Lim Guan Eng urges overhaul of Sosma after teen girl detained for nine days in Kedah

Lim Guan Eng urges overhaul of Sosma after teen girl detained for nine days in Kedah



Lim Guan Eng said it was “very wrong” for a minor to be held under Sosma for nearly a week, adding that the experience must have been traumatic for the girl and her mother. — Bernama pic

Sunday, 25 Jan 2026 11:41 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 — DAP veteran Lim Guan Eng has condemned the detention of a 16-year-old girl under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), saying the case exposes serious flaws in the law and could have caused lasting trauma to the minor.

The girl was detained in Kedah for nine days from Jan 14 to Jan 23, before being released on Friday, her mother told Free Malaysia Today (FMT).

The incident drew public attention after the mother pleaded for her daughter’s release following her arrest at a roadblock near the Jitra toll plaza.

According to the mother, police flagged down the vehicle in which the teenager was travelling, alleging it was being used to smuggle migrants. The girl, her father and others in the car were then taken into custody.

While in detention, the teen suffered vomiting and developed skin allergies, the mother said, adding that her daughter was so distressed that police allowed her to visit to calm her down.

She also claimed that the girl was placed in a lockup with other adult female detainees and suffered panic attacks, making it difficult for her to sleep.

Lim said it was “very wrong” for a minor to be held under Sosma for nearly a week, adding that the experience must have been traumatic for the girl and her mother.

Under Section 13 of Sosma, bail is generally prohibited for those charged with security offences, with mandatory detention required.

However, Lim pointed out that exceptions exist for persons under 18, women, and those who are sick or infirm.

“Serious questions remain as to why the exception provided under Section 13 was not applied when the 16-year-old girl is not only a minor below 18 but also a woman,” he said in a statement today, describing the incident as unacceptable.

Lim also called for the law to be either abolished or completely overhauled and amended to ensure compliance with the rule of law, due process and constitutional safeguards of human rights.

“The time to do it is now to prevent more abuses of power by the authorities,” he said.

According to FMT, the case was confirmed by Kedah police chief Adzli Abu Shah, while Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said he would look into the detention of the minor.

Rights group Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) also previously called for the girl’s immediate release, saying she should have been dealt with under the Child Act 2017.

Consumers Association of Subang and Shah Alam president Jacob George, who was approached by the mother for help, described the incident as “deeply troubling”.

He said Sosma requires strict due diligence, especially when minors are involved, and urged the home ministry to ensure that minors are placed in halfway homes while investigations are ongoing.

‘Inciting insurrection’: Trump fires at Minnesota governor and mayor after second fatal federal shooting

‘Inciting insurrection’: Trump fires at Minnesota governor and mayor after second fatal federal shooting



A photograph of 37-year-old Alex Pretti can be seen at a makeshift memorial in the area where he was shot dead by federal immigration agents earlier in the day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 24, 2026. — AFP pic

Sunday, 25 Jan 2026 10:40 AM MYT


WASHINGTON, Jan 25 — US President Donald Trump accused the mayor of Minneapolis and the state’s governor of “inciting insurrection” Saturday over their response to the killing of a civilian in the city by federal officers.

“The Mayor and the Governor are inciting Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric,” Trump wrote on social media, ratcheting up his stand-off with Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz.

Trump has previously threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to send troops into Minnesota for law enforcement purposes. — AFP

Immigration DG says no compromise at entry points, warns ‘hand-raising’ culture could threaten national security

Immigration DG says no compromise at entry points, warns ‘hand-raising’ culture could threaten national security



Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said based on its records, no official reports had been received regarding allegations of such practices at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex along the Malaysia-Thailand border, including during peak periods. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Sunday, 25 Jan 2026 9:30 AM MYT


KOTA BHARU, Jan 25 — The Malaysian Immigration Department has stressed that there will be no compromise in the discharge of duties at the country’s entry points, including practices such as the ‘hand-raising’ culture that could jeopardise national security.

Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said based on its records, no official reports had been received regarding allegations of such practices at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex along the Malaysia-Thailand border, including during peak periods.

“However, if any immigration officer is found to be involved in such practices, the department will not hesitate to take firm action in accordance with the relevant acts and regulations,” he told Bernama recently.


Zakaria did not rule out the possibility that such practices could occur at any border entry point and urged the public to lodge reports directly with the department to enable investigations and further action to be taken.

He also stressed that all travellers, whether Malaysian citizens or foreigners, are required to present their passports or border passes during immigration checks to ensure their movements are recorded, as stipulated under Section 6 of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

“There is no such thing as a small compromise. Every act of ‘hand-raising’, however trivial it may seem, is the beginning of a chain of leakages that could lead to disaster, including opening the door to organised crime syndicates and elements that can threaten national security,” he said.


He said integrity is not merely a matter of rules; it is the country’s final line of defence, and all procedures must be carried out strictly in accordance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the law.

At the same time, Zakaria also acknowledged that officers with high integrity at ICQS complexes face pressure from external parties and syndicates attempting to influence their duties.

“These officers are the first line of defence in combating the ‘hand-raising’ culture. The pressure to compromise is real, and it is recognised by the department’s management as a major operational challenge,” he said.

Bernama earlier reported that crime analyst Shahul Hamid Abdul Rahim described lax border controls, including individuals being allowed to enter via special ICQS lanes by merely raising their hands without valid documents, as deeply concerning, as such practices could open the door to criminal activities, smuggling and pose a threat to national security.

He said such practices not only violate procedures but also breach the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155) governing entry, stay and exit from the country, as well as the Passport Act 1966 (Act 150), which covers passport ownership and the presentation of travel documents by individuals entering or leaving Malaysia.

In November last year, Bernama reported that police arrested eight individuals, including a civil servant at the Rantau Panjang ICQS Complex in Pasir Mas, for crossing the Malaysia-Thailand border without valid travel documents by merely raising their hands while passing through the complex.

All eight individuals, who were travelling in two luxury vehicles, were detained by officers from the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency while en route from Sungai Golok, Thailand, to Kelantan. — Bernama

Singapore to invest US$785mil in public research on AI - Far More beneficial & Definitely Cheaper than a seat on Trump's BOP

FMT:

Singapore to invest US$785mil in public research on AI

The fund will enable Singapore to establish 'world-class' research centres focused on 'long-term, difficult questions' that will benefit the country

The initiative, announced by information minister Josephine Teo, is the latest in a series of government investments in AI. (Facebook pic)

SINGAPORE: Singapore will invest more than S$1 billion (US$785 million) in public research on artificial intelligence through 2030 to bolster its capabilities and enhance global competitiveness, the government said Saturday.

The fund will enable Singapore to establish “world-class” research centres, build capabilities to support the industrial applications of AI, and develop talent through partnerships with overseas researchers and institutions, it said.

The initiative, announced by information minister Josephine Teo at an AI research week gala dinner late Saturday, is the latest in a series of government investments in AI.

The research centres will focus on “long-term, difficult questions” that will benefit the country, Teo said.

“We expect them to partner actively with others in our local ecosystem and internationally. We also want their research discoveries to be shared openly, to contribute to the global knowledge commons,” she added.

Tiny Singapore has been increasingly using technology to meet labour and other needs given its lack of natural resources compared to bigger neighbours.

“Research serves as a key activity driver in our AI efforts, advancing the nation’s deep technical capabilities and ensuring Singapore remains at the forefront of AI innovation,” the ministry said in a statement.

‘British FBI’ on the cards as UK police undergo largest reforms in 200 years

‘British FBI’ on the cards as UK police undergo largest reforms in 200 years



The UK is setting up a national force to unify agencies, which they dub ‘the British FBI’, and fight complex crimes. — Unsplash pic

Sunday, 25 Jan 2026 9:34 AM MYT


LONDON, Jan 25 — The UK will establish a national police force, dubbed the “British FBI”, to tackle the most complex and serious crimes, the government said on Saturday.

The new National Police Service (NPS) will bring the work of an array of existing agencies scattered nationwide, including the National Crime Agency (NCA) and regional organised crime units, under the same organisation.


The government says the reform will lift the burden on local police forces, who it says are diverting time and resources away from everyday policing, such as tackling shoplifting and antisocial behaviour.

“Some local forces lack the skills or resources they need to fight complex modern crime such as fraud, online child abuse or organised criminal gangs,” said interior minister Shabana Mahmood.


“We will create a new National Police Service – dubbed ‘the British FBI’ – deploying world class talent and state of the art technology to track down and catch dangerous criminals,” she added.

“In doing so, local forces will be able to spend more time fighting crime in their communities.”


‘Spaghetti system’

The NPS will be led by a National Police Commissioner who will become the most senior police officer in the country.

The head of London’s Metropolitan Police, Mark Rowley, earlier this month voiced his support for “overdue big police reforms”.

“If you’ve got an overly bureaucratic, complicated, convoluted sort of spaghetti system, all of that complexity sucks resources away from the locals,” he told Sky News.

“If we sort out all the national arrangements, our ability to counter national and international threats improves.”

The announcement is one of several changes, billed by the interior ministry “as the largest reforms to policing since the police service was founded two centuries ago”.

On Friday the UK government vowed to take back the power to sack police chiefs after a row surrounding a ban on fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv attending a Birmingham football match.

West Midlands chief constable Craig Guildford retired following public pressure to step down over that controversy. Mahmood had complained she lacked the power to sack him. — AFP

Iranians in US face deportation to Iran despite protest deaths and executions

Iranians in US face deportation to Iran despite protest deaths and executions



People wrapped in plastic bags lie on the ground representing those who died in the protest in Iran during a ‘Solidarity with the People of Iran’ event in front of City Hall in Downtown Los Angeles on January 18, 2026. — Getty Images via AFP

Sunday, 25 Jan 2026 9:09 AM MYT


WASHINGTON, Jan 25 — The Trump administration plans to repatriate Iranian migrants from the United States despite their home country still reeling from massive protests during which thousands were killed, according to an Iranian-American NGO.

The deportation flights would be the first to Iran since the beginning of the mass uprisings in the country, which peaked in early January before being violently repressed.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to launch military strikes on Iran in response to the crackdown, but has since appeared to walk back those threats after he said Tehran suspended planned executions.

The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) said on Thursday it had learned that Trump’s administration was planning to restart deportation flights to Iran, after prior removals in September and December.


“The same administration that promised Iranians that ‘help is on the way’ amid a deadly crackdown is now forcibly sending Iranians back into danger,” said NIAC president Jamal Abdi.

Abolfazl Mehrabadi, a diplomat representing Tehran’s interests in the United States, told Iran’s official IRNA news agency on Saturday that about 40 Iranians were to be deported.

They will depart on Sunday from an airport in Phoenix, Arizona, he said.


Among them are two gay men who face execution in Iran, where homosexuality is punishable by death, according to a statement from the American Immigration Council, an immigrant advocacy organization representing them.

The two men are currently being held in an immigration detention center in Arizona, and legal proceedings to prevent their deportation are still ongoing, according to the organization.

The US Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to AFP queries about the planned deportations. — AFP

al Jazeera:

Israeli drone strike kills two children collecting firewood in Gaza

The attack hits civilians gathering firewood near Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, sources say.

Palestinian children warm by the fire next to a sand sculpture by artist Yazed Abo Jarad in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza Strip [File: AFP]

Published On 24 Jan 202624 Jan 2026

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Two children have been killed in an Israeli attack in northern Gaza in the latest violation of its ceasefire deal with Hamas in the Palestinian enclave.

Medical sources in Gaza on Saturday said the children belonging to the same family were killed when an Israeli drone struck civilians gathering firewood near Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.

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Severe fuel shortages have forced many Palestinians to search for fuel wherever they can amid low temperatures that drop as low as 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) at night these days.

Palestinians living in makeshift tents have little protection from strong winds and rain, as most shelters are made of thin canvas and plastic sheets.

Israel continues to block or limit the number of vital aid entering the territory, such as tents, mobile homes or materials to fix tents, in violation of the ceasefire it agreed with Hamas in October, as well as its obligations under international law as the occupying power in the Strip.

Israel has violated hundreds of times on a near-daily basis the United States-brokered ceasefire, which took effect on October 10.

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At least 481 Palestinians have been killed and 1,206 others wounded in Israeli attacks since October 11, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza.

Israeli attacks killed 71,654 people and wounded 171,391 others in Gaza since October 7, 2023, the ministry says.

In a related development on Saturday, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said the number of child deaths caused by cold weather since the start of the current winter season has risen to 10 with the death of another child.

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“The child, Ali Abu Zour, aged three months, died due to severe cold at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital,” without specifying the date of death. The ministry added that the death “raises the number of child fatalities caused by cold weather since the beginning of the winter season to 10”.

Meanwhile, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were in Israel on Saturday to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, mainly to discuss Gaza, two people briefed on the matter told the Reuters news agency.

The US on Thursday announced plans for a “New Gaza” rebuilt from scratch, to include residential towers, data centres and seaside resorts.

The project forms part of US President Donald Trump’s push to advance the Gaza ceasefire that has been shaken by repeated violations.

Trump hails UK soldiers in Afghanistan amid Starmer row

FMT:

Trump hails UK soldiers in Afghanistan amid Starmer row

Donald Trump had suggested that troops from Nato allies avoided the front line in Afghanistan, even though 457 British soldiers were killed in the post-9/11 conflict

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that Nato would not come to the aid of the US if asked to do so. (EPA Images pic)

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Saturday appeared to offer an olive branch to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in their spat over the role of British soldiers in Afghanistan, calling them “among the greatest of all warriors.”

Trump had suggested in an interview with Fox News this week that troops from Nato allies had avoided the front line in Afghanistan, even though 457 British soldiers were killed in the post-9/11 conflict. Starmer called those remarks “appalling.”

“The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.


“In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken.”

Following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the UK and several European countries joined the US in Afghanistan after it invoked Nato’s collective security clause for the first and only time.

Soldiers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark and others also died in the conflict.

“They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan,” Trump said in the interview with Fox aired Thursday, referring to Nato allies.

“And they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines,” he added, triggering outrage across the political divide in Britain.

Trump also repeated his suggestion that Nato would not come to the aid of the US if asked to do so.

On Friday, Starmer voiced his outrage.

“Let me start by paying tribute to 457 of our armed services who lost their lives in Afghanistan,” Starmer said in a video message.

“There are many also who were injured, some with life-changing injuries, and so I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting and frankly, appalling, and I’m not surprised they’ve caused such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured.”

He said that if he had misspoken in such a way, he “would certainly apologize.”

The White House initially rejected Starmer’s comments and defended the president later Friday.

“President Trump is absolutely right — the United States of America has done more for NATO than any other country in the alliance has done combined,” Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman, said in a statement sent to AFP.

Minnesota governor slams ‘another horrific shooting’ by federal agents

FMT:

Minnesota governor slams ‘another horrific shooting’ by federal agents

A video has been circulating of a person who appears to have been shot during a street disturbance

Governor Tim Walz called for the ‘thousands of violent, untrained’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to be pulled out of Minnesota. (EPA Images pic)

MINNEAPOLIS: Minnesota governor Tim Walz said Saturday that federal agents deployed in Minneapolis as part of a sweeping immigration crackdown had carried out “another horrific shooting,” less than three weeks after the fatal shooting of Renee Good.

An unconfirmed video was circulating of a person who appears to have been shot during a street disturbance, with several gunshots heard and at least one person in the vicinity wearing a vest marked “POLICE”.

The city government said it was “aware of reports of another shooting involving federal law enforcement in the area of 26th Street W and Nicollet Ave” and seeking more details.


“I just spoke with the White House after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning. Minnesota has had it. This is sickening,” Walz said on X.

“The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.”


Thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been deployed to the Democratic-led city, as President Donald Trump presses his campaign to deport undocumented immigrants across the country.

Minneapolis has been rocked by increasingly tense protests since federal agents shot and killed Good, a US citizen, on Jan 7.

An autopsy concluded that the killing was a homicide, a classification that does not automatically mean a crime was committed.

The officer who fired the shots that killed Good, Jonathan Ross, has neither been suspended nor charged.

The detention of a five-year-old boy this week, as agents sought to arrest his father, rekindled public outrage.

Hadi Criticised for Missing Parliament Session While Remaining Active on Social Media

Hadi Criticised for Missing Parliament Session While Remaining Active on Social Media


24 Jan 2026 • 2:00 PM MYT


Kamran
A freelance content creator

WOB


PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has come under public scrutiny following his absence from the opening of the 2026 Parliament session on January 19, 2026, an event officiated by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim. The criticism emerged after Hadi circulated a lengthy statement outlining his party’s ideological commitment to Islam, reigniting debate over priorities and parliamentary responsibility.


In his statement released on January 21, 2026, Hadi reiterated that the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) positions itself as a movement that seeks to elevate Islam as a governing framework rather than using religion for political gain. He explained that PAS views Islamic politics as inseparable from the broader concept of al-din, which encompasses faith, Islamic law, and moral values. According to him, the party’s struggle is rooted in sacrifice and adherence to Islamic principles, not opportunism.


Hadi further highlighted that PAS’s constitution places Islamic law at the highest level and does not allow compromise on this principle. He contrasted this with other political parties, arguing that PAS stands apart in explicitly embedding Islam as the foundation of its political struggle. He maintained that the party’s pursuit of political power is aimed at establishing Islam as a guiding authority in governance, a stance he claimed has made PAS a target of groups opposed to Islamic influence in politics.


Expanding on this position, Hadi pointed to provisions within the party’s constitution that mandate the elevation of Islam at both state and federal levels. He noted that PAS has repeatedly submitted private motions in Parliament to amend the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, which currently limits state powers in fully implementing Sharia law. In his view, these efforts reflect PAS’s long-term objective to strengthen the role of Islamic governance within Malaysia’s constitutional framework.


However, the timing of Hadi’s ideological message drew criticism due to his absence from the formal opening of Parliament earlier in the week. Members of the public questioned why a senior lawmaker would miss a key parliamentary ceremony while simultaneously emphasising leadership, duty, and religious responsibility. The criticism centred on the expectation that elected representatives should prioritise attendance and participation in Parliament as a basic obligation to voters.


The episode has once again placed Hadi and PAS at the centre of a broader discussion on the balance between political ideology and parliamentary accountability, highlighting how public expectations increasingly extend beyond rhetoric to visible commitment within Malaysia’s democratic institutions.

***

The truth is, as I suspect, he has no (zilch, zero, kosong) respect for Parliament - unless and until PARLIAMENT itself is Islamized.

Rightist Akmal mocked for silence over “ummah scammer” Tan Sri who swindles Muslims RM300m

Rightist Akmal mocked for silence over “ummah scammer” Tan Sri who swindles Muslims RM300m






SUCH was the contention of UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh’s detractors following the detention of Islamic banking figure Tan Sri Dr Mohd Daud Bakar by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption (MACC) for allegedly defrauding investors of RM300 mil in a ‘high return’ scheme.


The graft buster has reportedly obtained a four-day remand order from the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court to further probe the 61-year-old Kedah Darul Aman FC owner over having misappropriated the funds which should have been rightly returned after maturity of the agreement date two years ago.


This follows a post by news site The Malaysian Online (@TheMsianOnline) on X that the Amanie Group founder and executive chairman who also boasts chairmanship of the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Shariah Advisory Council (SAC) has been detained and subsequently remanded.

The Malaysian Online

@TheMsianOnline

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TERKINI Tan Sri Dr Mohd Daud Bakar telah ditangkap dan direman SPRM hari ini. Esok pada jam 10pg akan *dibawa* ke Mahkamah Putrajaya untuk KES penyelewengan RM300JUTA.. lagi Satu Kes Rasuah terbesar yang buat secara terancang.

10:40 PM · Jan 22, 2026

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“Where is @drakmalsaleh? Isn’t this against the YDPA’s (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) decree on the issue of national sovereignty, race and religion?” a commenter cheekily called out the name of the self-proclaimed defender of race and religion. “Where are your followers? Why are you muted?”




Another was quite vulgar in calling out the name of the firebrand Merlinau state assemblyman who recently stepped down as the Melaka state EXCO so he can engage in “an all-out battle against DAP”.



One commenter simply highlighted an apparent publicity poster dated Jan 8, 2023 of Daud – then in his capacity as the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) chairman – who was scheduled to appear on TV AlHijrah to address the subject of “Zakat Penyelamat Umat (Tithe as Saviour of Muslims).



One Muslim commenter lamented “why this so-called TOP people fail to appreciate the rezeki (sustenance) bestowed by Allah” while another described the revelation as a “shame when one prioritises worldly gains”.



One commenter turned to @grok – the AI (artificial intelligence)-powered chatbot of Elon Musk – to seek the background of the Tan Sri in question with the outcome being very convincing to say the least



Another sought @grok’s help to enlighten him about this case for he was curious “what is the scam all about”.



At the end of the day, one commenter who claimed not to be pro-Madani government acknowledged that “I can now see clearly why many people don’t like the PM and YDPA right now for many have been hauled up (for corruption and frauds)”. – Jan 24, 2026




***

Shown himself to be just an ordinary low class racist