What reset? Hamzahs new party starts with political dinosaurs I watched a recent video of Parti Bersama Malaysia leader Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and could not help but chuckle along when he mentioned the names of Tan Sri Rais Yatim and Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik, two veteran politicians who have reportedly resurfaced in Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudins newly launched Parti Wawasan Negara (Wawasan). After all, Rais is now 84 years old while Rahim is 76. Their age alone would naturally invite ..

As parents adopt a wait-and-see approach to early school admission, a gradual rollout might be exactly what the system needs. Recent reports indicating low enrolment rates for the early admission of six-year-old children into Year 1 for 2027 deserve careful attention. As an educator specialising in early childhood education, I would like to offer some reflections on this development. From a developmental perspective, the priority for children under the age of eightwho are still firmly within ..

Why is Perikatan Nasional contesting only 33 seats? Is there a deal with UMNO? Election fever is running high as Johor heads towards polling day. Pakatan Harapan (PH) has unveiled its full slate of 56 candidates for the state election, with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim personally announcing each name. Barisan Nasional (BN), led by Umno, also introduced candidates for all 56 seats, although it was Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazinot Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidiwho made ..

The night the votes came in from the Democratic primaries in New York was a surprise. Three candidates backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani made history. They knocked off a couple of sitting congressmen and the hand-picked guy from a retiring one. In districts that are about as Democratic as a union hall on payday, the New Left found a new way to win. These victories represent a clean sweep for Mamdanis endorsed slate and a notable show of strength for the progressive/left wing of the New York ..

Johor polls: More than a timeline for the General Election The Johor state election has officially kicked off with 172 candidates contesting for 56 seats. This is a critical "testing of the waters" for political parties and political figures across the spectrum. Its ultimate result is likely to dictate whether the next General Election will be called within this year. When the results are announced on July 11, the upcoming political trajectory may become much clearer. Will Barisan Nasional (BN) ..

How much security should residents be expected to provide for themselves? Across Malaysia, homeowners are increasingly becoming their own first line of defence against crime. In many residential areas, residents pay monthly fees to neighbourhood security schemes, employ guards, install CCTV cameras and erect access barriers. Individual homeowners often go further, investing in alarm systems, automatic gates, security grilles and electric fencing to protect their families and property. These ..

In the sodden summer of 2026, as Britain marked the grim decennial of its divorce from the European Union, Keir Starmer did what so many of his short- lived predecessors had done: he folded. The Labour prime minister, once hailed as the steady hand who would finally make Brexit work, announced his resignation amid economic stagnation, party mutiny and the kind of social fractures that make the old Keep Calm and Carry On posters look like black comedy. Twenty-six months in Number 10 longer than ..

Ali, this is a note from one of your regular passengers. Not a complaint letter, not a policy memo, just a quiet heart-to-heart across a lunch table with two boiled eggs, some rice and _sayur_ to go. **Because on one side of this digital story, everything looks shiny.** We celebrate how Grab has made life easier and cleaner. No more dirty, con-job taxis. Rides come to our doorstep. Food arrives at our door in neatly sealed bags. Young people who wake up with the afternoon sun find lunch on ..

By reappointing Hamzah, does PAS have a no-PM candidate or just playing smart? When Muhyiddin sacked his number two from Bersatu, Hamzah Zainudins position as the Opposition Leader came under question. PAS immediately announced that the party will find a candidate for that position among its own ranks. For many months, Malaysians waited to find out who that candidate would be. Among PAS members was a split in their opinion who the best candidate would be. The PAS ulama group said it should be a ..

We have never had it so good. The S&P; 500 and Nikkei 225 have just hit record highs. SpaceX pulled off a spectacular IPO, raising an eye-popping $75 billionthe largest in historywith a sharp post-listing surge that pushed its valuation to a mind-blowing $2.5 trillion. Meanwhile, the possibility of a US- Iran deal to reopen the Straits of Hormuz has sent gasoline prices tumbling back below $4 per gallon. Global stock markets are creating a wealth effect for portfolio investors that feels ..

Malaysia's education system: Examine first, then examination Recent discussions on Malaysia's education system, including Dr Maszlee Malik's observation on _Sinar Daily_ on 16 June 2026 that the challenges facing our schools extend far beyond examinations, have reignited an important national conversation. The debate is timely. Yet before we examine examinations, perhaps we must first examine the education system itself. Examinations are merely instruments of measurement. They are not the ..

Where do stinky-Chinese Malay tourists learn their manners? ****The video of a group of young Malay tourists with young ladies wearing _tudungs_ have caught not only national attention but apparently global comments too. Many have given strong advice and even dictated scorn on them but in my column today, I wish to ask a simple question: where did this kind of atrocious manners come from? We know that Malays have their own _adab_ or manners, but they also have the Islamic tradition and value ..

Road safety requires more than just carrots and sticks The recent proposal to reward safe drivers through insurance premium discounts deserves support. For decades, Malaysia's road safety strategy has relied heavily on enforcement measures such as summonses, speed cameras, demerit points and harsher penalties. Yet despite these efforts, road accidents continue to claim an average of about 17 lives daily. Clearly, punishment alone has not achieved the desired results. Introducing incentives for ..

On June 13, I received Bersama's "100 Hari Reformasi" chart in my inbox. It was, to say the least, an impressive list of proposed actions. For a new political party seeking public support, such a document serves an important purpose: it tells voters what the party intends to do if entrusted with power. More importantly, Bersama has pledged to publish a report card on its first 100 days in office. That is a commendable commitment. Genuine accountability requires political parties not only to ..

Chinese votes remain the same, but their influence is changing After taking over Parti Bersama Malaysia, Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, in an exclusive interview with Sin Chew Daily, raised a question that is difficult to ignore: should the Chinese community continue to remain trapped in the political mindset that there is no alternative except the DAP? The remark has sparked differing interpretations. Some view it as a political narrative by a new party seeking Chinese support, while others see it ..

11 June passed by quietly. But somehow, my sixth sense told me it was a special day. As I searched the Internet, I found out that 11 June is the International Day of Play. Officially established by the United Nations General Assembly in March 2024, the International Day of Play is observed every year on 11 June. This year, the global theme is Protect Play, Protect Childhood. It reminds us of every childs right to rest, play, and take part in cultural and creative activities, as stated in the ..

I sat for examinations before I was old enough to vote, yet somehow my education had already become political property. That is the strange reality of growing up around the UEC debate in Malaysia. Students are discussed endlessly, analysed repeatedly, but rarely heard. Adults debate nationhood, identity, and unity as though children are abstract symbols rather than human beings trying to build a future. And somewhere in the middle of all this noise, students become collateral in a fight they ..

The beginning of the end of Trumps fetishism of gladiator The octagon on the South Lawn was a strong symbol. It was the deliberate demonstration of a political style that has always treated power as something that must be performed rather than merely exercised. On the evening Donald Trump turned 80, professional fighters contested inside a steel cage erected where the Republic once conducted its more sober ceremonies. The production was labelled UFC Freedom 250, an exercise meant to celebrate ..

I refer to the incident of a leader of a state government who arrogantly said that he would rather not be the leader if he had to sit at the same table as the DAP or Democratic Action Party. Assuming that the DAP has not contracted Covid-19 or other dangerous communicable diseases, I guess this statement is a political one. First, to not be able to sit with your opponent in a meeting is a strange thing when we remember our father of the nation, Tunku Abdul Rahman who sat with the renowned Chin ..

When care becomes quiet exclusion: Rethinking how we love our elders It was a simple piece, quietly written, its author unknown. Yet in its microscopic honesty, it held up a mirror many of us may not be ready to face. A piece that my dear friend Yusuf Ali sent, asking me to write in honour of the senior citizens. It spoke in the voice of a 70-year-old woman, Samina, who described a reality both tender and troubling, not neglect in the obvious sense, but something far more subtle. Something many ..

I refer to the incident of a leader of a state government who arrogantly said that he would rather not be the leader if he had to sit at the same table as the DAP or Democratic Action Party. Assuming that the DAP has not contracted Covid-19 or other dangerous communicable diseases, I guess this statement is a political one. First, to not be able to sit with your opponent in a meeting is a strange thing when we remember our father of the nation, Tunku Abdul Rahman who sat with the renowned Chin ..

As ruling coalition, PH cannot ignore the Rohingya question As of February 2026, according to official statistics from the UNHCR, there are 126,144 Rohingya in Malaysia. Many of us may not truly feel their presence because they do not live in our immediate surroundings or directly participate in our daily lives. However, this does not mean the Rohingya issue is unrelated to us. In fact, the impact of the Rohingya issue on national security, the allocation of public resources, and the ..

BN/Umnos smooth path in Johor, PHs future uncertain in Negri Sembilan The state elections in Johor and Negri Sembilan are expected to take place within the next 60 days, and barring any unforeseen developments, both contests will proceed as scheduled. While a royal dispute has generated headlines in Negri Sembilan, recent court rulings and the federal government's firm recognition of Tuanku Muhriz as the rightful Yang di-Pertuan Besar suggest that the constitutional situation remains under ..

In dire straits: Electrostate versus hydrocarbon hegemon Having accepted that control over energy reinforces super power status, the Contest of the Century has morphed into an intense rivalry between China as an electrostate, whilst the United States safeguards her position as the worlds hydrocarbon hegemon. China emerged as the worlds first electrostate by recognizing that electricity drives its energy, economy, education and environmental eco-systems. Despite being a major producer of coal, ..

Homeless senior citizens: A growing challenge in an ageing Malaysia Malaysia is on the threshold of becoming an aged nation. Advances in healthcare, improved living standards and better nutrition have enabled Malaysians to live longer than previous generations. While this is a positive achievement, it also presents new social challenges, one of which is the growing number of homeless and destitute senior citizens. For many Malaysians, old age is expected to be a period of rest, dignity and ..

In the floodlit cathedrals of the 2026 World Cup, where nations parade their myths and markets hawk their dreams, China is everywhere and nowhere at once. The high-performance fabrics that wick away the sweat of Brazilian forwards and German midfielders are woven on Chinese looms. The instant analytics that flash across stadium screens owe their speed to Chinese semiconductors and engineers. The referee whose decisions ripple through global betting markets may well be Chinese; the noodles and ..

100 days of the global energy crisis: Why discipline and unity are our strongest shield One hundred days into the global energy crisis, one truth is now unavoidable: this is no longer a temporary disruption to be waited out. The escalating conflict in West Asia and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have produced what the International Energy Agency calls the largest supply shock in the history of the global oil market. Malaysia must therefore make a deliberate shift from emergency ..

That Cabinet group photo may be signalling General Election is around the corner On the night of June 4, a friend in political circles forwarded me a message regarding the timing of a Cabinet meeting and arrangements for a group photograph of all Cabinet ministers before the meeting. The moment I read the message, I sensed that the possibility of an early general election had increased. Traditionally, an official Cabinet photograph is taken before Parliament is dissolved. Likewise, when a new ..

Indo-Pacific does not need another imported security crisis The Indo-Pacific does not need to be converted into the next theatre of externally managed **peace through strength**, especially when West Asia has just shown how quickly **US-designed security architecture** can produce insecurity for everyone and anyone else. We already know that Washington can produce elegant phrases about partnership. But the question is whether US-led security architecture, once embedded in a region, actually ..

Recent geopolitical trends threaten more food crises, especially in developing countries. A new IPES-Food report urges a strategy of resilient self-reliance, proposing available opportunities to improve equity, sustainability and solidarity. _The New Geopolitics of Food. Navigating policies for resilient self-reliance_argues that international food systems have been profoundly transformed by the geopolitical changes of the last four decades. Geopolitics referring to political sanctions, trade ..

Cracks in Perikatan Nasional: Who will win the next general election? Malaysian politics has always been an alliance of convenience. When PAS President Tan sri Abdul Hadi Awang publicly indicated a potential end to the party's partnership with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), it marked a potential turning point that could reshape the country's political landscape. Over the past few years, Perikatan Nasional's (PN) rapid rise was fueled by a complementary relationship: PAS secured the ..

What makes the Negeri Sembilan dispute so significant is not merely that it involves questions of custom, succession, or appointment. More importantly, it touches the foundations of institutional stability that have formed part of Malaysias state structure since before independence. The issue therefore extends beyond personalities and enters the broader realm of constitutional governance, public confidence, and the preservation of long-standing institutions. History has a tendency to repeat ..

Anyone who has been to the seaside or watched marine documentaries is probably familiar with barnacles. These marine creatures attach themselves in dense clusters to ship hulls, rocks, and even the skin of sea turtles and whales. Once a barnacle latches onto a host, it secretes an extremely powerful adhesive that is notoriously difficult to remove. It clings tightly to its host and is almost impossible to shake off. Barnacles continuously absorb nutrients from their surroundings and reproduce ..

In the marble precincts of Indias Supreme Court one May afternoon in 2026, a single phrase slipped from the bench and detonated across the subcontinent. Chief Justice Surya Kant, presiding over a hearing, observed that certain unemployed young peoplewho dont get any employment or have any place in the professionbehaved like cockroaches. They became, he said, parasites of society, turning to social media, RTI activism, and criticism of the system. A clarification followed: the remarks targeted ..

The world isnt running out of food, so why are more children going hungry? It is an uncomfortable truth: the world is producing enough food, yet more children are going hungry. This is not a crisis of supply. It is a crisis of systems and of choices. Across Asia, the warning signs are impossible to ignore. Even under the good scale of food production, the World Food Programs Global Outlook Report 2026 estimates that 318 million people now face acute hunger worldwide; 38 million children under ..

**Stop exporting plastic waste: the developed world must take back responsibility** I was angered reading recent reports on how developed nations continue to ship their plastic waste to countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Turkey. It exposes a blatant double standard: nations that preach sustainability at home are still offloading their environmental burden onto others. This is not responsible waste management; it is the deliberate export of a problem they are unwilling to confront ..

Johor polls: Turnout key to DAP's hold on marginal seats In the 2022 Johor state election, five of the 12 seats won by Pakatan Harapan (PH) were secured with majorities of less than 10%. Of these five seats, four had Malay voter populations below 40%: Bukit Batu (37.2%), Perling (39.6%), Tangkak (40.6%) and Jementah (40.8%). These urban and semi-urban constituencies, where Chinese voters form a significant proportion of the electorate, were mostly won by the Democratic Action Party (DAP), with ..

From Umno and Gerakan to DAP: Skudai's revolving-door seat The sudden and unannounced retirement of Skudai assemblywoman Marina Ibrahim from politics continues to be played up. It is a good moment to take a closer look at this state seat and its rather unusual electoral history. Since its creation in 1974 for the fourth general election, Skudai has returned candidates from Barisan Nasional's Umno and Gerakan, as well as from DAP under both the Pakatan Rakyat and Pakatan Harapan banners. What ..

As Malaysia moves towards an ageing society, discussions on road safety have renewed interest in whether senior citizens should undergo medical examinations when renewing their driving licenses. This is a sensitive subject, but one that deserves balanced consideration. Road safety must remain the priority, while policies affecting senior citizens should be implemented fairly and respectfully. The objective should not be to restrict elderly drivers solely because of age. Many senior citizens ..

Political realignment or strategic survival? Growing speculation over Bersatus possible return to PH Malaysias political landscape is once again being shaped by speculation surrounding the possibility of Bersatu re-establishing cooperation with the government led by Anwar Ibrahim. Although no official confirmation has emerged, the growing circulation of claims involving discreet meetings between key political figures has intensified discussion about whether a new political alignment is quietly ..