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Malaysian politics
Malaysia 1MDB scandal
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Singapore
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Indonesia
Indonesia eyes 6% growth in 2026, as a youth jobs ‘time bomb’ ticks
Economists have cast doubt on the ‘optimistic’ target as educated youth struggle to find work and manufacturing lay-offs neared 80,000.
17 minutes ago
Singapore
Singapore steps up migrant worker reforms amid calls for deeper change
10 Jan 2026 - 8:13PM
Indonesia
Indonesia blocks Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot over AI porn concerns
10 Jan 2026 - 11:00PM
Malaysia
System failure at Malaysia-Singapore border leaves thousands stranded
Intermittent faults had plagued the system for days before a total crash caused weekend misery for thousands.
10 Jan 2026 - 3:07PM
An image circulated on social media on Saturday shows a crowd of travellers waiting to pass through automated immigration gates at the Malaysia-Singapore border. Photo: Facebook
The Philippines
Soaring healthcare costs in the Philippines: are doctors’ fees to blame?
Doctors have hit back, saying that they are being unfairly blamed for deeper systemic failures in healthcare financing.
10 Jan 2026 - 4:00PM
Malaysia
‘No taste’: Malaysia’s Life of Pi and Squid Game artists warn against AI rush
After viewers slammed AI-enhanced films for looking ‘cheap’, local experts warn that algorithms serve profit, not storytelling.
10 Jan 2026 - 12:00PM
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Malaysia
Malaysia’s Umno seeks Najib’s pardon amid 1MDB scandal, but stay in coalition
Umno divisions demand justice for the jailed ex-PM, yet leadership rejects calls to exit unity government ahead of the annual assembly.
9 Jan 2026 - 8:23PM
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Former prime minister of Malaysia Najib Razak appears at his Kuala Lumpur appeal hearing on April 17, 2024. Photo: AFP
The Philippines
1 killed, 38 missing after sudden garbage avalanche at Philippines landfill
Landfills and dumpsites in the Philippines have long posed safety risks, especially where poor residents scavenge for food and recyclables.
9 Jan 2026 - 7:24PM
Singapore
Could Singapore remove Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition?
Parliament will soon debate a motion to consider whether Singh’s ‘conviction and conduct render him unsuitable to continue’ in the role.
9 Jan 2026 - 6:30PM
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2025 Cambodia-Thailand conflict
US pledges millions to bolster Thailand, Cambodia truce amid Trump peace claims
Trump has listed the conflict as one of a number of wars he claims to have solved as he loudly insists he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.
9 Jan 2026 - 6:02PM
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The Philippines
Philippine police arrest teenager over alleged online baby sale as cases rise
Police said the teenager had posted the offer online and intended to use the money to cover her tuition.
9 Jan 2026 - 6:09PM
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Police arrested a 17-year-old mother for allegedly selling her one-month-old child for US$930 during an entrapment operation at a fast-food restaurant in Quezon City on January 6. Photo: Philippine National Police Women and Children’s Protection Center
The Philippines
Why the Philippines is taking control of undersea cable security
The moves will help strengthen regional stability and prevent Indo-Pacific connectivity from being quietly weaponised, analysts say.
9 Jan 2026 - 6:26PM
South Korea
Southeast Asia reels in buyers turfed out by Seoul’s housing crisis
Southeast Asian developers target South Koreans with luxury overseas investments, offering attractive payment plans.
9 Jan 2026 - 3:27PM
The Philippines
Soap opera in the sky: why Philippine Airlines’ safety video became a viral hit
The melodramatic Filipino teleserye-style video has racked up millions of views online by blending safety rules with storytelling.
9 Jan 2026 - 3:22PM
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Malaysia
Malaysian football body risks Fifa’s takeover amid forgery scandal
Some sports fans claim that the reinstatement of FAM’s chief is ‘almost staged’ as concerns over Fifa’s next step mount.
9 Jan 2026 - 6:35PM
Malaysian football players, wearing yellow shirts, battle with their Vietnamese counterparts during the AFC Asian Cup qualifier match in Kuala Lumpur in June last year. Photo: AFP
Malaysia
Chinese tourist accused of harassing turtle, killing sea slugs in Malaysia
A fellow visitor from China called out the man’s actions during a dive in Sabah state’s Semporna.
9 Jan 2026 - 2:16PM
The Philippines
Philippine navy ‘up to the challenge’ of defending territory in South China Sea
Manila is banking on modern ships and global alliances to challenge China’s increasing presence in the contentious waters.
9 Jan 2026 - 12:00PM
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Singapore
Singapore to debate motion on Pritam Singh’s role as opposition chief
Singh’s conviction for lying to a parliamentary panel renders him unsuitable to continue in his role, leader of the House Indranee Rajah says.
9 Jan 2026 - 11:41AM
Singapore’s opposition chief Pritam Singh. Photo: AFP
Indonesia
Bali’s toughest tourism proposal yet: checking foreign visitors’ bank accounts
Bali’s governor says the plan would deter low-spending visitors, though its enforcement would face legal and practical hurdles.
9 Jan 2026 - 6:19PM
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Malaysia
Malaysia drops corruption probe into PM Anwar’s deputy, Ahmad Zahid
Prosecutors cite insufficient evidence to charge Ahmad Zahid, whose party is crucial to maintaining PM Anwar’s parliamentary majority.
8 Jan 2026 - 7:18PM
Malaysia
Malaysian football body reinstates ‘only negligent’ chief over forgery scandal
Fifa has punished FAM further over the use of fake documents to let 7 foreign-born players represent Malaysia by nullifying 3 matches.
8 Jan 2026 - 7:11PM
Malaysia
Malaysian military in firing line over procurement cartel claims
The detention of senior figures in the anti-corruption probe is ‘highly significant and rare’ in Malaysia’s defence history, analysts say.
8 Jan 2026 - 6:30PM
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Malaysian army troops march in formation for National Day celebrations. Photo: AP
The Philippines
Uniform justice? Why Philippine military expelled a lawmaker but not VP Duterte
Sources said legal ambiguity and political risk shaped how the armed forces handled two high-profile reservist cases.
8 Jan 2026 - 5:36PM
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Malaysia
Fear grips Malaysian city of Klang after string of gang shootings
A former MP blames the deadly violence on a resurgence in gang wars and criminal rings recruiting young boys to protect their territory.
8 Jan 2026 - 4:49PM
Malaysia
Ankara anchor: Malaysia finds Turkey ‘reliable friend’ in stormy global waters
Trump’s tariffs and actions in Venezuela are causing the Global South to look for less mercurial partners, analysts say.
8 Jan 2026 - 5:33PM
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