When newly elected Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman lands in Kuala Lumpur on June 21, it will mark a major geopolitical shift that Putrajaya must not misread. By choosing Malaysia for his historic debut overseas tour — bypassing regional titans India and China — Rahman is signalling that Dhaka views Malaysia as its premier strategic and trusted development partner in Southeast Asia.

Opinion: Flipping the script: Five ways Anwar can pivot the Bangladesh relationship

Asean countries outperform much of developing Asia on several social and gender indicators. Girls today are more likely to attend school, marry later, and access basic health care than ever before. 

Yet beneath these achievements lie deep contradictions. Rapid growth has not fully eliminated child marriage in Indonesia. While Malaysia and Thailand enjoy balanced sex ratios, their neighbour Vietnam struggles with son preference in fertility choices despite high female labour-force participation. Cambodia and Laos still report wide gender gaps in digital access.

Asean’s girls deserve more than promises

In recent weeks, the Bangladeshi government has cracked down violently on students demanding equitable access to coveted government jobs amid an unemployment crisis. To contain the protests, authorities have shut down all educational institutions, imposed a strict curfew, and cut off internet access. Thousands of police officers and paramilitaries have been patrolling the streets, and more than 170 people have died.

An Arab Spring for Bangladesh?

Asia faces a unique demographic crisis. By 2050, the continent will have over a billion elderly people, the most in the world.

For decades, social demands for age care have had unintended consequences for women in some Asian countries such as China, India and Vietnam.

In ageing Asia, well-being of elderly women rests on daughters

On the eve of International Women's Day on March 8, for development scholars embracing a feminist agenda, this occasion prompts a critical examination of the scholarship we produce. Under the theme of #InspireInclusion, it's imperative to ask: Does academic research sufficiently inspire inclusion?

Overcoming sexist textbooks to bridge gender gap in education and beyond

It has been over six weeks since Malaysia shut down its RM1.4 trillion economy. Though the nationwide Movement Control Order (MCO) is harsh for the economy, it is necessary to safeguard public health. After more than a month into the lockdown, there is a sharp decline in the number of new fatalities. As more sectors of the economy look to resume operations in the coming weeks, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin remains cautious, extending the MCO until May 12.

Migrant workers cut off from aid put public health at risk

After the peaceful 14th general election (GE14), all eyes are on the reformation agenda of the newly formed Pakatan Harapan alliance and its ally in Sabah. The 15-year rule of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government in the eastern state saw little progress in terms of road conditions and access to b...

Concern over rising inequality in Sabah

THE Malaysian government should look to civil society for support in strengthening the nation’s education system.

Evidence can be seen in the 2014 Unesco Global Monitoring Report on teaching and learning. According to this report, there is an ongoing global education crisis that is cost...

My Say: Managing Malaysia’s education crisis

Used-car marketplace Carro is considering offering shares on Singapore Exchange Ltd’s Global Listing Board, people familiar with the matter said, potentially positioning it to be the first company to use the new dual-listing mechanism with Nasdaq Inc.

SoftBank-backed Carro said to mull first dual Nasdaq-SGX IPO

Gold Li Holdings Bhd (KL:GOLDLI), which made its debut on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia on May 13, reported a net loss of RM3.89 million on revenue of RM7 million for its second financial quarter ended July 31, 2026.

Property developer Gold Li posts RM3.9m quarterly net loss 

YTL AI Labs Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of YTL Power International Bhd (KL:YTLPOWR), announced the creation of a dataset of 1.35 million synthetic personas that will help in the development of artificial intelligence models that suit Malaysia's diversity.

YTL AI Labs partners with NVIDIA to create dataset for training Malaysia-context AI   

Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor must pay RM67.5 million to Lebanese jeweller Global Royalty Trading SAL for more than 40 pieces of jewellery allegedly missing after a 2018 police raid.

Rosmah must deposit RM67.5m with stakeholder over missing jewellery after losing stay appeal

Chinese automakers grabbed another record share of Europe’s car market last month, luring buyers still wary about going fully electric with more affordable hybrid vehicles.

Chinese car brands hit record European share on hybrid sales

The highly anticipated summit between US President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping will bring together a robust gathering of US corporate leaders, but there will not be a comparable delegation of Chinese executives, raising questions about the prospects for the world’s two largest economies to strike new business deals this week.

Xi unlikely to bring CEOs to summit where Trump seeks deals

A summary of how key Bursa Malaysia indices and the ringgit performed on Wednesday.

FBM KLCI down 0.42% to 1,676.43 on Sept 23, 2026

Growth in British business activity cooled this month and inflation pressure built, a survey showed on Wednesday, an awkward backdrop for Finance Minister John Healey ahead of his first budget next month.

UK business activity cools as inflation pressure ramps up ahead of budget

WASHINGTON (Sept 22): As President Donald Trump's agenda has increasingly encountered resistance, he has turned to a familiar strategy: invoking national security.

Just this weekend, Trump declared that his planned 250-foot triumphal arch near Washington would also serve as a "mili...

As resistance mounts, Trump reaches for a familiar shield: national security

Private-sector activity in the euro area grew at the fastest pace in more than three years as the service sector unexpectedly improved.

Eurozone business activity hits three-year high on services

Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor must pay RM67.5 million to Lebanese jeweller Global Royalty Trading SAL for more than 40 pieces of jewellery allegedly missing after a 2018 police raid.

Banking stocks in FBM KLCI may see a gross selling of over RM200 million from passive funds tracking the benchmark index being expanded, an analyst said.

Banking stocks may see over RM200 mil selldown due to KLCI expansion — analyst

Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA) said the extra subsidy earmarked for households is a one-off measure, and the national electric utility is mulling tweaks to its charges to better shield consumers.

Tenaga Nasional tells analysts extra subsidy is one-off, mulls permanent solutions

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 23): EcoSys (Malaysia) Bhd, a Penang-based semiconductor services firm, is offering its shares at 27 sen a piece for its ACE Market listing.

EcoSys offers shares at 27 sen apiece, ACE Market IPO aims to raise over RM39 mil

THE present impasse in Negeri Sembilan must begin with one fundamental fact: Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir was duly elected, installed and recognised as the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan.

Opinion: Constitutional legitimacy cannot be displaced without due process

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 23): Renewable energy stocks climbed on early session on Wednesday, led by Samaiden Group Bhd (KL:SAMAIDEN) following the recent announcement of the CRESS Acceleration Package.

Renewable energy stocks gain amid CRESS surcharge reduction

Pappajack Bhd (KL:PPJACK) jumped more than 20% on Wednesday to chart a new all-time high since the pawnbroker’s listing in 2022.

Pappajack jumps more than 20% to new record high

Palm oil prices dropped to the lowest since early August as peaking production and flagging demand prompted worries over swollen inventories in the world’s second-biggest grower Malaysia.&nbsp;

Palm oil drops to seven-week low on worries over ample reserves

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 23): A large majority of developers are delaying property launches in the remaining months of 2026 as rising construction costs squeeze margins and take-up remains soft.

Most developers delaying launches amid margins squeeze, unsold units

Oil prices held near their lowest in more than two weeks on Wednesday, kept in check by improving Gulf crude supplies and growing hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Oil holds near two-week lows on easing supply concerns

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 23): The Asian Development Bank (ADB) raised its 2026 and 2027 economic growth forecasts for Malaysia on robust technology exports, while revising up its 2027 inflation projection as El Niño is expected to keep prices elevated.

ADB raises Malaysia's GDP forecasts on robust tech exports; lifts 2027 inflation outlook on El Niño

CTOS Digital Bhd (KL:CTOS) said on Wednesday that its cybersecurity system recently detected unauthorised access to an environment supporting its consumer business.

CTOS detects cyber breach, limited consumer data accessed

European equities rose on Wednesday as oil prices fell for a sixth straight session, while a fresh wave of artificial intelligence (AI) optimism lifted tech stocks globally.

European stocks gain as oil slides, AI buzz lifts tech

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 23): theedgemalaysia.com highlighted no stocks with positive momentum and 10 stocks with negative momentum at Bursa Malaysia's afternoon close on Wednesday.

<h3>The stocks with negative momentum were:</h3>

<ul>
	<li>OCK Group Bhd (KL:OCK) — up two and a half sen or 5...

Stocks with momentum on Sept 23, 2026: OCK, Kinergy, Samaiden, WTEC, Cypark, Skyechip, Bintai Kinden, Chuan Huat, Tek Seng, RGT

Cypark Resources Bhd (KL:CYPARK) rose to a one-month high in early trading on Wednesday after the renewable energy firm returned to profit in its first quarter ended July 31, 2026 (1QFY2027).

Cypark rises after returning to profitability in 1Q

Here's a heads up on what to look out for today.

YOUR DAY AHEAD: Sept 23, 2026 

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 23): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had on Wednesday settled his 2023 defamation suit against Pendang member of Parliament Datuk Awang Solahuddin Hashim of PAS.

Anwar settles defamation suit against Pendang MP

(Sept 23):&nbsp;Hong Kong will focus on enhancing its core strengths rather than entering a race to outbid Singapore with generous tax breaks, as the rival Asian finance hubs compete for wealthy investors and global talent, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said.&nbsp;

Hong Kong’s Paul Chan rejects ‘race to bottom’ with Singapore

US President Donald Trump said US officials had “very good” talks with Iranian envoys in New York, reviving fragile hopes for a new diplomatic off-ramp hours after he again threatened to annihilate the country.

Trump hails ‘very good’ Iran talks after annihilation threat

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he will not rush into deciding on DAP secretary general Anthony Loke’s offer to resign as transport minister, saying he wants to hear Loke’s explanation first.

M Niaz Asadullah

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M Niaz Asadullah

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