PETALING JAYA: The moratorium on medical insurance premium hikes for those over 60 has come to an end. Meanwhile, sources privy to the Joint Ministerial Committee on Private Healthcare Costs (JMCPHC) said premiums for elderly policyholders could be regulated. Some elderly policyholders are also hoping for the reprieve to continue as they can no longer afford their premiums. Speaking from his hospital bed, Krishnan said many senior policyholders may have to give up their medical coverage if premium increments continue. I have more than 20 clients whose medical insurance had lapsed simply because it was too costly.

It said rising Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in livestock is mainly due to the improper use of antibiotics among farmers. “High usage of antibiotics for preventive (prophylactic) and growth promoter purposes, as well as poor farm biosecurity, also contributes to the issue,” it said. The department said it was actively monitoring the trend through the Malaysian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (MyAP-AMR). “Maintain farm hygiene, implement biosecurity measures, vaccinate livestock and ensure high-quality feed.”Over the years, the department has introduced various measures to tackle livestock antibiotic-resistance. “We encourage farmers to adopt vaccination, regular disease monitoring and strong biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance at the farm level.”

Plus, if based on the Act, one can be guilty of an offence (if they practise without an APC),” he said. Under Section 20(7) of the Medical Act, it is an offence for a fully registered medical practitioner to practise medicine, surgery or obstetrics and gynaecology without an APC. Those found guilty shall not be entitled to recover any fee, reward, disbursement or cost incurred during the time they did not have a valid APC. “Legally, I do not have the licence to practise, but I have to return to work. Doctors are required to register with the MMC to practise medicine in Malaysia, while the Medical Act also mandates them to apply for an APC, which is valid for 12 months.

(Jan 3): US President Donald Trump is blocking HieFo Corp from acquiring semiconductor-related assets from Emcore Corp, citing national security reasons. The order, released on Friday, notes that HieFo, a Delaware-based company, was organised and is controlled by a Chinese citizen and targets the firm’s acquisition of “assets comprising the digital chips and related wafer design, fabrication, and processing businesses of” Emcore. The companies in 2024 announced that they had completed a deal to sell New Jersey-based Emcore’s chips business and indium phosphide wafer fabrication operations for US$2.92 million (RM11.84 million). Trump’s order says that deal “threatens to impair the national security of the US”, the latest move by the administration aimed at cracking down on Chinese access to advanced semiconductor technologies. It directs HieFo to divest within 180 days unless the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (Cfius), a secretive federal government panel that reviews deals involving American companies on national security grounds, grants them additional time.

PETALING JAYA: Badminton legend Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei has dismissed speculation that Kenneth Jonassen will focus solely on coaching the women’s singles squad from now on. He remains in charge of the singles setup overall,” said Chong Wei when contacted. Jonassen also echoed the same stance amid speculation that he had been demoted to handling only the women’s singles. At present, the national women’s singles squad is being coached by Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, who was brought in last October. However, both Chong Wei and Jonassen acknowledged that BAM are currently in the process of revamping their existing coaching structure.

The government’s announcement two weeks ago that the Ministry of Education Malaysia Training Management System (SPLKPM) would be abolished to reduce teachers’ workload was of little comfort to Leah, 45. The SPLKPM was an online platform, which required teachers to record their participation in training programmes, such as workshops and seminars, and accumulate the required credits. The abolition of SPLKPM is a relief for many teachers,” said the 55-year-old. National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Fouzi Singon, when contacted, said the Education Ministry should reduce non-teaching administrative burdens and the non-core administrative tasks. “Weak or inefficient systems continue to contribute to emotional stress among teachers and must be addressed.”Sabah Teacher’s Union president Shahril Liwangsah acknowledged that there were teachers who refused to go for courses as stated under the SPLKPM.

Checks by the New Straits Times found several posts where Grok depicted women and minors in bikinis or revealing attire without their consent. KUALA LUMPUR: A lawyer has outlined steps Malaysian women can take if X users use Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok to digitally remove their clothes or tudungs from photos. This follows reports that X users have been using Elon Musks artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, to remove clothing or tudungs from photos of women. Checks by the New Straits Times found several posts where Grok depicted women and minors in bikinis or revealing attire without their consent. AFP reported today that Grok is scrambling to fix flaws following claims it turned images of children and women into erotic content.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police uncovered a mini casino operating out of a house in Jalan Sentul Pasar following a raid early Friday morning. The 12.30am operation by a team from the city police headquarters led to the arrest of five men aged between 23 and 42. Police seized gambling equipment during the raid, including decks of cards, a poker tabletop, and chips used as currency. The case is being investigated under Section 7(2) of the Common Gaming Houses Act for gaming in a common gaming house, which carries a fine of up to RM5,000, a maximum six-month jail term, or both. Investigations are also being carried out under Section 6(3) of the Immigration Act for residing in Malaysia without a valid pass.

A spokesman for Hartal Doktor Kontrak said an application submitted on Nov 20 has yet to be approved. - NSTP FILE PICKUALA LUMPUR: Thousands of doctors are currently practising medicine without valid Annual Practising Certificates (APC), as the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) has yet to approve their renewal applications, claims a report. Without a valid APC, medical practitioners are not permitted to provide medical services, Utusan Malaysia reported today. "In a Facebook group for general practitioners, thousands of doctors reported they still have not received their APC for 2026." "Any medical practitioner who has successfully made payment for their APC application before Dec 1, 2025, will not be subject to any penalty."

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump postponed planned tariff hikes on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities, keeping the current 25% rate in place. For some local manufacturers, Tan said, the extension of the 25% tariff would have only a modest impact, as it mainly affects kitchen cabinets, vanities and upholstered furniture. Malaysia’s key furniture exports include solid wood, dining tables, chairs and upholstered sofas, with modular furniture also playing a growing role. The United States remained the largest market at RM6.05bil, followed by Singapore (RM1.18bil), Australia (RM683.6mil), Japan (RM629.8mil) and the United Kingdom (RM543.5mil). However, new 25% tariffs which affected kitchen cabinets and upholstered furniture were imposed in September and took effect in October.

HOUSTON: Oil prices settled lower on Friday on the first trading day of 2026 after registering their biggest annual loss since 2020, as investors weighed oversupply concerns against geopolitical risks, including the war in Ukraine and Venezuela exports. Brent crude futures closed down 10 cents to US$60.75 a barrel, ‌while US West Texas Intermediate crude eased 10 cents to US$57.32.

Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship unfolded amid rising geopolitical tensions, renewed protectionism, and a fragmented trading system shaped by unilateral reciprocal tariffs from the United States. Malaysia's Asean chairmanship unfolded amid rising geopolitical tensions, renewed protectionism, and a fragmented trading system shaped by unilateral reciprocal tariffs from the United States. For these reasons, 2025 was a consequential year for Asean and for Malaysia's role within it. Budget 2026 and the 13th Malaysia Plan provide a coherent framework for strengthening household resilience, improving competitiveness, and raising investment quality. Malaysia enters 2026 from a position of relative strength: a diversified economy, improving macroeconomic stability, and stronger regional standing.

KUALA LUMPUR: Profit taking continues to drag FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) deeper into the red on the first trading day of the year. The FBM KLCI opened at 1,675.20, down 4.9 points or 0.3 per cent from its closing price of 1,680.11 on Dec 31, 2025. Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said the FBM KLCI is likely to see some profit-taking activities after the year-end rally. "As we enter 2026, selected consumer and tourism-related counters such as Oriental Kopi Holdings Bhd, Aquawalk Group Bhd and Life Water Bhd are expected to benefit from Visit Malaysia 2026 and a stronger ringgit environment. FIRST DAY ACTIVES, GAINERS, LOSERSTanco Holdings Bhd topped the most active list on the local bourse on Friday.

PETALING JAYA: Singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen has had to change his training methods after the national players struggled to adapt to the European style. The Dane then had to switch to the Asian training approach. People may think we are still following the European training style, but actually, we are not," Jonassen said. "The Asian approach is actually not very different, and now I understand that we will eventually reach the same goal, just in a slightly different manner," Jonassen said. With the more familiar Asian training approach in place, Jun Hao and Justin will be keen to improve their performances this year.

When Singaporean actor Leon Jay Williams looks ahead to 2026, the future feels like a fragile gift. “Initially, I was devastated at the news, thinking I wouldn’t be able to see my daughter grow up,” the actor says. He has a 10-year-old daughter with his Taiwan-born wife, who is known only as Joyce. We are not alone.”In 2026, Williams intends to move at a gentler pace, both physically and mentally. Or if I don’t work at all.