Wisma Putra urges Malaysians abroad to register travel plans after successful Hat Yai evacuation

 

WISMA Putra has called on Malaysians travelling overseas to register with the nearest embassy or via the MyWorld Alert app, citing worsening regional weather risks.

The appeal follows the successful evacuation of over 600 Malaysians stranded in flood-ravaged Hat Yai, southern Thailand, one of the city’s worst floods in years.

Consul-General Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi stressed the need for comprehensive travel insurance that covers natural disasters, constant weather monitoring, and contingency planning.

“Ensure your insurance covers disasters so you are protected against losses,” he said during a virtual briefing.

Ambassador Datuk Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah urged travellers to keep the ministry informed of their whereabouts to speed up future rescue operations. Although floodwaters have receded 60–95 per cent, significant damage remains, with hundreds of Malaysian vehicles submerged and full recovery expected to take weeks.

The ministry advised delaying non-essential trips to Hat Yai, warning of disrupted services and potential health risks, while praising Thai authorities and over 100 Malaysian volunteers for their swift cooperation, Bernama reported. — Focus Malaysia

G57 urges BN’s exclusion from new Sabah govt after ‘Langkah Kinabalu’ fallout

 

GERAKAN Kuasa Rakyat Malaysia (G57) chairman Datuk Zulkarnain Mahdar strongly urged that BN be excluded from the newly formed Sabah state government following PRN17.

He cited BN’s alleged role in the 2023 “Langkah Kinabalu” political manoeuvre that nearly toppled the previous GRS administration, describing it as a serious breach of political loyalty and a threat to stability.

“I have consistently maintained the view that BN elected representatives should not be accepted into the state government, especially after the ‘Langkah Kinabalu 2023’ episode that once threatened the stability of the Sabah administration,” he said.

According to him in a statement today, that incident should serve as a lesson that the Sabah government must be built on the foundations of integrity, political loyalty, and firm respect for the people’s mandate.

With GRS-led coalition securing 38 seats alongside UPKO, PH and several independents, he argued BN and Warisan are better positioned as constructive opposition to ensure effective checks and balances.

BN won only six of the 45 seats it contested, reflecting declining public support in Sabah, he noted.

Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was sworn in as Sabah Chief Minister for a second term at 3:11 a.m. on Sunday, 30 November 2025, after the GRS coalition he chairs won the most seats (29) in the 17th Sabah State Election.

To form the government, GRS needed at least 37 seats for a simple majority in the 73-seat State Assembly. 

Although official results show GRS with 29, Warisan 25, BN 6, Independents 5, UPKO 3, STAR 2, KDM 1, and PH 1, Hajiji has evidently secured additional support to cross the majority threshold.— Focus Malaysia

After Shamsul Iskandar, another PMX polsec’s turn to be engulfed in support letter power abuse

 

DETRACTORS have seemingly unearthed evidence of yet another of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s aide who abused his position to lobby top civil servants to accord preference to certain companies which bid for government projects.

Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim who is the political secretary (polsec) of the Finance Minister (who also happens to be PMX) is alleged to have issued a support letter bearing the letter head of “Office of the Finance Minister’s Political Secretary” to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage’s (JPS) director-general with a list of five pre-qualified private companies “applying” for the Batu Pahat flood mitigation project.

Mocking the fact that the deemed support letter was “stamped URGENT”, opposition-slant Madani critic Datuk Eric See-To claimed that the action itself would mean that the said project “is no longer an open tender” by virtue of the five companies are already considered pre-qualified entities.

This itself contradicted PMX’s stance (expressed soon after he assumed the premiership on Nov 29, 2022) that his Madani administration will no longer approve procurement without a tender (ie direct negotiation) to plug leakages and corrupt practices.

The former Barisan Nasional (BN) strategic communication deputy director went on to illustrate step-by-step as to how the support letter dated Nov 15, 2023 was escalated to the JPS’ director-general Datuk Ahmad Anuar Othman.

What happened next? The moment the letter arrived, a JPS officer scribbled:” For KP’s attention. Please request feedback.”

The JPS director-general himself stamped, signed and issued directive on Nov 22, 2023. Random letters don’t get this VIP treatment.

Eric See-To

The officers then passed the letter around internally, marking “for action”, “for review”, (and) adding dates like it’s a Shopee parcel, not a federal project.

The clearest note: “Cik Fatin, please minute this.” This means it (the deemed tender) has already entered the processing pipeline.

The internal tracking boxes of the JPS Contract & Quantity Survey division were fully ticked. If it wasn’t meant to be processed, it would never reach this level.

In essence, See-To who is a renowned blogger with the moniker Lim Sian See concluded that Kamil who is also the PKR Youth chief “has thus sent a list of preferred companies directly to JPS for a major project – and JPS processed it as if it were a top-down instruction”.

The loyalist of disgraced former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak went on to claim that public records show that “the project exists, the tender exists … but no award announcement anywhere”.

“Now we wait for PMX – who is also the Finance Minister – to say (again) that he has “sternly reprimanded” his officers, and that there is no need to sack anyone because ‘the letter is vague,” snubbed See-to.

“From Anwar to PMX to Finance Minister, one pattern is clear: all his political secretaries are extremely powerful.”

Earlier, See-To has chided PMX given his former political secretary Datuk Seri Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak who served from 2018–2022 has “suddenly re-invented himself as a “young corporate icon” after Anwar became PMX.

“He becomes chairman of five listed companies within just 24 months, holding major stakes or involvement in three more, and being accused via leaked documents of obtaining a 70,000-hectare mineral licence in Sabah,” teased the influencer.

“His later senior political secretary (2022-2025) (Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin) was forced to resign last week and has now been remanded after leaked videos and documents linked him to bribery and illicit payments.

“And today, another leak dropped – this time involving the political secretary (since 2022) to the Finance Minister who also happens to be Anwar himself.”

At the time of writing, there has been no denial by Kamil on the allegation levelled at him nor reaction from PMX. –  Focus Malaysia

Police seek public help to locate missing girl

 

Nor Adlina Hassan, was last seen at Jalan Dalma 3, Taman Dalma Semenyih, Selangor on Friday - BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR: Police are appealing for the public's help in locating 16-year-old Nor Adlina Hassan, who was last seen last Friday at Jalan Dalma 3, Taman Dalma Semenyih, Selangor.

Kajang police chief ACP Naazron Abdul Yusof said the girl is about 160cmtall and weighs 40kg, has straight black hair and with scars on her cheek and right eyelid.

He said those with any information regarding the teenager can go to any police station or directly contact the Kajang police headquarters at 03-89114222 or the investigating officer, Insp Hafifi Noni at 0116-779 3860.

– Bernama

No safe seats: Sabah veterans Pandikar Amin, Salleh Keruak, Anifah Aman swept aside in voter revolt

 

In Sabah’s highly fluid political landscape, even seasoned veterans are not spared the risk of voter rejection. — Bernama pic

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 30 — Sabah’s highly fluid political landscape means that anyone, including political veterans, is not spared from the risk of being rejected by voters.

This was evident when several seasoned politicians were defeated in the constituencies they contested in the 17th Sabah State Election yesterday.

Among those who suffered such a setback was United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) president Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia, who contested under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) banner in Pintasan in an 11-cornered fight.

Despite being a native of Kota Belud and a long-time political figure, these factors did not provide an advantage to the former Dewan Rakyat Speaker, who attempted for the second time to win the same seat after his initial bid in the 16th state election.

Pandikar, 70, failed to wrest the Pintasan seat from the same opponent, Datuk Fairuz Renddan, who contested as an independent this time and won with a majority of 1,070 votes.

The Pintasan seat was first contested in the previous state election and won by Fairuz, who then ran under a Perikatan Nasional (PN) ticket.

In Usukan, also in Kota Belud, former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak of Barisan Nasional (BN) failed to retain the seat after losing to Warisan’s Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis@Fakharudy, who secured a slim majority of 442 votes.

In his bid to defend Usukan, Salleh, 68, who is also a former communications and multimedia minister, faced a six-cornered contest.

Meanwhile, Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) president Tan Sri Anifah Aman was defeated once again in his second attempt to capture the Bongawan seat under the Kimanis parliamentary constituency.

Anifah, 73, a former Foreign Minister, lost to the same opponent he faced in the 16th state election, Dr Daud Yusof of Warisan, in a nine-cornered contest this time.

A total of 73 seats were contested in the polls.

GRS won 29 of the 73 seats, Warisan (25), BN (6), Independents (5), United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) (3), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) (2), while PN, Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) won one seat each. — Bernama

GRS’ only Chinese lawmaker left standing, Ben Chong for DCM spot in Hajiji’s Sabah Cabinet?

 

Datuk Ben Chong Chen Bin who kept his Tanjong Kapor seat for the second consecutive time in the November 29, 2025 Sabah election is widely speculated to be a shoo-in for the Hajiji state Cabinet to thank local Chinese voters. — Picture from Facebook/Ben Chong

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 30 — Tanjong Kapor assemblyman Datuk Ben Chong Chen Bin could be one of three deputy chief ministers if Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor keeps to his election promise.

After all, Chong, 47, is the only ethnic Chinese in the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition to have survived yesterday’s election. 

The other winning ethnic Chinese candidates are with the rival Parti Warisan.

Chong won the seat in Kudat for the third time this election; twice under a Warisan ticket, but he holds no major leadership roles aside from the Tanjong Kapor division chief of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah (PGRS).

His foray in public politics began in 2018 as a candidate for the newly-formed Warisan.

He won the seat again in 2020 but then defected to the governing GRS in 2023.

In this weekend’s polls, he narrowly won the seat for the due to split votes with a 359 majority. 

His biggest competitors were independent Datuk Verdon Bahanda who polled 5,812 and Warisan youth chief Terence Au who polled 4,737. Eight other candidates lost their deposits.

In September, Hajiji said GRS will appoint a Chinese elected representative as a deputy chief minister if the coalition returns to power.

Hajiji was sworn in earlier this morning, but it is still unclear who will be part of his Cabinet.

Speculation in Sabah is now focused on the appointments of the Hajiji state administration and who will be picked as appointed assemblymen. 

So far, United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku have openly declared their full support for Hajiji. 

Parti Kesejahteraan Tanah Airku and the five independents who won have yet to make a public statement. - malaymail

Not intimidation, Albert's lawyer called in as he has evidence - MACC

 

MACC has refuted the allegation that it was trying to intimidate Albert Tei’s lawyer, Mahajoth Singh, by summoning the counsel for questioning today.

Instead, the agency claimed the lawyer was called in because he possessed evidence relevant to their investigation against his client.

MACC, in a statement, also stressed it has authority under Section 30(1) of the MACC Act to issue a notice and require any person to attend and produce documents or recordings necessary to assist an investigation.

“The notice was issued under Section 30(1) of the MACC Act 2009, which empowered MACC to require any person to attend and produce documents or recordings necessary to assist an investigation.

“There is no exemption for legal practitioners, and to suggest otherwise is legally unfounded.

“Given that the counsel representing the suspect is in possession of exhibits relevant to the investigation, he is legally obligated to produce them when required under Section 30 (3),” the statement read.

MACC was responding to a statement issued by Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) this morning, condemning the agency for summoning Mahajoth (above) for questioning.

LFL director Zaid Malek regarded the notice as an “extraordinary and unlawful” action by the agency “that raises serious questions about investigative propriety and respect for the rule of law”.

Routine statutory process

Adding further, MACC claimed that while the solicitor-client privilege protects confidential legal advice, it “does not excuse a lawyer from appearing before investigators, shield materials unrelated to legal advice, or prevent inquiries where the lawyer is a material witness”.

MACC headquarters in Putrajaya

“Thus, the allegation of intimidation is baseless. The notice is a routine statutory process and in no way interferes with the lawyer’s ability to represent his client.

“Summoning individuals with relevant information is standard investigative procedure,” MACC said.

On LFL’s criticism against the agency for not allowing Mahajoth access to his client yesterday, MACC said such a temporary restriction is governed by the Criminal Procedure Code and operational requirements to protect investigative integrity.

Such a restriction is lawful and not unusual in sensitive cases, it added.

“Mischaracterising lawful procedures as ‘lawlessness’ is irresponsible and risks confusing the public,” MACC said. - Mkini