KUALA LUMPUR: Leftenan Jeneral Datuk Azhan Md Othman has been appointed as the 31st Army Chief, effective Jan 1, 2026. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said Azhan, previously Chief of Staff at the Armed Forces headquarters, was appointed following the 631st Armed Forces Council meeting on Nov 19 and with the consent of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, on Dec 1. Meanwhile, the implementation of the Council’s decision to appoint Jeneral Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan as Armed Forces Chief has been postponed. In the interim, the duties of Armed Forces Chief will be carried out by Admiral Tan Sri Zulhelmy Ithnain, the Navy Chief, as announced on Dec 27. Mohamed Khaled stressed that all measures are aimed at upholding the rule of law and preserving the integrity of the Armed Forces while ensuring the nation’s sovereignty is effectively protected.

KUALA LUMPUR: Cabinet ministers have conveyed New Year 2026 greetings, expressing prayers and hopes for the well-being of the people and the future of the country. All the messages reflect a spirit of togetherness and the resolve of the nation's leadership to further strengthen the people's well-being and national unity in facing the challenges of 2026. Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan also highlighted the importance of people's well-being and human-centred development in conjunction with the New Year 2026. "I believe Malaysia needs more responsible politics - politics that focuses on problem-solving, not on creating divisions among the people for personal interests. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir conveyed New Year 2026 greetings through a poster shared on Facebook featuring a collage of programmes and activities carried out by the Ministry of Higher Education throughout 2025.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped by 16,000 to a seasonally adjusted 199,000 for the week ended Dec 27, the Labor Department said on Wednesday. The labour market remains locked in what economists and policymakers describe as a "no hire, no fire" mode. Though the economy remains resilient, with gross domestic product increasing at its fastest pace in two years in the third quarter, the labour market has almost stalled. The unemployment rate increased to a four-year high of 4.6% in November, though part of the rise was because of technical factors related to the 43-day government shutdown. The record-long shutdown prevented data collection for October's unemployment rate.

JOHOR BARU: Seven foreign women have been detained for allegedly engaging in immoral activities at several apartments here. Johor Immigration director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said the Ops Gegar operation was carried out simultaneously at several separate apartments around Johor Baru at 9pm on Tuesday (Dec 30). He added that their activities included offering sexual services through social media applications such as WeChat and Telegram. Mohd Rusdi said the detainees had committed offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Immigration Regulations 1963. They have been placed at the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot to assist with investigations.

Safiey, 31, alleged that a third individual bearing the title Datuk Seri, who owns six companies and is an insurance panel member, was also involved in the alleged fraud. There are clear elements of criminal breach of trust and organised syndicated crime, using the 'sambung bayar' tactic without the car owner's knowledge. "This includes rights to trademarks that are patented and registered under my name and my company, my good name, company assets, the company's reputation, and even company funds, including Employees Provident Fund accounts. "This trend is becoming increasingly rampant and is being advertised across various digital platforms, including Facebook groups using names such as 'sambung bayar deposit direct owner'. "They also frequently threaten others by making 'cover reports' and imposing contracts or agreements unilaterally through coercion and undue influence, allegedly using company registrations as proof of a legitimate licence for deposit-based 'sambung bayar' arrangements," he said.

KOTA KINABALU: A house painter tragically died after being electrocuted while working at a residence in Kampung Likas on the morning of Wednesday (Dec 31). Lintas Fire and Rescue Station chief Agustavia Joe Guasi reported receiving an emergency call about the incident at 10.03am. A team of ten firefighters, along with a fire engine and the Emergency Medical Rescue Services unit, was promptly dispatched to the location. “The incident involved a male victim who was electrocuted while painting the house,” Agustavia stated in a press release. Agustavia noted that the firefighters conducted a final inspection of the site to ensure there were no remaining hazards before concluding their operation at 11.10am.

She said the loan sharks came at 1.15am on Sunday, splashing paint on their car and gate of their house located in Bandar Baru Menglembu near here“Our neighbour’s gate, porch and ceiling were also hit.”She said the loan sharks sent her a text message the next day, asking her to settle her brother’s debts. However, she said the loan sharks continued to harass the family for money. A previous report was made five years ago when the loan sharks had threatened the family, she added. Her mother, identified as Fong, said her son, who works in a food catering business in Singapore, had borrowed money many times from loan sharks. Yuen said many of those who took up loans from ah long were Malaysians working in Singapore who found themselves short of money.

PETALING JAYA: I will not resign from my Perikatan Nasional post in Melaka or at the national level, says Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin. Instead, it is based on considerations of responsibility, organisational stability, and the interests of the PN struggle at the state level," she said. "Second, Melaka PN is currently in an important preparation phase ahead of the state election, which is expected to take place within the next four to six months. "I believe the people are watching these seemingly endless disputes between the two main PN parties, which will inevitably erode their respect and hope in PN as an alternative. Four other state leaders – all from Bersatu – also quit their positions, leaving questions over the future of the coalition.

PETALING JAYA: An oil tanker operating in Malaysian waters has been detained by the Selangor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) after the captain failed to present the necessary anchoring permissions. The vessel was halted approximately 0.9 nautical miles west of Port Klang. Although the crew had valid identification, the captain could not provide a valid anchoring permit. As a result, the vessel was apprehended, and the captain was taken in by the state MMEA for further questioning. Captain Salleh urged all vessels to comply with Malaysian regulations and apply for anchoring permits from the Malaysian Marine Department.

ALOR SETAR: The High Court here has ordered the Kedah Football Association (KFA), its former president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, and two other individuals to pay more than RM500,000 to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) for failing to remit contributions for several players, Sinar Harian reports. Judge Lee also ordered the defendants to pay statutory dividends on the outstanding amount at a rate of 5% per annum starting from Jan 1, 2019, until the full judgment sum is paid. The EPF filed the action after KFA, as the employer, failed to remit monthly contributions for its players in accordance with the provisions of the EPF Act 1991. Lawyers Abd Shukor Ahmad, Aaron Aiman Thangarajoo, and Michelle Liew represented the EPF, while Ahmad Taufiq Baharum represented KFA. Lawyer Mior Haidir Suhaimi represented Mukhriz, Anas Hafiz Mustaffa, and Asmirul Anuar Aris.

PETALING JAYA: Tax experts have cautioned that the decision to raise the e-invoicing threshold to a turnover of RM1mil annually should not be seen as a reason to delay digital transformation. He said many SMEs, even the smaller ones, are already making concerted efforts to digitalise their accounting and reporting processes. He noted that affordable digital tools are increasingly accessible, even for smaller businesses, making early preparation both feasible and prudent. However, Veerinderjeet warned that this is likely to evolve as e-invoicing becomes embedded across corporate procurement and reporting systems. Meanwhile, tax consultant Datin Christine Koh said digital readiness is now both affordable and practical, even for micro businesses.

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 31): Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has advised parents to closely monitor their children’s use of digital devices and ensure technology is used wisely in the new year 2026. In his New Year video message shared on the Ministry of Communications’ Facebook page, Fahmi also reminded the public to stay alert to emerging scam tactics. As part of efforts to strengthen national cyber safety, 2026 will bring major regulatory changes. From Jan 1, all internet messaging and social media service providers with eight million or more users will be required to register as Application Service Providers Class [ASP(C)] Licence under the deeming provision of Section 46A of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. The regulatory move aims to ensure large-scale platforms operate within a clear legal framework and shoulder explicit responsibility for user safety, particularly for children and families.

Compiled by KHOO JIAN TENG, C.ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHANA COUPLE never expected to find love in an unexpected place – at a cemetery. According to Kosmo!, Noorafizah Muhd Jalil, 40, said she never thought she would marry a second time after her husband’s death in 2018. Noorafizah said she would often visit her late husband’s grave where she met Ramlan Ramly, 58, at the cemetery in Tampin four years ago. State Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director John Sagun Francis said the fire broke out at 10.40pm on Monday. > Amid the bustle of Johor Baru’s morning market, a young man turned heads with a confident strut, Harian Metro reported.

The women are being investigated under the Immigration Act and the Immigration Regulations. Pic Credit: Immigration DepartmentJOHOR BARU: The Immigration Department has crippled a prostitution ring involving seven women from China who used WeChat and Telegram to solicit clients. The women, aged between 25 and 41, were detained during raids on several apartment units in Tanjung Puteri yesterday night. Johor Immigration director Datuk Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said the raid followed public tip-offs and surveillance. "Investigations revealed the suspects used WeChat and Telegram to offer sexual services, charging between RM230 and RM400 per session.

PETALING JAYA: A special window for applications for 2025 foreign worker employment quotas will be open from Jan 19 to March 31 next year. The ministry also reminded employers to submit applications directly, without engaging agents or third parties, through the Foreign Workers Management One-Stop Centre. The ministry said the special window is expected to assist employers in submitting foreign worker employment applications in a more orderly manner. On Dec 24, the ministry announced that applications for the hiring of foreign workers in the services sector under the purview of KPDN were nearing the government-approved quota for this year. “As a result, applications for foreign worker employment quotas for the services sector overseen by KPDN submitted through the One Stop Centre for Foreign Worker Management will be closed earlier than scheduled, effective Dec 26.”