Geopolitical ecology in transition: From unipolar predation to balanced multipolar ecosystem The geopolitical ecology of the 21st century is undergoing a tectonic shift, moving away from a hierarchical structure toward a more diverse and balanced global ecosystem. This "flattening" of the world is not merely theoretical but is verified by macroeconomic data that signals the end of an era where one "species" could dominate the entire environment. By the mid-2020s, the expanded BRICS+ coalition ..

Geopolitical ecology in transition: From unipolar predation to balanced multipolar ecosystem The geopolitical ecology of the 21st century is undergoing a tectonic shift, moving away from a hierarchical structure toward a more diverse and balanced global ecosystem. This "flattening" of the world is not merely theoretical but is verified by macroeconomic data that signals the end of an era where one "species" could dominate the entire environment. By the mid-2020s, the expanded BRICS+ coalition ..

Trump 2.0 has been marked by the blatantly aggressive exercise of power to secure US interests as defined by him. While many recent trends even predate his first term, his reduced use of soft power has exposed his bullying, extortionary use of US power. Trade liberalization has been reversed for at least two decades. Almost all G20 developed nations raised trade barriers following the 2008-09 global, actually Western, financial crisis. The US has illegally weaponized more laws and policies, ..

In the spring of 2026, a remarkable confrontation unfolded between two of the worlds most influential figures: President Donald Trump of the United States and Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff born in America. This clash, rooted in profound differences over war, power, and morality, has galvanised Catholics worldwide. Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago in 1955, has emerged as a fearless voice of Christian conscience, daring to challenge what many perceive as Trumps arrogance of ..

I recently attended two really uplifting events, as if to have received a report card of my life from the central charactersone from dancer Aman Yap Choong Boon, and the other from Tan Lay Seong of the insurance industry. On April 8 evening, I was enjoying Aman Yaps Late Love solo dance at Damansara Performing Arts Center, portraying his lifefirst the loss of vision in his right eye, then a devastating cancer, both nevertheless failing to bring him to his kneesin his soft, elegant, yet composed ..

Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook has made it clear that the government will not introduce the death penalty for offences under the Road Transport Act, even in cases involving fatal accidents caused by intoxicated drivers. His reasoning is consistent with Malaysias broader move to abolish the mandatory death penalty. Yet, while the state may have stepped back from capital punishment, it must not retreat from the equally urgent responsibility of ensuring that those who drive under the influence ..

Why a World Cup blackout matters to every Malaysian The primary hurdle is the staggering $50 million price tag set by FIFA. Major broadcasters have been hesitant to commit, causing negotiations to drag on well into 2026 without a resolution. PETALING JAYA: While reading the _New Straits Times_ recently, our Lead Writer discovered grim news for football fans: with the World Cup kick- off approaching, broadcasting rights remain unsold. Fans may be left in the dark, missing the live coverage of the ..

When criticism feels like a crime again under Madani In 2018, Malaysians voted for reform. In 2022, that promise was renewed under the banner of Madani: A government that would be more open, more accountab

The American unipolar deflation: What the war on Iran really exposes For months, the world has watched what was meant to be a decisive USIsraeli campaign against Iran. But instead of a quick, surgical victory, we are witnessing something far more instructive: the visible, irreversible deflation of American hegemonydelivered not through a single battlefield defeat, but through a slowmotion implosion spanning military logistics, internal US political warfare, and the rise of a civilizational ..

Malaysians are united, divided when politicians say the wrong things Here is a video quietly exploding across our phones right now. No fiery _ceramah_, no dramatic street protest, no chest-thumping slogans. Just a simple metaphor describing the scene in a hospital. People in pain, families waiting, nurses moving quicklyand in the middle of it all, Malaysians giving blood without asking, _Ini darah Melayu ke? Cina ke? India ke? Dayak ke?_ In a hospital, pain does not ask for race, religion or ..

China is ahead of the pack on energy security: ASEAN must respect strategic future The world is learning, once again, that energy security is never an afterthought. It is not something a country improvises when war erupts, shipping lanes tighten, or oil traders panic. It is something prepared over many years, often quietly, patiently, and with a discipline that only serious states can sustain. China is now showing the results of that discipline. As recent reporting makes clear, Beijings ..

A recent article titled Spike in diesel prices set to hike inflation presented sobering points of diesel prices recent surge by around 84.6 percent, how fuel accounts for about 35 percent of total operating costs, and that ripple effects will extend across multiple sectors, including factory transport, logistics, construction, and small and medium enterprises. All this greatly underscores just how crucial it is that Malaysia significantly strengthens its fuel independence so that were far more ..

Have you wondered why small start-ups (mostly the young) have to fight to survive, whereas the rich or those at the top get richer? Capitalism is in trouble because the social divide is widening in terms of both income and wealth. Furthermore, the planet is being eaten alive by excessive consumption financed by unstoppable debt (borrowing from tomorrow to consume today). At the same time, aspirations such as dealing with climate change are going nowhere. Who cares about NetZero when you can ..

Go or no go? Rethinking early entry to primary school During the past Chinese New Year, families gathered and conversations flowed. As expected, I found myself becoming the go-to person for questions about the optional policy allowing six-year-olds to enter primary school. At one such family gathering, everyone was seated in the living room when the atmosphere suddenly turned serious. My uncle looked at me and asked about his granddaughter. It began with a simple question: So, what are your ..

The two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran suggests a cooling of tensions in the Middle East. However, looking at how leaders have simply swapped artillery for verbal sparringneither side willing to back downwho would dare guarantee that world peace is finally at hand? Reflecting on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahims announcement that it is "no longer business as usual," on April 1, one must realize this was a rare and sobering alarm. Given the tendency of governments ..

The clash between leadership talk and free speech reality Malaysia stands at a crossroads. In the aftermath ofGE15, Malaysians were promised a new political era, which is one anchored in transparency, accountability, and respect for dissent. However, recent developments suggest that reform, in many crucial respects, remains more rhetoric than reality. According to Suarams monitoring, half of all cases under the Sedition Act 1948 involve criticism of political leaders, with the state ..

Following the end of World War II, this years Easter will be remembered as one of the most horrifying in history for Christians. This shift in perspective comes as both the United States and Israel have cited biblical texts to justify their ambitions to dismantle Iran, a path that carries a devastating cost for billions across the global population. Despite the stakes, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appear indifferent, driven by their own political ..

The inexorable distance between PAS and the Malaysian Chinese community News of the death of the 28th Lim Lian Geok Spirit Award (2015) winner Tan Choo Joo came as a shock to the nation given his momentous contribution towards the development of Chinese language education in this country, in particular the sterling achievements made by Chung Hwa Independent High School in Kelantan, which couldnt have come this far if not for this man. I have had the pleasure of meeting him on a number of ..

Expectational politics is undermining Malaysian reform Some Malaysian progressives behave like some self-styled reformist politicians. They today face a paradox of their own making: they ask the right questions, but arrive at the wrong conclusions. Their demand is clear and uncompromisingthe Madani government must fulfil every promise it made, yes everyoneand if it fails, it must go. At first glance, this appears principled. In reality, it reflects a growing tendency that risks weakening, ..

In George Orwells dystopian masterpiece 1984, the Party weaponises language through Newspeak, doublethink, and slogans like War is Peace and Ignorance is Strength to distort reality and maintain absolute control. In 2026, the White House under President Donald Trump has morphed into a living embodiment of the Orwellian nightmare. Trumps weaponisation of language through triumphant declarations on social media, press briefings, and primetime addresses mirrors the administrations ruthless ..

The inexorable distance between PAS and the Malaysian Chinese community News of the death of the 28th Lim Lian Geok Spirit Award (2015) winner Tan Choo Joo came as a shock to the nation given his momentous contribution towards the development of Chinese language education in this country, in particular the sterling achievements made by Chung Hwa Independent High School in Kelantan, which couldnt have come this far if not for this man. I have had the pleasure of meeting him on a number of ..

The illusion of low fuel prices shatters: Not an April Fools' joke In the post-pandemic era, we seem to be entering a new kind of "extraordinary period." If the 2020 global shutdown was a public health battle against an invisible virus, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahims special briefing on April 1st officially declared that Malaysia has entered a defensive war over its energy lifeline. The data presented by Anwar carries a distinct chill: to defend the fuel price frontline of RM1.99 per ..

War in Iran, economic shockwaves in Southeast Asia When the United States and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran on 28 February 2026, the immediate headlines focused on missiles and geopolitics. But within days, the consequences were felt much closer to home at the petrol station, at the supermarket, and in the cost of running a factory or a farm. For Malaysians and their neighbours across Southeast Asia, a war thousands of kilometres away is now determining the price of cooking ..

For quite some time now the MACC and its anti-corruption efforts have been subjected to various misgivings, controversies and polemics which have severely eroded the average Malaysian's expectation that the MACC's anti-graft efforts can make strong and effective strides against corruption. Corruption has become systemic, and instead of being reduced many feel that it has been the other way round. Many feel that anti-graft measures are being weaponized against certain political and corporate ..

ByDr Hoomashini, Dr Sean Thum, Dr Tharani Loganathan War in Middle East pushes up costs, raising concerns for Malaysias healthcare system ByDr Hoomashini, Dr Sean Thum, Dr Tharani Loganathan The effects of escalating hostilities in the Middle East following the military strikes in Iran in February 2026 are already filtering into the systems we rely on every day. While Malaysia is not directly involved, the indirect effects are both real and immediate, largely transmitted through fuel prices, ..

Are we asking the wrong questions about dangerous driving? In the aftermath, his wife initially believed the call from the traffic police officer was a scam. His children, too young to understand, still think their father is simply unwell. Sadly, their lives have been irreversibly changed by a collision involving a driver who allegedly tested positive for both alcohol and drugs. Such tragedies rightly provoke outrage. They demand accountability. They prompt calls for stricter laws and harsher ..

The world on bated breath: When diplomacy is announced, ground troops are never far behind The world today waits in a peculiar state of suspended anxietycaught between the language of diplomacy and the unmistakable signals of war. On the surface, the United States is signaling that negotiations with Iran are alive, perhaps even progressing. Yet beneath this diplomatic veneer lies a rapid and unmistakable military buildup. An expeditionary force of 2,200 U.S. Marines has already arrived in the ..

Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has effectively laid down a challenge to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. "If I were Anwar Ibrahim, I would lodge a police report directly to investigate these individuals, because they have misused the name of the Prime Minister's Department and related agencies," he said. Rafizi is referring to the activities of a "corporate mafia." According to a 40-page document by Victor Chin, who claims he and his partners were forced to sign an agreement (a term sheet) with this mafia to ..

More public buses can greatly reduce government expenditure The Finance Ministry recently announced that the total petrol and diesel subsidies borne by the government is estimated at up to RM4 billion monthly due to global crude oil price hikes. It said the prolonged Middle East conflict has exerted pressure on global energy markets, significantly increasing the country's subsidy burden. Also, food manufacturers and sundry goods traders have urged the government to bring down diesel prices and ..

The streets were quiet, the shop lights dimmed, the township winding down for the day. At a junction I have driven through a thousand times without thinking, a lone figure stood under the harsh glare of a streetlamp. Thin. Bony. Dark-skinned. A man in nothing but his underwear, stomach caved in, a few abs jutting out as if he had come straight from a gym instead of the margins of survival. His hair short, his face unshaven, his eyesdistant. He looked to be between 45 and 55, an age where a man ..

As the Iran war enters its second month in late March 2026, the conflict has evolved far beyond a regional military operation. What began as a U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iranian targets has morphed into a global stress test, exposing deep fractures in American domestic politics and international standing. Prolonged fighting, with the Strait of Hormuz nearly paralyzed, Houthi missiles targeting Israel, and redoubled disruptions in the Red Sea, has triggered cascading economic pain at home and ..

Malaysias heatwave: A warning we can no longer ignore Malaysia is once again in the grip of an intense heatwave, with temperatures soaring up to 38C in parts of the peninsula. According to Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), this spell is expected to persist until June, peaking between mid-March and mid-April. While such heatwave extremes are not entirely unfamiliar, the growing intensity and frequency raise deeper concerns about climate change, public health and national ..

After eight decades of peace after the end of World War Two, we are now in the throes of a four-year old Ukrainian war and an escalating Israel-US-Iran undeclared war that flared last June for 12-days, and since 28 February, a widening war of missiles and drones that killed Irans spiritual leader and closed the Straits of Hormuz, sending oil prices to record highs. Governments make horrible mistakes when they are blinded by individual egos, excessive political shenanigans, lack of moral ..

The rise of AI is disrupting nearly every industry. A friend of mine half- jokingly mentioned that when he noticed something unusual with his body, his instinct was neither to search online nor to see a doctor immediately but to first discuss his symptoms with ChatGPT, using a process of elimination to assess his situation before deciding whether to seek medical attention. While this sounds like a casual remark, it reflects a reality that is already unfolding: m

The Cabinet received the Attorney-Generals Chambers investigation papers on shareholding controversy involving Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Tan Sri Azam Baki on March 11, but it has yet to be made public. Has the Madani government made other arrangements, or is it exercising caution? Former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli recently cited sources claiming that a special committee set up by the government found that shares under Azams name ..

For more than a century, Hindu temples stood at the heart of rubber and palm oil estates, built by indentured and later free Indian laborers who were never given secure land, only quotas and targets. These shrines were not illegal structures, they were the only institutions that acknowledged estate workers humanity when the company only saw them as headcount and productivity. Today, many of those estates are owned or controlled by government-linked companies (GLCs) and state investment arms, ..

With recent scandals dominating our headlines, his suggestions appear both timely and necessary. Who would argue against the need for stronger laws on political funding, a greater oversight of public donations and lastly, a framework to address misconduct in public office? Most people would agree and many would probably praise him for stepping forward to advocate for new legal frameworks aimed at closing loopholes and strengthening governance. However, reform is not judged by what is proposed. ..

When civilizations converse: IIUMOxfordPeking University dialogues and reimagining of global thought In a world increasingly defined by strategic mistrust, hardened narratives, and intellectual silos, the simple act of dialogue has become both rare and revolutionary. The fragmentation of global orderwhether seen in trade wars, technological decoupling, or competing civilizational claimshas made genuine academic engagement across cultures more urgent than ever. It is against this unsettled ..

The ESG blindspot: Why we can't save the Earth without fixing society first In boardrooms, parliaments, and international summits, two acronyms define our eras approach to the future: SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance). Trillions of dollars are being mobilized to align with these frameworks. Yet, beneath the flurry of sustainability reports lies a glaring imbalance. We have become hyper-focused on environmental ecology while deeply neglecting ..