Meet Sanae Takaichi, likely to be Japans first female PM TOKYO: Former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi will become Japans first female prime minister if she is chosen to lead the government at an extraordinary Diet session to be convened as early as Oct. 15. Having gained wide support mainly from conservative voters, Takaichi has been elected as the new president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, avenging her runoff loss in the previous election in September 2024. **Matsushita ..

KUALA LUMPUR: Richest Malaysian Tan Sri Robert Kuok celebrates his 102nd birthday today. According to records, Kuok was born on October 6, 1923, in Johor Bahru. Kuok, founder of the Kuok Brothers Group, is regarded as one of Asias most influential businessmen. His vast business empire spans multiple sectorsfrom sugar, flour and cooking oil to hotels, property and IT, and the businesses extend across the world. His listed companies include Wilmar International in Singapore, PPB Group in ..

Singapore woman joined hospital to seek answers on stillborn sibling and stayed for 5 decades as midwife SINGAPORE: More than five decades ago, a womans curiosity about why her sibling had been stillborn led her to enroll in Kandang Kerbau Hospitals school of midwifery. Today, having worked at the hospital for about 53 years, Saleha Kamsan, 72, a staff midwife at what is now KK Womens and Childrens Hospital, said the satisfaction of seeing families leave the hospital with their newborn children ..

Check with us first before calling to sack Tourism Minister over alcohol controversy, says Mint Leong PETALING JAYA: Tourism industry players have defended Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing over the presence of alcoholic beverages at a Tourism Malaysia dinner. Ill say it again if you want to sack the minister, ask us first! said Mint Leong, president of Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA), adding that the ministers performance should be judged by the ..

Rising number of non-Chinese pupils in Chinese primary schools an inevitable trend, says Dong Zong Alor Setar: The steady increase of non-Chinese pupils in Chinese primary schools (SJKC) is an inevitable trend, says Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia) president Datuk Tan Yew Sing. However, there should be no change in teaching methods, school environment or its mission of preserving Chinese culture, he said. More non- Chinese families are choosing SJKCs because ..

KATHMANDU: Nepal is preparing to unveil a five-year Everest cleaning strategy, following a Supreme Court order, as the worlds highest peakoften called Earths tallest garbage dumpstruggles under decades of waste. Experts say the alarming amount of waste collected each season underscores the urgent need for sustainable mountaineering practices. Melting snow and ice caused by climate change further exposes previously buried garbage and even human remains, worsening contamination of the watershed ..

KLANG: More than 2,000 people line the streets leading to Istana Alam Shah early in the morning on the wedding day of Crown Prince of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah and Datin Paduka Seri Afzaa Fadini Abdul Aziz on Thursday. Clad in a white baju Melayu, the Crown Prince, escorted by an entourage of security personnel and palace dignitaries, arrived at the palace in a Rolls-Royce from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery at around 9.30 am in a grand procession. As the royal motorcade was slowly ..

KATHMANDU: Nepal is preparing to unveil a five-year Everest cleaning strategy, following a Supreme Court order, as the worlds highest peakoften called Earths tallest garbage dumpstruggles under decades of waste. Experts say the alarming amount of waste collected each season underscores the urgent need for sustainable mountaineering practices. Melting snow and ice caused by climate change further exposes previously buried garbage and even human remains, worsening contamination of the watershed ..

Kummute rolls out JBSingapore cross-border taxi service, one-way only for now JOHOR BAHRU: Kummute launches cross-border ride-hailing service from Johor Bahru to Singapore for now, a collaboration between private companies in Malaysia and Singapore. A new digital cross-border taxi booking service, it allows licensed cross-border taxi operators to pick up passengers from Larkin Sentral Bus Terminal in Johor Bharu to Ban San Street in Singapore, said Kenny Hew, head of Growth@Kummute. The Land ..

Suicide now number one cause of death among Koreans in their 40s SEOUL: South Korea is facing a deepening suicide crisis, with new government data showing that intentional self-harm has overtaken cancer as the top cause of death among people in their 40s for the first time since records began in 1983. Statistics Korea said last Thursday that 14,872 people died by suicide in 2024, up 6.4 percent from the previous year and marking the highest toll in 13 years. The national suicide rate rose to ..

SERDANG: Datuk Lim Kah Chuan, president of the Federation of Chinese Associations Johor, has been elected president of the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Hua Zong), the umbrella body representing Chinese associations nationwide. Lim, who previously served as deputy president of Hua Zong, won the post by securing 54 votes, defeating two other contenders: Datuk Cheng Lai Hock, president of the Kedah Chinese Assembly Hall (41 votes), and Tan Sri Goh Ming Choon, president of the ..

Burial bricks show evidence of barbecue parties in ancient China JIAYUGUAN: In the heart of the Gobi Desert, where the sands whisper tales of ancient times, lies an unexpected culinary delight immortalized in stoneperhaps indicative of the worlds oldest barbecue party. On the vast desert near Jiayuguan in Gansu province, the Wei and Jin Tombs, often hailed as an underground art gallery, offer a tantalizing peek into the past with their vibrant brick murals dating back to the Wei (220-265) and ..

Three Malaysian students nabbed in money mule cases in Taiwan PETALING JAYA: Three Malaysians studying in Taiwan have been arrested over the past three months for alleged involvement as money mules in fraud cases, according to the Federation of Alumni Associations of Taiwan Universities, Malaysia. The alumni president Pang King Hoe said parents sought help from the alumni after losing contact with their children for some days. The parents feared that their children had gone missing. We later ..

Open channel policy discriminates poor students, says Kedah exco ALOR SETAR: The open channel, also known as direct intake for public universities to recruit students including international students, discriminates poor Malaysians, says Kedah executive councilor and Jitra assemblyman Dr Haim Hilman Abdullah. Such policy was put in place as public universities opted to raise 30 to 40 percent of operating funds due to budget cuts by government, but it had become a backdoor entry into public ..

UKM Prof Kuik Cheng Chwee named top 2% scientists in the world for third consecutive year Petaling Jaya: UKM professor Prof Kuik Cheng Chwee is listed in the Annual Impact Ranking, making him the only Malaysian scholar in the subfield of International Relations to be included in the annual list of 2025 Worlds Top 2% Scientists List. This marks the third consecutive year that he is in the list released by Stanford University in United States and renowned academic publisher Elsevier. According to ..

Former Japanese followers express anger over alleged bribery by Unification Church, money may have come from Japan TOKYO : Former Japanese followers of the Unification Church voiced their anger and expressed their hope that the facts behind the alleged bribery by the churchs leader would be uncovered. A South Korean special prosecutor arrested Han Hak-ja , the leader of the Unification Church, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, on suspicion of bribing the ..

Child obesity in Indonesia surges as junk food, sugary drinks take over JAKARTA: A surge in childhood obesity across Indonesia is raising the alarm, with experts warning that the countrys children face a greater risk of diabetes, heart disease and other life-threatening illnesses as junk food replaces healthier diets. About one in five children aged 5 to 12 in the country is overweight or obese, according to Health Ministry data. Under World Health Organization standards, a body mass index ..

NANNING : The pioneering Two Countries, Twin Parks model between China and Malaysia is embracing new upgrades, as both sides push for deeper industrial integration, smarter supply chains and digital-driven growth to power development, officials and industry insiders say. Established 12 years ago, the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park in Pahang state and the China- Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region have jointly developed this innovative model, injecting ..

Pendrive inventor shares secret of success: Communication, trust and AI Pendrive creator Datuk Pua Khein Seng reminds graduates to plant their own trees instead of waiting for others help. SEPANG: Pendrive inventor Datuk Pua Khein Seng shares his secret of successcommunication skills, trust and keeping pace with artificial intelligence (AI)at the Xiamen University Malaysia graduation ceremony on Sunday. These are the keys to stand out amidst intense competition in future. Many problems are not ..

Myanmar scam centres set daily US$50k goal: Malaysian humanitarian organisation JOHOR BARU: Scam centres in Myanmar are pushing their employees to the brink by forcing them to achieve daily targets of up to US$50,000 (RM210,000) or face severe punishments, says the Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO). MHO chief public relations officer Daniel Khoo said previously the target was about US$5,000. To achieve these kinds of numbers, you will need to scam dozens of people daily. I ..

Acclaimed Chinese artist creates paintings of nature in miniature form, evoking philosophical reflections BEIJING:Classical Chinese gardens, whether the imperial ones found in Beijing or the private residential gardens in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, have become priority destinations for those who travel the country. The meticulous, graceful designs exhibit how the ancient Chinese attempted to recreate nature in miniature scale for daily life, using lush plants, hollowed rocks and pavilions, ..

Two former editor-in-chiefs warn RM100,000 fine by MCMC "dangerous" KUALA LUMPUR: Former New Straits Times Group editor-in-chief Datuk A. Kadir Jasin and former group chief editor of Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd Tan Sri Johan Jaafar find the RM100,000 fine by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on Sin Chew Daily and Sinar Harian dangerous. Kadir wrote on his Facebook that power without discretion is dangerous while Johan said that MCMCs action was unprecedented and dangerous. ..

Sin Chew Daily and Sinar Harian can appeal against RM100,000 fine, says deputy minister Teo Nie Ching KULAI: Sin Chew Media Corporation Bhd and Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd can appeal against the RM100,000 fine imposed by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), says Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching The newspapers can appeal if they feel that the RM100,000 fine is too harsh, said Teo. However, Teo said she is not sure of the time frame to appeal. Teo, who is also Kulai ..

RM100k fine on Sin Chew and Sinar excessive, says Malaysian Media Council KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Media Council (MMM) is concerned with the excessive fine imposed by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on Sin Chew Media Corporation Bhd and Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd. In a statement by its founding members, it said the fines are excessive and disproportionate to the alleged offences which foster a climate of fear and self-censorship among journalists and editors. ..

Sin Chew, Sinar fined RM100,000 each over incomplete flag and IGP profile error _Screenshots of statement from MCMC's X account. CYBERJAYA: Sin Chew Media Group and Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd are each fined RM100,000 by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) over the incomplete flag and error in the profile of Inspector-General Police respectively. MCMC said the fines were imposed with authorization from the Attorney-Generals Chambers where Sin Chew Daily was penalized for ..

Former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik turns 82 PETALING JAYA: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong celebrates the birthday of his predecessor Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, who turns 82, by visiting him on Thursday. Accompanied by Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) president Prof Datuk Dr Lee Sze Wei and TAR UMT council chairman Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy, Dr Wee presented a cake to celebrate Dr Lings birthday. TAR UMT went through smooth development and Tunku ..

Chinese school introduces reclining chairs for student naps NANJING: In a departure from the typical lunch break routine for most primary and secondary school learners in China, students at Shixin Experimental School in Xinwu district, Wuxi of Jiangsu province, no longer need to nap hunched over their desks. The school has introduced recliners and installed ergonomic desks and chairs throughout the classrooms. Students can adjust their chairs to a comfortable reclining angle and pull out a ..

Local students not sidelined in public university placement: Higher Education DG PUTRAJAYA: Local students remain the top priority in terms of placement in public universities says Prof Datuk Dr Azlinda Azman, the director-general of Higher Education Ministry. Dismissing claims that local students are sidelined, she said the education politics for undergraduates and postgraduates are entirely different and the data should not be lumped together due to differences in policy. At a press ..

The ASEAN Express: Chongqing-Kuala Lumpur rail link set to transform regional trade BANGKOK:The service is being hailed as a breakthrough in international rail transport, expected to boost Thailand and ASEANs economic competitiveness in the near future. Recently, State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Veeris Ammarapala, during a courtesy visit to Thai ambassador Lada Phumas in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the 45th ASEAN Railway CEOs Conference, highlighted progress in the ThailandMalaysia ..

Foreign students outnumber local Chinese students in top five public universities in Malaysia The number of international students studying in top five public universities in Malaysia has outnumbered local Chinese students, says Kedah education exco Professor Dr. Haim Hilman Abdullah A former vice chancellor of Universiti Utara Malaysia, Dr Haim is one of those voicing his concerns about the direct enrolment of international students in public universities. Among the five top research ..

Thai boycott offers opportunity for Malaysian firms to enter Cambodia Despite a temporary ceasefire has been reached in the Thai-Cambodian border conflict, anti-Thai sentiment in Cambodia continues to rise. On the other hand, Cambodians hold high regards for Malaysia in playing the role to mediate the conflict by Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the rotating chair of ASEAN. President of the Malaysian Business Chamber of Cambodia (MBCC) Oknha Tan Kee Meng told _Sin Chew ..

Collectible Chinese toys trend keeps gaining ground BEIJING: Li Jing vividly remembers how an American collector carefully examined a card made by her company in his hand during the bustling US National Sports Collectors Convention at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, that was held at the end of July. The cards surface gleams with a golden drawing of the Palace Museums (in Beijing, also known as the Forbidden City) Hall of Supreme Harmony, its edges inlaid with ..

Animals get a second chance at life at rescue centre in northwest China XINING: Every morning at 8 am, wildlife rescuer Ma Cunxin begins his busy day: preparing meals for an assortment of animals takes up the entire morning as they all have unique diets and needs. And in the afternoon, he cleans their enclosures and tends to their wounds. Despite the heavy workload and limited conditions, Ma finds tranquility in the routine. For me, feeding animals and cleaning enclosures are the most peaceful ..

Retrial clears Korean woman who bit tongue of man attempting to rape her 61 years ago SEOUL: After more than six decades, a South Korean woman who spent her lifetime branded as an offender for resisting sexual assault has been declared innocent. On Wednesday, the Busan District Court acquitted 78-year- old Choi Mal-ja, overturning a 1964 conviction that punished then 18-year-old for biting off part of her attackers tongue while fighting off rape. The ruling concludes a 61-year legal battle, ..

SERDANG: Three prominent Chinese community leaders will contest the presidency of the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) in its upcoming election on Sept 28. The candidates are Datuk Lim Kah Chuan, Datuk Cheng Lai Hock, and Tan Sri Goh Ming Choon, better known as Barry Goh, said the election committee of Huazong. Lim currently serves as Huazong deputy president and heads the Federation of Chinese Associations Johore. Cheng is president of the Kedah Chinese Assembly Hall, ..

Child depression in South Korean jumps 70% in 4 years SEOUL: Children and adolescents suffering depression increased significantly from 2020 to 2024, with well over 80,000 being treated for the condition last year. A total of 86,254 children and teens were treated for depression in 2024, rising 72.6 percent from 49,983 in 2020, according to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. A substantial increase was seen across both genders, with the number of girls going from 31,149 to ..

Supermarkets extend business hours, Malaysians spent RM536.9 million on SARA so far KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians nationwide have spent RM536.9 million so far, six days after the rollout of SARA, the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah Appreciation Aid program launched on Aug 31. Finance Ministry, in a statement, said the purchases were made smoothly and transaction rate remained stable at 99 percent as of 9.30 pm last Friday. "Efforts to improve and expand the system's processing capacity over the past five days ..

Trash bin repurposed as rostrum for deputy minister PENANG: This is a rare scene of making use of what is available on the spot. Deputy Finance minister Lim Hui Ying makes do with a makeshift rostrum to deliver her speech at a community event organized by Penang Master Builders on Sunday. A simple ceremony was held at the multistorey car park of Penang City Hall opposite Little India. When it came to Lims turn to speak, she was holding a microphone with one hand and a tablet on another hand to ..

The other day, as I was driving the 130 km from Kota Kinabalu to Ranau town, I gained insight into the magnitude of the Zara Qairina Mahathir case in Sabah. During the three-hour journey I saw #JusticeForZara posters and banners on countless cars, buses, and lorries. The day before I was in Kuala Lumpur, where I had several coffee meet-ups with regional intelligence officers and diplomats to chat about the Zara Qairina case and the deadly protests in Indonesia. Let me give you a quick summary ..

Malaysias healthcare crisis hitting all income groups PETALING JAYA: It is a big red flag if people in the countrys top income groupthe T20are starting to use public hospitals because private insurance is just too expensive, says the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations. The federations senior manager Saral James Maniam said this is an indication how healthcare costs are getting out of hand, as not just the lower income folks are feeling the pressure. The Health Minister, Datuk Seri ..