US launches fresh strikes as Iran closes Strait of Hormuz

US launches fresh strikes as Iran closes Strait of Hormuz

4 hours ago
Tabby Wilson and
Robert Greenall



The US launched a fresh wave of strikes in response to Iranian forces hitting a ship passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

In response to the American strikes, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the waterway was closed until further notice and launched attacks on US bases and allies in the region.

The IRGC said it had hit a US base in Jordan, while the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain all responded to missiles and drones from Iran.

It comes after incidents earlier this week in which three commercial tankers were attacked, prompting an exchange of strikes between the US and Iran.

Earlier on Sunday, state media said Iran had closed the Strait until further notice after firing a naval cruise missile at a vessel that was attempting to sail along an unapproved route.

The Guards said the vessel was "hit by warning shots and stopped" after ignoring repeated instructions, according to a statement carried by the state news agency.

It also warned that any US "aggression" as a result of the closure would be responded to with "severity" and new bases in the region would be targeted.

Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also the country's chief negotiator with the US, wrote on X that the "era of one-sided deals is OVER".

He went on: "We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking."

Launching a third round of strikes this week, US Central Command (Centcom) the IRGC "blatantly attacked" a Cyprus-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

Centcom said the MV GFS Galaxy was "unable to continue its journey" as a result of significant damage to the engine room. A crew member was missing, it added.

The UK's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had been informed by military authorities that the crew of the vessel were forced to abandon ship and were in a lifeboat.

"Iran was provided yet another opportunity to demonstrate adherence to the Memorandum of Understanding after being held accountable for earlier attacks on commercial vessels but has again failed," Centcom wrote in a statement shared to X.

It said US strikes hit 140 Iranian military targets, including missile and drone sites, communication networks, and coastal surveillance locations.

The statement was shared by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who wrote: "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."

The IRGC said the US had targeted "a number of coastal bases and telecommunications towers on the southern coast".


In response, Iran said its "first phase" of retaliation included strikes on the Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, saying it had destroyed the base's command and control centre and MQ9 drone hangars.

The IRGC has said ships must use their proposed route through the Strait of Hormuz


Earlier this week, three commercial tankers were attacked as they tried to cross a US-recommended route through Omani waters. Iran has repeatedly said the only "safe" route is a separate route through its waters.

The incident prompted a series of US strikes in which 17 people were killed and 115 injured, according to Iranian officials. Iran responded with strikes on US allies in the Gulf.

The exchange raised tensions, with US President Donald Trump declaring the Iranian attacks mean the ceasefire is over. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the US of violating the deal.

However, the US leader said talks would still continue and mediators were trying to revive the process. US media has reported that Iran told American officials the attacks on tankers were a mistake and blamed a rogue internal group.

American officials say they have conveyed through mediators the demand that Iran publicly state that the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international shipping route, is open and pledge to stop firing on commercial ships.

Reuters

Calls for the assassination of Donald Trump were heard at funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Mashhad



The closure follows a call for revenge from Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, in his first public statement since his father's funeral.

His father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, was killed in an air strike on 28 February, on the first day of the US-Israeli war against Iran. He was buried in his home city of Mashhad on Friday.

Via a statement read out on state television, the new ayatollah said that vengeance was the "will of the nation".

"We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers," he was quoted as saying.

"The matter depends neither on my personal existence nor on that of other officials. Whether we are present or not, it will come to pass."

Many Iranians taking part in funeral ceremonies over the past few days carried placards calling for the killing of US President Donald Trump, who on Saturday warned that any such plans would see the US "decimate and destroy all areas" of Iran in response.

The Wall Street Journal and other US media reported this week that Israel had shared intelligence with Washington that Iran had recently devised a plan to assassinate the US president.

However, Trump denied that Tehran had made a fresh plan or that Israel was the source of any intelligence. He told the New York Post in an interview that he had been "No. 1 [on Iran's kill list] for a long time".

Pejuang raises PN’s ‘collective responsibility’ over wipeout in Johor polls

Pejuang raises PN’s ‘collective responsibility’ over wipeout in Johor polls


Pejuang calls for 'holistic, honest and constructive' post-mortem of the Johor polls results, amid Wawasan blaming it on Bersatu

Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali said strong consensus and cooperation among all components is crucial to build public confidence in PN.

PETALING JAYA: All Perikatan Nasional components bear the collective responsibility of evaluating where the coalition needs to improve after its wipeout in the Johor polls yesterday, says Pejuang.

Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali said the coalition must hold a holistic, honest and constructive post-mortem of the election results.

“As a coalition, each component bears collective responsibility in evaluating PN’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the strategies that need improvement.


“The findings of this evaluation are crucial to bolstering PN as a coalition ahead of upcoming state elections and the 16th general election,” he said in a Facebook post.

Pejuang was admitted into PN last month along with Parti Wawasan Negara, helmed by former Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin.


PN fielded 33 candidates in the Johor polls, comprising 16 from Bersatu, 11 from PAS, five from the Malaysian Indian People’s Party and one from Pejuang. Gerakan did not take part.

The coalition’s wipeout occurred against the backdrop of PAS ending its political cooperation with Bersatu last month and refusing to campaign for Bersatu candidates.

Earlier today, Johor Wawasan chief Zulkifli Bujang accused Bersatu of being the cause of PN’s dismal performance in Johor, citing its prolonged internal turmoil which reached its peak with Hamzah’s dismissal from the party earlier this year.

Zulkifli is among the division leaders sacked during Bersatu’s purge of leaders aligned with Hamzah, the opposition leader.

Rafique said PN must strengthen its organisational workflow, expand its grassroots network, coordinate its policies and offer more convincing solutions to the issues faced by Malaysians.

He added that the confidence of voters is won through continuous service, not merely by serving them when elections come around.

“Pejuang is committed to strengthening PN as a coalition that is a government in waiting. Strong understanding, consensus and cooperation among all components are crucial to building public confidence in PN,” Rafique said.

Dear Harapan, can you hear the song of angry men?

Dear Harapan, can you hear the song of angry men?

Yiswaree Palansamy
Published: Jul 12, 2026 1:00 PM
Updated: 3:05 PM


COMMENT | Pakatan Harapan needs to pull itself together. Its political messaging and campaign tactics have lost their effectiveness, and its humiliating wipeout in Sabah was already a glaring warning sign.

Instead, it resorted to juvenile fearmongering, most embarrassingly exemplified by DAP deputy chairperson Nga Kor Ming.

The tactic backfired spectacularly, dealing a resounding blow to a coalition that is already haemorrhaging voter support and public trust.

Harapan took its loyal supporters for fools, believing its tired and increasingly irrelevant battle cry and Nga's childish attempts to use Rosmah Mansor as a political diversion would still resonate.

It threw every trick in the book at the campaign, yet kept pulling the same rabbit out of the hat, an appeal that has long since lost its potency with voters.

Even so, it seemed to believe that a token effort would somehow deliver a landslide victory. Again, it took the people of Johor for fools, only to face their seething wrath.

Unpacking the sentiments

As a Johorean, I will attempt to unpack the sentiments that appear to have shaped the state’s political mood. It is really not rocket science. Voters are often far more practical than politicians give them credit for.

The 1MDB narrative has lost much of its political mileage. For years, the issue was the centrepiece of the opposition’s campaign against BN, but the Johor results suggest that the issue no longer carries the same weight among many voters as it once did.

The political silver bullet that was expected to end BN’s appeal appears to have lost its impact. The old script is no longer producing the same reaction.

Rosmah is no longer the figure that keeps voters awake at night; instead, concerns have shifted towards what they perceive as the arrogance of power.

Rosmah Mansor


The fear factor has changed. The issue is less about past personalities and more about whether those currently in power are seen as overconfident, disconnected or taking voters for granted.

For many Johoreans, bread-and-butter issues remain far more immediate than political narratives. Jobs, wages, economic opportunities and the future prospects of their children are concerns that cannot be solved through slogans or campaign rhetoric.

A voter may tolerate political differences, but uncertainty about employment and livelihoods is a far more pressing matter.

Livid Indian voters

The Indian community’s support for Harapan appears to have also weakened very, very significantly.

The fact that MIC, a party often written off as politically irrelevant within the community, managed to retain or win seats, including in contests against DAP, should serve as a wake-up call.

READ MORE: MIC makes clean sweep, stuns DAP in Perling stronghold


The message from some voters appears simple. It is not because they love BN, but it was “asalkan bukan Harapan” (as long as it is not Harapan). When a party once considered politically marginal can outperform expectations, it suggests a deeper dissatisfaction that cannot be dismissed so simply.

Beyond politics, voters also judge the government based on everyday realities, particularly the state of public education and healthcare.

I have received numerous complaints from government doctors and teachers voicing frustrations with the government's problem-solving approach in these matters.

They requested anonymity, of course, because the government would rather conduct a witch-hunt than actually address the problems mentioned.

These are not abstract policy discussions; they are services that directly affect families. When schools struggle and healthcare facilities remain under pressure, voters naturally question whether political promises have translated into meaningful improvements.

In the end, the Johor election may have reflected a familiar political instinct. Voters sometimes choose the villain they know over the friend they feel has quietly betrayed their trust.

It is not necessarily an endorsement of everything the old order represents, but rather a rejection of what some voters perceive as disappointment, overpromising or a lack of delivery from the alternative.


Lack of action on anti-corruption pledge

In fact, there have been quiet conversations within some quarters of the Indian community for a while now: yes, Najib "stole" money, but at least he provided livelihoods.

When this sentiment starts translating into voter apathy, it signals that Harapan is in deep trouble.

The fact that voters are willing to look past corruption of this scale suggests that Harapan has not done itself any favours on the anti-corruption front.

It also implies that whatever gains people expected from a cleaner government have failed to materialise in ways they can feel in their daily lives.


READ MORE: Azalina: Govt cannot disclose Azam Baki's shareholdings


This is a telling admission. It suggests that, for a segment of voters, corruption is not judged in the abstract but weighed against tangible outcomes such as jobs, income, and opportunity.

If a leader seen as corrupt is remembered as someone who delivered on that front, while a government elected on a reform platform is seen as falling short economically, then the anti-corruption argument alone loses its persuasive power.

READ MORE: Najib's 1MDB plunder made Attila the Hun look like a choirboy – judge


Disillusionment of this kind rarely stays confined to one community; it tends to be a warning sign of a broader erosion of trust that could shape voting behaviour well beyond the immediate group where it first takes root.

The lesson from Johor is perhaps uncomfortable for all sides. Voters may forgive old mistakes, but they are far less forgiving when they feel ignored.

The next litmus test in this? Negeri Sembilan state polls. All the best, Harapan.

Yiswaree Palansamy is a member of the Malaysiakini team.

Johor polls hot pan for Harapan, will N Sembilan be leaping into fire?

Johor polls hot pan for Harapan, will N Sembilan be leaping into fire?

Yoursay
Published: Jul 12, 2026 7:00 AM
Updated: 10:12 AM



YOURSAY | ‘DAP’s 40pct seat reduction should be a strong wake-up call.’

BN bags 48 seats in landslide win, Harapan retains 8



Anonymous_3f4b: This is very, very good. Syabas, congratulations to Bangsa Johor for showing the way in Peninsular Malaysia.

Pakatan Harapan is demolished, and DAP gets its second drubbing after Sabah. It would be better if DAP lost all 17 seats it contested. There would be 17 eggy presents for them.

Syabas MCA, Harapan deserves to lose. They are devoid of majority Malay support; the Indian votes are gone, and the Chinese votes are down 40 percent at least.

DAP can call itself the “Disintegrate Actionless Party” if the same scenario repeats itself in Negeri Sembilan.

It is expected that Bersama lost. A new political kid on the block with no money, no resources, no manpower and no logistics. They contested only 15 state seats with no chance of forming the state government.

The people want clear choices of who will be the next government in waiting, not a trial-and-error type of mish-mash politics.

Relatively speaking, BN’s multi-racial and multi-religious approach is way better than Harapan’s, with its fake reformasi and Madani ideology.

PinkJaguar7289: This is a big yes - this was a long-awaited victory and a genuine comeback. While others relied on loud rhetoric, arrogance, and political theatre, the winners played a disciplined, silent game: listening, organising, and letting the ballot box speak.

Sometimes the strongest comeback is not announced from the stage; it is built quietly on the ground and revealed on election night. Congratulations to them.

Meanwhile, DAP’s fall from 10 seats in 2022 to just six in 2026 - a loss of four seats, or 40 percent of its representation - should be a serious wake-up call.

Voters are tired of recycled rhetoric, endless political lecturing and the arrogance displayed at some ceramahs, as though public support is guaranteed.

People want humility, accountability, and practical solutions, not leaders who speak down to them.

When a party stops listening and starts believing its own applause, the ballot box delivers the verdict.

DAP’s fall from 10 seats to six is the ballot box telling arrogant, recycled politics that voters are no longer guaranteed.

GP2025: It appears that once again, BN and particularly Umno should thank Harapan for this overwhelming support for a corruption-tainted party. The voters punished Harapan, but BN benefited from it.

I have to grudgingly admit that BN played a good game at Harapan’s expense, thanks to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. If he had severed ties with BN/Umno, this wouldn’t have happened.

It also shows voters still haven’t learnt strategic voting. Vote for alternatives who won’t win enough seats to form a government, but who will deprive the parties of the votes to win.

Apanama is back: The majority of voters are risk-averse and play it safe. They get what they vote for.

Nothing is great about Umno Baru except that they have given former premier Najib Abdul Razak a discount on his jail term.

Now DAP can come up with a “gotong-royong” strategy with Umno Baru on Najib's pardon application for the second time.

However, this win will not have a multiplier effect throughout the country. Umno Baru and its president, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, will become more arrogant and deluded as a result of the current win.

It appears that DAP is struggling to win more seats. This is DAP’s strategy by its secretary-general, Anthony Loke. Well done, Loke. “Terus berusaha” (Keep it up).

Wait for your next slap in the Negeri Sembilan polls, which will be the best one in your home base.

DAP should stay put in the coalition government to enjoy perks and benefits, including pensions. Don’t pull out. Let the voters send you people packing. “Baru nampak cantik” (it will look great then).

Milshah: The Johor election results, which concluded last night, are as expected. There will be those who want to pin Harapan’s losses to failure to implement reforms.

Anwar and DAP need to be prepared with the keyboard warriors I warned at the start of the election.

But it does not make sense to vote for BN, which made no reforms. If any, Bersama should win some seats, which they did not.

As I said since the beginning of the election, BN will win because Johor is a BN fortress. Umno is Johor, and Johor is Umno. The party also has a very popular menteri besar in Onn Hafiz Ghazi, and BN has the endorsement of PAS.

Congratulations to Onn, Umno, and BN. Now, on to Negeri Sembilan polls!

This election has nothing to do with Harapan’s shortcomings at the federal level. Anyway, don’t take heart; it’s normal to have winners and losers.

BobbyO: The Chinese voters are practical as they know it is easier to deal and do business with Umno. If not, why the sudden change in their mindset?

Why vote for a party that has proven time after time that it is corrupt to the core? Is it because it is easier to do business and Johor has a good future ahead of it?

Also, it is a known fact that Johor has a ruler who has entrepreneurship running in his veins. He wants Johor to prosper and be like its southern neighbour.

Well, congratulations to all the winners. Let us hope that the nation also prospers together with the success that Johor brings.

To DAP and especially PKR, you have an uphill battle to regain your support. Drastic measures need to be put in place; if not, you will be returned to the opposition bench and reduced to a mosquito party.

Anak Malaysiaku: Johoreans will taste their own medicine; they voted as if BN would give them better governance.

Look at BN leaders, they are not going to drive Johoreans to a better future. Johoreans have made a big mistake. Check the situation in five years’ time.

The winners are Singaporeans. Johor BN lacks leadership, drive, and initiative, as more talents flow to Singapore. Vietnam and Thailand will face less competition from incompetent Johor.

The biggest losers are young Johoreans whose future is further doomed while the elites enjoy.

Harapan should bite the bullet and eliminate corruption without fear or favour and stop playing race and religion games. They have to act fast as the 16th general election is coming.

We all want our country to prosper, but not with corrupt and useless leaders. It is a pity that Johoreans are not mature enough to see this.

PH had no clear strategy for Johor polls, ex-Amanah MP says

PH had no clear strategy for Johor polls, ex-Amanah MP says


Hanipa Maidin says the coalition relied heavily on outdated campaign models, like organising massive ceramahs

Former Sepang MP Hanipa Maidin said PH failed to counter the narrative of alleged ‘unfulfilled promises’ and that proved damaging.

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan, which only managed to win eight out of the 56 seats it contested at yesterday’s Johor election, had no clear strategy for the polls, particularly across social media, a former Amanah MP said.

In a statement, Hanipa Maidin said the execution of PH’s campaign appeared haphazard and devoid of a cohesive strategic plan.

The coalition, he added, also seemingly allowed almost anyone to campaign for it, including people whose public image could have hurt the coalition. Hanipa, however, did not identify anyone in particular.

“The sole qualification seemed to be the ability to deliver a speech,” the former Sepang MP said, adding that an election “is not a debate stage for politicians to win arguments”.

Hanipa also chided PH for relying heavily on outdated campaign models, including large-scale ceramahs, which often attracted “political tourists” rather than actual local voters.

He said such events looked impressive as they were attended by many people eager to listen to popular leaders and snap selfies.

“But it ultimately created a ‘syok sendiri’ (delusional) campaign that masked a lack of genuine, on-the-ground support,” he added.

Another weak point, according to Hanipa, was that PH failed to counter the narrative of alleged “unfulfilled promises” and that proved damaging.

He also praised Barisan Nasional – which won 48 of the 56 seats it vied for – for strategically positioning its Johor chairman Onn Hafiz Ghazi as their “poster boy” to maximise his immense local popularity.

“It worked flawlessly.”

How supercop Paul Kiong triggered mass defections of communists inside Perak’s jungles, while cheating death for six years

How supercop Paul Kiong triggered mass defections of communists inside Perak’s jungles, while cheating death for six years



An undated picture of Paul Kiong at the Petai communist camp in Kinta Forest Reserve in Central Park, Perak while serving as the Special Branch’s ground commander. — Picture courtesy of Datuk Paul Kiong

First Published: Sunday, 12 Jul 2026 2:00 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, July 12 — At 82, Ipoh-born Datuk Paul Kiong still prides himself as a sharp judge of character, a trait that served him well when leading a high-stakes double life amid communist fighters back in the 1960s.

The gritty Kiong always longed for adventure and even applied to become a game ranger in Kenya after finishing school.

He did eventually traverse the wilderness — but closer to home.

Kiong enlisted as a police constable in 1964 and served in Singapore for three years before the second wave of communist insurgency hit Malaysia in 1968.


At that time, the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) dispatched the Fifth Assault Unit to Perak, the Sixth Assault Unit to Pahang and the Seventh Assault Unit to Kelantan.


The deadly attacks led to the Second Malayan Emergency which was from 1968 to 1989.

In 1967, Kiong was posted as a Special Branch detective to neutralise underground communist cells in Johor. In 1976, he was deployed as the ground commander under Operation Bamboo to cripple the Fifth Assault Unit operating in Perak’s jungles.


Kiong’s biggest success was the en bloc defection of the Fifth Assault Unit while keeping the 13th Regiment — the armed wing of CPM — in southern Thailand, oblivious about it until they surrendered in 1989.

“For six years, the 13th Regiment was supplying weapons and funds to the Fifth Assault Unit whenever they asked at our behest. They had no clue!” Kiong told Malay Mail, after his guest lecture at Universiti Malaya here recently.

“Whenever we caught communist terrorists (CTs), we treat them well, give them proper meals like what we eat and repeatedly talk them out of communism.“We would then use the turncoats to lure more CTs to defect. Gunfight was always the last resort,” he explained.

Kiong’s undercover life began as a courier driving the communist fighters to deliver secret messages or “roll-slips” to other guerilla units.

He also delivered provisions to them but would deliberately reduce certain items and delay the deliveries to maintain frequent communications.

“We would purposely give them less salt to induce muscle cramps.

“If they asked for condoms and old newspapers, it meant the group had sexually active males and female CTs and some females were undergoing menstruation.

“We would give them fewer condoms to trigger accidental pregnancies, which would subsequently trigger desertion,” Kiong said.


A career built on close shaves



An undated picture of Paul Kiong while serving as the Special Branch’s ground commander under Operation Bamboo to neutralise communist forces operating in Perak’s jungles. — Picture courtesy of Datuk Paul Kiong



Kiong, a devout Catholic, always prayed at his church in Ipoh before each mission.

Looking back, Kiong said his unwavering faith saved him during many close encounters — moments where he thought he would not survive.

One such moment occurred in 1981 when Kiong had to accompany a CT — who claimed to have defected — to deliver a “roll-slip” to a guerilla unit at a cemetery in Chemor to avoid suspicion.

Kiong reluctantly followed but with every passing minute, he anxiously anticipated an ambush and was prepared to pull the trigger when a group of fighters escorted the man back.

“I was ready to kill at least two communists before I die. But, just before I fired, the guy quietly got into the car and we drove back to the police camp,” Kiong recalled.

Another narrow escape came later that year when Kiong led a raid to nab communists at a camp called Stone Coffin in Perak.

The rebellious female fighters threathened to go hostile and crash the helicopter during the transfer but Kiong tactfully foiled the attempt.

The Special Branch detained 43 CTs in Perak between 1981 and 1986 through covert operations led by Kiong.


Not all doom and gloom




Datuk Paul Kiong showing some of the equipment he still treasures from his time in the jungle. — Picture by Choo Choy May



Some light-hearted moments also remain vivid in Kiong’s memories like when he played Cupid for two defectors in his custody and got them married in 1981.

The following year, some defectors made Chinese dumplings or pau, stuffed with wild boar meat, to celebrate Kiong’s 38th birthday.

Even today, Kiong visits some of the ex-communist members and their families to share a meal and reminisce the grim old days.

“For them, every cause demands a sacrifice and they paid their price with their loved ones. So, they don’t hold grudges now as the war is over,” Kiong said, when asked about the reconciliation.

In 1983, Kiong was awarded the Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa — Malaysia’s highest gallantry award — and is currently one of the only four living recipients.

He retired as a superintendent in Bukit Aman on Feb 1, 1998.

Kiong obtained his honorific ‘Datuk’ title from the Sultan of Terengganu in 2011 and received a Honorary Masters in Strategy from Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) in 2014.

He will be launching his memoir, The ‘Communist’ Role I Played: Undercover During The 2nd Malayan Emergency (1968—1989), on July 26 at the Subang National Golf Club.

Related:

(1) Never doubt non-Malay patriotism, says hero

(2) I wish to remain a M’sian – KTemoc replies Kadir Jasin

(3) Chinese policemen

(4) TOTAL KERBAU on: "Low Chinese participation in the civil service? Get them to join the army", suggests UMNO Youth chief

(5) Farewell to a Malaysian Hero

(6) Not all CT were Chinese, not all heroes were Malays


** Dr Akmal should read all these

DEDICATED to our Malaysian Heroes


NOT at the battle front,--writ of in story;
Not on the blazing wreck steering to glory;

Not while in martyr-pangs soul and flesh sever,
Died he--this Hero new; hero forever.

No pomp poetic crowned, no forms enchained him,
No friends applauding watched, no foes arraigned him:

Death found him there, without grandeur or beauty,
Only an honest man doing his duty:

Just a God-fearing man, simple and lowly,
Constant at kirk and hearth, kindly as holy:

Death found--and touched him with finger in flying:--
Lo! he rose up complete--hero undying.

Now, all men mourn for him, lovingly raise him
Up from his life obscure, chronicle, praise him;

Tell his last act, done midst peril appalling,
And the last word of cheer from his lips falling;

Follow in multitudes to his grave's portal;
Leave him there, buried in honor immortal.

So many a Hero walks unseen beside us,
Till comes the supreme stroke sent to divide us.

- extracts of a poem by Dinah Maria Mulok Craik

'Najib' trolls Harapan on release date

'Najib' trolls Harapan on release date

Malaysiakini Team
Published: Jul 12, 2026 11:24 AM
Updated: 1:58 PM


Johor polls

Najib Abdul Razak’s Facebook page administrator mocked Pakatan Harapan over the ex-premier’s rumoured release date, purportedly premised upon BN's Johor win.

"Surely Harapan would not lie to the people of Johor. They said that if BN won big in Johor, Najib would be freed. So, is Najib being released today? At about what time?" a Facebook post reads.

DAP deputy chairperson Nga Kor Ming


Though not naming anyone, the post appeared to target DAP deputy chairperson Nga Kor Ming.

In an interview with Oriental Daily last month, the housing and local government minister warned that a landslide Umno victory in Johor could lead to Najib’s early release.

If that were to happen, Nga said he would be the first to resign from the cabinet and warned that DAP might also quit the federal government.

READ MORE: Elections cannot be used as 'get out of jail free' card, says Azalina

Veteran newsman expects Johor result to affect GE16 timing

Veteran newsman expects Johor result to affect GE16 timing


A Kadir Jasin says the Madani government's 'lifeline' to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was appointed deputy prime minister in November 2022, has massively benefitted the BN chairman

Veteran journalist A Kadir Jasin said BN’s decision to go solo in the Johor polls despite being federal allies with Pakatan Harapan proved effective.

PETALING JAYA: Veteran journalist A Kadir Jasin expects the outcome of yesterday’s Johor polls, which saw Barisan Nasional romping to a major victory, to affect when the next general election (GE16) would be held.

Kadir said a BN victory was always expected while the Umno-led coalition’s decision to go solo despite being federal allies with Pakatan Harapan proved effective.

He said another key factor that bolstered Umno’s standing was welcoming back previously sanctioned leaders, including Hishammuddin Hussein, who has been an MP in Johor since 1995.

Kadir also said the Madani government’s “lifeline” to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was appointed deputy prime minister at the unity government’s formation, has massively benefitted the BN chairman and Umno president.

“Although (PH chairman) Anwar Ibrahim managed to become prime minister with the help of his ‘student’ (Zahid), the student has now turned into Anwar’s number one threat.

“This may affect Anwar’s position as prime minister and influence the timing of GE16,” he said in a Facebook post.

BN won 48 of the 56 seats up for grabs in the Johor assembly while PH took the remaining eight. Both coalitions are allies in the federal government.

Analysts see growing non-Malay rejection of DAP, PH

Analysts see growing non-Malay rejection of DAP, PH


4 hours ago
Dineskumar Ragu


The scale of PH's defeat also showed that the Anwar Ibrahim brand is no longer enough to switch support to PH candidates automatically, says an analyst

An analyst said the Johor election results showed that non-Malay protest votes were cast against DAP and PH in Johor, as in Sabah last year. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Johor election results show a growing rejection of Pakatan Harapan among non-Malay voters, political analysts said after PH won only eight seats yesterday, for a loss of four seats since 2022.

Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri.

Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri of Global Asia Consulting said DAP and PH, for years, had been able to count on strong support from Chinese and Indian voters, especially in urban and mixed constituencies. However, the Johor results showed that such an assumption was no longer safe.


“More worrying for PH than any seat won by Barisan Nasional is the message sent by those who chose not to vote at all. Across several mixed constituencies, lower participation among non-Malay voters appears to have hurt PH’s ability to remain competitive,” he told FMT.


Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said non-Malay voters had once again cast protest votes against DAP and PH by voting for BN in Johor, after doing so with Warisan in Sabah last year in the state elections.

Oh Ei Sun.


“If PH doesn’t quicken its reform pace, say, in the remaining year or so, it’s likely to lose some seats in the next general election,” he warned.


Official results show that PH won only 8 seats, down by four from the 12 it won in 2022. DAP won six seats, while PKR and Amanah each won a seat. Four DAP seats won in 2022 were taken by MCA and MIC, according to results, including DAP’s strongholds of Johor Jaya and Perling.


Abandon Johor takeover dream

Zaharuddin and Oh urged PH to abandon its ambition to take power in Johor, as the results showed that the state would remain BN’s most solid fortress.

Zaharuddin said that PH should have learned its lesson from its loss of Chinese support in Sabah, by focusing on rebuilding its core support base. Instead of doing so, PH doubled down by trying to become the next Johor government despite the solid support for BN.


“Instead of contesting almost every constituency, PH should focus on becoming Johor’s strongest and most credible opposition. Concentrate resources on winnable seats. Build respected local leaders. Hold the government accountable. Earn trust before asking for power,” he added.

Oh says that it is better for PH to focus its resources on winning a sizeable number of seats so that it can become an effective state opposition.

Voters’ rejection of Anwar?

Awang Azman Awang Pawi.


Political scientist Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaya said the Johor results posed a clear warning to Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister and PH chairman. “The scale of PH’s defeat showed that the Anwar brand is no longer enough to switch support to PH candidates automatically,” he told FMT.


However, it was not easy to conclude that the entire electorate had rejected or lost faith in Anwar.

Azman said the PH campaign in Johor relied heavily on national figures, although state elections required more localised messaging on the Johor PH chief, what development model PH could offer Johor, and why PH would be better in office than Onn Hafiz Ghazi’s government.


He said the “paradox of the PH-BN relationship,” has affected Anwar, as he had to preserve his working relationship with BN in Putrajaya while at the same time asking Johor voters to reject BN.

“This message is difficult to explain to ordinary voters and gave BN an advantage to claim that state stability is more important than national-level competition,” he said.

“This election result is not necessarily an absolute referendum on Anwar’s qualification as a prime minister. However, it shows that his personal political capital has diminished and is geographically and institutionally limited. Anwar is still acceptable as the leader of the federal government, but PH in Johor can no longer survive solely on his charisma and reputation,” he added.

PN’s backing helped BN wrest 2 DAP seats, says Teo

PN’s backing helped BN wrest 2 DAP seats, says Teo


The state DAP chief says PH received more votes in Johor Jaya and Perling but still lost

Johor DAP chief Teo Nie Ching said the party accepts the decision made by the voters, and will fix its weaknesses. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional’s backing in Perling and Johor Jaya helped Barisan Nasional wrest the two seats from DAP, says state chief Teo Nie Ching.

Teo said the DAP candidates fielded in both seats had actually received a higher number of votes compared with the 2022 state polls, but still lost due to the transfer of PN votes to BN.
Campaigns& Elections



MCA secured Johor Jaya with a 7,268-vote majority while MIC took Perling with a 1,611-vote majority in yesterday’s state election.


In 2022, DAP won Johor Jaya with a 1,922-vote majority ahead of the MCA candidate, while PN emerged third-best with 8,307 votes.

Similarly, DAP won the Perling seat in 2022 by 3,347 votes ahead of the MCA candidate, but PN received a significant 8,829 votes.


“We will look into the other factors that caused DAP’s defeats in Jementah, Tangkak and others, while learning from this and fixing our weaknesses.

“DAP humbly accepts the results and the decision of Johoreans. This result sends us a clear message to do better,” Teo, the Kulai MP, said in a statement.

DAP saw its haul of seats dwindle to six having won 10 in the 2022 state polls. The Pakatan Harapan component lost four strongholds to MCA and MIC, including Johor Jaya and Perling, both of which it has held for at least two terms.

DAP survives Johor test as PKR, Amanah falter

DAP survives Johor test as PKR, Amanah falter


2 hours ago
Lynelle Tham


The state election exposes PH’s uneven performance, with DAP managing to hold some ground while PKR and Amanah struggled to regain lost support

(From left) Former education minister Maszlee Malik won Puteri Wangsa, but Batu Pahat MP Onn Abu Bakar and Pulai MP Suhaizan Kayat were defeated in their respective contests in the Johor state election.

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan was left reeling from a disastrous outcome in the 17th Johor state election yesterday, winning only eight of the 56 seats it contested.

The coalition’s performance told a stark tale of contrasts among its three component parties. While DAP lost several key seats, it managed to hold on to six of its traditional strongholds, but PKR and Amanah continued to struggle in their attempts to rebuild support in the state.

DAP, which contested 17 seats, only retained Bentayan, Penggaram, Mengkibol, Senai, Skudai and Stulang.


It ceded Jementah, Tangkak and Johor Jaya to MCA, and Perling to MIC, suggesting erosion in the party’s urban and Chinese support base.

However, DAP comfortably retained Skudai despite replacing Marina Ibrahim, who quit politics over a candidate selection dispute that became the party’s biggest internal controversy before campaigning began.


PKR, which contested the most number of seats at 20, again failed to make significant inroads.

The party lost Bukit Batu, its only seat from the 2022 state election, but captured Puteri Wangsa from Muda. PH had held Puteri Wangsa since 2013.

The result extended PKR’s miserable run in Johor after it was reduced to a single seat in 2022 following its five-seat victory during PH’s historic 2018 win.

Unlike BN, which built its campaign around menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, PH went into the election without naming a menteri besar candidate or poster boy, saying it respected the Johor palace’s prerogative to appoint the state’s leader.


Without an official campaign figurehead, much of the attention fell on former education minister Maszlee Malik, who contested Puteri Wangsa in a bid to revive his political career after losing the Simpang Renggam parliamentary seat and the Layang-Layang contest in 2022.

Maszlee succeeded in winning Puteri Wangsa by 5,744 votes, but the party’s overall performance remained underwhelming.

PKR had also pinned its hopes on Batu Pahat MP Onn Abu Bakar in Senggarang, but he was defeated by a majority of 7,916 votes.

Coming less than a year after its disappointing Sabah election performance, the latest result is likely to intensify pressure on PKR as it heads into the Negeri Sembilan polls in three weeks, and prepares for a possible general election later this year.


Amanah likewise failed to stage a comeback, retaining only Simpang Jeram, the sole seat it won in the 2022 state election, after securing nine seats during PH’s 2018 victory.

The party fielded Pulai MP Suhaizan Kaiat in Larkin after he successfully defended the Pulai parliamentary seat in the 2023 by-election, but lost by a majority of 20,282 votes.

Despite expanding its contest to 19 seats this election, Amanah failed to translate the broader fielding strategy into electoral gains, again casting doubt on the party’s value to PH.

Return of the prodigal son, & Penang awaits

MCA wins 8 seats in Johor, surpassing DAP’s 6


Yesterday
Nicholas Chung


The BN component party's biggest achievement was to regain Tangkak, Jementah and Johor Jaya, which had been held by DAP since 2013

Having consistently lost multiple urban, Chinese-majority seats to DAP over the past decade or so, the outcome of the Johor polls could put to rest calls for MCA to leave BN.

PETALING JAYA: MCA has won eight seats in the Johor state assembly, surpassing DAP’s haul of six seats, in what marks a major achievement for Umno’s Chinese-based partner in Barisan Nasional.

The outcome of the Johor election overturns a record of consistent MCA losses in urban, Chinese-majority seats to DAP over the past decade or so, and could put to rest calls for MCA to leave BN.

The party’s biggest achievement tonight was in regaining Tangkak, Jementah and Johor Jaya, three seats that were MCA seats for years before falling to DAP in 2013, 2018 and 2022, although with significantly reduced majorities.


MCA also managed to maintain its grip on Pekan Nanas, Yong Peng, Bekok and Paloh – seats that it won in 2022 – and helped BN hold on to the Layang-Layang seat, which Umno won in 2022, seeing off the challenge of PKR’s B Guna and Bersatu’s Abd Mutalip Abd Rahim.
Politics

DAP, on the other hand, saw its 10 seats dwindle to six, with three lost to MCA and one to MIC (Perling), while clinging on to the Bentayan, Mengkibol, Stulang, Penggaram, Senai and Skudai seats.

The result averts a repeat of the total wipeout it experienced in the Sabah polls in November, but will undoubtedly set alarm bells ringing among the top leadership with the next general election not long from now.

EC tally shows BN wins landslide Johor victory with 48 seats, Pakatan reduced to eight

EC tally shows BN wins landslide Johor victory with 48 seats, Pakatan reduced to eight



Deputy Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (centre) smiles as he poses with Machap incumbent Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (right) after a press conference on the unofficial results of the 16th Johor state election at the Johor Umno Liaison Building in Johor Bahru on July 11, 2026. — Bernama pic

First Published: Saturday, 11 Jul 2026 11:15 PM MYT


JOHOR BAHRU, July 11 — Barisan Nasional (BN) secured a landslide victory in the 16th Johor state election today, with the latest Election Commission (EC) tally showing the coalition winning 48 of the state’s 56 seats.

Pakatan Harapan (PH) took the remaining eight seats, while Perikatan Nasional (PN), Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) failed to secure representation in the Johor Legislative Assembly.

The figures were displayed during the EC’s results livestream on Facebook at about 10.45pm, but remained unofficial pending the completion of counting and tabulation, as well as formal declarations by the returning officers in all constituencies.

EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun, however, announced that BN had secured at least 29 seats, confirming that the coalition had crossed the simple-majority threshold needed to form the state government.


The result gives BN more than the 38 seats required for a two-thirds majority in the 56-member state assembly.

PH suffered heavy losses after winning 12 seats in the 2022 state election, reducing its representation by four seats.

Johor BN chief Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi thanked voters for backing the coalition and urged all successful candidates to serve Johoreans regardless of their political affiliation.


“Now that we have won, we must serve everyone — Malays, Chinese, Indians and Orang Asli — because we are all Bangsa Johor,” said Onn Hafiz, who retained the Machap seat.

Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun described PH’s performance as “shocking”, and said the coalition would assess the reasons for its losses.

“Anwar can’t dismiss MCA and rewrite history on UEC,” says MCA

“Anwar can’t dismiss MCA and rewrite history on UEC,” says MCA

MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon has strongly refuted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s campaign claims regarding the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), accusing him of disregarding history and erasing MCA’s decades-long contributions to Chinese education.


“Anwar claimed that the Madani Government has resolved the issue of the UEC and criticised MCA for failing to do so over the past decades. Such remarks disregard history and seek to erase MCA’s decades of contributions towards Chinese education.

“The progress made on UEC recognition did not happen overnight. It was built through MCA’s consistent efforts over many years.

“In 2010, the government allowed UEC holders to apply for PTPTN loans to pursue higher education at private institutions, significantly expanding opportunities for Chinese independent secondary school leavers,” he wrote on Facebook today.

Chong countered that current UEC admission requirements for selected public university programmes – requiring passes in SPM Bahasa Melayu and History – mirror Barisan Nasional’s previous proposals.

He noted that this falls far short of full recognition, highlighting that DAP’s past promise of an unconditional, single-subject requirement has quietly vanished.

Additionally, Chong credited MCA’s public disclosure for the Cabinet’s decision to restore a full 10-year tax exemption for the TARC Education Foundation.

This reversed a Finance Ministry directive that had quietly slashed the exemption to three years. Chong stressed that MCA will continue to hold the government accountable and defend vernacular education from being manipulated for political narratives.

“Facts do not change to suit political narratives,” he said.

“As the nation’s leader, especially during an election campaign, the prime minister should credit the process that produced this outcome accurately, rather than presenting a reversal secured through public pressure as though it required none.

“MCA will continue to defend vernacular education, safeguard the interests of the TARC Education Foundation, and hold government to its commitments so that Malaysians can make informed and fair judgements.” — July 11, 2026

 

Power cuts plunge Gaza hospitals into darkness as Israel’s attacks persist

Gaza is suffering from an energy crisis, affecting hospitals already struggling to treat patients amid Israeli bombing.

By Eman Abu Zayed

Published On 11 Jul 202611 Jul 2026

Omar Abu Atwa, a 30-year-old driver, was walking home from work one day in central Gaza last month when an explosion shook the street around him.

Bloodied and confused, he was taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah, where doctors examined injuries to his hand.

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As he waited for an X-ray, the lights cut out, rendering much of the hospital’s medical equipment inoperable, including the machine doctors needed to inspect his wound.

After a six-hour wait in the ward, Omar left tired and frustrated, without an X-ray or proper treatment for his injured hand. This is a repeated experience for patients in Gaza, including those rushed to hospital to receive potentially lifesaving surgery.

“I waited for many hours inside the hospital hoping for electricity to return and the medical devices to start working again. During that time, I was in pain and anxious because I did not know the nature of my injury or whether my condition required urgent medical intervention,” he told Al Jazeera.

“I saw children, elderly people and injured individuals waiting just as I was. Some needed medical tests, while others kept asking about when electricity would return so they could continue their treatment. The crisis affected everyone.”

Israel’s genocide has already caused immense damage to Gaza’s healthcare sector, with Israeli bombing since October 7, 2023 destroying 38 hospitals and 96 primary healthcare centres or rendering them inoperable.

Bombing has almost completely decimated Gaza’s national grid, with about 90 percent of power lines destroyed, forcing hospitals to rely on generators for power.

But an ongoing blockade on Gaza has resulted in severe shortages of fuel needed for generators, which power essential life-saving medical equipment at hospitals such as ventilators, incubators and monitoring devices. The use of non-original engine oils due to the blockade has resulted in generators malfunctioning or affected their performance.

It comes as Israel continues its near-daily air raids on Gaza with at least 1,092 people killed and 3,507 injured since a so-called “ceasefire” came into effect in October 2025.

The consequential routine power cuts have rendered hospitals semi-dysfunctional and affected thousands of patients and medical staff in Gaza, where the flow of patients caused by new waves of bombings and disease continues.

Most of Al-Aqsa’s main generators went out of service in early May 2026, when doctors and nurses were already struggling to cope, leaving the hospital to use secondary generators and solar energy or simply cut back on operations.

A Palestinian doctor checks a drip at the dialysis treatment centre at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Deir el-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on February 1, 2026 [AFP]

Surgeon Omar al-Ashtal said medical teams at the hospital are struggling to provide proper and essential services to patients due to erratic power supplies, especially in operating rooms, where electricity is essential. Surgeons and doctors are having to shorten or delay important operations until stable energy supplies are available, leading to serious consequences for patients.

“What we are witnessing today is not only a shortage of electricity, but a cumulative crisis that includes worn-out generators, fuel shortages and a lack of spare parts needed for maintenance,” al-Ashtal told Al Jazeera. “The continuation of this situation threatens the hospital’s ability to respond to emergencies and increases the suffering of patients waiting for treatment and medical care.”

Intensive care units, operating rooms, anaesthesia departments and neonatal care are the most affected by the latest power crisis. Any interruptions to these departments can lead to serious life-threatening complications for patients, including babies in incubators.

Outages of internet and electronic systems also prevent administrative teams and nurses from fulfilling the essential tasks of accessing or recording patient data, tracking cases and communicating between different departments.

Nurse Hamza Nawas said that medical teams were coping as well as they could under the circumstances.

But an ongoing blockade on Gaza has resulted in severe shortages of fuel needed for generators, which power essential life-saving medical equipment at hospitals such as ventilators, incubators and monitoring devices. The use of non-original engine oils due to the blockade has resulted in generators malfunctioning or affected their performance.

It comes as Israel continues its near-daily air raids on Gaza with at least 1,092 people killed and 3,507 injured since a so-called “ceasefire” came into effect in October 2025.

The consequential routine power cuts have rendered hospitals semi-dysfunctional and affected thousands of patients and medical staff in Gaza, where the flow of patients caused by new waves of bombings and disease continues.

Most of Al-Aqsa’s main generators went out of service in early May 2026, when doctors and nurses were already struggling to cope, leaving the hospital to use secondary generators and solar energy or simply cut back on operations.

A Palestinian doctor checks a drip at the dialysis treatment centre at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Deir el-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on February 1, 2026 [AFP]

Surgeon Omar al-Ashtal said medical teams at the hospital are struggling to provide proper and essential services to patients due to erratic power supplies, especially in operating rooms, where electricity is essential. Surgeons and doctors are having to shorten or delay important operations until stable energy supplies are available, leading to serious consequences for patients.

“What we are witnessing today is not only a shortage of electricity, but a cumulative crisis that includes worn-out generators, fuel shortages and a lack of spare parts needed for maintenance,” al-Ashtal told Al Jazeera. “The continuation of this situation threatens the hospital’s ability to respond to emergencies and increases the suffering of patients waiting for treatment and medical care.”

Intensive care units, operating rooms, anaesthesia departments and neonatal care are the most affected by the latest power crisis. Any interruptions to these departments can lead to serious life-threatening complications for patients, including babies in incubators.

Outages of internet and electronic systems also prevent administrative teams and nurses from fulfilling the essential tasks of accessing or recording patient data, tracking cases and communicating between different departments.

Nurse Hamza Nawas said that medical teams were coping as well as they could under the circumstances.