Premium-grade durian carted away by machete-wielding robbers from orchard in Jasin JASIN : Even as durian prices continue to fall this season, the king of fruits remains a lucrative target when three machete-wielding robbers took four baskets of premium-grade durians after threatening two teenage orchard caretakers here. Jasin OCPD Supt Lee Robert said the robbery took place at about 11.30am on Saturday (June 27) at a durian orchard in Anjung Gapam, Bemban, here where the two teenagers, aged 17 ..

Pork supply sufficient despite drop in pig farms, says Mohamad Sabu KUALA LUMPUR: Despite the number of pig farms has been reduced, the actual production of pork is sufficient to meet local market demand, says Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu. The total pork supply was estimated at 221,921 metric tonnes while the projected demand made by the ministry was 213,927 metric tonnes last year, he said. This demonstrates that the overall supply is adequate to cover ..

From bottom in class to SPM 9As: Teen overcomes family tragedy, floods to be top in school ALOR SETAR: Losing his father to cancer right in the middle of the 2025 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations while his mother battled the same disease, put 17-year-old Chng Jia Ying under immense distress. With relentless determination, Chng scored 9As (4A+, 2As, 3A-), making him the top student at SMK Seri Mahawangsa in Jitra. His triumph is proof that even the harshest circumstances cannot halt a ..

Almost one death a week on Causeway: Law to be amended to shield Malaysia- Singapore cross-border workers KUALA LUMPUR: Approximately 480,000 Malaysians commute daily between Johor and Singapore for work, facing high-risk travel conditions that result in nearly one traffic fatality every week. To address this, the Ministry of Human Resources plans to table a bill in the Dewan Rakyat next month to include "Commuter Scheme" in the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017(Act 789) to bring these ..

The only Chinese chess hub in a Penang coffee shop: Keeping the game alive PENANG: When coffeeshop Selera SIM Food and Drink closes at 2pm, the Chinese chess matches begin in the shop. Chess players sit down one after another to set up their boards, a rare sight of players focusing on the board game at the coffeeshop at Jalan Tengah, Bandar Bayan Baru. No one is looking down at his phone, and there is no noisy gossip. Instead, the air is filled with the sound of chess pieces striking the board. ..

Half of South Korean elementary teachers feel helpless dealing with parents SEOUL: Nearly half of elementary school teachers in South Korea say they feel helpless in dealing with parents, a new report showed, nearly three years after the death of a young teacher in Seoul sparked nationwide debate over teachers rights. According to an issue paper published in May by the Korea Education Development Institute, 49.4 per cent of elementary school teachers surveyed in 2023 felt helpless in their ..

Turning Japans wasabi fields into hubs for regional revitalisation TOKYO: There is a growing trend to utilise wasabi fields located in mountainous areas renowned for their pristine spring water and lush greenery as hubs for regional revitalisation. As Japanese cuisine grows in popularity overseas, these fields are gaining more attention from foreign tourists. The way you grind it changes its sharp flavor, said Tatsuya Tsunoi, a 40-year-old wasabi farmer in Okutama, Tokyo. In mid-May, he spoke ..

Selangor revises non-Islamic places of worship guidelines: Height restriction relaxed, operations allowed within commercial buildings PETALING JAYA: Non- Islamic places of worship are now permitted within commercial, industrial and institutional buildings under the revised guidelines by the Selangor state government. Restrictions on building heights have been relaxed as well. The Special Committee on Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and Taoist Affairs (Limas) has been designated by the Selangor ..

As the capital approaches 500 years, Jakartans long for a seamless transit city JAKARTA: Zakaria, 24, waited for a less crowded Commuter Line train so he could sit on his trip home to Daru, Banten, from Tanah Abang Station in Central Jakarta. He had just transferred from Bekasi, West Java, where he had undergone a hemodialysis session in a hospital, and was feeling too weak to stand through the journey. He braces himself for the overcrowded commuter train journey twice a week for his treatment, ..

MCA members should put aside differences to focus on state elections, says Dr Chua PALOH: MCA members are urged to focus on state elections since the Chinese community does not want to see internal bickering within the party, says former MCA president Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek. Everyone must unite and focus on securing victories in the upcoming state elections, he said. "If Barisan Nasional (BN) cannot secure the mandate to govern, it should choose to be the opposition rather than cooperate with ..

Retired Vietnamese teacher turns eggshells into World Cup mascots HO CHI MINH CITY: A retired teacher has gone World Cup crazy transforming discarded eggshells into mascots for every country taking part in the biggest football tournament on the planet. Nguyn Thnh Tm, 75, from HCM City, has been an eggshell artist for more than 20 years. With the World Cup in full swing, Tm decided to once again get in on the act by making a full set of World Cup- inspired mascots along with 48 national flags ..

Tengku Zafruls official Chinese name Zha Fu Rui aligns with Feng Shui and Bazi principles PETALING JAYA: Prime Ministers senior political advisor Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz has an official Chinese name Zha Fu Rui now. The three characters were chosen based on the five elements in Feng Shui and Bazi principles a person capable of building a solid foundation, managing resources responsibly and planning the future with strategic vision. Zafruls team said the overall combination ..

Chinese movie brings back memories of Malaysian Chinese sending love and cash back to China TELUK INTAN: Following the hit release in Malaysia and Singapore of Dear You (Love Letters to Grandma), a film depicting the stories of Teochew-speaking Chinese immigrants making a living in Southeast Asia, the letters featured in the movie evoke memories of sending letters and cash. To this day, some Malaysian Chinese families still keep those letters to remember their ancestors deep love for their ..

Durian prices crash to 50 sen each as oversupply hits market BANGI: The king of fruit has seen a rare price crash to just 50 sen per fruit, offering durian lovers an unprecedented opportunity to enjoy durians. A recent surge in durian production has led to a severe oversupply in the market. Prices have plummeted like a waterfall, with everything from premium Musang King to regular varieties experiencing a massive "dive," much to the delight of consumers. It is understood that Musang King is ..

Chinese independent schools target non-Chinese students as Malaysian Chinese birth rates drop KAJANG: As the birth rate among Malaysian Chinese continues to plunge, Chinese independent schools are being advised to open their doors to non-Chinese students, recruit international students and upgrade their educational quality to win over parents. These three proposals were put forward by Dong Zong (the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia) to address declining enrollment in ..

MEF: Legalising refugee employment offers limited benefits PETALING JAYA: Allowing eligible refugees to work in Malaysia may, in theory, help reduce certain industries' dependence on foreign workers, but the overall benefits would be limited, says Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) president Datuk Dr Syed Hussein Syed Husman. It could create additional challenges for the labour market, such as higher turnover of workers, he said. Most sectors facing labour shortages require a large and stable ..

Singapore Android users lose over RM219,309 in less than 3 months to malware scams targeting seniors SINGAPORE** : A**ndroid users have lost at least RM209,309 in less than three months to scams targeting seniors. The scams involved the impersonation of government officials and the use of malware on Android devices. At least eight such cases have been reported since April 1, said the police in a statement on June 18. In these scams, victims would first come across advertisements on social media ..

Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospitals first triplets now STPM top achievers KLANG: The first set of triplets born at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, Klang, 20 years ago have achieved outstanding results in the Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM) examination. The siblings eldest daughter Tan Khai Xian scored a CGPA of 3.92 (3As and 1A-), second son Tan Khai Choon and youngest daughter Tan Khai Wen achieved a perfect 4.0 CGPA with 4As. They were among the 18 straight-A students in their school ..

MATRADE Paris: European firms eye E&E;, aerospace, halal, palm oil sectors of Malaysia PETALING JAYA: After going through the global pandemic and on-going geopolitical uncertainties, European companies are showing unprecedented interest in the Malaysian market, says Chan Yik Sing, the trade commissioner at Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) in Paris. Latest developments in the Middle East this year have prompted many European Muslims to turn their attention to Malaysia, ..

Bumper harvest triggers durian tsunami, Musang King plunges to RM9 per kg RAUB : An abundant durian harvest in Pahang, Johor, Penang and Perak has unleashed a "durian tsunami", causing the price of Raub Musang King durians to tumble to just RM9 per kilogramme (kg) and attracting record numbers of consumers seeking bargains. Over the past week, the price of Musang King durians in Raub at some stalls had plummeted, from RM18 per kg to RM17, RM15, RM13, RM12, RM10, and now RM9. Although the price ..

Not sitting at the same table, but sitting beside each other KULAI: Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook and caretaker Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi were seen sitting side by side and exchanging cordial conversation at the launch of the Southern Shuttle service at the Kulai KTM station on Tuesday. The face-to-face meetingtheir first since a recent public disputebecame the centre of attention following an online spat on June 7. During that exchange, Onn Hafiz stated he would rather ..

Good salary offered by Infineon attracts long queue of job seekers: Melaka human resources exco MELAKA: The unemployment rate in the state is lowest in Malaysia at 2 per cent, but job seekers are in search of jobs which offer good salary, says Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem, the state executive councillor in charge of Health, Human Resources and Unity. Referring to the long queue of job applicants attending the walk-in interview held by Infineon at the Holiday Inn on Sunday, Ngwe said the long queue does ..

German MNCs Melaka recruitment drive triggers 1 km queue of 1,000 job-seekers MELAKA: A recruitment drive by the Infineon factory in Melaka for operators and technicians unexpectedly drew around 1,000 applicants, resulting in a massive queue stretching over one kilometre. The walk-in interview session to fill 400 vacancies was held at the Holiday Inn on Sunday. It attracted a large crowd of young men and women, some arriving as early as 6am! As the crowd continued to swell throughout the day, ..

Summer tradition breezes back into fashion in China BEIJING: Although air conditioners across China are humming to life as the summer heat begins to climb, the folding fan that was once pushed to the margins of daily life is reappearing in subway cars, museum shops and tourist streets. Once associated mainly with traditional aesthetics or seasonal nostalgia, the bamboo-and-silk folding fan is again being picked up by younger consumers as a functional accessory and a form of cultural expression. ..

These deaf bakers are baking their way to independence KUALA LUMPUR: Their freshly made cookies look irresistible but the story of the bakers is even more compelling. They are deaf or hard of hearing and have picked up skills from a small learning centre here, a social enterprise which provided free lessons and vocational training for them. A number of these students have now returned to the centre, which runs a bakery, to earn their own income and build independent lives. Some of those we ..

Century-old shop lots see over 30 % price drop in Raub RAUB: The rise of new commercial districts, a sharp drop in durian prices, the popularity of online shopping and a generally poor market have led to a significant decline in the prices of century-old shops here. The price of shop lots located at the main road -Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Dato Abdullah had plummeted from RM1.2million to RM800,000, a drop of more than 30% since last year. At least 15 shops on these streets are up for sale or ..

PekanbaruMelaka flight boosts health tourism from Indonesia MELAKA: The Pekanbaru-Melaka flight by Wings Air will help to boost health tourism in the state, targeting a 30 per cent increase of Indonesian tourists this year. The general manager of Melaka Tourism Promotion Division, Nasrul Ahmad said according to Ministry of Tourism data, Malaysia attracts approximately 4.2 million Indonesian tourists in a year. Melaka received a total of 15.9 milion visitors last year where 515,086 of them were ..

As Indonesias top envoy becomes latest from ASEAN to visit Myanmar, analysts warn of risks JAKARTA: Indonesias top diplomat made a visit to Myanmar on June 8, the latest foreign minister from an ASEAN country to visit Naypyidaw as the grouping rethinks how best to engage the conflict-mired country. The visit of Indonesia Foreign Minister Sugiono, the first official trip by an Indonesian minister to Myanmar since the 2021 military coup, has raised eyebrows, given Jakartas longstanding position ..

Justice served in Bangkok blast 11 years ago, Malaysian family has moved on BUTTERWORTH: When a friend informed Neoh Hock Guan that two perpetrators had been sentenced to death for the Bangkok blast 11 years ago, he received the news with absolute calmness. The 65-year-old former pastry maker and seller, who survived the blast with his pregnant daughter Ee Ling, lost five family members overnight. Despite the immense tragedy, he said he had since moved on. Neoh believes the law has finally ..

Annual cash aid to Chinese community, schools not election gimmick: Johor MB Onn Hafiz JOHOR BAHRU: The state governments annual cash aid to Chinese schools and the Chinese community is not an election gimmick but a consistence commitment to providing support. Johor caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said: We know that tax revenues do not come from just one single race, but from all races. "The more the revenue of the state increases, the more we can give back to the people. That is ..

Onn Hafiz clarifies same table remark on DAP: Disagreement over tactics, not race JOHOR BAHRU: Defending his remark on refusal to sit at the same table with DAP, Johor caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said this is due to his disagreement with DAPs political tactics. Since DAP is not a race, he should not be accused of racial discrimination. During a joint interview with local Chinese media on Tuesday, Onn Hafiz said DAPs political tactics making unfulfillable promises and ..

I wanted to win for Taiwan: International Booker winner Yang Shuang-zi SEOUL: This years International Booker Prize winner, Yang Shuang-zi (), fresh from her historic win just two weeks ago, said she wanted to win the award for Taiwan. In the current international situation, Taiwan is under immense pressure. Through literature, I wanted to show Taiwan in its many different facets, and to tell stories that only Taiwan can tell, Yang said during a press conference in Seoul. After becoming the ..

81-year-old batik master uses art to navigate life with Parkinsons disease PETALING JAYA: When veteran batik master and artist Sam Karuna, 81, unveils his latest exhibition Soul To Soul: A Quiet Resilience, it is not just a showcase of acrylic and oil paintings. It is a reflection of a life reshaped by Parkinsons disease. The exhibition features works created between 2011 and 2026, with 26 of the 29 pieces produced after his diagnosis. There are also two early batik works, Penang Street and ..

Indonesias latest AI-generated earworm is an ode to its energy minister JAKARTA: The latest song taking Indonesias internet by storm was not written by a recording artist, nor is it about a celebrity. It is an AI-generated earworm about Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, a politician associated more with fuel subsidies and cooking gas than viral hits. Since mid-May, Mas Bahlil GantengIndonesian for Handsome Brother Bahlilhas spread rapidly across TikTok, Instagram and WhatsApp groups, spawning ..

From zero to hero: Zahid shares how public image shifted after GE15 (PUTRAJAYA: From zero to hero that is exactly how Chinese friends of Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi describe him after the 15th General Elections. This was the dramatic shift in the public image of the Barisan Nasional chairman and Umno president, moving from being heavily criticised before the election to playing a pivotal role in forming the Unity Government. The non-Malay community did not know him well, said Dr Zahid in ..

Two 5m giant crocodiles captured in Bintulu, meat sold to cover hunting costs BINTULU: Two giant crocodiles measuring more than five meters were captured in Sungai Kemena by licensed crocodile hunters on Monday. They are believed to be among the largest captured in Sarawak in recent years, setting a new record for local crocodile catches. The crocodile hunter team led by Juni Kung carried out the first operation in Kemena River recently, where it had earlier captured two crocodiles and set ..

Zahid outlines 3 goals if made PM: Economy, fair education, and national security PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister and Umno President, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has three goals if he becomes the Prime Ministerboosting the national economy, ensuring fair education and enhancing national security. He admitted that becoming prime minister is the ultimate ambition of every politician, and he is no exception. However, whether it ultimately becomes a reality is not for any individual to ..

SHIBADONG, HUNAN: Long Xianlan, 39, used to be known as Shibadong villages three ghostsdrunkard, beggar and lazybones. Today, with more than 300 beehives and a honey packaging workshop, he is the Bee Master. His story is now being told to young Lao farmers who see in him a reason to stop waiting and start working. I drank every day because poverty left me without hope, Long said in a recent interview, sitting on the porch of his two-story wooden house in Shibadong, Hunan province. Orphaned at a ..

Multi-cornered fights on the cards in Negeri Sembilan SEREMBAN: With the dissolution of the Negeri Sembilan state assembly, the unity coalition that contested the last state election will be no more and multi-cornered fights are expected in the coming polls. Following the formation of the unity government after the November 2022 general election, Negeri Sembilan held its state election in August 2023. Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) contested under the unity government framework, ..

ASEAN factories face closures and layoffs as war-driven cost shock spreads BANGKOK : Factories across Southeast Asia are beginning to close and cut jobs as war-driven increases in raw-material, energy and shipping costs squeeze manufacturers, exposing a widening divide between booming electronics exporters and struggling industries such as furniture, footwear, plastics and local manufacturing. While strong production in electronics has helped keep headline economic indicators looking relatively ..