Khairi Amri has been admitted in a stable condition to the Tanah Merah Hospital.
The thieves are believed to be part of a cattle-smuggling syndicate operating along the Malaysia-Thailand border.
PETALING JAYA: The son of a Felda settler was injured after being shot in the face by would-be cattle thieves at Kemahang 1 in Tanah Merah, Kelantan, early today.
Khairi Amri, 42, was sleeping when a group of men entered the village to steal cattle at 3am, Berita Harian reported.
When Khairi woke and shouted for help, the other villagers rushed out and tried to surround the men.
One of the intruders then opened fire, with one shot hitting Khairi in the cheek, before fleeing.
Khairi was taken to Tanah Merah Hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.
His father, Abdul Kadir Mohamad, 73, said the family was informed of the shooting at about 7am.
He said Khairi had been a caretaker for the villagers’ cattle for the past seven to eight years, managing about 20 cows.
Khairi’s younger brother, Amirul Akil, said five or six men had arrived on motorcycles.
“The group is believed to be from a neighbouring country,” he said.
The group is believed to be part of a cattle-smuggling syndicate operating along the Malaysia-Thailand border, possibly with help from local residents. - FMT
The Muar MP says separation of powers will not happen unless the issues are resolved before the next general election.
Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman urged stakeholders to find common ground, saying even partial reform of the law would be meaningful.
KUALA LUMPUR: Muda’s Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman fears that a proposed law to split the roles of the attorney-general and the public prosecutor may not see the light of day for the next five years.
Speaking at a forum on the separation of powers between the attorney-general and public prosecutor, the Muar MP cautioned that if the bill is not tabled before the next general election, the separation of roles would be delayed.
“This is my biggest worry,” he said at the event held at the Malaysian Bar headquarters today.
Syed Saddiq said that at a recent closed-door meeting, “lines were clearly drawn”, referring to conflicting demands from multiple groups, including the opposition, bureaucrats and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
He said that if these issues were not ironed out, he was concerned that the separation of powers “will not happen for a very long time”.
On April 16, law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said the government hoped to find a “middle ground” before June as it moves to split the roles of the attorney-general and public prosecutor.
She said Putrajaya is continuing to gather views from NGOs, the AGC and political parties ahead of tabling the constitutional amendments.
On March 3, the government announced that the bill to separate the dual functions of the attorney-general had been postponed and referred to a newly established parliamentary committee.
Syed Saddiq said that without compromise, the reform risks being abandoned, as it could be seen as a divisive issue not worth pursuing.
He said political resistance could also stem from how the reform is perceived, making it harder to secure support.
Despite this, he reiterated Azalina’s call and urged stakeholders to find common ground, saying even partial reform would be meaningful.
“If we get something that improves it by even 50% or 60%, we should start with that,” he said. - FMT
Two-hour downpour sends muddy water flowing onto Ringlet main road.
Screenshots from a video showing muddy water rushing down a road in Cameron Highlands.
PETALING JAYA: Heavy rain over two hours triggered flash floods in the Habu Heights area of Cameron Highlands this afternoon.
Cameron Highlands police chief Azri Ramli said the downpour began at 2pm, resulting in a flow of muddy water onto the Ringlet main road.
“The runoff from the hilly areas surged onto the main road, causing flash floods. However, the situation remained under control, and the waters receded by about 4pm,” Bernama reported him as saying.
Azri said while no casualties were reported, two police reports had been lodged involving vehicles moved by strong currents.
“The vehicles were pushed forward by the force of the water, and no injuries were reported,” he said.
He said the affected areas had since been cleared and were now safe for all road users. - FMT
Kulim police attempted to arrest the suspect, but he fled and led them on a 5km chase.
Screenshots of the video that went viral on social media showing a man being dragged off his motorcycle and his head being stepped on.
PETALING JAYA: The man seen being dragged off his motorcycle by an officer in a video that went viral tested positive for drugs, say police.
Kulim deputy police chief Tengku Faisal Yeng said officers on patrol stopped the suspect on Jalan Sungai Ular in Kulim, Kedah, at around 11am today.
“When police tried to arrest him, he fought back by kicking an officer’s motorcycle and fleeing.
“The suspect rode recklessly against traffic, endangering other road users,” Bernama reported him as saying.
Tengku Faisal said officers pursued the suspect for about 5km before arresting him.
“A search of the suspect’s motorcycle uncovered two clear plastic packets believed to contain ketum water.”
He said the suspect tested positive for methamphetamine.
Tengku Faisal said the 32-year-old suspect, who has a record for prior criminal offences, would be produced in court tomorrow for a remand application.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 30(3) of the Poisons Act 1952 for possession or use of psychotropic substances, Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug abuse, and Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless and dangerous driving.
“Police urge the public not to speculate about the incident,” he said.
The 29-second video circulating on social media showed a man being dragged off his motorcycle and his head being stepped on. - FMT
Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia proposes low-interest financing for solar installations and energy-efficient machinery.
Samenta said solar installations and energy-efficient machinery will help MSMEs lower overheads and reduce dependency on volatile fuel prices. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: An NGO has urged Putrajaya to channel part of its RM5 billion allocation for Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan (SJPP) towards helping micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) transition to renewable energy.
Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia (Samenta) said this could include low-interest financing for solar installations and energy-efficient machinery to lower overheads and reduce reliance on volatile fuel prices amid the global energy crisis.
Earlier today, the government said the RM5 billion allocation for financing guarantees under SJPP would especially support MSMEs in the construction, agriculture and agro-food, logistics and transport, and tourism sectors.
It said more than 50,000 MSMEs had received aid through RM50 billion in financing guarantees from 2023 to 2025.
Samenta president William Ng called for incentives to help MSMEs adopt circular economy models to deal with raw material shortages caused by conflict-driven supply chain disruptions.
“This includes grants for waste-to-wealth technologies, recycling initiatives, and resource-sharing platforms to reduce reliance on imported petrochemicals and steel,” he said in a statement.
Ng praised the government’s measures, including a 12-month extension of the grace period for e-invoicing implementation, and targeted loan restructuring and rescheduling efforts in collaboration with banks.
He said they provided critical liquidity and administrative relief, adding that the current crisis required structural adjustments, including a stronger focus on energy transition and resource efficiency.
“We remain committed to working closely with the finance ministry, the entrepreneur development and cooperatives ministry, and relevant agencies to ensure this assistance is delivered in a targeted manner to MSMEs that need it most,” he said. - FMT
The rights group says the federal government has been vocal on the plight of Palestinians but mum on Rohingya and Uyghur deportations.
Malaysians have organised several pro-Palestine rallies in the past.
PETALING JAYA: Amnesty International has accused Malaysia of being selective when it comes to speaking up on human rights, saying the federal government has been outspoken on the plight of Palestinians but mum on Rohingya and Uyghur deportations.
Montse Ferrer, Amnesty’s interim co-regional director for East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific, said Malaysia is not the only middle power caught in a “double-standard” trap.
“Malaysia has been very supportive of the calls against Israel in the context of Gaza, but quiet or the opposite of supportive on Rohingya deportations or Uyghur deportations,” she said at a press conference in London.
Her comments come in the wake of reports that Malaysia had detained and deported Uyghur American scholar Abdulhakim Idris on March 30.
Ferrer said middle powers, like Malaysia, risk practising double standards by citing policies implemented by major powers.
In 2024, Lubna Sheikh Ghazali, the legal services and solutions manager at Asylum Access Malaysia, questioned the country’s treatment of Rohingya refugees, saying it was in stark contrast to its support for the Palestinians.
Lubna said Malaysia “seems to have collective amnesia and is selective about who deserves protection”.
Ferrer said Malaysia now has more room to improve its human rights record “out of principle rather than pressure from abroad”, including when it comes to press freedom and judicial independence.
“It’s an opportunity to actually comply with and respect human rights for the sake of human rights, not as a response to a geopolitical strategy,” she said.
She said Malaysia has historically been closer to human rights than many other countries in the region, but still has a lot of room to improve.
Amnesty secretary-general Agnes Callamard also warned that smaller states could not rely on silence or side deals to avoid pressure from more powerful countries.
She said many governments have responded to abuses with “appeasement” and “cowardice”, choosing silence or trying to cut deals instead of speaking up.
Such an approach will not work in the long run, she said, adding that countries focussed only on protecting their own interests could still end up being targeted.
“There is no protection in being silent. There is no protection in seeking deals,” she said. - FMT
