ALOR SETAR: The Kedah government has declared Feb 1 as a public holiday in conjunction with the Thaipusam celebration. The decision was agreed upon during a Kedah state executive council meeting chaired by Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor Wednesday (Jan 21). According to an official state government letter signed by Deputy State Secretary (Management) Datuk Dr Nadzman Mustaffa, the holiday is in accordance with Section 9(1) of the Holidays Act 1951 (Act 369). The letter, circulated to the heads of state and federal departments, heads of state and federal statutory bodies, as well as heads of local authority departments in the state, was also shared on Muhammad Sanusi's Facebook page Wednesday.

Hwang, who’s free on bail while appealing the verdict behind his 18-year sentence, submitted a pardon application to the Justice Department last year, according to a notice on the DOJ’s website. Hwang’s notice doesn’t specify who filed his petition, and it’s unclear whether anyone reached out to the White House on his behalf. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment, and a lawyer handling Hwang’s appeal didn’t respond to messages. So far in his second term, Trump has issued more than 1,600 pardons or commutations, according to the Justice Department. In Hwang’s case, prosecutors said the veteran investor directed Archegos staff to tell banks his firm had large positions in tech giants like Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp.

PETALING JAYA: Former Asian champion Lee Zii Jia finally ended a 10-month wait for a win after defeating India’s HS Prannoy in the first round of the Indonesian Masters on Wednesday (Jan 21). Zii Jia overcame the world No. 35 21-19, 21-11 in 35 minutes. It was a significant victory for Zii Jia, whose previous win had come at last year’s Orleans Masters before his run ended in the quarter-finals. Awaiting Zii Jia in the second round is Thailand’s Panitchapon Teeraratsakul, who earlier knocked out Taiwan’s Lee Chia Hao 21-10, 21-18.

PETALING JAYA: Seven Bangladeshi men believed to be involved in human trafficking were detained following an operation at a service apartment in Taman Maluri, Kuala Lumpur. Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the operation was carried out by the department's anti-trafficking in persons and anti-money laundering division. The operation was conducted based on intelligence on smuggling activities involving Bangladeshi nationals who allegedly entered the country illegally through routes in Kelantan. The syndicate is believed to be involved in smuggling migrants via land routes," he said. He added the premises in Taman Maluri were being used as a temporary safe house for migrants who had recently arrived from the east coast of the peninsula.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former army chief Gen Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan has been charged at the Sessions Court with four counts of receiving proceeds from illegal activities amounting to RM2.1mil. The 58-year-old pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to him before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi here on Thursday (Jan 22). ALSOREAD: Ex-Army chief, ex-Armed Forces chief to be charged for corruption, says MACCHe was accused of four counts under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. More To Come

KUALA LUMPUR: Licences will be issued to allow several major shopping malls in the Klang Valley and Putrajaya to operate as public transportation hubs soon, says Anthony Loke. The Transport Minister said the move would ensure that public transport services operate safely, efficiently and comfortably, while supporting the sustainable mobility agenda and the growth of the country’s tourism sector. “In Japan, many terminals are integrated with the malls, so this is something we can expand on here,” he told reporters after ­visiting the Lalaport Transport Hub in the city centre here yesterday. On the Lalaport hub, he said its operations would help ease the movement of express buses, particularly those travelling between Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. In November last year, Loke dismissed claims that Aeroline and other express bus operators were forced to operate from TBS and GIB, saying they were merely urged to operate from safe and licensed terminals.

PETALING JAYA: National badminton players have once again fallen victim to cyberbullying, with professional men's doubles shuttler Ong Yew Sin becoming the latest target after receiving online threats from an unknown individual. Yew Sin was subjected to abuse and intimidation following his first-round exit at the Indonesian Masters with partner Teo Ee Yi. Yew Sin revealed that he received a message containing explicit threats, including a warning that Ee Yi would be physically harmed should the pair continue to produce disappointing results. If you continue to fail and lose to opponents you should be beating, one day I will come and something bad will happen. "I will bring a knife and injure Ee Yi so that you are forced to either change partners or retire," the message read.

KUALA LUMPUR: Almost one third of the country’s 140,000km of water pipelines are past their prime and the cracks and leaks are spiking operating costs dearly. “The focus must shift to replacing aged pipelines to curb non-revenue water (NRW) losses. Jaseni also said safeguarding water sources is critical for both sustainability and affordability. “Without proper protection of existing water sources, the country would be forced to tap alternative sources which often require more complex and costly treatment. Ideally, he said water catchment areas should be fenced and monitored with day-and-night patrols to ensure proper protection.

COCONUT milk, or santan as it's known in Malaysia, is a staple ingredient in many beloved local dishes, from rendang to laksa. This is a popular misconception, as cholesterol is only found in animal products, not plant-based foods like coconut milk. However, the confusion arises because coconut milk does contain saturated fat, which can raise blood cholesterol levels when consumed in excess. One study found that coconut milk can help increase levels of good HDL cholesterol whilst having neutral or even positive effects on bad LDL cholesterol levels. Excessive consumption of coconut milk can lead to weight gain due to its high calorie content and may contribute to elevated cholesterol levels.

HOUSTON: Oil prices closed 0.5% higher on Wednesday on optimism around tighter supply after a temporary shutdown at two large fields in Kazakhstan and as low volume of Venezuelan oil exports highlighted slow progress in reversing output cuts in the South American country. Reuters reported on Wednesday that the operator of the Tengiz oilfield, TCO, has declared force majeure on crude oil deliveries into the CPC pipeline system, citing a TCO letter. US crude oil and gasoline stockpiles were expected to have risen by about 1.7 million barrels last week, while distillate inventories likely fell, a preliminary Reuters poll showed on Tuesday. The International Energy Agency also revised its 2026 global oil demand growth forecasts higher on Wednesday in its latest monthly oil market report, suggesting a slightly narrower surplus for the market this year. The increased geopolitical tensions, which add pressure to the oil markets as tariffs could slow economic growth, prompted risk-off sentiment, said Giovanni Staunovo, an analyst at UBS.

KOTA KINABALU: MIC is still part of Barisan Nasional, says Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir. The Barisan secretary-general dismissed reports that MIC had left the coalition, saying that, as far as Barisan was concerned, MIC was still a member of the coalition. He was speaking after a supreme council meeting where the Malaysian People's Progressive Party (PPP) was officially readmitted into the coalition on Wednesday (Jan 21) evening. On MIC's absence at the supreme council meeting, Zambry said that the meeting was called at short notice, and many could not make it. Others at the meeting were Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Datuk Arthur Jospeh Kurup and MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, as well as PPP president Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan.

PETALING JAYA: The implementation of diagnostic tests for Year One at age six will be announced soon to ensure children are ready for this, says Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek. “Details of how the diagnostic test will be conducted, including the locations, will be shared later,” she said. On infrastructure, Fadhlina said the diagnostic tests would provide data on the number of students enrolling earlier, which will help with preparations. The minister also said the diagnostic data on enrolment will help the ministry determine the number and placement of teachers. Fadhlina said that preparations are still ongoing, including infrastructure, teacher readiness and the diagnostic tests, which give parents the space to make informed decisions.

"We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the Tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1st." Wall Street benchmarks had been trading in positive territory at the time of the announcement, but soared in its wake as investors cheered the aversion of a potential new tariff war over the future of Greenland. Before the mid-afternoon Greenland announcement, Wall Street had been broadly positive, as investors responded to Tuesday's bruising selloff. Kraft Heinz fell 5.7% after a regulatory filing showed Berkshire Hathaway may shed its 27.5% stake in the consumer company.

JOHOR BARU: Three immigration officers and a restaurant owner were charged for receiving bribes related to carrying out counter-setting activities between 2023 and 2025. Day in court: Hairiziam (left) and Haslan being escorted by MACC officers after proceedings at the Johor Baru Sessions Court. The offence was allegedly committed at the Pasir Gudang Immigration Office at about 7pm on Aug 28, 2024. He was said to have committed the offences at a toilet near the immigration counter at the Pasir Gudang Ferry Terminal between April and August 2023. For the offences of receiving bribes, the accused were charged under Section 16(a)(B) and Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s community-based tourism (CoBT) will be a key feature of the Sail Malaysia Passage to the East Yacht Rally 2026, reflecting growing interest internationally. Meanwhile, Joniston welcomed Sail Malaysia’s focus on CoBT, noting that it aligns with the state government’s efforts to strengthen rural and community-driven tourism while ensuring benefits reach local communities. He added that the CoBT emphasis complements Sabah’s broader tourism promotion under the Explore Sabah narrative in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026. Joniston encouraged Sail Malaysia to work closely with STB to identify suitable CoBT locations and develop targeted promotional efforts to highlight Sabah’s community tourism offerings. He also welcomed efforts to introduce new docking points and advised Sail Malaysia to identify potential safe harbours for further consideration by the relevant authorities.