PETALING JAYA: Indian restaurant operators who are facing serious worker shortage are urging the government to approve the foreign workers replacement quota soon, especially to replace workers who have already returned home. He added that 2022 was the last time approvals were granted to hire new foreign workers for Indian restaurants. “The current applications process for new foreign workers started very late, but the deadline to submit was too early. Another Indian restaurant operator in Petaling Jaya, who wants to be known as Rajes, said she has been facing problems getting new and replacement foreign workers despite having prepared all the paperwork to be submitted to the Foreign Workers Management One-Stop Centre. “The quota for new workers and replacement workers has not been opened due to the heavy restrictions and bureaucracy,” she said, adding that currently she needs 20 foreign workers for her restaurant, as she also does catering.

GEORGE TOWN: The authorities had predicted that two million vehicles would enter Penang for the Chinese New Year, causing massive traffic jams. Housewife Lam Yee Fung, 39, said she went to Pulau Tikus ­market yesterday morning and felt the market had only about half the typical weekend crowd. Usually choked roads like Jalan Penang, Jalan Transfer and the Esplanade saw breezy traffic, even near popular food joints. Personnel from the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) were seen monitoring traffic conditions at several hotspot locations, including Chowrasta Market, Lebuh Kimberly and Lebuh Keng Kwee. Penang Island City Council enforcement director Noorazrein Norazlan Ong said 96 personnel from the traffic enforcement division were on duty.

KUALA TERENGGANU: The search and rescue (SAR) operation for a male Myanmar student from a private higher education institution, feared drowned yesterday, resumed at 8.30am on Tuesday (Feb 17). Kuala Terengganu Fire and Rescue Station chief Thoyyibah Taib said the search has been extended to cover seven kilometres along Pantai Pandak. "In addition, the SAR team is continuing operations along the coast of Pantai Batu Buruk to locate the victim. "The search operation by the Water Rescue Team had to be temporarily suspended due to large waves and will resume once conditions improve," she told Bernama on Tuesday. On Monday (Feb 16), Sithu Moe Lwin, an 18-year-old Myanmar national and student at INTI International University College, Nilai branch, Negeri Sembilan, was feared drowned after going missing while swimming at Pantai Batu Buruk.

KOTA KINABALU: Two daughters of the 71-year-old main suspect in the death of a woman whose body was found dismembered were arrested yesterday. Acting Kota Kinabalu police chief Supt Syed Lot Syed Ab Rahman said that the two women, aged 29 and 21, were arrested on Sunday in Sepanggar and Inanam to assist investigations. However, Supt Syed Lot did not confirm whether the machete was the murder weapon or if it was used in the mutilation of the woman’s body. The main suspect, who was arrested at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital on Feb 12, is recovering in the hospital’s emergency unit pending police questioning. Besides the main suspect, police also arrested his 19-year-old son on Feb 12, who is currently under remand.

SIBU: A social media influencer died after the four-wheel drive vehicle he was driving crashed into the frame of a trailer at Jalan Teng Kung Suk 2 early Monday morning (Feb 16). At about 2am, the driver, identified as 41-year-old Chen Ding Ding, was confirmed dead at the scene due to severe injuries, reported Sinar Harian. Sibu District police chief Asst Comm Zulkipli Suhaili said initial investigations found that the victim’s four-wheel drive went out of control, skidded and crashed into the frame of a container trailer that was parked on the road shoulder. He said the victim’s body was later taken to Sibu Hospital for further action. "The front of the victim’s four-wheel drive was also crushed and wedged under the trailer frame," he said.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia have officially secured their places in the Thomas Cup-Uber Cup Finals from April 24-May 3 in Horsens, Denmark. Nevertheless, both squads progressed to the world team meet by virtue of their world rankings, alongside Thailand and India. Newly crowned European champions France returned to the Thomas Cup and will be joined by England, Sweden and Germany. In the Uber Cup, Bulgaria make the cut together with Turkiye, Ukraine and France. The group stage draw for the Thomas and Uber Cups will take place on March 18.

SINGAPORE: For three years in a row, coach Luis Cunha has been Shanti Pereira’s Valentine’s Day date. In previous years she was overseas at training camps or competitions with coach Cunha. In 2026, the athlete-coach pair will kick off another journey to defend her gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan. Pereira said: “Looking at the goals for this season, we are looking at the Commonwealth Games and hoping for a final spot in my event, and for the Asian Games, to see myself on that podium again. He said: “If I’m here, it is because of what the athletes that are training under me did.

Compiled by C. ARUNO,NAN HIDAYAT NAN AZMIE and R. ARAVINTHANA MAN in India smashed his wife’s head in with grinder stone, allegedly because he doubted her loyalty to him, Malaysia Nanban reported. Anbarasan, 38, from Thanjavur and Agila, 28, had been married for nine years and had two children, aged seven and two years old. The husband suspected his wife of infidelity and they began arguing because of this over several days. The wife bled to death on the spot from a crushed skull. (The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies).

Now turning 60, Wong Siew Boon and Caroline Ooi are celebrating the completion of a full zodiac cycle. This means that the couple are returning to the very same Fire Horse year in which they were born, something that occurs only once every six decades. Adding to the joy is the return of their daughter Nicole Wong, 27, from Canada, who is spending the festive season at home for the first time in 10 years. Ooi said the family plans to mark the occasion with a traditional reunion dinner with family members, some of whom are returning from abroad. “On the second day of Chinese New Year, my family plans to travel to my mother’s hometown in Chemor.

The older brother said he spotted a black stray cat shivering in the cold wind while visiting a friend near Chaoyang University of Technology. Feeling sorry for the animal, he took it home and named it Qiqi because of its jet-black fur. Around 2pm on Feb 5, the man and his younger brother brought Qiqi with them to buy six scratch lottery tickets worth a total of NT$2,000 (RM249). Determined to succeed this year, the little girl pleaded with her parents, who agreed to help make her wish come true. The family finally arrived in Lianyuan city on the fifth day, having trekked a total of 120km.

IPOH: Twenty-six people from 10 families were evacuated to Al‑Ghufron Mosque in Manjoi after floodwaters submerged their homes in Kampung Manjoi and Kampung Tengku Hussein on Monday night (Feb 16). "However, no temporary relief centre has been opened so far, as the number of victims is small and the flood situation remains under control. "All victims are currently sheltered at the Al‑Ghufron Mosque as a precaution while waiting for the floodwaters to fully recede," said the spokesperson. The Kinta District Civil Defence Force said they would continue monitoring the situation and take swift action should the water level rise or a relief centre need to be opened. Flash floods hit several parts of Ipoh yesterday after almost two hours of heavy rain, affecting areas such as the city centre, Tawas, and Kepayang, Manjoi.

Taufiq said Macma has planned a programme in Kota Kinabalu that merges the spirit of Chinese New Year and Ramadan on Feb 28. Beyond cultural unity, Taufiq pointed out the economic significance of the overlapping festive season with strong consumer spending. The National Unity Advisory Council member said the communities celebrating the lunar new year and welcoming Ramadan both share core values of kinship, empathy, self-discipline and social solidarity. “Structurally, this strengthens social capital, particularly brid­ging social capital and networks that cross ethnic and religious boundaries,” he added. Buddhist Chief High Priest of Malaysia, Datuk K. Sri Dham-maratana Nayake Maha Thera, said Malaysia is fortunate to be a multiracial and multireligious country, which he described as a source of strength for its people.

I think the team was dreaming for that, France was dreaming for that," said Popov. We have seen Denmark with the gold too many times so we are really, really happy to bring this home. Denmark’s fortunes in the women’s team event were no better as Bulgaria made history by capturing the title for the first time after beating them 3-1 in the final. With the win, France have qualified for the Thomas Cup in April alongside England, Sweden and Germany. Bulgaria, Ukraine, Turkiye and France have secured their spots in the Uber Cup, while Denmark have already qualified for both tournaments as hosts.

With a packed international calendar rarely allowing extended time off, the short reunion means everything to ee Wei after months of travelling and competing. Sometimes there are tournaments, sometimes I can go back for two days to see my family, then it is back to training,” said Ee Wei. I just appreciate being able to gather with everyone and have a meal together,” said Ee Wei. Even as she enjoys the festivities, Ee Wei knows the focus must quickly shift back to business. With that in mind, Ee Wei hopes the Year of the Horse will bring her the extra touch of luck.

By comparison, countries like Australia and Britain offer more direct training routes that allow doctors to enter intensive care earlier. Digitalisation also opens the door to using artificial intelligence (AI) in intensive care, a change that is both exciting and transformative. As Malaysia’s ICUs develop, we must make humanising intensive care a real priority and not just an ideal. Prof Dr Nor’azim Mohd Yunos is the president of the Malaysian Society of Intensive Care (MSIC) and Datuk Dr Mohd Ridhwan Mohd Noor is the Health Ministry Intensive Care Services head. This article is the second in a three-part series on intensive care that will be published weekly, and is courtesy of the MSIC.