Kota Laksamana in Melaka could be developed into Malaysian state’s new capital if Umno-led Barisan Nasional wins the seat in Saturday’s poll, according to caretaker chief minister Ab Rauf Yusoh. He said the proposed transformation would be supported by the Straits of Melaka Waterfront Economic Zone, which would bring together tourism, commercial and industrial activities along the state’s waterfront. “Kota Laksamana will become the state capital of Melaka. That is what I hope for,” he said...

Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore have all recorded rising numbers of child abuse cases in recent years, but child welfare advocates say this may be a sign of progress rather than worsening violence, as greater awareness and improved reporting bring more cases to the attention of authorities. “The good news is that more people are reporting,” said Hartini Zainuddin, a veteran advocate for abused children in Malaysia. Official figures show growing caseloads in all three countries, but differences...

MALACCA POLLS | All elected reps should have sufficient financial resources to serve constituents, he says.

Rain that began overnight and persisted into Monday morning brought cooler weather and widespread traffic congestion to Hanoi, disrupting commuters at the start of the workweek.

Vietnam's Party General Secretary and President To Lam has called for expanding networks of Vietnamese and Japanese experts to serve as bridges for cooperation in science and technology.

Be brave enough to accept implications of allying with PAS-PN, Amanah leader says.

Global climate talks starting on Monday are unlikely to yield new targets on curbing greenhouse gases, but negotiators have plenty to do to implement measures already agreed, according to Singapore’s environment minister. “I think that we are not expecting a major upgrade in mitigation targets” at ‌the annual UN talks in Turkey, Grace Fu told reporters. “But we have enough, even within the Paris Agreement, with what we have already agreed on. There is enough to work on.” Delegations from nearly...

The Philippines wants to buy more of India’s BrahMos missiles and have them adapted to its terrain, in a move analysts say signals Manila’s search for alternative arms suppliers as the US remains entangled in its Middle East conflict. Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr told a security summit in New Delhi last week that his country hoped to expand on its 2022 purchase of the supersonic cruise missile arsenal to strengthen its external deterrence. Indian sources later told Reuters...

Indonesia has not executed anyone for over a decade, with its new Criminal Code designed to make capital punishment a “last resort” – yet the number of prisoners on death row continues to climb. A new report on the persistent use of capital punishment by the country’s courts has raised questions about such rulings, handed down despite an unofficial moratorium on executions. There were 639 people on death row as of April this year, an increase from 596 as of August 2025, according to a report by...

A crew member of a helicopter battling Indonesian wildfires was killed on Sunday when the aircraft crashed into a river as it scooped up water for an airborne drop, a local disaster agency said. The crash in Borneo Island’s South Kalimantan province was the second in days involving a firefighting aircraft, after a military helicopter plunged into the waters off Borneo on Wednesday, killing three people. Two Australian pilots survived Sunday’s crash and were “safe”, Berton Panjaitan, a spokesman...

Held together by makeshift steel supports, the severely deteriorated Vinh Hoi Apartment Complex in Ho Chi Minh City is at risk of collapse, yet 141 households remain inside.

Ismail says budget preparations are complete, and he will not allow dissolution.

The festival is organised to mark Việt Nam Cultural Day (November 24) and as part of activities celebrating the 2026 Great National Unity Day. It aims to raise public awareness and encourage greater community involvement in preserving and promoting the traditional cultural heritage of the Pà Thẻn people.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn recently staged a grand royal barge procession on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok to celebrate Queen Suthida's 48th birthday.

Discussions expected to begin after several state elections, says Khalid.

The US may have just experienced a 'blue tsunami'; Malaysia should not expect the same.

Malaysia's king said Saturday that the attorney general risked denying a royal order by delaying ex-prime minister Najib Razak's release from prison, adding there was no ambiguity to the pardon he was granted.

'It's about stabilising politics and continuing the reform agenda.'

Seven South Korean municipalities hit by population decline have bid to host four new prisons, once-shunned facilities they now hope will bring jobs and residents.

MALACCA POLLS | Harapan leader says transparency is important in presenting achievements.

Teo says authorities cannot realistically screen everything online.

An American citizen who stole three bottles of Chanel perfume from Singapore's Changi Airport and fled the country in 2025 was arrested nearly a year later upon his return.

For most of his life, Osman Uki lived in a world dictated by the sun, relying on kerosene and leftover cooking oil to light his home in a remote indigenous village in Malaysia. That changed in April when solar power finally reached Kampung Bertang in the state of Pahang, allowing families to power electric lights, refrigerators and rice cookers. For Osman, one of the biggest changes is what happens after sunset. “We are happy with the light we have at night. The kids can read at night now. We...

Singapore will only purchase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) that delivers at least a 40% reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional jet fuel, as part of efforts to ensure tangible environmental benefits from its aviation emissions reduction roadmap.

Cooking and bathing became difficult when taps ran dry in Batam, an Indonesian island where residents are protesting against data centres springing up to power the global artificial intelligence boom. The area had suffered a “long drought” caused by low rainfall, the local water utility operator said, as a strong El Nino cycle exacerbates dry weather. But, as in other countries, anger has been directed at the data centres, warehouse-like facilities that keep apps and AI tools running, with water...

Party General Secretary and President To Lam and his spouse, Ngo Phuong Ly, left Hanoi on Sunday for a four-day official visit to Japan at the invitation of the Japanese state.

Party General Secretary and President To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly arrived in Tokyo on Sunday, beginning a four-day official visit to Japan at the invitation of Japanese State.

Group commends AGC's vigilance in spotting the ambiguities.

Three major political blocs unveil their respective manifestos.

Two students who made the most public bus trips in Ho Chi Minh City during the first half of October have won iPhone 17 smartphones worth about VND28 million (US$1,090) each.