Ramanan directs Socso to extend social security for 400,000 Malaysians crossing Johor Causeway daily

Ramanan directs Socso to extend social security for 400,000 Malaysians crossing Johor Causeway daily



Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan said the initiative, referred to as the Traveller Scheme or Skim Pengembara, will be piloted through a feasibility study beginning next year to ensure that nearly 400,000 local workers who cross the Johor Causeway daily are not left out of social security protection. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Friday, 19 Dec 2025 12:46 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — The Human Resources Ministry has instructed the Social Security Organisation (Socso) to explore a mechanism to extend social security coverage to Malaysians working in Singapore, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan said today.

Ramanan said the initiative, referred to as the Traveller Scheme or Skim Pengembara, will be piloted through a feasibility study beginning next year to ensure that nearly 400,000 local workers who cross the Johor Causeway daily are not left out of social security protection.

“Nearly 400,000 Malaysians work in Singapore, with local workers crossing the Johor Causeway every day. Through a study, Perkeso has taken note of this, and I have instructed Perkeso to find a way for us to provide them with coverage to safeguard their safety and ensure they are not excluded from social security protection,” he said at a press conference after completing his first official working visit to the Socso Tower here.

Ramanan said that the scheme was among his priorities after being appointed as minister.

“Yesterday is my first day, and this is already the second day and we are already at Perkeso. Of course, there is no time for a honeymoon period because there are many people who need assistance. One of the examples I mentioned earlier is the 400,000 Malaysians who cross the border every day to go to Singapore and return to Malaysia.

“They need to have a way to be protected in case anything happens, such as an accident. So, as the prime minister said, there is no time for a honeymoon. We must immediately get to work,” he said.

Cabinet reshuffle not a crisis, politics of fear is

Cabinet reshuffle not a crisis, politics of fear is

Syerleena Abdul Rashid
Published: Dec 19, 2025 8:46 AM
Updated: 11:46 AM


MP SPEAKS | When PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan raises alarm over a cabinet reshuffle, Malaysians should not panic.

Instead, they should interrogate the motive and ask two simple questions: Are we truly discussing governance, or are we once again watching fear being deliberately manufactured for political mileage?

There is nothing extraordinary or alarming about a cabinet reshuffle; in fact, it becomes a “crisis” only when it is deliberately misrepresented as one.

A routine cabinet reshuffle is not a betrayal of voters, and it certainly is not the collapse of democracy. In every functioning parliamentary system, a prime minister is expected to recalibrate the cabinet to improve coordination, performance, and delivery.

Portraying this routine process as something sinister is not political vigilance - it is political theatre.

What is far more troubling than the reshuffle itself is the narrative pushed by PAS: the claim that cooperation equals “centralisation”, that working together means surrendering identity, and that inclusion somehow threatens power.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan


This is not a defence of democracy. It is an attempt to shrink it by turning collaboration into a scare word.

As a Muslim, I state this without hesitation: Islam does not teach us to govern through panic and suspicion. It teaches amanah, justice, and accountability. It teaches leaders to be judged by competence and integrity - not by how loudly they shout warnings of imagined takeovers.

If PAS truly wishes to speak in the language of faith, then it should explain how fear-mongering serves justice, or how distrust strengthens the ummah.

PAS warns of political dominance, yet conveniently ignores a basic fact: Malaysia is governed today by a coalition government precisely because voters rejected domination by any single party or ideology - including PAS.

Malaysians chose cooperation over chaos, solutions over slogans, and stability over endless brinkmanship. That decision was made at the ballot box, not behind closed doors.

A cabinet reshuffle only appears threatening if one’s politics depends on exclusion and control - fear of losing relevance, fear of sharing space, fear of being judged on results rather than rhetoric.

PAS leaders


But governance is not a purity contest. It is a difficult, imperfect, collective work. And collaboration is not a weakness. It is political adulthood.

No more manufactured outrage

Democracy is not protected by alarmist press statements. It is protected by strong institutions, transparent decision-making, and leaders mature enough to work across differences.

A reshuffle that improves coordination is not a threat to democracy. What truly threatens democracy is paralysis, cynicism, and the deliberate poisoning of public trust.

Malaysia does not need more manufactured outrage. It needs leadership that can steady the country, lower the temperature, and focus on delivery while families struggle with the cost of living. Fear may mobilise a base, but it does not govern a nation.

As a Muslim woman in politics, I reject the idea that faith must be weaponised to stoke anxiety. Faith should ground us. Leadership should reassure, not inflame.

And as an MP, my loyalty is not to political noise or partisan panic - it is to Malaysians who expect results, honesty, and maturity from those entrusted with power.

Malaysia’s future will not be decided by who cries “threat” the loudest. It will be decided by who governs responsibly, works constructively, and delivers for the rakyat. Everything else is a distraction - and Malaysians are tired of it.

SYERLEENA ABDUL RASHID is the Bukit Bendera MP.

***

Under Pak Hadi Awang and his lieutenants such as Takiyuddin, PAS is no longer the Islamic Party as we knew it then under Datuk Nik Aziz. PAS is now an ultra right wing ethnic party. Shame on Takiyuddin's disgusting racist rants.

And Syerleena is a potential future PM of Malaysia.

Why some Malays fear Yeoh as FT minister

Why some Malays fear Yeoh as FT minister

Mariam Mokhtar
Published: Dec 19, 2025 10:48 AM
Updated: 1:48 PM



COMMENT | Sixty-eight years after independence, Malaysia stubbornly refuses to drop the race argument when power is redistributed.

The appointment of Hannah Yeoh as minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) has again triggered familiar anxieties.

Not about governance, accountability, or unchecked development, but about ethnicity and religion. That instinctive response says less about Yeoh than it does about how poorly we understand where power actually lies in Kuala Lumpur.

The federal territories portfolio is not ceremonial. It is one of the most politically volatile briefs in government.

Kuala Lumpur is under intense development pressure. Residents are increasingly vocal about density and displacement, and civil society groups have long warned that the city adopts a governance model that concentrates power rather than disperses it.

Whoever holds this portfolio inherits tension by design.

Obfuscation

Instead of interrogating that structure, parts of the public debate obsessed about Yeoh’s identity, as a Chinese, non-Muslim woman, as though the race of the minister determines who benefits from urban policy.

This framing is not only inaccurate; it actively shields the real centres of power from scrutiny.

Historically, every federal territories minister before Yeoh was Malay and Muslim. Several left office amid allegations of corruption, abuse, or serious governance failures.

For example, former federal territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was found guilty by the High Court of accepting RM2 million in connection with official duties during his tenure, and was later sentenced to prison and fined, but the execution of the sentence was stayed pending appeal.

Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor


He was then granted a discharge amounting to an acquittal by the Court of Appeal in 2021. The Attorney-General’s Chambers then withdrew its appeal of the acquittal, making it final.

These controversies escaped racial scrutiny. None were framed as a threat to the Malay community.

That distinction matters. When failure was associated with Malay ministers, it was treated as individual or institutional. With a non-Malay appointment, it suddenly becomes existential.

Here is the uncomfortable irony: the same system that critics claim protects Malay interests has, in practice, been administered almost entirely by Malay ministers.

Today, its failures are now being projected onto a non-Malay appointment. If past mismanagement did not weaken Malay political standing, why would reform, or continuity under a different face, suddenly do so?

An unaccountable city government

We neglect the more serious issue of governance. Kuala Lumpur does not have local elections. Its mayor is appointed, not elected. Planning, land use, and development approvals are heavily centralised, with limited statutory mechanisms for public objection or councillor oversight.

MPs have publicly described the mayor’s authority as excessively broad, with weak checks and balances.

Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said that the current system “concentrates authority almost entirely in the hands of the federally appointed mayor,” with little effective oversight.

The Private Member’s Bill he proposed seeks a councillor-based system to introduce greater transparency, accountability, and public representation in Kuala Lumpur.

In this context, the absence of an Urban Renewal Act matters. Without a clear legal framework governing redevelopment, displacement, compensation, and resident consent, urban renewal becomes ad hoc and opaque.

Developers operate in a permissive environment, residents feel marginalised, and political accountability becomes diffuse. These are structural conditions that would challenge any minister, irrespective of race.

Scapegoating?

However, a more uncomfortable question emerges: Is Yeoh being placed in a role designed to absorb political fallout?

This is not an accusation but a legitimate question rooted in political logic. The federal territories portfolio is a blame-heavy one.

Public anger over development, congestion, and governance will not disappear. If reforms stall or tensions escalate, responsibility will attach to the minister, and not to the prime minister, not to the system, and certainly not to entrenched interests.

Anwar Ibrahim’s governing style has consistently prioritised coalition stability and risk avoidance. Delegating a volatile portfolio while retaining strategic distance is not unusual in coalition politics.

Whether intentional or not, the effect is the same: the minister becomes the lightning rod.

This is why racialising Yeoh’s appointment is politically convenient. Race diverts attention away from structural reform. It personalises what should be institutional.

It allows those with real influence, meaning the developers, planners, and federal authorities, to remain largely unchallenged while public anger is redirected.

Even a minister’s power is limited

No one is endorsing Yeoh’s record. She is not above criticism. Questions have once been raised about transparency and accountability during her ministerial tenure, including matters involving her family that deserve scrutiny like any other public figure’s.

Acknowledging this strengthens, rather than weakens, the argument: criticism should be grounded in conduct and policy, not identity.

Some of her previous ministerial roles were constrained by the very same problem now confronting her in the federal territories portfolio: the limited authority to challenge entrenched systems.

Child marriage reforms stalled not because of one minister’s views but because of religious-political sensitivities. Sporting governance scandals exposed oversight gaps that pre-dated her tenure. These were systemic failures.

So, if Kuala Lumpur continues to be governed without democratic accountability, without transparent planning safeguards, and without a coherent urban renewal framework, then no minister will succeed.

Not a Malay minister. Not a non-Malay minister. Not Yeoh.

The real danger is not who holds the portfolio. It is that Malaysians are still debating power as though it were racial, when in reality it is institutional.

The world is moving forward, towards accountability, engagement, and rights-based urban governance, but Malaysia risks moving backwards, retreating into ethnic silos while cities are reshaped without consent.

Sixty-eight years on, perhaps the question we should be asking is not why some Malays fear Yeoh, but why we are still afraid to confront the system that fails us all.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army, and the president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, X.

What legal provision bans pets at malls, ask lawyers

FMT:

What legal provision bans pets at malls, ask lawyers

Lawyers for Animal Rights says no statute, legislation, local government by-law or gazetted guideline has been identified to back such a ban

State executive councillor Ng Suee Lim had said there was a need to consider whether pet-friendly malls were suitable given Selangor’s multiracial make-up. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A lawyers’ group has asked the Selangor government to clarify the legal provision being used to ban pets from shopping malls.

While state executive councillor Ng Suee Lim had said that the ban was “still in force”, Lawyers for Animal Rights said no statute, legislation, local government by-law or gazetted guideline had been identified to back this prohibition.

It urged the state government to publish the exact legal provision that authorised the ban, or for Ng to retract his claim of the prohibition.

“In a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law, restrictions on lawful conduct cannot be imposed by announcement or implication. Executive authority must be traceable to law.

“We further note that shopping malls are privately owned premises. In the absence of clear legislation, the state has no authority to impose a blanket prohibition on how private property owners regulate lawful behaviour on their premises.

“Any such attempt is ultra vires, arbitrary, and legally void,” the group said in a statement.

It also said that there were less restrictive measures the state government could impose than a blanket ban, such as strict hygiene standards, requiring pets to be leashed, and designated areas for pets.

“If regulation is deemed necessary, the lawful path is clear: legislate transparently, consult stakeholders, and ensure compliance with constitutional standards of legality, equality, and proportionality.”

A newly opened Klang Valley shopping mall had allowed visitors to bring pets onto its premises, drawing mixed reactions online.

Ng later said that the Selangor government prohibited pets from being brought into malls.

He said the state government would review the guidelines to maintain community harmony, and that there was a need to consider whether pet-friendly malls were suitable given Selangor’s multiracial make-up.

Racialising Cabinet reshuffle will alienate non-Muslim voters, PAS told

FMT:

Racialising Cabinet reshuffle will alienate non-Muslim voters, PAS told

5 hours ago
Chia Wan Rou

Wong Chin Huat says evaluating ministers based on their beliefs and ethnicity reeks of tribalism

Former youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh was moved to the federal territories portfolio in the Cabinet reshuffle this week. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: An analyst has warned that the racialising of the recent Cabinet reshuffle by PAS leaders will only discourage non-Muslim voters from backing the opposition, following comments on the appointment of two Chinese leaders to the federal territories portfolio.

Wong Chin Huat of Sunway University said evaluating ministers based on their beliefs and ethnicity reeked of tribalism.

“How is PAS expected to woo the non-Muslims when it incessantly assesses ministers through a racial and religious lens instead of what they can bring to the table?” he said.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan claimed on Wednesday that the appointment of Hannah Yeoh and Lo Su Fui to the federal territories portfolio was a deliberate strategy to strengthen DAP’s dominance in Kuala Lumpur and other major urban centres in the country.

Yeoh, who was previously the youth and sports minister, was appointed as federal territories minister while Lo, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah’s MP for Tawau, was made her deputy.

DAP deputy chairman Nga Kor Ming was retained as the housing and local government minister.

Takiyuddin claimed that concentrating urban power in the hands of leaders from the same ethnicity and political party could raise questions about an imbalance of power and the direction of the nation’s administration.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had hit out at critics of Yeoh’s appointment, saying to reject a person because of her colour or race was “atrocious in this day and age”.

His deputy, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, meanwhile said that Yeoh and Lo’s appointments would not undermine the Malay agenda.

Wong said PAS had expressed reservations about Yeoh barely 48 hours after she was named to the post.

“Is it not prejudicial?” he added.

Wong, who told FMT last week that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s divisive remarks hindered the party’s appeal among its non-traditional base, said the Islamic party should emulate its former spiritual adviser, the late Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

He said Nik Aziz had rejected such tribalism and respected non-Muslims.

“PAS should monitor Yeoh’s performance and come up with KPIs that she must achieve in safeguarding the interest of residents in the federal territories, especially the Malay community.

“And if she fails, by all means, criticise her,” he said.

Sharmin Kutty Sivaraman of Inti International University said PAS should not lose sleep over the reshuffle, but focus on providing checks and balances.

He also said that the reshuffle gave MPs from DAP the opportunity to prove themselves.

***

Above plus the fact that Tuan Ibrahim backed the actions of the policeman for barring a Chinese woman from making a police report at a police station just for dressing in non-syariah compliant form indicate the sort of government we can expect from a PAS government - frigging frightening a la Taliban

Anwar keeping religious affairs portfolio apolitical, say analysts

FMT:

Anwar keeping religious affairs portfolio apolitical, say analysts

5 hours ago
Nora Mahpar

They say this is a wise move given the highly sensitive nature of the portfolio

The appointments of Zulkifli Hasan as religious affairs minister and Marhamah Rosli as his deputy show that the prime minister wants to keep the portfolio free from the liabilities of political parties, according to one analyst. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim appears intent on keeping the religious affairs portfolio apoliticial based on the recent Cabinet reshuffle, according to analysts.

Akademi Nusantara’s Azmi Hassan said the promotion of Zulkifli Hasan to religious affairs minister, and Marhamah Rosli’s appointment as his deputy, showed that Anwar wanted to keep the portfolio free from the liabilities of political parties.

Zulkifli, a senator, was an academic with International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) while Marhamah is a religious teacher.


Zulkifli used to be deputy religious affairs minister to Na’im Mokhtar, a former shariah court chief judge who was dropped in the Cabinet shake-up.

“Their appointments align with the approach of appointing individuals perceived as professionals (to the portfolio). This would explain why Amanah did not get the post despite having experienced candidates,” Azmi told FMT.



Syaza Shukri of IIUM said the portfolio was highly sensitive and risky given PAS’s strength in delivering religious narratives which add pressure on the government.

“In the current context, it may be better for apolitical technocrats to be in charge of the portfolio,” she added.

Amanah lacks bargaining power

A central Amanah Youth leader had asked why none of the party’s leaders were considered for the portfolio, citing candidates such as Amanah deputy president Mujahid Yusof Rawa who served as religious affairs minister from 2018 to 2020.


However, Syaza said Amanah lacked the bargaining power to lobby for additional posts in the government, especially the religious affairs portfolio, given its importance.

While leaders of the Islamic party should be capable enough to take it on, she said the reality was that Amanah, as the weakest party in Pakatan Harapan (PH), lacked leverage.

Nevertheless, she said this was unlikely to hamper its relationship with the other PH components, namely PKR and DAP.

“If you look at it in terms of the ratio of government posts to MPs, DAP is actually the biggest loser. Amanah is still in quite an acceptable position.”


Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia agreed, saying Amanah had only eight MPs but two ministerships and two deputy minister posts.

“Umno has 26 seats but only received 12 posts, while DAP has 40 MPs but also just 12 posts.”

Ramanan slammed for suggesting that unemployed Indians plug labour gap

FMT:

Ramanan slammed for suggesting that unemployed Indians plug labour gap

Urimai chairman P Ramasamy says the proposal by the newly-minted HR minister shows his ignorance of labour economics

Urimai chairman P Ramasamy asked if human resources minister R Ramanan was ready to address the denial of business opportunities to Indians.

PETALING JAYA: Newly-minted human resources minister R Ramanan has received flak over a proposal to rely on unemployed Indians to address the labour shortage in certain sectors, to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign workers.

Urimai chairman P Ramasamy said Ramanan’s proposal underscored his ignorance of labour economics as well as the social and economic realities of the Indian community.

Ramasamy, who has spoken up on labour issues in the past, said those employed at saloons, goldsmiths and restaurants were generally low-skilled workers who were also underpaid.


He said such working conditions produced “cheap and malleable labour”.

“Indians may be unskilled or unemployed, but as Malaysians, they require wages that can sustain a reasonable cost of living,” he said in a Facebook post.



Ramanan was reported by Scoop as saying that he had received many text messages about a shortage of Indian workers at restaurants, barbershops and goldsmiths.

“Now instead of us taking foreign labour, why not explore – we train the unemployed (local) Indians and fit them into these industries? Why are we giving these opportunities to foreign labour when we have the labour here and we can provide them?” he was quoted as saying.

Ramasamy said that for years, working-class Indians had sought to break free from the vicious cycle of poverty and underdevelopment by aspiring to jobs in high-growth sectors of the economy.

He said many were turning to business and entrepreneurship in the private sector, but that their efforts were repeatedly thwarted by “overt and covert discrimination by the state”.


“Is Ramanan prepared to address the denial of business opportunities to Indians, particularly in the form of licences and permits?

“Why should Indians, as dignified citizens of this country, be locked once again into low-skilled employment sectors?”

***

Aiseh Uncle don't be jealous of Ramanan lah - at least Ramanan offered employment opportunities to unskilled Indians - gotta start off somewhere lah, not at CEO positions straight away

Crunch time for former Malaysia PM Najib ahead of two crucial court rulings

Crunch time for former Malaysia PM Najib ahead of two crucial court rulings

Malaysia’s High Court will deliver two pivotal rulings in the coming days in the protracted legal battles of jailed former premier Najib Razak

Former Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Oct 30, 2024. (File Photo: CNA/Fadza Ishak)





Leslie Lopez
19 Dec 2025 06:00AM

(Updated: 19 Dec 2025 06:58AM)


KUALA LUMPUR: Jailed former Malaysia premier Najib Razak’s long-running legal saga will reach a critical juncture next week, with two High Court decisions that could have far-reaching implications for his hopes of a political resurgence.

On Monday (Dec 22), the High Court will rule on whether Najib may serve the remainder of his prison sentence — imposed for his first conviction on abuse of power and money laundering charges linked to state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) — under house arrest.

A day after Christmas, another High Court judge will rule in a separate trial involving four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering over RM2.2 billion in transfers from 1MDB.

The 72-year-old Najib is currently serving a six-year prison sentence in Selangor’s Kajang Prison for the first set of abuse of power and money laundering charges, and lawyers contacted by CNA said the upcoming court rulings may not have any immediate material impact on him.

This is because the verdicts will most likely be subject to potentially lengthy appeals in the courts.

But Najib’s legal trajectory remains closely followed in Malaysia, where the former leader — the son of Malaysia’s second prime minister — continues to polarise public opinion.

His critics view him as the central figure in the 1MDB scandal, a global financial debacle involving the state fund he established in 2009.

But many in the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), his former party and a current component of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition, remain sympathetic, along with segments of ethnic Malays.

They believe the state’s prosecution of Najib has been selective and argue that others linked to the 1MDB saga escaped charges after cooperating with investigators.

His supporters also believe a favourable ruling on his house arrest bid would free him from prison confinement and allow him to more actively engage with his allies in UMNO and potentially rejuvenate his political standing.

Supporters of former Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak gather in a show of solidarity outside the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya in January 2025. (Photo: CNA/Fadza Ishak)


THE DEC 22 HEARING

This legal confrontation over the house arrest petition stems from a controversial bid by Najib to secure a full royal pardon for his first conviction.

Najib was originally found guilty by a Malaysian High Court in July 2020 on seven charges of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering over the misappropriation of RM42 million of funds in state-owned SRC International, a company that was part of the 1MDB web of corporate concerns that were targets of financial embezzlement.


Related:


Commentary: Najib Razak's new bid for house arrest leaves Malaysia in a political funk


Malaysia confirms existence of document central to ex-PM Najib's house arrest bid, reports say


He began serving his prison term only in August 2022 after exhausting appeals to his conviction in the Appeals Court and the Federal Court, the country’s apex judicial body.

The house arrest bid was a secretive gambit first revealed by CNA in an exclusive report in early January last year.

But Najib’s application for a full pardon did not materialise, and ended with clemency from the then-outgoing King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who heads the Pahang royal household.

Najib’s 12-year prison sentence was halved and his fine of RM210 million (US$51.4 million) was reduced to RM50 million. If the fine is not paid, one year will be added to his sentence and his release date will be Aug 23, 2029.

Shortly later, another political curveball appeared. Najib’s legal team insisted that the early February 2024 decision by the Pardons Board – headed by the king – was also accompanied by an addendum order issued by the king that allowed him to serve the remainder of his jail term at home.

Najib’s legal bid for house arrest began in April last year. It has stirred public intrigue because multiple government agencies and members of the Pardons Board for months denied knowledge of a royal document, although the former king’s office confirmed its existence.

In July last year, the High Court had dismissed Najib’s legal bid for the government to produce the addendum order, saying that affidavits supporting Najib's claim were inadmissible as evidence because they were hearsay.

But that ruling was overturned on appeal in a 2-1 split decision by the Court of Appeal in January this year. The Federal Court later upheld the appeal court’s decision, with the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered to hear the case.

In the High Court, after the twists and turns, Najib’s lawyers argued that the supplementary order was valid, well within the ruler’s discretion and does not require any consultation with members of the Pardons Board.

Prosecutors insisted in court that the so-called addendum was invalid and not enforceable because it was not issued following a decision by the Pardons Board.

A decision on the matter was originally scheduled for Jan 5 but last month, the Kuala Lumpur High Court allowed a request from Najib's lawyers to move the date forward to Dec 22.

A lawyer who is assisting Najib’s lead counsel Shafee Abdullah said that should Najib be denied his application for house arrest by Justice Alice Loke, the former premier’s defence team will file an appeal against the decision.

The same is expected of the prosecution should the court rule in Najib’s favour.

“I don’t see any major change to the current situation. Even if the court allows house arrest, the prosecution will appeal, which would delay the execution of the order,” said the lawyer.

At a press conference on Thursday, Shafee reportedly argued that should the court grant Najib’s bid, he should be released into house arrest immediately even if the Malaysian government were to appeal.

Appeals will be heard by the Court of Appeal, and its ruling can again still be appealed at the apex Federal Court, meaning that the case could potentially stretch for months, if not years.

Beyond next week’s court ruling, the lawyer assisting Shafee said they are also considering other options, including a bid for a fresh royal pardon.

Najib is midway through his prison term and when asked at Thursday's press conference about the possibility of him seeking parole, Shafee declined to comment. “Parole has not arisen, so I won’t comment more on that,” he said, as reported by Malay Mail.

In Malaysia, a prisoner becomes eligible to apply for parole after serving a minimum of half of a sentence that is at least one year in duration.

Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Najib’s lead counsel. (File photo: CNA/Fadza Ishak)


THE DEC 26 HEARING

The corruption trial over the misappropriation of RM2.2 billion at 1MDB has dragged on for seven long years and ended only in mid-November this year.

Najib was first charged in 2018 with money laundering and using his position to obtain gratification totalling RM 2.2 billion at an AmIslamic Bank branch. The alleged offences were committed between 2011 and 2014.

The prosecution wrapped up its case on May 30, 2024 and Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah ruled in October last year that Najib had a case to answer.

Najib’s lawyers had argued that monies that flowed into Najib’s bank accounts were donations he had received from Saudi Arabia and were not funds obtained through illegal means.

“Under all the circumstances, I find that the accused (Najib) was also ‘wilfully blind’ with regard to his failure to inquire into the origin of these funds when the circumstances were such that he ought to have done so,” Justice Sequerah said when ordering the defence to present its case.

Justice Sequerah, who was promoted recently to the Federal Court, said he “found no merit” in claims made by Najib’s lawyer that the charges framed by government prosecutors were defective.

Najib's defence team called a total of 26 witnesses.

Justice Sequerah will deliver his judgment on Dec 26 in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

Some observers noted that Najib’s defence team did not present evidence in its representations to the court that was not already introduced or raised during the early stages of the trial.

They also added that whatever the outcome, either side will likely be filing appeals.

“This will very much be the same in both the cases next week,” predicted Zaid Ibrahim, a lawyer and former law minister who has been tracking the Najib cases closely.

If convicted, each abuse of power charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of either five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

If convicted, each money laundering offence carries up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to RM5 million.

If either side files an appeal, the execution of the court ruling could be delayed pending the outcome of the appeal.

***

No other Malaysian PM has ever been jailed - just look at Moox2 and Ismail even tho' the latter has "returned" millions - Guess Najib's sin in the eyes of BAAL is far too serious to forgive, as would be the ways of the 'forgiving' Malays

DSAI was also jailed but then that was before he became PM, wakakaka

Heavy rain, strong winds and lightning: Weather warning issued for multiple states, including Perak and Selangor until 12pm today

 

Heavy rain, strong winds and lightning: Weather warning issued for multiple states, including Perak and Selangor until 12pm today



MetMalaysia has issued a thunderstorm warning until 12pm today for several states and territories, including Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Sarawak, Sabah, and Labuan, where heavy rain, strong winds and lightning are expected. — Bernama pic

Friday, 19 Dec 2025 10:05 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a thunderstorm warning for several states and territories, including Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Sarawak, Sabah, and the Federal Territory of Labuan, until 12pm today (Friday, December 19).

According to a post on MetMalaysia’s official Facebook page, heavy rain, strong winds and lightning are expected across the affected areas, including Perak (Manjung, Perak Tengah, Bagan Datuk, Hilir Perak), Selangor (Sabak Bernam, Klang, Petaling, Kuala Langat, Hulu Langat, Sepang), as well as Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan (Jelebu, Seremban), Sarawak (Kuching, Samarahan and Asajaya), Sabah (Sandakan, Telupid, Beluran, Kudat, Pitas), and Labuan.

MetMalaysia said a thunderstorm warning is issued when signs indicate intense rainfall exceeding 20mm per hour that is occurring or expected to last more than an hour.

Each short-term warning is valid for up to six hours from the time it is issued.

The alert was released at 8.55am today.

Holiday cheer on the highways: 50pc toll discount for Christmas travellers on Dec 23–24

Holiday cheer on the highways: 50pc toll discount for Christmas travellers on Dec 23–24



The toll reduction applies to class 1 vehicles (class 2 on the Penang Bridge) at all toll plazas, except at national border entry points, including Plaza Tol Bangunan Sultan Iskandar on the North–South Expressway (PLUS) and Plaza Tol Tanjung Kupang on the Second Malaysia–Singapore Link (LINKEDUA), Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said in a statement. — File picture by Razak Ghazali

Friday, 19 Dec 2025 9:53 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — The government will provide a 50 per cent discount on toll rates for private vehicles on December 23 and 24 December, in conjunction with the upcoming Christmas celebrations, the Works Ministry announced today.

The toll reduction applies to class 1 vehicles (class 2 on the Penang Bridge) at all toll plazas, except at national border entry points, including Plaza Tol Bangunan Sultan Iskandar on the North–South Expressway (PLUS) and Plaza Tol Tanjung Kupang on the Second Malaysia–Singapore Link (LINKEDUA), Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said in a statement.

“The government is expected to bear an estimated RM20.65 million in compensation to highway concessionaires for the discount initiative,” the statement read.

Nanta said the move aims to ease travel costs for Malaysians returning to their hometowns for Christmas or taking family holidays during the school break, and aligns with the Madani government’s initiative to help reduce living costs across all communities.


He added that the dates were also selected to help manage traffic flow during the peak holiday season and school break, particularly on the days people travel to and from their hometowns.

The measure is expected to optimise operations at laybys and rest and service areas (RSAs) along the highways.

The ministry urged highway users to plan their journeys using the TuJu Highway Navigation App or MyPLUS-TTA and to follow recommended travel time advisory (TTA) schedules, while observing speed limits, road signs and other traffic regulations.


Nanta also reminded drivers to drive responsibly, take breaks if tired, and comply with all road safety rules to ensure safe and comfortable journeys and help reduce road accidents.

Traffic updates and incident reports will be available on the Malaysian Highway Authority’s (LLM) official social media channels via Facebook: Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia, X: @LLMtrafik, and TikTok: @llmtrafik; or by contacting the LLM Traffic Management Centre at 1-800-88-7752.

Voting DAP out was bitter but necessary, jaded Sabah supporters say

Voting DAP out was bitter but necessary, jaded Sabah supporters say

Jason Santos
Published: Dec 19, 2025 8:00 AM
Updated: 11:06 AM



As the dust settles from DAP’s wipeout in the Sabah election, former supporters who voted them out told Malaysiakini the outcome was not one they celebrated.

They are not happy that the party lost, but are disappointed that DAP became the kind they felt they had to vote out.

The reasons varied, but one major consistent theme that cropped up was disappointment that DAP had allied itself with Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

“When DAP became associated with that group, it was very difficult to accept. That is why people voted them out,” said Tham Wei Sheng, 50, a dentist from Kota Kinabalu.

He was referring to DAP’s decision to support the GRS administration after BN withdrew its backing for Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor during a political crisis in early 2023.

Tham said many voters continued to associate GRS with the “dirty” political culture of the former BN state administration led by Musa Aman, even though Musa is no longer the chief minister and does not formally lead the coalition.

Sabah governor Musa Aman


In Tawau, Chan Kok Wa, 48, told Malaysiakini that many Chinese voters no longer viewed DAP as a party that defended Sabah interests, particularly following its cooperation with both GRS and BN.

“If DAP had moved on its own, using the ‘rocket’ logo, maybe they could have won,” he said.

Sabah for Sabahans

Wong Fook Lim, 65, a retired Penampang resident who now works as a Grab driver, said DAP was increasingly viewed as detached from Sabah-based decision-making.

“If something happens in Sabah, they still have to ask their bosses in Kuala Lumpur,” he said. “They are not local.”

Wong said the sentiment was also influenced by the growing “Sabah for Sabahans” call along the state’s west coast, but stressed it was not racial in nature.

DAP flag


“This is not about Chinese or Malay leaders,” he said. “It’s about whether leaders work for the people. No doubt some DAP leaders are hardworking, but the problem is they can’t make decisions on their own as they rely on their federal counterparts.”

Such sentiments may explain why DAP lost all its Sabah state seats to Warisan.

For Chan, however, Warisan emerged as the main beneficiary in urban seats not because of strong confidence, but because it was seen as the only viable alternative capable of unseating DAP.

E-invoicing and potholes

Another group of voters also voiced displeasure with DAP over governance issues.

“People are unhappy with the current situation. And when people are unhappy, they blame the government - and DAP is the government,” said 35-year-old Rebecca Chong.

The Sandakan resident cited water supply disruptions, electricity reliability, and business-related policies as factors that had steadily eroded confidence.

“E-invoicing is also making people very angry. Anything that makes business harder, people will complain,” she said.

Business owners in Sabah have said the rollout of e-invoicing, a federal initiative, risks adding costs, compliance burdens, and cash-flow delays, particularly for small firms and importers who must reconcile real-time digital invoices with customs paperwork, foreign suppliers, patchy internet access, and legacy accounting systems.

Michael Yong, 38, from Kota Kinabalu, said disappointment with DAP had extended even to basic municipal issues.

He complained that even simple problems, such as potholes, were left unresolved for years.

“Even the basics DAP has failed to resolve (when they were part of government), such as potholes in the city, damaged streetlights, or roadside barricades that could take years before it is being fixed. Come on, Kota Kinabalu is a city!

“They have lost it. The current leaders in DAP are no longer the hardworking DAP politicians we knew several elections ago when they were still in the opposition,” he added.

Yong said veteran DAP leaders were more effective when the party was in opposition.

“The old ones, even the slightest amenity problems like this, are serious when it comes to calling the government to fix them.

“They were in the opposition before and more effective, but all that went down the drain when they became part of the government,” said Yong.

People want to see results

Following its defeat in the Sabah election, DAP has set for itself a six-month timeline to enact reforms - including on issues such as United Examination Certificate (UEC) recognition - in an effort to win back support from voters.

However, Chong said that just making noise about pushing for reforms will not be enough.

“Whether that reform push will really make a difference and win back the support of Sabah’s Chinese voters is hard to say, because people now just want to see results,” she said.

Many of the voters Malaysiakini spoke to said they were adopting a wait-and-see approach, and did not rule out supporting DAP again if the party reasserts its independence, strengthens its Sabah leadership, and distances itself from federal political manoeuvring.

“We will have to see how they perform now,” Chan said.

Defence raises fairness concerns ahead of Najib’s 1MDB verdict

Datuk Seri Najib Razak's lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has again raised concerns over alleged injustice in his 1MDB corruption trial, just days before the High Court is due to deliver its verdict on Dec 26. – Scoop file pic, December 18, 2025
News


Defence raises fairness concerns ahead of Najib’s 1MDB verdict


Defence cites handling of key witnesses and undisclosed information in final days before ruling


KUALA LUMPUR – Former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s lawyers have renewed claims that his 1MDB corruption trial was unfair, raising the issue days before the High Court is due to deliver its verdict on Dec 26.

Lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said the defence was disadvantaged by how key prosecution witnesses were handled, starting with former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng Chong Hwa.

Shafee said Ng had cooperated with authorities during investigations into the 1MDB scandal and provided material information to investigators. However, when called to testify, Ng declined to answer several questions that the defence said were critical, citing a United States protective order.

Referring to a Dec 12 statement by the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Shafee said this confirmed that Ng had in fact supplied material information to investigators.

“This created a clear and obvious injustice to Najib,” Shafee said, as reported by the New Straits Times.

He argued that information shared with investigators but withheld in open court could not be tested or evaluated as evidence, placing the defence at a disadvantage.

Shafee also raised concerns over the treatment of other individuals linked to 1MDB, including former general counsel Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, described as a close associate of fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low.

He said Loo was called as a prosecution witness and her testimony was relied upon to explain transactions central to the charges against Najib, despite what he described as unresolved legal issues involving her.

“Despite outstanding arrest warrants, unresolved charges and ongoing investigations against her, no prosecution was pursued. Instead, she remained in Malaysia and was placed under the witness protection programme,” he said.

Shafee further alleged that Loo played a key role in legitimising documentation used in fraudulent transactions involving Low and Goldman Sachs.

He also questioned the lack of effective action to secure Low’s return to Malaysia, noting that the fugitive financier was no longer subject to an active Interpol Red Notice.

Taken together, Shafee said these issues showed Najib had not been afforded a fair trial as guaranteed under Articles 5 and 8 of the Federal Constitution.

Najib faces four charges of misappropriating RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering.– December 18, 2025

How much longer does Nurul Izzah need to pay the price for being the First Daughter?

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) M. Kulasegaran has voiced a sharp surprise over the exclusion of Nurul Izzah Anwar in the recent Cabinet reshuffle. – Scoop file pic, December 19, 2025
NEWS


How much longer does Nurul Izzah need to pay the price for being the First Daughter?


DAP leader Kulasegaran is surprised by the PKR deputy president's omission from Cabinet



Sandru Narayanan
Updated 31 seconds ago
19 December, 2025
8:13 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR — Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) M. Kulasegaran has voiced a sharp surprise over the exclusion of Nurul Izzah Anwar in the recent Cabinet reshuffle.

The Ipoh Barat MP described the move as puzzling and warned it could potentially damage public perception, despite it being Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s discretion.

Speaking during a Trick Lama podcast hosted by Big Boom Media CEO Datuk Zainul Arifin and Group Editor-in-Chief Terence Fernandez, Kulasegaran described Nurul Izzah as a capable leader with decades of political experience.

“To me, the non-appointment of Nurul Izzah is surprising. I know her personally, and I think she is a very capable person,” he added, noting that while everyone has shortcomings, the optics were poor.

Kulasegaran said the reshuffle must be seen in the context of a coalition government, where the Prime Minister had to prioritise appointments from his own party (PKR) following several resignations.

“Discretion is totally his. Ultimately, it is for the public to judge. The performance of any minister is what matters,” he explained.

He added that Nurul Izzah’s defeat in the last general election should not automatically disqualify someone from public office.

“Elections are like that. You win and lose, lose and win. She could have easily been appointed as a senator,” he said, citing that Nurul Izzah by virtue of being deputy president of PKR can be considered for Cabinet.

Speaking during a Trick Lama podcast hosted by Big Boom Media CEO Datuk Zainul Arifin and Group Editor-in-Chief Terence Fernandez, DAP leader Kulasegaran described Nurul Izzah as a capable leader with decades of political experience.


Kulasegaran also criticised the political disadvantages of being the Prime Minister’s child.

“Our politics can be cruel. Just because she is the Prime Minister’s daughter, she is seen as disentitled, and I disagree with that,” he said.

He stressed that appointments should be based on merit.

“If she is capable, then she is capable and should be allowed to serve. At the end of the day, wisdom and discretion lie with the Prime Minister, and no one else,” said Kulasegaran, a former DAP vice president who withdrew from contesting senior positions in the party to give a chance for younger leaders to come up the ranks.

On Tuesday, Anwar announced the new Cabinet lineup, with several ministers dropped, shifted to different ministries, and new appointments made.

Hannah Yeoh was appointed to replace Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), while her previous position at Youth and Sports went to Sungai Petani MP, Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari.

Other appointments include Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad as Minister of Plantation and Commodities, Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup as Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, and Dr Zulkifli Hasan as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs).

Those who were dropped include Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, Zaliha and K. Saraswathy. – December 19, 2025

Political agendas overshadow rational discussion on UEC

FMT:

Political agendas overshadow rational discussion on UEC

We have far more pressing matters to focus on and should not be distracted by the theatrics of a minority

The recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) for entry into public universities has become a hotly debated topic in recent weeks.

Commentary appears to have intensified following the poor showing of a political party in a recent state election.


Whether there is any direct connection is mere conjecture.

Perhaps the winds are simply blowing in the same direction, reigniting passions to resolve past agendas that have been left dormant.

Some opinions carry racially motivated undertones.

This is disheartening, given our 68 years of independence, built on the premise of three major races and other smaller groups coming together to form a unified nation.

Other views, expressed rationally, highlight the global rise of Mandarin, China’s emergence as a political and economic superpower, and, closer to home, the potential loss of talent to other countries.

This column will not rehash the merits or drawbacks of the UEC.


Suffice to say that it stands on par with other academic qualifications, including Cambridge A-levels, matriculation, and foundation programmes offered in Malaysia and abroad.

In Malaysia, however, where the Chinese population is sizeable, the UEC carries a racial slant.

Mandarin serves as the lingua franca for certain segments of this community, and preserving the language inevitably evokes strong emotional attachments.

The Federal Constitution does not prohibit education in Mandarin.


Chinese-medium schools have always been free to operate without government interference, a policy formalised in 1961 when a Chinese education group “liberated” itself from the national education system.

By definition, the national education policy did not prioritise Mandarin instruction, but it also did not obstruct those who chose it.

Sixty-four years later, a robust Mandarin-based education system runs in parallel with the national curriculum.

Private universities accept the UEC for tertiary entry, and state-run universities in East Malaysia do the same.

So why the obsession with public university entry and public-sector employment?

It is difficult to fathom. Perhaps a political stunt to attract votes?

Already, admission to public universities is challenging: some students enter via the matriculation track, while others rely on STPM or A-levels.

All are part of the national education policy. Now, proponents want to fold another cohort — one that has historically chosen a separate, private Mandarin-based path — into the mix.

Whether Mandarin — or Tamil, spoken by another community — is a global language is irrelevant.

Ultimately, politicians are fanning the flames.

Vote-bait tactics are at play, suggesting that a race-based party can achieve what it could not in government, simply by being elected.

This mirrors other controversial strategies used to attract votes, such as in the Teoh Beng Hock case.

Short-term political games have already caused harm, exemplified by the scrapping of GST and the implementation of the less effective SST, along with the complications of changing e-invoicing thresholds.

UEC proponents chose their path in 1961.

The focus now should be on streamlining public university admissions and placing matriculation, A-levels, and other qualifications on an equal footing.

Political parties pursuing short-term, racially charged agendas are detrimental to the nation, particularly those claiming to be non-race-based.

Flogging the UEC is self-defeating.

The prime minister is to be commended for taking a firm stance in the interest of all Malaysians.

The nation has far more pressing matters to address and should not be distracted by the theatrics of a minority.

US imposes sanctions on two more ICC judges for Israel probe

FMT:

US imposes sanctions on two more ICC judges for Israel probe

Washington says it will not tolerate 'abuses of power' after Israel’s bid to end a Gaza war crimes investigation was rejected

The sanctions barred ICC judges from entering the United States and froze their property or financial dealings in the world’s largest economy. (AFP pic)

WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on two more judges of the International Criminal Court after they rejected an attempt by Israel to end a war crimes probe in Gaza.

Secretary of state Marco Rubio, who had already ordered sanctions on judges and prosecutors in the case, explicitly linked the new measures to a vote Monday in which the two judges sided with the majority and upheld arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant.

“We will not tolerate ICC abuses of power that violate the sovereignty of the United States and Israel and wrongly subject US and Israeli persons to the ICC’s jurisdiction,” Rubio said in a statement.


“We will continue to respond with significant and tangible consequences to the ICC’s lawfare and overreach,” he wrote.

It brings the number of ICC judges sanctioned by the Trump administration to at least eight, along with at least three prosecutors including chief prosecutor Karim Khan.


The Hague-based ICC responded that it “strongly rejects” the fresh sanctions.

The measures are “a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution,” the ICC said in a statement.

Israel praised the US move. “Thank you, Secretary Rubio, for this moral clear stance,” Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar wrote on X.

The judges newly slapped with sanctions were Gocha Lordkipanidze, formerly Georgia’s justice minister, and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia.


The sanctions ban the judges from entering the United States and block property or financial transactions with them in the world’s largest economy.

Lordkipanidze was formerly an adjunct professor at Columbia University in New York.

Monday’s 44-page ruling upheld the decision to investigate alleged war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza.

Netanyahu and Gallant both face accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the relentless Israeli offensive in the Palestinian territory launched after the Oct 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.


The latest action puts the United States in league with Russia, which last week sentenced ICC judges and prosecutor Khan in absentia.

The ICC had also issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladmir Putin related to the invasion of Ukraine.

The United States, Israel and Russia are among the countries that reject the ICC, which is backed by nearly all Western democracies.

The ICC was set up in 2002 as a court of last resort when countries do not have adequate legal systems to ensure accountability.

During Trump’s first term, the United States also took action against the top ICC prosecutor in a successful attempt to block an investigation into alleged abuses during the US-led war in Afghanistan.

Former president Joe Biden’s administration lifted the sanctions and sought limited cooperation with the court, especially over Ukraine.

***

Disgusting global renegade

Malaysia’s 2025 in review: Trump’s visit, the Putra Heights gas‑pipeline inferno, deadly shootouts and major scandals

Malaysia’s 2025 in review: Trump’s visit, the Putra Heights gas‑pipeline inferno, deadly shootouts and major scandals



Flames rise from the ruptured gas pipeline in Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights, on April 1, 2025. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Friday, 19 Dec 2025 7:00 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — Malaysia’s 2025 was a year of major events that captured national attention. From deadly accidents and violent incidents to high-profile political developments and international diplomacy, the country faced challenges and milestones that shaped public debate and policy.


Setia Mall shooting

The year opened with the Setia City Mall shooting in Shah Alam on February 8, when a gunman opened fire inside the shopping complex, injuring a janitor and sending crowds scrambling for cover as shops pulled down shutters and security evacuated patrons.

Police traced the suspect to another location and later confirmed he was shot dead during an attempt to arrest him. The incident revived concerns about firearm access and the security response in large commercial spaces.




Police personnel carry the body of the suspect in the Setia Alam mall shooting, who was killed in a police shootout, at Klang Port Jetty February 18, 2025. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa



Putra Heights gas pipe explosion

On April 1, Putra Heights in Selangor was rocked by a massive gas-pipeline explosion that created a crater, set vehicles ablaze and injured well over a hundred people based on early estimates at the time.


Flames were visible kilometres away as residents were evacuated and emergency teams struggled to contain the fire. Production disruption followed after industrial users were temporarily cut off from the natural gas supply, with Petronas conducting assessments on the damaged pipeline section and homeowners facing lengthy repairs.

FRU truck crash

Barely six weeks later, on May 13, a police FRU personnel truck collided with a gravel lorry near Teluk Intan, killing nine officers and seriously injuring others. Authorities later said the lorry had been overloaded and was operating in breach of regulations.



The scene of the crash involving a Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) truck and a lorry on Jalan Chikus-Sungai Lampam in Teluk Intan, May 13, 2025. — Bernama pic



Funerals were held in several states, flags were lowered, and questions were directed at heavy-vehicle enforcement, while police and the Transport Ministry promised reviews of convoy safety.

University bus crash kills 15

The following month, on June 9, a Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris bus travelling along the East–West Highway crashed in Gerik, killing 15 people, most of them students, and injuring dozens. The tragedy became one of the country’s worst transport accidents of recent years.

Survivors described the hillside impact and chaotic scene as emergency responders worked through the night, with families arriving to identify victims and the university setting up counselling for classmates.



A view of the scene of the fatal accident involving 15 students of the Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) on the East-West Highway (JRTB) in Banun, Gerik June 9, 2025. — Bernama pic



Malaysia hosts Asean summit with President Trump and “The Beast”

By mid-year, international attention shifted to Kuala Lumpur as Malaysia hosted the Asean Summit. The meeting delivered a historic outcome with Timor-Leste formally joining the regional bloc, the first enlargement since 1999.

Malaysia was instrumental in brokering the peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia, which was also recognised and gained continuous praise from the United States and Asean member states. The peace deal, known as the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord, was signed in Kuala Lumpur by Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, with President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim signing as witnesses.



Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and United States President Donald Trump during an expanded bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre October 26, 2025. — Bernama pic



Leaders issued joint statements on security and regional cooperation, while Malaysia’s chairing of the event placed Putrajaya at the centre of South-east Asian diplomacy for several weeks.

The highlight of the Asean Summit was a 13-second video, posted on the X platform by Trump’s Special Assistant and Communication Advisor Margo Martin, showing the presidential convoy cruising along a sleek, tree-lined highway en route from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to the capital.

Captioned “President Trump’s motorcade through Malaysia en route to the Asean Summit”, the clip has since garnered more than four million views at the time it was posted on October 26. Trump was a guest at the Asean Summit that Malaysia hosted.


Sabah elections

In the second half of the year, Sabah politics came into focus as the state prepared for its November polls. Campaigning unfolded amid shifting alliances and promises of greater state autonomy over resources.

When Sabah voters went to the ballot box on November 29, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah retained the government, while the federal ruling coalition suffered major losses in the state assembly. The result strengthened Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor’s position and underscored East Malaysia’s growing political weight in Parliament.



Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor waves to members of the media as his vehicle enters Istana Seri Kinabalu in Kota Kinabalu December 1, 2025. — Bernama pic



Fifa sanctions FAM over forged documents for seven heritage players

Sporting headlines were briefly overshadowed in October and November by an eligibility scandal in Malaysian football, after investigations found forged or improperly processed documents behind foreign-born players’ registrations.

Seven players were implicated: Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel, all of whom were fined 2,000 Swiss francs (RM11,000) each and suspended for 12 months from all football-related activities from the date of notification.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) was fined 350,000 Swiss francs (RM1.8 million), leaving them scrambling to reassure supporters and tighten procedures after what became a national embarrassment.



The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) was fined 350,000 Swiss francs. — Reuters pic



The matter is now on appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the sanctions imposed by Fifa on the association and seven Harimau Malaya heritage players.

Political arrest of former Prime Minister’s aide and whistleblower Albert Tei

The prime minister’s former senior political secretary Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin pleaded not guilty to four corruption charges under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, over his alleged receipt of bribery worth over RM176,000 from businessman Albert Tei Jiann Cheing.

Shamsul Iskandar is accused of having corruptly obtained and received bribes from Tei in the form of cash worth RM140,000 and over RM36,000 in furniture and electrical appliances.



Former prime minister’s aide Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin is pictured at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex December 4, 2025. — Picture by Firdaus Latif



Tei, the whistleblower who exposed corruption in the Sabah government, said his home was raided by MACC officers and accused them of pointing six guns at his head, like he was a terrorist, in videos circulating on social media.

Tei claimed he had spent RM629,000 on Shamsul, including renovations for properties linked to him, as well as premium cigars and custom-made suits, allegedly under the assurance that he could recover the funds channelled to Sabah politicians.

Fatal police shooting in Melaka

Malaysia’s government faces growing pressure to clarify the fatal police shooting of three men in southern Melaka, after families released an audio recording and forensic evidence that appear to challenge the police account of a violent encounter with the suspected robbery suspects.

The triple shooting occurred early on November 24 when three men, aged 24 to 29, allegedly attacked a police corporal with a machete at a palm oil plantation in Durian Tunggal.

The officer, in his early 30s, sustained serious injuries to his left arm.

The three suspects, members of the Durian Tunggal gang, were reportedly on their way to commit a robbery and had been involved in 22 criminal cases since 2024 across Melaka, Negri Sembilan, and Selangor, with total losses of RM1.35 million.

Families of the suspects have disputed claims that the men acted violently, prompting Bukit Aman to set up a special team to investigate their complaints.