The 30-year-old Kajang resident said her ordeal began with her beauty team, despite paying RM1,550 for a package including makeup and saree draping. The saree ended up crumpled and messy, which was especially obvious because it was white,” she said. ALSO READ : Wedding package compensation claims on the rise“My husband expressed his dissatisfaction with the company that same night. The quality was so lacking that Sharmila’s 58-year-old father had to stay up at night to repaint the items himself. There was no glow at all,” she said, adding that she paid more than RM500 for basic makeup for herself and her husband.

PETALING JAYA: A total of 266 filings related to wedding package compensation have been recorded nationwide since 2024. According to the Consumer Claims Tribunal Malaysia, 73 cases were recorded in 2024, a sharp increase to 170 in 2025, and 23 cases lodged as of Feb 11, this year. The cases highlight growing consumer dissatisfaction and the need for stronger oversight of the wedding industry. The tribunal said claims must be submitted by completing the Claim Form (Form 1), which is the main form necessary for case registration purposes. The claim form applies to services connected with wedding events as well.

PETALING JAYA: The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) is expected to announce its dividends soon, and experts believe it could maintain the dividend rate for conventional savings at 6.3% in 2025. For 2024, both the conventional and syariah funds reported dividends of 6.3%. “The EPF has delivered a respectable performance in the first nine months of 2025, whereby gross investment income grew by 11%. “In addition, the improvement in global equities during the final quarter of 2025 should help contribute to EPF investment income. EPF reported RM63.99bil in investment income for the first nine months of 2025, an 11% rise year-on-year.

KUANTAN: The Raub and Lipis divisions of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) announced the dissolution of their respective division committees effective Saturday (Feb 21). Raub Bersatu chief Datuk Fakrunizam Ibrahim said that the decision was made due to a loss of trust and respect for the Bersatu leadership. "Therefore, the entire Raub Bersatu division committee has officially dissolved today," he said when contacted by Bernama. We see that the President has not succeeded in controlling the ongoing turmoil and has done nothing to restore the situation," he said. Additionally, it was reported that 22 Bersatu divisions have been dissolved nationwide following the party's leadership crisis.- Bernama

> The Higher Education Ministry’s MyBrain 2.0 sponsorship programme is calling for applicants interested in pursuing master’s and doctoral degree studies at the country’s public universities. > MyBrain 2.0 targets individuals who are unemployed or do not have a stable income, as well as lecturers from private higher education institutions. > The sponsorship focuses on helping students pursue advanced studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), social sciences and professional literature. > MyBrain 2.0 covers both tuition fees and living expenses. > The programme aims to develop human capital and empower highly skilled talent in the field of research, enhancing high-impact research outcomes in line with the needs of society, the community and the nation.

KOTA KINABALU: Flood relief centres in Pitas, Paitan and Kota Marudu continue to register new victims, with the number increasing to 4,652 people from 1,799 families. The State Disaster Management Committee Secretariat said the victims come from a total of 79 villages from these districts. Pitas registered the most, with 2,013 people from 787 families, followed by Kota Marudu with 1,923 people from 778 households and Paitan with 716 victims from 234 families. Given the current flood and weather conditions, the number of displaced victims in Pitas and Paitan continues to rise, whereas the situation in Kota Marudu remains stable. Over the past two days, rescuers, including Malaysian Civil Defence Force officials, firemen and villagers themselves, have been working non-stop to rescue displaced victims.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic), the flood situation has affected the homes, safety and daily lives of the people in Sabah. “Our priority is the safety of the people, the welfare of the victims and the recovery of the affected areas as soon as possible; thus, all relevant agencies have been mobilised. “Everyone in the affected areas must remain vigilant and obey the instructions of the authorities,” he said in a Facebook post. The number of flood victims in Sabah increased as of 8am yesterday compared to Friday evening. The Sabah State Disaster Management Secretariat, in a ­statement, announced that 18 temporary evacuation centres are now operating in the three affected districts, namely Kota Marudu, Pitas and Paitan.

The turning point came when he was paid to accompany a team to a tournament. Now a law student in his early 20s, Thivagar is proving that debating is not just an extracurricular activity – it can also be a profession. Thivagar: Coaching is only one part of the job – much of the work happens behind the scenes. Thivagar: Advocacy and critical thinking matter far more than academic results in this line of work. Isabel, 15, a student in Johor, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team.

The 52-year-old mother of four had lost her husband, Mejar C. Kayamboo, in 2016, and just days ago, her son, Trooper K. Indiran, died during training. “Tough training in the military is normal but should not be mistaken for bullying. “His (Indiran’s) late father served in the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) and went through tough training. I am willing to leave it to fate and remain hopeful that my other children will accomplish their dreams,” she said. Indiran was accorded a military burial before his remains were laid to rest next to his father’s grave at Batu Lanchang Indian cemetery.

This allows researchers to “tune” the speed of quantum decoherence, providing a vital tool for managing complex quantum environments. If a quantum system changes too quickly, its computational results become difficult to save and retrieve. This stage is transient, relatively stable and, crucially, controllable, offering a possible avenue for preserving quantum information. Similarly, in this brief plateau phase, the quantum system resists chaos and preserves its information. In contrast, “quantum computers can simulate molecules in a way regular computers cannot”, the report said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Visiting Ramadan bazaars is no longer exclusive to Muslims, having become an annual tradition for Malaysians of various races, who enjoy diverse food offerings and a festive, harmonious atmosphere. Visitor, Rogini Rasanya, 33, said the presence of people from diverse backgrounds at Ramadan bazaars reflects the true concept of unity. "Every year I make it a point to visit Ramadan bazaars, although the location may differ. The private-sector employee also described visits to Ramadan bazaars as an annual tradition for Malaysians, regardless of race or religion. So there is no issue for me in introducing an Indian dish at the Ramadan bazaar,” he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: As Malaysians flock to Ramadan bazaars and breaking fast gatherings, the Health Ministry is reminding the public to observe tuberculosis (TB) precautions, especially in crowded and enclosed spaces. In a statement issued on Saturday (Feb 21), the ministry said a total of 596 new tuberculosis (TB) cases were reported nationwide during the sixth epidemiological week. The statement said the latest detections brought the cumulative number of tuberculosis cases to 3,161across the country. “Ramadan itself is not a cause of TB transmission. Kelantan recorded 121 cases, Pahang with 103 cases, Terengganu with 74 cases, and Negeri Sembilan, which recorded 62 cases.

PETALING JAYA: DAP’s assurance to support the government even if its leaders step down from government positions is crucial for political stability, says Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh. “As a partner in Pakatan Harapan, DAP emphasised its unwavering support for the unity government. This affirmation is the most important element in ensuring the country’s political stability,” the PKR secretary-general told The Star on Saturday (Feb 21). “In some coalitions, a component party may support the government but will not want to be part of the executive government to maintain its distinctive identity and preserve its ideology. “It is a question whether some form of reform is better than none, or the supporters would prefer no reform at all to preserve their ideology,” he added.

PHNOM PENH: Leng Kimleang, a 45-year-old mother, has described how her youngest son Khum Khim, 13, was killed by a Thai artillery round during the December fighting. Her eldest son was away, but her husband and youngest son, Khim, wanted to stay near their crops. I was hit by a fragment from the shell, and one of my earrings was torn off. My husband, who was standing in front of the house, ran in, grabbed me, and pulled me into the bunker. I dream that he is looking for his phone,” Kimleang said.

JOHOR BARU: The government has improved procurement procedures involving the Armed Forces, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. The Defence Minister said this was among the matters agreed upon in discussions between his ministry and the Finance Ministry regarding the release of funds following the freeze on ATM procurement. Earlier this month, it was reported that the Armed Forces’ top leadership would meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to seek the release of funds. On Feb 16, Mohamed Khaled said the Defence Ministry had been summoned by the Finance Ministry for talks on operational expenditure following the government’s temporary freeze on defence procurement. On Jan 16, Anwar ordered an immediate freeze on all military and police procurement decisions to restore integrity and ensure full compliance with procedures following corruption allegations involving the armed forces.