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Each year, many expats living in Thailand see their health insurance premiums go up and often without a clear reason. This can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to plan your budget. But by understanding why prices rise and learning...
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Malaysia PM to clarify Haj selection criteria, HPV vaccine status
The classification criteria for the B40, M40, and T20 groups in selecting Haj pilgrims for the 1444H season, as well as the number of individuals to receive offers this year, are expected to be discussed during today’s Dewan Rakyat session. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will address these concerns during the Minister’s Question Time, responding to questions from Abdul Latiff Abdul…
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Budget 2023 eases financial burden for Malaysian fresh grads
Helena Roshnee Eswaran, a 24-year-old junior executive, is among the many Malaysian fresh graduates who have benefited from the repayment discount incentive for National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) borrowers under the federal government’s Budget 2023. The initiative aims to ease the financial burden of borrowers amidst the challenging economic climate. The PTPTN offer covers four categories, including a 20%…
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Ex-minister Khairy slams MP’s opposition to anti-smoking policy
Former Malaysian minister Khairy Jamaluddin has criticised Sungai Buloh MP R. Ramanan for opposing the government’s generational end game (GEG) policy, aimed at reducing smoking among future Malaysians. Khairy, who championed the Tobacco Products and Smoking Control Bill 2022 and the GEG policy during his tenure as health minister, shared his disapproval of Ramanan’s stance on his Instagram story. Ramanan…
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Sabah targets RM1bn local oil and gas contracts, eyes green energy
Sabah’s Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, announced that the state aims to secure RM1 billion in local contract awards, accounting for 20% of total oil and gas contracts awarded this year. As of now, local contract awards have reached RM564 million, which is equivalent to 11% of the total spend in 2022. The revenue from oil and gas has…
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SPM 2022 sees 10,109 candidates achieve top grades, best results since 2013
A total of 10,109 students achieved excellent grades in the 2022 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations, with the National Average Grade (GPN) score improving to 4.74 from 4.86 in the previous year, according to Education director-general Pkharuddin Ghazali. He revealed that 373,974 candidates sat for the SPM 2022, and 75,322 students obtained average results with at least a grade C…
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Police kill two machete-wielding burglary suspects in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur
In the early hours of the morning, two men believed to be foreigners were fatally shot by the police in Taman Supreme, Cheras, near Kuala Lumpur. The police were forced to open fire in self-defence when the suspects attempted to attack them with machetes. The two men, both in their 30s, died at the scene, while their two accomplices managed…
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Malaysia and Indonesia boost trade, investment and halal sector cooperation
Malaysia and Indonesia have strengthened their trade, investment, and halal sector collaboration by signing agreements during Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s visit to Malaysia. Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Indonesian Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan represented their respective countries in sealing the border trade agreement and memorandum of understanding on investment promotion cooperation. The Department of…
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Puteri Umno chief urges unity for political stability and Malaysia’s prosperity
Puteri Umno chief Nurul Amal Mohd Fauzi acknowledged today the need for her party to adapt to the current political landscape under the unity government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Speaking to over 1,000 delegates at Umno’s Annual General Meeting, Nurul urged party members to broaden their perspective and accept the new political dynamic. Nurul admitted that it took…
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Fraudulent employment: Fake farm jobs in Australia leave Thai victims scammed
A fraudulent employment agent lured nearly 30 Thais with enticing job opportunities on Australian cattle farms, duping them out of tens of millions of baht. The victims came forward yesterday, filing a complaint with Thai police against the alleged con artist claiming high social status. The complaint against Watsan (whose last name is withheld) was lodged yesterday by 61 year…
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Proton sales surge 40% with new export market and strong demand
Proton Holdings Bhd, Malaysia’s national carmaker, reported a 40.9% increase in vehicle sales in May 2023 compared to the previous month, selling 13,268 vehicles (domestic and export). This also represents a 35.5% increase over May last year. The surge in sales is attributed to a rebound in the total industry volume (TIV) after a slow start in April. The company’s…
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Minister condemns comedian’s insensitive MH370 tragedy joke at US show
Kuala Lumpur witnessed strong condemnation from Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil regarding the inappropriate actions of Singaporean comedian Jocelyn Chia. She made offensive remarks about Malaysia and the tragic MH370 incident during a recent comedy show in New York. Fadzil stated that local comedians Adflin Shauki and Harith Iskander have also criticised and condemned Chia’s actions. In her performance,…
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Umno Youth Chief demands DAP apology for past accusations
Umno Youth chief, Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, has demanded an apology from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) for past accusations made against his party. In a passionate policy speech attended by hundreds of delegates at the Tun Razak Hall in World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Dr Akmal challenged the DAP to demonstrate its commitment to working with Umno by acknowledging…
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Indonesian President Jokowi delights crowd during Malaysia market visit
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, widely known as Jokowi, received an enthusiastic welcome from locals and Indonesians as he visited the Chow Kit market in Kuala Lumpur, accompanied by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The crowd had gathered at the popular wet market from as early as 11am, while security personnel placed barricades along the streets. Jokowi arrived at the market at…
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Najib Razak receives youth leadership award despite 12-year jail sentence
In Kuala Lumpur, the former Malaysian Prime Minister and Umno president, Najib Razak, who is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for stealing US$10 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd, was granted the youth leadership award by his party’s youth wing. Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, the recently-elected Umno Youth chief, stated that the award was a symbol of gratitude for…
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Umno president dismisses DAP apology demand for Malay, Islamic commitment
Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has dismissed demands for a public apology from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) to prove its commitment to the Malay and Islamic agenda. The call for an apology was made by Umno Youth Chief Dr Akmal Salleh during the wing’s assembly. Hamidi, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, stated that the issue…
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Phuket vies for Specialised Expo 2028, boosting health and medical tourism
As the final presentation and vote for the Specialised Expo 2028 approaches, many Thai citizens are eagerly awaiting the decision, hoping that Phuket will be chosen as the host city. The Thai delegation is set to present their case to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) on June 21, highlighting the southern resort island province’s potential as a host location.…
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Sanusi urged to own up for erasing Penang remark by Lim Guan Eng
In a recent development, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng has urged Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor to take responsibility for his previous comments about “erasing Penang.” Lim, who is also the Bagan MP, criticised Sanusi for accusing the media of misreporting after facing public backlash. Lim questioned Sanusi’s delayed response, asking, “If there was a mistake in…
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Malaysia, Indonesia unite against EU palm oil discrimination
In a historic move, Malaysia and Indonesia have joined forces to counter the anti-oil palm campaign and protect the interests of the palm oil sector. At a joint press conference, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo commended their respective ministers, Fadillah Yusof and Airlangga Hartarto, for their collaborative efforts in defending the oil palm commodity. Both…
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Ballot bafflement: Thai EC orders recounts in 47 polling stations after votes outnumber registered voters
The Election Commission (EC) of Thailand announced plans to conduct vote recounts in 47 polling stations across Thailand on June 11 as the number of ballots cast exceeded the number of registered voters. During a meeting held yesterday, the EC disclosed that out of the 95,000 polling stations nationwide, 31 stations will have their votes recounted for the party-list candidates,…
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Indonesia, Malaysia unite against EU palm oil discrimination law
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has urged for stronger cooperation with Malaysia to combat perceived discrimination against their palm oil products, as new European Union legislation threatens to impact exports. The EU enacted a law earlier this year prohibiting the import of commodities linked to deforestation, which is expected to adversely affect the palm oil industry. Indonesia and Malaysia are the…
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Caroline Lucas to step down as Green Party’s only MP
Caroline Lucas, former leader of the Green Party and the first Green MP in the House of Commons, has announced her decision not to stand for re-election at the next general election. In a letter to her Brighton Pavilion constituents, the 62-year-old MP expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to serve the community and highlighted the increasing urgency of environmental…
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Met Police chief apologises to LGBT+ community for force’s homophobic failings
Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has issued an apology to LGBT+ activist Peter Tatchell and the wider community for the force’s historical homophobic failings. The apology comes in the wake of a report by Baroness Casey in March, which exposed racism, misogyny, and homophobia within the Met Police. Tatchell described the apology as a “ground-breaking step forward” and hopes…
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New Na Klang-Ao Jik road links Phuket and Phang Nga, boosting tourism
The newly completed Na Klang-Ao Jik road, which connects Phuket and Phang Nga, is set to provide a boost to local tourism and cross-provincial transport. The Department of Rural Roads (DRR) has invested approximately 282.8 million baht (US$8.5 million) in the 4.2-kilometre road, which is part of a city expansion project in Phang Nga’s Thai Muang district. The concrete road…
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Rain reigns: Nakhon Ratchasima’s reservoirs overflow with joy as planting season gets a splashy boost
Heavy rainfall in Nakhon Ratchasima provided a significant boost to the province’s reservoirs, ensuring sufficient water management during the planting season. The unexpected downpour is due to a high-pressure system affecting Thai provinces and neighbouring countries and is predicted to continue until June 10. In the lower north-eastern region, the heavy monsoon resulted in a 70% chance of thunderstorms and heavy…
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Phuket lifeguards warn of poisonous jellyfish on island beaches
Phuket Lifeguard Service has issued an official warning to beachgoers and swimmers about the presence of poisonous jellyfish in the waters surrounding the island. The alert comes after several Portuguese man-o-war jellyfish was found washed up along the west coast beaches in recent days. A photo of one such jellyfish was posted on the Phuket Lifeguard Service’s official Facebook account,…
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Asia-Pacific aviation recovery boosted by China’s early reopening
Asia-Pacific aviation is set for a gradual recovery this year, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) citing China’s earlier-than-expected reopening as a significant boost for the industry. Philip Goh, IATA’s Vice-President for Asia-Pacific, noted that revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) for the region in April reached 82% of the corresponding period in 2019. Domestic RPK has already surpassed 2019 levels,…
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Yala craft beer uses Betong pomelo peel, garnering nationwide interest
A local craft beer originating in Yala province has gained popularity across Thailand due to its unique blend, which includes peel from the local Betong orange. The product’s demand consistently increased after being featured at Sol Bar. This bar is located at the headquarters of the Move Forward Party in Bangkok and is discussed heavily on social media platforms. The…
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Afghan students struggle as India cancels visas amid Taliban takeover
For two years, Yasmeen Azimi, a 22-year-old Afghan student, has been struggling to obtain a visa to continue her studies in India. Despite being admitted to a postgraduate programme in political science at Chandigarh University under a scholarship from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in January 2021, her visa application has been rejected three times. India’s Ministry of…
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Two women killed as motorbike swerves to avoid truck and is crushed by trailer
Two women were tragically killed when their motorcycle collided with a trailer after swerving to avoid a pick-up truck making a U-turn on a road in Sadao district of Thailand’s Songkhla province. The victims, believed to be Myanmar migrant workers who were 25 to 30 years old, were run over by the trailer. Between last night and this morning, officers…
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World Ocean Day highlights alarming growth of plastic waste in seas
Annually, approximately 400 million tonnes of plastic products are manufactured globally, with nearly half utilised for single-use items such as shopping bags, cups, and packaging materials. It is estimated that 8 million to 10 million tonnes of these plastics end up in the ocean each year, covering an area of 11,000 square kilometres when flattened to the thickness of a…
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