‘I leave it to the courts’: Syed Saddiq puts faith in judiciary after apex court tells prosecution to rethink case

‘I leave it to the courts’: Syed Saddiq puts faith in judiciary after apex court tells prosecution to rethink case



Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, December 12, 2025. Speaking to reporters after proceedings adjourned alongside lead counsel Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik and Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Syed Saddiq said he respected the court’s decision to call for further submissions and emphasised that he had never once tried to delay proceedings throughout the nearly two-year legal battle. — Bernama pic

Friday, 12 Dec 2025 1:49 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Dec 12 — Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman today said he is placing his fate entirely in the hands of the Federal Court and in the hands of Allah after the apex court instructed the prosecution to rethink their position in the government’s bid to reinstate four criminal charges against him.

Speaking to reporters after proceedings adjourned alongside lead counsel Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik and Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Syed Saddiq said he respected the court’s decision to call for further submissions and emphasised that he had never once tried to delay proceedings throughout the nearly two-year legal battle.

“I want to thank my exceptional legal team, they’ve worked tirelessly day in and day out to fight for justice and pursue the truth,” he said.

“We’ve gone through this journey for more than 600 days, almost 700. We never postponed, never tried to prolong. In the end I believe that the truth — while it may take time — will win. If not today, tomorrow. If not tomorrow. next month. But the truth will win.”


The Federal Court this afternoon reserved judgment and gave the prosecution one week to send additional submissions upon when the defence will be given a week after that to study and respond to it.

Hisyam told reporters that the instruction was unexpected but showed the panel’s commitment to ensuring fairness.

“It was the voice of the Federal Court that both parties go back and rethink their respective cases,” said Hisyam, adding that the court had given the defence ample time to present its argument earlier in the day.


Asked whether the direction suggested the panel saw weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, Hisyam declined to speculate saying only that the defence would comply with the court’s instructions.

Syed Saddiq meanwhile stressed that he did not wish to place himself in the position of the judges or speculate on their reasoning.

“You may have noticed I truly respect the judiciary not just individual judges but the judiciary overall. Even when I went through hell after the High Court conviction, I never once spoke ill of the judge.

“Because in the end, it’s not just about the individual. This is the last bastion of defence for those who are voiceless and for citizens who need that final recourse.”

He said the comments in court today that touched on the Court of Appeal’s findings made him reflect on the importance of protecting judicial integrity.

When asked about his plans while waiting for the additional submissions process, he said he planned to return to Muar immediately.

“I look forward to going back to Muar tomorrow. I have a lot of work to do. I look forward to serving my constituency as always,” he said.

The prosecution is appealing the COA’s July decision that acquitted the Muar MP on charges of abetting criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million, misappropriating RM120,000 in political funds, and two more money-laundering charges.

The COA previously held that the trial judge had failed to consider key evidence and that the prosecution had not proven even a prima facie case.

The prosecution was given a week to file additional submissions and then another week will be granted to the defence to review those submissions.

No date has been fixed for the next hearing.

Japan Meteorological Agency warns of tsunami after 6.7‑magnitude quake off northern coast

Japan Meteorological Agency warns of tsunami after 6.7‑magnitude quake off northern coast



A vehicle rests on the edge of a collapsed road in Tohoku town in Aomori Prefecture on December 9, 2025, following a 7.5 magnitude earthquake off northern Japan. — AFP pic

Friday, 12 Dec 2025 11:35 AM MYT


TOKYO, Dec 12 — A 6.7-magnitude earthquake occurred off northern Japan on Friday, the weather office said, days after a 7.5-level tremor in the same region injured at least 50 people.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), upgrading its initial estimated magnitude of 6.5, also warned that tsunami waves of up to one metre (three feet) could hit the northern Pacific coastline.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) also said that the quake measured 6.7 and was 130 kilometres (81 miles) off the city of Kuji in Iwate prefecture on the main island of Honshu.

Broadcaster NHK said that the level of shaking was less than the bigger tremor late Monday which knocked items off shelves, tore apart roads, smashed windows and triggered tsunami waves of up to 70 centimetres.


The Nuclear Regulation Authority said Friday there were no immediate signs of abnormalities at the region’s nuclear facilities.


Following Monday’s tremor, the JMA had published a rare special advisory warning that another quake of similar or greater size was possible for another week.

The advisory covered the Sanriku area on the northeastern tip of Japan’s main island of Honshu and the northern island of Hokkaido, facing the Pacific.


The region is haunted by the memory of a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea quake in 2011, which triggered a tsunami that left around 18,500 people dead or missing.

In August 2024, the JMA issued its first special advisory, for the southern half of Japan’s Pacific coast warning of a possible “megaquake” along the Nankai Trough.

The 800-kilometre (500-mile) undersea trench is where the Philippine Sea oceanic tectonic plate is “subducting”—or slowly slipping—underneath the continental plate that Japan sits atop.

The government has said that a quake in the Nankai Trough and subsequent tsunami could kill as many as 298,000 people and cause up to US$2 trillion in damages.

The JMA lifted last year’s advisory after a week but it led to panic-buying of staples like rice and prompted holidaymakers to cancel hotel reservations.

Japan sits on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is one of the world’s most seismically active countries.

The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, experiences around 1,500 jolts every year.

The vast majority are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to their location and depth below the Earth’s surface. — AFP

Amnesty accuses Hamas of crimes against humanity, repeats genocide claims against Israel in Gaza war

Amnesty accuses Hamas of crimes against humanity, repeats genocide claims against Israel in Gaza war



This aerial view shows displaced Palestinians returning to the war-devastated Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip on January 19, 2025. — AFP pic

Friday, 12 Dec 2025 10:45 AM MYT


JERUSALEM, Dec 12 — Amnesty International on Thursday accused Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for the first time of crimes against humanity during and after the October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the Gaza war, with Hamas rejecting the report as “lies”.

“Palestinian armed groups committed violations of international humanitarian law, war crimes and crimes against humanity during their attacks in southern Israel that started on 7 October 2023,” the human rights watchdog said in the 173-page report.

Amnesty said the mass killing of civilians on October 7 amounted “to the crime against humanity of extermination”.

Hamas rejected the report, saying it contained “inaccuracies and contradictions”.

“The report’s repetition of the lies and allegations promoted by the occupation (Israeli) government concerning rape, sexual violence, and the mistreatment of captives clearly demonstrates that the purpose of this report is incitement and distorting the image of the resistance,” the militant group said in a statement.


It called on Amnesty to retract the “flawed and unprofessional report”.

Amnesty has also accused Israel of committing genocide in its retaliatory campaign in Gaza, an accusation Israel has vehemently denied.


The rights group said Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza “continued to commit violations and crimes under international law in their holding and mistreatment of hostages and the withholding of bodies seized”.

“The holding of hostages was done as part of an explicitly stated plan explained by the leadership of Hamas and of other Palestinian armed groups,” the report stated.

Mass killing

Amnesty has previously accused Hamas and other groups of committing war crimes, which are serious violations of international law against civilians and combatants during armed conflict.

Crimes against humanity can occur in peacetime and include torture, rape and discrimination, be it racial, ethnic, cultural, religious or gender-based. They involve “a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population”.

Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, and 251 people were taken hostage that day, including 44 who were dead.

Of the 207 hostages taken alive, 41 died or were killed in captivity. All have since been returned—mostly under a series of ceasefire agreements—except for the body of one Israeli officer.

Among the acts listed by Amnesty as crimes against humanity were murder, extermination, imprisonment, torture, enforced disappearance, rape and “other forms of sexual violence”.

For the latter crimes, the group said it was not able to interview survivors except for one case, and therefore could not conclude the scope or scale of the sexual violence.

The report concluded that Hamas and its armed wing were “chiefly responsible” for the crimes.

Hamas ally Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as well as the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades and “unaffiliated Palestinian civilians”, were responsible to a lesser extent.

Arrest warrants

In May 2024, the International Criminal Court applied for arrest warrants for Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, the head of its armed wing Mohammed Deif, and its October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar, who was then the group’s chief in Gaza.

The ICC withdrew the applications after all three were killed later that year by Israel.

The court also issued a still-active arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the war.

In December 2024, Amnesty accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. It warned late last month that Israel was “still committing genocide”, despite the current ceasefire, which came into effect on October 10.

When Amnesty first made the accusation, Israel’s foreign ministry vehemently rejected it as “entirely false” and called the report “fabricated” and “based on lies”.

Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed at least 70,373 people, according to figures from the territory’s health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable. — AFP

Eurovision 2024 winner Nemo returns trophy over Israel’s participation, urges contest to ‘live its values’

Eurovision 2024 winner Nemo returns trophy over Israel’s participation, urges contest to ‘live its values’



Swiss singer Nemo representing Switzerland with the song ‘The Code’ celebrates on stage with his trophy after winning the final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2024 on May 11, 2024 at the Malmo Arena in Malmo, Sweden. Nemo has announced they will be returning their trophy after Israel was permitted to compete in the 2026 competition. — AFP pic

Friday, 12 Dec 2025 9:10 AM MYT


GENEVA, Dec 12 — Nemo, last year’s Eurovision winner, said yesterday he was returning the 2024 trophy in protest over Israel’s continued participation, which has already prompted five countries to pull out.

“I no longer feel like this trophy belongs on my shelf,” the Swiss vocalist said on Instagram.

The Eurovision Song Contest, the world’s biggest live televised music event, is put on by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

On December 4, members of the world’s largest public service media alliance decided no vote was needed on Israel’s inclusion in the glitzy annual extravaganza.


Widespread opposition to the two-year war in Gaza had led to mounting calls for Israel to be excluded.


The public broadcasters in Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland have announced they are boycotting the 70th edition of the song contest, to be held in Vienna in May.

“Eurovision says it stands for unity, for inclusion, and dignity for all people, and these are the values that make this contest so meaningful for me,” Nemo said.


“But Israel’s continued participation, during what the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry has concluded to be a genocide, shows there’s a clear conflict between those ideals and the decisions the EBU is making.

Iceland’s state broadcaster RUV on Wednesday announced it would boycott next year’s Eurovision, citing the public debate in the island nation.

“When entire countries withdraw, it should be very clear that something is deeply wrong,” said Nemo, 26.

“That’s why I decided that I’m sending this trophy back to the EBU headquarters in Geneva with gratitude and with a clear message: live what you claim. If the values we celebrate onstage aren’t lived offstage, then even the most beautiful songs become meaningless. I’m waiting for the moment those words and actions align.

“Until then, this trophy is yours.”

Some 37 countries took part in the 2025 edition in Basel, Switzerland, won by Austrian operatic singer JJ with Wasted Love.

Around 35 countries are ultimately expected to participate in Vienna. — AFP

AGC: US considering Malaysia’s extradition request for ex-Goldman Sachs partner Tim Leissner over 1MDB

AGC: US considering Malaysia’s extradition request for ex-Goldman Sachs partner Tim Leissner over 1MDB



Former Goldman Sachs chief of South-east Asia operations, Timothy Leissner, arrives at US District Court Eastern District of New York for his sentencing, in New York on May 29, 2025. — AFP file pic

Friday, 12 Dec 2025 11:28 AM MYT


PETALING JAYA, March — The US government is reviewing Malaysia’s extradition request for former Goldman Sachs partner Tim Leissner over his role in the 1MDB scandal, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said.

In a statement today, the AGC said that the move is part of Malaysia’s continued efforts to seek justice in one of the largest fraud schemes in modern history, in which Malaysians were the main victims.

The AGC said the extradition request was submitted on August 14 last year, with Malaysia providing additional documents and information as requested by US authorities.

MORE TO COME

Thai PM signals will dissolve parliament, paving way for election

FMT:

Thai PM signals will dissolve parliament, paving way for election

Signs of an accelerated timetable to dissolve the lower house emerge amid a renewed border conflict with Cambodia

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (centre) said he wanted to return power to the people, a well-known signal in the kingdom to dissolve parliament. (AFP pic)

BANGKOK: Thai leader Anutin Charnvirakul said late Thursday he “would like to return power to the people”, a known signal in the kingdom that a prime minister intends to dissolve parliament, paving the way for fresh elections.

“I would like to return the power to the people,” he wrote in a post on Facebook.

Anutin, of the conservative Bhumjaithai party, became prime minister in September after his predecessor was removed from office by the court over an ethics violation.


He earlier this year pledged to dissolve the lower house – the formal step to call an election – and hold a vote by early 2026.

Anutin was widely expected to dissolve parliament after Christmas. Signs of an earlier timetable come amid a reignited border conflict with Cambodia that has killed at least 20 people and displaced around 600,000, most in Thailand.

UN demands probe after attack on Myanmar hospital

FMT:

UN demands probe after attack on Myanmar hospital

The ruling junta’s air strike, which killed at least 33 health workers and patients, could constitute a war crime

Mourners grieve at a cemetery before the burial of victims following a Myanmar military air strike that killed more than 30 in Mrauk-U. (AFP pic)

GENEVA: The United Nations on Thursday demanded an investigation after a strike on a Myanmar hospital killed at least 33 people, saying the attack could constitute a war crime.

The strike on Mrauk-U hospital in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state took place late Wednesday.

The ruling junta has increased air strikes year-on-year since the start of the country’s civil war, conflict monitors say, after seizing power in a 2021 coup ending a decade-long experiment with democracy.


“I am appalled and condemn in (the) strongest possible terms the strikes on Rakhine hospital which left dozens of civilians dead and wounded,” UN rights chief Volker Turk said on X.

“Such attacks may amount to a war crime. I call for investigations and those responsible to be held to account. The fighting must stop now.”


A spokesman for Turk’s office said it was down to the national authorities to investigate, but “given the prevailing impunity” in Myanmar, there were other means to hold perpetrators of abuses to account, including international courts and universal jurisdiction.

World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was “appalled” by the attack on the hospital, which he said is the area’s primary healthcare centre providing emergency services, obstetrics and surgery.

“At least 33 people have been killed and 20 injured, including health workers, patients and family members. Hospital infrastructure was severely damaged, with operating rooms and the main inpatient ward completely destroyed,” the UN health agency chief wrote on X.

“This is the 67th attack on health verified by WHO Myanmar this year. Every attack on health care is an attack on humanity,” he said.


Myanmar’s military has set new elections starting Dec 28, pledging the vote will serve as a path to peace and democracy.

International monitors and ousted lawmakers dismiss the poll as a plot to rebrand continuing military rule, while rebels have vowed to block the vote from the vast territories they control.

On Wednesday, Turk raised concerns about the situation in Myanmar in the build-up to the polls.

“Myanmar’s upcoming military-imposed ‘election’ is accompanied by new waves of acute insecurity and violence, continued arrests and detentions of opponents, voter coercion, the use of extensive electronic surveillance tools and systemic discrimination,” he told a press conference in Geneva.

“I fear this process will only further deepen insecurity, fear and polarisation throughout the country.”

***

Stop kerbau-ing - examine the hospitalSSS bombed in Gaza first

US bringing seized tanker to port as Venezuela war fears build

FMT:

US bringing seized tanker to port as Venezuela war fears build

Caracas denounces the US military raid in a heavily armed operation, calling it blatant theft and an act of international piracy

Washington released a video showing US forces executing a seizure warrant on a tanker carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. (AFP pic)

WASHINGTON: An oil tanker seized by American forces off the Venezuelan coast will be brought to a port in the United States, the White House said Thursday, as fears mount of open conflict between the two countries.

Washington took control of the tanker in a dramatic raid that saw US forces rope down from a helicopter onto the vessel in an operation that Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem said was aimed at leftist Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro’s “regime.”

President Donald Trump’s administration has been piling pressure on Venezuela for months with a major naval build-up in the region that has been accompanied by strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats that have killed close to 90 people.


Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday expressed support during a phone call with his ally Maduro, but with Moscow’s forces tied down in a grinding war in Ukraine, its capacity to provide aid is limited.

“The vessel will go to a US port and the United States does intend to seize the oil,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told journalists of the tanker.


“We’re not going to stand by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black-market oil, the proceeds of which will fuel narco-terrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world.”

Earlier on Thursday, Noem told a congressional hearing that the tanker operation was “pushing back on a regime that is systematically covering and flooding our country with deadly drugs” – a reference to US allegations of narcotics smuggling by Maduro’s government.

A video released Wednesday by US attorney general Pam Bondi showed American forces descending from a helicopter onto the tanker’s deck, then entering the ship’s bridge with weapons raised.

Bondi said the ship was part of an “illicit oil shipping network” that was used to carry sanctioned oil.


‘Blatant theft’

Venezuela’s foreign ministry said it “strongly denounces and condemns what constitutes blatant theft and an act of international piracy.”

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres on Thursday expressed concern over the escalating tensions and urged restraint.

“We are calling on all actors to refrain from action that could further escalate bilateral tensions and destabilize Venezuela and the region,” his spokesperson said.


US media reported that the tanker had been heading for Cuba – another American rival – and that the ship was stopped by the US Coast Guard.

Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the senate judiciary committee, said Thursday he questioned the legality of the tanker seizure and that “any president, before he engages in an act of war, has to have the authorisation of the American people through Congress.”

“This president is preparing for an invasion of Venezuela, simply said. And if the American people are in favor of that, I’d be surprised,” Durbin told CNN.

Washington has accused Maduro of leading the alleged “Cartel of the Suns,” which it declared a “narco-terrorist” organisation last month, and has offered a US$50 million reward for information leading to his capture.

The US Treausury also imposed new sanctions Thursday targeting three of Maduro’s relatives as well as six companies shipping the South American country’s oil.

Trump told Politico on Monday that Maduro’s “days are numbered” and declined to rule out a US ground invasion of Venezuela.

The Trump administration alleges that Maduro’s hold on power is illegitimate and that he stole Venezuela’s July 2024 election.

Maduro – the political heir to leftist leader Hugo Chavez – says the United States is bent on regime change and wants to seize Venezuela’s oil reserves.

‘No need to worry’: Foreign minister says SEA Games in Thailand remain safe

‘No need to worry’: Foreign minister says SEA Games in Thailand remain safe



Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan says the national contingent at the SEA Games Thailand 2025 need not worry about their safety following the rising tensions over the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. — Bernama pic

Thursday, 11 Dec 2025 8:26 PM MYT


SEREMBAN, Dec 11 — Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan says the national contingent at the SEA Games Thailand 2025 need not worry about their safety following the rising tensions over the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.

He said that Bangkok and Chonburi, the venues of the biennial Games, are safe, as the clashes between the two countries are happening in the border areas.

“National athletes at the SEA Games in Bangkok and their parents need not worry. The clashes are only at the border areas; they don’t involve other areas,” he told reporters after handing over the Rembau parliamentary-level assistance and contributions here today.

The SEA Games 2025 are from Dec 9-20, while the Asean Para Games (APG) 2025 will be from Jan 20-26, 2026.

Malaysia is sending 1,142 athletes and 515 officials for the SEA Games 2025, while 236 athletes and 117 officials will be involved in the APG 2025. — Bernama

KJ 2.0: The Return Tour, the Reality Check, and the Malaysian Question

OPINION | KJ 2.0: The Return Tour, the Reality Check, and the Malaysian Question


11 Dec 2025 • 6:00 PM MYT


Annan Vaithegi
From sharing insights to creating content that connects and inspires

Image Source: UMNO


Khairy Jamaluddin is hinting at a political comeback and honestly, at this point, Malaysian politics is starting to look like Netflix: you finish one season, next season already filming, same cast, new hairstyles.


UMNO is whispering. Analysts are overthinking. Twitter is roasting. And KJ?


He’s doing what KJ does best: smiling like he knows something we don’t… or maybe like he’s about to announce another podcast sponsorship deal.


Either way, it’s time to revisit the man, the myth, the Oxford accent.

1. The Son-in-Law Fast Track: Malaysian Nepotism’s Favourite Origin Story

Khairy didn’t rise through the grassroots.


He rose through the in-laws.


Some politicians start in local councils, communities, NGOs.


KJ started in the Prime Minister’s living room the political version of being born at Level 50 in a video game.


UMNO Youth embraced him like a prodigy, even though many members whispered:


“Eh, ini naik cepat sangat or not?”


He spoke futuristic ideas like he was auditioning for a TED Talk nobody invited him to.


Youth empowerment! Digital transformation! Future Malaysia!


Seventeen years later and Malaysians are still waiting for the future he promised.


Buffering… buffering… still buffering.

2. Fluent English, But Fluency Doesn’t = Familiarity

Khairy’s English?


Chef’s kiss.


International.


Crisp.


Like a British Council advert with better lighting.


Chinese and Indian Malaysians saw him and thought:


“Finally, a Malay leader who doesn’t shout at us.”


Urban Malays liked him because he wasn’t talking like the usual UMNO uncle shouting “survival bangsa!” every 3 minutes.


But the kampung crowd?


To them, KJ looked like the type of guy who eats avocado toast and says “bro” too much.


They couldn’t relate. They prefer leaders who look like they can negotiate at pasar pagi, not Silicon Valley.


This is Malaysia:


City loves you.


Heartland votes for someone else.


Game over.

3. To Be Fair, He DID Deliver Sometimes (Give Credit Where Due)

Comedy aside KJ had real wins.

✔ Vaccine rollout

He took a system on life support and gave it Red Bull.


Mega PPVs, clear messaging, fewer aunties screaming at MySejahtera.

✔ MOSTI

He made science look less boring. That alone deserves an award.

✔ Undi18

He helped Malaysia become slightly more democratic.

Slightly.

✔ Anti-Smoking GEG

He stood up to Big Tobacco.


That’s braver than half of Parliament.


So YES when KJ works, he works.


But…

4. The Freezer Fiasco: RM16.6 Million of “Cold, Hard Logic”

Ah yes, the legendary freezers.


55 ultra-low-temperature freezers costing RM70 - 80K each = RM4.4 million.


But the bill was RM16.6 MILLION.


Malaysians did the math and collectively said:


“Bro… why got extra RM12 million? Did the freezers come with Netflix?”


This wasn’t a scandal.


This was a budgeting comedy special.

5. Post-Sungai Buloh: The Podcast Era (Malaysia’s Joe Rogan Wannabe)

After losing Sungai Buloh a seat he was supposed to win like a warm-up match KJ pivoted to podcasting.


And Malaysians watched… mostly while folding laundry or stuck in traffic.


His guests?


Safe.


Friendly.


No Ambiga. No Bersih alumni. No critics.


No one who would challenge him.


Podcast summary:


“Hi, I’m Khairy, I can speak well, please sponsor this show.”


Views ≠ Votes.


Sponsors ≠ Support.


Brand ≠ Ground.

6. The Youth Promises That Aged Like Expired Vitagen

During his UMNO Youth days, he hyped “future youth empowerment,” “future opportunities,” “future Malaysia.”


All future.


No present.


Even today, that future is somewhere stuck in traffic on the NSE.


The youth he once spoke for have grown up.


They’re paying bills, fighting inflation, dealing with PTPTN and wondering:


“Bro, where is the future you promised?”

7. The Khairy Contradiction: Malaysia’s Most Flexible Politician

Here’s where it gets juicy.

😂 2006 MCA Youth Roast

He got roasted like ayam percik because MCA Youth accused him of making inflammatory remarks about Chinese Malaysians.


They demanded he stop.


Imagine being told off by your coalition partner. Embarrassing, weh.

😂 Ambiga Debate

He strutted in like Oxford’s pride.


Ambiga dismantled him like IKEA furniture without instructions.


National roasting.


Malaysia watched with popcorn.

😂 Anti-Anwar Era

He attacked Anwar for years.


Now suddenly talks like he’s applying for a ministerial job under Anwar.


Peak Malaysian plot twist.

😂 Identity Shifts

He has been:

ultra-Malay → moderate Malay → technocrat → UMNO loyalist → Mahathir ally → Najib critic → podcaster → unity preacher.


Khairy collects political identities like some people collect sneakers.

😂 “I Didn’t Leave UMNO, They Expelled Me”

Victim narrative unlocked.

8. Loved by the City, Ignored by the Ground

Bangsa KL thinks he’s the chosen one.


Bangsa Kampung thinks he’s the karaoke host at a wedding.


He is:

Too liberal for UMNO
Too UMNO for PH
Too elite for the heartland
Too inconsistent for Gen Z
Too polished for the warlords

A perfect leader for Twitter

not for Malaysia.

9. The Comeback Pitch: Malaysia First or Marketing First?

Khairy now says all Malaysians matter.


Very unity.


Very harmony.


Very kumbaya.


But Malaysians know the timeline:


When he needed Malay votes → Malay-first.


When he needed urban votes → moderate Malay.


When he needed Chinese & Indian voters → Malaysia-first.


So Malaysians ask:


“Bro, unity because you believe in it…


or because you need us to vote for you?”

10. Malaysia’s Leadership Crisis: Recycle Bin Full

KJ’s comeback isn’t the issue.


The issue is that Malaysia keeps recycling politicians like old Milo tins repurposed to store kuih.


Where are the new leaders?


Why do we reward branding over accountability?


Why do we allow comebacks without closure?


Khairy is a symbol of Malaysia’s political comfort zone:


Same names.


New packaging.


Same problems.

Conclusion: The Comeback Should Be a Punchline, Not a Coronation

Khairy Jamaluddin is smart, articulate, and occasionally brilliant.


But he is also inconsistent, privileged, and allergic to taking responsibility.


If he wants to return, it should not be because he’s eloquent, handsome, or good at podcasts.


It should be because he can finally answer:

Who are you really?
What do you stand for?
And why should Malaysia trust you again?

Until then?

His comeback remains what it is:

A reboot of a show Malaysians aren’t sure they want to watch again but will definitely watch for the drama.

If Malaysia welcomes him back, it needs to be on our terms: not because we’re starstruck, but because we insist he prove his legacy is more than a podcast, more than soundbites, more than salon debates.

Annan Vaithegi, writes the future of Malaysian politics isn’t about old wine. It’s about fresh ideas, earned trust, and leaders who don’t just talk about the future they build it.

My take on the Sabah state election

FMT:

My take on the Sabah state election

After 25 years of observing politics, I have learned that one can win on paper but lose elsewhere, and lose on paper but win where it matters the most

With the dust now settled on the Sabah state election, several pressing concerns have emerged among the public.

The first is the clear and resounding defeat suffered by Anwar Ibrahim, and his daughter, Nurul Izzah, with PKR taking only one seat. Even DAP could not add to Pakatan Harapan’s tally to ease the embarrassment.


Another concern is the extent to which Albert Tei’s exposure of an alleged corruption scandal in Sabah shaped the election outcome.

GRS chairman Hajiji Noor is back on top, and whatever Tei did seems to have backfired, with Sabahans telling the notorious businessman in no uncertain terms to “go back to Peninsular Malaysia and stay there”.


Then, there was the so-called “divine miracle” of PAS’s victory. Although the party won only one seat, that victory was said to be “symbolic”. But was it really?

Surely the heavy losses suffered by DAP, Amanah and, above all, PKR can only be seen as Anwar’s failure.

What other language is needed to understand that this was a rejection of Anwar himself? What answer is there to Rafizi Ramli’s smirk and his smug “I told you so”?

Well, I, for one, have a different take.


Firstly, I never thought PKR would win a single seat given several unfortunate events prior to the election that were outside Anwar’s control.

For one, Rafizi has been punching holes in the party ever since he was voted out as deputy president. It appears that his ego has yet to recover from the embarrassment.

Many think he is criticising to “save” the nation, or at the very least, PKR, but having read his criticisms, I believe it was neither.

Umno suffered the same fate previously, with figures like Hishammuddin Hussein, Annuar Musa and Khairy Jamaluddin rattling the party with some of their comments.


Secondly, the court ruling which affirmed Sabah’s 40% entitlement to federal revenue earned in the state could not have come at a worse time.

The Malays have a saying for this: ditelan mati emak, diludah mati bapak (damned if you do, damned if you don’t).

Not contesting the verdict would have risked bankrupting Petronas and the federal government, while contesting it could have cost the election.

Although Anwar announced that the government would not appeal, anyone familiar with the Attorney‑General’s Chambers’ statement knows it left room for alternative interpretations.

It is never wise to enter any contest with a heavy “biawak” (monitor lizard) strapped to your back.

Thirdly, the “Sabah for Sabahans” clarion call rose like a tsunami, striking at federalism and Peninsular influence and resulting in serious setbacks to all federal parties. I am not sure how we can return from this to a Malaysia-for-all.

Reading the comments by one race on social media, I think we may be heading for a different kind of extremism that goes beyond religion.

But whatever the case, surprisingly, PH is back in government.

Not unlike a wounded Umno with a meagre number of seats following the last general election, PH managed to retain its position as part of the state government bloc — thanks to Anwar’s strategic political alliances that saved face for the country’s principal coalition.

Say what you will about the Sabah election — the one who came out on top was still the one-seat PH.

In contrast, neither the one-seat Perikatan Nasional nor the 25-seat Warisan became part of the government.

With BN joining the GRS-led government, Sabah is set for a strong and stable administration — a political win for Anwar.

As for Tei, I will say that while some politicians of my own race have been among my greatest disappointments, this man now stands above them all.

His attempt to bring down the chief minister through a trial by media did not sway voters, who decisively voted to return Hajiji to power. Kudos to Sabahans.

Finally, we turn to the so‑called “divine will” behind PAS’s first victory in Sabah.

I was shocked at the win, even though I had predicted that Sabah would in 10 years face the same extremism and conservatism now plaguing Peninsular Malaysia.

Has it arrived already? Is PAS’s brand of weaponising Islam and extremism now acceptable in Sabah?

Apparently not. Many say the candidate is nowhere near the likes of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang or other PAS leaders.

Aliakbar Gulasan is a decent Muslim who has denied claiming that he would outlaw alcohol and gambling. To many, Aliakbar embodies action, compassion, and responsibility — without the kind of arrogance seen in PAS’s Peninsular leadership.

Hadi’s claim of “victory” is without merit, for it was the Islam of moderation, compassion and responsibility — embodied by Aliakbar — that made PAS’s win possible.

After 25 years of observing politics, I have learned that one can win on paper but lose elsewhere, and lose on paper but win where it matters most.

M’sia’s sovereignty won’t be compromised by US trade deal, says ex-defence forces chief

FMT:

M’sia’s sovereignty won’t be compromised by US trade deal, says ex-defence forces chief

Zulkifeli Zin says the Malaysia-US Reciprocal Trade Agreement had been scrutinised by the investment, trade and industry ministry, Attorney-General's Chambers and Cabinet

Former chief of defence forces Zulkifeli Zin said the Malaysia-US Reciprocal Trade Agreement outlined a relationship of mutual consultation between Washington and Putrajaya. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia-US Reciprocal Trade Agreement had undergone strict scrutiny by the investment, trade and industry ministry, Attorney-General’s Chambers and Cabinet before being signed, says former chief of defence forces Zulkifeli Zin.

He noted that the agreement was spearheaded by the ministry, and scrutinised in detail by the AGC before being brought to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.

“I am of the view that due process has been fully complied with. I am confident that the AGC and ministry, staffed by experienced administrative and diplomatic officers, would never compromise the country’s sovereignty,” Bernama reported him as saying after a special briefing by the investment, trade and industry ministry on the agreement.


Zulkifeli’s remarks come as Hulu Terengganu MP Rosol Wahid has threatened to sue Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the government over the agreement.

Among others, Rosol questioned whether the prime minister had sought Cabinet approval, obtained the attorney-general’s advice and received the consent of the Conference of Rulers before the agreement was signed.



Zulkifeli said the agreement would not harm Malaysian sovereignty, adding that it outlines a relationship of mutual consultation between Washington and Putrajaya, not a unilateral one.

“There is the perception that we need to get US approval to procure goods, but the words ‘shall consult’ means that we can negotiate matters, not that we must get approval from the US.

“If Malaysia or the US do not agree due to their respective national interests, we have the right to cancel the agreement. How can it be taken to mean our national sovereignty is at stake?” he asked.

The briefing was also attended by former inspector-general of police Razarudin Husain and Malaysian Commando Veterans Club president Shah Yassin.


Razarudin said the ministry’s explanation had addressed claims that the deal would affect Malaysian sovereignty, adding that the deal’s preamble outlines a win-win situation for Malaysia and the US.

The agreement’s preamble, among others, emphasises that Malaysia and the US share “values, including their shared commitment to sovereignty, economic prosperity and resilient supply chains”, and seek to “enhance reciprocity in their bilateral trade relationship by addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers”.

Shah also said the agreement benefits both nations without tarnishing Malaysia’s dignity. “As someone who has served in command for 22 years, I do not see our country’s sovereignty being compromised,” he said.

***

Mahathir had recruited ex service chief Gen Borhan (He rightfully should NOT have involved a military man in politics); so P{MX has reciprocated by recruiting another ex service chief Zulkifeli Zin - both Mahathir and PMX are being silly

Teo Nie Ching says banning games like Roblox won’t keep children safe, calls for stronger in‑game protections

Teo Nie Ching says banning games like Roblox won’t keep children safe, calls for stronger in‑game protections



Banning online games such as ‘Roblox’ is unlikely to resolve the issue of child safety, says Deputy Minister of Communications Teo Nie Ching. — Reuters pic

Thursday, 11 Dec 2025 8:34 PM MYT


KULAI, Dec 11 — Banning online games such as ‘Roblox’ is unlikely to resolve the issue of child safety, says Deputy Minister of Communications Teo Nie Ching.

She said the matter could be addressed if online games were equipped with safety features for children.

Teo noted that this was among the issues discussed with the Commissioner for Children of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Dr Farah Nini Dusuki recently.

“The ban only prevents children from playing these online games, but that may not be the best approach.


“The way to ensure these platforms are safe is by making sure there are appropriate safety features,” she said at a press conference after visiting and officiating the new restrooms at the waiting area of Hospital Seri Maharaja Tun Ibrahim (HTSMTI) here today.

Teo made the remarks when asked about child safety concerns involving online games, including Roblox.

She also reiterated her ministry’s commitment to continue addressing the issue through engagement with relevant stakeholders, stressing that efforts should not only involve online game providers but also activists, non-governmental organisations, and other relevant parties.


On Oct 27, a six-year-old boy in Batu Pahat was seriously injured when allegedly attacked by his nine-year-old brother, reportedly influenced by the online game Roblox.

Earlier, Teo, who is also Kulai MP, officiated a project costing RM90,000 to construct two accessible public toilets for persons with disabilities at HTSMTI.

She said her parliamentary office had channelled various contributions totalling RM483,841 to the hospital since 2019. — Bernama

Israel Released Detained Palestinian-American Teen After Kushner Intervened

 

Israel Released Detained Palestinian-American Teen After Kushner Intervened — Sources

 

Israel agreed to release a Palestinian-American teenager detained for over nine months after US President Donald Trump’s top aide Jared Kushner intervened on the boy’s behalf last month, a US official and a second source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel.

Israel detained Mohammed Ibrahim in February on allegations that he threw stones at Israeli troops in the West Bank — a charge his family denies. Ibrahim was never charged and instead held using a controversial practice known as administrative detention, where suspects can be held indefinitely without due process. The tool is employed against several thousand Palestinians and a number of Israeli Arabs; Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered an end to its application against Israeli Jews earlier this year.

Ibrahim turned 16 in prison, and his family said that his health significantly deteriorated, as he lost over 20 pounds and contracted scabies — both common consequences for Palestinian prisoners, according to Israel’s own Public Defender’s Office. A Florida resident, Ibrahim was visiting family in the West Bank when he was arrested.

Ibrahim’s family lobbied US lawmakers for his release, and the boy’s case eventually was brought to the attention of Kushner, who contacted senior Israeli officials demanding his release, the US official and second source said. Washington took particular issue with the fact that a US citizen was being held without charge by an allied country, the sources said.
– The Times of Israel

Our Take: My two main takeaways from this story are:

1) Jared Kushner seems like a good man who takes a lot of flak from various segments of the MAGA coalition — not just the Groypers — who accuse him of being sinister. This probably was a favor asked of him by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but the fact that he pushed to make it happen, ending a nine month imprisonment that has been imposed without any charges being filed, shows that he has the clout among the Israelis to make such things happen, and the willingness to exercise that influence for something good.

And,

2) Why the hell is the government of Israel imprisoning a 16 year old child from a foreign nation? Especially without filing charges? And keeps him imprisoned for nine months? Without due process?

(Remember: This is being reported by The Times of Israel, which is basically state media.)

Tell me more about the origins of antisemitism, and how it is spread. Tell me more about how nations like Qatar spend millions of dollars to “brainwash” people online into disliking Israel.

Did Qatar make the government of Israel do this? Did Qatar make Israel imprison a foreign child for nearly a year without due process? Did Qatar send in the American to rescue the child, showing the world the power of American (Christian) grace?

Obviously, Jared Kushner doesn’t look at this 16 year old kid and see the same monster that Israel sees. If he did, he would have made up an excuse for why he couldn’t get him released, and most likely Palestinians would have begrudgingly accepted it. Instead, we see a clear-cut example of how American culture is morally superior to that of Israel. The American did not see things the way the Israeli did, though both were Jewish. And we can recognize that we are seeing two different cultures at work.

So maybe it isn’t antisemitism; maybe it is merely anti-Israel?

Regardless, Israeli culture has a serious moral decay that will need to be addressed if there is going to be peace and harmony in the Middle East.

It is past time for us, as both Christians and Americans, to start that conversation. – GhostofBasedPatrickHenry

Trump demands immunity from the International Criminal Court, or ELSE

 From FB of Robert Hartford

Occupy Democrats 

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BREAKING: White House MELTDOWN! Trump demands immunity from the International Criminal Court — and threatens sanctions if they don’t deliver.

In a move that screams guilty conscience, the Trump White House has just issued a threat straight out of a mob movie: promise not to prosecute Donald Trump, or we’ll sanction the International Criminal Court.

Yes, you read that right. The administration is openly pressuring the world’s top war-crimes tribunal to pledge it will never investigate the president, the vice president, or even the secretary of war — not now, not in 2029, not ever.

According to Reuters, Trump officials told the ICC to stand down immediately and drop all ongoing investigations, including probes into U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Israel’s leadership over the war in Gaza. If they don’t? The administration is threatening to slap sanctions not just on ICC officials but on the court itself, effectively trying to kneecap the world’s primary venue for prosecuting atrocities.

For a president who loves to rant about “law and order,” Trump suddenly seems terrified of… checks notes… law and order.

This isn’t just an unprecedented flex — it’s a full-blown assault on international justice. The U.S. never signed the 2002 Rome Statute that created the ICC, but no American president has ever attempted to bully the court into giving them lifetime immunity. This is banana-republic behavior from a White House desperate to put Trump above the reach of global accountability.

And the reason? One Trump official spelled it out with stunning honesty: There’s “growing concern that in 2029 the ICC will turn its attention to the president.”

In other words: Trump fears he’ll one day face investigations for his actions — and he’s trying to stop that future before it arrives.

The administration’s message is crystal clear: prosecute Trump and face retaliation from the world’s largest superpower. Drop the cases, or else.

But here’s the truth that Trump can’t sanction away: if you demand immunity in advance, people will wonder what crimes you’re afraid you’ll be charged with. And judging by this tantrum, Trump’s list must be a long one.

Welcome to the latest chapter in American democracy’s ongoing stress test — where the president is no longer hiding his desperation to escape accountability, he’s threatening the global justice system to make it happen.