Kia says US tariffs cost US$2.3 bil last year as profit drops
(Jan 28): Kia Corp said US tariffs cost it 3.3 trillion won (RM9 billion) last year and the South Korean automaker will roll out incentives to boost sales as competition intensifies. Tariffs totalled about one trillion won in the fourth quarter alone, Kia said Wednesday (Jan 28), driving a 32% slump in operating profit from a year earlier to 1.8 trillion won. That missed analyst estimates for 1.9 trillion won and came despite the company reporting its highest-ever fourth-quarter revenue on strong demand for electric and hybrid cars. It’s previously been said tariffs had caused a 1.8 trillion won hit in the third quarter. In the US, the new Telluride hybrid sports utility vehicle and Seltos compact SUV are expected to spur 5% sales growth, Kim said.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 28, 2026 11:05 UTC
64 undocumented immigrants nabbed in Johor Baru joint raid
JOHOR BARU: A joint operation conducted by the Johor Immigration Department and the police led to the arrest of 64 undocumented immigrants, including 55 women of various nationalities. “This joint operation is carried out firmly and without compromise to address the presence of illegal immigrants, the misuse of Immigration passes and violations of existing laws. Mohd Rusdi said a total of 64 individuals were detained for various Immigration offences. Also arrested were 17 Thai women, 33 Indonesian women, three Chinese women and two Ugandan women. Mohd Rusdi added that the department would not tolerate activities that violate Immigration laws and will continue to mount operations to curb such offences.
Source:The Star
January 28, 2026 11:00 UTC
Suhakam wants Sosma provisions allowing detention of children repealed
KUALA LUMPUR: Children must not be detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), says the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam). Its chief children’s commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki has called for the immediate repeal of any Sosma provisions allowing the detention of minors without trial. “This overriding safeguard was disregarded, resulting in a clear violation of the child’s rights,” she said. Farah Nini said Suhakam is deeply concerned that the child was denied the safeguard provided under Section 13(2)(a) and (b) of Sosma. “As the Act permits detention without trial, it is fundamentally incompatible with child rights standards and any provision allowing for the detention of children under Sosma should be repealed in its entirety,” she said.
Source:The Star
January 28, 2026 10:59 UTC
China picks up Canadian canola cargoes after reset in trade ties
(Jan 28): China has resumed purchases of Canadian canola, an early sign of a revival in the trade after the nations reached a deal this month to mend ties. Crushers in the country have booked cargoes of Canadian rapeseed, known locally as canola, for loading in the next few months, according to people with knowledge of the shipments. Importers also booked some canola meal for loading between April and June, said other people involved in the deals. Beijing has not confirmed the specific level but verified it would adjust its measures on Canadian canola and other agricultural products, including canola meal. With the tariff cuts, crushing a tonne of Canadian canola would generate more than US$40 (RM156.70) in profit, according to the traders.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 28, 2026 10:50 UTC
Nidec delays release of 3Q results, vows culture reform after crisis
(Jan 28): Nidec Corp delayed the release of its quarterly results and pledged to overhaul the company’s growth-at-all-costs culture in the wake of an accounting scandal that’s seen its debt rating cut to junk and put it at risk of delisting. The company said on Wednesday it hasn’t determined when it will release third-quarter (3Q) results and it’s also unclear if past accounts will need to be corrected. Details of that pressure-cooker culture were revealed in an almost 80-page document also released on Wednesday and submitted to the Tokyo Stock Exchange to address their concerns about Nidec’s management. “We recognised that these issues are not isolated incidents but are vital themes across the entire Nidec Group,” the company said. The crisis has also seen the Tokyo Stock Exchange warn that it may delist Nidec if the company can’t show that it’s improved its internal management system.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 28, 2026 10:45 UTC
South Korea's ex-first lady to learn verdict in corruption case
SEOUL: A South Korean court will pass judgement Wednesday (Jan 28) in the case of former first lady Kim Keon Hee, with prosecutors demanding a 15-year prison term over alleged stock fraud and corruption. Prosecutor Min Joong-ki also said South Korea's institutions were "severely undermined by abuses of power" committed by Kim. The former first lady has denied all the charges, claiming the allegations were "deeply unjust" in her final testimony last month. Yoon vetoed three opposition-backed bills to investigate allegations against Kim, including the Dior bag case, with the last veto in November 2024. A Seoul court will additionally sentence top lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong, also accused of taking bribes from the sect, on Wednesday.
Source:The Star
January 28, 2026 10:40 UTC
Taiwan shows off F-16 jets rapid response amid tensions with China
Taiwan's air force scrambles on an almost daily basis to monitor and warn off Chinese aircraft which routinely fly around the island. An AIM-7 Sparrow Launcher at an annual military exercise ahead of the Lunar New Year in Chiayi, Taiwan on Jan 28. Pilot Shih Shun-de said it was important to let people know just how fast the air force can react. "The scramble drill lets the public see the results of the air force's realistic, combat-oriented training," he said. The repeated scrambling to see off China's air force also gives real-life experience for Taiwan's fighter pilots in terms of seeing China's air force and tactics up close.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 28, 2026 10:30 UTC
Kedahans support MB's bid to claim Penang, says Langkawi MP
KUALA LUMPUR: The people of Kedah support Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s bid to claim Penang, says a Perikatan Nasional MP. This is in line with the law," Langkawi MP Datuk Suhaimi Abdullah said when debating the motion of thanks on the Royal Address on Wednesday (Jan 28). "Even the Chief Minister of Penang (Chow Kon Yeow) said we will meet in court. During his debate on Tuesday (Jan 27), Chow (PH-Batu Kawan) had said that Kedah’s claim to Penang was akin to the one made over Sabah by the so-called Sulu heirs. He said Sanusi’s challenge to Penang's sovereignty was unconstitutional and the state boundaries had already been determined through the Kedah and Penang (Alteration of Boundaries) Act 1985.
Source:The Star
January 28, 2026 10:25 UTC
Online registration of Year One students for 2027 opens from Feb 15 — Education DG
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): The registration of Year One students for the 2027 Academic Calendar Year will be conducted online from Feb 15 to March 31, 2026 through the Ministry of Education Integrated System (MOEIS). Education director general Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad said the registration via https://idme.moe.gov.my will be open to children of Malaysian citizens in the six-year-old (5+) cohort, born between Jan 2 and Dec 31, 2021, and the seven-year-old (6+) cohort, born between Jan 2, 2020 and Jan 1, 2021. He said the move was in line with the government's decision to open opportunities for six-year-old children (5+) to enter Year One starting in 2027 on a voluntary basis and without the need to take a screening test. He said further information related to this matter can be found on the official MOE portal, State Education Department (JPN) or District Education Office (PPD) websites. On Jan 20, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when launching the National Education Plan (RPN) 2026-2035, announced that starting next year, six-year-old children can enrol in Year One, but this is not mandatory and is up to parents.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 28, 2026 10:15 UTC
Police foil 26 terror-related attack plots over 12 years — Ayob Khan
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): The Counter Terrorism Division (E8) of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) Special Branch has succeeded in foiling 26 attempted terrorist and militant attacks in the country between 2012 to 2024, said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay. “During the period, the E8 Division also successfully detained 75 members of militant and terrorist groups who were planning to carry out attacks in Malaysia. According to him, all suspects charged under the Penal Code were convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to 25 years. Ayob Khan said among the violent attack plots successfully foiled by the E8 Division of the Special Branch were attempts to carry out attacks using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) targeting foreign embassies in Kuala Lumpur in 2012, as well as entertainment outlets in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor in 2013. “We recognise human rights, but they must be balanced against security threats.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 28, 2026 10:10 UTC
Two-year-old dies of heat exhaustion after being forgotten in car
SEREMBAN: A two-year-old toddler is believed to have died of heat exhaustion after his mother left him in her car before reporting for work on Tuesday (Jan 27) morning. Seremban police chief Asst Comm Azahar Abdul Rahim said police received a call from a member of the public around 6.15pm regarding a toddler found unconscious in a car. "A preliminary probe found that the mother forgot to send her son to the babysitter around 8am and left him in her vehicle. "She only realised her son was still in the car when she finished work at 5pm," he said in a statement. ACP Azahar said doctors from Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital, who were dispatched to the scene, pronounced the victim dead.
Source:The Star
January 28, 2026 10:08 UTC
MCMC publishes investigation report on prepaid SIM registration
PUTRAJAYA (Jan 28): The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has published a Public Inquiry Report on the commission's proposed Determination of Mandatory Standards for the Registration of Prepaid Public Cellular Service Users (Mandatory Standards), in accordance with Section 65 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA 1998). MCMC said the report, which is now available at https://mcmc.gov.my/en/resources/reports/public-inquiry-report/public-inquiry-report-on-the-new-commission-determ, summarises all the feedback received and outlines MCMC's final assessment and policy stance on the proposed mandatory standards. The MCMC explained that the weaknesses of the current prepaid registration allow document forgery and identity theft, thus posing risks to consumer security, national security and the integrity of digital services. “The existing regulatory framework needs to be strengthened to address inconsistent registration practices and the existence of pre-activated SIM cards and fake registrations in the market,” the MCMC said. According to the MCMC, the proposed mandatory standard introduces a stricter regulatory framework, including a secure automated registration platform, biometric authentication and clear responsibilities for service providers and distributors.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 28, 2026 10:00 UTC
Man sprays U.S. lawmaker Ilhan Omar with liquid, disrupting Minnesota event
MINNEAPOLIS, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Police arrested a man who sprayed Democratic U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar with a foul-smelling liquid in Minneapolis on Tuesday as she condemned the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Minnesota. A security guard immediately grabbed the man and took him to the ground, according to a Reuters witness and video of the town hall event. Omar defiantly took a few steps toward him, with her hand raised, before he was subdued. "I learned at a young age, you don't give in to threats," Omar told the audience, after refusing to suspend the event. Trump has repeatedly targeted Omar in public remarks and social media posts, also taking aim at her Somali nationality.
Source:The Star
January 28, 2026 10:00 UTC
Maritime cooperation, Code of Conduct timeline to dominate Asean foreign ministers' retreat
CEBU CITY, Philippines (Jan 28): Maritime cooperation and efforts to conclude the South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC) within the 2026 timeline are expected to feature prominently at the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) Retreat being held here. “The Philippines’ hosting of the AMM Retreat underscores its commitment to upholding Asean unity and centrality, ensuring a stable, integrated, inclusive, sustainable, and people-centred region. During the retreat, Asean Foreign Ministers will also review the outcomes of the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits held in Kuala Lumpur in October last year, and exchange views on regional and global developments affecting the region. The AMM retreat, the first major ministerial meeting under the country’s Asean chairship for 2026, will be chaired by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma Theresa P Lazaro and bring together Asean foreign ministers and senior officials from across the region. In another statement, the Asean Committee on Media Affairs and Strategic Communications said the situation in Myanmar will also be discussed by Asean foreign ministers during the retreat.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 28, 2026 09:45 UTC
Ringgit staged comeback, among Asia’s best performers — World Bank
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 28): The ringgit has staged a strong comeback, rising from around the 4.70 level against the US dollar a few years ago to the 3.90 level currently, making it one of Asia’s best-performing currencies, said World Bank lead economist for Malaysia Apurva Sanghi. At 4.15pm on Wednesday, the ringgit was traded at 3.9135 against the US dollar. He said Malaysia’s economy is performing well, underpinned by solid economic growth, low inflation, and rising real wages. “A strong ringgit is helping to bring down prices of imported food items such as onions, cabbage and rice,” he said in a post on social media platform X on Wednesday. Apurva further said that early AI-era roles are already emerging, including AI trainers, data curators, and prompt engineers, while “human-touch” jobs such as elder care could see strong, rising returns.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 28, 2026 09:40 UTC