KUMAMOTO (Japan), Aug 24 — Many foreigners in Kumamoto Prefecture may have had difficulty in obtaining information in the aftermath of last month’s magnitude-7.1 earthquake, as only a few municipalities in the hard-hit areas had services specifically designed for non-Japanese residents, a Kyodo News tally showed yesterday.

Although government statistics show some 31,000 foreign nationals resided in the southwestern Japanese prefecture as of January 1, only three of the 19 municipalities surveyed said they had such arrangements in place.

The findings underscore the need for local governments to extend support to people made particularly vulnerable in disasters, especially due to language barriers.

The quake registered the maximum level 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale in Uki and Hikawa, killing 38 people.

The Kumamoto city government started an emergency email service for foreigners based on lessons learned from the major quakes that struck the prefecture 10 years ago, when many foreigners were unable to receive the support they needed.

Since the M7.1 quake that struck the prefecture on July 28, the city has issued disaster damage certificates to about 680 people registered with the system.

It also opened a shelter for foreigners at the Kumamoto City International Center, where some 20 people took refuge.

Kikuyo, the host town of a Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. plant, opened a social media account in December that provides information in simple Japanese, responding to feedback from its growing foreign population.

Another municipality, Yatsushiro, also has opened a webpage providing information on evacuation shelters and supplies, while people registered with the Line messaging app can receive necessary information.

The hardest-hit Uki and Hikawa have not launched specific disaster information services targeting foreigners yet.

Even among the three municipalities with foreigner-friendly services, language barriers remain as significant obstacles for information transmission.

A Vietnamese man in Yatsushiro had to share food and beverages with compatriots after he obtained them from his acquaintances.

“We would like to deliver supplies to as many people as possible, but it is difficult to create an opportunity for everyone to know what we do,” said an official at a shelter in Yatsushiro. — Bernama-Kyodo

BEIJING, Aug 24 — Shein, the Chinese-founded retailer that harnessed social media to chart a meteoric rise in the global fast-fashion industry, will debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange next month in a long-awaited listing that values the group at close to US$27 billion (RM109 billion).

Here’s what you need to know about the clothing giant, which has faced allegations of labour and environmental abuses as well as regulatory scrutiny abroad.

Breadth and speed 

Shein’s main competitive advantage lies in its ability to offer a staggering variety of items on its platform — backed up by hyper-efficient product development and supply chains.

Customers love the firm’s massive catalogue of ultra-cheap items, from US$8 sundresses to US$2 bracelets, at a time when inflation has shrunk purchasing power around the world.

The firm moved its headquarters to Singapore between 2021 and 2022 — a move analysts say was intended to avoid increasing global scrutiny of Chinese firms.

But it still benefits from China’s unique combination of a huge low-cost textile manufacturing sector and a highly sophisticated e-commerce logistics network.

The company ranks suppliers by their flexibility and ability to deliver urgent orders, and regularly eliminates the poorest performers, according to a 2021 Zhongtai Securities report.

At the same time, it tracks users’ search data and social media trends to generate designs with a high likelihood of attracting demand — often appearing to simply copy from other brands.

Shein has been accused repeatedly of intellectual property infringement, disclosing in July that it was facing more than 40 related lawsuits.

TikTok power 

The rapid growth achieved by Shein was driven in large part by success in marketing its products on social media — particularly on short video app TikTok.

As internet usage worldwide peaked during the pandemic, the firm cultivated a strategy that saw it enlist small-time video bloggers and ordinary social media users to represent the brand in exchange for free products and cash.

It quickly built a loyal following of customers in the United States and elsewhere, with many participating in a trend of posting videos of their “Shein haul” of new clothes online.

But that strategy has also bred controversy, with a sponsored factory tour for a group of Western influencers in 2023 sparking a strong backlash for glossing over alleged labour violations.

Today, Shein’s challenges are compounded by increasingly tough competition from rival low-cost e-commerce giant Temu.

Labour, safety concerns 

Like other fast-fashion giants including H&M and Zara, Shein has faced allegations of underpaying and overworking textile workers at its factories.

The firm has also been accused of obscuring its production processes from the public eye.

In 2024, the European Union added Shein to its list of digital companies that are big enough to be subject to stricter safety curbs.

Another hurdle arose in February of this year, when the European Commission launched an investigation into the firm’s compliance with the Digital Services Act.

Areas assessed by the probe include the firm’s systems for preventing the sale of illegal products, risks associated with its “addictive design” and the transparency of its content recommendations, the Commission said.

Overconsumption fears 

Others say the company’s super-cheap products and frenzied online marketing encourage a culture of overconsumption to the detriment of the environment.

A ranking last year by US-Canadian campaign group Stand Earth placed Shein tied for last place on a list of over 40 major fashion brands in terms of their environmental practices.

In the boldest move yet globally to curb the rise of fast fashion, France is set to impose per-item fees on Shein, Temu and other platforms deemed by the legislation to engage in “ultra-fast fashion”.

The tsunami of parcels generated by low-cost e-commerce giants has also been dealt a fresh blow by the scrapping of US tax exemptions for individual shipments valued less than US$800.

Shein says it conducts regular third-party audits to ensure fair wages, and it says its on-demand model avoids overproduction and thus “dramatically reduces waste”. — AFP 

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 24 — Some 1,500 students from 36 schools under the Selangor Education Department (JPN) will take part in a human graphics performance featuring 16 songs at the 2026 National Day celebration at Dataran Putrajaya here on August 31.

Education Ministry Sports, Co-curriculum and Arts Division director Ithnin Mahadi said the songs would be divided into four categories, namely patriotic, ethnic, state-themed and Gen Z, offering a diverse mix of genres and presentation styles.

“The team has been training since July, starting with separate sessions at their respective schools before coming together at the performance venue,” he told reporters here today.

He said rehearsals had entered the final phase, with the students now training at the venue to fine-tune their movements, formations and coordination ahead of the performance.

Ithnin said one of the main highlights of this year’s performance would be the combination of creative hand movements and kompang beats, incorporating percussion elements performed by participants from various ethnic backgrounds.

“The different rhythms are brought together as one, symbolising Malaysia’s diverse society, with its many cultures and traditions, yet able to move together as one.

“The performance will also feature word and image graphics conveying messages of unity, harmony and living together, in line with this year’s National Day theme, ‘Malaysia MADANI: Kesejahteraan Dinikmati’,” he said.

Ithnin said the human formations on the field would portray a united Malaysia in diversity, with each ethnic group retaining its own identity and heritage before coming together to form a larger picture of a harmonious, inclusive and prosperous Malaysia. — Bernama

SEREMBAN, Aug 24 —The High Court here today dismissed two applications by the Negeri Sembilan government seeking an immediate eviction involving the official halls and residences of the Undang of Rembau and Undang of Sungei Ujong.

Judge Roz Mawar Rozain ruled through an online proceeding that the state government lacked legal standing (locus standi) to initiate the proceedings under Order 89 of the Rules of Court.

She said Section 16 required the proceedings to be instituted by the State Director of Lands and Mines in the name of the office.

“The first respondent’s arguments emphasise that the applicant here, Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan, has neither the registered ownership nor the statutory capacity to sue for trespass or possession.

“Thus, it was argued that the appellant has not established either title or a right to possession, which consequence is that the threshold under Order 89 Rules of Court was not satisfied,” she said during the proceedings here today.

Lawyer Muhammad Hariz Md Yusoff represented the Negeri Sembilan government, while lawyers Choo Shi Jin and Asmawi Ismail represented the respondents, Abdul Rahim Yasin and Datuk Mubarak Thahak, respectively.

The court ruled that the disputed premises are classified as reserved land under the National Land Code (NLC), rather than ordinary state land.

Under Section 16(1)(c) of the NLC, any legal action regarding alleged trespass or wrongful occupation of reserved land must be initiated by the State Director of Lands and Mines (PTG) in the name of their office on behalf of the State Authority, not directly by the state government.

The court further held that summary proceedings under Order 89 were inappropriate as the applicant failed to prove an immediate, unchallengeable right to possession, raising triable issues regarding proper statutory authorisation.

Roz Mawar clarified that the finding does not confer any title or right of occupation upon the first respondents in either suit, nor does it determine who is the rightful Undang Rembau or the rightful Undang Sungei Ujong.

“It determines only that the applicant named in this proceeding before me has not established its own legal entitlement to the order for possession sought. And that the proper statutory rule (if any) must be pursued by the correctly named under Section 16(1)(c) of NLC. 

“I am dismissing this application without prejudice to proceedings being commenced by the proper statutory claimant or by any other person who can establish an independent and subsisting right to possession under our NLC,” she added.

The High Court ordered the Negeri Sembilan State Government to pay RM25,000 in costs for each suit, amounting to a total of RM50,000 to the respondents.

Previously, the Negeri Sembilan state government filed an originating summons seeking an immediate eviction order for the Rembau Undang’s Hall and Official Residence, as well as the Sungei Ujong Undang’s Hall and Official Residence. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Will national men’s doubles partnership Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik reunite as a pair?

That remains one of the big questions following their creditable runners-up finish at the 2026 World Championships in New Delhi, India, after the Malaysians went down to China’s Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang in the final on Sunday.

The fourth seeds had to settle for second best placing following their 17-21, 16-21 loss to their third seeded opponents in 35-minutes during the prestigious tournament held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

National men’s doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi said a decision on whether the former world champions will be reunited, would only be made towards the end of the year.

“We will have discussions in the future and by year end a decision will be made. So, for the time being they will experience with their partners and see how far the partnership goes,” he told Bernama.

Aaron-Wooi Yik were reunited at the world meet after last playing together at the Indonesia Open in June.

The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) made a strategic shake-up in the national men’s doubles department in the same month, pairing Aaron with rising men’s doubles player Aaron Tai, while Wooi Yik was partnered with Man Wei Chong.

According to BAM, the fresh combinations were part of its long-term plan to deliver Malaysia’s first Olympic Games gold medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Last month, BAM announced that Aaron is also scheduled to play with Wei Chong’s former partner, Tee Kai Wun while leaving out Wooi Yik from the squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, which will kick off Sept 19-Oct 4.

Commenting on Aaron-Wooi Yik’s performance in the final, Herry admitted that his charges were below their best against Wei Keng-Wang Chang.

The Indonesian said the two-time Olympic Games bronze medallist failed to reproduce the level they showed in their stunning semi-final victory over top seeds from South Korea Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae, 21-17, 21-18, on Saturday.

“Their performance was a below par…many unforced errors, especially Aaron. The Chinese pair also played with a lot of confidence when facing Aaron-Wooi Yik,” he said.

Despite the defeat, Herry said reaching the final itself was a commendable achievement given the intense competition in the men’s doubles event, where major titles have been changing hands in recent months.

The result saw Wei Keng-Wang become the first Chinese men’s doubles pair to win the world title in eight years, after Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen last won it in Nanjing, China.

The world No. 3 pair also extended their dominance over Aaron-Wooi Yik, having now won 12 of their 15 meetings.

The defeat saw the Malaysians fail to end their long title drought after they last won a tournament in the Singapore Open 2025, defeating Won Ho-Seung Jae 15-21, 21-18, 21-19.

At the 2022 edition, Aaron-Wooi Yik created history by becoming the first Malaysian badminton representatives to win a world title after defeating former Indonesian pair and three-time champions Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan 21-19, 21-14 in Tokyo. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — The ringgit ended lower against the greenback today as the threat of an “economic D-Day” on Iran, policy risks ahead of the Jackson Hole symposium and continued instability in the US Treasury market spurred caution.

At 6pm, the ringgit eased to 4.0405/0440 against the US dollar from last Friday’s close of 4.0365/0405.

Quintex Intel global strategist Stephen Innes noted that the ringgit traded slightly weaker today, but described the move as cautious consolidation rather than the beginning of a more meaningful decline.

“Given the uncertainty surrounding US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s promised ‘economic D-Day’ against Iran, the policy risks heading into Jackson Hole, and continued instability at the long end of the US Treasury curve, there is plenty for the foreign exchange market to digest,” he told Bernama. 

US President Donald Trump has threatened a crushing financial campaign against Iran, which he has referred to as “economic D-Day”, as the war on Tehran continues to drag on.

According to Innes, the market is closely watching the US’s planned economic D-Day sanctions as it is expected to involve sweeping secondary sanctions against buyers, banks, refiners, vessels and intermediaries handling Iranian oil, particularly China’s independent refiners and payment networks. “The real market question is whether Washington merely adds names to existing lists or credibly threatens major Chinese banks and buyers. Only the latter would materially tighten oil flows and increase Tehran’s incentive to retaliate through the Strait of Hormuz,” he added. 

Innes said the US dollar has strengthened modestly as traders seek some protection against geopolitical and policy uncertainty, but this has yet to develop into a decisive risk-off move. “For now, the ringgit appears to be taking a small step back while investors wait for greater clarity from Washington and the US bond market,” he added. 

Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid noted that the ringgit moved in a narrow range today, hovering at around RM4.0355 to RM4.0427. 

“There seems to be a bearish mode towards the US dollar as market participants await the details on debt buy-back by the US Treasury Secretary. It was reported in the news that hedge fund managers are increasing their bearish bets towards the US dollar as the debt buy-back will not address the already ballooning debt, which surpassed US$40 trillion, incurred by the US government,” he said. 

It was reported that Bessent surprised Wall Street last Wednesday with a plan to increase buybacks of long-term bonds, after the 30-year yield hit the highest level in nearly 20 years.

Mohd Afzanizam said the 30-year US Treasury yield briefly touched 5.19 per cent when the debt buy-back was announced last Thursday, but the yield later went up again and is currently lingering around 5.25 per cent.

He noted that the US Dollar Index (DXY) is presently at 98.980 points, which is below 99.897 points at the start of the month.

At the close, the ringgit ended higher against a basket of major currencies.

It climbed versus the Japanese yen to 2.5380/5402 from 2.5449/5476 at last Friday’s close, increased against the British pound to 5.5080/5128 from 5.5118/5173 and gained vis-a-vis the euro to 4.7132/7173 from 4.7227/7274 previously.

The local note traded mixed against regional currencies.

It inched up vis-à-vis the Singapore dollar to 3.1805/1835 from 3.1809/1843 last Friday, and strengthened versus the Indonesian rupiah to 227.9/228.3 from 228.1/228.4. 

However, the ringgit dipped against the Philippine peso to 6.55/6.56 from 6.54/6.55 and edged down against the Thai baht to 12.3589/3742 from 12.3474/3638 last Friday. — Bernama

DHAKA, Aug 24 — A Bangladesh appeals court upheld today the death sentence for an ex-headteacher who burned alive a teen student who accused him of sexual harassment, in a case that shocked the country.

The court also maintained the death penalty for a co-conspirator in the murder of Nusrat Jahan Rafi, while 10 other defendants were acquitted.

The teen, who was doused in kerosene and set on fire after she made the harassment complaint against the head of her rural Islamic school, horrified Bangladesh.

Nusrat suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body and died in hospital four days later.

The former headteacher, SM Siraj-Ud-Dowlah, is among the two sentenced to hang. Four other defendants had their death penalties reduced to life terms by the appeals court.

Her death triggered outrage across the nation, with protesters in the capital Dhaka staging days of demonstrations seeking “exemplary punishment” for the killers.

In 2019, a court sentenced 16 to death. But the high court today acquitted 10, and reduced four death sentences to life imprisonment, rebuking the court for handing out “wholesale death sentences”.

“The four tied Nusrat’s hands and legs, and doused her with kerosene to ensure her death,” Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal told the court.

Nusrat’s older brother, Mahmudul Hasan, said the family were “receiving messages threatening retaliation”, and begged the government “to ensure our security”. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 —An unemployed man was sentenced to three months' jail and fined RM400 in the Selayang Magistrate's Court here today after pleading guilty to impersonating a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer.

Mohd Izham Mohd Zainuddin, 34, received the sentence from Magistrate Chai Guan Hock and was ordered to start his jail term from the date of arrest on July 30, 2026.

The court also ordered the accused to be sentenced for a month if he failed to pay his fine.

Mohd Izham was charged with introducing himself as a MACC officer and showing a work pass with the MACC logo on it to a 69-year-old man, when the accused was not a public servant.

The offence was committed in a house in Taman Selasih Phase 2, Batu Caves, Selangor, under Section 171 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum prison sentence of three months or a fine of RM400 or both.

In the same court, Mohd Izham pleaded not guilty to cheating a 55-year-old woman by deceiving the victim into handing over RM31,500 for the purpose of purchasing a plot of land in Kampung Muhibah Utama, Sungai Tinggi in Hulu Selangor.

The offence was allegedly committed at Lot 211, Jalan Besar Selayang Indah, Batu Caves, from June 2 to June 22, 2026, under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which provides for a prison sentence of not less than one year and a maximum of 10 years with whipping, and may also be liable to a fine, if convicted.

The court did not grant bail to the accused and set the case mention for Nov 17.

The case was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Birr Zamier Abu Bakar while the accused was unrepresented. — Bernama

BOGOTA, Aug 24 — Facebook and TikTok failed to prevent the spread of content produced by Colombian armed groups to recruit children and in some cases even “appeared to promote these posts,” Human Rights Watch reported today.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the circulation of social media content by armed groups “glorifies life in armed group ranks” and promotes “deceptive job offers.”

Since 2021, around 1,500 children have been recruited by armed groups, according to HRW.

Armed groups use children for combat, handling weapons, drones and explosives, and intelligence gathering, the HRW report said.

In some cases, it said, children without combat training are used as “cannon fodder.”

According to the report, almost half of child recruits are Indigenous children, despite Indigenous people only representing around four per cent of the population.

Girls account for around 40 per cent of child recruits, and are “particularly exposed to sexual violence.”

In the report, HRW described social media posts showing members of armed groups flaunting wads of cash and jewellery.

In other posts, they appear in training camps or listening to “narcocorridos”—a Mexican music genre which celebrates the exploits of infamous drug traffickers.

In the comments sections, some users asked how they could join.

HRW said that dissident groups that emerged from the now-defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have been responsible for 74 per cent of child recruitment cases documented between 2021 and 2025.

HRW said it had informed Meta, Facebook’s parent company, and TikTok’s owner ByteDance of the problem. Both said they had removed the specific content mentioned.

Meta said it “constantly strives to refine (its) approach to combating it across (its) platforms.”

TikTok said it “proactively (prevents) illegal armed groups and organized criminal groups from using TikTok, including to target, exploit or recruit minors.”

The historic 2016 peace agreement ended a half-century of war between the government and the FARC guerrilla group, but remaining armed groups continue to control large swaths of territory in remote parts of the northeast and south.

Newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella has vowed to crack down on armed groups and plans to forge a military alliance with the United States and Israel. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today officially opened the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) Tower in Damansara, marking a new phase in strengthening Malaysia’s film and audiovisual industry under the Orange Economy framework. 

The opening ceremony, was attended by international guests, industry figures and members of the media.

Anwar said the historic occasion reflected the need to further raise the capabilities and stature of Malaysia’s film industry while empowering the country’s culture.

He stressed that Malaysia must move forward with greater speed and fresh ideas by embracing new technologies, including animation, information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI), while remaining firmly rooted in its values, language, culture and national identity.

Prime minister  Anwar Ibrahim said the new Finas Tower marks a new chapter in strengthening Malaysia’s film and audiovisual industry as part of the Orange Economy. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

“This country needs to move forward with greater strength, embracing new technologies, IT and AI, while remaining strong in our values, language and culture,” he said.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said Menara Finas, developed on a 5.14-acre site, began construction on January 20, 2021, and has now become the country’s new film industry hub.

He said the building is equipped with modern facilities, including Dewan Panca Delima, two sound stages, the P. Ramlee Digital Cinema, training spaces, a Mediatheque, a Museum of Moving Image and a Film Vault.

“The Film Vault serves as the national audiovisual archive storage centre and currently houses 81,770 collections.

“Menara Finas received its Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) on December 18, 2025, as well as its Certificate of Practical Completion on May 22, 2026.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said Menara Finas will serve as a new hub to strengthen Malaysia’s creative industry and preserve the country’s audiovisual heritage. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

“Following a phased relocation process, Finas began operating fully from the tower on August 6, 2026,” he said in his speech at the opening ceremony.

Fahmi also said the new facilities are expected to strengthen the development of the country’s creative industry, while also serving as a reference centre and a hub for preserving Malaysia’s audiovisual heritage.

Finas chairman Datuk Hans Isaac described the new building as an important milestone for Malaysia’s creative industry and said the government would retain Finas’ production facilities in Hulu Kelang. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Finas chairman Datuk Hans Isaac described the new building as an important milestone for Malaysia’s creative industry.

“The building is a magnificent one for our industry.

“But the building means nothing if the individuals working inside it do not carry out their responsibilities well and sincerely, to help the creative industry,” he said.

“We hope this building will be open to all of you, not just the PTD officers here.

"I hope the industry will make the best possible use of this building,” he said.

He also confirmed that the government would retain Finas’ production facilities in Hulu Kelang, describing the site as an important part of the industry’s development.

“Never let that land go,” he said, adding that the site had played an important role in the development of many industry players.

The opening of Finas Tower also marked a significant milestone, coinciding with 2026, which commemorates the 45th anniversary of Finas and 80 years of the legacy of the Malayan Film Unit–Filem Negara Malaysia.

Finas was established in 1981 and officially began operations at the Merdeka Studio Complex in Hulu Kelang in 1988.

The Malayan Film Unit was established on April 1, 1946, renamed Filem Negara Malaysia in 1963, and officially merged with Finas on January 1, 2013.

BEIJING, Aug 24 — Tesla is recalling nearly three million cars in China with interior door handles that could hamper a person’s ability to exit their vehicle in an emergency, Beijing’s national market watchdog said.

Eight Chinese carmakers also filed recalls over similar safety risks, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced on Friday.

Some recalls were effective immediately, while others began over the weekend and today.

Tesla’s recall involves 2.9 million domestically-made units of its Model 3 and Model Y electric cars and begins on September 25.

The US carmaker — which operates a huge factory in Shanghai — is also recalling around 46,000 imported units of its Model 3, Model X and Model S cars, the SAMR announcement said.

The recalled cars have inner emergency mechanical handles “similar in colour to the interior, making them difficult to identify and operate” in emergencies, the watchdog said.

In Tesla’s Model 3, for example, passengers must reach into a compartment inside the door pocket and find a release cable to manually open the rear door, according to the company’s website.

“In extreme situations such as severe collisions causing the vehicle’s low-voltage system to fail, (the handles) may affect passengers’ ability to quickly open car doors for escape and rescue operations outside the vehicle,” SAMR said.

SAMR said Tesla was separately recalling 2.7 million domestically-made Model 3 and Model Y EVs over issues with monitoring systems while a driver is using steering assist functions.

It was not clear whether some Teslas were counted in both recalls.

Chinese EV makers including Xiaomi, XPeng, Geely, Chery and Leapmotor are also recalling cars with handles that blend in with their interior.

Xiaomi began recalling around 390,000 units of its 2024 SU7 series on Friday, and XPeng started recalling nearly 265,000 cars on Saturday.

Beijing-based BAIC BluePark, a subsidiary of state-owned automaker BAIC, on Saturday began recalling around 46,000 Arcfox Kaola EVs over a “lack of dedicated text prompts” near the emergency mechanism on its right rear sliding door.

Beginning today, Geely is recalling around 92,000 cars from its luxury brand Zeekr.

Companies offered to attach warning labels near the handles for free, and some said they would remotely upgrade software involving lowering windows after a crash.

Safety concerns have risen in China recently over sleek car designs that are prone to losing operability in the event of a crash.

The mass recalls are in line with China’s plan to ban hidden door handles on cars from January 1, 2027, local media reports said.

Those rules, announced in February by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, will require door handles to have both interior and exterior mechanical releases.

Electronic door handles were introduced with Tesla’s 2012 launch of the Model S, later becoming popular with Chinese EV brands prioritising high-tech features.

Folding into the body of the car, such door handles provide a slight boost to efficiency by reducing drag while the vehicle is in motion. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Bursa Malaysia ended marginally lower today as investors awaited further corporate earnings results for clearer market direction, an analyst said.

At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 0.15 of a point to 1,736.33 from last Friday’s close of 1,736.48.

The benchmark index opened 1.83 points higher at 1,738.31, and fluctuated between 1,733.07 and 1,739.47 throughout the day.

On the broader market, losers trounced gainers 714 to 482, while 539 counters were unchanged, 1,139 untraded and 46 suspended.

Turnover decreased to 3.60 billion units valued at RM3.03 billion from 3.91 billion units valued at RM3.32 billion last Friday.  

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said the index continues to hold above the 1,730 level, suggesting that underlying support remains intact despite cautious trading sentiment.

“We believe stronger earnings results from index heavyweights could provide the catalyst for the next upward move, while resilient domestic fundamentals should continue to cushion the downside.

“As such, we expect the FBM KLCI to trade within the 1,725-1,745 range for the week,” he told Bernama.

Meanwhile, IPPFA Sdn Bhd director of investment strategy and country economist Mohd Sedek Jantan said trading sentiment was further subdued ahead of tomorrow’s public holiday in Malaysia, which contributed to a more cautious and less aggressive trading environment.

Bursa Malaysia will be closed tomorrow, Aug 25, 2026, in conjunction with Prophet Muhammad’s birthday.

Mohd Sedek said investors are now focusing on the Jackson Hole symposium later this week, where investors will closely monitor signals from US policymakers on the interest-rate outlook.

“For Bursa Malaysia, the combination of weaker technology sentiment, global yield concerns and a shortened trading week is likely to keep investors selective, with domestic and defensive sectors potentially offering greater resilience,” he said.

Among the heavyweights, Maybank eased four sen to RM10.56, while Public Bank and CIMB Group inched up one sen each to RM5.10 and RM7.96, respectively. Tenaga Nasional erased 10 sen to RM14.30 and IHH Healthcare slipped 13 sen to RM8.15.

On the most active list, Zetrix AI was half a sen higher at 65.5 sen, Dagang NeXchange and AirAsia fell three sen each to 48 sen and 78 sen, respectively, KPJ Healthcare slid 32 sen to RM2.80, and NexG shed 5.0 sen to 27 sen.

Top gainers included Petronas Dagangan, which firmed 38 sen to RM20.00, MISC jumped 35 sen to RM8.58, Sarawak Plantation and Kuala Lumpur Kepong rose 28 sen each to RM4.82 and RM21.92, respectively, and Concrete Engineering Products soared 26 sen to RM3.90.

Top losers were led by Malaysian Pacific Industries, which fell RM1.70 to RM41.50. Allianz Malaysia dipped 58 sen to RM21.70, UMS Integration lost 35 sen to RM8.29, while Kelington Group and UWC gave up 25 sen each to RM8.36 and RM6.49, respectively.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Shariah Index lost 12.43 points to 12,629.36, the FBM ACE Index slid 35.21 points to 5,298.58, and the FBM 70 Index dipped 81.79 points to 18,069.24.

The FBM Emas Index decreased 13.68 points to 12,818.60 and the FBM Top 100 Index reduced 15.13 points to 12,635.79.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index gained 5.02 points to 20,270.42, while the Industrial Products and Services Index edged down 0.16 of a point to 187.06.

The Plantation Index soared 69.77 points to 9,510.43 and the Energy Index edged up 0.41 of a point to 777.44.

The Main Market volume narrowed to 1.93 billion units valued at RM2.65 billion compared with 2.00 billion units valued at RM2.91 billion last Friday. 

Warrants turnover declined to 1.06 billion units worth RM142.28 million versus 1.32 billion units worth RM165.20 million previously.

The ACE Market volume advanced to 608.82 million units valued at RM245.09 million from 578.51 million units valued at RM241.31 million on Friday.

Consumer products and services counters accounted for 364.80 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (403.33 million), construction (98.39 million), technology (458.30 million), financial services (49.02 million), property (119.72 million), plantation (44.68 million), real estate investment trusts (14.47 million), closed-end fund (29,200), energy (88.77 million), healthcare (153.77 million), telecommunications and media (24.48 million), transportation and logistics (62.25 million), utilities (49.47 million), and business trusts (91,700). — Bernama

SEOUL, Aug 24 — The union representing workers at South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor said today it had resumed wage talks with management after staging its first full-day strike in a decade.

The action at the country’s largest carmaker on Friday saw around 40,000 employees walk off the job, according to union figures, after discussions over pay and retirement broke down.

They have come against a backdrop of concerns over job security as artificial intelligence transforms South Korea’s automotive industry, a pillar of the Asian nation’s economy.

A union representative confirmed to AFP today that talks with management would restart from 2pm.

A planned four-hour walkout that day had been scrapped, but one slated for tomorrow may still take place, the representative said.

“We will decide whether to stage a partial strike tomorrow depending on the outcome of today’s negotiations,” they said.

The union has demanded a 149,000-won (RM436) increase in the basic monthly salary, a 50 per cent increase in bonuses and a hike in the retirement age.

The workers have staged a total of 60 hours of strikes this year, causing estimated losses of around US$1.6 billion (RM6.4 billion), according to calculations by local news agency Newsis.

Hyundai Motor told AFP that it could not “accept the union’s demands” without a solid legal or rational basis.

Hyundai posted record second-quarter revenue of 49.2 trillion won, although operating profit fell 20.8 per cent on-year amid weaker sales. — AFP

STOCKHOLM, Aug 24 — Sweden will form a commission seeking to prevent attacks on schools, its government said today, days after a 17-year-old girl was killed and three people wounded by a sword-wielding assailant at a high school.

The attack on the school in the small town of Fagersta on Friday was the latest of several deadly incidents at educational institutions over the last decade.

Minister for Education and Integration Simona Mohamsson told a press conference today that the government would be appointing a school attack commission “that will propose new measures to prevent future school attacks.”

“In recent years, Sweden has seen several serious and deadly attacks on schools,” Mohamsson said.

“The idea of a completely open school is a good one, but reality means that we cannot allow unauthorised individuals free access to our schools,” she added.

Mohamsson said she did not wish to speculate on what changes that commission might recommend.

Police said over the weekend that they were still investigating a motive for Friday’s attack.

Police had opened fire against the 18-year-old suspect before taking him into custody. Over the weekend they said they were still investigating the motive in that attack.

Swedish media have reported that the perpetrator had a previous assault conviction and wore a helmet and carried a sword — reminiscent of a 2015 school attack in the western town of Trollhattan in which a 21-year-old killed three people in a racially motivated attack.

In February 2025, a 35-year-old man killed 10 people at an adult education centre in Orebro.

In March 2022, an 18-year-old student stabbed two teachers to death at a secondary school in the southern city of Malmo. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — The shoplot housing the popular Village Park Restaurant in Damansara Utama, famed for its nasi lemak, is set to go under the hammer with a reserve price of RM5.3 million.

A court document sighted by Malay Mail shows that the three-and-a-half-storey intermediate shopoffice at No. 5, Jalan SS21/37, Damansara Utama, will be auctioned publicly through the e-Lelong system on October 1 at 9am.

The property, which is the current address of Village Park Restaurant, has a land area of 1,650 sq ft and is held under a freehold title.

According to the document, the property is registered under two names, both of whom are now deceased. 

Their estates are represented by their respective executors, who are named as the defendants in the court proceedings. 

The document also states Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Berhad's mortgage issuance date for the property is November 20, 2012.

As for the auction, it was ordered by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, with the document citing court orders dated January 8 and July 23 this year.

The property will be sold on an “as is where is” basis, with the reserve price set at RM5.3 million.

Interested bidders must place a 10 per cent deposit of the reserve price — equivalent to RM530,000 — one working day before the auction, while the successful bidder must settle the balance within 120 days from the date of sale, the document said.

The court document states that the successful bidder will be responsible for obtaining vacant possession of the property, while the property will be sold subject to existing easements, caveats, tenancies, encumbrances and rights, if any.

The auction will be conducted electronically through the Judiciary's e-Lelong system at the e-Lelong Operations Centre at the Kuantan Court Complex, Pahang.

The court document advises prospective bidders to conduct an official title search with the relevant land office and inspect the property, including its liabilities and encumbrances, before the auction.

The property is described in the document as being designated for commercial use, with no restriction in interest listed.

SINGAPORE, Aug 24 — Singapore has stepped up monitoring of air quality after observing surge in hotspots and smoke activity in part of Indonesia over the weekend.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said hotspots and dense smoke plumes were detected mainly in Kalimantan and southern Sumatra, while some smoke plumes were also observed in Riau, raising the possibility of hazy conditions affecting Singapore in the coming days.

NEA said Singapore’s 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) ranged from 68 to 90, within the Moderate range, today, with the central region recording a PSI reading of 91 as at 2pm.

“Dry conditions are expected to persist during the week,” it added. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Lim You did not expect to score so many goals at the Merdeka Srikandi Cup, let alone finish the tournament as its top scorer with eight goals.

The young Malaysian forward was quick to play down her individual achievement, saying the goals were the result of a collective effort from her teammates.

“When I first came, I didn’t expect to score so many goals and I think it’s all a team effort and we all did it together,” said the 14-year-old.

Lim’s eight-goal haul was enough to see her finish as the tournament’s leading scorer, a standout individual achievement in her first appearance at the competition.

The teenager said she also grew increasingly comfortable with her teammates during the tournament, despite initially facing a language barrier.

“Yeah, it’s really good. At first, it was different because we don’t really speak the same language but now I’m getting along with them really well and I really enjoy being around them,” she said.

Her time with the Malaysian squad also saw her pick up a few Malay words, including “satu”, “dua”, “tiga” and “bola”.

Lim will now return to the United States to continue her studies, with the youngster saying she would be back to represent Malaysia at the next tournament, which she identified as the Asian qualifiers.

Asked about her plans after the Merdeka Srikandi Cup, she said: “I’m flying back to the US tomorrow.”

She also confirmed that she would return for Malaysia’s next tournament.

“Yes, of course,” she said when asked if she would be back for the Asian qualifiers.

Despite her impressive scoring record, Lim You’s focus remained firmly on the team’s achievement, with her eight goals serving as another indication of the young forward’s potential on the international stage.

Meanwhile, coach Fairuz Montana Zainal Abidin said he wants to build the team with a few new additions and thanked everyone for their support.

“I hope we can continue to support the girls. They’re showing good chemistry and great spirit.

“Even though some were not good at Bahasa, they wanted to learn and for us who may not be so good at English, we also learnt the language.

“We had tough opponents and some weaker ones and it was a good test, but I feel we can do well and we can build on this team with a few new additions, so thank you to all Malaysians for supporting all the way,” he added.

Malaysia finished the tournament on a high after beating Jordan 4-0.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — The bond between parents and their child can begin long before birth. Baby Angels Childcare Centre Sdn Bhd is bringing this belief into focus through Taegyo, a Korean-inspired prenatal education programme for expectant parents.

From a parent’s question to a purposeful beginning, the story of Baby Angels began with a simple yet deeply personal question familiar to many Malaysian families: “Who can we trust with our baby?”

Like many working parents, the founders experienced the challenge of balancing demanding careers with the responsibility of caring for a newborn. They believed that the earliest years of a child’s life provide an important foundation for future emotional, social and developmental well-being. Every cuddle, conversation, smile and reassuring touch contributes to a baby’s sense of comfort, security and belonging.

Their search for suitable infant care revealed a gap in the market. Although many childcare options were available, few were designed around the unique needs of newborns and young babies while also combining professional care, modern facilities and meaningful collaboration with parents.

This experience became the inspiration behind Baby Angels Childcare Centre, a premium infant care concept created to offer families a nurturing environment where professional care, early childhood development, safety, comfort and emotional connection come together.

For Baby Angels, however, supporting a child should not begin only after birth. The relationship between parents and their baby can begin during pregnancy. This belief led the company to introduce Taegyo to Malaysian families.

The programme is currently being developed by Jiwon Yoon, Ph.D., a Korean American educator, researcher and writer who previously served as a tenured Professor of Media Studies at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Born and raised in South Korea, Jiwon Yoon spent her early childhood immersed in Korean family values and traditions. During her teenage years, her family moved to Thailand, providing her the opportunity to visit Malaysia on a few occasions. She later returned to South Korea to pursue her university education before continuing her academic journey in the United States, where she completed both her master’s and doctoral degrees.

With more than 20 years of teaching and research experience across South Korea and the United States, she has worked in public and private schools, alternative educational settings, universities and teacher education programmes. She currently continues her academic work as a Fellow Scholar at the Media Education Lab.

Rooted in a long-established Korean prenatal philosophy, Taegyo encourages mothers and fathers to become active participants in the pregnancy journey. It introduces simple and meaningful practices that encourage expectant parents to maintain positive thoughts, develop emotional balance and build a loving connection with their unborn baby.

For mothers, Taegyo encourages calmness, mindfulness and positive daily habits while recognising the many physical and emotional changes that accompany pregnancy. It serves as a gentle reminder that caring for a mother’s emotional well-being is also an important part of caring for her unborn child.

The programme also highlights the important role of fathers. Although fathers do not experience the physical changes of pregnancy, they can begin building an early bond with their baby through talking, singing, reading, and other affectionate interactions. Their involvement can also provide valuable and meaningful emotional support to mothers throughout the pregnancy.

By involving both parents, Taegyo transforms prenatal education into a shared family experience, encouraging couples to communicate, support one another and prepare emotionally for parenthood together. Rather than focusing solely on physical preparation for childbirth, the programme places equal importance on emotional well-being, family relationships and prenatal bonding.

This philosophy reflects the wider mission of Baby Angels, to accompany families through every meaningful stage, from pregnancy and birth to infancy and early childhood.

Jiwon Yoon, Ph.D., has adapted Taegyo into an accessible and research-informed programme thoughtfully designed for Malaysia’s multicultural families. Its principles are presented in a warm, relevant and practical manner, allowing parents from diverse backgrounds to embrace them while honouring Malaysia’s rich traditions, cultures and shared values.

In conjunction with Malaysia’s Merdeka and Malaysia Day season, Baby Angels will introduce Taegyo at the BIG Baby Expo, taking place from 28 to 31 August 2026 at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre, Kuala Lumpur.

Expectant parents are invited to visit Baby Angels x Le Harmony at Booth 140 to learn more about Taegyo and enjoy exclusive early bird registration opportunities.

Participants who complete their early-bird registration during BIG Baby Expo will also qualify for a lucky draw. Three lucky winners stand to receive a Crolla Ally Premium Creamy Series baby cot each worth RM599, sponsored by Crolla Baby, a homegrown Malaysian brand recognised with the Superbrands Award 2024 and committed to delivering quality baby products that combine safety, comfort, functionality and contemporary design.

As Malaysia celebrates unity, family and the promise of future generations, Baby Angels hopes to remind parents that a brighter future begins with the care, love and values shared with a child from the very beginning. 

SHAH ALAM, Aug 24 — The High Court here today dismissed the prosecution’s application to forfeit funds amounting to RM21 million, including foreign currency totaling US$139,650.68, which had been frozen under the name of the company Aman Palestin Berhad (Aman Palestin).

The forfeiture application also involved a one-kilogram gold bar that was previously seized.

Judge Datuk Seri Latifah Mohd Tahar, who is now a Court of Appeal Judge, made the decision after examining and listening to the written and oral submissions from both the prosecution and the respondent, Aman Palestin.

The prosecution, acting as the applicant, had previously applied for a forfeiture order for 12 bank accounts on Nov 15, 2024, under Subsection 56(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA) or Act 613.

However, Judge Latifah stated in her judgment today that the applicant failed to prove that the money in all the accounts and the gold bar in question were the subject matter of an offence or proceeds of unlawful activities.

According to her, the court is of the view that if there were indeed misappropriation and breaches of fiduciary duty committed by the company’s directors when the money was withdrawn for investments, the legal liability lies with the individuals and should not involve the respondent.

“In conclusion, the court finds that the applicant failed to prove that the money found in the respondent’s bank accounts, as well as the purchase of the gold bar, constituted wrongful acts under Section 4(1) of AMLATFPUAA or proceeds from unlawful activities, and could not be linked to offences under Sections 403 and 420 of the Penal Code,” she said.

The prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan, nevertheless applied for a stay of execution of the court order pending an appeal, and Judge Latifah fixed Sept 4 for the mention of the stay application before another judge.

Aman Palestin was represented by lawyers Datuk Hisyam Teh Pok Teik and Datuk Zamani Ibrahim.

On Feb 15, 2024, three individuals, including the then-Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aman Palestin, were brought before the Shah Alam Sessions Court to face 164 charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating, and money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit in funds belonging to the organisation between 2018 and 2023.

Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman, 60, Awang Suffian Awang Piut, 54, and investment company director Khairudin Mohd Ali, 51, however, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Judge Datuk Anita Harun. — Bernama

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 24 — The enforcement of the Private Accommodation By-Laws 2026 marks a crucial step in ensuring that short-term accommodation operators run their businesses legally and in compliance with regulations.

President of the Malaysian Budget and Business Hotel Association (MyBHA), Dr Sri Ganesh Michiel, said the move is also vital to protect the safety of residents and tourists, while ensuring fairness and legal compliance.

“Penang has proven that effective action can be taken when there is political will and a strong commitment to ensuring fairness and legality in business operations.

“However, the effectiveness of these by-laws depends entirely on enforcement. Unlicensed operators cannot be allowed to continue accepting bookings and reaping profits, while licensed accommodation providers are required to comply with every legal requirement,” he said in a statement today.

Penang became the first state in the country to enforce the Private Accommodation By-Laws effective Aug 1, to strengthen the regulation and enforcement of private accommodation operations.

State Local Government and Town & Country Planning Committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye said the by-laws empower local councils to inspect, investigate, enter and shut down any premises found violating the rules.

He said an RM50 administration fee applies per application, while the annual licence fee is RM1,000 for premises with up to three rooms, plus RM200 for each additional room.

The private accommodation fee is RM1,800 per year per unit. Owners who flout the by-laws face compounds of up to RM2,000, imprisonment of up to one year, or both.

Meanwhile, Sri Ganesh said MyBHA backs the local authorities’ ban on short-term rentals in all stratified residential properties, subject to compliance with planning and heritage rules governing operations within the George Town World Heritage Site.

He also noted that online listings do not make a property legal without the requisite licences and approvals.

He urged both the Penang Island City Council and Seberang Perai City Council to set up a dedicated enforcement squad, conduct routine checks, act swiftly on complaints, and take stern action against violators.

“MyBHA also calls on the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to work with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia, Ministry of Housing and Local Government, state governments, local authorities, and online booking platforms to identify and remove adverts for unlicensed short-term rentals,” he said. — Bernama

THE HAGUE, Aug 24 — The Netherlands will not participate in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, its broadcaster said today, saying the event can “no longer be considered neutral” given divisions over the Gaza war.

“It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the Contest, undermining its neutral character. The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division,” said Taco Zimmerman, Director-General of AVROTROS in a statement from the broadcaster.

The contest has recently been hit by a wave of boycotts over Israel’s participation.

Earlier this month, organisers announced they were excluding any country involved in an armed conflict from hosting the competition.

“However, the recently announced changes... do not provide sufficient confidence that the independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored,” said the AVROTROS statement.

Israel came close to winning the competition in both 2025 and 2026, ultimately finishing second on each occasion.

Next year’s event, the world’s biggest live televised music event, will take place on May 15 in Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Burgas.

It will be the first time that the Balkan nation hosts the contest, coming after Bulgarian singer Darina Yotova, known as Dara, won this year’s contest in the Austrian capital Vienna with the catchy floor-filler Bangaranga.

Since its launch in 1955, Eurovision has become the ultimate pop platform, catapulting Swedish icons ABBA to worldwide fame, as well as boosting the likes of Celine Dion, Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John.

The 2026 competition was watched by 131 million viewers, down 35 million on the year before after five countries boycotted it over Israel’s participation.

The Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all pulled out of the contest — with the latter three refusing to broadcast the show at all.

The Dutch took part in the very first Eurovision Song Contest back in 1956, and have won on five occasions.

The most recent winner was Duncan Laurence whose song Arcade won the contest in 2019, going on to top charts globally.

It became the first Eurovision entry to reach one billion streams on Spotify, according to the Eurovision website.

The withdrawal is “painful as we would have very much liked to be part of the Contest again next year,” said Zimmerman.

“As a public broadcaster, we remain committed to our values. They guide us in everything we do, even when that means stepping away from an event that is very close to our hearts,” he added. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Identical twins Dr Serene Lock Sow Mun and Irene Lock Sow Mei, 36, who have shared a classroom since primary school, achieved national recognition after being named among Malaysia’s top engineers at the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) Engineering Awards ceremony last night.

Sow Mun, an associate professor at Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) became the first woman to win the National Young Engineer Award, while her sister Sow Mei, a senior process engineer at Petronas, received the Special Mention International Engineering Award (SMIEA) 2026.

The twins, daughters of nursing lecturers from Ipoh, Perak, said their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) developed during their primary school years.

Although their paths briefly diverged when Sow Mun studied at the University of Toronto in Canada while Sow Mei attended UTP, both sisters chose chemical engineering, sharing a focus on future sustainability.

“I feel truly honoured and grateful to receive this award alongside my twin sister. This recognition motivates me to contribute even more to the engineering field,” Sow Mei told Bernama.

Sow Mei noted that the most rewarding part of her engineering career is tackling complex daily problems and turning academic research into tangible national progress.

“Engineering is a deeply challenging field, not a boring one. Whatever you see and work on directly contributes to the progress of Malaysia,” she said.

Sow Mun expressed hope that her milestone as the first female recipient of the National Young Engineer Award would inspire more women to pursue careers in engineering.

“I hope this success will serve as an inspiration and a driving force for more female talent to enter STEM industries, demonstrating our capability and leadership,” she said. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a thunderstorm warning for parts of eight states and territories, warning residents to brace for heavy downpours, strong winds, and lightning strikes until 6:00pm today.

According to the advisory issued at 3:55pm, severe convective weather is expected across several districts in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and Sabah.

In Peninsular Malaysia, the warning covers Kulim, Baling, and Sik in Kedah, alongside Jeli and Gua Musang in Kelantan. Terengganu residents in Setiu and Kuala Nerus are also put on alert, as well as Cameron Highlands in Pahang, and Mersing and Kota Tinggi in Johor.

In Sarawak, the alert spans Lundu in Kuching, Sibu (covering Kanowit and Selangau), Mukah, Bintulu, Kapit, Limbang, and Miri, including Marudi.

In Sabah, the adverse weather is forecast across the Interior (Sipitang, Tenom, Beaufort, Membakut, Keningau, Sook, and Tambunan), the West Coast (Papar and Ranau), Kudat (Kota Marudu), and Sandakan (Telupid, Paitan, and Labuk & Sugut).

MetMalaysia issues thunderstorm warnings when storm systems show signs of generating heavy rain exceeding 20mm per hour that is imminent or projected to last more than an hour. These advisories serve as short-term alerts valid for a maximum of six hours.

The department urged the public to steer clear of flood-prone and low-lying zones, postpone non-essential outdoor activities, and exercise caution on the road, particularly along hilly terrain and interior stretches where heavy showers can sharply reduce driving visibility.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Malaysia Airlines Bhd will retime selected flights arriving at and departing from KL International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 following temporary airspace closures in conjunction with the 69th National Day celebrations.

The national airline said the temporary closures within the Kuala Lumpur Terminal Control Area are to facilitate rehearsals and the National Day Flypast 2026, resulting in scheduled aircraft take-offs and landings at KLIA being temporarily suspended during selected periods. 

“Affected passengers will be notified via their registered contact details and are encouraged to check their latest flight status on the Malaysia Airlines website or mobile app before travelling to the airport

“With the upcoming school holidays and peak travel period from Aug 26 to Sept 6, 2026, passengers departing from KLIA Terminal 1 are advised to arrive at least four hours before their scheduled departure time to allow sufficient time for airport procedures,” it said in a post on X.

It said the temporary airspace closures are scheduled from 11am to noon on Aug 26-28, and from 8.45am to 9.45am on Aug 29 and 31, with the closures coinciding with rehearsals, the full rehearsal and National Day Flypast respectively.

Malaysia Airlines also reminded passengers that check-in counters close 60 minutes before scheduled departure for both domestic and international flights, while boarding gates close 30 minutes before departure.

It said passengers should also be prepared for extended waiting times at key touchpoints, including check-in counters, immigration and security clearance, which could exceed 45 minutes due to the anticipated high volume of travellers.

The airline advised passengers to ensure they have all required travel documents and verify entry and exit requirements through official channels before travelling. — Bernama

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 24 — The former director of Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-Kanak Sabah (HWKKS) has sued two senior state healthcare officials, including his successor, claiming he was ousted from his post through an improper process following sexual harassment allegations.

Dr Yogendra Panchalingam filed the suit at the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in Kota Kinabalu on August 21. He named Sabah Health Department deputy director Datuk Dr Abd Kahar Abd Asis and his former deputy turned successor, Dr Christine Lu Shin Yeen, as defendants.

Alongside the civil suit, Dr Yogendra is pursuing a separate judicial review against the Ministry of Health challenging what he describes as an unlawful removal.

In his statement of claim, Dr Yogendra alleges that the defendants acted individually or in concert to orchestrate his removal as hospital director, severely damaging his career, professional reputation, and financial standing.

Appointed as hospital director in March 2025, Dr Yogendra denied all allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him, including complaints lodged by Dr Lu and the hospital’s corporate communications unit head, Elleyvianna Murang.

He alleged that Dr Lu pressured Elleyvianna into making claims before lodging a police report in January that alleged sexual harassment, emotional pressure, and psychological manipulation. Police subsequently classified the investigation as requiring no further action.

Dr Lu later brought a complaint before the Tribunal for Anti-Sexual Harassment (TAGS) in April, demanding a formal apology and RM250,000 in compensation.

The complaint cited an alleged incident the previous October where she claimed Dr Yogendra touched her forearm and wrist, blew her a “flying kiss”, and made a suggestive remark later that day.

According to court filings, the TAGS proceedings were held on July 23 and 24. However, Dr Yogendra noted that he was summarily transferred on July 24 before the tribunal had concluded its findings or established any wrongdoing on his part.

He claimed that prior to his transfer, he was never served a show-cause letter, given a disciplinary hearing, or provided with the internal investigation report cited by the department.

The Sabah Health Department directed Dr Yogendra to report to its Medical Division on July 27, later assigning him as a Grade UD14 medical officer.

The transfer stripped him of his executive responsibilities and cost him his RM250 monthly hospital administrator allowance, paving the way for Dr Lu to assume the directorship.

Dr Yogendra is seeking general, aggravated, and exemplary damages against both defendants for alleged conspiracy. He is also claiming special damages for the loss of his administrator allowance, financial compensation for derailed career progression, 5 per cent annual interest on all awarded sums, and legal costs.

AUGUST 24 — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was asked on ABC’s This Week whether she could see herself running for president in 2028.

“I haven’t ruled out the possibility,” she said.

No campaign announcement. No declaration of ambition. But for the first time, Ocasio-Cortez is openly leaving the possibility of a presidential run on the table.

In June 2018, Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old political newcomer, a former bartender and democratic socialist, challenged Joe Crowley — a 10-term congressman and one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington.

She won 57 per cent of the vote.

The political establishment was stunned. Her campaign had been built on grassroots volunteers and small donations, against a far more powerful political machine.

That was the beginning. She arrived in Congress in 2019 with little money and no political machine behind her.

Today, her campaign committee has reported more than US$32.6 million in receipts between January 2025 and June 2026, almost all from individual contributions.

Eight years later, Ocasio-Cortez is arguably the leading progressive voice in America and the leading Democratic choice in a recent New Hampshire poll for president.

As a freshman, she took on Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, in a hearing that put Trump’s finances under the microscope. Her questions were precise and relentless, pressing Cohen on payments, financial statements and whether Trump had directed him to provide false information. It was an early demonstration that the new congresswoman was prepared to use the power of a hearing to extract facts from one of the most politically consequential witnesses in Washington.

Later that year, she turned that same focus on Mark Zuckerberg. Questioning the Facebook founder over political advertising, she pressed him on whether Facebook would allow politicians to run false advertisements.

Bluntly she asked: “So you won’t take down lies, or you will take down lies? It’s a pretty simple yes or no.”

Ocasio-Cortez is arguably the leading progressive voice in America and the leading Democratic choice in a recent New Hampshire poll for president. — Picture via Facebook/Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

She has served on major House committees, fought over legislation and budgets, faced repeated elections and built a national political operation.

Then came the appointment that put her on one of Congress’s most powerful committees: the House Energy and Commerce Committee in January 2025.

Ocasio-Cortez recalled that it oversees about two-thirds of the American economy — healthcare, energy, technology and trade.

And then her phone never stopped ringing.

“The day I was named to this committee, my office’s phones rang off the hook and our inboxes were flooded by every corporate lobbyist under the sun. They all wanted to be my best friend.”

She then made her own position clear:

“I have never taken money from lobbyists or corporations. And I never will,” she promised.

She was not in Congress long before becoming one of its most recognisable voices. Her questioning was direct and closely focused, and she was willing to take on powerful figures in public.

In another highly visible moment at the 2021 Met Gala, she arrived in a white gown emblazoned in red with the words “Tax the Rich.” The dress became an instant media sensation.

And behind this increasingly visible political figure was a very different beginning.

“I come from a working-class family. My mom cleaned houses. My dad worked to start a small business.

“When I was a teenager, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away before I was even 20 years old. And the rug was pulled out from us all in the middle of the 2008 recession.”

“One accident, one bad day, one piece of bad news away from our lives falling apart.”

At a Los Angeles rally with Bernie Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez addressed a crowd of about 36,000. But she did not present the current political moment as something that had appeared overnight.

“This moment did not come out of nowhere. It has been a long time coming.”

She linked the erosion of rights and democracy to years of growing wealth inequality and the increasing influence of corporate and dark money in American politics.

She framed the choice starkly: “Oligarchy or democracy, but we cannot have both.”

“We can either have extreme wealth inequality with a toxic division and corruption that it requires to survive. Or we can have a fair economy that guarantees health care to all for working people along with a democracy and freedoms that uphold it.”

Speaking about members of Congress and elected officials trading individual stocks, she added: “It must end and we must ban it.”

Her influence now extends beyond her own campaigns. She has begun using her national profile to endorse and campaign for other candidates, including Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary. After his victory, Ocasio-Cortez described the Democratic Party as being in “a time of renewal.”

And she sees that renewal as generational.

“Millennials are not punk kids anymore. We’re grown adults with mortgages and kids. We’re taking the reins,” she declared.

There is another, more personal dimension to the choices Ocasio-Cortez has made.

Her decision to publicly discuss freezing her eggs made that painfully clear.

She could have kept the decision private. Instead, she chose to talk about it — including the practical realities and the political risk of making such a personal matter public.

She has argued that women in public life face questions about marriage, children and family planning in ways men generally do not.

The point is not whether one agrees with her decision. The point is why a woman’s reproductive choices can become a subject of political judgement at all.

Beyond elections, she says, the answer lies in something more basic: community.

“Beyond elections, LA, our task is to build community. Block associations, volunteer groups, church organizations, PTAs, activist organizations because community is the most powerful building block we have to defeat authoritarianism and root out corruption.”

“It will always be the people, the masses who refuse to comply with authoritarian regimes who are the last and strongest defence of our country and our freedoms.”

She has not announced a presidential campaign. Her immediate priority, she says, is the 2026 midterms and returning to Congress.

But she is no longer treating the question as impossible.

She also spoke about the danger of fear — and what happens when people become afraid to speak up.

“The fear of speaking up, the deeply bitter and toxic division is the crumbling of our rights and protections,” she made a universal declaration.

Happy Women’s Day Malaysia.

NEW DELHI, Aug 24 — India’s top security official arrived in Beijing today for talks on the countries’ disputed Himalayan border, ahead of a BRICS summit next month that New Delhi hopes President Xi Jinping will attend.

India’s foreign ministry said that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for talks on Tuesday.

“Doval, India’s Special Representative (SR) on the India-China Boundary Question, arrived in Beijing on a two-day visit earlier this afternoon,” the ministry said.

Doval will also meet China’s Vice President Han Zheng, it added.

The two side have met repeatedly for talks about their border since a deadly 2020 clash.

“At this meeting, the two sides will, in accordance with the spirit of the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, continue to engage in in-depth communication on the boundary question and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters.

The two Asian giants share a 3,500-kilometre (2,175-mile) border, and have in the past accused each other of trying to seize territory.

India’s main opposition party earlier this month said it was “deeply alarmed” by India media reports that Indian and Chinese army patrols came face-to-face in late July in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. India’s government rejected those reports.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet. India says the state is an integral part of its territory.

Despite lingering distrust, ties between the neighbours have gradually improved, including through the resumption of direct flights and border trade.

The September 12-13 BRICS meeting will be held in the Indian capital, with the Middle East, trade and the shifting global order expected to feature prominently.

BRICS was created in 2009 as a forum for major emerging economies seeking greater influence in institutions dominated by Western powers.

The grouping, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has since expanded. — AFP

TEHRAN, Aug 24 — Iran today dismissed Washington’s declaration of a massive economic pressure campaign, saying it disproved US claims to have dismantled Tehran’s military and nuclear capabilities.

“Your narrative doesn’t add up: you say that Iran’s military power has been ‘dismantled’, 100% of its military factories ‘destroyed’ and its nuclear program ‘buried’,” Kazem Gharibabadi, deputy foreign minister, said in a post on X.

Yet, he added, “there is a need for ‘the largest financial invasion in history’ and the mobilisation of ‘all institutions and powers’ of the United States! Is this a victory or an admission of America’s defeat?”

Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote in the Financial Times that Washington was launching the “single greatest financial offensive marshalled against an adversary”—calling it an “economic D-Day”.

Bessent posted on X that the measure came after the United States “dismantled Iran’s military capabilities, destroyed nearly 100 percent of its military factories, and buried its nuclear program.”

He is scheduled to explain the new US sanctions on Iran today. 

Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry warned countries against joining the US economic campaign. Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said taking part would “definitely have its own consequences”.

The United States and Israel triggered the Middle East war with a massive wave of strikes against Iran on February 28, triggering Iranian retaliation across the region.

An April 8 ceasefire ended nearly 40 days of intense bombardment, but control over the Strait of Hormuz soon emerged as a key flashpoint in the conflict.

Iran has controlled the vital energy conduit since the war began. Reopening the strait, vital for global oil and gas supplies, has become a US priority, but Tehran insists the waterway will remain closed until Washington lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports, removes oil sanctions and unfreezes Iranian assets abroad.

Last week, US President Donald Trump announced that Washington would ramp up economic pressure on Iran “on an unprecedented scale.”

Washington has urged other governments, including Beijing, to join efforts to further isolate Iran’s economy.

In an article published on Monday in Iran’s Ettela’at newspaper, Tehran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said relations with China “have taken on deeper, more structural, and more comprehensive dimensions.”

Iran has faced US and international sanctions since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Trump has repeatedly pursued a “maximum pressure” policy of economic sanctions against Iran, reinstating the approach after returning to office in January 2025 following a similar campaign during his first term.

Iran has repeatedly dismissed the sanctions policy as a failure, insisting that economic pressure and threats will not force it to change course. — AFP

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 24 — All four journals examined in connection with the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir were incomplete, with one of them found to have 64 sheets missing, the Coroner’s Court heard today.

The 77th witness, forensic science lecturer and researcher from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Dr Wan Nur Syuhaila Mat Desa, said the journals comprised a green journal marked W1, a pastel purple “Simple Style Book” journal (W2), a dark brown journal (W3) and an olive-green “Love And Peace” journal (WK9).

Wan Nur Syuhaila, who holds a PhD in Pure and Applied Chemistry from the University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom, said her physical examination found that W1 contained 97 sheets, compared with 98 in a new reference journal of the same type, indicating that one sheet was missing or torn.

Meanwhile, W2 contained only 53 sheets compared with 96 sheets in a new reference journal, meaning 43 sheets were missing, while W3 contained 77 sheets against 98 sheets in the reference journal, leaving 21 sheets missing.

She said WK9 was received in worn and torn condition and contained only 54 sheets compared with 118 sheets in a new reference journal of the same type, meaning 64 sheets were missing.

“My conclusion on the physical examination and reconstruction reveals that journals W1, W2, W3 and WK9 were incomplete at the time I examined them,” she told Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan during the inquest into Zara Qairina’s death here today.

Wan Nur Syuhaila said further examination of the WK9 journal showed evidence of modification and alteration, with the original front free endpaper having been torn out and part of the original sheet remaining at the upper left section.

She added the rear free endpaper was subsequently torn out and pasted onto the front cover, resulting in traces of both the original material and the newly pasted section, which formed the basis of her opinion that WK9 had undergone modification and alteration.

Wan Nur Syuhaila told the court she also examined the journals and loose pages using the Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA) method, a forensic tool used to reveal indented writing impressions not visible to the naked eye.

She recovered indented impressions on pages 51, 53, 67 and 100 of W2, but found no corresponding pages in the journal.

For WK9, Wan Nur Syuhaila recovered indented impressions on pages 1, 4, 7, 17, 37, 50, 51, and 53, with no corresponding pages in the journal.

She also found indented impressions on the inner front cover page of WK9, but was unable to extract or read them using ESDA due to technical limitations.

She also clarified that she did not compare any recovered handwriting against any individual’s handwriting to determine authorship, adding that the handwriting analysis was conducted by forensic document examiner Tay Eue Kam using the material she recovered.

Zara Qairina died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, a day after she was found unconscious in a drain near her school hostel at about 4am.

The inquest resumed at 2.30pm with the same witness. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Malaysian drummer Raja Azreen Raja Talib died onstage last month after collapsing mid‑performance during the Teruntum Rock Festival.

The festival took place in July, when Meditasi was scheduled to perform a 10‑song set at the event.

Berita Harian reported that the 56‑year‑old musician had completed two songs with his band Meditasi before suddenly slumping over his drum kit.

Frontman Bakaruddin Daud, known as Burn, told Berita Harian, “I rushed towards him, but I could feel that he was gone,” adding that he patted the drummer and called out to him but received no response.

Burn said fans were visibly alarmed as they watched the collapse and noted that Raja Azreen had appeared cheerful and showed no signs of illness before taking the stage.

Festival staff rushed him to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, where medical personnel provided respiratory assistance before pronouncing him dead.

His older brother, Raja, confirmed to Berita Harian that the cause of death was reportedly linked to heart complications.

Raja said the drummer had recently been diagnosed with diabetes and had been hospitalised twice in June for heart‑related issues.

He added that “extreme fatigue” may have contributed to the collapse, noting that Raja Azreen had gone directly from a BMX competition to the festival performance.

Meditasi, originally formed in 1983 under the name Metal Wizard before rebranding in 1989, rose to prominence during the golden era of Malaysian rock in the 1990s. — Picture via Facebook/Azreen Meditasi

Meditasi, originally formed in 1983 under the name Metal Wizard before rebranding in 1989, rose to prominence during the golden era of Malaysian rock in the 1990s.

The band reunited in 2015 after a hiatus and currently draws more than 46,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Police have stepped up security preparedness at the Malaysia-Thailand border following a series of explosions and attacks in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, southern Thailand, with the areas remaining under control.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department (JKDNKA) director Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the measures included the deployment of members of the Southeast and Northern Brigades of the General Operations Force (GOF) as well as intensifying patrols at the border fencing, Sungai Golok and routes that could potentially be used for infiltration.

“JKDNKA gives assurances that the country’s borders remain under control,” he said when contacted here today.

He said PDRM was also strengthening its prevention, early detection and rapid response approaches, as well as increasing intelligence and information sharing with Thai security agencies.

Mohd Yusri said so far there were no reports of Malaysians being affected in the incident.

He said the Malaysian Embassy in Bangkok and the Malaysian Consulate General in Songkhla would continue to liaise with Thai authorities to obtain the latest developments and ensure that the safety of Malaysians in the affected areas was always given attention.

In this regard, Mohd Yusri advised Malaysians who reside, are in or are planning to travel to the southern region of Thailand to postpone non-essential travel and remain vigilant.

He said they also needed to comply with all security instructions issued by Thai authorities, including a curfew if enforced, in addition to registering and updating information via the e-Consular portal to facilitate the process of obtaining consular assistance in emergencies.

The media previously reported that Narathiwat was placed under a curfew from 10.15pm last Saturday to 5am yesterday following more than 50 incidents, including bombings, burning of local government offices and burning tyres, which were reported to have occurred in the three regions.

The loud explosion from the direction of Narathiwat also shook homes and caused concern among residents in the Malaysia-Thailand border area, including Kampung Lubok Gong and Kampung Tersang, Rantau Panjang. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) is moving to convene industry players to address alleged distribution monopolies and ensure fair competition within the local cinematic market.

Chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib acknowledged growing anxiety over the concentration of control in film distribution, specifically where a single entity dominates production, funding, and distribution.

“If possible, we don't want any cartel. We want fair trade and opportunities for all industry players,” Azmir told reporters at the new Menara Finas headquarters in Damansara Damai.

While Finas has yet to receive official complaints, Azmir noted that the agency is keenly aware of the frustrations voiced by smaller players.

To address this, Finas will bring together distributors and producers to dissect the bottlenecks hindering fair market access.

A key point of contention is the lack of transparency regarding the release of international blockbusters. Azmir argued that advance notice on major Hollywood productions is essential, as sudden releases often blindside local producers and disrupt their scheduling.

“If overseas films come in without being informed, it can affect local films,” Azmir said.

Azmir cited the Chinese New Year window, where nearly 15 films fought for cinema screens within a mere two weeks, severely squeezing the visibility of local content.

He clarified that Finas is not aiming to stifle foreign cinema but wants local Malay, Chinese, and Tamil-language productions to have a genuine opportunity to reach audiences.

Along with these distribution talks, Finas is also in the final stages of a comprehensive regulatory overhaul. The updated framework, which will undergo consultations with ministries and agencies before reaching the Cabinet, is expected to take two years to fully implement.

The revised guidelines will modernise the industry's legal landscape, covering emerging technologies such as AI-generated content and studio-based productions. In a move to protect workers, the framework will mandate formal contracts covering working arrangements and payments for production crews.

Compliance will be strictly enforced, with penalties for regulatory breaches set to increase. Companies operating without a valid licence could face fines of up to RM250,000.

Azmir noted that the review is long overdue, as the last major regulatory update occurred in 2013. Finas is currently tracking 52 separate initiatives designed to modernize the industry and meet the evolving needs of filmmakers.

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 24 — Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to ramp up preventive measures to tackle cross-border haze, to safeguard air quality, especially in the lead-up to the National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations.

Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said the commitment was reached during a phone call today with his Indonesian counterpart, Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat.

“With the El Niño phenomenon expected to intensify towards October 2026, coinciding with the Southwest Monsoon, both nations are fully committed to stepping up prevention and early suppression measures,” he said in a statement today.

The 69th National Day celebration is set to take place at Dataran Putrajaya on Aug 31, while the Malaysia Day celebration will be held in Kuching, Sarawak, on Sept 16.

Arthur also conveyed the government’s appreciation to Indonesia for granting official clearance for cloud seeding operations to cross its airspace, targeting areas along the shared border.

He said the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) are in the process of preparing a timetable to synchronise operations with the Indonesian Armed Forces Commander.

Arthur also affirmed that Malaysia, in the spirit of neighbourliness and Asean solidarity, remains prepared to assist in putting out fires should the Republic require support at any time, subject to Cabinet approval.

“Malaysia acknowledges and endorses the expeditious measures undertaken by the Indonesian Government, steered by President Prabowo, in ramping up forest and land fire mitigation strategies.

“These include the mobilisation of an additional 1,500 Indonesian National Armed Forces personnel, the deployment of high-capacity helicopters for water bombing missions, and the vigorous execution of weather modification operations in the field,” he elaborated.

Arthur also emphasised that NRES, through the Department of Environment and MetMalaysia, will sustain rigorous surveillance of hotspot activity and ambient air quality, while preserving robust channels of communication with Indonesian authorities to protect the welfare of citizens in both countries.

By 10am today, 10 areas across four states had registered Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in the unhealthy range, with Serian, Sarawak posting the highest figure, approaching the threshold for very unhealthy air quality. — Bernama

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 24 — The government has cast the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) findings on Tabung Haji’s management between 2014 and 2020 as part of a wider push to tighten governance, strengthen accountability and restore public confidence in national institutions.

Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the government respects the investigation process and any action must be taken in accordance with the law and by the relevant authorities.

From an economic perspective, he noted, Tabung Haji’s governance is crucial given its scale and role.

“With investments exceeding RM96 billion, Tabung Haji’s governance has wider implications for confidence in institutions and the domestic market. The priority is to ensure investment management, financial discipline and risk oversight continue to be strengthened so depositors’ interests are sustainably protected,” he said in a statement today.

As of early August, Tabung Haji reported that more than 75 per cent of the RCI’s recommendations had been implemented, with the remainder still in progress.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) will provide eight additional KTM Komuter Utara train services for the Butterworth and Padang Besar route from Thursday until Monday (Aug 27-31) in conjunction with the school holidays and National Day celebrations.

In a statement today, KTMB announced that the additional services through the implementation of the KTM Komuter Northern Sector Special Timetable were made to meet the expected increase in passenger demand during the period.

It added that the move would increase the total number of services on the Butterworth-Padang Besar-Butterworth route from 38 to 46 services per day.

KTMB expects the number of passengers to increase by 30 per cent compared with normal days through the initiative, with the additional services able to accommodate up to 5,000 extra passengers a day, or a total of 25,000 passengers throughout the implementation period.

“Of the total, four additional services will be provided for the Padang Besar-Butterworth route, taking the total to 23 services per day compared with 19 services under the regular timetable.

“Four additional services will also be provided for the Butterworth-Padang Besar route, bringing the total to 23 services per day,” it added.

The additional services are among KTMB’s proactive measures to increase public transport capacity, in addition to providing more travel time options for passengers, especially for journeys between Penang, Kedah and Perlis during the school holidays and National Day celebrations.

The public is advised to plan their journeys in advance and refer to the KTM Komuter Northern Sector Special Timetable, which will be in effect throughout the period.

Schedule and fare information can be obtained through the KITS Style application, KTMB’s official website or the company’s official social media channels. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — A 35-year-old tahfiz teacher pleaded not guilty today in the Ampang Sessions Court to four counts of committing physical sexual assault against two male pupils at a religious school in Taman Keramat.

The accused, Muhammad Ilyas Jamaludin, is alleged to have committed the offences against the two boys, aged 10 and 11, at the premises between July and August 2026.

The charges were preferred under Sections 14(a) and 14(b) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, and read together with Section 16(1) of the same Act.

Under Section 14(a) and 14(b), the offence carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and caning and Section 16(1) provides for an additional term of up to five years’ imprisonment and no fewer than two strokes of the cane, upon conviction.

The accused also faces a charge under Section 15(f) of the same Act, which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years, or a fine not exceeding RM20,000, or both.

Deputy public prosecutor Nadiah Malek Fauzie did not offer bail, citing the seriousness of the offences and expressing concern that the accused might intimidate the victims if released.

However, the accused’s lawyer Mohd Zaharudeen Harun applied for bail of RM10,000 for all charges, on the basis that his client had been immediately dismissed from his job and needed to support his ailing elderly parents.

“I understand that the madrasah has terminated the accused’s employment with immediate effect, and there is no issue of him returning to the premises to interfere with witnesses or the victims,” the lawyer said.

Judge Ho Kwong Chin granted bail at RM30,000 with one surety for all four charges, subject to the accused reporting to the nearest police station monthly and refraining from contacting or intimidating any witnesses or victims until the case is concluded.

The court then set Oct 5, 2026, for the next mention of the case. — Bernama

WELLINGTON, Aug 24 — New Zealand’s government introduced legislation today to ban under 16s from using social media, joining a number of countries seeking to keep youngsters off sites such as Instagram and TikTok.

Australia implemented world-first legislation banning children from social media in December, with the UK, France and others following suit.

Under New Zealand’s proposed law, firms like Meta could be fined up to 10 per cent of their global revenue if they fail to comply.

“We simply cannot accept the harm being done to a generation of New Zealand children,” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said.

“One in three children aged between 13 and 17 are now spending at least five hours on social media a day,” he said.

“Social media is exposing them to harmful content, addictive technology and pressures they are not equipped to deal with, and it’s affecting their family life, mental health, sleep and education.”

Luxon specifically called out platforms Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook, saying they would be required to take “reasonable steps to check users are over the age of 16”.

They would have to use “existing account information, facial age estimation, digital ID services and formal ID” to verify age.

Platforms would also be required to assess the risks they pose as well as report on how those dangers are being reduced, with penalties slapped on companies that fail to comply.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said the Bill “places legal obligations on platforms”.

“No penalties are proposed for children, their parents or caregivers,” Stanford said.

Safety of young people at stake

It’s unclear whether the bill will pass, as both National Party’s coalition partners—the libertarian ACT party and populist NZ First—have said they oppose it.

In a statement, the populist NZ First said they could not support the law given the “colossal failure” of the legislation in Australia, while ACT said they believed the law “won’t work” and that teenagers would easily get around the ban.

The main opposition party Labour has submitted a list of dozens of questions it wanted answered before deciding whether it would offer support—including how age verification will work and which platforms will be affected.

“We take this legislation very seriously,” spokesman Reuben Davidson said.

“The safety of young people in Aotearoa New Zealand is at stake and the risks they face in increasingly complex online environments are significant,” he added, using the Maori-language name for the country.

Australia banned under 16s last year from the likes of Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, in a crackdown designed to protect children from online bullying and “predatory algorithms”.

A team of Australia-based researchers in a peer-reviewed study published in June found little evidence to suggest teenagers have turned away from social media as a consequence, however. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 —  Permodalan Nasional Berhad Merdeka Ventures (PNBMV) will be premiering their first ever short film 'Gapai' in conjunction with the Merdeka Month.

PNBMV which is the subsidiary of PNB, commissioned the three-minute short film honouring Malaysia’s founding father, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj.

During an early screening of Gapai, PNBMV chief executive officer Datuk Izwan Ibrahim said the film was inspired by Tunku Abdul Rahman’s iconic raised-hand proclamation in 1957, a moment that echoes the spirit of Gapai — the gesture of reaching out.

Produced by local production house Twentyoneseventeen in collaboration with PNBMV’s local creative agency, M&C Saatchi Karsa Malaysia, Gapai takes viewers through the lives of everyday Malaysians, showcasing the enduring spirit of Merdeka today.

The story culminates at the Merdeka 118 precinct, which includes Menara Merdeka Maybank, the iconic Stadium Merdeka and the newly opened Merdeka Textile Museum, bringing together the nation’s rich history and aspirations for the future.

“What we are trying to do here, our mandate is to develop.

“We are developing a global precinct, anchored on Malaysian heritage and we are not just building commercial spaces, we are not just building malls or museum but we are preserving our history,” Izwan said.

As part of its Merdeka Month celebrations, the Merdeka 118 precinct is collaborating with local cultural and social enterprise LOCCO to present three days of Merdeka celebrations from Aug 29 to 31 at Stadium Merdeka and Merdeka Boulevard, the stretch connecting Menara Merdeka Maybank to Stadium Merdeka.

The programme is set to feature a community bazaar, heritage activities, a Merdeka flashmob and the WarisanKL Explorace, offering visitors an engaging experience across the precinct.

PNBMV chief executive officer Datuk Izham Ibrahim said the film was inspired by Tunku Abdul Rahman’s iconic raised-hand proclamation in 1957, a moment that echoes the spirit of Gapai — the gesture of reaching out. — Picture by Choo Choy May.

Visitors can also explore the latest attractions at the Merdeka 118 precinct, including Look at 118, a ground-level viewing deck offering a unique perspective of Malaysia’s tallest tower, and Makan Makan Peranakan by the Serai Group, set against the backdrop of the iconic tower.

The Merdeka Textile Museum (MTM), which showcases the rich heritage of Malay World textiles, will also be open throughout the Merdeka weekend. The museum is offering free admission from Aug 22 to Sept 30.

“The Merdeka 118 precinct stands on the very ground where Malaysia’s independence was declared, and we want every visit here to be a reminder of where we came from and how far we have come.”

“Gapai reflects the philosophy that guides everything we do—While we continue reaching for greater heights and aspire to build a world class precinct, we remain firmly rooted in the community that defines this place.

“We want the people, local businesses and the neighbourhood around us to thrive alongside the precinct,” Izwan said.

The Merdeka 118 precinct will also continue to welcome new attractions in the coming months, including the opening of 118 Mall and The View at 118, Southeast Asia’s highest observation deck.

Following its exclusive premiere, Gapai will be released on Aug 25 across Merdeka 118’s official social media channels.

HONG KONG, Aug 24 — Oil prices fell today as investors braced for details of a US plan to isolate the Iranian economy that President Donald Trump billed as the “most crushing” financial operation ever against Tehran.

Asian stocks were mostly down in early trading, with South Korea’s tech-rich Kospi falling 1.4 per cent after Samsung Electronics said it spent a massive $80 billion to buy back its own shares following weeks of turbulent trading.

The chip giant’s shares, along with those of rival SK hynix, peaked in June on optimism for the artificial intelligence boom, but have since fallen amid investor jitters and a broader tech rout.

In an important week for AI, investors are also looking towards an earnings report from Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company and a bellwether for the sector.

The recurring question for the US chipmaker is whether the AI boom will continue to accelerate as the technology takes over more corners of the broader economy.

“The spending machine is still running, but the bill is getting heavier,” said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management.

“Nvidia must now show that the most expensive investment boom in modern market history can still pay its bills.”

Chinese tech giant Alibaba is keeping focus on the sector after announcing yesterda that it plans to issue US$10.2 billion in new shares in Hong Kong to fund its global AI ambitions.

The firm, known for its open-source “Qwen” AI models, has been ploughing tens of billions of dollars into the technology, with shareholders eager to see how it will monetise the huge investments.

Tokyo, Shanghai, Taipei and Wellington were down today. Sydney, Jakarta and Bangkok posted gains, while Manila and Kuala Lumpur were flat.

Hong Kong fell more than two percent despite fast-fashion giant Shein announcing its market debut will take place in the Chinese financial hub on September 1.

The long-awaited listing would value the group—known for its vast selection of products at stunningly low prices—at close to US$27 billion.

Eyes are also on US Treasury boss Scott Bessent, who said he would give more details in a news conference on Monday on a fresh push to pile economic pressure on Iran.

The United States warned allies and China on Thursday to join Trump’s new campaign, which comes as the unpopular war in the Middle East drags toward the six-month mark.

US Vice President JD Vance admitted the plan was a “delicate dance” because Iran will “try to apply economic pressure to us”.

Asked whether the United States would pressure China, Bessent told CNBC that “many conversations are best to have in private”, but called on Beijing “to get with the programme”.

Both main crude contracts were down 2.3 per cent, with the Brent benchmark sitting at $92 a barrel.

Traders will also be watching this week’s annual gathering of central bankers, economists and finance chiefs in Jackson Hole in the United States, hoping for some clarification on US monetary policy.

The meeting comes after the Treasury bought its own bonds last week in an effort to push down borrowing costs after the 30-year yield surged to levels last seen in 2007, just before the global financial crisis.

Yields have risen on inflation fears and as the United States reported that its federal debt had topped US$40 trillion. — AFP 

MELAKA, Aug 24 — Police have stepped up security along the Malaysia-Thailand border following more than 50 bombings, arson attacks on local government offices and tyre-burning reported in three provinces of southern Thailand last Saturday.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail also urged the public to stay away from the conflict zones, citing safety concerns amid the escalating tension.

“We are increasing border controls because we are concerned… first and foremost about Malaysians who frequently visit the area.

“In my view, given the current tense security situation, our people should reduce travel there and try to avoid visiting the conflict zone at this time. That is the best course of action,” he said.

He spoke to reporters today after the awards, decorations and medals ceremony held in conjunction with the 77th birthday of Yang Dipertua Negeri Melaka Tun Mohd Ali Rustam at Seri Negeri, Ayer Keroh.

Earlier at the ceremony, Mohd Khalid received the Darjah Gemilang Seri Melaka (D.G.S.M.) award, which carries the title Datuk Seri.

He expressed hope that the conflict would be resolved peacefully to ensure continued security along the nation’s border.

“We pray that everything can be settled amicably, and that both countries, especially along the border, remain safe and peaceful,” he said.

Meanwhile, a curfew was imposed in Narathiwat province from 10.15pm Aug 22 until 5 the following morning, following more than 50 violent incidents reported across three provinces.

The loud explosions, heard from Narathiwat, sent shockwaves through border communities, rattling homes and raising alarm among residents in Kampung Lubok Gong and Kampung Tersang in Rantau Panjang. — Bernama

SANDAKAN, Aug 24 — A worker was electrocuted during installation works on an electric pole at Bandar Tabin Jaya, here on Saturday.

Sandakan Fire and Rescue (Bomba) station chief, Senior Assistant Superintendent Jimmy Lagung, said a team was dispatched to the location after they received a distress call at 7.53pm.

“Upon arrival, the victim, who was a contractor worker, was found on the pole.

“Personnel from the Sabah Electricity helped disconnect the electricity before the man was brought down using special equipment,” he said in a statement.

Jimmy said the worker was confirmed dead on site by paramedics, and the body was later handed to the police for further action.

The operation ended at 9.40pm.

Meanwhile, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (Sabah Electricity) has confirmed the incident involving two contractor workers during electrical pole replacement works near the traffic light junction leading to Taman Mawar here, on Aug 22.

It stated that the incident resulted in death of one worker.

“The other worker sustained injuries, and is now reported to be in stable condition,” said the utility provider in a statement, in which it extended its condolences to the family of the deceased and expressed its sympathy to the injured worker.

“The company is providing full cooperation to the relevant authorities to determine the actual cause of the incident.

“All related works on the site have been temporarily suspended pending the completion of investigations.

“Sabah Electricity takes the incident seriously and remains committed to ensuring that safety is given the highest priority by all parties involved, including contractors, in all work activities and operations,” it said. — The Borneo Post

SUBANG JAYA, Aug 24 — Ten people sustained minor injuries in a roller coaster incident at a theme park here.

District police chief ACP Wan Azlan Wan Mamat said the incident took place at about 9pm on Saturday, while the report was lodged with police at 11.45am yesterday.

He said 22 people, comprising locals and foreign tourists aged between 11 and 44, were on the ride when the incident occurred.

“Ten of them sustained injuries and were taken to medical centres in the Subang Jaya district for treatment.

“All the victims sustained minor injuries and there were no fatalities,” he said in a statement today.

Wan Azlan said police were investigating the incident and advised the public not to speculate, as this could hamper the investigation.

“Anyone with information can contact the Subang Jaya Police headquarters at 03-78627100,” he said. — Bernama 

LOS ANGELES, Aug 24 — Zendaya and Tom Holland have reportedly imposed firmer boundaries on longtime stylist Law Roach after he publicly revealed their secret marriage months before Holland confirmed it.

Entertainment outlet Radaronline.com reported that the couple, who have closely guarded their relationship since meeting on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016, acted after Roach unexpectedly disclosed their wedding on a Los Angeles red carpet in March.

A source quoted by Radaronline.com said, “Tom and Zendaya adore Law and trust him enormously, but after the wedding revelation they made it clear that details about their marriage and home life have to stay private.”

Roach made the remark during an Access Hollywood interview at the Actor Awards on March 1, telling the reporter, “The wedding has already happened — you missed it,” before confirming the statement when pressed.

Holland later addressed the speculation in an interview with Esquire, saying relatives had not been confused by AI-generated wedding photos because “they were all there,” and he declined to elaborate further on the ceremony.

The couple reportedly held a private celebration with family and friends at Beaverbrook in Surrey, England, after Holland publicly confirmed the marriage in June.

Sources told Radaronline.com that Zendaya and Holland have since instructed Roach to avoid discussing their personal lives, with the insider claiming the move “effectively censored” him from making casual comments that could become headlines.

Roach has remained cautious in subsequent appearances, telling Ziwe Fumudoh’s YouTube series that Zendaya’s wedding outfit was “better than AI,” referencing fake bridal images that circulated online.

He previously dismissed those AI-generated photos during a June television appearance, insisting the real dress surpassed the fabricated versions.

Holland has spoken more broadly about the strength of their relationship, describing Zendaya as his closest companion and saying their shared experience in the entertainment industry allows them to support each other in ways few others can.

Roach has styled Zendaya since 2011 and is credited with shaping many of her most prominent red-carpet looks across Hollywood. 

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 24 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will deliver the 2026 National Day ‘Amanat Perdana’ on Aug 30 to convey the aspirations and hopes of the Madani Government leadership on the importance of embracing the spirit of independence and fostering patriotism among Malaysians.

Organised by the National Unity Ministry, the event will be held at Dataran Merdeka, with various programmes starting as early as 5pm, including the Merdeka Eve Animation Concert, World Festival of Lights, Gema Perpaduan Malaysia Madani cultural performance, a special Independence Musical segment and performances by leading local artistes.

National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said the well-being that the country aspires to enjoy could not be achieved without strong unity.

“In a Malaysia rich in religious, cultural and linguistic diversity, as well as diverse customs and traditions, we must continue to cultivate an attitude of understanding, respect, acceptance and celebration.

“Let us continue to foster the spirit of mutual understanding, respect and acceptance of diversity, because it is through togetherness that Malaysia draws its strength to continue progressing in harmony and prosperity,” he said in a statement today.

The National Unity Ministry, as the secretariat of the event, has also invited the public to attend the event at Dataran Merdeka to listen to Anwar’s address, which will also be broadcast live on TV1 and the RTMKlik application from 9.30pm.

Themed ‘Malaysia Madani: Kesejahteraan Dinikmati’, the 69th National Day celebration will be held at Dataran Putrajaya, with more than 80,000 visitors expected to attend. — Bernama

BEIJING, Aug 24 — China’s manned space agency said yesterday it is delaying a research moon mission that is part of Beijing’s efforts to land a crew there by 2030, less than two weeks after a rare launch failure.

The agency said after a “comprehensive assessment” the mission, which involved sending the Chang’e-7 lunar probe on a Long March 5 carrier rocket, “does not meet launch conditions and cannot take place during the planned window this year”.

The decision to delay was “based on the principle of prudence, reliability and absolute mission success,” it added, without providing further details on what conditions weren’t met or when the launch would be rescheduled.

The mission — meant to search for water on the moon’s south pole — was scheduled to depart either over the weekend or today, according to media reports.

Last week, the agency said the probe and carrier rocket had been moved to the takeoff area at Wenchang Space Launch Centre in southern Hainan province.

As of Wednesday, the takeoff site and equipment were in good condition, with inspections to take place and a launch “scheduled for the coming period”.

The Chang’e-7 delay comes just under two weeks after media reports showed a rocket launched from the Hainan site had exploded, as crowds watched a fiery ball in the sky.

The failed mission involved a Long March 7A carrier rocket, which had lifted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site, state news agency Xinhua said at the time.

An “anomaly” occurred when the rocket carrying the Zhongxing-4B communications satellite was in flight, Xinhua added.

The cause of the failure was under investigation, it said.

Beijing has ploughed billions of dollars into its space programme in recent years to achieve what President Xi Jinping calls the country’s “space dream”.

China successfully landed a reusable rocket for the first time in July, according to its space agency, marking a major step in its space ambitions and in reducing launch costs.

The country is aiming to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030, a race in which the United States is also competing with its Artemis programme. — AFP

KULAI, Aug 24 — A motoring influencer was among eight local men remanded for four days to assist investigations into a case involving the closure of a section of the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link (Linkedua) to stage an illegal race last Saturday.

The remand order, effective today until Thursday (Aug 27), was issued by Magistrate R. Salini after police applied for the order at the Kulai Magistrate’s Court to assist investigations under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act (RTA) 1987.

Earlier, all the individuals were brought to the court at 8.25 am after being arrested yesterday.

Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad was reported to have said that the group was believed to have blocked the road from KM33 at the Senai Utara Toll interchange to KM31 at the Johor Premium Outlet (JPO) interchange on Linkedua to stage an illegal race.

He said they were arrested by the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Division of the Kulai district police headquarters (IPD) as they were believed to be directly linked to the case.

The incident also went viral on social media, with a video showing a group of individuals stopping road users to give way for them to race. — Bernama

MELAKA, Aug 24 — Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek led the list of 1,328 recipients of awards in conjunction with the 77th Birthday of the Yang Dipertua Negeri Melaka Tun Mohd Ali Rustam today.

Fadhlina received the Darjah Gemilang Seri Melaka (D.G.S.M) which carries the title of Datuk Seri.

Also receiving the same title were Chief Justice of Malaya Datuk Seri Hashim Hamzah, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail and Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman.

The other awardees were Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) chief Gen Tan Sri Muhamad Norazlan Aris, executive president and chief executive officer of Petronas Downstream Datuk Seri Sazali Hamzah and president of the Malaysian National Silat Federation (Pesaka) Datuk Seri Megat Zulkarnain Omardin.

Meanwhile, 56 individuals received the Darjah Cemerlang Seri Melaka (D.C.S.M) award which carries the title of Datuk Wira, including Benut assemblyman Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk M. Kumar, National Solid Waste Management Department director-general Datuk Dr Mohd Azhar Abd Hamid and Melaka police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar.

A total of 14 individuals were awarded the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (D.M.S.M) which carries the title of Datuk, including Sabah State Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Datuk Al Hambra Juhar, High Court Judge Datuk Suria Kumar A/L Durairaj Johson Paul and commander of the 3rd Infantry Division Maj Gen Datuk Sani S Omar.

A total of 189 recipients were awarded the Darjah Pangkuan Seri Melaka (D.P.S.M) which carries the title of Datuk which was also awarded to director-general of Broadcasting Datuk Ashwad Ismail, Editor of News and Current Affairs Group, Media Prima Berhad TV Network Datuk Azhari Muhiddin and Datuk Siti Roziana Zain or Ziana Zain, who was born in Merlimau, Jasin.

In other categories, a total of five individuals were commissioned as Justices of the Peace while 106 recipients were awarded the Darjah Seri Melaka (D.S.M).

Also awarded were the Bintang Cemerlang Melaka (B.C.M) to 151 recipients, Bintang Khidmat Terpuji (B.K.T) (244 recipients), Pingat Jasa Kebaktian (P.J.K) (386 recipients), Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (P.B.M) (161 recipients) and Pingat Khidmat Lama (P.K.L) (five recipients).

Meanwhile, Melaka State Secretary Datuk Salhah Salleh in a statement announced that the overall award reflects Melaka’s appreciation for individuals who have provided service, contributions and devotion in various fields and played a role in the development and well-being of the state.

He said the implementation of the Melaka 2026 Awards Ceremony was coordinated with all relevant agencies and complied with the established procedures and procedures to ensure the smooth running, safety and comfort of the recipients and guests throughout the ceremony. — Bernama

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 24 — The remand period for a government agency chairman and a company director has been extended for another three days until Wednesday to assist investigations into an abuse of power case involving the disposal of land in Penang, with losses estimated at RM1.96 million.

The order to further remand the two men, both holding the title Datuk and aged in their 40s and 50s, was issued by Magistrate Nurhanisah SH Sahul Hamid.

On Thursday, five people, comprising a government agency chairman, two company directors, a technical manager and a female clerk, were detained at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office.

They were remanded for four days from Friday. Three of them have since been released on bail.

The chairman is suspected of abusing his position while serving as deputy chairman and a member of the Board of Directors to approve the sale of eight plots of land belonging to an agency under a ministry in Seberang Perai Selatan in 2015.

The land is believed to have been sold to a company owned by his associate at a price significantly below market value, resulting in losses estimated at RM1.96 million.

The case is being investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has rejected a proposal by the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) to raise the national minimum wage from RM1,700 to RM3,100, cautioning that an 82.4 per cent surge is detached from prevailing economic realities.

FMM president Jacob Lee Chor Kok said that while the federation supports higher wages as Malaysia strives for high-income status, an abrupt RM1,400 increase in a single revision remains unprecedented. Such an adjustment, he stressed, cannot occur without weighing productivity gains, employer affordability, export competitiveness, inflation, and the ripple effects across entire company pay scales.

The pushback follows remarks on Sunday by MTUC secretary-general Kamarul Baharin Mansor, who framed RM3,100 as a necessary "living wage" benchmark. Kamarul argued against views that statutory reviews should not automatically trigger rate hikes, calling that position dismissive of low-income earners stuck at the baseline. He noted that the RM3,100 threshold reflects escalating costs for food, housing, and transport, citing instances of decade-long employees still earning RM1,700 due to rigid pay structures.

Under the National Wages Consultative Council (NWCC) Act, the next mandatory statutory wage review is slated for February 2027. The current RM1,700 threshold took effect in February 2025 and became mandatory across all employer categories in August 2025.

FMM pointed out that statutory minimum wage revisions since 2013 have always been gradual, rising incrementally from RM900 and RM800 in 2013 to RM1,700 in 2025. With enterprises still adapting to the latest rate, the federation cautioned that raising the baseline to RM3,100 would place it uncomfortably close to Malaysia's formal sector median wage of RM3,167 recorded in December 2025.

Such wage compression would compel employers to lift pay scales for supervisors, technicians, and skilled staff to maintain internal pay differentials, driving total operational payrolls far beyond the direct cost of minimum-wage adjustments. FMM warned this burden would fall hardest on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and labour-intensive manufacturers, raising the risk of business closures, operational relocations, and reduced entry-level hiring.

Highlighting regional dynamics, FMM warned that a RM3,100 threshold would widen the gap between Malaysia and competing Asean manufacturing hubs. Minimum monthly wages currently range from roughly RM570 to RM820 in Vietnam, RM1,080 to RM1,280 in Thailand, RM560 to RM1,450 across Indonesian provinces, and around RM1,300 in Metro Manila. Widening this divide without equal productivity gains risks dampening Malaysia's industrial edge.

FMM urged that all wage revisions remain anchored within the tripartite NWCC framework, relying on empirical data including productivity indices, cost of living, sector-specific health, and employer balance sheets. Any upcoming adjustment must remain moderate, predictable, and paired with ample notice.

The federation also called on the government to widen fiscal support for SMEs in Budget 2027 through competitive tax structures and expanded incentives for automation, digitalisation, and upskilling to drive a "virtuous cycle" of sustainable wage growth.

"The distinction between a statutory minimum wage, which provides a basic wage floor, and the broader aspiration for a living wage must be properly recognised," Lee said, adding that the sustainable path to better pay runs through productivity, skills and business growth rather than a single large increase in the statutory floor.

LOS ANGELES, Aug 24 — Spider-Man: Brand New Day is still riding high in the North American box office, topping ticket sales for the fourth consecutive weekend in cinemas, but sharply down from last week’s performance.

The superhero film fronted by Tom Holland and real-life wife Zendaya brought in US$39 million (RM157 million), down 45 per cent on last weekend’s take.

The latest Marvel blockbuster, which had the biggest debut weekend of all time at the domestic box office, has now brought in US$854.9 million in the United States and Canada since its July 31 release — and an additional US$1.37 billion internationally — according to industry watcher Exhibitor Relations.

Coming in second and also distributed by Sony Pictures was Insidious: Out of the Further, which scared up a solid opening weekend of US$25.3 million for the sixth installment of the horror franchise.

The movie, starring Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea and Maisie Richardson-Sellers, follows the story of a young woman who can bring spirits into the mortal world but is herself haunted.

“This is a solid opening for the 6th episode of a horror series,” wrote David Gross in the FranchiseRe movie industry newsletter. “The drop from number five’s opening in July 2023 is substantial but typical of these sequels.”

Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey slipped to third, bringing in US$19.5 million, down 17 per cent in its sixth weekend, for a current domestic total of US$539.1 million.

At fourth, Paramount Pictures’ Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie took in US$9.1 million, down 55 per cent on last weekend’s opening.

Warner Bros.’s sci-fi thriller The End of Oak Street, starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor as a couple battling to survive when their neighbourhood is transported back to prehistoric times, brought in US$9 million, down 57 per cent.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

Mutiny (US$7.5 million)

Tony (US$5.0 million)

Spa Weekend (US$3.1 million)

The Fast and the Furious (US$3.1 million)

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (US$1.9 million) — AFP