A housewife and her unemployed friend pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to attempting to murder the woman's husband last month. - NSTP/Mary Victoria DassJOHOR BAHRU: A housewife and her unemployed friend pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to attempting to murder the woman's husband last month. The duo allegedly smothered the victim's face with a pillow, an act which could have caused his death. Deputy public prosecutor R. Nevina urged the court to deny bail, citing the gravity of the charge. The court heard that the victim works at a warehouse in Changi, Singapore, earning S$2,500 and only returns home at night.

KUALA LUMPUR: Two moderate earthquakes were recorded in Indonesia and the Philippines on Thursday (Jan 1) morning. The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck the Banda Sea, Indonesia, at 11.05am, at a depth of 103km, about 398km southeast of Ambon. Earlier, at 10.56am, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake hit the Philippine Islands region. The tremor was centred at a depth of 65km, approximately 136km northeast of Talaud Island, Indonesia. MetMalaysia, however, said there is no tsunami threat to Malaysia from either earthquake.

Healthcare assets have seen heightened interest in recent times, and this could mean Sunway Healthcare being able to raise funds at strong valuations. In its books, Sunway Group still recorded start-up operational losses of RM23.9mil in the latest reported quarter ended Sept 30, 2025, attributed to Sunway Medical Centre (SMC) Damansara and SMC Ipoh. But excluding these losses, Sunway Group said its healthcare segment delivered improved underlying performance with 19.4% year-on-year growth, with stronger operational results from SMC Sunway City, SMC Velocity and SMC Penang. Sunway Bhd owns 84% of Sunway Healthcare, with the remaining equity interest held by Greenwood Capital Pte Ltd, a unit of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, Government of Singapore Investment Corp. The listing of Sunway Healthcare would see Sunway’s effective equity interest in the former be diluted to 69.5% from 84%.

Shares of CJ Century Logistics Holdings Bhd opened 2026 at a five-week high following a sizeable stake disposal by its chief executive officer (CEO) Steven Teow Choo Hing. KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of CJ Century Logistics Holdings Bhd opened 2026 at a five-week high following a sizeable stake disposal by its chief executive officer (CEO) Steven Teow Choo Hing. Meanwhile, Teow disposed of a 7.71 per cent stake, or 44.87 million shares, on Wednesday, ceasing to be a substantial shareholder of the group. On the same day, CJ Logistics Asia Pte Ltd, the group's largest shareholder, acquired the 44.87 million shares, increasing its stake in CJ Century to 62.8 per cent and becoming the company's sole substantial shareholder. Teow has been a substantial shareholder of CJ Century since 2001 and was redesignated as CEO from managing director in November 2020, following the group's integration into South Korea-owned CJ Logistics.

Johor DOSH said the cause of the landslide is being identified. Pic Credit: Fire and Rescue DepartmentKOTA TINGGI: The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has issued a stop-work order for a factory construction site in Bandar Penawar following a fatal landslide on Tuesday. The department also issued two prohibition notices and two improvement notices at the project site. In a statement, Johor DOSH said the cause of the landslide is being identified. The department said legal action will be taken against responsible parties if violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act are found.

“I am certain Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan will be major focal points for visitors. For instance, the Kuala Lumpur Orchestra Festival (FOKL) will be held at the Bandaraya Auditorium from May 31 to June 28. “The third edition of FOKL strives to attract more visitors to Kuala Lumpur through its musical programmes. Kuala Lumpur Residents Action for Sustainable Development Association (KLRA+SD) secretary Joshua Low said residents wanted Kuala Lumpur to run with transparency, accountability and increased community engagement. Save Kuala Lumpur (SKL) chairman Datuk M. Ali said the government should look into implementing the local government elections, starting with Kuala Lumpur.

PETALING JAYA: Imaging, analytical and test solutions company Crest Group Bhd expects to perform better for this year (FY26) building on the momentum in purchase orders seen in the second half of FY25 (2H25). The company’s executive director Ethan Au said 2H25 “was strong” with momentum and a pipeline of orders built up for this year. “We’re broadening our portfolio of advanced inspection, analytical, and test solutions, which naturally include metrology and failure analysis tools. Au said the company’s expansion of its after-sales and applications teams would support outsourced semiconductor assembly and tests, integrated device manufacturers and research and development institutions upgrading their capabilities. Au said the industry has seen a gradual shift towards higher-end equipment sales that help boost margins.

In this Beyond the Headlines curtain-raiser episode, host Amalina Kamal speaks with Transparency International Malaysia president Raymon Ram to examine the state of governance and integrity as the new year begins. —NSTP/Hazreen MohamadKUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia enters 2026 with reform promises on the table but the real question is whether those pledges are translating into institutional change. In this Beyond the Headlines curtain-raiser episode, host Amalina Kamal speaks with Transparency International Malaysia president Raymon Ram to examine the state of governance and integrity as the new year begins. The conversation moves beyond rhetoric to assess Parliament's role in delivering accountability, the urgency of anti-corruption reforms, and why Malaysia's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score has struggled to gain momentum. The episode also highlights political financing reform as a critical missing pillar in Malaysia's governance framework.

KUCHING: The Sarawak state government has completed the acquisition of MASwings Sdn Bhd through AirBorneo Holdings Sdn Bhd, effective today, Jan 1, 2026. AirBorneo, a wholly owned entity of the Sarawak state government, said the sale and purchase agreement for the acquisition was signed between Malaysia Aviation Group and the Sarawak state government on Feb 12, 2025. During this initial phase of transition, MASwings branding will continue, whilst AirBorneo progressively rolls out its new brand identity. AirBorneo said the acquisition supports the state government’s strategic objectives of strengthening regional air connectivity and ensuring affordable fares for Sarawak and its people. "The Sarawak state government wishes to thank all employees, partners, and stakeholders for their support throughout the transaction and the transition process,” it added.

KUALA LUMPUR: Gold futures on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives ended lower on the final trading day of 2025, tracking weaker performance on the Comex exchange in the United States. The spot month December 2025 contract fell to US$4,308.0 per troy ounce from US$4,371.4 on Tuesday and the January 2026 contract slid to US$4,348.2 per troy ounce from US$4,392.6 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the February 2026 contract decreased to US$4,363.7 per troy ounce from US$4,408.1 Wednesday and the March 2026 contract slipped to US$4,380.4 per troy ounce from US$4,424.8 previously. Trading volume declined to 56 lots compared to 130 lots on Tuesday, while open interest dipped to 90 contracts from 176 contracts previously. Physical gold was priced at US$4,367.8 per troy ounce, according to the London Bullion Market Association afternoon fix on Dec 30.

PETALING JAYA: While multiracial volunteerism and listening without bias are essential for social cohesion, the National Unity Advisory Council emphasises that true unity begins at home. These are some of the views newly appointed council members are articulating as Malaysia enters the new year with national unity in mind, as the National Unity Ministry works to celebrate diversity and togetherness. Increasingly, we see impatience like people wanting instant answers, instant punishment and instant outrage. “Among the T20 and professional classes, unity is strong because Malaysians collaborate naturally across ethnic lines in business and professional settings. It should be measured by trust, shared opportunities and mutual respect,” the political expert said.

(Jan 2): Shanghai Biren Technology Co, an artificial intelligence (AI) chip designer, was set to begin trading in Hong Kong on Friday after its initial public offering (IPO) raised US$717 million (RM2.91 billion) in one of the market’s hottest sectors. The firm’s shares surged in Hong Kong’s grey market on Wednesday ahead of the official debut. Demand for the IPO was strong, with the stock priced at HK$19.60 (RM10.21) — the top of an indicative range, according to a filing. Founded in 2019 by Zhang Wen, former president of SenseTime Group Inc, Biren has been gaining traction among major Chinese firms. In its prospectus, Biren said that proceeds from the offering will be used towards research and development of its computing solutions.

In its technical reading, TA Securities said the local market is poised for further profit-taking consolidation as the momentum indicators continued to weaken. "Immediate support remains the September 2016 low of 1,645, with stronger support coming from the 76.4%FR (1,610) followed by the 61.8%FR(1,564). Rakuten Trade, however, sounded an optimistic tone as it said the local market, which ended the year above the 1,68- mark, has been propped up by local institutional buying. CIMB dropped 15 sen to RM8.10, Yabank fell six sen to MR10.42, Public Bank slid six sen to RM4.48 and AmBank dropped six sen to RM6.44. Top actives on the broader market were Mega Fortis up one sen to 90 sen, Bina Puri unchanged at 29.5 sen and Kinergy Advancement down 0.5 sen to 38 sen.

The seasonally adjusted S&P Global Malaysia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for December 2025 remained unchanged at 50.1 from November’s reading. NSTP/ASYRAF HAMZAHKUALA LUMPUR: The seasonally adjusted S&P Global Malaysia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for December 2025 remained unchanged at 50.1 from November's reading. S&P Global said the latest figure marked a further fractional strengthening in operating conditions across Malaysia's manufacturing sector. S&P Global said the latest uptick was the third-fastest since data collection began in July 2012 and the most pronounced in over seven years. S&P Global said muted demand trends were reportedly behind the easing of new business.

KULAI: The success of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) Football Club has turned Sultan Ibrahim Stadium into a must-visit destination, drawing visitors eager to tour the premier football venue. Businessman Tan Wei Ming, 42, was among those who has included the stadium in his family itinerary. “My elder boy is a big football fan and loves JDT, so visiting Sultan Ibrahim Stadium is a must. For Indonesian tourist Erwin Salleh, a family holiday in Johor promised a mix of fun, shopping and familiar flavours. Tourism counters at Senai International Airport have also been enhanced with brochures and information highlighting attractions across all 10 districts in Johor, he added.