Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by enduser

Die2 wanna gip EOT dun care bout ppl

enduser — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 17:57:27 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...rehab-developer

Another extension until Jan 31 for Jelutong landfill rehab developer

GEORGE TOWN: The developer tasked with carrying out the Jelutong landfill rehabilitation project has been given a further extension of time (EOT) to secure approvals, until Jan 31 next year, the Penang state assembly was told today.

Local government, town and country planning committee chairman H’ng Mooi Lye said the extension was given to the developer, PLB Engineering Bhd (PLBE), as it works to ensure all technical and legal requirements are fully complied with.

PLBE had failed to secure environmental approval on five previous occasions, prompting the state government to grant it repeated extensions, the latest of which expired on Oct 18.

H’ng said the Penang environment department, in a Sept 28 letter, raised the issue of land use compatibility. This matter needs to be resolved for an environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval to be granted to the developer.

He also said PLANMalaysia submitted implementation guidelines under the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 to the state planning committee on Oct 29 for adoption in Penang.

The guidelines would allow local planning authorities to consider the compatibility of temporary land use when processing planning permission applications.

In this regard, PLBE submitted an application to Penang PLANMalaysia on Nov 2 for planning permission to place and operate a recycling machine on the site for a limited period.

“Therefore, the state government decided that the EOT be granted until Jan 31, 2027. This was approved by the state executive council at a meeting held on Oct 28, 2026, and confirmed on the same day to enable the resolution of the land use compatibility issue.

“However, I want to clarify that any extension of time should not be considered a privilege given to any contractor,” said H’ng in winding up the debate on the state’s 2027 budget for his portfolio.

He said every extension application must have reasonable justification, backed by technical and legal assessment, and must comply with stipulated conditions.

H’ng also reiterated the state government’s stance that this project would not be scrapped due to environmental risks posed by the closed landfill, such as leachate and methane gas, which need to be safely handled.

He also said any decision to scrap the joint development agreement —inked in February 2020 between the state development agency (Penang Development Corporation) and PLBE — must be based on a thorough examination of the agreement’s terms and conditions, the legal position and the financial implications for the parties involved.

The state government’s decision to grant PLBE another extension came despite repeated calls by residents of neighbouring Karpal Singh Drive to scrap the project after the company missed the Oct 18 deadline to obtain environmental approval.

Congratz Abdul El-Sayed

enduser — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 15:57:43 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...n-senate-battle

Democrat Abdul El-Sayed claims victory in Michigan Senate battle

DETROIT: Democrat Abdul El-Sayed said early Wednesday that he had won a US Senate seat in Michigan over former Republican lawmaker Mike Rogers, which would make him the first Muslim elected to the upper chamber of Congress.

“Michigan, we did it!” El-Sayed said in a speech at his election headquarters in Detroit.

“I am so proud and honored to stand here as your senator-elect from the great state of Michigan.”

El-Sayed won despite a last-minute hiccup in his campaign when congresswoman Haley Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary to El-Sayed, came out in support of Rogers at the 11th hour.

The Michigan doctor rallied voters on leftist campaign promises, including universal health care, to hold a key US Senate seat for Democrats, taking over from the retiring Gary Peters.

Republicans ran a scorched-earth campaign to paint Democrats as communists and branded El-Sayed a terrorist who would endanger Americans.

But the straight-talking 42-year-old El-Sayed pledged to help cash-strapped voters navigate America’s thorny health care system.

“You deserve to be able to see a doctor without getting a huge bill,” he told Michiganders on the eve of the vote, vowing to upend America’s divisive multi-billion-dollar for-profit medical system.

During the race, El-Sayed drew huge campaign crowds across the state, even in deeply conservative Republican areas.

El-Sayed also vowed to get “money out of politics” and address the harsh economic woes that have voters yearning for a political newcomer to shake up the status quo.

The election makes El-Sayed the first Democratic doctor in the Senate since 1969.

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Ccp EV export all to the moon,chery included

enduser — Mon, 02 Nov 2026 14:37:10 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...onth-on-exports

BYD reports higher sales for sixth month on exports

HONG KONG: BYD, China’s biggest carmaker, reported higher sales for the sixth straight month as exports made up for slumping demand at home.

BYD’s October passenger vehicles sales climbed 11% as exports doubled and local deliveries fell, according to a statement on Sunday. Chery Automobile, the nation’s biggest exporter, reported sales increased 5%, with exports climbing by 60%.

Shares of BYD and Chery rose in Hong Kong trading on Monday as the continued strength of overseas demand for Chinese cars helped ease concerns about the prolonged downturn in their home market. Still, export growth hasn’t necessarily impressed investors as BYD last week reported earnings and revenue that missed analyst estimates.

Among other automakers, Geely’s overseas sales more than doubled, allowing it to squeeze out a 1% gain in total deliveries. Xiaomi and Xpeng’s monthly sales surpassed 50,000, while Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology delivered more than 100,000 vehicles for a fourth consecutive month.

Meanwhile, Seres Group, the maker of Aito cars, posted a 50% decline in sales, while Li Auto’s monthly deliveries dropped by 9%.

Got important meetings on monday

enduser — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 11:07:57 +0800

[YOUTUBE]ZBG2bD-TE9g?si=jx7Q1Z9XPKG81kpv[/YOUTUBE]

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...overnance-talks

China’s Communist Party elite gather for governance talks

BEIJING: China’s president Xi Jinping and other top leaders meet in Beijing on Monday at a key gathering watched closely for clues as to the country’s direction and future leadership.

Roughly 300 members of the ruling Communist Party’s Central Committee in attendance at the meeting, called the fifth plenum, will be looking to tighten discipline within their ranks, according to state media.

That includes measures to reduce corruption and make cadres more effective and loyal.

Little of the closed-door gathering, held under tight security, will be made known until it concludes on Thursday, but the timing of the meeting is crucial.

The fifth plenum comes ahead of a major party congress next year, where 73-year-old Xi is almost certain to secure a historic fourth term and oversee a leadership reshuffle.

Previous plenums have represented key moments for Xi to cement his authority.

The Chinese leader has waged a 14-year campaign against corruption that has purged thousands of officials, including dozens of the Central Committee.

Yet he remains frustrated with cadres he deems are not implementing his orders.

State media published an article ahead of the plenum, based on a speech Xi gave in January in which he railed against “two-faced” officials who appear to comply with central directives but “inwardly resist”, pursue “individualism” and are “politically opportunistic”.

Analysts told AFP that Xi is trying to maximise efficiency and loyalty among cadres by imposing more supervision and rules.

But as a result of his expansive purges, this year’s plenum is expected to have the lowest turnout since former leader Mao Zedong’s death in 1976.

Eight of the Central Committee’s seats lie vacant, with another 15 members under investigation and at risk of being replaced.

Xi’s anti-corruption drive has also targeted the military, toppling five of the seven members of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the party’s top armed forces body.

Of 44 military members appointed to the Central Committee in 2022, only two have not been purged or disappeared, according to the Asia Society Policy Institute.

The plenum could see new members appointed to the CMC; the party could wait until next year’s congress to replenish it; or Xi might even restructure party control over its vast military.

The talks also come at an unsteady time for the world’s second-largest economy, which has struggled to address persistently sluggish domestic spending and a protracted crisis in the crucial property sector.

Turbulent political and economic ties with the United States are also weighing on China’s leaders.

Authorities are expected to release a summary of the outcomes after the meeting concludes on Thursday.

Kalau saya fitnah saman saya

enduser — Sun, 18 Oct 2026 14:45:07 +0800

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We oso wan rusia oil

enduser — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 14:06:54 +0800

[YOUTUBE]Bjzx6RJRjhs?si=JfRa2AoeX3_mgnPw[/YOUTUBE]

Pkr is sinking ship

enduser — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 20:38:08 +0800

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Tropicana vs mr Tan Song Kwan

enduser — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:39:14 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...of-damaged-unit

Tropicana wins defamation suit over viral video of damaged unit

KUALA LUMPUR: Tropicana Corporation Bhd and its subsidiary Tropicana Residences Sdn Bhd have won a defamation suit against Tan Song Kwan over viral videos showing him damaging a condominium unit with a sledgehammer.

Judicial Commissioner Nixon Kennedy Kumbong today awarded the two companies RM300,000 as a global sum for general and aggravated damages, plus RM50,000 in costs.

The damages carry interest at 5% per annum from July 11, 2019, the date the writ was filed.

The suit arose from a dispute over defects in a unit at Tropicana’s KLCC development, after Tan, acting as a representative of a purchaser, took matters into his own hands and smashed parts of the property.

The incident was filmed and circulated widely on social media, appeared in newspapers and was broadcast on national television.

In finding Tan liable, Nixon held that the plaintiffs were expressly identified in the videos and statements, which repeatedly referred to Tropicana and its representatives.

The court also found that publication had been established through evidence that the videos were circulated on Facebook and WhatsApp, broadcast on NTV7 and with screenshots appearing in The Sun and Chinese-language newspapers.

Two independent witnesses testified that they saw the videos before Aug 25, 2019, with one describing them as having gone viral among people following property matters.

The judge rejected Tan’s contention that the plaintiffs had recorded the videos and negligently allowed them to be disseminated.

Regarding malice, Nixon said Tan’s preparations before the incident – including obtaining a sledgehammer, helmet, gloves and goggles – supported the finding that he had acted maliciously.

Tan had also admitted that he had prepared to smash the unit.

The court rejected his reliance on freedom of speech under Article 10(1)(a) of the Federal Constitution, noting it was
subject to legal restrictions, including laws against defamation.

The plaintiffs were represented by Nicholas Kow, Emile Ezra Hussain and Nur Amelia Izlyn, while Tan was represented by Jessie Koh

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/4783802

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/4765500

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Takziah: Klang Valley very2 unhealthy

enduser — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 10:25:49 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...angat-tak-sihat

Sebahagian kawasan di Lembah Klang hampiri IPU sangat tak sihat

PETALING JAYA: Keadaan jerebu dalam negara bertambah teruk hari ini dengan 34 kawasan merekodkan bacaan indeks pencemaran udara (IPU) tidak sihat dan sebahagian lokasi di Lembah Klang menghampiri tahap sangat tidak sihat.

Johan Setia di Selangor mencatatkan bacaan IPU tertinggi 192, disusuli Klang 191, setakat 9 pagi ini. Kualiti udara dianggap sangat tidak sihat apabila bacaan IPU mencapai 201.

Kawasan lain di Lembah Klang yang turut mencatatkan kualiti udara tidak sihat ialah Shah Alam (179), Putrajaya (175), Cheras (172), Banting (170), Petaling Jaya (168), Batu Muda (162) dan Kuala Selangor (161).

Johor kekal antara negeri paling teruk terjejas dengan bacaan IPU 187 direkodkan di Larkin, Batu Pahat (182), Pasir Gudang (181), Tangkak (177), Pengerang (170), Kluang (165), Kota Tinggi (162) dan Segamat (161).

Di Negeri Sembilan, kualiti udara tidak sihat direkodkan di Nilai (187), Seremban (182) dan Port Dickson (176), manakala keadaan sama di Bukit Rambai (184), Bandaraya Melaka (178) dan Alor Gajah (176) di Melaka.

Di Perak, kawasan yang merekodkan bacaan IPU tidak sihat ialah Tanjung Malim (168), Seri Manjung (167), Pegoh Ipoh (110) dan Tasek Ipoh (108).

Di Pahang, keadaan berjerebu dilaporkan di Temerloh (156), Jerantut (152), Rompin dan Indera Mahkota (151).

Dua kawasan di Sarawak turut merekodkan kualiti udara tidak sihat, iaitu Samarahan (152) dan Serian (120).

Bacaan IPU 0-50 menunjukkan kualiti udara baik, 51-100 sederhana, 101-200 tidak sihat, 201-300 sangat tidak sihat dan lebih 300 dikategorikan bahaya.

=≠===
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...-very-unhealthy

Singapore weighs legal action as haze turns ‘very unhealthy’

SINGAPORE: Singapore will “keep its options open” on taking legal action against errant companies as air quality in the city-state deteriorates to very unhealthy levels.
Singapore is collecting data on the haze as it weighs possible action under its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, the minister for sustainability and the environment Grace Fu told local media Wednesday evening.

The law, enacted in 2014, targets those responsible for causing or condoning fires if the resulting haze causes the Pollutant Standards Index, a measure of air quality, to remain in the unhealthy range for 24 hours or more.

The gauge ranged between 125 and 207 across the island as of 8am local time, with the western region recording the highest reading. Air quality is considered “very unhealthy” when 24-hour PSI levels are 201 and above. A reading above 300 is considered “hazardous” and would trigger school closures.

The hourly air quality gauge improved overnight, after reaching 288 in the west on Wednesday. The readings ranged from 60 to 99 as of 8am local time, National Environment Agency data showed.

Several Southeast Asian countries have been blanketed for weeks by toxic haze from forest fires in Indonesia. Governments are under pressure to step up and coordinate a response to what’s shaping up to be the worst such episode in more than a decade.

“We hope that the Indonesian authorities are able to contain the fires. It’s a very difficult year because of El Nino,” Fu said. “The weather has been very dry, and we know that the issues are very complex. We wish them well, and we stand ready to assist them where we can.”

Fu said there has not been any update from the neighbouring country so far.

Environmental group Greenpeace has identified more than 20 companies, including several with links to Malaysia and Singapore, whose land concessions contained sources of smoke from the Indonesian fires.

Those found guilty under Singapore’s transboundary haze law face fines of up to S$100,000 (US$77,855) a day, capped at S$2 million in total.

Bobo tnb take 2

enduser — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 08:26:18 +0800

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Take 3 baru solved
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Break: cant see Singapore

enduser — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 16:30:00 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...blankets-region

Singapore’s air worst since 2019 as haze blankets region

SINGAPORE: Singapore was shrouded in haze on Tuesday, with smoke from wildfires in neighboring Indonesia raising islandwide pollution to levels that pose a health risk.

All five regions of the city-state recorded unhealthy air-quality levels, the first time that’s happened since September 2019, according to the National Environment Agency.

Singapore’s air currently ranks among the 10 most polluted cities in the world, according to IQAir data, with the capitals of Malaysia and Indonesia also among the top spots.

Indonesia often battles wildfires during its annual dry season, but hotspots this year have been higher than normal.

There were more than 9,000 recorded in August, the most for the month in data going back to 2015, and more than 7,000 have been recorded so far in September, according to the Forestry Ministry’s fire-monitoring platform SiPongi.

The situation is being exacerbated by the strengthening El Niño weather pattern, which causes drier weather in much of the region.

Little immediate relief is expected from the weather, with dry conditions expected to persist across much of the south of Southeast Asia in the near term, according to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre.

“The hotspot and haze situation in the region is expected to remain escalated with a continued risk of transboundary smoke haze,” the centre said in its latest forecast.

Air quality in parts of Indonesia’s Kalimantan and Sumatra regions, where the fires are concentrated, was at dangerous or very unhealthy levels as of Tuesday, government data show. Malaysia has also suffered, with choking haze in late August prompting the government to move its leader’s annual National Day speech to an indoor venue. A state of emergency was declared for part of Sarawak state earlier this month.

A hotspot is defined as a location where satellites detect an elevated surface temperature, indicating a potential fire. Slash-and-burn methods used to clear farmland have previously been linked to the fires, and dry undergrowth can also ignite carbon-rich peatland, which can smolder for long periods and be difficult to extinguish.

Smoke plumes from fires in Kalimantan drifted toward Singapore because of a shift in winds, alongside smoke haze from Sumatra, the National Environment Agency said on Monday. The agency expects the haze to persist over the next 24 hours, with air quality ranging from high-moderate to mid-unhealthy conditions.

Indonesia’s forestry ministry said in a statement that this year’s surge in forest fires was due to a combination of El Niño-driven dry weather and human-caused ignition, adding that each incident must be investigated individually. The country has expanded aerial firefighting operations, including with helicopters provided by Japan, it said. Malaysia has also offered assistance to tackle the blazes.

Read More: El Niño May Force Major Drop in Indonesian Nickel Production

The fires in Indonesia add to a bad year for wildfires globally, with parts of Europe and North America also reeling from recent blazes. The current El Niño has a 75% chance of becoming “a historic event,” surpassing all records dating back to 1950, the US Climate Prediction Center said last week.

There may be a slight uptick in rainfall in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan next week, which could temporarily ease fire risks, according to Takahisa Nishikawa, senior decision support meteorologist at Atmospheric G2.

“This may provide some relief, although it does not yet look like a widespread or sustained wetting pattern, and forecast confidence is lower at that range,” he said.

The dry weather is also affecting the mining and agriculture industries in Indonesia. A nickel producer there said on Tuesday it was halting the ramp-up of one of its processing plants due to water shortages, while the country’s biggest nickel complex warned earlier this month that it might have to slash output for the same reason. Palm oil production is also expected to take a hit as plantations struggle to apply fertilizer

Space war

enduser — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 07:05:39 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...ays-space-force

US has weapons deployed in orbit, says Space Force

WASHINGTON: The US has weapons deployed in space, the US Space Force said on Monday, confirming the presence of such capabilities in orbit for the first time.
“The US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action,” a US Space Force spokesperson said in a statement that did not provide specifics on the weapons.

“Space control encapsulates the mission areas required to contest and control the space domain – employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities,” the statement said, adding that “these capabilities can be employed for offensive and defensive purposes.”

Both Russia and China – the two main geopolitical rivals of the US – pose potential threats to US interests in space.

China “develops and operates space and counterspace capabilities as part of a military modernisation strategy,” while Russia “views space as a warfighting domain and believes space supremacy will be a decisive factor in future conflicts,” according to the US Space Force.

The militarisation of space is as old as the space race itself – as soon as Sputnik was launched into orbit in 1957, Washington and Moscow began exploring ways to both arm and destroy satellites.

The biggest worry was once about nuclear weapons in space, but the superpowers and other countries signed the Outer Space Treaty in 1967, banning weapons of mass destruction in orbit.

Since then, Russia, the US, China and India have explored ways to fight in space outside of that treaty, including by targeting rivals’ satellites, which are key for military communications, surveillance and navigation

Apa malu bossku

enduser — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 21:47:20 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...-facing-charges

'Nothing to be ashamed of’: Akmal backs Umno leaders facing charges

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh has voiced support for party leaders facing charges, saying there should be no shame in defending them since they have yet to be convicted.

Citing former Tabung Haji chairman Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim’s abuse of power charge, Akmal said this does not mean that the former Baling MP was guilty.

“Just because he has been charged, does that mean he is already guilty? What do we have to be ashamed of?

“Our leaders have not been convicted. Give your moral support to our leaders,” he said in his winding-up speech at the Umno Youth general assembly here.

Besides Azeez, a former minister believed to be from Umno is set to be charged with dishonest misappropriation of property on Monday.

Other Umno leaders who have faced charges and have been convicted include former prime minister Najib Razak, who is serving his prison sentence for the SRC International case and has been sentenced to 15 more years in prison for the 1MDB case.

Akmal compared Umno’s defence of its leaders with the support that Anwar Ibrahim received when the PKR president was imprisoned previously.

“They were never ashamed. They even marched on the streets to call for Anwar’s release. Were they ashamed? No,” he said.

Akmal also defended Najib’s second application for a royal pardon in his SRC case, pointing out that Umno had never questioned the king’s decision to grant Anwar a pardon in 2018.

He maintained that granting pardons was the king’s prerogative and warned against challenging the king’s authority.

Akmal said Umno Youth would hold a rally if any person or organisation questions the king’s powers. “This is Umno Youth’s promise: we will gather and fight them all the way,” he added.

Earlier today, federal territories minister Hannah Yeoh confirmed that the Federal Territories Pardons Board will meet tomorrow morning.

This came after sources told FMT that Najib’s pardon application was expected to be among the matters to be raised at the meeting.

Break: Malaysia Go with HuAWei Cips

enduser — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:11:27 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...pite-us-warning

Malaysia weighs Huawei chips for sovereign AI push

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is leaning toward relying on Huawei Technologies Co’s artificial intelligence (AI) chips to power its sovereign AI efforts, in what would be a major victory for Chinese AI technology in the face of strong opposition from president Donald Trump’s administration.
The Southeast Asian nation is seriously evaluating using Huawei’s AI hardware as the backbone of a RM2 billion (US$494 million) initiative intended to give the country greater control over national data, according to people familiar with the matter.

“It’s unclear how many chips Malaysia would buy,” the people said, asking not to be identified because they’re not authorised to speak publicly.

Huawei has been working to improve the performance of its AI chips in the face of years of US restrictions on access to foreign production tools.

Its accelerators still trail Nvidia Corp’s by a wide margin, but as Huawei’s manufacturing outlook improves, the Shenzhen-based company is seeking a foothold in global data centre markets from Southeast Asia to the Middle East.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, meanwhile, has said the Southeast Asian nation doesn’t want to just be a consumer of technology developed overseas.

In addition to the physical infrastructure that could come from Huawei, Anwar’s administration is encouraging local telecom companies to propose broader AI frameworks in partnership with foreign firms.

If Malaysia does move forward with Huawei chips, it would mark the first known instance of a foreign government officially opting for Chinese AI accelerators over American ones.

Anwar would effectively be defying Washington’s efforts to assert control over global AI infrastructure, despite warnings from Trump officials last year not to buy the exact Huawei hardware in question.

Huawei is also vying to build an AI data centre for the Egyptian government, prompting Trump’s team to work on a counterbid.

The prime minister’s office, which also helms the national security council, didn’t respond to a request for comment, nor did Malaysia’s digital ministry.

Representatives from Huawei also didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The Malaysian government regards any decision it makes in this matter as purely commercial, according to one person familiar with conversations in Anwar’s administration.

The chips Malaysia is evaluating are Huawei’s marquee Ascend 910C product, the people familiar said, rather than the more advanced Ascend 950 lineup, which remains in limited production.

Trump’s team explicitly warned the world last year that use of Ascend 910C chips could violate US export regulations.

Washington has broadly been trying to encourage the use of American AI hardware worldwide so that China doesn’t dominate AI data centres like it did in telecommunications.

That means Malaysia’s sovereign AI efforts could be an early test of how Trump’s administration will handle relations with countries that refuse to fully align with the American camp while still wishing to benefit from US investment.

Malaysia has one of the world’s fastest-growing AI data centre ecosystems thanks in large part to projects from American firms, making it an important market for the likes of Nvidia, Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp.

“Secure technology is the foundation of a prosperous economy,” a state department spokesman said.

“Malaysia is a growing market and manufacturing hub for technology products” and an important partner to the US, they added, pointing to a 2025 reciprocal trade agreement between the two nations.

Malaysia’s sovereign AI efforts are predicated around data, including highly sensitive government information and military and intelligence material, remaining within Malaysia.

Anwar in the past has said US regulations may pose a challenge to that effort, specifically the US Cloud Act, under which American courts can compel US technology companies to hand over electronic data even if it is stored overseas.

Trump signed the Cloud Act into law during his first term.

“I do not consider that law reasonable, but how does one argue with president Trump?” Anwar told university students in April.

As such, Malaysia selected a state-linked telecommunications company, Telekom Malaysia Bhd, as the key operator for its sovereign AI project, according to people familiar with the matter.

Telekom Malaysia has an existing partnership with Huawei and uses the Chinese company’s technology in its cloud infrastructure, although its current AI computing service uses Nvidia chips.

Telekom Malaysia didn’t respond to a request for comment.

“While Telekom Malaysia was selected after a public tender, some on Trump’s team are frustrated that American companies haven’t had enough opportunity to compete for business,” the people said.

Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices Inc, the two top American makers of AI chips, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

One US official, asked about the Trump administration’s discussions with Malaysia, said US technology is unmatched globally and that promoting American AI exports is a top priority.

Trump’s team is also working on a programme to offer packages of AI hardware, software and applications throughout the Global South, with possible US government financing.

Officials in Washington have also told their Malaysian counterparts they’re worried about Huawei hardware handling intelligence material, including sensitive information provided by foreign governments, according to the people.

“Untrusted suppliers can be manipulated, disrupted or controlled by authoritarian regimes that have insufficient regard for privacy and human rights and are all too willing to use economic coercion and force to achieve their aims,” the state department spokesman said, without naming China or Huawei.

“Suppliers like this pose a potent threat to critical infrastructure, individual privacy, intellectual property and national security,” it said.

“Officials from Malaysia’s national security council are set to travel to Washington later this month to discuss the issue,” the people familiar said.

“Anwar’s government is also discussing another tender process that would allow the likes of Nvidia to more directly compete for the sovereign AI contract,” they added.

Selecting Huawei’s chips would be a bold move considering the US privately lambasted Malaysia just last year over a similar issue.

In May 2025, Malaysia’s deputy communications minister announced the nation planned to build a national AI system powered by 3,000 Huawei Ascend AI chips — only for her office, when contacted, to quickly retract her remarks without explanation.

The nation’s investment, trade and industry ministry (Miti) said separately the project was private and in no way backed by the government.

The prospect of a Huawei AI chip deployment was especially sensitive then, given that Trump’s team had just issued its global guidance against the use of certain Ascend chips, including the 910C.

“Some Trump officials viewed Malaysia’s quick attempt to distance itself from Huawei as evidence that the US policy, which relies on a complex extraterritorial authority, was an effective deterrent,” the people said.

However, Miti said at the time that while it “remains committed to full compliance with all applicable export control laws,” the nation also “reaffirms its sovereign right to formulate its policies in line with national interest”.

Samsung Galaxy Fold 8 WIDE

enduser — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:17:42 +0800

https://www.sammobile.com/news/galaxy-z-fol...amsung-keep-up/

Galaxy Z Fold 8 is selling too fast for Samsung to keep up

he Galaxy Z Fold 8 has been a surprising hit, and Samsung was not fully prepared for its success. The phone helped break pre-order records in several countries and regions, even shattering the all-time high previously held by the Galaxy Note 10.

Because Samsung could not accurately gauge the initial demand for the Galaxy Z Fold 8, the company had to ramp up manufacturing. However, it is now reportedly facing a severe shortage of display driver integrated circuits (DDIs) for the new foldable.

The phone's DDIs are designed by Samsung's in-house System LSI division and manufactured by Taiwan's United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) on its 22nm process node. UMC's production capacity for manufacturing these DDIs has reached its limit, and the company cannot produce the chips any faster.

Samsung requested the Taiwanese firm to expedite a “super hot run” service, but even that cannot match Samsung's current needs. As a result, the South Korean tech giant plans to repurpose DDI stock originally secured for next year's product development and apply it directly to current mass production.

Unlike general-purpose DRAM chips that can be dynamically allocated across several smartphone models, DDIs are custom-built for each specific device.

Standard wafer processing for DDIs takes around four months. Once the wafers are processed, they are combined with OLED panels made by Samsung Display before the final display assembly is delivered to Samsung MX. Consequently, DDIs have become a major manufacturing bottleneck.

N14 Klebang: Young Jie Yu

enduser — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 21:09:35 +0800

[YOUTUBE]fY43M-8CC1I?si=fsmMwH3qS2-wKxiv[/YOUTUBE]

N17 Bukit Katil: Dr Aliza Che Amran

enduser — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 12:57:16 +0800

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US$40 trillion National Debt

enduser — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 08:05:49 +0800

[twt]https://x.com/wallstmemes/status/1817945939346145772[/twt]
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...-us-40-trillion

US national debt exceeds US$40 trillion

WASHINGTON: The US gross national debt has surged past US$40 trillion, government data showed Wednesday, outstripping earlier forecasts at a pace fuelled in part by president Donald Trump’s invalidated tariffs.

The uptick in borrowing comes as longer term US obligations linked to social security and health care have been growing, while interest payments have climbed as well.

Total public debt outstanding stood at US$40.05 trillion at the close of business Tuesday, according to data released by the treasury department on Wednesday.

This stands in contrast to an earlier forecast by the Congressional Budget Office that overall borrowing would hit US$39.4 trillion by the end of fiscal year 2026.

Rising US debt comes at a concerning moment as borrowing costs have swelled.

Yields on long-term treasury bonds rose Tuesday to the highest level since 2007, reflecting growing price pressures due to war in the Middle East and anxiety over US deficit spending.

The increase forces the US government to refinance debt at the highest rates since before the 2008 global financial crisis.

The US treasury department moved to steady the long-term bond market early Wednesday, sending yields lower.

The federal government operates at a deficit and borrows money to cover the gap.

But “it’s been well known for a while that the United States government was on a pretty unsustainable path with deficits,” said Jessica Riedl, a budget and tax fellow at the Brookings Institution.

“Over the last few years, the United States has moved into roughly US$2 trillion deficits, even during peace and prosperity,” she added.

While deficits of 3 to 4 percent of GDP used to worry financial markets, she noted that levels are closer to 6 to 7 percent of GDP now.

“That has made markets more nervous,” she said.

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https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/815160

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Install EV charger must inform ur ins co

enduser — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:09:03 +0800

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...ing-ev-chargers

Homeowners told to update insurers when installing EV chargers

PETALING JAYA: Homeowners must notify their insurance companies when they install permanent electric vehicle chargers to ensure their property’s sum insured accurately reflects rebuilding costs, the General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) said.

Its CEO, Chua Kim Soon, said declaring electrical upgrades helps provide clarity during the claims process and protects property owners from being underinsured.

The association’s guidance follows a recent fire in Alam Damai, Cheras, where an EV that was charging at a front porch is believed to have started a blaze that razed a two-storey house.

Addressing concerns surrounding EV charging risks, PIAM clarified that standard houseowner and fire insurance policies cover specified perils, including fire damage regardless of the ignition source, provided there is no fraud, deliberate act, or breach of policy terms.

The association noted that permanently installed, hard-wired EV chargers are classified as building fixtures and fittings under home policies.

However, unattached or portable charging cables typically fall under motor insurance policies or specialised add-on packages.

PIAM emphasised the importance of professional installation, noting that insurers will evaluate official investigation reports such as those from the fire and rescue department to verify that electrical safety standards were maintained and rule out uncertified modifications.

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https://soyacincau.com/2026/08/19/alam-dama...-piam-responds/

Rafizi has warned

enduser — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:09:38 +0800

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