AT every global summit, in every climate negotiation and across countless community dialogues, one sentiment quietly threatens to derail the pursuit of a sustainable planet distrust. It lurks behind the polished statements of world leaders and beneath the grassroots frustrations of marginalised communities. Distrust between nations. Distrust within nations. Distrust between governments and citizens. Unless this widening trust deficit is addressed, our ambition for a fairer, gree

THE assassination of Charlie Kirk has dominated not only the news in the US but also the news around the world. Foreign governments and international organisations that have been focusing on President Donald Trumps tariff policy and other foreign initiatives affecting global politics and economics now need to include into their calculus what appears to be a new element: deciphering the internal dynamics shaping American politics and society, and influencing US relations with the rest of the ..

THE nation has been shaken by the recent tragic deaths and a notable increase in serious bullying incidents in our schools. This troubling trend has exposed a deeper crisis within our educational system. We must fundamentally shift our focus from a reactive cycle of blame to a proactive, collective approach, one that recognises bullying as a shared responsibility across our community. We commend the authorities for their proactive and commendable decision to engage with the public. By hosting ..

NATIONS , like people, grow awkwardly but that is still growth. Some days it is obvious: a new MRT line, a policy that finally makes sense or a younger leader speaking with quiet wisdom. Other days, it is clumsy and contradictory. We move forward, then stumble back. We say all the right words, then forget how to listen. We rise in unity or in protest but rise all the same. And maybe that is the point: nationhood is not a product; it is a process. I have lived long enough to see the ..

A TOTAL of RM277 billion gone in six years? That is what Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission Chief Tan Sri Azam Baki has revealed. This figure encompasses not just outright corruption but also systemic issues like collusion in procurement, wasteful practices and governance gaps, averaging about RM46 billion annually. This is indeed a national tragedy. It is Malaysias future squandered by corruption and negligence. Every ringgit lost is a betrayal of trust. We cannot stand by while our nations ..

MALAYSIA Day. That one date on the calendar Sept 16 that half the rakyat still confuse with Merdeka. Eh, bukan kita dah celebrate on Aug 31 meh ? Cue the awkward silence, followed by some patriotic uncle at the kopitiam smacking his newspaper on the table, ready to give a full history lecture. Lets clarify before somebody kena cubitan manja : Aug 31, 1957 was Merdeka Day when Malaya declared independence from the British. Sept 16, 1963 was Malaysia Day when Sabah, Sarawak and briefly ..

CONSIDERING the challenging times we live in, a superstitious person would have probably suggested numbering the coming Malaysia Plan as 12a, just to avoid attracting bad luck. Jokes aside, the recently introduced 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) offers all the right solutions for the country as we navigate through these choppy waters. In identifying the plans key objectives, choosing the word resilience is an apt one. It implies sustainability for any state that can be economically agile, able to ..

EVERY August and extending on to Sept 16, we typically pause to ask: What does Merdeka truly mean? Beyond the colourful displays, it is not merely an anniversary marked on calendars; it is a personal story one of sacrifice, struggle and determination passed down by generations. Merdeka is a living testament to the resilience of the human spirit. For many Malaysians, that story began in humble villages where life was simple, yet demanding. Parents worked the fields or small trades, stretching ..

MALAYSIA has long been labelled the fattest nation in Asia. The share of overweight and obese adults rose from 44.5% in 2011 to 54.4% in 2023, an almost 10% jump in a decade. The 2023 National Health Screening Initiative recorded a similar figure, with 53.5% of Malaysians screened as overweight or obese. The crisis is not confined to adults; it has been found that childhood obesity doubled over 26 years while Malaysia now has the second-highest child obesity rate in Asean, with 7.1% of children ..

THIS week, the news has been a relentless drumbeat of unrest. In Gaza, bombs are once again raining down, reducing homes to rubble and leaving lives tattered and torn. In Nepal, thousands flood the streets in defiance of political elites. In Indonesia, demonstrations swell as citizens demand accountability from their leaders. Every headline is a reminder that peace is fragile and that anger when left to boil always finds its way onto the streets. And then, I look around at home, Malaysia is ..

THE recent announcement that Malaysia could introduce nuclear power within the next decade has triggered a wave of discussion. Some see nuclear energy as a bold step forward in diversifying our energy mix while others fear that it is a costly gamble with consequences that could last for generations. The truth is that this issue cannot be reduced to slogans about clean energy or future security. It demands a sober, honest and transparent national conversation that goes beyond promises to examine ..

Q: My wife and I are more than willing to take care of my ageing father but he has always been a proud man, and we dont want to diminish his sense of dignity. How do we support him without making him feel like he is becoming a burden or losing his purpose? Focus on the Family Malaysia: Research shows that most older people measure their worth by how well they meet three goals: 1) dependability; 2) ability to maintain close family ties; and 3) self- sufficiency. Ageing parents often dont want to ..

AT my grandfathers care home in Penang, the staff work tirelessly to care for dozens of elderly residents. Yet, one incident remains etched in my memory: an elderly woman, frail but full of life, collapsed alone in her room. No one noticed for hours. When help arrived, it was too late. Stories like these are not uncommon in Malaysias ageing care homes, where small warning signs often go undetected until they escalate into emergencies. This is not just a personal tragedy; it is a national ..

SCHOOL bullying in Malaysia is no longer a fringe issue, nor should it be dismissed as typical adolescent mischief. It has evolved into a troubling societal phenomenon that demands urgent attention. Behind the pursuit of academic success and school prestige lies a harrowing truth that many of our students, especially in secondary and boarding schools, are quietly enduring various forms of abuse. In a post-pandemic era marked by mental health fragility and the pervasive grip of social media, ..

EVERY Sept 16, Malaysia Day comes around to remind us of an important moment in our history the day Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya came together to form Malaysia. For me, Malaysia Day is not just about remembering the past; it is also about thinking of the future. As a Malaysian, my biggest hope is to see East and West Malaysia more connected, not only through roads, bridges or flights, but also in the way we work together, care for one another and celebrate our differences as one family. Whenever ..

THE government needs to address the longstanding, severe traffic congestion in Kuala Lumpur. The most important step: adding more public buses and improving their quality of service. People prefer to use their cars over buses due to lack of confidence in the public bus system. However, if they see more buses on the road and experience a more efficient service, they will feel more confident in using these buses as their main mode of transport. The next step is for the local councils to gradually ..

WE often assume moods are personal, something we can carry quietly without affecting anyone else. In reality, they rarely stay inside. A bad mood can shift the air in a room just as a raised voice does. A tense silence, an abrupt response or the refusal to engage altogether can shape the atmosphere for everyone present. Neuroscience explains this through emotional contagion. We are equipped with mirror neurons that make us highly sensitive to one anothers states. Irritation, impatience or quiet ..

THERE is a widespread but fallacious perception that Indias tariffs are inordinately high. There are subjective factors when it comes to a country, like livability, public courtesy or even how foreigners are welcomed. But tariffs are quantifiable and there should really be no place for subjectivity. Let us consider the facts in the case. But before we do that, however, it may be useful for the average reader to know what function tariffs perform in a low-income developing country like India, as ..

KG RATAU could have remained just another remote Dusun village in Ranau, where villagers endured a 36km trek through forests and mountains to reach town. But in the late 1940s or early 1950s, Kg Ratau achieved what many neighbouring villages did not; it became a hub for formal education and the spread of Islam. Kg Ratau and SK Ratau played a vital role in opening the door to formal education for the Dusun community in Ranau, nurturing generations of leaders and producing notable national ..

AS the calendar blooms anew, we take great joy in celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and other personal milestones. With Malaysia Day just around the corner, we find equal delight in honouring and commemorating the anniversary of our nations birth. As Malaysians, our love, loyalty and reverence for this nation run deep in our hearts. Malaysia reminds us of the sacrifices made by our forefathers, the blessings we enjoy today and the hope we carry forward together. As someone who values ..

ALL religions have symbols to depict their faith. In Buddhism, it is the wheel, symbolising eternity. It reminds us to focus on the present moment as each passing moment is lifted into eternity by the flow of time. By focusing fully on the present moment, we can rise above the constraints of time and experience a sense of unity with the divine. The goal is to live fully in the present. In Hinduism, aum pronounced om represents past, present and future woven together as one. It is a sacred ..

IN a rural village in Sabah this June, I asked a group of children ages nine to 12 to write their names on a form. What should have been a simple task revealed something heartbreaking. Some children hesitated, their hands trembling as they tried to spell. Nine-year-old Maxuan paused over every letter before smiling proudly when he finished. A few others could not even recall or write their birthdays. That moment was more than a classroom exercise; it was a reminder that literacy, something ..

AS United States President Donald Trump seethed over not being invited to join the galaxy of world leaders attending Chinas celebration of victory over Japanese militarism and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Western media reacted sharply. Outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian and Sky News went to town, describing the event as a parade of autocrats and an autocrats alliance, in an effort to denigrate the gathering by drawing attention to the attendance of leaders from ..

SO heres the situation: Malaysia is getting older and its not just your knees, but the whole country. According to statistics, we are sliding rapidly into an ageing nation status. By 2030, 15% of Malaysians will be aged 60 and above. That will be a lot of atuks, neneks, makciks and uncles trying to survive not just creaky joints, but also a system that is still acting like ageing is a personal inconvenience instead of a national priority. Hello, whats the plan? You cannot just say we respect ..

A RECENT case in Malaysia highlights a troubling trend in modern healthcare. Some patients are beginning to place more trust in artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT than in medical professionals. In this incident, a patient visited a clinic demanding specific antibiotics and injections, insisting on the exact treatment suggested by ChatGPT. He even refused to pay the consultation fee, claiming he already knew what he needed. But medicine is never that straightforward. Safe and ..

THE smoke over Gaza, the frozen trenches in Ukraine, the simmering tensions fracturing democracies these are not isolated tragedies; they are symptoms of a deep and increasingly virulent disease: racism. It now rivals climate change as a global threat, a chilling recognition of reality. Climate change imperils our physical world. Racism, unchecked, can destroy the very fabric of human cooperation necessary to save it. It is the ultimate self-sabotage, a poison in the well of collective ..

AS the echoes of fireworks and patriotic songs from our recent Merdeka celebrations fade into memory, we Malaysians turn our gaze towards Malaysia Day on Sept 16. It is a time when the red, white, yellow and blue of our Jalur Gemilang flutter proudly in the breeze, reminding us of the federation that binds our diverse archipelago together. But beyond the public holidays we cherish the extra days off for holidays, family barbecues, shopping sprees or simply lounging at home what do we, as ..

THERE is something wonderfully ridiculous about paying good money to be terrified. We avoid fear in real life checking the back seats of our cars, pretending we did not hear that creak upstairs but the moment a horror movie hits the big screen, there we are, willingly lining up, popcorn in hand, ready to scream. Honestly, it makes no sense. And yet, I cant stop. I have been hooked on horror for years, though hooked may be the wrong word since I spend half the time with my fingers over my eyes, ..

TOO many adults carry a secret they never asked to hold. They were touched, molested or assaulted as children. Some have buried it so deep they barely think of it; others live with the shame every single day. What they share is silence a silence that protects the perpetrator, never the child. This is a raw and difficult subject but it is one we must talk about. Because as long as it remains hidden, the damage multiplies. Hidden realities When people think of sexual assault, they often picture ..

REFLECTING on Malaysias 68-year journey of nation-building fills me with both joy and sadness. Our country is a living laboratory of pluralism multiracial, multireligious and multilingual a near-perfect mosaic. Malaysias greatest test has always been its greatest gift: our stunning diversity. We are a nation of many faiths, languages and traditions. Yet, this richness has not always protected us from the poisons of division political polarisation, racial suspicion and economic inequality. To ..

Q: I am a busy working man. I know I should be spending more time with my family, and I really want to. But I am stumped as to how I can fit it all in; I have no room for anything else. What can I do? Focus on the Family Malaysia: There is a hard truth that we sometimes have to face: we can always make time for whatever is most important to us. Once you decide what comes first, it is easier to make adjustments. One way to make more family time may be to rearrange your daily schedule. If you go ..

YOU scroll through TikTok for what feels like only five minutes. Suddenly, there is a scarf, a phone case and a Korean skincare product in your cart and before you know it, you have paid. These are items you never even considered before but a 30-second video convinced you otherwise. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. A 2024 Universiti Malaya study of 224 Malaysian TikTok users found that 61.2% admitted to buying something immediately after watching a short video. This is the new ..

IN the not-so-distant past, the term conference would summon images of fluorescent-lit ballrooms, with stiff chairs and a parade of PowerPoint presentations. However, that image is quickly being replaced by something more flexible, immersive and forward-thinking. Now, the world, including Malaysia, is witnessing a transformation in how conferences and meetings are conceptualised and conducted, where modern and sophisticated spaces are dedicated to events. Welcome to the new evolution of ..

SOCIAL and Economic Research Initiative (Seri) welcomes the Madani governments continued commitment to relieve cost-of-living pressures through Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara). In 2025, Sara broadened access to essential goods nationwide via MyKad, expanded eligible item categories, and raised targeted support for poor and hardcore poor households up to RM2,100 annually while also extending coverage to Sabah and Sarawak. However, Seri emphasises that good intentions must be matched by resilient ..

WHEN the floodwaters reached the roofs of kampung houses in Kuala Krai, no one needed a scientific report to know the climate crisis had arrived. As the global climate emergency deepens, nations are being called to act not just responsibly but also decisively. Malaysia, with its relatively low unemployment rate of 3.3% as of early 2025, is well-positioned to lead but must now choose between business-as-usual and bold transformation. The mounting frequency of floods, heatwaves and ecological ..

AS world leaders, including Malaysias Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, converged in Tientsin recently for what non-Western media are describing as an unprecedented, pivotal and potentially transformative meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), their counterparts in the Western world have responded with slanted and partisan reporting. This arises in part from their long-held mantra that the SCO is a club of autocratic countries whose development and even legitimacy need ..

THERE is a narrative going around that Gen Z entered the workforce at the worst possible time. A pandemic disrupted their education. A recession tightened job markets. And now, just as they are trying to find their footing, artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of every industry. But what if we have got the story backwards? Instead of thinking Gen Z missed the boat, maybe we should ask whether the old boat was ever going to get them where they wanted to go in the first place. Maybe ..

MALAYSIAS fight against tobacco is entering a troubling new phase. While the country has made commendable progress in reducing cigarette smoking among teenagers, a new and insidious trend has emerged vaping. Marketed as a safer alternative to cigarettes, vaping is gaining popularity among adolescents, threatening to undermine national public health goals under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP). Medical professionals warn that vaping is far from harmless. Nicotine exposure during adolescence can ..

LETS talk about a modern Malaysian tragedy no, not the potholes or the price of kopi ais, though those are scandalous too. I am talking about food wastage. You know, that beautiful spread of lauk at a kenduri or buffet lines longer than a queue for free iPhones, and three hours later, plates are abandoned like they were cursed nasi untouched, ayam rendang poked and discarded, half a spring roll bitten and dumped like a bad Tinder date. Why? You wanted everything on your plate until suddenly ..

THE customer is always right. We have all heard this phrase countless times in business contexts, often accompanied by eye rolls from service staff who have dealt with demanding patrons. But what if we have been misunderstanding this principle all along? Some years ago, I had an epiphany that transformed how I view customer service. The word right in this context does not mean the opposite of wrong; it means something far more profound and actionable. In many contexts, right signifies ..