DHAKA, Nov 3  —Bangladeshi garment worker Amena, who has spent seven years sewing and checking clothes for international brands, struggles at the end of the month to afford even the basics.

The 27-year-old, who like others interviewed by AFP gave only one name fearing professional repercussions, earns 12,500 taka (RM410), barely enough to cover the rent on her small home and support her elderly parents.

Her monthly wage is roughly equivalent to the retail price of a pair of yoga leggings or blue jeans in Europe or North America — garments like those made at the factory where she works in the Dhaka suburb of Gazipur.

“I earn 12,500 taka. The highest salary I ever drew was 26,000 taka, and that was years ago,” she said, adding her salary dropped when she was transferred to sampling from stitching.

Bangladesh, a nation of 170 million people, is the world’s second-biggest garment exporter behind China, producing clothes for major international brands.

The sector employs millions and generates the bulk of Bangladesh’s export earnings.

But workers say rising food, housing, transport and healthcare costs, compounded by inflation of around eight percent and soaring energy prices, have steadily eroded their purchasing power.

With strikes and protests since Saturday, they are demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 taka — a 140 percent increase on the current minimum.

Protests have continued for days, with workers defying calls from the government and factory owners to return to work.

‘Kind of bonded labour’ 

Amena pays 4,500 taka a month in rent and sends another 5,000 to her parents, leaving just 3,000 for food, medicine or emergencies.

“Now I have no savings left to fall back on,” she said. “My bones are deteriorating, so I need to take medication. I can’t afford to buy fish or meat regularly.”

She usually buys some just after receiving her salary, in the first week of the month, and perhaps again two weeks later.

“It’s impossible to live like this, but we have no other options,” she said. “It’s a kind of bonded labour, although nobody is forcing us to continue working. We need jobs, and garment factories are the only option available to us.”

“The government and factory owners should concede to our demands because they are legitimate,” Amena said. “How are we supposed to survive when the prices of all commodities keep rising?”

Sabbir, 18, works at a small factory, earning a monthly salary of 12,000 taka.

After paying rent on a small room near her factory, “I keep 1,500 taka as pocket money and give the rest to my mother,” Sabbir told AFP.

“The price of gas has soared” since the Middle East war erupted in late February, she said. “We are always afraid that the gas might run out.”

Begum, another garment worker in Gazipur, said employees had little faith in promises from factory owners.

“Whenever we ask for a salary increase, the owners start complaining that business isn’t going well,” she said.

“If that’s true, how come the same owners keep opening factories one after another?” — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — More than 50 Malaysian universities penetrated the QS World University Rankings Asia 2027 for the first time, with 11 emerging among the top 100 in Asia.

Overall, Malaysia is the eighth most represented higher education system in Asia, with 55 featured universities on the list. The country also stands on par with Japan and Korea with eight entries in the top 50.

Of the 16 Malaysian universities that achieved record-high positions for 2027, 12 were private universities.

They include Sunway University, INTI International University, Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU), SEGi University, IMU University, MILA University, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, Perdana University, Quest International University (QIU), Nilai University, UNITAR International University and Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah (UniSHAMS).

The highest-ranked private university was Taylor’s University at the 32nd spot, albeit dropping five spots from the previous edition.

Sunway University also ranked among the top 50 for the first time while INTI International University made it into the top 100 for the first time.

Universiti Malaya (UM) remained the country’s best-performing university, emerging among the top 20 universities in Asia for the ninth consecutive year despite slipping two spots to the 17th rank this edition.

Meanwhile, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) entered the top 20 for the first time, rising four spots from the previous edition while Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) emerged top in Asia for the Faculty with PhD indicator.

260,000 international students by 2030

QS senior vice-president Ben Sowter said Malaysia has more than doubled the number of universities in the top 100 in the QS World University Rankings: Asia in the last decade. The number of universities in the top 50 has also increased from only two in 2017 to eight in 2027.

“Its renown as an education hub in Southeast Asia is only growing, and research from QS suggests that, by the end of the decade, international student numbers are projected to reach about 260,000,” Sowter said.

According to the 2027 edition, Malaysia has the most well-represented higher education system in two key indicators. It has 24 universities in the top 100 entries for the International Faculty indicator and 31 in the top 100 entries in the International Students indicator.

However, it only has one entry in the top 100 for Citations per Paper and Papers per Faculty indicators.

How did other countries perform?

The QS Asia University Rankings 2027 evaluated 1722 universities across 26 locations.

The University of Hong Kong retained the top spot in the ranking while Peking University and Tsinghua University from China finished second and third respectively.

Hong Kong also recorded the highest number of universities in the top 10 while Japan logged one of Asia’s highest drop rates.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s two universities also dropped out of the top five, with the National University of Singapore (NUS) now ranking sixth in Asia while the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore settled at the eighth position.

Maldives also debuted this edition, featuring The Maldives National University and Villa College.

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 3 — Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons (Community) Hafidz Othman has been appointed the new Commissioner General of Prisons, effective Nov 5, the Prisons Department said.

In a statement today, the department said Hafidz received his appointment letter from Public Service director-general Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.

He will succeed Datuk Seri Abdul Aziz Abdul Razak, who has held the post since Feb 14, 2025.

Hafidz, who holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), began his career as a prison officer with the rank of Deputy Superintendent at Miri Prison in Sarawak.

During his 32 years of service, he has held several key positions, including heading Seremban Prison, Negeri Sembilan Prisons, the International Affairs and Prisoner Transfer Division, and the Correctional Division, according to the statement.

He also served as Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons (Management) in 2025.

The department expressed hope that Hafidz would draw on his experience, expertise and leadership to further strengthen its correctional services, in line with the aspirations of Malaysia Madani and the Public Service Reform Agenda. — Bernama

PARIS, Nov 3 — Fifa will allow members of its ruling Council to view “key documents” related to the aborted project to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, a source close to world football’s governing body told AFP today.

“Fifa has informed the members of its Council, including all the vice-presidents, that they will have access to key documents in relation to Fifa Forward Enterprise,” the source told AFP, referring to Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s FFE proposal.

Members of the Council — a total of 37 people including Infantino and eight Fifa vice-presidents — were informed yesterday in a letter sent by Fifa Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom that they must come forward “in the next two weeks” if they want to see the documents “in person and in specific conditions”.

The documents can be consulted at the headquarters of world football’s governing body in Zurich, Switzerland, the source added.

The move came as a November 2 deadline set by European governing body UEFA to answer a series of questions related to the FFE proposal passed on Monday.

UEFA has led the opposition to the project, which was revealed in late July and would have seen Fifa open up its premium competitions such as the World Cup to private investors.

Infantino quickly abandoned the proposal in the face of an uproar, but UEFA has gone to a court in Florida in an attempt to gather evidence for a potential complaint of “criminal mismanagement” against the Fifa president in Switzerland.

Following a Fifa Council meeting on October 15, UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis sent a letter to Grafstrom with a list of over 40 questions and requests for information related to FFE.

It also raised other issues such as the decision to award a Fifa Peace Prize to Trump and the decision to suspend a red card shown to United States player Folarin Balogun at the World Cup following an intervention by the US President.

Fifa did not respond to UEFA before the deadline, arguing that this was “impractical”.

Infantino is standing for re-election as Fifa president next March.

The deadline for rival candidates to declare themselves is November 18, but UEFA has so far not been able to find a credible challenger to put forward.

Infantino was handed a major boost when the Asian Football Confederation announced on October 23 that it was backing him for re-election.

CONCACAF chief Victor Montagliani was mooted as a candidate, but the Canadian has announced his desire to stand for a new term as the head of the North American confederation, meaning he is unlikely to challenge Infantino.

Ramon Vega, the former Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic and Switzerland defender, has stated a willingness to stand but it remains to be seen if he will get the necessary support. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — A total of RM20.271 billion in income tax refunds involving 3.65 million taxpayer cases had been paid as at Oct 31, 2026.

Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said of the total, RM6.84 billion had been refunded to 3.4 million individual taxpayers, while RM13.036 billion had been refunded to 206,234 corporate taxpayers, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“In carrying out the refunds, the government prioritises excess tax refunds to individuals as well as MSMEs,” he said during the winding-up session of the Supply Bill at the committee stage for the Ministry of Finance (MoF) in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Amir Hamzah also said that, in line with this approach, the number of taxpayers with excess tax credits had been reduced by almost half to about 550,000 as at Oct 31, 2026, compared with more than one million as at Dec 31, 2025.

“The government is also committed to ensuring that outstanding tax refunds are fully settled promptly, as part of efforts to improve tax administration efficiency and safeguard taxpayers’ rights, in line with the Madani government’s fiscal reform agenda,” he said in response to questions raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) for Bachok, Klang and Pendang.

Amir Hamzah reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing the backlog of excess income tax refunds to ensure that all outstanding payments are made promptly.

A total of 27 MPs took part in the committee-stage debate on the MoF.

He said the views and feedback raised would help the government review how each allocation was managed and implemented for the benefit of the people.

Overall, the 2027 operating supply expenditure allocation for the ministry increased to RM68.16 billion, compared with the revised allocation of RM61.5 billion for this year.

He said the increase reflected the Madani government’s commitment to easing the cost of living and ensuring the well-being of the people. — Bernama

PARIS, Nov 3 — Students blockaded dozens of high schools across France today to maintain pressure on the government over education reforms as trade unions prepared for a nationwide strike later this week.

After returning from a two-week autumn break yesterday, some students resumed their protest campaign, calling on authorities to renovate dilapidated schools, reduce class sizes and create more university places.

Authorities said 48 out of France’s 3,700 high schools were blocked, including in cities such as Paris, Rennes, Toulouse and Lyon. The Union syndicale lyceenne (USL) contested those figures, saying 500 establishments were blocked.

The student union denounced what it called heavy-handed tactics, with “young people pinned against walls and riot police units deployed” outside schools.

“Our impression is that the objective is to suppress the movement and prevent Thursday’s mobilisation,” a union representative told AFP.

On Thursday students plan to stage a new day of blockades as trade unions called for a nationwide strike.

In the northwestern city of Rennes, around 30 students blocked access to the Brequigny High School, one of the country’s largest secondary schools.

Tensions quickly flared between students and a member of the school administration.

“You are not the majority,” the staff member protested.

“If we’re doing this, it’s because everything we’ve tried before hasn’t worked,” a student replied.

The school protests have fuelled a nationwide movement against soaring prices and inadequate public services, which has drawn hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets over the past three weekends and led to some of the worst unrest seen in France in years on October 17.

The school movement has also inspired students in other European countries, including Belgium, Italy and Spain, where the French word “blocus” (blockade) has become a popular hashtag.

Last week, the French government unveiled measures aimed at addressing some of the students’ demands, including reforms to the university admissions process, which has been criticised for a lack of transparency. Student leaders, however, say the proposals do not go far enough.

Yesterday, authorities said 42 high schools, or around 1 percent of the national total, were blocked. Student unions put the figure at 169.

About 15 per cent of higher education institutions were affected on Monday, authorities said. — AFP

WASHINGTON, Nov 3 — Americans voted today in pivotal midterm elections with Democrats hoping to seize control of Congress and impose the first significant checks on Donald Trump’s chaotic second term in the White House.

Republicans losing the House would give Democrats the power to stall Trump’s legislative agenda and launch sweeping investigations of his administration. A Senate defeat would also threaten his ability to appoint Supreme Court justices and senior officials.

The election amounts to a nationwide judgment on Trump, with the mood turning sharply against Republicans amid anger over soaring living costs and the war against Iran.

All 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are at stake, along with governorships in 36 states. Democrats need only three House gains and a net four seats in the Senate to wrest both chambers from Republican hands.

Trump returned to office last year promising to bring down prices, but inflation, tariffs and fuel costs inflated by the Middle East conflict have squeezed Americans.

The 80-year-old’s approval rating has hovered near the low 30s.

In the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, retired teacher Jane Callum, 77, was among Democrats canvassing for Senator Jon Ossoff who framed the race as a watershed moment for the country’s future.

“I really feel an obligation to do everything that I possibly can to change the direction that our country is going in now, and put it more on the path to democracy and away from autocracy,” she told AFP.

Economic discontent 

Republicans insist that Trump’s tax cuts and immigration crackdown will benefit Americans, and they are portraying Democratic candidates as left-wing radicals.

But in his final public campaign appearance on Monday, Trump barely touched on the economy and spent most of the time in a rambling talk about his problem-plagued renovation of Washington’s Reflecting Pool.

“This is the last day before the midterm elections, the most important midterm I believe in our lifetime,” he said, 26 minutes into the speech, before quickly returning to talking about renovations.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer branded it a “pathetic closing message.”

Some Republican supporters remain confident.

“We’re going to win. As a matter of fact, we’ve probably already won,” Texas military veteran Yvonne Clouser told AFP.

But while Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, the political battlefield is extending into conservative states like Kansas, Texas, Iowa, Ohio and Alaska.

Democrats must also defend competitive seats, including in Michigan, where a bitter internal dispute saw congresswoman Haley Stevens endorse Republican Mike Rogers rather than the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed.

Decision Desk HQ’s final forecast projected 241 House seats for Democrats against 194 for Republicans, and a narrower 52-48 Democratic Senate majority.

Disputed results? 

Polls can underestimate one party’s support, and Republicans hope their voters turn out in force on Election Day.

More than 57 million Americans had already voted early before Tuesday, indicating the high energy.

The campaign has attracted more than $11 billion in political advertising, while mega-rich Trump ally Elon Musk has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Republican political efforts.

As soon as polls close, concerns will mount over whether results will be accepted by the Republicans.

Trump, who tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat, has repeatedly alleged widespread voter fraud and accused Democrats — with no evidence — of cheating.

The Justice Department, run by a close Trump ally, has already sued to potentially block certification of Alaska’s Senate race if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan narrowly loses, although a court ruled against the effort on the eve of the election.

And the Supreme Court rejected on Monday an emergency bid to force California to set aside the mail-in ballots of more than 20,000 people on the grounds they may not be American citizens.

Trump, who will watch the midterms results at the White House on Tuesday night, signaled that if he does lose control of Congress he could simply defy Democrats.

“I veto everything,” he told a podcast on Monday, although he said he might strike deals with Democrats eventually. — AFP

PASIR GUDANG, Nov 3 — The Johor government will focus on 337 flood hotspots statewide as the northeast monsoon is expected to affect the state from this month until January next year.

State Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said priority would be given to areas with high population density and a history of major flooding, including the districts of Kota Tinggi, Batu Pahat and Segamat.

“Based on updates from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), 35 flood hotspots, including new additions, have been identified.

“The Public Works Department (JKR) has also identified 30 high-risk road locations that comprise 21 sites on federal roads and nine on state roads,” he told reporters after a working visit to the Sungai Rinting flood wall project here today.

Also present were Permas assemblyman Baharudin Mohamed Taib and senior government agency officials.

Mohamad Fazli said the measures outlined included hotspot mapping, drain maintenance, cleaning and dredging drainage systems, ensuring machinery was ready, public outreach and the use of the eBencana (electronic disaster) reporting system.

He said the relevant projects included Phase 1 of the Sungai Johor Flood Mitigation Plan, the Sungai Pemandi Flood Mitigation Plan and a flood alleviation project in Kampung Sungai Kapal Lama in Pengerang.

In Batu Pahat, Mohamad Fazli said the DID had identified 41 flood hotspots, while the JKR had detected 21 high-risk locations along federal and state roads, covering a total distance of 6.5 kilometres.

He added that preparations would include road pavement maintenance works worth RM11.79 million, non-pavement works worth RM3.20 million and an allocation of RM1.92 million under the Malaysian Road Records Information System (MARRIS) for drainage-related works.

“Alternative route plans via the FT024 federal road and the PLUS Highway have also been planned.

“Mobile pumps at the Parit Botak sluice gate, flood mitigation projects – such as the Bandar Batu Pahat and Sungai Batu Pahat flood mitigation schemes – as well as coastal embankment upgrading works, are also being given due attention,” he said.

In Segamat, Mohamad Fazli said the DID had identified 29 flood hotspots, while the JKR had identified 16 high-risk locations, comprising eight federal roads and eight state roads.

“Efforts are also focused on monitoring river levels and roadways, as well as coordinating with the Batu Pahat district, which is located downstream,” he said.

In Muar, he said 65 flood hotspots had been identified, the highest number among the districts listed by the DID.

In Tangkak, 26 hotspots had been identified, with priority measures including inspecting culverts and drainage systems, monitoring roadways and coordinating maintenance efforts among the relevant agencies.

Mohamad Fazli said there were also 44 flood hotspots in Johor Bahru, 29 in Kluang, 19 in Pontian, 27 in Kulai and 22 in Mersing.

In a related development, he said the state government was preparing an application for an emergency allocation of between RM20 million and RM30 million to carry out maintenance works and flood preparedness measures in high-risk areas throughout November and December.

“Priority will be given to tasks that can be executed immediately, specifically maintenance work, whereas large-scale projects, such as the construction of embankments and flood-retaining walls, will require a longer timeframe,” he added.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — The ringgit eased against the US dollar today amid a pullback in global artificial intelligence (AI)-related trading and investments.

At 6pm, the local note slipped to 4.0735/0775 against the greenback from Monday’s close of 4.0695/0735.

SPI Asset Management managing partner Stephen Innes said the ringgit’s weakness was largely driven by broader risk aversion, particularly as investors unwound AI-related investments.

He said Malaysia has been a major beneficiary of the global AI investment boom, particularly through its semiconductor industry and technology-related investment flows.

“The trouble is that this relationship cuts both ways. When investors start pulling back from the AI trade, the ringgit can come under pressure even when the broader US dollar is weakening.

“Therefore, the ringgit is getting caught up in the broader unwinding of the AI trade, and that may remain the bigger influence in the near term,” he told Bernama.

Similarly, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the ringgit traded within a narrow range against the greenback as traders and investors weighed concerns over a potential AI investment bubble, the upcoming US midterm elections and Friday’s US jobs data.

“On the AI investment bubble, there seem to be mixed signals among Wall Street firms at a conference in Hong Kong today.

“Some argued that AI infrastructure may have gone overboard, but others pointed to the potential benefits to the economy. Reversing risk appetite in the AI space could mean missing an opportunity to record further gains in investment returns,” he said.

Mohd Afzanizam also noted that Brent crude oil prices rose 1.94 per cent to US$106.80 per barrel, as concerns over a possible renewed US attack on Iran following the US midterm elections remained a source of market uncertainty.

“Hence, overall, market sentiments are effectively guarded as there are a lot of moving parts that could easily tilt the balance of risk,” he added.

Against major currencies, the ringgit traded mostly firmer.

The ringgit was marginally higher against the Japanese yen to 2.5762/5789 from 2.5766/5793 at Monday’s close, inched up versus the euro to 4.5587/5631 from 4.5652/5697, but edged down vis-a-vis the British pound to 5.4658/4712 from 5.4621/4675, previously.

The ringgit was mostly lower against its ASEAN peers.

It slipped versus the baht to 12.0696/0858 from 12.0496/0661 yesterday, inched down against the rupiah to 224.3/224.6 from 224.1/224.4, and fell vis-a-vis the Philippine peso to 6.42/6.43 from 6.39/6.41 previously.

However, it rose against the Singapore dollar to 3.1807/1841 from the previous close of 3.1825/1862. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — Bursa Malaysia’s key index finished marginally higher, supported by selective buying in banking heavyweights, although the broader market remained subdued amid continued selling in technology stocks.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said overall market sentiment remained cautious, with investors reluctant to take fresh positions amid persistent external uncertainties.

At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) increased 2.34 points or 0.14 per cent to 1,621.85 from yesterday’s close of 1,619.51.

The benchmark index opened 1.25 points higher at 1,620.76 and fluctuated between an intraday low of 1,616.19 and a high of 1,625.88 throughout the day.

In the broader market, losers led gainers 652 to 403, while 502 counters were unchanged, 1,166 untraded, and 11 suspended. 

Turnover trimmed to 2.63 billion units valued at RM2.64 billion from 2.65 billion units worth RM2.10 billion yesterday.

Regional equities were mostly lower as the continued sell-off in semiconductor stocks reflected concerns over substantial artificial intelligence investments and their potential returns, Thong said.

He said Brent crude oil, meanwhile, had rebounded to US$105 a barrel following reports of US strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, raising fresh concerns over West Asia’s stability despite renewed diplomatic efforts that had triggered a sharp decline in oil prices on Monday.

“Back home, we believe cautious investor sentiment is likely to persist as external uncertainties continue to overshadow domestic fundamentals.

“The weakness in technology stocks and subdued market participation also suggest that investors remain reluctant to increase exposure ahead of several important events,” he told Bernama.

Among the heavyweight stocks, Maybank and CIMB were six sen higher at RM10.04 and RM6.98, respectively, while Public Bank added two sen to RM4.81. Tenaga Nasional slipped 14 sen to RM13.16, and IHH Healthcare dropped nine sen to RM7.76.

In active trade, Nexgram inched up half a sen to six sen, Aizo bagged 2.5 sen to seven sen, AirAsia perked up 1.5 sen to 46 sen, and Ni Hsin eased 1.5 sen to 32.5 sen, while GIIB was half a sen lower at 49.5 sen.

Fraser & Neave led the top gainers, putting on 92 sen to RM21.20, United Plantations rose 58 sen to RM29.88, RHB Bank and AMMB rose 21 sen each to RM7.71 and RM6.48, respectively, and Hong Leong Bank improved 16 sen to RM21.34.

Among the top losers, Nestle shed 24 sen to RM95.88, Malaysian Pacific Industries decreased 28 sen to RM39.50, Petronas Dagangan sank 50 sen to RM19.28, Kelington dipped 33 sen to RM8.17, and Mi Technovation fell 10 sen to RM6.20.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index slid 3.97 points to 12,068.32 while the FBM Top 100 Index edged up 0.56 of a point to 11,879.85. 

The FBM Mid 70 Index slumped 68.68 points to 17,318.90, the FBM Emas Shariah Index erased 56.62 points to 12,044.91, and the FBM ACE Index slid 23.95 points to 5,319.04.

Sector-wise, the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 1.19 points to 177.58, the Energy Index shed 9.89 points to 827.00, the Financial Services Index jumped 147.51 points to 18,716.91, and the Plantation Index increased 67.42 points to 8,769.65.

The Main Market volume was slightly higher at 1.47 billion units worth RM2.41 billion from 1.45 billion units worth RM1.88 billion yesterday.

Warrants turnover declined to 790.10 million units worth RM91.37 million against 877.58 million units worth RM102.50 million previously.

The ACE Market volume expanded to 364.33 million units valued at RM136.10 million from 322.03 million units valued at RM110.72 million on Monday.

Meanwhile, consumer products and services counters accounted for 244.26 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (360.10 million), construction (132.04 million), technology (238.67 million), financial services (99.14 million), property (86.72 million), plantation (18.23 million), real estate investment trusts (14.94 million), closed-end fund (557,700), energy (81.41 million), healthcare (96.97 million), telecommunications and media (29.56 million), transportation and logistics (47.22 million), utilities (28.61 million), and business trusts (13,500). — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — A maritime industry executive today asked whether the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) would take further action on his report over alleged discrepancies in petroleum cargo records, following the Royal Malaysian Customs Department’s latest disclosure on import declaration irregularities.

Maritime Network Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri R. Jeyenderan lodged the report on June 5 over alleged discrepancies between bills of lading and the physical movement of petroleum cargo at Tanjung Langsat Port, Johor, in transactions reportedly worth millions of ringgit.

The report involved two petroleum cargoes totalling 76,954.325 metric tonnes of Atlanta Crude, valued at more than RM220 million, which were discharged at Tanjung Langsat.

Jeyenderan, who has more than 30 years of experience in the maritime industry, questioned whether the latest information from Customs could give MACC grounds to revisit the concerns raised in his report.

Customs director-general Datuk Seri Amran Ahmad was quoted by Harian Metro as saying that certain importers had allegedly manipulated documents, under-declared the value, weight and quantity of imported goods, and used incorrect tariff codes to evade or reduce import duties and taxes.

Amran said this could potentially result in millions of ringgit in revenue losses to the government.

Jeyenderan said the key concern was traceability, particularly how the authorities and relevant parties could establish what happened to the cargo after it entered storage tanks containing existing inventory, including any subsequent movement, mixing or blending.

He said the relevant records should show the quantity discharged into each tank, the existing inventory, subsequent product movements, laboratory specifications and the quantities eventually removed or transferred, to ensure an unbroken documentary trail.

He stressed that Maritime Network had acted only as the vessel or shipping agent for the cargo movements, and was not the cargo owner, terminal operator, laboratory or Customs authority.

As such, he said, the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved must be clearly established.

Jeyenderan wants MACC to clarify whether the Customs disclosure warrants further investigation, particularly regarding the accuracy of cargo declarations and the applicable regulatory treatment.

He said the main concern was whether the cargo declarations, supporting documents and actual physical movement of the petroleum products were consistent with the relevant Customs requirements.

He also called on the authorities to clarify whether there were any regulatory or revenue implications arising from the handling of petroleum cargoes, particularly where shared storage tanks and blending arrangements were involved.

MELAKA, Nov 3 — The new Bill to replace the now-repealed Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (AUKU) will not affect students’ freedom of expression, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

He said the Cabinet agreed that the proposed legislation would be limited to matters concerning university administration, including academic affairs, governance and the appointment of senate members,

Ahmad Zahid also said that the new law would also cover the selection of university management personnel, including vice-chancellors and deputy vice-chancellors.

“The new legislation, which will carry a different name, will no longer include the seven provisions concerning students, including those on freedom, under AUKU, which restricted their freedom to engage in activities,” he said.

He was asked about the latest developments in the proposal for a new law to replace AUKU after attending the Apa Khabar Mahasiswa: Patriotisme Diperkasa programme at Universiti Teknologi Mara’s (UiTM) Alor Gajah Campus in Melaka today.

Also present at the event was Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir.

Ahmad Zahid, also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, said universities should not penalise students for expressing their opinions unless their remarks involved sensitive issues relating to race, religion and the royal institution (3R).

“Under AUKU, universities did take action against students. Now that the Act has been repealed, students remain subject to existing laws, including criminal legislation.

“...if students are simply expressing differing opinions, political beliefs or the views of young people, I believe universities should welcome this rather than take legal action against them, unless their actions breach the law,” he said.

In a separate development, Ahmad Zahid said enrolment for the Department of Quantum Technology at UiTM was expected to begin next semester under a training-for-trainers concept.

“Initially, the academic staff will be sent for master’s or PhD studies, or short courses, to equip those with backgrounds in information technology and digital technology to lead the department before it is upgraded to the Faculty of Quantum Technology,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid announced earlier in October that RM500,000 would be allocated as initial funding to establish UiTM’s Department of Quantum Technology. — Bernama

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 3 — The Madani government has approved more than RM250 million to strengthen the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) development in Kelantan, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

This includes building a new bus terminal at the Kota Bharu ECRL Station and preliminary works for a proposed extension to Rantau Panjang, said the ministry in a statement today.

Of the total, RM30 million has been allocated for the new bus terminal, while more than RM200 million will fund preliminary works for the proposed ECRL extension from Kota Bharu to Rantau Panjang.

“The preliminary works include initial design, land surveys and investigations, an environmental impact assessment (EIA), preparation of the Railway Scheme and site preparation works to facilitate the project’s implementation in the next phase,” it said.

The investment aims to enhance transport infrastructure and create opportunities for competitive economic development in Kelantan. The development is expected to spur business activities, strengthen the logistics sector, attract investment and create job opportunities for the local population, said MOF.

The ministry emphasised that national development must be inclusive and balanced to ensure that the benefits of progress reach people throughout the country, including in Kelantan, rather than being concentrated solely in major cities. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — The Sessions Court hearing the case involving Fashion Valet Sdn Bhd (Fashion Valet) founders Datin Vivy Sofinas Yusof and her husband, Datuk Fadzarudin Shah Anuar, was told today that investment funds could not be used to pay dividends to any party, including the company’s shareholders.

Corporate lawyer Anne Wong Wai Yee, 49, who was involved in drafting the shareholders’ agreement between the couple and seven other companies, including Fashion Valet, on March 5, 2018, said the agreement did not contain any provision allowing investment funds to be used for such payments.

The other six companies were Proven Holding Sdn Bhd, MY E.G. Capital Sdn Bhd, Transasia E-Commerce Inc., Start Today Co. Ltd., Reussi Sdn Bhd and Pulau Tiga Ventures Sdn Bhd.

“The declaration of dividends requires the approval of a majority of the directors, including those appointed by Start Today Co. Ltd. and Pulau Tiga Ventures Sdn Bhd,” she testified during the trial of the couple, who are facing charges of criminal breach of trust involving RM8 million in investment funds from Khazanah Nasional Berhad (Khazanah) and Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB).

The sixth prosecution witness said the agreement also specified the permitted uses of the investment funds, namely expenditure on technology development, stores and warehouses, as well as products and brands.

“The permitted allocation of the investment funds was as follows: 30 per cent for consumer acquisition, 30 per cent for technology development, 20 per cent for store and warehouse expansion, and 20 per cent for product and brand acquisition, based on the total investment value.

“Typically, such expenditures require approval from a majority of the board of directors,” Wong said.

She said Fashion Valet was required to submit summaries of the utilisation of the investment funds to the board of directors on a quarterly and annual basis until the entire amount had been utilised.

“However, I have no knowledge of the distribution of dividends or the transfer of investment funds received by Fashion Valet, as my scope of work was limited to drafting and coordinating the contractual agreements.

“The subsequent execution of these agreements by the parties involved falls outside the scope of my professional duties,” said Wong, a partner at Karen Kaur & Anne Wong Partnership.

She further testified that Fashion Valet was prohibited from extending loans or credit to its directors, shareholders, related companies or any other parties without the approval of a majority of the board of directors.

“Furthermore, Fashion Valet is restricted from entering into any agreement or understanding with parties related to the company, its directors or shareholders, involving RM50,000 or more annually, without the approval of a majority of the directors, including those appointed by Start Today Co. Ltd. and Pulau Tiga Ventures Sdn Bhd,” she added.

Referring to a Subscription Agreement dated June 4, 2018, Wong said the document constituted a binding agreement between the relevant parties, namely Fashion Valet, Proven Holdings and PNB, concerning PNB’s investment in the company.

“Essentially, this agreement sets out the terms and conditions of PNB’s investment in Fashion Valet, whereby, in exchange for the investment, Fashion Valet would issue Redeemable Convertible Preference Shares (RCPS) to PNB,” she testified.

Vivy, 38, and Fadzarudin, 37, are charged with criminal breach of trust, allegedly committed with common intention in their capacity as directors of Fashion Valet, involving RM8 million in investment funds from Khazanah and PNB.

The charge alleges that they had authorised payments totalling RM8 million from Fashion Valet’s corporate bank account to a company known as 30 Maple without the approval of the company’s board of directors.

The alleged offence took place at the Public Bank Berhad branch in Bukit Damansara, at 36-40 Medan Setia 2, Plaza Damansara, Bukit Damansara, on Aug 21, 2018.

The charge, under Section 409 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Code, provides for imprisonment of between two and 20 years, whipping and a fine upon conviction.

The couple also pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge of dishonestly misappropriating, with common intention, property belonging to Fashion Valet, namely RM8 million in investment funds from Khazanah and PNB, at the same location and on the same date.

The alternative charge, under Section 403 of the Penal Code, carries a penalty of imprisonment of between six months and five years, whipping and a fine upon conviction.

The trial, before Judge Rosli Ahmad, continues on Nov 20. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, November 3 — Despite merchandise sales for The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour in KL opening at 2pm, eager fans began lining up as early as 10am, hoping to secure official concert gear.

Held at Car Park C of the TM National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, today’s merchandise pre-sale drew crowds of eager fans, personal shoppers, and supportive parents, all braving the sweltering afternoon heat. 

Fortunately for fans, organiser Livenation Malaysia has prepared several water stations around the area as well as a medic team on standby to accommodate queuing fans. 

And not just that, several fans also came prepared with umbrellas, snacks, handheld fans and some even brought along foldable chairs to get through the day. 

Personal shopper Ammarcs is one of the earliest in line for the merchandise.  — Picture by Arif Zikri 

One of the first in line was Ammarcs, a 23-year-old personal shopper from Kepong who has been waiting in line since 10am. 

“I was afraid the line would be massive by the time I got here, but luckily the crowd wasn’t too big yet.

“If I came late, my main concern was missing out on the exact sizes my customers asked for,” Ammarcs told Malay Mail.

Ammarcs who is also a student, said that he has been a personal shopper for around two years now and for today’s session, he decided to open up 20 slots where he would charge RM10 per item. 

He pointed out that he could get more customers however he decided to cap his customer list at 20 people only to not stress himself out.

Armed with just an umbrella, a powerbank and a luggage bag, Ammarcs said that these are amongst the essential items he needs whenever he is on the job. 

“A mobile phone is a must, followed by a power bank and, of course, a luggage bag—which actually has several other bags packed inside it. 

“I also brought a lot of IKEA bags as backups to put all the stuff in along with a pen and notebook just in case my phone freezes, so I still have all the order details written down,” he said. 

He added that personal shopping is just a part-time gig for him as it is a great way for him to secure some extra income especially with him still studying at the moment. 

Nina Ibrahim and her family waiting for her daughter who was in queue for the merchandise. — Picture by Raymond Manuel.

Meanwhile, 47-year-old Nina Ibrahim and her husband have been taking shelter under a tree since 12pm while waiting for their 20-year-old daughter who was in queue for the merchandise. 

Nina and her family are from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and they are currently in town to visit their relatives here. 

“We came to visit relatives, and the concert timing just happened to align.

“My daughter is a big fan of The Weeknd, and since we traveled a long way, I was worried about safety if she queued alone.

“That’s why we decided to join her here today,” Nina said. 

Aside from that, 26-year-old Shaqeel from Sri Lanka who was also in the queuing line wished that he came more prepared. 

“I really wished I’ve brought an umbrella, a fan and a bottle of water with me because I didnt expect it would be this hot.

“I didnt come prepared at all. 

“But I’m wearing shorts so at least I have that going for me and I got my powerbank with me to keep my phone alive, so that’s good enough,” he said. 

Shaqeel who has been a fan of The Weeknd since 2013 said that he came all the way from Sri Lanka just to catch The Weeknd live in person and he has been enjoying the Malaysia experience so far. 

“I just flew in from Sri Lanka a day before yesterday and although I came here alone, but I am meeting up with a few friends who are living here. 

“My experience has been great so far, I’m staying nearby Pavillion in Bukit Bintang and I have to say the food here are great. 

“I will be staying here for until Monday and I might be visiting other places such as Melaka and also Genting Highlands while I’m here,” he said. 

19 years old Mohd Arfat Abdul Rashid has been saving up for The Weeknd in Malaysia. — Picture by Raymond Manuel.

As the merchandise pre-sale booth opens sharply at 2pm,  it only took 20 minutes for 19-year-old Mohd Arfat Abdul Rashid to secure his merchandise. 

Arfat who was in queue since 11am initially wanted to buy just a hoodie for himself however ended up buying another jersey because the quality is too good for him to resist. 

“It was better than I expected, I really thought the jersey was just going to be a normal jersey but then I found out its a thick layer kind of jersey. 

“I’m like wow, the thing is, I wasn’t even planning to buy the jersey but it was actually nice, I just had to buy it,” he said. 

Arfat is a student who is also working a part time job and he said that he had to make excuses to his boss in order for him to line up for the merchandise. 

“I’m so excited for the show tomorrow, and I’m really proud of myself for making it here.

“I’ve been wanting to see him live for so long, so I saved up for months—it took me eight months to afford the ticket and this jersey. 

“Even though I couldn’t get VIP passes, just being able to attend is more than good enough for me,” Arfat said. 

The Weeknd will be performing in Malaysia on November 4 and 5 at the TM National Stadium in Bukit Jalil in part of his After Hours Till Dawn Tour. 

This will also mark his final stop for the tour which has been ongoing since 2022. 

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — Traders who impose hidden charges or disclose additional fees only at the final stage of a transaction may face legal action, including fines of up to RM100,000, said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.

He said the practice misled consumers and undermined their right to know the actual price before making a purchase.

“This means consumers should have clear information on the amount they need to pay, rather than discovering certain charges at the final stage of a transaction,” he said in a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a question from Muhammad Islahuddin Abas (PN-Mersing) on measures taken by the ministry to curb the practice of imposing additional or hidden charges disclosed only at the final stage of a transaction, resulting in the actual price exceeding the displayed or advertised price, particularly in the services, food and beverage, and online transaction sectors.

Armizan said Section 10B(1) of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 [Act 723] allows action against businesses that fail to include all taxes, duties, and other charges in the prices of goods or services they display, advertise, publish, or quote.

The same Act stipulates under Section 57 that corporate bodies found in breach of the provision may be fined up to RM100,000, while individuals face penalties of up to RM50,000 in fines, two years’ imprisonment, or both.

He said the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) also had enforcement powers under the Consumer Protection Act 1999 [Act 599], particularly Section 12(1)(a), which makes misleading representations about the price of goods or services an offence.

Section 12(3)(c) of the Act further stipulates that a price display is considered misleading if it gives the impression that the stated price covers everything, when additional charges are in fact imposed separately.

“Sections 9 and 10 of the Act also prohibit false or misleading claims about the nature and characteristics of goods or services. The provisions cover both transactions at physical business premises and online transactions.

“Those found in breach of the relevant provisions may be penalised under Section 145 of Act 599. The penalty for corporate bodies is a fine of up to RM100,000, while individuals may be fined up to RM50,000, jailed for up to three years, or both,” he said.

Armizan said KPDN had introduced guidelines on the All-Inclusive Pricing Policy to promote price transparency, particularly in the food and beverage, e-commerce and delivery sectors, requiring consumers to be informed of the total price, including the base price, service charges and delivery fees, before confirming an order.

He said the ministry also enforced the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Price Marking of Goods and Charges for Services) Order 2020, which requires service providers and business premises to display clearly and prominently a list of services offered and the charges imposed.

“The ministry will continue to step up monitoring and enforcement to ensure traders comply with price disclosure requirements, and urges consumers to check the final price before making payment.

“Consumers should also report to KPDN any instances of hidden fees or discrepancies between advertised prices and the actual amounts charged,” he added. — Bernama

TEHRAN, Nov 3 — Iran unveiled a massive billboard and banners pledging to kill US President Donald Trump across Tehran on Tuesday, bringing to a new level the official rhetoric displayed in the capital.

“We will kill Trump”, read the billboard towering over the busy Enghelab Square in Tehran, which depicted the US president behind bars with his head bowed.

New designs of billboards and displays mocking and vowing revenge against Trump have frequently been set up around Tehran since the war began on February 28 when US-Israeli strikes killed the Islamic republic’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In recent days, renewed diplomatic efforts have been underway to bring Tehran and Washington to negotiate to prevent a resumption in fighting which has spread across the region and driven prices up globally.

Trump, who on Tuesday faces crucial US midterm elections amid voter discontent driven in part by the Iran war, has said that a deal “could happen”.

In the busy Tajrish Square in northern Tehran, an open-air exhibition featured paintings of Trump, including one showing him with his face lying bloodied on the ground as a foot presses down on his head.

Another depicted a bomb obscuring his face, in an apparent reference to Belgian surrealist René Magritte’s 1964 painting The Son of Man.

Nearby, a life-sized replica of a jail cell has remained on display, with an actor impersonating Trump spending the day inside. An adjacent screen showed images of the damage caused by US strikes on Iran.

Tehran accuses Trump of deliberately targeting civilian sites during the war, including a school and a wedding ceremony, killing dozens of people including women and children.

State-sponsored billboards and murals have been a fixture of Iran’s public spaces since the 1979 Islamic revolution, used to honour allies, celebrate military figures and send political messages to adversaries, particularly the United States and Israel. — AFP 

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 3 — The ongoing construction of a high-altitude training centre on Mount Kinabalu has come under scrutiny, with indigenous groups and tourism stakeholders questioning its environmental impact, approvals and whether communities with customary ties to the mountain were adequately consulted.

The controversy surfaced around October 30 after photographs showing structures and apparent drilling activities near Sayat-Sayat circulated on social media, prompting calls for authorities to clarify the nature and purpose of the work.

The photographs prompted criticism over a lack of transparency, including from Kundasang Tourism and Culture Association chairman Datuk Japiril Suhaimin, who called for an investigation into the project's location, scope and approvals, as well as its potential effects on water sources, soil stability and biodiversity.

Bundu Tuhan Village Heritage and Culture head Adrian Soros also questioned whether communities with customary ties to the mountain had been consulted, saying many villagers were unaware of the construction.

He raised concerns about drilling into the mountain, which he said went against customary beliefs, as well as the protection of local water sources and the management of human waste at high altitude.

Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin subsequently issued a statement saying the project was not new and had originally been proposed under the Kinabalu Park Development Plan in 2015.

He said the project had obtained approval from the Sabah Parks Board of Trustees and endorsement from the Mount Kinabalu Native Customary Advisory Council.

“The HATC was originally proposed under the Kinabalu Park Development Plan in 2015, but its implementation was deferred following the earthquake that struck Mount Kinabalu that year.

“The initiative was subsequently revived and officially launched in 2025 as part of Sabah’s efforts to diversify its tourism offerings and strengthen its position as an internationally recognised mountaineering destination,” he said.

The new development would provide basic accommodation and specialised facilities to support high-altitude training and mountaineering activities.

Jafry said the centre was intended to cater to mountaineers preparing for expeditions to higher-altitude destinations, including Mount Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua and Mount Everest, by providing facilities for altitude acclimatisation, technical training and familiarisation with specialised climbing equipment.

He said construction involved lightweight, prefabricated and modular building materials to minimise environmental disturbance, with the structures designed to withstand strong winds and challenging weather conditions at higher elevations.

The construction method also avoided the use of heavy machinery in view of the mountain’s sensitive natural environment.

Jafry said the project’s approval and implementation must respect Mount Kinabalu’s cultural and spiritual significance to indigenous communities, as reflected in the involvement of the Native Customary Advisory Council.

The minister nevertheless emphasised that the approval did not exempt the project from complying with stipulated conditions, technical specifications and environmental regulations.

“We take the concerns raised by the public seriously. The ministry will consider a comprehensive investigation to ascertain whether all approved specifications, environmental safeguards and regulatory conditions have been fully observed.

“Should any non-compliance be established, the ministry will not hesitate to pursue the necessary enforcement measures in accordance with the law,” he said.

However, despite his statement, the Dayak International Organisation (DIO) today called for all construction, drilling and installation work at the site to stop, alleging that the development violated indigenous customary law protected under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Its United Nations representative, Datuk Petinggi Andrew Ambrose Atama Katama, questioned the use of the Mount Kinabalu Native Customary Advisory Council to endorse the project, saying this did not replace the need for consent from communities, particularly the Kadazandusun and Momogun.

Andrew described Aki Nabalu as a sacred living entity and ancestral repository rather than a commercial asset for generating state revenue.

DIO also called for an independent environmental audit, including an assessment of wastewater impact on local water catchments, and said it would raise the matter at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Unesco Global Geoparks Network.

Mount Kinabalu, also known as Aki Nabalu, is Sabah's highest peak at 4,095 metres and holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for indigenous communities, particularly the Kadazandusun.

Every year, locals hold sacred rituals to honour the mountain spirits, seek permission and protection, and ensure the safety and well-being of climbers.

Kinabalu Park was inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2000 for its exceptional biodiversity, including thousands of plant species and a wide range of habitats.

SINGAPORE, Nov 3 — Reformative training and jail time should be the default sentencing options for scammers and those who facilitate scams, according to a Bill proposed in Parliament on Tuesday (November 3).

The Sentencing (Scams) Bill, introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), reaffirms Parliament's intention that scam and scam-enabling offences should be met with strong deterrent sentences because of the serious harm they cause to victims.

However, on September 10, the High Court published its judgment regarding the case of Mohamed Erzan Taib Zohri, one among six young offenders who allegedly committed scam-enabling offences.

The court allowed four of the six appeals and replaced the offenders' reformative training sentences with probation.

The High Court also held that reformative training or imprisonment should not be the default sentence for young offenders who commit scam-enabling offences. According to MHA, this is inconsistent with Parliament's intention that such offences should generally attract deterrent sentences.

Under the proposed Bill, the High Court's decision will not be binding on and need not be considered by any court when considering any sentence imposed on scam offenders or scam-enabling offences, or when hearing appeals relating to such sentences.

In addition, courts, except the Youth Court, should consider reformative training or imprisonment as the primary and default sentencing options for offenders aged 21 and below, unless there are exceptional circumstances, the Bill states.

Youth offences relating to scams on the rise

Scams remain the most prevalent crime type in Singapore, with an average of 90 scam reports amounting to S$2 million (RM6.4 million) in losses each day in the first half of 2026, MHA said.

Over 1,000 youths were investigated in connection with scam reports in 2025, while the number of youths who committed cheating and related offences rose 37 per cent, from 814 in 2024 to 1,114 in 2025.

These youths were largely involved in scam cases as mules, according to MHA.

“We need to do more to deter young offenders from being enticed by the prospect of quick financial gains to commit such offences,” the ministry stated.

MHA added: “If a deterrent approach is not taken, Singapore's scam and youth offending situation could deteriorate.”

MHA emphasised that scams can cause serious harm to victims and must be met with a strong deterrent message, which the Bill seeks to reinforce. — AsiaOne 

JASIN, Nov 3 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has denied allegations that he intended to sabotage the Madani Government by revealing the cancellation or postponement of rural development projects in Sabah and Sarawak.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, maintained that his remarks concerning the suspension or cancellation of Letters of Acceptance (SSTs) for the projects were factual, adding that he was prepared to produce official documents to substantiate his claims.

“I had no such intention (to sabotage the government). Whether the projects have been postponed or cancelled, the fact remains that there were instructions to cancel all SSTs that have been or are due to be issued.

“I have documentary evidence of the instructions. I can show it,” he told reporters after officiating the  Mara Higher Education and TVET Tour 2026 programme in Melaka here today.

Yesterday, Jelutong MP RSN Rayer, while interjecting during a debate in the Dewan Rakyat, questioned Ahmad Zahid’s statement concerning the cancellation of rural development projects in Sabah and Sarawak.

Rayer described the remarks as an attempt to sabotage the Madani Government. — Bernama

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 3 — Spot checks on drainage systems and cleaning works in Kuala Lumpur are being stepped up to keep drains clear and reduce the risk of flash floods, especially during the rainy season.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said these checks must be carried out thoroughly, including during the dry season, to ensure cleaning works are done properly and drainage systems function well.

She said clean-looking roads do not necessarily mean the drainage system is in good condition, as drains may be blocked without anyone noticing.

“That is why, before the rainy season, during the dry season, we have already reminded them... we must carry out spot checks,” she told reporters after launching the Community-Based Eco Recycling Hub (COB3R) at Presint 9 here today.

Hannah said each parliamentary branch office has also activated teams to conduct patrols and channel the latest reports on flash flood-prone areas to the Kuala Lumpur mayor.

She said active monitoring is crucial to ensure flash flood hotspots, which were successfully reduced from 30 to 14 over the past three years, do not rise again.

“The goal for Kuala Lumpur is to bring it down further to 10,” she added.

Hannah also said the frequency of cleaning and desilting works on Sungai Toba has increased from twice to six times a year as part of efforts to reduce the risk of flash floods.

She said changing weather patterns and extraordinary heavy rainfall require the authorities to reassess existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and improve disaster preparedness.

“With the current weather, the current rain, we cannot use ordinary SOPs. We must be prepared,” she said, adding that Kuala Lumpur’s development planning must also adopt the sponge city approach by preserving open and green spaces to help absorb rainwater.

She said development in hilly areas must be strictly controlled to ensure the area’s natural capacity to hold rainwater is not compromised.

“You cannot replace this green space with concrete. The water needs a place to go,” she said. — Bernama

SEOUL, Nov 3 — A South Korean court revoked the Unification Church leader’s bail in a bribery case on Tuesday after footage emerged of her visiting the secretive movement’s headquarters in breach of release conditions.

Han Hak-ja, 83, was sentenced to two years in prison in August for providing luxury items, including a designer handbag, to former first lady Kim Keon Hee while her husband Yoon Suk Yeol was president, in an attempt to secure policy favours.

She was granted bail two months later on health grounds, on condition that she reside at a Seoul hospital.

Footage aired on Monday by local broadcaster JTBC showed Han being driven from the hospital to the church headquarters known as Cheonjeonggung Palace.

Han would leave for the headquarters in Gapyeong County, east of Seoul, early in the morning and return to the hospital in the evening, according to the report, which prompted a review of her bail.

“The Seoul High Court on Tuesday revoked bail for defendant Han,” the court said in a brief statement.

“The court also ordered the forfeiture of Han’s bail bond,” it added.

Yonhap news agency reported that the decision was made “over her visits to Cheonjeonggung Palace”.

The Unification Church has significant business interests spanning media, education and food distribution, and has long drawn scrutiny over its political ties in South Korea.

The church has denied wrongdoing, with a spokesman telling AFP before the court’s decision that “Han’s outings were in accordance with doctors’ advice” and did “not constitute a violation of the bail terms”.

Founded in 1954 by Han’s late husband, Moon Sun-myung, the Unification Church has long drawn controversy over teachings that present Moon as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Han, revered by church members as the “True Mother”, took the helm of the church after Moon’s death in 2012. She was arrested in September 2025 in connection with the bribery case involving the former first lady.

The Unification Church, which claims to have 10 million followers worldwide, is best known for its mass wedding ceremonies, in which couples of different nationalities are matched, held at its headquarters in South Korea. — AFP 

LONDON, Nov 3 — West Ham announced on Tuesday that they had sacked head coach Nuno Esprito Santo after a disappointing start to the Championship season.

The 52-year-old oversaw the Hammers’ relegation from the Premier League last season.

For many, the London club were favourites for automatic promotion back to the top flight but they are currently eighth in the second-tier table, six points behind leaders Middlesbrough.

“West Ham United can confirm that men’s first-team head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has left his position with immediate effect,” the club said in a statement.

“Following a thorough review of the start to the EFL Championship season, the board of directors believe that a change is necessary at this time in order to ensure that the club’s objectives and expectations remain on track.” — AFP 

SINGAPORE, Nov 3 — Data collected and utilised as part of the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) 2 system can be used by law enforcement, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Transport (MOT) said in Parliament on Tuesday (November 3).

While ERP 2.0 is designed primarily for road pricing, parliamentary replies on November 3 shed further light on how data from the system may be accessed and used for law enforcement and criminal investigations. 

Much like ERP 1, ERP 2 supports functions related to motoring, including the enforcement of laws and regulations, Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling said.

She explained that although data collected on individual vehicles is aggregated and anonymised when transferred to LTA’s backend systems for traffic planning and management, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) can retrieve location data from sensors and systems when specific vehicles need to be identified for enforcement purposes.

“LTA has done this for enforcement against serious offences such as illegal cross-border taxi services and for detecting deregistered vehicles,” she said. “Like all other Government data, ERP 2 data will be subject to existing statutory obligations.”

Sun was responding to a Parliamentary question filed by Tin Pei Ling, who asked whether data collected by ERP 2 might support enforcement and investigations by other Government agencies.

In a separate parliamentary question, Jackson Lam asked whether police or other Home Team agencies would be able to access ERP 2.0 vehicle-specific data for criminal investigations or national security purposes, and what legal basis and safeguards would govern such access.

In response, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming shared that the Home Team plans to begin using ERP 2 data from January 2027 to prevent, detect and solve crimes.

He shared that Home Team agencies are already authorised by law to obtain information from all available sources, including sensors. 

For example, under Section 20 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the police may order the production of any document or other thing that is necessary or desirable for an investigation, inquiry, trial or other proceeding.

“ERP 2 data will be subject to safeguards on its access and use, as with other data used by the Home Team,” he added. 

Moreover, the police will hold data obtained only for the duration needed to fulfil the purpose it was accessed for, Goh said.

He continued: “Where the data used is for criminal investigations or court proceedings, the police will likewise retain the data for as long as necessary to complete the investigation or to complete the court proceedings.” — AsiaOne 

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has reportedly opened an investigation into a Facebook post suspected of containing highly offensive remarks against the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

According to Bernama, MCMC said in a statement today that the post was also suspected of touching on sensitivities involving race, religion and royalty (3R).

The commission said it had recorded a statement from the individual involved at the Sri Petaling police station to assist investigations.

A mobile phone and a SIM card were also seized as part of the investigation.

The case is being investigated under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries a maximum fine of RM500,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both, upon conviction.

MCMC said it viewed seriously the spread of online content suspected of containing false information or insults against the royal institution, particularly material that could undermine social harmony.

The commission also reminded the public to use social media responsibly and refrain from creating or sharing content that violates Malaysian laws.

SINGAPORE, Nov 3 — The nine-and-a-half hour disruption to public healthcare services on October 13 affected about 4,000 outpatient appointments, said Senior Minister of State for Health Tan Kiat How in Parliament on Tuesday (November 3).

He was responding to questions filed by MPs Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang SMC), Poh Li Sam (Sembawang West SMC), Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar GRC) and Cassandra Lee (Tampines GRC).

They had asked questions ranging from the disruption’s cause, to its impact, and operational resilience plans.

The senior minister of state acknowledged that the disruption caused inconvenience and concern to patients and their families, and created additional work for the country’s healthcare workers. 

“We apologise. It should not have happened,” Tan said.

Investigation findings

He reiterated Synapxe’s statement on October 13 that the incident was not a cyberattack and that there was no unauthorised access to, compromise, or loss of patient data. 

The incident, he said, was caused by a required security update to a shared domain name system or Domain Name System (DNS) service that was not completed before a scheduled global change.

DNS is akin to the phonebook of the Internet, helping systems locate and connect to applications.

But the incident was avoidable, Tan acknowledged. 

“This was a known change and a preventable lapse. Synapxe had contracted a service provider to manage the necessary update, but it was not carried out,” he explained.

The national health technology agency is now reviewing the service provider’s contractual obligations and will take “appropriate action” for any established lapses, Tan said.

The senior minister of state also highlighted that Synapxe remains accountable for the resilience of its critical systems regardless of outsourcing.

He noted that while monitoring had picked up abnormal activity, further time was taken to identify the underlying problem and restore services safely.

To this, he said that Synpaxe is now strengthening monitoring and fault diagnosis to enable faster recovery.

It will also look into shared dependencies and alternative recovery arrangements.

In this instance, while the systems had backup infrastructure, including two data centres, both depended on the same underlying DNS service and security configuration.

This means that switching between the data centres would not have resolved the disruption.

Synapxe will therefore review such shared dependencies and strengthen alternative recovery arrangements, Tan added

The October 13 disruption affected services such as appointment bookings, visitor registration, medication dispensing and billing.

Healthcare institutions had to activate downtime procedures with additional staff supporting operations, and clinicians used selected read-only patient records and manual workflows to continue essential care.

The incident did not result in any known patient safety incidents. 

Meanwhile, the Ministry of  Health will oversee and verify corrective actions, Tan said.

He added that an expert panel comprising representatives from other organisations that have similar engineering profiles has also been appointed to review the investigation findings and proposed remediation measures and identify further improvements.

“Digitalisation brings important benefits to healthcare, but as our systems become more interconnected, resilience must improve too. 

“We must make our technology more reliable while ensuring healthcare workers can continue caring for patients safely, even when technology fails,” Tan said. — AsiaOne 

HONG KONG, Nov 3 — Asian stock markets struggled Tuesday following another AI-fuelled tech selloff on Wall Street that overshadowed a possible breakthrough in talks to end the Middle East war.

However, oil prices clawed back some of Monday’s plunge in oil prices following a report that US forces had struck an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz.

Investor fears about the vast sums being invested in the artificial intelligence complex have cast a pall over trading floors in the second half of the year, with many questioning firms’ profitability.

Earnings reports from titans including Amazon, Alphabet, Meta and Microsoft have shown they will keep pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into data centres and chips even as investors grow impatient for returns.

Monday saw Apple post forecast-topping sales and profits but warned that its gross margin — the per centage of sales left after output costs — would drop in October-December.

Earlier, leading AI firm Anthropic posted a more than 1,100 per cent surge in quarterly revenue and nearly US$900 billion (RM3.67 trillion) in spending commitments as it counts down to its Wall Street listing later this month.

The investment pledges come amid a surge in borrowing costs, which have raised concerns about some companies’ financial positions owing to their huge debts, adding downward pressure to stock prices.

After a tough run last week, the selling continued at the start of this week with losses in Asian giants followed by their US counterparts on Wall Street where the Nasdaq ended 1.1 per cent off.

And there was not much improvement Tuesday — Seoul-listed SK hynix and Samsung tanked five per cent and 4.2 per cent respectively, dragging the Kospi down more than three per cent.

There were also losses in Taipei, Shanghai, Singapore, Manila, Bangkok and Jakarta, though Hong Kong, Sydney, Mumbai and Wellington edged up. Tokyo was closed for a holiday.

London, Frankfurt and Paris opened with losses.

Even a more than seven per cent plunge in oil prices Monday was unable to provide support.

The “collapse in crude should have been rocket fuel for the battered growth trade”, said SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes.

“Cheaper energy takes heat out of inflation, eases the rates pressure and normally gives long-duration tech a meaningful updraft.

“Instead, the Nasdaq handed back the entire opening bounce and broke Friday’s lows, a fairly ugly sign that the selling is now being driven by something deeper than oil, yields or the dollar.”

US President Donald Trump on Monday signalled progress in talks as Tehran said “intensive” exchanges were underway while offering to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under strict conditions.

“But here’s the thing: we’re dealing from total strength. We can end it at any time. If I can make a deal, I’d rather do it, save a lot of lives.”

Vice President JD Vance separately said he and Trump were optimistic about securing an agreement, while Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian announced his government had been granted more authority by the supreme leader to pursue peace talks.

The country’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, added that “the ball is now in America’s court to prevent war”.

However, crude jumped more than one per cent Tuesday as the Wall Street Journal reported that US forces struck Iran’s Qeshm Island in the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian state media reported five explosions in rapid succession.

The Journal added that they had not been publicly announced to avoid the impression Washington intended to resume major combat operations.

And National Australia Bank’s Rodrigo Catril offered a word of caution over the chances of peace.

“It is worth noting that the US and Iran’s positions have not materially changed,” he wrote in a commentary.

“Iran wants US restraint and economic relief (i.e. an end to hostilities, the lifting of the US naval blockade, relief from oil sanctions and the unfreezing of at least $12 billion in assets) before delivering the concessions Washington seeks, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

“The US is demanding concessions related to Iran’s nuclear programme, but Iran wants to deal with the nuclear issue in separate talks at a later stage.

“Bottom line: for the stalemate to end, somebody needs to give ground, and it is unclear if either side is willing to do so.” — AFP 

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — The French Film Festival 2026 returns to Malaysia this month with 10 films in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru, and Kuching.

The 24th edition of the festival runs from November 19 to December 6 and features a diverse selection, from major contemporary productions and historical dramas to animation, romance, comedy, and celebrated classics.

Among the films are Les Misérables (2026), The Phantom of the Opera (2026), De Gaulle: Resistance (2026), De Gaulle: Liberty (2026), The Electric Kiss (2026), Just an Illusion (2026), The Chorus (2004), Don't Look Now: We're Being Shot At! (1966), Marsupilami (2026), and Arco (2025).

The festival is organised by Alliances Française centres in Malaysia with the support of the French Embassy in Malaysia and GSC International Screens, the event’s official cinema partner.

Beyond film screenings, Alliances Française is looking to explore potential collaborations between the French and Malaysian film industries, particularly in production, talent development, and animation.

It said The Phantom of the Opera (2026) director Alexandre Castagnetti will be attending the festival's opening on November 18 and meeting with Malaysian filmmakers and film studies students.

An exhibition on André Malraux, a former French Minister of Cultural Affairs who played a significant role in promoting French cinema, will also be held at Alliance Française de Kuala Lumpur in mid-November.

Alliance Française de Kuala Lumpur executive director Thomas Feldstein said the festival aims to provide Malaysian audiences with an opportunity to explore the diversity of French cinema, while fostering connections between the two countries through shared cultural experiences.

“Through cinema, whatever your cultural background, you can open the eyes and minds of people. French cinema has very specific assets to show to the world. I think that anyone can understand, anyone can find themselves into the cinema.  

“It makes connections between culture, people, and emotions. We are happy to promote, to propose this lineup and this programme this year again, to offer a good window to the Malaysian audience to the French cinema, and we hope that Malaysian audience will find themselves into the French cinema,” he told Bernama.

Alliance Française de Penang director Michel Gonçalves said French cinema places considerable emphasis on human stories and relationships, making it a meaningful platform for connecting people across cultures.

“French cinema has a strong ability to connect people. The human stories behind those movies are something we really focus on. We are here in Malaysia to connect both countries and cultures, France and Malaysia, and cinema is one way to do that,” he said.

Alliance Française de Kuala Lumpur cultural manager Éléonore Dalzon said France's strength in animation, including through the leading cultural and creative industries institution, the Gobelins school in Paris, offers opportunities for collaborations between Malaysian and French universities.

“It's something we would like to work on to bring Malaysian students in France as well as French students here in Malaysia, for example in the field of animation,” she said.

Dalzon said this year's selection aims to introduce different aspects of French culture beyond its traditional associations with food and lifestyle, including its arts, history and heritage.

The French Film Festival 2026 screenings will take place in Kuala Lumpur from November 19 to 29, Kuching (November 19 to 22), Johor Bahru (November 26 to 29), and Penang (November 26 to December 6) at GSC Mid Valley Megamall and GSC 1 Utama in the Klang Valley, GSC Gurney Plaza in Penang, GSC The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey in Johor Bahru, and GSC CityONE Megamall in Kuching.

Further information on screening schedules and ticket sales will be announced through Golden Screen Cinemas and the official French Film Festival channels. — Bernama

SYDNEY, Nov 3 — Australia’s landmark social media ban faces a legal test on Tuesday, as online platform Reddit urges the nation’s highest court to scrap the world-leading restrictions.

Social media companies have been forced to purge millions of accounts after Australia banned under-16s from the likes of Facebook, TikTok and Reddit last December.

The High Court of Australia will sit on Tuesday and Wednesday as Reddit, one of the most popular websites in the world, argues the laws are misguided and should be overturned.

Reddit has highlighted a number of issues in its written submission to the court, pointing to problems enforcing the ban and a lack of scientific evidence about the harms of social media.

“The evidence so far is that the effectiveness of the ban has been limited,” reads Reddit’s submission.

Australia’s ban works by restricting children under 16 from holding accounts on the world’s biggest social media platforms.

These platforms are responsible for weeding out underage users and face hefty fines if they are found to be falling short of their obligations.

Reddit argued this approach was actually more dangerous, as registered accounts were governed by in-built safety features.

Material posted on many online platforms and social media sites could still be accessed without an account, Reddit said.

“Young people using other platforms without an account are also unable to be protected from exposure to particular harmful content as they previously had been,” its submission read.

Australia said its restrictions would protect young users from graphic content, online predators and predatory algorithms designed to keep people scrolling.

While there is a growing body of evidence about the harms of social media, Reddit argued there was no “scientific consensus”.

Political discourse 

Reddit, which has also argued it should be exempt from the ban, said there was little research on whether certain platforms were safer than others.

The High Court will also consider arguments from Australia’s Digital Freedom Project, which believes the ban restricts teens’ ability to take part in political discourse.

“Social media is an important means of accessing news and engaging in political communication for young Australians, including children under 16,” the advocacy group argued in written submissions.

“The restriction also risks removing beneficial sources of connection, support and participation,” it added.

Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project separately announced last year they would challenge the ban.

It was not clear how long it would take the high court to consider the case, although even the quickest decisions typically take months.

Social media firms face mounting scrutiny over their use of allegedly addictive algorithms and stand accused of directing users to extreme content to keep them scrolling.

Several countries have indicated an interest in following Australia’s lead, including New Zealand, the UK, France and Turkey.

A team of Australia-based researchers published a study earlier this year that found little evidence to suggest teenagers have turned away from social media as a consequence of the restrictions. — AFP 

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 3 — US chipmaking giant Nvidia is ordering its data centre partners to scale back work with Chinese customers, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

Nvidia’s cloud computing clients must now sell at least 51 per cent of their services to non-Chinese companies, the FT reported, citing five people with knowledge of the matter.

The new rules only affect future contracts and not existing agreements, the report said.

Nvidia neither confirmed nor denied the report to AFP, but said in a statement that “datacentres and clouds built on American chips are the foundation that American model and application makers need to compete worldwide.”

“Longstanding US policy encourages every cloud to build on American infrastructure and to win business everywhere they can,” the statement said.

“America cannot win the AI race unless America’s AI infrastructure wins worldwide — if the world’s clouds rely on foreign-made chips, the model and application layers will be foreign-built as well.”

Asked about the report, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said she was not aware of it.

“As a matter of principle, we consistently hope that all parties can provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for companies from all countries, including Chinese companies,” she said.

China and the United States are locked in a race for dominance in the fast-moving artificial intelligence sector.

In recent months, the two countries have traded accusations of stealing AI technologies and jeopardising security.

Nvidia is the world’s most valuable company thanks to the global drive to build data centres packed with specialist computer chips and other hardware that runs AI systems. — AFP 

FRANKFURT, Nov 3 — German airline giant Lufthansa said Tuesday it expects its 2026 fuel costs to be €2 billion (RM9.12 billion) higher than last year as the Iran war keeps global energy prices elevated.

Releasing third quarter results, the group predicted its fuel bill across the full year will come in at €9.3 billion.

That is 600 million higher than it had anticipated just a few months ago, as the US war against Iran drags on.

The group, which also operates carriers including Swiss, Brussels and Eurowings, also slightly downgraded its forecast for core profit to a range of between €1.7 and €2.0 billion for 2026.

Previously it predicted a range of between €1.7 and €2.2 billion.

Despite the slightly bleaker outlook, the group reported a 30-per cent jump in profits for the July-September period, beating forecasts.

Net profit came in at €1.26 billion, with the company saying there had been strong demand for premium tickets to Asia and North America.

Revenues increased nine percent from a year earlier to €12.2 billion.

Fuel costs however were more than €500 million higher in the quarter compared to a year earlier.

“We improved our result compared with the previous year, despite higher fuel costs weighing on the quarterly result by more than half a billion euros — we are satisfied with that,” chief financial officer Till Streichert said.

“This was supported by robust demand in passenger traffic.” — AFP 

BANGKOK, Nov 3 — Thailand’s entertainment industry has been rocked by allegations that well-known directors, actors and other industry insiders were among members of an online group accused of sharing women’s photos, voyeuristic content and AI-generated nude images without their consent.

The allegations surfaced on October 28 after a whistleblower on X exposed the Facebook group, claiming that its members shared photos and videos of women, sexually harassed their targets and circulated AI-generated nude images. 

According to the whistleblower, the Facebook group was created in April 2025, required a specific link to enter and grew to as many as 230,000 members. 

Among them were individuals said to be working in the film, television and advertising industries, including directors, cinematographers and actors known for their roles in Thai Boys’ Love (BL) dramas. 

The group also reportedly used special symbols in its name to evade search detection and initially targeted members of popular Thai girl group BNK48, before expanding to other female celebrities, journalists and ordinary women, according to Hong Kong publication Sing Tao Headline.

The allegations have also raised concerns that some industry professionals may have exploited their access to female celebrities and models to obtain photographs, which were then allegedly shared within the group. 

Meanwhile, Thai actor Tharatorn Jantharaworakarn (also known as Boom) who is best known for his roles in GMMTV series We Are (2024) and Only Friends: Dream On (2026), was recently accused of secretly filming and harassing female artistes under the same agency. 

The 28-year-old subsequently issued a statement on social media denying the allegations, urging the public to exercise caution and verify information before sharing it, reported Sing Tao Headline. 

The whistleblower later reportedly clarified that Boom was not linked to the Facebook group scandal and that the allegations against him were unrelated to the case.

The scandal has been dubbed Thailand’s version of the South Korea Telegram Nth Room case, a notorious 2020 digital sex crime network in which sexually exploitative content of women and girls was created, distributed and sold primarily on Telegram. — AsiaOne

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued an evening thunderstorm warning across large swathes of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak until 8.00pm today, a day after torrential downpours triggered widespread flash floods across the Klang Valley.

The weather alert, released at 4.10pm, warns of severe thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and gusty winds, placing commuters and low-lying neighbourhoods on high alert following Monday’s evening travel chaos.

In the peninsula, the advisory blankets the entirety of Perlis and Kedah, alongside all three mainland districts of Penang: Seberang Perai Utara, Seberang Perai Tengah, and Seberang Perai Selatan. Perak faces widespread disruption spanning 12 districts, including Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar, Kinta, Kampar, Muallim, Batang Padang, Larut Matang, Selama, Kerian, Perak Tengah, Hilir Perak, and Bagan Datuk.

Across Selangor, the advisory covers Hulu Selangor, Sabak Bernam, and Kuala Selangor, alongside Petaling and Klang, two major urban districts where drainage systems were inundated during Monday’s deluge.

In the south, the alert spans Batu Pahat, Muar, Tangkak, and Kluang in Johor.

East coast states are similarly braced for stormy weather. Kelantan faces downpours across Kuala Krai, Jeli, Tanah Merah, Machang, Pasir Mas, Tumpat, Kota Bharu, Pasir Puteh, and Bachok. In Terengganu, the alert covers Besut, Hulu Terengganu, Setiu, and Dungun.

Across East Malaysia, the warning covers multiple divisions in Sarawak, including Lubok Antu in Sri Aman, Sarikei, Betong, Tanjung Manis in Mukah, Asajaya and Sebuyau in Samarahan, Marudi and Telang Usan in Miri, and Belaga in Kapit. In Sabah, the bulletin spans Ranau, Papar, Penampang, Tuaran, and Kota Kinabalu along the West Coast, alongside Tambunan, Membakut, Pensiangan, and Keningau in the Interior, Kalabakan in Tawau, and Tongod in Sandakan.

MetMalaysia issues thunderstorm advisories when satellite and radar indicators track rainfall intensity exceeding 20mm per hour that is either imminent or expected to persist beyond an hour. The department noted that these warnings serve as short-term alerts, valid for a maximum of six hours from issuance.

The alert follows Monday’s cloudburst that inundated arterial roads, submerged vehicles, and crippled the evening commute across the Klang Valley.

With ground saturation still high, authorities have urged motorists and residents in flood-prone zones to monitor real-time weather updates.

SINGAPORE, Nov 3 — Singapore pledged to strengthen the implementation of the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) as it prepares to assume the Chairmanship in 2027, said Sustainability and the Environment Minister Grace Fu.

She said the Republic will work towards establishing the Asean Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (ACCTHPC) in Indonesia to strengthen cooperation and coordination in managing land and forest fires, as well as transboundary haze. 

“This will only come into force after six Asean member states have ratified the establishment agreement of the ACCTHPC. 

“Singapore will submit our instrument of ratification for the establishment agreement in the next few days, and we will strongly encourage other Asean member states to do so,” she said during a question-and-answer session in Parliament on Tuesday. 

She was responding to questions from several Members of Parliament on how the government intends to address the transboundary haze issue at the regional level.

The session was live-streamed via the Digital Development and Information Ministry’s YouTube channel.

According to Fu, Singapore will also work with Asean member states to enhance the implementation of relevant initiatives under other Asean sectoral pillars that tackle the root causes of transboundary haze.

These include initiatives such as sustainable land and peatland management and guidelines on crop burning. 

“Some Asean member states have indicated that they will raise the transboundary haze issue at the upcoming Asean meetings. 

“Singapore will support these discussions and share how we intend to act against companies responsible for the haze,” she added. — Bernama 

NEW YORK, Nov 3 — A child in New York died after contracting measles, marking the state’s first death linked to the disease in 30 years, authorities said on Monday.

The child died in Lewis County in the north of New York, according to county and state health authorities.

“I am heartbroken to learn that a child in Lewis County has died after contracting measles,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement.

“As a mother and grandmother, I cannot imagine what this family is going through.”

Hochul, a Democrat, appeared to connect the death to Trump administration health policies, saying it was “a devastating reminder of what’s at stake when Washington deliberately erodes decades of progress in protecting Americans from preventable illnesses.”

The United States is facing its worst measles outbreak in 35 years.

As of October 29, there were 4,834 cases reported in 47 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hochul declared a disaster emergency in New York in October, following measles outbreaks in the state and neighboring states.

Measles was declared eradicated in the US in 2000 after years of effective vaccination campaigns.

But the illness has made a worrying comeback in recent years as vaccine scepticism rises alongside a growing mistrust of health authorities.

Measles causes fever, respiratory symptoms, painful rashes and, in severe cases, pneumonia and brain inflammation, which can lead to death.

The disease continues to claim tens of thousands of lives around the world every year. — AFP 

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 —The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has returned investigation papers concerning allegations that Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim was forced to sign an Instrument of Proclamation to the police for further action.

In a statement today, the AGC said it had reviewed the investigation papers submitted by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) on Oct 30 concerning the incident.

“An investigation was opened under Section 506 of the Penal Code after the Menteri Besar alleged that he had signed a proclamation concerning changes to the position of the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan under undue influence.

“Following a comprehensive review, it was found that several further steps must be undertaken by the investigating officer before any decision can be made.

“Accordingly, the investigation papers will be returned to the PDRM today for further action,” the AGC said.

Yesterday, Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar reportedly denied any delay by the AGC in reviewing investigation papers relating to a report involving Ismail. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — The success in staging the Petronas Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP) 2026 has not only strengthened the country’s reputation as a host of world-class motorsports events, but also serves as a catalyst for local economic activity, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“The Petronas Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP) 2026 once again proves the country’s ability to organise world-class sporting events that not only attract motorsports fans but also bring benefits to the people and the local economy,” he said in a Facebook post today.

He said the determination and support of all parties were among the key factors that contributed to the successful staging of this year’s edition.

“Congratulations to all parties involved in making it a success. May this momentum continue to elevate Malaysia’s name on the world motorsports stage,” he added.

The three-day Malaysian MotoGP, held at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) from Oct 30-Nov 1, attracted about 196,000 visitors. — Bernama

BARCELONA, Nov 3 — La Liga president Javier Tebas said Monday he is maintaining dialogue with Chinese authorities in an effort to defuse a row over Kylian Mbappe’s comments about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV did not air a single La Liga match this weekend, while Real Madrid’s win at Racing Santander on Sunday was also not shown on pay television in the country.

In a clip from an interview with French show The Bridge which has since been taken down, Mbappe had said he was amused by an internet meme showing his face photoshopped onto “some guy, think he’s a Chinese dictator”, an apparent reference to Mao.

Mbappe, Real Madrid and La Liga apologised for the comment after a backlash in China, where mocking former leader Mao — blamed by historians for millions of deaths — is taboo.

“For now, we wait and see how the situation develops... because given how events have unfolded, everything depends on things calming down a bit, on all the mess easing,” Tebas told reporters at the World in Progress forum in Barcelona.

“There will be ongoing dialogue — I’m speaking with the Chinese authorities, both in Madrid and in Beijing, and we’re going to wait.”

Tebas, who held a meeting with Chinese ambassador to Spain Yao Jing last week, highlighted several strong links between China and Spanish football which could help resolve the dispute.

“We’ve had a strategy for several years now with the political and sporting authorities in China,” he explained.

Tebas met Chinese State Councillor Shen Yiqin and a high-ranking delegation at Barcelona’s La Masia youth academy facilities in February, along with Barcelona president Joan Laporta.

“With the president of China Media Group (the parent organisation of CCTV) we have a good agreement,” continued Tebas.

“He’s been to La Liga, I’ve met with him (Shen Haixiong). Every time I travel to Beijing I have a meeting with him.”

China effectively cut ties with the NBA for several years from 2019 after then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for Hong Kong protesters, but Tebas said he was “hopeful” of reverting the current situation.

“I’m going to travel, talk, and keep talking with the Chinese authorities,” he added.

“We’ll try everything possible to normalise the situation as much as we can.”

Mbappe scored on Sunday as Real Madrid beat Racing 3-0 in La Liga to move within three points of leaders Barcelona. — AFP 

MELAKA, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- Melaka’s previous experience of seeing chief ministers replaced within a short period should serve as a lesson to all political parties to ensure the stability of the state administration is maintained after the 16th Melaka State Election, according to former Chief Minister Adly Zahari.

The Melaka Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman said political and administrative stability in the state should be a priority for all parties, rather than focusing solely on who would lead the state government after the election.

Adly, who is also Deputy Defence Minister and PH candidate for the Bukit Katil seat, said political stability must be taken seriously by all parties as it is an important ingredient in ensuring a stable administration that can sustain policies and development agendas.

“The issue is stability, not who wants to lead and so on. I think there are many ways we can use after the election. Whoever leads, our commitment is to ensure political stability,” he told Bernama.

Adly said one possible approach was the implementation of a Confidence and Supply Agreement (CSA), similar to the one at the federal level, to ensure that the government has sufficient support to govern and pass the budget if it has only a slim majority.

Adly said an inclusive approach, including providing allocations to opposition state assemblymen, was among the measures he had implemented while serving as Chief Minister to ensure that all elected representatives could carry out their responsibilities to the community.

He said that when he led the state government, an allocation of RM60,000 was provided to each opposition state assemblyman to enable them to operate service centres and appoint staff to assist local residents.

He said the approach was important to ensure that elected representatives, regardless of whether they were from the government or opposition, had the means to serve the community while reducing political tensions.

Touching on his service in the Bukit Katil constituency, Adly said 231 of the 255 applications and complaints received from residents over the past two years had been resolved.

“Most involved infrastructure, drainage and drains. For schools, they requested speed bumps because vehicles were travelling too fast and endangering children on their way to school,” he said.

He said all applications received through various channels, including social media, the Information Department and elected representatives’ service centres, were recorded and forwarded to the relevant agencies for action and monitoring.

“Every time there is a meeting, I will look at the list of applications and ask whether they have been resolved. If they cannot be resolved, I will go down myself with the relevant agencies to see how the matter can be resolved,” he said.

Adly is facing a four-cornered contest against Perikatan Nasional candidate Muhammad Ridzuan Mohd Sarif, Parti Bersama Malaysia candidate Dr Aliza Che Amran and independent candidate Abu Bakar Sabudin.

The Election Commission has set Nov 14 as polling day, with early voting on Nov 10.

For the latest news on the 16th Melaka State Election, visit https://election.bernama.com/prn/melaka/2026/ — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — TM Nxera has said its data centre campus in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, is being developed on designated land with the necessary regulatory approvals, following media reports of residents’ concerns over power transmission infrastructure and data centre development in the area.

In a statement today, the company said the project complied with the conditions imposed by the relevant authorities.

“We take these concerns seriously. The TM Nxera campus is being developed on land designated for this purpose, with the requisite approvals from the relevant authorities, and in compliance with the conditions attached to them,” it said.

TM Nxera also said the campus had incorporated sustainability measures into its design and obtained provisional GreenRE Platinum certification.

The company clarified that it neither owned nor operated the power transmission infrastructure in the area.

However, it said it would continue working with relevant parties to help address concerns raised by the surrounding community.

“TM Nxera remains committed to supporting Malaysia’s digital economy, while being a responsible neighbour to the communities around us,” it added.

Earlier today Singapore’s The Straits Times reported that some homeowners in Iskandar Puteri were considering selling their properties over concerns about nearby data centre developments and high-voltage transmission towers, including a resident who put her RM1 million home in Eco Botanic up for sale following construction of TM Nxera’s 64-megawatt facility.

Residents in nearby Nusantara Prima and Nusa Bayu had also reportedly complained about construction dust, persistent humming noises and higher temperatures, which they believed were linked to data centre developments in the area.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — After more than four years of touring the globe, The Weeknd is bringing his blockbuster After Hours Til Dawn tour to a close in Kuala Lumpur, where an estimated 130,000 fans are expected to turn out for its two-night finale.

The Canadian superstar will take over TM National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on November 4 and 5, with concert organiser Live Nation Malaysia anticipating crowds of around 65,000 each night.

For Live Nation Malaysia managing director Paramananthan Rajagopal, securing the tour’s grand finale marks a major milestone for Malaysia’s live entertainment scene.

“Obviously, The Weeknd is one of those shows Malaysian fans have been anticipating for a very long time.

“This is the final stop of his tour, and I feel like the stars aligned for us to secure the grand finale of a five-year global run — it’s going to be epic.

“It’s a major year for both Live Nation Malaysia and Malaysian concertgoers,” he told Malay Mail today.

Two fans proudly show off their The Weeknd concert T-shirts at the ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ merchandise pre-sale in Bukit Jalil on November 3, 2026 ahead of the tour’s two-night Kuala Lumpur finale. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

That anticipation has already spilled over into a dedicated merchandise pre-sale at Bukit Jalil, which organisers added to the schedule to cope with overwhelming demand.

Speaking to Malay Mail at the event, Paramananthan said the additional shopping day was not part of the original plan.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen, but demand was so high that we created a pre-sale ahead of the main show just to accommodate everyone,” he said.

With tens of thousands of concertgoers descending on Bukit Jalil over the next two nights, organisers are also bracing for heavy traffic around the stadium.

Paramananthan urged fans to use public transport instead of driving, with train operating hours extended until 12.30am to ease the post-concert rush.

Live Nation Malaysia managing director Paramananthan Rajagopal speaks to Malay Mail during The Weeknd merchandise pre-sale event at Bukit Jalil November 3, 2026. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

He thanked Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh and Prasarana Malaysia Berhad for helping coordinate the arrangements, adding that the extension was limited by tight operational schedules ahead of the following working day.

The possibility of rain poses another challenge for the outdoor concerts, although Paramananthan said organisers were prepared to work around Malaysia’s unpredictable weather.

“We also know the weather isn’t ideal for outdoor concerts, but we embrace it. As Malaysians, we understand the weather pattern really well — it rains, and then it stops.

“That’s why we make the most of the dry windows, ensuring everyone can move around smoothly, grab their food and merchandise, and enjoy the experience,” he said.

The After Hours Til Dawn tour, which officially began on July 14, 2022, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has become the highest-grossing tour by a male solo artist, raking in approximately US$1.07 billion (RM4.36 billion) as of September 2026, according to Pollstar.

The record-breaking figure is expected to grow further once earnings from the tour’s final Asian leg are tallied.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — The 2027 Asian Cup football tournament in Saudi Arabia will be postponed from January to December due to “exceptional circumstances” in the region, the continent’s governing body said on Tuesday.

A number of sports events in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or postponed in recent weeks following Houthi attacks on the country.

The Asian Cup was originally scheduled to take place from January 7 to February 5 next year.

The new dates for the continental showpiece are December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028.

“The organising committee for AFC Asian Cup approved to reschedule the flagship national team tournament in light of the current exceptional circumstances arising from developments in the region,” the Asian Football Confederation said in a statement.

The AFC also cited “substantial logistical complexities and travel disruptions”.

“The new dates of the tournament will be presented to Fifa for approval,” it added.

Local organisers insisted last month that the Asian Cup was “on schedule”, despite growing fears for the fate of the tournament because of the security situation in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East.

The Saudi cities of Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar are set to stage the month-long competition.

The decision to move the tournament back almost a year came after “extensive discussions and close consultation” between Saudi officials and the AFC, the Kuala Lumpur-based governing body said.

“Exceptional circumstances have been created for the organisation and delivery of the competition as originally scheduled, making the postponement necessary in the interest of all participating teams, officials, spectators and other stakeholders,” it said.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have targeted Saudi infrastructure, including airports, since hostilities resumed.

The Houthis are fighting a Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government, a civil war that reignited in July following a years-long truce.

The 2027 Dakar Rally was moved out of Saudi Arabia last month.

An exhibition tennis tournament due to feature Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev was postponed.

The WTA Finals were also scheduled to be held in Riyadh but will instead take place at Indian Wells in the United States.

Domestic football matches and Asian Champions League games have also been impacted.

Safety concerns 

The AFC was under growing pressure from Asian football associations to postpone the tournament out of fears for player and fan safety.

Following the announcement of the postponement, Yasser al-Misehal, chairman of the local organising committee, vowed that Saudi Arabia was “fully ready”.

“The tournament will move to the new dates, and our preparations will continue as planned,” he told the Saudi Press Agency.

“We’re working closely with the AFC and all our partners to make sure the tournament runs smoothly and meets the high standards expected of Saudi Arabia and the Asian Cup.”

The organisation representing South Korean players was among those that had expressed severe reservations about the competition going ahead early next year.

“The ongoing military tensions and security instability in the Middle East are issues that cannot be taken lightly,” Lee Keun-ho, president of the Korea Professional Footballers Association, said last month, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Lee added that “no tournament’s value can take precedence over the lives and safety of players and football fans”. — AFP

LONDON, Nov 3 — Veteran British rock band Deep Purple have postponed their United Kingdom (UK) and European tour after frontman Ian Gillan required “urgent medical attention” following a medical problem last week, reported PA Media/dpa.

In a statement following the incident, which led to the postponement of two gigs in Leipzig and Hamburg over the weekend, the 81-year-old said continuing the tour would pose “very serious risks”.

He also thanked fans for their support.

Gillan said: “Dear Friends, thank you for all the good wishes and support over the last few days; it means the world.

“I had a medical problem whilst in Leipzig, which required urgent attention at the hospital.

“I was hoping that I would get the all-clear to hang on until the end of the tour, but there are very serious risks involved in me doing so.

“As a result, and on the advice of my medical team and management, we have made the decision to postpone the rest of the European/UK 2026 tour until further notice.

“I’m very sorry about any inconvenience this may cause, but it’s in the best interest of all involved. Thank you for your understanding.”

No further information about ticket arrangements has been announced.

The band, best known for songs such as Smoke On The Water, Highway Star and Black Night, were due to perform in Newcastle, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester and London in November as part of their Splat! World Tour.

In an announcement issued just hours before the band were due to perform at Leipzig’s Quarterback Immobilien Arena on Saturday, they expressed “deep disappointment” over having to cancel the shows.

The statement said: “Deep Purple regret to announce that tonight’s Leipzig and tomorrow’s Hamburg shows cannot go ahead due to a medical emergency involving Ian Gillan, who is currently hospitalised.

“We apologise to our fans.

“We understand that this announcement comes at short notice and share the disappointment of all our wonderful fans that we are unable to perform in Leipzig and Hamburg.

“Deep Purple and their team are focused on finding a suitable time to reschedule both these shows.

“All tickets purchased will be valid for the rescheduled dates.”

When Gillan joined Deep Purple in 1969, he became part of the band’s “Mark II” line-up, alongside bassist Roger Glover, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice.

The new line-up marked a shift towards a heavier hard rock sound, moving away from the psychedelic style of the group’s first two albums.

The “Mark II” line-up is known for three critically acclaimed albums: Deep Purple In Rock (1970), Fireball (1971) and Machine Head (1972).

Gillan left the band in 1973 and went on to pursue several solo projects, most notably with his band Gillan.

He also spent a short time as the frontman of Black Sabbath before rejoining Deep Purple in 1984.

Gillan left again in 1989 before returning in 1992, and has remained the group’s lead singer ever since.

The band’s current line-up comprises Gillan, Glover, Paice, Don Airey and Simon McBride. — Bernama-PA Media/dpa

SEOUL, Nov 3 — BTS fans hoping to tick off one of Busan’s most popular ARMY pilgrimage spots have just one year left to make the trip, after Jimin’s father announced plans to close his café, ZM-illennial.

The fan-favourite destination, packed with BTS memorabilia, artwork and gifts dedicated to the K-pop star, is set to shut its doors in 2027 after years of welcoming visitors from around the world.

The announcement came in an Instagram post on November 1, with the café launching a 365-day countdown to its closure.

“Starting from today, ZM-illennial has 365 days left with you,” the post read.

No reason was given for the decision, according to The Korea Herald.

For ARMY, however, ZM-illennial has never been just another coffee spot.

Operated by Jimin’s father, the café has become a must-visit destination for fans travelling to Busan, the hometown of both Jimin and fellow BTS member Jungkook.

 

 

 

 

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Inside, visitors are greeted by displays of BTS memorabilia, portraits of Jimin and gifts sent by fans, giving the space a distinctly personal connection to the singer.

Fans can also browse merchandise, leave messages for Jimin in guest books and, if they’re lucky, meet his father, who occasionally greets visitors and signs autographs.

The café first opened as Magnate in 2019 before being renamed ZM-illennial, building a following among local and international ARMY along the way.

Its popularity has made it a regular stop on fan itineraries, offering visitors a chance to connect with Jimin’s roots and the wider BTS fandom.

In its farewell announcement, the café thanked those who had supported it over the years, particularly fans who had travelled long distances to visit.

“To everyone who has visited, cherished, and continued to support ZM-illennial with unwavering love and kindness, we sincerely thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” it said.

The café also expressed hope that its remaining year would be an opportunity to create more memories rather than simply mark the days until its closure.

“We hope these 365 days will be more than just a countdown, but a precious time to create more happiness and memories together,” the post added.

While an exact closing date has not been confirmed, the announcement gives fans one final year to experience the Busan landmark before it disappears from the ARMY travel map.

NOVEMBER 3 — In recent months, three seismic global milestones characterised a fundamentally altered economic order.

First came the historic public listing of SpaceX in the United States, debuting at an unprecedented valuation exceeding US$1.7 trillion (RM5.41 trillion).

SpaceX is not building products merely for domestic or international markets; it is laying the groundwork for an interplanetary economy.

Second, the short-lived June ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran offered a fleeting geopolitical respite.

Crude oil prices promptly plummeted from over US$120 in April to $70 per barrel by late June, before the accord broke down a fortnight later, driving Brent crude back to hovering around US$100.

Third, China’s Moonshot AI unveiled Kimi K3, a 2.8-trillion-parameter open-weight model matching leading Western proprietary systems such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, while reported to consume 40 per cent to 50 per cent less compute and power.

Alongside President Xi Jinping’s defining keynote on global AI governance at the 2026 World AI Conference in Shanghai, the release triggered what some commentators view as a modern “AI Sputnik moment.”

These events underscore our operating reality: hyper-velocity in technological disruption, hyper-voracity in multipolar superpower competition, and hyper-volatility across trade and supply networks due to the modern world being in a state of perpetual crisis, or permacrisis.

This is what I call the global hyper-flux condition, sparked by the pandemic years that laid bare the precarity of national and international systems, and deepened by aggressive superpower rivalry across every sector.

For an open economy like Malaysia, the old playbook no longer applies.

At a recent SME forum, a respected industry leader remarked that businesses require three things above all: certainty, certainty, and certainty.

Yet in a hyper-flux era, guaranteed certainty is an illusion. In fact, the world’s highest-valued frontier enterprises do not wait for clarity. They capitalise on volatility and make bold, long-term bets.

While absolute predictability is gone, Malaysia can still thrive by mastering three strategic pivots.

1. Monetise reliability, not cheapness

Twenty years ago, when I worked in a multinational manufacturing plant in Penang, our entire operational mantra was “Just-in-Time” (JIT): minimise inventory, keep cash moving, run lean.

Today, disruptions, from pandemic-era lockdowns to chokepoints along Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, have elevated security to a core market premium. The operational mindset has shifted to balancing Just-in-Time with a Just-in-Case (JIC) scenario.

Look at why the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix moved to Sepang recently. First, because of regional conflict. But second, because Malaysia was ready, neutral, and safe.

In a hyper-flux world of uncertainty, being available and being safe are economic advantages.

For decades, our pitch to foreign investors was a race to the bottom: “Come here, we have cheap land, cheap power, cheap water, and cheap labour.” That era is finished. Our task today is to monetise readiness, monetise redundancy, and monetise stability.

2. Convert geopolitical centrality into geo-economic capital

Malaysia’s advantage is not that we stand outside geopolitical competition. It is that we remain connected to multiple centres of economic power.

The winners in today’s hyper-flux environment are countries that can pick up the phone and cut deals on tariffs and traffic. If you have leaders who can pick up the phone and ask, “Can you reduce my tariff? Can you let my ship pass?”, then you win.

In a fragmented global landscape, advantage belongs to nations capable of bridging divides.

Some critics question why Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim spends so much energy on foreign affairs and international summits. To me, that misses the point of modern statecraft. A national leader today must act like an active CEO: building strategic goodwill, managing stakeholder risk, and engaging the market.

The logic applies: more friends mean bigger markets.

Today, by maintaining constructive relationships across competing blocs, we strengthen our ability to safeguard shipping routes, secure energy supplies and preserve access to markets in both East and West.

3. Shift from cost centre to value centre

For decades, pricing competitiveness was one of Malaysia’s principal investment advantages. It helped us industrialise. But the factors that brought us this far will not be sufficient to take us to the next stage.

Competing on price alone is a losing game. It turns the regional economy into a pasar malam, where stall after stall undercuts the next until nobody makes a profit and wages stagnate.

The only sustainable defense against hyper-flux is value creation. The traditional Made-in-Malaysia assembly model must evolve into a Made-by-Malaysia innovation engine.

When I visited an automated test equipment (ATE) firm in Penang recently, I asked them straight: “Are you worried about tariffs? Are you worried competitors will reverse-engineer your tech?”

Their answer was telling: “No, because by the time they figure it out, we’ve already moved on to the next generation.”

In other words, they don’t rely on being cheap, they rely on staying ahead.

Becoming an AI nation: Wrapping the AI cake

But there is a deeper question. How does a relatively small country like Malaysia move up the value chain when we are not able to compete with the largest economies in market size, capital or research budgets?

We cannot simply work longer hours or build more factories. We must multiply the value of our knowledge, our skills and our industrial experience.

This is where artificial intelligence becomes strategically important. Not because AI replaces our existing strengths, but because it can amplify them.

It allows our engineers to solve more complex problems, our factories to detect defects earlier, and our small businesses to reach customers they could never reach before.

In other words, AI offers Malaysia an opportunity to turn our accumulated industrial experience into a new competitive advantage.

What does it mean to become an AI nation?

Merely buying high-end AI licenses without transforming our ecosystem is akin to buying the latest iPhone just to send SMS and make voice calls. It simply becomes a very expensive Nokia 3310.

Do not be mistaken, AI is not an IT procurement exercise. It is a foundational, civilisational shift akin to electrification a century ago.

When electricity arrived, the societies that flourished were not the ones that clung to pelita and kerosene lamps waiting to see what happened.

The winners rewired their factories, reinvented appliances, revised school syllabus, redesigned their towns, and remodeled their entire economies around a new source of power.

AI rewards those who learn quickly. Organisations that deploy it intelligently can accumulate better data, develop stronger capabilities, redesign their processes and improve with each iteration.

The advantage is not simply being first. It is learning faster than everyone else.

If we hesitate and take a wait-and-see approach, we don’t just fall behind, we may get locked out completely.

Jensen Huang of Nvidia famously described AI as a five-layer cake: energy, silicon, infrastructure, models, and applications.

For Malaysia to digest and master this cake, we need what I call a Triple-i three-layer wrapper:

Layer 1: Intelligence (Knowledge). At the top level, we need technical depth. This is why the government is accelerating dedicated AI faculties, institutes, and university curriculums to train our coders, engineers, data scientists and technologists.

But technical depth alone is not enough. We equally need broad-based mass literacy. AI touches every layer of daily life.

Ordinary Malaysians must know how to adopt and adapt AI. Crucially, a literate public is the only way we can have an honest, informed national dialogue on how our AI future should look.

Layer 2: Infrastructure. Beyond reliable power grids, water resources, and high-speed Internet, an AI model is only as intelligent as the data that feeds it.

Two competing enterprises can buy the exact same AI model off the shelf. What creates the winning edge is proprietary domain data: decades of localised customer behaviour or years of shop-floor yield figures. We must treat our sovereign and industrial data as national economic fuel, organising, securing, and enriching it locally.

Layer 3: Institutions. The protective wrapper is our institutional framework. Writing algorithms may be the job of computer scientists, but establishing the legal, ethical, and societal boundaries cannot be left to engineers, much less politicians alone.

Civil society, regulators, industry, the people in general must sit at the table to decide our safeguards, the risks mitigation, gains-and-losses management, etc.

We cannot afford to wait for an “AI Chernobyl”, or wake up to a missed-the-boat crisis, before setting this Triple-i ecosystem.

In an era of hyper-flux, waiting for certainty is a spectator’s trap. Malaysia does not start from zero.

We have an established industrial base, functioning institutions that we must continue to strengthen, and a strategic position in the global economy.

However, resting on past laurels will not save us. We must have the courage to rethink our economic model, and retool our nation for this new technological frontier.

The goal is not merely to survive the turbulence of our decade, but to secure success for our next generation.

* Steven Sim is the Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Co-operatives of Malaysia.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — A total of 12 cloud seeding operations were carried out in several parts of Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak between Aug 30 and Oct 23 to mitigate the impact of transboundary haze on the country’s air quality.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) said the operations were conducted by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).

It said the operations covered the northern, central and southern regions of Peninsular Malaysia, as well as Sarawak, during the transboundary haze episode.

“The operations successfully induced rainfall in several targeted areas, helping to raise water levels in dams and reduce the impact of transboundary haze,” it said in a written reply published on the Parliament website.

The ministry was replying to a question from Datuk Larry Soon (PBM-Julau) on measures taken by the government to address transboundary haze caused by open burning in neighbouring country.

NRES said the government had also activated various preparedness measures, including the National Open Burning Action Plan and the National Haze Action Plan, to prevent and mitigate the effects of haze.

It said checks conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities had so far found no official information or evidence linking any Malaysian-related plantation companies to forest or plantation fires in Indonesia.

“Nevertheless, the government takes any allegations involving Malaysian-related companies seriously, and any information or evidence presented must be examined in cooperation with the relevant authorities, in accordance with applicable laws and jurisdictions,” the ministry said. — Bernama

MELAKA, Nov 3 — Melaka Pakatan Harapan (PH) has unveiled its ‘Melaka Rumah Kita’ manifesto, outlining three main thrusts and 12 aspirations aimed at improving public welfare, expanding economic opportunities and promoting clean, transparent and efficient governance.

Its chairman, Adly Zahari, said the first thrust focused on transforming Melaka into a smart state to improve efficiency, security and quality of life.

“Under the second thrust, PH proposes allocating 30 per cent of local authority contracts to young men and women to provide employment, business opportunities and practical experience for local youths.

“Under the third thrust, PH aims to attract 25 million visitors to Melaka by 2032, positioning the state as a more competitive, internationally recognised destination,” he said at a daily press conference and the launch of the manifesto at the PH main operations centre in Bukit Piatu here today.

Also present were Melaka PH deputy chairman Khoo Poay Tiong and acting Melaka PKR state leadership council chairman Adam Adli Abd Halim.

Adly said the manifesto’s 12 aspirations included affordable housing, people-friendly governance, quality employment, women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship and public welfare, improving traffic flow, strengthening Islamic institutions and religious activities, developing idle land for economic opportunities, optimising state land use and preserving social unity and harmony.

He said the manifesto was developed based on feedback gathered through engagements with residents and traders, alongside PH’s experience in state and federal administration.

“With these three thrusts and 12 aspirations, this ‘Melaka Rumah Kita’ manifesto sets out our direction for a government that upholds public trust, creates income opportunities and ensures development improves people’s lives.

“We hope these aspirations will be discussed and considered by the public. We will also introduce additional areas of focus to fulfil our commitment to serving the people, particularly by helping ease their cost-of-living burden.

“PH also plans to organise a series of forums and programmes to explain each of the proposed aspirations to voters throughout the campaign for the state election,” he said.

Early voting for the election is scheduled for Nov 10, with polling day set for Nov 14.

For the latest news on the state polls, visit https://election.bernama.com/prn/melaka/2026/ — Bernama

NOVEMBER 3 — Malaysia has a law to protect its critical systems. It has no law to answer when another state attacks them. Today's warning from the Prime Minister shows why that gap must close.

The Prime Minister has named a cyber warfare threat

When Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told the Dewan Rakyat this morning that Malaysia is “certainly among those considered potential targets” of cyber and hybrid threats, he was describing more than crime. He was describing the possibility of cyber warfare: hostile action, likely state-linked, aimed at disrupting a nation's infrastructure and bending its will.

He gave two reasons. Our data centre and digital capacity now rivals Europe's. And our principled stand on Palestine and Gaza has made us unpopular in some capitals. Both are sources of national pride. Both also make us a target, at a time when attacks on portals, public registries and government systems have shaken Europe, the United States and Japan.

The government moved quickly: a special National Security Council meeting on Monday, a meeting of all departments under the Chief Secretary, a Bank Negara session with every financial institution, and a closed-door MKN briefing for MPs. These are the right first steps. But a nation cannot brief its way through a war. It needs law. And on cyber warfare, Malaysia has almost none.

Resilience without a warfare framework is incomplete

The Cyber Security Act 2024 (Act 854), in force since 26 August 2024, was a genuine milestone. It created a National Cyber Security Committee chaired by the Prime Minister, gave NACSA statutory teeth, and placed duties on National Critical Information Infrastructure (NCII) entities across eleven sectors: codes of practice, risk assessments, audits and incident notification.

But it is a resilience and compliance statute. It asks whether our critical operators are secure and whether they report incidents. It does not ask the question my doctoral research keeps returning to: what may Malaysia lawfully do when the attacker is a foreign state or its proxy, and the aim is coercion rather than theft?

Resilience is not only the ability to absorb a blow. It is also the ability to deter, respond and recover within the law. Without a cyber warfare legal framework, our resilience is half-built. Five gaps stand out:

1. No legal definition of cyber warfare. Our statutes do not distinguish a cyber crime, a cyber incident and a cyber attack by a state. Without that line, every response is improvised.
2. No threshold or escalation ladder. There is no legal test for when a cyber operation becomes a national emergency, or when it may amount to a use of force or armed attack under international law.
3. No attribution process. No statute says who decides that a state is behind an attack, on what evidence, and with what consequences.
4. No legal basis for response. The powers of NACSA, MKN, the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces to respond, including lawful countermeasures and active defence, are not set out in law.
5. No protection for civilians in cyber conflict. Our framework does not commit Malaysia, in law, to the principles of distinction and proportionality when it defends itself in cyberspace.

Estonia and Singapore treat cyber as a domain of war

Estonia learned the hard way. The 2007 attacks that paralysed its banks, media and ministries turned a small digital state into a global reference point on cyber warfare. It folded cyber into national defence: a military cyber command, a volunteer Cyber Defence Unit within its Defence League, NATO's cyber defence centre of excellence in Tallinn, and a “data embassy” abroad so the state can keep running if its own servers fall. For Estonia, cyber resilience and cyber defence are one policy.

Singapore built its framework in layers. Its 2018 Cybersecurity Act, the model for our own, protects critical infrastructure, and a 2024 amendment extended it to cloud, data centres and other digital foundations. But Singapore did not stop at regulation. It made Digital Defence a pillar of its Total Defence doctrine, and in 2022 created the Digital and Intelligence Service as a fourth branch of its armed forces. Its civilian resilience law sits alongside a clear military role in cyberspace.

The lesson is not to copy either state. It is that both treat cyberspace as a domain where war can be waged, and legislate accordingly. Malaysia still treats it mainly as a domain of compliance.

What a Malaysian Cyber Warfare Legal Framework should contain

I propose that the government begin drafting a Cyber Warfare Legal Framework, either as a dedicated National Cyber Defence Act or as a new Part of the Cyber Security Act 2024, with these elements:

1. Definitions and thresholds. Define cyber attack, state-sponsored cyber operation and cyber warfare, and set a clear ladder: cyber incident, national cyber emergency, and an attack amounting to use of force or armed attack under the UN Charter.
2. A statutory cyber emergency regime. Set out who may declare a national cyber emergency, the powers it unlocks (binding directions to operators, mandatory information sharing, emergency takedowns), and firm sunset clauses with parliamentary oversight.
3. Attribution and lawful response. Create a formal attribution process led by MKN, with a legal basis for proportionate responses, from diplomatic action and lawful countermeasures to the inherent right of self-defence, consistent with international law.
4. A legislated chain of command. Define the roles of NACSA, MKN, the Ministry of Defence and the Malaysian Armed Forces, including the point at which a cyber attack becomes a defence matter and the Armed Forces' cyber units take the lead.
5. Humanitarian safeguards. Commit Malaysia in law to distinction, proportionality and precaution in cyber operations, and to the protection of hospitals, water, power and other civilian infrastructure.
6. Whole-of-society resilience. Widen the Act's reach to data centres, cloud and supply-chain vendors, and create a national cyber preparedness plan and a volunteer cyber reserve that draws on our universities and industry. The Prime Minister himself pointed to the EU's whole-of-society Preparedness Union Strategy.

The framework should be reviewed alongside the Computer Crimes Act 1997, the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 and the Armed Forces Act 1972, so that our laws speak with one voice. Clear law protects both security and liberty. Emergency powers improvised in a crisis protect neither.

From a national framework to an international one

A national cyber warfare framework can harden our defences and clarify our response. It cannot stop a foreign state from attacking. That is where international law falls short. There is still no binding treaty that clearly prohibits state cyber attacks on civilian infrastructure, or defines where espionage ends and armed attack begins in cyberspace. Voluntary norms agreed at the United Nations are a start, but they bind no one.

This vacuum invites what I call cyber colonisation: the use of digital dominance to coerce, extract from and subordinate less powerful nations. Countries of the Global South, building data centres and digital economies as Malaysia is, are the most exposed.

Malaysia is well placed to lead here. Our foreign policy is independent, our voice on justice for Gaza is heard across the Global South, and our standing in ASEAN is strong. We should champion an ASEAN position on cyber peace and push, at the UN, for a binding international treaty that protects civilian infrastructure and outlaws cyber colonisation. A nation that speaks for justice offline should also speak for it online.

Legislate before the attack, not after

Estonia built its cyber defence after it was attacked. Singapore built its framework before the worst could happen. Malaysia now has a choice between those two paths, and the Prime Minister's warning today tells us there is little time to choose.

The Cyber Security Act 2024 gave us the foundation of resilience. A Cyber Warfare Legal Framework would complete it: one that defines the threat, governs our response, protects civilians, and stands for peace in a domain where the strong are tempted to rule unchecked.

We must not wait for the next attack to write the law that should have answered it.

* Yusmadi Yusoff is a PhD in Law candidate at the Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, IIUM, researching the advancement of Malaysia's cyber warfare legal framework in comparison with Estonia and Singapore. He is a senior lawyer, a former Senator and a former Member of Parliament.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.

HONG KONG, Nov 3 — A 61-year-old man has been arrested over the suspected drugging of former Japanese adult film star-turned-DJ Mao Hamasaki at a Hong Kong nightclub, where she reportedly suffered paralysis and convulsions before being rushed to intensive care.

Hamasaki, 33, who performs as DJ Mao, fell seriously ill after consuming a drink during a private Halloween event in Tsim Sha Tsui early Sunday.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and The Standard, police arrested the man in Central yesterday following an investigation into the incident at PP Club on Mody Road.

He remains in custody on suspicion of administering poison with intent to injure.

Hamasaki, discharged from Queen Elizabeth Hospital yesterday afternoon, has since described noticing cloudy sediment in her drinks but dismissing it as fruit pulp.

In a Japanese-language post on X, she recalled drinking two small orange-flavoured cocktails before taking to the DJ booth.

About 40 minutes to an hour later, her memories became hazy and her eyes felt unusually dry.

After raising another glass with a customer during her set, her body suddenly stiffened, leaving her unable to move her arms or legs before she lost consciousness.

Her next clear memory was waking up in an ambulance. She later learnt she had suffered convulsions.

According to The Standard, Hamasaki had earlier performed in Wan Chai before heading to the Tsim Sha Tsui venue with her 44-year-old manager, surnamed Mak.

The newspaper reported that a stranger approached her around 3.30am and offered her orange juice.

Her manager subsequently noticed white powdery residue at the bottom of a glass and sought help when she became seriously unwell.

Police received a report at around 4.57am that a female DJ had fallen ill after consuming a drink at the venue.

Hamasaki was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital and admitted to intensive care.

Her manager told Hong Kong media that urine tests had returned positive results for four drugs, a finding Hamasaki also mentioned in her account.

However, no independently verified toxicology report has been made public.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Hamasaki said she had experienced the “terror and harm” of drugs first-hand, according to an English translation of her Japanese statement reported by SCMP.

She also said doctors had warned that her condition was dangerous.

“My consciousness is completely clear, and I am steadily recovering,” she wrote on X yesterday, according to SCMP.

Hong Kong news outlet HK01 reported that Hamasaki left hospital with her manager yesterday afternoon. Asked about her condition, she replied “OK”, thanked reporters and made an OK hand gesture.

Her manager later said they had visited a police station to assist investigators.

Hamasaki has since urged nightclub-goers to watch their drinks and replace beverages left unattended. She said she would refrain from further public comments while cooperating with police.

Police have yet to establish publicly how the suspected substances entered her drink.

Hamasaki retired from the Japanese adult film industry in 2024 and has since pursued a DJ career in Hong Kong, where she has also appeared in a television drama.

HONG KONG, Nov 3 — Hong Kong comedy legend Stephen Chow’s most beloved movie characters are getting a new lease of life through artificial intelligence, as a venture backed by his entertainment company looks to transform them into a global animation franchise.

Characters from cult favourites such as Kung Fu Hustle, God of Cookery and CJ7 are being reimagined as AI-generated cartoons under Shin Shin Legends, an initiative linked to Chow’s entertainment and investment company, Bingo Group.

The project aims to build a new animated universe around the characters, complete with original storylines, merchandise and licensing opportunities, taking a page from the playbooks of entertainment giants Marvel and Disney.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the venture’s creative direction is being spearheaded by Singaporean Ignatius Yong, senior adviser and spokesperson for Shin Shin Legends, who also happens to be a lifelong fan of Chow’s films.

“Chow has always been one of my idols. I have watched almost every movie of his 20 times. Hong Kong has always been able to export its movies to the rest of the world, so why not new creative content? I think in animation, it gives us a chance to do that,” Yong told the newspaper.

Among the characters getting an animated makeover are the formidable landlady from Kung Fu Hustle, the eccentric God of Cookery, the alien creature from CJ7 and Yu Fa, the cross-dressing schoolgirl character familiar to Chow’s fans.

But these are not straightforward recreations of their big-screen counterparts.

Instead, the team is developing entirely new backstories and personalities, allowing the characters to evolve beyond their original films.

“Our characters are very different [from the movies]. I would say they are inspired by the characters in Chow’s movies, but they have a totally different backstory. In this way, they are not the same,” Yong explained.

The project is also embracing AI to dramatically reduce animation production costs, which Yong said have fallen from around 300,000 yuan (RM184,000) per minute to between 3,000 and 5,000 yuan per minute.

The savings could open the door to emerging creators and independent talents who might otherwise struggle with the expense of traditional animation.

“In the end, what really sells content is the story. It has to be interesting. People have to enjoy it. We think this is a window to bring different characters that Mr Chow has created into a new universe,” he said.

 

 

 

 

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For now, Shin Shin Legends is concentrating on short-form animations for Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, where its account has attracted more than 800,000 followers.

Interestingly, its biggest audience comprises children under 12, while viewers aged 50 and above form the second-largest group — suggesting the cartoons are striking a chord with both a new generation and those who grew up watching Chow’s films.

The characters have also begun making their way into commercial collaborations.

In Hong Kong, Shin Shin Legends recently teamed up with popular snack shop Chicken Egg Boy on a creation combining three local favourites: egg waffles, pineapple buns and char siu pork.

The venture has also collaborated with traditional bakery Hang Heung on a mooncake promotion and showcased its reimagined characters at Hong Kong Comic Con 2026.

Although mainland China remains its primary market, Yong has his sights set on international expansion, with plans to eventually dub the AI-generated animations into English.

“The way I see it, the characters should transcend not only Hong Kong [and mainland] China, but also into the international market. Animation reaches beyond language,” he said.

“We want the fans who grew up with Stephen Chow movies as well as younger audiences. This is fun content and suited for the whole family.”

As for Chow himself, the actor-director is not directly involved in producing the animations but receives regular updates and occasionally weighs in on their creative direction.

“He actually gives us a lot of freedom for our creativity,” Yong said.

“Periodically we will bring him some of the characters we have built and he will give input. Usually, he asks a lot of questions, like, ‘So what is so special about this character?’ and ‘What do you think audiences will like about this character?’”

“He is always thinking about how we can make it more interesting, more funny.”