IPOH: Two people, including a senior citizen, were injured in the early hours of Wednesday (Dec 31) morning after the car they were travelling in caught fire following a road accident on the North-South Expressway near Gopeng. Perak Fire and Rescue Department acting deputy director of operations Shazlean Mohd Hanafiah said the department received a distress call at 5.16am. He said the car caught fire after an accident at KM 292.4 on the northbound lane of the expressway. “The car was about 80% burnt upon arrival, and a 42-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman sustained injuries in the crash,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec 31). Shazlean said the male victim suffered lacerations to his arm, while the elderly female victim received injuries to her face.

PUTRAJAYA: The Customs Department’s inspection for travellers departing from Malaysia will be consolidated at the departure gates of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 (KLIA T1) starting Jan 1. Currently, the department conducts inspections using departure screening scanners located in the departure zone after Immigration clearance, which has the potential to cause congestion during peak travel periods. The Transport Ministry said in a statement that this new initiative will allow passengers to experience a smoother flow of movement before boarding their flights, thereby reducing congestion and waiting times in the departure zone. “This improvement is implemented through close cooperation between the ministry, Customs Department, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd and the Malaysia Border Control and Protection Agency. “This step does not compromise security levels or Customs enforcement,” the ministry said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported.

JOHOR BARU: It was a lucky coincidence for a teenager here who got to board Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd’s (KTMB) Southern Express train for the first time just one day before the service ends its run. “My friend and I decided to ride the train to Gemas to visit our friends there. In a statement on Monday, KTMB announced that its Southern Express train service on the Gemas-JB Sentral-Gemas route, which had been operating for nine years, will be terminated effective Jan 1. Muhammad Arif said he was unaware about the ceasing of the Southern Express train service. Shalini said that she plans to take the Electric Train Service (ETS) for her future trips.

PETALING JAYA: TT Vision Holdings Bhd (TTVHB) has secured several purchase orders for its solar cell inspection equipment from one of its major customers, totalling RM7.11mil. The company, which is principally involved in the development and manufacturing of machine vision equipment, said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia yesterday that the contract is expected to be fulfilled within three months. “The contract will not have any effect on the share capital and substantial shareholders’ shareholdings of the TTVHB and its subsidiaries. “However, the contract is expected to contribute positively towards the future earnings and net assets of the group for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2026.”TTVHB said it does not foresee any exceptional risk other than the normal operational risks associated with the supply of products.

Koong acknowledged that ACCCIM has received complaints from SMEs who felt sidelined for not needing to provide e-invoices but he stressed that non-issuance does not mean transactions are illegitimate. SMEs that are not required to issue e-invoices doesn’t mean that the transactions are illegitimate. When you do business with MNCs, you will mostly follow their requirements,” he said, adding that most SMEs in MNC supply chains have already implemented e-invoicing. Meanwhile, LHDN chief executive officer Datuk Dr Abu Tariq Jamaluddin said e-invoicing participation was currently on a voluntary basis. “However, LHDN encourages SMEs to accelerate their participation, and will continue to provide support throughout the implementation process,” he said.

HOUSTON: Oil was steady after a choppy session on Tuesday as investors weighed dented hopes of a Russia-Ukraine peace deal and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East around Yemen. Brent crude futures for February delivery, which expire on Tuesday, settled down 2 cents, or 0.03%, at US$61.92 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate ‌crude settled down 13 cents, or 0.22%, at US$57.95. Russia has said it will toughen its position in peace talks after accusing Kyiv of attacking the residence, an allegation that Kyiv dismissed as baseless and designed to undermine peace negotiations. Prices are likely to trend ‍downwards in the first quarter of 2026 because of a "growing oil glut", said Marex analyst Ed Meir.

Eat, drink and enjoy the outdoors and family gatherings – in moderation, say those who see an increase in heart emergencies during the holiday season. Cardiac emergencies spike 30% on Christmas Eve, according to American Medical Response, which provides emergency medical services in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. region in the United States. Dr Racht is the chief medical officer of Global Medical Response, the parent company of American Medical Response. Heart attacks happen when blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced or blocked, the American Heart Association says. Paramedics and medical technicians can initiate life-saving care on the road and prepare the emergency room for a heart attack response.

This triggered the right to compulsorily acquire the remaining shares under Section 222 of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007. — Apex Healthcare privatisation goes ahead as compulsory acquisition threshold crossedChin Hin Group Bhd’s (KL:CHINHIN) 95%-owned subsidiary, Kayangan Kemas Sdn Bhd, has initiated arbitration proceedings against Exyte Malaysia Sdn Bhd — the main contractor of the Intel Pelican Project in Bayan Lepas, Penang — seeking about RM201 million following a contract dispute. The plant is being acquired from PKNP Reneuco Suria Sdn Bhd, which is under receivership and is a 95%-owned subsidiary of Practice Note 17-listed Reneuco Bhd (KL:RENEUCO). Reneuco, then known as Kumpulan Powernet Bhd, in collaboration with Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Pahang (PKNP), was shortlisted to develop the 50MWac solar photovoltaic plant. The disposal slashed Insas’ stake in Omesti to 4.638%, below the requisite 5% to be deemed a substantial shareholder.

“We cried in the car; it was such an emotional moment.”As the youngest of three siblings, Angeliana is the first in her family to pursue university studies abroad. I just provided moral support, financial backing for tuition and extra classes and made sure she had the time and resources to succeed. A brighter futureFor Surendran Muniandy, the YTN My Brighter Future (MyBF) sponsorship has been life-changing in a different way. > My BRIGHTER FUTURE (MyBF): Targeted at students from lower-income families, providing full financial support without repayment obligations. YTN’s scholarships not only support students and families but also contribute to Malaysia’s human capital development, reflecting the organisation’s commitment to social responsibility, equity and nation-building.

KANGAR: Newly appointed Perlis Mentri Besar Abu Bakar Hamzah has announced a RM3,000 monthly salary cut as part of efforts to reduce the state government’s financial burden. “For the new exco members later, I will also advise them to make a RM1,500 deduction. Abu Bakar was sworn in before the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail at Istana Arau last Sunday. On the appointment of new exco members, he said discussions will first be held with the State Secretary before submitting the proposed names to Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin. “We must rise from complacency, rise from weaknesses, rise from laziness and the like.

BATU PAHAT: A cook from Kampung Parit Lahak here is making a concerted effort to ensure that nasi gaul, a traditional rice dish of the Indonesian Banjar community, does not fade into obscurity. Mohd Ariffin Ibrahim, 60, said he has handed down the family’s generations-old recipe for nasi gaul to his fourth child Nursyahira Hanis, 27, who now works as a chef in Johor Baru. “Nasi gaul is not easy to prepare and requires great attention to detail, starting with cooking basmati rice using chicken, beef or mutton stock. The Banjar community traces its roots to Banjarmasin in Kalimantan, Indonesia. According to Mohd Ariffin, nasi gaul was once popular among the community in Johor, Selangor and Perak.

JOHOR BARU: The Southern Express (ES) train service, which will be terminated on Jan 1, has played an important role in facilitating the daily activities and movements of residents in southern Johor and the Iskandar region, recording 2.6 million passengers since its introduction in 2016. "The ES has made a big impact because it connects large and medium-sized towns on the southern route such as Segamat, Kluang, Labis, Kulai and Johor Baru. Afzar said indirectly, the service has contributed to economic development along the southern line as users utilise the train for work-related, economic and tourism-related movements. On Monday (Dec 29), KTMB announced that the operation of the Southern Express train service on the Gemas - JB Sentral - Gemas route will be terminated effective Jan 1 after nine years of operation. He said the train service also helped smooth traffic flow by providing residents with an alternative to using the road, especially during congestion on the main highways connecting to and from Johor Bahru.

Spot gold was up 0.7% at $4,361.71 per ounce, ⁠as of 0709 GMT, after hitting a record high of $4,549.71 on Friday. It fell to its lowest since December ​17 on Monday, marking its sharpest daily percentage loss since October 21. "The fact that we've had such a significant selloff from Monday open ... it just goes to show the significant volatility probably compounded by thinner trading conditions because of the holiday season," Kyle Rodda, senior analyst at Capital.com, said. The relative strength indexes (RSI) for both gold and ‍silver fell from 'overbought' territory ⁠on Monday. Spot silver was up 3.1% at $74.49 per ounce, after hitting ‌an all-time high of $83.62 in the previous session.

KANGAR: A new Perlis executive council (exco) can be formed if just four more members are appointed, says Mentri Besar Abu Bakar Hamzah. "Without the Mentri Besar, it is four and with the Mentri Besar, it becomes five. There are 15 seats in the Perlis State Assembly. He said all existing PAS exco members would resign in solidarity following the resignation of former mentri besar Mohd Shukri Ramli. Abu Bakar, who is also Perlis Perikatan Nasional deputy chairman, said exco portfolios could be consolidated or abolished to reduce the administrative burden.

TELUPID: The Dumpas were once a close-knit community in Sabah, known for a way of life shaped by movement and long-held traditions passed down through generations. The Dumpas language is the clearest marker of that distinction, said Sabah Dumpas Association deputy president, Bidin Angau, 65. “When it is completed, we want the Dumpas community to stand on equal footing with other ethnic groups, and to leave this dictionary as a legacy for future generations,” said Bidin. “I intend to distribute copies to libraries at universities, so researchers and students can study who the Dumpas are,” he said. Dumpas identity is also expressed through what can be seen and touched, especially traditional attire with intricate embroidery – every bead sewn by hand.