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Under the Sumbang Tunai Rahmah (STR), eligible recipients receive direct cash assistance from the government to help cover living costs. — Picture by Yusof Isa
Malaysia  / 10 h ago

With Sara closing, Malaysians can access alternative govt cash and subsidy programmes

Rain clouds are seen over the city centre in Kuala Lumpur, on Dec 8, 2024. — Bernama pic
Malaysia  / 7 h ago

METMalaysia issues thunderstorm warning for Klang Valley, six states until 1pm

Despite nearly 80 per cent of speed tests being conducted on 5G-capable devices, most Malaysian users still spend two-thirds of their time on 4G networks due to coverage gaps. — Picture by Mukhriz Hashim
Malaysia  / 8 h ago

Malaysia’s 5G speeds have nearly halved as network comes under strain, Ookla reports

In a statement uploaded on his Facebook page, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said the declaration was made in compliance with the decree of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, as a mark of celebration for the team’s outstanding achievement in continuing its dominance in Malaysian football. — Picture from Facebook/Onn Hafiz Ghazi
Malaysia  / 8 h ago

Johor declares special public holiday after JDT’s FA Cup 2025 win, SPM exams to proceed as scheduled

File picture of the Federal Highway, October 14, 2020 heading towards Kuala Lumpur. Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the decision was taken as the proposal to upgrade the 34.59-kilometre stretch of FT2 from Kuala Lumpur to Port Klang is no longer economically viable, due to the high costs of land and asset acquisition, as well as the potential social impact should the project proceed. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
Malaysia  / 4 h ago

No upgrade for Federal Highway from KL-Port Klang: Govt flags sky-high costs, social impact

According to the author, DAP’s quiet on key issues—from Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s DNAA to Tan Sri Azam Baki’s contract extension and ongoing corruption under Madani — risks alienating Chinese voters, a lesson already seen in Sabah’s polls. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri
What You Think  / 7 h ago

The end of DAP’s ‘Golden Era’? — Izmil Amri

The 100 AM Daiso store in Singapore first opened in February 2018 and was one of 33 outlets around the island, and will be closing on January 4, 2026. — Social media screengrabs from 100ammall and DAISO Singapore
Singapore  / 3 h ago

Singapore shoppers lose another Japanese store as Daiso to close 100 AM outlet

People hold placards during a Hanukkah menorah lighting in Berlin, Germany on December 14, 2025, in solidarity with Australians after the Bondi Beach shooting. — AFP pic
World  / 8 h ago

Fruit seller disarms Bondi Beach gunman, now hospitalised with gunshot wounds as world hail him as ‘hero’

Lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan and Arun Dorasamy with the families of the victims of the Durian Tunggal police shooting giving a press conference and revealing newly obtained critical evidence in relation to the killing of the three victims at Lawyers for Liberty in Petaling Jaya, December 15, 2025. — Picture by Choo Choy May
Malaysia  / 3 h ago

Durian Tunggal shooting: Lawyers demand Melaka police chief be placed on garden leave after whistleblower challenges police timeline

Personal belongings lie at the scene of a deadly shooting during a Jewish celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on December 15, 2025. — AFP pic
World  / 8 h ago

Bondi shooting leaves 16 dead as Australian police identify father-and-son gunmen in alleged antisemitic attack

Police lead former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai away from his home after his arrest under the national security law in 2020; Lai was found guilty on December 15, 2025, of collusion and sedition. — AFP pic
World  / 6 h ago

Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai found guilty under Hong Kong security law, faces possible life sentence

Bollards line a pedestrian walkway in Kuala Lumpur, serving as safety barriers to keep vehicles off the pavement. — DBKL pic
Malaysia  / 6 h ago

Not just decor: DBKL reminds public of bollards’ crucial role in pedestrian safety

Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and Reddit applications are displayed on a mobile phone in this illustration on December 9, 2025. — Reuters pic
Malaysia  / 5 h ago

MCMC: WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube to be auto-registered under Malaysian licensing from Jan 1

A general view of the Seri Negara in Kuala Lumpur on December 15, 2025. — Picture by Yusof Isa
Malaysia  / 4 h ago

‘Not a place for elites’: Anwar says Seri Negara must be symbol for all Malaysians

(From eighth right) Kuching South Deputy Mayor Datuk Zaiedi Suhaili, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, and Kuching South Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng in a photocall with MBKS retired staff. — The Borneo Post pic 
Malaysia  / 7 h ago

Kuching ranks 13th globally, top five in Asia, as world’s retirement hotspot

Surekha A. Yadav
Surekha A. Yadav
Born and bred in Singapore, Surekha A. Yadav is a freelance journalist in Southeast Asia.
 

Opinions

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam being sworn in as Singapore's ninth President on Thursday (Sept 14), at the Istana. — TODAY pic
17 Sep 2023

Singaporeans endorse the status quo

As he approaches his 20th year in power and enters his eighth decade of life, just when he should be looking to step back and bask in his impressive legacy, it’s Lee who has had to issue statements promising transparency, reflection, and correction to steady the ship. — AFP pic
30 Jul 2023

Sympathy for Lee Hsien Loong

TODAY journalist Loraine Lee queuing up for Taylor Swift concert tickets at the Bukit Panjang SingPost outlet July 6. — TODAY pic
09 Jul 2023

Swifties in Singapore: A blessing or a curse? 

No Image
18 Jun 2023

Singapore reels from a crime wave

 

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A local resident looks at a flooded street in the town of Kherson on June 10, 2023, following damages sustained at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam. The flood triggered by damage to the Kakhovka dam in the early hours of June 6, 2023 forced thousands to flee, disrupted water supplies and sparked fears of an environmental and humanitarian disaster. — AFP pic
11 Jun 2023

Ukraine: The Global North has failed, it’s time for the Global South to step up

The temperature in Singapore hit 37 degrees Celsius on May 13, matching the city-state's 1983 record. — AFP pic
14 May 2023

It’s getting hot in here

In a world where more and more countries have legalised the substance, and it is even available as a recreational drug in neighbouring nations, the sentence seems extraordinary. — Shutterstock pic via ETX Studio
07 May 2023

Executed for cannabis — Is Singapore’s latest execution the harshest in history?

TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on
09 Apr 2023

Singapore poster boy: TikTok’s Chew Shou Zi

Ethnic Chinese account for less than 4 per cent of Malaysia’s police force despite being over 20 per cent of the population. The stats for Indians are not much better. — Picture by Azneal Ishak
19 Mar 2023

Waiting to be pulled over on the N-S highway

Male voyeurism is a serious problem and should be treated as such. — iStock pic via TODAY
05 Mar 2023

Male voyeurs need sterner sentences

Tin Pei Ling is a Member of Parliament for MacPherson constituency. — TODAY file pic
12 Feb 2023

Private sector politicians in Singapore

Celebrated on the second new moon after the winter solstice — the 21st of December (the year’s shortest day) — the lunar new year is also celebrated in Vietnam and Korea. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
29 Jan 2023

Is Chinese New Year only for the Chinese? 

Singapore restricts Airbnb largely because it competes with hotels — and a proliferation of Airbnbs will drive down room rates and impact operators across the city. ― Reuters pic
22 Jan 2023

Time to relook the short term rental market

This photograph taken on December 27, 2022 shows a stopped chairlift at Le Semnoz ski resort, near Annecy, as the resort had to close temporarily due to the lack of snow.— AFP pic
15 Jan 2023

Who will pay for the climate? 

For both Singapore and Malaysia, 2023 will be a crucial year to tell us where we will find ourselves at the end of this decade. — AFP pic
08 Jan 2023

Welcome to the roaring 20s 

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence-based chatbot that can respond to questions and queries in natural language. ― AFP pic
18 Dec 2022

ChatGPT: Both marvellous and quite scary

Kuala Lumpur has long had the potential to play the role of a giant Booklyn to Singapore’s sanitised Manhattan. — Picture by Hari Anggara
11 Dec 2022

Kuala Lumpur or Singapore: Which is South-east Asia’s metropolis?

Malaysia — as it begins to grow once again post-Covid — still holds the potential to become a fully developed nation and if it can join the ranks of the world’s more affluent nations, lessons can be learned and applied globally. — Picture by Farhan Najib
04 Dec 2022

Why Malaysia matters to a Singaporean

While Anwar now clearly stands for a multicultural Malaysia, the country is evidently polarised along racial and religious lines. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
28 Nov 2022

The last chance for a united Malaysia?

Some online commentators joked that as far as local authorities were concerned Deepavali is a riot waiting to repeat itself. — Picture by Farhan Najib
13 Nov 2022

Is the Singapore government just uncool?

The Global Financial Centers Index rated Singapore as the world’s third most influential financial centre, after only New York and London. ― Reuters pic
16 Oct 2022

Singapore: Sitting on top of the world 

om its inception, the UN has been utterly dominated by the victorious allies — the nations that effectively won World War II — i.e. the US, China, France, the UK and Russia. ― Reuters pic
02 Oct 2022

Is it time to ditch the UN?

Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew arrives for a talk session at a luncheon organised by City Bank in Dubai in this November 17, 2005 file photo. — Reuters pic
18 Sep 2022

What’s your favourite musical? 

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore that it is seeking public feedback on Grabu00e2u20acu2122s application to impose a 30-cent platform fee. u00e2u20acu201d Reuters pic
08 May 2022

Found not guilty by the court but was ex-Grab driver’s behaviour decent?

An indoor hydroponic growing system is seen at an urban farm in Singapore June 20, 2017. Picture taken June 20, 2017. u00e2u20acu201d Reuters pic
24 Apr 2022

Goodbye to traditional farming in Singapore?

Finance Minister Lawrence Wong speaking during the press conference at the Istana on April 16. u00e2u20acu201d Picture courtesy of Singaporeu00e2u20acu2122s Ministry of Communications and Information
17 Apr 2022

Finally... a new heir apparent has been named in Singapore

People waiting in line to buy food at a Ramadan bazaar in Ampang, April 5, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Devan Manuel
10 Apr 2022

Restarting Singapore’s heart

The knife used by a man at Block 33 Bendemeer Road on March 23, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d TODAY pic
03 Apr 2022

Is violence on the rise in Singapore?

A general view of the Johor Causeway at Johor Baru March 7, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Hari Anggara
27 Mar 2022

Singapore and Malaysia — back together again

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20 Mar 2022

Rites and rituals of Yishun

This photograph taken on December 14, 2018, shows an animal crossing traffic signboard installed to warn motorists during nearby infrastructure roadworks in the city-stateu00e2u20acu2122s remaining green area in Mandai district leading to Singapore Zoo. u00e2u20acu201d AFP pic
13 Mar 2022

Wild things of Singapore

A woman uses chopsticks to eat sushi at a restaurant in La Serena, Chile in this picture released April 19, 2016. u00e2u20acu201d Reuters pic
06 Mar 2022

Eat hotpot with your hands if you are Indian

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27 Feb 2022

Ukraine: A special war?

Finance Minister Lawrence Wong (pictured) said that global businesses are not in Singapore to serve its market, but they are here to serve the region and the world. u00e2u20acu2022 Picture courtesy of CNA via TODAY
20 Feb 2022

Singapore moves towards taxing the rich to give to the poor

Raeesah Khan at a hearing by Parliamentu00e2u20acu2122s Committee of Privileges in Singapore December 2, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d TODAY pic
13 Feb 2022

Criminal charges for the leader of Singapore’s Opposition?

File picture shows vehicles driving past the New York Times headquarters in New York March 1, 2010. u00e2u20acu201d Reuters pic
06 Feb 2022

Chicken curry with a side of imperialism

A man walks at a hutong alley decorated with lanterns and a sign of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, ahead of the opening ceremony of the Games and the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, in Beijing, China January 29, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Reuters picnn
30 Jan 2022

Crouching tiger, missing China

OCBC described a recent phishing scam that hit its customers as u00e2u20acu02dcparticularly aggressive and highly coordinatedu00e2u20acu2122, becoming increasingly frequent over the year-end holiday period in 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Reuters picnn
23 Jan 2022

Scams and banks

16 Jan 2022

Keeping cats on regulation

Currently, work-related events are allowed subject to a cap of 50 participants and any meals being incidental. u00e2u20acu201d APF pic
02 Jan 2022

Singapore in 2022

A pedestrian walks past shops, temporarily closed-down due to Covid-19 restrictions, as Britain enters a national lockdown in London on January 5, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d AFP pic
26 Dec 2021

Happy Holidays 2020, too

Raeesah Khan at a hearing by Parliamentu00e2u20acu2122s Committee of Privileges in Singapore December 2, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d TODAY pic
19 Dec 2021

How the PAP seems to be missing an open goal

 

Just IN

The state-owned airline assured travellers that ticket prices remain the same as those previously charged by MASwings. — Picture from AirBorneo website via The Borneo Post
26 m ago

AirBorneo denies raising ticket prices, previous MAswings airfares maintained

 
Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said his ministry had taken note that there were implementation challenges at the ground level, including detailed technical studies, designs based on targeted levels of protection, land acquisition processes as well as the relocation of existing utilities. — Bernama pic
33 m ago

Malaysia’s flood mitigation efforts ramp up with 141 projects approved under 13MP Rolling Plan 1

 
Traffic is seen at the KL-Seremban Expressway heading towards Kuala Lumpur in this file picture dated April 14, 2024. Since its launch on September 1, 2018, the AWAS system has raked in RM304.3 billion in fines across 49 monitored locations nationwide, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah said. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
36 m ago

AWAS system nets RM304.3b in fines from 49 accident-prone spots across Malaysia