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MUAR: Two small explosions were detected during operations to extinguish a peatland fire at a plantation here. “Entering the eighth day of operations, a small explosion was detected in Sector D of the area. “Therefore, for the safety of personnel and the public, Sector D has been completely closed,” he said. “Firefighting operations are still ongoing in Sector A, while Sector D has been closed ­following a second explosion,” it said in a statement yesterday. On Jan 31, a peatland fire reportedly destroyed nearly 5,000 pineapple plants belonging to a farmer in Kampung Parit Haji Abd Aziz, Sungai Balang Besar, here.

Hamzah and four party division leaders have also been summoned to a disciplinary board hearing this Thursday. This was stated in a notice to Hamzah, who is Opposition Leader and Larut MP, and signed by the party’s disciplinary board chairman Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan. “This statement has tarnished the image of the party president and the party as a whole,” it said. Last October, Hamzah was summoned by the disciplinary board for the first time for “allegedly conspiring to disrupt the general assembly”. Kota Melaka division chief Datuk Hishamuddin Abdul Karim called for tough action against alleged party traitors, while Kuala Selangor chief Datuk Harisson Hassan urged a thorough, transparent and independent probe on Hamzah.

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae following her Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) decisive victory in the country’s general election. In a Facebook post on Monday (Jan 9), Anwar said the strong mandate reflected public confidence in Takaichi’s vision for Japan’s economic renewal and her ability to inspire a new generation of voters. He noted that Takaichi had visited Malaysia in October last year for the Asean-led summits, just days after assuming office. Referring to Takaichi’s pledge to “work, work, work, work and work” for Japan, Anwar said he looked forward to working just as closely with her to strengthen bilateral ties further. “I look forward to working just as intensely with Prime Minister Takaichi to take the Malaysia-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to the next level,” he said.

PETALING JAYA: A furniture factory in Sea Park here was razed, sending thick smoke over the area and attracting the attention of residents in nearby areas. Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant operations director Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar said no casualties were reported. “The fire happened at a furniture factory measuring an estimated ​​30sqm by 15sqm,” he said in a statement yesterday. He said 34 firefighters were involved in the operation, with help from the Petaling Jaya, Jalan Penchala, Puchong and Taman Tun Dr Ismail fire stations. A Bernama observation found that the thick black smoke could be seen from afar, while the public was prevented from getting too close to two nearby petrol stations.

PETALING JAYA: Men’s singles shuttler Cheam June Wei’s bid to end his seven-year wait for a title in the Azerbaijan International was cruelly cut short by injury. It was an unfortunate end for the independent player, who was hoping to win his first title since capturing the 2019 Malaysian International. I tried to fix it during the warm up but it still didn’t get better,” lamented June Wei. The 29-year-old has been struggling for form for over a year and has seen his world rankings plummet to No. “I plan to continue to play but I’m looking for sponsors currently,” said June Wei.

Many people online have been speculating about trees suddenly “exploding,” especially recently, as the United States faced a massive winter storm. Verdict:FalseWhat people often describe as “exploding trees” is actually a loud popping or cracking sound, which many mistake for an explosion. Here’s how it works: During a sudden cold snap, the sap and water inside a tree’s trunk freeze and expand. If you’re worried about exploding trees while travelling to colder countries, there’s no need to panic. And no, if you stay in a wooden house in cold weather, it will not “explode.” There’s no living sap or water left in the construction lumber to expand and cause such a crack.

JOHOR BARU: A cleaner was injured after being hit by a car when she allegedly darted across the road. Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat said police detected a viral video on Facebook at about 11.50am on Sunday (Feb 8). “The female driver, who works as a manager, was travelling from Taman Sentosa towards Taman Gaya,” he said in a statement. “The case is being investigated under Rule 41 LN166/59 for pedestrian negligence while crossing the road,” he said. “I urge members of the public who witnessed the incident to come forward to the Johor Baru South traffic police station to assist in the investigation, or contact the investigating officer, Sergeant Norijan Sharkawi, at 013-2623176,” he said.

PUTRAJAYA: The government has barred the construction and operation of all houses of worship built without official approval, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar said local councils now have the prerogative to remove any illegal houses of worship. Anwar said he expected his remarks to spark controversy but stressed that Malaysia is a country governed by the rule of law. Anwar said that even in India and China, the authorities do not allow illegal houses of worship or temples to be built at unapproved locations. On Sunday (Feb 8), two men were detained following a rally against the construction of illegal temples.

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit opened nearly unchanged against the US dollar on Monday, as mixed global sentiment capped gains while investors assessed political developments and major currency moves. At 8 am, the ringgit traded almost flat at 3.9430/9560 against the greenback, compared with last Friday’s close of 3.9440/9525. "We foresee emerging market currencies, including the ringgit, remaining on a positive note amid an improvement in market uncertainty,” he told Bernama. At the opening, the ringgit traded mostly lower against a basket of major currencies. It strengthened against the Japanese yen to 2.5075/5161 from 2.5111/5167 at last Friday’s close, but weakened versus the British pound to 5.3664/3841 from 5.3548/3663 and slipped against the euro to 4.6630/6784 from 4.6508/6608 previously.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malakoff Corporation Bhd, Malaysia’s largest Independent Power Producers (IPPs), has secured operational extensions for three gas-fired power plants. Following notification from the Energy Commission, the selected plants will continue operating until Dec 31, 2029, ensuring uninterrupted contribution to the national grid. Together, these assets form a long-established generation base that has consistently supported electricity supply in Peninsular Malaysia over the years. “These power plants have supported the national grid with a consistent performance record over many years. Extending their operations allows proven gas-fired facilities to continue contributing reliable and flexible capacity, particularly during periods of strong demand.

SUBANG JAYA: While frozen food items have been added to the list of eligible purchases under the second round of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programme, fresh produce has yet to be included in the scheme. However, fresh produce such as fish, chicken and vegetables remains excluded, despite earlier reports indicating that these items would be included under the Sara distribution from mid-February. Last month, it was reported that the list of essential items under Sara would be updated by mid-February and would likely include fresh produce. Political secretary to the Finance Minister Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim said there have been requests to include more items in the list, including fresh produce such as fish, chicken and other essentials. Meanwhile, a hypermarket spokesperson said items that require weighing at the point of sale have yet to be included under the Sara aid mechanism.

A prominent Indonesian comedian who became the first from his country to air a special on Netflix was summoned by police on Friday over what they called public complaints about the material he used in his stand-up act. Pandji Pragiwaksono's show appeared on Netflix on Dec 27 and included satirical comments on Indonesian politics and democracy, including the 2024 election. Pragiwaksono also criticised Indonesia's two largest Muslim organisations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, for receiving a mining concession from the government when Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, was still president. Some have accused the comedian of insulting religious entities and state institutions, while democracy activists have defended him. Two of the five police reports were filed by members of the youth wings of Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, complaining that the comedian had committed blasphemy and defamed their organisations.

And men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are already feeling the benefits as they look ahead to the challenge in Birmingham, where they will bid to reclaim the All-England title once again. Wooi Yik personally sees this as a positive development, further boosted by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) opening their doors to professional players such as Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani to train together at the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara. We have many young players with great potential and this helps us maintain our level of play. It is not just about our own efforts,” said Wooi Yik. “We are experienced players and we need to maintain that level every time we step out to compete,” added Wooi Yik.

PETALING JAYA: Drawing from past experience, the government has implemented several improvements to increase the convenience and flexibility of purchases as the RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) for All is rolled out on Monday (Feb 9). “Based on the responses received, the Madani government agreed to expand the Sara product category to include frozen food. The inclusion of the frozen food category also increases the number of products eligible to be purchased using Sara credit to 140,000 types of products,” the ministry said on Monday (Feb 9). The ministry also said households can receive multiple forms of assistance, depending on the number of eligible adult members. The public can check their credit status and find frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Sara for All on the official Sara portal at https://sara.gov.my.