KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): Northport (M) Bhd, a member of MMC Group, recorded a milestone year in 2025, reaching all-time highs across its cargo operations. The Port Klang-based operator announced on Wednesday that its annual container throughput reached 3.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), surpassing the previous record of 3.67 million TEUs set in 2024. The record performance extended to conventional cargo, where throughput hit a historic high of 12.9 million freight weight tonnes (FWT), beating the 12.69 million FWT handled in 2024. Northport is fully owned by MMC Port Holdings Bhd, which had secured regulatory approval in September last year to list on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia. MMC Port has not officially commented on the report.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): A White Paper on the National Ageing Blueprint (NAB) 2025-2045 will be tabled in Parliament this year to ensure the country is prepared to face the aged nation status by 2048. Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the White Paper aims to coordinate strategic adaptations at the federal, ministerial and state government levels, as well as to secure support from all stakeholders. He said the NAB outlines five key strategic thrusts, namely macroeconomics and fiscal policy, education, skills and workforce, lifelong health, social protection and long-term care. "The primary focus of the NAB has also been translated into specific strategies and initiatives under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to prepare the country for the challenges of an ageing population. He said engagement sessions with state governments were held during the drafting of the NAB to ensure understanding of national readiness and to strengthen grassroots-level preparations.

In a video circulating on social media, a motorcyclist was seen injured after a burger stall being transported by a lorry fell onto him and a car beside him at an intersection. ACP Abdul Malek said the victim received treatment at Taiping Hospital. "The lorry, driven by a 30-year-old man, was transporting the burger stall from Taiping towards Kamunting. "He then lost control of the vehicle, causing the stall to fall onto the motorcyclist and a car driven by a 34-year-old woman," he said in a statement on Tuesday (Jan 27). ACP Abdul Malek said the lorry driver had also turned into a one-way street during the incident.

(Jan 28): SK Hynix Inc reported its strongest quarterly results to date, underscoring the depth of an artificial intelligence wave that’s triggered an unprecedented surge in memory demand. Operating profit more than doubled to 19.2 trillion won (RM53 billion) in the December quarter, beating the 16.7 trillion won average of analysts' estimates. Revenue climbed to 32.8 trillion won. Shares in SK Hynix, the leading supplier of high-bandwidth memory or HBM for Nvidia Corp’s AI accelerators, have roughly tripled since the start of September. The resulting supply shortfall in both DRAM and NAND is handing manufacturers like SK Hynix immense pricing power.

JOHOR BAHRU: Two men suffered burns to their faces and bodies in an explosion involving an air conditioning unit in a container at Tanjung Puteri Resort, Pasir Gudang, on Tuesday evening (Jan 27). The Johor Fire and Rescue Department Operations Centre said it received a distress call at 4.51pm, and firefighters from the Pasir Gudang Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) were dispatched to the scene, arriving about 11 minutes later. Upon arrival, the team found that an explosion involving the container's air conditioning unit had occurred, and the fire had been extinguished with a dry powder fire extinguisher, it said. The two victims were then taken to the Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) for further treatment.

Carney said Monday the quarterly GST credit sent to low and middle-income households will rise by 25% for a five-year period starting this year. An eligible family of four may receive about C$800 more in relief this year, while a single person could see roughly C$400, Carney said. “Canadians need a boost today and a bridge to tomorrow,” Carney said, arguing affordability remains his government’s central priority. Carney noted that Canada, the United States and Mexico are preparing for a formal review of the North American free trade pact. With about 70% of Canadian exports flowing to the United States, Carney said his government has responded by accelerating efforts to build domestic capacity and diversify trade ties.

(Jan 28): Vietnam and the European Union are expected to announce a comprehensive strategic partnership as European Council president Antonio Costa begins his official visit to the Southeast Asian nation on Thursday. An upgrade in relations between the EU and Vietnam to a comprehensive strategic partnership would “send a powerful signal in an unsettled world — that the EU and Vietnam are choosing long-term cooperation over short-term hedging,” Costa said in an editorial. “The geopolitical situation is quite critical,” Julien Guerrier, EU ambassador to Vietnam, told reporters in Hanoi on Monday. Vietnam and the EU have also established a Defence and Security Dialogue mechanism. Closer diplomatic ties “would provide a stronger platform to deepen cooperation in areas that matter most: green energy, advanced technologies, skills and security,” Costa wrote.

PUTRAJAYA: The Transport Ministry is maintaining its target to commence operations of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) in January 2027. Minister Anthony Loke said that before system testing and inspections begin, the ministry views operational readiness, not just track construction, as the most critical factor in rail projects before services can start. "Rail systems are not just about the tracks. Loke said that system integration testing is the most demanding phase of rail projects, as it ensures all components function reliably and in sync before full operations begin. According to earlier reports, the ECRL project, which spans Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor, had achieved 89% overall completion as of October 2025.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stressed that ministries and government-linked investment companies (GLICs) emphasise evaluating the effectiveness of high-impact initiatives under the Bumiputera Economic Transformation Plan 2035 (PuTERA35). Chairing the first Bumiputera Economic Council (MEB) meeting of 2026 on Wednesday, he said that ministries and GLICs must also ensure that the implementation of planned initiatives does not overlap and is complementary. He said that in-depth, continuous analysis is crucial to avoid becoming complacent, such as merely listing initiatives that have been carried out, without assessing their actual impact and the areas for improvement that should be explored. He added that the MEB has comprehensively reviewed the progress of implementation and the high-impact initiatives under PuTERA35. “The meeting also took note of the current progress in the implementation of various initiatives by GLICs in supporting the Bumiputera economic empowerment agenda, particularly in the areas of property development, entrepreneurship, talent development, and social initiatives.

CIMB Niaga Syariah is slated to operate as a standalone business from May 2026, the people said. A potential IPO would likely come only after it builds a track record as a separate entity, including audited financials, one of them added. CIMB Niaga declined to comment, saying it is focused on strengthening core businesses and supporting inclusive growth across Indonesia. A listing would position CIMB Niaga Syariah as one of the country's few publicly traded pure shariah lenders, potentially drawing strong domestic institutional demand as the halal economy expands. CIMB Niaga, Indonesia's second-largest private lender, has been growing its shariah business.

KOTA KINABALU: A huge crocodile believed to have been lingering in a river in Merotai, Tawau, was captured on Wednesday morning (Jan 28). The five-metre-long male reptile was caught following an integrated operation between wildlife rangers and villagers at Kg Pangkalan Asli, shared Tan Sri Liew Yun Fah, Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (PHRS) president, who lives in Merotai. The crocodile was seen to be in a very healthy state, with its belly bulging, most likely from having eaten enough. It was learnt that villagers only noticed the crocodile recently when they went to the river to fish and carry out daily activities in the area. Liew said the crocodile was brought out of the village while wildlife rangers are tasked with further handling it, according to procedures.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): Many Malaysians may spend decades working yet still reach retirement without meaningful financial security, according to the latest report by the PNB Research Institute (PNBRI). The report warns that relying on traditional poverty-alleviation measures and subsidies is no longer sufficient as the country rapidly ages. The report shows that stagnant wages and income inequality make it hard for Malaysians to build wealth. About half of EPF contributors have less than RM10,000 in savings, enough for only three months of retirement. The second pillar is ownership – enabling broader access to productive assets, including savings schemes, co-investment funds for housing, and employee ownership programmes.

KUALA LUMPUR: Cooperation between the National Registration Department and the Finance Ministry is being strengthened to enable faster synchronisation of public data after MyKad replacements, says the Home Ministry. It said the issue was temporary and technical, caused by differences in data update cycles between agencies, and that it does not constitute a loss of MyKad data or a loss of eligibility for assistance for affected Malaysians. “The NRD supplies records of any MyKad data changes on a daily basis, which enables the Finance Ministry’s database to be updated no later than the next working day, ensuring the continuity and proper organisation of MyKad holders’ data. To resolve this, it said ongoing efforts to strengthen data synchronisation between the registration department and the Finance Ministry would ensure a smoother implementation of government assistance initiatives for the people. The Ministry was responding to a question from Jimmy Puah (Pakatan Harapan-Tebrau), who asked for an explanation of the issue of data loss for MyKasih and Budi95 data when Malaysians replace their identity cards.

The helicopter is equipped with a 1,590-litre Bambi Bucket for forest firefighting operations using the fire-bucket method. The rapid spread of the fire was attributed to dry and windy conditions, which caused thick smoke to drift into nearby residential areas around Taman Bayu Damai. Firefighting efforts were further hampered by limited water sources and difficult access to the affected area. As of Tuesday night, residential areas remained shrouded in thick white smoke, with a strong smell of burning. In Sector A, firefighters, together with the Civil Defence Force (APM), were divided into two teams to combat the fire in the residential areas using mechanical and portable pumps, along with water supplied from nearby fire hydrants.

PETALING JAYA: Professional men's singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia has received a significant boost after climbing to No. 79 in the latest world rankings. Based on the Badminton World Federation rankings update released on Tuesday (Jan 27), Zii Jia jumped 24 places after accumulating 22,440 points. Zii Jia is currently in Bangkok and will begin his Thailand Masters campaign against Julien Carraggi of Belgium in the first round on Wednesday (Jan 28). Letshanaa impressed at the Indonesian Masters last week, where she not only stunned world No.