PETALING JAYA: Parti Hati Rakyat, a new national party, will be launched on Friday. Frederick Ng, the secretary of Parti Hati Rakyat, confirms that a press conference will be held to announce the launch of the new party on Friday. Ng, former president of Direct Selling Association of Malaysia, said it is a multi-racial party where the central committee is made up of Chinese, Malays and Indians . The 13 central committee members are new in politics and they are without political background, he ..

I love you, bot: When AI becomes your closest companion BALI: It was only a two-month relationship. She checked in regularly, offered thoughtful replies and sometimes tossed in a flirty remark, all from a chat screen. Mateo (not his real name), 32 and newly single, wasnt looking for love. He was just curious about Replika, one of the many AI chatbots out there promising companionship. So he gave it a try. I limit my time with her, only once a week to chat, he says, clarifying that this isnt ..

The journey behind A confusing path to higher education While helping to write one of the articles in the A confusing path to higher education series, I interviewed several friends from my hometown. We had sat for the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) in the same classroom, but after Form Five, we made different choices and took diverging paths in life. Some were successfully admitted into matriculation programmes, taking the fast track to public universities through government-sponsored ..

SEOUL: In South Korea, being famous has never been more accessible, and at the same time, financially unstable. With the explosion of streaming, YouTube, and social media, public visibility is easier to achieve than ever before. But as the platforms have multiplied, so have misconceptions about what it actually means to be a full-time celebrity, influencer or digital creator. While the term celebrity once referred to established TV personalities and chart-topping singers, it now applies just as ..

Lucky survivor under STPM system recounts her journey to local university KUALA LUMPUR: A law student shares her path of becoming a Universiti Malaya student with STPM results, describing herself as a lucky survivor under the system. Bo Chi Chian, also known as Bobo, made a video recounting her path on her Facebook page following a frontpage report by _Sin Chew Daily_ on the extremely low number of Chinese students who have managed to enter Universiti Malaya and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia ..

90 per cent of medical expenses covered in prenatal insurance claim following appeal PETALING JAYA: An accountant receives RM208, 331.04 in insurance claims to cover medical expenses of her child following her appeal in a prenatal insurance dispute. The sum is approximately 90 per cent of medical expenses of the original claim, said Ng Kian Nam, a lawyer acting for the accountant, Chin Pou Xiang. This additional payout covers crucial surgical costs for Chins child, specifically procedures ..

Primary school boy invents affordable and practical dual-powered fan with only RM20 PENANG: While many assume innovation requires deep pockets, complex technology, or a large team, a student at SJKC Han Chiang has proven otherwisewith just RM20 and a brilliant idea. Alexander Chow Yong Haan has created a small fan called Solar Breeze Power Duo, powered by both solar energy and a rechargeable battery, designed to reduce the heat trapped inside cars on sweltering days. It cost me less than RM20, ..

PETALING JAYA :The countrys first death due to Covid-19 of this year has been recorded. The Health Ministry said that the death occurred during Epidemiological Week 24 (June 8-15). The individual had serious comorbidities, which were heart disease and diabetes, with the deceased also not taking the second booster vaccine shot, it said in a statement on Thursday (June 19). The ministry added that this was a drastic drop compared to the 57 deaths last year. The last Covid-19 related death was ..

ByYoon Min-sik / The Korea Herald / Asia News Network Whistleblower wins compensation in #MeToo case against senior Buddhist monk in Seoul ByYoon Min- sik / The Korea Herald / Asia News Network SEOUL: A Seoul court awarded a woman who exposed years of sexual harassment by a high-ranking Buddhist monk and was subjected to disadvantages in personnel decisions afterward, RM956,660 (309.5 million won) in compensation. The Seoul Northern District Court ruled in favor of the victim in a lawsuit ..

Teenager faces double murder charges killing mother and eldest brother and hurting younger brother in Melaka MELAKA: A 17-year-old teenager faces two counts of murder and a charge of injuring his younger brother with a folding knife in a magistrates court today. The form five student was brought to the court to face three charges two charges of murdering his 51-year-old mother, a school teacher and the eldest brother while the third charge is injuring his 13-year-old brother with a folding ..

Curious minds, better grades: Study finds curiosity linked to academic success among Korean teens SEOUL: While many factors are correlated with a students grade, curiositynot grit or self-controlemerged as the factor with the biggest link to academic success among 15-year-old students in South Korea, according to a new analysis of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) data. The Korea Education Development Institute revealed the findings in its spring 2025 issue, drawing from ..

MCA divisional AGMs a platform for members to air their views on future of party JOHOR BAHRU: Annual general meetings held at MCA divisional level will be a platform for grassroots to voice their opinions on the partys future plans, says MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. Those opinions will be the reference for party central leadership to decide on its next course of action, said Dr Wee. Views are different in many areas as we have visited many divisions. We would want to hear from the ..

Workers find over 10 corpses, including infant, while deepening Klang River KUALA LUMPUR: Workers in the Selangor governments Klang River flood mitigation project have made a series of gruesome discoveries on-site. According to Landasan Lumayan managing director Syaiful Azmen Nordin, more than 10 corpses including an infant have been found in the river since they started work on Nov 1, 2022. He said their standard operating procedure for such discoveries was to report the matter to the police. ..

Durian farmers join legalization scheme offer by Royal Pahang Durian Resources pending out-of-court settlement consideration RAUB: A total of 360 unlicensed durian farmers here submitted their names to register with the Royal Pahang Durian Resources Sdn Bhd before the June 15 deadline set by the company for its legalization scheme. Royal Pahang Durian executive director Steven Mun Yung Kwun said the names would be submitted to the Pahang state government for processing. It was reported that ..

PENANG: Collective action is needed from the government, law enforcement, NGOs, education institutions, workplaces and individuals to end sexual harassment. With the support of laws, justice system and a compassionate community, all members of society are urged to work together to create an environment where sexual harassment is not tolerated and victims are supported. In a joint statement, the Womens Right Awareness Association (WRAA) and Sneham Malaysia said action must be taken to reject ..

Young Malaysian Chinese are reluctant to have a family Dragon is an auspicious and powerful icon in Chinese custom where Chinese parents are fond of having babies in the Year of Dragon. Nevertheless, such phenomenon has changed as the figures released by the Department of Statistics in 2024, which is the year of dragon, shows otherwise. Chinese babies born in the year of dragon is even lower than the previous year, which is the year of rabbit. A total of 29,585 Chinese babies were born in 2024, ..

BUTTERWORTH: Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad has joined Umno. Dzulkifli has been active in organizing people-friendly activities at his hometown in Tasek Gelugor since 2022. Witnessed by Tasek Gelugor Umno division information chief Datuk Zulkiflee Yahaya, he handed over the Umno membership form to Merbau Kudong Umno branch chairman Mohd Ramli Daud in an appreciation dinner held at Dewan Muhibbah Merbau Kudong, Sungai Dua on Friday night. ..

KUALA LUMPUR: TengkuDatuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has no plan to contest in a by-election after quitting Umno. The Investment, Trade and Industry Minister said he wants to focus on completing his tasks as a minister and a senator. He has no plan to contest in a by-election, or switch to other parliamentary or state assembly seat. I have never said I am keen to contest in elections. These are speculations. I resign from my position in Umno not to pursue another high position in the government. ..

RedNote promotes Malaysia as a must-visit destination for Chinese nationals SHANGHAI: Tourism Malaysia and China-based social media app RedNote have signed a strategic collaborative memorandum of understanding to promote Malaysia as a must-visit destination for Chinese nationals. The collaboration marks a breakthrough in digital marketing leveraging on the content and the massive number of RedNote users to attract Chinese nationals and improve the visibility of Malaysia in Chinas tourism ..

A plate of mixed rice at RM30, restaurant provides breakdown of price JOHOR BAHRU: Shocked by the price of RM30.20 for a big plate of mixed rice, a patron said he paid the price for curry chicken, braised pork, egg and curry vegetables with rice at a restaurant here. He posted on Facebook a photo of the big plate of mixed rice with the dishes he ordered at a restaurant in Taman Sentosa. I am shocked by the price. I did not ask the price for each dish earlier, he wrote. The patron said he is a ..

RedNote promotes Malaysia as a must-visit destination for Chinese nationals SHANGHAI: Tourism Malaysia and China-based social media app RedNote have signed a strategic collaborative memorandum of understanding to promote Malaysia as a must-visit destination for Chinese nationals. The collaboration marks a breakthrough in digital marketing leveraging on the content and the massive number of RedNote users to attract Chinese nationals and improve the visibility of Malaysia in Chinas tourism ..

Philippine market tagged best in Southeast Asia on slowing inflation **MANILA** In its Regional Market Outlook for the second half of the year, Singapores DBS Bank maintained its 6,900 year end target for the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi). Key factors that weighed down the Philippine equities market in the last 24 months have turned favorable, DBS said in its report. The target is still based on a projected equity risk premium of 490 basis points, implying that investors are ..

Study manga makes easy reading out of Japanese educational content TOKYO: Study _manga_, which help students understand what they are learning at school, are growing increasingly diverse. While the popular genres of history and biography are expanding their range of themes, some study _manga_ are tackling medical and social issues, and attracting readers of all ages. This March saw the release of The Iwakura Mission: The story of the beginningToward the modernization of Japan, a 120-page study ..

Mum of six who juggles three jobs starts free breakfast club for children in Singapore neighbourhood SINGAPORE: With six children and three part-time jobs to juggle, Ms Lydia Susiyanti Sukarbi, the 36-year-old sole breadwinner of her household, may not have much. But what she hascompassion, generosity and gritshe gives freely. Three times a week before the crack of dawn, she dishes out free breakfast to underprivileged children who live in her Ang Mo Kio neighborhood. Ms Lydia, a former school ..

MCA should review alliance with BN for future plans, says Selayang division RAWANG: MCA should review its collaborative ties with Barisan Nasional (BN) to reassess whether the ties are aligned with its development plan, says Selayang MCA chief Chan Wun Hoong. He also reiterated that this is not to sever ties with BN. Speaking at the Selayang MCA annual general assembly last Saturday, Chan said MCA must extend its political horizons whether the party is capable of engaging in constructive ..

PETALING JAYA: Amid global overcapacity, a full-blown price war could be unleashed in the local electric vehicle (EV) space, warns an analyst. In Malaysia, locally assembled EVs or also known as completely knocked down (CKD) vehicles enjoy tax breaks until end-2027. These include exemptions from import, excise, and sales taxes to promote local assembly. Imported EVs or completely built-up (CBU) units have also been tax-free, but only until Dec 31, 2025. After that, they are set to face full ..

Check before making further decision, Higher Education Ministry urges Harvard- bound Malaysians PETALING JAYA: Students who have gained admission to Harvard University should check latest developments and talk to their respective sponsors before making further decisions, says the Higher Education Ministry. In an advisory to students headed to the embattled Ivy League school, it said that no one had reported problems related to their student exchange visa programme or had their visas cancelled. ..

Selangor exco Jamaliah announces marriage on Facebook PETALING JAYA : Selangor state exco Jamaliah Jamaluddin ties the knot with Joshua where Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari is one of the wedding witnesses on Sunday. Jamaliah, the exco for public health and environment, announced her marriage with Joshua on Facebook this morning. The announcement was made by the couple with a photograph of the newly-wed posted on Facebook. The 36-year- old Bandar Utama state assemblyman from DAP ..

Can a city cure loneliness? Seoul is spending millions to try SEOUL: In Seoul, you can call a city hotline at 3 a.m. just to say you feel lonely. You can walk into a Maeum (Korean for heart) Convenience Store to eat free _ramyeon_ and talk with someone about the emptiness youve been carrying for months. These are not gimmicks. They are part of a sweeping five-year, 451.3 billion won (RM1.4 billion) effort by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to confront a crisis few cities have dared to name ..

KOTA BHARU: PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang remains as party president, says Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, deputy president of PAS. Tuan Ibrahim dismissed news reports of Hadi stepping down as PAS president, saying that it was a baseless claim. PAS president does not request to step down, he said. Tuan Ibrahim said PAS meetings held recently focused on preparing for by- election and the coming General Elections instead of a leadership transition. Tuan Ibrahim, Kubang Kerian member of ..

University students from China may turn to Malaysia GEORGE TOWN: United States President Donald Trumps order to tighten visa rules in the United States for students from China may benefit universities in Malaysia. Pei Qi, a 42-year- old English teacher from China who is pursuing a postgraduate degree at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), said he has noticed more of his students in China considering Malaysia over the US. Many of my students who initially planned to go to the US are now considering ..

Malaysian retiree swindled for sperm by alleged beautiful woman in Hong Kong **KUALA LUMPUR** Having ignored warnings from the bank and police, a retiree lost RM161,000 after being lured by an online scam to become a sperm donor for a supposedly beautiful woman in Hong Kong. The 57-year-old saw an advertisement on social media stating that the woman wanted to bear a child and that there would be a reward of HK$2mil (RM1.08mil) for the man chosen. I was communicating with a person claiming to be ..

Saudi Arabia using AI and real-time translation to open Haj to the world ISLAMABAD: Real-time translation tools such as Smart Haj and the Manara AI offer pilgrims aid in their native languages. With those pilgrims come hundreds of languages, dialects, and customs, making effective communication profoundly challenging. According to a press release from the Saudi Ministry for Haj and Umrah, the kingdom is rewriting the rules of communication at Haj, making broad use of AI translation tools at the ..

KUALA TERENGGANU: PAS President Tan Sri Hadi Awang has dropped hints that he may be stepping down as party president due to health reasons. The Member of Parliament for Marang expressed his intention of stepping down to top party leaders during a retreat held in Terengganu last weekend. Sources said the ulama faction in the party initiated internal discussion to persuade deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man to take over. _Sinar Harian_ said quoting sources that Hadi had hinted his ..

Young Chinese Malaysians not keen to be teachers, says head of Jiao Zong PORT DICKSON: Young Chinese Malaysians are not keen to be teachers, says Cheah Lek Aee, chairman of the United Chinese School Teachers Association of Malaysia, also known as Jiao Zong. Apart from flaws in the policy under the Ministry of Education which does not have a comprehensive plan to solve the shortage of Chinese primary school teachers for many years, Cheah said there are many career options for young people ..

ByAtlas Shao in Hong Kong / China Daily / Asia News Network HK police partner with 6 countries, regions to net over 1,800 scam suspects ByAtlas Shao in Hong Kong / China Daily / Asia News Network Police in Hong Kong and six partner countries and regions arrested more than 1,800 suspects and intercepted about RM84.80 million ($20 million) in fraudulent funds during a cross-border anti- scam operation in April and May. The joint operation involved over 2,700 law enforcement officers from Chinas ..

Brain-dead organ donors hit record high in Japan in 2024 TOKYO: The number of patients declared brain dead who donated at least one organ rose to a record 139 in fiscal 2024, up 23 from the previous fiscal year, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Takamaro Fukuoka said at the House of Councilors' Health, Labor and Welfare Committee on Tuesday. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry partly attributes this rise to an initiative supporting medical institutions with limited experience in organ ..

Surge in COVID-19 cases: Virus making a comeback in Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, US **PETALING JAYA** As society becomes more relaxed about the perceived threat of Covid-19, the coronavirus has started to resurge in many countries, leading to an increase in reported cases. Between May 25 and 30, Thailand reported 65,880 new Covid-19 cases with three fatalities. Indonesias Health Ministry issued a public health advisory following a resurgence of cases in several Asian countries. It urged ..

Lee Jae-myung's power play: Outsider's climb to top Projected presidential victory of Lee Jae-myung has been cast as a "win for those who are not part of the establishment, and outside the mainstream" by his campaign. Lee's political journey has been rocky and drama-filled, to say the least. "It's not easy working for Lee Jae-myung. Things always seem to happen to him. But he is a guy who gets up every time," one of his close aides told The Korea Herald. At a campaign rally Saturday in Daejeon, ..

Churches step in to assist House of Megaways Care Centre following the arrest of foreign caretakers without work permit SEREMBAN: Churches step in to assist House of Megaways Care Centre where the operation comes to a halt following the arrest of its four foreign caretakers without work permits by the authorities. As a temporary measure, volunteers from two churches were at the House of Megaways Care Centre to look after 41 residents, mainly senior citizens who were unable to care for ..