DUESSELDORF (March 6): German defence company Rheinmetall said on Friday that the war in Iran validates its plans to expand missile production as quickly as possible to meet rapidly growing demand. The company sees itself as ideally positioned to play a key role as an industrial partner in rockets and components, Rheinmetall told Reuters in response to an inquiry. New production facilities for missiles and rocket engines are planned at its Unterluess site in Germany, which are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027, as well as in its Spanish site of Burgos. Rheinmetall said that its initiatives are in response to limited production capacities in the Western world.

The anti-graft commission, in a statement, said Chai is required to "immediately" present himself at its headquarters in Putrajaya to assist with the probe. The commission stressed that cooperation with law enforcement authorities is a basic obligation when an individual is required to assist in an investigation, and that "public narratives and media statements cannot replace the legal process of investigating cases". The agency has also obtained key documents from relevant ministries and reviewed Cabinet papers related to the agreement. Public rebuttalFollowing the MACC's public search notice, Chai — currently based in the UK — issued a six-page rebuttal. It claimed that investigating officers had made several attempts to reach Chai via WhatsApp beginning Feb 24 after he was traced to the UK, but received no response.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 6): Mr DIY Group (M) Bhd (KL:MRDIY) plans to establish a sukuk wakalah programme of up to RM5 billion to support working capital requirements and refinance existing borrowings. Under the structure, the IMTN programme will have a perpetual tenure, with each issuance carrying a minimum maturity of one year. Mr DIY also has the flexibility to issue sustainability sukuk or sustainability-linked sukuk under the sukuk wakalah programme. CIMB Investment Bank Bhd is the sole principal adviser and lead arranger for the sukuk wakalah programmes. CIMB Investment Bank, Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd and Maybank Investment Bank Bhd are joint lead managers, while CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd acts as shariah adviser.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 6): Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim, former long-time CEO of Axiata Group Bhd (KL:AXIATA), has been elevated to be non-executive chairman of AirAsia X Bhd (KL:AAX), a little over a week after being given a seat on the aviation group’s board. Jamaludin was redesignated to chair the board, effective Friday, after he was appointed an independent and non-executive director on Feb 24. He served as group CEO of Axiata from 2008 to 2020, and CEO of Maxis Communications prior to that from 1998. The enlarged AAX group concurrently allotted 606 million new shares to third-party investors through a fully subscribed RM1 billion private placement. AAX is also evaluating a proposed name change to reflect the unified airline structure, though no decision has been finalised.

(March 6): A prolonged Iran war is a risk to the bank-stock powered rallies in Japan and Europe as investors abandon these markets in favor of exposure to oil and the US dollar, Bank of America’s Michael Hartnett said. It’s a scenario that has already started playing out since the US and Israel launched their attacks against Iran and as the conflict has spread. European stocks are on course for their worst weekly drop since last April’s tariff turmoil and the same is true of Japan’s Nikkei 225 index. Volatile trading in Korean equities saw the Kospi index notch both a record decline and the biggest gain since 2008. The war has entered a seventh day, with investors focused on the near-total halt to energy shipments through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

(March 6): Vietnam’s richest man Pham Nhat Vuong handed the reins of his EV taxi company Green & Smart Mobility JSC to his wife, Pham Thu Huong, who has been named chairwoman of the business, according to news website VnExpress. The appointment comes as GSM, known domestically as Xanh SM, weighs an international initial public offering that could value the company at about US$20 billion (RM79 billion). GSM, which deploys electric vehicles produced by Vuong’s VinFast Auto Ltd, is a leading Vietnamese ride-hailing operator plotting aggressive overseas expansion. GSM has moved beyond its borders into Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines, and is expected to enter India, where VinFast recently opened an EV manufacturing facility. Huong replaces Phan Thanh Long, who will stay on as CEO of GSM, according to the report, which cited the company.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has conveyed its solidarity with Turkiye following a ballistic missile incident that threatened its airspace, highlighting how fragile the security environment has become. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said during a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday night (Mar 5), he discussed the escalating tensions in West Asia following a series of attacks, threatening the stability of the region. Anwar also expressed concern over the assassination of several senior Iranian leaders, including the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Such developments risk pushing West Asia into a period of serious and prolonged instability. “We agreed that all parties must exercise the utmost restraint and wisdom to prevent the situation from further deteriorating.

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia can still maintain the subsidised RON95 petrol price at RM1.99 per litre for up to two months, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. But the Prime Minister warned that the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could cause an unprecedented economic crisis. He said everyone, including the public and private sectors, must be wary of the ongoing conflict in Iran. "We will monitor this situation because so far, we can still hold off for one or two months." The Strait of Hormuz was closed by Iran on Monday (March 2) following the US and Israeli attacks.

One hour into the episode, the pop star was seen sitting on the floor, giving a kiss to Blanco’s index toe mid-conversation. The moment came after Blanco became a topic of online conversation after he displayed his dirty feet during the first episode of his podcast. Gomez’s gesture toward her husband further drew mixed reactions from fans. Some Filipino netizens joked that the pop singer needed to be showered with salt as she seemed to be under a spell. In September 2025, Gomez and Blanco tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, after two years of dating.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 6): Construction and property player AME Elite Consortium Bhd (KL:AME) is acquiring two parcels of freehold land measuring a total of 31.82 acres in Senai, Johor, for RM101.18 million, cash, from Nice Frontier Sdn Bhd (NFSB). Under the first agreement, AME’s wholly owned unit Twin Sunrich Sdn Bhd will acquire the first parcel of land for RM41.32 million. The second agreement will see another wholly owned subsidiary, Golden Symphony Sdn Bhd, acquire the second parcel for RM59.87 million. NFSB is an indirect 99.9%-owned subsidiary of IOI Properties Group Bhd (KL:IOIPG). As at end-December 2025, the group’s cash and cash equivalents stood at RM888.31 million.

GALLE, Sri Lanka: A second Iranian warship neared Sri Lankan waters on Thursday (Mar 5), a minister told parliament, a day after a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate, killing at least 84 sailors. Media minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the second Iranian navy vessel was just outside Sri Lanka's territorial waters, but gave no further details. The morgue at Galle can handle about 25 bodies at a time, but those of the 84 Iranian sailors were brought there on Wednesday. India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said he too had had a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, but gave no details. Sri Lanka has remained neutral and has repeatedly urged dialogue to resolve the conflict in the Middle East.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians should draw lessons from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the prolonged suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza by strengthening unity and solidarity at home, says the Prime Minister. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said amid increasingly uncertain global geopolitics, Malaysia must remain united regardless political affiliation and racial or religious differences to safeguard national interests and uphold the rule of law. On Feb 28, Israel and the United States launched airstrikes on several targets throughout Iran. On Felda, the Prime Minister said the body must no longer be treated as a separate entity, but instead be fully integrated into the nation’s development agenda. The Prime Minister also proposed that Felda’s 70th anniversary celebration be held on a large scale in Felda areas to strengthen the spirit of the settler community.

BANGKOK: Thailand is seeking to diversify its oil imports by securing additional supplies from partner countries including Malaysia, the United States and South Africa as tensions in the Middle East disrupt global energy routes. He noted that about half of Thailand’s oil imports come from the Middle East, while the remainder is sourced from other regions. "The government has instructed the Ministry of Energy and related agencies to closely assess the situation and consider alternative import sources to diversify energy risks. "PTT Public Company Limited (PTT), Thailand’s state-owned integrated oil and gas company, maintains commercial relationships with various global suppliers, enabling it to secure additional oil imports during times of crisis. He also said the energy minister had informed him that Thailand’s oil reserves are sufficient for about 95 days.

TA Research said Ibraco’s key launches in FY26 will come from new phases within the NorthBank township, including the NorthBank Business Exchange commercial component. “Promotional campaigns are also expected to help improve sales momentum at NewUrban Residence in PJ South, where take-up currently stands at around 45% ahead of its 2027 completion.”Looking ahead, TA Research noted that construction remains Ibraco’s primary earnings pillar, supported by its current project pipeline. As at end-FY25, Ibraco’s construction order book stood at RM734.9mil, providing earnings visibility over the next two years. With these two infrastructure projects accounting for the bulk of the current order book, construction earnings are expected to closely track project progress over the next two years. “Management is targeting around RM1bil worth of construction job wins in FY26, supported by an active tender book of approximately RM1bil.

JAKARTA (March 6): Indonesia will restrict access to social media platforms for children under 16, its communications and digital ministry said on Friday, making it the latest country to install online guardrails to reduce the risks of addiction and cyberbullying. A number of governments have imposed curbs on social media for children amid mounting concerns over the impact that social media is having on the safety and mental health of minors. Australia introduced a ban on social media for under-16s in December, and Spain also said last month that it would ban access to social media for minors under 16. Indonesia's neighbour Malaysia announced in November that it would also ban social media for users under the age of 16 starting from 2026. Meutya Hafid, Indonesia's Communications and Digital Minister, said in a video statement that the government will "delay access" to social media accounts for children under 16 through a ministerial regulation issued on Friday.