State Fire and Rescue Department chief Siti Rohani Nadir urged the public not to engage in open burning, particularly under the current hot, dry and windy conditions. - NSTP file picJOHOR BARU: A series of fires, including peat, grass and waste site blazes, have swept across several districts in Johor over the past week. Other minor grass and waste site fires, ranging from 0.21 to 8.09ha, have levels of containment between four per cent and 90 per cent controlled. She urged residents not to engage in open burning, particularly under the current hot, dry and windy conditions, and to report any open fires immediately to authorities via 999. So far, the peat fires have been restricted, with the larger areas fully extinguished.

(Jan 29): India’s free trade deal with the European Union offers the nation’s manufacturers duty-free access to a large market, helping them establish the country’s brand globally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. He pledged to build on the recent deal by promising more reforms to boost economic growth. “We are moving fast on the reform express,” said Modi while speaking to reporters outside the parliament in New Delhi. “The country is moving out of long-term pending problems to a long-term solution position now at a great pace.”With a trade deal with the US still elusive, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leaning more heavily on domestic reforms to sustain growth. The government is expected to push measures to improve the ease of doing business and lift investment as external demand remains under pressure.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 29): The remaining 16 claims under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) are still under negotiation, with one categorised as partially or interimly resolved, and two having reached a policy decision, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Thursday. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said that eight other claims remained under discussion, while five more had been referred for deliberation at the highest level. He said this in response to a question from Datuk Matbali Musah (GRS-Sipitang) on the direct benefits anticipated for the people of Sabah and Sarawak from the improvements to the MA63 structure. He said the government’s commitment was further demonstrated through significant fiscal support, with Sabah and Sarawak receiving development allocations of RM6.9 billion and RM6 billion respectively in 2026. For more Parliament stories, click here.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) has expressed its support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during his mandate session with heads of enforcement agencies. EAIC chairman Tan Sri Dr Ismail Bakar said the Prime Minister’s remarks were in line with the commission’s ongoing monitoring and investigations into misconduct, including abuse of power and weaknesses in the public service integrity governance ecosystem, particularly within enforcement agencies. “Recommendations for disciplinary action put forward by the EAIC, including proposals to improve internal systems and procedural mechanisms, must be given due attention and fully complied with. He added that firm action and strict compliance by department heads were crucial to strengthening enforcement integrity and restoring public confidence in national institutions. Smuggling, corruption, and other illicit activities not only undermine the credibility of enforcement agencies but also betray the interests of the people and the nation.

HANOI: Vietnam's Ministry of Health has urged local authorities to strengthen surveillance and promptly detect suspected cases of Nipah virus infection at border gates, medical facilities and in communities to prevent potential spread, especially during the Lunar New Year holiday and the upcoming festival season, local daily Suc Khoe & Doi Song reported on Wednesday (Jan 28). Hospitals under the ministry's management have been asked to be ready to receive, isolate and treat patients who are confirmed or suspected to be infected with the virus. According to the ministry, Vietnam has so far not recorded any human cases of Nipah virus infection. The ministry said it will continue to closely monitor the situation and coordinate with the World Health Organisation and other partners to ensure timely and effective prevention and response measures.

BANGKOK: Lalisa "Lisa” Manobal (pic) of Blackpink has been named the Amazing Thailand Ambassador under the "Feel All the Feelings” campaign. Thapanee added that TAT continues to strengthen confidence in Thai tourism through the Trusted Thailand initiative, positioning the country as a quality destination that travellers can trust and choose with confidence. She said TAT believes that showcasing Thailand’s beauty through Lisa’s perspective will help travellers view the country as a leading quality destination, with depth beyond its scenic attractions. "Every experience carries value, and every moment of travel - whether through people, culture, ways of life or atmosphere - is meaningful," she said. "We want each visit to create long-lasting memories that inspire travellers to visit Thailand, return and share their stories.” - Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia must shift its mindset from being primarily a trading nation to positioning itself as a technology nation, aligning capital, policy and industry to unlock the full potential of its existing advanced capabilities, said Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong today. He said aligning policy, money and industry was critical because more could be achieved economically with better alignment. Liew said Malaysia already has very sophisticated and complex capabilities in parts of its industrial ecosystem, particularly in semiconductors and semiconductor-related equipment. There has not been a concerted effort to align and proliferate horizontal integration within the ecosystem, and the current priority should be to link more advanced capabilities across sectors, he said. He added that global conditions have created a window of opportunity for Malaysia to organise itself technologically.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Malaysian Defence Intelligence Organisation chief Mohd Razali Alias has been charged at the Sessions Court here with three counts of graft involving US$20,000 (RM78,680)and RM64,600. According to the first charge, Mohd Razali was accused of corruptly receiving a US$20,000 bribe from one Sheikh Ahmad Nafiq Sheikh A Rahman. For the second and third charges, Mohd Razali allegedly received for his wife, Datin Azarina Bakia, 59, payments from Sheikh Ahmad Nafiq, who was the Intelligence PC Centre Sdn Bhd director. Mohd Razali allegedly knew the director had links to his official duties. Mohd Razali allegedly committed the offences at the same place on Nov 15, 2024 and April 28.

Despite these efforts, cases of Singaporeans or Malaysians in Singapore-registered vehicles attempting to fill up on subsidised petrol remain a problem. The video, filmed on Jan 2, went viral and sparked outrage among online users over the lengths some will go to for subsidised fuel. He lamented that there were currently no specific laws to prosecute foreigners who fill foreign-registered vehicles with subsidised fuel. He added that under present law, petrol station operators face fines of up to RM1mil or three years’ imprisonment. Malaysia needs to review and update its laws, especially those governing the sale and purchase of subsidised fuel, so that when a law is broken, both the seller and buyer can be held accountable.

MELAKA: Melaka police busted a fake investment scam run by four Chinese nationals after raiding an apartment in Taman Kota Laksamana here on Tuesday. The syndicate was targeting Chinese nationals, offering non-existent investment schemes through a mobile application. "During the raid, police seized various items, including a laptop and six mobile phones, worth about RM10,000," he said in a statement on Thursday (Jan 29). Dzulkhairi warned the public to be cautious of investment schemes promising quick profits and to verify before investing by checking suspicious phone numbers or bank accounts through http://semakmule.rmp.gov.my. "The public can also report scams to the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at 997 for immediate action to block transactions,” read the statement.

KUALA LUMPUR: Regulations prohibiting the sale of subsidised packaged cooking oil to foreigners are expected to come into force on March 1, says Datuk Seri Armizan Mohd Ali. He said the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme (eCOSS), which digitally records data across the entire distribution chain, enables the government to effectively enforce the ban on the sale of subsidised cooking oil to non- citizens. He explained that the system tracks purchases and transactions, helping to curb leakages of subsidised packaged cooking oil through diversion and smuggling activities that have long persisted. The rollout of the Mobile eCOSS application has been expanded gradually since May 2025. He said the QR Code on the newer version of the MyKad could also be used to verify purchases of subsidised cooking oil.

In a statement, Sangeet said recent information showed that investigations into Apandi were closed as early as October 2022, just months after they were reportedly initiated. “It has recently emerged that investigations into Apandi Ali [were] classified as NFA as far back as in October 2022. “This is not a small matter,” she said, adding that questions must now be asked about whether the police investigations were conducted with sufficient scrutiny. The High Court judgementThe High Court decision was delivered in 2022 by Datuk Azimah Omar, now a Federal Court judge, who dismissed Apandi’s defamation suit against Democratic Action Party veteran Lim Kit Siang. The suit concerned articles written by Lim in 2019 on the 1MDB scandal, which Apandi claimed implied he had abused or neglected his duties as AG.

He has now given enforcement officers one week to decide whether or not they want to go on an all-out war against graft. According to Anwar, it is unacceptable that top civil servants are still tolerating wrongdoings such as smuggling, bribing and gangsterism activities. Anwar said he gave the one-week ultimatum to enforcement officers because his patience has run thin. Anwar also said it is unacceptable for enforcement officers to take a careless and forgiving attitude towards wrongdoing. He also said he was ready to evaluate any request by enforcement officers to reduce their responsibilities.

SEREMBAN: A 43-year-old Chinese national claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to a charge of abetting a local individual to offer a RM50,000 bribe to a Department of Environment (DOE) officer. The bribe was allegedly meant to prevent action from being taken against the local individual, Soon Kein Chong, for allegedly breaching several provisions of the Environmental Quality Act 1974. Jiang Fanjun pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before Judge Mohamad Kamil Nizam. MACC prosecuting officer Muhammad Arif Asyraf Mohd Khairi then told the court his team was offering the accused bail of RM20,000 with two local sureties pending next mention. Judge Mohamad Kamil then fixed bail at RM20,000 with two local sureties and allowed the other applications by the prosecution.

“The flood control corruption scandal weighed on business and consumer confidence,” Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said at a briefing, estimating that 2025 growth would have come in at 5.5% without the scandal. But the government’s probe of the irregularities in public spending “had to be undertaken” to come up with reforms, he added. Despite the holidays, household consumption — a main driver of the economy — decelerated further to its slowest pace since the pandemic. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who revealed irregularities in public spending and insisted he will root out graft, is now facing impeachment complaints in connection with the scandals. Stocks have also recovered some ground since retreating at the height of the scandal, but foreign investors remain wary of domestic risks.