KUCHING: A 40-year-old woman has lost RM339,486 after she was allegedly defrauded by a non-existent stock investment scheme. Kuching police chief, ACP Alexson Naga Chabu, said the victim was enticed by an investment opportunity advertised on Facebook in December last year. "She received a link to download an investment application via the website naviscapital.co before being added to a WhatsApp investment group. "She then made a series of payments into three different company bank accounts, involving 22 online money transfers," he added in a statement issued on Sunday (Jan 18). Alexson explained that the victim realised she had been scammed when she was unable to withdraw the investment profits.

January 18, 2026 14:54 UTC

KUANTAN: Another Bangladeshi oil palm plantation worker has been reported dead after the lorry he was travelling in skidded off the road in a crash along Jalan Selancar-Redong near Kampung Perwira Jaya, Rompin, on Saturday (Jan 17). Rompin District Police chief Supt Sharif Shai Sharif Mondoi said the man was identified as Mohamad Askar, 41, at 4.15pm today at Segamat Hospital, Johor. His death brought the total number of fatalities from the crash to three. Urine screening tests on the 45-year-old Bangladeshi driver were negative for drugs. The crash is believed to have occurred when the lorry driver, who was ferrying the three passengers, attempted to overtake a car but lost control, causing the lorry skid to the left side of the road and overturn.

January 18, 2026 14:45 UTC

But what if we could prevent potentially dangerous drivers from driving in the first place? This, it seems, is also how the government is starting to think about artificial intelligence (AI) tools. This is directly related to the Malaysian government’s push to regulate who can use social media, including proposals requiring platforms to verify users using government-issued IDs. Please note this is not quite the same as requiring drivers to hold licences before they’re allowed on the road. Yes, it’s right that we can punish the Ferrari driver and, if necessary, take away his ability to drive.

January 18, 2026 14:33 UTC

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January 18, 2026 14:24 UTC

He dropped his favourite Ultraman toy, he feels “tight” being strapped in the child seat, and he wants to get out. While we worry about dengue or influenza, the silent killer on our doorstep is the road. According to the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), we lost an average of 434 children each year between 2014 and 2023 to road traffic accidents. The statistics are terrifying: three in four road deaths among children aged 11 to 15 years occur when they are operating the vehicle. It is the conviction to wrestle a crying toddler into a car seat because you love them too much to risk their life.

January 18, 2026 14:04 UTC





PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has denied claims that Bersatu has held discussions with Umno and PAS on forming a new “grand collaboration” to unite the Malays. However, the party president said Bersatu remained open to hearing Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s proposal through proper party channels. He stressed that any cross-party talks involving cooperation between Bersatu and Umno must be conducted via official party channels and attended by the top leadership of both parties. Nevertheless, Muhyiddin said Bersatu would adopt an open stance and consider any proposal put forward by Zahid once clearer details are provided. “Bersatu will consider the proposal submitted by the Umno president after receiving more comprehensive input and clarification,” he said.

January 18, 2026 13:25 UTC

KOTA KINABALU: Upko continues to urge the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) to drop the appeal on the grounds of the judgment pertaining to a Court Order mandating the government to review Sabah’s 40% revenue entitlement. Upko president Datuk Ewon Benedick said if the federal government was sincere in returning what was owed to Sabah, and genuinely wanted to solve this matter, they would drop the appeal on the Court order. He said in Upko, their stance to fight for state rights, push for reform agenda would continue to be their objective and drive. Earlier, he mentioned that as a local-based party fighting for genuine Sabahans, there was still much work to be done. He urged party members, leaders and supporters to serve as ambassadors for the party by doing their best in bringing development for the people.

January 18, 2026 12:34 UTC

PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles shuttlers Loo Bing Kun-Noraqilah Maisarah Ramdan captured their maiden title in the Swedish Open. Bing Kun-Noraqilah secured the breakthrough after beating Canada’s Timothy Lock-Chloe Hoang 21-16, 21-16 in the final in Uppsala on Sunday (Jan 18). The pair were only competing in their third tournament together after they were combined at the end of last year. It was back-to-back titles for the versatile Noraqilah after she triumphed in the women’s doubles with Low Zi Yu in the Estonian International last week.

January 18, 2026 12:29 UTC

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 18): The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) takes a serious view of the irresponsible actions of certain parties who have boldly spread speculative narratives on social media concerning strategic appointment matters within the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF). In a statement Sunday, the ministry stressed that such actions, including circulating a list of senior MAF officers’ names, constituted misconduct that clearly undermines the credibility of the country’s defence management system. “Any appointments and promotions of MAF officers are subject to the consent of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, as the Supreme Commander of the MAF, on the advice of the Armed Forces Council (MAT). “Therefore, any premature announcement is considered an act of disrespect towards the royal institution and the MAF leadership hierarchy,” the statement said. Mindef cautioned that the open dissemination of confidential or internal information could pose a threat to information security and national sovereignty.

January 18, 2026 12:08 UTC

A husband and wife were killed, while six others escaped unhurt, after a fire destroyed a plantation workers’ quarters at the Woodman Estate in Baram, Miri. PIC COURTESY OF THE LOPENG FIRE AND RESCUE STATIONSIBU: A husband and wife were killed, while six others escaped unhurt, after a fire destroyed a plantation workers' quarters at the Woodman Estate in Baram, Miri, early this morning. "The survivors, comprising five adults and one child who occupied Unit B, managed to escape the burning building in time. "The semi-detached, single-storey quarters, measuring approximately 40 by 30 square feet, were completely razed in the incident," the spokesman said in a statement today. Before firefighters arrived, plantation workers had begun firefighting efforts and managed to extinguish the blaze using 30 fire extinguishers and three water pumps.

January 18, 2026 11:43 UTC

International students bring diverse perspectives from their cultural backgrounds. Their presence enriches learning by bringing diverse perspectives into the classroom, strengthening critical thinking, cultural intelligence and global awareness among all students. Attracting international students is not about short-term numbers, but also about building a globally competitive institution anchored in the region. Monash University Malaysia president and pro-vice-chancellor Emerita Prof Datuk Dr Adeeba KamarulzamanInternational students create a dynamic and globally relevant learning environment. International students also add to the country’s intellectual capital.

January 18, 2026 11:00 UTC

KLANG: A free-for-all situation could emerge in the upcoming Melaka state election if Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional within the unity government fail to agree on political cooperation, said Anthony Loke. “We haven’t decided if there is an alliance (in Melaka polls). “For example, in the last Selangor state election, we gave Dusun Tua to Umno. During the Melaka state polls in 2021, Barisan won a two-thirds majority with Umno taking 17, MCA (two) and MIC (one). The Melaka and Johor state election, held in 2021, is due this year and must be called by Feb 2027.

January 18, 2026 10:14 UTC

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Sunday (Jan 18) clarified that there is no Team A or Team B within DAP, stressing that his earlier remarks were not intended to suggest internal divisions within the party. Ahmad Zahid said the issues raised earlier did not reflect DAP’s official stance, but were the views of a small number of party members responding to remarks by Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh. On Saturday (Jan 17), Ahmad Zahid was reported as saying in his winding-up speech at the 2025 Umno General Assembly that conflicting statements from DAP’s leadership had come from a so-called ‘Team B’. He said his earlier remarks were meant as an explanation and not as confirmation of the existence of any factions within DAP. Earlier, Loke, in his speech officiating the Selangor DAP Annual Convention 2026, denied claims that he had mentioned the existence of a ‘Team B’ within DAP allegedly issuing statements contrary to the party’s leadership.

January 18, 2026 09:58 UTC

PUTRAJAYA: Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said weaknesses in the government’s procurement process were largely due to non-compliance with established procedures, despite the flexibility introduced by the Finance Ministry to facilitate procurement. "The Finance Ministry has provided considerable flexibility in the procurement process, but it is still imperative that every procedure is strictly adhered to. Also present were Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) senior deputy secretary-general Datuk Abd Shukor Mahmood; deputy secretary-general (Finance and Development) Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak; and deputy secretary-general (Management) Nasaruddin Abdul Muttalib. Also in attendance were Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah and Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj. Therefore, he said the Finance Ministry would further tighten procurement guidelines for all ministries and statutory bodies to prevent leakages.

January 18, 2026 09:47 UTC

KUALA LUMPUR: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry seized 3,545 pieces of gold in various forms worth RM82,725 through Ops Tulen at a business premises in the Kuchai Lama Business Centre, here, recently. Tests on the seized gold showed that the gold content varied between 80% and 98% for each piece weighing 0.01g. In this regard, the premises involved were suspected of committing an offence under Section 5(1)(a) of the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 for making false trade descriptions regarding the purity standards of precious metal goods. In addition to the gold, several pieces of equipment and documents were also seized to assist further investigations. The ministry said legal action will be taken against any party who makes false trade descriptions regarding the content, type or name of the goods under Section 5(1)(c) of Act 730.

January 18, 2026 09:24 UTC