<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>SINGAPORE (Feb 3): Wee Cho Yaw, chairman emeritus of United Overseas Bank (UOB), has passed away. He was 95.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>For decades, Wee is synonymous with the bank his father Kheng Chiang founded in 1935 in Sarawak, to a leading Singapore-based international banking group with a market value of around S$50 billion (RM175.49 billion).</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>For years, after he stepped down from his official posts in the bank, Wee was known to still go into the bank’s office at Raffles Place regularly<a href="https://www.theedgesingapore.com/news/obituary/eminent-banker-wee-cho-yaw-uob-dies-95" target="_blank">...(click here for the full story on theedgesingapore.com).</a></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>Read also: 
<a href="https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/699716" target="_blank">Singapore’s top leadership calls Wee Cho Yaw ‘simply unique’ and a ‘titan’</a></div>

Wee Cho Yaw, chairman emeritus of United Overseas Bank (UOB), has passed away. He was 95.

For decades, Wee is synonymous with the bank his father Kheng Chiang founded in 1935 in Sarawak, to a leading Singapore-based international banking group with a market value of around S$50 billion (RM175.49 billion).

Eminent banker Wee Cho Yaw of UOB dies at 95

Bursa Malaysia Bhd on Thursday issued a consultation paper seeking public feedback on the proposed amendments to the Rules of Bursa Malaysia Depository Sdn Bhd as it moves towards further digitisation in the issuance of securities account statements to depositors (CDS statements).

Bursa Malaysia seeks feedback on depository rules for electronic CDS statements

The Green Electricity Tariff (GET) programme will continue in 2025 with a quota offering of at least 6,600 gigawatt-hours (GWh) and a premium rate of 10 sen per kilowatt hour (kWh) for low-voltage consumers and 20 sen/kWh for medium- and high-voltage consumers.

Green Electricity Tariff programme to continue in 2025, says energy ministry

Bitcoin rose on Thursday after the digital asset’s stockpiler MicroStrategy announced a plan to issue more shares, a move that would allow it to buy even more tokens.

Bitcoin gains on MicroStrategy’s plans to issue more shares

Sri Lankan President Anura Dissanayake expressed interest in joining BRICS in a letter sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin in October, and the country expects a positive response in 2025 to join the organisation, the republic's ambassador to Moscow, Pakeer Amza, told RIA Novosti.

Sri Lankan president expresses interest in joining BRICS in letter to Putin

US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he had asked the Defense Department to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, after condemning Russia's Christmas Day attack on Ukraine's energy system and some of its cities.

Biden reaffirms support for weapons surge to Ukraine after Russia's Christmas attack

The Penang government is granting a 100% exemption from quit rent and parcel rent penalty arrears to all land and parcel owners in the state who make payments for the two taxes from Jan 2 to Feb 28, 2025.

Penang grants exemption from land, parcel tax penalty arrears from Jan 2 to Feb 28

The UK will outperform its struggling European peers in the next 15 years, helping it to cling onto its place among the world’s biggest economies, according to long-term projections.

UK economy to outperform Europe in next 15 years, says CEBR

Taiwan prosecutors have charged a former mayor of Taipei who heads a small opposition party with accepting T$17.1 million (US$522,392 or RM2.33 million) in bribes over a major property development in the capital and misuse of political donations.

Former Taipei mayor charged for bribery, misuse of political donations

China abruptly ousted two military lawmakers from its national Parliament without explanation, as a purge of key personnel in the upper echelons of the nation’s defence establishment shows no sign of easing.

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The lawyers for a former South Korean defence minister under investigation on insurrection charges said on Thursday a short-lived martial law decree imposed earlier this month was to raise alarm on opposition parties' abuse of the democratic process.

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Yildiz Holding AS, the Turkish conglomerate behind Godiva chocolates and McVitie’s biscuits, will sell its marinas to focus on its core food and retail businesses.

Godiva’s Turkish owner to sell marinas to focus on core business

Azerbaijan Airlines suspended flights to two cities in southern Russia after a passenger plane heading in that direction was diverted across the Caspian Sea and crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan, killing dozens.

Azerbaijan Airlines pauses flights to south Russia after deadly crash

The Penang government is granting a 100% exemption from quit rent and parcel rent penalty arrears to all land and parcel owners in the state who make payments for the two taxes from Jan 2 to Feb 28, 2025.

Oil steadied after an advance on Tuesday, with China’s stimulus measures and the outlook for US stockpiles in focus.

Oil holds gains with China stimulus and US stockpiles in focus

Asia’s benchmark stock index rose as equities gained in Japan and South Korea, while several other regional markets remain shut for holidays. Sentiment was boosted after US shares extended this year’s rally on Tuesday.

Most Asian stocks rise amid thin holiday trading

Fourteen members of the Syrian police were killed in an "ambush" by forces loyal to the ousted government in the Tartous countryside, the transitional administration said early on Thursday, as demonstrations and an overnight curfew elsewhere marked the most widespread unrest since Bashar al-Assad's removal more than two weeks ago.

Unrest in Syria spreads as 14 Syrian police killed in ambush

The South Korean won hit the weakest level since March 2009 in holiday-thinned trading amid the US dollar's continued rally. South Korean stocks fell, while the benchmark bond yield rose.

South Korean won drops to lowest level since March 2009; stocks ease

Honda Motor Co&nbsp;absorbing Nissan Motor Co could give the two struggling Japanese brands the scale they need to take on China’s BYD Co, sales figures released on Wednesday showed.

Honda-Nissan deal may be key in fight against China’s BYD

Japan Airlines (JAL) said on Thursday it was hit by a cyberattack that caused delays to some domestic and international flights.

Japan Airlines hit by cyberattack, causing some delays to its flights

No Malaysians were involved in the tragic crash of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243, an Embraer 190 aircraft, near Aktau International Airport, Kazakhstan, earlier on Wednesday.

Foreign ministry: No Malaysians involved in Kazakhstan plane crash

Tune Protect Group Bhd (KL:TUNEPRO), which mainly provides travel insurance, is expected to end 2024 with a small profit following a recent turnaround before a jump in 2025, said TA Securities.

Tune Protect to end 2024 with small profit following 3Q turnaround — TA Securities

The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) has forecast potential flooding in nine districts in Kelantan over three days from Sunday (Dec 29).

Three-day floods from Sunday forecast for nine Kelantan districts

Japan’s retail and tourism-related shares gained after the government agreed with China to introduce more measures to promote travel between the two countries.

Japan’s retail, tourism stocks climb on travel pact with China

China’s first polysilicon futures debuted on Thursday, as a new hedging tool for a market that has been struggling with massive price volatility.

China debuts first polysilicon futures after huge price swings

Russian companies have begun using bitcoin and other digital currencies in international payments following legislative changes that allowed such use in order to counter Western sanctions, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Wednesday.

Russia is using bitcoin in foreign trade, finance minister says

China abruptly ousted two military lawmakers from its national Parliament without explanation, as a purge of key personnel in the upper echelons of the nation’s defence establishment shows no sign of easing.&nbsp;

China's commerce ministry said on Wednesday it would extend its anti-dumping investigation into brandy originating from the European Union by three months, less than the full extension allowed under its previous guidance.

China extends EU brandy anti-dumping investigation by three months

Lawmakers in Bosnia's Serb Republic regional parliament ordered Serb representatives in state institutions on Wednesday to block decision-making and law changes needed for the Balkan country's integration into the European Union.

Bosnia's Serb lawmakers halt EU accession efforts

The Green Electricity Tariff (GET) programme will continue in 2025 with a quota offering of at least 6,600 gigawatt-hours (GWh) and a premium rate of 10 sen per kilowatt hour (kWh) for low-voltage consumers and 20 sen/kWh for medium- and high-voltage consumers.

China is allowing local officials to invest in more areas with a key government bond while also simplifying its approval process in a bid to make better use of an important source of public funding to drive the economy.