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Malaysia
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Malaysia

Malaysia
Malaysia
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on Malaysia, covering politics, economy, society and the Asean member-nation’s relationships with China, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries.
Capital
Kuala Lumpur
Head of State
Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar
Head of Government
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping pictured in 2017 at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Photo: AP
2026 Xi-Trump summit

Wary mood to mark Xi-Trump summit with irritants aplenty on both sides: analysts

Observers noted the number of recent strategic and trade blows, including the war on Iran, have not derailed the meeting from going ahead.

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Anwar Ibrahim

Malaysia weighs legal action after Norway blocks missile exports

SCMP Highlights

Chinese brands eye Europe; Geely joins Chery, BYD profit slide: 7 EV reads

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)

‘Low profile’ ex-judge takes over Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency

Abdul Halim Aman, 69, takes the reins at a turbulent time for the MACC. ‘He has a difficult job ahead’, one analyst says.

Malaysia’s new MACC chief commissioner Abdul Halim Aman. Photo: Handout
Malaysia 1MDB scandal

Malaysia’s Jho Low seeking Trump pardon for 1MDB fraud

The fugitive financier is accused of being the architect of a scheme to siphon at least US$4.5 billion from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

US defence secretary joins Trump on China trip in rare diplomatic move

Pete Hegseth becomes first Pentagon chief to accompany a US president to Beijing since Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit.

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Indonesia

Police raids reveal Indonesia as new hub for scam, gambling syndicates

Hundreds of foreigners have been arrested in Indonesia recently following crackdowns against crime groups in Cambodia and Myanmar.

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Foreign nationals suspected of running an online gambling operation at an office building in Jakarta await transport after being arrested in the Indonesian capital on Sunday. Photo: Reuters
Myanmar

‘Tentative step’: Asean weighs bringing Myanmar back into the fold

Virtual talks may offer a ‘sensible middle ground’ for reconciliation after Myanmar’s years in the political wilderness, analysts say.

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Corruption in Asia

Malaysia’s top anti-corruption enforcer exits with legacy in doubt

Malaysia has a new anti-corruption chief. What it doesn’t have yet is a clear answer to the questions that dogged the old one.

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Indonesia

14 Indonesians missing after boat sinks off Malaysia’s Pangkor Island

About 100,000 to 200,000 Indonesians make the risky sea journey to Malaysia in search of work each year, according to migrant activists.

Indonesian survivors rescued during a search and rescue operation by Malaysian authorities off the coast of Pangkor Island in Perak, after a boat carrying migrants capsized on Monday. Photo: AFP/Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
SCMP Highlights

Philippine pageant debate, Chinese stealth jets in Pakistan: 7 Asia highlights

From controversy about a Philippine pageant winner to Japan’s social recluses, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Bea Millan-Windorski will represent the Philippines at the Miss Universe pageant in November. Photo: Facebook/Miss Universe Philippines
Indonesia

Malaysian landlord’s pity for broke tenant brings loan sharks to her door

The victim said the Indonesian woman used the flat address to secure loans and lenders are now threatening to burn down the house.

US, Israel war on Iran

US tells banks to flag suspected Iranian money-laundering networks

Banks are asked to look out for oil labelled ‘Malaysian blend’ to disguise its Iranian origin and missing or falsified shipping documents.

Umno (Malaysia)

Malaysia’s Umno marks 80th anniversary with show of Malay political power

The party held its celebrations in the Johor palace where it was founded, signalling it is back on track ahead of coming state polls.

Malaysia’s Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar (centre) and Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Idris (centre, left) with Umno’s leaders at the Johor palace on Monday. Photo: Threads / ahmadzahidhamidi
Anwar Ibrahim

Malaysia’s fuel subsidy headache leaves Anwar ‘scrambling for solution’

The government will review fuel subsidies for higher-income Malaysians but has yet to decide how the cut-off should be applied, Anwar says.

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A man fills his towing lorry with diesel at a petrol station in Shah Alam, Malaysia, on May 4. Photo: EPA
Social media

‘Spare us’: Malaysians sneer at ex-Proton CEO’s self-reliance sermon

The man who once presided over one of Malaysia’s most heavily protected companies has told Malays to stop relying on the state.

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Indonesia

321 foreigners arrested in Indonesia online gambling crackdown

The foreigners, mainly from Vietnam, were arrested near Jakarta’s Chinatown section that investigators described as a hub for more than 70 online gambling websites.

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Hantavirus

Malaysia tightens border screenings to prevent hantavirus entry

The health minister said over 20,000 vessels, especially those arriving from high-risk areas, were inspected at Malaysia’s entry points.

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The hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius arrives at the port of Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, to commence evacuation of passengers on Sunday. Photo: AFP
Food and agriculture

Malaysia resorts to cloud seeding to save rice crop from drought

With farmers facing arid brown fields that should be flooded, Malaysia’s prime minister announced cloud-seeding operations to trigger rain.

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Lessons from China's history

Reflections | Succession struggles in China’s past echoed in Malaysia’s 2026 royal crisis

Disputes over Negeri Sembilan’s next royal ruler recall how succession in China often fused dynastic legitimacy with aristocratic elections.

Asean

Asean to step up push for South China Sea code, energy security

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr says the code of conduct is key to unlocking deeper China-Asean economic cooperation.

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Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr addresses a press conference on the sidelines of the 48th Asean summit in Cebu province on Friday. Photo: EPA
Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese EV maker Leapmotor taps Stellantis’ Spanish plant for EU production

Hangzhou carmaker’s overseas strategy highlights how Chinese brands are leveraging idle plants to scale globally while easing trade barriers.

A Leapmotor Lafa5 Ultra is on display at the Beijing Auto Show on April 24. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong-UK spying row

Why the UK won’t shut Hong Kong’s London trade office despite spying verdict

Analysts say British authorities will prioritise stable ties with Beijing given current geopolitical uncertainties.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

Malaysia’s EV import curbs to protect local sector criticised for inconsistency

The move contradicts the country’s aim to grow the EV sector and use more renewable energy sources, analysts say.

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Corruption in Asia

New database tracks shifting outcomes of Malaysia’s political corruption cases

The Prosecutorial Accountability Watch database is an attempt to make sense of a justice system clouded by ‘double standards’.

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Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak is escorted by prison guards at Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in December 2025. Photo: Reuters
Asean

Asean’s pivot to energy security leaves long-standing issues on summit sidelines

Southeast Asia is one of the worst affected by the global fuel crisis due to its high imports of oil and gas coming from the Gulf.

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr delivers an opening speech at the Asean summit in Cebu on Friday. Photo: Reuters
Trip Inspiration

Songkhla’s hidden charm: the town poised to put southern Thailand on the tourist map

In southern Thailand, the erstwhile Sultanate of Singora existed as a melting pot of Thai, Malay and Hokkien cultures. Its successor carries this idiosyncratic fusion into the present day.

Ukraine war

Russia and Ukraine trade attacks ahead of Moscow war parade

Russia has threatened a massive strike on the heart of Kyiv if Ukraine disrupts the Victory Day parade on Saturday.

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