KUALA LUMPUR: Eight more medical schools, including Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), School of Medical Sciences, have been recognised by the health ministry and the Singapore Medical Council. The Singapore Ministry of Health said in a statement that the recognition would take effect from Feb 1 onwards. The statement also said that the Malaysian Health Ministry had accepted the council's recommendation to add eight medical schools to the Second Schedule of the Medical Registration Act 1997, bringing the total number of recognised overseas medical schools from 112 to 120. The eight recognised medical schools are: the College of Health, University of Adelaide, Australia; the College of Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India; the University of Galway, School of Medicine, Ireland; Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Medical Sciences; The Aga Khan University, Medical College, Pakistan; Tsinghua University, School of Medicine, China; St George’s, University of London, School of Health & Medical Sciences, United Kingdom; and the University of Exeter, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, United Kingdom. It said that from 2026, aspiring medical students can apply to these medical schools for their overseas studies.

SEREMBAN: The High Court here has dismissed a suit filed by a 47-year-old woman against the Malaysian government and two others seeking to nullify her conversion to Islam. The plaintiff had filed an originating summons against the three in March 2023. Through the originating summons, the woman sought for the NRD to amend and update her personal information records to indicate her non-Muslim religion in the registration system. In March the following year, the High Court allowed Mains' application to strike out the originating summons filed by the woman. When contacted, the woman's lawyer S. Karthigesan confirmed the court had dismissed his client's suit.

KOTA BHARU: Water supply for 13,766 Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd consumer accounts in the Tanah Merah district will be disrupted from 9pm Friday (Jan 28). The state-owned water supply operator said the disruption was due to emergency repairs to the DN 500 mm Check Valve at the Bukit Remah water treatment plant, which would begin at 9pm and was expected to be completed around 7am on Thursday (Feb 5). "During this period, consumers will face temporary water disruptions, and those in areas of the final points of the water supply pipeline may likely be affected for over 24 hours after repairs are done," the water operator said in a statement on Thursday (Jan 27). Consumers are advised to store an adequate water supply, and the water supply operator would also mobilise water tankers to assist critical premises such as hospitals, health clinics and dialysis centres before distributing to the general public. "Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd apologises for any difficulty during the period, and consumers can contact PINTAS at 15777 for further information," it said, adding that updates on the water disruption can be obtained on its website www.airkelantan.com.my, the MyAKSB app, as well as its Facebook and Instagram accounts.

The Johor State Fire and Rescue Department said that approximately 49.8 hectares, or nearly half of the 99.55 hectares affected, had been brought under control and extinguished. "An excavator rented from the Pengerang Municipal Council is being used to create fire breaks to prevent the blaze from spreading further. The extinguishing operation is being carried out in stages involving two main sectors," the post read. The operation also involves cooperation from the Royal Malaysia Police, the Civil Defence Force, Pengerang Municipal Council, the Irrigation and Drainage Department, the Public Works Department, and the Environment Department. Johor Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Assistant Fire Commissioner Muhammad Al Mustakim Abdul Hady, who was present to oversee the operation, said efforts would continue until the fire was fully extinguished.

KULIM: A landfill in Padang Cina, Kulim Hi-Tech, caught fire on Tuesday (Jan 27). Kulim Zone 3 chief Senior Fire Officer II Mohd Faizal Sulaiman said the department received a call at 6.30pm reporting the incident. "A team of 12 firefighters from the Kulim Hi-Tech Fire and Rescue Station was deployed to the scene. Meanwhile, the Kedah Environment Department director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said the fire affected Cells 1 and 2 of the landfill. "The Air Pollution Index (API) at the nearest ambient air quality monitoring station in Kulim Hi-Tech recorded a reading of 60, which falls under the moderate category.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): Malaysia possesses a strong and competitive foundation to emerge as a major ship maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub in Asean, according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti). It said that clear industrial policy support, competitive investment incentives, well-planned port infrastructure and systems, an increasingly mature local supply chain, as well as continued government support will ensure the continued growth of the maritime MRO industry. In addition, the industry can attract high-quality investments, generating high-skilled employment opportunities, and strengthening Malaysia’s position as a competitive and sustainable regional maritime hub. “The government is fully aware of the great potential of the shipbuilding and ship repair industry, particularly in the area of shipping MRO, as a key driver of the country’s maritime economic development. Miti said Malaysia offers competitive operating costs, larger shipyard space, and targeted government incentives to enhance MRO technological capabilities, making it an attractive alternative in the region.

CEBU CITY (Jan 28): Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin held bilateral meetings with senior officials from the Philippines and Indonesia on the sidelines of the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) Retreat here on Tuesday. “Discussions covered preparations for the AMM Retreat and Related Meetings, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), the South China Sea, the situation in Myanmar, and other bilateral issues of mutual interest,” it stated. Amran and his delegation are in Cebu in conjunction with the AMM Retreat, which will kick off on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan will lead the Malaysian delegation to the AMM Retreat and related meetings. The AMM Retreat marks the first official Asean meeting of the year under the Philippines’ Asean chairmanship, with the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together”.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): Barisan Nasional (BN) must develop a smarter political strategy, including digital approaches and tactical measures, to prepare for the 16th general election (GE16) within the next 22 months, its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said. New digital strategies are essential because it is impossible to reach all 2.5 million new voters through face-to-face communication,” he said. “This experience shows that even with limited numbers, we succeeded by implementing a political strategy that was correct, timely, and targeted,” he said. He stressed that BN must be bold in changing its political communication, avoid being overly defensive, and focus on regaining dominance in GE16. The Better Nation Forum, initiated by Ahmad Zahid, brings together thought leaders, experts, and the public to discuss critical issues shaping Malaysia’s future.

The move comes after UPS said in October that it was eliminating 34,000 operational positions in 2025. It has also been slashing delivery volume for its largest customer, Amazon.com Inc, to cut down on low-margin packages. Earnings in the fourth quarter were US$2.38 (RM9.44) a share, UPS said, topping the US$2.21 average of analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. UPS also faced operational hurdles last quarter following a November crash of one of its MD-11 jets near UPS’ main hub in Louisville, Kentucky. UPS will replace the lost capacity with 18 Boeing Co 767 planes, of which 15 are scheduled to be delivered this year.

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) on Tuesday (Jan 27) expressed grave concern over mounting tensions between the United States and Iran, warning that the growing concentration of military assets and increasingly absolutist rhetoric risk pushing an already volatile situation towards open conflict. He said any confrontation between Washington and Tehran would have repercussions across an already fragile Middle East, with the risk of proxy escalation, threats to maritime security and severe economic shock extending beyond the region. "No strategic interest could justify such human and material devastation that such conflict would entail,” he posted on Facebook. He also commended Oman’s constructive efforts to facilitate dialogue and urged countries with influence to use every available means to promote de-escalation and exercise utmost restraint in the interest of regional and international stability. International media reported that the Iranian government is bracing for a fresh US and Israeli missile assault following the deployment of key assets from the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the region.

(Jan 27): Khaby Lame, the world’s biggest TikToker, has partnered with Rich Sparkle Holdings Ltd to transform his 360 million social media followers into a commercial venture. Lame has 160 million followers on TikTok, compared with 156 million for Charli d’Amelio, who ranks as the second-highest popular person on the platform. The commercialisation of his fan base is expected to generate more than US$4 billion in annual sales, the company said. It will also feature an artificial intelligence version of Lame, using his expressions, voice and gestures to create multilingual social media content. Before signing up Lame, Rich Sparkle’s main focus was financial printing and corporate services primarily for listed companies and institutional clients in Hong Kong.

CEBU CITY (Jan 27): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), under Philippine chairship, is seeking to sustain practical collaboration with Russia to promote frictionless travel and tourism growth in the region, the Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported. Speaking at the 16th Asean–Russia Tourism Consultation on Tuesday, Tourism Undersecretary Verna Buensuceso said Asean is aiming to build an "inclusive" and "resilient" tourism sector. "We value the Russian Federation as a long-standing partner of Asean in strengthening people-to-people exchanges. Buensuceso said Asean is keen to pursue cooperation that boosts traveller confidence and safety, supports workforce development and skills exchange, and improves connectivity to make travel more accessible and seamless. Four years after the pandemic, Maksimov said tourism flow between Russia and Asean states has steadily recovered by 93%.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 27): The defamation suit filed by former minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar against blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, better known as Papagomo, will continue with the trial after both parties failed to settle the case amicably at the High Court here. Lawyer Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, representing Mohd Na'im as the plaintiff, said the case failed to be resolved through mediation because the defendant (Wan Muhammad Azri) did not agree to the settlement terms. "In this regard, the trial of the suit, which was set for Sept 21 and 24, will continue. The mediation proceedings, which lasted for an hour, were also attended by Mohd Na'im and Wan Muhammad Azri with his lawyer Logen Eskandar Abdullah. Mohd Na'im, who filed the suit on Oct 19, 2023, claimed that Wan Muhammad Azri published a post against him on the defendant's Facebook account known as "Sir Azri" dated Sept 18 2023.

Jan 26 (Reuters) - Heated political rhetoric over ‌the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by immigration agents in Minneapolis on Saturday spilled into Silicon Valley as partners ‌at an influential venture firm distanced themselves from a colleague who defended the killing. The death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti ‌was one of five shootings this month involving federal agents conducting immigration enforcement, including the fatal shooting of Minnesota woman Renee Good. The Pretti shooting has drawn anger across the U.S. political spectrum as the administration of Republican President Donald Trump ‍backed the agents even as video evidence contradicted its version of events. Musk has not commented on the Pretti shooting, while Hoffman echoed Khosla's message that humanity should transcend politics. "The wanton brutality ... has removed any credibility that these actions are about immigration enforcement.

Yet, during the same period, analysts have raised their average 12-month target price for Tesla shares to US$409.49 from US$337.99. The dynamic is “very unusual”, Colas said, since higher target prices typically go hand-in-hand with improving earnings estimates, not dimming expectations. That’s by far the most-expensive valuation among the Magnificent Seven tech giants, which combined trade for around 29 times anticipated earnings. The amount of hope baked into Tesla’s share price has become a point of controversy among investors. The “generational growth opportunities” in robotics, autonomy and energy storage make Tesla’s price worth paying, according to Canaccord Genuity analyst George Gianarikas.