GEORGE TOWN: Starting primary school younger, effective 2027, may sound like a head start, but it could come at a cost. The Penang Education Institu­tion Operators Association (PPIPP) has warned that early entry into Year One risks placing undue stress on children and shaping their attitudes towards learning for years to come. “By bringing primary education forward, we risk losing this critical developmental stage. “Teachers would be managing classes made up of five-year-olds and six-year-olds in a primary school environment. “This would effectively shorten early childhood education by one year,” she said yesterday.

SOME members of the Indian community are demanding an explanation for a documentary on the life of the late MIC leader Tun S. Samy Vellu that was pulled from broadcast at the last minute, Malaysia Nanban reported. The documentary titled Legasi Tun S. Samy Vellu – Pemimpin Untuk Rakyat was set for broadcast on Jan 18 on RTM1 but was reportedly cancelled at the last minute without any announcement. Sivabalan claimed there has been no clarification from the national broadcaster and officials could not be contacted. The community has demanded an answer for the cancellation when many other leaders have been covered under the Tokoh Bangsawan series, he said. More than 150 followers responded to the post, with many calling for the documentary to be released for viewing.

MALAYSIANS who travel abroad more than eight times a month risk losing their eligibility for the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR) in a move to ensure the assistance benefits those who genuinely reside in the country, Sin Chew Daily reported. They are deemed to have spent most of their time abroad and become ineligible for the assistance, according to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN). Under LHDN guidelines, non-Malaysian citizens and Malaysians who reside overseas long-term, including in Singapore, are not eligible. Malaysians who previously lived abroad but have since returned must first report their status to the Foreign Ministry before their eligibility can be reassessed. A test revealed that his liver was not functioning properly, with alanine aminotransferase levels found to be 50 times above what was deemed normal.

Kenneth Tan, the son of the late Datuk Tan Yee Khan, described his father not only as a great player but also as an exceptional father. Yee Khan, 85, passed away yesterday in Ipoh of natural causes. Although his children have chosen different paths, Yee Khan’s dedication and sacrifices continue to be deeply respected and remembered. Even in his final days, the late Yee Khan continued to talk about and show a deep passion for badminton. Yee Khan served as Malaysia’s coach in 1982 and in the same year helped sibling pair Datuk Razif Sidek and Datuk Seri Jalani Sidek win the All-England title.

(Jan 27): China’s industrial enterprises had their first annual gain in profits since 2021, as producer deflation showed signs of easing in the wake of government efforts to curb excess competition and cut capacity. Profits climbed 5.3% last month from a year earlier, compared with a plunge of more than 13% in November. China’s industry, which is dominated by manufacturing, has suffered from domestic deflation that’s eating away at income and profits. Foreign firms were the only ones that saw an increase in profits, with a 4.2% gain in 2025. State-owned enterprises recorded a 3.9% fall while private companies’ profits were unchanged from a year ago.

Carragi is no stranger to Zii Jia, having previously met at the Paris Olympics two years ago. Zii Jia is riding a wave of confidence after recording his first win in 10 months at last week’s Indonesian Masters and is now aiming to go as far as possible in Bangkok. Besides Zii Jia, two other Malaysian men’s singles players will also be in action. Justin is under pressure after early exits in his last two tournaments, the Indian Open and Indonesian Masters. He also faced a first round exit at last year’s Thailand Masters, losing to Zaki Abdillah of Indonesia.

Sources said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) probe, codenamed Ops Layar, saw seven company accounts and 14 personal accounts with a combined total of RM700,000, frozen. “The move follows investigations into the companies believed to be involved in corrupt practices by way of recommending and appointing firms linked to a senior Navy officer,” a source said. ALSO READ : Corruption in the line of fireSources added that investigations by the MACC Intelligence Division also led to the seizure of two hotels owned by a senior Navy officer, which are estimated to be worth RM2mil. It was previously reported that two individuals, including a senior Navy officer, were remanded by the MACC for alleged corruption involving the recommendation and appointment of a company to secure projects under investigation. The source added that investigators also detected suspicious fund transfers amounting to about RM2mil into the officer’s personal bank account, as well as two hotel company accounts linked to him.

KUALA LUMPUR: Allegations of corruption and abuse of power within national security institutions, including the Armed Forces, risk triggering a crisis of public confidence if not addressed decisively, defence experts have warned. “Integrity and transparency are crucial in ensuring the Armed Forces remain respected and trusted. “The Ikrar Kesatria is to the Armed Forces what the Rukun Negara is to the nation. Meanwhile, Universiti Utara Malaysia security and geopolitical analyst Assoc Prof Dr Mohamed Faisol Keling agreed that the recent corruption cases and allegations against former military chiefs and a senior Navy officer risk triggering a crisis of confidence in the Armed Forces. “Such cases could have serious implications on national defence and public confidence in the country’s security preparedness.

BUKIT MERTAJAM: A major syndicate behind the sale and manufacturing of illegal traditional health products worth RM24mil was busted in a raid by the Penang Health Department. She said inspections were conducted based on public complaints and intelligence gathering. “Among the items seized were unregistered traditional Chinese medicines suspected to contain prohibited substances such as steroids, paracetamol, allopurinol and other ingredients listed under the Poisons Act 1952. Sellers and distributors are reminded to act responsibly by ensuring only health products registered with a MAL number and bearing the PharmaTech security hologram are handled. Members of the public are advised to verify the registration status of health products via the NPRA website at www.npra.gov.my under the product search section.

JAKARTA (Jan 27): Indonesia's Parliament is set to approve President Prabowo Subianto's nephew Thomas Djiwandono as the new central bank deputy governor on Tuesday after he beat out two career central bankers, which raised concerns about Bank Indonesia’s independence. The Parliament is expected to approve Thomas as a new member of the central bank’s board in a vote that is scheduled for 10am (0300 GMT). Thomas’ nomination has sparked investor concerns about the independence of Bank Indonesia (BI), driving the rupiah to a record low of 16,985 per dollar last week. He also emphasised the importance of synergy between the central bank, fiscal policymakers and other authorities to support the country's economic growth. "The law (which regulates) Bank Indonesia's independence is very strong," he said.

Dr Kong noted that standard toilet seats often require a 90-degree knee bend, which can be painful or difficult for seniors. Ng specifically focused on Selangor’s city, municipal and district councils to make their public toilets elderly-friendly by applying universal design principles. Visual contrast for safetyBoth Dr Kong and Nik Mohd Ruiz highlighted the “invisible” challenge of cognitive impairment. Nik Mohd Ruiz says Universal Design (UD) is a fundamental requirement in designing age-friendly public washrooms. “Upgrading public toilets at highway R&R stops could be a collaboration with big brands, for example, washing detergents, so corporations can get involved too,” said Penny.

For EcoCeres Renewable Fuel Sdn Bhd CEO Matti Lievonen, the launch of a SAF plant in Malaysia is strategic to capitalise on this growing market. He noted that, currently, in Asia, countries such as Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and China areaiming to increase their SAF mandates. Today, Singapore and South Korea’s SAF mandates are only at 1% and are the main regional markets for EcoCeres. “Johor is excellent because we get feedstock from Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries. Lievonen noted that the feedstock to produce SAF for the Tanjung Langsat plant — such as used cooking oils, animal fats or palm oil — is sourced from Malaysia, Southeast Asia and China, including 350,000 restaurants in China.

GEORGE TOWN: Penang’s iconic silver chariot, which will be on its annual Thaipusam eve journey to the Waterfall temple, is hoping to depart earlier this year. In previous years, the chariot had arrived in Nagarathar Nattukottai Chettiar Temple in Jalan Kebun Bunga well past 2am the next day. The tradition started with a wooden chariot in 1859 for 35 years before the ­seven-metre-tall silver chariot was commissioned in 1894. This year, he said, devotees will also be able to track the chariot’s journey from the Kovil Veedu through an app called “Silver Chariot Penang”. The golden chariot, introduced in 2017, carries the Vel, the sacred spear of Lord Murugan.

PETALING JAYA: More than 2.2 million people have signed up for the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme System (eCOSS) app which allows Malaysians to buy the 1kg subsidised packet cooking oil. The eCOSS system records all sales of the subsidised cooking oil from manufacturers and packers, to wholesalers and retail level transactions. “This high adoption rate, supported by over 5,000 participating retailers and supermarkets, ensures that subsidised oil is readily available and monitored effectively across the market. “Yesterday alone, almost 359,000 packets of subsidised cooking oil were bought using the mobile application. There have been leakages and hoarding of cooking oil, especially subsidised cooking oil in packets, due to the absence of a system to track sales.

New appointments have been made to the Parliamentary Special Select Committees (PSSC) to fill seats vacated by MPs appointed as ministers and deputy ministers in last month’s Cabinet reshuffle. Dr Zaliha (PH-Sekijang) will replace Sim Tze Tzin (PH-Bayan Baru), who was appointed Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry. In the Finance and Economy PSSC, Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad (BN-Simpang Renggam) will replace Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar), following the latter’s appointment as Deputy Economy Minister. In the Security PSSC, Jimmy Puah (PH-Tebrau) takes over from Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (Ledang MP), who is now Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability. Additionally, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Lo Su Fui (GRS-Tawau) has been replaced by Datuk Matbali Musah in the House Committee and by Datuk Jonathan Yassin (GRS-Ranau) in the Finance and Economy PSSC.