A private university vice-chancellor pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here this afternoon to a charge of deceiving the institution’s former vice-chancellor over the appointment of a chief consultant involving a RM20,000 payment. KUALA LUMPUR: A private university vice-chancellor pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here this afternoon to a charge of deceiving the institution's former vice-chancellor over the appointment of a chief consultant involving a RM20,000 payment. According to Buletin Utama TV3, Professor Dr G. Jayakumar, 63, entered his plea before Sessions Court judge Elesabet Paya Wan. Jayakumar, who was then a senior lecturer, is alleged to have misled the former vice-chancellor into appointing a lecturer from another university as chief consultant for an academic programme, despite the appointment allegedly breaching the individual's employment contract. The court granted RM20,000 bail with one surety and set March 9 for mention.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd, the operator of six rapid transit lines serving the Klang Valley, incurred a deficit of RM603 million in 2025, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said. “Total revenue of RM721.5 million comprised RM694.8 million in fare revenue and RM26.7 million in non-fare income,” Loke said in a written parliamentary reply on Wednesday. Rapid Rail is a wholly-owned unit of Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, which manages and operates the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) networks, including the Kelana Jaya Line, Ampang Line, Sri Petaling Line, MRT Kajang Line, MRT Putrajaya Line and the KL Monorail. Loke said Rapid Rail extended rail service hours 11 times in 2025 to support major events such as football matches and concerts. The move aims to strengthen deterrence, dismantle syndicates and safeguard the continuity and safety of public transport services, he said.

Whether it’s a bargain on home decor, designer shoes or a new purse, Conti, 60, said shopping makes her feel happy and alive. That’s because Conti has more than US$50,000 (RM203,950) in credit card debt, mostly because of her shopping habit. After spending US$800 (RM3,263) on Labubu dolls and US$500 (RM2,040) on Christmas decorations, Conti sought the help of a therapist. — Photos: ZACK WITTMAN/The New York Times To pump the brakes while shopping online, Erika Wasserman, a certified financial therapist in Florida, suggests using music. For Conti, spending is a way to deal with stress and sadness.

Consultant neurosurgeon Datuk Dr Kantha Rasalingam explains that neurosurgeons are trained to operate on the spine, brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. “For neurosurgeons, however, spine surgery is already part of their core training.”One key distinction between the specialities lies in surgical technique. According to Dr Kantha, neurosurgeons receive extensive training in microsurgery, which involves highly-precise procedures using specialised instruments and operating microscopes. In complex cases, such as long or multi-segment procedures, or surgeries involving the spinal cord or spinal cord compression, both specialists may operate together as a team. “Because we are trained to operate on the brain and spinal cord – two of the body’s most delicate structures – precision is one of our key strengths,” he says.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): Members of Parliament on Wednesday debated the motion of thanks for the royal address, focusing on proposals for a two-term prime ministerial limit, empowerment of the Malay language, anti-corruption measures, and national education reforms. MPs also emphasised the need to strengthen the position of Malay as the national language, arguing its role must go beyond instruction to become a primary language of knowledge, administration and national sovereignty. Datuk Mumtaz Md Nawi (PN-Tumpat) called for the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka to be empowered as the mandatory language authority, with its presence expanded to the district level to act as both a regulator and guardian of the Malay language. Datuk Ahmad Amzad Mohamed (PN-Kuala Terengganu) added that elevating the status of the language is not optional but an obligation aligned with national education policy. Embracing the national language and history is essential to forging a shared identity and unity.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) has reaffirmed its commitment to providing full cooperation to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in all investigations related to corruption cases currently being handled by the agency. “The visit reflects a clear signal of the shared commitment between the ministry and the MACC in efforts to strengthen integrity and governance, in line with the need to reinforce public confidence in defence institutions. Elaborating further, Mohamed Khaled said the MACC also expressed its agreement to offer advisory services to help strengthen and improve procurement governance at Mindef and the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF). He stressed that the mutual understanding reached was crucial in fulfilling the ministry’s resolve to comprehensively combat corruption and abuse of power. “This is an ongoing effort to restore the trust of the people and the nation in the MAF through clean governance practices,” he said.

PETALING JAYA: After two years away from the sport, Indian women's singles shuttler Saina Nehwal has officially announced her retirement from badminton. 1 made the announcement during a podcast interview in India, explaining that long-standing injuries prevented her from returning to competitive action. Last year, Saina revealed that she was suffering from arthritis and complete cartilage wear in her knees. I entered the sport on my own terms and left on my own terms, so there was no need to announce it. She became the first Indian women’s singles player to reach world No.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): The fare structure for Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is expected to be finalised by the end of this year, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said. The fare structure is expected to be finalised by the end of this year,” Loke said in a written parliamentary reply to Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadir (PN–Setiu) on Wednesday. Shaharizukirnain had asked about the latest progress of the ECRL project and when the fare structure for passenger and cargo services would be finalised. On the project’s progress, Loke said the ECRL had reached 90.81% completion as at December 2025. He added that current works are focused on completing passenger stations and supporting buildings, as well as installing signalling, electrification and communications systems.

Singaporean singer Yang Guang Ke Le said that her parents had respected decision to work at 15 (INSTAGRAM/YANG GUANG KE LE)SINGAPORE: Singer Yang Guang Ke Le is a living testament to how the "school of life" can be rewarding in its own right. "I entered showbiz through getai, starting at age 13," Ke Le shared. "Events could end as late as 1am, meaning I'd only reach home by 2am, yet I had to catch the school bus at 5am," Ke Le explained. Eventually, I was only attending school twice a week, so I felt there was no point in continuing." When the 47-year-old Chen asked what her career might have looked like had she finished school, Ke Le admitted she was unsure.

PETALING JAYA: The police have identified two individuals believed to be involved in the forgery of documents submitted to FIFA during the registration process of seven heritage players linked to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). On Sept 26 last year, FIFA, in an official statement, confirmed that FAM and the seven players were found to have breached Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. FIFA found that FAM had submitted documents believed to have been forged to verify the eligibility of the players. The national football governing body was fined about 350,000 Swiss francs (about RM1.8mil), while each player was fined about RM11,000, and the seven players were suspended from all ­football-related activities for 12 months. On Nov 3, the FIFA Appeal Committee dismissed the appeals by FAM and the players involved, thereby upholding the earlier decision of the Disciplinary Committee.

KUALA LUMPUR: The implementation of smart lanes, the enforcement of the overloaded lorry policy by the Road Transport Department (JPJ), and Malaysia’s status under the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) will be among matters to be discussed at today’s Dewan Rakyat sitting. Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut) will seek clarification from the Investment, Trade and Industry Minister on Malaysia’s position in the implementation and commitment to the ART, compared with South-East Asian countries that have yet to sign or ratify the agreement. Hamzah also wants to know the government’s justification for continuing with the agreement, despite some regional countries having chosen not to do so. After the oral question-and-answer session, the Dewan Rakyat session will proceed with the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address by Members of Parliament. The Dewan Rakyat sitting is scheduled to run for 20 days until March 3.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): Oil and gas services and equipment (OGSE) firm Carimin Petroleum Bhd (KL:CARIMIN) has acquired a 19.5% stake in Sealink International Bhd (KL:SEALINK) for RM39.98 million, making it the largest shareholder in the offshore marine services group. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia on Wednesday, Carimin said it purchased the stake comprising 97.5 million shares from Sealink's executive chairman Lo Ling via a direct business transaction at 41 sen per share. "The acquisition provides Carimin with an opportunity to strengthen its financial position in anticipation that the prospects and growth of Sealink group will translate into positive trajectory of Sealink share prices," it said. Lo, 70, emerged as a substantial shareholder in Sealink after he acquired 68.08 million shares on Nov 14, 2025 in an off-market deal, raising his stake to 17.14%. Prior to the share disposal to Carimin, Lo's stake in Sealink stood at 20.06%.

Veteran singer Rahimah Rahim has released new songs to mark her 70th birthday (Picture courtesy of THE STRAITS TIMES). SINGAPORE: Age is clearly just a number for veteran Singaporean entertainer Rahimah Rahim. "Turning 70 is not just a milestone, but a moment for reflection and leaving something meaningful behind," Rahimah shared during a recent interview. After receiving the Cultural Medallion, Singapore's highest arts accolade, in 2021, Rahimah remains focused on paying it forward. With plans for future English and Mandarin releases, her mission remains clear: "I want to support younger musicians.

GEORGE TOWN: After 67.6 tonnes of old clothing were kept out of landfills last year, Penang aims to triple its textile recycling collection this year. “The collection can be doubled or even tripled this year, provided the people continue to cooperate,” she told a press conference at the textile recycling collection centre in Taman Kejiranan Desa Mawar yesterday. Earlier, Rashidah, along with city councillor Rohaizat Hamid and Air Itam assemblyman Joseph Ng checked two textile collection bins at the park. Taman Kejiranan Desa Mawar recorded 1.25 tonnes of textile waste over five months, placing it among the top five areas on the island for textile collection, he said. Through the collaboration, Life Line Clothing Malaysia managed textile waste collection to prevent it from ending up in landfills, he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry will seek government approval to continue the procurement of certain assets if the current freeze is found to affect the operations and readiness of the Armed Forces. Mohamed Khaled emphasised that any procurement decisions will prioritise operational needs and national security interests. The freeze on all procurements by the Defence Ministry and the Home Ministry was announced last week by Anwar as part of efforts to review and improve government procurement governance. However, defence readiness cannot be compromised. If the freeze directly affects the Armed Forces’ capabilities, we will submit a specific request for government consideration,” Mohamed Khaled said.