The current recovery raises a critical question: Is this growth organic, or is it the result of the government’s aggressive policy interventions? These measures represent progress, signalling that policymakers understand that purchasing power is the prerequisite for sustained growth. The majority of Indonesians, specifically those with bank account balances under 100 million rupiah, saw their savings growth weaken until very recently. When purchasing power is weak, pushing banks to lend aggressively is a high-stakes strategy. This data suggests that the recent spending spree may be less of a fundamental recovery and more of a seasonal spike, driven by upper-middle-class holiday spending and a shift in Gen Z behavior toward “experience-based” leisure.

South Korean group BTS is set to light up the stage like dynamite with two shows in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 12 and 13. The shows will mark the septet’s first appearance in Malaysia since 2015, when it brought its Red Bullet Tour to Mega Star Arena. The extensive tour – comprising 79 shows across Asia, the United States and Europe – will kick off in Goyang, South Korea on April 9. Adding to the excitement, BTS is also set to make its long-awaited comeback with a full-length album on March 20. Another added: “I hope the organiser takes active steps to prioritise Malaysian fans as this will be our first concert since 2015.”Details for the KL concerts have yet to be announced.

SEPANG (Jan 14): Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is enhancing operations and infrastructure at KLIA to streamline passenger flow and elevate travel experience in preparation for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026). On Tuesday, the airport operator unveiled Rimba, a new nature-inspired environment for transit and transfer passengers at KLIA Terminal 1, to enhance comfort while reflecting Malaysia’s identity. Located in the Satellite Building, Rimba was launched by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Dr Wan Ismail on Jan 1. “With 50 to 60 million passengers passing through KLIA each year, how travellers feel during transit matters. Rimba offers a more comfortable pause between flights while giving passengers a sense of Malaysia’s rich, natural character,” he added.

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno grassroots are behind the party remaining in the unity government until the next general election, says party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Ahmad Zahid said he brought the matter to the political bureau and the supreme council as well as the party’s general assembly three years ago. Ahmad Zahid revealed that Umno is eyeing more than 30 seats in the next general election. Pressed on whether Umno will go solo or join another coalition after the general election, Ahmad Zahid said it will depend on the outcome of the general election. Asked for his predictions on when the general election will be held, the Umno president said, “within 22 months from now”.

PETALING JAYA: An impressive week at the Karachi Open has seen national squash players move up the ranks after the year’s first Gold-level tournament in Pakistan. National top women player S. Sivasangari moved back into her career-high world No. 6 spot after making it to the final, but she bowed out to world No. 3 Amina Orfi of Egypt in her third final appearance of the season.

PETALING JAYA: Having at least RM1.3mil in retirement savings might be a challenge for most Malaysians, but experts said the figure isn’t impossible if one remains disciplined in ensuring consistent savings and employment. ALSO READ : Retirement benchmark feels like distant goal for most M’siansStarting this year, the EPF’s Retirement Income Adequacy (RIA) framework will introduce a three-tier savings framework – adequate savings (RM650,000), basic savings (RM390,000) and enhanced savings (RM1.3mil). According to Lau, adequate savings would support monthly withdrawals of RM2,708 in the first year of retirement, potentially rising to RM7,389 by the 20th year of retirement. For the lower tier “basic ­savings”, a person must have RM390,000, which is 60% of the adequate savings amount, in order to cover essential retirement needs. The higher tier “enhanced savings”, which provides a more comfortable retirement, must have more than RM1.3mil, which is two times the adequate savings sum.

PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) admit that there were several incorrect decisions made by the match referees during the Super League match between Negri Sembilan and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) last Friday. In a statement yesterday, FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman said the Performance Evaluation Committee had reviewed the referee evaluation report and analysed key incidents that occurred throughout the match at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium. “As a result, FAM decided to refer both referees to a two-week recovery and refinement phase to improve their performance,” said Azman. Meanwhile, FAM’s Referee Unit and Performance Evaluation Committee have sent official letters to all match officials to attend a post-match debriefing session tomorrow at Wisma FAM, which aims to guide them to overcome any shortcomings. “FAM will never compromise on matters related to the quality of officiating and will summon any match official who demonstrates poor performance for guidance and rehabilitation,” said Azman.

federal judge on Tuesday urged the Trump administration to resolve a "bureaucratic mess" by issuing ‌a student visa to a college student who was deported to Honduras after being arrested ‌at Boston's airport while trying to visit her family for Thanksgiving. U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns during a hearing in Boston raised that prospect as a "practical solution" to how to resolve a lawsuit by Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, a 19-year-old student at Babson College ‍who was sent to Honduras in violation of a court order. A federal judge in Massachusetts issued an order on November 21 barring Lopez Belloza from ⁠being deported or transferred out of Massachusetts for 72 hours. But by ‌that time, Lopez Belloza had already been flown to Texas, potentially stripping Stearns' court of jurisdiction. But he floated an alternative, recommending the State Department issue Lopez ​Belloza a student visa allowing her to finish her studies.

TANGIERS, Morocco, Jan ‌13 (Reuters) - Egypt coach Hossam Hassan hailed the quality on display at the Africa ‌Cup of Nations as his side readied to play in Wednesday’s semi-final, calling ‌the month-long event in Morocco a “ferocious tournament”. The 59-year-old former striker should know better than most, winning three tournaments as a player and making the last of his seven tournament appearances at the age of 39. “The standard of African football has increased ‍markedly ​with the quality of players in each team being very impressive,” he said on Tuesday. Hassan has come in for some criticism after Egypt needed extra time to overcome Benin in the round of 16. Egypt teammate Mahmoud Trezeguet, like Salah, has lost in two previous Cup of Nations ​finals, but he has no doubt that Salah still has the quality to finish the job.

PETALING JAYA: iCents Group Holdings Bhd has secured a sub-contract worth about RM9.12mil for works related to an industrial manufacturing facility in Malaysia. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, the company said its wholly owned subsidiary, VC Engineering Sdn Bhd, accepted a letter of award on Jan 12 from a construction company for the project, which is expected to run from Jan 12 to Dec 31, 2026. The scope of works includes booth extension and fencing construction, architectural and civil works, as well as mechanical and electrical works. VC Engineering will also carry out additional electrical works, install equipment and upgrade an existing Tenaga Nasional Bhd substation to support six production lines. iCents Group said the project falls within VC Engineering’s ordinary course of business and involves standard operational risks typical of such works.

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is expected to announce the establishment of an organisation outside the political arena on the final day of the Umno General Assembly (Umno AGM) this Saturday (Jan 17). The Umno president said the establishment of the organisation was proposed by him. Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said he did not rule out the possibility of inviting ulama and representatives of other political parties, including PAS, to the Multaqa Ilmuwan Islam Malaysia in the future. In his speech, Ahmad Zahid said the relationship between umara (rulers) and ulama (Islamic scholars) must be balanced to ensure the country’s administration is carried out based on trust, knowledge, wisdom and prudence. The first thing I did after taking over Umno's leadership was to place Islam in Umno's constitution.

A HERD of elephants has left plantation owners in Segamat, Johor, devastated after straying into orchards, destroying crops and trampling guard dogs to death. The herd of 20 elephants fed on durians, oil palm and bananas in the plantations. Some 20 plantation owners have reported their grievances to Bekok assemblyman Tan Chong. Meanwhile, Tan said he received numerous complaints since mid-December about elephant herds trespassing on plantations and damaging crops which took years to grow. Tan urged owners to report elephant sightings to the Wildlife and National Parks Department so that action could be quickly.

KUALA LUMPUR: The return of foreign funds to blue chips on Bursa Malaysia could keep the FBM KLCI at multi-year highs, although the recent surge in prices and overbought conditions is anticipated to temper further gains. Inversely, immediate support remains at the September 2016 low of 1,645, with stronger support coming from the 1,610 followed by 1,564. "On the home front, the FBM KLCI surged past the 1,700 mark with ease underpinned by the emergence of foreign buying. The FBM KLCI slid 2.32 points to 1,705.88 at 9am, as investors took some profit after the previous day's surge. Malaysian banks, which had led the FBM KLCI higher in previous sessions, kept most of their gains on Wednesday.

BANGKOK (Xinhua): Thailand's exports are expected to expand 2 per cent to 4 per cent in 2026, bolstered by potential growth in the electronics sector amid significant domestic and external headwinds, the Thai National Shippers' Council (TNSC) has announced. Despite the upwardly revised forecast, TNSC Chairman Dhanakorn Kasetrsuwan noted that global demand remains subdued, partly due to U.S. tariff measures, and that last year's exports expanded at a double-digit rate, creating a high base. Shipments in some sectors, particularly electronics, still see room for growth and are expected to benefit from increased foreign investment, the council said in a statement. Food and processed agricultural products continue to find opportunities in new markets with strong demand for Thai goods, while automotive parts and vehicles also see potential expansion in certain niche segments, the statement said. The council estimated Thai export growth of more than 9 percent for the entire last year, on the back of accelerated import demand from key trading partners during the first three quarters.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is rapidly becoming one of the world’s most dynamic international education hubs. According to a new report from QS Quacquarelli Symonds, international student numbers are projected to grow by 8.5% annually and reach approximately 260,000 students by 2030. “The Global Student Flows: Malaysia” report, highlighted the country’s growing appeal as a study destination, driven by affordability, cultural diversity, and a strong transnational education (TNE) ecosystem. Nearly 40% of Malaysia’s international student population comes from China, while emerging markets such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India are expected to grow steadily over the next five years. QS Quacquarelli Symonds executive director Jeroen Prinsen said Malaysia is transitioning from a regional hub to an influential global player in international higher education.