Yet to many, board evaluations remain a formality — a box to tick rather than a lever for transformation and evolution. Done well, board evaluations are not merely reflections of the past. Use evaluations to recalibrate board focusWhen board meetings become overly operational, a review can help redirect the agenda towards strategic foresight. Strategic evaluations can be used to feed directly into board refreshment and performance. We must have the courage and will to move board evaluations from symbolic rituals to strategic inflection points.

SEREMBAN: A man has claimed trial to a charge of giving an Environment Department officer a RM50,000 bribe to prevent action being taken against an electronic waste (e-waste) facility. Soon Kein Chong, 40, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before Sessions judge N. Kanageswari here on Friday (Jan 23). The alleged bribe was said to be an inducement to the 45-year-old officer not to act against the facility for flouting several provisions under the Environmental Quality Act 1974. Offenders can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined at least five times the bribe value or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. Judge Kanageswari then set bail at RM20,000 with one surety and ordered the accused to report to the MACC once a month.

TOKYO (Jan 23): The Bank of Japan (BOJ) kept interest rates steady on Friday and raised its economic and inflation forecasts, signalling its confidence a moderate recovery would justify raising still-low borrowing costs further. The central bank also maintained its pledge to keep raising rates if economic and price developments move in line with its projections. The BOJ has been tapering bond buying since 2024 under a pre-set, moderate pace. Ueda has repeatedly said while bond yields should be set by markets, the BOJ will step in if they make "exceptional, unusual moves". The BOJ changed direction in 2024, raising its policy rate several times and tapering bond purchases on the view Japan was on the cusp of durably achieving the bank's 2% inflation target.

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 240,000 requests to remove harmful online content were made by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission from 2022 to 2025, says the Communications Ministry. This comprised 4,259 applications to remove deepfake content, 59,487 for false content, and 176,786 for scams. Of the numbers, 93% of the reported deepfake content was removed, compared with 87% of the reported false content. The Online Safety Act, the ministry said, was also drafted to improve safety in the online space. The act further compels licensed online service providers to manage harmful content.

PETALING JAYA: A 21-year-old man was arrested after the car he was driving crashed into a bollard pole and a barrier gate at Gate 2 of Istana Negara in the early hours of Friday (Jan 23). Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief Asst Comm Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa said the incident occurred at about 3.30am when the man, who was driving from Bukit Damansara, was travelling along Jalan Changkat Semantan. “Initial investigations found that the vehicle rammed into the bollard pole and barrier gate at Gate 2 of Istana Negara,” he said. The suspect was arrested, and the investigation paper was referred to the Deputy Public Prosecutor’s Office on the same day. The driver was expected to be brought before the Magistrate’s Court in Jalan Duta at about 11am on Friday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Some 3,200 complaints have been received by the Financial Markets Ombudsman Service since its inception a year ago, the Dewan Rakyat was told. Complaints related to health insurance products meanwhile reached 112 as of the third quarter of last year, accounting for 3.4% of the total complaints received. Here, 83 complaints or 74% of cases involving health insurance products were resolved. Explaining further, the ministry said the FMOS serves as a conflict-resolution centre for consumers and financial investors nationwide. He also asked about the number of cases related to health insurance products.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians say medical insurance is essential, and the upcoming Base Medical and Health Insurance/Takaful (MHIT) plan could help, but rising costs and premiums remain a concern. “At RM1,300 a month, I did not want to increase my children’s burden, so I stopped the medical insurance. Tan welcomed the move to improve medical insurance ­coverage but stressed that governance and operators matter. The MHIT White Paper, released by Bank Negara Malaysia, yesterday, outlined two options: the Standard Plan and the lower-cost Standard Plus Plan. While the scheme aims to make healthcare affordable, some remain concerned about rising premiums and medical costs.

KUALA LUMPUR: There are no plans to reintroduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for now, the Dewan Rakyat was told. While acknowledging the benefits it brings, the Finance Ministry said the Sales and Services Tax (SST), which is currently being implemented, provides a swifter financial impact for the government. The ministry said the SST would be retained and improved. The ministry added that reintroducing the GST requires a lengthy preparation period of up to two years to allow businesses to update their systems accordingly. The ministry was responding to a question from Datuk Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail (PN-Kubang Pasu), who asked whether the government intends to reintroduce the GST, noting that many financial experts viewed it as a more comprehensive taxation system than the SST.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 23): Kelington Group Bhd (KL:KGB) is expected to deliver a strong set of results for its 4QFY2025 ended Dec 31, 2025, underpinned by seasonally higher revenue recognition and sustained margins, according to RHB Investment Bank. The group is scheduled to announce its results on Feb 25. “FY2026 is shaping up to be another illustrious year, anchored by Kelington’s outsized tenderbook and orderbook (RM4.6 billion and RM1.6 billion respectively as at 3QFY25)...,” the house said in a note on Friday. On the tender front, RHB acknowledged concerns over the sustainability of Kelington’s tenderbook but cautioned against placing undue emphasis on headline numbers, noting that the pipeline remains dynamic. Separately, the house also noted that the exercise of Kelington’s remaining in-the-money warrants, set to expire in July, could raise about RM141 million, and potentially providing upside risk to dividends.

KUALA LUMPUR: The “base plan” medical insurance framework will not only make coverage affordable for more people, it will also alleviate concerns over steep premium hikes. The plan aims to encourage people to seek treatment at private hospitals, thus easing pressure on public healthcare facilities, said Bank Negara. However, government hospitals will continue to be the backbone of the public healthcare system. In a closed-door media briefing, Bank Negara gave assurances that the base plan will offer comprehensive coverage for most health conditions. “By channelling patients who can afford it to private care, the plan aims to improve efficiency across the healthcare system,” Bank Negara said.

PUTRAJAYA: The Artificial Intelligence Fact-Checking Assistant (AIFA) service on WhatsApp will be temporarily disrupted due to scheduled system maintenance, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said. In a statement on Friday (Jan 23), it said the service disruption will last for two hours, from 8.00 am to 10.00 am, before operations resume as normal. "During this period, the public can still access verified information and carry out fact checks through the Sebenarnya.my portal, which will operate without disruption,” MCMC said. MCMC also apologised for any inconvenience caused and thanked the public for their understanding.

KUALA LUMPUR: The new insurance "base plan" under the Reset strategy is meant to widen access and complement the universal coverage provided by the government, says Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan. "As the government, we are deeply concerned. If this trend continues unchecked, fewer individuals can afford protection than they do today. Amir Hamzah said this is the core philosophy behind Reset. "We cannot address inflation by looking at insurance in isolation, we must elevate the entire ecosystem.

The Penang government will address public complaints about poor connectivity between the Butter­worth railway station, Penang Sentral and the ferry terminal. The incident caused the temporary closure of a pedestrian walkway linking the railway station and Penang Sentral, causing inconvenience to passengers. “The state has received public feedback, particularly over discomfort and connectivity issues between transport modes,” Zairil was reported saying by state publisher Buletin Mutiara. This follows Transport Minister Anthony Loke’s previous announ­cement of a RM30mil allocation to transform the Butterworth station, ferry terminal and Penang Sentral, into an integrated public transport hub. At Penang Sentral, Zairil said operator Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd had relocated e-hailing pick-up and drop-off points from Level 8 to Levels 2 and 2A to improve passenger flow.

BENTONG: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for an end to prolonged bickering over language issues to create a more competitive and united future for Malaysian children. He said the ability to speak more than one language is an asset in facing global challenges and enhancing the competitiveness of the young generation, without compromising national identity. “We no longer want endless inter-ethnic disputes over language. The allocation is for a six-classroom block for the Integrated Special Education Programme and classrooms for the Integrated Preschool at SJKC Perting. Also present were Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Ham­zah Azizan, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and Bentong MP Young Syefura Othman.

PETALING JAYA: Women’s singles shuttler K. Letshanaa pulled off the biggest upset of her career after stunning world No. 42 in the world, Letshanaa produced a commanding performance to dispatch the Canadian 21-14, 21-14 in just 36 minutes in the second round at the Istora Senayan in Jakarta on Thursday (Jan 22). 7 Puteri Kusuma of Indonesia 21-17, 19-21, 21-17 in another second round match. Women's doubles: Hsu Ya-ching-Sung Yu-hsuan (Tpe) bt Cheng Su Hui-Tan Zhing Yi w.o; Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah bt Lin Xiao-min-Wang Yu-qiao (Tpe) 21-13, 21-12. Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Pakkapon Teeraratsakul-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) 21-12, 21-18; Guo Xinwa-Chen Fanghui (Chn) bt Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin 21-13, 21-19.