KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak will find out tomorrow whether he could return home and serve his prison time under house arrest. High Court judge Justice Alice Loke is scheduled to deliver her decision in the judicial review brought forth by Najib, who is seeking to serve the remainder of his prison sentence at home. On July 4, 2024, the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed Najib’s application for leave, citing hearsay in supporting affidavits. This prompted Najib to appeal the decision at the Court of Appeal, where he won his appeal in a 2-1 majority decision with an order for the matter remitted back to the High Court for a full hearing. The case went back to the High Court before Justice Alice Loke, who has heard the submissions in the case and fixed Dec 22 for decision.

PETALING JAYA: Like a lingering curse, the World Tour Finals remain the one tournament that continues to haunt men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik. Going into the match, Aaron and Wooi Yik only needed a straight game victory over the Indian pair, but the match went the distance before they fell. “I learned a lot from that match, and we just tried our best,” added Wooi Yik. Despite knowing how tough it has been to reach the semi-finals after six attempts since 2019, Aaron and Wooi Yik remained proud of their efforts throughout the three group-stage matches this year. This defeat also brought an end to their calendar year, giving them roughly three weeks before the new season begins.

KUALA LUMPUR: Social protection for Malaysians throughout 2025 has been strengthened by the government’s increase in cash aid to the highest level in the nation’s history, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic). According to an infographic accompanying the post, the aid provided by the government this year includes an allocation of RM13bil for the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR) and Rahmah Basic Neces­sities Aid (Sara) programmes. It also showed the maximum received under the STR was RM4,000, the highest increase since its introduction. Among others, assistance for non-married people (RM600), old folk (RM800), Sara (RM100 every month) and children (RM200 to RM1,000 every month) were also given. Under disaster assistance, a special allocation of RM40mil for Putra Heights tragedy were given as part of the government’s rapid response.

KUALA LUMPUR: Any form of historical artifacts located abroad cannot be brought back or reclaimed arbitrarily; instead, they must go through the proper process based on the law. This includes copies of hikayat (chronicles) or printed books from the British colonial era, where a copy of every printed material produced in Malaya was sent to be stored at the British Library in London. It is evidence of a relationship between two parties and, in a historical context, deserves to be well-preserved. The Queen also stated that the available artifacts have been shared online digitally for researchers. More importantly, they are used to learn about the civilisation of this nation, rather than focusing solely on the issue of ownership of artifacts and documents.

AI chatbot systems, such as ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot, are increasingly being used as confidants of choice. But turning to these artificial intelligence systems for companionship and emotional support is a cause for concern, especially in younger people, say experts in the (2025) Christmas issue of The BMJ medical journal. In Britain, nearly half of adults (25.9 million) report feeling lonely either “occasionally”, “sometimes”, “always” or “often”. ALSO READ: Young and old are feeling aloneGiven these trends, it’s no wonder that many are looking to alternative sources for companionship and emotional support, say the authors. Meanwhile, focusing and building on evidence-based strategies for reducing social isolation and loneliness are paramount, they conclude.

In an attempt to eradicate abandoned housing projects, the Madani government intends to adopt, under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), the concept of built-then-sell (BTS) mandatorily for all housing development. This is to be enforced through amendments to the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Act (HDAct) as announced. There is, in fact, no need to amend the HDAct as it has been in the legislation since 2007 (PU(A) 395/2007), having been implemented on Dec 1, 2007.

In this model, CO2 emissions from multiple industrial sites could be captured, transported and stored in centralised facilities. For PETRONAS, blue hydrogen provides a bridge to the future. With CCUS and blue hydrogen, Malaysia can take a leading role in Southeast Asia’s low-carbon economy. With CCUS and blue hydrogen, PETRONAS will continue to play a pivotal role in post-fossil fuel world. The choice is clear: CCUS hubs and blue hydrogen are the next industrial estates and LNG trains.

PUTRAJAYA (Dec 21): Malaysia as chair of Asean will convene a special meeting of Asean foreign ministers to address the current situation between Cambodia and Thailand in Kuala Lumpur on Monday (Dec 22). The Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) in a statement on Sunday said the special meeting will be convened pursuant to the decision of the prime ministers of Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand on Dec 11. “The special meeting will be chaired by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. Wisma Putra said the convening of the special meeting reflects the commitment of Asean member states to unity and solidarity, as well as Asean centrality in maintaining peace, security, stability, and prosperity in this region, in accordance with the Asean Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). “As Asean chair, Malaysia remains firmly committed to promoting constructive dialogues in the Asean spirit.

His entry recently won him first place in The Star’s Reels of Achievers Recognised (StarROAR) 2025 Junior Reporter Contest. The contest, held from July 21 to Aug 31, was organised under The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme in partnership with Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT). Third-place winner Laetricia Janiel Caballero Jesuthason selected activist Heidy Quah Gaik Li as her inspirational figure, moved by her unwavering efforts to advocate for greater freedom of online speech in Malaysia. This year, with university students joining in, your fresh perspectives showed us how powerful and innovative storytelling can be. More importantly, choose an inspirational figure you genuinely admire for your reel – that passion will show in your work.”Laetricia

The floods caused extensive damage to campus infrastructure, equipment and furniture, with losses estimated to run into millions of ringgit. UniPSAS registrar Mohd Faizul Abdul Hadi Nor said the university management has responded proactively by carrying out restoration works in stages as soon as floodwaters recede. He said that for the time being, all university students have been allowed to return home and continue their studies online before resuming on-campus learning next February. Commenting on the current clean-up efforts, Mohd Faizul thanked volunteers from Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah for helping restore the university. Earlier reports said 135 UniPSAS students were evacuated from campus hostels after days of continuous rain flooded the area in Pahang.

KULAI: A historic milestone has been recorded at Senai Inter­national Airport following the departure of the first chartered flight from Johor to Bhutan. Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA) Johor chapter chairman Edwin Tay Kian Chuan described this as a positive development for Johor’s tourism industry. “This is also timely with the upcoming Visit Johor and Visit Malaysia 2026 tourism campaigns,” he said after witnessing the departure of the Bhutan Airlines flight. Tay said the flight from Johor to Bhutan, a country often referred to as the “Kingdom of Happiness”, takes about four hours. He added that more chartered flights are also expected to be offered from Senai International Airport in May.

“Frailty is regarded as a ­syndrome, and a syndrome is a group of signs and symptoms that helps recognise frailty, which includes things like being slower,” says Dr Nasrin Razzaq, a general practitioner (GP) lead for personalised care in Britain. “However, frailty can exist under 65.”He adds that being able to diagnose frailty enables healthcare professionals to think about a patient more holistically. “The beauty of having that sort of label or understanding that somebody has frailty is that it prompts healthcare professionals to think about the patient in a more holistic way.”Signs of frailtySpotting the signs of frailty early can help increase someone’s quality of life. Here are some key signs of frailty to look out for:> Slow walking speedTaking longer than usual to walk a certain distance is seen as one of the major signs of frailty. Here's an easy testThe earlier you recognise the signs of frailty, the better.

SIBU: Luxury vehicle owners nationwide have drawn the attention of authorities after 2,685 failed to renew their Motor Vehicle Licences (MVLs), highlighting an alarming level of non-compliance among owners of high-value vehicles. He explained that any vehicle operating without a valid road tax is not covered by insurance, exposing the owner to serious financial and legal consequences in the event of an accident. “During the same operational period, JPJ recorded encouraging developments, with 12,921 luxury vehicles coming forward to renew their road tax, generating total collections of RM34.47mil. Muhammad Kifli said the government is offering a compound discount of 50 per cent for JPJ summonses and 70 per cent for police summonses until December 30, 2025. Summons reviews and road tax renewals can be carried out via the MySikap portal and the MyJPJ application, in line with JPJ’s ongoing efforts to enhance enforcement and ensure road safety.

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 20): Any form of historical artifacts located abroad cannot be brought back or reclaimed arbitrarily; instead, they must go through the proper process based on the law. This includes copies of hikayat (chronicles) or printed books from the British colonial era, where a copy of every printed material produced in Malaya was sent to be stored at the British Library in London. It is evidence of a relationship between two parties and, in a historical context, deserves to be well-preserved. The Queen also stated that the available artifacts have been shared online digitally for researchers. More importantly, they are used to learn about the civilisation of this nation, rather than focusing solely on the issue of ownership of artifacts and documents.

Speaking to Bernama, Asean secretary-general Dr Kao Kim Hourn said Malaysia's chairmanship delivered commendable outcomes amid geopolitical volatility and economic uncertainty. Malaysia hosted around 320 Asean meetings throughout 2025, underscoring the scale and breadth of its stewardship. The Political-Security Pillar was led by the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) and focused on regional peace, stability, and strategic dialogue. In 2025, Asean meetings were held in various locations nationwide, namely Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, and Kuching. The capital city of Kuala Lumpur as the hub hosted the 46th and 47th Asean Summits, cementing its role as the focal point of Malaysia's Asean chairmanship.