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Malaysia
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Malaysia

Malaysia
Malaysia
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on Malaysia, covering politics, economy, society and the Asean member-nation’s relationships with China, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries.
Capital
Kuala Lumpur
Head of State
Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar
Head of Government
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
Anwar Ibrahim
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (second from left) is reportedly has reportedly been arranging calls with US President Donald Trump about his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: Kyodo
2026 Xi-Trump summit

What did American allies make of Trump’s trip to China to meet Xi?

The meeting Beijing was watched around the world for clues on topics ranging from trade to Taiwan and rare earths.

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Science

Top Singapore-based physicist moves to China after superconductor breakthrough

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Anwar Ibrahim

In Malaysia, ex-ministers challenge Anwar’s attempt to project strength

Britain

Turning over a new leaf: why UK’s green mandate is a win for Asia

The Green Party’s record-breaking gains in UK council elections are a sign voters are taking climate change seriously, analysts say.

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Members of the Green Party celebrate a win in Bellingham in south London on May 9. Photo: EPA
Malaysia 1MDB scandal

Anwar says Malaysia won’t oppose Jho Low’s Trump pardon bid

The Malaysian businessman, indicted in the US, has denied wrongdoing but remains at large.

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Mahathir Mohamad

Mahathir ‘doesn’t care’ about ‘dictator’ label as he reflects on his legacy

In an interview, the former prime minister reveals that he and his ex-protege, Anwar Ibrahim, clashed over their views on corruption.

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Malaysia 1MDB scandal

High stakes, low odds: why Trump pardon is unlikely for 1MDB’s Jho Low

The request appears unlikely to succeed because Low has never appeared in a US court, stood trial or accepted responsibility, analysts say.

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Jho Low poses for a photo at his Jynwel Capital office in Hong Kong on March 11, 2015. Photo: SCMP
Chinese overseas

Malaysian minister rejects claims Chinese nationals ‘freely’ given citizenship

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution said the accusations were deliberately spread to confuse the public and inflame tensions.

The Philippines

A year after USAID cuts, Philippine development groups struggle as anger lingers

An investigation by several regional media outlets shows USAID was a target of misinformation after Trump froze aid from the agency.

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2026 Xi-Trump summit

Wary mood to mark Xi-Trump summit with irritants aplenty on both sides: analysts

Observers noted the number of recent strategic and trade blows, including the war on Iran, have not derailed the meeting from going ahead.

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President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping pictured in 2017 at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Photo: AP
Anwar Ibrahim

Malaysia weighs legal action after Norway blocks missile exports

The missiles are central to Malaysia’s troubled littoral combat ship programme as Putrajaya says it will seek an explanation from Oslo.

The Naval Strike Missiles produced by Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace are meant for the Malaysian navy’s littoral combat ships and two guided missile frigates. Photo: Kongsberg
SCMP Highlights

Chinese brands eye Europe; Geely joins Chery, BYD profit slide: 7 EV reads

From Malaysia’s import curbs to film-projecting headlights, here are seven EV stories you may have missed.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)

‘Low profile’ ex-judge takes over Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency

Abdul Halim Aman, 69, takes the reins at a turbulent time for the MACC. ‘He has a difficult job ahead’, one analyst says.

Malaysia 1MDB scandal

Malaysia’s Jho Low seeking Trump pardon for 1MDB fraud

The fugitive financier is accused of being the architect of a scheme to siphon at least US$4.5 billion from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund.

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Jho Low poses at an event in Washington in April 2015. Photo: AP
2026 Xi-Trump summit

US defence secretary joins Trump on China trip in rare diplomatic move

Pete Hegseth becomes first Pentagon chief to accompany a US president to Beijing since Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit.

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US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth testifies before the Senate on Tuesday regarding the White House’s proposed military budget. Photo: Getty Images
Indonesia

Police raids reveal Indonesia as new hub for scam, gambling syndicates

Hundreds of foreigners have been arrested in Indonesia recently following crackdowns against crime groups in Cambodia and Myanmar.

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Myanmar

‘Tentative step’: Asean weighs bringing Myanmar back into the fold

Virtual talks may offer a ‘sensible middle ground’ for reconciliation after Myanmar’s years in the political wilderness, analysts say.

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Corruption in Asia

Malaysia’s top anti-corruption enforcer exits with legacy in doubt

Malaysia has a new anti-corruption chief. What it doesn’t have yet is a clear answer to the questions that dogged the old one.

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Azam Baki waves after a press conference on repatriated artworks linked to 1MDB asset recovery at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya on May 6. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

14 Indonesians missing after boat sinks off Malaysia’s Pangkor Island

About 100,000 to 200,000 Indonesians make the risky sea journey to Malaysia in search of work each year, according to migrant activists.

SCMP Highlights

Philippine pageant debate, Chinese stealth jets in Pakistan: 7 Asia highlights

From controversy about a Philippine pageant winner to Japan’s social recluses, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Indonesia

Malaysian landlord’s pity for broke tenant brings loan sharks to her door

The victim said the Indonesian woman used the flat address to secure loans and lenders are now threatening to burn down the house.

Lim (second from right) shows a picture of the tenant during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Photo: The Star
US, Israel war on Iran

US tells banks to flag suspected Iranian money-laundering networks

Banks are asked to look out for oil labelled ‘Malaysian blend’ to disguise its Iranian origin and missing or falsified shipping documents.

Vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. Photo: ISNA via AFP
Umno (Malaysia)

Malaysia’s Umno marks 80th anniversary with show of Malay political power

The party held its celebrations in the Johor palace where it was founded, signalling it is back on track ahead of coming state polls.

Anwar Ibrahim

Malaysia’s fuel subsidy headache leaves Anwar ‘scrambling for solution’

The government will review fuel subsidies for higher-income Malaysians but has yet to decide how the cut-off should be applied, Anwar says.

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Social media

‘Spare us’: Malaysians sneer at ex-Proton CEO’s self-reliance sermon

The man who once presided over one of Malaysia’s most heavily protected companies has told Malays to stop relying on the state.

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Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Tahir addressed a press conference in 2007 while he was managing director of Proton. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

321 foreigners arrested in Indonesia online gambling crackdown

The foreigners, mainly from Vietnam, were arrested near Jakarta’s Chinatown section that investigators described as a hub for more than 70 online gambling websites.

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Suspected online gambling operators (in orange) walk towards buses for transfer after a police raid at the Hayam Wuruk Plaza office building in Jakarta on Sunday. Photo: AFP
Hantavirus

Malaysia tightens border screenings to prevent hantavirus entry

The health minister said over 20,000 vessels, especially those arriving from high-risk areas, were inspected at Malaysia’s entry points.

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Food and agriculture

Malaysia resorts to cloud seeding to save rice crop from drought

With farmers facing arid brown fields that should be flooded, Malaysia’s prime minister announced cloud-seeding operations to trigger rain.

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