THERE was something deeply unsettling about how quietly the 123rd birthday of the nation’s Bapa Kemerdekaan passed recently. Surely our beloved Tunku Abdul Rahman deserves better national reflection and a sustained public discourse.

But after returning from Bahrain with a remarkable 16 world titles total to his name, Liek Hou can now finally celebrate the festive season with his family. Having only arrived home on Sunday, Liek Hou admitted he had little time to prepare for the celebrations, but said this year’s reunion would be extra meaningful. “I was so focused on training because I really wanted the title as I was hungry for it. “The conditions there weren’t ideal, and I just wanted to move forward from that tournament,” said Liek Hou, who was clearly excited to spending time during his family reunion dinner. After a short break, Liek Hou will return to competition at the Spanish International in Toledo from March 25–29.

This status confirms that BPOM’s regulatory decisions meet global standards and can be relied upon far beyond national borders. In an increasingly interconnected world, such trust is essential to global health security. In this sense, BPOM’s achievement contributes to a more inclusive and resilient global regulatory landscape. WLA recognition reinforces BPOM’s role not only as a regulator but also as an enabler. WLA recognition also brings heightened responsibility.

PETALING JAYA: Winning gold at the World Championship was all that mattered to para shuttler Cheah Liek Hou – so much so that Chinese New Year plans had to take a back seat. But after returning from Bahrain with a remarkable 16 world titles total to his name, Liek Hou can now finally celebrate the festive season with his family. Having only arrived home on Sunday, Liek Hou admitted he had little time to prepare for the celebrations, but said this year’s reunion would be extra meaningful. "I was so focused on training because I really wanted the title as I was hungry for it. "When my friends and family asked about New Year plans before I left for Bahrain, I told them I couldn’t think about it.

We asked New York Times readers to share their feelings about food delivery. “I get Amazon delivery as well as food and grocery delivery,” she said. Helena Kim (right) and her sister-in-law (left) enjoy a delivery dinner from the Cheesecake Factory in Chula Vista, California. Another reason Layne stays at it is to pay off his debt from ordering too much food delivery. “Food delivery is a scam,” he said.

PETALING JAYA: Concern is growing over men’s singles ace Lee Zii Jia after the Paris Olympics bronze medallist withdrew from the German Open, which begins on Feb 24. A check on the Badminton World Federation website confirmed that Zii Jia is among 17 men’s singles players who have pulled out of the tournament. The 27-year-old had initially entered the event and was scheduled to start from the qualifying rounds. His withdrawal raises questions over the extent of the injury he suffered at the Thailand Masters last month, where he retired during his quarter-final match against Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan. The development comes as a setback for the Malaysian camp, who are counting on Zii Jia to lead the charge at the Thomas Cup following his encouraging performances in the opening three tournaments of the season.

PETALING JAYA: Another 20 containers of waste were discovered by the Malaysian Border Control and Protection (AKPS) after inspections at Port Klang. Port Klang Entry Control Commander Deputy Comm Datuk Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal said three containers contained e-waste, while 17 containers contained plastic waste. "All containers had entered the country as early as July 2025 until January 2026. He added that the e-waste containers will be "re-exported""The AKPS will continue inspections on trade containers suspected of carrying prohibited waste. Regarding total inspections, he said 116 containers had been inspected since Jan 26, with 911,000kg of waste and e-waste found during their checks.

KUALA LANGAT: A murder investigation has been launched following the discovery of an Indonesian woman’s body with marks on her neck in a plantation here. Kuala Langat OCPD Supt Mohd Akmalrizal Radzi stated that the police were alerted to the find on Sunday (Feb 15) after a member of the public spotted the body in a Banting plantation. "Investigations revealed ligature marks on the victim’s neck, leading to suspicion of foul play," he said in a statement on Monday (Feb 16). Two Indonesian men have since been arrested to facilitate the investigation into the death. Supt Mohd Akmalrizal added that an investigation paper has been opened under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

PETALING JAYA: Flash floods have hit the Kampung Melayu area in Subang. When contacted, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director Ahmad Mukhlis said the department was informed of flooding in the area at around 8.30pm. "Water rose to around 0.5m high. The water is currently receding due to the rain easing up," he said. He added that no victims have been moved.

SHAH ALAM: Following Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan, the former Bersatu Information Chief, withdrawing his appeal against his dismissal this morning, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah has likewise done the same with immediate effect. However, the former member of Bersatu's Supreme Working Council did not provide an explanation for his action, Sinar Harian reported. "With this withdrawal, I request that the Appeal Board take note and subsequently halt all further proceedings or consideration regarding my appeal," he said in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Bersatu Appeal Board on Monday (Feb 16). On Oct 27, Saifuddin and former Perlis Menteri Besar, Mohd Shukri Ramli, were removed from their positions as Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairmen for Pahang and Perlis, respectively. The chairmanships for both states are now held by PAS Deputy President, Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN Pahang), and Arau Member of Parliament, Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim (PN Perlis).

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has opened an investigation into a RM1.1bil agreement between the Malaysian government and a foreign company. The source said MACC had taken several documents related to the agreement from the Ministry of Economy on Feb 13 to assist in the investigation. "However, the agreement was nonetheless signed in haste, and this will be verified through the testimony of key witnesses,” the source said. Following this, MACC is expected to summon several key witnesses, including the secretary-general of the relevant ministries, to provide clarification regarding the implementation of the agreement. Meanwhile, MACC deputy chief commissioner (Operations) Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya confirmed that an investigation has been opened but declined to comment further.

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Prince Mateen and Princess Anisha of Brunei shared the first photo and name of their baby girl on Feb 11, three days after she was born. Prince Mateen, 34, posted a photo of his family of three on social media and announced the name of his new baby girl. Prince Mateen is one of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s 10 children and is fifth in line to the throne. "Anisha & I are so grateful to the incredible team at JPMC for their exceptional care and support, and so thankful to everyone for the kind wishes," wrote Prince Mateen. The tender photo showed him smiling at the camera as he proudly held baby Zahra, while Princess Anisha, 31, looked on lovingly.

(Feb 16): A niche but crucial part of the oil market is being rocked by a huge bet from a South Korean tycoon who has amassed a large share of the tanker market — with help from one of the industry’s wealthiest men. Some market veterans said the huge position amassed by the company, overseen by shipowner Ga-Hyun Chung, is unprecedented in their experience. The tanker market is a niche but vital cog within the global oil trade. Some of the people involved in the market estimate that the group had fewer than 120 ships. The rise in the outright value of ships can also bolster long-term hire prices, people involved in the market said.

(Feb 16): Thousands of users reported issues accessing Elon Musk’s social media platform X on Monday (Feb 16), according to monitoring website Downdetector. More than 11,000 users globally reported trouble accessing the service as of about 1.50pm in London (9.50pm Malaysia). There have been several major service disruptions to X since Musk acquired the platform in 2022. The service also went offline for several hours in May, linked to a fire at a data centre in Oregon. Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, bought X in March 2025.

Taipei, Feb 16, 2026 (AFP) - King Liu, the founder of Taiwanese bicycle maker Giant and a self-described "missionary" for cycling culture, died on Monday at the age of 91, the company said. Liu "passed away peacefully" early on Monday, Giant Group said in a statement, describing him as a "lifelong advocate" for pedal power. "Throughout his life, Mr Liu devoted himself to bicycles, believing they represented not merely a business, but a meaningful way of life," Giant said. Liu told AFP in 2016 he got into cycling seriously at the age of 73 after years out of the saddle. "There will be one day when I can't pedal my bike anymore," Liu told AFP in 2016.