Writer Rachel Tan, 37, who is based here, said she plans to fly to Japan but has not made any bookings yet. Trainer George D’Cruz, 30, from Gombak, said he is not too worried about the current situation as he is planning to visit Vietnam and Hong Kong. “Initially I wanted to travel because of the strong ringgit, but if it weakens, perhaps I will travel domestically instead,” he said. “I have a trip to China in June, and so far the travel agency hasn’t updated me about the price of the flight ticket. Asked about her travel plans for the end of the year, Lee said she had none, citing the likelihood that rising fuel prices will drive up airfares.

KOTA KINABALU: An internal investigation has found negligence in the runaway train incident along the Tenom-Pangi route. The Sabah Railway Department’s board of enquiry, held on March 9, found that the train driver failed to conduct an inspection before commencing the journey from Tenom town. In the March 3 incident, at least a dozen passengers, mostly primary school teachers, escaped unhurt. “A test run conducted afterwards found that the braking system was functioning properly, enabling the train to return to Tenom Station without the need for rescue or towing by another locomotive. “An inspection by the Assistant Engineer shortly after the train returned to the Tenom station confirmed that the braking system was fully operational,” Ewon added.

LOS ANGELES: As San Diego awaits the state’s review of its anti-Waymo protest, a new study reveals widespread fear that robotaxis could cost jobs, exacerbate income inequality and cause broader economic disruption. He conducted one of the first US surveys that establishes a connection between autonomous vehicle adoption and concerns about job loss and economic security. More than 70% of respondents thought autonomous vehicles were a bad idea for society or said they were unsure about the technology. The autonomous vehicles already operate in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Austin, Texas, among other cities. "Autonomous vehicles don’t just change how people move.

(March 12): World Cup organisers have reached a funding agreement with Foxborough, after the Massachusetts town threatened to block the seven games scheduled for Boston this summer over public safety costs. Boston’s tournament host committee has agreed to advance funding for the town of Foxborough’s public safety spending, with the Kraft Group providing financial backing. Meanwhile, the Kraft Group insisted that, unlike concerts and New England Patriots games, the World Cup matches will not generate revenue for the stadium itself. The host committee last week offered to repay future town invoices within two business days, a promise backed by the Kraft Group. In response, the Kraft Group expressed its “deep disappointment” that the town had refused its “good faith” efforts.

The announcement could come as early as Thursday, two sources familiar with the effort told Reuters, and would be aimed at combating spiking fuel prices and other disruptions since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran. High gasoline prices carry significant political risks for President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans, who have long argued that their energy policies would keep fuel affordable for American consumers. Under the Jones Act, goods shipped between US ports must be carried on vessels that are US-built, US-flagged and mostly US-owned. Waiving the rule temporarily would allow foreign ships to carry fuel between US ports, potentially lowering shipping costs and speeding deliveries. The United States has issued Jones Act waivers in the past only sparingly, typically in response to major supply disruptions.

KUALA LUMPUR: Investors remained on edge as conflicting developments over the war in the Middle East and the global supply of crude oil continued to influence trading sentiment. The FBM KLCI pared losses to 5.77 points or 0.34% to 1,700.69 as traders adopted a wait-and-see approach amid the uncertainty. PETRONAS Chemicals led the blue chips, rising 29 sen to RM4.43, while other beneficiaries to soaring crude prices included Hengyuan Refining , rising 10 sen to RM1.67, and Hibiscus Petroleum, gaining six sen to RM2.26. Elsewhere, major Asian markets were also retreating from the prospect of rising global inflation. China's Shanghai Composite index dropped 1.26% to 2,709, the CSI300 slid 0.97% to 4,659 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 1.23% to 25,579.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 12): The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) will intensify promotional efforts in several key markets, including Europe, Asia, and Asean, to ensure the targets for the Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2026 campaign are met. Its minister, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, said the move is part of the ministry's strategy to promote national tourism following current developments in West Asia. Tiong said this strategy is vital to ensure the country’s tourism sector remains resilient while maintaining Malaysia’s position as a competitive international destination. On Wednesday, Tiong said that Motac would hold a meeting on Thursday with tourism industry stakeholders to discuss new promotional strategies for VMY 2026 in light of the tensions in West Asia. The internal meeting aimed to review current developments and restructure promotional activities to mitigate potential impacts on the industry.

KUALA LUMPUR: There are no more Malaysians classified as stranded in the western region of Saudi Arabia, following a successful evacuation of Malaysians from the West Asian conflict zones on Tuesday (March 10). The Consulate-General of Malaysia in Jeddah, in a Facebook posting Thursday (March 12), said the evacuation that took off from Jeddah on Tuesday had successfully brought stranded Malaysians home. "Considering the improving situation, with most airlines having resumed their services, the Consulate-General of Malaysia in Jeddah hereby announces the closure of its 24-Hour Operations Room. On Wednesday (March 11), 163 Malaysians who were previously stranded in several West Asian countries safely arrived home. The group included 59 Malaysians who were stranded as well as residents of Qatar who had bought their own flight tickets.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 12): SQ Advanced Interconnect Bhd, a semiconductor component maker, is planning to list on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia to fund its expansion as well as research and development (R&D). Based in Penang, SQ Advanced Interconnect manufactures and assembles flexible printed circuits (FPC) and manufactures integrated circuit (IC) substrates, covering circuit design, prototype fabrication and production. The proposed IPO of 337.5 million shares, consists of a public issuance of 202.5 million new shares and an offer for sale of 135 million shares by substantial shareholder Twisden Ltd, which holds a 10.4% stake. Twisden is 75%-owned by SQ Advanced Interconnect managing director and CEO Jeffrey Hwang Shin Hung, while the remainder is held by executive director and president of Xiamen plant operations Brian Low Loke Chew. Both Hwang and Low have agreed to keep their shares in the company for at least six months.

(March 12): Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc forecast full-year sales growth across the company’s namesake brand stores as well as at the newly acquired Foot Locker chain. Growth at Foot Locker is expected to be in a range of 1% to 3%. Investors have been concerned about the costs Dick’s will incur in the process of integrating Foot Locker, which has a vastly different model. Dick’s has far fewer locations than Foot Locker, with many in suburban areas spanning the US. Foot Locker stores are often smaller and are across about 26 countries.

When she was diagnosed with kidney failure three years ago, she quickly realised that starting dialysis treatment was not easy. Private dialysis was beyond her means. Help eventually came through good Samaritans who introduced her to a charity dialysis centre, where she qualified for subsidi­sed treatment. With regular treatments and support from the staff at the centre, Song was able to rebuild her life’s routine. He cited the case of a diabetic patient in his late 50s who needed dialysis urgently but could not get an appointment for dialysis treatment nearby.

TEHRAN: The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) says that it will not stop its attacks on US and Zionist regimes until there is no shadow of war on the country, Mehr News Agency (MNA) reported. The Guards further said that the strategic US bases in Mina Salman port, as the 5th naval base of the US terrorist army, including the Leeds strategic radar, were targeted. Moreover, the Patriot Camp and the facilities housing the US troops in the two bases of Mohammad Al-Ahmad and Ali al-Salem were severely hit. The IRGC further declared that the war against the US and Zionist terrorists will continue forcefully. The IRGC further said that it is only thinking of total surrender of the enemy, adding that when there is no war in the country anymore, they will stop their attacks.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a warning of thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds in several states until 7pm on Thursday (March 12). In Pahang, the affected areas are Raub, Jerantut, Bentong, Temerloh, Maran, Kuantan, Bera, Pekan and Rompin. "In addition, the whole of Negri Sembilan and Melaka are also expected to experience similar weather conditions,” it said. In Johor, the affected areas include Tangkak, Segamat, Muar, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Mersing, Pontian, Kulai and Johor Baru. Meanwhile, in Sabah, the affected areas are the interior division, covering Sipitang, Tenom and Nabawan, as well as Tawau (Tawau, Kunak and Lahad Datu).

Allied health professionals are becoming a strategic engine of national health transformation as Malaysia’s healthcare system enters a defining decade. In this new reality, allied health professionals are not simply supporting the system; they are helping to drive national health transformation. For these reforms to succeed, Malaysia needs a future-ready allied health workforce that is digitally fluent, adaptable and deeply embedded in communities. In the years ahead, allied health professionals will be among the key frontline actors turning planetary health risks into practical action for communities. Universities can no longer afford to train allied health professionals for yesterday’s healthcare system.

KUALA LUMPUR: The government aims to achieve a pork self-sufficiency rate of 90% by 2030, up from 67.8% in 2024, as part of efforts to strengthen the country's food security. Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Chan Foong Hin (pic) said the current rate indicates that domestic demand still relies partly on imported pork. Chan said that in 2025, the average farm-gate price of live pigs was around RM17.80 per kilogramme. He added that the government is promoting the transformation of the pig farming industry towards modern practices such as the closed house system, which improves disease control and reduces environmental pollution. In Sarawak, a pig farming area (PFA) has been established and the government plans to expand to three additional areas to further strengthen industry development.