New Straits Times
‘DON’T CHALLENGE US’
DATUK Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says no one should dare Umno to quit the unity government. He says the government exists because of Umno, and the prime minister is in the position only because of Umno’s support. Those challenging Umno should either...
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GLOVES OFF
UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi pulled no punches when criticising political partners who don't keep their promises, government policy inconsistencies and a ‘guruʼ who refuses to listen to the people. He hopes the Blue Malaysia agenda...
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EX-MINISTER TO FACE 3 CHARGES ON MONDAY
■ Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman says they are awaiting the green light to quiz a jailed former Felda chairman in an investigation into the statutory body’s investment arm ■ The agriculture and food security minister and senior officials may be called up...
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Families devastated
THE authorities identified all five victims of Tuesday’s helicopter crash in Long Lellang, Ulu Baram, through the personal belongings found on their bodies, although DNA testing is still required for official confirmation. The victims were...
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NO SURVIVORS EXPECTED
THE family of a doctor aboard the helicopter that went down in Long Lellang, Sarawak, confirms that she has been killed. Rescuers are racing to the crash site that is 10 hours by road from the nearest town. At press time, the fate of the four others...
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‘LAWS NEED MORE BITE’
POLICE want tougher punishments, such as caning, for scam-related offences. IGP Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail says reforms are needed to keep up with technological advances that criminals use to deceive hundreds of people daily.
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TWO HELD IN FELDA PROBE
A FORMER director-general of a statutory body is among those detained over irregularities in the sale of the agency’s land and abuse of power in a developer’s appointment. The arrests come as the prime minister signals that the government will expose...
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PAS WON’T GIVE UP ‘WINNABLE’ SEATS
PAS’ polls director calls it ‘foolish’ to offer other parties seats it can handily win in the 16th General Election. Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, however, wants seat discussions to be left entirely to the presidents of both...
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DNA READY FOR MATCHING
FIFTY-TWO next of kin have completed their submissions to the police to be matched with the remains of Malaysians found in Nepal. Meanwhile, two workers have been found alive in one of the Nepali hydropower project tunnels where at least 900 people are...
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PANEL MOOTS SC OVERSIGHT
A PROPOSAL to place Tabung Haji’s investment arm under the Securities Commission aims to align the fund’s regulatory framework with its largely capital market-based portfolio. Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Hussain says Bank Negara will continue to monitor TH as...
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TWO TO BE CHARGED
AT least two former prominent Tabung Haji officials are expected to be charged as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) widens its dragnet in its probe into the findings of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the pilgrimage fund. One of...
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Disaster toll tops 1,000
THE deaths from the devasting floods in Nepal and Tibet have passed 1,000. Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah says more than 11,000 people have been rescued, but 600 remain stuck at hydropower station tunnels.
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High-spirited show
DATARAN Putrajaya comes alive with colour and culture during the 69th National Day celebration, delivering a vivid showcase of Malaysia’s unity in diversity and shared national pride.
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Malaysia deploys Smart to Nepal
Families of missing Malaysians asked to give DNA samples for identification Toll surges past 750, with over 3,500 missing
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‘TELL US WHAT’S HAPPENING’
■ Nepal suspends search due to bad weather, pleads for foreign technical help ■ Families ask Putrajaya to use diplomatic channels to enable deployment of Malaysian rescue team
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‘I AM NOT ASHAMED’
DATUK Seri M. Saravanan is defiant after claiming trial to taking nearly RM1.1 million in bribes for foreign worker quota approvals in 2022. The former HR minister describes the allegations as ‘outrageous’, insisting his detractors will end up...
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BIG GUNS FACE THE LAW
MALAYSIA’S courts see an extraordinary convergence of political heavyweights, with a third ex-prime minister called to account as two of his predecessors appear in separate proceedings. Graft-busters confirm that a former minister is set to face...
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Putrajaya among 11 locations with ‘unhealthy’ air quality
Air quality dropped to unhealthy levels at 11 monitoring stations nationwide as of 6.30pm yesterday. Sarawak recorded the worst readings. The Department of Environment’s latest data showed that of the 68 stations monitored, 52 recorded moderate air...
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PAC MULLS PROBE INTO TH
The Public Accounts Committee will decide whether to set up a special body to review the haj fund’s post-2017 management amid calls for a fresh probe. This comes as former auditor general Tan Sri Dr Madinah Mohamad defends her findings, saying...
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HAZE HOTSPOTS RISE TO 19
■ Nadma and MetMalaysia to coordinate schedules with Indonesian armed forces, says Kurup ■ Haze could persist until late September, warn experts ■ Teachers and parents want authorities to act before conditions turn hazardous
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Southern Thailand blasts shake Kelantan homes
ASERIES of explosions in southern Thailand were heard and felt as far as Pasir Mas, about 25km from Sungai Golok, on Saturday night. Villagers living along the Kelantan-Thailand border were left shaken. Among them was Azman Ayub, 40, from Kampung...
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DATE WITH THIEVES
FIRST, scammers methodically form intimate relationships with targets, starting on dating apps and later moving to messaging platforms. Then the starry-eyed individuals are tricked into putting their money in fake investment schemes. More than 450 of...
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PAHANG COASTLINE UNDER THREAT
THE South China Sea is reshaping the 210km coastline in Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin. The state government has implemented measures to address rapid erosion affecting 61km of the coast. People fear more beaches, homes and infrastructure will be swallowed...
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‘NO FAVOUR, NO MERCY’
THE family of the three people killed in an Immigration lorry crash in Kuala Lumpur wants the driver to bear the full brunt of the law as he is charged with causing their deaths. The Immigration Department has suspended him from duty.
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GRIEF UPON GRIEF
BARELY three months after losing a sister, a family is struggling to process the tragic loss of a retired army man and his two daughters in the Jalan Sultan Ismail crash yesterday. The nightmare unfolded when an Immigration Department lorry ran a red...
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EXPLORING A HYBRID TAX MODEL
Economists and business groups hope the issue of cascading tax would be addressed Easing cost-of-living pressures, greater M40 relief measures among priorities
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SINGAPORE HALTSWASTE EXPORTS
THE move comes after Johor SWCorp submitted to Singapore’s environmental body a list of nine firms allegedly involved in dumping construction and demolition waste in Pontian. The two agencies will exchange probe findings and updates on follow-up action.
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TABUNG HAJI DEFENDS RM1.32B PURCHASE
TH: Great Minster House purchase done according to established investment standards, property remains operationally profitable Former top TH executives decline to comment, refer the NST to the pilgrimage fund’s management Property expert questions...
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REFORM DRIVE TARGETS UNIVERSITY LAW AND FELDA
DATUK Seri Anwar Ibrahim is intent on accelerating reforms now that political stability, national security and economic growth are assured. His first goal is to repeal the unpopular Universities and University Colleges Act 1971. Expect more changes to...
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HARD CHOICES AHEAD
FRESH off recent election defeats, PKR enters its national congress ready to rethink strategies and heed grassroots calls for change. At the same time, long-time ally DAP finds itself ‘caught between a rock and a hard place’, with delegates preparing...
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PROBE SWELLS TO14CASES
THE MACC dragnet widens after it uncovers eight more investment-related issues in the Tabung Haji RCI findings. The commission has also completed three of six initial probes. Nine of the 14 investigation papers are believed to involve the fund or its...
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2 landowners under probe over Pontian waste dumping
TWO Malaysian landowners will be questioned over the dumping of construction waste, believed to be from Singapore, and land reclamation in the district. A Johor councillor says one company is linked to the case and eight others are on the authorities’...
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‘IT’S ABOUT RESTORING TRUST’
■ Integrity of past audit reports questioned ■ Probe called to determine if Tabung Haji money was used to bail out 1MDB ■ Opposition walkout ‘a betrayal of 10 million depositors’, says Syed Saddiq
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1 MILLION MORE HOMES BY 2035
THE government vows to expand the supply of affordable housing through four laws that will boost buyer protections, building management and ownership rates. Big data analytics will drive development decisions and tackle the mismatch between what is...
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Couple, grandchild cheat death when tree falls on SUV
A9-YEAR-OLD girl and her grandparents cheated death when a 90-year-old Angsana tree fell onto their sports utility vehicle (SUV) along Jalan Macalister here yesterday . The incident occurred less than a week after Maran Umno Youth chief Mohd Radzi...
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Picturesque Kundasang on shaky ground
ESCALATING landslide risks are jeopardising the safety of Sabah’s ‘New Zealand’. State geologists warn that many homestays, farms and homes now sit in high-risk disaster zones.
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ʻA STRONG AND JUST FUTURE FOR SELANGOR’
SELANGOR aims to grow its economy to RM600 billion by 2030 under its second five-year development plan, which seeks to strengthen the state’s position as Malaysia’s economic powerhouse while creating more high-paying jobs for its people. Menteri Besar...
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‘NO SHIELDING THWRONGDOERS’
BARISAN Nasional wants anyone found guilty of criminal breach of trust or mismanagement of Tabung Haji to face the consequences, says chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican says...
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PILOTS WANT ANSWERS
AVIATION industry insiders want the authorities to explain how a pilot of the national carrier got a bag of drugs through multiple layers of airport security only to be caught in Jakarta. They also lament the lack of psychological screening and mental...
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COPS SEEK ‘KLIA INSIDER’
■ Another Malaysian detained in Indonesia for smuggling 1kg of meth, 1,000 ecstasy pills
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Maran Umno Youth chief, family killed after tree crushes vehicle
FOUR people, including a 5-year-old, were killed after a large tree fell on their pickup truck along the Kuala Lumpur-Bentong old trunk road near Janda Baik here. The dead were identified as Maran Umno Youth chief Mohd Radzi Rahimi, his wife, their...
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NEW MANDATE, HARD TRUTHS
BARISAN Nasional is back in power in Negri Sembilan, buoyed by a strategic pact with Perikatan Nasional for Malay vote unity. With Melaka now signalling it may call elections hot on the heels of BN’s back-to-back wins, the message to Pakatan Harapan is...
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BN, PN WIN TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY
■ Malay-majority seats n all won by BN, PN ■ Zahid: BN-PN n cooperation to continue in Melaka polls ■ Bersatu suffers n another wipeout ■ PH election director: n Entire campaign tainted by racial rhetoric
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ALL EYES ON NEGRI
NEARLY 860,000 voters go to the polls today in a high-stakes battle pitting federal allies Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional against each other. PH is banking on its incumbency, while BN hopes its understanding with Perikatan Nasional will swing the...
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MACC STEPS IN
THE Royal Commission of Inquiry into Tabung Haji has found weaknesses in governance and financial management from 2014 to 2020. This prompted fresh scrutiny on its asset valuations, accountability and financial decisions. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption...
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12 NABBED OVER IMMIGRATION HACK
FOUR Immigration officers, two firm directors and a policeman are among those arrested for allegedly exploiting MyIMMs to issue Temporary Employment Visit Passes. The department's director-general vows to widen the probe beyond the scheme to determine...
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HUNGRY FOR SOLUTIONS
AS early voting wraps up in the Negri Sembilan polls, voices on the ground say voters are moving beyond political promises. They care more about policies that can directly improve their daily lives, especially better access to higher education and...
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ROYAL DIPLOMACY BRINGS F1 BACK
THE close relationship between His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia and Bahrain’s King Hamad Isa Al Khalifa has paved the way for Formula One to return to the Sepang International Circuit. Faced with F1 calendar disruptions caused by escalating...
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12 COPS HELD VER EXTORTION
A DEPUTY superintendent and assistant superintendent are among those arrested for purportedly demanding RM2 million from a Vanuatu citizen. In February, China nationals were allegedly robbed also by cops. A lawyer representing the group has questioned...
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Six friends killed in crash after prayer event
SIX youths aged between 16 and 25 were killed after their car collided with a lorry on Jalan Karak Lama, near Klinik Desa Jambu Rias here, early yesterday. The victims were trapped in the car following the crash that occurred about 4am, and were...
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MORE THAN A TEST FOR 3 GIANTS
THE battles for Rantau, Chennah and Linggi reflect the political currents shaping the Negri Sembilan election — the contest for Malay and Chinese support, the resilience of mixed constituencies, the impact of the Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional...
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Tight race in Negri
A RESEARCH firm forecasts Pakatan Harapan winning 17 of the 36 seats in the state assembly, while Barisan Nasional is likely to sweep 15 and two seats are projected to be Perikatan Nasional’s. The remaining two constituencies are too close to call.
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Nearly 300 foreigners left in the lurch
NETWORK School is closed for good, leaving participants stranded without answers. Meanwhile, its founder says a new campus will be set up in Kazakhstan.
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Kedah sultan, Tunku Mahkota visit Media Prima
SULTAN of Kedah AlAminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah and the Tunku Mahkota of Kedah, Tunku Shazuddin Ariff Sultan Sallehuddin, tried their hand at reading the news during a visit to Media Prima Bhd’s headquarters in Balai Berita here...
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‘Don’t expect others to clean up your mess’
KL City Hall and the FT minister slam football fansʼ disgusting behaviour for leaving Dataran Merdeka covered in rubbish after the World Cup final screening.
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BORDER CRIME ON THE RISE
THE Malaysian-Thai border in Kedah and Perlis remains a hotspot as syndicates use illegal routes, forest trails and plantation paths for smuggling. Authorities are stepping up patrols and enforcement against migrant, drug and contraband activities.
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SHOWDOWN BEGINS
A TOTAL of 103 candidates are chasing 36 seats in the Negri Sembilan polls, highlighted by 21 three-cornered contests. Yet the key focus lies in the non-compete arrangement between Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional. Analysts say the tie-up, if it...
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BERSATU BITES BACK
SIMMERING tensions in Perikatan Nasional have boiled over into an open feud. Bersatu has announced it will field 24 candidates in the Negri Sembilan election, going up against Pas and Parti Wawasan Negara in eight seats. Bersatu president Tan Sri...
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PN IN DISARRAY
THE rift in Perikatan Nasional, which had a disastrous outing in Johor, seems to be worsening as the coalition prepares to enter the Negri Sembilan polls tomorrow. Bersatu is using its own logo and is further isolated, with the PN information chief...
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Jordan downs 4 Iran missiles targeting US base
HOSTILITIES flare across the Persian Gulf as Trump reinstates a blockade on Iran and proposes a 20 per cent levy on the value of cargo for ships to pass the Strait of Hormuz. Teheran calls the amount excessive.
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Syed Saddiq walks free on 2-1 decision
THE hearing of Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s case at the Federal Court yesterday was filled with suspense as three judges delivered separate judgments, with the third ruling decisively freeing the former minister. The packed courtroom remained tense...
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A COMPASS FOR BN
BARISAN Nasional’s commanding victory in Johor has given it a potential roadmap for future contests, built on a message of stability, continuity and state leadership. But analysts caution that the result in the coalition’s traditional stronghold alone...
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BN ROMPS TO BIG WIN
■ UNOFFICIAL: Blow to PH as it loses Tangkak, Jementah, Johor Jaya, Perling and Bukit Batu to BN ■ PN fails to defend Bukit Kepong and Endau, is defeated in all 31 other constituencies ■ Bersama, Muda wiped out, many candidates lose deposits
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D-DAY FOR JOHOR
THE state’s 2.7 million voters will cast their ballots today, the climax of a keenly fought electoral battle that will be analysed for its impact on unity federal government dynamics. The Election Commission expects a turnout of 70 per cent, citing...
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PUSHING REFORM AGENDA
■ Independent public prosecutor: Parliament to have a role in selection, with PM and cabinet kept out ■Broader political backing, deeper parliamentary scrutiny needed to revive proposed 10-year limit on PMʼs tenure ■ Law minister: Freedom of...
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CLASHINGVISIONS OF STABILITY
BARISAN Nasional is framing stability for Johor through continuity under Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi’s leadership and ongoing development plans. But Pakatan Harapan argues that closer alignment with the federal government will deliver faster growth,...
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TAXI REFORMS HIT THE ROAD
PUTRAJAYA dismantles the decades-old leasing system, handing taxi drivers direct ownership of their vehicles and permits through a modernised structure. This is backed by an additional RM10 million allocation to replace old taxis with Proton S70s,...
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BN HOLDS EARLY EDGE
BARISAN Nasional appears to be in a favourable position in the first week of the Johor election campaign. But with only five days of campaigning completed, the race remains open. Backed by its track record in governing the state, Johor BN and its...
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