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.

(Feb 25): Google disrupted a Chinese-linked hacking group that breached at least 53 organizations across 42 countries, the company said Wednesday. The hacking group, tracked as UNC2814 and "Gallium,” has a nearly decade-long history of penetrating government organizations and telecommunications companies, the company said in findings shared exclusively with Reuters. Google and unnamed partners terminated Google Cloud projects controlled by the hacking group, identified and disabled internet infrastructure it was using and disabled accounts the group used to access Google Sheets, which it used to carry out its targeting and data theft operations. Using Google Sheets allowed the group to evade detection and blend into normal network traffic and was not a compromise of any Google product, the company added. The activity is distinct from separate high-profile, telecommunications-focused Chinese hacking activity tracked as “Salt Typhoon,” Google said.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 25): The Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday approved amendments to legislation paving the way for Sabah and Sarawak to have greater autonomy in managing scheduled waste in their states. The Environmental Quality (Amendment) Bill 2026 was passed via a majority voice vote after 20 Members of Parliament from both sides debated the proposal. The Bill allows the minister to suspend the operation of certain provisions of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127) in different parts of the country. Currently, the regulation of scheduled waste nationwide is centralised under Act 127, a matter under the federal government’s jurisdiction. “The mechanism ensures a clear and orderly transfer of authority, avoids legal conflicts, and follows constitutional and statutory requirements under Act 127,” he said.

Masai Orang Asli community hopeful about rebuilding their lives in run-up to Hari RayaTHIS year’s Ramadan and Syawal will be subdued for dozens of Orang Asli Seletar families in Johor after a fire razed their homes. The inferno on Feb 12 at Kampung Orang Asli Teluk Jawa, a village built mostly over water in Masai, destroyed about 30 homes. Fisherwoman Norsidah Jumait, 32, said, “I was planning for a happy Raya (Aidilfitri) celebration but the fire happened. “My family and I feel sad but we will just prepare in a simple way,” she told StarMetro. “My husband tried to put out the fire but it spread quickly.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 25): A joint villa owner has filed a lawsuit against Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Al Masrie, Malaysia’s first astronaut, and his wife Dr Halina M Yunos over alleged seepage and leakage affecting their Bukit Kiara unit since 2021. Co-owners Jeffri Shahul Hamid and Low Shih Yuin filed the suit at the High Court on Feb 19 through Messrs Chee Hoe & Associates, naming Sheikh Muszaphar and Halina as defendants. The main issue, according to the suit, is water seepage from the shared party wall, which Jeffri and Low say is caused by Sheikh Muszaphar and Halina. Nov 7, 2023: Leakage from the rooftop gutter causing dampness and mold on the party wall. The notices, Jeffri and Low claimed, clearly stipulate that the repair works are to be undertaken by Sheikh Muszaphar and his wife as the registered proprietors of the unit.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 25): DRB-Hicom Bhd (KL:DRBHCOM) is exploring the potential launch of a ringgit-backed stablecoin as part of a broader push to integrate blockchain technology across its automotive, banking and logistics businesses. The group on Wednesday signed a memorandum of collaboration with UK-based Geno Group Ltd to deploy enterprise-grade blockchain solutions in phases. Geno is a technology company that specialises in blockchain-as-a-service infrastructure and digital financial solutions. “This memorandum of collaboration sets a strong foundation to deploy enterprise blockchain and to pioneer an industrial-scale ringgit stablecoin anchored in the real-economy. “Together, DRB-Hicom and Geno will build solutions that are secure, scalable, and designed to deliver operational success for Malaysia’s financial and industrial transformation,” they said.