Chinese school education has shaped a top ministry official to be a strict and disciplined person As a high-ranking government official who once studied at a Chinese primary school, Datuk Wria M Noor Azman Taib is strict and disciplined. The Housing and Local Government Ministry secretary-general who joined the public service in 1996 maintains a similar approach when dealing with colleagues at work. The four years spent at a Chinese primary school SJKC Lam Min, Ayer Hitam, Kedah, provided him a ..

ByPhilip Wen / The Straits Times / Asia News Network Chinese contractor of quake-hit building that collapsed in Bangkok under scrutiny ByPhilip Wen / The Straits Times / Asia News Network BANGKOK: In promotional material posted on its official social media channels in 2024, China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group declared that its first super high-rise project built overseas would duly become its calling card in Thailand. A video on the state-owned Chinese contractors Douyin account boasted ..

BEIJING: Thousands of years ago, along Chinas southern coastline, fishing communities would pray to Mazu, the folk goddess of the sea, for good luck when taking their boats to the waves. Fast forward, and today, Chinas young people are also expressing their desire for luck and good fortune among the myriad pressures and stresses of contemporary life, but with a modern twist. Last year, young people posted over 5.76 million scrolling comments with the word_jie_, which means to accept or catch, ..

ByPhilip Wen / The Straits Times / Asia News Network Chinese contractor of quake-hit building that collapsed in Bangkok under scrutiny ByPhilip Wen / The Straits Times / Asia News Network BANGKOK In promotional material posted on its official social media channels in 2024, China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group declared that its first super high-rise project built overseas would duly become its calling card in Thailand. A video on the state-owned Chinese contractors Douyin account boasted ..

Petronas pipeline blaze: DOE to monitor air quality KUALA LUMPUR: The Department of Environment (DOE) will carry out air quality monitoring following Tuesday morning's gas pipeline fire at Jalan Putra Harmoni in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, Selangor. Its director general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said the Selangor DOE had deployed an initial team to the site to conduct a preliminary assessment. The public is advised to avoid areas near the fire, he told _Bernama _when contacted. He added ..

3D printed and factory-built homes could help tackle housing crisis Theres not enough homes to purchase and theres not enough places to rent. Period, said Adrianne Todman, the acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under former President Joe Biden. One way to quickly build more is embrace these types of innovations, Todman said. I can only imagine what our housing situation would be like now if we could have made a decision to be more aggressive in adopting ..

HONG KONG: The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Saturday dispatched a 51-strong team to assist in the search and rescue work in the earthquake-stricken areas of Myanmar. The team comprises officers from the Security Bureau, the Fire Services Department, the Immigration Department and the Hospital Authority, according to the government. The death toll from the magnitude 7.9 earthquake reached 1,002. Also, 2,376 people were injured and 30 are still missing as of Saturday, ..

ASEAN to deploy emergency response team to Myanmar and Thailand SEREMBAN: Asean will deploy its Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) to support field-level operations and prepare the mobilisation of relief teams from member countries to help quake victims in Myanmar and Thailand. Asean Foreign Ministers who held an emergency meeting via video conferencing on Sunday (March 30) said the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance in disaster management (AHA Centre) will do this ..

Climate change and overfishing threaten Vietnams ancient tradition of making fish sauce DA NANG, Vietnam: Bui Van Phong faced a choice when the Vietnam War ended 50 years ago: Stay in his small village, helping his parents carry on the familys centuries-old tradition of making fish sauce, or join the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing his country for a better life. Phong chose to stay behind and nurtured a business making the beloved condiment, known as nuoc mam in Vietnam, that is now in ..

Vietnamese military to send 79 personnel to Myanmar to aid earthquake response HANOI: Vietnam's People's Army is preparing to deploy a relief force to Myanmar to assist in earthquake recovery efforts, the General Staff said on Saturday. A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck central Myanmar on 28 March, triggering at least 10 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 2.8 to 7.5. Thousands of people have been killed or injured in the disaster. China, India, Russia, and Malaysia have already dispatched aid ..

Myanmar quake death toll nears 700 as international aid starts to arrive,sows panic in Bangkok BANGKOK: International aid began to arrive in Myanmar on 29 March as rescuers searched for survivors after a powerful earthquake devastated the Southeast Asian nation amid concerns the number killed would soar. The death toll in Myanmar jumped to 694 with 1,670 injured, the military government said, up sharply from the 144 dead that state media reported on 28 March. Infrastructure such as roads, ..

Save or spend? Indonesian employees on how to make holiday bonus count JAKARTA: As Idul Fitri approaches, employees nation-wide look forward to their annual holiday bonus (THR). To some, its a well-deserved reward to be used for instant gratification, but financial planners recommend keeping at least some for a rainy day. State-owned enterprise employee Ayu is undecided on whether to spare some of her THR for saving or investing, as her immediate priority is to travel home for the holidays, ..

China to provide Myanmar with 100m yuan in emergency humanitarian aid BEIJING China will provide earthquake-stricken Myanmar with 100 million yuan (approximately $13.9 million) in emergency humanitarian aid to support its earthquake relief efforts, the China International Development Cooperation Agency said on Saturday. The announcement came a day after a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, resulting in significant casualties and property damage. At the request of the Myanmar ..

From alamak to nasi lemak: Oxford English Dictionary welcomes Malaysian and Singaporean words SINGAPORE: _Alamak_ and _nasi lemak_ have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) for the first time. According to the dictionary, they are among a number of untranslatable words from Singapore and Malaysia that made it to the latest OED update in March. Borrowed from the Malay language, the colloquial exclamation _alamak_, from its earliest recorded appearance in 1952, is used to convey ..

Myanmar quake death toll nears 700 as international aid starts to arrive,sows panic in Bangkok BANGKOK International aid began to arrive in Myanmar on 29 March as rescuers searched for survivors after a powerful earthquake devastated the South-east Asian nation amidconcerns the number killed would soar. The death toll in Myanmar jumped to 694 with 1,670 injured, the military government said, up sharply from the 144 dead that state media reported on 28 March. Infrastructure such as roads, ..

Building collapses in Bangkok after powerful earthquakes rock Thailand and Myanmar BANGKOK: A high-rise building under construction in Bangkok collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked Thailand and neighbouring Myanmar midday on Friday, police said, and possible casualties are not yet known. A dramatic video circulated on social media showed the multi-story building with a crane on top collapsing into a cloud of dust, while onlookers screamed and ran. Police told The Associated Press ..

PETALING JAYA: No new pigs are allowed until Selangor is free from African Swine Fever (ASF), said Selangor Veterinary Services Department Director Dr Hassuzana Khalil. Pig farms in Selangor were deemed high risk because of inadequate biosecurity measures and their close proximity to one another, making it easier for the disease to spread, she said. It is expected that ASF infections will continue since there is currently no available vaccine for the disease, she said. All affected farms in the ..

South Korea struggles to contain wildfires that have killed 26 Multiple wildfires fuelled by strong winds and dry weather have been raging across South Koreas southeastern regions since last Friday. The government has mobilised thousands of personnel, dozens of helicopters and other equipment to extinguish the blazes, but gusty winds are hampering their efforts. The fatalities include a pilot whose helicopter crashed during efforts to contain a fire Wednesday and four firefighters and other ..

Malaysia's gender equality is No.1 in education but worst in politics among Asean countries PETALING JAYA: Malaysian females thrive in classrooms, but struggle to find seats in parliament, according to our country's gender equality scores. Among Asean countries, Malaysia has the best score when it comes to men and women getting equal access to education, together with the Philippines. But we were the lowest in the region for political empowerment and representation for women, based on the ..

All prime ministers of Malaysia recognise the importance of Khazanah and its mission has never changed, says Amirul KUALA LUMPUR: To Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir, the job of leading Khazanah National Bhd, the national investment institution managing assets worth hundreds of billions of ringgit, is a unique role that requires striking a balance between national development and investment returns. He recalled the challenges when he first took office four years ago, during a period of frequent ..

40% women in DAP CEC will likely see more female ministers, says Teo Nie Ching KUALA LUMPUR: By increasing the number of women representatives in the central executive committee (CEC) of DAP to 40 per cent, more women are likely to become ministers and deputy ministers, says Teo Nie Ching, head of DAPs Women wing. Teo, who is also one of the party vice chairmen, says although the party constitution has set the women representation at 30 per cent, the ratio of female ministers and deputy ..

Greenlands leader laments mess as US vice presidents wife to visit island coveted by Trump Greenlands prime minister has warned of American aggression and lamented a mess caused by the upcoming visit from Vance, who will be joined by Trumps national security adviser and energy secretary. On Sunday, Vice President JD Vance her husband blasted Denmark for not doing its job and not being a good ally. So you have to ask yourself: How are we going to solve that problem, solve our own national ..

A mix of science and tradition helps restore relics in Chinas Forbidden City BEIJING: Its highly technical work in what looks more like a lab than a museum: The fragment being examined has a dark area on its surface that restorers want to understand. Their objective is to better preserve the artifacts at the sprawling imperial palace, the former home of Chinas emperors and its seat of power for hundreds of years. We want to learn what the black material is, said Kang Baoqiang, one of the ..

2024 Singapore weather breaks temperature and rainfall records SINGAPORE: For Singapore, 2024 was a year of record-breaking temperatures and unusual rainfall patterns from July logging its first dry spell since 2019, to soaring temperatures and less rain in December. Across the whole year, total rainfall at 2,739.8 mm was higher than the long-term average of 2,534.3 mm, said the report released on March 23. While soaring mercury is a symptom of global warming, the unusual rainfall patterns of ..

Japan, China, South Korea must deepen cooperation to ensure regional stability TOKYO: With the international order on the verge of collapse, it is laudable that the foreign ministers of three major Asian countries Japan, China and South Korea have affirmed their commitment to work for regional stability by strengthening communication. The three countries need to lead their agreement in various areas toward a resolution of specific outstanding issues. The foreign ministers of Japan, China and ..

A race to save edible food waste from Ramadan bazaars **PETALING JAYA** As the sun sets over Ramadan bazaars across Malaysia, the scent of freshly grilled satay and bubbling pots of fragrant curries fills the air. But as stalls begin to close, another mission quietly unfolds a race against waste. Armed with collection bins and a sense of purpose, 2,100 volunteers from Gema Youth Malaysia (Gema) spring into action, salvaging edible food before it meets an unnecessary fate in the landfill. ..

ByJunaid Ibrahim and Ho Jia Wen / The Star / Asia News Network Bleeding talent: Why Malaysias medical graduates seek greener pastures ByJunaid Ibrahim and Ho Jia Wen / The Star / Asia News Network **PETALING** There has been an increasing trend of medical graduates leaving for Singapore for housemanship, leading to losses of millions of ringgit in educational investment annually, say experts. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Faculty of Medicine dean Prof Datin Dr Marina Mat Baki said from only ..

Carcasses of over 100 dead pigs infected with African Swine Fever cleared by authorities in Negeri Sembilan Chuah: Over 100 dead pigs illegally dumped in Bukit Pelanduk River, a former pig farming area, had been cleared by authorities. Port Dickson Municipal Councillor Kenny Chiew Chi Kin said the former pig farming area recorded a total of five cases of illegal dumping of dead pigs tested positive for African Swine Fever (ASF). The dead pigs were believed to be transported from a neighbouring ..

Up to 100,000 people still working at scam centres along Thailand-Myanmar border **BANGKOK** Scam centres along the Thailand-Myanmar border are still operating with up to 100,000 people working there, the top police general leading Thailands operations against the fraud compounds reported. Based on early assessments of some of the 5,000 people rescued from scam hubs in the Myawaddy area, hundreds went there voluntarily, said Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, an inspector-general with the Royal ..

Mastering Chinese language changes an Indian teachers life, she is successful in her career and finds her love in life Jaslene, an Indian teacher teaching at an education centre in Klang, speaks fluent Mandarin and used to share her teaching visual on TikTok showing off her fluent Mandarin. Better known as teacher Jas, her actual name is Kanageswary Muniandy. Jaslene candidly admits that mastering Chinese language has changed her life. Not only does it provide her with more opportunity , the ..

Thailand ranks third in the world for QR code usage ## Global statistics on QR code usage in 2024 reveal that Thailand ranks third, with 61.5% of its population using QR codes monthly. Meanwhile, China takes the top spot, followed by Malaysia in second place. The QR Code scanning system is officially known as Cross-border QR Payments, an initiative driven by the Bank of Thailand in collaboration with both domestic and international banks for several years. From a technological standpoint, QR ..

The collapse of Lim Dynasty: Lim Guan Eng can only serve as party adviser It was an exceptionally intense party election where incumbent chairman Lim Guan Engs faction was almost completely wiped out. Even Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying, his younger sister who holds an official position, was ousted. As a result, the newly elected central executive committee (CEC) is now entirely free from the control of the "Lim Dynasty," marking the beginning of a new era for the Democratic Action Party ..

Six pull out from DAP polls, 64 vying for 30 CEC positions KUALA LUMPUR A total of six candidates have pulled out from the central executive committee election held in conjunction with the DAP national congress held at IDCC, Shah Alam this Sunday. Four candidates from Penang and Negeri Sembilan exco Nicole Tan Lee Koon, who is vice secretary womens wing of DAP made the announcement on Saturday while Edmund Teoh withdrew on Friday, reducing the total number of candidates from 70 to 64 now. The ..

DAP sec-gen Loke Siew Fook is looking forward to a major revamp in the CEC line-up KUALA LUMPUR: DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook is looking forward to a major revamp in the central executive committee (CEC) line-up after party polls this Sunday. The major revamp is not targeted at positions but re- alignment of the entire team to ensure that the party leadership is able to meet demand in the future. There will be two criteria provided that I am still the secretary-general and who are the ..

UK joining CPTPP means tariff-free trade for businesses and consumers of UK and Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR: By joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), trade agreements between the United Kingdom and Malaysia benefit businesses and consumers of both countries, says Catherine West, the UK Minister for Indo-Pacific. The CPTPP allows tariff-free trade between the two countries, reducing prices for products and expanding consumer choices at the same ..

Greenlands election winners push back against Trumps wish to take control of the island NUUK, Greenland: Greenlands likely new prime minister on Wednesday rejected U.S. President Donald Trumps effort to take control of the island, saying Greenlanders must be allowed to decide their own future as it moves toward independence from Denmark. Jens-Frederik Nielsens Demokraatit, a pro- business party that favours a slow path to independence, won a surprise victory in Tuesdays parliamentary election, ..

US arms flow to Ukraine again as the Kremlin mulls a ceasefire proposal He told reporters that Moscow is awaiting detailed information from the U.S. and suggested that Russia must get that before it can take a position. The Kremlin has previously opposed anything short of a permanent end to the conflict and has not accepted any concessions. U.S. President Donald Trump wants to end the three-year war and pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to enter talks. The administrations ..

I will accept the outcome of party election, says Teresa Kok PETALING JAYA: DAP Vice Chairman Teresa Kok, who is contesting in the party poll this Sunday, is prepared to accept the delegates decision. However, the member of parliament for Seputeh since 1999 said she still has many unfinished missions to complete. A sixth term MP, Kok, 60, is candid in admitting that the detention of her ex-aides by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the purchase of LG-brand ..

The joys and perils of buy-now-pay-later plans among Malaysias young people PETALING JAYA: Ahead of online shopping deals with the approach of Hari Raya, young people are not deterred by warnings from financial experts against embracing buy-now-pay-later schemes. With some even lauding these schemes as a better alternative to credit cards, they say the key to sustainable borrowing is financial literacy and discipline. A public relations executive, who only wished to be known as Tim, 27, said ..

Home Minister: Indonesians top in obtaining Malaysian citizenship PETALING JAYA: Indonesians rank top among foreigners granted citizenship in Malaysia, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. From 2010 to 2024, Indonesians made up 23.52 per cent, followed by India (6.76 per cent), Thailand (5.02 per cent) and the Philippines (2.77 per cent), while 61.02 per cent were from other countries. Chinese nationals made up 0.91 per cent in receiving citizenship for the same period of ..