Malaysia’s former King and son of Nations First King Tuanku Ja’afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman, a royal state ruler who became Malaysia’s king for five years under the country’s unique monarchal system, has died. He was 86.
Tuanku Ja’afar, the constitutional head of central Negri Sembilan state, was taken to a hospital Saturday after complaining of a [...]

Translation of  China Press News “Ban on yoga likely in Johor”
JOHOR BARU: Muslims in Johor are likely to be banned soon from practising yoga. State Religious Committee chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman said the state fatwa council, which convened its meeting on Wednesday, had decided to go along with the decree made by the National [...]

Malaysia may raise its stake in government-linked firms as falling share prices make it cheaper to buy up stock of companies with long-term value, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak was quoted on Monday as saying.
The government would not cut its holdings in state-linked companies until market conditions improve, Najib, who is also Finance Minister, was [...]

First Indication of Return of Mahathir’s  Economic Theory as Reuters report Naji Razak Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister says “Government will not object to plantations-to-automotive conglomerate Sime Darby buying a stake in the country’s top heart hospital.”
We may anticipate much more privatization or denationalization of Nations assets to Cronies soon.
Sime, which already owns a private hospital [...]

Malaysian plantations-to-automotive conglomerate Sime Darby  is interested in a government-initiated project to take over the country’s top heart hospital, a domestic newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Finance has submitted a proposal to the cabinet on the privatisation of the National Heart Institute and Sime Darby has expressed its interest in taking over the hospital, [...]

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 - Malaysia’s government is open to a tie-up between its national airline Malaysian Airline System  and a foreign-owned airline, the country’s deputy premier told the Malaysian Reserve newspaper.
The Malaysian press has reported MAS and Australia’s Qantas Airways Ltd  may be in merger talks, although MAS has denied the reports and said [...]

also check out Hunger Strike to Abolish ISA
KUALA LUMPUR - Fifteen ethnic Indians launched a hunger strike in Malaysia yesterday to demand the abolition of a tough security law which the government says is needed to combat terrorism.
“The five-day hunger strike is to protest against the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA) and to demand all [...]

Yoga has been declared “haram” in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, which is one of two on the island of Borneo.
Muslims in the state have been banned from practicing yoga in line with the edict issued by the National Fatwa Council on yoga exercises, last month.
The New Strait Times quoted Assistant Minister (Islamic Affairs) in [...]

Click here to Download :World Press Freedom Index (pdf file)
Malaysia has slipped to its lowest ranking ever in the Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) press freedom index to the 132nd position in 2008 from 124th position last year.
The report said aside from New Zealand and Canada, the first 20 positions are held by European countries. The [...]

Malaysia’s Human Resource Minister S Subramaniam, who is an ethnic Indian, said the government is prepared to arrange the training of ethnic Indian youths to become temple priests needed to conduct various ceremonies.
Temple priests have traditionally come from India, but visa and job restrictions have resulted in shortages.
Subramaniam, who is also Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) [...]