The Shah Alam High Court found Rabbi Hosen guilty under Section 26H of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670) for concealing and protecting four Bangladeshi migrants. - COURTESY PICPUTRAJAYA: A 21-year-old Bangladeshi man has been sentenced to two years' jail after being convicted of acting as a caretaker for a migrant safe house used as a transit point in a smuggling operation. The Shah Alam High Court found Rabbi Hosen guilty under Section 26H of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670) for concealing and protecting four Bangladeshi migrants. Immigration Department director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the sentence was handed down on Jan 22 and ordered to take effect from the date of his arrest. "The Immigration Department will continue to strengthen enforcement operations to ensure national sovereignty and security are always safeguarded," he said.

KUANTAN (Jan 24): Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah on Saturday stressed that corruption is not a minor offence, but a grave betrayal of the nation. Al-Sultan Abdullah noted that many nations have fallen not because of external attacks, but due to internal betrayal through corruption, abuse of power and unchecked greed. Abuse of power is not a weakness of ordinary people, it is a crime of office. Al-Sultan Abdullah urged young people to reject corruption and abuse of power, and to rise as a generation that breaks the cycle of moral decay. The discourse brought together 500 participants, including leaders of youth organisations, students from institutions of higher learning and stakeholders in youth and national development.

PETALING JAYA: Men's doubles shuttlers Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun's run in the Indonesian Masters ended in the quarter-finals after the duo went down to homesters Sabar Gutama-Moh Reza. Defending champions Wei Chong-Kai Wun lost narrowly 20-22, 19-21 at Istora Senayan in Jakarta on Friday (Jan 23). It was the world No. 6 pair's sixth defeat at the hands of the world No. Independent player Goh V Shem's hopes of advancing with his South Korean partner Choi Sol-gyu were also dashed after the combo were beaten 21-15, 20-22, 14-21 by Denmark's Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard.

Contracts for three major traffic system management projects in the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) 2026 budget will be reviewed to ensure their effectiveness. Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng said the three projects were the RM42mil smart traffic light system, the arti­­ficial intelligence (AI) powered traffic management system as well as the plan to double the number of closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras from 10,000 to 20,000 units. Lim, who chairs the committee to monitor the Traffic and Systems Management, said the committee would also release an audited report for the three projects to ensure they worked efficiently. “For example, we will see how many existing CCTV cameras are actually functional and whether the smart traffic lights and AI-powered traffic management systems went through the proper tender process, or if city dwellers find them relevant. When contacted, Zahir said he would look into the projects listed in the budget to ensure the projects prioritised key areas in the city.

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who is the counsel of Datuk Seri Najib Razak, has made known that his client continues to maintain that the RM42mil deposited into the former prime minister’s personal bank account was a donation from a Saudi monarch. “He (Najib) answered based on the court’s decision (regarding the earlier criminal proceedings), but based on his own knowledge, he continues to believe that all the money he received – not just the RM42mil – came from Saudi Arabia. He said this during re-examination by his counsel Muhammad Shafee in the RM42mil civil suit filed by SRC and its subsidiary, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd, against him. Muhammad Shafee: Now, it is important in this context to consider how the issues involving both 1MDB and SRC became public, or rather, matters of public concern. Muhammad Shafee: During that period, did you at any time stop or obstruct those investigations?

KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) plans to conduct a site visit to Lumut to assess the progress of the Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) littoral combat ship (LCS) construction project, following earlier proceedings related to the project. PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the Jan 30 visit aims to allow the committee to see the project’s actual progress on the ground and to assess information and reports previously received. She said the PAC monitors the construction of the vessels from time to time, and that the visit will be the committee’s third to the site in Perak. Mas Ermieyati was met by the media after the opening ceremony of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee Conference with State Public Accounts Committees nationwide here yesterday. In February 2024, Bernama reported that the PAC had expressed concern over continued delays in the LCS project.

KINABATANGAN (Jan 24): Two polling centres for the Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election were closed at noon on Saturday. The two centres are Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Inarad in Tongod, which has two polling streams, and SK Sri Ganda in Litang, which has one polling stream. A total of 36 polling centres with 117 polling streams opened simultaneously at 7.30am for the Kinabatangan parliamentary and the Lamag state by-elections. The Election Commission said the remaining 34 centres will close in stages from 1pm to 5.30pm. The Kinabatangan parliamentary by-election is a three-cornered contest among Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar of Barisan Nasional (BN), Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman (Warisan) and Goldam Hamid (Independent), while the Lamag state by-election is a straight fight between Mohd Ismail Ayob (BN) and Mazliwati Abdul Malek (Warisan).

FOR A2 Automation Sdn Bhd, regional expansion is not driven by boardroom bravado or aggressive land grabs. “So when they expand or operate in other countries, they invite us along.”Because A2 Automation operates in sensitive environments involving security systems and cybersecurity infrastructure, customer identities remain confidential. FOR A2 Automation Sdn Bhd, regional expansion is not driven by boardroom bravado or aggressive land grabs. While artificial intelligence (AI) is now central to modern security and automation systems, Aru rejects the idea that technology should replace people. This philosophy shapes how A2 Automation invests heavily in its workforce.

Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said such violations were not minor administrative issues, but carried major risks to the national border control system if not addressed with strict action. "Based on records for 2025, disciplinary action has been taken against 92 immigration officers stationed at national entry and exit points for offences relating to irregular endorsements and immigration stamping. He also singled out identity theft and misusing border documents as key threats identified at entry points along the Malaysia-Thailand border. NIISe was designed with the capability to fully integrate with various international and national security databases, including those of Interpol, he said. With such integration, the Immigration Department can conduct security risk analyses comprehensively and effectively, reducing dependence on fully manual checks.

KUALA LUMPUR: A 25-year-old man dressed as Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King from the popular action role-playing game Black Myth: Wukong was spotted strolling through Bukit Bintang recently, drawing crowds and turning heads. The cosplayer, known as Hong Lei from Shaanxi, China, stands at 190cm and leads a group called the “Great Sage Heavens Group”. Clips of his walkabout in the bustling district have since gone viral on social media, sparking excitement among fans and netizens. User @yimochan613, wrote ‘wow, so cool, come to Penang, while @hehua7se commented, ‘it’s time to go to Sabah… Mountain’. Others expressed their enthusiasm for the character, with @mingzhou.yu commenting: ‘this isn’t good, I want to see Pigsy too and user @sforstephanieeee saying: it feels like we walked into his game world so cool’.

GEORGE TOWN: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will undertake a one-day working visit to Penang and Sungai Petani, Kedah, on Saturday (Jan 24) to attend several official programmes, including the launch of the Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery in Penaga near here. The working visit by Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, will begin with the official opening ceremony of the new Seberang Jaya Hospital building in Perai, which aims to enhance capacity and improve the quality of healthcare services for residents in Seberang Perai and surrounding areas. The former Permatang Pauh MP is scheduled to attend the official opening ceremony of the Madani Cultural Carnival and Kenduri Rakyat Penang 2026 in Permatang Pauh, before proceeding to officiate the opening of Masjid Jamek Kubang Ulu in Kubang Semang. In the afternoon, Anwar will attend the official opening ceremony of the Seberang Perai Aspire Centre and the Santuni Komuniti programme at the compound of the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) Tower, before officiating the opening of the Guar Kepah Archaeological Gallery, a key initiative of the Penang government that is expected to complement the archaeological tourism map of the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia. Anwar will conclude his working visit by attending the Closing Ceremony of the "Gema Pendekar Madani” Northern Zone 2026 Gathering and the Pendekar Utama Negara Dato’ Dr Raja Abdul Majid Cup open silat championship at Dewan Kenangan, Sungai Petani Municipal Council, Kedah, at 8.30pm.

WHILE investments are pouring into Malaysia, many young Malaysians are still finding it difficult to get decent jobs. Employers, meanwhile, have their own complaint list. They say Gen Y, better known as millennials (born 1981-1996), and Gen Z (born 1997-2012), are picky, quick to leave and difficult to retain.

BY now, most investors are familiar with the conditional voluntary take-over offer presented by Sunway Bhd on IJM Corp Bhd , valuing the latter at RM11.04bil or RM3.15 per share. The proposed consideration will be satisfied via the issuance of 1.759 billion new Sunway shares valued at RM5.65 per share, worth some RM9.937bil, plus RM1.104bil in cash.

BUTTERWORTH (Jan 24): The implementation of the Year Four assessments under the National Education Blueprint (RPN) 2026-2035 aims to identify students' weaknesses in reading, writing, and arithmetic at an earlier stage, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said this approach is designed to enable remedial actions before students progress to secondary school, rather than waiting for Year Six assessments. He emphasised that the policy is intended to better prepare the education system to produce a knowledgeable, skilled, and competitive generation, including in digital technology and artificial intelligence. Anwar added that the government is providing free preschool facilities in schools to ensure all children receive a solid educational foundation. The prime minister emphasised that this inclusive approach is crucial to ensure the education system remains fair and provides opportunities for all, while remaining grounded in national identity.

PUTRAJAYA (Jan 24): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has opened two investigation papers into the alleged misappropriation of nearly RM300 million in investment funds linked to an individual with the title Tan Sri. According to sources, the MACC arrested two individuals and conducted searches at five premises in Klang Valley on Wednesday and Thursday to assist in the probe. The Tan Sri involved is alleged to have used his position and influence to attract and influence the public to invest in the scheme. Meanwhile, MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed that the investigation is currently focusing on tracing the flow of the misappropriated funds for recovery. Media reports previously stated that MACC obtained a four-day remand order, effective on Friday, against the Tan Sri in question at the Putrajaya Court to facilitate further investigations.