Malaysia has no shortage of ideas for becoming a more prosperous, technologically advanced, and globally competitive nation. We speak confidently about artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, the digital economy, renewable energy, the blue economy, and becoming a high- income nation. Every government unveils another blueprint, another master plan, or another ambitious roadmap. Yet there remains one obstacle that no economic policy alone can overcome: chauvinism. Before Malaysia can ..

Burnhams new clothes of powernever casual on the seriousness of UKs decay Andy Burnham has arrived at Downing Street in the uniform of studied informality: dark T-shirt beneath a blazer, no tie, trainers or sensible boots, the whole ensemble proclaiming Mancunian straightforwardness rather than Westminster starch. This is not the rumpled eccentricity of Boris Johnson or the studied negligence of earlier rebels against protocol. It is a deliberate aestheticbranded, in the admiring press, as ..

We have raised the ceiling; now we must raise the floor The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimates indicated that Malaysias economy grew by 5.8% in Q2 2026, from 5.4% in Q1 2026, exceeding market expectations yet again.For the first half of the year, growth stood at 5.6%, compared with 4.5% during the corresponding period last year. Commendably, these numbers were achieved despite the Strait of Hormuz disruptions, resulting in elevated energy prices, volatile capital flows and an increasingly ..

UmnoPAS cooperation: Who is using whom - and who will utimately absorb whom? The cooperation between Umno and PAS was initially confined to behind-the- scenes negotiations over seat allocations during the Johor state election. By the Negeri Sembilan state election, however, it had evolved into open collaboration, with both parties' campaign machinery and grassroots members supporting one another. The upcoming series of state elections will serve as rehearsals and strategic preparations for the ..

The endless game of race and religion in Malaysian politics A day after the Johor state election results were announced, a Facebook post caught my eye. It saddened and bothered me deeply. The post read: Melayu tolak parti yang menentang Ketuanan Melayu. Jangan lupa diri di bumi mana kamu berpihak. Loosely translated: Malays reject parties that oppose Malay supremacy or dominance. Do not forget the ground you are standing on. The message was obviously aimed at those who oppose the concept of ..

Good intentions should not extend to giving away prescription medicines Many neighborhood and community chat groups have become vibrant platforms for sharing, allowing people to give away unwanted household items rather than throwing them away. This is a commendable trend that promotes sustainability, reduces waste, and supports those in need. Increasingly, however, these digital spaces are being used to offer leftover, unused medications. Posts offering several packs of unexpired drugs are now ..

Muhyiddins revenge against Hadi backfires into an accidental lifeline for Pakatan Harapan Malay politics in the Negeri Sembilan state election is undergoing a further reshuffle. The alignment of ruling and opposition Malay political parties has shifted due to political interests, returning to a scenario reminiscent of the post-2018 general election. Eight years ago, Pakatan Harapan (PH) overthrew the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to seize power for the first time. Under pressure, Umno ..

The Human Tissues Act, passed in 1974, can be considered a forward-looking piece of legislation for its time. In that era, organ transplant was a developing medical technology, and the number of transplant surgeries that could be performed domestically was countable on one's fingers. The primary objective of the act was to regulate the procurement and use of human tissues. More than 50 years have passed, and medical technology has long since stepped into a completely new era. Today, liver, ..

From Tanjung Aru to the world: How Sabah can pilot global climate action KOTA KINABALU: Sitting by Tanjung Aru beach and watching one of the most stunning sunsets in the world, I reflected on what it would take to truly prioritise the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We have just concluded an intense three days with 170 local and global organisationsincluding WWF, alongside numerous non-governmental civil societies, businesses, investors, and policymakers. Our focus was singular: how to ..

Is Bersatu the lifesaver for Pakatan Harapan in Negeri Sembilan? The collaboration between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN)excluding Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in the Negeri Sembilan state election serves as a test. It aims to see whether a closer partnership between the two can yield electoral gains, and if this relationship can be sustained post-election to extend into other state polls or even the next General Election. In the recently concluded Johor election, ..

In a Facebook post a couple of nights ago, MCA Youth Secretary-General Saw Yee Fung shared a telling revelation. She noted that while campaigning during the recent Johor state election, she repeatedly assured voters that Barisan Nasional (BN) was not cooperating with PAS. However, according to Saw, cooperation between BN and PAS now appears all but certain for the upcoming Negeri Sembilan state election on August 1. I find it particularly interesting that she specifically named "BN" and not ..

Umno outsources Negeri Sembilan to PAS Pakatan Harapan is in danger If anyone assumes that after the Johor state election, Umno will simply replicate its winning formula in Negeri Sembilan, they are sorely mistaken. In Johor, Barisan Nasional (BN) played a high-stakes game. They contested all 56 seats, aiming to seize state power with a commanding majority. In the end, they achieved their goal, securing 48 seats to govern single-handedly. In Negeri Sembilan, however, BN (with Umno pulling the ..

The perpetually ignored: The human cost of digital rush Digitisation has quietly created a new class of Malaysians. They do not belong to the B40, M40, or T20. They are the demographic I call the perpetually ignoredour senior citizens who are being systematically erased from daily life simply because the world now lives inside an app. Back when technology was framed as Information and Communications Technology (ICT), it was about copper wires, bulky cables, and dial-up modems. The internet ..

The United States marked the 250th anniversary of its founding in 2026 with the customary pageantry of parades, fireworks, and oratory. Yet the festivities served less as celebration than as revelation. They exposed a nation whose fissures, long visible, have hardened into something closer to irreversible decay. The republic that Abraham Lincoln described in 1858 as a house divided against itself has not healed. It has merely learned to live with its divisions, and to make them the organising ..

A seventh knife added above the Editor-in-Chiefs head When I first entered journalism, I truly believed that journalists were the "uncrowned kings," enjoying full press freedom. However, over a career spanning more than 40 yearsas the weight on my shoulders grew heavier and I weathered many unpredictable, uncontrollable crisesI came to realise that the media landscape has always been fraught with hidden and unpredictable risks. I often say that there are six knives permanently hanging over an ..

Johor polls: Chinese voter swing sends wake-up call to Pakatan Harapan By 8.10pm, celebrations were already underway at the Barisan Nasional (BN) operations centre in Johor Bahru as unofficial results pointed to a landslide victory. BN had not only secured a two-thirds majority but also won more seats than it did in the previous state election The final result saw BN winning 48 seats, exceeding the 40 seats it captured previously. In contrast, the atmosphere at Pakatan Harapan (PH) operations ..

If Bersama aims to lead the Reformasi movement tomorrow, why weaken it today? Every new political movement has the right to dream big. If Parti Bersama Malaysia believes it can become the leading reformist force in Malaysia, there is nothing wrong with that ambition. Political renewal is both healthy and necessary in a democracy. But ambition alone does not answer the most important strategic question. If Bersama hopes to lead the Reformasi movement tomorrow, why weaken the Reformasi movement ..

Malaysia has invested heavily in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to produce technicians, electricians, machinists, programmers and other skilled workers needed by industry. This effort should be strengthened. However, not every young Malaysian is naturally inclined towards technical occupations. Many possess different strengths communication, relationship-building, customer engagement, negotiation and entrepreneurship. These talents are equally valuable in today's ..

A new spectre is haunting Europe the spectre of heatwaves that embodied political extremism. The summer sun, once a symbol of leisure and vitality across Europe, has taken on a harsher, more punishing character. Heatwaves strike with an intensity that claims human lives, strains agriculture, and public health systems alike. From parched riverbeds in France to record- breaking temperatures in Germany and Italy, Europe finds itself grappling with a deadly climate reality that is no longer distant ..

Campaign strategies spark growing divide between Malays and Chinese Johor has always been considered the most harmonious state in Peninsular Malaysia. However, in this state election, ethnic relations in Johor no longer seem as harmonious as before. Umno wants to sweep the Malay votes in one go, while the DAP wants to retain its core Chinese base. Coupled with PAS and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad fanning the flames from the sidelines, the Malays and Chinese are gradually gravitating toward their ..

Tun Dr Mahathirs new nation-building message: "Melayu should vote Melayu" After failing to form a Payung Melayu (Malay Umbrella), a Rumah Melayu (Malay House), or even a Pondok Melayu (Malay Hut), Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has resorted to a simpler message: Malays should vote for any Malay candidate, regardless of their party. Dr Mahathirs logic is painfully simple. He argues that Malaysia can only move forward if political stability is achieved, and that this stability must come from a united ..

I have a group of female friends who pack their bags and head straight for Thailand the moment a holiday rolls around. Most people assume they go for the food, the massages, or the night markets. But those who know them well know the real highlight of the trip is shopping. Every time we head back, the many pieces of packed luggage reflect that the trip is well worth it. Thailand has become a shopping paradise for many Malaysians, not just because of the attractive prices, but more importantly, ..

Malaysias deadly bridges: when shelter turns fatal The recent crash on the Maju Expressway (MEX)where a driver in heavy rain rammed into a motorcyclist seeking shelter under a bridgewas not an anomaly. It was the predictable outcome of a system that has long ignored a known and deadly risk. In Malaysia, heavy rain is not rare; it is routine, intense, and often blinding. For motorcyclists, who form a large share of the commuting workforce, these conditions are not just inconvenientthey are ..

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 ..