New Army Chief calls for unity in defending nation's sovereignty
KUALA LUMPUR: Newly-appointed 31st Army Chief Jeneral Datuk Azhan Md Othman has called on all personnel and officers to remain calm and united in carrying out their duty to safeguard national security. Earlier, Jen Azhan was conferred his rank insignia in a ceremony officiated by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. Jen Azhan succeeds Jen Datuk Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, who has been placed on leave as investigations into allegations linked to him continue. Jen Azhan added that the appointment carried a significant responsibility, as the Army is the largest organisation within the Malaysian Armed Forces. "I will carry out this duty to the best of my ability with the support of all Army personnel and the people of Malaysia," he said.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 07:24 UTC
RM100 Sara aid timely for upcoming festivities, say recipients
IPOH: The RM100 Bantuan Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara), which will be credited to recipients from Feb 9, is seen as a timely helping hand with buying essentials for the upcoming festivities. Hew said he plans to use the aid to buy essential household items such as rice, cooking oil and other groceries. ALSO READ: RM100 Sara aid to be credited beginning Feb 9, says PMYahaya Osman, 52, who is currently unemployed, said the cash aid would be especially helpful in preparation for Ramadan. "However, the Sara aid will primarily be used to buy food. Amirah also plans to use the Sara cash aid to buy daily household goods for her children, although she hopes there will be clearer guidelines on whether or not it can be used for school-related items.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 07:19 UTC
Bukit Aman announces transfer exercise involving several senior officers
KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has announced the transfer and appointment of several senior officers to strategic posts at Bukit Aman and state contingent levels. In a statement on Tuesday (Jan 6), PDRM secretary Deputy Comm Abdul Rahman Kassim said Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri has been appointed director of the Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department (JPJKK). He said JPJKK director Comm Datuk Wan Hasan Wan Ahmad will take over as head of the Inspector-General of Police (Research and Development) Secretariat at the IGP Secretariat Office. "Head of the Anti-Money Laundering Criminal Investigation Team (Amla) at the IGP Secretariat, Comm Datuk Seri Muhammed Hasbullah Ali been appointed the new director of JSPT," he added. DCP Rahman said Sibu district police chief Asst Comm Zulkipli Suhaili has been appointed to lead the Sarawak Contingent Management Department with the rank of acting Senior Asst Comm.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 07:09 UTC
UMMC to get more operating theatres after landmark infant liver transplant
PETALING JAYA: Universiti Malaya (UM) will add new operating theatres at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) following the successful liver transplant on a four-month-old baby. ALSO READ: Anwar hails UMMC for successful liver transplant on four-month-old babyAccording to UMMC director Prof Dr Mohd Zulkiflee Abu Bakar, the infant – who weighed 6.2kg at the time of surgery – is the youngest liver transplant recipient in the country. The clinical approach and treatment framework used were based on research findings published in the international journal Pediatric Surgery International. "These research outcomes have been referenced and adopted globally, and have now proven successful through clinical implementation at PPUM," he said. The infant is currently under close specialist monitoring.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 06:52 UTC
Indonesia sees return of foreign investors into sovereign debt
(Jan 6): Indonesia’s government bonds eked out an inflow in 2025 thanks to foreign net buying in December, as investors overcame earlier concerns about a new finance minister and nationwide unrest. The local bond market recorded US$388 million (RM1.57 billion) in net foreign investor buying last month, the first monthly inflow since August, according to finance ministry data compiled by Bloomberg. That meant last year saw a small net inflow of US$337 million, continuing an annual foreign buying trend for a third year. A weaker dollar in December and benign debt supply attracted foreign investors back to the bonds, he added. The foreign inflows trend might continue this year if the greenback and US Treasury yields move lower but domestic fiscal deficit concerns remain, Yunianto said.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 06:28 UTC
Rakan KKM 'premium economy' model rollout slated for 1Q2026, no more delays — Dzulkefly
PUTRAJAYA (Jan 6): The Rakan KKM “premium economy” model will start at Hospital Cyberjaya in the first quarter of this year, with no further delays, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said. “We are hoping for it (Rakan KKM) to happen as soon as possible, in the first quarter, by February or at the latest March. Accelerating digitalisation of public healthcare servicesAs part of broader structural reforms, the ministry will step up the digitalisation of public healthcare services this year. The initiative is aimed at ensuring patient data moves seamlessly with patients across the healthcare system. Vape products are currently regulated under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852), which focuses on control rather than outright prohibition.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 05:43 UTC
Thailand says Cambodia breached ceasefire, weighs next steps
“If Thailand has to retaliate, we would do so if necessary,” Anutin told reporters in Bangkok on Tuesday. But based on initial discussions between the two countries, he said the incident appears to have been an “accident” and Thailand is seeking further information. The renewed tension comes just days after Thailand agreed to repatriate 18 Cambodian soldiers captured in July. A Thai soldier sustained shrapnel wounds in the Tuesday incident, though his condition isn’t critical, the Second Army Region said in a statement. Earlier, the regional army unit said Cambodia “has violated the ceasefire”.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 05:28 UTC
Pop Mart adds production site in Mexico to boost US supply
The Mexico facility joins newly established factories in Cambodia and Indonesia, supporting the Chinese toymaker’s expansion of its supply chain beyond China and Vietnam, a Pop Mart spokesperson told Bloomberg News, without disclosing further details. Pop Mart doesn’t have its own factories but collaborates with manufacturing partners. Pop Mart has been bolstering its production capacity since its toothy doll Labubu became a global sensation in 2025. “This partner-led network ramps up supply capacity and enables timely, universal access to new products for consumers worldwide,” a Pop Mart spokesperson said in a statement. Shares of Pop Mart rallied as much as 5.7% in Hong Kong on Tuesday, the biggest jump in more than a month and marking a third consecutive day of gains.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 05:18 UTC
AMD unveils new chip for corporate data centres, talks up demand
The company is adding a new model to its current lineup — one called the MI440X — for use in smaller corporate data centres where customers can deploy local hardware and keep data inside their own facilities. The two talked about their shared belief that future economic growth will be tied to the availability of AI resources. The new chip, MI440X, will fit in compact computers in existing smaller data centres. Su also gave a preview of the forthcoming MI500 series of processors that will debut in 2027. That range will deliver up to 1,000 times the performance of the MI300 series that was first rolled out in 2023, Su said.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 05:03 UTC
MARKET VIEWS: Markets, mayhem and mindset: My first 300 days
Markets were on tenterhooks in the subsequent days leading up to “Liberation Day” on April 2 when the US would unveil its reciprocal tariffs. Bursa Malaysia is committed to intensifying efforts together with stakeholders to overcome this menace. Building the next chapterThe year 2026 will mark 50 years since the incorporation of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, which was later renamed Bursa Malaysia. The capital market is a shared opportunity and responsibility, shaped by issuers, investors, participants, policymakers and the wider public. With the capable team behind me at Bursa Malaysia and the support from the ecosystem, I step into the new year a little bit wiser from the lessons learnt in the past 300 days.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 05:00 UTC
Hong Kong developers sell US$750m of luxury homes in weeks
(Jan 6): Developers in Hong Kong were kept busy during the holiday season as rich buyers went on a shopping spree for luxury homes. That bodes well for the luxury sector this year, following a prolonged slump that was exacerbated by distressed owners dumping properties cheaply. HKR International Ltd sold a pair of houses next to its golf club at Discovery Bay for almost HK$1 billion. “Wealthy buyers are making decisions faster,” said William Lau, a senior director and the head of residential agency at Knight Frank in Hong Kong. Knight Frank expects mass residential prices in Hong Kong to jump 5%-8% in 2026 and luxury values to rise 3%-5%, supported by demand from immigrants and finance industry professionals, according to a December report by the real estate consultancy.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 04:53 UTC
CEO of Salonpas maker seeks to take the US$2.9b drug firm private, Bloomberg reports
Banks will provide financing for the deal, and the buyout proposal is likely to be announced soon, they added. Hisamitsu confirmed the report, saying it is considering going private and planned to make an announcement on Tuesday, according to a company statement. Hisamitsu, known for its Salonpas pain-relief patches, joins a growing list of Japanese companies exiting the public market to shield themselves from growing regulatory and investor pressure to lift valuations and implement more oversight. Hisamitsu, which traces its origins to 1847 in the Saga prefecture in southwestern Japan, develops and sells prescription and drugstore products. Salonpas became the first-ever topical pain-relief patch approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2008.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 04:33 UTC
Credit markets rev up after US$61b of deals in one day
(Jan 6): Monday’s US$61 billion (RM247 billion) issuance tally for the global dollar bond market showcases strong investor appetite for credit, one that will likely embolden issuers to boost supply early in the year. At least nine borrowers in Asia — including Japan’s Resona Bank Ltd and Agricultural Bank of China Ltd — were marketing notes in the US currency Tuesday. The previous day’s tally for global bond sales was the biggest since Jan 6, 2025, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Borrowers are locking in deals early, with investment‑grade credit spreads still near historic lows amid broadly solid corporate fundamentals. That’s expected to be driven by companies’ AI expansion projects, refinancing of looming maturities and acquisition financing.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 06, 2026 04:17 UTC
Koo accepts BAM call but backs local coaches
That belief is why former men’s doubles national shuttler Koo Kien Keat admitted he was disappointed after missing out on a top coaching role with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM). Kien Keat revealed that BAM had offered him an assistant coach position last year, but he turned it down as he was eyeing the men’s doubles head coach role. “BAM offered me a coaching role but I was not happy with the position,” said Kien Keat. 2014 champions Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah were the last homesters to be crowned champions in the men’s doubles. “Honestly, there’s a chance for a Malaysian pair to reach the final but winning the title will be difficult,” said Kien Keat.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 04:00 UTC
QuickCheck: Does two years of exercise reverse almost 20 years of heart ageing?
A HYPERBOLIC health headline has gone viral with an enticing claim - that only two years of regular exercise may help make your heart 20 years younger. It sounds almost too good to be true, that a regular workout plan can reverse decades of ageing and possibly unhealthy habits. Can just two years of breaking a sweat really turn back the clock on your heart by 20 years? But doctors warn that this does not imply that the heart has truly become "20 years younger." In other words, the volunteers did not reverse 20 years of ageing, instead they regained some functional capacity that had been lost due to prolonged inactivity.
Source:The Star
January 06, 2026 03:30 UTC