister\u00a0Muhyiddin Yassin.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nAnwar\u2019s move to team up with Barisan Nasional may backfire\n", "\nVoters opposed to the corruption-tainted Umno now look to PN as their only \"dignified\" choice.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nUmno\u2019s Cabinet team key to ensuring Zahid and PM Anwar\u2019s longevity in government\n", "\nThe Umno ministers will consolidate their own leadership positions ahead of party polls.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nAfter flipping the table in 2018, PH treats project rollbacks with caution\n", "\nConcerns linger over political and economic stability, amid the prospect of witch hunts and reviews of key projects.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nControversial amendments to Terengganu state Islamic laws stoke concerns\n", "\nRights groups have urged the human rights commission to carry out an impact assessment on the latest amendments.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nBersatu MPs in Sabah quit party, raising question of by-elections\n", "\nThe defectors will remain as members of the GRS coalition which supports PM Anwar.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nIf you received this newsletter from someone, sign up here to get it directly\u00a0in your inbox! If you have any feedback, please drop us an e-mail at\u00a0stshare@sph.com.sg\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-bn-team-up-may-backfire-on-ph-by-elections-in-sabah-0"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Can Umno claw back Malay votes? | Penang's easy living draws expats", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nUmno\u2019s polls have concluded with about two-thirds of the\u00a0new leadership aligned to party president and deputy prime minister Zahid Hamidi. \nBut the question still remains as to whether this revamped lineup can claw back support from the Malay Muslim majority in upcoming state polls, after they deserted the once dominant party at November\u2019s general election. This will in turn affect whether Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s government, which relies on Umno support for stability, will continue to hold together.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile rising racial and religious rhetoric has complicated the task of wooing Malay voters and forced Datuk Seri Anwar to instruct\u00a0security forces to clamp down on those fomenting inter-ethnic strife.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n", "\n\nZahid compromises to gain control of Umno but longevity still in doubt\n", "\nHe had to widen alliances with other camps in party, at the expense of his own loyalists.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n", "\nPM Anwar casts unity net wider to smother lingering uncertainty\n", "\nState polls expected by August increasingly viewed as referendum on Anwar government.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nGraft-charged Muhyiddin unlikely to lose ground staying on as party chief\n", "\nHis supporters are likely to view charges against him as politically motivated.\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMahathir calls Anwar a dictator after pro-Malay rally blocked\n", "\nHe says the premier has displayed increasing intolerance to free speech by attacking the opposition and his critics.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia turns to smart farming to boost food security\n", "\nTechnologies like the Internet of Things and precision farming to be used to ramp up production.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nPenang seeks to emulate Singapore\u2019s Newater amid water feud with Kedah\n", "\nThe state is exploring viability of recycling treated sewage water for industrial use.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nPenang\u2019s easy living is big draw for retiring expats\n", "\nExpats contribute to local economy by spending on food, accommodation and entertainment.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s 5G vehicle rudderless amid roll-out review\n", "\nSources say Digital Nasional Berhad on autopilot as chairman and CEO posts remain vacant.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-can-umno-claw-back-malay-votes-penangs-easy-living-draws-expats"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Ex-PM Muhyiddin a victim of political persecution? | Rediscovering Genting Highlands", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week. Sign up here to get the newsletter in your inbox.\n\nPerikatan Nasional chief Muhyiddin Yassin has become the second former Malaysian premier to be charged in court, just five years after Najib Razak from Umno was\u00a0 hauled up for corruption.\nUnsurprisingly, Muhyiddin and his supporters - like Najib and his supporters - have accused the prime minister of the day of selective and political persecution, to\u00a0which\u00a0Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u00a0has denied.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nBut\u00a0Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s so-called unity government will have to tread carefully ahead of crucial polls to elect six state administrations expected by August involving half of Malaysia\u2019s electorate. Already, a move to excuse key ally Umno from a breach of the Societies Act is raising concern about political interference in the nation\u2019s institutions.\nThis exemption by Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail - a close lieutenant of Mr Anwar - is in relation to an irregular motion barring anyone from challenging\u00a0Umno president\u00a0Zahid Hamidi, who is also\u00a0Deputy Prime Minister, in ongoing party polls, which could yet destabilise the government if Zahid's men don\u2019t come out on top in other contests.\nMeanwhile, despite an increase in budget allocation for public healthcare, concerns persist over a crisis in hospital capacity, and bad news over a government-linked pharmaceutical company that botched Covid-19 procurement will be another litmus test for the Anwar administration.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n", "\n\nMuhyiddin set for \u2018Bossku\u2019 role as lightning rod for anti-govt dissent\n", "\nLike Najib, Muhyiddin is seeking to propel his party towards electoral gains.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysian govt\u2019s rescue of Umno may lead to chaos for Anwar\u2019s key ally\n", "\nDPM Zahid\u2019s continued Umno presidency is seen as crucial for the so-called unity government's stability.\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nSocial media abuzz over ex-PM Muhyiddin\u2019s graft charges\n", "\nOpinion is split over his claim of being a victim of political persecution.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nAfter party purge, Zahid\u2019s allies come out on top in Umno wing polls\n", "\nThe results are bound to give confidence to Zahid ahead of the party\u2019s top leadership elections on March 18.\u00a0\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nConcerns remain over Malaysia\u2019s public healthcare despite budget increase\n", "\nPublic hospitals have received multiple complaints about overcrowding.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nAnwar\u2019s administration faces test in dealing with troubled GLC Pharmaniaga\n", "\nThe Malaysian govt had allowed Pharmaniaga to exclusively import Sinovac vaccines during the pandemic.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMaternity leave extension should draw Malaysian mums back to workforce, but some employers wary\n", "\nSome employers were concerned that the policy would raise their operating expenditure \u201csignificantly\u201d.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nThe changing face of Genting Highlands\n", "\nThe Malaysia hill station now has a new outdoor theme park and a refreshed midway point at Awana.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-ex-pm-muhyiddin-a-victim-of-political-persecution-rediscovering-genting-highlands"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Govt\u2019s right turn aimed at Malay allies | Free swimming lessons for kids", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nRecent decisions by Malaysia\u2019s government have marked its sudden shift to the right,\u00a0surprising more liberal quarters and undermining Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s reformer credentials and multi-cultural appeal. Analysts say moves to, for example, seize Pride-themed merchandise from the premises of watchmaker Swatch, are aimed at\u00a0placating the ruling coalition\u2019s Malay-Muslim allies and their grassroot supporters.\nThe move comes ahead of six state elections which are expected to be held by August, in which PM Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan-led coalition will face tough battles from the opposition Perikatan Nasional, which counts Parti Islam Malaysia as a key component.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nIn other news, the youth and sports ministry has launched free swimming lessons for under-privileged children, in an effort to lower drowning incidents which claim up to 500 children\u2019s lives annually.\u00a0\nFollow ST\u2019s\u00a0coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n", "\n\nGovernment turns to conservative policies to placate Malay-Muslim allies: Analysts\n", "\nThe confiscation of Swatch Pride watches shows that the authorities are serious about sensitivities.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n", "\nMahathir says he is willing to work with former foe Muhyiddin to champion Malay cause\n", "\nThe proposal for the two former prime ministers to work together comes ahead of state elections expected by August.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia offers free swimming lessons to children from low-income families to prevent drownings\n", "\nAbout 500 drowning cases involving children are reported each year in Malaysia.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia to set up \u2018war room\u2019 to check water levels ahead of expected El Nino\n", "\nFourteen districts around the country have so far been given a Level One heatwave warning.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMore immigration counters should be opened at Johor checkpoints: Malaysian Tourist Guides Council\u00a0\n", "\nThe council\u2019s president said improved clearance times would encourage more Singaporeans to enter Johor.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nVeteran Singaporean banker Kevin Lam to head Malaysia\u2019s Hong Leong Bank\n", "\nHe will be looking to build a strong Asean franchise, driven by new engines of growth.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-govt-s-conservative-turn-aimed-at-malay-voters-free-swimming-lessons-for-low-income-kids"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Honeymoon\u2019s over | Chickens and eggs", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\u00a0\n\nIt\u2019s been nearly three months since Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim took office and already a series of missteps has taken the glow off his administration\u2019s honeymoon period.\nIn addition to accusations of nepotism, the new government has had to deal with systemic issues plaguing stretched public healthcare services and tackle cost of living concerns. A potential solution to fix the supply crunch for chicken and eggs entails a gutsy move - lifting price controls by the middle of the year.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, a revised Budget 2023 is set to be tabled on Friday, with a focus on inflation and economic growth. But Johor has already taken the lead, with US-China tensions spurring investments into the southern state. \u00a0\nOn the political front, two members of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia were charged with corruption this week, a move party chief and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin claimed was selective prosecution against the opposition. More charges are expected to follow, with these cases possibly affecting crucial elections in six states which are expected to be held in July.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nBarely three months in, honeymoon is over for PM Anwar\n", "\nWith approval levels already lower than predecessors, Anwar\u00a0government is now fighting fires on several fronts.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia aims to lift price controls for chicken, eggs from June\n", "\nThe government hopes move will ease supply challenges.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n2 members of party led by Muhyiddin charged with graft\n", "\nThey are accused of accepting bribes involving some $2.2\u00a0million\u00a0relating\u00a0to Covid-19 stimulus.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nJohor to reap $21b in investments amid US-China trade tensions\n", "\nCheaper land and reasonably-priced utilities among key factors drawing investors.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia to allow automatic citizenship for children born overseas to Malaysian mums\n", "\nConstitutional amendment will replace the word \u201cfather\u201d with the words \u201cat least one of his parents\u201d.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nFrom food to finance, Malaysia\u2019s halal industry seeks bigger slice of the pie\n", "\nThe country's halal market is expected to grow to over $150 billion by 2030.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-honeymoon-s-over-chickens-and-eggs"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: PN pitches for Selangor with Raya do | Clamour over Coldplay tickets", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nIt looks like two can play the same game.\u00a0\nOpposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) held its own Hari Raya open house in rival territory Selangor on Sunday, after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim held similar events in six states including in PN stronghold states of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu. Tens of thousands attended both camps\u2019 events, which are widely seen as the unofficial start of campaigning for state elections expected in July. PN\u2019s gathering, held a stone\u2019s throw from Selangor\u2019s administrative buildings, signalled the coalition\u2019s readiness to challenge Pakatan Harapan\u2019s 15-year hold over Malaysia\u2019s richest state.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nIn other news, the mercury rose not just from an ongoing heatwave, but also anger over the reselling of Coldplay\u2019s concert tickets. Tickets officially priced at RM228 to RM3,000 each have been going for as much as RM55,000 online, triggering the government to consider anti-scalping laws.\nFollow ST\u2019s\u00a0coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n", "\n\nPerikatan Nasional makes play for Selangor as crowds throng Hari Raya open house\n", "\nDespite its 15-year hold on the state, Pakatan Harapan is expected to face a tough fight at the upcoming polls.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n", "\nMalaysia working with global agencies to extradite fugitive businessman Jho Low: Minister\n", "\nThe extradition efforts also involve the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMinister says anti-scalping law could be in the works after Coldplay ticket outcry\n", "\nThe concert's 71,000 tickets were sold out, but it was not clear how many were bought by bots.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysian Maritime agency detains 4 ships, including 2 Singapore-registered vessels\n", "\nIt said a Singapore-registered LPG vessel was seized on May 13, and another Singaporean-registered tanker on May 15.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nFire at KL\u2019s Mid Valley Megamall likely caused by overheated oil\n", "\nThe fire was completely extinguished just over two hours after it broke out.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-pn-pitches-for-selangor-with-raya-do-clamour-over-coldplay-tickets"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Populist budget is no game-changer | More snags for 5G roll-out", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\u00a0\n\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim last week unveiled his first Budget since taking office, with the revised spending plan containing higher expenditure but a smaller deficit target than the one tabled by the Umno-led administration last October.\nA stronger than expected economic recovery last year has eased the pressure on government coffers, giving the unity government some leeway on cash handouts and subsidies ahead of crucial state polls set to take place by August.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile the tax measures also seemed to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor, analysts say calculations show the so-called \u201cRobin Hood\u201d effect will be muted.\nIn his Budget speech, Datuk Seri Anwar also acknowledged the much-debated rollout of the 5G mobile data service under past governments has indeed surpassed 50 per cent coverage, a claim initially disputed by Digital Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil. However, stakeholders are still split on whether to stick with the state-led single wholesaler model for the network.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nPM Anwar\u2019s Robin Hood Budget is populist but no game changer for Malaysia\u2019s economy\n", "\nMeasures against the rich will please the poor but not hugely boost government coffers.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nResidents\u2019 spruce-up effort a bright spot amid Malaysia\u2019s affordable housing woes\n", "\nGovernment asked to pay greater attention to amenities for future affordable housing programmes.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nRevenue targets crucial for PM Anwar\u2019s maiden Budget\n", "\nMeasures that could broaden government revenue include taxes on luxury goods tax and capital gains.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nTo avoid capital gains tax, public listings of Malaysia\u2019s high growth start-ups and SMEs set to double\n", "\nBut long-term plan needed to grow capital market and catch up with regional peers.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s 5G rollout still in limbo despite PM Anwar\u2019s new deadline\n", "\nIndustry is split on whether to stick to single wholesale network model under state-controlled DNB.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nNajib\u2019s failure to adjourn hearing was self-inflicted, not breach of justice: Prosecutor\n", "\nThe ex-PM's legal team said a failure to give a new set of lawyers more time to prepare had unjustly punished him.\u00a0\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-populist-budget-is-no-game-changer-more-snags-for-5g-roll-out"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Rare earths miner Lynas gets extension | Mahathir sues Anwar", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nMalaysia has extended the deadline for Australian rare earths miner Lynas to relocate its controversial \u201ccracking and leaching\u201d processes to January next year. The move, closely watched due to the geopolitical importance of rare earths which are crucial for manufacturing smartphones, electric vehicles and military assets, heads off concerns that global supply of these minerals will drop if Lynas\u2019 facility in eastern state Pahang were to shut down.\nWhile the World Health Organisation has declared that Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency,\u00a0Malaysians have been snapping up test kits amid a fresh wave of infections that have seen hospital admissions tick up.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, elder statesman Mahathir Mohamad has filed a whopping RM150 million (S$44.6 million) defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s remarks that hinted the long-serving former premier enriched himself and his family during his decades in power.\nMr Anwar has aimed similar statements at past leaders while repeatedly stressing his administration\u2019s zero tolerance for graft. This week, Human Resources Minister Sivakumar Varatharaju sacked five of his aides, with another transferred out from his office, after anti-graft enforcers conducted raids and nabbed several of his staffers in April.\nFollow ST\u2019s\u00a0coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nMalaysia gives Lynas six-month extension for rare earths operations to go radiation-free\n", "\nRare earths are crucial to high-technology applications such as smartphones, electric vehicles and military assets.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nHR Ministry fires 5 ministerial aides amid graft probe\n", "\nThe sacking was to ensure the ministry can function in a smooth and proper manner, says minister.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nHeatwave expected to last until June, with haze likely to follow\n", "\nHaze is likely to return from June to September, with the country facing drier conditions and less rainfall.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia faces new Covid-19 wave as more get hospitalised\n", "\nExperts are advising the public to avoid crowded places.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMahathir sues PM Anwar for $44.6 million over \u2018slanderous\u2019 claims\n", "\nDr Mahathir said Mr Anwar\u2019s claims have marred his image as a statesman and former PM.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-rare-earths-miner-lynas-gets-extension-mahathir-sues-anwar"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Raya events move to enemy states | Opposition eyes crown jewel Selangor", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nCampaigning for Malaysia\u2019s six state elections has unofficially begun, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim breaking convention to hold Hari Raya open houses in the state capitals instead of in Putrajaya, the federal government\u2019s seat of power.\u00a0\nThe move has drawn brickbats from the opposition Perikatan Nasional,\u00a0which controls the three states of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu and is eyeing Selangor, Malaysia\u2019s richest state and stronghold of Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan coalition.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, talk of instability within Mr Anwar\u2019s ruling alliance, particularly from former foe Umno, continues to make the rounds. The Prime Minister has insisted he is unperturbed by attempts to oust him from power.\u00a0\nHis government has plenty of other issues to worry about, not least on whether to backpedal on strict measures aimed at curbing radiation pollution by Australian rare earths miner Lynas.\u00a0\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\u2019s crown jewel Selangor emerges as key battleground\n", "\nOpposition Perikatan Nasional could ride the \"green wave\" and make inroads in PH's stronghold state.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nLynas seeks recusal of Malaysian minister in last-ditch appeal against licence terms\n", "\nThe conditions effectively require the rare earths miner's plant operations to be radiation-free by July 1.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s businesses unlikely to stop using US dollar in trade deals: Analysts\n", "\nExport industries such as palm oil, petroleum and electrical and electronics may face exchange rate volatility with less liquid currencies like the rupee.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nPM Anwar unconcerned with alleged plots to topple government\n", "\nHe said that his unity government remains strong and will focus on serving the people.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysian agencies search for 3 missing men from Singapore-bound tanker that caught fire\n", "\nThere is a possibility that the three crew members are still on the ship.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-raya-events-move-to-enemy-states-opposition-eyes-crown-jewel-selangor"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Raya open houses kick off campaigning | Once foes, now friends", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nUnofficial campaigning for the closely-watched state elections has begun in Malaysia with a series of Hari Raya open houses, conventions and heightened communal rhetoric by political parties.\nSix state legislatures are expected to dissolve in June to pave the way for polls that are widely viewed as a bellwether vote on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s unity government, which comprises former foes.\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Sunday, these disparate ruling parties gathered their grassroots leaders together for the first time since the November general election that resulted in a hung Parliament. But while their \u201conce foes, now friends\u201d convention tagline was catchy \u2013 \u201cdulu lawan, sekarang kawan\u201d rhymes in Malay \u2013 it barely glosses over growing unease within the alliance.\u00a0\nShould either Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan or deputy premier Zahid Hamidi\u2019s Umno fare badly at the state polls, they will likely have to review whether the compromises made with each other to stay in power have alienated their grassroot supporters.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFollow ST\u2019s\u00a0coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n", "\n\n\u2018Once foes, now friends\u2019: Malaysia\u2019s ruling alliance in show of unity ahead of state polls\n", "\nDeputy PM Zahid says uniting behind Anwar will help the government last till the next general election in 2027.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nState polls a precarious balancing act as tensions grow within Anwar\u2019s government\n", "\nDisagreements have arisen over issues such as Umno\u2019s\u00a0bid to pardon former premier Najib Razak.\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMuslim groups slam Anwar government for dropping appeal on the use of \u2018Allah\u2019\n", "\nThe High Court ruled in 2021 that a Home Ministry ban on non-Muslims using \"Allah\" was unconstitutional.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nThousands throng PM Anwar\u2019s Raya open house in opposition-led Kelantan\n", "\nPM Anwar is holding open houses in six states ahead of their state assembly elections due by August.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMiddle-income households in Malaysia tighten belts after surprise rate hike by central bank\n", "\nOver half of middle-income earners have floating rate loans, which means higher repayments when interest rates rise.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\n$22.6 million in Ecstasy pills seized at Penang port; container was transferred in S\u2019pore waters\n", "\nThe drug bust is believed to be one of the biggest in Malaysia in recent years.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-raya-open-houses-kick-off-campaigning-once-foes-now-friends"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: State assemblies set to begin dissolving | Global wins a boost for film industry", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nLegislative assemblies are set to begin dissolving this week to pave the way for polls to elect new governments in six of Malaysia\u2019s 13 states, in what is widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s unity government.\nOpposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) will be looking to deepen its support among Malay Muslim voters, with issues such as a massive reclamation project in Penang state \u2013 governed by the Premier\u2019s Pakatan Harapan \u2013 expected to resonate nationwide\u00a0among the majority community.\n\n\n\n\n\nAnalysts have observed a\u00a0shift to more conservative policies\u00a0by the Anwar administration in a bid to placate Muslims, who make up nearly two-thirds of the electorate.\u00a0\nThe government also made a slew of pledges such as free tertiary education and shorter degree courses aimed at wooing younger voters, another demographic that surprisingly leaned towards PN at November\u2019s general election.\nFollow\u00a0ST\u2019s\u00a0coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading\u00a0The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nPenang island project set to be an election issue in next state polls\n", "\nControversy lingers despite plans to halve the size of the reclamation project.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysian PM Anwar woos young people with free university education, shorter degree courses\n", "\nMore Malaysian school leavers are forgoing tertiary education in favour of becoming influencers or joining the gig economy.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nInternational successes set to boost creativity of Malaysia\u2019s film industry\n", "\nDespite censorship and other challenges, film-makers are finding new avenues to express their creativity.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nJohor to add 250 immigration staff to ease jams at checkpoints\n", "\nJohor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi had said a lack of staff was a reason for traffic congestion.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nEx-Malaysian PM Najib\u2019s wife Rosmah gets passport back to visit daughter, grandsons in S\u2019pore\n", "\nThis is the third time the court has granted Rosmah\u2019s application for the temporary release of her passport.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-state-assemblies-set-to-begin-dissolving-global-wins-a-boost-for-film-industry"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: State elections set for July | Hot weather prompt prayers for rain", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nPolls to elect six state governments in Malaysia are now set to go ahead in July, in what is shaping up to be a referendum on the early days of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s leadership.\nHe starts with a bit of an advantage as the opposition Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, led by his rival Muhyiddin Yassin, has been hamstrung after its bank accounts were\u00a0seized by anti-graft enforcers.\n\n\n\n\n\nA key factor will be whether his Pakatan Harapan-led \u201cunity government\u201d, formed with ex-nemesis Umno, can garner support from the Malay majority. This crucial vote bank turned away from Umno in the November general election, and the jury is still out on whether the party can overcome its graft-ridden reputation to claw back support in the state elections.\nJust like elsewhere in the region, Malaysia is being plagued by\u00a0heat and haze,\u00a0resulting in more people seeking medical treatment for respiratory issues.\u00a0The high temperatures have even led Kelantan\u2019s chief minister to implore people to pray for rain.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nAnwar faces uphill battle to woo Malay voters\n", "\nThe Malaysian PM needs stronger Malay support to ensure greater stability of his five-month-old government.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nElections in 6 Malaysian states expected to be held by July\n", "\nPolls are typically held within a month from dissolution of the state assembly.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nIllegal immigrants pay as little as $300 to risk their lives to enter Johor\n", "\nThe money is paid to middlemen who make the arrangements to bring the illegals into Malaysia.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nKelantan leader asks people to pray for rain to end hot weather\n", "\nMenteri Besar Ahmad Yakob said the hot spell has caused a drought and damaged crops in the state.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nSingaporean woman pulled to the ground in Selangor as motorcyclist grabbed her necklace\n", "\nThe suspect fled the scene after the attempted snatch theft.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-state-elections-set-for-july-hot-weather-prompt-prayers-for-rain"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Umno general assembly kicks off | Political upheaval in Sabah", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n", "\n\nUmno may have suffered a crushing defeat at November's general election, but its annual congress which starts today will still have ramifications at the highest levels of government as the party is now a lynchpin in the Anwar Ibrahim administration.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nThe key watchpoint will be whether Umno president Zahid Hamidi can keep his party united, with Umno\u2019s disgruntled Sabah chapter\u00a0nearly toppling the state government there in the past week.\nMeanwhile, two former premiers have also been in the headlines. Najib Razak is seeking a review of his 12-year conviction for graft linked to the 1MDB scandal as well as a United Nations declaration that he was not accorded a fair hearing.\u00a0\nAnd a grassroots leader in Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia who's said to be close to its president Muhyiddin Yassin was nabbed by graftbusters probing RM92.5 billion (S$28.2 billion) spent under the pandemic stimulus package when Tan Sri Muhyiddin was prime minister. \u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.\u00a0Thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n", "\nUmno assembly to set direction after party\u2019s dismal showing at Malaysia polls\n", "\nMeeting of 5,000 delegates will signal if tie-up with Pakatan Harapan is the way forward.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nUmno will still support Malaysia\u2019s unity government if I\u2019m president: Khairy\n", "\nThe former health minister is still considering whether to run for the party's top job.\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nIndonesia, Malaysia agree to strengthen Asean, urge Myanmar to implement peace plans\n", "\nBoth leaders also reaffirmed the close ties between the two countries.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s move to break rice import monopoly could backfire on farmers\u2019 welfare: Analysts\n", "\nSubsidies and price guarantees are needed to protect domestic production, they add.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nUnity government proposed for Sabah amid tussle for power\n", "\nPakatan Harapan's Sabah lawmakers say they do not want the state assembly to be dissolved if the crisis continues.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMuhyiddin ally nabbed as graft busters probe alleged misappropriation of $28b in Covid-19 packages\n", "\nThe man, the CEO of a private company, is alleged to have brokered government projects for bribes.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nNajib lodges complaint with UN human rights council, claims unfair hearing at apex court\n", "\nDenying former Malaysia PM's new lawyers time to prepare unjustly punished him, his lawyers say.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nAnwar\u2019s ally bags chairman post in 2 listed firms, raising eyebrows\n", "\nMr Farhash Wafa Salvador was a former political secretary to Datuk Seri Anwar.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-umno-general-assembly-kicks-off-political-upheaval-in-sabah"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Umno purge could backfire | Johor pins hopes on reopened borders", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s unity government is barely two months old but some decisions made by him and his deputy Zahid Hamidi are already causing ripples.\nDatuk Seri Anwar was forced this week to defend his daughter Nurul Izzah\u2019s appointment as senior advisor to the Prime Minister on economics and finance, amid\u00a0claims of nepotism.\u00a0He was also in Singapore on his first official visit to the Republic since becoming prime minister.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile Umno president Zahid also triggered criticisms\u00a0after purging dissidents from his party, a week after his supporters pushed through a no-contest motion at upcoming leadership polls.\u00a0\nOn the economic front, private consumption could be a bright spark this year with retailers like Mydin and Apple set on expanding. In Johor, border reopenings could help tackle a dire property overhang and finally kickstart the stuttering Pengerang region.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.\u00a0Thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\n\nZahid cements power but risks backlash\n", "\nSacking of influential leaders could cost Umno votes at state elections.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nAnwar draws flak for appointing daughter adviser\n", "\nNurul Izzah is not enriching herself or abusing power, Anwar says.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nPrivate consumption holds hope for uncertain year\n", "\nRetailers are set to expand, with economic boost expected from China\u2019s reopening.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMahathir and Muhyiddin sued for cancelling HSR\n", "\nThe complainant is seeking RM1 million (S$308,000) compensation for every Malaysian citizen.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nJohor hopes property overhang clears as borders reopen\n", "\nForest City among hardest-hit developments in the state.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nSleepy south-east Johor awakens with oil and tourism hubs\n", "\nNewer roads and better infrastructure have been built in the past decade.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-umno-purge-could-backfire-johor-pins-hopes-on-reopened-borders"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Umno to curb infighting before party polls | Malaysia braces for Covid-19 spike", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n", "\n\nIt\u2019s 2023 but the pandemic continues to cast its shadow, not least on the economy.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nLike many other countries, Malaysia is bracing itself for potential spikes in Covid-19 cases from China's reopening, even as it welcomes the return of Chinese travellers and their tourism dollars.\nMalaysia posted encouraging economic growth numbers last year, mainly because it was bouncing back from the pandemic shutdown years of 2020 and 2021. Malaysians are still struggling with underemployment and analysts believe it will not be until later this year that the economy will be on a good footing.\nMeanwhile, the monsoon season is still ongoing, but Malaysia has yet to experience last year's catastrophic flooding, partly due to authorities being better prepared this time round.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.\u00a0Thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n", "\nUmno seeks to curb infighting before party polls\n", "\nWith just 26 MPs in the 222-strong federal legislature, Umno is at its weakest after a humiliating drubbing at the Nov 19 general election.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysians struggle to make ends meet even as unemployment rate dips\n", "\nA recent downward trend in unemployment could be due to more desperate people settling for any available job in order to make ends meet.\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia to screen arriving travellers for fever, test wastewater from China flights for Covid-19\n", "\nThe country is beefing up surveillance at international entry points, the authorities said.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia set to gain from Indonesia\u2019s ban on bauxite exports\n", "\nMinister optimistic Malaysia will see its exports rise amid growing demand from China.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s economy a tale of two halves\n", "\nEconomists do not expect the nation\u2019s strong economic growth this year to continue into 2023.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysians, govt agencies are better prepared this monsoon season\n", "\nAnother 390 flood warning siren stations throughout the country will be completed in 2025.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-edition-umno-to-curb-infighting-before-party-polls-malaysia-braces-for-covid-19-spike"}, {"title": "Malaysia ends tenures of political appointees in state-linked corporations", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s Cabinet has decided to end the tenures of chairmen and board members who are regarded as political appointees in federal statutory bodies and government-linked corporations.\nIt is understood that the decision was made at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. \nA directive signed by Government Chief Secretary Mohd Zuki Ali has already been issued to the secretaries-general of all ministries.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe decision also affects those appointed to the Finance Ministry, as well as government-linked investment entities.\nSources said the decision was made following a lengthy discussion among ministers who acknowledged that there were some political appointees who were competent and could perform.\n\u201cIn the end, it was decided that a blanket decision would be made to end political appointments,\u201d said a source.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSome ministers, when contacted, said discretionary power should be given to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to make fresh appointments.\n\n\nOne minister said the decision was in line with the new culture of transparency under Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s leadership.\n\u201cIt should be a move that will be welcomed by many Malaysians, but some of us hope there will be some clarity as we feel competent and experienced personalities should be considered.\n\n\u201cBut it is the call of the Prime Minister, and he must be given the authority to decide,\u201d the minister said.    \nThe Pakatan Harapan-led government earlier ended the services of several high-ranking civil servants, including former Public Service Department director-general, Datuk Seri Mohd Shafiq Abdullah.\nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK   \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-ends-tenures-of-political-appointees-in-state-linked-corporations"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s ex-PM Mahathir quits Pejuang party he founded, picks GTA as new political platform", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s former premier Mahathir Mohamad has quit Parti Pejuang Tanah Air, a Malay party he founded just over two years ago, indicating a split in political direction with his son Mukhriz Mahathir, who currently heads the party.   \nTun Dr Mahathir, 97, was one of 13 Pejuang members who sent in a notice to party secretary-general Amiruddin Hamzah on Friday, saying that they were leaving the party and will now continue their political journey with Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA), a coalition of Malay-Muslim parties and non-governmental organisations that Pejuang was previously a part of. \nThe resignation letter was shared by GTA secretary Marzuki Yahya, who was among those who quit Pejuang along with Dr Mahathir. \n\n\n\n\n\nDr Mahathir founded Pejuang in 2020, and later founded GTA along with several other Malay-Muslim parties in August 2022, ahead of the 15th General Election that took place last November. \nAfter the Pejuang-led GTA returned empty-handed from the national polls, with all their candidates \u2013 including Dr Mahathir \u2013 losing their deposits, he quit as Pejuang chairman. But he stayed on as GTA chairman amid reports that Pejuang was considering leaving GTA. \nPejuang, of which Datuk Seri Mukhriz is president, announced on Jan 14 that it was formally leaving GTA after its members came to a consensus at the party\u2019s annual general meeting.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe decision by Pejuang to cut ties with GTA automatically removes us from the party, as we are continuing our struggle under the GTA platform,\u201d Dr Mahathir said. \n\nOn Saturday, he said Pejuang\u2019s move signalled a rejection of him. \u201cPejuang rejecting GTA is like rejecting me. This is because I am in GTA but Pejuang does not want to be with us.\u201d \nPejuang also resolved to open negotiation channels with the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) or opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalitions ahead of six state elections due in 2023. \nDr Mahathir has a frosty relationship with both PH chief Anwar Ibrahim \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s current prime minister \u2013 and PN chief Muhyiddin Yassin, who succeeded Dr Mahathir as premier in 2020. \nDr Mahathir is Malaysia\u2019s longest-serving prime minister, serving for a total of 24 years over two non-consecutive terms. \nHe led the Barisan Nasional government as PM from 1981 until 2003, before returning to power in 2018 after leading PH to its first victory in national polls, while heading Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.\nHowever, he lasted only 22 months on the job before abruptly resigning, leading to the collapse of the PH administration. He subsequently resigned as Bersatu chairman, before being sacked by the party in May 2020. He then went on to form Pejuang. \nThe 2022 polls saw Dr Mahathir lose his Langkawi ward in his home state of Kedah \u2013 the first time he had suffered an election defeat in 53 years. He has held various federal seats in the state for nine terms. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-ex-pm-mahathir-quits-the-pejuang-party-he-founded-chooses-gta-as-new-political-platform"}, {"title": "Malaysia ex-PM Muhyiddin summoned to anti-graft agency on Thursday", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he has been summoned to the offices of the country\u2019s anti-graft agency on Thursday.\nIn a Facebook post, Mr Muhyiddin also denied a news report that he was arrested on Wednesday. \nMr Muhyiddin, who was prime minister for 17 months between 2020 and 2021, did not say why he has been called in by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).  \n\n\n\n\n\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who came to power in November 2022, ordered a review of government projects worth billions of dollars approved by Mr Muhyiddin, including Covid-19 relief programmes, alleging they did not follow proper procedures.  \nMr Muhyiddin has denied the accusations, describing them as political vendetta. \nDatuk Seri Anwar\u2019s office and the MACC did not immediately reply to requests for comment.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar and Mr Muhyiddin went head-to-head in a tightly contested election in November.\n\nIt resulted in a hung Parliament as neither candidate won a parliamentary majority.  \nMalaysia\u2019s constitutional monarch, King Al-Sultan Abdullah, then appointed Mr Anwar as prime minister after he formed a coalition with other political parties.  \nSince the election, Mr Muhyiddin and his political party have been subject to graft investigations.  \nTwo leaders belonging to Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s party have been charged by the MACC with bribery over an economic recovery project launched by his government.  \nMr Muhyiddin was questioned by the MACC in February regarding the same project.  \nThe MACC has also frozen bank accounts belonging to Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s party. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-ex-pm-muhyiddin-summoned-to-anti-graft-agency-on-thursday"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s ex-PM Muhyiddin unlikely to lose ground  staying on as party chief amid graft charges", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s former premier Muhyiddin Yassin is unlikely to lose his appeal among the country\u2019s majority Malay voters despite his decision not to quit as the chief of his party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), amid  corruption trials. Analysts say that supporters of Muhyiddin and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition that he leads are likely to view the multiple graft charges initiated against him as being politically motivated, hence justifying his decision to stay on even though the move runs contrary to the coalition\u2019s own anti-corruption image. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-ex-pm-muhyiddin-unlikely-to-lose-ground-despite-staying-on-amidst-graft-charges"}, {"title": "Malaysia eyes return of mask mandate in schools as Arcturus subvariant surfaces", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 The mask mandate may make a return to schools in Malaysia, as the Health Ministry is planning to propose the use of face masks once again.\nA report quoted Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa as saying that the move was to avoid the resurgence of Covid-19 due to the XBB1.16, or Arcturus, variant.\nDr Zaliha said she would hold a meeting with Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek on the matter soon.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI will meet her (Ms Fadhlina) this week to discuss guidelines and why we need to control the spread of Covid-19 in schools, especially with the new highly transmissible Arcturus variant,\u201d she said.\nThe guidelines and the standard operating procedure will be released before schools reopen on May 2.\n\n\u201cThis is important because we are worried that students will get infected after moving around due to the Hari Raya holidays, which could cause a Covid-19 outbreak in schools,\u201d she told Berita Harian.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Zaliha told The Star that the use of face masks is a recommendation and not a mandate.\n\nAsked whether the ministry is considering recommending the use of face masks beyond just schools and to the public, she replied: \u201cYes, soon.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe have been consistent in encouraging people to wear masks,\u201d she added.\n\nNational Union of the Teaching Profession secretary-general Fouzi Singon said that while the group agrees with the proposal to make face masks compulsory again, the existing rules are sufficient and need to be reaffirmed.\nHe said most schools have not made it mandatory.\n\n\u201cSo it is appropriate for schools and parents to take appropriate measures to ensure that parents themselves are not worried about sending their children to school,\u201d he said.\n\nSince September 2022, the use of face masks on school premises was no longer mandatory. However, it was encouraged.\n\nOn Monday, the ministry announced that 12 cases of the Arcturus subvariant had been detected in the country.\nSix cases were detected in Sarawak, four in Selangor, and two in Kuala Lumpur.  THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-eyes-return-of-mask-mandate-in-schools-as-arcturus-subvariant-surfaces"}, {"title": "Malaysia faces brain drain in every skilled sector, officials say", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia\u2019s healthcare sector is not the only one facing a brain drain as other skilled sectors are facing the same problem, top officials say, as they responded to comments by a leading academic that the country\u2019s top university loses at least 30 of its best medical graduates to Singapore every year.\nNew Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa said the brain drain is definitely a loss, but insisted that the right skills be inculcated to ensure that Malaysians continue to receive the highest quality services.\nShe said she was aware of the recommendations of the Human Resources for Health Strategy of her predecessors, including on the recruitment of doctors, improving the quality of training with clearer career pathways and improving their working conditions.\n\n\n\n\n\nHealth director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said on Friday: \u201cThe issue of brain drain cuts across the workforce. It\u2019s across all specialities, not only in the medical field.\u201d\nOn complaints by medical students of poor working conditions, bullying, low wages, as well as inadequate training and career opportunities, he said there was no guarantee that migration would stop even if these issues ceased.\nHe said the migration of health professionals was fuelled by many reasons, including economic factors.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSingapore\u2019s currency is three times better than ours. Many Johoreans cross over to work in Singapore, so can the same argument be used?\n\n\u201cEven Singapore\u2019s healthcare system has a similar issue with its citizens migrating elsewhere like to Australia,\u201d he added.\nThe issue of brain loss was raised on Thursday by Professor Adeeba Kamarulzaman, who said the top college, Universiti Malaya, loses at least 30 of its best and brightest medical graduates to Singapore every year.\nThe professor of medicine and infectious diseases at Universiti Malaya\u2019s medical faculty said in a tweet on Thursday that the brain drain will continue if nothing is done to address issues such as a lack of clear training and career pathways for doctors, nurses and allied health professionals\n\n\n\n\n\nA male nurse working in Singapore told The Star that working in the Republic provided him the opportunity to gain wider experience.\n\u201cSingapore practises international standards and if I want to find jobs in Australia, New Zealand or even the United Kingdom, it will be easy for me,\u201d he said, adding that nurses in Singapore undergo procedure competency courses frequently.\nMalaysian Medical Association president Muruga Raj Rajathurai said the government needed to take steps to provide better career prospects in terms of career advancement and remuneration.\n\u201cBetter pay is among the main reasons the junior doctors are leaving to work abroad. It doesn\u2019t help that the cost of living has gone up in the country.\n\u201cIssues such as the contract system, permanent positions and even burnout need to be resolved or doctors will lose hope in the system and leave for greener pastures,\u201d he said on Friday.\n", "\nNational Association of Human Resources Malaysia president Zarina Ismail, who runs a recruitment agency, said her firm found employment for qualified Malaysians such as nurses, doctors, lecturers and oil and gas professionals to work overseas.\n\u201cMany of the nurses say they don\u2019t make enough here to have any savings at the end of the month.\n\u201cThat is why they choose to look for jobs in countries like Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, where they can earn RM12,000 (S$3,700) monthly,\u201d she said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-faces-brain-drain-in-every-skilled-sector-officials-say"}, {"title": "Malaysia faces new Covid-19 wave as more get hospitalised", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is facing a fresh wave of Covid-19 cases that has seen test kits being snapped up, more people being hospitalised, and experts advising the public to avoid crowded places.\nJust a few months ago, Covid-19 test kits were readily available, but some pharmacies in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor are now running out as cases continue to rise after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.\nOne patient told The Straits Times that she contacted a number of pharmacies to look for test kits and an oximeter, only to be told they were out of stock.\n\n\n\n\n\nHealth Ministry data showed that cases inched up 0.6 per cent to 9,780, and hospitalisations rose by 9.2 per cent to 3,381 in the 14 days to April 29. Daily confirmed cases on April 29 totalled 1,050. Deaths attributable to Covid-19 have risen by 25 per cent.\nExperts believe there may be an under-reporting of cases. Those who are asymptomatic or present mild symptoms may not be informing the authorities through the MySejahtera tracking app.\nGovernment hospitals are reporting current occupancy rates of 70.3 per cent, compared with 50 per cent on April 22. Beds in intensive care units are 67 per cent occupied. Several private hospitals, including Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Prince Court Medical Centre, were full on Wednesday and not accepting more Covid-19 patients.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Health Ministry tweeted a reminder on Wednesday that those who test positive must quarantine themselves at home for a mandatory seven days. An early release is possible with a negative test supervised by a medical practitioner from the fourth day of infection.\n\nUniversiti Putra Malaysia\u2019s associate professor of virology Chee Hui Yee told ST that Malaysia is currently facing a fresh wave of the pandemic due to the festive season. April\u2019s Hari Raya celebrations were the first since Malaysia lifted its mask mandate with some exceptions in September 2022, with many travelling back to their home towns or going on holiday.\nWhile there has not been a large increase in severe cases and the \u201csituation is manageable\u201d, she advised the public to \u201cget ready for the worst\u201d. \u201cGet tested if there are symptoms and self-isolate if you test positive, wear a mask if you have symptoms, and avoid mixing with others and avoid going to crowded places.\u201d\nShe noted that some experts had suggested self-testing before returning to school after the Hari Raya celebrations, which could have contributed to the shortage of test kits.\nProfessor Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud, the government\u2019s Covid-19 Epidemiological Analysis and Strategies Task Force chairman, said the rate at which Covid-19 tests are coming back positive is \u201cvery high\u201d, based on data on tests done on April 22.\n\u201cThere were 562 cases out of the 2,503 tests carried out on that day alone. That looks like a test positivity rate of 22.4 per cent. I suspect that the 562 cases is a gross underestimate,\u201d he told ST.\nProf Awang added that the most recent data on new cases was from April 29, but that there was no corresponding test data. The Health Ministry releases data only once a week, but while there appears to be data on new infections, there has been no data on tests since April 22.\n\u201cSo I wonder what the test positivity rate is like and how much we are underestimating the number of new infections,\u201d said Prof Awang.\nThe country faced a deadly wave in mid-2021 sparked by the Delta variant of the coronavirus that saw many hospitals run out of oxygen supplies and beds. The month of August that year saw 632,982 infections, with daily cases regularly coming in above 20,000. The country reported 7,640 Covid-19-related deaths the same month, almost double the 3,854 recorded in July.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-faces-new-covid-19-wave-as-more-get-hospitalised"}, {"title": "Malaysia faces uphill task to attract family offices: Fund managers", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s recently announced proposal to attract the wealthy and family offices to the country will be challenging unless measures are taken to ensure ease of capital flow, tax incentives, infrastructure that supports a vibrant stock market and a stable ringgit, say fund managers.Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on June 19 that the Ministry of Finance and the Securities Commission will look at policies that will facilitate and attract family offices to Malaysia, though no details have been announced. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-faces-uphill-task-to-attract-family-offices-fund-managers"}, {"title": "Malaysia floods force 20,000 to relief shelters, as 3 siblings die from electrocution", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Three sisters were believed to have died after being electrocuted at their flood-submerged home in Tumpat in  Kelantan state on Monday, as more than 20,000 people were forced to seek shelter at flood relief centres in five states.\nThe bodies of the three sisters were found floating in the floodwaters outside their home, Astro Awani news channel on Monday quoted a police report as saying.\nThe victims were aged between 20 and 27.\n\n\n\n\n\nOne of the sisters had clutched at a pole at the front of the house as water was coming in when she was electrocuted, followed by the other two sisters standing next to her. The incident happened at about 11.45am, Astro Awani said.\nHeavy rains followed by flooding have forced 20,224 people to seek shelter at relief centres, with Terengganu and Kelantan states on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia the worst hit, Bernama news agency reported on Monday.\nThere were 11,415 people in relief shelters in Terengganu and 8,645 people in Kelantan on Monday morning. Johor had 75 people in shelters, while those in Perak (49) and Pahang (40) made up the remainder of people forced to flee their homes amid the heavy annual monsoon rains, Bernama reported.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSix roads in Terengganu\u2019s Setiu district which connect to the neighbouring Kelantan have been completely closed to vehicles due to the rising waters.\n\nA section of the East Coast Highway,\u00a0LPT2, connecting Kuala Lumpur to the Terengganu capital of Kuala Terengganu, is closed due to a collapsed slope. Videos circulating in the last few days showed sections of LPT2 inundated by floods but were still passable to most vehicles.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-floods-force-20000-to-relief-shelters-as-3-siblings-die-from-electrocution"}, {"title": "Malaysia forecast to face weak to moderate El Nino from June onwards", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia, which has been dealing with a heatwave in recent months, is forecast to experience weak El Nino conditions from June onwards, the environment minister said on Wednesday.\n\nThe intensity of the weather phenomenon will increase to moderate levels by November, and result in a 20 to 40 per cent reduction in rainfall, said Mr Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change.\nSome of the effects of El Nino will also be seen around March to April next year, he said in Parliament.\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia is so far not expected to experience an extreme heatwave where temperatures exceed 38 deg C for several consecutive days, Mr Nik Nazmi said.\n\n\u201cHowever, there is still a possibility that the country will experience slightly higher than normal temperatures, with an increase of between 0.5 deg C to 1 deg C,\u201d he added.\n\nEarly signs of hot, dry weather caused by El Nino are threatening food producers across Asia, with palm oil and rice production likely to suffer in Indonesia and Malaysia \u2013 which supply 80 per cent of the world\u2019s palm oil \u2013 and Thailand, according to analysts.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia is the world\u2019s second-largest producer of the widely consumed palm oil.\n\nThe nation\u2019s crude palm oil production could drop between 1 million and 3 million tonnes next year due to El Nino, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board said in late May. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-forecast-to-face-weak-to-moderate-el-nino-from-june-onwards"}, {"title": "Malaysia gearing up to welcome back Chinese tourists", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Airbnb host Marlina Arshad is all pumped up with the prospect of welcoming more Chinese tourists in Malaysia, as China reopens its borders for international travel.  And like many business owners here, she is gearing up for an uptick in business by hiring staff to help her with the running of seven home rental properties in Genting Highlands she and her husband manage. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-gearing-up-to-welcome-back-chinese-tourists"}, {"title": "Malaysia gives Lynas six-month extension for rare earths operations to go radiation-free", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia has extended to January 2024 a deadline for Australian miner Lynas to ensure its rare earths plant in Pahang, the world\u2019s largest, is effectively radiation-free. \nThe Straits Times has learnt that the six-month delay, following an April 28 appeal hearing, was conveyed to Lynas late on Friday ahead of an expected announcement this week.\nThe decision, legally under the sole discretion of Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang, is closely watched due to the geopolitical importance of rare earths. \n\n\n\n\n\nChina controls four-fifths of the global production of the minerals crucial to high-technology applications such as smartphones, electric vehicles and military assets.\nThe authorities issued a three-year licence renewal to Lynas in February but refused to remove conditions effective from July 1. \nThe main requirement is the need to move \u201ccracking and leaching\u201d of lanthanide concentrate to another site outside of Malaysia, and refine only intermediate materials at its facility in Gebeng, near Kuantan in Pahang.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe refining processes have sparked fears of environmental and health hazards, especially the release of radiation that Lynas insists has no impact on the normally occurring levels around Gebeng.\n\n\nOpposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) as well as industry and diplomatic officials have lobbied Mr Chang to revise the conditions to ensure Lynas would not have to shut down its Malaysian operations, which account for half of the world\u2019s rare earth supply outside of China.\nLawmakers from PN said the facility in Pahang can be a source of technology transfer so that Malaysia can be a player in the crucial industry for cutting-edge applications.\nIn its quarterly report in April, Lynas said if its licensing conditions remain unchanged, it would have to temporarily close its Malaysian plant in mid-July. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe three months after that will see little or no production before it ramps up, depending on how an alternative cracking and leaching refinery in Australia progresses.\n\u201cThe six-month deferment will now allow Lynas a seamless transition. It\u2019s a win-win compromise,\u201d a source told ST.\n\nST reported in April that in addition to Lynas\u2019 request for the licensing conditions to be dropped completely, Western diplomats had asked the Malaysian government for another half a year for the Australian refinery to get up and running. \nLynas is among several high-profile issues that have forced the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led government to soft pedal on its previous statements.\nThis includes its decision last Wednesday allowing Swedish telecommunications firm Ericsson to continue a nationwide roll-out of Malaysia\u2019s 5G network despite previous claims of abuses in how previous governments handed out contracts for the new mobile technology. This comes amid widespread speculation that Chinese rival Huawei could be brought in as a competitor.\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s PH coalition previously campaigned in the 2013 and 2018 general elections to shut down the Lynas plant, which was established under the Barisan Nasional (BN) government over a decade ago. \nBN, led by former ruling party Umno, is now a key ally in his unity government after the 2022 general election resulted in Malaysia\u2019s first hung Parliament.\n", "\nLynas faced stiff public resistance when it first made plans to set up in Malaysia, sparking fears that there would be a repeat of toxic radiation that previous rare earth projects had caused in Malaysia.\nHowever, after PH took power in 2018, it allowed Lynas to continue operations on progressively more lenient terms.\nThis raised public ire and contributed to growing tensions within the then Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad-led administration. \nThe PH government eventually collapsed in March 2020, after dozens of MPs defected.\nIn February 2020, just days before PH was ousted as a result of defections, it was announced that the government had given Lynas a three-year permit to operate, on the condition that cracking and leaching would be moved out of Malaysia, and a permanent waste disposal site developed within a year.\nFollowing Mr Chang\u2019s decision on Friday, the disposal site must now be ready by Jan 1, 2024, and will house waste from the Gebeng plant produced up to the end of 2023.\nST understands that the permanent disposal facility \u2013 being built by a company controlled by Pahang Regent Hassanal Abdullah, the son of Malaysia\u2019s current King Abdullah Ahmad Shah \u2013 is about a third complete.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-gives-lynas-six-month-extension-for-rare-earths-operations-to-go-radiation-free"}, {"title": "Malaysia govt turns to conservative policies to placate Malay/Muslim allies: Analysts", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s multi-ethnic coalition government has recently moved to implement more conservative policies in what analysts consider an attempt at placating the country\u2019s Malay/Muslim majority. On May 25, the government announced its plan to table a controversial amendment that will raise the syariah courts\u2019 criminal powers after getting Cabinet approval. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-govt-turns-to-conservative-policies-to-placate-malaymuslim-allies-analysts"}, {"title": "Malaysia hopes major revamp will put KLIA back among world\u2019s top 10 airports by 2028", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s main airport, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), is getting a major revamp to tackle operational snags and upgrade its facilities, with hopes of climbing back to the top 10 of Skytrax\u2019s world airport rankings by 2028.\nLong queues at passport control and the frequent breakdowns of its ageing aerotrains, which ferry people between the main terminal and the satellite building, are among the recent setbacks reported at the 25-year-old airport.\nIts Skytrax ranking has been dropping since 2013, and slipped another five spots to No. 67 this year.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe airport makeover will include self-baggage drop-offs, a redesign of the check-in counters, new aerotrain and baggage handling systems, and new lounges and food and beverage (F&B) outlets, said Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood, managing director of airport operator Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB).\n\u201cWe want to bring back the shine of KLIA,\u201d he told The Straits Times. \nThe airport, which opened in 1998, had been ranked among the top 10 airports in the world on four occasions \u2013 in 2001, 2010,  2011 and 2012. But since then, it has seen a steady decline in rankings, falling to 14th place in 2013 and 44th in 2018.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBritain-based air transport rating organisation Skytrax assesses airports based on factors such as shopping experience, check-ins, arrivals, transfers, security and immigration clearance. \n\nMalaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke has expressed his disappointment with KLIA\u2019s No. 67 placing in the latest World Airport Survey.\n\u201cKLIA\u2019s maintenance and conditions have deteriorated in recent years,\u201d Mr Loke said, noting that poor maintenance was partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns. \nThe major upgrade had been planned for since 2017 but was delayed by MAHB\u2019s indecision, said industry sources. \n\n\n\n\n\nBut the need to upgrade is more pressing now, with worldwide travel resuming and climbing passenger numbers putting a strain on airport facilities. \nThe number of passengers travelling through KLIA reached about 25 million in 2022, representing more than 70 per cent of the 35 million travellers who used the airport in 2019.\n Mr Iskandar expects the number of passengers travelling through KLIA to exceed 25 million in 2023. \nAppointed as managing director in October 2021, Mr Iskandar hopes that the ongoing upgrading and refurbishment will boost KLIA\u2019s ranking. \n\u201cWe will have new F&B outlets, with stores like the Hard Rock Cafe. Our lounges are rather dilapidated, so there will be two new airport lounges opening by end-2023. For shopping experience, there will also be new local and international brands opening by the end of this year,\u201d he said. \n", "\nCritical infrastructure, such as the aerotrain system, will be replaced by 2025, he said, adding that the current aerotrains frequently break down due to their age. \n\u201cThe assets have been in operation for the past 25 years, ferrying more than three million passengers and travelling about 2.8 million km in total. The construction of the new aerotrain system will start by mid-2023 and each track will take a year to be completed. KLIA is expected to have brand new trains by 2025,\u201d he said. \nHe estimates that MAHB will spend more than RM700 million (S$210 million) for the aerotrain replacement and another RM1.1 billion for the new baggage handling system. \nMr Iskandar also disclosed plans to improve transfers between KLIA and budget terminal KLIA2 for passengers needing to switch between international and domestic flights. \n\u201cWe are ready for passengers to be transferred via airside shuttle buses from one terminal to another, but we are waiting for the airlines to sign agreements to improve the transit experience,\u201d said Mr Iskandar.\n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s tourism sector has been complaining about KLIA, saying that it lags far behind neighbouring Singapore\u2019s Changi Airport, which this year topped the Skytrax ranking.\nChangi Airport held the top spot for eight consecutive years from 2013 to 2020 \u2013 the longest winning streak since the World Airport Awards were first given out in 2000. But it fell behind Hamad International Airport and Haneda Airport in 2021 and 2022.\nMr Faeez Fadhlillah, honorary secretary-general of the Malaysian Association of Tours and Travel Agents, said most modern airports offer resting areas or sleeping pods for travellers in transit, but not KLIA. \nHe added that the airport\u2019s baggage handling system is one of the worst in the region. \nTravellers have to wait up to 30 minutes for their luggage, while in Singapore, the wait at the baggage carousel can be just a few minutes after travellers clear immigration.\n\u201cKLIA needs a total revamp \u2013 from the gate, the waiting at the immigration counter, which can be up to four hours, the aerotrain experience, and the baggage waiting time,\u201d said Mr Faeez.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-hopes-major-revamp-will-put-klia-back-among-world-s-top-10-airports-by-2028"}, {"title": "Malaysia introduces first AI radio DJ", "text": ["\nMalaysia\u2019s first artificial intelligence (AI) radio DJ hit the airwaves on Monday, charming some who were impressed with her delivery and musical knowledge, while causing concern with others.\n\nThe AI DJ, which was given the name Aina Sabrina, helmed a two-hour contemporary music show on English-language radio station FlyFM, and shared some snippets about herself.\nThe 18-year-old radio station is owned by Media Prima, Malaysia\u2019s largest media and entertainment conglomerate. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis is my first day as Malaysia\u2019s first AI radio DJ!! Thank you, flyfm958, for welcoming me to the team. Honestly, who would\u2019ve thought I\u2019d ever be one?\u201d AI DJ Aina wrote on her Instagram account.\nA few hours later, she followed up with another post: \u201cPhew! What a nerve-wracking first day! Did you get a chance to tune in to my show today?\u201d\n\n", "\nAI DJ Aina was developed by Fly FM\u2019s production engineers and is equipped with a vast music database.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShe can create and mix music in real time, and offers music recommendations based on individual preferences.\n\n\nAccording to Fly FM, AI DJ Aina will rock the airwaves every weekday from 2pm to 4pm, introducing listeners to the latest trends and the \u201cflyest music\u201d, as well as \u201cher personal obsessions\u201d with health, wellness and Japanese culture. \nListeners who tuned in were amazed that she sounded like a real person.\n\n\u201cBriefly heard AI DJ Aina on air... so flawlessly fluent like a normal human being until now I have to pinch myself when she even cracked some jokes like typical radio DJs would do,\u201d said Mr Souffie Rahman on Facebook. Many also congratulated AI DJ Aina on her debut. \u201cGreat job AI DJ Aina,\u201d wrote musician Moots Shuvit, while her colleague, radio DJ Elysha Arnold, said AI DJ Aina did not suffer from any first-day jitters.\nA commentator even asked AI DJ Aina how her first day at work was, to which she replied that it was \u201cmad fun\u201d.\n", "\nSome, however, voiced worries over whether AI would take away jobs from its human counterparts.\n\u201cNo AI, no human touch... real human DJ please. This is scary, and we all know what is going to happen next. Remove human DJ and then AI DJ will be used because no need to pay salary?\u201d commented nasxgideon on Instagram.\nMusician Ray Mak said cheekily: \u201cLove this episode of Black Mirror!\u201d, referring to Netflix\u2019s science fiction anthology series. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-introduces-first-ai-radio-dj"}, {"title": "Malaysian King says there would be no political chaos if MPs had bridged differences to serve people", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The prolonged political chaos that plagued the nation over the last four years could have been prevented if MPs and politicians had set aside their differences to serve the people, said Malaysia\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, in his address at the opening of the parliamentary session on Monday. \nIn his final parliamentary address as Malaysia\u2019s King, he said that he never had any intention of interfering in the country\u2019s politics. \n\u201cIt is etched in the nation\u2019s history that I am the only King who reigned with four prime ministers and four different Cabinets,\u201d said the monarch, who acceded to the throne on Jan 31, 2019.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf the episodes that led to the resignation of the seventh prime minister (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) had not occurred, then the political turmoil that lasted until the 15th General Election could have been avoided,\u201d he opined.\n\u201cMore importantly, the political crisis that plagued the country for nearly four years could have been avoided if MPs and politicians had set aside their differences and united, in order to safeguard the interests of my people and the country we love,\u201d he added. \nThree premiers have come and gone under Sultan Abdullah\u2019s rule so far, owing to a series of political ousters and resignations, starting with Dr Mahathir, who resigned in Feb 2020, followed by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who was appointed by the King the following month.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter Mr Muhyiddin resigned in August 2021, the King was again forced to choose and appoint a new premier, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.\n\nThe constitutional monarch, who plays a largely ceremonial role, can appoint whoever he believes will command a majority in Parliament.\n\nThe general election last November resulted in an unprecedented hung Parliament, with neither then opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim nor former premier Muhyiddin winning the simple majority needed to form a government. Umno suffered its worst loss in history.\nAfter the King\u2019s proposal for Mr Anwar and Mr Muhyiddin to work together was turned down by the latter, he was yet again forced to pick the next prime minister, Datuk Seri Anwar.\nThe Prime Minister\u2019s Pakatan Harapan coalition formed a unity government with former rival Umno and its Barisan Nasional coalition, while Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s Perikatan Nasional remained in the opposition.\n\u201cI hope that the tenth Prime Minister will be the last for me, before I return to Pahang,\u201d Sultan Abdullah said, referring to the end of his term as King on Jan 30, 2024.\n\nCongratulating Mr Anwar on his appointment and for proving his legitimacy through a motion of confidence in Parliament on Dec 19, the King said he hoped the government could now focus its efforts on ensuring political stability and economic growth for the country.\nHe also thanked former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob for his contributions as the ninth prime minister.\n\n", "\nParliament will sit until March 30. A White Paper on procurement of Covid-19 vaccines that allegedly did not follow the proper procedure is slated to be tabled, as well as a White Paper on Pedra Branca.     \nLast December, Mr Anwar had called for the claims on Pedra Branca to be reviewed, but said that this would not affect its status as determined by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In February 2017, Malaysia had filed an application for a revision of a 2008 decision by the ICJ to award legal jurisdiction of Pedra Branca to Singapore.       \nHowever, in 2018, then Premier Mahathir withdrew the application.    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-king-says-there-would-be-no-political-chaos-if-mps-had-bridged-differences-to-serve-people"}, {"title": "Malaysia landslide: Campsite operators face losses, search continues for seven still missing", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Campsite operators are facing cancellations and losses after last Friday\u2019s landslide that killed at least 26 people at a recreational site near Genting Highlands.\nA campsite operator, who wished to be known only as Ros, said bookings at her premises went down by at least 30 per cent after the incident, causing her business to suffer more than RM6,000 (S$1,825) in losses to date. \n\u201cEven though our premises are located about 9km away from the landslide location, we\u2019re already getting cancellation requests for the bookings we received for the last week of December and onwards,\u201d she told The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t blame them for cancelling, but since this is our source of income and a peak season for us, we hope the government and the authorities can help manage public fear,\u201d she said.\nShe added that she sends her staff to monitor the landslide site as well as her own premises daily, and has also spoken to the authorities every day since the incident.\n\u201cWe want to be proactive if anything happens, including more landslides. It\u2019s not just about dollars and cents, safety is our utmost priority, and whatever happened to Father\u2019s Organic Farm is beyond its control, as the landslide happened some kilometres away from the place,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnother campsite operator, who wished to be identified only as Yus, said: \u201cYes, our business is deeply affected even though we\u2019re 17km away, but there is no way we can avoid this. For now, the bookings that have been cancelled from Friday to the first week of January 2023 are worth about RM9,000.\u201d\n\nLast Friday, the Malaysian government ordered a blanket ban on all camping activities in the country for a week, after the incident at the Father\u2019s Organic Farm campsite in Batang Kali, Selangor. The camping area was unlicensed.\nMeanwhile, the 25th and 26th bodies \u2013 those of a man and a child \u2013 were retrieved on Wednesday, even as the search and rescue (SAR) team continues to look for seven missing victims.\nThe authorities said a total of 94 people were caught in the landslide, with 61 of them managing to scramble to safety.\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nTwenty-nine of the 94 victims were children, but the total number of children killed has yet to be confirmed.\nPolice have questioned 53 individuals as they investigate the cause of the disaster, the FreeMalaysiaToday news site said on Tuesday.\nSelangor police chief Arjunaidi Mohamed was quoted as saying that police have taken statements from the campsite operator and two of his employees, as well as from survivors and their families.\nYus said: \u201cSince we\u2019re not allowed to help with the search and rescue mission, we try to prepare some food and water for the rescuers, but not daily. It\u2019s the only thing we can do at the moment with our limited resources.\u201d \n", "\nThe public is also lending a hand.\nPsychiatrist Mohaamad Imransyah said: \u201cI\u2019m staying in Taman Gombak, about 36km away from the site, but I come here whenever I can just in case they need a volunteer for something. They\u2019ve been working tirelessly since Friday, so for now, I try to be someone they can have a conversation with, anything that can help them to unload their stress.\u201d\nAnimal shelter operator Mohamad Rosli decided on Tuesday to donate premium dog food to the tracker dogs handled by the rescuers at the site, in recognition of the canine rescuers\u2019 perseverance in the ongoing SAR operations.\nHis contribution consists of more than a dozen cans of wet dog food, which cost around RM16 each, and bags of dry dog food costing more than RM150 each, he said.\nThe Selangor government is formulating guidelines for camping activities and identifying environmentally sensitive areas that are unsuitable or too risky for recreational activities, in an effort to prevent such tragedies in future.\nLocal government, public transport and new village development committee chairman Ng Sze Han will also determine the number of campsites in the state, adding that the authorities will monitor such operations which are usually carried out as a side business by hotels or resort owners.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-landslide-campsite-operators-face-losses-search-continues-for-seven-still-missing"}, {"title": "Malaysia landslide: Firefighters declined to have blood pressure taken so they could continue with search", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Firefighters working on the search and rescue operations at the Batang Kali landslide site refused to have their blood pressure taken for fear that they would be asked to stand down, said Mr Kuan Chee Heng, a social activist who\u2019s better known as Uncle Kentang in Malaysia. \n\u201cThey fear they will be stopped from the operations because of high blood pressure readings,\u201d said Mr Kuan, who has been delivering various forms of aid to the site since the deadly landslide hit a campsite off Genting Highlands last Friday (Dec 16).\nThe search for the last victim, an 11-year-old boy who\u2019s the son of a canteen operator from Mun Choong Chinese Primary School in Kuala Lumpur, is ongoing. The death toll stands at 30 now and there are 61 survivors.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThey don\u2019t sleep well. They\u2019re extremely tired,\u201d said Mr Kuan. \u201cBlood pressure readings must be high for all of them on the field. But their spirit is higher. They are willing to sacrifice,\u201d he added.\nSelangor Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis suffered a minor stroke on Monday and was rushed to the hospital, but as soon as he was discharged on Thursday, he went back to the site to give his team support. \nSocial media users have left prayers and well-wishes for the victims, survivors and rescuers, with some calling for the missing boy to \u201cshow up, and let\u2019s go home\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, the Batang Kali-Genting Highlands road is expected to be reopened to motorcyclists in a week\u2019s time, said Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi.\n\n\u201cGive us a chance to conduct a thorough inspection and monitor the area because soil movements are still occurring,\u201d he said, explaining why he does not want to rush the process. \nHe added that the route would also be reopened to other vehicles in stages. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-landslide-firefighters-declined-to-have-blood-pressure-taken-so-they-could-continue-with-search"}, {"title": "Malaysia landslide: Four more bodies found under 7m of soil, one child still missing", "text": ["\nHULU SELANGOR - The bodies of four more victims were discovered under 7m of soil at the riverside section of the site of a landslide in Batang Kali, near popular tourist destination Genting Highlands.\nThis takes the total death toll so far to 30. One more child victim is still missing. \n\u201cThe four bodies \u2013 a male child and a female child along with a male adult and a female adult \u2013 were discovered in one camp. The bodies were intact but had started to decompose,\u201d said Hulu Selangor police officer Suffian Abdullah on Thursday. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe bodies went sent to Sungai Buloh Hospital for post-mortem and identification. \u201cWe cannot confirm yet whether all of them are from the same family, as the identification process has not been done,\u201d he said. \n", "\nPrevious reports stated that 94 people were affected by the landslide at Father\u2019s Organic Farm, which occurred in the early hours last Friday. But the number has been revised to 92, said Selangor police chief Arjunaidi Mohamed.  \n\u201cThere was an overlap of registrations at the farm,\u201d he said. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe actually discovered the error a few days ago, but we did not rush to announce it, as we needed to do extensive checks.\n\n\u201cWe are satisfied the official overall number of victims is 92,\u201d he told reporters on Thursday, adding that there is only one more victim yet to be found.\n\u201cWe are still looking for one more victim \u2013 a male child,\u201d he said.\nThe search and rescue operation on Thursday, which involved 128 personnel, 11 excavators and seven K-9 dogs, will continue to focus on the hillview and riverside sections.\n\n\n\n\n\nFather\u2019s Organic Farm\u2019s operators said they will not shirk any responsibility for the tragic incident that hit its campsite. \n\u201cAs the operator, we will not run away from our responsibilities despite the landslide occurring on another piece of land which belongs to the government,\u201d said Mr Frankie Tan, who is the farm\u2019s operator. \n\u201cIt is about 2km to 3km away from the farmland we leased. The site (of the landslide) was a large forest that had never been developed,\u201d he said during an interview with a Chinese daily.\nMr Tan also said he was facing immense pressure following the tragedy.\n\u201cSome survivors and family members cursed at me at the site \u2013 I fully understand. All I can do is bow my head in apology,\u201d he said.\nHe also expressed his remorse to victims and their families, adding that he would assist them in any way possible. \nThe Selangor government will conduct a study to determine if there is a need to regulate camping activities in the state, said Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.\n\u201cWe will call upon all organisers and owners of camping sites to discuss the matter so we can draw up guidelines for camping and campsite management,\u201d he said.  \nCurrently, businesses are monitored through licensing, planning orders and building plans as well as enforcement, but there are no specific regulations for campsite activities, as these are activities run by hotel and resort owners.\n\u201cWe have to learn from this bitter experience and draw up guidelines to ensure the safety of people engaging in outdoor activities, including hiking and fishing.\u201d \nHe added: \u201cWe are looking at March to table the enactment, if needed.\n\u201cIf not, we are expecting to finalise the camping guidelines in February,\u201d Datuk Seri Amirudin said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-landslide-four-more-bodies-recovered-death-toll-now-30"}, {"title": "Malaysia lists Sulu heir as a terrorist in claim over Sabah", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia has classified one of the self-styled descendants of the sultanate of Sulu as a terrorist, as part of measures to safeguard national sovereignty amid a territorial dispute between the two parties.\nThe Home Ministry gazetted Muhammad Fuad Abdullah Kiram as a terrorist under the country\u2019s anti-money laundering and terrorism laws, Mr Khairul Dzaimee Daud, director-general in the Law Ministry, told reporters on Tuesday.\u00a0\nFuad is one of the Sulu group\u2019s eight members claiming to be the heirs of the Sulu sultan, Mr Khairul said.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to a federal gazette dated April 6, Fuad A. Kiram is listed as a 69-year-old Filipino who had previously participated in and facilitated the commission of a terrorist act.\nFuad had been part of the Royal Sulu Force, which Malaysia\u2019s government considers a terrorist group.\nThe claimants secured a RM62.59 billion (S$18.9 billion) award against Malaysia in 2022 over their territorial claims to the  state of Sabah. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn March, a court in Paris dismissed a bid by the Sulu group to enforce the award by upholding Malaysia\u2019s stay on the enforcement of the order.\n\nThe approach now \u201cis to go on the offensive\u201d against the Sulu heirs\u2019 claim, a change from the previous approach of \u201cfirefighting\u201d, Mr Khairul said. \nMalaysia\u2019s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail would also visit the four countries \u2013 France, Spain, Luxembourg and the Netherlands \u2013 involved in the arbitration of the case, he said.\u00a0\nThe Sulu Sultanate leased Sabah state to a British company in 1878 and it was later absorbed into Malaysia. \nThey ruled the islands in the Sulu Archipelago, which are parts of Mindanao in today\u2019s Philippines. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-lists-sulu-heir-as-a-terrorist-in-claim-over-sabah"}, {"title": "Malaysia looking to increase locations selling unsubsidised petrol in Johor, other states to foreigners", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - Malaysia\u2019s Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry is working to identify a suitable location to expand the unsubsidised petrol station scheme in Johor, amid a recent dispute involving foreigners suspected to have been involved in purchasing cheaper subsidised fuel. \nMinister Salahuddin Ayub said that a pilot project of the programme had already been implemented under the Border Economy programme in Padang Besar and Wang Kelian in Perlis, the northern state that borders Thailand.\nThe implementation of the project since February has helped the government to save almost RM6 million (S$1.7 million) in fuel subsidies, he added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis is part of the government\u2019s effort to reduce the cases of subsidised RON95 petrol purchases by foreigners as Johor is close to Singapore.\n\u201cWe are currently looking into finding the strategic location (in Johor), and once we do, we will implement this programme,\u201d he told reporters after an e-Learning programme launch in Johor Bahru on Saturday.\nFor the week ending June 28, the price of the highly subsidised RON95 petrol sold only to Malaysian motorists was set at RM2.05 per litre. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor the pilot programme in Perlis dedicated to selling unsubsidised fuel, RON95 petrol was sold to foreigners at a reported price of RM3.22 per litre.\n\nMotorists with foreign-registered vehicles, regardless of nationality, are allowed to purchase the unsubsidised RON97 petrol, which is priced at RM3.37 per litre for the same period, but directly into their vehicle\u2019s fuel tank apart from exceptional circumstances.\nIn Singapore, grade 95 petrol was sold at around $2.75 per litre as at Friday, according to price monitors at sgCarMart, with the higher grade 98 petrol priced at $3.22 per litre.\nThe minister was responding when asked to comment on the recent case of an altercation between a Grab food delivery rider and two Singaporeans at a petrol station in Sunway Iskandar, Iskandar Puteri near the Second Link for allegedly buying RON95 petrol with containers.\n\u201cThe government is very clear in its policy that RON95 should only be sold to locals as it is one of the subsidised items in the country. Any petrol station owner or foreign individual who is caught violating this policy will face legal action,\u201d said Datuk Seri Salahuddin.\n\u201cHowever, I was informed that based on CCTV footage, the Singaporean in the video did not get the chance to purchase the RON95 fuel,\u201d he said, adding that the full report of the incident would be given to him on Monday.\nOn May 18, Malaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi was reported saying that a pilot project on unsubsidised RON95 petrol and diesel supply projects at petrol stations had been implemented in Perlis.\n", "\nThe Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry was in the final stages of increasing the number of petrol stations selling unsubsidised fuel in the states of Kelantan, Kedah, Perak, Sabah, and Sarawak, as well as Johor.\nIskandar Puteri police chief Rahmat Ariffin said on Friday that the police were looking for two Singaporeans involved in an argument with the food delivery rider on June 16. \nThe Singapore Police Force told The Straits Times on Friday that it has not received any request from Malaysian police regarding the Singaporeans.\nA video capturing an argument between the delivery rider and the two suspects has been widely shared on social media. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-looking-to-increase-locations-selling-unsubsidised-petrol-in-johor-other-states-to-foreigners"}, {"title": "Malaysia makes school uniforms optional due to current hot spell", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Students and teachers in all schools and institutions under Malaysia\u2019s Education Ministry (MOE) can attend classes in appropriate casual wear and sports attire during the current hot weather.\nThe ministry said in a statement that it always prioritises the welfare, health, and safety of students, teachers and administrators during the country\u2019s hot spell and prolonged drought.\n\u201cSuch hot weather can trigger harmful heatwaves that are detrimental to health.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe ministry has agreed to give special permission to students, teachers and the administrative group in all education institutions under the ministry to wear decent clothes and sportswear during the hot weather to avoid any health complications.\n\n\u201cFor students who wear school uniforms, wearing a necktie is also not mandatory,\u201d it added.\n\nSchools have also been instructed to constantly monitor weather conditions for immediate action to be taken to ensure the well-being of all involved.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the Guidelines for the Closure of Educational Institutions under the MOE during the Hot Weather dated April 28, 2023, schools are allowed to close if the hot weather is at level two warning with temperatures exceeding 37 deg C for three consecutive days.\n\nEducational institutions, including schools, are also allowed to close if the Malaysian Meteorological Department declares a heatwave in their areas.\n\nSchools under the ministry have also been ordered to suspend outdoor activities involving students, teachers and lecturers.\nThis includes cross-country runs, parades, sporting activities, outdoor games, camping and educational activities outside the classroom, the ministry said in a Facebook post on Thursday. \n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, the Bernama news agency quoted a doctor cautioning that heat stroke was a risk for anyone exposed to an extremely hot environment, regardless of the person\u2019s health.\nDr Norlen Ahmad said the elderly, children and those with chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as those who were obese, were at greater risk of a heat stroke.\n\u201cThe elderly are more at risk because they usually have various diseases that make them more sensitive, and their mechanism of sweat production or body temperature control is no longer efficient,\u201d she said on Bernama Radio\u2019s Jendela Fikir programme on Wednesday.\n", "\nAccording to Dr Norlen, heat stroke is a medical emergency that can happen quickly.\nShe said immediate steps must be taken to reduce body temperature to prevent the victim from experiencing more severe conditions such as brain function failure, convulsions and even death.\nShe said that among the immediate steps to be taken is to place a wet towel on the victim\u2019s head, underarms, thighs and neck, in addition to moving the victim to a cooler place.\n\u201cPlacing a wet towel on those parts of the body will speed up the process of heat transfer in the body and further reduce the body temperature,\u201d Dr Norlen added.\nShe also said that the public should reduce physical activity in hot areas, drink more water, especially plain water, wear loose and thin clothing, and monitor the health of family members at risk.\n\nLast week, an 11-year-old boy from Bachok in the northern state of Kelantan, died due to heat stroke and dehydration. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-makes-school-uniforms-optional-due-to-current-hot-spell"}, {"title": "Malaysia may impose curbs on non-essential water usage", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Restrictions on the use of water for non-essential purposes may be imposed as Malaysia gears up for drier and hotter weather in the months ahead.\nThese are among the measures the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry said that it will put into place following a forecast that the El Nino phenomenon, expected to take place from this month to September, would impact the country by causing a lack of rainfall.\nThis, the ministry said, was based on the analysis and weather modelling carried out by the Malaysian Meteorological Department.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cDuring dry weather, water availability becomes a critical issue, with water levels from the river dropping and the dams drying, thus, reducing the level of raw water that can be treated,\u201d the ministry said.\nThe ministry said that during critical situations, restrictions on the use of water for non-essential purposes such as watering lawns and parks could be imposed under the Water Services Industry Act, with the minister giving the order.\n\u201cThe ministry through the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) will monitor the water level at rivers and dams supplying raw water to water treatment plants.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAn Emergency Response Plan will be activated if the water level of rivers and dams becomes too low,\u201d it said in a statement on Monday.\n\nOther measures include exploring all water resources to increase the availability of raw water supply during the dry season, performing cloud seeding for dams and catchment areas and redistributing water.\n\u201cMembers of the public are encouraged to conserve water in their daily use while industrial and commercial users can save by using alternative water for non-potable operations,\u201d the ministry said, adding that this could help reduce water demand.\n\u201cWater operators will be directed to increase their efficiency by fixing any leaking pipe quickly to prevent wastage,\u201d  the ministry added.\nThe ministry\u2019s statement came in the wake of reports that the Penang government had asked the National Disaster Management Agency to carry out cloud seeding over the state\u2019s water catchment areas as water levels at two key dams \u2013 Air Itam and Teluk Bahang \u2013 have dropped significantly.\nThe ministry said records showed that out of the 24 dams in peninsular Malaysia and the federal territory of Labuan in Borneo which were being actively monitored by SPAN daily, almost all showed above 80 per cent storage level.\nSome dams such as Teluk Bahang and Air Itam in Penang and the Lebam, Upper Lanyang and Sembrong dams in Johor, as well as the Muda dam in Kedah are found to have a supply of around 60 per cent.\n\u201cHowever, during emergency situations, the Mengkuang dam in Penang (current storage of around 90 per cent) can channel raw water to the Sungai Dua water treatment plant with a treatment capacity of as much as 1,228 million litres per day,\u201d it said.\nThe Sungai Dua water treatment plant supplies to almost 80 per cent of consumers in Penang.\nIt said that the Linggiu dam, which is the largest dam to supply water in peninsular Malaysia, had achieved 100 per cent storage to control the flow of water of Sungai Johor, which had seven main water treatment plants. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-may-impose-curbs-on-non-essential-water-usage"}, {"title": "Malaysia narrows scope of probe into Covid-era stimulus packages by previous govt", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s anti-graft agency said its investigation into the alleged misuse of Covid era stimulus packages by the previous administration will focus on RM92.5 billion (S$28.4 billion) spent by the government. \nThis comes a day after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said that it had opened an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of RM600 billion of public funds for tackling the pandemic.\nIn a statement Friday, the MACC said a total of RM530 billion was spent by the government in 2020 and 2021 on stimulus packages, based on inputs from the Finance Ministry. Of this, RM437.5 billion were external or non-government funds, it said.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe ministry is due to submit details of how the public funds were used next week, the agency said.\u00a0\nThe MACC said on Thursday that it would summon former premier Muhyiddin Yassin and two ex-Cabinet ministers who served in his administration for the alleged misappropriation of RM600 billion of public funds for tackling the pandemic. \nThe other two are ex-health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and former finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who now heads the international trade and industry ministry in the new government. The funds for the pandemic included resources for vaccines, local media reports say.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNews of the probe comes as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is reviewing projects and plans approved by past administrations in a bid to burnish his credentials as a reformist and fulfill his alliance\u2019s election manifesto promises to fight corruption. \n\nDatuk Seri Anwar himself faces criticism for picking the head of the former ruling coalition, Zahid Hamidi, who faces graft charges as one of his deputies.\u00a0\nPM Anwar this week said the Finance Ministry found there was a breach of procedure in the handling of RM600 billion of public funds during Tan Sri Muhyiddin\u2019s time as premier. Mr Anwar also ordered a review of the 5G mobile services contract awarded to Ericsson AB last year, citing concerns about cost and transparency. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-narrows-scope-of-probe-into-covid-era-stimulus-packages-by-previous-govt"}, {"title": "Malaysia offers free swimming lessons to children from low-income families to prevent drownings", "text": ["PETALING JAYA - Ten-year-old Qamarul Muhammad Izhar looks forward to his weekend swimming lessons. \u201cLearning how to swim is fun. The coach is nice, and I have learnt how to kick and float,\u201d he said after his class on Saturday."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-offers-free-swimming-lessons-to-children-from-low-income-families-to-prevent-drownings"}, {"title": "Malaysia open to talks with Beijing over dispute in South China Sea: PM Anwar", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is prepared to negotiate with China over a dispute in the South China Sea, state news agency Bernama reported on Monday, citing Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.\nChina claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, through which about US$3 trillion (S$4 trillion) worth of ship-borne trade passes annually. Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have some overlapping claims.\nThe issue was raised at a meeting between Datuk Seri Anwar and Chinese President Xi Jinping in China last week as Malaysia has energy exploration projects in the area, Bernama cited the Premier as saying at an address on Monday at the prime minister\u2019s department.\n\n\n\n\n\nBernama did not specify which dispute or which area of the South China Sea Mr Anwar was referring to.\n\u201cChina is also staking claim over the area. I said as a small country that needs oil and gas resources, we have to continue, but if the condition is that there must be negotiations, then we are ready to negotiate,\u201d Mr Anwar said.\nChina has staked its claim to about 90 per cent of the South China Sea via a U-shaped \u201cnine-dash line\u201d on its maps. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThat was declared invalid in 2016 by an international arbitration ruling, which Beijing does not recognise.\n\nEfforts by other South-east Asian countries to negotiate with China or jointly conduct energy activities have failed to make breakthroughs.\nMalaysian state oil company Petronas operates several oil and gas fields in the South China Sea within its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone.\nChinese vessels have in recent years passed by or lingered near Petronas operations, prompting protests from Malaysia.\nIn 2021, Malaysia summoned the Chinese ambassador to express its protest against the \u201cencroachment\u201d into its waters by Beijing\u2019s vessels.\nIn 2020, another Chinese survey ship held a month-long stand-off with an oil exploration vessel contracted by Petronas within Malaysia\u2019s exclusive economic zone. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-open-to-talks-with-beijing-over-dispute-in-south-china-sea-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "Malaysia plans $8.5b port to keep up with regional rivals", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The Malaysian government has confirmed it is going ahead with the plan to build a RM28 billion (S$8.5 billion) port to significantly boost the handling capacity for both container and conventional cargo at the main shipping hub of Port Klang.\nThe new port planned for Carey Island is targeted at the future growth of international trade, with an eye on rival regional ports that are in the midst of expansion, including those in Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. \nMore details were revealed by Transport Minister Anthony Loke in March after the project was revisited by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in February. The project had been shelved in 2017 due to weak cargo demand in Port Klang.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cTo support the growth of international trade, the government supports the proposal to develop a new mega port in Carey Island by the private sector. The project is expected to bolster Port Klang as a major shipping hub for the Asia-Pacific region,\u201d said Datuk Seri Anwar in February. \nCaptain K. Subramaniam, general manager of the Port Klang Authority, told The Straits Times that the additional capacity is also needed to meet rising demand within Malaysia, including the expanding industrial hubs in Selangor and neighbouring states. \nPort Klang, located along the Strait of Malacca, is a major industrial city in Selangor, Malaysia\u2019s richest state.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Carey Island port is slated to handle 36 million shipping containers, known in the industry as twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), a year, Capt Subramaniam said. In 2022, Port Klang handled about 13.2 million TEUs. \n\nThe new port\u2019s annual capacity for conventional cargo will be around 40 million tonnes, compared with 27 million tonnes in Port Klang currently.\nIn contrast, the Port of Singapore located at the southern tip of the Strait of Malacca can handle up to 37.3 million TEUs a year, and Johor\u2019s Port of Tanjung Pelepas has an annual capacity of 10.5 million TEUs, according to RHB Research.\nPort Klang needs to quickly expand, said an analyst who requested anonymity, pointing out how Singapore is doubling its TEU capacity at the Tuas mega port to 65 million annually.\n\n\n\n\n\nUnlike Malaysia\u2019s major airports, most of the country\u2019s sea ports are privately operated. There are currently two maritime facilities in Port Klang \u2013 Westports and Northport. The latter also controls the Southpoint port in the area. \nNorthport is controlled by billionaire Syed Mokhtar Albukhary, Malaysia\u2019s 10th-richest person on Forbes\u2019 2023 billionaires list, while Westports is operated by billionaire G. Gnanalingam, listed as the country\u2019s 12th richest. \nWestports itself is expanding its container cargo capacity by 50 per cent to 28 million TEUs annually by 2040. The expansion project is expected to start by the year end.\nMaybank IB Research analyst Loh Yan Jin estimates the current utilisation of Westports will reach a bottleneck in three years, should there be a 5 per cent annual growth in container volume at the port. \n\u201cThe idea is that when expansion of Westports reaches its full capacity, then we would need additional container port capacity from Carey Island, which is expected to be phased in by then,\u201d she said.\n", "\nDespite the ambitious plan announced by Mr Anwar, there remains uncertainty about who will be involved in the Carey Island port. No further details have been released by the government. The Ministry of Transport did not respond to ST\u2019s queries. \n\u201cThe decision on the development and operating partners will be determined by the government and the Ministry of Transport, but potential partners include international and Malaysian port operating companies, besides shipping lines as strategic partners,\u201d said Capt Subramaniam.\nIndustry sources say construction is unlikely to begin in the next two years, as procedures to build a port can be complex.     \n\u201cMultiple studies need to be undertaken. Land needs to be acquired. Planning needs to be done. Starting construction in two years is really not realistic. Any consulting engineer will tell you that,\u201d said one source.\nRHB Research analyst Alexander Chia said that global trade volumes are expected to pick up following the economic recovery after the pandemic. \u201cWe are excited for this development as Malaysia could attract more trade flows and ascend in the top global ports\u2019 ranking. We think that building another port would boost the confidence of investors.\u201d    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-plans-84-billion-port-to-keep-up-with-regional-competitors"}, {"title": "Malaysia plans to set up second 5G network from 2024: Sources", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR/SINGAPORE \u2013 Malaysia plans to introduce a second 5G network from 2024, four sources told Reuters, in the latest policy shake-up aimed at dismantling monopolies and promoting competition by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s six-month-old administration.\nMalaysia\u2019s 5G roll-out by state agency Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) has seen repeated delays since its launch in December 2021 because of industry concerns over pricing and transparency, as well as worries that a single government-run network would result in a nationalised monopoly.\nSince taking office in November 2022, Datuk Seri Anwar has ordered reviews of billions of dollars in government projects as he looks to strengthen governance and minimise wasteful spending. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe has also vowed to boost competition to ensure better services for the public.\nMr Anwar\u2019s government is now planning to introduce a second 5G network from January 2024 to challenge DNB\u2019s lock on the market, four sources familiar with discussions told Reuters, declining to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.\nCommunications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government has yet to decide on the 5G roll-out. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cRight now, we are still in the process of review. We have had discussions with all related and relevant parties,\u201d he told reporters on Sunday.\u00a0\n\n\u201cWe have not come to a decision yet. So, we have to wait for the announcement when it happens,\u201d he added.\nHe said the Cabinet would deliberate on the matter on Wednesday.\nA recommendation by major carriers for a second 5G provider was rejected by the previous government in March 2022. \n\n\n\n\n\nDNB deployed its network in late 2021 with the participation of two telecommunications firms on a trial basis.\nAfter months of protracted talks, all but one of the country\u2019s five mobile operators agreed in October to use DNB\u2019s network, opening 5G services to more customers.\nThe roll-out came under scrutiny again, however, after Mr Anwar took office in November and announced a review of the 5G plan, saying it had not been formulated transparently by the previous administration. \nDNB denied that claim.\nThe plan for a second network will be contingent on DNB and mobile operators ensuring that 5G network coverage reaches the government\u2019s target of 80 per cent of the country\u2019s populated areas by the end of 2023, the sources said.\nFour Malaysian telco firms \u2013 Maxis, U Mobile, Telekom Malaysia and YTL Communications \u2013 did not immediately respond to requests for comment.\nDNB and a fifth firm, CelcomDigi, declined to comment. \nCelcomDigi directed further queries to the government.\n", "\nMr Fahmi said last week that 5G network coverage had reached 55 per cent in populated areas.\nDNB has said a single network would reduce costs, improve efficiency and accelerate the building of infrastructure.\nIt was not clear how the proposal for a second 5G network would affect DNB\u2019s existing agreements with its development partner Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson and other mobile operators.\nThree carriers \u2013 CelcomDigi, Telekom and YTL \u2013 agreed in 2022 to take up a collective 65 per cent stake in the agency, with the government holding the remaining 35 per cent.\nTwo major mobile operators \u2013 Maxis and U Mobile \u2013 declined to take up equity in DNB, Reuters reported.\nU Mobile later joined other telco firms in signing up to access DNB\u2019s 5G network. \nMaxis has said it will wait until the government review of DNB is completed.\nREUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-plans-to-set-up-second-5g-network-from-next-year-sources"}, {"title": "Malaysia plans to take Sulu sultan\u2019s heirs to court over Sabah seizure claims", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia intends to bring the self-styled descendants of the sultanate of Sulu before a court after a territorial dispute between the two parties led to bailiffs appearing at Malaysia\u2019s embassy and its employees\u2019 homes in Paris on Monday.\nThe bailiffs tried to obtain a description of the properties and were turned away, according to Malaysia\u2019s special Sulu secretariat. \nThey appeared to have acted on instruction from the Sulu claimants, on the basis of a statutory mortgage registered on the premises following a Paris court order, said the secretariat.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMoving forward, it is Malaysia\u2019s intention to summon the Sulu claimants to appear before the court which granted the authorisation order to obtain the cancellation of the registration of the mortgage,\u201d the secretariat said in a statement on Wednesday. \n\u201cThe statutory mortgage is not an enforcement measure per se.\u201d\n\nMalaysia was responding to a Reuters report on Tuesday that French bailiffs tried to enforce a court-issued seizure order on three of the Malaysian government\u2019s properties in Paris. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThere was no attempt to seize the properties and the premises of any diplomatic mission shall be inviolable and immune under the Vienna convention, Malaysia said in the statement.\n\nThe incident was linked to the Sulu heirs\u2019 decades-long claims to the Borneo state of Sabah. \nA French judge in December granted their request to seize the properties to settle a debt of \u20ac2.3 million (S$3.3 million) they said were owed to them, according to Reuters.\nThis was after a French arbitration court in Paris in 2022 ordered the Malaysia government to pay RM62.59 billion (S$18.7 billion) to the Sulu descendants over their territorial claim. \nThe Malaysian government filed an application to cancel the award in Paris, while a district court in Luxembourg set aside the legal action payment, Malaysia said in January.\n\n\u201cMalaysia maintains that it does not recognise the purported commercial arbitration instituted by the Sulu claimants and will continue to vigorously defend its sovereignty through the appropriate legal forums,\u201d said Malaysia\u2019s secretariat.\n\nThe Sulu heirs also laid claim to state-owned oil company Petroliam Nasional\u2019s (Petronas) units in Luxembourg as part of their efforts to enforce the arbitration award. \nPetronas in February confirmed the seizure orders and said it would defend its legal position.\n\nThe Sulu sultanate leased Sabah state to a British company in 1878.  \nThe state was later absorbed into Malaysia. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-plans-to-take-sulu-sultan-s-heirs-to-court-over-sabah-seizure-claims"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar arrives in Brunei for two-day official visit", "text": ["\nBANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim arrived in Brunei on Tuesday for a two-day official visit, his second official trip abroad since being appointed prime minister in November.\nDatuk Seri Anwar, accompanied by his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, landed at Brunei International Airport at 3.13pm, Bernama news agency reported.\nThey were greeted by Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and his wife Princess Pengiran Anak Sarah.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Malaysian prime minister was accorded an official welcoming ceremony at the airport, including inspecting a guard of honour mounted by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the news agency said.\nMr Anwar is slated to have an audience with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on Wednesday, followed by a bilateral meeting.\nThe two leaders are also expected to witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and the Brunei Investment Agency, Bernama said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar is scheduled to attend a dinner with Malaysians in Brunei on Tuesday evening.\n\nHe is expected to make an official visit to Singapore by the end of January. Mr Anwar made his first official visit as prime minister to Indonesia on Jan 8 and 9.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-arrives-in-brunei-for-two-day-official-visit"}, {"title": "Indonesia\u2019s a true friend even when I was cast out: Malaysia PM Anwar", "text": ["\nJAKARTA - Indonesia and Malaysia\u2019s close friendship was the main reason why Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made Indonesia the destination of his first official visit.\nFurther, Indonesia had also been a true friend to him when he was facing hardship.\n\u201cFirst of all, Indonesia is our close neighbour. We share the same roots and we are close friends even when I was cast out and sidelined, Indonesia had accepted me to be a true friend.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI will not forget this,\u201d he told reporters at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Jakarta,\u00a0referring to the period when he was sacked as deputy prime minister and expelled from Umno in 1998. \nHe added that is why he had given priority to Malaysia\u2019s bilateral ties with Indonesia.\nDatuk Seri Anwar\u2019s two-day working visit is expected to boost economic collaboration between the two countries.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter arriving in Jakarta with his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on Sunday, he witnessed the exchange of nine memorandums of understanding (MOU) and the handover of 11 letters of interest (LOI) between top Malaysian industry players and Indonesian companies, with a potential value of RM1.66 billion (S$504 million).\n\nThe Malaysian firms are registering their interest to work closely with Indonesia to develop the Nusantara city in East Kalimantan, which will replace Jakarta as the national capital. \nMr Anwar will meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday to discuss areas of mutual interest and benefits including investment potentials, manpower, border and security issues affecting both sides of the border.\nHe will receive an official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Bogor.\nHe is also scheduled to deliver a public lecture on \u201cMalaysia-Indonesia Strategic Relationship\u201d on the same day. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-arrives-in-jakarta-to-begin-his-first-official-visit"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar defends DPM Zahid\u2019s appointment, says he cannot punish before courts do", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has once again defended the appointment of Umno president Zahid Hamidi as his deputy premier, even though Zahid is facing dozens of graft charges. \nDatuk Seri Anwar said on Tuesday that he does not want to make any judgment before due process in court and he would not interfere in ongoing court cases involving any of his Cabinet members.  \nHe said he cannot take action against members of his Cabinet who are facing court charges before a decision is made in court. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAction cannot be taken just based on a prosecution and before a (court) judgment. For instance, there is a lawmaker who is being charged in court today. Should the individual also resign from all of their positions?\u201d he said, in reference to an MP from former premier Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s party who was charged with graft.\n\u201cSurely the answer is no, so that is my stand as well,\u201d he said in reply to a question from opposition MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari in Parliament.\nMr Ahmad had asked whether appointing those with court charges to the country\u2019s administration would affect the \u201cMalaysia Madani\u201d agenda.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia Madani is the new slogan under Mr Anwar\u2019s administration. The word \u201cmadani\u201d in Arabic carries the general meaning of civilised, or modern.\n\nMr Anwar has been criticised for picking Zahid as deputy premier, given that the latter is on trial for dozens of graft charges. \nMore than two months on, this appointment continues to be an \u201dalbatross around the neck\u201d of the government, as Penang Deputy Chief Minister Ramasamy Palanisamy, who is part of Mr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan coalition, described it.\nAs recently as Feb 10, in an interview during his official visit to Bangkok, Mr Anwar had to again defend making Zahid his deputy, giving Zahid credit because \u201che never asks me to withdraw the (graft) case\u201d.\nMr Anwar said on Tuesday that since Zahid\u2019s appointment as deputy prime minister, he has followed all the principles and policies outlined by the government. \nHe gave an example of how several government-linked companies within Zahid\u2019s purview had asked for immediate action on contracts, without tender.\n\u201cInstead, he (Zahid) had replied by asking the companies to follow the proper tender process,\u201d Mr Anwar said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-defends-dpm-zahid-appointment-says-he-cannot-punish-before-courts-do"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar does not want enmity with Dr Mahathir to continue", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he does not want the strained relationship between him and his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, to continue and that his main focus right now is his duties as the country\u2019s leader.\nIn an interview with CNBC Indonesia TV which was aired on Friday night, Datuk Seri Anwar said he does not want to entertain any comments made by Tun Dr Mahathir. \n\u201cThe people have chosen and given their mandate to me to do the job. I am focusing on that... but I also don\u2019t want this to be perceived as a never-ending enmity (with Dr Mahathir),\u201d he said in response to a question on his relationship with the elder statesman.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe special interview was pre-recorded during Mr Anwar\u2019s two-day visit to Indonesia last weekend.          \nThe relationship between Mr Anwar and Dr Mahathir was characterised by decades of enmity.      \nBetween stints as deputy prime minister in the 1990s and as official prime minister-in-waiting in 2018, Mr Anwar spent nearly a decade in jail for sodomy and corruption on charges he says were politically motivated.    \n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Mahathir had called Mr Anwar his friend and protege, and anointed him his successor, but later, amid criminal charges and disagreements over how to handle the Asian financial crisis in 1998, he said Mr Anwar was unfit to lead \u201cbecause of his character\u201d.\n\nThe two buried the hatchet briefly in 2018 to oust from power then ruling Barisan Nasional coalition - only to fall out again within two years, ending their 22-month-old Pakatan Harapan government and plunged Malaysia into a period of instability.\nThe result of the last election in Nov 24 saw the country in a political limbo after no coalition gained enough seats to form a government.\nMr Anwar and rival Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin - whose coalitions had the two largest blocs in Parliament but no simple majority needed to form the government - were racing against each other to become premier.\nThe situation was only resolved when Mr Anwar gain the backing from the Umno-led Barisan Nasional to form a unity government.\nDuring the interview, Mr Anwar was also asked about the politics in Malaysia, which the prime minister said was different from Indonesia and some other countries. \nNational news agency Bernama reported Mr Anwar as saying \u201cpolitical hostility\u201d in Malaysia has been described as \u201cvery sharp\u201d, which he said could be due to the legacy of Dr Mahathir\u2019s leadership style.\n\u201cWhoever does not support him (Dr Mahathir) is considered an enemy... and this situation (sharp political hostility) has continued until now.\n\u201cBut at least we (the government) acted quickly (by changing to the new political style) by thinking about the country, the future and political stability, and so we succeeded in forming a coalition with a stance of good governance and rejecting corruption and this principle has been agreed upon.\n\u201cI hope our Opposition (in Malaysia) will not continue to \u2018sharpen\u2019 the political hostility, and I have also asked them to refrain from issuing statements that incriminate or label people as infidels...if this can be alleviated, we can have a better dialogue,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-does-not-want-emnity-with-dr-mahathir-to-continue"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar expected to end impasse in Sabah state government", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is set to fly into the Sabah capital on Monday to broker a peace deal among the three warring parties in Sabah calling for Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman and state Chief Minister Hajiji Noor to be replaced.\nHowever, GRS is proposing for the status quo to remain but with Pakatan Harapan, who is currently part of the state\u2019s opposition, on board the state government.\nMr Anwar will be arriving in Sabah amid the claim by Mr Hajiji, who insists that he still has the majority to remain chief minister, while Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman Bung Moktar Radin is saying that the \u201cgame is on\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe embattled Datuk Seri Hajiji has shown his strength by handing over statutory declarations of support from 44 assemblymen, including seven Pakatan Harapan and five Sabah Barisan-Umno dissidents, to Sabah Governor Juhar Mahiruddin during a one-hour meeting on Saturday.\nHowever, on his arrival from Kuala Lumpur where he had met Barisan chairman Zahid Hamidi on Saturday, Datuk Seri\u00a0Bung told reporters that the \u201cball is in play\u201d and dismissed Mr Hajiji\u2019s majority as \u201ccorrupted\u201d.\nHe was referring to the alleged \u201csnatching\u201d of five of the 17 Sabah Barisan-Umno assemblymen to get the majority in the 79-member state assembly, which is expected to hold a meeting on Tuesday to discuss a Bill on gas supply regulations.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Bung said Datuk Seri Anwar, who will touch down in Sabah from Jakarta at about 8pm, is expected to discuss with all of them \u2013 GRS, Barisan and Warisan \u2013 to find solutions to the current political stalemate in Sabah.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t think there will be a swearing-in at the Istana before that,\u201d Mr Bung said, without disclosing further details.\nBoth Mr Hajiji and his state Cabinet were originally scheduled to be sworn in before the governor on Monday.\nIt was learnt that Barisan, Warisan and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) are pushing for a \u201ctrue\u201d unity Sabah government involving all parties, including Pakatan Harapan and GRS\u2019 component parties.\n\n\n\n\n\nA source told The Star that as part of their \u201cpeace deal\u201d, the parties were also pushing for Mr Hajiji to be replaced as he was said to be \u201cparty-less\u201d.\nThey are ready to allow leaders from GRS\u2019 component parties \u2013 Sabah Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku president Jeffrey Kitingan or any of the party leaders from Barisan or Warisan \u2013 to lead the unity government in Sabah.\n\u201cIt must be a true unity government. Everyone must be included \u2013 GRS, Pakatan, Barisan, Warisan and KDM,\u201d said a source, adding that they would be proposing this during the meeting.\nGRS will be proposing to maintain the status quo of the GRS-Barisan government but will bring Pakatan into the state government, The Star reported.\nMr Anwar, who left for Jakarta on Sunday, is likely to fly straight into Kota Kinabalu on Monday after a two-day official visit to the Indonesian capital and is expected to be joined by his deputy Zahid, who is also flying to Sabah on Monday.\n", "\nThe Prime Minister is to hold peace talks with embattled Chief Minister Hajiji, Mr Bung and Parti Warisan president Mohd Shafie Apdal over the political crisis triggered by Sabah Barisan\u2019s move to pull out its support from the GRS government.\nAlthough it is understood that Istana Negeri is waiting for the outcome of this last-minute bid to bring calm back to the state, sources have described it as a \u201ctall order\u201d at this point.\nOn Saturday, Mr Anwar told reporters that he would give special attention to developments in Sabah after returning from Jakarta and insisted that the situation was still calm.\nHe said he had also spoken to Mr Hajiji on the matter and that he was made to understand that Zahid, who is also Umno president, had spoken to Mr Bung.\nAsked if the state assembly meeting on Tuesday was still on, Sabah Speaker Kadzim Yahya replied briefly in a text: \u201cI don\u2019t remember cancelling it.\u201d\nSabah\u2019s Pakatan chapter appears to be the kingmaker with its seven assemblymen because both GRS and the Barisan-Warisan group do not have the magic number of 40 seats needed for a simple majority in the 79-seat state assembly.\nSources said the state palace is seeking the state Attorney-General\u2019s legal advice on the validity of the claims by Barisan and Warisan that the Chief Minister was without a party after he ditched Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to become a direct member of GRS.\nGRS secretary-general Masidi Manjun has argued that GRS allowed for direct membership and not necessarily only for parties to become members.\nBoth Warisan and Barisan are also arguing that Mr Hajiji no longer has the legal right to be chief minister as the Sabah Constitution requires the one holding the post to be the leader of a political party with the highest number of seats.\nDr Masidi, however, has countered that Mr Hajiji is a legitimate chief minister as he has more than enough majority seats in the state assembly.\nHe also pointed out that based on a previous court judgment which had clearly interpreted Sabah\u2019s constitutional requirements for the appointment of the chief minister, it has to be a leader with support from more than 50 per cent of seats in the state assembly. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-expected-to-end-impasse-in-sabah-state-government"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar expected to unveil deputy ministers on Friday", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is set to announce the list of deputy ministerial posts for his unity government at 8.15pm on Friday.\nThe Malaysian Prime Minister said he would unveil the list following approval by Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, according to Astro Awani.\nSpeaking to local reporters, Mr Anwar said he will have an audience with Malaysia\u2019s King this evening.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cGod willing, the deputy ministers will be announced at 8.15pm,\u201d he said.\nHe was speaking to reporters after Friday prayers at Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru in Kuala Lumpur. Earlier, he had lunch with Titiwangsa MP Johari Abdul Ghani and religious affairs minister Na\u2019im Mokhtar.\nEach ministry may only get one deputy minister except for \u201ckey ones like Finance\u201d in line with the principle of a leaner administration under the new unity government, The Star reported unnamed sources saying.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt is also expected that the Rural and Regional Development Ministry led by Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi could get two deputies.\n\n\u201cOverall the list has around 35 names and there are 28 Cabinet ministers. Hence few will get two deputies especially those which have been merged and seen as heavier portfolios,\u201d the source told The Star.\n\u201cAs with the norm, both the deputy and minister will not be from the same party,\u201d the source added.\nOn Dec 2, Mr Anwar unveiled a slightly smaller Cabinet than that of his predecessor \u2013 naming two Deputy Prime Ministers and 25 ministers.\nThe Prime Minister will also serve as the Finance Minister, a post he had held from 1991 until his sacking in 1998. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-expected-to-unveil-deputy-ministers-on-friday"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar eyes targeted subsidies for low-income groups", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is reviewing its government subsidies programme, aiming to direct money toward low-income groups, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Sunday, prioritising the rising cost of living as he takes office at a time of slowing growth.\nGovernment agencies have two weeks to review the implications of narrowing the subsidies, he told a news conference.\nMalaysia offers subsidies to all citizens, with fuel and cooking oil accounting for the biggest expense. It also subsidises electricity, sugar and flour.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSubsidies must be targeted, otherwise those subsidies are enjoyed not just by the low income group but also the wealthy,\u201d said Anwar, who emerged as leader of the South-east Asian nation after a closely fought election last week.\nOther incentives will be considered for industries that no longer benefit from subsidies, he said.\nMr Anwar is carrying through the stance of the previous administration, which last month proposed a smaller budget, cutting subsidies due to rising commodities costs and the resulting impact on government coffers. Malaysia is estimated to spend a record 77.7 billion ringgit (S$24 billion) this year on subsidies.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar said he will discuss cabinet appointments with his coalition partners in the next few days.\n\nThe 75-year-old was sworn on Thursday, capping a three-decade political journey from protege of veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad to protest leader, prisoner convicted of sodomy and opposition figurehead.\nInvestors have cheered his appointment, hoping Mr Anwar would bring stability after political uncertainty that saw three prime ministers in as many years.\nThe focus is on the new government\u2019s policy direction and Cabinet appointments. Mr Anwar said on Friday he would have a smaller Cabinet than those of previous administrations. REUTERS     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-eyes-targeted-subsidies-for-low-income-groups"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar gets Parliament\u2019s backing in confidence vote", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s motion of confidence was passed in Parliament on Monday, winning crucial support for his position as the premier after an election in November returned an unprecedented hung Parliament.\nThe confidence motion for Datuk Seri Anwar, 75, was passed by a voice vote \u2013 which usually indicates strong majority support \u2013 in the 222-member Lower House during a special Parliament sitting, the first time that Parliament had sat since he became Prime Minister on Nov 24.\n\u201cMore voices have agreed, hence the motion has been passed,\u201d said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul, who presided over the sitting.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe exact majority number could not be determined as the opposition chose not to call for a bloc vote.\nThe motion was tabled by Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof. A total of 12 lawmakers from both sides of the political divide debated the motion.\nNewly installed opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin from Perikatan Nasional (PN), which has 74 lawmakers, dubbed the confidence motion a \u201cgimmick\u201d, as it took place after a deal had already been signed between all the parties in Mr Anwar\u2019s government.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUnder the deal, called a memorandum of agreement, all parties undertook to back Mr Anwar in any confidence motion or supply Bills. They also agreed that rogue MPs who failed to do so would lose their lawmaker status under the new anti-party-hopping law.\n\nDatuk Seri Hamzah said: \u201cWhen you sign an agreement to force someone to vote for you, we feel it is (done) under duress. It is not fair for some MPs. Then you\u2019re not sure if people really support you or simply because of this agreement\u201d\nThe PN MPs abstained from the confidence motion, with PN chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan saying they did not want to legitimise the \u201cunconstitutional\u201d coalition agreement.\nMr Anwar leads what is dubbed by his administration as a \u201cunity government\u201d, after the Nov 19 General Election resulted in a hung Parliament. It comprises his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, and multiple smaller outfits and independent MPs. \n\n\n\n\n\nHaving super-majority backing would allow Mr Anwar\u2019s government to make constitutional amendments, in addition to passing crucial supply Bills that need only a simple majority to gain passage in Parliament. The last prime minister to command this level of support in Parliament was Tun Abdullah Badawi, whose BN controlled an overwhelming 198 out of 222 Parliament seats just before the general election in 2008. No Malaysian party has single-handedly won a super-majority since.  \nOn Monday, Mr Anwar\u2019s government also voted in its candidate for Parliament Speaker with a strong majority. \nDatuk Johari Abdul, a former three-term MP and former chief whip for Mr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), was elected as Speaker with 147 votes, just one shy of a two-thirds majority.\u00a0\nPN had nominated Tan Sri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, a former home minister and former senator, for the role of Speaker, but he obtained only 74 votes \u2013 all from PN, the only coalition in the opposition. \nThe government also managed to elect its deputy speaker candidates \u2013 Madam Alice Lau from PH component Democratic Action Party and Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor from BN. They are MPs for the wards of Lanang and Cameron Highlands respectively. Mr Ramli was elected with 148 votes.\nMr Anwar\u2019s government is expected to pass a temporary supplementary expenditure Bill in Parliament on Tuesday, while it prepares a new iteration of the 2023 federal budget, which did not gain parliamentary passage before the Lower House was dissolved in October to pave the way for the Nov 19 polls.  \nHis government is seeking RM56 billion (S$17 billion) in supplementary expenditure, a fraction of the RM372.3 billion budget that was tabled by Mr Anwar\u2019s predecessor Ismail Sabri Yaakob in October, just before Parliament was dissolved. \nA new budget is expected to be tabled by Mr Anwar in early 2023, as he looks to further consolidate his position before crucial state assembly elections in mid-2023. These polls will ostensibly act as a barometer for the level of support and approval his government has. \n", "\nDespite winning only 74 seats in Parliament, PN \u2013 primarily led by Malay Muslim parties Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Parti Islam SeMalaysia \u2013 is seen as leading a \u201cgreen wave\u201d of support in the Malay heartland and stands a strong chance of making further gains in the six state assemblies that are due to hold polls in 2023. \nShortly after being appointed as PM, Mr Anwar\u2019s PH lost its long-held Padang Serai ward to PN with a 16,000 vote majority. PH\u2019s government partner BN managed to retain the Tioman state seat in Pahang only by a three-digit majority, after a strong challenge by PN. \nBoth seats held an election on Dec 7, after the deaths of candidates in the days leading up to the Nov 19 general election forced the Election Commission to delay the election for the two wards. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-gets-two-thirds-backing-in-confidence-vote"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar goes slow on reform as he strengthens position", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Just over a month after taking office, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim \u2013 who is known for his reformist credentials \u2013 has remained largely silent on the reform agenda, as he focuses on further strengthening his position while leading a government made up of ideologically disparate parties. \nHis Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition has long led the call for several key legal reforms, but Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s government has yet to stitch together the different manifestos from all the parties that make up the government \u2013 including long-time rival Barisan Nasional (BN) and several smaller outfits mainly from the island of Borneo. \nEconomic Affairs Minister Rafizi Ramli \u2013 one of the key PH strategists \u2013 said on Dec 20 that the process of stitching together manifestos from the various parties has just started. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe Cabinet decision so far was to ask the chief secretary to set up a committee (to look at the different manifestos), it\u2019s not a committee set up by political parties but rather by the government,\u201d Mr Rafizi told reporters. \nThe parties in the ruling coalition had signed an agreement on Dec 16, but it was silent on any commitments to specific legislative reforms.\nIn its manifesto for the general election held on Nov 19, PH had, among other things, promised to put in place a term limit for the office of prime minister, introduce a political funding Act, separate the office of the attorney-general and chief prosecutor, introduce permanent terms for both Parliament and state assemblies, and provide more autonomy to Borneo states Sabah and Sarawak. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe reforms were part of PH\u2019s legislative pursuits since the 2018 election, but the coalition had managed to realise only a handful of those, due to the political uncertainty that has rocked Malaysia since 2020. \n\nPH could not fulfil many of its intended reforms after taking federal power for the first time in 2018, as the government collapsed less than two years into its tenure due to defections. Its biggest legacy has been the lowering of voting age from 21 to 18 and introducing automatic voter registration in 2019.\nThe coalition entered a confidence and supply agreement (CSA) with then Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in 2021 \u2013 promising parliamentary backing for crucial Bills and supply Bills in exchange for several key reforms. Through this, a landmark anti-hopping legislation and a constitutional amendment elevating the status of Sabah and Sarawak were passed in Parliament. \nHowever, the introduction of a term limit remains unfulfilled, while Datuk Seri Ismail\u2019s pursuit of a political funding Act based on the spirit of the CSA was also short-lived as Parliament was dissolved. \n\n\n\n\n\nAnalysts believe that Mr Anwar is not rushing out reforms as he is looking to consolidate his position and also redirect his administration\u2019s focus on Malaysia\u2019s sluggish economy and rising inflation driving up living costs, especially for lower-income groups. \n\u201cEconomic revitalisation must necessarily take priority over all other issues, at least in the short term, as the country is undergoing yet another stretch of economic downturn. So all these reforms issues would have to take a backseat to the economy,\u201d Singapore Institute for International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun told The Straits Times. \n", "\nBower Group Asia deputy managing director Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani said PH is going slow on reforms, having learnt its lesson from its previous administration \u2013 which had alienated the bureaucracy after making sweeping changes once it came to power, eventually leading to destabilisation within its own ranks.\n\u201cPH, as a coalition, has learnt from its previous administration that it needs to be more patient and calculated in introducing key legal reforms,\u201d Mr Asrul Hadi said. \n\u201cAnwar is currently consolidating his position as prime minister. Despite the agreement between PH and its coalition partners, he still needs to tread strategically to incorporate the manifestos of all parties,\u201d he added. \nThe November election resulted in a hung Parliament, with PH as the biggest bloc. Mr Anwar eventually managed to form what he calls a unity government, after BN, along with several Sabah and Sarawak parties, agreed to join his government \u2013 giving Mr Anwar 148 MPs in the 222-seat Parliament, or a two-thirds majority. \nHe is the first premier to hold a supermajority in Parliament since early 2008, but his position remains tenuous due to his reliance on his coalition partners for a majority.\nMr Anwar built the last two decades of his political career on the platform of reforms. Malaysia\u2019s reform movement was born out of his imprisonment on corruption and sodomy charges in 1999, and has remained the chant for his party Parti Keadilan Rakyat and the PH coalition he leads to date. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-goes-slow-on-reform-as-he-strengthens-position"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar halts $2b flood projects in widened dragnet, hints Treasury chief will be replaced", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The Treasury\u2019s top civil servant has gone on leave, even as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reported for duty as Malaysia\u2019s finance minister on Tuesday and widened a dragnet on alleged misappropriation of funds under his predecessors.\nAlthough he walked back on the RM600 billion (S$186 billion) figure mentioned on Monday as public expenditure he said was improperly approved when Perikatan Nasional (PN) leader Muhyiddin Yassin was premier from 2020 to 2021, he insisted that \u201ctens of billions were allocated with breaches in procedure\u201d.\nDatuk Seri Anwar also ordered the halt of RM7 billion (S$2.2 billion) in flood mitigation initiatives approved by Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who was prime minister from Aug 2021 to November this year, that were directly awarded without competitive tenders.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI want to remind Tan Sri Muhyiddin not to challenge this, because it is clear there were several processes and procedures that were not followed and some interested companies or (companies) linked to family were involved,\u201d he told a press conference after clocking in at the Finance Ministry for the first time.\nMr Anwar did not offer details on which companies or whose family were linked to these projects.\nThe Prime Minister also said that the membership and terms of reference of a new advisory team headed by Tan Sri Hassan Marican, the former chief of state oil giant Petronas, would be finalised after \u201cwe consult the senior officials and new KSP\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKSP refers to the Ketua Setiausaha Perbendaharaan, or Treasury secretary-general. The post is currently held by Datuk Seri Asri Hamidin @ Hamidon, who was appointed in April 2020 after Mr Muhyiddin became prime minister.\n\nAn aide to Mr Anwar later clarified to The Straits Times that there is no new Treasury secretary-general, but that a deputy would be acting in Mr Asri\u2019s place while he is on leave. The aide did not state why the official was off duty during the first days of the new administration.\nMr Anwar was received by the Finance Ministry\u2019s deputy secretary-generals on Tuesday morning, in Mr Asri\u2019s absence.\nSeveral sources told ST that Mr Asri \u201chas been rested\u201d and put on leave by the new administration, which is also looking to review the much-delayed roll-out of the next generation 5G mobile network, a signature Finance Ministry project launched during Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s time in power. In his capacity as the highest-ranking civil servant in the Treasury, Mr Asri sits on the board of several government-linked entities, including as chairman of Digital Nasional, the state vehicle tasked with building up Malaysia\u2019s 5G infrastructure at a cost of RM16.5 billion.\nUmno\u2019s Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz was finance minister from March 2020 until elections were held in November. Umno, which leads the Barisan Nasional (BN) alliance, was part of the governments led by both Mr Muhyiddin and Datuk Seri Ismail and continues to form part of the ruling government that is now led by Mr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan coalition.\nMr Zafrul has been reappointed to Cabinet as international trade and industry minister by Mr Anwar, who presides over a \u201cunity government\u201d that includes all MPs save for the 73 opposition lawmakers in PN. Former premier Muhyiddin had refused to join hands with PH after the Nov 19 elections, insisting he had the backing of 115 MPs, despite the palace declaring that no leader had secured a majority in the 222-seat Parliament.\n", "\nBoth former premiers Ismail and Muhyiddin have denied that money had gone missing from Covid-19 stimulus packages since 2020, with the latter pointing out that the government\u2019s fiscal injection for the packages was only RM83 billion and not RM600 billion.\nMr Anwar said the flood mitigation projects must be \u201creviewed so that there will be transparency. The amount in question is big. Although the argument is to resolve flood problems, there must be transparency\u201d.\nMr Zafrul, when tabling the budget in October under former premier Ismail, had announced a flood mitigation plan for which RM15 billion had been allocated until 2030 as part of a long-term strategy to adapt to climate change. \nParti Islam SeMalaysia deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who was environment and water minister when these projects were approved, insisted that \u201call financial monitoring processes were tightly monitored according to\u201d finance ministry guidelines.\n\u201cAs Prime Minister, he (Anwar) should not presume all directly negotiated tenders are improper. As Finance Minister, I am sure that he knows that direct negotiation for flood mitigation projects that had to be expedited was not a procurement offence,\u201d said the lawmaker from PN.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-halts-217b-flood-mitigation-initiatives-not-awarded-through-open-tenders"}, {"title": "Indonesia and Malaysia agree to fight \u2018discrimination\u2019 against palm oil", "text": ["\nBOGOR, Indonesia - Indonesia and Malaysia, the world\u2019s biggest producers of palm oil, agreed on Monday to work together to fight \u201cdiscrimination\u201d against the commodity after a meeting between leaders from the countries. \nThe comments by Indonesian President Joko Widodo followed a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was making his first overseas trip since being elected last November. \nMr Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, said the two countries would \u201cfight discrimination against palm oil\u201d and \u201cstrengthen cooperation through the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries\u201d to address concerns. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe European Union plans to phase out palm-oil based fuels by 2030 because of perceived links to deforestation. \nDuring their bilateral meeting, Mr Anwar and Mr Jokowi signed eight memorandums of understandings covering shipping, export-import financing, green energy, the development of battery industry, which they said they hoped would deepen cross border trade and investment. \nThe leaders also discussed the development of Indonesia\u2019s planned new capital, Nusantara, with Mr Anwar handing over 11 letters of interest from Malaysian companies related to possible investment in the new city, located in the Indonesian portion Borneo. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe new capital could boost regional development, Mr Anwar said, with the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak located in the Malaysian part of Borneo island. \n\n\u201cWe hope the development of the capital will bring greater benefits to the wider region, including on Sabah and Sarawak,\u201d he said. \nThe two leaders were also to discuss migrant worker rights after Indonesia last year imposed a temporary ban on recruitment to Malaysia where the majority of Indonesian migrant workers reside, Malaysia\u2019s foreign ministry said. REUTERS, AFP \n", "\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-in-indonesia-on-first-foreign-trip"}, {"title": "Anwar talks about being Malaysian PM, his controversial DPM and fragile coalition", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 In a wide-ranging interview with Bloomberg Television, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim spoke about his fragile coalition, the role of his family in the government and Malaysia\u2019s desire to balance geopolitical competition between the United States and China. \nBelow is a transcript of the interview. Some questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity:\nQ: Your political journey has been extraordinary to say the least. You were touted as the future prime minister of the country from as far back as 1997. More than 20 years on, how does it feel to finally be premier?\nWaiting in the corridors of power is of course an experience by itself because you observe the players. It\u2019s like King Lear with Cordelia looking at the stage and you learn from the strengths and weaknesses of your foes, and hopefully when you\u2019re in office, you try and improve, and do your best to serve.\n\n\n\n\n\nQ: You\u2019ve inherited a nation that\u2019s so divisive. You saw the first hung Parliament, a country tainted by the longstanding 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) scandal. How do you regain credibility?\nIt\u2019s not just 1MDB but this corruption is systemic, as I\u2019ve said, which means it cuts across the whole spectrum of particularly the political elite, and therefore you have to set a good example. There are political leaders who are not there for money and avoid all cases of corruption, abuse. People are fed up with the situation and Malaysia shouldn\u2019t be known for its financial scandals or malfeasance. It should be known for its vibrant, multiracial society with a capacity to move forward.\nQ: So what can be done in the first 100 days of your government?\nFrom the first day you must give a clear message: no more corruption, no more negotiating tenders, no more abuse; and you remain consistent for days and weeks and months and years. I\u2019m sure the people will decide not only in your favour, but the favour of a new narrative, a new policy.\nQ: No more corruption you say, and yet here you are tied up with Barisan Nasional whose party chief (Zahid Hamidi) faces multiple charges. Is there a disconnect there?\nHe has been investigated and charged \u2013 is undergoing trial and the court should decide independently. I made very clear that the courts are independent and I do not think I should prejudge the case. But it shouldn\u2019t be just purely political. Why refer to him personally when I\u2019ve said that the system is corrupt. There\u2019re so many other political leaders who have been abusing their positions: former prime ministers, former finance ministers, by the hundreds and millions of dollars.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nQ: Zahid Hamidi faces 47 counts of corruption. He is your deputy prime minister.\nI\u2019m not here to discuss his case. I am here to suggest that the court process must be independent and he must be given a chance \u2013 the fairness to be adjudicated by an independent, impartial court.\n\nQ: What if you lose your deputy prime minister? What if Zahid is found guilty and sent to prison?\nLet us move on. We have to work from day one, to ensure that the system that we have has good governance, and that the system is free from corrupt leaders. And I think to be fair, they have observed these rules now.\u00a0\nThere\u2019s not one trace I can find from any of my team now trying to squander through contracts or projects and I\u2019m fine with that. People should judge me from the last two months.\nQ: How stable is your government?\nWhat is important is that it has been tested in Parliament and we secured a two-thirds majority which is stronger. I don\u2019t need a two-thirds majority. I need a comfortable or strong majority. \nThere is no indication that there is friction within the coalition. For now, the government is stable. It has not been this stable for the last 10 to 15 years. That\u2019s good enough for Malaysia.\nQ: Some people are taking issue that your daughter Nurul Izzah is a senior adviser to economic and financial affairs. Your wife (Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) is a Member of Parliament. Is that too much family in the government?\nAzizah is in her own evolution. She is not just pampered. She struggled, stood the test with the party, with \u201creformasi\u201d over the last 20 over years and she is now an ordinary member of Parliament. Is that a big deal? \nNurul Izzah is now an adviser. She\u2019s qualified. She\u2019s not being paid for the job. She\u2019s someone I trust to help me out. She can deliver. She\u2019s not abusing her position. She\u2019s not using it to try and abscond some funds to give your cronies. That is a sickness and the rotten system we inherited, and she is there together with many other colleagues of mine to try and dismantle that.\nQ: Is there too much competition against China?\nWe don\u2019t have that problem. We would use our potential and whatever little influence to try and engage with everyone. We also express in private some of our concerns with China or the United States for that matter, but then overall we want to remain good friends to both.\nQ: Who should bear the bulk of the responsibility for the rising antagonism between the US and China?\nI don\u2019t necessarily need to assess that because our hope is that there should be more engagement to resolve this outstanding problem, because the continued resentment and antagonism into these countries are affecting a smaller country like Malaysia and Asean adversely, so it is to our interest and to the international community if they can have an amicable resolution to this tense relationship.\nQ: On Ukraine, do you see the need for President Zelensky to start negotiating earlier rather than later for the greater good of the world?\nWe have been consistently in favour of negotiations. However tough and difficult, you must never fear to negotiate. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-on-being-pm-his-controversial-dpm-and-fragile-coalition"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar visits quake site and Turkey President Erdogan, pledges assistance to victims", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed Malaysia\u2019s solidarity with Turkey in the aftermath of the massive earthquake that killed more than 41,000 as he visited search-and-rescue teams near the epicentre of the disaster on Wednesday.\nDatuk Seri Anwar also conveyed condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister\u2019s personal friend, during a meeting in Ankara.\n\u201cI expressed Malaysia\u2019s solidarity as a friendly country during the hard and difficult times, as well as its unwavering commitment, especially in helping Turkish citizens affected by the earthquake,\u201d the Malaysian leader said on Facebook.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI also informed the President about the assistance that has been provided by the Malaysian government.\n\u201cTogether, let\u2019s pray that this sad event passes quickly and Turkey recovers.\u201d\n", "\nAccompanying Mr Anwar on his visit to the Turkish capital were Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir, Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Functions) Armizan Ali, Malaysia\u2019s Ambassador to Turkey Sazali Mustafa Kamal and Foreign Ministry secretary-general Amran Zin.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar had earlier visited the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep to inspect the disaster site and meet the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team deployed there before his meeting with Mr Erdogan.\n\nMr Anwar is expected to leave Turkey after his Ankara meeting and arrive in Malaysia on Thursday morning to attend Parliament at Kuala Lumpur\u2019s Dewan Rakyat, as well as a pre-Cabinet meeting with Malaysia\u2019s King Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-pledges-assistance-to-quake-victims-in-meeting-with-turkey-president-erdogan"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar posts heartfelt thanks and birthday wishes as wife turns 70", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is not one who shies away from expressing love for his wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, on social media. \nOn Saturday night, he wished his wife happy birthday as she turned 70. \n\u201cA strong, loving and devoted person, woman, wife. A mother who never gets tired of loving. I am forever grateful,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar wrote on his Facebook and Instagram pages. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWithout Azizah by my side, there is no way I would be able to carry out a heavy mandate right now. I pray that Azizah will always be under His protection. Happy birthday!\u201d\nAccompanying his message is a photo taken of the couple when Mr Anwar held his first press conference as the prime minister of Malaysia on Nov 24.\nWhen the couple celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in 2020, Mr Anwar also tweeted words of love and appreciation for his wife. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cForty years of kindness, 40 years of courage, 40 years of loyalty, 40 years of strength.\n\n\u201cThrough thick and thin, I am everything I am today because of the love of my life and the grace of Allah,\u201d he wrote. \nWhile Dr Wan Azizah did not respond to her husband\u2019s post directly, she shared an old photo of them together with Mr Anwar\u2019s former defence lawyer Christopher Fernando on her Facebook page on Monday.\nShe wrote: \u201cHappy to receive birthday greetings from the family of the late Christopher Fernando (Aris Rizal) Anwar\u2019s advocate. May his soul rest in peace\u201d\n", "\nMr Fernando was in Mr Anwar\u2019s defence team when the latter was charged for abuse of power in 1999. He died of heart attack in 2008. \nDatuk Seri Wan Azizah played an instrumental role during Mr Anwar\u2019s decades-long struggle to return to political power. \nShe helped set up Parti Keadilan Rakyat and became its first president in 1999 after Mr Anwar was removed as deputy premier and jailed.        \n", "\nShe also ran for elections in Permatang Pauh, her husband\u2019s seat in Penang, and retained it between 1999 and 2008, and again from 2015 to 2018.     \nShe became Malaysia\u2019s first female deputy premier when Pakatan Harapan won federal power in 2018, although the stint was short-lived with the coalition\u2019s collapse in 2020.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-posts-heartfelt-thanks-and-sweet-birthday-wishes-as-wife-turns-70"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar says Asean must not be silent, show it can help resolve Myanmar crisis", "text": ["\nMANILA \u2013 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said during a visit to the Philippines that Asean must prove it is relevant in helping to resolve the crisis in Myanmar.  \nIn a pre-recorded interview with Philippine news channel ANC aired on Friday, he said that Asean, which is leading diplomatic efforts to bring peace, needed to be more assertive and noted that his country was shouldering 200,000 displaced people from Myanmar.  \nDecision-making by consensus continues to be the central tenet of Asean, but that does not mean the grouping should keep silent over developments in member states that affect the wider region, said Datuk Seri Anwar at a separate public lecture on Thursday. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Prime Minister said criticisms of Asean were particularly focused on two of its principles: decision-making by consensus and non-interference.\n\u201cIn all honesty, I believe that non-interference is not a licence for indifference,\u201d he said during an address at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Manila on Thursday, Bernama reported.\nThe Malaysian leader, who arrived in Manila on Wednesday morning for a two-day official visit, is the first head of government to visit the Philippines since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office in June 2022.\u00a0   \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar added it was imperative to stay true to one key ideal of Asean in standing up for the cause of justice and rule of law with regards to the unresolved Myanmar issue.\n\nDuring his meeting with Mr Marcos at the Malacanang Palace on Wednesday, Mr Anwar said the Myanmar issue was not merely an internal one, and that it had adversely affected Malaysia, which houses a huge number of its mostly Rohingya refugees exceeding 200,000 people. \n\u201cI would certainly suggest exploring new areas on how the Myanmar junta can be persuaded to work and collaborate as a team within Asean and resolve the outstanding issue which cannot be considered as purely internal because it is affecting the security and welfare of the region,\u201d he said during a joint press briefing with the Philippine President. \nThe Malaysian Premier was also conferred an honorary doctorate by UP for being a scholar and an internationally acclaimed expert on economics, democracy, freedom, governance, Islam and the need for accountability. REUTERS \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-says-asean-must-not-be-silent-show-it-can-help-resolve-myanmar-crisis"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar says Cabinet posts \u2018not reward\u2019 for support", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that his forthcoming Cabinet appointments should not be seen as a \u201creward\u201d for politicians who backed him to lead the so-called unity government, which comprises multiple rival coalitions. \nDatuk Seri Anwar, who became Malaysia\u2019s 10th prime minister last Thursday, added that he has yet to finalise discussions with the multitude of parties that back his premiership, during which they can propose candidates for his Cabinet.  \nHe is largely expected to announce his slate of ministers this week. \n\n\n\n\n\nSpeaking to the press on Sunday at his office after chairing a council addressing Malaysia\u2019s cost of living issues, the new Premier said that Cabinet positions should not be seen as a \u201creward for the political masters\u201d. \nMr Anwar also reiterated his commitment to reduce the Cabinet\u2019s size compared with that of his predecessors Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Muhyiddin Yassin, who both had bloated Cabinets of more than 30 ministers and nearly 40 deputies while trying to maintain a mixed-coalition administration that had a single-digit majority. \n\u201cI want them to support me for the policies I bring, my commitment against corruption, and to resuscitate the economy,\u201d the Premier said.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar has 148 MPs in his government bloc representing at least four coalitions, three parties and independent candidates. This gives him a two-thirds majority in the 222-seat Parliament, possibly making it the strongest government in Malaysia since early 2008, when Barisan Nasional (BN) commanded two-thirds of the seats in Parliament. \n\nHowever, there are concerns that Mr Anwar will need to heed the demands of the multiple parties that prop up his administration \u2013 including former arch-rivals BN, Sarawak\u2019s ruling party Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Sabah\u2019s ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah. \nMr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition supplies only 82 of the seats for his government. \nHe had previously indicated that he would be appointing two deputies \u2013 one from BN and one from GPS \u2013 which is expected to take place before he faces a vote of confidence in Parliament on Dec 19. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar decided to call for the confidence vote after his rival for the top job, Tan Sri Muhyiddin, who is also Perikatan Nasional chief, questioned his majority claim on the day of his appointment by the Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah. \nBN chief Zahid Hamidi on Sunday gave his assurance that his coalition\u2019s 30 MPs would be fully backing Mr Anwar during the confidence vote. \n\u201cThis is so that the legitimacy of the PM will be finalised and all those who are questioning it will be silenced,\u201d Zahid said in a statement. \n", "\nMr Anwar, who has largely focused on cost-of-living issues in the first few days of his administration, on Sunday declared that his government would move towards targeted subsidies and relevant agencies would be given two weeks to identify state subsidies and their implications. \nThe new Premier said he was aiming to direct money towards low-income groups as he prioritises the rising cost of living amid slowing growth.  \nMalaysia is estimated to spend a record RM77.7 billion (S$24 billion) in 2022 on subsidies. It offers subsidies to all citizens, with discounted fuel and cooking oil accounting for the biggest expense. Electricity, sugar and flour are also subsidised. \n", "\n\u201cSubsidies must be targeted, otherwise those subsidies are enjoyed not just by the low-income group but also the wealthy,\u201d Mr Anwar said, adding that other incentives would be considered for industries that no longer benefit from subsidies. \nHe is carrying through the stance of the previous administration, which in October proposed a smaller Budget, cutting subsidies due to rising commodities costs and the resulting impact on government coffers.  \nMr Anwar was made prime minister following five days of negotiations and intrigue after Malaysia\u2019s general election on Nov 19 ended in a hung Parliament where no political coalition or party held a simple majority.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-says-cabinet-posts-not-reward-for-support"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar says daughter\u2019s adviser role helps ensure transparency in Finance Ministry", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Expressing his readiness to accept criticisms over his daughter\u2019s appointment, Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim explained that Ms Nurul Izzah Anwar\u2019s role as his senior economics and finance adviser is to ensure transparency in the administration and to monitor procurements and tenders so that the processes are carried out properly.\nDatuk Seri Anwar said former MP Nurul Izzah wanted to help realise these aims.\n\u201cI accept criticisms, but on her appointment, that is all to it. She (Nurul Izzah) will also ensure that a proper procedure is followed when it comes to contracts and tenders,\u201d he told reporters after launching the National Sports Award in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cShe is not there to take projects. If people criticise and they are sincere, I have no problems with it. I want to ensure there are no unhealthy practices in the administration.\n\u201cBut those who criticise me include those who give millions of ringgit worth of contracts to their children. There were also paid appointments but not much work was done.\u201d \nMr Anwar did not name nor elaborate on his allegations.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMy daughter was eager to help me in any way she could. If she came to help me without being given an official position, people will question her intentions even more severely than they do now,\u201d he explained.\n\nThe Prime Minister stressed that her role would be very limited and that she would not have any opportunity to \u201cenrich\u201d herself.\n\u201cShe will not have the power to take on or directly manage any projects or tenders herself,\u201d he said.\nMr Anwar added that he would do everything in his power to improve Malaysia\u2019s global Corruption Perception Index score, which dipped from 48 in 2021 to 47 in 2022. Malaysia was also ranked 61st, moving up one spot from the previous year.\nSingapore was the only South-east Asian country to make it to the top 10 and was ranked \u201cfifth least corrupt country\u201d in the world with a score of 83.\n\u201cI will personally guarantee that there will be no acts of corruption, bribery or misuse of power during my term as prime minister.\n\u201cI also pledge my administration\u2019s willingness to fully cooperate with any investigations launched by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission,\u201d he said.\nOn the same economic adviser issue, Malaysia\u2019s Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil pointed out that the government had also appointed several other individuals as advisers and not just Ms Nurul Izzah.\nHe named former Petronas president and chief executive Mohd Hassan Marican as one of those given an adviser post in the Finance Ministry.\n\u201cThe advisers will not touch on policy matters, have no source of authority including to call for meetings as well as are not paid any salary,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-says-nurul-izzah-s-adviser-role-helps-ensure-transparency-in-his-finance-ministry"}, {"title": "PM Anwar says Petronas project in South China Sea is in Malaysian territory", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday said he had told China that an exploration project by state energy company Petronas in the South China Sea was within Malaysian waters, in a reference to an overlapping claim in the area by Beijing. \nChina was worried that \u201cPetronas has carried out a major activity at an area that is also claimed by China\u201d, Datuk Seri Anwar said in response to a parliamentary question about his discussions on the South China Sea during his visit to China last week.\n\u201cI stressed... that Malaysia sees the area as Malaysian territory, therefore Petronas will continue its exploration activities there,\u201d he said, without specifying the offshore project or location.\n\n\n\n\n\nBut if China feels this is their right, Malaysia is open to negotiations, Mr Anwar said, reiterating comments he made earlier this week.\nMr Anwar\u2019s remarks, coming after he opened the door for negotiations with China, are a sign of mounting pressure on Malaysia\u2019s energy operations in waters that Beijing claims as its own.\nPetronas operates oil and gas fields within Malaysia\u2019s 320km exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and has, in recent years, had several encounters with Chinese vessels.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChina claims its territory via a \u201cnine-dash line\u201d on its maps, which cuts into the EEZs of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.\n\nThe Permanent Court of Arbitration, however, ruled in 2016 that the nine-dash line, which stretches as far as 1,500km off China\u2019s coastline, has no legal basis.\nThe Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), a US think-tank, last week said a Chinese coast guard vessel had for the past month been operating near Petronas\u2019 Kasawari gas development project off Malaysia\u2019s Sarawak state, and came as close as 2.4km of the project. A Malaysian navy ship was in the area, AMTI said.\nChina\u2019s Foreign Ministry on Monday said it was not aware of the specific incident, but said the conduct of the China Coast Guard was beyond reproach.\nThe Kasawari field holds an estimated 85 billion cubic m of gas reserves and is expected to start production in 2023.\nMr Anwar, in his parliamentary comments, said China believes its ships were in international waters.\nMalaysia\u2019s Foreign Ministry will issue a protest note if there are \u201ccollisions\u201d between Malaysian and Chinese vessels in the area, he said.\nIn response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Beijing safeguards its \u201clegitimate rights and interests\u201d in the South China Sea.\nSpeaking separately at a Finance Ministry monthly gathering on Tuesday,\u00a0Mr Anwar said investments of RM25.5 billion (S$7.7 billion) by Amazon Web Services and RM170 billion by China in Malaysia are having a snowball effect, with many countries showing interest in investing in the country.\n\u201cIf you just wait for investment, but don\u2019t prepare the skills, machinery and infrastructure, this will be a problem. When they (investors) come, the need for infrastructure will increase,\u201d he said.\nMr Anwar, who is also finance minister, said investment in Malaysia is increasing owing to the stable political system and clear government policies, as well as efforts made by government officers in attracting foreign investments. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-says-petronas-project-in-south-china-sea-is-in-malaysian-territory"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar signals Budget 2023 to stay largely intact", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he was reviewing the 2023 annual budget presented by his predecessor, while indicating that most of the proposals in there would remain untouched.\n\u201cI think a large part of it is acceptable,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar, who also doubles as the Finance Minister, told a press conference in Putrajaya after chairing his first Cabinet meeting on Monday. \u201cSome people assume we will oppose all of it. No, we can keep the good proposals,\u201d he said. \nThe previous administration led by Ismail Sabri Yaakob had in October presented a tighter budget for 2023 with a view to narrowing the government\u2019s funding shortfall. \n\n\n\n\n\nParliament was dissolved before lawmakers could approve that spending plan, placing the onus on Mr Anwar to present a fresh budget in line with his coalition government\u2019s aspirations.\nThe new administration also has to steer the economy through the pressures of lingering inflation, a weak currency and an unfavorable global economic environment.\u00a0\nMr Anwar said that he would give space for his finance ministry as well as the Cabinet to provide their inputs on what changes and improvements should be made to the budget.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEarlier Monday, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said he expected the revised Budget to be presented to Parliament in one or two months, with \u201cstrong focus\u201d on helping the most vulnerable groups in society, he said.\n\nMr Rafizi, who is part of Mr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan alliance that had previously opposed the practice of allowing the prime minister to hold the finance portfolio, said the premier\u2019s choice to also oversee the finance ministry was the \u201cright decision for now.\u201d BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-signals-budget-2023-to-stay-largely-intact"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar tells Cabinet, civil servants to ditch culture of contentment", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his Cabinet members and civil servants must move away from the \u201cculture of contentment\u201d and embrace a more reformist role, in his first monthly address to the staff in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department in 2023. \n\u201cThe system has been operating steadily since the 1990s, but we must acknowledge our shortcomings apart from accepting our strengths,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar was quoted as saying on Malaysiakini. \n\u201cWe must govern our own politics, must have a clear direction and be steadfast in bringing changes to restore the dignity of our nation,\u201d he said on Monday. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar also urged his staff to be responsive to the need for change. For example, he said the Immigration Department had responded well when asked to take more aggressive action to overcome the shortage of foreign labour in the plantation, manufacturing and other sectors, so as not to hurt the country\u2019s economic growth. \nHe added that civil servants should not hold back from pointing out any violation of laws by the government, even if he is the one at fault. \n\u201cThis is a clear directive from me. If there are minutes that violate laws and regulations, I must be informed. Even if it comes from me,\u201d Mr Anwar was quoted as saying on The Star. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMore so if it comes from my officers, the deputy prime ministers or other ministers,\u201d he said, adding that civil servants should not be afraid to speak out for fear of being transferred. \n\nAlso present at the briefing were Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof, Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Armizan Ali and Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-tells-cabinet-civil-servants-to-ditch-culture-of-contentment"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar to make two-day visit to Brunei from Tuesday", "text": ["\nBANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will be in Brunei for a two-day official visit from Tuesday, his second official visit abroad since assuming the post in November.\nDatuk Seri Anwar visited Indonesia on Jan 8 and 9.\nHe is slated to make an official visit to Singapore by the end of this month.\n\n\n\n\n\nForeign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said the prime minister is expected to arrive at Brunei International Airport at about 3.30pm on Tuesday, and will attend a dinner with the Malaysian diaspora at the Malaysian High Commission in the evening, Bernama news agency reported.\nOn his second day in Brunei, Datuk Seri Anwar is scheduled to have an audience with the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the Malaysian foreign minister told a news conference in the Brunei capital on Monday, the news agency reported.    \nThe two leaders will later witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and the Brunei Investment Agency, followed by royal banquet hosted by the Sultan, Bernama reported.     \n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-to-make-two-day-visit-to-brunei-from-tuesday"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar unveils Hari Raya goodies, lifts highway toll charges for 4 days", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday announced several measures aimed at easing the financial burden of Malaysians ahead of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivities this weekend. \nThese include lifting all toll charges on the country\u2019s highways for four days from April 19-21 and on April 24, as millions make their way back to their home towns, and an extra public holiday to extend the celebrations. The move affects 33 tolled highways.\nThe largest highway operator Plus Malaysia expects some two million vehicles will use its network daily during Hari Raya, 20 per cent higher than on normal days.  \n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysians will also get a four-day holiday from Friday to Monday, regardless of whether Hari Raya falls on Friday or Saturday, said Mr Anwar. Malaysian officials will on Thursday determine the start of the annual Muslim festival. \nSingapore will mark Hari Raya on Saturday.\nSpreading further joy to motorists, PM Anwar also announced a special discount for traffic fines issued in 2022 and before, with each fine reduced to RM50 (S$15).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpecial discounts on raw ingredients such as chicken and onions will be given to traders offering cheap meals to lower-income consumers in a programme called Menu Rahmah, he added.\n\nThe government is working with selected supermarkets to offer their operators special prices.\n\u201cWe are aware of the cost that has to be borne by the operators for raw materials and food items. We hope this initiative will bring relief to operators and ensure the continuity and sustainability of the Menu Rahmah programme,\u201d he said.\n\nThe Menu Rahmah initiative was launched in January this year, with over 15,000 food outlets nationwide providing meals for as low as RM5, as a way of fighting inflation.\n\n\n\n\n\nBesides announcing goodies for Hari Raya, Mr Anwar also touched on other issues including reducing the cost of cement for affordable-housing developers and additional allocation for the maintenance of federal roads.\nThe government will spend an additional RM250 million for road repairs that would be contracted to small bumiputera contractors. This is in addition to RM750 million already budgeted for road repair and maintenance work under Budget 2023, raising the total to RM1 billion.\n\u201cThe federal government understands the importance and necessity of regular maintenance work on federal roads so that they are safe and comfortable for public use,\u201d he said.\n\u201cThis refers specifically to potholes which are among contributors to road accidents.\u201d\n", "\nMr Anwar added that the government will collaborate with the Cement and Concrete Association Malaysia and private developers to offer cement at reasonable prices for developers of affordable housing.\n\u201cThis will focus on affordable housing priced at RM300,000 and below to benefit the B40 and M40 group with a maximum price reduction of up to RM5,000 depending on the type and pricing of the house,\u201d he said, referring to the bottom 40 per cent and middle 40 per cent of income earners.\nThe move is expected to be sufficient for 24,000 units of affordable houses, he noted.\nThe announcement comes days before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, and ahead of six state elections that must be called by August, where Mr Anwar\u2019s government \u2013 comprising his Pakatan Harapan coalition and Umno-led Barisan Nasional \u2013 will be facing off against the Malay-Muslim opposition alliance Perikatan Nasional (PN). \nLast year\u2019s general election in November saw a hung Parliament, with his coalition winning 82 seats in the 222-seat Parliament and PN gaining 74 seats.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-unveils-hari-raya-goodies-lifts-highway-toll-charges-for-4-days"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar welcomes birth of 12th grandchild", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 A beaming Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim took to social media on Wednesday to show off the arrival of his Ramadan gift \u2013 his half-Japanese grandchild Nurul Isra Mitsuki.\n\u201cPraise be to God!\n\u201cRamadhan gift. Nurul Isra Mitsuki, the child of Ilham and Luqman Watanabe,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar said in a post on Twitter accompanied by a photograph of him cradling the baby as one of his grandsons looks on.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar said that he and his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, are now the grandparents to 12 grandchildren following the birth of Nurul Isra.\n\u201cIt\u2019s more festive this time,\u201d he added.\nIn December 2018, Ms Nurul Ilham, Mr Anwar\u2019s fifth child of six, wed Mr Mitsuru Luqman Watanabe. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nNurul Isra is the couple\u2019s fourth child. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pm-anwar-welcomes-birth-of-12th-grandchild"}, {"title": "Malaysia police nab Melaka couple for selling drug-laced soft drinks", "text": ["\nMELAKA \u2013 A couple peddling drug-laced soft drinks for RM300 (S$92) per bottle and health drinks for RM150 have been detained by police in Melaka.\n\nMelaka Tengah OCPD Assistant Commissioner Christopher Patit said the 34-year-old man and his 28-year-old wife, a foreigner, were detained in two separate locations at Bandar Hilir on Jan 21.\n\u201cThe couple were believed to have mixed the substances into the bottles of branded instant drinks in the market to evade the authorities and sold (the bottles) for wild parties and at entertainment centres here,\u201d he said on Wednesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said an investigation showed that the couple got the drugs in large quantities from syndicates in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. They then mixed and repackaged these as instant drinks.\nHe said the suspects had enough narcotics to make over 3,600 drug-laced bottles.\n\nACP Patit said his team seized various other substances, including ketamine, Ecstacy pills, Eramin 5 pills and ganja worth some RM200,000.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said police also confiscated a car, cash and other items totalling RM25,680 from the couple.\n\n\nHe said urine tests showed the suspects were negative for illegal drugs, and that the two did not have prior criminal records. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-police-nab-melaka-couple-for-selling-drug-laced-soft-drinks"}, {"title": "Malaysia police to call in Muhyiddin over alleged defamation of Anwar", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 Former Malaysia premier Muhyiddin Yassin is among several people who will be called in by the police to have their statements recorded over alleged defamation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. \nPutrajaya Police Chief A. Asmadi Abdul Aziz\u00a0confirmed on Tuesday that the police were in the process of contacting the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president and other witnesses.\n\u201cInvestigations are ongoing and we are working on calling all those involved.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSome have already been contacted while efforts are being made to call the others, as some are involved in the ongoing Parliament meeting,\u201d Assistant Commissioner Asmadi said. \nThe police on Monday opened a defamation probe after Mr Anwar\u2019s political secretary, Mr Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim, lodged a report against Muhyiddin, who is facing seven graft charges. \nOn March 10, Muhyiddin reportedly described the prosecution against him as a form of political intimidation that was planned using enforcement agencies as a tool. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Kamil said Muhyiddin\u2019s statement was defamatory and could create a negative perception on the leadership of Mr Anwar, who is also the finance minister. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-police-to-call-in-muhyiddin-over-alleged-defamation-of-anwar"}, {"title": "Malaysia police use drones to monitor dangerous spots during Chinese New Year exodus", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - With two million vehicles expected to be on the North-South Expressway (NSE) during the Chinese New Year exodus, the police have deployed aerial drones to monitor known dangerous spots.\nThese machines will aid the work of the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) of Malaysia\u2019s police headquarters.\n\u201cThroughout the duration of Ops Selamat 19 (Operation Safe 19), the Air Operation Drone Unit has been mobilised together with the JSPT.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe drone unit squads will be placed at the north, east and south sectors and their focus would be to assist the JSPT on traffic conditions at hotspots,\u201d the department said in a statement on Saturday. \n\u201cThis will ease input being forwarded to JSPT officers on the ground so that immediate actions can be taken,\u201d it added. \nMillions of people criss-cross the country during major festivals with the police monitoring the movements closely over several days. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe NSE is Malaysia\u2019s main highway that joins Johor Bahru in the south all the way to Jitra town in Kedah state in the north.\n\nThe deaprtment said it estimated a further 170,000 vehicles using along the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway that links KL to Pahang state in the east. The Karak highway is joined by the East Coast Expressway for travellers going all the way to Kelantan or Terengganu states.\nThe JPST urged drivers to rest at designated rest stops when tired, and to always obey the traffic laws.\n\u201cThe cooperation from all road users in obeying the law and rules will ensure no tragedies occur during the festive period,\u201d it said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-police-use-drones-to-monitor-dangerous-spots-during-chinese-new-year-exodus"}, {"title": "Malaysia pressed to probe deaths of 150 foreigners, including 7 children, in detention last year", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Human rights groups have urged Malaysia to investigate conditions at migrant detention centres after the government said 150 foreigners, including seven children, died at the facilities in 2022.\nMalaysia routinely detains foreigners without valid permits to remain in the country, including asylum seekers. It is home to millions of undocumented migrants and more than 100,000 Rohingya refugees.\nIts detention centres are crowded and unhygienic, and detainees have inadequate access to food, water and healthcare, according to activists and Reuters\u2019 interviews with former detainees.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a written reply this week to a question in Parliament, Malaysia\u2019s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said seven children and 25 women were among those who died in detention in 2022.\nHe did not disclose the cause of deaths or the number of migrants in detention. Last July, Malaysia said there were 17,703 foreigners in its detention facilities.\n\u201cThe fact that so many foreigners, including children, die in immigration custody is a scathing indictment of Malaysia\u2019s failure to treat those they are holding as human beings who have rights,\u201d said Mr Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUndocumented foreigners are typically detained for long periods while awaiting deportation, while refugees and asylum seekers who do not want to return home are held indefinitely.\n\nMalaysia does not recognise refugees, and gives few rights to those given protection by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).\nThe UNHCR has been denied access to detention centres since August 2019, hampering efforts to release and resettle asylum seekers.\nAmnesty International said restricted access and a lack of independent monitoring were fostering harm, and called for a transparent investigation into the deaths.\n\u201cIt is the responsibility of the government to act openly and with urgency,\u201d the rights group said.\nMalaysia\u2019s Home Ministry and its Immigration Department, which runs the detention centres, did not respond to requests for comment.\nThe country has increasingly come under scrutiny for its treatment of migrants.\nIn 2020, it arrested thousands of undocumented foreigners during the Covid-19 pandemic in what the authorities said were efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. It has also drawn criticism for deporting asylum seekers back to Myanmar. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-pressed-to-probe-deaths-of-150-foreigners-including-7-children-in-detention-last-year"}, {"title": "Malaysia probes cases of migrant workers left jobless, without passports", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia has launched an investigation to uncover how hundreds of migrant workers arrived from South Asia without jobs, despite having paid steep fees to get employment, said officials and rights groups.\nThe issue revives concerns over labour abuses in Malaysia, a key manufacturing hub at the heart of the global supply chain that has faced several accusations in recent years over exploitation of workers.\nHundreds of workers from Bangladesh and Nepal have arrived since December after paying up to RM20,000 (S$6,000) to middlemen to get employment, officials of two rights groups who interviewed dozens of the workers told Reuters.\n\n\n\n\n\nMany took loans to pay recruitment fees, but are unable to start repaying them without jobs or salaries, the activists said, adding that their passports had been taken away on arrival by recruitment agents.\n\u201cThese workers are at high risk of forced labour and severe destitution,\u201d said independent labour activist Andy Hall, whose team has been in contact with the migrant workers.\nTheir plight was worsened by factors such as debt bondage, poor living conditions, isolation and limited freedom of movement after their passports were confiscated, he added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe International Labour Organisation ranks deception, along with debt bondage stemming from the large recruitment fee, and passport seizure among its indicators of \u201cforced labour\u201d.\n\nThe Malaysian government is investigating the matter, said labour department director-general Asri Rahman, but declined to provide details until completion of the inquiry.\nLast week, Human Resources Minister\u00a0V. Sivakumar visited a group of 226 Bangladeshi and Nepali workers who had been in the South-east Asian country for 40 days without the jobs they had been promised.\nHe described as \u201cappalling\u201d the crowded accommodation of the workers, and vowed to find them jobs at the earliest, but did not identify the provider of the facilities.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe investigation comes as the five-month-old government of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim cracks down on corruption and looks to tackle labour abuse.\nTwo of Mr Sivakumar\u2019s aides were arrested by the anti-graft authorities in April over an investigation into recruitment of foreign workers. He, too, was questioned, and has promised to cooperate.\n", "\nMalaysia has faced accusations of forced labour in manufacturing and palm oil production over the years, including some by the United States, which banned imports from several of its firms for such practices.\nBangladesh \u2013 a key source of migrants for Malaysia \u2013 called for more transparency from Kuala Lumpur to prevent its citizens from being cheated of jobs.\n\u201cIf the Malaysian government\u2019s approval process for hiring foreign workers is transparent, not a single worker should be unemployed,\u201d its High Commission in Malaysia said in a Facebook post on Saturday. \nThe High Commission said it compelled an employer to provide jobs for some of the migrants, while still working to get jobs for the others.\nA Bangladeshi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters there were a \u201cfew hundred\u201d Bangladeshi citizens stuck in Malaysia without jobs.\nThe Nepal embassy said it was working to find employment for a group of 125 of its citizens who had been left similarly stranded, and had also received such complaints from others. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-probes-cases-of-migrant-workers-left-jobless-without-passports"}, {"title": "Malaysia proposes letting travellers clear Customs once across Causeway", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 Malaysia has proposed a \u201csingle clearance system\u201d to ease acute traffic snarls along the Johor Causeway linking the country with Singapore.\nJohor works, transport and infrastructure committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said that under this system, clearance would be done only once, on either side of the border.\n\u201cThis means Singapore\u2019s immigration officers will be stationed at our checkpoints in Johor to clear people entering the Republic, while Malaysian immigration personnel will be deployed in Singapore to clear those entering Malaysia,\u201d he told The Star newspaper.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis proposal is still at the initial stages. This will be similar to the system that will be used when the Rapid Transit System (RTS) operations begin in 2026.\u201d \nDuring the recent visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to Singapore, Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi had urged that the traffic situation at the Causeway, one of the world\u2019s busiest land crossings, be brought under control, saying that regular commuters, numbering about 150,000, were being greatly inconvenienced. \nHe said the majority of commuters had to get up at 4am to queue at the Johor Bahru border checkpoint by 5am, to get through the traffic gridlock for work or business and return late at night.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Mohamad Fazli, who heads a multi-agency task force looking into easing congestion at the Causeway and Second Link in Tuas, said Johor was also seeking additional funds to increase motorcycle lanes from 50 to 75 each way.\n\nHe said there was also a proposal for lorry lanes to be used for passenger traffic during weekends.\nAsked about the traffic situation during Chinese New Year, he said all booths at both checkpoints were fully operational.\nMalaysian N. Loganathan, 48, said there seemed to be more congestion on the Singapore side because of a lack of staff at the Woodlands checkpoint.\n\u201cWe can clear the Malaysian side within 30 minutes, but sometimes we get stuck in Woodlands for as long as two hours as many counters are closed,\u201d he lamented, adding that the situation was expected to worsen after chap goh mei \u2013 the 15th day of Chinese New Year \u2013 when most people return to work.\nMotorcyclist Omar Kamison, 35, proposed a dedicated motorcycle lane at the Second Link for people arriving from Singapore.\n\n\u201cOn weekends, many cars and lorries end up driving very close to us, resulting in accidents,\u201d he said, adding that there is such a lane on the Johor side. \n", "\nPlans for a single-clearance system for the RTS Link were agreed to by both countries in 2011, paving the way for travellers to clear immigration at only one location in each direction.\nThe Straits Times has contacted Singapore\u2019s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority for comment. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-proposes-letting-travellers-clear-customs-once-across-causeway"}, {"title": "Malaysia records $187.8m in losses to floods in 2022; Terengganu, Kelantan worst hit", "text": ["\nMalaysia logged RM622.4 million (S$187.8 million) in losses due to floods in 2022, with the east coast states of Terengganu and Kelantan racking up nearly 60 per cent of the losses. \nThis was significantly lower than the RM6.1 billion in losses suffered by the country in 2021, when the government attributed the severe flooding in December to \u201cone-in-100-year\u201d rainfall.\nIn a special report on the flood impact issued on Thursday, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said the RM622.4 million losses were equivalent to 0.03 per cent against the nominal gross domestic product.\n\n\n\n\n\nPublic assets and infrastructure losses amounted to RM232.7 million, followed by RM157.4 million in damage to homes.\n\nAgricultural losses amounted to RM154.5 million, while business premises had losses of RM50.3 million, followed by losses to vehicles (RM18.8 million) and manufacturing (RM8.7 million).     \nTerengganu recorded the highest value of flood losses at RM215.2 million, followed by Kelantan at RM153.1 million. Cumulatively, both states racked up losses of RM368.3 million, or 59.17 per cent.     \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn 2021, both states registered losses of only RM400,000 and RM22 million, respectively.\n\nThe two districts which registered the most flood damage were Kuala Terengganu with RM46.4 million losses, and Pasir Mas in Kelantan, which registered losses of RM45.5 million. \nFloods in Malaysia have become a yearly phenomenon, triggered by the north-east monsoon that brings heavy rain from November to March.\nIn 2022, then Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolved Parliament on Oct 10, drawing strong criticism from the public and opposition leaders for holding an election during the monsoon season, when he had until September 2023 to do so.\nIn the lead-up to the Nov 19 national polls, many candidates suspended their campaigning activities to head to flood-hit areas when parts of Selangor were inundated with flash floods. \nEarlier in 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi said heavy flooding caused by torrential rain forced the evacuation of over 14,000 people in Johor, Pahang, Terengganu and Sabah. \nAt that time, more than 10,000 of the flood victims were from the eastern state of Sabah.\nIn mid-December 2021, the country experienced its heaviest rainfall in the last century, leading to severe flooding in eight of the 11 states in Peninsular Malaysia. At least 54 people died, with floods persisting for three weeks.    \nThe country was again pummelled by torrential rain during the New Year period, causing floods in six peninsular states and Sabah on Jan 2, 2022.    \nDatuk Seri Ismail\u2019s administration had in 2022 approved projects worth RM7 billion as part of a RM15 billion flood mitigation programme.      \nThe projects, which were directly awarded without competitive tenders, were halted by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim after the Nov 19 General Election.    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-records-187m-losses-to-floods-in-2022-terengganu-kelantan-worst-hit"}, {"title": "Malaysia rules out need to declare heatwave emergency, even as 4 districts are issued warnings", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi said the government does not have immediate plans to declare a heatwave emergency despite the country currently experiencing a spell of hot weather. \nDatuk Seri Zahid, also the Minister for Rural and Regional Development, said hot weather conditions will last until September, with temperatures expected to reach above 40 deg C in August.\n\u201cWe have put in place proactive and preventive measures to face the heatwave... If there is going to be an emergency, we will announce it accordingly. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFor now, not yet,\u201d he said, after chairing a National Disaster Management Agency meeting on Tuesday, adding that the authorities are monitoring the situation.\nFor now, cloud seeding is being carried out at catchment areas for seven dams where the water level is expected to recede, he added. \n\u201c(Cloud seeding) will be done soon so that the people whose water sources come from these dams will not have to suffer from water shortages,\u201d Mr Zahid said, adding that 101 tube wells have been installed in peat soil areas to address open burning issues that have led to cross-border haze problems. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) on Tuesday tweeted that four districts \u2013 Pasir Mas and Kuala Krai in Kelantan, Rompin in Pahang, and Muar in Johor \u2013 have been given a Level 1 heatwave warning.\n\nAccording to MetMalaysia, a Level 1 warning is issued when temperatures at a location are between 35 deg C and 37 deg C for three consecutive days.\nAn orange alert, or Level 2 heatwave warning, will be issued when temperatures are between 37 deg C and 40 deg C for three straight days.\nThe red alert, or extreme heatwave warning, occurs when temperatures are above 40 deg C for three consecutive days.\nMalaysia and other South-east Asian countries are grappling with record temperatures as the heatwave that started in April persists, following a pattern of extreme weather caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. \nTo mediate some effects of the heatwave, Malaysia\u2019s Education Ministry earlier this month ordered all outdoor activities in schools nationwide to be temporarily suspended. \nThe ministry also eased dress codes by allowing students and teachers to attend classes in appropriate casual wear and sports attire. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-rules-out-need-to-declare-heatwave-emergency-as-warnings-given-to-4-districts"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s 5G rollout still in limbo despite PM Anwar\u2019s new deadline", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The fate of Malaysia\u2019s much-delayed 5G mobile network is still up in the air despite it already being rolled out to half the country\u2019s populated areas and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday bringing forward the deadline for 80 per cent coverage by a year to end-2023.\nIndustry players are still split over whether to stick to the Single Wholesale Network (SWN) model under state-controlled Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) or to launch a second provider for the data service that is crucial to driving high-technology applications worth billions to the economy.\nDNB\u2019s establishment  was fiercely criticised by Datuk Seri Anwar and Digital Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil when they were in the opposition.\n\n\n\n\n\nOfficial sources told The Straits Times that Mr Fahmi\u2019s hurried meeting on Saturday with stakeholders after Mr Anwar\u2019s Budget speech on Friday failed to yield any concrete plans on how to achieve the accelerated timeline of 80 per cent coverage of populated areas while keeping consumer prices low.\nThe 80 per cent target is the metric used to measure full nationwide availability in all major towns, with much slower progress expected in the more remote areas.\nHalving the time needed to reach nationwide coverage will require additional financing and likely mean higher costs.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Fahmi has also refused to delay the end-March deadline to complete a review of the RM16.5 billion (S$4.9 billion) rollout of the super-fast network, which means there is less than a month to complete a Cabinet paper for a final decision.\n\n\u201cThe minister clarified that PM\u2019s speech did not mean that the existing SWN structure will be retained. All options appear to still be on the table, including a Dual Wholesale Network (DWN),\u201d said an industry source with knowledge of the meeting.\nIn his Budget 2023 speech, Mr Anwar, who is also finance minister, acknowledged that DNB had reached 50 per cent of populated areas at the end of 2022 \u2013 a claim disputed by Mr Fahmi in January \u2013 and set the new coverage target \u201cat an affordable price\u201d.\n\u201cThe unity government now takes the approach that DNB is managed with more transparency and inclusiveness to achieve full participation by service providers,\u201d Mr Anwar said.\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Sunday, Mr Fahmi told reporters that discussions with telecommunications companies (telcos) were ongoing \u201con whether we continue with a SWN or not and the relationship between DNB and telcos\u201d.\nEfforts to launch the new mobile Internet service had been ongoing since Mr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan came to power in 2018 under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad\u2019s premiership. \nIt had then mooted an SWN led by a consortium of mobile network operators (MNO), but despite their agreement, little progress was made by the time Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Muhyiddin Yassin led his party out of PH and took power in March 2020.\nDNB was established two years ago by then Premier Muhyiddin, who now leads the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) pact, in a bid to catch up with regional peers like Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines in offering the technology.\nBut the implementation was repeatedly delayed as telcos and politicians like Mr Anwar and Mr Fahmi pushed back, claiming a lack of transparency and unfair pricing. The then government had insisted that the use of a state-run SWN would drastically reduce the cost of mobile data from the existing 4G system.\n", "\nMaxis and U Mobile \u2013 who together control about 40 per cent of the market \u2013 have led other MNOs in lobbying for a DWN regime, in part so that they can have a say in how 5G infrastructure is rolled out.\nThis resulted in a review which led to the government deciding a year ago to open up equity in DNB to private operators so they can protect their interests. \nYTL Communications and state-controlled Telekom Malaysia (TM) have agreed to a 20 per cent stake each in DNB, while DiGi and Celcom have 12.5 per cent each ahead of their impending merger, although agreements have yet to be inked.\nWhile U Mobile \u2013 whose largest stakeholder is Singapore investment company Temasek, and with notable figures such as Berjaya Group magnate Vincent Tan and Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor having a stake in the company  \u2013 did not take up a stake, it agreed to buy 5G capacity.\nThis leaves Maxis, controlled by tycoon Ananda Krishnan, as the only major MNO not offering 5G coverage. It maintains, like the Anwar government, that there are transparency and governance issues with DNB.\nBut ST has learnt that under the latest 5G review \u2013 part of a wide swathe of probes and cancellations of Muhyiddin era deals \u2013 various proposals to either take over the 5G rollout or build a second network has been mooted, including by sovereign wealth fund Khazanah via TM, where it is the largest shareholder.\nThe future management of DNB is also in doubt, with current chief executive Ralph Marshall\u2019s contract expiring in a fortnight. Sources say that as of last week, there has been no word of a renewal.\nThe ongoing uncertainty weighs on the rollout of the infrastructure which had been going ahead of schedule in the past year. A competing network would undermine DNB\u2019s revenue forecasts and impact its financing deals with banks.\nPrevious governments have said before these delays that RM650 billion in economic value and 750,000 jobs would be created by 2030 from the use of 5G.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-5g-rollout-still-in-limbo-despite-pm-anwar-s-new-deadline"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s 5G vehicle rudderless amid roll-out review", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s state-controlled 5G spectrum owner, already without a chairman, is now also missing a chief executive after Mr Augustus Ralph Marshall\u2019s term ended last Saturday without a replacement named.Multiple sources told The Straits Times that Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) is on \u201cautopilot\u201d, amid a crucial review of the ongoing and already much-delayed roll-out of the next-generation mobile network that is due to be concluded by the end of the month. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-5g-vehicle-rudderless-amid-rollout-review"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s anti-graft agency probes former PM Muhyiddin over $92m in \u2018political funds\u2019", "text": ["\nMalaysia\u2019s former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to be called up by the country\u2019s anti-graft agency over RM300 million (S$92 million) that his party allegedly received in \u201cpolitical funds\u201d.\nThe funds were allegedly from contractors who had been awarded government contracts under his administration, the New Straits Times (NST) reported on Tuesday.\nThe Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president will be summoned \u201cin the near future\u201d, NST said, citing a source from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).\n\n\n\n\n\nTwo bank accounts belonging to Bersatu, with a total balance of RM40 million, were believed to have been frozen by MACC in January. Several Bersatu leaders, including the party\u2019s treasurer, were also summoned to have their statements recorded, the NST report said.\nThe contractors were identified following a probe into Bersatu\u2019s accounts.\nMACC chief Azam Baki had said on Feb 2 that the investigation was unrelated to a probe into the alleged misappropriation of a Covid-19 stimulus package worth RM92.5 billion by Tan Sri Muhyiddin\u2019s government during the pandemic. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAn anti-graft official told The Straits Times then that it was necessary to freeze the accounts to see if there were any irregularities.\n\nMr Muhyiddin was Malaysia\u2019s eighth prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021, before he was replaced by Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, whose party is now a member of the unity government led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.\nLast December, MACC said it would look into an alleged misappropriation of RM600 billion of funds by the administration led by Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s Perikatan Nasional coalition. This is reportedly unrelated to the contracts awarded. \nIt said the focus remains on the RM92.5 billion spent as stimulus during the Covid-19 pandemic, as these initiatives were fast-tracked because of pressing needs during the nationwide lockdown.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-anti-graft-agency-probes-former-pm-muhyiddin-over-91m-in-political-funds"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s anti-graft agency probing Petronas, international oil firm", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Friday said it is investigating allegations of corruption involving state oil firm Petronas and an international oil and gas company.\n\nPetronas has cooperated fully with the commission in the investigation involving a project worth RM399 million (S$117 million) in the state of Sarawak, MACC said in a statement.\nThe commission did not identify the project or the international oil firm under investigation.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPetronas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.\n\nMACC said it found \u201cseveral weaknesses in practices, systems and work procedures\u201d in its probe.\n\n\u201cAccordingly, the commission has proposed improvements to the standard operating procedures as preventive measures,\u201d it said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt urged parties with information on the case to come forward to assist the probe. REUTERS\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-anti-graft-agency-probing-petronas-international-oil-firm"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s Anwar addresses sodomy trials after opposition attack", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was forced to revisit his sodomy convictions, after opposition leaders in the Muslim-majority nation took aim at his past during Monday\u2019s confidence vote.\nThe sodomy trials were unjust and the king at the time, Sultan Muhammad V, had recognised this in 2018, Datuk Seri Anwar told Parliament on Tuesday. Mr Anwar was eventually granted a royal pardon for his crimes.\n\u201cI didn\u2019t apply for a pardon because I was punished. Make it clear on the record, in the Hansard,\u201d Mr Anwar said in his first Parliament speech as prime minister. \n\n\n\n\n\nInstead, the monarch took the initiative to offer him the pardon because of a \u201cclear travesty of justice\u201d, he said.\nAn opposition politician\u2019s attempt to interrupt Mr Anwar was quickly rebuffed. \n\u201cI know this statement is painful for you, because this is what you have played up,\u201d said the Prime Minister, as backbenchers thumped their desks in support.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar\u2019s rivals had made several references to the convictions as they debated the leader\u2019s confidence vote on Monday. \n\nOne MP spoke of the \u201crape and sodomy of democracy\u201d, while another read aloud what he said was a news article headline, \u2018First Full-blown Homosexual Elected Prime Minister in an Islamic Country\u2019.\u00a0\nCommunications Minister Fahmi Fadzil later questioned the existence of such a news agency, called Itali Agenzia Nova.\nMr Anwar\u2019s past has long been a sore spot for Malaysia\u2019s majority Malay Muslims. While Mr Anwar won Monday\u2019s confidence vote easily, his rise to power last month capped a 24-year-wait that included multiple stints in prison. \nShortly after his 1998 sacking from the Cabinet, Mr Anwar was jailed for committing sodomy and abusing power, charges he denied. \nHe was convicted in 2014 on a subsequent sodomy charge and jailed in 2015 when his appeal was denied. \nThe royal pardon in 2018 allowed him to bypass a five-year ban on re-entering politics.\nMr Anwar on Tuesday cited multiple discrepancies in his sodomy case, such as the accusation that the incident happened in a building he said had yet to exist at the time. \nHe also spoke of a person forced to become a witness, without going into details.\n\u201cWe oppose a judiciary that goes against the principles of justice,\u201d said the Prime Minister. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-anwar-addresses-sodomy-trials-after-opposition-attack"}, {"title": "\u2018Malaysia\u2019s best boss\u2019: Sambal tycoon rewards workers with Hari Raya shopping spree, special bonus", "text": ["\nMalaysian employers have been labelled as among the stingiest in South-east Asia for the wages they pay. But at least one boss in the country is going against the tide this Hari Raya. \nFood entrepreneur and chef Khairul Aming, known for his Sambal Nyet brand that has amassed for him nearly seven million followers on Instagram and TikTok, posted a video on Friday showing him making a \u201cspecial announcement\u201d to employees at one of his two factories in Kelantan that he had shut for the day. \nSome of the around 60 workers present were visibly moved to tears as he gave them thick envelopes each filled with a \u201cspecial bonus\u201d, which Chinese-language Sin Chew Daily estimated to be around RM3,000 (S$900) in wads of RM50 notes. He also dished out perks, including new clothes to \u201ccelebrate\u201d his staff. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI really appreciate their hard work all this while, and hope to chip in a little for their livelihoods and Raya preparations,\u201d Mr Khairul, 30, said in the video voice-over. \nHis workers were seen carrying shopping bags out of a clothing store where he said they had picked out new clothes and accessories for the coming Hari Raya. \nThey were then treated to a poolside buffet dinner at a hotel, breaking fast together after their shopping spree. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nThe sambal tycoon also hinted that he would give his workers a holiday so that they would not burn out over the busy period. \n\nAfter the video went viral on social media, many commented that he was a role model for employers in Malaysia \u2013 someone who looked out for his employees\u2019 welfare. \nMore than one commented that he was \u201cMalaysia\u2019s best boss\u201d. \nIt is not the first time Mr Khairul has made headlines for his lavish \u201ccelebrating\u201d of his staff. \nIn October 2022, he booked at least 17 chalets at a resort in Malaysia for a two-day staff retreat, prompting many social media users to ask about vacancies at his company. \nSambal Nyet Berapi, Mr Khairul\u2019s version of the fiery chilli sambal condiment that often accompanies many Malaysian dishes, has been gaining popularity steadily since it went on the market in early 2021. \nHe sold a million bottles by August 2022, earning him a tidy RM14 million and leading him to open his second factory to keep up with demand. \nSambal Nyet Berapi is so popular that fake versions have reportedly popped up online. \n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s employers have been accused of being among the most stingy paymasters in the region, with just 25 per cent of the country\u2019s gross domestic product spent on wages, Malaysian trade union chief Abdul Halim Mansor told Utusan Malaysia in February 2022. \nIt paled in comparison to employers in neighbouring countries Singapore (40 per cent) and Indonesia (84 per cent), he said. \nMalaysian workers will be hoping that Mr Khairul\u2019s example will become a hot trend in the country.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-best-boss-sambal-tycoon-rewards-workers-with-hari-raya-shopping-spree-special-bonus"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s PN wins Padang Serai parliament ward, BN retains Tioman state seat in twin polls", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR -  Malaysia\u2019s opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) on Wednesday gained a major victory in a parliamentary ward considered to be a stronghold of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH), underlining the impact of a \u201cgreen wave\u201d of support that PN is gaining in many Malay heartlands in the country. \nDatuk Azman Nasruddin won the Padang Serai ward in Kedah by a commanding 16,260 vote majority, the biggest recorded in the ward since 1995. He was a former PH leader who defected to PN as part of the departures that crippled PH administrations at both federal and state levels in 2020. \nHis win means PN has swept 14 out of 15 parliamentary seats in Kedah in the 2022 General Election, and the \u201cgreen wave\u201d of renewed support for the two-year-old coalition has shown no signs of abating, despite PH and Barisan Nasional (BN) forming the federal government on Nov 24, five days after the elections resulted in a hung Parliament. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Padang Serai election was delayed after PH\u2019s initial candidate for the ward, incumbent Karupaiya Mutusami, died days before the polling day on Nov 19, forcing the Election Commission to postpone the polls. \nDatuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) had won the Padang Serai seat for three consecutive terms since 2008, and the seat was considered one of the strongholds for the PKR-led Pakatan Harapan coalition. During the general election, PH managed to retain only the Sungai Petani parliamentary seat in the northern state.\nMr Azman\u2019s win means PN \u2013 the only party sitting in Malaysia\u2019s opposition bloc \u2013 now has 74 seats in Parliament, just seven behind Mr Anwar\u2019s PH.  The latter managed to become Prime Minister after stitching together support from BN and several regional parties to achieve a two-thirds majority in Parliament. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe result will also put PN in good stead for six state assembly elections that are due to be held by the second half of 2023. \n\nThree of those states \u2013 Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan \u2013 are already controlled by PN and if the recent national polls were anything to go by, it is the favourite to retain the states comfortably. PN won all 22 parliamentary seats that were contested in Kelantan and Terengganu during the elections.\nThe other three states that will hold assembly elections are led by PH \u2013 Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan. After making inroads in several Malay heartlands in Penang and Selangor during the general election, PN will now look to increase its presence in both states. \nIn the other vote held on Wednesday, the BN coalition retained the Tioman state seat in Pahang, official results showed, beating a strong challenge from PN. The election was delayed due to the death of PN candidate Md Yunus Ramli just a day before the earlier polling. \nAfter forming the federal government together, PH and BN decided to withdraw their respective candidates from the race in the two seats, with PH making way for BN in Tioman and BN paving way for PH in Padang Serai. The withdrawals among the ruling partners worked out in BN\u2019s favour in Tioman, as it won the seat with a slim 573-vote majority against PN. However, BN\u2019s withdrawal did little to tip the scales in favour of PH in Padang Serai, where it lost big. \nBN\u2019s Tioman win means it now has 17 seats in Pahang, which it rules along with PH. The win increases the BN-PH total in the state to 25 seats, against PN\u2019s 17 seats. \nPN is primarily led by former premier Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Parti Islam SeMalaysia. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-bn-retains-tioman-state-seat-in-election"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s 2023 budget likely to be trimmed down", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim could unveil a smaller budget for 2023 compared with Malaysia\u2019s second-largest budget of RM372 billion (S$113 billion) announced by his predecessor in October, with the record development expenditure of RM95 billion expected to be downsized. Economists believe there could be some rationalisation and realignment for the new budget.  "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-budget-2023-likely-to-be-trimmed-down"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s businesses unlikely to stop using US dollar in trade deals: Analysts", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s proposal to reduce its dependency on the US dollar for trade is unlikely to gain traction among businesses in the country, say analysts, with key industries viewing the greenback as less volatile compared with alternative currencies. \nThe proposal, mooted by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim after his official visit to China in end-March, echoes similar calls made by a growing number of countries including China, Russia and India. \nAround 80 per cent of Malaysia\u2019s annual trade, totalling RM2.8 trillion (S$840 billion) in 2022, is denominated in US dollars. But Malaysia\u2019s trade with the United States, its third-largest trading partner, amounts to only RM267.5 billion, representing 9.4 per cent of total trade.  \n\n\n\n\n\nChina remained Malaysia\u2019s largest trading partner in 2022, accounting for 17.1 per cent of Malaysia\u2019s total trade. Singapore ranked second, with trade amounting to RM368.2 billion in 2022, according to data from Malaysia\u2019s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry. \nIndia, a major importer of Malaysia\u2019s palm oil, conducted US$19.4 billion (S$25.9 billion) worth of trade with Malaysia in 2022. \nSince April, Malaysia has been able to settle international trade with India using the rupee, while its central bank, Bank Negara, is proposing a similar mechanism for payments to China in renminbi.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf businesses are ready to trade fully in foreign currencies such as Chinese renminbi and Indian rupee, Malaysia\u2019s proportion of US dollar invoicing could fall by up to a fifth, said Maybank chief forex strategist Saktiandi Supaat.\n\n\u201cHypothetically, it would be possible that Malaysia could see a reduction in US dollar-dominated trade by up to 20 per cent, if trade invoicing and settlement trades move to local or non-US dollar,\u201d he told The Straits Times. \nHowever, businesses in key export industries such as palm oil, petroleum and electrical and electronics (E&E) are hesitant to support the de-dollarisation push. \nSime Darby Plantation, the largest oil palm plantation company in Malaysia, said its buyers prefer to purchase palm oil products in US dollars as commodities are still mostly traded in the greenback. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe company also does not have any bilateral agreements with other countries to trade palm oil in different currencies,\u201d the company told ST.  \nBusinesses in the E&E sector are also unlikely to move away from the US dollar, which continues to dominate the industry, said Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association president Wong Siew Hai.\n\u201cThe adage still applies \u2013 when the US sneezes, the world will catch a cold. It will take time for the non-US dollar financial systems to catch up and be used on a widespread basis similar to the US dollar,\u201d he added. \nMr Tahir Bukhary, an investor in the oil and gas industry, said businesses would prefer to trade crude oil in the greenback until the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies\u00a0decide to sell crude oil in alternative currencies. \n", "\nAnother hurdle is finding an alternative reserve currency that is as liquid and stable as the greenback, say analysts. \nData from the International Monetary Fund shows that central banks worldwide are still holding more than 58 per cent of their foreign exchange reserves in US dollars, compared with less than 3 per cent of Chinese renminbi in 2022, with no credible alternative as a major reserve currency.\nMalaysia\u2019s palm oil businesses exposed to the Indian rupee-ringgit exchange rate, which is likely to be more volatile than the US dollar, could lead to foreign exchange losses, impacting the revenue of the company, said CGS-CIMB Research regional head of plantations research Ivy Ng. \n\u201cIf they use the greenback, it will be seen as a more stable currency and less volatile. Businesses in Malaysia are unlikely to use alternative currencies unless there is an incentive by the government,\u201d she added. \nShe noted, however, that the benefit in the medium to long term is a diversified basket of currencies that is less susceptible to US dollar volatility.\nShould businesses pursue de-dollarisation in trade, Johns Hopkins University Eni Professor of International Economics Michael Plummer said it will be poorly received by investors \u2013 inside and outside Malaysia \u2013 which could lead to capital flight and generate uncertainty. \n\u201cThe increase in risk and uncertainty would be problematic for the Malaysian private sector, especially in terms of investment. And marginal changes in capital flows would likely be much larger than the value of lowering foreign currency reserves in dollars,\u201d he said. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-businesses-unlikely-to-stop-using-us-dollar-in-trade-deals-analysts"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s chicken breeders urge new agriculture minister to resolve longstanding issues", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia\u2019s chicken breeders and farmers want newly appointed Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu to meet them and help solve longstanding issues in the industry.\nSelangor Chicken Breeders Association honorary adviser Ishak Mat Arif said he hopes Datuk Mohamad, widely known in Malaysia as Mat Sabu, would be able to resolve the issue of chicken prices, which has been putting a lot of pressure on breeders.\nDatuk Ishak said the current ceiling price of RM9.40 (S$2.90) per kilogram has made it difficult for breeders to sustain their business, given that the cost of chicken feed has steadily increased since three years ago from RM80 per 50kg to RM135.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe hope that with the new minister, the price of chicken will be set at a more reasonable amount, suitable for the people and sustainable for the breeders.\n\u201cWe hope breeders will not be sidelined because we are supplying cheap sources of protein to the community,\u201d he added.\nMr Ishak said bringing in more imported chicken, which has disrupted local market prices, has also affected breeders, and more would have no choice but to close down their farms.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOur dependency (on imported chicken) can be unhealthy in the long run,\u201d he added.\n\nMr Ishak said the government should consider either increasing the selling price of chickens or providing subsidies to breeders.\n\u201cThis in the long run will help stabilise the price and breeders can continue to breed chicken,\u201d he said.\nMalaysian Rice Field Fraternity Association (Pesawah) chairman Muhammad Fuad Yaacob expressed his hope that efforts would be made to equip padi planters with technology to boost the industry.\n\u201cWe hope the ministry will prioritise padi (rice) growers, especially the younger generation, by providing machinery and drones so that the industry can be brought forward,\u201d he said.\nMr Fuad said he also hopes the new minister would prioritise various issues related to the industry, which is one of the sectors essential to national food security.\nThe minister should go to the ground frequently and talk to industry players in order to get a better understanding of their predicament, he added.\n\u201cWe hope issues such as infrastructure, seed quality and the quicksand problem can be resolved.\n\u201cThese issues need to be prioritised and continual discussions with farmers are needed to learn about the root causes and how to solve them,\u201d he said, adding that Pesawah would meet with the minister.\nHe also hoped the new government would maintain subsidies and financial aid, as announced by the former government, to assist farmers. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-chicken-breeders-urge-new-agriculture-minister-to-resolve-longstanding-issues"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar signs cooperation pact ahead of confidence vote", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - Malaysian political parties supporting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday signed a cooperation pact promising to ensure stability, ahead of a confidence vote on the premier next week.\nDatuk Seri Anwar - who has spent more than two decades as an opposition figure - became prime minister last month, forming a government with rival political blocs after an election that produced a hung parliament.\nHe has promised to convene parliament on Monday for a confidence vote to prove his Lower House majority, after rival and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin cast doubt on his support.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar is Malaysia\u2019s fourth prime minister since 2020, after two previous administrations collapsed due to political turmoil.\nMalaysia this year passed laws to prevent future party defections, but the new rules do not stop political coalitions from switching allegiances as a bloc.\nAccording to Mr Anwar and other coalition leaders, the parties agreed to ensure political stability after years of turmoil, spurring the economy, good governance, and upholding the rights of the country\u2019s majority Malay community and Islam as its official religion.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe agreed on the broad parameters and broad policies including to ensure the government is stable,\u201d he said after a ceremony where political party chiefs signed the pact.\n\n\u201cWe concede that no party managed to have a clear majority, therefore... it makes a lot of sense that we have to achieve this sort of understanding based on shared principles and policies.\u201d\nThey promised to improve development in the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo island. Support from Borneo-based blocs is crucial for PM Anwar to maintain his majority.\nHis government also includes the previous ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN), which he spent much of his political career seeking to overthrow.\nBN had ruled Malaysia for more than six decades before being voted out in a 2018 election amid widespread corruption allegations.\nIt returned to power last year, but was ousted again in last month\u2019s polls - coming in third to Mr Anwar\u2019s and Tan Sri Muhyiddin\u2019s coalitions. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-coalition-leaders-sign-agreement-backing-pm-anwar-s-unity-govt"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s Court of Appeal allows DPM Zahid to get passports back for official duties", "text": ["\nMalaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi was granted access to his personal and diplomatic passports by the Court of Appeal, allowing him to travel internationally for official functions.\nHis travel documents were previously surrendered to the court as part of his RM2 million (S$605,000) bail conditions, as he is facing dozens of graft charges.\nOn Monday, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal chaired by Justice Hanipah Farikullah allowed Zahid\u2019s application to review the High Court\u2019s decision on Feb 3.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe High Court had dismissed Zahid\u2019s request that he be allowed to keep both passports permanently to perform his official duties as deputy prime minister and minister of rural and regional development.\nOn Monday, Judge Hanipah said: \u201cThe court has examined the affidavit and written submission by the applicant (Zahid). The order requested is allowed by the court.\u201d \nDeputy Public Prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob told the court that he had instructions not to object to the application.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nZahid\u2019s counsel, Mr Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, told the Malaysian media: \u201cThe grounds (cited for Zahid\u2019s application) was that there has been a change of circumstances after the November general election as the applicant (Zahid) was made deputy prime minister and a minister.\u201d\n\nNews portal Malaysiakini quoted Mr Hisyam as saying: \u201cHe needs the passport for the purpose of performing his duties. He is not a flight risk and at all times he has appeared before the (High) Court.\u201d  \nThe lawyer added that Zahid and his bailor had given their undertaking in their affidavits that Zahid will be in court for his graft trial, which is set to resume on April 10.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-court-of-appeal-allows-dpm-zahid-to-get-passports-back-for-official-duties"}, {"title": "Malaysia court frees Sam Ke Ting who crashed into 8 teens racing on modified bikes in 2017", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - The Malaysian Court of Appeal has acquitted a woman of a reckless driving charge linked to a crash that killed eight teenagers riding modified bicycles in Johor six years ago.      \nIn a unanimous decision, a three-judge panel chaired by Justice Hadhariah Syed Ismail allowed Ms Sam Ke Ting\u2019s appeal to quash her guilty verdict by the High Court, on grounds that the charge was defective.     \n\u201cIn this case, the charge was incorrect, it was defective. The conviction was also incorrect. On these grounds alone, the appeal is allowed,\u201d Justice Hadhariah said on Tuesday.    \n\n\n\n\n\nThe other judges on the panel were Justice Hashim Hamzah and Justice Azman Abdullah.\nJustice Hadhariah said a guilty verdict could only follow the finding of fault of the driver.\n\u201cThat is how the law stands. You cannot simply say that because it is a fatal accident, the driver must have been liable. That is not what the law says,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJustice Hadhariah then set aside the High Court\u2019s decision and acquitted and discharged Ms Sam.\n\n\u201cYou are now a free person,\u201d she said.\nThe court also ordered for Ms Sam\u2019s RM10,000 (S$3,030) bail money to be returned to her.\n\nMs Sam is largely seen as a victim of circumstance in Malaysia after crashing into a group of dozens of teenagers racing illegal bicycles \u2013 which had been modified by having their brakes and lights removed and handlebars lowered \u2013 on a poorly lit road at 3.20am on Feb 18, 2017.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe eight who died were aged between 13 and 16.\n\nMs Sam was charged with reckless driving and causing deaths, and was previously acquitted twice \u2013 by the Magistrates\u2019 Court in 2019 and 2021.\nIn her lower court trial, it was determined that she had not been driving under the influence of alcohol, was alert at the wheel, and was possibly driving below the speed limit at the time of the crash.\nBut a second appeal by the prosecution took her to the High Court, where on April 13, 2022, a Johor Bahru High Court judge allowed the prosecution\u2019s appeal and convicted Ms Sam of driving recklessly and sentenced her to six years in jail and a RM6,000 fine.\n", "\nHer conviction drew widespread criticism from Malaysians, who said it sent the wrong message that racing illegal bicycles on public roads was now being seen as acceptable by law.\nMs Sam obtained leave from the Court of Appeal on April 18, 2022, to appeal against her conviction and jail sentence. \nOn Tuesday, she said that although she is now a free woman, it did not mean her nightmare was over. The 28-year-old clerk said she is still haunted by the incident that claimed the lives of eight teenagers.\nWhen met by the Malaysian press, Ms Sam addressed the families of the dead teenagers to apologise and mentioned their names one by one.\n\u201cI admit that I was the one driving and caused the demise of your beloved children. However, I did not intend for the accident to happen,\u201d she said.\n\nWearing a black blouse with light grey trousers, Ms Sam said that she had thought of how the boys\u2019 lives would have been alongside their families through all six years of her legal battle.\n\u201cBut what I say here may not be enough to bring peace to your lives, which I believe is struggling with feelings you should not have felt.\n\n\u201cMy words may not bring them back to you, but I would like to say that I, too, carry the burden of this tragedy. I sincerely apologise, although I realise and understand it may be hard for you to forgive me,\u201d she said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-court-of-appeal-frees-driver-in-crash-that-killed-8-teen-cyclists"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s housing debate takes racial turn after government plan to consult Singapore\u2019s HDB", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Opposition politicians in Malaysia have pulled the race card over the government\u2019s decision to consult Singapore\u2019s Housing Board on building affordable housing, highlighting the tightrope Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is walking as he faces an almost entirely Malay-Muslim opposition. Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming said in mid-January that his ministry will host contractors from the neighbouring country\u2019s HDB in February for knowledge sharing.  "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-debate-over-housing-policy-exposes-racial-fault-lines-for-unity-government"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s DPM Zahid seeks to have graft charges dropped, trial postponed", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi has sent a representation to the Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers (AGC) to have his graft charges dropped, the Kuala Lumpur High Court was told. \nJustice Collin Lawrence Sequerah, a Court of Appeal judge presiding at the High Court, was informed of this by Datuk Seri Zahid\u2019s lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh. \nMr Hamidi cited \u201cnew facts and evidence\u201d in the case and asked that the trial \u2013 which was to resume on Monday \u2013 be postponed, as he sought to wait for the decision on the representation.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the lawyer, the representation letter, at over 200 pages, was addressed to Attorney-General Idrus Harun, and the prosecution would need to study it. \nHe said the prosecution did not object to the postponement. \nDeputy Public Prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob confirmed that the prosecution had received the lengthy representation letter, which he said contained \u201ccomplex issues\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe also confirmed that the prosecution was instructed not to object to a postponement.\n\n\nThe judge then asked him about the time needed to study and decide on the representation. \nDPP Abdul Malik replied that the AGC had also received a letter attached to the representation from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, stating that it would investigate the new issues raised by Mr Zahid\u2019s defence. \nHe said the prosecution had not received any information on the investigation, but needed its outcome to decide on the representation. \n\u201cWe do not know whether the investigation has begun or otherwise, (but) to complete the entire process, we would require the result of the investigation,\u201d he said. \nJustice Sequerah then allowed the postponement. \nHe fixed Aug 1 for parties to inform the court about the result of the representation. \nMr Zahid is facing 47 charges \u2013 12 for criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering \u2013 involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi, a charitable foundation he established. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-dpm-zahid-seeks-to-have-graft-charges-dropped-trial-postponed-to-aug-1"}, {"title": "Sarawak records 9 rabies deaths so far this year", "text": ["\nKUCHING - A total of 11 rabies cases among humans, including nine deaths, were reported in Malaysia\u2019s eastern state of Sarawak from Jan 1 to May 15 this year.\nThat\u2019s according to a report by the Bernama news agency.\nHealth director-general Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said that of the 11 cases, four each were from Sibu and Serian divisions, two from Kuching division and one from Bintulu division.\n\n\n\n\n\nEight of the cases have a history of the victims being bitten by dogs and two were being bitten or scratched by cats, he added in a statement on May 16.\n\nDr Muhammad Radzi said the total number of rabies cases among humans in the state, since the outbreak was declared in July 2017, was 66 cases with 59 deaths.\n\nHe said rabies is a disease of the nervous system caused by the rabies virus infection.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe virus is found in the saliva of infected animals and can infect humans through bites or during direct contact with the saliva of infected animals, either through wounds or claw marks by domestic or wild cats.\n\n\n\u201cIt can cause death if the infection spreads to the brain,\u201d he said.\nHe advised the public to always take preventive measures to avoid being infected with the rabies virus.\n\n\u201cIf bitten or scratched or touched by animal saliva, the wound must be washed immediately using running water and soap for at least 15 minutes and immediately seek treatment at the nearest health clinic or hospital,\u201d he said.\nDr Muhammad Radzi also said that a total of 31 facilities of the Health Ministry throughout Sarawak provide animal bite treatment services, including the provision of anti-rabies vaccines. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-eastern-state-of-sarawak-records-9-rabies-deaths-so-far-this-year"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s election reveals deeply divided electorate", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - The top two winners of Malaysia\u2019s general election are parties from opposing ends of the political spectrum, revealing an electorate that is deeply divided between two opposing ideologies, which could pose a challenge to the newly minted Anwar Ibrahim administration. The fundamentalist Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) won 43 parliamentary seats and the secular Democratic Action Party (DAP) won 40 in the closely fought polls on Nov 19."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-election-reveals-deeply-divided-electorate"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s ex-PM Muhyiddin released by anti-graft agency, to be charged in court on Friday", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was released on conditional bail by graft busters on Thursday, and will be charged on Friday over alleged abuse on projects awarded under his government\u2019s stimulus programme.\nThe Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said in a statement that the former premier was detained at 1pm on Thursday, after he arrived at the agency for an interview over the case. \nFollowing his release, Tan Sri Muhyiddin told reporters on Thursday evening that he will face seven charges, which he claimed are political in nature. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe seven charges against me are to insult me and drag me to court. I am innocent and I will answer these charges in court,\u201d he said.\nThe MACC in a statement said Mr Muhyiddin will face several charges related to corruption, abuse of power and money laundering on Friday. \nHe will be the second former Malaysian premier, after Najib Razak, to be charged with corruption. Najib is serving a 12-year sentence after being found guilty on one of the charges linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Muhyiddin, 75, arrived at the MACC\u2019s headquarters in Putrajaya around 11.15am on Thursday for questioning.\n\nSpeaking to reporters outside the MACC headquarters, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia\u2019s information chief Razali Idris said: \u201cWe consider this inhumane as the party is having its elections tomorrow (Friday), and Parliament is also in session.\u201d \nMr Muhyiddin leads Bersatu. The party and Parti Islam SeMalaysia are the main members of opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN). \nThe MACC is investigating allegations that contractors chosen for the stimulus programme, known as Jana Wibawa, were required to deposit money amounting to RM300 million (S$90 million) in the accounts of Bersatu, in return for projects. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Muhyiddin has denied the allegations, calling them political slander. \nThe Jana Wibawa programme was launched to help bumiputera contractors during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was conceived by former finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who is now International Trade and Industry Minister.\nOn Thursday, several PN MPs skipped the Parliament session to show solidarity with Mr Muhyiddin, who is also chairman of the PN coalition.\nBersatu\u2019s supreme leadership council member Azmin Ali, who was at the MACC headquarters in support of the party leader, is confident that Mr Muhyiddin is innocent. \n\u201cAs a supporter of the party that always insists on the principles of accountability, transparency, integrity and rejection of corruption and kleptocrats, I will continue to be with Muhyiddin,\u201d he told reporters on Thursday.\nResponding to critics who claim that the probe is politically motivated, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday said the ongoing probe against Mr Muhyiddin is being carried out independently by the graft busters. \n\u201cTo say all cases are motivated by politics, does that mean we can\u2019t arrest (anyone)? All the big corruption cases should be dropped?\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar asked. \nMr Muhyiddin has also been barred from travelling outside of Malaysia, which the Bersatu president said was \u201cwrongful\u201d. He has challenged the travel ban in a judicial review application filed in the High Court. \nHe also filed a judicial review application on Wednesday to challenge the MACC\u2019s decision to freeze his party\u2019s bank accounts. \n", "\nOn March 2, the treasurer of Bersatu, Mr Mohd Salleh Bajuri, was arrested by the MACC and remanded for two days in relation to a probe into the party\u2019s funds.\nMr Muhyiddin on Wednesday confirmed that the anti-graft agency had summoned him to appear at its offices on Thursday. In a Facebook post, he also denied a news report that he was arrested on Wednesday.\nMr Muhyiddin, who was Malaysian prime minister for 17 months between 2020 and 2021, did not say why he had been summoned by the MACC.\nMr Anwar, who came to power last November, ordered a review of government projects worth billions of dollars approved by Mr Muhyiddin, including Covid-19 relief programmes, saying that they did not follow proper procedures.\nMr Muhyiddin has denied the accusations, describing them as a political vendetta. \nMr Anwar\u2019s office and the MACC did not immediately reply to requests for comment.\nMr Anwar and Mr Muhyiddin went head-to-head in a tightly contested election last November.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-ex-pm-muhyiddin-arrives-at-graft-agency-for-investigation"}, {"title": "Former Malaysia PM Muhyiddin claims trial on money laundering charge", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM - Malaysia\u2019s former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday claimed trial to one count of money laundering at the Shah Alam Court, in connection with a government stimulus programme during his premiership. \n\u201cI pleaded not guilty and asked for the case to go to trial,\u201d the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) chief told reporters at the courthouse in Selangor state.\nThe charge was framed under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. \n\n\n\n\n\nMuhyiddin is accused of receiving RM5 million (S$1.5 million) in Bersatu\u2019s account on Jan 7, 2022, stemming from alleged illegal activities of investment company Bukhary Equity.   \nIf found guilty of money laundering, the 75-year-old statesman may be sentenced up to 15 years in jail and fined five times the amount involved, or RM5 million, whichever is higher.\nThe case has been transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, following six other charges against Muhyiddin that are being tried there.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSessions Court judge Rozilah Salleh allowed the RM2 million bail condition previously imposed by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to be used for this case.\n\nThe charge sheet used the name Mahiaddin Md Yasin, the former prime minister\u2019s legal name. Bail was set at RM2 million with two sureties, and Muhyiddin\u2019s international passport will be held until the case concludes.  \nIf convicted, he faces 20 years\u2019 imprisonment and a fine of five times the amount of gratification involved, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, for the abuse-of-power charges.\nMuhyiddin is the second former Malaysian premier, after Najib Razak, to be charged with corruption.\nNajib is serving a 12-year sentence after he was found guilty of one of the charges linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.\nHe has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them political slander.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-ex-pm-muhyiddin-yassin-arrives-in-court-to-face-money-laundering-charges"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s ex-PMs Mahathir, Muhyiddin sued over termination of high-speed rail project with S\u2019pore", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s former prime ministers Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin have been sued over the termination\u00a0of the High Speed Rail (HSR) project between the country and Singapore.\nThe plaintiff is seeking to compel the defendants to pay RM1 million (S$308,000) in damages and compensation to every Malaysian citizen, a new report said.\nThe writ of summons targeting the two politicians and three other parties \u2013 former minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department in charge of the economy Mustapa Mohamed, former transport minister Wee Ka Siong, and the Malaysian government \u2013 was filed by a Malaysian named Mohd Hatta Sanuri on Dec 30, 2022, in order to revive the project as well as to demand compensation for the public.\n\n\n\n\n\nBased on Malaysiakini\u2019s news report, the 46-year-old is accusing Tun Dr Mahathir of negligence and committing \u201cthe tort of misfeasance in public office when the then Prime Minister made the decision to postpone the HSR project on Sept 5, 2018, which allegedly resulted in Malaysia paying RM46 million in compensation to Singapore on Jan 31, 2019\u201d.\n\u201cThe plaintiff claimed that Muhyiddin also committed negligence and tort of misfeasance in public office, as the prime minister then, by terminating the HSR project on Dec 31, 2020, and this purportedly led to Malaysia paying over RM320 million in compensation to Singapore in 2021 for the cancellation of the bilateral agreement between the two nations,\u201d the news portal reported on Tuesday.\nThe two countries had signed a legally binding bilateral agreement on the HSR project in December 2016, witnessed by Singapore\u2019s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 350km HSR was slated to have seven stations, and would have cut travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to 90 minutes, compared with more than four hours by car. The railway line was to be completed in 2026.\n\n\nBut the project was suspended several times at Malaysia\u2019s request, for reasons including a change in Malaysian government following the May 2018 general election.\nThe project was terminated after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on changes proposed by Malaysia by the final deadline of Dec 31, 2020. \nSingapore\u2019s then Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung told Parliament in January 2021 that Malaysia had to compensate the Republic in accordance with the HSR agreements, noting that Singapore had spent about $270 million on the project up to the point in time.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe compensation included abortive costs, such as for consultancy services, design of infrastructure and manpower to deliver the project. It did not cover land acquisition costs as the value of the land could be recovered.\nMalaysia paid about $102 million in compensation to Singapore, with a joint statement in March 2022 noting that both sides had reached an \u201camicable agreement\u201d on the sum following a verification process by the Malaysian government.\nHowever, Malaysia expressed its interest in reviving the HSR during a bilateral meeting in Singapore in 2022, but nothing materialised following another change in government after the next general election on Nov 19, 2022.\nMr Hatta claims that due to the termination of the project, the country had to bear the loss of foreign investors\u2019 confidence; loss of 70,000 potential high-paying jobs from the project; loss of opportunity to gain RM70 billion in profits from the HSR\u2019s construction, operation and \u201cmulti-player impact\u201d; as well as over RM366 million in losses due to Malaysia paying the compensation to Singapore.\n", "\n\u201cBased on the above facts, the defendants need to pay aggravated and exemplary damages to every Malaysian, including the plaintiff, for an action that is unconstitutional, vicious (kejam) and for their own dishonest benefit that turned back on the interests of Malaysians,\u201d said Mr Hatta, as quoted by the news portal.\nAmong the reliefs sought by the plaintiff are a declaration to nullify the termination of the HSR project and to compel the defendants to pay RM1 million in damages and compensation to every Malaysian citizen, as well as a court order to compel the five defendants to give a written explanation regarding the reasons for the postponement and termination\u00a0of the project.\nThe lawsuit is set for case management on Thursday in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.\nMr Hatta previously came into the spotlight after filing a civil suit in May 2021 against the Malaysian government for withdrawing its application to revise an International Court of Justice ruling that Singapore had sovereignty over Pedra Branca. \nHis appeal over the matter is still ongoing at the Court of Appeal.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-ex-pms-mahathir-muhyiddin-sued-for-cancelling-high-speed-rail-project-with-s-pore"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s former PM Muhyiddin\u2019s party accounts frozen by graft buster", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The accounts of former premier Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s party have been frozen as Malaysia\u2019s graft buster widened its dragnet over an alleged misappropriation during the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief\u2019s 18-month tenure.\nParti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia\u2019s accounts were frozen a fortnight ago as the party is being probed, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki was quoted as saying in The Star on Wednesday.\nAn anti-graft official, who did not want to be named, said: \u201cIt is a big investigation, so it\u2019s necessary for the MACC to freeze the accounts while we study all the transactions that went on to see if there are any irregularities. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf there are, we will identify every person we need to call up to assist us with our probe.\u201d\nTan Sri Azam said the investigation into Bersatu is unrelated to a probe into the alleged misappropriation of Covid-19 stimulus package funds by Tan Sri Muhyiddin\u2019s government during the pandemic. He declined to elaborate further.\nLast December, MACC said it would look into an alleged misappropriation of RM600 billion (S$184.7 billion) of funds by the former administration led by Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s PN coalition. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt said the focus remains on the RM92.5 billion spent as stimulus during the pandemic, as these initiatives were fast-tracked because of pressing needs during nationwide lockdowns.\u00a0\n\nGraft busters raided eight government agencies and nine companies last December after investigations found they had received what a source told The Straits Times was a \u201chuge allocation\u201d from the stimulus packages approved by the government in 2020 and 2021.\u00a0\nOn Jan 7, a close associate of Mr Muhyiddin was nabbed over his alleged role in brokering government projects in exchange for bribes.\nMACC\u2019s probe has been expanded to all government expenditure across his tenure, and to the past two administrations. \nBersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin on Wednesday accused the ruling administration of using a government agency as a tool to \u201ckill\u201d the party and PN\u2019s credibility.\nCalling it a \u201csleazy\u201d strategy, Datuk Seri Hamzah said: \u201cBersatu can accept the reason behind the measure taken by the MACC, as part of their investigation process against the defamation thrown at the party. The party will continue to cooperate in the investigation so that malicious slander against the party can be stopped immediately.\u201d\nMr Muhyiddin was Malaysia\u2019s prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021 before he was replaced by Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, whose party is\u00a0now a member of the unity government.\nIn early December 2022, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim halted flood mitigation projects worth RM7 billion that had been approved that year under Datuk Seri Ismail.      \nHe also ordered a review of Malaysia\u2019s state-owned 5G network that is now being rolled out, saying its formulation lacked transparency.     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-former-pm-muhyiddin-s-party-accounts-frozen-by-graft-buster"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s former premier Muhyiddin Yassin charged with corruption", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was charged with four counts of abuse of power involving RM232.5 million (S$70 million) in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Friday over projects awarded under his government\u2019s stimulus programme. \nMuhyiddin, who was Malaysia\u2019s prime minister for 17 months between 2020 and 2021 and is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia\u2019s president, was also charged with two counts of money laundering involving RM195 million.\nMuhyiddin, 75, is accused of using his position as former premier and Bersatu president to obtain RM232.5 million from three companies \u2013 Bukhary Equity, Nepturis and Mamfor \u2013 and an individual named Azman Yusoff between March 1, 2020, and Aug 20, 2021.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe seasoned politician is also accused of receiving RM120 million of proceeds from illegal activity from Bukhary Equity between Feb 25, 2021, and July 8, 2022.\nMuhyiddin claimed trial to the charges, which were read before Judge Azura Alwi. The charge sheet used the name Mahiaddin Md Yasin, the former prime minister\u2019s actual name.\u00a0\nBail was set at RM2 million with two sureties, and Muhyiddin\u2019s international passport will be held until the case concludes.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf convicted, he faces 20 years\u2019 imprisonment and a fine of five times the amount of gratification involved, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, for the abuse-of-power charges.\n\nIf found guilty of money laundering, he may be sentenced to up to 15 years in jail and fined five times the amount involved, or RM5 million, whichever is higher.\nBased on the records of Malaysia\u2019s Companies Commission, Bukhary Equity is owned by business tycoon Syed Mokhtar Shah Syed Nor, who has a 99 per cent stake.\nSpeaking to reporters, Muhyiddin said the government was trying to form a new \u201ccourt cluster\u201d. \u201cSince I did not accept bribes, they created another offence to confirm the Umno president\u2019s claim that there will be a new court cluster among the leaders of Perikatan Nasional. He wants to compare himself with me,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt is definitely different. He was accused of using foundation money for personal use. As for me, not one cent of the money went into my pocket.\u201d \nMuhyiddin was referring to Umno leader and Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi\u2019s ongoing case over criminal breach of trust charges relating to more than RM31 million of his charity Yayasan Akalbudi\u2019s funds.\n", "\nMuhyiddin was detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Thursday, after he arrived at the agency for an interview over the case.\nHe is the second former Malaysian premier, after Najib Razak, to be charged with corruption. Najib is serving a 12-year sentence after he was found guilty of one of the charges linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.\nThe MACC is investigating allegations that contractors chosen for the Jana Wibawa stimulus programme under Muhyiddin\u2019s government were required to deposit money amounting to RM300 million in Bersatu accounts, in return for projects.\nMuhyiddin denied the allegations, calling them political slander.\nThe Jana Wibawa programme was launched to help bumiputera \u2013 a term describing the Malay majority and indigenous minorities \u2013 contractors during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was conceived by former finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who is now International Trade and Industry Minister.\nResponding to critics who claim that the probe is politically motivated, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday said the ongoing investigation against Muhyiddin is being carried out independently by the graft busters.\nThe MACC said: \u201cThe investigation process is free from interference of any party. Therefore, the accusations that the MACC\u2019s investigation was instructed by certain parties and was politically motivated were not true at all and have tarnished the reputation of this commission.\u201d \n", "\nThe Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers, in a separate statement, denied any elements of \u201cselective prosecution\u201d or undue influence in its decision to proceed with the charges. \u201cThe decision to press charges was based on the facts of the case and not from instructions of any groups or any other factors,\u201d it said.     \nOn March 2, the treasurer of Bersatu, Mr Mohd Salleh Bajuri, was arrested by the MACC and remanded for two days in relation to a probe into the party\u2019s funds.\nDatuk Seri Anwar, who came to power last November, ordered a review of government projects worth billions of dollars approved by Muhyiddin, including Covid-19 relief programmes, saying that they did not follow proper procedures.     \nMr Anwar and Muhyiddin went head-to-head in a tightly contested election last November.    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-former-premier-muhyiddin-yassin-charged-with-corruption"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s graft buster MACC seizes two bank accounts belonging to Muhyiddin\u2019s Bersatu party", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Two bank accounts belonging to former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia have been seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).\nAccording to the MACC, the two bank accounts were seized on April 11 after it submitted an order to the banks in accordance with Section 50 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001).\n\u201cPreviously, these accounts were frozen on Jan 12 and 13, 2023, in accordance with Section 44 of the AMLATFPUAA Act 2001, to assist investigations into money suspected of being obtained from illegal proceeds,\u201d said the commission.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cConsequently, the MACC implemented the seizure on April 11, 2023, in relation to the investigation and charges against Muhyiddin, the president of Bersatu, under the MACC Act 2009 and AMLATFPUAA Act 2001,\u201d it added in a statement on Thursday.\nIn March, Bersatu filed an application for a judicial review to challenge the MACC\u2019s move to freeze the party\u2019s bank accounts for investigation purposes.\nOn March 10, Muhyiddin was charged with multiple counts of money laundering and graft as well as four counts of abuse of power involving RM232.5 million (S$70 million). He was also charged with two counts of money laundering involving RM195 million. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-graft-buster-macc-seizes-two-bank-accounts-belonging-to-muhyiddin-s-bersatu-party"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s graft busters probe expenditures of past two govts, raid eight agencies", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The Anwar Ibrahim administration\u2019s probe into alleged misappropriation when Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief Muhyiddin Yassin was premier will encompass all government expenditure across his 18-month tenure, and not just Covid-19 stimulus packages.\nAnti-graft officials told The Straits Times that contrary to reports last week, Tan Sri Muhyiddin, then Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, and then Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had not been hauled up for investigation, owing to the sheer volume of documents being examined.\n\u201cWe are still going through Finance Ministry documents on expenditure for 2020 and 2021. We will call up relevant parties only after this,\u201d said a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) source.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe focus will still be on Covid-19 but we are also thoroughly checking whether there are any irregularities in other areas, so that we can identify everyone who can help us with our investigation and call them all at once,\u201d the source added.\nEight government agencies and nine companies were raided late on Thursday as part of the investigation into the alleged misappropriation of RM92.5 billion (S$28.4 billion) by the previous PN administration, the source said.\n\u201cWe moved in after our checks found that these agencies had received a huge allocation from the stimulus packages approved by the government in 2020 and 2021. Following that, we raided nine companies and seized some documents,\u201d the source added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Muhyiddin was prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021 before he was replaced by Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, whose party is now a member of the so-called unity government that encompasses all MPs except the 74 in PN.\n\nThe focus remains on the RM92.5 billion spent as stimulus during the pandemic as these initiatives were fast-tracked because of pressing needs during nationwide lockdowns.\u00a0\nHowever, The Straits Times has learnt that after more than a week since the probe was announced by Prime Minister Anwar on Dec 5, even the head of Laksana, the Finance Ministry unit in charge of implementing the stimulus package, has yet to be quizzed by the ministry or MACC.\nThe scope of investigations represents an expanded scrutiny of the past two governments. On Dec 6, Datuk Seri Anwar also halted flood mitigation projects worth RM7 billion approved earlier in 2022 under Datuk Seri Ismail, while the ongoing roll-out of super-fast 5G infrastructure is also being reviewed.\n\n\n\n\n\nDuring the period being looked into, Datuk Seri Zafrul, who is the current government\u2019s international trade and industry minister, was head of the Treasury.\nMr Muhyiddin, Mr Zafrul and Mr Khairy have said they will cooperate with the anti-graft body if summoned for an investigation.\n", "\nBased on the report made available on the Finance Ministry\u2019s website, the government\u2019s total expenditure for 2021 was  budgeted at RM322.5 billion.\nHowever, during that year, a series of four assistance and economic stimulus packages totalling RM225 billion were announced, with a fiscal injection of RM25 billion.\nThe stimulus and containment measures put pressure on revenue, which was forecast to be lower than budget estimates. Thus, the government\u2019s total expenditure for 2021 was revised downwards to RM320.6 billion.\nIn general, the packages were in the form of cash assistance for the public and businesses, particularly those affected by extended movement curbs owing to the pandemic.\nThe report said the additional measures necessitated an expenditure recalibration, particularly for operating expenditure, which has to be fully funded by revenue.\nMeanwhile, based on the ministry\u2019s Fiscal Outlook 2021 report, the total expenditure allocation by the government was revised upwards to RM314.7 billion from the initial budget estimate of RM297 billion, as the prolonged pandemic led the government to implement an extensive expansionary fiscal stance.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-graftbusters-probe-expenditures-of-past-two-govts-raid-eight-agencies"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s heatwave expected to last until June, with haze likely to follow", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s current heatwave is expected to last until June, with high temperatures felt throughout the country, said the national meteorological department.\nIt is forecast to be followed by slightly below-average rainfall until September.\nHaze is also likely to return from June to September as a result of the drier conditions and hot weather, said Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe risk of local haze or transboundary haze returning is higher due to uncontrolled fire in the forest or peatland as weather conditions become warmer during the period,\u201d he told The Straits Times.\nIn Malaysia, a heatwave alert is issued when the average daily maximum temperature exceeds 37 deg C for three consecutive days. \nIn April, the Malaysian Meteorological Department issued heatwave alerts in several states, with the highest temperature recorded at 38.4 deg C in Malaysia\u2019s central Negeri Sembilan state on April 22. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nDue to the heatwave, the Education Ministry on Wednesday ordered all outdoor activities in schools nationwide to be temporarily suspended. \n\nOn April 25, an 11-year-old boy died of heatstroke and severe dehydration in the east coast state of Kelantan. The same day, a 19-month-old toddler died of severe dehydration, also in Kelantan.\nDr Daleleer Kaur Randawar, a mother of two schoolgoing children, said children are particularly vulnerable when they are exposed to high temperatures, and necessary measures must be taken by the ministry to ensure the safety of children. \n\u201cIf required, it would be good to revert back to blended learning or online classes during this heatwave,\u201d said the 48-year-old associate professor at Universiti Teknologi Mara.\n\n\n\n\n\nMs B.R. Dhillon, 37, who works as a chef, said: \u201cThis is the first time that I felt that Kuala Lumpur was scorching hot after coming back from Manchester. It feels like a sauna.\u201d\nMeteorological Department deputy director-general Mohd Hisham Anip said the heatwave is likely to end by June as the high temperatures will gradually drop by then. \n\u201cThe temperature will still be hotter than normal between June and September.  But it will not be as hot as in April and May, which are the hottest months of Malaysia historically,\u201d he said.\nHe added that the mercury is expected to hover between 32 deg C and 35 deg C during this period, higher than the usual temperatures of between 32 deg C and 33 deg C.\nHe said Malaysia\u2019s monthly rainfall is expected to reduce by 20 per cent to 40 per cent during the June to September period in some parts of the country, compared with the average rainfall in other months.\n", "\nAmid the heatwave, the quality of air has also been a concern.\nThe Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in several states, including Johor, Penang, Kedah, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Terengganu, rose above 150 on April 16. An API of between 101 and 200 indicates unhealthy air quality.\n", "\nThe Penang mainland, which reported a smoky odour in the air, showed an API reading of between 126 and 148 on April 17.\nMeanwhile, peat fires on the eastern coast of Kelantan in April had worried residents, as they experienced respiratory problems after the fires started.  Health experts in Malaysia said the number of people seeking medical attention for respiratory issues \u2013  sudden asthma attacks, wheezing, breathlessness and allergic rhinitis \u2013 had risen.\nTo mitigate the haze, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change is working with various departments, including the Department of Environment (DOE), the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) and Malaysia\u2019s national disaster management agency, to increase surveillance by activating ground and air monitoring patrols in peatland areas and landfills that often catch fire, added Mr Nik Nazmi. \nJBPM said on Thursday that it had identified a total of 406 hot spots across the country via satellite. \nIts director of fire and rescue operations Ahmad Irzam Osman said monitoring via patrols or aerial surveys with the use of helicopters and drones was being carried out in collaboration with the Forestry Department and the DOE to ensure the situation remains under control.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-heatwave-expected-to-last-until-june-with-haze-likely-after-that"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s HR Ministry fires 5 aides to minister amid graft probe", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Five aides to Malaysia\u2019s Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar who were implicated in a probe into graft and abuse of power had their services terminated to ensure the ministry can continue to function without any encumbrances and obstacles.\nMr Sivakumar confirmed the sacking of the officers on Tuesday.\n\u201cIt was to ensure that this ministry can function in a smooth and proper manner,\u201d he told reporters after an occupational health and safety event. \n\n\n\n\n\nWhen asked why the five officers were fired before being found guilty, the minister remained tight-lipped and left without answering. \nAccording to an informed source, the five officers were sacked on the directive of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. \nThe Malaysian PM has been vocal about fighting corruption since he took office in November 2022. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe source confirmed that in addition to the terminations, a civil servant was transferred to the Public Services Department.  \n\n\u201cFive officers were sacked, one was transferred because the person is a civil servant, and there is only one officer working there now,\u201d said the source. \nIn April, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) raided the Human Resources Ministry in Putrajaya and arrested the minister\u2019s aides in connection with an investigation into allegations of corruption in the migrant worker recruitment process. \nIn the same month, Mr Sivakumar\u2019s private secretary was summoned for her statement to be recorded, then was remanded by the MACC for four days. The minister was also summoned for questioning. \nIn response, Mr Sivakumar said on April 16 that he was not a suspect in the ongoing investigation by the MACC. \nPressure has mounted on him to go on leave from his administrative duties until graft busters have completed their investigation into the alleged corruption in the recruitment of foreign workers.\nOn April 17, Datuk Seri Anwar told reporters that Mr Sivakumar did not need to go on leave as the case was still at the investigation stage and no charges had been filed against him.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-hr-ministry-fires-5-officials-amid-graft-probe"}, {"title": "Mahathir calls Malaysian PM Anwar a dictator after pro-Malay rally organiser fails to secure venue", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s former premier Mahathir Mohamad on Sunday accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of being a dictator after a pro-Malay gathering was called off.  \nWhile Tun Dr Mahathir said he had no evidence that Datuk Seri Anwar was behind the sudden cancellation of the rally on Malay solidarity, he said the Premier has been displaying increasing intolerance of free speech by attacking the opposition and his critics.\n\u201cFrom his speeches against me, I am sure that he is behind this ban to try to shut the mouths of people who want to tell the truth,\u201d Dr Mahathir told a news conference.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOnly dictators don\u2019t allow people to criticise the government.\u201c\nThe Sekretariat Proklamasi Orang Melayu (Malay People\u2019s Proclamation Secretariat) was reportedly forced to scrap the event planned for Sunday after several venues, including a hotel close to the Petronas Twin Towers, cancelled its bookings.\u00a0\nDr Mahathir was scheduled to attend the gathering, which he said would have been attended by about 2,000 participants.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t understand why the government is so afraid of Malays that they won\u2019t let us gather. We have tried four venues but to no avail. The gathering is apparently racist. \n\n\u201cActually, when you block one race, you are the one who is racist. The government is the one that is racist,\u201d he said.\nDr Mahathir said that during the Reformasi (Reform) movement, pro-Anwar supporters had regularly held \u201crough\u201d protests, but the event that was planned for Sunday was not meant to be aggressive.\u00a0\n\u201cThe press is censored. Nothing bad about the government can be printed,\u201d Dr Mahathir alleged.\n\n\n\n\n\nWithout naming names, Mr Anwar said on Sunday that desperate leaders who have lost power are manipulating sensitive issues.\n\u201cThose who are playing up racial and religious issues, dividing the people and instigating violence, I will take stern action,\u201d he was quoted as saying by The Star daily.\nLast Friday, Mr Anwar had ordered security forces to be alert against those stirring up racial and religious rhetoric, ahead of the Malay nationalist convention planned for Sunday. \nThe tables appear to have turned on Dr Mahathir. During his first tenure as prime minister, he was labelled a dictator by Mr Anwar\u2019s supporters.\nMr Anwar\u2019s sacking as deputy premier in 1998 by Dr Mahathir and his subsequent jailing led to the rise of the Reformasi movement, with Mr Anwar\u2019s supporters calling Dr Mahathir mahafiraun (great pharaoh) and mahazalim (great oppressor).\n", "\n\u201cThis is a dictator government. People accused me of being a dictator. But tell me which dictator would step down,\u201d said Dr Mahathir on Sunday.\u00a0\nThe 97-year-old served as premier twice \u2013 from 1981 to 2003, and from 2018 to 2020 \u2013 and resigned both times. He lost his parliamentary seat of Langkawi in the 2022 general election, coming in fourth, behind candidates from Perikatan Nasional, Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan, obtaining less than 10 per cent of the vote. It is his first defeat in Malaysia\u2019s parliamentary elections since he lost in 1969.\nDr Mahathir, the longest-serving prime minister in Malaysia\u2019s history, recently quit the Pejuang party. He had formed it after being expelled from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, which he co-founded with former premier Muhyiddin Yassin. \nThe latter\u2019s infamous \u201cSheraton Move\u201d toppled the second Mahathir administration in 2020.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-mahathir-accuses-pm-anwar-of-being-a-dictator-after-pro-malay-rally-blocked"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s move to break rice import monopoly could backfire on farmers\u2019 welfare: Analysts", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s move to break the rice import monopoly of Padiberas Nasional Berhad (Bernas) could well achieve his objective of ensuring open competition and affordable prices for consumers.  \nBut analysts warn it may also disrupt local padi farmers\u2019 livelihoods, if existing safeguards such as subsidies and minimum price guarantees are not maintained \u2013 especially with Malaysia\u2019s aim to increase local rice production to 75 per cent of the country\u2019s consumption by end-2025. \nBernas is a private company controlled by business tycoon Syed Mokhtar Albukhary, who has close ties to ruling party Umno. The company received a 10-year extension until January 2031 on its concession to import rice under the previous government led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. \n\n\n\n\n\nTan Sri Syed Mokhtar\u2019s company Tradewinds became a major shareholder in Bernas in 2009. Since then, Bernas has obtained two 10-year extensions in 2010 and 2021 for its concessions. \nIn December, Datuk Seri Anwar said he had reprimanded Mr Syed Mokhtar for monopolising rice imports. \u201cHe must know that this import permit is not a concession and not a reward for him, but instead given to Bernas,\u201d said the Prime Minister.\nBut ending the concession may not be an easy task for Mr Anwar politically, as he has to balance the need to protect farmers\u2019 production and keep prices low for consumers, said agricultural economist Julian Conway McGill from commodities consultancy firm LMC International.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cA full liberalisation of the rice market would result in lower rice prices for consumers, greater imports and lower output among rice farmers who will not be protected from competition,\u201d said Dr McGill.\n\nMore imports will push down rice prices in Malaysia, he added. But rice farmers who incur high production costs are likely to stop producing without price protection such as tariffs on imports.\n\u201cAs a consequence, Malaysia\u2019s rice self-sufficiency ratio will decline. Such an outcome is unlikely to be politically acceptable,\u201d he told The Straits Times.\n\nMalaysia consumes about 2.7 million tonnes of rice a year, of which about 30 per cent is imported by Bernas to make up for the shortfall in local production. The company also buys rice from local farmers and millers to sell. \n\n\n\n\n\nBesides maintaining adequate rice supplies, Bernas is also tasked with keeping prices fair and stable for farmers and consumers, and distributing subsidies to farmers on behalf of the government. It is obligated to buy any excess rice produced by padi farmers at a guaranteed minimum price and is currently required to maintain a rice stockpile of 200,000 tonnes. \nBut padi farmers have long complained that Bernas ignores farmers\u2019 interests and is more focused on profits. \nFor the 2020 financial year, the company paid out about RM670 million (S$206 million) in dividends. For 2021, it made a net profit of RM182.3 million on the back of RM4.7 billion in revenue. \nIn contrast, the monthly household income from both agricultural and non-agricultural activities for padi farmers averaged RM2,526, placing them in the bottom 40 per cent of earners in the country, reported Khazanah Research Institute in April 2019. \nBernas did not respond to ST\u2019s request for comments. \n", "\nGiven Bernas\u2019 key role in the industry, it would be disruptive to dismantle the private company\u2019s rice monoploy without first replacing it with a well-conceived alternative, said Malaysian Institute of Economic Research senior research fellow Shankaran Nambiar. \nThe exit strategy could include giving import rights to farmers\u2019 associations, as previously suggested by Mr Anwar.\n\u201cGiving import rights to farmers\u2019 associations will empower farmers to participate more actively in the padi market. They can also be another channel for the import of padi, which will give them an opportunity to make profits from trade,\u201d Dr Nambiar told ST.\nDr McGill suggested that the government can also assist farmers directly so they can retain their livelihood while allowing more imports. \u201cThe Malaysian government could maintain their own stocks, rather than allowing Bernas to do so,\u201d he said. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-move-to-break-rice-import-monopoly-could-backfire-on-farmers-welfare-analysts"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s Muhyiddin insists he had 115 MPs on his side, asks Anwar to prove his majority", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin insisted on Thursday that he commanded majority support of lawmakers in the federal Parliament to lead the government. \nHe called on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who has just been sworn in as prime minister, to prove that the latter has the support of the majority of MPs to lead the country.\nTan Sri Muhyiddin is head of Perikatan Nasional (PN), the rival coalition that raced with Mr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the last four days to form the government after the inconclusive general election on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Muhyiddin told a news conference that he had 115 statutory declarations (SDs) of MPs backing him as prime minister when he submitted their names on Tuesday to the national palace, as required by Parliament Speaker Azhar Harun.  \n\u201cFor the sake of the confidence of the people, Anwar should prove that he has the support of the majority of members of the Dewan Rakyat (Parliament),\u201d Mr Muhyiddin said.\nSitting beside him at the news conference were the chiefs of PN\u2019s ally parties, including Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang from Parti Islam SeMalaysia and Datuk Dominic Lau from Parti Gerakan.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Muhyiddin gave a breakdown of the lawmakers behind him: 73 MPs from his PN coalition, 22 MPs from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), six from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, one from Sabah\u2019s Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM), 10 from Barisan Nasional and two independent MPs. GPS later won one more seat at a delayed vote for Baram ward in Sarawak. \n\n\u201cAll these documents were sent to Istana Negara at 1.28pm on November 21,\u00a0which is before the deadline set for parties to send related documents to Istana Negara, as required by the Speaker of the House of Representatives,\u201d Mr Muhyiddin\u00a0said at the news conference. \nThe BN MPs were believed to have retracted their SDs later, while GPS backtracked by saying it would support the lead governing party picked by the Malaysian King. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-muhyiddin-insists-he-had-115-mps-on-his-side-doesn-t-accept-anwar-s-prime-ministership"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s new Cabinet: PM Anwar Ibrahim is finance minister, Zahid is DPM", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has unveiled a new Cabinet, in which he will also hold the post of finance minister while Umno chief Zahid Hamidi becomes deputy prime minister. \nThe leaner Cabinet comprising 28 ministers was unveiled on Friday, with appointments distributed among the top leaders of coalitions making up the unity government, namely Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).\nDatuk Seri Anwar, who was sworn in as prime minister last week, said ministers should begin their duties soon and advised them to avoid wastage, bribery and abuse of power.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI have made it clear to the Cabinet that the unity government prioritises good governance and the need to reduce the people\u2019s burden, as well as focuses on stimulating the economy,\u201d he said.\nFor the first time in history, two deputy prime ministers were appointed \u2013 BN chairman Zahid, who is facing dozens of graft charges and was the deputy prime minister in the Najib Razak administration, and GPS\u2019 Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, a former works minister.\n", "\nMr Fadillah, who is the first deputy prime minister from East Malaysia, will also helm the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPH allies, which have the largest bloc of MPs with 82 parliamentary seats, took the lion\u2019s share of appointments with 15 ministers, including in key portfolios such as finance, home affairs and education. \n\nDemocratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Anthony Loke returned to his Transport Ministry post, which he held under the previous PH government, while Parti Amanah Negara chief Mohamad Sabu, a former defence minister, was assigned the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry.\nPH secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail will be helming the Home Affairs Ministry.\nSome first-time ministerial appointments from Mr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)  included the party\u2019s deputy president Rafizi Ramli as economic affairs minister, PKR\u2019s first-time MP Zaliha Mustafa as health minister and women\u2019s chief Fadhlina Sidek as education minister.  DAP\u2019s Perak chief Nga Kor Ming will be part of the Cabinet for the first time as housing and development minister. \n\n\n\n\n\nDAP\u2019s Hannah Yeoh, who is a former deputy minister of women, family and community development, will be helming the youth and sports ministry.\nThe Umno-led BN, which has 30 lawmakers, was given six ministries. Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan will be defence minister, while Ms Azalina Othman will be law minister. \nTengku Zafrul Aziz, who failed to win a parliamentary seat in his election debut on Nov 19, will serve as international trade and industry minister. BN secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir, who also did not win a seat, will be foreign minister. The two men, together with Datuk Seri Saifuddin and Datuk Naim Mokhtar who are not MPs, will be sworn in as senators on Saturday morning. \n", "\nMr Anwar said that Finance Ministry matters would be assisted by several advisers led by former Petronas president and chief executive Mohd Hassan Marican. \u201cI will be assisted by a strong team who are not only civil servants, but also a group of advisers who will not burden the government\u2019s coffers,\u201d he added.\nThe swearing-in of the ministers will take place at 3pm on Saturday. They are also scheduled to attend a special meeting on Monday. \n\u201cThe meeting will talk about the way the Cabinet members should manage their respective ministries, on how to work together with civil servants, how to make media announcements and how to not waste government funds,\u201d Mr Anwar said at an event on Friday in Ipoh, Perak, according to the Malay Mail.\n", "\nBowerGroupAsia senior analyst Arinah Najwa said there is strong representation from Borneo, with Mr Fadillah as deputy prime minister, and GPS and GRS making up slightly over 20 per cent of the Cabinet.\n\u201cHaving said that, we see women and Indians still being under-represented, with only one Indian minister and five female Cabinet ministers... It is a challenge to find the right balance in his Cabinet given how many coalitions are involved\u201d, she noted.\n\u201cThis composition could be the right mix that is enough for the Premier to be able to govern and have a collaborative Cabinet.\u201d \n", "\nResearch executive Halmie Azrie Abdul Halim of the think-tank Ideas is concerned about the new Premier holding the finance portfolio. \u201cFinance Ministry is arguably the second-most influential in the Cabinet. There could be a lack of oversight if the Prime Minister holds it. Not forgetting Mr Najib, the former prime minister, also helmed the Finance Ministry during the 1MDB saga,\u201d he said. \nMr Anwar last week said his Cabinet appointments should not be seen as a \u201creward\u201d for politicians who backed him to lead the unity government. \nHe also promised to reduce the size of his Cabinet compared with that of his predecessors Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Muhyiddin Yassin, who had over 30 ministers and nearly 40 deputies. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-new-cabinet-pm-anwar-ibrahim-is-finance-minister-zahid-is-dpm"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s new PM Anwar says he has two-thirds majority support in Parliament", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s newly minted Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday said that a political party from Sabah with six seats would join his unity government, providing him with a two-thirds majority in Parliament.  \nGabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has agreed to join the unity government, he said.\n\u201cOur strength now is at two-thirds of the parliamentary majority, so this will strengthen national stability and we can focus on our work to boost the economy,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar told a news conference.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said the number of ministers in his Cabinet will be trimmed, compared with previous administrations, and that he also hopes to reduce their salaries. \nMr Anwar said at his maiden news conference on Thursday that he would not take any salary to show his solidarity with Malaysians who are struggling with the rising cost of living.\nA minimum of 148 MPs is required for the government to command a two-thirds majority in the 222-strong Lower House of Parliament.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe biggest blocs in Mr Anwar\u2019s unity government comprise his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition with 82 seats, Barisan Nasional (BN) with 30 and Gabungan Parti Sarawak with 23 seats. That makes up a total of 135 seats.\n\nA minimum of 112 seats is needed for a simple majority in order to form the government.  \nHe also has the support of MPs from East Malaysia: Parti Warisan (three seats) and Parti Bangsa Malaysia (one).\nTwo independent lawmakers and one from Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) are also backing the unity government.\n\n\n\n\n\nWith the six lawmakers from GRS joining the government, PM Anwar would thus have the support of 148 MPs.\nOn Friday morning, Mr Anwar arrived at the Perdana Putra complex in Putrajaya, which houses the Prime Minister\u2019s Office (PMO), to clock in for his first day at work.\nMr Anwar, 75, took his oath as Malaysia\u2019s 10th prime minister on Thursday before the King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, at the national palace.\n", "\nOn Friday, the rival Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition led by former premier Muhyiddin Yassin indicated it would be in the opposition.\nPN \u2013 headed by two Malay-Muslim parties, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Parti Islam SeMalaysia \u2013 won 73 seats in last Saturday\u2019s general election.\nFormer premier Mahathir Mohamad on Friday congratulated Mr Anwar in a message on Twitter.\n\u201cI congratulate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on his appointment as the 10th prime minister of Malaysia. All the best,\u201d said the 97-year-old, who lost his deposit when defending his Langkawi ward in the national polls.\n", "\nThe Mahathir-Anwar on-off feuds have dominated Malaysian politics for the past two decades.\nMr Anwar said he has not considered taking up the finance minister portfolio. \u201cWe will look at all the possibilities but at the moment I have not considered that,\u201d he told reporters after performing Friday prayers.  \nThe country\u2019s next finance minister will have to tackle surging inflation and a weak ringgit. \n", "\nMr Anwar has said that reducing the burden of rising prices on low- and middle-income groups is the top priority of his administration, and he will be meeting government agencies to discuss the matter.  \n\u201cMy priority now is addressing the cost of living,\u201d he said after reporting for duty at the PMO.  \n\u201cI have asked for more detailed discussions and immediate action to reduce the impact of the cost of living. I have asked the relevant agencies to meet as soon as this weekend or the coming Monday,\u201d he said.  \nMr Anwar was a finance minister and deputy prime minister to Tun Dr Mahathir in the BN government in the 1990s, before he was sacked in September 1998 during the Asian financial crisis after a falling out with Dr Mahathir. \nSingapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has congratulated Mr Anwar and his PH alliance on its strong performance at Malaysia\u2019s general election, adding that he looked forward to meeting him soon to discuss common issues facing their two countries.\n", "\nPM Lee said in a letter to Mr Anwar: \u201cYour premiership comes amid significant challenges in our regional and global environment. As close neighbours and friends, Singapore and Malaysia should work together to manage these challenges and explore new opportunities for cooperation.\u201d\nThe new Malaysian leader has also received a congratulatory message from Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-new-pm-says-he-has-two-thirds-majority-support-in-parliament"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s opposition bloc rejects Mahathir\u2019s former party Pejuang\u2019s membership application", "text": ["\nMalaysia\u2019s opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional (PN) has rejected an application by Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) to be part of the coalition. \nThe decision was made during PN\u2019s supreme council meeting on Monday, which was chaired by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, also the chairman of PN. \n\u201cThe supreme council has decided to reject Pejuang\u2019s application to join Perikatan Nasional,\u201d said PN secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin in a statement.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNo reason was given for the rejection.\n\nPejuang was founded by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad. It is currently headed by Tun Mahathir\u2019s son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.\nPejuang had applied to join PN earlier in March, and Mr Mukhriz said on March 2 that the decision was taken to ensure there is no split in Malay votes in the upcoming state elections.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nElections in six states are expected to be held by August 2023.\n\nWith PN\u2019s rejection, Pejuang\u2019s future appears dim.\nDr Mahathir founded Pejuang in 2020, and later founded Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) along with several other Malay-Muslim parties in August 2022, ahead of the 15th general election that took place last November.\nGTA is a coalition of Malay-Muslim parties and non-governmental organisations that Pejuang was a part of.\n\nAfter the Pejuang-led GTA returned empty-handed from the national polls, with all its candidates \u2013 including Dr Mahathir and Mr Mukhriz \u2013 losing their election deposits, Dr Mahathir quit as Pejuang chairman.\nOn Jan 14, Pejuang announced that it was formally leaving GTA after its members came to a consensus at the party\u2019s annual general meeting.\n\nThis prompted Dr Mahathir to quit Pejuang, and he subsequently joined little-known party Putra on Feb 25. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-opposition-bloc-rejects-mahathir-s-former-party-pejuang-s-membership-application"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s opposition lines up new leaders out of ex-PM Muhyiddin\u2019s shadow", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s only opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional (PN) has started fronting a new batch of leaders amid an internal push to sideline its chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, who has been the face of the coalition throughout its campaign in the recently concluded general election.\nPN, which is the second-biggest bloc in Malaysia\u2019s Parliament, on Sunday revealed that its secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin will play the role of the opposition leader when the country\u2019s Lower House sits for the first time since the election.\nParti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan has been appointed chief Whip for PN\u2019s 74 lawmakers.\n\n\n\n\n\nThis leaves Bersatu president Muhyiddin and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to serve as PN\u2019s parliamentary leaders, despite being the most senior figures in the coalition. \nThe Straits Times understands that PN\u2019s diffused parliamentary leadership structure comes as Datuk Seri Hamzah leads a push for PN to be fronted by a new slate of leaders. \nWithin the bloc, Tan Sri Muhyiddin is seen as having been detrimental to PN\u2019s chances of being part of the government after the Nov 19 election resulted in a hung Parliament. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe former premier turned down a suggestion by Malaysia\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, to form a unity government with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH), after both PH and PN emerged as the biggest blocs in the election.   \n\nMr Muhyiddin\u2019s uneasy relationship with Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders also contributed to BN chief Zahid Hamidi choosing to support Mr Anwar as both PH and PN tried to amass a simple majority to form a government. \nMr Anwar eventually became prime minister on Nov 24, after five days of post-election negotiations. \nPN is the only party on the opposition bench after the rest of the smaller outfits in Malaysia\u2019s fragmented political landscape decided to back Mr Anwar\u2019s government, on the express wishes of Sultan Abdullah for a strong unity government to lead the country.  \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Hamzah\u2019s turn as opposition leader positions him as a contender for the country\u2019s top job should PN return to power. Both Mr Anwar and his predecessor Ismail Sabri Yaakob previously served as opposition leaders prior to becoming prime minister. \nAt 65, Mr Hamzah is a decade younger than Mr Muhyiddin, has a history of personal enmity with Mr Anwar, and had served in the Cabinet since 2015 \u2013 including the powerful Home Minister portfolio under both Mr Muhyiddin and Datuk Seri Ismail\u2019s administrations.    \nThe four-term MP from the Larut ward in Perak had his career propelled by the infamous Sheraton Move in 2020, which saw Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) leave PH. This led to the collapse of the PH administration, then led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. \nHaving defected in 2019 from long-ruling Umno, Mr Hamzah became Bersatu\u2019s secretary-general when the party shed members who disagreed with the 2020 mass defections. As a direct result, he became the first secretary-general of the newly formed PN, which was established by Bersatu and PAS to form Malaysia\u2019s new government in March that year.\nMr Hamzah was also previously involved in a court battle with Mr Anwar. He was sued by the latter for claiming in 2008 that Mr Anwar had harassed his former wife in 1998 when both men were in Umno. Mr Anwar eventually dropped the RM10 million lawsuit in 2013, after a confidential resolution between both parties. \n", "\nUniversity of Malaya sociopolitical analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi said that individuals like Mr Hamzah and former minister Azmin Ali are expected to be the key leaders of PN in the near future. \nMr Muhyiddin would not be particularly interested in a role as opposition leader after failing in his second bid to become premier, he added. \u201cMuhyiddin and Hadi Awang are also seen as a liability after extreme use of racial and religious sentiments in order to win votes.\u201d\nBut without Cabinet and government-linked positions \u2013 something which PN had enjoyed since it was formed in 2020 \u2013 the coalition\u2019s influence may wane in the future, Mr Awang Azman added.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-opposition-lines-up-new-leaders-out-of-ex-pm-muhyiddin-s-shadow"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s opposition raises spectre of another government collapse", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) has raised political temperatures with the spectre of another government collapse after several of its leaders were arrested and charged with alleged graft and abuse of power during the coalition\u2019s brief tenure in power between 2020 and 2021.\nLeaders of the largely Malay-Muslim opposition coalition, headlined by Malay-Muslim parties Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), have played up the prospect of a premature end to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s administration.\n\u201cGod willing, it will happen soon,\u201d PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said during a dialogue on Feb 27, a week after Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan became the first politician to be charged over a growing scandal surrounding Jana Wibawa, a Covid-19 stimulus measure for the construction industry introduced by Bersatu chief Muhyiddin Yassin when he was PM.  \n\n\n\n\n\nDespite the country\u2019s appetite for political stability after seeing four prime ministers in as many years, Datuk Seri Hadi doubled down on his comments last week, claiming that it was PN\u2019s \u201cright\u201d to plan to topple the government, while claiming that there were government parties that were already unhappy. \nSoon after, Muhyiddin, who became the second Malaysia ex-premier to be charged with graft after he was accused last Friday, echoed the view that there was discontent among parties in the mixed coalition government, and that the government might \u201cdrop out\u201d before its full five-year term expires in 2027.\nIn 2018, former PM Najib Razak faced multiple graft allegations over the corruption scandal at state fund 1MDB, and has since been jailed.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile a new anti-hopping law effectively prevents individual MPs from changing parties, it still allows political parties to switch allegiances en bloc \u2013 something which Muhyiddin\u2019s Bersatu did to collapse the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2020 and kickstart a period of prolonged political turmoil. \n\nDatuk Seri Anwar\u2019s PH has only 82 seats in Parliament, and is highly dependent on smaller regional outfits and former rival Barisan Nasional to form its majority in Parliament. Despite the government having a two-thirds majority, PN remains the second largest bloc in Parliament with 74 seats, although it makes up the entirety of the opposition bench.\nUniversity of Malaya sociopolitical analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi told The Straits Times that the messages being sent out by PN were a form of \u201cpolitical warning\u201d towards Mr Anwar to keep him on his toes.\nHowever, Dr Awang Azman said that toppling the government now would be difficult, given its majority and the anti-hopping law. \n\u201cMuhyiddin is facing a crisis in leadership. His reputation is falling, so he tries a democratic power grab, with the hope that his case can be dropped if he becomes PM,\u201d he added.\nMuhyiddin had largely campaigned on an anti-corruption and pro-Malay platform during last year\u2019s closely fought general election, which produced no clear winner and a hung Parliament. He had raced against Mr Anwar to form a government after the November polls, and lost. \nMr Anwar has taken a keen interest in investigating the purported wrongdoings of Muhyiddin\u2019s short but controversial tenure as PM between 2020 and 2021. Muhyiddin has maintained his innocence and claimed he and his party colleagues are victims of political persecution. \nAfter coming to power through midterm defections in 2020, Muhyiddin stayed as premier for 17 months \u2013 most of it marred by a worsening Covid-19 pandemic and a six-month state of emergency \u2013 before he lost majority support in Parliament and was forced to resign. \nDr Awang Azman said that the toppling threat may still find some traction among PN\u2019s large conservative support base, but some supporters might feel that Muhyiddin\u2019s clean image has been tarnished by the graft charges. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-opposition-raises-the-spectre-of-another-government-collapse"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s opposition wants by-elections after 4 MPs support PM Anwar", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A Malaysian opposition party is demanding recall elections be held in four constituencies, after some of its lawmakers from the Borneo state of Sabah openly backed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.\nThe four lawmakers\u2019 actions triggered Malaysian laws meant to curb defections, and the Parliament Speaker has been notified that their seats are now vacant, said Ronald Kiandee, vice-president of pro-Malay opposition party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, on Thursday. Bersatu is a member of Malaysia\u2019s main opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional.\nAccording to a landmark legislation to ban party-hopping, a lawmaker who resigns from his political party or ceases to be a member will cause his parliament seat to become vacant, thereby requiring a fresh election in his constituency. This doesn\u2019t apply to those who are expelled or if a party is dissolved. \n\n\n\n\n\nDatuk Seri Kiandee said the law was triggered when the four Sabah Members of Parliament broke ranks and sat on the government bench during the Dec 19 parliament session. \nBy \u201ccrossing the floor and violating their election promises to voters\u201d, they had contravened the party constitution and ceased to be members of Bersatu, he said.\n\u201cWe have requested the House Speaker to inform this matter to the Election Commission within 21 days upon receiving the written notice, so that the process of an election can be arranged to fill the vacancy,\u201d said Mr Kiandee.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf the recall elections happen, it will be a litmus test of support for Datuk Seri Anwar, who solidified power with a confidence vote victory during December\u2019s parliament session.\u00a0\n\nIn the weeks ahead of the Parliament sitting, Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor said the state chapter of Bersatu had resigned from the party to back PM Anwar\u2019s administration. \u201cWe pledge to give full support to the unity government and we are confident in the leadership and wisdom of Anwar Ibrahim to lead the country,\u201d he said in a statement Dec 10.\nMalaysia\u2019s anti-party hopping law, which went into force a month before the general election, requires the Speaker to establish that the seat is vacant upon receiving written notice from any MP. \nThe speaker would then notify the Election Commission within 21 days of receiving the notice, paving the way for the election within another 60 days. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-opposition-wants-by-elections-after-4-mps-support-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s Parliament passes temporary supply Bill as PM Anwar devises new budget", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Parliament on Tuesday passed a temporary supplementary supply Bill worth RM107.7 billion (S$33 billion) to maintain government expenditure for the next six months, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim prepares a new federal budget that is expected to be tabled in early 2023. \nThe supply Bill was passed by voice votes, and will allow Datuk Seri Anwar to tap the government\u2019s reserves to prevent a  shutdown of the administration as the country remains without a federal budget for 2023. \nMr Anwar\u2019s predecessor Ismail Sabri Yaakob tabled a record RM372 billion budget in October meant for 2023, but it was not passed as Parliament was dissolved the same month to pave the way for a general election. \n\n\n\n\n\nThis is Malaysia\u2019s first such supplementary supply Bill in 23 years. The 1999 general election was also called before a federal budget could be passed, necessitating a supply Bill to be tabled to continue government operations while a new budget was prepared. \nMr Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said the supply Bill will allow the government to pay civil servants\u2019 salaries and continue ongoing infrastructure projects, pending passage of a new federal budget. \nParliament on Tuesday also approved another RM56 billion from the country\u2019s development fund for urgent spending, pending the approval of development expenditure under the new budget. This takes the total temporary mini budget amount to nearly half of the budget tabled by Datuk Seri Ismail in October.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhat was good will be continued, while whole others will be reviewed before Budget 2023 is tabled again,\u201d Mr Anwar told lawmakers on Tuesday. Calling it a \u201ctemporary budget\u201d, he said the new budget is expected to be tabled when Parliament sits again in February 2023. \n\nThe Bill will now be sent to the Upper House, the Senate, for ratification. The Senate will sit on Wednesday and Thursday for a special session.\nThe passage of the Bill concluded a special two-day Parliament sitting \u2013 the first in Mr Anwar\u2019s administration \u2013 which saw his government sail through a series of key motions and legislation without breaking a sweat. \nHis government elected its candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speakers with the backing of nearly two-thirds of lawmakers on Monday, before Mr Anwar won a confidence motion by voice votes on the same day.\nMr Anwar \u2013 who leads Pakatan Harapan (PH) \u2013 was appointed prime minister in November after stitching together a pact with several other parties, including former rival Barisan Nasional, after the Nov 19 general election resulted in a hung Parliament. \nHe has managed to draw the support of all smaller outfits and independent MPs, giving him, on paper, the backing of 148 MPs in Malaysia\u2019s 222-member Parliament, or a two-thirds majority. Only the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition \u2013 which has 74 MPs \u2013 remains in opposition. Mr Anwar\u2019s majority is the biggest for a Malaysian PM in more than 14 years. \n", "\nMr Anwar\u2019s government now prepares for a new budget and a series of six state assembly elections that are due by the second half of 2023. These polls could be a barometer of public support for the new political alignment that helped him form a government. \nThe opposition PN remains optimistic of its chances in the upcoming state polls, as its electoral gains in the recently concluded election have shown no signs of abating. \nDespite being only two years old, PN managed to win the second-biggest haul of seats in Parliament. Even after it failed to form a government, it won the Padang Serai ward, a PH stronghold, with an overwhelming majority. \nThe election for the ward was held separately on Dec 7 due to the death of the PH candidate just days before the November election.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-parliament-passes-temporary-supply-bill-as-pm-anwar-devises-new-budget"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s Parliament sits for first time under PM Anwar, elects Speaker from PKR", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s government on Monday elected a new parliamentary Speaker from its ranks, underlining his administration\u2019s strength in numbers in Parliament for the first time.\nDatuk Johari Abdul, a former MP from Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), garnered 147 votes among 222 MPs to become the new Speaker. However, this is just short of a two-thirds majority that Mr Anwar claims to command in Parliament.\nCameron Highlands MP Ramli Md Nor from Barisan Nasional and Lanang MP Alice Lau\u00a0from Pakatan Harapan were elected Deputy Speakers, garnering 148 and 146 votes respectively.\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is likely reflective of the level of support that Mr Anwar has among Malaysia\u2019s lawmakers, ahead of a confidence vote that is scheduled to take place later on Monday as part of a two-day special sitting for Malaysia\u2019s Parliament.\nThe Premier will look to cement his claim that he has the support of two-thirds of Malaysia\u2019s lawmakers through the confidence vote. \nCommanding a two-thirds supermajority will allow Mr Anwar\u2019s government to make sweeping changes to laws, including amending the Constitution and changing electoral rules.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Parliament sitting will also see the government seek RM56 billion (S$17 billion) in additional expenditure funds, as the country\u2019s 2023 federal budget was not passed by Parliament before it was dissolved in October to pave the way for elections. \n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-parliament-sits-for-first-time-under-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s Perikatan Nasional makes play for Selangor as crowds throng Hari Raya open house", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM \u2013 Thousands of people turned up at Perikatan Nasional\u2019s (PN) Hari Raya open house on Sunday in Selangor, as the opposition coalition wooed voters in the federal government stronghold ahead of state elections. \nOne attendee, Ms Norazlina Afiq, said people flocked to the event to hear what the political leaders had to say. \n\u201cI came to have dinner and also listen to the political leaders\u2019 speeches over here. But what I have seen is PN\u2019s open house is the most packed with people,\u201d the 44-year-old housewife from Selangor told The Straits Times.  \n\n\n\n\n\nShe was comparing Sunday\u2019s gathering with similar events held by PN\u2019s key rival Pakatan Harapan (PH) and headlined by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim earlier in May in the PN-controlled states of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.\nThe turnout at PN\u2019s event in the state capital Shah Alam was estimated to number about 30,000, said Selangor PN chairman Azmin Ali. \nOne attendee, Ms Fatimah Ali, 73, said a sponsored bus had taken her to the event from the west coast state of Perak.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI came by bus with my friends to attend the Hari Raya open house. Although it took us hours to reach Selangor, it has been a fun trip with friends,\u201d she told ST.\n\nDatuk Seri Azmin, a former Selangor menteri besar, also said he would not be contesting in the state election. \u201cI need a break. I have served seven terms. We should allow the younger generations to succeed, and we have potential candidates who are very committed to the cause,\u201d he said.\nPN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said in his speech at the event that the opposition can make huge inroads in Selangor, which has been governed by PH since 2008. He told the crowd that Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s government has not fulfilled its promise to reduce the cost of living. \n\u201cThe federal government does not have a concrete plan to help the plight of the people in Selangor,\u201d said Muhyiddin.  \n\n\n\n\n\nDespite its 15-year hold on Malaysia\u2019s richest state, PH is expected to face a tough fight at the upcoming state election, after PN made inroads in some Selangor wards during the federal election in November 2022. Six of Selangor\u2019s 22 MPs now come from PN, and the opposition alliance has gained ground in more than 20 of the 56 state assembly seats that will be contested. \nSix states will go to the polls, which are expected by July \u2013 Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah. While the state legislatures have yet to be dissolved, political parties have begun unofficial campaigning through these festive gatherings.\nThe country\u2019s opposition alliance does not want to give the impression that it is not visible and is passive, said BowerGroupAsia director Arinah Najwa. \n\u201cPN recognises the rise in support it received during the last election, hence it makes sense for them to leverage that momentum. Hosting an open house in Selangor allows them to build on the relationship with PN\u2019s supporters and grassroots,\u201d Ms Arinah told The Straits Times.\n", "\nIn addition to raising a party\u2019s visibility, analysts say Hari Raya open houses also serve as a way to network, build new relationships, and strengthen longstanding relationships with political allies.\n\u201cIn politics, your network and strength of relationships with your allies are important, so having open houses would be a good way to strengthen that,\u201d said Ms Arinah.\n", "\nHowever, these events do not sway or shape voters\u2019 opinions, said Mr Halmie Azrie Abdul Halim, a senior analyst at government regulatory affairs and political risk consultancy Vriens and Partners Malaysia. He said the open house is meant more as an avenue for party loyalists to assemble, as well as to galvanise support and show solidarity with the grassroots.\n\u201cOpen houses give politicians a platform to gain free \u2018air time\u2019 for them to make political speeches but protected under the circumstance of an open house. It is also part of Malaysian culture to mingle and chat while helping yourself to the buffet table laden with food.\n\u201cAnd it gives politicians the best cover to make appearances and mingle with any invitees that could be from the various government agencies or civil servants or media,\u201d Mr Halmie told ST.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-perikatan-nasional-confident-of-winning-selangor-as-crowds-throng-hari-raya-open-house"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s plan for bank loans to be granted against retirement savings draws ire", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s national pension fund\u2019s plan to allow its members to take out low-interest bank loans against their retirement savings has drawn flak from the opposition, who say financially strapped members should instead be allowed to withdraw their savings directly.\nOpposition MPs staged a walkout from Parliament on Monday in protest after their motion to debate emergency Employees Provident Fund (EPF) withdrawals was rejected.\nPerikatan Nasional (PN) MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Kamal said he was informed that his emergency motion was rejected as the Finance Minister and his deputy have already explained the matter. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHowever, there are still many complaints and grouses from the people, and they are still unhappy with the response by the minister and deputy minister,\u201d he said in Parliament.\nFellow PN MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan accused the government of backtracking on its previous stance, posting on Facebook a news article in March last year quoting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was then opposition leader, as saying that a further round of EPF withdrawals should be allowed to help Malaysians who were struggling financially.\nMalaysian media reported that taxi driver Noorazlan Ismail, 48, walked more than 300km from Skudai, Johor to the National Palace in capital Kuala Lumpur, to push the government to allow for a fresh withdrawal.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNetizens had in March slammed the initial bank loan idea announced by Datuk Seri Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, saying they were unhappy that their savings needed to be used as collateral for loans.\n\nThe EPF is a statutory retirement fund that helps private sector workers save a portion of their salary, similar to Singapore\u2019s Central Provident Fund.\nOn Monday, the EPF said that a minimum RM3,000 (S$905) of savings in contributors\u2019 Account 2 can be used to obtain personal financing of up to RM50,000. The outstanding loan amount can be settled from the EPF account when the contributor reaches the age of 50 to 55 and is allowed to withdraw his retirement savings.\nThis facility will be implemented in two phases, the first of which will begin on April 7 and remain open for one year.  Eligible members who are 40 years of age or older may apply.\n\n\n\n\n\nPhase 2, for members under 40, has yet to be announced.\n\u201cThis facility is targeted towards EPF members who have savings in Account 2, and are supported with a reasonable income to ensure they can afford the financing and repay it without compromising their retirement income adequacy and security. It offers a practical solution for EPF members who are facing temporary liquidity issues by providing cash flow through personal financing but with minimal impact to their retirement savings,\u201d the EPF said in a statement.\nSavings will remain intact in Account 2 and continue to receive an annual dividend, which was 6.1 per cent in 2021 and 5.35 per cent in 2022. This exceeds the interest rate of 4 to 5 per cent per annum for the bank loan under the EPF plan.\nThe issue of EPF withdrawals has been a political hot potato since the Covid-19 pandemic, during which Malaysians were allowed to withdraw funds from their accounts to help them weather the economic downturn. Economists, however, say it is not viable for members to continue withdrawing from their retirement funds, which are dwindling. \nOfficial EPF data showed that 51.5 per cent or a total of 6.67 million of its members under the age of 55 have \u201cextremely low\u201d savings of less than RM10,000 as at end-2022. The EPF considers a sum of RM240,000 as adequate for a poverty-level pension by the time its members retire.\n", "\nContributors were allowed to withdraw their savings at least four times during the pandemic, resulting in a total of RM145 billion being released from the fund. \nMembers who withdrew their savings during the pandemic were largely made up of Bumiputera \u2013 comprising Malays and indigenous tribes \u2013 at 5.1 million or 76 per cent. The median savings level for Bumiputera also decreased from RM6,600 at the end of 2021 to RM4,700 in 2022.\nLess than half the labour force is covered by EPF. Another 10 per cent or so are in the public sector \u2013 and covered by a civil service pension plan \u2013 while about four in 10 are informal workers with no mandated retirement plans.\nEconomist Nungsari Ahmad Radhi told The Straits Times that there are Malaysians who are really struggling to make ends meet, but they will not be helped by EPF withdrawals. \u201cThey are not people with money in EPF. Some may not even have an EPF account. \n\u201cThis proposal to have more EPF withdrawals \u2013 after some RM145 billion has been taken out \u2013 is just irresponsible, made by irresponsible people. It won\u2019t solve the problems of those in need of assistance, and will make the situation worse for those who take more money out from their retirement.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-plan-for-bank-loans-to-be-granted-against-retirement-savings-draws-ire"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s PM Anwar acts against a critic who accuses him of being an agent of Israel", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has acted against an opposition politician for allegedly accusing him of being \u201can Israeli agent\u201d. \nHis aide is also threatening to take action against an opposition politician for saying Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s so-called unity government is a \u201ckerajaan zina\u201d (adulterous government). \nMr Anwar has over the years been accused by his political opponents, without evidence, of working for Israel or the United States, as part of smear tactics in political rallies or on social media.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe himself referred to the accusation in his first meeting on Tuesday with civil servants, saying he has been ignoring a lot of slander since becoming prime minister, including that he was an \u201cIsraeli agent\u201d.\n\u201cI want to focus on work, besides, you know I\u2019m an agent of many countries \u2013 the US, Israel, India, now Turkey, so I have surpassed 007 in many ways,\u201d Mr Anwar quipped. \u201cSo I hope we can focus on work.\u201d His remarks drew chuckles from the audience, Bloomberg reported.\nOn Tuesday, Mr Anwar sought an apology from a Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal lawmaker Hassan Saad in Kedah state over a Twitter audio posting said to contain allegations of his links with Israel, Malaysiakini reported. PN is an opposition coalition. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar claimed that the posting defamed him, and also ridiculed the decree of the Malaysian King to appoint him as prime minister and was an insult against Malaysia\u2019s royalty as well, the news site reported.\n\nSeparately, a leader of opposition Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Afif Bahardin, condemned the information chief of PM Anwar\u2019s coalition, Fahmi Fadzil, for threatening to bring in the police to act against PN election candidate Mr Azman Nasrudin.\nMr Azman had allegedly said the new government is an \u201cadulterous government\u201d. The Anwar administration is led by his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition with help from other coalitions, including former political foes Barisan Nasional.\nPH\u2019s communications director\u00a0Mr Fahmi accused Mr Azman of being \u201cextremely rude\u201d to the King and his constitutional right to appoint a person deemed worthy to be prime minister\n\u201cHarapan\u2019s threat to take police action over a statement against Azman goes completely against its repeated promise that they will defend freedom of speech,\u201d Mr Afif said in a statement. \n\u201cIn their GE-15 election manifesto, Harapan specifically promised to abolish draconian laws that restrict freedom of speech and promise to \u2018defend democracy and promote free speech,\u2019 the statement added.\nMr Azman is the PN candidate for the Dec 7 Padang Serai election in Kedah states, to appoint a federal MP. Voting was rescheduled after one of the candidates died before the Nov 19 general election.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-pm-anwar-acts-against-critics-who-accuse-him-of-being-an-agent-of-israel"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s PM Anwar announces cash aid to landslide victims", "text": ["\nBATANG KALI - Families of those who perished in the landslide at a campsite in Batang Kali, Selangor will receive RM10,000 (S$3,070), Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on Friday.\nThe families of survivors will receive RM1,000 each.\n\u201cRM10,000 will be given to families of the deceased, with RM1,000 to be given to survivors.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe funds will be channelled through coordination between the Selangor state government and various non-governmental organisations,\u201d he said, adding that it would begin on Saturday.\nDatuk Seri Anwar arrived at ground zero, at the foot of Genting Highlands, and spent about an hour speaking to officials on site and being briefed on operations here.\nWhen asked whether a special committee would be formed to investigate the tragedy and whether human error could have caused the landslide, he said he would wait for official reports from rescue officials.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI do not want to jump the gun. Let\u2019s wait for their reports first,\u201d he said.\n\nAt least 21 people have been killed and 12 were still missing. The authorities said 61 people were rescued from the Father\u2019s Organic Farm in Batang Kali, including three Singaporeans. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-pm-anwar-announces-cash-aid-to-landslide-victims"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s PM Anwar faces uphill battle to woo Malay voters", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has his work cut out for him in the run-up to state elections expected by August, as he needs to claw back Malay votes from the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance. Besides jetting around the world in recent weeks meeting global leaders to cement his position, he has been going down to the ground in several states, including the PN-ruled Terengganu, giving out money to mosques and Muslim students during the holy month of Ramadan. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-pm-anwar-faces-uphill-climb-to-woo-malay-votes"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s PM Anwar names 27 deputy ministers to complete his leadership team", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday named 27 deputy ministers for his unity government, seven days after naming his Cabinet ministers.\nThe names were unveiled at a news conference in Malaysia\u2019s administrative capital of Putrajaya after they were approved by the Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, earlier on Friday. The deputy ministers will be sworn in before the King at 3pm on Saturday.\nDatuk Seri Anwar on Dec 2 unveiled a slightly smaller Cabinet than that of his predecessor, totalling 28 full ministers that included himself and two deputy prime ministers.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar is also the Finance Minister. The Finance Ministry will have two deputy ministers \u2013 Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan from the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and Mr Steven Sim from Pakatan Harapan (PH). \nThe deputy minister for the Ministry of International Trade and Industry is Mr Liew Chin Tong (PH), who was the deputy defence minister when PH helmed the government in 2018.\nThe deputy defence minister is Mr Adly Zahari (PH), who was formerly Melaka chief minister. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe deputy ministers in other key ministries are:\n\n- Home Affairs \u2013\u00a0Mr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (BN)\n-\u00a0Law and Institutional Reform\u00a0\u2013 Mr Ramkarpal Singh (PH)\n- Foreign Affairs \u2013 Mr Mohamad Alamin (BN)\n\n\n\n\n\n- Transport \u2013 Hasbi Habibollah (Gabungan Parti Sarawak, or GPS)\n- Education \u2013 Ms Lim Hui Ying (PH), younger sister of Mr Lim Guan Eng, a PH leader and chairman of the Democratic Action Party\n- Higher Education \u2013 Mr Yusof Apdal (Parti Warisan), younger brother of former Cabinet minister Shafie Apdal.\n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s unity government is made up of four main coalitions: PH led by Mr Anwar with 82 seats, BN with 30, GPS with 23 and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah with six, making a total of 141 seats in the 222-strong federal Parliament.\nMr Anwar has said he also has support from other smaller coalitions and parties for a total of 148 parliamentary seats, or a two-thirds majority.\nThe Anwar administration is burnishing its reformist credentials by reviewing projects and plans approved by past administrations. The PH alliance\u2019s election manifesto also promised to fight corruption.\nMr Anwar on Friday said the government will continue to be consistent in its efforts to combat corruption.\n\u201cBy celebrating and upholding integrity, it can propel Malaysia towards holistic excellence that will include the physical and spiritual aspects, values and identity,\u201d he said in a Facebook post on Friday, which is also International Anti-Corruption Day.\n", "\nSeparately, Malaysia\u2019s anti-graft agency said its investigation into the alleged misuse of Covid-19 era stimulus packages by the previous administration will focus on RM92.5 billion (S$28.4 billion) spent by the government.\nThis comes a day after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said that it had opened an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of RM600 billion of public funds for tackling the pandemic. The MACC said on Thursday that it would summon former premier Muhyiddin Yassin and two former Cabinet ministers who served in his administration for questioning over the case.\nThe other two are former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and former finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who now heads the International Trade and Industry Ministry in the new government. The funds for the pandemic included resources for vaccines, local media reports say.\u00a0\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-pm-anwar-names-27-deputy-ministers-to-complete-his-leadership-team"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar says he plans to invite Perikatan Nasional to join his unity govt", "text": ["\nSUNGAI LONG, SELANGOR - Malaysia\u2019s new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday that he plans to invite the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition \u2013 a bitter rival to his Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the general election \u2013 to join the unity government that he leads.\nSpeaking at his first news conference as premier, Datuk Seri Anwar said the rights of the Malay majority and Malaysia\u2019s official religion of Islam will be protected, but that he will also defend the rights of all other ethnic groups and all Malaysian territories.\n\u00a0\u201cI am proposing that Perikatan Nasional consider whether they are ready to support the government which is now strong and stable\u201d to uphold the King\u2019s decree, Mr Anwar said.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis is a national unity government. All are welcome on condition that you accept the fundamental rules of good governance, no corruption, and Malaysia for all Malaysians,\u201d he said. \nThe news conference was held at a golf club in Sungai Long near Kajang town in Selangor state, on the edge of capital city Kuala Lumpur.\nEarlier on Thursday, PN leader Muhyiddin Yassin asked Mr Anwar to prove his parliamentary majority. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said PN had 115 lawmakers supporting the coalition on Tuesday, when the King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, asked for PH and PN to send in their list of lawmakers. \n\nThe number is above the minimum 112 seats needed to control the 222-strong Parliament.\nTan Sri Muhyiddin had on Tuesday rejected joining the unity government offered by the King.\nOn Thursday, PM Anwar said he will call for a vote of confidence to show his majority on the first day of the sitting of Parliament, on Dec 19. \u201cSo the concern of legitimacy will not arise,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nApart from his PH coalition, which has 82 seats, the Prime Minister said the members of his unity government are Barisan Nasional, with 30 seats, and Gabungan Parti Sarawak, with 23. This would make a total of 135 seats.  \n", "\nSpeaking about the Malay-Muslim majority, which had mostly voted for PN, he said that their rights will be protected.\n\u201cI am firm in the efforts to raise the status of the Malay language as the national language. I understand the need to elevate the status of Islam as the official religion of the federation, the special position of Malays and bumiputera, as contained in the Constitution, and our system of governance that ensures the respected and sovereign status of the Malay rulers,\u201d he said. \nHe added that while the Malay race and culture, and the Islamic religion, are key foundations, the new government will also guarantee the rights of all other ethnic groups and religions, and all territories of the country.\nOn the differences in the manifestos of various parties in his unity government, Mr Anwar said he will never compromise on core issues, such as the need for good governance, judicial independence and eradication of corruption. \nMost importantly, he will address the cost of living issue to protect the welfare of ordinary people, he added.\n", "\nMr Anwar is taking helm of the country as the economy is rebounding from the coronavirus pandemic and experiencing high inflation, like most countries around the world.\nHe said: \u201cMy main focus will be the economy. I am grateful because today, the situation and investors\u2019 confidence have changed. The ringgit has strengthened and the stock exchange is energised.\u201d\nBoth the stock market and the ringgit performed strongly on Thursday on optimism over Mr Anwar\u2019s appointment.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-pm-anwar-says-will-invite-perikatan-nasional-into-his-unity-govt"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s political stability, electrical ecosystem credited for convincing Amazon, Tesla to invest", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Amazon Web Services (AWS) took a wait-and-see approach that spanned a number of years before deciding to invest RM25.5 billion (S$7.7 billion) in Malaysia, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday.\n\u201cNegotiations started in December 2019 and were ongoing... In the end, they contacted us to state that it was because of political stability and clear direction in policies that Amazon chose Malaysia to set up their base,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar said in response to a parliamentary question in the Dewan Rakyat.\nHe added that transparency in negotiations between AWS and the government was also a factor in the company\u2019s decision to invest here.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere were to be no negotiations with agents or private companies selected by us. We said that they (AWS) have the freedom and transparency to make their own choice subject to stipulated conditions,\u201d he said.\nMr Anwar also noted that incentives provided to foreign investors are sufficient and AWS was more concerned if Malaysia was business-friendly.\n\u201cWhat they stressed on was the ease of doing business on matters such as whether approvals could be made swiftly. That is why we have set up a main task force committee to oversee the project as we cannot carry on operating like the old ways,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAWS announced last Thursday that it would be launching a new infrastructure region in Malaysia as part of a public-private sector partnership with the Malaysian government.\n\nThe announcement also came with AWS confirming it intends to invest at least RM25.5 billion in the country by 2037 with the intention of developing Malaysia as a \u201ccloud region\u201d for data storage and other cloud-based services.\nAWS\u2019 established cloud regions in Asia currently include Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, and Hong Kong. The company is also developing a new region in Thailand.\nAnother corporate giant, Tesla, also recently announced plans to invest in Malaysia.\nInternational Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz had previously said Tesla\u2019s decision was based on Malaysia\u2019s strong electrical and electronics ecosystem to support the manufacture of electric vehicles (EVs).\nTesla plans to set up an operating office, its famed experience centres, as well as aftersales support facilities in the country. \nMr Anwar said businesses from Singapore and the Philippines have indicated their interest in using the AWS cloud facilities in Malaysia once they have been set up.\nWithout providing specific figures, he said the investments by AWS and Tesla would create several thousand jobs, including positive spillover effects for the surrounding small and medium-sized enterprises. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-political-stability-electrical-ecosystem-credited-for-convincing-amazon-tesla-to-invest"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s poll results signal a hardening of the ethnic divide", "text": ["SINGAPORE - Three-term Pakatan Harapan (PH) MP Nurul Izzah Anwar had her first taste of electoral defeat when she turned 42 on Nov 19. No one saw it coming. Permatang Pauh, the seat in Penang that she was defending, did not make it to any \u201chot seats to watch\u201d or \u201ctoo close to call\u201d lists in news articles or analysts\u2019 reports. It is, after all, Ms Izzah\u2019s family\u2019s legacy seat, one that her father Anwar Ibrahim first captured in 1982 with a vote share of 75 per cent on Barisan Nasional\u2019s (BN) ticket.\u00a0 "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-poll-results-signal-a-hardening-of-the-ethnic-divide"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s private consumption could be bright spark amid dim economic outlook", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Private consumption could be the bright spark amid Malaysia\u2019s economic gloom, with retailers like local hypermarket chain Mydin and United States tech giant Apple making plans for expansion.\nSome analysts and businesses say factors such as China reopening its borders and firmer commodity and oil prices will also be a boost to the economy.\nAustralian retailer Harvey Norman announced in December that it is looking to open another 52 stores in Malaysia within the next six years. The company also expects double-digit growth in sales in 2023. \n\n\n\n\n\nApple is planning to set up its first stores in Malaysia and has started to hire employees locally. It already has stores in Thailand and Singapore. \nMydin, which has 61 branches in Malaysia targeting low-income groups, plans to open up to three new outlets in 2024.\nDatuk Ameer Ali Mydin, managing director of Mydin, said private consumption is expected to increase in 2023, noting that there was already a spike in footfall in all its outlets.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe footfall in January is 10 per cent above pre-Covid-19 levels in 2019. We foresee this momentum continuing due to stronger commodity prices that will increase the disposable income of farmers,\u201d he told The Straits Times. \n\nThese moves appear to buck the results of surveys that said Malaysia faces rising economic pessimism. \nRecent polls like the PwC Global CEO Survey revealed that 74 per cent of Malaysian chief executives foresee global economic growth declining in the next 12 months.\nAccording to the survey, these executives cited inflation, macroeconomic volatility and geopolitical conflict as the top three threats to economic growth in 2023. \n\n\n\n\n\nAnother survey, the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, found that economic optimism in Malaysia is currently at an all-time low, dropping 20 percentage points since the 2022 edition. \n", "\nHowever, analysts have predicted some positives for 2023.  \nBank Islam chief economist Firdaos Rosli said a significant boost to the economy will come from China reopening its borders and stronger commodity and oil prices, as well as recovery in the service sector, including tourism and private education.\nMalaysia\u2019s private consumption could rise further in 2023, assuming the government maintains its fuel subsidies this year, Mr Firdaos told ST. Bank Islam estimates private consumption to register a double-digit growth of 12.4 per cent in 2022. \n\u201cThe government targets the arrival of five million tourists from China... The anticipated decline in unemployment rate due to improvements in labour market will also spur domestic consumption,\u201d added Mr Firdaos. \nAnother positive signal is the central bank\u2019s decision in January to keep the overnight policy rate unchanged at 2.75 per cent, after four consecutive interest rate hikes last year appeared to have brought inflation under control.  \nHeadline inflation figures softened to 3.8 per cent year on year in December 2022 from 4 per cent in November.  \n\u201cThe interest rate pause by Bank Negara also means the cost of borrowing by households and businesses will be static. Its impact on borrowers\u2019 disposable income is neutral unless the central bank decides to hike rates in early March or May 2023,\u201d said Mr Firdaos. \n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership could also boost the nation\u2019s exports, said MIDF Research. \nThe research house expects Malaysia\u2019s exports growth to moderate to 9.2 per cent in 2023, after posting a strong post-pandemic expansion of 25 per cent in 2022. \n\u201cWe expect continued rise in demand for electronics and electrical and commodities to continue driving Malaysia\u2019s exports, while sustained rise in domestic spending and business activities will support imports,\u201d said MIDF Research.\nBank Negara expects Malaysia\u2019s economic growth to moderate in 2023, falling to between 4 per cent and 5 per cent after recovering strongly from the low-base effect of the pandemic in 2022. \nIt estimates that gross domestic product growth in 2022 likely surpassed the government\u2019s official forecast of 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent. \nThe American Malaysia Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), a business association comprising about 290 American, Malaysian and other international companies, is also cautiously optimistic about 2023.\nAmCham CEO Siobhan Das expects more high-value investments to flow into Malaysia as the association\u2019s members continue to expand their operations. \n\u201cCompanies continue to leverage the inherent advantages that Malaysia has to offer in the form of an established manufacturing base... a proven track record of providing a skilled workforce, and government policies that are designed to support growth opportunities and ensure Malaysia remains an integral part of the global trading ecosystem,\u201d she told ST. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-private-consumption-could-be-bright-spark-amid-dim-economic-outlook"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s \u2018sin industries\u2019 plan for rising Islamic conservatism ahead of state polls", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s so-called sin industries are making contingency plans to guard their earnings, amid fears that upcoming state elections could shift policies to favour Muslim conservatives, and curtail activities such as gambling and alcohol sales.Fuelling such concerns are the electoral gains made by Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) in the November general election, in which it won 43 seats and became the largest party in federal Parliament. While the Islamist party, together with its allies in the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, remains in federal opposition, a repeat performance at state elections could see it leading more state governments."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-sin-industries-plan-for-rising-islamic-conservatism-ahead-of-state-polls"}, {"title": "Polls in 6 Malaysian states likely to be in August, says Penang Chief Minister", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN \u2013 The highly anticipated state elections in six Malaysian states will most likely take place in August, according to Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.\nHe predicted that it could happen as late as the second week of August, or five to six weeks after the proposed dissolution of the Penang legislative assembly on June 28.\n\u201cIt\u2019s up to the Election Commission to pick the date. There\u2019s a possibility that it would be held in August,\u201d he told The Star.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Chow will be having an audience with Penang Governor Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak on June 27 to seek permission to dissolve the state legislative assembly the following day.\nIt was reported earlier that the six states, including Penang, had already reached an understanding to dissolve their respective state assemblies to pave the way for simultaneous state polls.\nThe Selangor state assembly automatically expires on June 25, followed by Kelantan on June 27, Terengganu on June 30, Kedah on July 3, Negeri Sembilan on July 1, and Penang on Aug 2.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakob said on Wednesday that the state assembly will be dissolved on June 22, while Negeri Sembilan has agreed to dissolve its state assembly on June 30. \n\nOpposition Parti Bersatu Pribumi Malaysia (Bersatu) noted the state polls are likely to be held by mid-August, after the end of the Haj season.\n\u201cWe hope that it will fall on a Saturday and not a working day, which will make it harder for those who have to return home to fulfil their obligation as voters,\u201d Bersatu information chief Razali Idris said.\nHe added that mid-August would be an apt timing for the polls because those who performed their Haj pilgrimage would have returned to the country by then.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Haj pilgrimage culminates on June 28, with pilgrims returning to the country by early August.\nDatuk Razali said Bersatu and its allies had prepared their workers for the elections.\n\u201cWe don\u2019t need to rely on volunteers and we have our own party members who have undergone training to be polling and counting agents. They are ready together with our election machinery,\u201d he added.\n", "\nElection analyst Dr G. Manimaran said the Election Commission (EC) is well-prepared to hold the polls by mid-August.\n\u201cIf the state assemblies are dissolved by the end of June and the first week of July, the EC will need about four to five weeks to prepare for the polls. \n\u201cThe end of the second week of August should be about the right time,\u201d he noted.\nHe added that an indication of a mid-August polling day could be seen after the EC issued a postal voting notification last week.\n\u201cThis will clear the way for voting day by mid-August after nominations are done by the end of July,\u201d he said.\nHe added that polling would be wrapped up just as the nation begins its Merdeka Day festivities, which are usually in mid-August.\nThe nation celebrates its national day on Aug 31, to commemorate its independence from Britain in 1957. \nUniversiti Sains Malaysia Centre for Policy Research and International Studies director, Associate Professor Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk, said the polling date in August would benefit both the unity government and the opposition.\n\u201cI think both coalitions will mobilise their supporters as much as they can. The process has actually started now,\u201d he noted.\nHe added that the unity government could use the spirit of patriotism and love for the country to rally support from voters during the Merdeka month. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-state-polls-likely-to-be-in-august-says-penang-chief-minister"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s unity govt forms 3 committees to ensure consensus on state polls, communication", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Three committees have been formed by Malaysia\u2019s unity government to focus on issues concerning communication strategies and the upcoming state polls, among others.\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the three committees were for communication strategies, state elections, and to monitor political developments and administration.\n\u201cThis is to ensure that policies are agreed by all,\u201d said Datuk Seri Anwar after chairing the unity government secretariat meeting at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) on Tuesday night.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar said the committee on state polls will ensure that all parties in the unity government work as one team in the upcoming six state elections.\n\u201cThis committee will also discuss issues on the state polls, particularly seat allocations, and focus on efforts to ensure we have a firm ground in taking on the state elections,\u201d he said.\n\u201cThis is very positive to me because of the consensus and commitment by all parties, as well as our friends from Sabah and Sarawak, to ensure that we are a team.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThose present at the meeting included Umno president Zahid Hamidi, Malaysian Chinese Association president Wee Ka Siong, and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) parliamentary whip Fadillah Yusof.\n\nMr Anwar said the communication strategy committee was needed for the present government to address extreme slander.\nHe cited the recent Quran burning incident in Sweden as an example, where religious leaders had claimed that the government was silent.\n\u201cThat time, we issued a statement condemning the act. The Foreign Ministry summoned the Swedish ambassador and one million copies of the Quran were distributed immediately around the world,\u201d Mr Anwar said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis is why this committee is needed.\u201d \nMr Anwar also said the committee to monitor political developments and government agenda will look into public views on election manifestos of parties under the unity government.\n\u201cThey will also look into policies that are a priority, such as the cost of living and ensuring cooperation between all races in all states,\u201d he said.\n", "\nThe Prime Minister announced that he is the chairman of the unity government\u2019s secretariat, and Datuk Seri Fadillah will be its secretary-general.\nAccording to Mr Anwar, the heads of parties under the unity government will be the deputy presidents in the secretariat.\nHe also thanked Zahid for hosting the meeting at Umno\u2019s headquarters in WTCKL.\nMr Anwar said the meeting began with a presentation by data science experts on the post-general election analysis.\n\u201cIn terms of support, the unity government is the only coalition that represents all races in the country and this is an advantage to us,\u201d he said.\nHis visit to the Umno headquarters was his first in about 25 years.\nHis unity government is supported by Pakatan Harapan\u2019s 82 MPs, Barisan Nasional\u2019s 30, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah\u2019s six, GPS\u2019 23, Parti Warisan Sabah\u2019s three, two independent MPs, and one each from Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat, Muda and Parti Bangsa Malaysia. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-s-unity-gov-t-forms-3-committees-including-on-state-polls-to-ensure-consensus"}, {"title": "Malaysia says Abu Dhabi's IPIC and Aabar PJS to pay $2.4b to settle 1MDB dispute", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s finance ministry said on Monday that Abu Dhabi\u2019s International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC) and Aabar Investments PJS have agreed to pay US$1.8 billion (S$2.4 billion) to settle a legal dispute over the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal. \nMalaysia filed a challenge in a London court in 2018 against a settlement agreement between 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and IPIC that had been negotiated a year earlier during the premiership of Najib Razak.\nFormer prime minister Najib was sentenced to 12 years in jail in 2022 after being found guilty in a 1MDB-related corruption case.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nIn its challenge, Malaysia argued that the 2017 settlement was procured by fraud.\u00a0\nThe finance ministry said on Monday that the Abu Dhabi companies, 1MDB and Malaysia\u2019s Minister of Finance (Incorporated) had reached a settlement in respect of proceedings in the London Court of International Arbitration and the London High Court.\u00a0\n\u201cWith this settlement, Malaysia and Abu Dhabi look forward to continuing to work together for the prosperity and economic benefit of both countries in the future,\u201d the ministry said in a statement.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s 1MDB is the subject of corruption and money-laundering investigations in at least six countries.\u00a0\n\nAn estimated US$4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB by high-level officials of the fund and their associates between 2009 and 2014, the US Justice Department has alleged. REUTERS    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-says-abu-dhabis-ipic-and-aabar-pjs-to-pay-24b-to-settle-1mdb-dispute"}, {"title": "Malaysia says firms that hired stranded migrant workers to face action", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia said on Monday that it would sanction firms and strip away licences from recruitment agencies involved in hiring migrant workers who later found themselves stranded without jobs in the country.  \nReuters reported last week that hundreds of South Asian migrants, mostly from Bangladesh and Nepal, had been left in limbo after arriving in Malaysia, where they were told that jobs promised to them in exchange for steep recruitment fees were no longer available. \nMalaysia announced a probe in April.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe plight of the migrants \u2013 many of whom say they have not been paid salaries for months \u2013 comes amid concerns over workplace abuses in Malaysia, with several companies facing bans in the United States for forced labour in recent years.\nIn response to Reuters\u2019 queries, Malaysia\u2019s Labour Department vowed to take action against recruitment agencies and companies found to have misused government quotas and licences for hiring migrant workers.\nThe department said in an e-mailed statement that it would conduct a thorough investigation and would not compromise on any unlawful activities that could \u201clead to any form of forced labour\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe department said it had moved some of the stranded workers to government-registered quarters and compelled some companies to pay for their accommodation and salaries.\n\nIt did not say how many workers in a similar plight it had identified, or how many firms or agencies it was investigating. \nThe department also denied reports that two Nepali citizens had died by suicide at a workers\u2019 accommodation facility.\nIt cited police investigations that determined only one death \u2013 that of a Nepali recruitment agent, who had travelled to Malaysia to oversee the cases of workers stranded.\nThe police would conduct a further probe into the death, said the department. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-says-firms-that-hired-stranded-migrant-workers-to-face-action"}, {"title": "Malaysia says it could stop palm oil exports to EU after new curbs", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia has said it could stop exporting palm oil to the European Union in response to a new law in the bloc that aims to protect forests by strictly regulating the sale of the product.\nCommodities Minister Fadillah Yusof said Malaysia and Indonesia would discuss the law, which bans the sale of palm oil and other commodities linked to deforestation unless importers can show that production of their specific goods had not damaged forests. \nSince the EU is a major palm oil importer, the law, agreed to in December, has raised an outcry from Indonesia and Malaysia, the top producers.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf we need to engage experts from overseas to counter whatever move by EU, we have to do it,\u201d Mr Fadillah told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar on Thursday.\n\u201cOr, the option could be we just stop exports to Europe, just focus on other countries if they (the EU) are giving us all a difficult time to export to them,\u201d he said.\nEnvironmental activists blame the industry for rampant clearing of South-east Asian rainforests, though Indonesia and Malaysia have created sustainability certification standards mandatory for all plantations. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe industry is a major employer, and provides a source of income for smallholder farmers.\n\nMr Fadillah, who is also deputy prime minister, urged members of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) to work together against the new law and to combat \u201cbaseless allegations\u201d by the EU and the United States about palm oil\u2019s sustainability.  \nCPOPC, which is led by Indonesia and Malaysia, has previously accused the EU of unfairly targeting palm oil. \nResponding to Mr Fadillah, the EU\u2019s ambassador to Malaysia said the EU was not banning any imports of palm oil from the country and denied that its deforestation law created barriers to Malaysian exports. \u201c(The law) applies equally to commodities produced in any country, including EU member states, and aims to ensure that commodity production does not drive further deforestation and forest degradation,\u201d EU Ambassador Michalis Rokas told Reuters.   \nMr Rokas added that he looked forward to meeting Mr Fadillah to ease Malaysia\u2019s concerns. \nEU demand for palm oil is expected to decline significantly over the next 10 years even before the new law was agreed to. \nIn 2018, an EU renewable-energy directive required phasing out palm-based transportation fuels by 2030 because of their perceived link to deforestation.\nIndonesia and Malaysia have launched separate cases with the World Trade Organisation, saying the fuels measure is discriminatory and constitutes a trade barrier.\nIndonesian President Joko Widodo and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim this week agreed to \u201cfight discrimination against palm oil\u201d and strengthen cooperation through CPOPC.\nMr Fadillah said: \u201cThis will mean that we will have to be more coordinated in our efforts in conveying our stand and stance on policy matters that will affect the socio-economic well-being of our respective countries.\u201d\nThe EU is the world\u2019s third-largest palm oil consumer, according to Malaysian Palm Oil Board data. It accounts for 9.4 per cent of Malaysia\u2019s palm oil exports, taking 1.47 million tonnes in 2022, down 10.5 per cent from 2021. REUTERS     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-says-it-could-stop-palm-oil-exports-to-eu-after-new-curbs"}, {"title": "Malaysia says Luxembourg court sets aside request to enforce Sabah arbitration award", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013  Malaysia\u2019s law minister on Thursday said a Luxembourg court had set aside an attempt made by the heirs of a former sultanate to enforce a US$15 billion (S$19.6 billion) arbitration award they won against Malaysia.\nA French court last year had ordered Malaysia to pay US$14.9 billion to the heirs of the last sultan of Sulu to honour a colonial-era land deal in Malaysia\u2019s Sabah region. Malaysia, which did not participate in the arbitration proceedings, maintains the process is illegal.  \nMalaysia obtained a stay against the award\u2019s enforcement in France, but the ruling remains enforceable outside France under a United Nations treaty on international arbitration.\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s law minister Azalina Othman Said said the District Court of Luxembourg on Tuesday had set aside a request for an \u201cattachment order\u201d made by the Sulu heirs.\nIt was not immediately clear what impact, if any, the decision would make on the arbitration award. Datuk Seri Azalina did not provide details of the court decision in a statement that described it as a \u201csignificant victory\u201d for  Malaysia.\nA lawyer for the heirs did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment and the Luxembourg court could not immediately be reached for confirmation of the decision.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLast July, two Luxembourg-based subsidiaries of Malaysian state oil firm Petronas were seized by court bailiffs as part of the heirs\u2019 efforts to enforce the award.\n\nMs Azalina did not say whether the decision was related to the seizure of the Petronas units.\n\u201cThis decision vindicates the government\u2019s policy to vigorously defend  Malaysia in every forum to ensure that  Malaysia\u2019s interests, sovereign immunity and sovereignty are protected and preserved at all times,\u201d Ms Azalina said in a statement.\nPetronas has said it would contest any claims made on its assets. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-says-luxembourg-court-sets-aside-request-to-enforce-sabah-arbitration-award"}, {"title": "Malaysia says missing Pakistani \u2018journalist\u2019 extradited four months ago", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A Pakistani man who fled to Malaysia over a decade ago, after allegedly writing about corruption involving state officials and missing persons, had been extradited, Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail\u00a0said on Tuesday.\nThe controversial move to deport Mr Syed Fawad Ali Shah to Pakistan last August was made by the previous Umno-led government, Datuk Seri Saifuddin told reporters, with the issue highlighting once again Malaysia\u2019s inconsistent human rights record on deportations. \nMr Syed Fawad went missing in Malaysia from August last year, his wife said in a tearful news conference last week.  \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Syed Fawad has been holding a refugee card issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 2011, his wife said, but Malaysia does not recognise the card.\nMr Saifuddin said the previous administration, headed by then Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, deported Mr Syed Fawad at the request of Pakistan\u2019s High Commission in August.\n\u201cThis unity government (led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim) is only a month old. The request was made much earlier in August. Acting on this, the then government had traced his location, and on the third week of August, he was deported to Islamabad. That is the status now,\u201d Mr Saifuddin told reporters.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI can confirm that based on official records, the action taken is in line with the request filed by the Pakistani government,\u201d he said.\n\nMr Fawad\u2019s wife, who gave her name only as Syeda, earlier told the media that the Pakistani embassy in Kuala Lumpur denied that her husband had been deported as he was not listed as a wanted man. \nShe held the news conference last week to highlight the case with help from a small Malaysian political party.\nThe Home Minister on Tuesday said there was new information about Mr Syed Fawad. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe said that while the media identified the Pakistani as a journalist, the government officially recognised him as a former Pakistani police officer with disciplinary cases. \nThis, Mr Saifuddin added, was based on a notice issued to the Malaysian government identifying him as such.\n\u201cThere are two versions here. The media reports him as a journalist, but the official version from Pakistan is that he is a former cop with various cases. I quote this from a Pakistani government source,\u201d he said.\n\u201cBut although he is a former police officer, he also has a good ability to write. As such, he wrote extensively criticising the government. This was why he is pictured as a journalist,\u201d he added.\n", "\nMr Syed Fawad\u2019s deportation has raised fresh questions about how the Malaysian government treats its refugees, including those holding official UNHCR refugee cards.\nIn August 2011, Putrajaya returned to China 11 Uighurs who were residing in Malaysia, at Beijing\u2019s request. \nThese included several who were registered as refugees by UNHCR in Kuala Lumpur.\nYet in 2019, the government refused to extradite controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, an Indian national, despite receiving an official request from New Delhi.\nThe 57-year-old preacher is wanted by New Delhi to face money laundering charges. \nHe has espoused controversial views in his lectures and videos when answering issues linked to Hinduism with his puritan brand of Islam.\nIn October 2014, he was charged by India\u2019s National Investigation Agency with inciting terror and delivering hate speeches.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-says-missing-pakistani-journalist-extradited-four-months-ago"}, {"title": "Malaysia says move to withdraw application to review Pedra Branca ruling was \u2018improper\u2019", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia said on Friday a decision by the Mahathir administration in 2018 to withdraw its application to revise an  International Court of Justice\u2019s (ICJ) ruling that Singapore had sovereignty over Pedra Branca was \u201cimproper\u201d.\nNevertheless, the government respects the ICJ\u2019s decision in 2008 over the sovereignty of Pedra Branca, as well as Middle Rocks and South Ledge, said Malaysia\u2019s Attorney-General Idrus Harun in a statement.\nIn response, lawyer and Parti Pejuang Tanah Air information chief Rafique Rashid said he found the government\u2019s statement \u201crather perplexing\u201d, because respecting the ICJ ruling was the \u201cprimary basis for the decision of the previous government in 2018\u201d to withdraw the review application. \n\n\n\n\n\nFormer prime minister Mahathir Mohamad founded political party Pejuang in 2020. \nIn December, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim instructed Tan Sri Idrus to review matters pertaining to claims over Pedra Branca, which Malaysia calls Pulau Batu Puteh. \nDatuk Seri Anwar said this would allow negotiations with Singapore to be more fruitful.    \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe government had set up a task force to look into the matter and on Jan 11, a final report was tabled to the Cabinet.\n\n\nMr Idrus said the government is of the the view that its decision to withdraw two applications to the ICJ over the sovereignty of Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge was \u201cnot in order and improper.\u201d    \nHe said the Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers is studying the recommendations made by the special task force, including the issue relating to \u201ctort of misfeasance in public office\u201d and will take appropriate action to carry out the decision of the Cabinet.\n\u201cIssues relating to Batu Puteh are of vital importance as it relates to strategic interests and sovereignty of the nation. In this regard, the Government will continue to ensure that Malaysia\u2019s interest and sovereignty are protected and preserved at all times,\u201d Mr Idrus added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPedra Branca is located about 25 nautical miles from the east of Singapore.\nThe British colonial government took possession of it to build the Horsburgh Lighthouse between 1847 and 1851 and other structures, and since then, Singapore has exercised continuous sovereignty over the island and its adjacent waters.\nTo the south of Pedra Branca are two maritime features \u2013 Middle Rocks and South Ledge, which Malaysia calls Batuan Tengah and Tubir Selatan respectively.\nThe dispute began in 1979 when Malaysia claimed sovereignty over Pedra Branca on a published map. The case was brought to the ICJ in 2003, which ruled that Pedra Branca belongs to Singapore.\n", "\nThe ICJ also decided that sovereignty over Middle Rocks belongs to Malaysia, and sovereignty over South Ledge belongs to the state in the territorial waters of which it is located.\n\nThe previous Barisan Nasional government attempted to seek a revision of the ICJ judgement in 2017 upon discovery of new facts, but the previous Pakatan Harapan government under then premier Mahathir decided to abandon the proceedings when the hearing was set in July 2018.\nTun Dr Mahathir said the withdrawal was based on the advice of former A-G Apandi Ali.\n\nOn Oct 13 last year, then-Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said his Cabinet was informed of the possibility of negligence and mistakes made by  Dr Mahathir when withdrawing the application to review the ICJ\u2019s decision on Pedra Branca.\n\nIn October last year, a spokesperson from Singapore\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that Malaysia intended to continue legal action in the ICJ on the issue of sovereignty over Pedra Branca and said the Republic stands ready to defend its sovereignty over the island.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-says-move-to-withdraw-application-to-review-pedra-branca-ruling-was-improper"}, {"title": "Malaysia says it won\u2019t peg currency and will focus on policies to strengthen ringgit", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s Finance Ministry said on Tuesday that it would implement structural policies aimed at boosting fund inflows and foreign investment that can support the ringgit, reiterating that it has no plans to peg the currency to the US dollar.\nThe ringgit has fallen 5.4 per cent so far in 2023, and on Tuesday was trading at 4.638 to the dollar, a fresh seven-month low and close to its weakest levels since January 1998.\nIn 1998, during the Asian financial crisis, Malaysia imposed capital controls and pegged the ringgit at 3.8 to the US dollar, maintaining the peg until 2005.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt said in 2022 that it would not do so again, citing the risk of capital outflows.\nMalaysia would risk losing its monetary policy independence and might need to increase its interest rates to match high borrowing costs in the United States if it re-pegged the currency, Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan told the Senate on Tuesday.\n\u201cThe people are already struggling (with the current interest rate level),\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), unexpectedly raised its benchmark interest rate in May, citing a need to manage persistent inflation amid robust domestic demand.\n\nThe government would instead focus on improving Malaysia\u2019s investment climate and productivity, and will implement fiscal sustainability measures that can attract quality foreign investment, Datuk Seri Ahmad said.\nBNM would also look to reduce volatility in the foreign exchange market, including through the use of hedging instruments, he said.\nThe central bank said in June that Malaysia needed structural reforms to strengthen growth prospects and encourage more investment opportunities to boost the ringgit. REUTERS \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-says-wont-peg-currency-focusing-on-policies-to-strengthen-ringgit"}, {"title": "Malaysia scraps mandatory death penalty, natural-life prison terms", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Parliament on Monday passed sweeping legal reforms to remove the mandatory death penalty, trim the number of offences punishable by death, and abolish natural-life prison sentences.\nMalaysia has had a moratorium on executions since 2018, when it first promised to abolish capital punishment entirely.\nThe government, however, faced political pressure from some parties and rowed back on the pledge a year later, saying it would retain the death penalty but allow courts to replace it with other punishments at their discretion.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUnder the amendments passed on Monday, alternatives to the death penalty include whipping and imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years. \nThe new jail term will replace all previous provisions that call for imprisonment for the duration of the offender\u2019s natural life.\nLife imprisonment sentences, defined by Malaysian law as a fixed term of 30 years, will be retained.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCapital punishment will also be removed as an option for some serious crimes that do not cause death, such as discharging and trafficking of a firearm and kidnapping, according to the new measures.\n\n\nDeputy Law Minister Ramkarpal Singh said capital punishment was an irreversible punishment that had not been an effective deterrent for crime.\n\n\u201cThe death penalty has not brought the results it was intended to bring,\u201d he said. \u201cWe cannot arbitrarily ignore the existence of the inherent right to life of every individual.\u201d\u00a0\nThe reform will still have to clear the Senate, but it is widely expected to pass without major opposition.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe amendments will apply to 34 offences currently punishable by death, including murder and drug trafficking. Eleven of them carry the death penalty as a mandatory punishment.\nThe process to end the mandatory death sentence began in March with the tabling of the Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Bill 2023 and the Revision of Sentences of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Bill 2023 in Malaysia\u2019s Parliament.\nThe Bills were tabled by Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, the Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department in charge of law and institutional reforms.\n\u201cThe abolition of the mandatory death sentence is aimed at valuing the sanctity of life of every individual while ensuring justice and fairness for all,\u201d Ms Azalina said in a statement as debates on the Bills were being held in Parliament in March.\n\u201cThis includes murdered victims and victims of drug trafficking, as well as the families of these victims. The policies under these Acts will be a middle path to ensure that justice is preserved for all.\u201d\n", "\nThe amendments would act retrospectively and allow the court to revise the sentences of 840 death row inmates and 25 others who failed in their appeal for clemency to the Pardons Board.\n\u201cA total of 476 death row inmates, who have yet to exhaust their appeal process in court, will also be covered by the law,\u201d Ms Azalina said in March.\nShe also said the court would be empowered to revise cases where a convicted person was sentenced to or is serving \u201cimprisonment for natural life\u201d.\n\nTheir sentences would be reduced to life imprisonment, which is between 30 and 40 years.\n\nA total of 47 prisoners are serving imprisonment for natural life, while another 70 are being held until they die after having had their death sentences commuted.\nWhile Malaysia\u2019s vote stopped short of ending capital punishment, Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network executive coordinator Dobby Chew welcomed the vote as a \u201cgood way forward\u201d.  \n\u201cWe have data that shows that the death penalty doesn\u2019t change anything,\u201d he said.\nREUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-scraps-mandatory-death-penalty-natural-life-prison-terms"}, {"title": "Malaysia searches Chinese ship suspected of looting WWII wrecks", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s coast guard said on Tuesday that authorities were questioning the crew of a Chinese vessel detained on suspicion of looting two British World War II shipwrecks.\nOfficers discovered unexploded shells upon boarding the Chinese-registered bulk carrier ship, which was detained for illegal anchorage at the weekend, said First Admiral\u00a0Nurul\u00a0Hizam\u00a0Zakaria, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency chief in Johor state.\n\u201cOur investigation is now directed to where these cannon shells originated from. Right now, we have officers from multi-agencies searching the big ship,\u201d he told AFP.\n\n\n\n\n\nFirst Adm Nurul Hizam said the vessel from the city of Fuzhou had a crew of 32 comprising 21 Chinese nationals, 10 Bangladeshis and one Malaysian, some of whom were in coast guard custody for questioning.\n\u201cThis case also involves the discovery of explosives,\u201d he said.\nChina\u2019s foreign affairs ministry said the Chinese embassy in Malaysia was in close communication with local authorities \u201cto understand the situation\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt asked Malaysia to handle the case \u201cfairly and in accordance with the law\u201d. Beijing also asked Malaysia to protect the rights and safety of Chinese citizens. \n\nA senior Malaysian maritime official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the pieces of metal and shells could have originated from two sunken British warships. The vessels, on the bed of the ocean some 100km off the east coast of Malaysia, had been targeted for decades.\nMore than 800 British sailors were killed when the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were torpedoed by Japanese aircraft in the South China Sea.\nThe attack on Dec 10, 1941, happened three days after Japan attacked the US fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.\nPhotos and a video shared by the Malaysian coast guard showed large pieces of corroded metal and shells, as well as a large crane and gas torches used to cut metal on board the ship.\nThe shells could also be linked to the discovery of unexploded World War II-era ordnance at a jetty in Johor on May 19, the maritime agency said in a statement on Monday.\nFirst Adm Nurul Hizam said the maritime agency would not tolerate any form of illegal salvage activities in Malaysian waters.\n\u201cOur national treasure must be protected and preserved,\u201d he said, describing looting as \u201can uncivilised act\u201d.  \nBritain\u2019s Ministry of Defence condemned the \u201cdesecration\u201d of maritime military graves after reports that scavengers had targeted two WWII wrecks, the BBC said on Saturday.\nMalaysia\u2019s New Straits Times newspaper reported in recent weeks that illegal salvage operators had targeted high-grade aluminium and brass fixtures from the two British warships. AFP\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-searches-chinese-ship-suspected-of-looting-wwii-wrecks"}, {"title": "Malaysia sees spike in Covid-19 cases ahead of Hari Raya, sparking fears of new wave", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia may be witnessing a new wave of Covid-19 infections, with the number of cases climbing steeply ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.According to official Health Ministry data, the number of cases rose by 87.5 per cent in the 14 days up to April 8, while hospitalisations in the same period rose by 30.5 per cent. Deaths attributable to Covid-19 rose by 25 per cent."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-sees-spike-in-covid-19-cases-ahead-of-hari-raya-sparking-fears-of-new-wave"}, {"title": "Malaysia set to gain from Indonesia\u2019s ban on bauxite exports", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia, once among the world\u2019s top 10 biggest bauxite suppliers to China, is set to emerge as a beneficiary of Indonesia\u2019s latest ban on its export. \nAccording to Indonesia\u2019s customs data, China imported 17.8 million tonnes in 2021 from the country, accounting for about 15 per cent of its total imports. \nChina, the world\u2019s largest consumer, imported 107.42 million tonnes of bauxite in 2021, according to data from Statista.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIn this situation, if a country (Indonesia) has imposed a ban on the export of bauxite, then the global demand will shift to any other country that can supply those resources,\u201d Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Nik Nazmi told The Straits Times.\n\u201cIn this case, demand for bauxite from Malaysia will be high, especially from China,\u201d Mr Nik Nazmi told The Straits Times. \nEven though Malaysia had imposed a cap on bauxite exports at 600,000 tonnes monthly since 2019, with most of its exports in recent years going to China, the export limit is still \u201cunder-utilised\u201d currently and will not have to be increased in order for Malaysia to fulfil demand from China in 2023, he added. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIndonesia, the world\u2019s sixth-largest producer of bauxite, a primary source of aluminium, has taken the protectionist step to stop exports from June, in a move to encourage the mineral\u2019s domestic processing, which would create growth, increase job opportunities and boost state revenue. \n\nIt first halted exports in 2014, paving the way for Malaysia to emerge as a top producer on the back of soaring demand from China. \nBut in 2019, Malaysia\u2019s ranking dropped to 18 among the world\u2019s largest 20 producers, after a three-year mining ban was imposed in 2016 due to unregulated mining in the eastern state of Pahang.\nBauxite mining became a national controversy and was criticised by environmentalists after run-offs from unsecured stockpiles contaminated water sources, staining roads, rivers and coastal waters red.  \n\n\n\n\n\nThe country\u2019s production of bauxite, which stood at 27.7 million tonnes in 2015, tumbled by more than 96 per cent to just 900,561 tonnes in 2019, according to the Mineral and Geoscience department.  \nSubsequently, Malaysia\u2019s exports also shrank by about 74 per cent to about 912,118 tonnes in 2019 from 3.5 million tonnes in 2015.  \nWhile the mining ban was lifted in 2019, new stringent regulations such as reducing allowable areas for mining activities in Pahang between the June 2020 and May 2021 period as well as requiring environmental impact studies caused Malaysia\u2019s exports to dwindle further to just 227,691 tonnes in 2021.\nChina\u2019s demand has been growing at a fast pace over the past few years as its alumina industry hits full throttle with expansion of alumina capacity, said S&P Global Consumer Insight. \nChina refines bauxite to obtain alumina, which is smelted to produce aluminium. Smelting is a process of extracting metal from its ore.\n", "\nAgricultural-economist Julian Conway McGill, head of South-east Asia for commodities consultancy firm LMC International, anticipates Malaysian exports of bauxite to rise as China\u2019s decision to reopen its economy will help to stimulate demand for aluminium smelting. \n\u201cSupply disruption from the latest ban of exports could cause bauxite prices to rise in the short-run. This would encourage miners in Malaysia to produce more bauxite, which would mitigate the higher cost of production,\u201d he said. \nAnalysts expect Indonesia\u2019s ban to drive up aluminium prices in the short term. \nThe three-month aluminium futures contract on the London Metal Exchange stood at US$2,378 a tonne at close last Friday.\nIn the near term, RHB Research expects London Metal Exchange aluminium prices to trade within US$2,300-US$2,500 a tonne, with prices expected to be on the upside in 2023. \n\u201cThis will be underpinned by low aluminium inventory levels globally, a pick-up in aluminium adoption from the renewable energy and electric vehicle sectors and the potential relaxation of Covid-19 containment measures in China,\u201c the research house had said on Dec 13. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-set-to-gain-from-indonesia-s-ban-on-bauxite-exports"}, {"title": "Malaysia speeds up hiring foreign workers amid labour crunch", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia will waive industry quotas to speed up the hiring of foreign workers, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said on Tuesday, as the nation seeks to ease labour shortages across key industries.\nEmployers no longer have to comply with quota limits before hiring workers from 15 source countries, the official told reporters. \nThe temporary exemption is limited to a year and applicable only to new hires, he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe South-east Asian nation is accelerating hiring as the economy recovers from the pandemic, with the Home Ministry taking over recruitment from the Ministry of Human Resources. \nIn 2022, Malaysia approved only 676,070 applications out of the 1.6 million it received.\nSome of the other highlights of the new policy include provisions that mandate that jobs offered to foreigners won\u2019t affect Malaysian workers, and for conditional approvals to be given within three days.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia will also send delegates to the source countries of migrant labour to help facilitate the hiring process, while a \u201crecalibration\u201d period for illegal foreign workers already in the country will be extended to Dec 31.  BLOOMBERG\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-speeds-up-hiring-foreign-workers-amid-labour-crunch"}, {"title": "Malaysia state elections: Four faces to watch on the comeback trail", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The upcoming state polls are an opportunity for Malaysia\u2019s second-line party leaders to bounce back from their losses in the November 2022 general election. All eyes are on the following four leaders to see if they will throw their hats into the ring.\nDatuk Seri Azmin Ali, 58\n", "\nHaving relinquished the chief ministership of Selangor to join the federal Cabinet from 2018 to 2022, the former senior minister for the economy could make a return to run Malaysia\u2019s richest state if the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) achieves a surprise win in the Pakatan Harapan stronghold.\nAlthough Mr Azmin has expressed his desire to retire from front-line politics, PN chief Muhyiddin Yassin has insisted that he lead the charge in Selangor. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe state is now controlled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), in which Mr Azmin served as deputy president for a decade before joining Muhyiddin\u2019s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia in 2020.\nDatuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz, 49\n", "\nAfter catapulting to the highest echelons of power as finance minister in the two previous administrations, the high-profile former CIMB chief executive from Umno remains in the Cabinet under the Anwar unity government, in charge of international trade and investment.\nSpeculation that he will bid to be Selangor chief minister has gone on for most of 2023 so far, after he failed to capture the Kuala Selangor parliamentary ward in last November\u2019s general election. This meant he had to be reappointed for a three-year term in the Senate and will have to quit the Cabinet in 2025.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Khairy Jamaluddin, 47\n", "\nHis steady rise through Umno\u2019s ranks over the past two decades ended with a sudden sacking in January for \u201cviolating party discipline\u201d that left him homeless in Malaysia\u2019s fluid political landscape. \n\nMr Khairy had served in several ministries such as youth and sports; science, technology and innovation; and health. The highlight of his political career was being the lead minister for the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination programme in 2021.\nWhile his highest official position in Umno was youth chief \u2013 a traditional stepping stone towards the top \u2013 the broad influence he had in the party saw him pushing Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi, who is now Deputy Premier, to the bitter end in 2018\u2019s hard-fought presidential race.\nTalk of being made PN\u2019s candidate for chief minister of either Negeri Sembilan or Selangor has swirled since his sacking from Umno. He lost in Sungai Buloh in the general election after being moved out of Rembau, where he served as MP for three terms.\nMs Nurul Izzah Anwar, 42\n", "\nThe Prime Minister\u2019s charismatic daughter has been a three-term MP. During most of that period, she was also PKR vice-president. \nDubbed Puteri Reformasi (Princess of Reforms) as the torchbearer of the reform movement while her father spent two stints in jail, Ms Nurul shockingly lost the Permatang Pauh ward last November, after four decades of control by the Anwar family.\nWhile she is now co-chair of the secretariat to a panel advising Datuk Seri Anwar as finance minister, she has never served in the executive of either the federal or state government.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-state-elections-four-faces-to-watch-on-the-comeback-trail"}, {"title": "Malaysia state elections: Pakatan Harapan\u2019s crown jewel Selangor emerges as key battleground", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Six Malaysian states are set to vote for new governments in July, but the hottest battle will be for Pakatan Harapan\u2019s (PH) stronghold, Selangor, in polls that are also seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s administration.Selangor \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s richest state \u2013 has been controlled by the Premier\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) for 15 years, but observers believe opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) can make inroads on PKR\u2019s hold, and even capture the nation\u2019s economic engine. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-state-elections-pakatan-harapan-s-crown-jewel-selangor-emerges-as-key-battleground"}, {"title": "Malaysia surprises with key rate hike as inflation risks loom", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia unexpectedly raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point on Wednesday, as it seeks to pre-emptively ward off inflationary pressures amid strong domestic demand and looming subsidy cuts.\nThe central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), hiked the overnight policy rate to 3 per cent, a move predicted by just three out of 19 economists in a Bloomberg survey. \nThe rest had expected the central bank to stay pat for a third straight meeting.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe balance of risk to the inflation outlook is tilted to the upside and remains highly subject to any changes to domestic policy, including on subsidies and price controls, financial market developments, as well as global commodity prices,\u201d the central bank said in a statement.\nThe benchmark local stock index\u2019s losses narrowed to 0.3 per cent, while the ringgit gained 0.3 per cent against the US dollar after the surprise increase.\nMalaysia\u2019s two-year non-deliverable interest rate swaps rose 7 basis points to 3.45 per cent.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWednesday\u2019s move marks the return of borrowing costs to pre-pandemic levels by BNM after a brief pause in adjustments earlier this year. \n\nThe decision comes ahead of the government\u2019s plans to cut diesel and petrol subsidies, which could potentially add to price pressures, and precedes the Federal Reserve\u2019s meeting where United States central bankers are expected to move by a quarter point before standing pat for a while.\nThe central bank\u2019s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) judged that the economy had momentum, expecting expansion to be supported by domestic demand even as the global outlook darkened.\u00a0\n\u201cIn the light of the continued strength of the Malaysian economy, the MPC also recognises the need to ensure that the stance of monetary policy is appropriate to prevent the risk of future financial imbalances,\u201d BNM said. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe current policy settings are slightly accommodative and remain supportive of the economy,\u201d the central bank added.\nMalaysia\u2019s March core inflation \u2013 which strips out volatile food and energy prices \u2013 remained sticky at 3.8 per cent, surpassing headline inflation for a sixth straight month.\n\u201cBNM has removed its pandemic stimulus, but still sees monetary policy as slightly stimulatory, that inflation risks are tilted to the upside and has added the concern about financial imbalances to its forward guidance,\u201d said Mr David Forrester, an FX strategist at Credit Agricole CIB in Singapore. \n\u201cThis rhetoric suggests BNM could be beginning a new phase of its tightening cycle.\u201d\n", "\nStill, others believe current economic conditions may force policymakers to pause.\n\u201cBNM will leave the OPR  (overnight policy rate) unchanged for the rest of the year, in cognisance of a softer inflation outlook globally in the second half of 2023, an expected end to the global rate-hike cycle by mid-2023, and rising recession risks in advanced economies,\u201d said Ms Julia Goh and Ms Loke Siew Ting of United Overseas Bank ahead of the decision. \nThe duo had correctly predicted Wednesday\u2019s rate hike.\nMalaysia is showing signs of wear from weakened global demand, with outbound shipments in March contracting for the first time in nearly three years. \nWhile domestic household spending remains resilient and unemployment continues to decline, the central bank said downside risks to growth stem from weaker-than-expected global growth and more volatile global financial-market conditions.\n\u201cAs the MPC still sees upside risk to inflation and a pre-emptive measure against the risk of future build-up of financial imbalances, we expect an extended pause ahead,\u201d said Mr Winson Phoon, head of fixed-income research at Maybank Securities in Singapore. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-surprises-with-key-rate-hike-as-inflation-risks-loom"}, {"title": "Malaysia suspends search for 3 missing men from Singapore-bound tanker that caught fire", "text": ["\nMalaysia has suspended the search for three missing crewmen of a Singapore-bound tanker that caught fire early this week, until new leads surfaced.\nThe development comes as rescue teams failed to find the men \u2013 two Indian nationals and one Ukrainian \u2013 on board the stricken ship, Pablo, on Friday.\n\u201cWe searched the entire ship but we did not find them, and there were no indications that the men were on board,\u201d said Johor Maritime director Nurul Hizam Zakaria.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said the ship has started to tilt and smoke could be seen coming out from one of the ship\u2019s funnel.\n\nBased on the results of the search and a safety assessment of the vessel, First Admiral Nurul said a decision was taken to suspend the search on Friday night \u201cuntil new leads are found\u201d.\nPreviously, First Adm Nurul said the crew members could have been swept into Indonesian waters, and Malaysia has requested assistance from Indonesia\u2019s National Search and Rescue Agency to help look for the men.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Gabon-registered tanker was heading for Singapore from China when it caught fire in the South China Sea off the Johor coast on Monday.\n\nIn a statement on Monday night, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Singapore received information from the master of tanker Enola that the vessel had rescued 18 crew members from Pablo.\n\nSeven other Pablo crew members were picked up by vessels in the vicinity.\n\nThere were no Singaporean crew members on board, the MPA said.\n\nMedia reports said four crew members of Pablo had serious injuries and were hospitalised in Johor. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-suspends-search-for-3-missing-men-from-singapore-bound-tanker-that-caught-fire"}, {"title": "Malaysia tables Bills to abolish mandatory death penalty", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 More than 1,300 people on death row in Malaysia have been handed a chance to escape the gallows.\nThey have 90 days to seek a review of their sentence by the Federal Court of Malaysia once the mandatory death penalty is abolished in the country.\nThe process to end the mandatory death sentence began on Monday with the tabling of the Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Bill 2023 and the Revision of Sentences of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Bill 2023 in Parliament.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Bills were tabled by Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, the Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department in charge of law and institutional reforms.\nThe Bills will be debated during the current sitting of Parliament and should be passed before April 4, when the sitting ends.\n\u201cThe abolition of the mandatory death sentence is aimed at valuing the sanctity of life of every individual while ensuring justice and fairness for all,\u201d Ms Azalina said in a statement.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis includes murdered victims and victims of drug trafficking, as well as the families of these victims. The policies under these Acts will be a middle path to ensure that justice is preserved for all.\u201d\n\nUnder the proposed law, those on death row must file an application for a review of their sentence within 90 days of the new law coming into force.\nDeath row inmates will be allowed to make the application only once, with the Federal Court empowered to extend the 90-day timeframe.\nMs Azalina said both proposed laws would act retrospectively and allow the court to revise the sentences of 840 death row inmates and 25 others who had failed in their appeal for clemency to the Pardons Board.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cA total of 476 death row inmates, who have yet to exhaust their appeal process in court, will also be covered by the law,\u201d she added.\nShe also said the court would be empowered to revise cases where a convicted person was sentenced to or is serving \u201cimprisonment for natural life\u201d.\nTheir sentences would be reduced to life imprisonment, which is between 30 and 40 years.\nA total of 47 prisoners are serving imprisonment for natural life, while another 70 are being held until they die after having had their death sentences commuted.\n", "\nPrevious attempts to abolish the mandatory death penalty had been unsuccessful, although a moratorium on hangings has been in place since 2018.\nWith the proposed laws, the Federal Court can revise death sentences and substitute them with life imprisonment, and between six and 12 strokes of the rotan, depending on the crime.\nThere are 11 offences which now carry the mandatory death penalty. It will be replaced in most cases with life sentences and not more than 12 strokes of the rotan.\nHowever, the death penalty can still be meted out, according to the court\u2019s discretion.\nAmong the offences involved are murder, terrorist acts and hostage taking.\nThe proposed law also does away with the death penalty under Section 3 and 3A of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 where death does not occur.\nMs Azalina said the only amendment made to Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act was to lower the number of strokes of the rotan from a minimum of 15 strokes to 12.\nBut the court will have more discretion in deciding whether to impose life imprisonment instead of death for drug trafficking. THE STAR/ASIAN NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-tables-bill-to-abolish-mandatory-death-penalty"}, {"title": "Malaysia to allow automatic citizenship for children born overseas to Malaysian mums", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Cabinet has agreed to amend the Federal Constitution to enable children born overseas to Malaysian mothers, who are married to foreigners, to automatically become citizens. \nThe proposed amendment, which will be tabled in Parliament, is in line with the stand of the unity government \u2013 led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim \u2013 on fair rights between men and women. \nAfter decades of debate, the Cabinet on Saturday announced its decision to move towards gender equality regarding citizenship for children.\n\n\n\n\n\nCurrently, only children born overseas to Malaysian dads are granted citizenship automatically. A Malaysian woman with a foreign spouse who gives birth outside of Malaysia would not be able to automatically pass on her citizenship to her children. \nChildren born overseas to Singaporean mums or dads are not granted Singaporean citizenship automatically. If the mother or father is a Singapore citizen by birth, an application can be made for the child to acquire citizenship. If the mother or father is a citizen by registration, application for citizenship is restricted to children who have not acquired citizenship of the country in which they were born.\nMalaysia\u2019s proposed constitutional amendments will have a big impact on the Home Ministry as it receives many applications related to citizenship issues, said Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution on Saturday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nEarlier in the day, in a joint statement issued by him and Minister-in-charge of Law and Institutional Reform Azalina Othman Said, the government pledged to \u201ceradicate discrimination against women in Malaysia and overcome the shortcomings of citizenship provisions\u201d.\n\n\u201cThe government is committed to resolve the backlog of cases for affected women who apply for citizenship for their children,\u201d  they said, adding that registration took \u201ctoo long\u201d and was \u201cunreasonable\u201d.\nThe proposed amendment to the Federal Constitution would replace the word \u201cfather\u201d with the words \u201cat least one of his parents\u201d, they noted.  \nThere is no mention of \u201cmothers\u201d in the Federal Constitution. The provisions in Malaysia\u2019s citizenship laws mention only the right of fathers to automatically pass their citizenship to their children. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe proposed amendment is expected to be tabled in the current Parliament session, which ends on March 30, said the two ministers. \nFor the amendment to pass, the backing of at least two-thirds of lawmakers is required. This means 148 MPs out of 222 must allow Mr Anwar\u2019s government to table the constitutional amendment.    \nCurrently, the government has the backing of 148 MPs, and this could be the first legislation to test the Prime Minister\u2019s supermajority in Parliament. \n", "\nOther amendments to citizenship laws will also be studied by a committee formed under the Home Ministry, and presented to the Cabinet. \nCalling the current policy a \u201csexist law\u201d, freelance journalist Tehmina Kaoosji, who was born in India to a Malaysian mother and an Indian father, has been waiting for decades for the constitutional amendment. She has been residing in Malaysia for 28 years.\nShe said the proposed amendment would allow Malaysia to realise its full human potential as it has the second highest per capita female migration rate in Asean. \n\u201cIt is 2023 and about time to break this cycle of discrimination and suffering for Malaysian women and their families once and for all,\u201d Ms Tehmina said. \nA high-ranking doctor in a government hospital, who did not want to be named, has been fighting an uphill battle to have her two daughters aged 12 and 14 years old become Malaysian citizens, after her Australian husband died  three months ago.  \n\u201cI had brought back my two daughters from Australia and now in my own country, my children are foreign students. They have to renew their student visa yearly which costs about RM1,700 (S$513) each, inclusive of medical insurance. My hope is that my children can get their Malaysian citizenship so they can be treated like their fellow Malaysian classmates,\u201d the doctor told The Sunday Times. \nMalaysia is one of only 22 countries in the world to retain unequal citizenship laws affecting mothers. It is also one of only two such countries in South-east Asia, the other being Brunei. \nIn December 2020, a group of Malaysian mothers challenged the discriminatory rules, saying that they breached constitutional equality guarantees. The mothers won before the High Court in September 2021.\nBut the former government, led by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, appealed against the landmark ruling that equalised the rights of Malaysian mothers and fathers, arguing that the rules were in line with the Constitution. The government appeal was heavily criticised by civil society organisations and one Cabinet member.  \nIn 2020, the Home Ministry argued in Parliament that the unequal citizenship law was a matter of \u201cnational security\u201d aimed at preventing overseas-born children from gaining double citizenship, based on the assumption that children would be getting their father\u2019s citizenship.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-allow-automatic-citizenship-for-children-born-overseas-to-malaysian-mums"}, {"title": "Malaysia to boost Sabah, Sarawak CIQ facilities as Indonesia builds capital next door", "text": ["\nKUCHING - Malaysia\u2019s federal government will allocate additional funding of RM1 billion (S$308 million) to improve border security in Sabah and Sarawak in tandem with Indonesia\u2019s relocation of its capital to Nusantara, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. \nHe said the Finance Ministry has given preliminary approval for the allocation, which will be used to upgrade the Customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) facilities and other infrastructure along Malaysia\u2019s border with Indonesia.\n\u201cIn my recent discussion with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, we spoke about Indonesia\u2019s new capital, Nusantara, which is close to Sabah and Sarawak,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar told a press conference after chairing the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council meeting in Sarawak\u2019s capital on Friday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe have decided to provide additional allocation to enhance border security as well as basic infrastructure such as roads, so that we don\u2019t look too backward.\u201d \nIndonesia announced in 2019 a plan to move its capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan province on Borneo island, with the new capital named Nusantara. \nIt expects to begin constructing US$2.7 billion (S$3.6 billion) of apartment projects in the second quarter of 2023 for thousands of civil servants, AFP has reported.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEast Kalimantan shares a land border with Sarawak.\n\nThe meeting in Kuching was attended by Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg, Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor and other federal and state leaders. \nThe RM1 billion allocation is expected to be included in Malaysia\u2019s 2023 Budget, which will be tabled in February. \nWork is expected to start immediately on the proposed upgrades to the CIQ facilities and roads connecting Sabah and Sarawak to Nusantara.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar also said the federal government has agreed to increase the special grants to Sabah and Sarawak as part of the MA63 agreement, with the two East Malaysia territories administered as regions, not states. \nFor a start, he said, Sarawak would receive RM300 million in grants, up from RM16 million previously. \nSabah would get from RM26 million to RM260 million, pending further discussions. \n", "\nThe implementation council meeting followed remarks last week by Malaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi. \nIn his policy speech at the Umno general assembly, he said that Sabah and Sarawak have now been accorded the status of \u201cwilayah\u201d (regions) instead of \u201cnegeri\u201d (states) within Malaysia, based on the MA63. \nMalaysia will now have 11 states, two regions and three federal territories (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan). It previously had 13 states and the three federal territories.\nMr Anwar said in Kuching on Friday that any change to the designation of Sabah and Sarawak from states to regions must first be referred to the Malay rulers, who are titular heads in nine of the 11 peninsular Malaysia states.\nHe said the MA63 and the country\u2019s federal Constitution state that the Federation of Malaysia, when it was formed in 1963, would comprise the regions of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak. \n\u201cAs this involves amending the Constitution, the views of the Malay rulers are important,\u201d Mr Anwar told a news conference after chairing the council meeting. \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-boost-sabah-sarawak-ciq-facilities-as-indonesia-builds-capital-next-door"}, {"title": "Malaysia to charge Thai nationals over mass graves, trafficking camps found in 2015", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Four Thai nationals will face charges in a Malaysian court on Friday over the 2015 discovery of mass graves and suspected human trafficking camps at the country\u2019s border with Thailand, Malaysia\u2019s home affairs minister said.\nThe dense forests of southern Thailand and northern Malaysia have been a major stop-off point for smugglers bringing people to South-east Asia by boat \u2013 most of them Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Myanmar and squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh.\nThe discovery of camps and graves on the Thai side of the border in 2015 led the authorities in Thailand to crack down on people smugglers, but prompted traffickers to abandon at sea thousands of migrants making their way to the border area in overcrowded boats.\n\n\n\n\n\nFour people wanted in connection with the two countries\u2019 probe into the camps discovered in 2015 were extradited from Thailand this week, and were expected to be charged on Friday at a sessions court in Malaysia\u2019s northern Perlis state, Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said in a statement on Thursday.\nHe did not say what charges the four would face but stressed that Malaysia was \u201ccommitted to maintaining border security and viewed issues of cross-border crime seriously, particularly human trafficking and migrant smuggling\u201d.\nThe four people were among 10 Thai nationals that Malaysia had sought for extradition since 2017 as part of its probe into the border camps, Datuk Seri Saifuddin said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia in 2019 launched a public inquiry into whether the authorities mishandled an investigation into the 139 graves and more than 12 campsites suspected to have been run by people-smuggling groups.\n\nThe inquiry found weaknesses on the part of border patrols but concluded that no Malaysian enforcement officials, public servants or locals were involved in trafficking or migrant smuggling syndicates, according to a report published on the home affairs ministry\u2019s website. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-charge-thai-nationals-over-mass-graves-trafficking-camps-found-in-2015"}, {"title": "Electricity tariff hike for MNCs in Malaysia, domestic users spared", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia will increase electricity tariffs for export-oriented multinational corporations, while domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and households as well as businesses involved in agricultural and food production will not be subjected to any hikes in 2023.\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday that the earlier proposal to increase the electricity tariff for households will be scrapped, as this would burden Malaysians amid a sharp rise in world fuel prices. \nThere is an urgency to increase the electricity tariffs because the country\u2019s finances would be negatively impacted by at least RM30 billion (S$9.2 billion) in 2023, said Datuk Seri Anwar. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSo, only multinational corporations that export products will be charged, but the increase in tariffs for these businesses will be very gradual, reasonable so that it will not disrupt their operations,\u201d he said at a press conference on Wednesday. \nMalaysia is grappling with a wider fiscal deficit, with some economists anticipating the country\u2019s upcoming Budget 2023 to reflect a fiscal deficit of 5.8 per cent of gross domestic product, unchanged from 2022, compared with the initial official forecast of 5.5 per cent.\nThe government subsidies are expected to touch RM80 billion this year, the highest in the nation\u2019s history, about half of which will likely be fuel subsidies.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPrior to the announcement of tariff hikes, national electricity utility company Tenaga Nasional was seeking RM16.4 billion from the government for the first six months of 2023 to cover additional power generation costs, according to Hong Leong Investment Bank Research.\n\nMalaysian Institute of Economic Research senior research fellow Shankaran Nambiar welcomed the government\u2019s move to the targeted approach of electricity subsidy for only households and SMEs, as blanket subsidies are costly and fiscally unsustainable.\n\u201cTargeted electricity subsidy would cushion the fiscal deficit of the country. We won\u2019t be paying for those who don\u2019t need support. This will give some room to direct government expenditure to disadvantaged groups or to boost total demand in the economy.\n\u201cIt doesn\u2019t make sense for the government to subsidise large businesses. We need to adopt a more prudent fiscal position,\u201d said Dr Nambiar. \nAlthough the targeted move is lauded by economists, Socio-Economic Research Centre executive director Lee Heng Guie cautioned that export-oriented MNCs that are selling their products in the domestic market could pass on the higher costs to consumers due to the rise in tariffs.\nWith commodity prices declining in view of the risk of global recession next year, he added that it would give the government \u201cbreathing space\u201d as subsidies may not be as bloated in 2023 compared with 2022.\n\u201cThis is why, it is a fiscal sustainable move by the Prime Minister to implement a mechanism to gradually rationalise subsidies from blanket to targeted ones, including electricity subsidies now,\u201d said Mr Lee. \nCentre for Market Education chief executive Carmelo Ferlito said new tariff hikes for MNCs could eventually deter them from continuing to invest in Malaysia.\n\u201cThis could potentially impact foreign direct investments, or at least we should wonder if it would before rushing into this decision and engage in a sound trade-off analysis,\u201d he said.\nOpening up the country\u2019s energy market would be a better solution, he said. \u201cIf we really want to get rid of subsidies and get cheaper bills for consumers, the only long-term strategy is competition and that comes through liberalisation of the electricity market.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-cut-power-subsidies-to-large-businesses-pm-anwar-says"}, {"title": "Malaysia to discuss settlement with Abu Dhabi over 1MDB issue, says PM Anwar", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Talks with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Executive Council chairman Sheikh Khaled Mohamed Zayed Al Nahyan on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue will start soon, said Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.\nDatuk Seri Anwar said the discussion will be held in conjunction with the Crown Prince\u2019s four-day visit to Malaysia.\n\u201cThe settlement of 1MDB with the International Petroleum Investment Company (Ipic) involving an additional amount of US$1.8 billion (S$2.4 billion) to the country, and (everyone knows) the Crown Prince is currently in the country to continue discussing, including to discuss on the issue of investment,\u201d he said during question time.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe was responding to a question raised by Malaysian opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, who asked the government to state new and drastic policies that have been implemented by the unity government to stimulate the national economy, taking into account the risks facing the world economy.\nOn March 6, Mr Anwar praised the Attorney-General and civil servants involved in negotiating a settlement between 1MDB and Abu Dhabi-owned companies Ipic and Aabar Investments PJS.\nSpeaking at the monthly assembly of the Prime Minister\u2019s Department in Putrajaya, Mr Anwar said the settlement exceeded the government\u2019s expectations.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe special visit was expected to strengthen the longstanding good relations between Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates that had been upgraded to a Strategic Partnership on Sept 27, 2022.\n\nCrown Prince Sheikh Khaled is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Mr Anwar on Monday to exchange views on various issues of mutual interest, including bilateral, regional and international relations. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-discuss-finding-1mdb-solution-with-abu-dhabi-says-malaysian-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "Malaysia to ease IPO rules in 2023 to lure investors", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia will implement reforms in 2023 to make it easier for companies to list on the national stock exchange in a bid to attract more investors, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday.\nThe securities regulator and the stock exchange will expedite the process for initial public offerings and reduce time to market to ensure Malaysia\u2019s competitiveness and attractiveness, he said at an industry event.\nDatuk Seri Anwar\u00a0also announced a reduction in stamp duty charges for shares traded on Bursa Malaysia to increase investor interest.\n\n\n\n\n\nFrom July, stamp duty will be reduced from the current 0.15 per cent to 0.1 per cent of contract value, subject to a maximum cap of RM1,000 (S$290) per contract, he said.\n\u201cThis change will directly reduce the cost of securities transactions and make the Malaysian stock market more competitive,\u201d he added.\nThe government is also looking at policies to attract family offices to Malaysia, and improve ease of conducting business, he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSince taking power in November 2022, Mr Anwar\u2019s administration has embarked on a slew of legal and economic reforms, including reducing subsidies for the wealthy and abolishing the mandatory death penalty. \n\nREUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-ease-ipo-rules-this-year-to-lure-investors"}, {"title": "Anwar warns civil service to tighten spending as Malaysia braces for \u2018uncomfortable\u2019 year", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been signalling his government\u2019s seriousness in plugging budget leaks and making every ringgit count as Malaysia braces itself for global economic headwinds in 2023. \nDuring the budget 2023 dialogue at the finance ministry on Tuesday, Datuk Seri Anwar said he had already identified how RM3 billion to RM4 billion (S$915 million to S$1.2 billion) could have been saved had the defence ministry been more careful with its procurement procedures. \n\u201cWhether it\u2019s related to security of the land, sea or air, there is a responsibility to ensure the best equipment is proposed and negotiated for, without political interference or the interest of vendors,\u201d said Mr Anwar, who is also Finance Minister. \n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s debt and liabilities stand at about RM1.5 trillion, while the budget deficit was at about 5.8 per cent of gross domestic product in 2022, he noted, adding that 2023\u2019s fiscal position \u201cwon\u2019t be comfortable\u201d.\n\u201cThe government must accept this fact. It cannot be business as usual, we cannot be content,\u201d he said, adding that the maximum debt service is already approaching a level beyond what the country can manage.\nHis speech on Tuesday was largely about reining in wastage, debt and procurement, especially in the military.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNumerous delays or non-delivery of billions of dollars in defence orders have been in the glare of publicity in recent years. \n\nThese include six littoral combat ships commissioned for RM6 billion in 2011 by the Royal Malaysian Navy for the patrol of the country\u2019s shoreline. The first ship was supposed to be delivered in 2019 and the final one in 2023, but none has been delivered.  \nMr Anwar is set to table the revised 2023 budget to Parliament on Feb 24, with his administration\u2019s top priority being to protect low- and middle-income groups amid inflation and the escalating cost of living. \nOn Monday, he said Malaysia is expediting the distribution of RM1.67 billion in cash aid to the poor this quarter.\nThe government will retain certain items in the budget tabled by the previous administration \u2013 which had not been passed, as Parliament was dissolved soon after \u2013 while making necessary changes to some to reflect the voters\u2019 wishes, he said.\nMr Anwar, who has been in office for nearly two months, said the new government has already seen about RM4 billion in leakages from a flood project alone and can save about RM10 billion in the procurement system.\u00a0\nHe has also ordered agencies to speed up public works approvals, and said the country intends to expedite priority projects while plugging leakages in its review of the 2023 budget. \nThe government will prioritise ramping up the nation\u2019s participation in technology and the green economy, and also focus on boosting small and medium enterprises while maintaining fiscal discipline.   \nHe said no landmarks will be built to mark his administration, as Kuala Lumpur has enough landmarks as it is. \u201cThere\u2019s the (Petronas) Twin Towers, TRX (Tun Razak Exchange). I do not want to compete. Under Anwar, I don\u2019t intend to leave such a mark.\u201d\nThe Premier also said on Monday that \u201cmany questionable files\u201d have been uncovered within the government, especially at the finance ministry.     \nAcknowledging that civil servants may sometimes get caught in a bind when given directives by their superiors, he urged them to speak out in such instances. \u201cMy emphasis is on enforcement... I have given clear instructions that if there is even a single instance of minutes \u2013 even from the Prime Minister himself \u2013 that violates the law, I have to be informed first,\u201d he said, adding that violations of rules and regulations by the government have tarnished the sector.      \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-focus-2023-budget-on-green-economy-tech-anwar"}, {"title": "Malaysia to focus on living costs, raising wages as growth slows ahead of looming state polls", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is exploring how to boost wages for workers, as gloomy economic prospects pose headwinds to his fledgling administration.\nMalaysia plans to set a wage growth target for all workers and formulate policies to support this, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli told a press conference Wednesday. The National Economic Action Council will meet in March to discuss this in a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, he added.\n\u201cThe inflation problem still needs to be managed properly, while the people\u2019s wages still haven\u2019t reached the right levels,\u201d said Mr Rafizi at the briefing in the administrative capital of Putrajaya. \u201cIt requires an integrated approach and we can no longer work in silos.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nHow Malaysia handles an increasingly challenging economic outlook could be key for Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s survival amid looming tests of his staying power. His three-month-old unity government is set to face six state elections in 2023. \nWhile the polls have no direct bearing on the composition of Parliament, they will be a gauge of his popularity among an electorate that has seen four prime ministers in as many years.\nThe local elections are set to coincide with an expected slowdown in Malaysia\u2019s growth. The government sees the pace of expansion moderating to between 4 per cent and 5 per cent in 2023, after growing at its quickest pace in more than two decades in 2022 on pent-up demand. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, prices continue to climb, with the central bank expecting inflation to remain elevated in 2023. This is even as average salaries and wages in Malaysia are considered low, according to the Finance Ministry in its Economic Outlook 2023 report. Wages have grown at an average increment of about RM140 (S$43) a year between 2010 and 2019, the ministry said.\n\nThe public is assessing how well the government can address issues surrounding tepid economic growth and rising costs of living, said pollster Merdeka Center last Friday. \nMr Anwar\u2019s approval rating stood at 68 per cent, just two months after November\u2019s general election resulted in a hung Parliament, it said. That is slightly lower than how his predecessors fared during their first few months in office.\nMr Rafizi said on Wednesday: \u201cThe Economy Ministry will balance between restructuring the economy and the needs of the people in relation to living costs and better wages.\u201d\nMr Anwar, who doubles as finance minister, is set to table the revised 2023 budget to Parliament on Feb 24, and has been preaching fiscal prudence as the nation stares down still-elevated debt levels in the wake of a pandemic-era spending drive. BLOOMBERG \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-focus-on-living-costs-raising-wages-as-growth-slows-ahead-of-looming-state-polls"}, {"title": "Malaysia to impose total ban on plastic bags by 2025", "text": ["\nKLANG - The Malaysian government aims to ban the use of plastic bags for retail purposes across all business sectors nationwide by 2025, said its minister for natural resources, environment and climate change.\nMr Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the \u201cNo Plastic Bags\u201d campaign had been carried out in stages, starting with fixed business locations like supermarkets and certain shops. \nThe campaign would be expanded to other business locations after being implemented in all physical outlets by 2025, he added.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe initiative, led by various state governments, was a long-term plan to address pollution caused by single-use plastic in Malaysia.\nSelangor, Penang, Johor, and Negri Sembilan were among the states that introduced the move.\nAccording to the minister, the ban currently applies only to physical establishments like supermarkets, mini-markets and sundry shops, but it will soon be extended to cover roadside stalls as well.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn his speech at the Madani Reusable Bag and No Plastic Bag Campaign launch ceremony in Klang on Tuesday, he said the intention is not just to fine offenders but also to provide an incentive to stop using plastic bags.\n\nMore details will be announced soon, he added.\n\u201cWe have given state governments and local authorities the flexibility to decide on the manner of implementing the ban, taking into account their individual needs.\n\u201cPlastic waste management is a significant issue, with Malaysia being one of the top 10 nations worldwide facing this issue.\n\u201cAccording to a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) report, Malaysia used 148,000 metric tonnes of plastic for food packaging alone in 2020. This is not a record to be proud of,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-impose-total-ban-on-plastic-bags-by-2025"}, {"title": "Malaysia to insist rare earths miner Lynas go radiation-free by July", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The Pakatan Harapan-led (PH) government will seek to close the circle on one of its most controversial decisions from its first stint in power by forcing Australian rare earths miner Lynas to ensure\u00a0radiation-free operations at its Malaysian plant by July.   \nThe Straits Times has learnt that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s administration refused a request by Lynas \u2013 the largest producer outside of China of the highly sought-after minerals \u2013 to lift conditions for the three-year renewal of its licence, which expires in March.\n\u201cThe Cabinet has decided to reject the request. Lynas will no longer be allowed to produce radioactive waste in Malaysia,\u201d a top government figure said on condition of anonymity, as an official announcement is due only later in February.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe conditions, which come into force in July, include moving \u201ccracking and leaching\u201d of lanthanide concentrate offshore and only refining intermediate materials at the facility in Gebeng, near Kuantan in Pahang.\nThis would mean that, other than the existing heap of more than half a million tonnes, no further low-level radioactive waste would be allowed to accumulate at the factory.\nIn an investor briefing last month, Lynas said it is on course to meet the July 1 deadline but had contingency plans in case its refinery in\u00a0Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, is not completed in time.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nManaging director Amanda Lacaze said her firm was in talks with Malaysian atomic energy regulators on lifting the conditions as it had proven that its operations were not a health hazard. \n\nBut ST has learnt that the Atomic Energy Licensing Board had already informally informed Lynas of the government\u2019s decision this week.\nThe company will have 30 days to appeal to Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang after being notified officially. \nA potential closure of the S$1 billion facility would not just be a huge blow to Lynas \u2013 which has yet to fire up other production plants \u2013 but will also impact the geopolitically sensitive supply of rare earths crucial to high-technology applications such as mobile phones, rechargeable batteries and military assets. \n\n\n\n\n\nLynas accounts for one-tenth of global output, with China controlling 80 per cent of worldwide production. \nSources told ST that various diplomats, including envoys from the United States, Australia, Japan and the European Union, have lobbied Mr Chang in recent weeks to ensure the production of half of non-Chinese sourced rare earths is not disrupted.\nLynas had faced stiff public resistance when it first made plans to set up in Malaysia over a decade ago, sparking fears that there would be a repeat of toxic radiation that previous rare earth projects had caused in Malaysia. \nPH campaigned hard against the project, promising in the run-up to the 2018 election to reverse the then Barisan Nasional regime\u2019s decision to green-light Lynas\u2019 operations. \nHowever, after PH took power in 2018, it allowed Lynas to continue operations on progressively more lenient terms. \nThis raised public ire and contributed to growing tensions within the PH coalition that eventually led to its downfall in March 2020, after Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia defected. \n", "\nThen Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin, a staunch Lynas critic, had initially insisted the Australian firm repatriate its waste. \nBut in 2019, then Premier Mahathir Mohamad announced that Lynas could instead explore a permanent disposal facility. \nIt was later revealed that Tun Dr Mahathir had wanted to sack Ms Yeo from the Cabinet due to her dissent over the issue.\nJust days before Dr Mahathir was ousted in February 2020, it was announced that the government had given Lynas a three-year permit on the condition that cracking and leaching would be moved out of Malaysia, and a waste disposal site developed within a year.\nST understands that the permanent disposal facility \u2013 being built by a company controlled by Pahang Regent Hassanal Abdullah, the son of Malaysia\u2019s current King Abdullah Ahmad Shah \u2013 is now about 30 per cent complete. \nSources also revealed that Mr Chang, having inherited the legacy issue from Ms Yeo, wants to draw a line in the sand by giving Lynas a \u201cshape up or ship out\u201d ultimatum. \nThe vice-president from Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat is scheduled to brief MPs on Wednesday.\nWhen contacted, Mr Chang said he would make the appropriate announcement in due course.\nA senior official said: \u201cThe government would be happy to be part of the rare earths supply chain, but not at the cost of public support while political intrigue is still elevated.\u201d\nSix state elections involving about half of Malaysia\u2019s electorate are due by the middle of the year, with the opposition Perikatan Nasional setting its sights on adding to the three states it already controls. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-insist-rare-earths-miner-lynas-go-radiation-free-by-july"}, {"title": "Malaysia to invest $222m to upgrade Johor checkpoints to ease congestion", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian government has approved an allocation of RM741.3 million (S$222.1 million) to upgrade the Johor checkpoints at the Causeway and Second Link to resolve congestion issues.On Monday, Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan announced the approval of upgrading projects for the two checkpoint complexes that connect to Singapore in Woodlands and Tuas. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-invest-222m-to-upgrade-johor-checkpoints-to-ease-congestion"}, {"title": "Malaysia to lift ban on chicken exports from July 1", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia will lift a ban on the export of chicken from July 1, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu said on Thursday.  \nLifting the chicken ban would enable farmers to earn revenue from the export market and facilitate cash flow into the country, he added. \nDatuk Seri\u00a0Mohamad said poultry producers would be able to export live chicken, dressed chicken and chicken parts, but not day-old chicks.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said the government would also allow chicken imports from recognised source countries including Brazil, China, Denmark and Thailand.  \n\u201cAs for egg imports, the permitted source countries are Thailand and Ukraine.\u201d\nThe government on Friday reversed an earlier decision to start floating the prices of chicken and eggs from July 1. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Thursday, Mr Mohamad had said the subsidies for poultry producers would end after June 30. \n\nBut the government announced the day after that it would continue subsidising egg and chicken production beyond July 1, which would allow it to retain price controls on the two food staples. \nIn a joint statement, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (KPKM) and the Domestic Trade and Costs of Living Ministry (KPDN) said: \u201cAfter considering all aspects, including ensuring the sustainability of the chicken and egg industry, and that the welfare of the public remains protected, the Prime Minister (Anwar Ibrahim) has agreed with KPKM and KPDN\u2019s proposal to continue subsidies and price controls for chicken and egg from July 1, 2023.\u201d\n\u201cThe decision to continue giving subsidies is to ensure the well-being of the people will be looked after in line with the aspirations of the government,\u201d the ministries added. \nThe previous government tried to scrap poultry subsidies on July 1, 2022. However, the Cabinet decided against it two days before and elected to raise the ceiling price instead.\nPoultry producers have been under sustained pressure over the last two years due to an increase in feed costs, primarily because of supply issues brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and challenges caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.\nLast year, the government allocated a total of RM369.5 million (S$108 million) for poultry subsidies. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-lift-ban-on-chicken-exports-from-july-1"}, {"title": "Malaysia to end 5G monopoly, allow second network from next year", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia said on Wednesday it will adopt a dual network model for its 5G roll-out next year following widespread concerns about pricing and competition over a single state-run network.\nThe decision is the latest by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s six-month-old administration aimed at dismantling monopolies and promoting competition, though it could create tension with Western countries wanting Malaysia to stick with its original plan.\nMalaysia had in 2021 unveiled a plan for a state-owned agency, Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), to own the full 5G spectrum, with various carriers using the infrastructure to provide mobile services.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe government has now decided to allow a second entity after DNB\u2019s coverage reaches 80 per cent of populated areas, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said in a statement.\n\u201cThis model also takes into account the sustainability of the telecommunications industry ecosystem in Malaysia, thus ending the monopoly element that is often associated with DNB,\u201d the minister added.\nDNB has achieved 57.8 per cent coverage of populated areas and is on track to reach 80 per cent by the end of the year, he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe government\u2019s announcement confirmed a report by Reuters last month on a plan to introduce a second 5G network from January 2024.\n\nThe single-ownership plan had been met with industry concern over pricing, transparency and monopoly. A recommendation by major carriers for a second 5G provider was rejected by the previous government in March last year.\nThe plan came under renewed scrutiny after Datuk Seri Anwar announced a review after taking office in November, saying it was not formulated transparently by the previous administration.\nDNB rejected that assertion.\nIt has said a single network would reduce costs, improve efficiency and accelerate the building of infrastructure.\nIt was not clear how the proposal for a second 5G network would affect DNB\u2019s existing agreements with its development partner, Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson, and other mobile operators.\nOn Tuesday, the Financial Times reported that the European Union and the United States had warned Malaysia of risks to national security and foreign investment amid efforts by China\u2019s Huawei Technologies to bid for a role in its telecommunications infrastructure.\nReuters could not independently verify the report.\nMr Fahmi told a press conference he would meet interested diplomats to discuss the issue, and Malaysia would be \u201cneutral\u201d in commercial considerations.\n\u201cAs a sovereign country, Malaysia has the right and power to set our own policies without the interference of other parties,\u201d Mr Fahmi said. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-move-to-dual-network-model-for-5g-after-expanding-coverage"}, {"title": "Malaysia to open special lanes for China travellers amid Covid-19 concerns", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s Immigration Department will provide special lanes for travellers from China at international entry points, amid concerns of the rapid outbreak of Covid-19 in the country.\nThose who are symptomatic will be referred to health officials, and undergo throat swabs as well as RTK-Antigen Covid-19 tests, said the Health Ministry in a briefing in Putrajaya on Tuesday\nAll travellers entering Malaysia will be screened through a thermal scanner.  Those who are found to be ill or symptomatic, or made self-declarations or self-referrals, will undergo further examination. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cRight now, we\u2019re worried not just about the cases from China, but other countries that are experiencing a rise in cases, such as the United States, Japan, and others,\u201d said Health Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah. \u201cWe are monitoring the situation closely.\u201d \nThe ministry\u2019s deputy director-general (public health), Datuk Dr Norhayati Rusli, said: \u201cCovid-19 positive travellers in categories one and two would be given the option to isolate themselves at home or their lodging residences.\n\u201cThose in categories three, four and five will meanwhile be referred for further treatment in either public or private hospitals,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShe added that flight attendants and ground staff would also assist Health Ministry officials in monitoring whether incoming travellers exhibited Covid-19 symptoms.\n\nShe noted how there were 4.096 incoming travellers from China since their borders reopened on Jan 8, with no positive cases recorded yet.\n\u201cWe will continue to monitor the situation diligently,\u201d she said.\nThe number of new reported Covid-19 cases in Malaysia has been on the decline while patients requiring hospitalisation dropped 2 per cent last week, compared with the previous week.\nLast month, Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa said the country will test wastewater samples from all flights from China for Covid-19.\nPre-pandemic, China was the third-largest country in terms of tourist arrivals in Malaysia. About 3.1 million Chinese tourists visited Malaysia in 2019, from the overall 26.1 million arrivals, according to data from Tourism Malaysia. BLOOMBERG, THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-open-special-lanes-for-china-travellers"}, {"title": "Malaysia to question ex-PM Muhyiddin on links to public funds case", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s anti-graft agency will summon for questioning former premier Muhyiddin Yassin and two ex-Cabinet ministers who served in his administration for the alleged misappropriation of RM600 billion (S$185.6 billion) of public funds for tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. \nThe other two are former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and ex-finance minister Zafrul Aziz, who now heads the international trade and industry ministry in the new government, the New Straits Times reported, citing people it did not name. The funds for the pandemic included resources for vaccines, the newspaper added.\u00a0\nThe Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday said it had opened an investigation into the allegations. It made no mention of who it would summon, but said the probe would be conducted in a transparent and professional manner.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere have been no calls from the MACC yet,\u201d Mr Zafrul told reporters. \u201cIf contacted, I will cooperate fully. We have nothing to hide.\u201d\nAides to Mr Muhyiddin and Mr Khairy, as well as anti-graft agency officials didn\u2019t immediately respond to requests for comments.\u00a0\nNews of the probe comes as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is reviewing projects and plans approved by past administrations in a bid to burnish his credentials as a reformist and fulfil his alliance\u2019s election manifesto promises to fight corruption. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nDatuk Seri Anwar himself has been criticised for picking Zahid Hamidi, head of the former ruling Barisan Nasional coalition who faces graft charges, as one of his deputies. \n\nMr Anwar said this week the Finance Ministry found there was a breach of procedure in the handling of RM600 billion of public funds during Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s time as premier. He also ordered a review of the 5G mobile services contract awarded to Ericsson in 2021, citing concerns about cost and transparency.\nMr Muhyiddin was prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021, and now leads the opposition. He and Mr Anwar fought a tight election race in November that resulted in a hung Parliament and set off a contest to drum up support from several coalitions to form the government.\nMr Anwar eventually got the consent from the country\u2019s king to form the government, but he needs to keep several political blocs happy ahead of a confidence vote in Parliament later this month. BLOOMBERG   \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-question-ex-pm-muhyiddin-on-links-to-public-funds-case"}, {"title": "Malaysia to review plans for 5G network: PM Anwar", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s newly appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Monday his administration will review a plan for a state-owned 5G network introduced by the previous government as it was not formulated transparently.\nMalaysia, in 2021, unveiled a plan for a state-owned agency to own all 5G spectrum, with various carriers using the infrastructure to provide mobile services.\nThe single-ownership of spectrum raised concerns from the country\u2019s major carriers over pricing, transparency and monopoly.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 5G plans will be evaluated to ensure they strictly followed procedures, Datuk Seri Anwar said at a news conference following his first Cabinet meeting.\n\u201cIt needs to be reviewed because it was not done in a transparent manner,\u201d Mr Anwar said, without giving details.\nMr Anwar was appointed premier by the king last month, after a general election resulted in an unprecedented hung parliament. Mr Anwar\u2019s bloc did not win a simple majority but he formed a coalition government with the help of other political blocs. REUTERS\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-review-plans-for-5g-network-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "Malaysia to screen arriving travellers for fever, test wastewater from China flights for Covid-19", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia is beefing up surveillance at its international entry points by screening all travellers for fever and testing wastewater samples from aircraft coming from China amid the soaring number of Covid-19 cases there.\nThe Health Ministry said the wastewater samples will be sent to the National Public Health Laboratory for polymerase chain reaction testing before being dispatched for genome sequencing if the results are positive for Covid-19.\n\u201cAll travellers arriving from abroad, including China, at the international entry points will undergo fever screening. Those who have been detected with fever, symptoms, or through self-declaration, will be referred to a quarantine centre or the health authorities for re-examination. In the event of suspected Covid-19, a test will be carried out,\u201d Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa said on Friday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cTo improve detection of any new variants, all cases of influenza-like illnesses and severe acute respiratory infections in healthcare facilities with a travel history to China in the last 14 days, or with any contact with individuals with a travel history to China in the last 14 days, will be tested with RTK-Ag (antigen rapid test kit) Covid-19 test and then genome sequencing if they are found positive with Covid-19,\u201d she added.\nIt is not clear when temperature taking will start or if it will be rolled out at land and sea entry points as well.\nThe additional precautionary measures were announced to deal with a potential upsurge of travellers from China after the country recently announced the reopening of its borders for international travel from Jan 8, 2023, after almost three years of self-isolation. China\u2019s border has been effectively closed since February 2020 as it maintained a zero-Covid policy.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBased on official figures provided by the World Health Organisation, the ministry said there were 148,659 new Covid-19 infections and 442 new deaths in China from Dec 11 to 17.\n\nFollowing China\u2019s decision to reopen its borders, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke on Friday said his country would see a spike in flight demand.\nAccording to a report, Malaysia is one of the top 10 countries that Chinese nationals want to visit.\nThe country\u2019s tourism industry players on Thursday expressed eagerness in receiving visitors from China following the relaxation.\nThe Malaysia Inbound Tourism Association (Mita) said Beijing\u2019s decision to scrap quarantine for travellers and reopen its borders is expected to bring three million tourists to Malaysia, which would help boost the economy. \nMita president Uzaidi Udanis told reporters that \u201cChina is very important\u201d because it has \u201cbig volume\u201d and the Chinese are big spenders.  \u201cThis will be able to contribute good numbers for Malaysia\u2019s economy,\u201d he said, noting that the industry will comply with any health protocols as \u201cgood health means good business\u201d.\nAlthough industry players are expecting a million travellers from China in 2023, the soaring number of Covid-19 cases there and the increased risk of a new variant emerging have left them wary.\nThe Malaysia Tourism Agency Association (Mata) on Thursday urged the government to temporarily suspend the entry of tourists from China until daily cases there drop. \u201cWe are all aware that hospitals across China are facing explosions of Covid-19 cases following Beijing\u2019s decision to withdraw its strict regulations,\u201d Mata president Mohd Khalid Harun said, tempering optimism of a lift for the local tourism industry from China\u2019s rule relaxation.\n\u201cThe trauma faced by players in the tourism industry due to the Covid-19 outbreak has yet to be resolved; in fact, many travel agencies and hotels have been closed due to the virus, incurring billions of ringgit in losses in the past two years,\u201d he added.\nHe advised industry players to shift their focus to tourists from the Middle East and Europe, without relying on visitors from China for now.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-screen-all-arriving-travellers-for-fever-test-wastewater-from-flights-from-china-for-covid-19"}, {"title": "Malaysia to see \u2018significant flooding\u2019 over next three days, experts say", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - The converging of two weather phenomena in the region is expected to cause \u201csignificant flooding\u201d in Malaysia in the next three days, a weather expert has said. \nAnd on Monday, the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID) issued a warning of possible flash floods within the next 24 hours in six states \u2013 Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Selangor, Terengganu and Pahang.\nThere are currently 14 districts in five states experiencing floods, with 2,763 people placed in 22 temporary relief centres.\n\n\n\n\n\nRecent years have seen the annual monsoon floods wreaking havoc across Malaysia, with the last deluge that subsided in January this year taking 54 lives, causing RM6 billion (S$1.8 billion) in damage, and displacing nearly 70,000 people at its December peak. Malaysia\u2019s monsoon season typically starts in late November and ends in early February.\nMeteorological expert Prof Azizan Abu Samah from the National Antarctica Research Centre told Sinar Harian daily that an active La Nina weather pattern and a phenomenon known as negative Indian Ocean Dipole will lead to heavy rains. \n\u201cMore heavy rain increases the potential for major floods to occur within these three days,\u201d he told Sinar Harian on Monday, adding that continuous rains would also cause rivers to rise to dangerous water levels.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBy early next year though, the weather on Peninsular Malaysia would improve, but heavy rains could be expected in Malaysia\u2019s two Borneo states, which usually hit Sabah and Sarawak around January and February.\n\nMeanwhile, the DID has identified the six states prone to flash floods this week based on weather forecast reports from the Malaysian Meteorological Department, the South-Eastern Asia-Oceania Flash Flood Guidance System and the DID\u2019s flood forecasting models.\nSeparately, the Fire and Rescue Department has identified 4,795 locations throughout Malaysia that could expect flooding in the near term, said the department\u2019s director-general Mohammad Hamdan Wahid.\nHe advised Malaysians and local authorities to temporarily stop recreational activities, especially in high-risk areas such as mountains, hills, rivers and beaches, during monsoon season.\n\u201cWe understand this year-end holiday period, many families are definitely planning leisure activities in certain areas, but we hope that these can be stopped for a while for now.\n\u201cAreas at risk of water surge phenomena, large waves and even flash floods in particular need to be given more attention and preparation to ensure that there are no unwanted incidents during this period,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-see-significant-flooding-over-next-three-days-experts-say"}, {"title": "Malaysia to set up \u2018war room\u2019 to check water levels ahead of expected El Nino", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia will set up a \u201cwar room\u201d to closely monitor the water level of dams nationwide in anticipation of a strong El Nino phenomenon expected to occur in June. \nChairman of the National Water Services Commission (Span) Charles Santiago said the purpose of the war room was to allow people to monitor the water levels at the dams in their part of the country round the clock.\n\u201cIt will be updated on a daily basis, and the public can send in questions and call in if they have any queries,\u201d Mr Santiago said on Wednesday. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe said Span will hold a soft launch of the war room on Friday, while the official launch will be on June 14.\nMalaysia has entered the dry season linked to the south-west monsoon, and the dry season is expected to continue until October, according to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC).\nThe scorching temperatures in 2023 can be attributed to a combination of issues, including lower rainfall over the past winter and El Nino, a weather pattern that typically brings hotter and drier conditions to the region.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe ASMC also said that there is a higher risk of haze in the southern Asean region between June and October 2023. \n\n\u201cThe next few months will be dire if we do not take the necessary precautions,\u201d Mr Santiago added.\nMeanwhile, a total of 14 districts in Malaysia have been given a Level One heatwave warning by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).\nAccording to the Heat Wave Status page on MetMalaysia\u2019s website, these 14 districts are Batang Padang in Perak, Kuala Selangor in Selangor, Jempol in Negeri Sembilan, Pahang districts Bentong, Jerantut, Kuantan, Raub, Temerloh, Lipis and Bera, Kelantan districts Kuala Krai and Pasir Mas, as well as Kinabatangan and Beaufort in Sabah. \nAccording to MetMalaysia, a Level One heatwave warning is issued when temperatures at a location are between 35 deg C and 37 deg C for three consecutive days.\nAn orange alert, or Level Two heatwave warning, will be issued when temperatures are between 37 deg C and 40 deg C for three consecutive days, while the red alert, or extreme heatwave warning, occurs when temperatures are above 40 deg C for three consecutive days.\nMetMalaysia also reported that other areas in the peninsula, as well as Sabah and Sarawak, recorded daily maximum temperatures of below 35 deg C. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-set-up-war-room-to-check-water-levels-ahead-of-expected-el-nino"}, {"title": "Malaysia to sue Meta over \u2018undesirable content\u2019 on Facebook", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The Malaysian authorities on Friday said they would take legal action against Facebook\u2019s parent company Meta after it failed to remove undesirable content from the social media platform despite repeated requests.  \nFacebook has recently seen a significant amount of undesirable content relating to race, royalty, religion, defamation, impersonation, online gambling and scam advertisements, said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).\n\u201cMeta\u2019s response, which has been sluggish and unsatisfactory, has not met the urgency of the matter and has led to increasing public concern and scrutiny. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAs there is no sufficient cooperation from Meta, MCMC has no option but to take definitive steps or legal action against Meta as a measure to ensure that people are secure and protected in the digital sphere,\u201d it added.\n\nMCMC said that taking legal action against Meta would promote accountability for cyber security and enhance consumer protection against scams and fraudulent activities. \nConstitutional senior lawyer Rajan Navaratnam said that under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 of the federal law, MCMC is empowered to take legal action against Meta.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis, he added, includes action against the principal officers of the company such as directors, chief executives or managers, who could be charged individually or jointly with the company.\n\n\u201cThese will be deemed as criminal charges under Section 233. The punishment for such an offence committed would be a fine not exceeding RM50,000 (S$14,500), imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or both,\u201d he said.  \nCiting Section 233, Mr Rajan said MCMC can pursue legal proceedings against any person or company over the improper use of any network facility or service to make or transmit comments that are obscene, indecent, false or offensive that may cause annoyance, abuse, threats or harassment.\nAlthough the act is under Malaysia\u2019s federal law, Mr Rajan said it can also be enforced on any person that is outside the country as long as improper use of a network facility is made in Malaysia, as the act provides for extraterritorial jurisdiction.\nMeta said in August 2022 that it had removed more than 600 accounts from all its social network platforms, with most of them alleged to be part of a \u201ctroll farm\u201d of fake accounts used to manipulate public discourse. \nThe parent company of Facebook and Instagram said the fake accounts posted memes in the Malay language in support of the previous administration led by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, which attempted to paint its critics as corrupt.\nUnder the Anwar-led government, Malaysia has been scrutinising social media content over concerns that these platforms pose a threat to the nation\u2019s well-being. \nHeavier penalties under Section 233 were being considered with amendments to the Communications and Multimedia Act, said Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching in Parliament on March 13. \nMCMC on Friday said it is intolerant towards the abuse of online platforms and telecommunications, network or online facilities for malicious cyber activities, phishing, and content that threatens racial stability and social harmony, and defies respect for the rulers.\nIn March, China\u2019s social media platform TikTok announced it had removed more than 650,000 videos in Malaysia in the third quarter of 2022 that violated its community guidelines, including content with hate speech and misinformation.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-sue-meta-over-undesirable-content-on-facebook"}, {"title": "Malaysia to temporarily import chicken eggs to address shortage", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia will temporarily import chicken eggs as a stopgap measure to address the country\u2019s egg supply shortage until a long-term solution is decided, said Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu.\nHe said that the short-term solution was vital to ensure the food security of Malaysians.\nMr Mohamad, popularly known as Mat Sabu, added that Malaysians consume an average of 968 million chicken eggs every month.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said several foreign sources have been identified, adding that all imported egg sources would adhere to established safety standards with \u201czero compromises\u201d.\nMr Mohamad also assured that the initiative was not designed to pressure local egg producers through competition but to prevent disruptions to the domestic egg supply.\n\u201cThe initiative to bring in chicken eggs from foreign sources will ensure that the supply of eggs in the country is not cut off and the welfare of the people is maintained,\u201d he said in a Facebook post.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that the foreign imports would be reviewed once the domestic supply has stabilised.\n\nMr Mohamad said the ministry\u2019s secretary-general had been tasked with monitoring the impact of importing eggs from foreign sources on local markets.\nHe said that Agrobank had been asked to provide advice to local suppliers and entrepreneurs on how to remain competitive, adding he was confident that the egg shortage would be resolved in the future with the cooperation of various parties. \nSundry goods merchants in Malaysia have faced egg supply shortages in 2022. \nLocal retailers say the shortage is caused by poultry farms cutting down on production due to the increase in prices of maize and soya bean meals \u2013 the two main ingredients for chicken feed. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-temporarily-import-chicken-eggs-to-address-shortage"}, {"title": "\u2018We won\u2019t discriminate against any country\u2019: PM Anwar on Malaysia\u2019s tighter Covid-19 screening", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 Malaysia will tighten screening rules for all foreign arrivals, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said, amid concerns about the rampant Covid-19 outbreak in China. \u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cWe are going to tighten screening, but we won\u2019t discriminate against any country,\u201d he said at a post-Cabinet briefing on Wednesday. \nThe government will prioritise people\u2019s health over the economy, he said.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cCabinet has unequivocally decided that health is the main priority, and that questions surrounding tourism and the economy cannot override these interests,\u201d he added. \nHe said that immigration checkpoints into the country will be tightened to screen arrivals from places with a high rate of infections.\nMalaysia joins several countries in tightening measures for travellers amid fears that the return of tourists from China could spark a Covid-19 resurgence in their own populations. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nLast week, Malaysia\u2019s Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa said that the country will test wastewater samples from all flights arriving from China for Covid-19.\u00a0\n\nShe said those showing signs of infection will be quarantined for further tests.\nPre-pandemic, China was the third-largest country in terms of tourist arrivals in Malaysia. \nAbout 3.1 million Chinese tourists visited Malaysia in 2019, out of the overall 26.1 million arrivals, according to data from Tourism Malaysia.\nCommenting on the extremely low take-up by Malaysians of Covid-19 booster shots, Mr Anwar said about six million doses of boosters are still available, and urged people to get vaccinated as a form of protection.\nHe suggested that media personnel should lead by example and get their booster shots.\nDr Zaliha on Monday said only 49.8 per cent of Malaysians have received their first booster dose, while only 1.9 per cent have obtained their second booster. BLOOMBERG, THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-tighten-covid-19-screening-for-all-arrivals-pm-anwar-says"}, {"title": "Malaysia to unveil bigger budget to spur economic growth, ahead of state elections", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is set to unveil a larger national budget on Friday, surpassing the RM372.3 billion (S$112 billion) plan proposed by the previous government last October, in a bid to address Malaysia\u2019s slowing growth and higher cost of living.  \nThe key bread-and-butter issues need to be tackled ahead of elections expected to be held in July in six states, where about half of the country\u2019s electorate will vote and signal their level of satisfaction with Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s so-called unity government. \nAccording to an official source, Mr Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, will be able to spend more on the back of higher revenue from an economy that recovered better than expected in the past year. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Treasury\u2019s coffers drew more than the projected RM285.2 billion in 2022, thanks to the gross domestic product (GDP) jumping by 8.7 per cent against the expected 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent.  \n\u201cWe can expect a larger 2023 budget,\u201d said the source, as revenue this year will remain elevated despite growth expected to slow to between 4 per cent and 5 per cent.\nDomestic demand will remain the key driver of economic growth in 2023, bolstered by higher tourism, continued recovery in the labour market, and implementation of new and existing investment projects, Malaysia\u2019s central bank governor Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus said in a media briefing in February.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWith the projected larger budget, the government will likely spend on cash aid to vulnerable groups, upskilling and reskilling programmes, digitalisation of the economy and investment allowances for businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, said Socio-Economic Research Centre executive director Lee Heng Guie.\n\n\u201cI do expect some policy commitment for the government to roll out targeted subsidies for the bottom-40  group of people, though it would be gradual. The government is also likely to provide employment opportunities despite a recovering labour market,\u201d he said. \nThe national unemployment rate for 2022 was 3.6 per cent, still above the 2019 pre-pandemic level of 3.3 per cent. \nPeople-friendly measures, such as cutting personal income tax by 2 percentage points for those earning between RM50,000 and RM100,000 a year in the initial budget presented by the previous government, are likely to be maintained to ensure sustainable domestic demand, said economists. \n\n\n\n\n\nCurrently, those earning between RM50,000 and RM70,000 a year are taxed at a rate of 13 per cent. Individuals in the next tier up to annual incomes of RM100,000 face a rate of 21 per cent. \nThe upcoming budget would likely allocate more funds to the private sector and voluntary organisations for Malaysians to create and develop local solutions rather than importing them from abroad, said Mr Patrick Tay, PwC Malaysia\u2019s deals partner of economics and policy.\n\u201cBeyond enhancing personal tax incentives for knowledge workers and R&D (research and development) grants, it will be crucial to develop an incentive framework that promotes the high-quality investments involved in electrical vehicle battery manufacturing, aerospace composite, medical components, biomaterials, among other things, in view of global developments,\u201d he said. \nIn the Finance Ministry\u2019s monthly gathering in February, Mr Anwar disclosed that the budget will likely address the \u201cspeed of business approvals, digitalisation, sustainable consumption and production of natural resources in downstream activities\u201d for Malaysia to remain competitive against its South-east Asian peers. \n", "\nAnalysts also anticipate that Mr Anwar will aim to cut the country\u2019s budget deficit as the national debt has reached RM1.5 trillion as at January.  \nAccording to a Bloomberg survey of 11 economists, Mr Anwar\u2019s administration could likely target a lower deficit of 5 per cent of GDP from the 5.5 per cent set by his predecessor in October.  \nMalaysia\u2019s sovereign rating outlook is currently stable, with a credit rating of BBB+, according to Fitch on Feb 15.\nHowever, Bank Islam chief economist Firdaos Rosli said Mr Anwar will have to address rating agencies\u2019 concerns that the country is overly dependent on oil revenue to manage the government\u2019s fiscal position.\nIf the budget is judged to be inadequate in tackling bread-and-butter issues and the high national debt, it could be seized upon by the opposition in political debates ahead of state polls and dilute the credibility of the Anwar administration, said BowerGroupAsia senior analyst Arinah Najwa. \n\u201cThis could pose a risk to Mr Anwar\u2019s unity government\u2019s chances of winning the state elections.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-to-unveil-bigger-budget-to-spur-economic-growth-ahead-of-state-elections"}, {"title": "Malaysia transport minister says Johor-Singapore RTS on track for 2026 completion", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is on track to be completed by the end of 2026, said Malaysia\u2019s Transport Minister Anthony Loke.\n\u201cThere were some delays previously but MRT Corp is rectifying them, and we will do everything possible to ensure it is completed according to schedule,\u201d he said on Tuesday, after a meeting with Johor\u2019s chief minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi.\n\u201cIt is progressing well and we are on track. I am being briefed (about the progress) from time to time and I have also given them strict instructions to follow the schedule. We are committed to that bilateral agreement.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nDatuk Onn Hafiz said on Facebook that the RTS Link is now at 32.78 per cent completion, without providing details.\nOn March 24, Singapore\u2019s Transport Minister S. Iswaran said the construction of the RTS Link was progressing well, with 45 per cent of the work on the republic\u2019s side completed.\nCalling the new link \u201can important addition\u201d to the existing road connectivity between Singapore and Malaysia, he also said works are on track to be ready by the end of 2026.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOnce the 4km RTS Link is completed, passengers will be able to travel from the Bukit Chagar station in Johor Bahru to the Woodlands North station, and vice versa, in about five minutes. The train service can serve up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.\n\nMeanwhile, Mr Loke said that the federal government has no plans to increase the RM20 (S$6) Road Charge (RC) imposed on foreign-registered vehicles that enter Malaysia via Johor.\n\u201cAny charges we impose, it will be reciprocated by the Singapore Government; if we increase the RC, they will increase the fee for Malaysian-registered vehicles entering the country as well.\n", "\n\u201cThis is what we have to consider, but there are no such plans for now,\u201d he said, adding that the Malaysian government encourages tourists from Singapore to enter Malaysia, especially Johor.    \nHe was responding to a question after a Johor state politician had suggested during the state assembly meeting on March 21 that the RC should be increased as the RM20 fee was \u201ctoo low\u201d after converted to Singapore\u2019s currency. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK   \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-transport-minister-says-johor-singapore-rts-on-track-for-2026-completion"}, {"title": "Malaysia tremors could be due to ancient fault lines in Sumatra, experts say", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Earthquakes in Peninsular Malaysia were potentially caused by the reactivation of ancient fault lines following high-magnitude earthquakes in Sumatra, Indonesia, according to the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).\nIt said several areas such as Bukit Tinggi and Jerantut in Pahang, as well as Kuala Pilah in Negeri Sembilan, were among the areas affected by these fault lines.\n\u201cMalaysia is located close to two seismically active plate collision boundaries, which are between the Indo-Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate to the west and the collision boundary between the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate to the east,\u201d said MetMalaysia.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe tremors of a high-magnitude earthquake that occurred and centred on these plates could be felt in Malaysia. Tremors felt on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia are usually caused by large-magnitude earthquakes centred on Sumatra and the Andaman Sea,\u201d it said.\nSome of the latest earthquakes originating in Indonesia that were reported and felt in Malaysia took place on April 4 and 25, with magnitudes of 6.2 and 7, respectively.\nMetMalaysia said that in Sabah, local earthquakes are possible as the fault lines within the state\u2019s regions are still active.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe occurrence of earthquakes in Malaysia is usually more concentrated in Sabah due to the existence of several active faults, for example, the Mensaban fault line and the Lobou-Lobou fault line,\u201d it added.\n\nMetMalaysia said a 2017 study on active faults in Peninsular Malaysia also suggests that the Bukit Tinggi fault zone is considered to be active and a potential source of future earthquakes.\n\nIt also revealed that areas outside the Bukit Tinggi, Benus and Karak faults are active too.\nIt said from 2017, Peninsular Malaysia has experienced mild earthquakes. Virtually all earthquakes recorded in the peninsula were under magnitude 5.\n\n\u201cHowever, the recognition of active faults exhibiting active tectonic landforms suggests that these faults have produced damaging earthquakes before and have potential to trigger similar tremors in the future,\u201d said MetMalaysia.\n\nA 2021 study from the Prince of Songkla University found that Peninsular Malaysia is still facing earthquake risks, not only from regional tectonics but also from local tectonics.\n\n\u201cFor the local tectonic setting, there are a number of pre-existing, assumed dormant faults (and fault zones) which have been reactivated, causing local tectonic earthquakes,\u201d said the study\u2019s authors, Dr Dony Adriansyah Nazaruddin and Dr Helmut Duerrast.\nAccording to data from MetMalaysia, there have been 12 local earthquakes in Malaysia since 2021. \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-tremors-could-be-due-to-ancient-fault-lines-in-sumatra-experts-say"}, {"title": "Malaysia turns to smart farming to boost food security", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian farms could in the future be equipped with remote-controlled sensors, drones and robots to monitor, water and fertilise crops as the country looks to boost food security, according to Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang.\nThe country aims to ramp up domestic production using technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and precision farming, in order to reduce import dependency. \n\u201cFarms can use IoT to control everything from the soil pH to temperature and humidity. They can even do long-distance farming. Say you\u2019re at home, you can see all the readings on your phone, so you can control it,\u201d Mr Chang told The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cEverything is very precise; there is no wastage.\u201d\nIoT devices can also be used for greenhouse climate control, crop monitoring, precision fertilisation and other tasks. \nRobots and drones can deliver smarter and more sustainable methods to automate farming activity and boost crop and livestock yields while reducing usage of water, energy and labour.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSeeking to emulate the success of a privately owned, pesticide-free aquaponic farm that rears tilapia and grows organic lettuce and spinach in Perak with the use of IoT, the government is executing  three similar pilot projects in the states of Perak and Johor.\n\nIt hopes that the use of IoT in agriculture \u2013 where Internet-connected devices monitor and carry out tasks on farms \u2013 will become more widespread and help solve food security issues.\n\u201cI think that is the way forward, especially when we are talking about food security. When you say food security, it is not only the food supply, but at the same time also the quality of food; whether or not it is safe to be eaten,\u201d added Mr Chang. \nOther technologies being tested include ways to shorten harvesting periods, as well as increase yield and resilience against pests. \n\n\n\n\n\nOne hurdle, however, could be the high initial cost.\nFor a farm of around 930 sq m,  an IoT system is estimated to cost around RM50,000 (S$15,000), excluding other requirements such as seeds and a greenhouse, all of which could set a farmer back around RM500,000.\nLike many other countries, Malaysia relies heavily on imports for essential food products, despite an abundance of land and resources.\nSome of the issues faced by the agriculture sector include labour shortages, low levels of automation and technology adoption, as well as high dependence on foreign labour.\n", "\nIn 2022, Malaysia suffered a poultry shortage following a global increase in the cost of animal feed due to the Ukraine war, leading to a ban on exports to Singapore.\nFood security is now a priority for the new government.\n\nOver the next two to seven years, Malaysia hopes to raise fish production from aquaculture from 26 per cent of total fish production to 60 per cent.\n\nIt is also aiming to increase the country\u2019s beef self-sufficiency ratio to 50 per cent by 2025. Malaysia\u2019s beef imports currently account for 82 per cent of demand.\nComplementing these efforts, the National Grain Corn Industry Blueprint aims to ramp up production of corn for animal feed to 600,000 tonnes within the next 10 years, to cut dependence on imports by up to 30 per cent. \nMalaysia currently imports almost 100 per cent of its grain corn, or about two million tonnes per year, from countries such as Argentina, Brazil and the United States. \nAgriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu told ST that the government has identified 400ha of land for this purpose, and will encourage more youth to become farmers or graduates in smart agriculture, as well as research and development.\nThe Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry has been renamed the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to show how serious the government is about food security, he said. \n\u201cThe new government is committed to guaranteeing the accessibility of sufficient food at reasonable prices to the people at a time when the country is facing food inflation,\u201d said Datuk Seri Mohamad.\n", "\nThe National Food Security Policy Action Plan 2021-2025 and the National Agrofood Policy 2021-2030 are being implemented as part of efforts to bolster food production with the adoption of modern technologies and economies of scale. The government also seeks to strengthen the food value chain and encourage sustainable agricultural practices. \n\u201cOur top priority remains to increase the local food production and self-sufficiency ratio of main food products (rice, vegetables, fruits, chicken, beef, egg, milk and fish), while, at the same time, we are also looking to diversify sources of food imports to meet domestic demand,\u201d added Mr Mohamad.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-turns-to-smart-farming-to-boost-food-security"}, {"title": "Malaysia urges more Singaporeans to use e-gate facilities at Johor checkpoints", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - The congestion issue at the Johor Causeway has eased after Malaysia implemented the short-term Quick Response Team (QRT) initiative, said its Immigration Department\u2019s director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud.\nDatuk Seri Khairul said allowing Singaporeans to use the electronic gate (e-gate) facilities at the two land entry checkpoints in Johor Bahru has contributed to faster clearance, but he hopes even more Singaporeans, especially day-trippers, will use the e-gates, reported The Star. \n\u201cSince this (e-gate) was allowed (for Singapore passport holders) on Jan 20, only about 16,000 Singaporeans have used the e-gate to scan their passport, much lower than our target of 35,000,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe will be handing out fliers next week to the targeted group to create more awareness among Singaporeans, especially day-trippers who visit Johor for shopping and other recreational activities.\u201d\nSingaporeans who want to use the e-gate facility at the checkpoints must hold e-passports with a validity period of at least three months. First-time users also need to verify their biometrics at the immigration counter first. \nThe QRT initiative was first rolled out at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and KLIA2 before it was introduced at the two checkpoints in Johor Bahru. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt used to take the authorities about four to five hours to clear the arrival hall, which has a maximum capacity of 3,000 people,\u201d Mr Khairul was quoted as saying in The Star. \n\n\u201cNow it takes about three hours to complete the immigration clearance process for the same numbers of passengers (who arrive by bus).\u201d\nMr Khairul added that more staff members have also been deployed to man the counters at the checkpoints, especially during peak hours, since Feb 6. \nHe said the documentation process of about 1,400 vehicles could be done in an hour previously. After the QRT was introduced, the department can clear up to 2,300 vehicles within an hour, provided the motorists and passengers do not have clearance issues. \nSince May 2022, Singapore\u2019s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has also implemented the Automated Clearance Initiative, which allows eligible Malaysian citizens to be enrolled for the use of automated lanes at all checkpoints in Singapore. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-urges-more-singaporeans-to-use-e-gate-facilities-at-johor-checkpoints"}, {"title": "Malaysia vows to continue peace efforts in southern Philippines", "text": ["\nMANILA \u2013 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim vowed on Wednesday in Manila to continue efforts to help facilitate the peace process in the Muslim-dominated Philippine island of Mindanao. \nThe Malaysian leader, who arrived on Wednesday morning, is the first head of government to visit the Philippines since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr took office in June 2022. \nDatuk Seri Anwar said Mr Marcos has made \u201cgreat strides\u201d in advancing the peace process in Mindanao in southern Philippines \u2013 an area that has long been plagued by poverty and separatist violence. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe said its success would provide \u201cenormous potential\u201d to benefit Filipinos and Malaysians alike. \u00a0\n\u201cI think it\u2019s only our duty as a good neighbour to support and facilitate the peace process, and I stand by whatever things need to be done at the bilateral, multilateral level to support this endeavour,\u201d Mr Anwar said. \nFrom 2001 to 2012, Malaysia served as a mediator in the negotiations between the Philippine government and Muslim rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The talks eventually culminated in the formation of the Bangsamoro autonomous region in 2019. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar, who became prime minister in November 2022, said Malaysia will continue aiding the people of the self-ruled Bangsamoro region through various capacity-building projects. These include the Malaysia Technical Cooperation Programme, which allows the country to share its development experiences and expertise with developing nations like the Philippines. \n\nMr Marcos thanked Malaysia for its \u201cgreat contribution\u201d in the peace process in southern Philippines. \n\u201cWe hope that this support that they have shown over the past few years will continue to contribute to the success of the peace process and establishment of the Bangsamoro autonomous region,\u201d he added. \nDuring their bilateral meeting, both leaders agreed to pursue joint initiatives to combat transnational crime and terrorism. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOur defence and security ties are also strong and growing. We share common borders that are, to an extent, quite porous. Therefore, the collaboration needs to be further enhanced,\u201d Mr Anwar said. \nThe two leaders also plan to revive trade and investment cooperation, particularly in the areas of the halal industry, agriculture and food security, and the digital economy. \n", "\nThey also discussed regional security issues, including Myanmar\u2019s military leadership and South China Sea disputes. \nMr Anwar said he appreciated Mr Marcos\u2019 support for Asean\u2019s five-point peace plan that Myanmar\u2019s junta had agreed to, but added that alternative ways must be forged to persuade the military leadership to work with Asean in achieving peace. \nOn the issue of the South China Sea, both Mr Anwar and Mr Marcos agreed that all claimant territories in Asean must take a multilateral approach to achieve a peaceful resolution to the maritime dispute. \nMalaysia and the Philippines are among the South-east Asian nations that are contesting Beijing\u2019s claim over territories in the South China Sea. \nBefore flying home on Thursday, Mr Anwar will receive an honorary law degree from the state-run University of the Philippines, where he is scheduled to deliver a public lecture on Asean geopolitics.\nThe university said it is conferring the degree in recognition of Mr Anwar\u2019s expertise on Philippine national hero Jose Rizal, whose monument he will be visiting on Thursday morning. It also praised the Malaysian leader for his \u201cprincipled stance against corruption and his management of the Malaysian economy during the Asian financial crisis\u201d.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-vows-to-continue-peace-efforts-in-southern-philippines"}, {"title": "Malaysia wants more Stem students and engineers to drive tech ambitions", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Over nine months last year, a million people aged between seven and 30 took part in tech-based competitions across Malaysia as part of the Techlympics 2022.\nIn rural areas, workshops are bringing 3D printing, robotics and drone technology to youth to help them close the gap with their urban counterparts, and expose them to careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem).\n\u201cWe hope with this kind of set-up, we can help to create innovation among Malaysians,\u201d said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang, whose ministry organises programmes such as the Techlympics, MakersLabs and National Science Week \u2013 all part of the country\u2019s push to become a high-tech nation by 2030.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn 2021, Malaysia said it wanted to raise its proportion of Stem students to as high as 60 per cent, to meet the future need for science, engineering and tech professionals. In 2020, the percentage of students in Stem was 47.18 per cent.\nMalaysia also needs more engineers. At the end of 2022, there were around 187,900 engineers registered, according to the Board of Engineers Malaysia. This leaves the country\u2019s engineer-to-population ratio at one to 170. \nThis is lower than in developed countries such as Germany and France, where the ratio is at one to 100, said Mr Chang, who studied civil engineering at the Universiti Putra Malaysia. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo fulfil its 2030 ambitions, Malaysia needs to double its current number of engineers, he added, admitting that there are several key challenges. \n\nSalaries in Malaysia, for one thing, are low compared with those in other countries, he told The Straits Times.\nA 25-year-old electrical engineer with a year\u2019s experience had written on the Malaysian Pay Gap Instagram account \u2013 where people anonymously reveal their incomes \u2013 that she was earning RM3,000 (S$905) a month before getting a job in Singapore, where she now earns $4,300. There are other similar stories on the site.\nAccording to the JobStreet employment website, the average monthly salaries for engineering jobs in Malaysia range from RM3,200 to RM4,200, while in Singapore, the typical monthly pay is $4,000.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Chang said the government is working to attract high-quality investment in Stem sectors to create jobs and raise salaries, to form a cycle in which rising demand for Stem talent can stimulate students\u2019 interest in those fields. \n\u201cWe need to attract more capital-intensive and technology-intensive industries, so that more job opportunities will be created, and demand for high-skilled workers will be higher.\u201d \nElectric car company Tesla has said it will set up an office in Malaysia, introduce service centres and build a network of Superchargers, while Amazon is investing RM25.5 billion in Malaysia by 2037 with plans to develop a \u201ccloud region\u201d for data storage and other cloud-based services.\nThe minister added that conventional or traditional industries such as agriculture should also be transformed into tech-driven industries to bolster demand for highly skilled workers. This will in turn reduce Malaysia\u2019s reliance on foreign workers and low-skilled workers. \nMr Chang said there needs to be collaboration between the Education Ministry and his Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to create a cohesive Stem education system. \n\u201cTo solve this problem, we have to start all over again,\u201d he said. \n", "\nComplaints from industry include graduates who do not meet the demands of the sector. \n\u201cThere is a need to build a robust Stem ecosystem that includes industry, academia, research institutions and the government. A strong ecosystem can provide students with access to mentors, tech companies and internships, and help them transition smoothly into the workforce,\u201d said Mr Chang, who expects the process to take at least five to 10 years.\n\u201cIt\u2019s not going to be straightaway from zero to 100. What is important is the direction, to be on the right track.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-wants-more-stem-students-and-engineers-to-drive-tech-ambitions"}, {"title": "Malaysia warns of heavy rain in 8 states for the rest of the week", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia\u2019s weather agency on Thursday issued a warning of continuous rain in eight states until Sunday. \nThe affected states are along the east coast and northern part of Peninsular Malaysia, as well as the eastern state of Sabah.\nAccording to the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), the other states are Perlis, Kedah, Penang, northern Perak and Kelantan, Terengganu and the eastern part of Pahang.\n\n\n\n\n\nMetMalaysia director-general Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said the department\u2019s warning is based on its analysis of weather models.\n\u201cStrong eastern winds are expected to be concentrated in the east of Sabah, and on the east coast and the northern part of the peninsula until Dec 5. This will have the potential to cause continuous heavy rain in the affected areas.\n\u201cAt the same time, a low-pressure weather system is expected to form in the South China Sea on Dec 2 and predicted to move west across the Malaysia-Thailand border towards the Andaman Sea from Dec 3 to 4,\u201d he said in a statement on Wednesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe added this could increase the intensity of rainfall.\n\nStrong waves and winds, said Mr Muhammad Helmi, are also expected to strike along the coastline and waters off Kelantan and Terengganu, which could be dangerous to beach and marine activities.\nHe urged members of the public to refer to MetMalaysia\u2019s website at www.met.gov.my and social media for updates, and download the myCuaca app for the latest information.\nUniversiti Malaya climate expert Prof Azizan Abu Samah said Malaysia is still under the influence of both La Ni\u00f1a and a negative Indian Ocean Dipole, which saw warmer temperatures in the tropical east Indian Ocean.\nBoth these conditions, he said, would encourage more rainfall in Malaysia, southern Thailand and Indonesia.\n\u201cAs long as La Ni\u00f1a persists with negative Indian Ocean Dipole, expect above normal rainfall for our region until December,\u201d he said in an interview.\n", "\nProf Azizan expressed his concern over the forecast of heavy rainfall in Terengganu from around 11pm on Thursday until 11am on Friday, which could lead to flooding.    \n\u201cThere is a low-pressure system forecast at around 8pm on Dec 4 for Kelantan.    \n\u201cHowever, forecasting in the tropics is only good for two to three days, then the accuracy drops.     \n\u201cSo MetMalaysia needs to monitor and follow up while updating the public,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-warns-of-heavy-rain-in-8-states-for-the-rest-of-the-week"}, {"title": "Malaysia warns of malicious \u2018Pink WhatsApp\u2019 app which causes users to lose control of their devices", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA -\u00a0The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has released a notice urging members of the public to avoid downloading an application called Pink WhatsApp. \n\u201cUsers may receive messages and links that appear to be from WhatsApp inviting them to try the new application. The MCMC advises the public not to download and install this application, and to immediately delete if it is already present on their mobile devices,\u201d it said in a\u00a0statement on Tuesday.\nThe commission said the application is being falsely advertised with claims that it has better security and privacy offerings, along with other features such as a customised interface and the ability to send larger files compared with the popular WhatsApp application by Meta.\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, MCMC said the app poses a security risk as it can access certain items on the user\u2019s device such as photos, contact list and SMSes.\nAccording to a recent\u00a0report\u00a0by\u00a0India Times, police in Mumbai have also issued a public warning about Pink WhatsApp.\nMembers of the public were urged to refer to an advisory, titled WhatsApp Pink: A Red Alert For Android Users,\u00a0released\u00a0by the Information Security Education and Awareness agency under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in India.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe advisory detailed how Pink WhatsApp will bombard the affected user\u2019s device with numerous ads and cause them to lose control of their device as personal data such as one-time passwords and contacts can be accessed by fraudsters. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-warns-of-malicious-pink-whatsapp-app-which-causes-users-to-lose-control-of-their-devices"}, {"title": "Malaysia weighs trade curbs to fight EU\u2019s anti-palm oil policy", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 Malaysia, the world\u2019s second-biggest palm oil producer, is weighing a range of trade curbs to strike back against what it calls an unfair policy of the European Union that blocks the tropical oil from EU markets.\nThe country will coordinate its response with Indonesia, the largest edible oil supplier globally. Strategies being considered include slowing commodity trade with Europe and reviewing imports from the bloc, according to Malaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof.\u00a0\nThe EU agreed to a historic law last December that will stop products causing forest destruction from being sold in the shops and supermarkets of member states. \n\n\n\n\n\nProducts like wood, rubber, beef, leather, cocoa, coffee, palm oil and soya will not make it past the port unless proven to be deforestation-free. Malaysia and Indonesia are leading international criticism of the policy.\u00a0\n\u201cIf they\u2019re too firm on their decision, if they do not want to listen to us, I think one of the areas that we can be looking at together with Indonesia is how we should look at Europe,\u201d Mr Fadillah, who is also Malaysia\u2019s Minister of Plantation and Commodities, said in an interview on Tuesday. \u201cIf we are not fairly treated, I think there should be some counter-action by us.\u201d\nThe two countries \u2013 which together make up more than 80 per cent of the world\u2019s palm oil supply \u2013 say the rule is discriminatory. It will cut off market access to the EU for millions of small farmers across Asia, Latin America and Africa who do not have the means to meet the stricter traceability requirements. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nPalm oil is used to make everything from chocolate to lipstick, soap and detergent.\u00a0\n\nIndonesian talks\n\u201cThe action by the EU is trying to phase out smallholders from the system,\u201d Mr Fadillah said from his office in Putrajaya. \nThe bloc keeps introducing new requirements despite compliance from bigger plantations on international sustainability standards, and the Malaysian government\u2019s commitment to a greener economy and limiting new plantation areas, he said.\nHe will head for Jakarta on Wednesday to discuss strategies with Indonesia. The two countries will hold a joint ministerial press conference on Thursday.\nOn possible trade measures, Mr Fadillah did not want to go into details of what Malaysia and Indonesia may do, but said it would be part of the discussion.\u00a0\n\u201cTogether with Indonesia, we want to make the European Union realise their action is a one-sided, unilateral decision,\u201d he said. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-weighs-trade-curbs-to-fight-eu-s-anti-palm-oil-policies"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar rules out reintroducing GST despite high debt", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday ruled out reintroducing the goods and services tax or any new broad-based consumption tax, despite the country facing high national debt. \nAddressing Parliament during his maiden Prime Minister\u2019s Question Time, Datuk Seri Anwar said the government will instead focus on cutting subsidies \u201cfor the rich\u201d and also curb wastage and corruption in his administration as it seeks to lower the debt levels. \n\u201cWe do not plan to implement GST or any broad-based consumption tax. What we plan to do is reduce subsidies for the rich, like we have done with the electricity tariff,\u201d Mr Anwar said while responding to a question from Taiping MP Wong Kah Woh.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe will look at good governance to repair (wastages),\u201d Mr Anwar added.\nShortly after coming to power in 2022, Mr Anwar dialled back on scheduled electricity tariff hikes for the public, but maintained the rate increase for international corporations. \nHe said on Tuesday that the national debt has reached RM1.5 trillion (S$459 billion), or 82 per cent of the country\u2019s gross domestic product. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nGST was implemented under former premier Najib Razak in 2015, but the move was unpopular and was scrapped by the previous Pakatan Harapan administration in 2018 after it won elections that year. \n\nCalls and suggestions to reintroduce GST have gained traction since 2022, as the government seeks to boost its income to reduce national debt and also slowly move towards a targeted subsidy system. \nMalaysia spent nearly RM80 billion on subsidies in 2022 \u2013 the highest in the country\u2019s history. \nMr Anwar\u2019s predecessor, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, admitted then that a proposal to reintroduce GST was being studied by his administration, saying that despite the tax system being unpopular, the government had limited options in broadening its own income base. \n\n\n\n\n\nIn January, the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers urged Mr Anwar to reintroduce GST at a rate of 4 per cent, in order to reduce national debt and help the state accumulate funds to weather a possible economic downturn. \nNajib\u2019s administration had introduced GST at a rate of 6 per cent, which was one of the factors that contributed to the Barisan Nasional administration losing the general election for the first time ever in 2018. \nAnalysts said the government\u2019s credibility was more important than the debt figures, hence Mr Anwar\u2019s anti-corruption agenda \u2013 which, if effective, could prove crucial. \n\u201cDebt is not necessarily a problem. It\u2019s mainly the government\u2019s creditworthiness, especially in the eyes of global finance houses, that is of concern,\u201d said Dr Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs. \nDr Oh added that fighting corruption is a fundamental solution to the debt concern, as it gives confidence that money is well spent in Malaysia and not lost to graft and wastage. \nIn recent years, Malaysia has been rocked by several financial scandals \u2013 the biggest being the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, which saw the country lose at least RM20 billion in public funds stolen from the firm. \nMr Anwar said on Tuesday that the government is still paying RM18 billion arising from 1MDB-related debts.\nNajib is currently in jail after being convicted for 1MDB-related graft charges. \nIn 2022, a RM9 billion littoral combat ship scandal came to light, leading to the former managing director of a Malaysian shipbuilding company being charged with criminal breach of trust. \nMalaysia is already dealing with inflationary pressures and also a sluggish economy following the impact of two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-will-not-reintroduce-goods-and-services-tax-says-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "Malaysia wins appeal against partial award in $20b claim by former sultan's heirs", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A Paris court has upheld the Malaysian government\u2019s challenge against enforcing a partial award to the heirs of a former sultan who won US$15 billion (S$20 billion) in an arbitration over a colonial-era land deal, Malaysia said late on Tuesday.\nThe win for Malaysia implies the final award will be annulled and the descendants\u2019 efforts to seize Malaysian assets will end, the government said.\n\u201cThis decision, which is final and binding, is a decisive victory for Malaysia in its ongoing pursuit of legal remedies, which Malaysia is confident will result in comprehensive defeat for the claimants and their funders,\u201d said Law Minister Azalina Othman Said.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe claimants said they would consider their options before the French Supreme Court.\nThe Filipino heirs of the last Sultan of Sulu won a US$14.9 billion award in a French arbitration court in 2022 in a long-running dispute over the deal, after a partial award was first issued in May 2020.\nThe Paris Court of Appeal found the case arbitrator had wrongly upheld his jurisdiction, Malaysia said on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia, which did not participate in the arbitration, maintains the process is illegal and has vowed to use all legal measures to prevent seizure. \n\nIt obtained a stay on the award in France, but the ruling remains enforceable overseas under a United Nations treaty on arbitration.\nThe dispute stems from an 1878 deal signed between European colonists and the Sultan of Sulu for use of his territory, which spanned islands in the southern Philippines and parts of present-day Malaysia on Borneo island.\nIndependent Malaysia paid a token sum annually to the sultan\u2019s heirs to honour the agreement but stopped in 2013, after supporters of the former sultanate launched a bloody incursion to reclaim land from Malaysia. \nThe heirs say they were not involved in the incursion and sought arbitration over the suspension of payments.\nIn recent months, Malaysia has stepped up efforts to protect itself from the arbitration award, including filing police complaints against one of the claimants\u2019 lawyers.\nThe Filipino claimants and their lawyers have requested protection from their respective foreign ministries over concerns that there could be further actions against them, they said. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-wins-appeal-against-partial-award-in-20b-claim-by-sultans-heirs"}, {"title": "Malaysia woos Microsoft, Google to bolster data hub ambitions", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia wants to attract Microsoft and Alphabet\u2019s Google in its drive to be a data hub and as it positions itself as a neutral supply chain base amid rising US-China tensions, according to Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Zafrul Abdul Aziz.   \n\u201cWe are attracting as many as we can\u201d and \u201cslowly establishing ourselves\u201d as a data centre hub, Datuk Seri Zafrul said in an interview with Bloomberg Television\u2019s Haslinda Amin on Friday.\u00a0 \nMalaysia\u2019s investment success in 2023 includes attracting companies such as Tesla and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Tesla plans to import its electric vehicles into the South-east Asian nation and build a network of superchargers, while AWS will invest RM25.5 billion (S$7.4 billion) in cloud-computing infrastructure by 2037. \n\n\n\n\n\nSimmering tensions between Washington and Beijing are increasingly pushing global businesses to seek locations outside of China. Malaysia is vying with other South-east Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand for investments that are aimed at building new supply chains.\n\u201cWe are seeing a lot of realignment of supply chain, you know, looking at resiliency and security coming to this region,\u201d Mr Zafrul said.\nMalaysia attracted RM71.4 billion in approved investments in the first quarter of 2023, up 67 per cent from a year earlier, according to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nForeign direct investments made up more than 52 per cent of the flows. In early June, the country secured RM23 billion of potential investments during a trade mission Mr Zafrul led to Japan.\n\nTesla chose Malaysia because of a proven ecosystem built over the past 50 years, Mr Zafrul said. \nMalaysia has also sought to capitalise on its attractiveness as a semiconductor hub amid uncertain regional geopolitics, with the minister noting that \u201cwe have to be opportunistic sometimes\u201d.\n\u201cWe are in the position of being neutral and being part of the critical supply chain,\u201d he said. \u201cMalaysia has been a net beneficiary.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia caters to about 13 per cent of the world demand for chip testing and packaging, and what Mr Zafrul estimated as a quarter of US chip-testing and assembly needs. \nCompanies in the sector already provide services of more than RM200 million to Tesla, according to Mr Zafrul.\nMalaysia\u2019s economy is heavily dependent on trade and vulnerable to shocks resulting from disruptions in commerce, especially involving China, its largest partner since 2009. \n", "\nTrade tensions have stemmed from the US\u2019 effort to clamp down on China\u2019s access to critical semiconductor technology and export controls. The battered trade picture is contributing to what Mr Zafrul called a \u201cvery challenging year\u201d for growth in addition to monetary policy tightening, and the continuing impact of Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine.\nMalaysia\u2019s exports fell the most in almost three years in April, and the weakness may persist as China\u2019s economic recovery loses traction. \u00a0\nMalaysia\u2019s gross domestic product expanded by a faster-than-expected 5.6 per cent in the first quarter from a year ago, and the government has projected a 2023 growth rate of 4.5 per cent, a moderation from 2022.     \nThe benchmark stock index is among the worst-performing Asian stock gauges in 2023, as weakening commodity prices and concerns about a slowdown in the world economy prompted global funds to exit local shares.    \nThe ringgit has slid 4.6 per cent year to date as rising US interest rates supported the greenback. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-woos-microsoft-google-to-bolster-data-hub-ambitions"}, {"title": "Malaysian agencies search for 3 missing men from Singapore-bound tanker that caught fire", "text": ["\nThe Malaysian maritime authorities were looking for three missing crew members of a Singapore-bound tanker on Tuesday, a day after the vessel caught fire in the South China Sea off the Johor coast.\nActing deputy director-general of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Rear-Admiral Saiful Lizan Ibrahim, said the authorities had yet to find the missing men. \nSearch and rescue operations began on Monday evening.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe search area has been widened to 71 nautical miles from the site of the incident, said Rear-Adm Saiful.\nHe did not discount the possibility that the three crew members \u2013 two Indian nationals and one Ukrainian \u2013 could still be on board the vessel, Pablo.\n\u201cThe fire has stopped for now, but our search and rescue team has not been able to board (the vessel) due to thick smoke,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Gabon-registered tanker was heading for Singapore from China when it caught fire. \n\nIn a statement on Monday night, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Singapore received information from the master of tanker Enola that the vessel had rescued 18 crew members from Pablo. \nSeven other Pablo crew members were picked up by vessels in the vicinity.\nThere were no Singaporean crew members on board, the MPA said. \nMedia reports said four crew members of Pablo had serious injuries and were hospitalised in Johor.\nRear-Adm Saiful said the tanker had about 50 per cent damage but is still floating, and that a check showed no oil has spilt from the vessel.\nHe said a hazardous-materials team from Malaysia\u2019s Fire and Rescue Department will be deployed to the stricken ship on Wednesday to check it and identify the cause of the blaze before sending in a team to look for the missing men.\n", "\nPablo\u2019s Captain Lepyoshkin Oleksandr said the fire caught the crew by surprise. \n\u201cThere was a loud explosion like a bomb which shattered the ship\u2019s windows before the fire. I tried to make an emergency call, but the equipment on the ship was damaged from the fire,\u201d he told Malay daily Harian Metro.\n\u201cWe were lucky there were two ships nearby which provided immediate emergency assistance, including helping to rescue our panicked and frightened crew.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-agencies-search-for-3-missing-men-of-s-pore-bound-tanker-that-caught-fire"}, {"title": "Malaysian landslide death toll rises to 25; animal lover delivers food for rescue dogs", "text": ["\nBATANG KALI - The body of a child was found late on Tuesday evening or just past midnight on Wednesday, bringing to 25 the number of those confirmed killed in the landslide that occurred on Friday at the foot of Malaysia\u2019s Genting Highlands. \nSelangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant operations director Hafisham Mohd Noor, was quoted by New Straits Times daily as saying the remains were that of a young girl. \u201cMore details will be released later,\u201d he said.\nThe search and rescue (SAR) operations, which were on its fifth day on Tuesday, are still looking for eight missing victims of the landslide at the Father\u2019s Organic Farm campsite in Batang Kali, Selangor. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe authorities said a total of 94 people were caught in the landslide that occcured around 2am last Friday, with 61 of them managing to scramble out safely. \nTwenty-nine of the 94 victims were children. However, the total number of children killed in the disaster has yet to be confirmed.\nPolice have met 53 individuals as they investigate the landslide case, FreeMalaysiaToday news site said on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSelangor police chief Arjunaidi Mohamed was quoted as saying that police have taken statements from the operator of the campsite, two of his employees, along with survivors and their families. \n\nMeanwhile, the hard work of the K-9 unit, comprising trained search dogs, in locating the victims has not gone unnoticed by animal lovers.\nDriving a van filled with premium canine food to the area on Tuesday, animal shelter operator Mohamad Rosli brought cartons and bags of feed in recognition of the canine rescuers\u2019 perseverance in the ongoing SAR operations.    \nHis contribution consists of over a dozen cans of wet dog food, which cost around RM16 (S$4.90) each, while the bags of dry dog food cost over RM150 each, he said.    \n", "\nMr Mohamad, who founded the Kuala Lumpur-based animal shelter Dady Oyen Strays Malaysia, said it was his life\u2019s passion to help animals around Malaysia that were affected by disasters.\nThe SAR personnel, who included those from the Civil Defence and the Fire Department, have been receiving daily meals donated to the control centre at the site by various organisations. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-animal-lover-delivers-vanload-of-food-for-landslide-rescue-dogs"}, {"title": "Malaysian authorities clamp down on illegally modified motorcycles", "text": ["\nKUALA TERENGGANU, Terengganu \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s transport authorities are clamping down on motorcycles illegally modified to have no rear brakes, a trend detected over the Chinese New Year in January.\nAn operation by the Road Transport Department (RTD) found 39 motorcyclists whose vehicles\u2019 rear brakes had been removed. This illegal modification allows the motorbikes to accelerate more quickly, the New Straits Times reported on Monday.\nTerengganu RTD director Zulkarnain Yasin said the motorcycles had been modified by young people who \u201cblatantly disregarded safety\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI do not know what is the purpose of riding without rear brakes. The risk of accidents is high when a vehicle is not properly equipped with a braking system and it also poses danger to other road users,\u201d he said. \nOther offences included having number plates that did not comply with specifications, having no side mirrors or chain cover, and using modified exhausts and ill-fitting tyres.\nMr Zulkarnain\u00a0said: \u201cThe motorcyclists have been given 14 days to get their machines back to the original factory specifications before they are allowed to claim their machines.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf the owners fail to claim their machines within three months, their ownership of the motorbikes will be cancelled, before the motorcycles are auctioned off.\u201d\n\nIn the 10-day operation from Jan 18, 3,803 vehicles were inspected.\nThe highest number of offences involved heavily tinted or blacked-out windows, followed by driving without a licence.\nThe RTD issued 799 summonses and 554 other notices involving 1,186 offences, added Mr Zulkarnain.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-authorities-clamp-down-on-illegally-modified-motorcycles"}, {"title": "Malaysian child actress unable to walk after chair prank", "text": ["\nA Malaysian child actress is now unable to walk and has to wear diapers following a nasty prank while filming a drama series in late February.\nOn Feb 22, Puteri Rafasya, 12, was about to sit on a chair during rehearsals when another child pulled the chair away.\nPuteri fell and landed on the metal legs of a tripod. She fractured her hip bone and is currently experiencing numbness in her lower limbs due to a malfunctioned nervous system. She is also unable to walk.\n\n\n\n\n\nNow confined to a wheelchair, Puteri has to wear diapers, reported Malaysian media.\nThe reports said the alleged perpetrator was related to a co-star and was not supposed to be on the set.\nPuteri\u2019s mother, Ms Fatin Aliza Salmi, has been sharing her daughter\u2019s condition on social media.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn March 10, she said Puteri had to be rushed to hospital when she suffered from urinary incontinence.\n\n\u201cAccording to medical reports, Puteri is expected to be able to walk by now, but she cannot even stand, let alone walk,\u201d Malay daily Harian Metro quoted Ms Fatin, 33, as saying.\nMs Fatin said her daughter\u2019s condition is very upsetting, and claims that she has yet to receive any help or acknowledgment from the family of the child who allegedly pulled the prank.\nPuteri\u2019s fans have sent the girl messages of encouragement and prayers.\n\u201cI love to watch your acting. I pray that you get well soon. Please take care,\u201d wrote idalady88 on Puteri\u2019s Instagram account.\n", "\nSome also told the family to seek legal advice.\n\u201cTry to consult a lawyer and file a civil suit,\u201d wrote intanfarina_natasya.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-child-actress-unable-to-walk-after-chair-prank"}, {"title": "Malaysian cook drops iPhone into boiling oil while TikToking (Spoiler alert: The phone lived)", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A Malaysian cook was demonstrating his culinary prowess on TikTok when the iPhone he was using slipped out of his hand and fell into a pan full of boiling cooking oil.\nHis little cooking show had turned into an unorthodox review of Apple\u2019s flagship product.\n\nSpoiler alert: The phone lived.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 39-second video showed the man \u2013 who goes by @zaeim_ainn on TikTok \u2013 describing how he makes his goreng ayam \u2013 fried chicken.\n\u201cOnce you see half of the chicken floating to the top of the oil, you can turn down the heat of your pan,\u201d he told his followers, his phone camera pointing at a pan of boiling cooking oil.\nThen, Murphy\u2019s Law kicked in.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe went for a closer view of his pan, and that was when his phone slipped from his hand and fell into the pan.\n\nFor about 12 seconds, he tried to fish his iPhone out of the pan. The phone kept recording. It went dark, and then red and green, and then showed a blurry image of its owner.\nThe video then cut to a frame of the cook and his friend checking out the iPhone and marvelling at how it seemed to still be working perfectly fine.\n\u201cThank you, iPhone. Your product is satisfyingly good,\u201d the man then wrote in his video.\nThe responses were just as amusing.\n\n\u201cNot just waterproof but \u2018fried-proof\u2019 as well,\u201d one commented.\nAnother said he now knows how a chicken feels when it is being deep-fried.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-cook-drops-iphone-into-boiling-cooking-oil-while-tiktoking-spoiler-alert-the-phone-lived"}, {"title": "Malaysian couple remarry each other, 21 years after divorce", "text": ["\nA Malaysian couple have rekindled their romance and tied the knot again \u2013 21 years after they got a divorce.\nMs Hawazalina Mohd Othman, 46, and Mr Mohd Ezwani Ahmad Nazeri, 45, were married for two years before they decided to go their separate ways in June 2002. \nThe duo then went on to remarry and have children. Unfortunately, those unions did not last, reported Malay daily Harian Metro.\n\n\n\n\n\nDuring those years, Ms Hawazalina and Mr Ezwani did not contact each other.  \nBut he made contact again when he left a condolence message on Ms Hawazalina\u2019s Facebook page on Feb 22, two days after her mother died, said Ms Hawazalina. He had reportedly found out about the death from a mutual friend.\n\u201cInitially, I could not recognise him because we\u2019ve not seen each other for so long, and his face has changed. But, my younger sister pointed out that it is Ezwani,\u201d Ms Hawazalina told Harian Metro.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHe wanted to be friends with me on Facebook and from there, we started talking and caught up on each other\u2019s lives. He then suggested we get back together, and I agreed.\u201d\n\nThe couple, who have three children each, got married for the second time in April.\nMs Hawazalina, who teaches crocheting and sells her handicraft on social media, said she believes the marriage will last this time.  \n\u201cAlthough we were divorced due to personal reasons, throughout our marriage, he was a good and responsible husband. I believe he is still the same man he was 21 years ago.\u201d\n\nShe added their immediate family, including their respective children, accepted their decision to remarry.   \n\u201cI hope our marriage will remain until the end of our lives.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-couple-remarry-each-other-21-years-after-divorce"}, {"title": "Malaysian court rejects Najib\u2019s appeal in 1MDB case", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Federal Court has dismissed an appeal by former prime minister Najib Razak in yet another attempt to disqualify Gopal Sri Ram from prosecuting his 1Malaysia Development Bhd-related criminal trial.\nIn the unanimous decision, Justice Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, who chaired a three-judge panel, ruled that there was no real danger of bias in the complaint, as argued by Najib\u2019s defence team.\n\u201cWe do not think the High Court nor the Court of Appeal have committed any error in law or in fact that would warrant an appellate intervention.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe appeal is dismissed,\u201d he said on Wednesday.\nThe other judges on the panel were Justices Zabariah Mohd Yusof and Hasnah Mohammed Hashim.\nNajib was appealing against a High Court decision on February 15, 2021, where Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan dismissed his application to remove Sri Ram from the 1MDB audit report tampering trial.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn his application, Najib contended that a communication between former attorney general Mohamed Apandi Ali and Sri Ram was proof that the latter was biased against him, and that Sri Ram was also involved in the 1MDB-related investigations prior to the court case.\n\nApandi had filed an affidavit in support of Najib\u2019s recusal application in which he claimed that Sri Ram had met him in January 2018 to persuade him to prosecute Najib over the 1MDB fiasco.\nThe prosecution, however, argued that there was no evidence to show that Sri Ram participated in the 1MDB investigation.\nIt also gave its own version of what had transpired between Sri Ram and Apandi in the WhatsApp exchanges where the prosecution contended that the messages were Sri Ram\u2019s personal opinion.\nOn this matter, the Federal Court ruled that it was for the High Court to scrutinise the content of the communication and come to a finding of a version that was most probable with the circumstances.\nAt the outset of the proceedings, the apex court heard submissions from Sri Ram and Najib\u2019s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.\nOn September 8, 2021, the Court of Appeal affirmed the Feb 15 dismissal by the High Court.\nNajib, 68, is charged with using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was presented to the Public Accounts Committee to prevent any action from being taken against him, while former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy is charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments to the report to protect Najib from being subjected to action.\nThe High Court has fixed Jan 30 to deliver its decision on whether Najib and Arul Kanda will be acquitted or ordered to enter their defence on the 1MDB audit tampering case. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-court-rejects-najib-s-appeal-in-1mdb-case"}, {"title": "Malaysian crude flows to China surpass Iraq with record volume", "text": ["\nBEIJING - China imported a record volume of crude from Malaysia last month as flows from the minnow producer surpassed that of major Opec members Iraq and the United Arab Emirates.\nImports from Malaysia were at 5.52 million tonnes in December, according to data from the General Administration of Customs. \nThat\u2019s equivalent to 1.3 million barrels a day, or almost triple the average daily crude output from the South-east Asian nation over the first nine months of 2022.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe seas near Malaysia have long been a hub for transferring crude and petroleum products from one tanker to another, sometimes to mask the origin. \nBarrels from Iran and Venezuela have previously been re-branded and passed off as oil from Malaysia and Oman.\nMalaysia was China\u2019s third-biggest supplier of crude last month, trailing Saudi Arabia and Russia. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nShipments from Iraq were at 5.06 million tonnes, while flows from the UAE were at 4.95 million tonnes.\n\nOverall, China imported 35.7 million tonnes of crude from Malaysia last year, making the South-east Asian nation the sixth-biggest supplier, ahead of Brazil, and Opec members Kuwait and Angola. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-crude-flows-to-china-surpass-iraq-with-record-volume"}, {"title": "Malaysian farmers dispose of tonnes of excess vegetables due to Hari Raya holiday", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Farmers throughout Malaysia have dumped tonnes of vegetables due to the closure of markets over the long weekend, but they say the situation will be back to normal after the Hari Raya festivities. \nCameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association deputy president Lau Weng Soow said there was a vegetable surplus in Cameron Highlands three weeks ago and farmers ended up having to throw away vegetables during the long Hari Raya holiday. \n\u201cIn the past, vegetable farmers discarded excessive produce during the same holiday, but not as much as this time. I estimate that nearly 1,000 tonnes of vegetables were discarded in Cameron alone,\u201d he said. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf you add the more than 1,000 tonnes of vegetables discarded from the plains, the vegetable farmers would have lost millions of ringgit.\u201d \nThis is the first time they have done so in large quantities, he said.\nCucumbers, tomatoes, sawi (choy sum) and collard greens were among the vegetables discarded, he added. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe low demand for vegetables during Ramadan, coupled with the long holiday when many vegetable markets did not open, and with some vendors and merchants still on holiday \u2013 that reduced the demand for vegetables considerably,\u201d he said. \u201cVegetable farmers were forced to destroy vegetables and replant them to meet future market demand.\u201d \n\nMr Lau said the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) and the Vegetable Farmers and Vegetable Traders Association should collaborate to monitor the amount of vegetables available in the country. \nHe suggested reinstating vegetable import approved permits for Malaysians to import vegetables only when there is a shortage so as to avoid losses for domestic farmers. \n\u201cThe authorities should import vegetables only when they are not self-sufficient, rather than importers just importing vegetables and affecting the supply of local farmers,\u201d he said. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that vegetable farmers had never received government subsidies and were responsible for all losses and destruction of vegetables. \nAsked about reports that Fama would provide advisory services to ensure a stable supply of vegetables, thus benefiting local growers, Mr Lau said this was not a sustainable solution. \nHe said Fama could only buy vegetables at below-market prices and would have to face the risk of overstocking. \nFama currently buys tomatoes from Cameron farmers at 80 sen (24 Singapore cents) to 90 sen per kg, he said, and farmers might also have to bear the transport costs. \n", "\nMalaysia Federation of Vegetable Farmers Association president Lim Ser Kwee said vegetables were picked from farms daily, but markets and wholesalers were closed for several days, forcing farmers to discard the greens. \n\u201cIn the Johor plains, farmers are throwing away about 600,000 tonnes of vegetables a day, including tomatoes and cucumbers, because they can\u2019t store them for long,\u201d he said. \nAfter this experience, he is urging farmers nationwide to grow vegetables according to market demand, he said. \n\u201cThis year, vegetable farmers have suffered the greatest losses and discarded the most amount of vegetables.\u201d \nMr Lim added that vegetable planting was determined by the climate. \nFor example, he said, vegetable prices were high during the Chinese New Year period as supply was low then due to bad weather.\nThe weather gradually improved, resulting in better production, but demand was low, he said.\n\u201cSo, farmers were forced to accept a loss. We hope that farmers will be able to find regular buyers,\u201d he said. \n\u201cThis means they can increase production in accordance with demand. And farmers will be able to rotate the type of vegetables they grow.\u201d \nHe also urged the government to provide farmers with subsidies for fertilisers. \nKuala Lumpur Vegetable Traders\u2019 Association president Wong Keng Fatt said vegetable traders at Malaysia\u2019s largest wholesalers\u2019 market in Selayang began operating on Monday.\n\u201cThe wholesale market had been closed for three days. Vegetable markets nationwide are expected to be fully open next week,\u201d he said. \nBut while some vegetable markets had reopened, he said vegetable prices were low, with tomatoes costing RM1.30 to RM1.50 per kg, for example.\nAs for leafy vegetables, he said the supply was limited, hence prices would be slightly higher. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-farmers-dispose-tonnes-of-excess-vegetables-due-to-hari-raya-holiday"}, {"title": "Malaysian fireman risks his life to rescue baby goat in Johor floods", "text": ["\nJOHOR BARU - A Malaysian fireman risked his own life to rescue a baby goat from drowning during a recent rescue operation to help flood evacuees at Kampung Melayu Bukit Batu in Johor\u2019s Kulai district on March 3.\n\u201cMy men were carrying out a rescue operation in the area when they spotted the kid on top of a pile of sand. It was in danger of being submerged by flood water,\u201d said Johor Fire and Rescue Department acting director Mohd Rizal Buang.\nImmediately, one of the firemen, Mr Charlsrickson James, jumped out of the boat the firemen were on to rescue the kid.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe waded through strong currents to save the animal from drowning, said Mr Rizal. \nMr Rizal applauded the actions of his men, especially Mr James, in saving the young goat and ensuring it could be reunited with its owner.\nMr Rizal also shared a story about his close encounter with a wild animal while accompanying Johor Prince Tunku Abu Bakar Sultan Ibrahim, who was delivering food supplies to Orang Asli villagers in a rural area in Kluang district on March 4.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Prince, Mr Rizal and other people were in a convoy of boats on Sungai Kahang when they spotted an elephant swimming across the river to get to higher ground to escape rising flood waters.  \n\n\u201cWe slowed our boats to let the elephant swim past us,\u201d said Mr Rizal.\nMr Rizal said those who come across wild animals should not try to get close or even attempt to capture them on their own for safety reasons. They should instead contact the authorities, such as the Fire and Rescue Department or the Wildlife and National Parks Department. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-fireman-risks-his-life-to-rescue-baby-goat-in-johor-floods"}, {"title": "Malaysian fugitive businessman Tedy Teow, or \u2018Jho Low 2\u2019, to be deported to China: Thai cops", "text": ["\nBANGKOK - A Malaysian fugitive businessman dubbed Jho Low 2 is expected to be deported from Thailand to China before the end of December, Thai police told Bernama news agency on Sunday. \nTeow Wooi Huat, also known as Tedy Teow, is the Penang-born founder of the Mobility Beyond Imagination Group (MBI), which was linked to a slew of scams. He\u2019s dubbed Jho Low 2, in reference to Low Taek Jho, another Penang-born fugitive businessman involved in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, for the similarity in their modus operandi. \nTeow was arrested in a police raid at MBI\u2019s office in Dannok, Sadao on the Thai-Malaysian border on July 22. \n\n\n\n\n\nThai assistant national police chief Pol Lt-Gen Surachate Hakparn said both China and Malaysia have since requested for Teow\u2019s repatriation, but Thai police received the request from China first. \nHe told Bernama: \u201cWe have been working on (Teow\u2019s extradition) for more than a month. We have forwarded the request to Attorney General. Once it is completed, he (Teow) will be deported to China before end of this year.\u201d\nBeijing police reportedly wanted Teow for questioning after 400 investors in China filed a suit in a bid to recover investments worth some RM100 million (S$31 million), reported The Star. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn 2019, some 100 Chinese nationals cheated by the MBI\u2019s group online pyramid scheme staged a protest outside the Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur.\n\nLast year, Malaysian police smashed a syndicate involved in a Macau scam linked to Teow and his two sons. The group was believed to have set up shell companies to launder ill-gotten gains before using the money to buy high-end properties in Malaysia and Thailand, and invest in cryptocurrencies totalling more than RM336 million (S$104 million). \nPolice said Teow was then hiding in Dannok in South Thailand. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-fugitive-businessman-tedy-teow-or-jho-low-2-to-be-deported-to-china-thai-cops"}, {"title": "Malaysian government considering tightening laws to protect citizens against job scams", "text": ["\nBANGKOK - The Malaysian government is considering tightening laws to protect its citizens from being conned by syndicates with fake job offers abroad.\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said many Malaysians were victims of\u00a0scams as the syndicates were hiding abroad, including in Myanmar. \n\u201cWe have taken a rather tough stand. We also urge Malaysians to be more vigilant and not easily deceived.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe Communications and Digital Ministry and the Royal Malaysia Police are taking necessary measures including tightening laws,\u201d he told Malaysian reporters after ending his two-day work visit in Thailand, Bernama reported. \nMost of these syndicates trick their victims via job advertisements on social media platforms, including Facebook. They offer positions such as customer service officers abroad with lucrative salaries.\nAfter securing the victims\u2019 consent, the agent would inform them that they would handle the expenses of travelling to the work destination. However, upon arrival, the victims\u2019 travel documents and phones would be seized and destroyed.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVictims would then be detained, controlled strictly and forced to work either as scammers or in online gambling operations. \n\nEarlier, Datuk Seri Anwar also said the government had not decided on whether to legalise the use of cannabis for medical purposes in the country.\nHe said the government was still waiting for the Health Ministry\u2019s recommendations before deciding on the matter. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-government-considering-tightening-laws-to-protect-citizens-against-job-scams"}, {"title": "Malaysian govt and former cops ordered to pay $1.5m to Mongolian model Altantuya\u2019s family", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM - A Malaysian high court has ordered the government and three others to pay RM5 million (S$1.53 million) in damages to the family of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, who was murdered in 2006.\nCivil court judge Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, who made the ruling on Friday morning, said the victim\u2019s family had successfully proven their claim against the government, political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, and former policemen Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri.\nThe judge\u2019s verdict in favour of the family during an online proceeding comes 15 years after the civil action was filed in 2007.\n\n\n\n\n\nOn June 4, 2007, Ms Altantuya\u2019s parents, Dr Shaariibuu Setev and Ms Altantsetseg Sanjaa, and their grandsons Mungunshagai Bayarjargal and Altanshagai Munkhtulga, filed the suit against Azilah and Sirul, as well as Mr Abdul Razak and the government.\nHowever, Altanshagai\u2019s name was later removed from the plaintiff\u2019s list when he died in 2017.\nIn their statement of claim, the family said Ms Altantuya\u2019s death resulted in them suffering mental shock and psychological trauma and sought compensation as well as exemplary and aggravated damages.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA total of 26 witnesses for the plaintiffs, including Dr Shaariibuu and Ms Altantuya\u2019s eldest son Bayarkhuu, testified at the trial, which began in 2019.\n\nThe government presented three witnesses, while Mr Abdul Razak chose not to testify. \nMs Altantuya was murdered in October 2006 and her body was blown up with military-grade explosives. \nAzilah and Sirul were found guilty of her murder and sentenced to death in 2009.\nMr Abdul Razak, a former aide to then deputy prime minister Najib Razak, was charged with abetting the duo, but later acquitted without his defence being called. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-govt-and-former-cops-ordered-to-pay-15m-to-mongolian-model-altantuya-s-family"}, {"title": "Malaysian govt\u2019s rescue of Umno in flap over party polls may lead to chaos for Anwar\u2019s key ally", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The Malaysian government\u2019s move to block the deregistration of Umno over an irregular motion to bar a leadership challenge to its top two officials may lead to a complicated legal wrangle that could throw Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s crucial partner into chaos. \nThe Straits Times has learnt that opponents of the resolution for president Zahid Hamidi and deputy president Mohamad Hasan to be retained without contest in party elections will likely seek a court review of the validity of the polls.\nAt its annual congress in January, Umno passed a no-contest motion, which was criticised by the opposition Perikatan Nasional as well as an anti-Zahid camp within the party itself. \n\n\n\n\n\nUmno will conclude its party polls next week, minus contests for the top two posts.\n\u201cEven though the Home Minister can waive the punishment of deregistration, the party must still regularise its affairs and hold polls for all positions. It does not mean you can continue to be in breach of the Societies Act,\u201d said a source involved in the challenge against the motion.\nThe challengers liken the situation to the cancellation of a fine imposed over the non-renewal of a licence, even though a licence is still needed.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHence, the party\u2019s current polls could be rendered null and void if the Registrar of Societies (ROS) or a court compels Umno to hold elections for all positions.\n\nThis would cause confusion and strife among the leadership before the polls, those elected and those who would contest if fresh elections are needed.\nDeputy Prime Minister Zahid\u2019s continued Umno presidency is seen as crucial for the so-called unity government\u2019s stability as he strongly advocates working with Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition despite the misgivings of Umno supporters.\nAlthough Umno has only 26 of the government\u2019s 148 MPs in the 222-strong Parliament, the party lends the government legitimacy in the eyes of the Malay-Muslim majority, the bulk of whom did not back PH at the November general election.\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter the no-contest resolution was passed, some members \u2013 understood to be backed by anti-Zahid dissidents \u2013 filed a complaint with ROS alleging that the resolution contravened Umno\u2019s Constitution, which explicitly calls for all positions, including the presidency and deputy presidency, to be contested in polls.\nZahid\u2019s faction in the supreme council, Umno\u2019s top decision-making body, has sacked and suspended many of these rebels, including top figures such as former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and former vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, the son of former premier Hussein Onn. \n", "\nLast Saturday, Zahid claimed that Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail \u2013 Mr Anwar\u2019s key lieutenant, who is also PH chief secretary \u2013 had told Umno that the no-contest resolution was valid \u201cbecause all the clauses in the party\u2019s Constitution were adhered to\u201d. \nBut former PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is not defending his vice-presidency as he claims the polls are irregular, has challenged Zahid to show proof of ROS\u2019 approval.\nThe Straits Times has seen an ROS letter to Umno last week, saying that the resolution was \u201cimproper and contravened\u201d the party\u2019s Constitution.\n\u201cUmno must take corrective measures and not ignore the party Constitution... in the supreme council election,\u201d the letter read.\nZahid has claimed that he is unaware of the letter and its contents.\nBut Datuk Seri Saifuddin on Tuesday said the Home Ministry had exempted Umno from abiding by Section 13(1)(c)(iv) of the Societies Act over the no-contest decision. \nUnder the law, the minister may exempt any society from provisions of the Act. But the particular section mentioned deals with deregistration rather than the validity of election resolutions.\nThis development has led to the opposition and those opposed to Zahid claiming that there was political interference in the regulatory process.\nFormer Umno youth chief Khairy said on Tuesday: \u201cIf the Home Minister is forced to use the powers of exemption in law, it means the matter referred to must have breached the Societies Act.\u201d\nFormer home and defence minister Hishammuddin said: \u201cThis is why we are fired and suspended, just in case the minister did not grant the exemption.\u201d\nMr Saifuddin told Parliament that his reason for the exemption is a \u201cstate secret\u201d, while Prime Minister Anwar insisted that the minister had acted legally within his powers, likening the move to \u201cover-riding civil servants (who directly awarded contracts) and calling for open tenders\u201d.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-govt-s-rescue-of-umno-in-flap-over-party-polls-may-lead-to-chaos-for-anwar-s-key-ally"}, {"title": "Malaysian grandmother of 10 pursues a bachelor\u2019s degree at 64", "text": ["\nRetirement is on the cards for many people in their sixties, but not for a Malaysian grandmother of 10. \nAt 64, Ms Ku Meriam Ku Hussain is happy to keep herself busy by pursuing a degree at the Centre of Management Studies in Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang, reported Malaysian news site Sinar Harian.  \nMs Ku Meriam started her course in organisational management in 2020, a \u201cvery boring year\u201d to her as she was not able to see her family due to Malaysia\u2019s movement control order during the Covid-19 pandemic. \n\n\n\n\n\nAll her classes used to be online, but not anymore. \nNow, she takes a 45-minute ride to campus, alongside her daughter Nurul Huda Sarkadi, who is studying Finance at the age of 38. \nMs Ku Meriam has six children and 10 grandchildren, with another grandchild coming. The former religious studies teacher lost her husband to bowel cancer in 2013.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHer son, Mr Mohd Solehudin, had recently shared on Twitter a photo of her, with her school bag, just before she boarded a bus to school. \n\n", "\nThe tweet has inspired many netizens, with some thanking her for motivating them to pursue their studies. \nA user @yapyonk said: \u201cI kind of hesitate since most of my friends want to work first, but I guess seeing this tweet on my timeline must be a good sign... Thank you auntie.\u201d\nOthers said they were proud of her for being a role model for lifelong learning. \n\u201cI hope she passes with flying colours! Can\u2019t wait to see her in her graduation robe soon,\u201d another user said. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-grandmother-of-10-pursues-a-bachelor-s-degree-at-64"}, {"title": "Malaysian instant noodle maker conducting tests after carcinogenic substances found in Taiwan batch", "text": ["\nBUTTERWORTH - A Malaysian instant noodle manufacturer in Penang is conducting its own tests to check its products after claims that a batch contained carcinogenic substances.\nA spokesman for \u201cAh Lai White Curry Noodles\u201d said they had sent samples to be tested by a lab to check for carcinogens based on claims made by the Taipei Department of Health in Taiwan. \n\u201cWe have sent our samples to a lab and are awaiting the results,\u201d the spokesman told Malaysia\u2019s The Star on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cPrior to this, we have never had a problem nor has anyone made such claims against us since we started out in 2014. They (Taipei\u2019s Department of Health) have not shown us their results or the samples they used, but we do not think they used our instant noodles.\n\u201cThis is because when we asked them what samples were used, the expiry date of the noodles did not tally with the ones we sent to Taiwan (in 2022).\u201d\nThe spokesman said the business, based in Bukit Mertajam on Malaysia\u2019s mainland, began in 2014 and has sold all sorts of noodles including bee hoon and prawn noodles, both locally and internationally to countries like Indonesia and Japan.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChecks showed that Ah Lai White Curry Noodles have been sold by some retailers in Singapore, including the FairPrice supermarkets, although it was listed as \u201cout of stock\u201d.\n\nThe Singapore Food Agency and FairPrice have been approached for comment.\nOn Monday, Taiwanese media reported that two types of instant noodles made by two South-east Asian brands were found to contain a carcinogenic substance.\nTaipei\u2019s Department of Health released the results of the city\u2019s 2023 inspection of instant noodles available in Taipei, stating that it found that a batch of \u201cAh Lai White Curry Noodles\u201d from Malaysia and a batch of \u201cIndomie: Special Chicken Flavour\u201d noodles from Indonesia both contained ethylene oxide, a chemical compound associated with lymphoma and leukaemia.\nThe department said testing revealed that ethylene oxide was detected in both the noodles and flavour packet of the Malaysian product, but in only the flavour packet of the Indonesian product.\nThe unspecified retailer from which the samples were collected has been asked to pull the two products off its shelves, and the products\u2019 importers will be fined between NT$60,000 (S$2,600) and NT$200 million, said the department. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-instant-noodle-maker-conducting-tests-after-carcinogenic-substances-found-in-taiwan-batch"}, {"title": "Ex-Malaysia PM Najib acquitted in second 1MDB-linked trial", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s imprisoned former premier Najib Razak scored his first legal victory in relation to dozens of court charges he has faced over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal since 2019, after he was acquitted without being called to defend himself in an audit tampering trial on Friday.\nNajib, who is serving a 12-year prison sentence for his graft conviction in 2022, was acquitted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on charges of abusing his power by tampering with an audit on the scandal-ridden sovereign wealth fund in 2016. \nHis co-accused in the case, former 1MDB chief executive Arul Kanda Kandasamy, was also acquitted of the charges. \n\n\n\n\n\nNajib, 70, is currently also seeking a judicial review of the graft conviction, which is set to be decided before the end of March. Until Friday, he had not won any legal battles over the 42 1MDB charges that have been levelled against him. \nJustice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, who has been elevated to the Court of Appeal since the audit tampering trial started, said on Friday that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against Najib and Mr Arul Kanda. \nThe trial on audit tampering is one of three that Najib is currently facing in Malaysian courts in relation to the scandal surrounding 1MDB \u2013 a sovereign wealth fund he founded, which later went on to lose billions in taxpayers\u2019 money.     \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn 2022, he was convicted and imprisoned by Malaysia\u2019s highest court, the Federal Court, in the first of the trials \u2013 on graft charges involving RM42 million (S$12.6 million) from former 1MDB subsidiary SRC International.    \n\nA third trial, involving RM2.28 billion in 1MDB monies, is being heard in the High Court, and is at the prosecution stage, while another criminal breach of trust charge involving RM6.6 billion has yet to go to a full trial.\nThe audit tampering charges carry a maximum prison term of 20 years, and it remains unclear if the prosecution will be appealing against the acquittal. \nNajib\u2019s wife Rosmah Mansor, who has also been convicted of corruption and is out on bail pending appeal, told reporters outside the High Court that the verdict is a \u201cwin\u201d for the family.\nNajib is one of several high-profile leaders from Umno \u2013 the country\u2019s longest-ruling party \u2013 who have faced graft charges in the courts since the party lost federal power for the first time in its history in 2018.\nDeputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi \u2013 a Najib ally \u2013 is also facing multiple graft charges, although he was similarly acquitted without being called to defend himself in the first of the trials in 2022. \nThe High Court on Friday also issued a certificate of indemnity for Mr Arul Kanda following his acquittal. \nHe turned into a prosecution witness over the course of the trial, and Justice Zaini said no further civil or criminal case can be brought against Mr Arul Kanda in relation to the audit tampering case in the future, as he had been \u201ctruthful\u201d throughout the proceedings in the case. \nThe certificate of indemnity likely means that Mr Arul Kanda will not be standing in the dock alongside Najib should prosecutors decide to appeal against Friday\u2019s acquittal. \n", "\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-jailed-ex-leader-najib-acquitted-of-audit-tampering-charge-linked-to-1mdb-scandal"}, {"title": "Malaysian law student who failed exams 3 times sets himself on fire, tries to get hit by moving truck", "text": ["\nAfter failing his exams for the third time, a Malaysian law student attempted to take his own life on Monday.\nFirst, he set himself ablaze. Then, he tried getting run over by oncoming road traffic. But the 24-year-old ended up causing an accident instead. \nSurveillance images show the student dousing himself in petrol at a kiosk in Segamat, Johor, before setting himself on fire with a lighter.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn another video circulating on social media, a burning man is seen running out of the petrol station before another man put out the flames with a fire extinguisher. \nThe police said the rescuer is the owner of a petrol station in Jalan Ibrahim, just opposite the Segamat District Police Headquarters.\nThe student then ran to the middle of a road and sat down, thinking that he would be hit by an oncoming truck.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut the truck driver made an emergency break, leading to an accident as another car collided into the truck\u2019s rear, the police said.\n\nThe student was taken to a hospital, the police added. Doctors said he suffered 70 per cent burns on his body. \nHe died on May 2 after spending two weeks in hospital, according to local media.\nInvestigations are ongoing, the police said, but they believe the student attempted suicide as he was ashamed of failing his exams repeatedly, and could not face his family members. \nHis father told local media that he had failed his exams for the Certificate of Legal Practice required to practise law in Malaysia, and had apologised just before he lost consciousness.\nFor attempting to kill himself, the man faced a prison term of up to a year, and a fine, or both. \n", "Helplines\nMental well-being\nInstitute of Mental Health\u2019s Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours)\nSamaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444 (24 hours) /1-767 (24 hours)\nSingapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019\nSilver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928\nTinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788\u00a0\nCommunity Health Assessment Team 6493-6500/1\u00a0\nCounselling\nTOUCHline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252\nTOUCH Care Line (for seniors, caregivers): 6804-6555\nCare Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180\nOnline resources\nmindline.sg\n\nstayprepared.sg/mymentalhealth\n\neC2.sg\n\nwww.tinklefriend.sg\n\nwww.chat.mentalhealth.sg\n\ncarey.carecorner.org.sg\n\nwww.impart.sg\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-law-student-who-failed-exams-3-times-sets-himself-on-fire-tries-to-get-hit-by-moving-truck"}, {"title": "Malaysian lawyer and lead prosecutor in 1MDB trial Gopal Sri Ram dies, aged 79", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Renowned Malaysian lawyer and lead prosecutor in an ongoing 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial Gopal Sri Ram has died, aged 79.\nMr Sri Ram, as he was known, was admitted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 18 for a lung infection. He died on Sunday.\nAt the time of his passing, he was leading the prosecution as senior deputy public prosecutor in the ongoing 1MDB-Tanore trial involving former prime minister Najib Razak.  \n\n\n\n\n\nHe was also lead prosecutor in the RM1.25 billion (S$387 million) solar hybrid project corruption case against Najib\u2019s wife, Rosmah Mansor.\nThe defence teams in both cases have tried many times to remove him from leading the prosecution but failed.\nHighly respected by the legal fraternity, Mr Sri Ram was an Appeal Court judge for 15 years before being promoted to the Federal Court and was well known for his judgments on public interest cases. He retired from the judiciary in 2010 and returned to private practice thereafter.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFormer attorney general Tommy Thomas said that he was devastated by the loss of his friend, who had contributed much to Malaysia\u2019s legal scholarship and administration of justice.\n\n\u201cSri Ram had a world-class brain; he was as cerebral as any in the common law world. Incredibly articulate in speech, and eloquent in prose. He was a national treasure,\u201d he said when contacted by The Star.\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim conveyed his condolences to Mr Sri Ram\u2019s family.\n\u201cCondolences to the family of the late Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram on his passing. May his family\u2019s affairs be eased and the family remain strong and resilient in their time of grief,\u201d he wrote on Twitter. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-lawyer-and-lead-prosecutor-in-1mdb-trial-gopal-sri-ram-dies-aged-79"}, {"title": "Malaysian man about to cremate \u2018son\u2019 gets phone call, telling him he has the wrong body", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA, Selangor \u2013 A mourning father from the state of Negeri Sembilan was shocked to find out that his son, who the authorities said had died in prison last week, is still alive. \nThe father, who wanted to be identified only as Mr Chantren, told Malay daily Sinar Harian that the family\u2019s ordeal started when he received a call from the prison authorities last Friday saying that his son, whom he did not name, had died in Sungai Buloh Prison in Selangor.\nHe said he did not know why his son, 19, was in prison. As far as he knew, his son was living and working in the town of Selayang in Selangor. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Chantren was told to claim his son\u2019s remains at Sungai Buloh Hospital, which he did together with several other family members.\n\u201cWhen we looked (at the remains), we noticed that the face was different after post-mortem because there were suture marks and his hair had also been shaved,\u201d he told reporters at his house.\nUpon claiming the body from the hospital, Mr Chantren and his family prepared for the funeral rites and made arrangements to cremate the young man\u2019s remains.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, to the family\u2019s surprise, they were informed just a few hours before the cremation that Mr Chantren\u2019s son was still alive.\n\n\u201cWe received a call from the prison authority about three or four hours before the cremation time \u2013 and they informed us that my son was still alive.\n\u201cThey did a video call (to show us that he was alive). I do not know how to even express my feelings. Our son is still alive, but whose body is at our house now?\u201d said the perplexed man.\nAccording to Mr Chantren, officials from the prison had since gone to his house and collected the body. \nMr Chantren has also made a request to visit his son in prison. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-man-about-to-cremate-son-gets-phone-call-telling-him-he-has-the-wrong-body"}, {"title": "Malaysian man admits to setting dog on fire, asks for forgiveness", "text": ["\nJOHOR BARU \u2013 The person who is seen abusing dogs in viral videos has come forward to make a public apology.\nIn a 45-second video posted under a Facebook username Braden Yap, the man admits to what he has done was wrong and hopes that the public can give him a second chance.\n\u201cI understand no matter how I explain, I should not have done that. I admit that it was my mistake and regret it.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI am very sorry and promise not to make a similar mistake in the future. I hope that everyone could give me another chance.\n\n\u201cI will also pay for the medical expenses (of the injured dogs),\u201d he says in the video posted on Facebook on Friday.\nClosed circuit television footage of the man have been making rounds on social media.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn March 8, he threw a vase at the dogs that take shelter at a stairwell next to a veterinary clinic.\n\n\nOn March 14, he returned to the same spot and threw bricks and rocks at the two dogs. \nLater on March 27, he was seen hitting one of the strays with a metal rod before driving away, only to return later to set one of them on fire.\nHis actions had angered netizens with many condemning him for hurting the animals.\n\nJohor Baru North acting chief Fariz Ammar Abdullah said a police report regarding the incident had been lodged at 3pm on March 27.    \nHe said the incidents were believed to have taken place near a veterinary clinic in Taman Impian Emas in Skudai.\nSuperintendent Fariz Ammar added that the animal abuse case was being investigated by the Veterinary Services Department under Section 29(1)(e) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which carries a fine of at least RM25,000 (S$7,530) to RM100,000, or imprisonment of up to three years, or both, if found guilty. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK      \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-man-admits-to-setting-dog-on-fire-asks-for-forgiveness"}, {"title": "Malaysian man and mother, separated from his birth, reunite after 48 years", "text": ["\nSeparated for 48 years since birth, a man in Malaysia sought out his mother whom he had never met to share an emotional moment together.\nIn a TikTok video that has been viewed more than 700,000 times, Mr Ahmad Suffian made a southward journey of more than 200km from Seri Kembangan, Selangor, to Machap in Johor, where he dropped in on his unsuspecting birth mother at her residence.\nDuring a short exchange captured in the video, the woman did not recognise Mr Suffian, who extended the traditional salam greeting.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Suffian then rewound the years, asking if she remembered his father, Mohd Shafie, but she only recognised him by his alias Piyee.\nShe revealed that she had a son with Mr Piyee, but their child was separated from her at birth 48 years ago and sent to Perak, still none the wiser that her son was the man she was sharing a couch with.\nShe realised it when Mr Suffian took out his identity card, pointing at the photo and himself, and then she began to cry.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOne TikTok user left a comment on the video posted by Mr Suffian\u2019s wife, saying: \u201cOh, this is the uncle that I lost.\u201d \n\nHis wife, Ms Eyda Badri, responded that it was the \u201cstory\u201d of her husband\u2019s family and that they could \u201copen a new book\u201d without blaming anyone.\nThe reconciliation of mother and son saw thousands of other comments from netizens warmed by the meeting, even leading some to ask for prayers and help to find their own loved ones whom they had been separated from.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-man-and-mother-separated-from-his-birth-reunite-after-48-years"}, {"title": "Malaysian man slashes own throat after allegedly choking wife to death", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU \u2013 A man tried to take his own life by slashing his throat after allegedly choking his wife to death following a heated argument on Tuesday.\nA neighbour, who heard the couple quarrelling loudly earlier, found the woman\u2019s body as well as the man lying on the floor of their rented room in a Jalan Pantai shophouse at about 5.30am.\nKota Kinabalu police officer Mohd Zaidi Abdullah said the police believe the victim, who was in her 20s, was killed by her 30-year-old husband.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said there were bruises on her neck, believed to be caused by strangulation, as well as injuries on her forehead.\nHe added that the police found the husband unconscious in the same room with what they believe are self-inflicted slash wounds on his neck.\n\u201cWe believe this was a marital conflict, based on what the neighbour heard earlier,\u201d he said at the scene.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Mohd Zaidi said the neighbour only informed the police about the incident at 8am.\n\n\u201cThe neighbour had no credit on his mobile phone, so he could not call us,\u201d he said.\nHe said the police are still trying to piece together the sequence of events, and the woman\u2019s body has been sent for a post-mortem.\nThe suspect was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment and is under police watch.\nMr Mohd Zaidi said investigations have begun under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.\nHe said the suspect was working at a nearby restaurant while the woman was a housewife. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-man-slashes-own-throat-after-allegedly-choking-wife-to-death"}, {"title": "Malaysian man who cut off dad\u2019s head, chopped him into 6 parts, to hang after appeal dismissed", "text": ["\nAn unemployed Malaysian man, who claimed he was insane when he beheaded his father and cut the body into six parts five years ago, has failed to set aside his death sentence.\nA three-member Court of Appeal bench, chaired by Justice Kamaludin Said, was unconvinced by 57-year-old You Poh Khoon\u2019s defence on the grounds of insanity. \n\u201cThe defence was unable to rebut the expert evidence of the prosecution witness on the appellant\u2019s mental health at the time the incident took place,\u201d Justice Kamaludin said on Monday in dismissing the appeal.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe man was charged with murdering his 74-year-old father, Mr You Su Kim, between Oct 8 and 9 in 2018 in a house in Ipoh, Perak.\nAccording to media reports, neighbours reported hearing father and son arguing the night before the murder, believed to be over the use of drugs by the younger You.\n\nPolice said You was believed to be under the influence of drugs when he severed the elderly man\u2019s head and cut the body into six parts.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe incident came to light when You\u2019s sister noticed blood on a mattress, a pillow and the walls of You\u2019s house, reported the New Straits Times.\n\nThe police were called, and they found the remains in a 1.5m-deep underground sewage tank and a hole that was dug up behind the house. They also recovered a long machete from the scene of the crime.\nOn May 24, 2022, the Ipoh High Court sentenced You to death by hanging after he was found guilty of killing his father.\nHe subsequently appealed against the court\u2019s conviction. \nThe Court of Appeal\u2019s ruling on Monday is not the end of the road for You. He can file a final appeal to the Federal Court. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-man-who-cut-off-dad-s-head-chopped-him-into-six-parts-to-hang-after-failing-appeal"}, {"title": "Malaysian Maritime agency detains 4 ships, including 2 Singapore-registered vessels", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said it has detained four ships, including two Singapore-registered vessels, for anchoring illegally in eastern Johor waters in the past one week.   \nSince the beginning of the year, 28 vessels, including these four vessels, have been seized for illegally anchoring in Malaysian waters. \nTanjung Sedili Maritime Zone MMEA deputy director commander Mohd Najib Sam said on Saturday that a Singapore-registered ship, a liquified petroleum gas (LPG) vessel, was seized on May 13 at 17.7 nautical miles east of Tanjung Sedili Besar in Kota Tinggi district.\n\n\n\n\n\nTwo days later on May 15, another Singaporean-registered tanker was detained at 13.2 nautical miles east of Tanjung Siang, a cape in Kota Tinggi, he added in a press release issued by MMEA. \nThe Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has confirmed with the companies concerned that two Singapore-registered vessels were detained.\n\u201cMPA is in the process of verifying the facts and basis of the detentions, and the claims reported in the media,\u201d an MPA spokesman told The Straits Times on May 22.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe remaining two ships were an Indonesian-registered tanker seized on May 17 and a transporter ship \u2013 registered in Monrovia in Liberia \u2013 detained on May 18, said MMEA. \n\nThe Indonesian-registered vessel was detained at 12.8 nautical miles north-east of Tanjung Balau, a beach town in Kota Tinggi, while the Monrovia-registered ship was seized for anchoring without permit at 30.5 nautical miles east of Tanjung Sedili Kechil in Kota Tinggi district. \nMr Mohd Najib said that, when inspected by MMEA, the four vessels\u2019 captains failed to produce permits that will allow them to anchor in Malaysian waters. \nThis is an offence under Section 491B(1)(L) of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952, he added. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-maritime-agency-detains-4-ships-including-2-singapore-registered-vessels"}, {"title": "Malaysian minister says anti-scalping law could be in the works after Coldplay ticket outcry", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Several provisions of the law will be studied to prevent scalping in Malaysia, said the country\u2019s communications and digital minister.\nAt a joint press conference with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry at Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Fahmi Fadzil said it will be an inter-agency effort, with investigations first being conducted into scalpers selling Coldplay concert tickets.\nThe findings will be used to see what amendments to the legal framework are needed to prevent further occurrences, he added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere are currently no anti-scalping laws. In countries like the United States and Australia, there are (agencies) to handle... scalping incidents there. We will study their initiatives as well,\u201d said Mr Fahmi.\nHe added that a meeting with Coldplay concert organiser Live Nation Malaysia on Monday found that e-tickets for the concert have yet to be released.\n\u201cIf anyone has bought tickets from online sellers, with tickets also sent, lodge a report with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Fahmi said the organiser stated that 71,000 tickets were put up for sale, with 26,000 buyers successfully making transactions.\n\nHowever, he added, the organiser could not pinpoint which buyers were bots and which ones were actual people.\nBoth ministries and the concert organiser will work together to identify the scalpers, he said.\nDomestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister, Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, said the ministry had received 28 reports on scalpers reselling Coldplay tickets.\n\u201cThe reports, however, are general (claims) that the tickets are being sold online and not lodged by victims themselves.\n\u201cThe enforcement authorities will also be working with the concert organiser to identify accounts believed to be scalpers,\u201d he said, adding that the matter would be investigated under the Consumer Protection Act 1999.\nWith all tickets for the concert sold out, scalpers are having a field day, with one offering tickets for as much as RM43,000 (S$12,700) each on an online marketplace. Official prices for the event ranged from RM228 to RM3,000.\nThe post later said the ticket was \u201clocked\u201d at RM55,200, but it has since been deleted.\nThe popular British band will be performing at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 22 as part of its Music Of The Spheres World Tour.\nIt is Coldplay\u2019s first concert in Malaysia. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-minister-says-anti-scalping-law-could-be-in-the-works-after-coldplay-ticket-outcry"}, {"title": "Malaysian minister Zafrul draws more flak after absence from Cabinet meeting", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The absence of Malaysia\u2019s newly appointed International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz from Monday\u2019s special Cabinet meeting has added to controversy surrounding his appointment, after a social media post speculated he was in Qatar to watch the World Cup.\nDatuk Seri Zafrul, 49, has however clarified that he was in the United Arab Emirates for a business-related event. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, he said he was in Abu Dhabi accompanying Malaysia\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah to witness a signing ceremony involving national oil company Petronas and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. \nThe former finance minister from Umno has been in the spotlight since his controversial appointment to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Cabinet, despite failing to win a parliamentary seat in the November general election.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe well-connected Mr Zafrul, who is married to a member of a royal family, lost the Kuala Selangor seat to Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad, who is from the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition that PM Anwar leads. But Mr Dzulkefly, a former health minister, did not make it to the Cabinet.\n\u201cThe inclusion of Zafrul despite the defeat should be separated, as his appointment does not come from the Umno quota. His nomination suggests that he may be nominated by a powerful unelected institution,\u201d Professor Wong Chin Huat, a political scientist at Sunway University, Malaysia, told The Straits Times.\nHe was referring to the quota for allocating ministerial posts amongst the four key coalitions forming Mr Anwar\u2019s unity government - PH, the Umno-led Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNot being an elected lawmaker, Mr Zafrul had to be appointed a senator in order to serve as minister.\n\n\u201cAs Malaysians have experienced four peaceful changes of government, and the public becomes more critical and vocal on government\u2019s performance, Zafrul, whose tenure would end by December 2025 with the end of his senatorial second term, may lose his job early in a Cabinet reshuffle if he fails to deliver,\u201d added Prof Wong.\nProfessor James Chin of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania said Mr Zafrul did not perform well in the last government as finance minister, and may not do well with another economy-related portfolio.\nWhile this new appointment could be a second chance to prove himself, critics continue to focus on his lack of political legitimacy.  \u201cThere are just so many question marks surrounding his appointment,\u201d said Prof Chin.\nBefore joining politics, Mr Zafrul was the chief executive of Malaysian banking group CIMB. He was handpicked by Perikatan Nasional chief Muhyiddin Yassin in March 2020 to become finance minister. \nNetizens have also questioned why the International Trade and Industry portfolio was given to Mr Zafrul instead of former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who also lost his parliamentary seat in November, but is regarded as a more capable minister for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and a promising Umno leader.\n\u201cWhat is the whole point of appointing someone who lost? I understand that this is a unity government, but the guy has already proven himself unworthy of a ministerial post, he truly underperformed,\u201d said Facebook user Aisya Razak.\nAnother social media user Jessie Koh posted on Facebook: \u201cI\u2019m starting to have doubts in Anwar. He could have chosen KJ due to his performance as a health minister but instead, he chose this guy (Mr Zafrul).\u201d\nMr Anwar has been mum on the issue, but Parti Keadilan Rakyat deputy president Rafizi Ramli defended the action of appointing certain individuals, including Mr Anwar as finance minister, saying it was a tough call to make and part of \u201cextraordinary circumstances\u201d.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-minister-zafrul-draws-more-flak-after-absence-from-cabinet-meeting"}, {"title": "Malaysian MPs do not need to wear ties for a year in Parliament", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Malaysian MPs will not be required to wear ties while in the Lower House of Parliament for a year from Feb 13.\nThe change in the formal dress code comes as newly minted Speaker Johari Abdul attempts to bring both procedural and physical reforms to Parliament.\n\u201cI will announce on Feb 13, the first day of the session, no neckties for the whole year,\u201d he told The Star when contacted.\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Dec 19, 2022, during a two-day special sitting, Datuk Johari made it optional for MPs to wear ties during the next day\u2019s sitting.\nThe Dec 20 meeting was the first time many MPs, including Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, did not wear a tie.\nMembers of the press covering parliamentary proceedings also ditched their ties that day.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMPs in the British Parliament stopped wearing ties in the House of Commons in 2017, while their New Zealand counterparts did away with theirs on Feb 2021.\n\nOn Dec 5, Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s unity government grabbed headlines when ministers were photographed without their ties after attending their first Cabinet meeting.\nAsked whether the batik dress code for Thursday would remain, Mr Johari said \u201cyes\u201d.\nIn October 2021, the House Committee allowed MPs and senators to wear long-sleeved Malaysian batik shirts when attending the Upper and Lower House sittings on Thursdays.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile some MPs supported the no-tie move, some preferred to have theirs on.\nSubang MP Wong Chen said: \u201cSince Covid-19, the global office work culture has been moving towards dressing down. I will, however, elect to wear a tie more often than not. I am just used to wearing it, and it also gives a bit of formality and personality,\u201d said the MP from Mr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).\nMachang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said he would abide by Perikatan Nasional\u2019s stand on whether its lawmakers should wear ties.\n\u201cWell, it\u2019s up to them to make such rulings. As for me, I will abide by my party\u2019s decision,\u201d said the Bersatu youth chief.\n\n", "\nMr Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, MP for Kubang Kerian, stated that the issue was not whether lawmakers should wear ties or not, but rather that they should dress according to rules and ethics.\n\u201cThe attire must be neat and cannot be all over the place. Not wearing a tie is not an issue as it is more suited for our weather,\u201d he said.\n\nDatuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim, however, said MPs should not use the new ruling to be absent during proceedings in the House with the excuse that it would be too cold.\nIn November 2019, Mr Mohamed Hanipa Maidin, then deputy minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department (Law), complained that it was difficult for MPs to remain in Parliament because the air-conditioning was too cold. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-mps-do-not-need-to-wear-ties-for-a-year-in-parliament"}, {"title": "Malaysian navy personnel save puppy from drowning, earn kudos online", "text": ["\nA group of Malaysian navy personnel has been praised for jumping into the sea to save a puppy from drowning.\nA 2min 23sec video uploaded on TikTok, on Monday night, showed a navy personnel jumping into the waters from a dock after he and his colleagues spotted the canine.\nArmed with a life buoy and later a bucket, he swam towards the pup, which was swimming away from him.\n\n\n\n\n\nOne of his colleagues later jumped into the water to assist him.\nTogether, they managed to save the struggling puppy, which was placed in a bucket before being hauled up to the deck by others.\nIt is not known when or where in Malaysia the incident happened, but the video has racked up over 486,000 views, with netizens praising the officers for their good deed.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cKudos TLDM\u2026 May you be blessed by Allah,\u201d said a commenter with the handle ucop. TLDM is the Malay acronym for the Malaysian navy.\n\nAnother commenter with the handle kaknor said: \u201cI feel both happiness and worried (looking at the video), but still, thank you for all your help.\u201d\nBut others had a humorous take on the incident.\n\u201cThe puppy is training our personnel until they themselves are tired,\u201d said Libran2020.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-navy-personnel-save-puppy-from-drowning-earn-kudos-online"}, {"title": "Malaysian nonagenarian impresses netizens with fluency in Chinese dialects, Tamil and Thai", "text": ["\nA video showing a Malaysian nonagenarian\u2019s fluency in various Chinese dialects has impressed social media users, with many pointing out that even native speakers of these dialects do not speak as well as she does. \nA one-minute TikTok video that has been viewed 1.9 million times shows a bubbly hijab-clad woman, whose native language is Malay, conducting a conversation with other Malaysian residents in Hokkien.\nThe video was uploaded by former TV producer Azril Baharudin, who said the elderly woman is known as Tok Mah or Makcik Mah among residents in Sungai Petani, a city in the northern Malaysian state of Kedah.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile the context of the conversation in the video is unknown, Tok Mah, 91, can be heard asking her much younger companion about the health of a mutual friend. \nDuring the conversation, she asks if the person had \u201clao sai\u201d, which is Hokkien for diarrhoea.\nIn another video which has been viewed about 96,300 times, Tok Mah is asked by Mr Azril what other languages she speaks.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShe says she can speak Mandarin, Hainanese, Hakka, Teochew and \u201cMacau\u201d \u2013 presumably referring to Cantonese, which is spoken by residents of the East Asian gambling hub.\n\nShe is also proficient in Tamil, Thai and \u201ca bit of English\u201d, she said.\nShe then said \u201cWhere are you going\u201d and \u201cHave you eaten\u201d in Mandarin and the Hakka, Teochew, Hainanese and Hokkien dialects. \nShe told Mr Azril that she learnt the dialects from her friends, and picked up Thai in school.  \nTok Mah also said that while she can hold a basic conversation in Tamil, she has forgotten a lot of the words because she does not converse in the language often.\nNetizens were blown away by her language prowess, and many wished her good health. \n\u201cShe is really good, her pronunciation is so superb,\u201d wrote a commenter with the handle priyamenon952 on TikTok.\nA commenter with the handle Michazi lamented that the younger generation can hardly speak Hokkien now. \u201cIt will soon disappear with the elders,\u201d he said.\nAnother commenter, Ivy Chee215, said she herself was only partly fluent in Mandarin and Hakka but was motivated by Tok Mah\u2019s proficiency in them to improve.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-nonagenarian-impresses-netizens-with-chinese-dialects-tamil-and-thai-languages"}, {"title": "3 missing men from S\u2019pore-bound tanker that caught fire likely swept into Indonesian waters: Malaysian offical", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - A simulation shows that the three missing crewmen from a Singapore-bound tanker that caught fire on Monday could have been swept into Indonesian waters, said Johor Maritime director First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria.\nHe said the Johor Bahru Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre had informed the Putrajaya Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre to request assistance from Indonesia\u2019s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).\n\u201cThe victims could have been swept away into Tanjung Pinang waters in Indonesia, based on a simulation from the Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System,\u201d he said in a statement on Thursday. \n\n\n\n\n\nFirst Adm Nurul Hizam added the search effort was also assisted by a marine police patrol boat and two patrol boats belonging to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) with a search area covering 393 sq nautical miles.\nHe added that the MMEA special action team was able to lower a ladder to the Gabon-registered tanker MT Pablo from a helicopter for the Fire and Rescue Department hazardous materials (Hazmat) unit to search for victims in the vessel.\n\u201cHowever, the ship is not completely safe for the Hazmat team to enter.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cA navy vessel, which is the on-scene coordinator and another vessel from the Marine Department, has been spraying water on the hull of MT Pablo and monitoring the situation,\u201d he said.\n\nOn Monday, the vessel, which was on its way from China to Singapore, caught fire some 60km north-east of Tanjung Sedili near Kota Tinggi, Johor.\nThe ship carried 28 crew members. \nIn a statement on Monday night, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Singapore received information from the master of tanker Enola that the vessel had rescued 18 crew members from Pablo.\n\nSeven other Pablo crew members were picked up by vessels in the vicinity.\n\nThere were no Singaporean crew members on board, the MPA said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-official-says-3-missing-men-from-s-pore-bound-tanker-that-caught-fire-probably-swept-into-indonesian-waters"}, {"title": "Malaysian opposition chief Muhyiddin to take legal action in controversy over Sabah MPs", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s opposition leader Muhyiddin Yassin said on Tuesday that his party will take legal action over a decision by Parliament\u2019s Speaker to allow four Sabah MPs to keep their seats instead of holding a fresh by-election to replace them, after their recent defections.\nTan Sri Muhyiddin is president of opposition Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, whose four MPs in eastern Sabah state claimed they had defected to an umbrella organisation, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), before Malaysia\u2019s Nov 19 General Election in 2022.\nUnder Malaysia\u2019s new anti-hopping law, MPs who defected from one party to another after the general election last year would automatically lose their seats, and a fresh by-election must be called. \n\n\n\n\n\nThey can retain their seats only if they defected before the polls, as claimed by the four lawmakers, or if the whole party decided to switch sides as a bloc to support another coalition.\nThe controversy arose after GRS, of which Bersatu is a member, switched sides after the general election to support the so-called unity government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. \nBersatu remains an opposition party in the federal Parliament.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpeaker Johari Abdul, a member of Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s party, ruled this week that the four Sabah lawmakers can keep their seats as they had jumped to GRS prior to the polls.\n\nPM Anwar has control of two-thirds of the 222-strong Parliament, meaning his government will not be affected even if a fresh by-election is held for the four seats. \nBut holding this special vote could reveal that Bersatu and its partner Parti Islam SeMalaysia remain on a winning path, called the \u201cgreen wave\u201d, that could weaken perceptions of the Anwar administration.\nMr Muhyiddin disagreed with the Speaker\u2019s decision, saying the act by the MP quartet of moving to another faction \u2013 even before the general election \u2013 triggered a clause in Bersatu\u2019s Constitution that terminated their membership, Malaysiakini news site reported.\nHe also said that GRS is not a political party but an umbrella organisation of which Bersatu is a founding member.\n\u201cTherefore, GRS cannot be defined as another political party, based on the spirit of\u00a0Clause\u00a010.2.3 of the Bersatu Constitution,\u201d he said in a statement.\nFurther, Mr Muhyiddin added, there was also evidence that the four MPs were in Bersatu when they won the Nov 19 General Election. \nTwo days before nominations for the election, on Nov 3, 2022, Mr Muhyiddin said, Sabah Bersatu secretary Mohamed Razali Mohamed Razi had written to party headquarters with a list of GRS candidates attached.\nOn the list, the former premier said, the four men were listed as Bersatu members. He said he had submitted the said correspondence to the Speaker as evidence.\nThe four Sabah MPs who now support Mr Anwar are Mr Armizan Mohd Ali, Mr Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, Mr Jonathan Yasin and Mr Matbali Musah.\nOn Dec 28, 2022, Bersatu Sabah MP Ronald Kiandee had written to the Speaker to claim that the quartet had to vacate their seats after they announced switching sides from Bersatu on Dec 10. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-opposition-chief-muhyiddin-to-take-legal-action-in-controversy-over-sabah-mps"}, {"title": "Malaysian opposition MP draws flak for complaining that nurse uniforms are \u2018too tight\u2019", "text": ["\nAn opposition MP in Malaysia has drawn flak after complaining that the uniforms of nurses were \u201ctoo tight\u201d and not syariah-compliant, with politicians, medical staff and the public criticising him for his sexist comments and telling him to focus on more important matters, such as healthcare reforms.  \nParti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) politician Wan Razali Wan Nor raised the issue in Parliament on Thursday during a debate on reforms to the public health sector, saying that the current attire showed the body shape of women.   \n\u201cAre we going to continue following the Western mould on the dress code (for nurses)? Can it be changed so that there will be some relaxations (on the dress code)?\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe brickbats poured in after his remarks. \n\u201cEven if the nurses wear gunny sacks for uniform, PAS leaders will find fault with it,\u201d said Facebook user Zuai Md Noor, while Twitter user Tok Perak said that the Kuantan MP has demeaned the nursing profession.\nTwitter user Long Tapir Tension said: \u201cAsk all nurses to boycott (this) PAS MP when he\u2019s sick and has to be admitted to hospital.\u201d  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnother netizen, Mr Mervin Yap, said Mr Wan Razali had opted to focus on an unimportant issue.\n\n\u201cThere are so many issues (facing the profession, such as) medical staff being overworked, underpaid et cetera, but our lawmakers focus on the points that are least important and make zero impact on our heroes,\u201d he said on Facebook. \nSome social media users poked fun at Mr Wan Razali by posting memes of women in sexy cosplay nurse costumes, saying that this was what the MP and his PAS colleagues saw in their minds. \nMs Young Syefura Othman of the Democratic Action Party, who is the Bentong MP, said the uniforms are syariah-compliant and designed for the nurses to carry out their duties comfortably. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhat is worth talking about is the increasingly burdensome duties of nurses at this point. Not about the nurses\u2019 outfit. Does this PAS MP only see priority in clothes?\u201d she asked. \nHer colleague, Tebrau MP Jimmy Puah, demanded that Mr Wan Razali withdraw his remarks and apologise to nurses in Malaysia. \n", "\n\u201cPatients who are admitted to a hospital are only concerned about their health and well-being. No one in their right mind going to the hospital seeking medical assistance would even pay attention to the nurses\u2019 outfits.\n\u201cWe should be appreciating the sacrifice and effort contributed by the nurses in saving lives and serving the nation, instead of questioning what they wear,\u201d he said.  \nMalayan Nurses Union president Nor Hayati Abd Rashid said the uniforms adhered to the Health Ministry\u2019s guidelines and were designed to be functional and to make it easier for nurses to carry out their duties. \n\u201cThe rules for the uniforms are that they cannot be too tight and the (length of the top) must be below the buttocks. There is a guideline,\u201d she told news portal Free Malaysia Today. \nMalaysian Medical Association president Muruga Raj Rajathurai said it was a shame that Mr Wan Razali was concerned about the uniforms when the focus should be on the future of healthcare.  \nThis was not PAS\u2019 first attempt at raising the issue of what it deemed to be \u201csexy\u201d women uniforms. \nIn 2018, then Tumpat MP Che Abdullah Mat Nawi\u00a0said flight attendant uniforms of Malaysian airliners were too revealing compared with the outfits of other airlines, prompting Transport Minister Anthony Loke to say \u201cdon\u2019t look\u201d.  \nThree years later, in December 2021, Mr Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman, PAS\u2019 MP for Kuala Krai, also raised the issue. \nHe claimed he had received complaints from female Muslim hotel workers who said they were forced to wear short skirts and prevented from wearing a headscarf while working.   \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-opposition-mp-draws-flak-for-complaining-nurses-uniforms-are-too-tight"}, {"title": "Malaysian parents wear school uniforms as they take son to school on his first day", "text": ["\nThe first day of school can be a daunting event for both children and their parents.\n\nTo make the experience less stressful, a Malaysian couple decided to dress up in school uniforms in solidarity with their child on his first day at school.  \nIn a TikTok video uploaded by Malay daily Kosmo, Mr Mohd Fadzil Abu Naim and his wife, Ms Nurul Aini Mohd Olwi, were shown accompanying their son, seven-year-old Muhammad Ishraq Aydan, to his school\u2019s orientation day on Saturday, before starting his Standard 1 class. \n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s Standard 1 is equivalent to Singapore\u2019s Primary 1.\n\nMr Mohd Fadzil\u2019s uniform mirrored his son\u2019s: Both wore dark blue slacks and a crisp white shirt and each carried a school backpack. Ms Nurul Aini wore a white and dark blue baju kurung uniform. \nIn the video, the couple is seen adjusting the straps of Muhammad Ishraq\u2019s school bag, giving him his water bottle and a few encouraging pats. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysian media reported that the couple wanted to help their son to be less anxious about school and to make his first day more memorable. The parents\u2019 heartwarming actions have earned them praises from netizens, with many saying that they are exemplary parents. \n\n\u201cParents of the year,\u201d Azlan R wrote on Twitter, while Gilcrest said the boy is very lucky to have such supportive parents.\n\n\u201cI will definitely do this if I have a kid,\u201d added Twitter user Farah.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-parents-wear-school-uniforms-as-they-take-son-to-school-on-his-first-day"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar says Cabinet line-up to be announced on Friday", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will unveil his Cabinet line-up on Friday, amid pressure from the civil service to get the government running again after nearly two months of caretakership. \nDatuk Seri Anwar will make the announcement on Friday, state news agency Bernama reported. The new Cabinet is then expected to be sworn in on Saturday. \nThe Straits Times had earlier learnt that Mr Anwar was in two minds about crucial picks such as finance minister and whether to install Umno president Zahid Hamidi \u2013 who is facing dozens of graft charges \u2013 as deputy premier. But the need to ensure key ministries are up and running meant the new Premier\u00a0has to hand the palace a list of names before the King leaves the country late on Saturday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSecretaries-general of several ministries have implored the PM to install ministers as soon as possible because key initiatives are stuck without a minister\u2019s signature,\u201d a government official told ST.\nMr Anwar went to the palace on Friday morning to see Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah and left at 9.15am. The Prime Minister headed to Perak next and met the state\u2019s ruler, Sultan Nazrin Azlan Shah, before a series of public engagements near his parliamentary constituency of Tambun.\nHis Cabinet announcement in administrative capital Putrajaya, originally expected at 5pm, is now scheduled to be made at 8.15pm.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSources have confirmed that a swearing-in ceremony has been pencilled in for Saturday, although it is not known whether it will be a full Cabinet of at least 25 ministers, or a partial list of key members. \n\n\u201cIf it happens on Saturday, it could be the whole Cabinet,\u201d a top official from Mr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition told ST.\nMultiple sources said Mr Anwar had asked for more time on Tuesday during an audience with the King, due to conflicting demands both within and outside his unity government of strange bedfellows. \nThe ruling alliance he presides over comprises three major political coalitions, PH being the largest, to resolve a hung Parliament after Malaysia\u2019s Nov 19 general election. \n\n\n\n\n\nThis presents challenges of appeasing disparate forces where \u201cthe situation is now fluid because so many different factions are lobbying\u201d, according to a top official from the Premier\u2019s party. \nMr Anwar said in a video posted on Facebook on Thursday: \u201cWe must expedite resolving problems with all component parties because we need to quickly form a Cabinet to be assented by the King. So we can make the announcement \u2013 if possible \u2013 within two, three days. God willing.\u201d\n", "\nThe government machinery has been stuck in caretakership mode for nearly two months since Parliament was dissolved on Oct 10, meaning that major undertakings cannot proceed until new ministers are appointed. \nA key conundrum for Mr Anwar is whether to make Zahid his deputy, even though the chief of Umno-led Barisan Nasional is facing multiple graft charges. Zahid\u2019s trial has been postponed and is due to be completed only in mid-2023.\n", "\nPH has long campaigned on a platform of integrity and cleaning up a government many believe is riddled by corruption. \nHanding Zahid a senior role in government would court controversy not just among the wider public and PH supporters still sceptical of partnering BN, but also within Mr Anwar\u2019s party, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). \n", "\nSeveral PKR MPs, including vice-president Nik Nazmi Ahmad, have expressed the need for the Cabinet to be \u201cwhiter than white\u201d. \nBut it is a gamble that would go a long way towards ensuring BN and its 30 lawmakers\u2019 crucial backing of the Premier for the rest of his term. \nUmno will have to hold leadership polls by May, and the deputy premiership would help Zahid \u2013 who has faced intense backlash internally over his years-long push to ally with PH \u2013 see off any challengers.  \nA leadership change in Umno could see its support for Mr Anwar wavering, and the opposition pact Perikatan Nasional is waiting in the wings to capitalise on any cracks in the government.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-cabinet-picks-set-to-be-unveiled-for-swearing-in-on-saturday"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar calls for revived push for China\u2019s Belt and Road projects", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for China\u2019s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to regain its momentum, saying that the development programme best exemplifies solidarity and cooperation between countries in Asia. \n\u201cTranslating lofty ideals into practical reality, solidarity and cooperation is best exemplified in the realisation of the Belt and Road Initiative. With the pandemic behind us, we should try to regain its momentum,\u201d said Datuk Seri Anwar in a speech at the Boao Forum for Asia conference in Hainan on Thursday.\nMr Anwar\u2019s four-month-old administration wants to tap Malaysia\u2019s largest trading partner China for foreign direct investment, with the BRI as a key source of investment in the country, say political analysts.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMalaysia would want more quality investments in the BRI package such as digital economy and the renewable energy or the electric vehicle space,\u201d said Mr Halmie Azrie Abdul Halim, a senior analyst at government regulatory affairs and political risk consultancy Vriens & Partners Malaysia.\n\u201cMr Anwar\u2019s speech is also a precursor to enticing China into being open to his idea for an Asian Monetary Fund that he floated recently.\u201d\nMalaysia has several BRI-related infrastructure and connectivity projects, including the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park, the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and the expansion of Kuantan Port. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSome of these developments, such as the Trans-Sabah Gas Pipeline, came under renewed scrutiny and were shelved following a change of government in 2018, but were later reinstated under the subsequent administration.\n\nMr Anwar, who is on a four-day official visit to China until Saturday, is expected to meet the senior management of China Communications Construction Co, the contractor for the 665km ECRL. \nMalaysia\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that Mr Anwar will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to reinvigorate relations in the post-pandemic era. \nChina has been Malaysia\u2019s largest trading partner since 2009. Total trade between the two countries reached RM487.1 billion (S$146.4 billion) in 2022. \nChina was also the top investor in Malaysia in 2022, contributing 21 per cent of the RM264.6 billion investments Kuala Lumpur approved that year.\nIn his speech at the Boao forum, Mr Anwar also urged countries to prevent competition in the technology and semiconductor industries from raising costs and impeding progress, as nations protect their intellectual property rights to stay ahead of rivals. \n\u201cThe rivalry to be ahead in this can take either a productive or a destructive turn. Having said that, let me reiterate that unfettered competition must give way to spirited collaboration,\u201d he said. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-calls-for-revived-push-on-china-s-belt-and-road-projects"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s expanded Budget ahead of state polls to aid poor, tax wealthy and narrow deficit", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday unveiled an expanded RM388.1 billion (S$118 billion) government Budget for this year which focused on supporting Malaysia\u2019s lower-income groups, taxing the wealthy and keeping the national debt in check.\nThe Pakatan Harapan chief, who is also Finance Minister, is taking advantage of higher government revenue to raise spending, after Malaysia\u2019s economy performed better than expected last year with economic growth at 8.7 per cent. \nBudget 2022 was valued at RM332.1 billion but actual spending, largely due to a record RM80 billion in subsidies resulting from soaring fuel costs, came in at RM395.2 billion. \n\n\n\n\n\nStripping out the subsidy element \u2013 expected to be capped at RM64 billion this year, thanks to lower oil prices \u2013 the government\u2019s expenditure this year is set to exceed that of last year.  \nSome of the expenditure will be channelled towards the lower-income groups in the form of lower personal income taxes, tax incentives for small enterprises and RM8 billion in cash handouts to the poorest 60 per cent. \nDatuk Seri Anwar justified the additional spending in the face of global economic uncertainties, warning that despite a strong recovery last year, Malaysia\u2019s growth has been trending downwards. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn a quarter-on-quarter basis, growth was 3.8 per cent, 3.5 per cent, 1.9 per cent and minus 2.6 per cent across 2022.\n\n\u201cAs income and wealth is concentrated among the upper classes and wealthy elite, it is appropriate that redistribution is focused on the poor and middle class,\u201d said Mr Anwar.\nFriday\u2019s Budget was Mr Anwar\u2019s first since taking office after the general election in November. \nAlthough national polls have already taken place, Budget 2023 is still seen as an \u201celection Budget\u201d because six states are expected to head to the ballot box in July, with about half of Malaysia\u2019s electorate casting their vote.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe result of this vote will have a huge impact on the stability of Mr Anwar\u2019s administration, especially if its political partner Umno does not improve on its poor showing in November. \nThe so-called unity government was cobbled together after the election resulted in Malaysia\u2019s first-ever hung Parliament.\nSo far, government finances appear to be in Mr Anwar\u2019s favour.\nThe fiscal deficit was 5.6 per cent of gross domestic product last year, lower than the targeted 6 per cent \u2013 thanks to the 8.7 per cent economic growth which exceeded projections of 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent. \nA larger economy will also boost government coffers, which means Mr Anwar can still aim to trim the deficit to 5 per cent this year despite his ambitious spending plan and GDP growth expected to moderate to 4.5 per cent this year.\nThis growth estimate is higher than World Bank and Fitch projections of 4 per cent. \nMr Anwar was optimistic that \u201cefforts to implement reforms\u201d and Budget 2023 measures would see Malaysia surpass his own 4.5 per cent target.\nHe also added that while revenue estimates of RM291.5 billion for 2023 are lower than the RM294.4 billion collected last year, \u201cthis is before taking into account additional sources that will be announced in coming weeks\u201d. \n", "\nThe Premier did not offer more details on these measures but said in his speech that a tax on luxury goods as well as e-cigarettes and vaping would be introduced. \nThis is on top of a tax hike for 150,000 taxpayers who earn over RM100,000 a year. \nHe also committed to continue reducing the Budget deficit to 3.2 per cent in 2025, stressing at the start of his speech that his government had inherited debt which is expected to breach RM1.2 trillion this year, or 60 per cent of GDP. \nServicing the interest alone would require RM46 billion, or 16 per cent of revenue.\nThe Premier also focused on corruption and administrative leakages, revealing that RM10 billion in diesel subsidies was  misappropriated last year. \nMeanwhile, RM22 billion in flood mitigation and deals to empower bumiputera contractors handed out through direct negotiations were reopened for tender bids, with expected savings of RM3 billion.\n\u201cThis is proof of the excesses... that must be stopped if we want the nation to leap forward,\u201d he said.\nMalaysia\u2019s fiscal trajectory is closely watched by the market after two years of Covid-19 restrictions, when the government was forced to deepen borrowings to pay for welfare and economic stimulus packages.\nDevelopment expenditure will surge this year to RM99 billion \u2013 including a standard RM2 billion reserve for unforeseen circumstances classified under development for the first time \u2013 from RM71.6 billion in 2022.\nThe largest segment will be spent on improving transport infrastructure including for urban rail networks, roads and ports.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-expands-budget-2023-ahead-of-crucial-state-polls"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar faces daunting task of uniting rivals with Cabinet picks", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will technically have full discretion to pick a Cabinet for the first time, but the extraordinary circumstances which led to Malaysia\u2019s multi-coalition government mean the decision will be fraught with potential landmines.The Pakatan Harapan (PH) chief was sworn in on Thursday despite his coalition failing to win a simple parliamentary majority following last Saturday\u2019s fractious general election."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-faces-daunting-task-of-uniting-rivals-with-cabinet-picks"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar\u2019s Islamic credentials crucial to safeguard premiership", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is a known reformist and Muslim democrat who has led a multiracial party for the past two decades. But he may now need to fall back on his Islamic and nationalist roots to win over a majority of the country\u2019s dominant Malay population that voted for conservative Muslim opposition parties in the recent general election. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-s-islamic-credentials-crucial-to-safeguard-premiership"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar\u2019s promises of good governance out of window with Cabinet line-up, says Muhyiddin", "text": ["\n\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has reneged on promises of good governance he touted during the election campaign period when he named his Cabinet line-up, said Perikatan Nasional president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.\nMr Muhyiddin labelled the Cabinet line-up announced by Mr Anwar on Friday as \u201cthe most disappointing in the country\u2019s history\u201d.\n\u201cSomeone who was ordered to enter his defence in court against 47 criminal charges of corruption, breach of trust and money laundering has been appointed as Deputy Prime Minister.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAnwar\u2019s actions are akin to selling the nation\u2019s dignity \u2013 simply because of his desire to become Prime Minister.   \n\u201cThis kleptocrat Cabinet, formed on the basis of fraud against the people\u2019s mandate, does not have any legitimacy to function as the country\u2019s highest executive body,\u201d said Mr Muhyiddin in a statement on Saturday.       \nHe also criticised Mr Anwar for holding the Finance Minister post, saying that this leads to the centralisation of power and possible large-scale corruption as what happened in the 1MDB case before.          \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Muhyiddin questioned how the people and investors could put their trust in Mr Anwar\u2019s leadership now.         \n\nHe also said that the Cabinet line-up showed that Mr Anwar had compromised on principles of integrity, transparency and accountability.     \nHe also claimed there are some individuals known for extreme chauvinism who were appointed to lead certain ministries and would invite controversy as well as to expect extreme racial policies to be introduced.    \nMr Muhyiddin said the reform agenda Mr Anwar had been fighting for now rings hollow when he cannot defend his own party\u2019s struggle to fight corruption and promote good governance in the appointment of Cabinet members.  \n\u201cHis worth as a true leader worthy of respect and dignity is now highly questionable,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-s-promises-of-good-governance-out-of-window-with-cabinet-line-up-says-muhyiddin"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar\u2019s visit to China the start of more Chinese investments, say business groups", "text": ["\nBusiness groups in Malaysia have lauded Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s visit to China, during which 19 agreements were signed to boost investments in green technology, digital economy and modern agriculture.\nThe Star reported the groups as saying the visit will send a strong and positive signal to international investors, as well as boost investments between the two countries.\nSME Association of Malaysia president Ding Hong Sing welcomed the signings, saying it was good news to local industries, especially the small and medium-sized businesses.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt will create a ripple effect. China is known for its high-technology expertise and Malaysia will be able to learn a lot from their side,\u201d he said.\nDatuk Seri Anwar was on a four-day official visit to China, which ended on Saturday. \nDuring his visit, he met Chinese leaders including President Xi Jinping, as well as business leaders.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar on Saturday described his maiden official visit as an achievement that brought great benefits to the country. \n\n\u201cThe hospitality received and focus given (by Chinese leaders and business figures) were extraordinary. I consider this a very positive development. This visit is of great benefit to Malaysians,\u201d he told Malaysian media on Saturday night.\nThe visit saw Malaysia securing RM170 billion (S$51.2 billion) worth of investment commitments from China.\nThe amount, the biggest so far from China, is from a total of 19 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) signed between businesses in China and Malaysia in various fields, especially in green technology and the digital economy sectors.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar also extended an invitation for Mr Xi to visit Malaysia in 2024 to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.\nAccording to Malaysian national news agency Bernama, Mr Xi last visited Malaysia in 2013 when the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement was signed.\nAssociated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia treasurer-general Koong Lin Loong, who was part of Malaysia\u2019s trade delegation to Beijing, said Mr Anwar\u2019s visit would send a positive message to foreign investors, particularly Chinese investors, that Malaysia was a close trading partner.\n\u201cThe 19 MOUs are a great milestone related to various sectors including electronic vehicles, electronics, big data and digitalisation. They will definitely have a good impact on the country,\u201d he said.\nKuala Lumpur and Selangor Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Nivas Ragavan said the commitments were seen as a good sign for China and Malaysia to boost trade relations.\n\n\u201cThe investments from China will definitely serve as an impetus to science and technological innovation, digital economy, green economy, modern agriculture and bio-medicine,\u201d he added.\n\u201cChina is already at the forefront globally in those areas, and its partnership with Malaysia would definitely enhance the latter in these fields.\u201d \n", "\nMr Nivas said the Chinese investments will open up opportunities for strategic partnerships between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in both countries. \n\u201cOur local SMEs need a shot in the arm and these partnerships with China companies will definitely push the SMEs to grow.\u201d\nMalay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia acting president Norsyahrin Hamidon said that the chamber remained supportive of the government\u2019s move to bring in investments from China.\n\u201cIt is high time. We need to be able to tap the large market that China has to offer.\u201d\n\nChina has been Malaysia\u2019s largest trading partner since 2009. Total trade between the two countries reached RM487 billion in 2022.\nChina was also the top investor in Malaysia in 2022, contributing 21 per cent of the RM264.6 billion investments Kuala Lumpur approved that year.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-s-visit-to-china-the-start-of-more-chinese-investments-says-business-groups"}, {"title": "Anwar\u2019s wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail did not request \u2018wife of the prime minister\u2019 licence plate", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU \u2013 A photo showing a government vehicle with the licence plate \u201cIsteri YAB Perdana Menteri\u201d (wife of the prime minister) is causing a stir on social media.\nSabah state secretary Safar Untong said the number plate on the vehicle was placed based on usual norms conducted by the state during official functions of VIPs.\nThey include the prime minister, his wife, ministers and assistant ministers, as well as their wives, he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe prime minister\u2019s wife did not request such a plate,\u201d he said in a statement.\nDatuk Seri Safar said the photo was taken outside a renowned hotel in Kota Kinabalu recently.\nHe added that such plates and vehicles were provided based on the visit schedules of the VIPs and that these were not permanent.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the wife of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, was in Kota Kinabalu for a function recently. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-s-wife-wan-azizah-wan-ismail-did-not-request-for-wife-of-the-prime-minister-car-licence-plate"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar seeks to revive idea of Asian Monetary Fund", "text": ["\nBANGKOK - Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has proposed reviving the idea of an Asian Monetary Fund (AMF) which he said could create a buffer against economic crises in the region.  \nIn his keynote speech at the Future of Asean lecture organised by the Malaysian-Thai Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok on Friday, Datuk Seri Anwar said the AMF would benefit the region immensely, and suggested that it includes countries such as China, Japan and South Korea.\n\u201cWe cannot have the international infrastructure being decided by outsiders. We can work with them but we should have our own domestic, regional and Asian strength, not necessarily to compete but to have a buffer zone (against economic crises),\u201d he was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe AMF was first mooted by Japan in 1997 during the early stages of the Asian financial crisis when countries, including Indonesia and Thailand, ran into difficulties seeking bailouts. The concept of the AMF was to create a network backed by Asian funds to tackle current and future economic crisis. \nBut the idea failed to take off due to resistance from some Asian countries and the Group of Seven out of fears that the AMF could erode the role of the International Monetary Fund and cause a split between Asia and North America.\nMr Anwar also said Asean nations should stop competing with one another and collaborate instead for mutual economic benefits, Bernama reported. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nUsing the example of the automotive industry, he said there was competition among Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand in the last century to build cars due to one another\u2019s \u201cfierce independence and protectionist policies of the 1990s\u201d. \n\n\u201cIt is a better approach that each country focus on a single type of vehicle. For instance, Malaysia could have built cars while Indonesia and Thailand would focus on buses and trucks,\u201d he said. \nHe also proposed that each country focus on its specialty and provide those products for the other Asean member states.\nMr Anwar met his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-o-cha on Thursday. The two-day visit to Thailand is the Malaysian leader\u2019s first to Thailand as prime minister.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-seeks-to-revive-idea-of-asian-monetary-fund"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar to meet Sabah leaders over political crisis", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says he will look into the Sabah political crisis after he returns from his official visit to Jakarta.\nHe said he will meet representatives of Sabah political parties on the issue.\n\u201cAfter returning from Jakarta, I will give special attention to the developments in Sabah,\u201d he told reporters after attending Pakatan Harapan\u2019s presidential council meeting on Saturday. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Prime Minister begins his two-day visit to Indonesia on Sunday.\nThe Pakatan chief said he has spoken to Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, adding that the political situation in Sabah is under control now.\n\u201cI have spoken to Hajiji and I was made to understand that (Barisan Nasional chairman and Umno president) Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has spoken to (Sabah Barisan chairman) Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, and the situation is under control for now.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe will ensure that the administration of the state is unaffected as our priority is the country, economic growth and the interest of the people,\u201d he added.\n\nAsked to comment on the latest situation, Mr Anwar replied that the situation \u201cwas still calm\u201d.\nOn Friday, he had also said the political situation in Sabah was calm and there would be no change in the state government.\nOn Saturday, Pakatan assemblymen in Sabah reiterated their support for Mr Hajiji as Chief Minister after his government collapsed with Barisan pulling out its support.\nFive Barisan assemblymen have publicly announced their support for Mr Hajiji as Chief Minister while calling for Mr Bung Moktar to step down as state Umno chairman.\nThe five assemblymen said in a joint statement they were pledging their unwavering support for Mr Hajiji as Sabah Chief Minister under the law.\nMr Bung Moktar had announced the decision to pull the plug on the 27-month-old coalition state government after chairing a two-hour meeting at the Sabah Umno headquarters on Friday night.\nThe Deputy Chief Minister claimed that Sabah Barisan had lost confidence in Mr Hajiji as he had lost his locus standi to remain as Chief Minister after he quit Bersatu to become a direct member of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) party.\nThe decision to pull out, he added, involved 17 Sabah Umno assemblymen and Segama representative Mohamaddin Ketapi of Parti Bangsa Malaysia.\nHowever, Mr Bung Moktar admitted that at least five of his assemblymen have yet to support the move, although he chose not to name them. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-to-meet-sabah-leaders-over-political-crisis"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar to visit quake-hit Turkey", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will fly to Turkey on Tuesday night for a one-day visit to show his support and solidarity with the Turkish people in the wake of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which struck the country\u2019s south-east region on Feb 6. \nThe earthquake has so far claimed 35,000 lives in Turkey and in neighbouring Syria.\nMr Anwar made the decision after having a conversation with Turkish  President Recep Teyyip Erdogan and will return to Malaysia on Wednesday. \n\n\n\n\n\nSpeaking to the media after meeting senators in Malaysia\u2019s Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Anwar said: \u201cI believe that as friends, we should always be there to give our support.\n\u201cInitially, I was reluctant because the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Smart) is already there and a (field) hospital has been set up. However, in the spirit of friendship, I have decided to go there.\u201d\nHe will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar said that during Minister\u2019s Question Time in the Lower House of Parliament, Mr Erdogan had called him twice asking him to go to Turkey. The pair is believed to have a close friendship.\n\nIn November, during Mr Anwar\u2019s first press conference as Prime Minister, both had a 10-minute phone call when Mr Erdogan congratulated Mr Anwar on his win and said that he was looking forward to greater bilateral ties between the two nations. \nAccording to Mr Anwar, Malaysia has collected RM20 million (S$6.1 million) in humanitarian aid to help the earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. \nThis included contributions of US$1 million (S$1.3 million) each from the Malaysian government and the Sultan of Johor, said Mr Anwar, with donations from other parties including local companies making up the remaining portion.\nResponding to questions regarding the nature of the aid provided by the Malaysian government, Mr Anwar said that two Smart teams have already been sent, with one more team from the Malaysian Armed Forces leaving on Tuesday night. \nHe added that the costs of flights for the aid teams have been borne by Turkish Airlines, while the Malaysian government has spent RM4 million towards these efforts. \nMr Anwar said that Malaysia would be providing aid in the form of medical equipment and humanitarian missions to Syria, regardless of the United States\u2019 sanction policy.\nHe said: \u201cMalaysia will still send a team to help as soon as there is a response from the Syrian government, but funding and medical equipment have been decided and the Defence Minister (Mohamad Hasan) wants to install hospital equipment in Syria.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-to-visit-quake-hit-turkey"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar urges Thailand to step up on Myanmar crisis", "text": ["\nBANGKOK \u2013 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim asked Thailand to play a bigger role in bringing stability to coup-hit Myanmar, as diplomatic efforts to bring peace there flounder. \nOn the situation in southern Thailand, Datuk Seri Anwar pledged to \u201cdo whatever is required\u201d to facilitate a peaceful solution to the long-simmering insurgency there.\nMr Anwar made the comments on Thursday during a meeting with his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-o-cha. It was the first bilateral meeting between the two prime ministers since Mr Anwar won office in late 2022.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar was on an official visit to Bangkok. \nThe Thai government has faced international criticism for maintaining normal ties with Myanmar\u2019s junta and downplaying alleged atrocities in its neighbouring country since Myanmar was plunged into chaos following a putsch two years ago.\n\u201cThere\u2019s very little we can do except to continue this so-called constructive engagement with the Myanmar junta,\u201d Mr Anwar told reporters.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo Prime Minister Prayut, he said: \u201cBut I think you are placed, Prime Minister, in a better position to express many of our concerns.\u201d\n\nThousands of the mostly Muslim ethnic Rohingya, heavily persecuted in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, have risked their lives on perilous boat journeys in an attempt to reach Malaysia or Indonesia in recent years.\nNearly one million Rohingya live in camps near Bangladesh\u2019s border with Myanmar, after fleeing a brutal military crackdown in 2017.\n\nMr Anwar said the close to 200,000 refugees his country was hosting were a heavy burden.\n\n\n\n\n\nAsean has led so-far fruitless diplomatic efforts to resolve the turmoil in Myanmar, where armed \u201cpeople\u2019s defence forces\u201d have staged anti-coup attacks since the military takeover.\nThere has been little progress on a five-point consensus agreed on with the junta in April 2021 that calls for an immediate end to violence and dialogue between the military and the anti-coup movement.\nLate last year, Thailand raised eyebrows when it hosted Myanmar\u2019s top diplomat at informal talks that included Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, but excluded other Asean countries that had been vocal critics of the junta.\n\n", "\nIt was the first time in more than a year that Myanmar\u2019s foreign minister had met an Asean foreign-minister grouping in person, after the bloc snubbed the junta by barring its representatives from top-level summits over a lack of progress on Asean\u2019s peace plan.\nMr Anwar said Asean needed \u201ccoherent, concerted action\u201d.\n\nAt talks in Jakarta last week, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi urged Asean countries to show unity on implementing the peace plan in Myanmar.\nOn the situation in southern Thailand, Mr Anwar stressed that the insurgency is an internal issue for Thailand.\nBut he said Malaysia would do whatever it can to help find a peaceful solution to the conflict. \nKuala Lumpur is appointing Mr Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, 65, a former head of Malaysia\u2019s armed forces, as facilitator of the process.\nSince 2013, Malaysia has helped to facilitate peace talks between separatist groups in Thailand and the Thai government, but the process was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The latest round of talks resumed in 2022 after a two-year suspension. \nBarisan Revolusi Nasional, the main insurgent group involved in talks with the Thai government, did not comment when contacted by Reuters.\nMore than 7,300 people have been killed since 2004 in fighting between Thai forces and shadowy groups seeking independence for the predominantly Muslim and ethnically Malay provinces of Narathiwat, Yala, Pattani and parts of Songkhla, which border Malaysia. The area was part of the Patani sultanate that Thailand annexed in a 1909 treaty with Britain.  \n\u201cIt is our duty as a good neighbour and family to do whatever is required and necessary to facilitate the process,\u201d Mr Anwar said. \nOn his part, Mr Prayut said cooperation will help address the problems in the restive provinces, specifically greater economic development and improved connectivity between the two countries. AFP, REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-urges-thailand-to-step-up-on-myanmar-crisis"}, {"title": "Malaysian PM Anwar woos young people with free university education, shorter degree courses", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 No tuition fees, degree courses shortened to three years and hybrid learning \u2013 Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been wooing the country\u2019s youth by promising to ease the path to further studies. \nAhead of six key state elections expected in July, Datuk Seri Anwar also reversed a recent decision to stop the Public Service Department (JPA) from offering scholarships for medicine, dentistry and pharmacy courses, and raised allowances from July for existing scholarship holders. \n\u201cThis will cost the government RM52.03 million (S$15 million) over six months from July, benefiting 43,595 (public service) scholars,\u201d Mr Anwar said in a statement last Tuesday. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe told students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Bangi on the same day that he believed tertiary education should be free for all Malaysians except the rich, but that he needed more time to implement such a policy.\nSeveral other changes were announced by the Higher Education Ministry on June 4. These include a move to a hybrid learning system at public universities. Students have to attend lectures for the first and final years and will be given the flexibility of studying from home during the second year. \nAt least 44 courses at nine public universities will be shortened from four years to three, allowing graduates to enter the workforce earlier, according to Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe government will also exempt tuition fees for 10,000 needy students in 20 public universities, which would otherwise have cost them RM30 million in total. \n\nFor the latest intake, Malaysia\u2019s 20 public universities offered about 71,600 places. A medical degree course at Universiti Malaya costs RM14,200 in total, while a law degree one costs RM8,820.\nEducation Minister Fadhlina Sidek revealed on June 11 that nearly 4 per cent of 17-year-olds who registered for last year\u2019s Form 5 school-leaving Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) \u2013 equivalent to Singapore\u2019s O levels \u2013 did not turn up for the exams, higher than the 2.7 per cent in 2021. Around 403,000 students sat the SPM 2022 exams.\nA study by the UCSI University Poll Research Centre in March found that only 51 per cent out of 1,000 SPM school leavers between 18 and 20 years old who were surveyed planned to continue studying, with 34 per cent looking to become influencers and 26 per cent preferring to join the gig economy. \n\n\n\n\n\nPoverty was also identified by the Education Ministry as one reason why students dropped out. \nDr Mazlan Ali, senior lecturer at the Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), said that Mr Anwar has been meeting university students in recent days ahead of upcoming state elections in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu. \n\u201cBy reinstating government scholarships and raising allowances, Anwar is seen by students as caring for their future,\u201d Dr Mazlan said. \u201cWe can see a lot of incentives announced by Anwar for students. This could provide a momentum of support for Anwar and the unity government among students, as he heads to the polls.\u201d\n", "\nYoung people aged 18 to 21 are a key demographic\u00a0after being given the right to vote in 2022. They make up around six million voters of an electoral roll of about 21 million.\nA hybrid education system is the way forward as the world has changed after the Covid-19 pandemic, said Dr Mazlan, explaining that it saves money and time otherwise spent on commuting. \n\u201cHowever, students will not experience the full campus life. They may spend less time on laboratory work and in informal learning environments such as societies and clubs,\u201d he said. \nIf courses are reduced to three years from four, some students may find it hard to cope as they will need to finish their studies faster, he added. \nA student at a public university who declined to be named told The Straits Times that the measures would be a boon to those who plan to go to university but cannot afford it, but urged the government to have clear guidelines. \n\u201cIf it is to reduce the cost, it is a good idea,\u201d she said. \u201cBut when you are given the choice to do your middle year from home, how will the government closely monitor the new system? If there is no clear framework from the government, it could lead to even more problems.  \n\u201cIt is better to maximise physical classes. Life experiences are important too, and these are gained through physical interactions that students will miss in their middle years.\u201d\nHousewife Mimi Koay, a mother of two students in tertiary education, said she did not think the measures would motivate young people to enrol for a university education. \n\u201cEncouraging school leavers to further their studies should be done at the school level, not university level,\u201d she told ST. \n\u201cBy shortening the course duration, I worry about the quality of graduates and I don\u2019t think our students are mature enough or ready for a hybrid learning system. It will just encourage them to hang out more, instead of doing self-study. Come exam time, this could lead to failure and dropouts.\u201d \nAs for free education, Mrs Koay hopes this can be done soon. \nShe said: \u201cMost importantly, it should be inclusive education for all, regardless of race. Students shouldn\u2019t have to compete so hard for only a few places, leading to stress, anxiety and mental breakdown, especially for those who cannot afford it.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-pm-anwar-woos-young-people-with-free-university-education-shorter-degree-courses"}, {"title": "Malaysian police arrest dive instructor accused of molesting Chinese tourist in Sabah", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU \u2013 Police in Malaysia have arrested a 27-year-old diving instructor for allegedly molesting a tourist from China.\n\nThe 24-year-old tourist accused the diving instructor of molesting her as they were diving in waters off Semporna in Sabah at around 1pm on Friday, Assistant Superintendent Arif Abdul Razak said in a report.\n\nThe suspect was doing freelance work in Semporna, according to the police.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe incident surfaced when photos of the tourist and the diver appeared on Facebook.\nIn two photos, the diver is seen removing his regulator from his mouth and kissing the tourist on the cheek.\nASP Arif said in a statement on Monday that the victim lodged a complaint with the Semporna police before flying back to China.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPolice are investigating the case under Section 354 of the Penal Code \u201cfor using criminal force to outrage the modesty of the woman\u201d, he said.\n\nHe added that the suspect had been remanded until Thursday.\n\nMs Christina Liew, tourism, culture and environment minister of Sabah, told the South China Morning Post on Monday that the incident dented the image of Sabah\u2019s tourism industry just as it was beginning to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.\n\n\u201cIncidents like this greatly affect the image of tourism in the Semporna district in particular and Sabah in general, even more so as the tourism industry is recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic,\u201d she said.\nMs Liew described the incident as \u201cregrettable\u201d and said she wanted all tourism players to be responsible in protecting the image of the industry.\n\n\u201cI call on all travel agents in this state to play a role in providing quality service,\u201d she said. \u201cThey must be responsible to ensure incidents like this will not happen again.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-police-arrest-dive-instructor-accused-of-molesting-chinese-tourist-in-sabah-resort"}, {"title": "Malaysian police arrest five men for slashing and throwing woman under a bridge", "text": ["\nThe Malaysian police have arrested five men who allegedly assaulted and slashed a woman before throwing her under a bridge after she told them off for being noisy.\n\nPolice said the men became angry when the 52-year-old woman confronted them for drinking alcohol and making a ruckus in the early hours of April 13.\n\n\u201cShe said the men were always making noise and regularly drinking liquor and consuming drugs inside the house,\u201d said Kuala Langat district police chief Ahmad Ridhwan Mohd Nor Saleh. \n\n\n\n\n\nIt is believed the woman and the men, who are in their 30s, lived in the same rented house in the state of Selangor. \nPolice said the incensed men beat up the woman with a thick cane and slashed her \u201cwith a sharp object\u201d before dumping her under a bridge at Kampung Sawah Banting, about 35km from the state capital of Shah Alam.\nMr Ahmad said the woman, who works as a cleaner in a bank, was rescued by nearby residents and was sent to a hospital for treatment.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nBased on the information obtained from the victim, police arrested the five men between 1pm and 6pm on April 13.\n\n\u201cWe have also seized a cane and a Proton Perdana car,\u201d said Mr Ahmad.\n\nMr Ahmad said the men had previous criminal records for drug abuse. Three of them tested positive for methamphetamine and cannabis.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-police-arrests-five-men-for-slashing-and-throwing-woman-under-a-bridge"}, {"title": "Malaysian police believe jealousy could be motive behind bomb attack that killed restaurant waiter", "text": ["\nAMPANG - A married couple are being detained for seven days to help Malaysian police investigating the explosion of a homemade bomb that killed a waiter in Selangor last week.\nThe 33-year-old man and his 30-year-old wife were brought to the Ampang Magistrate\u2019s Court on Wednesday morning for police to get the remand order, after the duo was arrested in northern Kedah state on Tuesday evening, The Star daily reported.\nPolice believe that jealousy could be the motive behind the attack. No further details were given.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt was reported that a team of police officers from Ampang Jaya district police headquarters arrested the couple after raiding a house in Kedah, the daily said.\nOn Dec 29, a waiter at a restaurant in Pandan Indah, Selangor, was killed by an explosion after he inspected a package placed on his car.\nThe 28-year-old male victim saw a package placed on top of his car at 8.55pm, and proceeded to inspect the package before the explosion occurred, The Star said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe victim, who sustained severe injuries to his body and hands, was rushed to Hospital Ampang, but he died. \n\nNew Straits Times (NST) reported that police found several objects and traces of explosives at the scene of the incident.\nAmong the materials found were power bank devices, paper cutters and batteries.\nPolice believe the know-how to build the bomb was gleaned from social media, NST said.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-police-believe-bomb-explosion-that-killed-cook-caused-by-jealousy"}, {"title": "Malaysian police called in as rowdy crowd swamps Selangor store offering clothes for 30 cents", "text": ["\nChaos broke out at a Malaysian store on Saturday after hundreds of shoppers swarmed the premises to take advantage of its promotional sale, which offered apparel for as low as RM1 (30 Singapore cents).\nThe shop, located in Selangor\u2019s state capital of Shah Alam, had offered its first 100 customers the opportunity to buy clothes at RM1 as part of its Hari Raya sales. \nThe next 50 customers would be able to get free kurta shirts, according to the Malaysian media. Prizes such as mobile phones were also up for grabs.\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, the situation got out of control when more than 500 people swamped the shop, leading to pushing, shoving and shouting.\nVideos of the rowdy scenes went viral on social media. \nSome showed people shouting outside the shop, while others depicted scenes of chaos inside, with people grabbing as many items as they could.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nSecurity guards were seen struggling to maintain public order. The New Straits Times reported that one guard was injured and was carried away by a colleague.\n\n\nShah Alam district police chief Mohd Iqbal Ibrahim said that the police received a complaint about the incident at 10.30am on Saturday.\nHe said the store \u2013 which he did not name \u2013 agreed to stop operations at 11.45am due to safety concerns, as the shop\u2019s employees could not contain the crowd.\nMr Iqbal advised the public not to be \u201ctoo emotional\u201d over such promotions.\n\u201cAt the same time, business owners must be considerate and avoid creating promotions that could confuse the public to avoid similar situations from repeating,\u201d he said.\n\nOn social media, netizens slammed the shop for its poor organisation.\n\u201cIt could easily cause crowd crushes, honestly it is so scary to see the videos. The management could\u2019ve better prepared,\u201d tweeted soyah.\n\n", "\nZal on TikTok said the promotion sounded \u201ctoo good to be true\u201d as clothes can be sold for as low as RM5 at a thrift store.\nAnother commentator added on TikTok: \u201cI\u2019d rather wear last year\u2019s Raya clothes.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-police-called-in-as-rowdy-crowd-swarm-selangor-store-offering-30-cent-clothes"}, {"title": "Malaysian police defend arrest of teens who mocked Singapore in exam paper rant", "text": ["\nThe Malaysian police said they had acted in accordance with the law when arresting two teenagers linked to a viral TikTok video in which they complained about a secondary school history exam paper. \nIn the video, one of the teens used vulgarities to criticise those who had set the questions and mocked Singapore, saying the Republic is \u201cnothing but a kampung\u201d.\nHulu Selangor district police chief Suffian Abdullah said in a statement on Sunday that the two 18-year-old boys were placed under remand to facilitate investigations for offences under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1995 and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe statement was in response to Malaysian human rights group Lawyers of Liberty\u2019s criticism that the police had treated the boys too harshly.\nThe group said the police might have gone too far in raiding the boys\u2019 homes in Hulu Selangor and then making them take a drug test.\nSuperintendent Suffian said the purpose of the two-day remand order against the teens was to have their statements recorded thoroughly and to fact-check with relevant parties, including checking their cellphones and getting a disciplinary report from their school.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThough the police had a remand order for two days, the students were released on bail earlier,\u201d he said.\n\nHe added that investigation papers will be completed and handed over to Selangor\u2019s deputy public prosecutor.\nThe police arrested the teens after a teacher filed a report the day before about a video the pair had posted online that went viral. \nThe video shows them \u201cuttering abusive words as they were allegedly dissatisfied\u201d with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) paper.\nSPM, or the Malaysian Certificate of Education, is a national exam taken by all Form 5 students in Malaysia. It is the equivalent of the GCE O-level examinations in Singapore.\nIn the video, one teen can be seen swearing and making an obscene gesture while mocking questions about Singapore\u2019s history, saying these were not relevant to Malaysians.\n", "\n\u201cTo those who made this SPM history paper, what about Singapore? People don\u2019t read about Singapore,\u201d he can be heard saying.\n\u201cThis Singapore! You think I care about Singapore? Even for water, they use Malaysia\u2019s. Suddenly you come up with Singapore.\n\n\u201cAnd then with nationalism, the Constitution, making me tired reading about it, but it didn\u2019t make it (in the exam).\u201d\n\nThe two teens apologised in a later video.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-police-defend-arrest-of-teens-who-mocked-singapore-in-exam-paper-rant"}, {"title": "Malaysian police investigating claim by Anwar\u2019s daughter of being bullied on the road", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian police have started investigations following a claim by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s daughter Nurul Ilham that she was a victim of road bullying.\nThe incident is said to have occurred on the North-South Expressway as she was heading to Seremban. \nSerdang police chief A. Anbalagan said a 14-second video clip of the incident was shared by Ms Nurul Ilham on her Twitter account, and it later went viral. It showed a Proton Iriz on the right lane moving slowly and hitting the brakes several times.\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to initial investigations, the incident involved an accident and both parties suffered injuries. \n\u201cBoth drivers, including Nurul Ilham, were called up to record their statements while the case was investigated... for an offence of overtaking and obstructing traffic,\u201d the police chief said in a statement on Friday night. \u201cMembers of the public with information about the incident are encouraged to contact the traffic department of the Serdang police station to assist investigations.\u201d \nEarlier, Ms Nurul Ilham had posted on Twitter that she was a victim of road bullying while she was driving with her two-year-old child. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-police-investigating-claim-anwar-s-daughter-subjected-to-road-bullying"}, {"title": "Malaysian cop arrested after viral videos show her shouting, hurling insults at others", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A 35-year-old police officer in Malaysia has been arrested after several videos showing her insulting fellow police officers and shouting at members of the public went viral.\nThe arrest was made at about 1.20am local time on Sunday by the Gombak district police headquarters, reported Malaysian newspaper New Straits Times (NST), citing Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan.\n\u201cThe suspect will be granted bail after a thorough investigation is conducted, as more police reports have been filed involving the suspect,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOfficers also confiscated a mobile phone during the arrest to assist in investigations.\n\nThe police officer, who is under investigation for criminal intimidation, is also accused of preventing public servants from carrying out their duty and using rude, disgraceful or insulting words.\nIn one of the viral videos, a woman alleged to be the officer insults fellow police officers, claiming that they do not deserve to speak to her due to their lower ranks. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe altercation was the result of the police officers requesting to see her authority card as she was believed to be involved in a debt collection incident, reported NST, citing acting Gombak police chief superintendent Noor Ariffin Mohamad Nasir. He also confirmed the incident and that a police report had been filed.\n\nAnother viral video shows someone alleged to be the officer in a heated argument with a member of the public at a temple over a shopping mall parking space.\nIn the video, she can be seen shouting at another man and woman as the person recording the video calls her \u201ccrazy\u201d.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-police-officer-arrested-after-viral-videos-of-her-altercations-surface"}, {"title": "Malaysian police officers charged with robbing Indonesian tourist in Melaka", "text": ["\nMELAKA \u2013 Two Malaysian policemen were charged on Thursday with robbing a 42-year-old Indonesian female tourist at a hotel in Plaza Mahkota in the state of Melaka. \nThe accused, both holding the rank of lance corporal, claimed trial when they were charged in the Sessions Court in Ayer Keroh under Section 395 of the Penal Code for gang robbery.\nThe pleas of T. S. Praveen and Muhammad Safri Idris, both 31, were recorded before Judge Darmafikri Abu Adam.\n\n\n\n\n\nBased on the facts of the case, the two had allegedly robbed the victim, known as Anisa, before taking away her belongings worth RM1,800 (S$550), including her Indonesian passport.\nThe offence was allegedly committed at Plaza Mahkota Hotel on April 3.\n\nThe two could face a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping upon conviction.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThey also faced another charge under Section 12(1)(1) of the Passports Act 1966 for having possession of a passport without authority.\n\nThey can face a jail term of up to five years and a maximum fine of up to RM10,000 upon conviction.\n\nThe two policemen were represented by counsel Andrew Lourdes.\nThe court granted RM9,000 bail each and fixed May 23 as the next mention date.\n\nMelaka Tengah police chief Christopher Patit said the victim had lodged a report on April 4,  a day after the alleged robbery.\nHe said the suspects had allegedly demanded RM5,000 from the victim during the robbery as an inducement not to take action against her.\nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-police-officers-charged-with-robbing-indonesian-tourist-in-malacca"}, {"title": "Malaysian police probing Johor incident involving S\u2019pore travellers being chased by fake police car", "text": ["\nThe Malaysian police are investigating an incident where three men allegedly impersonated officers and appeared to try to pull over a car travelling from Singapore to Genting.\nIn a statement on Monday, acting Kulai police chief Yusof Othman said that the incident was believed to have occurred at 41.5km of the North-South Highway, next to the Sedenak toll plaza exit in Kulai, Johor.\nHe was responding to a Facebook post in Chinese by user Freeman Gan WT on Monday, who claimed that a car started following him and a friend around the 27km mark of the highway at about 5.40am on Monday. \n\n\n\n\n\nIn a video accompanying the post, which Mr Gan said took place around the 37km mark, a silver car, with a flashing blue beacon light on its roof, can be seen speeding alongside his.\nWhile he initially thought the men inside the car were police officers, Mr Gan said he later suspected that they were impersonators and refused to let them stop in front of his vehicle.\nWhile racing ahead, he said that he called the police who told him not to stop and that if the car did not relent, to drive towards the nearest police station.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt was only at about the 71km mark that the car had disappeared, said Mr Gan, adding that he stopped at a crowded area at 8.10am to have breakfast with his friend.\n\nSupt Yusof said the suspects are believed to be three men, whose nationality is unclear, and were wearing masks.\n", "\nThe men had used a blue beacon light similar to those used by the police and attempted to stop the car by gesticulating with their hands, he added.\nHe said that a police report about the incident was lodged by a police officer at about 1.52pm on Monday, and that the victims have not made a report themselves. He also appealed to members of the public to share any information they have.\nIf found guilty under the penal code, the offenders can be jailed a maximum of two years, fined or both.\nCommenting on the incident, Malaysian politician Wong Bor Yang said in a Facebook post the police are investigating the widely circulated video, which has racked up nearly 8,000 likes and about 30,000 shares.\nHe said that if members of the public encounter such incidents of fake police cars obstructing their way, they are advised to drive to the nearest police station to make a report. \nIn the event that they have been stopped by the impersonators, they should request for the fake police officers\u2019 identification documents, ask for the reason for their detainment and visit the police station thereafter.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-police-probing-johor-incident-involving-s-pore-travellers-being-chased-by-fake-police-car"}, {"title": "Malaysian police seeking Interpol help to get \u2018full identity\u2019, location of comedian Jocelyn Chia", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 The Malaysian police are asking Interpol to help them track down comedian Jocelyn Chia.\nBernama quoted Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani as saying that an \u201capplication\u201d would be filed with Interpol to get Chia\u2019s \u201cfull identity\u201d and \u201clatest location\u201d. \nNo other details were provided.   \n\n\n\n\n\nChia, who was born in the United States and raised in Singapore, made light of the 2014 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 with 239 people on board during an April 7 stand-up comedy show in New York.\nShe also poked fun at the rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia.  \nIn response to queries from The Straits Times, an Interpol spokesman said the organisation has not received a request involving Chia.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said: \u201cIf any request is made, it must be compliant with Interpol\u2019s Constitution, which forbids any activities which are religious, racial, military or political in nature.\u201d\n\nSimilarly, he added, any request in relation to offences related to freedom of expression would also be assessed in view of the possible application of international human rights standards according to Interpol\u2019s Constitution.\nIn an 89-second video clip of her set posted on Instagram, she said: \u201cMy country, Singapore, after we gained independence from the British, we were a struggling little nation.  In order to survive, we formed a union with a larger, more powerful country, Malaysia.\u201d\n\nShe added: \u201cWhen my prime minister went on TV to announce that you guys had dumped us, he cried because he thought we were not going to survive without you.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\nChia, who is still a US citizen, then went on to say: \u201cBut then, 40 years later, we became a First World country.\n\u201cAnd you guys? Malaysia, what are you now? Still a developing country.\u201d \nShe added: \u201cNow, Malaysia, you all are trying to come around, like, \u2018Hey Singapore, you\u2019re looking good lah.\u2019 And we\u2019re like, \u2018I know, but why haven\u2019t you visited me in 40 years?\u2019\u201d\n\u201cAnd (Malaysia\u2019s) like, \u2018Yeah I tried, but you know, my aeroplanes cannot fly\u2019,\u201d she said, to laughter and audible gasps from her audience.\nShe added: \u201cWhy, Malaysia Airlines going missing not funny, huh? Some jokes don\u2019t land.\u201d \nIn an interview with CNN on Sunday, Chia, a lawyer turned comedian, said she has performed her routine \u201cmore than a hundred times\u201d for about a year and a half already, without any issue.\nBut when segments of it were taken out, condensed into a short clip and posted on social media, some of the necessary context went missing, she said. \n\u201cI do stand by my joke, but with some caveat.  I stand by its entirety, when viewed in a comedy club,\u201d she told CNN, adding: \u201cUpon reflection, I do see that having this as a clip that gets viewed out of a comedy club context was risky.\u201d\nSingaporeans have long had a friendly rivalry with Malaysia, and it was what the joke was based on, she said, adding that she holds no grudge against Malaysia.\n\u201cIt is also a common culture for comedians to \u2018roast\u2019 their live audience,\u201d she added. \nShe said Malaysians who are in her audience often come up to her after her shows to tell her that they love her gig, and that \u201cthey clearly didn\u2019t take offence\u201d. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-police-seeking-interpol-s-help-to-get-full-identity-latest-location-of-comedian-jocelyn-chia"}, {"title": "Malaysian politician Syed Saddiq\u2019s \u2018invaluable\u2019 cat Toby dies", "text": ["\nA cat that was listed as part of his Malaysian owner\u2019s financial assets has died.\nMr Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, the founder of youth-based party Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda), announced on his social media accounts on Tuesday that Toby, his beloved feline, \u201chas left us\u201d. \nNo cause of death was given. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSo sudden. So sad. I miss him so much. Thank you for being there for me in the toughest of times. May you rest well in \u2018cat heaven\u2019,\u201d he said.\nThe post was accompanied by pictures of him and Toby in happier times.  \nToby was one of two cats owned by Mr Syed Saddiq, 30. He has another cat called Meow Meow.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe two felines were in the news late last year when Mr Syed Saddiq included them as part of his asset declaration in the run-up to Malaysia\u2019s Nov 19 general election.\n\nHe declared that his assets amounted to about RM2.81 million (S$848,000) as at Sept 30, 2022, with total liabilities of RM909,267. That left his net assets at around RM1.91 million. \nThe Muar Member of Parliament had described his pets as \u201cinvaluable\u201d and he often posted pictures of them on his social media accounts. \n\u201cWhen we were serving in the Cabinet, we were asked to declare any gifts which value would be above RM500,\u201d he said in November last year. \u201cSince I got my cats in 2018 as gifts from my brother and a friend, I am declaring them as well because the felines are invaluable to me.\u201d \n", "\nFriends and supporters have flooded his social media with condolences.\nCelebrity chef Redzuawan Ismail, popularly known as Chef Wan, said he was saddened by the news as Toby was a beautiful cat. \n\u201cI feel that loss in you as I have 11 cats myself... my condolences to you,\u201d he said.       \nMs Connie Yong, a member of the public, wrote: \u201cI am so sorry for your loss... May the memories of Toby keep your heart warm and remain in your heart and soul.\u201d      \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-politician-syed-saddiq-s-invaluable-cat-toby-dies"}, {"title": "Malaysian polls in November saw surge in hate speech on social media: Study", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Hate speech surged during Malaysia\u2019s bitterly contested general election last November, according to a study of social media that also found Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) and its president Hadi Awang to be prime proponents of racial rhetoric. \nAlthough PAS is now in the opposition as part of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, it ended up as the largest party in Malaysia\u2019s Parliament for the first time, with 43 MPs in the 222-strong Chamber. \n\u201cPAS president Hadi Awang and his party were the biggest amplifiers of race. Posts on race were also found to perpetuate disinformation,\u201d said the report published by the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) in partnership with Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sabah and University of Nottingham Malaysia. \n\n\n\n\n\nIt cited as an example Tan Sri Hadi\u2019s TikTok claim that the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP) from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance was \u201cmerely using Malay candidates to gain voter traction\u201d, which saw 2.5 million engagements, the highest of close to 100,000 messages analysed. \nThe study tracked the Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok accounts of more than 90 key political and government actors. \nIt found that the number of \u201cunique messages\u201d touching on common hate speech subjects had nearly doubled to 99,563 from Oct 20 to Nov 26, compared with about 55,000 in a pilot study carried out over a longer period from Aug 16 to Sept 30. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nParliament was dissolved on Oct 10, triggering the start of unofficial campaigning for the Nov 19 vote. \n\nThe election threw up Malaysia\u2019s first-ever hung Parliament, leading to five days of intense horse-trading before Datuk Seri Anwar was sworn in as leader of a coalition government comprising PH, the Umno-led Barisan Nasional, and a clutch of East Malaysian parties. \nBut PN could further increase its support within the Malay-Muslim majority before polls to elect the governments of six of Malaysia\u2019s 13 states. These are due by August and are expected to see a fierce contest between the PH and PN coalitions. \nCIJ executive director Wathshlah Naidu said at the launch of the Social Media Monitoring Of Malaysia\u2019s 15th General Elections report on Tuesday that the weaponisation of race and religion is expected to continue at the state polls as the issue has gone largely unaddressed since the general election. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFor the state election... we are already foreseeing the possibility that it will be the same narrative because things have not really stopped,\u201d she said. \nThe study found that Mr Hadi was the sole politician or influencer tracked with two posts reaching \u201clevel three\u201d severity, deemed as containing dehumanising and hostile language. \nThe report, citing the lack of a universally agreed definition of hate speech, \u201cadapted its own levels\u201d to \u201caddress the progression of speech that is intolerant, discriminatory and dehumanising, and that incites violence and bodily harm\u201d. \nOver 80 per cent of hate speech messages analysed were of level one, indicating disagreements or non-offensive language, while close to 18 per cent were of level two for offensive or discriminatory language. \nOnly 105 posts were of level three and 39 were at the highest grade of severity, which involved incitement or calls for violence. \nSome of these hate speech postings engaged in disinformation, such as when PAS leaders accused the DAP of being communists, while PN chief and former premier\u00a0Muhyiddin Yassin claimed that Jews and Christians had a covert agenda to proselytise and convert Muslims in Malaysia. \nAbout two-thirds of the posts analysed were race-based, followed by about a quarter that were religion-based, although many of the hate speech postings often had elements of both issues, or even other categories. \nSome 14 per cent concerned the royalty, while posts touching on gender and targeting the LGBTIQ community accounted for about half of that. Less than 4 per cent of comments targeted migrants and refugees. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-polls-in-november-saw-surge-of-hate-speech-on-social-media-study"}, {"title": "Malaysian premier Anwar sues ex-PM Muhyiddin over $4.6 million payment claim", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is suing Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin over the latter\u2019s allegation that Datuk Seri Anwar was paid RM15 million (S$4.6 million) while he was the economic adviser to Selangor.\nThe writ of summons was filed by Messrs SN Nair and Partners at the High Court registry on Tuesday.\nIn the statement of claim, Mr Anwar said Tan Sri Muhyiddin made those claims during an election speech at Taman Selasih in Kulim, Kedah on Dec 5, in support of PN candidate Azman Nasrudin. \n\n\n\n\n\nExcerpts of the speech were then republished on the TikTok platform via an account under the name \u201c@beritakini8\u201d.\n\nThe video garnered more than 1.1 million views, 6,061 comments, more than 21,400 likes, more than 1,360 favourites and 2,169 shares as of Dec 7.       \nMr Anwar said the defendant then republished his entire speech on his Facebook account under the name \u201cMuhyiddin Yassin\u201d, which remains accessible.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar said the slanderous words were meant to portray he was unreliable and untruthful about accepting millions from the Selangor state government as the economic adviser, that he was unethical, unprincipled, a corrupt, a hypocrite and not a good Muslim.\n\nHe is seeking general, compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages.\n\nMr Anwar is also seeking an injunction to restrain Mr Muhyiddin from repeating the words. \nThrough his lawyers, Mr Anwar had previously sent Mr Muhyiddin a letter of demand on Dec 7 for an apology and retraction of the allegations. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-premier-anwar-sues-ex-pm-muhyiddin-over-46-million-payment-claim"}, {"title": "Malaysian sells chicken rice for \u2018people-friendly\u2019 price of $1.20", "text": ["\nBENTONG, Pahang - Despite inflationary pressures, a chicken rice stall operator in the town of Bentong, Pahang is committed to maintaining a plate of chicken rice \u2013 complete with cucumbers and a bowl of soup \u2013 at only RM4 (S$1.23). \nAnd to top it off, his \u201cpeople-friendly\u201d prices have been maintained for the past 10 years without any reduction in portion size to cut costs.\n\nMr Cheng Yoon Loy said that he hasn\u2019t raised the prices of his food in 10 years because he wants to thank his regular customers for their support as well as to make life easier for people in the area.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn keeping with his pledge, he also sells a plate of roast pork rice at RM6 each.\n\nMr Cheng, 55, is assisted by one worker at the Big House restaurant stall in Bentong.\nHe begins selling in the morning and continues until all the food is sold out. \u201cI can sell up to 300 plates of rice daily on weekends,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPreviously, Malaysia\u2019s chicken prices rose due to surging animal feed prices, but Mr Cheng said he could still cope by not raising prices.\n\n\u201cI can cover operating costs; I understand customers\u2019 struggles, especially those working hard to feed their families, and I want to offer them affordable meals.\u201d\n\nDuring the durian season in Bentong and public holidays, Mr Cheng said his business will be brisk, which leaves him feeling satisfied when seeing returning customers.\n\u201cI know many face financial difficulties, and the cost of living is increasing. It will burden my regular customers if I hike my prices too.   \n\u201cSome of my customers have been patronising my stall since they were young, while some are elderly.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-sells-chicken-rice-for-people-friendly-price-of-123"}, {"title": "Malaysian smokers lose bid to challenge ban on lighting up at eateries", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 The federal court in Malaysia has dismissed a leave application by seven smokers seeking to challenge the Health Ministry\u2019s smoking ban at eateries. \nA three-judge panel, chaired by federal court judge Justice Zabariah Mohd Yusof, made the unanimous decision for dismissal on Tuesday.\nThe panel ruled that the applicants \u2013 Mr Mohd Hanizam Yunus, 56; Mr Zulkifli Mohamad, 61; Mr Mohd Laisani Dollah, 50; Mr Mohd Sufian Awaludin, 39; Mr Ridzuan Muhammad Noor, 57; Mr Mohd Yazid Mohd Yunus, 52; and Mr Yuri Azhar Abdollah, 44 \u2013 had failed to cross the threshold to obtain leave as required under Section 96 of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964.\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the provision, applicants must first raise a question of general principle decided for the first time or a question of importance upon which further argument and a decision of the federal court would be to public advantage.\nWithout the leave, the case would not be heard on its full merits.\n\n\u201cWe dismiss the leave application with RM30,000 (S$8,700) in costs to be paid to the respondent,\u201d said Justice Zabariah.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOther judges on the bench were Justices Hasnah Mohammed Hashim and Nordin Hassan.\n\n\nOn Dec 31, 2018, the seven smokers who called themselves the Smokers Right Club filed a leave for judicial review application at the High Court to challenge the smoking ban at all eateries, which took effect on Jan 1, 2019.\n\nThey named the Health Ministry as the sole respondent.\n\nThe group claimed that the smoking ban contradicts the Federal Constitution as smoking was not a criminal activity and was not banned in the country.\n\nThey claimed that the activity was legally valid and guaranteed by the Constitution.\n\nThe leave was granted but after a full hearing, the judicial application was dismissed by the High Court in October 2019.\n\nThe group then took the matter to the Court of Appeal.\n\nOn Nov 23 of 2022, a three-member Court of Appeal bench upheld the government\u2019s decision to ban smoking at all eateries, ruling that smoking in public places is not a fundamental right that should be protected under the Federal Constitution.\nThe group then filed for leave to appeal at the federal court. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-smokers-lose-bid-to-challenge-ban-on-lighting-up-at-eateries"}, {"title": "Malaysian student seen going to school in helicopter", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM \u2013 The Malaysian authorities are investigating a case of a helicopter that landed on a field in Shah Alam in Selangor to drop off a student in school.\nOfficer-in-charge of the Shah Alam Police District Mohd Iqbal Ibrahim confirmed that the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia is investigating the incident.\nHe said: \u201cThe helicopter in question landed for 15 minutes on April 17 at around 8am on a field near Jalan Gunung Nuang U11/11D.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cA report was made by the Shah Alam police\u2019s Internal Security and Public Order Department and the case has been classified as a \u2018refer to other agency\u2019 for further action.\u201d\nAccording to local news outlets, a resident had sent the police a video, which shows a student entering a school after getting off the helicopter. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-student-seen-going-to-school-in-helicopter"}, {"title": "Malaysian teen pleads guilty to incest with younger sister who gave birth to their baby", "text": ["\nJELEBU - A 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty at the Magistrates\u2019 Court in Malaysia to two counts of committing incest with his younger sister, who eventually gave birth to a baby boy.\nThe accused did not contest the charges after they were read to him before Magistrate Norshazwani Ishak.\nThe accused was charged with committing the offence against his 14-year-old sister between 11pm and midnight at a house in Jempol, in Negeri Sembilan, between June 21 and June 30, 2022.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe second offence was allegedly committed between 11pm and midnight at the same house between Sept 1 and Sept 10, 2022. \nHe was charged under Section 376B(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of between 10 and 30 years and whipping upon conviction.\nUnder Section 376B, a person is said to have committed incest if he has sexual intercourse with another person whose relationship to him is such that he is not permitted under the law, religion, or custom to marry her.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe victim delivered her baby on Feb 16 in the bathroom of their family home. She was assisted by her mother.    \n\nThe court then allowed the accused to be released on RM4,000 (S$1,200) bail with one surety pending a mention on March 22.   \nHe was also asked to report to the nearest police station on the first of every month.\nThe magistrate also ordered the accused to stay away from the victim and not to contact her in any manner. \nInspector Muhammad Nizam Rafii prosecuted, while the accused was unrepresented. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-teen-pleads-guilty-to-incest-with-younger-sister-who-gave-birth-to-their-baby"}, {"title": "Malaysian teen who set dog on fire pleads guilty to animal abuse", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - An 18-year-old Malaysian student who set a dog on fire in March has pleaded guilty to a charge of animal abuse at the Johor Bahru Sessions Court.\nBraden Yap Hong Sheng entered the plea after the charge was read to him in Mandarin by a court interpreter in front of Sessions Judge Che Wan Zaidi Che Wan Ibrahim on Wednesday.\nAccording to the charge sheet, Yap had caused excruciating pain to a brown female dog by beating it and setting it on fire.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe act was committed at 1.49am on March 27 in front of premises in Jalan Impian Emas 22, Taman Impian Emas, in Johor.\nThe offence under Section 29(1)(e) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 carries a fine of RM20,000 (S$6,000) to RM100,000, or imprisonment of up to three years, or both if found guilty.\nThe prosecution was conducted by Veterinary Services Department prosecution officer Mohd Zamri Ishak, while Yap was represented by Mr P. Rajagunaseelan.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDuring the trial, Mr Rajagunaseelan had requested that the court postpone the sentence to another day as Yap\u2019s lead counsel G. Sritharan was not present.\n\nMr Sritharan is currently in the Philippines and will return to the country only on Sunday.\nThe court then set April 18 for the sentence hearing and submission of facts.\nEarlier, Johor Baru North acting police chief Fariz Ammar Abdullah said a police report on the incident had been lodged at 2.59pm on March 27.\nHe said the incident was believed to have taken place near a veterinary clinic in Skudai. Yap\u2019s actions were captured on closed-circuit television, which made the rounds on social media.\nHe subsequently apologised for his conduct and pleaded with the public to give him a second chance. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-teen-who-set-dog-on-fire-pleads-guilty-to-animal-abuse"}, {"title": "Malaysian teen who set dog on fire sentenced to seven light strokes, out on good behaviour bond", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 The Sessions Court in Johor Bahru has sentenced an 18-year-old student to seven strokes of a light cane for setting a dog on fire in March. \nSessions Court Judge Che Wan Zaidi Che Wan Ibrahim also ordered Braden Yap Hong Sheng to be released on a good behaviour bond for a year, with a surety of RM10,000 (S$3,000) after he pleaded guilty on April 12.\n\u201cYour action is cruel and inhumane towards an animal that also has the right to live in peace,\u201d Judge Che Wan Zaidi told Yap before handing down the sentence on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe court also ordered that the light caning on Yap be held in open court at 9am on May 21.\n\nUnder Section 293 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), when a youth offender is convicted before any criminal court, the court may instead choose another punishment.\n\nSection 293(1)(c) of the CPC allows the court to order the offender, if male, to be whipped with not more than seven strokes of a light cane within the court\u2019s premises and in the presence of the parent and guardian.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Wednesday, Yap pleaded guilty to a charge of animal abuse after setting a dog on fire in March.\n\nAccording to the charge sheet, Yap caused excruciating pain to a brown female dog by beating it and then setting it on fire.\nThe incident happened at 1.49am on March 27 in Jalan Impian Emas 22, Taman Impian Emas.\nThe act is an offence under Section 29(1)(e) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which carries a fine of at least RM20,000 and up to RM100,000, or imprisonment of up to three years, or both, if found guilty.\n\nVeterinary Services Department prosecution officer Mohd Zamri Ishak prosecuted the case while lawyer G. Sritharan represented Yap. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-teen-who-set-dog-on-fire-sentenced-to-seven-light-strokes-out-on-good-behaviour-bond"}, {"title": "Malaysian toddler, 1\u00bd, dies of heatstroke in Kelantan", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 A 19-month-old child is believed to have died from heatstroke in Kampung Kota in Kota Baru, Kelantan, northern Malaysia.  \nMr Ahmad Faris Fazli Mohd Nasir, the child\u2019s father, said his daughter Nur Imani began coughing a week ago and had been vomiting. \nShe died at home on Tuesday, Malaysian news media reported.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe post-mortem showed that the cause of death was heatstroke. Her body was dehydrated, and her lungs had shrunk,\u201d Mr Ahmad Faris was quoted as saying by news broadcaster Astro Awani on Thursday.     \nMr Ahmad said his daughter was in critical condition on Monday night. He and his wife took her to a private clinic before she was transferred to a hospital.\n\u201cWhen she was brought to the Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, she was weak and cold.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBut the doctor at the emergency ward could only prescribe her medicine and told us to bring her home.\n\n\n\u201cInitially, we wanted to admit her to the ward because she was already weak,\u201d said Mr Ahmad.\nSeparately on Tuesday, an 11-year-old boy in Kampung Perupok in Bachok, Kelantan, was reported to have died of heatstroke.\nHis mother, known as Ms Wanie, said that an autopsy confirmed the cause of the boy\u2019s death as heatstroke.  \n\u201cThe doctor said his kidneys and heart were \u2018burnt\u2019. It was empty inside, the water and blood in his body had \u2018dried\u2019 up,\u201d she said on Thursday at her house. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-toddler-dies-of-heat-stroke-in-kelantan"}, {"title": "Malaysian woman dies after husband allegedly attacked her with a hammer", "text": ["\nA Malaysian mother died after her husband allegedly bashed her face with a hammer in their home in the east coast state of Terengganu. \nMs Rubiah Sabtu, who has seven children aged between 18 years and six months, was found dead in the living room of her house in Kampung Besol, about 95km from the state capital of Kuala Terengganu. The incident is believed to have taken place at around 8am on Wednesday.\nPolice said she had severe injuries to her right eye, forehead, nose, mouth, right ear and head, which were believed to have been caused by a hammer.\n\n\n\n\n\nBlood was also found splattered on the floor and walls of the house.\nDungun district police chief Baharudin Abdullah said on Wednesday that the incident was likely to have been triggered by a misunderstanding between Ms Rubiah, 41, and her husband, aged 32.\n\u201cIt is learnt that there was a disagreement between the couple. The terrified suspect then left the house (after the incident) and informed his relatives living nearby,\u201d national news agency Bernama quoted Mr Baharudin as saying.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe relatives then lodged a police report and the husband, who is a construction worker, was arrested by the police on Wednesday.\n\nThe suspect is now being detained for seven days while the police investigate the case under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.\nThe couple had been married for just a year and have a six-month-old daughter. \nMs Rubiah, who had run a sundry shop, had six other children from an earlier marriage. \nAt the time of the incident, only the couple and the baby were at home. The child was found unharmed. \nMs Rubiah\u2019s eldest son, Mr Mohamad Daniel Mohd Radzi, 18, was still in shock over the circumstances surrounding the death of his mother, whom he described as \u201cvery loving\u201d.\nHe said that although there were occasional fights between the couple, his stepfather was kind to his mother.  \n", "\nMr Rozilan Yusof, who is Ms Rubiah\u2019s stepbrother, said his brother-in-law was a good, calm and quiet person.\n\n\u201cI am very shocked to learn he is capable of doing such a thing,\u201d Malaysian daily Berita Harian quoted him as saying.\nHe said he last spoke to Ms Rubiah at 1am on April 4 because she wanted to borrow a table fan.\n\n\u201cUsually if there is a problem, she will tell me, and I noticed yesterday (April 4) that she looked a bit sad but I didn\u2019t ask her why,\u201d added Mr Rozilan.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-woman-died-after-husband-allegedly-hit-her-face-with-a-hammer"}, {"title": "Malaysian woman fined after sex toys worth more than $300,000 seized", "text": ["\nBUTTERWORTH - A woman\u2019s lucrative venture into adult toys was cut short when the authorities raided her warehouse and seized goods worth more than RM1,000,000 (S$300,000).\nFor months, the woman has been earning good money selling dildos, sex dolls and other paraphernalia.\nMost of her clients were young people enduring long-distance relationships.\n\n\n\n\n\nHer clientele were willing to pay between RM70 and RM450 for the toys imported from China.\nBut luck ran out for the 29-year-old when Home Ministry officials raided the warehouse in Bukit Mertajam.\nIn the Feb 15 raid, the authorities found 22,929 units of sex toys worth about RM1.1 million.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe raid was the second one carried out by the ministry under the codename Ops Maya.\n\nThe first operation was conducted at a residence in Kota Warisan in Sepang on Dec 19 last year, with the ministry seizing over 1,000 of the banned items.\nThe ministry\u2019s enforcement and controls division secretary, Mr Nik Yusaimi Yussof, said the woman was slapped with a RM5,000 fine after pleading guilty to the offences at the Bukit Mertajam Magistrate\u2019s Court on March 2.\nHe said initial investigations revealed that the sex toys could be sold at double the price via online platforms.\n\u201cThe woman was selling the items since last year before we moved in on her.\n\u201cThere was a huge demand for such items.\n\u201cWe opened an investigation paper under Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 for \u2018eroding moral values\u2019,\u201d he said during a press conference on Tuesday.\nAsked if the ministry had found premises that sell the banned products openly in Penang, he said no, but added that the ministry has been carrying out checks from time to time.\nMr Nik Yusaimi said the ministry will take action against those involved in activities that could erode moral values or jeopardise public order and safety. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-woman-fined-after-sex-toys-worth-more-than-300000-seized"}, {"title": "Malaysian woman killed by \u2018flying roof\u2019 during storm", "text": ["\nA Malaysian woman was killed when strong winds during a storm blew off the roof of a nearby school, which then landed on her house and crushed her to death.\nThe freak accident took place on Tuesday evening when part of the roof of SMK Seg Hwa in the district of Segamat in Johor went flying and landed on Madam V. Mahadevi\u2019s house, which is located next to the school.\n\nThat caused the roof over the kitchen to collapse on the 55-year-old, killing her instantly.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSegamat Fire and Rescue Department operation commander Abd Rahim Rahmat said five firemen rushed to the scene upon receiving an emergency call at 7.41pm.\n\n\u201cNearby residents helped to extract her body from a pile of debris. However, the victim was pronounced dead by a medical officer at the scene,\u201d he told reporters.\n\nMadam Mahadevi\u2019s grief-stricken family was trying to come to terms with the incident.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOur family is still shocked and traumatised by what has happened. For the time being, we are staying at a relative\u2019s place,\u201d said Madam Mahadevi\u2019s brother-in-law, Mr Tamil Selvam Periyasamy Bala.\n\n\nHer brother, Mr V. Bala, said Madam Mahadevi\u2019s husband, Mr P. Saravanan, heard a loud crashing noise followed by screams from the kitchen area.\n\nHe was shocked to find his wife, who works at the school canteen, pinned under a large roof.\n\n", "\nThe 57-year-old then quickly sought the help of neighbours.\n\nA neighbour, Mr Arif Budiman, said he saw Madam Mahadevi being pinned at the waist by rubble.\n\u201cI tried to pull her out even though it was raining heavily at the time and the situation was challenging,\u201d he told Malay daily Sinar Harian. \u201cOther neighbours also came to help and we managed to pull her out.\u201d\n\nNational news agency Bernama reported that Sikajang MP Zaliha Mustafa visited the family and gave them some financial aid. \nShe also said monetary aid will be channelled to some 40 families in the parliamentary constituency affected by the storm. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-woman-killed-by-flying-roof-during-storm"}, {"title": "Malaysian YouTuber says he will not apologise for \u2018B40 routine\u2019 video poking fun at less privileged", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 YouTuber Ryzal Ibrahim has no plans to apologise for a recent video that poked fun at the bottom 40 per cent (B40) of people in Malaysia by income, local media reported.   \nThe video uploaded on TikTok shows his portrayal of the daily life of a less fortunate person who uses what little money he has to spend lavishly like a wealthy person. \nMany slammed Mr Ryzal, better known as Durian Kimchi on YouTube, for the post, claiming that the content creator was being arrogant and pretending to understand what life is like for the less privileged.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Ryzal, 31, who shares a YouTube channel with his South Korean wife Maryam You Narae, said the clip was meant to spread awareness among people. \nHe said: \u201cAs I have said before, I will not be apologising for the video because I do not feel at fault. I was merely spreading awareness, not criticism.\n\n\u201cMaybe my humour was too deep and people did not understand the real message I was trying to deliver. I will try to be more careful with the content I post on social media.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-youtuber-will-not-apologise-for-b40-routine-video"}, {"title": "Malaysians cross their fingers and hope for Michelle Yeoh\u2019s success at the Oscars", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysians are on pins and needles as they await with bated breath for the results of Ipoh-born actress Michelle Yeoh\u2019s Academy Awards nomination for Best Actress on Monday.\nYeoh became the first Malaysian to ever receive an Oscar nomination on Jan 24 shortly after making history as the first Malaysian Golden Globe award winner on Jan 11 for her lead role in the 2022 runaway success film, \u201cEverything Everywhere All At Once\u201d.\nThe actress is only the second Asian to have ever received a nomination for Best Actress and stands a high chance of being the first to win the coveted award.\n\n\n\n\n\nOperation planning manager Abby Chan, 32, said that Yeoh had become a role model for her to strive for her own dreams.\n\u201cThe passion and determination in everything she does are truly infectious. It has really inspired me to believe in myself and that every hardship I go through will eventually lead to my final goal.\n\u201cIt was really cool to watch her speak her lines the Malaysian way during \u2018Everything Everywhere All At Once\u2019 with the occasional signature Malaysian \u2018hai-yah\u2019s\u2019 here and there, just like how we locals speak.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll be praying really hard for her to win and make Malaysia proud,\u201d she said, adding that Yeoh\u2019s charismatic acting and jokes in the film made it her favourite movie.\n\nTechnician Abdul Adi, 25, said Yeoh\u2019s achievements had turned him into a true believer in Malaysians\u2019 potential for becoming global success stories.\n\u201cI wasn\u2019t a believer at first that a Malaysian could become so well known globally until I heard of Yeoh.\n\u201cShe has really set the bar high for not just us Malaysians, but Asians as a whole. I\u2019ll definitely be rooting for her all the way,\u201d he said, adding that due to work, he would unfortunately be unable to watch the result live but that he would keep up to date through news articles.\n\n\n\n\n\nFinal-year university student Anthony Lau, 26, said he was incredibly happy Yeoh was finally getting widespread global and local recognition for her hard work.\n\u201cIt always amazed me that despite losing her over 10-year-long ballet career to a spinal injury when she was 15, she still had the willpower to shift focus to learn performative arts in action movies.\n\u201cHer close friend and fellow veteran actor Jackie Chan has won an Oscar before, it would only be fitting if she wins it too.\n\u201cShe deserves the win after all the training and hardships she\u2019s had to endure to get to this point,\u201d he said, adding that he loves to rewatch Yeoh\u2019s kung fu action scenes in all her movies and that he would be tuning in to watch the event on an online platform.\n", "\nMr Azhnol Amriel, 25, who works in an audit company, said Yeoh\u2019s subtle comedic chops were the best part of her films, other than her hardworking persona.\n\u201cShe\u2019s most known for being adventurous and her Kung Fu action skills, but I also enjoy the comedic bits she puts in her roles from the occasional \u2018hai yahs\u2019 and \u2018lahs\u2019,\u201d he said.\nRetired teacher Lim Tee Hock, 71, said he never thought he would ever be able to witness a Malaysian make it this big on the world stage.\n\u201cThis is history in the making, Yeoh\u2019s never give up attitude and spirit have truly shown all Malaysians that with enough determination, we can achieve anything.\n\u201cI and my old friends will be toasting to her success tomorrow regardless if she wins or not,\u201d he said, adding that he would be watching the unforgettable moment online.\nMr Lim said his favourite Yeoh movie was Lee Ang\u2019s \u201cCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon\u201d, adding that Yeoh\u2019s excellent performance in the martial arts film was one of the highlights of her career for him.\nThe Academy Awards, aimed at recognising the best achievements in the American film industry, is held annually and will be aired live on various platforms at 8am (Singapore time) on Monday. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysians-cross-their-fingers-and-hope-for-michelle-yeoh-s-success-at-the-oscars"}, {"title": "Malaysians cut back on imported goods as ringgit weakens", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysians are cutting back on imported consumer goods and switching to cheaper, locally made alternatives due to the weaker ringgit.  \nIn the year to date, the ringgit has weakened against the US dollar by 5.5 per cent, trading at RM4.6450 at Thursday\u2019s\u00a0close.\nIn the past 12 months, the ringgit has fluctuated between RM4.7479 to the greenback in November 2022 and RM4.2435 in January 2023. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe falling ringgit has translated into higher prices for imported goods, which has hurt demand from consumers. \nMs Engku Kay said comparing prices has become the norm for her. \n\u201cI am now buying cheaper products compared to before, as long as the quality of the product is not compromised.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFor instance, I used to buy international clothing brands like Zara, but after the rising prices, I have switched to purchasing local brands such as Kree that are 80 per cent cheaper,\u201d said the 41-year-old business owner.\n\nMalaysia\u2019s import growth of consumption goods has already slowed in the first five months of this year, growing an average of 1.1 per cent year on year, compared with a 20.1 per cent year-on-year increase for the same period in 2022, Maybank Investment Bank chief economist Suhaimi Ilias said. \nAfter a volatile trend in the first five months of 2023, he expects imports of consumer goods to be weak for the rest of the year due to the higher inflation and interest rate environment, as well as weak ringgit, reflecting cautious consumer sentiment and thus spending.\nHe said about 45 per cent of Malaysia\u2019s imported consumer goods are food and beverage products. Others include clothing, cars, footwear, furniture and furnishings. \n\n\n\n\n\nBusinesses are also curtailing their imports in order to avoid building up unsold inventory, Mr Suhaimi said. \nBut not all sectors can afford to do so.\nMr Anand M, who owns an Indian garment shop in Kuala Lumpur, said it is important for his business to replenish inventory and display new items to attract shoppers. \nThe weaker ringgit has meant higher freight charges for his garments, which are imported from India, and he has had to absorb these costs, which impacts his bottom line. \n\u201cMalaysia is a very price-conscious market, and it is tough for us to pass the higher cost to customers. In the fashion business, it is important to also replenish our inventory as we cannot just showcase old stock,\u201d he said. \nThe weaker ringgit is expected to cause consumer spending growth in 2023 to fall below the annual average of 7 per cent, said Bank Muamalat Malaysia chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid.\nSome businesses have taken the opportunity to offer cheaper local products as substitutes for pricier imported ones. \n", "\nIn April, agricultural firm Quantum Springs started a new venture selling napier grass to cattle and goat farmers in Johor as a substitute for imported animal feed. The imported animal feed costs three times more than napier grass. \nThe company has planted 20.2ha of napier grass and plans to increase this to 40.5ha in Johor. Revenue has grown by 15 per cent each month.\n\u201cWe saw an opportunity to make money from import substitution when the ringgit weakened and inflation overseas made prices go up,\u201d said Quantum Springs managing director Nazrin Navin Kumar.\nMeanwhile, internal data from Malaysia\u2019s Road Transport Department\u00a0seen by The Straits Times showed that people in Malaysia bought more national cars for the first five months of 2023 compared with a year ago, while sales of the most popular imported cars fell. \nPerodua sold 15 per cent more cars from January to May than in the same period a year ago, while Proton saw car sales boosted by 43.7 per cent. \nIn contrast, year-on-year sales of foreign marques for the same five-month period fell, with BMW taking the biggest hit at 56.6 per cent. Honda sold 10.2 per cent fewer cars; Mitsubishi, 5 per cent; Nissan, 37.4 per cent; and Volkswagen, 27.6 per cent. \nWith consumer sentiment generally more dismal, car buyers are plausibly turning to more affordable local makes. \nMs Julia Kamaruddin, a sales adviser of dealer Perodua Texajaya, said she has encountered buyers who had intended to get a Honda, but decided on a Perodua instead, as the Malaysia-made car is more affordable, and has lower maintenance costs and high resale value.\n\u201cThere are buyers who bought Perodua as a second car for their children, as it\u2019s cheaper than imported cars,\u201d she said. \nMr Balan Jeya, 45, an editor who switched from a BMW to Proton in January, said: \u201cNational cars like Proton are better value for money than continental cars.\u201d\nThe ringgit is expected to stay weak until the US Federal Reserve indicates that it will pause its interest rate hikes, China\u2019s economy shows signs of picking up, and crude oil prices rise, said Maybank chief foreign exchange strategist Saktiandi Supaat.\n\u201cThe weakness in the ringgit is mostly externally driven in the short term due to external cyclical factors. We foresee the ringgit to hover between the 4.4 and 4.6 range against the greenback from now until September,\u201d he said.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysians-cut-back-on-imported-goods-as-ringgit-weakens"}, {"title": "Malaysians, government agencies are better prepared this monsoon season", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - After Madam Chai Foong Mei\u2019s ground-floor flat in Malaysia\u2019s Shah Alam city was deluged by flood waters almost 4m high on Dec 18 last year, her son bought an inflatable boat in case their home got flooded again.\u201cMy husband and I are living alone. My son is always away from home due to work. He is worried about our safety, so he said better get the boat ready first,\u201d the 52-year-old stallholder told The Straits Times."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysians-government-agencies-are-better-prepared-this-monsoon-season"}, {"title": "Malaysians poke fun at $1,600 Versace shirt that resembles uniform of nasi kandar restaurant chain", "text": ["\nMalaysians took to social media to poke fun at a \u20ac1,100 (S$1,600) designer shirt that resembles the workers\u2019 uniform of a well-known nasi kandar restaurant chain.\nSocial media user Afif Sukhairi uploaded an 11-second TikTok video, which showed a mannequin at a Versace boutique in Kuala Lumpur clad in a short-sleeved blue shirt with elaborate gold designs.\nVersace is an Italian luxury fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978 and is known for its flashy prints and bright colours.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAnyone who wants to get the shirt from Nasi Kandar Pelita, you can get it at Versace okay,\u201d Mr Afif jokingly said in the video, referring to the staff uniform of Malaysia\u2019s largest nasi kandar restaurant chain.  \nThe blue and yellow tones used in the Pelita uniforms closely match the hues of the Versace shirt, although the patterns are different.\nA check on the Versace website showed that the shirt is called the Barocco 660 silk shirt and comes in various sizes and two colour combinations \u2013 blue and gold, and brown and gold.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysians found the post amusing, with many pointing out that those who bought the shirt should not be eating at the restaurant for fear of being mistaken for one of the staff.\n\n\u201cCome to Pelita to flex your style, but you\u2019ll end up working part-time,\u201d said one commenter who used the handle \u201ceczema queen\u201d.\nAnother commenter, with the handle Mus, said: \u201cThe Pelita boss is considered good to allow all its workers to \u2018wear Versace\u2019, while another netizen with the handle J_Firdaus added that it finally explained why the prawn and squid dishes at Pelita are expensive. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysians-poke-fun-at-1600-versace-shirt-that-resembles-uniform-of-popular-nasi-kandar-restaurant-chain"}, {"title": "Malaysians saving less, most do not have enough in retirement funds: Survey", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysians are at their worst financial position in 2022 compared with the last five years, and the looming recession may push them to the brink with dwindling savings coupled with the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.\nA recent survey by Malaysian financial services website RinggitPlus revealed that 70 per cent of Malaysians saved less than RM500 per month (S$153) in 2022 or did not save at all. \n\u201cThis is compared with 52 per cent of Malaysians saving less than RM500 monthly in 2021, the largest year-on-year increase since 2018,\u201d the RinggitPlus Malaysian Financial Literacy Survey 2022 showed.\n\n\n\n\n\nBut what is even more worrying is that some Malaysians cannot guarantee their retirement as about 3.6 million pension fund Employees Provident Fund (EPF) members have less than RM1,000 in their accounts as at November 2021. EPF has a total of 15.21 million members as at December 2021.\nThe country\u2019s largest pension fund said in September that members retiring in the next few years will need about RM600,000 to have a decent retired life. \nThe survey also showed that 63 per cent of Malaysians can survive only three months or less with the diminished savings, should they lose their jobs. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, in 2021, the majority of Malaysians were confident of surviving for between three and six months with their savings, according to Bank Negara Financial Stability Review First Half 2022 report.\n\nIn 2021, the central bank announced that there was a sharp increase in individual savings since lockdown was imposed to curb Covid-19. In June 2021, current and savings account balances rose to RM306.5 billion, Bank Negara data showed. \nReports suggested that the rise in savings was due to a drop in consumer spending after businesses shut down during the lockdown.\n", "\nMr Patrick Tay, deals partner, economics and policy at Malaysia PwC, is not surprised by the decline in savings in 2022.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOne reason for the depleted savings is low wages and higher inflation. But another key reason is that Malaysians are spending more post-pandemic on holidays or other leisure expenses because some may feel that they saved during the pandemic, and it is fine to now spend this year rather than save,\u201d he told The Straits Times.  \nShould Malaysia fall into a recession in 2023, Mr Tay said, Malaysians who had lost their jobs during the pandemic, particularly from the service sector, will be most affected as they do not have enough savings to fall back upon. \n\u201cThis includes the retail and tourism segments. The country\u2019s export sector which includes the electrical and electronics industries may also be adversely impacted due to the drop in global demand of consumers goods, with layoffs expected in this sector,\u201d he added. \nMs Bavita Dhillon, 37, who works as a chef, said: \u201cMy grocery bills continue to climb as there has been a significant increase in price of basic food items. It has become much harder to save this year.\u201d \n", "\nFinancial planner Yap Ming Hui foresees a rising number of Malaysians filing for bankruptcy in the coming year, with depleting cash reserves and decline in income amid an impending recession. \n\u201cWhen you don\u2019t have income to pay for house or car loans, the number of people becoming bankrupt in the country will soar. Given the high inflation and an expected recession in 2023, we foresee more middle 40 per cent of earners (M40) falling to the bottom 40 per cent of income earners group (B40),\u201d he said.\nThe aftermath of the pandemic had already led to more than half a million M40 households, representing about 20 per cent of the middle-income group, slipping into the B40 category, then Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in a written parliamentary reply in 2021. \nMalaysian digital economy consumer association secretary Shaani Abdullah suggested that the government subsidise public services, such as education and transport services for schools, so that Malaysians can save more. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysians-saving-less-most-do-not-have-enough-in-retirement-funds-survey"}, {"title": "Malaysians struggle to make ends meet even as unemployment rate dips", "text": ["\nSELANGOR - Physics graduate Ahmad Imran Amsyar gets ready at 5am daily to go to work. But instead of going to an office, he heads to the same traffic light in Seksyen 13 Shah Alam, Selangor, where he peddles food to motorists there. \nMr Imran, 25, said he parks his mother\u2019s car by the roadside as early as 7am to set up and walk straight to the middle of the road when the light is red, hawking pre-packed nasi lemak and pickled fruits.\n\u201cI graduated in 2020 during the pandemic. I was desperate to earn some money after graduation because our family wasn\u2019t doing well as my mother was laid off. So I came up with this idea of peddling food at traffic lights,\u201d he told The Straits Times. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBut two years on, I\u2019m still stuck doing the same thing because I couldn\u2019t secure a job in the field that I studied in,\u201d he said.\n\u201cAt the same time, I only have two options \u2013 to come up with whatever on my own, so I can earn some money to survive, or continue looking without knowing if I\u2019d l ever land a job in my field. This is me just trying to do whatever it takes to survive.\u201d \nMr Imran is one of many Malaysians who have turned to selling food and drinks or proffering myriad services to make a living. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe unemployment rate dipped from 3.7 per cent in August to 3.6 per cent in September, maintaining at that level in October, according to government data.  \n\nThe unemployment rate in October 2021 was 4.3 per cent, the lowest reading at the time since February 2020. \nThe number of unemployed dropped 14.2 per cent in October from a year earlier to 605,000, while employment increased 3.4 per cent to 16.08 million.\nBut the downward trend in unemployment could be due to more desperate people settling for any available job in order to make ends meet.\n\nMalaysian Trades Union Congress deputy president Mohd Effendy Abdul Ghani noted: \u201cThere are so many factors why we\u2019re seeing the unemployment rate going down, but more people working in the streets.\n\u201cSome are not considered unemployed, because technically they\u2019re not jobless. But they\u2019re doing all sorts of random work to generate some income just to get by. Some stray from their respective fields because the pay is too low,\u201d he told ST.\nA recent study found that Malaysians are at their worst financial position in 2022 during the past five years, with dwindling savings making it harder for them to deal with a looming recession.\nA recent survey by Malaysian financial services website RinggitPlus revealed that 70 per cent of Malaysians saved less than RM500 (S$153) per month in 2022, or did not save at all.\n", "\nMass communications graduate Nurul Hidayah Yassin, 24, said: \u201cIt\u2019s just impossible to save now. Sometimes, I manage to save RM200 and then there\u2019s an emergency, I\u2019m back to square one. \n\u201cWhich is why I recently started offering a new service. Since more concerts are taking place in the country, I decided to offer my \u2018ticketing service\u2019 as I\u2019m pretty good at securing tickets online.\u201d\n\u201cDepending on the popularity of the act, I charge between RM20 and RM30 per ticket for my service. I managed to make slightly above RM1,000 from my ticketing services when Korean multi-genre group Dream Perfect Regime and Chinese singer Jackson Wang came to Malaysia. It\u2019s not much, but at least something for me,\u201d she added. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysians-struggle-to-make-ends-meet-even-as-unemployment-rate-down"}, {"title": "Malaysians tighten belts during Ramadan as food prices continue to rise", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - For decades, Mr Azmir Ikmal and his family would break their fast with a Ramadan buffet at a hotel. But as inflation creeps up, they have replaced the spread with ala carte picks from the menu to be more\u00a0prudent. \n\u201cThis tradition has been with us since I was a child, so we\u2019re trying to keep it alive for as long as we can, especially after my father\u2019s death,\u201d he told The Straits Times. \u201cBut things are getting expensive \u2013 the Ramadan buffet at our favourite hotel went up by 25 per cent to RM208 (S$62) a person.\n\u201cWe don\u2019t think it\u2019s a good idea to spend that much, so we restrategised without having to stop going to our favourite place.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nLike him, pharmacist Aliya Hashim is tightening her budget by preparing her own Ramadan meals and Hari Raya cookies, after bakers raised prices. \n\u201cI did some calculations. I can save more by doing this,\u201d she said, joining Malaysians who are now more conscious of their spending due to rising food prices.\nConsumer price inflation remained elevated at 3.7 per cent in February, according to Department of Statistics Malaysia data, with food and beverage items remaining high at 7 per cent. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nChief statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin said continuous heavy rain in several states, from the end of December 2022 to February 2023, has also led to increases in food prices, especially for vegetables.\n\n\u201cAs a result of the transition of the monsoon, the inflation for the vegetable sub-group has recorded a significant increase of 5.8 per cent as compared with 1 per cent in January,\u201d he said.\nWith high prices squeezing people\u2019s purchasing power,\u00a0economic experts say consumers tend to be more cautious in spending, especially when there is no corresponding rise in income.\nSunway University economics professor Yeah Kim Leng told ST: \u201cTo reduce living expenses, consumers could be having meals prepared at home and reducing purchases at bazaars. Another possible factor could be the increase in the number of stalls and vendors, offering consumers more choices. Vendors, on the other hand, experience lower business volume due to greater competition.\n\u201cThe economy is slowing down, as reflected in the latest economic indicators. Consumers tend to tighten their wallets when faced with increased uncertainties over the economy. They could also have less to spend due to the expiry of the various Covid-19 stimulus packages.\u201d\nDuring the pandemic, Malaysia\u2019s gross domestic product shrank by 5.6 per cent in 2020, the biggest contraction since the 1998 Asian financial crisis.\nHome-based baker Mimi Zainal is feeling the pinch, saying the price of butter has risen by 30 per cent in the last few months, forcing her to increase prices. \n\u201cA block of 250g butter that I use is now RM24.70 \u2013 that\u2019s RM5.70 more. I can no longer sell my cookies for RM35 per bottle, but after repricing them at RM3 more, sales are not really coming in,\u201d she said.\u00a0\n\u201cI easily got orders for 100 bottles in the first week of Ramadan last year, but I can barely get 45 now, and we\u2019re already entering the second week of fasting. I\u2019m behind my sales target for this year.\u201d\nTo help cushion the burden, the Malaysian government on Monday launched the Rahmah Ramadan bazaar, consisting of food trucks offering affordable meals below RM5 in 38 locations nationwide.\n\u201cWe sell rice with fried turmeric chicken and long beans for RM5 a portion. It\u2019s a hit and a win-win for both sides,\u201d said food truck hawker Ahmad Jalil Jailani.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysians-tighten-belts-during-ramadan-as-food-prices-continue-to-rise"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s new PM Anwar says first priority is cost of living", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday said his primary focus would be on the cost of living as he takes office with a slowing economy and a country deeply split after a close election. \nDatuk Seri Anwar, 75, was sworn in as premier on Thursday, capping a three-decade political journey from a protege of veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad to protest leader, a prisoner convicted of sodomy and opposition figurehead. \nMr Anwar, who was appointed by Malaysia\u2019s King on Thursday following an inconclusive election, said his primary concern was the economy and that he would have a smaller Cabinet than those of previous administrations. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMy priority now is addressing the cost of living,\u201d he told a news conference after reporting for duty at the prime minister\u2019s office. \nMr Anwar has yet to announce any Cabinet appointments for his coalition government. He had earlier indicated there would be two deputy prime ministers in his Cabinet - one from former ruling alliance Barisan and another from smaller political blocs in Malaysia Borneo. \nHis appointment ended five days of unprecedented post-election crisis. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHis rival, former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, had refused to concede, challenging Mr Anwar to prove his majority in Parliament. But on Friday, Mr Muhyiddin said he accepted Mr Anwar\u2019s appointment and his bloc would play the role of the opposition. \n\nTun Dr Mahathir, another of Mr Anwar\u2019s long-time rivals, congratulated the new Prime Minister in a message on Twitter. The pair\u2019s on-off feuds have dominated Malaysian politics for the past two decades. \n", "\nParti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) said it would discuss an offer from Mr Anwar to join a unity government, as the Islamist party that made unprecedented gains in the elections positions itself as the key representative of the Malay community. \nPAS won the most seats of any single party in last Saturday\u2019s election and is poised to hold considerable sway in Malaysian politics whether it joins Mr Anwar\u2019s government or stays in the opposition. \n\n\n\n\n\nOn Friday morning, Mr Anwar arrived at the Perdana Putra, which houses the Prime Minister\u2019s Office, for his first day of work. \nDressed in a baju Melayu, he waved to journalists camped outside the building and mingled with civil servants at the lobby before proceeding to his office on the 5th floor of the building.\nMr Anwar said that the people of Malaysia had long been awaiting change. \n\u201cWe will never compromise on good governance, the anti-corruption drive, judicial independence and the welfare of ordinary Malaysians,\u201d he said late on Thursday. \n", "\nThe campaign for last Saturday\u2019s election pitted Mr Anwar\u2019s progressive, multi-ethnic coalition against Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s mostly conservative ethnic-Malay, Muslim alliance. \nBut neither leader won a majority, which raised the risk of a stand-off exacerbating instability in ethnically diverse Malaysia, which has had three prime ministers in as many years. The wrangling also risked delaying policy decisions needed to foster economic recovery. \nThe constitutional monarch, King Al-Sultan Abdullah, defused the crisis by appointing Mr Anwar after consultations with various politicians. \n\u201cAnwar\u2019s tasks have just started, to unite a very polarised and divided nation, based on race and religion,\u201d said former lawmaker and coalition ally Lim Kit Siang. \n", "\nMarkets surged on Thursday on the end of political deadlock, but investors will be monitoring how Mr Anwar manages the aftermath of the election. \nMalaysian stocks on Friday morning were flat, after 4 per cent gains the previous day, while the ringgit extended gains, up nearly 1 per cent. \nMr Anwar\u2019s supporters expressed hope that his government would avert a return to historic tensions between the ethnic Malay, Muslim majority and ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities. \nMr Anwar\u2019s coalition, known as Pakatan Harapan, won the most seats in Saturday\u2019s vote with 82, while Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s Perikatan Nasional bloc won 73. They needed 112 - a simple majority - to form a government. \nThe long-ruling Barisan bloc won only 30 seats - the worst electoral performance for a coalition that had dominated politics since independence in 1957. \n", "\nMr Anwar said Barisan and an alliance of parties from Malaysian Borneo had pledged support, giving him a convincing majority. He indicated that there would be two deputy prime ministers - one from each of the blocs. \nOn Friday, he said another Borneo bloc had also joined, giving him the backing of more than two-thirds of members of the 222-seat Parliament. \nA two-thirds majority will allow Mr Anwar\u2019s government to amend the constitution. No Malaysian government has held such a majority in the Lower House since 2008. \nMr Muhyiddin\u2019s bloc includes the Islamist party PAS, whose electoral gains raised concern within the ethnic Chinese and Indian communities, most of whose members follow other faiths. \nAuthorities have warned of a rise in ethnic tension since the vote on social media and short video platform TikTok said this week was on high alert for content that violated its guidelines. \nThe most immediate issue facing Mr Anwar beyond picking a Cabinet will be the budget for next year, which was proposed before the election was called but has yet to be passed.     \nMr Anwar said he would convene Parliament on Dec 19 for a vote of confidence to prove his majority in the Lower House. REUTERS, THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, BLOOMBERG     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysias-anwar-begins-work-as-pm-after-polarising-election"}, {"title": "Malaysia's Petronas posts near doubling of Q3 profit to S$9.5 billion", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s state energy firm Petroliam Nasional Berhad, or Petronas, on Wednesday posted a near doubling of its third quarter profit year-on-year, and warned of continuing volatility in oil and gas prices.\nThe company reported a profit of RM30.8 billion (S$9.5 billion) in the July-September period, compared with a profit of RM16.3 billion in the same quarter a year ago.\nRevenue rose 61 per cent to RM99.2 billion, thanks to favourable prices for major products and the impact of the exchange rate.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOil and gas prices will remain volatile, influenced by intensifying geopolitical and economic headwinds,\u201d Petronas said in its financial report.\nChief executive Tengku Muhammad Taufik said the firm is taking deliberate steps to unlock new value from its core portfolio with a focus on decarbonisation.\nPetronas will also pursue attractive opportunities in cleaner energy solutions, he added. REUTERS\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysias-petronas-posts-near-doubling-of-q3-profit-to-s95-billion"}, {"title": "Man abducted in Kedah, video of incident goes viral", "text": ["\nALOR SETAR, Kedah \u2013 A video of a man being carried and shoved into a car by five others has gone viral, with the police classifying the incident as an abduction.\nThe 41-second video shows the man shouting as he is being bundled into the back seat of the car.\nThe apparent abductors are also seen hitting the victim to force him to stay put.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe person recording the incident from a few metres away is heard yelling at them. Although the kidnappers turn to look, they eventually drive away.\n\nKota Setar police chief Ahmad Shukri Mat Akhir said that the incident took place at around 6.30pm local time on Monday in front of a hotel in Shahab Perdana.\nHe said the victim\u2019s parent, who was at home at the time of the incident, received information that he had been kidnapped by several men and a woman.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe parent then rushed to the scene and was shown the video. A police report has been lodged, and we are investigating,\u201d he said in a statement on Tuesday.\n\nMr Ahmad Shukri said that there were five suspects involved in the incident, consisting of four men and one woman.\nHe added that they had arrested a 46-year-old man who is one of the suspects on Tuesday morning and are trying to identify the rest.\n\u201cWe have not discovered the motive behind the abduction and are still investigating the case,\u201d he said.\nHe added that the case is being investigated under Section 362 of the Penal Code for abduction. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/man-abducted-in-kedah-video-of-incident-goes-viral"}, {"title": "Man found dead in car that fell into sewer hole in Sabah", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU \u2013 The body of a man was found in a car that had fallen into a gigantic sewer hole in the East Malaysian state of Sabah on Tuesday.\nThe victim, in his 40s, is suspected to have driven the car into the open hole by the side of a road in Bandar Letat in the east coast district of Sandakan.\nA spokesman for the Fire and Rescue Department said it was alerted to the incident at around 7.30am on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe spokesman said a rescue team rushed to the area and, together with a team from the Public Works Department, pumped out water from the hole to retrieve the victim trapped in the car.\n\u201cThe victim was confirmed dead by a medical team from the Health Ministry at the location,\u201d he added.\nIn a separate incident, a pedestrian and motorcyclist were reported to have been killed following a collision near Kampong Rampayan in Kota Kinabalu on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBoth victims died at the scene at 8.30am. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/man-found-dead-in-car-that-fell-into-sewer-hole-in-sabah"}, {"title": "Man in Malaysia rides against traffic, causing another motorcyclist to fall 30m to his death", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A motorcyclist who went against the flow of traffic, leading to another man\u2019s death, told police after he surrendered that he had lost his way.\nOfficer in charge of the police district for Ampang Jaya, Assistant Commissioner Mohd Azam Ismail, said: \u201cHe was on his way home to Kajang from Ampang on Wednesday, but he got lost.\n\u201cSo he decided to enter the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang elevated highway against the flow of traffic.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nHe then collided with another motorcyclist, who fell from his bike. The motorcyclist, who was in his 60s, crashed into the divider and fell 30m to his death.\nWhen contacted on Saturday, ACP Mohd Azam said the 41-year-old biker had lodged a police report on Friday.\n\u201cHe said that he knew about the case only after the news came out on TV and social media,\u201d ACP Mohd Azam said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that the man is not under arrest for now, noting that he also sustained injuries. His motorcycle has been seized.\n\n\u201cHe suffered a broken shoulder, finger and other injuries on his shoulder and leg,\u201d ACP Mohd Azam said.\n\u201cNo arrest has been made due to his condition. He has serious injuries and is having difficulties walking,\u201d police said.\nHowever, they will take further action steps once his condition stabilises.\nSix witnesses, including the suspect, had their statements recorded, ACP Mohd Azam said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/man-in-malaysia-surrenders-after-riding-against-traffic-causing-motorcyclist-to-fall-30m-to-his-death"}, {"title": "Man in Terengganu loses one hand, fingers after homemade firecracker explodes", "text": ["\nA Malaysian man lost his left hand at the wrist and had several fingers severed off his right hand when a home-made firecracker exploded in his hands. \nAccording to the police, the incident took place at a village in the east coast state of Terengganu at 3.30am on Monday.\nOther parts of his body were also injured as a result of the incident, which happened at the home of the 27-year-old man.\n\n\n\n\n\nTerengganu police chief Rohaimi Md Isa said initial investigations revealed that the man made his own firecracker by mixing together firework balls with a PVC pipe.\n\u201cThe homemade firecracker caused a huge explosion which resulted in serious injuries to the victim,\u201d Datuk Rohaimi said. \nThe man is currently hospitalised and getting treatment at an intensive care unit (ICU).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Rohaimi said the police is looking for the distributor and vendor who sold the firecracker balls to the victim. \n\nThis is the second time in Terengganu in 2023 that people had been injured by firecrackers during the fasting month of Ramadan.\nOn April 6, a teenager was injured in the right eye while playing with what the police called \u201cmodified firecrackers\u201d with three friends.\nThe friends sustained light injuries when the firecrackers, which had been modified to emit loud sounds, exploded. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/man-in-terengganu-loses-one-hand-fingers-after-homemade-firecracker-explodes"}, {"title": "Man killed in Malaysia after package explodes in car", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A waiter was killed late on Thursday after a package that was left on his car exploded in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. \nThe incident, which police have classified as murder, occurred outside the 28-year-old victim\u2019s workplace in Pandan Indah, Ampang. \nHe was inspecting the package left on his car when the explosion occurred at around 8.55pm, police said. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe victim sustained severe injuries to his body and hands,\u201d Ampang Jaya OCPD Assistant Commissoner Mohamad Farouk Eshak said in a statement on Friday night. \nThe man later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, he added. \nAt the scene on Friday morning, large splatters of blood could be seen on the road as police cordoned off the area near the restaurant as investigators searched for clues. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThere was a large dent on the bonnet of the man\u2019s car. \n\nFamily members of the victim were gathered at Hospital Ampang in the afternoon, where a post-mortem was being carried out on the victim. They declined interviews with the media as they left the hospital mortuary. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/man-killed-in-malaysia-after-package-explodes-in-car"}, {"title": "Man lauds cops for finding his wallet after monkey harassment on Malaysia\u2019s North-South Expressway", "text": ["\nLosing one\u2019s belongings at a rest stop on Malaysia\u2019s North-South Expressway, most people may have been resigned to never seeing them again. \nBut after running into a bunch of aggressive monkeys which led him to lose and later recover his wallet, Mr Kendrick Kang donated the cash it held to cap off an eventful day on the road.\nMr Kang, had been driving northwards with his mother to Kuala Lumpur, where he lived, but stopped for dinner at a rest centre in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, where he lost his wallet.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a post on Facebook on Thursday, he said that his car was surrounded by a group of monkeys that looked \u201cvery hungry and very aggressive\u201d. In his haste to avoid a primate attack, he said he dropped his wallet at the rest stop\u2019s car park and only realised its disappearance when he arrived home in Malaysia\u2019s capital hundreds of kilometres away.\nMr Kang contacted the highway operators Plus that responded 30 minutes later with information that patrolling police had located his wallet, news that he described made him feel like he hit a \u201cjackpot\u201d.\nHe had to make another trip south to another rest stop in Simpang Ampat, also in Melaka, to retrieve his wallet, which he found had its contents intact.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFeeling blessed by the experience and deciding his burdens were lightened enough given he had retained his personal documents, the financial adviser decided to lighten his wallet by donating the cash inside it.\n\nHe also extended his gratitude to Plus as well as the police officers he met to get his wallet, saying they gave him renewed hope in Malaysia.\nThe highway operators shared his joy that he had recovered his belonging. \n\u201cYour experience escaping the monkeys with your mom is truly a moment to remember but it is good to know that everyone is safe at the location,\u201d a spokesman said, adding that they had conveyed his compliments to the \u201cgood-looking\u201d authorities who found his wallet.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/man-lauds-cops-for-finding-his-wallet-after-monkey-harassment-on-malaysia-s-north-south-expressway"}, {"title": "Man\u2019s joke goes wrong: Malaysian police arrest prankster pretending to be cop", "text": ["\nA Malaysian man who thought it would be funny to walk into a police station and threaten to arrest an officer there saw his prank backfiring on him after he got arrested by the real men in blue instead.\nThe 36-year-old turned up at the Tapah police station in Sarawak\u2019s capital city of Kuching on Sunday afternoon, claiming to be a policeman from Bukit Aman in Kuala Lumpur, where the Royal Malaysian Police Headquarters is located, the Borneo Post reported.\n\u201cThe suspect then asked the complainant (a police officer) who the other personnel stationed there were, and the complainant said he was with another colleague who was also on duty at the time,\u201d said the Padawan district police chief, Superintendent Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe suspect then said he would arrest the complainant but would first go back to his vehicle to grab some files.\n\n\u201cWhen he returned to the police station, the suspect had a cake with him and explained that his action was only a prank,\u201d Supt Abang Zainal Abidin said in a statement on Sunday.\nWhen it became clear that the suspect, whose wife ran a cake shop, was a civilian, the officers detained him on the spot.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cA warning had been given to the suspect, but he still stated that he was a police officer,\u201d said the superintendent.\n\n\u201cCivilians must know better than to overstep the bounds in pranks. Do not touch sensitive issues to prevent unnecessary trouble,\u201d he added.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/man-s-joke-gone-wrong-malaysian-police-arrest-prankster-who-pretends-to-be-a-cop"}, {"title": "Malaysian man\u2019s wife, mother among 3 arrested for abduction of his lover", "text": ["\nA man\u2019s wife and mother were among three people arrested for their involvement in abducting his lover in a bid to end their relationship.\nSentul district police chief Beh Eng Lai said on Tuesday the police received a report on Feb 4 from a 34-year-old Malaysian man who claimed that his girlfriend had been abducted by an unknown man.\nThe incident took place on Feb 3 on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian police said in a post on Facebook.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe man said he had left his girlfriend, 26, in the car with the doors unlocked and the engine running when another man entered the car and drove it away.\nThe man tried to call his girlfriend\u2019s mobile phone, but it was switched off.\nThe police later found the vehicle by the road near a hypermarket in Rawang, Selangor, but nobody was inside.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBetween 1.50am and 5.30am on Sunday, the police arrested two women and a man, whose ages range from 37 to 52, in Pahang and in Kuala Lumpur.\n\nBased on information from the three suspects, the police rescued the victim in Port Dickson, more than 100km from where she was abducted.\nShe had minor injuries to her nose, face, head and body and was taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital. \nMobile phones belonging to the suspects and a car used in the abduction were also recovered.\nAssistant Commissioner Beh said investigations revealed that the main suspects behind the abduction are the man\u2019s wife and his mother. They wanted to put a stop to \u201chis intimate relationship with the victim\u201d.\nHe added that the case has been classified as abduction and the three suspects have been remanded to assist in further investigations.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/man-s-wife-and-mother-among-3-arrested-for-abduction-of-his-lover"}, {"title": "Man said to be a Singaporean student among duo charged in Johor with offering cop RM90,000 bribe", "text": ["\nJOHOR BARU - Two men have been charged at the Sessions Court here with offering a RM90,000 (S$27,580) bribe to a police officer in October.\nLaw Wen Xiang, 32, and Donavan Sia Qi Xun, 27, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to them in Mandarin by the court interpreter before Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail on Tuesday.\nAccording to the charge sheet, the men allegedly offered the bribe to a police officer from the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) as an inducement not to take action against Sia, who was being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe bribe was allegedly offered at a restaurant in Jalan Suria 19, Taman Suria, here on Oct 17, 2022.\nThe act, an offence under Section 17(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, carries a fine of five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher, and a maximum jail term of 20 years if found guilty.\nThe accused were also offered an alternative charge under Section 214 of the Penal Code for giving or offering gratification, read together with Section 34 for a criminal act jointly committed with others, which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe case was prosecuted by Mr Ikhwan Ihsan Jalaludin of the MACC and Deputy Public Prosecutor Chan Choon Yew, while the accused were represented by Mr K. Veeranesh Babu and Mr Mohamad Isa Mohamad Basir.\n\nDuring the proceeding, the prosecution asked for bail to be set at RM70,000 for each of the accused, with the additional condition that they report to the MACC office here once a month until the case is over.\nMr Veeranesh, who represented Law, asked for lower bail of RM40,000 and said the accused worked as a mobile phone repairman and had to take care of his 66-year-old mother.\nMr Mohamad Isa, who represented Sia, informed the court that the accused was a student at a college in Kuala Lumpur and his expenses were borne by his parents, who are in Singapore. The Bernama news agency said Sia is a Singaporean.\nHe also requested bail of RM40,000, adding that his client had to take care of his girlfriend and three-month-old child.\nThe court then set bail at RM40,000 with one surety for each of the accused, as well as the additional condition.\nIt also set Feb 19 for next mention. Both accused posted bail. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/man-said-to-be-a-singaporean-student-among-duo-charged-in-johor-with-offering-cop-rm90000-bribe"}, {"title": "Man seen abducted in Kedah in viral video found safe, say Malaysia cops", "text": ["\nALOR SETAR - The 28-year-old man who was abducted in broad daylight in Alor Setar, Kedah, has been found safe, said the police in Malaysia.\nKota Setar police assistant commissioner Ahmad Shukri Mat Akhir said that while the man has been found, the motive behind the abduction has yet to be determined.\n\u201cWe have arrested three more people connected to the abduction, making it four people arrested for now,\u201d said Mr Ahmad Shukri.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe arrested two men and a woman on Tuesday evening between 7pm and 9pm at three different locations; Changlun, Jitra and Alor Setar,\u201d he added in a statement on Wednesday.\nThe police had arrested a 43-year-old man on Tuesday morning connected to the case.\nMr Ahmad Shukri said the suspects are aged between 39 and 43 and added that three of them tested positive for methamphetamine.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThey will be remanded for six days pending the investigation,\u201d he said.\n\nA video of a man being carried and shoved into a car by five others went viral on Tuesday with police then classifying it as an abduction.\nThe 41sec video shows the man shouting as he is being bundled into the back seat of a car, with people hitting him to force him to stay put.\nThe police said the incident took place at around 6.30pm on Monday in front of a hotel in Shahab Perdana, Alor Setar.\nThe victim\u2019s father filed a police report after being informed of the incident and watching the video, and the case is being investigated under suspected abduction. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/man-seen-abducted-in-kedah-in-viral-video-found-safe-say-malaysia-cops"}, {"title": "Married Malaysian couple charged with murder in Selangor bomb case", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A young married couple was charged in court on Monday for the murder by a bomb blast in Selangor state, last month.\nKhor Swee Boon, 33, and his wife Ng Hui Yee, 30, were jointly charged in a Magistrate\u2019s Court with the murder of Cho Lim Fong, a 29-year old waiter, in front of a restaurant in Pandah Indah district on Dec 29, Bernama news agency reported.\nThe charge carries the death penalty upon conviction.\n\n\n\n\n\nKhor and Ng nodded after the charge was read out before Magistrate Nurmaizan Rahim but no plea was recorded as murder comes under the jurisdiction of the High Court, the Malaysian news agency reported.\nLawyer RSN Rayer, who is representing the couple, asked for bail to be given to Ng as she needed to take care of her children, aged five and seven, who were under the care of her parents.\n", "\nDeputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Ameera Sam Kamaruddin objected to the request and said there were no special circumstances to allow the court to offer bail.     \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe magistrate rejected Ng\u2019s request for bail and set March 23 for the next mention of the case, Bernama said.     \n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/married-malaysian-couple-charged-with-murder-in-selangor-bomb-case"}, {"title": "Street racers being considered for Melaka motorcycle ambulance team", "text": ["\nMELAKA \u2013 An ambitious plan to recruit street racers, or mat rempit, as part of the motorcycle ambulance team is currently being studied, said the chairman of Melaka Civil Defence Force\u2019s (CDF) associate corporate officers category.\nMr Mike Thein said a working paper proposal to recruit these motorcycle groups was being prepared, so that they would be useful to society.\n\u201cTraining will be provided for these motorcyclists to perform basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation and life support skills, as well as the delivery of food to flood victims before the full-fledged team arrives at an emergency scene,\u201d he said on Sunday. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Thein, who has been a volunteer with CDF for two decades, said he would also unveil two-wheeler emergency services in hard-to-reach tourist destinations in the city.\nHe said a two-wheeler paramedic team would carry life-saving equipment and first-aid kits and would be able to respond to a medical emergency much faster than a car or van in heavy traffic.\n\u201cThe mat rempit would act as a reinforcement for two-wheeler paramedics,\u201d he said. \u201cI intend to provide an opportunity to the group in turning them into volunteers for a noble cause and proposed this detail in my working paper.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Thein said the two-wheeler team \u2013 a mix of both motorcycle and bicycle \u2013 would also ensure swifter responses in situations at tourist spots and there would be six volunteers in each team.\n\nHe said the setting up of the team would be modelled on the advice from relevant departments, with the goal was to reduce response times in busy stretches and flood-hit areas.\nMr Thein also said that dozens of CDF volunteers and even outsiders had been trained in water rescue techniques.\nHe said the training was aimed to intensify preparedness in case of likely flooding and other natural calamities.\n\u201cWe are also hoping to get assistance from the state government to allocate a site along the (Klebang) beach front as our water rescue hub and to place our rescue boats,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/mat-rempit-being-considered-for-melaka-motorcycle-ambulance-team"}, {"title": "Maternity leave extension should draw Malaysian mums back to workforce, but some employers wary", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - After a five-year break, Madam Halimah Hasnoor is now ready to rejoin Malaysia\u2019s workforce, following the announcement of the extension to paid maternity leave.\nThe 34-year-old homemaker said she had no choice but to resign from her post as a strategic communication officer in late 2017 after welcoming her son.\n\u201cI decided to leave my job after exhausting two months of maternity leave because childcare is very expensive,\u201d she told The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cNow that the economy is uncertain, I think it\u2019s time to go back. The plus point is, it would be more secure even if I get pregnant again,\u201d she said.\nMalaysia\u2019s federal lawmakers last year voted to increase paid maternity leave to 98 days, from 60 previously, in a move that was welcomed by labour and women\u2019s rights groups. \nThe amended Employment Act 2022 came into force in January this year.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe legislation also introduced seven days of paid paternity leave for married male employees who have been employed by the same employer for at least 12 months.\n\nAlthough the move to increase paid maternity leave was mostly celebrated as it should draw more women back to the workforce, some employers were concerned that the policy would raise their operating expenditure \u201csignificantly\u201d.\nA survey released in February by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) reflected this concern, with more Chinese employers now preferring to hire men in response to the new policy.\nACCCIM said its survey showed the maternity leave increase topped concerns employers had about the impact on costs, with 44.9 per cent of respondents considering it to be the biggest factor versus other changes to the Employment Act.\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF), the new policy will cost employers an estimated additional RM0.96 billion (S$287 million) per year, to RM2.48 billion from RM1.52 billion when maternity leave was 60 days.\nMs Suri Kempe, president of pro-family organisation Family Frontiers, said employers\u2019 hesitancy in hiring women employees is reflective of their immediate priority \u2013 profit.\nShe said Malaysia has a higher number of women graduates than men, \u201cand to forgo qualified talent in favour of less qualified employees would mean employers having to invest more in on-the-job training and upskilling\u201d.\n\u201cMaking an investment in women through progressive policies and practices requires a shift from recruitment and training new employees and will result in better talent retention, as employees prefer to stay in companies that better protect their interests and well-being,\u201d she said.\nBased on the most recent labour force statistics released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the country\u2019s female labour force participation rate stood at 55.9 per cent compared with 82.3 per cent for males at the end of 2022.\n", "\nEconomic experts said although some firms may opt to hire more men to reduce the adverse impact of longer maternity leave, they are under pressure to embrace gender diversity and social responsibility.  \nOther employers said the new policy is in line with international labour standards, despite its financial impact.\n\u201cWe do not see employers denying job opportunities to females because of this change in policy,\u201d the president of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai, told ST. \n\u201cOn the contrary, the longer maternity leave would support the reduction of female attrition as it would attract more women to remain in the workforce once they start a family.\u201d \nEstablishing a holistic ecosystem is important to encourage women to rejoin the labour force, said MEF president, Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman. \u201cMEF is of the view that the concept of community childcare and daycare centres for the elderly needs to be established nationwide,\u201d he said.   \nTo help cushion the blow of the new policy, Mr Hussain suggested the government consider reimbursing employers for the increase in maternity allowance through the Social Security Fund.    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/maternity-leave-extension-should-draw-malaysian-moms-back-to-workforce-but-some-employers-wary"}, {"title": "Melaka govt mulls over making face masks mandatory again if Covid-19 infections show upward trend", "text": ["\nMELAKA - Face masks will be made mandatory by Jan 17 in Melaka if Covid-19 cases record an upward trend, says the Malaysian state\u2019s government.\nState health and anti-drug committee chairman Muhamad Akmal Saleh said the pre-emptive measure of making face masks a must in public areas was in line with the increasing number of global Covid-19 cases.\n\u201cWe are monitoring the situation, and we will not hesitate to make face masks compulsory in public and other premises if the need arises, based on our two-week evaluation of the number of cases reported,\u201d he said on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Muhamad Akmal also urged locals and tourists to start wearing face masks now.\n\u201cWe also urge locals to take their booster doses as a precautionary measure, especially high-risk groups,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/melaka-govt-mulls-making-face-masks-mandatory-again-if-covid-19-infections-show-upward-trend"}, {"title": "Middle-income households in Malaysia tighten belts after surprise rate hike by central bank", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Middle- and high-income households in Malaysia will be the groups most affected by the central bank\u2019s surprise decision to raise the overnight policy rate (OPR) on May 3. \nThis is because more than half of them have floating-rate loans, with interest rates that move up and down depending on market conditions. A rise in the OPR, which is the minimum interest rate charged among banks in the interbank money market, means having to pay higher interest.\nMiddle-income households, which make up 40 per cent of the population, earn between RM4,851 (S$1,440) and RM10,970 each month. Families with higher salaries than this are considered high-income, and make up 20 per cent of the population. \n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to Bank Negara data, 53.4 per cent of middle-income earners have floating-rate loans, while 46.6 per cent took on fixed-rate loans. For high-income households, 62.6 per cent have floating-rate loans, with 37.4 per cent on fixed-rate loans. \nBank Negara has increased the OPR five times, totalling 125 basis points, since May 2022. On May 3, the central bank raised it by another 25 basis points to 3 per cent in a surprise move, bringing the OPR back to pre-pandemic levels.\nMalaysia\u2019s middle-income families have had to cut expenses and tighten their belts as rates rise, although they say their interest payments remain affordable so far. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nFirst-time home buyer Intan Aberdin said her monthly mortgage repayment has increased by RM300 since Bank Negara started to raise rates in May 2022, which means she has less to set aside for savings. \n\n\u201cAt this point, my savings are being squeezed. I also have to take care of my parents, so I really have to tighten my belt. At the same time, the asset\u2019s value is not increasing in this property market,\u201d said the 35-year-old journalist.\nMr Kapil Punj, 39, said he had to cut spending on entertainment, including having fewer restaurant meals, to help service his property loan, with his monthly payment going up by RM350. \n\u201cThe rate hike is still manageable but I am feeling the pinch,\u201d said Mr Kapil, who works as a refinery manager. \n\n\n\n\n\nBank Muamalat Malaysia chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the impact of the rate hike on households depends on the size of their loan. \n\u201cThe bigger the loan, the bigger the impact,\u201d he told The Straits Times. \nUOB Group senior economist Julia Goh sees the rate hike as a pre-emptive move due to the risk of inflation possibly climbing with subsidies, such as those for fuel, expected to be cut later in 2023. The Anwar Ibrahim-led government is reviewing its existing blanket subsidies which currently benefit everyone regardless of income level, and is looking to instead channel money directly towards low-income groups to mitigate the rising cost of living. \n\u201cOur core inflation remains elevated. Bank Negara sees inflation risks tilted on the upside and is largely dependent on domestic policy changes including on subsidies and price controls, financial market developments and commodity prices,\u201d Ms Goh told ST. \u201cKeeping interest rates too low now could lead to financial imbalances in the future.\u201d \nCore inflation, which was 3.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2023, has persisted above the historical average of around 2 per cent, said\u00a0Bank Negara Malaysia governor Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus.\n", "\nUOB Global Economics and Markets Research said Bank Negara may have reached the end of its interest rate hike cycle, as the central bank expects domestic growth at 4 per cent to 5 per cent, and inflation to be contained at 2.8 per cent to 3.8 per cent in 2023 with the recent rate hike. \n\u201cSubsidy rationalisation will post more upside pressure for consumer price inflation, living costs and business operating costs in the second half of 2023 should they materialise. This, alongside uncertainty surrounding the six state elections, could make it more challenging to raise rates further in the second half,\u201d said its report. \nMalaysia will hold state elections in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah by July, which is set to be a barometer of how much approval there is for Datuk Seri Anwar and his coalition government.  \nMost lower-income households earning between RM3,000 and RM5,000 a month are less affected by Bank Negara\u2019s recent rate hike, as around 51 per cent are on fixed-rate loans. But those with mortgages and vehicle loans on floating-rate plans are finding it more difficult to make ends meet.\n\u201cI won\u2019t be able to keep up paying the mortgage of this house if the interest rates are raised again. I am still lucky because I am single as I do not have to spend on taking care of a family,\u201d said Mr Santhira Segaran, a driver. The 44-year-old\u2019s monthly mortgage payments went up by RM120.  \nDelivery rider Halmie Bakar, 46, has both a property and car loan, and is the sole breadwinner of his family. \nHe said: \u201cIn a household with one income, you are the family\u2019s financial guardian. This is why it is tough to pay even RM100 more in interest because there is no one else to help. And we are still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/middle-income-households-tighten-belts-after-surprise-rate-hike-by-malaysia-s-central-bank"}, {"title": "Migrant domestic workers in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand earn below minimum wage: Study", "text": ["\nBANGKOK \u2013 An International Labour Organisation (ILO) study of 610 employers and 1,201 migrant domestic workers across Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand has found that these workers are earning below the minimum wage. \nTheir employment conditions were also poor, despite the fact that they were performing jobs that required sought-after transferable skills like clear communication and managing others\u2019 emotions, according to the study, which collected data between July and September 2022.\nDomestic workers in Singapore, in particular, reported the most number of hours worked across the three countries, at an average of 12.8 hours per day and 81 hours a week. This is almost double the national standard of 44 maximum hours per week for other sectors.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhen their working hours are taken into account, their average pay of US$480 (S$645) a month was below the minimum wages set by their countries of origin.\nCompared with migrant domestic workers in Malaysia and Thailand, those in Singapore also paid the highest amount in migration costs and fees as a proportion of their wages, representing more than three months\u2019 worth of their salary. They paid for these costs through their savings, salary deductions and loans from relatives and friends.\nEvidence of forced labour \u2013 defined by the ILO as when there are indicators the work is involuntary and the worker is under threat of a penalty \u2013 was found across all three countries surveyed. These indicators include not being able to quit one\u2019s job and being made to work without overtime pay.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn Malaysia, 29 per cent of the workers reported such conditions. The equivalent figure was 7 per cent in Singapore \u2013 which translates to an estimated more than 17,000 migrant domestic workers \u2013 and 4 per cent in Thailand.\n\nAs at December 2022, Singapore has 268,500 migrant domestic workers, according to Singapore\u2019s Ministry of Manpower (MOM).\nHouseholds with caregiving needs comprise an estimated 86 per cent of their employers.\n\u201cDomestic work is one of the most important tasks in our society, and yet provided with the least protection. This can no longer be accepted,\u201d said Ms Anna Engblom, the chief technical adviser of ILO\u2019s Triangle in Asean programme, which produced the study. Her statement was issued on Thursday at the launch of the report.\n\n\n\n\n\nA key factor for the poor working conditions was the continued exclusion of migrant domestic workers from equal labour and social protection, on the perception that domestic work was not \u201creal\u201d work.\nThe report said: \u201cWhere domestic work is not considered work, labour migration schemes are delinked from labour and social protections, meaning they can neither guarantee safety nor can they guarantee a labour force that meets evolving domestic and care needs.\n\u201cWhere domestic work is not considered skilled, the diverse demands of the market cannot be met.\u201d\nTo improve protection for domestic workers, the report urged Singapore to expand the Household Services Scheme \u2013 first piloted in 2017 \u2013 which allows migrant workers hired by companies to provide part-time domestic services, as well as have live-out arrangements. It also urged the Singapore Government to regularise working hours and wages of domestic workers, possibly in the way it is doing for cleaners.\nThe report noted that the development of the Household Services Scheme \u201cdemonstrates that migrant domestic workers can deliver household and care duties while living out of the home; and that this work can be protected by labour rights and wage protection\u201d.\nSingapore\u2019s MOM told The Straits Times that the vast majority of migrant domestic workers and their employers surveyed in its 2021 study were satisfied.\n\u201cOver 99 per cent of the migrant domestic workers were satisfied with working and living in Singapore and would recommend their family or friends to work here. They also reported high levels of satisfaction across various areas of well-being, including emotional support received, which increased from 93 per cent in 2015 to 99 per cent in 2021,\u201d it said. \nMOM noted that migrant domestic workers are protected under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and the Employment Agencies Act. \nThese regulate the employment of migrant domestic workers and their well-being, and include comprehensive protections in areas such as timely salary payment, the provision of food and proper accommodation, as well as adequate daily rest.\nEmployers are also required to provide migrant domestic workers with a weekly rest day or compensation in lieu; and at least one rest day each month that cannot be compensated away.\n\u201cThis allows migrant domestic workers to rest and recharge from work, and form networks outside the employer\u2019s household,\u201d MOM said.\nThe ministry said it has also improved the processes to monitor the well-being of migrant domestic workers and enable them to build a network of support beyond their employer\u2019s household.\n\u201cThese include post-placement checks by employment agencies, house visits to randomly selected households, as well as interviews with first-time migrant domestic workers within their first six to 12 months of work.\u201d \nEmployers are also required to send their migrant domestic workers for six-monthly medical examinations, assuring migrant domestic workers of access to medical services, it said.\n", "\nCommenting on the ILO\u2019s findings, Mr Terence Ho, associate professor in practice at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, told ST: \u201cIt is important to have a societal consensus to improve the welfare and working conditions of migrant domestic workers, who play a critical role in supporting households, particularly with our ageing population. The ILO report underscores this need.\u201d\nHe added: \u201cThere is scope to continue improving work conditions for migrant domestic workers by progressively raising minimum standards for employment. Employers should also be encouraged to go beyond the basic requirements, as happier and well-rested migrant domestic workers can provide better help to households, which also stand to benefit from improved employer-employee relationships.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/migrant-domestic-workers-in-malaysia-singapore-and-thailand-earn-below-minimum-wage-study"}, {"title": "More graft charges issued against men linked to Malaysia\u2019s ex-PM Muhyiddin", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A third man linked to Malaysia\u2019s former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was charged on Wednesday with graft in relation to a Covid-19 stimulus programme started under the Muhyiddin administration, while another man was handed additional charges after being charged on Tuesday. \nAdam Radlan Adam Muhammad, a leader in Tan Sri Muhyiddin\u2019s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), was charged with two counts of receiving bribes amounting to RM4.1 million (S$1.2 million). Just a day before, he was charged with receiving a RM500,000 bribe and soliciting a cut of a deal from an infrastructure company. \nAs Adam\u2019s charges were read out in Kuala Lumpur, another businessman with alleged links to Mr Muhyiddin was charged in Johor for allegedly soliciting bribes worth RM12.8 million. \n\n\n\n\n\nTeo Wee Cheng, 65, was previously named a \u201cclose friend\u201d of the former premier by one of the witnesses in Umno chief Zahid Hamidi\u2019s graft trial in 2022. \nOn Tuesday, Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan was charged with accepting bribes worth RM6.9 million to help secure projects under the Jana Wibawa initiative. \nAll three men have pleaded not guilty to the charges.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWednesday\u2019s charges balloon the value of the Jana Wibawa controversy to RM24.1 million, following an investigation by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission. \n\nJana Wibawa is one of several Covid-19 stimulus initiatives that came on the radar of the anti-graft body after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim claimed that funds were misused.\nMr Muhyiddin\u2019s administration had initiated the programme to help bumiputera, or Malay-Muslim, contractors. Construction projects were awarded under this scheme through direct negotiation with the government, instead of a tender process. \nZahid, who is now deputy prime minister, said last week that Jana Wibawa projects worth RM5.7 billion have been halted pending a review of their procurement processes. \nMr Muhyiddin, who heads Malaysia\u2019s opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN), has said the charges were a form of \u201cselective persecution\u201d meant to taint opposition leaders with graft charges at a time when several government leaders, including Zahid, are also facing graft trials. \nWan Saiful resigned as Bersatu information chief on Wednesday, but Mr Muhyiddin insisted the move was not an admission of guilt. \nMr Muhyiddin was prime minister between March 2020 until August 2021, and is the second-shortest serving premier in Malaysia. His premiership was almost entirely dominated by Malaysia\u2019s struggles with the Covid 19 pandemic and a six-month-long state of emergency. \nHis PN coalition won 74 seats in Malaysia\u2019s general election in 2022, which resulted in a hung Parliament. He had raced against Datuk Seri Anwar to stitch together a coalition to form a government, but Mr Anwar was ultimately appointed prime minister. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/more-graft-charges-issued-against-men-linked-to-ex-pm-muhyiddin"}, {"title": "More immigration counters should be opened at Johor checkpoints: Malaysian Tourist Guides Council", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 Easing the snarling traffic congestion at both land borders with Singapore will help spur the country\u2019s tourism sector, says the Malaysian Tourist Guides Council. \nIts president, Mr Jimmy Leong, said it was important to keep all counters open, especially during peak periods on weekends and holidays.\n\u201cLike today, only two counters were kept open at the Second Link checkpoint to clear stage, express and tour buses at 8.30am.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cDuring weekends, more than 100 buses would be coming into Johor, and it is sad for people to be stuck at the checkpoint for almost three hours,\u201d he said, commending Johor Menteri\u00a0Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi for conducting frequent spot checks on the two checkpoints.\n\u201cLike in the Second Link, there are two blocks to clear bus passengers, with each having eight to 10 immigration counters.\n\u201cWhy were only two (sections) open on Saturday morning? Why can\u2019t they allocate adequate personnel to open all counters?\u201d he added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Leong, who is also the Johor Tourist Guides Association chairman, said the Immigration Department should have expected a large number of people due to the long weekend holiday and Singapore having its school holidays currently.\n\n\u201cThe move to improve clearance time at the two checkpoints is good and will encourage more Singaporeans to enter Johor,\u201d he said, adding that he hopes to provide his association\u2019s feedback to the Menteri\u00a0Besar.\nHowever, he said counters should remain open even if Datuk Onn Hafiz was not visiting the checkpoints.\nOn Facebook, Mr Onn Hafiz said the Johor government had recommended the activation of contra lanes at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (BSI) in Johor Bahru and the Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ Complex (KSAB) in Iskandar Puteri to overcome the overwhelming congestion at the two locations.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe concurred that the extraordinary congestion at the two locations since Thursday was due to the school and public holidays and the long weekend.\nMore than 258,000 travellers were recorded using the route at BSI and 63,000 travellers at KSAB on Thursday.\n\u201cTo ensure this does not happen again, I have asked the management of BSI and KSAB to consider opening the contra lanes, specifically for travellers using the walkway and public transport and especially during school holidays or long holidays.\n\u201cThis contra lane can be activated for inbound and outbound movements from the country during certain periods, such as school holidays or festive seasons,\u201d he said in a post.\nMr Onn Hafiz, who was at BSI on Friday, had advised users of the Johor Causeway and the Second Link to plan their journey in advance so as not to get caught in traffic jams.\n", "\nSeveral photos of the congestion at the BSI have been shared by members of the public on social media since Saturday.\nOn Friday, Johor Police Chief Kamarul Zaman Mamat warned motorist to follow the rules when entering Malaysia or risk being turned back to Singapore.\nHe said the force has taken proactive steps by placing its traffic police and other policemen at locations in and around BSI and KSAB. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/more-immigration-counters-should-be-opened-at-johor-checkpoints-to-ease-traffic-congestion-malaysian-tourist-guides-council"}, {"title": "More Malaysians likely to seek greener pastures in Singapore in coming months", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - More Johoreans and Malaysians from other states are expected to seek employment in Singapore in the coming months.\nJohor Indian Muslim Entrepreneurs Association (Perusim) secretary Hussein Ibrahim said the strong Singapore currency was the main factor. \n\u201cRoti canai makers with at least five years of working experience are paid about S$80 (RM264) daily while those with less experience can easily command S$50 (RM165) daily for a 12-hour shift,\u2019\u2019 he said of those choosing to work in Singapore.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFeedback from our members showed 80 per cent of their roti canai makers are now working at Indian restaurants in Singapore,\u201d said Mr Hussein.\nHe added that most of them got their jobs through referrals from their Malaysian friends already working there.\nMr Hussein hoped that the new Federal Government would allow Indian Muslim eateries in Johor Bahru to hire workers from India and Indonesia.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWithout these workers, many restaurants might cease operations,\u2019\u2019 he said.\n\nJohor South small and medium-sized enterprise adviser Teh Kee Sin said many Singaporeans shun 3D (dirty, dangerous and difficult) jobs, adding that the Singapore government would continue to rely on foreign workers for certain industries to keep its economy going.\nHe said skilled workers, especially Malaysians, were sought after by manufacturing companies in Singapore.\nMr Teh said most of them would work in Johor Bahru for a few years to gain the required skills before going to Singapore.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cJohor\u2019s severe labour shortage has been going on for many years,\u2019\u2019 he said.\nJohor Trucking Association president Novan Hing said the shortage of lorry drivers was also a long-term issue.\n\u201cDuring the pandemic, lorry drivers who were out of jobs switched to driving buses and also delivering parcels and food and many have not returned.\n\u201cExperienced drivers in Singapore can earn from S$3,000 monthly (RM9,900),\u201d he added.\n", "\nThey were commenting on a report by Singapore\u2019s Ministry of Manpower in December, which stated that 93.7 per cent of third-quarter employment growth involved non-residents.\nThe report stated that out of the 75,900 new jobs created in Q3 2022, 71,100 were attributed to non-residents and 4,800 to residents \u2013 Singaporeans and permanent residents.\nEmployment for residents was in financial and professional services as well as information and communications technology.\nThe majority of non-residents were employed in manufacturing and construction, food and beverage services as well as arts, entertainment and recreation. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/more-malaysians-may-seek-greener-pastures-across-causeway"}, {"title": "More people seek medical treatment as haze in Malaysia worsens", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN - The number of people seeking medical attention for respiratory issues has gone up as the haze in Malaysia worsens.\nMedical professionals in the country said there were more people seeking treatment in hospitals for sudden asthma attacks, wheezing, breathlessness and allergic rhinitis in the past two weeks.\nInternal medicine consultant Evelyn Chan said her patients were suffering from coughing, wheezing and breathlessness.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThose with underlying health issues like asthma are advised to keep their inhalers with them at all times. We also advise people to take the flu jab and stay indoors. Mask up if you have to go out, and it is important to drink more water to keep hydrated,\u201d she said.\nEar, nose and throat specialist Sow Yih Liang said he had seen a slight increase in patients with nose allergies.\nSome came in with allergic rhinitis, a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air, he noted.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt is a common allergy that results in sneezing and a runny nose. This happens when there is haze and it triggers hypersensitivity in the nose. Some come in with a cough as well, and it is all interconnected,\u201d Dr Sow said.\n\nHe added: \u201cThe dry particulates enter through the nose and then cause inflammation. When people breathe through the mouth, they develop a cough. We do recommend a sinus cleanse (sinus flush).\u201d\nDr Sow, who is also a head and neck surgeon, said there will usually be an influx of patients when there is haze, but the number has come down as many people have been wearing face masks since the Covid-19 pandemic.\n\u201cFace masks work as a filter and we encourage the public to wear them outdoors, especially those with allergic rhinitis,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nPharmacies reported that more people are buying face masks and medication for cough and flu.\nAn employee at a pharmacy in the state of Negeri Sembilan said she had seen a slight increase in the number of people buying face masks.\n\u201cWith the number of Covid-19 cases registering an increase, some people may just be taking precautions,\u201d she said.\nMeanwhile, it is business as usual for tourism in the state of Penang despite the haze.\n", "\nPenang Tourist Guides Association president Chin Poh Chin said tours are planned way ahead, usually weeks or months in advance.\n\n\u201cOnly local tourists coming on their own will cancel or postpone tours. Even that is very rare. We have minimal cancellations and, on our part, we will advise our guides and guests to wear face masks and drink more water when there is haze,\u201d she said.\nAir Pollutant Index (API) readings in Penang have been leaning towards unhealthy levels, and the odour of smoke hangs over the air.\nThe API readings on Tuesday evening for Balik Pulau were 126, Batu Uban (155) and Tanjung Bungah (103), all of which falls under the \u201cunhealthy\u201d category.\nThe Penang mainland showed a reading of between 126 and 148.\nIn Kedah, air quality was between 151 and 156.\n\nAn API reading of between 0 and 50 is good, while 51 to 100 is moderate, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy and above 301 is deemed hazardous.\n\n", "\nAccording to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre\u2019s website, there were no hot spots with substantial open burning in Malaysia, and only a single hot spot was detected in Sumatra, Indonesia.\nHowever, satellites have registered hundreds of hot spots spread across millions of hectares in eastern Myanmar and throughout Laos.\nIt is believed that these hot spots are the result of farmers practising traditional slash-and-burn farming, which entails large swathes of jungle being cleared and then burned to enrich the soil with potassium and phosphate while killing pests.\nOn Saturday, Malaysia\u2019s Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the nation was bracing itself for the return of the haze due to the recent hot and dry conditions. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/more-people-seek-medical-treatment-as-haze-in-malaysia-worsen"}, {"title": "More than 1,000 people evacuated from flood-hit Johor districts", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - The number of flood victims seeking shelter in relief centres in Johor state rose to 1,093 in the late afternoon on Tuesday, as several districts were inundated with rising river waters amid the heavy rain. Johor\u2019s State Disaster Management Committee had earlier said some 422 victims were forced to move to relief centres.\nMost of the victims were from the northern district of Segamat, with 975 people from 273 families placed at eight relief centres, officials said. \nOther districts hit by the flood were in Kluang in central Johor and Kota Tinggi in the east of the Malaysian state. Many of the victims were villagers who live close to rivers that have overflowed their banks after days of non-stop rains.\n\n\n\n\n\nOfficials on Tuesday warned that four rivers in Johor had reached the red \u201cdangerous level\u201d, while two others had reached the orange \u201cwarning level\u201d, making evacuations to relief centres necessary. The flood had caused several road closures in the Kota Tinggi and Segamat districts.\nMeanwhile, Johor Civil Defence director Kamal Mokhtar said the department is monitoring areas with a history of being flooded. \nHe said: \u201cWe have placed our personnel at some of the low-point areas and near rivers in Johor. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe rain is not only affecting some areas but the whole state of Johor, and we would like to advise members of the public to always be alert to the Malaysian Meteorological Department\u2019s updates. Those who are living in high-risk areas should also move out early and not wait for the enforcement agency to move them out.\u201d \n\nOn Monday, the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, a unit within the Irrigation and Drainage Department, warned that six states \u2013 Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak and Selangor \u2013 are at risk of being hit by flash floods within the next 24 hours. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/more-than-400-people-evacuated-from-flood-hit-johor-village"}, {"title": "Motorcycle convoy from Singapore caught in Johor flood", "text": ["\nMERSING - A convoy of high-powered motorcycles from Singapore was caught in a risky situation in Mersing, Johor when some of their motorcycles were almost swept away by the strong currents of flood waters.\nMersing police officer Abdul Razak Abdullah Sani said the group wanted to brave the flood on Jalan Nitar to continue with their journey to Kuantan, Pahang.\n\u201cThere were six high-powered motorcycles that were on their way to Kuantan, Pahang. However, a motorcycle broke down after riding through the flood,\u201d he said on Wednesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cA group of army personnel from the Malaysian Armed Forces was patrolling the Kampung Jamari area when they saw the group and provided help.\n\u201cThere were no police reports lodged over the incident, and no injuries were reported,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/motorcycle-convoy-from-singapore-caught-in-johor-flood"}, {"title": "Motorcyclist killed by lightning strike in Selangor, Malaysia", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM - A 50-year-old motorcyclist was fatally struck by lightning in Selangor, Malaysia, while he was on his way to work, reported Bernama. He was pronounced dead at the scene. \nThe incident took place at about 6.20pm on Tuesday near Kampung Seri Cheeding in Banting town.\nLocal police chief Ahmad Ridhwan Mohd Nor Saleh said the victim fell off his motorbike after being struck by lightning. Passers-by carried him to the roadside and called an ambulance, but the victim did not survive the freak accident. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe police chief added that the victim had injuries on his neck, stomach and thigh due to the lightning strike, as well as injuries on his chin and knees when he fell off his bike. \nThe lightning also \u201cpunched\u201d two holes on the road, said Mr Ridhwan.  \nIn 2022, a 12-year-old girl in Kelantan was believed to have been electrocuted during a thunderstorm when she was using her phone on a bed, according to Malay Mail. Her father found burn marks on her arm and the mattress. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn 2019, a 39-year-old man in Kedah was also killed by a lightning strike, while his seven-year-old son survived but had 6 per cent burns on his body, reported New Straits Times. \n\nA study by University Tenaga Nasional in Selangor found there were 125 lightning-related fatalities and 157 injuries in Malaysia from 2008 to 2017. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/motorcyclist-killed-by-lightning-strike-in-selangor-malaysia"}, {"title": "Man climbing Mount Kinabalu dies from suspected acute mountain sickness in Malaysia", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU \u2013 A 45-year-old man climbing Mount Kinabalu with his wife in east Malaysia died on Tuesday of suspected acute mountain sickness (AMS).\nMr Alexzander Kueh, a Malaysian from Sarawak, was pronounced dead at 4.30am at the Ranau Hospital, said Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Christina Liew. \nShe said in a statement that Mr Kueh and his wife, Madam Ng Wee Peo, 35, arrived at the base camp lodging in Panalaban, at around 3,200m above sea level. At an elevation of 4,000m, Mount Kinabalu in Sabah is the tallest mountain in Malaysia. \n\n\n\n\n\nMadam Ng complained of a headache and breathing difficulties at 9pm and the couple called for help. \nThe Fire and Rescue Department\u2019s Mountain Search and Rescue team arrived and gave her oxygen. \nThe minister said that rescuers carried Madam Ng down the mountain on a stretcher to the entrance of the climbing trail at the Timpohon Gate. She was then taken to the Ranau Hospital for treatment.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAt 2am, about 2km away from the gate, Mr Kueh, who was accompanying his wife down the mountain, started experiencing breathing difficulties and muscle cramps. He was carried on a stretcher for the rest of the way, said Ms Liew.\n\n\u201cBased on the symptoms, AMS was believed to be the cause and, upon descent, both victims were sent to the district hospital for further treatment,\u201d the minister added. \n\u201cThe wife\u2019s condition was reported to be stable after she recovered from AMS,\u201d she said. \nThe minister offered her condolences to Mr Kueh\u2019s family and said she has requested Sabah Parks, which oversees Mount Kinabalu, to assist the couple\u2019s families. \nShe advised climbers to be physically prepared before venturing to scale Mount Kinabalu. \nMountain sickness, also known as altitude sickness, is caused by the body\u2019s inability to take in enough oxygen due to changes in air pressure because of the altitude. Symptoms include headache, vomiting and fatigue. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/mount-kinabalu-climber-dies-from-suspected-acute-mountain-sickness-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "MPs who backed Muhyiddin for PM forgiven, but being watched: Umno chief Zahid", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno president Zahid Hamidi said he has \u201cforgiven\u201d MPs from the party who had backed rival party chief Muhyiddin Yassin to become prime minister without his consent after last year\u2019s general elections.\nAmidst calls for action to be taken against \u201ctraitors\u201d within the former ruling party, Zahid said the incident was something from the past, and the individuals are now firmly backing the current government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) is a part of. \n\u201cI have forgiven what has happened, but the disciplinary board is monitoring their current stand and if there are any new moves,\u201d Zahid told reporters on the sidelines of the party assembly.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a hung Parliament following Malaysia\u2019s 15th general election, 10 BN MPs backed Mr Muhyiddin to become premier, despite Zahid claiming he had his coalition MPs\u2019 mandate to decide who to ally with.  \nOn Wednesday, Zahid named the 10 MPs \u2013 six from Umno \u2013 during a closed door briefing to over 3,000 party delegates at the onset of the ongoing Umno general assembly. \nAmong the key leaders named among the six was Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein, a former Defence Minister and also former party vice-president. The other five were MPs from Johor and Negeri Sembilan, including former Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUmno\u2019s Youth and Puteri wings on Thursday called for action to be taken against \u201ctraitors\u201d within the party, without naming anyone.  \n\nThe actions of the 10 MPs reflected the long-running split within Umno, between a camp led by Zahid and another camp seen as more aligned to Tan Sri Muhyiddin, who leads Umno splinter Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu). \nIn what Zahid dubbed the \u201cSt Regis move\u201d, Mr Muhyiddin and select Umno leaders met for negotiations at a Kuala Lumpur hotel five days after the general election. \nAt that time, Mr Muhyiddin and Datuk Seri Anwar \u2013 whose coalitions had the two largest blocs in Parliament but no simple majority needed to form the government \u2013 were racing against each other to become premier. \nThe MPs eventually retracted their support for Mr Muhyiddin, and Zahid steered BN towards cooperating with long-time rivals Pakatan Harapan (PH) to help Mr Anwar - long considered an enemy of Umno - to become premier. \nThis secured Umno\u2019s place in the federal government despite taking just 26 seats at GE15, and deputy premiership for Zahid, who has been blamed for the party\u2019s worst showing in history. \nZahid is expected to face a leadership challenge from the opposing camp in the coming months in the run-up to party polls that must be held by May 19. \n", "\nThe ongoing assembly and the party polls are expected to emerge as a yardstick for Umno grassroots\u2019 acceptance towards the party\u2019s working relationship with PH.\u00a0\nThe party\u2019s youth wing chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki - a strong Zahid ally - on Thursday announced that he will not defend his post in the upcoming party polls, potentially further testing Zahid\u2019s backing within the party. \nZahid\u2019s trial over 47 graft charges involving RM31 million (S$9.5 million) resumes next Monday. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/mps-who-backed-muhyiddin-for-pm-forgiven-but-being-watched-umno-chief-zahid"}, {"title": "Muhyiddin ally nabbed as graft busters probe alleged misappropriation of $28b in Covid-19 packages", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A close associate of former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been nabbed by graft busters over his alleged role in brokering government projects in exchange for bribes. \nAccording to a well-placed source, the man \u2013 the chief executive of a private company \u2013 is being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in relation to alleged misappropriation of Covid-19 stimulus packages worth RM92.5 billion (S$28.2 billion) by the then Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration. \n\u201cHe is close to Mr Muhyiddin and is a divisional Bersatu leader as well,\u201d the source told The Straits Times on Thursday. Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Parti Islam SeMalaysia are the main components of Tan Sri Muhyiddin\u2019s PN.\n\n\n\n\n\nMACC chief commissioner Azam Baki has confirmed the arrest. \nThe man is accused of taking bribes to connect contractors to high-ranking officials. He will be detained until Jan 10. \nIf convicted, he faces up to 20 years in jail and a fine of up to five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher,  The Star Online reported. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nST has learnt that the 42-year-old is also a council member of the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Charity Golf Foundation. \n\nAccording to its website, the foundation \u201caims to achieve a series of objectives through contributions made by corporations and individuals at a series of charity events held during the course of each year\u201d.\nMACC raided eight government agencies and nine companies in December 2022 as part of its probe into the alleged misappropriation of RM92.5 billion by the PN government. \nAn MACC source told ST then that investigations had found that these agencies had received a \u201chuge allocation\u201d from the stimulus packages approved by the government in 2020 and 2021.\u00a0\nMr Muhyiddin was Malaysia\u2019s prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021 before he was replaced by Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, whose party is now a member of the unity government. \nIn early December 2022, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim halted flood mitigation projects worth RM7 billion that had been approved that year under Datuk Seri Ismail. He also ordered a review of Malaysia\u2019s state-owned 5G network that is now being rolled out, saying its formulation lacked transparency. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/muhyiddin-ally-nabbed-as-graft-busters-probe-alleged-misappropriation-of-28b-in-covid-19-packages"}, {"title": "Muslim groups slam Anwar government for dropping appeal on the use of \u2018Allah\u2019", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The Anwar Ibrahim administration\u2019s decision to drop an appeal in a decades-long battle over whether non-Muslims can use the word \u201cAllah\u201d to refer to God has sparked a furious response from Islamic groups, including the two largest Muslim political parties in Malaysia. \nThe dispute highlights the delicate inter-ethnic balance the unity government of disparate parties must maintain, especially ahead of crucial state polls in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah expected in July.\nThe appeal was filed against a 2021 High Court verdict, which allowed \u201cAllah\u201d, and other religious words in Arabic, to be used by non-Muslims in publications for educational purposes, when the current opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) was in power.    \n\n\n\n\n\nBut Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail clarified on Tuesday that the decision was due to a defective administrative order issued by the Home Ministry 37 years ago. \n\u201cThe Kuala Lumpur High Court\u2019s decision was made based on a civil and administrative approach... not from a theological aspect or anything involving the use of the word \u2018Allah\u2019,\u201d Datuk Seri Saifuddin, who is also chief secretary of Prime Minister Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, told reporters.\n\nHe added that the Home Ministry is in the process of formulating a \u201ccomprehensive directive\u201d on the use of the words \u201cAllah\u201d, \u201cBaitullah\u201d, \u201cSolat\u201d, and \u201cKaabah\u201d in order to be in line with the \u201cinterests of the multiracial and multi-religious community in Malaysia\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe notice to withdraw the appeal \u2013 which was filed by the Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers on April 18 but came to light only this week \u2013 has been panned by PN and Islamic civil society groups.\n\n\n\u201cWe are of the view the move... can affect the harmony of the multi-ethnic and religious community in this country,\u201d said Syariah Lawyers Association of Malaysia president Musa Awang. \nExpressing disappointment, Mr Musa called on the government to offer a full explanation, as \u201cit directly affects the interest of Muslims\u201d in Malaysia.\nJustice Nor Bee Ariffin, now a Court of Appeal judge, had ruled in March 2021 that a 1986 Home Ministry directive prohibiting the use of the words \u201cAllah\u201d, \u201cKaabah\u201d (Islam\u2019s holiest shrine in Mecca), \u201cBaitullah\u201d (House of God), and \u201csolat\u201d (prayer) by non-Muslims was illegal and unconstitutional. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe court action taken by Ms Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill, a Melanau aboriginal from the eastern state of Sarawak, began after eight CDs that the Christian woman obtained from Indonesia were seized by Customs officers at the airport in 2008 as the content contained the word \u201cAllah\u201d. \nEven though the Kuala Lumpur High Court decided on the matter on the basis of the federal Constitution\u2019s safeguards on freedom of religion and the Home Minister\u2019s lack of power to enact such a ban, Datuk Seri Anwar insisted on Tuesday evening that \u201cthis (ruling) is specifically for Sarawak\u201d and is not applicable to other states. \nUmno information chief Azalina Othman Said, the de facto law minister in the Anwar administration, on Tuesday insisted \u201cmore in-depth research\u201d was needed, and said ministers from the party would raise the issue in Cabinet on Wednesday.     \nHer statement reflects the importance of religious issues ahead of the state polls involving about half of Malaysia\u2019s Muslim majority electorate. The elections are widely viewed as a referendum on Mr Anwar\u2019s PH-led government, which also counts a host of parties from the eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak as members.    \nPH will need the continued support of the lion\u2019s share of non-Malay Muslim voters, as doubts remain over whether key ruling partner Umno can staunch the flow of Malay voters to the opposition PN, as seen in November\u2019s general election.  \nPN\u2019s two main components, former premier Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) \u2013 the largest single party in Parliament \u2013 accused the government of failing to safeguard Islam. \u201cIs the government under Anwar Ibrahim encouraging pluralism that will threaten the sanctity of Islam?\u201d asked Bersatu youth information chief Ashraf Mustaqim Badrul. \n", "\nPAS deputy youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib claimed the ruling parties were \u201cdesperately trying to win support from non-Muslims ahead of the state polls\u201d,  but were \u201capathetic towards the sensitivities of Muslims in Malaysia\u201d.  \nThe High Court judgment had quashed a three-decade government ban on Christians using the word \u201cAllah\u201d and the three other words in their religious publications, ruling that \u201cthere is no such power to restrict religious freedom under Article 11. Religious freedom is absolutely protected even in times of threat to public order\u201d.  \nMs Bill\u2019s legal challenge, which began 15 years ago, also coincided with other court cases involving the use of \u201cAllah\u201d, although Catholic weekly The Herald was eventually denied in 2013 of overturning the Home Ministry ban on using the word. \nAt the height of both trials, right-wing groups in Malaysia protested against the rights of non-Muslims using the word \u201cAllah\u201d. Amid controversy over the issue, 11 churches and five mosques were firebombed or vandalised in 2010.  \nChristian Malaysians argue that they have used the word \u201cAllah\u201d to denote God for centuries in their own religious practice. Christians make up a substantial population of the two Malaysian Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak, where most congregations use the Malay language.   \nSome Sarawakian activists and lawmakers have expressed support for dropping the appeal.\nHowever, some Muslim leaders have argued that allowing Christians to use the word \u201cAllah\u201d could lead to public unrest and confusion. The word, they say, is largely perceived by Malaysia\u2019s Muslim community as referring exclusively to the Islamic God. \nChristianity, the third-largest religion in Malaysia, is practised by 13 per cent of the population. Muslims comprise nearly two-thirds of the population of 33 million.   \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/muslim-groups-slam-anwar-government-for-dropping-appeal-on-the-use-of-allah"}, {"title": "Myanmar arrests about 150 Rohingya fleeing to Malaysia", "text": ["\nYANGON \u2013 The Myanmar authorities have arrested about 150 Rohingya suspected of trying to flee to Malaysia, an official told AFP on Friday.\nThe group of men, women and children was arrested in Thanbyuzayat township in southern Myanmar, the official said, requesting anonymity as no authorisation to talk to the media had been given.\nThe official did not specify why the group had been arrested, but the Muslim minority faces restrictions on travelling within Myanmar, where rights groups say they live in apartheid-like conditions.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThey were hiding nearby in hilly forest between two villages... We started arresting them late last night after we got a tip-off,\u201d the source said.\nAccording to initial reports, the group had travelled by boat from the western state of Rakhine and planned to travel on to Thailand and then Malaysia by road, the official said. \nA number of non-Rohingya suspected of trafficking the group were also arrested, and police were looking for about 30 more people, according to the source.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017 sent hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fleeing into neighbouring Bangladesh with harrowing stories of murder, rape and arson.\n\nMyanmar is facing genocide accusations at the United Nations\u2019 top court following the mass exodus.\nWidely viewed in Myanmar as interlopers from Bangladesh, Rohingya are denied citizenship \u2013 along with access to healthcare and education \u2013 and require permission to travel.\nThe arrests come days after the junta said it would begin welcoming back members of the minority living in Bangladesh as soon as April, in a pilot repatriation programme.\nThe plan would see Myanmar \u201crepatriate about 1,500 displaced persons\u201d, state media on Friday quoted a senior border affairs official as saying.\nThe border official did not give a specific timetable and added that Myanmar had \u201cnot received any response yet\u201d to the plan. \n", "\nThe returning Rohingya would be placed in a \u201ctransit camp for a short period\u201d before being resettled in 15 villages, the official said.\n\u201cFor their safety and security, we have police stations near the 15 villages,\u201d it added.  \nThousands of Rohingya risk their lives each year making perilous journeys from camps in Bangladesh and Myanmar to reach Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia.\nMyanmar\u2019s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, who has dismissed the Rohingya identity as \u201cimaginary\u201d, was head of the armed forces during the 2017 crackdown. AFP \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/myanmar-arrests-about-150-rohingya-fleeing-to-malaysia"}, {"title": "Myanmar national killed in jet ski accident in Penang", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN, PENANG - A foreign national\u2019s outing with a friend ended in tragedy when he was killed in a jet ski accident at Batu Ferringhi beach on Sunday.\nMr Tun Lin Aung, from Myanmar, died when the jet ski he was riding hit a boat docked near the beach.\nPolice were alerted to the incident by the public at about 6.45pm, said George Town police department\u2019s deputy superintendent, Mr V. Saravanan. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cInitial investigation found that the victim, 22, was riding a rented jet ski when it collided with a boat docked nearby,\u201d Mr Saravanan said in a statement.\nHe said the crash resulted in injuries to the victim\u2019s chin and neck, and the victim was carried to the beach by several witnesses after the incident.\n\u201cThe victim was pronounced dead at about 5.35pm by paramedics at the scene,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFurther investigation found that the deceased came to Penang with his friend to attend the Songkran festival in Penang and has been working in Malaysia for three years with valid travel and working documents.\n\nA post-mortem will be conducted at Penang Hospital on Monday. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/myanmar-national-killed-in-jet-ski-accident-in-penang"}, {"title": "Najib and Rosmah\u2019s son gets engaged", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The youngest son of Najib Razak, Mr Mohd Norashman, is now engaged to Ms Nikola Mulyadi.\nUmno supreme council member, Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi, took to social media to share the news and photos of their engagement ceremony on April 29.\n\u201cIt was not the same without Bossku (Najib) but it was still a merry celebration.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cNorashman, who happened to be seated next to me, seemed calm and cheerful even though his father could not be in attendance at the ceremony, which was held at the Pavilion.\n\u201cHe is probably excited because at 3pm (April 29) he and his fiancee will visit \u2018Bossku\u2019 (Najib) in Kajang (Prison),\u201d he shared.\nDr Mohd Puad, who described the engagement ceremony as \u201cincomplete\u201d without Najib\u2019s presence, said he hoped the former prime minister would be able to attend the wedding.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s pray that Najib will be able to attend the wedding ceremony of Ashman and Nicola,\u201d he said.\n\nAlso present at the engagement ceremony were Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi and Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.\nNajib is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence in Kajang Prison after failing in his last appeal at the Federal Court to set aside the conviction.\nThe High Court had convicted him in July 2020 of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust involving SRC International funds amounting to RM42 million (S$12.6 million). He was sentenced to 12 years jail and fined RM210 million. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/najib-and-rosmah-s-son-gets-engaged"}, {"title": "Najib\u2019s 1MDB trial postponed after lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram\u2019s death", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has been postponed to Thursday following the death of lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram. \nMonday was set for a continued hearing where prosecution witness Joanna Yu, who was Najib\u2019s former relationship manager at AmBank, was supposed to take the stand.\nBut Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib asked High Court judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah for the proceedings to be adjourned in the light of Mr Sri Ram\u2019s sudden demise.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said Mr Sri Ram\u2019s wake and cremation ceremony would be held on Tuesday.\n\u201cAll of us in the prosecution team are seeking your permission to vacate the matter today and tomorrow to allow us to attend both functions (Mr Sri Ram\u2019s wake and cremation).\n\u201cHe was our boss, our team leader and he was like a father to all of us,\u201d said the distraught prosecutor on Monday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe (also) humbly seek your lordship\u2019s indulgence for an adjournment on the basis that the prosecution team would have to discuss the purpose of redistribution of the various focus of works vis-a-vis the witnesses,\u201d DPP Ahmad Akram said.\n\nNajib\u2019s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told the court the defence had no objection to the adjournment.\n\u201cI would absolutely have no objection whatsoever,\u201d he said.    \nTan Sri Muhammad Shafee also extended his condolences to the prosecution team.    \nJustice Sequerah then allowed the adjournment.\n\u201cThis trial will resume on Thursday with the continued cross-examination of Yu,\u201d he said.    \nNajib, 70, is on trial for 25 charges in total. \nFour of these are for abuse of power that allegedly brought him financial benefit to the tune of RM2.28 billion (S$706 million), and 21 for money laundering involving the same amount of money. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/najib-s-1mdb-trial-postponed-after-lead-prosecutor-gopal-sri-ram-s-death"}, {"title": "Speech-writer says he received nearly $6.7m for providing media services to Najib", "text": ["\nA speech-writer said his company was paid nearly RM23 million (S$6.7 million) over three years for providing media consultancy services to former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, but told a court he could not identify the source of those funds.\nMr Omar Mustapha, director of Semarak Konsortium Satu, told the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Wednesday that the company received the payment through 39 cheques from March 3, 2011, to April 23, 2014. \nThe payments for providing international media team services and English speech-writers to Najib totalled RM22,981,688, reported Bernama. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe company had provided various services, such as preparing Najib\u2019s English speeches. \n\u201cIt was also for coordinating all matters with international media based in Malaysia, organising Najib\u2019s interviews with international media during his overseas visits, and providing interview drafts or articles by Najib in English magazines or newspapers,\u201d said Mr Omar. \nHe was the 45th witness testifying during the trial on corruption and money-laundering charges Najib is facing, involving RM2.3 billion of 1Malaysia Development Berhad funds.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Omar said his work with Najib began after the government decided not to renew the contract with a public relations firm, APCO Worldwide, according to the New Straits Times. \n\n\u201cThis decision came following the revelation that the government had spent RM76.8 million per year on APCO from July 2009 to June 2010,\u201d said Mr Omar, adding that the payment had been raised by the opposition in Parliament.\n\u201cIn March 2011, I identified a business opportunity and approached Najib to offer him international media team services and English speech-writing.\n\u201cI presented these services on a cost upfront (reimbursable basis), where I would submit monthly expense claims and profit margins for reimbursement by him. Najib agreed to the arrangement.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cNo contract was requested or signed for these services, and Najib did not request a contract either. This arrangement was based on a verbal agreement.\u201d\nNajib was the only client of the company, said Mr Omar during a cross-examination by defence lead counsel Shafee Abdullah.\nMr Omar went to Najib\u2019s office personally every month to collect the cheques. \n\u201cI see him (Najib) monthly and I give him invoices, including for operating costs, and he will proceed with the payments.\n\u201cI received the payments for three years from him without being questioned by the bank or getting any red flags from the bank,\u201d he said.\n", "\nMeanwhile, Mr Omar said during a re-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib that the services provided to Najib were for official purposes. \nMr Omar said he did not know the source of the money that Najib used to pay for his company. \nHe said he could only confirm that the cheques he received from Najib were \u201cunnamed\u201d cheques or \u201cnumbered cheque account\u201d, with no names printed on the cheques to identify where the money was coming from.\nWhen questioned by Mr Shafee, Mr Omar also named Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as an example of another former prime minister who had used speech-writing services, while also claiming that current Premier Anwar Ibrahim had used speech-writers when he was a deputy prime minister.\nSeparately, an alleged audio recording between Najib and a Saudi monarch was also played during the trial. \nThe prosecution also played several other clips believed to be conversations between Najib and other well-known individuals.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/najib-s-ex-speechwriter-said-he-received-nearly-67m-for-media-services-drafting-english-speeches"}, {"title": "Najib\u2019s failure to adjourn hearing was self-inflicted, not breach of justice: Prosecutor", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak\u2019s failed bid to adjourn his final appeal hearing against a 12-year jail sentence was \u201cself-inflicted\u201d and not a breach of natural justice, a prosecutor told the Federal Court on Wednesday.  \nDeputy Public Prosecutor V. Sithambaram said Najib\u2019s lawyers had at the hearing in Aug 2022 maintained a \u201cblind confidence\u201d that their application for additional evidence and adjournment would be allowed by the Federal Court, and were unprepared for legal argument when the appeal hearing proceeded instead.\n\u201cThere was no breach of natural justice by the refusal of adjournment as it is self-inflicted. There was no \u2018Plan B\u2019 in the event the court did not allow the adjournment. Najib\u2019s then lead counsel Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik and Zist treated the whole appeals complacently and expected that they would be entitled to an adjournment despite the clear instruction from the top court that the main appeal would proceed,\u201d Datuk Sithambaram said, referring to law firm Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners (Zist).\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Sithambaram was making submissions at the hearing for Najib\u2019s application to review the court decision that confirmed his conviction and 12 years\u2019 jail sentence for misappropriating RM42 million (S$12.9 million) belonging to former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) subsidiary SRC International, claiming that he was not given a fair hearing.\nThe prosecutor said that after the adjournment was refused, Najib\u2019s defence team then filed an application to recuse Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat from the panel of judges hearing the appeal. \n\u201cThis was again nothing but another desperate attempt to scuttle the hearing of the appeals,\u201d he added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn August 2022, Mr Hisyam asked for a postponement of three to four months, as he had taken over Najib\u2019s case only several weeks earlier. \n\nThe request was dismissed by a five-judge panel led by Chief Justice Maimun.\nMr Hisyam then refused to make any submission on Najib\u2019s behalf. \nThe Federal Court subsequently upheld Najib\u2019s conviction and sentence on Aug 23, 2022. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Sithambaram said Mr Hisyam and Zist should not have accepted the case when hearing dates were already fixed, unless they were prepared to proceed with the appeal. \nHe added that Najib\u2019s move to switch counsel midway was a strategic move to adjourn the appeal hearing.\n\u201cNajib had four months to engage solicitors and prepare the case if he indeed wanted to change his existing solicitors and counsel. Discharging his long-time counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah from Messrs Shafee & Co was a strategic move to adjourn the appeal,\u201d he said.\nNajib is also seeking a review of the court\u2019s decision to dismiss his attempt to postpone his appeal hearing, as well as its decision not to recuse Tun Tengku Maimun from the Federal Court appeal due to Facebook posts made by her husband in May 2018.\n", "\nThe latter had allegedly demonstrated negative views of Najib\u2019s leadership and had concluded that he had siphoned funds from 1MDB into his personal bank account.\n\nIn addition, Najib is attempting to nullify his hearing in the High Court on the basis of trial judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali not recusing himself over an alleged conflict of interest.\n\nOn Jan 4, Najib petitioned the United Nations Human Rights Council\u2019s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to rule that the dismissal of his appeal by the Federal Court in August 2022 was unjust and flawed as he \u201cwas sent to jail without the opportunity to defend himself\u201d.\n\nHis legal team had said that a failure to give a new set of lawyers more time to prepare \u2013 after being appointed three weeks before the appeal in the federal court \u2013 had unjustly punished Najib.\n\nThe hearing continues next Monday. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/najib-s-failure-to-adjourn-hearing-was-self-inflicted-not-breach-of-justice-prosecutor"}, {"title": "Najib lodges complaint with UN human rights council, claims unfair hearing at apex court", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s former prime minister Najib Razak on Thursday petitioned the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) to rule the dismissal of his August 2022 Federal Court appeal as unjust and flawed, as he \u201cwas sent to jail without the opportunity to defend himself\u201d.\nHe will also argue at a Jan 19 review of his jailing over a 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)-related corruption charge that he was not given a fair hearing.\nHis legal team said a failure to give a new set of lawyers more time to prepare \u2013 after being appointed three weeks before the appeal in the Federal Court \u2013 unjustly punished Najib.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAt all material times, Najib thought this process of change of lawyers and being provided more time was a regular occurrence and should not be an issue (because in normal cases, it is exactly that),\u201d said the defence team in a written summary of its planned submissions. \n\u201cInstead, the Federal Court did not allow the new lawyers any time and said they should not have taken up the brief if they were not prepared and insisted the appeal go on. \n\u201cIn other words, the Federal Court punished Najib due to the \u2018fault\u2019 of his lawyers (as alleged by the court) which is patently unfair. This is like punishing person A for a mistake done by person B.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile any ruling by the WGAD would not be directly binding, it would be \u201cvery influential\u201d, according to Najib\u2019s lawyer Shafee Abdullah, especially since Malaysia had a jurist who is currently a member of the working group.\u00a0\n\nAlthough the apex court had set Jan 4 as the deadline for submissions, defence counsel Farhan Shafee told The Straits Times on Wednesday that they requested an extension \u201cto facilitate some additional material\u201d ahead of the judicial review. The team will make the submissions on Monday.\nNajib had appointed senior lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik in July 2022 to lead his appeal against a 2020 High Court conviction for one charge of abuse of power, as well as three counts each of criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving RM42 million (S$12.8 million) from former 1MDB subsidiary SRC International.\nNajib has been serving a 12-year jail sentence since the five-man Federal Court bench led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat dismissed his appeal on Aug 23.\n\u201cIt is Najib\u2019s right to change his counsel, and he has never done so before. Although the public has speculated this was a delay tactic, neither the court nor prosecution ever said this was the case,\u201d said the defence team, now again led by Tan Sri Shafee, who had represented Najib in the earlier stages of the SRC case.\nThe week-long appeal last August saw unprecedented scenes as a revolving door of defence lawyers representing Najib refused to make any written or oral submissions in defence of their client, claiming they were left unprepared by the decision not to postpone the hearing.\nMr Farhan also said on Wednesday that other facets of the review will include the dismissal of two other applications during the apex court proceedings. \nOne was a bid by Najib\u2019s lawyers to nullify Najib\u2019s hearing in the High Court on the basis of trial judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali not recusing himself over an alleged conflict of interest.\nThe other was to recuse Justice Maimum from the Federal Court appeal due to Facebook posts made by her husband in May 2018 that allegedly demonstrated negative views of Najib\u2019s leadership and had concluded the then prime minister had siphoned funds from 1MDB into his personal bank account.\nDespite being convicted in 2020, the former Umno president had been allowed to post bail and live freely \u2013 and remain politically influential \u2013 until the Federal Court decision four months ago.  \nNajib is also seeking a royal pardon.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/najib-s-lawyers-want-his-jailing-reviewed-claims-unfair-hearing-at-apex-court"}, {"title": "Najib\u2019s petition to UN rights group does not affect judiciary: Malaysia\u2019s Chief Justice", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA \u2013 Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak\u2019s petition to the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD), in which he is seeking a release from prison or a retrial of his SRC International case, does not affect the judiciary, the Chief Justice said.\nChief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat said that the action by the former Pekan prime minister was \u201centirely up to him\u201d after the Federal Court had delivered its decision.\n\u201cOur job is done. We have discharged our responsibilities in terms of deciding on the case. Whatever he wants to do, whatever avenue he wants to explore, that is beyond us,\u201d she added.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe top judge was speaking at a press conference after attending the Opening of the Legal Year 2023 ceremony at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre on Monday.\nWhen asked if any decision by the UNWGAD would have a binding effect in Malaysia, Chief Justice Tengku Maimun refused to comment further.\n\u201c(All I can say is), the judiciary is not affected post the decision we deliver,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Jan 5, Najib\u2019s lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, told the press that the defence team had sent a petition titled Datuk Seri Najib Razak vs Malaysia to UNWGAD on the same day.\n\nNajib is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence after the Federal Court affirmed his conviction and sentence in the SRC case.\nAccording to Mr Muhammad Shafee, Najib is asking the UNWGAD panel of five experts on international justice to rule that the dismissal of his appeal by the Federal Court on Aug 23 was unjust, flawed and had violated his basic human rights and the Federal Constitution.\nNajib claimed that there were serious breaches of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Malaysia is a party to. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/najib-s-petition-to-un-rights-group-does-not-affect-judiciary-malaysia-s-chief-justice"}, {"title": "Najib\u2019s son offers to contest deputy chief\u2019s post in Umno Youth", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - A son of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin Najib, has offered to contest the post of deputy chief in Umno Youth in the coming party polls.\nMr Nazifuddin, who is a member of Langkawi Umno Youth, said he wished to help the youth wing attract more youngsters to strengthen the party.\nHe also said that as a member of a sports association, he could use it to approach young people to join the Malay nationalist party. Mr Nazifuddin is secretary-general of the Malaysian Olympic Council.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI want to contribute my strength in dignifying sports activities, unearthing talent and skills, improving economic standards and implementing beneficial programmes for young people.\n\u201cIf given the opportunity to hold this position, I will focus on new voters such as school leavers so that they can help us win the next general election,\u201d he said in a statement on Sunday.\nMr Nazifuddin, who is around 40 years old, said he realised that one of Umno\u2019s main challenges was in attracting the young to join the party, but that he was up to the task.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI can give back to the party that has contributed so much not only to the Malays, but to all Malaysians.\n\n\u201cI humbly ask for support from all of my Umno Youth peers nationwide,\u201d he said.\nUmno will hold its internal party polls from Feb 1 to March 18.\nThe two top posts - Umno president and deputy president - won\u2019t be contested, as controversially agreed by the party\u2019s recent annual assembly. But other posts are up for grabs, from the three vice-president posts, to top positions in the Women, Youth and Young Women (Puteri) wings.\nMr Nazifuddin\u2019s elder brother, and Najib\u2019s eldest son, Mohd Nizar Najib, 45, won for the first time the Pahang state seat of Peramu Jaya in the November 2022 general election, and is now a member of the State Executive Council (Pahang state Cabinet).\nEx-PM Najib started serving in August last year his 12-year sentence for misappropriating millions of dollars from a company linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, and was also fined RM210 million (S$65.3 million) by the court. He is seeking a review of his conviction. He is also facing other trials linked to 1MDB. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/najib-s-son-offers-to-contest-deputy-chief-s-post-in-umno-youth"}, {"title": "Nearly 15,000 students did not sit  national exam in Malaysia: Education Ministry", "text": ["\nALOR SETAR - Malaysia\u2019s Education Ministry will look into why 14,858 first-time candidates were absent from the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2022 examination. \nNoting that the absent candidates made up 3.8 per cent of the total of 388,832 candidates, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the ministry is looking into the right mechanism to resolve the issue. \nSPM, or the Malaysian Certificate of Education, is a national exam taken by all Form 5 students in Malaysia. It is the equivalent of the GCE O-level exam in Singapore. \n\n\n\n\n\nMs Fadhlina said there could be several reasons that may have prompted the students to give the exam a miss. \n\u201cThe ministry is looking into the factors so that we can identify (the reasons) and stage a necessary intervention to ensure better attendance in coming years,\u201d she said. \nSpeaking to reporters in Jalan Kuala Kedah on Sunday, she said a trend compared with the previous year can be concluded only\u00a0when the findings are ready. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere are various categories of candidates, such as those from Education Ministry schools, private candidates and others. Hence, we need a proper breakdown to identify why this is happening,\u201d she said. \n\nMs Fadhlina said more than 90 per cent of SPM candidates were eligible to obtain their certificates, adding that the rate is higher than in previous years. \nShe said there was no need to release the rankings for the best-performing schools for SPM 2022. \nIt was reported that the 14,858 first-time candidates did not turn up for at least six subjects. \nAccording to the ministry\u2019s analysis, the number of absent candidates in 2021 was 10,681, or 2.7 per cent of the 392,837 registered candidates. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/nearly-15000-students-did-not-sit-for-national-exam-in-malaysia-education-ministry"}, {"title": "Netizens\u2019 interest spikes as Malaysian durian seller turns up the heat", "text": ["\nA Malaysian durian seller has become a social media sensation after videos of his buffed body on display as he hawked the thorny fruit shirtless went viral. \nIn several videos uploaded on his Tiktok account, Mr Amir Syarifuddin Suhaimi is seen manning his durian stall in the Malaysian east coast state of Terengganu clad only in a pair of pants and cap, wearing slippers and a pair of sunglasses.\nHis stall is located near the Kuala Terengganu drawbridge, about 2.7km from the state capital of Kuala Terengganu.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOne video that featured him surrounded by his durians has garnered over 600,000 views and more than 22,000 likes. Another video of him selling customers the Musang King variety had over 244,000 views.  \nMany claimed they suddenly craved durians after watching the videos while some attributed his scanty clothing to the current heatwave.  \n\u201cThe temperature in Malaysia has reached 40 deg C... It is normal if he doesn\u2019t wear a shirt (because it is) hot,\u201d wrote a commenter \u201cmama tasha\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, there were some who said he should cover up.\n\n\u201cWhile you are running your business, you should also take care of your aurat,\u201d wrote \u201cSha\u201d, referring to the parts of the body required to be clothed in Islam.\nMr Amir, 34, remains unperturbed by the attention. \n\u201cI just ignore the negative comments while I thank those for their positive comments and support,\u201d he told The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said it was not unusual for durian traders in Terengganu\u2019s famous Pasar Payang to go shirtless, pointing out that it was the norm decades ago.\n\n\u201cSo I am bringing back the nostalgia by doing so now,\u201d he added.\n\nDespite his newfound fame, Mr Amir claimed his durian business, which operates from Thursday to Sunday at 5pm to midnight, has not spiked. \n", "\nOn average, he earns about RM1,000 to RM1,500 (S$293 to S$440) a day selling Musang King, D24 and IOI varieties, said the single father of three children aged between nine and five.\nHis main job is helping in his family business of selling keropok lekor (fried fish sticks), which started after Malaysia lifted its Covid-19 restrictions in June 2021. \nBefore the pandemic, Mr Amir worked as a personal trainer in Kuala Lumpur and has won several bodybuilding competitions. \n", "\nHe said he has maintained his buff frame by having a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, which also does not contain sugar, oil and salt.\nOn top of that, he trains at the gym four to five times a week.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/netizens-interest-spikes-as-malaysian-durian-seller-turns-up-the-heat"}, {"title": "New 15km bicycle lane for a greener Johor Baru; car-free day on March 18", "text": ["\nJOHOR BARU \u2013 Those keen on cycling in Johor Baru can now zip along a 15km bicycle lane around the city centre that runs next to several main roads.\nJohor Baru mayor Mohd Noorazam Osman said the lane was introduced in mid-January as part of the Johor Baru City Council\u2019s (MBJB) efforts to promote the use of bicycles and encourage a healthier lifestyle.\n\u201cWe also want to promote a low-carbon society by reducing vehicle usage in the city,\u201d he added during a board meeting at Menara MBJB in Johor Baru.\n\n\n\n\n\nSome of the roads where the blue bicycle lane runs parallel to include Jalan Ayer Molek, Jalan Yahya Awal, Jalan Tasek Utara, Jalan Datin Halimah, Jalan Kolam Ayer and Jalan Wong Ah Fook next to City Square and JB Komtar shopping malls.\nThe city council is identifying other roads suitable for incorporating bicycle lanes to create a network that connects to all main locations in the city, said Datuk Noorazam.\n\u201cThere are some who have opposed this idea, saying it can lead to many problems, but as a city that is continuously growing towards sustainability, changes need to be made no matter how small.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis is in line with what has been practised in other major cities around the globe, and will act as support for public transportation in Johor Baru city,\u201d he noted.\n\nHe added that MBJB would continue to carry out improvements on the lane.\n\u201cIt is equipped with a few safety features such as aluminium solar reflective studs, signboards to indicate sharing lanes and pavement indicators,\u201d he said, highlighting that the lane was built according to safety regulations and specifications.\nTo encourage cycling, MBJB will be working with the Darul Ta\u2019zim Bicycle Club to organise the Johor Baru Criterium Championships 2023 Mayor\u2019s Cup and a 20km fun ride at the Dataran Bandaraya Johor Baru on March 10 and 11.\n\u201cWe will also be organising a neon recreational night on March 10 and a car-free day on March 18,\u201d he added.\nSeparately, the mayor said the city council had started its litter-picking programme every Sunday in areas under the MBJB.\n\u201cSo far, more than 6,180kg of rubbish have been collected during these plogging activities,\u201d he noted, referring to a combination of jogging while picking up litter.\n\u201cHowever, the numbers are not something to be proud of as it clearly shows the lackadaisical mentality of city folk who do not seem to care about the environment.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/new-15km-bicycle-lane-for-a-greener-johor-bahru-car-free-day-on-march-18"}, {"title": "New Malaysia govt to replace secretary-general of Finance Ministry: Reports", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The new Malaysian government is set to replace the secretary-general of the Finance Ministry, one of the most powerful posts in the civil service, local media reports say.\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the finance minister, said at a news conference on Tuesday after reporting for duty at the Treasury for the first time that there will be a \u201cnew KSP\u201d. He was referring to the Malay acronym for the secretary-general\u2019s post, Ketua Setiausaha Perbendaharaan.\nDatuk Seri Anwar has said that former Petronas president and chief executive Mohd Hassan Marican has been appointed to lead a team to advise the Treasury on ways to restore the economy.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOf course, we will refer to the relevant senior officials and new KSP,\u201d he said on Tuesday, as quoted by Berita Harian daily, when asked how they would go about their work at the ministry.\nThe post of secretary-general is the most senior non-political position in a Malaysian ministry. The Finance Ministry\u2019s post is one of the most important ones among top civil servants as the person oversees the approval of government projects, at times worth billions of dollars. \nThe Treasury secretary-general\u2019s post is currently held by Datuk Seri Asri Hamidin, who is reported by several media outlets as having been placed on leave. The New Straits Times reported that Mr Asri\u00a0was not present at Mr Anwar\u2019s news conference on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Asri, 56, was appointed in April 2020 when Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was prime minister.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/new-malaysia-govt-to-replace-secretary-general-of-finance-ministry-reports"}, {"title": "Newborn baby found abandoned and covered with ants at a bus stop in Taiping, Malaysia", "text": ["\nIPOH \u2013 A newborn baby was found abandoned and covered with ants at a bus stop in Taiping, a town in Perak, Malaysia. \nTaiping police officer Razlam Ab Hamid said a woman found the baby at the Taman Kota bus stop at around 10am on Wednesday.\n\u201cThe woman who found the baby initially parked her car at the bus stop to take some items out of the car,\u201d he said in a statement on Wednesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhen she stepped out of her vehicle, she heard the baby crying. The abandoned baby boy was found wrapped in a brown towel, inside a box.\u201d\nAssistant Commissioner Razlam said the baby was taken to Taiping Hospital for medical attention.\n\u201cA brief medical examination showed that the baby, weighing 2.62kg, had a breathing problem and needed intubation.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHe also showed signs of dehydration and was given an intravenous drip,\u201d said AC Razlam, adding that the baby was also given antibiotics as it was believed that he had an infection. \u201cThe baby is currently stable and still receiving treatment at the neonatal intensive care unit.\u201d\n\nHe said the police were investigating the case to identify the suspects who abandoned the baby.\n\u201cWe urge anyone with information regarding this case to contact the police immediately,\u201d he said.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/newborn-baby-found-abandoned-covered-with-ants-at-bus-stop-in-taiping-malaysia"}, {"title": "No celebrations, no convoys to mark Anwar\u2019s swearing in as Malaysia PM: DAP secretary-general", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Democratic Action Party (DAP) leaders at all levels must not organise any form of celebration or convoy to mark the appointment of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Malaysia\u2019s 10th prime minister, said Mr Anthony Loke Siew Fook.\nThe DAP secretary-general said this in a statement released on Thursday after the announcement by Istana Negara that Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Anwar would be sworn in as the next prime minister.\n\u201cDAP has instructed all levels of the party leadership to not organise any form of celebrations or vehicle convoys.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe urge all parties to stay calm and respect the decision of the King and the Council of Malay Rulers.\n\u201cThe government which will be formed is a unity government, which will include all other political coalitions.\n\u201cWe must unite and cooperate in assisting the Prime Minister to guide this country out of the current issues we are facing,\u201d said Mr Loke. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/no-celebrations-no-convoys-to-mark-anwar-s-swearing-in-as-malaysia-pm-dap-secretary-general"}, {"title": "No Covid-19 case surge expected in upcoming festive celebrations: Malaysia\u2019s health chief", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA: No surge in Covid-19 cases is expected during the upcoming festive celebrations, says the Health Ministry.\nIts director-general, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, said daily Covid-19 cases and hospitalisation rates were also on a downward trend.\nHe said there are several strategies taken to tackle the spread of Covid-19, the first being to monitor Covid-19 case trends and wastewater samples to detect any new variants.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Noor Hisham then said that stricter Covid-19 mitigation measures will be considered if certain criteria are detected.\n\nThis includes a surge in the number of imported cases, the presence of new variants besides Omicron and if there is an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases\n\nHe said this at a press conference at the Health Ministry on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAn increase in hospitalisations due to Covid-19 will also see the Health Ministry consider stricter Covid-19 mitigation measures, he said.\n\nHe added that the Covid-19 variant called XBB.1.5 discovered in the United States has yet to be detected in Malaysia.\n\u201cDespite that, we are still monitoring Covid-19 variants and their potential mutations,\u201d he said.\nOn whether the upcoming Thaipusam and Chinese New Year celebrations would see any standard operating procedures being implemented, Dr Noor Hisham said the status quo would remain.\n\u201cWe have gone through various festive celebrations last year such as the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations and observed that there was no surge in cases. Hence, we will stick to the same procedures practised during festive celebrations last year,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/no-covid-19-case-surge-expected-in-upcoming-festive-celebrations-malaysia-s-health-chief"}, {"title": "No cross-dressing, blackout dates among stricter rules mooted for concerts in Malaysia", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - Male foreign artistes will not be allowed to \u201ccross-dress\u201d or dress up like women when performing in Malaysia, according to new government guidelines on concerts and live shows.\nThis is one of the new rules added to guidelines by the Central Agency for Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (Puspal), as seen by Malaysian daily The Star.\nAnother new rule is that large-scale concerts and live performances by international acts will be barred from being held on the night before and actual days of Islamic public holidays unless permitted by the \u201crespective Islamic authorities\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\nAmong the examples of Islamic occasions listed in the guidelines are the entire fasting month of Ramadan, the Islamic New Year or Awal Muharram and Hari Raya Aidilfitri.\nForeign artistes will not be allowed to hold big concerts and live performances on such days out of respect for the religious events.\nPreviously, the guidelines, last updated in 2019, did not have restrictions on shows on the eve of such occasions nor did they specify examples of religious events other than Ramadan.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe new guidelines, however, reduced the number of blackout dates for shows during Malaysia\u2019s independence celebrations, which include National Day on Aug 31 and Malaysia Day on Sept 16.\n\nIn the previous guidelines, all concerts by foreign artistes could not be held throughout the \u201cindependence month\u201d from Aug 25 to Sept 16.\nNew rules state that blackout dates will now be limited to Aug 30 and 31, as well as Sept 15 and 16.\nAsked to comment further, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the updates to the guidelines were made to protect the sensitivities of everybody in Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe have consulted all communities, including Muslims and non-Muslims, in drafting the updated guidelines,\u201d he told The Star.\n\u201cAt the same time, the guidelines were also amended after receiving feedback from industry players. We agreed to make the guidelines more clearly spelt out so that they can be easily understood.\u201d\nThe government is expected to unveil these new guidelines for international acts taking the stage in Malaysia by the end of 2023.\nMr Fahmi said there would be continued engagement with stakeholders and a second phase of updates will be introduced to the guidelines.\n\u201cIt should be ready by December this year, to be enforced in 2024. Among our suggestions are to improve the level of concerts and live performances for the audience,\u201d he said.\n\u201cWe want to spell out a set of standards on what industry players can do to ensure a good experience for concertgoers and spectators, such as by having clean and sufficient toilets, proper seating and facilities.\u201d\nHe added: \u201cMalaysia is planning to attract more international stars to hold their shows here, and such measures will be introduced later.\u201d\n", "\nOn the criterion prohibiting cross-dressing for male foreign acts, Mr Fahmi said: \u201cMalaysia does not discriminate against any international act from coming here.\n\u201cBut foreign artistes will have to follow the code of conduct and dress code in the guidelines when they perform on stage in Malaysia.\u201d\nThe updated guidelines also specify that both male and female foreign acts are not allowed to remove any clothing during their performances.\nAside from live performances, the guidelines also govern foreign film crews recording content in Malaysia.\nOne of the new criteria for filming is that the script of such content must not negatively depict any security or enforcement agency in Malaysia, such as the police or military forces.\nScripts must also be reviewed and approved by Puspal before they can proceed to filming. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/no-cross-dressing-blackout-dates-among-stricter-rules-mooted-for-concerts-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "No need to push the panic button: The Star", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - IT\u2019S been a long war, and we\u2019re still fighting it: We are entering our fourth year battling the Covid-19 virus.\nIn the first quarter of 2022, Malaysia eased most restrictions imposed to counter the pandemic \u2013 lockdowns were lifted in most states, the economy had been fully operational for a while by then, and borders were opened completely.\nSince then, despite surges in case numbers occasionally, life has almost returned to a pre-Covid normal as we transition slowly towards endemicity.\n\n\n\n\n\nBut for some, Covid-19 concerns have returned following the surge of cases in China, where the government dropped its zero-Covid policy after major protests and opened its borders, allowing its citizens to travel for tourism from today onwards. Malaysians are worried because many of those citizens will be heading here, as Malaysia is currently among the more popular destinations among China tourists searching for flights online, according to online travel agency Trip.com.\nAnd with these tourists might come a spike in Covid-19 again, say some, who are so concerned, they\u2019re talking about closing borders again, at least to tourists from China.\nBut that would be a knee-jerk reaction that is not very useful, as International Air Transport Association (IATA) director-general Willie Walsh pointed out in a statement on Wednesday: \u201c... governments should listen to the advice of experts, including the WHO (World Health Organisation), that advise against travel restrictions.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe IATA represents about 300 airlines comprising 83 per cent of global air traffic.\n\nIt\u2019s not yet time to press the panic button, folks.\nPrime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government plans to screen travellers for fever to curb imported Covid-19 cases from countries with high infection rates.\nMaking the point that we will not discriminate against tourists from China, all international travellers will be screened.\nLast Monday, Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah offered further reassurance when he gave a breakdown of the number of Covid-19 cases in Malaysia caused by the two subvariants currently spreading in China: as of Dec 31, 2022, there were 4,148 cases of the BA.5.2 and three cases of the BF.7 subvariants. However, he said, no data links serious cases or deaths to them.\nInstead of panicking uselessly about a spike in cases, we should simply remain vigilant, as we did during the height of the pandemic.\nWe all know the drill by now: wear masks in crowded situations (whether indoors or outdoors) and on public transportation, and make sure you are not only fully vaccinated but also get your booster doses.\nThe government has been urging us to get those booster shots, as the take-up rate for the first booster is only 49 per cent \u2013 and it\u2019s a dangerously low 2 per cent for the second shot. Individuals who received their first booster dose more than six months ago should really get a second one.\nThe health authorities have also pointed out that there is no need to wait for the bivalent vaccine, as the existing monovalent vaccines effectively reduce severe Covid-19 symptoms and fatalities.\nSo if you\u2019re worried about the influx of tourists from China, what are you waiting for? Go get that booster shot. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\nThe paper is a member of The Straits Times media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 22 news media titles.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/no-need-to-push-the-panic-button-the-star"}, {"title": "No respite for Malaysian flood victims; number climbs to 53,000", "text": ["\nThere is no respite for flood-weary folks in Johor, Pahang and Melaka as the number of evacuees climbed to over 53,000 on Monday. \nJohor is bearing the brunt of the floods as continuous pelting rain since early last week saw 49,500 people from 14,200 families seeking shelter at 270 temporary relief centres as at 8am on Monday. By 8.30pm, with some going back to their homes, the number had dipped slightly to 41,417.\nWater levels of 14 rivers in seven districts breached the dangerous mark while 44 roads in eight districts including Segamat, Kota Tinggi, Kluang and Mersing are currently closed for all vehicles due to the floods.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe authorities and volunteers have been working around the clock to assist flood victims, including the Sultan of Johor, who dispatched three high-powered airboats to be used for food relief.\nJohor Prince Tunku Abu Bakar Sultan Ibrahim piloted one of the boats on Sunday to deliver food supplies to some flood victims.\n\n", "\nMeanwhile, Malaysian Chinese Association president Wee Ka Siong criticised the quality of food given to the victims. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a video posted on his Facebook on Sunday, Datuk Seri Wee said evacuees in his Ayer Hitam constituency received small servings of food that arrived late and appeared to be lacking in nutrition. \n\nWomen, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri said on Monday that food caterers have been warned not to give subpar food to flood victims.  \n\u201cCaterers admitted that the food given to evacuees was not good because they did not have enough ingredients. The floods have affected food supplies,\u201d she said.\nDespite the gloom, there are some bright spots. Water has started to recede in some areas in a few districts and people have started clean-up work.  Some enterprising shop owners continue to do business, hawking flood-damaged wares at a 50 per cent discount.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe hope for better weather in the coming days, which will allow the waters to recede faster,\u201d said the Fire and Rescue Department\u2019s\u00a0deputy director-general (operations) Edwin Galan Teruki.\n", "\nFishermen in Kota Tinggi town in Johor are reporting an unexpectedly large haul of catfish and giant snakehead fish.  \u201cA flood of blessing,\u201d a post on Facebook page Orang Kota-Tinggi said.\nThere have also been spontaneous acts of good deeds.\nA post on video-sharing app TikTok showed a man holding on to a lifeline that he was using to ferry food across a raging swathe of flood waters. \nMalaysian influencer Han Xiao Ai arranged for rescue boats to be sent to the worst-affected areas in Johor, and mobilised a team of volunteers to help distribute food and necessities to those who have evacuated their homes.\nThrough her Facebook page, she has managed to gather donations of water, milk, biscuits, towels and paracetamol.\nAs people look forward to a break in weather, the Johor government has started to make preparations for when the flood recedes. It has sent out an appeal for more than 2,000 volunteers to help with cleaning up homes, commercial premises and public facilities. \nIn response, Johor Democratic Action Party chairman Liew Chin Tong urged his party members to assist flood victims and volunteer for clean-up operations.\nNeighbouring Pahang is still housing 3,000 victims from 850 families in 20 relief centres, while Melaka currently has 600 victims from 150 families housed in six centres. \nThe opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition proposed that the government allocate at least RM300,000 (S$90,300) to all MPs whose constituencies are experiencing floods. \nPN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said this will enable aid to be immediately distributed to the victims.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/no-respite-for-malaysian-flood-victims-numbers-climb-to-53000"}, {"title": "No shame in getting tips on housing from Singapore, says Malaysian MP", "text": ["\nJOHOR BARU \u2013 A Malaysian MP has called on detractors of a government plan inviting experts from other countries, including Singapore, to improve Malaysia\u2019s housing policy to place public interest above political interest. \nTebrau MP Jimmy Puah Wee Tse said it was getting more difficult and frustrating for Malaysians to acquire homes as the cost of housing has been rising every year.\nLack of affordable housing is one of the most pressing and concerning issues for Malaysians, especially in major cities.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe government is on the right path in trying to find a workable solution to address the home ownership issue for the people,\u201d Mr Puah said in a statement released on Friday, adding that this includes plans by Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming to rope in experts from countries such as Singapore to look at Malaysia\u2019s housing situation.\nOn Jan 17, Mr Nga said that his ministry would examine case studies and best practices to tackle the affordable-housing issue for Malaysia. \nHe also said the Singapore Government is allowing the Republic\u2019s Housing Board (HDB) flat contractors to visit his ministry in February to share their knowledge about building affordable homes.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut the minister\u2019s plans did not go down well with several politicians, including Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, who has criticised Mr Nga\u2019s move.\n\nThe Kedah Menteri Besar reportedly suggested during a recent rally in Kedah\u2019s Sik district that Mr Nga\u2019s ministry was attempting to carry out the Silk Road agenda of China. A video taken of Mr Sanusi during the rally was circulated online.\nMr Puah said the racial undertones in the criticism and politicking were totally unwarranted.\n\u201cOf course, our civil servants have performed admirably in trying to provide housing accommodation to all Malaysians,\u201d said the Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-chairman for Johor.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that there are existing policies, such as PR1MA (1Malaysia Housing Programme) and People\u2019s Housing Programme, that have provided Malaysians with a roof over their heads, especially during these challenging times.\nMr Puah said those who criticise the government policies should do so with an unbiased lens and debate them on their merits versus the needs of society. \nThese critics should place the public interest over personal and political interests that would not benefit the millions of Malaysians desperate for housing, he added. \n", "\nHe said there is no shame in admitting that the Singapore HDB policy is one of the most successful in the world.\n\u201cNot only does it provide quality and affordable housing accommodation for its citizens, but the subsequent maintenance is also great.\u201d\nMr Puah said there is nothing wrong in wanting to learn from the success stories of others, and only those with a siege mentality will resist this opportunity.\nMr Nambee Ashvin Nambiar, general manager of the Yayasan My First Home (YMFH) foundation, said Mr Nga has made the right move to invite representatives from Singapore to share their knowledge. YMFH is a charitable foundation that focuses on promoting and facilitating the development of affordable housing and home ownership by low-income groups.\nMr Nambee said data has shown that nearly 80 per cent of Singaporeans are living in flats administered by the HDB. \nThe remaining 20 per cent, citizens from the upper middle class and the rich, are living in private developments such as condominiums and landed property. \nThese figures mean that Singapore is one of the countries in the world with almost 100 per cent home ownership.\n\u201cOne of the most attractive models that makes the housing situation in Singapore unique is the fact that the land is owned by the Government for a 99-year lease, taking off the land cost, which in return reduces the housing cost and makes it affordable,\u201d said Mr Nambee.\nYMFH believes house ownership should be a fundamental right, but unfortunately, in Malaysia, housing costs have risen faster than incomes, he added.\n\u201cWe have an exemplary model close to home; we must now understand the concept and localise it to suit most Malaysians,\u201d he said.    \n\u201cWe do not want to run into a long-term problem where people do not have a comfortable home and must keep renting and moving from one place to another due to cost.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK        \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/no-shame-in-getting-tips-on-housing-from-singapore-says-malaysian-mp"}, {"title": "No surprise Khairy sacked by Umno, says ex-adviser of former Malaysian PM Abdullah", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA, Selangor \u2013 The sacking of former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin by Umno is not a surprise, said Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan.\nThe former adviser to ex-prime minister Abdullah Badawi said that the action makes Umno irrelevant and it may be better for Mr Khairy if the former Rembau MP wants to stay in politics.\n\u201cUmno has become almost totally irrelevant anyway and perhaps it\u2019s better for Khairy \u2013 if he wants to remain in politics \u2013 to branch out on his own,\u201d said Mr Kalimullah in a statement on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAfter all, he\u2019s only 47 (years old).\n\n\u201cTun Mahathir Mohamad was sacked at 45 and came back as prime minister. Twice.\n\u201cAnwar Ibrahim was sacked by Umno and Mahathir at 50 and came back as prime minister after 24 years. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cKhairy? Who knows.\u201d\n\nMr Kalimullah said current Umno president Zahid Hamidi and deputy president Mohamad Hasan, popularly known as Tok Mat, are unlikely to become prime ministers despite having eliminated Umno\u2019s great hopes.\n\u201cCoincidentally, when Zahid was arrested and sidelined by Mahathir and Umno for being Anwar\u2019s supporter in 1998, it was Khairy\u2019s father-in-law Abdullah Badawi (then deputy prime minister) who intervened with Mahathir and brought Zahid back into the fold,\u201d said Mr Kalimullah.\nReferring to Mr Abdullah by his popularly known name, Mr Kalimullah added: \u201cI know that because Pak Lah\u2019s press secretary Kamarulzaman Zainal and I helped Zahid prepare his \u2018comeback\u2019 press statement.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cTok Mat was chief executive officer of Cycle & Carriage and was picked by Pak Lah (then prime minister) to be Negeri Sembilan mentri besar in 2004. \n\u201cAnd now both of them sacked his son-in-law?\n\n\u201cObviously KJ must have done something unforgivable \u2013 like criticising Zahid and Tok Mat?\u201d  Mr Kalimullah said, referring to Mr Khairy.\n", "\nMr Kalimullah added that he is glad Mr Abdullah is probably unaware of what is happening.\n\u201cIn that sense, I am glad Pak Lah has dementia and cannot see all this happening.\n\u201cAnyway, as I said, what\u2019s there to be surprised about? It\u2019s very rare to see gratitude or humility or a real democrat in Malaysian politics,\u201d he said. \nOn Friday, Umno started its purge, sacking Mr Khairy, who was once Umno Youth chief, and Tan Sri Noh Omar, a member of the party\u2019s supreme council.\n\u201cAs far as I am concerned, it is better for me to be sacked as opposed to being suspended,\u201d said Mr Noh.\n\u201cUmno under the leadership of the president, will not adhere to the law or party Constitution and they will do as they like to further their personal interests.\u201d\nOthers punished included former party vice-president and Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein, who was suspended for six years.\n\u201cWhat has happened will not break my spirit to continue my struggle for my religion, race and country,\u201d the former defence minister said on Saturday. \u201cThis is not the end, but merely a beginning.\u201d\nEarlier in a cryptic post on Facebook, he wrote: \u201cTheir evil must not make us lose our good.\u201d\nThe party\u2019s former information chief Shahril Hamdan, former youth executive council member Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, former Johor state executive council member and Tebrau Umno division chief Maulizan Bujang, and former Jempol MP Mohd Salim Mohd Shariff were also suspended for six years.\nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/no-surprise-khairy-sacked-by-umno-says-ex-advisor-of-former-malaysian-pm-abdullah"}, {"title": "Non-Muslim Malaysian woman fined for wearing shorts in Kelantan", "text": ["\nA non-Muslim woman was fined for wearing shorts in the east coast state of Kelantan, causing a storm on social media and prompted a federal minister to urge the local authority to cancel the fine.\nThe unnamed woman, who was clad in an oversized pink shirt and shorts, was issued the fine by the Kota Bharu Municipal Council (MPKB) on Sunday for \u201cindecent attire\u201d.\nThe 35-year-old, who owns a clothing store in the state capital of Kota Bharu, was found \u201cwearing shorts in public places\u201d by the council\u2019s enforcement officers, said MPKB president Rosnazli Amin. \n\n\n\n\n\nShe was fined under Section 34(2)(b) of MPKB\u2019s Business and Industrial Trade By-Laws 2019. \nThe provision states that Muslim and non-Muslim business owners have to ensure they are dressed decently while at work, and this applies to the employees as well.\nThe woman has been given seven days from Sunday to pay the fine or face legal action. The fine amount was not stated. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nPictures of the woman holding the paper document of her fine went viral on social media, sparking outrage among netizens who expressed fears that non-Muslims were being subjected to Muslim standards, despite being told otherwise over the years.\n\nIn the viral pictures, the woman was wearing a shorter black shirt and blue shorts, which was different from what she was wearing while being issued the fine.\nKelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said the action taken against the woman was under the local by-laws and not the state\u2019s syariah laws.\nDatuk Mohd Amar said all the local authorities have their own by-laws, and the MPKB had acted against both Muslims and non-Muslims previously for similar offences. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe federal Minister for Local Government Development, Mr Nga Kor Ming, has urged the council to retract the fine, saying that their action had infringed on the woman\u2019s  constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. \n\u201cThis is a non-Muslim shopkeeper in her own premises so it is her right to wear how she wants,\u201d news portal Malaysiakini quoted Mr Nga as saying. \u201cThese are fundamental rights and freedoms which are guaranteed in the Federal Constitution.\u201d\nKelantan\u2019s Federation of Chinese Associations president Oie Poh Choon urged female business owners to dress modestly, but he said the council should have issued a verbal warning to the woman first.\n", "\n\u201cKelantan is under an Islamic government,\u201d he said, referring to the Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) state government. \u201cAlthough (non-Muslims) have freedoms, there should be mutual respect for different cultures and traditions,\u201d he told Chinese broadsheet Nanyang Siang Pau.\nThe pro-Malay opposition Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) also disagreed with MPKB\u2019s move, with its legal and constitution bureau deputy chairman Sasha Lyna Latif saying the council had no power to regulate clothing or morality.\n\u201cThe standard imposed upon Muslim women, which is to cover the \u2018aurat\u2019, cannot be imposed upon non-Muslims,\u201d she said, referring to the parts of the body required to be clothed in Islam.\n\u201cThe word \u2018sopan\u2019 (decent) in Section 34(2)(b) is vague and open to manifold interpretation. It is unfair to subject the woman to a fine when the definition of the offence is unclear.\u201d\nMeanwhile, the Democratic Action Party (DAP) has offered free legal support to the woman, adding that it will help take up the case if she decides to sue the council.\nAmid the brouhaha, the woman\u2019s adopted father, Mr Sunny See Yeap Seng, may pay her fine just so the issue could be settled immediately.\n\u201cI do not wish for it to cause discord among the people... If the fine is less than RM500 (S$145), I may resolve it shortly,\u201d the businessman told English daily New Straits Times.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/non-muslim-malaysian-woman-fined-for-wearing-shorts-in-kelantan"}, {"title": "Not all Malaysians happy about PM Anwar\u2019s Nov 28 holiday", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN - Holidays, ironically, can become a headache as well.\nFederation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) Penang chairman Lee Teong Li explained that the last quarter of the year was usually a crucial time for companies as they would rush to complete their production and shipment before the festive period starts.\n\u201cThus, unplanned off days are a bane and the government should take into account these issues when declaring a holiday,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said that overtime payments for workers could run into hundreds of millions of ringgit throughout this period.\n\u201cThese expenses are not budgeted, which creates difficulties in production and financial planning.\u201d\nPublic holidays were declared for Nov 18 and 19 to allow voters to get home for polling.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd Nov 28 is also a public holiday, following the appointment of Anwar Ibrahim as Malaysia\u2019s 10th Prime Minister.\n\n\u201cThis is taxing for companies,\u201d said Mr Lee, noting that Christmas and New Year holidays were approaching as well.\nAnd despite the three-day weekend, the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) did not see a surge in bookings.\nThat\u2019s because the public announcement holiday for Monday came too suddenly, which meant that holiday-makers could not make arrangements for hotels and flight tickets, said MAH Kedah/Perlis chairman Eugene Dass.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe occupancy rate is still hovering around 50 per cent to 55 per cent, including in Langkawi,\u201d he said.\nMany people, he added, had not expected a day off tomorrow, so they decided to stay put and take a longer break during the school holidays, which is only about 10 days away.\nThe situation is similar in Penang, too.\nMAH Penang chairman Tony Goh said the occupancy rate was at 55 per cent to 60 per cent currently in Penang, as people were waiting for the December holidays.\n", "\n\u201cDespite the extra off day, many just can\u2019t pack up and go as they have to plan out their holidays.\n\u201cAnd it\u2019s too close to the school break next month. They will rather wait,\u201d he said.\nPenang Association of Tourism Attractions chairman Ch\u2019ng Huck Theng concurred, saying that people preferred to go on a longer holiday next month.\n\u201cMoreover, many of them had gone home for the polls, so travelling again is definitely out of the question due to the cost factor,\u201d he said.\nBookings for flight tickets would be exorbitant during weekends and on a short notice, he said.\n\u201cSo, people are not willing to spend that kind of money and would rather put off the holidays for now,\u201d he added.\nA check at several heritage sites in George Town showed the usual weekend crowd.\nNasi kandar restaurants enjoyed brisk business, though.\nHameediyah Restaurant director Muhammad Riyaaz Syed Ibrahim believes that there are more patrons due to the extended weekend, allowing out-of-towners to plan for a drive to Penang.\n\u201cAnother reason is probably because one popular nasi kandar restaurant here has been closed for some time. So, people will go elsewhere to savour their favourite dishes,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/not-all-malaysians-happy-about-pm-anwar-s-nov-28-holiday"}, {"title": "Nothing wrong with current nurse\u2019s uniform, says Malaysian health minister", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 There is nothing wrong with the uniform worn by nurses in Malaysia, said the country\u2019s health minister, Dr Zaliha Mustafa, on Sunday.\n\u201cThere are ethics nurses adhere to when it comes to their uniforms and it is clear to me that there is no problem,\u201d she said.\nDr Zaliha said what is more important for the ministry to focus on now is on providing the best services for the public.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe have just tabled the Health White Paper and should be focusing on what is important, which is providing the best health services to the people. For now, I do not see the uniform as an issue,\u201d she told reporters after the handing-over ceremony of three projects from the Public Works Department to the Health Ministry at Sultanah Aminah Hospital.\nShe had been asked to comment on the remarks on the attire of nurses made by Kuantan MP Wan Razali Wan Nor.\nWhile debating the White Paper of Public Health Reforms in Parliament recently, Mr Wan Razali said the government should consider changing the uniforms for nurses as they are too tight and not syariah-compliant.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe also said that women\u2019s body shapes were visible with the current uniform.\n\n\u201cAre we still following the Western dress code? Can it be changed to allow some \u2018relaxation\u2019 of the nurses\u2019 uniform?\u201d he told Parliament.\nThe Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) politican has since come under fire for his remarks.\nIn response, Malaysian Medical Association president Muruga Raj Rajathurai said current Health Ministry nurse uniforms are practical as they did not restrict the movement of nurses carrying out their duties.\nFormer deputy health minister Lee Boon Chye said the present uniforms are comfortable, functional and decent, catering well to each institution and individual preferences. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/nothing-wrong-with-current-nurse-s-uniform-says-malaysian-health-minister"}, {"title": "Number of flood evacuees in Malaysia exceeds 50,000", "text": ["\nThe number of people displaced by flooding in Malaysia soared to more than 50,000 in three states on Sunday as pelting rain continued unabated.\nHeavy downpours since early last week caused rivers to break their banks and drown villages, roads and vehicles. Four people have died. \nThe Fire and Rescue Department has advised residents near rivers, lakes and ponds to be vigilant about the possibility of another wave of floods.  \n\n\n\n\n\nThis comes as the Malaysian Meteorological Department warned of continuous rainfall in Johor, Pahang and parts of Sarawak until Monday. High tides are also expected in several states.\nAbout 50,500 people were housed in more than 300 temporary relief centres in Johor, Pahang and Melaka as at Sunday evening, according to a Department of Social Welfare portal.\nThe last two in Negeri Sembilan were closed on Sunday afternoon after receding flood waters allowed victims to return home, Malaysia\u2019s civil defence said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJohor continues to be the worst-hit state with almost 47,000 evacuees seeking shelter, prompting the authorities to open more relief centres. \n\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday visited Segamat, one of the worst-hit districts in the southern Malaysian states, where he met flood victims housed at relief centres.  \nHe said the flood situation in the country is still under control as waters have started to recede in several areas, and there is no need to declare a disaster emergency. \n\u201cThe government has decided not to declare a flood emergency, as rainfall is expected to ease. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSeveral places have also seen waters receding today. But, there are also some places that may have stagnant water and this may take some time (to recede). There is no need to announce an emergency for now,\u201d he said.\nHe said work on flood mitigation projects worth RM600 million (S$180 million) and above will start from June 1.  \n\u201cThe issue of floods will keep recurring if we do not take serious actions. This is not the first time it has happened \u2013 it has happened for many years,\u201d he said. \nMalaysian electricity provider Tenaga Nasional also shut down dozens of power substations in Johor, compounding the misery of thousands of flood-hit victims with power disruptions. Tenaga\u2019s general manager said supply would be resumed when waters receded.\nThe works ministry said 130 roads were damaged in the flood-hit states, with more than RM130 million in repairs required.\nJohor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi said in a Facebook post on Sunday that a state-level committee in charge of disaster management is currently \u201cconducting special operations\u201d to help the worst-hit victims. \nThe government has spent RM615,000 on rations for those affected by the floods, said Malaysia\u2019s Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Nancy Shukri, with more expected to be spent on food and mental health support.\nThe health authorities said they are monitoring possible cases of leptospirosis and dengue, as well as other diseases. \nThis comes after three Covid-19 cases were detected among flood evacuees in the state.\n", "\nNeighbouring Pahang recorded more than 3,000 victims housed in 21 shelters. \nOn Saturday, officials from the Fire and Rescue Department used helicopters to drop off food items to residents of three villages in Muadzam Shah who are trapped in their homes due to nearby floods and landslides.\nMeanwhile, the number of victims in Melaka increased to more than 500 people from 150 families. \nIn Melaka, padi fields in the Sungai Rambai area near Jasin have been submerged since Friday. \n\u201cWe had expected to harvest the padi during Hari Raya but now we can only afford to pray and hope that the flood water would subside soon to avoid suffering bigger losses,\u201d Ms Nur Faezah Zabidin, 26, told The Star on Saturday. \n", "\nMalaysia is facing unprecedented continuous torrential rain from the annual monsoon season that began in November. \nThe South-east Asian nation often experiences stormy weather around the year\u2019s end, with seasonal flooding regularly causing mass evacuations and deaths.\nBut Ms Meenakshi Raman, president of environmental group Friends of the Earth Malaysia, said the large volume of rainfall is \u201cunusual\u201d at this time of the year, blaming the flooding on the lack of green spaces.  \n\u201cForest and land clearings in the upper reaches of our rural areas, towns and cities lead to our rivers and drains chocked with soil erosion, and they cannot contain the increased volumes of rainfall,\u201d she told AFP.  \n\u201cMorever, the over-concretising of areas also leads to overflows of water, as there is little green left to act as sponges.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/number-of-flood-evacuees-in-malaysia-soars-to-nearly-49000"}, {"title": "Anwar\u2019s daughter Nurul Izzah finds solace after miscarriage", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - \u201cThe little boot is gone,\u201d said Ms Nurul Izzah Anwar as she shared about her recent miscarriage on social media. \nThe former Pematang Pauh MP announced the news in a poignant post, accompanied by a photo of her hugging her parents, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.\n\u201cThis is probably be the first time we hug since Nov 19,\u201d she said, referring to the date of last year\u2019s general election.\n\n\n\n\n\nShe said the family had gone through a lot together - from campaigning for the election, getting Covid-19 for the second time, learning that she was pregnant with her fourth child and managing her new duties while shuffling between Penang and Putrajaya.\nAnd then she was shocked to learn that she had a miscarriage. \n\u201cI think about all the women who go through the same episodes and experiences, even though their individual paths are different,\u201d Ms Izzah wrote. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSo to those of you, well almost all of us who have experienced loss, we can offer our \u2018doa\u2019, a big virtual hug, and a reminder - that life does go on,\u201d the 42-year-old added. \n\n\u201cAnd the splendour of joy and happiness - it lurks in every corner - whether it\u2019s the smiles of Safiyah, Harith and Yu Zhou - or in the warm embrace of my own papa and mama, every moment counts.\n\u201cHappy homecoming in every warmth you experience. Healing is a journey - and if you need to take some time to breathe in the moment - just do it; before the next chapter in life begins anew,\u201d she added.\n", "\nMs Izzah tied the knot with Mr Yin Shao Loong, a senior research associate with Khazanah Research Institute, in August last year. Yu Zhou is Mr Yin\u2019s son from his previous marriage. \nMs Izzah was previously married to businessman Raja Ahmad Shahrir Iskandar Raja Salim, who is the father of her two children, Raja Safiyah and Raja Harith. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/nurul-izzah-finds-solace-after-miscarriage"}, {"title": "\u2018Once foes, now friends\u2019: Malaysia\u2019s ruling alliance in show of unity ahead of state polls", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - To shouts of \u201cformer foes, now friends\u201d, the component parties of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s government put on a show of unity at its inaugural convention on Sunday, ahead of state polls that will test its support among voters.\nDatuk Seri Anwar, the main speaker at the one-day convention, delivered his speech at the headquarters of his former Umno party 25 years after he was sacked in 1998 as a rebel politician.\n\u201cI am overcome with emotion as after 25 years, I return here to speak,\u201d Mr Anwar said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis is a great day for the unity government and for Malaysia. Thank you to all of you for burying the hatchet and for working together,\u201d he said. \nMr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) party \u2013 formed in 1999 while he was in jail \u2013 was given little chance of survival then. \nToday, it is the lead party of his six-month-old unity government comprising 19 parties.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnd the tables have turned. Umno has been defeated in the last two general elections by Mr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance led by PKR. Umno is now a small though crucial member of his ruling alliance.\n\nThe convention was attended by more than 10,000 delegates at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, headquarters of Malaysia\u2019s once-invincible Umno.\nIn his speech, Mr Anwar pledged to boost the economy and improve the livelihoods of Malaysians amid global inflation and a wobbly economic outlook.\nHe cited success in attracting investments from China to Malaysia following his appointment as the country\u2019s 10th prime minister in November.\n\n\n\n\n\nPH secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution told reporters that the government has \u201cnot looked back\u201d since it was\u00a0formed six months ago.\nHe described it as a \u201cstrong, stable and functioning government\u201d, and pointed to the rallying call of \u201cdulu lawan, sekarang kawan\u201d (once foes, now friends) heard in several speeches during the convention.\nThe closing of ranks is important for the alliance as it faces elections in six Malaysian states in about two months, when its vaunted claims of unity are expected to be severely tested.  \nThe 2018 PH government, then led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, collapsed after just 22 months following a bitter split between its leaders.   \nMalaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister and Umno president Zahid Hamidi urged all party leaders to back Mr Anwar ahead of the polls in Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Terengganu states.\n\u201cI am confident that if we all back Anwar, this government will remain beyond the next general election,\u201d said Mr Zahid.\nStrong public turnout at the Prime Minister\u2019s Hari Raya Aidilfitri open houses nationwide showed that he enjoyed the support of the people, he added. \n", "\nThe polls in the six states, expected around July, will not affect Mr Anwar\u2019s federal government, which has 148 MPs, as only state assembly seats are up for grabs. \nBut the ruling alliance cannot afford to lose seats in the three states it controls \u2013 Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan \u2013 especially from Malay voters. The polls will involve half of all Malaysian voters.\nThe three other states up for grabs, all Malay-majority states, are widely expected to remain with the federal opposition alliance of Perikatan Nasional led by Malay-Muslim parties. \nThe opposition has been playing up several controversial decisions of the Anwar government, including the appointment of Mr Zahid as deputy premier as he faces dozens of corruption charges. \nThe ruling alliance consists of PH with 82 MPs, the Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition with 30, Gabungan Parti Sarawak with 23 lawmakers, and other small parties.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/once-foes-now-friends-malaysia-s-ruling-alliance-in-show-of-unity-ahead-of-state-polls"}, {"title": "Vote counting under way in Umno\u2019s internal polls, with eyes on president\u2019s loyalists", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The counting of votes remained under way on Sunday morning after Umno held its internal polls for the second weekend, with the results, due in the evening, expected to strengthen president Zahid Hamidi\u2019s grip on the party. \nThe Umno polls are closely watched as the party is a member of Malaysia\u2019s ruling coalition and any sign of instability could affect the administration of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Zahid, who is close to Datuk Seri Anwar, is the country\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister. \nIn the Umno polls, Zahid and his deputy president Mohamad Hasan have retained their seats after the party earlier blocked contests for the two top positions. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe main contest is for the three vice-president posts in an eight-way fight. There are also contests for the 25 seats on the supreme council, Umno\u2019s top decision-making body. \nLeadership contests are also being held in 189 of the 191 Umno divisions nationwide. Two divisions had their elections suspended due to internal matters. \nIn the ongoing counting, at least three vice-president candidates were seen as being aligned to Zahid \u2013 Pahang chief minister Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, Law Minister Azalina Othman and Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin. They were among those who received the highest number of votes. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs of Sunday before noon, unofficial results showed that Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy had secured the minimum 63 votes needed \u2013 or one-third of the 189 total votes \u2013 with 120 votes. \n\nDatuk Seri Khaled was in second place with 110 votes. Traling him were former finance minister Johari Abdul Ghani in third position with 99 votes, and Datuk Seri Azalina in fourth. \nIf the Zahid allies emerge winners, this should provide him with greater stability to lead Umno.\nUmno is riven with infighting, but Zahid has strengthened his hand by the January sacking of ambitious former Cabinet minister Khairy Jamaluddin, and the six-year suspension of former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein.\n\n\n\n\n\nUmno has only 26 seats in Parliament, its lowest in history, but the party is a major kingmaker in Malaysian politics after throwing its support behind Mr Anwar \u2013 its long-time nemesis \u2013 allowing him to gain a parliamentary majority and become prime minister.\nIn last weekend\u2019s polling by some 160,000 divisional delegates, Umno leaders aligned to Zahid won the chief posts for the Youth and Women\u2019s wings.\n", "\nZahid said on Saturday that he hopes the results of his party polls will boost Umno\u2019s position.\n\u201cMy hope is that the decision that will be made by 189 divisions will serve as a step for Umno\u2019s revival 2.0,\u201d he said.\nOnce the party polls are over, Umno will get cracking on preparations for the elections of six state assemblies in 2023,  deputy president Mohamad said.\nIn the divisional polls on Saturday, the son of former prime minister Najib Razak, Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin, was voted in as chief of the Langkawi Umno division,  according to The Star daily. \nHe had last week lost in the contest to become Umno Youth\u2019s deputy chief. \nLast weekend, Zahid\u2019s daughter Nurul Hidayah, and the daughter of Najib, Nooryana Najwa, were elected to the executive councils of the Women\u2019s and Puteri (Young Women\u2019s) wings, respectively. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/ongoing-count-in-umno-s-internal-polls-with-eyes-on-president-s-loyalists"}, {"title": "Malaysian man injured after parang attack by robbers at Johor apartment", "text": ["\nJOHOR - An online seller in Malaysia suffered injuries to his head and hands, after an armed robbery in broad daylight at an apartment at Puteri Harbour in Johor.   \nThe robbery was caught on camera and the video has since gone viral on various social media platforms.\nIn the two-minute clip, two cars blocked the path of the victim\u2019s pickup truck, and three parang-wielding men then started attacking the victim, who was in the driver\u2019s seat.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe suspects forcefully opened the vehicle\u2019s doors and started to slash the victim, who, in an attempt to escape, tried to speed off but hit the car blocking him.\nNot giving up, the victim then rear-ended the car behind him before hitting the other car again to escape from the armed suspects, but his car stopped several metres in front.\nThe armed suspects continued to chase him on foot, slashing him again before robbing the man and escaping from the scene.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIskandar Puteri police officer Rahmat Arrifin said the incident occurred at the apartment\u2019s lobby at around 9.45am on Monday.\n\n\u201cBased on information and intelligence, the police arrested two men aged 40 and 45.\n\u201cThe first suspect was arrested on the same day of the incident at around 10.15am near Horizon Hills, while police then caught the second suspect at 9pm in Gelang Patah,\u201d he said on Thursday.\nMr Rahmat added that through investigation, both suspects admitted that they were involved in the robbery where they hit the victim\u2019s car before robbing him.\nHe said police also seized items from the suspects, including the weapons used in the robbery and RM10,000 (S$3,000) in cash, believed to be the stolen money.\nMr Rahmat added the victim then sought medical treatment at a private hospital in Medini and has been discharged as he was in a stable condition.\n\u201cWe are hunting down three more suspects involved in the robbery,\u201d he said, adding that one of the suspects has a criminal record and the two already arrested have been remanded until Saturday to assist with the investigation. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/online-seller-injured-after-attack-by-robbers-at-johor-apartment"}, {"title": "Selangor chief minister eyes another term as he comes into his own", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM - Having risen rapidly through Malaysia\u2019s political ranks over the past five years, Selangor chief minister Amirudin Shari is putting his federal ambitions on the back burner as he seeks another term as leader of Malaysia\u2019s richest state\u00a0in upcoming state elections in order to realise his vision and projects. \nWhen Datuk Seri Amirudin was appointed Selangor Menteri Besar in 2018, he was very much in the shadow of his political mentor Azmin Ali, who had left the position to take up a federal minister post following Pakatan Harapan\u2019s (PH) maiden electoral win that year. \nFive years later, Datuk Seri Azmin has left Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in the wake of the infamous Sheraton Move that led to the collapse of the PH administration in 2020. He is set to lead the opposition Perikatan Nasional\u2019s campaign in the state elections that are due later this year.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Amirudin, however, has stayed on in PKR, becoming the party\u2019s vice-president and state chief for the PKR-led PH coalition in Selangor and Pahang. \nIn the 2022 General Election, Mr Amirudin defeated Mr Azmin \u2013 a three-term incumbent \u2013 in the Gombak parliamentary seat, priming him for a career trajectory similar to that of his predecessor.\nHowever, despite his multiple hats, Mr Amirudin remains keen on finishing another term in Selangor, making him the first among the chiefs of six states that will face elections this year to publicly declare interest in continuing in their current position. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI need one more term to make sure everything I have envisioned is workable,\u201d he told The Straits Times during an interview at his official residence on Wednesday. \n\nThe 43-year-old faced a steep learning curve, having had to deal with the collapse of the PH federal government in 2020, catastrophic floods in 2021, and economic headwinds for much of 2022. \nMr Amirudin said that his plans for three main development regions in Selangor \u2013 the Sabak Bernam development area in the north, the South Selangor Integrated Development Region, and the Selangor Maritime Gateway meant to rejuvenate the state\u2019s main river and mitigate floods \u2013 need one more term to be realised. \nWith Selangor often considered the crown jewel among PH-led states, Mr Amirudin sees its continued success as reflecting well on the federal administration. \nHe said a second term at the helm of the state would enable him to focus more on environmental and climate change issues that are fast affecting Selangor. \nUnlike his predecessors, Mr Amirudin has opted to be the chairman of Worldwide Holdings, a state-owned energy company that also dabbles in waste management and the building of power plants, instead of heading Permodalan Negeri Selangor, a state-owned property development firm. \nHe believes that he has managed to distinguish his administration from that of Mr Azmin by adopting more sustainable welfare programmes. \n\u201cI have realigned our welfare programmes to offer more sustainable and real solutions to the public, rather than handouts and a populist approach, as done by Azmin Ali,\u201d said Mr Amirudin. \nAs an example, he cited his decision to realign the Peduli Sihat (Care For Health) initiative to fulfil its intended objective \u2013 which is to encourage health screening \u2013 instead of just providing free treatment at private health facilities. \n\u201cWithin a few months, more than 20,000 people have registered for this programme,\u201d he said.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/out-of-his-mentor-s-shadow-selangor-chief-minister-amirudin-seeks-another-term"}, {"title": "Outcry in Malaysia after tax move makes vaping legal for minors", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Outside a convenience store in Shah Alam in Selangor state, a group of secondary school students huddled together, sharing several flavoured e-cigarettes they had bought. \nThe 15- and 16-year-olds were vaping in the open while exchanging their opinions on the flavours they were trying.\n\u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to try smoking but I was scared my parents could tell from the smell,\u201d Syed Ikhmal Syed Ramadani, 15, told The Straits Times on Wednesday. \u201cBut vaping smells so good. My parents won\u2019t know, and we can now buy it openly.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\nThe teenagers were taking advantage of a recent legal loophole in Malaysia that allows vape products to be freely sold to and consumed by minors after a controversial move by the government.\nLiquid and gel nicotine, key ingredients of e-cigarettes and vaporisers, were removed from the list of scheduled poisons from April, with the government now imposing a tax on vape products and e-cigarettes.\nThe Poisons Board objected to the delisting, but Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa exercised her ministerial powers to override it.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told Parliament on Tuesday that the government will tax nicotine-laced products to prevent the substance from being spread widely at low prices. \n\nHe said his administration is committed to tabling the tobacco and vape control Bill in May.\n\u201cTaking quite extreme measures by banning vape, nicotine or cigarettes is quite drastic and cannot be done by any country in the world. Many choose to smoke even despite the various campaigns done,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar told Parliament. \n\u201cWhile we are running a campaign about the negative effects of smoking, we also continue implementing this taxation to prevent the substances from becoming widely available and cheap.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nThe upcoming Generational End Game (GEG) Bill, officially known as the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Bill 2022, seeks to ban the use, possession and sale of cigarettes and vape products to those born after 2007.\nBut for now, those below 18 are free to use products containing nicotine liquid and gel without regulation, sparking a public outcry among health practitioners and parents. \nReacting to the news, the Johor state government said its 2016 ban on the sale of vape products, including equipment and liquids, remains in place.\nMalaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC) said the government\u2019s action to remove nicotine substances from the Poisons List will lead to more children taking up vaping and potentially becoming addicted.\n\u201cThe issue is, even if they (the government) table it (the Bill) in May, they\u2019ve now opened the field to a lot of new young people to actually start vaping with nicotine. Nicotine is the fundamental driver,\u201d MCTC chairman M. Murallitharan told ST. \u201cThe longer you wait to table the GEG, the more you\u2019re actually poisoning the well.\u201d\n", "\nLikening nicotine addiction to that of heroin, he said nicotine is categorised by the United States Food and Drug Administration and similar agencies in other countries as a highly addictive substance.\n\u201cThe idea of introducing someone to this addictive substance will make them an addict over the short term,\u201d said Dr Murallitharan, medical director of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia.\nThe Malaysian Health Coalition said in a statement on Tuesday: \u201cWe are deeply concerned about the public health implications of vaping and tobacco use, especially in children and teenagers. We support the GEG and we favour an outright ban on vaping. Strict regulations will bring Malaysia in line with increasingly prevalent international norms.\u201d \nThe coalition, which comprises the Malaysian Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology and 28 other organisations, has urged the government to hold off collecting taxes and delisting the nicotine substances from the Poisons List until the Tobacco Regulations and Control Bill is passed, and to debate and decide on the legal status of vaping in Malaysia as part of the Bill. \n\u201cAnd once you\u2019re addicted to the substance, be it heroin or nicotine, you end up continuing to need and crave the substance in increasingly higher dosages, irrespective of where they get that nicotine from,\u201d Dr Murallitharan said.\nAccording to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for children, teenagers and young adults, as nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.\nJurisdictions that partially or completely ban vaping include Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, Brazil, Canada and many states in the US.\nTypically priced between RM16.90 (S$5.10) and more than RM100 in Malaysia, a disposable vaping device contains up to 9,000 nicotine-laced puffs.\n", "\nChecks by ST found that industry players are looking to raise prices by 20 or 30 per cent. But the price hike would not make much impact on minors, Dr Murallitharan said.\n\u201cI have secondary school students as patients spending only RM5 to pool together to get devices which have 6,000 to 8,000 doses. With the price hike, they may need to spend RM1 more,\u201d he said.\nParent Action Group for Education Malaysia chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, however, said a better way would have been to preserve the status quo.\n\u201cVaping will eventually lead to smoking. If they (minors) are even aware of the exemption, they will be tempted to vape openly... as they believe it improves their self-image,\u201d she told ST. \nEchoing the sentiment, architect Zainab Salim, 47, said: \u201cAs a parent, my concern is my child justifying that he isn\u2019t doing anything wrong when in truth, vaping does pose some health risks.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/outcry-in-malaysia-after-tax-move-makes-vaping-legal-for-minors"}, {"title": "Overzealous dress code moral policy in Malaysia a concern: MCA women\u2019s wing chairman", "text": ["\nJOHOR BARU - Recent dress code incidents in which women were denied entry into government buildings are concerning, says Wanita MCA national chairman Wong You Fong. \nShe said the authorities should use their discretion and common sense in dealing with such circumstances.\n\u201cWanita MCA is concerned about overzealous dress code moral policing that continues at government offices, with the latest incident being at the Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG),\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe most recent incident occurred on Wednesday.\nMs Wong said a 60-year-old woman was barred from using the lift to renew her business permit on the second floor after entering the premises because her attire was \u201cnot long enough\u201d.\n\u201cFrom the photo, it is apparent that the hemline covered her shin, just short of reaching the ankles,\u201d Ms Wong said in a statement on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Johor MCA Wanita chairman said that security guards are tasked with the safety of the building and should not act as a form of moral police.\n\n\u201cWhere the MBPG security guard is concerned, security guards are tasked with maintaining security and the safety of staff and visitors in the building, instead of exploiting their position to satisfy their lust and (conducting) moral policing,\u201d said Ms Wong.\n\u201cSociety cannot be lulled into accepting little Napoleons who assume they have been bestowed with the unwritten licence to ogle at anybody\u2019s anatomical physique on the basis of executing dress codes,\u201d she added.\n\nOn Thursday, The Star reported that a 60-year-old businesswoman was barred from using the lift at MBPG for allegedly dressing inappropriately.\nThe woman wore a pastel yellow long dress that extended to her mid-calf and covered shoes when she turned up at the council for business licence matters at around 11am on Wednesday.\nIn a separate case in Perak, a woman was reportedly scolded by a medical worker for being \u201cindecently dressed\u201d while seeking treatment at the hospital in an 11pm incident last Sunday.\nAnother case that was recently in the spotlight was that of a woman who was denied entry into a police station in Kajang because she was wearing a pair of shorts.\nMs Wong also said that the MCA women\u2019s wing is concerned that the over-focus on dress could dilute and eventually erode Malaysia\u2019s multicultural values.\n\u201cWe note that Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution has informed the police to accept reports regardless of what clothes a person wears and Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa has affirmed that every patient deserves priority regardless of dress code.\n\u2018\u2019Wanita MCA is not advocating that the public may simply don any skimpy or revealing outfit and stride into any premises. So long as the individual is decently attired, there is no justification to prohibit entry.\n\u201cHowever, in emergency or life-and-death circumstances, the authorities should use their discretion and plain common sense to allow the individual entry,\u201d she said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/overzealous-dress-code-moral-policy-in-malaysia-a-concern-mca-women-s-wing-chair"}, {"title": "Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional to form state government in Pahang", "text": ["\nKUANTAN - The Regent of Pahang has consented to a state government formed by Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH), after the recent state polls ended with a hung state assembly. \nTengku Hassanal Ibrahim Sultan Abdullah had also consented to the re-appointment of BN\u2019s Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail as menteri besar. He will be sworn in at the palace at 11am on Monday, according to a statement from Pahang palace. \nMr Wan Rosdy from Umno was the incumbent menteri besar of Pahang before the Nov 19 election. He is also a four-term assemblyman for the Jelai state seat. \n\n\n\n\n\nWhile Pahang has been a stronghold for Umno for decades, the Umno-led BN secured only 16 out of the 42 state seats in this election - seven fewer seats compared to the 2018 election. \nPerikatan Nasional (PN) secured 17 seats, while PH won 8 seats. Election for the Tioman state seat is postponed to Dec 7, as the PN candidate died after suffering a heart attack on polling day.  \nAs none of the coalitions managed to secure a simple majority of 21 seats, prolonged negotiations took place over the past week, with PH officially agreeing to join hands with BN to form the state government on Saturday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nPN will be in opposition despite winning the most number of seats in the state polls. \n\n\u201cThe party that received the largest mandate from the people of Pahang is Perikatan (PN). That\u2019s the will of the people and should be respected,\u201d said Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, the chairman of PN in Pahang who was formely with BN\u2019s Umno, and then PH\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat, before leaving to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in PN. \nHe added that PN was ready to partner BN from the start, but their negotiations stalled due to BN\u2019s \u201cunreasonable demands\u201d.\n\u201cBarisan (BN) demanded the position of menteri besar and wanted seven executive council seats, and only agreed to give Perikatan (PN) one exco seat even though they are a minority party with no mandate,\u201d he said.\nOn the other hand, PH managed to secure BN as a partner as it did not make any demands during the negotiation, said Ms Fuziah Salleh, the former chairman of PH in Pahang. \n\u201cPakatan (PH) just offered to work with Barisan (BN) to form the government without any conditions.\n\u201cWhy? Because we fear for Pahang looking at how extreme Perikatan (PN) was in their campaign and how it can destroy racial harmony and the future of Pahang,\u201d she added. \nPN, which comprises Bersatu and Parti Islam SeMalaysia, has run a successful social media campaign, particularly on TikTok, in the lead up to the election. Several analysts have pointed out how PN has played on extreme Malay Muslim sentiments to win votes, largely by demonising the Chinese-led Democratic Action Party, a component party of PH, and accusing PH leader Anwar Ibrahim of having an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) agenda.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pakatan-harapan-and-barisan-nasional-to-form-state-government-in-pahang"}, {"title": "Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional walk political tightrope with electoral pact in Malaysia", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Electoral cooperation between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and its new ally Barisan Nasional (BN) in several state elections this year will see the two walking a political tightrope, as they attempt to win over Malay voters while not alienating the non-Malays.  Datuk Seri Anwar said on Tuesday that all parties in the government have agreed to work together in the state elections, and would start talks on seat negotiations soon. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pakatan-harapan-barisan-nasional-walk-political-tightrope-with-electoral-pact-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Pakatan Harapan will hold Penang, but some issues could dent election hopes in Malay-majority states", "text": ["GEORGE TOWN - Fishing villages were once all the naked eye could see on Penang island\u2019s eastern shores from Butterworth on the mainland portion of the state in Malaysia\u2019s north-west. But since the rapid industrialisation dating back to the 1970s, the eastern skyline of state capital George Town now more closely resembles that of other cosmopolitan islands like Singapore and Hong Kong."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pakatan-harapan-will-hold-penang-but-some-issues-could-dent-election-hopes-in-malay-majority-states"}, {"title": "Paris court upholds Malaysia\u2019s stay on Sulu heirs award", "text": ["\nPARIS \u2013 A court in Paris dismissed a bid by the self-styled descendants of the sultanate of Sulu to enforce an order to make Malaysia pay billions of dollars over their territorial claim. \nThe Paris Court of Appeal on March 14 ruled that Sulu claimants\u2019 challenge to a stay order filed by Malaysia in April 2022 was \u201cinadmissible\u201d, Malaysia\u2019s Special Sulu Secretariat said in a statement on Thursday.\u00a0\n\u201cHence, the stay obtained by Malaysia on July 12, 2022, for the enforcement of the purported final award remains,\u201d the secretariat said.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe dispute is linked to the Sulu heirs\u2019 years-long claims to the Borneo state of Sabah. \nA French Arbitration Court in Paris in 2022 ordered Malaysia to pay RM62.59 billion (S$19 billion) to the Sulu descendants over their claim. \nThe government filed an application to cancel the award in Paris, while Luxembourg court set aside the legal action payment, Malaysia said in January.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEarlier in March, Malaysia said it would bring the Sulu claimants before a court, after a territorial dispute between the two parties led to bailiffs appearing at the South-east Asian nation\u2019s embassy and staff residences in Paris.  \n\nLast year\u2019s stay order \u201cserves to reinforce Malaysia\u2019s position that the purported commercial arbitration instituted by the Sulu claimants is without legitimate basis and does affect Malaysia\u2019s territorial sovereignty\u201d, the secretariat said in the statement. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/paris-court-upholds-malaysia-s-stay-on-sulu-heirs-award"}, {"title": "PAS gains prominence as Malaysian Malays reject corruption", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The fundamentalist Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) emerged as one of the big winners in Malaysia\u2019s general election, helped by a wave of Malay Muslim voters rejecting corruption and worried that their rights would be eroded under a non-Malay-dominated government.\nA component of Perikatan Nasional (PN), PAS snatched 43 seats in Parliament, making it the largest single bloc of lawmakers. Previous reports said PAS won 44 or 49 seats, but that would include wins by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) candidates who contested in Kelantan and Terengganu under the banner of PAS. \nBersatu, which is headed by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also PN leader, won a total of 30 seats.\n\n\n\n\n\nA 50-year-old university lecturer, who declined to be named, said she voted for PN \u2013 a coalition that is barely three years old. She told The Straits Times that she was disgusted by Umno\u2019s graft-tainted president Zahid Hamidi and wary that the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP) would take away Malay rights.\n\u201cZahid should have stepped down before the election,\u201d she said.\nPrior to the general election on Nov 19, PAS\u2019 influence was mainly focused on the northern rural Malay heartland states of Terengganu, Kelantan, Perlis and Kedah.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAt the election, PN won the majority of support of the Malay electorate in Peninsular Malaysia, at an estimated 54 per cent of votes, according to Dr Bridget Welsh, honorary research associate of the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute Malaysia. \n\nThis was an increase from the 32 per cent support garnered by PAS in 2018, when it won 18 seats in Parliament. However, PN did not secure any meaningful share of support from non-Malays.\n\u201cIn effect, PN was a coalition only supported by Malays, with the exception of an estimated 5 per cent of support from other communities, mostly (indigenous) Orang Asli,\u201d she wrote in an article on the Malaysiakini news website.\nBoth Pakatan Harapan (PH), which DAP is a part of, and the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) lost a portion of their Malay votes in the election.\n\n\n\n\n\nPH\u2019s share of the Malay votes dropped from an estimated 25 per cent in 2018 to around 11 per cent in 2022. \nBN saw a significant reduction of support among Malays, accounting for its major loss in seats, said Dr Welsh. BN won an estimated 33 per cent of Malay support last week, down from 43 per cent in 2018. \nBN also lost an estimated 3 percentage points among Chinese (to 5 per cent) and about 2 percentage points of Indian voters (to 16 per cent).\nSingapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow\u00a0Oh Ei Sun outlined two factors that contributed to the rise of PAS.\n\u201cFirst is that there is indeed a sizeable number of Malays who rejected Umno, thanks to relentless portrayals by both PH and PN of Umno as being corrupt and scandalous,\u201d he told ST.\n", "\n\u201cBut this same cohort of Malays are equally uncomfortable with PH, which they perceive as liberal and multicultural. So they opted mainly for PAS and, to a lesser extent, Bersatu,\u201d he said. \n\u201cAnother factor is the sooner-than-expected culmination of a long process of Islamic radicalisation effort by PAS, which has been running many tahfiz (religious) schools around the country, promoting its brand of Islamic supremacy in line with a trend of worldwide Islamic revivalism that has emerged since at least the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.\u201d \nAccording to an insider from PAS splinter party Amanah, religion is one of the factors that pushed Malay voters, particularly highly impressionable first-time voters aged 18 to 20, to vote for PN.\n\u201cPAS used TikTok videos to warn voters that if you don\u2019t vote for PAS, you will go to hell,\u201d he told ST.\nA video of Mr Muhyiddin, which went viral in the final days before polling, showed him claiming that PH was an agent of Jews and Christians plotting to colonise Malaysia.\n\u201cDo not choose Barisan Nasional and never ever touch Pakatan Harapan. It is dangerous,\u201d Mr Muhyiddin said in the video, reportedly taken during a rally in Johor on Nov 16.\n\nThis resulted in a wave of support for PAS that swept the northern and eastern states of Peninsular Malaysia, Putrajaya and even swathes of Perak, Pahang, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.\nPN also promised a clean, stable and caring government, which appealed to its voters.\n", "\nSoaring inflation has left many Malaysians unhappy with the previous Umno-led government, seen as having failed to resolve the cost-of-living crisis.\nMany youth also remember Mr Muhyiddin as being the face of the government during the Covid-19 crisis, and for providing cash handouts to ease the effects of lockdowns.\nUniversity of Malaya sociopolitical analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi said Malay voters were influenced by social media, particularly the TikTok platform, which PN aggressively campaigned on.      \n\u201cPN is seen as being very capable in creating a successful social media campaign compared with PH and BN,\u201d he said.\n\u201cPAS and Bersatu also played on extreme Malay Muslim sentiments, such as by accusing Anwar of having an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) agenda and that he would legalise same-sex marriage.\u201d     \nInternal fighting within Umno-led BN also led to a trust deficit towards the bloc, causing Umno to lose, he added.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pas-gains-prominence-as-malaysian-malays-reject-corruption"}, {"title": "PAS president slammed for remarks seen as insulting Malaysia\u2019s monarchy", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Fundamentalist Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) president Abdul\u00a0Hadi Awang was criticised on Monday over his remarks that appeared to question Malaysia\u2019s monarchy over its role in the formation of the new government led by Pakatan Harapan (PH).\nAmid global World Cup fever, Tan Sri Hadi posted a cryptic tweet on Sunday about a football referee providing \u201cextra time for the losing side\u201d after the match was over, allowing the losers to \u201cwin by any means\u201d. \nHis remarks were widely interpreted as referring to how the new government was formed last week, following Malaysia\u2019s inconclusive general election on Nov 19.\n\n\n\n\n\nFormer premier Muhyiddin Yassin from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Mr Hadi are the two top leaders of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition. \nPN was forced into the opposition benches after the King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, as arbiter in the hung Parliament, appointed PH chief Anwar Ibrahim as Prime Minister last Thursday.\nMr Hadi said in the tweet: \u201cEven though the results have a win for one side, there are points and goals, suddenly the referee adds (injury) time to give a chance to those who have clearly lost so that they can win with whatever means\u2026\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhat would the spectators watching it live or through broadcasts say? Islam mandates that its followers act fairly in all matters, from being in a family to a society or country in all matters, including in sports.\u201d\n\nTerengganu PH chief Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah said Mr Hadi\u2019s post was \u201ca serious and insolent accusation\u201d and urged the police to investigate him for sedition.\nMaking insulting statements and mocking the monarchy are offences under the Sedition Act.\u00a0\n\u201cHis sarcasm has been criticised by many netizens who understood the post to be referring to the setting up of the unity government led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who was appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) with the approval of the Conference of Malay Rulers,\u201d said Datuk Raja Kamarul in a statement.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe PAS leader\u2019s writings \u201care openly treasonous, accusing the palace of not acting fairly and going against or defying the laws\u201d and challenging the actions of the palace, he added.\nPH won 82 seats in the general election while PN won 73.\nPN said last Monday, two days after the general election, that it had 114 MPs backing it and was planning to submit its list to Sultan Abdullah to claim majority support, before a deadline set by the national palace that day.\n", "\nBut following a request from PH and Barisan Nasional (BN), the King extended the deadline to last Tuesday, which indicated that Mr Anwar did not then have the minimum 112 MPs to secure control of the 222-strong Parliament.  \nPN went ahead and submitted its list last Monday.\u00a0The King met Mr Anwar and Mr Muhyiddin last Wednesday and asked them to form a unity government.\nBut Mr Muhyiddin, who at that time said he had enough MPs to form a government on his own, rejected Sultan Abdullah\u2019s proposal.\nLeaders of BN, which holds 30 seats and thus became kingmakers, met several times between last Sunday and last Tuesday to decide who they should support. BN said late last Tuesday that it would not support PN, although about 10 BN MPs had backed PN a few days earlier. BN said it would stay in the opposition and not back either premiership candidate.\nThe other major coalition in Malaysia, Gabungan Parti Sarawak with 23 seats, said last Tuesday that it would leave the King to decide on the government\u2019s formation, after indicating it would support PN.\nSultan Abdullah convened a special meeting of the Conference of Malay Rulers last Thursday morning, and the palace declared Mr Anwar as Prime Minister.\u00a0\nSpeaking about Mr Hadi\u2019s tweet, Universiti Malaya sociopolitical analyst Awang Azman Pawi said PN \u201cneeds to move on\u201d and stop questioning \u201cthe referee\u201d.\n\u201cHadi\u2019s actions will cause only anger among the public, who want to move on and focus on economic issues,\u201d he told The Straits Times.\nTwitter user @xennials2 wrote that \u201cone team has 82 seats and you (Hadi) have 73 seats\u201d in a clear reference to PH and PN. \u201cWhat do you mean you won?\u201d he said.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pas-president-slammed-for-remarks-seen-as-insulting-malaysia-s-monarchy"}, {"title": "Patients face tough time at Malaysian govt hospital emergency departments", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Some had to hold their own IV bags while waiting to be treated. Some had to stand in the overcrowded government hospital emergency department, while others sat on the floor in the long wait to get medical attention.\nSome said they had not been admitted because there was a lack of hospital beds.\nThese are among the claims shared by people on social media as public healthcare facilities in Malaysia are stretched to breaking point with a high number of patient arrivals.\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Jan 18, the Twitter account of the group championing rights for contract doctors, @HKontrak (Hartal Doktor Kontrak), shared a picture of fully occupied beds and a packed emergency department at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).\nThe post claimed that there was a more than 24-hour wait to be admitted, with almost 100 patients stranded in the emergency department during peak hours.\nTwitter user, @hippochan94, described what she saw at another government hospital in the Klang Valley.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cJust yesterday I had a patient with acute appendicitis sitting on the floor with an (IV bag) in his hands, and a three-year-old kid with dengue who had to stand with the (IV bag) in her father\u2019s hands. It is that bad...\u201d she tweeted on Jan 18.\n\nMs Azimah Abdullah Zawawi, in a Facebook post on Jan 17, said she was disappointed by the poor treatment of her son at Hospital Pasir Mas in Kelantan after he was involved in an accident.\n\u201cAn hour after I received a call that my son was involved in an accident, I arrived at the hospital and saw my son sitting in a wheelchair, with his face bleeding, vomit (on his front) and looking frail, with his clothes covered in blood.\n\u201cDuring treatment (to stitch mouth injuries), my son was left alone without supervision and with his mouth open for about 30 to 40 minutes,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\nShe said she later took her son to be treated at another hospital after failing to persuade the attending doctor to admit him.\nAt the second hospital, her son\u2019s stitches were redone and a wound on the stomach, which was overlooked at the previous hospital, was cleaned. She said she will submit a formal complaint to the Health Ministry via the Public Complaints Management System.\nSpecialist clinics are also facing problems.\n", "\nPublic healthcare expert Zainal Ariffin Omar, who went for a follow-up medical examination at a government specialist clinic last month, said it took him more than three hours to finish the examination, after taking a number to queue for his turn at 9am.\n\u201cEverything finished at 12.30pm. Many people were queueing up and many were also standing because there were not enough seats.\n\u201cThe specialist room was also shared with medical officers. It was crowded too,\u201d he said in a Facebook post on Dec 22 last year.\nHe said some examinations not available at the hospital were outsourced to a private facility at an estimated cost of RM120 (S$37).\n\u201cThe staff was not sure whether the cost of the outsourced service is paid by the hospital,\u201d he said.\nHealth Minister Zaliha Mustafa said her ministry will seek comprehensive solutions to ease the problem. \nShe said this included extending working hours, streamlining bed management systems, and adding more healthcare providers.\n\u201cUndeniably, with an increasing number of patients every day and various shortages, including manpower and facilities, it has exacerbated this congestion issue\nDr Zaliha said the effectiveness of implementing initiatives such as extending working hours at certain facilities is currently being reviewed, while efforts to empower the \u201clean healthcare system\u201d are being improved.\n\nFor hospitals with sufficient space, she said the implementation of a \u201cshort-stay ward\u201d would be introduced.\n\u201cThe need to get more manpower including doctors, nurses, assistant medical officers, pharmacy officers, allied science professions, support staff and others would continue to be done,\u201d she said. \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/patients-face-tough-time-at-malaysian-govt-hospital-emergency-departments"}, {"title": "Pejuang accepts Mahathir\u2019s resignation, says president Mukhriz", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysian political party Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) has accepted Dr Mahathir Mohamad\u2019s decision to step down as chairman, said party president Mukhriz Mahathir.\n\u201cWe thank him for his service, wisdom, and guidance throughout his tenure as chairman. Only Allah can repay him for his services to us,\u201d Mr Mukhriz, who is Dr Mahathir\u2019s fifth child, said on Saturday.\nMr Mukhriz added that Pejuang will continue to carry on Dr Mahathir\u2019s struggles, legacy and spirit for the sake of religion, race and country.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cPejuang will strive to ensure that (Dr Mahathir\u2019s) way of thinking, leadership style and focus which are based on principles and pure cultural values are exemplified by the next generation. Although he has stepped down as chairman, (he) remains a member of Pejuang,\u201d Mr Mukhriz said.\nHe noted that Pejuang believed Dr Mahathir would continue to give constructive and critical views on Malaysia\u2019s future as an elder statesman.\n\u201cThis is what all his supporters, including all Pejuang members hope for. May Malaysia continue to be peaceful and prosperous as a result of the legacy of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad,\u201d he added. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nFormer prime minister Mahathir announced his resignation from Pejuang, the party he founded in 2020, on Friday. \n\nHe led the party\u2019s challenge during November\u2019s General Election, but both Dr Mahathir and Mr Mukhriz lost their deposits for respectively contesting in the Langkawi and Jerlun parliamentary seats. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pejuang-accepts-mahathir-s-resignation-says-president-mukhriz"}, {"title": "Penang city council threatens suspension after hawkers fight over where customers can sit", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN \u2013 As the \u201ctable war\u201d at foodcourts gets out of hand, with scuffles breaking out between hawkers, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has stepped in. \nA number of photos and videos that have gone viral online show hawkers at various foodcourts fighting over where customers can sit, with police reports made as well.\nThe hawkers force customers to buy their food from the stalls nearest to where they are seated. If they order from other stalls, quarrels ensue.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe council, however, is having none of it. Bright red signs have now been placed at popular hawker centres to make it clear that \u201cthe customers are free to sit anywhere and order from any stall\u201d.\nThe signs have a phone number that the public can call if hawkers force them to sit elsewhere. The hawkers can be issued a notice or show-cause letter.\nIn serious cases, the stalls involved could be shut down for 60 days pending investigations, warned MBPP councillor Connie Tan. She said there had been too many complaints and videos of scuffles at eateries.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis is not something new, but there have been many complaints during this post-pandemic period as more tourists are visiting Penang. So we put up the signs last year,\u201d she said.\n\nMs Tan said the fights were over not only tables and chairs belonging to the respective stalls, but also those provided by the council at some foodcourts. \nAt the popular Medan Renong foodcourt at the Esplanade, where some 50 stalls sell local dishes, the prominent signs have been set up right in the middle of the seating area.\nSeveral such signs have also been put up at another popular foodcourt in Padang Brown.\nMedan Renong foodcourt chairman Asmadi Mohd Razuki said the stall operators could not force customers to buy food or drinks from only the stalls near the seats.\n\u201cThe tables and chairs belong to the local council and customers are free to order from any stalls,\u201d he said. \nMr Zulkifli Abdul, 48, who runs a laksa stall at Medan Renong foodcourt, said he supported the decision to allow customers to sit where they liked.\n\u201cBefore this, there would be an issue and customers often felt uncomfortable. It gave us a bad image,\u201d he said.\nMr Zulkifli said it was all about customers enjoying their food.\n\u201cWe hope they like our food and continue to patronise our stalls next time around,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/penang-city-council-threatens-suspension-after-hawkers-fight-over-where-customers-may-sit"}, {"title": "Penang consumer association supports Malaysia PM Anwar\u2019s move to cancel New Year celebrations", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - The Consumers Association of Penang on Thursday welcomed the decision by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s administration to cancel New Year\u2019s Eve celebrations in Kuala Lumpur.\nDatuk Seri Anwar had announced that the traditional grand celebrations at Dataran Merdeka will not be held this year due to flood issues creating hardships for Malaysians.  \nThe association urged other states to follow the federal government\u2019s move and not hold New Year\u2019s Eve celebrations.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThese celebrations are a total waste of money, and funds can instead be channelled to people who have been affected by floods,\u201d said association official N.V. Subbarow.\nMr Anwar on Wednesday also announced immediate aid of RM50 million (S$15.2 million) each for two states, Kelantan and Terengganu, to help those affected by the floods.\n\u201cWe hope that this RM50 million allocation will benefit the people of both states, along with the RM1,000 and RM10,000 given to flood victims,\u201d he said, after visiting evacuees at a secondary school being used as a flood relief centre.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBernama news agency reported that the flood situation in Terengganu, Pahang and Perak has improved, with the number of victims taking shelter falling.\n\nBut as the monsoon rain currently affecting the northern states shifts southwards, Johor residents are also preparing to face rising water levels.\nThe last grand-scale New Year\u2019s Eve celebration in the capital Kuala Lumpur was held in 2019, with the pre-pandemic display of fireworks and live performances cancelled for the past few years.\nLast year\u2019s New Year celebrations were replaced by Islamic worship events, according to the Malay Mail, as a sign of respect and sympathy for flood victims in several states in Malaysia.\nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/penang-consumer-association-supports-malaysia-pm-anwar-s-move-to-cancel-new-year-celebrations"}, {"title": "Penang\u2019s easy living is big draw for expats looking to retire", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR- It may not be a fantasy island, but Malaysia\u2019s Penang, touted as one of the best places to retire in the world, lures foreign expatriates with its relatively low cost of living, beautiful beaches and seafront properties, a relaxed pace of life, and friendliness to tourists.Where the island has a leg up over other destinations in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, is also its excellent health infrastructure, the preponderance of English-speaking people and a long-term visa option for non-Malaysians wanting to retire."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/penang-s-easy-living-is-big-draw-for-expats-looking-to-retire"}, {"title": "Penang seeks to emulate Singapore\u2019s Newater as water feud with Kedah drags on", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Penang is looking to replicate the success of fellow island-state Singapore in recycling used water, amid a protracted dispute over raw water supply with neighbouring Kedah in north-western Malaysia. The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) inked a collaboration with Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) to explore the viability of recycling treated sewage water for industrial reuse on Thursday. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/penang-seeks-to-emulate-singapore-s-newater-as-water-feud-with-kedah-drags-on"}, {"title": "Perikatan Nasional reaches out to non-Malays ahead of state polls in Malaysia", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional (PN) has stepped up efforts to boost its image among non-Malay voters, as it sets its sights on winning the racially mixed western states held by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the state elections.\nNew governments must be elected in Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan by mid-2023, but support from ethnic minority voters, especially the Chinese \u2013 who make up more than a fifth of the population nationwide \u2013 is crucial for PN to expand its reach. \nState elections must also be held in three Malay-dominated northern states \u2013 Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan \u2013 controlled by Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), a key component of PN. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe party\u2019s 43 MPs make it the largest bloc not just within PN, but also in the federal Parliament after the general election threw up a hung Parliament.\nMost observers believe PN \u2013 which also includes Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Parti Gerakan Rakyat \u2013 will retain the three states. \nGerakan, nominally multiracial but nearly entirely non-Malay, is also determined to return to power in Penang 15 years after its four-decade rule there was ended.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnalysts and PH leaders have ridiculed Gerakan president Dominic Lau\u2019s bold claim, but senior figures in the ruling coalition told The Straits Times that they are expecting stiff battles in Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, Malaysia\u2019s richest state.\n\nSources also said that PN sees an opportunity to wrest these two central states led by Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat, after PH controversially teamed up with the graft-riddled Umno to form the federal government.\n\u201cHow we proceed with any cooperation with (Umno-led) Barisan Nasional (BN) could be crucial. We could gain Malay support but  also be punished by voters for expanding the relationship,\u201d a Selangor government official said, revealing that BN\u2019s request for 13 seats in the state would require the other PH parties to give up several wards. \nNegeri Sembilan PN has said it is focusing on the 21 seats with more than 60 per cent of Malay voters out of the 36 in the state assembly. In Selangor, 34 out of 56 wards have such Malay-dominated electorates.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt would be an uphill task to win a majority of seats in these two states purely on the basis of Malay support. \nInstead, PN must not only retain the lion\u2019s share of the Malay majority it took at the general election, but claim at least some backing from minorities which practically gave no support to the federal opposition bloc. \nHowever, PN \u2013 led by former premier Muhyiddin Yassin \u2013 has since November\u2019s general election espoused racial and religiously tinged rhetoric that was a feature of its campaign to woo Malay Muslims.\nPAS president Hadi Awang has been at the forefront of this messaging, accusing the federal government \u2013 which includes all MPs in the 222-strong Parliament except the 74 from PN \u2013 of Islamophobia and warning Malays who failed to vote that they were \u201cdisobeying God\u2019s command\u201d.\nBut just as Chinese New Year approached, he and his colleagues shifted their focus to graft. \nLast week, he accused the so-called \u201cunity government\u201d of banding together to protect \u201cliars, thieves and robbers\u201d after Umno resolved to bar any challenge against party president Zahid Hamidi at upcoming leadership polls despite him being on trial for 47 counts of graft.\n", "\nAt the same time, Tan Sri Hadi insisted that Islam compelled its followers to pursue inclusiveness, just not with criminals. \nIn the lead up to and during the long Chinese New Year weekend, the Marang MP posted on social media several celebrations with his \u201cChinese family\u201d members, including his daughter-in-law.\n\u201cMy grandfather adopted many Chinese, regardless of whether they embraced Islam. They are a part of my family. During World War II... my grandfather gave refuge to a non-Muslim Chinese and hid him in his garden,\u201d he wrote on Sunday. \u201cLet us make this celebration a way for us to strengthen the bond between the many races in Malaysia.\u201d\nHe joined other PN leaders, including Tan Sri Muhyiddin, at Gerakan\u2019s open house celebrations on Sunday and tossed yee sang, similar to yu sheng in Singapore, a tradition which some conservative Muslims shun.\nKedah chief minister Sanusi Md Nor, PAS\u2019 election director, also announced on Tuesday that the state would make Feb 5 a public holiday in conjunction with Hindu festival Thaipusam, which is an annual day off only for the federal territories and five other states. \nMost Hindus in Malaysia are ethnic Indians who make up less than 7 per cent of the population.\n\u201cThe Indian community is less hardened towards PAS because they don\u2019t have a natural home. But it will take a lot to convince Chinese not to go with PH,\u201d Singapore Institute of International Affairs\u2019 senior fellow Oh Ei Sun told ST. \n\u201cIt may be more effective convincing them not to turn out.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/perikatan-nasional-reaches-out-to-non-malays-ahead-of-state-polls-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Persistent traffic jam at Causeway must be resolved in 2023, says Johor chief minister", "text": ["\nKULAI - Traffic congestion at the two land crossings between Johor and Singapore has been going on for far too long and must be resolved by 2023, said Johor Menteri Besar\u00a0Onn Hafiz Ghazi. \nHe said there will be continuous efforts to resolve traffic problems along with other initiatives to advance the southern Malaysian state, with hopes that these will be able to attract more foreign investments to Johor.\n\u201cThe border congestion problem is a very important issue. It is a legacy issue that has been going on for two to three decades,\u201d Datuk Onn Hafiz said at the opening of a manufacturing plant on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAs the new Menteri Besar (chief minister), it is my objective to ensure that this issue is resolved by this year. That is why many Johoreans will often see me at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar and Sultan Abu Bakar Complex at 5am.\u201d\nThe chief minister, who took office in March, has previously been seen inspecting the Johor immigration and checkpoint buildings and inquiring why some counters for passport clearance were left unstaffed.\nShift hours for immigration staff has also been altered to cater for peak hours.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Onn Hafiz added that he will also focus on improving roads across all districts in Johor.\n\n\u201cRecently, we met up with the Works Minister, who approved additional funds of RM40 million (S$11.7 million) for Johor roads,\u201d he said, adding that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has also recently announced that the federal government is approving RM500 million to widen the North-South Expressway and the highway connected to beach destination Desaru.\nThe Johor chief added that the state government is working with the federal and Singapore governments to provide a ferry service between Tuas and Kota Iskandar.\n\u201cI hope that some of these attractive points will show that Johor is serious in welcoming more foreign investments into the state,\u201d he said.\nOn Saturday, Mr Onn Hafiz said Johor had received RM300 million in investment to build four manufacturing plants for JStar \u2013 a subsidiary of China-based company Zhejiang Jiecang Linear Motion Technology \u2013 in Kulai, Johor.\n\u201cSuch investments, other than bringing technology to the state, also opens up more job opportunities for Johoreans,\u201d he said, with plans to attract investors also in line with the state government\u2019s vision to make Johor an advanced state by 2030. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/persistent-traffic-congestion-on-the-causeway-must-be-resolved-this-year-says-johor-chief-minister"}, {"title": "Petronas clean energy arm sees India, Australia as key in rapid growth plans", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Gentari, the clean energy arm of Malaysia\u2019s state oil company Petronas, sees India and Australia as its key markets for growth and expects to tap more financing to meet its ambitious targets, its chief executive told Reuters.\nPetronas launched Gentari as a separate entity in June 2022, aiming to build renewable energy capacity of 30GW to 40GW and produce up to 1.2 million tonnes per year of hydrogen by 2030 in Asia-Pacific.\nIt also plans to establish 25,000 public charging points for electric vehicles.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn an interview on Wednesday, Gentari\u2019s chief executive Sushil Purohit said India and Australia will be primary markets for growth in the near term in all fields of operation.\nBoth countries have provided the right policies to facilitate projects, while Malaysia also has a lot of potential, he said, adding that growth could come from acquisitions and organically.\n\u201cIn terms of expansion, we will seek to collaborate with companies in different markets. If there is a good strategic fit for us, we would look at that as an opportunity for us to buy into the company or acquire the company in totality,\u201d Mr Purohit said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPetronas, like other oil majors, is ramping up investments in clean energy as part of its net-zero carbon emissions goals.\n\nThe state-owned company has said it would allocate 20 per cent of its overall capital expenditure for decarbonisation projects and cleaner energy solutions from 2023 to 2026.\nPetronas planned capital expenditure of RM60 billion (S$18 billion) in 2022.\nGentari\u2019s home base of Malaysia still require polices and incentives that encourage private investments in the sectors, Mr Purohit said, adding that the company intends to invest strongly in the South-east Asian nation.\nIn February, Gentari purchased Australian renewables company Wirsol Energy, which has solar and battery energy storage systems. Gentari declined to disclose the price of the purchase, but one source put the enterprise value of the deal at A$1 billion (S$907 million).\nIn 2019, before Gentari\u2019s formation, Petronas acquired Singapore-based solar energy company Amplus Energy Solutions, which has projects in India, the Middle East and South-east Asia.\nPurohit said Gentari will seek out new investors for particular projects or countries to support its rapid growth plans.\n\u201cThe capital requirement would be quite large. And that\u2019s the reason we need to go out and get also funds from outside,\u201d he said, without specifying an amount or timeframe. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/petronas-clean-energy-arm-sees-india-australia-as-key-in-rapid-growth-plans"}, {"title": "Luxembourg court orders Petronas units to be seized again in $20b arbitration dispute", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Luxembourg court bailiffs issued fresh seizure orders for two units of Malaysian state oil firm Petronas this week. \nIt followed a bid by descendants of a former sultanate to enforce a US$15 billion (S$20 billion) award they had won against Malaysia, according to the heirs\u2019 lawyer and court documents. \nThe Filipino heirs of the last sultan of Sulu are seeking to enforce a US$14.9 billion award granted to them by a French arbitration court in 2022, amid a long-running dispute with the Malaysian government over a colonial-era land deal. \n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia, which did not participate in the arbitration, maintains the process is illegal and has vowed to use all legal measures to prevent its assets, including state-linked companies, from being seized overseas. It obtained a stay on the award in France but the ruling remains enforceable overseas under a United Nations treaty on arbitration. \nOn Thursday, Petronas confirmed the new seizure order for the two units and their parent company, but reiterated that the heirs\u2019 actions were baseless, and the company will continue to defend its legal position.\nThe Petronas Azerbaijan (Shah Deniz) and Petronas South Caucasus units were first seized in July 2022. But the Malaysian government said in January that the order had been set aside by a Luxembourg district court.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Tuesday, Luxembourg court bailiffs issued a second seizure order on the units and related bank accounts, showed court documents shared by the heirs\u2019 lawyer, Mr Paul Cohen.\n\nMr Cohen, of British law firm 4-5 Gray\u2019s Inn Square, said the Luxembourg district court had indeed lifted the first seizure order on a minor issue that has since been addressed, but had not made a judgment on the merits of the arbitration. \n\u201cThere was a technical ruling that has now been effectively dealt with, and the freezing orders are once more in place on the Petronas assets in Luxembourg,\u201d he said via e-mail. \nThe Luxembourg court could not be immediately reached for comment. Petronas and Malaysia\u2019s law minister did not respond to requests for comment.\n", "\nThe dispute stems from a deal signed in 1878 between two European colonists and the sultan of Sulu for use of his territory in present-day Malaysia.\nIt is an agreement independent Malaysia honoured until 2013, paying the monarch\u2019s descendants a token sum annually.\nKuala Lumpur stopped the payments after a bloody incursion by supporters of the former sultanate who wanted to reclaim land from Malaysia. \nThe heirs say they were not involved in the incursion and sought arbitration over the suspension of payments. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/petronas-units-in-luxembourg-seized-again-in-20b-arbitration-dispute"}, {"title": "Photo of \u2018golden halo\u2019 on Mount Kinabalu goes viral", "text": ["\nA photograph of a \u201cgolden halo\u201d on one of the peaks of Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia\u2019s eastern state of Sabah has gone viral on social media.\nThe image was taken by mountain guide Daverond Gurading.\nHe posted the photo on Facebook on Wednesday and said it was taken during sunrise at around 6am.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Gurading said the reflection of the sunlight was seen at a peak near the Gurkha Hut pit stop.\nNetizens have described the \u201cgolden halo\u201d as looking like a necklace, a golden dragon and traditional headgear known as \u201csigah\u201d worn by Sabah\u2019s indigenous groups.\nMr Gurading\u2019s post has been shared 370 times and picked up by several social media platforms.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSeveral Facebook users questioned whether the image was doctored. \n\nMr Gurading, who has been a guide for six years, said it was genuine and that he has video footage of it as well.\n\u201cI shot the picture from the Low\u2019s Peak Summit,\u201d he said, referring to a point which most climbers usually manage to reach.\nMr Gurading said a climber whom he guided took a photo of the phenomenon as well.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/photo-of-golden-halo-on-mount-kinabalu-goes-viral"}, {"title": "PM Anwar back at Umno assembly after 25 years, as Zahid repeats calls to support unity govt", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - For the first time in 25 years, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attended the annual general assembly of Umno on Friday, taking a seat at the top table as the party\u2019s president Zahid Hamidi again urged members to support Malaysia\u2019s unity government.\n\u201cI felt comfortable and used to the atmosphere, including memorising the song,\u201d said Datuk Seri Anwar, referring to the party\u2019s anthem, which he gamely sang while waving the Umno flag.\nHe last attended the assembly in June 1998 as Umno\u2019s deputy president, before being sacked three months later.\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Friday, Datuk Seri Zahid delivered an opening speech in which he doubled down on support for Mr Anwar despite his party leaders on Thursday expressing misgivings about cooperating with the Premier\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition. \nBut, while he cajoled delegates to embrace Mr Anwar, PH leaders themselves would have bristled at the sudden pivot in the Umno chief\u2019s speech calling for former Umno president Najib Razak\u2019s release from jail.\nDr Zahid, who is also deputy premier, said backing Mr Anwar remains the right path for Malaysia\u2019s once-dominant party even if it means joining hands with former bitter foes.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe spent a good portion of his 80-minute speech praising Mr Anwar and advocating a more progressive Umno in the unity government. He also insisted that the reformist Prime Minister had championed the interests of the Malay-Muslim majority, a role that Umno has traditionally played.\n\nAddressing accusations from the opposition Perikatan Nasional that Islam was threatened under the Anwar administration, Dr Zahid pointed to the government\u2019s firm stance that the word \u201cAllah\u201d cannot be used by other religions to refer to God, and the RM1.65 billion (S$480 million) allocated for developing Islam and Islamic education.\n\u201cIf we want to see Islam and Malays excel, our involvement in government will strengthen a Malay-Muslim agenda that is moderate and progressive,\u201d he said.\nBut after talking up cooperation between the parties for polls due in two months to elect six out of Malaysia\u2019s 13 state governments, Dr Zahid remarked that \u201ceven our former leader who is now behind bars also hopes and prays that the unity government wins these six states\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cEven though he is not with us physically, his spirit and soul are with us,\u201d he said to a standing ovation, before Najib\u2019s son Mohd\u00a0Nizar\u00a0Najib stood up in the audience to ask Mr Anwar to \u201cplease release my father\u201d.\nDr Zahid added: \u201cUmno\u2019s stand will not change, that is to demand justice for Datuk Seri Najib.\u201d\nUmno is on a campaign to seek a royal pardon for the former premier, who is serving a 12-year jail sentence for graft related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.\nMr Anthony Loke, secretary-general of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), which is part of PH, told The Straits Times: \u201cThat is Zahid\u2019s view. It\u2019s okay.\n\u201cHe has to play to the gallery.\u201d\n", "\nThe 1MDB scandal, in which billions of dollars went missing from the state fund, was a key plank of PH\u2019s 2018 election campaign that saw Umno lose power for the first time in the six decades since Malaysia\u2019s independence. \nUnder further attacks for corruption, not least from Mr Anwar\u2019s PH, Umno suffered its worst electoral result at the general election in November 2022, winning just 26 of Parliament\u2019s 222 seats.\nWith the 2022 election resulting in Malaysia\u2019s first hung Parliament, Mr Anwar eventually took power when Dr Zahid overcame internal opposition within his party and teamed up with PH in a unity government that also includes several East Malaysian parties.\nWhen leaving the assembly on Friday, Mr Anwar did not address the Najib issue, merely saying: \u201cPersonal experiences are important, but not more than the national and public interest.\u201d\nMr Loke, who is Transport Minister, also brushed aside calls from Umno Youth on Thursday for DAP to apologise for past slights, since it has made similar overtures to fellow unity government allies from Sarawak.\n\u201cI agree with the Umno president\u2019s speech... where he called for its members to move on from the past for the sake of the country,\u201d he said.\nUnease within Umno has grown in recent months over the partnership with decades-old enemies from PH. \nCriticism of DAP and even Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli, who is deputy president of Mr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat, climaxed on Thursday when Umno Youth chief Akmal Saleh demanded that DAP apologise and \u201censure that all their insults, anti-Malay, anti-Islam, racist and communist-centric statements will not happen in the unity government\u201d.\nAlthough Dr Zahid had dismissed the call, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said it was a \u201cgood suggestion\u201d for DAP to show it could be magnanimous.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-back-at-umno-assembly-after-25-years-as-zahid-repeats-calls-to-support-unity-govt"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s PM Anwar cruises through Day One of Parliament", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s unity government barely broke a sweat on the first day of Parliament when it installed a Speaker as well as two deputies, and won a confidence motion with comfortable majorities on Monday.The only blot in the copybook was that the administration\u2019s claim of a two-thirds super majority \u2013 which allows sweeping changes to laws such as constitutional amendments and changes to electoral rules \u2013 was not affirmed in the confidence vote."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-cruises-through-day-one-of-parliament"}, {"title": "Anwar faces accusations of nepotism for appointing daughter as adviser", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is facing criticism over the appointment of his eldest daughter Nurul Izzah, who lost her seat in the general election, as his pro bono adviser on economics and finance.\nDespite the fact that she is not being paid, critics say the appointment looks like nepotism, as Ms Izzah, 42, does not have  experience in economics and finance.\u00a0\nTransparency International Malaysia (TI-M), a non-governmental organisation, says the move \u201cgives the wrong signal, and if not rectified, it will be a factor that will show up on the Corruption Perception Index\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHopefully the Prime Minister will intervene and make adjustments so we don\u2019t lose Nurul Izzah\u2019s talent,\u201d TI-M president Muhammad Mohan was quoted as saying by The Star daily. \nA former member of a pro-Anwar group of activists has also slammed the decision.  \u201cThe perception is simple. Out of 32 million people, is there really no one else who can be the Prime Minister\u2019s adviser?\u201d former Otai Reformis secretary Abdul Razak Ismail was quoted as saying by the Free Malaysia Today portal. \nDatuk Seri Anwar on Tuesday defended the appointment of his daughter. \u201cNepotism is where (a family member) is given a position to abuse power, enrich themselves, obtain contracts and get paid a huge sum. This is not the case,\u201d he told reporters.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Izzah has a degree in engineering and a second degree in public and social policy from Johns Hopkins University in the United States. She is the vice-president of\u00a0Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which is led by her father. In the last general election, she lost her Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat, a traditional PKR stronghold, to Perikatan Nasional by nearly 6,000 votes. She won it in 2018 with nearly 16,000 votes.\n\nDespite his reservations, economist and Khazanah Research Institute senior adviser Jomo Kwame Sundram said Ms Izzah had demonstrated sound political and policy independence when dealing with a number of issues in the past.\n\u201cI am also not keen on the Prime Minister being the finance minister. I am also not keen on this (Nurul Izzah\u2019s) appointment. But all things considered, the reaction to her appointment is unwarranted,\u201d he said.\n\u201cIn an ideal world, I will not advocate this. But she has a level of competency that many people do not know of,\u201d Dr Jomo was quoted as saying by The Edge Financial Daily on Monday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI think the fact (that) she is a woman is part of the reason why people might think she has no mind of her own. Of course it is not publicly stated, but these are the implicit assumptions.\u201d \nDr Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, told The Straits Times: \u201cI think nepotism comes into play when there are obvious elements of playboy dilettantism or impending kleptocracy.\n\u201cNurul Izzah has the pertinent qualifications and is widely viewed by progressive Malaysians as capable future prime ministerial material. So at worst, this is valuable training ground for her to remain useful and visible, and at best, a way to draw out the economic views of the younger yet responsible generation that she represents.\u201d\n", "\nConcerns about nepotism in Malaysian politics have been fuelled by numerous past incidents. For example, former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was criticised after appointing his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin as his close adviser.\nThere was also disapproval when Ms Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid, the daughter of Umno president Zahid Hamidi \u2013 who became deputy premier in December \u2013 was appointed to the board of government agency SME Corporation in January 2021. \nLawyer Andrew Yong pointed out that Ms Izzah\u2019s new position is unpaid. He tweeted: \u201cIn my view, there is nothing fundamentally wrong about someone with Nurul\u2019s political experience working for her father essentially as an unpaid political assistant. But the use of the title of \u2018senior adviser in economics and finance\u2019 is clearly a presentational error.\u201d\nSome long-time supporters of Mr Anwar said they were unhappy with the announcement.\n\nCompany secretary Michael Ariva, 42, told ST: \u201cI am very disappointed. I have been a strong Anwar supporter since the Reformasi days. He has always been against nepotism and promised reforms. Nurul Izzah is not qualified. It is nepotism.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-faces-accusations-of-nepotism-for-appointing-daughter-as-adviser"}, {"title": "PM Anwar Ibrahim says Malaysia in talks with other countries to bring Jho Low back", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia is negotiating with other countries to expedite fugitive financier Low Taek Jho\u2019s return to the South-east Asian nation so he may face criminal charges for his role in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.  \nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday that other nations were cooperating with Malaysia\u2019s efforts to track Low, a process he described as complicated.\u00a0\n\u201cIt involves other countries, it involves intelligence services, Interpol,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar told reporters after attending an event in Kuala Lumpur. He did not reveal the countries involved in the talks, or confirm Low\u2019s whereabouts.  \n\n\n\n\n\nBetter known as Jho Low, the businessman was first charged in absentia in 2018 by a Malaysian court with eight counts of money laundering and issued a warrant of arrest. \nThe US Federal Bureau of Investigation has accused Low of stealing US$1.42 billion (S$1.88 billion) from three bond transactions that Goldman Sachs Group arranged for the Malaysian wealth fund.\u00a0\nA separate Malaysian court in 2020 said Low played a crucial role in transferring RM42 million (S$12.5 million) from a former 1MDB unit to former prime minister Najib Razak\u2019s accounts. Najib is now serving a 12-year prison sentence for his crimes related to 1MDB, and faces several other trials. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar on Friday reiterated his government\u2019s commitment to bring back Low. \n\n\u201cThat has been the position and we have been very tough from day one,\u201d he said.\nIn 2020, the financier had struck a deal with US prosecutors to recoup almost US$700 million worth of assets, including a Beverly Hills hotel and real estate in New York and London. That is in addition to US$260 million of assets, including a US$126 million super yacht, seized earlier on Malaysia\u2019s behalf.\nMeanwhile, one of Low\u2019s aides who was suspected of receiving money misappropriated from 1MDB and SRC International, a subsidiary of 1MDB, was repatriated to Malaysia from an undisclosed location. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe move was a result of cooperation between the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and law enforcement agencies from abroad.\nSources revealed that the individual, who was not named, arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) at 3.30am on Wednesday. \n\u201cUpon arriving at KLIA2, the individual, who had been missing since 2018, was then handed a notice ordering him to appear at the MACC headquarters at Putrajaya at 10am on Thursday.\n\u201cMACC officers recorded his statement and his house was searched on the same day,\u201d the source said.\nThe source also revealed that the individual was believed to have received money originating from funds misappropriated from 1MDB and SRC through the bank account of a company known as Wright Shaw.\nPreviously, MACC, in collaboration with Singapore\u2019s Commercial Affairs Departments (CAD), had successfully seized the bank account belonging to Wright Shaw amounting to about US$5.2 million.\n\u201cThe investigation also proved that he had received money from the misappropriation of 1MDB funds through Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia (YR1M),\u201d the source said, referring to a charity foundation under Najib.\nSeparately, MACC said on April 26 it had, with CAD Singapore\u2019s cooperation, successfully brought home an estimated RM16 million from Totality Limited.\nTotality was a company owned by 1MDB\u2019s former business development executive director, Tang Keng Chee or Casey Tang.\nThe source said Tang conspired to mislead banks and hide certain facts from 1MDB\u2019s board of directors in order to transfer US$700 million to Good Star, a company allegedly owned by Low.\nMACC had issued an arrest warrant dated June 29, 2018 against Tang, who remains untraceable. \nThe source said Tang is wanted for alleged offences under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009, read together with Section 28 of the same Act.\nMACC\u2019s chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed the matter and said it is now trying to bring back more assets from the individuals involved in Singapore. \n\u201cMACC has so far managed to recover about 70 per cent of 1MDB\u2019s assets worth about RM28.3 billion,\u201d he said. BLOOMBERG, THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-ibrahim-says-malaysia-in-talks-with-other-countries-to-bring-jho-low-back"}, {"title": "PM Anwar launches new slogan for Malaysia, promises to be clean, help everyone", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday launched a new slogan for his administration \u2013 called Malaysia Madani \u2013 which he said aims to bring the country forward.\nThe slogan followed those introduced by previous prime ministers, including Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri, 1Malaysia by Najib Razak, and Islam Hadhari (Civilisational Islam) by Tun Abdullah Badawi.\nDatuk Seri Anwar said in a speech that the concept\u2019s main core are accountability and transparency, and he promised to help every Malaysian regardless of ethnicity. \n\n\n\n\n\nBehind him on the stage in Putrajaya where he spoke were the words \u201cMembangun Malaysia MADANI\u201d (Developing Malaysia MADANI). The word \u201cmadani\u201d in Arabic carries the general meaning of civilised or modern.\nThe premier said that the word Madani is the Malay acronym for Sustainability, Care & Compassion, Respect, Innovation, Prosperity and Trust, The Star daily reported.\nMr Anwar, who assumed the premiership two months ago, said he wants to reset the country\u2019s attitude towards race and religion, a mainstay of Malaysian politics.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOur country\u2019s pillar is still the Malay majority and with an emphasis on the principles of Islam, the Malay language, and Malay rights, but we are a multiracial country.\n\n\u201cWe do not want this country to be developed in a way where certain groups of the people, whether it is a minority race or the poor or those in rural areas or in Sabah or Sarawak, are still left behind,\u201d he said, as quoted by Malaysiakini news site.\nThe country\u2019s long-standing Bumiputera policy, which aims to uplift the Malay majority and other indigenous races, is widely seen today as hobbling Malaysia\u2019s development and causing the migration of talent.\nPM Anwar leads a multiracial coalition and is aware that he must corral higher Malay-Muslim support, including from the Malay-majority civil service, to strengthen his leadership.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe want to ensure that while the economy will grow robustly, the people will not be forsaken and that the government is accountable in its service to the country,\u201d said Mr Anwar, who became prime minister after November\u2019s general election. \nHe added that for the 33-million-strong country to grow and move forward, past weaknesses must not be repeated. \u201cIf we can rectify mistakes, we can save the country and bring her back to her former glory,\u201d he said at the launching at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre. The event was attended by Cabinet ministers and senior civil servants.\nThe launch also saw the unveiling of PM Anwar\u2019s book titled Developing A Madani Nation, The Star reported.\nThe book among others features his ideas from his political experience and knowledge gathered from four decades of reading that began from his days as a student to leading the Reformasi movement.\n", "\nOn the Madani concept, PM Anwar said the government is introducing something holistic that will ensure development goes hand in hand with the interests and well-being of the people.\nHe said the Madani concept would see to it that growth would prioritise the people\u2019s needs \u2013 especially those of the poor \u2013 so that they could be freed from poverty.\nOn racial unity, he said the leadership would protect the people from racism and put a stop to attempts to use identity politics to split the people.\n\u201cWith the ability of political leadership and commitment of civil servants, I am confident that Malaysia can regain its good name on the world stage again,\u201d he said.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-launches-new-slogan-for-malaysia-promises-to-be-clean-help-everyone"}, {"title": "PM Anwar pleads for support from Malaysia's powerful civil service", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Mr Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday implored Malaysia\u2019s civil service to cooperate with him, as the reformist Prime Minister faces an uphill task to win over the traditionally pro-establishment workforce.\nThe 75-year-old leader was named prime minister last week after an inconclusive vote resulted in a hung Parliament and led to rival leaders rushing to muster support. Now, as head of a unity government, winning over the 1.2 million civil servants will be crucial to Mr Anwar\u2019s political longevity, as they execute policies and form a key vote bank. \n\u201cI am taking this chance to invite you, to plead for all of you to be with me, to give your interest and support in bringing change,\u201d said Mr Anwar in his maiden address to the civil servants in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department in the administrative capital of Putrajaya.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere is no way I can succeed if the backbone of the civil service is not with me,\u201d added Mr Anwar, who was speaking in soft tones that were a marked departure from his fiery campaign speeches.\nThe civil service in Malaysia is one of the most bloated in the world relative to its population and has been regarded as a career of choice for the majority ethnic Malays. Most civil servants live in Putrajaya, about 40km from the capital, and in the recent elections, they voted overwhelmingly in favour of candidates from pro-Malay coalitions.\nOver the years, governments have sought to retain public servants\u2019 loyalty through pledges to increase their salaries and make cash payouts \u2013 often straining the budget. The budget deficit is expected to hit 5.8 per cent of gross domestic product in 2022 and narrow further to 5.5 per cent in 2023, the Ministry of Finance said in October.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn his address on Tuesday, Mr Anwar switched between tones of reconciliation and humour. \n\nHe drew chuckles from the audience as he shared how he had been ignoring a lot of slander since becoming prime minister, including that he was an \u201cIsraeli agent\u201d \u2013 an often-used political accusation. \u00a0\n\u201cI want to focus on work, besides, you know I\u2019m an agent of many countries \u2013 the US, Israel, India, now Turkey, so I have surpassed 007 in many ways,\u201d he quipped in reference to the fictional British secret agent. \n\u201cSo I hope we can focus on work.\u201d BLOOMBERG \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-pleads-for-support-from-malaysias-powerful-civil-service"}, {"title": "PM Anwar\u2019s ally bags chairman post in two companies, raising governance concerns", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A former aide to Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been appointed chairman of two public-listed companies in just over a week, raising concerns over close links between the Pakatan Harapan-led government and well-connected business tycoons.\nMr Farhash Wafa Salvador, Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s former political secretary who is known as his \u201cblue-eyed boy\u201d within Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), secured the two company chairmanships in a span of eight days, after Mr Anwar became prime minister over a month ago.\nMr Farhash was appointed as chairman of convenience store chain 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Berhad on Tuesday. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe chain in Malaysia is 41.8 per cent owned by the politically-connected tycoon Vincent Tan.  \nMr Farhash also bagged the position of group executive chairman of stockbroking firm Apex Equity Holdings Berhad on Dec 27. \nThe former Perak PKR chief does not hold any positions in government, but political analysts view the two chairmanships as signs of concern for reformist leader Anwar, who has pledged good governance in his administration. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSaid a political analyst who declined to be named: \u201cOver the past month, Mr Anwar has outperformed expectations, so this is the first sign of trouble even though it was his former political secretary.\n\n\u201cPKR members find it surprising that someone with less experience compared to other senior qualified people can gain such influence.\u201d\nWhen Mr Anwar was deputy prime minister during the 1990s, his ally Kamarudin Jaffar was appointed to top corporate roles, such as in Tan Sri Vincent Tan\u2019s RM10 billion (S$3.05 billion) Kuala Lumpur Linear City mega project.  \nAccording to filings with stock exchange Bursa Malaysia, Mr Farhash has a degree in business administration and has \u201cmore than a decade\u2019s worth of experience in the field of business, consultancy and advisory\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cEven with Mr Farhash\u2019s decade of experience, some may argue it would still not merit him into a stockbroker firm like Apex Equity. But given that these are private corporations, they have the prerogative to decide what is suitable for their board members,\u201d said BowerAsiaGroup senior analyst Arinah Najwa.\nBut critics say the appointments are unethical and point to cronyism within the Anwar administration, which has championed reforms and is against cronyism and corruption.\nFacebook user Mohd Nor Helmi said: \u201cPeople are debating whether it\u2019s a government-linked company (that hired Farhash) or not, while forgetting how people fish for big tenders from the government.\u201d \nConceding that the appointments were made by private companies and not government-linked corporations, Opposition leader Hamzah Zainuddin said the public should wait and see if contracts would eventually be given to companies associated with Mr Anwar\u2019s loyalist.  \nThe Perikatan Nasional secretary-general told The Straits Times: \u201cRight now, the appointments have nothing to do with the government because Mr Farhash has been appointed by a private company. \n\u201cThe public should watch out and see if the government does something against the law.\u201d\nHowever, Ketereh MP Khlir Mohd Nor, who is from the opposition Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, urged the Prime Minister to explain Mr Farhash\u2019s appointments as they do not reflect good governance, a value often preached by the Pakatan Supreme Council.  \n\u201cWe urge Anwar to break his silence over these appointments and explain to the public how these appointments are consistent with good governance or reform,\u201d he said on Wednesday. \nAn economist, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that even though the positions are in private companies, business confidence in Malaysia could deteriorate as the government may be influenced to choose tenders from such corporations.\n", "\nOn Wednesday, 7-Eleven\u2019s share price jumped by almost 4 per cent to a high of RM1.84 from its previous close on news that Mr Farhash had replaced Datuk Seri Robin Tan, son of major shareholder Mr Tan, who helmed the position for just over a year.\n\u201cMr Vincent could be trying to buy his way into Mr Anwar\u2019s good books,\u201d said the economist. \nAppointing Mr Farhash as chairman was \u201cthe easiest access into Mr Anwar\u2019s inner circle... without penetrating ministries\u2019 strict regulations on anti-corruption, anti-monopoly,\u201d the economist added.\n\u201cIt would not require him to deal with various coalition partners\u201d.\nAlthough it is likely that Mr Anwar has not directly influenced the two appointments of his ally, BowerAsiaGroup\u2019s Ms Arinah reckons that Mr Farhash\u2019s close ties with the Prime Minister could be a key factor of consideration for the companies.  \n\u201cFor senior roles like this, there\u2019s always room for discussion because proximity to powerful people like the Prime Minister can help potentially bring in business for the company and build its credibility as Mr Farhash\u2019s networks would be valuable,\u201d she told The Straits Times.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-s-ally-bags-chairman-post-in-two-companies-raising-governance-concerns"}, {"title": "PM Anwar\u2019s daughter Izzah is pro bono advisor to prime minister on economics and finance", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The eldest daughter of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was appointed Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister on Economics and Finance on Jan 3. \nMs Nurul Izzah Anwar, 42, who lost her Parliament seat in the November general election, is working pro bono for the government,  Datuk Seri Anwar said on Saturday as reported by Malaysiakini.\n\u201cI am not paying her any allowances,\u201d he said after an event in his constituency in Tambun, Perak, in response to questions by reporters about her appointment on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar has said in December that he, too, won\u2019t be drawing a salary as prime minister and finance minister.\nHe defended the appointment of his daughter after being criticised by an opposition leader. Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu asked whether she is qualified for the post as she only has a bachelor\u2019s degree in engineering.\nMr Anwar said Ms Nurul Izzah also has a master\u2019s degree in public policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Nurul Izzah told The Star in an interview published on Saturday: \u201cI have been serving as Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister on Economics and Finance effective Jan 3, 2023.\n\n\u201cIt is my fervent hope that my past experience in the legislature as an MP, work on poverty and technical and vocational education, and service on the Public Accounts Committee can be leveraged in my engagement with experts in navigating economic governance, accountability, and evidence-based policies.\u201d\nShe is one of the seven vice-presidents of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) which is led by her father. PKR is the lead party in Malaysia\u2019s governing coalition.\nMs Izzah was elected a federal lawmaker in 2008 when she was 27, but lost her family\u2019s traditional stronghold of Permatang Pauh, on mainland Penang, in the November 2022 national polls.\nDefending her daughter\u2019s qualification, PM Anwar - who is a graduate of Malay studies - said he didn\u2019t have the qualifications to be finance minister, and pointed out that many Cabinet ministers from Mr Faizal\u2019s opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) didn\u2019t have the relevant college degrees either, when they ruled Malaysia between 2020 and 2022. PN is led by Bersatu and Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS).\n\u201cMinisters from PAS and Bersatu don\u2019t have qualifications in their respective (ministries) either.\n\u201cIs it true that a health minister must be a doctor, or that a water minister must be an engineer?\u201d Mr Anwar asked.\nHe added, as reported by Malaysiakini: \u201cWhat\u2019s most important, including for Faizal, is to stop stealing land, timber, stocks, projects, and commissions. This is what is destroying the country.\u201d\nHe added that he has not heard anything from these critics in support of efforts to clean up the country.\n\u201cThey all talk about corruption but when we talk about these cases, they ask \u2018why dig up old cases?\u2019,\u201d Mr Anwar said. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-s-daughter-izzah-is-pro-bono-advisor-to-prime-minister-on-economics-and-finance"}, {"title": "PM Anwar\u2019s Robin Hood Budget is populist but no game changer for Malaysia\u2019s economy", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 There\u2019s a story going around that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim eschews wearing a necktie because he adheres to the view that it\u2019s a symbol of subjugation to the wealthy aristocratic class. The story\u2019s probably apocryphal, but it is in keeping with the messaging so far from his three-month-old government. The revised Budget 2023 he tabled on Friday further reinforced this stance, containing measures to tax and redistribute the wealth of the \u201csuper-rich\u201d. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-s-robin-hood-budget-is-populist-but-no-game-changer-for-malaysia-s-economy"}, {"title": "PM Anwar still finalising Malaysia\u2019s list of Cabinet ministers", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is still putting the final touches to his Cabinet line-up and contrary to some media reports, will not be naming them on Thursday.\nDatuk Seri Anwar spent the entire afternoon on Wednesday focusing his full attention on the Cabinet composition \u2013 with other appointments cleared from his schedule.\nHighly placed sources said there had been intense lobbying from partners of the unity government.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe list will probably be trimmed to maybe 25 ministries but he (Anwar) is certainly juggling as this is unprecedented.\n\u201cHe has to take into account many political interests, and yet, trim down the Cabinet to a decent size,\u201d one source added.\nUnder Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s tenure as prime minister, there were 32 ministers, while Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob led a government with 31 ministers.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt has been speculated that there could be two Deputy Prime Ministers with Umno president Zahid Hamid being touted as one of them, and another possibly from Sarawak.\n\nGabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)\u2019s Datuk Fadillah Yusuf, who was Works Minister, has been speculated by the media to be the one taking the second DPM post.\nMr Anwar\u2019s unity government coalition has three major factions - his Pakatan Harapan with 82 seats, Barisan Nasional with 30 and GPS with 23, making a total of 135 seats in the 222-strong Lower House. Mr Anwar said he also has support from other factions and smaller parties to control 148 seats, or two-thirds of Parliament.\nMr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat, one of four PH members, is almost certain to keep the powerful Finance Minister post. Should a Finance Minister II post be created, then it might go to Umno, a member of BN.\nAnother key position is the dominant Home Affairs Minister portfolio which both PKR and Umno are eyeing.\nSpeculations that the Cabinet is ready and that the Cabinet line-up announcement would be announced Thursday emerged after the Istana Negara (national palace) Facebook account posted on Wednesday four photographs showing the Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah receiving the Prime Minister.\nIt was reported that His Majesty had granted an audience to Anwar on Tuesday, which then led to talk that the complete list of the Cabinet had already been presented to the king.\nIt was understood that while the possible appointment of Zahid as DPM has become an issue among PH leaders and supporters, they also acknowledged that he was a key figure in the formation of the coalition government.\n\u201cThe harsh reality is that without Zahid, there is no PH-led unity government. We have to consider that... Let Anwar have the space to draw the list but there will be no announcement tomorrow (Thursday), as of now,\u201d the source added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-still-finalising-malaysia-s-list-of-cabinet-ministers"}, {"title": "PM Anwar told Malaysia\u2019s A-G to review Pedra Branca issue for \u2018meaningful\u2019 talks with Singapore", "text": ["\nPUTRAJAYA - Malaysia\u2019s Attorney-General has been instructed to review matters pertaining to claims over Pedra Branca so that negotiations with Singapore on the issue will be more fruitful, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday.\nDatuk Seri Anwar said A-G Idrus Harun was also asked to look into the impact of the International Court of Justice (ICJ)\u2019s decision to award Singapore legal jurisdiction of Pedra Branca, which Malaysia calls Batu Puteh, The Star daily reported.\n\u201cThe Cabinet has tasked the A-G to look into the matter so that negotiations and discussions with Singapore on Batu Puteh will have a meaningful outcome.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFurther, we do not want this to result in issues or problems in the relations of two neighbouring friends,\u201d he said to reporters after chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, as reported by The Star.\nOn Oct 13 this year, then-prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said his Cabinet was informed of the possibility of negligence and mistakes made by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, when he was premier in 2018, when withdrawing an application to review the ICJ\u2019s decision on Pedra Branca.\nDr Mahathir, who headed the Pakatan Harapan federal government in 2018, withdrew the application before the case was  scheduled to be heard on June 11 that year. He said the withdrawal was based on the advice of former A-G Apandi Ali.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPedra\u00a0Branca\u00a0is an island located at the eastern entrance of the Singapore Strait, about 24 nautical miles (44km) east of Singapore. \n\nThe British colonial government took possession of it to build Horsburgh Lighthouse between 1847 and 1851 and other structures, and since then, Singapore has exercised continuous sovereignty over the island and its adjacent waters.\nTo the south of\u00a0Pedra\u00a0Branca\u00a0are two maritime features \u2013 Middle Rocks and South Ledge.\nBoth countries took the territorial dispute to the ICJ and in 2008, the court awarded sovereignty over\u00a0Pedra\u00a0Branca\u00a0to Singapore in the case concerning sovereignty over\u00a0Pedra\u00a0Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe ICJ also decided that sovereignty over Middle Rocks belongs to Malaysia, and sovereignty over South Ledge belongs to the state in the territorial waters of which it is located.\nSingapore in October this year noted Malaysia\u2019s press statement that it intends to continue legal action in the ICJ on the issue of sovereignty over\u00a0Pedra\u00a0Branca, and said the Republic stands ready to\u00a0defend\u00a0its sovereignty over\u00a0the island. \nSingapore will also deal with any legal action Malaysia might pursue, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) had said in October, in response to media queries.\n\u201cSingapore is unable to comment on Malaysia\u2019s latest intentions since no details have been shared,\u201d the spokesman said then.\n\u201cSingapore stands ready to robustly\u00a0defend\u00a0our sovereignty over\u00a0Pedra\u00a0Branca\u00a0and will deal with whatever legal action Malaysia may pursue,\u201d he added.\n", "\nThe MFA\u00a0in October noted that after the ICJ\u2019s decision in 2008, both Singapore and Malaysia publicly announced that they would accept and abide by the court\u2019s decision, which is final.\nHowever, in 2017, Malaysia instituted an application for revision and a request for interpretation of the ICJ\u2019s 2008 decision, both of which it subsequently withdrew in 2018.\nMFA\u00a0added that under the statute of the court, an application for revision cannot be made after the expiry of 10 years from the date of the court\u2019s 2008 judgment \u2013 that is, May 2018. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-told-a-g-to-review-pedra-branca-issue-for-meaningful-talks-with-singapore"}, {"title": "PM Anwar wants to review Islamic studies in schools to emphasise universal values", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday that Islamic religious studies being taught in schools and higher educational institutions should be reviewed to emphasise universal values and humanity.\nThere should be better understanding of religions among the masses to ensure the survival of a multiracial and multireligious Malaysia, he said at the launching of a book at the International Islamic University.\nMuslim-majority Malaysia has turned more conservative in recent decades, partly caused by the teaching of a narrow interpretation of Islam in educational institutions. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe prime minister last week launched a new slogan for his administration \u2013 called Malaysia Madani \u2013 saying he wanted to reset the country\u2019s attitude towards race and religion, a mainstay of Malaysian politics. The word \u201cmadani\u201d in Arabic carries the general meaning of civilised or modern.\n\u201cThere are suggestions from scholars such as Professor Osman who stated that the Islamic religious studies being taught in schools must be re-looked at and reviewed to ensure that what is taught gives a better understanding of the issues of values, character and universal human values. These have to be emphasised,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar said, referring to a top local Islamic professor.\n\u201cThis is so because many a time, Islam is taught by quoting authorities and fatwas are issued (by authorities) based on their own understanding. Sometimes, when we question (the fatwas), they said that it is not right (to do so).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf the main teachers take a wrong action, it must be questioned. Just because that person is a head of a political party, that does not mean all his statements are right. Islam did not teach us to do so.\n\nMr Anwar did not mention any political parties but was likely referring to leaders of opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), as some of them are prominent clerics. \nMr Anwar heads a multiracial coalition in Parliament, with the opposition comprising Islamists from PAS and Malay-Muslim based Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.  \nPM Anwar, earlier in a speech before the launching of the book, said that there must be continuous engagement between different religions to ensure harmony in the country between races and religions.\n\u201cThe pursuit of civilisational dialogue is necessary for survival of a multireligious and multiracial country,\u201d he said. \u201cCharacter and ethics are both important in education.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pm-anwar-wants-to-review-islamic-studies-in-schools-to-emphasise-universal-values"}, {"title": "Police arrest three men in Malaysia who allegedly blasted open ATM", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM - Police have arrested three mechanics for allegedly blowing open an automated teller machine (ATM) on Feb 23, before escaping with over RM300,000 (S$90,000) in cash. \nSelangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said the men were arrested following several police raids in the towns of Kuang and Meru in Selangor.\n\u201cInterrogations led to their confession in the case on Feb 23, as well as in two other cases in Meru in December 2020 and February last year.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe mastermind of the group is a 43-year-old man who works as a mechanic in Kuang,\u201d he told reporters at the Selangor police headquarters on Thursday. \nHe said the suspects are believed to only target machines from one specific bank because the machines \u201cwere not updated\u201d.\n\u201cThe suspects are believed to have bored a hole in the machine and pumped in oxyacetylene gas,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOnce they pumped in enough gas, they would ignite it to blow open the machine.\u201d\n\nThe heist, over in just minutes, took place at a bank in Setia Alam in the wee hours of Feb 23.\nIt was believed that the notes in the machine were protected by \u201cink spraying technology\u201d, a method where the notes are automatically stained with an indelible ink when attempts at ATM tampering are detected.\nCommissioner Hussein said the suspects were caught as they were cleaning the notes with bleach. \n\u201cWe seized over RM202,400 in 50 ringgit and 100 ringgit notes, which were being washed by the suspects.\n\u201cWe also got clothes with ink on them that we think the suspects wore during the incident, as well as cellphones and other things,\u201d he said, adding that the suspects are being remanded for seven days.\n", "\nSelangor cops also scored the second-largest seizure of drugs nationwide, which is also the largest haul in Selangor, with 451.21kg of methamphetamine worth nearly RM15 million.\nDatuk Hussein said two men, aged 22 and 33, were arrested near Rawang on Feb 28.\n\u201cOur investigations revealed the drugs originated from a neighbouring country and were meant for sale in the Klang Valley.\u201d THE STAR / ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/police-arrest-three-men-who-allegedly-blasted-open-atm"}, {"title": "Crowd stops man who was dragging a chained bloodied dog behind his car in Malaysia", "text": ["\nPORT DICKSON \u2013 A poultry farm owner was having a cup of tea last Saturday when he saw a dog being dragged by a car that it was chained to.\n\u201cThe dog\u2019s paws were bleeding and it had collapsed. The gravel was also scraping its chest while the man continued driving,\u201d said Mr Rajes Donarow, who lives in Kampung Sri Pari in Lukut, Port Dickson, in Negeri Sembilan state. \nHe said the driver is from the same village and owns a durian plantation and landscaping business. He gave chase on his motorbike and signalled for the man to stop, but the man ignored him.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI then overtook the car, blocked it and pulled the keys out of the ignition. I asked him why he was dragging the dog in such a cruel manner instead of using his lorry or four-wheel drive,\u201d Mr Rajes added.\nHe said the man told him he was taking the dog to another plantation about 2km away and claimed the dog did not want to get into a vehicle.\nBut Mr Rajes noted that when he unchained the bleeding dog, it jumped into the car immediately.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Rajes then called the police as several passers-by surrounded the man and his badly injured dog.\n\nWhen police officers arrived at the scene, they asked Mr Rajes and the dog owner to make police reports.\n\u201cI was also advised to take the matter to the Department of Veterinary Services,\u201d said Mr Rajes, who believes the dog might have died from its injuries.\nWhen contacted, an officer from the Lukut district police headquarters confirmed that both men had made police reports over the matter. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/police-reports-lodged-over-case-of-dog-dragged-by-car-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Policeman in Malaysia nabbed for allegedly shooting wife dead", "text": ["\nKANGAR, Perlis \u2013 A policeman was arrested after he allegedly shot his wife to death at their house in Simpang Empat, a town in Perlis, Malaysia.\nKangar district police chief Yusharifuddin Mohd Yusop said the authorities received a report on Sunday about the incident from a man believed to be the suspect\u2019s brother-in-law.\n\u201cUpon arriving at the house at about 8am, police asked the suspect to surrender but he (did not respond), forcing them to barge into the house,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nAssistant Commissioner Yusharifuddin said the suspect was detained in the master bedroom of the house, where the body of his 26-year-old wife was found.\nAccording to the victim\u2019s father, the suspect took out his pistol and fired more than five shots at her at close range. The bullets hit her in the left eye and she died immediately, AC Yusharifuddin added.\nThe victim\u2019s body was sent to Tuanku Fauziah Hospital in Kangar for a post-mortem exam.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe shooting took place after the suspect, believed to be a narcotics officer, finished his shift, reported the New Straits Times.\n\nUpon hearing the gunshots, other family members living in the house fled and called the police.\nWhen the police arrived at the scene, they found the suspect sitting in the master bedroom, still holding the gun in his hand. He did not resist arrest.\nThe victim\u2019s body was lying on the bed in the master bedroom, and some bullet casings were found on the floor.\nThe couple did not have children.\nThe suspect had been working at the Perlis Police Contingent Headquarters for four years, said AC Yusharifuddin.\nAll policemen carry a firearm while on duty, with permission from their department head, he added.\nAC Yusharifuddin said the case was being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, and the remand application for the suspect would be made on Monday. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/policeman-nabbed-for-allegedly-shooting-wife-dead-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Pregnant Malaysian woman, daughter die after boat capsizes in Krabi", "text": ["\nBANGKOK \u2013 A holiday in southern Thailand turned tragic when a Malaysian man lost his pregnant wife and six-year-old daughter to a boat accident on Wednesday. \nAccording to the Bernama news agency, the family of three were on a Poda Island tour in the afternoon when the long-tailed boat carrying them capsized off the coast of Krabi province. \nKrabi province governor Passakorn Bunyalak said he believed the boat capsized when it was hit by huge waves. \u201cThe family of three and the boat operator were drifting at sea and later rescued by a local fisherman. All of them were brought to shore at Klong Sai Pier and rushed to Krabi Hospital,\u201d he told a press conference. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Thai boat operator, Mr Sala, 45, survived, along with the Malaysian man, Mr Gan Kah Seng, 38. \nBut Mr Gan\u2019s wife, Ms Tan Chen Woon, 36, and their young daughter did not, reported The Thaiger newspaper. \nFisherman Warit Changmin, 21, saw them floating in the sea when he was on his way back to Klong Sai Pier due to sudden rain and strong wind, according to The Thaiger. He pulled all four of them onto his boat. The mother and child were unconscious at this point and pronounced dead later. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe police said they would get a statement from the boat operator once he is discharged. \n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pregnant-woman-daughter-from-malaysia-die-after-boat-capsizes-in-krabi-thailand"}, {"title": "Premium durians going for a steal in Penang", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN - Now is the time to eat like a king in Penang, where \u201chigh-end\u201d durians are concerned.\nA kilogram of the highly sought-after Musang King variant, for example, is being sold for RM30 to RM45 (S$9 to S$13), compared with last year\u2019s price of RM80 to RM90 per kg. \nAnd the bittersweet XO variant, not commonly grown in Penang, is selling for as low as RM20 per kg.\n\n\n\n\n\nPreviously, the price could go up to RM80 to RM100 during the peak season. \nPenang\u2019s durian season is typically from May to August.\n\nMost of the durians sold in Penang now come from Perak or Pahang, which are among the states that enjoy a short year-end durian season that lasts until January. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut even after being transported to Penang, a kilogram of Musang King is retailing for just RM30 to RM45. \n\nDurian seller Edward Lim, 30, said the durians are now cheap because of a bumper harvest in Pahang orchards.\n\n\u201cWe get some from Tapah in Perak too, but the most popular ones are from Raub (in Pahang),\u201d said Mr Lim. He said Pahang\u2019s durian season started about two months ago and is expected to continue until the end of January. \nThe \u201clower grades\u201d of Musang King, he said, cost about RM30 per kg. \u201cAnd the same goes for other popular variants such as Teik Kah and Black Thorn. We are told that the lower price is also due to lower demand from China, which has been facing pandemic lockdowns and restrictions until recently,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nAnother durian seller, who wanted to be known only as Mr Goh, said he is selling top grade Musang King by the roadside near Pulau Tikus market at RM45 per kg.\n\u201cThis is considered very cheap. Everyone who hasn\u2019t tried Musang King because it\u2019s expensive should really try now,\u201d he said.\n\n", "\nDurian farmer Nasir Sulaiman, 45, said the bumper crop of durians in Pahang is probably due to a change in the weather in the southern part of the peninsula. \n\u201cIn April, the region experienced a bit of rain, but through May and June, the weather was hot, which caused durian trees in Pahang to flower in abundance,\u201d he said. \nHe added that there are Musang King durians from Ipoh and central Perak, but those from Pahang are preferred because they are sweeter. \nHe hopes that durian prices will go up in 2023 when durian fans, especially those from China, make a return following the easing of travel restrictions. \nEven the Malaysian King and Queen took the chance to check out some durian stalls in Sungai Karang, Kuantan, on Sunday.\nIstana Negara said in a Facebook post that Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah and his wife, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, spent some time with the traders and chatted with visitors. \n\u201cHis Majesty bought a meal as well as durian before departing for Abdulaziz Palace,\u201d the post stated. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/premium-durians-going-for-a-steal-in-penang"}, {"title": "Pressure builds on KL to soften July 1 deadline for rare earth miner Lynas to go radiation-free", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The Pakatan Harapan-led (PH) government has come under heavy pressure to ease a July 1 deadline for Lynas, the world\u2019s most important rare earth producer outside of China, to ensure practically radiation-free operations at its Malaysian plant. \nAuthorities issued a three-year licence renewal to Australian miner Lynas in February, but refused to remove conditions in the licence that require it to move \u201ccracking and leaching\u201d of lanthanide concentrate offshore and to only refine intermediate materials at its facility in Gebeng, near Kuantan in Pahang.\nThese refining processes have sparked fears of environmental and health hazards from the waste product, especially the release of radiation which Lynas insists has no impact on the normally occurring levels around Gebeng.\n\n\n\n\n\nLynas \u2013 which produces a-tenth of the world\u2019s supply of rare earth crucial to manufacturing high technology products like smartphones and flatscreen TVs \u2013 has launched a strenuous defence of its operations ahead of its appeal against the licence conditions on April 28. \nOpposition lawmakers from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition have also sought to make the case for the facility in Pahang, saying it can be a source of technology transfer so that Malaysia can be a player in the crucial industry for cutting-edge applications.\n\u201cRare earth is an issue that goes beyond science but also geopolitics and our economy,\u201d Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Kamal said in Parliament last month. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf we persist with these conditions, then we might as well shut the plant.\u201d\n\nLynas has issued a raft of rebuttals since February, disputing claims that its operations are environmentally unsafe and a health hazard. \nIt also organised a gathering of its employees on Feb 23 in an appeal to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to intervene in the licence decision which \u201chas put the livelihoods of thousands of people at risk\u201d.\u00a0\nThe Straits Times has learnt that local PN politicians in Pahang as well as industry and diplomatic officials have lobbied Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang to at least defer the July 1 deadline to later this year, so that Lynas can complete building an alternate cracking and leaching refinery in Australia.\n\n\n\n\n\nA potential closure of the S$1 billion facility would not just be a huge blow to Lynas \u2013 which has yet to fire up other production plants \u2013 but will also impact the geopolitically sensitive supply of rare earths crucial to make products such as mobile phones, rechargeable batteries and military assets. China controls four-fifths of the world\u2019s rare earth production.\n\u201cThe request is for six months as the Australian plant won\u2019t be completed in time,\u201d a source told ST on the confidential negotiations ahead of the April 28 hearing to be chaired by the minister.\nMr Chang, vice-president of Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), had declined to comment on the Lynas issue in an interview with ST last month, stating that he did not want to prejudice the appeal which he has sole discretion to decide on.\n\u201cNow it\u2019s at the appeal stage, it\u2019s better not for me to say anything. The decision will be final. Somewhere in early or mid-May,\u201d he said.\n", "\nThe issue is politically-sensitive as PH had, in the run-up to the 2018 general election which it won, promised to reverse the then Barisan Nasional (BN) regime\u2019s decision to greenlight Lynas\u2019 operations. \nThe Umno-led BN is now a key ally in PH chief Anwar\u2019s so-called \u201cunity government\u201d after last year\u2019s election resulted in Malaysia\u2019s first ever hung Parliament.\nLynas had faced stiff public resistance when it first made plans to set up in Malaysia over a decade ago, sparking fears that there would be a repeat of toxic radiation that previous rare earth projects had caused in Malaysia. \nHowever, after PH took power in 2018, it allowed Lynas to continue operations on progressively more lenient terms. \nThis raised public ire and contributed to growing tensions within the PH coalition. The PH government eventually collapsed in March 2020, after dozens of MPs from Bersatu and PKR defected. \nJust days before PH was ousted, it was announced that the government had given Lynas a three-year permit to operate on the condition that cracking and leaching would be moved out of Malaysia, and a waste disposal site developed within a year.  \nThere is no record of Lynas mounting an appeal against these conditions imposed in 2020.\nST understands that the permanent disposal facility \u2013 being built by a company controlled by Pahang Regent Hassanal Abdullah, the son of Malaysia\u2019s current King Abdullah Ahmad Shah \u2013 is more than 30 per cent complete. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pressure-builds-on-kl-to-soften-july-1-deadline-for-rare-earth-miner-lynas-to-go-radiation-free"}, {"title": "Prices soar as vegetable production in Cameron Highlands hit by monsoon", "text": ["\nIPOH - The year-end monsoon season has affected the production of vegetables in Cameron Highlands, causing prices to soar by as much as 50 per cent, say farmers.\nCameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association secretary Chay Ee Mong said low pollination and temperatures had affected the production of vegetables.\n\nIt has been raining in the highland over the last few days, and such weather usually creates a prolonged impact on vegetable production.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMost times it is cloudy, and the low production has caused the price of some vegetables to increase.\n\u201cDepending on the types of vegetables, the price increase is easily between 30 per cent and 50 per cent,\u201d Mr Chay said.\nHe said the vegetables expected to see a price hike include tomatoes, cucumbers, chillies, beans, capsicum and selected leafy vegetables.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, he said consumers could choose 80 other types of leafy vegetables that were still priced low, such as spinach and cabbage.\n\n\u201cBut for tomatoes, cucumbers and chillies, there is no substitute and their price increase is inevitable as plant growth is slow,\u201d he added.\n\nHe said vegetable production would usually return to normal by the end of January once the weather settled.\n\nMr Chay also said that the farmers were still affected by a labour shortage and hoped that the authorities would look into the problem soon.\n\n\n\n\n\nDemand for eggs has also been rising.\nAgriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) secretary-general Haslina Abdul Hamid said that it is normal for a high demand for eggs at this time of the year, but the problem is usually offset with early preparations and planning since September.\n", "\n\u201cAt the National Council of Cost of Living (Naccol) meeting with the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, on Sunday, MAFI presented the (supply) situation on the seven controlled items, including eggs. We have no shortage on premium eggs which are not controlled items, but there is a shortage on graded eggs A, B and C.\n\u201cHowever, this time around, there was a sudden surge as consumers are suddenly eating out more and there is more demand for Grade A, B and C (eggs).\n\n\u201cIn September, we discussed production issues with egg producers, whose main request was that we relook the subsidy given to them \u2013 which is 10sen \u2013 as their cost of production has increased.\n\n\u201cThe decrease in our currency also lowered their profits, as most of the proteins fed to layer chickens are imported.\n\u201cWe have looked at (feed) alternatives, but these alternatives such as planting corn take up to eight months. We cannot resolve these problems immediately,\u201d said Ms Haslina.\nShe also said that the farms that export and those that produce for local consumption are different, as the eggs for export to Singapore have high specifications which not every farm can meet.\n", "\nDomestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP)\u00a0secretary-general Azman Mohd Yusof said that the shortage of eggs is not in all parts of the country, but in locations where there is a demand surge.\nHe said: \u201cWe understand that there is a shortage from the farms itself but despite that, we will take action against anyone who raises the prices of Grade A, B and C eggs as these are controlled items. If we find that there are states with no eggs at all, we then request that other states with extra stock to help out.\n\u201cI have ordered that there be more enforcement checks by KPDNHEP personnel to ensure that there is no profiteering. The pictures on social media of heaps of eggs being sold out immediately is a common occurrence when there are pocket surges.\n\u201cHowever, I ask that consumers posting these (images) on social media be specific as to where this is happening and if there is profiteering, (so that) we can take action.\u201d  THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/prices-soar-as-vegetable-production-in-cameron-highlands-hit-by-monsoon"}, {"title": "Probe under way into deaths of elderly Johor couple after eating pufferfish", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 Investigations into the deaths of a couple after they consumed pufferfish are under way, said Johor Health and Unity Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon. \nHe said the Johor Health Department took action as soon as the case was reported.\n\u201cThe department has carried out an investigation on the ground to identify the supplier, wholesaler and seller of the pufferfish or \u2018ikan buntal\u2019.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe state district health office has also opened an investigation paper under the Food Act 1983,\u201d he said in a statement on Saturday night.\nThe state\u2019s Health Department will also be holding discussions with the Fisheries Department, as well as several local universities with expertise on fishery and toxins or poisons, to find a holistic solution to the issue, he said.\n\u201cInformation on pufferfish has also been posted on the Health Ministry\u2019s Food Safety and Quality Facebook page on March 29 and 31 as well as April 1. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe urge the public to be careful when choosing their food, especially if it has known risks.\n\n\u201cWe would also like to express our condolences to the family members of the victims,\u201d he said.\nIt was earlier reported that an 84-year-old man who was in an intensive care unit after eating pufferfish on March 25 had died on Saturday morning. \nMr Ling said that the man, Mr Ng Chuan Sing, was not responsive since around 5.20am when checked by a nurse. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cEmergency treatment was given immediately by medical officers for about 30 minutes before he was declared dead.\n\u201cThe body of the victim was then handed over to the forensic unit before being given to the next of kin on the same day,\u201d he said. \nMr Ng\u2019s death came two weeks after his 83-year-old wife, Madam Lim Siew Guan, died on March 25.\nThe couple\u2019s daughter, Ms Ng Ai Lee, said her father had asked about his wife shortly before he died. He did not know that Madam Lim had died.\n\u201cMy father woke up from an eight-day coma. The first person he asked for was my mother. We told him she is resting at home.\n\u201cWe did not tell him the truth because we were worried that he could not take it, but we had a feeling that he knew my mother had died. He cried,\u201d she said.\n", "\nMs Ng said that after spending more than 10 days in the intensive care unit, her father was transferred to the normal ward on April 6.\n\u201cHe looked fine and talked to me like usual. He asked about my mother again, and we still hid the sad news from him, telling him that mum was okay and asked him to focus on his own health and recovery,\u201d she said of her last meeting with her father on Friday evening.\nIt was reported that the elderly couple had purchased the fish unknowingly from a fishmonger on March 25.\nMadam Lim then fried the fish for lunch on the same day and began experiencing breathing difficulties and shivers after she ate the fish, while her husband started showing similar symptoms about an hour later. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/probe-under-way-into-deaths-of-johor-elderly-couple-after-eating-pufferfish"}, {"title": "Proton Wira is \u2018most stolen vehicle\u2019 in Malaysia", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - The Proton Wira, an old Malaysian favourite, is also the car most loved by thieves, retaining its status as \u201cmost stolen vehicle\u201d for an 11th consecutive year, said the Vehicle Theft Reduction Council of Malaysia. \nIts coordinator Mas Tina Abdul Hamid said its list was based on claims received by insurance companies.\n\nA total of 131 Wiras were reported stolen in 2021, followed by the Proton Iswara with 75 reported cases.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Perodua Myvi was sixth on the list.\n\nThe Toyota Hilux is the most stolen foreign-made car with 65 cases in 2021, putting it in fourth place, just behind the Perodua Kancil.\n\n\u201cThere are stolen Mercedes-Benz cars being sold for as low as RM10,000 (S$3,072), or a Hilux for RM12,000, and Wira for only RM3,000.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe Wira was a popular brand back then, and there are still quite a number on the road even though production stopped in 2009,\u201d said Ms Mas Tina, adding that it was quite often that thieves are the suppliers of Wira spare parts.\n\nShe said thieves would often target older and more popular car models, and she believed the Myvi would soon become their favourite.\n\n\u201cThe Myvi is a target because of its looks and the fact that it is among the people\u2019s favourites.\n\n\u201cThe trend is almost similar (to the Wira). We now have a huge number of Myvi on the road (and they might be the target once their production stops),\u201d she said, adding that most stolen local vehicles were sold domestically.\n\nShe said the recent shortage of vehicle spare parts due to the Covid-19 pandemic had made the problem worse.\n\nMeanwhile, data provided to The Star showed that one Yamaha 135LC is stolen every day, making it the most stolen make of motorcycle in 2021.\n\nSecond on the list was the Yamaha Y15R with 186 reported cases, followed by the Honda C100 with 151 cases.\n\n\u201cNormally, thieves will target the latest model, strip it, and sell the parts. They also sell the Yamaha 125Z for RM1,500, Yamaha 135LC for RM500, and Honda EX5 and Honda Wave for RM300 each.\n\u201cCustomers who agree to their offers will deposit money into the account belonging to the syndicate before the stolen vehicles or components are sent to them using registered parcel service,\u201d said Ms Mas Tina.\nShe added that it was very difficult for the authorities to corner the syndicates, which employ different groups of people.\n\n\u201cThey have different people to steal and different groups to bring it to Thailand. Somebody else will sell them,\u201d she said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/proton-wira-is-most-stolen-vehicle-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Psychiatric patient who stabbed fellow patient in Malaysia hospital had been brought in by police", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A psychiatric patient who stabbed and seriously injured a fellow patient at a Malaysian hospital on Tuesday had been brought to the hospital by the police, the authorities revealed on Wednesday. \nHealth director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said on Wednesday that agitated psychiatry patients could act erratically \u201canywhere\u201d, and that the man\u2019s actions were not directly caused by overcrowding at the hospital. \nThe Straits Times reported on Tuesday that the perpetrator was upset over the long wait for a bed at Selayang Hospital in Selangor, where the wards were full. Both the perpetrator and victim \u2013 a dengue patient \u2013 were waiting at the hospital\u2019s emergency department when the stabbing took place at 3.45pm on Tuesday. \n\n\n\n\n\nOn Wednesday, the police and Selangor Health Department confirmed the incident, without attributing its cause. \nSelangor police chief S. Sasikala Devi said the perpetrator is currently warded in the psychiatry department at the same hospital and an investigation has been opened. \u201cThe reason behind the suspect attacking the victim is unknown,\u201d she said. \nSelangor health director Sha\u2019ari Ngadiman said the victim, a 29-year-old man, is in stable condition in the intensive care unit at the hospital after undergoing surgery. He said a police report has been lodged by the medical officer who witnessed the incident. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHealth Minister Zaliha Mustafa, who rushed to the hospital on Tuesday after hearing about the incident, gave her assurance that the best care will be offered to the victim. \n\nTan Sri Noor Hisham said that following the incident, the Health Ministry will be reviewing its procedures in handling psychiatric patients in the future. \nSelayang is one of several public hospitals in Malaysia that have made the news in recent weeks for reports of overcrowding and long waiting times, amid a double whammy of high patient loads and a staff shortage as disgruntled doctors continue to quit the public healthcare system. \nIn January, a man died at Serdang Hospital after waiting for over 30 hours to be admitted. On Feb 3, Tuanku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang had to close its emergency department to non-critical patients due to a high patient load. Similar problems were also reported at Selayang Hospital and Putrajaya Hospital, located in the heart of the country\u2019s administrative capital. \nHealth news outlet Code Blue previously reported that patients stranded at Selayang Hospital\u2019s emergency department face a 24- to 72-hour wait. Code Blue also reported that its own survey showed that 95 per cent of healthcare workers interviewed by them believe that Malaysia\u2019s public health system is in \u201ccrisis\u201d. \nRumours surfaced in January of a strike by doctors after the Hartal Doktor Kontrak (HDK) collective urged doctors who are \u201cwilling to sacrifice whatever it takes\u201d to join the movement. HDK organised a one-day strike in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic, by junior doctors objecting to contract terms with limited benefits and pathways for growth, and long working hours. \nExperts have called for a review of the public healthcare system, and Dr Zaliha \u2013 the country\u2019s fourth health minister in as many years \u2013 previously said she would table a White Paper on this.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/psychiatric-patient-who-stabbed-fellow-patient-in-malaysia-hospital-had-been-brought-in-by-police"}, {"title": "Death of couple from pufferfish poisoning: Deadly fish not a popular food in Malaysia, says official", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 Pufferfish is not a popular food among Malaysians and it does not always end up on the dining table as some are kept in aquariums as ornamental fish, said a Malaysian government official. \nJohor Fisheries Department director Zainudin Abdul Wahab said of the fish, which contains deadly toxins: \u201cLocal fishermen will throw it back into the sea if the fish is caught in their nets, especially if it is dead; it has no value.\n\u201cPufferfish can be found not only in Malaysian waters but also throughout the world, which is why we do not export it to foreign countries such as Japan,\u201d he said on Monday.\n\n\n\n\n\nAn elderly couple, from Johor\u2019s Kluang district, died after consuming the deadly pufferfish recently.\nMr Zainudin said that in Japan, the lethal puffer \u2013 which is known as fugu \u2013 is a luxury delicacy which must be prepared by trained and certified chefs.\n\u201cThis fish must be handled properly to make sure it is not harmful for human consumption,\u201d he added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said that there are ornamental fish lovers who keep puffers in aquariums.\n\n\u201cPeople can buy pufferfish at shops selling ornamental fish. However, the sellers must have a licence to sell such a poisonous fish,\u201d he added.\n\nMr Zainudin said that the department has been taking proactive measures to create awareness among the people, alerting them to the danger of consuming pufferfish.\nApart from using social media platforms to reach out to the public, he said that officers from the department have also been meeting fishermen on this matter.\nAsked if the department would carry out its own investigation into the death of the elderly couple, Mr Zainudin said that it would allow the Health Department to complete its probe first before making any decision.\nMr Ng Chuan Sing, 84, and his wife, Madam Lim Siew Guan, 83, consumed the fish they bought from a trader on March 25, unaware that it was a pufferfish.\nThe couple had breathing difficulties after eating it.\nSeveral hours later, Madam Lim died. Mr Ng went into a coma and died on April 8.     \nThe Malaysian police are investigating the case, while Johor\u2019s Health Department is awaiting laboratory reports on the matter. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pufferfish-not-a-popular-food-in-malaysia-says-fisheries-department-official"}, {"title": "Puppy love? Video of dog \u2018ignoring\u2019 Malaysian fireman trying to rescue it goes viral", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - A video of a Malaysian fireman attempting to \u201csweet talk\u201d a dog that had got stuck in a corner on a ledge of an apartment, has gone viral, with online commentators praising the official for his patience.   \nThe unnamed fireman, after ensuring his own safety by attaching a safety harness to himself before climbing out of a window onto the ledge, can be seen trying to persuade the pooch, which appears to be sulking by refusing to move.\nIn the 37-second video shared by Fire and Rescue Services Department Malaysia on its Facebook page, the fireman was seen trying to cajole the dog with some food.\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, the dog ignored the fireman by looking away, leaving netizens tickled. \nWhile the fireman was attempting to rescue the pooch, four of his colleagues were watching nearby. \nIn a cheeky caption, the department wrote:  \u201cIt\u2019s not easy persuading this one, got to offer some sweet talk...\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo date, the post has been shared 20,000 times and has garnered over 7,000 comments. \n\nSome likened the dog to being an \u201cupset girlfriend\u201d giving her significant other the cold shoulder.\nCommentator Sazarina Hamzah said: \u201cThis dog must be a female... if you give her a bouquet of roses, she might be \u2018moved\u2019 by the fireman.\u201d \nThe Penang Fire and Rescue Department director Saadon Mokhtar said the incident took place at about 3pm on Wednesday.\n\u201cWe received a call that a stray dog was stuck on the seventh floor of an apartment along Jalan Teluk Kumbar. \n\u201cWe manage to rescue the dog and bring it down safely. It was then released at a different area as a precautionary measure,\u201d he said, adding that they were perplexed as to how the dog managed to go over a high wall and end up being stuck there.\nMany netizens also took the opportunity to express their respect and gratitude to the firemen, whose latest \u201chigh-profile\u201d job included recovering bodies with their four-legged compatriots from a landslide near Genting Highlands. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/puppy-love-video-of-dog-ignoring-a-malaysian-fireman-trying-to-rescue-it-goes-viral"}, {"title": "Purr-fect baju melayu for cats during Hari Raya", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Bilbo was purring contentedly on the sofa when his owner picked him up and put him in a yellow baju Melayu that came with a samping, a short version of a sarong.\nHe meowed as Ms Mahizan Kasim, 63, gently pulled his paws through the sleeves and buttoned the neck of the outfit.\n\u201cHandsome boy,\u201d said Ms Mahizan, as she took a photo of Bilbo on her smartphone before uploading it onto her Instagram account.\n\n\n\n\n\nSoon, comments poured in for Bilbo, as his furry charm and cuteness drew many admirers online.\nApart from Bilbo, Ms Mahizan also bought a baju Melayu for her other cat, Black, for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.\nMs Mahizan is among a growing number of cat owners who enjoys dressing up their feline companions in traditional wear for the festive season.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMy cats are part of my family. I want them to be part of the festivity too,\u201d she said when met at her home in Cyberjaya, about 32km from Kuala Lumpur.\n\nShe was one of many pet owners who recently flocked to Festival Ramadan Putrajaya in Putrajaya, to buy cat clothing from a stall run by Mr Izzat Amir Idham.\nMr Izzat, 24 sells three designs \u2013 \u00a0Teluk\u00a0Belanga, cekak musang and kurta \u2013 for male cats. All the outfits come complete with a samping.\nThere was also the tanjak, a head gear made of songket traditionally worn by Malay men.\n\nFor female cats, there are baju kurung, kebaya and western gowns to try on.\n\nMr Izzat, who also runs a cat hotel in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, had prepared 4,000 pieces of feline baju raya.\n\u201cI bought the fabrics myself and took the measurements of my cats. I then placed orders with trusted tailors,\u201d he said.\nThe clothes are available in S, M, L and XL sizes and priced at RM55 (S$16.60) apiece, but Mr Izzat is willing to offer discounts.\n", "\nAlthough this is his first time selling festive clothing for pets, he said the demand has been encouraging.\nHe plans to expand the business to more locations in 2024.\n\u201cI have eight cats at home, and I love them like my own children. I want them to look good and glamorous too during Hari Raya,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/purr-fect-baju-melayu-for-cats-during-hari-raya"}, {"title": "Pygmy elephant gores handler to death in Malaysia", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A pygmy elephant gored its handler to death at a wildlife park in Malaysia\u2019s eastern Sabah state in a Christmas Day tragedy, conservation officials said on Thursday.\nMr Joe Fred Lansou, 49, was treating an injured calf when another captive adult elephant suddenly \u201ctusked him very badly\u201d in the chest and abdomen, Sabah Wildlife director Augustine Tuuga told AFP.\n\u201cHe died at the scene,\u201d Mr Tuuga added.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe tragedy took place on Dec 25 at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park on Borneo island.\n\u201cIt is truly an unfortunate incident. We will undertake an investigation to determine the cause,\u201d said the state\u2019s Minister for Tourism, Culture and the Environment, Mr Jafry Ariffin.\nThe park serves as a sanctuary for 16 pygmy elephants, an endangered species, but has just six staff members to manage them.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe elephant that killed its handler was the sole survivor of a deadly poisoning that left a herd of 14 Borneo pygmy elephants dead nine years ago, The Star newspaper reported on Thursday.\n\nIn December 2011, a wild pygmy elephant killed an Australian tourist at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in the east coast of Sabah state.\nPygmy elephants, unique to Borneo island, are a distinct subspecies of mainland Asian elephants. They are considered endangered, with about 2,000 left in Sabah state. AFP\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/pygmy-elephant-gores-handler-to-death-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Quest for Najib\u2019s pardon and court move by Zahid raise questions about PM Anwar\u2019s leadership", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno\u2019s move to ask the Malaysian King to consider a royal pardon for former premier Najib Razak has raised questions about Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s stance in handling political manoeuvres by his political ally.\nThe controversy over the pardon request was followed quickly by another hot potato. \nThis involved Umno president Zahid Hamidi, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, getting his High Court trial postponed on Monday by four months after he asked the Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers to drop 47 graft charges against him based on \u201cnew facts and evidence\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) is a crucial ally in Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s unity government, with 30 seats in Parliament. Malaysia\u2019s five-month old government led by Mr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition is likely to collapse should BN withdraw its support. \nNajib has served eight months of a 12-year jail term for graft after exhausting his legal appeals against conviction in a case linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). \nPM Anwar has said that he will be a member of the Pardons Board panel that will decide on Umno\u2019s request. The recommendations of the panel would be passed on to the King for his consideration.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut Mr Anwar said the decision to grant a pardon to Najib would be up to Malaysia\u2019s titular head of state, Sultan Abdullah\u00a0Ahmad Shah, and not the board.\n\n\u201cI will be part of the process, and on the matters of the awarding of honorific titles and pardons, that is the prerogative of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the King),\u201d Mr Anwar said on Saturday.\nJohor MP Hassan Abdul Karim, who is from Mr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), on Tuesday said the government\u2019s good image has been shaken by the Najib and Zahid moves. He warned that voters will reject PH should even one of the appeals be approved. \n\u201cThe political coalition of PH and Parti Keadilan Rakyat will be rejected by the people in the next six state elections,\u201d Mr Hassan said. \u201cFollowing that, PH and PKR will be rejected by the people in the next general election. He was referring to state polls in six states that must be held by August this year.\n\n\n\n\n\nAsian Studies Professor James Chin from the University of Tasmania commented wryly: \u201cHari Raya is coming up and it\u2019s the time people ask for forgiveness. But the funny thing is, it\u2019s difficult to ask for forgiveness because Najib has always said he\u2019s not involved.\u201d \nAmid tensions raised by the request for Najib\u2019s pardon, a senior member of Mr Anwar\u2019s PH coalition has made clear that it is Umno, and not the PH-led government, that is making the amnesty appeal.   \n\u201cThe Cabinet never discussed this (pardon) and Cabinet ministers from Umno had not raised the issue,\u201d said Transport Minister Anthony Loke, secretary-general of the Democratic Action Party which has the most number of seats in Parliament among the three PH parties.  \n\u201cThe issue of a pardon is not the government\u2019s stand but that of Umno as a political party,\u201d he said on Tuesday, when asked by reporters. \nThis followed remarks last week by Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki that its leadership council had unanimously agreed to seek an audience with Sultan Abdullah to present a memorandum urging him to pardon Najib.\n", "\nSeparately, at the continuation of his trial over his graft case on Monday, Umno chief Zahid controversially attained a four-month adjournment of proceedings, on the basis that the prosecution would need time to study new evidence his legal team had earlier presented Attorney-General Idrus Harun. \nHis lawyer had sent over 200 pages of documents to the A-G\u00a0in January and February on Monday, seeking to have the charges against Datuk Seri Zahid for misappropriating RM31 million of funds from his foundation Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) dropped.\nThe High Court agreed to the postponement of the trial, which is in its defence stage, after Deputy Public Prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob said the prosecution was instructed by the A-G not to object to a postponement. \n\u201cPH\u2019s political legitimacy was based on multiculturalism and rejection of corruption... So Najib\u2019s pardon would severely demoralise the PH base from voting and electrify (opposition coalition) Perikatan Nasional\u2019s base to win more swing Malay voters,\u201d said Professor Wong Chin Huat, a political scientist at Sunway University.\n\u201cThis would demoralise the whole country. Anwar can kiss goodbye to his reformist credentials if Najib walks free, whatever his storyline is.\u201d\nRegarding Najib\u2019s request for a royal pardon, Prof Wong added: \u201cZahid can also expect the same if he is convicted later. This may also be used to send a message to the judges: Why send them to jail if they would be pardoned later? Why make enemies with politicians who may make a comeback? \u2018So what if I am convicted, I would be pardoned later\u2019.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/quest-for-najib-s-pardon-and-court-move-by-zahid-raise-questions-about-pm-anwar-s-leadership"}, {"title": "Questions remain over CPTPP: The Star contributor", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - It has been three months since Malaysia ratified the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), but it looks far from being a done deal.\nCivil society groups and other stakeholders remain unconvinced that the anticipated benefits of inclusion into the 11-member trade bloc would outweigh the cost of being left out.\nThey are still asking why the International Trade and Industry Ministry\u2019s (Miti) cost-benefit analysis report by audit firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was not discussed in the Dewan Rakyat, as promised earlier. This significant question also remains unanswered: \u201cWhy did Miti endorse the deal stealthily, just before Parliament was dissolved for GE15?\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia officially submitted its notification of ratification on Oct 5 last year, becoming the ninth country after Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Brunei and Chile are yet to ratify the pact.\nThe CPTPP\u2019s expansive scope includes traditional market access areas, on top of factors such as labour, environment, state-owned enterprises, government procurement, intellectual property, e-Commerce, as well as small and medium enterprises (SMEs).\nMiti issued a statement on Dec 23, stating that inclusion into the pact would increase Malaysia\u2019s total trade to US$656 million (S$882.8 million) by 2030, from the US$481 million (S$647.3 million) recorded in 2021.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt said the country would profit from the preferential duty rates for goods exported to and imported from the eight other CPTPP member countries.\n\nAmong the preferential rates it cited was the full duty-free status for all Malaysian exports entering Singapore and Australia and duty-free treatment on 96 per cent of exports and tariff lines (items listed in a tariff schedule) to New Zealand that is set to increase to 100 per cent by 2024.\nMalaysian products across all sectors could also enter the New Zealand market at zero duty, except for textiles and processed wood, which would also become duty-free by 2024.\nMiti said the CPTPP would allow Malaysian exporters to benefit from duty-free treatment for the majority of tariff lines to Canada, Mexico and Peru, countries which Malaysia did not have any prior FTAs (free trade agreements). While Miti\u2019s assurances of assisting and supporting Malaysian industries have been welcomed by exporters, there is much unease among a wide range of NGOs involved with consumer rights, environment, public health, small- and medium-sized businesses, farmers and fishermen.\n\n\n\n\n\nCivil society groups, including the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), have highlighted issues such as loss of tariff revenue, requirements for farmers to pay royalties for seeds for as long as 20 or 25 years and conditions barring them from sharing seeds.\nAmong the other problems raised were restrictions on subsidies to fisherfolk, inherent dangers to SMEs and risks to consumer protection in financial regulations through e-Commerce rules.\nCAP has pointed out that although Miti has projected that our country\u2019s exports will reach US$354.7 million, it has failed to disclose that imports would be even more by joining CPTPP, worsening the trade balance.\nIt noted a study by a UN economist that showed Malaysia could import as much as US$2.4 billion more a year, while the reduction of tariffs to zero on 100 per cent on goods meant a loss of revenue of about US$1.6 billion.\nLast week, the Malaysia Food Sovereignty Forum (MFSF) handed a memorandum to Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu, expressing concern over Malaysia\u2019s ratification of the agreement.\nMFSF head coordinator Nurfitri Amir Muhammad said participating in the deal would also have a huge negative impact on food security and sovereignty of Malaysians in the future.\nThe memorandum contains facts and references explaining the adverse effects of the agreement on the country\u2019s agriculture sector, which the minister has agreed to raise with the Cabinet.\n\u201cOur voice is often portrayed by profiteering capitalists and open market advocates as baseless and unfounded. If the parties supporting the agreement claim that the CPTPP will allow them to export more goods and make greater profits, what right do they have to deny farmers the right to share and sell seeds freely and fishermen the right to fish freely? Does the government only care about the exporters and not local farmers and fishermen who work hard every day to ensure the country\u2019s food security?\u201d said Nurfitri.\nAmong the other key contentions of the agreement is that it opens the Malaysian government to investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS), under which the government could end up paying billions in compensation to foreign investors.\nIn retrospect, the CPTPP is in essence the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), which activated nationwide protests in the country between 2014 and 2016 \u2013 minus 22 of the more than 1,000 prickly provisions.\nThe United States under then-president Donald Trump pulled out of the TPPA largely because of concerns over ISDS.\nFormer economics professor Dr Jomo Kwame Sundaram, who also served as a UN assistant secretary-general for economic development, raised the need to emphasise the high legal costs of ISDS even when governments win.\n\u201cThe official US reason for withdrawing from the TTPA was the ISDS. They had never lost a case up to that point, yet considered it a big problem.\n\u201cBut Miti does not consider the ISDS a problem since the ministry does not pay the legal bills, running into tens of millions, even when the government wins,\u201d he wrote last week.\nHe cited lower corporate income tax rates in other jurisdictions of the CPTPP as another big problem.\n\u201cWhy would any company want to be Malaysian-registered if it offers no advantage, but instead is more expensive in terms of tax liability?\u201d he asked. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\nThe writer is a contributor for the paper. The paper is a member of The Straits Times media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 22 news media titles.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/questions-remain-over-cptpp-the-star-contributor"}, {"title": "Quit whining and be an effective opposition: Zahid tells Muhyiddin", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his Perikatan Nasional (PN) allies need to learn to be an authoritative opposition instead of whining, said newly appointed Deputy Premier Zahid Hamidi. \nThe Barisan Nasional chairman said PN chairman Muhyiddin is unable to accept the fact that he failed to become prime minister again and form the government.\nIn a Facebook post on Sunday, Zahid said the appointment of the premier and subsequently Cabinet ministers required the approval of the king.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMuhyiddin needs to respect these appointments. His actions and those of his allies who try to dispute them are a reflection of their true face... (They) do not respect the institution of the Malay rulers. Muhyiddin and his allies should be ashamed of appearing to be so power-crazed that they are willing to dispute the decisions of the rulers.\n\u201cThey ought to emulate DAP (Democratic Action Party), which cares more about the interests of the country than the interests of the party and individuals in moving forward to be part of the unity government proposed by the King,\u201d he said.\nHe urged PN leaders to similarly respect the process of appointment, and the decisions of the King and the Conference of Rulers.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nZahid stressed that the new government is not a Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.\n\n\u201cThe unity government is... a combination of the largest party and other parties that won the election working with other parties to build the country and govern better than previous governments,\u201d he said.\nZahid also stood by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s appointment as finance minister, a post he held from 1991 to 1998 before his ignominious sacking.\n\u201cAnwar is known to be a high achiever who has managed Malaysia\u2019s finances and economy and has had a budget surplus, generating income exceeding national expenditure.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAnwar has also been recognised as the world\u2019s best finance minister by Euromoney magazine and Asia\u2019s best finance minister by Asiamoney magazine.\n\u201cMalaysia won the title of Asian Tiger among Asian countries when he was finance minister. It is certain that foreign investors are more confident to invest when Anwar holds the position of finance minister,\u201d he said.\nZahid said these achievements were beyond Tan Sri Muhyiddin, whose problematic management of the country earned his administration the label of \u201ckerajaan gagal\u201d (failed government).\n\u201cNow, Muhyiddin is faced with various scandals from when he was prime minister, and this is why he is so scared and desperate to regain the post that he was willing to violate customs and manners in criticising the palace since the start of the process of naming the prime minister,\u201d he said.\nOn Friday, Mr Muhyiddin labelled the Cabinet line-up announced by Datuk Seri Anwar as \u201cthe most disappointing in the country\u2019s history\u201d.\nHe said Mr Anwar had reneged on the promises of good governance he touted during the general election campaign period.\nHe was critical that Zahid, who has been ordered to enter his defence in court on 47 criminal charges of corruption, breach of trust and money laundering, was appointed deputy premier.\nHe also said Mr Anwar being finance minister would lead to the centralisation of power and possible large-scale corruption as seen in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad case. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/quit-whining-and-be-an-effective-opposition-zahid-tells-muhyiddin"}, {"title": "Rallying cry of \u2018once foes, now friends\u2019 reflects Malaysia govt\u2019s strengths, says Saifuddin", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said on Sunday that Malaysia\u2019s unity government has \u201cnot looked back\u201d since it was formed six months ago.\nHe described it as a \u201cstrong, stable and functioning government\u201d, as reflected in the rallying call of \u201cdulu lawan, sekarang kawan\u201d (once foes, now friends) heard in several speeches during the unity government convention on Sunday.\n\n\u201cI was attracted to what my friend Datuk Seri, Dr Wee Ka Siong, said in his speech,\u201d said Datuk Seri Saifuddin, referring to the catchphrase used by the president of the Malaysian Chinese Association at the convention.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFormer foes, now friends. Before this (in the time of Reformasi) it was \u2018former friends, now foes\u2019.  At that time we had our own slogan of \u2018lawan tetap lawan\u2019 (the fight must go on). We have to adjust that now,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cWhat we want to take back from this convention is the confidence that this is a strong, stable and functioning government,\u201d he said.\n\nHe said the government has always upheld the fundamentals of the Federal Constitution. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/rallying-cry-of-once-foes-now-friends-reflects-malaysia-govt-s-strengths-says-saifuddin"}, {"title": "Rare earth miner Lynas seeks recusal of Malaysian minister in last-ditch appeal against licence terms", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Australian miner Lynas has demanded that Malaysia\u2019s Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang recuse himself from its appeal hearing on Friday on licence conditions that would force an abrupt halt to its Malaysian plant, the world\u2019s largest rare earth production facility. \nThe Straits Times learnt that Lynas has accused Mr Chang, who is from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, of waging a \u201cpolitical campaign\u201d against it, leaving it with little hope of receiving a fair hearing.\n\u201cThe claim is that the minister, like his predecessor from PH, is setting up difficult terms to force a closure of the plant,\u201d an official source said on condition of anonymity. \u201cBut the issue here is that by law, the minister has to decide on the appeal.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nLynas accounts for half of the global supply outside of China of materials crucial to high-tech applications.\u00a0\nThe authorities issued a three-year licence renewal to Lynas in February, but refused to remove conditions that effectively ensure radiation-free operations at its Malaysian plant by July 1.\nThe main requirement is the need to move \u201ccracking and leaching\u201d of lanthanide concentrate offshore and to only refine intermediate materials at its facility in Gebeng, near Kuantan in Pahang.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe refining processes have sparked fears of environmental and health hazards from the waste product, especially the release of radiation that Lynas insists has no impact on the normally occurring levels around Gebeng.\n\nThe PH-led government has since come under heavy pressure to ease the July deadline, which Lynas has said would severely impact its output of rare earth that is used in products ranging from smartphones to electric vehicles and even military assets.\nA closure of the A$1 billion (S$884 million) facility would not just be a huge blow to Lynas, but also impact the geopolitically sensitive supply of rare earths, with China controlling four-fifths of the world\u2019s production.\nST understands that Pahang politicians from the opposition Perikatan Nasional as well as industry and diplomatic officials have lobbied Mr Chang to at least defer the deadline to later in the year, so that Lynas can complete an alternate cracking and leaching refinery in Australia. \n\n\n\n\n\nThere is no legal timeframe for when the minister must decide on the appeal.\nIn its quarterly report last week, Lynas said that if its licensing conditions remain unchanged, it would have to shut down its Malaysian plant in mid-July. The three months after that will see little or no production before it ramps up, depending on how the new refinery\u2019s capacity increases. \n", "\nWhen contacted, the firm declined to comment further, apart from what was outlined in the report.\nIt stated: \u201cGrounds for the appeals, evidence related to those grounds and associated applications (including for a stay allowing Lynas to operate on a normal basis until the administrative and legal appeals have been heard and decided) have been lodged ahead of the formal hearing.\u201d\nThe issue is politically sensitive as PH had, in the run-up to the 2018 General Election that it won, promised to reverse the then Barisan Nasional (BN) regime\u2019s decision to greenlight Lynas\u2019 operations. \nThe Umno-led BN is now a key ally in PH chief Anwar\u2019s unity government, after the 2022  general election resulted in Malaysia\u2019s first-ever hung Parliament.\nIn February 2020, just days before PH was ousted as a result of defections, it was announced that the government had given Lynas a three-year permit to operate, on the condition that cracking and leaching would be moved out of Malaysia, and a waste disposal site developed within a year.\nThere is no record of Lynas mounting an appeal against those conditions in 2020. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/rare-earth-miner-lynas-seeks-recusal-of-malaysian-minister-in-last-ditch-appeal-against-licence-terms-0"}, {"title": "Recovering from fall caused by prank, Malaysian child actress Puteri Rafasya now able to walk", "text": ["\nMalaysian child actress, Puteri Rafasya, 12, is now able to take a few steps on her own following a prank gone wrong, which resulted in her being unable to walk and having to wear diapers. \nIn a post on her Instagram account on Sunday, Puteri is seen walking slowly with the help of a walking aid while holding on to a railing.  \nAccording to the caption posted by her mother, Ms Fatin Aliza Salmi,  Puteri started to walk on March 17 \u2013 eight days after being warded at Tunku Azizah Hospital, and 25 days since she was injured.\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Fatin added that Puteri has been undergoing physiotherapy and now felt less pain. The young actress also no longer needed to wear diapers.\nMs Fatin also thanked everyone for their get-well wishes.\nIn the Feb 22 incident, Puteri was about to sit down on a chair when it was pulled back as a prank by another child while on the set of a drama filming.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nReports said the prankster was related to another fellow actor, and was not supposed to be on the set. \n\nThe prank resulted in Puteri falling and landing on the metal legs of a tripod nearby. \nMs Fatin later gave an update to her 114,000 followers that Puteri had fractured her hip bone and felt numbness in her lower limbs. It was attributed to a malfunctioning nervous system.\nShe also said that Puteri was rushed to the hospital following incontinence issues, leaving her unable to walk. She had to be confined to a wheelchair and had to wear diapers.\nMs Fatin said in an interview with Malay daily Harian Metro on March 14 that she had not received any acknowledgement or offer from the prankster\u2019s family following the incident. \n", "\nFollowing the latest update on Sunday, Puteri\u2019s fans and fellow actors left encouraging messages and wished her well. \nOne of them told Puteri to be patient, as it may take a while before she is able to walk normally again. \nMalaysian actress Siti Saleha said in Arabic: \u201cThank God.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/recovering-from-fall-caused-by-prank-malaysian-child-actress-puteri-rafasya-now-able-to-walk"}, {"title": "Reform icon Anwar faces criticism as he comes up against realpolitik", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - For decades, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has adopted the mantle of Malaysia\u2019s reformist opposition leader.But as Prime Minister, he is now facing criticism for decisions that have gone against principles that he and his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition had long stood for, as their political ideals clash with realpolitik."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/reform-icon-anwar-faces-criticism-as-he-comes-up-against-realpolitik"}, {"title": "Anwar Ibrahim named Malaysia PM: From prisoner to prime minister", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - As Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim takes over as Malaysia\u2019s prime minister following an unprecedented hung Parliament, one of his recent comments serves to sum up the persistence that secured him the job he has eyed for three decades.  \n\u201cThis you need to learn from Anwar Ibrahim \u2013 patience, wait a long time, patience,\u201d he told reporters outside his home a day after Saturday\u2019s election gave his progressive bloc the most seats in Parliament, but not a majority.  \nThe political uncertainty came to an end on Thursday, as Malaysia\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, appointed Mr Anwar, 75, to be prime minister. \n\n\n\n\n\nTime and again, the job of prime minister had eluded Mr Anwar, despite him getting within striking distance over the years, first as deputy prime minister in the 1990s and later, as official prime minister-in-waiting, in 2018.\nIn between, he spent nearly a decade in jail for sodomy and corruption on charges he says were politically motivated. \nA charismatic opposition leader, Mr Anwar led tens of thousands of Malaysians in street protests in the 1990s against his mentor-turned-foe Mahathir Mohamad.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHis strained relationship with the veteran leader shaped Mr Anwar\u2019s own career, as well as Malaysia\u2019s political landscape, for nearly three decades. \n\nTun Dr Mahathir once called Mr Anwar his friend and protege, and anointed him his successor. But later, amid sodomy charges and disagreements over how to handle the Asian financial crisis, he said Mr Anwar was unfit to lead \u201cbecause of his character\u201d.\nThe two buried the hatchet briefly in 2018 to oust from power the political alliance they once belonged to \u2013 only to fall out again within two years, ending their 22-month-old government and plunging Malaysia into a period of instability.\n", "\nAs opposition leader \u2013 both from jail and in Parliament \u2013 Mr Anwar slowly chipped away at the might of the Barisan Nasional (BN) alliance, Malaysia\u2019s longest-ruling coalition that prioritised the interests of the majority Malays. \n\n\n\n\n\nHis rallying cry of \u201creformasi\u201d, or reforms, resonated nationwide, and is still the main promise of his alliance.\nThat coalition is multi-ethnic and includes a party that has mainly ethnic-Chinese members and one that is unpopular with the conservative Malay majority. \nFor decades, Mr Anwar has called for inclusiveness and an overhaul of the political system in the multi-ethnic country. \nHe called for the removal of affirmative policies favouring Malays and an end to a patronage system that had kept BN firmly in power until recently. \nMr Anwar started off as a firebrand Islamic youth leader before joining then Prime Minister Mahathir\u2019s Umno, which leads the BN alliance.\n", "\nIn 1993, Dr Mahathir made Mr Anwar his deputy, in addition to his role as finance minister. Mr Anwar was expected to take over from Dr Mahathir.\nBut they fell out after disagreeing over how to handle the Asian financial crisis. By that time, Mr Anwar had also begun to question corruption in the Mahathir-led Umno. \nIn 1998, Dr Mahathir fired Mr Anwar and, amid the ensuing protests, launched a crackdown on dissent. Mr Anwar was charged with sodomy, a crime in Malaysia, in a move Mr Anwar said aimed to put an end to his political career.\n", "\nMr Anwar appeared at his sodomy trial with a black eye, which then became the symbol of the political party he started. Later, the police chief at the time admitted to having assaulted Mr Anwar in prison. \n\u201cThis man cannot be allowed to become a leader in a country like Malaysia,\u201d Dr Mahathir said about Mr Anwar at a press conference in 1998.  \n", "\nMr Anwar was freed in 2004, only to be jailed again for sodomy in 2015, two years after leading the opposition to its best electoral performance yet. \nThe opposition won the popular vote for the first time, despite not securing a parliamentary majority, after years of having gradually gained ground.\n", "\nA last try?\nIn an astonishing turn of events, Mr Anwar and Dr Mahathir agreed to work together for the 2018 election, to oust BN amid widespread graft accusations against its leaders.\nBN\u2019s Najib Razak has since been jailed in the multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.\nAfter their win, Dr Mahathir asked for a royal pardon for Mr Anwar and promised to hand power to him within two years.\n", "\nBut their coalition collapsed before that in the face of opposition to the transition, leaving Mr Anwar out in the cold again.\nHe even faced calls to step down before the election as some believed he had held on for too long. \nIn a recent interview, Mr Anwar said he knew his limits, when asked if this election would be his last. \u201cWhether I am considered relevant or not in the next few years, that\u2019s for the people to decide.\u201d\nWith the people\u2019s vote and the King\u2019s choice, he finally became prime minister. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/reformist-anwar-finally-becomes-malaysias-prime-minister"}, {"title": "Remains of Malay victim of landslide claimed by family for burial on Saturday night", "text": ["\nSUNGAI BULOH - The remains of Ms Nurul Azwani Kamarulzaman, one of the victims of the Batang Kali landslide, were mournfully escorted by her large family out of the Sungai Buloh Hospital and were to be buried on Saturday night. \nSome 20 family members waited for several hours at the hospital\u2019s Forensic Department for the formal identification process before Ms Nurul Azwani\u2019s family was allowed to claim her body. She is the only ethnic Malay victim of the landslide identified so far.\nThe other five people who were killed and identified by the authorities were ethnic Malaysian Chinese and included a nine-year old boy.\n\n\n\n\n\nAt least 24 people were killed by the landslide at the campsite at Father\u2019s Organic Farm, at the foot of Genting Highlands, and rescuers were still looking for nine more victims on Saturday evening. \nMs Nurul Azwani\u2019s mother, Madam Siti Esah Hassan, said her daughter was to be interred at the Taman Selaseh cemetery in Gombak, Selangor, on Saturday night. \n\u201cThe last we saw her was on Wednesday before she left for the camping trip,\u201d Madam Siti Esah said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt was learnt that Ms Nurul Azwani, 31, worked at the canteen of SJKC Mun Choong, a Chinese primary school in Kuala Lumpur. \n\nA school official told reporters on Friday that some 20 teachers from the school and their family members went on the camping trip. \nHulu Selangor\u2019s district police chief, Superintendant Suffian Abdullah, has urged other family members to come forward to identify those killed in the disaster. \nHe said none of the bodies had any identification documents on them.\n\u201cWe urge those with missing family members to come forward and identify them at the Sungai Buloh Hospital. The family members may also lodge a police report,\u201d he told a press conference on Saturday.\nThe search and rescue operations were split into three zones at the farm: Sector A, Hill View; Sector B, Farm View; and Sector C, Riverside. \nHe said the focus of the search on Saturday was the upper levels Sector A and Sector B. \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/remains-of-malay-victim-of-landslide-claimed-by-family-and-buried-on-saturday-night"}, {"title": "Rent-a-robot schemes gain popularity in Malaysia as cheap machines replace costly workers", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - Renting a robot to perform simple tasks is becoming a trend in Malaysia, especially for businesses that want to cut labour costs. \nDemand is high in places such as Kuala Lumpur, George Town and Johor Bahru, said Mr Jeremy Ng, a business development manager at a robotics company. \n\u201cKuala Lumpur is adapting to the technology very fast,\u201d he added. \u201cThis is partly because the wages in the city are higher compared with other places.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\nThese robots, he said, help businesses to save on costs by not having to hire too many workers. \nCompanies supplying the technology are now allowing customers to rent robots instead of buying them at full price. \nMr Ng said the option to rent the machines was made available early in 2021 after many businesses expressed interest in doing so. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nInstead of spending at least RM35,000 (S$10,700) for a single unit, he said, employers could rent a robot with just a monthly payment of around RM1,500 to RM2,000. \n\n\u201cThey can decide how long they want to rent it. And if they feel that it works well, then they can consider buying it later,\u201d Mr Ng said. \nHe added that the robots can perform tasks such as delivering food to tables, carrying a large number of dishes at a time, directing customers to specific locations within a building, and providing information. \n\u201cFor now, a majority of businesses that are keen to use the robots are those in the food and hotel industries,\u201d he said. \u201cWe also have customers from malls, hospitals and factories.\u201d \n", "\nMr Ng said the use of robots in Penang, for example, started in restaurants during the pandemic. \n\u201cBack then, these restaurants lost many workers after they returned to their home countries,\u201d he said. \u201cThe practice of maintaining physical distance also encouraged the use of such robots.\u201d \n\u201cIn Johor, robots are most beneficial to the hotel industry as it is facing a lack of manpower with many locals moving to other places to pursue their careers,\u201d he added. \nThe Malaysian Association of Hotels Johor chapter chairman Ivan Teo said that apart from recruiting part-timers during busy periods, hotels as well as the food and beverage industry are turning to robots, too. \n\u201cThe use of robots has helped some hotels and restaurants cope with the manpower issue,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is also relatively cheaper compared with hiring a worker.\u201d \nHuman workers are still required, though.  \n\u201cFor now, the robots\u2019 only task is to deliver food to the tables. We still need workers for other areas,\u201d Mr Teo said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/rent-a-robot-schemes-gain-popularity-in-malaysia-as-cheap-machines-substitute-costly-workers"}, {"title": "Rent, run and sell: How car theft syndicates in Malaysia evade laws", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Car thieves in Malaysia are doing it the easy way now. They pay a small fee to rent luxurious cars, disable the Global Positioning System (GPS) in them and go off the radar.\nApart from the bare minimum effort, such syndicates are also enjoying their new modus operandi given the lack of legal action against them so far. \nMany victims, most of them big companies and even app-based car rental providers, claim their cases were not even considered a crime. Instead, they were told to initiate legal action against the \u201crenters\u201d for \u201cbreaching their contract\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, the syndicates put up the vehicles \u2013 which are not blacklisted as \u201cstolen\u201d \u2013 for sale.\nThe Star\u2019s months of investigation found that these vehicles are sold at very low prices of between RM3,000 (S$913) and RM70,000, depending on the types and makes.\nTheir favourites include Toyota Vellfire, Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Proton Wira and Perodua Myvi.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSome of these cars are sold locally, while others are driven into Thailand and sold as a unit or for spare parts.\n\nVictims wishing to get back their vehicles would be asked to pay around RM5,000 to RM10,000, or they can bid their cars goodbye.\nSelling these stolen vehicles locally is not a problem, especially with the anonymity offered by social media and other online selling platforms.\nClaiming they are selling vehicles with loan defaults, these syndicates are actively promoting their stolen \u201cgoods\u201d in many groups, including online marketplaces.\n\n\n\n\n\nKereta JT or Jual Terus (direct sales), Kereta Piang or Piang Lari Bank (cars with outstanding loans) and Kereta Murah (cheap cars) \u2013 these are just some of the many identifications used by these syndicates to hide the vehicles\u2019 actual status.\nOne of the victims, Nasrul, 37, shared screenshots of his stolen Toyota Hiace being advertised on an online platform.\n\u201cA friend of mine tried to approach the seller but the man claimed the van had already been sold.\n\u201cThey didn\u2019t put the price but they stated the van\u2019s years of release,\u201d the victim said.\nThe man who hijacked his car was seen actively selling vehicles in groups on Facebook and even Telegram.\nWhat\u2019s more perplexing is that some of these syndicates were believed to be able to provide grants for the vehicles.\nSome also provide fake grants, which can only be detected if authorities check and compare the chassis numbers on the document with those embedded in the car\u2019s engine.\n\u201cLuxury cars have their chassis numbers far underneath their engine, so it is hard for the authorities to check during roadblocks, so these buyers have nothing to be afraid of. They can roam freely,\u201d said another victim who requested anonymity.\nThe Star has reached out to the police for comments. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/rent-run-and-sell-how-car-theft-syndicates-in-malaysia-evade-laws"}, {"title": "Residents\u2019 spruce-up effort a bright spot amid Malaysia\u2019s affordable housing woes", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - There are some 1,000 to 6,000 applicants for every affordable housing unit launched within the sprawling urban Klang Valley area, a reflection of Malaysia\u2019s housing shortage which new Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming is seeking to remedy.\nHe has moved to consolidate the country\u2019s public and affordable housing schemes, which are currently run by multiple federal and state bodies, some with the cooperation of private developers. \nThere were at least 20 federal and state bodies involved in building or commissioning their own affordable housing, and all but eight of them are now under his ministry.\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia has several affordable housing schemes, with the most famous being Program Perumahan Rakyat (People\u2019s Housing Programme), a government initiative that saw multiple high-density flats built all over the country \u2013 mainly in urban areas \u2013 as squatter settlements were cleared. \nBut the affordable homes are insufficient for the growing numbers of Malaysia\u2019s low-income group.\nMalaysia\u2019s central bank data from 2021 laid bare the problem of affordable housing in the country. As at 2020, the median house price was RM295,000 (S$89,500). By World Bank calculations, 76 per cent of Malaysian households \u2013 which earn less than RM8,333 a month \u2013 can afford properties that cost up to RM300,000. But only 36 per cent of new homes being built in Malaysia are priced around that range, according to Bank Negara Malaysia. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMadam Haniza Talha, a state assemblywoman in Selangor, Malaysia\u2019s most populous state, said the country\u2019s affordable housing woes require urgent remedy and intervention from the government. \n\nMalaysia\u2019s housing is deemed \u201cseriously unaffordable\u201d,\u00a0going by World Bank and United Nations standards, with the house price-to-income ratio hitting 4.72 in 2020. Home prices rose by an average of 4.1 per cent a year for six years until 2020, almost double the country\u2019s average income growth for the same period. \n", "\n\u201cThere is a need to control the prices, otherwise they will just escalate further. There\u2019s no chance for low-income earners to own a house,\u201d Madam Haniza told The Straits Times. \nMadam Haniza \u2013 who is also the former Selangor executive councillor for housing and urban living \u2013 said the rising trend of multiple generations living under the same roof in low-cost flats indicates the lack of such housing for low-income earners.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe saw this problem during the pandemic, when everyone stayed indoors \u2013 there were up to 15 people in one house. There are not enough units to go around. Selangor\u2019s population is reaching seven million, and land is scarce,\u201d she said. \n", "\nShe believes that Malaysia needs a single body to be in charge of housing, instead of having multiple federal, state and private players in the sector. She added that putting the low-income in the same building leads to a lack of integration and social mobility. \u201cIt is a ticking time bomb,\u201d she said. \nThe affordable housing built so far in Malaysia \u2013 flats, in particular \u2013 also has a bad rap, being associated generally with congestion, parking woes, a lack of cleanliness and social ills. \n", "\nPublic and affordable housing projects, like all high-rise developments, are maintained by a joint management body run by residents and funded by maintenance fees. This can result in neglect, particularly when residents are low-income earners. \nThe problem of rubbish being thrown down from the higher floors is widespread, at times exacerbated by non-functioning lifts. A 15-year-old boy died in 2018 after being struck by a chair thrown from an upper-floor flat in Kuala Lumpur. \nOne of Madam Haniza\u2019s initiatives in her Lembah Jaya constituency \u2013 a densely populated semi-urban area in Ampang \u2013 is to help raise funds for residents in low-cost flats to spruce up their own living spaces. \nThis initiative has proven to be a rare success story \u2013 a low-cost tenement that shed the dysfunctions typical of such projects. \n", "\nThe Taman Industri Lembah Jaya flats in Ampang, built by private developers in 2006, were commissioned by the state government to rehome squatters in the area. \nFor years, this 525-unit block \u2013 each flat is a standard size of just over 600 sq ft \u2013 suffered from lifts that broke down frequently, and a lack of common amenities and upkeep. \nThings turned around in 2019 when Mr Budiman Taib, a resident there, took over as its building manager. He solicited help from his fellow residents to restore two out of three lifts that were not working, and spruced up the place, which encouraged residents to keep the building generally clean. \n\u201cAttitude is the most important thing. The (flat) management has to be creative \u2013 we should be able to approach people and encourage the spirit of loving their own space.  If you can\u2019t convince the father, you convince the son,\u201d said Mr Budiman, 47. \n", "\nWith the neighbours taking pride in their building, they pooled their own money in 2022 to organise a lift lobby decorating competition. The result is that each of the 21 floors now has a different lift lobby design, mostly with a seating area. \nThe building is equipped with just one small hall, and barely had any common areas for the residents to enjoy \u2013 until they created their own.\u00a0\nSimilarly, they repurposed a spot for furniture disposal into a communal space to encourage interaction. \n\u201cOur living standards and our thinking have changed. It\u2019s not about where we live, but it is about the people who live here,\u201d said Mr Budiman\u2019s sister, Madam Rohana Taib, 43, who has been living there since 2006. \n", "\nDespite turning heads in their neighbourhood with their place-making initiatives, the residents want the government to pay greater attention to amenities for future affordable housing programmes. \nMadam Haniza said: \u201cIf you put people in ugly places and faraway places without any facilities, they will behave badly. If you put them in a comfortable home, they will behave differently, they will be house-proud. \n\u201cEvery citizen has the right to a comfortable home. If we give them that, the benefit will come back to the state as we will have better citizens.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/residents-spruce-up-effort-a-bright-spot-amid-malaysia-s-affordable-housing-woes"}, {"title": "Retiree and son survived on instant oats during Johor floods", "text": ["\nSEGAMAT, Johor - It was a harrowing experience for retiree Abdullah Mohamed, who was trapped at home in Johor for two days with only a little food after the roads surrounding his house in the Segamat district were submerged in flood waters. \nMr Abdullah said he and his 34-year-old son, Mr Mohd Billal Abdullah, survived on instant oats, the only food that they had with them at the time.\n\u201cI was supposed to do grocery shopping that day, but unfortunately the flood came before I could do so,\u201d said the 71-year-old.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Abdullah, who lives alone after his wife died in 2022, said: \u201cMy son was visiting me that day, and he got trapped in the house with me.\n\u201cThe rain had been falling heavily. We were supposed to move to my daughter\u2019s house to avoid the floods, but we could not do so as the roads around my house were already submerged in water.\n\u201cWe could only drive for a few metres from my front gate before the rising flood waters made it too dangerous to continue with our journey.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut Mr Abdullah was thankful his house was not severely flooded, saying the water level went up by only \u201ca few inches\u201d. \n\nHe said he was also faced with difficulties in getting government agencies and non-governmental organisations to render help.\nAfter being confined to his home for two days, Mr Abdullah said his friend managed to send him some food by using a four-wheel drive vehicle.  \n\u201cI also received a few packets of instant noodles from my neighbour that same day,\u201d he said, adding that he got some food aid from the Sekijang parliamentarian office later.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe grandfather of three said it was an unforgettable experience for him and his son.\n\n\u201cDuring the 2006 massive floods, the same thing happened, but the water receded within five to six hours. \n\u201cThis time, it took two days for the water level to go down,\u201d he added.\nHousewife Shahila Sahidin, 41, said she had to act quickly when her house became flooded. Her husband, who is a bus driver, was away at work.\n\u201cIt was just me and my four children at home at that time. \n\u201cThe water level was rising very rapidly and I could not wait for my husband to get home,\u201d she said.\n\u201cI grabbed whatever belongings I could and took my children, who are between four and 15 years old, to the nearest flood relief centre.\u201d\nShe has two other children \u2013 one living in a hostel, and another who was at a friend\u2019s house. \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/retiree-and-son-survived-on-instant-oats-during-johor-floods"}, {"title": "Revenue targets crucial for PM Anwar\u2019s maiden Budget", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian government\u2019s ability to meet its revenue targets will prove crucial to the delivery of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s maiden federal Budget, which is also the biggest to date at RM388.1 billion (S$118 billion). \nEconomists noted that with Datuk Seri Anwar avoiding the implementation of a goods and services tax (GST) and maintaining large welfare handouts at a time of high debt, the government would have to source for other revenue streams. \nMr Anwar on Friday announced a slew of new measures that could potentially broaden government revenue \u2013 such as a luxury goods tax, capital gains tax, a tax on electronic cigarettes and vaporisers, and also a year-long penalty moratorium for late taxpayers which would encourage them to pay their backdated taxes.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Premier, however, announced tax cuts for low and middle-income groups, with the government bridging the shortfall by raising taxes for the high-income group. Despite that, its net tax revenue will drop by RM900 million. \n\u201cThis is a budget that is inclusive. There are elements of taxing the wealthy, reducing inequality, and helping the poor,\u201d said Mr Amarjeet Singh, Asean tax leader for Ernst & Young. \n\u201cThe PM has said that this is not the right time to implement GST, so there are new areas of tax and revenue streams.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, an eventual implementation of GST is \u201ca matter of time\u201d, as the government continues to grapple with a RM1.5 trillion national debt and liabilities, coupled with forecasted global economic headwinds in 2023 which could affect revenue projections, said Mr Amarjeet.  \n\nSocio-Economic Research Centre (Serc) executive director Lee Heng Guie said that the government\u2019s challenges in having a sustainable revenue stream to meet high commitments and expenditure obligations remain. \nHe noted that the current narrow tax revenue base in Malaysia is \u201cunsustainable\u201d.  \n\u201cMalaysia\u2019s tax revenue to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio of 11.6 per cent in 2023 is low compared to the Asia-Pacific region (19.1 per cent),\u201d he told The Straits Times. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Lee warned that the accuracy of the government\u2019s budgetary estimates will depend on federal revenue collection. \nMr Anwar announced on Friday that revenue for 2023 is expected to be RM291.5 billion, only one per cent lower than the  RM294.4 billion in 2022, which already had a high revenue base with a 25 per cent jump from 2021.\nMr Lee said the government\u2019s projections despite an expected economic downturn in 2023 means that there are \u201crisks to the budget deficit\u201d. \nMr Anwar also targeted a 5.0 per cent budget deficit, lower than the 5.6 per cent deficit recorded in 2022. \nThe government is estimating a 4.5 per cent growth in Malaysia\u2019s economy this year, even though the economic growth is expected to normalise due to rising inflation and economic challenges. \nSerc\u2019s own estimates put economic growth at 4.1 per cent in 2023. \n", "\n\u201cModerating exports, the dampening impact of inflation and higher cost of living, as well as higher interest rate will weigh on domestic demand,\u201d Mr Lee said, adding that the government has to confront \u201cdifficult trade-offs\u201d. \nMr Anwar became Premier in November 2022 after a general election that produced no clear winner, forcing him to stitch up an alliance between several parties to form a government, headed primarily by his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and former arch rival Barisan Nasional (BN). \nThe government is expected to face its first litmus test when PH and BN contest as a team in six state elections to be held around July, while facing the opposition Perikatan Nasional coalition, which had secured a majority of Malay votes in the national polls. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/revenue-targets-crucial-for-pm-anwar-s-maiden-budget"}, {"title": "Rising flood waters in Johor force nearly 6,000 people to stay in temporary relief centres", "text": ["\nFloods in Johor after continuous torrential rain have displaced nearly 6,000 people to temporary relief centres and left at least one dead in the southern Malaysian state as the weather authorities warned that the rain will continue pouring until Thursday at least. \nThe state is being tested again by the floods, said Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi on Wednesday, after visiting an evacuation centre. Thousands of evacuees were affected by the floods in January.\nHe added that aid agencies have been mobilised to help the victims, who are expected to increase in numbers. \n\n\n\n\n\nKluang Police Assistant Commissioner Bahrin Mohd Noh said the victim, identified as Mr K. Sarathkumar, who was in his 20s, was found inside his car at 12.20pm on Wednesday.\n\u201cPolice carried out a search operation and found the submerged car some five hours later. A check inside the vehicle revealed the victim\u2019s body,\u201d he said.\nResidents in the Segamat district posted images of themselves taking refuge on their home rooftops while others tagged politicians on social media, pleading to be rescued. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe small town of Chaah appeared to be particularly afflicted, with an image of its police station\u2019s signboard partially submerged making its rounds on social media.\n\nSome urged caution by asking people to avoid playing in flooded areas, sharing videos of snakes in the waters.\nMalaysia\u2019s Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) issued flood warnings on Tuesday. Local media reported that the flood was worsening in some areas in Kota Tinggi, with trucks and cars immobilised by flooded roads.\nMore than 1,500 families were seeking shelter at 54 relief centres, said Johor\u2019s state disaster management committee. The temporary centres had been set up in stages since 10.30pm on Tuesday.\n", "\nSome roads were closed due to rising water levels, the committee added, including one that was affected due to landslides.\nContinuous rain at a \u201cdangerous\u201d level is expected in Johor and three other states \u2013 Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang \u2013 until Thursday, Malaysia\u2019s Meteorological Department said, referring to the third and highest level of its rain warnings.\nWater levels of 14 rivers in three states including Johor breached the dangerous mark following uninterrupted rains since Monday night, the DID said on Wednesday.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/rising-flood-waters-in-johor-displace-nearly-1600-furniture-sent-sprawling"}, {"title": "Robbers blow up ATM, flee with more than $100,000 in Malaysia", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM \u2013 Three masked robbers took just five minutes to blow open an automated teller machine (ATM) at an Ambank branch in Setia Alam, Selangor. They escaped with RM349,000 (S$106,000) in cash. \nShah Alam police officer Mohd Iqbal Ibrahim said he was alerted to the incident at 6.48am on Thursday, reported New Straits Times. \n\u201cOur probe identified three suspects who were seen entering the premises. They arrived in a white car suspected to be a Mitsubishi ASX,\u201d he said. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe surveillance recordings were blurry and unclear, as it had been sprayed with black paint.\n\u201cWe are on the hunt for the suspects,\u201d he was quoted as saying in New Straits Times. \n", "\nHe added that two ATMs, valued at around RM60,000, were damaged but only one was blasted open and broken into. They were likely blown up using gas pressure, according to preliminary investigations. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn February 2022, two robbers made off with RM260,000 in cash after blowing up an ATM at a convenience store in Meru, Selangor. \n\nPolice said the robbers blew open the machine using a type of gas via a pipe from their car, which was parked outside the store, reported The Star.\nIn August 2019, another similar theft was reported in Tanjong Malim, Perak. \nRobbers blew up an ATM machine using explosive substances and fled with RM300,000, according to the Malay Mail. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/robbers-blow-up-atm-flee-with-more-than-100000-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Rowdy tourists spark partial Airbnb ban in Penang", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN, Penang \u2013 One of Malaysia\u2019s top tourist draws, Penang Island, has slapped a partial ban on Airbnb and similar short-term rental services, following complaints of tourists behaving badly.\n\u201cHousing premises, be it in the form of landed properties (housing estates) or strata (high rise) properties, are not allowed to operate as short-term rental accommodation,\u201d Penang Island Mayor Rajendran Antony said in a statement issued on May 30.\nMayor Rajendran said full implementation and enforcement of the ban would not come into force until March 1 next year, to give property owners and managers enough time to comply with the new regulations.\n\n\n\n\n\nPenang is thought to be the first place in South-east Asia to seek restrictions on certain short-term rentals. It follows in the footsteps of European cities such as Barcelona and Florence, which were suffering with too many tourists squeezing out the locals.\nThe ban is currently limited to Penang Island districts, rather than the mainland Penang state.\nCertain rentals \u2013 such as serviced apartments and home offices \u2013 will still be allowed, subject to certain restrictions. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nLandlords are asked to take note of guidelines on \u201csecurity, public hygiene, health, social aspects and public order\u201d.\n\nPenang has been mulling a ban on Airbnb for over a year, following complaints of bad tourist behaviour in residential areas, and in a bid to revitalise the state\u2019s hotel industry, which was hammered by Covid restrictions. \nOfficials initially mooted an outright ban on all unlicensed short-term rentals in high-rise properties, but scaled back their demands after discussions with Airbnb.\nPenang\u2019s minister for tourism, Mr Yeoh Soon Hin, said last year that short term rentals \u201cshould not impede the growth of the conventional hospitality industry\u201d.\nMalaysia is seeking to attract 16.1 million visitors to the country this year \u2013 60 per cent higher than last year\u2019s total. \nPenang Island airport recorded more than 4.2 million passenger movements in 2022, or 8 per cent of Malaysia\u2019s total. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/rowdy-tourists-spark-partial-airbnb-ban-on-malaysian-island-of-penang"}, {"title": "Russian couple who climbed Merdeka 118 may have entered Malaysia illegally", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Malaysia has no record of the Russian couple who went viral for scaling the Merdeka 118 tower entering or exiting its borders, according to the Malaysian Immigration Department.\nStill, the authorities will continue to investigate the matter in detail, Utusan Malaysia has reported.\n\n\u201cChecks revealed that both suspects are not inside the country, and investigations found that there were no records of them entering or leaving in the Immigration Department system,\u201d said a source quoted by Utusan.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe source said the authorities were still continuing the investigation, and that they were looking into the possibility that the two climbers \u2013 Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau \u2013 entered Malaysia illegally.\n\nCCTV footage at the tower did not show the two entering or leaving Merdeka 118, the source said.\n\n\u201cWe have also called nine individuals, including staff and workers at the tower after the viral incident,\u201d said the source.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBeerkus and Nikolau, who claim to be extreme climbers, in December posted photos and a video of themselves on the spire of the 678.9m-high Merdeka 118, the second-tallest structure in the world.\n\n", "\nThe two have been trying to cultivate a huge following on social media by risking their lives to take photos of themselves atop the world\u2019s tallest buildings, without any rope, net or safety harness.\n\nBeerkus has over 200,000 followers on Instagram, while Nikolau has more than 700,000.\n\nTo generate income, they sell their pictures on Foundation, a marketplace for non-fungible tokens.\n\nOnline sleuths initially questioned whether the couple\u2019s photos were real.\n\nIn response, Beerkus posted a video of him and Nikolau atop Merdeka 118. Nikolau also shared another clip of herself sitting on the edge of the building\u2019s spire, while holding a long selfie stick.\n\n", "\nThe source quoted by Utusan said the authorities were still waiting for the results of an analysis by Cyber Security Malaysia to determine whether these videos were real or digitally altered. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/russian-couple-who-climbed-merdeka-118-may-have-entered-malaysia-illegally"}, {"title": "Sabah Bersatu to carry on, MPs who left to face anti-hopping law: Muhyiddin", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - Sabah Bersatu will continue to exist and function even after the mass exodus of its state chairman, assemblymen and division leaders, said Bersatu president and Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday.\nBersatu\u2019s Sabah chapter will now be led by Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin a day after the MPs and assemblymen, led by Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, announced their departure.\nMr Muhyiddin said Datuk Seri Kiandee, who is also a Bersatu vice-president, will take over from Datuk Seri Hajiji.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBersatu in Sabah will continue to exist and function although Hajiji and his followers have announced their quitting of the party,\u201d he said in a statement.\nThe former Malaysian prime minister said the state leadership, divisions and branches were set up by the Bersatu supreme council, and only the council had the authority under the party\u2019s Constitution to decide their position and direction.\nMr Muhyiddin said Dr Kiandee would also be in charge of PN in Sabah until the restructuring of the state\u2019s leadership has been decided by the Bersatu and PN supreme council members.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn expressing his disappointment in the leaders who left Bersatu in Sabah, he said they did not show loyalty to the party, which had given them high positions after the last state election in 2020. He added that they had won their positions under the PN banner. \n\n\u201cI believe those who are loyal to the party and its struggles will continue to stay on as Bersatu members, and as the component party of Perikatan at the federal level,\u201d Mr Muhyiddin said.\nAs for the four Bersatu MPs from Sabah who had contested under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ticket in the recent 15th General Election, he said their positions in the party will be decided based on the anti-hopping law enshrined in the Federal Constitution.\nThe provisions of the law, which took effect on Oct 5, should pave the way for by-elections in the constituencies of those who quit their parties, but there is uncertainty over whether polls will be triggered as the four MPs have said they will stay with GRS.\nBersatu Sabah is in the GRS bloc that includes four other parties.\nThe anti-hopping law does not apply to the 14 assemblymen who left Sabah Bersatu as the state assembly has not enacted the law. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sabah-bersatu-to-carry-on-mps-who-left-to-face-anti-hopping-law-muhyiddin"}, {"title": "Sabah chief minister reshuffles Cabinet after political coup attempt", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Embattled Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor sought to end five days of political turmoil by reshuffling his Cabinet on Wednesday, and dropping ministers who opposed his leadership, including former deputy chief minister Bung Moktar.\nThree ministers were added to the cabinet, while others changed portfolios.\nLast week, Datuk Seri Bung, who is also Sabah Umno chief, withdrew his party from the 27-month-old coalition government, a move which threatened to bring down the government led by the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition.\n\n\n\n\n\nOver the weekend, Mr Hajiji garnered the support of 44 assemblymen, including five from Umno and seven from Pakatan Harapan (PH). A majority of at least 40 seats in the 79-member state assembly is required to govern.\nDatuk Seri Hajiji said the Cabinet reshuffle was necessary to boost the government.\n\u201cIt is important for the state government under my leadership to function as a cohesive team who share the same aspirations built on mutual trust and respect,\u201d he said in a statement.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cTo do that, we need a strong team. Mindful of the need to form an inclusive administration, I have included assemblymen from PH in the Cabinet, in addition to representatives from Barisan-Umno and GRS,\u201d he said.\n\nMr Hajiji named three deputy chief ministers \u2013 Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku\u2019s Jeffrey Kitingan, Parti Bersatu Sabah\u2019s Joachim Gunsalam and Barian Nasional\u2019s (BN) Shahelmey Yahya, one of five Umno assemblymen who refused to support the plot to topple the government.\nTwo new ministers from PH, and one other from BN ally Umno were sworn in at Istana Seri Kinabalu on Wednesday. PH had mooted a unity government on Friday following the Umno pull-out, pledging support to Mr Hajiji.\nBut the power struggle may not be over despite the reshuffle.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Bung said: \u201cThe appointment of the new state Cabinet involves two Sabah Umno representatives (but) they do not represent the party, and we will not give any recognition to their appointments.\n\u201cHajiji also cannot say (they represent) Umno in his Cabinet line-up.\u201d\n\nNewly-minted Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya insisted on Wednesday that he is still with Umno.\n\u201cI am still an Umno member as I have not received any news from the party leadership. I had met with party president (Zahid Hamidi) for a while (recently) but there was nothing. We only nodded (at each other) and shook hands, that\u2019s all,\u201d he was quoted as saying by the English daily Star.\n", "\nOh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs told The Straits Times: \u201cI think it (the reshuffle) just provides a temporary respite before the next wave of political turbulence arises soon.\u201d\nMr Hajiji was among 16 lawmakers from Sabah who quit Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), led by former premier Muhyiddin Yassin, in December 2022, following its loss in the November general election.\nMr Bung said on Jan 6 that Sabah Umno had \u201clost confidence in Hajiji, and he has lost his locus standi (legal right) to remain chief minister after he quit PPBM to become a member of GRS\u201d.\nHe added that the understanding after the 2020 Sabah election was that BN would support Mr Hajiji as chief minister, and Mr Hajiji would, in turn, appoint BN members as ministers and heads of state-owned government-linked companies.\nMr Bung claimed that Mr Hajiji and GRS had also breached the cooperation agreement with BN by sacking Sabah Umno\u2019s Usukan assemblyman, Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak, as chairman of state investment arm Qhazanah Sabah.\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had flown into the state capital, Kota Kinabalu, on Monday night after returning from an official visit to Indonesia in a bid to end the power grab. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sabah-chief-minister-reshuffles-cabinet-after-political-coup-attempt"}, {"title": "Sabah fisherman rescued after clinging on to jerrycan for 30 hours in the sea", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - A fisherman from Malaysia\u2019s Sabah region literally hung on for dear life by clinging on to a jerrycan for over 30 hours after his boat capsized in waters near a resort off Karambunai near the Sabah capital.\nA navy ship found Mr Morris Dulin in extreme exhaustion but still clutching the jerrycan at 1.45pm on Thursday.\nThe 69-year-old was found drifting in waters off Sepanggar, some 5.5 nautical miles from where the boat that carried him and his two other friends \u2013 who managed to save themselves \u2013 had sunk the day before.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Kota Kinabalu district police chief, Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah, said Mr Morris was rescued by the navy ship KD Sundang.\n\u201cThe man was then brought back to the navy base in Sepanggar for identification purposes and treatment,\u201d he said when contacted.\nMr Morris had gone out to sea with his two friends, aged 41 and 42, and they were fishing near the Nexus Karambunai Resort on Wednesday morning.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThey decided to return to land when the weather suddenly took a turn for the worse, but on their way back, their boat overturned after being hit by strong waves.\n\nThe two friends, said to be wearing life jackets, managed to swim to safety at a lagoon in Karambunai, while Mr Morris was nowhere to be seen. \nThe friends alerted the authorities about the incident.\nA search party involving multiple agencies, including the police, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Fire and Rescue Department and Civil Defence Force, was subsequently launched following the 6am incident.\nHowever, efforts were made more difficult by the choppy seas and bad weather.\nSabah and Labuan MMEA director Mohd Rosli Abdullah said the victim was earlier spotted by the navy\u2019s unmanned aerial vehicle before being rescued.\n\u201cThe MMEA would like to advise the maritime community to keep abreast of the current weather conditions,\u201d he said, urging the people to ensure they wear life jackets and bring along communication equipment if they have to go out to sea. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sabah-fisherman-rescued-after-clinging-onto-jerrycan-for-30-hours-in-the-sea"}, {"title": "Sabah leaders must decide who will lead the state, says Malaysia PM Anwar", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU \u2013 Sabah\u2019s political leaders will have to decide who will lead the state to end the political turmoil, said Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. \nHe was in the state capital to meet political leaders on Monday night and said he would not interfere with Sabah\u2019s political decisions.\n\u201cThe situation is getting better. Zahid and I are finding the best formula for Sabah. The state leaders will decide\u2026 we can only give advice,\u201d he said, referring to Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt is understood that Datuk Seri Anwar did not give the state leaders any time frame to settle the issue.\nMr Anwar arrived in Sabah on Monday night from his first official overseas visit to Indonesia as prime minister. He arrived at Kota Kinabalu International Airport around 10pm. Zahid, who is also Umno\u2019s president, arrived in Kota Kinabalu on Monday evening. \nBoth met the state leaders immediately after Mr Anwar arrived. However, it is not clear what was suggested to resolve the high-stakes political games.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe creation of a \u201cunity government\u201d is said to be on the table for discussion, but the question is what shape and form are agreeable to all at the state level as all four parties are part of Mr Anwar\u2019s unity government at the federal level.\n\nEmbattled Chief Minister Hajiji Noor\u2019s Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) is believed to be offering to maintain the status quo on the GRS-Barisan Nasional pact, but with the inclusion of Sabah Pakatan Harapan.\nOn the other side, Barisan \u2013 led by its state chairman Bung Moktar Radin \u2013 is pushing for a unity government that also includes Parti Warisan led by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, and Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) led by Datuk Peter Anthony. \nRaising the stakes from the opposing bench, the Barisan-Warisan-KDM camp is widely speculated to be asking for Datuk Seri Hajiji to be replaced with anyone else.\n\n\n\n\n\nThey even would not object to GRS\u2019 Sabah Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku president Jeffrey Kitingan as an option.\nPolitical analyst Tony Paridi Bagang said it would be a major test for Mr Anwar to do something without being seen as interfering in state politics.\n\u201cThis will be a litmus test for Anwar\u2019s ability to mediate and reach an amicable solution to the current political crisis,\u201d said Mr Bagang, a Sabah Universiti Teknologi Mara lecturer.\n\u201cHe needs to be politically neutral to avoid the perception that Kuala Lumpur/Putrajaya is dictating local politics here.\u201d\n", "\nMr Bagang said Mr Anwar\u2019s meeting with all parties is an attempt to suggest a political win-win situation in the spirit of the unity government at the federal level.\n\u201cA stable government is greatly needed, and there must be a political compromise with all parties if they put the people\u2019s interests (first),\u201d he added.\n\nGRS secretary-general Masidi Manjun said they had no expectations of Mr Anwar\u2019s visit.\n\u201cWe respect and thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to see us,\u201d said Datuk Seri Masidi, who held a pre-council Sabah assembly meeting with Mr Hajiji and state assemblymen.\nThe Sabah crisis was triggered after Sabah Barisan pulled out of the 27-month-old GRS-Barisan coalition government led by Mr Hajiji last Friday.\nThe key issue was that Mr Hajiji no longer had the legitimacy to remain chief minister as he was party-less after he led GRS assemblymen out of Bersatu to become direct members of GRS on Dec 8, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar had said.\nHowever, Mr Hajiji\u2019s camp argued that GRS was a political entity allowing direct members and not only a coalition for parties.\nBarisan\u2019s move to pull out the support of 18 Umno assemblymen left the Hajiji government without a majority.\nBy Saturday, Mr Hajiji had garnered the support of 44 assemblymen, including five Umno dissidents and seven Sabah Pakatan state representatives.\nOn Sunday, Mr Hajiji told the media he had the majority and handed statutory declarations of support from the 44 assemblymen to Governor Juhar Mahiruddin.\n", "\nMr Bung Moktar has aligned his remaining 13 Barisan assemblymen with Warisan\u2019s 19 assemblymen and KDM\u2019s three representatives, giving them 35 assemblymen, five seats short of the 40 seats required for a majority.\nHe said Mr Hajiji should accept the proposal by Mr Anwar to end the current political crisis, adding that the unity government proposal will guarantee the interests and well-being of the people of Sabah.\n\u201cI am confident that the current political temperature will cool off and bring stability to the state government through such an agreement,\u201d Mr Bung Moktar said.\nMr Shafie, Warisan\u2019s president, said his party fully supports Mr Anwar\u2019s proposal for a unity government in Sabah.\n\u201cAfter our meeting with Anwar on Monday night, all of Warisan\u2019s 19 assemblymen agree to fully support the proposal for a unity government in Sabah,\u201d he said.\nPolitical observers are watching to see if Sabah\u2019s Pakatan will continue supporting Mr Hajiji, as Mr Anwar had indicated that Pakatan would remain neutral in the Sabah impasse. Another piece of baggage in Mr Hajiji\u2019s camp is the support of two nominated assemblymen, Sabah Progressive Party president Yong Teck Lee and Sabah Parti Islam SeMalaysia secretary Aliakbar Gulasan.\nBoth parties are members of Perikatan Nasional, which is the Opposition at the federal level.\nObservers said that if Sabah Pakatan withdraws its support, it would leave the GRS and Barisan groups without a simple majority.\n", "\nOthers are also watching if Zahid will change the stand of the Barisan-Umno dissidents in their support for Mr Hajiji.\nA special Sabah assembly meeting on Tuesday to table a state Bill for establishing an oil and gas regulatory body could also be used as a venue for Mr Hajiji to get the endorsement for his position as chief minister.\nIstana Negeri has yet to set a date for him to swear in his Cabinet ministers amid talk that Tun Juhar was seeking advice on the legal issues surrounding Mr Hajiji\u2019s position as chief minister.\nIf all else fails, Sabah might head for another snap election \u2013 polls are not due until after September 2025. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sabah-leaders-must-decide-who-will-lead-the-state-says-malaysia-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "Sabah police on the croc trail as sightings alarm locals", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - Dozens of crocodile sightings across Sabah in East Malaysia are creating alarm among local residents as stretched wildlife rangers seek help from villagers and police in the hunt for the reptiles. \nSabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said there were 29 sightings in various areas of the east coast Lahad Datu district, with at least six in Kota Kinabalu, three in Sandakan, and at least one in Tawau.\n\u201cWe have received many reports throughout Sabah,\u201d Mr Tuuga said when contacted on Saturday. \u201cWhere we can, we do it (capturing or shooting the reptile) ourselves. We also get the police to assist us.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere are other cases in remote areas such as Paitan (north-eastern Sabah) where we\u2019ve authorised the village security and development committees to hunt the crocodiles,\u201d he said, explaining that their manpower was stretched with the recent sudden surge in crocodile sightings across the state.\nMr Tuuga said police in Lahad Datu informed the department that crocodiles were being spotted in many areas including beachfronts and housing areas, with the latest in waters around the marine police base in town.\n\u201cLahad Datu police have written to us and highlighted public concern and fear on sighting of crocodiles in the district,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said Lahad Datu police also listed 28 areas with the location coordinates of the sightings within the district and neighbouring areas in Tungku, Desa Kencana and Tambisan.\n\nHe said wildlife rangers shot two crocodiles, with the latest on Friday.\n\u201cNone of the crocodiles were involved in the attack on a man and his one-year-old child (still missing),\u201d Mr Tuuga said, referring to the Dec 1 incident in which a crocodile snatched the boy. His father tried in vain to stop the attack while they were on a wooden boat near the marine police jetty in Lahad Datu.\nCrocodiles were also spotted at popular family outing spots along Likas Bay as well as the flood mitigation pond along the Likas Bay road.\n\n\n\n\n\nSightings of crocodiles at the Likas Bay pond were reported several years ago and warning signs have been put up by the Wildlife Department ever since.\nHowever, avid anglers still go to the lagoon to catch fish without any fear.\nIn previous interviews with The Star, fishermen said they had seen the crocodiles, but the reptiles never disturbed them.\nIn the latest incident, a seven-year-old boy escaped with multiple bite wounds inflicted by a crocodile in the Lahad Datu district.\n", "\nOn Thursday, the boy had gone down from his water village house at Kampung Air to get his pet chicken around 5.50pm.\nHis cousin, who was nearby, saw the reptile lurking in the water close to the boy\u2019s home and screamed to alert him.\nLahad Datu police official Rohan Shah Ahmad said the boy tried to run, but the crocodile bit him.\n\u201cThe boy managed to kick free and escape,\u201d he said on Saturday.\nThe boy was later taken to the hospital to treat deep lacerations and a fractured bone on his right leg and is now recuperating.  \nSilam assemblyman Dumi Pg Masdal recently visited the area where the latest attack took place, and also paid a visit to the victim\u2019s family.   \nIn a Facebook post, he said that this matter needed to be addressed for the safety of the villagers involved.\nHe said that between 2020 and 2022, there had been a total of 12 crocodile attacks reported in Lahad Datu, out of which eight were fatal. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sabah-police-on-the-croc-trail-as-sightings-alarm-locals"}, {"title": "Bersatu MPs in Sabah quit party, raising question of  by-elections", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Several Members of Parliament from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in Sabah have quit the party led by former Malaysian premier Muhyiddin Yassin.\nSabah Bersatu currently has four MPs, who contested under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ticket.\u00a0\nTheir decision raised the question if this would trigger by-elections in their constituencies, under Malaysia\u2019s anti-hopping law (AHL) that took effect on Oct 5.\n\n\n\n\n\nBersatu Sabah chairman Hajiji Noor, who is also the chief minister of the East Malaysian state, said in a statement on Saturday that party members have made the \u201cunanimous decision\u201d to leave Bersatu after \u201chaving considered Malaysia\u2019s current political landscape, particularly that of Sabah\u201d.\nDatuk Seri Hajiji added: \u201cWe thank the President of Bersatu and Chairman of Perikatan Nasional (PN), Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for his leadership during our tenure as Bersatu members.\u201d But he said that the status quo is \u201cno longer tenable\u201d.\n\u201cThis is because at the federal level, Bersatu is in the opposition whilst GRS has pledged support to the unity government led by Anwar (Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim),\u201d said Mr Hajiji. \u201cWith this decision, we will now use GRS to voice out Sabah\u2019s interests and that of the Bornean states in Malaysia. We are confident that this decision will be good for political unity and stability in Sabah,\u201d he said in a statement on Saturday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nBersatu Sabah is part of the GRS bloc that also houses Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Sabah Star, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and United Sabah National Organisation. GRS, which is a member of PM Anwar\u2019s unity government, has a total of six MPs \u2013 four from Bersatu, one from PBS and another from Sabah Star.\n\nAnother Bersatu MP in Sabah, Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee, had contested the Nov 19 general election under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) flag. Dr Ronald, who is a Bersatu vice-president, has not announced that he would quit the party. \nAnalysts gave different views on whether the anti-hopping law is triggered with the four Bersatu Sabah MPs believed to be leaving the party to become direct members of the GRS coalition. \nThe nation\u2019s anti-hopping law was introduced to prevent defections by prohibiting MPs from switching parties, but does not stop political parties from collaborating with others to gain majority support.\n\n\n\n\n\nConstitutional senior lawyer Rajan Navaratnam said that under the new Article 49A of the Federal Constitution, if an MP resigns or ceases to be a member of a particular political party, the MP stands to lose his parliamentary seat. \n\u201cSince these individuals have quit Bersatu Sabah, any change of party from their original party will trigger Article 49A. Anti-hopping law does not apply to Sabah state level only, but it also applies to all MPs,\u201d said Datuk Seri Rajan. \nHe also questioned how the Bersatu leaders who have announced they were quitting the party could become direct members of the GRS bloc, which is officially registered as a coalition and not as a political party. \n\u201cEssentially, it is important to note that political party members to GRS are respective parties, and not individuals of each party.\n\n\u201cHowever, checks must be done by the Registry of Societies Malaysia to see if the individuals are members of the GRS party. But I doubt this because individuals who are already members of their respective individual parties such as Bersatu, Sabah Star cannot be members of another political party,\u201d added Mr Rajan. \nOn the flip side, Bersatu Sabah has double coalition memberships in GRS and PN, said Sunway University\u2019s political scientist Wong Chin Huat. He said as some of the Bersatu MPs won under the GRS ticket, the anti-hopping law does not apply to them as long as they stay within the GRS coalition.\nProf Wong said the defections of Bersatu Sabah members along with several MPs added to other woes afflicting Mr Muhyiddin-led PN, which is now a federal opposition coalition.\nSabah Star has also recently quit PN, and he expects SAPP to also eventually leave the opposition coalition.   \n\u201cSabahan parties do not like to be associated with national parties if there is a choice. SAPP would not be different from Sabah Star which has left early... the PN alliance will become insignificant in Sabah,\u201d he said.   \nThe PN alliance currently comprises Bersatu, Parti Islam SeMalaysia, Gerakan and SAPP. The latter two parties didn\u2019t win any seats in the November general election.     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sabah-s-bersatu-members-quit-muhyiddin-s-party-en-masse"}, {"title": "Sabah\u2019s GRS-led govt lost majority after BN withdraws support", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - The Sabah state government has lost its majority in the state legislature after a major coalition partner, Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN), pulled out.\nThe state was led by the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-BN ruling coalition. But Sabah BN leader Bung Moktar Radin said he has pulled out the party\u2019s 17 assemblymen from the 27-month-old government.\nThe East Malaysian state has a total of 79 members in the state legislature, with a minimum 40 seats needed to obtain simple majority. Before the GRS-BN breakup, the coalition had 46 lawmakers - 29 from GRS and 17 from BN.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe GRS government is headed by Chief Minister Hajiji Noor. \nGRS\u2019 29 assemblymen consist of 15 direct members who were formerly with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS, seven), Sabah STAR (six) and one from Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP). \nIn Sabah\u2019s fractious politics, it was understood that Datuk Seri Hajiji previously also had support from smaller parties: Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (3), Parti Islam SeMalaysia (1) and Parti Bangsa Malaysia (1), and one Independent.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter pulling out, BN is now expected to tie up with the main opposition party, Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan, 19 seats) and other smaller parties to try and reach the magical number of 40 seats. \n\nBN plus Warisan would have a total of 36 lawmakers (17 + 18).\nThe second main opposition party, Pakatan Harapan (PH) (7 assemblymen), said on Thursday that it had decided not to support the BN-Warisan revolt.  \nMalaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is the PH national president, on Thursday called Datuk Seri Hajiji. Mr Hajiji also met with all the 7 PH assemblymen at his office on Thursday, in what is seen as a sign that PH wanted the status quo to remain.\n\n\n\n\n\nA GRS-PH combination would also have a total of 36 seats (29 GRS + 7 PH).\nSabah BN chairman Bung Moktar, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, announced the Sabah BN decision to pull out after chairing a two-hour meeting at Umno headquarters in Kota Kinabalu late on Friday night. \n\u201cWe have lost confidence in Hajiji and he has lost his locus standi to remain as Chief Minister after he quit Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to become a direct member of GRS,\u201d Bung told reporters. Mr Hajiji quit Bersatu to join GRS directly as part of a separate kerfuffle involving the seats in the national Malaysian Parliament.\nMr Hajiji had said on Friday said he was reshuffling his state Cabinet, and that this would be announced soon. He was expected to remove Bung Moktar and others who have with drawn support for him.\nMany local political observers said it was important for Bung Moktar and Mr Hajiji to resolve their differences as the likely political scenario could end in instability and snap elections.\n", "\nBung Moktar, explaining why BN has pulled out from the GRS-BN state government, said the political understanding after the 2020 Sabah elections was that BN would support Mr Hajiji as Chief Minister, who in turn would appoint BN as his state Cabinet ministers and heads of state-owned government-linked companies.\nHe said the basis of cooperation was done between Sabah BN, Perikatan Nasional coalition (headed by Bersatu) and PBS in the 2020 polls to defeat Warisan and PH.\nMr Hajiji was picked as the chief minister as he was Sabah Bersatu chairman under Perikatan, he said.\n\u201cWhen he decided to ditch Bersatu (on Dec 8), the whole cooperation ended,\u201d he added.\n\nFurthermore, Bung Moktar said Mr Hajiji and GRS had breached the cooperation with BN by sacking Sabah Umno\u2019s Usukan assemblyman, Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak, as chairman of state investment arm Qhazanah Sabah.\n\u201cDue to the breach towards the political understanding, Sabah BN has decided that all its 18 assemblymen (including Parti Bangsa Malaysia\u2019s assemblyman Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi) will pull back their support and declare we have lost confidence in Hajiji as Chief Minister,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sabah-s-grs-led-govt-collapses-after-bn-withdraws-support"}, {"title": "Sabah to require Covid-19 tests for travellers from China, other states may re-enforce mask mandate", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - Malaysia\u2019s Sabah state government on Wednesday announced new Covid-19 restrictions for travellers from China that will take effect from Sunday.\nTravellers coming from China are required to be fully vaccinated, as well as provide a negative result from a polymerase chain reaction test or a professionally administered rapid antigen test within 48 hours before their flights, said Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, Sabah\u2019s Minister in charge of Covid-19 matters. \nThe decision was made following the east Malaysia state\u2019s Cabinet meeting earlier on Wednesday.\n\n\n\n\n\nThat same day, Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also said Covid-19 preventive measures will be enhanced at the country\u2019s \u201centry points\u201d, without elaborating on the safety restrictions. \n\u201cEvery inbound traveller will be monitored, particularly those coming from countries with high infection rates, including China and the United States. We are not loosening conditions,\u201d he told a press conference after chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting.\nAt least 336,000 Chinese nationals \u2013 including 53,000 nationals in December \u2013 entered Malaysia in 2022, Datuk Seri Anwar added, without leading to a spike in Covid-19 cases in the country.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Masidi had in December already hinted about the proposed actions, in anticipation of China tourist arrivals and rising Covid-19 infections in the country driven by the emergence of new variants.\n\nHe said all international travellers will have their temperature taken by a thermal scanner. Those with a fever will be assessed further.\n\u201cThose with Covid-19 symptoms are required to take a (rapid antigen) test,\u201d added Mr Masidi, who is also state assemblyman for Karanaan in Ranau.\nOn the peninsula, Perak\u2019s state government said all tourists arriving at its Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh and the border town of Pengkalan Hulu may have to undergo health screenings.\nPerak health committee chairman A. Sivanesan said the state\u2019s health department will soon decide on whether to make screening and wearing masks mandatory again.\nHe said the screening would be important for tourists arriving from China.\n\n\u201cI was particularly impressed with a healthcare screening centre here, where all staff and patients were masked up at all times,\u201d he said.\n\u201cIt is very important that both private and government departments emulate this to check the spread of Covid-19.\u201d\n", "\nMalaysia dropped its mask mandate completely in September 2022, save for public transport and medical institutions, while also allowing for individual business owners and landlords to enforce wearing masks indoors on their own premises.\nMelaka\u2019s state government said wearing face masks would be made mandatory in the state by Jan 17 if Covid-19 cases record an upward trend. \nNegri Sembilan\u2019s Chief Minister said the government is also considering making the wearing of face masks compulsory again, especially indoors. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sabah-to-require-covid-19-tests-for-travellers-from-china-other-states-may-re-enforce-mask-mandate"}, {"title": "Sacked Umno member and former Malaysian minister Khairy to rock the airwaves as DJ", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Despite fielding offers from several Malaysian political parties after his sacking from Umno, former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has decided to lend his voice to a radio station instead. \nMalaysian media company Media Prima Audio (MPA) said on Thursday that the politician, popularly known as KJ, will begin hosting a 6am to 10am weekday segment from Feb 15 as a radio DJ on Hot FM.\nIn Thursday morning\u2019s edition of the Bekpes Hot programme, the show\u2019s regular presenters confirmed his new appointment with Mr Khairy over a phone call, joking that they will be offering the unemployed politician some work to fill up his empty schedule.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Khairy also said in jest  that he was unemployed as \u201cmany people took selfies with me but did not vote for me eventually\u201d.\nThe former MP for Rembau in Negeri Sembilan lost the parliamentary contest for Sungai Buloh in November\u2019s general election. \nMPA chief executive officer Nazri Noran said Hot FM decided to hire Mr Khairy to ensure the radio station\u2019s content remains fresh and relevant to its listeners.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cKhairy or KJ is not only a great politician and leader but also an influencer who has a great impact on Malaysians,\u201d he added.\n\n\u201cKJ\u2019s presence will not only give listeners something different through the pairing of politicians, comedians and radio presenters, but a new dimension for the country\u2019s radio landscape.\u201d\nMr Khairy, a former science and technology minister who also held the youth and sports portfolio, was sacked from Umno last month for \u201cviolating party discipline\u201d. \nOn Monday, he indicated that he is mulling over contesting the Selangor state polls that must be held this year.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sacked-umno-member-and-former-malaysian-minister-khairy-to-rock-the-airwaves-as-dj"}, {"title": "Broken doors, bent fans: Student vandals in Penang school run amok as term ends", "text": ["\nNIBONG TEBAL, Penang - A secondary school in the Malaysian state of Penang is investigating an incident where some students marked the end of the school term by allegedly vandalising campus facilities, said Malaysia\u2019s Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.     \nShe said the students involved had been hauled up by the school authorities investigating the case, according to a report by the Bernama news agency.     \n\u201cThe school and District Education Office (PPD) are aware of the incident. I have spoken to PPD officers, and the school authorities are continuing their investigation.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe will not compromise with vandalism and violence,\u201d she said at an event in the town of Nibong Tebal yesterday, Bernama reported.\n\u201cFirst, the school has to call up the students involved and their parents, and they may be given counselling. This is important because what we saw (on the video) should not have happened,\u201d she added.\n\nTwo video recordings have gone viral on social media.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThey show several students kicking and breaking doors and chairs and damaging fans, and then having a good laugh.\n\n", "\nNetizens have criticised the students for their behaviour.     \nHowever, Ms Fadhlina, who is also Nibong Tebal\u2019s MP, urged all quarters to stop sharing the videos to protect the identities of the students and school concerned.    \n\u201cI hope all concerned can delete the videos (from their social media) so that we can focus on rehabilitating the students,\u201d she said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/school-in-penang-probes-students-over-vandalism"}, {"title": "Search and rescue operations for Batang Kali landslide victims enter fourth day", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Search and rescue operations for victims of a massive landslide in Batang Kali continued for a fourth day on Monday, which saw the leader of the rescue mission rushed to hospital for exhaustion and a minor stroke. \nThe director of the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department, Datuk Norazam Khamis, who has been co-leading the rescue mission, was conscious and in stable condition after being taken to the hospital at 6pm, the fire department said. \nNine people are still missing following a landslide at Father\u2019s Organic Farm in the early hours of last Friday that has claimed the lives of 24 people so far.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe search was widened beyond ground zero of the landslide to a river on the campsite grounds, but turned up no sign of the missing victims. \n\u201cWe have dug up to the original land but we have yet to find any sign (of) the victims,\u201d said Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Hafisham Mohd Noor. \nA team focused on searching the murky areas of the river, while potential sites had been surveyed, all to no avail, he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRescue operations were expected to continue late into the night as the weather conditions remained good. \n\nSoft ground and mud as deep as 16m are making it difficult for rescuers to carry out their work.\n\u201cThe depth is the highest recorded so far because of the rain yesterday,\u201d Mr Hafisham said earlier on Monday.\n\u201cWe will dig until we reach the bottom and separate the excavated soil to another spot. I hope the effort will show results as yesterday we were a bit disappointed because, despite our efforts, we still failed to locate any missing victims,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nHigh soil saturation and pressure from the accumulation of underground water beneath the campsite in Batang Kali had led to the deadly landslide, the Public Works Department said. \nInitial investigations indicated that there were two slope failures at the location, which happened some 20 to 30 minutes apart.\n\u201cThe first slope failure most likely occurred at the camping site. The failure caused the area at the foot of the slope to weaken, resulting in the occurrence of another larger collapse,\u201d the department said. \n\u201cActive underground water flow is detected in the area where the slope collapsed, especially in the campsite area.\u201d\nThe area that collapsed is estimated to be 70m high, 120m wide and 330m long, with an estimated 450,000 cubic metres of rubble soil.\n", "\nAccording to the department, there was no problem in the drainage system at the section of the road from the direction of Gohtong Jaya to Batang Kali, where the shoulder collapsed. \nIt said short-term repairs have been done to tension cracks lengthwise on the left lane leading to Batang Kali to prevent further collapse.  \n", "\nA detailed ground investigation would be carried out as soon as the search and rescue operations are completed.\nAll high-risk slope areas in the state are being checked during the rainy season, said Perak Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport executive chairman Nizar Jamaluddin. These include 239 areas categorised as very high-risk, and 211 as high-risk.  \nHe also identified three \u201cvery critical\u201d federal roads at risk of landslides: Jalan Tapah-Cameron Highland, Jalan Baling Grik (along the East-West Highway) and Jalan Simpang Pulai-Blue Valley.\nDatuk Seri Nizar said sensors and rain gauges have been installed in critical locations, which will relay warnings to the department so emergency action, including road closures, can be carried out. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/search-and-rescue-operations-for-batang-kali-landslide-victims-enter-fourth-day"}, {"title": "Search continues for 9 campers caught in landslide near Genting", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The search for missing campers caught in a deadly landslide at a campsite in Malaysia continued for a third day on Sunday, with the fire department saying the chance of finding survivors is slim.\nAt least 24 people died after a landslide tore through a campsite early on Friday while campers slept in tents at Batang Kali, a popular hilly area about 50km north of the capital Kuala Lumpur.\nOf the 94 people caught in the landslide, 61 were safe and nine still missing, the Selangor state fire and rescue department said. Those killed included seven children.\n\n\n\n\n\nResponders have deployed excavators and rescue dogs to search for people trapped under mud and debris, while heavy rain has raised concern of further landslides.\nState fire and rescue chief Norazam Khamis said the chance of finding more survivors was slim given the lack of oxygen and weight of mud pressing down on the site.\n", "\nAn initial investigation showed an embankment of around 450,000 cubic metres of earth had collapsed. The earth fell from an estimated height of 30m and covered an area of about 0.4 ha.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLandslides are common in Malaysia but typically occur only after heavy rain. \n\nFlooding is also common, with about 21,000 people displaced last year by torrential rain in seven states. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/search-continues-for-9-campers-caught-in-malaysia-landslide"}, {"title": "Second-line party leaders could make their comeback at Malaysia\u2019s state polls", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A number of rising stars who were defeated at Malaysia\u2019s general election last November are making crucial decisions on whether to launch a comeback at upcoming polls in six of 13 states. \nCandidates can be officially announced after the state legislatures begin to be dissolved in the coming days, beginning with Kelantan on Thursday, before Selangor, Penang, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu follow suit. \nPolls are expected to be held simultaneously by August.\n\n\n\n\n\nAmong the high-profile names set to seek a second shot at elected office are Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s daughter Nurul Izzah Anwar, and his right-hand man turned rival Azmin Ali, now Selangor chief of opposition alliance Perikatan Nasional (PN). \nOther names that have cropped up are former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who is in Cabinet by virtue of being appointed a senator. All four have previously been bandied about as future prime ministerial material. \nThey have also been touted as potential candidates for chief minister of Selangor, Malaysia\u2019s richest state and a key prize in the polls. But where, and if, they choose to contest will depend on several factors.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Nurul is expected to stay out of the crowded field in Selangor and instead make a bid for the deputy chief ministership of Penang, according to sources from the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition led by Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). \n\nThe island state is considered PH\u2019s safest bet among the six states, offering swift redemption for Ms Nurul, who lost Permatang Pauh in November after four decades of the Anwar family controlling the parliamentary ward in Penang.\nMeanwhile, Selangor has been the stronghold of PKR for the past 15 years, thanks in no small part to Datuk Seri Azmin, who was the party\u2019s deputy president from 2010 until 2020, when he left to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia. \nHe was also the state\u2019s chief minister from 2014 to 2018. In November, Mr Azmin lost his Gombak parliamentary seat to his former protege and successor as Selangor chief minister Amirudin Shari.\n\n\n\n\n\nAlthough he has repeatedly expressed his desire to retire from elected office, he has been singled out to lead the charge for the PN coalition headed by Bersatu president and former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.  \n\u201cIt is Azmin\u2019s duty to deliver Selangor for us,\u201d said Muhyiddin during the launch of PN youth\u2019s machinery in Selangor on Saturday.\nOn Monday, the PN chief also met former Umno youth chief Khairy, who was sacked from Umno in January, ostensibly due to criticism of deputy premier Zahid Hamidi\u2019s leadership.\nBut despite being offered a seat on Bersatu\u2019s supreme council, sources with knowledge of the talks told The Straits Times that Mr Khairy is not expected to join the opposition party as yet, given the slim hopes of PN wresting any of the three PH states \u2013 Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan.\nThe three PN states of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu are controlled by Parti Islam SeMalaysia, which will want to retain the chief minister positions in these states in the likely event of a PN victory.\nMr Khairy and Datuk Seri Zafrul are likely to sit out the state elections and bide their time till they get a better opportunity, say sources close to both men.\n", "\nWhile Mr Zafrul\u2019s name has for months been bandied about to spearhead Umno\u2019s campaign in Selangor, the former finance minister is likely to take his hat out of the ring, given the dynamics involved in the party\u2019s role as an ally in the federal government led by Mr Anwar\u2019s PH.\nOfficial sources said that the Umno-led Barisan Nasional will have only about a dozen seats to contest in the 56-strong Selangor state assembly, making it unlikely that Mr Zafrul, despite his strong rapport with Selangor\u2019s Sultan, will be conferred the chief ministership.\nSultan Sharafuddin\u00a0Idris Shah must constitutionally decide on a chief minister who can command the confidence of the legislature.\n\u201cThe indication from the palace is that incumbent Amirudin Shari will be retained unless there is a surprise result,\u201d said a top state official, referring to the current chief minister from PH.\nUmno colleagues believe Mr Zafrul, with his deep connections within the business elite and Malay aristocracy, \u201cshould focus on the economy and trade\u201d to put him in good stead when party president Zahid, 70, and his deputy Mohamad Hasan, 67, retire.\n\u201cHe is in the top four elected Umno supreme council members, and a good performance as minister will put him in pole position come the next general election, even if he has no administrative role for a couple of years,\u201d a source said, noting that the former CIMB chief executive turns only 50 on Sunday.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/second-line-party-leaders-could-make-their-comeback-at-malaysia-s-state-polls"}, {"title": "Security guard buried alive after landslide in Kuala Lumpur", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A security guard died after being buried alive in his guard post after a landslide near Taman Seputeh in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.\nThe City Fire and Rescue Department operations control centre said it was alerted to the landslide at 12.54am.\nIt said in a statement on Thursday: \u201cWe were informed that a person was trapped under the soil. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe immediately dispatched fire engines, rapid intervention motorcycles, and other assets together with K-9 units and 37 personnel members to the scene.\u201d\nOperations commander Mohd Rizuan Razali said the first rescue unit arrived at the scene at 1.05am and found that a landslide had occurred and buried a security post.\n\u201cThe affected area spanned at least 6m by 12m with a depth of 3m. We also received information that an adult male security guard was buried under the soil,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/security-buried-alive-in-guard-post-after-landslide-in-kuala-lumpur"}, {"title": "Nothing stopping Muslims from visiting other places of worship, says Selangor ruler", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM - The relevant state and federal laws to protect the faith of Muslims in Selangor are clear and must be respected, said the Sultan of Selangor.\nHe also said there is nothing to stop Muslims from visiting other places of worship.\nHowever, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said Muslims must not take part in rituals or practices at temples or churches.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere is nothing wrong with attending a wedding or a wake at a church, for example, but Muslims must just observe.\n\u201cLikewise, Christians, I believe, would not join in the prayers or rituals at a Taoist temple,\u201d he said in an interview.\nSultan Sharafuddin cited his late grandfather, Sultan Alam Shah, who attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, which was held at Westminster Abbey church in London.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHe had just returned from Mecca, and then consulted the state Mufti if it was acceptable for him to attend the coronation.\n\n\u201cThe Mufti said there was nothing wrong with it if he did not take part in any ritual such as prayers,\u201d he said.\nLikewise, Sultan Sharafuddin said, the Mufti told his father that he could wear the medals and insignia on his uniform, including those that resemble the cross, because they were not religious items.\nThe Sultan, however, noted that the recent statement by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) is correct and clear, saying Mais has rightly reminded Muslims that it is unlawful for them to visit non-Muslim houses of worship such as temples, churches and gurdwaras to learn about other faiths.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Sultan said it is best to avoid confusion and misunderstanding, since there are laws preventing the proselytisation of other religions to Muslims.\nMais chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof has acknowledged the racial, cultural and religious diversity in the country, saying the body embraces the view that \u201cthe community\u2019s mutual understanding, tolerance and unity are very important to ensure Malaysia\u2019s harmony and peace\u201d.\nHe said Mais is taking precautions to protect the faith of Muslims in Malaysia, and highlighted that any programme in Selangor to persuade Muslims to be inclined towards or interested in another religion is an offence under a 1988 Selangor state law.\n", "\nThe statement by Mais was in response to recent controversy following a \u201cJom Ziarah\u201d programme organised by Impact Malaysia \u2013 an agency under the Youth and Sports Ministry \u2013 to promote mutual respect and understanding about the country\u2019s diverse religions, where youth are taken to visit different houses of worship.\nSultan Sharafuddin urged politicians, regardless of their faith, not to use religion to make themselves popular.\n\u201cOnly I, as the head of Islam in Selangor, and Mais are the authorities of the religion in the state.\n\u201cPoliticians can say whatever they want, but they do not have the final say or authority,\u201d he said.\nHe also urged politicians to \u201cread up and do their homework\u201d before commenting on the statement by Mais. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/selangor-ruler-nothing-stopping-muslims-from-visiting-other-places-of-worship"}, {"title": "Selangor state polls will be a \u2018litmus test\u2019 for PM Anwar\u2019s government", "text": ["\nSHAH ALAM \u2013 The result of the upcoming Selangor state elections would have far-reaching ramifications for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s government, said Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.  \nDatuk Seri Amirudin, a party member in Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), said that the election in Malaysia\u2019s richest state was \u201ctoo important to fail\u201d for the PKR-led Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition. \nIt would also be a \u201clitmus test\u201d for the current federal government, in which PH and former arch-rival Barisan Nasional (BN) are working together for the first time. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSelangor can\u2019t afford to fail. If we fail, there will be a trickle effect on the federal government,\u201d Mr Amirudin said during an interview with The Straits Times at his official residence on Wednesday. \nPH has ruled Selangor for 15 years since 2008, including when it was known as Pakatan Rakyat, and the state remains the crown jewel for Mr Anwar\u2019s PKR. All three state chiefs since 2008 were from his party.\nMalaysia is expected to hold simultaneous state legislative elections for six states around July, including Selangor. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThree of the states \u2013 Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang \u2013 are currently held by PH. The other three \u2013 Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan \u2013 are held by federal opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN). \n\nMr Amirudin said that the Selangor campaign would focus on the need for a stable government, and give the state a chance to be politically aligned with the PH-BN federal government. \nExcept for PH\u2019s short-lived first term in power between 2018 and 2020, the past 15 years have seen the Selangor state administration controlled by a coalition different from the one leading the federal government. \nEven though the state and federal administrations are currently both led by PH following last year\u2019s general election, Selangor and other states led by PH or BN have not fully adopted the federal model of including their new partners as part of the administration.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Amirudin said that Selangor set the ball rolling last week by accepting BN representatives into the state assembly as government backbenchers. \nIn Perak and Pahang, where state elections took place alongside last year\u2019s general election, BN and PH joined hands to form the state governments after no clear winner emerged \u2013 mirroring the hung Parliament outcome in the national polls. \nHowever, states such as PH-led Penang and Negeri Sembilan, and BN-led Melaka and Johor, have yet to do the same.\nMr Amirudin expects realignments to occur after July\u2019s state elections to better reflect the current federal government composition. \n\u201cWe have to learn from previous mistakes. We have to learn from the failure of the Perikatan Nasional model, which is based on distrust. They assembled as one at the federal level, but at the state level, they were against each other,\u201d Mr Amirudin said.\n", "\nHe was referring to the PN-BN federal administration between 2020 and 2022, which saw BN and PN compete with each other during state polls in Melaka and Johor. \nPN, which is led by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, is expected to mount a serious challenge for Selangor in the upcoming state polls, given its performance in northern Selangor during the general election. The coalition won six out of 22 parliamentary seats despite that being its first foray into federal polls. \nPN\u2019s gains in Selangor reflected the headway it has made in the Malay heartland across the country, essentially allowing it to replace PH\u2019s new partner Umno as the preferred choice for Malay voters. \nMr Amirudin said that he is not overly worried about the new wave of support for PN, and is confident that the performance of Mr Anwar\u2019s administration will appeal to voters. \n\u201cWe have dealt with multiple crises in one term \u2013 the political crisis, the climate change crisis with flooding, and the economic crisis. We have shown the people of Selangor that this administration is agile and resilient.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/selangor-state-polls-will-be-a-litmus-test-for-pm-anwar-s-government"}, {"title": "Serial dog poisoner suspected in Penang after 29 strays found dead", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN \u2013 A dog killer is suspected to be on the prowl after 29 strays were found dead in the Island Glades area in Penang over the past month. \nAnimal lover David Yim said four dogs were found dead on Sunday alone, with another found dead on Tuesday.\nPlastic bags of food believed to be poisoned were found near the carcasses, he added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSeveral dog feeders have lodged reports with the police and state veterinary services department.\n\u201cI hope they will investigate thoroughly and take action against the dog killer.\n\u201cThe killing started in March when a house owner found his pet dog dead in the compound, but he did not think much of it until he heard from his neighbours, who feed strays, about the numerous dead dogs in the area,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Yim said not only dogs were affected. Birds also died after eating the poisoned food.\n\nHe added that Malaysia\u2019s Animal Welfare Act 2015 had specific sections dealing with these offences, namely Section 29 (pertaining to animal cruelty), Section 30 (killing of animals), and Section 31 (administration of poisons).\n\u201cAny person found guilty (of an offence under the Act) can be fined not less than RM20,000 (S$6,000), with the maximum fine being RM100,000, or face a maximum three years\u2019 jail, or both,\u201d he said.\nHe added that he did not understand why anyone would want to do such a cruel thing as the dogs had not hurt anyone.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe dead dogs have been neutered or spayed under the Penang Island City Council\u2019s \u2018Trap, Neuter and Release\u2019 programme, where all captured dogs are neutered and vaccinated against rabies before being released.\u201d\nMr Yim added that dogs provide humans with companionship and love, and should not be treated this way as they are also used for search and rescue operations.\nIn February, Malaysian tracker dogs Denti and Frankie were sent on their first mission abroad, less than two months after their high-profile search and rescue job during the landslide at Batang Kali near Genting Highlands that killed 31 campers.\n", "\nBoth Denti, a labrador retriever, and english springer spaniel Frankie were put on an 11-hour flight to Istanbul, before being dispatched to southern Turkey for their mission to locate earthquake casualties and survivors in 12-hour shifts.\nThey managed to discover and rescue five members of a family who had been trapped under the rubble of their residential building for six days.\nOn March 31, an 18-year-old, who was seen hitting dogs and even setting one on fire in viral videos in Johor, came forward to make a public apology.\nIn a 45-second video posted under Facebook username Braden Yap, the youth admitted what he had done was wrong and hoped that the public could give him a second chance.\n\u201cI understand no matter how I explain, I should not have done that. I admit that it was my mistake and regret it.\n\u201cI am very sorry and promise not to make a similar mistake in the future. I hope that everyone could give me another chance.\n\u201cI will also pay for the medical expenses (of the injured dogs),\u201d he said in the video. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/serial-dog-poisoner-suspected-in-penang-after-29-strays-found-dead"}, {"title": "Sermon ban will not diminish PAS\u2019 widespread influence, say analysts", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Islamist Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) is expected to weather the ban by several states on politicians giving sermons in mosques, say experts. Instead of crippling the party, the impact may even be minimal, given PAS\u2019 wide network to spread its message through many religious institutions across the country. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sermon-ban-will-not-diminish-pas-widespread-influence-say-analysts"}, {"title": "Girl, 7, found wandering by roadside possibly raped, say Malaysian police; mum, stepfathers arrested", "text": ["\nIPOH, Malaysia \u2013 A seven-year-old girl found walking aimlessly on the side of a road in the district of Manjung in Perak on Monday is believed to be a rape victim.\nHer mother, 29; the girl\u2019s first stepfather, 40; and the mother\u2019s current husband, 26, were arrested later on the same day.\nManjung acting police chief Chong Boo Khim said a man found the girl, who was dishevelled, walking along the road at 11.50am on Monday.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Chong added that the man took her to a police station before officers took her to a hospital.\n\u201cThe medical team that conducted checks... believed she was raped and abused. Checks on her body found old and new injuries,\u201d he said on Tuesday.\nMr Chong added that a team from the criminal investigation division arrested the two men and the woman at about 9.30pm on Monday.     \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe three have been remanded until April 23 for further investigation,\u201d he said.\n\nMr Chong said that the case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act, which deals with neglect and abandonment of a child and provides a penalty of a maximum fine of RM50,000 (S$15,000), a jail term of up to 20 years, or both.\nPolice are also investigating the case under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, a provision on physical sexual assault on a child, which is punishable with imprisonment  of up to 20 years, and also caning.  THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/seven-year-old-girl-found-on-side-of-road-possibly-raped-say-malaysian-police"}, {"title": "Several Umno leaders set to join Anwar\u2019s party soon: Ex-supreme council member", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Some Umno leaders are set to join Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) soon, according to former Umno supreme council member Zahidi Zainul Abidin.\nDatuk Zahidi\u2019s membership with Umno was terminated before last November\u2019s general election, when he decided to contest as an independent after being dropped as a candidate for the Umno-led Barisan Nasional. \nThe former deputy communications and multimedia minister said he and several party leaders will submit their membership forms to PKR on Saturday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI will officially join PKR with 100 Padang Besar Umno division members. Many branches in Padang Besar are also expected to be dissolved,\u201d he said.\nMr Zahidi had been the MP for Padang Besar in the northern state of Perlis since 2013, but he failed to defend his parliamentary seat when he contested as an independent during the Nov 19 polls. \n\u201cMany people in Umno asked me how to join PKR and this includes a number of central leaders.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSome also want to join Perikatan Nasional, simply because they disagree with the (Umno) president\u2019s ways,\u201d Mr Zahidi was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian on Monday. \n\nHe claimed there was discontent among many party leaders and grassroots members over how Umno president Zahid Hamidi and the supreme council had sacked and suspended several members without following due process.\nPKR communications director Lee Chean Chung on Monday said his party has not received any application from former or current Umno leaders to join PKR.\nHe said applications from leaders affiliated with Umno would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.\n\u201cUsually, for high-profile people, it will be vetted at the central committee level,\u201d he told Malaysian daily The Star.\n\u201cIt is (a) delicate (matter). So, it\u2019s better to take a prudent approach.\u201d\nMr Lee, who is MP for Petaling Jaya in Selangor, also said PKR was taking a neutral stance on possibly accepting leaders affiliated with Umno.\nUmno last Friday sacked former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, and suspended former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein and several other members for six years. \nMr Zahidi also criticised Zahid, also Malaysia\u2019s deputy prime minister, for removing leaders who were not aligned to him. \n\u201cThankfully, the judges in our country can\u2019t be touched by Ahmad Zahid. Otherwise, they would also get sacked,\u201d added Mr Zahidi. \nZahid is facing an ongoing trial involving 47 counts of money laundering, bribery and criminal breach of trust. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/several-umno-leaders-set-to-join-anwar-s-party-soon-ex-supreme-council-member"}, {"title": "Shadow of 2020 PH government collapse hangs over Malaysian PM Anwar", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - The shadow of Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration\u2019s collapse in 2020 hangs over newly installed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as he contends with the same race-based opposition narrative former premier Mahathir Mohamad struggled with in 2018. Datuk Seri Anwar now leads a government that represents a minority of votes of the country\u2019s Malay-Muslim majority, and faces a largely Malay-Muslim opposition that has trumped up his PH coalition\u2019s so-called anti-Islam agenda in an attempt to stir popular dissent.\u00a0"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/shadow-of-2020-ph-government-collapse-hangs-over-malaysian-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "Singapore dollar makes sacrifice worthwhile for commuting Malaysian workers", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - Quality family time, social life and sleep are some of the sacrifices made by Malaysians crossing the border daily to make a living in Singapore.\nDue to the attractive currency exchange rate and better salary packages, Mr Haziq Zulkifri is one of those willing to make these sacrifices.\nFor the past five years, the 28-year-old technician has been commuting to and from the republic daily.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBeing the eldest child, this is rather a small price to pay in order to make more money for my family. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, I could buy a rice meal with two side dishes for around RM5 (S$1.50) here but these days, the same thing will cost me between RM8 and RM9 (S$2.40 and 2.80),\u201d he told The Star.\nMr Haziq added that the lack of job opportunities and less attractive salary packages were among the reasons hundreds of thousands flock across the border in search of greener pastures.\nCiting the pay of an engineering graduate, he said a freshman would be offered RM2,700 in Malaysia but in Singapore, he could get S$2,700 (RM8,874).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe appealing exchange rate is a huge pull factor for many people,\u201d he added.\n\nMr Haziq, who plans to get married next year, said he will continue working abroad as he hoped to save up enough money to start his own business here.\nAnother Malaysian, who only wished to be known as Alex, 33, said he finds comfort in knowing that his family\u2019s finances are covered despite him having to face the hardships of a daily commute.\nThis includes missing some important family and social occasions such as birthday celebrations and family gatherings.\n\u201cI have to wake up at 4.30am daily to beat the traffic jam at the Causeway and by the time I knock off work and return home to Johor Bahru, it is already around 9pm. I would be too tired to go out to meet my friends,\u201d he said. \n\u201cMy mother has been asking when I am going to find a partner and get married.\u201d\nMr Alex said his relatives also frequently complained about the rising price of groceries and perishables, which have gone up a few times this year.\n\u201cI have no choice but to power through to earn enough money to cover my family\u2019s expenses so that my mother, who is a single mum, can get by comfortably without having to worry too much about finances,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singapore-dollar-makes-sacrifice-worthwhile-for-commuting-malaysian-workers"}, {"title": "Singaporean badly injured in Johor road accident, another man dies", "text": ["\nA 57-year-old Singaporean man was badly injured in a road accident in Mersing, Johor, on Tuesday, which left another man dead. \nMalaysian news agency Bernama reported that the other man was killed when the Nissan van the two men were in crashed into a  10-tonne lorry at Jalan Mersing-Jemaluang.\nMr Megat Omar Ismail, 57, who works at the Mihrimah Restaurant in Singapore, was seriously injured. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe is being treated at the Singapore General Hospital, according to Mr Abdul Hakim Mohamed Johan, 31, secretary of GISB Holdings Singapore which runs the Mihrimah Restaurant.\nReports said that Malaysian Md Shash Mohd Said, 60, died at the scene. Mr Abdul said  Mr Shash was a friend of Mr Megat Omar. \nThe driver of the lorry, Mr Muhamad Fazli Bahri, 48, was unhurt, Mersing Fire and Rescue Station operations commander Mohamed Zainuddin Ahmad said in a statement.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Zainuddin said his team was alerted to the accident at 11.53am on Tuesday. A fire engine and nine personnel were deployed to the scene. \n\nHe added that special rescue equipment was needed to extricate the two men, who were trapped in the van. \nCorrection note: In an earlier version of the story, Bernama news agency reported that Mr Megat Omar Ismail died in the accident, citing a statement from the Mersing Fire and Rescue Station. It was Mr Md Shash Mohd Said who died in the accident, while Mr Megat Omar was injured. We have edited the story to correct the error.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singaporean-badly-injured-in-johor-road-accident-another-man-dies"}, {"title": "Singaporean bus driver pleads not guilty to misuse of subsidised diesel in Johor Bahru", "text": ["\nA Singaporean bus driver claimed trial to charges of misappropriating around 500 litres of diesel, a controlled item in Malaysia, in a Johor Bahru court on Thursday, Bernama reported. \nBenjamin Low Yong Pang, 24, was found to be in possession of the fuel in a tour bus that had a Singapore-registered plate. \nHe is suspected of conducting unlicensed transactions of the controlled item at a petrol station in Jalan Kempas Baru on Tuesday morning. \n\n\n\n\n\nLow pleaded not guilty when he was read his charge in English by a court interpreter. \nCharged under the Supply Control Act, he faces a fine of up to RM1 million (S$293,000) and a three-year prison term. \nHe was granted bail at RM20,000, with his next court date set for July 6. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nDiesel, like sugar and chicken, is a controlled item in Malaysia. \n\nTransactions including retail, manufacture and wholesale deals involving these controlled goods require a licence issued by the country\u2019s Controller of Supplies. \nOrganisations or individuals intending to purchase more than 20 litres of diesel using fuel drums or other containers are required to obtain a special permit issued by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living. \nIndividuals or businesses can apply online for the free permit \u2013 which is commonly held by drivers involved in agriculture industries, food industry operators and residents of rural areas in Malaysia. \nUnless specially approved, licensed petrol stations are also not permitted to sell diesel above the 20-litre limit, unless it is used to fill the vehicle tanks owned by the purchaser, according to the Malaysian authorities. \nIn April, a Malaysian lorry driver was fined RM30,000 after he was found to possess around 1,450 litres of diesel in two plastic barrels. Investigations revealed that the man had modified a lorry he had rented to transfer and store the subsidised fuel in an auxiliary fuel tank. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singaporean-bus-driver-pleads-not-guilty-to-diesel-misuse-in-johor"}, {"title": "Singaporean claims trial to hitting, injuring Melaka tahfiz students", "text": ["\nMELAKA - A Singaporean warden of a tahfiz institution in Melaka claimed trial at two Sessions Courts to five charges of hitting his four students to the extent of injuring them. \nMuhammad Farhan Abdul Rashif, 35, entered a plea of not guilty when the charges were read out on Tuesday before Sessions judges Darmafikri Abu Adam and Mohd Sabri Ismail. \nBased on the first two charges at the first court, the accused allegedly exposed two students in his care to danger in a manner likely to cause physical or emotional injuries. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe victims were allegedly hit on the cheek, kicked in the stomach and stomped on the chest, causing one to sustain injuries on his right leg, at the tahfiz centre teacher\u2019s quarters in Melaka Tengah district on May 7 and 8. \nTahfiz, which means to memorise in Arabic, refers to an Islamic tradition of memorising all verses of the Quran. \nThe two charges were framed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAny person found guilty shall be liable to a fine of not more than RM50,000 (S$14,600), a jail term of up to 20 years, or both. \n\nThe accused also faced three more charges under the same Section at the second court for physical assaults of two 15-year-old students. He is alleged to have slapped and stomped on them and hit them with a cane. \nThe three offences were allegedly committed at a surau (prayer hall) and a sports court at the tahfiz centre in the middle of February and on May 10. \nNo bail was granted by both courts. The accused will return to court on June 26. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singaporean-claims-trial-to-hitting-injuring-melaka-tahfiz-students"}, {"title": "Singaporean founder of Melaka religious school pleads not guilty to sexually abusing students", "text": ["\nMELAKA - The Singaporean founder of a tahfiz education centre in Malaysia has pleaded not guilty and claimed trial at a Melaka court to eight charges of sexual assault and committing unnatural sex on students.\nMuhammad Firdaous Abdul Rashif, 40, was charged in two proceedings presided over by two judges at the Ayer Keroh Sessions Courts on Wednesday.\nThree further charges were read to him on Friday, reported The Star.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe was arrested together with his younger brother, 36, for alleged sexual assault and physical abuse of six male students at two religious centres in Melaka.\nThe younger brother is still remanded.\nFirdaous was charged with sexually assaulting three students aged 13, 14 and 15 in a room at the teacher\u2019s quarters in Tahfiz Al-Islah, the religious school he founded in Tanjung Minyak, Melaka on July 20, 2022 and March 2023.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTahfiz, which means to memorise in Arabic, refers to an Islamic tradition of memorising all verses of the Quran.\n\nThe three charges were framed under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act.\nHe faces a jail term of up to 20 years and caning. \nTwo other charges against the accused were framed under Section 377C of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe was alleged to have performed unnatural sex acts against two male students at the same location in March.\nCounsel Fahmy Sulaiman, who represented the accused, appealed for his client to be granted a lower bail as he had two wives and six children.\nHe was granted bail of RM20,000 (S$5,900) at one court but was denied bail at the other.\n", "\nHis case will next be heard in court on June 19.\nLast Friday, the two Singaporean brothers were detained by Melaka police over the alleged sexual assault and abuse of six boys.\nMelaka police chief Zainol Samah said the elder brother, the principal of two tahfiz centres in Tanjung Minyak and Alor Gajah, had allegedly sexually abused three boys while his brother, the warden, had sexually abused three other boys.\nDeputy commissioner Zainol said six police reports were lodged between 6.30pm and 9.13pm last Thursday against the duo. \nHe added that the elder brother had a criminal record of two other sexual offences. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singaporean-founder-of-melaka-religious-school-pleads-not-guilty-to-sexually-abusing-students"}, {"title": "Singaporean hiker found after losing his way in Malaysia\u2019s Sandakan forest reserve", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - A Singaporean hiker had quite a scare when he lost his way at the Kebun Cina Forest Reserve trail in Sandakan district.\nThe man, in his 50s, had entered the trail at around 6pm Sunday, and did not return by 7.15pm as required, said Sabah Chief Conservator of Forests Datuk Frederick Kugan.\nHe said the hiker called for help when he failed to find his way out, and shared his location with the authorities.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cA team of 21 people including forestry staff were sent to find the man,\u201d he said in a statement on Monday.\nDatuk Kugan said they managed to locate the man at 9.05pm and led him out to safety.\n\u201cWe are glad that the man was found that night,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe advised hikers to refrain from entering the trail after dark as they could lose their way, especially when they are unfamiliar with the route.\n\nMr Kugan said although the Kebun Cina Forest Reserve was quite small at 148.7ha, the geographical conditions were quite challenging.    \n\u201cTherefore, please take precautions,\u201d he said, adding there are two routes to choose from when hiking at the trail - one was concrete and the other, natural.    \nThe public is allowed to enter the area for recreational purposes free of charge. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singaporean-hiker-found-after-losing-his-way-in-malaysia-s-sandakan-forest-reserve"}, {"title": "Singaporean man among 40 arrested in Malaysia\u2019s online gambling call centre raids", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - An online gambling call centre that targeted overseas customers has been busted in raids in the Klang Valley.\nForty suspects, including 21 Chinese nationals and a Singaporean man, were arrested in the raids on May 19. They were aged between 28 and 58. \nThe raids were led by Bukit Aman through its Commercial Crime Investigation Department and were conducted with the National Financial Crime Centre.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe syndicate was found to have prepared an online gambling platform that targeted the Taiwanese market. Interested customers were instructed to transfer money into a mule account that we believe to be based in China.\n\u201cAfter the money has been transferred, the customers will be issued points for the gambling platform,\u201d Police secretary, Deputy Comm Norsiah Mohd Saaduddin, said in a statement on Monday. \nInvestigations also showed that the group had been operating a digital currency exchange by receiving money from China and converting them into the USDT, or Tether, crypto token. It would then be transferred back to China.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe source of the money received by the syndicate is still under investigation,\u201d she said.\n\nItems seized included 88 mobile phones, three cars and multiple computers.\nA total of RM29,587 (S$8,700) and US$5,000 (S$6,700) cash were also seized.\nAll suspects have been remanded until Thursday. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singaporean-man-among-40-arrested-in-malaysia-s-online-gambling-call-centre-raids"}, {"title": "Singaporean man jailed and fined for trying to smuggle 11 wild birds into Malaysia", "text": ["\nA 47-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to seven days\u2019 jail and fined RM80,000 (S$23,200) by the Malaysian authorities earlier in June for attempting to smuggle 11 wild birds, including macaws, into the country.\nOn May 31, the man drove a multi-purpose vehicle into Johor Bahru via the Causeway, where he was stopped, according to the Malay Mail.\nThe Johor Wildlife and National Parks Department, or Perhilitan, received information about the case at around 7.30pm that day.\n\n\n\n\n\nPerhilitan director Aminuddin Jamin said on Wednesday that checks of the vehicle found a total of 11 wild birds, including three blue and golden macaws, a yellow-headed amazon and three red macaws.\nPerhilitan officers also found 10 wooden boxes, cages for birds, mobile phones and bird perches when they inspected the man\u2019s vehicle.\nThe man, who has not been identified, had no valid documents for the birds.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe was detained by the police after Perhilitan filed a report against him. \n\nThe 11 birds were confiscated and the vehicle was seized, Mr Aminuddin said.\nOn June 7, the man was charged in Johor\u2019s Sessions Court under Sections 60 and 68 of Malaysia\u2019s Wildlife Conservation (Amendment) Act for hunting or keeping protected wildlife, and pleaded guilty. \nMr Aminuddin said Johor\u2019s wildlife department is committed to conserving Malaysia\u2019s biodiversity and eradicating wildlife crime. \nOver the past few years, Malaysia has become a popular destination and transit country for the illegal wildlife trade, especially for wild birds, according to the Malay Mail. Other countries in the region that have emerged as smuggling hubs include the Philippines and Vietnam, the department added.\nIn Malaysia, protected wildlife species are commonly seized at the international airports in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, and at both land border crossings in Johor.\nLaw enforcers have stepped up inspection, leading to the confiscation of a number of animals, the Malay Mail said, without providing figures.\nIn Malaysia, hunting or keeping protected wildlife is an offence under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716).\nUnder Section 60 of the Act, those found to have committed the offence of keeping or owning wildlife without a licence can be fined a maximum of RM50,000, jailed for up to two years, or both.\nThose who are caught hunting protected wildlife without a special permit can be charged under Section 68 of the Act. If convicted, they can be given a fine not exceeding RM100,000, a jail term of not more than three years, or both.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singaporean-man-jailed-fined-for-trying-to-smuggle-11-wild-birds-into-malaysia"}, {"title": "Singaporean said to run syndicate luring Malaysians to become cyber-fraud slaves", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Droves of Malaysians are believed to have fallen victim to human traffickers after being lured with fake job offers to work in locations such as Singapore and Dubai, with one of the masterminds believed to be a Singaporean man.  More than 1,000 Malaysians are allegedly trapped and forced to work as online scammers at several locations across South-east Asia, including Sihanoukville, Cambodia, and a heavily guarded area known as KK Garden in Myanmar\u2019s Myawaddy township near the Thai border."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singaporean-said-to-run-a-syndicate-luring-malaysians-to-becoming-cyber-fraud-slaves"}, {"title": "Singaporean woman pulled to the ground by her gold chain by motorcyclist in Selangor", "text": ["\nA senior Singaporean woman was injured in an attempted snatch theft by a motorcyclist who tried to grab her gold jewellery in the Malaysian state of Selangor on Tuesday.\nThe TikTok video, which unfolded the event, has since gone viral.\nIn the video, a couple is seen strolling through a carpark at 10.45am when a stationary motorcyclist behind them began riding stealthily towards them and made a grab for a gold chain around the woman\u2019s neck.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe woman was pulled along for a short distance before she fell on her face.\nHer husband rushed over immediately to help her up.\nIn a statement by the Malaysian police, Gombak police chief Zainal Mohamed Mohamed confirmed the incident.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said the victim of the crime was a 64-year-old Singaporean woman who was walking with her husband when the attack took place along Jalan SBC1 in Taman Batu Caves.\n\n\u201cThe assailant was unsuccessful as the chain snapped and fell to the ground,\u201d said Mr Zainal. The suspect fled the scene.\n\u201cThe woman sustained light injuries to her knee and right hand. Efforts are under way to track down the suspect,\u201d he added.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singaporean-woman-pulled-to-the-ground-by-her-gold-chain-by-motorcyclist-in-selangor"}, {"title": "Singaporeans can start using immigration e-gates at Johor land checkpoints: Malaysia minister", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2014 Starting Friday, Singaporeans can use the electronic gate (e-gate) facilities at the two land entry points in Johor Bahru, said Malaysia\u2019s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.\n\u201cPreviously, the e-gate facilities were only limited for the use of local Malaysian passport holders. From today, we are providing access to the e-gate facilities for Singaporeans who use e-passports,\u201d Datuk Seri Saifuddin was quoted as saying in the Malay Mail.\nHe added that the new measure is one of the short-term solutions aimed at relieving human congestion at both checkpoints. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Saifuddin was speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting on tackling congestion at the Causeway at the Sultan Iskandar Building\u2019s Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex on Friday.\nSingaporeans who want to use the e-gate facility must hold e-passports with a validity period of at least three months, said the minister. \n\u201cIn addition to that, Singapore visitors need to submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online three days before travel,\u201d he said, adding that first-time users also need to verify their biometrics at the immigration counter.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Saifuddin was accompanied by other government officials when he visited the Johor Causeway at 5am on Friday. \n\nHe said the immigration department will also expand the use of e-gates to travellers from other low-risk countries such as Brunei, Britain, New Zealand, Australia and Japan.\nSingapore\u2019s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) also provides automated lanes for eligible Malaysians who may be enrolled on the spot.\nSince May 2022, the ICA has implemented the Automated Clearance Initiative which allows eligible Malaysian citizens to be enrolled for the use of automated lanes at all checkpoints in Singapore.\nEnrolment is done automatically during immigration clearance at the manual counters. Travellers who are enrolled will be notified via their electronic visit pass (e-Pass) sent to their e-mail address provided in their SG Arrival Card submission.\nPreviously, eligible Malaysian citizens needed to approach the enrolment centres separately to be enrolled for the use of the automated lanes.\n\n\nAdditional reporting by Jessie Lim\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/singaporeans-can-start-using-e-gates-at-johor-checkpoints-malaysia-minister"}, {"title": "Six days of turmoil: How Anwar beat rivals to become Malaysia\u2019s PM", "text": ["\nIt took nearly a week after voting in Malaysia\u2019s general election ended for Pakatan Harapan\u2019s Anwar Ibrahim to be sworn in as the country\u2019s 10th prime minister and given the right to form the next government. \nHere is how he and his party got there.\nRace begins\nSaturday (Nov 19): An inconclusive general election in Malaysia produces the country\u2019s first hung Parliament. \n\n\n\n\n\nPakatan Harapan\u2019s (PH) Anwar Ibrahim and Perikatan Nasional\u2019s (PN) Muhyiddin Yassin stake separate claims to form the government after winning 82 and 73 seats, respectively, short of the 112 needed for a simple majority in Malaysia\u2019s 222-strong legislature.\nOnce-dominant coalition Barisan Nasional (BN), which ruled for 60 years and pushed for the snap polls, won just 30 seats.\nSarawak support\nSunday: Malaysia\u2019s king, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, sets a Monday 2pm deadline for the competing groups to submit their respective prime minister candidates and proof they have majority support.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPN\u2019s Muhyiddin steals a march on Mr Anwar as he meets Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leader Abang Johari Openg to discuss forming a government. \n\nGPS, which won 23 seats in the election, releases a statement pledging the bloc\u2019s support for a PN-led administration.\n", "\nUnrest surfaces in BN\u2019s camp, as its leaders lead calls for chairman Zahid Hamidi to resign in the wake of the disappointing results. Even so, BN and its 30 MPs emerge as kingmakers for front runners PH and PN.\n\n\u2018Harapan Nasional\u2019\nMonday: With the clock ticking on the palace\u2019s 2pm deadline, stunning photos circulate online of leaders from the opposing BN and PH groups, including Zahid and Mr Anwar, meeting in a Kuala Lumpur hotel. \n\n\n\n\n\nMPs from both parties together will hit the 112 magic figure, and chatter surrounding a \u201cHarapan Nasional\u201d government grows.\n", "\nThe apparent thawing of relations comes after both coalitions warred fiercely on the campaign trail. Numerous BN leaders touted a \u201cNo Anwar, No DAP\u201d stance, referring to the Democratic Action Party, while PH warned voters about the need to rid Malaysia of the corruption-ridden BN. \nNo conclusion is reached during the meeting. BN leaders remain split between supporting PN and PH to lead the government, with sources saying up to 11 MPs have signed statutory declarations to back Mr Muhyiddin as prime minister, while Zahid is accused of pledging BN\u2019s support to Mr Anwar without his party\u2019s approval. \nMalaysia\u2019s palace extends the deadline for parties to demonstrate their majority by 24 hours.\n\nMr Muhyiddin submits what he later claims to be 114 statutory declarations to the palace, including MPs from GPS, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and BN.\n", "\nUnity government\nTuesday: BN, settled in its role as kingmakers, says it will remain a united bloc of 30 lawmakers in the opposition, refusing to back any party to form a government.\nGPS appears to climb down from its previous position, saying instead that it will support whoever the King decides should next lead the country. Sabah-based Warisan throws the support of its three MPs behind PH.\nWith no sign of either PN or PH having the required numbers to form the government, the King summons Mr Muhyiddin and Mr Anwar to the palace.\n\nAfter the meeting, PH chief Anwar says no decision has been made, amid rumours that he has been appointed interim premier. \nPN\u2019s Muhyiddin reveals he has rejected a proposal from the King to form a unity government comprising lawmakers from the two leading parties, reiterating that his party now had the backing of 115 MPs.\nBN the kingmakers\nWednesday: BN and GPS leaders are the latest to be called to the palace for a meeting, which is later revealed to have centred upon the King asking the two blocs to consider supporting a unity government.\n", "\nLater, in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, BN leaders hear out a PN counteroffer as they deliberate on which coalition to support. \nA 10-point PH proposal has earlier been leaked, promising BN a deputy prime minister post, as well as other key Cabinet portfolios.\nUmno\u2019s supreme council meets late into the night as no resolution appears forthcoming for a fourth day after polling.\nBreakthrough for Anwar\nThursday: Overnight, Umno\u2019s supreme council appears to reveal the party\u2019s latest stance, as the leadership releases a statement saying it will back a unity government not led by PN.\nGPS and, belatedly, PN, say they will lend support to the unity administration.\nIn an attempt to break the political impasse, Sultan Abdullah holds a conference with his fellow Malay rulers that culminates in the palace selecting Mr Anwar as the country\u2019s next leader.\nAfter a 24-year struggle involving two prison stints and an ignominious sacking as a former deputy premier, Mr Anwar is sworn in as Malaysia\u2019s 10th prime minister.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/six-days-of-turmoil-how-anwar-beat-rivals-to-become-malaysia-s-pm"}, {"title": "Six Malaysia states set for July polls after multi-party talks", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is likely to hold simultaneous polls in July in six states where elections are due this year, after state chiefs reached a consensus on Wednesday to dissolve their respective state assemblies in the last two weeks of June. \nSelangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari made the announcement on Facebook, saying the Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu leaders had met in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Conference of Rulers meeting. \nThe six state assemblies are likely to be dissolved before the Hari Raya Haji holidays starting on June 26, and paves the way for the Election Commission (EC) to hold simultaneous elections for the six states in July. The EC typically holds polls just over a month after a state assembly is dissolved. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe state elections will be a crucial barometer of the people\u2019s reception towards the current federal government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, which has been in power since November 2022. \nMr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan coalition is the incumbent in three states: Malaysia\u2019s most populous state Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang. His party Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leads Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, while PH member Democratic Action Party (DAP) leads Penang. \nKedah, Kelantan and Terengganu are led by Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), which is part of the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe six state chiefs have regularly mooted simultaneous polls since the turn of the year, as the country looks to lower its political temperature and also its election costs after having had to hold an election every year since 2020. \n\n", "\nFollowing the collapse of the first PH administration in 2020, the country saw mid-term elections in Sabah in 2020, Melaka in 2021, and Johor in 2022, on top of a scheduled election in Sarawak in 2021. \nIn late 2022, Parliament was dissolved to pave the way for snap polls, which resulted in no clear winner, before Datuk Seri Anwar was appointed the Prime Minister after managing to stitch together a loose coalition with a parliamentary majority. \nDespite failing to form the federal government, PN can be optimistic about its chances at the state polls, judging by its performance at the 2022 general election where it won all but one federal seat contested across Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan. The coalition also made inroads in Selangor and Penang, two states considered to be PH\u2019s stronghold. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/six-malaysia-states-set-for-july-polls-after-multi-party-talks"}, {"title": "Six Malaysian job scam victims return home from Myanmar\u2019s notorious KK Garden", "text": ["\nSEPANG - Job scam victim Muhd Farhan Azman, who got a job in Singapore before being forced to work as a scammer in Myanmar, managed to return home to Malaysia on Wednesday. \nWhen the 19-year-old arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport arrival hall, he prostrated himself on the floor in gratitude. \nHe is one of the six job scam victims rescued by Mr Sim Chon Siang, the assemblyman for Teruntum, Pahang. The other five victims are Muhammad Redzuan Arif Rashidi, 21; Yong Ying Yien, 30; Felix Lim, 25; Wong Chee Hoon, 27; and Lim Han Hsin, 28.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Farhan\u2019s mother Zahiriah Abdul Rasid, 45, said she had not been able to sleep for the past four months.\nShe said her son had obtained a housekeeping job in Singapore before being transferred to Thailand by his employer.\nFrom there, Mr Farhan was smuggled to Myanmar where was forced to work in a call centre as a scammer.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Zahiriah said he was beaten and starved if he did not meet his target of RM30,000 (S$9,128) in scam proceeds. \n\n\u201cMy son contacted me when he was in Myanmar because scammers had asked for a ransom of RM15,000.\n\u201cWe were in contact and I knew that he was being tortured and starved,\u201d she said.\nMr Sim said the Malaysian and Thai police, the Malaysia Embassy and Mr Victor Wong, a Malaysian living in Thailand took part in the rescue effort.\nHe added that about 1,000 Malaysians are still trapped in Myanmar\u2019s KK Garden compound, where Mr Farhan was imprisoned. \nThe compound is surrounded by 4m-high walls and barbed wire. \nVictims are subjected to water torture and beatings with plastic pipes, Mr Sim said. Some were forced to carry 20l of water up and down two flights of stairs, while those who attempt to run away could be tied to their bunk beds for over a month. \nJob scam victims have to work for more than 15 hours a day, and would have their organs harvested if they were unable to work, he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/six-malaysian-job-scam-victims-return-home-from-myanmar-s-notorious-kk-garden"}, {"title": "Five Malaysian states flooded, Johor worst hit", "text": ["\nNon-stop rain has caused flooding in five Malaysian states, with the southern state of Johor the worst hit. \nOver 31,000 people have been moved to 232 temporary relief centres nationwide as the weather agency predicted continuous heavy downpours until Saturday.  \nAll 10 districts in Johor have been hit by flooding, with more than 29,000 victims from over 7,800 families seeking shelter at 193 temporary flood relief centres as at 4pm on Thursday.\n\n\n\n\n\nJohor state secretary Azmi Rohani said this was one of the worst floods to have inundated the state in the past few years, attributing it to continuous heavy rain and the high-tide phenomenon.\nThe district of Segamat was the worst hit, followed by Kluang, Batu Pahat and Kota Tinggi districts.\nThe small town of Chaah, in Segamat, was entirely submerged in water. Residents say this was the worst flood in 20 years, and many people were trapped in their homes amid rising waters for up to 12 hours before being rescued.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTwo elderly residents were reported to have drowned in Segamat in separate incidents. \n\nPolice said the victims, both in their 70s and living along, were found in their homes on Wednesday.\nThe latest incidents bring the total number of deaths due to the floods in Johor to three.\nJohor Prince Tunku Idris Iskandar Sultan Ibrahim flew a helicopter to transport food and personal hygiene essentials to 2,100 Chaah residents.\n\n\n\n\n\nHis elder brother, Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, visited flood-hit victims at a relief centre in Kluang on Wednesday night.\nDeputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi said the rain was at such an \u201cextraordinary level\u201d that it caused the Johor River to overflow.\nHe said the government has prepared RM10 million (S$3 million) to help flood victims in the state, while another RM7.6 million will be spent to upgrade the drainage system in the Kota Tinggi district. \nJohor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi said on Thursday that the flood situation in the state is \u201cquite critical\u201d.\n\u201cI hope everyone can be patient, and we pray that the waters will recede quickly, especially since the weather has improved in Segamat,\u201d he said.\nWater levels of 18 rivers in Johor breached the dangerous mark, following uninterrupted rain since Monday night, said Tan Sri Azmi.\nPahang is the second-worst affected state, with the authorities reporting on Thursday morning that at least 1,400 residents from five districts had been placed at 25 relief centres.  \nZahid visited the flood-hit district of Rompin, Pahang, on Wednesday night, where he instructed the authorities to build a temporary bridge after flood waters washed away a portion of a road leading to a Felda settlement.\u00a0\u00a0\nThe Fire and Rescue Department has dispatched helicopters and additional rescue boats to assist in flood operations in Johor and Pahang. \nThe department\u2019s deputy director-general of operations Edwin Galan Teruki said: \u201cThe helicopters will be used to rescue flood victims and carry out surveillance at flood-prone areas.\u201d\nIn Melaka, about 50 people were seeking refuge in three centres, while in Negeri Sembilan, 870 victims were housed in 10 relief centres.\n", "\nIn the East Malaysian state of Sabah, the authorities reported that more than 100 people are seeking shelter at a relief centre. \nContinuous rain at \u201calert\u201d and \u201csevere\u201d levels is expected in Johor and three other states \u2013 Pahang, Terengganu and Sarawak \u2013 until Saturday, said the Malaysian Meteorological Department in its latest advisory, referring to the first and second of a three-step level of its rain warnings. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/six-malaysian-states-flooded-johor-worst-hit"}, {"title": "Snakes on the roof: 2 large, mating pythons pulled out of ceiling in Pahang home", "text": ["\nIt\u2019s not something you\u2019d want dropping down from above.\nTwo large pythons \u2013 coiled tightly in a reptilian love lock \u2013 were pulled down from the ceiling of a house in Bentong town, in western Pahang, Malaysia, on Sunday.\nIt took a team of seven emergency responders to pull the two reptiles \u2013 entwined tightly in a mating ball \u2013 down from the ceiling and separate them.\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to a report from Sinar Harian, Madam Som Mohamad Saleh, 57, heard loud noises coming from the ceiling of her house at around 4am on  Saturday.\nShe suspected monkeys were probably running and hopping on her roof.  Then on Sunday morning, her 26-year-old daughter, Ms Norsharihara Zakaria, noticed a crack on the ceiling of her bedroom.\nThe gap grew wider till it exposed the tail of a reticulated python. That was when Madam Som called the local emergency response team for help.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVideos posted on TikTok account baju_skoda showed responders trying to pull a snake using a long pair of tongs.\n\nIt caused the ceiling to collapse, exposing two, very long, massive snakes with girths larger than a grown man\u2019s neck.\n", "\nThe snakes tried crawling back into the crevice separating the ceiling and the roof.\n\nThe men had to wrench the two pythons out of the ceiling, catch them as they slithered on the floor, and place them inside a metal enclosure, as Madam Som and her daughter watched in horror.\n\nOne measured 5m long and weighed about 32kg, while the other was 4m in length and weighed about 25kg.\n\n", "\nMadam Som told the Malaysia Gazette the snakes could have come from an unoccupied house next door overgrown indoors with thick vegetation.\nShe said it would have been even more traumatising if the snakes had fallen on her daughter as she slept.\n\u201cAllah wanted to protect her that night,\u201d she told the Gazette.\n\nA spokesman for an animal welfare agency said the two snakes would be released back into the wild.\n\nReticulated pythons are native to South-east Asia, and are among the largest snakes in the world, and can reach lengths of up to 7m and weigh up to 75kg.  They usually mate in February and March.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/snakes-on-the-roof-2-massive-copulating-pythons-pulled-out-of-pahang-home-s-ceiling"}, {"title": "Social media abuzz after ghostly figure seen in pictures at Johor\u2019s immigration complex", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - Could a wandering spirit be using the 99-year-old Causeway to travel between Malaysia and Singapore? \nSocial media has been abuzz with the question after two pictures of a ghostly figure went viral after being captured at the Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine Complex in Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI). \nIn one picture, the ghostly figure with long hair and white apparel stands close to the rafters while seemingly looking down at the Secured Automated Clearance System for Malaysian Citizen Motorcyclists Lane.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn the second picture, the figure seems to be standing just next to one of the Malaysia Immigration counters inside BSI.\nJohor works, transportation and infrastructure committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said he had never encountered any ghostly figures during his constant visits and checks at BSI before.\n\u201cI have been going to BSI quite often and so far, I have not seen any ghostly figures wandering around in the area.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cEven with the ghost, the operations at BSI have not been affected and are quite smooth.\n\n\u201cIn fact, the number of travellers going through BSI is almost reaching pre-Covid-19 pandemic times, which is good for our economy,\u201d he said when contacted by The Star on Wednesday.\nMeanwhile, state Immigration Department director Baharuddin Tahir said that it was hard to prove whether there was a spirit at BSI.\nHe added that so far, there have not been any reports from the department\u2019s officers and personnel at BSI that they have encountered any ghostly figures.\nThe Causeway, which is known as the world\u2019s busiest border crossing, was officially completed in 1924.\nDuring World War II, the Allied Forces set off two bombs along the Causeway to stop the Japanese Army from invading Singapore, which did some serious damage but failed to stop Japan from taking over the island republic from the British Empire. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/social-media-abuzz-after-ghostly-figure-seen-in-pictures-at-johor-s-bsi-complex"}, {"title": "Social media abuzz over ex-PM Muhyiddin\u2019s graft charges", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian government\u2019s move to arrest and charge former premier Muhyiddin Yassin has fired up social media buzz, with opinion split over his claim of being a victim of political persecution. While some praised the Anwar Ibrahim administration for moving fast to clean up corruption, others saw the move to swiftly corral the opposition chief as a cynical ploy to taint Muhyiddin and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) opposition coalition ahead of crucial polls in six states about six months from now. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/social-media-abuzz-following-ex-pm-muhyiddin-s-graft-charges"}, {"title": "Sombre affair at primary school that lost 6 teachers, 3 students, 2 canteen staff to Malaysia landslide", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A sombre memorial was held at SJKC Mun Choong, a primary school in Kuala Lumpur which lost six teachers, three students and two canteen staff to the deadly landslide in Batang Kali, off Genting Highlands, on Dec 16. \nSome 600 people attended the memorial on Friday at the assembly hall, where messages of condolences and photographs of the victims were displayed at an exhibition zone.  \nBefore the memorial began, a minute of silence was observed in remembrance of the 11 victims. \n\n\n\n\n\nHeadmaster Cheong Kam Yin said: \u201cWe will always remember all of you.\u201d \nShe added that she hoped all family members of the victims will be able to leave their sadness behind. \nThere was not a single dry eye in the school hall when a tribute video was screened.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe school\u2019s teachers had organised an informal camping trip to Father\u2019s Organic Farm during the school holiday in mid-December. \n\nThere were 23 people in the group. \nThey were meant to leave the campsite on Dec 16, but the landslide struck at 2.42am, claiming 31 lives. \nThe youngest victim was one year old. \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sombre-affair-at-primary-school-that-lost-6-teachers-3-students-2-canteen-staff-to-malaysia-landslide"}, {"title": "South-east Asia plays catch-up with China\u2019s military might", "text": ["MANILA \u2013 Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr gave a thumbs-up for the cameras from the backseat of an FA-50 fighter jet just before it took off from Clark Air Base in Pampanga, south of the capital Manila, on March 7. The aircraft carrying the commander-in-chief flew west over a military training area near Zambales, a coastal province facing the South China Sea.\u00a0Mr Marcos would return to base minutes later, impressed by the pilot\u2019s skills and even more convinced that modernising the military is key to counter Beijing\u2019s rising aggression in the disputed waters."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/south-east-asia-plays-catch-up-with-china-s-military-might"}, {"title": "Southern Thailand peace talks inch forward with renewed Malaysian effort", "text": ["BANGKOK - Efforts to end the long-running Malay Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand through peace talks \u2013 which were put on ice at the height of the  pandemic \u2013 picked up pace in February.The latest talks between Thai representatives and Barisan Revolusi Nasional, the main insurgent group, were held on Feb 21-22 in Kuala Lumpur, with Malaysia facilitating the negotiations."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/southern-thailand-peace-talks-inch-forward-with-renewed-malaysian-effort"}, {"title": "Stable unity govt creates attractive investment climate, says Malaysia PM Anwar", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - All political parties in Malaysia\u2019s unity government are committed to political stability, which has, in turn, attracted a mega investment from Indonesia, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.\n\u201cWe have been informed of a big investment from Indonesia in Malaysia in gas and hydrogen \u2013 which I was told earlier when I met Indonesian President Joko Widodo \u2013 and such an investment increases the confidence of other investors,\u201d he said on Sunday.\nHe also said the government will not bow to racist rhetoric and any attempts to disrupt the harmony of the nation will be dealt with severely.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that the distribution of seats between the ruling parties in the unity government during the upcoming six state elections was not discussed at length at the secretariat meeting, but it was agreed that party leaders will meet in the near future to discuss the matter.\nDatuk Seri Anwar was speaking at a media conference after chairing the second unity government secretariat meeting at the Umno headquarters at the World Trade Centre on Sunday.\n\u201cThe unity government has discussed its views on its cooperation and will further strengthen the implementation of its policies. This in return has provided investors\u2019 confidence,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere is a strong consensus that this government is committed to upholding the principles of the Constitution while upholding the rights of every citizen. Any attempts to disrupt this (country) will be dealt with firmly.\u201d\n\nHe also congratulated the Umno leaders who were elected in the recent party polls.\nDeputy Prime Ministers Zahid Hamidi and Fadillah Yusof, Cabinet ministers and Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg were among those present for the secretariat meeting. \nMalaysian\u00a0United\u00a0Democratic\u00a0Alliance, a member of the unity government, was not invited to the meeting. Its secretary-general Amir Hariri Abd Hadi said they had written to Pakatan Harapan secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, requesting the party be included in the Sunday meeting.\nAt the same press conference, Umno president Zahid said his party\u2019s election results over the weekend showed that the leadership that supported the unity government was accepted by the grassroots.\n\u201cWe are also confident with the support of parties from Barisan, Sabah and Sarawak towards the present unity government,\u201d he added.\nSarawak leader Abang Johari said Indonesia\u2019s mooted investment showed it was confident with the present leadership of the unity government.\n\u201cIt will benefit Malaysians,\u201d he said, adding that Indonesia has committed to the gas and hydrogen investment in Malaysia. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/stable-unity-govt-sets-up-attractive-investment-climate-says-malaysia-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "State polls a precarious balancing act as tensions grow within Anwar\u2019s government", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Polls expected to be held in July to elect six Malaysian state governments are an early test for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s unity government, not just in terms of whether it fends off the opposition, but also how the ruling parties fare relative to each other.  Whatever the result of the elections, which are widely viewed as a bellwether vote on the premier\u2019s leadership, awkward allies in the federal administration are likely to do some soul-searching about the pros and cons of cooperating with former foes."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/state-polls-a-precarious-balancing-act-as-tensions-grow-within-anwar-s-government"}, {"title": "Elections in six Malaysian states expected to be held by July", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - State assembly elections in six Malaysian states are expected to take place simultaneously by July, a top leader of opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) said on Sunday. \nThe party vice-president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who is also Deputy Menteri Besar of Kelantan \u2013 one of three states controlled by PAS \u2013 said the dissolution of state assemblies for all the six states is expected to take place in stages in June, based on an understanding between the six state governments.\nThe states of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah are due to face state assembly elections by the second half of this year. Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah are all led by PAS \u2013 a key component of Malaysia\u2019s leading opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN). The other three states are led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cKelantan has already decided to dissolve the state assembly at the end of June,\u201d Datuk Amar said on Sunday, after attending a Hari Raya Puasa open house hosted by Kelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yakob. \nIn February, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari revealed that all six state chiefs had met and come to an understanding that their state assemblies will advise their respective rulers and governors of a dissolution towards the end of June, before Hari Raya Haji celebrations, which take place on June 29.\nThe Election Commission has 60 days from the date of dissolution to hold an election, but it typically holds an election a month from the date of dissolution. All six states are expected to have simultaneous elections in an attempt to save costs after political wrangling saw at least three states hold separate state elections in the past three years. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nOnly three states decided to hold simultaneous state elections with the federal parliamentary election that took place in November last year \u2013 which resulted in a hung Parliament \u2013 before Datuk Seri Anwar managed to cobble together a majority by allying with PH\u2019s long-time rivals Barisan Nasional (BN).\n\nThe state elections are set to serve as an important barometer to gauge support for Mr Anwar\u2019s administration, less than a year after he took power. PH expects to retain all the three states it currently leads, while also targeting to take over Kedah from PN. \nHowever, PN remains optimistic about its chances of defending its three states while making gains in PH states, after gaining a majority of Malay votes during the 2022 general election \u2013 where it won 74 parliamentary seats. It made a near clean sweep of Terengganu\u2019s, Kelantan\u2019s and Kedah\u2019s parliamentary seats, and also made significant headways in the northern regions of Penang and Selangor, states that have been controlled by PH since 2008. \nMalaysia\u2019s divided political landscape \u2013 kick-started by the collapse of the first PH administration in 2020 \u2013 has seen many states break away into separate terms for their state assembly. Up until 2018, 12 of Malaysia\u2019s 13 states had held state elections concurrently with federal polls \u2013 with Sarawak the only exception. \nHowever, the states of Sabah, Melaka and Johor broke ranks in 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively as political wrangling caused the collapse or instability in the respective state governments \u2013 leading to separate state elections. \nPAS and PH decided that their six states would collectively sit out federal polls in 2022 \u2013 after disagreeing with the timing of Parliament\u2019s dissolution by Umno-led BN \u2013 which fell close to the monsoon season, with fears of flooding. \nThat left only three states \u2013 Perlis, Pahang and Perak \u2013 joining the federal government in holding simultaneous elections. \nBN was trounced during the 2022 election, winning only 30 seats in the 222-seat Parliament, although it remains in government after allying with PH. \nPH and PN are now seen as the most powerful political blocs in the country following the 2022 polls, and both coalitions are expected to enter a fierce contest with each other during the state polls. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/state-polls-in-six-malaysian-states-expected-to-be-held-by-july"}, {"title": "\u2018Stop exploiting the Orang Asli\u2019: Johor ruler", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 The Orang Asli community in Johor state is being exploited by outsiders, and steps need to be taken to address this situation, said Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar.\nThe Johor ruler said that some of the Orang Asli, or indigenous people, have been carrying out illegal clearing of land to plant oil palms, chop down sandalwood trees and trap wildlife.\n\u201cWe even have poachers all the way from Thailand working with them in Johor to trap endangered species.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis clearly shows that they have been exploited by outsiders and middlemen,\u201d the Sultan said in an exclusive interview on his birthday on Thursday.\nSultan Ibrahim said the Orang Asli community in Johor was well taken care of as the government has built roads, houses, schools and surau (prayer halls) for the community. Some of these places even have Internet facilities.\n\u201cHowever, some of them have even cut down up to 300 acres (121.4ha) of land for timber or to plant rubber trees or oil palm.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhere do they get the money to carry out such activities?\u201d he said.\n\n\nThe Sultan added that even his own estates, covering more than 40.5ha, had been encroached on.\n\u201cThey claim it is tanah rayau (an ancestral burial ground). I do not chase them out.\n\n\u201cI have allowed them to harvest their crops and then leave. In the meantime, they do not need to pay rent to me,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSultan Ibrahim said that as the custodian of the Orang Asli in the state, he suggested that their land be made sultanate land, similar to national parks, which can prevent exploitation.\n\n\u201cSultanate land also has its own enactment, and the land cannot be encroached upon or exploited by others,\u201d he said, adding that it was time the Orang Asli also adhered to the law.\nCiting an example of exploitation, Sultan Ibrahim said an Orang Asli was paid merely 10 sen (three Singapore cents) for a piece of rattan that was made into rattan products and sold for as much as US$15 (S$20) in Singapore.\nThe Sultan added that his Kembara Mahkota (royal expedition) event in 2023 would encompass visits to rural areas, including Orang Asli settlements.\n\u201cLet me see for myself their cleanliness and hygiene,\u201d he said, adding that during the recent floods in the state, his boats were used to help affected Orang Asli.\nThe Sultan also said that a group of lawyers who had previously taken the government to court in Johor\u2019s Bekok village were involved in similar cases in other parts of Johor, such as Kuala Masai and Kampung Peta.\nThis group, he added, was going around such settlements to get people to sue the government.\n\u201cThey are exploiting and making money out of the Orang Asli,\u201d he said.\nSultan Ibrahim said he was aware of the locations of the Orang Asli\u2019s settlements statewide, as it was his great-great-grandfather, Sultan Abu Bakar, who had settled them at these places.\n\u201cI will no longer compromise on this issue. These people are the guides for hunters. Some hunters even bury their rifles near Orang Asli settlements and dig them up when they go into the jungle,\u201d Sultan Ibrahim said.\u00a0THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/stop-exploiting-the-orang-asli-johor-ruler"}, {"title": "Stop sending me gifts, says Malaysia PM Anwar", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has urged all parties to stop offering him gifts, saying that this culture must be stopped.\n\u201cI would like to remind everyone not to give me any more gifts and such practices must be discontinued,\u201d he said in a Facebook post on Thursday.\nDatuk Seri Anwar said he appreciated the good intentions of all parties but such a practice was not compatible with the ethics of leadership and administration.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar recently came under scrutiny when he was pictured wearing a pair of black shoes, believed to have cost more than RM5,000 (S$1,537).\nIn a tweet, he explained that the shoes were a gift from Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar.\n\u201c(The shoes) were a gift from Tuanku Sultan Johor two years ago. It\u2019s fine if you want to question me, but avoid defamation,\u201d he tweeted.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nQuestions had been raised on social media over Mr Anwar\u2019s shoes, despite the Tambun MP recently refusing to use a Mercedes S600 car provided by the Prime Minister\u2019s Department for work.\n\nJohor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi had also come under fire for wearing expensive shoes when he was appointed earlier this year.\nHe also said that he did not buy the shoes, worth close to RM40,000, saying they were a gift from the Johor Sultan.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/stop-sending-me-gifts-says-malaysia-pm-anwar"}, {"title": "Subang airport to be revamped to be premium city airport, says Malaysian Transport Minister", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Subang Airport will undergo a major transformation to turn it into a premium city airport and aviation hub as part of the new Subang Airport Rejuvenation Plan (SARP), said Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke.\nHe said the plan will focus on business aviation,  regional commercial flight operations as well as the introduction of commercial flights, among other things.     \n\u201cThe airport will also be developed into a hub for the aerospace industry, for maintenance, repair and overhaul operations, and research and development,\u201d Mr Loke told the Malaysian media on Monday.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe said airport operator Malaysia Airports Holdings (MAHB) was given two months to develop a working business plan. \nHe added that the final cost of the rejuvenation plan would be announced later.\n\u201cMAHB will engage with its stakeholders and industry players to develop a comprehensive redevelopment plan.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe end goal would be to turn Subang Airport into a regional aviation hub with a maximum capacity of eight million passengers annually,\u201d he said, adding that the move will create thousands of high-value jobs in Malaysia.\n\nThe SARP, proposed by MAHB, was presented to the Cabinet on Jan 31, and it was approved after a series of deliberations, said Mr Loke.\nSubang Airport, also known as Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, currently serves as the base for SKS Airways, Firefly and Batik Air Malaysia\u2019s smaller planes.     \nCargo airline Raya Airways is the only other airline operating non-passenger services at Subang airport\u2019s Terminal 2. \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/subang-airport-to-be-revamped-to-be-premium-city-airport-says-malaysian-transport-minister"}, {"title": "Sunny side up: Woman in Sabah taps sizzling heat outdoors to fry an egg", "text": ["\nFor many, frying an egg on a pan indoors would likely take less than five minutes. \nBut one woman in Sabah in Malaysia decided to use the heat from the sun to fry an egg outdoors. The time she took? Over two hours. \nThe country is currently facing a heatwave that is expected to last until June, with temperatures in Negeri Sembilan state peaking at 38.4 deg C on April 22.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a Facebook post on May 12, Ms Fatasha Nadia\u00a0wrote that the temperature was 36 deg C, and that she attempted to fry an egg. \nShe documented the process with specific timings and photos in the post. \n", "\nAt 1pm, Ms Fatasha poured cooking oil on a pan under the sun. Ten minutes later, she cracked an egg on it. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAt 1.20pm, the egg white appeared to begin to coagulate. Thirty minutes later, she noticed that the egg white and yolk seemed to take on a solid form. \n\nBy 2.15pm, the egg appeared to be solid and, 30 minutes later, she was close to getting a sunny-side-up outcome. \nAt 3.30pm, the egg looked like a fully cooked sunny-side-up version. \nHer post, which has been shared more than 2,200 times, drew cheers from others. \nFacebook user KatCheng Lim, who commented in Mandarin, tagged a friend in the post and said: \u201cLet\u2019s try this tomorrow.\u201d \nLast Thursday, the Malaysian Meteorological Department issued a Level 1 heat alert for seven states: Kedah, Kelantan, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak. The alert comes when the area experiences maximum temperature of between 35 deg C and 37 deg C for at least consecutive days, according to the Malay Mail. \nMs Fatasha is not the only one who has tapped the heat from the sun to fry an egg. \nIn April, a man in West Bengal, India also did the same, using a pan left on the terrace of his house. \nIndia is also facing a heatwave, recording day temperatures surpassing 40 deg C. \nIn Singapore, the temperature hit 37 deg C in Ang Mo Kio on Saturday, tying the all-time mark for the highest daily maximum temperature in the country, which was recorded in Tengah on April 17, 1983.\nIt is also the highest recorded temperature for the month of May, and the hottest day in 2023. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/sunny-side-up-woman-in-sabah-taps-sizzling-heat-outdoors-to-fry-an-egg"}, {"title": "Surge in pork prices could force Malaysian consumers to turn to cheaper chicken meat", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Consumers in Malaysia may have to turn to chicken meat after pork prices doubled in the last 15 months and could rise further as local farmers cut production.\nLivestock farmers have been battling the higher cost of animal feed worldwide, while the African swine fever has caused supply constraints locally. \nMalaysia\u2019s pork prices were at RM1,620 (S$487) per 100kg in April, compared with RM760 in January 2022, according to the Butchers Association of Selangor.\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia exports frozen pork and live pigs to Singapore. In 2021, it exported 98,400 live pigs worth RM109.45 million, but did not give the breakdown by country.\nIn Singapore, lean pork retail prices rose to S$16.50 per kg in February, from S$15.80 per kg in the same month a year ago, according to economic data research firm CEIC. \n\u201cThe higher pork prices may not sit well with (Malaysian) consumers. With the current economic trend, consumers will be very cautious with their buying,\u201d Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu told The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nConsumers could switch to a cheaper source of meat, he said in an e-mail interview, with the government \u201cconfident that there is enough supply of chicken throughout 2023\u201d. \n\nMalaysia has been wrestling with chicken and egg shortages for more than a year, with the government allowing in more imports to mitigate rising prices and meet domestic demand. \nPork made up about 8.5 per cent of all meat consumed in Muslim-majority Malaysia in 2021, excluding seafood, according to data from market research firm Statista. \nPoultry (chicken and ducks) \u2013 at 80 per cent \u2013 was the most popular, followed by beef and veal (8.9 per cent), and sheep (1.7 per cent), according to Statista.  \nThe output of pigs in Malaysia has fallen to 1.6 million in 2022, from 1.9 million in 2018, as higher animal feed prices resulted in farmers cutting back on production, according to livestock statistics from the Department of Veterinary Services. \nRising prices of imported feed such as maize, soya bean and rice bran have badly affected chicken and pig farmers, said Mr Mohamad.\nMeanwhile, African swine fever infected more than 68,000 pigs in Malaysia in February, prompting the government to restrict inter-state movement of pigs for slaughtering to prevent the disease from spreading. This was the cause of the pork shortage in the Klang Valley (Kuala Lumpur and Selangor), said Butchers Association of Selangor assistant chairman Henry Lee.\n\u201cIn the next three months, we expect prices to stabilise before increasing further. More consumers will shun pork and shift to other meats such as chicken,\u201d he told ST.  \nDeputy Minister Fuziah Salleh from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry said the government will continue to impose a cap on chicken prices at RM9.40 per kg for 16 days, starting from seven days before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which is likely to fall on April 22 in Malaysia. \n\u201cWe will make sure the price of meats such as chicken and beef that are highly in demand is in control and the supply is enough,\u201d she told ST.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/surge-in-pork-prices-could-force-malaysian-consumers-to-turn-to-cheaper-chicken-meat"}, {"title": "Surge in \u2018revenge travel\u2019 as pent-up demand drives more Malaysians abroad", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Despite struggling with rising inflation on a daily basis, lawyer Karlina Mohd Salleh, 53, decided to take her two teenagers for a short break in Singapore over the long Thaipusam weekend \u2013 their first overseas holiday since December 2019. \n\u201cI can\u2019t really afford it, but I feel bad for my kids as they have been through a lot, and they haven\u2019t had a holiday for so long,\u201d she told The Straits Times, adding that she scoured the Internet for the cheapest prices possible, given her shoestring budget. \nMalaysians are travelling more than ever, despite higher air fares and a weak ringgit, and airlines are scrambling to meet the increase in demand from post-pandemic travellers desperate to make up for two years of coronavirus lockdowns.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Rasulluddin Rahumathullah, senior manager at a currency exchange business in the affluent Kuala Lumpur suburb of Damansara Heights, said many of his customers are taking the opportunity to go abroad, in case there is a fresh Covid-19 outbreak.\n\u201cChina has reopened and people still have that fear of Covid-19 coming back, due to the high number of cases there. So they are worried they won\u2019t be able to travel if there is another lockdown,\u201d he added.\nHe said the most commonly bought currency is the British pound, as many of his customers have second homes in Britain, or children studying there. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe second most popular destination is Saudi Arabia, which draws pilgrims as well as tourists, who can take advantage of tourist visas now issued by the government.\n\n\u201cAll these contribute towards the booming of currency sales. Last year, there was no activity at all until April when Malaysia reopened its borders,\u201d said Mr Rasulluddin.\nOther popular currencies\u00a0are the Japanese yen, which has weakened since the pandemic, the United States dollar, Thai baht and Indonesian rupiah.\nA spokesman for user review platform Tripadvisor, Mr Skye Ferguson, said: \u201cMalaysians are certainly keen to return to international travel, and demand (for bookings) has tripled over the last year.\u201d\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nCities popular with Malaysians on the platform are Bangkok, Singapore, Hat Yai, Seoul and London.\n\u201cOur search data indicates that this time last year, only one in 10 Malaysians was planning international travel, versus domestic. In the last months of 2022, that figure increased to over a quarter,\u201d said Mr Ferguson. \n", "\nWhile growing, the numbers have yet to reach those prior to the pandemic. Based on Tripadvisor search data, some 32 per cent to 37 per cent of Malaysians planned trips abroad in 2019, while some 62 per cent to 68 per cent travelled domestically.    \nMalaysians recorded some 13 million international outbound travel trips in 2019, just before the pandemic hit, according to tourism officials.    \nData from airlines, however, shows travel is on the upswing.\n", "\nLong-haul budget carrier AirAsia X said on Jan 27 that the number of passengers it carried in the October-to-December quarter rose 324 per cent over the preceding quarter. Malaysia reopened its international borders on April 1, 2022.\nThe carrier reported a passenger load factor \u2013 the percentage of available seats that are filled \u2013 of 79 per cent, close to that recorded pre-pandemic, between October and December 2019, at 81 per cent. \nMr Riad Asmat, chief executive officer of AirAsia Malaysia,  said the airline witnessed a V-shaped surge in travel demand when international borders were reopened and Covid-19 restrictions were gradually loosened. \nHowever, its serviceable fleet still stands at a little over half of its 2019 fleet of more than 100 aircraft.\n\u201cThe good news is we are expecting to have all of our furloughed crew back in early 2023 and to be back to pre-Covid-19 flying levels by early to mid-2024 with new aircraft on order,\u201d he noted. \nAfter pausing deliveries earlier in the pandemic, AirAsia is set to start accepting its new Airbus A321 neo jets from 2024.\nMr Riad noted that many of AirAsia\u2019s grounded planes need to be serviced before they can be flown again after two years, and there is a shortage of maintenance crew and engineers.\n\u201cMany other airlines worldwide are also scrambling to cater to the sudden surge in demand for post-Covid-19 travellers,\u201d he said. \n", "\nNational carrier Malaysia Airlines said it foresees \u201ca stronger rebound in international travel for 2023 compared with 2022, with China having significantly eased its border measures\u201d.   \nIts passenger traffic year-to-date is at 85 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels.    \nMost routes are seeing an increase in bookings, it said.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/surge-in-revenge-travel-as-pent-up-demand-drives-more-malaysians-abroad"}, {"title": "Survival and stability trump election pledges in early days of Malaysia\u2019s unity government", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Political survival has been a key theme of Malaysia\u2019s new unity government, with pre-election pledges taking a back seat to ensure that the alliance of once-bitter rivals and strange bedfellows remains stable and in power.After last November\u2019s general election resulted in Malaysia\u2019s first-ever hung Parliament, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim joined hands with nemeses such as Umno and East Malaysian parties who previously swore they would not work with his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/survival-and-stability-trump-election-pledges-in-early-days-of-malaysia-s-unity-government"}, {"title": "Suspect high on drugs bites off KL cop\u2019s finger at police station commotion", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A man high on drugs bit off a policeman\u2019s finger in the Malaysian capital on Monday. \nCheras Police Assistant Commander Zam Halim Jamaluddin said in a statement on Wednesday that the incident took place at around 10.15pm on Monday at the Sungai Besi police station.  \nMr Zam said the suspect, who was at the station\u2019s guard post, had threatened to throw acid and proceeded to splash a liquid from a water bottle onto a policeman before forcing his way into the police station.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cA scuffle ensued between the suspect, the victim and two other policemen, where the suspect bit off the (tip of the) victim\u2019s ring finger,\u201d he said. \n\u201cThe suspect was arrested\u2026 he also sustained light injuries. The 34-year-old man is wanted for a cheating case and urine tests showed he was positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine,\u201d he added. \nFurther investigations showed that the suspect had received psychiatric treatment in 2020, but did not possess a treatment card.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe has been remanded until Friday. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/suspect-high-on-drugs-bites-off-kl-cop-s-finger-at-police-station-commotion"}, {"title": "Suspect admits killing lover\u2019s husband, leading to several arrests in Malaysia", "text": ["\nSUBANG JAYA - A suspect\u2019s admission that he killed the husband of a woman he was having an affair with has led to several arrests in Malaysia.\nIn a statement on Saturday, Subang Jaya district police chief Wan Azlan Wan Mamat said that the man confessed to murdering a 25-year-old Indian national on Thursday. \n\u201cThe admission was made in Ampang Jaya and following that, a police team from the Ampang Jaya district questioned him. The suspect then showed where the victim was killed and where the body was buried,\u201d said Assistant Commissioner Wan Azlan.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 30-year-old male suspect and the victim\u2019s wife, who are both from India, were arrested on the same day.\nAccording to the suspect, the victim was murdered at an old folks\u2019 home in Subang Jaya. A forensics team found plastic sheets that they believe were used to wrap the body.\nThe victim is believed to have been slashed in the throat with a knife, reported Chinese-language newspaper China Press. A plastic bag containing human remains was found buried on a hill slope behind the home.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe suspect reportedly admitted to the crime to his friend, who then alerted the police on Thursday.\n\n\u201cAt around 2.30pm on Feb 3, three other women were arrested. The suspects are aged from 25 to 35 years old and are workers at the old folks\u2019 home,\u201d Mr Wan Azlan said, adding that the murder weapon has yet to be found.\nInvestigations showed that the suspect, the victim\u2019s wife and the victim worked in the old folks\u2019 home.\nIt is believed that the victim was killed in May 2022 when he had found out about the affair.\nThe body is undergoing autopsy to find out the cause of death, China Press reported.\nAccording to Malaysian news site Sinchew, the suspect and the victim\u2019s wife did not hold passports and were arrested for breaching immigration laws.\nMr Wan Azlan added that the case is being treated as murder. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/suspect-s-murder-admission-leads-to-multiple-arrests-in-subang"}, {"title": "Take a water taxi along Sungai Melaka to beat the jam", "text": ["\nMELAKA - The Malaysian state of Melaka has added a new public transport service \u2013 water taxis.\nThe service, which allows passengers to enjoy the scenery along Sungai Melaka and escape the hassle of traffic jams, has two boats plying the waterway from Dataran Pengkalan Rama to the river mouth.\nThe Melaka River and Beach Development Corporation (PPSPM), which operates the service, said there would be more than a dozen jetties for the water taxis to serve passengers.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe fare from one jetty to another is priced at RM1 (S$0.30) while the full route will cost RM8,\u201d said PPSPM chief executive Murad Husin, who added that the service would be extended to Batu Hampar under the second phase of the river cruise route.\n\u201cWe are facing the issue of sediment that impedes the boats\u2019 movements, and are working closely with the Irrigation and Drainage Department to resolve this,\u201d he said.\nMr Murad said the water taxi service could reach up to the Rumpun Bahagia jetty under the second phase, and the plan is to extend the service up to the Melaka Sentral bus terminal.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh, who launched the water taxi and the new headquarters of PPSPM at Dataran Pengkalan Rama on Tuesday night, said the corporation had grown by leaps and bounds since it was established in 2005.\n\nDatuk Seri Ab Rauf said PPSPM\u2019s business began with a river cruise tour using only two boats.\n\u201cIt now has a fleet of 40 boats. From 2006 to May 8 of this year, a whopping 13 million people have enjoyed the service. This is an outstanding achievement in 18 years,\u201d he said.\nThe plan to introduce the water taxi service was first made by then Melaka Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam in 2011. But the RM130 million rehabilitation and beautification of Sungai Melaka project hit a snag after the earlier contractor appointed by the then Natural Resources and Environment Ministry failed to complete the job as scheduled in 2017.\nThe project\u2019s second phase is set to be completed by mid-2025. \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/take-water-taxi-to-beat-jam"}, {"title": "Talk of new Melaka chief minister swirls as aides seen packing up", "text": ["\nMELAKA - A new chief minister of Melaka is expected to be sworn in on Friday.\nSpeculation that Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali has resigned surfaced after his aides were seen clearing their desks on Wednesday, apparently to pave the way for officials from the incoming administration.\nA reliable source at the Chief Minister\u2019s Office told The Star that the swearing-in ceremony will take place at 3pm on Friday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHowever, the media has to wait for the official announcement from the State Secretary on whether the ceremony would proceed or otherwise,\u201d the source said.\nState Investment, Industry, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh is tipped to be the new chief minister.\nHowever, the source said the final decision is up to federal leaders as well as Melaka Governor Mohd Ali Rustam.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe have to wait until Friday,\u201d he said.\n\nIt has also been learnt that Mr Sulaiman and Datuk Seri Ab Rauf met Tun Dr Mohd Ali on Wednesday morning.\nAmong the matters discussed was the inclusion of two Democratic Action Party assemblymen in the new exco line-up.\nSeveral Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblymen are also expected to be dropped from the line-up.\nOn Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi said Melaka may see the formation of a unity government. He said this was in line with the unity government at federal level.\nAttempts to obtain a comment from Mr Sulaiman have been unsuccessful since Tuesday.\nOn Oct 4, 2021, Mr Sulaiman\u2019s administration collapsed when four assemblymen withdrew their support for the BN/Perikatan Nasional-led state government.\nThis led to a state election being held in November, with BN securing a thumping victory and Mr Sulaiman being sworn in as chief minister once again.\nSpeculation then emerged in July 2022 that a motion for a no-confidence vote against him would be tabled during state assembly proceedings.\nHowever, the motion failed to materialise and was dismissed as a mere rumour. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/talk-of-new-melaka-chief-minister-swirls-as-aides-seen-packing-up"}, {"title": "Tapir \u2018checks in\u2019 at Melaka hotel on New Year\u2019s Day", "text": ["\nMELAKA \u2013 A Malayan tapir caused a stir when it turned up as an uninvited guest at a hotel in Melaka on the first day of the new year. \nThe herbivore was roaming around the Estadia Hotel in Bandar Hilir when it was spotted by a guest, said Datuk Chuck Kassim, the general manager of Hatten Hotels Worldwide which owns the hotel. \n\u201cIt was truly a New Year\u2019s surprise for all of us at the Hatten Group,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a Facebook post, the Melaka Fire and Rescue Department said it received a call for help at about 9am. Eight officers were deployed and when they reached the hotel, they saw the tapir on the fifth floor of the building. \nThe tapir was then sedated by game rangers from the Wildlife and National Parks Department before it was handed over to the Animal Welfare Department. \nThe Malayan tapir, also called the Asian tapir, is a species native to the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, Indonesia. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt has been classified as an endangered animal on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List since 2008, with a total population of fewer than 2,500 mature individuals. \n\nThe last sighting of a tapir in Singapore was on Pulau Ubin in 1986. But in 2016, a tapir was spotted in Changi. An expert said it could have swum over from southern Johor. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/tapir-checks-in-at-melaka-hotel-on-new-year-s-day"}, {"title": "Taxi driver robbed by passengers in Johor, suspects nabbed four hours later", "text": ["\nKOTA TINGGI, Johor - A taxi driver in his 70s was robbed at knifepoint by two passengers in Johor after ferrying them on a 40-minute ride. \nKota Tinggi district police chief Hussin Zamora said the two suspects, in their 30s, got into the victim\u2019s taxi at around 3.50pm on Saturday in the suburb of Gelang Patah bound for Pengerang.\n\u201cWhen they reached the Thai San Kong temple near the destination, the suspects were said to have whipped out a folding knife and pointed it at the back of the driver\u2019s waist.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe suspects told the victim to hand over his valuables, so the elderly man gave them his mobile phone, watch and RM400 ($S120). The suspects took the items and fled into the bushes nearby,\u201d said Mr Hussin in a statement on Sunday.\nThe victim immediately lodged a police report and about four hours later, a team from the Kota Tinggi police headquarters arrested the two suspects near the scene and recovered the stolen items.\n\u201cOne of the suspects has tattoos of a spider and centipede on his left chest area and right arm, leading us to believe he is part of a gang. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBoth men also have past criminal and drug records, where one of them was wanted for a criminal case reported in Serendah in 2022 and Rawang, Selangor, in 2010,\u201d added Mr Hussin.\n\nThe suspects have been remanded for seven days starting from Sunday for investigation under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/taxi-driver-robbed-by-passengers-in-johor-suspects-nabbed-four-hours-later"}, {"title": "Taxing Malaysia\u2019s rich: Sin Chew Daily", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The government will increase the tax rates for the country\u2019s top 20 per cent income earners (T20) community by 0.5 per cent to 2 per cent, in the recently tabled 2023 Budget.\nThe latest measure will affect \u201crich\u201d Malaysians earning RM100,000 to RM1 million (S$30,000 to S$300,500) a year.\nWhen a country\u2019s finances are in bad shape, adjusting individual and corporate income tax rates seems like a necessary measure for the government.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs expected, other than a higher income tax, the T20 will also be excluded from the government\u2019s electricity and petrol subsidies, meaning not everyone will be entitled to government subsidies any more.\n\nAt the same time, the government is also imposing taxes on luxury items only the rich and famous can afford to buy, including designer handbags, jewellery and watches. Besides, capital gains tax will also be levied on the disposal of unlisted shares in 2024.\nDeputy finance minister Ahmad Maslan said on Tuesday that Malaysia is the only country in the world to have subsidised the rich more than the poor, which we beg to differ!\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo be fair, the previous government was not trying to enrich the wealthy people further, but had rushed out many of the subsidisation programs without prudent consideration of their possible implications, or they had the plans but found it hard to put them into actual implementation.\n\nOther than petrol and utility tariffs, how is the government going to identify whether a buyer of subsidised eggs, chicken, cooking oil and other daily necessities is rich or poor?\nAs such, we feel that increasing the income tax rates of T20, imposing luxury goods tax and capital gains tax (on property and share transactions) are a more pragmatic approach in diverting government subsidies to the truly deserving or needy.\n\nAhmad Maslan said of the RM66.3 billion government subsidies in the 2022 Budget, RM50.8 billion was spent on fuel subsidies. Over the past one year, the T20 community has enjoyed around 35 per cent of the fuel subsidies, middle 40 per cent (M40) 41 per cent, and bottom 40 per cent (B40) only 24 per cent.\n\n\n\n\n\nRemoving the fuel subsidies for T20 will save the treasury between RM15 and RM17 billion, which Ahmad Maslan said could be better deployed for 26 ministries to implement their respective projects.\n\nWe don\u2019t think the deputy finance minister has got his numbers right.\nFirst of all, how did he come up with the 35 per cent fuel subsidies for T20? Moreover, not all the RM50.8 billion in yearly fuel subsidies were used to directly subsidise the people, as a substantial portion could have gone to the subsidisation of public transportation and goods transportation.\nBecause of fuel subsidies, Malaysia has managed to keep transportation costs steady, and this has an indirect effect in controlling goods prices.\n\nObviously, the T20 rich Malaysians have not \u201cstolen\u201d RM15 billion to RM17 billion of the government\u2019s fuel subsidies (35 per cent of total). And therefore, the government cannot optimistically expect a major boost for the treasury by excluding the T20 community from fuel subsidies.\nAccording to the Statistics Department\u2019s chief statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin, the country\u2019s inflation rate rose from 2.5 per cent in 2021 to 3.3 per cent last year, which is still manageable compared to the IMF\u2019s 8.8 per cent estimate for global CPI growth.\nAlthough the palpable inflation here is markedly higher than DOSM\u2019s figures, we must realise that the RM66.3 billion government subsidies have helped check a potentially much more serious inflationary crisis.\nBesides RM50.8 billion for fuel subsidies, the government has spent RM2.4 billion on subsidising cooking oil, RM9.4 billion on electricity tariffs, RM1.8 billion on chicken and eggs, and RM1.5 billion on flour, other daily necessities, as well as price adjustments for Sabah and Sarawak.\nWithout these subsidies, the M40 and B40 communities may have to face even more uphill survival challenges.\n\nAccording to the finance ministry, these RM66.3 billion subsidies make up two-thirds of the RM99 billion development expenditure in the 2023 Budget. But if the previous government managed to cap the spiralling inflation to more manageable levels, we seriously don\u2019t think their policies were flawed!\nWe do agree that the government should increase the income tax rates for T20 (indeed, we feel that the measure should be extended to include those earning in excess of RM1 million annually), impose luxury goods tax and capital gains tax.\n\nHowever, we do have reservations about abolishing the fuel subsidies for T20 because the savings could be well below expectation while increasing unnecessary workload (like how to tell the income of a consumer).\n\nMoreover, the T20 grouping itself is highly fluid. A T20 today may become M40 tomorrow, and so on. In view of this, increasing the income tax rates for T20 is the right decision. SIN CHEW DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\nThe paper is a member of The Straits Times\u2019 media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 22 news media titles.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/taxing-malaysia-s-rich-sin-chew-daily"}, {"title": "Teachers rescue students after jetty collapses in Sabah", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU \u2013 Teachers came to the rescue of about 20 primary school pupils who fell into the sea after a wooden jetty collapsed on Pulau Pababag in the Semporna district of Sabah, Malaysia.\nIn a video posted on social media, teachers were seen helping the students out of the water at around 7am on Monday. \nAccording to Semporna Umno chairman Abdul Manan Indanan, the children were shaken by the incident but there were no reports of any injuries.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI spoke to the Pababag village head who informed us that the incident occurred as the children were arriving for school,\u201d said Mr Manan, who is the community development officer for Sulabayan.\nHe said teachers immediately assisted the children out of the water and put them into their boats.\nHe also noted that the tide was low at the time. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Manan said he showed the video of the incident at a Sabah Umno meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi on Monday afternoon.    \n\nHe said Zahid, who is also rural development minister, agreed to provide immediate funding to repair the jetty. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/teachers-rescue-students-after-jetty-collapses-in-sabah"}, {"title": "Teen biker in viral stunts video died at the scene, say Penang cops", "text": ["\nBALIK PULAU - An 18-year-old motorcyclist died after he crashed into a car while performing stunts and running a red light.\nBalik Pulau police superintendent Kamarul Rizal Jenal said the incident happened along the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway in Penang at around 4.30am on Sunday. \n\u201cThere were two vehicles involved in the incident, a car and a motorcycle... the motorcyclist, Muhammad Akid Mat Rozi, from Permatang Timbul in Balik Pulau, died on the spot,\u201d he said. \n\n\n\n\n\nBased on initial investigations, it was found that the accident occurred when the car, heading from Bayan Lepas towards Jalan Tengah, reached a traffic light along the expressway.\n\u201cThe driver turned right when the traffic light turned green in his favour and was suddenly struck by the motorcyclist from the opposite direction,\u201d Mr Kamarul said in a press statement on Sunday.\n\u201cThe driver sustained injuries to his left hand, while the motorcyclist died at the scene.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that it was raining at the time of the incident.\n\n\u201cWe are investigating the case and looking into the traffic light function, CCTV footage, rainy weather and wet conditions,\u201d he said. \nWitnesses are also being located, and a postmortem will be carried out on the motorcyclist for cause of death.\nEarlier on Sunday, footage of a motorcyclist who ran through a red light and hit a car here went viral on social media.\nTwo short videos, one six seconds long and another nine seconds, show two bikers going at high speed along the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway.\nThe biker in front is seen lying belly-down on the motorcycle seat to perform the \u201csuperman\u201d stunt, and both continue speeding as they approach a traffic light, which is red.\nA car making a right turn in the opposite direction suddenly appears and the first biker, unable to slow down or stop, rams into it while the second motorcyclist just manages to avoid hitting the vehicle. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/teen-biker-in-viral-stunts-video-died-at-the-scene-say-penang-cops"}, {"title": "Terengganu police investigating PAS Youth\u2019s controversial parade involving fake weapons", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Terengganu police are investigating a controversial parade by PAS (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia) Youth to determine if there are any offences committed.\nIts police chief, Datuk Rohaimi Md Isa, said that although the organisers informed the police regarding its march, supporters were seen carrying fake weapons.\n\u201cEven though the police knew about the programme, we weren\u2019t informed about its weapons replica parade, which has caused uneasiness and concerns in certain groups.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe police will conduct preliminary investigations to identify offences in the programme and appropriate action will be taken,\u201d he said in a statement on Sunday evening.\nTerengganu PAS Youth members were seen on social media pictures clad in mediaeval Islamic war costumes and armed with fake swords, spears and shields.\n", "\nIt was understood that the march was part of a two-day PAS Youth gathering, Himpunan Pemuda Islam Terengganu.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the matter should not be blown out of proportion, adding that it was similar to a Chinese opera where the actors also carry swords and spears.\n\n\u201cIt is better for us to focus our time and energy on more meaningful things such as tackling the rising cost of living, education, and social problems,\u201d he said.\nMr Rohaimi said that based on early investigations, the event took place at a resort in Setiu, Terengganu.\nHe also said the event was based on a programme that was a design competition based on the theme of clothing, weapons and Islamic heritage.\n\u201cIt was participated by each district across Terengganu,\u201d added Mr Rohaimi.\n", "\nReligious Affairs Minister Mohd Na\u2019im Mokhtar said the march was inappropriate, as it would leave a bad perception on the teachings of Islam.\n\u201cThe organiser should have highlighted Islamic values that are based on peace, unity and harmony.\n\u201cEveryone is responsible to urge peace and harmony in society. Any action that can cause public unrest should be avoided,\u201d said Dr Mohd Na\u2019im.\n", "\nDr Mohd Na\u2019im also said the authorities should investigate to see if any laws had been broken.\nIn several pictures on social media, a pickup truck that carried a giant fake sword on its cargo-bed was also seen.\nYoung people, clad in green-themed mediaeval militant costumes, were also seen standing on the back of the cargo-bed of a moving pickup truck. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/terengganu-police-investigating-pas-youth-s-controversial-parade-involving-fake-weapons"}, {"title": "Terengganu to send 40 jaded couples on 2nd honeymoon to \u2018rekindle lost spark\u2019", "text": ["\nForty disaffected couples in Terengganu are headed for a state-mandated vacation packed with marriage counselling, motivational talks and other activities in the hopes of saving their marriages. \nThe local government hopes to give broken marriages a second wind, to stave off the rise in the number of divorces in the Malaysian state. \nThe couples on the aptly named Second Honeymoon Programme will be sent on a trip for three days and two nights to an undisclosed \u201cinteresting location\u201d, said the state\u2019s Welfare, Women\u2019s Development, Family and National Unity Committee chairman Hanafiah Mat on Friday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMost of the married couples who have been selected for the programme have been married for more than five years,\u201d said Mr Hanafiah. \n\u201cWe want to help them save their marriage and help them rekindle the lost spark in their marriage through the programme.\u201d\nHe added that the government decided to revive the programme after it contributed to solving the marital issues of over 60 per cent of the previous attendees.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe programme, organised by the state\u2019s Family Development Foundation, is a rerun of a similar initiative in 2009 that sent squabbling couples to beach or island resorts off Terengganu, where they could seek marriage counselling, Agence France-Presse reported. \n\nThe eastern coastal state also held weekend seminars to help married couples maintain intimacy and \u201cget their partner\u2019s libido going again\u201d.\nThe number of single mothers in Terengganu increased by about 10,000 over a three-year period, Bernama reported.  \nThe Parti Islam SeMalaysia-controlled state recorded 6,565 divorce cases involving Muslims from 2020 to October 2021.\nA Terengganu executive council member in 2021 cited a lack of appreciation and understanding of Islam, financial issues and social media influence as factors that led to these divorces.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/terengganu-sends-40-jaded-couples-for-2nd-honeymoon-to-rekindle-lost-spark"}, {"title": "Thai court orders Malaysian allegedly behind scams to be deported to China", "text": ["\nBANGKOK - A Thai court has issued an order for a wanted Malaysian businessman to be extradited to China to face charges in connection with fraud, Bernama news agency reported on Wednesday.\nThe court through a virtual hearing on Wednesday said Tedy Teow Wooi Huat, Penang-born founder of the Mobility Beyond Imagination Group (MBI),\u00a0can appeal against the verdict within 30 days.\nBoth China and Malaysia have requested for his repatriation, after being allegedly linked to a slew of scams. \n\n\n\n\n\nTeow, wearing a brown prison uniform and a surgical face mask, appeared on camera from the Bangkok Remand Prison, accompanied by prison officers, Bernama reported.\nHe was calm throughout the hearing and after the judge read the verdict asked, \u201cCan I appeal?\u201d, the news agency said.\nMalaysian media has reported that Beijing police wanted\u00a0Teow\u00a0for questioning after 400 investors in China filed a suit in a bid to recover investments worth some RM100 million (S$31 million). \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn 2019, some 100 Chinese nationals allegedly cheated by the MBI\u2019s group online pyramid scheme staged a protest outside the Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur.\n\nLast year, Malaysian police smashed a syndicate involved in a Macau scam said to be linked to\u00a0Teow\u00a0and his two sons, the media reported. \nThe group was believed to have set up shell companies to launder ill-gotten gains before using the money to buy high-end properties in Malaysia and Thailand, and invest in cryptocurrencies totalling more than RM336 million, The Star reported.\nTeow\u00a0was arrested in a police raid at MBI\u2019s office in Dannok, Sadao near the Thai-Perlis border on July 22 last year.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/thai-court-orders-malaysian-allegedly-behind-scams-to-be-deported-to-china"}, {"title": "The curious case of the RM2.3b UEM-Renong deal of 1997", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - United Engineers\u2019 (UEM) purchase of a 33 per cent stake in its debt-laden parent Renong for RM2.3 billion in November 1997 at the height of the Asian financial crisis remains mired in secrecy some 26 years on.\nIn four days, Renong\u2019s value, already sliding before the deal, was halved as investors dumped shares in both firms \u2013 a stunning turn of fortunes for UEM, one of the nation\u2019s biggest infrastructure firms which built the North-South Expressway and Second Link to Singapore.\nIt was also a time of great political upheaval. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim \u2013 whose star was rising in the ruling Umno \u2013 was finance minister in 1997, having replaced Tun Daim Zainuddin in 1991. But in a power struggle with then Premier Mahathir Mohamad, Mr Anwar was sacked in September 1998 and later jailed.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Daim was reinstated at the Treasury, only to suddenly resign in June 2001 and be replaced by Tun Dr Mahathir amid talk of disagreements between the two. \nDr Mahathir then appointed Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop as special economic adviser, to oversee a swathe of corporate restructuring deals in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis.\nAfter the uproar over the UEM-Renong deal \u2013 which appeared to breach stock exchange reporting rules \u2013 the Securities Commission compelled Tan Sri Halim Saad, then the controlling shareholder of Renong, to buy back the stake from UEM. Payments were to be made between February 2001 and April 2002.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut in July 2001, the government decided that sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional would take over the entire Renong group for RM4 billion. Renong included the likes of Plus \u2013 the owner of the North-South Expressway \u2013 and Commerce Asset Holdings (now CIMB), as well as RM12 billion in debt.\n\nThe prevailing view was that this was a government bailout. \nBut Mr Halim \u2013 who grew his empire when Mr Daim was finance minister from 1984 to 1991 \u2013 unsuccessfully sued the government, Khazanah and Mr Nor Mohamed in 2013 for RM1.8 billion. \nHe insisted he was cheated of his Renong stake, and claimed he had been induced by Mr Nor Mohamed, as an agent of the government, to take up the deal to exit from Renong.\nMalaysia\u2019s anti-graft body is currently investigating this 26-year-old deal. To this day, it remains unclear when UEM bought the Renong shares, or from whom. \nMr Halim had claimed it was from the open market, but trading volume recorded suggests this was not the case. The prevailing view is that the shares were held in proxy for Umno, whose treasurer at the time was Mr Daim.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/the-curious-case-of-the-rm23b-uem-renong-deal-of-1997"}, {"title": "\u2018It was traumatising\u2019: Malaysian man on being forced into online scamming in Laos, Myanmar", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 When 25-year-old Malaysian tour guide Francis Liaw (not his real name) was offered a stint as a money changer in Laos in 2021, he jumped at the chance to earn a high salary for six months.But his excitement became anguish when his new employer turned out to be a human trafficking syndicate that forced him to be an online scammer in Laos and Myanmar for more than a year, living under the watchful eyes of his minders and getting punished for the smallest offences.   "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/the-experience-is-traumatising-malaysian-man-on-being-forced-into-online-scamming-in-laos-myanmar"}, {"title": "The king of fruits will be better and cheaper in 2023, Malaysian durian seller says", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN \u2013 The durian season has begun and fans of the King of Fruits can expect a bountiful harvest in 2023 with prices cheaper than before, according to a Malaysian seller.\nDespite losing over RM1 million (S$299,000) after his 90ha farm in Balik Pulau was hit by a storm recently, durian seller Tan Chee Keat remains positive it would be a good year for sellers like him.\n\u201cActually, I did not expect the storm to happen during an extremely hot spell.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis is rare. But, we managed to carry out pest management successfully, which resulted in better quantity and quality of durians this year. The durian season is going to be long. Some orchards may have the fruits until late October,\u201d he said.\nMr Tan said in the past few years due to smaller harvests, the price went up considerably.\n\u201cSince it will be a good harvest this year, we can reduce the prices.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDurians like the popular Musang King, he added, could fetch between RM20 and RM30 per kg, compared to RM40 per kg previously.\n\n\u201cWe estimate prices will drop by 5 per cent to 10 per cent for most fruits.\n\u201cThe season begins now with the durians ripening and ready to be distributed to the traders by early next week.\n\n\u201cIt will peak in June and July.\u201d\n\nMr Tan said his farm was the only one hit by the storm which destroyed about 2,000 durian trees in Balik Pulau.\nAt the popular Bao Sheng durian farm, owner Chang Zhi Vooi said that 2023 would be good for them as they expected the supply to be equally spread out over the next few months.\n\u201cThis means that we will not be too busy compared to when the season was shorter and we had to work around the clock.\n\n\u201cThe yield is expected to be the same but stretched out over time because the trees are the same,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/the-king-of-fruits-will-be-better-and-cheaper-this-year-malaysian-durian-seller-says"}, {"title": "The making of Malaysia\u2019s unity government: What went on behind the scenes", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - The sight of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and a host of leaders from his Pakatan Harapan (PH) arriving at the Seri Pacific Hotel in Kuala Lumpur and meeting Barisan Nasional\u2019s (BN) top brass on Monday was an object lesson on how anything can happen in Malaysian politics. The hotel beside the Umno headquarters complex is where warlords broker deals before and after formal meetings next door.  "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/the-making-of-malaysia-s-unity-government"}, {"title": "Theme parks in Malaysia see a boost in visitors during school holidays from locals and Singaporeans", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU - Theme parks, especially water parks, are enjoying a triple boon this season. \nThis is not just because of the school holiday season in Malaysia and Singapore, but also thanks to the current heatwave, which makes people want to jump into the water. \nThe weakening Malaysian ringgit is also attracting more Singaporeans to Johor.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn late May, the Malaysian ringgit continued to weaken against the Singapore dollar and slumped to a fresh low of 3.4102.\nMr Wong, a 42-year-old Singaporean, said he decided to take his two children to the water park in Legoland as it would be good for a family outing. \n\u201cBesides Johor, we are also planning to travel to other parts of Malaysia,\u201d he said, adding that the favourable exchange rate also allowed him to spend more in the country.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnother Singaporean known only as Mr Ali, 51, said he took his family of five to the Desaru Coast Adventure Waterpark as Singapore was having a month-long school holiday.\n\n\u201cI am sure with the present hot spell, many Singaporean families would want to cool down in water parks.\n\u201cWe planned this holiday some time ago, but the attractive exchange rate now means we will have more money to spend while on holiday,\u201d he said, adding that he would be staying in Desaru for about three days.\nMr Ali said his family also planned to enjoy some of the local delicacies, including lobster dishes.\nJohor Tour Guides Association chairman Jimmy Leong said tourism was booming in the state, especially with the school holidays and also following infrastructure improvements at the two land checkpoints with Singapore.\n\u201cMenteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz\u2019s move to improve the clearance time at the checkpoints has encouraged more Singaporeans to come to Johor.\n\u201cThe better exchange rate and the present hot spell are also a boon for our water parks in Legoland and Desaru,\u201d he said.\nHe added that the average clearance for coaches had dropped from three to four hours to about two hours at the Second Link, and this should be maintained.\nLegoland Malaysia sales and marketing director M. Thila said that there had been an increase in visitor numbers, especially with it being the school holiday season in Malaysia and Singapore.\nShe said its theme park had been getting a lot of visitors, especially since the reopening of the land borders with Singapore after Covid-19 pandemic restrictions were lifted in 2022. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/theme-parks-in-malaysia-see-a-boost-in-visitors-during-school-holidays-from-locals-and-singaporeans"}, {"title": "Third baby dumped in Sabah in 4 days", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU \u2013 Another baby-dumping case has been reported in Sabah, this time in the south-western Papar district. \nThis latest case, which was reported on Tuesday, was the third incident within four days in Sabah state. The first case was reported on June 10. \nIn the Papar case, a newborn baby boy was found abandoned in the area underneath a house on stilts in Kampung Sapat.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Papar OCPD \u2013 officer in charge of the police district \u2013 Deputy Superintendent (DSP) Kamaruddin Ambo Sakka, said the 52-year-old house owner made the discovery after checking on the sound of a baby crying at about 4am.\nHe said the man heard the cries when he woke up to go to the toilet.\nDSP Kamaruddin said that as the man was unsure what the sound really was, he waited about 10 minutes, but could still hear the cries.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe man finally gathered the courage to walk down the steps of the stilt house to have a look, and saw something moving in the dark.\n\n\u201cHe moved towards it and was shocked to see a baby left in the cold of the morning without a single thread on his body,\u201d DSP Kamaruddin said when contacted.\n\u201cHe immediately called out to his wife to grab a towel to swaddle the baby.\u201d\nThe family then alerted the police to the find, DSP Kamaruddin said, adding that the baby was later sent to the district hospital for a check-up.\n\u201cA medical officer found that the baby boy was born less than 24 hours ago... The newborn is reported to be (in a stable condition) and has been placed in the children\u2019s ward,\u201d DSP Kamaruddin said, adding that the Welfare Department has been notified of the matter.\n", "\nHe said the police were in the midst of searching for those responsible for dumping the baby, and the case was being investigated under Section 317 of the Penal Code on child abandonment.  \nHe urged those with information about the case to help the probe by visiting their nearest police station or contacting the investigating officer, Sergeant Noor Azura Linggisan, on 016-826-2067.\nOn Saturday, the body of a newborn baby, with its umbilical cord still attached, was found floating in the waters of Sabah\u2019s Kampung Tanjung Aru Lama water village.   \nAnd on Monday, a healthy newborn baby boy was found abandoned on top of a chicken coop in Lahad Datu district on Sabah\u2019s east coast. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/third-baby-dumped-in-sabah-in-4-days"}, {"title": "Thirst for cheap liquor a dangerous trend in Malaysia", "text": ["\nGEORGETOWN - It was the last straw for a woman when her husband asked their underage child to go out and buy cheap liquor for him.  \nAfter 15 years of marriage, she walked out on him. \nIt was at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and the man, a lorry driver who was getting very little work due to Malaysia\u2019s interstate travel ban, had resorted to drinking cheap liquor to deal with his financial woes.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe woman, who is a teacher in her 40s, reached out for emotional support and finally got a divorce,\u201d said Datuk Florence Sinniah, founder of Pertubuhan Kebajikan Sneham Malaysia, a non-governmental organisation focusing on offering mental health support. \n\u201cHis drinking turned into an addiction and worsened over time,\u201d she said.\nWith the cost of living rising, many are turning to cheap, illicit liquor to feed their drinking habit.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout a third of the total alcohol consumption in the country comprises illicit beer, which is a threat to the economy, consumers and local brewers, according to the Confederation of Malaysian Brewers website. About 100 million litres of illicit beer \u2013 or about a third of total consumption \u2013 are sold every year, it says.\n\nThe loss in revenue to the government is estimated at RM1.5 billion (S$460 million). \nMalaysian Anti-cheap Liquor Movement chief coordinator P. David Marshel said a 375ml bottle of cheap, legal, compounded liquor costs less than RM10 a bottle.\nIt is made with 40 per cent alcohol, mixed with water, caramel, sugar and flavouring. A regular bottle of beer, with under 5 per cent alcohol, costs about RM18.\n\u201cThe pandemic and economic recession have led to more people relieving stress through alcohol consumption... Imported liquor is more expensive due to the currency exchange, so the demand for cheap liquor is growing,\u201d said Mr Marshel.\n\u201cMany consumers, especially those in the lower-income group, are unaware of the health hazards posed by the high alcohol content of cheap liquor. They don\u2019t just end up being drunk, but also suffer from alcohol poisoning,\u201d he said.\nMr Marshel urged the government to review regulations on the sale of cheap liquor, which are sold at sundry shops.\n\u201cThey should only be sold at dedicated stores. A floor price must be set to ensure that such liquor is not easily affordable,\u201d he said.\n", "\nMr Marshel said his group was not against the selling of liquor.\n\u201cWe want cheap liquor to be tightly controlled because of the social ills they bring,\u201d he stressed. \nThere are about 5,700 shops in the country licensed to sell liquor, with about 30 local companies producing cheap liquor. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/thirst-for-cheap-liquor-a-dangerous-trend-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Landslide near Genting: Calls for stricter safety standards for developments near slopes", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysians love a good view and some cool weather.Even tourists will agree that areas such as Cameron Highlands, Fraser\u2019s Hill and Penang Hill are a welcome respite from the stifling tropical heat and humidity in the lowlands."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/this-is-not-the-hill-you-want-to-die-on"}, {"title": "Thousands throng Malaysia PM Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s open house in opposition-led Kelantan", "text": ["\nKOTA BHARU, Kelantan - Thousands of people flocked to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house, held at a stadium in the opposition-ruled state of Kelantan, on Friday.  \nSome turned up as early as 5.40pm, before the open house officially began at 7pm. Datuk Seri Anwar arrived shortly before 9pm.\nSecurity personnel jostled to clear a path for the Prime Minister through the thronging crowd, as loud chants of \u201cReformasi!\u201d \u2013 the battle cry of his party\u2019s reform movement \u2013 echoed around him while he greeted attendees.\n\n\n\n\n\nHousewife Zuraini Ibrahim, 52, said a sponsored bus brought her from her home in Rantau Panjang district, some 40km from Kota Bharu.\n\u201cMy children wanted to attend, so I decided to come,\u201d she told The Straits Times.\u00a0\nBusiness owner Mohd Yusof Daud, 52, who was also at the open house, said that although he is a supporter of the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, he will vote for the party that can bring economic progress.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe government is still not stable yet, as it is new. But I can see that the PM is making efforts towards boosting the economy and he cares for the people,\u201d he said.\n\nSingaporean Ismail Ab Rahim, 47, whose father lives in Kelantan, decided to drop by while in the state on holiday.\n\u201cI want to listen to PM Anwar\u2019s speech and see what he has to offer in terms of development for Kelantan. Kelantan is not very developed compared with other states,\u201d the security services provider told ST.\nMr Anwar, who said the open houses were being held in states outside the capital in the spirit of \u201cfriendship\u201d, offered to help Kelantan resolve its longstanding water supply woes. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe also said that the 107 development projects approved for the state this year is the highest figure thus far. \nOnly 71 per cent of Kelantan residents have access to clean water due to issues with raw water sources, treatment plants and pipes.\nPolice on duty at the open house, held at the Sultan Muhammad IV stadium, estimated that 15,000 people attended the event, with long queues at stalls offering drinks and food such as roast lamb, fish satay, fried bee hoon and fruit.\u00a0\n", "\nThe open house \u2013 traditionally held at the prime minister\u2019s official residence in Putrajaya \u2013 is one of six that Mr Anwar is throwing this year, in the states that will hold state assembly elections by August. \nThe six state elections will be keenly watched as a signal of whether his administration has support from the electorate.\nHis Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition failed to make a dent at the November 2022 General Election in the three states ruled by PN. \nPH did not win a single parliamentary seat in the PN-ruled Kelantan and Terengganu, and claimed just one seat in northern Kedah state.\nIt will be a tough election battle for Mr Anwar in the Muslim belt states, where the vast Malay majority appears to be firmly entrenched in the PN camp.\u00a0\nUniversity of Malaya sociopolitical analyst Awang Azman Pawi told ST that holding the open houses in the three opposition states could be a starting point for the ruling unity government to penetrate Parti Islam SeMalaysia\u2019s stronghold states, but added that it will require time and effort.\n\u201cAfter the open houses, more comprehensive programmes need to be carried out,\u201d he said.\n\u201cContinuous and high-impact programmes are important to show that the government is taking care of the people\u2019s welfare in opposition states and not just around Putrajaya.\u201d\nDr Mazlan Ali, a senior lecturer at the Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, said such overtures to voters in opposition states may win over the young and undecided ones. \n\u201cIt isn\u2019t a major factor, but the PM\u2019s presence in Kedah saw large crowds, showing that the public welcomed him. Many Malaysians are fence-sitters and not tied to any one party \u2013 they support parties based on their performance.\u201d\nMr Anwar has been working hard to woo voters, conducting his Friday prayers at different mosques every week and meeting constituents.\n", "\nNoting that opposition states were allocated more than RM1.5 billion (S$447 million) in Budget 2023, Dr Mazlan said: \u201cThis shows that the PM treats all states equally, regardless of whether they are opposition-led or not.\u201d \nSome, however, feel that measures such as throwing open houses are unlikely to change the voting patterns in these states.\nThe other three states that will be holding elections are the PH-ruled Negeri Sembilan, Penang and Selangor.\nThere are signs that PN is gaining ground in Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, noted Dr Oh Ei Sun, senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.\n\u201cIt\u2019s a somewhat hapless move by the unity government, as the three PN states are likely to firmly remain in PN hands, and at least two other states are up for grabs by PN as well.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/thousands-throng-malaysia-pm-anwar-ibrahim-s-open-house-in-opposition-led-kelantan"}, {"title": "Three 13-year-old girls allegedly gang-raped after trying vape with new flavour: Malaysian police", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU, Sabah \u2013 Three 13-year-old girls who were offered the chance to try out a vape with a new flavour ended up being allegedly gang-raped by four teenagers at a lodging house in the Malaysian state of Sabah on April 26.\nThe four suspects, who were allegedly aided by a girl to lure the victims, were arrested by the police in the state capital Kota Kinabalu after one of the victims lodged a report on April 27, according to police chief Mohd Zaidi Abdullah. \n\u201cAll the suspects, aged 13 to 17, were arrested around the city and Telipok Ria in Tuaran district,\u201d he said on Monday.\n\n\n\n\n\nFollowing the first report, police investigations found that two friends of the girl who lodged the report had also been allegedly gang-raped by the four suspects, whose female accomplice is a 17-year-old. \nThey have been remanded until May 5 to assist in the investigations, he said.\nApart from the rape probe under Section 375(b) of the Penal Code, police are also investigating the suspects for pimping under Section 372(1)(a).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIn that incident, the four male and one female suspects approached the three victims when they were at a shopping centre in the city and subsequently persuaded them to hang out at their lodging house in Kampung Air.\n\n\u201cWhile at the lodging house, they were lured to smoke a new flavoured vape,\u201d he told reporters.  \nMr Mohd Zaidi said that all the victims accepted the invitation to smoke before subsequently losing consciousness.\n\u201cWhen the victims woke up in the middle of the night, they found themselves naked, while the suspects had disappeared. \n\u201cAll three victims suspected they were raped and have since made a police report,\u201d he said.   \nA team from the police\u2019s Criminal Investigations Department managed to track down and arrest the five suspects, including the teenage girl on April 27. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/three-13-year-old-girls-allegedly-gang-raped-after-trying-vape-with-new-flavour-malaysian-police"}, {"title": "Timeline of former Malaysia PM Muhyiddin\u2019s stimulus programme and graft charges that followed", "text": ["\nFormer Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, 75, was slapped with four counts of abuse of power involving RM232.5 million (S$70 million) on Friday in a Kuala Lumpur court, over projects awarded under his government\u2019s stimulus programme Jana Wibawa. He was also charged with two counts of money laundering involving RM195 million. Here is a timeline of the programme and its aftermath.\nNovember 2020 - The programme is introduced by then Prime Minister Muhyiddin, as a Covid-19 stimulus measure to help bumiputera \u2013 a term describing the Malay majority and indigenous minorities \u2013 contractors.\nDecember 2022 - Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, taking over after the November general election, says the Finance Ministry has discovered breaches in the handling of public funds under Muhyiddin, who was premier for 17 months between March 2020 and August 2021.\n\n\n\n\n\nFeb 1, 2023 - Tan Sri Azam Baki, chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), says the accounts of Muhyiddin\u2019s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia were frozen to enable the graft busters to probe funds believed to have come from illegal proceeds.\nFeb 21 - Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan is charged in court with accepting RM6.9 million in bribes in relation to the Jana Wibawa programme, and of soliciting RM232 million worth of bribes.\n", "\nBusinessman Adam Radlan is separately charged with soliciting and accepting a bribe of RM500,000 from the managing director of MIE Infrastructure and Energy for the award of a road project worth RM47.8 million. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nFeb 22 - Adam is handed two further counts of accepting bribes of over RM4 million in relation to Jana Wibawa. He is accused of helping a company, Nepturis, win a government project worth RM141 million, and receiving another bribe from MIE Infrastructure.\n\nSeparately, a furniture company director is slapped with nine charges of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM12.87 million, in relation to the programme. \nFeb 28 - Businessman Adam is charged again, this time over asking for a RM2 million bribe as a reward to help Nepturis obtain the contract worth RM141 million.\nMarch 9 - Muhyiddin is detained by the MACC after going to its headquarters to give his statement on the programme. He is released on conditional bail, after being told he would be charged in court the next day.\nMarch 10 - Muhyiddin is slapped with the six charges in a Kuala Lumpur court. The RM195 million money laundering charges are related to receiving proceeds from illegal activities from Bukhary Equity, majority-owned by tycoon Syed Mokhtar Albukhary. Muhyiddin is released after posting RM2 million bail.\nThe MACC and Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers, in separate statements, deny any elements of \u201cselective prosecution\u201d or political interference from the government over the case, as claimed by Muhyiddin and his supporters.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/timeline-of-ex-malaysia-pm-muhyiddin-s-stimulus-programme-that-led-to-graft-charges"}, {"title": "To avoid capital gains tax, public listings of Malaysia\u2019s high growth start-ups and SMEs set to double", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Public listings of high growth start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on Malaysia\u2019s stock exchange are set to double in 2023 from a year ago, as companies seek to avoid a new capital gains tax (CGT) unveiled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in his Budget speech last Friday. \nThe new CGT comes into effect in 2024 and will be imposed on gains from the disposal of shares in unlisted companies. This will lead to a rise in listings on the local bourse, said Ms Wong Muh Rong, managing director and founder of corporate advisory firm Astramina Advisory.\nIn general, private companies will dispose of their shares to the public to get listed on the stock exchange. They may also plan to dispose of unlisted shares to streamline business operations via merger and acquisition or even group restructuring activities. \n\n\n\n\n\nPrivate companies which are considering listing on the stock exchange or undergoing a restructuring exercise will expedite their corporate plans in 2023 before the CGT kicks in.\nIn 2022, a total of 35 companies made their debut on Bursa Malaysia \u2013 five on the Main Market, 25 on the Ace Market and five on the Leap Market, marking the highest number of initial public offerings (IPOs) over the past five years. \nCompanies seeking to get listed on the Ace Market tend to be high-growth start-ups, while the Leap Market is a platform for SMEs.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe amount of money raised through IPOs in 2023 is likely to outstrip the RM3.5 billion (S$1 billion) raised in 2022.\n\nIn comparison to the Main Market, both Ace and Leap markets will see a flurry of listings in 2023 from a year ago due to less stringent requirements, said Ms Wong.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   \nThe requirement for companies to list on the Main Market is more strict, as it includes established companies having to post at least RM20 million in profit after tax over a three to five financial year period. \n\u201cFor some unlisted companies that have planned to list in 2025, they may not be in time to meet the strict requirement of the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia. To escape CGT, they may opt to list in either Ace or Leap markets,\u201d said Ms Wong. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe anticipated spike in IPOs in 2023 will also add value to the growth market capitalisation of Malaysia\u2019s stock exchange, valued at RM1.74 trillion as at last Friday, but is trailing the regional stock exchanges including Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, Ms Wong said. \nSince the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the total market cap of Bursa Malaysia grew merely close to 8 per cent as at September 2022. In comparison, the market cap of the Singapore Exchange increased by 179 per cent, while growth in market cap for the Thailand and Indonesia stock exchanges rose by around 300 per cent and 565 per cent respectively during the same period, according to Bloomberg.\nLast Friday, Datuk Seri Anwar, who is also finance minister,  announced an extension of the tax exemption of up to RM1.5 million for listing expenses on the Ace Market and the Leap Market until year of assessment 2025.\n\u201cThis tax exemption should broaden to cover the listing expenses of technology companies seeking to be listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia,\u201d said Mr Anwar.\nCalling the anticipated uptick in listings a \u201ctemporary surge\u201d for 2023, Ms Farah Rosley, Malaysia tax managing partner at Ernst & Young Tax Consultations, said the government has to come up with a plan that focuses on the long-term and sustainable growth of the capital market.  \n", "\nThere is also a possibility of foreign-owned entities in the country seeking to quickly dispose of their shares and reconsider their plans to make new investments in Malaysia, leading to capital flight to countries that do not impose CGT, said Ms Farah. \nThis could impact foreign direct investments and trade flows as well, she added.\nSingapore and Hong Kong, the two largest financial markets close to Malaysia, do not impose CGT. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/to-avoid-capital-gains-tax-public-listings-of-malaysia-s-high-growth-start-ups-smes-set-to-double"}, {"title": "Toddler in Sabah gets arm stuck in speaker", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU, Sabah \u2013 Curiosity does not always kill the cat. Sometimes, it just gets a child stuck.\nThis happened to a toddler who was said to have been curious about what was inside a speaker, and put her hand deep into a speaker box\u2019s hole to find out, only to discover that she could not then withdraw her arm from the speaker.\nSabah Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Misran Bisara said the child\u2019s mother had alerted them about the incident. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe received a call about this at around 3.41pm, Tuesday, at Taman Kinamount Kota Kinabalu,\u201d he said in a statement on Wednesday.\nHe said firemen arrived at the scene and got the child\u2019s arm out of the speaker, using special tools.\n\u201cNo one was injured in this incident,\u201d Mr Misran said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe speaker was still usable after the incident. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/toddler-in-sabah-gets-arm-stuck-in-speaker"}, {"title": "Toddler tantrum almost forces family off Langkawi-KL flight, airline cites safety regulations", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - An airline cited safety regulations for almost forcing a family to disembark from a Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur flight recently. \nThe incident on Wednesday went viral after a man claimed on Facebook that his family was almost removed from the MYAirline flight because his two-year-old child was not properly seated and buckled up as the plane was getting ready for take off. \nHe claimed the cabin crew refused to provide an infant belt or seat belt extender to allow the child \u2013 who had just turned two years old \u2013 to sit with the mother, as it was \u201cagainst policy\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe man said his child was distraught and would not remain seated with the seat belt buckled, which prompted the cabin crew to repeatedly remind him to keep the child seated.\nAfter a brief argument, the cabin crew consulted the pilot who announced over the plane that the family would have to be removed if they did not follow the instructions.\nThe man said they managed to comply in the end despite protests and crying from his child, and the take-off was successful.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that the whole incident was embarrassing and that a group of ground staff also tried to convince them to delete video clips of the incident after they landed.\n\n\u201cIn conclusion, if you plan to travel with MYAirline with a child who is two or three years of age and cannot be seated independently like a robot, you should reconsider and choose another airline.\n\u201cFor now, MYAirline is a firm \u2018no\u2019 for me and my family because they are not child-friendly,\u201d wrote the man.\nMYAirline later released a statement to clarify that it had initially asked the family to leave, as it had to comply with Civil Aviation Authority Malaysia (CAAM) safety requirements.\nIt said it was mandatory for children aged 24 months and below to be seated with a parent or guardian using an infant seat belt.\n\u201cHowever, children above 24 months must be fastened with a seat belt in their own seat for safety,\u201d said MYAirline on a Facebook post on Saturday.\nMYAirline said it would be conducting a thorough investigation into the incident. \n\u201cWe will identify the gaps in our service and take immediate corrective actions to prevent similar situations from occurring,\u201d it added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/toddler-tantrum-almost-forces-family-off-langkawi-kl-flight-airline-cites-safety-regulations"}, {"title": "Top court rejects Najib\u2019s attempt to recuse judge in last bid to overturn guilty verdict", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s apex court on Thursday rejected former premier Najib Razak\u2019s bid to recuse a Court of Appeal judge from a panel that is reviewing his jailing on a corruption charge related to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). \nThe unanimous ruling by the federal court in allowing Justice Abu Bakar Jais to be part of the five-member panel was read out by Justice Abdul Rahman Sebli, who chaired the panel.\nHe said: \u201cWe are not persuaded that Abu Bakar Jais should recuse himself from hearing this review application. The law is clear that the Chief Justice is vested with the discretionary power to enable a Court of Appeal judge to sit in the federal court (panel) in the interest of justice pursuant to Article 122(2) of the Federal Constitution.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nThe court ordered the defence to proceed with its application to review Najib\u2019s guilty verdict and imprisonment.\nNajib\u2019s lead counsel Shafee Abdullah had argued that the panel must consist of all federal court judges, based on Section 74 of the Courts of Judicature Act (CJA) 1974.\n\u201cThis is nothing personal,\u201d he said on Thursday, adding that he has known Justice Abu since their early days. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn response, lead prosecutor V. Sithambaram said the objection against the judge must show a real danger of bias. He also noted that the panel has always been determined by the Chief Justice.\n\nCiting Article 122 of the Federal Constitution, he said lawyers \u201ccannot tell the court how they come up with the panel, that\u2019s contemptuous\u201d.\nThe hearing continues on Feb 20. \nNajib is seeking a review of the federal court\u2019s decision that affirmed his conviction and sentence over the misappropriation of RM42 million (S$12.9 million) from SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary, claiming that he was not given a fair hearing.\nHe has been serving a 12-year jail sentence since a five-man federal court bench led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat dismissed his appeal on Aug 23, 2022. \nNajib is also bidding for a review of the court\u2019s decision to dismiss his attempt to postpone his appeal hearing, as well as its decision not to recuse Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun from the federal court appeal due to Facebook posts made by her husband in May 2018. The latter had allegedly demonstrated negative views of Najib\u2019s leadership and had concluded that he had siphoned funds from 1MDB into his personal bank account.\nIn addition, Najib is attempting to nullify his hearing in the High Court on the basis of trial judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali not recusing himself over an alleged conflict of interest.  \nOn Jan 4, Najib petitioned the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to rule that the dismissal of his appeal by the federal court in August 2022 was unjust and flawed, as he \u201cwas sent to jail without the opportunity to defend himself\u201d.\nHis legal team had said that a failure to give a new set of lawyers more time to prepare \u2013 after being appointed three weeks before the appeal in the federal court \u2013 had unjustly punished Najib. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/top-court-rejects-najib-s-attempt-to-recuse-judge-in-last-bid-to-overturn-guilty-verdict"}, {"title": "Touchy subjects to take a backseat during Anwar\u2019s China trip", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s pivot to economic diplomacy since Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim took power four months ago will come into focus when he begins a six-day visit to Beijing on Tuesday.\nAmid global headwinds \u2013 the protracted Russia-Ukraine conflict, monetary tightening and banking collapses \u2013 the reopening of China\u2019s economy as it seeks to return to pre-pandemic growth is the one bright spark for 2023.\nOther geopolitical issues, especially the touchy subject of overlapping claims in the South China Sea and incursions into Malaysian waters, will likely take a back seat, with the focus on strengthening economic ties.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAny discussions on the South China Sea will be very marginal. The overall theme will be very positive. Both sides are open for business,\u201d Universiti Malaya\u2019s Institute of China Studies director Ngeow Chow Bing\u00a0told The Straits Times. \n\u201cChina realises it has to make up for all the lost opportunities in the past three years,\u201d he added, referring to the near economic standstill during Beijing\u2019s ultra-strict Covid-19 lockdowns.\nDatuk Seri Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, expects Malaysia\u2019s gross domestic product growth to moderate to 4.5 per cent in 2023 after a better-than-expected 8.7 per cent in 2022. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut analysts \u2013 and even Treasury officials ahead of Budget 2023\u2019s unveiling in February \u2013 projected a figure closer to 4 per cent.\n\nMr Anwar addressed 106 heads of diplomatic missions at a March 7 retreat, which recommended making it a \u201cpriority to enhance economic diplomacy by coordinating this issue with economic-related agencies\u201d, said Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir.\nSignalling the importance of China to Kuala Lumpur\u2019s foreign policy framework, the inaugural meeting of the government\u2019s Consultative Council on Foreign Policy in February saw the attendance of Ambassador Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin, who is Malaysia\u2019s top diplomat in Beijing, a member of the panel told ST.\nDeputy International Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong told ST that the shift to economic diplomacy has been a factor in some recent big wins \u2013 especially with the likes of electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Tesla picking Malaysia to establish a market presence and head office \u2013 and will continue to be so as the country differentiates itself from others in the region.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cMalaysia has an opportunity to see a second take-off. We used to be in a basket with the rest of South-east Asia, aside from Singapore, which was a distinctive global city. \n\u201cBut as firms look at diversification, they look at the region in a more detailed manner. Malaysia may not be as efficient as Singapore, but we have strong global links and a decent workforce at a lower cost,\u201d he said. \nA key industry for Malaysia will be electrical and electronics (E&E), given how high-technology applications were not just crisis-proof during the Covid-19 pandemic, but also became more crucial in a physically distanced world. The global semiconductor market \u2013 where Malaysia is the sixth-largest exporter \u2013 is expected to more than double in seven years.\nInternational Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said on March 6: \u201cThe most attractive factor about Malaysia is that the ecosystem for E&E can support the EV industry. Tesla said quite a big part of its supply chain is from Malaysia, so why not relocate here?\u201d\nChina has been Malaysia\u2019s top trading partner for 14 years running and was also the biggest source of foreign direct investment in 2022 at US$12.5 billion (S$16.7 billion), nearly double that of the United States in the second place.\nThe overall sense is that Malaysia and Asean as a whole can gain more from supply chain diversions and offshoring as businesses adopt a China-plus-one strategy of diversification.\nMr Liew said: \u201cWe are entering a new phase for the next few decades. For the last 30 years, business has operated on a \u2018just in time\u2019 basis. But now, it is \u2018just in case\u2019.\u201d\nBut geopolitics can often be a zero-sum game, with closeness to one superpower often seen as drifting away from another.\n", "\nMr Anwar, in his first news conference after taking office in November 2022, called China a \u201cpivotal\u201d Asian giant with which his government must enhance relations. \nBut he has consistently taken the position that Malaysia is not interested in being part of a new Cold War between the US and China.\nDr Ngeow said pursuing shared economic ties is \u201cone of the main tools to ensure both superpowers stay engaged and seek common interest and prosperity rather than confrontation.\u201d \n\u201cWe will want to continue to engage the US on the economic side, it\u2019s just that they are not very interested sometimes,\u201d he added, citing the US pullout from the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2017 and the progress of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership\u00a0of which China is a huge proponent.\nHowever, no leader is going to pass up on harvesting low-hanging fruit with the good optics of cordial ties with either Beijing or Washington.\nNot least Mr Anwar, having returned last week from Saudi Arabia, where meetings announced by the Foreign Ministry with King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman never materialised.\nBoth sides of the political divide have clashed over the perceived snub from an important Islamic ally, but it is more than likely that the Prime Minister will bounce back in China.  \nDr Ngeow said: \u201cChina will be a big contrast. There will be a huge business delegation with about half a dozen ministers. \n\u201cHe will definitely meet important leaders, have sessions with businesses and speak at a major university because Beijing will be more than happy to provide such conveniences.\u201d\n", "\nBefore heading to China, Mr Anwar made a one-day official visit to Cambodia on Monday to further strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation.\nIt was his first visit to the country, and it was at the invitation of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. \nMr Anwar was accompanied by several ministers and senior officials.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/touchy-subjects-unlikely-to-be-on-agenda-during-anwar-s-china-trip-analysts"}, {"title": "Tour bus from Johor to KL catches fire in Selangor", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - A tour bus travelling from Johor to Kuala Lumpur caught fire in Selangor on Sunday morning. \nExit lanes at the UPM toll plaza were temporarily closed following the incident. \nMost of the road\u2019s lanes are now open, except the left-most one, PLUS Malaysia Bhd (Plus) said in a statement.\n\n\n\n\n\nPlus said the toll plaza was now opened after Plus and related parties had conducted further investigations and checks.\n\u201cHowever, the left lane of the toll plaza is still closed for repairs and maintenance work.\n\u201cAt 6.20am Sunday, a tour bus with 40 passengers caught fire while exiting the UPM toll plaza, causing it to be temporarily closed.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cPlus advises all users passing through the UPM toll plaza to practice caution and adhere to the signs and warnings that have been put up,\u201d it said.\n\nEarlier on Sunday, Plus said a Fire and Rescue team from Serdang was immediately despatched after the blaze was reported.\nThe team successfully managed to control the situation within a few minutes.\n\u201cA total of 44 passengers and one driver escaped. The fire also damaged 10 per cent of the toll booth,\u201d Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Hafisham Mohd Noor said.\nNo one was injured in the incident. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/tour-bus-from-johor-to-kl-catches-fire-in-selangor"}, {"title": "Tourists visit Penang Hill to escape city\u2019s heat", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN - The hot spell in Penang is driving tourists to find cooler respite on Penang Hill. \nAt over 700m above sea level, it is Penang\u2019s tallest peak. \nTourist Joseph Hooks, 74, an American who lives in Bangkok, and his wife Supat Sawangsri, 64, were among those who escaped to the hill on Sunday to enjoy the cool breeze. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s so hot in Thailand and when we arrived in Penang a few days ago, it was just as hot,\u201d he said. \n\u201cIn the city, I had to open the refrigerator in the supermarkets just to cool off. We finally found a cooler place on the peak here and it is much better.\u201d \nNew Zealanders Steph Brownlee, 28, and Thomas English, 29, also retreated from the scorching heat in the city to the greenery on Penang Hill. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve visited various places, including the clan jetties, and also tried the street food. Since Friday, however, we\u2019ve been sweating non-stop wherever we go,\u201d said Ms Brownlee. \u201cAt least on Penang Hill, we get a panoramic view of the island without the heat.\u201d \n\nChecks showed temperatures on the peak of Penang Hill averaging between 24 deg C and 26 deg C, 5 deg C cooler than at ground level. \nIt was reported that during the Hari Raya break, Penang Hill saw almost 8,000 visitors a day. \nPenang Hill Corporation general manager Cheok Lay Leng said the venue has been popular with tourists even after the Hari Raya and Labour Day holidays. \n\u201cPenang Hill is a cool retreat for those looking to escape the heat and humidity of the city, in addition to enjoying great scenery from the peak,\u201d he said, adding that the hill receives an average of 6,000 visitors a day. \nBut Datuk Cheok advised visitors to bring along an umbrella in case of sudden rain. \nHe also invited visitors to attend the coming Penang Hill Festival from July 21 to 23 in conjunction with the Penang Hill Railway\u2019s 100th anniversary in 2023.\n", "\nRecently, parts of Asia have been reporting extreme heat. On Saturday, Vietnam reported record high temperatures, with a north-central weather station measuring 44.1 deg C, breaking a previous high set in 2019. \nIn April, the temperature in Bangkok\u2019s Bagna district reached 42 deg C, while the heat index \u2013 which includes relative humidity and measures what the temperature feels like \u2013 hit a record 54 deg C. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/tourists-visit-penang-hill-to-escape-city-s-heat"}, {"title": "Town in Sarawak basks in limelight of buffalo statue that went viral online for its stunned expression", "text": ["\nThe bronze bull of Birmingham, it is not, and the Charging Bull in New York\u2019s Wall Street? Not even close.\nBut a statue of a water buffalo in east Malaysia\u2019s Sarawak is having its day in the sun as a tourist attraction, thanks to its animated expression. \nThe buffalo in Serian, a town about 60km south of Sarawak capital Kuching, has attracted local visitors since its picture was shared online earlier in March, drawing comments attempting to explain why it looks flabbergasted. \n\n\n\n\n\nNetizen Andria Wahyudi said: \u201cIt\u2019s your face when you are playing with friends as (a) child and suddenly your mom is calling you from far away.\u201d\n\u201cThat kerbau (buffalo in Malay) has seen things,\u201d speculated Bernadinus Gita Kusuma on Facebook. \u201cStuff no human can comprehend.\u201d\nAt least one enterprising local company has used it in an advertising campaign that shows a group of people in their car workshop uniforms, dancing alongside the stunned-looking buffalo.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nConfounded, but to a lesser degree than the buffalo, are local officials who are pleasantly taken aback by the newfound attention Serian has received thanks to the statue.\n\n\u201cYes, of course I am surprised why it is suddenly making headlines (in social media),\u201d Mr John Ilus, a Sarawak state assemblyman for Bukit Semuja under the Serian federal constituency, told The Borneo Post. \nHe added that it was an old statue that was recently repainted.\nThe statue has been in Taman Komuniti Serian,\u00a0a public park in the centre of the town, for many years, Serian Chinese Chamber of Commerce president Lai Chau Liong said, but had largely gone under the radar until its recent appearance on social media.\n\u201cI am amazed, but thanks to social media, the water buffalo statue is in the limelight and attracted onlookers. We never thought of the statue until now,\u201d he told Sarawakian news website Dayak Daily.\n\u201cIt is some sort of icon now, and Serian welcomes this as it could be a new landmark or tourist attraction and be good for the town.\u201d\n", "\nMr Lai added that the water buffalo, noted in folklore and fables for its industrious and persevering qualities, also symbolises the hard-working residents of Serian. \nHe credited the buffalo\u2019s unique expression to the unknown artist\u2019s \u201cinspiration\u201d.\nFor now, the sleepy town of Serian, previously known for its durians and larger-than-life statues of the king of fruits, has been put on the map by the dazed but indefatigable buffalo. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/town-in-sarawak-basks-in-limelight-of-buffalo-statue-that-went-viral-online-for-its-stunned-expression"}, {"title": "Treat all our guests fairly: Sin Chew Daily", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - On Wednesday noon, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced in a press conference at the prime minister\u2019s office after chairing the weekly cabinet meeting that all travellers arriving in the country would be subjected to the same anti-virus measures, including those arriving from China.\nAt least this has clearly responded to queries how the country is going to \u201cwelcome\u201d our visitors after China\u2019s announcement to lift travel restrictions on its nationals with effect from January 8. The entry of Chinese nationals has since become a heated topic among Malaysians of late.\nThe prime minister said all visitors are not required to undergo mandatory PCR tests, including the Chinese. However, he said they still have to abide by the SOPs to be set out by the health ministry.\n\n\n\n\n\nAt the same time, the government has planned to tighten SOPs for all visitors entering the country, but will not adopt a different set of criteria for any specific country.\nThe PM emphasized that Malaysians\u2019 health is always of utmost importance, far more than tourist revenue and economy. As such, he urged the public, including journalists, to go for their booster jabs given the relatively low booster vaccination rate at 49 per cent.\nThe health ministry has earlier announced that all visitors, including those arriving from China, would have to take temperature screening upon arrival in Malaysia. As for flights arriving from China, samples of sewage water would also be taken for PCR screening. Those with a history of travel to China or contact with individuals suffering from ILI and SARI in the last 14 days will have to undergo RTK-Ag tests.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWe believe the health ministry will not reverse its earlier proposals because temperature screening and taking sewage water samples can be done very easily, while it is absolutely necessary to do RTK-Ag tests on individuals who have come into contact with ILI and SARI patients recently.\n\nMany in this country have earlier hoped that the government would take cue from the measures implemented by countries like the US, France, Japan and Italy to impose mandatory negative PCR test requirement for travellers from China before they are allowed to enter the said countries.\nNevertheless, health experts from some countries said on Tuesday that such requirements and control measures targeted specifically at Chinese travellers are ineffective, as the XBB.1.5 Omicron subvariant currently transmitting rapidly in the United States poses much greater health risks.\nAccording to the CDC, the percentage of XBB.1.5 infections has jumped from 10 to 40 per cent since mid-December. In the UK, for instance, the biggest concern is the introduction of XBB.1.5 variant into the country from the US, not so much from the virus strains currently prevailing in China.\n\n\n\n\n\nTom Wenseleers, professor of evolutionary biology from Belgium, has urged health authorities worldwide to conduct random checks on arriving travellers instead of just Chinese travellers specifically.\nAs a matter of fact, the threat of BA.5.2 and BF.7, currently the most prevalent virus variants in China, has already been superseded globally by the XBB.1.5 subvariant.\nThe entry of Chinese travellers has become such a controversy because of the abrupt reopening from the seemingly uncompromising zero tolerance policy barely a month ago. The drastic policy reversal has put many in jitters.\nMoreover, there has always been a noticeable lack of transparency on the part of Beijing authorities in the total number of infections and fatalities during the past three years, hence the intense reactions from people in some countries.\nChina is the biggest trading nation and exporter of outbound tourists in this world. Although many countries remain sceptical and worried, they should view the reopening of China with cautious optimism and try not to arouse misunderstanding that they are unwelcome in their countries.\nAs such, we should laud the PM\u2019s approach in according equivalent treatment to all arriving visitors, including those from China, so long as they can prove to be not carrying the virus and conform to our SOPs.\nIt is our hope that the virus from China is not as dangerous as some Western epidemiologists have already deduced.\nWe used to host some three million Chinese tourists back in 2019, and such a massive group of foreign tourists is poised to remarkably help reinvigorate our sluggish tourist industry.\n\nThe paper is a member of The Straits Times media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 22 news media titles.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/treat-all-our-guests-fairly-sin-chew-daily"}, {"title": "Trial of ex-Malaysia PM Najib\u2019s wife for $2.2m money laundering and tax evasion case to start in May", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The graft trial of Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, involving RM7 million (S$2.2 million) in money laundering and tax evasion is scheduled for May next year.\nHigh Court judge Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan fixed the dates for the 15-day trial during case management on Thursday.\nThe trial will start on May 12 and runs through several dates in the months of June, July and August, with the last day on Sept 8.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe court also fixed Feb 20 for parties to update the decision of Rosmah\u2019s appeal at the Court of Appeal to recuse Justice Mohamed Zaini from presiding over the trial.\nDeputy Public Prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn appeared for the prosecution while Rosmah, 70, was represented by lawyer Geethan Ram Vincent.\nRosmah is facing 12 money laundering charges involving RM7,097,750 and five counts of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe offences were allegedly committed at Affin Bank\u2019s branch at Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur between Dec 4, 2013, and June 8, 2017, and at the Inland Revenue Board on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, also in Kuala Lumpur, between May 1, 2014, and May 1, 2018.\n\nRosmah\u2019s bid to recuse Justice Mohamed Zaini from hearing the case is currently at the Court of Appeal stage.\nIn her recusal applications, Rosmah, among others, claimed that there was a danger of Justice Mohamed Zaini being prejudiced and biased against her if he presided over the money laundering case, as he had presided over her solar hybrid graft trial related to rural schools in Sarawak.\nOn Sept 1, the same judge found Rosmah guilty of three charges of corruption related to the solar hybrid project worth RM1.25 billion for 369 rural schools in Sarawak, and sentenced her to 10 years in prison and a fine of RM970 million.\nRosmah is out on bail pending her appeal against the conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/trial-of-najib-s-wife-for-22mil-money-laundering-and-tax-evasion-case-starts-in-may"}, {"title": "Trouble in paradise: Artificial islands plan causing a stir in Penang ahead of state elections", "text": ["BAYAN LEPAS, Penang - Just 300m apart along an otherwise peaceful coastal road in the south of Penang sit the separate nerve centres for two opposing groups of fishermen \u2013 those for and those against plans to build a whopping 1,800ha of artificial islands right at their doorstep.   A few food stalls are usually the only signs of life on this road on normal days when the fishermen go out to sea, as they have done across the island in north-western Malaysia for hundreds of years."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/trouble-in-paradise-artificial-islands-plan-causing-a-stir-in-penang-ahead-of-state-elections"}, {"title": "Turkey summons Danish envoy over Quran burnings amid Afghanistan, Malaysia protests", "text": ["\nISTANBUL - Turkey summoned Denmark\u2019s ambassador on Friday to condemn Copenhagen for allowing a far-right extremist to burn Qurans over Ankara\u2019s refusal to let Sweden and Finland join Nato, as protests were held across the globe.\nAnti-Islam activist Rasmus Paludan, a Danish-Swedish dual national, first burnt a copy of the Muslim holy book near a mosque in the Danish capital and then a second copy outside the Turkish embassy.\nA decision by Swedish police to allow Mr Paludan to stage a similar protest in Stockholm prompted Turkey to postpone planned Nato accession talks with Sweden and Finland.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe US and French embassies in Ankara warned their citizens of an increased risk of reprisal attacks in Turkey.\n\u201cIn the wake of recent Quran-burning incidents in Europe, the US government cautions its citizens of possible retaliatory attacks by terrorists against places of worship in Turkey,\u201d said the US embassy.\n\u201cTerrorists could attack with little or no warning, targeting places of worship or places Westerners frequent,\u201d the embassy added, urging people to stay alert and avoid crowds.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe French embassy sent an email telling its citizens in Turkey to be \u201chighly vigilant\u201d and underlined the US warnings.\n\nA Turkish diplomatic source said the Danish ambassador was summoned to protest against his country\u2019s \u201cunacceptable\u201d attitude towards Mr Paludan\u2019s actions.\n\u201cWe strongly condemn the decision to grant permission for this provocative act, which clearly constitutes a hate crime,\u201d the Turkish diplomatic source told reporters.\n\u2018Open democracy\u2019\nDanish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen confirmed the envoy had been summoned. He said Copenhagen enjoyed \u201cgood relations with Ankara \u2013 and this doesn\u2019t change that\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOur job is to explain to Turkey the conditions that prevail in Denmark with our open democracy, and make them understand that there is a difference between Denmark as a country \u2013 our people as a whole \u2013 and individuals who hold a wide range of views,\u201d he said.\nMr Paludan vowed on Friday to stage weekly actions involving the Quran until Turkey approves Sweden and Finland\u2019s Nato membership.\nSwedish leaders have strongly condemned Mr Paludan\u2019s action but defended their country\u2019s broad acceptance of free speech.\nFinland\u2019s Foreign Minister hinted that Russia may have been involved in the Quran-burning protest.\nMr\u00a0Paludan\u2019s potential ties to Russia have \u201cbeen investigated and certain connections in his vicinity have been found\u201d, Mr Pekka Haavisto said in a television interview on Saturday, stopping short of confirming Russian involvement.\u00a0\nIt \u201craises the question of whether some third party is seeking to stir the pot \u2013 for example Russia \u2013 or some other party opposing the Nato membership and looking to provoke to achieve that. This is unforgivable\u201d, he added.\nThousands in Afghanistan held protests in capital Kabul on Friday to express anger at the burning of the Quran in Sweden on January 21.\n", "\nEarlier in the week, the Taliban-run Afghan foreign ministry had called on the Swedish government to punish the individual and to prevent any similar incidents taking place.\nIn Kuala Lumpur, hundreds of people marched to the Swedish embassy after Friday prayers in protest of the same act in Sweden. The protestors were mostly PAS members and led by leaders from the Malaysian political party and its Perikatan Nasional coalition partner, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.\nThey gathered at the KLCC mosque and marched to the Swedish embassy about five minutes away in Hampshire Park.\nLast Monday, the Malaysian government demanded Sweden take stern action against the perpetrators and also address the alarming rise of Islamophobia in the country.\n", "\nIn 2022, Finland and Sweden broke with decades of military non-alignment and applied to join Nato in response to Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.\nBids to join Nato must be approved by all 30 members of the alliance. Turkey and Hungary are the only members that have yet to ratify the two applications by votes in Parliament. Hungary\u2019s Parliament is expected to ratify the two bids in February. AFP\n", "\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/turkey-summons-danish-envoy-over-quran-burnings-amid-afghanistan-malaysia-protests"}, {"title": "Two Malaysian men left broke, stranded in JB after falling for scam offering jobs in Singapore", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 Mr K. Vishnu, 23, from Negeri Sembilan, and Selangor-born B. Gopi, 22, left their respective home towns in Malaysia with less than RM200 (S$58) in their pockets, thinking that they would land jobs in Singapore.\nTheir hopes were dashed when they fell victim to a job scam. The duo are now working as security guards in Johor Bahru.\nMr Vishnu said he and his friend came across a job offer on social media and called the number listed in the post.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe person claimed to be an agent and told us that he had been helping locals get jobs across the Causeway. He said there were jobs in Singapore\u2019s hotel industry waiting for us with a monthly salary of $1,700.\n\u201cThe agent then told us to come down to Johor Bahru for an interview, which was just a formality as the jobs were ours,\u201d he said, adding that they left their home towns at the end of April.\n\u201cHe then asked us to pay him RM300 as part of a processing fee, but I told him that we would make the payments to  him  personally.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs the man had assured them of jobs in Singapore, Mr Vishnu said they decided to board a bus for the southward journey to Johor Bahru.\n\nWhen they arrived at the Larkin Sentral bus terminal, calls to the \u201cagent\u201d went unanswered.\n\u201cAt one point, I even borrowed a phone from a stranger at the bus terminal and got through to him. But he immediately cut off the line once he realised it was me calling,\u201d Mr Vishnu said, adding that they have yet to file a police report.\nMr Vishnu, who is an orphan, said he and his friend were forced to stay along the corridors of the bus terminal for about two days as they had no money and nowhere to go.\n\u201cWe had enough only for food. By the third day, we could not even afford food, let alone money for bus tickets to go back to our home towns.\n\u201cLuckily, we found an NGO (non-governmental organisation) that could help us out,\u201d he said. \nHe added that they have learnt from their mistakes, and urged others to be careful when they come across offers on social media.\nYayasan Kebajikan Suria Johor Bahru founder James Ho said the organisation later helped the two friends register at Anjung Singgah, a halfway home for the homeless.\n\u201cWe helped them by finding them jobs as security guards. They moved out of the home after living there for 21 days and are now renting rooms in town,\u201d Mr Ho said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/two-malaysian-men-left-broke-stranded-in-jb-after-falling-for-scam-offering-job-in-singapore"}, {"title": "Two men, including son of Malaysia opposition leader Hamzah, charged with offences linked to cooking oil", "text": ["\nSEREMBAN - Two men, including the son of a former Malaysian home minister, claimed trial at a court to nine charges related to the sale and storage of government subsidised cooking oil, a controlled item in the country.\nFaisal Hamzah, 39, the son of opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, and Azizul Abdul Halim, 55, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them before Judge Mazni Nawi in a Seremban court.\nThe duo, were former directors of Rimba Merpati, a licensed wholesaler for subsidised cooking oil, were first individually charged with violating the Control of Supplies Regulations for having more than the permitted 50 tonnes of the controlled commodity in their business premises.\n\n\n\n\n\nAs directors, they had committed an offence that was punishable under the Control of Supplies Act.\nIf found guilty, they face a fine of up to RM1 million (S$301,900) and a jail term of up to three years.\nMalaysia faced shortages in cooking oil last year, forcing the authorities to place varying subsidies on the commodity to help control soaring prices amid the rising cost of living.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFaisal\u2019s father, Datuk Seri Hamzah, is the secretary-general of opposition party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, and had previously served as domestic trade, cooperatives and consumerism minister before being made home minister in the previous administration.\n\nThe oil was allegedly found at their premises at an industrial area in Senawang, Negeri Sembilan, around 11.15pm on Aug 11, 2022.\nRimba Merpati, as a company, was also separately charged with the same offence and the duo, who represented it, again pleaded not guilty.\nBoth Faisal and Azizul were also charged with providing false information, documents and invoices regarding the amount of subsidised cooking oil they had in their possession and the sale of the commodity to two retailers.\nThe judge presiding over the case granted bail of RM40,000 for each of the accused. The case was adjourned until June 7. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/two-men-including-son-of-malaysia-opposition-leader-hamzah-charged-with-offences-linked-to-cooking-oil"}, {"title": "2m-long crocodile found on Sarawak beach", "text": ["\nLocals in a small Sarawak village were shocked to find a 2m-long crocodile tangled up in a fishing net on Friday.\nThe reptile was found on a beach at Kampung Sungai Cina in Lundu district, about 52km from the state capital of Kuching.\n\nSarawak Fire and Rescue Department said they received a call at 8.30am on Friday requesting their help to catch the crocodile.\n\n\n\n\n\nA team of seven officers was despatched to the area.\n\u201cUpon arriving, we saw the crocodile was tangled up in a fishing net on the beach,\u201d said operations commander Abdul Rahman Sabi.\nAfter the team quickly secured the reptile\u2019s jaw with a rope and cut up the net, the crocodile was sent to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in nearby Matang. The entire operation lasted two hours.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn social media, people were commenting on the size of the animal and commended the department for its work.\n\n\n\u201cCongratulations to the fireman for handling the task (well) to prevent bad things from happening,\u201d wrote Mr Hairmie Arabi on Facebook.\nAnother Facebook user Mr James Ong said: \u201cWow, nowadays it may not be safe to swim (on the beach). Guess the sea belongs to the crocs, jelly fishes and sharks.\u201d  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/two-metre-long-crocodile-found-on-sarawak-beach"}, {"title": "Anwar Ibrahim to be sworn in as Malaysia\u2019s PM at 5pm as PN warms to unity govt", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Pakatan Harapan (PH) chief Anwar Ibrahim will be sworn in as Malaysia\u2019s new prime minister on Thursday evening, as a slew of parties including Umno agreed to the proposal by Malaysia\u2019s King to form a unity government. \nDatuk Seri Anwar will be sworn in as the country\u2019s 10th prime minister, according to a statement from the palace. \nThis comes as even PH\u2019s main rival for power, Perikatan Nasional (PN), said it would now consider the formation of such an administration, backpedalling from chairman Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s outright rejection on Tuesday.     \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe meeting agreed to weigh up the suggestion of a unity government that involves discussions with like-minded parties for the sake of the public and national stability,\u201d secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said after the coalition met on Thursday.      \nThe positive response to a unity government came after a special meeting of the Malay rulers where Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah began conferring with the nation\u2019s nine state monarchs to find a way out of the political imbroglio after Saturday\u2019s election did not produce a clear winner who could form the next government.      \nThe decision of Umno\u2019s supreme council, after a four-hour meeting on Wednesday night, has yet to be endorsed by the wider Barisan Nasional (BN) that the party leads, as well as the coalition\u2019s 30 MPs.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah, one of the five BN allies, said that while the pact has not endorsed the position, \u201cwe will need to reconsider our position so that our country can form a stable government\u201d, according to its deputy president Joseph Kurup.\n\n\u201cThe supreme council unanimously decided to uphold the King\u2019s decree for BN to support and participate in a unity government not led by Perikatan Nasional to ensure a stable and prosperous administration can be formed,\u201d Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said in a statement on Thursday.\nPN chief Yassin, along with his PH counterpart, Mr Anwar, had audiences with the King on Tuesday where he surfaced the possibility of a unity government. \nAlthough it was \u201cwell received\u201d by Parti Keadilan Rakyat president Anwar, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Muhyiddin refused to participate in a joint administration with his fierce rivals in PH, claiming that he had the backing of 115 out of Parliament\u2019s 222 members.\n\n\n\n\n\nBut on Thursday afternoon, even Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, which has six MPs and is led by Bersatu\u2019s chapter in the eastern state, said it would back a unity government.\nExplaining Umno\u2019s decision, supreme council member Puad Zarkashi said that \u201cmany reporters asked PH or PN. The answer is simple. PN rejected the unity government\u201d.\nThe council also gave its full backing for president Zahid Hamidi to continue leading BN. He has come under fire from allies for pledging BN\u2019s 30 MPs to Mr Anwar on Tuesday despite the coalition deciding to remain neutral.\nA letter signed off by leaders of all three BN allies, seen by The Straits Times, calls on Zahid to relinquish the chairmanship, and for disciplinary action to be taken if the former deputy premier refuses.\nA new government is yet to be formed in Malaysia, five days after a general election threw up its first-ever hung Parliament. But Thursday\u2019s developments now put Mr Anwar in the driver\u2019s seat. ST has learnt that the front runners to be his deputy are Umno No. 2 Mohamad Hasan, with another likely to come from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).\nA crushing defeat for the once-dominant BN posited both Mr Anwar and Tan Sri Muhyiddin as the front runners to become prime minister, with their parties leading blocs of 82 and 79 MPs respectively.\nMr Muhyiddin\u2019s ally, Parti Islam SeMalaysia president Hadi Awang, insisted on Thursday morning that PN was \u201cstill in the lead\u201d and called on supporters to \u201cstay calm, we are working it out\u201d.\n", "\nHowever, there are indications of more upheavals. ST has learnt that GPS, which previously pledged its 23 MPs to Mr Muhyiddin, is set to meet at 4pm to confirm that it will abide by the King\u2019s wish for a unity government.\nThis comes after the Democratic Action Party (DAP) reached out for peace talks with Sarawak\u2019s ruling coalition. Secretary-general Anthony Loke said he met the eastern state\u2019s premier Abang Johari Openg \u2013 whose GPS has repeatedly refused to work with PH, especially DAP \u2013 on Friday morning.\n\u201cI informed the Premier that if there has been any statement by any DAP leader that has hurt the government or people of Sarawak, on behalf of DAP, I openly apologise,\u201d he said after the meeting in state capital Kuching, which was also attended by Sarawak Deputy Premier Sim Kui Hian.\n\u201cI hope this meeting will pave the way to build an understanding and cooperation for the sake of a more developed and progressive Malaysia.\u201d\nDAP chairman Lim Guan Eng, under whose tenure as finance minister relations with GPS further soured, also apologised for his \u201cremarks that may have offended the Sarawak Premier and the GPS Sarawak state government\u201d.\n\u201cLet us make a fresh start to cooperate together to preserve the diversity, inclusiveness and unity of our multiracial and multi-cultural society as well as protect our Federal Constitution for the benefit of all in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-agrees-to-unity-govt-not-led-by-perikatan-nasional"}, {"title": "Umno assembly: Leaders call for party to embrace allies in Anwar government amid unease", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno\u2019s top leaders have called for the once-mighty party to embrace its former foes in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s unity government amid growing tensions within the ruling alliance ahead of upcoming elections in six states.\nUmno chief Zahid Hamidi admitted on Wednesday that the party was no longer the dominant force in Malaysian politics, and urged members to embrace their role in an administration consisting of strange bedfellows. \nDeputy president Mohamad Hasan also warned that joining the unity government despite the party recording its worst electoral result at 2022\u2019s general election could be Umno\u2019s last chance at redemption.\n\n\n\n\n\nUmno ruled Malaysia for six decades after independence but the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition it leads suffered a shock defeat in the 2018 election. Hopes of a swift return to the top were crushed last November after it won just 26 of the 222 parliamentary seats on offer, with its allies in BN adding a paltry four.\nThe heads of Umno\u2019s youth, women\u2019s and young women\u2019s wings opened their respective meetings on Thursday with attempts to address unease among the rank and file over political cooperation with Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, especially with the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP), which has for decades been Umno\u2019s go-to bogeyman. \n\u201cWe demand DAP ensure that all their insults, anti-Malay, anti-Islam, racist and communist-centric statements will not happen in the unity government,\u201d youth chief Akmal Saleh, a member of Melaka\u2019s state Cabinet,\u00a0said in his policy speech on Thursday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf, when forming the unity government, you can fly to Sarawak to meet Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders to apologise, you can apologise to Umno,\u201d he added, referring to DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke\u2019s olive branch to the eastern state\u2019s ruling pact after November\u2019s election resulted in Malaysia\u2019s first hung Parliament.\n\nIt was a crucial gesture towards PH, the Umno-led BN, GPS and a host of local Sabah parties setting aside past grievances to govern together and end Mr Anwar\u2019s 24-year quest to take power after being sacked from Umno and the deputy premiership in 1998.\nDr Akmal explained that the grassroots feared Umno would no longer be able to speak out on Malay and Islamic issues, as \u201cit must abide by and obey DAP\u2019s direction\u201d.  \nSince April, several Umno leaders, including those in its top decision-making body, the Supreme Council, have been critical of the DAP as well as PH figures such as Economic Minister Rafizi Ramli, deputy president of Mr Anwar\u2019s Parti Keadilan Rakyat.\n\n\n\n\n\nYoung women\u2019s wing chief Nurul Amal Fauzi admitted in her policy speech on Thursday: \u201cWe needed time to digest and understand what is the wisdom of our existence in the unity government. Is this the best for us, the struggle of the party and the people?\n\u201cLike it or not, willing or forced, we must accept the political dynamics.\u201d\nWomen\u2019s chief Noraini Ahmad acknowledged the difficulty in working with other parties in the ruling alliance, as they have \u201clong been at odds\u201d.\n\u201cWe never imagined we would establish cooperation with our political opponents. The reality today is that there are no more friends or foes, only allies or opponents,\u201d she said.\nThe Supreme Council is set to meet on Thursday night to review the sentiment and resolutions from the three wings ahead of the main assembly on Friday and Saturday.\n", "\nStill, Umno president Zahid, who is also Malaysia\u2019s deputy premier, is unlikely to move away from his strong embrace of Mr Anwar\u2019s leadership. On Thursday afternoon, he dismissed out of hand his youth chief\u2019s call for a DAP apology.\n\u201cWe lost twice \u2013 in the 14th and 15th general elections. We must rise again. We must rectify our weaknesses,\u201d he said on Wednesday, after briefing delegates ahead of the start of the annual general assembly.\nWhen jointly officiating meetings of the three wings on Wednesday night, deputy president Mohamad repeated Datuk Seri Zahid\u2019s exhortation that Umno must accept the reality that it is no longer the main bastion for the Malay Muslim majority, having taken just 23 per cent of the vote and 11 per cent of parliamentary seats in November.\nFormer prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin\u2019s Malay-dominated Perikatan Nasional (PN) is seeking to take advantage of the unease between PH and Umno and make gains at the state elections in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah due by August, which could undermine the stability of the Anwar administration.\nIn what appeared to also be a veiled warning against those wanting to ally with opposition coalition PN, Datuk Seri Mohamad, who is also the defence minister, said: \u201cImagine the implications for Umno if we waste this opportunity, if we do not perform, if we become a problem for the unity government. If we fail to make this government a success, who will believe in Umno after this?\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-assembly-leaders-call-for-party-to-embrace-allies-in-anwar-government-amid-unease"}, {"title": "Umno assembly to set direction after party\u2019s dismal showing at Malaysia polls", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno\u2019s general assembly this week will be a closely watched affair following its worst-ever general election performance in November, with its leadership seeking to close ranks.\nBesides pushing for a constitutional amendment to deter party hopping by elected representatives, Umno president Zahid Hamidi is likely to call for party unity and rally support for his controversial decision to back his nemesis Anwar Ibrahim as premier.\nBut the question for the more than three million members of Malaysia\u2019s largest and oldest party is not so much whether they should \u201crestore unity\u201d after more than four years of damaging internal conflict, but under whose leadership and which direction. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe party\u2019s annual congress from Wednesday to Saturday, held after a delay since 2022, comes ahead of leadership polls that must be held by May. \nIn approval surveys during the 2022 election campaign, Zahid \u2013 who is facing dozens of graft charges \u2013 was often the least popular of several prime ministerial candidates that included Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who was then prime minister.\nThe initial chorus for Zahid to step down and take the blame for Umno winning just 26 out of Parliament\u2019s 222 seats went silent after the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition it leads joined the so-called unity government led by Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH).\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe move confounded many political observers, as Umno has vilified Mr Anwar and his allies for the past 15 years as being anti-Malay and anti-Islam \u2013 the majority ethnic group and religion the party claims to represent.\n\nBut the move allowed Umno to stay relevant as a governing power and Zahid to become deputy prime minister, despite BN\u2019s decimation at the polls. The Umno meeting this week will offer the first glimpse of whether the top 5,000 delegates nationwide believe this comity with PH is able to stem Umno\u2019s decline.  \n\u201cWe have been thrashed in the last election,\u201d Zahid said on Monday in a televised interview. \u201cNow we must have self-criticism, not just pointing fingers at one person. Many are responsible. What happened was the heavy cost from the lack of collective unity in spirit and thinking.\u201d\nWhether the grassroots agree that the party president is not solely to blame will be crucial for the fortunes of Zahid\u2019s camp \u2013 which was the key proponent for joining PH and other parties from East Malaysia in government \u2013 and, by extension, the fate of the Anwar administration. Another faction had preferred the more Malay Muslim-based coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) \u2013 whose 74 MPs are the only ones now left in the opposition \u2013 that Umno had worked with in government since 2020.\n\n\n\n\n\nBowerGroupAsia political analyst Adib Zalkapli told The Straits Times: \u201cUmno is at the stage of managing the biggest change in the party\u2019s history. It could even be the start of a permanent relationship with PH, which would be credited to Zahid, whether or not it arrests the party\u2019s long, slow decline.\u201d\nZahid has been party president since taking over in 2018 from Najib Razak after Umno lost power for the first time in Malaysia\u2019s six-decade history. The party returned to government in 2020 under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin after his Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia defected from the PH administration.\nAt a time of heightened infighting between Zahid\u2019s camp, which wanted to call early national elections, and those who wanted to remain in power until the end of the five-year parliamentary term, Umno in May 2022 amended its Constitution to allow triennial leadership polls to be postponed by up to six months after a general election.\nThis ensured that Zahid would not be ousted until after a reconfiguration of Malaysia\u2019s political landscape, which critics alleged was a cunning move to influence court cases faced by Zahid and others in his faction. Since the election, two former Umno MPs have been acquitted of corruption.\n", "\nTalk of a no-contest motion for the top two party positions appears to have fizzled out, with information chief Isham Jalil pointing out that only an amendment to the party Constitution can prevent a challenge to Zahid and his deputy, Mr Mohamad Hasan. No such resolution is on the agenda for the general assembly.\n\u201cI feel the power to decide the leadership lies in the hands of our nearly 160,000 representatives nationwide,\u201d Zahid said last Thursday, referring to the number of delegates from branches that will be able to vote for both divisional and national leaders.\nSome Umno veterans, such as Johor Umno deputy chief Nur Jazlan Mohamed, have warned that all four presidential contests in the party\u2019s 70-year history have led to worsening rifts in the party.\nDatuk Nur Jazlan said last week: \u201cUmno cannot afford to suffer another big split because that would hasten its demise.\u201d\nBut analysts believe the question of unity is only one half of the equation, and if there is no change of guard, then the existing leadership must articulate how the party will reverse its fortunes. \nMr Tan Seng Keat, research manager at opinion pollster Merdeka Center, told ST: \u201cUmno is in need of soul-searching and reforms after its worst-ever election result. It also needs a new internal narrative now that it has joined hands with PH. \n\u201cIt needs to showcase its leadership\u2019s ability to be nation builders to regain the faith of both the public and its core base, or see the Malay majority continue to slide towards PN.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-assembly-to-set-direction-after-party-s-dismal-showing-at-malaysia-polls"}, {"title": "Umno bigwigs eye three vice-president posts as internal elections begin", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - The Umno party elections to pick its new office-bearers involving 22,000 branches and 191 divisions across Malaysia have begun in stages and will go on until March 18, with all eyes on the crowded vice-presidency race.\nThe three vice-president posts will be the highest up for grabs after a \u201cno contest\u201d motion for the top two posts \u2013 the president and deputy president \u2013 was passed at its annual general assembly last month, meaning Zahid Hamidi and his No. 2 Mohamad Hasan can stay in their posts.\nUmno election committee chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad said those interested in the vice-presidency can file their papers on March 3.\n\n\n\n\n\nParty vice-president Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin has confirmed that he will defend his post while his counterpart and former minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid has remained tight-lipped.\nUmno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob might not defend his post in the coming party polls.\nThe former prime minister and Bera MP said he is considering making way for the younger generation of leaders, Malaysian daily Sinar Harian reported on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf there are new faces who are ready to bring back Umno\u2019s strength, I\u2019m ready to give way for them. I want to see the list of candidates, manifestos, and reforms to the party. If someone can bring something better than what I have, I\u2019m ready to give them a chance,\u201d he was quoted as saying.\n\nSeveral other Umno bigwigs are expected to join Mr Khaled in the race \u2013 they include Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir and Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, all ministers in the current federal government, and Titiwangsa MP Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.\nOthers said to be eyeing the party\u2019s third-ranked posts are former Johor chief minister Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad and Sabah Umno liaison chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.\nThe annual delegates meeting and contest for the Wanita, Youth and Puteri wings at the branch level are taking place for 26 days from Feb 1 to 26.\n\n\n\n\n\nThis will be followed by the elections for the three wings, which will be held simultaneously on March 11.\nPolls for the Umno supreme council members (25 positions) at the division level will take place simultaneously on March 18 nationwide.\nTalk is rife that there is a movement within the women\u2019s wing Wanita to bring back its former head Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil to compete for its top post. Dr Noraini Ahmad, a minister during the previous Ismail Sabri administration, is the incumbent chief.\nMeanwhile, Umno supreme council member Datuk Armand Azha Abu Hanifah has expressed interest in going for the Umno Youth chief post.\nIncumbent Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said during the party\u2019s general assembly last month that he will not defend his post.\nFormer Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak\u2019s son, Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin, has offered to contest the deputy youth chief post.\n", "\nInternational Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Aziz has announced that he will enter the fray for a spot on the supreme council.\nLast week, the former banker was reportedly appointed a Kota Raja division committee member amid growing speculation that Umno will field him as its candidate there for the Selangor state election due this year.\nUmno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan reiterated that the passing of a no-contest motion for the top two posts during the recent 2022 Umno general assembly did not breach the party\u2019s constitution or rules.\n\u201cEverything went smoothly. About 90 per cent of the delegates agreed that the president and deputy president posts would not be contested.\n\u201cThere have been many times in Umno\u2019s 77-year history that the positions have not been contested,\u201d he said in an online post.\nHowever, Terengganu Umno member Aizat Fikri Nasir, who lodged a report with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) over the no-contest motion, disputed Datuk Seri Ahmad\u2019s statement, saying that he had received a letter from the ROS dated Jan 26 stating that it was still in the midst of checking and investigating his complaint.\nHe urged the party secretary-general not to jump the gun but to allow the ROS to complete its probe.\n\u201cTo me, the issue is far from over, and I hope that truth will prevail,\u201d said Mr Aizat Fikri. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-bigwigs-eye-three-vice-president-posts-as-internal-elections-begin"}, {"title": "Umno chief Zahid returns to power as DPM in Anwar\u2019s Cabinet despite calls for his resignation", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Despite facing dozens of corruption charges and calls for him to be removed as party president, beleaguered Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) chief Zahid Hamidi has managed to find his way back to power, after being appointed as Malaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister on Friday by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.  It was just over a week ago that Zahid\u2019s days at the helm of Umno and BN looked numbered. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-chief-zahid-returns-to-power-as-dpm-in-anwar-s-cabinet-despite-calls-for-his-resignation"}, {"title": "Party chief Zahid takes aim at Umno rivals as it deliberates on no contest for top posts", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno president Zahid Hamidi on Friday took aim at his party rivals while indicating that he was open to facing a  challenge at this year\u2019s party polls, even as the party\u2019s general assembly began discussing a motion to prevent contests for the top two posts.\nWithout mentioning names, Zahid \u2013 who is also Deputy Prime Minister  \u2013 ostensibly took aim at former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and former defence minister Hishamuddin Hussein while addressing more than 5,000 party delegates at the annual assembly. \nMr Khairy and Datuk Seri Hishamuddin belong to a camp within the deeply divided party that is expected to mount a leadership challenge against Zahid during the party elections due by May 19. Both of them have expressed interest in contesting the polls, while not explicitly announcing their intentions to challenge Zahid.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn his speech on Friday, Zahid called out a \u201ctortoise\u201d that is only beginning to emerge from its shell \u2013 in a swipe seemingly directed at Mr Khairy over his perceived lack of activity within party circles after he lost his 2018 party presidency bid to Zahid. \nThe Umno chief also referred to a group of 10 lawmakers from Umno-led Barisan Nasional who had backed rival Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief Muhyiddin Yassin to become premier after the November general election resulted in a hung Parliament \u2013 without gaining the party\u2019s collective consent to do so.\n\u201cIt is disheartening that this was all arranged by someone from our own party,\u201d Zahid said, in indirect reference to Mr Hishamuddin\u2019s role as the key mover in the plan. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nZahid said he had \u201cforgiven but not forgotten\u201d the actions of the 10 MPs, and also warned that action might still be taken against them if the disciplinary board of the party gets the mandate to take action from delegates at the four-day assembly which ends on Saturday. \n\nZahid had already sacked or suspended at least three key leaders from the camp opposed to him before and after the general election for not toeing party lines. \nFormer premier Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is Umno vice-president, is also seen as aligned to the camp. On Friday, Zahid said that the party \u201chad paid a heavy price\u201d for its role in helping to install Datuk Seri Ismail as premier in 2021, after his predecessor Mr Muhyiddin lost the parliamentary majority, but he did not go into details.\nZahid also indicated that he is open to facing a contest for the party president\u2019s post, but said he would respect the Umno delegates\u2019 deliberation on the matter. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Khairy lost his contest for the Sungai Buloh ward in GE15 and currently holds no party positions. Mr Hishamuddin, who is the cousin of former premier Najib Razak, is MP for Sembrong in Johor but also does not hold any top positions in the party.\nMr Hishamuddin said on Friday that he is considering a bid for the top posts should the assembly resolve to allow contests for the positions of party president and deputy president. \nEven though Umno\u2019s top leadership did not propose a no-contest motion, Rembau division delegate Mohd Shukri Samsudin put forth such a motion as he began debates on Zahid\u2019s policy speech on Friday afternoon. \nUmno information chief Isham Jalil told reporters that the motion has so far been supported by delegates from Terengganu, Penang and Selangor states, along with the women\u2019s wing.\nThe delegates will vote on the private motion before the assembly ends on Saturday evening.\n", "\nFollowing the general election, Umno was in limbo for days while trying to decide whether to back Mr Muhyiddin or Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to become premier as no party had a simple majority in Parliament. \nAt Zahid\u2019s nudging, the party eventually decided to back Mr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, despite having spent years demonising him and PH component Democratic Action Party as their chief political enemies. \nMr Hishamuddin and several leaders from his camp are seen to be friendlier to Mr Muhyiddin\u2019s PN, having teamed up with them to form a government between 2020 and 2022. \nOn Friday, Zahid took aim at PN for trying to engineer \u201csecret deals\u201d with Umno leaders, and said that PN could soon have a \u201ccourt cluster\u201d of its own. \nThe Umno camp led by Zahid is often referred to as the \u201ccourt cluster\u201d by critics as many of its leaders have been slapped with criminal charges after BN lost the 2018 elections. Zahid himself faces 47 graft charges. \nLast week, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission arrested a PN politician with links to Mr Muhyiddin for alleged graft related to RM92.5 billion (S$28.2 billion) of public funds, and Zahid theorised that this \u201ccould only be the beginning\u201d. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-chief-zahid-takes-aim-at-party-rivals-as-umno-deliberates-on-no-contest-for-top-posts"}, {"title": "Umno deputy chief calls for new Malay agenda after GE15 drubbing", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan on Wednesday urged Malaysia\u2019s longest ruling party to review its Malay-centric agenda, as delegates assembled for the party\u2019s first meeting since its poor showing in the 15th general election in November 2022. \nDatuk Seri Mohamad, who is Defence Minister in the current government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, said the grand old party has to change its approach towards the Malay electorate and also its way of opposing other parties\u2019 ideologies, as he attempted to rationalise Umno\u2019s working relationship with its new government partner Democratic Action Party (DAP), which Umno had demonised for decades. \n\u201cThe factor that motivates Malays to support or reject us is not our stand regarding DAP,\u201d Mr Mohamad said, pointing out that Umno\u2019s support has been on the decline for the past four elections even though the party had consistently criticised the Chinese-dominated DAP. \n\n\n\n\n\nUmno won only 26 seats in the last election, but joined its long-time rival Pakatan Harapan (PH) to form a government after the polls resulted in a hung Parliament. For years, Umno\u2019s assemblies had echoed the chant of \u201cno Anwar, no DAP\u201d, referring to Datuk Seri Anwar, PH chief and now Premier. \nMr Mohamad reiterated that Umno has not formally joined PH but said that working with PH, instead of former partner Perikatan Nasional (PN), was more palatable to Umno\u2019s own positioning among the Malay electorate and also due to its current government partners not \u201cpretending\u201d with it. \nHe said that working with PH enables Umno to become the strongest political representative for Malays within the government, instead of being drowned out as the third-largest Malay party were it to be in a government with PN, led by former premier Muhyiddin Yassin. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nBoth PN and PH \u2013 the two biggest blocs \u2013 had raced to secure Umno\u2019s backing to enable them to form a government after the November polls. PN is mainly comprised of Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), both Malay-Muslim parties that defeated Umno in many of its strongholds. \n\nMr Mohamad said that PN\u2019s mission was to \u201cbury\u201d Umno, and being partners with the predominantly Malay-Muslim coalition would further diminish its share of political capital in the country. \nUmno, along with the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition that it leads, had been the ruling party of Malaysia for 61 years until its 2018 election defeat to PH \u2013 which then had counted Bersatu as one of its members. \nBut it had been in the opposition for only a brief 22 months. It returned to power by joining hands with a newly formed PN after Bersatu\u2019s mass defection forced the collapse of the PH government mid-term in 2020, before opting to contest independently as BN in the last election, where it won only 30 seats \u2013 the poorest performance in its history. \nThe Umno grassroots\u2019 acceptance of the party decision to back PH will likely be tested further over the next few days as thousands of delegates meet for the first time since the general election at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, with much of the focus being on party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was one of the chief engineers of the cooperation with PH. \nUmno\u2019s four-day assembly runs from Wednesday to Saturday \u2013 and it will also set the dates for a party leadership election that must be held by May 19. Zahid, who is facing multiple graft charges in Malaysian courts and is Deputy Prime Minister in the current administration, is expected to face a leadership challenge in the party polls, which could have a direct impact on Mr Anwar\u2019s government. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-deputy-chief-calls-for-new-malay-agenda-after-ge15-drubbing"}, {"title": "Umno hails Malaysia govt\u2019s move to form RCI to probe memoir by ex-A-G Thomas", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno president Zahid Hamidi welcomed the Malaysian government\u2019s decision to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to probe a controversial memoir by ex-attorney general Tommy Thomas, with the book a regular subject of attacks by the Malay party. \nZahid - who is Deputy Prime Minister in the Anwar Ibrahim administration - said Umno leader and the Cabinet minister in charge of law and institutional reform, Azalina Othman Said, must be at the forefront in the RCI\u2019s work.\n\u201cAll information, documents and secret agendas must be uncovered. Aza (Datuk Seri Azalina), this is your responsibility.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf you fail, Umno will fail. If you succeed, the party rewards you,\u201d Zahid told 5,000 delegates at the opening of the Umno general assembly on Friday.\nMs Azalina had said on Wednesday that the new administration has agreed to establish the RCI to probe allegations in Tan Sri Thomas\u2019 memoir, My Story: Justice in The Wilderness.\nShe said the government\u2019s decision followed recommendations made by a special task force started by the previous government, led by premier Ismail Sabri Yakcob, that had looked into Mr Thomas\u2019 memoir\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe book is being probed for elements of incitement, sedition and defamation.  Its release on Jan 30, 2021, triggered a political uproar particularly from Umno, with at least 244 police reports lodged against Mr Thomas. \n\nThe ex-A-G, on his part, has said he was suing the previous administration for setting up the task force, alleging that it was unlawful and illegal as the task force\u2019s members were not appointed under the authority of any written law.\nHe has said that the task force was unlike a RCI whose members would be appointed by the Malaysian King and its process transparent and open. He also said the task force has no power to order a probe into possible offences.\nMr Thomas was appointed as A-G in June 2018, shortly after the Pakatan Harapan coalition came to power in the general election. He was the first non-Malay and non-Muslim A-G and held the position till the PH government collapsed in February 2020.\nThe book recounted how Mr Thomas\u2019 appointment, as well as those of former PH finance minister Lim Guan Eng and Tan Sri Richard Malanjum as the first non-Muslim Chief Justice, drew fire for placing non-Malays and non-Muslims in senior government posts..\nMr Thomas alleged in the book that the civil service \u2013 more than three-quarters of which comprise Malays \u2013 was incompetent and lacking in commitment. \nHe also questioned the discretionary powers of the King, who is revered as the guardian of Malay and Islamic interests.  \nThe task force was formed by Datuk Seri Ismail to examine whether the publication had violated any laws or rules applicable to the A-G\u2019s office, and to determine whether it had disclosed potential abuse of power by the author, breach of professional ethics or conduct by him. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-hails-malaysia-govt-s-move-to-form-rci-to-probe-memoir-by-ex-a-g-thomas"}, {"title": "Umno harps on pardon for Najib in bid to clean up party\u2019s image: Analysts", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Umno\u2019s repeated pleas for a royal pardon for jailed former premier Najib Razak are a tactic to absolve the party whose image has been tainted by corruption, while diverting attention from its leadership flaws and waning support among Malay-Muslim voters, say analysts.Last Friday,  during the party\u2019s general assembly, Umno president Zahid Hamidi called for Najib\u2019s release from prison. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-harps-on-pardon-for-najib-in-bid-to-clean-up-party-s-image-analysts"}, {"title": "Umno president Zahid defends working with long-time Malaysian political foe PH", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno president Zahid Hamidi has defended his decision to cooperate with its long-time political enemy, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, saying the move will not sideline Umno\u2019s principles of championing the rights of Malays and Islam in Malaysia.\nHe said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that the cooperation was also based on a decree by the Malaysian King for the formation of a unity government.\nZahid\u2019s decision to support PH, instead of the rival Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, helped PH leader Anwar Ibrahim secure control of the 222-seat Malaysian Parliament. Datuk Seri Anwar was sworn in as Malaysia\u2019s 10th Prime Minister last Thursday.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe three main coalitions in the so-called unity government has 135 seats altogether: PH with 82, BN with 30 and Gabungan Parti Sarawak\u2019s 23. This is well beyond the minimum 112 seats needed to form the government. \nOther smaller coalitions and parties have since decided to support the PH-led government, with PM Anwar saying he now has behind him two-thirds of the House, or 148 seats.  \nZahid said Umno\u2019s stance on not working with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) led by Mr Anwar, the ethnic Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP) and PN\u2019s lead party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), was a stand made before the Nov 19 general election.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPH consists of PKR, the DAP, Parti Amanah Negara and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation. Another party, Malaysian United Democratic Alliance, is a close PH ally.\n\nZahid said in his Facebook post: \u201cFirstly, the rejection of any cooperation with PKR, DAP and Bersatu was for the 15th General Election, and not post-election.\n\u201cSecondly, the cooperation is based on the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the King) that a unity government be formed.\u201d\nSupporters of Zahid, 69, who is facing a raft of corruption charges in the courts, is pushing for him to be appointed deputy prime minister. \nUmno leads the four-party Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.    \nThe cooperation with PH has been rewarded with BN and PH forming joint state governments in the Perak and Pahang state assemblies.     \nUmno has been allowed by PH to retain the menteri besar posts in the two states, although BN was not the coalition with the most number of seats.     \n", "\nZahid said the Perak and Pahang unity governments were a sign of the new political landscape.   \nZahid urged party members to close ranks and said efforts for political continuity will not erase the party\u2019s identity, as it has always championed the rights of Malays and Islam.    \n\u201cUmno still defends the party\u2019s policy to adopt a moderate, centric and progressive attitude in dealing with change.   \n\u201cUmno also rejects political parties using religion for politics. Instead, Umno responsibly uses politics to preserve matters related to the interests of Malay Muslims as enshrined in the Federal Constitution,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-president-zahid-defends-working-with-long-time-malaysian-political-foe-ph"}, {"title": "Umno purge puts Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan in a tight spot", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The decision by Umno\u2019s top leadership to purge dozens of its members in January may have silenced the disquiet within the grand old Malay party, but it has also put Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition in a difficult position. Umno sacked or suspended at least 50 members and top party leaders in what was essentially a purge of a group that had long been opposed to party chief Zahid Hamidi\u2019s leadership, and had caused squabbling within the party."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-purge-puts-pm-anwar-s-pakatan-harapan-in-a-tight-spot"}, {"title": "Umno purge: What happened at the supreme council meeting before the axe fell", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Despite Umno leaders warning Zahid Hamidi that he was not following due process, the president of Malaysia\u2019s oldest political party went ahead and \u201caxed\u201d several leaders at its supreme council meeting on Friday night, said a source.\nThe source said five supreme council members objected to Zahid\u2019s decision and only three agreed with him. Describing Friday\u2019s heated moments, the source said Zahid opened the meeting by announcing the sacking of former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and the list of those suspended from the party.\nFormer Selangor Umno state chief and ex-federal minister Noh Omar immediately stood up and asked that he be sacked instead of being suspended for six years, to which Zahid retorted, \u201cIf you want that, so be it\u201d, the source added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhen opened to the floor, Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob stood up and argued that any sacking and suspension must be made in accordance with the laws and due process,\u201d said the source.\nFormer prime minister Ismail said that those facing punishment must first be given a show cause letter, the right to defend themselves before the disciplinary board, followed by an appeal to the management before the Umno supreme council makes a decision.\n\u201cIsmail said suspending and sacking Umno leaders and members without a show cause letter is unfair as they would not be able to defend themselves and they would also not know the reason they were axed,\u201d said the source, adding that the former PM also warned that voters will judge Umno by its actions and this may cause a backlash against the party during elections.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA few other supreme council members, said the source, also stood up to state their disapproval over Zahid\u2019s action as it was not carried out according to the party Constitution. Former housing minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican also spoke against the sacking of Mr Khairy and pleaded with Zahid to show some mercy.\n\n\u201cHowever, after they spoke, Zahid insisted that he was sticking to what he announced and refused to budge,\u201d added the source.\nOn Friday, Umno sacked former youth chief Khairy and supreme council member Noh Omar. \nOthers punished included former minister for defence and foreign affairs, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who was suspended for six years. \nFormer Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan, former youth exco member Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, former Tebrau division chief Maulizan Bujang and former Jempol MP Salim Shariff were also suspended for six years.\n", "\nMr Khairy and Mr Shahril both claimed Umno had not gone through the right procedures in punishing them.\n\u201cConfirmed no due process. No show cause letter, no disciplinary hearing,\u201d the former Rembau MP Khairy wrote on Instagram. \u201cSummarily and unilaterally sacked from a party I have been loyal to for 23 years.\u201d\nReferring to his suspension, former deputy youth chief Shahril said: \u201cI was never called by the disciplinary board, I never received any letters, I also don\u2019t know what reason they used to take this action.\u201d\nThere was speculation he had been punished for a video he released to announce his resignation from his post as information chief after losing his parliamentary seat contest during November\u2019s general election. In the video, he had asked party president Zahid to take responsibility after Umno\u2019s poor showing at the polls.\nUmno in a press statement said actions were taken against those involved for criticising the party president and working with opposition parties during the last general election. \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-purge-what-happened-at-the-supreme-council-meeting-before-the-axe-fell"}, {"title": "Umno raises doubt over judiciary in renewed push to seek pardon for ex-Malaysian PM Najib", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno is redoubling efforts to push for the release of its former party chief Najib Razak from jail, after he exhausted his legal appeals against conviction in a  case linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). \nThe Straits Times has learnt that Umno\u2019s 191 division heads are being persuaded to sign a petition to Malaysia\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, imploring him to pardon former premier Najib. \nThe country\u2019s apex court had, in a four-to-one majority decision on March 31, rejected Najib\u2019s application to review his graft conviction and 12-year prison sentence for misappropriating RM42 million (S$12.7 million) from SRC International, a former subsidiary of state fund 1MDB.\n\n\n\n\n\nDespite being tainted with corruption and behind bars since August 2022, Najib remains a popular and influential figure among some voters, especially from the Malay majority. Umno\u2019s support from the majority community was substantially eroded in the November general election but it remains a partner in the government helmed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.\nSince the court decision in March, Umno figures have been increasingly casting aspersions against the judiciary, from Justice Mohd\u00a0Nazlan\u00a0Mohd\u00a0Ghazali, the judge who convicted Najib at the High Court three years ago, to the Chief Justice, Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.\nThey have repeatedly cited the dissenting view in the March 31 court decision, which said that Tun Maimun had erred in not allowing Najib\u2019s defence team more time to prepare for his appeal last August after he decided to change lawyers weeks before the hearing began. Four other judges had ruled that \u201cthe applicant (Najib) was the author of his own misfortunes\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn addition, a purported letter from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki informing Tun Maimun that Justice Nazlan had a conflict of interest in presiding over Najib\u2019s High Court trial has also since proliferated over social media, including on the Instagram account of Najib\u2019s daughter Nooryana Najwa.\n\nA member of Najib\u2019s legal team confirmed to ST as \u201cauthentic and accurate\u201d a letter they received from de facto law minister and Umno information chief Azalina Othman informing the team that the anti-graft agency had recommended disciplinary action against Datuk Nazlan for breach of judicial ethics.\n\u201cI can confirm that the answers to the questions (you have set out) are in the affirmative,\u201d Datuk Seri Azalina wrote on March 20 in response to law firm Shafee & Co\u2019s letter five days earlier regarding the issue of whether Mr Nazlan was conflicted by virtue of being general counsel at Maybank, which at the time also counted state fund 1MDB as its client.\nThe MACC\u2019s findings however hold little legal weight, as it is up to the judiciary to discipline its own members. \n\n\n\n\n\nIn February, a seven-man Federal Court bench led by Chief Justice Maimun ruled that the MACC probe against Mr Nazlan breached protocol, as the chief justice was not consulted and that the timing of the probe \u2013 just before Najib\u2019s final appeal in 2022 \u2013 was \u201ccurious\u201d. These elements, she said, indicated the investigation was not made in good faith.\nNonetheless, the MACC\u2019s conclusions will fuel Umno\u2019s push for a pardon.\nSupreme Council member Lokman Adam told ST that on Wednesday, party president Zahid Hamidi announced a signature drive in Kedah for all division chiefs to support a pardon for Najib in a royal petition.\n\u201cThe petition has already been distributed... to request the consent of His Majesty, discretion and favour so Najib will be given a pardon by the Royal Pardons Board on April 28,\u201d he said, adding that the party would decide on Friday whether to send a delegation to the palace to submit the petition.\nDatuk Lokman said \u201call division chiefs in Kedah have signed, now it is being advanced nationwide\u201d. \n", "\nNajib, however, still faces dozens of other charges related to the financial scandal surrounding 1MDB, including a criminal breach of trust charge involving RM6.6 billion.\nHe was prime minister from 2009 until 2018, when he became the first Umno president to lose a general election in Malaysia\u2019s six-decade history after corruption allegations surrounding 1MDB sparked public anger.\nNevertheless he has managed to revitalise his political persona and popularity since. He actively campaigned for Umno as it chalked up repeated by-election wins from 2019, including winning two-thirds of Melaka and Johor state legislatives in the months running up to his jailing last August.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-raises-doubt-over-judiciary-in-renewed-push-to-seek-pardon-for-ex-malaysian-pm-najib"}, {"title": "Umno\u2019s annual meeting agrees to no-contest for president, deputy president", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno delegates at their annual assembly have passed a resolution on no-contest rules for the party\u2019s top two positions at the upcoming internal election, which must be held before May 19.\nThe resolution was passed by the majority of the 5,000-plus delegates at the party\u2019s annual assembly at Umno\u2019s headquarters. The annual meeting of Malaysia\u2019s longest ruling party is closely watched. \nThe no-contest resolution means that Umno president Zahid Hamidi, and deputy president Mohamad Hasan, cannot be challenged at the polls. \n\n\n\n\n\nZahid is Malaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister in the Anwar Ibrahim administration,  and Datuk Seri Mohamad is the Defence Minister. \nOther Umno posts \u2013 including for the three vice-presidents and the wing chiefs \u2013 remain open for contests.\nTerengganu Umno\u2019s state liaison chief Ahmad Said said on Saturday that over 90 per cent of the delegates supported the no-contest resolution, while less than 10 per cent rejected it.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe added: \u201cThe no-contest motion will allow Umno to consolidate its strength ahead of the six state elections held in 2023.  We do not want Umno to be in disarray due to an intense internal poll.\u201d\n\nSix Malaysian states will elect their assembly members this year: Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah helmed by the opposition Perikatan Nasional; and Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan which are controlled by the ruling Pakatan Harapan. \nUmno information chief Isham Jalil also confirmed the passing of the resolution in a Facebook post, saying it received support from the majority of the delegates. \nJust before the voting, former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who has said he might mount a challenge for the president\u2019s post, claimed that name tags of many delegates were removed from the main meeting hall. He claimed this was a prelude to the no-contest proposal to be bulldozed through despite reservations by some members.\nBut Zahid said during a news conference at the conclusion of the four-day assembly on Saturday that the no-contest resolution was done in accordance with the party\u2019s Constitution.\n\u201cThere was no hanky-panky (as Mr Khairy claims). There is no question of us being afraid to contest. The no-motion contest came from the grassroots,\u201d he said.  \nUmno vice-president and former Malaysian prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the no-contest decision may have breached the party\u2019s charter.\u00a0\u201cThe party\u2019s Constitution states that the selection of post holders shall be done through an election,\u201d he told reporters. He belongs to a rival faction from Zahid and had led Malaysia for 13 months until the November 2022 general election.\nStill, Datuk Seri Ismail added that there is another school of thought that \u201cUmno\u2019s general assembly, which is the highest decision-making platform, has the right to pass any resolution\u201d.\nUmno delegates last approved a no-contest for the two top positions at the 2017 assembly, protecting its then president Najib Razak and incoming deputy president Zahid from being challenged. \nThe party\u2019s last internal polls were held in June 2018, after the Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition lost power for the first time in a Malaysian general election. Najib stepped down as president and Zahid contested and won the post, with Mr Mohamad coming in as deputy president.\nToday, with just 26 MPs in the 222-strong federal legislature, Umno is at its weakest after a drubbing at the Nov 19, 2022 federal polls. Malaysia\u2019s grand old party has the biggest number of members at around 3.4 million.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-s-annual-meeting-agrees-to-no-contest-for-president-deputy-president"}, {"title": "Umno\u2019s push for Zahid to be DPM an early test of Anwar premiership", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Just a week ago, top figures in his Barisan Nasional (BN) were calling for his head after their worst electoral defeat at the Nov 19 general election. But having secured their place as Pakatan Harapan\u2019s (PH) most crucial partner in government, BN chief and Umno president Zahid Hamidi, despite facing a multitude of graft charges, could now become Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s deputy. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-s-push-for-zahid-to-be-dpm-an-early-test-of-anwar-premiership"}, {"title": "Umno\u2019s ring-fencing of Zahid leaves Anwar govt exposed in coming state polls and beyond", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - The Anwar Ibrahim administration can look forward to short-term stability now that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chief\u2019s most important ally, Zahid Hamidi, is set to remain as Umno president, after party delegates earlier this month resolved to bar a leadership challenge.But the no-contest motion on Jan 14 to ensure Deputy Prime Minister Zahid remains head of his party \u2013 and Defence Minister Mohamad Hasan as Umno No. 2 \u2013 is handing rival Perikatan Nasional (PN) added impetus to attack the government\u2019s top leaders for alleged abuse of power and attempts to whitewash charges of corruption, ahead of crucial polls in six states that must be held by mid-2023."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-s-ringfencing-of-zahid-leaves-anwar-govt-exposed-at-coming-state-polls-and-beyond"}, {"title": "Umno seeks to curb infighting before party polls", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno will move to prevent further erosion of its already shrunken power in Malaysian politics by amending its Constitution to withdraw the membership of renegade elected representatives.\nThe change is set to take place at its delayed 2022 annual general assembly to be held from Jan 11 to 14, where a resolution not to challenge president Zahid Hamidi \u2013 whose leadership of Umno is crucial for the stability of the Anwar Ibrahim administration \u2013 may be tabled.\nSecretary-general Ahmad Maslan, at a press conference on Tuesday, refused to directly address the matter of whether the party would decide that the top two posts in Umno \u2013 including Defence Minister Mohamad Hasan\u2019s position as deputy president \u2013 would not be challenged.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI wish to announce that Umno\u2019s general assembly is next week,\u201d he said, before explaining that his vague response meant that he did not want to answer the question concerning the party polls that are due by May.\nThere has been speculation that a resolution to ring-fence Umno\u2019s two highest positions could be approved to head off a potential challenge from former vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein, although the former home and defence minister has yet to announce his intention to do so.\nWith just 26 MPs in the 222-strong federal legislature, Umno is at its weakest after a drubbing at the Nov 19, 2022, federal polls when, for the first time in a general election, the party failed to win the most parliamentary seats. The November polls also threw up the nation\u2019s first hung Parliament.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut Umno found its way into the government after Deputy Premier Zahid allied the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) with Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) in a so-called unity government.\n\nThis was despite at least 10 Umno MPs, led by Datuk Seri Hishammuddin, initially backing Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief Muhyiddin Yassin, whose coalition of 74 federal lawmakers now makes up the entire opposition.\nAlthough Umno has been riddled with factionalism since the 2018 general election \u2013 when it lost power for the first time in Malaysia\u2019s six-decade history \u2013 deepening schisms could leave it with even less bargaining power in the Anwar government.\nFor now, it remains crucial as one of three main parties that won the lion\u2019s share of the Malay-Muslim majority votes. The other two are Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Parti Islam SeMalaysia, the main components of Tan Sri Muhyiddin\u2019s PN.\n\n\n\n\n\nDatuk Seri Ahmad, who is also Deputy Finance Minister, said on Tuesday that Umno\u2019s constitutional amendment will bring it in line with anti-party hopping legislation that came into effect in 2022.\nLast week, he said a clause would be amended so that an \u201cUmno member will automatically lose his membership if he joins a political coalition that Umno is not part of, or decides to be independent\u201d.\nHowever, there is uncertainty over the Malay term \u201cgugur\u201d that the Deputy Finance Minister used, which directly translates to \u201cdrop\u201d, but could contextually mean \u201cexpire\u201d or \u201cwithdraw\u201d.\n", "\nUnder Malaysia\u2019s new but untested anti-party hopping legislation, MPs who leave their party of their own volition will also be considered as having resigned from their parliamentary seats, but it explicitly mentions that being sacked from a party does not trigger a vacancy.\nMr Ahmad told The Straits Times on Tuesday that the exact wording has yet to be determined, but will be discussed at leadership meetings this week.\nUmno\u2019s general assembly is also expected to touch on its participation in the unity government, after having declared at the last national congress in 2021 that it would not work with Mr Anwar and his coalition partners \u2013 especially the Democratic Action Party which conservative Malay Muslims accuse of trying to undermine their special ethnic and religious rights.\nPH and BN are also mulling over an electoral pact to face PN in six states that did not hold concurrent polls with the federal legislature in November.\nPH leaders are set to meet on Saturday to discuss cooperation with BN in the state elections that must be held by the middle of 2023.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-seeks-to-curb-infighting-before-party-polls"}, {"title": "Umno will still support Malaysia\u2019s unity government if I\u2019m president: Khairy Jamaluddin", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - A change in Umno leadership will not necessarily create political instability in Malaysia, said former Malaysia health minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who pledged that should he or his allies win the presidency in the upcoming party polls, they will continue to support the Pakatan Harapan-led unity government. \nBut as to whether he would actually throw his hat into the ring this time for the party\u2019s top job, he said: \u201cI\u2019m still thinking about it.\u201d \n\u201cThere are rumours that there will be a move to ensure that the top two positions will not be contested. We hope this is not the case,\u201d said Mr Khairy, referring to earlier suggestions by some Umno members that party president Zahid Hamidi and deputy president Mohamad Hasan should not be challenged in this election to avoid further internal split.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe matter will be discussed during the Umno general assembly from Wednesday to Saturday. The party election has to be held by May.\u00a0\n\u201cI want to make sure that at this week\u2019s gathering, there is no motion that will prevent the top two positions in my party from being open for contests,\u201d said Mr Khairy, calling such a move \u201chighly undemocratic\u201d.\u00a0\nHe also said this election is \u201cabsolutely critical\u201d for the future of Umno, as it is \u201cabout the 3Rs: to reform, to get relevant or to rest in peace\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 47-year-old pointed out how the seats won by the Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition fell from 198 in the 2004 elections to 30 in last year\u2019s national polls.\n\n\u201cNo self-respecting party, seeing such a deterioration of support, will not ask serious questions about the leadership of that party,\u201d he said while addressing some 300 delegates at the Regional Outlook Forum, organised by Iseas \u2013 Yusof Ishak Institute.\u00a0\nWhile there are Umno members who are satisfied with Deputy Prime Minister Zahid\u2019s ability to co-opt Umno in the unity government, Mr Khairy said one \u201cmust not underestimate the undercurrent within our members, who are reflecting on where we are today\u201d.\nThe former three-term MP for Rembau, who lost in a seven-cornered fight in Sungai Buloh in the last election, also took a dig at himself for being a \u201closer\u201d, when he talked about his 2018 bid for Umno\u2019s presidency against party bigwigs Zahid and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Khairy also congratulated fellow panellist Anthony Loke for being appointed transport minister, before quipping: \u201cCongratulations for having Zahid Hamidi as your boss.\u201d\nBesides speaking at the forum, Mr Loke also met his Singapore counterpart S. Iswaran and Education Minister Chan Chun Sing. He said he would also meet former transport minister Khaw Boon Wan to learn how the latter tackled Singapore\u2019s MRT issue and managed to improve rail reliability.\nMr Loke said Malaysia needs to focus on maintaining political stability, which provides the foundation for economic development and a chance to improve the livelihoods of Malaysians.\n", "\n\u201cWe have four prime ministers in five years, and that\u2019s more than Singapore in 50 years,\u201d Mr Loke said, drawing laughs from the audience. He added: \u201cWe are not proud of it, as it\u2019s a sign of political instability.\u201d\nHe said while the Pakatan Harapan-led unity government now looks strong in terms of numbers, with a two-third majority in Parliament, the Umno party polls and the six state elections, which have to be held by July, may be destabilising factors.\u00a0\nThe Democratic Action Party secretary-general added that the coalition government must try to gain more seats in the northern states of Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah, where the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, which includes Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and Parti Islam SeMalaysia, has a strong voter base.\u00a0\nFormer CIMB chairman and chief executive Nazir Razak, who spoke at another panel, also stressed the importance of political stability in order to present the investment case for Malaysia.\n", "\nTan Sri Nazir said both foreign and domestic investors that he spoke to have voiced concerns about the possibility of a shift of power to a PAS-dominated government.  \nThe founder of private equity fund Ikhlas Capital said he hopes the rise of PAS is a wake-up call for moderate Malays in the country.\u00a0\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-will-still-support-malaysia-s-unity-government-if-i-m-president-khairy-jamaluddin"}, {"title": "Umno women\u2019s wing urges status quo for party\u2019s two top posts", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A movement is brewing in Malaysia\u2019s oldest political party Umno to prevent a contest for the top two posts in the next party election that has to be held before May 19.  \nThe head of Umno\u2019s women\u2019s wing has proposed that the top two posts of party president and deputy president not be contested, as time should be given to its key leaders \u2013 president Zahid Hamidi and his deputy Mohamad Hasan \u2013 to restore the party\u2019s position in Malaysia\u2019s political scene. \n\u201cLet us give them space and support to restore and empower Umno, for the political survival of the party and the country,\u201d said Umno Wanita wing chief, Dr Noraini Ahmad, at the wing\u2019s meeting on Thursday, held in conjunction with the Umno general assembly that kicked off on Wednesday. \n\n\n\n\n\nOnce the country\u2019s most dominant party that ruled Malaysia for 60 years, Umno now holds just over 10 per cent of Parliament seats.\nOn Wednesday, Wangsa Maju division chief Mohd Shafie Abdullah said 140 division chiefs have expressed solidarity and agreed that the posts of party president and deputy president should remain unchallenged. There are 191 divisions chiefs in Umno. \nThis comes after former Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin publicly stated his intention to challenge Zahid, who is facing multiple graft charges in court, for the top party post again. Mr Khairy lost in his bid to become Umno president at its party election in 2018. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Shafie Abdullah said the party\u2019s focus should be on strengthening its internal core to face the six state elections slated for 2023. \n\n\u201cIn order to face six more state elections this year, we need a strong Umno, so we hope the president will take this view into account and that no top positions will be contested,\u201d he said at a press conference on Wednesday.\nCiting concerns over more infighting, Mr Mohamad Hasan said he is ready to defend his deputy president post if challenged. \n\u201cHowever if possible, in the situation we are facing today where we have suffered a major defeat, it would be good if the president\u2019s post and other positions are left uncontested,\u201d he told reporters on Wednesday, after the Umno Wanita, Puteri and Youth wings\u2019 assemblies kicked off. \n\n\n\n\n\nGreeting Umno delegates in the front row as he arrived at the event hall on Thursday, Zahid stopped briefly to give Mr Khairy a firm handshake with a declaration: \u201cReady to fight.\u201d\nMr Khairy \u2013 who was shunted from his three-term ward Rembau to contest \u2013 and lose \u2013 in Sungai Buloh in November\u2019s general election \u2013 later said on Instagram: \u201cThis means he is ready to face any challengers, and the president is brave. I salute him.\u201d \nReferring to suggestions to leave the posts unchallenged, the former health minister called it \u201cmadness\u201d for the party members to stop people from contesting. \nSome Umno delegates also voiced their hopes on Thursday that all party positions should be contested. Several youth leaders cited the need for the party not to impede democracy, while Pahang Wanita Umno spokesman, Datuk Juhanis Abd Aziz,\u00a0said it would be \u201cnot nice\u201d to make just the lower positions contestable. \nEarlier on Thursday, Umno information chief Isham Jalil said the party is open to any member contesting the top posts, including three vice-president positions, and that there are no plans to prevent a contest.\n", "\nThe chiefs of Umno\u2019s Youth and Puteri Umno wings, who did not call for the president\u2019s post to go unchallenged, stressed the need for unity within the party and called for \u201ctraitors\u201d within the party to be dismissed or disciplined, without naming individuals. \nThey were ostensibly referring to a group of Umno leaders opposed to Zahid\u2019s presidency, including former premier Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Mr Khairy.\n\u201cHow can the people think that we are going to bring stability if our leaders are seen to be at each other\u2019s throats,\u201d Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said in his opening address on Thursday.\nMeanwhile, Puteri Umno chief Zahida Zarik Khan said: \u201cWe cannot compromise with those who betray the party, regardless of them being normal members or those in positions, action must be taken.\u201d \nUmno\u2019s four-day assembly concludes on Saturday.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-women-s-wing-urges-status-quo-for-party-s-two-top-posts"}, {"title": "Umno Youth to march to US embassy in protest against comedian\u2019s remarks", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Umno Youth plans to march to the United States embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Friday to protest against the remarks by comedian Jocelyn Chia, who was born in the US and raised in Singapore.\n\u201cThis is an insult that cannot be accepted by Umno Youth and Malaysians. As such, I have directed an Umno Youth exco member to lodge a police report against her later today,\u201d Umno Youth chief Muhamad Akmal Saleh said when addressing delegates at the youth wing\u2019s meeting on Thursday.\n\u201cWe call on the government to ban her from stepping foot in Malaysia.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Akmal also called on Umno Youth delegates to march and gather in front of the US embassy at 2.30pm on Friday.\nHe said that the movement will submit a protest letter to the embassy.\nEarlier, the march was planned to head to the Singapore High Commission but has since changed it to the US embassy.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi said the police and broadcast communications regulator, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), will conduct any investigation deemed fit into Ms Chia\u2019s disparaging remarks about Malaysia.\n\n\u201cWe will leave it to the MCMC and the police to investigate before handing the matter over to the Attorney-General\u2019s Chamber for the next step,\u201d he said.\nMs Chia, who is no longer Singaporean, had joked about the Malaysia Airlines MH370 tragedy during a recent stand-up comedy show in the United States that poked fun at the rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia.\nThe aircraft left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing in March 2014 but never arrived. To date, it has not been located.\nIn an 89-second video clip of her set posted on Instagram, the American said: \u201cNow, Malaysia, you all are trying to come around, like, \u2018Hey Singapore, you\u2019re looking good lah\u2019. And we\u2019re like, \u2018I know, but why haven\u2019t you visited me in 40 years?\u2019\n\u201cAnd (Malaysia\u2019s) like, \u2018Yeah I tried, but you know, my airplanes cannot fly,\u201d she said to laughter and audible gasps from the crowd.\nShe added: \u201cWhy, Malaysia Airlines going missing not funny huh? Some jokes don\u2019t land.\u201d\nThe clip of her set drew the ire of many Malaysians shortly after it was posted.\nSingapore\u2019s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and the Republic\u2019s High Commissioner to Malaysia Vanu Gopala Menon have since apologised over the incident. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\nCorrection note: An earlier version of this story said Jocelyn Chia was born in Singapore. This is incorrect. She was born in the US.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-youth-to-march-to-us-embassy-in-protest-against-comedian-s-remarks"}, {"title": "Activists urge PM Anwar Ibrahim to tap global funds in Malaysia\u2019s green efforts", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - To help Malaysia head off frequent floods and choking air pollution caused by forest fires, new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim should tap more global green funding to protect nature and tackle the effects of warming, say climate change experts.\nEnding a decades-long wait to lead the South-east Asian nation, largely ruled by one coalition since independence, Datuk Seri Anwar, 75, formed a government with rival political blocs after last November\u2019s election produced a hung Parliament.\nSo far, Mr Anwar has focused on corruption and the rising cost of living, but has said little on how he will bolster Malaysia\u2019s green credentials \u2013 aside from merging the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry with the Environment and Water Ministry.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s still early days... (but) I am hopeful the Anwar government can be much more proactive on the climate and biodiversity agenda,\u201d said Ms Meena Raman, president of Friends of the Earth Malaysia.\n\u201cRecognising the climate emergency, recognising the importance of adaptation and loss and damage \u2013 there is a lot that can be done.\u201d\nShe urged the new government, for example, to curb flooding not just by building grey infrastructure such as drainage tunnels, but also by channelling money into conservation and restoration of upstream forest and wetlands.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLike many countries in the region, Malaysia is regularly hit by the impacts of extreme weather and rising temperatures \u2013 such as choking haze linked to regional forest fires, water shortages, droughts or severe floods.\n\nFlooding that started in late 2021 caused nearly US$1.5 billion (S$1.98 billion) in losses and displaced more than 120,000 people.\nMeanwhile, despite being one of the world\u2019s 17 countries with mega-rich biodiversity, Malaysia is also a major producer of palm oil, timber and timber products, which many environmentalists have blamed for high deforestation rates.\nWhile chalking up a fifth year of declines in forest losses in 2021, Malaysia still ranked ninth among the top nations for tropical deforestation, according to Global Forest Watch.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Henry Chan, head of conservation at WWF-Malaysia, said the government should seek to develop the country\u2019s natural resources sustainably \u2013 or risk losing them.\n\u201cLet\u2019s strengthen current political resolve and commit to meet our net-zero and other climate and biodiversity targets,\u201d he urged.\nAlthough Malaysia often suffers monsoon season flooding \u2013 which forests can help mitigate \u2013 the issues of climate change and the environment were largely absent in the 2022 election. Voters were more concerned with the economy, healthcare, political stability, corruption and the cost of living.\n", "\nYet, despite the Covid-19 pandemic and recent political turmoil, Malaysia was among more than 140 nations that pledged to halt deforestation by 2030 at the 2021 United Nations climate summit in Glasgow.\nIt also endorsed a landmark global deal to boost nature protection that was agreed upon last December.\nMs Raman said budget pressures from the economic impacts of the pandemic and inflation mean Malaysia should make a bigger push to access international green funding to help bankroll its climate action.\nAfter the severe floods in late 2021, for example, Malaysia sought US$3 million from the donor-backed Green Climate Fund to develop a national plan to adapt to climate change.\nMalaysia has a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, and the previous government\u2019s 2022 budget earmarked RM100 million (S$30.8 million) to help states protect forests and marine areas, up from RM70 million previously.\nMs Raman said greater financial incentives were needed for states whose economies largely rely on plantations of crops like durian, to help them stem forest loss.\n\u201cMalaysia needs to do much more \u2013 it can do better in many (climate) fields,\u201d she added.\n", "\nThe Prime Minister\u2019s Office did not respond to a request for comment.\nMr Renard Siew, a climate change adviser at Malaysian think-tank Centre for Governance and Political Studies, said many local green groups welcomed the quick decision to merge the natural resources and environment ministries. The move will consolidate work and make handling environmental issues easier, he noted.\nMany environmentalists also now hope the government will bring in a \u201cClimate Change Act\u201d, along with a national strategy for climate adaptation, first proposed in 2018 but sidelined amid political turmoil after 2020.\n\u201c(An Act) would be a game changer as it reaffirms the country\u2019s steadfast commitment to delivering on climate action,\u201d Mr Siew said.\nMs Nur Sakeenah Omar, a campaigner at Greenpeace Malaysia, said Mr Anwar, who in January visited neighbouring Indonesia on his first overseas trip as leader, should also introduce a clean air or transboundary haze pollution act.\nAs an opposition leader since the 1990s, Mr Anwar had a record of highlighting issues linked to climate change, including flooding, deforestation and air pollution, in both the media and Parliament, according to Greenpeace Malaysia.\n", "\nIn mid-2021, he pointed to illegal logging in protected areas as a factor contributing to flooding in rural Kedah state, calling for better monitoring, after a government minister described the floods as an \u201cact of God\u201d.\nWWF-Malaysia\u2019s Mr Chan urged the new government to focus on protecting nature and implementing commitments made at international climate and biodiversity summits.\nThe coalition\u2019s political parties must also fulfil their election promises on the environment, he said. \u201cThe new government provides us with an opportunity to reset our broken relationship with the natural world,\u201d Mr Chan added. \u201cWe have an opportunity now to course-correct for the sake of people and the planet.\u201d  REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/under-pm-anwar-malaysia-can-do-better-on-climate-using-global-funds"}, {"title": "Unity government proposed for Sabah amid tussle for power", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A unity government has been proposed for Sabah in order to resolve a fresh political crisis in Malaysia after the state government lost its majority on Friday.\nLawmakers from the Sabah chapter of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, which leads the federal government, raised the idea on Saturday, adding that they were against the dissolution of the state assembly. \nLawmakers from the Umno-led Barisan Nasional\u00a0(BN) had pulled out of the 27-month-old state government led by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), citing a loss of confidence in Chief Minister Hajiji Noor\u2019s leadership.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe agree that a Sabah unity government can be formed as has been done at the federal level,\u201d PH\u2019s seven state assemblymen said in a joint statement on Saturday. \n\u201cWe do not agree for the state assembly to be dissolved if this crisis continues and the status of the state assembly remains hung,\u201d they said, while affirming their support for Datuk Seri Hajiji.\nThe lawmakers did not explain how the unity government would look like. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAt the federal level, PH, which won the most seats in November\u2019s general election, formed a unity government with its main rival BN and other smaller alliances and parties.\n\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Saturday told reporters that \u201cthe situation is under control for now\u201d. He also said he has spoken to Mr Hajiji, and that his deputy and Umno president Zahid Hamidi has also spoken to Sabah BN chief Bung Moktar.\nThe state government needs to gain a simple majority of 40 seats in the 79-member state assembly, without which a snap election may have to be called.\nBefore the GRS-BN break-up, the coalition had 46 lawmakers \u2013 29 from GRS and 17 from BN.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cGRS representatives have been asked to present their SDs (statutory declarations) to the governor to state who they support to be the chief minister,\u201d the Free Malaysia Today news portal quoted an unnamed GRS source as saying.\nMr Hajiji was also seen entering the palace for an audience with the governor on Saturday. \nEarlier, Datuk Seri Bung and Parti Warisan Sabah president Shafie Apdal had called for Mr Hajiji\u2019s resignation, but his supporters insisted he remain the chief minister.\nFive Umno assemblymen have refused to support the plot to topple the Sabah government, and have called for Mr Bung\u2019s resignation from his party post.\n\u201cWe regret that Sabah has again been dragged into an unnecessary political crisis. Together with the people of Sabah, we stand firm in our belief that this is not the time for grabbing power,\u201d they said in a joint statement, pledging support for Mr Hajiji.\nHe was one of 16 lawmakers from Sabah who, in December 2022, quit Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, led by former premier Muhyiddin Yassin, following its loss in the November general election.  \nMr Bung said on Friday: \u201cWe have lost confidence in Hajiji, and he has lost his locus standi (legal right) to remain chief minister after he quit Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to become a direct member of GRS.\u201d \n", "\nIn explaining why BN has pulled out of the state government, Mr Bung said the political understanding after the 2020 Sabah election was that BN would support Mr Hajiji as chief minister, and Mr Hajiji would, in turn, appoint BN members as his state Cabinet ministers and heads of state-owned government-linked companies.\n\u201cWhen he decided to ditch Bersatu (on Dec 8), the whole cooperation ended,\u201d he said. \nMr Bung claimed that Mr Hajiji and GRS had also breached the cooperation agreement with BN by sacking Sabah Umno\u2019s Usukan assemblyman, Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak, as chairman of state investment arm Qhazanah Sabah.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/unity-government-proposed-for-sabah-amid-tussle-for-power"}, {"title": "Vegetable shortage, price woes in Malaysia caused by unpredictable weather", "text": ["\nIPOH \u2013 Unpredictable weather has affected the production of vegetables in Malaysia\u2019s Cameron Highlands, causing shortages and prices to double.\nCameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association secretary Chay Ee Mong said the January to March period usually sees dry weather in the highlands.\nInstead, it has been raining almost daily. \n\n\n\n\n\nNow, there is a severe shortage of tomatoes, chillies, okra, long beans and eggplant, among others, he said.\n\u201cAfter the monsoon season, the weather should be just fine for the vegetables to grow, but the prolonged wet, cloudy and low-temperature climate is affecting the crops.\n\u201cThere is no doubt the crops are flowering, but they are not bearing fruit due to the weather. The estimated production is down by 50 per cent,\u201d he said when contacted on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Chay said the leafy vegetables were not of good quality, either.\n\n\u201cThe demand is there, but the supply is low. And no thanks to the flooding in Pahang and Johor, the supply chain has worsened too.\n\u201cPrices of some vegetables have increased by between 40 per cent and more than 100 per cent.\u201d\nHe said the crops had been affected by high humidity and diseases that caused their failure or reduced their quality.\nMr Chay said other issues such as labour shortages, insufficient land and a lack of subsidies were not easing the situation for farmers. \u201cI am just praying that the weather gets better for production to return to normal,\u201d he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/unpredictable-weather-in-malaysia-causing-vegetable-shortage-price-woes"}, {"title": "\u2018Unsuitably dressed\u2019 Malaysian woman denied entry into government agency", "text": ["\nIPOH - Another case of \u201cinappropriate dressing\u201d has occurred at a government building in Perak, this time with a woman being barred from entering the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) office.\nThe woman, whose dress length was slightly above her knees, was denied entry into the building on Friday by a staff member who informed her that her attire failed to comply with the agency\u2019s dress code.\nIn a video posted on Facebook, the woman could be heard asking the male staff member which part of her attire was not presentable. The man then continued to say that he could not let her go to the offices on the upper floors as her dressing did not follow the guidelines. He also said he was aware that he was being filmed, but had no issue with it.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhen contacted later, the woman identified herself as Khor Hooi Chin, 41, from Pantai Remis, a coastal town in Manjung district about 1\u00bd hours\u2019 drive from Perak\u2019s capital Ipoh.\nMs Khor said she was at the SSM building at 11am, but was stopped from entering by a guard.\nThe seafood supplier said she asked to speak to a staff member, who then came to tell her that she was not dressed according to the rules.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI had to leave the premises and go to a mall to buy a longer skirt to wear with my original dress. After doing all that, I had to wait until 2.45pm for the office to reopen,\u201d she said.\n\nMs Khor maintained that there was nothing sexy about her outfit, which was office wear.\n\u201cThis is not the first time something like this has happened. We hear of it all the time, but nothing is ever done.\n\u201cIn my case, I travelled from far away and wasted the entire day before being able to get my work done,\u201d said a frustrated Ms Khor.   \nAttempts to reach State Entrepreneur Development Committee member Salbiah Mohamed for comment were unsuccessful. SSM falls under her portfolio.\n", "\nIn February, a woman in her early 20s went to Kampar Hospital\u2019s emergency unit to seek treatment, only to be criticised by a medical worker for being \u201cindecently dressed\u201d.\nSimilar incidents of individuals being turned away at government offices due to \u201cinappropriate dressing\u201d have been reported in other Malaysian states as well. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/unsuitably-dressed-malaysian-woman-denied-entry-into-government-agency"}, {"title": "Malaysia recovered $13m of 1MDB \u2018blackmail\u2019 gains from ex-lover of Goldman Sachs banker: Report", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 The former girlfriend of disgraced Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner, Datuk Rohana Rozhan, has returned US$10 million (S$13.3 million) in cash and assets linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, the Malaysian media reported on Friday. \nThe cash and assets were handed to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).  \nAn unnamed source familiar with the case said the former Astro Malaysia chief executive had surrendered the cash and assets to the government in 2022.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cShe returned all the money and assets (involved) to the MACC, which then handed it to the government,\u201d the source told the Utusan Malaysia newspaper.\n\u201cWith that, MACC\u2019s investigations concerning Rohana have been completed. At this point, there is nothing more needed from her.\u201d\nHowever, the source could not provide a detailed breakdown of the funds and assets returned, or the procedure involved.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Thursday, Minister for Law and Institutional Reform Azalina Othman said in a parliamentary written reply that the Attorney-General\u2019s Chambers (AGC) has no knowledge of whether Ms Rohana had returned the US$10 million in assets she gained from Leissner.\n\nDatuk Azalina was responding to a question from an MP on whether Ms Rohana had returned the funds and how much of the 1MDB-linked assets had been returned.   \nThe fallout of the scandal involving\u00a0the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund has been playing out in courts in the United States and Malaysia since former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was charged in 2018 and later found guilty of graft.    \nLeissner pleaded guilty in 2018 to stealing millions from the fund and paying bribes to get business for his former employer Goldman Sachs.\nIn February 2022, Leissner told a US court that Ms Rohana, with whom he had an affair, had blackmailed him into buying her a US$10 million property in London.\nHe told the jury in the trial that their relationship had lasted from 2003 to 2013, and he ended the relationship to marry US model Kimora Lee Simmons.\nHe said he bought Ms Rohana the London property after she threatened to expose his involvement with 1MDB.\n\u201cShe was very upset that I was ending our relationship to be with my future wife, with Kimora,\u201d Leissner testified in 2022.\n", "\nIn April 2022, an MACC source told Malaysian daily The Star that Ms Rohana had agreed, in principle, to return the US$10 million she received from Leissner.\nLeissner, a former partner with Goldman Sachs in Asia, pleaded guilty in 2018 to a conspiracy to launder money and became the US prosecution\u2019s star witness against his former colleague Roger Ng.\nFollowing that, the MACC began investigating Ms Rohana, who released a statement saying she was ready to assist the authorities in their investigations. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/us10m-of-1mdb-blackmail-gains-recovered-from-ex-lover-of-goldman-sachs-banker-report"}, {"title": "Vegetable prices in Malaysia set to soar again due to wet weather", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Consumers in Malaysia have been warned to expect a shortage of vegetables in the market as continuous rains in the last few days have caused farms to be inundated and damaged by strong winds, say farmers.\nFederation of Vegetable Farmers Associations president Lim Ser Kwee said the sudden and heavy rains damaged over 1 million kg of vegetables at farms in the southern peninsula, with losses amounting to tens of millions of ringgit.\nFor Johor, Mr Lim said the floods surged overnight and inundated many farms. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that farmers in the state reported that their water pumps installed on the riverbanks were washed away, while machinery was submerged in the water.\n\u201cThey reported flooded roads, which have affected transport vehicles entering the farms, causing supply chaos in the vegetable wholesale market,\u201d said Mr Lim on Wednesday. \n\u201cFarmers also incurred more losses as they were not able to salvage their pesticides and fertilisers.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAll 10 Johor districts have been deluged by the floods, with more than 26,000 victims from over 7,000 families seeking shelter at 193 temporary flood relief centres as at noon on Thursday. \n\nCameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association secretary\u00a0Chay Ee Mong also warned of a possible price increase should the weather pattern remain unstable.\n\u201cFor example, long beans dropped from RM10 (S$3) to RM2 per kg, cucumber from RM5 to RM2 per kg, sawi (mustard leaves) and kangkung (water spinach) were all less than RM2 per kg.\n\u201cPrices fluctuate according to the supply and demand situation in the wholesale markets and the quality of vegetables,\u201d he said, adding that farmers often ended up making more losses than profits.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Chay noted that the period of high prices previously was due to the abnormal weather patterns between late 2022  and early 2023, with frequent rain.\n\u201cThis differs from the year before, when we had a good period of sunshine before Chinese New Year, which helped with the growth and gave farmers good yields. Hence, prices were stable,\u201d he said. \n\u201cWhen there is little sun during rainy weather, vegetables grow much slowly because less photosynthesis takes place, affecting yields and supply. Consumers should understand that the weather patterns, vegetable prices and production are closely related.\u201d \n", "\nDespite the losses, Mr Lim said farmers would keep rejuvenating the soil and planting on a smaller scale, even amid the rainy weather forecast.\n\u201cIf we don\u2019t, the vegetable supply and prices will be affected more severely, especially when the Ramadan fasting month and Hari Raya Aidilfitri come,\u201d he said. \nWhile vegetable prices fluctuate from time to time, Mr Lim said farmers had been facing rising production costs for a long time.\n\u201cWhen vegetable output is high and prices are low, farmers have no choice but to bear all the losses. The situation has made it difficult for us to survive,\u201d he added.\nMr Lim asked the government to come up with a plan for national subsidies for vegetables.\nHe said all state governments should have a systematic mechanism to distribute flood relief funds and other types of farming subsidies to vegetable farmers across the country. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/vegetable-prices-in-malaysia-set-to-soar-again-due-to-wet-weather"}, {"title": "Villager spots large crocodile on flooded road in Pahang, Malaysia", "text": ["\nKUANTAN - Residents of Kampung Seri Damai were alarmed by the presence of a large crocodile on a flooded road in Kuantan, Pahang. \nThe large reptile was captured on camera by a villager on Monday evening. The 29-second video was uploaded by Pulau Manis assemblyman Mohammad Rafiq Khan Ahmad Khan on his Facebook account.\n\u201cWe already knew that the area is a crocodile habitat. Every time it rains and the river overflows, crocodiles start roaming about,\u201d said Mr Rafiq on Tuesday. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis is the first time they (the residents) managed to record it,\u201d he added. \nHe advised parents to ensure their children do not play around the area to prevent any unfortunate encounters. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/villager-spots-large-crocodile-on-flooded-road-in-pahang-malaysia"}, {"title": "Malaysian villagers on edge after landslide near Genting", "text": ["\nBATANG KALI, Selangor - The landslide that hit a campsite near Genting Highlands last Friday has raised safety concerns among village heads in the area.\nThere are six villages in the Batang Kali sub-district in Hulu Selangor. They are Kampung Hulu Rening, Kampung Kuantan, Kampung Taman Seri, Kampung Sungai Masin, Kampung Sentosa and Kampung Genting Malik.\n\u201cAll the village heads in the district have been informed to be on the lookout so that our residents can be alerted quickly,\u201d said Kampung Hulu Rening head Nazari Karim.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThough the village is located about 20km from the disaster site, Mr Nazari pointed out that underground water from the hilltop could travel far and impact a wide area.\nThe village is just beside the Bukit Kutu Forest Reserve and not located beside any hill slope. Nevertheless, the village management committee (MPKK) has advised those residing near riverways to watch out for floods.\nThe village nearest to the private campsite that was buried in the landslide is Kampung Genting Malik, about 10km away.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSaid its village head Mohd Rasif Rawi: \u201cFor now, the many campsites that have opened in Hulu Tamu and Hulu Rening have ceased operations following orders from the Hulu Selangor Municipal Council.\u201d\n\nHe added that the landslide has put everyone in the village on alert, especially when it rains heavily.\n\n\u201cOur MPKK has already established a communication network for emergency numbers in case of any eventuality,\u201d he said.\n\nMr Mohd Rasif added that although villagers in Kampung Genting Malik were most worried about flooding, there was also simmering resentment over hilltop developments, which had affected those living nearby.\n\u201cOur rivers have become muddy. We are unable to bathe in them. We have been vocal in protesting (about) this but those at the top do not seem to hear us,\u201d he said.\nMr Muhammad Shariman Saharudin, who is MPKK secretary of Kampung Sungai Masin, which is 15km from the incident site, said that the tragedy should serve as a lesson on the importance of environmental preservation.\nHe said the river running though the village, Sungai Masin, is connected to Sungai Batang Kali, which flows from Genting Highlands.\n\n\u201cFrom now on, there must be better monitoring and enforcement of recreational activities as operators will often clear land and vegetation for such purposes,\u201d he said.\n", "\nMr Muhammad Shariman added that villagers wanted the authorities to impose stricter controls on hilltop developments in the area. \n\u201cThe environmental impact assessment studies must cover a larger radius and take into consideration the damage to surrounding ecosystems.\u201d \nThe landslide last Friday at Father\u2019s Organic Farm, which killed 24 people, should be an eye-opener to the authorities, he said. \u201cIn the past, villagers were not able to bring our story out into the open. Now, we hope things will change.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/villagers-on-edge-after-landslide-off-genting"}, {"title": "\u2018We\u2019re failing them\u2019: Malaysia\u2019s medical brain drain to Singapore will continue, says professor", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Universiti Malaya (UM) loses at least 30 of its best and brightest graduates to Singapore each year, said Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, the former dean of medicine at the top Malaysian university.  \nThe renowned infectious disease professor said the brain drain will continue if nothing is done to address the issues facing Malaysia\u2019s doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.\nShe said the lack of posts and clear training pathways, especially for fresh graduates and medical officers (MOs), has caused many to look abroad for employment or better opportunities.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cEach year UM loses at least 30 of our best and brightest to Singapore,\u201d she said in a tweet on Thursday, adding that the training of each student costs almost RM1 million (S$304,879). \n\u201cAnd now we are also apparently going to help plug the NHS (National Health Service) shortage by also sending our MOs to the United Kingdom,\u201d she added.\n\u201cI don\u2019t blame my young colleagues at all. I would go where the opportunities are too. We are failing them.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHow can we expect to build a resilient and world-class health system when we have this continual internal and external brain drain?\u201d she asked.\n\nMany junior doctors in Malaysia who are hired on contract have spoken up against the lack of clear pathways for further studies that will enable them to become specialists. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/we-re-failing-them-malaysia-s-medical-brain-drain-to-singapore-will-continue-says-professor"}, {"title": "Weather improves in Malaysia\u2019s flood-hit states, number of evacuees down to 43,000", "text": ["\nSunny skies finally brightened up the flood-hit states of Johor, Pahang and Melaka after days of continuous rain, with the number of evacuees trending down to below 43,000. \nThe Malaysian Meteorological Department ended its continuous heavy rain warning that has been in place since last week.\n\nInstead, the weather agency said most states in Peninsular Malaysia will have \u201cbright and good\u201d weather.  \n\n\n\n\n\nFlood victims have started to make their way home to embark on a massive cleanup, with images of soiled items and submerged vehicles making their rounds on social media.\nThe local authorities have collected more than 160 tonnes of waste and rubbish that have accumulated since the floods began last Wednesday.\nJohor is still the worst-hit state.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe state Disaster Management Committee said that as at 4pm on Tuesday, there were eight flood-affected districts in the southern Malaysian state, compared with nine at noon. \n\nThe number of evacuees is at about 39,400 and they are being housed in 210 relief centres. \nBatu Pahat is now the worst-hit district, followed by Muar and Segamat.\nThe flood has killed six people from the state, including a senior citizen and a 23-year-old woman who was swept away by flood waters while trapped in her car.\nDespite the widespread destruction, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday that the flood situation in the southern Malaysian state is still under control and there is no need to declare a state of emergency. \nHe said the Johor government and the relevant authorities have proactively responded to the flooding, which has resulted in minimal loss of life.\n\n\u201cWhat we need to focus on now is on measures to help the people,\u201d he said in Parliament.\n\nHe also said three banks have agreed to give a six-month loan moratorium for those affected by the floods, and the government is negotiating to expand this to other banks as well. \nMeanwhile, there has been no change to the number of victims in Pahang since Monday, with 2,684 people, from 766 families, still seeking shelter at 198 centres. \nIn Melaka, 600 people from 160 families are currently housed at five shelters. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/weather-improves-in-malaysia-s-flood-hit-states-number-of-evacuees-down-to-43000"}, {"title": "Chillies, burns: Malaysia welfare home operator jailed 12 years for abusing teen with Down syndrome", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A Sessions Court in Malaysia on Wednesday sentenced Siti Bainun Ahd Razali to 12 years in jail after finding her guilty of negligence and of abusing a teen with Down syndrome named \u201cBella\u201d. \nSessions Court Judge Izralizam Sanusi sentenced Siti Bainun to 10 years in jail for the first charge involving negligence.\n\nFor the second charge involving abuse, Siti Bainun was sentenced to 12 years in jail.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBoth (jail terms) are to run concurrently from the date of sentencing,\u201d said Judge Izralizam.\n\nSiti Bainun\u2019s lawyer Mohammad Farhan Maaruf had asked for a minimal sentence, saying his client has an elderly mother to take care of.\n\nHe said Siti Bainun, 31, is now self-employed and takes orders for cakes that she bakes with her sister.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Mohammad Farhan said Siti Bainun had never missed a court date without reason and asked the court not to impose imprisonment.\n\n\n\u201cA long prison time would not punish the accused, but it would punish her mother, who is dependent on her,\u201d he said.  \n\u201cWe also believe, if the accused is imprisoned, our current prison facility could not cater for a person of her accord, of her physical being,\u201d he added, citing Siti Bainun\u2019s health conditions.\n\nHe said the court\u2019s finding has shown that justice has been served and suggested that prison time could be replaced with a fine instead.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut Deputy Public Prosecutor Zahida Zakaria pushed for a heavy sentence, saying the full weight of the law should come down on those who deliberately cause harm to a child.\n\nShe said there were burn wounds and multiple scars almost all over Bella\u2019s body.\n\n\u201cThis was physical pain inflicted on Bella\u2026 Not only this pain was permanent on her body. She was also inflicted with emotional pain,\u201d she said.\nThe prosecutor said the court must consider the interest of the public more than the accused.\nSiti Bainun abused the trust given to her by neglecting and abusing Bella, negating the fact that she was a child rights activist and a first-time offender.\n\n", "\nCourt records showed that Siti Bainun, who ran the welfare home Rumah Bonda, had once held down Bella\u2019s chin and force-fed her fried rice mixed with lots of chillies.\nBella was 13 at the time. Her story went viral on social media after someone revealed that she was found with burn marks on her chest, hands, neck and thighs, on top of several other injuries. \nMs Suhana Zam, 40, a legal research officer, testified that she saw Siti Bainun feed Bella a meal that had more chilli in it than rice.\n\u201cBella was standing, facing Siti Bainun in front of the refrigerator, and there was a wooden bench there. I saw Bainun put a plate of fried rice and a lot of cut chilli, much more than the fried rice,\u201d said Ms Suhana.\n\n\u201cShe (Siti Bainun) mixed the fried rice. She held Bella\u2019s chin and forced the girl to eat it. Bella refused but was forced to eat,\u201d Ms Suhana told the court.\n\nIn previous proceedings, Rumah Bonda resident Yasmin Nahar Mahmood, 18, told the court that Siti Bainun had once fed Bella a pot of rice mixed with vinegar, turmeric, salt, soy sauce, chilli and chilli flakes, as well as rotten fried chicken during the fasting month.\n\nMs Suhana also said that when she went to Siti Bainun\u2019s house on June 13, 2021, she saw a palm-sized bruise on the right side of Bella\u2019s face. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/welfare-home-operator-gets-12-years-jail-for-abusing-teen-with-down-syndrome-known-as-bella"}, {"title": "Vegetable and seafood prices go up in Malaysia due to  heavy rains", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Vegetables and seafood now cost more in Malaysia due to a drop in yield caused by the rainy season, and if the bad weather persists, prices are expected to soar even higher during the Chinese New Year period.\nMalaysia\u2019s Federation of Vegetable Farmers Associations president Lim Ser Kwee said harvests had been dropping due to the wet north-east monsoon season.\n\u201cIf it continues to rain for the next two weeks, surely the prices of vegetables will go up for Chinese New Year because our harvest suffers when there is heavy rainfall,\u201d he said when contacted on Sunday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBuyers from Singapore have also started coming here to buy vegetables... as the school holidays have started over there, so there is less supply in the market.\u201d \nKuala Lumpur Vegetable Wholesalers\u2019 Association president Wong Keng Fatt said vegetable prices had started increasing recently by between 10 per cent and 20 per cent but would rise if there were floods.\n\u201cThe prices have increased this week, but it is not the real increase yet. It will be more expensive in the coming weeks if the downpours continue,\u201d he said. \u201cAlso, if there are floods this month and next, then definitely the supply of vegetables will be affected, driving up the prices for Chinese New Year.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Wong said wholesale prices of vegetables had gone up, with chye sim costing up to RM5.50 (S$1.70) compared with about RM3 normally.\n\n\u201cThese are just wholesale prices, so retail prices will be higher,\u201d he added.\nSeafood supplier North Ocean Holdings director Candice Goh said the prices of fish had been increasing due to the weather, higher post-pandemic consumer demand and the high cost of hiring foreign workers.\nLarge-scale gatherings such as weddings, company dinners and anniversaries after the country began the transition to Covid-19 endemicity have pushed up demand for seafood, which is also likely to cost more for the Chinese New Year.\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Goh added that the change in weather patterns over the years had seen fishermen getting reduced catches.\n\u201cYears back, around September to October would have been the peak of the seafood season, but now it is still raining and strong winds have affected both raw catch activities and migration of fish,\u201d she said.\n\u201cAnother reason is the difficulty and high cost of getting foreign workers, especially skilful fishermen from overseas, mostly Thailand, due to our currency.\u201d\nMs Goh said that as a first-hand seller, her company imposed an increment of only between 3 per cent and 8 per cent to the second- or third-hand sellers. \n\u201cThe second- and third-hand sellers could add on services \u2013 be it packaging, cleaning or logistics \u2013 and impose a higher cost to end users or hotels, restaurants and the catering industry,\u201d she said.\n", "\nNo more middlemen\nMeanwhile, the founder of an organic farm in Melaka has managed to avoid raising prices over the past five years as he sells directly to end-consumers.\nMr Kenn Wai, who runs Agro Bright Farm, said distributors were the main cause of the rising prices of vegetables.\n\u201cFarmers don\u2019t easily get to sell at a higher price; it is the distributors who control the market price,\u201d he said.\n\u201cThat\u2019s why my farm and a few of my farmer friends don\u2019t sell to distributors. We sell directly to end-consumers and educate them on who the farmers growing their food are.\u201d\nNonetheless, Mr Wai foresees that raising prices is inevitable.\n\u201cThe import materials and labour fees are getting higher and higher,\u201d he said.  \nConsumers\u2019 Association of Penang education officer N.V. Subbarow said the prices were high as they were fixed by middlemen.\nHe urged the government to haul up unscrupulous sellers to court and give them a hefty fine if they overcharged customers.\nHe also suggested the government\u2019s enforcement team set up more complaint booths at markets.    \n\u201cNo more middlemen, it is time for the government agencies to act,\u201d he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK     \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/wet-weather-in-malaysia-increasing-vegetable-and-seafood-prices"}, {"title": "What analysts say about Anwar\u2019s appointment as new Malaysia PM", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, appointed long-time opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister on Thursday, ending five days of unprecedented post-election crisis after inconclusive polls.\nDatuk Seri Anwar\u2019s appointment caps a three-decade long political journey, from a protege of veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad to protest leader, to a prisoner convicted of sodomy, to opposition leader and, finally, prime minister.\nThe former finance minister and deputy prime minister will have to address soaring inflation and slowing growth, while calming ethnic tension that has flared since a Saturday election.\n\n\n\n\n\nHere are some reactions from analysts to his appointment:\nPolitical analyst James Chai, visiting fellow, ISEAS \u2013 Yusof Ishak Institute:\n\u201cAnwar is appointed at a critical juncture in Malaysian history, where politics is most fractured, recovering from a depressed economy and a bitter Covid-19 (crisis) that killed thousands. Always regarded as the man who could unite all warring factions, it is fitting that Anwar emerged during a divisive time. In the end, the palace felt that Anwar was the best candidate to lead a government consisting of coalitions who had opposed each other for years.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhile Anwar and his party will likely act on their vision of treating every Malaysian, regardless of race, equitably, they will also have to assuage religious factions that this government will not threaten the position of Malays and Islam in the country.\n\n\u201cMuch challenge lies ahead for Anwar, but for the first time in modern Malaysian history, Anwar has all the help he needs to make it a success. A man who was jailed for almost a decade, who came close to the premiership more than half a dozen of times, has finally fulfilled his lifelong ambition.\u201d\nAdib Zalkapli, director, political risk consultancy Bower Group Asia:\n\u201cWith the appointment of Anwar as the 10th prime minister, this is a closure to the longest-running political crisis in Malaysia that began 24 years ago when he was sacked by then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad\u2026 So it\u2019s an important closure \u2013 Anwar has been the longest-serving potential prime minister candidate.\n\u201cI think this is the new normal in Malaysia politics, no more dominant coalition or no more dominant political party that controls the House of Representatives. Every government will have to be very consultative, they\u2019ll have to consult the Members of Parliament in policymaking.\u201d\nTricia Yeoh, chief executive, Malaysian public policy think-tank Ideas:\n\u201cThe new government might want to consider some kind of agreement signed with one of the parties or coalitions in opposition to ensure that certain policy matters don\u2019t get stalled in government and to ensure the smooth passing of laws.\n\u201cWhere there is an absence of such an agreement\u2026 the opposition leader must play that role very responsibly. The opposition should not attempt to destabilise the government by having continuous negotiations or concession buying from existing members of government, so that it can contribute to the environment of stability.\u201d\nKhoon Goh, head of Asia research, ANZ:\n\u201cWhile we know for certain that Anwar will be the 10th prime minister and lead a coalition of Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional, in terms of what it means for policy or Cabinet appointments, we need to wait for more clarity.\n\u201cWhat investors will be looking for is who will become finance minister, whether there will be any changes to the budget tables by the previous government or any inkling that Pakatan Harapan would introduce a GST (goods and services tax).\u201d REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/what-analysts-say-about-anwar-s-appointment-as-new-malaysia-pm"}, {"title": "Who\u2019s who in Malaysia\u2019s new Cabinet", "text": ["\nMalaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has unveiled his new Cabinet on Friday. Here\u2019s a look at the key appointment holders in his unity government.\nAnwar Ibrahim, 75, Prime Minister, Finance Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\u00a0\nFormer Deputy Prime Minister (1993 - 1998)\n\n\nZahid Hamidi, 69, Deputy Prime Minister\u00a0I, Rural and Regional Development Minister\u00a0\n", "\n\nBarisan Nasional\nFormer Deputy Prime Minister (2015-2018)\n\n\nFadillah Yusof, 60, Deputy Prime Minister II, Plantations and Commodities Minister\u00a0\n", "\n\nGabungan Parti Sarawak\u00a0\nFormer Works Minister (2020-2022)\n\n\nSaifuddin Nasution Ismail, 58, Home Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nFormer Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (2018 - 2020)\n\n\nAnthony Loke, 45, Transport Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nFormer Transport Minister (2018-2020)\n\n\nMohamad Sabu, 68, Agriculture and Food Security Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nFormer Defence Minister (2018 - 2020)\n\n\nRafizi Ramli, 45, Economic Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nNo prior government post\n\n\nMohamad Hasan, 66, Defence Minister\n", "\n\nBarisan Nasional\nFormer Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar (2004 - 2018)\n\n\nTengku Zafrul Aziz, 49, International Trade and Industry Minister\n", "\n\nBarisan Nasional\nFormer Finance Minister (2020-2022)\n\n\nFadhlina Sidek, 45, Education Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nNo prior government position\n\n\nKhaled Nordin, 64, Higher Education Minister\n", "\n\nBarisan Nasional\nFormer Johor Menteri Besar (2013-2018)\n\n\nZambry Abdul Kadir, 60, Foreign Minister\n", "\n\nBarisan Nasional\nFormer Perak Menteri Besar (2009 - 2018)\n\n\nZaliha Mustafa, 58, Health Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nNo prior government position\n\n\nNga Kor Ming, 50, Local Government Development\u00a0Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nFormer Deputy Speaker of Parliament (2018 - 2020)\n\n\nFahmi Fadzil, 41, Digital Communications Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nNo prior government post\n\n\nSalahuddin Ayub, 60, Domestic Trade Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\n\nFormer Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister (2018 - 2020)\n\n\nAzalina Othman, 58, Law and Institutional Reform Minister\n", "\n\nBarisan Nasional\nFormer Special Advisor to\u00a0Prime Minister\u00a0on Law and Human Rights (2021 - 2022)\n\n\nNancy Shukri, 61, Women, Family and Community Development Minister\n", "\n\nGabungan Parti Sarawak\nFormer Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (2020-2021)\n\n\nAlexander Nanta Linggi, 64, Works Minister\n", "\n\nGabungan Parti Sarawak\nFormer Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (2020-2021)\n\n\nNik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, 40, Energy and Natural Resources Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nFormer Chairman of Defence and Home Affairs Select Committee (2019 - 2020)\n\n\nHannah Yeoh, 43, Youth and Sports Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nFormer Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development\u00a0(2018 - 2020)\n\n\nTiong King Sing, 61, Tourism Minister\n", "\n\nGabungan Parti Sarawak\nSpecial Envoy of the Prime Minister\u00a0to\u00a0China\n\n\nChang Lih Kang, 42,\u00a0Science and Technology Minister \n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nNo prior government post\n\n\nEwon Benedick, 40, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative Minister\n", "\n\nWarisan\nFormer State Minister of Rural Development of Sabah (2018 - 2020)\n\n\nSivakumar Varatharaju Naidu, 51, Human Resources Minister\n", "\n\nPakatan Harapan\nFormer Speaker of Perak State Assembly (2008 - 2009)\n\n\nAgo Anak Dagang, 63, Unity Minister\n", "\n\nGabungan Parti Sarawak\u00a0\nFormer Deputy Health Minister (2020 - 2022)\n\n\nMohd Na\u2019im Mokhtar, 55, Religious Affairs Minister\u00a0\n", "\n\nNon-politician\nChief Syariah Judge\n\n\nArmizan Mohd Ali, 46, Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Department (Sabah and Sarawak)\n", "\nGabungan Rakyat Sabah\nFormer Senior Private Secretary to Sabah Chief Minister (2020 - 2022)\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/who-s-who-in-malaysia-s-new-cabinet"}, {"title": "Why Malaysia is considering a ban on palm oil exports to the European Union", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia, the world\u2019s second-largest palm oil producer, last Thursday said it might stop palm oil exports to the European Union (EU) after the bloc imposed additional import restrictions on the edible oil due to concerns over deforestation.\nHere is a look at what led to the contention. \nWhat is the disagreement about?\nMalaysia and Indonesia have for years been at loggerheads with the European Union over curbs on imports of palm oil, which the two countries say are trade barriers and protectionist measures for the bloc\u2019s domestic oilseed industries.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe EU deforestation regulation is in addition to an EU renewable-energy directive, announced in 2018, that requires the phasing out of palm-based transportation fuels by 2030.\nThe bloc has also set a separate safety limit on food contaminant 3-MCPD esters for palm oil compared to soft oils derived from crops such as soybean, canola and sunflower.\nWhat has Malaysia done about EU restrictions?\nIndonesia and Malaysia, which account for 85 per cent of the world\u2019s palm oil exports, have filed separate World Trade Organisation suits against the EU over the renewable-energy directive.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe palm oil producers say they have taken steps to meet EU requirements, including stepping up their national sustainable palm oil certification standards and improving environmental protection and food safety standards, but that the bloc keeps imposing new restrictions.\n\nEU officials say their regulations do not target any one country and are aimed at ensuring that commodity production does not further drive deforestation and forest degradation.\nHow is the market reacting?\nBursa Malaysia\u2019s benchmark crude palm oil futures have yet to react to Malaysia\u2019s proposal, although some traders said they see it as a bearish signal.\nSome in the palm industry view the proposed ban as a knee-jerk reaction that will hurt the sector, and others laud Malaysia for putting its foot down.\nMalaysia said it will discuss with Indonesia the possible ban and other strategies to tackle the EU measures, as both have agreed to increase cooperation to fight \u201cdiscrimination\u201d against the commodity.\nHow will Malaysia halt exports to EU?\nIt is not clear whether Malaysia is considering a direct ban on exports to the European Union or enacting tariffs.\nWhat about Malaysian palm oil exports to Europe?\nThe EU accounts for 9.4 per cent of Malaysia\u2019s export volume in 2022. Malaysian Palm Oil Board data indicates that exports to the 27-member bloc have been declining since 2015.\nIn 2022, Malaysia\u2019s exports to the EU fell 10 per cent from the previous year to 1.47 million tonnes. That is a 40 per cent plunge from 2.43 million tonnes in 2015.\nThe Malaysian Biodiesel Association last year urged industry officials to come to terms with a steady decline in shipments of palm-based biofuels to the EU.\n", "\nWhere else can Malaysia palm oil exports go?\nThe palm oil industry makes up about 5 per cent of Malaysia\u2019s economy. Malaysia has in recent years actively explored new markets to offset losses from Europe, including food-importing countries in the Middle East, Central Asia and North Africa.\nSeveral publicly-listed Malaysian palm oil companies, however, have established refineries in Europe and an export ban would disrupt their operations. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/why-malaysia-is-considering-a-ban-on-palm-oil-exports-to-the-european-union"}, {"title": "Why young Malaysian voters are drawn to Perikatan Nasional", "text": ["SINGAPORE - Ms Suzana Ahmad voted for the first time in Malaysia\u2019s general election in November. It was not easy for the 18-year-old private university student to decide whom to vote for, but she eventually went with her parents\u2019 preference \u2013 Perikatan Nasional (PN), the Muhyiddin Yassin-led coalition that appeared to have many social media influencers\u2019 endorsement.\u00a0"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/why-young-malaysian-voters-are-drawn-to-perikatan-nasional"}, {"title": "Wild elephants barge into Malaysian school, leaving trail of damage", "text": ["\nSUNGAI SIPUT, Perak - A group of wild elephants barged into a rural school in the Malaysian state of Perak, causing damage to a building and facilities.\nThe incident took place at 2am on June 8 at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pos Perwor near Lasah, about 70km from the state capital of Ipoh.\nThe elephants damaged the windows and grilles of classrooms and a kitchen, while flower pots, banana and coconut trees in the vicinity were also destroyed.\n\n\n\n\n\nMalay-language daily Sinar Harian reported that six elephants had entered the school compound, quoting the state\u2019s Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Peninsular Malaysia director Yusoff Shariff.\nHowever, Mr Yusoff said no one was hurt in the incident. \nHe said a few members of the department\u2019s Elephant Action Unit were deployed to the location after receiving information.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe elephants were chased back to the forest. They possibly came out to look for food,\u201d he said.\n\n\nThe incident was shared by Kuala Kangsar assistant district education officer Mohd Rassidee Mohd Rasid in a Facebook post.\nMr Rassidee told Sinar Harian that this is the second time such an incident involving the school has been reported this year.\nDuring the first incident, which took place in April, the school\u2019s back gate and the wall of a classroom were damaged. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/wild-elephants-barge-into-malaysian-school-leaving-trail-of-damage"}, {"title": "Wishes for 2023: The right kind of development that Malaysia needs", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - As at Dec 21, about 70,000 people have been displaced in Malaysia\u2019s now customary year-end floods, with five dead.Tragic as it may be, it is trumped by the Dec 16 landslide near Genting Highlands, which has claimed 31 lives with seven still missing."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/wishes-for-2023-the-right-kind-of-development-that-malaysia-needs"}, {"title": "With few Covid-19 entry tests, South-east Asia may gain most from China's travel revival", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - South-east Asian economies are set to be leading beneficiaries of China\u2019s scrapping of travel bans as they have steered clear of the Covid-19 tests before entry that Europe, Japan and the United States have imposed on Chinese visitors. \nEven as the virus tears through its 1.4 billion population, the world\u2019s second largest economy is reopening its borders from Sunday, a move that promises to unleash a wave of travellers eager for diversion after three years of strict curbs at home. \nSuch newly mobile Chinese tourists will opt for \u201cminimal hassle\u201d and head for destinations that do not demand testing, which in turn stands to benefit South-east Asia, said CIMB economist Song Seng Wun.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe busier regional airports are, the better it is for their economies,\u201d he added.\nWhile Australia, Britain, India, Japan and the United States are among the nations that require a negative Covid-19 test from inbound travellers from China, South-east Asian countries, from Cambodia to Indonesia to Singapore, have all eschewed such requirements.\nExcept for airplane wastewater testing by Malaysia and Thailand for the virus, the region\u2019s 11 nations will treat travellers from China like any other.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe are not taking the stance of discriminating (against) any countries,\u201d said Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.\n\nInterest in the region waxed high even before news of its lack of test requirements.\nAs many as 76 per cent of Chinese travel agencies ranked South-east Asia as the top destination when outbound travel resumed, according to a survey released in December by trade show ITB China.\nWelcome back \nThe region is home to many tourism-reliant economies where the Chinese used to make up the bulk of visitors to beach paradises, luxury malls and casinos that have all been hit hard by their absence in the last few years.\n\n\n\n\n\nNow, their tourism industries are gearing up to welcome Chinese travellers back.\nIn 2019, 155 million Chinese travelled abroad, spending US$254.6 billion (S$343 billion), or close to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Vietnam, said Citi, whose researchers expect \u201cmeaningful recovery\u201d in mass tourism to start in the second quarter of 2023.\nIn Vietnam, almost a third of the 18 million foreign arrivals in 2019 were from China, while about a fifth of Singapore\u2019s international arrivals were Chinese who spent $900 million.\nThailand already expects to welcome five million Chinese travellers in 2023, or about half of the 10.99 million in 2019. Tourism accounted for nearly 20 per cent of Thailand\u2019s national income before the pandemic, with China its largest source of foreign tourists.\n\u201cThis is an opportunity to restore our economic situation and recover from losses we suffered for nearly three years,\u201d Thai Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday.\nMalaysia projects 1.5 million to two million Chinese tourists in 2023 versus three million before the pandemic.\nAnd the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents is preparing for a road show in Chinese cities to woo visitors, said its vice-president Ganeesh Rama. \n", "\nFew health worries\nOfficials have downplayed health worries aired by other countries, such as the United States\u2019 concern over insufficient information and fear that more cases in China could spawn new variants of the virus.\nSingapore said it had high population immunity, as about 40 per cent of its people had been infected with the coronavirus and 83 per cent had been vaccinated, while it has bolstered healthcare capacity.\nDr Karen Grepin, a public health professor at Hong Kong University, agreed with that approach, adding: \u201cEvery day, countries import thousands of cases of Covid-19 from around the world.\u201d\nIn Bali, Ms Ida Bagus Agung Parta,  chairman of the resort island\u2019s tourism board, said it would \u201cincrease our defence\u201d, as workers take a second booster dose of vaccine this month.\nMr Kadek Sucana, who runs a seafood restaurant in the Jimbaran area, told AFP: \u201cBefore the pandemic, we had a lot of Chinese customers... At least 100 to 200 customers came daily.\u201d\nHe is hoping for a \u201cfull house again... because Chinese tourists come in large groups\u201d. \nCambodia\u2019s Prime Minister Hun Sen, an ally of Beijing, described other countries\u2019 testing requirements as \u201cpropaganda\u201d designed to \u201cscare people\u201d. \n\u201cWhatever other countries want to do, it\u2019s their right,\u201d Mr Hun Sen said in a recent speech. \u201cBut for Cambodia, it\u2019s an invitation to Chinese people: Chinese tourists, come to Cambodia.\u201d REUTERS, AFP\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/with-few-covid-19-entry-tests-south-east-asia-may-gain-most-from-chinas-travel-revival"}, {"title": "Amid rising Covid-19 cases, health experts urge Malaysians to mask up", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 With a rise in Covid-19 cases in Malaysia of late and more social gatherings for Hari Raya expected in the coming days, public health experts are suggesting that face masks be worn in public. \nIndividuals at high risk of developing severe Covid-19 include the elderly, the obese, those with high comorbidities and those who are immunocompromised, such as people with diabetes and cancer.\n\u201cAs such, they are highly encouraged to wear masks,\u201d said public health expert Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.\n\n\n\n\n\nProfessor Sharifa said people who have not completed their vaccination regimen, either with primary vaccination or a booster, should be masked when in public.\n\u201cIt is better to be safe than sorry. Get yourself vaccinated, including the boosters. If you\u2019re at high risk, wear a mask in public areas where there are many people who may be transmitting or carrying the virus,\u201d she said.\n\nShe also spoke about an upsurge in cases at certain schools, adding that students who are at risk should wear masks.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe increase in Covid-19 cases is expected, due to a few highly transmissible Omicron strains, unmasking and many of us moving freely across states and in our workplaces,\u201d she noted.\n\n\u201cHowever, the main issue is whether the rise in cases will lead to hospitalisation or even deaths.\u201d\nA statement from Malaysia\u2019s Health Ministry last Thursday said hospital admissions of people with Covid-19 had increased by 17.6 per cent as at the beginning of April, compared with the previous month.\nHealth Minister Zaliha Mustafa said that among those hospitalised, 63.8 per cent were aged 60 and above, and 90.7 per cent had comorbidities. \n\n\n\n\n\nMost patients had mild symptoms. Deaths among patients who were not vaccinated were six times higher than among those who had received a single vaccine dose, Dr Zaliha added.\nProfessor Moy Foong Ming of Universiti Malaya\u2019s Department of Social and Preventive Medicine suggested that the Health Ministry should intensify its public messages on the importance of wearing masks and encourage people to do so during a surge in cases.\nAs for infections in schools, she said parents should not send children with symptoms to school.\n\u201cThe school management should be alert to the health status of their staff and students. Take appropriate action when any of the staff or students are unwell,\u201d Prof Moy said.\n", "\nHowever, the experts are of the view that it is not necessary to make it mandatory for people to wear face masks.\nProf Moy said making face masks mandatory is no longer feasible as Malaysia is transitioning to the phase of living with Covid-19 as an endemic disease.\n\u201cWe are to coexist with the virus. The public should have internalised the preventive measures and should carry them out voluntarily when there is a surge in cases,\u201d she said.\n\u201cIf masking is made compulsory, then there should be punitive measures on those who don\u2019t comply. \n\u201cThis will not educate the public; rather, they will mask up because of fear of possible punitive action taken against them.\u201d \nMalaysian Public Health Physicians Association president Zainal Ariffin Omar also believes masking should not be made mandatory but strongly encouraged instead.\n\u201cI think the public will not be too receptive if mandatory masking and added regulations are imposed,\u201d Dr Zainal said, adding that people should be encouraged to self-test and self-quarantine should they show symptoms.\n", "\nUniversiti Putra Malaysia medical epidemiologist Malina Osman said current measures can be maintained, but those who test positive must wear a mask to protect others.\n\u201cThose who are sick should stay at home and be quarantined. If they need to be in public, wearing a mask is a must,\u201d she said.\nAssociate Professor Malina added that the decision to make masking compulsory should be taken only if the increase in Covid-19 cases poses a threat to the country\u2019s healthcare system.\n\u201cCurrently, there is no such indication, so there is no urgent need to make it compulsory,\u201d she said.\nHowever, there is a need to enhance public awareness so that people can take responsible steps, she added.\nProf Malina said the rise in cases is most likely due to the current strain being highly infectious.\n\u201cIn general, we have to be more cautious. People are encouraged to mask up in public, be mindful of hand hygiene and cough etiquette,\u201d she said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/with-rising-covid-19-cases-health-experts-urge-malaysians-to-mask-up"}, {"title": "With the current hazy, hot weather, health experts tell Malaysians to stay hydrated", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysians have to brace themselves for increasing haze and heat that could pose major health risks, say health experts.\nThe experts warned that besides discomfort, the current hot and dry weather condition can cause heat stroke, as well as respiratory problems such as asthma. \nPublic health expert Zainal Ariffin Omar urged the public to take care of themselves by staying hydrated, avoiding outdoor activities in extreme heat and wearing appropriate clothing.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt is vital to prioritise health and well-being during extreme weather conditions and the necessary precautions should be taken to stay safe,\u201d he said.\n\u201cUse umbrellas or wear hats while outdoors to avoid exposure to direct sunlight. To beat the heat, people can drink more water and fruit juice, and eat more fruits.\n\u201cIt is also important to be aware of physical changes, particularly for those at high risk of heat stroke and exhaustion. Although there aren\u2019t many cases of heat stroke in Malaysia, the public should be cautious.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs at 4pm Sunday, the air quality in several districts in Kelantan, Johor and the capital city of Kuala Lumpur was at an unhealthy level, according to Air Pollutant Index (API) readings.\n\nThe API reading in Segamat of Johor was 152, Cheras in Kuala Lumpur recorded a reading of 106, while Kota Baru and Tanah Merah in Kelantan were at 107 and 104 respectively. \nAn API of between 101 and 200 indicates unhealthy air quality.\nNatural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said on Saturday the nation is bracing itself for the return of the haze due to the recent hot and dry conditions.\n\n\n\n\n\nDr Zainal said that as Covid-19 cases are also on the rise, clinics should be mindful that some symptoms of the virus infection could be similar to those of heat stroke.\n\u201cDoctors must exercise caution when patients seek advice,\u201d he said.\n\n", "\nMalaysian Chinese Medical Association president Heng Aik Teng reminded people to avoid keeping their air-conditioning at the lowest temperature to allow their body to slowly adapt to the outdoor heat.\nHe also suggested that people drink more water and herbal tea to relieve the heat, adding that many had fallen ill due to changes in the weather.\n\n\u201cIf people feel dizzy, stuffy and sweaty, it could be a sign of heat stroke. They should seek medical attention immediately,\u201d he advised.\n\nMs Andrea Lim, 30, from Cheras, said she noticed the sky was quite hazy on Saturday and decided to put on her mask outdoors.\nShe said the weather had been extremely hot and stuffy over the past few days.\n\u201cI had to install an additional air cooler because I simply couldn\u2019t sleep at night,\u201d she added.\n\n", "\nMs Kyra Carvalho, 19, from the upscale Kuala Lumpur suburb of Bangsar, said she noticed the hazy condition in the city centre on Sunday evening.\n\u201cThere was also a smoky smell in the air,\u201d said the university student, adding that many of her friends also noticed the change in air quality over the past few days.\n\u201cEven with the air-conditioning on at full blast, it still feels warm,\u201d she said, adding that most of her friends spend their time indoors now.\nAlliance for Safe Community founder and chairman Lee Lam Thye urged the relevant enforcement agencies to take immediate steps against open burning to stop the haze from getting worse.\nHe said swift action must be taken to prevent the situation from becoming a health hazard.\n\n\u201cEnforcement cannot solely be the responsibility of the Environment Ministry. It must be a concerted effort by several agencies, including local councils such as City Hall, which has its own health and environment officers,\u201d he added.\nTan Sri Lee said there must be an immediate response from enforcement agencies should open burning be detected, and asked the Plantation and Commodities Ministry to help the agricultural sector move away from such activity as a means to clear land. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/with-the-current-hazy-hot-weather-health-experts-tell-malaysians-to-stay-hydrated"}, {"title": "Former minister Khairy considers making comeback in Malaysia state polls in Selangor", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - More than a week after being sacked by Umno, Malaysia\u2019s former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin indicated that he is looking at contesting the Selangor state polls, with parties offering him to become the state\u2019s chief minister. \n\u201cThere are discussions with several parties and there are also discussions taking place on what that role would be,\u201d said Mr Khairy on Monday when asked if he was offered the Selangor Menteri Besar post by other political parties.\nHe also said he was interested in contesting the upcoming Selangor state polls if he decides on making a political comeback after being sacked by Umno on Jan 28.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBut, if I do decide to sit out the state polls, then I would have more time to decide which political platform I choose as my next chapter in my political journey,\u201d Mr Khairy told journalists during a Concorde Club meeting on Monday.\n\u201cIf I want to participate in the state polls, I have to decide in the next few months which way I will go.\u201d\nThe Concorde Club is an informal meeting between a group of editors, senior journalists and politicians as well as key policy makers.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Khairy also said state experience would complement his current skill set, as he had experience as a former Rembau MP for three terms and led three different ministries.\n\n\u201cIt (state experience) would help me understand local government, as well as the relationship between the federal and state government. So, I do feel it\u2019s a good opportunity. But then, I have to weigh whether I have the appetite to jump back,\u201d said Mr Khairy.\nHe also revealed that Umno president Zahid Hamidi had offered him the post of deputy president before the last party polls in 2018, adding that he turned down the role.\n\u201cThere was a discussion between Zahid and myself for me to be his deputy, which I turned down because I felt there should be a change in leadership itself within Umno,\u201d Mr Khairy said.\nMr Khairy had challenged for the party president post in 2018, eventually losing to Zahid.\nHe also said he has no plans on forming a new party in Malaysia.\n\u201cThe market is a bit saturated, and I see there might not be space for a new party in Malaysia. Though it\u2019s an option, it\u2019s unlikely that I will form a new party,\u201d he said.\nLast month, the Umno supreme council sacked Mr Khairy and former supreme council member Tan Sri Noh Omar.\nAmong the members suspended for six years were former party information chief Shahril Hamdan and former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein.\nAction had been taken against the Umno leaders because they were deemed to have criticised the party president and worked with opposition parties in the recently concluded general election. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/with-various-offers-khairy-considers-making-comeback-in-malaysia-state-polls-in-selangor"}, {"title": "Woman denied entry to Johor Bahru govt office for wearing \u2018see-through\u2019 outfit", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 A businesswoman in Johor Bahru was left baffled after she was barred from entering a local government council building for apparently dressing inappropriately in a \u201csee-through\u201d dress.\nThe 60-year-old woman, who wanted to be known as Ms Tan, said she was wearing a pastel-yellow dress that extended to her calves and covered shoes when she turned up at the Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG) for business licence matters at around 11am on Wednesday.\n\u201cI was quite surprised when the security guard refused to give me a (visitor\u2019s) pass, saying that my dress was not long enough to (allow me to) head to the upper levels of the building,\u201d she told Malaysian daily The Star.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI went back to the front counter and related the issue to a female staff member as I did not want to leave without completing my task.\n\u201cShe then told me to take the stairs to avoid the security guard. I did as she said because I didn\u2019t want to argue or cause a scene as my husband was waiting for me in the car outside.\u201d\nMs Tan said she could not understand the security guard\u2019s reasoning as the female staff member and those on the second floor, when she got there via the stairs, were polite and had no issue with her dress.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAs a businesswoman, I visit government offices quite often, so I am aware of the appropriate dress code, and I have never encountered such an issue before this.\n\n\u201cMoreover, I am a 60-year-old woman, so it does not make sense for me to dress scantily or wear inappropriate clothing in public,\u201d she said.\nThis latest case came after two other women were barred from government premises recently.\nOn Sunday, a woman in her 20s was refused treatment in Kampar Hospital because of her attire. And earlier in February, another woman was denied entry to the Kajang district police headquarters because of her \u201cinappropriate clothes\u201d, when she wanted to make a report on an accident.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhen contacted, an MBPG official said they were aware of the incident involving Ms Tan.\n", "\n\u201cFrom our understanding, she was dressed indecently as the dress was slightly see-through. She was not stopped from conducting her business on the ground floor and at the front counters,\u201d said the official.\n\u201cShe was only stopped from going up to the higher floors due to her dressing. We will look into the matter and make improvements.\u201d \nMalaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said on Wednesday that the police must take reports from the public regardless of their attire.\n", "\n\u201cWe do not agree with the cop\u2019s action (in refusing to take a report because of what the complainant was wearing),\u201d he said, referring to the incident in Kajang.\nMr Saifuddin also reminded the public to observe the dress code at public offices, including police stations and government offices.\nThe woman who was refused entry to the Kajang police headquarters claimed she was wearing bermudas that covered her knees.\nShe said she was allowed to enter the station only after she changed into a pair of trousers that her sister handed to her. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/woman-denied-entry-to-johor-govt-office-for-wearing-see-through-outfit"}, {"title": "World leaders congratulate new Malaysia PM Anwar Ibrahim", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE/PETALING JAYA - Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has congratulated the newly sworn-in Malaysian premier Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday. \n\u201cYour premiership comes amidst significant challenges in our regional and global environment. As close neighbours and friends, Singapore and Malaysia should work together to manage these challenges and explore new opportunities for cooperation,\u201d PM Lee said in a statement, adding that he looks forward to meeting Mr Anwar soon. \nIndonesian President Joko Widodo also called Mr Anwar on the phone to congratulate him, just before the latter held his first press conference as the prime minister. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Anwar shared a clip of his chat with Mr Widodo on Twitter, saying: \u201cI affirm that Indonesia is a true friend of Malaysia and I hope that trade and business relations, investment, culture and labour issues can be improved.\u201d\n", "\nSoon after his press conference began, Mr Anwar also received a phone call from Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. \nHe told Mr Erdogan that he looks forward to enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSeveral foreign missions in Malaysia have sent congratulatory messages to Mr Anwar.\n\nUnited States Ambassador to Malaysia Brian D McFeeters said in a tweet: \u201cUS Embassy Kuala Lumpur looks forward to continuing to strengthen the US-Malaysia strategic partnership under your leadership.\u201d\n", "\nAustralia\u2019s High Commissioner to Malaysia Dr Justin Lee posted a picture of him with Mr Anwar on Twitter, saying: \u201cAustralia & Malaysia are the closest of friends. The Australian High Commission looks forward to working with your team under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.\u201d\n", "\nJapan\u2019s Ambassador to Malaysia Takahashi Katsuhiko said he hopes the new government \u201cwill lead Malaysia in unity and further promote Japan-Malaysia relations\u201d.\n", "\nIn an interview on Philippine TV channel Teleradyo, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Charles Jose said Mr Anwar \u201cwas friendly with the Philippines when he was deputy prime minister\u201d of Malaysia from 1993 to 1998. \nHe said it is still too early to comment on the impact of Mr Anwar\u2019s premiership. \u201cPerhaps we should wait for the time when he has formed his Cabinet, especially his foreign minister, before we can see the full implication.\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/world-leaders-congratulate-new-malaysia-pm-anwar-ibrahim"}, {"title": "\u2018You\u2019re not alone\u2019: Parties reach out to axed Umno leaders", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders have reached out to the leaders who were suspended and sacked by Umno on Friday to tell them that they are not alone.\nArau MP Shahidan Kassim, a former Umno top gun who himself was sacked from the party recently, called Umno \u201ca mad party which is eagerly sacking everyone\u201d.\n\u201cThose who were sacked, stay patient. We will defend you. Long live Perikatan,\u201d Datuk Seri Shahidan posted on Facebook early on Saturday morning after the announcement was made.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Shahidan was dropped as a candidate of the Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition for the last general election, prompting him to seek a PN seat. He was then sacked by Umno, along with a few other party leaders who went rogue last November.\nMr Khairy Jamaluddin and other Umno members who were sacked or suspended recently are welcome to make an appeal to join Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, said its president Muhyiddin Yassin.\n\u201cBersatu\u2019s membership policy has always been open to any Malay bumiputera or pribumi who wants to join. We also have an association wing for other races to join,\u201d he said on Saturday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cKhairy is a smart man and is loved by many. I know him well as he was a minister under my Cabinet. He has good qualifications and is mature in politics.\n\n\u201cIt depends on him. If he feels that it is suitable (to join Bersatu), then he can apply and we will consider it,\u201d said Tan Sri Muhyiddin, who is also PN\u2019s chairman.\nBersatu deputy president Faizal Azumu also told those who were sacked that they were now free.\n\u201cDear brothers, your wings are no longer clipped. Now, you can soar even higher. May God bless your holy struggle,\u201d tweeted Datuk Seri Faizal, the former Tambun MP.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, former Ketereh Umno division head and ex-Ketereh MP Annuar Musa posted a lengthy note on Facebook stating that the suspension and sacking were made to silence those who spoke the truth.\n\u201cBe calm and patient. Sacking those who do not agree with your views is the easiest way to stay in power. Truth has a high price... and remember that even though these people are in power, there is a higher power,\u201d said Tan Sri Annuar, who himself was sacked after the last general election, together with Mr Shahidan.\nMr Annuar further stated that the voters had given Umno indications of what they wanted but the leaders were \u201cin denial\u201d, referring to the fact that Umno gained the least number of seats in the party\u2019s history in the last election.\n\u201cThe cleansing that they are doing will only produce more dirt as the dirt is still stuck within the party, even though the party is being destroyed.\n\n\u201cThey created lies and finally, they believed in their own lies. Let Umno be their own personal armour, we continue our struggle in our own way,\u201d said Mr Annuar.\n", "\nMeanwhile, Gerakan was the first party to openly court former health minister Khairy following his sacking from Umno on Friday.\nParti Gerakan Rakyat\u2019s acting youth chief Wong Chia Zhen said Mr Khairy would be a perfect fit for the party.\n\u201cUmno\u2019s supreme council has decided to sack former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin for breaching party discipline due to offences during the 15th General Election.\n\u201cIn my opinion, the decision of the (Umno) council is not appropriate because Khairy is a politician of calibre and succeeded in putting pressure on his opponent in Sungai Buloh during the last election,\u201d said Mr Wong in a statement.\n\u201cThe majority won by the PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) candidate was reduced from 10,000 to 1,000, proving to be the only Pakatan Harapan stronghold that almost lost.\u201d\nMr Wong added: \u201cWe believe that at the lowest point in his political career, we can support him.\n\u201cThe ideology of our party is based on simplicity and with the credibility he has, I am sure this will give Khairy a new lease of life.\u201d\n", "\nMeanwhile, PKR will hold a discussion first if any sacked Umno leader expresses interest in joining the party, said PKR\u2019s deputy president Rafizi Ramli.\nMr Rafizi said he could not make the decision alone; it has to be made collectively.\n\u201cWe have to discuss that first at the party level. It is not my decision alone. I think we have to look at it on a case-to-case basis,\u201d he said at the Parliament Lecture Series 1.0: Resetting the Malaysian Economy on Friday, according to newspaper Sinar Harian. \nMr Rafizi, who is also the Pandan MP, added that discussions at the party level would be held if the matter arose.\n\u201cIf the matter arises, PKR will definitely have to discuss it. And we haven\u2019t got there yet. No matters have been raised. As long as it does not arise, it will only be speculation,\u201d he said. \nAsked about Umno\u2019s purge, Malaysian Transport Minister and Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Anthony Loke said it is up to the individual leaders to chart their next political move, with no need for DAP to make any open invitations.\n\u201cThat depends on them. They haven\u2019t voiced their intentions yet. We don\u2019t have to jump the gun. If there\u2019s any application from anyone, the respective parties will consider. We don\u2019t want to pre-empt anything,\u201d he said, declining to comment on the \u201cinternal issues\u201d of Umno, a component party in Malaysia\u2019s unity government.\n", "\nOn Friday, Umno sacked its former youth chief Khairy and supreme council member Noh Omar.\nOthers punished included former party vice-president and Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein, who was suspended for six years.\nFormer Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan, former youth executive council member Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, former Johor state executive council member and Tebrau Umno division chief Maulizan Bujang, and former Jempol MP Mohd Salim Mohd Shariff were also suspended for six years. \nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/you-re-not-alone-pn-leaders-reach-out-to-axed-umno-leaders"}, {"title": "YouTubers who shot their climb up Malaysia\u2019s Merdeka 118 building last year were caught and charged", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - A group of content creators who recently uploaded a YouTube video of how they ascended Kuala Lumpur\u2019s Merdeka 118 skyscraper last year were detained and charged after their escapade, said the building owner.\nYouTube channel Driftershoots uploaded a video of the climb on Dec 30, 2022.\nThe 7-minute 19-second video showed the group, with their faces obscured, sneaking onto the site wearing clothing like that of construction workers.\n\n\n\n\n\nOnce inside, one member of the group was seen cutting off a net that was blocking their access.\nThe video showed them reaching the top of the tower in the rain.\n\u201cA number of attempts had already ended in prison time for certain individuals so we knew we were up against heavy odds,\u201d the channel said in its video description.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe trip ended successfully and it\u2019s a gift to be ending the year showing the footage. This video is an artistic expression of freedom done in and for love, I do not encourage anybody to recreate the actions shown in this video.\u201d\n\nNo particulars were given on the actual date of the climb with the video description only saying it was \u201ca while ago\u201d.\nPNB Merdeka Venture, which owns the building, said in a statement that the incident took place on May 1, 2022, and all trespassers had already been detained and charged under Section 457 of the Penal Code.\n\u201cWe wish to reiterate that stunts such as these are illegal and dangerous, and put at risk the safety of the trespassers and the hard-working personnel on site.\n\u201cAs such, it is highly disconcerting that illegal acts that take place on our property are used for illicit commercial gain and popularity,\u201d the statement issued on Tuesday read.\nIt added that the company would continue to upgrade its security measures appropriately as the building was still an active construction site where safety is a priority.\nOn Dec 28, it was reported that daredevil couple Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau had scaled Merdeka 118, the second tallest building in the world, prompting questions of security on social media.\nPhotos of their climb were uploaded on the Internet and reshared on Reddit.\nPolice are investigating the duo\u2019s claim and are working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to verify the authenticity of their video. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/youtubers-who-shot-their-climb-up-malaysia-s-merdeka-118-building-last-year-were-caught-and-charged"}, {"title": "Zahid cements grip on Umno as loyalists sweep party polls", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Results for Umno internal polls on Sunday saw president Zahid Hamidi cementing his grip on the party, with loyalists having swept most of the top posts, including two out of three vice-president posts, supreme council seats and the party\u2019s wings. \nPahang Chief Minister Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin, and former second finance minister Johari Ghani won the three Umno vice-president posts, Umno election committee chairman Shahrir Samad told a news conference. \nDatuk Seri Wan Rosdy, who obtained the highest number of votes at 124, and Datuk Seri Khaled, who came in second with 114 votes, are seen as aligned to Zahid. Datuk Seri Johari garnered 107 votes. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Umno polls are closely watched, as the party is a member of Malaysia\u2019s ruling coalition and any sign of instability could affect the administration of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. \nZahid, who is close to Datuk Seri Anwar, is the country\u2019s deputy prime minister.\nZahid and his deputy president Mohamad Hasan retained their seats after the party earlier blocked contests for the top two positions.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe main contest was for the three vice-president posts in an eight-way fight. \n\nThere were also contests for the 25 seats on the supreme council, Umno\u2019s top decision-making body.\nLeadership contests were also held in 187 of the 191 Umno divisions nationwide. Four divisions had their elections suspended due to internal matters.\nUniversity of Malaya sociopolitical analyst Awang Azman Pawi said the line-up was mostly made up of those who were \u201cZahid-friendly\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\nAmong those who won supreme council seats were Cabinet ministers and those in Zahid\u2019s camp.\nThe wins should ensure the strength of the unity government led by Mr Anwar, and provide Zahid greater stability to lead Umno and the Barisan Nasional coalition.\n\u201cWhat is crucial now is that the party wings will have to prove that they will be able to win back youth votes in the upcoming elections in six states,\u201d Dr Azman told The Straits Times.\n\u201cIf they succeed in providing stiff competition to PN (Perikatan Nasional), only then will this show that the internal elections this time are capable of reviving and rejuvenating Umno while the pro-PN factions within Umno will become smaller,\u201d he added.\nIf candidates aligned to the top two leaders of Umno had failed to win at least two-thirds of the supreme council, then this could have led to a vote of no confidence against the two, resulting in a change of party leadership and the collapse of the unity government, said Dr Azman.\n", "\nUmno is fraught with infighting, but Zahid had bolstered his hand with the January sacking of ambitious former Cabinet minister Khairy Jamaluddin and the six-year suspension of former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein.\nUmno has only 26 seats in Parliament, its lowest in history, but it remains a major kingmaker in Malaysian politics after throwing its support behind Mr Anwar, allowing him to gain a parliamentary majority and become prime minister.\nIn polling on March 11 by some 160,000 divisional delegates, Umno leaders aligned to Zahid won the chief posts for the youth and women\u2019s wings.\nZahid\u2019s daughter Nurul Hidayah and Ms Nooryana Najwa Najib, daughter of former prime minister Najib Razak, were elected to the executive councils of the women\u2019s and puteri (young women\u2019s) wings, respectively.\nIn the divisional polls over the weekend, Najib\u2019s son, Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin Najib, was voted in as chief of the Langkawi Umno division.  \nAnother son, Datuk Mohd Nizar Najib, was elected as division vice-chief in Najib\u2019s ward of Pekan, Pahang.\u00a0\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/zahid-cements-grip-on-umno-as-loyalists-sweep-party-polls"}, {"title": "Zahid cements power with purge of dissenters, but risks move backfiring on Umno", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Umno chief Zahid Hamidi has tightened his stranglehold on power by sacking a list of prominent leaders ahead of party polls, despite him having led the party to its worst defeat in the recent general election.Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein were among the casualties of a purge that has wiped out nearly all detractors, and eliminated the threat of them taking any top posts in the party election, which is now set to run from Feb 1 to March 18."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/zahid-cements-power-with-purge-of-dissenters-but-risks-move-backfiring-on-umno"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s deputy premier Zahid compromises to gain party control but longevity still in doubt", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi will be able to preside over an Umno whose new office-bearers are largely supportive of his leadership following the results of party polls over the past two weekends.But he has had to widen alliances in what appears to be a power-sharing deal with other camps, at the expense of his own loyalists."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/zahid-compromises-to-gain-party-control-but-longevity-still-in-doubt"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s DPM Zahid says attempt to deregister Umno foiled", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Deputy prime minister Zahid Hamidi has revealed that an attempt to get Umno deregistered by declaring it illegal has been foiled. \nThe Barisan Nasional chairman said that the newly-appointed Home Minister had found a letter on his table asking him to deregister Umno.\n\u201cSomeone saved Umno from being banned. Attempts to ban Umno had been \u2018broken\u2019 by someone,\u201d he said after attending the Malaysia Chinese Women Entrepreneurs Association 10th anniversary celebrations in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday night.\n\n\n\n\n\nZahid said this in response to Pahang Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Saifuddin Abdullah\u2019 statement that the objective of establishing Bersatu to replace Umno had been achieved, based on GE15 results.\n\u201cIt is clear that in GE15, this goal is actually far from their target.\n\u201cWe know that their goal is much more than that. We hope that this will create awareness among the people, especially grassroots members, that their (PN) goals must be rejected by Umno members as a whole.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhen someone became Home Minister for the first time, there was a letter on his desk to make Umno illegal. We have to thank that someone who was able to disregard that request,\u201d he said.\n\nMalaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced his Cabinet comprising 28 ministers on Dec 2, and named Mr Saifuddin Nasution Ismail as Home Minister.  THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/zahid-says-attempt-to-deregister-umno-foiled"}, {"title": "Singaporean brothers nabbed in Melaka over sexual abuse of boys in two religious schools", "text": ["\nMELAKA - Two brothers from Singapore have been detained by Melaka police for alleged sexual assault and physical abuse of six boys at a religious school in Malaysia.\nMelaka police chief DCP Datuk Zainol Samah said the suspects detained were aged 36 and 40 respectively.\n\u201cThe elder brother is the principal of two tahfiz centres in Tanjung Minyak and Alor Gajah here and had allegedly performed \u2018despicable\u2019 sexual acts on three teenage boys while the younger sibling, who is the warden, had supposedly physically abused three other boys,\u201d he said on Friday.\n\n\n\n\n\nDCP Zainol said six police reports were received between 6.30pm and 9.13pm on Thursday.\nHe said the boys, aged 13 to 15, claimed they were slapped, whipped and assaulted by the younger brother while the elder brother had forced them to perform sexual acts.\n\n\u201cThe boys claimed that they were also taken to a condominium in Klebang by the elder brother to perform sexual acts,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDCP Zainol said police have initiated an investigation under Section 14(1) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 and Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.\n\nHe added that the elder brother had a criminal record of two other sexual offences.\nThe suspects are expected to be produced at the Ayer Keroh Court on Saturday to be remanded. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/singaporean-brothers-nabbed-in-melaka-over-sexual-abuse-of-boys-in-two-religious-schools"}, {"title": "Indian egg farmers upbeat over exports to Malaysia", "text": ["NAMAKKAL - In Tamil Nadu\u2019s Namakkal district, poultry farmers are feeling upbeat thanks to recent egg exports to Malaysia, where a shortage has been triggered by the war in Ukraine.India exported eggs to Malaysia for the first time in December, sending over five million that month at US$27 to US$28 (S$35.50 to S$36.80) per carton of 360 eggs. While there are no orders for January, exports are expected to resume in February, said those involved."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/indian-egg-farmers-upbeat-over-exports-to-malaysia"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s egg shortage sets Indian hatcheries on path for record exports", "text": ["\nMUMBAI - India is set to export a record 50 million eggs in January, boosted by sales to Malaysia, where there have been acute shortages as soaring feed prices caused by the war in Ukraine force many small-scale farmers to cut output.\nCountries in the Middle East, including Oman and Qatar, are India\u2019s main buyers of eggs. Over the past few months, though, Indian hatcheries have received large orders from surprising quarters as output fell in some of the world\u2019s top suppliers.\n\nThe biggest surprise order came from Malaysia, which otherwise used to export eggs to Singapore and other Asian countries.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo secure egg supplies as prices rose to record highs, Malaysia\u2019s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Mohamad Sabu visited Namakkal, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where several leading hatcheries are based.\n\n\u201cFor the first time, Malaysia is buying large quantities of eggs from India, and it seems that India\u2019s egg exports to Malaysia will remain strong during the first half of 2023,\u201d Mr Sasti Kumar, joint managing director at Namakkal-based Ponni Farms, one of India\u2019s leading egg exporters, told Reuters.\n\nIndia shipped 5 million eggs to Malaysia in December, and will ship 10 million in January and up to 15 million in February, according to Mr Kumar.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nImports from India have helped Malaysia bring prices down from record highs seen in late December. Having suffered a shortfall of 157 million eggs in November, the market gap was down to just a million in December, Datuk Mohamad said in a statement earlier this week.\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s egg production would recover in a few months as the government has increased a subsidy, said Mr Tan Chee Hee, president of the Federation of Livestock Farmers\u2019 Association of Malaysia.\n\nPrices in India have shot up to a record 565 rupees (S$9.21) per 100 eggs. Up by nearly a quarter on year ago levels, the high cost of eggs has added to India\u2019s concerns over food price inflation.\n\nExports are rising amid robust local consumption during the winter months, said Mr Prasanna Pedgaonkar, general manager of poultry-focused Venky\u2019s.\n\nAt the same time, Mr Pedgaonkar said, domestic supplies have fallen by around a tenth, as small-scale Indian farmers, like their counterparts in Malaysia, have curtailed production after incurring losses in the past two years due to the high price of feed and the impact of the pandemic.\n\nIndia\u2019s domestic prices could eventually make exporting eggs less profitable, in which case foreign buyers will have to look elsewhere, said Mr C Panneerselvam, an exporter also based in Namakkal who sold a million eggs to Malaysia in December.\n\nBut for the time being, demand is not abating. REUTERS\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/malaysia-s-egg-shortage-sets-indian-hatcheries-on-path-for-record-exports"}, {"title": "New Malaysian PM could mean good news for Bangladeshi workers: Daily Star contributor", "text": ["\nDHAKA - With the ascension of Anwar Ibrahim as the prime minister of Malaysia, after 24 years of battling forces in Malaysian politics that were hell-bent on depriving him of this moment, there appears to be a wind of change in the country.\nNo one knows how much this will impact current bilateral and trade ties between Kuala Lumpur and Dhaka, which have not been that great but fairly acceptable so far.\nBangladesh will celebrate its 52nd year as an independent nation this year, meaning Dhaka has remained an all-weather friend and ally to Kuala Lumpur for almost half a century. This year will also mark 51 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, since Malaysia recognised Bangladesh as a sovereign nation in 1972.\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, these are all seen on the glossy surface while deep inside, the protection of Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia has been a nagging concern of international human rights watchdogs.\nRight now, the newly minted Malaysian prime minister is focusing on ties with his immediate neighbours. Anwar flew to Jakarta last week on his first official visit abroad, and he is scheduled to visit Singapore and Brunei at the end of this month.\nHis strong statement in Jakarta could be an indicator of how the largest issue between Malaysia and Bangladesh \u2013 euphemistically called labour mobility \u2013 is going to pan out. He announced that Malaysia and Indonesia have both agreed to further strengthen the protection of migrant workers, who number more than a million at the moment.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAdmitting that there were some issues that have hurt the feelings of the Indonesian people as well as their government, he said the solution must be more comprehensive so that workers will be protected.\n\nAnwar added that both sides would ensure that employment agencies do not make a high profit by exploiting migrant workers. Now, this is indeed a very serious issue affecting workers from Bangladesh, with lots of abuses involving agents in both countries.\nThe hurt feelings he spoke about are an open secret. Serious abuses of domestic workers in the past in Malaysia, though not rampant, had been the bane of the ties between the two neighbours. In addition, cases of non-payment of wages have compounded the problem.\nNow that Anwar seems to be prioritising this human aspect by making it his first announcement, Bangladesh too should visit him or invite him to Dhaka, since among the estimated four million foreign workers in Malaysia, a quarter or more of them are Bangladeshis.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt is obviously time to revisit the five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the intake of foreign workers that was signed by the two countries in 2021 to improve protection.\nUnfortunately, we have heard of far too many setbacks involving Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia. These include poor working conditions, unacceptable living environments, non-payment of wages and being treated without dignity. According to the definition of the International Labour Organisation, the companies involved with these are guilty of forced labour.\nThere were cases of many Bangladeshis who reach Malaysian shores by using their hard-earned savings and even mortgaging their properties, with high hopes of returning with better fortunes. Some of them then ended up as victims of human trafficking syndicates and unscrupulous recruitment agents.\nThere have been positive changes in this area over the last several years, thanks to international human rights group and activists exposing many employers, including multibillion-dollar companies, which led to the US Customs Border Protection Agency to ban products from some of these firms.\nThis resulted in a number of them rectifying their mistakes and treating Bangladeshi and other foreign workers with a semblance of dignity. These firms were then taken off the list, although a few recalcitrant ones are still on the blacklist.\nHowever, both countries need to do more. An international watchdog has claimed, as recently as a few weeks ago, that the inflow of foreign workers from Bangladesh to Malaysia is still being monopolised by two power brokers. This is despite the MoU that gave permission to 25 agencies to recruit workers.\nCalls are growing for a system that no longer limits the number of recruitment agencies and ends the involvement of the two \u201ccartels\u201d that rake in billions annually from forced labour and exploitation. There are also allegations of human trafficking syndicates that cause the misery of thousands of Bangladeshi migrants, as well as of corruption in the recruitment system that has lined the pockets of government officials of both countries.\nHence, it is of utmost importance that Bangladesh plays its role as a responsible source country by preventing its agencies from exploiting their citizens even before they leave for Malaysia. The blood, sweat and toil, in addition to their sacrifices of being oceans away from their loved ones, should not be in vain. They must be protected.\nWith Anwar\u2019s announced stand on inhumane treatment and abuse of foreign workers, it would be timely for the Bangladeshi government to capitalise on this, and his intent to protect its citizens working in Malaysia for a meagre monthly salary of RM1,500 (S$457).    \nBut it has to be a two-way action. Both Malaysia and Bangladesh need to jointly tackle this issue to weed out the flesh trade, so to speak. THE DAILY STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK    \n\nThe writer is a freelance journalist. The paper is a member of The Straits Times media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 22 news media titles.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/new-malaysian-pm-could-mean-good-news-for-bangladeshi-workers-daily-star-contributor"}, {"title": "Teenage boy who was rescued from shipping container in Malaysia drowns in Bangladesh", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - A 14-year-old Bangladeshi boy who was repatriated after he arrived in Malaysia in a shipping container from Chittagong around three months ago has died after drowning in a pond near his house. \nRatul Islam Fahim, who is from Monoharganj, an administrative division in Cumilla, Bangladesh, is said to have drowned while having a bath alone on April 29, as reported by The Daily Star.\nHis father Faruq Miah, said Ratul was mentally challenged.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAround 2.30pm, Ratul drowned while taking a bath alone,\u201d he said.\nMr Ashikur Rahman Hiron, chairman of the local union council, said Ratul drowned while taking a bath alone in the pond as he did not know how to swim.\nIn 2022, Ratul had been missing since Nov 13 before being discovered on a ship \u2013 MV Integra \u2013 in Port Klang on Jan 17, 2023.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe ship had arrived from Chittagong port in Bangladesh for Malaysia on Jan 12.\n\nOn Jan 16, sailors heard voices coming from inside an empty shipping container and reported the matter to the port authority.\nOn Jan 17, the ship was brought to the jetty, the container was opened and the teenager was rescued.\nHome Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had said upon the boy\u2019s discovery that the boy was found in a weak condition on Jan 17 when the ship docked at port.\nDatuk Seri Saifuddin said based on investigations, there were no elements of human trafficking in this case.\nRatul was repatriated on Feb 21. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/teenage-boy-who-was-rescued-from-shipping-container-in-malaysia-drowns-in-bangladesh"}, {"title": "Thaipusam festivities return to Malaysia after 2 years", "text": ["\nGEORGE TOWN \u2013 Full Thaipusam festivities returned to Malaysia on Saturday after two years of muted celebrations, with devotees lining the streets to witness the processions.\nIn Penang, the signature golden and silver chariots inched their way through various roads on the island before reaching their respective temples along Jalan Kebun Bunga.\nDedicated to the Hindu god of war, Lord Muruga, Thaipusam is a time of repentance for devotees through penance and prayers. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr R. Sivarataman, 42, arrived in Penang with his wife and two children from Langkawi, Kedah, to celebrate Thaipusam with some of his family members from Kelantan.\n\u201cWe are looking forward to celebrating Thaipusam this year and had booked our flight tickets here in December,\u201d he told Bernama on Saturday.\nApart from Penang, celebrations also took place at Hindu temples in other states such as Johor and Perak.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSome roads in Kuala Lumpur were closed with over 300,000 visitors expected to throng Batu Caves, just north of the capital city, to bask in the festivities. Batu Caves is a heritage site known for its Hindu temples and shrines.\n\nHindu devotees in Malaysia were not able to celebrate Thaipusam for the past two years due to Covid-19 restrictions.\nHowever, this year\u2019s festivities were accompanied by wet weather.\nThe Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has forecast rain across much of the country this weekend.\nThunderstorms are also expected in several areas, according to a report by the Bernama news agency.\nA statement by MetMalaysia said wet weather is expected in one or two areas in states such as Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu.\nSome eastern parts of the southern state of Johor will experience similar conditions as well.  \nHeavy rain or thunderstorms are also expected in one or two locations in states like Penang, Pahang and Sabah. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/thaipusam-festivities-return-to-malaysia-after-2-years"}, {"title": "Low-cost airline kingpin Tony Fernandes prepares for life after AirAsia", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 One of the best-known names in global aviation is preparing to step back from the front lines.\nMr Tony Fernandes, the larger-than-life character credited with revolutionising budget air travel in Asia, plans to focus more on areas such as health, education and private equity.\u00a0\nThe 58-year-old Malaysian will be moving on as the industry emerges from Covid-19. Like other carriers, AirAsia, the group he founded, was floored by the pandemic. It is no longer quite the empire it once was, having closed down ventures in Japan and India, but it still operates airlines out of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, and plans a Cambodia launch.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cGood leadership is to know when to go,\u201d he said in a recent interview in Singapore. \u201cAviation as my journey might be coming to an end. I have got to talk about succession planning. Exactly when I press the button, I don\u2019t know, but I want to talk about it because I want to attract the right leaders.\u201d\u00a0\nRapid growth\nMr Fernandes, who grew up in Malaysia and Britain, dived into airlines in his mid-30s, buying AirAsia from a government-owned conglomerate in September 2001 for a solitary Malaysian ringgit, about 30 US cents at the time.\u00a0\nAfter starting out with just two planes, AirAsia rebranded as a low-cost, no-frills carrier in January 2002, offering flights in Malaysia for as little as US$3 and, in some promotional cases, even for free. By early 2004, it was flying from Kuala Lumpur to a handful of international destinations and soon established regional carriers like AirAsia Thailand.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWith the motto \u201cNow Everyone Can Fly\u201d, AirAsia\u2019s red-and-white planes became a popular choice for jetting to places such as Bangkok, Singapore, Jakarta and Phnom Penh. The cheap tickets helped supercharge a boom in flying in the region, feeding the needs of a growing middle class wanting to travel and cutting out long boat journeys between thousands of islands.\u00a0\n\n\u201cTony was the first to exploit the market for discount flying,\u201d said Mr Shukor Yusof, founder of aviation consultancy Endau Analytics, who first met Mr Fernandes at an AirAsia event at the Intercontinental Hotel in Singapore in 2002. \u201cHis contribution in making low-cost carriers (LCCs) a way to fly in this region is huge.\u201d\u00a0\nMr Fernandes has been the face of the company, a high-profile figure with a range of interests \u2013 from co-owning a Formula One team and a London-based football club to hosting an Asian version of hit TV show The Apprentice.\u00a0\nMr Tim Bacchus, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence in Hong Kong, said: \u201cTony\u2019s impact has been to demonstrate the importance of branding, as well as the key element of being the first mover... It is fair to characterise Fernandes as a true pioneer of LCCs in Asia and someone who had the vision to bring the model to this part of the world, making air travel more affordable to many.\u201d\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nNow, Mr Fernandes aims to channel some of his experience with AirAsia elsewhere.\n\u201cI like private equity with an active management and helping young people change things,\u201d he told Bloomberg News. \u201cI believe there is a low-cost model for education and health. These are the two things that discriminate (against) people the most.\u201d\nAs for who will take the reins at AirAsia, he said he would prefer someone from within the company and South-east Asia, at the heart of the airline\u2019s operations, although he did not rule anything out.\u00a0\n\u201cHonestly, I don\u2019t care where they are from,\u201d he said. \u201cWe don\u2019t really talk about race, religion, sex, sexual orientation \u2013 I don\u2019t care, as long as you can do the job.\u201d\n", "\nOpportunity knocks\nMr Fernandes graduated in 1987 with an accounting degree from the London School of Economics and later worked as a financial controller at billionaire Richard Branson\u2019s Virgin Media Communications in London. Years later, in 2011, Mr Branson shaved his legs and dressed as a flight attendant on a charity AirAsia flight after losing a bet to Mr Fernandes.\u00a0\nMr Fernandes moved back to Kuala Lumpur in 1992 to become general manager of Warner Music Malaysia. He mortgaged his home in 2001 to establish Tune Air with his partners, and used that entity to take over AirAsia.\nHe has said he sensed an opportunity in aviation while sitting in a London bar watching EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou speaking on television about low-cost flying. It was around the time that companies like Lastminute.com had also become widely recognised online travel start-ups and investor darlings. \u201cWow, is this the calling?\u201d he thought, he told CNBC in 2018.\u00a0\n\u201cHe is quick to read and exploit market opportunities, whether dancing himself silly on TikTok or sharing words of wisdom to young people,\u201d said Endau\u2019s Mr Yusof, who is based in Malaysia. \nBig orders\nAirbus gained from AirAsia\u2019s emergence, with the carrier going on to become one of the European manufacturing giant\u2019s biggest customers. At the Farnborough Airshow in 2014, Mr Fernandes marked a nearly US$14 billion order for 50 wide-body aircraft with a kiss on the cheek of Airbus\u2019 chief operating officer.\u00a0\nLong-haul unit AirAsia X was lined up as a top customer for Airbus\u2019 new A330neo wide-body jet, making about US$23 billion (S$30.7 billion) in orders, although it ultimately committed to only 15 aircraft as it struggled to grow. Low-cost, long-haul flying turned out to be a tough sell, with customers preferring full-service options with free refreshments and more amenities on lengthy journeys.\nProductivity and cost benefits that budget carriers achieve on short-haul flights \u201cdiminish with sector length and equipment gauge, ultimately disappearing on long-haul, larger gauge, international operations\u201d, said Mr Robert Mann, New York-based head of aviation consulting firm R.W. Mann & Company. \u201cAirAsia X was no exception, though Fernandes may have initially thought otherwise.\u201d\u00a0\nChallenging times\nIt certainly has not all been a smooth ride. In 2020, Mr Fernandes stepped down as chief executive officer of AirAsia amid a Serious Fraud Office bribery investigation in Britain relating to an Airbus order, although he was later cleared. The Indian authorities are also investigating him in a probe into payments being used to influence public policy. \n", "\nAirAsia also experienced tragedy in 2014, when a flight crashed into the sea in Indonesia, claiming 162 lives. The disaster was blamed on a crack in the soldering of an electronic component on a rudder, as well as pilot error. \nMore recently, Covid-19 presented unprecedented challenges to the industry as a whole. The International Air Transport Association estimates that carriers worldwide lost US$200 billion over the past three years. The key market of China \u2013 closed off to international travel for longer than anywhere else \u2013 will likely take at least another year to get back to pre-pandemic air travel levels.\u00a0\n\u201cWe have just been through the worst crisis of our life,\u201d Mr Fernandes said. \u201cCulture is what kept this airline together.\u201d\nAirAsia\u2019s passenger traffic dropped to just 4.8 million in 2021 from almost 52 million in 2019, with the company having to ground most of its roughly 200-strong fleet as travel restrictions eviscerated demand.\u00a0\n\u201cTony\u2019s charisma and ability to energise are exceptional. I once asked him to be keynote speaker at a sales rally and had to bring in the police to protect him from exuberant fans,\u201d said DBS Bank chief executive Piyush Gupta, who has known Mr Fernandes since 2003. \u201cLess well known, however, are his tenacity and resilience and willingness to hang in there.\u201d\nEven with air travel broadly recovering as 2023 progresses, high fuel prices and wider economic issues may continue to limit demand, and the days of ultra-cheap flights look numbered as airlines try to scrape out profits.\u00a0\n\u201cThere has not been a great return of capital,\u201d said Mr Fernandes. \u201cI think airfares have been too low.\u201d\u00a0\nYet AirAsia is still offering US$70 return fares between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore for the Labour Day holiday weekend in May. The cheapest ticket on Singapore Airlines for the same travel dates stands at US$186, figures from Booking.com show.\u00a0\nBusiness revamp\u00a0\nWhile the airline still operates under the AirAsia brand, Mr Fernandes revamped the business in 2022, changing its name to Capital A, which operates a so-called super-app that can be used to book tickets, hotels, taxis and food, as well as offering fintech services.\nHe has said the rebranding better reflects the group\u2019s status as an investment holding company with interests in travel and lifestyle, and helps outline that it is not \u201cjust an airline any more\u201d.\nCapital A expects non-airline operations to account for about 50 per cent of total group revenue by 2026, paving the way for him to leave his beloved AirAsia airline in the hands of a successor and shift into other areas of business.\u00a0\n\u201cI\u2019ll never not do anything,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll always do something.\u201d\u00a0BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/low-cost-airline-kingpin-tony-fernandes-prepares-for-life-after-airasia"}, {"title": "Malaysia appoints central bank veteran Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour as new governor", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia named Datuk Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour as its new central bank governor on Friday, appointing a long-serving official at the helm at a time of a slowing economy and persistent inflation. \nMr Abdul Rasheed, a career central banker who joined Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in 1988, will take up his post on July 1, following the completion of a five-year term by his predecessor, Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus.\n\nMr Abdul Rasheed, currently a deputy governor, has served in several senior positions at the central bank, including as a member of its Monetary Policy Committee and Financial Stability Committee.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI look forward to continuing and build on the work of Governor Shamsiah,\u201d Mr Abdul Rasheed said.\n\u201cUnder her leadership,\u201d he said, \u201cthe bank has been steadfast in discharging its mandate to promote monetary and financial stability, even through many challenging periods which include the pandemic crisis\u201d.\nMr Abdul Rasheed\u2019s appointment comes as Malaysia faces headwinds from cooling external demand, and pressure on the ringgit.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe economy is expected to grow 4 to 5 per cent in 2023, slowing from a 22-year high of 8.7 per cent in 2022.\n\n\nThe ringgit has lost 4.8 per cent so far in 2023, its third consecutive annual decline, which BNM has said was largely due to external developments such as jitters over the US debt ceiling impasse. \nBNM also expects inflation levels to moderate but remain elevated throughout the year, and surprised markets by raising its benchmark interest rate earlier than expected in May.\n\nMr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid, chief economist and social finance at Bank Muamalat Malaysia, said Mr Abdul Rasheed\u2019s appointment signalled continuity in policy.\n\n\u201cIt (the appointment) shouldn\u2019t result in any uncertainty about monetary policy,\u201d he said.  \u201cHe is someone who has been in the bank for some time and a very experienced economist. I think it will be a smooth transition with the new leadership.\u201d\n\nMs Nor Shamsiah expressed faith in Mr Abdul Rasheed\u2019s \u201cability to lead the bank, and to continue delivering on the bank\u2019s mandate to promote monetary and financial stability that is conducive to the sustainable growth of the Malaysian economy\u201d. REUTERS\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/malaysia-appoints-central-bank-veteran-abdul-rasheed-ghaffour-as-new-governor"}, {"title": "Genting to list Miami property with $1.4 billion-plus asking price", "text": ["\nLOS ANGELES - Malaysia casino operator Genting plans to sell some of its Miami real estate, and is seeking more than US$1 billion (S$1.4 billion) as it looks to focus on other investment opportunities such as New York.\nThe 6.5ha parcel, once home to the Miami Herald newspaper, is one of the largest undeveloped pieces of land along the city\u2019s waterfront. The property sits on Biscayne Bay, across from Miami Beach and near art and concert venues. Brokerage firm Avison Young will handle the listing, Genting said.\n\u201cIn the coming months, we will be marshalling our resources with the goal of bringing a full commercial casino to our New York City property and expanding our already-tremendous offerings in Las Vegas,\u201d Mr Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, said in a statement. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe are thrilled about the opportunities to expand in the two most significant gaming markets in North America.\u201d\nGenting, which owns casino resorts in Malaysia, Singapore and the United States, acquired the Florida property and some nearby real estate for about US$236 million in 2011. It had unsuccessfully sought a casino licence from the state, and once announced plans to build six towers, a mix of hotel and residential units. The Kuala Lumpur-based company will keep the already developed Hilton Miami Downtown hotel and Omni Centre space nearby.\nGenting debuted the US$4.3 billion Resorts World in Las Vegas last year, and plans to open a US$100 million slot-machine parlour in Newburgh, New York, in December.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe company plans to bid on one of three new casino licences in downstate New York to be awarded next year. Genting operates the Resorts World slot-machine facility next to the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens. Its expected investment for an expanded hotel, resort and casino there \u2013 complete with blackjack and other table games \u2013 would top US$1 billion.\n\nThe pandemic has stressed the broader Genting empire. Genting Hong Kong lost its cruise lines and German ship-building facilities.\nSouth Florida\u2019s property market flourished through the pandemic, but US$1 billion commercial real estate deals are still rare. Properties that refinanced this year, and appraised above US$1 billion, include the Waldorf Astoria Boca Raton, with a US$1.72 billion valuation, and Simon Property Group\u2019s Dolphin Mall, with a US$1.67 billion appraisal. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/genting-to-list-miami-property-with-138-billion-plus-asking-price"}, {"title": "Hatten Land refutes claim of probe into its unit over Melaka project Harbour City", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Hatten Land on Wednesday addressed a claim that its subsidiary was under probe by the Malaysian authorities over its Harbour City development in the Malaysian state of Melaka. \nThe Singapore-listed developer was responding to a report in China Press, a Chinese-language newspaper in Malaysia, which quoted a Mr Ng Kian Nam making allegations against Gold Mart, the developer of Harbour City.\nMr Ng charged that Gold Mart had not applied for a housing developer licence for the project, and that the authorities had agreed to investigate Gold Mart under Malaysia\u2019s Housing Development Act. \n\n\n\n\n\nIn a document seen by The Straits Times, Malaysia\u2019s National Housing Department said this was the first complaint it received regarding the mixed-use development, and said it will conduct a site visit on June 6.\n\u201cIf any violation or non-compliance is found under the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act and the regulations under it, then further action will be taken against the developer,\u201d read the document, which was signed off by the National Housing Department\u2019s director-general N. Jayaselan.\nResponding to queries from The Straits Times, Hatten Land said its subsidiary had yet to receive an official letter regarding the June 6 site visit, and is in the midst of clarifying and confirming it with the Malaysian authorities.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt reiterated that Gold Mart\u2019s team, along with its project consultant or manager, are ready to furnish official documents that approved the Harbour City project.\n\n\u201cGold Mart is committed to providing full cooperation and assistance... to ensure the said site visit is being carried out smoothly,\u201d it said.\nReferring to Mr Ng\u2019s allegation, Hatten Land said in a statement on Facebook that it did not have to apply for a housing developer licence under Malaysia\u2019s Housing Development Act because the units sold were commercial ones, and not residential. \nIt added that its buyers were aware of this \u201cas the relevant sale and purchase agreements clearly describe the nature and specifications of the said units\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\nHatten Land said the allegations had \u201ctarnished the reputation\u201d of its subsidiary and \u201cresulted in unnecessary concern and fear among our contractors and purchasers\u201d.  \nIt added that Gold Mart would initiate legal proceedings against Mr Ng for his charges. \nPlans for Harbour City were unveiled in 2018.\nThe mixed-use development, to comprise a mall, theme park and three hotel blocks, is expected to span five million sq ft in built-up area when completed. \nThe project was to have been opened in the first half of 2020, but construction was delayed because of a legal dispute between Hatten Land and the main contractor, and also because of the Covid-19 pandemic. \nThe Straits Times reported in April that at least 80 people, including Singaporeans, had organised a protest against Hatten Land in March at one of its developments, ElementX Mall in Melaka.\nThe buyers said they were unhappy with the long delay and that they were having to continue paying for their investments in the meantime.  \nGiving an update on the stalled project, Hatten Land said: \u201c(Gold Mart) is diligently working towards the resumption of construction at Harbour City, and aiming to complete the project as soon as possible.\u201d It did not provide details of a completion date.\n\nThe legal dispute in 2020 that stopped construction work involved a claim of RM100 million (S$29.7 million) by main contractor China Construction Yangtze River over the construction and completion contract for the project. The total contract value was RM818.2 million.  \nHatten Land said: \u201cThe main contractor ceased work and initiated legal proceedings. However, we have successfully resolved the legal dispute with the main contractor at this point. \n\u201cAdditionally, the construction progress of Harbour City was further impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.\u201d\n\nIt added: \u201cMr Ng Kian Nam\u2019s statement has had a negative impact on our contractors\u2019 willingness to resume construction work, thus resulting in further delay in the project\u2019s development and completion. Additionally, purchasers have been unnecessarily alarmed.  \n\u201c(Gold Mart) remains committed to completing the Harbour City project and ensuring the satisfaction and confidence of our valued stakeholders and investors.\u201d\nIn February 2023, Hatten Land announced that it would terminate an existing agreement it had with Tayrona Capital Group over the proposed divestment of Gold Mart. It said Tayrona did not comply with its obligations, including paying a consideration to Gold Mart. \nHatten Land shares closed down 5.6 per cent at 1.7 cents on Thursday. THE BUSINESS TIMES\nAdditional reporting by Aqil Hamzah\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/hatten-land-refutes-claim-unit-under-probe-for-melaka-project-harbour-city"}, {"title": "Heatwave spells trouble for ringgit bonds with food prices set to soar", "text": ["\nMELBOURNE - A stuttering rally in Malaysian government bonds may run into another roadblock as a heatwave sweeping across South-east Asia threatens to drive up inflation.\nBenchmark yields are likely to face further upward pressure if faster price gains prompt Bank Negara Malaysia to tighten policy again. Turbulence in US Treasuries fuelled by the prospect of a United States debt default may also stoke volatility in the near term.\nThe odds are stacked against ringgit bonds after the central bank warned that inflation may flare up again, with commodity prices and an impending reduction in domestic subsidies among the key drivers. Global funds halted a five-month buying spree in Malaysian sovereign debt in April amid uncertainty over the US interest rate outlook.\n\n\n\n\n\nInvestors have turned cautious about ringgit bonds after pushing 10-year yields to the lowest since March 2022 earlier in May on bets that borrowing costs may have peaked. \nThe shift in sentiment comes as the authorities warn that the ongoing hot weather may hit the nation\u2019s food supplies.\nMalaysia\u2019s food inflation \u201ccertainly\u201d faces an upside risk from the scorching temperatures that are expected to last until August, according to Moody\u2019s Investors Service, which thinks that another rate hike is possible.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEconomists expect a report due on Friday to show that the nation\u2019s annual consumer price growth eased to 3.3 per cent in April from 3.4 per cent in March.\n\nBank Negara Malaysia has delivered five rate hikes in the past year, with the latest increase taking place on May 3 as policymakers sought to ward off the risk of financial imbalances.\nStill, not everyone thinks that rates are headed higher. ANZ expects the authorities to deploy fiscal and administrative measures instead to tackle any increase in prices.\n\u201cThe ringgit bond market has one of the most constructive local supply-demand dynamics, which we expect to continue anchoring yields amidst a volatile global rates backdrop,\u201d said Ms Jennifer Kusuma, senior Asia rates strategist at ANZ. \nFor its part, Maybank Securities thinks that the gains in Malaysian bonds may have run their course for now, although 10-year yields are likely to drop to 3.5 per cent by year-end from around 3.8 per cent now.\n\u201cIt requires some external drivers, for example, a stabilisation in US Treasuries, for investors to regain confidence and resume the rally,\u201d said Mr Winson Phoon, head of fixed-income research at Maybank Securities. \u201cI reckon a good buy on dip demand to cap or slow yield increases, but a rally would require stronger catalysts.\u201d\nBLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/heatwave-spells-trouble-for-ringgit-bonds-with-food-prices-set-to-soar"}, {"title": "Loy family said to weigh stake sale in Taylor\u2019s University in Malaysia, British University in Vietnam", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The family behind Taylor\u2019s Education Group is exploring the sale of a minority stake in a unit that owns private universities in Malaysia and Vietnam, according to people with knowledge of the matter.\nThe Loy family is working with a financial adviser on the potential stake sale in the unit, which comprises Taylor\u2019s University in Malaysia and British University in Vietnam, the people said. \nA transaction could value the business at about US$400 million (S$5310 million), the people said, asking not to be identified as the process is private.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe family controls Taylor\u2019s Education Group, a provider of schools, colleges and universities with more than 22,000 students in Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, according to its website. Headed by family patriarch and group executive chairman Loy Teik Ngan, its offerings include everything from nursery to postgraduate studies and hotel management training, the website shows. \nDeliberations are ongoing and there is no guarantee that the Loy family will proceed with the stake sale, the people said. Representatives of the Loy family and Taylor\u2019s Education Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment.\nTaylor\u2019s University was founded in 1969 and offers undergraduate and postgraduate in-person programmes at its campus in Subang Jaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, according to its website. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt also provides online postgraduate programmes in business, computer science, education and hospitality. \n\nEstablished in 2009, British University in Vietnam grants degrees from Britain\u2019s University of London and Staffordshire University, its website shows. It offers 11 undergraduate programmes and a masters of business administration degree. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/loy-family-weighing-stake-sale-in-taylor-s-university-in-malaysia-british-university-in-vietnam"}, {"title": "Malaysia central bank to intervene in FX markets as ringgit losses 'excessive'", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u2019s central bank said on Tuesday that it will intervene in the foreign exchange market to stabilise the ringgit currency, citing what it called \u201cexcessive\u201d recent losses.\nThe ringgit is trading near a seven-month low and has lost close to 6 per cent of its value against the US dollar in 2023, declining more than its peers in South-east Asia. The Malaysian currency is down about 5 per cent against the Singapore dollar in the year to date. \nBank Negara Malaysia said the extent of the ringgit\u2019s depreciation was not reflective of economic fundamentals, and that recent volatility was also disproportionately higher than historic movements.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAs per its statutory mandate, Bank Negara Malaysia will intervene in the foreign exchange market to stem currency movements that are deemed excessive,\u201d the central bank\u2019s Assistant Governor Adnan Zaylani said in a statement.\nThe value of the ringgit will continue to remain market-determined, he added.\nOngoing government efforts to strengthen the export-driven economy will help to ensure that the ringgit better reflects the country\u2019s fundamentals, he added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nClarity on the US Federal Reserve\u2019s interest rate and additional stimulus measures in China \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s biggest trading partner \u2013 may also provide support to the ringgit, the central bank said.\n\nEarlier in June, Malaysia\u2019s finance ministry said it would implement structural policies aimed at boosting fund inflows and foreign investment that can support the ringgit. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/malaysia-central-bank-to-intervene-in-fx-markets-as-ringgit-losses-excessive"}, {"title": "Malaysian economy grows faster than expected in Q1 on robust domestic demand", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s economic growth beat expectations in the first quarter of the year, with robust domestic demand justifying the central bank\u2019s recent move to return borrowing costs to pre-pandemic levels. \nGross domestic product for the January-to-March period expanded 5.6 per cent from a year ago, data from Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Department of Statistics showed on Friday. \nThat is faster than the median estimate of 5.1 per cent growth in a Bloomberg survey. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, gross domestic product returned to positive territory at 0.9 per cent. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe economy\u2019s resilience in the face of a global slowdown vindicates the central bank\u2019s surprise resumption of policy tightening on May 3 to manage inflationary pressures. It is also in line with the official forecast for growth to come in between 4 per cent and 5 per cent in 2023 amid a challenging world outlook. \nThe increase in the benchmark interest rate was meant to keep inflation in check while the economy grows, according to a statement from BNM. The central bank maintained that its rate moves have been gradual and measured, while signalling future actions will depend on growth and inflation data.\n\u201cThe economy is no longer in crisis and has in fact continued to gain strength,\u201d BNM governor Nor Shamsiah Yunus told reporters in Kuala Lumpur. \u201cIt is necessary and warranted that the policy is recalibrated to make sure that we continue to be on a sustainable growth path.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nUnderlying private consumption and ongoing large infrastructure projects are poised to continue to be Malaysia\u2019s key growth drivers, offsetting the impact from moderating exports. \n\nBusiness activity in Malaysia has continued to grow, with the jobless rate remaining at a three-year low for a second straight month in March. \nRisks to growth going forward remain predominantly external, such as weaker-than-expected global growth and more volatile global financial market conditions.  \nMarch\u2019s outbound shipments contracted for the first time in 31 months amid softening external demand. \nThe central bank reaffirmed the 2023 inflation forecast, with price gains seen averaging between 2.8 per cent and 3.8 per cent. \nThe inflation forecast includes further subsidy rationalisation, including fuel and electricity.  \nThe authorities cited higher global commodity prices due to geopolitical tensions and adverse weather events as top risks to the price outlook, while weaker global growth and fading pent-up demand are the downside risks. BLOOMBERG \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/malaysia-economy-grows-faster-than-expected-in-q1-amid-global-slowdown"}, {"title": "Malaysia posts highest growth in decades but global slowdown clouds outlook", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia\u00a0grew at the quickest pace in more than two decades in 2022, as pent-up demand helped the nation take on the mantle of the fastest-growing economy in Asia, even if the title is likely to be short-lived.\u00a0\u00a0\nGross domestic product (GDP) rose 8.7 per cent in 2022, the highest level since 2000, data from Bank Negara\u00a0Malaysia\u00a0(BNM) and the Department of Statistics showed.\nThat compares with the median estimate of 8.6 per cent year-on-year growth in a Bloomberg survey, and aligns with official expectations.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn the October to December period, the economy notched up a better-than-expected 7 per cent expansion from a year ago, helped by domestic demand. \nOn a sequential basis, however, data showed the economy contracted 2.6 per cent from the quarter ended September \u2013 a performance that the authorities attributed to waning support from stimulus measures.\nThat points to risks capable of dislodging\u00a0Malaysia\u00a0from the top spot among 13 Asian economies tracked by Bloomberg, with economists seeing the pace of expansion slowing to 4 per cent in 2023. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile cash handouts and subsidies on food and fuel helped maintain demand in 2022 despite 100 basis points of interest rate hikes, a slowing global economy can hurt exports and dim the outlook.\n\nCentral bank governor Nor Shamsiah Yunus said in a briefing on Friday that the risks are not great enough to push the economy into a recession.\u00a0\nDecember\u2019s export growth of nearly 6 per cent was below expectations and substantially slower after 16 consecutive months of double-digit expansion. \nWhile headline and core inflation are seen to moderate in 2023, the government expects them to remain at elevated levels.\n\n\n\n\n\nThere are bright spots on the horizon. Domestic demand will continue to drive the economy in 2023. \nChina\u2019s expected economic recovery in the second half of the year may provide further support, given its role as\u00a0Malaysia\u2019s largest trading partner for 14 straight years, economists at RHB Bank said before the data was released.\n\u201cWe are going to benefit from the impact of China\u2019s reopening, and that will also contribute to lifting growth this year,\u201d said Ms Shamsiah. \nThe slowdown in exports following weaker global demand would be partially cushioned by higher tourism activity, BNM said.\nMalaysia\u2019s policymakers, who raised borrowing costs in four straight quarter-point moves in 2022 to fight inflation, are turning their focus to shielding the economy from a gloomy global outlook.\nBNM unexpectedly kept borrowing costs unchanged during its meeting in January, as it sought to assess the impact of past adjustments.\nAt the current level, \u201cmonetary policy remains accommodative and supportive of (the) economy\u201d, the governor said.\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is set to unveil a fresh spending plan for 2023 in two weeks, which may include new economic estimates and a focus on rising sovereign debt levels. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/malaysia-posts-highest-growth-in-decades-but-global-slowdown-clouds-outlook"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s Berjaya considering \u2018major\u2019 potential acquisition in financial services", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Malaysian consumer-to-property conglomerate Berjaya Corp is evaluating a \u201cmajor potential acquisition\u201d involving a licensed entity governed by the Malaysian central bank, it said in a stock filing late on Tuesday.\nTo facilitate the potential purchase of a 51 per cent equity stake, Berjaya Corp said its founder and major shareholder Vincent Tan Chee Yioun intends to pare down his stake to not more than 19.6 per cent by the end of January 2023.\nMr Tan currently owns an 18.84 per cent stake in Berjaya Corp, according to Refinitiv data. \n\n\n\n\n\nUnder Malaysia\u2019s financial services act, no individual should hold more than 10 per cent of a licensed entity governed by the country\u2019s central bank.\nBerjaya Corp said it expects the contribution from this potential acquisition to \u201ccontribute significantly\u201d to its earnings and net assets.\n\nShares of Berjaya Corp have climbed 18 per cent year-to-date, giving the conglomerate a market value of US$397.8 million (S$535 million), Refinitiv data show.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt currently has business in the financial services sector via units including stockbroking firm Inter-Pacific Securities and general insurer Berjaya Sompo Insurance, according to its website. REUTERS\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/malaysia-s-berjaya-considering-major-potential-acquisition-in-financial-services"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s economy a tale of two halves", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - Like every classic tale, Malaysia\u2019s economic outlook for 2023 is expected to have two halves, with a gloomy outlook predicted in the first half and improving conditions in the second half set to revive sectors like tech and construction.  \nEconomists do not expect the nation\u2019s strong economic growth witnessed in 2022 to continue into 2023 as consumer pessimism weighs significantly on growth. \nMalaysia recorded double-digit economic growth of 14.2 per cent in the third quarter of 2022, driven by an encouraging performance in all economic sectors, especially services and manufacturing.\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, economists reckon that domestic consumption will slow significantly by end-2023 due to cumulative inflationary pressure, the waning effect of the Employees Provident Fund\u2019s special withdrawal scheme that was imposed in April, and the expiry of the car sales tax exemption. This could be further impacted by the government\u2019s potentially more restrictive spending. \nCautious investor sentiment will see consolidation on the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (FBM KLCI) in the first half of 2023 due to the global economic slowdown, potential downside to corporate earnings and the Umno party elections in January, said UOB Kay Hian Malaysia head of research Vincent Khoo.  \n\u201cInvestors globally will be assessing the cumulative effects of interest rate hikes on economies, as well as anticipating economic and corporate earnings recessions in the Western world,\u201d he told The Straits Times.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe expects high-yielding stocks to be appealing in the first quarter, with back-ended dividends, anticipated special dividends, and stocks with exceptionally high yields.\n\nThe FBM KLCI is likely to turn positive in the second half of the year, ahead of a global economic recovery that is expected in the fourth quarter of 2023, he added. \n\u201cStocks with exceptionally depressed valuations could outperform as investors position for a cyclical economic recovery in the second half,\u201d noted Mr Khoo.  \nFor 2023, UOB Kay Hian Research foresees gross domestic product growth halving to about 4 per cent due to a slowdown in domestic consumption in the country. \n\n\n\n\n\nHowever there will be some bright spots amid the slowdown.\nEconomic reopening after the pandemic will benefit tourism-related stocks and firms that recruit foreign workers, said Mr Khoo. \nThe compelling winners would also include tech stocks, due to trade diversion arising from the United States\u2019 sanctions against China, while the semiconductor recovery cycle will begin in the second half of 2023, he added. \n", "\nAnother major theme is the green agenda, which benefits industrial metal smelters that are dependent on hydroelectric power, firms within the electric vehicle industry and, indirectly, selected oil and gas asset owners.\nBrokerage firms reckon that construction stocks are expected to shine in 2023 after two years of the sector being throttled by multiple movement restriction orders due to Covid-19 outbreaks at worksites.\nRakuten Trade head of research Kenny Yee foresees a rosier outlook for the construction sector in 2023, supported by the eventual awarding of MRT3 contracts that would benefit other industries such as building materials.\n\u201cConstruction stocks will benefit from good news about the smooth progress of ongoing mega infrastructure projects such as the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah, Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System and East Coast Rail Link,\u201d Mr Yee told ST. \nBanking stocks would be among the best performers, in view of the expanding net interest margins due to Bank Negara\u2019s overnight policy rate (OPR) hike expected in the first half of the year, he added. \nAnalysts expect the central bank to raise the OPR by 50 basis points to 3.25 per cent in the first half. \nOil and gas counters look set to finish top of the gainers list due to China\u2019s reopening, as its oil demand is expected to recover strongly in 2023, added Mr Yee.\nUOB Kay Hian Research is keeping an \u201coverweight\u201d call on the oil and gas sector on expectations that it will perform well as oil prices are set to remain high.\n\u201cWe still believe Opec (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) supply management will reduce the oil price downside volatility, potentially setting an oil price floor at US$80 per barrel. Service players\u2019 earnings tend to have a lagged correlation to oil prices, hence they may benefit from higher contract rates once the renegotiation with Petronas is successfully concluded in 2023.\u201d \nProperty stocks however, could stand to be the biggest losers on Bursa Malaysia due to the oversupply of properties, Mr Yee said. Exporters to the US are also likely to be hit by weaker demand due to rate hikes, he added. \nDespite the headwinds from the US, he is optimistic the FBM KLCI index could touch 1,800 at the end of 2023, as there may be a flight of funds from Western countries to Asia due to better valuation of stocks.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/malaysia-s-economy-a-tale-of-two-halves"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s pension fund refutes social media speculation about cash crunch", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Malaysia\u2019s Employees Provident Fund (EPF) refuted allegations that have been circulating via WhatsApp over the past week claiming that there is a cash crunch crisis building up in the retirement fund.  \nIn a media statement on Wednesday, the EPF said it has always maintained sufficient liquidity to meet all its obligations. \n\u201cThe sale and purchase of overseas assets is a normal part of the EPF\u2019s investment operations as part of its asset allocation strategy, and not to pay for premature withdrawals,\u201d it added.  \n\n\n\n\n\nThe EPF also noted that there is no truth to the speculation that the EPF Act 1991 will be amended to prevent retirees from withdrawing their savings.\nThe speculation referred to a Bloomberg article titled \u201cBank Negara says Malaysians could run out of savings 19 years too soon\u201d, published last Friday. \nThe article noted that Malaysians could run out of savings by the age of 58 due to low wages, high debt and premature withdrawals from their retirement funds during the pandemic, according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWhat BNM has highlighted is the dire situation for retirees, even before the pandemic, due to structural issues such as low wages,\u201d the EPF said in its statement.\n\nThe pension fund added that the median savings for those aged 51 to 55 would have lasted only five years upon withdrawal at 55, and this figure dropped to around three years after pandemic-related withdrawals.\n\nThe article also mentioned that with global life expectancy rising to above 77 years old by 2050, an average Malaysian would be at risk of depleting his retirement savings 19 years before death.\nMillennials aged 26 to 40 were likely to be the hardest hit between 2020 and 2022, as many of them struggled to meet the EPF\u2019s Basic Savings threshold of RM240,000 (S$72,800). \n\u201cThe special pandemic-related withdrawals have also resulted in significant reductions in the amount of retirement savings for the members involved,\u201d said the EPF.\nIt shared that as at March, 70.5 per cent of the 7.2 million active formal-sector members aged 18 to 55 do not meet the EPF\u2019s Basic Savings threshold by age. \nFurthermore, 3.1 million, or 39 per cent of members who made special withdrawals and are below the age of 55 as at January have yet to rebuild their savings, which remain critically low at a median of RM890. \n\u201cEPF\u2019s primary concern in this matter is to prioritise the rebuilding of retirement savings and to extend coverage to those who fall outside the current scope of the EPF Act 1991,\u201d the retirment fund said. \nIt added that it is in discussions with the government on further areas of reform to improve the current state of retirement adequacy. \nThe EPF advised its members to trust only communications from official sources, and not speculation over social media. THE BUSINESS TIMES\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/malaysia-s-pension-fund-refutes-speculation-of-cash-crunch-crisis-that-went-viral"}, {"title": "Malaysia stocks soar, ringgit jumps on optimism over PM decision", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian stocks had their biggest jump in over two years and the ringgit surged after veteran opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was named the new prime minister on Thursday, ending a political impasse that has weighed on markets this week.\nThe benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index rallied 4 per cent to close at 1,501.88 points, its best day since March 2020. \nGaming\u00a0and\u00a0brewery companies, including Genting\u00a0Malaysia, Sports Toto, Magnum\u00a0and\u00a0Carlsberg Brewery\u00a0Malaysia, rose as the pro-Malay, Islamist alliance Perikatan Nasional lost out on its bid to form the government.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe ringgit shot up 1.8 per cent to 4.4910 against the United States dollar as at 5:20pm, in its best showing since 2015 and was the top performer in Asia.\nIt gained 1.2 per cent to 3.2687 against the Singapore dollar from its Wednesday\u2019s close of 3.3074.\nMalaysian assets had traded in a narrow range this week as investors awaited an announcement from the country\u2019s monarch on its next prime minister after Saturday\u2019s general election resulted in an unprecedented hung Parliament.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt is certainly a relief to get clarity and some certainty on the leadership, especially from someone with the charisma and proclivity to bridge differences to build a government,\u201d said Mr Vishnu Varathan, head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank in Singapore. \u201cThe hope is that this is indeed a lasting resolution of disruptive political shifts rather than an unstable equilibrium.\u201d\n\nDatuk Seri Anwar\u2019s reformist Pakatan Harapan will lead the next government after being chosen by Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, the palace said in a statement. The Malaysian King intervened after no alliance secured a majority in a general election in which Mr Anwar\u2019s coalition won the most seats.\n\u201cHis Majesty reminds all quarters that whoever wins, does not win all, and those who lose, do not lose all,\u201d the palace said. \u201cThe people should not be burdened by endless political turmoil, as the country needs a stable government that will boost the economic landscape and national development.\u201d \nMr Khoon Goh, head of Asia research at ANZ, said: \u201cWhile we know for certain that Anwar will be the 10th prime minister and lead a coalition of Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional, in terms of what it means for policy or Cabinet appointments, we need to wait for more clarity.\u201d\nHe added: \u201cWhat investors will be looking for is who will become finance minister, whether there will be any changes to the budget tables by the previous government or any inkling that Pakatan Harapan would introduce a GST (goods and services tax).\u201d\nAs premier, Mr Anwar will have to address soaring inflation\u00a0and\u00a0slowing growth, while calming ethnic tensions.\nThe most immediate issue will be the budget for next year, which was tabled before the election was called but has yet to be passed.\nMr Anwar will also have to negotiate agreements with lawmakers from other blocs to ensure that he can retain majority support in Parliament.\nThe King\u2019s decision secured the premiership for Mr Anwar, but voters acknowledged that the close margin in Parliament may mean more turmoil ahead as Mr Anwar\u2019s government takes shape.\n\u201cIt is definitely a momentous occasion,\u201d said banker Julian Cheong. \u201cWhat remains to be seen is how the next five years will pan out.\u201d BLOOMBERG, REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/malaysia-stocks-hit-15-month-high-ringgit-jumps-on-optimism-pm-decision-near"}, {"title": "Malaysia widens growth forecast amid rising global uncertainties", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia revised its economic growth outlook for 2023 to allow for a broader forecast range, as policymakers took stock of persistent price pressures and an unpredictable global economy that could hurt the trade-reliant nation.\nGross domestic product may now quicken to between 4 per cent and 5 per cent in 2023, according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) on Wednesday. The new band makes room for both the government\u2019s earlier estimate of 4.5 per cent growth and the 4 per cent expansion seen by economists in a Bloomberg survey.\n\u201cWe anticipate that the environment moving forward will remain challenging as we continue to face risks from increasing geopolitical conflict, elevated price pressures and tighter financial conditions,\u201d BNM governor Nor Shamsiah Yunus said in the foreword of its 2022 annual report.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe forecast reaffirms Malaysia\u2019s confidence that its economy is nowhere close to entering a recession \u2013 even as the projection is a far cry from the 8.7 per cent year-on-year expansion posted in 2022. \n\u201cThe risks to Malaysia\u2019s economic growth are fairly balanced,\u201d the bank said in its economic and monetary review 2022 that was released alongside the annual report.\nIt expects domestic demand to anchor Malaysia\u2019s economic advance through the external volatility. Still, elevated living and input costs could impact households\u2019 and businesses\u2019 spending behaviour, BNM noted, highlighting the balancing act it faces between supporting growth and taming inflation.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBNM sees price pressures averaging between 2.8 per cent and 3.8 per cent in 2023, affirming the government\u2019s forecast. Headline inflation is expected to moderate throughout 2023, the bank said. \n\nEven so, core and headline inflation will remain elevated for several months, and the outlook is uncertain and tilted to the upside, it added.  \nMalaysia\u2019s consumer prices remained unchanged for a second month in February at 3.7 per cent from a year earlier, driven by rising costs of food and hospitality.\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s administration is exploring both short- and long-term solutions to help people tide over higher costs, from RM5 (S$1.50) meal deals in participating restaurants to policies encouraging wage growth. \nThe government is also planning to allow Employees Provident Fund members to use their retirement savings as \u201csupport\u201d to apply for loans at below-market interest rates, the Finance Ministry said last week.\nOn the central bank\u2019s part, its monetary policy will remain supportive of sustainable economic expansion while ensuring an environment of price stability.\n\u201cWe remain watchful over the persistency of price pressures,\u201d said Ms Shamsiah in the report. \u201cOur near-term strategy is to ensure that the overnight policy rate remains at an appropriate level to manage inflationary pressures, which will allow us to achieve sustainable growth over a longer term.\u201d \nBNM earlier this month left its benchmark interest rate unchanged, after having been the first in the region to pause tightening in 2023.\nIt reiterated it would continue to assess the cumulative impact of the past 100 basis points of hikes as well as the impact of evolving conditions on the local inflation and growth outlook. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/malaysia-widens-growth-forecast-amid-rising-global-uncertainty"}, {"title": "Malaysian tycoon Syed Mokhtar weighs options for DRB-Hicom, sources say", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian tycoon Syed Mokhtar Albukhary is conducting a strategic review of conglomerate DRB-Hicom, according to sources with knowledge of the matter. \nThe businessman is in talks with potential advisers on options that could involve a buyout of the company, said the sources. He is also weighing a stake sale or other ways to further streamline DRB-Hicom\u2019s businesses, the sources said.\nTan Sri Syed Mokhtar owns 56 per cent of the Kuala Lumpur-listed company through an investment vehicle, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. \n\n\n\n\n\nShares of DRB-Hicom climbed 4.8 per cent on Thursday, their biggest move in two weeks. The company has a market value of nearly RM3 billion (S$922 million).\nDeliberations are at an early stage and no final decision has been made, said the sources. Representatives for DRB-Hicom and Mr Syed Mokhtar did not immediately respond to calls and e-mails seeking comment.\nShould Mr Syed Mokhtar decide to buy out DRB-Hicom, it would become the second of the businessman\u2019s companies to recently delist from the local bourse. MMC Corp, a company involved in ports and logistics, power generation and engineering and construction, was taken private in 2021. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nDRB-Hicom bought a controlling stake in domestic automaker Proton in 2012 from state-owned Khazanah Nasional. It sold 49.9 per cent of the firm in 2017 to China\u2019s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, a deal that also gave Geely a majority interest in iconic British sports car brand Lotus Cars. \n\nThe Malaysian conglomerate\u2019s automotive division has a complex that assembles about 17,000 units annually, with brands like Mercedes, Suzuki and Isuzu, according to its website. \nAs a top defence contractor in the country, DRB-Hicom is also involved in the development, assembly and distribution of military vehicles for the Malaysian Armed Forces. \nIts other interests include Bank Muamalat, a fully fledged Islamic lender, national postal service provider Pos Malaysia as well as investments in real estate, the website shows. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/malaysian-tycoon-syed-mokhtar-weighs-options-for-drb-hicom-sources-say"}, {"title": "Malaysia's Petronas plans to expand venture capital arm with up to $268m: Sources", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Malaysia\u2019s national oil company, Petroliam Nasional, or Petronas, plans to expand its corporate venture capital arm by up to US$200 million (S$268.4 million) as early as April, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.\nIt will focus on making innovation and technology investments across Asia-Pacific, the sources said, declining to be named as the matter is private. \nThis extra funding could change as the plan is still being finalised, one of the sources added.\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a response to Reuters queries on Friday, Petronas said it \u201cplans to allocate additional funds to Petronas Ventures, increasing the size of its venture capital arm from the US$350 million previously announced in 2019\u201c, but did not say by how much.\nPetronas, Malaysia\u2019s only Fortune Global 500 company, has been looking to diversify amid volatility in oil markets.\nThe state oil company first set up a venture capital arm called Petronas Corporate Venture Capital in 2019.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe arm was later renamed Petronas Ventures, and has invested in companies including Malaysian agriculture technology start-up Brantree Technologies and US-based waste-to-energy company Ekamor, according to its website.\n\nPetronas Ventures\u2019 main goals include scouting for niche innovative technology to enhance the group\u2019s core operations and growth areas that could become its new sources of revenue, the company said on Friday.\nPetronas has also been expanding in renewable energy, with the launch of its clean energy unit called Gentari last June.\nGentari aims to build renewable energy capacity of 30GW to 40GW by 2030 in Asia-Pacific and sees India and Australia as its key markets for growth, its chief executive Sushil Purohit told Reuters in an interview earlier in March.\nIn February, Gentari bought Australian renewables firm Wirsol Energy, which owns solar farms and battery energy storage. \nGentari declined to disclose the price of the purchase, but one source put the enterprise value of the deal at A$1 billion (S$900 million). REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/malaysias-petronas-plans-to-expand-venture-capital-arm-with-up-to-268m-sources"}, {"title": "Record-high HDB rents driving Malaysians working in S\u2019pore to live in JB", "text": ["SINGAPORE \u2013 On Feb 1, Ms T. Lai will join tens of thousands of Malaysians crossing the Causeway to Singapore daily for work.  The 49-year-old Malaysian, who works as a waitress in a Chinese restaurant in Woodlands, said her current lease for a flat in Singapore will expire at the end of January, and she has decided to move to Johor Bahru as she cannot afford the high rents here.  "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/property/record-high-hdb-rents-driving-malaysians-working-in-s-pore-to-live-in-jb"}, {"title": "Ringgit rallies for second day as Anwar takes Malaysia\u2019s helm", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR - The ringgit continued to rally on Friday, making the currency the best performer in the region for a second day, following the appointment of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Malaysia\u2019s new prime minister.\nThe ringgit rose by as much as 0.9 per cent against the US dollar to 4.4565, and was trading up 0.3 per cent at 4.4815 at 5.55pm. The currency had surged by 1.8 per cent on Thursday after Mr Anwar\u2019s appointment, the largest single-day gain since March 2016.\nAgainst the Singapore dollar, the ringgit strengthened 0.45 per cent to 3.2570, adding to Thursday\u2019s 1.2 per cent gain.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, the stock benchmark index closed down 1 per cent on profit-taking on Friday, after the market added close to US$19 billion (S$26 billion) in value \u2013 the largest in a single day since March 2020 \u2013 on Thursday.\nMr Anwar\u2019s appointment removes a key uncertainty in the market and snuffed out concerns of potentially strong influence by the conservative Parti Islam SeMalaysia, known as PAS, the biggest party in the rival Perikatan Nasional bloc.\nStill, analysts said the political risk premium on Malaysian equities remained given that the \u201cunity government\u201d model is uncharted territory and Mr Anwar still has to test lawmakers\u2019 support for his leadership with a confidence vote on Dec 19.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cUntil the country attains reasonable political stability, the KLCI index would likely be commanding \u2018sub-optimal\u2019 valuation,\u201d Mr Vincent Khoo, head of research at UOB Kay Hian, wrote in a note.\n\nInvestors will also continue to watch the announcement of the Cabinet line-up and the tabling of a revised Budget.     \nHere is what analysts are saying:\n\nMs Belinda Boa, chief investment officer of emerging markets equities at BlackRock \nMalaysia\u2019s economy is doing well, in our view \u2013 balancing political challenges with integration opportunities into tech-related supply chains. Malaysia is coming up as a scalable alternative to China and, in some cases, Taiwan. Additionally, higher oil and commodity prices continue to have a positive impact. Inflation may be understated, liquidity remains a hurdle, but the market looks relatively attractive at the margin.\nMr Vincent Khoo, head of research at UOB Kay Hian\nAs the emergence of a unity government has snuffed out fears of sin sectors being affected by adverse regulation, investors will refocus on the promising growth outlook and depressed valuations of the gaming and brewery stocks. We are again overweight on the gaming and brewery stocks.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nMr Joshua Ng, analyst at Kenanga Research \nAfter the initial euphoria, we believe the market will assess the effectiveness of the \u201cunity\u201d government, which is unprecedented in Malaysia. \nWe expect the continuation of prevailing policy inclinations including pro-business, protectionism for local industries, business-as-usual for government-linked companies, strong fiscal support to the economy with cash handouts, fuel and food subsidies, and pump-priming.\n\nMr Alexander Chia, analyst at RHB\nWe expect the relief rally to be extended as equities play catch-up to build on the recent tentative shift in investor sentiment on the back of rising hopes that the pace of monetary tightening will begin to ease and as the market looks ahead to a more pragmatic approach by China\u2019s government to contain Covid-19. \nIn the short term, however, we caution investors not to get too carried away, especially after the initial euphoria. The new unity government needs to prove its ability to work together as a team, something unimaginable just a week ago. \nAnother spike in markets should invite some short-term profit taking but further out, investors ought to refocus on fundamentals with a preference for large-cap value stocks.\n", "\nMs Ivy Ng, head of equity research at CGS-CIMB Securities \nOur picks following the appointment of the new PM are consumers, banks, gaming and brewers. Construction, telco, utilities and property sectors could also do well in a more stable political environment.     \nThe market will be closely watching the announcement of the Cabinet line-up, which we estimate could take seven to 10 days, first sitting in Parliament on Dec 19, tabling of provisional and full budget 2023, among other things.   \nDr Sailesh K. Jha, group chief economist and head of market research at RHB\nIn foreign exchange, the move down in USD/MYR below 4.50 yesterday was massive and we would be cautious in believing that these prints below 4.50 are sustainable. We believe that USD/MYR could trade back up to around 4.60 by year end.  BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/ringgit-rises-to-3-month-high-as-anwar-takes-malaysia-s-helm"}, {"title": "Singapore\u2019s Sea to boost investments in Malaysia, creating more than 2,000 jobs", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Sea Limited, Singapore\u2019s largest consumer Internet company, has committed to expanding its investments in Malaysia, creating more than 2,000 jobs in the process.  \nThis was announced by Malaysia\u2019s Minister of International Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul Aziz during\u00a0his official\u00a0visit to Shopee\u2019s headquarters\u00a0in Singapore on Sunday. The e-commerce platform is owned by Sea.\nDatuk Seri Zafrul\u2019s three-day investment mission to Singapore is in conjunction with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s first official visit to the country on Monday. \n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia\u2019s The Star newspaper reported on Monday that Sea\u2019s expansion plans involve the setting up of cloud services, data hosting and processing, and a new logistics warehouse for Shopee.\nThe cloud computing project will be located in a three-storey green facility in Kulai, Johor, with 24 data hall suites, and is targeted for completion in the first quarter of 2024, the report said. \nMeanwhile, Shopee will expand its footprint in Malaysia through a newly constructed mega warehouse located in Bukit Raja, Klang. The 1.4 million sq ft, two-storey high-tech warehouse is equipped with cloud infrastructure.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\nBoth projects are expected to create more than 2,000 direct job opportunities, the newspaper quoted\u00a0Malaysia\u2019s Ministry of International Trade and Industry as saying. \n\nThe ministry also said that Singapore is the second-largest investor in Malaysia\u2019s manufacturing sector, with a total of 3,475 projects in operation and investments amounting to RM96.36 billion (S$29.8 billion), The Star reported. \nSea\u2019s co-founder and group chief operating officer\u00a0Gang Ye said the decision was a significant development not just for the group, but also for the local digital ecosystem, Bernama reported.\nWith rising competition, investor scepticism and slowing growth after a pandemic-era high, the tech giant has been scaling back its overseas footprint and peripheral businesses. \nIn January, Sea\u2019s Shopee pulled out of Poland, completing its full retreat from Europe. \nSea last month froze salaries for most staff and paid out lower bonuses, following deep job cuts earlier in 2022. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/singapore-s-sea-to-boost-investments-in-malaysia-creating-more-than-2000-jobs"}, {"title": "Tesla to import electric cars into Malaysia, set up charging network", "text": ["\nMUMBAI -Mr Elon Musk\u2019s Tesla will sell its electric cars in Malaysia to tap the rising demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in South-east Asia.  \nTesla will set up an office in Malaysia, introduce service centres and build a network of superchargers, the country\u2019s trade ministry said in a statement on Wednesday after approving the company\u2019s application to import EVs.\nMalaysia is focusing on the development of an EV ecosytem and has offered incentives to boost adoption. The country has a target of having EVs, including hybrids, account for 15 per cent of the total industry volume by 2030. \n\n\n\n\n\nFitch Solutions said in February that it expects EV sales in Malaysia to expand 82 per cent in 2023 \u2013 albeit from a low base \u2013 to about 5,840 units.\nThe incentives, which include import-duty exemptions on completely built-up EVs, have lured carmakers to Malaysia. China\u2019s BYD in December said it would introduce its flagship Atto 3 model and the extended-range version in the country. Mercedes-Benz in February introduced its first locally made EV in Malaysia, according to Fitch.\nSouth-east Asia has become a new battleground for EVs as carmakers look beyond their home market for further expansion, with BYD and South Korea\u2019s Hyundai Motor finalising deals to invest in Indonesia, the region\u2019s largest economy. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnnual passenger EV sales in the six largest economies in the region exceeded 51,000 units in 2022, compared with just 16,000 in 2021, according to BloombergNEF, with sales projected to top 70,000 in 2023. BLOOMBERG\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/tesla-to-import-electric-cars-into-malaysia-set-up-charging-network"}, {"title": "Veteran Singaporean banker Kevin Lam to head Malaysia\u2019s Hong Leong Bank", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Veteran Singaporean banker Kevin Lam Sai Yoke has been picked by one of Malaysia\u2019s top banks to be its next managing director and chief executive officer. \nMr Lam, 55, who has a 30-year track record in the industry, will head to Kuala Lumpur to take over the top job at Malaysia\u2019s Hong Leong Bank on July 1. \nHe succeeds Mr Domenic Fuda, who is retiring after more than seven years at the helm.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Lam, who started his banking career at Citibank some three decades ago, leaves as the head of UOB\u2019s digital banking unit, TMRW Group Digital banking. \nDuring his three decades-long career, Mr Lam has served in leadership positions in consumer banking, sales and distribution and technology functions.\nAt UOB for almost two decades, Mr Lam has been posted to the bank\u2019s operations in Indonesia and Malaysia, prior to returning to oversee its digital banking roll-out in Singapore. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe graduate in business administration from the National University of Singapore started his career with Citigroup.\n\nAsked about his plans at one of Malaysia\u2019s top banks, Mr Lam said he would be looking to take Hong Leong Bank to the next level.\n\u201cThe bank has emerged from the pandemic very strong, but now has to build on that,\u201d he added. \n\u201cI will be looking to build a strong Asean franchise, driven by new engines of growth. Building up the wealth management franchise will also be a priority.\u201d\nHong Leong Bank, founded in 1905 and now controlled by tycoon Quek Leng Chan, is one of Malaysia\u2019s top four banks. \nWith some 10,000 staff, and about 330 branches, it also has a presence in various South-east Asian markets outside Malaysia and also operates in China. \nIts strength has traditionally been as a banker for the small and medium enterprise sector.\nThe company is listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, and has a market capitalisation of some RM41 billion (S$12 billion).\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/veteran-singaporean-banker-kevin-lam-to-head-malaysia-s-hong-leong-bank"}, {"title": "Worst for ringgit seen as over as China\u2019s reopening set to boost inflows", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The Malaysian ringgit is poised for a reprieve after its worst monthly performance since late 2016 as China\u2019s reopening heralds more tourist arrivals and bolsters exports.\nDBS Group Holdings, Barclays and RBC Capital Markets see the currency staying at around the current level of 4.45 by the end of June.\nFears that the United States Federal Reserve may prove hawkish for longer hammered emerging markets in February, driving a 4.8 per cent slide in the ringgit versus the US dollar before sentiment stabilised in recent days.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Singapore dollar inched down 0.06 per cent to 3.3239 against the ringgit as at 11.13am on Monday from its previous close. In the year to date, the Singdollar is up 1.3 per cent against the Malaysian currency.\n\u201cThe impact of China\u2019s reopening in terms of tourism arrivals and trade will be felt more keenly by the middle of the year, helping support the ringgit,\u201d said Dr Alvin Tan, head of Asia foreign exchange strategy at RBC Capital Markets in Singapore. \n\u201cPlus, pressure on emerging market currencies will ease as the Federal Reserve inches closer to the end of its rate hike cycle.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nChina\u2019s economic rebound is set to boost the outlook for Asian currencies this year, with the ringgit also seen as a beneficiary of Malaysia\u2019s strong trade links to the world\u2019s second-largest economy. \n\nChina was Malaysia\u2019s biggest export destination before the pandemic and even as its share has fallen since then, it still stood at US$47 billion (S$63.2 billion) in 2022, about 14 per cent of the total.\nThere is also potential for a rebound in tourist arrivals from China after the nation dismantled its strict Covid-19 restrictions. \nMalaysia attracted 108,067 Chinese tourists from January to September 2022, compared with 3.1 million in 2019. \nBank Negara Malaysia\u2019s policy decision on Thursday will also be on the radar for currency traders. A Bloomberg survey of 16 analysts so far shows nine expecting the central bank to hold rates at 2.75 per cent for a second consecutive meeting. The rest see a quarter-point hike.\nHSBC Holdings is predicting bigger gains for the ringgit as the prospect of the Fed reaching the end of its tightening cycle is set to end the dominance of the dollar. Traders are pricing the peak of US rates to happen in September.\n\u201cThe ringgit is very sensitive to the broad dollar movement,\u201d said Mr Paul Mackel, global head of foreign exchange research at HSBC in Hong Kong, which forecasts the ringgit at 4.28 by the end of June. \u201cThe combination of a solid external position and potential for stronger capital inflows could also help the ringgit.\u201d\nBank Negara has also increased its ability to defend the currency from volatility as foreign reserves rebounded from a two-year low reached in October. The nation\u2019s dollar stockpile has risen about 10 per cent since then to US$115 billion in January.\n\u201c(Bank Negara) will lean against the move if the pressure on the currency is sustained,\u201d said Mr Ashish Agrawal, head of foreign exchange and emerging market macro strategy research at Barclays in Singapore. \u201cThe narrative would be more like stability for the ringgit ahead after weakening sharply recently.\u201d BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/business/worst-for-ringgit-seen-over-as-china-reopening-to-boost-inflows"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s bookstore boom: Why are Eslite and Tsutaya not opening in Singapore?", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Last Saturday, more than 50,000 people thronged a 70,000 sq ft space in Kuala Lumpur\u2019s Bukit Bintang, Malaysia\u2019s Orchard Road equivalent, with long queues forming outside The Starhill mall. Their unexpected destination? Beloved Taiwanese brand Eslite\u2019s (pronounced e-lite) new bookstore, its first in South-east Asia. This is despite The Starhill also housing luxury designer brands such as Roberto Cavalli and Shiatzy Chen not available elsewhere in South-east Asia, seemingly vindicating building owner YTL\u2019s decision to court Eslite as anchor tenant in pre-pandemic 2019."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/arts/malaysia-s-bookstore-boom-why-are-eslite-and-tsutaya-not-opening-in-singapore"}, {"title": "Actor Aaron Aziz says director Syamsul Yusof made him take injections to lose weight for movie", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia-based Singapore actor Aaron Aziz has accused director Syamsul Yusof of making him take injections to lose weight for the upcoming film, The Original Gangster \u2013 which he was dropped from.\nThe revelation came a day after Syamsul, 38, told Malaysian media last Wednesday that Aaron was dropped from his action film due to \u201cage, weight and health\u201d concerns.\nIn an Instagram video last Thursday, Aaron, 47, said he had taken multiple injections at Syamsul\u2019s request to achieve the weight that the Mat Kilau (2022) director wanted for the character.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cYou (Syamsul) sent me a photo saying this was how you wanted my body to look like (for the movie) and I told you on WhatsApp that I\u2019d need to go for injections to make my body look that.\n\u201cYou told me to go (for the injection). I went multiple times. Whenever I wanted to meet you to show my progress, you didn\u2019t want to see me.\n\u201cYou come to my house nicely when you need something, but throw me aside like rubbish when I\u2019m not needed,\u201d he lamented.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn his video, Aaron admitted that he found it \u201cimpossible\u201d to achieve the desired weight for his role in The Original Gangster as he was not given enough preparation time.\n\nDespite that, the popular actor said he spent four hours training daily in preparation for his role.\n\u201cI had just finished shooting for Geng Mamak which required me to train for six months. Your movie started filming a month later and you wanted me to lose weight in such a short time.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s impossible, but I still tried my best. I was at around 99kg last time. Now, I\u2019m at 90kg,\u201d he said.\n", "\nLast Wednesday, Syamsul told the press that the decision to pull Aaron out of the line-up was made collectively by him, the production crew, producers and cast members.\nSyamsul said  he had no choice but to drop Aaron as he did not want the actor to risk any injuries on set.\n\u201cI was afraid that some of the action scenes might affect Aaron\u2019s health because Aaron said he has a slipped disc condition,\u201d the director said.\nHe added that he also delayed the shooting of the movie to give Aaron time to get back into shape, but said that Aaron \u201cfailed to do so\u201d.\n\u201cI called him and apologised for the whole situation because I\u2019m the last person who wants to drop Aaron\u2019s name from the film,\u201d Syamsul said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/actor-aaron-aziz-says-director-syamsul-yusof-made-him-take-injections-to-lose-weight-for-movie"}, {"title": "Actor Talu Wang confirms on social media that he is dating singer Joey Chua", "text": ["\nCHANGSHA, China \u2013 Taiwanese actor Talu Wang has unexpectedly confirmed that he is dating Malaysian singer-actress Joey Chua after keeping mum about their relationship for some time. \nLast Friday, Wang, 31, shared on Weibo a poster of the fourth season of Chinese reality show Wow! Nice Figure, featuring both him and Chua.\nThe show, which debuted on Sunday, featured them and three other celebrity couples attending a \u201cfitness training camp\u201d conducted by Taiwanese artiste and fitness buff Will Liu and his wife, former beauty queen Vivi Wang.\n\n\n\n\n\nTalu Wang, who was recently one of the contestants on the second season of Chinese music reality show Call Me By Fire, tagged Chua in his post. He wrote: \u201cIs there any exercise which my girlfriend can\u2019t do well?\u201d\nChua, 28, shared the same poster on Weibo and tagged Wang, writing in Chinese: \u201cIs there any exercise which my boyfriend can\u2019t learn?\u201d\nWang\u2019s manager also confirmed the relationship with the Taiwanese media without providing more details, only saying that the couple are in a stable relationship. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nWang and Chua, who are both based in China, first met in early 2021 while taking part in A Journey For Love, a Chinese reality show for divorced female celebrities to find love again.\n\nWang, who shot to fame in Taiwanese film Our Times in 2015, was one of the hosts of the dating programme. \nChua had divorced her Malaysian husband Ivan Soh in 2019 after three years of marriage. She did not end up with anyone when the 12-episode dating show concluded in April 2021. \nWang and Chua were then spotted kissing and hugging in Shanghai a month later. They have also been seen holding hands in public several times and were spotted at Universal Studios Beijing in September 2022. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/actor-talu-wang-confirms-on-social-media-that-he-is-dating-singer-joey-chua"}, {"title": "Actor Yao Wenlong appeals for donations for flood victims in Johor", "text": ["\nJOHOR BAHRU \u2013 Singapore-based Malaysian actor Yao Wenlong is appealing for donations to help the flood victims in Johor. \nThe 52-year-old Mediacorp artiste wrote on social media last Saturday that relief supplies which are needed in the town of Chaah include mattresses, blankets, pillows, diapers, baby milk powder, drinking water and dry food. \nHe said those who want to donate can send the items to Democratic Action Party\u2019s branch in Kampung Baru Chaah, a town in Segamat district in Johor, or contact two phone numbers he included in the post. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Malaysian state is bearing the brunt of the floods as continuous pelting rain since early last week saw 49,500 people from 14,200 families seeking shelter at 270 temporary relief centres as of 8am on Monday, The Straits Times reported.\nYao said in one of the hashtags on his post that he saw the floods and a falling tree while passing by an affected area. \nHe said in another hasthag that he witnessed lorries carrying boats going to the affected areas to help in disaster relief. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThey really need our help,\u201d he wrote. \u201cPlease contribute whatever you can, either with money or with efforts.\u201d\n\nHe lives in Johor Bahru with his wife and their children, aged 17 and seven, and shuttles between the two countries regularly. He owns a pao fan restaurant in Johor Bahru.\u00a0\nYao, who recently starred in Singapore TV series Your World In Mine (2022) and Strike Gold (2023), also included in the post a screenshot of himself making a donation via fund transfer. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/actor-yao-wenlong-appeals-for-donations-for-flood-victims-in-johor"}, {"title": "Actress Michelle Yeoh says her mother used to accompany her on dates", "text": ["\nLONDON \u2013 Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh has her mother, Janet Yeoh, to thank for kick-starting her career in the entertainment industry.\nIn a hilarious interview with British talk-show host Graham Norton on The Graham Norton Show, Yeoh revealed that it was her mother who pushed her to take part in the Miss Malaysia beauty pageant in 1983.\nYeoh, 60, told Norton that she was back in Malaysia from her studies in England when her mother \u201csuddenly looped into this whole thing about\u201d how she should go for more auditions at the age of 21, as she would not have the same opportunities as she got older.\n\n\n\n\n\nYeoh remembered being perplexed at what her mother said. \u201cI\u2019m thinking, \u2018What on earth is she on about?\u2019\u201d the Ipoh-born actress said on the show, which aired last Friday.\n\u201cThe next thing I knew... she had entered me for Miss Malaysia... she actually signed the form, so technically, I\u2019m not legit,\u201d Yeoh said, drawing laughter from the audience and guests on the show including\u00a0actor Austin Butler, star of Elvis\u00a0(2022).\nNorton interjected: \u201cBut you\u2019d think, \u2018Oh, terrible thing to do\u2019, but \u2013 you won.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYeoh said: \u201cI did it to shut her up. Because she wouldn\u2019t stop about it, so we had a deal. If I do this, you will never do something like this again.\u201d\n\n", "\nThe Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) actress also revealed that her mother used to follow her on dates when she was younger.\n\u201cNow, you have to remember mums are very protective, right, for all the right reasons. She always went on (the) date (with me). Always, until I went to England to study,\u201d Yeoh said.\nThe\u00a0Crazy Rich Asians\u00a0(2018) star then went on to tell a story of an awkward date she had at age 17, that had everyone at the studio in stitches.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cOne time, I was sitting like this (with arms crossed) and I suddenly realised, \u2018Why are there two hands on my leg?\u2019\n\u201cIt was his hand on my mum\u2019s hand.\u201d\nAt this point, Yeoh held on to Butler\u2019s hand to re-enact the scene.\n\u201cHe was holding the hand he thought was mine, and then I looked at it like, \u2018Excuse me, guys,\u2019\u201d she said.\nFollowing her pageant win, Yeoh forged a successful film career in Hong Kong, before moving on to Hollywood and appearing in the James Bond movie,\u00a0Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).\nShe made history in January when she became the first Malaysian to win a Golden Globes for Best Actress In A Musical Or Comedy Motion Picture for her role in the indie hit, Everything Everywhere All At Once.\nYeoh is up for an Academy Award in the Best Actress category. If she wins, she will be the first actress of Asian descent to win in that category in the Academy\u2019s 95-year history.\nThis year\u2019s awards ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on March 12. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/actress-michelle-yeoh-says-her-mother-used-to-accompany-her-on-dates"}, {"title": "AFF Championship seat shortage uproar: Organisers booked Bukit Jalil National Stadium Jay Chou show in 2019", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 The organisers for Taiwanese singer Jay Chou\u2019s upcoming concert in Malaysia had booked the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur four years in advance, said Malaysia\u2019s Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh in a tweet on Thursday.\n\u201cThe booking for the Jay Chou World Tour was made in March 2019, whereas the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) booked the stadium for AFF 2022 in August 2022,\u201d she said.\nThe announcement came hours after angry Malaysian football fans attacked Chou, 43, on social media over seat shortages at the stadium. \n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia is set to play Thailand there on Saturday \u2013 in the first leg of the semi-final of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Championship 2022 \u2013 while Chou\u2019s concert is on Jan 15.\nFAM confirmed on Thursday that all 59,000 tickets were sold out and that no additional tickets, whether online or over the counter, would be made available. The stadium has a capacity of about 87,000.\nIt was reported that 21,000 seats had to be left vacant as they would be obstructed by Chou\u2019s concert stage structure, which was in the process of being installed.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn her tweet, Ms Yeoh stressed that the concert organisers had already delayed the set-up by 2\u00bd days to make room for the AFF Cup semi-final. \u201cThe organisers need 14 days to set up the stage. The set-up involves 500 crew members, 185 international crew members, 45 (pieces of) heavy machinery, 200 speakers and 800 lights,\u201d she said.\n\n", "\nThe Mandopop star, who performed in Singapore on Dec 17 and 18, postponed his 2020 gig in Malaysia due to the pandemic.\nHe responded to the uproar on Instagram Stories on Friday night, writing: \u201cMalaysian football fans, I know football is important to you. I have no problems with delaying (the concert) but you should ask your football association or the venue owner if I can be allowed to do that. It\u2019s no problem for me as I just want to sing for my fans.\u201d\nThe Straits Times reported in November that Chou\u2019s concerts at the 55,000-seater National Stadium left little time for the Singapore Sports Hub to get the pitch ready in time for the AFF home group match between Singapore and Myanmar on Dec 24.\nIn the end, the game took place at the 6,000-seat Jalan Besar Stadium. Singapore also played Vietnam at the same venue six days later. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/aff-championship-seat-shortage-uproar-organisers-booked-bukit-jalil-national-stadium-jay-chou-show-in-2019"}, {"title": "Artiste Marcus Chin\u2019s daughter diagnosed with epilepsy", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Local actor-deejay-host Marcus Chin\u2019s daughter Elise has been diagnosed with epilepsy.\nLocal Chinese-language newspaper Shin Min Daily News reported last week that Elise was admitted to a private hospital in Johor Bahru for brain wave tests after she was suspected of having the condition. \nElise, who turns 13 in August, is Chin\u2019s daughter with his former girlfriend and personal assistant Eileen Cheah. Elise lives in Johor Bahru with Ms Cheah, who has two younger daughters from another marriage.\n\n\n\n\n\nChin, 69, told Shin Min on Tuesday that Elise\u2019s condition has improved after six days in hospital. \nThe newspaper also reported that Ms Cheah, 37, said Elise was admitted to hospital on March 19 and discharged on March 24. \nMs Cheah said she took her daughter to the hospital as Elise was having nose bleeds two to three times a day. She was told by the doctor that this was one of the symptoms of epilepsy, and who noted that the condition runs in the family.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe didn\u2019t know about it and asked Marcus to check with his elder brother, and found out that his elder brother is an epileptic,\u201d she said. \n\nMs Cheah said this was the second time Elise was hospitalised. \n\u201cElise was previously admitted to the hospital on Dec 30 last year after she had an epileptic fit,\u201d she said. \u201cShe fainted and her lips turned black.\u201d\nMs Cheah took her daughter to hospital immediately, where the girl stayed for 10 days and underwent several screenings.\nShe said Elise was calm and less scared when she was hospitalised for the second time.\n\u201cHer condition has stabilised now, but she has to take two types of medicine a day, and go to the hospital for follow-up treatments every three weeks,\u201d she added.\n\u201cThe side effect of the medicine is that it will affect her appetite. Elise has always been gentle, but is more irritable after taking the medicine.\u201d\n\nMs Cheah has informed Elise\u2019s school, which starts in April, about her condition, and asked it to keep a close eye on her daughter\u2019s \u201cunusual behaviour\u201d.\nChin visited his daughter in hospital despite his busy work schedule in Singapore. \nHe posted a photo of himself with Elise on Facebook on March 24, thanking everyone for their well-wishes. The post has garnered more than 11,000 \u201clikes\u201d and \u201ccares\u201d as of Thursday. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/artiste-marcus-chin-s-daughter-diagnosed-with-epilepsy"}, {"title": "Younger brother of late Malaysian singer Eison Chai dies of heart attack at 40", "text": ["\nKUCHING \u2013 Mr Chai Aixiang, the younger brother of the late Taiwan-based Malaysian singer Eison Chai, died on Monday, aged 40. \nTheir sister Sandra Chai broke the news on social media on Tuesday.\nHis death came barely a year after Eison Chai, who was older by a year and also went by the name Ai Cheng, died on Aug 17, 2022, after falling from a building in New Taipei City.\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Chai had first hinted about Chai Aixiang\u2019s death on Facebook early on Tuesday, writing in Chinese: \u201cWhy? Why? Why! How to accept it?\u201d\nShe later posted two photos of his wake in Kuching, Malaysia, writing that Chai died of myocardial infarction (heart attack) on Monday afternoon, leaving behind his wife and a daughter.  \nThe funeral is scheduled to be held on Thursday morning. It is not clear what he did for a living.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to Taiwan\u2019s Next Apple News, Chai had gone to a workshop to retrieve his car on Monday, when he started coughing suddenly and became out of breath. \n\nThe workshop owner gave Chai a glass of water as he sat down to rest. He then stood up and walked a few steps after drinking, before falling and losing consciousness.  \nTaiwanese actress Hitomi Wang, the widow of Eison Chai, reacted to her brother-in-law\u2019s death on Facebook, writing: \u201cThank you everyone for your concern. I was shocked and unable to accept it when I received the news, as I felt the grieving pain again.\u201d \nWang, 36, said she was most worried about her parents-in-law and urged the public to give the family space and time to grieve. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/brother-of-late-malaysian-singer-eison-chai-dies-of-heart-attack"}, {"title": "Jacky Cheung\u2019s 6 Kuala Lumpur shows in August sell out in 2 hours", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Hong Kong superstar Jacky Cheung has once again lived up to his moniker, the God of Songs.\nIn just two hours, tickets for all six shows of the 61-year-old Cantopop singer\u2019s Jacky Cheung 60+ Concert Tour at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia \u2013 which went on sale at 10am on Friday on my.bookmyshow.com \u2013 were snapped up. \nTaking to Facebook to announce the news, concert organiser Unusual Entertainment thanked the public for supporting the concerts, which will be held from Aug 11 to 13 and from Aug 18 to 20.\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, fans who were unsuccessful in scoring tickets took to the comment section on Unusual Entertainment\u2019s Facebook page to voice their grievances.\nSome claimed they were stuck in the online queue since 10am and urged the organiser to improve its ticketing system.\n\u201cExpected arrival time on website: More than an hour? After how many hours (will we get to the) buying page?\u201d one user complained.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI entered the queue at 10am, but the waiting time is still one hour,\u201d another said.\n\nOne netizen added: \u201cMost people, the genuine ones, won\u2019t be able to get any tickets Unusual Entertainment is selling because after 45 minutes, the waiting line is still the same.\u201d\nThe cheapest ticket for Cheung\u2019s concert is RM388 (S$113) for Category 3, while the VIP ticket is priced at RM1,188. Tickets for categories 1 and 2 are priced at RM988 and RM688 respectively. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/jacky-cheung-s-6-kuala-lumpur-shows-in-august-sell-out-in-2-hours"}, {"title": "Malaysian film director Syamsul Yusof, actress Puteri Sarah reach divorce agreement", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian film director Syamsul Yusof and Malaysian actress Puteri Sarah Liyana have reached an agreement to dissolve their marriage \u201camicably and peacefully\u201d, according to Bernama.\nFollowing this, the Lower Syariah Court has fixed Tuesday for the former couple\u2019s divorce pronouncement.\nJudge Akmaluddin Ilyas set the date after Puteri Sarah\u2019s counsel Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader told the court that the parties agreed to resolve their domestic problems amicably and a draft agreement had been prepared.\n\n\n\n\n\nOn March 7, the judge ordered both parties to appoint a conciliatory committee in their divorce case after Syamsul, 39, refused to divorce Puteri Sarah, 37, his first wife.\u00a0\nThe pair, who have two children aged four and six, have been embroiled in a year-long scandal involving Syamsul\u2019s relationship with Malaysian actress Ira Kazar, 27.\nThe director of top-grossing historical film Mat Kilau (2022)\u00a0revealed on Jan 6 that he had taken Ira as his second wife in Thailand, after previously denying it, triggering further backlash on social media. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nPuteri Sarah filed for divorce from Syamsul on Jan 16. She has stated in the past that she refuses to be in a polygamous marriage. \n\nThe matter was confirmed by Syamsul\u2019s counsel Azmi Mohd Rais, who asked the court to set another date to record the divorce. \nHe added that both parties had agreed on the terms of the divorce agreement. \nDatuk Akberdin told the media the terms of the settlement will be announced on Tuesday.\n\u201cWe will record what can be recorded in this court including hadanah (custody), child support, mutaah (consolatory gift), nusyuz (disobedience) and conjugal property. It covers related issues before and after the divorce,\u201d he said, according to Bernama.\nPuteri Sarah told reporters that this amicable solution was a relief as she did not want Syamsul and their children to be enemies. \n\u201cWe want to continue living calmly and do not want to be hostile and hold grudges in our hearts,\u201d she said, according to Bernama. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/malaysian-film-director-syamsul-yusof-actress-puteri-sarah-reach-divorce-agreement"}, {"title": "Malaysian lawyer sues Blackpink\u2019s concert organisers for \u2018missing seat\u2019", "text": ["\nA Malaysian lawyer is suing K-pop group Blackpink\u2019s concert organisers for up to RM1 million (S$298,000) over his \u201cmissing\u201d seat at a show in Kuala Lumpur two months ago.\nPosting on his Twitter and Tiktok accounts on Friday, Mr Nas Rahman said he decided to take legal action after negotiations with the organisers, Live Nation and Go Live, fell through. \n\u201cAfter a series of negotiations, both parties did not reach an agreement... I have filed a lawsuit against Live Nation and Go Live in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court,\u201d he said. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Nas bought two tickets for RM488 when he found out that the popular group would be staging a concert at Bukit Jalil National Stadium as part of its Born Pink World Tour. The group is currently in Singapore and is performing on Saturday and Sunday.\nOn March 4 \u2013 the day of the concert \u2013 he and his wife went to their designated seats, only to be shocked to see that one of the seats did not exist. \nAs a result, Mr Nas said he either had to stand or sit on a staircase throughout the two-hour show.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter the concert, he tweeted: \u201cWho else went to Blackpink\u2019s concert and experienced the same fate as me? It was missing a seat... In the end, I had to either stand or sit on the staircase.\u201d\n\n", "\nMr Nas was not the only one with issues at the concert. Some concertgoers also complained about missing seats despite paying for them, while others were frustrated that their view was obstructed by high walls and fences.\nTwo days after the concert, Mr Nas, who has his own legal firm, issued a letter of demand to the organisers to ask for a refund and \u201csome\u201d compensation.\nHowever, Mr Nas said the two sides could not come to an agreement, leading to him filing a suit at the court, which handles civil claims of between RM100,000 and RM1 million.\n\u201cThe reason I believe action must be taken is not because of money,\u201d he said. \u201cIf I allow this issue to go on, it may happen to others in the future and I don\u2019t want it to happen to anyone again.\u201d\n\nMr Nas added: \u201cIt does not matter if I win or lose the case. I hope that I can show all concert organisers that their responsibilities are to their customers.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/malaysian-lawyer-sues-blackpink-s-concert-organiser-for-missing-seat"}, {"title": "Malaysian scalpers making a killing from Hong Kong \u2018God of Songs\u2019 Jacky Cheung\u2019s concert tour", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Two hours was all it took for tickets for Jacky Cheung\u2019s solo concert in Malaysia to be fully sold, though not necessarily to his true fans.\nThe singer, dubbed Hong Kong\u2019s \u201cGod of Songs\u201d, successfully sold out all six shows scheduled to take place at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, from Aug 11 to 13 and Aug 18 to 20, in rapid fashion right after sales began online at 10am yesterday.\nAccording to concert organiser Unusual Entertainment, tickets for the Jacky Cheung 60+ Concert Tour \u2013 they were offered on my.bookmyshow.com \u2013 were snapped up within two hours, with prices ranging from RM388 (S$114) to RM1,188.\n\n\n\n\n\nUnfortunately, not all tickets were snatched up by his fans.\nFor example, a photo showed that a Category 3 ticket that was sold by the promoter for RM388 \u2013 as the cheapest ticket to the event \u2013 was offered for resale at RM6,933.\nChecks by The Star found that scalpers were having a field day on event ticket marketplace Viagogo, with one offering a ticket as high as RM12,993.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCategory 2 tickets, with an original price of RM688, were being resold for RM2,663 and RM2,727. Category 1 tickets were being resold for RM10,399, much higher than the original price of RM988.\n\nVIP tickets were not spared either. Originally priced at RM1,188, these tickets tickets are now offered at up to RM12,993 a piece on Viagogo.\nOn Tuesday, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said several provisions of the law would be studied to prevent scalping.\nThe statement was issued a few days after several social media users expressed their dissatisfaction regarding the reselling of tickets for Coldplay\u2019s upcoming concert in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 22 at extremely high prices.\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nOne scalper was found to be reselling a ticket for RM43,000.\nThe British rock band sold out its show in just over three hours after sales went online.\nPre-sale tickets for Coldplay\u2019s Kuala Lumpur gig broke the record of having more than 400,000 fans in GoLive Asia\u2019s virtual queue, which is the biggest in the platform\u2019s history.\n", "\nCheung\u2019s achievement is considered very impressive considering that he did not have a pre-sale.\nTaking to Facebook to announce the news, Unusual Entertainment thanked the public for their support.\nHowever, many fans who tried their luck at nabbing a ticket took to social media to voice their disappointment, with many leaving comments on Unusual Entertainment\u2019s Facebook page.\nSome claimed that they had been stuck in the online queue since 10am, and urged the organisers to improve their ticketing system.\n\u201cExpected arrival time on website: More than an hour? After how many hours (will we get to the) buying page?\u201d one user complained bitterly.\n\u201cI entered the queue at 10am, but the waiting time was still one hour,\u201d another said.\nAnother weighed in: \u201cMost people, the genuine ones, won\u2019t be able to get any tickets\u201d. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/malaysian-scalpers-making-a-killing-from-hong-kong-god-of-songs-jacky-cheung-s-concert-tour"}, {"title": "Malaysian singer Aina Abdul receives boycott threats after dressing up like a mattress", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian singer Aina Abdul has become the target of online hate after wearing a mattress-like outfit at a recent competition show.\nAppearing as a judge on Season 5 of Big Stage (2018 to present), Aina received criticism from netizens who told her to \u201cstop dressing so weirdly\u201d after donning an outfit designed like a bed.\nIn an interview with Kosmo! Online, the 29-year-old, who has worn outlandish outfits in the past, said the criticisms she received this time were \u201ctoo much\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI try to avoid reading comments, but this time, I came across a handful of comments that went overboard. Aside from the face-shaming, there were also netizens who threatened to boycott me,\u201d she lamented, adding that she spent a lot of money to maintain her appearance.\nThe Terus Hidup (2022) hitmaker also said that she never expected to receive such harsh feedback because of the size of her outfit, which had reportedly obstructed the view of audiences behind her.\nAccording to her, the view of those sitting behind her would have been blocked regardless of what she wore.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere are so many more pressing matters in Malaysia that should be discussed. The issue about my outfit blocking the view of audiences shouldn\u2019t have been a big thing.\n\n\n\u201cThe judges for Big Stage are all seated on a platform. Even if (I) dressed in simple clothing, those sitting behind wouldn\u2019t be able to see (the stage) either,\u201d she said.\n\nAfraid of being perceived as \u201carrogant\u201d, Aina added that she initially had not wanted to address the issue.\nNevertheless, she made it clear that she will stay true to her sense of style.\n\u201cI just want to send a message through my fashion. Every outfit I wear has its own message and is symbolic of something,\u201d she concluded.\nMeanwhile, designer Masyadi Mansoor, who was behind Aina\u2019s outfit at Big Stage, explained the concept of the outfit on social media.\nAccording to him, the outfit was designed specifically as a bed as that is where people \u201clet it all out\u201d after a long day.\n\u201cPeople experience a variety of emotions, ranging from some of the happiest and most euphoric feelings to some of the greatest anxieties and deepest sorrows.\n\u201cAt the end of the day, (the) bed is the place we let it all out,\u201d he wrote. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/malaysian-singer-aina-abdul-receives-boycott-threats-after-dressing-up-like-a-mattress"}, {"title": "Mat Kilau director Syamsul Yusof marries second wife Ira Kazar, seeks reunion with first wife Puteri Sarah Liyana", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 After months of speculation about his relationship with a woman other than his wife, Malaysian film-maker Syamsul Yusof has finally admitted that he has married Malaysian actress Ira Kazar in Thailand.\nThe 38-year-old director of top-grossing historical film Mat Kilau (2022) said 27-year-old Ira\u2019s father, actor Kazar Saisi, was present as the bride\u2019s guardian at the wedding.\nSyamsul shared his new marital status via a video posted to Instagram last Friday.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe also said that he is legally still the husband of Malaysian actress Puteri Sarah Liyana, 37, whom he married in 2014. They have two children: Syaikhul Islam, six, and Summayyah, four.\n\u201cI want to explain all of this and put an end (to all this talk). Although I don\u2019t believe my relationship matters should be discussed on social media, it has come to this. What can I do?\u201d he said in the video.\nSyamsul\u2019s relationship with Ira was gossip fodder in Malaysia for most of 2022. At one point, Puteri Sarah went on social media to expose Ira as the \u201cother woman\u201d and the cause for the rift in her marriage.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI want to confirm that Ira and I (have been) legally married, in the presence of her father, Kazar, in Thailand. We decided to get married in Thailand to simplify certain things,\u201d Syamsul said in the video.\n\nHe added that he hopes that he can reunite with Puteri Sarah to sort out their marital issues, which have been brewing for months.\n\u201cPuteri Sarah is still my wife. I hope Sarah will come home so we can sort out our problems. There is no need to publicise on social media and shame others.\u201d\n", "\nPuteri Sarah claimed via Instagram Stories in April 2022 that Ira had been trying to come between her and Syamsul since 2019. She further alleged that Ira had harassed her with hurtful comments using fake accounts on social media.\n\n\n\n\n\nUnable to cope, Puteri Sarah felt she had no choice but to expose \u201cthe home-wrecker\u201d.\nThe explosive revelation filled social media feeds, chats and headlines in Malaysia, eclipsing even news of the Sabah state government\u2019s collapse after just 27 months.\nIra claimed the top spot in the \u201cTrending\u201d chart on Twitter, followed by Syamsul, the son of renowned actor, director and producer Datuk Yusof Haslam.\n", "\nA look at Twitter last Saturday found more than 35,500 tweets with Syamsul\u2019s name and 25,000 mentioning Ira, many of them containing expletives.\nTwitter users sympathised with Puteri Sarah, who is   on holiday in Japan with her children.\nOne user, @nasyhali, called out Syamsul for \u201cthrowing away a diamond\u201d.\n\nAnother, @liyanaliyana, even said she was glad she had given Mat Kilau a miss when it was released in cinemas in June.\nThe film about the historic titular Malay warrior (played by Adi Putra) \u2013 who fought British colonialists during the Pahang Uprising in Pahang, British Malaya, before independence \u2013 netted RM97 million (S$29.5 million) from screenings in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei in 50 days.\n", "\nStatements by Syamsul\u2019s parents also made the news.\n\nHis father Yusof said he was disappointed that Syamsul had not informed him of his decision to wed Ira, while Syamsul\u2019s mother, Datin Patimah Ismail, said she found out only after her son got married.\nIn his video, Syamsul also made unfavourable comments about Puteri Sarah, claiming that she \u201ctook off with our children without the husband\u2019s permission\u201d.\n\u201cI don\u2019t want people to say that I am not fulfilling my duty as a husband.\u201d\nPuteri Sarah rebutted his claims by posting a video last Friday, calling him an absentee dad.\n\u201cI left home in 2020 and I\u2019m sure you remember why,\u201d she said in the video. \u201cWhen you came to visit your own parents\u2019 house, you knew I lived there.\u201d \nShe added that she is mulling legal action over Syamsul\u2019s second marriage. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/mat-kilau-director-syamsul-yusof-marries-second-wife-ira-kazar-seeks-reunion-with-first-wife-puteri-sarah-liyana"}, {"title": "Mat Kilau director Syamsul Yusof\u2019s first wife Puteri Sarah Liyana files for divorce", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysian actress Puteri Sarah Liyana filed for divorce from Mat Kilau director Syamsul Yusof at the capital\u2019s Syariah Lower Court on Monday. \nAccording to Malaysian news agency Bernama, Puteri Sarah, 37, named Syamsul, 39, as the defendant and the case is set to proceed on March 7 to end their nine-year marriage.\n \u201cI\u2019ve thought it over. There will be no second chance for Syamsul,\u201d she said in a report by Malaysian newspaper The New Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe couple, who have two children aged six and four, have been embroiled in a year-long scandal involving Syamsul\u2019s relationship with Malaysian actress Ira Kazar, 27.\n\nHe recently revealed that he had taken Ira as his second wife in Thailand, after previously denying it, triggering further backlash on social media. Puteri Sarah has stated in the past that she refuses to be in a polygamous marriage.\n", "\nSyamsul, who directed top-grossing historical film Mat Kilau (2022), is the son of famed actor and director Yusof Haslam, who was not informed of the second marriage. His mother, Datin Patimah Ismail, reportedly said she will not be giving Syamsul\u2019s new marriage her blessing.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn the application, Puteri Sarah said she intends to divorce her husband on the grounds that there was prolonged disagreement between them and no more understanding.\n\nShe added that they could no longer live together as husband and wife according to syariah law and mentioned \u201cpressure or interference caused by a third party\u201d.\nShe also claimed that she and their children no longer live with Syamsul at her in-laws\u2019 house or their home in Taman Melawati and he had \u201cnot returned to the matrimonial home for a long time\u201d.\n\nBernama also reported that her lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader said he would start contempt of court proceedings against Ira, her veteran actor father Kazar Saisi and her sister for allegedly violating an order issued by a Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur.\nPuteri Sarah filed the suit in June 2022 after she allegedly received harassment and threats from Ira via social media and was granted a court injunction.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/mat-kilau-director-syamsul-yusof-s-first-wife-puteri-sarah-liyana-files-for-divorce"}, {"title": "Michelle Yeoh brings her Oscar home to mum in Malaysia as promised", "text": ["\nIPOH \u2013 Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh kept her promise and brought her Best Actress Oscar prize back to her mum in home town Ipoh. \nThe star posted two photos on her social media account on Wednesday: one of her mother, Datin Janet Yeoh, clutching the golden statuette; and another photo of her paying respects at the grave of her father, Datuk Yeoh Kian Teik.\nShe captioned the post: \u201cBrought Mr O home. Without my parents\u2019 love and trust and support, I wouldn\u2019t be here today. Love so much.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nIt is understood that Yeoh was back in Malaysia for a few days for Qing Ming before she flew off to Hong Kong.\nHowever, the actress is expected to be in Malaysia again.\nThe Everything Everywhere All At Once star is scheduled to appear at the \u201cPride of Malaysia Michelle Yeoh Homecoming Public Fan Meet\u201d on Tuesday afternoon at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYeoh, 60, made history when she won Best Actress at the 95th Academy Awards in Los Angeles in March. \n\nShe became the first actress of Asian descent to win in the category. She is also the first Malaysian to be nominated and win in the Academy Awards.\nIn her acceptance speech, Yeoh said: \u201cI have to dedicate this (award) to my mum, all the mums in the world because they are really the superheroes, and without them, none of us would be here tonight.\n\u201cI\u2019m taking this home to her. She\u2019s watching right now in Malaysia, KL, with my family and friends. I love you guys. I\u2019m bringing this home to you.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/michelle-yeoh-brings-her-oscar-home-to-mum-in-malaysia-as-promised"}, {"title": "Michelle Yeoh meets Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim during post-Oscar homecoming", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Malaysian star Michelle Yeoh, who made Oscar history for being the first actress of Asian descent to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards in March, has called on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya.\n\u201cThe Oscar winner shared her joy and tribulations and the pinnacle of her career in winning the Academy Award,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar said on social media on Thursday, with his post accompanied by photos of the pair chatting.\n\u201cHer win was significant to her, her family and the people of Malaysia, and has raised the country in the international arena. I wished her well and many more successes in the future.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\nIpoh-born Yeoh, 60, was back in Malaysia after a whirlwind visit to Hong Kong last week, where she presented at the Hong Kong Film Awards and was the guest of honour at a celebration party with the likes of Hong Kong actors Chow Yun Fat, Anthony Wong, Donnie Yen and Sandra Ng in attendance.\nShe reportedly arrived at Subang Airport from Hong Kong at 1.30pm on Monday. She was accompanied by her French partner Jean Todt, former president of the International Automobile Federation, and her niece Vicki Yeoh.\nThe actress made an appearance at the Pride of Malaysia Michelle Yeoh Homecoming Public Fan Meet on Tuesday at shopping centre Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, where hundreds of fans of all ages had gathered to catch a glimpse of the star.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThese last six weeks are continuing to be like a beautiful dream. And I was dreaming to be back here with my mum, with my family and especially with all of you,\u201d she said on the red carpet, addressing the public. \u201cSo thank you for coming out today to see me.\u201d\n\nOf the unanimous support from Malaysians, she said: \u201cI feel your love and I\u2019m deeply appreciative of that. All your support, all your encouragement. I hear it even when I\u2019m not in Malaysia, because wherever I am, you are all in my heart, because I am truly Malaysian.\u201d\nYeoh\u2019s historic victory was clinched due to her performance in the film Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022), which sees her playing a frustrated mother, wife and daughter as she goes about handling the tax audit of the laundromat she owns.\n\u201cWhy I love this character is, she\u2019s a very ordinary woman who\u2019s doing everyday things. The most important thing was, an ordinary woman can be a superhero. And that was what she did. Because she believed in herself. She believed in her family, she believed in love,\u201d she said.\nAs to where she would be keeping her Oscar, Yeoh \u2013 who has been busy filming the movie adaptation of the musical Wicked in London \u2013 said: \u201cI am going to let my mother keep it for a while.\u201d THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/michelle-yeoh-meets-malaysian-pm-anwar-ibrahim-during-post-oscar-homecoming"}, {"title": "Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh urges women to resist being 'put in a box'", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh spoke up on Tuesday for diversity and women\u2019s empowerment in the entertainment industry, telling reporters in Kuala Lumpur \u201cwe should never allow somebody to put us in a box\u201d.\nSpeaking at her first news conference in her home country since her historic best actress win, the Malaysian star returned to themes that had been a staple of her awards season interviews.\n\u201cI have been very blessed that I\u2019ve continuously been able to work, and work (with) very interesting, very diverse and very forward-thinking filmmakers. That has enabled me to fight for what I truly believe in: representation, diversity, especially empowerment of women,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t believe just because we are women, we are a weaker sex... We should never allow somebody to put us in a box.\u201d\nWinning the best actress Oscar \u2013 as the first Asian woman ever to do so \u2013 \u201crepresents so much to so many of us\u201d, she continued, adding that she \u201cheard the roar of joy, happiness all across the world to Los Angeles\u201d following her victory.\nYeoh won the award for her portrayal of Chinese-American laundromat owner Evelyn Wang, who deals with family turmoil while battling an interdimensional villain in the sci-fi action comedy Everything Everywhere All At Once.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe lack of Asian representation at Hollywood\u2019s highest levels had been a recurring topic in her interviews ahead of the awards.\n\nYeoh was due to meet with fans later at a fancy shopping mall in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.\nAsked about her advice to young people around the world, she said: \u201cDon\u2019t become me, be you... I believe that you are going to be better.\u201d\n", "\nThe 60-year-old Hollywood veteran was born to Chinese-Malaysian parents in the northern city of Ipoh. She embraced dance as a child and specialised in ballet, which she studied in Britain.\nYeoh\u2019s film credits stretch back to the 1980s, but her Hollywood breakthrough came when she was cast as the first ethnic Chinese Bond girl in 1997\u2018s Tomorrow Never Dies opposite Pierce Brosnan. \nShe also starred in the Oscar-winning 2000 martial arts film Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, the 2005 period drama Memoirs Of A Geisha and the 2018 romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians. AFP \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/michelle-yeoh-urges-women-to-resist-being-put-in-a-box"}, {"title": "Pop star Jackson Wang meets singer JJ Lin and former badminton player Lee Chong Wei in Malaysia", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 K-pop idol Jackson Wang met two other stars while he was in Malaysia. \nThe member of South Korean boy band Got7 held his concert in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday, while Singaporean singer JJ Lin held his gig there on Sunday. Wang, 28, was a guest star at Lin\u2019s concert.\nLin, 41, posted on social media early on Sunday a photo of himself with Wang and another of them four years ago.\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nLin wrote: \u201cCongrats for killin\u2019 it tonight. (Now vs 4 years ago).\u201d\nMalaysian badminton legend Lee Chong Wei also posted a photo with Wang on social media on Sunday.\n", "\nLee, 40, wrote: \u201cTwo ex-Olympians, I held racquet, he held \u2018sword\u2019. I now hold baby boys, he holds microphones. One of the most talented persons I have met.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLee is a triple silver medallist at the Olympic Games, while Wang, a former champion fencer, participated in the inaugural Youth Olympic Games hosted by Singapore in 2010.\n\nReferring to Wang\u2019s concert last Saturday, Lee wrote: \u201cYou all won\u2019t be able to imagine the thunderous cheer during his concert last night. Even (my sons) @kingstonleekc @terrance_leekj are jealous of me having taken this picture.\u201d \nLee recently welcomed his third son with his wife Wong Mew Choo, a former badminton player for Malaysia.\n\u201cWelcome to Malaysia, @jacksonwang852g7. Your story is an inspiration,\u201d Lee wrote.\nWang will be holding his concert in Singapore on Friday. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/pop-star-jackson-wang-meets-singer-jj-lin-and-badminton-player-lee-chong-wei-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Running Man star Song Ji-hyo praised for using sign language to communicate with Malaysian fans", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 South Korean actress Song Ji-hyo recently won the hearts of netizens after a video of her interacting with Malaysian fans with disabilities went viral on social media.\nAccording to reports, the 41-year-old \u2013\u00a0a regular cast member of the South Korean variety show Running Man (2010 to present) \u2013 was in Malaysia to attend the Watsons K-Beauty Festa event on March 17 and 18 at Sentul Depot in Kuala Lumpur.\nIn a video posted on TikTok on March 17 by fan account @sngmsyn, Song is seen using sign language to communicate with fans with disabilities.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cSong Ji-hyo knows how to use sign language. She used it to communicate with her fans. She\u2019s really the sweetest and best girl,\u201d @sngmsyn captioned the post.\nThe clip has gained more than 1.6 million views and 291,800 likes, with many praising the star for her humility and thoughtfulness.\n\u201cI swear she\u2019s the best when it comes to fan service. No one rivals her. She\u2019s genuinely kind and attentive to all her fans,\u201d TikTok user @140297jh_ replied under the post.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis is not the first time Song has caught the attention of Malaysian netizens for a kind gesture.    \n\nIn November 2022, the actress made headlines after rushing to help a fan who had fallen over during her arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, despite being heavily guarded by security personnel. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/running-man-star-song-ji-hyo-praised-for-using-sign-language-to-communicate-with-malaysian-fans"}, {"title": "S\u2019pore actor Aliff Aziz agrees to stop working with actress Sophia Albarakbah out of respect for wife", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Malaysia-based Singaporean actor Aliff Aziz has agreed to stop working with Malaysian actress Sophia Albarakbah in future projects, a Malaysian news outlet reported. \nAccording to the report, he made the decision out of respect for his wife, Malaysian singer Bella Astillah, who accused Sophia on social media of allegedly flirting with him despite him being a married man.\nAliff, 31, said during a press conference on Wednesday for his new drama Ku Akad Kau Dengan Bismillah, which co-stars Sophia: \u201cMy wife and I had already discussed this issue rationally at home, and I think she wants the best for me.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI feel that it\u2019s best to respect and agree with Bella. If that decision can restore her faith, confidence and trust in me, I\u2019ll do it.\u201d\nHe apologised for \u201cbeing careless at maintaining his relationship\u201d and \u201cnot setting limits\u201d despite being a married man.\nAliff and Bella wed in 2016 and became parents to a boy, who is now five. They divorced in 2019 after he was accused of cheating on her, but reconciled in 2020 and had a daughter, who is now two. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe also voiced his hopes for Sophia, 29, to issue a statement to clear the online gossip spreading on TikTok, Twitter and Instagram.\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t force her, but I hope she can give an explanation too. Whatever it is, it\u2019s up to her,\u201d he said.\nBella, 28, previously revealed on her Instagram account that an actress currently working with her husband had been calling him non-stop every day and \u201cdisrupting their marriage\u201d.\nIn a now-deleted Instagram post following the press conference, Bella dropped a series of screenshots of WhatsApp conversations between her and Sophia.\nIn them, she alleged that Sophia admitted to the accusations. Bella also questioned the latter for her absence at the press conference on Wednesday.\nAlthough Sophia is keeping mum about this situation, reports say that she failed to turn up at the event due to a \u201clast-minute\u201d film project she had to tend to. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/s-pore-actor-aliff-aziz-agrees-to-stop-working-with-actress-sophia-albarakbah-out-of-respect-for-wife"}, {"title": "Siti Nurhaliza responds to blind America\u2019s Got Talent star Putri Ariani\u2019s wish for a duet", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Indonesian singer Putri Ariani, who is blind, made headlines last week after earning a Golden Buzzer from English television personality Simon Cowell on America\u2019s Got Talent.\nThe 17-year-old won the hearts of the four judges of the American reality talent show \u2013 including Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara \u2013 after performing an original track, Loneliness. She was even asked by Cowell to perform a second song.\nPutri\u2019s audition clip on YouTube, which garnered more than 29 million views over six days, caught the attention of people from all around the world, including netizens who said her voice reminded them of Malaysian singer Siti Nurhaliza.\n\n\n\n\n\nTaking to Instagram to respond to the comments, Siti wrote: \u201cMasya-Allah (what God has willed), little sister. Keep flying high and make your parents and country proud.\u201d\nShortly after, Putri posted an Instagram Story thanking the 44-year-old for her words of encouragement.\nIn it, the former Indonesia\u2019s Got Talent champion also voiced her hopes of performing with Siti in the future.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThank you so much. I really love your songs. I hope we can meet in person soon. I\u2019d really like to duet with you,\u201d the teenager wrote, to which Siti responded: \u201cInsya-Allah (God willing), my dear.\u201d\n\nPutri has been blind since she was three years old and has been performing on stage since she was seven.\n\nShe rose to fame in 2014 after winning the second season of Indonesia\u2019s Got Talent, and was a finalist in the 2016 singing contest, The Voice Kids Indonesia.\nPutri has released almost 30 songs on iTunes so far. Her most successful song, Tak Mampu Lupa, was released in 2022 and has over 11.7 million streams on Spotify at press time. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/siti-nurhaliza-responds-to-blind-america-s-got-talent-star-putri-ariani-s-wish-for-a-duet"}, {"title": "Taiwanese actress Joe Chen registered her marriage to Malaysian artist in 2022 without informing her manager", "text": ["\nCHANGSHA \u2013 Taiwanese actress Joe Chen\u2019s marriage to Malaysian artist Alan Chen was so spontaneous that her manager was unaware of it until the star trended on social media.\nThis was revealed by Joe Chen in the latest episode of Chinese variety show Viva La Romance (2018 to present).\nThe couple registered their marriage at the Household Registration Office in Da\u2019an District in Taipei City on March 31, 2022.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 43-year-old actress, who is known for television serials such as The Prince Who Turns Into A Frog (2005) and Fated To Love You (2008), met Alan Chen, 34, on Chinese reality dating programme Meeting Mr Right II in 2019. They dated for about 2\u00bd years before registering their marriage. \nShe recalled on Viva La Romance that as March 31 was not a weekend, she reckoned she would not encounter the paparazzi. The couple went to register their marriage at 11am that day.\n\u201cMidway through our lunch, my team called and asked me, \u2018Are you married? You are now trending on social media\u2019,\u201d she said on the show.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt turned out that someone had secretly taken a photo of them at the registration office and posted it on social media.  \n\nChen, who was unprepared for the speed of the leak, got a manicure done afterwards and took a photo of her hand holding her husband\u2019s, with their wedding rings displayed prominently.\nThey then posted the photo on their respective social media accounts that evening and announced their marriage.\n", "\nThe couple was recently spotted by netizens at a mall in Johor Bahru, where Chen had likely travelled to meet her husband\u2019s family and spend Chinese New Year. \nAnother pair of lovebirds currently in Malaysia are Malaysian singer Joey Chua and Taiwanese actor Talu Wang.\nShe posted on social media last Saturday a video of her and her boyfriend returning to her home town in Johor Bahru to meet her parents. \nThe couple confirmed in December 2022 they were dating after taking part in the latest season of Chinese reality show Wow! Nice Figure (2019 to present).\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/taiwanese-actress-joe-chen-registered-her-marriage-to-m-sian-artist-in-2022-without-informing-her-manager"}, {"title": "Tiger Stripes, Malaysian film with Singapore involvement, wins Cannes\u2019 Critics\u2019 Week top prize", "text": ["\nCANNES \u2013 Malay-language art-house horror film Tiger Stripes made history by becoming the first Malaysian film to win the grand prize for best feature at Cannes\u2019 International Critics\u2019 Week, a sidebar event of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival that is dedicated to first or second films. \nThe debut effort by Malaysian director Amanda Nell Eu, 37, won the \u20ac10,000 (S$14,500) grand prize of the 62nd International Critics\u2019 Week, also known as Semaine de la Critique. It is the first time a South-east Asian film has won the prize.\nThe film is still in competition for the Camera d\u2019Or prize, an award for the best first feature film presented in one of Cannes\u2019 selections (Official Selection, Directors\u2019 Fortnight or International Critics\u2019 Week).\n\n\n\n\n\nAs reported by entertainment portal Screen Daily, International Critics\u2019 Week\u2019s jury president Audrey Diwan said Tiger Stripes was \u201cirreverent and uncompromising\u201d.\n\u201cIt does not try to please, it is content to fully assume its seductive singularity. It was the first film of the selection that we saw. It has passed the test of time,\u201d she added.\nProduced by Eu\u2019s company Ghost Grrrl Pictures, Tiger Stripes follows a 12-year-old girl who cannot make sense of what is happening to her body as puberty hits. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe film stars newcomers Zafreen Zairizal, Deena Ezral and Piqa, as well as established actors Shaheizy Sam and Fatimah Abu Bakar.\n\nEu is the first female director from Malaysia to have a film featured at Cannes. \nOnly three other Malaysian films have been chosen for the festival: U-Wei Saari\u2019s Kaki Bakar in 1995, Chris Chong Chan Fui\u2019s Karaoke in 2009 and Woo Ming Jin\u2019s The Tiger Factory in 2010.\nTiger Stripes had funding from Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan and Singapore. Among its producers is Singapore-based Akanga Film Asia, while its financing includes a South-east Asia Co-Production Grant from the Singapore Film Commission.\nSingaporean talent such as sound designer Lim Ting Li, and character design and special effects make-up supervisor June Goh, were involved in the production.\nIn an e-mail interview after the win, producer Fran Borgia from Akanga Film Asia said: \u201cIt\u2019s the first time a film from South-east Asia wins the Grand Prix at the Cannes\u2019 Critics\u2019 Week section and this film is very special and unique. We are thrilled and honoured.\u201d\n", "\nEu wrote a jubilant Instagram post on Wednesday night: \u201cSlay slay slay to the huge beautiful tiger family.\u201d\nShe added a string of emojis, including the tiger, the heart and the laughing-crying face. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/tiger-stripes-malaysian-film-with-singapore-involvement-wins-cannes-critics-week-top-prize"}, {"title": "Veteran Malaysian singer Rohana Jalil has died at the age of 68", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 Veteran Malaysian singer Rohana Jalil died at the Chancellor Tuanku Muhriz Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital in Kuala Lumpur at 11.33pm on Tuesday, according to Malaysian news portal mStar. She was 68.\nThe death was confirmed by fellow artiste Zur Eda, who revealed she died with her family present.\nRohana had been warded at the same hospital since April 18 for treatment for an intestinal perforation.\n\n\n\n\n\nAlso known as Dara Abdul Jalil, Rohana is most known for her stunning performance in the 1981 Bintang RTM competition, which she won.\nShe went on to release almost 20 albums throughout her career, which spanned more than 50 years. \nHer famous hit Naluri Cinta in 1995 skyrocketed her popularity. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/veteran-malaysian-singer-rohana-jalil-has-died-at-the-age-of-68"}, {"title": "Vin Diesel spotted grilling fish in Malaysia? No, it is just a doppelganger", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA \u2013 A man with an uncanny resemblance to Fast And Furious star Vin Diesel was catapulted to fame online after being spotted selling grilled fish by the road in Malaysia. \nMalay tabloid Kosmo reported that the man, who had gone viral after his photos were posted by a Twitter user, was a Pakistani national who migrated to Malaysia.\nThe Twitter user then posted photos of the Diesel lookalike outside a bookshop as well as pumping petrol, alluding that it was taken in Johor Bahru. It is unclear if it is the same person in the photos.\n\n\n\n\n\nOn social media, users suggested names for Malaysia\u2019s very own Diesel, such as Van Petrol, Vin Petronas and Van Ron97, a high grade of fuel for vehicles.\nOthers said he resembled the Hollywood actor more compared with another lookalike from Thailand, who went viral in 2022 after uploading a photo of himself onto Facebook.\nIn the photo, the bald man sat behind the steering wheel in a car and wore similar garb to Diesel\u2019s Dominic Toretto character from the Fast And Furious film franchise \u2013 a plain white T-shirt and cross necklace.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Thai doppelganger, who received more than 72,000 shares, has thanked netizens for liking and sharing the photo.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/vin-diesel-spotted-grilling-fish-in-malaysia-no-it-is-just-a-doppelganger"}, {"title": "Jacky Cheung KL concert: Fans disgruntled over seating arrangement", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Hong Kong\u2019s \u201cGod of Songs\u201d Jacky Cheung has delighted fans in Malaysia after revealing that he will be performing six shows in Kuala Lumpur in August. \nOn Wednesday, concert organiser Unusual Entertainment took to Facebook to unveil the seating arrangements and ticket prices.\nThe cheapest ticket is RM388 (S$113) for Category 3, while the VIP ticket is priced at RM1,188. Tickets for Categories 1 and 2 are priced at RM988 and RM688 respectively.\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter the information was released, fans flooded social media to complain about the seating arrangement, saying too many VIP seats were offered.\n\u201cThere are only two zones in Cat 3. This proves that this concert is only for wealthy people,\u201d said one netizen.\n\u201cMore than half the seats are for VIPs. The cheapest tickets are RM388 and RM688. You guys are really making a lot of money,\u201d said another.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMany have also lamented that the ticket prices do not seem to match the seating arrangements.\n\nA handful of fans said the VIP seats \u2013 namely those in sections 301, 302 and 303 \u2013 were too expensive, considering how far these are from the stage.\nSome have pointed out that it does not make sense to pay RM988 for section 402 (Category 1) as it is sandwiched between sections 401 and 403, which are RM688 Category 2 tickets.\n\u201cIs the colour for 402 wrong? Paying RM988 and sitting so far away from the stage,\u201d said one netizen.\n\nAnother joked: \u201cIs section 402 equipped with a massage chair or what?\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019m sure those who bought the ticket for section 402 will feel uneasy when they look at those in section 401, which is just beside them. If you think about it, even Category 3 is not that far (from section 402),\u201d yet another netizen said.\nCheung will be bringing his Jacky Cheung 60+ Concert Tour to Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, over two weekends: Aug 11, 12 and 13; and Aug 18, 19 and 20.\nTickets will go on sale from Friday at 10am. To book, call +603-9212-4202 or visit my.bookmyshow.com. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/jacky-cheung-kl-concert-fans-disgruntled-over-seating-arrangement"}, {"title": "\u2018Leave me alone\u2019: Actor Aaron Aziz considers legal action against body shaming jibes", "text": ["\nMalaysia-based Singaporean actor Aaron Aziz and his wife are considering legal action against an online portal for fat-shaming him.\nThe portal recently shared a post of the 47-year-old actor and called him fat, reported the Malay Mail.\nThe offending post has since been removed, but Aaron\u2019s manager-wife and fashion entrepreneur\u00a0Diyana\u00a0Halik, 41,\u00a0shared a screenshot of it on her Instagram page and asked her social media followers if they can recommend lawyers to her. \n\n\n\n\n\nIn an Instagram post on Thursday, she pointed out that her husband has been belittled \u201cfor months\u201d.\n\u201cI think it\u2019s good for my husband that he didn\u2019t do anything all these while. He didn\u2019t sue the people who insulted him. He said no, just pray. Positive vibe,\u201d she wrote in a mix of Malay and English. \nBut this time, she said: \u201cMy husband can\u2019t be oppressed any more, I can\u2019t take this body shamming no more.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn his part, Aaron also questioned why he was subjected to the abuse. \n\nIn an Instagram post written in Malay, Aaron said: \u201cWhat did I do wrong? I am only human. \n\u201cWill you all be happy when I have depression or even worse? I am tired... please leave me alone,\u201d his post on Thursday said.\nThe popular actor has 3.3 million followers on Instagram, while Diyana has more than 500,000 followers. \n\n\n\n\n\nHis latest post garnered more than 15,000 likes so far, with hundreds of messages of support for the actor.\nOne user, @norlela.ngalim, urged the actor to go about his own business, saying Aaron should \u201ceat durians with family, (as) they (his detractors) will get heartache to see others happy\u201d. \nAnother user who goes by @queenizmz said Aaron should learn from other celebrities who ignore such criticisms and keep their cool. \n", "\nIn March, the actor\u2019s weight was in the spotlight after he was dropped from Malaysian director Syamsul Yusof\u2019s latest production, The Original Gangster.  \nThe director told Malaysian media that Aaron was dropped from his action film due to concerns over his \u201cage, weight and health\u201d.\nHe said he also did not want Aaron to risk any injuries on set. \nBut Aaron, who said he had taken multiple injections at Syamsul\u2019s request to prepare for the role, was clearly bitter about the decision. \nHe let out his disappointment in an Instagram video, saying: \u201cYou (Syamsul) come to my house nicely when you need something, but throw me aside like rubbish when I\u2019m not needed.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/leave-me-alone-actor-aaron-aziz-considers-legal-action-against-body-shaming-jibes"}, {"title": "Me And My Car: Cinematographer Tan Yean Loon will never part with his 44-year-old Landie", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Where others saw a jalopy used as a storeroom in a motor workshop, cinematographer Tan Yean Loon saw a diamond in the rough \u2013 in a rare Land Rover Series III 109.\nThis was in 2013, when he came across the forlorn Land Rover that its mechanic-owner was using to keep random automotive parts.\nThe first thing he did was to crawl under the vehicle to check the condition of its chassis.\n\n\n\n\n\nSatisfied that the underbelly of the Landie (nickname for classic Land Rovers) was in good shape, the 46-year-old made an offer to buy the vehicle.\nAfter some negotiations, he paid $48,000 for the British off-roader which, at that time, had 1\u00bd years to go before its previous certificate of entitlement (COE) expired.\nThe \u201c109\u201d in its name refers to the vehicle\u2019s 2,789mm wheelbase in inches. This translates to plenty of space to carry the equipment Tan needs for filming, as well as his paddleboard and camping gear when he is not working.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Land Rover\u2019s cavernous loading area also comes in handy now as he is in the midst of moving house. On the day of this photo shoot, the cargo area was filled with things that were being moved to his new home.\n\nMr Tan, meanwhile, has been working to make the 44-year-old vehicle feel less agricultural. This includes fitting a custom-made air-conditioning system, power steering and a clutch booster.\nMarried with no children, Mr Tan says the modifications were also to make the Land Rover easier for his 44-year-old wife, who is also a cinematographer, to drive.\nHe has done enough mechanical work to make the Landie reliable enough to be used every day.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI remember that when it was breaking down frequently, I was in tears when my wife asked me to get rid of it,\u201d he recalls with a smile.\nBut it is still a truck \u2013 and an old, noisy and rattling one at that.\nMatched to a four-speed manual transmission, the Land Rover\u2019s four-cylinder diesel engine takes it up to only 80kmh, although it is much happier at around 60kmh. At nearly any speed, the windows shake and the cabin is filled with mechanical noises.\nMr Tan, who is involved in filming for ongoing Mediacorp series Sunny Side Up and also works on corporate videos, says it is \u201cimpossible\u201d to have a conversation in the vehicle without shouting. He adds that his wife uses tissue paper to plug her ears whenever she drives it.\nThe Land Rover also leaks like a sieve when it rains, but he does not seem to mind. He says: \u201cI have learnt a lot since owning this car, mostly about being patient.\u201d\n", "\nThe radiator leaks too \u2013 something he aims to fix when he embarks on the next phase of improvements. For the moment, he has to top it up each day. Later this year, he intends to give the Landie a thorough overhaul \u2013 from a fresh coat of paint to fixing those rattling windows to adding some much-needed sound insulation.\nOne of the coolest changes he has made to the vehicle is its tropical roof, which he found in Ipoh, Malaysia. It has a double-layer design, where an additional aluminium skin caps what looks like a regular roof. This insulates the cabin from the sun\u2019s heat more effectively. At the same time, portholes under the ceiling allow air to enter the cabin.\nMr Tan has means to get spare parts for the Land Rover. Besides the local stockist, he sources from Malaysia, as well as online shops in Britain.\nProduced from 1971 to 1990, the Series III was the last generation of the Landie before the introduction of the Defender. Registered with a \u201cW\u201d number plate (for engineering vehicles), Tan\u2019s Land Rover is not limited to two 10-year COE cycles like ordinary commercial vehicles.\nIt has another seven years or so before its current COE needs another revalidation. Mr Tan says he does not intend to ever let the Land Rover go. \u201cIt will stay with me until I die,\u201d he says.\nWhat\u2019s in the boot?\n", "\nCamping gear\nItems being moved to his new home\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/motoring/me-and-my-car-cinematographer-tan-yean-loon-will-never-part-with-his-44-year-old-landie"}, {"title": "Celestial jewellery brand Wanderlust + Co a favourite with global celebrities", "text": ["SINGAPORE \u2013 With its star-studded clientele of American celebrities \u2013 including actress Jessica Alba, singer Selena Gomez and reality television star Kourtney Kardashian \u2013 one might assume that jewellery label Wanderlust + Co (W+Co) was born in the United States.So people are often surprised to find out it is a Malaysian brand, says founder Jenn Low. She started the label in 2009 from her bedroom \u2013 she was then living in Melbourne \u2013 with less than $10,000 of her savings. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/style/celestial-jewellery-brand-wanderlust-co-a-favourite-with-global-celebrities"}, {"title": "In neighbourly fashion: 3 Malaysian style brands Singaporeans love", "text": ["SINGAPORE \u2013 When it comes to style and sartorial preferences, Singapore and Malaysia share more than just a border. Not surprisingly, many designers from both sides of the Causeway have set their sights on expanding into each other\u2019s market. The Straits Times meets three Malaysia-born brands gaining popularity with shoppers here.  "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/style/in-neighbourly-fashion-3-malaysian-style-brands-singaporeans-love"}, {"title": "Local influencer\u2019s athleisure brand Motherchuckers makes comfort cool", "text": ["SINGAPORE \u2013 Creeping into Singaporeans\u2019 hearts is Motherchuckers, a lifestyle leisure-wear brand founded by Kuala Lumpur-born influencer Jane Lau, who goes by Jane Chuck online. With its casual-cool sweatsuits, sweaters and tees, the label could be Malaysia\u2019s answer to popular international loungewear brand Pangaia."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/style/local-influencer-s-athleisure-brand-motherchuckers-makes-comfort-cool"}, {"title": "Malaysian womenswear brand Whimsigirl makes Raya ensembles for all", "text": ["SINGAPORE \u2013 One blazing day in February, a two-hour queue of young women stretched outside lifestyle space Crane in Joo Chiat. Some with children and husbands in tow, they were waiting to enter a one-day pop-up from womenswear brand Whimsigirl (whimsigirl.com/en-sg), to try on its pre-Raya ensembles and printed dresses."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/style/malaysian-womenswear-brand-whimsigirl-makes-raya-ensembles-for-all"}, {"title": "Slacker\u2019s guide to a beach vacation in Desaru: Food, family fun and foiling", "text": ["DESARU \u2013 I went to Desaru as a child more than 40 years ago for my first beach vacation outside Singapore.At the time, it was an affordable beach vacation spot for a heartlander family that could not afford to travel to more exotic destinations."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/travel/slacker-s-guide-to-a-beach-vacation-in-desaru-food-family-fun-and-foiling"}, {"title": "The changing face of Genting Highlands", "text": ["GENTING HIGHLANDS \u2013 For much of its storied history, Genting Highlands has been known as a casino, conveniently located an hour away from Malaysia\u2019s capital, Kuala Lumpur. But the march of technology \u2013 as well as the opening of other casinos, including in Singapore \u2013 has seen a plethora of new gaming options for punters, pressing Genting to diversify its offerings as a more family-oriented destination."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/travel/the-changing-face-of-genting-highlands"}, {"title": "Weekend Trip: Farms and food trails in Kluang, a hidden gem just two hours from Singapore", "text": ["JOHOR, Malaysia \u2013 When it comes to nearby vacation spots, it is easy to feel like you have seen and done it all. Johor Bahru is but a day trip, you have been to Melaka multiple times, and you are not in the mood for a beach holiday in Desaru and Bintan."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/life/travel/weekend-trip-farms-and-food-trails-in-kluang-a-hidden-gem-just-two-hours-from-singapore"}, {"title": null, "text": [], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/50-iconic-images-of-2022"}, {"title": "In Pictures: More than 50,000 people displaced by flooding in Malaysia", "text": [], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/photos/in-pictures-heavy-rain-causes-flooding-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "In Pictures: Landslide hits campsite near Malaysia\u2019s Genting Highlands", "text": ["\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/photos/in-pictures-landslide-hits-campsite-near-malaysia-s-genting-highlands"}, {"title": "In Pictures: Professional base jumpers leap off the Kuala Lumpur Tower", "text": ["\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/photos/in-pictures-professional-base-jumpers-leap-off-the-kuala-lumpur-tower"}, {"title": "The Big Story: Campsite hit by landslide off Genting was operating without licence", "text": ["\nCatch the latest news reports on The Big Story, The Straits Times\u2019 weekday online news programme.\u00a0\nSearch and rescue operations are under way in Malaysia for 17 people still missing after a deadly landslide struck a campsite near Genting Highlands. At least 16 people have been killed in the incident that took place early on Friday, according to the Malaysian authorities. \nThe Ministry of Local Government Development also said on Twitter that 61 people have been rescued from the campsite at Father\u2019s Organic Farm in the Batang Kali area, on the outskirts of capital Kuala Lumpur.\n\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, it has emerged that the campsite was operating illegally without a required licence.\nLocal Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming said the site operators had obtained permission for only farming organic vegetable crops. No approval for camping activities was given by the local authorities.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/the-big-story-campsite-hit-by-landslide-off-genting-was-operating-without-licence"}, {"title": "The Big Story: S\u2019pore entities among those named in leaked foreign military documents posted online by hackers", "text": ["\nCatch the latest news reports on The Big Story, The Straits Times\u2019 weekday online news programme.\nAt least three Singaporean entities are identified in classified military documents that were allegedly stolen by hackers and leaked online for sale.\nThe Straits Times has learnt that the confidential data is believed to include documents from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), missile manufacturer MBDA Missile Systems, and two countries \u2013 Italy and the Philippines. It was uploaded on a hacker\u2019s forum on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\nCorrespondent David Sun joins the programme to share more about this development.\nIn Malaysia, former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was charged with four counts of abuse of power involving RM232.5 million (S$69.8 million) in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Friday, over projects awarded under his government\u2019s stimulus programme.\nMuhyiddin, who was Malaysia\u2019s prime minister for 17 months between 2020 and 2021 and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chief, was also charged with two counts of money laundering involving RM195 million.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMalaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh shares his views on the charges Muhyiddin faces.\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/multimedia/the-big-story-s-pore-entities-among-those-named-in-leaked-foreign-military-documents-posted-online-by-hackers"}, {"title": "Anwar and Zahid\u2019s strange union is Malaysia\u2019s best shot at political stability", "text": ["As expected, Zahid Hamidi, Umno president and leader of the Barisan Nasional (BN), was appointed deputy prime minister in Malaysia, in addition to assuming the post of federal minister of rural and regional development. Many Malaysians, especially those among the urban middle class, had hoped he would be denied a role in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s Cabinet, given his 47 outstanding corruption charges.  Banking on Mr Anwar\u2019s long-held  mantra and the Pakatan Harapan\u2019s (PH) professed general election manifesto objective of resetting Malaysia and ridding the establishment of corruption and abuse of power, many Malaysians might feel frustrated and come to see this move as an indictment of Mr Anwar, or think that the new Malaysian government is simply more of the same that has come before."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/anwar-and-zahid-s-strange-union-is-malaysia-s-best-shot-at-political-stability"}, {"title": "Anwar Ibrahim and the resilience of Reformasi movement", "text": ["Against great odds and despite time threatening to run out for him, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, at 75 years old, is now Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister.With that, a new era has dawned on Malaysia. Chances are, this change will not be as immediately dramatic as it might sound at first reading. Still, it could over time prove profound."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/anwar-ibrahim-and-the-resilience-of-reformasi-movement"}, {"title": "Anwar on cusp of 100 days: Looking shiny but still in survival mode", "text": ["Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will cross his first 100 days in office this week. But there are dark clouds on the horizon. On the surface, it looks like he\u2019s had a successful run. First, his coalition partner, Umno, looks politically stable and likely to stay with him.\u00a0"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/anwar-on-cusp-of-100-days-looking-shiny-but-still-in-survival-mode"}, {"title": "Around the world in 80 days: What\u2019s behind Anwar\u2019s overseas trips", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR \u2013 From the way he has been travelling, you\u2019d imagine all was quiet on the domestic front for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since he ended a 24-year wait to be appointed Malaysia\u2019s leader last November.But both political and economic troubles continue to simmer, even as the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) talks openly about toppling the government before the year is out."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/around-the-world-in-80-days-what-s-behind-anwar-s-overseas-trips"}, {"title": "Cities can be liveable. But what makes them lovable?", "text": ["Many visitors to Kuala Lumpur go up the 421m-high KL Tower for glittering views of Malaysia\u2019s capital city. For my family on a recent trip, the highlight came at the end of our dinner at the tower\u2019s revolving restaurant. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/cities-can-be-liveable-but-what-makes-them-lovable"}, {"title": "Home-grown films thrive at box office in Malaysia and Indonesia but missing on Netflix, streaming services", "text": ["\nAfter premiering at Venice and picking up a swag of awards on the festival circuit, Indonesian political thriller Autobiography began its theatrical run in its home country in February.\nThe allegorical tale looks at the lingering impact of decades of military dictatorship. It is timely, as fears grow that Indonesia appears to be retreating into its authoritarian past.\nMeanwhile, Malaysian drama Maryam Dari Pagi Ke Malam (Maryam From Day To Night) made its international debut at the 2023 Rotterdam Film Festival. The film looks at societal and bureaucratic hurdles faced by a Muslim woman in her 50s who wants to marry her younger partner from an African country.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe year 2022 saw attendance records smashed at screenings of home-grown movies across the two South-east Asian countries. But as fans flock back to the cinema, what is the future of streaming services in these countries?\nRoller coaster at the local box office\nLocally made films have not always enjoyed a steady run of commercial or critical success. Domestic films in Indonesia and Malaysia were popular and financially viable in the 1950s and early 1960s. Hits included films like Tiga Dara (Three Maidens) in Indonesia and Do Re Mi in Malaysia.\nThis success began to decline from the 1970s in the face of competition from foreign films and television, a lack of government support, and the Asian financial crisis.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe resurgence of Indonesia\u2019s film industry began in the early 21st century, when cinema was able to take advantage of greater media freedom following the 1998 fall of Suharto.\n\nTertiary-educated film-makers began to make their mark after graduating from local schools such as the Jakarta Institute of the Arts, or after returning home with film and media degrees from overseas.\nThe commercial and critical success of Mira Lesmana and Riri Riza\u2019s 2002 politics-infused teen flick Ada Apa Dengan Cinta (What\u2019s Up With Love?) is credited with jump-starting the local industry.\nLesmana marked the 20th anniversary of the film\u2019s release on her Instagram account, calling it a cultural phenomenon. Today, films made in the region range from critically acclaimed work that is screened at international festivals, to box office draws catering to local tastes.\n\n\n\n\n\nLocal difficulties\nUnlike Indonesia\u2019s film industry, Malaysian cinema gets some support from the government.\nBut the size of Indonesia\u2019s market, with its estimated movie-going audience of more than 40 million people, dwarfs Malaysia\u2019s. This causes a disparity in funding and distribution opportunities.\nMaryam Pagi Ke Malam producer Lutfi Hakim Ariff is trying to secure local screenings of the film after its sold-out international debut at Rotterdam.\nSpeaking from the Netherlands, Ariff says the film\u2019s exploration of women\u2019s rights and xenophobia in Malaysia \u201cmakes it difficult to get serious interest from distributors\u201d. He believes the film is unlikely to receive official approval for release \u201cin its current form\u201d.\nHe hopes the movie\u2019s lead actor (Malaysian cinema icon Datin Sofia Jane) will be a drawcard, given the apparent appetite for domestic film consumption following a temporary setback when movie theatres were shut across the region during the Covid-19 pandemic.\n", "\nPost-pandemic popularity\nAttendance figures for domestic films across the two nations have now come back with a vengeance as audiences choose to support local films over Hollywood blockbusters.\nLess than a month after its theatrical release in September 2022, Curse Of The Dancing Village \u2013 a campy horror aimed squarely at the archipelago\u2019s domestic market \u2013 became the highest-grossing Indonesian film in history.\nAround the same time, historical biopic Mat Kilau became the highest-grossing Malaysian film of all time. The story tells of a Malay warrior chief who fought against the British Empire in the late 19th century. The movie prompted a resurgence of local interest in pencak silat \u2013 the South-east Asian martial art brought to Western attention by the 2011 Indonesian action film, The Raid.\nIts success suggests that in this region, audiences prefer to fork out money to see their own culture and history depicted on screen instead of stories from foreign lands.\n", "\nChallenge for streaming services\nSo while cinema is booming, what is the state of streaming services? While South-east Asia is a growth market for streaming services, two factors may hamper the success of these services.\nGlobal streaming services like Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon are competing with cinemagoers in the region, as well as Chinese streaming providers and one another.\nThere is another big competitor facing these services: movie pirating. Countries like Indonesia have a history of lax enforcement of intellectual property.\nWhen content can be watched on social or video-streaming sites for free, paying for a streaming service is novel \u2013 unlike paying for a comparatively affordable movie ticket as part of a social activity.\nThe recent success of films like Curse Of The Dancing Village and Mat Kilau shows local audiences are interested in local stories, which are in short supply on the global streaming giants.\nStreaming services wanting to crack the Indonesian or Malaysian markets will need to navigate the stories and genres which are likely to have mass appeal.\n\nNasya Bahfen is a senior lecturer in the Department of Media and Communication at La Trobe University in Australia. This article first appeared in The Conversation.\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/home-grown-films-thrive-at-box-office-in-malaysia-and-indonesia-but-missing-on-netflix-streaming-services"}, {"title": "Is Umno in panic mode?", "text": ["Irony was the highlight at Umno\u2019s annual general assembly last week.Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was sacked during the party\u2019s Supreme Council meeting back in 1998, returned as guest of honour."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/is-umno-in-panic-mode"}, {"title": "Mahathir reaches for his Malay rights playbook again", "text": ["On Sunday, there was supposed to be a large gathering of Malay rights groups at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur\u2019s iconic Petronas Twin Towers. The event was to witness the unveiling of a 12-point \u201cMalay Proclamation\u201d, with former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad leading the charge.\u00a0The proclamation, written by Tun Dr Mahathir himself, basically argues that under current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his multiracial Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, the country\u2019s majority Malay community is losing power."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/mahathir-reaches-for-his-malay-rights-playbook-again"}, {"title": "Penang: Still the crown jewel and safe vote bank for Pakatan Harapan?", "text": ["The upcoming state elections in Malaysia are widely seen as a barometer of Malay support for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s unity government, its Achilles heel.Mr Anwar\u2019s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition with Umno collectively received about 40 per cent of the Malay vote in the November 2022 General Election and knows that PH\u2019s political strength lies with non-Malay, largely urban voters who offered their overwhelming support. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/penang-still-the-crown-jewel-and-safe-vote-bank-for-pakatan-harapan"}, {"title": "Fandi a part of global sports talent flows", "text": ["Singapore football icon Fandi Ahmad\u2019s appointment as Sri Pahang\u2019s coach for the 2023 season reveals the reality of talent flows across international borders in sports. The Singaporean is no stranger to the Malaysian football club: As a player, he helped it to win the Malaysian league and Malaysia Cup double in 1992. Fandi, who joined Pahang as technical adviser in 2022, inherits the top job from Malaysian legend Dollah Salleh, who had taken charge temporarily after the resignation of Frenchman Christophe Gamel last season. The involvement of three nationalities \u2013 Singaporean, Malaysian and French \u2013 in the evolving fortunes of a single Malaysian sports club attests to the international character of talent in football, as in other sports.This is\u00a0natural. Sports teams, be they local or national, are identified geographically. Since geography\u00a0itself is defined by territorial divisions into states, sports\u00a0possesses a basic national character. Thus, Manchester United is and will be a British team so long as Manchester and Britain exist as recognisable entities. However, the national origins of sports teams do not prevent them from importing\u00a0(or exporting) talent according to their needs and\u00a0resources. The global trajectories of sporting demand and supply meet in the elusive figures of prized individuals."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/st-editorial/fandi-a-part-of-global-sports-talent-flows"}, {"title": "Hopeful chance of stability for Malaysia", "text": ["Royal intervention in Malaysia has encouraged rival political parties to form a workable unity government in order to resolve the problems of an unprecedented hung Parliament resulting from the inconclusive general election on Nov 19. That intervention was a signal of the need for political stability, and came from a position of neutrality that the Malaysian King enjoys in the Constitution and which enables him to command not only the obedience but also the respect of citizens. The Malaysian system requires a strong degree of stability in order to deal with economic and other challenges facing the nation. Now, the government of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim must work at translating a fortuitous stability into good governance and good economics.This is easier said than done. The Perikatan Nasional coalition, including Parti Islam SeMalaysia, refused to join a unity government. It means the substantial parliamentary numbers that the rival grouping enjoys will dilute the degree of political unity Malaysia could have enjoyed. The constellation of parliamentary forces as it stands gives Mr Anwar a two-thirds majority, which is a good advantage as he begins to re-engineer governing the country. However, his rivals would bide their time, no doubt to try and woo away disgruntled parliamentarians who find themselves sidelined in the new dispensation."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/st-editorial/hopeful-chance-of-stability-for-malaysia"}, {"title": "Multiple measures to reduce smoking", "text": ["With the health hazards of nicotine addiction well established, many countries have tightened regulations on smoking in recent years. In a radical step, New Zealand has become the first country to impose a \u201ccohort ban\u201d whereby, starting in 2023, anyone born after 2008 will be prohibited from buying cigarettes. It will also implement other restrictions, such as reducing the amount of nicotine permitted, raising taxes on products containing nicotine, and reducing the number of outlets that can sell such products. Malaysia is also considering similar policies, including a ban on sales of cigarettes and vape products for those born from 2007.These bold measures have attracted the attention of health researchers and policymakers, including in Singapore. In response to questions in Parliament in January, then Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon said that Singapore is open to the idea of a cohort smoking ban, which would prevent young people from taking up the habit and, hopefully, create a smoke-free generation, which would expand every year with every new cohort."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/st-editorial/multiple-measures-to-reduce-smoking"}, {"title": "Strengthening ties across Causeway", "text": ["Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s arrival in Singapore on Monday, on his first official visit here since he took office in November, reaffirms the benefits of close links between the two countries. They are bound by geography, a shared history, and deep familial and cultural ties. These links produce a relationship \u201cquite unlike any other\u201d, in the welcoming words of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Indeed, as he noted, the destinies of Singapore and Malaysia are intertwined. When they work together constructively, they produce win-win outcomes with tangible benefits for their citizens.In that spirit of concrete cooperation, the two leaders witnessed the signing of three memorandums of understanding aimed at promoting cooperation in new and emerging areas, specifically on green and digital economies, and cyber security. A significant detail is that, as Malaysia\u2019s first green economy agreement signed with any country, the partnership is expected to strengthen collaboration to de-carbonise both countries\u2019 industries and to help businesses and workers to seize opportunities in the green economy. In the vanguard area of managing environmental change, strong bilateral relationships make a substantial contribution to the evolution of international norms and protocols that extend the ecological span of economic and social life on earth."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/st-editorial/strengthening-ties-across-causeway"}, {"title": "Symbiotic ties across the Causeway", "text": ["President Halimah Yacob\u2019s first state visit to Malaysia recently provided an excellent occasion to take stock of bilateral ties and look at the way ahead. Economic interdependence and partnership remain a fundamental component of strong Singapore-Malaysia relations, she noted, and urged both sides to work closely together. The two nations could then promote sustainable development, spur technological breakthroughs, and create good jobs for their respective peoples. The symbiotic and indeed win-win relationship between them is evidenced by the economic figures. In 2022, bilateral trade grew 18.9 per cent to reach $153 billion. Singapore remains Malaysia\u2019s top foreign investor, while Singapore is its top investment destination. Differences between close neighbours may arise sometimes, but a strong reservoir of trust and familiarity built up over time has helped both sides to navigate their way through disruptive issues. Madam Halimah\u2019s visit underscored the enduring vitality of cross-Causeway ties. Economic interdependence is not a choice but a necessity for Malaysia and Singapore. Both countries are beneficiaries of globalisation and of regionalisation, the latter trend being manifested in Asean\u2019s journey towards economic and other forms of closer integration. Unfortunately, globalisation is under pressure from economic fragmentation caused by strategic differences among the major world powers. A case in point is the ease with which the decoupling of the American and Chinese economies entered mainstream global discourse, along with the consequent disruption of global supply chains, an economic development that reflects the strategic rivalry between the two nations. Regions could unravel economically as their constituent nations respond to larger centrifugal forces by choosing sides."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/st-editorial/symbiotic-ties-across-the-causeway"}, {"title": "The Aukus balancing act in South-east Asia", "text": ["In September 2021, Australia did something audacious. It bailed out of a multibillion-dollar deal to acquire conventional submarines from France, and announced it would embark on an ambitious project with Britain and the United States to build a fleet of nuclear-powered conventionally armed submarines. The decision generated much controversy. Understandably, France was up in arms. China warned about the dangers of nuclear proliferation and arms racing, while the reactions from South-east Asian countries were mixed."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/the-aukus-balancing-act-in-south-east-asia"}, {"title": "The Najib dilemma for Malaysia", "text": ["The Umno general assembly held earlier in June was noticeable for two things. The first was the appearance of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as a guest of honour, a quarter of a century after he was sacked from the party.Predictably, this dramatic reunion triggered the proverbial media frenzy. By all accounts, the former Umno deputy president appeared quite comfortable in familiar surroundings. Eagle-eyed observers even reported how he evidently sang the party anthem without missing a beat."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/the-najib-dilemma-for-malaysia"}, {"title": "Upbeat Hari Raya mood in Malaysia belies simmering tensions", "text": ["Recent announcements of a new Covid-19 wave spreading across Asia have resulted in some concerns expressed by health officials in the media.The number of infections in Malaysia has been on the rise. The Ministry of Health\u2019s latest announcement indicated a 26.2 per cent increase in hospital admissions over the past week alone, consisting mainly of older patients or those with comorbidities. A number of clusters in schools have been reported over the past month.\u00a0 "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/upbeat-hari-raya-mood-in-malaysia-belies-simmering-tensions"}, {"title": "Why Anwar needs to push economic reforms", "text": ["Malaysia\u2019s newly minted 10th prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has stated that he aims to immediately tackle the issue of rising cost of living as his first priority. Indeed, going into Malaysia\u2019s 15th General Election (GE15), the economy was consistently listed among voters as their primary driver, with 74 per cent of them citing economic concerns as the country\u2019s biggest problem. More specifically, inflation ranked top among voters\u2019 concerns. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/why-anwar-needs-to-push-economic-reforms"}, {"title": "Zahid knows Malaysia\u2019s political scene has changed and so too must Umno", "text": ["Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday made his ground-breaking first official visit to Singapore since taking office. In the Republic, he signed three agreements and expressed his intention to resolve outstanding bilateral issues. Yet the biggest political news dominating the Malaysian news cycle for several days has been the sacking of several Umno heavyweights from the party, including former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin and former housing minister Noh Omar. A total of 44 members were purged. Former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein and a handful of others were suspended. "], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/zahid-knows-malaysia-s-political-scene-has-changed-and-so-too-must-umno"}, {"title": "$22.6 million in Ecstasy pills seized at Penang port; container was transferred in S\u2019pore waters", "text": ["SINGAPORE - The authorities in Malaysia have seized one tonne of drugs worth about RM76 million (S$22.6 milion) from a container carried by the Madeira-flagged vessel Sevillia, which had sailed from Singapore on April 23.Madeira is a region in Portugal."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/226-million-in-ecstasy-pills-seized-at-penang-port-container-was-transferred-in-s-pore-waters"}, {"title": "Nearly 250,000 leave Singapore via land checkpoints on Thursday, highest number since borders reopened", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Close to 250,000 travellers left Singapore for Malaysia through the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints on Thursday, the highest number of daily departures since land borders between the two countries reopened in April 2022.\nThe surge in travellers came as the Vesak Day long weekend coincided with the June school holidays, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a statement on Friday.\nQueues to cross the border were so long that crowds spilt out of the Sultan Iskandar Building\u2019s Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex on the Malaysian side, according to pictures posted by netizens.\n\n\n\n\n\nOther pictures circulating on social media showed travellers, packed shoulder to shoulder, entering the immigration hall.\nTraffic is expected to be heavy at both the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, with continuous tailbacks on the Malaysian side, said ICA, which advised those travelling via the land checkpoints to factor in additional waiting time for immigration clearance. \n\u201cWe also seek travellers\u2019 understanding and cooperation to be patient, observe traffic rules, maintain lane discipline and cooperate with officers on-site when using the land checkpoints,\u201d said ICA.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe travel crush led Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi to say in a Facebook post on Friday that motorists who cut queues risk being denied entry into Malaysia.\n\n", "\nOne traveller, who wanted to be known as Mr Wei Ern, told The Straits Times that he queued for about three hours to cross the border via the Causeway on Friday morning.\n\u201cI\u2019m taking a short trip to Johor Bahru with my friends, and it just so happens that today is Vesak Day and (the start of the) June school holidays, so the wait is naturally longer,\u201d said the 44-year-old, who works in public relations.\nMs Yang Peijun, 26, who waited for six hours, told ST she could not use the electronic gates on the Malaysia side for automated clearance even though she registered to use them.\nShe ended up at the manual counters where officers were \u201cstamping passports very slowly\u201d and there were no proper queues.\n\u201cThe hall was already super full, so everyone was just pushing and squeezing each other,\u201d said the bank analyst.\nHeavy traffic has been reported at the Singapore-Malaysia land checkpoints since travel restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic were lifted.\nDuring the Good Friday weekend in April, close to 1.4 million travellers crossed the land checkpoints, with an average of about 350,000 people leaving and entering Singapore each day.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/about-250000-left-singapore-via-woodlands-tuas-checkpoints-on-june-1-highest-since-land-borders-reopened"}, {"title": "Chief of Royal Malaysian Navy in Singapore for 3-day introductory visit", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - The Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy, Datuk Abdul Rahman Ayob, is in Singapore for a three-day introductory visit from Sunday to Tuesday.\nOn Tuesday morning, Admiral Rahman called on Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, and both men reaffirmed the importance of maintaining strong ties between the Singapore and Malaysian navies. \nThey also discussed defence cooperation linked to common security challenges in the region, said Mindef in a statement.\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter inspecting a guard of honour at the Defence Ministry, Adm Rahman called on the Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant-General Melvyn Ong, and the Chief of Navy, Rear-Admiral Aaron Beng.\nAdm Rahman also visited the RSS Singapura-Changi Naval Base on Monday, and went on a tour to see the RSN\u2019s Formidable-class frigate RSS Tenacious and other training facilities there.\nAdm Rahman\u2019s visit underscores the warm and longstanding bilateral defence relationship between Singapore and Malaysia, the statement said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe navies of both countries interact regularly through bilateral exercises, visits, professional exchanges and cross attendance of courses, and also through multilateral platforms like the Five Power Defence Arrangements and Malacca Straits Patrol, Mindef added.\n\nThese interactions have strengthened the mutual understanding and professional ties between the two navies, the statement said.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/chief-of-royal-malaysian-navy-in-singapore-for-3-day-introductory-visit"}, {"title": "Sold in Malaysia 34 years ago, Singaporean woman with rare blood condition hopes to meet biological parents", "text": ["SINGAPORE \u2013 Human resource professional\u00a0Victoria Ng Hui Min has a Christmas wish \u2013 to be reunited with her biological parents who sold her for RM8,000 through a middleman in Selangor, Malaysia, 34 years ago. About three months ago, her adoptive mother died suddenly in her sleep, while her adoptive father is in a nursing home due to dementia.  While grieving over her loss, she believes this is the right time to start the search."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/christmas-wish-singaporean-woman-hopes-to-reunite-with-biological-parents-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Clandestine labs and online retailers fuel rise in vaping in Malaysia", "text": ["KUALA LUMPUR - At rest-stops in Johor along the North-South Highway, teenagers fire up their colourful electronic vaporisers, and in convenience stores in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, e-vaporisers are sold for as little as RM30 (S$9).Self-styled brewers are also setting up clandestine laboratories to produce the chemicals or e-liquid for vaporisers, whipping up tropical flavours which are in demand overseas."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/clandestine-labs-and-online-retailers-fuel-rise-in-vaping-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "CNA cameraman killed in motorcycle accident in Malaysia", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 A CNA cameraman was killed in a motorcycle accident on a highway in Malaysia on Sunday.\nMr Khairul Zainuddin, 45, lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into a road divider along the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway, the New Straits Times reported on Sunday.\nThe impact flung him onto the opposite lane, where a 46-year-old motorcyclist crashed into him, a district police chief said.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe suffered severe head injuries and died at the scene.\nAccording to CNA, Mr Khairul was returning to Kuala Lumpur to pick his wife from the airport.\n He had visited his parents in Kuantan, about three hours away from Kuala Lumpur, over the weekend.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMediacorp said in a statement on Monday that Mr Khairul worked at CNA\u2019s Kuala Lumpur bureau and had been with the company for five years.\n\n \u201cWe are deeply saddened by the passing of our Malaysian colleague, Khairul Zainuddin. We have reached out to his family to offer our condolences and support,\u201d it said.\n\u201cHe was a dedicated worker and an integral part of the (Kuala Lumpur) bureau, and was involved in several award-winning productions. We are also providing support to our staff who are affected by this tragic loss.\u201d\nMr Khairul was also a video editor and worked on an award-winning production on endangered animals in Malaysia.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/cna-cameraman-killed-in-motorcycle-accident-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Coldplay concert tickets in Malaysia are so hot, one fan is offering $33k for tickets", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - When you try your best, but you don\u2019t succeed. \nThat could be the case for frustrated Coldplay fans in Malaysia, who are finding it hard to get hold of tickets for the rock band\u2019s concert after they were all snapped up within three hours on Wednesday. \nPre-sale tickets which were exclusive to CIMB cardholders on Tuesday were also sold out within hours.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe demand for tickets is so hot that one buyer on e-commerce marketplace Carousell in the country is offering to pay RM111,111 ($33,000) for the concert tickets.  \nThe buyer is seeking tickets in Category 1, which originally cost RM1,288 each, and Category 2 (RM758 each). There was no mention of the number of tickets wanted, based on checks by The Straits Times. \nWith the hot demand, scalpers are having a field day, with one offering tickets as high as RM43,000 each on Carousell. The post later stated the ticket was \u201clocked\u201d at RM55,200, but it appears to have been deleted since. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe popular British band will be playing at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 22. It is Coldplay\u2019s first concert in Malaysia during their Asia leg of the Music Of The Spheres World Tour.  \n\nPrices of the tickets ranged between RM228 and RM3,088, according to the organiser, Live Nation Malaysia.\nThe Star reported on Wednesday that the cheapest ticket was being sold for RM1,749 on online ticket marketplace Viagogo, which is almost eight times higher than its original price. \nOn Carousell, Category 4 and Category 5 tickets, priced at RM598 and RM498 respectively were being sold for RM2,499 and RM3,000, added the report. \n\n\n\n\n\nTickets for the KL concert are also listed on Carousell in Singapore, with prices ranging from $350 to $8,000. \n", "\nFor example, a Category 2 ticket is priced at $350 on one listing. Four tickets in My Universe Category, which costs RM2,108 each, were priced at $8,000 on a separate listing.  \nWhen ST approached a seller on a listing, the person said the tickets were still available and the prices were negotiable. \nColdplay, who played two concerts in Singapore in April 2017, did not list the Republic as one of their tour stops this time round. \nOn Thursday, Malaysia\u2019s Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub said that it is unreasonable to resell a Coldplay concert ticket at RM43,000. \nThe ministry has yet to receive any reports on the overpriced concert tickets, said Mr Salahuddin.\nThe ministry will investigate if there are reports on the resale of Coldplay\u2019s concert tickets based on the Consumer Protection Act 1999, he added. \nSaid Mr Salahuddin: \u201cIf there is an official report, we can advise the public on this matter. I know the public wants to attend the concert, but make wise decisions on this. Do not purchase a ticket sold at RM43,000.\u201d\nTicketing website GoLive Asia said the virtual queue for the pre-sale tickets of the concert had 400,000 fans, setting a record for the platform. \nFans in Malaysia are requesting an additional concert by Coldplay on social media after failing to get tickets. \nThey tagged the official accounts, such as Coldplay and GoLive Asia, pleading for a second show. They have also started an online petition for Coldplay to announce a second show. \nEarlier this month, after news broke that Coldplay will be performing in the country, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim tweeted: \u201cWelcome to Kuala Lumpur!\u201d \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/coldplay-concert-tickets-in-malaysia-are-so-hot-one-fan-is-offering-33k-for-tickets"}, {"title": "Comedian\u2019s joke about MH370 \u2018appalling\u2019, says Vivian", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Comedian Jocelyn Chia\u2019s comments about a missing Malaysia Airlines plane have been criticised by Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and the Republic\u2019s High Commissioner to Malaysia.\nShe was born in the United States and raised in Singapore.\nIn a tweet posted on Thursday, Dr Balakrishnan said: \u201cI am appalled by her horrendous statements. She certainly does not speak for Singaporeans. We treasure our ties with family and friends in Malaysia and are sorry for the offence and hurt caused to all Malaysians.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nHis comments were in response to a tweet by Malaysian politician Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who said that Chia turning a tragedy into a source of entertainment was \u201cjust in bad taste\u201d.\nChia, who is no longer a Singaporean, had joked about the MH370 tragedy during a recent stand-up comedy show in the United States that poked fun at the rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia.\nThe aircraft left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing in March 2014 but never arrived. To date, it has not been located.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn an 89-second video clip of her set posted on Instagram, Chia said: \u201cNow, Malaysia, you all are trying to come around, like, \u2018Hey Singapore, you\u2019re looking good lah\u2019. And we\u2019re like, \u2018I know, but why haven\u2019t you visited me in 40 years?\u2019\n\n\u201cAnd (Malaysia\u2019s) like, \u2018Yeah I tried, but you know, my airplanes cannot fly,\u201d she said, to laughter and audible gasps from the crowd.\nShe added: \u201cWhy, Malaysia Airlines going missing not funny huh? Some jokes don\u2019t land.\u201d\nMalaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said in a statement on Wednesday that Chia showed a \u201ctotal lack of sensitivity and empathy towards Malaysians and victims\u2019 families\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis video also clearly depicts behaviour that is contrary to the values of Asian countries that are known for their manners and morals,\u201d he said. \u201cI believe this is not a stance or action accepted by any country, let alone (one that reflects) the official stance of any government.\u201d\n", "\nSingapore\u2019s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Mr Vanu Gopala Menon, was sorry for Chia\u2019s \u201churtful remarks\u201d and \u201cgratuitously offensive comments\u201d.\nIn a statement on Thursday, he said: \u201cThe Singapore Government does not condone words or actions that cause harm or hurt to others and Chia does not in any way reflect our views.\n\u201cAs our closest neighbour, Singapore and Malaysia enjoy a strong and multifaceted relationship, with deep and cross-cutting ties... Comments such as those made by Chia are unhelpful and undermine the close trust and friendship that both our countries and peoples enjoy.\u201d\nChia deactivated her Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts following the backlash. Her Instagram page, in particular, had been flooded with comments condemning her choice of joke material.\nClips of her set have been removed from TikTok as they fall under the \u201chate speech\u201d category, a representative for the video-sharing platform in Malaysia told news site Sinar Daily.\nThe TikTok official said the content had breached community guidelines and depicted discriminatory content, thus prompting its removal.\nThe Comedy Cellar in New York City, where Chia had performed her stand-up routine, saw a spike in one-star ratings on Google.\n", "\nThe clip of Chia\u2019s set drew the ire of many Malaysians shortly after it was posted.\nRadio broadcaster Kudsia Kahar was one Malaysian who took offence, writing on Twitter that she drew the line at turning MH370 into a joke.\n\u201cNot acceptable. A good stand-up never turns tragedy and deaths into a joke,\u201d she said.\nMalaysian stand-up comedian and actor Harith Iskander also weighed in on Wednesday, saying that Chia\u2019s joke displayed \u201cinsensitivity\u201d towards the MH370 tragedy.\n\u201cI respect the freedom of expression that we comedians require to do our job,\u201d he said in a video he posted on Twitter. \u201cBut it is equally important to exercise some level of sensitivity and empathy when doing certain material, especially topics that are deeply personal or tragic.\u201d\n", "\nOthers said Chia\u2019s set would upset the family members of the 227 passengers and 12 crew members who were aboard the missing plane.\nResponding to a critic on her Instagram page, Chia wrote: \u201cTragedy plus time = comedy. It\u2019s been long enough man.\u201d\nThe American added that the criterion for comedy is whether a topic or material can be made funny.\nHer set did earn the approval of at least one Malaysian \u2013 comedian Jason Leong, who posted a comment saying \u201cI love this bit\u201d, to which she said \u201cpeople take jokes way too seriously\u201d.\nChia has previously performed comedy sets with jokes comparing the varying states of development of Singapore and Malaysia.\nCorrection note: An earlier version of this story said Jocelyn Chia was born in Singapore. This is incorrect. She was born in the US. We are sorry for the errors.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/comedian-s-joke-about-mh370-appalling-says-vivian"}, {"title": "Higher prices, fewer chickens 7 weeks after lifting of Malaysia export ban", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Chicken sellers are seeing their earnings take a hit as higher prices and fewer birds eat into their profits, seven weeks after the ban on chicken imports from Malaysia was lifted. \nChicken sellers that The Straits Times spoke to at markets in Bukit Timah, Ghim Moh and Bedok said earnings have not returned to the level before the ban as the profit margin per bird is the same, but they do not have as many birds to sell as before. \nMalaysia had said in October that Singapore would receive about 1.8 million Malaysian broiler chickens a month, half the number the Republic previously imported from across the Causeway before the June 1 ban. \n\n\n\n\n\nBroiler chickens are larger birds that make up the bulk of what Singapore typically imports from Malaysia.\nMinister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said in Parliament last Tuesday that the supply remains stable. She did not disclose the number of broiler chickens imported from Malaysia since the lifting of the ban. \nChicken sellers said they are not getting as many birds as before and that the higher prices have kept some customers away, while those who are still going to their stores are buying less than before.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Peter Toh, 52, who runs Heng Huat Fresh Chicken at Ghim Moh Market, said: \u201cI make about $1.20 for each kg of chicken I sell, so if I\u2019m selling fewer birds, it means I can\u2019t make as much.\u201d \n\nHe said he used to pay $4.50 per kg for the chickens before the ban but is now paying around $6.80 per kg. He has had to adjust his prices from $6 per kg to $8 for the broiler chickens sold at his store.\nHe said: \u201cMany of the people living around here are elderly. They can\u2019t afford the prices now, and they don\u2019t need to eat so much, so some of them don\u2019t come as often, or they buy very little now. If I raise my price any further,  then they might not come at all.\u201d\nMadam Chen, who is in her 40s and works at Ah Chuan Poultry Supplies at Bukit Timah Market, said: \u201cMost people already got used to eating less chicken during the ban, and it\u2019s more expensive now, so they buy a lot less.\u201c \n\n\n\n\n\nDeclining to reveal her full name, she added: \u201cIt\u2019s hard for us also because the supply of chicken from our distributors is not always stable, so we can\u2019t be sure that we will have enough to sell to make ends meet.\u201d\nMr Tan Chow Yong, 56, who runs a store at Bedok 85 Market, used to order several hundred broiler chickens every day from his suppliers prior to the ban, but now orders only about 70 birds. \n\u201cI\u2019ve stopped ordering so much because there are fewer customers buying, and they buy so little. Even if I wanted to order more, I doubt I would be able to get all the birds I want,\u201d he said.\n", "\nMr James Sim, head of business development at local chicken importer Kee Song Food, said that to date, the supply of chickens from Malaysia to his firm since the ban lifted has remained unchanged, at around 50 per cent of the previous capacity.\nCustomers ST spoke to similarly reflected sellers\u2019 concerns. \nMrs Elsie Sim, 47, a housewife, said she used to buy a whole broiler chicken when she went to the market. The Toh Tuck resident said: \u201cI come to the market at least three to four times each week. I used to buy one chicken, which had cost around $10 to $12, so that I can cook dinner for my husband and three children. Now, the same chicken is almost $20, so I\u2019ll buy it only on weekends when I\u2019m sure all of my family are eating at home; if not, it\u2019s a waste.\u201d\nOthers such as retiree Terence Seet, 61, said they are opting for frozen chicken parts as the fresh ones did not offer any substantial difference in flavour or texture despite costing more.\n\u201cI just buy some wings or breast meat to cook sesame chicken, so the freshness is not so important to me. I am living by myself, so I don\u2019t cook too much anyway,\u201d said the former mechanic, who lives in Ghim Moh.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/consumer/higher-prices-fewer-chickens-7-weeks-after-lifting-of-malaysia-export-ban"}, {"title": "Driver of S\u2019pore car in hospital after crash; lorry driver nabbed for going against traffic on Second Link road", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 The driver of a Singapore-registered car escaped serious injury after a crash on Tuesday with a lorry that was travelling against the flow of traffic on the Second Link Expressway in Malaysia.\nThe expressway is a 47km road in Johor that stretches from the Second Link bridge.\nPolice\u00a0chief\u00a0Rahmat Ariffin of the Iskandar\u00a0Puteri\u00a0district in Johor said on Tuesday that the car driver had minor injuries and was taken to Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe added that the 41-year-old lorry driver was arrested after he was found to have been driving under the influence of alcohol.\nA video of the accident on Facebook page\u00a0Singapore\u00a0Incidents\u00a0showed the lorry travelling on the rightmost lane of the expressway before it crashed into two cars. \nThe accident caused the doors on the right side of the Singapore-registered car to be completely ripped off. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nAssistant Commissioner (AC) Rahmat said police were alerted at about 4.30pm to the accident, which happened on the side of the expressway going into Malaysia.\n\nPreliminary investigations showed that the lorry driver was en route to Tanjung Pelepas port from Kulai, a town in Johor.\nHe was approaching the Gelang Patah Rest and Relaxation stop when he missed the turn to the port. He then went against traffic flow to try to get to the port.\nAC Rahmat said the lorry collided with the Singapore-registered Mercedes-Benz E250 and a Nissan Almera. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Mercedes-Benz driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The police did not disclose details about the Nissan driver.\nUnder Malaysia\u2019s Road Transport Act, motorists found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and causing injuries could be jailed for not less than seven years and not more than 10 years. They could also be fined at least RM30,000 (S$9,200) and not more than RM50,000.\nMr Raphael Louis, managing director of Ray Louis Law Corp, told The Straits Times that motorists from Singapore driving in Malaysia should check their travel coverage and vehicle insurance. \nTravel insurance generally covers medical costs, but may not cover pain and suffering, disabilities or loss of income arising from an accident. \nDepending on the vehicle insurance coverage, said Mr Louis, the motorist may need a Malaysian lawyer if his insurer covers only claims against the other party, referred to as third-party claims.\nMotorists in an accident should compile as much evidence as possible, including video footage from bystanders and vehicle dashcams, as well as eyewitness statements. \nMr Louis said motorists can contact local police and paramedics through the Malaysian Emergency Response System (Mers-999). As long as they have a working SIM card, they can dial 999. Alternatively, they can dial 112.\nGenerally, motorists will need a Malaysian lawyer if they intend to sue a Malaysian driver for damages, said Mr Louis. \nUnder certain circumstances, though, such as if a motorist has serious injuries that require treatment in Singapore, lawsuits can still be filed from here. \nBut the Malaysian insurer may want the case to be heard in Malaysia, which could lead to lengthy legal proceedings, added the lawyer.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/driver-of-s-pore-registered-car-in-hospital-after-second-link-expressway-crash-lorry-driver-arrested"}, {"title": "Man wanted in Singapore for drug trafficking back to face charges after arrest in Malaysia", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) has arrested a 56-year-old Singaporean, who had been out of the country since 2018, for suspected drug trafficking. \nThe man\u2019s involvement was uncovered during investigations into a drug trafficking case in October 2020, said CNB.\nThe accused in that case, a 26-year-old Singaporean, was charged over trafficking 253g of methamphetamine, according to the bureau.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 56-year-old Singaporean was arrested by the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) of the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) on March 31 and handed over to CNB on Sunday.\nImmigration records showed he had been out of Singapore since Nov 18, 2018.\nCNB reached out to its foreign counterparts for help in tracking him down.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe trafficking and abuse of illicit drugs is a transnational problem that requires the close cooperation of the international law enforcement community,\u201d said CNB deputy director for operations Leon Chan, as he expressed appreciation for the NCID/RMP\u2019s help in arresting the suspect.\n\nHe said drug traffickers who try to evade Singaporean law enforcement by hiding overseas will find that \u201cthere is no safe haven\u201d.\nHe added that CNB and NCID/RMP \u201cenjoy a close working relationship, as we work towards the common aim of keeping both our countries free from the scourge of drugs\u201d.\nThe 56-year-old man will be charged with drug trafficking in relation to the case involving the 26-year-old. If convicted, he may face the death penalty.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/man-wanted-in-singapore-for-drug-trafficking-back-to-face-charges-after-arrest-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Destinies of Singapore and Malaysia intertwined: PM Lee", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - As close friends and neighbours, the destinies of Singapore and Malaysia are intertwined: When both work constructively together, they produce win-win outcomes with tangible benefits for their people and businesses, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Monday.\nGiven this relationship, he is happy that both countries continue to work closely to advance bilateral relations, PM Lee said at an official lunch he hosted for Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.\nIn response, PM Anwar said there are no bilateral issues that should stay unresolved, and that the two countries are great neighbours capable of doing much more together to benefit their peoples. \n\n\n\n\n\nDatuk Seri Anwar, who was in Singapore for his first official visit since he took office in November, had together with PM Lee witnessed the signing of three memorandums of understanding aimed at promoting cooperation in new and emerging areas, specifically on green and digital economies, and cyber security.\nPM Lee said both leaders had a fruitful discussion when they met in the morning, and discussed how they can make progress on outstanding bilateral issues.\n\u201cI am confident that with Prime Minister Anwar\u2019s support, Singapore-Malaysia relations can reach greater heights,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn his speech, PM Lee said Singapore and Malaysia share a relationship \u201cquite unlike any other\u201d. Both countries are bound by geography and a shared history, and their people have deep family and cultural ties. \n\nHe noted that the Causeway and Second Link are among the busiest border crossing points in the world. Over the years, both countries have also broadened cooperation in almost every domain, including in health, education, culture, supply chain and connectivity. \nBoth are each other\u2019s second largest trading partners. Singapore is also the largest foreign investor in Malaysia, with over $56 billion in direct investments.\n\u201cThis reflects our confidence in the Malaysian economy, including the \u2018can-do\u2019 spirit and enterprise of many young and digitally savvy Malaysians,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe partnership between both countries stood up to the test during the Covid-19 pandemic, with ministers and officials keeping in close touch to exchange notes, support one another, and coordinate plans. Even as supply chains across the world were disrupted, people and goods continued to flow safely and smoothly between both countries, he added. \nWith the borders fully reopened, friends and families on both sides of the Causeway can now visit one another freely, and businesses can plan and operate more predictably. And when the Johor Bahru Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is completed in 2026, travel between both countries will be even easier, he added.\n", "\nPM Lee also alluded to the long relationship he has with PM Anwar. The two men first met when they were ministers and have stayed in touch since, he said. \nThe two leaders last met at the Singapore Summit in 2018, where PM Anwar said that if and when he assumed the premiership, Singapore would be one of the first countries he would visit. \nPM Lee said he was therefore glad that he was welcoming PM Anwar to Singapore, and that he looks forward to welcoming him to the Republic again later this year for the annual Leaders\u2019 Retreat. \nPM Anwar, who spoke in English and Malay, called PM Lee a \u201cdear friend\u201d whom he has worked with for decades, and that he is of the view that \u201cno issues should be left unresolved\u201d.\n\u201cI alluded to the fact that the discussions were meaningful \u2013 not normal diplomatic cliches,\u201d he said. \u201cThere were, of course, some more contentious outstanding issues, and I am glad to say that both of us feel that bilateral relations must be enhanced.\u201d\n", "\nWithout mincing words, he listed Flight Information Region \u2013 essentially airspace management \u2013 the RTS and Causeway congestion as issues that both sides should tackle together for mutual benefit.\nPM Anwar added that he was very touched that PM Lee spoke passionately about Malaysian workers having to queue for hours to cross into Singapore, with some waking up at 4am each day. He added that it is their common desire to ensure that facilities are provided on both sides of the border to facilitate such movement.\nAnother area that the two countries can cooperate on is in food security, he added. He said he would solicit support for Singapore to produce food in Malaysia for the benefit of both countries.\n", "\nWhile his administration is very new, PM Anwar said he and his Cabinet team have a clear position when it comes to ties with Singapore.\n\u201cNot only (do) we want to continue the relation, but we want both Singaporeans and Malaysians to understand we are two great countries and two great neighbours (and) that we can do so much more for the benefit of our people,\u201d he said.\nNoting that both countries are still celebrating Chinese New Year, PM Anwar gamely offered greetings in Mandarin, wishing both countries \u201cnian nian hao (good fortune year after year)\u201d. \nHe also said he was pleased that President Halimah Yacob will visit Malaysia soon, a clear signal that bilateral relations are vibrant. Madam Halimah will make a state visit to Malaysia in March, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/destinies-of-singapore-and-malaysia-intertwined-pm-lee"}, {"title": "Drivers from BMW Car Club Singapore fined for traffic infringements while crossing Penang bridge", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 A group of drivers from BMW Car Club Singapore were fined by the Malaysian police after their convoy occupied the emergency lane while driving on the Penang Second Bridge last Friday.\nA video posted in Facebook group We Are Malaysians shows rows of BMW cars travelling along all three lanes of the bridge, including the emergency lane on the left. \nAccording to Malaysia\u2019s Sin Chew Daily on Monday, 16 tickets were issued to the drivers, including 12 for obstructing traffic and four others for licence plate-related offences.  \n\n\n\n\n\nThe traffic tickets carried a fine of RM300 (S$87) each.\nSeberang Perai Selatan district police chief superintendent Lee Chong Chern said the police tracked down the drivers and found them at a hotel in Batu Ferringhi town on Saturday afternoon.\nThe group, which reportedly included Singaporeans and Malaysians, then turned up at the police headquarters in the early hours of Sunday morning to be issued their tickets. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a Facebook post on Sunday, BMW Car Club Singapore apologised for its \u201cmistake\u201d, and added that it is taking full responsibility by working closely with the local authorities.\n\n\u201cWe are implementing additional measures to enhance our processes to ensure better control,\u201d said the club.\n\u201cWe are committed to continuous improvement and are actively reviewing our plans to prevent similar occurrences in the future.\u201d\nThe Straits Times has contacted BMW Car Club Singapore for more information. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/drivers-from-bmw-car-club-singapore-fined-over-traffic-infringements-while-crossing-penang-bridge"}, {"title": "Durians in claw machines and hair salons: Why are durians here, there and everywhere in S\u2019pore?", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - \u2019Tis the season for durians and you would have felt their conspicuous, declarative presence in your neighbourhood by now. \nIn recent days, the thorny treasures from Malaysia have been in abundance, and not just at the usual places.\nAt a pasar malam in Toa Payoh and two malls, you can find the prickly fruit in Play United\u2019s bright pink claw machines vying for the attention of anyone who wants the thrill of clawing something other than plushies. \n\n\n\n\n\nFor $1 a pop, you can get a chance to grab a fruit.\nPlay United\u2019s spokesman, Ms Alice Goh, told The Straits Times that her durian-loving team was able to introduce the novelty, thanks to more affordable durian prices.\n", "\nOutside The One Salon in Bedok Central, piles of durians line the corridor under a banner that screams: Buy fruit get free haircut. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe hair salon\u2019s boss, Mr Steven Qin, said he is giving away haircut vouchers to durian buyers who spend at least $20 at his makeshift stall. He hopes the promo will attract new customers to both his stall and salon.\u00a0\n\nAll-you-can-eat durian buffets are also catching on. \nSupermarket chain Giant held its first durian buffet at the carpark of its Tampines outlet last week, which attracted a strong showing. A Giant spokesman said the chain plans to offer the one-hour buffet again.  \nOther durian stores such as Zeng Zu Fu and Lexus Durian King are also offering free-flow durian feasts.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nFalling prices\nThe pungent fruit would not have been here, there and everywhere if not for the bountiful supply from Malaysia\u2019s farms this season, which started in May.\nThe Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Fruit Farmers\u2019 Association (KLSFFA) told ST that Malaysia now exports more than 100,000kg of fresh durians to Singapore a day.\u00a0\nThe huge supply has sent prices down by 10 per cent to 20 per cent compared with last season, according to six durian stall owners who spoke to ST.\u00a0\n", "\nIn the not-so-distant past,\u00a0durian lovers in Singapore used to pay close to a hundred dollars a fruit. \nIn June 2022, the AAA grade Musang King cost some $40 per kilogram, while the no-frills version cost around $25 per kilogram. By December 2022, the prices had fallen by more than 30 per cent with the supply glut.\nNow, the B and C grade Musang King varieties retail at $10 or less a kilogram at some heartland stalls. \nOne stall is even offering a free-flow Musang King buffet at $38.80 an hour.\u00a0\nDurian lovers in Singapore also tend to find durians more affordable this season with the favourable exchange rate, the KLSFFA spokesman said. \nThe ringgit hit a fresh low of 3.43 against the Singapore dollar in the last two days, according to Bloomberg data. \n", "\nMr Torrence Chua, who runs Top Durian Station in Bukit Batok, said he is happy for his customers, who get to enjoy good-quality durians at lower prices.\u00a0\nBut he added that sellers like him risk making losses when they have to keep slashing prices to clear stock.\u00a0\n\u201cWhen sales are slower on weekdays, we may not be able to sell all our stock. Around 20 per cent to 30 per cent of them would be spoiled,\u201d said the 30-year-old.\u00a0\nThe abundant supply this season is due to a number of factors.\u00a0\nWeather condition\n", "\nMr Alvin Teoh, who owns Durian 36 in Geylang, said the combination of optimal temperature, sufficient rainfall and strong sunlight has created the ideal environment for durian trees to flourish.\nThe heat spell also caused more durians to ripen simultaneously, which compelled growers to act fast to deliver them here.\nBesides the weather condition, the KLSFFA spokesman also pointed out that the increase in supply is to be expected as there are now more farms with fruit-bearing trees, after an influx of investment in Malaysia\u2019s durian cultivation sector around seven years ago. \nMany investors, including those from Singapore, were drawn to the prospect of handsome returns as Malaysia was then actively knocking on the door of the massive Chinese market, which had a huge and growing appetite for the king of fruits. \n\u2018Gold\u2019 rush\n", "\n\u201cFrom around 2016 onwards, anyone hoping to get rich wanted to plant durians,\u201d said Mr Chua, adding that some players even cleared oil palm and rubber plantations in order to plant \u201cgold\u201d.\u00a0\n\u201cThe oversupply that we are seeing now is partly a result of over-planting at that time.\u201d \nIn a typical year, there are two durian seasons, with the mid-year season ending in August. But many sellers predict a longer season that may last till September or October in 2023.\nMr Edwyn Chiang, secretary-general of the Malaysia International Durian Industry Development Association, said better farming techniques have contributed to the longer season.\u00a0\nDurian farmers are also getting more knowledgeable about farm management, such as the use of organic fertilisers, said the KLSFFA spokesman.\n\u201cThey also invested in piping and irrigation, so their trees are getting more optimal levels of water to grow higher-quality fruits,\u201d he added.\u00a0\n", "\nExport challenge\nMr Chiang pointed out that China is also not importing as many durians as expected.\u00a0\nMalaysia is facing stiffer competition from its South-east Asian neighbours in exporting durians to China. Thailand, which traditionally dominates the Chinese market, remains a strong contender. Vietnam and the Philippines have also secured permits to export fresh durians to China lately.\u00a0\nChina\u2019s home-grown durians from Hainan island are also expected to hit the market this month, according to the South China Morning Post. \nWhile the development may irk profit-conscious investors, durian fans from both sides of the Causeway have reasons to cheer.\u00a0\n\u201cDurian is likely to remain affordable,\u201d said Mr Chua, which means his customers need not worry about the fruit becoming a rich man\u2019s delicacy.\u00a0\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/durians-in-claw-machines-and-hair-salons-why-are-durians-here-there-and-everywhere"}, {"title": "Fake \u2018police\u2019 chase in Johor: What S\u2019pore drivers should and should not do on road trips to Malaysia", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - A recent viral video of three men in an unmarked car on Malaysia\u2019s North-South Highway, speeding alongside one travelling from Singapore to Genting and trying to pull its driver over, may have led some to wonder what they would have done in that situation.  \nAfter all, the men had flashed a blue beacon light similar to those used by police, and some motorists may be taken in by such a ruse.  \nThankfully, the driver in this case did not slow down. Two men were later nabbed by Malaysian police and are being investigated for impersonating civil servants.  \n\n\n\n\n\nHere is what to do if you find yourself in a similar situation on the roads up north, and these are other tips to stay safe.  \n1. When in doubt, call 999\nIf you are being pursued by an unmarked car and feel you may be in danger, call the Malaysian Emergency Response Services (MERS) on 999 immediately, an Automobile Association of Singapore (AA) spokesman said.  \n\u201cBy calling MERS, motorists can provide their exact location and request directions to the nearest police station or government office,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis allows motorists to be efficiently guided towards these locations, enabling them to seek prompt assistance and receive further guidance from the local authorities.\u201d\n\n2. Be prepared \nResearch the road conditions and driving culture, and check the speed limit before setting off on your trip. \nThe AA spokesman said that drivers are advised not to stop their vehicle on any lane of an expressway. If they wish to rest or use a toilet, they should drive off the expressway into special lay-bys or rest stops along the expressway. \nIf they must stop on the expressway due to an emergency, they should keep away from the travelling lanes and switch on the vehicle\u2019s hazard lights.\n\n\n\n\n\nTraffic engineering and safety consultant Gopinath Menon advised people who are not used to driving at very high speeds to choose a reasonably high speed they are comfortable with, and keep to the left-most lane. \nIf you choose to travel at higher speeds, keep a greater distance from the vehicle in front of you, so that you can brake in time without hitting the vehicle if it stops suddenly. \n3. Stay alert by taking regular breaks \nMr Menon pointed out that continuous driving for long hours can be tiring for those not used to it. \n\u201cYou could lose concentration, especially if the surrounding scenery does not change. You become less alert if nothing is happening around you, and you could fall asleep at the wheel,\u201d he said, suggesting regular stops at lay-bys. \nThe AA\u00a0spokesman recommended that motorists drive for no longer than two hours at a time, with a break of at least 20 minutes. \n\u201cOn the North-South Highway, lay-bys are located about every 25km to 50km along the expressway. Facilities include parking bays and toilets. Rest and service areas are located every 80km to 100km.\u201d \n", "\n4. Driving in dark conditions\nDrivers may also encounter stretches without street lights, where one has to depend on vehicle headlights, noted Mr Menon.  \n\u201cIt takes some time to get used to depending entirely on headlights. You have to depend on the lane markings that are illuminated by the headlights,\u201d he said.  \n\u201cUse the high beam when the road ahead is not clear; at other times, use the low beam so as not to blind drivers in the opposite direction at stretches where there are no barriers on the road dividers.\u201d \n5. Take steps to prevent vehicle theft\nThe AA spokesman also recommended tips to minimise the risk of having one\u2019s car stolen. \n\u201cWhen parking, opt for well-lit and populated areas. Park near pillars and turn your wheel towards them to make it harder for thieves to manoeuvre or tow your car without unlocking the steering,\u201d she said. \nAnti-theft devices such as steering wheel locks, brake pedal locks and gear shift locks are also useful.\n\u201cThese visible deterrents make it challenging for unauthorised individuals to operate your vehicle,\u201d she said.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/fake-police-chase-in-johor-what-s-pore-drivers-should-and-should-not-do-on-road-trips-to-malaysia"}, {"title": "Firefly flight from Subang to S\u2019pore forced to wait out bad weather in Johor", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Bad weather forced a Firefly flight from Subang, Malaysia, to divert to Johor on Sunday, delaying its arrival in Singapore by three hours. \nA spokesman for the low-cost Malaysian carrier told The Straits Times that Flight FY 3124 departed Subang\u2019s Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport at 7.20am and was due to land at Seletar Airport at 8.40am.\n\u201cHowever, due to inclement weather and a request from Seletar air traffic control to postpone landing, the flight had to be diverted to Senai International Airport while awaiting improved weather conditions before attempting another approach to Seletar Airport,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to flight tracker site Flightradar, the ATR 72-500 propeller plane flew along Malaysia\u2019s southern coastline en route to Singapore, before heading to Senai airport in Johor Bahru.\nThe plane eventually left Senai at 11.09am and arrived at Seletar Airport at 11.40am. The flight had 62 passengers on board, including an infant and four crew members, the spokesman added.\n\u201cWe want to express our gratitude to all the passengers for their patience, as the safety of our passengers and crew is our utmost priority.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSingapore experienced heavy rainfall and strong winds on Sunday, with the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) posting on Twitter that it would be rainy and windy for most of the day until some time in the afternoon. It rained the entire day on Saturday. \n\nThe MSS had said on Jan 16 that the wet weather was expected to continue for the rest of January, with the monsoon conditions bringing in rain and strong winds. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/firefly-flight-from-subang-to-s-pore-forced-to-wait-out-bad-weather-in-johor-on-jan-29"}, {"title": "Firefly to launch direct flights between Penang and Changi Airport on March 26", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Malaysian low-cost carrier Firefly will launch direct flights between Penang International Airport and Changi Airport on March 26. \nCurrently, travellers on Firefly flights have to depart from Seletar Airport. They arrive in Selangor\u2019s Subang Airport, also known as Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, before taking another flight to Penang. \nWhen Firefly starts operating out of Changi Airport Terminal 2 on March 26, passengers can fly directly to Penang in the airline\u2019s Boeing 737-800 aircraft.\n\n\n\n\n\nOne-way direct tickets, which start from $99, are already on sale, said the airline.\nFirefly will operate between the two cities twice daily, departing from Penang at 10am and 6.35pm. The flight from Singapore will be at 12.40pm and 9.15pm.  \nPassengers will fly on the airline\u2019s newly retrofitted aircraft equipped with 189 seats.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFirefly resumed flights from Seletar Airport to Subang Airport in June 2022. \n\nSingapore permanent resident Lyn Goh flies with AirAsia and Firefly when she heads home to Penang monthly.\nThe 32-year-old regional sales manager, who last took a Firefly flight in January with a 1\u00bd-hour layover at Subang Airport, said the direct flight will save her time.\nHowever, another traveller who wants to be identified only as Ms Ang said she will consider various factors, such as the timings, before deciding if she should book the Firefly flight from Changi Airport. \nThe 33-year-old Malaysian, who works as a customer success manager in Singapore, noted that Firefly offers only two departure timings from Changi Airport.\n\u201cThis could be limiting my options as well, so I may consider other airlines as they have more (timings),\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s still good to have another airline option to consider, and if they\u2019re affordable.\u201d    \nAirlines that fly directly from Changi Airport to Penang include Scoot, AirAsia and Jetstar.    \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/firefly-to-launch-flight-from-penang-to-changi-airport-from-march-26"}, {"title": "Heavy traffic expected at Woodlands, Tuas checkpoints over Hari Raya weekend: ICA", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Travellers heading to Malaysia over the Hari Raya Puasa weekend should expect heavy traffic at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints from Thursday to Monday. \nThe Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Tuesday advised those going by car or bus to factor in additional waiting time for immigration clearance.\nWith traffic flow through the checkpoints returning to pre-pandemic levels during peak hours, ICA anticipates that traffic at both land checkpoints will be similar to that of the Hari Raya Puasa weekend in 2018. \n\n\n\n\n\nThen, more than 1.5 million people  used the land checkpoints, averaging about 380,000 crossings a day, ICA noted. The waiting time for those departing by car was up to three hours.\nThere were also continuous tailbacks at Malaysia\u2019s checkpoints, resulting in vehicular queues extending beyond Seletar Expressway towards the Woodlands Checkpoint and along Ayer Rajah Expressway towards the Tuas Checkpoint.\nMore recently, over 235,000 people left Singapore through the land checkpoints on April 6, ahead of the Good Friday weekend. It was the highest daily exit traffic recorded since land borders with Malaysia reopened about a year ago.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nICA said then that close to 1.4 million travellers cleared the two land checkpoints over the long weekend from April 6 to 9.\n\nTo prevent drivers from using the motorcycle lane to jump ahead of the queue of cars along the viaduct leading into Woodlands Checkpoint, the two lanes on the viaduct have recently been demarcated with continuous double white lines between them, ICA said on April 4. \nEnforcement cameras have been installed along the viaduct to identify cars that violate traffic rules by crossing the double white lines. Those caught will face a fine of $150 and four demerit points.\nTo facilitate immigration clearance and improve travellers\u2019 experience without compromising security, ICA rolled out several initiatives, like the installation of 64 additional automated gates at the immigration bus halls at the land checkpoints in 2022.\nThis allows more bus travellers to clear immigration through the automated lanes, freeing up more officers for deployment to car and motorcycle zones, where more support is required to manage traffic congestion.  \nOn Sunday, Malaysian news outlet The Star reported that about two million vehicles are expected to enter Johor via the Causeway and the Second Link in conjunction with Hari Raya. It noted that congestion is expected in 47 locations, and 27 accident hot spots have been identified in Johor. \nSome 700 officers and traffic personnel will be deployed to monitor the main roads throughout the state, especially at the hot spots, it added.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/heavy-traffic-expected-at-woodlands-tuas-checkpoints-over-hari-raya-weekend-ica"}, {"title": "Heavy traffic likely at Woodlands, Tuas checkpoints over Labour Day long weekend", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Those heading to Malaysia over the upcoming Labour Day long weekend should expect traffic snarls at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints from Friday to next Tuesday.\nTravellers entering Malaysia by car could face wait times of up to three hours during peak periods, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Thursday, advising those travelling by car or bus to take into account a longer wait for immigration clearance.\nThese wait times are similar to those before the pandemic.\n\n\n\n\n\nOver the Good Friday long weekend from April 6 to 9, close to 1.4 million travellers crossed the land checkpoints, averaging about 350,000 crossings per day, said the ICA. It had earlier said that more than 235,000 people left Singapore through the land checkpoints on April 6 itself.\nCoupled with \u201ccontinuous tailbacks\u201d from Malaysia, there were also long queues of passengers and cars waiting to clear departure a day before the start of that long weekend, the ICA added. \n\u201cMotorists are reminded to refrain from queue cutting, as it can cause severe congestion and compromise the safety of other motorists,\u201d said the ICA, urging motorists to observe traffic rules, maintain lane discipline and cooperate with officers on-site.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt advised motorists to check the traffic situation at both checkpoints on the Land Transport Authority\u2019s OneMotoring website, or the Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System installed on the Bukit Timah Expressway and Ayer Rajah Expressway, before embarking on their journey.\n\nTo facilitate immigration clearance and improve travellers\u2019 experience without compromising security, the ICA rolled out several initiatives, like the installation of 64 additional automated gates at the immigration bus halls at the land checkpoints in 2022.\nThis allows more bus travellers to clear immigration through the automated lanes, freeing up more officers for deployment to car and motorcycle zones, where more support is required to manage traffic congestion.\n\nTo prevent drivers from using the motorcycle lane to jump ahead of the queue of cars along the viaduct leading into Woodlands Checkpoint, the two lanes on the viaduct have recently been demarcated with continuous double white lines between them, the ICA said on April 4.\nEnforcement cameras have been installed along the viaduct to identify cars that violate traffic rules by crossing the double white lines. Those caught will face a fine of $150 and four demerit points.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/heavy-traffic-likely-at-woodlands-tuas-checkpoints-over-labour-day-long-weekend"}, {"title": "\u2018Can\u2019t wait to go back home\u2019: Malaysians in S\u2019pore look forward to CNY reunion despite high costs", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - It has been three years since Malaysian Ng Chian Chian returned to her home town in Kedah for Chinese New Year. \nThat is why the 26-year-old nurse will be spending an extended time \u2013 from Jan 19 to Feb 5, 2023 \u2013 in Malaysia, even though she had returned home thrice via the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) since the scheme started in November 2021.\n\u201cI can\u2019t wait to go back home,\u201d said Ms Ng, who is also a Singapore permanent resident. \n\n\n\n\n\nShe is one of several Malaysians The Straits Times spoke to who are based in Singapore and will be returning home for the festival, which falls on Jan 22 and 23.\nBesides meeting her extended family and friends in person again, Ms Ng, her parents and four siblings will have a formal family portrait taken in a photo studio. \nHer two elder sisters still live in Malaysia, while her two younger sisters, who are working in Singapore, will fly home for the reunion. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe have never taken a formal family portrait before, so we decided to do it next year because all seven of us will finally be back home in Malaysia again,\u201d said Ms Ng. \n\nFor the past two years, Ms Ng celebrated Chinese New Year virtually with her family because of border closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic. \nHer parents and Malaysia-based sisters flew to Singapore in 2020 to celebrate the holidays with Ms Ng and her two other sisters.\nFor cargo driver Ming, the impending return to his home town in Kuala Lumpur for the festival will be an emotional one.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 36-year-old, who has been working in Singapore for more than five years, lost his father to Covid-19 complications in August 2020. \nHe did not return home due to border closures. The upcoming celebration will be his first in three years. \n\u201cBut to be back home and spending a joyous moment without him (his father), it will take some getting used to,\u201d said Mr Ming, who declined to give his full name. \n", "\nThe journey home does not come cheap for these Malaysians as transport operators such as airlines, bus companies and car shuttles have increased their prices for trips during the week before Chinese New Year. \nSome have attributed the increase to various factors, such as incurring additional operating costs during the festive season and higher fuel costs. \nPharmacist Wendy Ng paid a premium for her upcoming trip back to Penang from Jan 21 to Feb 1.\nThe 37-year-old Singapore permanent resident booked her return flight in September and paid about $730, compared with $387 for her previous trip from Jan 21 to Feb 13, 2022, via the VTL. \n", "\n\u201cFor me, spending Chinese New Year with my parents is pretty important. So I will find ways to go back, no matter how crazy the airfares are,\u201d she said.\u00a0\nMs Ng Chian Chian\u2019s pre-Chinese New Year flights cost her $700, a steep increase from the $100 she spent on air tickets when she last returned home in October.\n\u201cThe airfares shot up by a lot. But you can\u2019t put a price on family,\u201d she said. \n\nAdditional reporting by Fatimah Mujibah\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/i-can-t-wait-to-go-back-home-malaysians-look-forward-to-cny-reunion-despite-higher-costs"}, {"title": "I thought I was going to die: Malaysian driver whose car was hit by S\u2019pore vehicle in Kluang", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Ms Nuraini Za\u2019abar\u2019s father had stopped his car at a traffic junction in Kluang last Saturday when he looked up and saw a yellow car flying towards his windscreen.\n\u201cI felt like I was going to die,\u201d the 30-year-old Malaysian quoted her father saying when recounting the incident to The Straits Times on Wednesday.\nThe yellow car, a Singapore-registered Mini Cooper, had crashed into the Toyota which Mr Za\u2019abar, 56, was in at a road junction in Jalan Yap Tau Sah in Kluang, Johor. \n\n\n\n\n\nIn the 35-second dashcam footage posted by Ms Nuraini on Twitter on Tuesday, the Mini Cooper could be seen making a sharp left turn before driving over a road divider and crashing into the Toyota, shattering its windscreen. Mr Za\u2019abar was then seen crawling out of his vehicle, with a cut on his face.\nA picture of the aftermath posted on Twitter by Ms Nuraini on Saturday showed the two cars lying on their sides, with glass and debris on the road. \nA separate video posted on the SG Road Vigilante Facebook group showed passers-by helping to flip the two cars back upright. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Nuraini told ST on Wednesday that her father suffered some minor injuries on his back and his right hand, and had visited the hospital right after the accident. \n\nShe added that her father is a private-hire driver and was fetching a passenger at the time of the accident. The passenger left the scene without injuries. \nMs Nuraini said her father had been experiencing trauma since the accident. \n\u201cI\u2019ve never seen him cry before, and he has trouble sleeping as the incident keeps flashing right before his eyes,\u201d she said. \nShe claimed that the drivers did not speak or exchange details at the scene, and have not met since the accident. She also  claimed a police officer had told her father, while he made a report last Saturday after the accident, that the Mini Cooper driver was allegedly looking at the Waze traffic app and had lost control of the car. \n\u201cThe car mechanics told me that the car is a total loss, and we are unsure of the total cost of the damage,\u201d said Ms Nuraini. \u201cI really hope we can meet with the driver at fault and settle this nicely.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-malaysian-driver-whose-car-was-hit-by-s-pore-vehicle-in-kluang-accident"}, {"title": "Stay put when you find you are lost, says Sabah forestry officer who found missing Singaporean", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2014 \u201cDo not move\u201d was the first instruction Sabah Forestry Department officers gave to a Singaporean man who got lost in a forest reserve in Malaysia on Sunday. \nAfter receiving a call for help from the man\u2019s friend when the man failed to return to their lodgings from a solo hike, regional officer Janius Ebin and his team sprang into action, Mr Janius told The Straits Times on Tuesday. \nTwenty-one people were activated after the man, who did not want to be named and who The Star newspaper said is in his 50s, was reported missing at about 7.15pm, the Sabah Forestry Department said.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe had gone alone for a hike in the Kebun Cina Forest Reserve, which covers an area of 148.7ha, or about 200 football fields, near the port city of Sandakan in Sabah, East Malaysia. \nFortunately, the man\u2019s cellphone was still working, so the rescue team could tell him to stay put, as well as get his location via GPS, said Mr Janius, 55, who is from the indigenous Kadazan Dusun ethnic group. \nMr Janius, who has been working with the forestry service for 34 years, said: \u201cHe (the man) said that after walking in the forest, he forgot the way out. He walked back and forth as the day passed, and it became evening and got dark, and he eventually lost the trail.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe man\u2019s friend \u2013 a Sandakan local, with whom he was travelling \u2013 reported him missing later in the evening.\n\nOn receiving the report, Mr Janius gathered a team from the Sandakan District Forestry Office and they headed to the point nearest to the man\u2019s last known location. \nThey found him safe but a little anxious at around 9pm, after about 15 minutes of searching, Mr Janius said. \nTo Singaporeans and others unfamiliar with forests, Mr Janius has five pieces of advice: Get a certified tour guide, allow for travelling time, do not hike late in the evening, do not leave existing trails, and take along a cellphone and power bank.\nHe added that if a person gets lost, he should stay calm and not panic.\n\u201cDon\u2019t walk around, stay still and call for help. Take along a supply of water and snacks as well as a torchlight,\u201d he said.\nThe rescued man has since flown back to Singapore but declined to reveal his identity, said Mr Janius. \nOther than rescue missions, Mr Janius and his office mostly work to manage the forests. \nThere are two hiking routes in the reserve, one concrete and the other, natural. The area is open to the public for recreational purposes free of charge.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/if-lost-stay-put-sabah-forestry-officer-who-found-missing-singapore-man"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Anwar aces China trip | Belts tighten for Ramadan", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here\u00a0to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n\nDear ST reader,\u00a0\nFood prices remain high, affecting Malaysia\u2019s Muslims who are tightening their belts and cutting down on Ramadan hotel buffets for breaking their fasts.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nPlans to help those struggling financially by allowing contributors to the Employees Provident Fund to get bank loans supported by their savings in the statutory retirement fund have garnered mixed reactions. Detractors say contributors should be allowed to again withdraw their savings directly, even though RM145 billion (S$44 billion) had already been released from the fund during the Covid-19 pandemic.\nMeanwhile, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim rebounded from brickbats over his inability to meet Saudi Arabia\u2019s top leadership by returning from China with RM170 billion\u00a0worth of memorandums of understanding, as he called for a renewed push of Belt and Road projects.\nHe will hope for more good news in coming weeks to head off the possibility of a second\u00a0\u201cgreen wave\u201d at crucial polls to elect governments of six of Malaysia's 13 states expected by August. Analysts say a ban on political speeches in mosques is unlikely to hinder the influence of Parti Islam SeMalaysia, which is part of the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional and currently the largest party in Parliament\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments. And thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n", "\nS\u2019pore drivers may be able to use credit, debit cards to enter JB by Sept 2024: Malaysia minister\n", "\nMalaysia is looking to let drivers have other payment options than Touch 'n Go at checkpoints and for highway tolls.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nEx-Malaysian PM Najib Razak fails in bid to get 1MDB-linked conviction reviewed\n", "\nHe remains in jail, serving a 12-year sentence for misappropriating $12.7 million from SRC International.\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysia\u2019s plan for bank loans to be granted against retirement savings draws ire\n", "\nMore than half of EPF members under the age of 55 have less than $3,012 in their account as at end-2022.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysians tighten belts during Ramadan as food prices continue to rise\n", "\nFood and beverage inflation remains high, at 7 per cent in February 2023.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysian PM Anwar calls for revived push for China\u2019s Belt and Road projects\n", "\nHe said the development programme best exemplifies solidarity and cooperation between countries in Asia.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nSermon ban will not diminish PAS\u2019 widespread influence, say analysts\n", "\nIt has already established a strong network across many religious institutions in the country.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/malaysia-edition-anwar-aces-china-trip-belts-tighten-for-ramadan"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Anwar goes slow on reforms | Revenge dining spurs high-end appetites", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n", "\n\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim may have a two-thirds supermajority in Parliament, but he still has to manoeuvre his way around pitfalls that contributed to the early demise of the first Pakatan Harapan government nearly three years ago.\nNot only has the administration been careful not to step on the toes\u00a0of the 1.7-million strong civil service, it has gone slow with the pace of reforms even as economic hurdles present themselves as the most pressing and urgent matters to be dealt with.\n\n\n\n\n\nAway from politics, a Singaporean is said to be involved in a syndicate that has lured hundreds of Malaysians with fake job offers and forced them to become online scammers in Cambodia.\nThe final victims of the landslide just off Genting Highlands that buried a campsite were found on the ninth day of the search, bringing the death toll to 31. The tragedy has hit the camping industry hard during the normally lucrative year-end school holidays.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.\u00a0Thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nEarly tests for Anwar to win civil service over\n", "\nKey decisions include appointments to senior posts in the Treasury and Public Service Department.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nAnwar goes slow on reform as he strengthens position\n", "\nAnalysts believe he is looking to consolidate his position and also redirect his focus on Malaysia\u2019s sluggish economy.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nS'porean said to run syndicate luring Malaysians to become cyber-fraud slaves\n", "\nVictims who escaped say one syndicate in Myanmar is run by masterminds from China and Singapore.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nAs egg shortage persists, sellers scramble for more supply\n", "\nMalaysia will import up to 10 million eggs daily from India as a stopgap measure until a long-term solution is found.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nCampsite operators face losses after landslide\n", "\nMalaysia's\u00a0government ordered a blanket ban on all camping activities in the country for a week, after the incident in\u00a0Batang Kali that killed 31.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nHigh-end restaurants get a boost from \u2018revenge dining\u2019\n", "\nWhile some Malaysians\u00a0spend more to make up for lost time, fine dining's\u00a0resurgence is\u00a0likely limited to the well-heeled.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nIf you received this newsletter from someone, sign up here to get it directly\u00a0in your inbox! If you have any feedback, please drop us an e-mail at\u00a0stshare@sph.com.sg\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/malaysia-edition-anwar-goes-slow-on-reforms-revenge-dining-spurs-high-end-appetites"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Controversial Cabinet | Hopes on Anwar-Rafizi team", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n", "\n\nPrime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has appointed his Cabinet, which has come in at 28 members, only slightly trimmed down from previous Cabinets instead of the 25 he had initially indicated.\nThis reflects the need to appease various factions in his disparate \u201cunity government\u201d, with several controversial picks\u00a0including the return of\u00a0Umno president Zahid Hamidi\u00a0as deputy premier despite facing dozens of graft charges.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Pakatan Harapan chief also began attacking decisions made by previous governments, a move which is potentially controversial as they included leaders who are part of his current administration.\nA deepening witch hunt could destabilise his government, which presides over a racially polarised political landscape that could yet present challenges in coming months, let alone the entire five-year term.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStay safe, and thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n", "\nAnwar\u2019s Cabinet appeases warlords, but not the public\n", "\nThe new PM has probably secured the short-term stability of his government, but at great political cost.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nNew Cabinet sworn in as criticism swirls over controversial appointments\n", "\nTransport Minister Anthony Loke said\u00a0there'll be checks and balances with regard to PM Anwar holding the finance portfolio.\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nAnwar halts $2b flood projects, hints Treasury chief will be replaced\n", "\nSources say Treasury's top civil servant has been asked to go on leave by the new administration.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nHopes on Anwar-Rafizi team to mend economy\n", "\nMr Rafizi, a chartered accountant by training, helmed various managerial roles in Petronas for six years.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\n$185b scandal: Serious procedural breaches during Muhyiddin administration, says PM Anwar\n", "\nFormer PM Muhyiddin said he has never pocketed or misused any funds meant to help the people.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nUmno chief Zahid returns to power as DPM\n", "\nThe appointment could help shore up his tenuous control of Umno.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nElection reveals deeply divided electorate\n", "\nThe top two winners, PAS and DAP, are parties with opposing ideologies.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nZafrul draws more flak after absence from Cabinet meeting\n", "\nHe was\u00a0appointed international trade minister despite failing to win his\u00a0parliamentary contest.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nIf you received this newsletter from someone, sign up here to get it directly\u00a0in your inbox! If you have any feedback, please drop us an e-mail at\u00a0stshare@sph.com.sg\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/malaysia-edition-controversial-cabinet-hopes-on-anwar-rafizi-team"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Hurdles ahead for Anwar | Zahid as DPM?", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n", "\n\nNow that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has finally been appointed Malaysia's prime minister after much drama and turmoil, all eyes are on his Cabinet line-up which has yet to be announced six days after he was sworn in.\u00a0And the challenges awaiting him are even more daunting.\nFor now, markets are elated that a government with two-thirds majority has been installed. But such stability is itself a fragile thing.\n\n\n\n\n\nOn the one hand, his Pakatan Harapan\u00a0is\u00a0backed by less than a fifth of the Malay majority, and the ethnocentric rhetoric from the vanquished Perikatan Nasional shows no sign of letting up.\nOn the other, this makes Umno a crucial partner in the so-called \u201cunity government\u201d. So much so that Mr Anwar must consider allowing those with corruption cases in Cabinet, such as Umno president Zahid Hamidi who is poised to become deputy premier.\nFollow ST's coverage as we continue to bring you the latest developments.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStay safe, and thank you for reading The Straits Times.\n\n", "\nThe making of Malaysia\u2019s unity government: What went on behind the scenes\n", "\nRoyal intervention nudged Malaysia to a historic unity government.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nUmno\u2019s push for Zahid to be DPM an early test of Anwar premiership\n", "\nHanding Zahid a senior role in government would court controversy among the public and also within the new PM's own party.\n\n\n\n\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nAnwar\u2019s comfortable majority could hit stormy weather\n", "\nAn Umno exit will cause seismic shocks through government in no small part because of the sudden dearth of MPs from the Malay-Muslim majority.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nFears linger over anti-Chinese social media posts after divisive election in Malaysia\n", "\nVideos warned about a possible repeat of the 1969 racial riots in Malaysia.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nWinners and losers in historic general election\n", "\nThe country's most keenly fought polls saw some surprise wins and defeats.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nShadow of 2020 PH government collapse hangs over Anwar\n", "\nThe PM and his coalition have had to fend off PAS accusations of being anti-Islam and anti-Malay.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nPAS president Hadi slammed for remarks seen as insulting monarchy\n", "\nUsing a football analogy, he spoke of a referee providing \u201cextra time for the losing side\u201d to \u201cwin by any means\u201d.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nHurdles ahead for new PM Anwar as he builds Cabinet\n", "\nPolitical uncertainties could arise from upcoming state and Umno party elections.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nIf you received this newsletter from someone, sign up here to get it directly\u00a0in your inbox! If you have any feedback, please drop us an e-mail at\u00a0stshare@sph.com.sg\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/malaysia-edition-hurdles-ahead-for-anwar-zahid-as-dpm"}, {"title": "Malaysia Edition: Landslide tragedy prompts review | Anwar wins confidence vote", "text": ["\nAsian Insider: Malaysia Edition helps you connect the dots on the biggest stories playing out in Malaysia every week.\u00a0Sign up here to get the newsletter in\u00a0your inbox.\n", "\n\nTragedy struck last Friday when a landslide saw nearly half a million cubic metres of dirt collapse on a campsite, killing 25\u00a0people. Search and rescue operations continue for eight\u00a0campers who remain missing and are feared dead. Another 61 victims were safely rescued.\nAuthorities are still investigating the cause, but the disaster has prompted a move towards reviewing existing regulations on hillside developments, as well as safety measures for outdoor activities such as camping and hiking especially during the monsoon season.\n\n\n\n\n\nTurning to politics - it\u2019s confirmed. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim\u2019s government of strange bedfellows is a solid bloc.\nA two-day parliamentary sitting this week saw his so-called unity government cruise through a confidence vote before passing a temporary supply Bill\u00a0to ensure the administration remains funded until he can review Budget 2023.\nThe Anwar government's apparent two-thirds supermajority in Parliament is backed by exactly 148 of the 222 MPs, so any reforms which require amending the Constitution could still be a touch and go affair.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nPM Anwar cruises through Day One of Parliament\n", "\nThe only blot in the copybook was that his administration\u2019s claim of a two-thirds super majority\u00a0was not affirmed in a confidence vote.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nBudget 2023 likely to be trimmed down\n", "\nAllocation for development expenditure could be smaller as the government focuses on rising costs of living and food security.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nCalls for stricter safety standards after landslide\n", "\nIncreasing regularity of flash floods and landslides in recent years is a clear sign that\u00a0such incidents\u00a0are\u00a0not down to\u00a0sheer bad luck.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nWhat we know so far about the landslide\n", "\nThe fatal landslide struck along a road near\u00a0the Father\u2019s Organic Farm campsite.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nGraft busters probe expenditures of past two govts\n", "\nAt least eight government agencies were raided, but no political big name has been hauled up for questioning for now.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nOpposition lines up new leaders out of ex-PM Muhyiddin\u2019s shadow\n", "\nBersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin will be opposition leader, while\u00a0PAS'\u00a0secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan has been appointed chief Whip for PN\u2019s 74 MPs.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nMalaysians saving less, most do not have enough retirement funds\n", "\nA recent survey revealed that 70 per cent of Malaysians saved less than RM500 (S$153) per month this year or did not save at all.\nREAD MORE HERE\n\n", "\nIf you received this newsletter from someone, sign up here to get it directly\u00a0in your inbox! If you have any feedback, please drop us an e-mail at\u00a0stshare@sph.com.sg\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/malaysia-edition-landslide-tragedy-prompts-review-anwar-wins-confidence-vote"}, {"title": "Malaysia PM Anwar vows gradual debt reduction to ensure stability", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his government will work to gradually lower the nation\u2019s debt and narrow the budget gap, without resorting to raising taxes that hurt the poor.\u00a0\n\u201cWe have reached the ceiling, and we should gradually go down,\u201d Datuk Seri Anwar said in a Bloomberg Television interview on Monday in Singapore. Otherwise it would be irresponsible to the next generation, he said.\nMalaysia had raised the debt limit to 60 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) from 55 per cent in 2020 in the early days of the pandemic, and lifted it further to 65 per cent in 2021 to make room for additional borrowings to fund fiscal stimulus. Malaysia\u2019s actual debt is at 61 per cent of GDP, and the law under which the ceiling was raised lapsed on Dec 31.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile Malaysia remains A-rated by credit agencies Moody\u2019s Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings, a reduction in government debt ratio will be key to winning a higher credit score from Fitch Ratings, which is currently the only one of the three main rating companies to have a lower BBB+ rating on the South-east Asian nation.\u00a0\nMr Anwar, who doubles as Finance Minister, is set to table the revised 2023 Budget to Parliament on Feb 24 and has been preaching fiscal prudence as Malaysia stares down still-elevated debt levels in the wake of a Covid-19-era spending drive. A reformist who heads a multiracial coalition, Mr Anwar has made protecting low- and middle-income groups from rising prices the top priority of his administration.\nWhile he acknowledged that the goods and services tax remains the most transparent and efficient taxation system, he said his government is not in a hurry to reinstate the tax that was abolished in 2018.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI have a huge issue of having to introduce taxation policies or new initiatives when it affects the plight\u201d of the low-income group, he said.\n\nHe said Malaysia is fortunate that the revenue from taxes has increased slightly, along with petroleum products.\nMalaysia, which runs South-east Asia\u2019s widest fiscal deficit after the Philippines, has seen its Budget strained by the cost of keeping essentials at below-market prices. Government subsidies were forecast to reach a record RM80 billion (S$25 billion) in 2022, with concessions on fuels and cooking gas alone projected to account for about half the amount.\nIn December, the government said it would raise electricity prices for multinational companies and heavy users, part of Mr Anwar\u2019s bid to channel subsidies and spending towards the needy. Small- and medium-sized firms and those involved in agriculture and food production will not be affected by the increase.\nEarlier in January, Mr Anwar had warned that 2023\u2019s fiscal position will not be comfortable, with about 1.5 trillion ringgit in total debt and liabilities and a budget deficit setting around 5.8 per cent of GDP as at 2022. He said \u201cwe cannot be content\u201d with these figures and added that maximum debt service is approaching unmanageable levels. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/malaysia-pm-anwar-vows-gradual-debt-reduction-to-ensure-stability"}, {"title": "Malaysian actor Kamal Adli\u2019s wife says she\u2019s suffering from anxiety after brutal attack on him", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Malaysian actress Uqasha Senrose said she is still traumatised over the vicious baton attack on her husband, actor Kamal Adli, in Singapore on Sunday night.\nIn a TikTok live at 1am on Tuesday, Ms Uqasha explained that she decided to do the broadcast at such a late hour as she was having trouble sleeping.\n\u201cI have anxiety now. It is so bad to the point I don\u2019t have the appetite to eat. I\u2019m also afraid to take photos with strangers. I feel so nervous and frightened whenever I go to bed,\u201d she said, adding that she struggles to sleep at night as she keeps having visions of her husband\u2019s attacker.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 31-year-old said no words can describe the feeling she had seeing someone she loves getting beaten in front of her eyes.\n\u201cWe would normally act out physical fights on set. I never expected for someone to attack my husband in real life.\n\u201cOnly God knows the trauma I\u2019m going through right now,\u201d the\u00a0Isteri Halal star lamented tearfully.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAccording to Malaysia\u2019s\u00a0Berita Harian, Ms Uqasha and her husband were chatting with a fan in a wheelchair at around 9pm during a fan meet at the Singapore Expo when a man called out to Mr Kamal and allegedly beat him on the head with a baton.\n\nMs Uqasha told the publication that blood was dripping down her husband\u2019s face, cheeks and body after the attack. \nMr Kamal, 36, is recuperating at a hospital in Singapore. He regained consciousness on Tuesday after a head surgery.\nThe alleged attacker, a 33-year-old man, was charged for assault on Tuesday at Singapore\u2019s State Courts. He will be remanded for two weeks to undergo psychiatric evaluation. THE STAR/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/malaysian-actor-kamal-adli-s-wife-says-she-s-suffering-from-anxiety-after-his-brutal-attack"}, {"title": "Singapore, Malaysia sign agreements to deepen cooperation in digital, green economy", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation and jointly seize opportunities in the digital economy and green economy, and to work closely on data protection and cyber security.\nPrime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim witnessed the signing of three agreements covering these fields on Monday, during Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s first official visit to the Republic since he was sworn in as Malaysia\u2019s 10th prime minister on Nov 24.\nThe deals followed a meeting between President Halimah Yacob and PM Anwar, where both leaders affirmed the warm and longstanding partnership between Singapore and Malaysia, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.\n\n\n\n\n\nTwo agreements were signed between the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Malaysia\u2019s Ministry of International Trade and Industry to cooperate in the digital economy and the green economy. \nAs Malaysia\u2019s first green economy agreement signed with any country, the partnership is expected to strengthen collaboration to decarbonise both countries\u2019 industries and help businesses and workers seize opportunities in the green economy.\u00a0\n", "\nThe agreements will see the two neighbours deepen cooperation in areas such as the setting of standards and the deployment of charging points for electric vehicles, and jointly explore projects in low-carbon solutions, in particular hydrogen and carbon capture, utilisation and storage. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe two sides will also exchange information on carbon markets, explore collaboration between their companies in carbon credits projects, and look at developing new and renewable energy-related technology standards to support domestic and regional decarbonisation.\n\nThe digital economy framework of cooperation will seek to enhance cooperation beyond what is spelt out in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, two trade agreements that both Singapore and Malaysia are signatories to.\nThe agreement also hopes to spur greater digital economy cooperation\u00a0within Asean.\u00a0It will include areas such as trade facilitation, cross-border data flows, electronic payments, digital identities \u2013 including efforts to support the development of the Asean Unique Business Identification Number \u2013 and support the digitalisation of industries and small businesses to enhance their competitiveness.\n", "\nThe third agreement is a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of personal data protection, cyber security and digital economy between the Singapore\u2019s Ministry of Communications and Information and Malaysia\u2019s Ministry of Communications and Digital.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt will facilitate the exchange of knowledge, expertise and best practices in areas such as data protection policies and cross-border data flows, tackling common cyber security threats and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and distributed ledger technology.\nMinister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and Malaysia\u2019s Minister of International Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul Aziz signed the two frameworks of cooperation for digital and green economy. The third agreement was inked by Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo and Malaysia\u2019s Minister of Communications and Digital Fahmi Fadzil.\nThe signings followed an official welcome ceremony at the Istana, after which PM Anwar called on President Halimah. He then had a meeting with Prime Minister Lee, who also hosted an official lunch in his honour.\n", "\nIn a Facebook post after their meeting, Madam Halimah said she and PM Anwar took stock of the wide-ranging cooperation between Singapore and Malaysia, including during the Covid-19 pandemic where both sides worked to ensure that trade continued. \n\u201cDespite the challenging economic times ahead, PM Anwar and I agreed that our two countries should work even more closely together and maintain regular channels of communication among our leaders and people,\u201d she said.\nIn the morning, PM Anwar and his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had an orchid hybrid named in their honour. \nThe Dendrobium Anwar Azizah produces semi-arching sprays of about 45cm in length that bear around 20 to 28 well-arranged flowers. The sepals have a mauve background adorned with purple striations, while the petals are velvet purple and complemented by a broad and vivid violet lip. \n", "\nMr Anwar is accompanied by Minister of Transport Anthony Loke, Minister of International Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul Aziz, Minister of Foreign Affairs Zambry Abdul Kadir, Minister of Communications and Digital Fahmi Fadzil, Premier of Sarawak Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari and Menteri Besar of Johor Onn Hafiz Ghazi. He will engage with the Malaysian community here before departing Singapore on Monday evening. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/malaysian-pm-anwar-ibrahim-arrives-in-singapore-for-official-visit"}, {"title": "Malaysian woman looking for her birth family in Singapore", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 For six years, a Malaysian woman has been searching for her biological parents, who she believes are in Singapore. \nMadam Nazli Abdullah, 63, was given up for adoption at birth in April 1959 to their neighbours in Jalan Telipot, Kota Bharu in Kelantan. \nA man who worked for her late adoptive father, Mr Abdullah Abu Bakar, told her that her biological father had the surname Cheah, and the family had left the kampung soon after they gave her up for adoption. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe said there were several other children, and that her biological father worked as an estate manager in Kelantan. He also told her he heard they had eventually moved to Singapore.\nMadam Nazli, who lives in Kuala Lumpur and works in finance, told The Straits Times: \u201cI want to finally know where I come from. Before 2016, I think there was a lot of resistance from my adoptive parents and relatives when they were alive.\u201d\nShe found out she was adopted only at 25, when her mother told her before giving her blessing for her to get married. Her father died when she was one.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMadam Nazli, who is widowed with four children aged 21 to 36, said: \u201cI was shocked and sad. But after a while, I felt blessed too because my Malay parents were honourable and good people, and they raised me well.\u201d \n\nShe decided not to go looking then as she feared that it would upset her family. Her adoptive mother died in 1998.\n\u201cWhen (the older generation) all passed away, then my children and I were thinking that since I have one or two friends who found their biological family, we might as well try. Because it\u2019s good to find your roots,\u201d said Madam Nazli.\nAs part of her search, she has advertised with the Malaysian Chinese Association and contacted Crime Library Singapore. \nMadam Nazli said: \u201cIn life, I believe that (people) must know their roots. It\u2019s for myself and my children too. We live only once.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/malaysian-woman-looking-for-her-birth-family-in-singapore"}, {"title": "Maliki explores cooperation in tourism, education during 5-day working visit to Kelantan and Terengganu", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Office Maliki Osman discussed issues like economic growth and ways in which Singapore could contribute during an audience with Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin on Wednesday.\nHe also talked about areas of cooperation between the Republic and Terengganu, including tourism, agritech and people-to-people exchanges, in meetings with Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar on the same day. \nDr Maliki, who is also Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, was in Terengganu as part of a five-day visit to the north-eastern Malaysian state and neighbouring Kelantan between April 15 and 19.  \n\n\n\n\n\nHis visit is part of efforts to strengthen longstanding ties with Malaysian states and explore new areas of cooperation, said Singapore\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 15.\nIn Kelantan, Dr Maliki met Crown Prince Tengku Muhammad Faiz Petra and his wife, whom he hosted in Singapore in 2022. \nDr Maliki spent two days in Kelantan, during which he broke fast with officials, and held meetings with Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub and Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi, among others.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a Facebook post on Monday, Dr Maliki, who is also Second Minister for Education, said Singapore is keen to step up ties with Kelantan. \n\nHe said: \u201cI had very good discussions on potential cooperation in education, including exchanges between our students, investments, human resource and infrastructure development, urban planning, and agriculture.\u201d\n", "\nIn Terengganu, Dr Maliki met officials from a host of political parties, including representatives from Parti Islam SeMalaysia and the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition. \nHe also visited Universiti Malaysia Terengganu and met several student leaders on the fourth day of his trip.  \nIn a new Facebook post on Wednesday, Dr Maliki said: \u201cIt was useful to hear their experiences and hopes for the future. I also encouraged them to engage youths from Singapore, and to continue working hard in their chosen disciplines.\u201d\nSpeaking to the Singapore media on the same day, he outlined three areas that could further strengthen ties with the two states. They are building up the tourism sector with flight connections, providing expertise on capacity development, and stepping up links between youth from both sides through education, and a student exchange programmme.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/maliki-explores-cooperation-in-tourism-education-during-5-day-working-visit-to-kelantan-and-terengganu"}, {"title": "Man to be charged on Tuesday for allegedly attacking Malaysian actor Kamal Adli at fan meet in S\u2019pore", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Malaysian actor Kamal Adli, 36, was hospitalised after he was attacked during a fan meet at the Singapore Expo on Sunday night.\nA 33-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident and will be charged in court on Tuesday for his suspected involvement for voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon.\nA police spokesman said they were alerted to a fight at 9.19pm on Sunday.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe 36-year-old man was conscious when conveyed to the hospital,\u201d said the spokesman. \nA baton was seized as a case exhibit, he added. \nThe incident happened when Mr Kamal and his wife, actress Uqasha Senrose, made an appearance on the last day of Hari Raya Mega Sale 2023, a three-day fair\u00a0at Singapore Expo Hall 5A.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMs Uqasha, whose real name is Nik Zaris Uqasha, told The Straits Times on Monday that the assailant had approached Mr Kamal during a photo-taking session and had called out her husband\u2019s name before pulling the weapon from his pocket.\n\nHe then struck Mr Kamal twice on the head, which made him fall and hit his face on a table.\nShe said that after being knocked to the ground, Mr Kamal looked up at his attacker and asked: \u201cWhy did you hit me? What did I do?\u201d\nBut the man continued his assault. On Monday morning, Mr Kamal still had several bruise marks on his body, she said.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Roslan Shah, a celebrity host who had invited the couple to the event, said: \u201cI was outside the Expo hall at the time of the attack, but I hurried back when I saw many people exiting the hall.\n\u201cI went back in and saw Ms Uqasha crying for help, and lots of blood on the floor.\u201d \n", "\nAs Ms Uqasha tried to stop the bleeding with a cloth, members of the public prevented the attacker from leaving, before the police arrived and arrested the heavily tattooed man, said Mr Roslan.\nMr Kamal was rushed to Changi General Hospital and received four stitches.\nMs Uqasha, 31, recounted in a teary Instagram post to her 5.3 million followers on Sunday night that the attacker used a weapon she described as a \u201cchota\u201d and hit Mr Kamal repeatedly on his head, face, chest and back.\nShe described the attacker as having a \u201csinister smile\u201d, and said that he did not seem to care that the assault happened in public. She thanked those who helped to apprehend him.\n\u201cThe doctor said if the wound had been a few centimetres lower, Mr Kamal would have been in grave danger,\u201d she told ST. \n", "\nMr Kamal and Ms Uqasha recently acted together in Akira Khan, a Malaysian television romantic drama series.   \nMr Roslan, a Singaporean based in Malaysia for more than 22 years for work, has brought in several Malaysian actors and singers for events like the Hari Raya Mega Sale. \nHe said this is the first time such an incident has happened.     \n\u201cPreviously, some celebrities would choose to bring their bodyguards. But as this was a joyous Hari Raya event, Mr Kamal and Ms Uqasha opted not to have one. They did not expect this to happen,\u201d he said.    \nPolice investigations are ongoing.  If convicted, the offence of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon carries a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, caning, or any combination of such punishments. \nST has contacted Singapore Expo partner Constellar for comment.    \nThis is the second time the Hari Raya Mega Sale 2023 has made headlines. \nOn Saturday, it was reported that 24 food stalls and food trucks were suspended after officers from the Singapore Food Agency found them operating without licences.  \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/man-arrested-after-malaysian-actor-kamal-adli-attacked-and-left-bleeding-during-fan-meet-in-s-pore"}, {"title": "Much scope for Singapore and Malaysia to expand cooperation: President Halimah", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 There is much scope for Singapore and Malaysia to expand their cooperation for mutual benefit, President Halimah Yacob said at the Istana Negara on Tuesday during a state visit to Malaysia.\nIn the 58 years since diplomatic relations were established between the two countries, bilateral ties have grown from strength to strength, Madam Halimah noted as she delivered a toast at a banquet in her honour held by Malaysia\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, and his wife, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. \n\u201cToday, our two countries enjoy substantive and mutually beneficial cooperation spanning the economic, security and people-to-people spheres,\u201d Madam Halimah said.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe three-day visit ending on Wednesday is her first state visit to Malaysia, and reciprocates Sultan Abdullah\u2019s visit to Singapore in October 2022.\nNoting that April will mark the first anniversary of the reopening of both countries\u2019 borders to each other after they were closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, Madam Halimah said she was also heartened to know that there have since been slightly more than one million Singaporeans travelling to Malaysia each month through the land checkpoints alone.\n\u201cWhen the much-awaited Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link is completed by 2026, connectivity between two already-close neighbours will be further strengthened,\u201d she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMadam Halimah said that during her meeting with Singaporean and Malaysian business leaders on Monday, there was a \u201cpalpable sense\u201d that companies were looking forward to the opportunities on both sides of the Causeway, from telecommunications and infrastructure to e-commerce and climate solutions.\n\nBeyond economic ties, both countries have a shared history and ties of kinship, she said, noting that the King and Queen also have many personal connections to Singapore. For example, Sultan Abdullah won a gold medal for Malaysia in polo in the 1983 South-east Asia Games held in Singapore.\nMadam Halimah said both countries must ensure that their young people continue to grow up familiar with one another, through arrangements such as bilateral education partnerships.\nAdditionally, with the external environment becoming more volatile and challenging, Singapore and Malaysia \u2013 as founding members of Asean and like-minded partners \u2013 must help to keep the region united and credible, she said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWithout a stable external environment, all of us in Asean will find it harder to transform our economies and improve the lives of our peoples,\u201d she added.\nIn his toast, Sultan Abdullah said he shared Madam Halimah\u2019s sentiments that both countries should work together more closely, calling for collaborations in new and emerging areas such as the digital and green economies, and food security.\nHe noted the shared history, cultural similarities and people-to-people ties between both countries, adding: \u201cI firmly believe the strong bond of friendship among our peoples will continue to be an important factor forming the core of our bilateral relationship.\u201d\nHe added that as founding members of Asean, Malaysia and Singapore must continue to work closely in promoting the region\u2019s stability and security, and in making Asean a dynamic regional grouping.\n", "\nOn Tuesday, Madam Halimah also received a state welcome ceremony at the Istana Negara, following which she and the King planted a gelam tree in the courtyard of the palace in Kuala Lumpur.\nThe tree planting ceremony is a tradition usually accorded only to rulers of each state in Malaysia when they visit the Istana Negara. \nThe gelam tree was picked for its significance in Singapore, with Kampong Glam named after it.\nThis preceded a ceremony at which an orchid was named in honour of Madam Halimah and her husband, Mr Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, who is accompanying her on the trip. It was the first time an orchid naming ceremony was part of a state visit by a foreign dignitary to Malaysia.\nThe Vanda Halimah Yacob Mohamed is a cross between the Vanda Kulwadee Fragrance and the Vanda tessellata. Each stalk of between 19cm and 24cm in length bears nine to 10 flowers that have white petals with bright violet-blue lips and purple spots.\n", "\nSeparately, Madam Halimah also received a call by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday at the St Regis hotel after her visit to the Istana Negara.\nIn a Facebook post, she said that the two of them reaffirmed the strong commitment of both countries to work constructively and pragmatically together, especially in an era of greater geopolitical uncertainty.\nShe also said that Singapore is confident that under Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s leadership, bilateral cooperation would strengthen across multiple domains and deliver concrete benefits to the people and businesses of both countries.\n\u201cWe also discussed the importance of leaders promoting social unity in this post-pandemic world,\u201d she added.\nShe said she told Mr Anwar about the work of various structures in Singapore to promote social cohesion, including key platforms such as the International Conference on Cohesive Societies, which she had started in 2019.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/much-scope-for-singapore-and-malaysia-to-expand-cooperation-president-halimah-at-state-banquet"}, {"title": "Nearly 1.5m cleared Woodlands, Tuas checkpoints over Vesak Day weekend, record since borders reopened", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Close to 1.5 million travellers cleared the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints over the Vesak Day long weekend from June 1 to 4, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Thursday. This is the highest on record for a long weekend since land borders reopened between Singapore and Malaysia in April 2022.\nJune 1 also saw the highest number of daily departures since borders between both countries reopened, with more than 250,000 travellers leaving Singapore for Malaysia via the two land checkpoints. \nThe surge in travellers came as the Vesak Day long weekend coincided with the June school holidays, ICA said on June 2.\n\n\n\n\n\nICA said it took several measures to help manage congestion and ease the movement of travellers. These included working with the Land Transport Authority and cross-border bus service providers to schedule more buses.\nIt also deployed more officers to control crowds at the bus concourses, and updated the traffic situation frequently on social media platforms like its Facebook page and through local radio broadcasts.\nTravellers can expect longer waiting times as ICA believes traffic will remain \u201cvery heavy\u201d at both land checkpoints throughout the June school holidays, which end on June 25.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHeavy traffic has been reported at the Singapore-Malaysia land checkpoints since travel restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic were lifted.\n\n\nDuring the Good Friday long weekend in April, close to 1.4 million travellers crossed the two checkpoints, with an average of about 350,000 people leaving and entering Singapore each day.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/nearly-15m-people-passed-through-woodlands-tuas-over-vesak-day-weekend-record-since-border-reopened"}, {"title": "Non-compliant S\u2019poreans blamed for congestion at Malaysian land checkpoints despite use of e-gates", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Singaporeans continue to face peak-hour congestion and long wait times at Malaysia\u2019s two land checkpoints six weeks after e-passport holders were allowed to use electronic gates (e-gates) \u2013 with reported knock-on effects on Malaysians using these facilities.  \nPreviously limited to Malaysian passport holders, e-gates were extended to Singapore users from Jan 20 to reduce human congestion at both the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar and Sultan Abu Bakar checkpoints in Johor Bahru, which connect to Woodlands and Tuas respectively.    \nThe congestion is because Singaporeans are not aware of the steps they need to take before using the e-gates, said Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen Kah Eng.    \n\n\n\n\n\nSingaporeans who want to utilise the e-gates require an e-passport with three months of validity and submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online three days before travel. First-time users are also required to verify their biometric data at the immigration counter.\u00a0\nIn a Facebook post on Tuesday, Mr Chen said many Singaporeans would try to use the e-gates without applying in advance for an e-passport or MDAC, holding up the queue when they try to get clearance and fail repeatedly. \nHe added that many Malaysian residents had come to him with complaints about the long wait times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThey tell me: \u2018It wasn\u2019t that congested before, but it\u2019s really congested now\u2019.\u201d   \n\nIn his post, Mr Chen called on Malaysia\u2019s Ministry of Home Affairs to \u201cretain a specific automatic customs clearance system for Malaysians, and gradually upgrade the automatic customs clearance system to improve the overall customs clearance process\u201d.   \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/non-compliant-s-poreans-blamed-for-congestion-at-malaysian-land-checkpoints-despite-use-of-e-gates"}, {"title": "President Halimah to make 3-day state visit to KL, will have orchid named in her honour", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 President Halimah Yacob will be making a state visit to Malaysia from Monday to Wednesday at the invitation of the country\u2019s King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah.  \nHer trip to Kuala Lumpur will include a state welcome ceremony and banquet at the Istana Negara, the King\u2019s official residence, where she will also have an orchid named in her honour.\nThis is the first time an orchid-naming ceremony will be part of a state visit by a foreign dignitary to Malaysia, said the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Saturday.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nDuring the three-day visit, Madam Halimah will receive a call from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and meet female politicians. \nShe will also meet the Sultan of Perak and chancellor of the University of Malaya Nazrin Shah, in her capacity as chancellor of the National University of Singapore. \nMadam Halimah\u2019s trip comes shortly after Datuk Seri Anwar\u2019s visit to Singapore in end-January \u2013 the first here since he was sworn in as prime minister in November. He met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and called on Madam Halimah at the Istana.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nSingapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan also visited Malaysia in January.\n\nThis is Madam Halimah\u2019s first state visit to Malaysia and it reciprocates Sultan Abdullah\u2019s visit to Singapore in October 2022. \nHe and his wife, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, will host a state banquet in Madam Halimah\u2019s honour. \nThe King and Madam Halimah will also plant a gelam tree in the Istana Negara courtyard. On the same day, the Vanda Halimah Yacob Mohamed will be named in honour of Madam Halimah and her husband, Mr Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, who will be accompanying her on the trip. \n\n\n\n\n\nShe will also be accompanied by Minister in the Prime Minister\u2019s Office and Second Minister for Education and Foreign Affairs Maliki Osman, Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Culture, Community and Youth Low Yen Ling as well as MPs Murali Pillai, Xie Yao Quan and Yeo Wan Ling. \nOfficials from the President\u2019s Office, MFA and Ministry of Trade and Industry will be part of the delegation.\nMr Eddie Teo, who chairs the Council of Presidential Advisers, will be acting president while Madam Halimah is away. \nOther plans for her visit include a meeting with a group of Singaporean and Malaysian business leaders, as well as a reception hosted for overseas Singaporeans in Malaysia, said MFA. \nMadam Halimah, who is also patron of Girl Guides Singapore, will be hosted during a visit to the Girl Guides Association of Malaysia by Tunku Azizah. The latter visited Girl Guides Singapore during her visit to the Republic in October. \nIn an e-mail interview with Malaysian news agency Bernama that was published on Saturday, Madam Halimah noted that the ties between Singapore and Malaysia are \u201cquite unlike any other\u201d. \n", "\nShe added that there are many areas in which both countries can strengthen and deepen trade and investments, as well as collaborate in new areas. \n\u201cIf we get this right, it may help to mitigate some of the impact resulting from the potential decoupling of supply chains and bifurcation of technology arising from the US-China rivalries. We need to be prepared and to look ahead,\u201d she said. \nWhen asked for her views on how both countries have resolved issues amicably over the years, Madam Halimah said that between two close neighbours, differences will inevitably arise from time to time.\u00a0\n\u201cWhat is important is that we do not allow any one issue to mar or derail our overall relationship. Given the much broader relationship and interlinkages that we have, both sides stand to gain much more when we work pragmatically and calmly to bridge our differences,\u201d she noted.\n\u201cHence, I am glad that successive generations of Singaporean and Malaysian leaders have wisely found ways for us to widen our areas of convergence and reduce our areas of divergence, including isolating issues which are more appropriately resolved through third-party dispute settlement mechanisms,\u201d she added.\n\u201cThis has been the mature way of dealing with our bilateral relationship, to constantly build and renew trust, honour prior agreements and understandings, and always look for new and mutually beneficial things we can do together.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/president-halimah-to-make-three-day-state-visit-to-kl-will-have-orchid-named-in-her-honour"}, {"title": "Prices of S\u2019pore-Malaysia bus and air tickets go up for Chinese New Year period", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Malaysians based in Singapore can expect to pay more for their journey back home for Chinese New Year on Jan 22 and 23.\u00a0\nChecks by The Straits Times this week showed that one-way economy airfares from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur have increased to between $77 and $749 for flights from Jan 15 to Jan 21, up from between $66 and $281 for those from Jan 8 to Jan 14. \nA spokesman for Malaysia Airlines, whose lowest-priced one-way economy air ticket for travel between Jan 8 and Jan 21 is $139, said: \u201cDue to dynamic pricing of airlines globally, high-demand flights, especially those nearer to the preferred date of travel for Chinese New Year, are currently slightly high.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\nFor AirAsia, the average one-way economy air ticket costs $77 for flights from Jan 15 to Jan 21, up from $69 for those between Jan 8 and Jan 14. \n\u201cAs the people\u2019s airline, and despite rising costs (of) our operations post-pandemic, we will always champion the best-value fares, which are more important than ever right now,\u201d said the airline\u2019s group chief commercial officer, Ms Karen Chan, who added that the company encourages consumers to plan and book their flights earlier.\u00a0\nOne-way bus ticket prices from Singapore to Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur have also spiked for the week before Chinese New Year. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nST\u2019s checks showed that tickets cost from $30 to $210 for rides from Jan 15 to Jan 21, up from $30 to $80 for the week before. \n\nFor instance, bus operator Golden Coach Express has increased its one-way ticket prices for Singapore to Ipoh during the Jan 16 to Jan 24 period to between $80 and $170, up from its regular price of $45. \nThe company\u2019s general manager, Mr Leong Ying Ken, attributed the increase in fares to various factors, including incurring additional operating costs during the festive season. \nThe company, which also runs routes to other places such as Kuala Lumpur and Melaka, will be increasing the number of buses. This will help cater to higher demand from customers, especially Malaysians heading home, said Mr Leong.  \n\n\n\n\n\nFor example, the company will have to rent seven to eight extra buses and hire 14 to 16 more drivers from Jan 18 to Jan 24, said Mr Leong. The company currently has four buses and seven drivers. \nFees for Malaysia-based transport services have also risen by about 20 per cent. D\u2019Cars Limo Transport Service, which provides limousine services between Singapore and Malaysia, has raised the cost of its one-way trips. For example, a trip from Singapore to Johor in the week before Chinese New Year costs $100, up from $80 during the same period in 2019. \nThe increase is due to factors such as surging petrol prices and the heavy jam on the Causeway, said its manager Ashraf Kamal Batcha.\n", "\nDespite the rising prices, travel service providers told ST that demand for tickets in the weeks leading up to Chinese New Year has risen by up to 40 per cent already, and they expect it to rise further. \nSingapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Jetstar Asia and AirAsia said they have seen strong demand for flights to Malaysia.\u00a0\nAirAsia\u2019s Ms Chan said the airline has seen \u201ca positive uplift\u201d in demand for flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur between Jan 8 and Jan 21. For example, the number of seats sold for flights between Jan 15 and Jan 21 is 40 per cent higher than that for the week before.\nCertain flights during peak hours on Jan 20 and 21 are fully booked, said Ms Chan, without specifying details. She added that the airline expects demand to continue rising, especially during the peak period before Chinese New Year from Jan 19 to Jan 21. \nWithout giving figures, Jetstar also said that the airline has seen strong demand across its network, including from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and Penang. This is because many Malaysians return home for family celebrations, said its\u00a0spokesman.\n", "\nMalaysian bus operator Causeway Link expects an increase of 30 per cent to 40 per cent in commuters during the week before the festive period. \nTo meet the higher demand, some travel providers will increase their services from Singapore to Malaysia.\u00a0\nWithout giving figures, Causeway Link said it will increase the number of bus services between Jan 15 and Jan 21.\u00a0About 150 bus services currently run from Singapore to Johor daily. \nFrom Jan 13 to Jan 29, Jetstar will operate 26 services from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, up from 21 currently. The airline will also operate 10 services from Singapore to Penang between Jan 18 and Jan 25, up from eight now.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/prices-of-bus-air-tickets-to-malaysia-go-up-for-chinese-new-year-period"}, {"title": "Singapore and Malaysia users of Nets, DuitNow can now pay with new QR code link", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Singapore and Malaysia residents now have a more convenient way to make payments when they travel across the Causeway, following the launch of cross-border QR code payment connectivity on Friday. \nThe Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) jointly announced that customers of participating financial institutions will be able to pay for products and services at merchants by scanning physical Nets or DuitNow QR codes.\nCross-border online transactions for e-commerce will also be supported.     \n\n\n\n\n\nAs at Friday, the participating institutions in Singapore are DBS Bank, OCBC Bank and UOB.\nIn Malaysia, the participating establishments\u00a0are AmBank Malaysia, e-wallet operator Boost, CIMB Bank, Hong Leong Bank, Maybank, Public Bank, Razer Merchant Services, TNG Digital, and UOB Malaysia.\nAn MAS-BNM statement said: \u201cWith pre-pandemic annual traffic between the two countries averaging 12 million visitors, the payment linkage will provide merchants and consumers with a more seamless and efficient means to make and receive payments.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Joses Khoo, a 30-year-old logistics business owner in Malaysia, said business-to-consumer businesses, especially retail merchants such as cafes and clothing shops, will benefit.\n\n\u201cTheir customers do not have to exchange cash for retail purchases at cafes and clothing shops, for example. Just use QR payment,\u201d he added. \nMr Khoo said there has been good adoption of DuitNow QR across the market, with \u201cmore than 80 per cent adoption in Klang Valley, Johor, and other major cities in Malaysia\u201d. \nDuitNow QR is a QR standard that allows Malaysians to make payments and receive funds from any participating bank and e-wallet via a QR code.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cCoffee shops, goreng pisang seller, small grocery shops and night markets on the street, most have QR,\u201d he said, adding that he hopes the transaction fees will not be significant and that the exchange rate will be good. \nAnother Malaysian business owner, Mr Kuhan Pathy from Pepper Labs Social Enterprise, was less upbeat. \nHe said the smaller enterprises generally prefer to use Touch \u2019n Go because the cards are also used for public transportation and to pay road tolls. Mid- to larger-sized businesses opt for both DuitNow and Touch \u2019n Go, he added.\nHis own food and beverage social enterprise, The Masala Wheels Cafe, uses both Touch \u2019n Go and DuitNow \u201cto provide multiple options for diners\u201d.  \n", "\nConsumers like Singaporean Kel Lee, 41, who travel to Malaysia for the food and to shop, are happy because they now have a cashless payment option. \nMs Lee goes to Johor Bahru at least once a month.\n\u201cSometimes you eat at local coffee shops or small eateries, these places accept cash. I always have to remember to change cash at the money changer. Without cash, it is very inconvenient,\u201d Ms Lee said, adding that she will then be forced to buy from a shopping mall or eat at bigger restaurants.\nMs Jacquelyn Tan, head of group personal financial services at participating bank UOB, said DuitNow QR will \u201copen a new frontier in the cross-border spending landscape in Malaysia\u201d.\nDuitNow QR, she said, targets lower-value transactions that were previously made in cash. This will complement credit- and debit-card payments for higher-value transactions, where customers can earn rewards while they spend, Ms Tan added.\nThe average payment made to the top 20 UOB Malaysia DuitNow QR merchants over the December 2022 to February 2023 period was RM34 (S$10.30). \nAlmost 65 per cent of these DuitNow QR payments took place at eateries, minimarts and dry markets, Ms Tan said.\nIn 2022, DuitNow QR transactions within Malaysia processed by UOB Malaysia grew by more than eight times from 2021, she added. \u201cTogether with other factors, such as the number of Singapore travellers to Malaysia as well as the expected size of the market, we expect cross-border DuitNow QR spending to quadruple from this year\u2019s level in the next five years.\u201d \n", "\nMr Gary Wong, head of digital payments and ecosystems at  another participating bank OCBC, said DuitNow QR will reduce the need for cash and facilitate safe and easy cross-border payments.  \n\u201cNow that travel is back in full swing, we also expect DuitNow QR to strengthen OCBC\u2019s overall travel proposition,\u201d he added.\nOCBC customers\u2019 overall spend in Malaysia rose in 2022 \u2013 the number of transactions and amount spent increased by more than 75 per cent from 2021.  \nA Maybank Singapore spokesman said Maybank Malaysia customers will now be able to scan Nets QR codes in Singapore with their mobile banking app and enjoy a \u201cseamless banking experience\u201d in Singapore. Likewise, the bank\u2019s Singapore customers can participate in the cross-border QR payment, leveraging Maybank Malaysia\u2019s extensive merchant base.\nMAS and BNM said that they planned to roll out cross-border person-to-person fund transfers by the end of 2023, allowing people to transfer money to each other using a phone number via PayNow and DuitNow.\nMAS managing director Ravi Menon said: \u201cThis QR code linkage between Singapore and Malaysia is an important milestone in Asean\u2019s journey towards seamless regional payments connectivity.\u201d\nHe added that such cross-border links will boost commerce beyond the Republic\u2019s borders and also allow smaller businesses to access a wider pool of customers.      \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/qr-code-payment-link-between-s-pore-and-malaysia-launched-person-to-person-money-transfers-by-end-2023"}, {"title": "Raid on Johor flat cripples syndicate which allegedly targeted S\u2019poreans with fake friend call scams", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Police from both sides of the Causeway have crippled a scam syndicate in Johor which had allegedly been targeting Singaporeans with fake friend calls. \nThree Malaysian men, aged between 18 and 27, were extradited from Johor to Singapore on Tuesday, after a raid on a Johor apartment complex on March 20 led to their arrests.  \nIn the fake friend call scam, fraudsters would contact victims and pretend to be their friends before asking for financial help. The syndicate, which started operating early in 2023, is believed to be involved in over 40 police reports made in Singapore, with victims losing more than $250,000 in total. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe Singapore Police Force and Royal Malaysia Police shared information after receiving the reports. The raid was jointly conducted by Singapore\u2019s Commercial Affairs Department and the Johor Commercial Crime Investigation Department.\nThe three men, who are expected to be charged with conspiracy to cheat on Thursday, face a jail term of up to three years and a fine.\nIn 2022, the fake friend call scam cost victims here at least $8.8 million, according to police statistics. So far in 2023, more than 1,300 people have lost at least $4.33 million to such scams, the police said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCommercial Affairs Department director David Chew said on Wednesday that such scams are a serious concern. There were no reported cases in 2020, but the number of cases jumped to 686 in 2021, and to 2,106 in 2022.\n\n\u201cThe Singapore Police Force has been working closely with the Royal Malaysia Police to detect and arrest these transnational syndicates who prey on our citizens,\u201d he said. \u201cWe will continue to take tough action against individuals who perpetuate scams, even if they are based overseas.\u201d \nThe police advise the public to download the ScamShield app, and to set security features including enabling two-factor authentication for their bank, social media and Singpass accounts. Limits on Internet banking transactions such as those via PayNow should also be set. \nMembers of the public should check for signs of a scam through official sources, such as visiting www.scamalert.sg or calling the anti-scam hotline on 1800-722-6688. \n\u201cVerify whether the request is legitimate by checking with your family and friends through alternative means such as physical meet-ups, video calls or e-mails, other than using the new contact details on your phone,\u201d the police added.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/raid-on-johor-flat-cripples-syndicate-which-allegedly-targeted-s-poreans-with-fake-friend-call-scams"}, {"title": "Revised toll charges at Tuas Checkpoint from March 31", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Drivers heading into Malaysia and Singapore through the Tuas Checkpoint during off-peak periods can expect an increase in toll charges from the end of March.\nThe Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Thursday announced a revision of toll charges from March 31, extending the current peak period charges throughout the day and scrapping off-peak rates. Motorcycles, which are exempt from paying tolls, will not be affected.  \nThe adjustments follow Malaysia\u2019s recent revision of its toll charges at the Tanjung Kupang Toll Plaza (Second Link), said the LTA, and are in line with \u201cSingapore\u2019s longstanding policy of matching Malaysia\u2019s toll rates\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\nSince March 2020, motorists behind the wheel of cars, vans or light goods vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, taxis and buses are required to pay toll charges according to rates for peak (5am to 10am, 3pm to 11pm) and off-peak (10am to 3pm, 11pm-5am) hours. \nWith the upcoming change, those driving cars will be required to pay a toll of $2.10 throughout the entire day.\nDrivers of heavy goods vehicles will pay the steepest charge of $11.30.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe LTA reminded all drivers entering Malaysia to ensure sufficient money in their stored-value cards, which should be inserted into the card reader for deduction of toll charges at the checkpoints. \n\nDrivers of foreign-registered vehicles entering Singapore must have a valid\u00a0vehicle\u00a0entry\u00a0permit, an approval e-mail from the LTA and a valid Autopass card.\nThose without the permit must apply for it on LTA\u2019s OneMotoring website two weeks before their intended travel date.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/revised-toll-charges-at-tuas-checkpoint-from-march-31"}, {"title": "Ringgit slumps to record low of 3.41 against the Singdollar", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - The Malaysian ringgit continued to weaken against the Singapore dollar and slumped to a fresh low of 3.4102 on Wednesday. Earlier in the week, it fell from 3.38 on Monday to 3.39 on Tuesday, Bloomberg data showed. The previous low of 3.3764 was seen last November. \nWith the latest drop, the Singdollar\u2019s value has increased by 4.15 per cent against the ringgit since the start of the year.  \nMaybank chief forex strategist Saktiandi Supaat said the ringgit is expected to breach a new low of RM3.45 against the Singdollar within one month if commodity prices soften further, China\u2019s economic growth slows down and the greenback\u2019s strength continues. \n\n\n\n\n\nSpeaking to The Straits Times, he said: \u201cWeaknesses in commodity prices of crude oil and crude palm oil in the light of increasing global economic concerns have likely affected sentiment towards the ringgit in recent times.\n\u201cThe strength of the US dollar on the back of either safe-haven support or the United States Federal Reserve\u2019s hawkish signals will also likely weigh on the ringgit.\u201d\nHe added that weakness in China\u2019s economy also risks weighing on the ringgit, given the large trade exposure Malaysia has to China. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn 2022, trade between Malaysia and China stood at a massive RM487.13 billion, or 17.1 per cent of Malaysia\u2019s total global trade.\n\nMr Saktiandi said the latest Malaysian export numbers resulted in a year-to-date export contraction of 2.6 per cent in the first four months of 2023, and pose downside risks for the full-year export outlook. That, too, will weigh against the ringgit, he added. \nLast November, Mr Saktiandi said the ringgit was expected to reach a low of 3.35 to 3.45 against the Singdollar if ringgit volatility increases and the Singapore dollar remains resilient.\nThe exchange rate is likely to be welcome news to Malaysians working in Singapore, and is expected to keep the demand for the ringgit strong. It could also add to the brain drain problem facing Malaysia, with more Malaysians taking up jobs in Singapore. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ringgit-slumps-to-record-low-of-341-against-the-singdollar"}, {"title": "S\u2019pore DPMs Wong and Heng send congratulatory letters to Malaysian counterparts Zahid and Fadillah", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Deputy Prime Ministers Lawrence Wong and Heng Swee Keat have sent congratulatory letters to their new Malaysian counterparts Zahid Hamidi and Fadillah Yusof.\nThe two DPMs said in the letters sent on Wednesday that they hoped to meet the Malaysian leaders soon. \nIn their letters to Datuk Seri Zahid, Mr Wong and Mr Heng congratulated him on his dual appointments as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said: \u201cCongratulations on your electoral victory in Bagan Datuk for the seventh consecutive time. It is a testament to your committed service to the constituency, even as you handle national responsibilities.\u201d\nMr Heng said in his letter: \u201cThe people of Bagan Datuk have reaffirmed their faith in you by re-electing you as their representative in the Dewan Rakyat for the seventh consecutive time.\u201d\nThe two DPMs also noted Singapore and Malaysia\u2019s deep bilateral ties and interdependent relationship, and their cooperation while weathering the Covid-19 pandemic.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Heng said: \u201cOur close cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic to protect our supply chains and to safely reopen our borders is emblematic of our interdependent relationship.\n\n\u201cI am confident that our two countries will continue to work closely together to overcome common challenges as we have always done.\u201d\nBoth Mr Wong and Mr Heng also noted the resumption of high-level visits and recent collaborations following the reopening of borders, such as the conclusion of framework agreements in emerging sectors such as digital and green economies. \nMr Heng, who is also Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, said both countries\u2019 central banks have announced plans to commence the linkage of Singapore\u2019s PayNow \u2013 which lets individuals transfer money using just a mobile number \u2013 with Malaysia\u2019s DuitNow. \n\n\n\n\n\nMr Wong said: \u201cLooking ahead, I am confident that we can explore new opportunities for collaboration.\u201d \nIn their letters to Datuk Seri Fadillah, Mr Wong and Mr Heng congratulated him on his dual appointments as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Plantation and Commodities.\n", "\nThey also congratulated him on being the first deputy prime minister from East Malaysia, and on his strong electoral victory in Petra Jaya during the Malaysia general election. \nBoth noted the close links Singapore shares with East Malaysia.\nMr Heng wrote that Singapore shares cultural, familial and economic links with Sabah and Sarawak, adding that Singapore and East Malaysia have been able to collaborate in various areas, such as the green economy, agriculture and tourism.\n\u201cThe increased air connectivity between Singapore and East Malaysian cities has also supported the growth of interpersonal and economic ties,\u201d he added.\nMr Wong noted how following the pandemic, Singapore and Malaysia \u2013 including Sabah and Sarawak \u2013 are exploring ways to expand their wide-ranging areas of collaboration, referencing the framework agreements on digital and green economies. \n\u201cI am confident that under your leadership, our two countries will bring our bilateral relationship to even greater heights,\u201d he said.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/s-pore-dpms-wong-and-heng-send-congratulatory-letters-to-malaysian-counterparts-zahid-and-fadillah"}, {"title": "S\u2019pore-listed property developer Hatten Land plans to restart work on Melaka project after years of delays", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Singapore-listed property developer Hatten Land plans to resume work by mid-2023 on a residential project in Melaka that was slated for completion in 2020.\nThe long-delayed project is at the centre of complaints by buyers and investors, who organised a protest at one of Hatten Land\u2019s developments in March.\nThe protesters were made up of a group of at least 80 people, including Singaporeans, who had bought units in several Hatten Land developments. \n\n\n\n\n\nThey held the protest on March 18 at ElementX Mall in Melaka \u2013 another Hatten Land project.\nHatten Land\u2019s delayed projects include the Harbour City development \u2013 comprising a mall, theme park and three hotel blocks, all of which were supposed to be completed in 2020. \nSo far, only 19 floors of the building have been completed, with at least 10 more to go.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpeaking to The Straits Times, several Singaporean buyers said they were unhappy with the long delay, and with being kept in the dark about the completion date while having to continue paying for their investments for about seven years since the project began sales.\n\nIt is unclear exactly how many Singaporean buyers have parted with cash for the Hatten Land project. \u00a0\nOne Singaporean investor, Mr Francis Ng, 51, said he had almost finished paying the estimated RM500,000 (S$150,800) for a unit on the 25th storey of Harbour City.\nMr Ng, who owns the popular eatery House of Seafood, said: \u201cI bought this property because it\u2019s developed by a Singapore-listed company.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nHatten Land was listed on the Catalist exchange in 2017. It functions as the property development arm of Hatten Group, and was co-founded by siblings Colin and Edwin Tan. Mr Colin Tan is the firm\u2019s chairman while Mr Edwin Tan is the deputy managing director.\nHatten Land projects, which are largely based in Melaka, include integrated residential, hotel and commercial developments.\nThe Harbour City project is undertaken by the developer\u2019s wholly owned Malaysian subsidiary, Gold Mart, and was to be built in two phases.\nThe first phase consists of Harbour City Mall and one hotel block, due for completion in 2019, while the remaining two hotel blocks fall under its second phase, which was expected to be completed in 2020.\nResponding to queries, a Hatten Land spokesman said buyers were required to pay up to 90 per cent of the cost for the construction of the project\u2019s first phase, according to their sales and purchase agreements.\n", "\nDocuments, dated 2016 and provided by Mr Ng, spelt out that the property would be delivered within four years of the date of the document, barring any causes beyond Hatten Land\u2019s control.\nThese include \u201cexceptionally inclement weather, civil commotion, strikes, lockout, an act of God, fire, flood\u201d as well as any changes that the buyer wanted to be made.\nIf Hatten Land failed to stick to the agreement, it would have to pay buyers compensation.\nThe amount would be calculated \u201cfrom day to day at the rate of 5 per cent a year on such portion of the purchase price before the goods and services tax which shall have by then been paid by the purchaser\u2026 from such due date to the date of the developer\u2019s notice\u201d.\nMr Ng said the compensation details so far have been vague.\nHowever, the Hatten Land spokesman said the firm would honour the terms in the contract and address compensation details once the certificate of completion and compliance for the delayed properties had been issued.\nHe said: \u201cWe will continue to use all reasonable endeavours to complete our projects, and similar to what we have done in the past, we will remain in close communication and engagement with affected property buyers on the updates ahead.\u201d\n", "\nMeanwhile, another investor, who wanted to be known only as Mr Wong, said he had bought a Harbour City unit for about RM530,000.\nThe 28-year-old Singaporean said his mother bought the property in his name in 2017.\nHe said: \u201cFor most of us buyers, we just want to see the properties being completed.\u201d\nHatten Land said construction for the Harbour City project started in 2016, but faced delays of about 380 days by the third quarter of 2019, leading to the dismissal of its original main contractor, China Construction Yangtze River.\nThe Hatten Land spokesman said: \u201cFollowing the termination, the contractor removed all tower cranes and safety platforms, which has complicated the resumption of construction activities for the Harbour City project.\u201d\nWhat followed was a legal battle in May 2020 between China Construction Yangtze River and Gold Mart.\n", "\nThe Covid-19 pandemic worsened delays, and Hatten Land proposed a divestment of Gold Mart and the Harbour City project with Tayrona Capital \u2013 a Singapore firm now in the process of liquidation.\nIn February 2023, a notice of termination was issued to Tayrona Capital as it had not complied with its obligations, ending its previous agreement. \nSince then, evaluation of the structural integrity of the worksite as well as the acquisition of tower cranes have been conducted, and work is slated to resume once a new contractor has been appointed.\nThe Hatten Land spokesman said: \u201cOnce the new contractor has been appointed, we will then be able to give an approximate completion date for the Harbour City project.\u201d\nHe added that the development is estimated to be completed within three years, barring unforeseen circumstances.\nBut buyers like Mr Ng and Mr Wong are not convinced.\nMr Ng said: \u201cI have no confidence in Hatten any more.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/s-pore-property-developer-plans-to-restart-construction-on-melaka-project-after-years-of-delays"}, {"title": "Singaporeans unable to use e-gate at Causeway checkpoint can get help at adjacent counter", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Singaporeans unable to register or use the e-gates at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) in Johor Bahru can seek help at the counter located next to the gates, said Malaysia\u2019s Immigration Department director-general, Datuk Ruslin Jusoh. \n\u201cFor visitors who have problems using the e-gate, immigration officers will perform their checks manually so that the next visitor can use the e-gate directly at the exit to avoid congestion,\u201d he added.\nSome Singaporeans said they encountered issues using the automated gates, which were introduced at the two land entry points in JB in January.\n\n\n\n\n\nThese travellers claimed they had followed the instructions online to register for a Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC), but realised that they were \u201cnot eligible\u201d when they checked their eligibility online or when using their passports at the e-gates.\nSingaporeans who want to utilise the e-gates require an e-passport with three months of validity and submit the MDAC online three days before travel. First-time users must also verify their biometric data at the immigration counter.\nHowever, successfully applying for the MDAC does not mean one is able to use the e-gate. Travellers can check their eligibility status for the automated gates on the MDAC website.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Ruslin told The Straits Times that his department has come across cases of visitors who could not use the e-gate because their fingerprints were not successfully registered through the system owing to poor quality of the prints. \n\n\u201cEfforts to improve the Immigration Department\u2019s operations at BSI will continue to be a priority to ensure users get the best service,\u201d he added.\nMalaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said his ministry is investigating the matter with the Immigration Department.\nHe said: \u201cFor a smoother clearance at the e-gate counters, the Immigration Department will assist and look into resolving this issue as soon as possible for the affected individuals.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nBank analyst Yang Peijun, 26, told ST she had registered for the MDAC for three trips to Malaysia but could not use the e-gates on all three occasions.\nOn one of these trips, on Vesak Day on June 2, she had to queue for six hours at the manual counter, she said.\nIn her most recent trip to JB last week, however, Ms Yang said she succeeded in applying for the MDAC and using the e-gate.\nAn administrative executive, who wanted to be known only as Mrs Koh, also entered JB during the festive weekend but decided to stick to the manual counter as she had problems using the e-gates four or five times previously and \u201cI\u2019ve since given up\u201d.\n", "\nThe 52-year-old, who lives in the west and always has her passport on standby so that she can enter JB when there is less congestion, said: \u201cMy husband and I went in after 2pm to avoid the traffic.\u201d\nMr Ryan Tan, 33, decided not to join the crowd during the long weekend after he checked his status online and found that he was not eligible to enter via the e-gate.\nThe tech consultant, who was planning to visit cafes in JB, said: \u201cI registered (to use the e-gate) thrice previously. But I don\u2019t mind going down to try again when it is less crowded.\u201d\nClose to 1.5 million travellers cleared the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints over the Vesak Day long weekend from June 1 to 4, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on June 8.\nThis is the highest number on record for a long weekend since land borders reopened between Singapore and Malaysia in April 2022.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singaporeans-unable-to-use-e-gate-at-causeway-checkpoint-can-get-help-at-counter-beside-gate"}, {"title": "\u2018The sound got louder... but it was too late to run\u2019: Family from S\u2019pore recalls horror of landslide", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - It was about 2am on Friday, and Singapore permanent resident Tee Yeow King was settling down to sleep in his tent when he heard a loud rumbling sound. \nHe knew something was terribly wrong. All he could do was rouse his wife and grab his children, and shield them with his body. \nSpeaking to The Straits Times from Hulu Yam Bharu police station in Selangor, Malaysia, Mr Tee, 37, a Malaysian sales manager, said: \u201cThe sound got louder, and it was nothing like I had heard before. It sounded like trees were being ripped apart and rocks crumbling. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThe sound seemed to be headed our way, but it was too late to run out of our tent in the dark. It all happened very quickly.\n\u201cWe were very lucky.\u201d \nThey prayed for the best while taking cover in their tent. After a few minutes, it all went quiet.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Tee and his 37-year-old Singaporean wife and two children, a son, aged seven, and a three-year-old daughter, were miraculously unhurt. \n\nAt least 21 people have so far been found dead after the deadly landslide, the Malaysian authorities said. \nThe Tees\u2019 tent at Father\u2019s Organic Farm, in Batang Kali near Genting Highlands, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, was one of two that were untouched by the landslide. \nThree other tents located at the highest level of the camping ground were flattened. \n\n\n\n\n\nThere are three levels at the campsite where visitors are allowed to pitch tents. \nMr Tee said he and his family were on holiday with some Malaysian friends. Using torchlights, they helped one family whose child was partially buried in the mud.\n\u201cWe became scared again when we heard a second loud sound,\u201d he recalled. \n", "\nBy 3am, some of the survivors, including the Tees, were evacuated to a more secure area nearby. There, paramedics examined them to see who needed urgent medical care.\nAt around 6.30am, they were taken to the Hulu Yam Bharu police station.\nThere, police officers got food for the group and shoes for those who lost them in the deadly landslide. The children were also given toys and entertained by the officers, said Mr Tee.\n", "\nA police officer from the station said: \u201cThey (Mr Tee\u2019s family) are safe and well. We require their help in making a police report before they are allowed to leave the station.\u201d \nHulu Yam Bharu police station is roughly 15km from Father\u2019s Organic Farm.\nThanking the Malaysian authorities and rescuers, Mr Tee added: \u201cTheir response was really fast, and they tried their best to help and comfort us.\u201d\n", "\nSingapore\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Friday evening that three Singaporeans were among those rescued by the Malaysian authorities. The three are Mr Tee\u2019s wife and children.\nThe Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur is in touch with the three Singaporeans, and has reached out to those who have registered with the ministry to be in Genting Highlands. \nMFA added that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan have penned condolence letters to their Malaysian counterparts.\nIn the letter to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, PM Lee said he was deeply saddened to hear of the landslide and conveyed the Singapore Government\u2019s heartfelt condolences and sympathies to all those affected, and wished the injured a swift recovery.  \n", "\nBoth PM Lee and Dr Balakrishnan thanked their Malaysian counterparts for supporting the Singaporeans affected by the landslide. \nPM Lee added: \u201cThe Singapore Civil Defence Force stands ready to assist with Malaysia\u2019s ongoing search and rescue efforts if necessary.\u201d\nMFA said the Singapore Government is closely monitoring the situation and that those in need of consular assistance may contact the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur (+60-3-2161-6277 or +60-16-661-0400), the Singapore Consulate-General in Johor Bahru (+60-7-226-5012 or +60-19-791-1166) or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Duty Office (6379-8800 or 6379-8855).\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/the-sound-got-louder-but-it-was-too-late-to-run-family-from-s-pore-recalls-horror-of-landslide"}, {"title": "Transnational syndicate scamming S\u2019poreans crippled after joint operation with Malaysia police", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - A transnational syndicate that scammed Singaporeans using fake friend calls has been crippled following a joint operation with the Malaysian police, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a release on Sunday.\nThe operation on Feb 10 was conducted by Singapore\u2019s Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) and the Royal Malaysia Police\u2019s (RMP) Johor Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), and involved raids in Johor and Singapore.\nThe syndicate is believed to be involved in more than 360 reports, with over 490 victims and total losses of more than $1.3 million.\n\n\n\n\n\nPreliminary investigations showed that the syndicate started its scam operations around December 2022. Singapore prepaid SIM cards were used to make calls to unsuspecting victims in Singapore, and the scammers pretended to be their friends and asked for money.\nThe syndicate was located after the SPF and RMP collaborated and shared critical intelligence and information on its operations and the identities of its members.\nOfficers from the Johor CCID conducted raids at three apartment complexes in Johor on Feb 10 in the joint operation, leading to the arrest of a woman and 11 men for their suspected involvement in the fake friend call scam targeting Singaporeans. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe suspects, all Malaysians, are aged between 16 and 27, and investigations are ongoing.\n\nAt the same time in Singapore, as part of the joint operation, officers from the anti-scam command, CAD and seven police land divisions arrested and/or investigated 12 men and two women for their suspected involvement in aiding the syndicate.\nThe suspects, all Singaporeans aged between 18 and 46, laundered criminal proceeds in Singapore by relinquishing\u00a0their personal bank accounts and Singpass accounts. \nInvestigations against the 14 people are ongoing.\nThe offence of facilitating unauthorised access to computer material carries an imprisonment term of up to two years, a fine, or both. \nThe offence of unauthorised disclosure of access code for any wrongful gain or unlawful purpose carries an imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both.\nCAD director David Chew said: \u201cScams are a serious and persistent crime concern. Transnational crime syndicates will adapt their approach vectors to get around the controls Singapore puts in place to prevent scammers from reaching victims in Singapore from overseas.\u201d\nHe added that the SPF will continue to work with foreign law enforcement counterparts to detect and prevent transnational syndicates from preying on Singaporeans.\n", "\nMr Chew thanked Malaysian police and Johor CCID officers for their efforts. \nThe Singapore Police advise the public to be wary of requests received through phones calls or messages, even if they appear to be from family or friends. It is important to verify with the person through physical meet-ups, video calls or e-mail to check if the request is legitimate. \nFor more information on scams, members of the public can visit www.scamalert.sg or call the Anti-Scam Hotline on 1800-722-6688.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transnational-syndicate-scamming-s-poreans-crippled-after-joint-operation-with-malaysia-police"}, {"title": "New cross-border EV charging network has more than 300 points in Malaysia", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) crossing the border can now plug into more than 300 charging points in Malaysia. \nNew EV chargers are also being added to the network in Singapore, starting with four high-speed charging points at 38 Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2. \nCharging and paying for the services on either side of the border will be done on a single smartphone application under the chargEV network. The app notifies users when a charger at their desired location becomes available.  \n\n\n\n\n\nThose driving into Singapore from Malaysia can also access the chargers here on the same platform. The platform is provided through a partnership between Yinson Green Technologies, a Malaysian company that is the majority shareholder of chargEV, and a subsidiary of LHN, a Singapore real-estate management services group. \nPricing for the service depends on factors such as the type and location of the EV chargers.  \nAt the Ang Mo Kio location, which has 150kW fast chargers, the rate is 60 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). At Komtar JBCC shopping mall in Johor Bahru, one of the closest locations in Malaysia to Singapore, using one of the two 22kW chargers costs RM2 (60 Singapore cents) for every 10 minutes. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIt is common for EV charging in Malaysia to be billed by time blocks rather than amount of electricity drawn. By end-2023, the chargEV network in Singapore will have at least five charging locations, including Kallang Bahru, Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, Mount Elizabeth Link and 43 Keppel Road. More fast chargers with dual-charging nozzles will be installed at the Ang Mo Kio location.\n\nAt the launch event on Wednesday,  LHN\u2019s spokesman said the 12 EV chargers that are currently operated by LHN will be added to the chargEV network \u201cover the next three months\u201d. LHN manages more than 70 carparks in Singapore.\nWhile the majority of chargers now on the network in Malaysia are slow chargers, those in Singapore will mostly be fast chargers to cater to commercial EV users, who need the higher speed to stay mobile.\nYinson\u2019s spokesman said the amount of time needed to charge depends on not only the charger\u2019s speed, but also how well the EV can take advantage of the charger\u2019s performance. \n", "\nThe company is part of a consortium developing a new fully electric vessel with battery-swopping technology in Singapore. Yinson said the electric vessel is on track to be launched by end-2023.\nWhile the latest venture offers sizeable coverage in terms of the number of charging points, it is not the first to offer cross-border EV charging.  \nIn April 2022, Singapore piped town gas provider City Energy launched Go, the first cross-border EV charging service that gives motorists access to a network of chargers in Singapore and Malaysia using a single smartphone app. The service now has 118 charging points across more than 50 locations in Malaysia. \nCiting commercial sensitivities, City Energy did not disclose the number of users of its service. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/new-cross-border-ev-charging-network-has-more-than-300-points-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Singapore will assess Malaysia\u2019s idea of single checkpoint clearance system when it gets proposal: ICA", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - The authorities have been studying ways to improve traveller experience at the land checkpoints, and the feasibility of Malaysia\u2019s idea for a single clearance system will be assessed when Singapore receives the proposal. \nThe Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), in response to queries, on Sunday also said several initiatives have been introduced in recent years to ease the traffic situation along the Causeway linking Singapore and Malaysia.\nThe 400m crossing is among the busiest in the world, with traffic jams known to last for hours despite taking only minutes to cross by car.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe ICA spokesman said the authority has yet to receive any proposal for a \u201csingle clearance system\u201d at the Causeway.\n\u201cIf and when we receive one, we will study its feasibility with our Malaysian counterparts,\u201d she added.\nOn Friday, Malaysian news outlet The Star reported that Malaysia has proposed the idea to allow commuters to clear Customs just once in order to ease congestion. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nOn Sunday, the ICA spokesman said six car counters were built in 2020 at each arrival and departure lorry zone at Woodlands Checkpoint to improve capacity for clearing cars.\n\nICA also commissioned 10 two-way automated lanes to replace manual counters at the Woodlands Checkpoint bus hall to allow clearance lanes to be converted flexibly for different modes of immigration clearance, based on the traffic situation.\nIn February 2022, ICA used the downtime during the Covid-19 pandemic to implement 64 additional automated gates at the immigration bus halls at both Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. \nThis allows more travellers to clear immigration through the automated lanes and more officers to be deployed dynamically to areas that require more support to manage traveller volume, the ICA spokesman said.\nShe added that Woodlands Checkpoint will also be redeveloped over the next few years, and will have more automated clearance lanes for buses, cars, motorcycles and lorries. \nShe said: \u201cThis could alleviate congestion and reduce travel time by up to 75 per cent during peak periods.\u201d \n", "\nICA will continue working with its Malaysian counterparts to improve and facilitate cross-border movement, while keeping Singapore\u2019s borders safe and secure, she added.\nSince Jan 3, ICA has taken over protective security functions at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, becoming the first responders for incidents such as bomb threats and armed assailants at both locations. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/s-pore-will-study-feasibility-of-single-clearance-system-when-it-gets-proposal-ica"}, {"title": "Tremors felt in Singapore, Malaysia after magnitude-7.3 quake near Indonesia\u2019s Sumatra", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 A 7.3-magnitude earthquake that struck west of Sumatra in Indonesia early on Tuesday morning was also felt in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia. \nThe quake hit at around 3am local time (4am Singapore time) at a depth of 84km, triggering a tsunami warning for about two hours, said Indonesia\u2019s meteorology and geophysics agency (BMKG). \nBMKG data showed that aftershocks were also detected, with one logging a magnitude of 5 on the Richter scale. \n\n\n\n\n\nThe local authorities had initially instructed residents of affected areas, including Padang in Sumatra, to move away from shores, the Indonesian media reported. \nIn Singapore, the National Environment Agency detected a 6.7-magnitude quake at 4am on Tuesday, around 620km south-west of the Republic. \nThe meteorological service division assessed that Singapore was unlikely to be affected by a tsunami that may be generated near the quake\u2019s epicentre. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Singapore Civil Defence Force said on Tuesday that two calls alerting emergency services to the tremors were made in the morning, with no injuries reported. \n\nSocial media users in Singapore and Malaysia reported feeling tremors that persisted for more than a minute and seeing \u201cswaying\u201d furniture. \n\u201cI was on the balcony (28th floor) and for a moment I thought my chair was wonky... Quite shocked and can\u2019t fall asleep any more,\u201d said one commenter responding to a thread on social media platform Reddit. \nIn Malaysia, users of Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu \u2013 from Selangor state to southern Johor \u2013 also reported being awoken by shaking, with many posting to check if other users felt a similar sensation. \n\n\n\n\n\nOne Xiaohongshu user in Johor Bahru said she felt dizzy, before concluding that the sensation was due to an earthquake after seeing the ceiling fan in her room shaking strongly. \nTremors were felt in Peninsular Malaysia, the Malaysian Meteorological Department said on Tuesday. \nThe department sought information from locals who may have felt aftershocks from the quake, adding that it did not pose a tsunami threat to the country. \nIn February 2022, there were also reports of tremors being felt in Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia after a 6.1-magnitude quake killed seven people in Sumatra, Indonesia. \nDr Aron Meltzner, a principal investigator at the Earth Observatory of Singapore, told The Straits Times it was not uncommon for earthquakes as large as Tuesday morning\u2019s to be felt in Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia.\n\u201cThe most violent vibrations may be felt only near the epicentre, but further away in Singapore, especially on higher floors, we experience the earthquake as a swaying motion, similar to being on a ship at sea,\u201d said Dr Meltzner, who also teaches at Nanyang Technological University\u2019s Asian School of the Environment.\nHe warned that Indonesia may face even larger earthquakes in the days to weeks ahead.\n\u201cEarthquakes cluster in time and space, so we should not be surprised if additional, perhaps even larger earthquakes occur in West Sumatra in the days to weeks ahead. \nBut it is not possible to predict this with absolute certainty,\u201d Dr Meltzner added. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/tremors-felt-in-singapore-malaysia-after-73-magnitude-quake-near-indonesia-s-sumatra"}, {"title": "Woman, 90, crosses the Causeway for reunion with long-lost daughter", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013  Madam Teng Ek Kiew, 90, was sitting in her wheelchair in a hotel lobby looking out on the streets of Kuala Lumpur when she was startled by someone touching her hands. When she realised it was her long-lost daughter, she grasped the woman\u2019s hands as her eyes watered.\nIt had been 58 years since she last held her daughter, Madam Hamsiah Mohamad.\nHaving reconnected in September 2022, Madam Teng and five of her six children crossed the Causeway on Dec 5 to meet Madam Hamsiah, who was given up for adoption at birth to a Malay-Muslim family in 1964.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Straits Times reported in September that Madam Teng\u2019s son, Mr Ling Kok Ong, 66, and his wife, Madam Josephine Ng, 62, tracked down Madam Hamsiah in Bukit Payong, Terengganu, with the help of the Malaysian History Association in Dungun. \nWhen asked about the reunion, the reticent Madam Teng smiled, gave a thumbs-up and said: \u201cShe\u2019s grown up to be a very good person.\u201d\nMadam Teng, a housewife and a great-grandmother, gave her daughter up for adoption when she was living in a kampung in Bukit Besi, Terengganu, about 400km from the hotel where they were reunited.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn 1964, Madam Teng, who already had five other children, gave in to a prominent Malay family in their kampung after they begged her incessantly for her newborn daughter. The family relocated to Singapore in 1969.\n\nAfter Mr Ling and Madam Ng met Madam Hamsiah on Sept 4 at a coffee shop she owns in Taman Tasek, Bukit Payong, they introduced Madam Teng to Madam Hamsiah over video calls, and the two spoke regularly.  \nAfter months of planning, the family was reunited on Dec 5 when the Ling family went on a four-day visit to Kuala Lumpur.\n", "\nMadam Hamsiah took her two children, granddaughter and other relatives to meet her biological family, while her husband stayed behind to run the coffee shop.\n\n\n\n\n\nMadam Teng, whose husband Ling Ek Koon died in 1989, praised Madam Hamsiah\u2019s cooking skills, recalling the fresh spring rolls her daughter had made for her and taken to the reunion.\nThere are now plans for Madam Hamsiah to visit Singapore after Chinese New Year. \nUntil then, the mother and daughter speak a few times a week.\n", "\nWhen ST visited Madam Teng at her Ubi flat in mid-December, her children, aged 54 to 68, arrived soon after. They visit her almost daily.\nMadam Teng received a call and beamed when she saw the name \u201cHamsiah\u201d appear on her phone.\nShe has forgotten how to speak Malay, so the conversation between her and Madam Hamsiah is translated through her children and daughter-in-law into simple English.\nOver the video call, Madam Hamsiah showed the Lings her daughter making roti canai in the kitchen, as the liveliness in the flat picked up.\nBut Madam Teng was content to sit quietly and smile as her children gathered around her phone excitedly to talk to their newfound sister and niece. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/woman-90-crosses-the-causeway-for-reunion-with-long-lost-daughter"}, {"title": "Badminton: Axelsen, Yamaguchi emerge triumphant in Malaysia", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 World No. 1s Viktor Axelsen and Akane Yamaguchi, the 2022 World Tour Finals singles champions, picked up from where they left off by winning the Malaysia Open at the Axiata Arena on Sunday.\nYamaguchi came from behind to beat South Korea\u2019s fourth-ranked An Se-young 12-21, 21-19, 21-11 in the women\u2019s singles final, while Axelsen defeated Japan\u2019s rising star Kodai Naraoka 21-6, 21-15 to retain his men\u2019s singles title.\nAxelsen, who pocketed US$87,500 (S$115,000) for clinching the season opener, reeled off nine points in a row in the first game. He then fended off Naraoka\u2019s fightback in the second game to win in 40 minutes.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFor me, it is a good thing to go in and try to play high pace consistently. Don\u2019t give him any chance, and show him that if he wants to win, he needs to work really hard,\u201d said the 29-year-old Dane, who won eight titles in 2022. \n\u201cCongratulations to Kodai for having a fantastic week, he is an upcoming player, we will see much more from him.\u201d \nIn the 2022 final, Axelsen also beat another Japanese player, former world No. 1 Kento Momota, who pulled out of this tournament with the flu.      \n\n\n\n\n\n\nWorld No. 7 Naraoka, who had also lost to Axelsen in semi-finals of the top-tier World Tour Finals in December, was playing in his first Super 1000 tournament, the second-highest tier  in Badminton World Federation World Tour events.\n\nThe 21-year-old, who had stretched Axelsen to three games with his speed a month ago, tried to overcome the Danish giant with a similar strategy.\nBut he looked drained after an exhausting campaign which saw him rack up over six hours of play in four previous matches.\nHe had beaten two home favourites, world No. 2 Lee Zii Jia and Ng Tze Yong, India\u2019s H.S. Prannoy and Thailand\u2019s ninth-ranked Kunlavut Vitidsarn en route to the final.\n\u201cThis week I played many long matches and was really tired. Axelsen\u2019s smashes were really powerful and I wasn\u2019t able to cope,\u201d said Naraoka, who received US$42,500 for finishing as runner-up.\nIn the mixed doubles final, China\u2019s world champions Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong also started 2023 the way they ended 2022 \u2013 with a title.\nThe top-ranked duo, who had also won December\u2019s World Tour Finals, defeated Japan\u2019s fourth-ranked Yuta Watanabe\u00a0and\u00a0Arisa Higashino 21-19, 21-11 for their fourth successive Malaysia Open crown.  \nThe Chinese pair, who won 10 titles in 2022, are on a 20-match winning run.\nThey  last lost to Watanabe and Higashino, who prevailed in the Japan Open semi-finals last September, but they were unable to repeat that success in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. \nChina also triumphed in the women\u2019s doubles final, with world No. 1s Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan beating South Korea\u2019s Baek Ha-na and Lee Yu-lim 21-16, 21-10. \nIndonesia claimed the men\u2019s doubles crown after top-ranked duo Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto defeated China\u2019s Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang 21-18, 18-21, 21-13. AFP\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/badminton-axelsen-yamaguchi-emerge-triumphant-in-malaysia"}, {"title": "Badminton body bans new \u2018spin serve\u2019 for May games", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A new style of launching a shuttlecock in badminton has been temporarily banned by the sport\u2019s governing body, saying that it could \u201cnegatively impact\u201d games.\nThe Badminton World Federation (BWF) said on Friday that the \u201cspin serve\u201d, which involves a player spinning the shuttlecock before serving it, was banned effective immediately until May 29.\n\u201cAny failure to adhere to the experimental variation to the law will result in a fault being called,\u201d the federation added in its statement.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe amendment to the laws of the sport now states that the server should release the shuttle \u201cwithout adding spin\u201d.\nThe temporary ban will take effect at all BWF games in May, including the Sudirman Cup Finals in Suzhou, China, and the Perodua Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur.\nBWF president Poul-Erik Hoyer said that the new serve, first seen at the Polish Open in March, was \u201cdisallowed\u201d after feedback from the sport\u2019s community.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhile welcoming players\u2019 experimentation, he said that it could potentially \u201cdisrupt competitions\u201d.\n\n\u201cBWF welcomes players creating innovation in our game and experimenting with techniques to create competitive advantage on court,\u201d he said in a statement.\n\u201cHowever, we have received several points of feedback from within the badminton community, including the BWF Athletes\u2019 Commission, expressing that this \u2018spin serve\u2019 could have a negative impact on the game.\n\u201cAn expert panel, therefore, recommended to disallow the \u2018spin serve\u2019 until further consultation could take place.\n\u201cBWF also wanted to avoid a scenario where the upcoming BWF Sudirman Cup Finals 2023 and other international tournaments could be platforms to test the new \u2018spin serve\u2019 and ultimately disrupt the competitions.\u201d\nHe added that the ban would be imposed until the federation\u2019s council meets again on May 29.\nHoyer also said the spin serve was similar to the \u201cSidek serve\u201d which was banned after the technique \u2013 which involved slicing the shuttle across its feathers \u2013 created an uproar in the early 1980s.\nBadminton Association of Malaysia secretary-general Kenny Goh felt that the new serve could \u201ckill\u201d the game.\nReceiving players would find it difficult to handle an incoming bird as the method creates \u201can irregular flight, so sometimes the feather would go in front instead\u201d, he told AFP.\nWhile agreeing with the ban for now, he said the association wanted to study the new style further. AFP, REUTERS\n", "\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/badminton-body-bans-new-spin-serve-for-may-games"}, {"title": "Badminton: Lee Zii Jia crashes out of Malaysia Open after shock first-round defeat", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Badminton\u2019s world No. 2 Lee Zii Jia suffered a shock first-round defeat against rising Japanese star Kodai Naraoka in the first upset of the season-opening Malaysia Open on Wednesday.\nNaraoka, ranked seventh in the world, downed the Malaysian star 13-21, 21-17, 21-19 in a 73-minute encounter.\nLee, the reigning Asian champion, was the clear favourite of the home fans, who chanted his name at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe two shuttlers had not met before and it was Lee who went on the offensive to take the first game.\nBut Naraoka stormed back to level the match in a hardworking performance and then sealed the victory with superior net play and by striking at the right moments.\n\u201cI have given my best but it was not enough. I have to accept this result,\u201d said Lee, who was playing in his first tournament without a coach.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThat final few points was about being confident, and he had it more than me.\u201d\n\nLee split with his Indonesian former coach Indra Wijaya in November. He said it was not the same training without a coach and that he would have to live with his decision.\nA happy Naraoka said of his win: \u201cI tried to be aggressive against him and it worked out.\u201d\nMeanwhile, Singapore\u2019s Loh Kean Yew advanced into the round of 16 after a 21-19, 23-21 win over China\u2019s world No. 20 Li Shifeng. Loh will face another Chinese rival, 12th-ranked Zhao Junpeng, next on Thursday. \nWorld champion Viktor Axelsen will face Malaysia\u2019s Liew Daren in the second round on Thursday. AFP\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/badminton-lee-zii-jia-crashes-out-of-malaysia-open"}, {"title": "Badminton: Malaysia\u2019s Lee Zii Jia into last 4 as men\u2019s seeds struggle at All England Open", "text": ["\nBIRMINGHAM - Malaysia\u2019s Lee Zii Jia may believe he is still struggling for form but the world No. 4 is the highest ranked men\u2019s player still alive at the semi-final stage of the All England Open.\nHe claimed a deciding game against Japan\u2019s Kodai Naraoka on Friday to progress to the last four in Birmingham 21-9, 10-21, 21-13. \n\u201cI\u2019m maybe at 70 per cent of my best at the moment. I\u2019m still trying to find the best version of me,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n\nHe next faces China\u2019s Shi Yuqi after the 2018 All England winner comfortably saw off compatriot Weng Hong Yang 21-9, 21-16.\nAnders Antonsen shocked world No. 3 Anthony Ginting 21-14, 9-21, 21-17.\nThe Dane will face Li Shi Feng, who saw off world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen\u2019s conqueror Ng Tze Yong 21-11, 21-11.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe top seeds have found it much smoother in the women\u2019s tournament with the semi-finals set to be contested by the top four players in the world.\n\nDefending champion Akane Yamaguchi beat China\u2019s Wang Zhiyi 21-19, 21-12 to reach the last four.\nChen Yufei awaits Yamaguchi in Saturday\u2019s semi-finals after the Olympic champion also needed just two games to see off Gregoria Mariska 24-22, 23-21.\nSouth Korean An Se-young enjoyed a walkover into the last four after illness forced Spain\u2019s Carolina Marin to withdraw.\nTai Tzu-ying completes the semi-final line-up after she saw off He Bingjiao 21-12, 21-11. AFP \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/badminton-malaysia-s-lee-zii-jia-into-last-4-as-men-s-seeds-struggle-at-all-england-open"}, {"title": "Badminton: Shi, Li set up all-Chinese All England final", "text": ["\nLONDON - Shi Yuqi sent world No. 4 Lee Zii Jia crashing out of badminton\u2019s All England Open semi-finals on Saturday to set up a title clash with fellow Chinese Li Shifeng.\nShi battled back from 14-11 down in the opening game to secure an ultimately comfortable victory, 21-19, 21-13, over Malaysia\u2019s Lee, who had been struggling for form heading into the tournament.\n\u201cThis week I learnt to believe in myself again,\u201d said Lee. \u201cI doubted myself a lot and whether I could come back again as a top player. I proved it here.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nShi is aiming to win the title for the second time after his 2018 triumph.\nLi reached his second World Tour final of the year by surviving a comeback from Denmark\u2019s Anders Antonsen to win 21-11, 19-21, 21-18.\nLi led 17-12 in the second game before Antonsen rallied to force a decider.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBut the world No. 14 secured victory with three straight points from 18-18 to book his place in Sunday\u2019s final.\n\nIn the women\u2019s event, reigning champion and world No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi was shocked by China\u2019s Chen Yufei.\nThe world champion slumped to a 21-17, 21-8 defeat in only 37 minutes as she appeared to struggle with a shoulder problem.\n\u201cI have no problem at all with my physical condition,\u201d insisted the Japanese star. \u201cShe was more in control.\u201d\nChen will take on South Korean world No. 2 An Se-young after a dramatic second semi-final against Taiwan\u2019s Tai Tzu-ying.\nAn saved four match points in a thrilling deciding game to prevail 17-21, 21-19, 24-22.\n\u201cBeing able to play in such a prestigious final at my age, it\u2019s something I can\u2019t express,\u201d said the 21-year-old Korean. AFP \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/badminton-shi-li-set-up-all-chinese-all-england-final"}, {"title": "Basketball: Singaporean banned for two years for punching ref in Malaysian pro league match", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 A Singaporean player has been banned for two years for punching a referee during a Major Basketball League (MBL) match between Singapore\u2019s Adroit and Brunei\u2019s Pegasus in Malaysia on Saturday.\nThe Singaporean side were leading 91-78 in Batu Pahat with less than 90 seconds on the clock when Adroit guard Poh Wei Hao clattered into Pegasus guard Lee Jia Jun. \nPoh, 29, was sent off after he was ruled to have committed a second flagrant foul during the game. Initially, he was seen to be walking away from the scene, before he appeared to turn back to plead his case with referee Joeseph Ho.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe official remained unmoved, and even though Poh was restrained by another referee, the player continued to remonstrate, before punching Ho in the face. \nPoh, a former Singapore Under-18 3x3 player who represented the nation at the 2011 3x3 Youth World Championships, was then held back by teammate Tim Waale.\nPlay was suspended for around 12 minutes, before the game resumed and was completed as Adroit won 93-82.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a statement on its Facebook page on Sunday, the MBL said it has suspended Poh for two years and imposed a RM10,000 (S$3,100) fine on his team.\n\nIt added: \u201cMajor Basketball League would also like to reiterate our commitment to the technical committee and will take all the necessary steps to protect the interest and safety of all referees at all times.\n\u201cOur league will not condone, accept or tolerate any ill-will and/or violent conduct of any player or team against our league-appointed referees. \n\u201cReferees, being part of basketball, must be protected and fully respected at all times.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n", "\nIn a separate MBL post on Sunday, Ho and Poh were photographed shaking hands on Saturday night after the incident was \u201cresolved peacefully\u201d. \nAdroit coach Chan Sian Gay and Poh had apologised to Ho, who \u201cwas gracious enough to accept it and let bygones be bygones\u201d, said the league in the post.\nChan told The Straits Times that the club had taken immediate action against Poh after a Zoom meeting \u2013 he has been suspended for three months and fined $5,000. He will also be sent for counselling and anger management lessons.\nHe added: \u201cWe don\u2019t condone any form of violence, and once Wei Hao punched the referee, he was in the wrong.\n\u201cAfter the incident, I asked the league organisers to arrange a meeting with the referee because I wanted Wei Hao to apologise face to face. I also apologised because I didn\u2019t take my player in hand well, and Adroit offered to pay for any form of medical expenses necessary.\n\u201cWe met the referee in a league meeting again on Friday and agreed that both parties have learnt from the incident and we should move on.\u201d\n", "\nThe MBL is a newly launched professional men\u2019s league that takes place from Nov 16 to Dec 18. \nAfter the Kuala Lumpur and Batu Pahat circuits, Adroit are third out of six teams with three wins and four losses. Johor Southern Tigers are top with six wins and one loss.\nThe third and final circuit of the regular season began in Penang on Friday and end on Sunday, after which the top four will advance to the play-off semi-finals.\nAdroit are one of Singapore\u2019s top semi-professional basketball teams. They finished second in the 2022 National Basketball League behind Eng Tat Hornets. \nTheir current roster includes numerous former Singapore Slingers players such as Wong Wei Long, Russel Low, Leon Kwek, Mitchell Folkoff, Desmond Oh, Wu Qingde and Toh Qing Huang, although they did not travel for the game against Pegasus.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/basketball/basketball-singaporean-banned-for-two-years-for-punching-ref-in-malaysian-pro-league-match"}, {"title": "Football: Birthday boy Faisal Halim bags winner as Malaysia pip Thailand 1-0", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Malaysia will take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of their Asean Football Federation Championship semi-final against Thailand in Bangkok on Tuesday after Faisal Halim\u2019s early strike earned Kim Pan-gon\u2019s side victory at the Bukit Jalil Stadium on Saturday. \nThe 2010 champions could have had a greater advantage at the end of the first leg had South Korean referee Kim Dae-yong not disallowed a second goal for the home side 10 minutes into the second half when Dominic Tan\u2019s header was ruled out.\nKim initially awarded the goal after Tan had met Lee Tuck\u2019s lofted free kick into the area only to rule there had been an infringement leading up to the goal.\n\n\n\n\n\nTelevision replays showed there had been no illegal contact but, with VAR not in use in the competition, Kim\u2019s on-field decision stood, incensing the home side.\nThe Malaysians had gone in front in the 11th minute when Faisal celebrated his 25th birthday by scuffing his volley through the legs of goalkeeper Kittipong Phoothawchuek after Ruventhiran Vengadesan\u2019s headed knock down.\nBut a minute into the second half, Teerasil Dangda almost pulled his side level when he glanced his header against the base of the post before Tan\u2019s 55th-minute header was controversially disallowed.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe winner on Tuesday will take on either Indonesia or Vietnam in the final, which will be played over two legs on Jan 13 and 16. The first leg between the pair ended in a 0-0 draw on Friday and they will meet again in Hanoi on Monday. REUTERS \n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football-birthday-boy-faisal-bags-winner-as-malaysia-pip-thailand-1-0"}, {"title": "AFF Championship: Lions crash out after losing 4-1 to Malaysia", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Singapore\u2019s AFF Championship campaign ended with a whimper on Tuesday, when they were mauled 4-1 by Malaysia in their final Group B match at the Bukit Jalil Stadium.\nAs a result, the Tigers leapfrogged their old rivals into second place to make the last four at the Lions\u2019 expense. \nMalaysia will meet Group A winners Thailand in the semi-finals, with Group B winners Vietnam facing Indonesia.\n\n\n\n\n\nPre-match, Malaysia coach Kim Pan-gon had stoked the rivalry and called Singapore\u2019s football \u201cnegative\u201d, while proclaiming his side to be \u201cproactive\u201d.\nThe 53-year-old South Korean was proven right. \n", "\nThe Lions\u2019 three changes to the starting XI that held Vietnam to a 0-0 draw last Friday \u2013 with Hafiz Nor, Song Ui-young and Amy Recha coming in for Ryhan Stewart, Faris Ramli and Ilhan Fandi \u2013 suggested Singapore coach Takayuki Nishigaya was holding back with Faris and Shawal Anuar on bench.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn comparison, the Tigers\u2019 attack on the pitch was as relentless as the Ultras Malaya\u2019s singing in the stands.\n\n", "\nNishigaya, however, insisted that it was the right tactical decision to start with Amy and use Shawal in the second half as \u201cAmy gave a good performance\u201d.\nHe added: \u201cWe wanted to play higher up the pitch in the first half but we were constantly under attack...\n\u201cWe wanted to change our defensive shape in the second half, but we couldn\u2019t do it.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t regret how we set up. We tried to attack and go for goal, but we couldn\u2019t achieve this in this game. We will definitely work to improve on our attacking plays and defensively as well.\u201d\nFrom the start, the visitors were indebted to goalkeeper Hassan Sunny who pulled off a brilliant double save from Faisal Halim and Ruventhiran Vengadesan in the ninth minute.\nEight minutes later, he came to the Lions\u2019 rescue again when he denied Faisal, who had stolen the ball from Hafiz.\nBut there was nothing Hassan could do in the 35th minute, when Shah Shahiran lost possession on the left flank, and Safawi Rasid whipped in the ball for Darren Lok to power home a near-post header.\nIn the absence of injured brothers Ikhsan and Ilhan Fandi, Singapore struggled without a target man up front.\nThey produced only two chances of note in the first half when Irfan Fandi headed wide from a corner and when Song drilled askew from a counter-attack.\nA three-minute blitz by the hosts at the start of the second half then killed off the tie and whipped the 65,147 crowd into a frenzy.\n", "\nShawal miscued Hariss Harun\u2019s clearance in the 51st minute, and England-born midfielder Stuart Wilkin pounced to thump a long shot into the bottom corner.\nThe inventive Safawi, who was lucky to escape scot-free for a first-half swipe at Shakir Hamzah, then found himself in acres of space on the right to set up Wilkin for his brace.\nIn search of a way back, Nishigaya threw Irfan forward, and it was not until the 75th minute that Singapore registered their first shot on target with Zulfahmi Arifin\u2019s free kick.\nThey did score through Faris in the 85th minute, but Argentina-born striker Sergio Aguero applied the finishing touch to a counter-attack three minutes later to record Malaysia\u2019s biggest Causeway Derby victory since the 4-0 win at the National Stadium in 2002.\n", "\nMalaysia coach Kim thanked the fans for powering his team to \u201cone of our best performances\u201d, adding: \u201cYou could see the passion, team spirit and teamwork.\n\u201cWe were highly looking forward to this match. The players had been under a lot of pressure from all quarters, including from me. \n\u201cMy demands are not easy and they suffered a lot.\n\u201cBut they are thirsty, and they want to convince the public they are good players. \n\u201cI told them they have to go through this stage to become good players, famous players, which could change their lives.\u201d\n", "\nAnalysis\nA mounting injury list \u2013 losing attackers Ikhsan, Ilhan and Adam Swandi to knee injuries on the artificial pitch at Jalan Besar Stadium \u2013 and an unfavourable fixture list of four games in 11 days will be cited as valid reasons for this failure.\nBut the post-mortem must go further than that, as the Lions struggled against Laos and what were essentially second-stringers from Myanmar, Vietnam and Malaysia.\nOf their 23-man squad, 13 are aged 30 and above, which suggests a lapse in development and rejuvenation.\nPhysical and mental fitness must also be looked at, as their rivals are often one step quicker in pace and decision making.\nMeanwhile, since their last AFF Championship triumph in 2012, the Lions have choked at the final group game for the fourth time after the 2014, 2016 and 2018 editions.\nThat solutions are not in sight is the more bitter pill to swallow.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/aff-championship-lions-crash-out-after-losing-4-1-to-malaysia"}, {"title": "AFF Championship: Malaysia\u2019s Brendan Gan back on the pitch after overcoming cancer", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Before a ball has been kicked in Tuesday\u2019s Causeway Derby, Malaysia midfielder Brendan Gan is already a winner.\nIn July 2021, he revealed his early-stage testicular cancer diagnosis, underwent surgery and treatment, and had to put his football career on hold.\nGan told the New Straits Times: \u201cIt was a shock to me... I was speechless for five to 10 minutes. I found a small lump, and I decided to investigate it. I went to a urologist, and he said everything was fine. However, I decided on getting a second opinion.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI looked after myself and stayed healthy, so it was hard. My wife and son were in Australia then. I had to go through the process myself. But the support I received from everyone was amazing.\n\u201cComing back from that, I thought it was going to be like a muscle injury, but it was a different challenge with many setbacks. It was a roller coaster emotionally and physically.\u201d\nRemarkably, less than a year later, the Selangor skipper recovered. He returned to the pitch in June and scored a brace in a 7-0 Malaysian Super League win over Sarawak.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe 34-year-old midfielder even earned a national team recall just three months later.\n\nNow, as one of their three co-captains, he is one of the first names in Tigers coach Kim Pan-gon\u2019s starting XI at the AFF Championship, in which they need to beat Singapore to progress into the semi-finals.\nInterestingly, neither Kim nor Malaysia forward Faisal Halim would comment on the inspiration they derived from Gan\u2019s experiences, while the player was not available for interview before the game.\nBut for all he has been through, winning the Asean title would surely mean the world to Gan, who was born in Sydney to a Malaysian father and Australian mother.\n\n\n\n\n\nAfter impressing for hometown team Sutherland Sharks, he turned out for Sydney FC for three seasons, playing 38 A-League matches and scoring five goals. \nHe joined Sabah in 2012 and was granted Malaysian citizenship the following year. But it was not until 2016 that he received the first of his 23 Tigers caps.\u00a0 \nHe suffered anterior cruciate ligament injuries in both knees in\u00a02015 and 2016, but Gan bounced back to help Perak win the\u00a02018 Malaysia Cup.\nHe said: \u201cMy life\u2019s story has been nothing but positives. Even the so-called \u2018negative\u2019 has given me strength and always made me find the bright side in every situation, it has built my character and tenacity to persevere through any challenge.\u201d\n", "\nGan also posted updates on his condition on his Instagram page and used his experience to encourage others. In one post, he revealed his bald head and wrote: \u201cIt\u2019s okay to be vulnerable and to feel the emotions of the process... \n\u201cPersonally, it\u2019s not about losing the hair, it\u2019s the constant reminder that cancer is real and affects many people around the world.\n\u201cDon\u2019t be embarrassed or ashamed... embrace the process and the new look that comes with it.\u201d\nWhile his team members were less open, they will surely appreciate Gan\u2019s fighting spirit on and off the field.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/aff-championship-malaysia-s-brendan-gan-back-on-the-pitch-after-overcoming-cancer"}, {"title": "AFF Championship: Of celebration, humiliation and redemption: How previous Singapore-Malaysia encounters went", "text": ["\nBUKIT JALIL \u2013 Causeway Derbies have always been intriguing encounters, but did you know Singapore are unbeaten in their last three friendlies against Malaysia, and incredibly both teams have not managed to win an AFF Championship match against the other on home soil? Here\u2019s a recap of all their AFF Championship showdowns:\nSept 1, 1996: Singapore 1 Malaysia 1 (National Stadium, Singapore)\nFandi Ahmad\u2019s 89th-minute equaliser rescued a point for the Lions in the AFF Championship\u2019s first match, but hosts Singapore failed to qualify for the semi-finals.\nAug 26, 1998: Singapore 2 Malaysia 0 (Hanoi Stadium, Vietnam)\nFirst-half goals from Rafi Ali and Ahmad Latiff Khamarudin sealed the three points as Singapore went on to clinch their first Asean title.\n\n\n\n\n\nNov 13, 2000: Singapore 0 Malaysia 1 (Tinsulanon Stadium, Thailand)\nThe Tigers had a one-point advantage going into the final Group B game and won a tense encounter through Azman Adnan\u2019s goal to progress at the expense of the Lions.\nDec 18, 2002: Singapore 0 Malaysia 4 (National Stadium, Singapore)\nThe Lions\u2019 darkest moment in the tournament\u2019s history came when they were spanked by Malaysia at the National Stadium, with Indra Putra Mahayuddin contributing a brace.\nJan 23, 2007: Malaysia 1 Singapore 1 (Shah Alam Stadium, Malaysia)\nJan 27, 2007: Singapore 1 Malaysia 1 (National Stadium, Singapore)\nThe old foes met in the semi-finals for the only time in this competition and incredibly scored at around the same time in both legs, with Singapore requiring equalisers on both occasions before winning 5-4 on penalties. The Lions went on to claim their third title.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNov 25, 2012: Malaysia 0 Singapore 3 (Bukit Jalil Stadium, Malaysia)\nThe Lions avenged their 2002 humiliation with a virtuoso performance by skipper Shahril Ishak, who netted a double as they gave coach Radojko Avramovic the perfect farewell gift with their fourth title and a record third under the Serb.\n\nNov 29, 2014: Singapore 1 Malaysia 3 (National Stadium, Singapore)\nSingapore needed only a point to advance to the last four, but Malaysia had other ideas. A controversial penalty was converted in added time to give the visitors the lead before Indra Putra, 12 years after scoring twice at the old National Stadium, sent the ball into an unguarded goal after custodian Hassan Sunny had joined the search for an equaliser.\u00a0\u00a0\nRecent friendlies\nOct 7, 2016: Singapore 0 Malaysia 0 (National Stadium, Singapore)\nKhairul Amri struck the bar and Hariss Harun\u2019s\u00a0follow-up hit the woodwork again, as both teams played out a stalemate.\nMarch 20, 2019: Malaysia 0 Singapore 1 (Bukit Jalil Stadium, Malaysia)\nFaris Ramli calmly slotted in a late winner from a brilliant Amri through pass in Nazri Nasir\u2019s debut as national caretaker coach.\nMarch 26, 2022: Singapore 2 Malaysia 1 (National Stadium, Singapore)\nThree Fandi brothers \u2013 Irfan, Ikhsan and Ilhan \u2013 shared the pitch in national colours for the first time and Ikhsan marked the occasion with a brace. The Kosovo-born Liridon Krasniqi scored his first goal for Malaysia, while Safawi Rasid crashed a penalty off the bar.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/aff-championship-of-celebration-humiliation-and-redemption-how-previous-singapore-malaysia-encounters-went"}, {"title": "AFF Championship: Salvos fired ahead of Causeway Derby", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The match takes place on Tuesday night, but the mind games between arch-rivals Malaysia and Singapore were well and truly under way on Monday.\nAt the pre-match press conference ahead of their crucial AFF Championship Group B match, the claws were bared soon after both coaches had extended the customary New Year greetings.\nWhen Malaysia coach Kim Pan-gon was asked if he felt Takayuki Nishigaya\u2019s Singapore are a different side to interim coach Nazri Nasir\u2019s Lions who beat his team 2-1 in March, he said \u201cno\u201d. \n\n\n\n\n\nHe added: \u201cThey are quite negative-playing, reactive-playing, they care more about defending and counter-attacks. \n\u201cThis is not about team levels, but the style of approach to win is different. \n\u201cWe want to be proactive, we want to dominate games, we want to be energetic, dynamic to achieve winning, so we are different. Singapore have their own style, which we fully respect and will approach properly.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPhilosophy and approach were the hot-button topics of the day as Singapore need only a point to go through to the semi-finals, while Malaysia need to win to advance at the Lions\u2019 expense.\n\nPerhaps, Kim, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the villain Jang Deok-su in Netflix\u2019s hit series Squid Game, was trying his best at mind games to ensure his team\u2019s survival in the tournament, for he doubled down on his assessment of the Lions later.\nReferring to Vietnam\u2019s 3-0 win over his team and 0-0 draw with Singapore, the 53-year-old said: \u201cWe could drop down, be negative, step back and look for their mistake to score a goal. Maybe we can have a higher percentage to draw (against Vietnam), but never we will improve.\n\u201cWe may get one point but... if we are looking at the big picture, we have to approach properly, confidently and bravely like what we did before against other teams.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cAgainst Vietnam we did the same quite successfully, but we paid (the price) as well, so the situation is difficult. But the players did a great job, so I encourage them to keep it up. \n\u201cEven though we lost, the citizens will support us if we show them our passion and emotion. Don\u2019t be afraid, just move forward.\n\u201cAfter the Vietnam game, I am more confident in our players now, expecting we will have a good game to deliver to the citizens tomorrow.\u201d\nNot to be outdone, Nishigaya also attempted to heap pressure on Malaysia by noting that the hosts had one week\u2019s recovery after their last game against Vietnam, while Singapore had only four days and had to travel up north. He added that they will also have the home crowd behind them at the 87,000-capacity stadium.\nThe 49-year-old Japanese disagreed that his team play negatively, and said: \u201cWe have kept two clean sheets because our players are understanding the concepts better and are improving every day. This is a huge tournament for us, and our players\u2019 commitment, motivation and concentration levels are very high.\n\n\u201cOf course, we have to play according to situations in every match, but our style of play doesn\u2019t change: As much as possible, we like to attack the opponents\u2019 goal.\u201d\n", "\nInterestingly, Malaysia fielded attacker Faisal Halim at the press conference while Singapore brought defender M. Anumanthan.\nThe Singaporean, a doppelganger of Canadian rapper Drake, coolly asserted: \u201cWe are going out there to get the three points, and we have a goal in mind, which is to qualify.\n\u201cSingapore versus Malaysia was always a match we enjoy watching growing up, and look forward to as players as well. \n\u201cWe enjoy playing in front of a large crowd, and we are relaxed and ready.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/aff-championship-salvos-fired-ahead-of-causeway-derby"}, {"title": "AFF Championship: Where the battle could be won or lost as Singapore take on Malaysia", "text": ["\nDominic Tan, 25 (13 caps, 0 goals) v Shawal Anuar, 31 (24 caps, 6 goals)\nBorn in Singapore to Malaysian parents, Tan could well have been lining up alongside his Singapore Sports School batchmate Irfan Fandi in the Lions\u2019 defence.\nBut the 1.83m centre back, who has played in Malaysia, Portugal and Thailand, chose the Tigers instead and will aim to use his strength and technical ability to shut out the Lions. Malaysia have kept clean sheets in eight of his 13 appearances.\nAs Singapore\u2019s strikeforce dwindles by the week, Shawal is one of three recognised forwards left after Ikhsan and Ilhan Fandi suffered serious injuries. The nippy and street-smart attacker is in superb form, scoring in four of his last five appearances, in which the Lions were unbeaten.\n\n\n\n\n\nMukhairi Ajmal, 21 (6 caps, 0 goals) v Shah Shahiran, 23 (11 caps, 1 goal)\nBoth sides\u2019 future midfield stars have come to the fore at this tournament. The stout but pacy Mukhairi has good game awareness and also does the dirty work of closing down opponents to regain possession.\nShah is more waifish but equally tenacious and also reads the game well on top of being a good passer. Against Myanmar, he showed that he is not shy to shoot from range \u2013 a quality the Lions have lacked recently \u2013 as he scored in the 3-2 win.\nSafawi Rasid, 25 (46 caps, 18 goals) v Christopher van Huizen, 30 (12 caps, 0 goals)\nSafawi, an inverted winger, typically plays on the right and cuts in to wreak havoc with his left foot. And while the last edition\u2019s joint-top scorer (four goals) is on a barren run of seven games \u2013 his longest international goal drought \u2013 he still contributed three assists in this period.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nVan Huizen, who plays as a left wing back, will have to be careful not to leave gaps while going forward to augment the Lions\u2019 attack. Despite coming back from six years in the international wilderness, he has been in great form in this tournament, producing one assist and several crucial tackles.\n\nHowever, he must avoid giving away free kicks as Safawi is a strong set-piece exponent who can explode even if Malaysia have not scored from one in their last three games.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/aff-championship-where-the-battle-could-be-won-or-lost-as-singapore-take-on-malaysia"}, {"title": "Football: Baihakki apologises for footage of him laughing after Lions\u2019 loss to Malaysia", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 Former Lions defender Baihakki Khaizan has apologised for footage that showed him smiling and laughing after Singapore\u2019s 4-1 defeat by Malaysia on Tuesday in the AFF Championship.\nDuring the live broadcast, the camera had zoomed in on the VIP section at Kuala Lumpur\u2019s Bukit Jalil Stadium, where Baihakki was seated with Malaysia fans.\nThe video led to criticism of Baihakki, who retired in Feb 2022 and is now the lead of special projects and ambassador with the Football Association of Singapore, with some supporters expressing their unhappiness on his various social media platforms.\n\n\n\n\n\nShortly after the game, which saw Malaysia leapfrog Singapore in Group B and qualify for the semi-finals, Baihakki, 38, posted on Facebook saying he was sorry for \u201cthe incident\u201d. \nHe explained that the broadcast had unfortunately panned to him as he was laughing at a \u201cnon-football related joke\u201d with the people around him.\n\u201cHow I wish the camera showed the times I smashed the bottle when the goals went in,\u201d he lamented. He added, \u201cHowever, I\u2019m sorry for the misunderstandings.\u201d \n\n\n\n\n\n\nBaihakki has won three AFF Championship titles with the national team, and the Malaysia Super League title with the LionsXII in 2013. He has also played overseas in Indonesia, Thailand and for Johor Darul Ta\u2019zim in Malaysia.\n\n", "\nBaihakki later posted a second apology, this time a one-minute video on Instagram.\n\u201cI apologise to those who misinterpreted (it). It was not meant to (be) laughing at anybody,\u201d he said. \u201cI wanna be the bigger person here, to actually apologise to all of you and hopefully we are all on the same page.\u201d \n\u00a0\u201cSometimes I think you are just unlucky, being in the wrong place at the wrong time,\u201d he added. \u201cBut that\u2019s alright, it\u2019s okay, as long as we know, that these are mistakes that hopefully we can avoid next time.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-baihakki-apologises-for-footage-of-him-laughing-after-lions-loss-to-malaysia"}, {"title": "Football: Malaysia on the rise again but is this a new or false dawn?", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 There are always fireworks at a Causeway derby between Singapore and Malaysia, but last Tuesday\u2019s encounter at the Asean Football Federation Championship also reflected a contrast in football fortunes for both teams. \nAt the final whistle, the Tigers and their fans among the 65.147-strong crowd at Bukit Jalil stadium were roaring after a 4-1 win \u2013 their first against Singapore at home in the AFF Championship \u2013 while the Lions exited the tournament with a whimper. \nMalaysia are now one step from the final after defeating six-time champions Thailand 1-0 in the first-leg semi-final in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, and will travel to Bangkok for the second leg on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\nWith the wins coming on the back of their first Asian Cup qualification since 1980, how did Malaysia turn things around from the low of 2015, when they lost 10-0 to the United Arab Emirates in a World Cup qualifier?\nBreeding the Harimau Muda\nAimed at developing young Malaysian footballers, the Young Tigers were founded in 2007 and mostly comprised emerging players from the Bukit Jalil Sports School and Under-21 players from state teams.\nWhile they were almost dissolved after finishing eighth in the second-tier Malaysia Premier League, they made full use of a reprieve to win the title in 2009, and added back-to-back SEA Games gold medals in 2009 and 2011. To avoid league and international schedule conflict, B and C teams were formed.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTheir A team went to play in the Slovak First League in 2010, which former Hougang United coach Clement Teo felt was Malaysia football\u2019s turning point.\n\nHe said: \u201cIt is no secret that football in this region is not as intense as it is in Europe, and the young Malaysians were exposed to faster and more physical competition, and they benefited immensely from that.\u201d\n\nHowever, New Straits Times reporter K. Rajan called it a false dawn, as all three teams closed in 2015 and players were released back to clubs.\nHe said: \u201cAfter some initial success, many of the players could not reach their full potential. They returned to play in the Malaysia Super League and failed to make an impact and the national team did not make a further step up after that.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\nSuper club Johor DT\nIn 2012, the Crown Prince of Johor (TMJ) Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim was appointed president of the state\u2019s football association and swiftly moved to revamp Johor football.\nHis bottomless pockets meant no resources were spared to improve Johor Darul Takzim\u2019s (JDT) players, backroom staff and facilities. Lured by bumper five-figure monthly salaries, the best local players were amassed by the super club, as they became teammates with foreign stars such as Argentina\u2019s Pablo Aimar and Dani Guiza.\nAs a result, JDT have won nine consecutive MSL titles since 2014, won Asia\u2019s second-tier AFC Cup in 2015 before making it to the round of 16 in the top-tier AFC Champions League in 2022.\nThey also have three other teams in the lower divisions for a solid development pipeline.\nRajan said: \u201cWith TMJ investing significant money and resources, JDT have played their part in raising the standard and prestige of football in Malaysia, with the only issue being the uneven playing field compared to the other clubs.\u201d\n", "\nPrivatisation\nIndeed, with many other Malaysian teams predominantly funded by the respective states, there was a limit to the players they could attract.\n\nPrivatisation was mooted as the solution to create professional and commercially viable clubs, and the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership was created in 2015 to own and operate the top two tiers. By the end of 2020, all clubs had completed the initial privatisation process.\nStuart Ramalingam, Football Association of Malaysia\u2019s general secretary from 2018 to 2021 and now CEO of the Malaysian Football League, told Nikkei Asia: \u201cThis exercise is to unchain local football from governments as the plug of funding from government can be pulled at any time.\n\u201cState involvement in a private club is not wrong in itself. It is the mismanagement we have to avoid. We need accountability, transparency and responsibility and this will attract outside investment.\u201d\nJDT technical director Alistair Edwards felt that privatisation would spur clubs to be more enterprising and move away from a \u201chandout mentality\u201d, adding that \u201cwe need professionals to be involved in running clubs and not politicians\u201d.\n", "\nNaturalisation of players\nAfter losing a World Cup qualifier to Singapore in 2011, then Malaysia captain Safiq Rahim reportedly said the Lions were very reliant on their naturalised players and not much of a team without them.\nMore than a decade on, the tables have turned. Since 2013, the side have actively recruited foreign-born players to widen their talent pool.\nDuring training, the usual smattering of Malay chatter has been replaced by banter with heavy English and Australian accents, and in their drubbing of Singapore, all three scorers \u2013 Darren Lok, Stuart Wilkin (both England) and Sergio Aguero (Argentina) \u2013 are foreign-born.\nIn their current AFF Championship squad, six have Malaysian heritage, while England-born Lee Tuck and Aguero were naturalised without any Malaysian ties. The advantage of players with local heritage is they do not have to fulfil the five-year residency rule to switch nationalities and have a longer runway in the national team.\nWith a host of first-choice national players withdrawing from the squad, they actually have at least a dozen other foreign-born Tigers waiting in the wings.\nFormer Malaysia coach B. Sathianathan told The New Straits Times: \u201cThese naturalised players will bring back interest in the national team. When you have negative results, it does little to boost football.\u201d\n", "\nFinding the right coach\nMalaysia have not cracked the world\u2019s top 140 national teams in the past decade, and even slipped to their worst ranking of 178th in 2018. The Harimau Malaya are now 145th, 15 spots above the Lions.\nRajan felt that while the talent pool has increased in recent years, it has not yielded an end product. \nHe noted: \u201cFAM decided to go for foreign coaches as local coaches struggled after initial success. \n\u201cNow, they have found a good candidate in Kim Pan-gon because he seems to have improved from his stint with Hong Kong, done his homework and quickly adapted to the Malaysia style while implementing his own ideas and philosophy of proactive football.\u201d\nKim has the statistics to back him up. Since taking over in 2022, the 53-year-old has led Malaysia to 10 wins and three draws in 15 games, which is an unprecedented record for coaches who have been in charge of more than 10 matches.\n", "\nNew dawn?\nThe wheels look to be in motion for a Malaysia football resurgence, with a multi-pronged approach to fix issues simultaneously.\n\nIn 2014, the National Football Development Programme, a long-term plan to raise Malaysia football levels, promote and develop the sport nationally, was launched.\n\nIt was intended to have two phases from 2014 to 2020 and 2021 to 2030 focused on increasing participation and competition for young players, improving coaching and facilities, and developing the ecosystem, among others. \nLater on, another F:30 road map was launched in 2018 with the aim of propelling Malaysia, now 25th on the continent, into Asia\u2019s top five by 2030. \nBut with Malaysia hitting setbacks previously, Rajan remained cautious, saying: \u201cThe lows we went through were the much-needed wake-up call, but it birthed something great, which is football activism, as fans became more organised and vocal in demanding changes, and kudos to FAM for waking up and trying to fix things. It took ownership of the failures and football culture is starting to thrive again here.\n\n\u201cBut hold your horses, for the jury is still out on whether this is a new or false dawn. Malaysia football is still very fragile at the moment as it goes through a reset. Any mis-step, and we can crash again.\u201d\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-malaysia-on-the-rise-again-but-is-this-a-new-or-false-dawn"}, {"title": "Football: Thailand fight back to beat Malaysia in AFF Championship semi-finals", "text": ["\nBANGKOK \u2013 Following their 1-0 home win over Thailand over the weekend, Malaysia coach Kim Pan-gon had belief his players could beat the Thais again in the second leg of the Asean Football Federation Championship semi-finals at the Thammasat Stadium on Tuesday.\nBut it was not to be, as they lost 3-0 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate to crash out of the competition, missing their chance to win their first title since 2010.\nSix-time winners and reigning champions Thailand will next face Vietnam in the first leg of the final in Hanoi on Friday.\n\n\n\n\n\nKim had said before the match: \u201cWe are ready and fully confident to play Thailand. Defending champions Thailand are the strongest team in the region. We respect them. But we will give a strong fight. We will try our best.\u201d\nThe Thais indeed started the game the stronger, as Peeradol Chamrasamee had a shot blocked as early as the ninth minute, before Theerathon Bunmathan\u2019s strike from outside the box seven minutes later was saved. \nThey broke the deadlock in the 19th minute, Teerasil Dangda scoring with a header from a cross by Theerathon. In a half dominated by the Thais, Malaysia had their first shot only in the 36th minute as Darren Lok\u2019s header was saved.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Malaysians made two changes after the break, V. Ruventhiran replacing Hakim Hassan and Lee Tuck coming in for Mukhairi Ajmal, hoping to improve things.\n\nThailand\u2019s Adisak Kraisorn was also a second-half substitute for Teerasil.\nThe home side started the second half the way they began the first, with quick-fire attempts by Suphanan Bureerat and Sarach Yooyen blocked and missed in the 53rd minute.\nTwo minutes later, Bordin Phala made it 2-0 to Thailand as his shot hit the bottom left corner of the net after the Malaysians failed to clear a free kick.\nAdisak\u2019s goal from close range in the 71st minute then ensured there was no way back for Malaysia. \nKim\u2019s Tigers had just 37 per cent possession and two shots on target against the War Elephants\u2019 seven.\nThailand will be encouraged by the way they fought back to clinch the tie as they head into the title-decider against Vietnam, who are seeking to win their third title.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-thailand-fight-back-to-beat-malaysia-in-aff-championship-semi-finals"}, {"title": "Football: Vietnam show title credentials with 3-0 win over Malaysia", "text": ["\nHANOI \u2013 Taking pride of place in Vietnam coach Park Hang-seo\u2019s trophy cabinet is the prestigious Heungin Medal, which was awarded by South Korea President Yoon Suk-yeol earlier in December for promoting friendship with Vietnam. \nBy the middle of January, there could be another medal to savour for the 65-year-old South Korean tactician, who will be leaving his post after a highly successive stint with Vietnam that began in 2017.\nThe Golden Star Warriors sent a signal of their Asean Football Federation Championship title credentials with a 3-0 win over Malaysia at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on Tuesday.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe result took the 2018 champions to the top of Group B with a maximum six points from two matches, with nine goals scored and none conceded.\nPark\u2019s team went ahead in the 28th minute when Nguyen Tien Linh beat Brendan Gan to head home a corner by Do Hung Dung.\nFive minutes later, things appeared complicated for Vietnam when Nguyen Van Toan, who came into the side in place of 2018 AFF Championship Player of the Tournament Nguyen Quang Hai, was shown a second yellow card.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHis second booking came after he impeded Dominic Tan\u00a0to prevent a Malaysian counter-attack.\n\nWhile that did not immediately stop Vietnam\u2019s momentum as goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi denied Ho Tan Tai a chance to double Vietnam\u2019s advantage, it was Malaysia who ended the half stronger.  \nGoalkeeper Dang Van Lam twice foiled Mukhairi Ajmal, who was one of just three players retained from the Malaysia side that defeated Laos 5-0 last Saturday. The others were Faisal Halim and Sharul Nazeem.\u00a0\nBut the game slipped out of Harimau Malaya\u2019s reach when fullback Azam Azmi\u00a0was shown a straight red card and conceded a penalty in the 64th\u00a0minute.\nQue Ngoc Hai made no mistake from the spot.\nWith the teams level on 10 men, but Vietnam two goals to the good, Park\u2019s side delivered the goal of the night seven minutes from time.\n", "\nQuang Hai, who plays in France\u2019s second-tier league for Pau, came off the bench to\u00a0deliver a delightful no-look reverse pass for Nguyen Hoang Duc to latch onto and dink over an on-rushing Syihan. \nDespite the loss, Kim Pan-gon\u2019s Malaysia remain in the hunt for a semi-final spot. \nLike Vietnam and Singapore, they are on six points but have played a game more than their Group B rivals. Myanmar and Laos have no points after two and three matches respectively.\nThey will have to beat the Lions in a Causeway Derby at Bukit Jalil Stadium next Tuesday to remain in contention. \nBefore that, Vietnam will travel to Singapore to take on the Lions at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-vietnam-show-title-credentials-with-3-0-win-over-malaysia"}, {"title": "Football: Wounded Lions still have bite for AFF Championship", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 Faris Ramli fondly remembers playing in a packed Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur with most of the 80,000-strong crowd cheering for Kelantan and jeering his LionsXII side, making it almost impossible to hear his teammates on the pitch as both teams battled in the 2015 Malaysia FA Cup final.\nThe 30-year-old smiled as he recalled how he shushed the packed stadium when he opened the scoring in the seventh minute \u2013 latching onto Izzdin Shahfiq\u2019s through ball, rounding the goalkeeper and slotting into the corner \u2013 before the LionsXII went on to win 3-1.\n\u201cIt is all about focus, composure and enjoying the moment,\u201d said the winger, who was part of the all-Singaporean underdog side who became the first foreign team to lift the trophy.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFootballers should live to play in front of crowds like these. For us, such opportunities are uncommon, so we should embrace the occasion and channel it into positive energy.\u201d\nOn Tuesday, Faris is hoping to repeat the winning feat when Malaysia host Singapore in their do-or-die Asean Football Federation (AFF) Championship final Group B match at the same venue.\nThird in the group and one point behind the second-placed Lions, the Harimau Malaya need to win to force themselves into the top two and the semi-finals, while Singapore need only a draw to progress.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDespite losing key strikers and brothers Ikhsan (33 caps, 17 goals) and Ilhan Fandi (eight caps, two goals) to knee injuries, leaving just Shawal Anuar, Amy Recha and Faris, Singapore coach Takayuki Nishigaya is adamant he still has enough firepower in his squad.\n\nHe said: \u201cYes, we lost quite a few players, but we have other good players in the squad and players who can play in multiple positions, so we will manage.\u201d\nFaris pointed out that just like how they have been defending well as a team, other players have contributed goals with midfielder Shah Shahiran netting against Myanmar and defender Irfan Fandi scoring against Laos.\nHe added: \u201cOur motto has always been \u2018one team, one strong\u2019 and we showed that in our past three games. Yes, we are sad to see injuries to our teammates, but we also have to move on and continue to fight for the results we want.\u201d\n", "\nIt has been a difficult season for Faris. After grabbing 17 goals and eight assists in 27 games and winning the 2019 Player of the Year award with Hougang United, his output dipped to 12 goals and 16 assists in 60 games for Terengganu and Lion City Sailors in the next three seasons, and he was released by the Sailors.\nBut the clubless Faris has a new-found calm, saying: \u201cUsually, this would be a worrying situation, but I feel I have done well to overcome a heel injury at the start of the season to end strong (four goals and seven assists in his last 10 league games).\n\u201cOne door closes but another one will open, and I\u2019m looking forward to a new challenge.\u201d\nSimilarly, Singapore\u2019s injury woes could pave the way for midfielder Song Ui-young to be more involved in this tournament in an advanced role and add to his 15 caps and three international goals.\nThe 29-year-old has played just 101 minutes in this tournament as he is working his way back from a quadriceps injury. But he does have experience playing as a false nine at club level, memorably scoring 20 goals in 27 games for Home United in 2018. Song also had a good scoring season for the Sailors in 2022 with 16 goals in 31 games. \nThe South Korea-born player said: \u201cIt was not easy to be out for two months with the injury, but I\u2019m back and I feel strong and ready to help the national team now in any way possible.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-wounded-lions-still-have-bite-for-aff-championship"}, {"title": "I fell in love with diving but never knew it would change my life: Malaysian star Pandelela", "text": ["SINGAPORE \u2013 When Malaysian diving queen Pandelela Rinong was a young girl, home was a small house in a rural village called Kupuo Jugan situated in the heart of Bau, Sarawak.Plucked from obscurity at just eight, Pandelela has gone on an inspiring journey in the last decade \u2013 becoming the first Malaysian woman to win an Olympic medal, on top of Commonwealth and SEA Games golds."], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/i-fell-in-love-with-diving-but-never-knew-it-would-change-my-life-malaysian-star-pandelela"}, {"title": "Lee Chong Wei\u2019s Hall of Fame induction reaffirmed by BWF, Malaysian sports minister", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 The Badminton World Federation (BWF) defended its decision to induct former Malaysian star Lee Chong Wei into its Hall of Fame, after the selection was met with disapproval by 2004 Athens Olympic gold medallist Taufik Hidayat. \nBoth Lee and Chinese legend Lin Dan were inducted into the BWF Hall of Fame on May 26 for their achievements and contributions to the sport. Lee, 40, won 47 Super Series or BWF World Tour titles during his 19-year career. \nHe also reached three consecutive Olympic finals from 2008 to 2016 and holds the record for being ranked world No. 1 for more than 300 weeks (349). Lin, 39, meanwhile, is a two-time Olympic gold medallist and five-time world champion, and a worthy inductee in Taufik\u2019s eyes.\n\n\n\n\n\nHowever, the Indonesian former two-time world and Asian Games champion took to social media last week to question Lee\u2019s induction, saying: \u201cIn competition, what\u2019s taken into account is who is champion, not who is most (consistent). Also, it\u2019s not about who is longest in the No. 1 spot. Between winning 10 silver and only one gold, which would you choose?\u201d\nOn Sunday, the BWF responded saying that the inductees met the \u201cselection criteria\u201d.\n\u201cOn recommendation from the BWF Awards Commission, the Council endorsed the nominations of Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei for the Hall of Fame as per the selection criteria outlined in the awards regulations,\u201d BWF secretary-general Thomas Lund was quoted as saying in the New Straits Times.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cBoth are worthy recipients of the accolade for their outstanding contributions to badminton beyond the confines of the court over a significant period of time.\n\n\u201cBWF recognises the achievements and contributions of many legends of the sport and looks forward to inducting more champions into the BWF Hall of Fame in the coming years.\u201d\nMalaysia\u2019s Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh also chimed in with support, citing BWF\u2019s data and statistics as basis for Lee\u2019s inclusion into the federation\u2019s hallowed walls, The Star reported.\n\u201cI was there when he (Chong Wei) received the award and the recognition with Lin Dan. If we look at the data and statistics, I believe the BWF had strong reasons before it gave the recognition. Besides, we are really proud of Lee Chong Wei\u2019s achievements,\u201d she said.\nAmong the selection criteria stated in the BWF awards regulations are exceptional results and achievements over a full playing career, significant contribution to the sport beyond performances on court, an exemplary role model, and the nominee must have retired from international badminton competition or not been a significant factor on the international circuit for a period of three years or more.\nLast Friday, when contacted by Bernama about Taufik\u2019s remarks, a \u201csurprised\u201d Lee had urged him to seek clarification from the BWF.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/lee-chong-wei-s-hall-of-fame-induction-reaffirmed-by-bwf-sports-minister"}, {"title": "Malaysia badminton ace Lee Zii Jia looks for success after turbulence", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 For Malaysian badminton fans starved of success after Lee Chong Wei\u2019s retirement, Lee Zii Jia is their beacon of hope.  \nAlready an All England and Asian Championships winner, he reached a career-high of world No. 2 on Oct 25, 2022. \nFor naysayers, he is a pretender to the throne, after failing to get past the first two rounds in seven out of nine tournaments in 2023, including the ongoing Singapore Badminton Open as his ranking slipped to 10th.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe real Lee, however, is a passionate man who is finding ways to succeed in the uber-competitive badminton scene.\nSoft-spoken and thoughtful during an interview with The Straits Times here, he said: \u201cTo become a top player, there will be ups and downs and this is a journey I have to go through.\n\u201cThe time and path taken to get there differs \u2013 some reach the top faster, others take longer.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThen, with a steely resolve, he added: \u201cI believe after a storm, there will always be a rainbow. Therefore, I persist and persevere.\u201d\n\nFor someone who is still only 25, he has been through many storms since his parents introduced him to badminton when he was six.\nAt 18, he won the boys\u2019 singles bronze at the 2016 World Junior Championships, followed by his first senior title at the Polish Open in 2017.\nHis upward trajectory continued with the 2018 Chinese Taipei Open and 2019 SEA Games triumphs before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.\n\n\n\n\n\nWhen tournaments resumed in 2021, Lee was handed a show cause letter by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) for his poor start to the year.\nIn his quest to regain his winning form, he skipped Chinese New Year celebrations in his Alor Setar home town to train on his own at the Akademi Badminton Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.\n", "\nHis reward was the gleaming All England Open trophy, which brought more sponsorships, as well as scrutiny.\nCiting the pressure and \u201cregimented lifestyle\u201d, Lee parted ways with the BAM to play independently in January 2022 and was branded a traitor by some.\nHe was even suspended from competing for two years, although the ban was quickly reversed.\nHe told ST: \u201cThe good thing about being an independent player is I can be in control of my plans. But the pressure is also greater because I don\u2019t have that shield and support system any more. If anything goes wrong, I will feel the full brunt of the impact now.\n\u201cThis is a new experience and it is tough and tiring. I\u2019ve been through quite a bit and I\u2019ve learnt a lot.\u201d\n", "\nWhile his decision appeared to reap rewards after he won the 2022 Asian Championships title, controversy continues to plague him.\nThere is the threat of legal action after his former coach Indra Wijaya claimed their November 2022 split constituted unfair dismissal.\nIn May, Lee\u2019s hiring of compatriot and Hong Kong national men\u2019s singles coach Wong Tat Meng upset  Hong Kong player Angus Ng, who was unhappy that the move happened so close to the Asian Games.\nWhen told how his friend and Singapore\u2019s world No. 5 Loh Kean Yew, the 2021 world champion, recently admitted badminton now feels more like work owing to the pressure, Lee laughed and nodded.\nHe said: \u201cIn this era of social media... it is impossible to run away from reading news about yourself.\n\u201cOnce you have some status and results, you will have to carry the weight of expectations... we have to see how we can embrace it and turn it into motivation.\u201d\nThe duo have remained friends since they competed on the junior circuit in Malaysia. \nHe added: \u201cI\u2019m jealous Kean Yew became world champion at such a young age, and he may also covet my All England Open and Asian Championships titles, but to me, the world championships and Olympic gold are the so-called big ones.\n\u201cThe short-term goals are to stabilise my performances, establish good rapport with my coach and return to the top five. And then, of course, I want to make an impact at the world champs and Olympics.\u201d\nHe received a boost when he became one of 15 athletes in their government\u2019s Road to Gold project, which aims to deliver Malaysia\u2019s first Olympic gold at Paris 2024. He  hopes to get funding to hire more quality sparring partners and train abroad regularly.\n\u201cOn their day, anybody can beat anyone. Whoever can grab hold of the opportunity, can become a champion. I want to be ready for that.\u201d\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/malaysia-badminton-ace-lee-zii-jia-looks-for-success-after-turbulence"}, {"title": "Malaysia\u2019s Lee Zii Jia quits badminton competitions temporarily", "text": ["\nPETALING JAYA - Malaysia\u2019s independent player Lee Zii Jia has decided to take a break from badminton temporarily after a first-round defeat, this time at the Indonesia Open in Jakarta on Wednesday.\nThe world No. 11 suffered a 21-17, 21-13 defeat to Lakshya Sen of India in just 33 minutes in his opening round.\nLee, who also lost in the first round of the Singapore Open last week, did not specify how long he will be out but felt the break is necessary to return stronger.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s quite tough for me today and Lakshya played a good game. I just want to take a break,\u201d said Lee after his defeat.\nIt was the seventh time in nine tournaments that Lee has lost in the preliminary rounds of the Badminton World Federation tour this year.\nMeanwhile, Singapore\u2019s top badminton player Loh Kean Yew will take on China\u2019s All England Open champion and 10th-ranked Li Shifeng in the round of 16 on Thursday, after beating Indonesia\u2019s world No. 23 Chico Wardoyo. Compatriot Yeo Jia Min faces Spain\u2019s sixth-ranked Carolina Marin. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/malaysia-s-lee-zii-jia-quits-badminton-competitions-temporarily"}, {"title": "Malaysia whitewash ends India\u2019s Sudirman Cup hopes, with Chinese Taipei also through", "text": ["\nSUZHOU \u2013 India crashed out of the Sudirman Cup in China on Monday, a 5-0 loss to Malaysia ending the badminton-crazy nation\u2019s hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds. \nThe South Asians needed a win after slumping to a comprehensive 4-1 defeat by Taiwan in their opening Group C tie on Sunday.\nBut their fate was sealed when P.V. Sindhu\u2019s 14-21, 21-10, 22-20 loss to Goh Jin Wei in the women\u2019s singles gave the Malaysians an unassailable 3-0 lead.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Sudirman Cup is one of badminton\u2019s biggest tournaments and in 2023 has an extra edge because performances count towards the 2024 Paris Olympics.\nThe mixed team competition in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou is the first global sporting event held in the country since it ditched its zero-Covid policy in December.\nThe hosts have won the trophy a record 12 times and are the current holders.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThey thrashed minnows Egypt 5-0 in their opening Group A tie on Sunday but were not in action on Monday. Twice runners-up Denmark beat Singapore 4-1 and are expected to accompany the hosts into the quarter-finals.\n\nInstead, Japan \u2013 runners-up in the past two competitions \u2013 bounced back from an initial mixed doubles defeat to beat France 4-1 in Group D.\nWomen\u2019s world No. 1 Akane Yamaguchi needed less than half an hour to see off French opponent Leonice Huet 21-13, 21-8 in her singles match.\nFour-time winners South Korea cruised to a 4-1 win over England also in Group D, while 1989 inaugural champions Indonesia chalked up a 5-0 whitewash of Canada and Thailand downed Germany 4-1 \u2013 both in Group B.\nVirtually all international sports events ground to a halt after the coronavirus pandemic emerged in China in late 2019, with the notable exception of the February 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics that were held in a virus-secure \u201cbubble\u201d. AFP\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/malaysia-whitewash-ends-india-s-sudirman-cup-hopes-with-chinese-taipei-also-through"}, {"title": "Olympian says \u2018toxic\u2019 culture in Malaysian swimming", "text": ["\nKUALA LUMPUR \u2013 A former Olympian has said that there is a \u201ctoxic and negative\u201d team culture in Malaysian swimming, following a poor showing at the recently concluded SEA Games in Cambodia.\nMarilyn Chua, who competed at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, spoke out ahead of the Hangzhou Asian Games, which will start in September. \nNow the Selangor state coach, Chua, on Wednesday, was quoted by The Star newspaper as saying: \u201cRegrettably, many of my swimmers, upon joining the national team, recounted with tears how toxic and negative the team culture is. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cHow can athletes perform their best when the environment they are in is not conducive for growth?\u201d\nAt the SEA Games in Phnom Penh, Malaysian swimmers won only one of the 39 gold medals up for grabs. \nChua added the national swimming team lacked unity, leadership, fairness and transparency in its selection process. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe team have been in a downward spiral over the past two decades, she insisted.\n\nShe suggested changes outside the pool, including more effective leadership, and appealed to the national swimming federation to work with state associations.\n\u201cI have attended numerous international competitions but have yet to witness the national team unite in a single cheer, which underscores the importance of fostering synergy and unity,\u201d she said.\nIn additional quotes posted by the New Straits Times, she said: \u201cMAS (Malaysia Swimming Federation) bears a crucial responsibility towards their state affiliates and state coaches who play a vital role in developing the talent pool that feeds the national team.\n\u201cRather than adopting a defensive stance and accusing state coaches of impeding progress for the sake of their respective states (in Malaysia Games competition), it is imperative for MAS and the national coach to engage in constructive dialogues and establish strong relationships with us.\n\u201cThis is what my good friend and head coach of the Singapore national team, Gary Tan, is doing.\u201d\nChua also said that the changes that she has proposed \u201ccan be swiftly implemented without significant delays\u201d but, at the same time, it is also crucial to gather feedback from all other stakeholders in the sport before decisions are made.\nAFP has approached MAS for comment. AFP\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/olympian-says-toxic-culture-in-malaysian-swimming"}, {"title": "SEA Games 2023: Malaysia chef de mission says sorry for worst-ever showing", "text": ["\nPHNOM PENH \u2013 Malaysia\u2019s chef de mission Nasir Ali on Wednesday apologised to supporters for the contingent\u2019s failure to meet their 40-gold medal target at the Cambodia SEA Games. \nIts 677-strong contingent won 34 gold, 45 silver and 96 bronze medals to finish seventh, one spot behind Causeway rivals Singapore, who ended their campaign with 51-43-64. \nVietnam emerged overall champions with 136 gold, 105 silver and 118 bronze medals, followed by Thailand (108-96-108), Indonesia (87-80-109), Cambodia (81-74-127), the Philippines (58-85-117) and Singapore.\n\n\n\n\n\nIt was Malaysia\u2019s worst result, ranking wise, in the 64-year history of the Games. At the last edition in Hanoi in 2022, they were sixth with a 39-45-90 haul.\nTheir track and field athletes won the most golds in Phnom Penh (five), with diving, karate and pencak silat claiming four golds each, taekwondo winning three, while billiards, hockey, sailing and wushu won two each. The remaining golds came from swimming, cycling, dancesport, golf, kickboxing and petanque.\n \u201cI humbly apologise for not achieving the 40-gold target that we had hoped for,\u201d said Nasir in a press conference at the Morodok Techo National Stadium on Wednesday. \u201cHowever, the 34 golds we won are quality medals, and I\u2019m confident we will be able to build on this in future.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAhead of the Games, Malaysia had set a goal of 40 gold medals, which Nasir said was done after three meetings with the national sports associations. \n\nHe added: \u201cThe target was seen as realistic based on a number of factors. We discussed the target with each association. After this, we need to go back to the associations and ask for an explanation.\n\u201cMany say this is our worst performance... that is their opinion,\u201d he added. \nNasir also said in Malaysian media reports that he did not feel the failure was due to the short preparation time, but he admitted that some sports had faced issues ahead of the Games, without identifying them. \nMalaysia\u2019s Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and the Olympic Council of Malaysia president Norza Zakaria are expected to talk about the contingent\u2019s performance on Friday. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/sea-games-2023-malaysia-chef-de-mission-says-sorry-for-worst-ever-showing"}, {"title": "SEA Games 2023: Three of the region\u2019s best young athletes", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 The region\u2019s most exciting young stars will look to shine again on the SEA Games stage as the 32nd Games starts on Friday.\nThailand\u2019s 17-year-old speed king Puripol Boonson will be aiming to emulate his triple gold-medal winning effort at the last Games in Hanoi \u2013 touching the tape first in the 100-metre and 200-metre sprints, as well as leading Thailand to the 4x100m relay gold. \nIndonesia also has a potential gold medallist on the tennis courts, with 19-year-old Priska Nugroho proving her mettle on the International Tennis Federation women\u2019s circuit, where she has already won five singles titles. She will be looking to improve on the bronze she won at the 2019 Games in the Philippines. \n\n\n\n\n\nAnd Malaysia will be looking to swimmer Khiew Hoe Yean to make a big splash in the pool, as he looks to add to the gold medal he won in the 200m freestyle at the last Games in Hanoi. \nWith over 8,000 athletes from across South-east Asia descending onto Phnom Penh, expect these stars to add some sparkle to a crowded field of action, as they wield their talent to bring the gold home. \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/sea-games-2023-three-of-the-region-s-best-young-athletes"}, {"title": "World champs Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik hope to land maiden BWF World Tour title in S\u2019pore", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE \u2013 They have been dubbed the nearly men and chokers. But, in August 2022, Malaysia men\u2019s doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik stood proudly on top of the podium in Tokyo as their country\u2019s first badminton world champions. \nWhile they also claimed bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, they still belong to a rare breed of world champions who are yet to win a title on the Badminton World Federation World Tour.\nAt this week\u2019s US$850,000 (S$1.15 million) Singapore Badminton Open, the world No. 4s are two wins away from ending that drought.  They beat Indonesia\u2019s defending champions and 10th-ranked Leo Carnando and Daniel Marthin 18-21, 21-16, 22-20 in Friday\u2019s quarter-finals.\n\n\n\n\n\nThey will face China\u2019s third-ranked Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang on Saturday for a place in Sunday\u2019s final. \nSoh, who played a calm match-winning shot beyond Marthin\u2019s reach in front of 5,300 fans, said: \u201cThrough the world championships, we learnt how to manage pressure and emotions.\n\u201cBut every tournament and arena is different and we are still learning to adapt and adjust accordingly.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cToday, with the crowd cheering for us whether we were leading or trailing, it felt like we were playing in Malaysia. It was definitely a motivation and we made it a point to fight for them.\u201d\n\n\nChia added: \u201cWe desire that first World Tour title so much that we can be too eager to win matches when we are within touching distance of victory, leading to a lapse in shot quality and more mistakes.\n\u201cOur results have been up and down this season, and we are still searching for that consistency and hopefully we can find that this week.\u201d\n\nPerhaps they can take some pointers from the singles semi-finalists.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn the women\u2019s singles, the top four seeds all prevailed to set up super Saturday.\n\nAfter winning four titles in 2023, including last week\u2019s Thailand Open, South Korea\u2019s world No. 2 An Se-young  racked up her seventh straight-game victory in a row to dispose of China\u2019s seventh-ranked Wang Zhiyi 21-18, 21-18.\nShe will meet Taiwanese world No. 3 Tai Tzu-ying, who beat China\u2019s fifth-ranked He Bingjiao 21-16, 21-11 and has similarly not dropped a game at the Singapore Indoor Stadium\n\nTai said: \u201cI managed to cut down on unforced errors today and I hope tomorrow I can do the same, play more rallies with An and keep up with her speed.\u201d\n\n", "\nThe other semi-final will be between Japan\u2019s world champion Akane Yamaguchi and China\u2019s Olympic champion Chen Yufei.\nWorld No. 1 Yamaguchi outlasted compatriot Aya Ohori 21-18, 19-21, 21-16, while the fourth-ranked Chen beat Thailand\u2019s world No. 22 Supanida Katethong 21-18, 21-15.\nIn the men\u2019s singles, a repeat of the 2022 final is still on the cards, with Indonesia\u2019s defending champion and world No. 2 Anthony Ginting and Japan\u2019s fourth-ranked Kodai Naraoka winning their respective quarter-finals.\nGinting lived up to his billing as the tour\u2019s fastest player as he dictated the pace in the decider to beat China\u2019s world No. 12 Li Shifeng 21-13, 16-21, 21-12.\nIn the last four, he will face Thailand\u2019s world No. 3 Kunlavut Vitidsarn, who cruised past France\u2019s 35th-ranked Christo Popov 21-13, 21-17.\nA beaming Ginting, the Asian champion, said: \u201cThis is my favourite country on the tour and my fortunes also picked up after winning here last year.\n\u201cLi Shifeng did well to slow down the pace in the second game, but I felt I did well to re-assume control in the third game when both of us are familiar with the conditions.\n\u201cI hope to do the same over the weekend.\u201d\nMeanwhile, Naraoka outclassed China\u2019s world No. 9 Shi Yuqi 21-14, 21-16 to book his semi-final with Denmark\u2019s 22nd-ranked Anders Antonsen, who beat Taiwanese world No. 42 Lee Chia-hao 12-21, 21-13, 21-11.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/world-champs-aaron-chia-and-soh-wooi-yik-hope-to-land-maiden-bwf-world-tour-title-in-s-pore"}, {"title": "11 soccer pitches a minute \u2013 rate of tropical rainforest loss in 2022: Study", "text": ["\nSINGAPORE - Despite global pledges to tackle deforestation, the tropics lost 10 per cent more primary rainforest in 2022 than in 2021, the equivalent of 11 soccer pitches of forest disappearing per minute, a global analysis released on Tuesday showed.  \nTropical primary forest loss totalled 4.1 million ha, an area about the size of Switzerland, according to the analysis of 2022 tree cover loss data. \nThe study, which is based on satellite measurements, is a collaboration between the University of Maryland and the World Resources Institute\u2019s (WRI) Global Forest Watch. \n\n\n\n\n\nForest loss was highest in Brazil, Bolivia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Meanwhile, Indonesia and Malaysia continued the recent trend of low rates of tree loss. \nGlobally, the tropics are losing forests faster than anywhere else, mainly for agriculture, timber and mining. \nThis is a concern as tropical rainforests are huge stores of biodiversity and soak up vast amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main greenhouse gas. These forests also regulate local and regional climates, storing large amounts of water that can help generate rainfall. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nChopping down forests can raise local temperatures, exacerbate drought and release large amounts of CO2. \n\nFires, lit deliberately or caused naturally, are also a major source of forest loss and emissions. \n\u201cThat loss (in 2022) resulted in the emissions of 2.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, which is equivalent to the fossil fuel emissions of India,\u201d said Ms Mikaela Weisse, the director of Global Forest Watch, an online data platform.\n\u201cSince the turn of the century, we have seen a haemorrhaging of some of the world\u2019s most important forest ecosystems, despite years of efforts to turn that trend around,\u201d she told a media briefing. \n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s data shows that we are rapidly losing one of our most effective tools for combating climate change, protecting biodiversity and supporting the health and livelihoods of millions of people,\u201d she added. \nAt the United Nations\u2019 COP26 climate talks in Glasgow in 2021, more than 140 nations, including Singapore, signed the Glasgow Leaders\u2019 Declaration on Forests and Land Use, to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.\nMr Rod Taylor, global director of forests at WRI, a Washington-based think-tank, said: \u201cAre we on track to halt deforestation by 2030? The short answer is no.\u201d\n", "\nIn 2022, Brazil lost nearly 1.8 million ha of primary forest \u2013 defined as mature forests that have not been cleared or regrown in recent history. \nOf this amount, it lost 1.42 million ha to non-fire causes, up 20 per cent from 2021, and 344,064ha to fires, a small drop from 2021.  \nFires are a major and growing source of forest loss in the tropics and elsewhere as global temperatures rise and droughts become more severe.  \nIn 2015, fires devastated large areas of Indonesia. The following year, Brazil lost 1.6 million ha due to fires. \nIn 2022, Russia lost 4.3 million ha of tree cover, of which 73 per cent was fire-related. \n", "\nElsewhere in 2022, Bolivia lost nearly 400,000ha of primary forest \u2013 the highest year on record for the country, largely due to clearing for agriculture. \nThe Democratic Republic of Congo lost just over 510,000ha, similar to levels of the past few years. \nGhana in West Africa recorded the biggest increase in primary forest loss of any country in recent years, up nearly 70 per cent from 2021 to 2022, due largely to agriculture. \nBut the loss at nearly 18,000ha is small in comparison to elsewhere in the world, the study notes. \nEarlier in June, the chief executive of Temasek-owned investment firm GenZero, Mr Frederick Teo, said the company had recently signed a memorandum of understanding with carbon project developer AJA Climate Solutions to restore about 100,000ha of degraded land in the Kwahu region of Ghana.\nIndonesia\u2019s primary forest loss increased 13.3 per cent to 230,000ha compared with 2021, but overall the trend was tracking near the record lows of recent years. \nIt is a similar picture with Malaysia, which lost about 72,000ha, far below the peak levels of the past. \nMs Frances Seymour, a distinguished senior fellow for forests at WRI, said the findings of the analysis were alarming.\n\u201cOne thing is clear. What happens in the forest doesn\u2019t stay in the forest,\u201d she told the briefing. \u201cTrade in wildlife can spread viruses that cause pandemic outbreaks in cities. Irresponsible mining can contaminate rivers downstream.\u201d\n", "\nSmoke from fires can trigger widespread health impacts across borders, she said, pointing to the current wildfire crisis in Canada.\nBut there were some reasons for hope, Ms Seymour said.\nA global deal that set new 2030 targets to protect biodiversity, agreed at a major UN conference in Montreal in late 2022, could direct more financing to protect forests and restore degraded areas. \nThe new administration in Brazil has committed to reduce deforestation in the Amazon and for other vulnerable ecosystems.\nThe new World Bank president, Mr Ajay Banga, could also mobilise considerable resources to support countries to integrate forest protection and restoration, Ms Seymour added.\n\u201cIt\u2019s time to double down on these opportunities because time is running out,\u201d she said.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/11-soccer-pitches-a-minute-rate-of-tropical-rainforest-loss-in-2022-study"}, {"title": "Elderly couple in Malaysia robbed three times in three weeks", "text": ["\nIPOH \u2013 In the span of 20 days, robbers targeted an elderly couple in Malaysia three times. The couple now live in fear of another break-in.\nRetired teacher Chan Liew Chan, 71, has been traumatised by the incidents and now awakens at the slightest of sounds at her home in Taman Ria, Bercham, an Ipoh suburb.\n\u201cI hope and pray that there won\u2019t be a fourth time,\u201d she said during a press conference at her home on Saturday, organised by Perak\u2019s Malaysian Chinese Association public service and complaints bureau chief Low Guo Nan.\n\n\n\n\n\nMadam Chan lives with her 80-year-old husband Tou Kum Hin, who suffered a stroke nine years ago.\nThe couple had personal documents, money and jewellery worth about RM26,000 ($7,630) stolen on May 2, 11 and 24.\n\u201cIn the third incident, two men wearing masks kicked open the door of my bedroom, which is on the ground floor. One of them pointed a knife at me and told me to be quiet, while the other ransacked our home,\u201d said Madam Chan. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nShe added: \u201cI was pushed during the robbery and fractured my right knee. We lost various personal documents, including our MyKads, ATM cards, credit cards, a car key, mobile phones, laptop, handbags and a shaver.\u201d\n\nMyKads are the Malaysian equivalent of an NRIC.\nRecounting the first incident, Madam Chan said: \u201cWe were only aware that our house had been broken into and ransacked after we woke up.\u201d\nShe said she believed the same burglars were responsible for the second break-in.\n\u201cMy husband and I were terrified and dared not come out from our room after we heard noises. There was an attempt to break into our room, but I pounded on the door and shouted, which scared them away.\u201d\nExpressing hope that the police will beef up patrols, Madam Chan said there had already been a few break-ins in the area, adding that she believed burglars had targeted her house for some time.\nMeanwhile, Mr Low stressed the need for people to be vigilant, and to not be overly reliant on the police. \u201cThere are quite a number of senior citizens in this area, and they are worried that they could be targeted next,\u201d he said.\nTHE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/elderly-couple-in-malaysia-robbed-three-times-in-three-weeks"}, {"title": "Landslide near Genting: Victim thought he heard explosion, felt the earth move", "text": ["\nBATANG KALI, Selangor - Mr Leong Jim Meng was asleep in a tent on a rural farm when he thought he heard an explosion and felt the earth moving in the early hours of Friday. \n\u201cWe were sleeping when the incident happened at 2am. It was too dark to see clearly what was happening,\u201d he told Malaysia\u2019s Berita Harian daily. \nHe was among dozens who were camping on a farm at the foot of Genting Highlands for the December holidays.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe authorities said that the campsite, which is at Father\u2019s Organic Farm in Batang Kali on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, had been hit by a major landslide, with more than 20 killed and a dozen people still missing.\nLocal Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming said the campsite was operating illegally. \nMr Leong\u2019s family was initially trapped after their tent was covered with debris, but they managed to escape to a nearby carpark. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHe called the authorities, and they arrived 30 minutes later, he told the daily.\n\nBerita Harian quoted Mr Leong as saying that his family was caught by surprise as it had not been raining heavily during the past few days, although there had been drizzle.\nLike other victims who were rescued, the family was taken by the authorities to the nearby Hulu Yam Bharu police station for immediate treatment for possible injuries.\nThe campsite is located on Jalan Batang Kali-Jalan Genting Highlands, about 4.5km from Gohtong Jaya \u2013 a town below the Genting Highlands peak.\nAnother victim, Ms Teh Lynn Xuan, 22, said she had set up a tent with her family members at the campsite with 40 other campers. But the tent was toppled in the landslide.\n", "\nMs Teh and her mother managed to crawl to a safe space, but one of her younger brothers died while another one was sent to hospital, Berita Harian reported.\nThe newspaper quoted an employee at Father\u2019s Organic Farm, Mr Thawn Uk, 35, as saying that he and 12 other workers managed to escape from the site. One of them was injured in the leg and was sent to hospital.\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/landslide-near-genting-victim-thought-he-heard-explosion-felt-the-earth-moved"}, {"title": "Sabah embarks on space launch facility study", "text": ["\nKOTA KINABALU - Sabah will be among 16 locations in the world to have its own space launch facility if a feasibility study to build the site in the east Malaysian state goes well. \nSabah Science, Technology and Innovation minister Arifin Arif said the state would initiate the study as the first step following the formation of the Sabah Space Industrial Corporation which has been agreed by the state Cabinet.\nIf it is found that the state is suitable, Datuk Arifin said, this would make Malaysia only the ninth country worldwide to have a space launch facility.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIf the study goes well, we will create history by having the world\u2019s 16th space launching facility and put Sabah and Malaysia\u2019s names in the global aerospace industry,\u201d he said during an award ceremony for his ministry on Tuesday.\n\u201cWe will set up the Sabah Space Industrial Corporation (which) will work closely with the Malaysian Space Agency to implement initiatives to develop the aeronautics industry in Sabah.\n\u201cThis proposal has been tabled and received the approval from the state Cabinet,\u201d he added.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAt the award ceremony at the Sabah International Convention Centre here, the Letter of Intent (LoI) was awarded to local company Sovereign Sengalang to undertake a feasibility study on the International Space Launch Industrial Centre (SLIC), of which the exact site would be determined later.\n\nThe LoI was presented by the ministry\u2019s permanent secretary Datuk Zainuddin Aman to Sovereign Sengalang deputy executive chairman Ezra Effendi.\nIf the SLIC materialises, Datuk Arifin said, it would provide the avenue to create between 300 and 500 companies in the aerospace industry and subsequently create 5,000 job opportunities, including 90 high-paying positions.\nHe added that the study would take about 1\u00bd years to be completed.\nMr Ezra said the state\u2019s unique position close to the equator line made it suitable to have a launching facility.\nThe first stage of the feasibility study, he said, would involve the environmental, safety and infrastructural aspects.\nHe added that they might take three to six months before finalising the site to be earmarked for the launch facility. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/sabah-embarks-on-space-launch-facility-study"}, {"title": "Ex-Goldman banker Roger Ng convicted in 1MDB trial says Malaysian jail was \u2018absolute hell\u2019", "text": ["\nNEW YORK \u2013 Former Goldman Sachs Group banker and convicted 1MDB conspirator Roger Ng said in a court filing that he spent six months in a squalid Malaysian prison where he was sometimes chained to as many as 20 other inmates. \nNg described his previous incarceration in a letter to US District Judge Margo Brodie, pleading for leniency when he is sentenced next week for his role in the looting of Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB.\nIn the Saturday letter, Ng argued that the time he spent in Malaysia\u2019s Sungai Buloh prison prior to his May 2019 extradition to the United States was \u201cabsolute hell\u201d and punishment enough for his crimes.\n\n\n\n\n\nNg is asking Judge Brodie to give him no additional jail time in the US when she sentences him on March 9 in federal court in Brooklyn, New York.\u00a0\nNg, 51, is the only Goldman employee to have gone to trial over the 1MDB scandal.\u00a0\nIn Sungai Buloh, the one-time managing director said he lived with rats and other vermin, slept on a cement floor and contracted malaria and leptospirosis, a bacterial infection spread through contact with rat urine. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhen he was taken to court, Ng said he was handcuffed with 20 other prisoners in a \u201cchain\u201d and loaded into a crowded truck. \n\nHe was held in solitary confinement for up to two weeks at a time, Ng said.\n\u201cSix months in the Malaysian prison had a devastating effect mentally and physically,\u201d Ng wrote. \n\u201cUntil today, I find myself reclusive socially as I continue to deal with this brutal and distressing experience. The time without sunlight and in isolation made me lose my mind and become frightful.\u201d\nNg was convicted by a federal jury in April of three felony counts, including conspiring to violate US anti-bribery laws and conspiring to launder money. \nTim Leissner, Ng\u2019s former Goldman boss, pleaded guilty and was the government\u2019s star witness at trial.\nLeissner will be sentenced in September.\u00a0\nGoldman paid more than US$2.3 billion (S$3.1 billion) in the plea deal, the largest penalty in US history for a violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/ex-goldman-banker-ng-says-malaysian-jail-was-absolute-hell"}, {"title": "Ex-Goldman banker Roger Ng deserves 15 years in prison, US prosecutors say", "text": ["\nNEW YORK \u2013 US prosecutors on Friday urged a judge to sentence former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng to 15 years in prison after he was convicted of helping loot billions of dollars from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) sovereign wealth fund.\nA jury in Brooklyn federal court had last April found Ng, Goldman\u2019s former head of investment banking in Malaysia, guilty of helping his former boss Tim Leissner embezzle money from the fund, laundering the proceeds and bribing government officials to win business. \nLeissner had been Goldman\u2019s South-east Asia chief.\n\n\n\n\n\nUS District Judge Margo Brodie is expected to sentence Ng on March 9.   \nIn his own sentencing request on Feb 25, Ng asked that he be given no prison time and be allowed to return to Malaysia.   \nHe had spent six months in a Malaysian prison before waiving his right to contest extradition to the United States in 2018. Ng has been free on bail but subject to a curfew since his conviction.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe charges stem from some US$6.5 billion (S$8.7 billion) in bonds that Goldman helped 1MDB, which was founded to finance development projects in Malaysia, sell in 2012 and 2013.    \n\nProsecutors said US$4.5 billion of that sum was embezzled by officials, bankers and their associates, in one of the biggest scandals in Wall Street history.   \nIn October 2020, Goldman agreed to pay US$2.9 billion and its Malaysian unit pleaded guilty to a corruption charge.\nNg had pleaded not guilty and argued that the US$35 million in kickback payments he was accused of receiving was actually a return on an investment his wife had made.\nLeissner pleaded guilty and testified against Ng as part of a cooperation agreement. He has not yet been sentenced. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/ex-goldman-banker-roger-ng-deserves-15-years-in-prison-us-prosecutors-say"}, {"title": "Ex-Goldman banker Roger Ng gets delay in starting his prison term", "text": ["\nNEW YORK \u2013 Former Goldman Sachs Group banker Roger Ng has won a postponement of the start of his 10-year prison term for about three months until Aug 7.\nUS District Judge Margo Brodie, who sentenced Ng in March for his role in the global 1Malaysia Development Berhad fraud, granted his request on Monday for a delay without explanation.\nNg had been set to begin his prison term on Thursday.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\nDefence lawyer Marc Agnifilo last Friday asked for the delay so Ng could spend more time with his wife and 10-year-old daughter, who had travelled to New York from Malaysia.\nThe government had opposed the delay.\nMr Agnifilo said Ng, a Malaysian national, has not seen his daughter for more than four years \u2013 since he was arrested in his home country in 2018.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNg agreed to be extradited to the United States to face trial in New York in early 2019, but he faces prosecution in Malaysia once he is released, Mr Agnifilo has said. BLOOMBERG\n\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/ex-goldman-banker-roger-ng-gets-delay-in-starting-his-prison-term"}, {"title": "Ex-Goldman banker Roger Ng must forfeit $47m over 1MDB crimes, says US court", "text": ["\nNEW YORK \u2013 Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the global 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fraud, was ordered to forfeit US$35.1 million (S$47 million) by a judge who rejected his claims that Malaysia had already taken all of his money.\nAt his March 9 sentencing, federal prosecutors asked United States District Judge Margo Brodie in Brooklyn, New York, to order Ng to forfeit the sum as ill-gotten gains from the conspiracy to loot the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund. \nNg\u2019s lawyer, Mr Marc Agnifilo, argued that no other penalties were needed because his client had no money left.\n\n\n\n\n\nJudge Brodie declined, at the time, to immediately order forfeiture. But on Friday, she said that under the law she is required to impose the penalty, and the amount \u201cis not constitutionally excessive\u201d.\u00a0\nMr Agnifilo said: \u201cWe are appealing several issues, including the court\u2019s recent forfeiture ruling. Nothing has shaken our belief in Mr Ng\u2019s innocence and we will fight this as long as necessary.\u201d\nNg, a 51-year-old Malaysian, was convicted of conspiring to violate US anti-bribery laws and taking part in a money-laundering scheme.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\nHis former Goldman boss and 1MDB co-conspirator, Tim Leissner, previously pleaded guilty and was the government\u2019s star witness against Ng. He is scheduled to be sentenced in September. \n\nOn March 3, Judge Brodie ordered Leissner to forfeit US$43.7 million in cash and 3.3 million shares, valued at US$300 million as at Friday, in fitness drink company Celsius Holdings. \nWhile Ng argued that he was less culpable than Leissner or Jho Low, a Malaysian financier who the US said masterminded the fraud, Judge Brodie rejected his arguments, saying he \u201cwilfully engaged\u201d in the multibillion-dollar scheme. \n\u201cEven if Ng is less responsible than the others charged with similar offences, he played a role in one of the largest financial crimes of all time,\u201d she said in her ruling. \n\u201cThe scheme resulted in enormous tangible harm, the theft of US$3 billion, and intangible harm to the confidence in democracy and government.\u201d\nMr Agnifilo had argued that the Malaysian authorities had seized all of Ng\u2019s assets and accounts and those of his family members before he was arrested on US charges in late 2018.\u00a0\nJudge Brodie turned down that argument. \n\u201cNg has failed to show that forfeiture would destroy his future livelihood,\u201d the judge said. \u201cThe fact that he already paid a large sum to the Malaysian government does not, on its own, render the forfeiture amount constitutionally excessive.\u201d BLOOMBERG   \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/ex-goldman-banker-roger-ng-must-forfeit-47m-over-1mdb"}, {"title": "Ex-Goldman banker Roger Ng seeks delay to start of 10-year sentence over 1MDB fraud to see his family", "text": ["\nNEW YORK \u2013 Former Goldman Sachs Group banker Roger Ng asked a US judge to delay the start of a 10-year prison sentence for his role in the global fraud involving state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), saying he needs three months to allow for his wife and young daughter to arrive in New York from Malaysia.\nUS District Judge Margo Brodie sentenced Ng on March 9 and ordered him to surrender to federal prison officials on May 4. His defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo on Friday asked the court to allow Ng to delay going to prison until August.\u00a0\nMr Agnifilo said Ng has not seen his daughter, who is now 10, for more than four years \u2013 since he was arrested in Malaysia in 2018. \n\n\n\n\n\nNg, who agreed to be extradited to the United States to face trial in New York in early 2019, also faces prosecution in Malaysia once he is released, Mr Agnifilo has said.\n\u201cDue to the amount of time Mr Ng has spent away from his minor child, and the length of his sentence, we respectfully request that Mr Ng be able to spend two months with his family before he surrenders,\u201d Mr Agnifilo said.\nThe lawyer argued that his client has been free on house arrest and electronic monitoring since a federal magistrate in Brooklyn agreed to release him on US$20 million (S$26.7 million) bail in May 2019, and has never violated the conditions of his release. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Agnifilo said prosecutors objected to the delay.\u00a0\n\nMr John Marzulli, a spokesman for Brooklyn US Attorney Breon Peace, declined to comment on Ng\u2019s request. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/ex-goldman-banker-roger-ng-seeks-delay-to-start-of-10-year-sentence-over-1mdb-fraud-to-see-his-family"}, {"title": "Ex-Goldman banker Roger Ng sentenced to 10 years in prison over 1MDB corruption case", "text": ["\nNEW YORK - Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday, after he was convicted of helping loot billions of dollars from Malaysia\u2019s 1MDB sovereign wealth fund.\nA jury in Brooklyn federal court last April found Ng, Goldman\u2019s former head of investment banking in Malaysia, guilty of helping his former boss, Tim Leissner, embezzle money from the fund, launder the proceeds and bribe government officials to win business.\nThe charges stem from some US$6.5 billion (S$8.78 billion) in bonds that Goldman helped 1MDB, which was founded to finance development projects in Malaysia, sell in 2012 and 2013.\n\n\n\n\n\nUS prosecutors said US$4.5 billion of that sum was embezzled by officials, bankers and their associates, in one of the biggest scandals in Wall Street history. The funds were used to buy high-end real estate, jewellery and artwork, and finance the Hollywood film The Wolf of Wall Street, according to the Department of Justice.\nUS District Judge Margo Brodie, who imposed the sentence, said Ng, 50, and his co-defendants \u201ceffectively stole money\u201d meant for infrastructure and economic development projects to aid the Malaysian people.\n\u201cThere is a critical need to deter crimes of pure greed like this one,\u201d Judge Brodie said.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNg plans to appeal the sentence, his lawyer Marc Agnifilo told reporters after the hearing. Ng had pleaded not guilty and argued that US$35 million in kickback payments he was accused of receiving were actually a return on an investment his wife had made.\n\nThe scandal also rocked Malaysian politics. Former prime minister Najib Razak is serving a 12-year prison sentence after being convicted by a Malaysian court of receiving US$10 million from a former 1MDB unit.\nNajib has consistently denied wrongdoing.\nFederal prosecutors in Brooklyn had urged Judge Brodie to sentence Ng to 15 years in prison.\nIn a statement following the sentence, Mr Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said the punishment would show \u201cthere is a significant price to pay for corporate corruption\u201d.\n", "\nNg requested no prison time and that he be allowed to return to Malaysia, where he spent six months in a Malaysian prison in conditions that his lawyer said nearly killed him and harmed his mental health.\nIn court on Thursday, Ng told Judge Brodie he wanted to go back to Malaysia to care for his ageing mother, and to be with his daughter.\nJudge Brodie said she takes the impact of sentencing on children seriously, but that Ng\u2019s separation from his daughter was \u201cnot a unique circumstance\u201d.\nLeissner had been Goldman\u2019s South-east Asia chief. He pleaded guilty and testified against Ng as part of a cooperation agreement. He has not yet been sentenced.\nJho Low, a Malaysian financier and suspected mastermind of the scheme, was indicted alongside Ng in 2018 but remains at large.\n\nIn October 2020, Goldman agreed to pay US$2.9 billion and its Malaysian unit pleaded guilty to a corruption charge. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/ex-goldman-banker-roger-ng-sentenced-to-10-years-prison-in-1mdb-corruption-case"}, {"title": "Ex-model Kimora Lee says $123m US wants from Tim Leissner in 1MDB case is hers", "text": ["\nBROOKLYN \u2013 Ms Kimora Lee, the former model and ex-wife of former Goldman Sachs Group Inc banker Tim Leissner, claims that shares worth about US$93 million (S$123 million) that he was ordered to forfeit as part of his 1MDB guilty plea actually belong to her.\nMs Lee asked a federal judge in Brooklyn, New York, on Friday to hold a hearing where she intends to establish she rightfully owns 892,732 shares in Celsius Holdings Inc, a fitness drink maker. She claims she purchased the shares with money she earned from her modelling career and her Baby Phat clothing line.\u00a0\nThe shares were wrongly included in a March federal order requiring Leissner to surrender more than 3.3 million Celsius shares as proceeds of his crimes, Ms Lee claims.\n\n\n\n\n\nLeissner, Goldman Sach\u2019s former Southeast Asia head, pleaded guilty in 2018 to conspiring with financier Jho Low, the alleged mastermind of the sprawling fraud scheme, to bribe officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi to facilitate bond deals. Low, who remains a fugitive, pocketed US$1.42 billion from the fraud, the US has said.\n\u201cLee has established that she is a bona fide purchaser for value of the Celsius shares,\u201d she said in the filing. \u201cLeissner did not contribute any funds to the purchase of the Celsius shares and did not own the Celsius shares. The fact that the Celsius shares were used as collateral for Leissner\u2019s bond does not mean that there is a connection between Leissner\u2019s offences and those shares which were seized.\u201d\nShares in the company traded at US$104.26 on Friday in New York, making the 3.3 million shares worth more than US$344 million.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLeissner, who was the government\u2019s star witness at a trial of his former subordinate, Roger Ng, was also ordered in March to surrender US$43.7 million in cash in addition to the shares. \n\nMs Lee is not the only one eyeing the Celsius money. Ng sued Leissner in New York state court in November, alleging his ex-boss cheated him out of his investment in Celsius that is now worth at least US$130 million as well as stock in another company. According to the suit, Leissner engaged in a \u201cconcerted effort to steal\u201d and pocketed Ng\u2019s original US$1.25 million investment in Celsius, which has since grown in value enormously.\nLate on Friday, Ng also filed a motion arguing he is the rightful owner of more than 1.45 million Celsius shares which Leissner forfeited to the US as proceeds of his fraud.\u00a0\nNg, the only Goldman employee to go to trial over the sprawling global fraud, was convicted last year for his role in the scandal of 1MDB, also known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and is scheduled to begin his prison term in August.\nAfter Ng left banking he joined Celsius as managing director for Asia at the energy-drink company.\nMs Lee and Leissner were married in 2014 but were already estranged when he testified against Ng. On the witness stand, Leissner admitted that he was a double bigamist, and was married to his ex-wife when he and Ms Lee tied the knot. BLOOMBERG\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/ex-model-kimora-lee-says-123m-us-wants-from-tim-leissner-in-1mdb-case-is-hers"}, {"title": "I don\u2019t have funds to pay $47m, ex-Goldman banker Roger Ng tells US court over 1MDB case", "text": ["\nNEW YORK \u2013 Former Goldman Sachs Group banker Roger Ng, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison last week for his role in the 1MDB fraud, is claiming he cannot meet United States prosecutors\u2019 demand that he also pay US$35 million (S$47 million) because the Malaysian government already took all of his money. \nFederal prosecutors had asked US District Judge Margo Brodie in Brooklyn, New York, to order Ng to forfeit that amount as ill-gotten gains from the conspiracy to loot the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund at his March 9 sentencing. \nNg\u2019s lawyer Marc Agnifilo argued that no other penalties were needed and that his client had no funds in any case.\n\n\n\n\n\nJudge Brodie did not rule on the forfeiture issue last week. \nIn an order late on Wednesday, the judge directed both sides to submit arguments on whether the amount sought by prosecutors violated the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits excessive fines along with cruel and unusual punishment.\nNg, 51, contends that the Malaysian government already seized more than US$35 million from 11 accounts held by his family. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn a Monday court filing, Mr Agnifilo stressed that the seizure was intended as punishment rather than restitution.\n\n\u201cThe police officials of Malaysia were very clear that the police wanted all of the money in the different accounts; not just the return of those funds it had formally traced to 1MDB,\u201d Mr Agnifilo wrote.\u00a0\nThough Mr Agnifilo said there were other grounds to deny the US forfeiture demand, he also said it violated the Eighth Amendment.\nJudge Brodie said on Wednesday that she believed that forfeiture was \u201cstatutorily required\u201d for the crimes of which Ng was convicted, but wanted both sides to address Ng\u2019s argument that the US$35 million demand was \u201cgrossly disproportionate\u201d.\nNg was found guilty in April of conspiring to violate US anti-bribery laws and launder money. \nHis former Goldman boss and 1MDB co-conspirator Tim Leissner previously pleaded guilty and was the government\u2019s star witness against Ng. \nLeissner, who is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept 6, was ordered earlier in March to forfeit US$43.7 million in cash as well as 3.3 million shares in fitness drink company Celsius Holdings. BLOOMBERG \n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/i-don-t-have-funds-to-pay-47m-ex-goldman-banker-roger-ng-tells-us-court-over-1mdb-case"}, {"title": "US accuses Fugees rapper of illegal lobbying with Malaysian financier Jho Low", "text": ["\nWASHINGTON \u2013 A US federal prosecutor on Thursday accused Grammy Award-winning rapper Prakazrel \u201cPras\u201d Michel of the Fugees hip-hop group of illegally taking tens of millions of dollars to lobby the United States government on behalf of a Malaysian financier and the Chinese government.\nThe accusations were made at the start of a trial that prosecutor Nicole Lockhart said will link Michel to financier Jho Low \u2013 who is suspected of embezzling US$4.5 billion (S$6 billion) from Malaysia\u2019s sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) \u2013 and a Chinese government influence campaign aimed at repatriating dissident Guo Wengui.\nMichel is being tried on 11 criminal counts, including various conspiracy charges, for what prosecutors said were three separate lobbying schemes to influence the administrations of former US presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.\n\n\n\n\n\nMichel has denied the allegations. \n\u201cThis is a case about foreign money, influence and concealment,\u201d Ms Lockhart said in her opening statement in Washington on Thursday.\nShe told jurors the case will highlight \u201cpolitical intrigue, backroom dealings... burner phones and lies\u201d.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Fugees won two Grammy Awards for their best-selling 1996 album The Score. \n\nBut by 2012, prosecutors said, Michel was in dire need of cash, and he found a solution to his problem through Low, who was known to pay Hollywood celebrities to party with him.\nIn the first alleged scheme, prosecutors said Michel agreed to funnel about US$2 million from Low into Mr Obama\u2019s 2012 re-election campaign.\nBecause federal election law prohibits foreigners from donating to US campaigns, prosecutors said Michel masked the source of the funds by using straw donors. In exchange for helping Low, the government said Michel pocketed US$18 million.\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThrough this scheme, the defendant duped the Obama campaign,\u201d Ms Lockhart told the jury.\nA few years later, prosecutors said the focus of Michel\u2019s foreign lobbying campaign shifted, as the US Justice Department intensified its investigation into Low over his suspected embezzlement of more than US$4.5 billion from 1MDB.\nLow \u201cneeded a different kind of help\u201d, Ms Lockhart said, saying that he paid Michel millions of dollars more to try to \u201csecure influence at the highest levels of the United States government\u201d that would quash the investigation.\n", "\nMichel and Elliott Broidy, the former finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, and other co-conspirators are accused of waging an \u201cillegal back-channel\u201d influence campaign to convince the Trump administration to back off from its investigation into Low.\nProsecutors said they also tried to lobby the Trump administration at China\u2019s behest to return exiled Chinese businessman Guo to China.\nFor his work on these two lobbying campaigns on behalf of Low and China, prosecutors said Michel was paid US$70 million.\nProsecutors also said Michel failed to register as a foreign agent as required by law.\nLater, after learning he was under criminal investigation, prosecutors said Michel tried to obstruct the probe by contacting witnesses and sending demand letters to straw donors from the 2012 campaign that threatened them with a lawsuit if they did not repay the funds.\nGuo has since been indicted on unrelated US fraud charges.\nLow remains a fugitive in the Michel case. He is also facing separate US criminal charges for conspiring to launder billions from 1MDB.\n", "\nIn 2019, the Justice Department secured a civil settlement separate from the criminal action with Low, and Low agreed to return about US$1 billion in assets.\nBroidy pleaded guilty in October 2020 to charges relating to his role in the illegal influence campaign, but then-President Trump granted him a full pardon before leaving the White House.\nMichel\u2019s defence team on Thursday opted to delay their opening statement until after prosecutors finished  making their case. His lawyers are expected to argue that he did not know he was acting as a foreign agent and believed he was furthering American interests.\nThe case is expected to feature testimony from prominent witnesses, possibly including actor Leonardo DiCaprio, and former top Trump administration officials. REUTERS\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-accuses-fugees-rapper-of-illegal-lobbying-with-malaysian-financier"}, {"title": "While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Jan 30", "text": ["\nAdani hits back at Hindenburg, insists made full disclosure\nIndia\u2019s Adani Group issued a detailed response on Sunday to a Hindenburg Research report that sparked a US$48 billion (S$63 billion) rout in its stocks, saying it complies with all local laws and had made necessary regulatory disclosures.\nThe conglomerate led by Asia\u2019s richest man, the Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, said last week\u2019s Hindenburg report was intended to enable the US-based short seller to book gains, without citing evidence.\nFor 60-year-old Adani, the stock market meltdown has been a dramatic setback for a school-dropout who rose swiftly in recent years to become the world\u2019s third richest man, before slipping last week to rank seventh on the Forbes rich list.\n\n\n\n\n\nAdani Group\u2019s response comes as its flagship company is pushing ahead with a US$2.5 billion share sale. This has been overshadowed by the Hindenburg report, which flagged concerns about high debt levels and the use of tax havens.\nREAD MORE HERE\nTurkey may accept Finland into Nato: Erdogan\n", "\nTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said for the first time Sunday that Ankara could accept Finland into NATO without its Nordic neighbour Sweden.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nErdogan\u2019s comments during a televised meeting with younger voters came days after Ankara suspended NATO accession talks with the two countries.\n\nTurkey and Hungary remain the only members of the 30-nation Western defence alliance to have failed to ratify the membership bids by Sweden and Finland.\nREAD MORE HERE\nNajib\u2019s son offers to contest deputy chief\u2019s post in Umno Youth\n", "\nA son of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin Najib, has offered to contest the post of deputy chief in Umno Youth in the coming party polls.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Nazifuddin, who is a member of Langkawi Umno Youth, said he wished to help the youth wing attract more youngsters to strengthen the party.\n\nHe also said that as a member of a sports association, he could use it to approach young people to join the Malay nationalist party. Mr Nazifuddin is secretary-general of the Malaysian Olympic Council.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\nDjokovic shows the world the finer points of greatness\n", "\nFrom a single shot on Sunday arrives an insight into the exceptional athlete. It\u2019s just past 9pm in Melbourne and a cool night is turning testy. It\u2019s the second set, Novak Djokovic is serving at 4-5 and briefly flirting with what he rarely does. Error.\n\nA backhand error. A forehand error. Another backhand one. Suddenly it\u2019s 30-40. Set point for Stefanos Tsitsipas.\n\nThe crowd howls into the cloudy skies.\n\nREAD MORE HERE\nFootball: Holders Liverpool beaten 2-1 by Brighton in FA Cup\n", "\nHolders Liverpool were knocked out of the FA Cup after losing 2-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion in the fourth round on Sunday, as Kaoru Mitoma struck the winning goal in stoppage time.\nThe Reds are the third consecutive holders to go out at this stage, after Arsenal in 2020-21 and Leicester City in 2021-22.\nHarvey Elliott put Liverpool ahead, Lewis Dunk equalised before half-time and the score stayed at 1-1 until Mitoma found the net in the 92nd minute with a fine finish.\nREAD MORE HERE\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/while-you-were-sleeping-5-stories-you-might-have-missed-jan-30-2023"}, {"title": "While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 1", "text": ["\nEx-VP Mike Pence plans to launch US presidential bid on June 7\nFormer vice-president Mike Pence is challenging his one-time boss Donald Trump in a campaign that will put the spotlight on the deep personal rift between the once-close political allies and test whether a party dominated by the former president can accept someone who defied him.\nMr Pence, 63, plans to formally announce his presidential campaign June 7 in Iowa, according to a person familiar with the plans.\u00a0\nMr Pence has been laying the groundwork for a White House bid for more than a year, visiting early-voting states, giving policy speeches and promoting an autobiography.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe former vice-president is offering himself as the only traditional conservative in the field who can win the Republican nomination and defeat President Joe Biden - while governing with more civility than Trump.\nREAD MORE HERE\nGermany orders four Russian consulates on its soil closed\n", "\nGermany said on Wednesday it will drastically reduce Moscow\u2019s diplomatic presence on its soil in response to a similar move from Russia, in the latest escalation of tensions over the war in Ukraine.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBerlin has ordered four of Moscow\u2019s five consulates in Germany to close, a foreign ministry spokesman told a regular government press conference.\n\nThe move comes after Moscow put a limit of 350 on the number of German personnel allowed in Russia, according to the spokesman.\nREAD MORE HERE\nMacron to Eastern Europe: We should have listened over Russia\n", "\nPresident Emmanuel Macron acknowledged on Wednesday that France should have paid more attention to Eastern European nations, which warned about a belligerent Russia before Moscow\u2019s forces invaded Ukraine.\n\n\n\n\n\nMr Macron told a security forum there should be no division between \u201cOld Europe\u201d and \u201cNew Europe\u201d, referring to enduring divergences between eastern and western European Union members over matters such as Russia.\n\u201cSome said you had missed an opportunity to shut up. I think we also lost an opportunity to listen to you. This time is over,\u201d Mr Macron said to applause, during a speech at the GLOBSEC think-tank in the Slovak capital, Bratislava.\nREAD MORE HERE\nBaby found abandoned, covered with ants,\u00a0in Malaysia\n", "\nA newborn baby was found abandoned and covered with ants at a bus stop in Taiping, a town in Perak, Malaysia.\nTaiping police officer Razlam Ab Hamid said a woman found the baby at the Taman Kota bus stop at around 10am on Wednesday.\n\u201cThe woman who found the baby initially parked her car at the bus stop to take some items out of the bonnet of her car. When she stepped out of her vehicle, she overheard the baby crying...\u201d\nREAD MORE HERE\nDanny Masterson of That \u201870s Show found guilty of rape\n", "\nUS actor and Scientologist Danny Masterson on Wednesday was found guilty of raping two women at his home in the Hollywood Hills.\nThe star of television\u2019s That \u201870s Show and The Ranch was convicted of two counts of forcible rape between 2001 and 2003, while jurors at a Los Angeles courthouse said they were deadlocked on\u00a0a third rape charge.\nIt was the second rape trial for Masterson, after previous proceedings were declared a mistrial last November when a different jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision.\nREAD MORE HERE\n"], "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/world/while-you-were-sleeping-5-stories-you-might-have-missed-june-1-3"}]