From USJ to Shah Alam, flash floods disrupt Klang Valley roads after afternoon downpour

From USJ to Shah Alam, flash floods disrupt Klang Valley roads after afternoon downpour



Vehicles caught in a flash flood at an intersection in i-City, Section 7 Shah Alam following heavy rains on October 17, 2026. — Picture from Facebook/Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam


Summary

• On October 17, severe afternoon thunderstorms in the Klang Valley led to flash floods in various Selangor locations, causing traffic disruptions and inundating roads.
• Authorities advised motorists to avoid affected areas and monitor updates from local councils, while the Malaysian Highway Authority reported lane blockages due to flooding.
• The weather events followed warnings from the Malaysian Meteorological Department of impending thunderstorms and adverse conditions across several regions in Malaysia.
• Social media users highlighted the impact, including traffic issues and personal accounts of flooding incidents.

First Published: Saturday, 17 Oct 2026 6:22 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — Afternoon thunderstorms brought flash floods to several parts of the Klang Valley today, inundating roads and disrupting traffic in Selangor as authorities urged motorists to avoid affected areas.

Social media posts reported flooding in USJ 1, USJ 7, Sunway, Ara Damansara, Kota Damansara, Kampung Melayu Subang, Kampung Baru Hicom and Shah Alam, with motorists warned to plan their journeys carefully.


In Shah Alam, the city council warned of rising water levels near the traffic lights at i-City in Section 7 and Padang Jawa in Section 16, advising the public to drive cautiously and avoid affected roads if water levels continued to rise.

The Malaysian Highway Authority also reported flash floods at Ramp C of the Guthrie Corridor Expressway interchange from Shah Alam towards Bukit Jelutong at 5.40pm, with the left lane blocked and only the right lane passable, although traffic was reported to be under control.


The flooding followed an earlier warning from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) of thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds in several parts of the country, including Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Hulu Langat in Selangor.

The weather warning also covered areas in Kedah, Penang, Perak, Terengganu, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Johor and Sarawak, with the forecast conditions expected until 3pm.


On social media, a user warned motorists in USJ to plan their routes, saying: “For those in USJ, plan your route — flooding and traffic jams.”


Another Facebooker reported falling into a drain during flooding in Sunway, writing: “Sunway was flooded earlier, then I fell into a drain and got soaked.”


The Shah Alam City Council advised the public to monitor updates through its i-LenSA portal at ilensa.mbsa.gov.my or contact its 24-hour Pantas hotline at 03-5510 5811.

Motorists were urged to remain alert, avoid driving through floodwaters and check road conditions before setting out.

No persecution behind Nik Nazmi's khalwat case, says MAIS

No persecution behind Nik Nazmi's khalwat case, says MAIS

Saturday, 17 Oct 2026 | 6:57 PM MYT


SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) has denied allegations that the detention of former Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad in connection with a khalwat (proximity) case was an act of persecution or a "frame-up”.

MAIS chairman Datuk Salehuddin Saidin said the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) had acted based on an official complaint and in accordance with established legal procedures, without manipulating the situation to target any individual.


"The suggestion that the religious department was involved in manipulation or anything of the sort is entirely untrue. We have a legal obligation...when a complaint is lodged, we are required to conduct a thorough investigation.

"Rest assured, JAIS will carry out the investigation as diligently as possible, and if there is clear evidence, we will proceed with charges in court,” he said on Saturday (Oct 17)


Salehuddin said the case was made public to clarify that Syariah laws were enforced fairly, regardless of the background or influence of the individual under investigation.

He also urged the public to allow JAIS sufficient time and space to complete its investigation and refrain from speculation that could compromise the fairness of the legal process.

"We cannot pass judgment while the investigation is still incomplete. We must act fairly and carry out our duties in accordance with the regulations. If we were to act outside these regulations, we ourselves would be subject to accusations,” he said.

Earlier, Nik Nazmi confirmed in a statement on Instagram that he was one of two individuals detained by JAIS in Petaling Jaya on Thursday (Oct 15) over allegations of khalwat.

He said he was prepared to cooperate with any legal proceedings.

On a separate case involving a local youth suspected of participating in the rituals of another religion, Salehuddin said preliminary findings suggested that the individual’s actions were, so far, a matter of personal belief.

However, he said JAIS was examining various forms of digital evidence, including social media posts concerning rituals at Batu Caves that had been linked to other belief systems. – Bernama

Defend royal institution or Ismail, Mujahid challenges Umno

Defend royal institution or Ismail, Mujahid challenges Umno


The Amanah deputy president says Umno must explain whether it knew of or endorsed a letter allegedly challenging Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir’s position as Negeri Sembilan ruler

Amanah deputy president Mujahid Yusof Rawa said Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Ismail Lasim should resign if he fails to provide a convincing explanation for his actions and restore relations with the palace.

PETALING JAYA: Umno must choose between defending the Malay royal institution and protecting its own leader in the Negeri Sembilan royal crisis, says Amanah deputy president Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

Mujahid raised the issue of a letter allegedly sent by Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Ismail Lasim concerning the position of the Yang Dipertuan Besar, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.

In several videos that went viral on social media yesterday, Tuanku Muhriz was seen telling a group of people that Ismail had sent a letter to the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal informing him that he was no longer the Yang Dipertuan Besar.


Visibly angered, Tuanku Muhriz then turned to Ismail and questioned why he wanted to meet him.

In a statement today, Mujahid said the video was not a trivial matter that Umno could ignore.


He asked whether Umno leaders knew of or endorsed the letter, whether the party supported the state executive council’s earlier recognition of the proclamation to remove Tuanku Muhriz, and why Ismail had shifted from expressing support for the ruler to endorsing the exco’s decision questioning his position.

“Umno must now choose whether to defend the royal institution or its own leader,” Mujahid said.

He also said Ismail must seek the ruler’s forgiveness and apologise to the people of Negeri Sembilan and all Malaysians for disrespecting the royal institution.

Mujahid urged Umno to take firm disciplinary action against Ismail, saying the menteri besar should resign if he failed to provide a convincing explanation for his actions and restore relations with the palace.


“The menteri besar post does not belong to Umno. It is a constitutional trust exercised with the consent of the Yang Dipertuan Besar, and the officeholder must be accountable to the people and the state legislative assembly,” he said.

Mujahid also questioned why Umno leaders, who were outspoken in defending the royal institution when others were involved, had remained silent when the party’s own leader was implicated in such an issue.

He said Umno had long proclaimed itself the defender of the Malays, Islam, and the Malay rulers, and that the party was quick to accuse others of disrespecting or being disloyal to the rulers over issues he described as fabricated or blown out of proportion.

“Unfortunately, when the menteri besar from Umno itself is linked to actions that touch on the position of a Malay ruler, Umno leaders remain silent.


“Where is the voice of the Umno Youth chief, who is usually so outspoken?

“Is loyalty to the rulers merely a slogan used to attack political opponents, but one that does not apply when the actions are taken by Umno leaders themselves?” he said.

N Sembilan PKR presses MB over alleged letter on Tuanku Muhriz's position

N Sembilan PKR presses MB over alleged letter on Tuanku Muhriz's position

Published: Oct 17, 2026 1:36 PM


Negeri Sembilan PKR has demanded Menteri Besar Ismail Lasim explain whether he wrote to the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, claiming that Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir was no longer the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan.

State communications director Shariman Che Deris said the allegation, which resurfaced during Tuanku Muhriz’s public rebuke of Ismail yesterday, required a clear explanation from the menteri besar.

“The menteri besar must provide an appropriate explanation regarding the matters raised by Tuanku Muhriz,” Shariman said in a statement today.

Among the matters he listed was an allegation that Ismail (above) had sent a letter to the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal asserting that Tuanku Muhriz was no longer the state ruler.


Shariman also sought explanations for Ismail’s role in signing a proclamation linked to the throne dispute, as well as the state government’s position on Tuanku Muhriz’s decision to revoke the appointments of 10 executive councillors.

“These actions displayed by the Negeri Sembilan menteri besar appear to show his failure in dealing with the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.

“This is extremely weak administrative communication,” he said.

The statement follows the circulation of videos showing Tuanku Muhriz confronting (above) Ismail after Friday prayers at Kampung Beting Mosque in Kuala Pilah yesterday.


READ MORE: 'I don't want to see you!': Tuanku Muhriz dresses down N Sembilan MB over throne dispute


During the exchange, the ruler was heard raising the issue of correspondence concerning his position and telling Ismail not to meet him until the matter was retracted.

The confrontation marked the latest escalation in the protracted dispute involving the Negeri Sembilan royal institution and the state administration.


Ismail previously confirmed signing a document linked to efforts to remove Tuanku Muhriz, though he later said he did so under duress.

He has also maintained that he does not have unilateral authority to determine who occupies the Negeri Sembilan throne.

The dispute intensified after proclamations concerning the installation of Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar were announced for gazettement.

Tuanku Muhriz later revoked the appointments of 10 executive councillors but retained Ismail as menteri besar.

The affected excos have since challenged the revocation in court.


State assembly sitting postponement

Shariman also criticised the state government for postponing the Negeri Sembilan legislative assembly sitting scheduled to begin yesterday.

He said the 11 Pakatan Harapan assemblypersons had not been properly informed in advance of the postponement.

The opposition lawmakers, led by state opposition leader J Arul Kumar, turned up at Wisma Negeri (below) yesterday and complained that they had received no formal written notification that the sitting had been deferred.

Shariman said the assemblypersons had prepared questions for debate and described the state government’s handling of the postponement as unprofessional.

“The state assembly does not belong to any individual or political party. It is a democratic institution that carries the mandate of the people,” he said.

He called for an official explanation for the postponement, the procedures followed and how assemblypersons were notified.

PKR also urged the state government to explain the circumstances surrounding the confrontation between Tuanku Muhriz and Ismail and to improve communication with both the legislature and the royal institution.

“Negeri Sembilan requires leadership capable of resolving problems, not allowing questions to drag on,” Shariman said.

“When trust is called into question, an explanation must be given,” he stressed.

Everything Is Russia's Fault (Even Global Warming!)

Everything Is Russia's Fault (Even Global Warming!)

by Tyler Durden
Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 - 02:25 PM


Authored by J.B. Shurk via American Thinker


In the old days (which, in the age of social media, were only ten years or so ago), every problem in the world was blamed on "global warming."

Hot summers? Global warming. Cold winters? That was global warming, too. Christian churches mysteriously burning to the ground? Ooh...obviously global warming. Endless hordes of foreigners breaking into the country? Global warming disproportionately affects third-world s-holes and causes military-aged men to run North, dontcha know. The spread of COVID? Oh, that definitely didn't come from a Chinese bio-lab receiving money from the esteemed pharmaceutical salesman Dr. Fauci; that virus was totally the fault of global warming!

According to the "experts," global warming caused every policy failure, government screwup, international brouhaha, and economic downturn of the last few decades (at least when card-carrying globalists, "progressives," new-world-order types, or other assorted leftists were in power). "Science" said so. And if you didn't believe the "experts," well, then, you were just an ignorant science-denier!

Since 2016, a new scapegoat - I mean, fact-based and expertly diagnosed cause - for all the world's problems has been hogging global warming's spotlight: Russia, Russia, Russia.

Read something that you don't like? That's gotta be Russian disinformation. The "wrong" candidate wins an election? Never would have happened without Russian social media bots! Energy prices are too low? That's because of cheap Russian oil and gas. Energy prices are too high? That's because Russia - and definitely not Ukraine! - blew up its own Nord Stream pipelines delivering inexpensive energy to Europe. Military-aged Muslims are raping and stabbing Europeans across the continent? Ooh, trick question - that's a global-warming-Russia tag-team! Everybody with a PhD in political science knows that Europe's inability to secure its own borders is totally Vladimir Putin's fault!

Didn't the Norwegian Nobel Committee award the Peace Prize to climate doomsayer Al Gore (who predicted that we'd all be under water by now) and the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for figuring out that all of the problems in the world can be traced to hydrocarbons and free markets? Surely the prizes in chemistry, physics, medicine, and literature will eventually go to well-credentialed "experts" who determine that Russia is actually to blame for everything.

This Nobel Prize-worthy epiphany has been rattling in my head because I noticed that the United Kingdom's recently installed prime minister, Andy Burnham, is considering whether to reverse Brexit and rejoin the European Union since - you guessed it! - Russia somehow manipulated the 2016 referendum in favor of decoupling! Burnham - who won a small special election to gain his seat in Parliament only last summer and lacks anything remotely approaching a general mandate from the whole kingdom - says Russia's Brexit "interference" was "clear." His pronouncement seems to contradict multiple parliamentary investigations - including those from the anti-Brexit Electoral Commission - which have all concluded that there was "no evidence of successful interference in the EU Referendum."

Other prominent members of Burnham's Labour Party are giddy about the prospect of rejoining the E.U., but all insist that no new referendum should be held for voters to decide the matter. In other words, after nearly eighteen million Brits voted to leave the Brussels Empire ten years ago in the largest referendum in British history, an Establishment-installed prime minister who won a few thousand votes in an overwhelmingly pro-Labour Party constituency last summer wants to cancel the Brexit vote - despite repeated promises from both Burnham and his fellow Labour leaders that they would never do so.

How does the leftist-globalist prime minister of a kingdom that constantly lectures the world about "defending democracy" defend canceling another democratic vote in Europe? Burnham just blames Russia, as has become the custom of all globalist governments across Europe when Establishment politicians suffer defeat. Defending democracy by undermining the legitimacy of elections is the European way!

Burnham continues the charade by claiming that the Russians are responsible not only for Brexit but also for the rise of pro-national-sovereignty politicians such as France's Marine Le Pen and Germany's Alice Weidel: "These things are important now to put clearly on the record and, I believe, help voters in Germany and France understand that some of this politics is instigated via our enemies, namely Russia."

Yes, all dissent is Russian disinformation! All politicians who want secure borders are Russian agents! All electoral defeats for the globalists are due to Russian interference! Forget next year's contest for the Nobel Peace Prize. Mr. Andy Burnham has that prestigious globalist award all sewn up!

Uff da. The Russia, Russia, Russia nonsense is so tiring. In the United States, we have been dealing with this same globalist-instigated circle jerk since President Trump embarrassed Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in the 2016 election.



Hillary had gotten caught with Top Secret emails on an unsecured server stored in a home bathroom. Additionally, Clinton and Obama were using the FBI and NSA to spy on all of the Republican presidential candidates. In an effort to hide the fact that Russia, China, and other foreign adversaries had easily acquired the highly classified contents of her home-brew server, Hillary attempted to muddy the waters by calling Donald Trump "Putin's puppet" throughout the campaign. When President Trump nevertheless defeated Clinton, both she and Obama needed to fabricate a plausible criminal predicate justifying the FBI's spying operations on Trump (hello, Clinton-funded Steele Dossier!).

That's the rough genesis of the Russia Collusion Hoax, a political scandal of epic proportions that the propaganda press have largely covered up. Had Clinton and Obama successfully tarred Trump as a Russian agent, he would have been removed from office and would most likely be in prison today (a prime objective that Clinton and Obama's accomplices repeatedly tried to carry out after Trump's first term). Clinton and Obama attempted to overthrow President Trump in an Intelligence Community-organized (here's looking at you, John Brennan!) and media-enabled (CNN is fake news!) coup d'état. If there were anything other than two-tiered justice in the United States today, Barack and Hillary would be serving life in prison at the very least.

Because nobody was ever punished for the Russia Collusion Hoax, the perpetrators continue to tell the lie that every non-globalist point of view is "Russian disinformation."

Just the other day, Senator Adam Schiff argued that Democrats must regulate all online information (a goal that his fellow globalists in Europe, Canada, Australia, and the U.K. share). This is the same congenital liar whom the House of Representatives censured three years ago for recklessly dividing the country with the Russia Collusion Hoax. For a decade, Schiff has claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin "stole" the 2016 election for President Trump. He pushed outright "disinformation" on the American people, while shamelessly demanding that social media companies censor Trump's defenders for the "crime" of spreading "Russian disinformation" (something most Big Tech companies were only too happy to do).

Schiff, Clinton, Obama, and all their free-speech-hating friends in the Democrat Party have spent the last ten years trying to gut the First Amendment in the name of "fighting Russian disinformation."

Nevertheless, blaming Russia for everything still hasn't gone out of style. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Schiff successfully impeached President Trump in 2019 for speaking to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the Biden Crime Family's quid-pro-quo corruption in Ukraine. Globalist judges in Romania canceled the country's 2024 presidential election by blaming "Russian interference" when the "wrong" candidate won. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his fellow German globalists have repeatedly accused the pro-sovereign-borders party "Alternative for Deutschland" of working for Russia. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez even blamed "Russian disinformation" for the violent migrant invasion of Ceuta under his watch.

Who needs "global warming" when everything is somehow Russia's fault?

 

Bersama suspends Nik Nazmi for 3 months

Bersama suspends Nik Nazmi for 3 months

4 hours ago

FMT Reporters

The party says the decision follows the former Setiawangsa MP’s admission over a suspected khalwat case.

Bersama co-leader Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said he will accept whatever decision made by Bersama after he was detained by the Selangor Islamic religious department in a suspected khalwat case on Thursday.

PETALING JAYA:

Bersama co-leader Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad has been suspended from all official party activities for three months following his admission that he was involved in a suspected khalwat case.

In a statement today, the party said the suspension would take effect from Oct 20 until Jan 19, 2027.

The decision followed Nik Nazmi’s public statement acknowledging his involvement in the case earlier today.

“Bersama takes a serious view of this development and maintains that every issue involving the party’s leadership and members must be addressed appropriately to safeguard the party’s integrity, credibility and public confidence,” said the party.

“Bersama believes the decision to suspend Nik Nazmi is necessary and reasonable. The decision also does not diminish Nik Nazmi’s contributions and commitment to the party’s cause since its relaunch in May.”

Nik Nazmi, a former Setiawangsa MP, confirmed today he was one of the two people detained by Jais in a suspected khalwat case in Petaling Jaya on Thursday.

In a statement, he apologised to his wife, their families and others affected by the incident, describing it as a lapse in judgment.

He also apologised to the party, saying the incident had affected Bersama and disappointed its members and supporters.

He said he would accept whatever decision made by the party.

 

US budget deficit grows to nearly US$2 trillion, highest since 2021

US budget deficit grows to nearly US$2 trillion, highest since 2021

14 hours ago

AFP

The expansion comes amid growing worries over the massive US$40.3 trillion US debt load and rising inflation, as the cost of borrowing climbs.

US president Donald Trump has pledged to cut deficits and government spending since returning to the White House last year. (EPA Images pic)

WASHINGTON:

The US budget deficit grew to almost US$2 trillion over the past year, government data showed Friday, reaching its highest level since 2021 despite president Donald Trump’s promises to cut public spending.

The expansion comes amid growing worries over the massive US$40.3 trillion US debt load and rising inflation, as the cost of borrowing climbs.

Refunds of Trump’s tariffs after they were overturned have further fuelled the budget gap.

The federal deficit, which occurs when government spending exceeds its revenues, rose to US$1.99 trillion in fiscal year 2026, the treasury department said.

This marked a 12% increase from the prior year, when the shortfall came in at US$1.78 trillion.

A key driver of expenditures was the rising interest paid on public debt, which jumped US$144 billion to a record US$1.36 trillion.

Interest costs on around US$32 trillion in publicly held US debt have been ballooning in recent years, and climbing bond yields have sparked further concerns.

Treasury bond yields, which influence interest rates for mortgages and auto loans, have jumped this year, with steeper borrowing costs adding to pressures that US voters face ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Meanwhile, an expected influx of revenue from Trump’s sweeping tariffs have failed to fully materialise during his second term.

The Supreme Court struck down his global duties in February, triggering a wave of refunds.

Treasury data released Friday reflected US$145 billion in customs refunds over the year — primarily due to tariffs — erasing significant gains from Trump’s duties.

Overall, government revenues climbed by 3% to US$5.40 trillion in the latest fiscal year, which ended Sept 30.

But spending was much higher, rising by 6% to US$7.40 trillion.

War risks

The deficit will likely be similar for the next year, said Nancy Vanden Houten of Oxford Economics.

But she warned “the risk may be for a larger budget gap if the war with Iran persists well into the fiscal year.”

The Trump administration has pledged to cut deficits and government spending since he returned to the White House last year.

Besides slashing the federal workforce and foreign aid, the Republican-controlled Congress pushed through cuts to the Medicaid health insurance scheme and moved to shrink the federal food assistance program too.

But they also extended expiring tax cuts and provided fresh funding for Trump’s migrant deportation drive.

The latest data released Friday showed that upticks in tax collection from individuals and customs revenues were offset by higher refunds and lower corporate tax collection.

Among other sectors, spending on defence military programmes increased by US$48 billion, or 6%, over the year to US$917 billion.

Taken together, a Treasury official estimates the US deficit-to-GDP ratio is around 6.2%, up from 5.8% last year.

This stands in contrast to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s previously stated goal of bringing the deficit down to 3% of GDP, alongside other targets like spurring economic growth of 3%.

The latest budget figures come less than three weeks before US midterm elections, where Trump’s Republican party is fighting to retain control of Congress.

Ahead of the crucial vote, both Republicans and Democrats have raised ideas that could widen the budget shortfall further.

Trump recently promised US$5,000 to every American adult if Republicans maintained control of Congress, a plan that would cost over US$1 trillion.

Democrats say they are looking to reverse Medicaid cuts and revive health care tax breaks.

***

It's your warSSS, stupid