The 155-year-old Thean Hock Keong Temple is seeking to reinstate the lane’s original name, Dragon Temple Lane, to distinguish it from the intersecting main coastal road, Jalan Pantai Bersih. Founded in 1871, the temple holds significant heritage value, with Dragon Temple Lane recorded as its registered address. As recently as 2023, government correspondence – including a letter approving nearly RM200,000 in restoration aid – recognised Dragon Temple Lane as the temple’s address. State infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari pointed out that Dragon Temple Lane was never formally gazetted. “The state has never considered renaming the whole of Jalan Pantai Bersih,” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has forecast a hot and dry spell in most parts of Peninsular Malaysia, particularly in the northern region, until Jan 31. MetMalaysia director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said a convergence of winds is also expected over Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan from Jan 29 to 31. “This condition has the potential to bring thunderstorms with prolonged heavy rain to these areas during that period,” he said in a post on MetMalaysia’s Facebook page yesterday, Bernama reported. He also advised the public to refer regularly to the department’s official website and social media channels, or to download the myCuaca app for the latest and verified information.

Compiled by GERARD GIMINO, C. ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHANAN 18-year-old youth stabbed his college girlfriend in her classroom after he saw her talking to another young man, Makkal Osai reported. The teenager had been dating the girl from his college in Coimbatore, a city in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, for the past three months. When another man from the same college expressed interest in the girl, she turned him down because she had a boyfriend. When the boyfriend saw her conversing with him in her classroom, he confronted her. The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies).

Drawing from family experience and refining the recipe through trial and error, they began producing handmade kuih kapit from their home kitchen. Kwong said that when he was younger, he used to help his mother fold kuih kapit during Chinese New Year. “Friends have helped resell the kuih kapit in Kuala Lumpur, Johor and even Singapore. The kuih kapit is sold in simple plastic jars, priced at about RM30, depending on quantity,” said Wei. In addition to kuih kapit, the family also produces other festive treats such as rainbow jelly cakes and arrowhead chips.

Compiled by GERARD GIMINO, C. ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHANWITH the price of gold soaring to new highs, a man went viral on Chinese cyberspace for supposedly extracting more than 210,000 yuan (RM120,662) of gold just from SIM cards, reported Sin Chew Daily. A man from Guangdong province, who goes by the handle Qiao the Hakka Gold Refiner online, shared a video, which went viral, on how he extracted the 191.73g of gold from electronic waste. He added that his operation was a regulated precious-metal recycling process targeting specific electronic wastes, not a story about an average man refining gold from discarded SIM cards. It is understood that SIM card chips have an extremely thin layer of gold plating on their pins and circuit connections to improve conductivity and resistance to corrosion. Industry experts say that a single ordinary SIM card contains only 0.006 to 0.01mg of gold, making the process economically viable only through long-term, large-scale collection.

Flying high: Mimifly’s image graces the billboard at Times Square in New York. Mimifly, whose real name is Shamimi Amalina Norisham, 40, said she had always envisioned moments where her image would make it on big billboard screens. reported that director and producer Michael Ang said there was no need for an apology from actress Puteri Balqis, as she had not wronged him in any way. “Consider this matter resolved.”Ang was among the local celebrities who were indirectly affected after his name was mentioned amid a controversy involving actresses Janna Nick and Puteri Balqis over social media. Puteri Balqis had earlier stressed there was no issue between her and Ang and apologised for the situation.

This followed the downing since Friday of several giant Casuarina trees planted in the 1950s, as beach erosion along the stretch worsened. State infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said several coastal erosion “hotspots” had been identified. Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman said the coastal erosion was now hitting Tanjung Bungah, which had a direct impact on local residents. The Star first reported visible beach erosion at Batu Ferringhi in April 2021. Despite these measures, erosion has continued to worsen.

Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia said Perikatan’s future hinges on the rapid appointment of a credible leader, clearer power-sharing arrangements among its component parties, and a shift away from protest politics towards a coherent governing narrative. “Perikatan’s biggest threat is leadership uncertainty, not its opponents,” he said when contacted yesterday. The coalition has been leaderless since Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced his resignation in late December, effective Jan 1. He identified Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man as the most credible potential successors, while noting that names like Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar face political or structural limitations. Universiti Malaya’s Dr Moham­mad Tawfik Yaakub echoed the urgency, warning that Perikatan risks losing its direction if the leadership deadlock continues.

An estimated 33 million Americans have to put up with at least one food allergy, says the American Pharmacists Association. Closer to home, Singapore has found that food allergies in children are on the rise, with more cases of adverse reactions to food such as egg and peanut. In Malaysia, doctors say that food allergy is no longer just a childhood “phase” or a minor rash after a meal. He said MMA would like to see stronger public education on recognising food allergies and early symptoms of severe reactions, as well as better awareness among food manufacturers. “Indiscriminate allergy testing can lead to false positives, unnecessary food avoidance, and increased risk of new food allergies,” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry, through the National Registration Department (NRD), assures that the process of granting Permanent Resident Identity Cards (MyPR) and Malaysian citizenship is carried out strictly, transparently and in accordance with the law, following concerns raised regarding the issue. "As of Dec 31, 2025, a total of 261,156 MyPR holders were recorded nationwide," said the statement. "MyPR status can be revoked if the holder is found to be involved in any offence that could threaten security, public order or national interests," according to NRD. Regarding the granting of citizenship, the department emphasised that it is the highest honour and an exclusive right of the federal government, not granted arbitrarily. Each citizenship application is processed based on Part III of the Federal Constitution and the Citizenship Rules 1964, taking into account national interests, security, and the well-being of existing citizens.

V. Jevanan lost his leg in a road accident 12 years ago and began carrying the kavadi to pay homage to Lord Murugan four years ago. He said the spiritual journey serves as a living prayer, where every painful step is an act of devotion. “I consider the physical pain to be my expression of gratitude to Lord Murugan for fulfilling my vows. “One has to prepare his body and mind for the spiritual journey, which will include piercing the body with hooks, skewers and rods. “For me, I simply experience spiritual bliss when I am being pierced and surrender to Lord Murugan,” he said.

A PROPOSAL to build a sports complex on the site of a disused sewage treatment plant (STP) in Happy Garden, Jalan Kelang Lama, has been turned down for not complying with the local plan. Under the local plan, the area is gazetted for residential use. The latest update from DBKL is expected to allay concerns among Happy Garden residents, who held a press conference on Saturday to oppose the proposed sports complex. The former STP site should ideally be turned into a recreational park, Lee said. On Aug 25 last year, StarMetro reported that residents were consulted on plans for a sports complex in the area.

PETALING JAYA: Complaints related to online transactions have topped the list of consumer grievances received by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry over the past several years. CLICK TO ENLARGEFrom 2021 to October 2025, the ministry recorded a total of 51,821 complaints involving online transactions. The ministry stressed its continued commitment to tackle online business transaction fraud. “The approach involves strict enforcement measures, monitoring of online content, and ongoing efforts to enhance consumer literacy. Victims may file claims with the Consumer Claims Tribunal Malaysia or lodge complaints for investigation purposes.

PETALING JAYA: After a rocky start to the year, mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie–Toh Ee Wei kept their faith in each other and let their racquets do the talking at the Indonesian Masters. The win was also sweet for Ee Wei after irresponsible netizens insulted her family and upbringing following the early exit in India. Tang Jie credited the stunning turnaround to the belief that he and Ee Wei had in each other in tough times. Said Ee Wei: “It was extraordinary. Mixed doubles: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Mathias Christiansen-Alexandra Boje (Den) 15-21, 21-17, 21-11.

Parts of Texas and the Mid-South were coated in freezing rain — and a layer of ice thick enough to take down power lines. The storm forced more than 17,000 cancellations from Saturday through Monday, according to data from FlightAware. Meanwhile, the Texas grid is expected to face tight conditions through Monday. Even as snow and sleet precipitation begin to taper off, the risk of power shortages or blackouts will increase in some places Monday. Refiners and chemical plants on Texas’ Gulf Coast, meanwhile, shuttered units amid the deep freeze, according to filings.