KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): KomarkCorp Bhd (KL:KOMARK) has proposed a share capital reduction of RM148.7 million to offset its significant accumulated losses. At the group level, KomarkCorp recorded accumulated losses of RM118.36 million as at end-September 2025. Following the capital reduction, the group will have retained earnings of RM30.34 million. At the company level, its accumulated losses stood at RM148.76 million, which will be slashed to just RM59,327 with the capital reduction. As at Jan 15 this year, KomarkCorp’s issued share capital stood at RM173.27 million, comprising 230.92 million ordinary shares.

The gunman charged with killing Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe was found guilty and jailed for life, as the judge declared the broad- daylight assassination “despicable and extremely malicious”. As he handed down the sentence at a court in the city of Nara, judge Shinichi Tanaka said Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, had been “determined” to shoot Abe. The fact he “shot him from behind and did so when (Abe) was least expecting it” points to the “despicable and extremely malicious” nature of his act, he said. A queue of people waited yesterday morning for tickets to enter the courtroom, highlighting inten­se public interest in the trial. Prosecutors had argued that the defendant’s motive to kill Abe was rooted in his desire to besmirch the Unification Church, to which his mother’s blind donations plun­ged his family into bankruptcy.

Ex-Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (pic) became the first Yoon administration official convicted of rebellion charges in related to Yoon’s martial law imposition in December 2024. The court sentenced Han for playing a key role in Yoon’s rebellion by trying to give procedural legitimacy to Yoon’s martial law decree by getting it passed through a Cabinet Council meeting. The court also convicted Han of falsifying the martial law proclamation and destroying it and lying under oath. The court said Han, then prime minister, neglected his respon­sibilities to protect the constitution, choosing instead to take part in Yoon’s rebellion with the belief that it might succeed. Yoon, who has already been in jail for months, faces eight criminal trials including his rebellion case over the martial law decree and other allegations.

DAVOS (Jan 22): The world needs to more than double oil production, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Thursday, while criticising the European Union and the US state of California for wasting money on what he described as inefficient green energy. In recent years, the World Economic Forum's discussions on energy have centred on ways to boost lower-carbon policies. But during Wright's discussionwith energy company Occidental's CEO Vicki Hollub in Davos, they emphasised that the world will depend on oil for decades to come. "These regulations could threaten you (US producers) liability-wise to send gas to Europe," Wright said. After months of pressure from companies and governments, the European Union agreed last month to sharply scale back two flagship laws, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.

KOTA BHARU (Jan 21): Two more senior officers of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), both with the title ‘Datuk’, are expected to be charged next week. Confirming the matter, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the charges are subject to the approval of Attorney General (AG) Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar. “If the attorney general agrees, we will proceed with charging two more individuals. “This is a responsibility that I have fulfilled, and the attorney general also has a responsibility to discharge. On Dec 23, 2025, a team of MACC officers arrived at the Ministry of Defence (Mindef), to conduct preliminary investigations into several army-related projects dating back to 2023.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has recorded the statements of the editor-in-chief and online editor of China Press over online posts in regards to the King’s Royal Address in Parliament. KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has recorded statements from two China Press editors over online posts allegedly containing false information in relation to the King's Royal Address in Parliament. It said it is probing the content, published via China Press' official online media accounts, under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. The commission said it takes seriously any publication involving the King's Royal Address and matters concerning Bahasa Melayu as the national language, and reminded media organisations to conduct rigorous fact-checking and uphold responsible journalism. Yesterday, federal police Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk M. Kumar had said investigators from the Classified Crime Investigation Unit had recorded statements from the editor-in-chief and a sub-editor over the same matter.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has entered a new era of local defence development with the launch of the National Defence Industry Policy (DIPN), seen as a key driver of the Defence Ministry’s strategic transformation. Mohamed Khaled said the main objective of DIPN is to reduce reliance on foreign technology while strengthening local capabilities through close collaboration between the public and private sectors, shifting the focus from maintenance to high-value manufacturing and technological innovation. As part of DIPN’s rollout, the Malaysia Defence Industry Portal (PIPM) was also introduced as an integrated digital platform serving as an information hub for the national defence industry ecosystem. “It will serve as a one-stop centre for industry players to collaborate, access technology, and develop competitive defence products,” he added. Mohamed Khaled highlighted several national defence projects, including the development of local defence satellites, laser defence systems, ground vehicle chassis manufacturing capabilities, weapon systems, passive radar, loitering munition systems (kamikaze drones), and defence simulators.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): BWYS Group Bhd (KL:BWYS) will sell its leasehold industrial land with buildings in Bukit Changgang, Kuala Langat, Selangor, for RM67 million and acquire freehold industrial land in Tanjong Duabelas, Kuala Langat, for RM94.5 million. The sheet metal products manufacturer and scaffoldings supplier said the proposed Bukit Changgang property disposal enables the group to unlock the value of a non-core asset and strengthen its financial position. “The cash proceeds are expected to be utilised for, among others, repayment of bank borrowings, working capital requirements and partial funding of the proposed Tanjong Duabelas land acquisition. Meanwhile, the proposed land acquisition aligns with the group’s long-term operational and expansion plans, providing additional capacity for future development to support the construction of new manufacturing facilities and warehouses, thereby expanding the group’s core operations. BWYS Group managing director Kang Beng Hai said the approval of both the disposal and acquisition reflects the group’s disciplined approach to asset management and long-term planning.

DATUK Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) has been hospitalised for a lung infection since Jan 19. In a Facebook post yesterday, the MCA president said he is ­currently undergoing treatment and will be on medical leave for a week. Dr Wee said he has informed Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul of his absence. During Question Time, Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor said the House would skip Dr Wee’s question due to his absence. Dr Wee was supposed to ask the Transport Ministry about the impact of the Road Transport Department’s policy on ­overloaded lorries implemented last October on supply chains, logistics and cost of living.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): Kimlun Corporation Bhd (KL:KIMLUN) has successfully issued Islamic commercial papers (ICP) with a nominal value of RM10.81 million pursuant to its ICP programme. The construction company said the proceeds raised from the issuance of the ICP will be utilised by Kimlun and its subsidiaries for shariah-compliant general corporate purposes, including working capital, capital expenditures and the refinancing of existing group financing. “The tenure of the ICP issued is one year,” it said in a Bursa Malaysia filing on Thursday. OCBC Al-Amin Bank Bhd is the lead manager for the issuance of the ICP. The ICP is issued under Kimlun’s ICP programme, which together with its Islamic medium-term notes programme carries a combined limit of up to RM800 million.

PUTRAJAYA (Jan 22): Members of the public are allowed to apply for a physical printout of a Malaysian driving licence (LMM) without submitting proof of overseas travel starting Friday, Jan 23. Based on existing regulations, drivers can apply for a physical LMM card by showing proof of leaving the country such as a flight ticket. "As a measure to reduce bureaucracy, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) has been instructed to no longer ask for proof of leaving the country," the statement said. The MOT informed that senior citizens aged 60 and above, Class A and A1 licence holders and disabled persons card holders registered with the Department of Social Welfare can continue to obtain physical LMM prints for free. "Drivers who choose the LLM digital card will continue to be able to access a free digital driving card which can be renewed via the MyJPJ application without having to go to any office," according to the statement.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): Three individuals, including two immigration officers, were detained during two separate operations in Johor and Sabah on Monday and Wednesday, for their alleged involvement in the abuse of the online Malaysian passport application facility. Immigration director general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said that during a raid on a residential premises in Simpang Renggam, Johor, authorities detained a man believed to be involved in providing false declarations to obtain Malaysian passports. Both are immigration officers believed to have acted as the main masterminds and "facilitators" for the syndicate. "Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate's modus operandi was to offer International Malaysian Passport (PMA) renewal services online to Malaysians abroad without following established procedures. Authorities also seized two Malaysian passports and online application documents believed to be directly linked to the syndicate's activities.

(Jan 22): Beazley on Thursday rejected a 7.67-billion-pound (US$10.3 billion) takeover offer from Zurich Insurance as materially undervaluing the UK speciality insurer, adding it was lower than another proposal the group turned down last year. Zurich, Europe's second-largest insurer by market value, declined to comment. At that price, a deal would value Beazley's equity at about 8.4 billion pounds, the company said. Beazley said it had received three proposals from Zurich that month and engaged with it "appropriately," including giving Zurich some limited due diligence information in good faith. Zurich is looking to build up its speciality insurance business, and sees Beazley as a good fit given its expertise in cyber, marine, aviation and space, and fine art insurance.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): Bursa Malaysia said Apex Healthcare Bhd (KL:AHEALTH) will officially be delisted on Jan 27 following the completion of Pharmora Investment Holdings Pte Ltd’s takeover and privatisation of the pharmaceutical group. The exchange said Apex Healthcare will be removed from the official list of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd effective 9am on Tuesday. Pharmora’s successful voluntary takeover offer, which values Apex Healthcare at RM1.91 billion, closed on Jan 5 with valid acceptances amounting to 95.43%. Pharmora partnered with Apex Healthcare’s major shareholder, chairman and CEO Dr Kee Kerk Chin, to undertake the RM2.64-per-share offer launched on Nov 28, 2025. The offer became unconditional on Dec 22 after crossing the 90% mark, and was subsequently extended to Jan 5 to facilitate further acceptances.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): Economists continue to expect Malaysia’s central bank to maintain its key interest rate throughout this year, unless an excessive demand pressure or tariff shock emerges. Domestic demand remains resilient and is expected to continue anchoring the economy in 2026, while the tariff impact has been mild as AI-related demand bolstered electronics exports, economists noted. Meanwhile, core inflation is expected to remain stable, though on “the absence of excessive demand pressures”, it added, quoting BNM. “Finally, BNM seems comfortable with the inflation trajectory, which should preserve policy space for a rate cut if required,” she added. MBSB Research noted the upcoming Sara cash assistance in February may fuel demand-pull inflation; inflation is expected to stay moderate in 2026 with a slight uptick.