Jeju Island is known for its scenic views and reputation as a tourism draw. Four bodies were found over several days in August on Jeju, shaking the resort island and prompting calls for answers from the police.— hemis.fr pic via AFP
Summary
A South Korean police officer falsely closed over two dozen missing persons cases to reduce workload, with two victims later found dead.
President Lee Jae Myung ordered an investigation and police reform after the scandal involving officer Bu's misconduct was revealed.
Despite falsely reporting many as safe, all 25 individuals from other cases were found unharmed after a thorough review.
First Published: Tuesday, 01 Sep 2026 6:27 PM MYT
SEOUL, Sept 1 — A South Korean police officer lied in order to close over two dozen missing persons cases, including two people later found dead, so as to avoid additional work, authorities said today.
Two of the missing people were among four bodies found over several days in August on Jeju, shaking the resort island and prompting calls for answers from the police.
One case involved 37-year-old Jang Mi-ran, whose body was discovered on August 24, months after her boyfriend reported her missing.
The resulting scandal prompted President Lee Jae Myung to order an investigation into the handling of Jang's case and to call for reforms within the police force.
Another case involved a man in his 60s who had also been reported missing.
The officer, surnamed Bu, was arrested last week, accused of recording Jang's death as a "traffic accident", while telling her family he had contacted her and she did not wish to be found.
Bu falsely closed the cases because he "was driven primarily by work-related negligence arising from accumulated workload pressures and fatigue associated with increased responsibilities", Jeju Police Agency detective Jung Tae-woon told reporters today.
"The suspect's evasive and irresponsible attitude is believed to have contributed to the offence," he added.
Police said they could not determine the cause of Jang's death because of the advanced decomposition of her body, a departure from their earlier assessment that there were no signs of foul play.
Police conducted a comprehensive review of around 300 missing persons cases handled by Bu over about 16 months.
They found that Bu falsely closed a further 25 cases without verifying the whereabouts of the missing or by deleting records after reporting the person dead.
All 25 individuals involved in those cases were eventually found safe, authorities said. — AFP
***
Not quite detective work as we have seen in K-dramas, wakakaka😂😂😂
This US Navy handout photograph released on April 17, 2026, by US Central Command Public Affairs shows USS Abraham Lincoln (left) conducting blockade operations in the Arabian Sea on April 16, 2026. The resort city of Pattaya, a rest-and-recreation destination for US troops since the Vietnam War, has stepped up security as it prepares to welcome the sailors and Marines from the USS Abraham Lincoln. — AFP pic
Summary
The USS Abraham Lincoln, a US aircraft carrier, is set to dock in Thailand for its crew's first port call since November amid living condition concerns.
Pattaya has increased security for the ship's 5,000 crew, prohibiting certain activities such as water sports and cannabis use for their five-day stay.
The local economy anticipates a boost from the sailors' visit, with projections of up to 100 million Thai baht in spending, despite the restrictions in place.
First Published: Tuesday, 01 Sep 2026 4:42 PM MYT
BANGKOK, Sept 1 — A US aircraft carrier at the centre of a political row over conditions on board was set to arrive in Thailand on Tuesday, the first port call for its 5,000 crew since November.
The resort city of Pattaya, a rest-and-recreation destination for US troops since the Vietnam War, has stepped up security as it prepares to welcome the sailors and Marines from the USS Abraham Lincoln.
“About 600 officials will provide security and other necessary assistance,” provincial Governor Narit Niramaiwong told AFP.
The nuclear-powered ship left California in November 2025 for duty in the South China Sea and was rerouted to the Middle East before US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began six months ago.
Reports of deteriorating living conditions and poor mental health on board — including attempted suicides — have made headlines in the United States, provoking criticism of President Donald Trump’s war against Iran.
Pattaya’s mayor, Poramase Ngampiches, said the massive carrier would dock just after midnight (around 1701 GMT on Tuesday) at Laem Chabang port.
Around 40 buses have been laid on to transport the sailors to Pattaya and back in staggered groups until the carrier departs on Sunday.
“They come to relax because it’s been almost 280 days since anyone came ashore,” Poramase said in a Facebook post.
“Our preparations will focus on safety and ensuring fair pricing, so we don’t take advantage of them.”
No jet skis or cannabis
Once a sleepy fishing village, Pattaya was transformed by the Vietnam War in the 1960s, when US soldiers on leave began coming for rest and recreation (R&R).
The city has since become hugely popular with foreign tourists, known for its beaches and a nightlife scene that has long drawn scrutiny over sex tourism.
Poramase told AFP there had been a recent crackdown on sex workers but denied it was linked to the US arrivals.
In his Facebook post, the mayor said he was hoping the soldiers could bring in up to 100 million Thai baht (RM12.1 million) during their stay — a boon to the city during low season.
They have been banned from water sports such as jet skis, and from taking advantage of Thailand’s lax cannabis laws, he added, encouraging them to take part in the city’s many other attractions, from malls to religious sites.
“We’re happy to get business from anybody,” Nicko, the French owner of a go-go bar in Pattaya, told AFP. “We’ll have to be careful because as we know, things can get out of hand with alcohol involved.” — AFP
***
Be devotedly thankful to the Heavens it's not Penang they are coming to - Alhamdulillah.
Inequality is high in the Philippines with the wealth concentrated in the hands of the top 1% of elite families. — Reuters
THE other day, at a Persian restaurant in Manila, I chatted with friends, including a former Cabinet secretary (equivalent to a minister in Malaysia) who served under president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during her 2001-2010 terms. He is familiar with Malaysian politics, as he has professional and personal dealings with Malaysian ministers and prime ministers.
We shared marites (Tagalog for gossip) about Malaysian and Philippine politics, and he noted similarities between the two countries.
“Malaysia’s politics is starting to resemble our politics,” he remarked.
It was a sobering observation given how deeply institutionalised political plunder is in the Philippines.
On that day, Aug 27, in a historic albeit unwelcome milestone for Malaysia, three ex-prime ministers were in the court complex in Kuala Lumpur. Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob were facing separate trials and asset declaration proceedings.
The number of top politicians in jail or facing corruption trials arguably surged only after Barisan Nasional fell following the 14th General Election in 2018. But in the Philippines, it is almost a culture.
President Ferdinand Marcos was overthrown in February 1986 following mounting unpopularity driven by decades of massive state plundering, widespread human rights abuses, and fraudulent snap elections, culminating in a historic mass civic uprising and military defections that forced him to flee to Hawaii in the United States.
The culture of plunder continues today. Under Philippine law, the systemic looting of the state is classified as non-bailable plunder, and it is a crime punishable when public officers amass at least 50 million pesos (about RM3.2mil).
The Philippine House of Representatives impeached sitting Vice-President Sara Duterte earlier this year. Meaning, a large majority of congressmen voted to formally charge her with corruption and abusing public trust over unaccounted funds, sending her case forward to the Senate for trial.
Now she is facing the senators. It takes two-thirds of the Senate to impeach her – which is unlikely, as she has a solid bloc of eight senators with her, which serves as a mathematical blocking minority since conviction requires 16 out of 24 votes.
Of the 24 senators, the third most powerful political position after the president and vice- president, several face corruption charges or investigations themselves.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who previously spent years detained at a Philippine National Police custodial centre over a multi- billion-peso pork barrel scam before beating plunder charges, is back in jail, facing a fresh non-bailable plunder case involving infrastructure kickbacks
Senator Loren Legarda went on medical/personal leave in Paris, coincidentally as she faced a preliminary investigation by the Ombudsman alongside her son, Congressman Leandro Leviste, over a controversial multi-billion-peso solar power franchise.
Other sitting senators caught in intense legislative and investigative crosshairs over flood- control anomalies include Senator Emmanuel Joel Jose Villanueva, Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero, Senator Mark Aguilar Villar, Senator Camille Aguilar Villar, and Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Tesoro Go.
The charges brought against Malaysian politicians involve millions, even billions. A lot of money. But I get the impression that top Filipino politicians, or even mid-level ones, are more loaded than ours.
I have been in and out of the Philippines for three decades as a journalist. I have seen provincial political warlords who rule with guns, goons, and gold in their little kingdoms, and political elites whose immense, unchecked fortunes manifest in sprawling compounds, fleet-level security details, and staggering displays of dynastic opulence.
I like to people-watch, and I’ve often seen the super-rich arrive or depart luxury hotels in Manila as I wait for my ride. They pull up in bulletproof American SUVs, armoured Land Cruisers, and chauffeured European sedans flanked by bodyguards and personal assistants.
It seems to me that, somehow, the rich in Manila are richer than the rich Malaysians I see in Kuala Lumpur. Yes, there are multi-millionaires and billionaires in our luxury hotels, but their presence is sort of “diluted” a little by members of our significant middle class, who also patronise such places.
The money in the Philippines is in the hands of the top 1% of elite families. In politics, for instance, across a population of 117.7 million people spread over 82 provinces, municipal and city power is held by roughly 180 to 250 dominant political warlords and clans, known locally as angkan or political dynasties.
Sons and daughters of Philippine presidents often become presidents or vice presidents themselves: Marcos’s son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, is currently president; Diosdado Macapagal’s daughter, Gloria served; Corazon Aquino’s son, Benigno “Noynoy”, ruled; and Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter Sara is currently vice-president.
In Malaysia, although sons of prime ministers have become prime ministers, somehow we are more egalitarian. A child raised by a single mother can rise to become a minister too.
Yes, there are dirt-poor Filipinos who became senators. For example, Manny Pacquiao rose from extreme street poverty. Or upper-middle-class people like Joseph Estrada, who used a pro-poor cinematic persona to become president. But they are the exceptions, not the rule.
The other day, I was on the LRT and noticed it was filled mostly with the working class. Manila’s LRT and MRT systems suffer from ageing infrastructure, overcrowding, and long queues, making them far less sophisticated compared with the modern rail networks in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Singapore, which are clearly patronised by a mix of middle class and working class.
I asked a contact in Manila why this difference, and the answer was that the Philippines has a sharply polarised social structure: a tiny apex of hyper-wealthy oligarchs; a very thin layer of middle class compared with Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore; and a massive base struggling at a subsistence level.
Filipino politicians have turned plundering into a fine art, while Malaysia’s politics have been less defined by grand-scale looting. But with three former prime ministers crowding the courtroom steps in Kuala Lumpur, we might no longer be able to claim we are all that different. We are beginning to look just as plundered as our neighbour.
Rescue personnel pull out a locker from a deluged bank after flash floods at Trishuli Center in Nepal’s Nuwakot district on September 1, 2026. — AFP pic
Summary
Floods on the China-Nepal border have resulted in over 1,000 deaths, with at least 987 in Nepal and 16 in Tibet.
The number of missing individuals totals 4,462, with significant numbers of foreigners among them, including 583 in Nepal and 261 in China.
Indian authorities recovered 17 bodies in Uttar Pradesh believed to be from the floods, not yet added to the death toll.
First Published: Tuesday, 01 Sep 2026 4:15 PM MYT
KATHMANDU, Sept 1 — Devastating floods on the China-Nepal border have killed at least 987 people in Nepal, the disaster authority said Tuesday, taking overall deaths to more than 1,000.
Chinese state media earlier confirmed 16 people were killed in Tibet, bringing the total toll from Wednesday’s disaster to 1,003.
The number of missing in Nepal dropped to 3,916, as rescue efforts entered a seventh day, and the bodies recovered rose.
In China, state media say there 546 people missing, taking the overall number of missing to 4,462.
The missing in Nepal include 583 foreigners from over 30 nationalities.
The missing in China includes 261 foreigners from 23 countries.
Among the missing foreigners, Indians make up one of largest proportions, with 275 citizens and another 128 people of Indian origin missing in Nepal, according to New Delhi.
There are 85 US citizens missing, according to the State Department on Sunday.
There are also 62 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 42 Australians, and 33 British citizens, according to reports, including both Nepal’s tourist board and embassies.
In India, authorities in Uttar Pradesh state said they had recovered 17 bodies from rivers flowing from Nepal, believed to be flood victims.
Indian authorities are seeking to identify them, and they are not included in the toll. — AFP
Israeli outposts expand as Palestinian homes are demolished
Israeli forces demolish Palestinian homes in Nablus, while in Hebron settlers cleared land for a new outpost. Settlement expansion, land confiscation and demolitions are tightening Israeli control over Palestinian land across the occupied West Bank.
Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor leaves the Palace of Justice after the hearing of her appeal in the Sarawak solar hybrid project corruption case in Putrajaya, September 1, 2026. — Picture by Raymond Manuel
Summary
The Court of Appeal in Malaysia has granted Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor permission to introduce new evidence in her appeal against a corruption conviction.
This evidence, which allegedly could not have been obtained during the trial and questions the credibility of key witness Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah, will be examined by the High Court.
The court emphasized that if the new evidence is deemed credible, it could significantly impact the appeal's outcome.
The High Court is mandated to hear this evidence within two weeks, with proceedings fixed for October.
By R. Loheswar First Published: Tuesday, 01 Sep 2026 2:42 PM MYT Last Modified: Tuesday, 01 Sep 2026 2:50 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 — The Court of Appeal today allowed applications by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, to adduce additional evidence in her appeal against her corruption conviction, paving the way for the evidence to be heard by the High Court.
A three-member panel comprising Justices Choo Kah Sing, Azhahari Kamal Ramli and K. Muniandy allowed both applications before it and ordered that the additional evidence be taken before another High Court judge.
Justice Choo, who read the panel’s decision, said the court was satisfied that the requirements for admitting the additional evidence had been met.
“The evidence should be admitted if it could not, without reasonable diligence, be obtained at trial, is relevant, credible, and capable of belief.
“If the evidence admitted could lead to a different outcome, these principles have been consistently applied here,” he said.
The additional evidence will be taken through further cross-examination and re-examination of prosecution witness PW16, Rayyan Radzwill Abdullah, with any other evidence introduced by either side restricted to matters connected with that evidence.
He said the evidence should be taken by the High Court within two weeks of today’s decision, subject to arrangements.
On relevance, he said the additional evidence directly concerned Rosmah’s alleged knowledge and the role of Rizal Mansor, as well as the credibility of Rayyan’s testimony.
The court was told today that Rayyan had given his testimony under duress.
Rosmah’s lawyers were Datuk Jagjit Singh and Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader.
Justice Choo said the court was not determining the truth of the new evidence at this stage, but whether it was necessary and capable of belief.
He said that if the additional evidence was ultimately accepted as true, it could materially affect the appeal.
The prosecution objected to the applications on grounds including the delay and timing following the death of former lead prosecutor Datuk Sri Gopal Sri Ram.
Justice Choo said those issues could be addressed when the evidence was tested.
“The applications are hereby allowed and the additional evidence shall be taken by the High Court before another Judge.”
The panel also fixed Oct 14-16 and Oct 19-23 for the matter, with the court indicating that the case should be disposed of as soon as possible.
Rayyan, who was a consultant with Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd when he gave his testimony, had testified that he witnessed two black bags of cash, purportedly containing RM1.5 million, being delivered to Rosmah’s home in Langgak Duta here on Sept 7, 2017.
Rayyan had testified that he was present at Rosmah’s residence when the bags were delivered.
Jepak Holdings is the company that was awarded the solar hybrid project.
Her appeal against her graft conviction involving a solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak had been slated to begin today and was scheduled to be completed over 16 days in September.
Rosmah was found guilty on all three counts of graft and sentenced to 10 years in jail and fined RM970 million.
Oil prices rose further on Tuesday as tensions between the United States and Iran fuelled fears of renewed military clashes, following a weekend flare-up and President Donald Trump’s warning of a ‘hard’ response. — AFP file pic
Summary
Oil prices rose as fears of US-Iran conflict increased after military exchanges, causing concerns over inflation and interest rate hikes.
US and Iran exchanged military strikes, raising fears of further hostilities, with Trump promising a strong response.
Asian stock markets mainly fell amid concerns over inflation and interest rate changes, with key economic data expected before the Federal Reserve's meeting.
First Published: Tuesday, 01 Sep 2026 10:59 AM MYT
HONG KONG, Sept 1 — Oil prices extended gains Tuesday amid fears of a fresh bout of military exchanges between the United States and Iran following a flare-up at the weekend and Donald Trump’s warning that he will hit the country “hard”.
The latest bout of strikes between the foes has further stoked worries about inflation that has put pressure on central banks to hike interest rates, which has in turn jolted equity markets.
After six months of war, the conflict remains at an impasse, with Tehran keeping the strategic Strait of Hormuz closed and Washington continuing a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.
The United States carried out strikes on an Iranian island in the waterway on Sunday, with Tehran quickly retaliating by attacking US military targets in the Middle East.
The exchange raised fears of a return to major hostilities, with the US president vowing to respond.
“We’re going to hit them hard,” Trump said, according to a Fox News reporter who spoke to him briefly. “There will be a response.”
US officials said it hit rocket launchers on the island of Larak to prevent Tehran planting mines in the strait, while Iran targeted US forces in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
The exchange of fire came after weeks of relative calm, with the Trump administration recently pivoting to “economic warfare”.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: “We are going to continue exerting pressure, and we’ve had very good discussions here already.”
He told reporters at a G20 meeting in North Carolina that a turning point in the pressure campaign could come “within weeks or months”.
Both main crude contracts rose Tuesday, extending the previous day’s jump of more than two percent.
“The calibrated nature of the initial actions suggests neither side is actively seeking a return to sustained conflict, but stalled talks and the strategic importance of keeping the Strait open leave the situation vulnerable to further escalation,” said National Australia Bank’s Rodrigo Catril.
Trump will be meeting oil refining executives on Tuesday in a bid to tame soaring US domestic gas prices that have been a political headache for his Republican Party heading into November’s midterm elections.
Stocks mostly fell, with traders now awaiting the release of key data this month ahead of the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting on September 16.
Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore and Wellington were all down, though Taipei, Manila and Jakarta rose.
The jobs and consumer price index reports could play a major role in whether the bank hikes rates, with bets on an increase surging after boss Kevin Warsh’s hawkish speech on Friday.
Expectations for elevated inflation and rising borrowing costs pushed the yield on 10-year US Treasuries to their highest level since January 2025.
That has bled into Asia, with 10-year Japanese government bond yields touching a 30-year high on Monday.
In company news, fast-fashion giant Shein fell more than nine percent on its long-awaited Hong Kong trading debut, having raised US$1.7 billion (RM6.9 billion) in a high-profile initial public offering.
And shares in MediaTek soared nearly 10 per cent after US tech giant Nvidia announced it has injected US$3.5 billion into the Taiwanese chipmaker. — AFP
US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll testifies on budget requests during a Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, May 12, 2026. Driscoll has submitted his resignation, the White House confirmed Monday, following reports of tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. — AFP pic
Summary
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has resigned due to reported tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, confirmed by the White House.
Driscoll's tenure was marked by advancements in military readiness and negotiations with Russia and Ukraine.
His resignation could leave the Army with a leadership gap amidst the ongoing Iran conflict.
First Published: Tuesday, 01 Sep 2026 9:42 AM MYT
WASHINGTON, Sept 1 — US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation, the White House confirmed Monday, following reports of tensions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Asked about a Wall Street Journal report that Driscoll had resigned, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly did not deny it.
“Driscoll has been highly effective in advancing President Trump’s agenda to Make America Strong Again at the Department of the Army,” Kelly said.
She cited his “outstanding leadership” during US military operations, “restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality, assisting with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and more.”
She added: “The United States Army is more powerful than ever thanks to his work alongside the Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of War.”
If accepted, Driscoll’s resignation would mark the latest departure of a senior military leader under President Donald Trump administration.
A former law school classmate of Vice President JD Vance, Driscoll had reportedly benefited from their friendship within the administration, but clashed with Hegseth.
An Army veteran who served in Iraq, Driscoll ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2020 and later advised Trump’s 2024 reelection campaign.
With the Iran war entering its seventh month, the resignation could effectively leaves the Army without permanent civilian or uniformed leadership. Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George in April and has yet to nominate a permanent successor. — AFP
Visitors walk outside the National Registration Department in Putrajaya on September 23, 2025. — Picture by Raymond Manuel
Summary
The National Registration Department (NRD) in Kuala Lumpur is transitioning to a new-generation MyKad, leading to temporary disruptions in printing services until September 7.
The department advises the public to postpone non-urgent MyKad transactions, including replacements, renewals, and first-time applications for children turning 12.
The NRD expressed gratitude for public cooperation and encouraged staying informed through official channels, while apologizing for any inconvenience caused.
First Published: Tuesday, 01 Sep 2026 10:55 AM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 — The National Registration Department (NRD) is transitioning from the existing MyKad structure to the new-generation MyKad, causing temporary disruptions to its printing services.
In a statement today, the NRD announced that the printing disruption is expected to last from today through Sept 7.
In light of this, the department advises members of the public who do not urgently need to replace or renew their MyKad to postpone such transactions during this period.
Parents or guardians of first-time applicants, particularly children reaching the age of 12, are also advised to hold off on applying for now, so that their children can obtain the new-generation MyKad when it becomes available.
JPN also expressed its appreciation for the public’s patience and cooperation throughout this transitional period.
“The department apologises for any inconvenience caused in connection with this matter,” the statement read.
Members of the public are urged to stay updated on further developments regarding the new-generation MyKad by following JPN’s official channels. — Bernama
Nuclear weapons have long stood as the ultimate deterrent in great-power relations, embodied in the doctrine of mutually assured destruction (MAD). The concept holds that any nuclear exchange between major powers would ensure the annihilation of both sides, making deliberate first use irrational.
The Doomsday Clock, maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, tracks how close humanity stands to catastrophe from nuclear risks and other existential threats. Only once have nuclear weapons been employed in war by the United States against Japan in 1945.
The human and moral consequences of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were so severe that a powerful taboo against their use took hold, even as arsenals expanded dramatically during the Cold War.
That taboo has held through decades of conventional conflicts. Nuclear options were never seriously contemplated in Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars, or other U.S. military engagements. Yet recent discussion surrounding the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict has revived speculation about tactical nuclear weapons.
The irony is absurd where initial U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran were framed in significant part as efforts to prevent Tehran from acquiring its own nuclear capability.
In an interview with podcaster Tucker Carlson, former National Counterterrorism Center director and presidential counterterrorism adviser Joe Kent addressed the possibility directly.
Kent, who resigned earlier in 2026 over disagreements with the administration’s Iran policy, argued that if Washington remains committed to removing Iran’s leadership and compelling total surrender, conventional options are running short.
A full-scale ground invasion, he said, is “not feasible whatsoever” given Iran’s size, terrain, and population. Playing out the logic of regime change long enough, Kent claimed, leads relatively quickly to consideration of weapons of mass destruction.
Kent described a hypothetical limited nuclear strike against deeply buried uranium enrichment facilities in Iran’s mountainous regions as one possible path under discussion in extreme scenarios. “We would be fools to think that this couldn’t happen here, in this current scenario, especially as the [Trump] administration scrambles for a way out,” Kent stated.
President Donald Trump has issued stark public warnings. In April he declared that Iran’s “whole civilization will die” absent compliance with U.S. demands. He has repeatedly spoken of the capacity to obliterate civilian infrastructure, such as power plants, bridges, and more.
Carlson and others have interpreted such language as implicitly raising the nuclear threshold, arguing that total destruction of a civilization on that scale would be difficult to achieve solely with conventional means.
Kent’s remarks came against a backdrop of reported strains on U.S. precision munitions and interceptor stockpiles after months of strikes. The administration has suspended certain waves of attacks, with media accounts citing depletion of high-end munitions. Trump and senior officials have firmly denied shortages, insisting ample inventories remain.
In an apparent tactical shift, Trump recently announced a “CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION” against Iran, labeling it “ECONOMIC D-DAY.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent followed with expansive new sanctions targeting nearly 60 entities, individuals, and vessels across jurisdictions, including many linked to China.
The stated goal is to render Iran an economic outcast by punishing any actors facilitating its financial networks or money laundering, with threats of removal from the U.S. dollar system.
These developments illustrate the limits of pure military pressure. Iran’s geography, air defenses, dispersed and hardened facilities, and ability to retaliate through proxies, ballistic missiles, and disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have complicated efforts to force rapid political collapse from the air.
Economic isolation seeks to achieve what bombing has not yet delivered. Yet the persistence of maximalist political aims, total surrender and leadership change keeps extreme military options theoretically on the table in some analysts’ minds.
Serious institutional, strategic, and normative barriers remain against nuclear first use. The United States maintains a vast conventional advantage and has historically treated nuclear weapons as a last resort for existential threats, not tools for regime change against a non-nuclear state.
Escalation risks are enormous: any nuclear employment could shatter the global non-proliferation regime, invite retaliation or proliferation by others, alienate allies, and produce long-term humanitarian and environmental catastrophe. Domestic political costs would be severe. Even tactical or limited strikes against underground targets would cross a threshold unbroken since 1945 and invite unpredictable second- and third-order effects.
Kent’s comments and Trump’s rhetoric highlight genuine frustration over stalled objectives and the high costs of prolonged conflict. They do not constitute official policy or an imminent decision. The administration’s pivot toward intensified sanctions suggests a preference for non-nuclear leverage at present.
Whether economic pressure can compel the desired political outcome remains uncertain. What is clear is that introducing nuclear weapons into the equation would represent a profound break with decades of restraint, one whose consequences would extend far beyond Iran and reshape international security for generations. The historical record and the logic of deterrence counsel extreme caution.
In contrast, the Russian State Duma International Affairs Committee Chairman Leonid Slutsky recently told Tucker Carlson that Moscow could have employed tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine long ago to secure a decisive military victory, yet deliberately chose not to do so.
Speaking in late August 2026, Slutsky emphasized that Russia prioritizes minimizing civilian casualties and does not view nuclear arms as instruments of terror in the manner of the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Slutsky stated that such weapons would only be considered if Western powers supplied Ukraine with weapons of mass destruction, expressing hope that the situation would not reach that point.
This public assertion of self-imposed limits, coming from a senior Russian lawmaker, underscores how even nuclear-armed states engaged in high-stakes conventional wars have so far adhered to the post-1945 taboo against nuclear use, preferring other means despite the theoretical availability of the ultimate option.
Aday before former human resources minister M Saravanan was charged on Friday (August 28) with receiving bribes amounting to RM1.097 million to approve foreign worker quotas, he publicly trumpeted how he had written to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday about what he called the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) “wild and baseless” allegations”.
It was a preemptive measure to create a perception that not only he was innocent, but also to align himself with the Prime Minister – hoping to enjoy special immunity and to intimidate the judiciary. Shedding crocodile tears, he claimed certain individuals were allegedly coerced into implicating him, and that neither he nor his family was personally involved in recruiting foreign workers.
Olivia Rodrigo's Daisy Chain Fields Festival Receives $20 Million Gift From Melinda French Gates, Empowering Women And Girls Despite Socal Heatwave
However, by dragging Anwar into his personal corruption charges, it has actually done more harm than good. Saravanan’s public announcement seeking help from Anwar would create a narrative that the PM could pull strings to help the ex-HR minister escape prosecution by using his power, influence and connections to pressure both the Judicial and the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC).
Saravanan’s tactical error saw PM Anwar distancing himself, saying he has yet to receive the so-called letter from the former HR minister and would refer it to the MACC, the AGC, or the relevant authorities for consideration. If Mr Saravanan still hasn’t realized that he is being “targeted by design, and not coincidence” in the latest political manoeuvre, then he is stupider than he looks.
Yes, like former Lembaga Tabung Haji chairman Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, who were arrested, handcuffed, and detained by the MACC in the investigations of Tabung Haji scandal, Saravanan is joining the party because the Madani government needs to impress upon voters about its anti-corruption drive before the next 16th General Election.
Pleading not guilty to three charges of corruption, 58-year-old Saravanan – who is also deputy president of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a component party of Barisan Nasional, which is part of Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government – is accused of receiving the money on three occasions to approve applications for a quota of 1,000 foreign workers for Kuala Lumpur-based firm TYKB Engineering Sdn Bhd.
According to the first and second charges, Saravanan received kickbacks of RM150,000 and RM350,000 in cash from Vectica Resources director Tan Teck Lim via Syed Amirul Syed Ahmad at Bukit Jalil Golf & Country Resorts and at Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar, on June 16 and July 7, 2022. For the third charge, he received RM597,000 through a cheque from the same person, deposited into a Big Seven Ventures bank account at Maybank Jalan Klang Lama, Taman Desa, on July 7, 2022.
Saravanan Murugan, the Member of Parliament for Tapah since 2008, was appointed as the Secretary in MIC Federal Territory by former MIC president Samy Vellu in 1997. He had also served as deputy ministers under Abdullah Badawi and Najib Razak administrations. It was not until 2020 that he was made a full minister – Minister of Human Resources – that came with “golden opportunities”.
Born and raised in gang-infested Sentul, it wasn’t hard for Saravanan to click with the big boss of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a component party of the corrupted Barisan Nasional coalition. After all, Samy Vellu was the infamous Godfather of Indian gangsters in the 1980s and 1990s, who served under the Mahathir leadership during his 22-year-iron-fist rule (1981-2003).
When Tamil Malar Daily exposed in 2017 how Mr Saravanan stole from the rental collection of the state MIC building, the then-Deputy Youth and Sports Minister brought mobsters to the media office and beat up its General Manager and staff. The attacks saw journalists and employees of the newspaper company left bleeding, injured and even suffered some broken teeth.
But unlike Bollywood movies, there was no happy ending for the poor owner and staff of the Tamil Malar Daily. The despicable MIC leader was as untouchable as former Prime Minister Najib, who himself had stolen billions in the 1MDB scandal before he lost power in the May 2018 General Election, and whose political party – UMNO – had ruled the country almost uninterrupted since independence in 1957.
Also known as “XXXXX Saravanan”, he had never been arrested, let alone prosecuted, but was let go with a slap on the wrist – until now. As Human Resource Minister under the illegitimate backdoor PM Muhyiddin Yassin (March 2020-August 2021) and PM Ismail Sabri (August 2021-November 2022), the MIC deputy president boldly enriched himself through corruption and money laundering.
In fact, Saravanan was so corrupt that he actually did not deny the involvement of MIC members in the misappropriation of funds from “PenjanaKerjaya” involving a total of RM100 million. The programme-turned-scandal, under Muhyiddin’s National Economic Recovery Plan, offered financial incentives of between RM600 and RM1,000 to employers for each employee or apprentice employed for up to six months.
But the biggest“dirty money” machine was the hiring of foreign workers into the country. On June 16, 2022, Saravanan said that Bangladesh and Malaysia had agreed to a limit of 25 agencies to recruit Bangladeshi workers for Malaysia. However, the next day, Bangladesh’s Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad rubbished the statement.
Mr Imran had also clarified that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by both countries did not mention anything about 25 agencies. Worse, despite admitting that there was a surplus of illegal Bangladeshi workers in the country, Saravanan had pushed to bring in more Bangladeshis. And the disgraced human resource minister deliberately set a limit of 25 agencies to create monopoly.
The clueless, incompetent and corrupt regime of Muhyiddin saw the cost of hiring foreign workers shot up from about RM16,000 to RM20,000 per worker because various agencies involved had to “sharethe money at different levels”. The cost of hiring was incredibly ridiculous that Bangladesh had refused to send any workers in 2020 – till a transparent system was in place.
The Bangladeshi government wanted the Malaysian government to connect to their online system to detect irregularities, but was declined. If the Malaysian labour market is allowed to link directly to the Bangladeshi system, it would kill syndicates and middlemen, ending the monopoly and corruption. It’s not rocket science why Saravanan rejected it – he was on top of the food chain of the lucrative market.
To get an idea of how lucrative the business has made Saravanan and his cronies mega rich, look no further than the operation carried out by a Multi-Agency Task Force (MATF) led by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on July 24, 2023. Over RM38 million cash and 200kg of gold worth over RM60 million were seized along with 17 luxury vehicles such as Ferrari and Maserati.
Involving the police, Immigration Department, Customs Department, Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank), Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) as well as Cyber Security Malaysia (CSM), the special operation saw raids carried out in 34 locations in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor involving 315 officers. The man behind the crimes was “Dato Malik”, the proxy and bag carrier for Saravanan.
Abdul Malik Dasthigeer, commonly known as “Dato Malik”, was the trusted lieutenant of the former human resource minister entrusted to launder dirty money from the Bangladeshi recruitment business. Also known for distributing Indian movies and bringing in artists from India to perform Tamil concerts in Malaysia, Malik was arrested and grilled by the MACC.
Also arrested was businessman-cum-politician “Datuk V Saravanan Kumar”, who was linked to former ruling party Bersatu, and “Datuk Shafee Zaman”, owner of Tamil newspaper Nanban. More than 30 suspects had been identified by the anti-corruption agency, busting a syndicate involved in corruption, smuggling, money laundering, and illegal tax evasion.
Crucially, the MACC had also frozen funds amounting to RM500 million linked to Malik. If this crook has in his possession RM500 million, imagine the real wealth of ex-minister Saravanan? There’s a reason why Saravanan was known as “XXXXX Saravanan”. In 2021, Malik was exposed by a local newspaper as not only a criminal involved in the illegal smuggling business, but was also a drug dealer.
Yes, the MIC gangster did not become a multi-millionaire (or even a billionaire) from his venture into an agricultural business – coconut cultivation – as he would like the people to believe. Rather, it was his venture into illegal businesses, using Dato Malik as his proxy and cover, and links to underground Mafia that made him super-rich, so much so he believed he could buy his way out with money.
However, the arrogant politician will not be able to count on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to bail him out this time. Saravanan was a traitor – one of Barisan Nasional MPs who had signed the Statutory Declaration to support rival Bersatu president Muhyiddin as prime minister after the 15th General Election that produced a hung Parliament in November 2022..
Not only had Saravanan betrayed the leadership of UMNO president Zahid Hamidi, but he had shown that he was an untrustworthy ally of Anwar-led Unity Government. In December 2022, he deliberately went out for lunch and did not return for the counting of votes in the deputy speaker election, causing Alice Lau of Pakatan Harapan to receive only 146 votes instead of 148 two-thirds majority votes.
Like former premier Najib Razak, who had been sent to prison for abuse of power, criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering, Saravanan is another shameless crook who did not blink twice about stealing RM19 million disbursed for a chilli planting programme to Yayasan NAAM (New Affirmative Action Movement), a foundation led by himself.
Clearly, both Anwar and Zahid have no problems hanging Saravanan to dry. The Premier, desperate to boost his credential after he led Pakatan Harapan coalition to three crushing defeats in the Sabah, Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections, hopes to reverse negative perception about his empty promises on reforms and anti-corruption by charging bigsharks like Saravanan.
Zahid, meanwhile, hopes sacrificing Saravanan, not that the MIC leader was clean in the first place, could similarly arrest a decline in public trust in the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional coalition due to systemic and deeply entrenched perceptions of institutional corruption and crony capitalism. It would also serve as a good distraction to UMNO’s past roles in the Tabung Haji corruption and Ponzi scheme scandals.
Interestingly, Syed Amirul Syed Ahmad, who was named in the charge sheets, had passed away. It doesn’t matter if Saravanan would eventually walk away a free man (he was not made to wear the MACC’s orange suit like Azeez and Serigar) in the political theatre. By the time his trial is over, which would take years, both Anwar and Zahid would have already milked Saravanan’s corruption for votes needed to win elections. Don’t hold your breath until the MIC gangster joins Najib in prison.
