Category: Malaysia

Malaysia

Australia Sends Strong Message Ahead of Historic BARMM Vote—But the Real Test Comes on Election Day

MANILA, Philippines — Australia has reaffirmed its support for a peaceful, inclusive and credible election in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), just days before the region holds its first regular parliamentary elections. The Australian Embassy in Manila said a senior embassy team visited Cotabato City from September 1 to 3 to assess preparations and meet election and security officials, civil society organizations and election-monitoring groups ahead of the September

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Malaysia

Anwar Finally Breaks His Silence on Malaysia’s Snap Election Talk — But What Happens Next Could Reshape GE16

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s next general election could be held earlier than expected after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim signalled that he is willing to consider calls for a snap vote, even as his government insists that economic recovery and governance remain its immediate priorities. Anwar said Friday that he would consider proposals to bring forward the country’s 16th general election, or GE16, following growing pressure from political leaders inside and outside his unity government. However,

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Malaysia

Malaysia Wants ASEAN to Rethink Its Haze Pact — But Breaking the Cycle Could Be Harder Than Ever

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia is pushing ASEAN to take a harder look at its decades-old approach to transboundary haze as thick smoke from fires in Indonesia once again spreads across Southeast Asia, raising concerns over public health, schools, air quality and regional cooperation. The pressure comes as the region enters another dangerous fire season, with prolonged dry weather and strengthening El Niño conditions increasing the risk that land and forest fires could spiral into a wider haze crisis.

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s Rare-Earth Moment: Why Global Investors Are Watching as China Tightens Its Grip

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia is emerging as an increasingly important piece of the global critical-minerals puzzle as governments and manufacturers look for alternatives to supply chains heavily concentrated in China. The spotlight is particularly intense on Malaysia’s rare-earth resources, which could become strategically valuable as China maintains export controls on several rare-earth materials and related products. But Malaysia's opportunity comes with a major condition: the country wants to bu

September 3, 2026

Business

Malaysia-Registered Lorry Declared “Corrugated Paper” — Singapore Officers Found More Than 10,400 Vapes and Pods

A routine cargo declaration at Tuas Checkpoint turned into a major contraband discovery after Singapore authorities found more than 10,400 vaporisers and vape pods concealed inside a Malaysia-registered lorry. The lorry entered Singapore on Aug. 20, 2026, with its consignment declared as corrugated paper. But an ICA image analyst spotted anomalies in the vehicle’s scanned image, triggering a more detailed physical inspection. What officers found During the inspection, Immigration and Checkpo

September 3, 2026

Business

FERRARI AMALFI SPIDER ARRIVES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA — But Can This 640-HP V8 Really Conquer the Region’s Heat and Traffic?

KUALA LUMPUR — Ferrari has brought its newest open-top grand tourer to Southeast Asia, unveiling the Ferrari Amalfi Spider in Kuala Lumpur as the marque looks to make high-performance convertible motoring more practical for the region’s demanding roads and tropical climate. The regional arrival comes just months after the Amalfi Spider’s global debut and follows the introduction of the Amalfi coupe to ASEAN earlier this year. The Kuala Lumpur presentation was also the model’s ASEAN debut, accor

September 2, 2026

Malaysia

Wife Donates Husband’s Organs After Fatal Brain Haemorrhage, Giving 1-Year-Old a New Chance at Life

MELAKA, Malaysia — A grieving Malaysian wife has made a deeply emotional decision following the sudden death of her 45-year-old husband — agreeing to donate five of his organs, including his liver, which was transplanted into a one-year-old child. Tan Choon Yen, 45, died after suffering a severe brain haemorrhage that left him brain dead, according to reports by China Press cited by AsiaOne and Singapore's Stomp. His wife, Jessica Lam Wen Yunn, 38, said she never expected that a casual conversa

September 2, 2026

Business

Malaysia Will Send 1,476 Myanmar Nationals Home on Sept. 29—But the UN Says Myanmar May Still Be Too Dangerous

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia is moving ahead with the first phase of its planned voluntary repatriation of Myanmar nationals, but the United Nations refugee agency says it is not involved in the operation and warns that conditions in Myanmar remain too dangerous for a safe and dignified return. Malaysia is scheduled to send 1,476 Myanmar nationals back to Myanmar on September 29, 2026, marking the first phase of a broader programme involving up to 5,000 people, according to Malaysia’s Home Ministry.

September 2, 2026

Malaysia

Tinio Calls Out P4.56-B Secret Funds in Marcos Office Budget: “Why the Different Standard?”

MANILA, Philippines — A fresh budget controversy is emerging in Congress after ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio questioned why billions of pesos in confidential and intelligence funds remain in the proposed 2027 budget of the Office of the President (OP), even as lawmakers continue to scrutinize similar funds involving other government offices. The issue surfaced on Tuesday, September 1, after the House Committee on Appropriations voted 37-5 to end further questioning on the OP's prop

September 1, 2026

Malaysia

Sarawak’s Air Hit a Hazardous 475 on National Day — But the Number Authorities Are Watching Is 500

KUCHING, Malaysia — Malaysia’s National Day arrived under dramatically different skies on Monday, with celebrations continuing in Putrajaya while parts of Sarawak were swallowed by some of the worst haze the state has experienced in years. In Serian, close to the Indonesian border, Malaysia’s national Air Pollutant Index monitoring system recorded a reading of 475 at 9am on August 31, putting the district deep inside the “hazardous” category and perilously close to the level at which authoritie

August 31, 2026