PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has hailed the passage of the Gig Workers Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat as a landmark reform that will shape the future of work in Malaysia. MEF president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said the Bill comes at a crucial time as the labour market undergoes rapid transformation driven by technology and new business models. The gig economy has become a vital pillar of Malaysias workforce, providing income opportunities to millions, ..

PETALING JAYA: A total of 63 foreign nationals and two Malaysians were detained in a raid by the Immigration Department at an entertainment and karaoke centre operating at the One Puchong Trade Centre, which provided foreign women as companions for its customers. The raid was conducted on Aug 26 at 9:15pm with a task force of 25 officers from the Enforcement Division. Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the foreign women were offered to customers at rates ranging from RM150 ..

PUTRAJAYA: A temporary power disruption occurred at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 today following a flashover incident involving cable termination. Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad confirmed that airport operations remained unaffected throughout the incident. Our essential power systems including backup generators activated immediately, ensuring the uninterrupted functionality of critical systems such as baggage handling, check-in counters, and flight information displays, it ..

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Armed Forces will make history at the 2025 National Day parade with their first-ever combined bagpipe performance featuring all three service branches. This unique three-minute presentation will occur before the royal box and include three traditional Malaysian songs. Lieutenant Colonel Badelisham Md Juda leads the 130-member ensemble comprising 80 bagpipers, 40 drummers, and 10 drum majors. The performance also features three female bagpipers from the Royal Malaysian ..

BUSAN: The 15th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting has provided Malaysia with a crucial platform to prepare for upcoming energy challenges while strengthening regional partnerships. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof stated that this gathering enables Malaysia to advance its energy transformation through closer collaboration with member economies. He emphasised that participation from energy experts and shared reports offered comprehensive insights into current conditions across APEC ..

SEREMBAN: The Implementation Coordination Unit of the Negeri Sembilan State Development Office has successfully lifted nearly 30% of poor households in the state out of poverty between April 7 and August 25 this year. Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said according to the states eKasih data, 2,758 heads of household categorised as poor have been removed from the list out of a total of 9,734 involved. Various opportunities have been provided, including producing new ..

MARANG: Former first-batch VAT 69 commando Che Yak @ Embong Ngah, 77, recalls the painful loss of two close friends in battles against communist insurgents thirty-five years ago. Che Yak, affectionately known as Pok Yak, began his service to the nation after joining the Police Field Force, now known as the General Operations Force, on June 8, 1968. He was selected to join VAT 69 just three months into training and deployed to Sibu, Sarawak, for his first operation against communists from the ..

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government Procurement Bill 2025 represents the initial phase of comprehensive financial administration and governance reforms according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. This legislative achievement does not signify the conclusion of the MADANI Governments broader reform agenda. Alhamdulillah. With the support of 125 votes, the Government Procurement Bill 2025 has been passed in the Dewan Rakyat today. This is not the end of our struggle for reform. The drafting of ..

KUALA LUMPUR: The Second Meeting of the Fourth Session of the 15th Parliament concluded today after passing nineteen bills and approving the motion on the 13th Malaysia Plan. Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul confirmed the approval of additional motions including the Auditor-Generals Report 2/2025 and the 2023 Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Report. The session also featured three ministerial explanations and four explanations by Special Select Committees that were formally tabled. ..

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has become the 16th country globally to enact special legislation for the gig economy sector following the passage of the Gig Workers Bill 2025. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim confirmed the bills approval by the Dewan Rakyat, positioning Malaysia at the forefront of gig worker empowerment. We are the 16th country in the world to have such legislation, which means we are at the forefront in empowering this sector, he stated during a press conference at Parliament. Sim ..

BUSAN: Malaysia engaged in productive bilateral discussions with multiple APEC economies during the 15th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof confirmed exchanges covered future cooperation across various energy sectors with several member nations. We also met with industry players from the United States and South Korea who offered their expertise and technology in nuclear, showing willingness to work together and support Malaysia, he stated. New ..

IPOH: The Department of Community Communications continues to enhance its support for state-level government agencies through structured and integrated strategic programmes. Director-general Datuk Ismail Yusop highlighted programmes like Bakti Muda Jiwa Merdeka at the Health Ministry Training Institute as satellite initiatives under the MADANI Rakyat Programme. This programme is more than just an official event; it symbolises the spirit and responsibility of ILKKM trainees as future employees ..

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat today passed the Gig Workers Bill 2025 to provide social protection for more than 1.2 million workers in Malaysias gig economy. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi described this legislation as a crucial step toward ensuring structured social security for gig workers nationwide. He said the bill reflects the MADANI governments commitment to formally recognise gig workers and protect them through structured social security, ending their ..

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court awarded RM200,000 in damages to DAP vice-chairman Teo Nie Ching after allowing her defamation suit against former journalist Datuk Yazid Othman. Judge Alice Loke Yee Ching ruled that Yazid had defamed Teo at a forum titled Buku Teks Sejarah Dimanipulasi Komunis Pula Diagungkan on 26 February 2021. The High Court judge allowed my claim and awarded damages of RM200,000, with interest of five per cent per annum on the sum of RM200,000 from the date of judgment until ..

KANGAR: The younger generation must complement academic excellence with good character to benefit religion, race and nation. Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail stated that cultivating good morals represents a crucial aspect of developing self-identity among students. He emphasised that moral development helps create quality human capital within the youth population. I hope that good moral values will continue to be nurtured through the joint efforts of parents and schools, he ..

MELAKA: Melaka has been chosen by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry to represent Malaysia at World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan from 31 August to 6 September. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh stated that Melakas participation is a strategic opportunity based on four main objectives. Melakas participation is a strategic opportunity based on four main objectives namely to showcase its economic and investment potential at the global level, attracting new investments and expanding ..

PETALING JAYA: The International Summit of Religious Leaders provides a crucial platform for global religious leaders to seek peaceful conflict resolutions and strengthen unity through Islamic values. Minister in the Prime Ministers Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Naim Mokhtar emphasised that sincere and honest dialogue remains fundamental to addressing escalating humanitarian crises worldwide. Humanity today is grappling with multiple forms of conflict, hatred, and hostility, he ..

TAWAU: The High Court here sentenced thirteen male students from Lahad Datu Vocational College to prison for murdering their seventeen-year-old peer Mohammad Nazmie Aizzat Mohd Narul Azwan last year. Judge Datuk Duncan Sikodol ordered twelve child offenders detained at the pleasure of the Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri under Section 97(2)(b) of the Child Act 2001. One young offender received a thirty-year jail term with twelve strokes of the cane for his role in the fatal incident. All teenagers ..

KUCHING: Civil servants must regard their duties as a sacred trust to the people rather than mere obligations to the government. Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg emphasised that integrity, knowledge, and sincerity are fundamental to ensuring state government plans directly benefit the rakyat. Our work is for the advancement of humanity, he stated during the launch of Sarawak Integrity Day 2025. He added that combining knowledge with integrity and sincerity brings not only monetary ..

SEREMBAN: Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament have formally requested the postponement of the Urban Renewal Bills second reading due to significant concerns raised by various stakeholders. Deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan emphasised the need for comprehensive review through thorough engagement sessions with all affected parties before proceeding with the legislation. I believe the Urban Renewal Bill, which has already been tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat, should be ..

KUALA LUMPUR: The Housing and Local Government Ministry will amend the Urban Renewal Bill, including provisions related to the consent threshold for participation in urban renewal projects. Minister Nga Kor Ming stated the amendment to Clause 19 was made to respect and accommodate the views of the Dewan Rakyat Special Select Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Communications, following a special discussion on August 21. He confirmed the consent threshold would be standardised at 80% ..

KLANG: Five men were charged in the Sessions Court here today for allegedly smuggling 19 Myanmar nationals at an apartment in Hulu Langat earlier this month. Muhammad Azalmie Ahmad Razali, 25; Muhammad Irwan Syapawi Che Hamid, 34; Mazlan Derahman, 39; Hazif Yusof, 46; and Mohamad Yusof Zulkipli, 29, nodded in acknowledgment as the charges were read before Judge Mohd Sabri Ismail. No pleas were recorded as the case falls under the High Courts jurisdiction. They, along with another individual who ..

KOTA SAMARAHAN: The HEMAT values - an acronym for Hijrah Tata Kelola (Governance Reform), Empati Rakyat (Empathy for the People), Minda Pekin (Progressive Mindset), Apresiasi Inovasi (Appreciation of Innovation), and Telus Tadbiran (Transparent Administration) - have proven effective in enhancing self-management and work performance among civil servants. Director- General of Public Service (KPPA) Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said findings from a recent survey conducted during the MADANI ..

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor has become the first in the Asia-Pacific region to use the high-tech Pothole Pro JCB machine to speed up road repairs, in support of the state governments Zero Pothole initiative. State Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communication Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said two units, costing RM1.6 million each, were acquired by contractor Safwa Global Venture (M) Sdn Bhd using technology from the United Kingdom. These machines, the first of their kind in ..

KUALA LUMPUR: The passing of the Government Procurement Bill 2025 through a bloc vote today once again demonstrated that the government commands a majority in the Dewan Rakyat. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the opposition should accept that they remain short of numbers, adding that their decision to stage a walkout after the vote was announced by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul was nothing more than an attempt to spin their defeat. We saw how, after losing the vote, ..

KOTA KINABALU : The Coroners Court here has confirmed that the inquest to investigate the cause of death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir will proceed as scheduled in September. However, the inquest, beginning on Sept 3, will be heard before a new Coroner - Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan, who replaces Azreena Aziz. Azreena, who also serves as Sabah State Court Director, announced this during todays proceedings. Azreena said she recused herself from hearing the case as she ..

KUALA LUMPUR : The release of mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, under a programme implemented by the Ministry of Health (MOH), has shown promising results in curbing dengue transmission nationwide, with preliminary data indicating case reductions of up to 100 per cent in several participating localities, the Dewan Negara was told today. Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni said that, based on six years of evaluations, 20 of the 45 release localities44.4 per cent of those that ..

KUALA LUMPUR : Malaysia aims to be listed among the 12 most competitive countries in the world by 2030, in line with the target under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), said Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong. He said the ranking is based on the World Competitiveness Ranking (WCR) published by the Institute for Management Development (IMD), which covers 330 indicators across four major areas: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and ..

KUALA LUMPUR : The High Court has ordered Dr Kamarul Zaman Yusoff to pay RM400,000 in damages to Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh, who won a defamation suit against the Universiti Utara Malaysia lecturer in May. The ruling follows Judicial Commissioner Avinder Singh Gills decision to dismiss Kamarul Zamans application to stay the damages payment, finding that no special circumstances warranted a suspension. With todays ruling, he is required to pay the damages, Hannahs lawyer, Sangeet Kaur Deo, told ..

KAJANG : A total of 626 inmates nationwide will be released on licence in conjunction with the 68th National Day celebrations, said Prisons Department deputy commissioner-general (Community) Ahmad Faudzi Awang. He said the release, to be carried out in phases, was approved by a special committee under the Commissioner-General of Prisons, with 77 inmates from the Kajang Prison Complex among those involved today. Only those who are truly eligible are given the chance to return to their families, ..

IPOH : Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has urged the Higher Education Ministry to consider increasing the intake quota for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme at UniKL Royal College of Medicine Perak (UniKL RCMP). Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said this was to support the governments aspiration to increase the number of doctors and strengthen the healthcare frontline. I hope the Higher Education Ministry ..

SANDAKAN : A middle-aged man who violated the trust placed in him as a school transport driver has been sentenced to a decade behind bars for sexually assaulting a young passenger. The Sandakan sessions court on Wednesday imposed a 10-year prison sentence on 45-year-old Abdul Rahimanshaf Abdul Rahim after he entered a guilty plea to charges of child molestation. Sessions court judge Zaini Fishir @ Fisal also ordered five strokes of rotan, mandatory psychological counseling throughout his ..

JOHOR BAHRU : A medical officer in Johor has lost RM2.6 million to a bogus online investment scheme. Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the 45-year-old victim had responded to a stock investment advertisement on social media on May 25. He clicked on a WhatsApp link and contacted the suspect, who offered an investment with an overseas company, promising returns of between five and 15 per cent. The victim was also asked to download an application on his mobile phone, supposedly to ..

PEKAN : The National Fishermens Association (NEKMAT) has expanded its aquaculture project in Badong here to include white shrimp farming this year. Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the initiative is carried out in collaboration with the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) with an investment of 3 million ringgit. We hope local residents will be given priority to work here, while also gaining skills and exposure in aquaculture, he told reporters ..

KUALA LUMPUR : Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stressed the urgent need to enact the Urban Renewal Bill 2025 to facilitate the redevelopment of rundown housing and ensure more dignified living conditions for Malaysians. It must be done. We cannot allow cities to boast structures like the Twin Towers while families continue living in rundown housing. Thats unacceptable, he said during Ministers Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today. Anwar said that the Bill provides the legal ..

KUALA LUMPUR : The government, through the Ministry of Finance (MOF), has implemented a checks-and-balances mechanism on the procurement of government projects to curb leakages, said Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying. During the question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today, Lim said the mechanism includes scheduled compliance visits, surprise visits by flying squads, and special training for officers managing procurement, among other measures. The government is committed to ..

PETALING JAYA : School bullying in Malaysia has too often ended in tragedy from the 2017 torture and death of naval cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain to last years fatal dormitory assault of a 17-year-old boy. Parliament will today confront the issue when the Select Committee on Women, Children and Community Development tables a statement expected to push the government into systemic reform. Committee chairperson Yeo Bee Yin will present recommendations drawn from weeks of hearings with ..

KUALA LUMPUR : The Government Procurement Bill 2025 will align Malaysias public procurement system with international standards through enhanced transparency and integrity principles. Tan Hong Pin stated that the bill mandates open and fair competition as the primary procurement method under Section 28. Malaysians still remember controversial projects that were awarded through direct negotiations without open process. He highlighted recurring issues documented in the Auditor-Generals Report ..

PETALING JAYA : Earthquakes in Johor are neither a passing curiosity nor a coincidence but a warning sign that Malaysia must take seriously, said a structural earthquake expert. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Engineering Seismology and Earthquake Engineering Research head Prof Dr Azlan Adnan said the recent tremors show that the country is not as sheltered from seismic forces as many believe. Three quakes in a week are not a coincidence. They are a warning sign, and if we ignore it, we do so at ..

KOTA BHARU : The Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra, presented thirty customised wheelchairs to persons with disabilities at the Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus today. His Royal Highness also awarded certificates to fifty persons with disabilities who successfully completed vocational training programmes at the university. The Crown Prince distributed contributions from the Kelantan Justice of Peace Council to two hundred and fifty additional recipients during the ..