Wei Xiang gains priceless experience after brave fight against Ginting
PETALING JAYA: Young shuttler Kong Wei Xiang believes the experience gained playing against Indonesia’s Anthony Ginting in the Asia Team Championships will prove invaluable. Wei Xiang, who is currently ranked No. Despite the team’s exit, there were some positives from an inexperienced lineup of players including Wei Xiang, who was making his debut in a senior team event. “The match against Anthony, a player of his calibre and experience, was an incredible challenge,” said Wei Xiang. Wei Xiang is out to continue his promising form when he competes next in the Dutch Junior International from Feb 25-March 1 in Haarlem.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 12:48 UTC
The festive cash tsunami
Even as the lunar calendar turns toward the Year of the Fire Horse this February, Malaysia’s shopping malls have already undergone a transformation that is more than just aesthetic. The immersive festive environments curated by shopping malls are a proven catalyst for consumer spending, effectively converting holiday foot traffic into tangible retail growth.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 12:41 UTC
Beat leftover food hazards
Registered dietitian Ng Kar Foo said preparing food in abundance during the festive season symbolises prosperity, togetherness and blessings for the year ahead. “Planning portions wisely and finishing food safely honours both tradition and sustainability; true prosperity benefits health, family, and the environment,” he added. Prof Dr Sharifa said raw and half-cooked food and those cooked with milk or coconut milk tend to turn bad quickly. For example, having raw meat and blood next to cooked food,” she said. She said food borne illnesses are generally caused by pathogens, namely bacteria, viruses, and parasites, as well as toxins that contaminate food.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 11:48 UTC
Toll discounts for festive travel
“The government will bear an estimated RM19.5mil in compensation payments to the affected toll concessionaires due to the discount. The discount applies to Class 1 private vehicles at all toll plazas nationwide, as well as Class 2 vehicles at the Penang Bridge, but excludes the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) toll plaza on the North-South Expressway and the Tanjung Kupang toll plaza on the Malaysia–Singapore Second Link, he added. Nanta said the selected dates were intended to avoid traffic congestion on peak travel days while allowing better coordination of highway operations, including facilities at rest and service areas and lay-bys. The highest number of users is expected on PLUS highways, with an estimated 2.2 million vehicles. It added that highway concessionaires have been instructed to ensure smooth toll operations and that no lane closures are carried out from Feb 12 to Feb 23, except for emergency works.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 11:40 UTC
Café fight leads to 10 arrests in Jinjang
KUALA LUMPUR: A fight near a café here led to the arrest of 10 suspects following an incident in Taman Beringin on Friday (Feb 6). Sentul OCPD Asst Comm Ahmad Sukarno Mohd Zahari said the complainant noticed traffic congestion in front of the café and saw a man standing nearby holding his face. One of the suspects asked who had slapped the man, but they said they were unaware of the incident. ACP Ahmad Sukarno said the complainant then entered the café, where a fight broke out between the two groups before he fled the scene. Follow-up investigations led to the arrest of 10 suspects, aged between 28 and 41, on the same day and on Sunday in the Jinjang area.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 11:36 UTC
India PM Modi accorded official welcome at Perdana Putra
PUTRAJAYA: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at the Seri Perdana Complex on Sunday (Feb 8) for a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Both leaders are expected to have a closed-door meeting involving only the two of them. Anwar will also host an official luncheon in honour of Modi. In 2025, total trade between Malaysia and India reached RM79.49 bil (USD18.59 bil). Malaysia’s total exports to India amounted to RM52.30bil (USD12.24bil) and total imports amounted RM27.19bil (USD6.35bil).
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 03:05 UTC
Petaling Street comes alive with horse parade
PETALING JAYA: A sea of red lanterns, drumbeats and galloping symbolism transformed Petaling Street into a festive corridor as traders and visitors ushered in an early Year of the Horse while celebrating culture and community spirit. The Blessings Parade, where six giant inflatable horse guardians made their way through the iconic Chinatown, was the star of the show yesterday. Leading the procession was the Horse Guardian, standing at over 2.1m tall, accompanied by other guardians in varied forms, poses and sizes. The parade, themed Guardians of Legacy, reflects the idea of care being repaid with respect and gratitude. Chang is also a co-founder of Kwai Chai Hong, meaning “little ghost lane”, a famous alley in Petaling Street, known for its specially-curated wall art depicting scenes from the past.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 02:25 UTC
Making e-hailing rides safer
PETALING JAYA: The mandatory installation of dual-facing dashcams in all e-hailing vehicles should be implemented to strengthen passenger safety and accountability, say experts. He said the recent revocation of an e-hailing driver’s Public Service Vehicle licence following an alleged sexual harassment incident has exposed gaps in Malaysia’s transport laws, particularly the lack of preventive safety measures. “Such action alone is insufficient to ensure passenger safety,” he said. Assoc Prof Law added that amendments to the Land Public Transport Act should be considered to mandate the installation of safety technology in all e-hailing vehicles. “These measures can also strengthen public confidence in e-hailing services, particularly among vulnerable user groups such as women, students and late-night commuters,” she said.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 02:17 UTC
Hooked on blind box craze
Blind boxes are sealed packages containing toys or figurines that buyers purchase without knowing what’s inside. Enthusiast Azira Bahri from Sarawak confessed that collecting blind boxes is her worst addiction. “Every time there are launches of new blind box sets, I will immediately purchase them online,” she said, adding that the prices may vary. Pang said that if she knew she would be spending on blind boxes, she would reduce her spending on coffee or food. “Maybe instead of getting them (blind boxes) once every two weeks, I might just get them once every month.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 02:15 UTC
Chasing the ‘missing piece’ may come at a cost
PETALING JAYA: The excitement of tearing open a blind box often turns into disappointment the moment a duplicate toy is revealed. “Psychologically, blind boxes train people to deal with uncertainty. “Even though it is not gambling like a money lottery, every blind box creates a small rush because the outcome is unknown,” she said. “Blind boxes are not sold for their function but for emotional and social value. “All these factors combined explain why consumers often persist with buying blind boxes despite getting the same item multiple times,” she said.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 02:15 UTC
Listening to our youth
Campuses must ensure equality by incorporating equity-driven student voices when designing experiential learning. Classroom or learning space design is a crucial element of the educational experience, impacting student engagement, comfort and learning outcomes. By integrating student voices, we can create more inclusive, responsive and effective learning environments, which in turn lead to better academic outcomes and stronger graduates. Catalyst for inclusivityActively listening to diverse student voices fosters inclusivity in pedagogical practices and democratic university communities, ensuring all students feel valued and heard. These platforms can even be used to mobilise youth for causes they care about and to understand the issues that matter to them.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 01:44 UTC
Address issue wisely and tactfully, Zahid urges all parties
SEREMBAN: All parties must address the issue of illegal houses of worship wisely and tactfully, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic). The Deputy Prime Minister said the government had set clear guidelines that must be adhered to by all. “We must handle this matter wisely and tactfully. His remarks came ahead of a rally scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur last night, calling for action to be taken against illegal houses of worship. He said the government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had asked him to focus on Islamic and Malay matters.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 01:23 UTC
Wolves in sheep’s clothing
He said such leaders had betrayed the very community they professed to defend. “They claimed to protect the community while siphoning off funds here and there,” he said in his speech at the Selangor PKR Convention yesterday. The country must be saved, must stand firm on principles and must reject all attempts to deceive and plunder national wealth,” he said. He reiterated that the unity government also rejected politics based on ethnic supremacy and remained multiracial and multireligious in its approach. Anwar noted that previous efforts by other political leaders to form multiracial parties had failed, with many dismissing in the late 1990s the idea that Malaysia could succeed under a genuinely multiracial political platform.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 01:06 UTC
Loke urges caution on mandating dashcams
PETALING JAYA: Transport Minister Anthony Loke (pic) has cautioned against rushing into mandating dashcams with audio recording in e-hailing vehicles and taxis. Loke said while such a measure may enhance safety, it requires careful consideration and consultation with multiple stakeholders, including the public. Commenting on Hong Kong’s move to amend its laws to require taxis to install dashcams by early next year, Loke said different countries operate under different conditions. “Data privacy remains a key priority,” the minister said. Malaysian E-Hailing Drivers Association president Jose Rizal said from the perspective of long-term protection and industry sustainability, Malaysia needs to adopt a more preventive and systematic approach.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 00:45 UTC
Modi receives grand Malaysian welcome
SERI KEMBANGAN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a grand welcome in Malaysia as he began his two-day official visit on Saturday (Feb 7). His first stop after arriving in Kuala Lumpur was a grand reception where he met with the Indian diaspora here. He was accompanied by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to the event and both leaders arrived at 6pm. Modi's last official visit to Malaysia was in November 2015 but he made a brief stopover here on May 31, 2018. "At the invitation of my friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, I will be visiting Malaysia, a nation with which India's ties are deep-rooted and extensive," he said.
Source:The Star
February 08, 2026 00:44 UTC