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 ..

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, ..

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 ..

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 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 ..

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 ..

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 ..

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 ..

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 ..

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 ..

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. ..

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, ..

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 ..

Sabahs 40% special grant: A test of Putrajaya commitment The debate over Sabahs 40 percent revenue entitlement has once again brought into sharp focus the unfinished business of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the continuing struggle of East Malaysia for fairness within the federation. The recent legal and political developments surrounding the special grant are more than a technical dispute over revenue calculations. They represent a deeper question of whether the spirit and promises made when ..

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 ..

Will MCA and MIC benefit from Umnos renewed unity? The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has once again been caught in a a situation marked by conflicting accounts over whether it is leaving Barisan Nasional (BN) or joining Perikatan Nasional (PN). This confusion is the aftereffect of the partys repeated moves since last yearhinting at quitting BN while flirting with PN. On November 16 last year, MIC resolved at its general assembly to leave BN and seek entry into PN. The exact timing of its ..

Sabahs 40% special grant: A test of Putrajaya commitment The debate over Sabahs 40 percent revenue entitlement has once again brought into sharp focus the unfinished business of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 and the continuing struggle of East Malaysia for fairness within the federation. The recent legal and political developments surrounding the special grant are more than a technical dispute over revenue calculations. They represent a deeper question of whether the spirit and promises made when ..

Raya has always been a season of forgiveness, reflection and renewal, a time when Malaysians reach across divides, strengthen bonds and remember that this countrys greatest treasure is its people. But this year, as families opened their homes and exchanged greetings of Selamat Hari Raya, many found themselves scrolling through a different kind of message. Instead of peace and gratitude, their screens overflowed with venom posts steeped in racial contempt and religious arrogance, shared without ..

In the gilded confines of the Oval Office on March 20, 2026, history collided with hypocrisy in a single, jaw-dropping exchange. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sat rigidly beside President Donald Trump as a Japanese reporter posed what should have been a routine question: why had the United States failed to notify its closest allies, Japan included, before launching its devastating decapitation strikes against Iran? Trumps response was vintage Trumpblunt, unfiltered, and laced with a ..

PAS is avid to engage with the Chinese community, but are we ready for it? Malaysian politics has been exceptionally animated lately, with ruling and opposition parties changing sides faster than they are changing clothes, catching many completely off guard. While the current intense infighting within the PN coalition seems ongoing and unending, it is in actuality paving the way for and eventually consolidating the dominant hold of PAS. BN, in the meantime, is actively re-establishing itself as ..

Sachs is right on West Asia but missed out on Southeast Asia Recent remarks by American economist Professor Jeffrey Sachs cautioning countries against hosting foreign military bases have reignited debate over the strategic risks associated with such facilities. His argument is simple yet powerful: when nations allow foreign powers to station military forces on their soil, they may inadvertently transform themselves into targets in the event of war. The ongoing crisis in West Asia provides a ..

UN experts call for Malaysia to strengthen social work profession Recently Malaysias progress on meeting fundamental child rights was reviewed in Geneva by a UN panel of experts. High on their list of key recommendations was to strengthen, without delay, professional social work in all sectors, especially in the public sector. To those working with children, especially child protection, this is no surprise. It has long been recognized that as a country we have a long way to go to provide the ..

Seventeen years after the death of Teoh Beng Hock, the most striking feature of the case is not what is known, but what remains unresolved. Her appeal is grounded in facts that are no longer disputed. That conclusion did not close the case, because it further complicated it. This is not a minor legal nuance. It is the center of the case. If we were to examine the wording, unlawful acts implies wrongdoing and unknown persons implies a failure of accountability. Seventeen years on, those two ..

Preparing for the Era of Section 301: ASEAN must defend with institutions, not just tariffs US trade policy is shifting its focus toward more sustainable means of pressure, amid a US Supreme Court ruling that found tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) unconstitutional. Immediately following this unconstitutionality ruling, the Trump administration transitioned to utilizing Section 122 of the Trade Act, which allows for a uniform additional tariff of up ..

Recognizing the deliberate wrecking-ball demolition of the post-1945 world order, Februarys 62nd Munich Security Conference theme was Under Destruction. Billed as the worlds leading forum for international security, the conference program made clear whose interests and security were prioritized. In its first year, Trump 2.0 bombed ten nations, besides threatening aggression against four other Latin American nations, but none were represented at Munich! The Munich conference shed all pretense of ..

What does war escalation in the Middle East mean for global governance? The Israel/US attacks on Iran since February 28 have profound implications on the global governance order. For the mightiest power to attack another sovereign nation without Congressional nor United Nations approval condemns the rules- based order into the dustbin of history. Governance is all about checks and balance by rules, self-restraint or humble appreciation that waging forever wars often end up destroying oneself. ..