Many are embracing the slow travel trend, travelling “purposefully” and taking the time to immerse themselves into whatever situation or environment that surrounds them. No one knows exactly when the term “slow travel” was first coined. Muhammad Fahim says slow travel has transformed the way he travels and lives. “Slow travel has taught me to pause and appreciate being in the moment. For Ng, slow travel is about paying attention to the details, learning from the culture and letting a city reveal itself at its own pace.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 27): The government has been urged to fast-track prosecutions against all operators of the MBI Ponzi scheme, including proxies and uplines, and to maximise asset forfeiture to ensure compensation for both domestic and international victims. He also asked why the identities of key individuals, proxies, and upline operators of MBI in Malaysia have not been publicly disclosed. Malaysian police have so far arrested 23 people and offered compounds totalling RM339.5 million, of which RM131.5 million has been collected. On Tuesday, Ganabatirau questioned whether the Attorney General’s Chambers would pursue criminal charges against Teow’s children in addition to the forfeiture of their assets. He described the MBI Ponzi scheme as a test of the integrity of Malaysia’s justice system, noting that “delayed justice is denied justice”.

LABUAN (Jan 27): Rancha Power Sdn Bhd on Tuesday marked a major milestone in Labuan’s energy development with the groundbreaking of a new 120-megawatt (MW) gas-fired power plant, strengthening the island’s electricity capacity and ensuring a stable and reliable power supply. In a statement issued by Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS), Fadillah said the project is important to safeguard Labuan’s electricity supply. “The Rancha power plant will ensure continuity of electricity supply and support Labuan’s future energy needs across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors,” it said. Meanwhile, Rancha Power chairman Abdul Aziz Othman said the establishment of the power plant represents a transformative step in strengthening Labuan’s energy resilience and supporting regional development. Rancha Power is a three-party joint venture involving PG Energia Sdn Bhd — a subsidiary of PETRONAS Gas Bhd, SEC Power Sdn Bhd — a unit of Sabah Energy Corporation Sdn Bhd, and Sustainable Power Sdn Bhd — a subsidiary of Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd.

KUALA LUMPUR: A moderate earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale struck the Java Sea at 9.20am on Tuesday (Jan 27). The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), in a statement, said that the quake was centred at coordinates 8.3 degrees south and 111.3 degrees east, at a depth of 118km. It added that the epicentre was located approximately 78km south of Madiun, Indonesia, and confirmed that there is no tsunami threat to Malaysia following the incident.

JOHOR BARU: Three Immigration Department officers have been charged over alleged involvement in "counter setting" activities involving entry and exit stamps for passports, as well as criminal breach of trust involving club funds. Asrof, meanwhile, was charged with three counts of agreeing to receive RM6,490 as inducement for the same purpose. Ruhaya, an assistant Immigration superintendent who served as treasurer of the Kelab Kebajikan Rekreasi Inovasi dan Sukan (K-K-R-I-S) at the Immigration Department’s Sultan Abu Bakar Complex in Tanjung Kupang, was charged with CBT involving RM61,300 in club funds. Judge Ahmad Kamal then set bail at RM8,000 for Shamsul and RM10,000 each for Asrof and Ruhaya, with one surety each, respectively. He also fixed Feb 27 for mention and submission of documents for Shamsul and Asrof, while Ruhaya’s case was set for March 11.

KUALA LUMPUR: Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar has been sworn in as the new Kinabatangan Member of Parliament. The newly-elected MP stood tall as he took his oath of office before Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul on Tuesday (Jan 27). Naim replaces his late father Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, who held the seat for six terms before passing away on Dec 5 at age 66. Representing Barisan Nasional, Naim secured a decisive majority of 14,214 votes to win the seat in a three-cornered fight in Saturday's (Jan 24) by-election. He polled 19,852 votes to beat Parti Warisan's Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman, who received 5,638 votes, and Independent candidate Goldam Hamid, who obtained 746 votes.

GEORGE TOWN: Starting primary school younger, effective 2027, may sound like a head start, but it could come at a cost. The Penang Education Institu­tion Operators Association (PPIPP) has warned that early entry into Year One risks placing undue stress on children and shaping their attitudes towards learning for years to come. “By bringing primary education forward, we risk losing this critical developmental stage. “Teachers would be managing classes made up of five-year-olds and six-year-olds in a primary school environment. “This would effectively shorten early childhood education by one year,” she said yesterday.

SOME members of the Indian community are demanding an explanation for a documentary on the life of the late MIC leader Tun S. Samy Vellu that was pulled from broadcast at the last minute, Malaysia Nanban reported. The documentary titled Legasi Tun S. Samy Vellu – Pemimpin Untuk Rakyat was set for broadcast on Jan 18 on RTM1 but was reportedly cancelled at the last minute without any announcement. Sivabalan claimed there has been no clarification from the national broadcaster and officials could not be contacted. The community has demanded an answer for the cancellation when many other leaders have been covered under the Tokoh Bangsawan series, he said. More than 150 followers responded to the post, with many calling for the documentary to be released for viewing.

MALAYSIANS who travel abroad more than eight times a month risk losing their eligibility for the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR) in a move to ensure the assistance benefits those who genuinely reside in the country, Sin Chew Daily reported. They are deemed to have spent most of their time abroad and become ineligible for the assistance, according to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN). Under LHDN guidelines, non-Malaysian citizens and Malaysians who reside overseas long-term, including in Singapore, are not eligible. Malaysians who previously lived abroad but have since returned must first report their status to the Foreign Ministry before their eligibility can be reassessed. A test revealed that his liver was not functioning properly, with alanine aminotransferase levels found to be 50 times above what was deemed normal.

Kenneth Tan, the son of the late Datuk Tan Yee Khan, described his father not only as a great player but also as an exceptional father. Yee Khan, 85, passed away yesterday in Ipoh of natural causes. Although his children have chosen different paths, Yee Khan’s dedication and sacrifices continue to be deeply respected and remembered. Even in his final days, the late Yee Khan continued to talk about and show a deep passion for badminton. Yee Khan served as Malaysia’s coach in 1982 and in the same year helped sibling pair Datuk Razif Sidek and Datuk Seri Jalani Sidek win the All-England title.

(Jan 27): China’s industrial enterprises had their first annual gain in profits since 2021, as producer deflation showed signs of easing in the wake of government efforts to curb excess competition and cut capacity. Profits climbed 5.3% last month from a year earlier, compared with a plunge of more than 13% in November. China’s industry, which is dominated by manufacturing, has suffered from domestic deflation that’s eating away at income and profits. Foreign firms were the only ones that saw an increase in profits, with a 4.2% gain in 2025. State-owned enterprises recorded a 3.9% fall while private companies’ profits were unchanged from a year ago.

Carragi is no stranger to Zii Jia, having previously met at the Paris Olympics two years ago. Zii Jia is riding a wave of confidence after recording his first win in 10 months at last week’s Indonesian Masters and is now aiming to go as far as possible in Bangkok. Besides Zii Jia, two other Malaysian men’s singles players will also be in action. Justin is under pressure after early exits in his last two tournaments, the Indian Open and Indonesian Masters. He also faced a first round exit at last year’s Thailand Masters, losing to Zaki Abdillah of Indonesia.

Sources said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) probe, codenamed Ops Layar, saw seven company accounts and 14 personal accounts with a combined total of RM700,000, frozen. “The move follows investigations into the companies believed to be involved in corrupt practices by way of recommending and appointing firms linked to a senior Navy officer,” a source said. ALSO READ : Corruption in the line of fireSources added that investigations by the MACC Intelligence Division also led to the seizure of two hotels owned by a senior Navy officer, which are estimated to be worth RM2mil. It was previously reported that two individuals, including a senior Navy officer, were remanded by the MACC for alleged corruption involving the recommendation and appointment of a company to secure projects under investigation. The source added that investigators also detected suspicious fund transfers amounting to about RM2mil into the officer’s personal bank account, as well as two hotel company accounts linked to him.

KUALA LUMPUR: Allegations of corruption and abuse of power within national security institutions, including the Armed Forces, risk triggering a crisis of public confidence if not addressed decisively, defence experts have warned. “Integrity and transparency are crucial in ensuring the Armed Forces remain respected and trusted. “The Ikrar Kesatria is to the Armed Forces what the Rukun Negara is to the nation. Meanwhile, Universiti Utara Malaysia security and geopolitical analyst Assoc Prof Dr Mohamed Faisol Keling agreed that the recent corruption cases and allegations against former military chiefs and a senior Navy officer risk triggering a crisis of confidence in the Armed Forces. “Such cases could have serious implications on national defence and public confidence in the country’s security preparedness.

BUKIT MERTAJAM: A major syndicate behind the sale and manufacturing of illegal traditional health products worth RM24mil was busted in a raid by the Penang Health Department. She said inspections were conducted based on public complaints and intelligence gathering. “Among the items seized were unregistered traditional Chinese medicines suspected to contain prohibited substances such as steroids, paracetamol, allopurinol and other ingredients listed under the Poisons Act 1952. Sellers and distributors are reminded to act responsibly by ensuring only health products registered with a MAL number and bearing the PharmaTech security hologram are handled. Members of the public are advised to verify the registration status of health products via the NPRA website at www.npra.gov.my under the product search section.