Government & Policy news in Malaysia
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JAPEN: Malaysia Day must be celebrated on same scale as National Day
JAPEN has called on Malaysians to celebrate Malaysia Day on September 16 with the same scale as National Day. The peak celebration will be held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) in Sarawak, featuring cultural performances and a concert by artists.
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Akmal Demands Public Apology Over Priest Joke At UMNO Assembly
UMNO Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh has called on the individual alleged to have joked about Catholic priests at the party's general assembly to apologise publicly to all Malaysians. He said religion should not be a subject of jokes. Earlier, Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau also demanded an unconditional apology to Catholics and the Christian community.
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SC chairman: fiscal reforms put Malaysia in stronger position than a decade ago
Securities Commission Malaysia chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi said Malaysia is stronger than a decade ago thanks to fiscal decisions including subsidy cuts, pointing to the pricing of a US dollar Government Sukuk issuance. Speaking at the Asean Investment Roadshow, he outlined capital market initiatives under the Capital Market Masterplan 2026-2030 and Asean-level integration plans.
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Singapore's new Presidential Council for Racial and Religious Harmony: retired judge Choo Han Teck appointed chairman
Singapore's new Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act takes effect on September 15. Under it, a new Presidential Council for Racial and Religious Harmony has been formed, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Choo Han Teck. The 11-member council will advise the President on racial and religious harmony matters.
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Syerleena: Jokes online no excuse for offensive remarks by leaders
Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid said today that political leaders cannot defend offensive public remarks by pointing to jokes circulating online. She was responding to Sepang Umno chief Noorazli Said's suggestion that his joke at the Umno General Assembly was based on a widely shared YouTube video, and said the 'speak first, apologise later' culture must end.
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Umno Kedah admits it is weak, denies PAS talks driven by fear
Umno Kedah acknowledges it is now weak and no longer dominant in the state, but denies that its wish to negotiate only with PAS is because it feels threatened. Its information chief, Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin, says the party is not yet at risk of extinction and wants talks with PAS without interference from others.
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Sabah MPs demand apology from Sepang Umno chief over Christianity joke
Two Sabah leaders, Tenom MP Arthur Kurup and Tuaran MP Wilfred Madius Tangau, have called on Sepang Umno chief Noorazli Said to apologise for a joke about Christianity and the Bible made at the recent Umno general assembly. Kurup said religion should not be used as political material, while Tangau urged an unqualified public apology to the Catholic and wider Christian community. Noorazli has said the joke was an analogy and was never meant to insult anyone.
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DAP MPs slam Umno leader's priest joke, conditional apology
Two DAP representatives criticised Umno Sepang chief Noorazli Said over a joke involving a Catholic priest and nun delivered at the Umno general assembly, and over his conditional offer to apologise to Christians. Syerleena Abdul Rashid said the 'speak first, apologise later' culture must stop, while Lee Chin Chen said a conditional apology shows a lack of sincerity.
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Fixed allowance for RELA student volunteers: Home Minister
Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution announced that university and college students volunteering with RELA will receive a fixed allowance. He said no additional funds are needed as it will come from existing allocations. The ministry is also working to raise the hourly rate for regular RELA members.
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AKM: Divisive sentiment main threat to national unity
The director-general of the National Civics Academy (AKM), Datuk Dr Roslan Hussin, said divisive sentiment is the main challenge in fostering patriotism and strengthening unity. He spoke after the prize-giving for the 2026 national Gelombang Aku Kasih Malaysia creative video competition, which drew 189 entries. AKM will expand patriotism efforts to minority communities and people with disabilities.
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Malaysia to use MIHAS 2026 to push for ASEAN Halal Council
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia will use the MIHAS 2026 platform to propose an ASEAN Halal Council with Malaysia as secretariat. Today's MPIH meeting also covered governance, investment and market access for the halal industry, including talks with Saudi Arabia on a proposed World Halal Development Council.
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Anuar Bakri appointed Sentul district police chief
ACP Anuar Bakri Abdul Salam has been appointed the new Sentul district police chief, replacing Superintendent Jasni Zolpa. The handover and rank ceremony was held at the Sentul district police headquarters, witnessed by Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus. Anuar's wife was also appointed Sentul PERKEP chairperson.
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Pejuang backs proposed UMNO-PAS gathering of one million Malays
Pejuang has welcomed a proposal by UMNO and PAS to hold a gathering of one million people, saying it could serve as a platform to rebuild Malay-Muslim unity. Its information chief Rafique Rashid Ali said political differences should not prevent Malays from coming together, and the gathering should be open to all supporters of Malay-Muslim unity.
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Yamanashi plans rescue fee for off-season Mount Fuji climbs at 8,000 yen per 5 minutes
Japan's Yamanashi prefectural government is considering a new system requiring visitors who climb Mount Fuji outside the official season to file advance notice, and plans to charge for official rescue helicopter deployments at 8,000 yen (about RM210) per five minutes. NHK reported that 21 accidents occurred on the Yamanashi side alone over the seven years to last year, four of them fatal.
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Loke to propose PH council meeting over UMNO assembly remarks
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said he will ask Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to convene a Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council meeting to discuss recent political developments following statements at the UMNO General Assembly. Loke, speaking in Sungai Buloh, said the remarks raised concerns about political certainty and stability that could affect investor and public confidence.
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YouthTechSG report: addiction and doom scrolling top social media harms for young people
A new report by youth-led charity YouthTechSG, published on Sept 14, found that addiction and doom scrolling are the most commonly cited social media harms among youths in Singapore, followed by cyberbullying and inappropriate content. The findings come as the government considers measures such as daily time limits and age checks, with legislative changes expected in early 2027.
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Charles Santiago: Zahid's warning to Anwar a sign UMNO cannot be taken lightly
Former DAP MP Charles Santiago says Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's hardline speech at the 2026 UMNO General Assembly was a warning to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim not to take UMNO's stance lightly. Zahid had offered two options: an immediate 16th general election or BN's withdrawal from the unity government. Santiago also said UMNO should focus more on cost-of-living issues like GST and rising living costs.
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Fahmi: Young Malaysians must reject communalism and corruption
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil told young Malaysians at a National Day and Malaysia Day programme at Politeknik Kuching that communalism and corruption remain major threats to national unity. He said the country's formation through consensus must be preserved, and reminded leaders to uphold integrity.
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Sepang Umno chief ready to apologise if priest joke offended Christians
Sepang Umno division chief Noorazli Said said he is ready to apologise if an analogy in his speech at the 2026 Umno general assembly, which included a joke about a priest, caused misunderstanding or offended Christians. He said the story was meant only as a lesson on focus and diligence, and accepted the reaction as a lesson.
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Umno's Sepang chief ready to apologise for priest joke at party assembly
Sepang Umno chief Noorazli Said says he is prepared to apologise if a lewd joke he told at the party's general assembly on Saturday insulted the Christian community. The joke, which referenced a priest and a nun and a non-existent Bible verse, drew calls for an apology from two Umno leaders, a Sabah MP and the Catholic Lawyers' Society of Kuala Lumpur, which plans a police report.
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Hakam: Federal Constitution remains supreme law amid Syariah debate
Hakam has rejected claims that Malaysia's constitutional framework is merely a colonial inheritance blocking Islam, following PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang's call to abolish 'colonial' laws to make Syariah supreme. The human rights society said the Federal Constitution was the product of extensive consultation and that Article 4(1) establishes it as the supreme law of the Federation.
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Indonesia's Prabowo sacks finance minister, names deputy as replacement
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has dismissed Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa and appointed his deputy Suahasil Nazara in his place at a swearing-in ceremony in Jakarta. The change comes as Southeast Asia's largest economy faces investor confidence problems and a widening fiscal deficit.
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Jobstreet: Malaysia job openings mismatch seekers' intent, July unemployment at 3.0%
Jobstreet says Malaysia's labour market remains resilient, with July unemployment steady at 3.0% and the labour force growing to 17.37 million, but there is a clear mismatch between the roles employers post and what jobseekers want. Manufacturing, transport and logistics made up 12.9% of postings and retail and consumer goods 8.4%, while administrative and office support roles drew 11.3% of jobseeker intent but only 7.0% of demand. The platform urges workers to upskill and employers to reassess hiring standards.
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UMNO Kapar youth wing calls PKR's AMK hypocritical over Zahid DNAA
UMNO's Kapar division youth wing has attacked the PKR youth leadership as hypocritical and applying double standards on integrity. Its chief Mohd Affifi Aris said AMK keeps raising the DNAA decision in Ahmad Zahid's case as a political weapon, and questioned AMK's stance on KWAP's eFishery losses, corporate mafia claims and mining licences in Sabah.