PAC to hold meeting on LCS project on Feb 4
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 30): The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold a proceedings meeting on the Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) development project at the Parliament Building here on Feb 4. “This is the PAC’s third visit to monitor the project, following earlier PAC proceedings on the LCS project,” she said in a statement. She said that during the visit, the Parliamentary PAC was briefed on the progress of the construction of the LCS vessels, the project timeline and the challenges faced in completing the project. “The PAC was also taken to view LCS1, which is currently under construction at the Lunas shipyard. Mas Ermieyati also said the PAC would continue to monitor the progress of the LCS project from time to time to ensure the vessels are completed according to the agreed timeline and cost.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 30, 2026 10:19 UTC
MACC opens probe into alleged zakat fund land purchase abuse
GEORGE TOWN (Jan 30): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in Penang has opened an investigation into alleged abuse of power by a senior state government official over a land purchase using zakat funds. A source told Bernama that the probe was initiated following disclosures by a state assemblyman during the state legislative assembly sitting late last year. Penang MACC director Datuk Karunanithy Y Subbiah confirmed the investigation and said it is being conducted under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009. Separately, Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP) president Datuk Dr Mohamad Abdul Hamid said MAINPP and Zakat MAINPP are fully cooperating with MACC. “MAINPP and Zakat MAINPP are providing full cooperation with the MACC investigation, and all required information has been submitted,” said Mohamad, who is also Penang Deputy Chief Minister I.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 30, 2026 10:04 UTC
Zus Coffee eyes 50 outlets in Thailand by 2026
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 30): Zus Coffee has made its official debut in Thailand and is targeting the opening of 50 outlets across the country in 2026, marking its latest push to deepen its footprint in Southeast Asia amid intensifying competition in the region’s café market. The venture into Thailand builds on Zus Coffee’s expansion across Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Brunei, with Indonesia next in its regional pipeline. The Malaysian-born coffee chain said the Thailand expansion is part of its broader strategy to scale its app-first, data-driven retail model across Southeast Asia. At the core of Zus Coffee’s operating model is its proprietary mobile app, which captures consumer preference data to guide menu development and localisation. “The group aims to replicate its everyday-value proposition in Thailand by offering consistent quality at accessible price points”, Zus Coffee Thailand general manager Pattarnun Meesiripeyratorn said in a statement on Friday.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 30, 2026 09:59 UTC
E-hailing licence fees more flexible starting today, says Transport Ministry
KUALA LUMPUR: Starting today, e-hailing service vehicles benefit from more flexible Motor Vehicle Licence (LKM) fee structures following recent adjustments by the Transport Ministry (MOT) and Road Transport Department (JPJ). Additionally, the cumulative fee for renewal periods between one and five months will not exceed the six-month LKM fee rate. Under the Old Vehicle Replacement Matching Grant Programme, eligible recipients will receive a government grant of up to RM2,000, an amount that will be matched by participating local vehicle manufacturers. The programme also streamlines the process by requiring the deregistration of the old vehicle through JPJ's online Vehicle Deregistration System (e-DeREG) and its proper disposal at an authorised automotive treatment facility. Beyond improving road safety, the initiative’s goal is to reduce accident risks and safeguard public well-being, said the Ministry.
Source:The Star
January 30, 2026 09:59 UTC
MPPN backs move to tighten RON95 purchase restrictions for foreign-registered vehicles
The National Consumer Advisory Council (Majlis Penasihat Pengguna Negara, MPPN) has expressed its full support for the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living’s (KPDN) move to introduce new regulations aimed at strengthening enforcement against the purchase of RON95 petrol by foreign-registered vehicles. MPPN chairman Mohd Khair bin Ngadiron said the proposed measures are necessary to ensure that fuel subsidies allocated by the government are channelled effectively to Malaysians and are not subject to misuse or leakage. “The RON95 subsidy is a significant public expenditure intended to support domestic consumers. “Without adequate controls, subsidy leakages not only undermine government finances but also distort market integrity and weaken consumer confidence. He also called on all stakeholders, including petrol station operators and consumers, to cooperate fully with the authorities to ensure the smooth implementation of the proposed measures.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 30, 2026 09:24 UTC
Hong Kong economy grows most since 2021 as trade and IPOs surge
(Jan 30): Hong Kong’s economy staged a powerful comeback last year, growing at its fastest pace since 2021 as resilient trade and a resurgence in investment defied global headwinds. “Looking ahead, the Hong Kong economy is expected to maintain good momentum in 2026,” the spokesperson said in a statement, citing strong global demand for AI-enabled products and improved domestic sentiment. Hong Kong’s role as a transshipment hub has benefited directly from mainland China’s trade resilience. Hong Kong’s economic rebound came after the Asian financial hub logged a blockbuster year of deal making. Hong Kong’s stock market also saw a bull run in 2025, which helped with a recovery in private consumption.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 30, 2026 08:59 UTC
Toy shop owner suffers nearly RM1mil in losses due to fire
KUALA TERENGGANU: The owner of a toy, bicycle and electric scooter shop in Kampung Simpang Tok Ku near here suffered losses of nearly RM1mil after the premises, which had been operating for the past five years, were destroyed in a fire last night. After making an emergency call, I instructed the employees to leave the premises as the smoke became thicker. Meanwhile, the Kuala Terengganu Fire and Rescue Station chief, Thoyyibah Taib, said an emergency call regarding the fire was received at 7.49pm last night. Following the report, 24 personnel, along with three fire engines, from her station and the Jalan Kota Fire and Rescue Station, were dispatched to the scene. "The fire involved a two-storey permanent children’s toy shop, with about 50 per cent of the lower floor damaged.
Source:The Star
January 30, 2026 08:48 UTC
Taiwan’s economy grows at fastest pace in 15 years on AI boom
(Jan 30): Taiwan’s economy expanded at the fastest pace in 15 years in 2025, buoyed by unquenchable demand for the tech goods needed to develop AI systems. In a signal of confidence in the longevity of the global AI boom, this month Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co said it was earmarking as much as US$56 billion in capital spending for 2026, a stronger-than-anticipated projection. The optimism is also partly due to the US and Taiwan agreeing on a trade deal this month. Taiwan’s exports hit record levels in 2025. Taiwan’s trade surplus with the US also climbed to a record last year.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 30, 2026 08:44 UTC
Govt will allow corruption investigations to run their course — Fahmi
PUTRAJAYA (Jan 30): Malaysia will allow the law to run its course and not interfere with the recent spate of graft investigations and enforcements, government spokesperson and Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said on Friday. In the latest case involving the top brass of the Department of Environment, Fahmi said the government will entrust the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and other enforcement bodies to take the appropriate actions. “The Cabinet does not interfere or intervene in this issue,” he told the press. “We fully leave it to the enforcement bodies.”On Friday, the MACC detained the director general and deputy director general of the Department of Environment as part of a probe into alleged corruption in electrical and electronic waste management. The former head of the armed forces and ex-Army chief, as well as the chief of staff of the Joint Forces Headquarters were all charged for various corruption offences this week.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 30, 2026 08:28 UTC
China logs first fiscal revenue drop since 2020 on property slump, weak consumption
BEIJING (Jan 30): China's fiscal revenue fell 1.7% in 2025 from a year earlier, the finance ministry said on Friday, the first contraction since 2020 as a protracted property slump and weak domestic demand saddled the economy. Fiscal revenues in 2025 totalled 21.6 trillion yuan (US$3.11 trillion or RM12.2 trillion), a ministry official said at a press briefing. Expenditures grew 1% to 28.7 trillion yuan, slowing from 3.6% growth in 2024. Growth in China's fiscal revenue slowed to 1.3% in 2024. These revenues have in the past been a key driver for local economic growth measures and the sharp drop has strained local authorities' coffers and weighed on overall business activity.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 30, 2026 08:14 UTC
SME groups laud funding scheme but see room to grow
KUALA LUMPUR: The government’s announcement of a RM100mil financing initiative for Malaysian Chinese micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) has drawn enthusiastic support from SME groups, who hailed it as a “breakthrough” in widening access to capital. ALSO READ: New RM100mil financing for Chinese MSMEs“This is a great kind of financing scheme that can really help entrepreneurs. He added that the scheme should prioritise SMEs unable to obtain loans from commercial banks, rather than duplicating financing for companies that already qualify for conventional bank funding. “For micro SMEs, banks should not operate like normal commercial lenders. They should start small, test repayment capacity, and gradually increase financing as businesses grow and prove their performance,” he said.
Source:The Star
January 30, 2026 07:56 UTC
KTMB adds eight ETS services, introduces EMU+ for CNY and Hari Raya
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 30): Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) will operate eight additional Electric Train Service (ETS) trips for Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri to meet public travel demand. In a statement, KTMB announced that 26,460 additional ETS tickets have been on sale since Jan 24 for the Chinese New Year, covering KL Sentral — Ipoh; KL Sentral — Butterworth — KL Sentral; KL Sentral — Padang Besar — KL Sentral; JB Sentral — KL Sentral — JB Sentral, and JB Sentral — Butterworth — JB Sentral. These services are scheduled from Feb 13 to 22, with key routes including Padang Besar — KL Sentral (11.05am); KL Sentral — Padang Besar (5pm); KL Sentral — JB Sentral (11pm, and JB Sentral — KL Sentral (5.30pm). Furthermore, from Feb 14 to16 and Feb 20 to 22, services will operate on the KL Sentral — Ipoh (10.50am), Ipoh — KL Sentral (5.25pm); Butterworth — KL Sentral (6.10am), and KL Sentral — Butterworth (7.55pm) routes. KTMB will also introduce its Electric Multiple Unit Plus (EMU+) service from Feb 13 to 15 and 20 to 22 for the KL Sentral — Ipoh — KL Sentral route.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 30, 2026 07:49 UTC
Animal welfare group calls for probe of dog's death in Pusing
IPOH: An animal welfare group is urging the authorities to investigate the death of a dog in Pusing, near Batu Gajah, after public outrage over videos of the alleged incident on social media. Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) president R. Kalaivanan said he received a complaint accompanied by two video recordings linked to the matter. According to him, the first video shows an unidentified individual carrying out actions believed to have caused serious injury to the dog. "A second video shows a dog lying in a pool of blood and confirmed dead. Perak DVS veterinary officer Dr R Pravina Vathi said the dog's carcass had been exhumed and sent to the Veterinary Research Institute laboratory for a necropsy.
Source:The Star
January 30, 2026 07:49 UTC
No more silos as Chong Wei urges unity among BAM senior-junior coaches
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei wants both the senior and junior coaches to work together to ensure a smooth transition between departments as part of efforts to strengthen the national setup. On Friday, the BA of Malaysia officially announced the appointments of new coaches Harry Hartono of Indonesia, Yeoh Kay Bin and Mohd Zakry Latif. Chong Wei wants to build a more systematic and structured player development pathway, from the junior level through to the professional ranks. "We discussed this with singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen and he submitted a list of coaching candidates, with a focus on continuity for young players," said Chong Wei. In the women’s doubles setup, Zakry will work alongside head Coach Rosman Razak, Ching Kai Feng and Amelia Alicia Anscelly.
Source:The Star
January 30, 2026 07:44 UTC
Blue chips bounce back with banks in the lead
The FBM KLCI was up 12.8 points or three-quarters of a percent to 1,743.69 at 9.23am. "We expect the FBM KLCI to trade on a more cautious and consolidative note following recent profit-taking after the strong rally earlier in the week. On the ticker board, heavyweight banks, which had been the main driver of gains on the FBM KLCI, rebounded strongly, reflecting investor preference for the defensive plays. Maybank gained eight sen to RM11.72, CIMB rose 15 sen to RM8.62, Hong Leong Bank jumped 30 sen to RM24.62, RHB added 11 sen to RM8.21, Public Bank gained four sen to RM4.89 and Ambank climbed five sen to RM6.49. Among active counters on the market, Dnex dropped 1.5 sen ot 30.5 sen, Pharmaniaga rose 0.5 sen to 29 sen and Capital A gained 0.5 sen to 64 sen.
Source:The Star
January 30, 2026 07:44 UTC