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MILITARY24m agoSaviour or stop gap? Malaysia’s South Korean jets arrive to relieve ageing fightersMalaysia received its first South Korean-made light combat jet on Friday under a nearly 4 billion ringgit (US$990 million) procurement, in what analysts describe as welcome relief for an ageing air force still years away from replacing its frontline fighters. The FA-50M Block 20 jet arrived at the air force base in Labuan, off Borneo, with a second expected in Kuantan on the peninsula’s east coast next Monday. They are the first of 18 aircraft ordered from Korea Aerospace Industries under a deal...South China Morning Post
WORLD6h agoMost Malaysians held for drug crimes abroad detained in Indonesia, ChinaThe number of Malaysians detained overseas for drug-related offences increased to 1,588 as of September this year, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni. Lukanisman said the five countries with the highest numbers of Malaysians detained were Indonesia (381), China (380), Singapore (310), Thailand (102) and Japan (72). He said increasingly sophisticated drug-smuggling methods had contributed to the frequent arrests of Malaysians overseas. “A total of 1,181 Malaysians were...South China Morning Post
SCI & TECH8h agoCan AI teach kids to think? Malaysia’s classroom tech push faces a reality checkWhile many parents still question whether to give their children access to artificial intelligence, Malaysian tech worker Pravin Ganesan has embraced it to solve a very practical problem: helping his eight-year-old daughter with homework he sometimes struggles to explain. Pravin, 42, taught her a few basic prompts and checked the answers closely, finding that generative AI is particularly good at breaking down difficult concepts into child-friendly terms. “It has helped her learn and understand...South China Morning Post
POLITICS18h agoAnwar’s ex-rival backs Malaysia’s budget. Will Muhyiddin become PM’s election partner?The former prime minister who helped bring down Anwar Ibrahim’s political alliance six years ago has now agreed to back his government in parliament, in a surprise deal struck just before the passage of Malaysia’s 2027 budget at its first voting stage on Thursday. Muhyiddin Yassin, who governed Malaysia from 2020 to 2021, joined 12 other opposition and independent lawmakers in pledging support for Anwar’s administration, hours before parliament approved the government’s 459.8 billion ringgit...South China Morning Post
DISASTER21h agoIndonesia haze cost Malaysia US$1.97 billion in losses: studySouth China Morning Post
WORLD1d ago2 men charged in Malaysia after dog seen being dragged behind motorbikeTwo friends claimed trial to a charge of animal cruelty at the Sessions Court in the Malaysian state of Penang for allegedly dragging a dog tied to a motorcycle last month. Lee Beng Hooi and Yeoh Keat Chye, both 62, pleaded not guilty to the charge read before judge Irwan Suainbon on Thursday. They were jointly charged with dragging a female black dog on an iron chain along the road using a motorcycle, causing the animal unnecessary pain and suffering. The offence allegedly occurred along a back...South China Morning Post
SCI & TECH2d agoMalaysia seizes smuggled AI chips worth US$12 million at Kuala Lumpur airportMalaysian customs said on Wednesday ⁠that it ⁠had seized about 49.5 ⁠million ringgit (US$12 million) worth of advanced artificial intelligence chips this month, as authorities close in on a syndicate suspected of smuggling high-performance semiconductors through the country’s main airport. Malaysia imposed export controls last year on the movement of advanced AI chips of US origin, following pressure from the United States to stem their flow into China. On October 15, authorities found 30 server...South China Morning Post
BUSINESS2d agoAI chips worth $12.1 million seized at Malaysia airport, customs authority says - ReutersAI chips worth $12.1 million seized at Malaysia airport, customs authority says ReutersReuters World
POLITICS2d agoOver 2,000 rogue Malaysian police officers arrested in past 5 yearsA total of 2,097 Malaysian police officers and personnel have been arrested for drug-related offences, robbery and corruption between 2021 and August this year, according to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. Of the total, 1,551 were arrested for drug offences, 64 for robbery and 482 by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). Saifuddin Nasution said in a written parliamentary reply to Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng on Tuesday that the drug-related arrests were made under the Dangerous...South China Morning Post
WORLD3d agoThe price of romance: young Malaysian men borrow to fund dates, study findsMore than one in 10 Malaysian men have borrowed money to pay for dates, while nearly six in 10 usually pick up the entire bill, a survey has found. The findings come as rising living costs place a financial strain on romance in Malaysia, where money worries are increasingly complicating plans for marriage and starting a family. According to the Dating Expenditure Survey in Malaysia, released on Tuesday by independent policy research firm LEGASI Research, 13.2 per cent of male respondents...South China Morning Post
POLITICS3d ago‘Fed up’ Malaysian sultan rebukes scandal-hit pilgrimage fund, demands accountabilityA Malaysian ruler is demanding accountability over the mismanagement of a pilgrimage fund, after a government rescue package, criminal proceedings against former officials and half-hearted reforms have fuelled concerns about political influence in an institution entrusted with the savings of millions of the country’s Muslims. Tabung Haji holds the savings of more than 9.8 million depositors and helps Malaysian Muslims finance and undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca, a religious obligation for...South China Morning Post
WORLD4d agoSuspected murder of man at Malaysian underground gig raises safety concernsThe death of a 21-year-old delivery rider at an underground gig in Malaysia, now being investigated as murder, has highlighted concerns over crowd safety and regulatory flaws in the country’s independent live music scene, industry players say. Police reclassified the case on Sunday, four days after the man died from head injuries sustained at the gig in the southern state of Melaka, where the event was reportedly held without the necessary permits and local authority approval. The...South China Morning Post
BUSINESS4d agoSoftBank reportedly plans $50 billion tech investment in aspiring 'AI nation' MalaysiaSoftBank Group reportedly plans to invest $50 billion in Malaysia's technology sector, including artificial intelligence and data centers.CNBC
POLITICS4d agoMurder in Malaysia’s Beverly Hills | True Crime ReportsA young woman is abducted, shot twice, and blown up in the jungle. Who wanted Altantuya dead – and who covered it up?Al Jazeera [en]
WORLD5d agoMalaysian-owned tanker carrying US$14 million in ketamine seized in IndonesiaThe tanker detained by Indonesian authorities that was used in an attempt to smuggle 1.16 tonnes of ketamine is owned by a Malaysian-registered company. Bukit Aman Narcotics Crime Investigation Department director Hussein Omar Khan said the two directors of the company that owns the MT Global 168 are Malaysians. He said the company’s office is located in Johor Bahru, Malaysia’s Johor state. According to Hussein, the tanker had previously applied for registration under the Malaysian flag but had...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 23Malaysia’s oil-rich Sarawak heads to polls, forcing Anwar into yet another federal testMalaysia’s oil-rich Sarawak state will dissolve its assembly on Monday in a test of political strength for a powerful regional coalition whose support has become crucial to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government. Anwar is facing growing pressure following electoral setbacks for his own coalition in Peninsular Malaysia, while over in Borneo, ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) continues to press for greater autonomy and control over the state’s vast oil and gas resources. Sarawak Premier Abang...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 23‘I am not resigning’: embattled leader digs in as Malaysia royal crisis deepensEmbattled Negeri Sembilan chief minister Ismail Lasim has denied claims that he has resigned, as a constitutional crisis in the Malaysian state spiralled further following a move by his executive council to challenge their sacking by the state’s ruler in court. The state has been all but paralysed by a dispute that began in April over who has the right to sit on Negeri Sembilan’s throne, bringing down a state government aligned with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH)...South China Morning Post
WORLDOct 2216-year-old Malaysian student attacks his teacher with axeA 16-year-old Malaysian student attacked his teacher and fellow school pupils with an axe.Al Jazeera [en]
SCI & TECHOct 22Malaysia’s TuJu app struggles after Anwar suggests switching from WazeMalaysia’s highway authority is working to resolve technical disruptions affecting its TuJu navigation application following a sharp increase in users. In a statement on Thursday, the Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia (LLM) said the matter was being resolved together with the application provider Prosignal Consortium. LLM said the surge in users came after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim suggested that the public consider using a locally developed navigation application instead of Waze. “We apologise for...South China Morning Post
WORLDOct 22Malaysian teen arrested after live-streaming axe attack on teacher in classMalaysian police have arrested a 16-year-old student after he live-streamed an attack on a teacher with an axe at a private school in Kuching, the capital of Sarawak state. CCTV footage shows the teenager entering a classroom at around 7.50am on Wednesday, hitting the female teacher with an axe before leaving. He re-enters through a second door and swings the axe at students as they flee the room. As the teacher tries to intervene, he attempts to hack at her again but is subdued by two male...South China Morning Post
CYBEROct 21Malaysia bars civil servants from using Waze, citing Israel’s control of appAll civil servants in Malaysia have been banned from using Waze, following a warning by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of security concerns over the Israeli government’s control of the mobile navigation app. The government announced the decision after a National Cyber Security Committee (NCSC) meeting chaired by Anwar on Tuesday, according to an official circular. “In this regard, all ministry secretaries-general and heads of department must make sure this decision is communicated to all officers...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 21Malaysia’s border chief charged with assaulting police in viral airport clashMalaysia’s border control chief pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to two charges of assaulting junior police officers at the country’s main international airport last month, after a video of the confrontation went viral. Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, director general of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency, was filmed confronting two men at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on September 28. He previously linked the incident to an operation against airport touts following complaints about...South China Morning Post
BUSINESSOct 21Stinking rich: Malaysia eyes land routes to boost durian trade in ChinaMalaysia is negotiating with Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia to establish overland transit routes for fresh durian exports to China, according to Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu. The minister said the move would reduce transport costs and improve access to the lucrative Chinese market. “Durian is a favourite among Chinese consumers, but they sometimes find it difficult to get the fruit at a more affordable price,” he said during parliament’s question and answer time on...South China Morning Post
DISASTEROct 20In Malaysia, viral air purifier test fans flames of anger over hazeAs haze from forest fires in Indonesia continues to shroud Southeast Asia, Malaysians have taken to social media to air their grievances, with a video of an elevated outdoor reading from an air purifier among viral content marking public frustration. The clip, posted by user syahierarafie, shows a device detecting an Air Pollutant Index (API) of up to 318 in Gelang Patah, a suburban town in western Johor Bahru which borders Singapore. The video has drawn over 990,000 views as of Tuesday. “Today,...South China Morning Post