Recently, the Court of Appeal ruled that it is mandatory to refer an employee’s dismissal complaint to the Industrial Court if the director-general of industrial relations (DGIR) cannot resolve the matter.

Prior to the amendments to the Industrial Relations Act 1967 (IRA 1967), the DGIR...

My Say: What employers must ensure, now that all dismissal complaints must be referred to the Industrial Court

Despite the palm oil industry bending over backwards to green up its act in the last few decades, it is still under fire. Critics cannot shake the image of palm oil as the nemesis of biodiversity, or worse, the big bad wolf of tropical deforestation. No matter how hard palm oil producers try to p...

Bullish On Green: Palm oil is green, but still seen as grey

We knew we had not seen the last of it. Banished 16 years ago, “Game 39” is about to come back to haunt football. Barely noticed amid a welter of headlines as the European season builds to a climax, Fifa has lifted its law blocking a nation’s league matches from being played in another country.

Business Of Sports: Under the radar, but Game 39 is back on the agenda

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the developing world has faced growing public-sector debt vulnerabilities. Interest-rate hikes and limited access to international capital markets have only exacerbated the problem — so much so that even solvent countries are now grappling with liquidity ...

The New Global Economy: The urgency of sovereign-debt restructuring

This is the final instalment of a four-part series on propelling the Madani economy. To summarise, fuel subsidy rationalisation is a contractionary but necessary move for Malaysia, discussed in Part I (“Taking a systems approach to fuel subsidies”, Issue 1515, March 18). In Part II (“Breaking out...

My Say: Madani-Bersama: Address disparities to unlock powerful engines of growth

In a world of depressing news headlines, how is the Southeast Asian region faring? An examination of the risk environment leads us to a few key assessments.

First, being one of the main arenas for US-China contestation, this region is exposed to potentially nasty scenarios if big power ...

My Say: How risks have changed in Southeast Asia

Islamic finance, built on ethical principles and profit-sharing, aims to offer an alternative to the conventional financial system. However, navigating the complexities of modern society presents challenges to its continued growth and accessibility. Addressing these hurdles is crucial to unlockin...

Campus View: Navigating the future of Islamic finance in a modern world

I love Kuala Lumpur, the city where I was born — to be precise, it was in Maternity Ward 3 of the old General Hospital. The wooden structure of Ward 3 has long given way to new medical facilities, but the General Hospital has remained at the intersection of Jalan Pahang and Jalan Tun Razak since ...

My Say: KL’s heritage buildings are in dire need of preservation

So, what can be wrong with the unity government?

It has a two-thirds majority, it is made up of four coalitions of parties, none of whom would be in positions of power if they did not work together, and it is headed by a man who had been trying to become prime minister ever since any Ma...

Picking On The Present: Guidelines for reform and unity: Technocracy, regionality and solidarity

Rich nations’ climate hypocrisy is accelerating global heating, pushing the planet closer to irreversible catastrophe, with its worst consequences borne by the poorest, both countries and peoples.

Climate injustice

While official and other discourses acknowledge or even invo...

My Say: Rich nation hypocrisy accelerating global heating

At my Chinese New Year gatherings this year, some friends divulged that their calendar was filled with “appointments” to conceive “dragon babies” before the “deadline”.

It’s fascinating how many in modern society still adopt feng shui as a guide in important decisions in life, despite t...

My Say: Feng shui, confirmation bias and polarisation

Large-scale land and forest fires regularly impact 30 million to 50 million hectares of land in Southeast Asia. These fires can generate smoke clouds covering hundreds of millions of hectares for months at a time, resulting in transboundary smoke haze that has severely impacted parts of all 10 As...

Climate And Environmental Governance: Stopping fires and transboundary haze in Southeast Asia

Our rice was at centre stage again with a very peculiar problem, that is, local rice was not available in the market in the second half of last year although 64% of supply comes from local farms. Despite stern warnings from the government against manipulation of rice supply, the problem persisted...

My Say: What is wrong with our rice sector

They are home to a quarter of humanity — 1.9 billion people. They possess prized natural resources, including one-fifth of the world’s copper and gold reserves, as well as many of the rare metals essential for the transition to clean energy. Their working-age populations are set to expand for the...

The New Global Economy: The world cannot afford to ignore the poorest countries

Hong Kong issued its first red rainstorm warning of the year on Saturday as downpours caused flooding in areas of the territory, shutting roads and disrupting public transportation.

Hong Kong issues 2024’s first red storm signal amid flooding

Indonesia will permanently relocate the entire population of an island in North Sulawesi province because a volcano is threatening their safety.

Indonesia’s Ruang becomes ghost island as volcano erupts

The flight instructor and trainee of the Cessna 172 (9M ADA) type training aircraft which crashed in an oil palm plantation in Besout 2 Tambahan plantation, Sungkai near here have been identified as Captain Shahrul Imran Surea, 26, and Ho Jia Lee, 20.

Survivors of Sungkai plane crash identified

The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has confirmed that a Cessna 172N Skyhawk aircraft with the registration number 9M-ADA crashed near Felda Gunung Besout, Sungkai, Perak on Saturday.

CAAM confirms Cessna 172N Skyhawk aircraft crashed near Felda Gunung Besout

The Melaka state government is setting its sights on bolstering its local business landscape by encouraging more companies in the state to be listed on Bursa Malaysia.

Melaka aims to boost local businesses, eyes more listings on Bursa Malaysia

The government is currently studying the proposal from marine robotics company Ocean Infinity to resume the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which went missing while en route to Beijing 10 years ago.

Loke: Govt studying Ocean Infinity's proposal to resume search for MH370

Construction work on the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor has reached an average of 65% as of April, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

Progress of ECRL project in four states reaches 65%, says Loke

A training aircraft crashed in the Besout 2 Tambahan plantation area in Sungkai on Saturday.

Light aircraft crashes in Sungkai, two passengers survive

Malaysia's latest position in the Press Freedom Index is still considered good compared to the previous government, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

Malaysia's press freedom index position is still good, says Fahmi

The Philippines central bank will require financial institutions to submit a report within 24 hours of discovering risks linked to money laundering and terrorist financing, as the Southeast Asian nation steps up its fight against illicit transactions.

Philippines' central bank tightens dirty money risk reporting rule

Retail sales typically slow in the second quarter of the year as consumers take a breather from spending after the festivities in the first quarter. As such, when retailers say their sales fell short of expectations during the two major festive periods so far this year, it is time to pay attention.

Retailers fear current weakness in consumer spending

Will Bank Negara Malaysia’s Monetary Policy Committee follow its Indonesian counterparts by raising interest rates when it holds its next meeting on Wednesday and Thursday?

The Week Ahead: All eyes on Bank Negara’s monetary policy meeting, Xi’s three-nation European trip

Hollywood superstar and acclaimed Malaysian actress Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh has received the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom from US President Joe Biden on Friday.

Michelle Yeoh receives Presidential Medal of Freedom from Biden

The flight instructor and trainee of the Cessna 172 (9M ADA) type training aircraft which crashed in an oil palm plantation in Besout 2 Tambahan plantation, Sungkai near here have been identified as Captain Shahrul Imran Surea, 26, and Ho Jia Lee, 20.

King Charles and other senior British royals are to relinquish patronages of almost 200 charities and organisations after a review of their association with more than 1,000 groups, Buckingham Palace said on Saturday.

King Charles and UK royals to relinquish dozens of patronages

The prospect of interest rates remaining elevated as the Federal Reserve (Fed) battles inflation is further clouding the outlook for shares of smaller US companies, which have lagged broader markets this year.

US small caps struggle as elevated interest rates take a toll

The Melaka state government is setting its sights on bolstering its local business landscape by encouraging more companies in the state to be listed on Bursa Malaysia.

Electric vehicle (EV) maker Zeekr Intelligent Technology Holding said on Friday it was targeting a valuation of up to US$5.13 billion (RM24.32 billion) in its US initial public offering (IPO), the first major floatation of a China-based company in more than two years.

China's Zeekr seeks up to US$5.13b valuation in US IPO

A training aircraft crashed in the Besout 2 Tambahan plantation area in Sungkai on Saturday.

Indonesia will permanently relocate the entire population of an island in North Sulawesi province because a volcano is threatening their safety.

Construction work on the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor has reached an average of 65% as of April, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

The Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) by-election campaign is entering a critical period for all contesting parties and candidates to redouble their efforts to win as many votes as possible.

KKB polls: Parties, candidates redoubling efforts as campaign enters critical period

The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has confirmed that a Cessna 172N Skyhawk aircraft with the registration number 9M-ADA crashed near Felda Gunung Besout, Sungkai, Perak on Saturday.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she still sees underlying price pressures receding even as a tight housing supply has helped stall the downward path of inflation.

Yellen says fundamentals still point to slowing inflation

The Philippines central bank will require financial institutions to submit a report within 24 hours of discovering risks linked to money laundering and terrorist financing, as the Southeast Asian nation steps up its fight against illicit transactions.

The government is currently studying the proposal from marine robotics company Ocean Infinity to resume the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which went missing while en route to Beijing 10 years ago.

Google and the US Justice Department wrapped up closing arguments on Friday over claims that the Alphabet unit has unlawfully dominated web search and related advertising, in a case the government contends could shape the “future of the internet”.

Google trial wraps up as judge weighs landmark US antitrust claims

Malaysia's latest position in the Press Freedom Index is still considered good compared to the previous government, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations’ International Year of the Family (IYF). In the decades since the IYF was proclaimed, demographic shifts, technological transformations, migration, urbanization, and climate change have upended societies around the world. Responding effec...

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