Missing Malaysian airman was hiding at girlfriend’s home for 10 days

A Royal Malaysian Air Force personnel member who was reported missing since August 24 was found at a condominium on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. According to police, Muhammad Ammar Mohd Ariffin, 27, was discovered at his girlfriend’s residence.
“The airman, who had earlier been reported missing, was found together with his girlfriend at her unit,” Serdang police chief Muhamad Farid Ahmad said.
The discovery was made by an investigative team from the Serdang police headquarters….

Techno-nationalism is now the critical battlefront in geopolitics

The revival of techno-nationalism is reshaping strategies across continents. The European Union has embraced technological sovereignty with the EU Chips Act and investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technology. Japan and South Korea are diversifying supply chains and boosting domestic capacity. India is positioning itself as an alternative hub through the Make in India and Digital India initiatives, aimed at reducing reliance on both China and the West.
Export controls,…

400 Indonesian children ill after eating Prabowo’s free school meals

Around 400 children have fallen ill after eating free school meals in Indonesia’s western Bengkulu Province in the worst case of mass food poisoning to date linked to President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship food programme.
Prabowo launched the programme of free meals for children and pregnant women in January, but the initiative has been marred by mass food poisoning across the archipelago, affecting hundreds of people.
Last month, 365 people fell ill from free school meals in Central Java….

Is Malaysia about to choose a side in the US-China tech war?

Malaysia’s tech sector could risk further US scrutiny over a plan to deepen ties with Chinese semiconductor firms, as it looks to move up the value chain while maintaining access to the world’s biggest consumer market, according to analysts.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently on a four-day official visit to China, held high-level talks in Beijing on Tuesday with senior leaders in the Chinese tech sector.
Anwar earlier said the meeting aimed to “discuss and work on the formula” to…

‘Have some respect’: US TV series draws flak for portrayal of Singapore

Crime drama Countdown on Amazon Prime Video has drawn criticism for its perceived inaccurate portrayal of Singapore and its citizens in an episode last month.
In the 47-minute show, two American detectives question “Singaporean” Kieran Teo, played by American actor Brian Yang, at his office in Los Angeles after a murder takes place on company property.
The fictional company is called Beruang Holdings, with the characters revealing it is 60 per cent owned by Singapore’s ruling People’s Action…

Singapore issues correction order to US comedian over censorship claims

A correction order under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) has been issued to US comedian Sammy Obeid after a row over his cancelled Singapore show.
“Mr Obeid’s account of protracted back-and-forth interactions with the government is inaccurate,” the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said on Monday.
“In his posts, he claims that the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) requested edits, told him to ‘completely remove’ portions of his…

Multipolar arms race takes ballistic missile threat to new levels

War is just one press of a button away, and the likelihood of that happening – even if accidental – is not insignificant. The advancement of ballistic missile capabilities has opened up new battle spaces. Just as during the Cold War, today’s adversaries can hold each other’s populations hostage under the threat of nuclear war.
As we mark 80 years since the second world war ended, it is becoming easier to fathom our world at war again. However, while it may be true the “long peace” was more an…

Legacy of courage: remembering Chinese diaspora’s WWII sacrifices

In the struggle to keep the Chinese resistance movement supplied against the Japanese invasion, a dangerous, winding route was carved through the jungles and hills of eastern Myanmar into Yunnan province.
The Burma Road, a 1,200km-long lifeline as it became known, allowed goods to be shipped from Yangon (then Rangoon) and driven across the country into the interior of China, while its ports were blockaded by Japanese ships.
But the convoys needed drivers, mechanics and guides to make the…