At the closing ceremony, Joint Force Commander of the Malaysian Joint Force Headquarters, Lieutenant General Datuk Zahani Zainal Abidin, reaffirmed Malaysia’s strong support for UN peacekeeping, emphasising that the safety and security of peacekeepers must remain at the core of collective efforts. - Pic courtesy of Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations FB pageMilitary Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations (UN), Colonel Shamsuri Noordin (left), was elected Vice Chair of the Sub-Working Group on Major Equipment during the Contingent-Owned Equipment (COE) Working Group Meeting, recently. - Pic courtesy of Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations FB pageKUALA LUMPUR: Military Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations (UN), Colonel Shamsuri Noordin, was elected Vice Chair of the Sub-Working Group on Major Equipment during the Contingent-Owned Equipment (COE) Working Group Meeting, recently. In a statement, the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations (UN) said the meeting took place from Jan 19 to 30 at the UN Headquarters in New York. At the closing ceremony, Joint Force Commander of the Malaysian Joint Force Headquarters, Lieutenant General Datuk Zahani Zainal Abidin, reaffirmed Malaysia's strong support for UN peacekeeping, emphasising that the safety and security of peacekeepers must remain at the core of collective efforts.

HANOI: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam (pic) will lead a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to Cambodia for a state visit at the invitation of Cambodian King Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, according to the Foreign Ministry’s communiqué released on Saturday (Jan 31). At the invitation of President of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, General Secretary Lâm will also co-chair a high-level meeting between the CPV Central Committee’s Politburo and the Standing Board of the CPP Central Committee, and co-chair a meeting of the three Party chiefs of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, in Cambodia on February 6. - Vietnam News/ANN

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has denied any links to the late banker Jeffrey Epstein after the Prime Minister was name-dropped in a 14-year-old email exchange. “Just today, I found out that some outsider wanted to meet and even ‘dropped’ my name in an email linked to the Epstein case,” he said in a brief Facebook post on Sunday (Feb 1). “Thank Allah, as mentioned in that email, it’s been more than a decade, and I have absolutely no connection whatsoever with any of the parties exchanging those emails — especially Epstein.”A screenshot of the email has gone viral, showing an exchange on Feb 21, 2012, between the controversial deceased banker Epstein and an unidentified person who proposed a meet-up with Anwar, whom they had expected at that time to become prime minister.

DUNGUN: A male tapir died after being hit by a car at Kilometre 8, Jalan Bandar Al-Mukhtafi Billah Shah-Paka near Kampung Santong here, on Saturday (Jan 31) night. Terengganu Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Loo Kean Seong said the 300kg tapir was hit while crossing the road to the nearby forest at 10pm. "An examination found signs of injury on the tapir's head and body," he said when contacted by Bernama Sunday (Feb 1). It is understood that the tapir was hit by a Volkswagen car driven by a 49-year-old teacher. On Jan 24, a 200kg tapir was hit by a motorcycle at Kilometre 320.5 of the East Coast Highway 2 (LPT2) after exiting Kerteh, Kemaman, at 1 am.

Did a Malaysian man lead South Korean cops in a 10km car chase in Jincheon while still using his turn signals? During the chase, he collided with a patrol car, suddenly accelerated while appearing to stop, and repeatedly crossed the centre line due to traffic congestion," read a statement from the Jincheon Police Station, North Chungcheong Province. Police dashcam footage captured Mr A faithfully using turn signals when changing lanes or overtaking vehicles. The 10km pursuit ended only after Mr A rammed a police car. Mr A was arrested on-site for driving without a license, reckless driving, and damaging a patrol car.

JOHOR BARU: Tens of thousands of devotees and visitors turned out for the Thaipusam celebrations at Arulmigu Thendayuthapani Temple here, marking one of the most vibrant celebrations in recent years. Raven Kumar, who is also the Tenggaroh Assemblyman, said the celebration served as a platform to showcase Malaysia’s multicultural heritage to locals and tourists alike. Raven Kumar added that cultural celebrations such as Thaipusam play an important role in attracting more tourists to Malaysia, particularly to Johor. “Yes, these celebrations can draw visitors from outside the country because they showcase our cultural and artistic uniqueness,” he said. In addition, he said the government has launched the Johor Cultural Programme, which will see cultural performances held across all 10 districts in the state.

New Delhi plans to borrow 17.2 trillion rupees (US$187 billion) in the year starting April 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her budget speech on Sunday. That represents an increase of about 18% from the current year’s revised number and is higher than the 16.5 trillion rupees estimated in a Bloomberg News survey. The increase may pressure sovereign bond yields, which are near the highest in almost a year amid heavy issuance by state governments and softening demand from pension and insurance funds. That’s slightly higher than the current year’s revised figure of 11.3 trillion rupees. Redemptions in the coming fiscal year are pegged at about 5.5 trillion rupees, a nearly 70% annual increase.

Public figures across the political and academic spectrum gathered in Tokyo to protest Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s erroneous remarks on Taiwan, warning that her comments and her administration’s push for military expansion risk heightening regional tensions and drawing Japan into war. Many at the gathering raised alarm over a series of military expansion policies promoted by Takaichi since taking office under the banner of national security. He pointed out that Takaichi’s repeated references to a “survival-­threatening situation” stem directly from her military expansion agenda. Yuko Tanaka, former president of Hosei University, said Takaichi’s words and actions are eroding Japan-China relations built since 1972. “From every perspective, wor­sening relations with China will only bring negative consequences for Japan,” Tanaka said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, took time to greet and mingle with a group of tourists at the main entrance of Istana Negara on Sunday (Feb 1). According to a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar's Facebook page, Her Majesty alighted from her vehicle to interact with the tourists while on her way back to Johor Bahru. During the brief encounter, Her Majesty graciously shook hands with more than 100 tourists from various countries before continuing her journey.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) views ­seriously the misuse of telecommunications equipment for ­criminal activities following the seizure of SIM boxes and cards in a recent integrated operation with the police force in Kajang. MCMC said 50 SIM boxes, 5,000 SIM cards and related equipment were seized during the operation for an investigation under the Communications and Multimedia Act and the Communications and Multimedia (Technical Standards) Regulations 2000. “The misuse of SIM boxes and bulk SIM cards, including foreign SIM cards, enables criminals to create fake accounts to carry out fraud and online crimes, putting users at risk. MCMC emphasised that telecommunications service providers must tighten SIM card ­registration controls to ensure digital security. The commission added that it will continue to work closely with the police and other enforcement agencies to safeguard national security, prevent the misuse of telecommunications services and ensure compliance with existing laws and regulations.

KUALA LUMPUR: Secrecy surrounded the PAS central leadership retreat as party president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang (pic) arrived at Hotel Tenera at about 9.40am on Sunday (Feb 1) to attend the annual closed-door meeting, now in its third day. Abdul Hadi, who was assisted by aides and arrived in a wheelchair, made a brief appearance before entering the hotel, where tight security measures were in place throughout the programme. The annual gathering is typically held to streamline the party's Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), organisational strategies and operational planning. Earlier, PAS central working committee member Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor declined to comment on the agenda or outcomes of the meeting, adding to speculation over the matters being deliberated behind closed doors. The retreat, held in Bangi, comes amid heightened political manoeuvring as parties across the divide intensify groundwork ahead of the next electoral cycle.

KOTA BARU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has obtained official approval from the landowner, the Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIK), for the purchase of land on Pulau Tengkorak, Tumpat, to facilitate the construction of a Maritime Post and the installation of a Remote Sensored Site (RSS) Swasla radar system. Its Kelantan director Maritime Captain Erwan Shah Soahdi said the establishment of the maritime station along with the radar system is expected to enhance border waters surveillance capabilities in a more systematic and effective manner, thereby helping to curb smuggling activities and the entry of illegal immigrants. "This location was selected due to its close proximity to the Thai border, particularly between Takbai and Pengkalan Kubor, and has been identified as a hotspot frequently used by smugglers. "The installation of the radar in this area will enable continuous monitoring within a radius of 10 to 15 nautical miles," he told reporters after a bowling match between the agency's personnel and members of the media here today. He said enforcement efforts currently still rely on existing manpower and assets, but the use of the radar system is expected to further strengthen initiatives to combat smuggling activities in the East Coast waters.

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim conveyed Thaipusam greetings to all Hindus celebrating the festival. As such, he said the discipline and perseverance demonstrated throughout the observance of Thaipusam deserve respect and collective appreciation. He hoped Thaipusam would bring peace of mind to all Hindu devotees, while continuing to nurture mutual respect and harmony within the country’s multiracial society. “Cultural and religious diversity is among the key foundations that shape the nation’s identity. Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said Thaipusam is more than a religious celebration – a meaningful reminder of unity, compassion and mutual respect that binds Melaka’s multicultural society.

TEHRAN/CAIRO, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday discussed in a phone call the necessity of resorting to diplomacy for the resolution of regional issues, amid rising Iran-U.S. tensions. The phone call came amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States, with the latter bolstering its military presence in the Middle East. The deployment reflects the heightened risk of confrontation, even as Washington publicly holds out the possibility of diplomacy. Earlier on Saturday, Iran's Army Chief Amir Hatami warned that if the United States makes any mistake, it will definitely jeopardize its own security and that of Israel and the entire West Asia region. Later, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani wrote on social media platform X that the formation of a structure for negotiations with the United States is "progressing," without elaborating.

Azman said that at the ministry level, an initiative known as Competitiveness and Globalisation has been implemented. "Every year, we will bring in class contractors who have reached the (high) level, we want to go bid for projects at the international level. If contractors cannot improve their skills, how can we take their knowledge to a higher level? “At the KKR level through the Public Works Department and CIDB (Construction Industry Development Board), we are trying to improve our contractors’ capacity building. This is something we need to look at so that if external contractors come to bid for projects, at least we can compete,” he said.