40 h. ago ‘Light in our darkest days’: mum of slain Malaysian schoolgirl moved by support

Wong Lee Ping, the grieving mother of 16-year-old Yap Shing Xuen, whose brutal murder on October 14 shocked Malaysia, has expressed profound gratitude for the outpouring of community support, describing it as a beacon of light in our darkest hour. “We are truly touched and humbled by the outpouring of love, support, and presence from all of you during this painful period. Your care has been a light in our darkest days,” Wong expressed in a touching message shared on social media following her...

Politics

5 d. ago ‘She was stabbed 200 times’: Malaysian mum reveals brutality of girl’s attack

The mother of the late Yap Shing Xuen has appealed to the public to stop spreading rumours and incorrect information about her daughter and her family. During a press conference at Yap’s wake on Thursday, Wong Lee Ping said her daughter sustained more than 200 stab wounds after being attacked in a school toilet at SMK Bandar Utama in Malaysia’s Selangor state on Tuesday. Fighting back tears, Wong, 44, said online media had under­reported the savagery of the attack when they stated Yap was...

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6 d. ago Malaysian school system faces crisis after 4 arrested for second gang rape

The revelation of a second alleged gang rape in a Malaysian school has heaped pressure on the education ministry to get to grips with alleged failures in child protection, especially after mounting speculation that videos of the sexual assaults are being sold over the dark web. Eight teenage boys have been arrested by police in two separate cases over the past fortnight. In both cases, the suspects were caught after videos of the alleged rape were discovered by teachers in their schools. In the...

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6 d. ago ‘She met with something so cruel’: stabbed Malaysian girl’s mum shares despair

The mother of the teenager who was stabbed to death at a Bandar Utama school in Malaysia’s Selangor state summoned up the courage to speak out in a heart-wrenching post. Describing her 16-year-old daughter as very sweet, kind and disciplined, the mother took to social media to express her despair. “She was a beautiful child, but yet met with something so cruel I am speechless and heartbroken,” she wrote in her post on Wednesday. “I hope she rests well in the other world, and her soul finds...

Politics

8 d. ago Cracks show as Malaysian opposition party sacks MP, 4 leaders ahead of polls

Malaysian opposition party Bersatu on Tuesday sacked an MP and four local leaders for breaching ethics, as splits emerge inside the Malay-Muslim coalition over their candidate for prime minister in national elections slated to be held by 2028. Rumblings of a leadership tussle have dogged Bersatu for weeks, culminating in a brief stand-off at the party’s annual meeting on September 6, when some members heckled Muhyiddin Yassin while the party president was delivering his opening speech. At that...

Politics

8 d. ago ‘Dirtiest town in Asia’, Singapore’s wages stall: 7 Asia highlights

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Dirtiest town in Asia’: Malaysian MP told to clean up act after viral backlash A lawmaker representing a Malaysian tourist town on the island of Borneo has come under fire after a viral video labelled it “Asia’s dirtiest town”, prompting condemnation from the public...

Politics

1 week ago Malaysia braces for a volatile Asean summit with Trump centre stage

Just weeks ago, securing US President Donald Trump’s attendance at this month’s Asean summit was seen by many as a diplomatic masterstroke by Malaysia’s leader. But the fanfare surrounding the notoriously fickle American president’s impending arrival in Southeast Asia has since faded, with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s apparent triumph of statesmanship transforming into a high-wire act fraught with risk. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ next summit is set to be held in...

Politics

1 week ago Missing insurance agent’s body found stuffed in suitcase in Malaysia

The body found stuffed in a suitcase at the Ampang Jajar Flats on Jalan Permatang Pauh in Butterworth, Malaysia’s Penang state on Thursday has been identified. Sinar Harian reported that the victim has been identified as Lee Boon Han, 31, who worked as an insurance agent. He was reported missing on Wednesday when he could not be contacted after leaving for Perlis on a work-related trip. The victim’s 69-year-old father, who works as a trader, lodged a police report. He was seen at the Forensic...

Events

1 week ago ‘Dirtiest town in Asia’: Malaysian MP told to clean up act after viral backlash

A lawmaker representing a Malaysian tourist town on the island of Borneo has come under fire after a viral video labelled it “Asia’s dirtiest town”, prompting condemnation from the public and fellow politicians. The one-minute clip shows British travel vlogger Ben Frier, who goes by the handle Backpacker Ben, strolling around Semporna, a coastal town in Sabah that serves as a gateway to popular tourist islands like Sipadan and Mabul. Panning around, he shows rubbish clogging the waters...

Politics

2 w. ago Singapore executes Malaysian diamorphine trafficker Pannir Selvam

Singapore has executed 38-year-old Malaysian Pannir Selvam Pranthaman for smuggling drugs into the island republic in 2014. Singapore-based non-governmental organisation Transformative Justice Collective member Rocky Howe confirmed the execution on Wednesday. “Pannir Selvam has been executed this morning,” he said. He was convicted by the High Court on May 2, 2017, for importing not less than 51.84 grams of diamorphine into Singapore in 2014 and was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty. The...

Politics

2 w. ago Toilet water, snatched hijabs: Malaysian activists recount Israeli detention

Malaysians who joined a multinational flotilla seeking to break Israel’s sea blockade of Gaza have returned home with disturbing allegations of mistreatment in Israeli custody, including the confiscation of hijabs and being forced to drink toilet water. The group of 34 Malaysians, ranging from musicians and actors to rappers and influencers, had joined hundreds of international activists in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail this summer on a humanitarian mission to the besieged...

Politics

2 w. ago Alcohol served at Malaysian dinner leads to sobering call for minister to resign

A Malaysian government-sanctioned gala dinner that served alcohol with Muslim guests in attendance has triggered calls for the minister involved to resign, as the culture wars that have plagued Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration resurface. Malaysia has taken a conservative tilt in recent years with Anwar’s government seeking support from the Malay-Muslim majority that accounts for about 60 per cent of the country’s 34 million population. That group broadly rejected his multicultural...

Politics

2 w. ago 23 Malaysian ‘heroes’ held by Israel in Gaza aid mission are released

Malaysian activists detained by Israel while on a humanitarian aid mission to Gaza have been released and deported to Turkey. “All 23 of our heroes have safely arrived in Istanbul, Turkey,” Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a social media post on Saturday, after days of efforts to secure their release. Malaysia and Israel do not have diplomatic relations. The prime minister said that the released individuals, who were detained last week, would undergo health assessments before...

Politics

3 w. ago ‘Keep us in your prayers’: Malaysian celebrities risk it all to sail to Gaza

Celebrity sisters, a rapper and an actress are among the 34 Malaysians sailing with a seaborne mission seeking to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver urgent aid to the besieged Palestinian enclave. The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail in August, aims to spotlight conditions in a territory where more than 65,000 people have been killed according to United Nations estimates. Last month, the UN described Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. The civilian-led convoy, comprising hundreds...

Events

3 w. ago Fifa’s ban on Malaysian players fuels rival interference claims

The world football governing body Fifa has ignited public outrage in Malaysia after imposing a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (US$440,000) and a one-year ban on seven footballers for the alleged falsification of nationality documents, with pundits fuelling speculation of the involvement of regional rivals in making the complaint. The sanctions were levied against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) last Friday after Fifa claimed the association submitted doctored documents to field seven...

Politics

3 w. ago Malaysian students taught painful lesson in bullying after ‘Happy Corner’ prank

A prank known as “Happy Corner” that originated in China has made its way to Malaysia, triggering student suspensions in schools determined to show they are getting tough on bullying after a string of scandals. Happy Corner, also called aluba in Taiwan, is a prank or form of hazing common among boys in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan that started in the 1980s. It typically involves several boys lifting up an unsuspecting victim and bumping his groin against a pole-like object. A...

Politics

3 w. ago Singapore halts execution of Malaysian drug trafficker at last minute

The execution of Malaysian national K. Datchinamurthy in Singapore has been halted. The execution was initially scheduled to take place at Changi prison on Thursday morning. Lawyer N. Surendran, who represents the inmate’s family, told an online portal that they received a call from the prison after midnight telling them of the matter. “We have no further information at this point. We are praying for the best outcome,” he said. Datchinamurthy, 39, was scheduled to be executed on Thursday for...

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