KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — Malaysia’s 2025 was a year of major events that captured national attention. From deadly accidents and violent incidents to high-profile political developments and international diplomacy, the country faced challenges and milestones that shaped public debate and policy.

Setia Mall shooting

The year opened with the Setia City Mall shooting in Shah Alam on February 8, when a gunman opened fire inside the shopping complex, injuring a janitor and sending crowds scrambling for cover as shops pulled down shutters and security evacuated patrons. 

Police traced the suspect to another location and later confirmed he was shot dead during an attempt to arrest him. The incident revived concerns about firearm access and the security response in large commercial spaces.

Putra Heights gas pipe explosion

On April 1, Putra Heights in Selangor was rocked by a massive gas-pipeline explosion that created a crater, set vehicles ablaze and injured well over a hundred people based on early estimates at the time. 

Flames were visible kilometres away as residents were evacuated and emergency teams struggled to contain the fire. Production disruption followed after industrial users were temporarily cut off from the natural gas supply, with Petronas conducting assessments on the damaged pipeline section and homeowners facing lengthy repairs.

FRU truck crash

Barely six weeks later, on May 13, a police FRU personnel truck collided with a gravel lorry near Teluk Intan, killing nine officers and seriously injuring others. Authorities later said the lorry had been overloaded and was operating in breach of regulations. 

Funerals were held in several states, flags were lowered, and questions were directed at heavy-vehicle enforcement, while police and the Transport Ministry promised reviews of convoy safety.

University bus crash kills 15

The following month, on June 9, a Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris bus travelling along the East–West Highway crashed in Gerik, killing 15 people, most of them students, and injuring dozens. The tragedy became one of the country’s worst transport accidents of recent years.

Survivors described the hillside impact and chaotic scene as emergency responders worked through the night, with families arriving to identify victims and the university setting up counselling for classmates.

Malaysia hosts Asean summit with President Trump and “The Beast”

By mid-year, international attention shifted to Kuala Lumpur as Malaysia hosted the Asean Summit. The meeting delivered a historic outcome with Timor-Leste formally joining the regional bloc, the first enlargement since 1999. 

Malaysia was instrumental in brokering the peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia, which was also recognised and gained continuous praise from the United States and Asean member states. The peace deal, known as the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord, was signed in Kuala Lumpur by Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, with President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim signing as witnesses.

Leaders issued joint statements on security and regional cooperation, while Malaysia’s chairing of the event placed Putrajaya at the centre of South-east Asian diplomacy for several weeks.

The highlight of the Asean Summit was a 13-second video, posted on the X platform by Trump’s Special Assistant and Communication Advisor Margo Martin, showing the presidential convoy cruising along a sleek, tree-lined highway en route from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to the capital.

Captioned “President Trump’s motorcade through Malaysia en route to the Asean Summit”, the clip has since garnered more than four million views at the time it was posted on October 26. Trump was a guest at the Asean Summit that Malaysia hosted.  

Sabah elections

In the second half of the year, Sabah politics came into focus as the state prepared for its November polls. Campaigning unfolded amid shifting alliances and promises of greater state autonomy over resources. 

When Sabah voters went to the ballot box on November 29, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah retained the government, while the federal ruling coalition suffered major losses in the state assembly. The result strengthened Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor’s position and underscored East Malaysia’s growing political weight in Parliament.

Fifa sanctions FAM over forged documents for seven heritage players

Sporting headlines were briefly overshadowed in October and November by an eligibility scandal in Malaysian football, after investigations found forged or improperly processed documents behind foreign-born players’ registrations. 

Seven players were implicated: Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel, all of whom were fined 2,000 Swiss francs (RM11,000) each and suspended for 12 months from all football-related activities from the date of notification.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) was fined 350,000 Swiss francs (RM1.8 million), leaving them scrambling to reassure supporters and tighten procedures after what became a national embarrassment. 

The matter is now on appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the sanctions imposed by Fifa on the association and seven Harimau Malaya heritage players.

Political arrest of former Prime Minister’s aide and whistleblower Albert Tei

The prime minister’s former senior political secretary Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin pleaded not guilty to four corruption charges under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, over his alleged receipt of bribery worth over RM176,000 from businessman Albert Tei Jiann Cheing.

Shamsul Iskandar is accused of having corruptly obtained and received bribes from Tei in the form of cash worth RM140,000 and over RM36,000 in furniture and electrical appliances.

Tei, the whistleblower who exposed corruption in the Sabah government, said his home was raided by MACC officers and accused them of pointing six guns at his head, like he was a terrorist, in videos circulating on social media.

Tei claimed he had spent RM629,000 on Shamsul, including renovations for properties linked to him, as well as premium cigars and custom-made suits, allegedly under the assurance that he could recover the funds channelled to Sabah politicians.

Fatal police shooting in Melaka

Malaysia’s government faces growing pressure to clarify the fatal police shooting of three men in southern Melaka, after families released an audio recording and forensic evidence that appear to challenge the police account of a violent encounter with the suspected robbery suspects.

The triple shooting occurred early on November 24 when three men, aged 24 to 29, allegedly attacked a police corporal with a machete at a palm oil plantation in Durian Tunggal.

The officer, in his early 30s, sustained serious injuries to his left arm.

The three suspects, members of the Durian Tunggal gang, were reportedly on their way to commit a robbery and had been involved in 22 criminal cases since 2024 across Melaka, Negri Sembilan, and Selangor, with total losses of RM1.35 million.

Families of the suspects have disputed claims that the men acted violently, prompting Bukit Aman to set up a special team to investigate their complaints.