https://www.scmp.com/rss/508337/feed Latest news, analysis and opinion on Malaysia’s parliamentary democracy, constitutional monarchy, political economy, political dynamics and affirmative action policies in a multi-ethnic country en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Two prominent ⁠former Malaysian ministers said on ⁠Sunday they would vacate their parliamentary seats ⁠and resign from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling coalition party to join a small party that they would take over. The move by Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who resigned from cabinet last year after losing leadership posts in internal party elections, ‌could create a challenge for Anwar, amid speculation of an early election this year. The next general election is not due until... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353896/malaysian-ex-ministers-resign-anwars-party-snap-election-rumoured?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353896/malaysian-ex-ministers-resign-anwars-party-snap-election-rumoured?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 13:24:19 +0000 The Star The Star Malaysian police will investigate claims that fugitive financier Jho Low returned to the country for secret meetings. Inspector-General of Police Mohd Khalid Ismail said the claims that Low, whose full name is Low Taek Jho, had come to Malaysia for meetings had not been verified. “We have not verified whether the claims are true or otherwise,” he told reporters on Saturday. “We will take appropriate action to investigate the matter further.” He was commenting on an article by Sarawak Report... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353795/malaysian-police-probe-claims-jho-low-returned-kuala-lumpur-secret-1mdb-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3353795/malaysian-police-probe-claims-jho-low-returned-kuala-lumpur-secret-1mdb-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 04:31:24 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling alliance will doubtless try to project a united front this weekend, but two former ministers from his own party are threatening to pull attention back to the fractures inside the reformist camp. Pakatan Harapan (PH), the reformist coalition led by Anwar, holds its first convention in four years in the southern state of Johor on Sunday. That same day, former economy minister Rafizi Ramli and former natural resources and environmental sustainability... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353688/malaysias-anwar-ibrahim-wants-project-strength-his-former-ministers-wont-let-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353688/malaysias-anwar-ibrahim-wants-project-strength-his-former-ministers-wont-let-him?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 07:51:15 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, known for his unyielding stance, has maintained that he was undaunted by public sentiment throughout his decades-long career, even if his pursuit of Malaysia’s welfare earned him the label of “dictator”. From his ascent to the country’s top political post to his tumultuous relationship with protege turned critic and now Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Mahathir recounted his political odyssey in a Malaysian documentary chronicling his professional life and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353557/malaysias-mahathir-doesnt-care-about-dictator-label-he-reflects-his-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353557/malaysias-mahathir-doesnt-care-about-dictator-label-he-reflects-his-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 08:54:25 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Fugitive financier Jho Low’s request for a pardon from US President Donald Trump has reopened a central question left by Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal: whether the man alleged to have helped orchestrate one of the world’s biggest financial frauds will ever face trial. Analysts say the request appears unlikely to succeed because Low has never appeared in a US court, stood trial or accepted responsibility – and a pardon cannot erase charges he faces in Malaysia and Singapore. But the attempt has still... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353531/how-low-can-jho-go-chances-trump-pardon-malaysian-1mdb-scandal-below-5?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3353531/how-low-can-jho-go-chances-trump-pardon-malaysian-1mdb-scandal-below-5?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 07:05:27 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan In the Johor palace where Malaysia’s once-dominant ruling party was born, Umno’s leaders posed on Monday with the country’s king in a carefully staged reminder of the power they commanded for six decades – and the influence they now hope to reclaim. The United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the Malay nationalist party that led Malaysia from independence until its shock election defeat eight years ago, marked its 80th anniversary in its birthplace with a grand show of unity as it sought to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353175/malaysias-umno-marks-80th-anniversary-show-malay-political-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3353175/malaysias-umno-marks-80th-anniversary-show-malay-political-power?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 12:45:30 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s plan to stop wealthier drivers from enjoying cheap subsidised petrol has left Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim facing a politically fraught question: how to define “rich” without punishing households already squeezed by higher living costs. The issue has sharpened as the Middle East energy shock strains government finances, forcing authorities to weigh fiscal discipline against the risk of angering middle-class voters in a car-dependent country. Anwar said the government had agreed in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353139/malaysias-fuel-subsidy-headache-leaves-anwar-scrambling-solution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353139/malaysias-fuel-subsidy-headache-leaves-anwar-scrambling-solution?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 08:35:35 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele A call from the former CEO of Proton for Malays to abandon a “mentality of waiting for aid” has been met with ridicule online, with social media users pointing to the national carmaker’s own long history of government support. Speaking on Sunday at the inaugural Musyawarah Nasional (National Discourse) dialogue platform founded by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Tahir said Malays needed to replace this perceived reliance on handouts with initiative. “Go for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353135/malaysia-ex-proton-ceos-self-reliance-sermon-spurs-backlash-spare-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3353135/malaysia-ex-proton-ceos-self-reliance-sermon-spurs-backlash-spare-us?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 08:25:20 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon Rarely featured in domestic or international news, the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan is currently facing a constitutional crisis centred on its royal ruler. In April 2026, four chieftains known as the Undang Yang Empat declared that the incumbent ruler, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, had been deposed, and named a successor. The state government rejected the move, arguing that the declaration was invalid because one of the chieftains no longer held legitimate authority. The incident has since... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3352719/how-succession-struggles-chinas-history-are-echoed-malaysias-2026-royal-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3352719/how-succession-struggles-chinas-history-are-echoed-malaysias-2026-royal-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 00:15:05 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof An AI-powered database tracking corruption cases against Malaysia’s politicians was independently launched on Friday, putting fresh scrutiny on the status and outcomes of the country’s biggest graft prosecutions across administrations. The Prosecutorial Accountability Watch (PAW), built by civil society group Projek SAMA and hosted with news outlet Malaysiakini, tracks 33 high-profile cases involving current and former elected representatives – from ex-prime minister Najib Razak’s 1MDB-linked... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352885/new-database-tracks-shifting-outcomes-malaysias-political-corruption-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352885/new-database-tracks-shifting-outcomes-malaysias-political-corruption-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 08:47:02 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency is seeking to charge two unnamed individuals over a 1.1 billion ringgit (US$278 million) semiconductor deal with British chip designer Arm Holdings, as former economy minister Rafizi Ramli returned for a third day of questioning in the same probe. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said the investigation was nearing completion after officers recorded statements from 22 witnesses, including Rafizi and his former aide, political analyst James... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352636/malaysia-seeks-charge-2-over-us278-million-arm-semiconductor-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352636/malaysia-seeks-charge-2-over-us278-million-arm-semiconductor-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 10:42:47 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s Umno is making a heady gamble by planning to strike out on its own, experts say, as the former ruling party looks to rally support from among the country’s Malay-Muslim majority in preparation for national polls that must be called in less than two years from now. Umno President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Sunday said the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition that the party led was “almost certain” of standing alone in the coming general election, after more than three years as a junior partner... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352362/can-malaysias-umno-reclaim-role-pillar-malay-political-power-solo-election-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352362/can-malaysias-umno-reclaim-role-pillar-malay-political-power-solo-election-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 09:00:45 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency on Monday questioned former economy minister Rafizi Ramli over a billion-ringgit semiconductor deal with British chip designer Arm Holdings, escalating a politically sensitive inquiry that has swept up ministers, senior officials and one of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s most outspoken former allies. Rafizi, the Pandan MP and a former senior figure in Anwar’s reformist People’s Justice Party, arrived at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC)... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352310/malaysia-anwars-former-ally-rafizi-ramli-grilled-over-us278-million-arm-chip-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3352310/malaysia-anwars-former-ally-rafizi-ramli-grilled-over-us278-million-arm-chip-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 03:23:53 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof When Malaysia’s government announced a ban on two books in mid-April, the move raised eyebrows, with some questioning the intent of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration and his reformist credentials. The home affairs ministry on April 16 declared that the books – one of which was a memoir of the grandmother to an ally of Anwar – were a danger to national security for containing communist elements and ideologies. The decision triggered immediate pushback, predictably from civil society... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352174/malaysias-book-bans-iran-war-anwars-reform-agenda-faces-sternest-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3352174/malaysias-book-bans-iran-war-anwars-reform-agenda-faces-sternest-test?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan state was pushed deeper into crisis after Barisan Nasional (BN), a key ally in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition government, declared it had secured a simple majority to form a new state administration with the opposition. The move turns an extraordinary palace dispute into the sharpest state-level test yet of Anwar’s fragile ruling alliance, ahead of a national poll due in less than two years. BN, the former ruling coalition led by Umno that ruled Malaysia for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351637/malay-parties-unite-malaysias-negeri-sembilan-test-anwars-fragile-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351637/malay-parties-unite-malaysias-negeri-sembilan-test-anwars-fragile-alliance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 03:41:40 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has dropped his legal bid to serve the remainder of his corruption sentence under house arrest, closing off a closely watched appeal tied to his 2024 royal pardon. Najib, 72, is serving a six-year jail sentence in Kajang Prison after his original 12-year term for the misappropriation of 42 million ringgit (US$10.6 million) from SRC International was halved by the Pardons Board in 2024. SRC International was formerly a unit of 1MDB, the state fund at... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351542/malaysias-najib-drops-appeal-serve-1mdb-linked-prison-sentence-under-house-arrest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351542/malaysias-najib-drops-appeal-serve-1mdb-linked-prison-sentence-under-house-arrest?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 07:30:29 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan The ruling administration of Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan state is on the brink of collapse after a key ally withdrew support on Monday in a spat that has shone the spotlight on increasingly fragile ties within Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition government. Anwar has been facing growing pushback from allies and critics alike in recent months, ahead of national polls due in less than two years. Parties across the aisle are doubling down on contentious issues to bolster support from their... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351528/malaysian-state-crisis-after-umno-pulls-support-chief-minister-royal-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351528/malaysian-state-crisis-after-umno-pulls-support-chief-minister-royal-row?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 05:39:20 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia on Saturday appointed a former judge as its new anti-corruption chief in an unprecedented move, as the government seeks to calm months of political turbulence over alleged misconduct linked to the watchdog’s outgoing head. Allies and opponents have hit out against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since February following reports claiming that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) boss Azam Baki was involved in a share ownership scandal and the agency’s officers were allegedly working... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351404/malaysia-gets-new-anti-corruption-chief-protests-mount-against-outgoing-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351404/malaysia-gets-new-anti-corruption-chief-protests-mount-against-outgoing-head?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:51:51 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof The ruler of one of Malaysia’s nine royal states said on Thursday that the government should continue to function “as usual”, using a speech to project calm after four powerful traditional chiefs claimed they had removed him in one of the country’s strangest palace disputes in years. The row began on Sunday, when the four chiefs publicly declared that Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, the ruler of Negeri Sembilan, had been deposed over alleged “misconduct”, without providing details for their... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351123/malaysia-tussle-over-negeri-sembilans-ruler-highlights-unique-state-monarchy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351123/malaysia-tussle-over-negeri-sembilans-ruler-highlights-unique-state-monarchy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:45:46 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Malaysia’s king said he would select a new anti-corruption chief, the first official confirmation that current head Azam Baki’s term will not be renewed when it ends next month. “I will determine who is the best candidate to lead the MACC from now on,” Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor, the current monarch, said in a social media post on Thursday, referring to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. He added that “there is no need for any party to politicise the matter”. Representatives for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351092/malaysias-king-pick-best-candidate-head-anti-corruption-agency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351092/malaysias-king-pick-best-candidate-head-anti-corruption-agency?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 04:58:43 +0000 Reuters Reuters Thousands ⁠of people have been displaced after a fire destroyed around 1,000 homes in a coastal village in Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo island ‌on Sunday, the fire department said. Authorities were notified of the fire in Sandakan district at around 1.32am, the district’s fire and rescue chief Jimmy Lagung said in a statement. “Strong winds and ⁠the close proximity of the houses caused the fire to ‌spread rapidly, while low tide conditions also made it difficult to obtain an open ‌water... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350629/blaze-malaysias-sabah-destroys-1000-homes-displaces-over-9000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350629/blaze-malaysias-sabah-destroys-1000-homes-displaces-over-9000?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:59:56 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is usually seen in carefully choreographed meetings with presidents, kings and regional leaders in Putrajaya. So it was striking to see him instead riding through the city on a casual live stream with Sneako, the controversial 27-year-old American streamer and Muslim convert whose appeal to mainly young male audiences has made him an unlikely cultural figure. For more than an hour on Friday, the live stream gave Anwar a rare chance to sell Malaysia, his... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350501/malaysias-anwar-chats-us-muslim-streamer-it-populist-move?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350501/malaysias-anwar-chats-us-muslim-streamer-it-populist-move?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:21:23 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Penang, the Malaysian state long marketed as the Pearl of the Orient, is better known today for its hawker food, colonial-era streetscapes and the multicultural life of George Town, whose historic core won Unesco World Heritage status in 2008. When Francis Light, a British merchant, landed on Penang on August 11, 1786, he took possession of the 293 sq km (113 square-mile) island on behalf of the British East India Company and renamed it Prince of Wales Island. One enduring local legend holds... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349680/was-penang-robbed-kedah-malaysian-states-face-sovereignty-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349680/was-penang-robbed-kedah-malaysian-states-face-sovereignty-row?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 02:00:18 +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 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia has given the family of missing pastor Raymond Koh access to a long-classified government report after dropping a legal challenge, but questions remain unanswered over his case, according to rights groups and lawyers. The situation surrounding Koh has revived memories of other Malaysians who are believed to be victims of enforced disappearances in the country. Koh has not been seen after the then 62-year-old was abducted in broad daylight in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on February 13,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348987/malaysia-drops-appeal-abducted-activists-case-family-still-seeks-answers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348987/malaysia-drops-appeal-abducted-activists-case-family-still-seeks-answers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:41:39 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s government has said it “strongly denies” a claim made in a news report that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sought to delay the release of findings from an investigation into the country’s anti-corruption chief, and will take legal action over the allegation. The latest claim has sharpened scrutiny of Anwar, whose reformist image and anti-corruption credentials have come under strain amid a series of allegations involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its chief... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348661/malaysia-denies-anwar-delayed-disclosure-probe-macc-chief-threatens-legal-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348661/malaysia-denies-anwar-delayed-disclosure-probe-macc-chief-threatens-legal-action?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 08:45:54 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency on Wednesday offered to pay for the flight of a London-based key witness to help with its investigation into possible corruption linked to a US$250 million deal signed last year between the government and British chip design firm Arm Holdings. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has for the past month been on the hunt for former government aide James Chai, whom it said was a key witness in its probe on possible abuse of power, fraud and governance... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348631/malaysian-anti-corruption-body-offers-pay-key-witness-flight-chips-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348631/malaysian-anti-corruption-body-offers-pay-key-witness-flight-chips-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:45:39 +0000 Reuters Reuters A Malaysian court on Tuesday ⁠ordered jailed former ⁠prime minister Najib Razak ⁠to pay US$1.3 billion to a former unit of scandal-tainted state fund 1MDB, state media reported. The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that Najib was liable for losses incurred by ‌SRC International, a former subsidiary of sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, state news agency Bernama reported. High Court judge Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin ruled that Najib breached his fiduciary duties, abused his position... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348554/malaysia-court-orders-ex-pm-najib-pay-us13-billion-1mdb-unit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348554/malaysia-court-orders-ex-pm-najib-pay-us13-billion-1mdb-unit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:20:34 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A Malaysian minister on Wednesday denied he was the unnamed politician at the centre of fresh allegations in the country’s so-called corporate mafia controversy, amid wide speculation over the individual’s identity. Ramanan Ramakrishnan, human resource minister, and vice-president of the ruling People’s Justice Party (PKR), rejected claims he had taken 9.5 million ringgit (US$2.4 million) in exchange for “helping resolve” the alleged matter. The controversy gained traction following news reports... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347884/minister-caught-malaysias-corporate-mafia-saga-denies-us24-million-bribe-claim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347884/minister-caught-malaysias-corporate-mafia-saga-denies-us24-million-bribe-claim?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:15:52 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Biman Mukherji Joseph Sipalan,Biman Mukherji Malaysia’s government has been forced onto the defensive over its much-touted tariff deal with the United States, after a minister walked back an earlier claim that the agreement had been rendered “null and void” by a US Supreme Court ruling. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration signed the deal in October, promising US$240 billion in investments and purchases of American goods, including beef and aircraft, in exchange for continued access to the world’s largest consumer market at a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346749/confusion-over-malaysia-us-trade-deal-null-and-void-claim-retracted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346749/confusion-over-malaysia-us-trade-deal-null-and-void-claim-retracted?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:14:40 +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 The Star The Star Businessman Albert Tei has released a photo purportedly showing a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer brandishing a firearm to back his claims that he had a gun pointed at him during a raid on his home last November. Speaking to reporters at the court complex in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, Tei said the photo was sent to him on Monday via an unknown number. “I admit, the photo is not very clear but I believe it was taken from an MACC officer’s body camera,” he said. “What is the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346465/malaysian-businessman-releases-photo-armed-officer-prove-he-was-held-gunpoint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346465/malaysian-businessman-releases-photo-armed-officer-prove-he-was-held-gunpoint?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 06:03:53 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s corruption trial opened in Kuala Lumpur on Monday with a courtroom fight over the admissibility of TikTok videos, which prosecutors hope will link millions of ringgit in illicit funds to his Bersatu party. Among the most keenly observed cases involving Malaysia’s political elite in years, the proceedings come three years after Muhyiddin was first charged in connection with projects under his administration’s Covid-19 recovery efforts. Malaysian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346110/muhyiddins-corruption-trial-opens-fight-over-tiktok-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346110/muhyiddins-corruption-trial-opens-fight-over-tiktok-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:49:38 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is facing a fresh political test after the family of late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin sued his government over claims they were involved in a plot to topple the administration. The legal challenge is turning what began as a police investigation into a wider debate over whether Anwar’s reformist government is applying its principles consistently or selectively. Critics say the controversy risks complicating one of Anwar’s central claims since... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345982/malaysia-anwars-reformist-image-risk-daim-family-sues-over-zionist-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345982/malaysia-anwars-reformist-image-risk-daim-family-sues-over-zionist-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:29:58 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s anti-corruption investigation into a flagship chip-design deal with Britain’s Arm Holdings took a more combustible turn on Thursday after a former government aide declared: “I am not Jho Low 2.0.” The remark – invoking the fugitive financier at the centre of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal – came as the country’s anti-corruption agency pushed back against his claims, while allies of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim warned the investigation risked appearing heavy-handed. The dispute has dragged... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345514/malaysias-arm-chip-deal-probe-turns-political-ex-aide-says-i-am-not-jho-low-20?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345514/malaysias-arm-chip-deal-probe-turns-political-ex-aide-says-i-am-not-jho-low-20?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 04:34:15 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim may face growing difficulty pushing through major reforms as Malaysia edges closer to its next general election, analysts have said, after a parliamentary setback exposed strains within his broad but fragile ruling coalition. The warning signs emerged when lawmakers failed to pass a constitutional amendment to limit the prime minister’s tenure to two terms – a reform widely expected to succeed given the government’s commanding majority. Anwar’s administration fell... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345410/malaysias-anwar-under-pressure-after-parliamentary-setback-complicates-reform-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345410/malaysias-anwar-under-pressure-after-parliamentary-setback-complicates-reform-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:00:39 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s government said on Friday it would consider calls for a royal commission to investigate alleged abuses of power within the country’s anti-corruption agency, as pressure grew for the immediate removal of its chief commissioner. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has faced growing pressure from critics and allies alike since news reports earlier this month alleged that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki had bought corporate shares exceeding the limit permitted for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344908/malaysia-considers-high-powered-commission-probe-anti-corruption-agency-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344908/malaysia-considers-high-powered-commission-probe-anti-corruption-agency-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:24:08 +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 The Star The Star Penang’s youngest executive councillor Fahmi Zainol has been charged at the Magistrate’s Court in the Malaysian state with voluntarily causing hurt to his wife. The 35-year-old, who is the Pantai Jerejak assemblyman, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before Magistrate Chia Huey Ting. Based on the charge sheet, he is charged with purposely causing injury to his wife, Nur Hidayah Abd Jabar, 35, at a house in Bayan Lepas at around 10pm on Sunday. The charge was framed under... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344841/malaysian-politician-fahmi-zainol-charged-hurting-wife-domestic-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344841/malaysian-politician-fahmi-zainol-charged-hurting-wife-domestic-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 06:36:28 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is facing mounting pressure from within his own ruling coalition after a key partner called for an independent inquiry into allegations that a “corporate mafia” is operating within the country’s anti-corruption agency, placing his reform agenda under renewed scrutiny. The Democratic Action Party (DAP) – the largest party in Anwar’s uneasy alliance – said it would insist on a royal commission to investigate claims that senior figures in the Malaysian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344621/pressure-mounts-malaysias-anwar-allies-seeks-new-inquiry-macc-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344621/pressure-mounts-malaysias-anwar-allies-seeks-new-inquiry-macc-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:05:56 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Malaysia’s anti-corruption chief Azam Baki was summoned by a special committee set up to probe his stock ownership to explain the matter on Thursday, as authorities respond to calls for him to be investigated. The committee is examining the compliance and regularity of Azam’s share ownership based on the initial report it received, Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, chief secretary to the government, said in a statement on Sunday. It is still in the process of evaluating all evidence obtained and will call... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344265/malaysia-summons-anti-corruption-chief-stock-ownership-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344265/malaysia-summons-anti-corruption-chief-stock-ownership-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:18:01 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof The vapes used to be obvious. Bright displays of flavoured liquid, a shop just down the road, a transaction as unremarkable as buying shampoo. Batrisyia, 28, remembers how easy it was. Those days are gone. Or rather, in Malaysia at least, the trade has moved under the table. “It’s definitely less open now,” said Batrisyia, a Johor native who asked to be identified by a pseudonym for fear of backlash. “You don’t see big vape displays like before, and we can’t buy online any more. But it hasn’t... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3344146/malaysias-vape-ban-plan-leaves-14-million-users-regulatory-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3344146/malaysias-vape-ban-plan-leaves-14-million-users-regulatory-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof At the halfway point of his term, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces trouble brewing inside his own camp as his long-time lieutenant Rafizi Ramli seizes the banner of reform and clean government that was once his own. Malaysia must hold its next general election by February 2028, but with both the governing coalition and the opposition facing internal power struggles, swathes of the electorate remain unconvinced by either side’s case to govern. For Anwar, who spent decades vying to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343921/rafizi-ramli-now-conscience-malaysias-reformasi-movement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343921/rafizi-ramli-now-conscience-malaysias-reformasi-movement?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:38:19 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A defamation case by Malaysia’s telecoms regulator against an Australian resident in Thailand was formally withdrawn from a Thai court on Monday after mediation, the sued man and his lawyer said. The case has caused concern among free speech advocates because it was seen as a form of cross-border repression. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, or MCMC, had already acknowledged in a statement earlier this month that it had reached a settlement agreement on January 12, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343768/thai-court-clears-australian-writer-after-malaysian-defamation-case-withdrawn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343768/thai-court-clears-australian-writer-after-malaysian-defamation-case-withdrawn?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:34:45 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof In Malaysia, one question about corruption keeps being asked by the public no matter who is in power: who investigates the investigators? Fresh allegations over the investments of the country’s top anti-corruption official have brought that conundrum back into sharp focus, with critics warning that trust in key institutions – and in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s reform promises – is on the line. The controversy centres on Azam Baki, chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343734/who-watches-malaysias-watchdog-controversy-over-anti-corruption-chief-strains-reform-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343734/who-watches-malaysias-watchdog-controversy-over-anti-corruption-chief-strains-reform-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:50:43 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Hundreds of black-clad Malaysians gathered in the capital on Sunday, calling for the arrest of anti-corruption chief Azam Baki after reports alleged he had improper shareholdings and that abuse of power took place in the commission he leads. The crowd of mainly young people waved black flags and placards as they assembled outside a shopping centre in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, with a major road temporarily shut to accommodate the demonstration. “We are gathering because the dignity of the law... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343661/hundreds-malaysians-rally-demand-arrest-anti-corruption-head-enough-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343661/hundreds-malaysians-rally-demand-arrest-anti-corruption-head-enough-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:55:09 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia has formed a special committee to investigate allegations that the head of the country’s anti-corruption agency owned shares beyond the limits for public officials, as calls mount for him to step aside after a damaging wave of accusations. The controversy erupted after Bloomberg news agency, citing corporate filings, alleged on Tuesday that Azam Baki, chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), held shares in an investment holding company that far exceeded the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343510/malaysia-orders-probe-anti-corruption-chief-calls-resignation-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343510/malaysia-orders-probe-anti-corruption-chief-calls-resignation-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:53:03 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has brushed aside calls to suspend or remove Malaysia’s anti-corruption chief, asking critics to “read his explanation”, after fresh reports about his shareholdings reignited public anger against the official. Citing corporate filings, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that Azam Baki, chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), was a key shareholder in an investment holding company. Azam told local media on Wednesday that the report was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343303/malaysias-anwar-defends-anti-corruption-chief-over-new-share-row-read-his-explanation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343303/malaysias-anwar-defends-anti-corruption-chief-over-new-share-row-read-his-explanation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 07:54:53 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s opposition is in open civil war, with a power struggle threatening to split the main bloc against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim just two years out from the next general election. Bersatu, or the Malaysian United Indigenous Party, sits at the core of Perikatan Nasional (PN), a conservative alliance whose appeal surged in the 2022 poll to become the largest opposition group after a hung parliament produced a unity government led by Anwar. A succession fight between party chief and former... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343160/malaysian-key-opposition-partys-power-struggle-threatens-dent-election-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343160/malaysian-key-opposition-partys-power-struggle-threatens-dent-election-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 06:09:45 +0000