Changes will affect only non-paying borrowers, leaving others untouchedMANJUNG: The restructuring of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan repayments will not affect borro­wers’ housing loans or other personal loans, says Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir. The Higher Education Minister said the measure applies only to borrowers who have made no payments and those who have not contacted PTPTN to discuss their financial situation. Zambry said besides PTPTN loans, the government provides various programmes to help students, particularly those from low-income families, pursue higher education. On another matter, Zambry, who is an Umno supreme council member, said proposals made by Umno Youth, including on the party’s position in the unity government, will be submitted to the supreme council for deliberation. “Any views, demands or proposals will be referred to the sup­reme council,” he said.

THE relief of finally being allowed home turned to shock for residents of Taman United low-cost flats in Kuala Lumpur. More than a month after a landslide forced the evacuation of 52 units in Block C, residents who returned on Jan 1 found their homes in deplorable conditions with mud, flood damage and debris. Ng said there was no notice from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to inform residents that they could return. Authorities subsequently ordered residents in Block C to vacate their homes until further notice to allow for repairs to the wall and slope. The notice added that residents of Block C were allowed to return to their homes on Jan 1, while occupants of the two landed properties were advised not to return until further notice.

(Jan 5): A panel of economic luminaries said the long-run risk posed by mounting federal debt represented a paramount problem facing the US economy. “The preconditions for fiscal dominance are clearly strengthening,” former Treasury secretary and Federal Reserve (Fed) chair Janet Yellen said on Sunday during a panel discussion at the American Economic Association’s annual meeting in Philadelphia. Yellen also noted that President Donald Trump has “vocally demanded” the Fed lower interest rates explicitly to reduce the government’s debt-servicing costs. “I doubt Americans will end up on the fiscal dominance course, but I definitely think the dangers are real and should be monitored,” she said. “We have a fiscal problem,” Romer said.

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Currency markets are giving a first read-out before US equity-index futures and US crude futures start trading, with Brent crude opening later. Traders are also watching precious metals such as gold and silver that have recently become a hot segment of the market. Although Venezuela isn’t a top-20 crude producer, any persistent increase in oil prices and its inflationary impact on economies pose a risk for markets. “We don’t think the situation will escalate into a sustained oil shock, and this should be a short-lived sentiment drag.”Early signals suggest that the global oil market will largely take the move in its stride. Investors will also be keeping an eye on US Treasury yields, which can weigh on stocks if they rise too quickly.

Some photos shared on social media showed that the congestion was worsened by several accidents along the highways. The Malaysian Highway Autho­rity (LLM) on its social media page said that at 6.46pm, traffic was reported to be heavy and slow-moving on multiple stretches of major highways. The North-South Expressway near Port Dickson also showed heavy congestion, particularly vehicles heading towards the north, while vehicles heading south were moving faster. “It was a slow-moving traffic from LPT (East Coast Expressway) towards KL city centre. Noorul Aida posted on her social media page at around 5pm that she was caught in the slow-moving traffic when travelling from Kuala Krai, Kelantan.

Malaysia opposes all forms of foreign intervention in the internal affairs of other states, as well as the threat or use of force. KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia opposes all forms of foreign intervention in the internal affairs of other states, as well as the threat or use of force. The Foreign Ministry said this in its update yesterday on the situation in Venezuela, adding that it was monitoring developments there after the United States operations in Caracas on Saturday. "The embassy is actively monitoring the situation and stands ready to provide consular assistance should the need arise," it added. "Malaysians in Venezuela are advised to remain vigilant, follow local authorities' instructions and maintain close communication with the embassy," said the ministry.

KANGAR: Three Perlis State Assemblymen (ADUN) have submitted an official appeal to the PAS Ulama Syura Council regarding their membership status. "This appeal is made with full order and confidence that the Syura Ulema Council has the trust and authority as provided for in the PAS Constitution," he said in a statement on Saturday (Jan 3). The three assemblymen also stressed that they still hope to be accepted as PAS members and have never made any public statements regarding the incident. The notice of appeal was served on the General Leader and the Secretary of the Shura Council. To date, no official statement has been issued by the PAS Ulama Council regarding the appeal.

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has congratulated the medical team at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre on the historic success of a liver transplant for a four-month-old baby boy last November. He said the achievement reflects the high level of expertise, professionalism and dedication of the nation's healthcare personnel, particularly in performing highly complex and high-risk medical procedures. "Congratulations to the medical team at UMMC on the historic success of a liver transplant for a four-month-old baby weighing 6.2 kilogrammes," he said in an X post on Sunday (Jan 4). Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, in a Facebook post on Saturday (Jan 3), said the baby suffered from liver failure and urgently required a liver transplant from his mother on Nov 25. Although the procedure was high-risk and complex, given that the baby's blood vessels were extremely delicate, he said the liver transplant surgery was successfully carried out thanks to the expertise of surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses at the centre.

Drawing parallels with a film set, Oscar-winning actress Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh likened Kuala Lumpur to a stage and the world as its audience as Malaysia prepares to unveil its story to global visitors through Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026). Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh at the launch of 'I Lite U' event in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: BernamaThe Ipoh-born actress described the lights as more than decoration, but as a symbolic bridge connecting culture, creativity and community. Yeoh said light symbolises guidance and hope for the future, while also acting as a beacon to signal Malaysia’s presence to the world. The Hollywood star added that the lights switched on tonight symbolised a shared aspiration for a brighter future.

PETALING JAYA: There is a long curse that Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, the world No. 2 women’s doubles pair, hope to end when they begin their Malaysian Open campaign at the Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, on Tuesday (Jan 6). The Malaysian Open has often been unkind to Pearly-Thinaah, as they have suffered early-round exits in the past three editions. Women’s doubles head coach Rosman Razak said he is preparing his players with the best possible preparation to break the losing streak at their own den. Pearly-Thinaah, the second seeds for this year’s tournament, will face India’s Rutaparna Panda-Swetaparna Panda in the opening round.

PETALING JAYA: National singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen has stressed that he has no plans to leave and will remain in his position to continue developing the country’s shuttlers. Jonassen acknowledged that last year brought few notable achievements for both the men and women’s singles squads. 1 men’s singles player Leong Jun Hao, whose results often fell short of expectations. For example, the claim that he would be demoted and assigned to coach only the women’s singles squad. However, Jonassen denied the rumours and said he remains fully committed to his role as national singles coaching director.

But the real draw of baking starts long before you roll out the pie crust. There’s something comforting about the structure of it: the measuring, the stirring, the transformation of a handful of ingredients into something delicious. Trust the processAlex George of the blog Lily P. Crumbs finds something satisfyingly tactile and tangible about baking. Cracking eggs, creaming butter – there’s a lot of sensory pleasure to be had, especially in a screen-centric world. Things may get messy when you're baking, but trust the process and you will be fine.

NSTP FILE PICTHE past years can hardly be called a golden age of European trade negotiations. One region where the EU had remarkable success in this decade, however, is Southeast Asia. Singapore and Vietnam have had free trade agreements in force since 2019 and 2020, respectively. And, with Malaysia, negotiations were reopened last January after a 13-year break. The EU's rush for new trade agreements and renewed focus on Southeast Asia gives Kuala Lumpur unprecedented leverage in its dealings with Brussels.

PETALING JAYA: The 41-year-old woman, who went missing after visiting her husband at Hospital Shah Alam, has returned, say police. According to Sinar Harian, the woman, Nurul Nazla Abdul Halim, came back to visit her husband around 6.30pm on Sunday (Jan 4). "At the moment, we don't know where she went," said the woman's younger sister, Nadia. Shah Alam OCPD Asst Comm Ramsay Embol also confirmed that the woman had returned safe and sound. Earlier, police were seeking public help to look for Nurul as she went missing after leaving the hospital at about 2pm on Saturday (Jan 3).