(Jan 28): Singapore’s central bank is expected to hold policy settings steady for a third straight review, though economists see scope for a hawkish pivot as inflation shows signs of gaining momentum. Nineteen out of 20 economists in a Bloomberg survey forecast the Monetary Authority of Singapore will maintain its policy settings Thursday. Nine of the 13 respondents expect a hawkish bias in the statement, with four predicting no change to the tone. Both gauges are projected to rise in 2026 from their low rates last year, the central bank said in a statement last week. He doesn’t expect the central bank to turn “outright hawkish” yet.

But is it actually illegal to drive barefoot in Malaysia? “Such rules do not apply to drivers of personal vehicles, but when operating commercial vehicles, drivers must wear shoes, not slippers," he said. “This is very clear, and all commercial vehicle drivers should know this,” he told The Star. For private vehicle drivers with a Competent Driver's Licence, there are no such restrictions. Safety experts and driving instructors generally advise against driving barefoot or in slippers.

KUALA LUMPUR: Three wanted criminals, who were arrested in Mumbai, India, last Sunday, are believed to have arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The trio, believed to be key members of the "Captain Praba" gang, were flown back to Malaysia on a commercial flight from Mumbai at around 1am local time under tight security escort by several Malaysian police officers. They were escorted from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport following their detention by Indian authorities. The suspects, believed to be in their 30s, were detained by Indian authorities at the Mumbai airport after turning violent upon arrival there last Sunday. The gang is believed to have been active since 2023, with a total membership of 33 individuals.

Jan 27 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the value of the dollar was "great", when asked whether he thought it had declined too much, adding to pressure on the greenback which hit a four-year low. A lower dollar can also benefit US exporters, though Trump said he was not seeking for its value to decline further. "No, I think it's great, the value of the dollar ... dollar's doing great," Trump said when asked by a reporter if he thought the value of the dollar had declined too much. “The administration wants a weaker dollar," said Eugene Epstein, head of trading and structured products at Moneycorp in New Jersey, adding that it also helped improve the trade deficit. Steve Sosnick, market strategist at Interactive Brokers, Greenwich, Connecticut, said that a weaker dollar "was a two-sided coin".

China Press reported that many of the cleaners are forced to wear GPS devices which the cleaning companies use to closely monitor their movements. They are reportedly liable to a fine if found to be taking unauthorised breaks, sparking a backlash among Internet users. The worker said he was required to wear a GPS tracking device and that he must follow a route his company had set. Many pointed out that proving attendance was no longer simply punching in and out, calling the practice of GPS tracking “inhumane”. When contacted, the Yuncheng city sanitation centre in Shaanxi said the tracker was used as a means to ensure worker safety.

Hisham, who crosses the ­border into Singapore numerous times a month for work, will need to appeal to have his STR assistance reinstated. “It was a tough decision for me to make a career switch from an engineer to a taxi driver, but I had to assume my father’s taxi loans after he passed away. As a Johor Baru-Singapore taxi driver operating from Larkin Sentral, Hisham said he crossed the border daily to ferry passengers. “People think being a cross-­border taxi driver is easy, but some months we barely scrape by,” he said. Pertubuhan Muafakat Pengusaha dan Pemandu Bas Negeri Johor deputy chairman Usman Haron said the process of appealing for their STR assistance to be reinstated added another ­hurdle.

PETALING JAYA: A diagnostic test to determine if a five-year-old child is ready to start primary school is not the problem. “Even if you remove this diagnostic test, the problem remains that not all six-year-olds will be ready to enter Year One next year. She also wanted to know how schools would cope with two different age groups, with two different development milestones, in the same classroom. Financial advisor Siti Afiqah Mansor, 31, said that without this diagnostic test, parents would not know if a child was really ready. National Teachers Service Union of Malaysia (NUTP) secretary-general Fouzi Singon, meanwhile, said it was a good decision to scrap the diagnostic test.

PETALING JAYA: Lee Chong Wei has brought his trademark discipline and meticulous planning into his new role at the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) and just three months in, there are already signs of progress. Chong Wei said early planning was key and expressed satisfaction that singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen and doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky were aligned with his vision. “It’s rare for Malaysia to win three titles in a tournament, and I commend everyone for their hard work,” said Chong Wei. Chong Wei, who serves in his current role on a voluntary basis without pay, reiterated that his focus is on creating the right environment for success. “I hope our players can continue this good run,” added Chong Wei, who will now be focusing on the elite team’s preparation for the All-England in March.

IPOH: People here have been encouraged to plan their trips in advance due to the upcoming Thaipusam celebrations, during which several roads will be closed gradually. Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said several roads would be closed to allow the chariot and kavadi processions to be held from Jan 31 to Feb 3. The roads involved included Jalan Sungai Pari, Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Lahat, Jalan Perhentian, Jalan Sultan Yussof, Jalan Sultan Iskandar, Jalan Sultan Sultan Idris Shah, Jalan Raja Musa Aziz and Jalan Dato Onn Jaafar. "As for the kavadi procession from Buntong to Gunung Cheroh, it would start at 3pm on Jan 31 and end at 12am on Feb 1. "The alternative roads to the city centre include Jalan Kuala Kangsar, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Jalan Sultan Nazrin Shah, Jalan Raja Dihilir, Jalan CM Yusuff, Jalan Yang Kalsom, Jalan Sultan Abdul Jalil and Jalan Dato Ahmad Said," he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Eight more medical schools, including Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), School of Medical Sciences, have been recognised by the health ministry and the Singapore Medical Council. The Singapore Ministry of Health said in a statement that the recognition would take effect from Feb 1 onwards. The statement also said that the Malaysian Health Ministry had accepted the council's recommendation to add eight medical schools to the Second Schedule of the Medical Registration Act 1997, bringing the total number of recognised overseas medical schools from 112 to 120. The eight recognised medical schools are: the College of Health, University of Adelaide, Australia; the College of Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India; the University of Galway, School of Medicine, Ireland; Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Medical Sciences; The Aga Khan University, Medical College, Pakistan; Tsinghua University, School of Medicine, China; St George’s, University of London, School of Health & Medical Sciences, United Kingdom; and the University of Exeter, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, United Kingdom. It said that from 2026, aspiring medical students can apply to these medical schools for their overseas studies.

SEREMBAN: The High Court here has dismissed a suit filed by a 47-year-old woman against the Malaysian government and two others seeking to nullify her conversion to Islam. The plaintiff had filed an originating summons against the three in March 2023. Through the originating summons, the woman sought for the NRD to amend and update her personal information records to indicate her non-Muslim religion in the registration system. In March the following year, the High Court allowed Mains' application to strike out the originating summons filed by the woman. When contacted, the woman's lawyer S. Karthigesan confirmed the court had dismissed his client's suit.

KOTA BHARU: Water supply for 13,766 Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd consumer accounts in the Tanah Merah district will be disrupted from 9pm Friday (Jan 28). The state-owned water supply operator said the disruption was due to emergency repairs to the DN 500 mm Check Valve at the Bukit Remah water treatment plant, which would begin at 9pm and was expected to be completed around 7am on Thursday (Feb 5). "During this period, consumers will face temporary water disruptions, and those in areas of the final points of the water supply pipeline may likely be affected for over 24 hours after repairs are done," the water operator said in a statement on Thursday (Jan 27). Consumers are advised to store an adequate water supply, and the water supply operator would also mobilise water tankers to assist critical premises such as hospitals, health clinics and dialysis centres before distributing to the general public. "Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd apologises for any difficulty during the period, and consumers can contact PINTAS at 15777 for further information," it said, adding that updates on the water disruption can be obtained on its website www.airkelantan.com.my, the MyAKSB app, as well as its Facebook and Instagram accounts.

The Johor State Fire and Rescue Department said that approximately 49.8 hectares, or nearly half of the 99.55 hectares affected, had been brought under control and extinguished. "An excavator rented from the Pengerang Municipal Council is being used to create fire breaks to prevent the blaze from spreading further. The extinguishing operation is being carried out in stages involving two main sectors," the post read. The operation also involves cooperation from the Royal Malaysia Police, the Civil Defence Force, Pengerang Municipal Council, the Irrigation and Drainage Department, the Public Works Department, and the Environment Department. Johor Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Assistant Fire Commissioner Muhammad Al Mustakim Abdul Hady, who was present to oversee the operation, said efforts would continue until the fire was fully extinguished.

KULIM: A landfill in Padang Cina, Kulim Hi-Tech, caught fire on Tuesday (Jan 27). Kulim Zone 3 chief Senior Fire Officer II Mohd Faizal Sulaiman said the department received a call at 6.30pm reporting the incident. "A team of 12 firefighters from the Kulim Hi-Tech Fire and Rescue Station was deployed to the scene. Meanwhile, the Kedah Environment Department director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said the fire affected Cells 1 and 2 of the landfill. "The Air Pollution Index (API) at the nearest ambient air quality monitoring station in Kulim Hi-Tech recorded a reading of 60, which falls under the moderate category.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): Malaysia possesses a strong and competitive foundation to emerge as a major ship maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub in Asean, according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti). It said that clear industrial policy support, competitive investment incentives, well-planned port infrastructure and systems, an increasingly mature local supply chain, as well as continued government support will ensure the continued growth of the maritime MRO industry. In addition, the industry can attract high-quality investments, generating high-skilled employment opportunities, and strengthening Malaysia’s position as a competitive and sustainable regional maritime hub. “The government is fully aware of the great potential of the shipbuilding and ship repair industry, particularly in the area of shipping MRO, as a key driver of the country’s maritime economic development. Miti said Malaysia offers competitive operating costs, larger shipyard space, and targeted government incentives to enhance MRO technological capabilities, making it an attractive alternative in the region.