“Fear of statues and ‘salib’ but no fear of graft, child marriage or rape”

“Fear of statues and ‘salib’ but no fear of graft, child marriage or rape”

AS public pressure has pushed JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) to probe elements of religious breaches during The Weeknd’s recent concert in Bukit Jalil, Muslims have ridiculed a pious brethren who made a fuss with the acclaimed Canadian vocalist wearing a cross pendant while performing.

The grouse by Threads user R i z z (@wan_jamil_97) is the latest addition to criticisms raised – notably by PAS Youth – which targeted a giant golden female robot statue (designed by Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama) and a dance sequence featuring performers in red hooded robes.

For the uninitiated, The Weeknd performed in Malaysia as the final stop of his After Hours Til Dawn Tour on Nov 4 and 5 at the TM Stadium Nasional to an estimated 65,000 fans per night featuring futuristic stage visuals, pyrotechnics, fireworks and Japanese guest acts Creepy Nuts and Yousuke Yukimatsu.

Editor’s Note: The Weeknd is the stage name of 36-year-old Canadian singer, songwriter and record producer Abel Makkonen Tesfaye.

afidah Ibrahim Official

on Monday

Steady Jakim

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“This guy came to Malaysia to perform wearing a cross. The stupidest thing for me is that many Malay Muslims support Western stuff like this,” fumed the poster.

“Not that I’m against it. I’m worried this will become normal over time. You guys can’t just play around with the issue of akidah (Islamic faith). Or am I wrong??? Try commenting a little.”

Indeed, the rage-bait post attracted reaction no less from open-minded Muslins with one female commenter asking the poster to suggest what chain pendant should the Christian performer wear instead.

“Supposedly he wears the tasbih (Islamic beads), you’ll attack him as humiliating Islam,” defended a self-proclaimed “mummy of two”.

“So what are you going to do with so many Christians in Malaysia who wear crosses? Dump them at your house?” mocked one millennial commenter.


‘Wear Astro Malaysia’s lanyard instead’

This was when a female netizen chided the poster for his “shallow faith” while likening the cross to “a Muslim woman wearing a tudung”.

“My faith doesn’t fade even if I see the cross … My colleague even wears an earring cross … Alhamdulillah, not deviated at all,” she justified with the poster countered that such argument is comparing an apple to an orange in that Abel is an influential personality to whom youngsters might look up to as a role model.

Losing her cool, the netizen jibed the poster not “to be too shallow with the cross”.

“Is that how thin the faith of Muslims is? Do you think Muslims are vampires who can’t be exposed to sunlight? Or like Superman who’s weak when exposed to kryptonite?”

Even Christians had to chip in with their two sen’s worth to poke fun at the poster over the logic of Abel wearing a cross.

“I mean he’s an orthodox Christian. So it makes sense for him to don a cross or do you expect him to wear an Astro lanyard around his neck?” teased self-proclaimed “first Malaysian FIFA/FIFAe commentator ” Matthews Izzac (@matthewsizzac).

One Sarawakian Christian also ridiculed the poster for being “so toxic” towards the Christian faith.

“Seeing the cross weakens his faith. May your life be blessed … Peaceful greetings from us Christians,” penned Bintulu lad Mark Joey (@markjoeey),

This conveyance of hope that the poster strengthens his spiritual faith prompted Christian lass Tania Debra Sandy (@taniaa.d.c) to remark that her faith is unchallenged by her daily sighting of mosques.

“The best part is I even took photos (of mosques) during sunset. But unfortunately, I deleted them because my (smart phone) memory was full,” she recounted.

One Muslim attested that Islam never teaches its followers to be racist or being disrespectful of other religions.

“Has he forgotten that Malaysia is a land of various races and religions? It wasn’t just the Malays who attended that concert ,” stressed self-proclaimed “mixed Malay” @ ameesyax.

At the end of the day, one @harizrahim_ summed up best the poster’s fear of Abel’s Christian Cross during his concert: “Scared of a statue, scared of cross but not afraid of corruption”. – Nov 10, 2026


Main image credit: Muhammad Azmi Jamaludin (@azmijamaludinofficial)/Threads

DAP yet to pick candidate to replace Loke as transport minister, for PM to decide

DAP yet to pick candidate to replace Loke as transport minister, for PM to decide



DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke says his party has yet to discuss his replacement as transport minister, adding that the decision is up to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. — Picture by Raymond Manuel


Summary

• On November 11, Anthony Loke confirmed that the Democratic Action Party (DAP) has yet to discuss a new candidate for the transport minister post following his immediate resignation.
• Loke stated that deciding his successor falls under the prime minister's jurisdiction and made it clear that his decision to resign is final, despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's wishes for him to stay.
• Ahead of the next general election, Loke intends to concentrate on his role as DAP secretary-general and support the ruling coalition, Pakatan Harapan.
• Additionally, he expressed hope that the proposed constitutional reforms would be addressed by Parliament in the current term.

First Published: Wednesday, 11 Nov 2026 1:32 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Nov 11 — Anthony Loke today confirmed that DAP has yet to discuss a candidate to replace him as transport minister, a post he resigned from with immediate effect yesterday.

Asked by reporters at the Transport Ministry here whether DAP had discussed a potential successor, Loke gave a brief “not yet” response.

“This is the prime minister's jurisdiction, discuss with him,” he replied when asked whether or not the decision would be left to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Asked if he would reconsider his resignation as Anwar did not want him to leave the post, Loke reiterated that his decision is unchanged.


“As far as I'm concerned, my resignation's already effective yesterday. I will stop my duties beginning today,” he said.

Asked whether he planned to return to the post after the next general election, Loke said he would address the matter after the election.

On his priorities ahead of the next general election, Loke said: “Of course my focus is that I'm the party secretary-general, I have to focus on my party building, my role as MP and to continue to support the PM as PH.”

PH stands for Pakatan Harapan, the ruling coalition which includes DAP.


Loke was also asked whether two proposed constitutional reforms – separating the roles of the attorney general and public prosecutor, and limiting the prime minister's tenure – would be passed by Parliament during its current term.

“That one definitely we hope will be brought to Parliament this term before the dissolution of Parliament. So as far as I'm concerned, that's the collective decision of the Cabinet.


“And for DAP of course we stood by it. We want these two constitutional amendments to be tabled, and we will definitely support these amendments,” he said.

Loke's resignation took effect on November 10 following the High Court's decision to allow former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his six-year prison sentence in the SRC International case under house arrest.

***

I recommend Loke's replacement for Transport Minister to be Chow Yon Seng, wakakaka, yes, for Chow to progress from State Minister to Federal Minister as Tokong did - afterall Chow's term as CM Penang will be ending soon. No doubt my recommendations may break Tokong's heart but look mates, he can try to be Finance Minister again even after GE16, assuming DSAI wins again.

😂😂😂👍👍👍

Jensen Huang’s ‘spy’ affair helped funnel US$7.5b in Nvidia chips to China, report claims

Jensen Huang’s ‘spy’ affair helped funnel US$7.5b in Nvidia chips to China, report claims



Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang faces growing scrutiny over allegations linking his relationship with a Chinese businesswoman to US$7.5 billion in chip shipments to China. — AFP pic


Summary

• The article reports on the intensified scrutiny over Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's alleged connection with a Chinese businesswoman, Alice Huang, suspected of facilitating significant chip shipments to China, possibly compromising US export controls.
• The shipments reportedly involve advanced processors despite US restrictions, raising concerns about Nvidia's distribution practices and prompting calls for increased oversight.
• Several US agencies have sought to blacklist related entities over national security issues, while Nvidia's board denies any security breaches.
• The controversy has affected Nvidia's market value and prompted investigations by legal counsel and the FBI.

First Published: Wednesday, 11 Nov 2026 1:39 PM MYT


BEIJING, Nov 11 — Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang’s relationship with a Chinese businesswoman suspected by US authorities of having links to Beijing’s intelligence services helped facilitate at least US$7.5 billion (RM30.4 billion) in chip shipments to China, according to a report that has intensified scrutiny of the company’s export controls and corporate governance.

US technology news publication The Information reported yesterday, citing two people familiar with Alice Huang, that she had used her connections to Nvidia and its distributors to secure supplies of advanced processors for Chinese companies.

The allegations raise questions about whether Nvidia’s distribution network allowed customers to obtain technology subject to Washington’s restrictions on semiconductor exports to China.

According to Reuters, Alice Huang, also known as Huang Le, worked with her husband and sister to establish a network of companies across China and Singapore to acquire Nvidia processors.


Central to the arrangement was Shanghai Century Litong, a Chinese company established in June 2023 that secured preferred cloud partner status with Nvidia four months later, giving it priority access to the chipmaker’s products.

When orders involving export-restricted processors stalled, Alice Huang allegedly drew on her industry connections to obtain supplies.


The network reportedly facilitated shipments of approximately 240,000 H100, H200 and A100 chips to China, some of which ultimately served technology groups Alibaba and Tencent, as well as smaller Chinese artificial intelligence laboratories.

The reported shipments have added to concerns about the effectiveness of US export controls, introduced to limit China’s access to advanced semiconductors capable of powering sophisticated AI systems.


Singapore-based cloud computing company Megaspeed International, in which Alice Huang became the controlling shareholder, has also attracted scrutiny.

The Financial Times reported that several US government agencies had sought to add Megaspeed to Washington’s trade blacklist over national security concerns, but the Commerce Department had delayed the process.


The reasons for the delay remain unclear.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the reports. China’s foreign ministry has rejected allegations that Alice Huang was involved in espionage as “groundless”.

Nvidia has said its board has no reason to believe US national security or company secrets were compromised.

The allegations have nevertheless prompted calls for greater oversight of the company and its leadership.

Republican Senator Kevin Cramer has urged Huang to resign, citing concerns about potential foreign intelligence exploitation.

“The potential for extortion is so tremendous that something as sensitive as Nvidia chips, I just think he’s got to go,” Cramer told Politico.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has meanwhile called for tighter restrictions on semiconductor exports to China.

Nvidia’s independent directors have appointed outside legal counsel to investigate the matter, while the FBI is separately examining whether Huang was targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.

Huang, 63, has acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife but has not disclosed details of the relationship.

The controversy has also unsettled investors. Nvidia lost approximately US$430 billion in market capitalisation over two trading sessions, with shares falling 9.5 per cent since the affair became public, according to Reuters.

Jokowi’s son Gibran offers to quit as Indonesia’s VP, raising spectre of power struggle in Prabowo’s coalition

Jokowi’s son Gibran offers to quit as Indonesia’s VP, raising spectre of power struggle in Prabowo’s coalition



Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (right) delivers a speech to lawmakers as Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka (left) looks on at the Parliament building in Jakarta May 20, 2026. — AFP pic


Summary

• Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is facing potential political turbulence as Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka considers resignation due to legal challenges over his educational qualifications.
• This move could unsettle Prabowo's governing coalition by triggering a contest for the vice-presidency, complicating alliances and the political influence of Gibran's father, former president Joko Widodo.
• Despite the controversy, there is speculation that Gibran's resignation offer may be more of a strategic test of public sentiment, as Prabowo navigates a delicate political landscape.
• The situation raises questions about the stability and future dynamics within Prabowo's coalition and the broader political environment in Indonesia.

First Published: Wednesday, 11 Nov 2026 2:39 PM MYT


JAKARTA, Nov 11 — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto faces a potential power struggle within his governing coalition as Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka weighs resignation, threatening to unsettle political alliances and further weaken the influence of his father, former president Joko Widodo.

Analysts warn that Gibran’s departure could trigger a contest among coalition parties for the vice-presidency, leaving Prabowo with the difficult task of choosing a successor without alienating key allies, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.



Gibran, 39, expressed his intention to resign during a meeting with Prabowo yesterday, following court rulings that raised questions over whether his educational qualifications met the requirements for public office.

State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi confirmed the discussions but said no formal resignation letter had been submitted. He also stressed that Prabowo had not rejected the offer.


Indonesia’s government subsequently clarified that Gibran remained vice-president and continued to perform his official duties.

The controversy follows a Constitutional Court ruling that found insufficient evidence of Gibran’s secondary school qualifications but dismissed a challenge to his eligibility on procedural grounds.


The Supreme Court subsequently invalidated a certificate recognising his overseas education as equivalent to Indonesian secondary schooling.

About 50 lawmakers have also submitted a parliamentary motion that could pave the way for impeachment proceedings.


Gibran, however, appeared unwilling to concede defeat, telling reporters that Prabowo, whom he regarded as a father figure, had encouraged him to pursue further legal action.

Political commentator Lukas Luwarso suggested the resignation offer could be an attempt to test public sentiment rather than a genuine intention to leave office.


“He seemed to be testing the waters, which means he still wants to cling on to his vice-presidency and won’t give it up without a fight,” he told SCMP.

The uncertainty places Prabowo in a delicate position.

Under Indonesia’s constitution, a vice-presidential vacancy would require the president to nominate two candidates, with the People’s Consultative Assembly selecting a replacement within 60 days.

Rendy Pahrun Wadipalapa, a political scientist at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, warned that competing interests within Prabowo’s seven-party coalition could complicate the process.

“Parties inside the governing coalition would have reason to bid for the post, and elites who accepted Gibran’s place on the old ticket might now press their own claims,” he told SCMP.

Among those mentioned as possible successors are parliamentary Speaker Puan Maharani, daughter of former president Megawati Sukarnoputri, and Democratic Party chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, son of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Gibran’s predicament also represents a setback for Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, whose support helped Prabowo secure victory in the 2024 presidential election.

Gibran’s candidacy had already attracted controversy after a Constitutional Court ruling allowed him to contest despite being below the minimum age of 40. The court’s then chief justice, Gibran’s uncle, was subsequently found to have breached ethics rules.

Widodo’s political standing has since come under further pressure following the arrest of former police chief and political ally Listyo Sigit Prabowo over allegations of illegally wiretapping the president.

Yet removing Gibran could prove equally problematic for Prabowo, potentially opening fresh divisions within his coalition.

Marcus Mietzner, a political scientist at the Australian National University, questioned whether the president stood to gain from such an upheaval.

“So why get rid of him and trigger a tense contest among his coalition parties about the vacancy?”

Rosmah not allowed to live with Najib during house arrest, Umno leader says

Rosmah not allowed to live with Najib during house arrest, Umno leader says



According to Harian Metro, Nurulhidayah said Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, is expected to stay at her residence in Pavilion instead of the Taman Duta house where he is serving his sentence. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin


Summary

• Najib Razak is serving his prison sentence under house arrest without the company of family members, according to Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid.
• His wife, Rosmah Mansor, will live in Pavilion rather than the Taman Duta house, now gazetted as a prison.
• Standard prison rules apply, prohibiting online food orders and setting specific visiting hours.

First Published: Wednesday, 11 Nov 2026 2:15 PM MYT
Last Modified: Wednesday, 11 Nov 2026 3:27 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s family members and other individuals are not permitted to live with him while he serves the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest, according to Umno Women’s executive council member Datuk Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid.

Nurulhidayah said Najib’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, is expected to stay at her residence in Pavilion instead of the Taman Duta house where he is serving his sentence, Harian Metro reported today.

Responding to questions on Threads about the implementation of the house arrest order, Nurulhidayah said the Jalan Langgak Duta residence had been gazetted as a prison, meaning standard prison rules would apply.

She also claimed that online food purchases would not be allowed and that all meals and drinks would be determined by prison authorities.


She added that visiting hours would be set by the authorities and carried out according to procedures similar to those in prisons.

Yesterday, High Court judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin set aside a release order issued on November 6 and replaced it with an order transferring Najib from Kajang Prison to his residence with immediate effect, in line with a conditional pardon order.

The order allows Najib to serve the remainder of his six-year sentence under house detention until August 23, 2028, following his conviction in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

***

This is a 'house arrest' beyond my expectations. Have the criteria been set by public pressure? It's a frigging circus.

 

Siti Nurhaliza vs The Weeknd: when does fandom become ‘worship’?

Siti Nurhaliza vs The Weeknd: when does fandom become ‘worship’?

Yesterday

Letter to the Editor

The controversy over the Nov 4 and 5 shows at the Bukit Jalil national stadium is a textbook case of ‘context collapse’.

From Jamaluddin Aziz

The announcement that the Islamic development department (Jakim) and central committee for applications for filming and performances by foreign artistes (Puspal) are investigating alleged elements of ritualistic worship at The Weeknd’s recent concerts at the Bukit Jalil national stadium highlights a recurring cultural tension in Malaysia.

As a critical media scholar, I view this controversy not merely as a clash over entertainment guidelines, but as a textbook case of “context collapse”.

Coined by media researcher Danah Boyd and further theorised with Alice Marwick in their seminal 2011 study in New Media & Society (“I tweet honestly, I tweet passionately: Twitter users, context collapse, and the imagined audience”), context collapse occurs when digital platforms flatten multiple, distinct audiences into a single space.

When content created for one specific cultural or artistic environment is stripped of its original framing and judged within an entirely different moral or ideological context, modern pop theatrics are easily misread as literal religious devotion.

To understand how context shapes interpretation, one need only compare The Weeknd’s Nov 4 and 5 shows with another massive event held at the exact same stadium just three weeks earlier: Konsert Tradisional Gema Bumantara by Biduanita Negara Siti Nurhaliza.

Both concerts drew tens of thousands of devoted fans who sang every lyric in unison and cheered wildly for their favourite performer.

Yet, the public and institutional reactions to these two sold-out spectacles could not have been more different.

In modern pop culture, intense audience enthusiasm is often loosely referred to as “fan worship”. Historically, words like “fan” (from the Latin fanaticus, meaning temple frenzy) and “icon” (from the Greek eikōn, meaning sacred image) do share etymological roots in ancient religious practice.

Today, however, these terms describe secular cultural admiration. When fans cheer at a stadium, they are participating in collective musical enjoyment, not a spiritual ritual.

Viewing both Bukit Jalil concerts through a critical media lens reveals three key dynamics driving these divergent reactions. First is the mechanics of context collapse. Critics of The Weeknd’s concert pointed to short social media clips showing a towering golden female robot sculpture and dancers in red hooded robes as evidence of pagan or machine-worship rituals.

As Marwick and Boyd’s framework demonstrates, when these visuals are detached from the full two-hour concert narrative and circulated online to audiences unfamiliar with Western pop-art tropes, context collapses.

Stripped of their theatrical framing, a futuristic sculpture by Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama meant to critique the hollowness of fame and materialism is flattened into a literal religious idol.

Second is embedded cultural context. In contrast, Siti’s concert operated within a shared, deeply understood local framework. Utilising classical floral visuals and orchestral staging without human statues, her performance aligned seamlessly with Malaysian cultural and religious norms.

Because audiences and regulators immediately understood the context of Irama Malaysia heritage, the collective euphoria in the stadium was celebrated as patriotic pride rather than scrutinised as spiritual misdirection.

At most, conservative critiques of such local shows rarely go beyond general moral cautions against lagha (worldly distraction or frivolous amusement), a far cry from the theological panic of syirik (idolatry) projected onto The Weeknd’s unfamiliar pop symbolism.

Third is audience literacy and intent. Context collapse assumes that audiences are passive consumers who absorb imagery literally.

In reality, modern concertgoers possess high media literacy. Tens of thousands of Malaysians attended The Weeknd’s show to experience Grammy-winning music and dystopian sci-fi stagecraft.

Treating theatrical props as acts of syirik (idolatry) ignores the crucial distinction between artistic metaphor and religious intent (niat), unfairly questioning the faith and intelligence of ordinary Malaysian fans.

Puspal plays an essential role in ensuring that international performances respect Malaysia’s laws and social harmony.

However, effective regulation in the digital age requires media literacy and a resistance to reactionary interpretations born out of viral, out-of-context video clips.

If Malaysia wishes to remain a premier destination for global live entertainment, bringing vital economic and tourism benefits to Kuala Lumpur, authorities must evaluate performances within their full artistic context.

Distinguishing between pop-culture symbolism and actual religious worship is not just good cultural policy; it is essential for fair and rational governance.

***

JAKIM has to justify its RM2 Billion per annum existence 😡😡😡

 

Baltic nations briefly issue drone alerts as Russia, Ukraine exchange strikes

Baltic nations briefly issue drone alerts as Russia, Ukraine exchange strikes

4 hours ago

Reuters

The move came as Ukrainian drones struck northwestern Russia, setting fire to the Ust-Luga port area and injuring three people near major Baltic Sea export facilities and an oil refinery.

File photo of Ukrainian drone fragments lying on the yard of a residential building in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. (EPA Images pic)

VILNIUS:

The Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia withdrew on Wednesday a flurry of alerts that had urged citizens to seek shelter against threats from unidentified drones entering from neighbours Russia or Belarus, officials and media said.

Nato air defence fighter jets had been activated, the alerts had said, though there were no reports of injuries, while Lithuania’s crisis officials said the warning covered the second most populous city of Kaunas, home to about 300,000.

Finland, another Russian neighbour, adopted temporary airspace and maritime curbs in the eastern Gulf of Finland on Wednesday, its defence forces said on X, but also withdrew them later.

“The restrictions were a precautionary measure to ensure the authorities’ ability to operate and the safety of bystanders,” they added.

The step came as Ukrainian drones attacked Russia’s northwest, home to major Baltic Sea export facilities and a big oil refinery, setting afire the Ust-Luga port area and injuring three.

Drone debris killed two in Russia’s Smolensk region bordering Belarus, Russian newswires cited the local governor as saying.

In Ukraine, an overnight Russian air strike knocked out power in parts of the industrial stronghold of Kryvyi Rih, injured one in the second biggest city of Kharkiv and another six in Zaporizhzhia, officials and emergency services said.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the reports independently. Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians in the war Moscow started by invading its neighbour in February 2022.

The turmoil comes against the backdrop of a two-day meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Abu Dhabi from Tuesday, as the United States makes a new push to end their war.

President Donald Trump has said the war was close to being settled and that ending it might involve all of Europe.

Ukrainian military drones straying into the airspace of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have fuelled concern that the Ukraine war is spilling into Natp countries that border Russia and its ally Belarus.

As Ukraine attacks Russian oil shipping ports on the Baltic Sea, some of its drones have missed their targets, prompting security warnings in neighbouring countries and even a government collapse this year in Latvia.

Moscow has accused Kyiv of using Nato airspace as cover for attacks, while Kyiv says Russian signal jamming has sent some of its drones off course. The Nato nations blame Russia for the incidents, saying it ignited the war.