9 d. ago Malaysia ends corruption case against PM Anwar’s deputy, Ahmad Zahid over lack of evidence

Malaysian prosecutors said on Thursday that they have put an end to their corruption case against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, saying that there was insufficient evidence to continue. The move by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) came more than two years after corruption charges against Ahmad Zahid, the leader of a key partner in Malaysia’s ruling coalition, were dropped to allow prosecutors to conduct further investigations. The Kuala Lumpur High Court in September 2023...

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9 d. ago Malaysia turns to ‘honest, reliable’ Turkey for stability amid rising US aggression

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s latest outreach to Turkey indicates a growing urgency among developing nations to close ranks with like-minded partners, experts say, amid uncertainty caused by US tariffs and mounting military aggression. Malaysia and Turkey on Wednesday agreed to elevate diplomatic and economic ties by establishing a High Level Strategic Cooperation Council. Chaired by the leaders of both nations, the council will oversee development across trade and investments in...

Politics

2 w. ago Malaysia’s Anwar says Asean to assess Myanmar after ‘premature’ polls

Asean will assess developments in Myanmar following the first phase of elections and avoid actions that would “confer premature legitimacy” to any party, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday. His comments came as Myanmar’s dominant pro-military party claimed an overwhelming victory in the first phase of the elections after democracy watchdogs warned the junta-run poll would only entrench military rule. The armed forces snatched power in a 2021 coup that triggered civil war, but...

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2 w. ago Najib’s new 1MDB verdict deepens Umno rifts, testing Malaysia’s unity government

The fresh prison sentence handed to disgraced former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has sharpened tensions inside Umno, with analysts warning the legal blow to the party’s former figurehead could fuel calls for a withdrawal from the coalition led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. On Friday, a Malaysian court sentenced Najib, 72, to a further 15 years in prison after finding him guilty on all 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering linked to the siphoning of 2.3 billion ringgit...

Politics

3 w. ago Why Malaysian court ruling against Najib is dividing Anwar’s coalition

A court’s decision to keep former Malaysian leader Najib Razak behind bars has reopened fault lines between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ruling coalition and Umno, the country’s once-dominant ruling party. The Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday rejected Najib’s application to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest, ruling that a purported addendum to a royal clemency order “had no legal effect because it was never deliberated by the Pardons Board”. The decision meant the...

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4 w. ago Anwar’s coalition revives Malaysian Chinese school certification debate, sparking row

As Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration swings from one setback to another, his ruling coalition has turned to familiar talking points to regain the support of the country’s ethnic minorities. In the wake of a devastating defeat in the Sabah state election last month, members of Anwar’s ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition have renewed a push for government recognition of school leaving certificates issued by private Chinese high schools. The call, however, has driven a wedge...

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