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☆ Ramadan in Malaysia: Raids and fines for those caught breaking fast spotlight growing religious conservatism
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

In many parts of Malaysia, Muslims caught eating or drinking during daytime hours can find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Those caught eating or drinking during daytime hours face fines of up to 1,000 Malaysian Ringgit (about $200) and prison terms of up to a year. CNN reached out to multiple state religious bodies across Malaysia for comment. Complaints were made to the state religious department, media reports said, and the scandal caused a national stir – drawing scorn from conservative politicians and prompting public apologies from the celebrities. “As long as you look Malay, you must fast during Ramadan – those are the rules,” Yusuf told CNN.

Persons: Rahmad Mariman, ” Mariman, TikTok, ” JAIPK, Hadi Awang, ”, MOHD RASFAN, –, Ameena Siddiqi, Siddiqi, ” Siddiqi, Salahuddin Abdul Aziz, Annice Lyn, Anisah Mahmood, Fadhlina Sidek, “, Haji Ahmad Bin Yahaya, Yusuf, ” Yusuf Organizations: CNN, Malaysian, Islamic Religious Department, JAIM, PAS, Malaysia Islamic Party, AFP, Getty, Annice, Education Locations: Malaysia, Malacca, Perak, Gerik, South, Southeast Asia, AFP, Malaysian, Islam, Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam, Selangor, London, Malay, Johor

☆ Malaysia's $100 billion ghost town really wants to draw in tourists. It's not working.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Forest City, a luxury development in Malaysia, is banking on tourism to shed its ghost town image. AdvertisementWendy Noble lives 15 minutes away from Malaysia's Forest City, across the border in Singapore. Country Garden, the largest developer in China, spent $100 billion building Forest City. "Forest City is able to attract the weekend tourists," Adilah said, referring to tourists like Noble and Nemis. Forest City Golf Resort's lobby, with a miniature figure of the development.

Persons: it's, —, Wendy Noble, Ree Nemis, Noble, Marielle, Nemis, Adilah Zain, Adilah, Sultan Ibrahim, Shawn, Gary, We've, Chandran Organizations: Forest City, Service, Malaysia's, MARA Technological University, Garden, Bloomberg, BI, Forest, Challenge, Hotel Locations: Forest, Malaysia, Malaysia's Forest City, Singapore, Forest City, China, Johor —, Malaysian, Monaco, Challenge Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

☆ At 23, she landed a job at a 3-star Michelin restaurant. Less than 2 years later, she left to run a food stall in Singapore.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Shanice Lim left a Michelin-starred restaurant to run a hawker stall in Singapore. She decided to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and run her own hawker stall. nasi lemak stall in singapore Marielle Descalsota/Business InsiderLim said her efforts have paid off and that she now has a base of customers who don't hesitate to pay SG$5 for her nasi lemak. I wanted to put my brand out there so everyone could have good nasi lemak," Lim said. There isn't much money to be made running a hawker stall.

Persons: Shanice Lim, Lim's, —, Shanice, Lim, Lim's nasi lemak, Marielle, nasi lemak —, Khir Johari, hawker, KF, it's, It's, nasi lemak, Seetoh, nasi, she's, Elizabeth Chan, lemak, Chan, har, wasn't Organizations: Michelin, Service, Culinary Institute of America's, hawker, Business, SG, National Environmental Agency, NEA, Singapore Food Agency, singapore Marielle Locations: Singapore, Culinary Institute of America's Singapore, Singapore —, European, Zen, Malay, lemak, Bedok, hawker, Urban, New York City, nasi lemak, singapore

☆ MH370 Disappeared a Decade Ago. Here’s What We Know Today.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Derrick Bryson Taylor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was heading from Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, to Beijing, when it deviated from its scheduled path, turning west across the Malay Peninsula. The plane, a Boeing 777 carrying 239 people from 15 countries, is believed to have veered off course and flown south for several hours after radar contact was lost. Some officials believe it may have crashed somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean after running out of fuel, but expansive search efforts over years have returned no answers, no victims, and no plane. The reason the plane went off course and its exact location today remains one of the greatest aviation mysteries of all time. This week, officials suggested a renewed search operation might be undertaken.

Organizations: Malaysia Airlines, Boeing Locations: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian, Beijing, Malay

☆ The Eastern & Oriental luxury train restarted this week — here’s what a trip costs
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The train, which is operated by the luxury travel company Belmond, this week welcomed its first set of passengers since it stopped running as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The luxury train has been operating in Southeast Asia since 1993, when it first began shuttling travelers between Singapore and Bangkok. Now Thailand is out, replaced with two new journeys, which start and end in Singapore and explore different sides of Malaysia. The new routes are seasonal, with the "Essence of Malaysia" running from November to February, and "Wild Malaysia" from March to October. Prices start from £3,530 ($4,430) per person for a one-night trip in a historic cabin, according to its website.

Persons: Arnaud Champenois, Belmond's, Andre Chiang, Singapore's, Andre Organizations: Oriental Express, CNBC, Orient Locations: Southeast Asia, Singapore, Bangkok, Thailand, Malaysia, West Coast, Penang, Langkawi, Kuala Lumpur, Wild, Taman, Venice, Europe

☆ Analysis-For Malaysian Filmmakers, Censorship Stifles Optimism After Overseas Glory
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

"This is a very good time ... where people around the world are really looking into Malaysian filmmakers. "Mentega Terbang" follows a teenage Muslim girl exploring different religions while dealing with grief. Online platforms are not covered by film censorship rules in Malaysia. Khairi and others involved in "Mentega Terbang" even received death threats at the time, media reports show. CENSORSHIPUnder Malaysian law, films intended for public viewing must be approved by the Film Censorship Board.

Persons: Oscar, Michelle Yeoh, Khairi Anwar, Malaysia's, Khairi, Badrul Hisham Ismail, Pagi Ke, Anwar Ibrahim's, Anwar, Zabidi Mohamed, Amir Muhammad, Brenda Danker, Danial Azhar, Rozanna Latiff, Himani Sarkar Organizations: Azhar KUALA LUMPUR, Reuters, Cannes, Cannes Film, Malay, Academy, Malaysian, Film, YouTube Locations: Azhar KUALA, Malaysia, Malaysian, Viu, Terengganu, Malay

☆ Malaysia halves jail sentence of ex-prime minister Najib
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Najib Razak, Malaysia's former prime minister, gestures as he leaves the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in Malaysia, on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. The board, chaired by Malaysia's king, did not give a reason for halving Najib's sentence. It said if Najib failed to pay the fine given, an additional year would be imposed on his jail term. Malaysia's king plays a largely ceremonial role but can pardon convicted people among discretionary powers granted by the federal constitution. The pardons board, which advises the king, includes the attorney-general and government officials.

Persons: Najib Razak, Anwar Ibrahim's, Anwar, Najib, Malaysia's, Jho Low, Al, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, Sultan Abdullah, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar Organizations: United National Malays Organisation, 1Malaysia Development, Saudi Locations: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Johor .

☆ Malaysia Cabinet Discusses Najib Pardon Bid, but Won't Announce Outcome - Minister
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

It will be at the discretion of the Pardons Board to announce its decision, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said at a press conference on immigration and labour issues, which was packed with media seeking news on Najib's clemency bid. Najib requested a royal pardon shortly after beginning his sentence in 2022 and after exhausting all other appeals. Najib's lawyer and representatives, as well as Malaysia's attorney-general, a member of the pardons board, did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. "Let us not jump the gun, let us wait for an official statement to be made," Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said at a separate press briefing. U.S. and Malaysian investigators estimate around $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB, with more than $1 billion channeled to accounts linked to Najib.

Persons: Danial Azhar, Najib Razak, Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Najib, Prime Minister's Department Zaliha Mustafa, Najib's, Fahmi Fadzil, Jho Low, Nooryana Najwa Najib, pensively, Martin Petty Organizations: Reuters, 1Malaysia Development, Prime Minister's Department, Communications, Saudi Locations: KUALA LUMPUR

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The director and producer of a banned Malaysian film that explores the afterlife were charged Wednesday with offending the religious feelings of others in a rare criminal prosecution of filmmakers, slammed by critics as an attack on freedom of expression. “As far as we are concerned, these are groundless charges and we will challenge those charges in court,” he said. The two filmmakers filed a suit challenging the government’s decision before they were charged. Human Rights Watch accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government of prosecuting the two filmmakers to win political support from Malays. Khairianwar has said this is likely the first time a filmmaker has been criminally charged in the country.

Persons: Mohamad Khairianwar Jailani, “, Tan Meng Kheng, Surendran, ”, Critics, Anwar Ibrahim’s, Anwar, hypocritically, Phil Robertson, Khairianwar, ” Khairianwar Organizations: Home Ministry, Islam, Human Rights Watch, Free, Free Malaysia Today Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Malaysian, Islam, Hong Kong, Malay, Asia, “, Free Malaysia

☆ Brunei comes to a standstill for royal wedding of Prince Abdul Mateen
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Life in the tiny oil-rich kingdom of Brunei came to a standstill Sunday for a grand royal wedding attended by heads of state and royals from Bhutan and Middle Eastern countries, the highlight of 10 days of celebrations. The lavish ceremony saw Prince Abdul Mateen, the tenth child and fourth son of Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, wed his long-time partner, Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah, the granddaughter of a royal adviser. Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty ImagesThe 32-year-old prince, a British-trained and educated military officer in the Brunei Royal Armed Forces who’s sixth in line to his father’s throne, has become the modern face of Brunei’s royal family. Iqbal Selamat/AFP/Getty ImagesThe royal wedding at Brunei's Istana Nural Palace. To Their Majesties Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Queen Raja Isteri, our warmest congratulations on this happy occasion.”Prince Mateen kneels before his father, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, after the solemnization ceremony.

Persons: Prince Abdul Mateen, Brunei’s, Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Yang Mulia, Rosnah, Nurul Iman, Bandar Seri Begawan, Mateen, Mohd Rasfan, Michael Jackson, Britain’s, Prince Charles, Teh Firdaus, –, Iqbal Selamat, Lee Hsien Loong, Hassanal Bolkiah, Raja Isteri, ” Prince Mateen, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Mateen’s, Hassanal Organizations: CNN, Nurul, Royce, Getty, Brunei Royal Armed Forces who’s, Abaca Press, United Arab, Singapore Prime, AP, of Defense Locations: Brunei, Bhutan, Middle, Brunei’s Sultan, Bandar Seri, Bandar Seri Begawan, AFP, British, Malaysian, Nural, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Borneo, Britain

☆ Elephant herd tramples car after baby struck along Malaysian highway
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A herd of wild elephants in Malaysia trampled on a car traveling along a major highway after it struck a baby in their group, local authorities said Monday. It had been drizzling and foggy at that time, Gerik Police added, and the car was “negotiating a left bend on the highway” when it hit the baby elephant. Authorities did not provide further updates about the condition of the elephant baby. In 2017, a baby elephant was discovered dead on the side of a highway, apparently killed by a car believed to have been speeding, elephant conservation group Management and Ecology of Malaysian Elephants (MEME) said at the time. In 2020, a distressed adult elephant trampled on a car that had been traveling on the same highway as the latest incident.

Persons: ”, Zulkifli Mahmood, “, ” Mahmood, Sylvain CORDIER Organizations: CNN, Gerik Police, Police, Management, Malaysian Locations: Malaysia, Gerik, Malay, Penang, Terengganu, Borneo

☆ Fact Check: Satirical Malaysian film falsely linked to Israel-Gaza conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An image from a satirical Malaysian TV movie released in 2018 has been shared online as evidence of Palestinians staging pictures of people in hospital during Israel’s war with Hamas. Included in the image is a caption: “Just a few important items: 1. Eid telemovie ‘Laksa Di Ambang Wati’.”Contacted by Reuters, Yusop confirmed that the image was a screengrab from his TV film he shot in 2018. Malaysian actor Tapai Gegarlawak starred in the scene, Yusop added. The image is from a 2018 satirical Malaysian TV movie.

Persons: Ambang, Al Jafree Md Yusop, oximeter, Eid, ‘, Di Ambang, ”, Yusop, Tapai Gegarlawak, Read Organizations: Hamas, Social, Twitter, Facebook, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Malaysian, Palestine, Hollywood, Israel, Gaza

☆ Malaysia opposition leader to step down as party president
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Malaysian opposition leader and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin speaks during an interview at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia July 27, 2023. REUTERS/Hasnoor Hussain/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Malaysia's opposition leader Muhyiddin Yassin said on Friday he would step down as president of his party, which leads the Malay-majority bloc Perikatan Nasional. Muhyiddin, a former prime minister, said at his Bersatu party's annual meeting he will not defend his position as party president during internal leadership elections next year. "The time for me to pass on the party leadership to a new team of leaders has arrived," he said in a speech. Bersatu is part of the Perikatan Nasional opposition bloc, which is backed by a conservative Islamist party and made inroads among the country's majority ethnic-Malay Muslims during regional polls in August and last year's general elections.

Persons: Muhyiddin Yassin, Hasnoor Hussain, Danial Azhar, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: REUTERS, Perikatan Nasional, Thomson Locations: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, KUALA LUMPUR, Malay, Perikatan Nasional

☆ Fact Check: Clip from Malaysia falsely shared as showing casualties in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The earliest iteration of the video that Reuters could find online is a TikTok post(archived) from Aug. 19, 2023, written in Malay. The clip also appears in an Instagram post (archived) from Aug. 21, 2023, with a caption that indicates that the video shows a “Kursus Pengurusan Jenazah” which translates to “funeral management course”. A keyword search on the institute's Facebook page leads to a post (archived) that mentions a "Body Management Course of IKM TSYA Students", with Darul Ulum mosque as the venue. The Facebook page has photographs from the same venue that match the walls (archived) and the flooring (archived) of the building seen in the video. The video was filmed in Malaysia, not Gaza, and predates the 2023 Palestinian-Israeli war.

Persons: IKM, ”, MARA Tan Sri Yahaya Ahmad, IKM TSYA, Read Organizations: Reuters, Institut, MARA Skills Institute, IKM, Thomson Locations: Malaysia, Gaza, Israel, Malay, Malaysia’s Pekan, Darul Ulum, Palestinian

☆ The US Army needs tanks to win a war in the Pacific, but it knows the Abrams isn't the right tank for the job
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But it also knows that rivals are building weapons that are potent against the aging Abrams tank. The Army's main battle tank, the M1 Abrams, now faces two main problems. End of the Abrams eraA US Abrams tank that Iraqi officials said was destroyed in fighting south of Baghdad in April 2003. Threats to the Abrams tank's battlefield dominance, according to the Army Science Board. The Army Science BoardThe Army Science Board assessed various alternatives.

Persons: Abrams, —, China —, Eddie McCrossan, M1A1 Abrams, Scott Nelson, Charles Flynn, Bradley, KARIM SAHIB, Michael Peck Organizations: US Army, Service, Army, Pacific, Rivals, M1 Abrams, Army Science Board, ., Logistics, US Defense Department, Eddie McCrossan Tanks, Nazi, US Army Pacific, Board, for Army, sustainment, China, Abrams, Getty, The Army, Booker, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Europe, Asia, Russia, China, Fort Knox, Kentucky, Britain, America, Russo, Ukraine, East Asia, Japan, Malay, Korean, Vietnam, Kuwaiti, Fulda, East, West Germany, Baghdad, AFP, Pacific, Forbes

☆ Kids are attending pro-Palestinian protests on Roblox
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Kids are attending pro-Palestinian protests on Roblox in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, and so far, a pro-Palestinian virtual protest has been visited more than 275,000 times. Malaysia has been the site of pro-Palestinian protests, and the country's prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, recently criticized Israel's air strikes in the Gaza Strip. About 45% of Roblox users are 12 years old or younger, according to Roblox data from December 2022, and 60% of users were 16 or younger. A Roblox spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that the experience "did appear on our platform," adding that the protest showcased in viral videos was one of multiple pro-Palestinian protests on Roblox that the company is aware of. Clarification: Pro-Palestinian supporters have taken to Roblox to protest the Israel-Hamas war.

Persons: Anwar Ibrahim, Roblox Organizations: Solidarity, Google Translate, CNBC, Palestinian, Israeli Defense Forces, West Bank Locations: Israel, Palestine, Malaysia, Gaza, Malaysian, Palestinian, Roblox

☆ Kids are attending pro-Palestine protests on Roblox
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Kids are attending pro-Palestine protests on Roblox in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, and so far, a pro-Palestine virtual protest has been visited more than 275,000 times. Malaysia has been the site of pro-Palestine protests, and the country's prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, recently criticized Israel's air strikes in the Gaza Strip. About 45% of Roblox users are 12 years old or younger, according to Roblox data from December 2022, and 60% of users were 16 or younger. Social media comments viewed by CNBC seemed to show parents saying that their daughters and sons had joined, or planned on joining, the experience on Roblox. A Roblox spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that the experience "did appear on our platform," adding that the protest showcased in viral videos was one of multiple pro-Palestine protests on Roblox that the company is aware of.

Persons: Anwar Ibrahim, Roblox Organizations: Palestine, Solidarity, Google Translate, CNBC, Palestinian, Israeli Defense Forces, West Bank Locations: Israel, Palestine, Malaysia, Gaza, Malaysian, Palestinian

☆ Indonesian indigenous islanders are rallying against plans to build a Chinese funded factory on their homes
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —A plan to build a multi-billion dollar Chinese glass factory in Indonesia’s Riau Islands Archipelago has sparked fierce protests from indigenous islanders who are opposed to their villages being torn down. Riot police were deployed to the scene and fired tear gas and water cannons at protesters, CNN affiliate CNN Indonesia reported. On Rempang island, chaos broke out on September 7 when local authorities and developers showed up to conduct land surveys and take measurements. BP BatamIn a bid to soothe tensions, Indonesian government officials have promised improved relocation packages for residents on Rempang. Relocation and compensation only have economic value and cannot replace the villagers’ collective memory and identity as local indigenous people,” said Arifin Jaynal Ylbhi, spokesperson for the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI).

Persons: Joko Widodo, Xi Jinping, ”, “, Muhammad Rudi, Investment Bahlil Lahadalia, Arifin Jaynal Ylbhi, Hong Kong, Ansar Ahmad, Didit Wicaksono, Widodo, Nur, Sophie Grig, Bahlil Organizations: CNN, Badan, BP, Riot, CNN Indonesia, Government, Investment, Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen, Greenpeace, Veteran National Development University of Jakarta, Survival, CNN Indonesia . Investment Locations: Riau, Indonesia, Southeast, Batam, Singapore, Rempang, Hong, Malay, ” Riau, Greenpeace Indonesia, West Papua, Jakarta, CNN Indonesia

☆ Singapore braces for 'partisan' vote for president, guardian of its vast reserves
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian (left) waves as he arrives at the nomination center for the presidential election in Singapore on August 22, 2023. Song is standing in the city-state's 2023 presidential election. Presidential candidate Tharman Shanmugaratnam waves to his supporters at the nomination center for the upcoming presidential election in Singapore on Aug. 22, 2023. Xinhua News Agency | Xinhua News Agency | Getty ImagesThe full scale of Singapore's reserves is not publicly available, though public information of some institutions charged with investing its reserves offer a glimpse into the size of the reserves. Local independent news outlet Jom estimated that only 0.044% of Singaporean adults qualify to run as Singapore president.

Persons: —, incorruptibility, Eugene Tan, Tan Kin Lian, Roslan Rahman, Tan, Ng Kok, Lee Kuan Yew, Tharman, Ng, Shanmugaratnam, Tan Meng, Singapore's, Lee Kuan, Kevin Tan, Cherian, Halimah Yacob —, Cherian George, who's Organizations: Getty, SINGAPORE, Observers, Singapore Management University, NTUC, Afp, Monetary Fund, Party, CNBC, Bloomberg, Presidential Advisors, Xinhua News Agency, Temasek, Singapore, Monetary Authority of, Cherian George National University of Singapore, Hong Kong Baptist University, Malay, National University of Singapore, Hong, Hong Kong Baptist University's School of Communication Locations: Singapore's Marina Bay, Singapore, State, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Hong, Hong Kong

☆ Malaysia eyes more investments to enlarge EV footprint after landmark Tesla deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Tesla's groundbreaking move with Malaysia is a boost to Southeast Asia's place in the EV supply chain and the first deal under the country's Battery Electric Vehicle Global Leaders initiative. There are also plans for Tesla to embark on EV battery manufacturing in Malaysia. Anwar said Malaysia is open to more EV investments, including from Chinese automakers. Tesla Inc. signage during a launch of company's Model Y electric vehicle in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday, July 20, 2023. Building readinessStill, Anwar was hesitant to say a full electric vehicle assembly line is in the pipeline.

Persons: Tesla, Anwar Ibrahim, CNBC's Martin Soong, Anwar, Elon Organizations: country's, Vehicle Global, U.S, EV, Bumiputeras, CNBC, Tesla Inc, Bloomberg, Getty, IT, Zhejiang, Infineon Technologies, Proton Locations: Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, China, Shanghai, Selangor, Malay, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Kedah, Geely

☆ Malaysia PM vows to recover Goldman Sachs 1MDB settlement, warns of possible lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesMalaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has vowed to recover the money Malaysians are owed from the 1MDB money laundering scandal, and says he hasn't ruled out the possibility of a lawsuit against Goldman Sachs. Anwar said Malaysian agencies were still in talks with Goldman Sachs, though ongoing discussions are "a bit complex." Asked to comment on Anwar's interview, Goldman Sachs referred CNBC to its second quarter earnings statement. It remains to be seen what would come out of the standoff between Malaysia and Goldman Sachs. "No one can deny the fact that Goldman Sachs was used, and partly used the authorities," Anwar said in his interview.

Persons: Malaysia's, Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's King, hasn't, Goldman Sachs, Anwar, CNBC's Martin Soong, Goldman, Muhyiddin Yassin, I've, —, Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar Malaysia's, Anwar's Pakatan, Najib Razak, Muhyiddin, Islam that's Organizations: Nurphoto, Getty, Malaysia's, 1Malaysia, Malaysia, CNBC, of, Malaysian, Barisan Nasional, Barisan, Perikatan Nasional coalition, Islamic, Malay Locations: Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Malaysia, Malaysian, Anwar Ibrahim Malaysia, U.S, of Malaysia, United States, Malay, Federal

☆ Malaysia's state polls were a 'setback' for Anwar's ruling government, says analyst
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Malaysia's closely watched state elections were a "setback" for the ruling coalition government, according to a political analyst from a risk consultancy. The polls were held in six states on Saturday, and ended in a split result between the ruling and opposition coalitions, with each side retaining control of three states. Still, the conservative opposition coalition was able to make significant inroads gaining popularity among voters. The contest was widely seen as a first test for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's coalition and unity government that came to power in November. "But what we saw over the weekend is the same thing that happened last November, where the coalition failed to win crucial Malay votes — it happened again."

Persons: Malaysia's, Anwar Ibrahim's, they've, CNBC's Organizations: Group Locations: Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Malaysians in six states headed to the polls on Saturday in regional elections seen as a major test of support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's nine-month old administration. Perikatan, led by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, made significant inroads in the Malay heartlands in the last national election in November 2022. [1/3]A woman casts her ballot paper during a state election at Selayang, Malaysia August 12, 2023. Critics, however, have raised concerns over increasing government scrutiny on online content and growing intolerance against the country's LGBTQ community. Anwar has said LGBTQ rights will not be recognised by his administration.

Persons: Anwar Ibrahim's, Pakatan Harapan, Muhyiddin Yassin, Anwar, Hasnoor Hussain, Zainal, Anwar's, Rozanna Latiff, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Perikatan, United Malays National Organisation, REUTERS, Merdeka Centre, Ilham, Reuters, Thomson Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perikatan Nasional, Malay, Selayang, Malaysia

SINGAPORE, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Singapore will hold a presidential election on Sept. 1 if more than one candidate is nominated to run for the largely ceremonial post, the government said on Friday. This year's presidential election in the diverse city-state will be open to all ethnic groups, unlike the last time, in 2017, when the post was controversially reserved for those of Malay ethnicity. The 2017 election was uncontested when applications from four candidates were rejected, sparking a rare protest by several hundred people in a city park who raised a banner with the message "ROBBED OF AN ELECTION #NotMyPresident". They will have to get certificates of eligibility from the Presidential Elections Committee to stand. Singapore has about 3.5 million citizens, about three-quarters of them ethnic Chinese, 12.5% ethnic Malay and 9% ethnic Indian, with the rest classified as Eurasians.

Persons: Halimah, Singapore's, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Ng Kok, George Goh, Xinghui Kok, Jason Neely, Robert Birsel Organizations: Presidential, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, Malay

☆ Malaysia reverses plan to take legal action against Meta over harmful content
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Rozanna Latiff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Reuters) - Malaysia may not go through with a plan to take legal action against Facebook parent Meta Platforms (META.O) following "positive" engagement with the firm on tackling harmful content on the social media platform, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil said in an interview on Friday. "I don't think MCMC needs at this point in time to initiate any legal action. I think this level of cooperation is very positive," he said, adding that the government was considering measures such as fines against social media platforms if they failed to tackle harmful content. Facebook is Malaysia's biggest social media platform, with an estimated 60% of the country's 33 million people having a registered account. The take-downs, he said, were likely to have been made in response to complaints made by ordinary users for violating social media guidelines.

Persons: Fahmi Fadzil, Fahmi, Meta, Anwar Ibrahim's, Rozanna Latiff, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Facebook, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, Meta, Malaysian, Digital Nasional Berhad, Thomson Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Malay

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