PETALING JAYA: A tricky path once again awaits former Asian champion Lee Zii Jia as he faces world No. Prannoy is no stranger to Zii Jia, having dashed the Malaysian’s hopes in the battle for a semi-final spot at the Hangzhou Asian Games three years ago. However, Zii Jia could take confidence from his recent rise in the world rankings ahead of the clash with the Indian. Zii Jia, who has only recently recovered from a back injury, has set his sights on breaking back into the world’s top 20 by the end of the year. Zii Jia will also be joined by Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh, with both eager to secure wins in the opening round.

LANGKAWI: Two ferries docked at a pier in Langkawi were destroyed in a fire at Northern Shipyard Jalan Bukit Malut on Monday (Jan 19) night. A Kedah fire and rescue department spokesman said they received a call from 999 informing them about the incident at 9.46pm. The spokesman said a new ferry, Marin Star 2, at the dock also caught fire but only suffered about 5% damage. He said another two ferries, Marin Star 1 and Feri Langkawi, docked nearby at the pier were successfully saved while My Feri 2 managed to leave the jetty and was secured at a floating buoy offshore. The firefighting operation involved personnel from the Persiaran Putra, Langkawi and Langkawi fire stations.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia can be a regional hub for specialised medical care, with medical tourism keeping prices under control. Dr Thirunavukarasu said medical tourists usually seek treatment in private hospitals. He said foreign patients are not prioritised over local patients in private hospitals as there is sufficient staffing to serve both local and international patients. “Medical tourists make up a relatively small proportion of the total number of patients in private hospitals. “If the demand from medical tourists grows, private hospitals will expand capacity rather than re-allocating resources away from local patients,” he said.

One of the names currently linked to that plan is Indonesian men’s singles assistant coach Harry Hartono. He did not rule out, though, that an Indonesian coach could be on the shortlist. Harry recently returned to the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) as an assistant coach for the men’s singles squad, replacing Marleve Mainaky. If BAM secure Harry’s services, he would join the existing Indonesian coaches in Malaysia, including Rexy Mainaky (doubles coaching director), Herry Iman Pierngadi, Muhammad Miftakh (men’s doubles) and Nova Widianto (mixed doubles). Previously, several local coaches, including Yeoh Kay Bin and Mohd Zakry Latif, were linked to BAM’s new coaching structure.

PETALING JAYA: Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd yesterday launched its new headquarters at Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, its first owned building. The opening marked a defining milestone as the bank entered a new phase of growth, sustainability leadership, and future-ready transformation under its Acceler8 2027 strategy. Chief executive officer of Alliance Bank Group, Kellee Kam (pic, below), said: “Menara Alliance Bank reflects who we are today as an organisation. Menara Alliance Bank is also on track to achieve Green Mark Gold for the base building and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for its fit-out works by 2026. Menara Alliance Bank supports digital-first operations, hybrid work arrangements, cross-functional collaboration, and talent development, ensuring the organisation remains agile and competitive in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.

HLIB Research maintained its 2026 GDP growth forecast at 4.5%, citing healthy investment momentum and improving tourism. Meanwhile, CIMB Research sees the advance 4Q25 GDP estimates as lifting annual growth to 4.9%. As such the brokerage revised its 2026 GDP growth projection to 4.4%, citing strength in services and construction, balanced by moderation in manufacturing. Maybank Investment Bank Research (Maybank IB) noted that the strong advance GDP estimate for 4Q25 was in line with its high-frequency monthly indicators. “That implies a smaller/negative contribution of net external demand to GDP growth,” it pointed out.

Commuters in the Klang Valley and Penang can expect better connectivity as Prasarana Malaysia Bhd will be adding 53 new zones to its Rapid On- Demand service by end-2028. Of these, 31 will be in the Klang Valley and the rest in Penang. Prasarana planning and strategy head Sharul Azwa Abd Rani said eight of the zones would complement the Shah Alam LRT line. “We are still assessing the cost of the vans,” Sharul Azwa said during a media briefing yesterday at Menara Prasarana in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Ku Jamil and Sharul Azwa later demonstrated the mechanism of the chair operated via remote control.

According to the United Chinese School Teachers Association (Jiao Zong), the number of pupils enrolled in SJK(C)s fell by 26,526 last year from a total of 490,514 in 2024. In a report titled ‘Issues Facing Chinese Vernacular Schools’, Jiao Zong pointed out that of the 1,303 schools nationwide, half had fewer than 150 pupils and 13 of these schools had fewer than 10 pupils. However, the enrolment of non-Chinese pupils in SJK(C)s saw an increase, with the educationist group estimating that they make up 20% of the pupil population. The group also pointed out that a more diverse student body also meant that pupils from non-Mandarin-speaking families could face challenges learning in Chinese verna­cular schools. “Teachers must make extra efforts to ensure that non-Chinese pupils can keep up academically and adapt to the learning environment,” it said.

PETALING JAYA: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia’s address to Parliament highlighted the importance of integrity and accountability in governance, with analysts saying the anti-corruption message in it was firm and timely. Sivamurugan said the King’s remarks on education also highlighted its broader role in nation-building beyond just meeting labour market needs. Besides corruption, Tawfik said the King’s emphasis on the use and status of Bahasa Malaysia during the royal address sent a clear signal that the issue should not be politicised. Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan said Sultan Ibrahim is known for delivering messages in a direct and unambiguous manner which was evident yesterday. “Sultan Ibrahim speaks plainly and without concealment.

PETALING JAYA: From lunchboxes that come back barely touched, to children who pick out every piece of taugeh in their ramen, parents say feeding kids a balanced diet can feel like a daily negotiation. For many, the biggest challenge in feeding children well is getting fussy eaters to accept balanced meals without wasting food or blowing the budget. A mother of three, Christine Lee, from Damansara, said she would stick closely to balanced meals and food quality. “I am very concerned with my kids’ food intake – they must be a balanced meal of vege, protein and carbs. “Children eat better when they feel empowered, not controlled,” she said, citing her work with urban-poor families and schools.

THE National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe) is set to take effect at the Penang International Airport (PIA) before Chinese New Year next month. According to state tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, it is currently being tested and will help reduce congestion at the immigration counters for arrival and departure. Malaysians using the NIISe autogates, newly installed to replace the old units, at Penang International Airport departure hall in Bayan Lepas, Penang. “PIA is the second airport to roll out this system after Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA),” he added. Wong (front, second from right) and Ismail (right) inspecting the newly installed NIISe autogates.

But did a company use a pigeon to prove that its office's connection was slow? Verdict:TRUEThis sounds stranger than fiction, but in 2009, an IT services company in South Africa decided to do so. The company, Unlimited IT, was frustrated with the super-slow Internet speed provided by the country's internet service provider Telkom. Unlimited IT wanted to find out whether it was faster to send data from one branch office to another using the country's Internet service, or with using a homing pigeon. Perhaps the next time you encounter slow Internet in the office, you could say that 'a pigeon can send the email to the client faster'.

(Jan 20) : Investors are on tenterhooks ahead of an auction of 20-year Japanese sovereign bonds Tuesday after the government’s plans for tax relief on food jolted the market. Bonds slumped on Monday, sending yields of the 20-year and longer-term maturities soaring to multi-year highs. “The auction immediately prior to last July’s upper house election produced lackluster results despite a rise in yields driven by concern about fiscal policies linked to party pledges. Investors will also be watching the Bank of Japan’s policy decision on Friday for any hints about the central bank’s future rate-hike path. Officials are paying increasing attention to the yen’s potential impact on inflation, with possible implications for future rate hikes after a likely hold decision this week.

Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF), South-East Asia’s largest furniture trade show, returns as a launchpad for the region’s top furniture makers to showcase world-class craftsmanship and design. “This year’s MIFF marks more than 30 years of global industry trust for an event with proven sales performance and consistent track record of connecting global buyers and sellers to deliver real business opportunities,” said MIFF general manager Kelie Lim. Underscoring the strength of the event is the annual MIFF Furniture Design Com­petition (MIFF FDC), now into its 16th edition. “MIFF solidifies our long-term vision to further bolster Malay­sia’s status on the global platform as a key player in the quality furniture industry,” said Lim. “On a larger scale, it looks to elevate the global furniture industry, and this aim is further boosted by MIFF’s reputation as South-East Asia’s largest export-­oriented furniture trade show.”Trade visitors can secure free admission by registering before Feb 13.

PETALING JAYA: Housing reforms, curbing urban poverty, and recovery of abandoned housing projects are among the 10 priority initiatives for this year for the Housing and Local Government Ministry. Minister Nga Kor Ming said these 10 initiatives were determined following the ministry’s 2026 Strategic Direction Retreat to align with the start of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) this year. The 10 priority initiatives include five housing reforms, such as the drafting of a new Real Property Development Act, the Electronic Sale and Purchase Agreement, the Housing Integra­ted Management System, the Teduh platform, and a Digital Audit of Housing Development Accounts, the ministry said in a statement yesterday. “The ministry will also focus on people-­friendly housing and affordable housing ­programmes, upgrading and cleaning drainage systems, along with providing green spaces through Madani recreational parks,” it added. “The strategic plan includes five strategic pillars, 24 strategies, 142 initiatives, 44 performance indicators and seven key performance indicators, to be implemented in phases until 2030,” he said.