Alwyn Lau | Opinion | Malay Mail

A truck outside Dataran Glomac serves some of the best ‘nasi lemak’ in the Klang Valley, but only if you’re up before the sun. — Pictures by Ethan Lau

Eat-drink / 13 h ago

The early bird gets the worm at Nasi Lemak Abu in Kelana Jaya

A general view of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly building in Seremban. — Picture by Yusof Isa

What You Think / 10 h ago

Negeri Sembilan: The constitution must prevail — Syed Hamid Albar

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim speaks at the national-level Malaysia Day 2026 celebration at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching last night. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 13 h ago

BUDI Diesel subsidy eligibility now transferable to non-family users, says Anwar

Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim said the state secretary had been asked to proceed with gazetting the proclamation on Tuanku Muhriz’s removal “according to the relevant regulations”. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 8 h ago

Negeri Sembilan MB instructs state secretary to gazette Tuanku Muhriz’s removal despite DKU objection

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran said he had hoped the Bill could be tabled by October this year, but the timeframe was too short as the government still needed to consult non-governmental organisations, relevant departments and other stakeholders. — Picture by John Bunyan

Malaysia / 11 h ago

Bill requiring children to support ageing parents likely next year, says Kulasegaran

Negeri Sembilan Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir and former Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun during the opening of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly in Seremban on April 23, 2026. — Picture by Yusof Isa.

Malaysia / 13 h ago

DKU accuses Negeri Sembilan exco of treason, coup attempt against Tuanku Muhriz

Puteri Nur Syafiqah Jailani (left) and Intan Syerina Ahmad Nizam show their new identity cards on the first day of the rollout of the new-generation MyKad at the National Registration Department in Putrajaya September 17, 2026. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 9 h ago

First recipients praise new MyKad’s tougher security and sturdier design

Singapore Airlines crew members and travellers walk along the transit hall of Changi International Airport terminal in Singapore on January 14, 2021. — AFP pic

Singapore / 13 h ago

Singapore rolls out passport-scanning arrival card on mobile app from Sept 30

Bank Negara Malaysia has kept its Overnight Policy Rate at 2.75 per cent, maintaining the rate for a seventh consecutive meeting. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Malaysia / 15 h ago

Malaysia’s OPR stays at 2.75pc: What does it mean for your loans, savings and spendings

Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir at the investiture ceremony of the state awards and medals in conjunction with his 76th birthday celebration at Istana Besar Seri Menanti, Kuala Pilah January 14, 2024. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 11 h ago

Tuanku Muhriz remains legitimate Yamtuan, says Negeri Sembilan DKU

People and pilgrims walk at the Grand Mosque Complex in Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 12 h ago

Malaysians in Saudi Arabia told to remain calm, follow instructions amid emergency alerts

The fire affected a tyre factory, hardware factory, furniture factory and engineering factory on Jalan TPP 5/15 at the Puchong Industrial Park. — Screengrab from social media video

Malaysia / 10 h ago

Puchong blaze guts four factories, collapse risk remains (VIDEO)

Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng (pictured) and his son were awarded RM280,000 in damages from blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, whose bid to stay the judgment was dismissed by the High Court. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 7 h ago

Papagomo fails to stay RM280,000 defamation payout to Lim Guan Eng, son

Umno members gather for the opening of the 2026 Umno General Assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur on September 11, 2026. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Opinion / 11 h ago

Saying sorry is not a competitive sport

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook saidys the Negeri Sembilan executive council cannot override the state constitution or decisions of the Dewan Keadilan dan Undang on the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 8 h ago

Quit if you no longer recognise Tuanku Muhriz as ruler, Loke tells Negeri Sembilan exco members

Alwyn Lau

Alwyn Lau

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

Opinions

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

2d ago

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?

More

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?

The author argues that while institutions officially oppose AI-written assignments, practical constraints — from detection limits to cost and scale — make enforcement inconsistent, leaving responsibility largely with students themselves. — Reuters pic

19 Apr 2026

Do educational institutions care about AI-written assignments?

First responders gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in the village of Habbouch, southern Lebanon on April 10, 2026. A ceasefire in name, conflict in reality – even after agreements are signed, fighting often continues, underscoring how fragile the first steps towards peace can be. — AFP pic

10 Apr 2026

Why ceasefires remain important even when the firing doesn’t cease

But if your results didn’t meet your expectations or you outright didn’t pass? That’s honestly not a bad thing either. — Bernama pic

02 Apr 2026

SPM over? Time to learn some people skills!

Tottenham Hotspur fans look dejected in the stands during the Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London on March 22, 2026. — Reuters pic

27 Mar 2026

Could Tottenham really be relegated?

A still shows a video conference with Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson (top row, left) chairing a remote session with his Cabinet on March 31, 2020 in London. — AFP pic

17 Mar 2026

Revisiting the WFH debate

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

The AGC said there was also no legal basis for the state executive council members to rely on the April 19, 2026 proclamation for their announcement, adding that any move to gazette or implement the proclamation would be invalid and unconstitutional. — Picture by Devan Manuel

1 h ago

AGC: Exco statement has no legal effect, move to gazette or implement proclamation on N. Sembilan Yamtuan’s removal invalid, unconstitutional

Family members of victims missing in the waters off One Fathom Bank near Pulau Ketam react as they await the latest updates on the search and rescue (SAR) operation at the SAR Forward Operating Base (FOB), Sementa Jetty, Klang, September 17, 2026. — Bernama pic

2 h ago

Second body recovered as search continues for missing Pulau Ketam anglers

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh and Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud during a press conference on the development of retention ponds and new open spaces for 2027 in the Sungai Bunus area in Kuala Lumpur, September 17, 2026. — Bernama pic

2 h ago

KL to add 49ha of green spaces as city moves to protect open areas, says Hannah Yeoh