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☆ Jubilation as 'pride of Malaysia' Yeoh wins first Oscar
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Ebrahim Harris | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 (Reuters) - Family and friends of Malaysia's Michelle Yeoh responded with screams, jubilation and pride on Monday at her winning the Academy Award for best lead actress, Asia's first ever winner in the category. There were ecstatic roars and fist-pumps as her triumph was announced at an Oscars viewing party in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur, with all eyes on her surprised and delighted mother, Janet Yeoh. Everybody knows it," she told a news conference afterwards, in front of a poster of her daughter that said "Pride of Malaysia". It was Yeoh's first Oscar nomination and she had been widely regarded as the front-runner. Yeoh made her Hollywood breakthrough when she was cast as the first ethnic Chinese Bond girl in 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies" opposite Pierce Brosnan.

BATU PAHAT, Malaysia, March 4 (Reuters) - Flooding resulting from days of torrential rain has forced almost 40,000 people to flee their homes in Malaysia's southern Johor state, bordering Singapore, and at least four people have died during the past week, officials said on Saturday. Authorities have set up more than 200 relief shelters for people displaced by the floods, the national disaster management agency said. Floods in Malaysia are common during the annual monsoon season between October and March, but the downpour this week left many Johor residents scrambling to find shelter. While Johor was worst-hit, there was flooding in other states too that displaced hundreds of people. The meteorological department warned of more rain in coming days, mostly in the southern states.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Reuters) - A new coalition led by former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was leading a hotly contested general election on Saturday, with opposition chief Anwar Ibrahim a close second, early results from the Election Commission showed. The other main contender - Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition - was losing ground in traditional strongholds to Muhyiddin's bloc, the results showed. As of 1630 GMT, the Election Commission had announced results for 123 of the 222 parliamentary seats. [1/6] Malaysian Caretaker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob stands in a line to vote during Malaysia's 15th general election in Bera, Pahang, Malaysia November 19, 2022. The top issues are the economy, along with corruption, as several leaders from the Barisan Nasional coalition face graft accusations.

☆ Young Malaysians urged to 'get mad' and vote to end political merry-go-round
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Ebrahim Harris | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The infighting has exhausted voters, with two local elections held in the past year seeing lower than average turnout. Young voters form a sizeable portion of the six million people newly eligible to cast a ballot, following reforms that lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 and allowed automatic registration. Some voters, however, remain turned off by the constant political wrangling, believing that their choices will have little impact. "I'm scared to vote because whoever you choose will be part of a weak coalition," Eddie said. "They have to form alliances with parties who were rejected in the elections, and will end up forming the same type of government."

[1/5] The supporters of The National Front coalition, Barisan Nasional, shout slogans outside a nomination centre on nomination day in Bera, Pahang, Malaysia November 5, 2022. REUTERS/Lai Seng SinKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Malaysian political leaders began their election campaigning on Saturday for what is set to be a close race, with incumbent Prime Minister Ismail Sabri facing off with veterans Anwar Ibrahim and Muhyiddin Yassin. The election comes as the Malaysian economy is expected to ease due to a global slowdown, impeding a recovery from a pandemic-induced slump. Inflation is also rising, with the Malaysian central bank increasing interest rates this week for the fourth straight time. The leaders are not working together in this election.

☆ Shadow puppet enthusiasts hope robotics can save ancient art
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Malaysian college lecturer Ahnaf Hakimi Ahmad hopes to save the ancient tradition of shadow puppetry using 3D-printed figures controlled by robotics instead of people. Ahnaf, 33, hopes his invention, which is funded by a 20,000 Malaysian ringgit ($4,244) grant, can allow people to enjoy the rapidly fading artform "whenever and wherever". So, with this animatronic shadow puppet show, it will be a new phenomenon for these youths," he said at a performance at a mall in Penang island. Wayang usually depicts epic Hindu tales such as the Ramayana in hours-long theatrical and musical performances, but some in Muslim-majority Malaysia consider them un-Islamic. ($1 = 4.7120 ringgit)Reporting by Ebrahim Harris; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Malaysia's Mahathir fears Najib would walk free if graft-tainted party wins polls
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak speaks to journalists outside the Federal Court during a court break, in Putrajaya, Malaysia August 23, 2022. REUTERS/Lai Seng SinKUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Malaysia's veteran politician and opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad predicted on Tuesday that disgraced former prime minister Najib Razak would be released from jail if his graft-tainted ruling party wins an upcoming general election. "Should they be able to win and form the government, that is the first objective, not about the welfare of the people," Mahathir, who had two stints as prime minister, told a news conference. They were both prosecuted, along with other party leaders, after UMNO lost the 2018 election for the first time in Malaysia's history as voters punished the party for 1MDB and other corruption scandals. Investigators have said some $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB - co-founded by Najib during his first year as prime minister in 2009 - and that over $1 billion went to accounts linked to Najib.

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