SHAH ALAM: The High Court here has sentenced a businessman to four months’ jail, effective immediately, for causing hurt and making death threats to a senior citizen in a recent road rage incident along Jalan Cheras-Hulu Langat. Justice Datuk Aslam Zainuddin delivered the ruling on Wednesday (Feb 25), setting aside the Kajang Magistrate’s Court’s Feb 10 decision to impose a RM5,500 fine on 52-year-old Saiful Adli Yusof. Aslam said the High Court, under Section 323 of the Criminal Procedure Code, recalled the case, overturned the lower court’s decision, and imposed a custodial sentence in its place. During the proceedings, the 70-year-old victim, Liew Khoon Foo, read his impact statement in Mandarin, describing severe trauma. ALSO READ: Businessman fined RM5,500 for assaulting, threatening senior citizen after accidentSaiful Adli’s lawyer, Muhammad Syakir Haznal, submitted that his client did not immediately lunge to assault the victim.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 25): PMB Technology Bhd (KL:PMBTECH) expects margins to remain under pressure in the near term after sliding into its first-ever quarterly and full-year net losses, weighed down by tumbling metallic silicon prices and unfavourable foreign exchange movements. For the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2025 (4QFY2025), the metallic silicon manufacturer recorded a net loss of RM18.37 million — its first quarter in the red — a sharp reversal from a net profit of RM45.15 million a year earlier. This was despite revenue surging 61.9% to RM283.1 million from RM174.87 million, its bourse filing showed. No dividend was proposed by PMB Tech for FY2025, citing its ongoing silicon plant expansion. “Against this backdrop, the group expects margin conditions to remain tight in the near term,” the group said.

KANGAR (Feb 25): Perlis state assembly Speaker Rus’sele Eizan has filed an application to strike out an originating summons filed by three former state assemblymen at the Kangar High Court here. Lawyer representing Rus’sele, Wan Rohimi Wan Daud, said the application to strike out was filed on Monday. “The court also fixed April 15 for the defendant’s further reply. On Jan 2, the three former state assemblymen — Mohd Ridzuan Hashim (Guar Sanji), Fakhrul Anwar Ismail (Bintong) and Saad Seman (Chuping) — filed an originating summons against Rus’sele over his declaration of casual vacancies in the seats they formerly represented. On Dec 25 last year, Rus’sele announced that casual vacancies had occurred in the Chuping, Bintong and Guar Sanji seats after the membership of the three PAS assemblymen for those constituencies ceased with immediate effect in accordance with Clause (1)(a)(ii) of Article 50A of the Perlis State Constitution.

KOTA KINABALU: Flooding in Sabah has shifted towards the south-western districts, affecting areas including Sook, Sipitang, Beaufort, Membakut and Tenom. Road access to many affected areas has been nearly or completely cut off. To date, more than 1,000 people remain at temporary shelters in Pitas, although all are expected to return home soon. Earlier on Wednesday, Sabah Education Department director Datuk Raisin Saidin said 27 schools across six districts remain closed due to flooding. Beaufort recorded the highest number, with 14 schools affected.

BUKIT KAYU HITAM: Security at the Bukit Kayu Hitam border checkpoint cannot be taken lightly following a shooting involving unknown assailants on Wednesday, says the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS). “One of the issues here is that AKPS officers are not supplied with firearms. He was speaking after meeting Bukit Kayu Hitam AKPS commander Senior Asst Comm Mohd Nasaruddin M Nasir, who narrowly escaped being shot by two men on a motorcycle near Masjid Al-Muhajirin early Wednesday. ALSO READ: Border agency to intensify security after Bukit Kayu Hitam shootingShuhaily also held a closed-door meeting with all AKPS personnel in Bukit Kayu Hitam following the first such incident involving the enforcement agency. He was not injured and attempted to chase the suspects, who fled towards the Bukit Kayu Hitam Industrial Area.

KULAI: More than 1,500 pupils here have been told to switch to online learning following the temporary closure of their schools because of air pollution from a fire at a rubber and plastics storage warehouse nearby. Johor education and information committee chairman Aznan Tamin said SJKC Sengkang and SJKC Kulai Besar have been instructed to close until further notice based on advice from the Kulai Health office. "The authorities reported that the smell of smoke was still present at the school compounds, which poses health risks if school sessions go on as usual. ALSO READ: Kulai warehouse still ablaze after over 19 hours (https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026/02/25/kulai-warehouse-still-ablaze-after-over-19-hours)This involves 178 pupils, 16 teachers and three administrative personnel from SJKC Sengkang while SJKC Kulai Besar has 1,353 pupils, 71 teachers and five administrative employees, he added. Aznan said the move was to safeguard the health and safety of the pupils and staff.

KOTA BARU: A construction worker was killed after he was crushed by an excavator bucket that slipped during the installation of a drain at a construction site along Jalan Pantai Geting near Pengkalan Kubor, Tumpat on Wednesday (Feb 25). Tumpat OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Khairi Shafie said they received a MERS 999 distress call at 1.40pm about the incident involving the victim, 31, who was installing a drain by the roadside when the bucket of an excavator operated by a co-worker slipped and crushed him. "The bucket crushed the worker, causing severe injuries," he said in a statement the same day, adding that the man was taken to Tumpat Hospital for autopsy. Preliminary investigations at the location revealed no criminal elements and the case has been classified as sudden death as further investigations are conducted. ACP Mohd Khairi also urged those with information about the incident to contact the Tumpat police headquarters at 09-725 7222 or the nearest police station.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested three people, including the treasurer and chairman of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), in its investigation into a RM5mil food aid programme. Sources said the three were arrested on suspicion of submitting documents containing false details about the programme. "The three suspects, two men and a woman in their 30s, were arrested between 3pm and 5pm Tuesday (Feb 24) after giving statements at MACC headquarters in Putrajaya," the source said on Wednesday (Feb 25). "Initial investigations found that all suspects, including the treasurer who is also the director of the company involved, are believed to have conspired to commit the offence between 2021 and 2023. MACC Anti-Money Laundering (AML) division director Datuk Norhaizam Muhammad confirmed the arrests when contacted, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009.

KUALA LUMPUR: Seven young men, who dived into a lake to rescue a mother and her two young children following an accident at Tasik Biru, Kundang, near here, have drawn the praise of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. In a Facebook post, Anwar said he was deeply moved by the courageous act of the youths, who were willing to risk their own safety to save three lives. "My sincerest appreciation goes out to these seven young men. "I also pray that the mother and her two children will make a full recovery and remain under the protection of Allah SWT,” he said. It was reported that the group formed a human chain to rescue a woman and her two children after the vehicle they were travelling in plunged into the lake around midnight.

KUALA LUMPUR: A Perikatan Nasional MP has called for Employees Provident Fund (EPF) dividends to be channeled to the flexible account. "We ask for 100% of the dividends to be channeled into Account 3 (Akaun Fleksibel)," Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau) told the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Feb 25). He said this would be helpful to the people for the upcoming Hari Raya festivities. It would be helpful if he could withdraw the dividend," he added, urging the government to consider the request. The EPF is set to announce the dividends for 2025 on Saturday (Feb 28).

Katherine Short, the daughter of actor Martin Short, has reportedly died by suicide at age 42. Law enforcement sources told TMZ she was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at her Hollywood Hills home shortly after 6.40pm Monday. “It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short,” a representative said in a statement to People. Martin Short is currently on a comedy tour with Steve Martin. It’s unclear whether dates scheduled for later this week in Milwaukee and Minneapolis will go on as planned.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 25): Sarawak Plantation Bhd (KL:SWKPLNT) posted a 55.5% increase in fourth-quarter net profit, lifted by increased sales volume of crude palm oil, as well as higher sales and selling price of palm kernel. Net profit for the three months ended Dec 31, 2025 (4QFY2025) stood at RM25.19 million, against RM16.20 million a year earlier. The group declared a third interim dividend of five sen per share, payable on April 9. This brings the total dividend for FY2025 to 25 sen per share, higher than the 20 sen per share paid last year. It also expects the oil palm industry to remain resilient with palm oil prices projected to stay generally firm, supported by steady demand.

WASHINGTON (Feb 24): US President Donald Trump briefly laid out his case for a possible attack on Iran in his State of the Union speech to Congress on Tuesday, saying he would not allow the world's biggest sponsor of terrorism to have a nuclear weapon. In his speech, Trump pointed to Tehran's support for militant groups, its killing of protesters and the country's missile and nuclear programs as threats to the region and the United States. "They want to make a deal, but we haven't heard those secret words, 'We will never have a nuclear weapon,'" Trump said in his speech. Trump ordered strikes on Iran last year, claiming in July that they had "obliterated" the country's nuclear facilities. Trump said he preferred to make peace, listing a range of worldwide conflicts he takes credit for ending, or easing.

(Feb 25): Australian software company WiseTech Global will axe about 2,000 jobs, nearly a third of its global workforce, in a two‑year restructuring that could rank among the country's largest artificial intelligence-linked job cuts. WiseTech, which makes shipping and logistics management software, on Wednesday said it plans to integrate AI into its customer software as well as internal operations, affecting around 29% of its global workforce of around 7,000 people across 40 countries. Some projects that once took six or seven months can already be completed in a day, said WiseTech chief executive officer Zubin Appoo. Appoo said WiseTech workers who dealt with customers directly or chased sales would still require plenty of person-to-person contact. Shares of WiseTech, which also announced an estimate-beating first-half profit, closed 11.1% higher at A$47.74 (RM131.65), while Australia's benchmark S&P ASX 200 index rose 1.2%.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 25): Lotte Chemical Titan Holding Bhd (KL:LCTITAN) logged its largest-ever quarterly loss in the fourth quarter, closing its latest fiscal year with a record full-year loss. Net loss for the three months ended Dec 31, 2025 (4QFY2025) widened to RM1.67 billion — its highest quarterly net loss on record — from RM590.13 million a year earlier, despite improved revenue of RM2.57 billion as compared to RM1.79 billion previously. The impairment loss of RM1.4 billion recognised in 4QFY2025 was larger than the RM940.23 million impairment loss in 4QFY2024. Share of losses from associate Lotte Chemical USA Corp was also higher year-on-year for the quarter. For the full year, net loss stood at RM2.14 billion — its largest ever full-year net loss — as compared to RM1.26 billion in FY2024.