Classical move with a twist

Classical move with a twist

By Philip Golingai

Sunday, 26 Apr 2026

Who’s in, who’s out? The ‘war’ between Hamzah (left) and Muhyiddin has left the former without a party. But moves are afoot to bring Hamzah back into the opposition bloc – which could see former opposition chairman Muhyiddin exiting it. — Filepics/The Star


INSIDE Perikatan Nasional’s structure, there’s a possibility that a Trojan Horse move is being readied for partyless Larut MP Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin.

It is a plan to turn a Perikatan affiliate party into a custom-built political vehicle for him, his 18 former and present Bersatu MPs, and his grassroots supporters, so they can all secure a future within the opposition coalition.

The gate for Hamzah, who was sacked as a Bersatu deputy president, is being opened through Berjasa, which, alongside Pejuang, was accepted into Perikatan as an affiliate member (ahli bersekutu).

This is not the Berjasa of old. The party has undergone a strategic rebranding and constitutional shift to shed its image as a fringe Islamist group. Formerly known as Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia, the party is now positioning itself as Parti Berjasa Malaysia. By opening its membership to non-Muslims, Berjasa is ensuring that Hamzah’s transition isn’t framed as a “Malay exodus”, but as a broadening nationalist front.

This shift provides a vital legal home for Bersatu’s non-Muslim rebel MPs. This includes suspended former Bersatu vice- president Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee (MP for Beluran in Sabah) and Datuk Ali Biju (MP for Saratok in Sarawak). By becoming a multi-ethnic vehicle, Berjasa allows these non-Muslim Bornean politicians to become members of the party.

Berjasa has come a long way. It started in 1977 as a PAS splinter party founded by Datuk Muhammad Nasir during a leadership crisis in Kelantan. If it is elevated to a full component of Perikatan, it would mark a historic homecoming – a return to its PAS-aligned roots. Pejuang, headed by Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, is also expected to be accepted as a full component party within Perikatan.

This will further cement a new power bloc that bypasses the Bersatu leadership. The power dynamic within the coalition has shifted decisively, and it is now firmly under PAS’s control. The chairman is Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar of PAS, and the secretary-general is Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan of PAS.

Bersatu and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin lost control of the coalition when the Bersatu president was forced to resign as chairman early this year. Furthermore, the secretary-general post is no longer held by a Muhyiddin loyalist, as Datuk Seri Azmin Ali was replaced by Takiyuddin.

With 19 MPs (Hamzah plus his 18 loyalists), a rejuvenated Berjasa will instantly become the second-largest party in Perikatan, dwarfing what remains of a hollowed-out Bersatu, which has about six MPs.

In the standard Trojan Horse move devised by Odysseus, you hide something inside a gift to get it through a guarded gate.

In this scenario, the gate is Perikatan, a tattered Bersatu could be deemed the guards, the gift is the political shell of Berjasa, and the hidden soldiers are Hamzah and his legion of MPs, assemblymen, and supporters.

But in this case, I call it a Reverse Trojan Horse because Hamzah isn’t outside the gates trying to sneak in; he is already inside the coalition structure as an MP backing Perikatan and who is backed by PAS, which has taken control of the coalition.

The brilliance of the possible Berjasa manoeuvre lies in its cunning against Bersatu. For Muh-yiddin, staying in Perikatan after the move would mean acknowledging that archrival Hamzah has successfully entered Perikatan. Muhyiddin’s party would be relegated to third place in the coalition, behind PAS and Berjasa. Bersatu would also have to give up contesting incumbent seats held by former and present Bersatu MPs who join Berjasa.

If the Berjasa Reverse Trojan Horse manoeuvre happens, Bersatu and Muhyiddin must decide whether they want to remain in the opposition coalition. If the party leaves, Muh-yiddin would like King Priam, who was left to watch his Troy (Bersatu) burn from the inside before being forced to abandon the throne of his kingdom.

In the classics, the Trojan Horse was a “gift” from Odysseus that ended a 10-year stalemate. In 2026, Hamzah’s Berjasa manoeuvre serves a similar purpose, breaking the deadlock between the opposition’s warring factions.

But unlike the Greeks who sacked Troy and sailed away, the “Odysseus” from Larut has no intention of leaving. If the Reverse Trojan Horse move happens, and Hamzah bypasses the guards – ie, Bersatu – and gets inside, he will simply have to wait for the old leadership (Bersatu) to depart so he can claim the keys to the kingdom.

In this reverse twist, the horse wouldn’t just bring an end to the war, it would bring a new king.

Ensure mosques manage Friday prayers traffic - don tells authorities

Ensure mosques manage Friday prayers traffic - don tells authorities


Published: Apr 26, 2026 11:19 AM
Updated: 1:45 PM



Islamic architecture professor Tajuddin Rasdi has urged religious authorities and local councils to step up enforcement to address traffic congestion linked to Friday prayers, warning that the issue risks fuelling racial tension.

This comes after the incident that prompted objections to Friday prayers at the Taman Seraya Surau in Ampang. Friday prayers have been held there since 2019.

In a statement, Tajuddin, a member of the National Unity Advisory Council, said traffic congestion has long been a source of friction among communities.

Alluding to a 2017 reported riot at Taman Austin Perdana in Johor Bahru, he said such issues have “always sparked racial tension and even non-Muslims have been beaten up for honking to clear traffic”.

Impose fines

Commenting on the Ampang incident, Tajuddin called on state Religious Affairs Departments to monitor surau and mosques granted permission to hold Friday prayers, to ensure there is no obstruction of residential driveways or nearby premises.

He also urged municipal councils to closely oversee the matter and impose fines on both places of worship and vehicle owners involved in such infractions.

“Surau and mosques must hire women People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) members to manage traffic flow during Friday prayers and ensure no blocking of driveways.

“The Religious Affairs Department must reprimand any surau or mosques that cause traffic disruption and blockages, and if need be, cancel the permission for Friday prayers to be held if the violations persist,” Tajuddin said.

On Friday, the surau management at Taman Seraya lodged police reports against an individual who allegedly objected to the azan (call to prayer) and the holding of Friday prayers there.

Teratai assemblyperson Yew Jia Haur’s service centre - which tried to mediate the dispute - had also lodged a police report against the person.

New MACC chief must probe ‘corporate mafia’ claims, says DAP’s Gobind

New MACC chief must probe ‘corporate mafia’ claims, says DAP’s Gobind



Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo delivers a speech during the Leadership Digital Symposium for National-type Tamil School Headmasters at the Freeport A’Famosa Outlet Convention Centre in Alor Gajah on April 23, 2026. — Bernama pic

Saturday, 25 Apr 2026 5:03 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 — DAP national chairman Gobind Singh Deo today challenged the incoming Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief to investigate allegations of a “corporate mafia” within the agency and resolve the shareholding controversy involving his predecessor, Tan Sri Azam Baki.

The call comes after the government announced today the appointment of Datuk Seri Abdul Halim Aman as the new MACC chief commissioner, effective May 13.

In a statement, Gobind, who is also the digital minister, said Abdul Halim’s first priority must be to restore public confidence by outlining a clear reform roadmap.

A key part of this, he said, is tackling serious allegations of a “corporate mafia” operating within the MACC, where officials are suspected of being involved in corporate manoeuvres during investigations.


“These serious claims impact the MACC’s integrity and credibility. They must be addressed without fear, favour, or delay,” Gobind stated, calling for clear timelines for the investigations.


Gobind also stressed the need to conclude the investigation into the share ownership controversy involving the outgoing chief, Azam Baki.

He noted that while the Cabinet had directed action on the matter over a month ago, the issue remains unresolved.


He argued that the new MACC chief should begin his tenure without such “lingering allegations” hanging over the commission.

“As a special committee led by the Attorney General has already presented its findings to the Cabinet, this matter must be finalised quickly,” he said.

Gobind added that accountability and transparency are paramount, and the initial steps taken by the new chief commissioner will define the trajectory of his leadership and signal whether genuine reforms are underway.

Inside the Trump press gala shooting: What happened and what’s next

Inside the Trump press gala shooting: What happened and what’s next



This image released by US President Donald Trump via his Truth Social account (@realDonaldTrump) shows a person he claims to be the alleged suspect in the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on the ground after being apprehended on April 25, 2026. — AFP pic

Sunday, 26 Apr 2026 1:27 PM MYT


WASHINGTON, April 26 — US President Donald Trump and other attendees were evacuated last night after gunshots were fired at a glitzy media gala in Washington.

As details continue to emerge and investigations are underway, here is what we know about the shooting:


What happened in the ballroom?

Shots were heard after the welcoming speech at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents’ Association being held at the Washington Hilton Hotel, according to AFP reporters and other witnesses.


Tactical security teams with guns drawn took position on the stage where Trump was seated alongside his wife Melania, Vice President JD Vance and other officials, who were swiftly evacuated.


Hundreds of guests in black tie in the ballroom took cover under tables and later made their way into the hotel lobby and then outdoors as the event was postponed.

Authorities said no dignitaries or gala guests were hurt.


How did the shooting unfold?

A “sole gunman” rushed through a security checkpoint in the hotel lobby just outside the ballroom where the dinner was taking place around 8:36 pm (0036 GMT), according to authorities.

Trump shared footage on his Truth Social platform which appeared to show the suspect charging at the checkpoint before being swarmed by officers.

“He was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives,” Metropolitan Police Department interim chief Jeffery Carroll told reporters.

Law enforcement exchanged gunfire with the suspect and “intercepted that individual.”

A uniformed Secret Service officer was “struck in his vest” and taken to hospital, but was doing well, Carroll said.

The suspect was not hit by gunfire, but was taken to a hospital to be evaluated.

He was in custody and due to be arraigned on Monday in a federal court.

A long gun and shell casings were found on the scene, FBI Director Kash Patel said, adding that the agency was carrying out witness interviews as part of its probe.

Who is the suspect?

Trump shared photos of the suspected shooter, shirtless and in handcuffs facedown on a carpeted floor, in what appears to be the Hilton lobby.

Authorities are yet to publicly confirm his identity, but US media reported that the suspect was a 31-year-old named Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California.

Based on preliminary information, “we do believe he was a guest here at the hotel,” Carroll told reporters.

The detained man is believed to be the only suspect in the case, officials said.

He is being charged with two counts currently: using a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said.

Other charges could still be brought as the investigation proceeds.

“My impression is he was a lone wolf,” Trump said, adding that the suspect’s motivation was not yet clear but he believed the gunman was “sick.”

Were there security failures?

Questions swirled regarding the security at the reception and how a gun was brought into the hotel.

Attendees pointed out that there was a magnetometer placed outside the ballroom, but there was no such screening before that or at the entrance to the hotel itself.

Trump initially said it was “not a particularly secure building,” but later said the ballroom where the event was being held was not breached by the gunman and was “very, very secure.”

The checkpoint that the suspect tried to charge past was “right outside the ballroom,” authorities said.

“Because that checkpoint worked, there was no one who was injured,” Pirro said.

“We’ll go through video across the hotel to figure out how the gun got in, how it got down here,” Carroll added.

According to Trump, the security services did a “much better job than Butler,” where he was the target of an assassination attempt in 2024 during a campaign rally in the state of Pennsylvania. — AFP

PN will exploit pig-farming controversy, warns Loke

PN will exploit pig-farming controversy, warns Loke


Yesterday
Mohamad Fadli


The DAP leader says Perikatan Nasional will make use of the issue to portray DAP as disrespecting the royal institution

Speaking at a fundraising dinner, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the party has always respected the royal institution and the Sultan of Selangor.

PUCHONG: The opposition is likely to frame a proposal by a DAP assemblyman on modernising pig farming in Selangor as an example of the party disrespecting the royal institution, party leader Loke Siew Fook said today.

Loke, who is DAP secretary-general, said Perikatan Nasional would seize the opportunity to exploit the controversy sparked by the proposal.

“They will claim that DAP does not respect the Sultan of Selangor. But I want to emphasise that DAP has always respected the royal institution and the Sultan of Selangor,” he said at a fundraising dinner here.


Earlier this week, Seri Kembangan assemblyman Wong Siew Ki had called for a modern, closed pig farming system to be implemented in the state.

She said the issue of pig farming touched on the right to equality under the Federal Constitution and argued that pig farming should not be singled out from other forms of livestock farming.

Her proposal triggered criticism from the opposition, who said it contradicted Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s call for a complete end to pig farming in the state.

Loke said Wong had merely presented an “alternative view” in a respectful manner. “It is the duty of an elected representative to do so, and the DAP leadership will defend our assemblymen’s right to provide constructive criticism in the state assembly.”

He urged other DAP assemblymen in Selangor and its allies in Pakatan Harapan to highlight PN’s hypocrisy.

Wong came under a barrage of opposition criticism, with Selangor PAS Youth demanding that she be suspended from the state assembly, while assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin from Bersatu attempted to table a motion to refer her to the rights and privileges committee, and Umno’s Jamal Yunos called for her to “get out of Selangor” for disagreeing with the sultan.

However, Wong has stood by her proposal, saying it was based on feedback from residents in her constituency.

Trump cancels envoys’ trip to Iran talks in Pakistan

Trump cancels envoys’ trip to Iran talks in Pakistan


The US president's son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff were scheduled to leave on Saturday for a second round of peace talks

US President Donald Trump said there is ‘tremendous infighting and confusion’ within Iran’s leadership. (EPA Images pic)

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he had ordered his envoys not to travel to Pakistan for peace talks with Iranian officials, but also that the move didn’t mean resuming the war.

Trump made the announcement in individual phone calls with reporters, and later in a post on social media, shortly after Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi departed Islamabad.

Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff had been scheduled to leave for Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, on Saturday for a second round of peace talks with Iran.


“I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going is (sic) Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians. Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work!” he wrote on his Truth Social media platform.

“Besides which, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership.’ Nobody knows who is in charge, including them,” he continued.

However, Trump left the door open to further negotiations, saying if the Iranians “want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!”

Asked earlier Saturday by Axios whether the cancellation of the envoys’ trip meant he would resume the war, Trump said: “No. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.”

The US has extended indefinitely a truce with Iran that took effect on April 8.

Speaking Saturday afternoon on the tarmac at Palm Beach airport in Florida, Trump said the Iranians “gave us a paper that should have been better, and interestingly, immediately when I cancelled it — within 10 minutes — we got a new paper that was much better.”

When asked by a journalist what was in the new document, he said: “We talked about they will not have a nuclear weapon, very simple.”

Iran’s state television said Tehran’s envoys had no immediate plans to hold face-to-face talks with the Americans, and that Pakistan would serve as a bridge to convey Iranian proposals.

50 years on, RMAF veterans recall Kedah helicopter shootdown

50 years on, RMAF veterans recall Kedah helicopter shootdown


2 HOURS AGO
Theevya Ragu @ FMT Lifestyle


Major (Rtd) Peter Yeow and Lt-Col (Rtd) Sam Munisamy Arumugam share memories of that dark day during Ops Gubir

The incident on April 26, 1976 marked the first time insurgents shot down an armed forces helicopter. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
KUALA LUMPUR: On April 26, 1976, a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) helicopter was shot out of the sky by communist insurgents near Gubir, Kedah.


The event marked the first time a helicopter had been brought down by insurgents, making it one of the deadliest single incidents for the air force during the Second Malayan Emergency (1968-1989).

Fifty years later, Major (Rtd) Peter Yeow still recalls that day.

“There are incidents you remember and incidents you would like to forget. This particular incident is etched in my mind,” said the 79-year-old, who served in the armed forces for 24 years.

“I was an operational helicopter pilot with the No. 10 Squadron. In 1976, there were intense counterinsurgency operations against the communists. Ops Gubir was ongoing, and my crew happened to be flying in that area in support of army operations.”

Missions were being carried out in areas with a strong communist presence to supply troops with provisions and evacuate casualties, among other objectives.

Major (Rtd) Peter Yeow says the memory of that day remains etched in his mind. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)


Lt-Col (Rtd) Sam Munisamy Arumugam, too, shared his memories. The 80-year-old, who grew up in Kuala Lumpur, joined the air force in 1967 and retired in 1998.

“I was serving in Kuching while operations were ongoing in Gubir. The squadron in West Malaysia was short of aircrew, so they called for a relief crew from Kuching,” he recounted.

During his interview with FMT Lifestyle, Sam pulled out his carefully kept logbook that detailed every flight he undertook, including on the day of the tragedy.


At around 10am, he said, he was alerted to the situation.

“I had a call saying one of the aircraft had given out a mayday, a distress call when an aircraft is in trouble. But after that, contact was lost. They summoned me to go and look for what had happened to my colleagues.”

Lt-Col (Rtd) Sam Munisamy Arumugam was among the first to arrive at the crash site. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)


The helicopter had vanished into thick jungle and was only located late in the evening, amidst heavy rain, when rising smoke revealed its position.

All 11 personnel on board were killed – six from the RMAF and five from the army.


The discovery left them stunned. “We were hoping to find an aircraft that had force-landed. No one suspected it would have been downed by enemy fire,” said Sam, who had been among the first to arrive at the site.

“Just the night before, we were joking around after dinner and telling stories. That was the last time I saw some of those air force officers.”

Yeow noted that while their aircraft had come under fire before, this was the first time one had been shot down. It was also the first time they had to evacuate their own squadron mates.

Sam’s logbook details every flight and mission he undertook, including Ops Gubir. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)


When Sam radioed the findings back to base, additional support was deployed. Yeow was among those sent to help recover the bodies, which could not be moved immediately due to the intense heat from the still-burning wreckage.

Recovery efforts had to continue the next morning. But even after the mission ended, the weight of the tragedy lingered.

“It was only later, when we returned to our respective bases, that we learnt our families underwent trauma because they were not immediately informed as to who was killed in the crash,” Sam said.

Some families were even surprised to see their loved ones alive, he shared, adding that it was a “great relief” when the Communist Party of Malaya surrendered.

For Sam and Yeow, it is an honour to have been able to serve the country. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)


Yeow, who is part of the Malaysian Armed Forces Chinese Veterans Association, has since been involved in documenting war stories in the book “Memoirs – Malaya and Borneo at War” to ensure such experiences are not forgotten.

“Being a military person, you take it in your stride – life goes on, the job goes on. We carried on our duties as if nothing had happened. We had to rise above our emotions and put our country first,” he concluded.

***

The 2 Nuri pilots who perished were Chinese, at a time when Dr Akmal wasn't born yet

Israel kills four in southern Lebanon in defiance of a three-week extension of a ceasefire with Hezbollah.

Israeli attacks kill four in southern Lebanon

Raids on a truck and a motorcycle in the town of Yohmor al-Shaqif kill four people, state media report.

By Al Jazeera Staff

Published On 25 Apr 202625 Apr 2026

⁠Israeli attacks have killed at least four people in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh district, the state news agency reports, as Israel continues to pummel the country in defiance of a three-week extension of a ceasefire with Hezbollah.

In a statement on Saturday, Lebanon Ministry of Public Health’s emergency operations centre said two Israeli raids on a truck and a motorcycle in the town of Yohmor al-Shaqif killed four people, the Lebanese National News Agency reported.

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Al Jazeera’s Heidi Pett, reporting from the city of Tyre, said the attacks were carried out north of the Litani River, below which Israel has unilaterally declared to be operating.

Meanwhile, in the city of Bint Jbeil, also in southern Lebanon, Israeli soldiers reportedly blew up buildings on Saturday morning.

Al Jazeera correspondents on the ground separately reported bombings in the city of Khiam, including on residential blocks.

Israel’s ongoing spree is “part of a continued pattern of Israeli military activity, despite what is ostensibly a ceasefire”, Pett said, adding that the “rumble and thud of explosions” could be heard across southern swaths of the country.

“That is Israel demolishing houses and buildings,” she said.

The attacks are the latest to rock southern Lebanon since United States President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire extension on Thursday. Within hours, the Israeli military claimed it had “eliminated” six Hezbollah fighters in an exchange of fire near Bint Jbeil.

Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad said the ceasefire was “meaningless in light of Israel’s insistence on hostile acts, including assassinations, shelling, and gunfire”.

He added that Israeli attacks meant Hezbollah retains the “right to retaliate”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was “maintaining full freedom of action against any threat” and claimed Hezbollah was “trying to sabotage” the pause.

Before Trump’s announcement, a poll by the Israel Democracy Institute suggested that Jewish Israeli respondents overwhelmingly supported continuing the conflict, even if it led to friction with the US.

The Lebanese leadership has rejected the possibility of Lebanon being used as a “bargaining chip” amid potential US-Israel negotiations with Iran, Pett said.

Lebanese civilians, meanwhile, are facing the fallout.

Huda Kamal Mansour, from Aitaroun village in southern Lebanon, has been living with her nine-year-old son in an empty stadium in Beirut along with other displaced families for the past 45 days.

She told Al Jazeera she ran for her life when the Israeli army started bombarding her neighbourhood.

“There was zero distance between us and the Israeli army when they attacked southern Lebanon. All I could hear was the sound of explosions hitting villages. We were told to evacuate from the village, then the tanks surrounded us,” she recalled.

“Israel didn’t leave one house standing there.”

Evil continues in GAZA

 

Israel kills at least 12 Palestinians in Gaza amid ‘ceasefire’

Hamas says the Israeli escalation represents the failure of the international community to uphold the truce in Gaza.

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Women mourn during the funeral of Palestinians who were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City on April 23 [Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters]

By Al Jazeera Staff

Published On 24 Apr 202624 Apr 2026

Israeli forces have killed 12 Palestinians in attacks throughout Gaza, medical sources in the enclave tell Al Jazeera, as Israel continues its daily violations of the ceasefire struck last year.

An Israeli attack on a police vehicle on Friday killed at least eight people, including three civilian bystanders, in Khan Younis. A separate attack in Gaza City also killed two police officers.

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Two other people were killed in the bombing of a house in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza.

Gaza’s Ministry of Interior called on the international community on Friday to intervene and end the Israeli targeting of local police forces working to restore security in civilian areas.

It said the attack in Khan Younis came after security forces intervened to break up a fight in the area.

“The continued silence of international organisations … regarding the targeting of civilian police officers constitutes complicity with the Israeli occupation, encouraging it to commit further crimes against a civilian institution protected under international law,” the ministry said.

“We emphasise that the police force provides services to citizens in the Gaza Strip across various aspects of daily life. There is absolutely no justification for targeting it or killing its personnel.”

Israel has been systemically killing police officers in Gaza, as it allies itself with criminal gangs in the occupied territory.

During its genocidal war on Gaza, which started in October 2023, the Israeli military regularly targeted officers securing aid convoys, which led to intensified looting. That, in turn, deepened the hunger crisis that Israel imposed on the territory.

Cops investigating fireworks during ‘Tangkap Azam Baki’ rally, unexploded ones found at otherwise ‘safe’ rally that drew 300 protesters

Cops investigating fireworks during ‘Tangkap Azam Baki’ rally, unexploded ones found at otherwise ‘safe’ rally that drew 300 protesters



Fireworks was seen lit during Tangkap Azam Baki Rally here at Jalan Raja. Kuala Lumpur, April 25, 2026. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Saturday, 25 Apr 2026 7:09 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 — The police are investigating an incident where fireworks were set off during the Tangkap Azam Baki rally here, confirming that a bag of unlit fireworks was found at the scene.

Dang Wangi police chief ACP Sazalee Adam said the rally was carried out “peacefully and safely”, with about 300 protesters present this afternoon.


“Just that at the start there was a slight disturbance due to the setting off of fireworks, but there was no injuries or disaster caused to the rally.”

“But the police will carry out investigations under Sections 6 and 8 of the Explosives Act. And we will try to detect and find evidence to trace who was behind the lighting of the fireworks,” he told reporters in a brief press conference near Dataran Merdeka.




The crowd reacts fireworks are set off by unknown persons during Tangkap Azam Baki Rally here at Jalan Raja Kuala Lumpur, April 25, 2026. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin


Asked about the claim that the fireworks was lit by those who wanted to sabotage the rally, Sazalee said police cannot determine this and will have to investigate.

He said the police will call in those linked to the rally, as well as independent witnesses of the fireworks incident.


He urged witnesses who saw the fireworks incident to step forward to help the police complete its investigations.

Sazalee said police found a bag of fireworks which had not been lit yet near the scene of the incident, adding that the fireworks was the type normally set off for festive celebrations.

He said rally organisers did not make any application or notify the police about the rally.

The police chief added that protesters marched from Sogo to Jalan Tun Perak, which is near Dataran Merdeka and said the rally ended around 5.35pm.

Sazalee said there were around 200 police personnel from the Kuala Lumpur contingent and the police’s Dang Wangi district headquarters today.

Asked if there were any reports of property damage, he said there were no police reports so far from traders and the public.



The crowd, with police looking on, at the Tangkap Azam Baki rally here at Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur, April 25, 2026. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Reality check: Israeli ambitions confront US dictates in Iran and Lebanon

Reality check: Israeli ambitions confront US dictates in Iran and Lebanon

Ceasefires with Iran and Lebanon appear imposed by the US rather than negotiated by Israel, much to latter’s unease

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet at Mar-a-Lago, Trump's resort, in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 29, 2025 [Jonathan Ernst/Reuters]

By Simon Speakman Cordall
Published On 24 Apr 2026


Israel finds itself engaged in two semi-frozen conflicts in Lebanon and Iran. But the outcome of these battles will likely be determined not by Israel’s own political leaders, but by the United States and President Donald Trump, Israeli analysts have told Al Jazeera.

With US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner headed to Pakistan for another round of talks with Iran, Israel is not included. And Trump announced on Thursday a three-week extension to the ceasefire in Lebanon. Israel has, of course, repeatedly violated that ceasefire – but analysts highlight that Trump continues to have more influence over events than his partners in Israel.

That is despite Israel’s leaders – and in particular Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – repeatedly calling Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah existential threats. Netanyahu had for years called for the kind of war he eventually unleashed on Iran with the US at the end of February.

But the conclusion of that war now appears out of his control. And that, according to observers, is of growing concern to the Israeli public, who were promised by Netanyahu an “end to the threat from the Ayatollah regime in Iran”, and the ultimate “disarmament” of Hezbollah.

“Netanyahu’s attempt to steer Washington on both Iran and Lebanon was both hubristic and opportunistic, but it should also not be that surprising that Netanyahu would attempt this,” former Israeli government adviser Daniel Levy said, comparing that backing to the unquestioning support the US had offered the Israeli government during its genocidal war on Gaza.

“Partly this is Netanyahu beginning to believe his own hype in terms of not only what Israel can achieve vis-a-vis Washington, but also what Israel and the US combined can achieve in terms of reshaping the region, which hasn’t happened,” Levy, who is now a prominent critic of Israel, said. “But it’s also Netanyahu seeing an opportunity with this administration, which is so hollowed out in terms of inter-agency process that he can push the US to do things that Israel … couldn’t get it to do before.”



US president Donald Trump: Lebanon-Israel ceasefire has been extended by three weeks


Israelis still want war

With both Hezbollah and Iran damaged but still standing, Trump’s announcement of twin ceasefires in Iran and Lebanon has exposed the principal cheerleader of both conflicts, Netanyahu, to domestic political jeopardy.

Just days before Trump’s Lebanon ceasefire announcement, a poll by the Israel Democracy Institute showed overwhelming support among Jewish Israeli respondents for continuing the conflict even if that led to friction with the US.

The ceasefire with Iran has also proven unpopular within Israel, with two-thirds of Israelis polled by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem opposing the pause in operations.

“I think that, on the one hand, Israelis, Israeli Jews in particular, tend to put both of them [Iran and Lebanon] into the broader basket of ‘all enemies are against us,’” Dahlia Scheindlin, an American Israeli political consultant, pollster, and journalist told Al Jazeera, “We live in a region with a sea of enemies trying to destroy Israel in every possible way. So it becomes part of a wider self-image that Israelis have.”

Public confidence that the Israeli government was able to call the shots was low, she said, with uncertainty over a future determined by an erratic US president.

“America is the far stronger partner,” Scheindlin said. “So there is an understanding that Washington ultimately shapes the course of events. Israel has influence and a voice, but not the final say. That sense is becoming an increasingly common theme at this point.”

A woman walks next to an anti-Israeli mural on a street, amid a ceasefire between the US and Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 20, 2026 [Majid Asgaripour/WANA]
Netanyahu’s critics


After Trump initially announced the ceasefire in Lebanon, former Israeli chief of staff and chair of the centrist Yashar party Gadi Eisenkot said it was a continuation of ceasefires being “imposed” on Israel over the past two and a half years.

While critics would note that the US has done little to restrain Israel and often actively supported its attacks, Eisenkot was more focused on what he called Netanyahu’s inability “to convert military achievements into diplomatic gains”.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid was equally critical, writing on social media: “Not for the first time, all the promises of this government are crashing against the ground of reality.”

“As things stand at present, the [Iranian] regime is still standing, the uranium remains in the country, the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] is in a stronger position than before, and Trump wants out,” Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli ambassador and consul general in New York, said of the predicament facing Netanyahu. “That marks a strategic defeat for Israel, whatever military achievements it may have made.

“I really don’t know if Trump cares what happens to Netanyahu,” Pinkas added, noting that, after reporting suggesting Netanyahu had manipulated Trump into the war, a visible rupture between the two might even be politically helpful for the US president. “He [Trump] wants a deal with Iran and, if Israel is the loser in that, I think Trump can live with it.”

Siti Kasim, Zaid join Ramkarpal to give 3-0 verdict DAP state rep not ‘derhaka’ to Selangor ruler

Siti Kasim, Zaid join Ramkarpal to give 3-0 verdict DAP state rep not ‘derhaka’ to Selangor ruler

SERI Kembangan state assemblywoman Wong Siew Ki who has come under heavy fire by the rightist fraternity has not been disloyal a.k.a. derhaka to Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah by championing a modern and innovative pig rearing industry in Selangor.


Such is the stance of human rights activist and lawyer Siti Kasim and former de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim who contended that the DAP state representative was only raising a matter of public interest coupled with the fact that “a decree is not the law” as Malaysia practices constitutional monarchy.
Malacca Security Analysis

The duo who are likely to face backlash from their rightist brethren effectively join fellow legal eagle and DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh who, too, fell that the call for Wong to leave the state or be suspended from the state assembly for up to 12 months “will create a dangerous precedent in silencing elected representatives”.

“No doubt, the Sultan of Selangor did call for an end to pig farming in the state, citing its environmental impact and Selangor’s demographic make-up which is respected,” argued the former deputy minister of law and institutional reform and Bukit Gelugor MP in a media statement.

“Wong’s proposal, however, doesn’t, in any way, disrespect this but instead, offers constructive alternative solutions to the issue which should not be dismissed outright for the reasons stated above.”

Editor’s Note: Selangor PAS Youth chief Mohamed Sukri Omar who wanted Wong to be suspended from the Selangor state assembly for being ‘derhaka’ has yesterday (April 24) submitted a memorandum of objection against the latter in front of the Seri Kembangan Community Service Centre.

Mohamed Sukri Omar

on Friday

Serahan Memorandum Bantahan terhadap ADN Seri Kembangan di hadapan Pusat Khidmat Masyarakat ADN Seri Kembangan.

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Respect has limit

Concurring with Ramkarpal, Siti Kasim chastised the rightist fraternity for “immediately spinning the issue into one of derhaka to the Sultan” when an elected representative spoke about the management of an industry that does exist.

“This is not about pigs. This is about silencing voices they don’t like. This is not a matter of principle. This is political manipulation,” fumed the Orang Asli advocate in a Facebook post.

Siti Kasim

on Friday

ISU PENTERNAKAN BABI DI SELANGOR

Sekarang semua benda jadi “derhaka”.
Bila tak mampu jawab hujah, jerit “derhaka”.

...See more

 — with Siti Kasim.

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“Pig farming exists as an industry. It involves economics, public health and management. Issues like this need clear policies – not emotions. But some parties are more comfortable playing with religious and emotional sentiments than discussing real solutions.”

Delving further, Siti Kasim drew a line to how respect should be accorded to Sultan Sharafuddin’s decree in February for Selangor to resort to pork import to meet local demand, hence rejecting outright the proposed large-scale centralised pig farming project in Bukit Tagar, Hulu Selangor.

Siti Kasim


Respect the Sultan – yes. But respect does not mean that all discussions must be closed. If even speaking in the House (Selangor State Assembly) is considered wrong, what is the point of having a wakil rakyat?

Discuss policies. Not sentiments. If everything is labelled derhaka, in the end there is nothing to discuss.

Today we’ve this issue. Tomorrow could be whatever they (rightists) disagree with. The country cannot move forward with the politics of fear. Enough of this drama.


Elsewhere, Zaid asserted that “a decree is not the law but merely the language of the Istana (palace) when they give their advice”.

“We aren’t a country governed by Kings of yesteryear. We are a constitutional monarchy,” reminded the opposition-slant UMNO member.

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim

on Thursday

Assemblyman Wong from Selangor rose to speak on pig farming. Suddenly, mayhem erupted, and one assemblyman from PN tried to refer him to the Privileges Committee

What did Wong do wrong? According to Dr Afifudfin, another assemblyman its treason to talk about pig farming since the Sultan had already issued a decree on the subject

My goodness, what has happened to our politicians? A decree is not the law. That’s the language of the Istana when they give their advice. We are no...

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“Any assemblymember can raise any issue of public interest and they must not be stopped from performing their duties. As pig farming involves a livelihood, you can’t just close it down without exploring all options.” – April 25, 2026