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POLITICS1d agoSmokescreen politics? Malaysians mock Indonesian official’s ‘we send oxygen’ haze defenceMalaysians have reacted with sarcasm and disbelief to an Indonesian official’s claim that his country provides the region’s oxygen, as toxic smoke from forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan chokes neighbouring nations. Syahganda Nainggolan, head of Indonesia’s government communications agency, prompted the backlash after invoking his country’s forests when questioned on Saturday about the severe smog that has forced school closures and triggered health warnings across Malaysia and...South China Morning Post
POLITICS1d agoMalaysian PM Anwar’s new budget tackles graft, but critics ask: is it too late?With his reformist credentials battered by coalition compromises and a looming general election, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has used his 2027 budget to launch a fresh wave of anti-corruption measures. But as his government nears its four-year mark, analysts warn that restoring public confidence will require more than additional funding and tighter legislative oversight. The measures, announced when Anwar presented Malaysia’s 2027 budget on Friday, include 1.1 billion ringgit (US$269...South China Morning Post
POLITICS4d agoMalaysia budget: Anwar to boost welfare, keep subsidies amid inflation worriesMalaysia’s government will boost spending on social welfare while maintaining subsidies to rein in the cost of living under its 2027 Budget unveiled on Friday, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim seeks to shore up public support while under pressure to call for an early general election. Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) has suffered bruising defeats in a series of state elections since December, as voters expressed disapproval of his administration’s failure to deliver on promises of reforms, which had...South China Morning Post
POLITICS6d agoCan ‘neutral’ Malaysia stay above the fray in the US-China tech rivalry?Despite Malaysia’s insistence that its long-standing non-alignment policy extends to cyberspace, analysts say the country’s reliance on American and Chinese technology could make such a stance difficult to sustain amid the rivalry between the two superpowers. Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said on Monday that Malaysia would “always remain neutral” in cyberspace, arguing that cyber threats could come from non-state actors and should not be viewed solely through the lens of geopolitical...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 7Malaysia’s Melaka sets election date as BN, PAS near alliance against AnwarMalaysia’s Melaka will hold a state election on November 14 as the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition nears a pact with Islamist rivals, leaving Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s alliance facing another difficult contest after a string of recent defeats. The filing of nominations will begin on October 31 and early voting on November 10, Election Commission chairman Ramlan Harun said on Wednesday. A total of 687,897 registered voters are eligible to elect the state’s 28 assembly members, with...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 6Malaysia’s Anwar to host Myanmar leader as repatriations near 10,000Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing to visit Kuala Lumpur 'in the next few days', Anwar Ibrahim says.Al Jazeera [en]
POLITICSOct 5Malaysia’s Anwar set to unveil crowd-pleasing budget as political pressure risesMalaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim is expected to roll out a populist budget on Friday aimed at placating voter concerns over the cost of living and access to essential services, experts say, as the prime minister seeks to shore up support ahead of a general election that could be called as soon as next year. Anwar’s coalition government is under mounting pressure amid a deepening feud with Umno. The Malay nationalist party, a key partner in Anwar’s administration, has demanded a snap poll after defeating...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 4New Malaysian ambassador presents credentials to Vietnamese President, pledges to deepen bilateral tiesPHNOM PENH: Newly appointed Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Jamal Sharifuddin Johan pledged to accelerate five decades of cooperation with Hanoi, with sustainable energy and the halal economy as priority areas under the countries' upgraded Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.thestar_my · malaysia
POLITICSOct 3Senior Citizens Bill to strengthen protection for older Malaysians, says Nancy ShukriMELAKA, Oct 3 — The physical and mental well-being of senior citizens will be among the key areas addressed under...malaymail · singapore
POLITICSSep 30Philippines urged to adopt Malaysia’s lasting tourism strategyPhilippine senators have urged the Department of Tourism to stick with a single marketing campaign to build long-term international recognition, pointing to long-running successes such as Malaysia’s “Truly Asia” tagline. Newly appointed Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay was asked about her plans for the current slogan, “Love the Philippines”, during a departmental budget hearing on Monday, the Philippine Star reported. Senate finance subcommittee chairman Erwin Tulfo suggested keeping the...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 30Malaysia’s Mahathir in hospital for observation a day after wife’s deathMalaysia’s two-time prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has been admitted to hospital for observation, his office confirmed on Wednesday, in the latest health scare involving the 101-year-old. Mahathir was admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) on Tuesday night, barely a day after his wife of 70 years, Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, died at the same hospital. It is unclear why the former leader was admitted. Sufi Yusoff, Mahathir’s long-time aide, told reporters that they were awaiting diagnosis...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 29Malaysia begins Myanmar repatriations despite safety warnings by UN and rights groupsmalaysiasun.com · Malaysia
POLITICSSep 28Malaysian police consider sedition charges for ex-Negeri Sembilan officialsMalaysian police were set to begin questioning 10 former Negeri Sembilan state officials on Monday over a disputed bid to remove the state’s long-time ruler. It comes a week after Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir dismissed the 10 ex-members of the executive council, which serves as the state’s cabinet, for breaching their oaths of allegiance by backing his removal. Negeri Sembilan, south of Kuala Lumpur, has been locked in a months-long struggle over its throne that helped bring down the previous...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 28Siti Hasmah, wife of Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad, dies aged 100Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, the wife of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, died on Monday aged 100. Her family confirmed her death after she was admitted to the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose decades-long feud with Mahathir defined modern Malaysia’s politics, said on Monday that Siti Hasmah would be granted a state funeral. “The nation will always remember her maternal presence and cherish...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 25Malaysia’s Najib ‘has no money’ to pay fine for house arrest, lawyer saysFormer Malaysian leader Najib Razak has no money to pay the fine to secure his transfer to house arrest, his lawyers have said, as they question the delay in releasing the full details of the conditional pardon granted by Malaysia’s king last week. King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar last Friday decreed that Najib would be allowed to serve out the remainder of his sentence at home, on condition that he pay his 50 million ringgit (US$10.3 million) fine. The decision triggered widespread outrage among...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 25Ex-Malaysian minister charged with sedition over Negeri Sembilan royal crisisA veteran Malaysian politician pleaded not guilty on Friday to a sedition charge over remarks backing a rival claimant to the Negeri Sembilan throne amid the months-long royal crisis. Rais Yatim, 84, a former cabinet minister and president of Malaysia’s Senate, was charged at the Sessions Court in Ayer Keroh, Melaka, for his comments on June 5, during a ceremony proclaiming Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar the state’s 12th ruler. Rais is accused of uttering seditious words at the Parkroyal...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 2314 years later, ex-detainee repays Malaysia’s Najib for life-changing second chanceA Malaysian tofu pudding seller has pledged to donate 10,000 ringgit (US$2,452) to help former prime minister Najib Razak cover his 50 million ringgit fine, describing the contribution as a personal payback for a lifeline extended to him 14 years ago. In a social media post, Sunny Seow, founder of the Sunnycoco brand, shared that his motivation stemmed from a pivotal moment in 2012 when he was serving a sentence in Perak state’s Manjung for past mistakes. During a visit by Najib to the area that...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 21Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan royal crisis escalates as chief minister defies rulerMalaysia’s royal crisis in Negeri Sembilan spilled into a new constitutional fight on Monday after the state’s chief minister refused to accept the ruler’s dismissal of the entire executive council – a dispute that has already brought down one government and triggered a snap election. The latest showdown comes less than a week after the executive council backed a disputed bid to remove the ruler, putting the palace and state government in conflict over both the throne and executive...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 21Will Anwar’s coalition in Malaysia implode amid Loke exit, Najib house arrest?Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has suffered a double whammy as his Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition scrambles to placate public outrage over disgraced ex-leader Najib Razak being granted house arrest and the shock resignation of his transport minister in protest against the royal clemency. But observers do not expect the administration, already reeling from PH defeats in two recent state elections as federal allies turned against the coalition, to implode just yet. Anwar and PH’s reformist...South China Morning Post
POLITICSBREAKINGSep 21Malaysian King gives former PM Najib royal clemencyThe Malaysian King has granted royal clemency to former Prime Minister Najib. This is a significant political development involving a high-profile figure.israelherald.com · Israel
POLITICSSep 20Malaysian King gives former PM Najib royal clemencyThe Malaysian King has granted former Prime Minister Najib royal clemency. This is a significant political and legal development affecting a prominent figure in Malaysia.memphissun.com · United States
POLITICSSep 19Malaysia’s Loke resigns as transport minister following Najib’s house arrest approvalA senior ally of Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim announced his resignation from cabinet on Saturday – a day after confidence in the prime minister’s administration took a severe hit when disgraced former leader Najib Razak was allowed to serve out his jail term under house arrest. Anthony Loke, the secretary general of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), said that the party could not accept the decision to allow Najib to complete his sentence in the comfort of his own home. The former prime minister is...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 18Malaysian king grants house arrest for ex-PMKUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak, jailed for his role in the country’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption scandal, has been granted house arrest subject to paying a $12-million fine, officials said on Friday. Najib, 73, was jailed for his role in one of the largest-ever global plunders of a sovereign wealth fund, the now-defunct 1MDB. Supporters of the former head of government welcomed the decision, but an opponent and 1MDB whistleblower called on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to disclose the details of the decision. Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar “granted a conditional pardon ... allowing him (Najib) to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest until 23 August 2028,” lawyers from Anwar’s office said. The conditional pardon was “subject to the payment of a fine of 50 million Malaysian ringgit ($12.2 million),” officials of the legal affairs division said in a statement. Najib “must comply with all set conditions. If he fails to comply with any of these terms, the conditional pardon will be automatically revoked, and he must immediately serve the remainder of his sentence in prison,” they added. A Malaysian judge late last year rejected an original request to allow Najib to serve the rest of his time at home. Najib was sentenced to 12 years in prison in July 2020 in a first trial over vast sums of money siphoned from a former 1MDB subsidiary called SRC International Sdn Bhd. But a pardons board later halved the term, and his fine was reduced to 50 million ringgit. His sentence in this case is scheduled to be completed by August 2028. ‘Explain the decision’ Days after Najib’s December bid for house arrest was turned down, the ex-premier was again sentenced to another 15 years behind bars in a separate trial, also linked to the 1MDB scandal. Najib has also been fined 11.4 billion ringgit for his role in the scandal, which took place more than a decade ago. He is currently appealing the 15-year sentence, which is only set to start once the six-year sentence is completed. The son of one of Malaysia’s founding fathers, Najib was groomed for leadership from a young age but fell from power spectacularly as public anger mounted over the scandal. Investigations under successive governments have ensnared him and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, in graft allegations since his loss in 2018 elections. Najib’s United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party, which ruled the Southeast Asian nation for six decades until losing its grip on power that year, on Friday welcomed the Malaysian king’s pardon. “This development is deeply meaningful for him and his family, as well as for the entire UMNO family, who have steadfastly maintained hope and offered prayers throughout this time,” the party said in a statement. But former Malaysian economy minister Rafizi Ramli, a 1MDB whistleblower and vocal corruption critic, said news of Najib’s house arrest would be “received differently by different segments of Malaysian society.” “Some will be angry. Some will be disappointed. Others will be pleased,” he said in a statement. The onus, Rafizi said, was now on Anwar “to explain the decision to release Dato’ Seri Najib into house arrest, if only to address the concerns of those who are disappointed by it.” Abused his positions Prosecutors said Najib abused his positions as prime minister, finance minister and 1MDB advisory board chairman to move vast sums from the fund into his personal accounts. According to investigators, proceeds from the fund were used to bankroll high-end real estate, a luxury yacht and precious artworks, including a Monet and a Van Gogh. Fugitive financier Jho Low, who is seen as the mastermind behind one of the biggest financial heists in modern history from a fund meant to spur Malaysian development, is still on the run. Set up under Najib in 2009, 1MDB was supposed to serve as an investment vehicle to fund major infrastructure and urban development in the country. But Low, through his proximity to Najib and other top officials, soon became a pivotal figure in schemes that diverted some $4.5 billion from 1MDB via shell companies and complex financial transactions, United States and Malaysian prosecutors said.manilatimes · philippines
POLITICSSep 18Malaysia: Jailed ex-leader Najib allowed house arrestConvicted in the 1MDB scandal for embezzling millions, former Prime Minister Najib Razak had repeatedly sought clemency. Malaysia's king has now granted him a "conditional pardon."DW News [en]
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