THE recent tuberculosis (TB) cluster in Kota Tinggi, Johor and the reported 10% increase in TB notifications nationwide compared to the same period last year have raised understandable public concern. It is important to clarify that TB was never eliminated in Malaysia. We remain an intermediate-burden country like many in our region. An increase in reported cases, especially after active screening of a cluster, does not automatically mean the disease is spreading uncontrollably.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 25): TeamStar Bhd (KL:TEAMSTR) said it plans to focus on executing its expansion plans despite softer market sentiment linked to a stronger ringgit and weaker US dollar, after its muted debut on the ACE Market on Wednesday. TeamStar chief financial officer Tan Jian Wei attributed the flat opening price to overall subdued market sentiment in Malaysia, influenced by broader uncertainties involving the US and China. Subsequent stores will open gradually in other states from 2027 to 2028, including Sabah and Sarawak, says Jian Wei. In addition to new outlet openings, TeamStar plans to upgrade selected stores to include showroom concepts featuring mock-ups of kitchens and living spaces to attract interior designers and end-consumers. For the financial year ended Dec 31, 2024, TeamStar posted a net profit of RM16.85 million with revenue of RM130.22 million.

KEPALA BATAS: It takes RM750, four to five hours and one person stirring constantly to produce a single pot of bubur lambuk at Masjid Al-Imam As-Syafie here. At this month-old mosque, the Ramadan porridge is not funded with a fixed budget but through donations. “When contributions reached RM750, that covers one pot,” said bubur lambuk maker Azhar Samsudin, 72. The rice goes in later and must be stirred without pause. “When the rice goes in, someone has to keep stirring.

PETALING JAYA: Business operators are adopting e-wallets and QR-based systems in response to shifting consumer habits and broader digitalisation. Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) president Datuk Mohamed Mosin Abdul Razak said the trend has accelerated since the Covid-19 pandemic. “Yes, we are certainly seeing more restaurants adopt cashless payment methods such as e-wallets and QR-based systems especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. SME Association of Malaysia president Dr Chin Chee Seong said most SMEs and micro enterprises are open to cashless systems. “While cashless payments are growing, SMEs still accept cash payments but it is more minimised now,” he said.

“Our nation is back bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before,” Trump said Tuesday at his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. “We’re going to do better and better and better. But more broadly, Trump is expected to use the evening’s platform to take a victory lap rather than offer a course correction. Four justices attended Tuesday’s address — Chief Justice John Roberts and justices Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. Despite its pomp and formality, the State of the Union still offers a stage for Trump to speak to voters directly.

SEREMBAN: The Negri Sembilan Islamic Affairs Department has detained a Muslim woman for allegedly insulting Islam and disrespecting the month of Ramadan during a live broadcast on social media. Its director Datuk Mohd Asri Abdullah said preliminary investigations revealed that the 27-year-old woman was seen consuming food and drinks during a live session with her followers on her TikTok account. She allegedly committed the act around 6.45pm on Feb 22. "We detained the woman yesterday (Feb 24) to further probe the matter under Section 50 of the Syariah Criminal (Negri Sembilan) Enactment 1992," he said in a statement. Mohd Asri advised the people particularly Muslims to respect religious sensitivities especially during Ramadan.

Founded as Tunku Abdul Rahman College in 1969, the institution was upgraded to Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) in 2013 before attaining full university status as TAR UMT in 2022. “TAR UMT, a non-profit institution, has produced more than 300,000 graduates since its esta­blishment in 1969,” he said. This spirit perfectly mirrors the journey of TAR UMT. Calling for unity and continuity, Dr Wee urged the TAR UMT community to honour its heritage while working towards a stronger future. Also present during the event were TAR UMT members of the board of trustees – Datin Paduka Tan Siok Choo, Tan Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon and Datuk Seri Yew Teong Look – and TAR UMT board of governors member Datuk Chong Sin Woon, former TAR UMT board of trustees member Tan Sri Fong Chan Onn and other guests.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a level one hot weather alert for seven areas in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia. According to a post on MetMalaysia's Facebook page on Tuesday (Feb 24), the affected areas are Perlis and six areas in Kedah, namely Kubang Pasu, Padang Terap, Pokok Sena, Sik, Baling and Bandar Baharu. The statement said the areas were expected to record maximum daily temperatures of between 35 and 37°C for at least three consecutive days.

With the rapid integration of cross-border payment systems, the days of fumbling for yuan notes are over, making China a top destination for tourists who want a stress-free holiday. Contractor Tony Tan, 55, said the advanced digital ecosystem is a major highlight of his travels, noting that the ability to go ­entirely cashless has made the country far more accessible to Malaysians. For Ariff Azman, 34, a tech consultant who travels frequently to China and Japan for work, safety lies in the digital trail. “In China, cash is almost obsolete, and it’s also safer for me as a foreigner,” Ariff explained. “I used to come back from China with pockets full of coins and small notes money changers in Malaysia won’t accept.

TikTok has officially termed this period the "Super Season", a profound celebration of Malaysia’s "Muhibbah" spirit. Looking back at 2025, the platform saw a 100% growth in video views during the Ramadan period, hitting a staggering 92 billion views. Video views surge by as users look for recipes and spiritual inspiration. Merging URL with IRL: The " Scripted Series " allows brands to tap on authentic creator-led short video content series, to turn entertainment into deep audience engagement. The " " allows brands to tap on authentic creator-led short video content series, to turn entertainment into deep audience engagement.

BUTTERWORTH: Over 1,000 devotees gathered at the Tow Boo Keong Temple here to toss yee sang along a 210m stretch for the seventh day of Chinese New Year touted by the community to be “everyone’s birthday”. Now into its 15th edition, the annual event saw carrots, radishes, vegetables and crackers neatly arranged in two long rows for the mass toss. “The event enabled devotees and the public to come together and take part in the tossing,” he said on Monday night at the temple in Jalan Raja Uda. Tourists Guo Na and Chen Xiao Lian, both 31, from Anhui in China, said they were fascinated by the scale of the tossing. “We have watched lion dances and drum performances, but we have never seen a yee sang tossing of such scale,” said Guo.

“TAR UMT became the lifeline I needed. ALSO READ : TAR UMT has ‘galloped’ a long way“The lecturers are helpful and attentive. For Loh Hiew Yin, 22, the decision to join TAR UMT was a life-changing experience, too. The final-year international business student enrolled for a diploma course when the institution was known as Tunku Abdul Rahman University College. For him, TAR UMT was more than a place of lectures and exams.

PETALING JAYA: As more Malaysians opt for e-wallets over physical cash for their daily needs, the Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) is anticipating a further surge this year in the adoption of cashless payments. While younger adults remain the most active users due to their comfort with technology, ABM said adoption among older age groups is steadily rising. Yee also said access remains a challenge in cashless adoption in rural areas, and though adoption of cashless services is growing in remote places. Centre for Market Education chief executive officer Carmelo Ferlito said physical money must remain fully acceptable for transactions, as refusing cash altoge­ther raises institutional and legal questions. Others prefer budgeting discipline through physical cash.

IPOH: Eight people have been injured in a three-vehicle collision involving a lorry and two cars on Jalan Teluk Intan-Bota near Kampung Gajah. He said the lorry driver escaped unhurt. He said there was a family of five in the first car. The woman was trapped in the vehicle and suffered injuries," he said. "All injured victims were taken to hospital for further treatment," he said.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. jumped about 9% on Meta Platforms Inc.’s plans to spend billions on its gear. “This ‘we’re here to help, not hurt’ message from Anthropic is helping to trigger a fairly healthy rebound rally in software,” he said. “AI disruption risk is not new information, but the catastrophizing seems overdone,” said Andrew Tyler, who runs the Global Market Intelligence team at JPMorgan Chase & Co. The business cycle should limit equity drawdown risk despite AI disruption and concerns over geopolitical shocks, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. strategists, including Andrea Ferrario and Christian Mueller-Glissmann. “While somewhat elevated valuations do increase the risk of smaller corrections, our current optimistic macro baseline and broadly supportive market sentiment should limit drawdown risk,” they added.