Alwyn Lau | Opinion | Malay Mail

Christmas decorations are seen in a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

Malaysia / 11 h ago

Halal vs holidays? Umno Youth chief questions Melaka ban on Christmas decor in certified outlets (VIDEO)

MetMalaysia has issued a thunderstorm warning until 12pm today for several states and territories, including Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Sarawak, Sabah, and Labuan, where heavy rain, strong winds and lightning are expected. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 18 h ago

Heavy rain, strong winds and lightning: Weather warning issued for multiple states, including Perak and Selangor until 12pm today

Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari poses with the national squash team, celebrating their haul of four gold and two silver medals after the men’s and women’s singles finals at the Thailand SEA Games 2025. — Bernama pic

Sports / 8 h ago

Malaysia breaks SEA Games medal tally record abroad with 221 medals in Bangkok

Blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris (Papagomo) was charged with failing to notify authorities of a change in his registered business Invoice Solutions when it was used to collect donations for settling a defamation fine connected to a case involving Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Malaysia / 14 h ago

Papagomo in court over business donations to pay for PM Anwar’s defamation penalty

Seri Alam deputy police chief Superintendent G. Vikra Mathiththan Victor said the incident occurred at about 6pm on Wednesday. — Screengrab via Facebook/Alice Choong

Malaysia / 9 h ago

Johor police arrest teen Alphard driver after he allegedly rams motorcyclist, reverses into drain (VIDEO)

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) building displays the Jalur Gemilang ahead in Kuala Lumpur on August 5, 2025. — Yusof Isa pic

Malaysia / 18 h ago

So what does a Federal Territories minister do? Hannah Yeoh’s new role explained

Without specifying any of lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s remarks, the AGC said the defence lawyer’s press statement yesterday was on issues that had already been brought up and argued at the High Court during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1MDB trial. — Picture by Devan Manuel

Malaysia / 12 h ago

Ahead of verdict next week, AGC says Najib’s fair trial claims made by lawyer in 1MDB case already argued in court

Malaysian ringgit banknotes are pictured on June 24, 2025. — Firdaus Latif pic

Money / 19 h ago

Malaysian ringgit strengthens against dollar, outperforms Asian peers after US inflation surprise

Pearly-Thinaah were stretched to the limit in the contest, battling for 81 minutes before eventually going down 15-21, 21-16, 19-21 to Yuki Fukushima–Mayu Matsumoto. — File pic via Bernama

Sports / 12 h ago

Pearly Tan-Thinaah secure semi-final spot despite Japanese pair win

According to the tournament format, the top two pairs from each group will advance to the semi-finals scheduled for this Saturday. — Bernama file pic

Sports / 18 h ago

Man Wei Chong–Tee Kai Wun stay in semi-final hunt at BWF World Tour Finals as Aaron Chia–Soh Wooi Yik face must-win test

Election Commission (EC) deputy chairman Azmi Sharom said the Federal Constitution allows flexibility in drawing constituency boundaries, taking into account geography and population density, particularly in large rural areas. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Malaysia / 17 h ago

Overcrowded Selangor, overrepresented Sabah: EC flags voting imbalance

A dog and a cat were found dead in a cage at a veterinary clinic in Damansara Damai, Petaling Jaya by the Selangor DVS’ Animal Welfare inspectors while another neglected cat was rescued and is now receiving treatment at another veterinary clinic. — Picture from Facebook/Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia - SAFM

Malaysia / 18 h ago

Dead cat and dog found in Damansara Damai clinic, Veterinary Services investigates as complaints near 2,000

In delivering her grounds, Judicial Commissioner Arziah Apandi said allegations that Siti Kasim had obstructed a public servant or committed kidnapping were unsupported in law, noting that Section 186 of the Penal Code requires physical obstruction or criminal force — not mere verbal disagreement or refusal to comply. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

Malaysia / 12 h ago

High Court rules Siti Kasim’s 2018 arrest unlawful, govt to pay RM120,625 to her and RM53,750 to client

In a statement today, Bukit Gelugor MP and DAP National Legal Bureau chairman Ramkarpal Singh said the recent conclusions of the Independent Investigation Committee (IIC) raised serious concerns, noting that several parties implicated had failed to cooperate with the inquiry. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Malaysia / 14 h ago

‘No stone unturned’: DAP’s Ramkarpal calls for police probe into heritage players’ birth certificates

A screengrab from a video released by the Providence Police December 17, 2025, shows an individual they want to speak with who was in the proximity of the person of interest in connection with the shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. — Providence Police via Reuters

World / 16 h ago

Brown University shooting suspect found dead after twin attacks

Alwyn Lau

Alwyn Lau

Bookworm. Contrarian. Proud Malaysian. Or thereabouts. Tweets at @alwyn_lau

Opinions

Visitors view books at the Straits Quay Convention Centre in Penang on November 28, 2019. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

15 Dec 2025

Repurposing university libraries

The author argues that PTPTN no longer functions as a real loan system because repayment rates are so poor. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

11 Dec 2025

Can we stop calling PTPTN a loan?

Teachers prepare for class at a school in Ipoh, Perak, on June 23, 2020. — Picture by Farhan Najib

02 Dec 2025

Schools as worry factories?

The author reminds Malaysians that KLIA was opened in 1998 and says there has been only the occasional leaking and minor flooding in its past 27 years. — Screengrab via X

17 Nov 2025

Poor optics but otherwise resilient #KLIA

More

According to the author, many Malaysian executives — on a 24/7 journey of clawing with their finger-nails after the next promotion and next salary increment — see the very concept of ‘free time’ as a moral failure. — pexels.com pic

11 Nov 2025

When ‘free time’ scares us

“6-7” was Dictionary.com’s 2025 Word of the Year.

06 Nov 2025

Is ‘67’ nonsense or an example of linguistic democracy?

The author learnt from a conversation with a student from China that the practice of replacing the number “4” with “3A” is rare compared to Malaysia. — Freepik pic

24 Oct 2025

‘4’ or ‘3A’? A chat about tetraphobia

Authorities are seen at a school in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya October 14, 2025, after a schoolgirl was stabbed by her schoolmate. — Bernama pic

16 Oct 2025

School stabbing: A parent’s shock and reflection

File picture of an accident that occurred on May 13 involving a gravel-laden lorry and an FRU truck on Jalan Chikus-Sungai Lampam, Teluk Intan. — Bernama pic

13 Oct 2025

Are lorries the number one cause of traffic accidents in Malaysia?

Students arrive at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seksyen 7 in Shah Alam on March 3, 2022. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

29 Sep 2025

What’s required (or rewarded) in school but ignored (or punished) outside school?

Vehicles are seen approaching the drop-off/pick-up area of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. — KLIA pic

23 Sep 2025

Thoughts on being picked up from KLIA

In my experience it’s very normal for parents, especially Asian parents, to have a LOT of say in what their children study, not least because they’re paying the tuition fees and what-not. — Unsplash pic

17 Sep 2025

Whose future is it? Exploring parental influence on post-graduate paths

With 80 per cent of Malaysians expected to be city-dwellers by 2030, the government argues that the URA will keep our urban vibes fresh and home-owners’ feelings happy. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

02 Sep 2025

Urban Renewal Act debate: Modernisation imperatives vs community concerns?

The benefit to fresh grads and brain-drain slowdown notwithstanding, the huge question now is what’s going to happen to the training sector for whom the HRD funds have been a critical source of revenue?

25 Aug 2025

Corporate training sector in crisis?

The losses since 2019 have totalled billions. Eg, the State of Scam Report 2024 revealed that Malaysia lost RM54.02 billion (US$12.8 billion) to scams in 2023, equivalent to three per cent of our GDP. —Picture by Firdaus Latif

14 Aug 2025

Can cybercrime reshape vices and even banking in Malaysia?

Son Heung-Min, the South Korean sensation who danced through defenses like a waiter dancing past crowded tables, the man whose smile lit up stadiums and goal celebrations, is finally moving on from North London. ― Reuters pic

05 Aug 2025

Spurs is Son, Son is Spurs

Apparently durians produce this molecule called spermidine (yes, I know what that sounds like) which is important because it promotes this biological process known as autophagy. — File pic by Farhan Najib

26 Jul 2025

A surprising health component of durians?

Setting aside the question of lecturers ‘cheating’ if they use AI to grade, not every form of assessment can be practically handled with AI. — Reuters pic

13 Jul 2025

Should lecturers use AI to grade papers?

As such, shows like Squid Game — and in fact almost every major movie or TV series — may be offering audiences a way of ‘processing’ frustration, pain and tragedy in the family by way of entertainment and fantasy.

07 Jul 2025

Of ‘Squid Game’ and family trauma

A customer makes a payment using a QR code in Cheras in this file photo taken on October 5, 2023. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

28 Jun 2025

Waiting an infinity for QR code payments to go through?

What if we treated schooling the way an open-hearted chef viewed his kitchen i.e. as a place where experimentation reigns, where various recipes and concoctions may be tried and tested, where success need not be narrowly defined and can, in fact, be a matter of ‘taste’ and individual desire? — Picture from pexels.com

16 Jun 2025

Is education like bomb disposal or like cooking?

A staff member arranges books at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2025 at the World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur May 25, 2025 — Picture by Raymond Manuel

04 Jun 2025

How reading physical books beats screen-reading

Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward Son Heung-Min waves to fans as he carries the Europa League trophy. — AFP pic

26 May 2025

The end of Tottenham’s trophy drought

Primary school students return to school at Sekolah Kebangsaan Syed Idrus Chemor in Perak March 21, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Farhan Najibnn

03 May 2022

The (cautious) case against mask mandates

A man smokes outside an eatery in Petaling Jaya January 1, 2019. u00e2u20acu2022 Picture by Miera Zulyana

25 Apr 2022

Why a smoking ban probably won’t help

A man walks past a shuttered bar/night club with a u00e2u20acu02dcFor Rentu00e2u20acu2122 sign in Kuala Lumpur during the Covid 19 pandemic October 18, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

11 Apr 2022

So what really is the problem with nightclubs?

A customer counts how much change was given back after buying some groceries at a wet market in Kuala Lumpur. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Saw Siow Feng

29 Mar 2022

Why are we worth more dead than alive?

21 Mar 2022

Three groups who welcome the RM10,000 EPF withdrawal

Form Five students get ready to sit for their SPM examination at SMK Seksyen 7 in Shah Alam March 2, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

15 Mar 2022

Should Malaysian students do a gap year?

Sekolah Kebangsaan Section 7 students on their first day back at school in Shah Alam July 22, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

28 Feb 2022

Could e-textbooks be the solution to heavy school bags?

Election Commission officials get the polling station at Dewan Badminton Kompleks Perumahan Polis Tabuan Jaya ready ahead of early voting in Kuching December 13, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

14 Feb 2022

Are Covid-19 cases being artificially boosted ahead of Johor polls?

The Lim clan having their reunion dinner at Lim Jetty, Weld Quay on January 31, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

07 Feb 2022

Playing ‘20 Questions’ at Chinese New Year

Rex Lee Kok Hong, 36, displays his angpow collection at his home in Sungai Dua February 13, 2018. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

31 Jan 2022

Chinese New Year and e-’ang pows’

27 Jan 2022

BAM should revoke Goh Jin Wei’s ban too

A general view of traffic on the Federal Highway in Kuala Lumpur June 1, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

24 Jan 2022

Alternative to holiday traffic jams

Students resume classes at Sekolah Kebangsaan Meru Klang in Klang January 10, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Bernama pic

17 Jan 2022

Why hasn’t ‘Pendidikan Moral’ been scrapped yet?

People receive their Covid-19 booster shot at the KL Gateway Mall in Kuala Lumpur January 5, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

10 Jan 2022

Boosters: Allow walk-ins at PPVs by disabled

People wait to receive their Covid-19 vaccines at the Covid-19 vaccination centre in the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Seri Kembangan, June 17, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

27 Dec 2021

Notes from a PPV volunteer

A general view of traffic on the Federal Highway in Kuala Lumpur June 1, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

20 Dec 2021

Three pointers on how to be safer behind the wheels

As the country slowly reopens, the temporary traffic respite will gradually come to an end. u00e2u20acu2022 Picture by Yusof Mat Isan

13 Dec 2021

So far, yet so near: Are you a super-commuter?

Choong has spent more than 30 years zipping around the world visiting archeological dig sites and even excavating in some. u00e2u20acu201d Picture via Facebook

07 Dec 2021

A conversation with Malaysia’s own Indiana Jones

The release of u00e2u20acu02dcJames Bond: No Time to Dieu00e2u20acu2122 for Malaysian cinemas has been from September 30 to November 25. u00e2u20acu201d Picture courtesy of United International Pictures Malaysia

29 Nov 2021

James Bond: From fantasy to reality

Just IN

PFM Chief Executive Officer and Honorary Secretary Zahrin Aris said the amendments would better protect the rights and welfare of creative practitioners while reinforcing Finas’ role as a key driver in the development of the local content industry. — Unsplash pic

8 h ago

Finas Act amendments a game-changer for Malaysia’s film industry, says producers’ group

Negeri Sembilan Deputy Police Chief SAC Muhammad Idzam Jaafar said the man, in his early 50s, was detained around Genting Sempah, Pahang this afternoon. — Picture by Choo Choy May

9 h ago

Police arrest second man in Rembau body-in-bag murder case

Seri Alam deputy police chief Superintendent G. Vikra Mathiththan Victor said the incident occurred at about 6pm on Wednesday. — Screengrab via Facebook/Alice Choong

9 h ago

Johor police arrest teen Alphard driver after he allegedly rams motorcyclist, reverses into drain (VIDEO)