Malaysia

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

Kedah state will mandate the inclusion of Jawi script on all billboards, effective immediately, to preserve the traditional Malay-Arabic script, reflecting the state’s cultural heritage; businesses must incorporate Jawi alongside existing scripts

Gerakan, the People’s Movement Party supporting inclusion, called for a review of the proposal to require halal certification for food outlets; Kelantan state, with a Muslim majority, seeks to enforce the policy, raising concerns for non-Muslim businesses

The Malaysian Religious Affairs Minister managed to maintain the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage cost at approximately $2.227 per first-time pilgrim, despite global rising expenses, through new cost control measures and negotiating with Saudi Arabia government

Severe monsoon floods hit Malaysia and southern Thailand, with over 30 casualties and 150.000 displaced; hardest-hit areas include Kelantan and Terengganu, with entire towns submerged and thousands missing as six months’ worth of rain fell in five days