Government & Policy news in Malaysia
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Armed Forces chief proposes reviving NTF to curb undocumented migrant entry
Malaysia's Armed Forces chief General Tan Sri Malek Razak Sulaiman has proposed reviving an integrated operation modelled on the disbanded National Task Force (NTF) to curb the entry of undocumented migrants. The proposal was discussed in the National Movement Planning Committee and forwarded to the National Security Council for the government's consideration. The NTF, which involved 18 government agencies, was officially dissolved on 31 December 2022.
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Sabah leaders demand apology over Umno delegate's joke about Catholic clergy
Sabah political and religious leaders have called on Sepang Umno chief Noorazli Said to apologise for a sexual joke about Catholic priests and nuns made at the recent Umno general assembly. Upko's Tuaran MP Wilfred Madius Tangau and Sabah BN chairman Arthur Joseph Kurup led the condemnation, with Umno veteran Salleh Said Keruak also urging an apology.
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Anwar arrives in Maldives for two-day official visit, defence and Islamic affairs MoUs signed
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim meets Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu in Malé today during a two-day official visit. The leaders discuss trade, investment and tourism and witness the exchange of MoUs on defence and Islamic affairs. In 2025, the Maldives was Malaysia's sixth-largest trading partner in South Asia with RM792 million in bilateral trade.
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SUPP Youth chief urges care over religion in political speeches
SUPP Youth Central chairman Kevin Lau has called for greater sensitivity in political speeches after an Umno leader used a story about a Catholic priest and nun, and referenced Psalm 129, during the Umno General Assembly 2026. Lau said Catholic clergy and scripture should not be used as political material and urged an apology if the reference was inaccurate. He stressed that free speech carries responsibility in multi-religious Malaysia.
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Abang Johari: Trust key to Sarawak's progress, RM685m given via UNIFOR
Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg said trust among Sarawak's people is as important as physical infrastructure for the state's development. Speaking at a Thanksgiving Ceremony for Other Religions at Pullman Hotel in Kuching on Monday, he noted RM685 million has been approved through UNIFOR since 2017 for non-Muslim houses of worship and mission schools.
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DBKL denies barring 500 enforcement officers from acting on premises
DBKL has denied a social media claim that nearly 500 of its enforcement officers were not allowed to take action against certain premises, including those run by foreigners. It will lodge a police report for investigation and says enforcement is carried out according to the law without favour.
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Sarawak brings energy aspirations to Bangkok Dialogue 2026
A Sarawak delegation led by Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg took part in the Bangkok Dialogue 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, held alongside GASTECH 2026. Sarawak shared its views on energy supply security, affordability, industrial development and the low-carbon transition. The dialogue was organised by Thailand's energy minister and drew energy ministers and industry leaders from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas and Australasia.
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Economists: 2027 Budget tour must turn feedback into policy
The government is running a nationwide tour to gather views for the 2027 Budget. Economists warn it will only succeed if the feedback becomes concrete measures, and urge the Finance Ministry to publish what was said and what made it into the budget.
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Malaysian party leader Ramasamy meets Vaiko in Chennai
Malaysian Rights Party founder and former Penang deputy chief minister P. Ramasamy met MDMK general secretary Vaiko at his Anna Nagar home in Chennai. They discussed Malaysian politics and economy as well as political change in Tamil Nadu.
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Umno's call for Terengganu election stems from distrust of PAS, analysts say
Umno has proposed that PAS call an election in Terengganu to prove its sincerity on Malay unity, a suggestion PAS rejected. Analysts say the proposal reflects Umno's distrust of PAS after the Islamic party's muktamar remarks on seats and a prime minister candidate, and warn it could raise questions about Umno's own stance in Melaka.
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US senators negotiate bill to force AI firms to prove steps to prevent catastrophic harm
Senators in Washington are debating legislation to require AI developers to demonstrate they have taken reasonable precautions against dangerous models, potentially giving the commerce secretary powers to demand proof and audit products; the measure faces political and legal hurdles.
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Anwar urges Malaysia-India cooperation to strengthen E&E and semiconductor ties
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called for deeper cooperation between Malaysia and India in the electrical & electronics and semiconductor sectors while speaking at a business session in Calicut, Kerala. He said the partnership could boost capabilities, B2B ties and bilateral investment opportunities in high-value industries.
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Minister: APBN 2026 recipients must be agents of change, not just trophy winners
The National Youth Premier Award (APBN) 2026 national presentation ceremony was held in Putrajaya today. Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari said recipients must become agents of change and influence other young people, not just take home a trophy. Ahmad Nor Iman Aliff Rakib of Kelantan received the Minister of Youth and Sports Special Award.
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Akmal demands open apology from individual who joked about priests
UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh has demanded that the individual who made a joke about priests at the 2026 UMNO General Assembly apologise openly to all Malaysians. He said religion is not a subject for jokes and that the remark was the individual's personal view, not UMNO's stand. Tuaran MP Wilfred Madius Tangau also urged the speaker to apologise to Catholics and the wider Christian community.
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Anwar meets Keralam governor in Calicut, seeks closer ties in digital economy, health, tourism
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met Keralam Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar in Calicut on Saturday and called for stronger Malaysia-Keralam cooperation in the digital economy, healthcare, tourism and education. The governor gave Anwar a biography of singer Kishore Kumar, after the prime minister's rendition of a Kishore Kumar song at the BRICS gala dinner in New Delhi went viral. Anwar is on an official visit to India from Sept 11 to 14, accompanied by ministers Johari Abdul Ghani and R. Ramanan.
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JKmR 2025 report to go to PM Anwar before Parliament tabling
The Special Committee on Corruption (JKmR) will submit its 2025 annual report to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim before it is tabled in Parliament, after reviewing the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board's findings on MACC. The committee also welcomed MACC's immediate suspension of the orange lockup suit requirement for persons under investigation brought to court for remand.
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Anwar arrives in Maldives for two-day official visit
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived at Velana International Airport in Male on Monday night to begin a two-day official visit to the Maldives. He was received by President Mohamed Muizzu and is scheduled to hold a four-eyed meeting and witness the exchange of memorandums of understanding in defence and Islamic affairs.
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Abang Johari joins energy leaders at Bangkok roundtable
Sarawak Premier Abang Johari attended a ministerial roundtable in Bangkok with energy leaders from 37 countries to discuss the future energy system. The meeting was held alongside the 2026 Thailand Oil and Gas Expo, covering energy resilience, electrification, low-carbon energy and AI in energy.
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Abang Johari: Public trust is the foundation of Sarawak's development
An interfaith thanksgiving ceremony for the 2026 national-level Malaysia Day celebration was held in Kuching on 14 September. In a speech read by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg described public trust as an essential 'infrastructure' underpinning the state's stability and progress, alongside physical facilities such as roads, bridges and digital networks.
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Anwar: Malaysia, Indonesia to hold talks in Penang within two months
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to hold bilateral talks in Penang within the next two months, covering haze, trade and bilateral ties. He and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto reached the agreement on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Anwar also met Kerala's chief minister and governor to push trade, investment and cooperation in technology, healthcare, tourism and education.
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Abang Johari: UNIFOR Complex symbolises Sarawak's religious harmony
Sarawak Premier Abang Johari said the UNIFOR Complex in Kuching is not just a building but a reflection of Sarawak's identity, building the future through diversity and harmony. He said this in a speech text read by Deputy Premier Douglas Uggah at an interfaith thanksgiving ceremony for Malaysia Day 2026 in Kuching.
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SC chair tells London investors ASEAN is undervalued as an asset class
Securities Commission Malaysia chairman Dato' Mohammad Faiz Azmi told an ASEAN Investment Roadshow in London on Sept 14 that ASEAN's economic weight is not reflected in global portfolios. He cited the region's 700 million people, roughly US$4 trillion GDP and US$245.7 billion in 2025 FDI, and pointed to Malaysia's Capital Market Masterplan and MY Value Up programme.
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UNIFOR has channelled RM685 million to Sarawak places of worship, mission schools
Sarawak has approved RM685 million through UNIFOR since 2017, including RM565 million for non-Muslim places of worship and RM120 million for mission schools. Premier Abang Johari said the allocation is an investment in community, not just financial aid, in a speech read by Douglas Uggah at a Malaysia Day interfaith thanksgiving event in Kuching.
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Anwar: Najib's pardon deferral is Agong's discretion
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the deferral of Najib Razak's pardon application to the next Federal Territories Pardons Board meeting is at the discretion of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He said his role is only to advise based on the law and the attorney-general's counsel, and criticised PAS for demanding an explanation of the deferral.