Country

Malaysia

1. Man killed as landslide hits two-storey house in Penang; authorities suspect leaking pipe at hillside construction site

   A man died after a landslide struck a two-storey house in Penang, Malaysia. Local authorities said in a preliminary investigation that a leaking water pipe at a nearby hillside construction site may have triggered the landslide, and a stop-work order has been issued for the project. The Penang state government asked the contractor to cooperate with the investigation and ordered checks on drainage and slope protection at similar hillside sites ahead of the rainy season.

   Oct 26, 2026 Afternoon
2. Follow-up: Malaysian police say company owning ketamine tanker MT Global 168 seized by Indonesia is based in Johor Bahru

   Indonesian authorities intercepted the Mongolian-flagged tanker MT Global 168 in the Strait of Malacca carrying 1.16 tonnes of ketamine worth about US$14 million. The director of the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department at Malaysia's Bukit Aman police headquarters said both directors of the company that owns the tanker are Malaysian and its office is in Johor Bahru. He said the tanker had applied to register under the Malaysian flag but had not been approved, and was sailing under the Mongolian flag.

   Oct 26, 2026 Morning
3. Follow-up: Schools in Johor, Malaysia, to reopen on Oct 26 after weeks of haze-related closures

   Schools in Malaysia's Johor state had been closed for weeks as wildfire haze from Borneo and Sumatra covered Malaysia and Singapore. The chairman of the Johor state education committee said on Oct 24 that all schools in the state would reopen on Monday, Oct 26, as the air pollution index had fallen for five days and the wind changed direction from Oct 24, with humidity rising and rain expected. Students will be required to wear masks and school activities will be adjusted according to the daily pollution index.

   Oct 25, 2026 Morning
4. Malaysia's Sarawak state assembly to be dissolved on Oct 26, with election due within 60 days

   Sarawak Premier Abang Johari announced at a press conference in Kuching on the afternoon of Friday, Oct 23, that with the consent of the state governor the state assembly will be dissolved on Monday, Oct 26, triggering an election within 60 days; the assembly's term could otherwise have run until April 2027. The Election Commission will meet to set polling day, and a state tourism minister had earlier said the vote could be held in December. Over the past year Malaysia has held state elections in Sabah, Johor and Negeri Sembilan, and Melaka votes on Nov 14.

   Oct 24, 2026 Morning
5. Malaysian teen live-streams axe attack on teacher at Kuching school before two classmates subdue him

   SCMP reported that Sarawak police arrested a 16-year-old student who attacked a female teacher with an axe at a private school in Kuching and live-streamed it online. CCTV showed him entering a classroom at about 7:50 am on Oct 21, striking the teacher once, leaving and re-entering through another door to swing at a student; when the teacher tried to stop him he tried to strike her again before two male classmates overpowered him and took the axe.

   Oct 22, 2026 Afternoon
6. Malaysia bans all civil servants from using Waze, citing Israeli government control of the app

   The SCMP reported that Malaysia's government banned all civil servants from using the navigation app Waze. The decision followed a National Cyber Security Committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday, Oct 20, and the chief secretary to the government issued a circular that day telling ministry secretaries-general and department heads to inform staff immediately. Anwar had warned that Israeli government control of the app posed security risks; it is Malaysia's latest restriction on Israel-linked businesses, which it justifies by accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.

   Oct 22, 2026 Morning
7. Malaysia de-registers opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional ahead of Nov 14 Malacca state election

   Malaysia's Registrar of Societies de-registered the main opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional on Oct 20, saying the explanation it submitted on Oct 12 failed to overturn the grounds for cancellation. The move comes 11 days before nomination day for the Malacca state election, with polling on Nov 14, and coalition parties will not be able to contest under a common banner. Within the bloc, PAS, which holds the most seats in the 222-seat parliament, is vying for leadership with Bersatu, led by a former prime minister; the opposition accuses Anwar's government of using state power against rivals, and a general election must be held by February 2028.

   Oct 21, 2026 Morning