KUALA LUMPUR: Thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds are expected to hit several areas in eight states and the Federal Territory of Labuan until 10pm Thursday (Nov 5).
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) said, in a statement, that the affected areas in Kedah are Kubang Pasu, Baling, Sik and Padang Terap, while those in Pahang are Lipis, Raub, Cameron Highlands and Rompin.
In Perak, the affected areas are Larut Matang, Kampar, Kinta, Kuala Kangsar, Perak Tengah, Hilir Perak, Hulu Perak, Manjung, Bagan Datuk, Muallim, Batang Padang and Selama. In Kelantan, the warning covers Gua Musang.
The same warning also covers Hulu Selangor, Kuala Selangor, Gombak, Sabak Bernam and Klang in Selangor, as well as Kota Tinggi, Johor Baru and Mersing in Johor.
In Sarawak, the affected areas are Miri division, including Marudi, Telang Usan, Bario and Beluru, as well as Limbang.
In Sabah, the warning covers the interior areas of Pensiangan, Sipitang, Beaufort, Kuala Penyu and Tenom. — Bernama
A 21-year-old Muslim youth who sparked controversy after participating in a Hindu ritual publicly repented today during a special ceremony at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque in Shah Alam.
The event took place roughly 24 hours after the Syariah High Court ordered him to undergo faith rehabilitation and repent.
Aliff Daniel Adli, alongside his mother and younger sister, recited the pledge of repentance on stage using a microphone, witnessed by state religious officials, including Selangor mufti Anhar Opir and Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) secretary Sabirin Sarbini.
Reciting the Islamic declaration of faith (syahadah), Aliff (above, left) - clad in a green baju Melayu and songkok - admitted his mistake and pledged to reform.
"I also realise that my actions have caused public anxiety, confusion, and threatened public peace and order.
"Therefore, I sincerely repent, return to the right path, and strive to deepen and practise the teachings of Islam based on authentic knowledge," he said.
(From left) Aliff Daniel Adli, his mother Rohizayanti Ramli and sister Nur Ranea Ezreen Adli at the public repentance event
Aliff’s actions were reported to have sparked public confusion and were deemed an insult to the purity of Islam for publicly participating in Hindu and Buddhist rituals.
During the Thaipusam celebration at Batu Caves on Jan 24, 2024, Aliff fasted for a week according to Hindu rites, fulfilled a vow, and wore ritual attire and paraphernalia, including a vesthi, flower garlands, and spiked clogs.
He also pierced his cheek with a trident and his tongue with a vel (divine spear) before carrying a paalkudam (milk pot) in a procession to the temple.
Investigations revealed that he had previously performed deviant rituals in Indonesia, India, and Thailand.
Yesterday, the Gombak Barat Syariah Subordinate Court in Kuang ordered Aliff to undergo three months of faith rehabilitation at the Baitul Iman Rehabilitation Centre in Hulu Yam, following his guilty plea.
The court also advised the accused to perform a taubat nasuha (sincere repentance) and return to the right path, noting that his actions constituted a severe offence that compromised monotheistic faith (tauhid).
Mother, sister also repent
In the same ceremony, his mother, Rohizayanti Ramli, also recited her repentance and admitted to her shortcomings due to "worldly negligence" and a lack of knowledge in monitoring her son's social circles and surroundings.
"I admit that I was negligent in safeguarding the fitrah asal (innate faith) and guiding my son, leading him to fall under the influence of views and doctrines that deviate from true Islamic teachings," Rohizayanti said.
Rohizayanti, who now wears a headscarf, pledged to strengthen religious education within her family, attend authentic religious classes, and cooperate with the authorities to rehabilitate Aliff's faith.
Nur Ranea Ezreen Adli, Aliff Daniel's sister
His younger sister, Nur Ranea Ezreen Adli, also expressed regret, admitting her failure to offer proper guidance.
"With deep regret and humility, I admit my mistakes, negligence, and shortcomings as a sister in preserving the family's integrity, which allowed my brother to become trapped and involved in clearly deviant rituals," she said.
Like her mother and brother, she vowed to deepen her understanding of Sunni Islam to help guide her brother with care and affection.
The three appeared emotional, breaking down in tears several times during the ceremony.
This is not the first public repentance event in the country. A similar approach was previously taken with Ashaari Muhammad, the leader of the banned Al-Arqam sect, on Oct 20, 1994, as well as his widow, Khadijah Aam (better known as Ummu Jah), in December 2011. - Mkini
Pahang ruler Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has urged the federal government to strengthen border controls and improve refugee management to ensure that the country's security and sovereignty remain protected.
Sultan Abdullah believes that the federal government should conduct a comprehensive assessment of whether the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) should continue operating in Malaysia, including the possibility of terminating its operations if its functions and effectiveness no longer serve the country's needs and interests.
His Royal Highness said the growing presence of foreigners, including refugees whose presence is not properly managed, must be given serious attention as it could create various challenges involving security, social well-being, environmental cleanliness and public order.
"The presence of an international organisation should help ease the country's burden, rather than create circumstances that ultimately have to be borne by the government and local people.
"Humanitarian considerations should never be used as a reason to take the country's sovereignty lightly, just as protection should never be allowed to undermine the priority of national laws," the sultan said in a statement posted on the Pahang Sultanate's Facebook page today.
Sultan Abdullah said Malaysia should remain a compassionate and humane nation, but must never compromise its sovereignty and security in the name of humanitarianism.
Rohingya refugees in Kuala Lumpur
"Every individual residing in this country is obliged to respect the laws and regulations in force, regardless of their origin or background," the post stated.
His Royal Highness said all enforcement actions must be carried out firmly, fairly and in accordance with the law, in line with the government's primary responsibility to defend national sovereignty, uphold the rule of law and safeguard the well-being of the people.
RM1b state revenue collected
In a separate post, Sultan Abdullah expressed his gratitude and pride over the state government's success in recording RM1 billion in revenue collection as early as Sept 17, achieving this milestone for the fifth consecutive year.
The Pahang ruler said the achievement reflected the state administration's capabilities under the leadership of Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail in strengthening its financial position through efficient management, effective compliance measures and efforts to curb revenue leakages.
Meanwhile, His Royal Highness said the success of a government should not be measured solely by the amount of revenue collected, but also by how far its financial achievements could be translated into positive changes in the people's lives.
"I hope the state's strong financial position will translate into more comprehensive development, wider employment opportunities, higher incomes for the people, quality infrastructure facilities and improved well-being that all segments of society can enjoy," the post said.
His Royal Highness expressed hope that the state's financial achievements would continue to serve as a catalyst for balanced state development, ensuring that Pahang residents continue to enjoy the benefits of prosperity.
The number of companies holding open approved permits (AP) has risen to 414 as of today, up from 107 in 2019, following the government’s move to expand bumiputera entrepreneurs’ participation in the country’s automotive industry.
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Johari Abdul Ghani (above) said the enhancements to the open AP policy, which took effect on July 1, 2024, were intended to expand opportunities for more bumiputera entrepreneurs, including companies with no prior experience in the automotive industry.
He also said the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry screens open AP applicants to ensure it grants approval only to companies with the capability and financial capacity to carry out the business.
“A few had obtained APs, but we revoked the permits due to ‘Ali Baba’ practices. Hence, we thoroughly vet these applicants before approval.
“There are 28 industries in Malaysia, so how can we just grant (APs) for critical industries to just anyone?
“Ultimately, we must also monitor these industries to ensure they can carry out the responsibilities entrusted to them,” he said during a Special Chamber session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was replying to a question from Lim Lip Eng (Harapan-Kepong), who asked the government to review the AP policy to support ordinary bumiputera, not enrich Malay tycoons.
RM30m financing facility
Johari also said the government, via his ministry, has allocated RM30 million to Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Bhd to provide financing facilities for the relevant entrepreneurs.
He said the financing application requires working capital of between RM1 million and RM3 million, depending on the company’s needs.
“There are many capable, young individuals who lack both a business partner and capital. Hence, they seek partners with whom they can run a business.
“They actually possess skills in selling cars and have built relationships with customers. (So) we will assist them,” Johari said.
The Penang government has clarified that the RM100,000 spent on a delegation’s visit to Egypt last year came from the Penang Islamic Religious Council’s (MAINPP) administrative budget, not zakat funds meant for the needy.
The clarification comes amid allegations that zakat funds were channelled towards the Egypt trip, including claims that the money was deposited into an officer’s personal bank account while the delegation was overseas.
Deputy Chief Minister I Mohamad Abdul Hamid said the visit, led by former Penang governor Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak last year, was financed through the council’s Administrative Fund under its 2025 budget, with not a sen taken from allocations meant for asnaf (eligible zakat recipients), the poor or tawaquf funds.
“No application was submitted to MAINPP’s Zakat Department for a zakat cheque as alleged, and the council had never received such a cheque,” Mohamad (above), who is also MAINPP president, told the Penang state assembly when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill and Development Estimates Motion 2027 today.
Beyond the funding controversy, Mohamad defended the trip on the strength of what he described as its educational and institutional dividends.
Among the key outcomes was a credit transfer cooperation arrangement (Mu’adalah) between Penang’s International Islamic College of Technology and Al-Azhar University, as well as a new hostel for Penang students pursuing their studies in Egypt.
The delegation also witnessed the official opening of the first Penang Islamic Digital Library at Al-Azhar University's Faculty of Syariah.
Mohamad said the programme included meetings with Al-Azhar University president Prof Dr Salamah Jumaah Dawood and a visit to Egypt’s Ministry of Awqaf.
The delegation then travelled to Saudi Arabia, where it held discussions with the top management of King Abdulaziz University and the Islamic University of Madinah to strengthen cooperation in Islamic higher education.
Mohamad said the trip should be judged by its objectives, achievements, and long-term contributions to Islamic education and the welfare of Penang students studying in Egypt.
Penang to introduce dedicated wakaf law
Meanwhile, Mohamad said the state government plans to table a dedicated Penang Wakaf Enactment at next year’s state assembly sitting to establish a comprehensive legal framework governing waqf.
He said Penang lacks a specific enactment to regulate the administration, management, development, and advancement of waqf properties.
Instead, provisions governing waqf, nazr, and trusts are all in Sections 89 to 95 of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Penang) Enactment 2004.
While these provisions provide MAINPP with the legal basis to discharge its responsibilities, Mohamad said they were too general to address the increasingly diverse and complex demands of waqf management.
“The provisions relating to waqf, nazr and trusts are currently contained in Sections 89 to 95 of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Penang) Enactment 2004.
“Although the existing provisions provide a legal basis for MAINPP to discharge its responsibilities relating to waqf, nazr, and trusts, they are general in nature and do not elaborate in detail on the various aspects of waqf management, which have become increasingly diverse and complex,” he said. - Mkini
Profit-driven algorithms represent a real threat to Malaysia’s refugees, said humanitarian observers who expect the online aggression to intensify as the general election approaches.
The observers caution that political opportunism is targeting undocumented Rohingya who are uniquely vulnerable to the manufactured social media outrage.
The escalation of anti-refugee rhetoric serves a calculated domestic purpose as Malaysia approaches the 16th general election, said Universiti Malaya’s human rights researcher Khoo Ying Hooi.
She believes that refugees have become politically convenient targets as political parties compete to demonstrate their nationalist credentials.
Recent government policy moves, such as repatriation arrangements with Myanmar, must also be understood within this electoral context, she said.
Khoo Ying Hooi
“However, we should distinguish between a deliberate electoral strategy and politicians responding opportunistically to existing public hostility. Both can reinforce each other,” she said.
Khoo pointed out that refugees are somehow portrayed as responsible for cost-of-living pressures, stagnant wages and economic insecurity.
But the issues are rooted in structural economic weaknesses and policy failures, said the associate professor of international relations and human rights.
“Politically, directing public frustration towards a vulnerable population is easier than confronting difficult questions about wages, inequality and governance.
“Refugees have very little political power and almost no institutional means to defend themselves,” she said.
Weaponised xenophobia
Khoo believes that the economic grievances and national identity were being politically mobilised, similar to the weaponisation of xenophobia in Western democracies.
“But then, Malaysia operates within a different political and historical context, particularly concerning ethnicity and religion.
“Nevertheless, the political mechanism can be quite similar; for instance, anxieties about economic and social change are channelled into hostility towards outsiders, often through emotionally charged and misleading narratives,” said Khoo.
She cited the online posts accusing refugees of stealing formal local jobs, monopolising public healthcare, and driving up national crime rates.
Khoo explained that these claims are routinely generalised without statistical evidence, noting that isolated criminal disputes are weaponised on social media to frame an entire ethnic group as a societal threat.
She gave example of how the claims ignored foundational legal facts when it accuses refugees as an economic threat and stealing formal jobs from locals.
"This claim fundamentally overlooks Malaysia's legal framework. Refugees are not granted the legal right to formal employment, and UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) registration does not provide a work permit.
“Consequently, many survive through informal employment, often under exploitative conditions and without adequate labour protection."
Non-citizens are also excluded from social safety net transfers, face restricted access to public services, education and pay significantly higher fees at government medical facilities, she said.
Khoo added that this is the dynamic that harms local Malaysian workers while falsely blaming refugees.
Digital outrage machine
North South Initiative executive director Adrian Pereira believes that this toxic online environment stands in contrast to the realities of everyday Malaysian life.
In the real world, citizens frequently display personal kindness toward displaced families, but social media algorithms are engineered to pick up and amplify hate rather than solidarity, he said.
Adrian observed that since the pandemic, online xenophobia has undergone a clear shift in targets.
"In general, we see both Malaysians who are very, very kind to migrants and refugees, but also a lot of hate and xenophobia. What the social media algorithm picks up is mostly the hate,” he said.
In June, Suhakam had to calm the public from the proliferation of a fabricated social media post which ignited a national digital firestorm across Malaysia.
The post made an alarming claim that Rohingya refugee leaders had formally demanded Malaysian citizenship, land rights, and equal bumiputera status.
The post with altered images and fake quotes has spread rapidly across online platforms. It was presented as evidence of an existential demographic threat to the nation.
Prominent media influencers and political VIPs were also quick to amplify the unvetted post, transforming a baseless piece of fake news into an explosive national panic.
Adrian Pereira
At the same time, the term “Roro” emerged online as a slur against the Rohingya. It became a dehumanising shorthand designed to demean, target, and mark members of the ethnic group.
It is believed that “Roro” was coined to bypass platform content moderation and censorship, and has now trickled into local podcast circuits and into broader political commentary.
Manufactured panic, real-world vigilantism
A simple search with this keyword on a popular social media platform would return many anti-refugee rhetoric targeting Rohingya individuals and community advocates.
This hostility has escalated from digital space into real-world intimidation. Social media posts now document vigilante groups conducting targeted hunts to locate and confront Rohingya refugees.
The encounters were broadcast to weaponise online outrage and signal government inaction.
Commenting on this further, Adrian rejects the claim that public tension is an organic reaction to the high refugee concentrations in visible urban enclaves.
“This targeting of Rohingya refugees is manufactured. It's manufactured by people who want to use it for both local and international political attacks on the country.
“So it's very manufactured; it's not natural and not because of (high refugee concentrations),” he said.
Rohingya singled out
Adrian noted that other non-citizen communities, such as African nationals, non-Rohingya Myanmar refugees, or historical Aceh settlements, also reside in concentrated urban areas.
These groups did not face equivalent, highly organised media attacks, said Adrian, who also refuted claims that public hostility stems from aggressive activism by Rohingya leaders.
“I don't think so. I've almost never heard of or seen any Rohingya activist making demands.
“I think there was fake news that may have triggered all of this, and that fake news was shared by a few VIPs and media influencers.
“So, it's nothing to do with statements made by any Rohingya leaders. This would have happened with or without them, and I've not heard any demands.
“Maybe I've seen one or two general statements, but very harmless, which many other groups have issued,” he said.
Adrian believes the Rohingya are singled out because of their statelessness, distinct physical traits, and forced reliance on human smuggling routes due to systemic apartheid in Myanmar.
“Many Malaysians don't know in what way or in what context the Rohingyas are persecuted and oppressed in their own unique way compared to other vulnerable communities.
“There's always a comparison with Palestinians or other refugees. So the comments are like, ‘oh, why don't you stay back and fight?' But you know they are fighting a junta that has a very notorious record.
“And you know they don't have citizenship. No citizenship means no passport. No passport means you can't travel to Malaysia through official channels,” he explained.
Unable to assimilate
The intensity of public hostility, however, does not fall equally across all displaced populations in Malaysia, and this reveals a distinct hierarchy of displacement.
According to Zuhri Yuhyi, a prominent Uyghur activist, populations such as Palestinians and Uyghurs generally experience far less public vitriol than the undocumented Rohingya.
Zuhri explained that Palestinians and Uyghurs frequently enter Malaysia through formal institutional channels, such as university student visas or professional skilled passes.
This grants them educational standing and social legitimacy, compared to the Rohingya who are unable to adopt quiet assimilation strategies, he said.
Zuhri explains that while Uyghur advocates previously organised vocal public demonstrations, they have since adopted a subdued strategy.
“The Uyghurs now prefer to live quietly and establish local business partnerships with Malaysians to navigate domestic political sensitivities,” he said.
The Rohingya's stateless status, lack of official identity documents or passports, and forced reliance on informal labour leave them visible and unprotected, he said. - Mkini
The writer, Salhan K Ahmad is a Malaysiakini contributor.
PARLIAMENT | The absence of Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad and his deputy, Hanifah Hajar Taib, from the Dewan Rakyat when a health-related question was raised today drew criticism from several MPs.
Zahir Hassan (Harapan-Wangsa Maju) had asked the health minister to state whether the ministry plans to increase primary health service capacity, including the construction or upgrading of health clinics in the parliamentary constituency.
He had stated that Wangsa Maju was the most densely populated parliamentary constituency in Malaysia, at 14,059 people per sq km.
However, when the time came for the question to be answered, deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker Alice Lau informed the House that neither the health minister nor his deputy was present in the chambers, and invited Wan Saiful Wan Jan (PN-Tasek Gelugor) to raise question number four.
Zahir (above) then asked whether he could submit his question when the minister or deputy minister arrived in the House.
However, Lau replied that it could not be done and proceedings moved on to the next question.
Deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker Alice Lau
The situation sparked protests from several opposition MPs. Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (PN-Masjid Tanah) described the incident as something unprecedented, stating that their absence showed a lack of respect for the Dewan Rakyat and other MPs who had prepared to ask their questions.
Wan Saiful, meanwhile, requested that the absence of the minister and deputy minister be recorded as part of House proceedings.
Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Sim Tze Tzin subsequently arrived to answer the question.
Takiyuddin criticises absence
In a press conference later, Perikatan Nasional chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan flayed both Dzulkefly and Hanifah over their absence, describing the matter as an insult to the Dewan Rakyat and an embarrassment to the government.
"It is a major failure by the government when both the minister and his deputy are not present to answer the question raised," he said.
He also demanded that the government provide an explanation regarding the absence of both members of the administration.
Takiyuddin Hassan
The incident is reminiscent of an event on March 27, 2023, when deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker Ramli Nor reprimanded then deputy education minister Lim Hui Ying for failing to prepare an answer for an oral question on the supplementary food programme in schools.
At the time, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek was absent, and the question was supposed to be answered by her deputy.
Lim later apologised for not preparing an answer and requested to provide a written response instead, triggering protests from opposition MPs.
However, the 2023 incident was different: the deputy minister was present but unable to provide an answer, whereas in today's occurrence, neither the health minister nor his deputy was present when the question was called.
Ministry explains absences
The ministry has since issued a statement explaining the duo's absence, saying it was unintentional and that Hanifah had been prepared to answer Zahir's question.
It said the deputy minister had been discussing the matter with ministry officers outside the Dewan Rakyat to finalise her answers when Zahir's question, the third on the list, was called earlier than expected.
Hanifah Hajar Taib
This happened after Kepala Batas MP Siti Mastura Muhammad arrived late, which led to her question to the transport minister being skipped, moving straight to the third question.
"This sudden change was the main reason the deputy minister was unable to enter the chamber in time," the ministry said.
Hanifah has since met Zahir and provided him with a detailed written response to his question, it added.
The ministry also provided an explanation for Dzulkefly's absence, saying he was unable to attend today's parliamentary sitting as he had to be in Malacca to witness the handover of the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for the construction of the Women and Children's Block at the Malacca Hospital. - Mkini
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