Day: June 30, 2026

Heavy rain, thunderstorms in KL, Putrajaya and 11 states until 7 tonight

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) today issued a warning of thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and 11 states this evening, which is expected to continue until 7pm. MetMalaysia announced that the warning involves Perlis, Kedah (Langkawi, Kubang Pasu, Kota Setar, Pokok Sena, Padang Terap, Yan, Baling, Kulim and Bandar Baharu) and Penang (Southern Seberang Perai). The bad weather is also predicted in Perak (Kerian), Pahang (Raub, Bentong, Bera and Rompin), Selangor (Klang, Gombak, Petaling, Kuala Langat, Hulu Langat and Sepang), the whole of Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor (Tangkak, Segamat, Muar and Mersing). In Sarawak, the areas expected to be affected are Samarahan, Betong, Sarikei, Sibu, Mukah, Kapit (Song), Bintulu (Tatau), Miri (Subis) and Limbang. In Sabah, the warning involves the Interior (Sipitang, Tenom and Nabawan), the West Coast (Ranau), Tawau (Tawau and Lahad Datu) and Sandakan (Telupid, Kinabatangan, Beluran and Sandakan). -- BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) today issued a warning of thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and 11 states this evening, which is expected to continue until 7pm. MetMalaysia announced that the warning involves Perlis, Kedah (Langkawi, Kubang Pasu, Kota Setar, Pokok Sena, Padang Terap, Yan, Baling, Kulim and […]

Johor Polls: Kota Iskandar’s Development Must Benefit The People – PH’s Dzulkefly

JOHOR BAHRU, June 30 -- Kota Iskandar's status as the seat of the Johor state administration and a hub for major development projects must bring tangible benefits to the people, not merely be reflected in investment figures and economic growth, said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate contesting the seat in the Johor state election. Dzulkefly Ahmad said feedback gathered during the campaign showed that several basic issues remained a source of concern for residents and required more comprehensive solutions. He said the issues most frequently raised included infrastructure, traffic congestion, flooding, the land status of places of worship, educational facilities and the need to improve public amenities. "With investments worth RM110 billion, state revenue of RM2.67 billion and state reserves amounting to RM2.8 billion, the people should be able to enjoy the benefits of such development. We should not merely focus on the numbers while those on the ground do not experience the benefits," he told Bernama. Dzulkefly said among the issues requiring attention was the land ownership status of several non-Muslim places of worship, including Ladang Lam Sam Temple in Kangkar Pulai, which has yet to obtain a resolution over its land title even though the land had already been surrendered to the state government for it to be awarded to the temple. He also said there was a need to upgrade the shortcut to the Tamil national-type school in the Nusantara area via Bukit Tempurung, which remains unpaved, while traffic congestion along the FT005 and J07 routes connecting Johor Bahru and Gelang Patah continued to irk residents. According to him, the frequent flooding in Kampung Baru Muafakat and Kampung Pulai, as well as unresolved land ownership issues involving residents of Kampung Pulai Mutiara despite the area's regularisation process having been completed, also required attention. He said these issues could only be resolved through coordination among the relevant agencies and not ad hoc measures. "I find that some of the solutions implemented previously were temporary and ad hoc in nature. What is needed are long-term solutions that can comprehensively ease congestion because it affects the daily lives of residents," he said. Dzulkefly also pledged to pursue the construction of a new public market in Gelang Patah should PH be given the mandate to form the Johor state government in the election on July 11. He said the existing facility, known as Taman Nusa Perintis Market, faced several issues, including land ownership, parking space and infrastructure that no longer met the needs of the rapidly growing area. "Therefore, if PH forms the government, we will ensure that a new public market is built there because Gelang Patah is no ordinary area. The state administrative centre is located here, as are the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Legoland and Puteri Harbour," he said. On his campaign approach, Dzulkefly said face-to-face engagement would remain his priority to enable him to hear the people's concerns directly, while also leveraging social media and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to engage young voters and Generation Z. The Kota Iskandar constituency, which has 132,579 registered voters, is seeing a four-cornered contest involving Dzulkefly, Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate S. Anna Pravina, incumbent Datuk Pandak Ahmad representing Barisan Nasional (BN) and Sahrudin Omar of Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama). -- BERNAMA 

JOHOR BAHRU, June 30 — Kota Iskandar’s status as the seat of the Johor state administration and a hub for major development projects must bring tangible benefits to the people, not merely be reflected in investment figures and economic growth, said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate contesting the seat in the Johor state election. Dzulkefly […]

Johor Polls: Suhaizan Confident PH Can Reclaim Larkin If Voter Turnout Improves

JOHOR BAHRU, June 30 -- Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Larkin seat, Suhaizan Kaiat, is optimistic about recapturing the seat from Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 16th Johor state election. He said his confidence is based on voting patterns seen during the 14th General Election (GE14), which demonstrated that BN could be defeated in the constituency when voter turnout is high. According to Suhaizan, the outcome of the 2022 Johor state election should not be treated as a definitive benchmark, as turnout then stood at only 51 per cent due to limitations brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The more accurate picture is reflected in the general election. If turnout in this state election improves, then our chances of winning will be stronger,” he told Bernama after an engagement with constituents in Larkin today. The Pulai Member of Parliament also believes there is potential support from Bersatu voters to shift towards PH following recent political developments affecting the relationship between Bersatu and PAS. Suhaizan said PH’s previous cooperation with Bersatu in an earlier political alliance could encourage Bersatu supporters to back him, particularly as Bersatu is not fielding a candidate in Larkin this time. In GE14, the Larkin seat was won by Datuk Mohd Izhar Ahmad, who contested under the PH (Bersatu) banner, before BN’s Mohd Hairi Mad Shah reclaimed the seat in the 2022 Johor state election. In this election, Suhaizan faces a three-cornered contest against Bersama candidate Norsinah Abu and incumbent Mohd Hairi. The Johor state election features 172 candidates contesting 56 state seats, with polling set for July 11 and early voting scheduled for July 7. To get the latest news on the 16th Johor state election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/johor. -- BERNAMA 

JOHOR BAHRU, June 30 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Larkin seat, Suhaizan Kaiat, is optimistic about recapturing the seat from Barisan Nasional (BN) in the 16th Johor state election. He said his confidence is based on voting patterns seen during the 14th General Election (GE14), which demonstrated that BN could be defeated in the […]

KUSKOP to spend nearly RM3 billion to empower Bumiputera entrepreneurs since 2023 – Steven

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development (KUSKOP) is spending almost RM3 billion to implement various specific programmes to empower Bumiputera entrepreneurs from 2023 to 2025. Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Steven Sim said the effectiveness of the spending was measured through several outcome indicators, including an increase in sales of at least 20 percent among participants and 150 companies successfully increasing their business size. "Regarding the government's return on investment , the ministry measures the effectiveness of empowerment programs and overall spending from various outcome indicators or tangible results for participants," he said. Steven said this when answering a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa (PH-Sekijang) regarding the allocation spent by KUSKOP for the Bumiputera empowerment programme and the return to the government measured through job creation during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today. According to him, for the first five months of this year, the ministry has approved financing worth RM5 billion which has benefited almost 180,000 entrepreneurs of various races and business categories nationwide. He said for the period 2025 to May 2026, specific programmes for Bumiputera entrepreneurs through agencies under KUSKOP have approved financing totaling RM1.407 billion to more than 53,000 Bumiputera entrepreneurs. "Of that total, 11,469 Bumiputera youth received benefits with an allocation of more than RM251 million," he said. Steven said the ministry also implemented elements of halal industry development through various programs through its agencies to help entrepreneurs obtain halal certification to expand the market. Regarding Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin's (PN-Masjid Tanah) proposal regarding a national database system or single window mechanism for coordinating assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises (PMKS), Steven said KUSKOP had appointed SME Corp Malaysia as the coordinating agency. "SME Corp is being used as a one-stop centre to coordinate in terms of financing, grants, funds and other support systems. SME Corp also plays a role in facilitating the provision of information, channeling applicants and PMKS to the appropriate agencies," he said. Steven said KUSKOP was also implementing an initiative to develop a website or portal as a one-stop centre to list various types of support provided by more than 60 government agencies. -- BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development (KUSKOP) is spending almost RM3 billion to implement various specific programmes to empower Bumiputera entrepreneurs from 2023 to 2025. Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Steven Sim said the effectiveness of the spending was measured through several outcome indicators, including an increase in sales of at […]

More than 11,000 ‘deepfake’ contents have been taken down since 2024

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 11,677 deepfake content has been taken down out of 12,496 complaints regarding the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) received by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) since 2024, the Dewan Rakyat was told today. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said the deepfake content was taken down after MCMC submitted an application to the social media platform provider. She said the number of complaints related to deepfake content increased more than eightfold during the period, with 917 complaints recorded in 2024, increasing to 3,612 in 2025 and 7,967 complaints as of June 15 this year. "To curb the misuse of AI, the government, through the Risk Mitigation Code (RMC) under the Online Safety Act 2025, requires licensed social media platform providers to implement risk mitigation measures, including against content generated using AI. "MCMC has consulted with the licensed platform provider to see how the platform provider is implementing these obligations," She said during a question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat. -- BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 11,677 deepfake content has been taken down out of 12,496 complaints regarding the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) received by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) since 2024, the Dewan Rakyat was told today. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said the deepfake content was taken down after MCMC […]

Johor Polls Not Affecting Federal Govt, Dynamics Of Politics Have Changed – Mohamad

MUAR, June 30 -- The results of the 16th Johor state election will not affect the stability of the federal government following the changing landscape and political dynamics of the country, said Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. He said the administrative mandates at the central and state levels have different molds, and in fact the current political models in several other states prove that this uniqueness can be practised without causing any issues. "Many states such as Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu have no problems. In Sabah, it is unique, the party that is in the opposition but is with the Unity Government at the centre. So the political dynamics of Malaysia have changed, we should not be tied to the old way of thinking," he said. He told reporters after greeting voters who were having breakfast at a stall in Jalan Sungai Abong here with BN candidate for Simpang Jeram constituency Datuk Azman Ismail and BN candidate for Bukit Naning Mohd Ghazali Sabari @ Atan. Commenting on the socio-economic aspect, Mohamad said political stability under BN was critical to ensure that Johor continued to drive foreign investment inflows, which were now ahead of other states. He said the surge in economic performance would translate into increased state revenue which would ultimately be repatriated to the people. "Johor is a state that is at the forefront in terms of accepting investors from abroad, this is a very good thing, in two or three years it will be translated into state revenue. "We have seen the state's results from the performance of the MB (Menteri Besar) he gave to the people of Johor. So the people of Johor don't make a mistake, continue to support Barisan Nasional to continue to govern Johor and together we will enjoy the results of our support later," he said. Touching on PAS' recent statement implying vote support for BN candidates in certain areas, Mohamad reminded the party machinery not to be too comfortable and hope for mercy from outside parties. "We must continue to work hard. In this life, we should not expect mercy from others. We build our strength to be strong on our own strength," he said. The Johor state election saw 172 candidates contesting for 56 state seats with polling day set for July 11, while early voting is on July 7. -- BERNAMA

MUAR, June 30 — The results of the 16th Johor state election will not affect the stability of the federal government following the changing landscape and political dynamics of the country, said Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. He said the administrative mandates at the central and state levels have different molds, […]

Parliament: PM Anwar insists he never blocked FELDA Settlers’ Day programme in Johor

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 -- Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed that the government has never prevented the implementation of programmes in Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) areas, including by state governments, as long as it does not involve the use of Federal Government machinery for election campaigning purposes. The Prime Minister said the state government was free to organise programmes in FELDA areas, but the use of government machinery, including that of the agency, for campaign purposes was not permitted according to election regulations. "There is absolutely no obstacle for a menteri besar to enter a FELDA area and hold his own program. "The state government wants to go and give land grants, it's their business even though they know about the election rules. It's not a ban, but using FELDA machinery to campaign is not allowed," he said during the Minister's Question Time session at the Dewan Rakyat today. In his explanation to a question from Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut), Anwar stressed that he never issued an order to cancel the FELDA Settlers' Day Programme which was scheduled to be held in Kluang, Johor, on June 20 and 21. Commenting further, the Prime Minister said the MADANI Government continues to pay attention to the welfare of FELDA residents through various initiatives to restore the areas affected by previous management. He said that among the efforts implemented included the provision of dialysis centres in FELDA areas as well as the distribution of various development facilities through Federal Government agencies. "Previously, many FELDA areas did not receive the attention they deserved because they seemed to be marginalized from rural development projects. "That is why I, together with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, decided to provide much better facilities than before," he said. -- BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed that the government has never prevented the implementation of programmes in Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) areas, including by state governments, as long as it does not involve the use of Federal Government machinery for election campaigning purposes. The Prime Minister said the state government […]

Johor Polls: Khuzzan Returns To Semerah To Complete Delayed Development Agenda

JOHOR BAHRU, June 30 -- After securing victory previously before losing in the last state election, Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Mohd Khuzzan Abu Bakar is making a comeback in Semerah with a clear mission -- to fulfil unfinished development commitments and continue initiatives left behind. Mohd Khuzzan described his return in the 16th Johor state election not as an attempt to redeem a defeat, but as an effort to realise aspirations that were interrupted following PH’s exit from the Johor state administration in 2020. The former Johor Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman said among his priorities are restoring critical infrastructure projects, including the Taman Sri Sulong Youth Mini Complex, while addressing long-standing issues involving water supply in Semerah and flash floods affecting Batu Pahat and Tanjung Laboh. “We were unable to complete several plans during our administration from 2018 to 2020 due to the change in government. If given the mandate again, I want to continue and complete the initiatives that were delayed for the people of Semerah,” he said in an interview with Bernama. Mohd Khuzzan said creating more employment opportunities for young people would also remain a key focus, in line with Johor’s evolving economy, driven increasingly by investment and technology sectors. The 58-year-old, who was born in Jalan Mesjid, Batu Pahat, said his close ties with residents were among the reasons he chose to continue contesting the seat despite his previous defeat. “I was born in Batu Pahat, and my wife is also from Semerah. That is why I feel responsible for contributing back to the community here,” he said. Acknowledging that the political landscape has become more competitive, Mohd Khuzzan said campaign strategies have evolved with greater emphasis on digital platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Threads to engage voters, share community activities and explain PH’s policy offerings. “I was personally surprised to see many senior citizens following my TikTok account. It shows that social media is no longer limited to the young generation,” he said. On-the-ground campaigning has also been strengthened through youth-focused activities, including e-sports, sepak takraw and carrom, alongside exposure programmes on artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology to prepare younger voters for future economic opportunities. Drawing on his experience as a former banking officer, Mohd Khuzzan also proposed strengthening the community economy through support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly by helping entrepreneurs manage government financing more effectively. He suggested that funding support through TEKUN Nasional and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) should be complemented by structured and sustainable financial management guidance to help entrepreneurs expand their businesses successfully. Mohd Khuzzan expressed confidence that this election would present a different political dynamic compared to the 2022 Johor polls, which took place during the country’s post-pandemic recovery period, and expects stronger voter turnout, including Johoreans working in Singapore. He said encouraging feedback throughout the campaign, especially from the B40 group and e-Kasih recipients, had strengthened PH’s confidence in reclaiming the Semerah seat. According to Election Commission (EC) statistics, the Semerah state constituency has 47,431 registered voters, with 17,751 voters — or about 37.4 per cent — aged between 18 and 39. The Johor state election features 172 candidates contesting 56 seats, with polling scheduled for July 11 and early voting on July 7. For the latest news on the 16th Johor state election, https://prn.bernama.com/johor/.  -- BERNAMA

JOHOR BAHRU, June 30 — After securing victory previously before losing in the last state election, Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Mohd Khuzzan Abu Bakar is making a comeback in Semerah with a clear mission — to fulfil unfinished development commitments and continue initiatives left behind. Mohd Khuzzan described his return in the 16th Johor state […]

Venezuela earthquake: Death toll rises to 1,719

CARACAS: Jun 30 -- The death toll from two earthquakes that struck Venezuela last Wednesday has risen to 1,719, with more than 5,000 people injured, Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on Monday, Xinhua reported. Providing the latest information, Rodriguez said 1,719 people were confirmed dead while 5,034 others were injured and 15,866 people were affected by the disaster.   -- BERNAMA-XINHUA

CARACAS: Jun 30 — The death toll from two earthquakes that struck Venezuela last Wednesday has risen to 1,719, with more than 5,000 people injured, Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on Monday, Xinhua reported. Providing the latest information, Rodriguez said 1,719 people were confirmed dead while 5,034 others were injured and 15,866 people were […]