Commuters in the Klang Valley and Penang can expect better connectivity as Prasarana Malaysia Bhd will be adding 53 new zones to its Rapid On- Demand service by end-2028. Of these, 31 will be in the Klang Valley and the rest in Penang. Prasarana planning and strategy head Sharul Azwa Abd Rani said eight of the zones would complement the Shah Alam LRT line. “We are still assessing the cost of the vans,” Sharul Azwa said during a media briefing yesterday at Menara Prasarana in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Ku Jamil and Sharul Azwa later demonstrated the mechanism of the chair operated via remote control.

According to the United Chinese School Teachers Association (Jiao Zong), the number of pupils enrolled in SJK(C)s fell by 26,526 last year from a total of 490,514 in 2024. In a report titled ‘Issues Facing Chinese Vernacular Schools’, Jiao Zong pointed out that of the 1,303 schools nationwide, half had fewer than 150 pupils and 13 of these schools had fewer than 10 pupils. However, the enrolment of non-Chinese pupils in SJK(C)s saw an increase, with the educationist group estimating that they make up 20% of the pupil population. The group also pointed out that a more diverse student body also meant that pupils from non-Mandarin-speaking families could face challenges learning in Chinese verna­cular schools. “Teachers must make extra efforts to ensure that non-Chinese pupils can keep up academically and adapt to the learning environment,” it said.

PETALING JAYA: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia’s address to Parliament highlighted the importance of integrity and accountability in governance, with analysts saying the anti-corruption message in it was firm and timely. Sivamurugan said the King’s remarks on education also highlighted its broader role in nation-building beyond just meeting labour market needs. Besides corruption, Tawfik said the King’s emphasis on the use and status of Bahasa Malaysia during the royal address sent a clear signal that the issue should not be politicised. Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan said Sultan Ibrahim is known for delivering messages in a direct and unambiguous manner which was evident yesterday. “Sultan Ibrahim speaks plainly and without concealment.

PETALING JAYA: From lunchboxes that come back barely touched, to children who pick out every piece of taugeh in their ramen, parents say feeding kids a balanced diet can feel like a daily negotiation. For many, the biggest challenge in feeding children well is getting fussy eaters to accept balanced meals without wasting food or blowing the budget. A mother of three, Christine Lee, from Damansara, said she would stick closely to balanced meals and food quality. “I am very concerned with my kids’ food intake – they must be a balanced meal of vege, protein and carbs. “Children eat better when they feel empowered, not controlled,” she said, citing her work with urban-poor families and schools.

THE National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe) is set to take effect at the Penang International Airport (PIA) before Chinese New Year next month. According to state tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, it is currently being tested and will help reduce congestion at the immigration counters for arrival and departure. Malaysians using the NIISe autogates, newly installed to replace the old units, at Penang International Airport departure hall in Bayan Lepas, Penang. “PIA is the second airport to roll out this system after Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA),” he added. Wong (front, second from right) and Ismail (right) inspecting the newly installed NIISe autogates.

But did a company use a pigeon to prove that its office's connection was slow? Verdict:TRUEThis sounds stranger than fiction, but in 2009, an IT services company in South Africa decided to do so. The company, Unlimited IT, was frustrated with the super-slow Internet speed provided by the country's internet service provider Telkom. Unlimited IT wanted to find out whether it was faster to send data from one branch office to another using the country's Internet service, or with using a homing pigeon. Perhaps the next time you encounter slow Internet in the office, you could say that 'a pigeon can send the email to the client faster'.

(Jan 20) : Investors are on tenterhooks ahead of an auction of 20-year Japanese sovereign bonds Tuesday after the government’s plans for tax relief on food jolted the market. Bonds slumped on Monday, sending yields of the 20-year and longer-term maturities soaring to multi-year highs. “The auction immediately prior to last July’s upper house election produced lackluster results despite a rise in yields driven by concern about fiscal policies linked to party pledges. Investors will also be watching the Bank of Japan’s policy decision on Friday for any hints about the central bank’s future rate-hike path. Officials are paying increasing attention to the yen’s potential impact on inflation, with possible implications for future rate hikes after a likely hold decision this week.

Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF), South-East Asia’s largest furniture trade show, returns as a launchpad for the region’s top furniture makers to showcase world-class craftsmanship and design. “This year’s MIFF marks more than 30 years of global industry trust for an event with proven sales performance and consistent track record of connecting global buyers and sellers to deliver real business opportunities,” said MIFF general manager Kelie Lim. Underscoring the strength of the event is the annual MIFF Furniture Design Com­petition (MIFF FDC), now into its 16th edition. “MIFF solidifies our long-term vision to further bolster Malay­sia’s status on the global platform as a key player in the quality furniture industry,” said Lim. “On a larger scale, it looks to elevate the global furniture industry, and this aim is further boosted by MIFF’s reputation as South-East Asia’s largest export-­oriented furniture trade show.”Trade visitors can secure free admission by registering before Feb 13.

PETALING JAYA: Housing reforms, curbing urban poverty, and recovery of abandoned housing projects are among the 10 priority initiatives for this year for the Housing and Local Government Ministry. Minister Nga Kor Ming said these 10 initiatives were determined following the ministry’s 2026 Strategic Direction Retreat to align with the start of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) this year. The 10 priority initiatives include five housing reforms, such as the drafting of a new Real Property Development Act, the Electronic Sale and Purchase Agreement, the Housing Integra­ted Management System, the Teduh platform, and a Digital Audit of Housing Development Accounts, the ministry said in a statement yesterday. “The ministry will also focus on people-­friendly housing and affordable housing ­programmes, upgrading and cleaning drainage systems, along with providing green spaces through Madani recreational parks,” it added. “The strategic plan includes five strategic pillars, 24 strategies, 142 initiatives, 44 performance indicators and seven key performance indicators, to be implemented in phases until 2030,” he said.

BALIK Pulau durian farmers take immense pride in the varieties grown for generations in Penang. They include the Ang Hae (Red Prawn), Hor Lor, Ang Bak and XO varieties of the fruit. In order to avoid disappointment and paying a premium price for sub-par fruit, Southwest District Agriculture Department officer Mat Suaid Sapiyin advised durian lovers to learn to recognise the physical traits rather than trusting a seller’s claims. “Do not to be swayed by irresponsible traders or middlemen when buying the fruit. He said it could be a long-term solution for surplus durian.

Illegal banners and bunting, strung on lamp posts, trees and road dividers without approval, have become a common eyesore marring the capital’s image and cluttering public spaces. Jane: Tourists form impressions within minutes of arrival, and the clutter of illegal banners shows weak enforcement. “Littering is a civic crime and so is illegal signage,” said Anand. Senior tourist guide Jane Rai warned that visitors often form impressions within minutes of arrival and the clutter of illegal banners showed weak enforcement. A former co-chair of DBKL’s Illegal Advertisement Taskforce, Pardip highlighted that illegal ads ranked among the top three concerns for foreign investors.

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KINABATANGAN: Police have issued a total of 128 permits for ceramah or political talks and campaign activities for the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections as of Monday (Jan 19). Kinabatangan OCPD Supt Ravi Duraisamy said the permits were issued to the candidates from Barisan Nasional (BN), Parti Warisan (Warisan) and an independent candidate, contesting in the two by-elections which were called following the death of the incumbent, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, 66. "To date, no applications for permits have been rejected and all parties are adhering to the guidelines that have been issued," he told reporters here. Ravi said police had so far received one complaint during the campaign period, which has been referred to the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Election Commission (EC). "I would also like to remind all the candidates, their agents, and supporters to comply with the standard operating procedures issued by the authorities.

Tributes are pouring in for Hong Kong martial arts star Bruce Leung, who passed away on Jan 14 at the age of 77. Chow's post was accompanied by a photo of the late actor striking a classic martial arts pose. Photo: Stephen Chow/InstagramMeanwhile, action legend Jackie Chan revealed on Weibo that he was shocked to hear of Leung's passing. In my memory, he has always been a true kung fu master, skilled in traditional martial arts," Chan, 71, wrote. On X (formerly Twitter) one user commented: "Bruce was a legendary Hong Kong martial arts actor whose powerful screen presence shaped a generation.

At the recent Google Cloud Export Summit in Beijing, Oppo outlined its strategic roadmap, made possible through its collaboration with Google Cloud, focusing on “Memory Symbiosis” and “Privacy Protection,” to guide the industry toward a native and fully intelligent future. To improve information retrieval, Oppo and Google Cloud have also enhanced AI Search with improved natural language understanding, allowing users to search across apps seamlessly using everyday language. To deliver cloud computing power with privacy, Oppo introduced Private Computing Cloud (PCC) architecture, a secure cloud extension of the AIOS. The PCC is a globally distributed, end-to-cloud collaborative system that deeply leverages Confidential Computing by Google Cloud, enabling data usability without visibility. Its work with Google Cloud exemplifies this commitment, uniting developers worldwide to break down app barriers and build a seamless, cross scenario intelligent service network.