YESTERDAY, 132 schoolchildren and nine adults were mowed down by gunfire in a school in Peshawar, Pakistan. A day earlier, two hostages died as Australian police ended a siege at a Sydney chocolate shop.

The link between both? It was done by people who professed to be Muslims. It was no...

Islam needs heroes, not zeroes who kill in its name

TODAY forty years ago, an Universiti Malaya undergraduate named Hishamudin Rais quietly slipped out of the campus in Pantai and a police cordon to start a long trip to, eventually, self-exile in London.

The police was at the door of Malaysia's oldest university to arrest student leaders...

When did Malaysia shut its doors to a Malaysian?

IT might be a little, but not too late, to finally see some prominent Malays speak up against the national discourse on race and religion that has been going pear-shaped recently.

Twenty-five of them, retired top civil servants and personalities that helped take Malaysia to punch above ...

Finally, Malays standing up for rationality and discourse

IT must take a lot for any Malay ruler to strip someone of a royal award.

Today, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim learnt that the Seri Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (S.S.S.A.) award given by the Selangor palace in 1992 has been revoked. The royal award bestows the title "Datuk Seri" but of ...

Going beyond royal awards and titles

RECENTLY, I was walking in front of NU Sentral, the new mall in front of the KL Sentral transport hub in Brickfields. I had just arrived at the monora...

How I beat the taxi rogues at their game

THE Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) returned the Malay and Iban Bibles it seized unlawfully from the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) to representatives from Christians in Sarawak recently but it did not issue an apology. – Pic courtesy of the Selangor Menteri Besar’s Office, December...

Turn the other cheek, lose sight of the future

GOING BACK on his word to scrap the Sedition Act, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is showing that for all his talk of transformation and moderation, he lacks the courage to stand up to his partymen and right-wing Malay groups in the country.

His promises are meaningless and his rh...

Najib’s ‘Great Transformation’, unplugged

IT IS a rare day when a Barisan Nasional (BN) leader speaks honestly, without fear or favour and hits all the right buttons. And how we crave for such leaders?

Not surprisingly, Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem has grabbed headlines with the major spanking he gave enforcement...

Adenan speaks out against graft, now the need for action

SO MUCH has happened over the years that one is forgiven for forgetfulness about what went wrong or right in Malaysia.

Malaysians have seen a series of financial scandals, each that seem bigger than the previous one.

Right now, the focus is on 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MD...

‘Tis the season of forgetfulness over financial scandals

There is no delicate way to put this: Malaysia is on a downward spiral, led down the dangerous path by overzealous religious authorities, misguided or plain stupid individuals and groups.

And perhaps more alarmingly, the government of the day is either allowing this implosion of a bless...

Malaysia’s road to perdition

CONTEXT, the Attorney-General Chambers said today, was the important ingredient to consider when deciding whether Datuk Ibrahim Ali committed sedition when he threatened to burn bibles that contained the word "Allah" last year.

"As decided by the court, before a statement is said to hav...

Speaking about context, what about other sedition cases?

HOW many ministers and special advisers does it take to run a country? – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 27, 2014.How many ministers and special advisers does it take to run a country? – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 27, 2014.“Plugging leakage is one of the measures that can sav...

The irony of a Putrajaya special adviser asking to plug leakage

TRUST Malaysians to be able to read between the lines when it comes to politics.

The days of just listening to propaganda or swallowing hook, line and sinker from some politicians are over. A case in point is the results of a recent Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (...

UMcedel poll shows Malaysians know better despite political shenanigans

IF ONLY...

* Words count for something in Malaysia, then the cloud of pessimism that envelopes the country would long be gone.

But words have a hollow sound here, especially when they emanate from higher the political ladder.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak rig...

If only Putrajaya’s words ever come true

Chinese chipmaker CXMT Corp reported a surge in preliminary profit and sales during the first nine months of the year after global demand for memory sent prices of the components soaring.

China’s CXMT swings to profit after memory chip prices surge

Here is a brief recap of some business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Friday.

Zetrix AI, Genting, Genting Plantation, IOI Properties, Public Bank, RHB Bank, Cape EMS, Turiya, EGH International, Westsports Holdings & Cosmos Tech 

ExxonMobil Holdings Corp is the latest oil supermajor to signal soaring third-quarter refining profits as wars in the Persian Gulf and Russia crippled fuel-making facilities causing prices to surge.

Exxon signals record refining earnings on soaring diesel prices 

IOI Properties Group Bhd (KL:IOIPG) said its board has yet to deliberate on the potential acquisition of Singapore properties mentioned by its chief executive officer in a media report.

IOI Properties board yet to deliberate on potential Singapore acquisitions

Shipping estimates for Apple Inc’s first folding phone, the iPhone Duo, slipped into December and beyond within minutes of the company opening pre-orders on Friday.

Apple iPhone Duo orders slip into 2027 amid pre-order frenzy

The benchmark S&P 500 was muted on Friday as worries about cracks in the AI trade pressured semiconductor stocks, while gains in banks limited overall declines.

S&P 500 subdued as gains in banks offset AI jitters; Dow at one-month high

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy took aim on Friday at US President Donald Trump's diesel deal with Russia and welcomed the prospect of European allies stepping up their role in talks, calling Moscow's stance a "parody" of peace negotiations.

Zelenskiy blasts Trump's diesel deal and calls Russian peace moves a 'parody'

Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu stated that the party has been allocated eight state legislative assembly (DUN) seats to contest in the Melaka state election (PRN).

Amanah allocated eight seats in Melaka polls — Mohamad Sabu

The US is on track to install record amounts of clean energy this year and next as developers race to claim expiring federal tax credits and as soaring data-centre electricity demand stimulates growth.

US clean energy set to reach new highs as tax-credit cliff looms

US factory production increased in September, but lost considerable momentum in the third quarter amid headwinds from the Middle East conflict, which has snarled supply chains and raised energy prices.

US manufacturing output rises in September

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) failed to obtain a stay on the High Court’s April decision ordering it and the wound-up developer, Fame Modulation Sdn Bhd, to pay RM1.3 million in damages to two former civil servants. 
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DBKL fails to halt RM1.3 mil payment order over structural damage to Cheras retired civil servants’ home 

UBB Amanah Bhd has said that there would be delays in its trust income and maturity payments for October, due to "temporary liquidity constraints arising from delayed repayments by certain investee companies".

UBB Amanah defers October trust payouts amid ‘temporary liquidity constraints’

Genting Bhd (KL:GENTING) executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay’s private investment vehicle, Kien Huat Realty Sdn Bhd, has acquired additional shares in the group as its stock hovers near its two-decade lows.

Genting chairman buys more shares as stock nears two-decade low

The Sessions Court here was told on Friday that local fashion company&nbsp;FashionValet Sdn Bhd&nbsp;received investment funds totalling nearly RM40 million from Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) eight years ago.

FashionValet received investment of almost RM40 mil from Khazanah, PNB, says witness

The High Court has given more time to Tan Sri Shahrir Samad and Tan Sri Tommy Thomas to iron out settlement terms in the former Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairman's malicious-prosecution suit against the former attorney general.

Shahrir Samad, ex-AG Tommy Thomas to update court on Nov 11 of possible settlement in malicious-prosecution suit

China’s campaign to promote the global use of the yuan appears to be accelerating as the authorities seek to build a more comprehensive financial ecosystem for the currency beyond just trade settlement.

China’s plan to make yuan a global currency enters faster phase

Genting Property Sdn Bhd, the property division of Genting Plantations Bhd (KL:GENP), has entered into a strategic partnership with Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd to master-plan Johor Tech Smart City (JTSC), including its flagship 430-acre smart campus within the Knowledge AI Campus.

Genting Property partners Huawei to master-plan 430-acre smart campus at Johor Tech Smart City

Malaysia’s six homegrown semiconductor innovations developed under the Semiconductor IC Design Park have an estimated combined sales potential of RM300 million, said Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir. However, he did not specify when the sales target could be achieved.

Six chips developed under Semiconductor IC Design Park have RM300m sales potential, says minister

Ormond Group, the hospitality arm of ECM Libra Group Bhd (KL:ECM), broke ground for the 396-key Ormond Desaru resort in Johor on Friday.&nbsp; 
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Ormond Group breaks ground for Ormond Desaru resort

PETRONAS and Vietnam National Industry–Energy Group (Petrovietnam) have signed a strategic alliance agreement to strengthen their 35-year partnership and advance energy security, sustainability and long-term growth.

PETRONAS, Petrovietnam sign strategic alliance to deepen 35-year energy partnership

Zetrix AI Bhd (KL:ZETRIX) faces potential sukuk payment obligations of RM2.16 billion if it fails to resolve a covenant breach by Oct 22, which could trigger a payment default.

Zetrix on the hook for RM2.16 bil as sukuk holders sound alarm bell  

Two Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) workers were rushed to hospital after a fire broke out at &nbsp;a major electricity substation in Johor Bahru on Friday, causing power outages across large parts of the state capital.

Two TNB workers rushed to hospital after JB power substation fire  

Datuk Vijayasundaram Jeyabalan has emerged as a substantial shareholder in Turiya Bhd (KL:TURIYA) after acquiring 22.872 million shares, representing a 9.091% stake in the company, through a private placement.

Vijayasundaram Jeyabalan emerges as Turiya’s second-largest shareholder with 9.09% stake via placement

The upfront costs incurred by CelcomDigi Bhd (KL:CDB) and Maxis Bhd (KL:MAXIS) for the latest spectrum awards are expected to be offset by capital expenditure savings and lower network costs, according to Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB).

CelcomDigi, Maxis spectrum costs to be offset by capex and network savings — HLIB

Toyota Motor Corp plans to use its own gigacasting machinery to make electric vehicles at a&nbsp;US$2 billion (RM8.2 billion) Lexus factory in China, part of its push to reverse a sales decline in the world’s biggest car market. 
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Toyota to debut its own version of Tesla EV-making tech in China

Public Bank Bhd (KL:PBBANK) could see its consolidated net assets and earnings per share reduced by four sen, following an expected HK$1.964 billion — or about RM1.1 billion — goodwill impairment at its Hong Kong-listed subsidiary, Public Financial Holdings Ltd (PFHL).

Public Bank’s HK unit to take HK$1.9b non-cash impairment, trimming parent’s net assets and earnings by four sen per share

Meta on Thursday launched a new open-weight artificial intelligence (AI) model which it claims rivals, and in some cases outperforms, similar products from leading Chinese developers.

Meta unveils new 'open' AI model to rival Chinese competition

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has maintained additional capital buffer requirements for the country’s three biggest banks: Malayan Banking Bhd (KL:MAYBANK), CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (KL:CIMB) and Public Bank Bhd (KL:PPBANK).

Bank Negara keeps Maybank, CIMB and Public Bank on systemically important banks list, with capital buffers unchanged

The new minimum wage rule for larger firms will be assessed at the group level and not individual subsidiaries, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan said.

Ramanan: Minimum wage threshold applies at group level, covers foreign workers too

Partners Group Holding AG has cut or reassigned dozens of positions in its private equity unit, as the firm seeks to boost performance under investor scrutiny.&nbsp;

TMI Says

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TMI Says

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