KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 11): Lebuhraya Kajang-Seremban Sdn Bhd (Lekas) will activate a Smart Lane system along selected sections of the Lekas Highway from Thursday to ease traffic congestion during morning and evening peak hours. The affected areas as Kilometre (KM) 1.0 to KM0.1 northbound from the Kajang Selatan Interchange (Lekas) to the Kajang Perdana Interchange (Silk) via Putrajaya, while for the southbound area, it is from KM0.0 to KM0.4 from the Kajang Perdana Interchange (Silk) to the Kajang Selatan Interchange (Lekas). It added that the Smart Lane system optimises the use of existing road space by enabling the temporary usage of emergency lanes as additional lanes during operational hours to increase traffic capacity and flow. The routes will be equipped with "Smart Lane Start" and "Smart Lane End" signs, as well as green LED indicators that will light up when the lane is open, and the emergency lane will revert to its original function outside of the operating hours. Lekas chief operating officer Chuah Lay Hoon said the Smart Lane activation initiative reflects its continued commitment to proactively managing traffic flow, particularly at critical interchange areas.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 11): Bursa Malaysia Bhd has entered into a memorandum of collaboration with Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (Teraju) to facilitate the participation of Bumiputera companies in the Malaysian capital market through initial public offering (IPO) listings. “Bursa Malaysia will collaborate with Teraju to guide and equip high-potential Bumiputera companies towards compliance with the IPO listing requirements and getting these companies ready for IPO. “There is considerable untapped potential among Bumiputera companies, and we are committed to supporting them in taking the next step towards becoming listed companies. Teraju chief executive officer Junady Nawawi said the collaboration reflects a firm commitment to supporting Bumiputera companies in navigating the IPO journey. “This initiative focuses on addressing the missing middle, mid-sized Bumiputera companies with strong growth potential that often fall between existing support frameworks,” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos has auctioned off a slipper and a towel for RM66,000, which will be used to pay Teresa Kok. The items were used by Jamal during in an infamous protest in 2016 when Selangor was experiencing water shortages. On July 26, 2022, Kok won her case and was awarded RM300,000 by High Court Judicial Commissioner Mohd Arief Emran Arifin. Jamal was also ordered to pay RM50,000 in costs. On March 27, 2024, the Court of Appeal dismissed Jamal's appeal.

PUTRAJAYA: Graft busters are expected to submit the investigation papers (IP) on the e-waste corruption probe involving high-ranking Department of Environment (DOE) officers by Friday (Feb 13). Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the commission will submit the IP to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) with the proposal to charge the DOE director-general and his deputy. "We are at the final leg of the investigation. "My officers have been given two weeks to investigate the matter and we will be submitting the IP by Friday," he told a special session with the media on Wednesday (Feb 11). More to come

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 11): Ninety-six percent of 1,720 programmes across 597 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions assessed throughout the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) from 2023 to 2025 have achieved effective programme status. He said the prestigious recognition would serve as a catalyst for closer, more active and sustainable collaboration between TVET institutions and industry strategic partners. The ceremony also witnessed the launch of the Malaysia TVET Rating, an integrated, comprehensive and internationally benchmarked rating system that consolidates all existing standards under a single national framework. At a press conference, Kamaruzaman said the Malaysia TVET Rating is a rebranding of the single rating system implemented from 2021 until last year. “We began ratings as early as 2011 to recognise TVET service providers or education providers for their achievements in delivering training.

ALSO READ: Shafie’s Zara contempt case to be on Feb 11The court fixed March 27 for next mention via Zoom, and Shafie’s attendance was dispensed with. Earlier, the court also dismissed Shafie’s preliminary objection to the issue of whether the Sessions Court or the Coroner’s Court was the proper forum to hear the contempt proceedings. The argument was that the Sessions Court and the Coroner's Court are distinct tribunals with separate jurisdictions and one cannot obtain permission from Court A to sue in Court B. Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalan argued that the law was valid as it was, and the issue at hand was contempt against the Coroner’s Sessions Court. Following that, his lawyers informed the court that they had applied to strike out the committal proceedings on Dec 15.

GEORGE TOWN: One of the largest remaining swaths of land in the Unesco World Heritage Site here, roughly the size of almost eight World Cup football fields, is slated for redevelopment. The 5.36ha site now holds about 200 tightly packed village houses occupied by families who have lived there for more than three generations. Owned by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), the land is under a request for proposal (RFP) calling for parties to purchase and develop the parcel. ALSO READ:According to the RFP, the site is in Section 23 of the island’s Northeast District, and the tender is open to local and international companies or consortiums. The proposal forms part of efforts to rejuvenate state and PDC land within George Town’s heritage core, where development is subject to tighter planning controls and conservation requirements.

“We have a joint consumer and they want access to our brands,” Hill said of retail partners during the interview. Nike is spearheading its outdoor push through its relaunched “All Conditions Gear” line, which dates back about four decades. Hill hopes to revive Converse with a bigger focus on basketball, skating and the low-key Jack Purcell silhouettes. Nike is also fending off increasing competition from challenger brands like On, Hoka and Anta. Nike shares are down about 12% in the past year and more than half from the 2021 peak.

KUANTAN: The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project has recorded 91.7% construction progress as of January, with the focus now shifting to operational preparations, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke. He said the arrival of Malaysia's first electric multiple-unit (EMU) trains and electric locomotives (E-Loco) marks a significant milestone for the RM50.27bil national infrastructure project. "With the receipt of the EMU and E-Loco, we will enter an important phase, which is train testing and commissioning. The 665-kilometre ECRL project has allocated 11 six-car EMU train sets for passenger services and 12 E-Locos for cargo. Each EMU train set can operate at speeds up to 160 km/h and accommodate up to 425 passengers in an all-economy-class configuration.

IPOH: A girl was killed while three others were injured after being involved in a road accident involving two vehicles in the Puncak Jelapang area along Jalan Ipoh-Lumut road on Tuesday afternoon (Feb 10). Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said that in the 3.55pm incident, the victim, Chong Zee Han, aged three, died, while Wong Mee Gee, 34, sustained facial injuries. "Initial investigations found that a police patrol car was travelling from Lumut towards Jelapang at the time of the incident. "A woman driving a compact car was in the opposite lane and is believed to have suddenly lost control, entering the opposite lane and colliding with the police car. ACP Abang Zainal Abidin said the victim, who was a passenger in the car, was pronounced dead while receiving treatment at 4.32 pm.

PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Azam Baki has instructed his lawyers to issue a letter of demand to Bloomberg over what he described as a “misleading” and “defamatory” report concerning his past share transactions in Velocity Capital Partner Bhd. “Tomorrow my lawyer will send it to Bloomberg, either in Malaysia or in the United States,” he said during a special media session on Wednesday (Feb 11). Azam accused the international news outlet of publishing a report without properly verifying the facts, particularly regarding the timeline of his share ownership and asset declarations. Azam maintained that the report had damaged both his personal reputation and that of the commission he heads. He stressed that the issue was not criminal in nature but rather concerned interpretations of administrative circulars on asset declarations.

The money was allegedly given as inducement to help his company secure a subcontractor tender for the design, planning, supply, delivery, installation, testing, commissioning, warranty and comprehensive maintenance of a security system. Meanwhile, Yong Chun Jiat, 37, was charged with six counts of giving cash bribes of RM100,000, RM96,000, RM154,000, RM150,000, RM150,000 and RM400,000, respectively, to the same man. The payments were allegedly made as an inducement to assist his company in obtaining a subcontractor tender for the design, planning, supply, delivery, installation, testing, commissioning, Warranty and comprehensive maintenance of electrical low-voltage works (external LV package). The prosecution requested that bail be denied to the two accused but proposed that, if granted, it be set at RM500,000 each with one surety. The court fixed March 16 for the re-mention of the case.

The heatwave across Kedah and Perlis is straining padi farmers, who are pressing on with field work, although they are certain the yields will fall with the heat. Based on the PublicInfoBanjir portal, water at Perlis’ Timah Tasoh Dam stood at 27.81m on Feb 9, just below its maximum of 29.10m, with storage at about 62.04%. For the first padi season expec­ted in April, Pedu Dam storage was projected to recover to about 53.2% with support from monsoon transition rains. Mahfuz urged farmers to enrol in the Padi Planting Takaful Scheme, which provides compensation if crops are affected by disasters. As of yesterday, effective capacity stood at 87.06% at Air Itam Dam, 94.1% at Teluk Bahang Dam and 89.0% at the expanded Mengkuang Dam.

LONDON (Feb 11): Opec on Wednesday forecast world oil demand from the Opec+ group will drop by 400,000 barrels per day in the second quarter, and published data indicating a small surplus in that quarter ahead of a key decision on whether to resume output increases. World demand for Opec+ crude will average 42.20 million bpd in the second quarter, Opec said in its monthly oil market report on its website, down from 42.60 million bpd in the first quarter. Opec said world oil demand was gaining support from air travel and road transport, as well as from a drop in the value of the US dollar against a basket of currencies. Weaker dollar helps"This decline has made dollar-priced commodities, including oil, cheaper for consumers and provided some additional support for global demand," Opec said in the report. Opec left unchanged its forecasts that world oil demand will rise by 1.34 million bpd in 2027 and by 1.38 million bpd this year.

AMSTERDAM (Feb 11): A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered an investigation into mismanagement at chipmaker Nexperia BV and upheld an October decision to suspend former CEO Zhang Xuezheng, the founder of Nexperia's Chinese parent Wingtech, saying the company needs stability. "The situation at Nexperia primarily calls for stability so that Nexperia can restore its internal relationships, its production chain, and its delivery to customers. Geopolitical and legal fightsThe US, Dutch and Chinese governments all imposed and later retracted measures affecting Nexperia in 2025. After the initial Dutch intervention on Sept 30, the Enterprise Court issued preliminary rulings suspending Zhang and transferring control of Wingtech's shares to a Dutch lawyer. In October, relations broke down between the company's European arm, which produces wafers, and its Chinese arm, which packages and distributes them.