Foreign minister: Nepal seeks legal amendments to expedite death certificates for 54 Malaysians

Foreign minister: Nepal seeks legal amendments to expedite death certificates for 54 Malaysians



Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the Nepalese government is seeking to amend the country’s laws to expedite the issuance of death certificates for 54 Malaysians who remain uncontactable following floods and landslides that hit the country in August. — Picture by Firdaus Latif


Summary

• The Nepalese government is seeking to change laws to quickly issue death certificates for 54 Malaysians missing after floods in August, which usually requires a three-year wait.
• Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the certificates are crucial for families to handle financial affairs and special arrangements may be made if legal amendments fail.
• Additionally, Malaysia is considering aid for forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia, facing challenges of remote areas, thick haze, and safety concerns for deploying pilots.

First Published: Sunday, 18 Oct 2026 2:49 PM MYT
Last Modified: Sunday, 18 Oct 2026 3:11 PM MYT


MELAKA, Oct 18 — The Nepalese government is seeking to amend the country’s laws to expedite the issuance of death certificates for 54 Malaysians who remain uncontactable following floods and landslides that hit the country in August.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said Nepal’s existing laws require a waiting period of up to three years before death certificates can be issued for individuals who remain unaccounted for after a disaster.


He said Nepalese Embassy representatives informed him of the matter during a visit to his office last week.

“The Nepalese government is pursuing the legal amendments and will table them to Parliament. Failing that, it will make special arrangements to ensure death certificates can be issued without delay for the 54 Malaysians who remain unreachable,” he told reporters after officiating the closing ceremony of the 10th National General Conference of the National Solidarity Association (PerSoNa) for the 2025 session here today.


He said the death certificates are necessary for the victims’ families to manage related affairs, including matters involving banks and insurance companies.

On Aug 26, flash floods and landslides hit Nepal’s Rasuwa district and the Nepal-Tibet border area after heavy rain, damaging infrastructure and communications and complicating search-and-rescue operations.

The Foreign Ministry had earlier reported that a Malaysian who could not be contacted after the disaster returned home safely on Oct 2, bringing the number of Malaysians still unaccounted for to 54.


Meanwhile, Mohamad said Malaysia is awaiting a decision by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) and the National Security Council (MKN) on aid that can be extended to tackle forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia.


He said the outcome of the discussions will be brought to the Cabinet for approval, while efforts to extinguish the fires remain challenging because they are burning in remote areas amid thick haze.

“Visibility is below 50 metres and the Air Pollutant Index in Kalimantan has reached 1,000,” he said, adding that Malaysia will assess the risks before deciding on air support and will not deploy pilots if conditions endanger their safety.

On the situation in Italy and France, Mohamad advised Malaysians travelling to the two countries to stay away from demonstrations and areas where rioters are congregating.

He said there are no travel restrictions for Italy or France at present, but Malaysians should remain cautious and comply with local authorities’ safety advice. — Bernama

‘We cannot sit back’: Malaysia offers aircraft to fight Indonesia forest fires despite dangerously poor visibility

‘We cannot sit back’: Malaysia offers aircraft to fight Indonesia forest fires despite dangerously poor visibility



The skyline of Kuala Lumpur is seen amid thick smog during sunrise on October 17, 2026, as the country continues to be shrouded in haze caused by fires in Indonesia. — AFP pic


Summary

• Malaysia has offered to assist Indonesia in combating forest fires that are causing a thick haze across the region, impacting air quality and daily life.
• Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan emphasized the challenges posed by poor visibility and remote fire locations, which complicate aerial firefighting efforts.
• Discussions between agencies from both countries are ongoing to determine the feasible support Malaysia can provide, ensuring the safety of personnel remains a priority.
• The outcome will be presented to the Malaysian Cabinet for approval as Indonesia accepts international assistance to manage the crisis.

First Published: Sunday, 18 Oct 2026 3:21 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Malaysia cannot afford to stand by as raging forest fires in Indonesia send thick haze across the region, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said today, as the country offered to deploy helicopters and water-bombing aircraft to help contain the blazes.

But Mohamad warned that dangerously poor visibility, reportedly below 50m in affected areas, could hamper aerial firefighting operations and put pilots at risk.


“It is indeed difficult. Even the Japanese team was previously unable to do anything and has since returned to their country. But as a country affected by the situation, we cannot simply sit back and do nothing,” he said, according to Sinar Harian.

Speaking to reporters at the 10th National General Assembly of the National Solidarity Association (PerSoNa) in Melaka, Mohamad said the fires were burning deep in remote inland areas, making them difficult to reach by land.


Thick smoke was also preventing aircraft from operating safely.

“Aircraft cannot fly because the haze is extremely thick, with visibility of less than 50m.

“The Air Pollutant Index (API) in Kalimantan has also reached 1,000, indicating an extremely severe situation,” he said.


Mohamad stressed that the safety of pilots and other personnel must remain a priority in any proposed operation.


“We have to be careful. We cannot force pilots to fly in dangerous conditions. We will not do that,” he said.

He said discussions were under way between agencies from both countries to determine what assistance could be provided, taking into account the remote locations of the fires and the severity of the haze.

Senior officials from the Foreign Ministry, the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the National Security Council (MKN) were holding talks with their Indonesian counterparts to work out the details of a possible deployment.

“Apart from offering helicopters and water-bombing aircraft capable of carrying water, they are looking at ways Malaysia can help Indonesia extinguish the forest fires that are currently raging out of control,” he said.

Mohamad said the outcome of the discussions would be presented to the Cabinet soon for approval before assistance could be extended to the Indonesian government.

The proposed assistance comes as Indonesia struggles to contain widespread forest and peatland fires that have sent thick smoke across parts of Southeast Asia.

Indonesia has agreed to accept international assistance to tackle the fires, with authorities assessing offers from neighbouring countries.

The transboundary haze has also disrupted daily life in Malaysia, with worsening air quality prompting health concerns and school closures.

In Johor, schools and educational institutions have been ordered to remain closed until October 23 as the state continues to grapple with unhealthy air quality.

The latest crisis has renewed concerns over the recurring impact of forest and peatland fires in Indonesia, which have repeatedly caused severe haze across the region.

Authorities capture 12-foot crocodile at Teluk Nipah beach in Sarawak

Authorities capture 12-foot crocodile at Teluk Nipah beach in Sarawak



The team capturing the 12‑foot crocodile at Pantai Teluk Nipah in Buntal. — Picture via Facebook/APM Kuching


Summary

• A 12-foot crocodile was captured at Teluk Nipah beach, Buntal, last Thursday by APM Kuching and Sarawak Forestry Corporation.
• The capture operation was prompted by a public report from a 55-year-old man, according to crocodile hunter Jeffery Siew.
• Residents and visitors are advised to remain vigilant in areas where crocodiles may be present.

First Published: Sunday, 18 Oct 2026 1:57 PM MYT


KUCHING, Oct 18 — A 12-foot crocodile was captured at Teluk Nipah beach in Buntal here last Thursday.

The Civil Defence Force Kuching (APM Kuching), in a Facebook post, said its response team, together with personel from the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) and Nemo Hunter team, carried out the operation to capture the crocodile.


Meanwhile, in his Facebook post, licensed crocodile hunter Jeffery Siew said the capture followed a public report from a 55-year-old man.

He expressed relief that the man who reported the discovery was unharmed.


“The successful operation highlights the importance of public cooperation in keeping our communities safe.

“Residents and visitors are reminded to stay alert near beaches, rivers and other areas where crocodiles may be present,” Siew said. — The Borneo Post

Let Wawasan keep what it won in Melaka, Hamzah tells Umno ahead of state polls

Let Wawasan keep what it won in Melaka, Hamzah tells Umno ahead of state polls



Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, who is now president of Wawasan after leaving Bersatu, says his new party’s incumbent or former assemblymen in Melaka should get to defend their seats in the upcoming state polls. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin


Summary

• Wawasan President Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin has announced that the party will defend the seats won under Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the upcoming Melaka state election, similar to Umno and Barisan Nasional's (BN) strategy.
• Hamzah emphasized openness to seat negotiations with BN, stressing the need to maintain the seats Wawasan already holds.
• He also dismissed rumors that Wawasan would only contest the Paya Rumput state seat, though no candidate details were confirmed.
• Melaka's election timeline includes the official campaign start on October 31, early voting on November 10, and the main election day on November 14.

First Published: Sunday, 18 Oct 2026 9:38 AM MYT


JASIN, Oct 18 — Wawasan will defend the seats won under Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the coming Melaka state election, just as Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) plan to, its president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin said.

He said that if Umno wanted to keep the seats it won, the same principle must apply to Wawasan, Berita Harian reported last night.


“Both the Opposition assemblymen, or former assemblymen, in Melaka are Wawasan members,” he was quoted as saying after chairing the party’s supreme council meeting here.

“So if Umno says it wants to defend the seats it won, why won’t it let me defend the ones we won?”


Hamzah, who is Larut MP, said Wawasan was open to discussing seat swaps if BN wanted constituencies that Wawasan was holding.

“If they want a particular seat, that’s possible… but I’m telling you we want to defend ours.

“They have to sit down with us to discuss suitable seats, ones that can decide victory for either PN or BN,” he said.


Hamzah also dismissed talk that Wawasan would contest only the Paya Rumput state seat as speculation, without confirming how many seats the party would field candidates in.


Media reports had earlier said Wawasan was almost certain to be given Paya Rumput, with its Tangga Batu division chief convenor Ramlan Meon, 40, tipped as a possible candidate.

Berita Harian reported that this could hurt the chances of former Sungai Udang assemblyman Dr Mohd Aleef Yusof and former Bemban assemblyman Dr Mohd Yadzil Yaakub.

Both won their seats on PN tickets in the 2021 state election before leaving Bersatu for Wawasan.

Melaka will head to the polls on November 14 with nomination, which also marks the official start of campaigning, on October 31.

Early voting is on November 10.

Kolkata stampede at Hindu festival kills 19, injures 25 after sudden rainfall

Kolkata stampede at Hindu festival kills 19, injures 25 after sudden rainfall



Relatives of the Durga Puja Pandal stampede victims mourn outside the emergency building of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on October 16, 2026. — AFP pic


Summary

• At least 19 people died and 25 were injured in a stampede at a Hindu religious gathering in Kolkata, India, following sudden rainfall that caused panic among attendees.
• West Bengal's Chief Minister, Suvendhu Adhikari, confirmed the fatalities and injuries at the Durga Puja festival, attributing the incident to commotion sparked by the rain.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences on social media, and the local government is providing assistance to affected families.
• Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage to determine accountability for crowd control failures.
• Such incidents are frequent at large Indian events due to management and safety issues.

First Published: Sunday, 18 Oct 2026 8:58 AM MYT

KOLKATA, Oct 18 — At least 19 people were killed and two dozen more injured yesterday in eastern India after a stampede that occurred during sudden rainfall at a Hindu religious gathering, officials and Indian media said.

West Bengal’s Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari told reporters the fatalities included a seven-year-old girl, adding that 25 other people were injured outside a pavilion “in a stampede” at the Hindu festival of Durga Puja in the city of Kolkata.

“Six bodies have so far been identified,” Adhikari said.


A senior police official at the scene told AFP an announcement caused “commotion” after it started raining at night and the “crowd waiting outside the pandal (pavilion) was pushing, pulling and rushing forward and fell on the ground, leading to the stampede.”

Afterwards medics were seen moving injured people on stretchers, including a police officer, into a local hospital. Several relatives of victims cried and held one another as they mourned the loss of loved ones.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the tragedy in a short statement on Facebook.


“The stampede in Kolkata is saddening. Condolences to the bereaved families. Wishing the injured a speedy recovery,” he wrote.


“The West Bengal Government is providing all possible help to the affected families.”

Adhikari originally announced 17 fatalities. The Press Trust of India (PTI) reported the death toll rose by two to 19, quoting Adhikari in a later statement.

Nine dead bodies have been released to their families, the PTI reported.

It also said police have taken the closed circuit footage of the festival and authorities would initiate action against those seen on CCTV who appeared to fail in their responsibility for crowd control.

Videos shot before the stampede appeared to show large crowds of people waiting to enter the pavilion, in an area with narrow lanes that allow only a few people to walk in at a time, according to Indian Express.

Deadly crowd incidents are a frequent occurrence at Indian mass events, such as religious festivals, due to poor management and safety lapses.

Last year, a stampede at India’s Kumbh Mela religious fair killed 30 people and injured several others, and 11 fans were crushed to death in Bengaluru during celebrations for the local cricket team’s first Indian Premier League title.

The same year, 36 people were killed after a stampede broke out at a campaign rally of a popular actor-turned-politician in southern Tamil Nadu state.

In 2024, 121 people were killed in northern Uttar Pradesh state during a Hindu religious gathering. — AFP

 

Hardline Israeli rabbi ruling on stolen Palestinian olives prompts uproar

A hardline religious ruling justifying the theft of Palestinian olive harvests escalates violence and political tensions before Israeli elections.

Rabbi Dov Lior (C) attends a rally near the Supreme court in Jerusalem on July 4, 2011, against his and another rabbi, Yaacov Yosef''s, brief arrest. Israeli police recently detained the leading rabbis after they ignored a police summons to be questioned over endorsements for The King''s Doctrine, a book written by a more obscure settler rabbi offering justifications from scripture for killing innocent gentiles during religious war [Ronen Zvulun/Reuters]

By Mohammad Mansour

Published On 17 Oct 202617 Oct 2026

Prominent Israeli Rabbi Dov Lior issued a Jewish religious ruling on Friday permitting settlers to steal olives from Palestinian orchards in the occupied West Bank.

Lior’s ruling claims that Palestinian landowners who could not access their olives during the harvest season due to Israeli restrictions have been sufficiently compensated in the years they had access to the fruit. According to the ruling, Jews are permitted to pick these olives to claim ownership of the Palestinian land.

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Lior, born in Poland in 1933, went as far as classifying the theft of olives from Palestinian farms as an “additional virtue”, as settler pogroms and Israeli occupation continue in the West Bank.

He added that settlers should “conquer the land” far from Jewish communities in order to publicly “demonstrate our ownership” and follow biblical commandment.

“The Jewish people have never given up on the Land of Israel, as we express in our prayers every single day,” the ruling continues. “The Arabs never purchased the land from the Jewish people or from any individual Jew, and therefore it is stolen land in their hands… They never bought it in any way and it remained under the ownership of the Jewish people.”

The olive press in the town of Qusra operates on the first day of the olive harvest season on October 9, 2026 in Nablus, West Bank [Faiz Abu Rmeleh/Getty Images]

Harvest violence

The ruling coincides with another wave of settler pogroms against Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest season. On Friday. at least 19 people were injured in 34 attacks by the Israeli military and settlers on Palestinians harvesting their crops across the West Bank.

An American photojournalist working for The Washington Post was assaulted by settlers while covering the daily violence, and five vehicles were torched.

Many Palestinian farmers have been unable to access their crops due to Israeli restrictions and the dangers from the settlers.

While settler pogroms are not exceptional, they come weeks before Israeli elections, with a push by far-right parties to gain the support of settlers and their supporters. But not all Jewish religious leaders backed the call to steal Palestinian olives.

Religious backlash

Rabbis from the religious council of the Gush Etzion settlements published a letter calling the illegal harvesting of Palestinian crops theft, blasphemy, and a moral defect.

Tzohar, an organisation of 800 orthodox rabbis, said in a statement that only the state has the authority to confiscate property. As long as the state recognises Arab ownership of the olives, they belong to them, it added.

Mamoun Abu Amer, an analyst on Israeli politics, told Al Jazeera that there could be political reasons behind the religious groups’ rejection of Rabbi Dov Lior’s comments.

“The position of the other rabbis who rejected this call might be a move driven by political motive and pressure from entities within the government to give the impression that these are anomalous voices that do not represent the general opinion of the settlers.

“The Israeli government is trying to portray that those who carry out these riots are a limited-number group that does not represent public opinion in the settlements, and that the settlers are peaceful, good, and law-abiding, and that the issue is confined to the ‘Hilltop Youth‘ boys who commit these crimes,” he explained.

Rabbi Dov Lior holds immense influence among hardline settler groups, such as the Hilltop Youth, who fiercely back his hardline religious decrees that oppose any territorial compromise with Palestinians.

He is also a prominent figure within Israel’s Religious Zionist movement and serves as the spiritual guide for the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

“Ben-Gvir relies on the religious rulings of Rabbi Dov Lior, which rely on biblical texts and the Book of Deuteronomy,” Abu Amer noted. He claimed that Rabbi Lior adopts the most extreme interpretations in the Jewish religion.

“There is an important matter, which is that Ben-Gvir competes via the TikTok platform, propaganda, and populist rhetoric, and this is a rhetoric that serves him and brings him votes, given the environment and general atmosphere in Israel after the events of October 7, as there is a ‘market for extremism’ in the Israeli society,” Abu Amer added.

Knesset member Gilad Kariv of the left-wing Democrats Party criticised Lior, accusing him and his followers of dragging Israel into a flood of moral vice.

“Whoever stands on the sidelines in this issue joins the camp of Rabbi Dov Lior and his criminals,” Kariv said.

1:53

Palestinian olive trees torched as settler pogroms escalate during harvest

Israeli settlers attacked a diplomatic delegation in the occupied West Bank town of Taybeh

 

Here’s what happened today

Here’s a look at some of the top recent developments:

• Forces of the Saudi-led coalition say they downed several missiles and drones fired by the Houthis at Saudi Arabia, including over the capital, Riyadh.
• Fighting continues to rage near the coastal city of Taiz, Yemen, with Yemeni government forces reporting repelling Houthi attacks on the strategic al-Shaqab front, south of the city.
• The Houthis say they recorded 53 strikes on civilian areas in Sanaa and the governorates of Taiz, Ibb, Lahij, Saada and Amran by coalition aircraft.
• Three tanker vessels were damaged in the Strait of Hormuz today, with Iran’s IRGC navy saying the waterway remains closed and can only be transited through its authorisation.
• Lebanon’s President Aoun says a military delegation will participate in a meeting with Israel and the United States in Tampa, Florida on October 20.
• Israeli settlers attacked a diplomatic delegation in the occupied West Bank town of Taybeh, damaging cars and assaulting a visiting French mayor. The delegation included Palestinian officials and officials from France, Belgium and Poland.

 

Malaysia’s new security threat: 6-year-olds refusing to share a desk

Malaysia’s new security threat: 6-year-olds refusing to share a desk

4 hours ago

A. Kathirasen

The refusal of six-year-olds to share a desk is a snapshot of Malaysia at a crossroads. If treated as a minor issue, the country risks losing its social cohesion entirely.

I’m not shocked by the revelation that some children are refusing to sit next to their Christian or Muslim classmates. I knew it was coming.

On Oct 15, Puncak Borneo Member of Parliament Willie Mongin raised concerns in the Dewan Rakyat about religious intolerance among primary school children.

He said a teacher told him that some children said: “I don’t want to sit with them because they eat pork,” or “I don’t want to sit with them because they wear a cross”.

This is far more than a classroom management problem. It is a symptom of a society that is quietly fracturing along ethnic and religious lines — and in Malaysia’s multiethnic reality, that fracture is a national security threat.

In a country where the delicate balance between the Malay-Muslim majority and the Chinese, Indian, and indigenous minorities has historically been the cornerstone of stability, the early crystallisation of “us versus them” at the primary-school level is terribly dangerous, to say the least.

When children are socialised to view difference as a threat rather than a shared reality, the foundation of our society — the mutual accommodation that has kept us together for decades — begins to crumble before critical thinking even develops.

As Mongin warned, if this trend is not addressed at the youngest age, it will inevitably spread, feeding the very 3R controversies that have destabilised Malaysian politics in recent years.

This should not be treated as an isolated case for it reflects deeper structural patterns that threaten Malaysia’s unity.

It is dangerous because it erodes the trust and understanding that underpin social relations, business partnerships and even political alliances. Worse, it creates a radicalisation pipeline: isolated children become vulnerable to extremist online narratives.

I said I knew it was coming. The rise of ethno-religious nationalism, especially since the early 2000s, has amplified our differences.

When an increasing number of politicians unashamedly fire up religion- or race-related issues to win votes or to be seen as champions of their race or religion – and then get away with it or are cheered on by their supporters – what do you expect to happen?

Political rhetoric often frames racial and religious purity as mobilisation tools; and children absorb the tone of such public discourse.

Another reason is that the different communities have moved into their own silos, interacting at work, in school and elsewhere only when and where necessary.

And unlike in the past, the norm today is for children to play or share activities with those of their own race. When school is the only mixed space, and that space is already poisoned by home prejudices or online content, the classroom turns into a battleground instead of a bridge.

Digital poisoning makes the problem worse. Some social media platforms prioritise outrage, with algorithms amplifying hate speech and fake news. Children encounter dehumanising content that normalises rejection of the “other.”

When a pupil says, “I don’t want to sit with them because they wear a cross,” they may have internalised a viral meme or attack on that symbol.

I can go on, but all of us know there are many unspeakable elephants in the room that authorities need to address.

Existing “unity” programmes are well-intentioned but episodic and top-down. They rely on short camps or lectures rather than daily, sustained interaction.

Without structural changes in curriculum and teacher training, they will continue to fail in shifting deep prejudices. Teacher training must include conflict resolution and intercultural communication. Remedies must be structural, not performative as they have been.

Curriculum reform should prioritise critical thinking, media literacy and emotional intelligence over rote “unity” modules. Students need to learn how to deconstruct hate speech and engage in dialogue.

Schools need more group activities to build positive associations.

Digital literacy must become a core subject, not an add-on. Perhaps workshops can be organised for parents on how to guide their children’s online consumption.

Government and civil society must emphasize shared third spaces — mixed sports leagues, arts programmes and community projects — to generate organic positive interactions.

Above all, political leaders must stop exploiting religious and racial divisions for gain. Rhetoric that validates children’s prejudices undermines the very unity they are supposed to defend.

The refusal of six-year-olds to share a desk is small in scale but carries enormous weight. It is a snapshot of Malaysia at a crossroads. If treated as a minor issue, the country risks losing its social cohesion entirely.

If addressed with serious, structural reforms in education, digital literacy and political leadership, genuine unity may be possible.

In a multiethnic society, separation is not merely a social preference — it is a national security threat. Malaysia cannot afford to let its youngest generation grow up believing that difference is a threat rather than a shared reality. The time for action is now.