PETALING JAYA: Westports Holdings Bhd may handle lower container volumes in the first quarter of this year (1Q26), as global port activity is expected to moderate ahead of Chinese New Year. Despite this quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) volume decline, Westports’ earnings should remain resilient, supported by the second phase of its port tariff hike of 10% that became effective this month, stated Maybank Investment Bank Research (Maybank IB Research). Maybank IB Research has a “buy” call on Westports, with a target price of RM6.73 per share. After a site visit to Westports, the research house said Westports indicated that strong 4Q25 container throughput was in line with robust intra-Asia container trade volumes. For the fourth quarter of last year, Westports was expected to be supported by stronger container volumes and elevated yard utilisation.

ALOR GAJAH: The Defence Ministry is weighing firm action, including prosecution in the military court against 15 army officers identified as being involved in alleged immoral activities in a military camp. Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari (pic) said the ministry enforces clear disciplinary regulations and will not tolerate any conduct that tarnishes military values. He said any breach of discipline would first be dealt with internally through the establishment of an investigation committee before the case is referred to the military court for adjudication. “Within the military system, there is a military court. “Whatever occurred, isolated or otherwise, if it does not reflect the culture of the Armed Forces, action will be taken in accordance with existing processes and regulations, including through the military court,” he added.

In what is seen as the most significant take-away from this meeting, the Umno president proposed the creation of a “grand collaboration” to unite all Malay and Muslim political parties. Umno Youth secretary Hafiz Ariffin said the meeting served as a platform for both consolidation and recalibration of Umno’s future direction. “This is a significant step, and certainly not an easy decision for any political party to undertake, especially given Umno’s history and stature,” he said. “It can create a more coherent Malay political voice, reduce harmful polarisation, and contribute to a more stable and predictable national political landscape, benefiting not only the Malays, but all Malaysians,” he said. Political analyst Dr Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin said Umno should consider other factors when proposing the grand collaboration.

PETALING JAYA: Experienced shuttlers Anthony Ginting and Rian Ardianto are likely to pose a serious threat to Malaysia’s hopes in the Asia Team Championships after they were named in the Indonesian squad. Malaysia will take on Indonesia and Myanmar in Group D in the team meet from Feb 3-8 in Qingdao, China. Indonesia have selected a mixture of seniors and juniors in their squad with singles star Anthony and experienced doubles ace Rian the standout names. 8 Sabar Gutama-Moh Reza (doubles) have not been named in the team. The Asia team meet acts as the qualifier for the Thomas Cup Finals from April 24-May 3 in Horsens, Denmark.

“The eastern side of Johor, particularly around Kota Tinggi and Mersing, is home to diverse wildlife species. “In some areas such as Panti in Kota Tinggi, they are known as elephant crossing zones. Chow cautioned that the risk of human-­wildlife conflicts could increase if the proposed highway is developed ­without taking wildlife habitats into account. He said the projects were originally ­proposed under the National Highway Development Plan (NHDP) for ­deve­lopment after 2030, but rapid growth in the state has prompted the Johor government to prioritise them. Mohamad Fazli said that the projects are expected to cover three main sections, namely, Johor Baru to Kota Tinggi (30km), Kota Tinggi to Mersing (80km) and Mer­­sing to Endau (32km).

IPOH: A Malayan tiger that was captured in Bukit Kinding here last Sunday has been given an assignment: Breed. The predator, which has been named “Yob Kinding”, would be kept for breeding, as a means to conserve the critically endangered species, said Yusoff Shariff, the Perak director of the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan). Yob Kinding is in good health and being cared for at the National Wildlife Rescue Centre (NWRC) in Sungkai. A video of Yob Kinding had gone viral, as the animal was recorded showing up at a durian orchard and slowly approaching a team of Malayan Tiger Conservation Unit (UKHM) personnel. The unit was at the location, having responded to a tiger sighting there.

Norhulnadia Ahmad and her brother Mohamad Sharil produce Kain Benang Johor, a traditional textile that requires patience, precision and skill to generate. After he watched me weave, his interest grew slowly.”Mohamad Sharil, 23, was first exposed to Kain Benang Johor in 2017. Mohamad Sharil at the loom weaving Kain Benang Johor. “After that I was offered a six-month training stint by the Johor Heritage Foundation which I accepted.”Mohamad Sharil said producing Kain Benang Johor involved eight processes. “The techniques I learned at IKN helped me adapt easily to weaving Kain Benang Johor after I joined Yayasan Warisan Johor.

(Jan 19): ASM International NV reported fourth-quarter orders that beat expectations on the back of an improvement in bookings for its chip-making equipment from China and strong demand in artificial intelligence-linked segments. Fourth-quarter order intake rose to about €800 million (RM3,771.76 million), the Almere, Netherlands-based company said in a statement on Monday (Jan 19), citing preliminary figures. That compares with an average analyst estimate of €670.6 million, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. ASM makes tools that are critical to the production of cutting-edge chips used for artificial intelligence applications. The company expects revenue to show a healthy increase in the first quarter compared to the prior three months.

They said that only through sufficient investment into helping expatriates transfer their skills and knowledge to the local workforce can Malaysia sustainably transition to a high-skilled workforce that is not reliant on foreign expertise. Ahmad Fahmi added that the goal should be to ultimately build a fair, dignified and sustainable employment ecosystem, where local talent is trusted, empowe­red and positioned as a driver of national development. “We do have local talent, but the gap now is mainly in their senior-level experience and niche skills. To resolve this, he called on local companies to invest in upskilling and training prog­­ram­mes to close any of such skill gaps. “The government should also make it its policy to reinforce and accelerate this growing trend of highly-educated talent through efforts to help graduates transition into employment more smoothly,” he said.

Unlike the Paralympics which caters to athletes with physical disabilities, the Special Olympics is for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Malaysian Special Olympics contingent, Foo said, had shown remarkable achievements, evident by its performance at the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, Germany. Competitors giving it their all at the 2022 Special Olympics Selangor State Games. Although lacking the popularity of the regular Olympics and Paralympics, he said the Special Olympics was crucial in uplifting and supporting those with intellectual disabilities to realise their potential. Athletes competing in the bocce event at the 2022 Special Olympics Malaysia.

KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, decreed that the national language Bahasa Malaysia must continue to be given priority. "If there are (efforts) to develop a new education system, it must then be done in line with the national education policy and Bahasa Melayu must be the main language as it is our national language," His Majesty said during his royal address at the opening of the First Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 15th Parliament on Monday (Jan 19). Sultan Ibrahim said any education system in Malaysia that seeks to be recognised must accept Bahasa Melayu and Malaysian History. "If there are quarters who cannot accept Bahasa Melayu, it is best for them to not live in Malaysia," His Majesty said. Emphasising the well-being of the people, His Majesty also decreed that attention must be given this year to education, housing, healthcare and public transport, as the implementation of the 13th Malaysia Plan will begin this year.

PETALING JAYA: A cockfighting den in Klang has been busted in a police raid. "We arrested 72 men aged between 20 and 70 who were found to be involved in gambling and cockfighting activities at the location," he said in a statement on Monday (Jan 19). Comm Shazeli said investigations found that the syndicate had been active for around six months and used the plantation as cover for their matches every Sunday. "Selangor police emphasise that efforts to combat illegal gambling will be intensified from time to time. "Those with any information on criminal activity are urged to come forward and report it to the police to safeguard the community's safety and well-being in this state," Comm Shazeli said.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 19): Reservoir Link Energy Bhd (KL:RL) has secured a contract from Hibiscus Oil & Gas Malaysia Ltd to provide third-party subsurface review and technical assurance services for the PM3 CAA carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. Under the contract, Reservoir Link will conduct an independent review of the CCS study, covering subsurface workflows and methodologies, data inputs and assumptions, static and dynamic modelling, as well as technical analysis and interpretation. Reservoir Link said the contract marks its first entry into the CCS segment, expanding its service offerings beyond its traditional oil and gas activities. “CCS is set to become a significant market in the years ahead, and by securing this project, Reservoir Link is well-positioned to capture future opportunities and create long-term value,” Reservoir Link executive deputy chairman Thien Chiet Chai said in the statement. Hibiscus Oil & Gas Malaysia Ltd is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Hibiscus Petroleum Bhd (KL:HIBISCS).

PUTRAJAYA: Weaknesses in the government’s procurement process are largely due to non-compliance with established procedures, despite the Finance Ministry having introduced flexibility to facilitate procurement matters, says Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar (pic). The Chief Secretary to the Government said the irregularities were not entirely due to shortcomings in the system, but also because Procurement Board Committee members and officers lack understanding of procurement procedures. “The Finance Ministry has provided considerable flexibility in the procurement process, but it is still imperative that every procurement procedure is strictly adhered to. What is crucial is that members of the board fully understand the procedures,” Shamsul Azri said, Bernama reported. Asked whether the issue was caused by weak oversight or shortcomings in standard operating procedures, he said it could be due to a combination of several factors.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 19): The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) has lodged a police report following an alleged leak of information involving the names and strategic postings of senior officers in the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF). He explained that any decision to appoint personnel to the highest positions in the Armed Forces must first be deliberated at the Armed Forces Council (MAT) level, which is responsible for submitting recommendations to His Majesty. He said the disclosure of the names, positions and movements of senior officers could pose security risks, as such sensitive information should not be made public. The move followed the circulation of speculative narratives and lists of senior Armed Forces officers linked to strategic postings and leadership matters, on various social media platforms. According to the ministry, such action could be investigated under several laws, including the Official Secrets Act 1972, the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, the Armed Forces Act 1972, and the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993.