PAS eyes traditional DAP seats in Negeri Sembilan polls

PAS eyes traditional DAP seats in Negeri Sembilan polls


State PAS chief Fairuz Isa says his party is targeting seats held by DAP in areas where 40% of the voters are Malays

Fairuz Isa said PAS is looking to contest more than 10 seats in the Negeri Sembilan polls, including the three that it currently holds. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: PAS has not ruled out the possibility of fielding candidates in several traditional DAP strongholds in the Negeri Sembilan election on Aug 1.

Negeri Sembilan PAS chief Fairuz Isa said the party was looking to contest more than 10 seats, similar to the 2023 state election, including defending the three seats it currently holds.

However, he said the matter would still depend on seat negotiations in the event of cooperation with other parties, Sinar Harian reported.


“We know there are other parties that want to work with us and, when the seat negotiations take place, there may not be enough Malay-majority seats for us to contest.

“There is a possibility that we will contest seats currently held by Pakatan Harapan and DAP where we see that 40% of the voters are Malays,” he was quoted as saying in Seremban last night.


Fairuz said the party’s candidate selection process was almost 90% complete, with key criteria including integrity, the ability to serve the people, and being below the age of 60.

He also urged the party machinery and members to accept any decision made by the party leadership with an open mind.

In the 2023 state election, Perikatan Nasional (PN) won five of the 36 state seats it contested.

PAS won the Paroi, Serting, and Bagan Pinang seats, while Bersatu secured Labu and Gemencheh.


The Election Commission has set Aug 1 as polling day for the 16th Negeri Sembilan state election. Nomination day is on July 18, while early voting will take place on July 28.

Dewan Rakyat turns rowdy over opposition leader changes

Dewan Rakyat turns rowdy over opposition leader changes


2 hours ago
Chia Wan Rou


Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong criticises the frequent changes in leadership positions among opposition leaders

Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong and Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin Hassan traded barbs in the Dewan Rakyat over the opposition leader post.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat descended into chaos today following a heated exchange between government and opposition lawmakers over Hamzah Zainudin’s (PN-Larut) position as opposition leader.

The commotion began when Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) rose to defend Hamzah’s position, stressing that the appointment did not contravene Article 49A of the Federal Constitution.

“Larut (Hamzah) is not an independent MP. Instead, he is under a legally registered party, so there is no issue of violating Article 49A,” he said.


Article 49A, commonly known as the anti-party hopping law, requires MPs who leave or are no longer members of the party under which they were elected to vacate their seats, triggering a by-election.

Hamzah was expelled from Bersatu on Feb 13. He was later appointed president of Parti Wawasan Negara as part of a newly announced central leadership line-up comprising veteran politicians, former ministers, MPs and professionals.


He served as opposition leader after the 2022 general election, stepping down in April amid internal turmoil in Bersatu.

Takiyuddin’s remarks in the Dewan Rakyat drew criticism from the government bloc, particularly Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka), who criticised the frequent changes in leadership positions among opposition leaders, describing them as inconsistent.

“The opposition leader keeps changing all of a sudden like that… not professional at all,” he said, triggering uproar and cheers from both sides of the House.

The situation was eventually calmed by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul, who stepped in to deliver a final ruling.

“I have already explained. I have carefully examined all the documentation and I confirm that Larut is the opposition leader, so there is no question about it,” he said, bringing the exchange to an end before directing the House to continue with the debate.

Johari earlier confirmed that Hamzah had resumed his role as opposition leader in the Dewan Rakyat with effect from June 18.

 

Australia lands record A$1.7bil Arctic radar deal with Canada

Australia lands record A$1.7bil Arctic radar deal with Canada

3 hours ago

Reuters

The deal is Australia's first overseas sale of its Over-the-Horizon Radar technology and will strengthen Canada's Arctic surveillance.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles (right) and Canada’s Defence Procurement Secretary Stephen Fuhr shake hands after signing the landmark deal. (EPA Images pic)

SYDNEY:

Australia said on Monday it will sell advanced radar technology capable of detecting long-range missiles to Canada under a A$2.5 billion (US$1.75 billion) agreement, the country’s largest-ever defence export deal.

The agreement is Australia’s first overseas sale of the radar, known as Over-the-Horizon Radar technology, and will support Canada’s surveillance of the Arctic region.

“Today’s agreement marks a significant milestone in Australian defence trade and lays the foundation for deeper and mutually beneficial defence industry collaboration with Canada,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.

Canada’s Arctic region represents about 40% of its total landmass, though it is sparsely populated and has little infrastructure. Much of Russia’s Arctic area, which is about a fifth of its landmass, faces Canada and the US state of Alaska.

“Canada is reinforcing Arctic security through the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar project,” said Stephen Fuhr, Canada’s secretary of state for defence procurement.

“This project is part of a broader effort to build an integrated Arctic surveillance and communications network that will strengthen Canada’s ability to monitor, understand and respond to activity in the Arctic.”

Australia’s Jindalee Operational Radar Network can detect and track aircraft, ships and missiles up to 3,000 km (1,864 miles) away.

The deal to share the technology with Canada will create around 300 jobs in Australia and is the first stage of a broader collaboration between the two countries on the radar, Australia said.

Terengganu police nab man for alleged sexual assault of teen daughter

Terengganu police nab man for alleged sexual assault of teen daughter


The man in his 50s had reportedly assaulted the 15-year-old girl since she was six, say police

Setiu police chief Zahril Asri Zain said the man in his 50s was arrested last Saturday following a police report lodged by the 15-year-old girl on June 15. (Rawpixel pic)

PETALING JAYA: Police arrested a man last Saturday to assist investigations into the alleged sexual assault of his daughter in Setiu, Terengganu.

District police chief Zahril Asri Zain said the man in his 50s was arrested at around 6pm following a police report lodged by the 15-year-old girl at 3.54pm on June 15.

“According to the report, the victim was at home with her younger sister when her father called her into his bedroom at around 12pm on May 29.


“The father allegedly sexually assaulted the victim, and told her not to tell anyone about it,” Berita Harian reported him as saying today.

Zahril said this was reportedly not the first time, as the man was said to have assaulted her since she was six years old, leaving her depressed and traumatised.

He said the Setiu magistrates’ court issued a seven-day remand order for the man to assist investigations into the case under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code, which pertains to incestuous rape.

***

Slimy slug worse than a beast - should be castrated and then horsewhipped

Wawasan needs to state what it brings to the table, say analysts

Wawasan needs to state what it brings to the table, say analysts


6 hours ago
Predeep Nambiar


Failure to do so will make Hamzah Zainudin's party seem like a 'new home' for politicians trying to remain relevant

Hamzah Zainudin (seated fourth from left) and other Wawasan leaders at the party’s extraordinary general meeting in Petaling Jaya on June 20. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Parti Wawasan Negara must spell out what it has to offer voters or risk being viewed as nothing more than “a new home” for former leaders trying to remain relevant, an analyst said.

Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia said that as it stands, Wawasan seems to have cobbled together sacked or suspended former Bersatu leaders as well as veteran politicians.

Former Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin has been appointed Wawasan president, while Indera Mahkota MP Saifuddin Abdullah and Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal were appointed secretary-general and information chief, respectively.


Former Melaka chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik, Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan, and former Parti Cinta Malaysia president Huan Cheng Guan are among the party’s vice-presidents.

“Wawasan does come off as a party comprising politicians who are trying to become relevant again.


“This party claims to be a ‘reset’, but it has not been clear what problem it is trying to solve,” Syaza told FMT.

She said Wawasan should also outline how it intends to connect with younger voters, especially since the party comprises politicians “who have been around since the 1980s”.

She believes, however, that Wawasan would be able to attract Bersatu supporters who are no longer confident in the leadership of its president, Muhyiddin Yassin.

Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said Wawasan’s line-up reinforces the notion that it is a Bersatu splinter party formed by disgruntled former members.


He said much of Wawasan’s early appeal comes from the party’s personalities rather than any new idea or struggle.


“At this stage, Wawasan still looks like a platform to rescue and reorganise the political careers of those aligned with Hamzah,” he said.

Awang Azman also said Wawasan must explain what it can offer that Bersatu, PAS or Umno cannot.

He said if the answer revolved only around Hamzah Zainudin’s leadership, Wawasan would remain a personality-driven party.

Satanyahu's Policy - “Kill them first” a la the Babylonian Talmud

Thanks MF:

https://x.com/ShadowofEzra/status/2068775294622634173

Post

Shadow of Ezra

@ShadowofEzra

Benjamin Netanyahu admits he has changed Israel’s security doctrine to strictly follow the Babylonian Talmud: “Kill them first.” “We initiate, we attack, we surprise.” “KILL THEM FIRST.”

00:22

19:17 · 21 Jun 2026376.6kViews

73 volunteer to contest under Bersama in Johor polls

73 volunteer to contest under Bersama in Johor polls


Parti Bersama Malaysia leader Rafizi Ramli says the selection process is complete and the shortlisted candidates will be announced on Friday

Rafizi Ramli said Parti Bersama Malaysia wants to settle matters such as nomination forms and deposits before announcing its candidates for the Johor election.

PETALING JAYA: A total of 73 people have volunteered to stand as candidates for Parti Bersama Malaysia in the Johor election, according to party leader Rafizi Ramli.

According to Sinar Harian, Rafizi said the shortlisted candidates would be announced this week.

“We received about 73 applications and the selection process is complete. We will announce and introduce the candidates on Friday.


“We are delaying the announcement because we want to follow the Election Commission’s process. We want to settle all matters such as nomination forms and deposits first.

“Secondly, it is also a strategy. Other parties are busy announcing their candidates, so we will wait until everything is finalised and make our announcement last. There is an element of surprise in that as well,” he said after an event in Indera Mahkota, Pahang, on Sunday.


Rafizi added that Bersama would first announce the number of seats it plans to contest in a statement today.

“The number of seats we contest and the constituencies we choose will indicate how Bersama intends to position itself in the political landscape,” the former economy minister said.

On the party’s decision to go it alone, Rafizi said the outcome of the Johor election would not alter Bersama’s direction.

He said the party had its own internal benchmarks to assess voter acceptance across different demographic groups.


“In politics, every party is tested whenever it enters an election, even those that have existed for 100 years. The process Bersama is going through in Johor is the same process experienced by other parties such as those in Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional.

“Whatever the result of the Johor election, I do not think it will change Bersama’s direction and strategy. We will continue to remain independent,” he said.

Yesterday, Rafizi was reported as saying that former senior civil servants were among those who had volunteered as candidates for Bersama in the upcoming elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

On June 14, Rafizi said Bersama hoped to have 70% of its election candidates under the age of 50, including those for the Johor and Negeri Sembilan polls.

Qatar gas explosion: 54 hurt, 18 missing after ‘technical incident’ at Ras Laffan site

Qatar gas explosion: 54 hurt, 18 missing after ‘technical incident’ at Ras Laffan site



QatarEnergy’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar March 2, 2026. — Reuters pic

Monday, 22 Jun 2026 11:52 AM MYT


DOHA, June 22 — Fifty-four people were injured and another 18 were missing after an explosion at Qatar’s core ​LNG processing site of Ras Laffan on Sunday, authorities said.

An incident during the start-up of operations at Ras Laffan Industrial City resulted in an explosion and fire at the Barzan local gas ‌supply facility on Sunday evening, QatarEnergy said in a ⁠statement.


Emergency response teams ⁠were deployed to contain the fire, which ⁠was now under control, ⁠it said. Qatar’s ⁠Interior Ministry said in a statement that 54 people had been injured and 18 were missing and ⁠being searched for.


It attributed the explosion to a “technical accident” and said there was no leak that posed a threat to public safety. It said the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group, in cooperation with the civil ⁠defence teams, was conducting search operations for the 18 missing people.


QatarEnergy did not indicate whether the ⁠explosion had caused any damage to the plant, which supplies gas ⁠to ⁠the domestic market.


A Reuters witness earlier reported that a loud ​boom was heard in the ​capital Doha, south of the ‌Ras Laffan facility. — Reuters

Illegal Alamesra colony torn down as DBKK demolishes 38 squatter homes, flags 112 more in mangrove zone

Illegal Alamesra colony torn down as DBKK demolishes 38 squatter homes, flags 112 more in mangrove zone



The City Hall (DBKK), through its Enforcement Department, carried out an integrated operation to demolish illegal squatter structures behind Alamesra, Likas. — Picture via Facebook/Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu

Monday, 22 Jun 2026 11:59 AM MYT


KOTA KINABALU, June 22 — The City Hall (DBKK), through its Enforcement Department, carried out an integrated operation to demolish illegal squatter structures behind Alamesra, Likas, on June 19 as part of ongoing efforts to address government land encroachment and unlawful settlements.

The operation, conducted from 8am to 5pm, was aimed at restoring the original use of encroached government land, protecting environmentally sensitive areas and ensuring orderly, safe and lawful urban development.

DBKK identified the squatter colony behind Alamesra as one of the encroachment areas that had expanded onto mangrove forest reserves and riverbank zones, posing safety, public health and environmental risks, as well as threats to the mangrove ecosystem.

A survey by the Demolition and Illegal Structures Division found 101 houses had been built within the settlement area for victims of the Kampung Cenderamata 2 fire in Likas, while a further 150 squatter structures were identified in the mangrove area behind Alamesra, most of them occupied by non-citizens.



The squatter homes encroaching mangrove reserves and riverbank zones. — Picture via Facebook/Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu



DBKK said notices to vacate, remove and demolish the structures were issued and served on affected occupants on April 13, with a 14-day compliance period provided before enforcement action was taken.

The operation involved the cooperation of the police, Sabah Electricity, the Land and Survey Department, and DBKK’s Demolition and Illegal Structures Division, with 13 squatter structures demolished, bringing the total number removed as of June 19 to 38 houses.


DBKK said 112 additional structures had been identified for further enforcement action and reiterated that it would not compromise on government land encroachment or illegal structures, adding that enforcement efforts would continue in line with the state government’s policy to eradicate squatter settlements and restore government land for lawful use. — Daily Express

Muhyiddin says removing Bersatu requires Perikatan consensus, not unilateral decision

Muhyiddin says removing Bersatu requires Perikatan consensus, not unilateral decision



Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said any move to remove a component party from Perikatan Nasional must be decided by the coalition’s Presidential Council. — Bernama pic

Monday, 22 Jun 2026 11:23 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — Bersatu has no intention of leaving Perikatan Nasional (PN) despite its rift with PAS, party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has said.

According to The Star, the former prime minister said any move to remove a component party from PN could not be made unilaterally, as the coalition’s constitution required the matter to be referred to its Presidential Council and decided by consensus.

“We will remain in Perikatan. We helped build this coalition and have been part of its growth from the beginning,” he was quoted as saying during the launch of Bersatu’s election machinery for the Johor state election in Bakri, Muar last night.

Muhyiddin also questioned why Bersatu should leave PN, saying the party had played a key role in the coalition’s formation and development.


He also urged Bersatu members to remain united and focus on issues affecting the public, including the rising cost of living and economic pressures.

PAS announced on June 8 that it would end political cooperation with Bersatu.

The dispute has seen both PAS and Bersatu insist they remain in PN, while leaders from each side have suggested the other party should leave the opposition coalition.

Hannah Yeoh says KL voters have ‘tasted’ BN and Perikatan rule, capital can’t go back

Hannah Yeoh says KL voters have ‘tasted’ BN and Perikatan rule, capital can’t go back



Hannah Yeoh said she was offering Kuala Lumpur voters a different model of governance after their experience under previous administrations. — Picture courtesy of Hannah Yeoh’s office

Monday, 22 Jun 2026 10:58 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh has reportedly said Kuala Lumpur voters have already “tasted” rule under Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional, as she defended Pakatan Harapan’s reforms to how the capital is governed.

In an interview with Singapore’s The Straits Times, Yeoh said she was presenting a different model for Kuala Lumpur after years of what she described as poor management under previous administrations.

“In KL, I am presenting a different model to the people. They have tasted the Barisan Nasional administration in KL. It was hell,” she was quoted as saying.

“Parks gone, retention ponds gone. Perikatan Nasional — they also tasted it — just pure incompetency,” she added.

Yeoh, who is also DAP assistant secretary-general and Segambut MP, was appointed Federal Territories minister in December.

In January, Yeoh announced the formation of five committees led by MPs to monitor Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s 2026 budget spending.

The move gave KL lawmakers a formal oversight role, while large-scale projects in the capital must also take their views into account before final decisions are made.


According to The Straits Times, Yeoh also pointed to flood mitigation to contrast the current administration’s approach with that of its predecessors, saying her PN-era predecessor Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim relied on sandbags to divert floodwater instead of addressing the loss of retention ponds.

She said a 1998 Land Executive Committee decision to protect KL’s water retention ponds was never gazetted and was later revoked in 2016 under Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration.

The report said field monitoring under the Anwar administration found that flood-prone hotspots in KL had since fallen from 25 to 14.

Yeoh said she remained confident that PH would retain the bulk of its support in KL despite concerns over the coalition’s performance elsewhere.

She said residents and civil society groups had told the coalition they “cannot go back” to the way the capital was run before.

Iranians walk out of talks venue after Trump’s threat

Iranians walk out of talks venue after Trump’s threat


Tehran warns its rivals to be careful with their statements after calls for strikes on the Islamic republic over its support for Hezbollah

Iran’s delegation arrives in Zurich for a new round of negotiations with the United States over the war in the Middle East. (AFP pic)

BURGENSTOCK: Iran’s delegation on Sunday walked out of the Swiss venue where it held talks with the United States towards permanently ending the Middle East war, after Donald Trump threatened to strike the Islamic republic over its support for Hezbollah.

The negotiations to end a war that sowed chaos across the region and rattled the global economy are meant to trigger a 60-day period to settle broader issues that have dogged US-Iranian relations for decades.

But disagreement over key sticking points and the threat of renewed fighting in Lebanon weighed on the talks, with Washington and Tehran exchanging threats in parallel with the negotiations.


“The delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, after meeting with the Qatari delegation as one of the mediating parties, left the building where the negotiations were being held,” Iran’s state news agency IRNA said.

“At the same time as the talks began in Switzerland, Donald Trump published a message on X in which he repeated his threats and remarks against Iran,” it added.


A diplomat with knowledge of the talks, however, told AFP that the Iranians had not quit the negotiations.

“The Iranian delegation remains engaged in the talks and has not indicated to the mediators any intention to leave,” the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

Trump had earlier threatened to strike Iran if it did not “immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble”.

Iran hit back with a warning of its own.


“They would do better to be careful with their statements; our armed forces are ready to respond to them in a different manner. No matter what they say, we are the ones who act,” Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.


‘New leaf?’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said troops would remain in south Lebanon “as long as necessary” and vowed that he would “not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons”.

Iran’s state broadcaster said the nuclear programme had not been discussed “during the 80-minute first round of talks” on Sunday.

It said the focus had been on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, and the situation in Lebanon.

US Vice President JD Vance had earlier hailed “a historic meeting”.

Flanked by US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in the luxury Swiss resort Burgenstock, Vance added: “The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together?

“Can we turn over a new leaf? Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently?

“Or do we go back to doing things the old way, which is not our preference, but it’s certainly very much something that can happen.”

The talks to end the months-long conflict are taking place against the backdrop of Iran closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz again in response to recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

“It is not possible to enter the negotiation phase for a final agreement” unless there is an end to the war in Lebanon, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on X.

Washington and Tehran’s memorandum of understanding signed this week included a provision to end fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.

But there have been repeated clashes in Lebanon since, which prompted Iran to say it would again shutter the crucial oil and gas trade route, having opened it as part of the deal.

By Sunday evening, however, there had been no reports of Israeli strikes or continued fighting, with some residents of southern Lebanon cautiously trickling back to their homes.