https://www.scmp.com/rss/327109/feed Mahathir Mohamad is the former prime minister of Malaysia. A trained doctor, he had two stints in power - the first from 1981 to 2003 when he led the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition and the second from 2018 to February 24, 2020, when he was backed by the Pakatan Harapan ruling coalition. Mahathir had joined forces with his on-again, off-again rival Anwar Ibrahim to pull off a surprise election victory in 2018 to oust disgraced former leader Najib Razak, who has been implicated in a... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Singapore’s pushback against negotiating with Iran over access to the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a backlash from Malaysian politicians, who saw its statements as “lecturing” them on how best to secure safe passage through the vital waterway. For the past month, Tehran had all but shut access to the strait – which handles about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments, bound mostly for Asia – in retaliation for deadly strikes by the US and Israel since they launched a war on Iran on February... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349464/malaysia-wont-be-lectured-singapores-refusal-negotiate-over-hormuz-creates-waves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349464/malaysia-wont-be-lectured-singapores-refusal-negotiate-over-hormuz-creates-waves?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:23:33 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan A Malaysian court has granted an application by anti-corruption officials to issue an arrest warrant for two sons of former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, after they failed to comply with repeated requests to turn up for questioning over their family’s wealth. Daim and his clan have been at the centre of a years-long probe into alleged abuse of power and corruption by the country’s elites, who critics have accused of colluding with two-time prime minister Mahathir Mohamad to enrich themselves... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349326/malaysian-corruption-watchdog-secures-arrest-warrant-tycoon-daims-sons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349326/malaysian-corruption-watchdog-secures-arrest-warrant-tycoon-daims-sons?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:16:14 +0000 The Star The Star Former Malaysian transport minister Ling Liong Sik died on Saturday. He was 82. Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president Wee Ka Siong confirmed the news to Bernama when contacted on Saturday. “We received the sad news of Tun Dr Ling’s passing today. Further details will be announced from time to time,” he said. Ling’s death was also conveyed in a message sent to the trustees of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, where he served as chancellor. In a statement to The Star on Saturday, Wee said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349030/malaysia-mourns-death-former-transport-minister-ling-liong-sik-82?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349030/malaysia-mourns-death-former-transport-minister-ling-liong-sik-82?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 07:49:22 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Two votes. That was the margin by which Malaysia’s prime minister, a man with a supermajority in the 222-seat lower house, failed to pass a bill his own coalition had spent weeks publicly championing. After the numbers were read out, the cameras cut to Anwar Ibrahim. He was mid-laugh, chatting with his deputy. The bill, defeated on March 2, was supposed to be a quick win – a term-limit proposal capping any prime minister at two terms or 10 years in office, chosen precisely because it was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346522/graft-and-gridlock-anwars-malaysia-reformist-cracks-widen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346522/graft-and-gridlock-anwars-malaysia-reformist-cracks-widen?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency on Friday asked the public for help in locating the four children of the late tycoon and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, as it widened an investigation into the family’s wealth. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said it was seeking information on the whereabouts of Asnida Abdul Daim, 63, Md Wira Dani Abdul Daim, 46, Muhammed Amir Zainuddin Daim, 29 and Muhammed Amin Zainuddin Daim, 26, “to assist in investigations”. The statement, however, did not... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344865/malaysians-asked-help-find-daims-4-children-corruption-probe-widens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344865/malaysians-asked-help-find-daims-4-children-corruption-probe-widens?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:52:16 +0000 Lee Hwok-Aun Lee Hwok-Aun Anwar Ibrahim started this year with a spring in his step. On January 5, his “new year mandate” speech announced a raft of economic relief measures for households and small and medium-sized enterprises, alongside a few institutional reforms. Quite saliently, he also announced legislation to limit the Malaysian prime minister’s term in office. While these plans for 2026 have been on the cards for some time, it is important to note that their roll-out follows Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) trouncing in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341040/malaysias-pm-term-limits-could-backfire-unless-election-cycles-are-set?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341040/malaysias-pm-term-limits-could-backfire-unless-election-cycles-are-set?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 02:00:32 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s king has issued a blunt warning to officials, saying his “hunt for the corrupt” will reach all levels as the country reels from a corruption scandal inside the armed forces that has implicated senior ranks. A former army chief and dozens of other officers and civilians have been arrested in recent weeks as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) seized 52 million ringgit (US$12.8 million) in cash, gold, cars and luxury watches. The anti-corruption body also froze 80 bank... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340423/malaysias-king-vows-wider-hunt-corrupt-military-scandal-engulfs-top-ranks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3340423/malaysias-king-vows-wider-hunt-corrupt-military-scandal-engulfs-top-ranks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:00:10 +0000 The Star The Star Doctors have advised against surgery for Mahathir Mohamad’s fractured hip due to his age, according to his son, Mukhriz Mahathir. The 100-year-old former Malaysian prime minister was admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) at 9.30am on Tuesday following a fall during his routine morning exercise. Mukhriz clarified in a video posted on Wednesday that while a hip fracture was sustained, “due to his age of 100 years, an operation is not a wise option”. Instead, Mahathir is expected to remain... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3339038/mahathir-mohamad-why-surgery-not-wise-100-year-olds-fractured-hip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3339038/mahathir-mohamad-why-surgery-not-wise-100-year-olds-fractured-hip?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:48:15 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Two-time former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was admitted to hospital on Tuesday to treat a fracture in his right hip after suffering from a fall in his home in Kuala Lumpur, his aide said. The centenarian fell around 7.30am while walking from the balcony to his living room, after which he was rushed to the National Heart Institute. “Tun is expected to be admitted for the next few weeks for treatment and observation,” Mahathir’s long-time press secretary Sufi Yusoff told the media,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3338860/malaysias-ex-pm-mahathir-hospital-after-fall-home-he-was-conscious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3338860/malaysias-ex-pm-mahathir-hospital-after-fall-home-he-was-conscious?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 05:15:43 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim on Monday said his government would seek parliament’s nod to impose a term limit on the country’s prime minister tenure, in a move seen as an attempt to regain the support of his core voter base ahead of the national polls in two years. Anwar’s ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition has been battered politically since he took power in 2022, as supporters censured his administration for failing to live up to its reform pledges by accommodating corruption-tainted former... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338795/anwar-limit-malaysia-pm-term-reform-push-re-energise-supporters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338795/anwar-limit-malaysia-pm-term-reform-push-re-energise-supporters?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 10:55:39 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Janice, a Kuala Lumpur-based food entrepreneur and chef, is in a foul mood as she laments the inferior quality and taste of US-produced chicken and eggs. Yet she concedes that she may have to stomach this unwelcome change in the local poultry market, at least for now. Malaysia is bracing itself for a surge in American poultry shipments under an “agreement on reciprocal trade” signed with Washington in October. The deal opens the Southeast Asian nation to more US exports of food, cars and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3338562/fair-or-foul-malaysia-struggles-stomach-its-us-trade-pact?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3338562/fair-or-foul-malaysia-struggles-stomach-its-us-trade-pact?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Xiang Bing Xiang Bing Beneath the “China threat” thesis, often heard in Western policy circles, is the assumption that China will become expansionist as it grows more powerful. But history gives us little reason to treat that as inevitable. At moments of peak strength, China has not consistently converted power into the kind of overseas colonialism, expansionism or conquest that marked the ascent of Western great powers. There are three often-cited reasons to suggest China’s rise might lead to expansionism. First,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338323/history-makes-clear-powerful-china-not-expansionist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338323/history-makes-clear-powerful-china-not-expansionist?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan As Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration swings from one setback to another, his ruling coalition has turned to familiar talking points to regain the support of the country’s ethnic minorities. In the wake of a devastating defeat in the Sabah state election last month, members of Anwar’s ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition have renewed a push for government recognition of school leaving certificates issued by private Chinese high schools. The call, however, has driven a wedge... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337123/anwars-coalition-revives-malaysian-chinese-school-certification-debate-sparking-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337123/anwars-coalition-revives-malaysian-chinese-school-certification-debate-sparking-row?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:08:06 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia said on Thursday that it would consider a proposal by Singapore to jointly develop water infrastructure in southern Johor, signalling the intention of both sides to move beyond decades of rancour over the vital resource. The two countries have for years disagreed over various issues related to water supply, ranging from prices to the interpretation of the 1962 water agreement signed by them. Malaysia has argued that Johor’s water is sold too cheaply to Singapore. With Johor experiencing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3335228/malaysia-weigh-singapores-water-project-plan-anwar-says-no-longer-contentious-issue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3335228/malaysia-weigh-singapores-water-project-plan-anwar-says-no-longer-contentious-issue?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 11:40:11 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday vowed not to interfere in corruption investigations into his own political appointees, after a slew of allegations were levelled at close government aides. Last week, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, a senior political secretary to the Prime Minister, was implicated in a mining scandal in the state of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. Shamsul, who resigned from his post just hours after the revelation last Tuesday, is currently being held on remand by the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3334880/malaysias-anwar-vows-no-protection-close-aides-corruption-investigations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3334880/malaysias-anwar-vows-no-protection-close-aides-corruption-investigations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:30:08 +0000 The Star The Star Mahathir Mohamad has lodged a police report against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim regarding the Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART) between Malaysia and the United States. According to Sinar Harian, the former prime minister claimed that Anwar’s actions were taken without the full mandate of the entities meant to represent the Federation of Malaysia. “The agreement is not valid because he [Anwar] is not the sole representative of the Federation. Such agreements should require the consent of four... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334905/mahathir-reports-pm-anwar-police-over-unconstitutional-malaysia-us-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334905/mahathir-reports-pm-anwar-police-over-unconstitutional-malaysia-us-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 08:55:49 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s anti-graft drive has suffered a setback after a senior aide resigned over corruption claims, piling pressure on a leader already accused of abusing power and putting his ruling party at risk of rupture. Anti-corruption authorities previously mounted a high-profile crackdown against two-time former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, his family and close associates – long seen as untouchables – as part of Anwar’s pledge to dismantle top-level corruption under... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334186/malaysian-pms-war-corruption-hits-snag-top-political-secretary-quits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334186/malaysian-pms-war-corruption-hits-snag-top-political-secretary-quits?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 06:25:06 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A senior official in Malaysia’s northern state of Kedah has defended the use of Chinese characters on a foundation stone for a tyre plant, after the inscription drew criticism in a country where public displays of Chinese text can become flashpoints over national identity and political loyalty. The controversy began after photos circulated of a foundation stone bearing Chinese characters at the groundbreaking ceremony for Prinx Tire Malaysia, the local subsidiary of Chinese tyre maker Prinx... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3333678/malaysias-kedah-chinese-text-factory-event-sparks-double-standard-accusation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3333678/malaysias-kedah-chinese-text-factory-event-sparks-double-standard-accusation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:12:08 +0000 Lee Hwok-Aun Lee Hwok-Aun Malaysia’s Madani government has vowed to tackle its mounting budgetary pressures by phasing out blanket petrol subsidies. But despite initial signals of bold reform in 2023, the scope of the policy has since narrowed. Today, subsidised fuel remains available to the masses, while only the “ultra-rich” and foreigners will face higher costs. This retreat reflects the political and practical challenges of reforming a system deeply embedded in Malaysian society. Fuel subsidies have long been an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3330253/why-malaysias-fuel-subsidy-reform-stuck-slow-lane?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3330253/why-malaysias-fuel-subsidy-reform-stuck-slow-lane?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 04:00:08 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Marina Mahathir readily acknowledges the privileges of her birth and says that being able to “get a foot in the door” only made her more determined to speak up for those who could not. The 68-year-old daughter of Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad told an audience at Singapore Management University (SMU) on Friday that her family name gave her a platform – and a responsibility – to champion marginalised communities, particularly women and people living with HIV. “I had a way of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3328605/how-malaysias-marina-mahathir-turned-privilege-lifelong-advocacy-social-justice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3328605/how-malaysias-marina-mahathir-turned-privilege-lifelong-advocacy-social-justice?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 07:00:10 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has prioritised pragmatism over ideology in sticking to his guns on inviting US President Donald Trump to attend the Asean summit this month, observers say. They add that the move aligns with the long-standing practice and principles of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with Kuala Lumpur as chair taking a “low-risk” decision to maximise the member states’ trade aspirations with America and engage Trump on regional issues. Mahathir Mohamad, former... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327606/anwars-trump-card-why-malaysia-wants-us-president-asean-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327606/anwars-trump-card-why-malaysia-wants-us-president-asean-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 06:56:56 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s government is facing allegations of muzzling free speech after the social media account of a leading independent news portal was suspended shortly after publishing a story critical of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Prominent online news outlet Malaysiakini revealed that its Facebook pages were temporarily taken down late on Tuesday, hours after it had released an investigative report into the prime minister’s own social media use. The report alleged that more than 260 suspicious social... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327474/malaysiakinis-facebook-suspension-raises-press-freedom-concerns-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327474/malaysiakinis-facebook-suspension-raises-press-freedom-concerns-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 05:02:40 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan For decades, London’s property market has offered sanctuary to fortunes of murky origins, its red-brick mansions and gleaming office blocks standing as monuments to global impunity. Now, as anti-corruption watchdogs from Malaysia to Bangladesh demand justice, Britain is once again forced to reckon with its role as the world’s premier laundromat for kleptocrats. Malaysia’s investigators revealed earlier this month that they were investigating the alleged London-based assets of former prime... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326142/malaysia-bangladesh-asias-dirty-money-finds-home-uk-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326142/malaysia-bangladesh-asias-dirty-money-finds-home-uk-property?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:00:12 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Depending on who you ask, Anwar Ibrahim is either on a mission to liberate Malaysia from decades of corruption or settling old political scores under the guise of reform. The latest target of the prime minister’s anti-graft investigators? His 100-year-old arch rival and former mentor, Mahathir Mohamad. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission recently disclosed that British authorities were assisting with its more than year-long investigation into assets allegedly linked to Mahathir, who twice... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326155/anwar-vs-mahathir-malaysias-corruption-showdown-comes-full-circle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3326155/anwar-vs-mahathir-malaysias-corruption-showdown-comes-full-circle?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 00:00:11 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Do you want a boycott?’: Malaysia’s top mall rolls dice with flag ban Malaysia’s most famous shopping centre edged closer to a damaging boycott after threatening to throw out a second group of pro-Palestinian protesters carrying flags, prompting calls for a mass... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3325633/malaysian-mall-risks-boycott-thailands-thaksin-imprisoned-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3325633/malaysian-mall-risks-boycott-thailands-thaksin-imprisoned-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 04:15:07 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Scrutiny of Mahathir Mohamad’s wealth has turned to assets allegedly held in the UK by the 100-year-old former prime minister, Malaysia’s anti-corruption chief has said, in a widening purge that has implicated the ex-leader’s family and close associates. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has been investigating Mahathir since last year after two of his sons were instructed to declare their assets. The move is part of a broader corruption investigation involving the country’s elite,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324847/malaysias-anti-corruption-agency-probing-ex-pm-mahathirs-uk-assets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3324847/malaysias-anti-corruption-agency-probing-ex-pm-mahathirs-uk-assets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 05:22:17 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi Malaysian children as young as four will be given comics on the evils of corruption, as the country’s anti-corruption commission turns to live-streamed court cases, films of scandals and other media outreach to expunge a scourge that is rooted deep in the nation’s society and politics. Corruption dogs the reputation of the Southeast Asian nation, which has seen a succession of former prime ministers implicated in the theft of public funds running into billions of dollars. Perhaps the most... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3322745/malaysias-new-anti-corruption-drive-takes-comic-turn-battle-young-minds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3322745/malaysias-new-anti-corruption-drive-takes-comic-turn-battle-young-minds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 03:59:04 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Faced with street protests calling for him to resign amid a rising tide of public discontent, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has challenged the opposition camp to present a no-confidence vote against him. More than 20,000 protesters marched through Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, demanding Anwar’s resignation in an opposition-led rally, the first he has faced since becoming prime minister. The opposition has accused him of failing to deliver on election promises and mismanaging the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319801/malaysias-anwar-dares-rivals-hold-no-confidence-vote-be-my-guest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319801/malaysias-anwar-dares-rivals-hold-no-confidence-vote-be-my-guest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 04:49:24 +0000 Agencies,Joseph Sipalan Agencies,Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Saturday faced calls to step down as thousands of protesters descended on the capital city of Kuala Lumpur to demand that he live up to his promise to lower living costs and restore subsidies that were slashed under his watch. About 20,000 people turned up for the “Turun Anwar” (“Resign Anwar”) rally organised by the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). The protest accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of unfulfilled campaign promises,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319677/malaysias-capital-braces-resign-anwar-rally-against-pm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319677/malaysias-capital-braces-resign-anwar-rally-against-pm?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Jul 2025 05:29:30 +0000 Hadi Azmi,Joseph Sipalan Hadi Azmi,Joseph Sipalan On a humid July afternoon in Putrajaya, Ambiga Sreenevasan donned her black lawyer’s robes, feeling the weight of history bearing down on her. Four decades after her first revolt against judicial interference, she was once again on the streets – this time, joined by hundreds protesting against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s alleged meddling in the appointment of Malaysia’s top judges. What felt like history repeating itself was in fact the country’s legal practitioners taking a stand in defence... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319632/anwars-reformasi-reversal-malaysias-judicial-bulwark-faces-familiar-siege?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319632/anwars-reformasi-reversal-malaysias-judicial-bulwark-faces-familiar-siege?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Jul 2025 00:00:15 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s highest court said on Monday that it would consider Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s application for legal immunity from a civil sexual harassment suit, amid long-standing allegations against the veteran leader. The Court of Appeal ruled that proceedings must be postponed to allow Anwar to pursue a constitutional challenge over whether a sitting prime minister should be shielded from such lawsuits, particularly those related to events before he took office that might be politically... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318994/malaysias-top-court-hear-anwars-immunity-bid-sexual-harassment-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318994/malaysias-top-court-hear-anwars-immunity-bid-sexual-harassment-case?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 08:17:20 +0000 Tricia Yeoh,Francis E. Hutchinson Tricia Yeoh,Francis E. Hutchinson Mahathir Mohamad, the spry two-time prime minister of Malaysia, turned 100 on July 10. Visionary but detail-oriented, charismatic yet divisive, Mahathir has profoundly shaped the country’s politics, economy and society over the past six decades. His entry into electoral politics was a turning point. In 1964, Mahathir contested his first parliamentary seat for Umno in Kedah. Unlike the United Malays National Organisation’s urbane, first-generation leaders, Mahathir came from a rural background... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3318810/malaysias-mahathir-mohamad-100-year-mixed-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3318810/malaysias-mahathir-mohamad-100-year-mixed-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Jul 2025 02:30:09 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysia has named Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh as its new chief justice, a move Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said should put to rest weeks of public criticism and accusations that his government was meddling in the judiciary. However, the new top judge’s past political ties – including to former prime minister Najib Razak – have prompted concern among critics and legal observers that his appointment could undermine public confidence in the judiciary’s independence. Wan Ahmad Farid’s appointment... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3318674/malaysia-appoints-new-chief-justice-judicial-crisis-not-over-yet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3318674/malaysia-appoints-new-chief-justice-judicial-crisis-not-over-yet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 03:19:05 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysia’s government on Tuesday invited the Bar Council to take part in a review of the country’s judicial appointment process, in a bid to quell public discontent over alleged executive interference that has thrown the judiciary into crisis. The move comes just a day after nearly 1,000 lawyers marched to the Prime Minister’s Office demanding urgent reforms and greater transparency in the selection of judges amid a shortage at the top of the courts and warnings of further institutional... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318284/malaysia-seek-lawyers-views-anger-over-judge-selection-process-mounts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318284/malaysia-seek-lawyers-views-anger-over-judge-selection-process-mounts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 08:55:22 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. 2 Americans rescued from Japan’s Mount Fuji prompt more calls for tougher rules Two Americans have had to be rescued from Japan’s Mount Fuji in separate incidents before the official climbing season began, prompting renewed calls for tougher penalties on rule-breaking... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3318217/mount-fuji-rescue-trumps-pick-singapore-envoy-mahathir-turns-100-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3318217/mount-fuji-rescue-trumps-pick-singapore-envoy-mahathir-turns-100-7-asia-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 04:15:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Malaysian former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has been discharged from hospital, his office said on Sunday, after being admitted for fatigue following a picnic celebration for his 100th birthday. Mahathir, leader of the Southeast Asian nation for more than two decades, has a history of heart problems and has undergone bypass surgeries. He has been hospitalised repeatedly in recent years, most recently in October for a respiratory infection. He was under observation at the National Heart... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3318038/malaysias-ex-pm-mahathir-100-hospital-fatigue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3318038/malaysias-ex-pm-mahathir-100-hospital-fatigue?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Jul 2025 08:48:20 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysia’s former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad turned 100 on Thursday, marking a rare milestone for any world leader while defying age with his sharp mind and relentless work ethic. Mahathir’s social media platforms have been inundated with well-wishes over the last few days from Malaysians as well as admirers abroad, particularly in the Muslim world, where he is seen as an icon of moderate Muslim leadership who dares to speak up against the West. The two-time prime minister, whose 24 years... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3317612/malaysias-mahathir-turns-100-proving-age-no-barrier-political-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3317612/malaysias-mahathir-turns-100-proving-age-no-barrier-political-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 01:03:08 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Senior Malaysian lawmakers are calling for both a royal inquiry and a parliamentary investigation into Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over alleged irregularities in judicial appointments, warning that such actions risk plunging the country’s judiciary into scandal once again. Last week, Anwar’s administration declined to extend the tenure of widely respected chief justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Court of Appeal president Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim. This leaves the future leadership of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317194/whats-going-malaysias-judiciary-lawmakers-want-anwar-clear-air?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317194/whats-going-malaysias-judiciary-lawmakers-want-anwar-clear-air?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 05:02:45 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysia’s largest party in the ruling coalition has made a last-minute appeal to extend the tenure of the country’s two top judges as concerns over a leadership vacuum in the judiciary intensify. At midnight on Tuesday, Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat’s tenure as chief justice officially ended as she turned 66, while Court of Appeal President Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim will reach the mandatory retirement age on Wednesday at midnight. Although the constitution allows for a six-month extension, none has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3316586/will-malaysia-extend-its-top-judges-terms-clock-ticking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3316586/will-malaysia-extend-its-top-judges-terms-clock-ticking?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 03:49:52 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysia’s judiciary faces a leadership vacuum as Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat prepares to step down on Wednesday without a successor named – a gap lawyers warn could undermine judicial independence and public trust. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration has opted not to extend the tenure of Tengku Maimun or Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, the president of the Court of Appeal, both of whom reach the mandatory retirement age of 66 this week. The constitution allows for a six-month... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316485/malaysia-faces-judicial-void-chief-justice-tengku-maimun-set-retire-without-successor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3316485/malaysia-faces-judicial-void-chief-justice-tengku-maimun-set-retire-without-successor?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 07:00:13 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency is targeting assets worth at least 4.5 billion ringgit (US$1 billion) in five other countries belonging to the late tycoon and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, the New Straits Times reported. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission plans to send a restraining order request to the respective countries using the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 2002, the newspaper cited the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Commissioner Azam Baki as... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3316250/malaysia-chases-us1-billion-global-assets-linked-daim-zainuddin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3316250/malaysia-chases-us1-billion-global-assets-linked-daim-zainuddin?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jun 2025 02:35:52 +0000 Hadi Azmi,Joseph Sipalan Hadi Azmi,Joseph Sipalan The Malaysian appeal court on Wednesday quashed the corruption conviction of former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, admonishing the lower court for not throwing out the allegations of embezzling funds earlier. Syed Saddiq, a 33-year-old rising political star, was found guilty in 2023 of abetting a subordinate to withdraw 1 million ringgit (US$235,000) from his party Bersatu’s youth wing account, and misappropriating another 120,000 ringgit to fund his 2018 election... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3315748/malaysian-lawmaker-syed-saddiq-cleared-corruption-after-5-years-hell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3315748/malaysian-lawmaker-syed-saddiq-cleared-corruption-after-5-years-hell?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jun 2025 05:32:46 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good,” to quote a centuries-old proverb. It is one that could be applied now with justification to the ill winds sweeping across the Pacific from US President Donald Trump’s America to Asia. These disruptive currents are creating geopolitical turbulence, economic disruption and financial instability. However, the opportunity they present for Asia to challenge the post-war economic order and reshape its own destiny has received less attention. Among the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3315080/truly-asian-economic-bloc-can-asia-succeed-where-it-failed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3315080/truly-asian-economic-bloc-can-asia-succeed-where-it-failed?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Jun 2025 08:30:07 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi The widow of Malaysian tycoon and former politician Daim Zainuddin has hit back at the country’s anti-corruption agency, accusing it of being “vindictive” by continuing to seize assets from his estate in both Malaysia and the United Kingdom despite no criminal conviction. On Thursday, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) took control of Daim’s 58-storey Ilham Tower in Kuala Lumpur, alleging that it was tied to offences under the anti-money-laundering law. This is despite the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3313300/malaysias-anti-corruption-agency-vindictive-pursuit-daims-estate-widow-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3313300/malaysias-anti-corruption-agency-vindictive-pursuit-daims-estate-widow-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jun 2025 04:10:09 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan A crisis of credibility hangs over Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as he prepares to face a sexual harassment suit later this month, the latest in a series of controversies that has rocked his administration and cast doubts over his reformist agenda. Anwar faces allegations that he has sexually assaulted a former aide, as the case threatens to dredge up past sex scandals that hounded him for years while he was in opposition. A high court in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday threw out Anwar’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3313154/malaysias-anwar-faces-more-woes-sexual-harassment-case-against-him-proceeds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3313154/malaysias-anwar-faces-more-woes-sexual-harassment-case-against-him-proceeds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jun 2025 06:29:32 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysia has launched efforts to freeze assets in London – including bank accounts and prime real estate valued at £132 million (US$178 million) – linked to the widow of the late tycoon Daim Zainuddin, according to anti-corruption authorities. The process, which will ultimately need to be executed by authorities in the United Kingdom, is part of a widening embezzlement investigation into his family’s wealth. Daim, who died in November aged 86, was a key ally of former prime minister Mahathir... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3312929/malaysia-seeks-freeze-us178-million-london-assets-tied-daim-zainuddins-widow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3312929/malaysia-seeks-freeze-us178-million-london-assets-tied-daim-zainuddins-widow?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jun 2025 12:39:02 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan The abrupt resignation of two key members of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s cabinet has thrown his government into a tailspin, with analysts warning that the former ruling party, Umno, may gain greater leverage over ministerial appointments and could even stage a comeback in the next general election. Umno, which was ousted in the 2018 election under corruption-tainted former prime minister Najib Razak after six decades in power, is a key minority partner in Anwar’s unity government.... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312788/anwars-cabinet-chaos-raises-prospect-umnos-return-power-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312788/anwars-cabinet-chaos-raises-prospect-umnos-return-power-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jun 2025 03:00:13 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysia’s home minister has been hit by a wave of public ridicule after his WhatsApp account was hacked, raising questions over the country’s digital protections when its top security official has been targeted by cyber criminals. Mobile phishing scams are rampant in Malaysia, with citizens frequently harassed by calls from fraudsters posing as police, banks or courts to extort money under the guise of criminal probes. The account of Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, head of the Home Ministry – which... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3311933/malaysias-home-minister-ridiculed-after-his-whatsapp-account-hacked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3311933/malaysias-home-minister-ridiculed-after-his-whatsapp-account-hacked?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 May 2025 05:22:35 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim defended an extension of the anti-corruption agency head’s tenure, saying Azam Baki has been brave in going after powerful figures allegedly embroiled in corruption and abuse of power. Azam’s term as chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was lengthened by a year starting May 13, the third extension since he turned 60 years old. He is also the first head of the agency to have his employment prolonged beyond the mandatory... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3311646/malaysias-anwar-defends-extending-brave-anti-corruption-chiefs-term?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3311646/malaysias-anwar-defends-extending-brave-anti-corruption-chiefs-term?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 03:41:35 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Anwar Ibrahim’s decades-long struggle for reform once inspired a generation to take to the streets, railing against corruption and cronyism. But two years into his tenure as prime minister, the political realities of governance have begun to erode his once-revered “Reformasi” brand. Critics accuse him of compromising principles for political survival, settling old scores and devising a dynastic succession through his daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar. These are not qualities likely to inspire... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3311601/anwar-ibrahim-mints-dynasty-malaysias-youth-arent-buying-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3311601/anwar-ibrahim-mints-dynasty-malaysias-youth-arent-buying-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:16 +0000