Brunei ranks among world’s fastest for mobile internet
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Brunei Darussalam has emerged as one of the world’s top performers for mobile internet speeds, ranking eighth globally with a median download speed of 234.96 Mbps, according to the latest Speedtest Global Index published by Ookla for December 2025. The global median mobile download speed stood at 105.70 Mbps, meaning Brunei’s performance was more than double the global average. The index also recorded a global median mobile upload speed of 14.78 Mbps and latency of 24 milliseconds. However, in fixed broadband performance, Brunei ranked 89th worldwide, with a median download speed of 86.55 Mbps. The global median fixed broadband download speed was 118.59 Mbps.
Source:The Star
February 13, 2026 12:18 UTC
Thunderstorms in several states until 7pm
KUALA LUMPUR: Thunderstorms, heavy rain, and strong winds in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and Sabah are expected to persist until 7pm on Friday (Feb 13), according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department. It said in a statement that the areas affected are Kedah (Kulim and Bandar Baru), Penang, Perak, Pahang (Cameron Highlands and Lipis), and Selangor (Sabak Bernam). Similar conditions would prevail in Sibu (Selangau), Mukah, Kapit (Song and Kapit), Bintulu, Miri, and Limbang in Sarawak, it added. In Sabah, such weather would be experienced in the Interior (Sipitang, Tenom, Kuala Penyu, Beaufort, Keningau, and Tambunan), the West Coast, Tawau (Lahad Datu), Sandakan (Telupid, Kinabatangan, Beluran, and Sandakan), and Kudat (Kota Marudu), as well as Labuan.
Source:The Star
February 13, 2026 12:00 UTC
Bersatu expels three more MPs, including Wan Ahmad Fayhsal
PETALING JAYA: Three more Bersatu MPs have been sacked by the party's disciplinary board, with others expected to follow. As of 5.30pm Friday (Feb 13), those expelled are Wan Ahmad Fahysal Wan Ahmad Kamal (Machang), Kapten Azahari Hasan (Padang Rengas) and Fathul Huzir Ayob (Gerik). Earlier, the board announced that deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (Larut) had been sacked. The three received notices of expulsion from Bersatu, also signed by disciplinary board chairman Datuk Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan. ALSO READ: Hamzah sacked from Bersatu with immediate effectWan Ahmad Fahysal had been suspended earlier before being expelled today.
Source:The Star
February 13, 2026 11:58 UTC
More seniors addicted to Internet
The growing elderly population is showing signs of Internet addiction driven by loneliness and a lack of social engagement, prompting experts to call for greater family support and stronger fraud prevention efforts to protect seniors from online scams. A report released on Feb 5 by the China Internet Network Information Centre showed that as at December 2025, China had about 1.125 billion Internet users, with more than 80% of the population having Internet access. “The Internet becomes an outlet, offering a place to escape from the real world,” said Ningxia University Xinhua College’s director of psychological health education Wang Wenda. “Family members can discuss cellphone usage time with seniors and set payment limits on mobile payment platforms. It is also necessary for the government to promote anti-fraud knowledge among seniors through big data and push notifications to their phones.” — China Daily/ANN
Source:The Star
February 13, 2026 11:47 UTC
Special committee to probe Azam Baki, says Fahmi
PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet has decided that a special committee will investigate the controversy surrounding Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki’s alleged share ownership, says Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. The government spokesperson said the special committee would be led by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. “The Cabinet also discussed the issue concerning the MACC chief commissioner and the Cabinet decided that a special committee led by the Chief Secretary to the Government will investigate allegations raised. “We will leave it to the Chief Secretary to the Government and the special committee to look into it,” he added. Azam, in response, said he is ready to be probed by an independent committee established by the government to examine issues related to his share ownership.
Source:The Star
February 13, 2026 11:43 UTC
Malaysian singer Ribbon Ooi puts family first this Chinese New Year
Despite her demanding schedule in the entertainment industry, singer and actress Ribbon Ooi continues to place family first whenever Chinese New Year comes around. We’re usually busy with work every day, so this is when we make the effort to go home. Celebrating the occasion with her parents and younger brother, 30-year-old Ooi said festivities at home are no longer as lively as they once were due to her parents’ health conditions. "I’m not much of a cook, so for our (Chinese New Year) reunion dinner every year, we usually order from a restaurant. Ooi is aiming to release at least four new singles this year in various languages, including Malay, English and Mandarin.
Source:The Star
February 13, 2026 11:36 UTC
Hamzah sacked from Bersatu with immediate effect
PETALING JAYA: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has been sacked from Bersatu effective immediately. “(The dismissal is) due to the actions of Datuk Seri violating Clause 9.1.4 of the Bersatu constitution,” he added. Mohd Radzi said that Hamzah may submit an appeal to the party’s appeal board for consideration from the date of the notice. Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said the party’s top leadership has been informed of the termination of Hamzah. A party source claimed that Hamzah is also expected to hold a press conference on Sunday (Feb 15).
Source:The Star
February 13, 2026 11:26 UTC
Ex-cop charged with molesting woman in Singapore hotel
SINGAPORE: A station inspector with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) was in a hotel when he allegedly outraged a 25-year-old woman’s modesty. According to court documents, Mohamad Joppri Harpawi was in a hotel near Geylang Road when he allegedly kissed the woman’s lips at around 5.30am on March 17, 2014. Her identity cannot be disclosed due to a gag order to protect her identity. Joppri, 43, who resigned from the force in February 2025, was charged with one count of molestation on Feb 11, 2026. A police spokesperson added: “(Our) officers...are expected to uphold the law and maintain the highest standards of conduct and integrity.
Source:The Star
February 13, 2026 11:25 UTC
i-City unveils world’s first AI Living
At i-City in the state capital of Selangor, this shift is taking physical form through AI Living, a residential tower designed to be the first of its kind globally. Lim shared that the AI Living tower is well-positioned to be the world’s first AI and robotics residential tower. AI Living treats intelligence as part of the building’s DNA, being conceived from the ground up as an AI- and robotics-native residential environment. “At AI Living, robotics are treated not as gadgets but as functional occupants within the residential ecosystem. In terms of the units at AI Living, I-Bhd is aiming for a price point that mirrors its Hill10 Residences above DoubleTree by Hilton at i-City.
Source:The Star
February 13, 2026 11:21 UTC
Malay woman’s kuih bakul a CNY hit online
Sinar Harian reported that Rosidah Muda, 50, from Kampung Pelam, Kuala Telemong in Terengganu, makes the traditional delicacy for sale during the festive season. Rosidah first attempted to make kuih bakul in 2016, when she prepared it for her neighbours. The clerk makes kuih bakul as a side income and sells them for between RM10 and RM12 on online marketplaces. Besides kuih bakul, Rosidah also makes mooncakes and traditional Malay delicacies such as pulut dakap and ketupat. The above article is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies).
Source:The Star
February 13, 2026 10:51 UTC
Selangor couple wins RM23.53mil jackpot with family MyKad numbers
PETALING JAYA: A Selangor couple struck it big after winning the RM23.53mil Toto 4D Jackpot 1 in the Feb 7 draw. The winners, a 49-year-old marketing manager and a 66-year-old retiree, recently claimed their life-changing prize at the Sports Toto Malaysia Lottery headquarters. According to STM Lottery, the couple had been consistently betting on these specific numbers for several years. The numbers were inspired by the last four digits of their family members’ identification cards (MyKad). The younger winner shared that she typically handles the ticket purchases, while her partner is responsible for selecting and recording the numbers.
Source:The Star
February 13, 2026 10:18 UTC
Two new private hospitals to boost Melaka’s medical tourism sector — Ab Rauf
MELAKA (Feb 13): Putra Specialist Hospital 2 and Brain and Spine Hospital, with a combined construction cost of RM678 million, are scheduled to be built on a 9.99-hectare site in Ayer Keroh. Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the two hospitals to be built in the area known as Kota Kesihatan (Health City) are expected to be ready by 2029, thereby driving the state’s health tourism. “The growth of Melaka’s health tourism is remarkable, with more than 10,000 visitors coming to the state, including from neighbouring countries across the Straits of Melaka, for medical treatment. “The two new private hospitals will bring Melaka’s total private hospitals to six, reflecting strong economic growth in the healthcare sector that the state can build on to extend specialised medical services to those who need them,” he told reporters after the groundbreaking ceremony for the two projects, here on Friday. Ab Rauf added that Kota Kesihatan will include residences, hotels, and a business centre alongside the two private hospitals to support the project’s development.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 13, 2026 10:08 UTC
SoftBank’s PayPay gets closer to US IPO in milestone for Japan
(Feb 13): SoftBank Group Corp’s digital payments provider PayPay Corp has filed publicly for a US initial public offering (IPO), in what could be the biggest listing for a Japanese company on a US stock exchange. Representatives of PayPay and SoftBank’s telecom unit SoftBank Corp declined to comment on PayPay valuation. PayPay originated in 2018 as a joint venture with Vision Fund-backed Indian payments company Paytm. PayPay, which is majority-owned by SoftBank Group and SoftBank Corp, has been stepping up efforts to expand overseas ahead of the global offering. PayPay will continue to be a SoftBank Corp subsidiary following the IPO and the Japanese company doesn’t expect the listing to have any material impact on its consolidated earnings, according to an earlier statement.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 13, 2026 10:04 UTC
China takes aim at screen-heavy car dashboards in safety push
(Feb 13): China is taking aim at stripped-down, screen-dominated car interiors favoured by the likes of Tesla Inc and Xiaomi Corp, requiring that essential safety functions be controlled by physical switches or buttons. Beyond the dashboard, China’s government is codifying safety expectations for high-level driver-assistance technology. A mandatory standard for Level 3 and Level 4 automated driving systems stipulates that these vehicles must demonstrate a safety level at least equivalent to a “competent and attentive human driver”. At these levels of automation, the car can handle all driving tasks, though at Level 3 the driver must be ready to take control if alerted. The proposed regulations also introduce a “safety case” requirement, requiring manufacturers to provide structured, documented evidence that their systems can handle both daily driving and critical high-risk scenarios.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 13, 2026 09:53 UTC
Key winners from Singapore’s budget 2026
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday unveiled cash handouts for households and fresh support for workers, the elderly and small businesses in his budget speech. It had climbed above the 5,000 level for the first time ahead of the budget speech to a fresh record. Small businesses, banksA targeted 40% corporate tax rebate, capped at S$30,000 for year of assessment 2026 was announced in the budget. The measure may aid small businesses in managing business expenses and scale up, which could also stimulate small-business loan demand. “Banks in Singapore, including DBS Group Holdings Ltd, are set to see business activity pick up and asset quality improve on new government-support measures,” said Sarah Jane Mahmud, senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.
Source:The Edge Markets
February 13, 2026 09:48 UTC