Alwyn Lau | Opinion | Malay Mail

The Atmosphere on Level 4 of Merdeka 118 features an 88-metre glass dome and 20,000 square feet of event space powered by immersive LED screens. — PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Berhad pic

Life / 15 h ago

New 118 Mall confirms August launch, reveals tenant list

A 33-year-old Malaysian man was arrested for public nuisance after allegedly slapping several people yesterday at a church on Prinsep Street in Singapore. — Reuters pic

Singapore / 19 h ago

Malaysian man arrested after allegedly slapping churchgoers in Singapore

A bystander restrains a woman allegedly carrying a knife during the Rain Rave Water Music Festival in Bukit Bintang before police officers arrived at the scene. — Viral video screen grab

Malaysia / 15 h ago

Knife-wielding woman at Rain Rave charged, ordered to undergo psychiatric assessment

Firefighters and emergency personnel at the scene after a Proton Persona crashed into the rear of a parked school bus along the MRR2 highway near Taman Layang-Layang in Kuala Lumpur early May 4, 2026, killing a 26-year-old woman. — Bomba pic

Malaysia / 18 h ago

Woman killed, fiancé injured after car slams into parked bus on MRR2

Storms clouds are seen over Kuala Lumpur on December 1, 2022. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Malaysia / 18 h ago

MetMalaysia warns of afternoon thunderstorms in Klang Valley, multiple states

‘Inspector Sheila’ (in red), whose real name is Sheila Sharon Steven Kumar, will stand trial in December after the Attorney General’s Chambers rejected her representation. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 16 h ago

December trial date set for ‘Inspector Sheila’ after AGC rejects representation

The Sessions Court in Butterworth fined a manufacturing company RM120,000 for failing to implement workplace noise control measures. — Reuters pic

Malaysia / 17 h ago

Penang manufacturer fined RM120,000 after workers suffer hearing loss from industrial noise

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the move would mark a significant milestone for the ministry in streamlining national identity management and ensuring smoother and more orderly movement of people. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 18 h ago

MyNIISe to be rolled out in September with enhanced MyKad security features debuting in June, says home minister

Several vehicles are seen parked in what appeared to be a designated bus parking area at the Simpang Pulai R&R, where a confrontation involving a bus driver later went viral online. — Screengrab from social media video

Malaysia / 16 h ago

Viral Simpang Pulai R&R parking clash sparks outrage after bus driver allegedly spat on

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim speaks to reporters after the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability’s monthly assembly in Putrajaya May 4, 2026. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Malaysia / 19 h ago

Anwar says austerity measures won’t hit healthcare or hiring of new doctors

Rosmaini Abd Raof is currently on remand over a separate investigation involving allegations of injuring his wife, which reportedly led to a miscarriage in an incident in late April in Sungai Petani, Kedah. — Picture by Ben Tan

Malaysia / 18 h ago

Ex-husband of woman left comatose after abuse gets maximum 14-year jail sentence

A 67-year-old man had his jail sentence increased to one year by the High Court today after being convicted of vandalising ATM screens at a bank in Jinjang Selatan. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

Malaysia / 19 h ago

KL High Court ups jail term for 67-year-old behind RM43,000 ATM vandalism spree in Jinjang Selatan

The call follows the statement by the Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup, who emphasised that Dara, Amoi, and Kelat should be brought back to Malaysia from Japan if the implementation of the existing agreement is found to no longer align with conservation principles, wildlife welfare and current sensitivities. — Picture from Facebook/The Patriots Studios

Malaysia / 13 h ago

Pahang MB to meet Taiping Zoo over fate of Malaysian elephants at Japan’s Tennoji Zoo

Police vehicles pursue a suspect car in Penang during a chase that allegedly saw 12 vehicles damaged. — Screengrab via social media

Malaysia / 19 h ago

Penang man remanded over 20km police chase that allegedly leaves 12 vehicles damaged

File picture of the sister of National Journalism Laureate Adibah Amin, Khalilah Fadzilah Amin, showing a photo of the siblings while being interviewed about her sister’s health. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 16 h ago

Media veterans visit ailing laureate Adibah Amin

Alwyn Lau

Alwyn Lau

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

Opinions

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

More

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

The author argues that slashing gym licence fees is unlikely to significantly reduce Malaysia’s obesity rate, as research shows population-level weight problems are driven more by diet, lifestyle and public health policies than by gym access alone. — AFP pic

08 Mar 2026

Will lower gym fees reduce Malaysia's obesity rate?

AI-generated songs had taken over my playlist. — Reuters pic

01 Mar 2026

Is AI taking over music?

Festivities are wonderful but I guess being interrogated on some of the personal aspects and decisions in one’s life in the middle of one’s entire clan can be daunting. — Bernama pic

19 Feb 2026

CNY’s famous ‘20 Questions’

According to the author, there are also numerous reasons why tuition centres may face a drop in demand in the future. The most obvious answer is the presence of the Web and the (literally) infinite number of online learning and/or personalised learning websites and apps out there. — Pexels.com pic

03 Feb 2026

Are tuition centres still relevant in an age of AI?

Jackie Chan in a scene from ‘The Shadow’s Edge’. The author argues that Jackie Chan’s last decade of films — filled with repentant fathers, estranged children and emotional pleas — reads like a six-movie message to his real-life kids, a cinematic attempt at reconciliation playing out on screen long before it happens in real life. — AFP pic

22 Jan 2026

Jackie Chan’s cinematic way of reaching out to his kids

A teacher interacts with students at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jalan Kebun in Shah Alam on January 3, 2023. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

16 Jan 2026

How much does your performance in school ‘predict’ your future?

There is no question that online distraction is a new sort of epidemic today. — Picture by Hari Anggara

07 Jan 2026

How to fight digital distractions

The author argues that Malaysian cinemas undermine the movie-going experience by forcing patrons through cramped, poorly lit and uncomfortable exit routes — a jarring finale that feels unsafe, unnecessary and wildly out of step with the glamour promised at the front door. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

02 Jan 2026

Why must exiting a cinema hall be such a lousy experience?

According to the author, the true world-beaters climb slowly, steadily. And crucially, they spend their early years dabbling widely, dipping into multiple sports, subjects, instruments — building what you might call a rich ‘learning capital’ that compounds beautifully over decades. — pexels.com pic

23 Dec 2025

Does early specialisation sabotage greatness?

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

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

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

Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir should still remain the Negeri Sembilan ruler, based on the Negeri Sembilan state constitution, legal experts have said. — Picture by Yusof Isa

22 m ago

Simplified: Why Tuanku Muhriz is legally still the Negeri Sembilan ruler, and why Undangs’ attempt to ‘sack’ him is invalid, experts say

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) seized 575 kilogrammes (kg) of ammonia fertiliser believed to be used to produce fish bombs in a boat abandoned in the waters of Pulau Bum Bum. — Picture via Facebook/Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia

11 h ago

Semporna waters drama: Suspect dives into sea as MMEA seizes 575kg fertiliser for fish bombs

The organisers of a hill run in which a participant died of heatstroke, the first such fatality in Penang linked to the current hot spell, have been found to have complied with all established standard operating procedures (SOPs). — Bernama pic

11 h ago

Penang confirms SOP compliance after runner dies of heatstroke in 30km hill run