FOR a fortnight, celebrations for the birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, have taken place with the usual energy and variety. On Jan 8 was the Majlis Negri Sembilan Berselawat, which brought thousands from across the state to the royal town’s Padang to sing praises for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), followed by a smaller tahlil the next day in conjunction with the birthday, at Tuanku Munawir Mosque.

MARANG: PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang says the party will continue to lead Perikatan Nasional following Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's resignation as chairman on Jan 1. He said a previous PAS general meeting had adopted a resolution mandating the party to helm the coalition. "That is the PAS muktamar resolution for PAS to be the chair," he told reporters after delivering a lecture at Masjid Rusila here on Friday (Jan 23). On the colaition's chairman post, Abdul Hadi said there had been no decision yet but PAS has a candidate. The Marang MP also said PAS had yet to be invited to any official Perikatan meeting to discuss the appointment of a new chairman.

SHAH ALAM (Jan 23): A battery factory was 80% destroyed in a fire in Anggerik Mokara, Kota Kemuning, here on Friday. Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (Selangor) Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar said no casualty was reported in the incident. He said the department received a call regarding the incident at 7.25am, and 25 firefighters from the Shah Alam, Subang Jaya and Andalas fire and rescue stations were mobilised to the scene. “The operations commander reported that the fire involved a class B building, namely a battery factory with an area of ​​150x150 sq ft, which was 80% destroyed. “The fire was successfully controlled at 8.20am, and the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation,” he said in a statement.

LOCALS in Kajang, Selangor, have the opportunity to shape the historic town centre, which has been earmarked for development under a Federal Government plan. Pusat Bandar Kajang was selected by the Housing and Local Government Ministry to be developed under a Special Area Plan (Rancangan Kawasan Khas). He said the council had launched a publicity and public participation programme to allow residents and stakeholders to review the Pusat Bandar Kajang Draft Special Area Plan. The document available for public review covers 53.71ha of Kajang town centre and proposes transforming the area into a heritage town and integrated arts hub. Nazli said the draft plan outlined 44 proposed projects grouped under five action zones and three specialisation sectors.

JOHOR BARU: A total of 418 notices have been issued against litterbugs nationwide since the beginning of the year. Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) chief executive officer Khalid Mohamed said the notices, recorded from Jan 1 to 22, included 103 issued to foreign nationals. Khalid said earlier on Friday that two foreign nationals – a Bangladeshi man and Indonesian woman – were the first individuals to be charged in court under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672), which came into effect on Jan 1. He added that the highest number of notices was issued in Kuala Lumpur (127), followed by Kedah (99), Negri Sembilan (61), Johor (58) and Pahang (30). Khalid said that under the law, offenders found guilty may be fined up to RM2,000, and the court may also impose a community service order of up to six months, involving work not exceeding 12 hours in total.

SHAH ALAM: A battery factory has been badly damaged in a fire in Anggerik Mokara, Kota Kemuning here. Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (Selangor) Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar said no casualties were was reported in the incident. He said the department received a call regarding the incident at 7.25am on Friday (Jan 23) and 25 firefighters from the Shah Alam, Subang Jaya and Andalas fire and rescue stations were mobilised. "The operations commander reported that the fire involved a class B building, namely a battery factory with an area of 150x150 sq ft, which was 80% destroyed. "The fire was successfully controlled at 8.20am and the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation," he said in a statement on Monday.

(Jan 23): Prudential Financial Inc’s Japan insurance head vowed to bolster governance after revelations that improper actions by more than 100 current and former staff cost customers about US$20 million (RM80.1 million). The chief executive officer of the unit, Kan Mabara, “deeply” apologised for “multiple inappropriate cases,” at a news conference in Tokyo. Prudential Life Insurance Co had said in a statement last week that employees had received ¥3.14 billion from customers through improper acts. At Prudential Life, staff have been checking with customers since August 2024 following the discovery of multiple cases of impropriety. An internal investigation showed that about 106 current and former employees solicited around 500 customers for investment products that weren’t approved by the firm, including cryptocurrencies.

Investment protection and geographical indications (GIs) are being negotiated separately, narrowing the FTA's focus to goods, services and trade rules. The pact would be India's ninth trade agreement in four years, reflecting New Delhi's push to secure market access as global trade turns more protectionist. The EU is among India's top trading partners, along with the United States and China, with total bilateral goods and services trade exceeding US$190 billion in 2024/25. India exported about US$76 billion in goods and US$30 billion in services to the 27-nation bloc. Whether the pact delivers balanced gains will depend on how carbon levies, services mobility and non-tariff barriers are ultimately handled.

(Jan 23): SpaceX has lined up four banks to lead its initial public offering (IPO), according to people familiar with the matter, as Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite firm moves forward with plans for the biggest-ever listing. The Financial Times reported the lead banks earlier. Additional banks are in talks for roles on SpaceX’s IPO, the people said. A SpaceX representative didn’t immediately respond to a Bloomberg request for comment. The company is moving forward with an insider share sale that values it at about US$800 billion, Bloomberg News reported in December.

BANGI (Jan 23): The Madani government has given full latitude to authorities to combat corruption and abuse of power, including activities related to the illegal importation of electronic waste (e-waste) into the country. “Based on our experience with contracts and tenders, despite strong pressure and continuous reminders, we still observe weaknesses and inconsistencies. “The decision by the Cabinet is to completely prohibit Malaysia from becoming a dumping ground for e-waste. “Their task is to clean up the remaining traces of corruption and abuse of power,” he said. He said the government, through the relevant ministries, would review and restructure all procurement processes to ensure transparency within the existing system.

KUALA LUMPUR: A special health insurance/takaful calculator will be launched soon to help patients make informed decisions about healthcare costs. The calculator, to be launched next month, will help Malaysians plan monthly savings for premiums and co-payments throughout their coverage period, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. “In 2026, in addition to progressing on the pilot for the base MHIT plan, we will advance three critical initiatives,” he said. Amir Hamzah said the new insurance base plan complements the universal coverage provided by the government. “The public healthcare system remains our mainstay, supported by a record RM46.5bil allocation for public healthcare in 2026,” he said.

PENAMPANG (Jan 23): Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) has expressed full support and an unwavering commitment to helping secure victory for the two Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates in the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections on Saturday. “PBS remains consistent in its political stance and will give its full support to BN candidates in the Lamag state and Kinabatangan parliamentary by-elections. Joachim also stressed that PBS would not compromise on any actions that run counter to the party’s decisions. The Kinabatangan by-election features a three-cornered contest involving Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar (BN), Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman (Warisan) and Goldam Hamid (Independent), while the Lamag seat is a straight fight between Mohd Ismail Ayob (BN) and Mazliwati Abdul Malek (Warisan). The by-elections were called following the death of the incumbent Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, 66, on Dec 5 last year.

(Jan 23): China will set a lower economic growth goal for 2026 than last year, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, in a sign top leaders may refrain from measures to reverse a slowdown that intensified in recent months. For policymakers to reach their goal of making China a moderately developed economy by 2035, growth needs to average 4.17% over the next decade. Net exports contributed a third of economic growth in 2025, the highest level since 1997, official data showed. A less ambitious growth target and less stimulus could hold back China’s purchases of foreign goods, given domestic demand is stagnating, according to Louis Kuijs, the chief Asia-Pacific economist of S&P Global Ratings. “Reducing the growth target somewhat would acknowledge the pressure on organic growth, requiring less ‘artificial’ growth from stimulus, while allowing continued focus on technological innovation and autonomy,” Kuijs said.

KINABATANGAN (Jan 23): Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates for the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election, Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar, and for the Lamag state seat, Mohd Ismail Ayob, have urged all eligible voters to turn out and exercise their civic duty at the polls on Saturday. “I urge all voters to turn up early and cast their ballots," Mohd Kurniawan Naim said after visiting GiatMara Kinabatangan on Friday, with Mohd Ismail also in attendance. The Kinabatangan and Lamag by-election campaigns wrap up on Friday at 11.59pm. The Kinabatangan by-election sees a three-cornered contest involving Mohd Kurniawan Naim of BN, Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman (Warisan) and Goldam Hamid (Independent), while the Lamag state seat features a straight fight between Mohd Ismail Ayob (BN) and Mazliwati (Warisan). The by-elections were called following the death of the incumbent Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, 66, on Dec 5 last year.

KOTA BARU: Two more senior officers of the Armed Forces, both holding the title Datuk, are expected to be charged next week, it was revealed. Azam said the proposed charges against duo were to prioritise MACC action against highest-ranking officers. Azam said clean-up operations at identified corruption and leakage hotspots must be carried out aggressively, including close monitoring of enforcement officers stationed at border checkpoints. Azam said leakages often stemmed from the involvement of a handful of enforcement officers, asserting that these activities would not thrive without elements of collusion. “Before we take action against smugglers, we must first ensure our officers possess the highest level of integrity,” he added.