Alwyn Lau | Opinion | Malay Mail

118 Mall officially opened its doors to the public today, marking the much-anticipated launch of the new shopping destination. — Picture by Yusof Isa

Life / 13 h ago

A new landmark mall in KL: Shoppers flock to newly opened 118 Mall at base of Menara 118

Picture for illustration purposes. A chicken processing plant in Kampung Sri Aman Hilir here, raided during Op Taring Chiller, is believed to have the capacity to process more than 40,000 chickens a day, while allegedly using electrical voltage far exceeding the prescribed limit for the slaughtering method. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Malaysia / 15 h ago

Puchong plant processes 40,000 chickens daily, used stunning voltage up to 13 times halal limit, say police

A tour bus is trapped under a low-clearance overpass at Taman Bagan in Butterworth, Penang, on Oct 31, 2026. — Social media pic

Malaysia / 19 h ago

Driver blames Waze after tour bus wedges under bridge with 30 aboard in Butterworth

Tourists use umbrellas to shield themselves during hot weather in Kuala Lumpur August 5, 2026. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Malaysia / 18 h ago

Heavy rain, then heat: Malaysia braces for monsoon floods, with Super El Nino drought to follow from late January

Transport Minister Anthony Loke speaks during the presentation of special financial assistance to taxi, rented car, and school bus drivers at the Seremban City Council Hall in Seremban on October 22, 2026. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 15 h ago

‘Unfair and a bully’: Anthony Loke defends DAP rep and dares MCA chief to debate him instead

Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar speaks to reporters following the Opening of the Legal Year 2026 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur on January 12, 2026. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Malaysia / 14 h ago

Najib still to pay RM50m fine needed for house arrest, says AG

Malaysians renewing their passports through the MyOnline Passport system can choose between five- and 10-year validity periods starting November 2, 2026, according to the Immigration Department. — Picture by Yusof Isa

Malaysia / 8 h ago

Online renewal for 10-year Malaysian passports starts tomorrow

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has prayed for the recovery of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who is unwell after contracting Influenza A. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 19 h ago

Anwar prays for Sultan Sharafuddin’s speedy recovery from Influenza A

Amadeus notified affected carriers of the data breach starting in late October 2026. — AsiaOne pic

Malaysia / 17 h ago

Malaysia Airlines warns customers of data exposure in Amadeus cybersecurity breach

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has appointed four individuals, including former Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun (pic), as members of the Judicial Appointments Commission for a two-year term, effective today. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Malaysia / 18 h ago

Former AG Idrus Harun among four appointed as members of Judicial Appointments Commission

Cross-party cooperation through the Confidence and Supply Agreement is important in building parliamentary consensus to advance institutional reforms in the country, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 11 h ago

Azalina: All 218 MPs get a role in reforms under CSA as AG-PP split, PM term limit need cross-party support

Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari (centre) will be named Pakatan Harapan’s candidate for Chief Minister if the coalition succeeds in forming the state government following the 16th Melaka State Election on November 14. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 13 h ago

Adly Zahari to be Pakatan’s chief minister candidate if coalition wins Melaka

A still shows a delivery rider astride his motorcycle in a lift at PA Seri Selangor on Oct 17, 2026.

Malaysia / 18 h ago

DBKL urges responsible lift use after viral clip shows motorcycle inside PPR elevator (VIDEO)

All schools in Selangor will remain open tomorrow, with students encouraged to wear face masks as a precaution against haze, according to the Selangor Education Department. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Malaysia / 8 h ago

Selangor schools open as usual tomorrow but parents may keep children home if concerned over haze, says state education dept

Four of the seven Malaysia League footballers banned from playing in official matches for 12 months following the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling about Malaysia’s heritage players are: Joao Figueiredo (top left), Jon Irazabal (top right), Hector Hevel (bottom left), and Gabriel Palmero (bottom right). — Pictures from Instagram/joaofigueiredo/irazabal3/h.serrano13/gabriel.frch

Sports / 10 h ago

Malaysia’s seven heritage players free to play again as Fifa bans end, four of them at JDT

Alwyn Lau

Alwyn Lau

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

Opinions

Candidates sit for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examinations at school in Shah Alam on March 3, 2022. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

26 Oct 2026

Extreme Value Theory and how one bad day can change your life

According to the author, caregivers have been through so much frustration, sorrow and hopelessness that they’re usually one or two steps from tapping out. — Pexels.com pic

13 Oct 2026

Sharing some insights into caring for a loved one with mental health issues

Kuala Lumpur’s skyline is shrouded in haze as air quality deteriorates across parts of the region. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

07 Oct 2026

The haze and the pulse of the region

The author suggests that pets may increasingly take the place of children as more couples embrace pet parenting. — Unsplash pic

30 Sep 2026

Will pet-parenting take over from actual parenting... in the future?

More

A teacher and students are seen during class at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jalan Kebun. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

23 Sep 2026

Are our students still memorising their way to academic ‘excellence’

The WhatsApp icon is seen on a smartphone in this undated image. — AFP pic

15 Sep 2026

Always minus someone: WhatsApp’s side-chat/gossip

Today we are inundated with tools that don’t just save time, but quietly teach people they no longer need any underlying skill. — Picture by Yusof Isa

30 Aug 2026

When we love products that make us dumber

A YouTube screengrab of a scene from ‘Kungfu Soccer’ trailer.

23 Aug 2026

Everything ‘sucks’ but the film’s great: The magic of Stephen Chow

One person blocked his mum out of his life after a very heated argument where the mum said some crazy hurtful things to him. — Unsplash Picture

16 Aug 2026

Why do some adult children sever ties with their parents?

The author argues that Malaysian lecturers increasingly shoulder administrative, emotional and caregiving burdens far beyond teaching, making their often-invisible support essential to students. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

09 Aug 2026

The many hats lecturers wear for their students

The author argues that workplace bullying persists because intimidation is often rewarded when it boosts profits and delivers results, despite companies’ public commitments to respect and care. — magnific.com pic

04 Aug 2026

Why corporate bullying persists

File picture of a lecturer addressing students in a university lecture hall. The commentary argues that an overemphasis on PhD qualifications and publication records in academic hiring may come at the expense of teaching quality. — Unsplash pic

20 Jul 2026

When the demand for PhDs and publications can harm more than help

Referee Michael Oliver speaks with Dani Olmo #10 of Spain during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Spain and Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium on July 10, 2026 in Inglewood, California. — Getty Images via AFP pic

11 Jul 2026

Controversial refereeing and VAR decisions are part of the Beautiful Game

Universities and colleges should treat out of campus transition as seriously as they treat the transition in. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

05 Jul 2026

Quarter-life crisis: When ‘What now?’ hits Malaysian youths hard

‘I would generalise this advice to caution any driver from parking their car under any tree for prolonged periods of time.’ — Bernama pic

27 Jun 2026

Hiking accidents, flooded parking lots and other cases ‘paranoia’ may have helped prevent

A scene from ‘Teach You a Lesson’ featuring Kim Mu-yeol as the fierce Na Hwa-jin. — Picture from Facebook/Netflix K-Drama News

16 Jun 2026

‘Teach You A Lesson’ could be worth learning from

Social media algorithms can reinforce existing beliefs by repeatedly exposing users to information that aligns with their views while filtering out opposing perspectives. — Picture by Yusof Isa

12 Jun 2026

The Backfire Effect And why facts don’t (always) persuade

According to the author, while, as a whole, the increase in the number of PhD graduates should bring a net gain to our country, some issues have already arisen chiefly of which is the high number of unemployed doctoral scholars. ― AFP file pic

02 Jun 2026

Part-time PhDs and Parkinson’s Law or when more time is actually not a good thing

A big screen displays a thank you message to Tottenham Hotspur players after the Premier League match against Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Britain on May 24, 2026. — Reuters pic

27 May 2026

Tottenham has defeated relegation but the hard work begins now

Shouldn’t the education sector be preparing our kids where the ‘book’ is no longer delimited by physical binders, where information flows (from producer to producer) rather than remain static? — Bernama pic

14 May 2026

Why haven’t our schools completely moved to e-textbooks?

As of May 2026, MyDigital ID will be mandatory for logging into major government apps. — Picture via Facebook/MyDigital ID

10 May 2026

The nightmare of forgetting your MyDigital ID password

Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe showed the world it’s humanly possible to run a marathon (42km) in under two hours. — Reuters pic

29 Apr 2026

Sebastian Sawe’s amazing run

DBKL’s crackdown targets derelict cars as KL sees thousands of abandoned vehicle complaints. — Unsplash pic

26 Apr 2026

Abandoned vehicles: An indicator of a deeper social problem?

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

Malaysians renewing their passports through the MyOnline Passport system can choose between five- and 10-year validity periods starting November 2, 2026, according to the Immigration Department. — Picture by Yusof Isa

8 h ago

Online renewal for 10-year Malaysian passports starts tomorrow

All schools in Selangor will remain open tomorrow, with students encouraged to wear face masks as a precaution against haze, according to the Selangor Education Department. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

8 h ago

Selangor schools open as usual tomorrow but parents may keep children home if concerned over haze, says state education dept

Police detained 417 people during a raid on an unlicensed entertainment centre suspected of drug-related activities along Jalan Sultan Ismail in Kuala Lumpur on November 1, 2026. — Pixabay pic

8 h ago

Over 400 people detained in drug raid on Jalan Sultan Ismail entertainment centre