SIBU: Members of Pakatan Harapan (Pakatan) have been reminded to be fully prepared as Sarawak may face its state election this year. Its Sarawak chairman, Ahmad Nazib Johari, said the party must be ready to contest and strengthen its position ahead of both the Sarawak state election and the next general election. "We must be prepared, because this year we may face the state election. "With the candidates who are here tonight, I hope they will be ready, strengthen their respective branches and fortify the party. In the 2021 Sarawak state election held on Dec 18, 2021, Pakatan did not win in any of the 28 seats it contested.

KOTA KINABALU: A 25-year-old man has claimed trial in the Sessions Court here to a charge of raping a woman with Down syndrome at a house in Ranau more than four years ago. The accused pleaded not guilty before judge Hurman Hussain after the charge was read out to him on Monday (March 2). He is alleged to have raped the 21-year-old woman between 9pm and 9.15pm on Nov 19, 2023. The charge was framed under Section 376(2)(k) of the Penal Code for rape committed against a person with a disability. The court fixed April 27 for case management and denied bail on the grounds that the accused resides near the victim.

Tiffany Young, a Korean-American member of K-pop band Girls’ Generation, married South Korean actor Byun Yo-han on Feb 27, Byun’s agency Teamhope said. Young, 36, rose to global fame as a member of Girls’ Generation. She ended her contract with SM Entertainment in 2017 and expanded her career with acting roles in Reborn Rich (2022) and Disney+’s Korean original series Uncle Samsik (2024). The two reportedly became close while working together on Uncle Samsik and publicly disclosed their relationship on Dec 13, 2025. Teamhope subsequently confirmed their relationship, stating that they were dating with the intention of marriage.

Let us not turn back on this very desirable proposed amendment. THE much-awaited Constitutional (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026 to limit the prime minister’s tenure to an aggregate of 10 years has been introduced in Parliament. As is to be expected in a democratic process, there is some opposition to the Bill.

The landlocked Himalayan nation has been riven by political instability for ‌decades, with 32 governments taking office since 1990 and none of them completing a five-year-term. A decade later, King Mahendra suspended ​the constitution and banned political parties. A national unity government headed by the Nepali Congress took power in 2006 and ⁠lasted two years. POST-MONARCHY REPUBLICIn 2008, a special assembly dominated by ​former Maoist rebels, who joined mainstream politics under a peace deal, voted to abolish the 239-year-old monarchy. The Communist Party of Nepal faction controlled by the former rebels then took power, but the shift to a republic failed to create ⁠political stability.

KOTA KINABALU: Even as floodwaters in Sabah’s Beaufort district receded after over a week, temperatures ran high on social media after a frustrated local tagged his assemblyman in a post. In a social media post, he tagged Klias assemblyman Datuk Isnin Aliasnih, asking whether or not arrangements had been made to help residents. He also claimed that the three-term representative from Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah was nowhere to be seen throughout the disaster. The post spread rapidly among locals, with many criticising the assemblyman for his reply. He explained that water and electricity disruptions during floods were normal as pumps and utility equipment were often submerged.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines confirms that all services to and from London and Paris continue to operate as scheduled. In a posting on its official social media platform, the national carrier said Malaysia Airlines flights are utilising alternative routes to avoid affected regions and ensure the highest safety standards. "While this may result in slightly longer flight times, the safety of our passengers and crew remains our absolute priority,” the airline said. Malaysia Airlines also said that it continues to monitor the situation closely to ensure safe and reliable operations for all passengers. Passengers are encouraged to update their contact details via "My Booking” on Malaysia Airlines' website to receive timely updates.

Malaysia calling for an immediate ceasefire, return to diplomatic tableKUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia stands in solidarity with Muslims and communities in the Middle East affected by tensions resulting from the attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel, says the Prime Minister. Calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, he said this was urgently needed as it was dragging the Middle East to the brink of disaster. He urged Israel, the United States and Iran to stop all provocative action and return to the diplomatic and dialogue table. He described the tension in the Middle East resulting from the attacks on Iran as a great tragedy for Muslims. Iran carried out retaliatory missile attacks on Israeli territory as well as on US military facilities in the Middle East.

SHAH ALAM: Police will summon activist Arun Dorasamy "soon" following reports lodged against him regarding a temple in Rawang. "The reports concern dissatisfaction over statements he made," Comm Shazeli said. He added that the case has been classified as "Refer to Other Report" as it was related to previous issues involving the same temple. It was reported earlier that reports had been lodged by NGOs against the activist after he made statements about the temple. On Wednesday (Feb 25), several idols were moved from the temple without incident before the slated demolition.

BANGKOK: Thailand is readying to evacuate its citizens from the Middle East by military or charter flights, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (pic) said Sunday (March 1), after the United States and Israel attacked Iran -- which answered with its own missile strikes. The government has "coordinated with the Royal Thai Air Force to prepare aircraft to evacuate Thai citizens, prioritising those in Iran", Anutin told reporters in Bangkok, adding that charter flights were also under consideration. "We have to check the closure of airspace, whether we need to evacuate them to the third country first," he said. "The Thai government will do everything to bring Thai citizens back safely. About 29 Thai nationals in Iran and 20 in Israel have registered their wish to return to Thailand with the government, Panidone said.

THE recent military confrontation involving the United States and Israel against Iran, followed by Iran’s retaliatory actions across the Middle East, has raised concerns about possible economic consequences for Malaysia. Much attention has focused on the threat to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important trade routes. The impact on Malaysia is likely to be mixed – with both risks and opportunities.

Revenue for the full year ended in December climbed to US$79 million (RM308.57 million), versus an average analyst estimate of US$71.4 million. The strong sales underscored solid demand for low-cost, open-source Chinese models that rival the best of Silicon Valley. MiniMax sells its underlying tech to business clients and offers AI apps and tools to both domestic and overseas consumers. Walt Disney Co and other US film studios sued MiniMax in September, accusing the Chinese firm of pirating their intellectual property. The company has served more than 236 million users across consumer products, from AI avatars to its Hailuo video generator, according to its prospectus.

Compiled by TAN SIN CHOW, DIVYA THERESA RAVI and R. ARAVINTHANHONG Kong actor Joel Chan is considering buying properties in Malaysia, preferably one each in Penang and Kuala Lumpur, reported China Press. Frequently travelling to Malaysia for stage performances and filming, the 50-year-old said he has already been quietly “house hunting”. “It would be best to have one place in Penang and one in Kuala Lumpur. “And if I need to film, I can stay in Kuala Lumpur instead of living in a hotel,” he said. Having been in the industry for over 30 years, Chan has enjoyed success in both his career and family life.

(March 2): Provisional rates to hire a tanker to carry oil from the Middle East to China have more than doubled since Friday due to the war in the Middle East and an increasingly tight supply of vessels. A Suezmax that can hold as much as one million barrels of crude was fixed on the route at a rate of 525 industry standard Worldscale points, according to shipbrokers. The industry uses so-called Worldscale rates as a way to easily calculate both vessel earnings and per-barrel freight costs across thousands of trade routes. The widening war in the Middle East and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is turbocharging tanker costs, which had already been rising on the growing threat of a conflict. Voyages on the Middle East to China route are normally agreed on based on tonnage available on a VLCC that can carry as much as two million barrels.

BEIRUT: Iran's foreign minister told his counterpart in Oman that Tehran wants peace and supports diplomatic efforts to end the crisis triggered by the US-Israeli military campaign, Oman's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday, reported German news agency dpa. The ministry said Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi received a phone call from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The Iranian chief diplomat expressed appreciation for what he said was Oman’s constructive role in seeking to defuse tensions and revive dialogue. Araghchi said Iran’s position remains centred on peace, warning that the US-Israeli attack has heightened regional anxiety and instability. He emphasised the need to address the root causes of the crisis, halt military operations and contain its fallout.