MB warns against selective loyalty to Selangor sultan

MB warns against selective loyalty to Selangor sultan


Amirudin Shari calls out 'characters' who failed to speak up when external parties insulted the credibility of the Selangor royal institution in the past

Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari said certain parties would use the pretence of defending the royal institution, race, or religion when they are actually looking to bolster their political position.

PETALING JAYA: Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari today warned all parties against practising selective loyalty to Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Amirudin said certain parties would use the pretence of defending the royal institution, race, or religion when they were actually looking to bolster their political position.

These same quarters change their tune when the situation is unfavourable to their interests, he added.


“All parties, including the opposition, must stop the practice of selective loyalty. They claim to defend race, religion, and royalty only when it benefits their political standing, and abandon their principles when it doesn’t serve their interests.

“These same characters also stayed silent just because of politics when external parties insulted the credibility of the Selangor royal institution,” he said in a statement.


Amirudin is believed to be referring to Perikatan Nasional election director Sanusi Nor, who was charged in 2023 with insulting Sultan Sharafuddin and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

• Awang Muhammad Tahir Muhammad Talib (Former Sabah Water Department Director): Sentenced to a lengthy prison term for one of the largest money laundering and corruption cases in Sabah, involving millions of ringgit in illegal activities.
• Military Procurement Probes: High-ranking officials, including former army generals, have faced corruption charges under the MACC Act of 2009 regarding defense contracts, prompting government-wide investigations.

Sanusi, the Kedah menteri besar, was initially charged with two counts of sedition, but was acquitted of the charge involving the Selangor ruler after apologising to the sultan.

Earlier this week, Sultan Sharafuddin called for DAP assemblyman Wong Siew Ki and former DAP leader Ronnie Liu to better understand the Rukun Negara and respect the royal institution, following their response to the ruler’s call for a complete end to pig farming in the state.

DAP’s former Damansara MP Tony Pua then said the powers of the monarch were strictly limited to defined aspects such as Malay customs, Islam, and constitutional roles, prompting brickbats from Umno and PAS leaders as well as a police investigation.

On Sultan Sharafuddin’s recent call for the Malays and Muslims to unite, Amirudin said the statement was timely given the tendencies from certain quarters to stoke racial and religious tensions while using the royal institution as a political tool.

The PKR vice-president said all Selangorians should abide by the sultan’s call to understand and appreciate the Rukun Negara as a key pillar in forming a united, democratic, fair, and progressive Malaysian society.

“Everyone should also read the Federal Constitution and the late Tunku Abdul Rahman’s declaration of independence so that the country’s history isn’t distorted for narrow political interests.

“The Selangor government will continue holding fast to unity, moderation, and respect for the constitutional monarchy and the rule of law, as outlined by our founding fathers,” said Amirudin.

US denies role in Norway’s move to halt missile delivery to Malaysia

US denies role in Norway’s move to halt missile delivery to Malaysia


The US says it supports Malaysia’s acquisition of a naval strike capability to respond to regional threats and protect its sovereignty

David H Gamble Jr, chargé d’affaires of the US embassy in Malaysia, said the US remains committed to its defence and security relationship with Malaysia. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: The US government has denied involvement in the decision by the Norwegian government and Norwegian defence company Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace to cancel its delivery of a naval strike missile (NSM) system to Malaysia.

The Norwegian government had revoked the export permit for the NSM ordered by Malaysia from Kongsberg under a 2018 contract to equip six littoral combat ships, saying that exports of its defence technology would be limited to its “allies and closest partners”.

News reports have suggested that US-made restricted components embedded in Norwegian NSMs – particularly advanced guidance gyroscopes – may have triggered US export controls, allowing Washington an indirect veto over the deal.


However, David H Gamble Jr, chargé d’affaires of the US embassy in Malaysia, said the US supported Malaysia’s acquisition of a naval strike capability to respond to regional threats and to protect its sovereignty.

In a statement today, Gamble said the US even facilitated the integration of the necessary guidance components for the NSMs to Kongsberg in 2024, to ensure the system’s delivery to Malaysia.


“The US remains committed to our robust defence and security relationship with Malaysia and further advancing it through our memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation, 14 regular bilateral and multilateral exercises, professional development, and maritime security assistance,” said Gamble.

According to the US Naval Institute, the NSMs were scheduled for delivery to Malaysia in early March. It said Malaysian officials were, however, “notified of unspecified delays”.

Defence minister Khaled Nordin said on Tuesday that Malaysia was seeking more than RM1 billion in compensation from Kongsberg in direct and indirect costs. He said the government had already made payments amounting to 95% of the total procurement value of RM634 million.

He said the indirect costs included the removal of missile mounting systems already installed on the navy’s vessels, as well as the integration of replacement systems supplied by other vendors.

Norway’s decision to cancel the export licences was also criticised by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who said it was unacceptable.

Anwar said Malaysia had faithfully honoured every obligation under the contract since 2018, while Norway “has not felt compelled to extend us the same courtesy and demonstration of good faith”.

In Penang, rescue ropes and kind neighbours are giving endangered langurs a second chance

In Penang, rescue ropes and kind neighbours are giving endangered langurs a second chance



Dusky langurs called ‘Julie’ (top) and ‘Bulat’ (bottom), named by the Langur Project Penang (LPP), cross overhead utility wires in the back alley of a residential area in the Tanjung Bungah area of George Town April 9, 2026. — AFP pic

Thursday, 21 May 2026 7:00 AM MYT


GEORGE TOWN, May 21 — A graceful black monkey edges across a swaying red rope bridge strung over a busy residential road in Malaysia’s Penang, watched by local conservationists who carefully record her movements.

For Malaysia’s endangered dusky langurs, recognisable by the “masks” of white fur that ring their eyes, survival increasingly depends on such man-made crossings and the work of “citizen scientists”.

A fragmented habitat, conflict with local communities, and poaching have all pushed the species to endangered status.

But the Langur Project Penang (LPP) conservation group hopes that low-tech engineering and high-tech community engagement can help protect the species, also known as the dusky leaf monkey.

Key to their efforts is helping the monkeys navigate fragmented habitat crisscrossed by busy roads where the animals are often killed.

A view of a green area with dense trees where langur monkeys can be found surrounded by residential buildings and hotels at the Tanjung Bungah area of George Town April 9, 2026. — AFP pic


LPP founder Yap Jo Leen realised the need for a solution when she saw dusky langurs repeatedly risking road crossings as she carried out fieldwork in 2016.

“I realised that they don’t just stay in the forest. They also cross roads to the coastal area to look for food,” she told AFP.

She came up with the idea of building some kind of crossing, and pairing the solution with community engagement.

“At the time, the idea was wild because no one in Malaysia had actually done it before” she said of the crossing plan.

Similar canopy bridges have helped other endangered primates elsewhere, including in Indonesia, where an orangutan was recently seen using such a crossing for the first time.



Langur Project Penang (LPP) project executive Wong Hui Yi uses a ‘live’ tracking application to monitor dusky langurs at a playground near residential buildings in the Tanjung Bungah area of George Town April 9, 2026. — AFP pic


‘Safe haven’

Yap’s team experimented with different materials before settling on upcycled fire hoses “twisted to mimic tree branches”.

They are suspended over roads from a tree on one side and a custom-installed pole on the other.

LPP has now installed three, including in April in the coastal suburb and beach destination of Batu Ferringhi.

Yap said the group’s research showed they work. At one site, at least eight monkeys died in traffic accidents between 2016 and 2018. No deaths have been recorded since the crossing was installed in 2019.

The crossings also allow groups of monkeys that were once largely confined to an area to expand their range.

“They have more opportunity to venture closer to the hills... and find their way to a safe haven,” she said.



A dusky langur called ‘Bumi’, named by the Langur Project Penang (LPP), climbs a tree at a playground near a residential area in the Tanjung Bungah area of George Town April 9, 2026. — AFP pic


That not only benefits the animals, but decreases pressure on local communities that have come into conflict with hungry roving bands of dusky langurs seeking food in urban neighbourhoods.

Addressing that conflict is another part of LPP’s efforts.

It recruits members of the local community to serve as “citizen scientists” who track langur movements, collect data and record GPS coordinates using spreadsheets and the Wikiloc trail app.

The volunteers receive a small stipend and training in fieldwork in return for committing to tracking the monkeys for at least three months.

The data helps researchers understand more about the monkeys, including their home range and their feeding habits, and could one day even help guide reforestation efforts.



Teo Hoon Cheng, a citizen scientist, speaks during an interview near the third and most recent artificial road canopy bridge called the ‘Obscura Bridge’, for use by endangered dusky langurs as part of the Langur Project Penang (LPP), in Batu Ferringhi, George Town, April 9, 2026. — AFP pic


‘We have to coexist’

The current volunteers range from age 17 to 65 and “call themselves the ‘monkey stalkers’ or ‘monkey whisperers’”, Yap said with a laugh.

Former IT manager Teo Hoon Cheng signed up after encountering “magnificent” langurs on hiking trails over a decade ago.

“You don’t need background knowledge in zoology or biology. Anyone can be a citizen scientist,” he said.

Other locals work with LPP to ease tensions between the community and the monkeys, including retired graphic designer Tan Soo Siah.

“Somebody needs to step up to act as a bridge for this communication,” the 64-year-old said.

Residents complain about the noise the monkeys make when crossing their roofs, as well as occasional “break-ins” when windows are left open.

Tan tries to explain why the monkeys are there, and how they can be gently moved along with a little spray of water.



A dusky langur crosses an artificial canopy bridge called ‘Numi’s Crossing’ as part of the Langur Project Penang (LPP) across Lembah Permai Road in the Tanjung Bungah area of George Town April 9, 2026. — AFP pic


The work has “taught me the meaning of coexistence,” he said.

“It’s good that we can use my experience to show how we can live in harmony with the primates.”

Fellow resident Lim Hock Cheng said the community was gradually learning to accept the animals.

“We’ve encroached into their habitat... We have to coexist, learn to live with each other,” the 66-year-old said.

“The dusky langurs are also part of our society.” — AFP

Pua probe: Necessary action or legal overreach?

Pua probe: Necessary action or legal overreach?

Hanipa Maidin
Published: May 21, 2026 8:00 AM
Updated: 10:00 AM



COMMENT | Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director M Kumar confirmed that police are investigating former DAP lawmaker Tony Pua over his remarks on the royal institution and the Rukun Negara.

The probe, initiated after 28 police reports were lodged nationwide, is being conducted under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

I once defended a client prosecuted after hundreds of police reports (not only 28) were lodged against him. At trial, the complainant who lodged the report could not even identify the statement my client supposedly made, leading to an acquittal that was later affirmed by both the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

Drawing from my courtroom experience, individuals who vocally condemn a suspect in public, high-profile, and sensationalised cases seldom transition into effective prosecution witnesses.

Instead, their lack of concrete knowledge often renders them poor witnesses, which ultimately damages the prosecution’s case during trial.

Pua is under scrutiny for allegedly asserting that Malaysian monarchs lack the constitutional authority to issue absolute, binding decrees in all matters.

Constitutionally speaking, as of now, Malaysia has been faithfully adhering to the doctrine of constitutional monarchy. The way I see it, that was the central plank of Pua’s arguments.

Constitutional experts argue that one of the indigenous elements duly enshrined in our supreme law of the land - the Federal Constitution - is the principle of constitutional monarchy.

In essence, such a doctrine respectfully recognises the solemn dignity and sovereignty of our rulers, but their powers and decrees are equally circumscribed by the Constitution itself. It goes without saying that our Constitution has never advocated for a doctrine of absolute monarchy.

Policing opinion in the digital age

Be that as it may, Pua’s constitutionally sound statement would have been completely harmless had critics not twisted it to argue that he is actively trying to limit the rulers’ power to issue absolute decrees.

The social media era has democratised public commentary, allowing individuals without relevant expertise to opine on complex matters. Consequently, public discourse is frequently flooded with confidently asserted views from those who lack even a basic grasp of the issues at hand.

Unfortunately, we are living in a social media era where every Tom, Dick, and Harry has become a Jack of all trades, master of none. To our utter chagrin, social media often elevates unqualified opinions over informed analysis.

Critics of Pua must focus on constitutional arguments rather than demanding criminal action. Healthy democratic debate should be protected from police intervention, even when viewpoints clash.

Our law enforcement agencies should not be unnecessarily burdened with investigating matters of political and constitutional discourse.

Investigating political and constitutional debates unnecessarily drains valuable police time and public resources. Evaluating nuanced constitutional theory is a matter for legal scholars and the courts, not law enforcement.

Therefore, police focus should remain on core security matters rather than policing public discourse.


HANIPA MAIDIN is a former deputy minister of law.

***

As always, we can depend on good old Hanipa Maidin to provide the correct opinion, which was why I, impressed by him, once saw him as a potential PM (despite his once-PAS membership), but alas, he suffered from medical health and thus, very much to Malaysia's loss, renders him unfit for more strenuous duties (as in PM-ship)

Israeli minister sparks outcry over video of bound flotilla activists

Israeli minister sparks outcry over video of bound flotilla activists


The video shows dozens of activists forced to kneel with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground

he footage also shows Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir heckling and waving an Israeli flag among the detained activists. (EPA Images pic)

ASHDOD: Israel’s far-right national security minister posted a video on Wednesday showing detained activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla kneeling with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground, sparking international condemnation.

The video, shared on X by firebrand minister Itamar Ben Gvir, was published after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla’s vessels at sea and began detaining hundreds of foreign activists at the southern port of Ashdod.

The video drew swift international uproar, while Ben Gvir himself was criticised by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and foreign minister Gideon Saar.


Captioned “Welcome to Israel”, the footage shows dozens of activists forced to kneel with their hands tied and foreheads on the ground. At some points, the Israeli national anthem can be heard playing in the background.

The footage also shows Ben Gvir heckling and waving an Israeli flag among the detained activists.


US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee denounced what he said were “despicable actions”.

“Universal outrage & condemnation from every high-ranking Israeli official… for despicable actions by Ben Gvir. Flotilla was stupid stunt, but Ben Gvir betrayed dignity of his nation,” Huckabee wrote on X.

European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib also criticised Ben Gvir, saying on X that “no one should be punished for defending humanity”.

France said it had summoned the Israeli ambassador over the “unacceptable actions” of Ben Gvir, while Madrid condemned the “monstrous” treatment of activists and said Israel’s charge d’affaires had also been summoned in protest.


Belgium summoned the Israeli ambassador over what it said was a “deeply disturbing” video.


Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said “the abominable treatment of civilians aboard the flotilla… is unacceptable”, adding that the foreign minister had directed officials to summon the Israeli ambassador.

Ireland’s foreign minister Helen McEntee said she was “appalled and shocked” by the video and demanded the immediate release of the activists, among whom is the sister of President Catherine Connolly.

Turkey’s foreign ministry said Ben Gvir had “once again openly demonstrated to the world the violent and barbaric mentality of the Netanyahu government”.


‘Disgraceful display’

Ben Gvir also drew the ire of Netanyahu, who said the minister’s conduct with the activists was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms”.

“I have instructed the relevant authorities to deport the provocateurs (activists) as soon as possible,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

Saar said Ben Gvir had “knowingly caused harm to our State in this disgraceful display — and not for the first time”.

But Ben Gvir hit back, saying: “I am proud to be the minister in charge of the organisations that operated today against those supporters of terror.”

“Yes, there will be all sorts of pictures that Gideon Saar does not like, but I think they are a great source of pride,” he added at parliament.

Around 50 vessels under the Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Turkey last week in the latest attempt by activists to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza, after Israeli forces intercepted a previous convoy last month.

The Israeli authorities had said 430 activists aboard the flotilla were en route to Israel, while the Adalah rights group said some had already arrived at Ashdod port and were being held there.

Hamas, which controls less than half of Gaza and whose attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 sparked the war in the Palestinian territory, said the footage was evidence of Israeli leaders’ “moral depravity and sadism”.

Adalah also criticised Israeli authorities over the video.

“Israel is employing a criminal policy of abuse and humiliation against activists seeking to confront Israel’s ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people,” the group, whose lawyers went to the detention centre to meet the detainees, said in a statement.

‘Malicious scheme’

Israel’s foreign ministry had dismissed the flotilla as a publicity stunt serving Hamas.

Netanyahu had earlier denounced it as “a malicious scheme designed to break the blockade we have imposed on Hamas terrorists in Gaza”.

Israel controls all entry points into Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007.

During the Gaza war, the territory suffered severe shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies, with Israel at times halting aid deliveries entirely.

A previous flotilla attempt was intercepted last month in international waters off Greece, with most activists expelled to Europe.

Two were brought to Israel, detained for several days and then deported.

Indira Gandhi ruling no effect on pre-2018 child conversions, court rules

Indira Gandhi ruling no effect on pre-2018 child conversions, court rules


2 hours ago
V Anbalagan


High Court also says the Federal Court’s landmark ruling has left several unresolved questions surrounding Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution

The Melaka High Court has dismissed a 28-year-old woman’s application to annul her unilateral conversion to Islam in 2009, saying it was ‘statutorily valid on its face.’ (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Melaka High Court has refused to annul a woman’s childhood conversion to Islam, ruling that a landmark Federal Court decision does not affect unilateral conversions registered before the case.

Judicial Commissioner S Raja Segaran said the central issue was whether the case of Indira Gandhi Mutho v. Pengarah Jabatan Agama Islam Perak & Ors, decided in 2018, could invalidate a conversion registered nine years earlier.

In that case, the Federal Court ruled that the conversion of a minor with the consent of only one parent — known as a “unilateral conversion” — was invalid, as it contravened Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution.


Then Federeal Court judge Zainun Ali, delivering the unanimous decision of a five-member bench, said that the term “parent” in Article 12(4) must be read to mean both parents provided they retain legal rights to the child.

“Indira Gandhi expressly directed that its decision was to have prospective effect. That direction is binding and must be applied,” Raja Segaran said in his 74-page judgment.


“It means that the consequences of Indira Gandhi for the formal validity of registered conversions are confined to conversions registered after the date of the decision.

“Pre-2018 conversions are not invalidated by the dual-parent rule, regardless of whether both parents formally consented”

Raja Segaran was presiding over a case brought by a 28-year-old woman seeking court declarations that she professed the Hindu faith and that her conversion to Islam as a child was void ab initio (from the outset).

Born out of wedlock to Hindu parents, she said her mother — who embraced Islam in 2005 — converted her at age 11 four years later, without her father’s consent.

The woman claimed she was coerced into converting and lacked a proper understanding of Islam, having been raised in a Hindu environment where she attended temples and took part in Hindu ceremonies.

The court, however, found her conversion process to be “statutorily valid on its face” under Sections 95, 100 and 105 of the Melaka Islamic Administration Enactment 2002.

Allegations of coercion were rejected, with Raja Segaran noting contradictions between her mother’s 2025 affidavit and a statutory declaration made in 2009.

Raja Segaran also found that the woman was not able to prove she had never professed Islam.


He said there was a constitutional distinction between “professing” and “practising” Islam, and that practising Hinduism did not automatically negate professing Islam, particularly where official records and her conduct as an adult showed otherwise.

As a result, Raja Segaran declined to direct the defendants — the Melaka Islamic religious council, the state government, and the director-general of the national registration department — to make amendments to the woman’s name or religious status in their official records.

He, however, refused to award the defendants costs.

“The court is mindful that excessive costs orders may discourage bona fide legal recourse in cases involving genuine questions of constitutional identity and jurisdiction,” the judgment read.

Although affirming Indira Gandhi’s case as binding precedent, Raja Segaran said it had left several observed unresolved constitutional questions surrounding Article 12(4), including:whether the framers’ use of the singular “parent” was intended to differ from “parents”;
whether the Bahasa Malaysia text “ibu atau bapanya atau penjaganya” carries constitutional significance under Article 160B; an
whether decades of state enactments using “mother, father or guardian” reflected the prevailing understanding of Article 12(4).

Lawyers Pavitra Loganathan and Darshela Hari Raja represented the woman, Nazri Hamid appeared for the council, while senior federal counsel Norafiah Saini and Khairul Azreem Mamat acted for the state government.

‘One Palestinian minor killed every week’: Inside the rising toll on children in the West Bank

‘One Palestinian minor killed every week’: Inside the rising toll on children in the West Bank



A woman and a child cross a street as Israeli security forces patrol during a military raid in the Qalandia refugee camp, south of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, May 11, 2026. — AFP pic

Thursday, 21 May 2026 7:00 AM MYT


NABLUS, May 21 — Youssef Shtayyeh came home from school on an April afternoon, dropped his bag in the hallway and headed straight back out to join his friends.

Minutes later, he was dead — shot by an Israeli soldier, just 100 metres (yards) from his home.


He was 15. His is not an isolated case.

Since Israel launched a major military operation against armed Palestinian groups in the northern West Bank in January 2025, one Palestinian minor has been killed every week on average across the territory, up from one every three weeks in 2021, according to Unicef.


Seventy teenagers, mostly aged 15 to 16, have been killed to date, 65 of them by Israeli forces, according to a Unicef report dated May 12.


Then came Youssef Kaabnah, 16, killed on May 13.

Then Fahd Oweis, 15, two days later.


The Israeli military said both had “hurled stones” at soldiers.

It is almost certainly what Shtayyeh had been doing too, on April 23, in Nablus — the largest city in the northern West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967.

Youssef and his friends were on a side street above a main road when a couple passing in a car spotted them throwing stones — and the military convoy below.

One jeep stopped. Then the others.

“A soldier got out, then two more. They started shooting at the kids,” the passing driver told AFP, declining to be named for safety reasons.

‘Designed to kill’

A neighbour filmed what followed.

Two shots. Then screams.

Youssef grabbed the car door.

“He said, ‘Please don’t leave me, I’m scared. Take me to my father, take me home,’” the driver recalled.

Youssef’s father Sameh Shtayyeh, a 48-year-old building contractor, told AFP he had no idea what had caused the soldiers to open fire on his son as he “wasn’t there”.

In a panic, the driver told the boy to get in the car and sped to the hospital.

By the time they reached the facility, the boy was silent.

Youssef’s heart had stopped.

“A gunshot wound — entry in the back, exit through the chest,” surgeon Bahaa Fattouh, who treated him, told AFP.

Doctors resuscitated him and rushed him to the operating theatre. His heart stopped again.

This time, it did not revive.

“Earlier, we used to treat minor injuries — legs, arms, rubber bullets,” said Fattouh.

But since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, “we only see lethal wounds — chest, head.”

Wounds, Fattouh said, that were “designed to kill”.

“Most patients die on the operating table.”

‘Standard procedure’

AFP contacted the Israeli military on the day of the incident, and again after returning from Nablus last week.

The response was identical, word for word: “A terrorist threw stones at soldiers. The soldiers applied the standard arrest procedure, which ended with fire being directed at the suspect.”

Israeli daily Haaretz recently quoted the military’s commander for the West Bank, Major General Avi Bluth, saying troops had killed 42 Palestinians for throwing stones in 2025.

He described stone-throwing as “terrorism”.

Standing at the spot where his son fell, Sameh Shtayyeh stares down at the road below.

“Whether he threw stones or not — what does it matter? Where is the danger to an army patrol?” he asks bitterly.

In protests “in Israel, in France, people throw stones and bins” and face nothing worse than arrest, he said.

He buried Youssef in the family village of Tell, five kilometres (three miles) from Nablus.

Weeks later, women were still holding a vigil at the flower-covered grave, topped with a portrait of the teenager showing him on a football pitch with a ball at his feet.

His father had promised to take him to Saudi Arabia to watch Cristiano Ronaldo play.

Now, each time Sameh comes home, Youssef is not there to greet him.

His eldest son returns from school — but Youssef is not there.

He glances at the back seat of his car. Youssef is not there. — AFP

***

Those murderous shailoks must be held accountable for their wicked deeds

UN report details systemic torture and sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees

Pearls and Irritations

Brad Reed

UN report details systemic torture and sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees


May 20, 2026


A United Nations special rapporteur has documented extensive allegations of torture, sexual violence and abuse against Palestinian detainees held in Israeli custody since October 2023.

A United Nations expert on Tuesday delivered a report offering evidence of systemic torture, brutality, and sexual abuse of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli captivity.

Alice Jill Edwards, the UN special rapporteur on torture, said she had gathered substantial evidence of torture and sexual violence committed by Israeli authorities against Arab citizens of Israel as well as Palestinian detainees from Gaza and the West Bank.

After Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, Israel not only launched a military assault on Gaza but also introduced emergency detention measures that Edwards argued “exposed Palestinian detainees to torture, potentially unlawful deaths, incommunicado detention, and degrading conditions.”

Among other things, Edwards’ report documents nine allegations of “rape, attempted rape, and threats of rape”; eleven allegations of “beatings, grabbing, electrocution, or mauling by dogs” of male detainees’ genitals; 23 allegations of “beatings with weapons or other objects, kicking, and punching”; five allegations of electrocution by electric batons or other devices; and four allegations of forced kneeling for periods lasting up to a full day.

The report also notes that 94 Palestinians died in custody from October 2023 through August 2025, although it acknowledges that “a lack of transparency into the cause of these deaths makes it unclear which deaths are attributed to natural causes or unlawful conduct.”

However, the report cites a review of 10 postmortem examinations of detainees who died in Israeli custody which found signs of physical abuse in five cases, and signs of bruising “consistent with beatings and use of restraints” in two cases.

“Findings also included multiple rib fractures, haemorrhages on the skin and near internal organs, and lacerations of intra-abdominal organs,” the report adds. “One case documented intracranial haemorrhage resulting from a head injury apparently sustained during arrest.”

Edwards said that the sheer volume of torture and abuse allegations documented in the report cannot be written off as the work of rogue actors.

“It is my view that the number and cruelty of allegations compiled portray gross disregard by Israel of its duty to treat all detainees humanely and without discrimination,” she said, “and this has encouraged, tolerated, and condoned torture and ill-treatment, at times with support at ministerial and functional levels.”

The descriptions of torture in Edwards’ report echo recent reporting by New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who wrote that his interviews with Palestinian detainees revealed “a pattern of widespread Israeli sexual violence against men, woman, and even children – by soldiers, settlers, interrogators in the Shin Bet internal security agency and, above all, prison guards.”

Lebanon says 21 killed, including children, in Israeli air strikes

Lebanon says 21 killed, including children, in Israeli air strikes

3 hours ago
Chris Graham and
David Gritten

Reuters
Smoke was seen in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, following Israeli strikes


Israeli air strikes killed at least 21 people in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, according to the country's health ministry and media.

Twelve of them, including three children and three women, were killed in a single attack that hit a house in the town of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The Israeli military has not commented, but previously said it was targeting the Iran-backed, Shia Islamist armed group Hezbollah. One Israeli soldier was killed on Tuesday as Hezbollah attacked forces occupying parts of southern Lebanon.

It comes less than a week after the US said Lebanon and Israel had agreed to extend a ceasefire by 45 days, with talks set to resume next month.

Lebanon was drawn into the war between Iran, Israel and the US on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran's supreme leader. Israel responded with an air campaign across Lebanon and a ground invasion.

Both Israel and Hezbollah have continued to exchange fire since the US-brokered ceasefire came into force almost five weeks ago.

Israeli air strikes continue, day and night, especially in the south of the country.

Israel says it is targeting the armed group Hezbollah, but civilians have often been killed, including women and children.

Hezbollah has fired rockets and drones into communities in northern Israel and against Israeli troops occupying a strip of land in southern Lebanon that in some places extends 10km (6 miles) from the border.

The Lebanese health ministry said on Tuesday night that 10 people were killed and three others were wounded, including a child, in the strike on Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, in Tyre district.

On Wednesday morning, the National News Agency reported that two more bodies had been recovered from the rubble of the home that was destroyed. It said the dead were 11 members of one family and a Syrian national, without naming them.

The health ministry said a further nine people were killed and 29 injured in Israeli air strikes on Nabatieh and Tyre districts.

Two women were among four people who were killed in a strike in the town of Nabatieh, it added, while another strike in the nearby village of Kfar Sir killed five people.

The BBC has contacted the Israeli military for comment.

It announced earlier on Tuesday that Israeli forces had struck more than 25 Hezbollah infrastructure sites, including weapons storage facilities and command centres, in several areas of southern Lebanon over the previous 24 hours.

It also said a deputy company commander was killed by Hezbollah fire while clearing buildings in a southern Lebanese village.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah said its fighters "clashed... with a force of the Israeli enemy army that tried to advance towards the vicinity of the town square of Haddatha", in Bint Jbeil district, and that an Israeli tank was destroyed, the Agence France-Presse news agency reported.

Hezbollah also said it carried out other attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon as well as Iron Dome air defence platforms near the border in northern Israel, according to AFP.

At least 3,094 people have been killed in Lebanon since the start of the war, according to the health ministry, whose figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Israeli authorities say 21 soldiers and four civilians have been killed over the same period.

‘Anything is possible’: Negeri Sembilan MB does not rule out state election this year

‘Anything is possible’: Negeri Sembilan MB does not rule out state election this year



Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said the possibility of holding a state election this year remains open. — Bernama pic

Wednesday, 20 May 2026 6:07 PM MYT


SEREMBAN, May 20 — Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun has not ruled out the possibility of the state election being held this year, although the matter is still under consideration.

The Negeri Sembilan Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman said the possibility of holding the election simultaneously with neighbouring states Melaka and Johor would also be looked into.

“The possibility is there (for a state election). In politics, anything is possible. Maybe this year or next year, Insya-Allah.

“We will see when our neighbouring states (Melaka and Johor) hold their elections, and perhaps we can hold them simultaneously. That will be considered,” he told reporters after chairing the state executive council meeting at Wisma Negeri here today.


On the upcoming state legislative assembly sitting, Aminuddin said the state government was currently studying suitable dates as the current assembly term only ends on October 24.

“The state government is looking at a suitable date to convene the sitting... there are about six months left, and at the latest by October 24. If no sitting is held by then, the assembly will dissolve automatically,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked whether Negeri Sembilan PH would contest solo without Barisan Nasional (BN), he stressed that the decision rested with the central leadership.


He said that although there were strong views within the state PH for the coalition to go solo, the current political landscape could change according to circumstances, and cooperation between parties could still be revived in the future.

In the 15th state election held on August 12, 2023, BN won 14 seats, PH secured 17 seats, while Perikatan Nasional won five seats.

In another development, Aminuddin said he is currently assuming the duties of the state executive councillor for Rural Development, Plantations and Commodities; Agriculture, Food Security and Cost of Living; as well as Education following the vacancy of the BN-held exco positions.

The Youth and Sports portfolio is being overseen by Nicole Tan, while the Heritage and Technology portfolio is being handled by Datuk Noor Zunita Begum Mohd Ibrahim and the Innovation and Digital portfolio by J. Arul Kumar.

Last month, 14 BN assemblymen stated that they had withdrawn their support and had lost confidence in Aminuddin, resulting in four state executive councillor positions held by the coalition becoming vacant. — Bernama

No by-elections for Pandan and Setiawangsa, says EC

No by-elections for Pandan and Setiawangsa, says EC


Election Commission chairman Ramlan Harun says Speaker Johari Abdul had stated that there was no need to fill the seats

Former PKR leaders Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (left) resigned as the MPs for Pandan and Setiawangsa, respectively, before quitting PKR.

PETALING JAYA: The Election Commission will not hold by-elections for the Pandan and Setiawangsa parliamentary seats, following the resignations of Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad as MPs.

EC chairman Ramlan Harun said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul had informed the commission that there was no need to fill the seats.

“Therefore, there will be no by-elections for the Pandan and Setiawangsa seats,” he said in a brief statement this evening.


Rafizi and Nik Nazmi resigned as MPs for Pandan and Setiawangsa, respectively, before quitting PKR, and have since taken over Parti Bersama Malaysia.

By-elections are not a must since Parliament automatically dissolves in less than two years.


However, the Dewan Rakyat speaker may request that the EC hold the by-elections if he writes in to inform the commission that the ruling party’s majority in the house is affected by the vacancies.

Cops probe Pua over FB post on constitutional monarchy

Cops probe Pua over FB post on constitutional monarchy, Rukun Negara


The former Damansara MP is being investigated for statements conducive to public mischief and improper use of network facilities or services

Bukit Aman CID chief M Kumar said all the relevant parties will be summoned to assist in the investigation. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Former Damansara MP Tony Pua is being investigated following 28 police reports lodged about his Facebook post which touched on the constitutional monarchy system and the Rukun Negara.

Bukit Aman criminal investigation department director M Kumar said Pua is being investigated for statements conducive to public mischief under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, and improper use of network facilities or services under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Asked whether Pua would be called in for questioning, Kumar said all the relevant parties would be summoned to assist in the investigation, reported Berita Harian.


“Of course, we will call all parties involved to assist in the investigation,” he said.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Pua, of DAP, said the powers of the monarch were limited to defined aspects such as Malay customs, Islam, and constitutional roles like the appointment of menteris besar, and approval for the dissolution of state assemblies.


He said Malaysians did not “live in a system whereby the monarch can issue binding decrees which legislate all aspects of our lives”.

His comments came after Selangor’s Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah called on DAP assemblyman Wong Siew Ki and former DAP leader Ronnie Liu to deepen their understanding of the Rukun Negara and show greater respect for the royal institution.

The sultan’s remarks were made amid controversy over Wong and Liu’s response to his call for a complete ban on pig farming in Selangor.

Wong faced criticism for proposing a modern, closed-system approach to pig farming in the state, while Liu suggested that dissatisfied pig farmers consider seeking a judicial review.

Survey shows Malaysians becoming more intolerant of differences amid rising ‘insular trust’ trend

Survey shows Malaysians becoming more intolerant of differences amid rising ‘insular trust’ trend



Despite improving overall trust in institutions such as businesses and the government, the report suggests a worrying trend: Malaysians are increasingly retreating into familiar information environments and are less willing to trust those with different values, political views or cultural backgrounds. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

Wednesday, 20 May 2026 4:29 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — More Malaysians are becoming less tolerant of people with differing opinions and values, according to the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, which points to a deepening “insular trust” mindset and widening social polarisation.

Despite improving overall trust in institutions such as businesses and the government, the report suggests a worrying trend: Malaysians are increasingly retreating into familiar information environments and are less willing to trust those with different values, political views or cultural backgrounds.

On average, 65 per cent of Malaysians now exhibit an insular trust mindset, while only 37 per cent regularly seek information from sources with differing political viewpoints, the survey found.


The polarisation has also reached global highs. A staggering 87 per cent of Malaysian respondents said distrust towards people with differences has become so severe that individuals actively try to make things worse for one another — the highest level recorded across all surveyed markets.

More than 70 per cent of Malaysians also believe foreign actors are deliberately spreading disinformation through local media to inflame domestic divisions, a concern second only to the United Arab Emirates.


The office divide

The report said this insularity has moved beyond a social issue and is now becoming an economic challenge.

Up to 48 per cent of Malaysians admitted they would put less effort into helping a colleague or manager whose political beliefs differ from their own, while 38 per cent said they would prefer to switch departments entirely rather than work under a manager with different values.

Edelman warned that, if left unchecked, this trend could affect workplace collaboration, productivity and talent mobility. Mazuin Zin, CEO and senior adviser for Edelman Southeast Asia, said Malaysia risks undermining its trust advantages if divisions deepen.

“Bridging them is not just a social imperative; it is the precondition for the next phase of our growth,” Mazuin said in a statement, noting that trust is increasingly confined within familiar echo chambers.


The expectation gap for leaders

Employees across the Asia-Pacific region are looking to businesses to help bridge the divide, with 77 per cent saying employers have an obligation to build trust between different groups.

However, only 54 per cent believe their employers are doing so effectively, leaving a 23-point performance gap.

The gaps are even wider for government and media (37 points each), and NGOs (31 points).

When navigating divisive social issues, 38 per cent of Malaysians believe businesses are most effective when they encourage cooperation without taking sides.

This is higher than the 32 per cent who prefer companies to take a values-based stance, while 11 per cent believe businesses should remain completely silent.

The annual online survey is in its 26th year. For the 2026 edition, it polled 33,938 respondents from 28 countries, or roughly 1,200 per country. The Trust Index is the average level of trust in business, government, media and NGOs.

The firm said the insularity segmentation was created by grouping respondents into three categories based on their willingness to trust someone different from themselves.

Respondents were assessed on differences in values, approaches to solving societal problems, trusted facts and sources, and culture or background.

They were then asked to rate their willingness to trust someone across these dimensions on a standard scale.

OPINION | Anwar Is Losing Control — Snap Elections Are Coming

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OPINION | Anwar Is Losing Control — Snap Elections Are Coming


20 May 2026 • 7:00 AM MYT

TheRealNehruism
An award-winning Newswav creator, Bebas News columnist & ex-FMT columnist

 

Image credit: Globalstats11 X



Early April, Anwar Ibrahim said that he won't be holding general elections in the next one or two months.


To that, I said that the very fact that he had to say that he won't be holding elections soon is a sign that elections will be held soon.



Just 3 or 4 days ago, the government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil said that Anwar has given no indication that he wishes to call for elections soon.


To that, I said that it is not in Anwar's hands when elections will be called - Anwar doesn't have a two-thirds majority or even a simple majority in Parliament - he depends on external parties like Barisan Nasional and the Sabah and Sarawak parties to get him the minimum 50 percent of confidence in Parliament that he needs to rule the country. All of the parties that he depends on - BN, the Sarawak parties and the Sabah parties - for various reasons, are currently deeply unhappy with his administration



Worse, even his party and coalition, PKR and Pakatan Harapan, are ready to pull support for him.


As a matter of fact, pulling support from their party is exactly what two PKR MPs, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and Rafizi Ramli, have done today when they informed us today that they are joining a new party.


On July 12, DAP also looks certain to retract support from Anwar's administration as well. DAP is getting hammered left and right by its own supporters for its role in supporting Anwar's administration, which many of them find insulting and degrading to their person. Despite being the biggest component of PH, DAP has been given less important positions in the unity government than parties like UMNO, which not only has supported the unity government less than DAP, but has even been openly antagonistic towards it.



Yesterday, BN Johor declared that it is going to contest all the seats in the coming Johor state election, as though it sees absolutely no worth or value in its partnership with PH, and is looking forward to severing its ties with PH at the earliest possible time.


Just last month, Umno's 14 ADUNs in Negeri Sembilan even moved to collapse the PH-led government in Negeri Sembilan, where DAP holds 11 seats in the state assembly.


Pig farming has also received a blanket ban in the whole of Selangor.


Non-Malays and supporters of PH can't even have one day of fun in Kuala Lumpur by holding such events as the Rain Rave Water Music Festival without being labelled as holding a "pesta maksiat" or acting like "animals", while Anwar just watches and does nothing.



When DAP asked for UEC certification to be recognised last December, not only did Anwar slam the door in their face, in January, while unveiling the National Education Blueprint, he also embarrassed DAP further by making it compulsory for Malay and History to be taught in Chinese schools.


A couple of days ago, as a compromise, Anwar's administration allowed UEC graduates to apply for four insignificant bachelor degree courses in public universities - Chinese Language Studies, Chinese Language and Linguistics, Chinese Studies, and Chinese Language with Education - but even these crumbs were delivered to DAP with so much abuse and criticism that it must feel insulting for them to go through so much for so little.



Considering how DAP has been treated in the unity government, despite its contributions, sacrifice and forbearance, I doubt that the DAP delegates are going to vote for DAP to continue supporting the unity government in July - to do so would cause them to lose all self-respect.


So if not only external allies are not supporting him, but his own supporters are not supporting him, then who exactly is Anwar the leader of?


A word like "leader" can either just be a word, or it can have meaning.


To be just a word, a "leader" just needs to have a title - like Prime Minister, President of PKR, or head of PH.



But to have meaning, people actually have to follow a leader lah.


If no one is following you, but you still insist that you will be the PM, or party president, or head of your coalition, you will look like a fool who is confused, bewildered and has no self-respect.


You will look so pathetic that if you say do this or don't do that, even a kid won't listen to to you.


Anwar probably realizes this, because today, after Rafizi and Nik Nazmi announced that they would be joining a new party and made official the schism and division in PKR, Anwar announced that snap elections might be called in the future.



“At the moment the relationship at the federal level is cordial.


“But if they decide to go against the agreements, then the elections will not only just be in Johor and other states,” he said, in his keynote address at the Pakatan Convention in Johor Bahru today.


Although Anwar said "might", I don't think snap elections "might" be called in the near future - I think it WILL be called in the near future.


Anwar is just saying "might" to make it seem like he is still in charge and thus still has the capacity to decide when the general election is to be called, but I don't think his appearance of being in charge is going to last for long.



Before his appearance of still being in charge dissipates - and I think he just has a few of months before it dissipates - he better call for elections before the elections call him, and make him look absolutely impotent, weak and without weight in the process.

Trump and the Pope

Trump and the Pope go out on a boat. The wind blows the Pope's hat off. The Pope steps put of the boat, walks across the water, picks up his hat and walks back to the boat.

The MAGA press headlines “The Pope Can't Swim”.

What About the Non-Bumiputera Agenda?

 

Dennis Ignatius

 

~ Provoking discussion, dissent & debate on politics, diplomacy, human rights & civil society.

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What About the Non-Bumiputera Agenda?

20WednesdayMay 2026

Posted by Dennis Ignatius in Multiculturalism, Politics

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Federal Constitution;, Malaysian Malaysia, non-Bumiputera agenda, Zahid Hamidi

[1] At a recent roundtable discussion, UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reiterated the importance of the “Bumiputera agenda,” insisting that it was rooted in the Federal Constitution and should therefore not be viewed as extremist. There was no need, he said, to be apologetic about championing the Muslim-Bumiputera cause so long as it respected the Constitution and the rights of other communities.

[2] He also justified the continued need for affirmative action policies by arguing that deep “structural inequalities” in the economy continue to place Bumiputeras at a disadvantage and that these imbalances must therefore be corrected.

[3] It is astonishing that after more than half a century of mostly UMNO-led governments — nine prime ministers, 54 national budgets, 12 Malaysia Plans, hundreds of agencies, committees and studies, and trillions of ringgit spent in the name of Bumiputera upliftment — we are still being told that the Bumiputera community remains economically disadvantaged. At what point do we admit that the policy is no longer solving the problem but sustaining a vast system of political patronage and elite enrichment disguised as social justice?

[4] But that aside, it is time for serious attention to also be given to the non-Bumiputera agenda. There needs to be a frank and honest discussion — one our elected representatives have long lacked the courage to address openly — about the rights and legitimate interests of the non-Bumiputera community within the broader national agenda.

[5] After all, the Federal Constitution does not merely enshrine Malay rights and privileges. It also safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of the country’s other ethnic and religious communities. Those rights are no less constitutional or deserving of protection.

[6] For far too long, non-Bumiputeras have been defensive and apologetic whenever these issues are raised. We have been conditioned to believe that speaking openly and honestly about our legitimate concerns is somehow communal, divisive or seditious. But as Zahid himself pointed out, there is nothing wrong with doing so provided it is done within the framework of the Federal Constitution and with due respect for the rights of other communities.

[7] Non-Bumiputeras play a vital role in the nation’s economy –– Dr Mahathir Mohamad acknowledged in 2023 that much of Malaysia’s wealth was generated by the Chinese community. Yet despite contributing disproportionately to national wealth and government revenues, non-Bumiputera communities continue to see their interests addressed only marginally, with little in the way of meaningful allocations or sustained policy commitments.

[8] In so many other areas too — including education, public sector employment, and religious and cultural rights — non-Bumiputera interests are frequently sidelined or ignored. And increasingly, the values and sensitivities of the majority community are imposed on everyone else, leaving little room for genuine pluralism. Some Malay-Muslim leaders have even suggested that minority communities must, in effect, “masuk Islam” in order to be fully accepted as equal citizens. Such attitudes reflect a deeper institutional repudiation of the pluralism and inclusivity enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

[9] For decades, many non-Bumiputeras placed their faith in parties that spoke of moderation, diversity, meritocracy and institutional reform. They were promised Bangsa Malaysia, respect for diversity and even Ketuanan Rakyat in place of Ketuanan Melayu. Looking back now, however, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that much of it was rhetoric rather than genuine political commitment.

[10] This also raises a another fundamental question: who now truly speaks for the non-Bumiputera community? The DAP once championed the ideal of a “Malaysian Malaysia” — a nation where all citizens would be treated with equal dignity and opportunity regardless of race or religion. Yet when finally given a real opportunity to advance that agenda from within government, the party didn’t deliver on its promises.

[11] The changing political landscape, with new permutations competing for relevance and support, may yet create space for a more serious conversation about the non-Bumiputera agenda within the framework of the Federal Constitution. The fluid situation now offers an opportunity to press parties and political leaders on questions of equality and constitutional rights. Every party speaks of moderation and multiracialism when courting non-Malay support; the time has come to demand more than rhetoric.

[12] If non-Bumiputeras are serious about protecting their constitutional rights and freedoms, they must adopt a more realistic and transactional political approach. Support for any coalition, party or candidate should no longer be automatic or premised upon our fears.  Political support must instead be contingent on clear and explicit commitments to uphold the rights and freedoms guaranteed to all Malaysians under the Federal Constitution. It’s time they stopped taking us for granted and treating us as peripheral to the national agenda.

[Dennis Ignatius |Kuala Lumpur | Wednesday, 20 May 2026]