US trade gap widens from smallest since 2009 as imports rise
The goods and services trade gap nearly doubled from the prior month to US$56.8 billion (RM222.49 billion), Commerce Department data showed on Thursday. The trade data have been prone to volatility related to the implementation of US trade policy. That was the case again in November, with a surge in inbound shipments of pharmaceuticals and a slide in gold exports. The value of all US goods and services exports fell 3.6% in November. The latest trade data will help economists firm up their estimates for fourth-quarter (4Q) gross domestic product (GDP).
Source:The Edge Markets
January 29, 2026 14:06 UTC
DOE DG and deputy nabbed by MACC in e-waste probe
KUALA LUMPUR: The director-general and deputy director-general of the Department of Environment (DOE) have been detained by graft busters to assist in investigations linked to alleged irregularities involving electronic waste (e-waste). Sources said the two suspects were detained at about 6.30pm on Thursday (Jan 29) after they turned up to give statements at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya. Meanwhile, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed the arrests, adding that investigations are being conducted thoroughly and professionally in accordance with the law. He stressed that the commission would not compromise with anyone involved in corrupt practices, regardless of position or rank. The case is being investigated under the provisions of the MACC Act 2009.
Source:The Star
January 29, 2026 14:03 UTC
Fall of top Chinese general stirs US uncertainty about China's military
China's defence ministry said on Saturday that Zhang Youxia, second-in-command under President Xi Jinping as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), is under investigation. For Washington, Zhang's surprising demise removes a respected and well-known figure within China's military at a time when successive US administrations have worked to build senior-level contacts to avoid mishaps between the world's two most powerful militaries. Thompson said he believed Zhang was the one active-duty PLA officer who could give Xi objective advice about China's military capabilities and shortcomings, as well as the human cost of conflict. US interactions with senior CMC generals have been an infrequent feature of bilateral diplomacy over the past two decades. Eric Hundman, a Chinese military expert at Washington-based security consultancy BluePath Labs, said military-to-military exchanges under Xi, even at the CMC level, tended to be scripted.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 29, 2026 14:01 UTC
US weekly jobless claims fall slightly; prior week's data revised up
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 209,000 for the week ended January 24, the Labor Department said on Thursday. The prior week's level of claims was revised up by 10,000 to 210,000. High-profile layoffs last year, including by the two companies, did not result in a notable surge in jobless claims. Continuing claims covered the period during which the government surveyed households for January's unemployment rate. The unemployment rate likely remained elevated this month.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 29, 2026 13:51 UTC
JB lorry driver gets RM100,000 fine, three months in jail for illegal dumping
JOHOR BARU: A lorry driver has been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment and fined RM100,000 by the Sessions Court here for illegal dumping. S. Ganesan, 51, pleaded guilty to four charges under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 before Judge Che Wan Zaidi Che Wan Ibrahim on Thursday (Jan 29). The court ordered Ganesan to serve a jail term of three months starting from Thursday and pay a fine of RM100,000 in default two months’ imprisonment. The court also ordered the seized lorry to be forfeited and handed over to the government. “Failure to comply with the Environmental Quality Act 1974 will result in legal action towards the individual offender, company and also company director,” he said.
Source:The Star
January 29, 2026 13:28 UTC
Hoarse but not out: Dr Wee marches back into Parliament
KUALA LUMPUR: After being recently released from the hospital, MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has returned to Parliament to continue his duty as Ayer Hitam MP. Dr Wee, who has been hospitalised since Jan 19 due to a lung infection, said he was eager to continue his duty as an elected Member of Parliament. “My condition is steadily improving, though my voice is still a little hoarse at the moment. They truly mean a great deal to me,” he said in a Facebook post on Thursday (Jan 29). In a Facebook post on Jan 21, Dr Wee said he had informed the Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Tan Sri Johari Abdul, that he would be on medical leave for a week to treat his lung infection.
Source:The Star
January 29, 2026 13:24 UTC
'Bombshell': What top general's fall means for China's military
BEIJING: China has purged top generals before, but the announcement that Zhang Youxia (pic), the vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), is being investigated for corruption shocked defence observers. Zhang, 75, is a vice-chairman of the CMC, the body overseeing China's military that is chaired by Xi. Despite the turmoil, "China's military readiness does not appear to have been retarded significantly and the PLA can carry on as normal", said James Char from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Will it affect China's Taiwan strategy? The PLA has increased the number and scope of military drills around Taiwan in recent years.
Source:The Star
January 29, 2026 13:10 UTC
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150 MPs wind up debate on motion of thanks for royal address
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 29): A total of 150 members of Parliament (MPs) have wound up the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat, which commenced on Jan 20. Prior to adjourning on Thursday, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said the ministers' reply session regarding issues raised during the debate is scheduled to proceed from Feb 4 to 10. He also announced that the Dewan Rakyat sitting will not be held on Monday and Tuesday next week to allow for the observance of Federal Territory Day and Thaipusam. During Thursday’s debate, which preceded this announcement, a key issue raised by MPs was the Madani government's initiative to launch the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Dashboard. To date, 13 of the 29 key issues have been resolved, nine of which were implemented under the current Madani government administration.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 29, 2026 11:20 UTC
Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines formalise strategic business partnership
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 29): Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) has formalised a joint business partnership with Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) that will pave the way for deeper commercial collaboration between the two carriers. “The partnership supports the group’s Long-Term Business Plan 3.0 and strengthens Malaysia Airlines’ competitive position through improved scale and network resilience,” Malaysia Aviation Group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said. Singapore Airlines chief executive officer Goh Choon Phong said the collaboration enhances value for customers across both networks while reinforcing longstanding economic and people-to-people links between both nations. Currently, SIA codeshares on MAB’s services between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, London (Heathrow), and 15 domestic destinations within Malaysia. MAB codeshares on SIA’s services between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and selected long-haul destinations in Europe and Africa.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 29, 2026 09:20 UTC
Upstream petroleum activities to rebound, PETRONAS’ outlook report shows
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 29): Malaysia’s national oil and gas company PETRONAS is aiming to ramp up its exploration and production activities in the coming three years after a slowdown in 2025. The number of wells to be developed and explored will rise to 91 this year from 79 last year, the company officially known as Petroliam Nasional Bhd said in its latest Activity Outlook report. “PETRONAS will focus on revitalising Malaysia’s exploration and production landscape to strengthen domestic energy security,” the company said in the report released annually. The activity outlook covers Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, and excludes the Malaysia-Thai Joint Development Area. The activity outlook underlines PETRONAS’ Capital Project Investment Destination Masterplan 2030, aimed at improving domestic project delivery, strengthen competitiveness of local service players and position Malaysia as the preferred investment destination.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 29, 2026 09:10 UTC
ECRL fares to be announced after nod from authorities, says transport minister
KOTA BHARU (Jan 29): Fares for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) will be set based on a comprehensive study conducted by the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) and are subject to approval by the relevant authorities, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke. “Currently, the ministry is focusing on construction and installation works to ensure the project is completed on schedule. The testing and commissioning phases are essential and must be conducted prior to fare setting,” he said after visiting Feeder Station 01 and the Kota Bharu ECRL Station project site Thursday. Meanwhile, Loke said that no discussions had been held so far on the proposed extension of the ECRL project to Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas. Previously, the media reported that the Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V, had expressed hope that the ECRL project could be extended to Rantau Panjang.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 29, 2026 09:00 UTC
Zii Jia back in quarter finals at Thailand Masters after 10-month wait
PETALING JAYA: After a 10-month wait, professional men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia booked his first quarter final spot in 10 months after defeating India’s Mithun Manjunath in the second round of the Thailand Masters on Thursday (Jan 29). Before stepping onto the court, Zii Jia admitted he was wary of the world No. His concerns proved justified as Mithun gave him no easy passage, dominating the opening game. The last time Zii Jia reached the quarter finals was at the Orleans Masters in March last year. Awaiting him in Friday’s (Jan 30) quarter-final is last week’s Indonesian Masters champion Alwi Farhan.
Source:The Star
January 29, 2026 08:54 UTC
India forecasts over 7% growth next year despite trade risks
“The outlook, therefore, is one of steady growth amid global uncertainty, requiring caution, but not pessimism.”With these projections, India’s growth is set to outpace other major economies despite tensions with the US. India has also completed four free trade agreements since May, including a long-awaited deal with the European Union. The International Monetary Fund forecasts 6.2% growth in the coming financial year, if steep tariffs remain in place. The comments come as India has kept dairy and other sensitive farm products out of its recent free trade agreements, reflecting domestic political considerations. By better balancing domestic needs with export opportunities, India’s farm output could support export-led growth and help meet the target, the report said.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 29, 2026 08:35 UTC
UNGCMYB launches new solution to strengthen supply chain ESG adoption
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 29): The United Nations Global Compact Malaysia & Brunei (UNGCMYB) launched RantaiNext, a platform to support ESG adoption across the supply chain, at its Go ESG 2026 conference today. The Go ESG 2026 event patrons were Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd, Telekom Malaysia Bhd, Sarawak Energy Bhd and KLCC Stapled Group. To assist companies on this journey, especially in reaching out to their suppliers, UNGCMYB launched its RantaiNext initiative, which is an extension of its previous RantaiX solution. The new platform includes six sub-systems, two of which are already available: RantaiSkills, which is the supply chain ESG learning and enablement module, and RantaiX, the SME and supply chain ESG health monitor. According to UNGCMYB’s website, current RantaiX adopters include Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS), RHB Bank Bhd, Sarawak Energy Bhd, Duopharma Biotech Bhd and Prasarana Malaysia Bhd.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 29, 2026 08:35 UTC
School principal killed after car hits electric pole in Kudat
KUALA LUMPUR: The principal of SMK Sikuati, Kudat, has passed away following an accident on Wednesday (Jan 28) evening. "Medical officials brought the victim’s body to the Kudat Hospital for further action and to find out the cause of death," said Supt Mohd Haris. "The Kudat police contingent conveys its condolences and sympathies to the families left behind," he said while advising road users to be vigilant on the road. She said his death is a loss to the school and local communities in Kudat. Many social media users described Ahmad as a caring and dedicated teacher who would be difficult to replace.
Source:The Star
January 29, 2026 08:32 UTC