Kuching City beat DPMM 3-1 in Saturday’s Malaysia Cup quarter-final, first-leg match at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Brunei. - Pic from Malaysian Football LeagueKUALA LUMPUR: Kuching City took a huge step towards the Malaysia Cup semi-finals after a 3-1 quarter-final first-leg win over DPMM FC at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Brunei on Saturday. The Sarawak side struck first in the 39th minute when Jerome Mpacko Etame finished clinically to stun the home crowd. DPMM hit back five minutes after the restart, but only through fortune, as James Okwuosa inadvertently turned the ball into his own net to make it 1-1. Kuching now head into the return leg in Sarawak on Feb 14 firmly in control, while DPMM face a tough task if they are to overturn the two-goal deficit and keep their Malaysia Cup hopes alive.

SUNGAI SIPUT: Mayoral elections are not a new concept in Malaysia as the country practiced local government polls before their suspension decades ago, says Nga Kor Ming. The Housing and Local Government Minister stressed that the idea of electing mayors should not be viewed as unprecedented. He pointed out that a Royal Commission led by the late Senator Janaky Athi Nahappan had previously recommended local government elections. Nga explained that the proposal for local elections has been handed to the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) for a feasibility study. She suggested that electing a mayor might be more practical than holding full local council elections for numerous members.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 7): Bilateral ties between Malaysia and India have reached a historic pinnacle, driven by renewed momentum in economic cooperation and a strong personal rapport between the two heads of government. Anwar also noted that Modi is among the first major leaders to visit Malaysia as the nation prepares for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026), marking a significant milestone in diplomatic engagements. Reflecting on the nation’s foundations, he paid tribute to the Malaysian Indian community, describing them as an “integral partner” in the country’s development. They helped build the foundation of a great Malaysian economy alongside their Malay and Chinese neighbours,” Anwar said. Modi is on a two-day official visit to Malaysia starting Saturday at Anwar’s invitation, reciprocating the Malaysian leader’s visit to India in August 2024.

Malaysia and Saudi Arabia are set to ink a defence cooperation agreement during Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin’s working visit to the kingdom, which begins today. - Pic courtesy of Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin FB pageKUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Saudi Arabia are set to ink a defence cooperation agreement during Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin's working visit to the kingdom, which begins today. Khaled said several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) involving Malaysian defence industry companies were also expected to be signed during the visit. "During this visit, I am scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud," he said in a Facebook post. He added that he would also attend the World Defence Show (WDS) 2026, which runs from Feb 8 to 12 in Riyadh.

Soh Wai Ching (right) celebrating on the podium after winning the inaugural Bangkok Vertical Run on Friday. 1 towerrunner Soh Wai Ching continued his blistering start to the 2026 season after clinching his third international victory of the year at the inaugural Bangkok Vertical Run on Friday. Wai Ching stormed to the title in the opening leg of the Bangkok Vertical Run Series at Samyan Mitrtown, clocking 4 minutes 21.7 seconds to set a course record in the event's first edition. The Bangkok Vertical Run marked the city's first-ever vertical running series and attracted around 500 participants, with competitors tackling 32 floors and 976 steps in the debut race. Wai Ching is now well placed heading into the remaining two legs of the series, scheduled for Sathorn Square Building on Feb 21 and One Bangkok Tower 4 on March 7, as he looks to extend his winning run.

PEKAN: The National Service Training Programme (PLKN) will be expanded to 20 public universities nationwide next year, said Training Department director-general Datuk Ya’cob Samiran. "The training period at universities is longer, covering one to two semesters, compared with 45 days at camps. Ya’cob said PLKN will also be expanded to 13 training camps nationwide, involving a total of 25,000 participants a year. Last January, 254 male PLKN 3.0 Series 1/2026 trainees were advised to return home due to overbooking at the Pekan camp. Ya’cob said the incident occurred when the number of participants who turned up exceeded the set capacity following last-minute confirmation of participation.

KOTA KINABALU: Forest protection operations are among the 100-day Key Performance Indicators (KPI) set by newly appointed Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup to underscore the urgency of safeguarding the country’s biodiversity. “Forest protection must deliver real impact to the people and to environmental sustainability. That is why I have made it a 100-day KPI as minister,” he said at a function to appoint community rangers on Saturday (Feb 7). He said Malaysia’s biodiversity protection efforts have earned international recognition, having won the Asia Environmental Enforcement Awards (AEEA) from the United Nations in 2021 and 2023. Meanwhile, Arthur urged newly appointed wildlife rangers to give their full commitment as frontline defenders of the nation’s forests and wildlife.

"Coconut, spices and of course teh tarik," he said, adding that flavours such as roti canai and Malabar parotta felt just as at home in Kuala Lumpur as they did in Kochi. "You connect roti canai with Malabar parotta," he added, saying shared traditions and common words across languages have helped Malaysians and Indians understand one another with ease. The Indian leader also joked about Anwar's fondness for Indian songs, recalling how videos of the Malaysian prime minister singing in Hindi during an earlier visit to India went viral, while noting his appreciation for Tamil classics. Modi highlighted the depth of that presence, noting that Malaysia is home to the world's second-largest Indian-origin community, which he described as a "living bridge" linking both societies. The exhibition that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and I saw a short while ago shows these connections beautifully.

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen competes in the men's downhill alpine skiing event during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games at the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio (Valtellina) on Saturday. - AFP PICBORMIO: Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen scorched to victory in the men's Olympic downhill in Bormio on Saturday, winning the first gold medal of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games. Reigning world champion Von Allmen hit speeds of 145km/h (90mph) to clock a winning time of 1min 51.61sec down the testing Stelvio course. "At the moment it feels like a movie," Von Allmen said. His performance ensured he became the fifth Swiss Olympic downhill champion since 1948 after Beat Feuz, Didier Defago, Pirmin Zurbriggen and Bernhard Russi.

JOHOR BARU: It took police 20 minutes to arrest a local man after committing a robbery at a goldsmith shop in a shopping complex located along Jalan Skudai near here. Johor Baru North OCPD Asst Comm Radin Ramlan Radin Taha (pic) said the police received a call on the heist which took place on Friday (Feb 6) at 5pm. “Our men from the Tampoi police station and the Johor Baru North Crime Investigation Department managed to detain the suspect the same day,’’ he said in a statement. ACP Radin Ramlan said police discovered the stolen jewellery items worth about RM158,195.20 from the 41-year-old male. “The suspect has been remanded from Feb 7 to Feb 10, to assist with the investigation,’’ said ACP Radin Ramlan.

HANNAH Yeoh was one of the less remarkable Youth and Sports Ministers that most people could remember but she has taken to her portfolio as Federal Territories (FT) Minister like a fish to water. There has been a torrent of attacks from Malay political parties and groups from the day she was named to the post. They have questioned the appointment, cast aspersions on her motives and taken to running down the initial roadmap she has laid out for Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 7): Chief Justice (CJ) Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh on Saturday lauded former Federal Court judge Tan Sri Harmindar Dhaliwal’s contribution in preventive law. Justice Harmindar was the man who reminded the executive that the ‘get out of jail card' only works in Monopoly — not in constitutional law. We are here to condemn the building — not because of want of the CPC (Criminal Procedure Code), but it should not have been there in the first place," Wan Ahmad Farid said. Wan Ahmad Farid said Harmindar emphasised that the Constitution exists to protect citizens, not to shield the state from accountability. "It is his profound understanding that law exists not for its own sake, but in service of society's broader interests," he added.

SEPANG: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived for his official two-day visit to Kuala Lumpur on Saturday (Feb 7). Modi's last visit was in November 2015 but he made a brief stopover in Malaysia in May 2018. Modi said the visit would boost the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations and enhance cooperation across sectors. Both Modi and Anwar are also expected to attend a reception event at The Mines Convention Centre on Saturday evening. In 2025, total trade between Malaysia and India reached RM79.49bil.

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail are expected to attend MCA's Chinese New Year open house here on Feb 17. The event will be held on the first day of the Lunar New Year and is open to the public. Dr Wee said such festive gatherings are an important platform to strengthen ties. Looking ahead to the Lunar New Year, Dr Wee expressed hope for a stronger economy. The MCA Chinese New Year open house is one of the mainstays on the festive calendar and draws multi-racial crowds and overseas visitors who come to soak in the atmosphere and join in the celebrations.

PETALING JAYA: An attempt by a foreign man to smuggle foreign currencies worth RM2.4mil was foiled when he was arrested by the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), following an inspection operation at the Terminal 1 arrival hall on Friday (Feb 6). “Further inspection uncovered various foreign currencies concealed in packages of new clothing,” it said in a statement on Saturday (Feb 7). AKPS added that the foreign currencies were found in three separate pieces of luggage. AKPS said the case is being investigated under Section 28 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Act 613). “AKPS KLIA reiterates its continued commitment to strengthening border security controls and combating all forms of smuggling and cross-border crime at the country’s entry points,” it said.