Malaysia

With the Malaysian Media Council Act an independent body has been established to uphold media ethics, manage complaints, protect journalists, guide AI use in media, aiming at press integrity and accountability through self-regulation and legal recognition

New amendments to the Personal Data Protection Act took effect, imposing stricter obligations on businesses to protect personal data, aligning Malaysia with global privacy standards

The ASEAN-GCC-China Forum, held in Kuala Lumpur, called on the business sector to seize new opportunities; With solid political groundwork established, leaders stressed that it’s now up to industry players to advance regional economic cooperation

Thousands are expected to attend the Wesak Day celebration at the Thai Buddhist Chetawan Temple in Petaling Jaya today, with traditional rituals as the bathing of the Buddha statue and performances to commemorate Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing

Curtailments to gas flow are expected to end on 20 April; they have been imposed after a fire in Petronas Putra Heights on 1 April resulted in a mushroom cloud in a residential area, where 50 houses were damaged by temperatures reaching over 1.000 °C

Army engineers are working to reconnect villages isolated by severe floods that have damaged infrastructure, leaving communities without access to essential services; the military's efforts focus on restoring transportation and communication links

The Malaysia Kabaddi Federation aims to gold at the upcoming SEA Games, a major multi-sport event in Southeast Asia, that would give much-needed international exposure; Kabaddi, a traditional contact sport, requires agility, strength, and teamwork

PM Ibrahim said religious mockery cases will be investigated fairly; his statement comes amid rising religious sensitivities and judicial shifts, with concerns over political interference and the balance between religious harmony and judicial independence

Malaysian gig industry players urge refinements to a proposed bill, citing concerns over worker classification, social security and pay; they seek a balanced approach between workers’ rights and industry growth; government is planning further discussions

Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli has criticized the negative perceptions of vernacular schools —public schools that teach in Mandarin or Tamil — emphasizing their role in education; He urges Malaysians to move beyond racial issues and focus on unity

Influencers from Malaysia have fabricated the story of their friend's disappearance in a forest in Bandung, Indonesia, to produce social media content with false search efforts and emotional appeals; authorities are investigating legal repercussions

High tide brought a massive amount of rubbish to Kampung Jawa beach in Penang, covering the shoreline with waste; Authorities and local volunteers are working to clean up the area