Solehah gets roasted over claims that ancient Malays professed same faith as David, Solomon

Solehah gets roasted over claims that ancient Malays professed same faith as David, Solomon

By Pragalath K
52 minutes ago

ARAB linguist expert Dr Solehah Yaacob, who has gained notoriety with controversial claims to the point that the International Islamic University of Malaysia sacked her, was roasted on a Facebook page.

The Indonesia based Facebook page – SEA Heritage & History – put forth Solehah’s claim that ancient Malays were adherents of the faith of King Daud (David) and Sulaiman (Solomon). She claimed that both were followers of the Abrahamic faith based on the monotheism.

King David is the second king in the Kingdom of Israel who led the Tribe of Judah. He became a hero by killing Goliath. King Solomon is the son of David.

The claim brushed off studies that show early Malays were influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism.

Two Facebook users Pravin Menon and Siow Chuan pointed out that Solomon and David were Jews who followed Judaism.

Another Facebook user Al Rizky Muhammad extended Solehah’s point by stating that Solehah may even claim that everything in this universe is from the Malays and the human beings around the world originated from Peninsular Malaysia.

One Raymond Chan meanwhile defined a new job for Solehah by calling her a comedian of history and anthropology.

Facebook user Henry Lau meanwhile concluded that Solehah and Solomon were cousins along with Kepala Batas MP Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad.

The PAS federal lawmaker had claimed that Communist Party of Malaya’s former party secretary general Chin Peng was related to DAP’s Lim Guan Eng, Lim Kit Siang and Teresa Kok.

Siti Mastura was subsequently sued for defamation and she had to pay over RM800,000.

Another commenter Mohiyuddin Gilani meanwhile debunked Solehah’s claim by questioning why the Malay language was heavily influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism in terms of language instead of Hebrew if what Solehah claimed was indeed true.

Facebook commentator Morgan Sundram Rangasamy meanwhile equated Solehah with US president Donald Trump.

“Prof Solehah is like Donald Trump also. The whole world is looking down at US due to Trump’s behaviour and foolish statements but he still has 30% voters supporting him. Same (as Solehah).”

While a majority of commentators rubbished Solehah’s claim, there were still a few who accepted the claim as a fact.

Facebook user Ikhwan Nul claimed that Solehah’s claim cleared his comprehension on the history of the Malays and the origins of the community.

Another Facebook commenter Mohd Fazreen Azaman also supported Solehah on the basis that not all of ancient Malays were Hindus. He claimed that the notion was a myth made up by the colonial masters.

The heavy influence of India, in his view, was due to India being a trading nation and the spices. – Nov 10, 2026

Najib's house arrest: Home is where the sentence is

Najib's house arrest: Home is where the sentence is

Shakira Buang

Published: Nov 10, 2026 5:22 PM


Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak is expected to be transferred directly from Kajang Prison to his residence at Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, Kuala Lumpur, to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest.

This follows the Kuala Lumpur High Court's clarification today on two separate parts of the order implementing the conditional pardon granted to Najib.

Judge Aslam Zainuddin explained that the first part discharges Najib upon payment of the fine, while the second requires him to serve the remainder of his reduced six-year prison sentence under house arrest, in accordance with the pardon order and its conditions.

Under the order, Najib must serve his house arrest at No 11, Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, Kuala Lumpur, until Aug 23, 2028.


The clarification came as the court heard an application by the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) to review the release order issued on Nov 6, following Najib's payment of the RM50 million fine.

The AGC sought a new order consistent with the conditional pardon order consented to by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Sept 18. Its main concern was the scope and legal effect of the Nov 6 release order, particularly whether it dealt solely with payment of the fine or also affected Najib's remaining prison sentence in the SRC International case.

Najib's defence team argued that the discharge order upon payment of the fine related only to his obligation to settle the monetary penalty. His lawyer said the RM50 million payment had been made on the day the order was issued and that the discharge referred specifically to the settlement of the fine.

The lawyer also cited legal practice in the United Kingdom concerning the royal prerogative of mercy, arguing that a pardon is an executive action rather than a judicial decision.


He explained that, in the UK, a pardon is implemented through a royal warrant delivered to prison authorities, who carry out its instructions without requiring a fresh court order.

He further distinguished between the executive's power to grant a pardon and the court's jurisdiction over an offender's conviction and sentence.

Call to defer house arrest

The AGC's review application followed its call on Nov 6 to temporarily defer the implementation of Najib's house arrest while seeking further study and clarification on the interpretation of the pardon order and the legal effect of the court-issued release order.

During the deferment, the AGC said Najib must remain at his existing place of detention until the matter had been thoroughly examined.

The call for a deferment led to a dispute between the AGC and Najib's defence team over the powers and legal effects of the conditional pardon.

The following day, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar decreed that the implementation of Najib's conditional pardon order, which allows him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest, must be respected in accordance with the principles of constitutional monarchy and the rule of law.

His Majesty said the power of pardon is provided for under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution and that the decision consented to must be executed as decided.

The Agong also stressed that the order was clear, distinct, and free from ambiguity, and was unrelated to any other cases faced by Najib.

From conviction to house arrest

Najib has been serving a prison sentence in the SRC International case since the Federal Court upheld his conviction and sentence on Aug 23, 2022.

On July 28, 2020, the Kuala Lumpur High Court sentenced him to 12 years in prison and a RM210 million fine after finding him guilty of seven charges involving the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.

He began serving his sentence at Kajang Prison on Aug 23, 2022.

In January 2024, the Pardons Board announced that his prison sentence had been reduced from 12 years to six, while his fine was cut from RM210 million to RM50 million.

On Sept 18, 2026, Najib received a conditional pardon allowing him to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, subject to stipulated conditions.

Payment of the RM50 million fine on Nov 6 was among the conditions that had to be fulfilled before the conditional pardon could be implemented.

Study: Chinese youths insecure over education, job, and political opportunities

Study: Chinese youths insecure over education, job, and political opportunities

Published: Nov 10, 2026 3:11 PM


Chinese youths feel insecure about their opportunities in education, employment, and politics, according to a study by Iman Research.

In a report titled "Kami Orang Sini Juga: Chinese Youths and Democratic Belonging - The Politics of Pragmatism and Fairness", released today, the think tank said it found a consistent concern among its 116 respondents about racial inequality within the system.

This has reinforced an inherited belief among young Chinese that they must find alternative ways to succeed.

"Whether they were discussing education, work, migration or politics, many returned to the same practical logic. If the wider system could not be relied upon, one should build enough personal or family capacity to manage around it.


"Most participants focused instead on what they could control: working harder, paying for another route, relying on personal connections, or pursuing opportunities elsewhere," the report said in a chapter on Chinese pragmatism.

According to Iman Research, the interview-based study was conducted between August last year and June 2026. It involved respondents aged between 18 and 35, mostly from Peninsular Malaysia, and a small number of Chinese Malaysian youths living overseas.

However, the think tank stated that its findings are not statistically representative of all Chinese Malaysian youths and were not aimed at measuring how many Chinese youths hold a particular view.

It also stated that the interviewees' recruitment depended heavily on community networks and referrals, meaning that young people connected to universities, professional organisations, political groups, NGOs, or community networks "were sometimes easier to reach".


The study found that Chinese youths tended to seek private solutions "when public institutions appear unreliable".

Several factors drive their self-reliance, including historical experiences in which earlier generations of Chinese Malaysians built their own schools, businesses, and associations when public provision was limited and their political membership was insecure, it said.

"Families passed on stories about what they had built and warnings about what they could not count on.

"Today, ethnic distinctions in access to some public programmes give those warnings continuing force. What makes this pattern significant here is the different kinds of evidence young people use to understand inequality, and the family and community narratives that turn adaptation into common sense."

Inequality in opportunities

Among the issues respondents raised was unequal access to public universities for non-bumiputera students.

Iman Research said respondents highlighted concerns over the 90 percent bumiputera quota for public matriculation programmes, as well as how the Universities and University Colleges Central Unit (UPU) evaluates applicants from matriculation and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) pathways despite differences in their respective levels of difficulty.

According to the study, one STPM graduate who did not pursue university education due to financial constraints acknowledged the rationale for supporting historically disadvantaged bumiputera communities but questioned whether the current allocation system was sufficiently based on need.

"His account instead shows how class and ethnicity can overlap. A wealthier non-bumiputera family may be able to pay for private education or local Chinese college when public options appear limited. But a poorer family cannot adapt as easily," the report said.

In response to these concerns, Iman Research proposed that the government improve transparency in university admission criteria, selection mechanisms, and intake data.

It also called on Putrajaya to review disparities in co-curricular opportunities between STPM and matriculation students and ensure comparable opportunities for both groups.

"The same principle applies to the UEC (Unified Examination Certificate). Rather than allowing recognition of the qualification to remain a recurring political dispute, the government should clarify and streamline existing pathways for UEC holders seeking entry into public universities.

"Clear, consistent administrative requirements would reduce uncertainty for students and allow the issue to be treated primarily as an education and talent-retention matter."

READ MORE: PM: Entry for UEC holders to public uni still subject to strict conditions, must pass BM and History

'Strengthen integration'

The report further found that many Chinese youths had "a strong desire to understand other communities better".

However, interviews revealed that friendships that ended after school or work often hampered this intention, while familiar social circles, inherited stereotypes, and unspoken boundaries continued to keep communities apart.

The report said young people sometimes attributed ethnic tensions to politicians and social media, distinguishing the Malays they knew personally from the politics associated with them.

To address this, Iman Research called for stronger local participation and greater everyday integration among Chinese youths.

It said state governments could help achieve this by creating more structured opportunities for residents and youth groups to participate in local decision-making.

"At the same time, authorities should encourage cross-ethnic integration through spaces where young people already interact naturally.

"Local authorities can make it easier for young entrepreneurs, cultural groups, and community organisations to use public spaces for food, arts, creative and social activities.

"Night markets, food bazaars, and creative pop-ups can create opportunities for interaction without requiring participants to enter an explicitly 'integration' programme," the report added.

How is Malaysia linked to Nvidia spy affair scandal?

How is Malaysia linked to Nvidia spy affair scandal?

Zikri Kamarulzaman

Published: Nov 10, 2026 11:52 AM


Over the Deepavali weekend, news emerged that the CEO of American tech giant Nvidia, Jensen Huang, had an affair with a suspected Chinese spy.

Beyond the cheating and espionage, there were allegations that the purported spy, Alice Huang - no family relation to Jensen - is linked to a business operating out of Singapore and Malaysia that is suspected of circumventing US sanctions on AI-chip exports to China.

The allegations, which the US is still investigating, could hamper Putrajaya’s efforts to improve trade ties with Washington amid the latter’s ongoing trade war with China.

In August, the US classified Malaysia as a Tier 2 risk for illegal transhipment involving China-linked goods.


What happened?

The allegations that Jensen had an affair with Alice, and that she was a purported Chinese spy, were reported two weeks ago by the New York Times.

At the time, Nvidia appeared to deny the allegations and said the interactions between the two were “not unusual”. It also said that a company Alice was tied to, Singapore-based Megaspeed International, had received “zero information relevant to (US) national security”.

However, on Sunday, Jensen admitted to his company that he had been unfaithful to his wife, prompting Nvidia to launch an investigation.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang with his wife Lori Huang


How is Malaysia involved?

The allegations involving Malaysia revolve around Megaspeed and its wholly-owned Malaysian subsidiary Speedmatrix Sdn Bhd.

Alice is said to have been a top executive at Megaspeed - which itself was rebranded from a subsidiary of a Chinese gaming company - and reportedly still had ties with the company after she resigned in late 2023.


Megaspeed became an Nvidia official cloud computing partner in 2023. Between June 2024 and February this year, the company is reported to have bought US$4.8 billion (RM19.5 billion) in Nvidia AI chips. The purchases began just weeks after Jensen and Huang were first photographed together.

Jensen Huang with Alice Huang


According to NYT, these chips were exported to data centres in Malaysia and Indonesia that appeared to serve customers in China. This could be in violation of US trade sanctions if it were done at the behest of a Chinese company.

In October last year, an NYT report also detailed how a US trade official who visited a data centre run by Speedmatrix found boxes of unopened Nvidia AI chips.

The report, citing officials familiar with the inspections, said there were suspicions that the chips were intended to be sent back to China, but that it did not have conclusive evidence at the time.

It also said that such concerns were relayed to authorities in Singapore and Malaysia.

In a response to the NYT in its report last year, the Investment, Trade, and Industry Ministry told the US news outlet that Malaysia had strengthened oversight of AI chip exports while maintaining active dialogue with the US about its controls.

Meanwhile, Megaspeed, in a statement last December responding to a similar Bloomberg investigation into its operations, said that it had been inspected by a US official, the Investment, Trade, and Industry Ministry, and Nvidia, and that no evidence was found that it was involved in the illicit trade of chips or involved in other illegal activities.

What’s next?

A probe by the US Department of Commerce into Megaspeed has been transferred to the US Department of Justice for further investigation.

US President Donald Trump has announced that the FBI will be investigating Jensen’s affair with Alice.

In response to queries from Malaysiakini today, Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Johari Abdul Ghani said that to date, the ministry has not been presented with any evidence that Speedmatrix has contravened Malaysian law.

As such, the ministry has not commenced any investigation against the company.

"Nevertheless, the ministry's position is clear. Malaysia will not allow itself to be used as a channel to circumvent export controls, and the government will not hesitate to act firmly against any company found to have violated Malaysian law.

"Should credible evidence or a formal request from any foreign authority be received, it will be assessed and acted upon in accordance with our laws and processes," Johari said.

Respect artistic expression, stop treating concerts as religious threats - DAP Youth

Respect artistic expression, stop treating concerts as religious threats - DAP Youth

Published: Nov 10, 2026 1:22 PM


DAP Youth has urged authorities to respect artistic expression and refrain from treating entertainment performances as religious threats, following the Islamic Development Department’s (Jakim) probe into a foreign artist’s recent concerts in Kuala Lumpur.

The investigation follows Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd’s performances at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Nov 4 and 5, which drew criticism over elements allegedly contradicting Islamic beliefs.

These include the display of a 12m golden statue, a recurring centrepiece of his concerts worldwide.

PAS Youth chief Sukri Omar had purported the performances were inspired by a fictional civilisation whose followers worshipped machines as gods, Free Malaysia Today reported.


However, DAP Youth chief Woo Kah Leong said stage sculptures, costumes, and theatrical performances should not be mistaken for ritualistic worship, let alone associated with cults or Satanism.

The golden statue featured in The Weeknd's concert

Woo instead stressed that unnecessary investigations over cultural and entertainment issues could damage Malaysia’s international image and turn the country into an “international laughing stock”.

“DAP Youth opines that government agencies should act based on facts, rather than jumping on the bandwagon whenever someone alleges cult activity.

“Such actions would only serve the agenda of conspiracy theorists by giving official credibility and prominence to baseless speculation,” he said in a statement dated Nov 9.


‘Must we entertain every complaint?’

The Pasir Bedamar assemblyperson also cited past instances of “cultural panic”, where cultural works or symbols were misinterpreted and linked to religious or political conspiracies without credible evidence.

This included a 2019 controversy in Penang when an apartment building was accused of promoting Christianisation because its lighting resembled a cross.



“From the lighting of high-rise buildings to sculptures at concerts, must the authorities entertain every complaint just because some people dislike or fail to understand certain shapes and interpret them as part of a religious conspiracy?” he asked.

Woo warned that treating artistic performances as religious threats without concrete evidence could expose content creators and industry players to unnecessary political pressure, and discourage international artistes and event organisers from bringing their productions to Malaysia.

He urged authorities to distinguish between artistic expression and actual religious activities, adding that Malaysia should focus on education, technology, and talent development rather than baseless speculation.

“If we continue moving backwards and wasting time on imagined cultural threats, Malaysia will only squander our resources and fall further behind the times,” he said.

US-mediated talks with Russia and Ukraine on ending war to start in Abu Dhabi, Europe watches nervously

US-mediated talks with Russia and Ukraine on ending war to start in Abu Dhabi, Europe watches nervously



Passers-by walk past a Ukrainian flag displayed on a large screen as they walk along a dark street during a power outage in the centre of Kyiv on November 7, 2026, caused by attacks on energy facilities in the country amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States will hold talks in Abu Dhabi today on ending Europe’s worst conflict since World War II, in the first such meeting in more than nine months. — AFP pic


Summary

• Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are meeting in Abu Dhabi to discuss ending the ongoing conflict, with European representatives also attending due to concerns over US-Russia deals.
• Trump has sought to end the Russia-Ukraine war, but previous talks failed, raising fears of US pressure on Ukraine to concede, especially with Russia's continued aggression.
• Despite hopes for peace being low after numerous failed talks, diplomatic figures and concerns about European security remain central to the ongoing discussions.

First Published: Tuesday, 10 Nov 2026 2:45 PM MYT


ABU DHABI, Nov 10 — Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States will hold talks in Abu Dhabi today on ending Europe’s worst conflict since World War II, in the first such meeting in more than nine months.

Europe — alarmed by US President Donald Trump floating a deal with Moscow on European security ahead of the talks — will also send representatives to Abu Dhabi, as another winter of war approaches.

Trump has pushed for an end to the Russia-Ukraine war since returning to power, but previous talks produced no breakthroughs and the process became sidelined by the US-Israeli war against Iran.

Europe and Ukraine fear the United States will force a deal on Kyiv that would amount to a de-facto capitulation, with Trump appearing to pivot towards Moscow this year.


Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has killed hundreds of thousands, displaced millions and has dragged on for 56 months, with the Kremlin showing no sign of backing down.

Trump hinted ahead of the talks that Ukraine may have to give up land, saying: “They’re going to end up with a little bit different shape, Ukraine.”


Russia occupies large swathes of Ukraine but, while its troops have grinded westwards, they have not been able to seize the whole of the Donetsk region.

Moscow demands Kyiv surrender the parts of the region it still controls, vowing it will otherwise press on with its offensive.


Ukraine — which for more than four and a half years has resisted a far larger invading army at a huge human cost — has ruled out such a withdrawal.

Russia pummelled Ukraine in the run-up to the talks and carried out one of its deadliest strikes yet — with Kyiv saying 55 people were killed in a frontline village as they queued for humanitarian aid.


No ‘particular expectations’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the intensified strikes were part of Moscow’s strategy of “putting pressure on Ukraine’s position” at the negotiations.

The Ukrainian military said on Tuesday that Russia had fired 162 drones and one ballistic missile overnight.

Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who launched the war in February 2022, has repeatedly refused broader ceasefire offers and face-to-face talks with Zelensky.

Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff will gather the enemy sides in Abu Dhabi for the first time since February, when negotiations took place in Geneva.

The meetings would begin at 11.50am in Abu Dhabi (0750 GMT/3.50pm Malaysian time), Russia’s state-owned TASS and RIA Novosti news agencies reported.

Russia and Ukraine have held several rounds of failed talks during almost five years of war and hopes for peace are low.

“We don’t have any particular expectations,” a senior Ukrainian official in Kyiv told AFP.

Trump last week floated a “very big agreement” on the war that will “involve all of Europe”, stoking fears Washington would collaborate with Moscow on creating a new European security architecture.

‘We don’t want Yalta 2.0’

Shortly before launching its 2022 invasion, Moscow had issued an ultimatum to the West for Nato to roll back troops from Eastern Europe.

The diplomat who issued the demand, Sergei Ryabkov, will for the first time be part of Moscow’s delegation, which is headed by Putin’s nationalistic aide Vladimir Medinsky.

US envoy Kushner said yesterday that a peace settlement will require direct Russia-Europe talks “on the broader security arrangements that affect them” and said Washington “recognises difficult decisions ahead”.

These announcements have stoked fears in European capitals.

“For Europe, it is clear: we do not need to establish a new security architecture for Europe,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said yesterday.

He urged Moscow to “give up maximalist demands” and warned against any “negotiation show” in the UAE capital.

Zelensky has warned of a “Yalta 2.0” referring to Western leaders dividing Europe with the USSR in 1945.

According to Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov, representatives from Britain, France, Germany and Italy, as well as Nato and EU officials, will hold separate talks with Kyiv’s representatives in Abu Dhabi.

The Kremlin — which has sought to keep Europe out of the talks — said negotiations will remain “trilateral”.

A recent ceasefire in the Kherson region was “a very positive precedent”, Ukrainian political expert Volodymyr Fesenko told AFP, predicting Kyiv will look for “de-escalation of the war through such local truces”.

Kushner and Witkoff have been accused by critics of being soft on Russia and US media have reported that the Americans are pushing large back-door business deals with Moscow. — AFP

Singapore opens 500-tonne gold storage service to foreign central banks

Singapore opens 500-tonne gold storage service to foreign central banks



Singapore today launched a gold storage service for foreign central banks and other financial institutions, as it seeks to bolster its position as a key precious metals trading hub. — AFP pic


Summary

• Singapore has launched a gold storage service for foreign central banks and financial institutions to strengthen its status as a precious metals trading hub.
• The Monetary Authority of Singapore's new facility can store 500 tonnes of gold, with plans to expand as needed, and is located in the national currency vault.
• Singapore is enhancing its gold market infrastructure and will introduce new tax waivers, aiming to become a major player in global gold trading, especially during Asian trading hours.

First Published: Tuesday, 10 Nov 2026 2:57 PM MYT


SINGAPORE, Nov 10 — Singapore today launched a gold storage service for foreign central banks and other financial institutions, as it seeks to bolster its position as a key precious metals trading hub.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore said the facility, housed in the city-state’s national currency vault, could store 500 tonnes of gold but could expand that as demand grows.

The service will provide foreign central banks, international financial institutions and sovereign entities “with a secure option to hold gold reserves in Singapore”, the MAS said in a statement.

Select Singapore-based bullion banks providing gold-related services to these institutions will be offered “gold custody accounts”, it added.


The move comes as Singapore seeks to capitalise on growing demand for gold trading and storage services in Asia.

It follows Hong Kong launch of a trial for a gold clearing system in July, with the backing of several major banks as it looks to become a bullion-trading hub.

Singapore already has a commercial vaulting capacity of more than 2,000 tonnes catering to bullion banks, institutional investors and the ultra rich.

Gold has traditionally been regarded as a safe-haven asset during periods of financial instability, while central banks hold it as part of their international reserves.


Singapore, one of Asia’s leading financial centres, is seeking to expand its role in the global bullion market, which has long been dominated by established trading hubs such as London and New York.

Asia accounts for “roughly 70 per cent” of annual consumer gold demand worldwide, shifting the “centre of gravity” to the region, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said in June.


China and India were the “top contributors of bar and coin demand” last year, he said.

But the region’s gold market infrastructure has lagged, creating a trading gap in the Asian time zone, according to Gan.

The MAS said a joint initiative with the finance ministry will expand goods and services tax waivers for specified wholesale gold-market activities such as storage, refining, assaying and broking, expected from April next year.

“Taken together, these initiatives will put in place the key building blocks for a deeper and more vibrant Singapore gold market, facilitate price discovery and risk management during Asian trading hours,” MAS said.

The Singapore Exchange and six founding clearing banks are preparing to launch an over-the-counter gold clearing system, with live trading expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027, according to MAS. — AFP

Police deployed outside Najib’s residence amid home detention rumours

Police deployed outside Najib’s residence amid home detention rumours



Police have maintained a presence outside former prime minister Najib Razak's residence today as speculation grew over his possible return home under 

Summary

• Police maintained a presence outside former prime minister Najib Razak's residence amid speculation about his possible house arrest arrangement.
• Legal and administrative procedures regarding Najib's potential transfer from prison are still under consideration, with no official confirmation yet.
• The situation has attracted significant public and media attention, with no transfer confirmed as of late afternoon.

First Published: Tuesday, 10 Nov 2026 4:02 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 — Police maintained a presence outside former prime minister Najib Razak's residence today as speculation grew over his possible return home under a reported house arrest arrangement.

According to China Press, several police vehicles and personnel were seen stationed near the property in Jalan Langgak Duta throughout the day. Media personnel and members of the public also gathered outside the residence following widespread rumours that Najib could be transferred from prison to serve the remainder of his sentence at home.

Authorities, however, did not provide immediate confirmation on any transfer, while legal and administrative procedures were understood to still be under consideration.

Najib, who is serving a prison sentence after being convicted in the SRC International case, has been at the centre of ongoing legal proceedings and discussions regarding a purported royal addendum order related to home detention.

As of late afternoon, no transfer had taken place and officials had yet to announce any final decision. Police remained on standby while awaiting further instructions from the relevant authorities.

Najib in court as lawyers, AGC discuss fresh house arrest order in chambers

Najib in court as lawyers, AGC discuss fresh house arrest order in chambers



File picture of Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his daughter Nooryana Najwa Najib at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in Kuala Lumpur August 9, 2019. — Picture by Firdaus Latif


Summary

• Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak attended the High Court for a new order to allow him to serve his jail sentence at home.
• Najib's prison release was delayed as the AGC sought clarification on a potentially unclear November 6 court order.
• The High Court is anticipated to issue a new warrant to release Najib from Kajang Prison this afternoon.

First Published: Tuesday, 10 Nov 2026 4:25 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak is present as the High Court hears the application for a new order to allow the former prime minister to serve his first jail sentence at home.

Najib, in a light blue baju melayu top with sleeves rolled up, was present at the hearing alongside his daughter Najwa, who was in a blue floral baju kurung.

The former prime minister was set to serve the remaining two years of his jail sentence from the corruption conviction involving SRC International last Friday, after his lawyers said he had paid the RM50 million fine as part of his conditional pardon.

The AGC, however, delayed his release from Kajang Prison, claiming it needed clarification because the November 6 court order was unclear and possibly defective.

The High Court is expected to issue a new warrant to release Najib from Kajang Prison this afternoon itself.

COMMENT | Part 2: Five solutions that Malaysian liberals should consider

COMMENT | Part 2: Five solutions that Malaysian liberals should consider

Wong Chin Huat

Published: Nov 9, 2026 5:03 PM


COMMENT | What should Malaysian liberals do if they can accept the brutal realities in Malaysian politics?

These realities are:

The liberal-minority bloc cannot constitute an electoral majority.

Their preferred bloc must make some compromises with either Malay nationalists (Umno) or Muslim nationalists/Islamists (PAS) to form and lead a federal government.


Malay unity is the rational response by Umno and PAS to the first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system.


Endless culture wars are inevitable as long as Malay-Muslims crave political unity.

Here are five realities that may offer some solutions for the liberals to consider.

READ MORE: Five problems that Malaysian liberals should recognise (Part 1)


1. Harapan-Bersama rivalry needs to be managed

Whether they dismiss Bersama as a spoiler or they cannot wait for Bersama to cause a ground zero to rebuild the progressive force, liberals need to accept that they cannot wish away the rivalry between Pakatan Harapan and the new party.


FPTP ruthlessly punishes any political bloc that splits its votes, but no, the solution is not to shut down competition.

In some countries like the US and Taiwan, rivals from the same camp resort to primaries or opinion polls to help voters concentrate votes on the most promising candidate.


In Malaysia, culture war and fear-mongering help consolidate the nationalist vote. However, it would be naïve to think Harapan too can use fear to sell unity.

Unlike nationalist voters, reformist voters who form a substantial part of Harapan’s base treasure principledness over expediency. A hasty make-up of Harapan and Bersatu would kill both.

In both Harapan and Bersama, there are leaders and supporters who believe their preferred party’s survival depends on the collapse of the other, so that there would be a single coalition/party for the progressive electorate.


The analogy I used on Umno and PAS applies to Harapan and Bersama too: two brothers are fighting despite ideological closeness because they pursue the same love interest.

Here is the reality. Holding all things constant, Umno-PAS unity can flip Harapan’s 28 parliamentary seats in the peninsula, leaving it with only 43 seats.

But this is the ceiling, not the floor. The Pan-Harapan camp, including Bersama, may win much less, like 23 to 33 seats in the peninsula, putting aside vote-splitting, if the turnout is low.

Allowing a ground zero in GE16 may lead to a thorough backlash in GE17, like what happened in the United States midterm elections. But it might also cause more brain drain, capital flight, and political withdrawal, making a reversal much more difficult.

A collapse of the progressive bloc may roll back reform and inclusion, so much so that the political efficacy of ordinary voters, especially the liberal-minority segment since 2008 or 1998, may evaporate.

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak going home on royal dictate is the loudest reminder, if you have not heard it.

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak

A more practical solution might be to recognise and manage multiparty competition within the progressive camp, not just in GE16 but even beyond.

Instead of treating the upcoming elections as a civil war battlefield, turn them into arenas of positive competition to excite voters to turn out and cast their ballots.

Nationalists hate and fail in embracing competition. Liberals should thrive in it. This mentality reform may be more fundamental than policy reforms.

2. Voters who don’t vote are game changers

In GE15, the number of abstaining voters exceeded the winning margin (commonly called “majority”) in 165 parliamentary constituencies.

The highest difference was 58,302, or 40.71 percent of the total electorate (143,229) in P219 Miri, Sarawak, where the abstention (64,461) completely dwarfed the margin (6,159).

Of course, you don’t need all the abstained voters to turn out to flip the election. Here are the top 10 smallest margins in GE15: Lubok Antu (100), Putatan (124), Gua Musang (163), Tuaran (233), Kanowit (236), Jasin (322), Bagan Datuk (348), Lumut (692), Bentong (708) and Labuan (708).

You can see the rest here.

In the 2021 Malacca state election, BN won 75 percent of the seats with just 38.39 percent of the votes. Why?

This was not just the outcome of FPTP with malapportionment and gerrymandering of constituencies. A low turnout of 65.85 percent (then at the tail end of Covid 19) made such obscene over-representation possible.

Out of 28 seats, 13 were won with fewer than 1,000 votes. BN won 10 and PN the remaining three. Had enough abstaining voters gone for the first runner-up, it would have been Harapan eight, PN three and BN two.

The lowest was in Serkam, with only 79 seats, where BN (5,038) marginally overtook PN (4,959). You can see the rest here.

Turnout is now lower than before 2022 because of two factors. Political fatigue is only the second.

The first is automatic voter registration (AVC), which makes it possible for apolitical voters to turn out to vote at the last minute, more likely driven by anger or fear than gratitude.

(Undi18 only contributed to about 20 percent of new voters when both Undi18 and AVC were introduced at the end of 2021.)

Non-voters are normally ignored by political parties. If you treat them like a party, which I call “Parti Aku Malas Undi” (Pamu), this is easily the second-largest party, if not the largest.

If the progressive parties or opinion leaders want to change the electoral outcome, they must reach out to Pamu.

The question: will their conversations draw Pamu members to polling booths or further drive them away?

3. Reduced partisan hatred can reduce royal overreach

Let’s address the elephant in the room. What we see in Malaysia is not the standard practice of a constitutional monarchy, where the majority party nominates one single leader to form the government, not three names to be chosen by the monarch.

Why? Royal overreach is closely linked to the deep and toxic partisan divide, and I would argue it is more a consequence than a cause.

For democracy to consolidate after transition, political parties and politicians must be able to see each other as rivals with common interests, and they must work together to keep power within them instead of seeking the support of unelected institutions to undermine each other.

Appreciation of a competitor-collaborator relationship is nothing new but, in fact, as old as the founding of guilds and trade chambers.

Lawyers, doctors, engineers, architects, and accountants compete with each other, but they would also act together through their professional bodies to protect their interests as a profession. This is what we lack in our political class.

This has, in turn, two root causes. First, the legacy of a one-party state caused politicians to want maximum power and believe in jungle law. Second, the deepened conflicts in identity politics have raised the importance of monarchies.

There is, therefore, no other way to enhance parliamentary democracy than by building an environment of multi-party coexistence.

Messy as they may be, hung parliaments, coalition governments, confidence and supply agreements, and anti-hopping laws are good for democracy.

We must remember all elected politicians have a virtue unmatched by other political players: they can be sacked in elections. But can voters organise themselves?

4. Second dimension needed to crowd out identity politics

There are two commonly touted solutions to communalism that would not work.

The first is unity. If unity means reduction of political competition, moving towards a one-party state, whether at the federal or state level, then it only weakens checks and balances and reduces options.

An all-party grand coalition is a terrible idea, like a merger of all shopping malls. But most of all, one-party dominance does not disincentivise identity politics.

The soft-spoken Hishamuddin Hussein raised his keris three times in the Umno general assembly after the then prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi won a 90 percent parliamentary majority.

Hishammuddin Hussein

As there were no more middle-ground seats to win from the opposition, Hishamuddin rationally did what he did to please the nationalists in Umno.

The second is uniformity. Communal politics is salient because our ethno-religious category often decides our life chances more than individual choices and efforts.

Ignoring this fact, uniformity puts the blame on diversity when uniformisation itself is politically divisive.

Our real problem is that our politics has been one-dimensional. Name any public policy; it can be turned into a communal zero-sum game in our ultra-kiasu (afraid to lose) society.

The solution is to cultivate a second, non-identity-based dimension, whether it is about class, environment, or development, inter-generational distribution, or something else. Healthy democracy requires productive divisions.

Multiparty democracy cannot exist without division - the root word of “party” is “part”. It’s through healthy division that we get choices, checks, and balances.

FPTP can never induce a second dimension. For this, you need some Party-List seats to introduce proportional representation (PR) alongside FPTP to allow non-identity-based “boutique parties” to thrive.

See my proposal and Bersama’s manifesto on how this may be pursued through appointed seats at the state level.

5. The ultimate fix lies in society, not politics

It is tempting to imagine “good yesteryears” and lament how ethno-religious relations have deteriorated, and how democratisation has gone wrong.

The reality is more complex. Since 1946, when the British created the short-lived Malayan Union with liberal citizenship for the non-Malays and the Malays formed Umno to oppose it, Malayans and later Malaysians have had an unresolved question for exactly 80 years.

I call it the 1946 Question: Can citizens be equal yet different? Translated into simple English, should minorities demand equality before assimilation?

This is why the call to reform the New Economic Policy is often met with the demand to close Chinese and Tamil schools.

Under BN, ethnic tensions were carefully managed so that they would never get out of control or out of fashion. Authoritarianism kept the problems alive to justify its existence. Democratisation opens Pandora’s box.

Liberals are frustrated because two Harapan-led governments did not bring many of the over-promised changes.

Bringing in list proportional representation seats can remove the need for Malay parties to unite and, therefore, hopefully lessen the culture war episodes. But ultimately there is a limit to how much institutional engineering can deliver.

The ultimate fix lies in society, not politics. We need inter-communal reconciliation, not just regime change.

And that’s exactly what democracy is about.

WONG CHIN HUAT is a political scientist at Sunway University and a member of Project Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek Sama).

Faisal Islam: What Jensen Huang told me about China, national security and persuading Trump

Faisal Islam: What Jensen Huang told me about China, national security and persuading Trump



Jensen Huang speaks to the BBC's Faisal Islam in 2025


Jensen Huang has the air of the late Steve Jobs about him. I have interviewed both, and the up-close charisma - and occasionally scratchy genius - is shared.

Both sported a signature item of black clothing, although Huang opts for a leather jacket rather than the Apple founder's turtle neck.

However, Huang, who is now being investigated over an affair with an alleged Chinese spy, is far more important to the future of the world order than Jobs.

Everything you have heard about Artificial Intelligence (AI) over the past few months - good, bad, revolutionary and catastrophic - is dependent on having the most powerful frontier AI models.

In turn they depend on the most powerful microchips, and for years that has been this very company, Nvidia, led by Huang, and his technology rooted in repurposed games graphics and the manufacturing prowess of Taiwan.

Names such as Gracehopper, Vera and Rubin mean almost nothing to the public, but are the names of chips powering the creation of AI models transforming the world.

I met Huang as he held court with reporters and offered words of encouragement for the UK's tech future during US President Donald Trump's state visit to the UK in September last year.

It was also right in the middle of his attempts to get Trump to lift export bans to China of some of the highest performing AI chips, specifically the H200.

An export ban on a less powerful chip had already been lifted. He was, I suggested to him, one of the few people who could walk into the White House to meet Trump, and a few days later meet President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

He made no secret of his views, nor his assessment that he had persuaded Trump of his case.

"President Trump is very clear. He wants America to win and and President Xi wants China to win, and it's possible for both of them too. And the reason for that is because it's not a zero-sum game. The advance of human society is not a zero-sum game."

He is probably the only person in the world that could have spoken that sentence with the authority that he might have heard personally from both these superpower leaders.

Differing views on security risks

However, his view about "zero-sum game" is not backed by many in national security circles.

Their view is that the race to the most advanced forms of AI is entirely zero sum, and requires the West - and the US in particular - to take critical action to hold back Chinese advancement.

The country that creates the most powerful AI systems, from the most powerful chips, will win, in terms of scientific development, of cracking encryption, economic growth and cyber-weapons.

He made a further argument: Far from being a national security challenge, it was, in fact, better for the US that the world "including China" became dependent on US systems, what they called the "American tech stack", with Nvidia chips at its core.

Huang then went even further than that, saying that President Trump "is very clear-eyed" about the idea that "this computing technology is not a national security concern".

He told me "any military is smart enough to build their military on top of their own indigenous technology, and not rely on an adversary to build their technology, build their military capability".


What does this show us?

At that time, which is the same moment now being independently investigated over national security concerns and alleged Chinese espionage, Huang was making clear public arguments to lift export bans, and seemed to have a clear idea of President Trump's views.

More than that, he was also disputing the idea that his technology, in China's hands, was any type of national security concern.

Nvidia is the absolute epicentre of the AI tech boom in the US and of the global race for AI supremacy.

Even if the boom turned to bust, Nvidia is still expected to remain in rude health.

It has actual hard revenues of about $400bn this year. Monday's drop of about 4% of its value reflects new and extraordinary risks at this junction of tech and global politics, but the chipmaker is still worth more than $4 trillion.

 

Israeli forces kill 14-year-old Palestinian boy in occupied West Bank

Israel’s military says its soldiers opened fire to prevent Palestinians from throwing stones at vehicles in Burqa.

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Israeli soldiers patrol as settlers walk near the Ibrahimi Mosque during what they call Saturday of Sara in the old city of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank [File: Mussa Qawasma/Reuters]

By Al Jazeera Staff

Published On 10 Nov 202610 Nov 2026

Israeli forces have shot and killed a 14-year-old Palestinian boy and wounded two other teens during a raid on the village of Burqa in the occupied West Bank, according to officials.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health identified the victim on Tuesday as Moataz Iyad Daghlas and said Israeli authorities were withholding his body.

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The Palestinian Wafa news agency reported that two other teenagers were wounded – a 17-year-old shot in the abdomen and pelvis and a 19-year-old hit in the hand.

The Israeli military confirmed the shooting in Burqa, which is located near the city of Nablus.

In a statement, the military said soldiers opened fire to prevent Palestinians from throwing stones at Israeli vehicles.

“The forces responded with gunfire to neutralise the threat and several hits were confirmed,” it said.

According to Wafa, soldiers detained Moataz’s father and stopped an ambulance from reaching the wounded.

They briefly held three volunteer paramedics from the Palestine Red Crescent Society who were working in the area, it reported.

The attacks come as Israeli pogroms in the occupied West Bank surge to what the United Nations has called an “unprecedented level”, following the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 and the subsequent genocidal war on Gaza.

According to the UN, at least 1,143 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank since October 7, 2023, including 250 children.

The figure includes Palestinians killed by Israeli settlers living in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) said 2026 is on track to be the most violent year for settler-related violence since it began monitoring the territory a decade ago. In July alone, 11 people were killed in four incidents involving armed settlers alongside Israeli forces.

Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, and el-Bireh have seen the worst of the settlers’ pogroms.

Court to hear AGC application for fresh order to facilitate Najib's house arrest

Court to hear AGC application for fresh order to facilitate Najib's house arrest



The High Court in Kuala Lumpur is expected to have a hearing this afternoon the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) application to correct a court order or issue a fresh court order to enable former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s house arrest. — Picture by Yusof Isa


Summary

• The High Court in Kuala Lumpur will hear the Attorney-General's Chambers' application to correct or issue a fresh court order for Najib's house arrest today.
• Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar confirmed the application aims to align with a pardon granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
• Najib remains in Kajang Prison as legal clarifications on his house arrest are needed according to the Attorney-General's Chambers.

First Published: Tuesday, 10 Nov 2026 2:05 PM MYT
Last Modified: Tuesday, 10 Nov 2026 2:06 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 — The High Court in Kuala Lumpur is expected to have a hearing this afternoon the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) application to correct a court order or issue a fresh court order to enable former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s house arrest.

When contacted today, Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar confirmed to Malay Mail that there would be a court hearing this afternoon for the AGC’s “Rectification Application”.

Based on the court’s online filing system, the application is expected to be heard before High Court judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin at 2.30pm.

Earlier today, Dusuki confirmed to Malay Mail that the AGC had asked the courts to issue a new court order for the house arrest.


“AGC has filed an application at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today, Nov 10, 2026 (Tuesday) to review and rescrutinise the Order of Discharge issued on November 6, 2026 and for a new Order of Discharge so that it is in line with the order to pardon granted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on September 18, 2026,” he told Malay Mail in a brief text message.

Yesterday, local daily Berita Harian reported Dusuki as saying the High Court in Kuala Lumpur’s Order of Discharge for Najib contained obvious errors or defects.

Najib is currently still at Kajang Prison, as the Attorney General’s Chambers has previously highlighted the need to clarify legal matters related to Najib’s house arrest.