KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry, through the National Registration Department (NRD), assures that the process of granting Permanent Resident Identity Cards (MyPR) and Malaysian citizenship is carried out strictly, transparently and in accordance with the law, following concerns raised regarding the issue. "As of Dec 31, 2025, a total of 261,156 MyPR holders were recorded nationwide," said the statement. "MyPR status can be revoked if the holder is found to be involved in any offence that could threaten security, public order or national interests," according to NRD. Regarding the granting of citizenship, the department emphasised that it is the highest honour and an exclusive right of the federal government, not granted arbitrarily. Each citizenship application is processed based on Part III of the Federal Constitution and the Citizenship Rules 1964, taking into account national interests, security, and the well-being of existing citizens.

V. Jevanan lost his leg in a road accident 12 years ago and began carrying the kavadi to pay homage to Lord Murugan four years ago. He said the spiritual journey serves as a living prayer, where every painful step is an act of devotion. “I consider the physical pain to be my expression of gratitude to Lord Murugan for fulfilling my vows. “One has to prepare his body and mind for the spiritual journey, which will include piercing the body with hooks, skewers and rods. “For me, I simply experience spiritual bliss when I am being pierced and surrender to Lord Murugan,” he said.

A PROPOSAL to build a sports complex on the site of a disused sewage treatment plant (STP) in Happy Garden, Jalan Kelang Lama, has been turned down for not complying with the local plan. Under the local plan, the area is gazetted for residential use. The latest update from DBKL is expected to allay concerns among Happy Garden residents, who held a press conference on Saturday to oppose the proposed sports complex. The former STP site should ideally be turned into a recreational park, Lee said. On Aug 25 last year, StarMetro reported that residents were consulted on plans for a sports complex in the area.

PETALING JAYA: Complaints related to online transactions have topped the list of consumer grievances received by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry over the past several years. CLICK TO ENLARGEFrom 2021 to October 2025, the ministry recorded a total of 51,821 complaints involving online transactions. The ministry stressed its continued commitment to tackle online business transaction fraud. “The approach involves strict enforcement measures, monitoring of online content, and ongoing efforts to enhance consumer literacy. Victims may file claims with the Consumer Claims Tribunal Malaysia or lodge complaints for investigation purposes.

PETALING JAYA: After a rocky start to the year, mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie–Toh Ee Wei kept their faith in each other and let their racquets do the talking at the Indonesian Masters. The win was also sweet for Ee Wei after irresponsible netizens insulted her family and upbringing following the early exit in India. Tang Jie credited the stunning turnaround to the belief that he and Ee Wei had in each other in tough times. Said Ee Wei: “It was extraordinary. Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje (Den) 15-21, 21-17, 21-11.

Parts of Texas and the Mid-South were coated in freezing rain — and a layer of ice thick enough to take down power lines. The storm forced more than 17,000 cancellations from Saturday through Monday, according to data from FlightAware. Meanwhile, the Texas grid is expected to face tight conditions through Monday. Even as snow and sleet precipitation begin to taper off, the risk of power shortages or blackouts will increase in some places Monday. Refiners and chemical plants on Texas’ Gulf Coast, meanwhile, shuttered units amid the deep freeze, according to filings.

Zhang Youxia, 75, is also accused of accepting bribes for official acts, including the promotion of an officer to the post of defense minister, the newspaper reported on Sunday. The briefing was held before China’s Defense Ministry announced on Saturday that it was investigating Zhang, WSJ said. Liu, 61, has been chief of the People Liberation Army’s Joint Staff Department, which oversees military operations, intelligence and training. Xi began his latest campaign to root out corruption in the armed forces in mid-2023, months after securing a precedent-defying third term. Since then, two vice military chairs, three CMC members, a former defense minister, and at least a dozen senior generals who oversaw military commands have been ousted.

Expectations on energy reliability, data governance, cyber resilience and talent readiness are rising. For institutions involved in long-horizon development and capital stewardship, these shifts shape daily choices around infrastructure readiness, industrial positioning and investment sequencing. Increasingly, regions function as operating systems, where policy, capital, talent and execution must move in tandem. Differentiation increasingly lies in a region’s ability to move decisively, align stakeholders and sustain momentum. Regional platforms, built on institutional capability and execution readiness, increasingly determine how effectively opportunities are converted into outcomes.

That journey began at the age of 15, when she participated in her first Model United Nations (MUN) conference at her elementary school in the Maldives. “That first MUN experience sparked my dream of working at the United Nations and one day visiting its headquarters in New York City,” she said. “Taylor’s University stood out because its International Relations programme is more diplomacy-focused, which aligns with my ambition of becoming a diplomat or ambassador. One of the most valuable experiences, she noted, was participating in a United Nations Security Council simulation as part of her studies. “Meeting and interviewing Dato’ Astanah was genuinely one of the most meaningful experiences I had at Taylor’s University,” Mariyam said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan Rakyat's (PKR) national congress will be held over four days in Melaka from June 25 to 28. PKR information chief Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the decision was made by the party's central leadership council at its monthly meeting on Sunday (Jan 25). "Detailed information will be issued by the PKR headquarters soon," he said in a statement. Meanwhile, Datuk Jamawi Ja'afar, Datuk Ruji Ubi and Datuk Yamani Hafez Musa were appointed ex officio members of the PKR central leadership council. "Measures to combat corruption and cartel groups were also supported, to ensure that public funds are not misappropriated to enrich certain groups," he said.

PETALING JAYA: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, has arrived safely in St Petersburg on Sunday (Jan 25) for a special visit to the Russian city at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin. His Majesty’s aircraft touched down at Pulkovo International Airport at 2.38pm local time, marking the beginning of the maiden visit by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's to St Petersburg. Upon arrival, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was received by Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Yuryevich Drozdenko, Deputy Governor Yaroslav Anatolyevich Serov, and St Petersburg Committee for External Relations chairman Evgeny Dmitrievich Grigoriev. In a Facebook post, His Majesty noted St Petersburg as one of Russia’s most significant historical cities and had previously served as the country’s capital. “Last year alone, more than 160,000 Malaysians visited St Petersburg.”Sultan Ibrahim said the special visit underscores the importance of Malaysia–Russia ties and reflects growing people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, particularly in tourism and cultural engagement.

BANKS are hardly “exciting” but, at current valuations, they offer some upside to investors against a backdrop of anticipated economic growth and emerging market rotational play. Malaysian banking stocks “are a solid, defensive” investment, says Datuk Seri Cheah Cheng Hye, chairman of Cheah Capital, a Hong Kong-based family office.

KOTA BARU: An 89-year-old woman was burnt to death on Sunday (Jan 25) evening in a fire which almost completely destroyed her home near Jalan Tok Guru here. "The fire resulted in one female victim being confirmed dead at the scene," he told reporters here the same day. She said she heard a sound like a crashing object, then saw the victim waving her hands and shouting for help. "The fire was raging at the time, and I saw the victim fall to the lower portion of the house. Kota Baru OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Azmir Damiri confirmed the incident and said the case has been classified as sudden death.

The vertical feed is designed to help users discover shows they want to watch. Netflix says clips from its series are often shared in portrait format on TikTok, but the company would prefer this to happen on its own platform. "We've actually been testing vertical video features for some time, about six months or so, and we've had a vertical video feed in the mobile experience that's been available for several months," Peters said. "That feed is filled with clips of Netflix shows and movies." Cinema operators and fans had feared Netflix could bring Warner blockbusters straight to streaming without a cinematic release.

KUALA LUMPUR: A businessman has lost RM1.25mil to a clone investment scam that used corporate bank accounts. The scam is believed to be orchestrated by an online fraud syndicate posing as an international investment entity named JMC. "Influenced by the displayed profits, the victim made 23 transfers totalling RM1.25mil into several third-party bank accounts between October and December 2025," the department said in a Facebook post. The bank accounts were registered under the names JMC M Trading Venture, JMC Top Trading, JCG Entire Trading Sdn Bhd and JMC Flex Solution. Common red flags for investment fraud include unauthorised apps, instructions to transfer funds to third-party accounts, restrictions on withdrawing profits, and requests for additional fees or supposed taxes for withdrawal.