KUALA LUMPUR: A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck Papua New Guinea at 6.31pm today.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department, in a statement, said the earthquake occurred 43km north of Goroka, with a depth of 10km.
However, it said there is no tsunami threat to Malaysia. - NST
KUALA LUMPUR: A monsoon surge is expected to occur from Dec 25 to 29, potentially bringing continuous rain to the eastern parts of Peninsular Malaysia.
Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said analysis of the latest weather models also indicates strong winds and rough seas over the South China Sea.
"The public is advised to refer to MetMalaysia's website at www.met.gov.my and social media platforms, and to download the myCuaca application for the latest and verified information," he said in a statement shared on MetMalaysia's Facebook page on Monday (Dec 22). – Bernama
PETALING JAYA: MCA Youth respects the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision to dismiss Datuk Seri Najib Razak's application to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest but has concerns over constitutional issues.
The wing's deputy information chief Neow Choo Seong (pic) said Najib's constitutional rights must continue to be upheld.
He also called on relevant authorities to urgently address what he described as "serious constitutional questions" relating to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's powers of pardon under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.
He said it was deeply concerning that the Addendum Order decreed by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong since early 2024 had been "trivialised, denied, concealed and allegedly manipulated by certain parties".
"This stands in stark contrast to the royal pardon granted to the current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on May 16, 2018, which was implemented without delay," he said in a statement on Monday (Dec 22).
Neow warned that such inconsistencies could create a troubling perception that a decree issued by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong could be selectively delayed, ignored or denied without legal consequence.
"This undermines public confidence in the rule of law and the sanctity of constitutional processes.
"Justice must not only be upheld but must also be seen to be upheld "in substance and in practice, not merely proclaimed in words.
"Today's decision is not about guilt or innocence; it is fundamentally about the denial of an individual's constitutional rights," he said.
Neow also said MCA Youth condemned remarks made by DAP national publicity secretary Yeo Bee Yin.
"Rejoicing in the suffering of others is a despicable act that should neither be condoned nor normalised in a civilised society," he said, adding that such behaviour reflected a grave lack of compassion, dignity and basic humanity. - Star
Wong Chen's call follows claims Ko Htet Myat Aung was assaulted while being detained by the military.
The PKR MP urged Mohamad, also known as Tok Mat, to enquire about the status of 24-year-old Ko Htet Myat Aung, who was reportedly arrested in Mandalay on Dec 17.
He said Mohamad should use the Asean foreign ministers’ meeting as a platform to raise the matter.
Mohamad had presided over the meeting in Kuala Lumpur earlier this evening, although Myanmar officials were said to have joined virtually.
Wong’s call follows claims that Ko, the former president of a student union at a Myanmar university, was assaulted while being arrested by the military.
The Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) had called for his immediate release, expressing fears he may face torture while being detained.
APHR urged Asean member states to exert diplomatic and political pressure on Myanmar to guarantee the activist’s safety and obtain his release, along with other political prisoners.
“The arrest and abuse of Ko reflect the Myanmar military’s systematic use of torture and arbitrary detention to silence peaceful dissent, dismantle democratic leadership, and entrench its grip on power through fear and repression,” said Indonesian MP and APHR chairman Mercy Chriesty Barends. - FMT
Performance outcomes are now the primary determinant for rewards and recognition under phase 2 of the Public Service Remuneration System.
Public services department director-general Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said performance outcomes are now the primary determinant for rewards and recognition under the new phase, which comes into effect next month, Bernama reported.
He said phase 2 also emphasises service quality, speed of delivery, and innovation as the core criteria for evaluation.
“The goal is to build an outcome-oriented public service culture that encourages civil servants to be innovative and agile in meeting public expectations,” he said.
Wan Ahmad said the initiative will also serve as a strategic tool to attract and retain high-quality talent, helping to narrow the competitiveness gap between the public and private sectors.
“A competitive pay structure, supported by continuous professional development, will align the public service more closely with external market standards,” he said.
Civil servants who have signed up for the SSPA will receive the phase 2 salary adjustment next month, with the increase based on their final salary on Dec 31.
Phase 2 involves a 15% rise for the implementation group and management and professional group (P&P) and 7% for the top management group (KPT).
Civil servants in the P&P category will receive an additional 7% increase after the first phase, while the KPT group will receive an additional 3%.
In the first phase, P&P officers received an 8% increase, while those in KPT received 4%, paid from December 2024. - FMT
Ishak takes up the Muslim Bumiputera quota for the post while former Sabah assembly deputy speaker Lawrence Gimbang was made acting STAR deputy president for the non-Muslim Bumiputera slot, Borneo Post reported.
Ishak and Gimbang replaced Robert Tawik and Ellron Alfred Angin, respectively, who had left the party after STAR withdrew from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah led by chief minister Hajiji Noor.
STAR has three deputy presidents, with the third allocated to the Chinese community currently being held by former Inanam assemblyman Kenny Chua.
Also appointed today was Nelson Martin Idang as STAR Youth chief, replacing Tulid assemblyman Jordan Jude Ellron, who is the assistant education, science, technology and innovation minister.
Jordan, Ellron’s son, had quit STAR just before the Nov 29 state election after not being named as a candidate for the Sabah polls.
Fung Len Fui was appointed acting party vice-president, replacing former Tulid assemblyman Flovia Ng, who also left STAR over its decision to quit GRS.
Ng did not defend her seat in the state election.
STAR president Jeffrey Kitingan presented the new leaders with their appointment letters today. - FMT
Johor public works, transport, infrastructure and communications committee chairman Fazli Salleh said the plan by the state government and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) includes the development of several railway stations along the route, Bernama reported.
Fazli said such a service could shorten travel time between Pasir Gudang and other areas such as Kempas and JB Sentral, while also helping to reduce road congestion in Pasir Gudang, Masai, Tampoi and around Johor Bahru city.
“A 25km stretch by train would take about 30 minutes, compared with more than an hour by car during peak hours,” he said in a Facebook post.
This would help workers, students and residents while also bringing social and economic benefits to the state.
Fazli said the Pasir Gudang cargo rail line, involving the tracks, signalling systems and safety aspects, had been upgraded. This made the infrastructure ready to support passenger services.
“This makes the cost of launching passenger services lower. There is no need to build an entirely new railway line,” he said.
He said the plan is also part of efforts to expand the passenger rail network in the state.
KTMB recently launched its KL Sentral-Johor Bahru electric train service, making travel easier and faster to the state from Kuala Lumpur and the north. - FMT
