Malay Mail | Breaking News, Malaysia, World, Lifestyle News

Christmas decorations are seen in a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

Malaysia / 15 h ago

Halal vs holidays? Umno Youth chief questions Melaka ban on Christmas decor in certified outlets (VIDEO)

Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari poses with the national squash team, celebrating their haul of four gold and two silver medals after the men’s and women’s singles finals at the Thailand SEA Games 2025. — Bernama pic

Sports / 12 h ago

Malaysia breaks SEA Games medal tally record abroad with 221 medals in Bangkok

Blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris (Papagomo) was charged with failing to notify authorities of a change in his registered business Invoice Solutions when it was used to collect donations for settling a defamation fine connected to a case involving Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Malaysia / 18 h ago

Papagomo in court over business donations to pay for PM Anwar’s defamation penalty

Seri Alam deputy police chief Superintendent G. Vikra Mathiththan Victor said the incident occurred at about 6pm on Wednesday. — Screengrab via Facebook/Alice Choong

Malaysia / 13 h ago

Johor police arrest teen Alphard driver after he allegedly rams motorcyclist, reverses into drain (VIDEO)

Without specifying any of lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s remarks, the AGC said the defence lawyer’s press statement yesterday was on issues that had already been brought up and argued at the High Court during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1MDB trial. — Picture by Devan Manuel

Malaysia / 16 h ago

Ahead of verdict next week, AGC says Najib’s fair trial claims made by lawyer in 1MDB case already argued in court

Pearly-Thinaah were stretched to the limit in the contest, battling for 81 minutes before eventually going down 15-21, 21-16, 19-21 to Yuki Fukushima–Mayu Matsumoto. — File pic via Bernama

Sports / 17 h ago

Pearly Tan-Thinaah secure semi-final spot despite Japanese pair win

In a statement today, Bukit Gelugor MP and DAP National Legal Bureau chairman Ramkarpal Singh said the recent conclusions of the Independent Investigation Committee (IIC) raised serious concerns, noting that several parties implicated had failed to cooperate with the inquiry. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Malaysia / 18 h ago

‘No stone unturned’: DAP’s Ramkarpal calls for police probe into heritage players’ birth certificates

In delivering her grounds, Judicial Commissioner Arziah Apandi said allegations that Siti Kasim had obstructed a public servant or committed kidnapping were unsupported in law, noting that Section 186 of the Penal Code requires physical obstruction or criminal force — not mere verbal disagreement or refusal to comply. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

Malaysia / 16 h ago

High Court rules Siti Kasim’s 2018 arrest unlawful, govt to pay RM120,625 to her and RM53,750 to client

Ahmed al Ahmed, who tackled a gunman during the Bondi Beach shooting, was overwhelmed after receiving more than A$2.5 million in donations from supporters worldwide. — Picture via X

Life / 16 h ago

‘I deserve it?’: Australia’s ‘Bondi Hero’ overwhelmed by RM6.7m global outpouring

The cooking gas blast ripped out the kitchen ceiling of the two-storey terraced house in Taman Pagoh Jaya, Johor and left its 51-year-old occupant with burns to 60 per cent of his body. — Picture from Facebook/Info Kemalangan & Bencana Malaysia

Malaysia / 17 h ago

Cooking gas blast leaves lone occupant in Taman Pagoh Jaya house with 60pc burns, now in ICU

Fahmi Reza’s lawyer Rajsurian Pillai said that the graphic artist and activist was called in by Bukit Aman earlier today to assist investigations under the Sedition Act and the Communications and Multimedia Act. — File picture by Hari Anggara

Malaysia / 18 h ago

Fahmi Reza held by police over social media post involving Johor Regent Tunku Ismail

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan said the initiative, referred to as the Traveller Scheme or Skim Pengembara, will be piloted through a feasibility study beginning next year to ensure that nearly 400,000 local workers who cross the Johor Causeway daily are not left out of social security protection. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Malaysia / 19 h ago

Ramanan directs Socso to extend social security for 400,000 Malaysians crossing Johor Causeway daily

Lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan and Arun Dorasamy with the families of the victims of the Durian Tunggal police shooting giving a press conference and revealing newly obtained evidence in relation to the killing of the three victims at Lawyers for Liberty in Petaling Jaya, December 15 , 2025. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Malaysia / 19 h ago

Durian Tunggal shooting: Malaysian Bar condemns online death threats against lawyer, urges swift action

A US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey approaches for landing at Mercedita International Airport amid ongoing military movements in Puerto Rico, December 18, 2025. — Reuters pic

World / 11 h ago

How Trump’s Venezuela embargo could put Taiwan at risk

Bursa Malaysia ended the week sharply higher, climbing to an almost 15-month high. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Money / 13 h ago

Bursa Malaysia hits 15‑month high as banking stocks lead rally

Headlines

Life / 1 h ago

Beyond gadgets: Why physical books continue to captivate Malaysian readers

BookXcess founder Jacqueline Ng believes that reading should not be exclusive to the privileged. — Picture by Sayuti Zainduin

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 — There was a sign of relief on a father’s face when he found that his last RM10 note, tucked behind his identification card, was enough to buy two books at a book sale.That moment reinforced Jacqueline Ng’s belief that reading should not be exclusive to...

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Top News in Malaysia

PFM Chief Executive Officer and Honorary Secretary Zahrin Aris said the amendments would better protect the rights and welfare of creative practitioners while reinforcing Finas’ role as a key driver in the development of the local content industry. — Unsplash pic

Malaysia / 12 h ago

Finas Act amendments a game-changer for Malaysia’s film industry, says producers’ group

Christmas decorations are seen in a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

Malaysia / 15 h ago

Halal vs holidays? Umno Youth chief questions Melaka ban on Christmas decor in certified outlets (VIDEO)

Children play at the temporary relief centre at Sekolah Kebangsaan Labong, Endau, after floods forced their families to evacuate. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 14 h ago

Tiny grandson first, belongings later: Orang Asli family’s dash to escape Mersing floods

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said the figure represents an increase of 146 per cent, or 5,033 cases, compared with the same period last year, which recorded 3,451 cases. — Picture by Choo Choy May

Malaysia / 15 h ago

Bukit Aman: Part-time job scams soar 146pc from Jan 1 to Dec 14, victims lose over RM200m nationwide

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said that the 140,030 figure reflected both the scale of mental health and social challenges faced by the public, as well as increasing awareness and willingness to seek professional help. — Bernama pic

Malaysia / 14 h ago

Nancy Shukri: One-stop social support centre has assisted over 142,000 Malaysians nationwide with emotional, psychosocial support

Judge Rohatul Akmar Abdullah handed down the sentence after ruling that the defence of the accused, P Stephen Nyanamuthu, 55, failed to raise any reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case. — Reuters pic

Malaysia / 15 h ago

Melaka lorry driver jailed nine years for sexually assaulting student, 13, in school van

Initial reports indicated that the assault involved the 18-year-old son of a babysitter, leaving visible bruising on the child’s face. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

Malaysia / 16 h ago

KL police arrest suspect over toddler’s black eye, four-day remand until Dec 22

In a statement today, Bukit Gelugor MP and DAP National Legal Bureau chairman Ramkarpal Singh said the recent conclusions of the Independent Investigation Committee (IIC) raised serious concerns, noting that several parties implicated had failed to cooperate with the inquiry. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Malaysia / 18 h ago

‘No stone unturned’: DAP’s Ramkarpal calls for police probe into heritage players’ birth certificates

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Singapore

Singapore has warned of longer waits at the Woodlands and Tuas land checkpoints during the December holiday rush, amid intensified checks on e-vaporiser smuggling. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Singapore / 1d ago

Holiday bottlenecks loom at Singapore–Malaysia land checkpoints with tighter e-vape checks, say authorities

The court heard that Krish Khalifa had made a total of nine posts across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok showing himself holding or using e-vaporisers in public places and at home. — Reuters pic

Singapore / 1d ago

Singapore’s first social media vaping conviction sees man fined RM44,000

Singapore police said the case marks the first time a motorist will be charged over driving under the influence of etomidate after a crash in the city centre. — TODAY file pic

Singapore / 1d ago

Singapore to charge motorist over etomidate driving in first case of its kind

Louis Vuitton is suing ValueMax Retail in Singapore’s High Court, alleging trademark infringement and passing off over jewellery sold at a pawnshop outlet. — Reuters file pic

Singapore / 1d ago

Louis Vuitton sues Singapore pawnshop over alleged trademark infringement

Ms Ng, who goes by mermaid.sg on TikTok and Instagram, deleted her social media accounts after the allegations surfaced. — Picture via X

Singapore / 21 h ago

Singapore influencer Eunice Ng probed over alleged dog abuse

Jahalal Ali was jailed for 15 weeks after admitting to assault offences and setting a mattress on fire, with a further 49 days added for breaching a remission order tied to earlier crimes. — TODAY file pic

Singapore / 1d ago

Man jailed after assaults on 80-year-old and mattress fire at Singapore nursing home

File photo of a Singapore Police Coast Guard patrol, as authorities investigate and crack down on maritime smuggling routes used to bring foreigners into Singapore illegally. — AFP pic

Singapore / 1d ago

Paid to look the other way: Indonesian tugboat crew jailed, caned for role in smuggling foreigners into Singapore

A view of private residential apartments and public housing estates in Singapore June 13, 2016. The number of lower-income families receiving support under a key government financial aid scheme fell to its lowest level in five years in 2024. — Reuters pic

Singapore / 16 Dec 2025

Singapore families on key govt aid scheme fall to five-year low in 2024 as economy, job market strengthen

Opinion

What you think

World

UAE airport authorities cancelled or delayed dozens of flights and roads were flooded in major cities as the heaviest rainstorm in months lashed the desert nation on Friday. — AFP pic

World / 12 h ago

From desert sands to floodwaters: UAE lashed by storm, flights axed and streets underwater

A US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey approaches for landing at Mercedita International Airport amid ongoing military movements in Puerto Rico, December 18, 2025. — Reuters pic

World / 11 h ago

How Trump’s Venezuela embargo could put Taiwan at risk

A screengrab from a video released by the Providence Police December 17, 2025, shows an individual they want to speak with who was in the proximity of the person of interest in connection with the shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. — Providence Police via Reuters

World / 20 h ago

Brown University shooting suspect found dead after twin attacks

Pedestrians walk up a sidewalk to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on August 16, 2014 in Washington, DC. — AFP pic

World / 21 h ago

Trump renames Kennedy Center after himself amid family backlash

Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, speaks to the media outside the White House in Washington, DC, US, December 16, 2025. — Reuters pic

World / 1 h ago

Who will lead the US Federal Reserve next? What Trump’s picks say about the future of the country’s money and power

A Brown University student adjusts flowers at a makeshift memorial for the victims of a December 13 mass shooting at the Van Winkle Gates outside Brown’s college campus in Providence, Rhode Island, on December 15, 2025. — AFP pic

World / 23 h ago

US police identify suspect in deadly Brown University campus shooting, reports say

A man reacts as he looks at the hearse after the funeral of Boris and Sofia Gurman, who were killed in the December 14 Bondi Beach shooting attack, at the Sydney Chevra Kadisha in Sydney on December 19, 2025. — AFP pic

World / 23 h ago

Australia launches national firearm buyback after Bondi Beach attack

The bill, sponsored by right-wing firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene, was approved by 216 votes to 211 and now heads to the Senate, where its fate is less certain. — Pexels.com pic

World / 1d ago

US House passes bill to ban gender-affirming care for trans minors

Money

The ringgit strengthened to the 4.07 level against the US dollar at Friday’s close, its strongest in nearly six years, following softer-than-expected US inflation data. — Reuters pic

Money / 13 h ago

Ringgit rises against US dollar and Asean peers, strongest since 2020, closing at 4.07

Bursa Malaysia ended the week sharply higher, climbing to an almost 15-month high. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Money / 13 h ago

Bursa Malaysia hits 15‑month high as banking stocks lead rally

The deal is a milestone for the short video app used regularly by more than 170 million Americans after years of battles that began in August 2020, when President Donald Trump first ‍tried unsuccessfully to ban the app. — Reuters file pic

Money / 20 h ago

ByteDance signs deal to save TikTok in the US

Mixue, which has over 53,000 locations globally, announced a 10-year storefront lease in New York City in September. — AFP pic

Money / 1d ago

Spill the tea, America — Chinese brands are coming to take on coffee culture

PNB said in a statement that the total payout amounts to RM10.4 billion, the highest annual distribution paid since ASB’s inception, benefiting 11.4 million ASB unitholders. — Picture by Azneal Ishak

Money / 18 h ago

PNB declares 5.75 sen ASB income distribution, RM10.4b payout for FY2025

The funding was extended to XSD International Paper Sdn Bhd (XSD), a manufacturer of coated duplex board paper and grey board in Malaysia, through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank’s private sector arm. ― AFP pic

Money / 18 h ago

World Bank backs Malaysia paper maker with US$70m for sustainable production

the co-development of MS Industrial Park @ Kulai, located within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), will be undertaken via a JV structure, with Mah Sing and KLK Land holding 60 per cent and 40 per cent equity, respectively. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Money / 18 h ago

Mah Sing, KLK Land form JV to develop RM2.26b industrial park in Kulai

Japan became the latest market to force changes to Apple’s App Store business model. — Reuters pic

Money / 1d ago

Apple opens iPhones to alternative app stores in Japan under new competition law

Sports

Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari poses with the national squash team, celebrating their haul of four gold and two silver medals after the men’s and women’s singles finals at the Thailand SEA Games 2025. — Bernama pic

Sports / 12 h ago

Malaysia breaks SEA Games medal tally record abroad with 221 medals in Bangkok

Malaysia celebrates first SEA Games diving gold, courtesy of Nur Eilisha Rania Muhammad Abrar Raj and Nurul Farisya Alia Affendi. — Reuters pic

Sports / 13 h ago

Perfect synchrony pays off as Nur Eilisha Rania and Nurul Farisya Alia win SEA Games diving gold

Pearly-Thinaah were stretched to the limit in the contest, battling for 81 minutes before eventually going down 15-21, 21-16, 19-21 to Yuki Fukushima–Mayu Matsumoto. — File pic via Bernama

Sports / 17 h ago

Pearly Tan-Thinaah secure semi-final spot despite Japanese pair win

The two-day Dressage World Cup in London marks the 40-year-old Briton’s first domestic action at a major event since she was provisionally banned in July 2024. — File pic via X

Sports / 21 h ago

Olympic champion Dujardin resumes competition following whipping controversy

People walk near the Rabat-Agdal train station decorated with Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 branding in Rabat, Morocco on December 14, 2025. — AFP pic

Sports / 1d ago

Festive fixtures meet Afcon fever: Premier League braces for a season of stars lost and title twists

The squad comprising Abdul Azim Aliyas, Muhammad Adam Hakimi Nazuan, Muhammad Hafiq Mohd Jafri, Muhammad Yusri Shaari and New Joe Lau defeated hosts Thailand. — Bernama pic

Sports / 1d ago

Golden ride: Malaysia hits 200 medal milestone with track cycling triumph at SEA Games

National archers (from left) Mohd Juwaidi Mazuki, Alang Ariff Aqil Muhammad Ghazalli and Muhammad Aiman Syafiq Mohd Tariki celebrate winning the gold medal after defeating the hosts 232–228 in the men’s compound team event at the 2025 SEA Games Thailand in Bangkok December 18, 2025. — Bernama pic

Sports / 1d ago

Wind, pressure, gold — Malaysia’s archers hit bullseye at SEA Games 2025

Syed Mohammad Syafiq Syed Cholan and Muhammad Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal both scored hat-tricks in Malaysia’s dominant victory. — Picture via Facebook/Malaysian Hockey Confederation

Sports / 1d ago

Malaysia crush Singapore 12-2 to storm into SEA Games men’s hockey final