Brunei sultan in Kuala Lumpur hospital for 'fatigue'
The sultan is in Kuala Lumpur with other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders, who are meeting on Tuesday with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and dignitaries from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Asked at a news conference whether the sultan had been hospitalised, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said: "Well he's feeling a bit tired, so he's resting at the (National Heart Institute)."
A Malaysian government source earlier told AFP the sultan "was hospitalised in between the ASEAN-GCC and ASEAN-GCC-China summit".
"The National Heart Institute is the designated hospital for VIPs during the course of this ASEAN summit and relevant meetings," they said.
The hospital said it could not comment, but another Malaysian government source separately confirmed the news to AFP.
Sultan Hassanal, 78, ascended the throne in 1967.
He is the world's longest-reigning monarch and one of the richest people on the planet.
He comes from a family that has ruled Brunei, a small Muslim nation perched on the north of the tropical island of Borneo, for more than 600 years.
His decades ruling Brunei have seen the country gain full independence from Britain and living standards soar to among the highest globally.
But his reign has also been marked by controversies including the introduction of tough Islamic laws legislating penalties such as severing of limbs and death by stoning.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Asean can fend off blow from protectionism by boosting integration: Singapore Business Federation
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Singapore Business Federation chief executive Kok Ping Soon said the tools are all there and the opportunity for collective action has never been greater. SINGAPORE - Asean, the world's fourth-largest economy, does not have to take US President Donald Trump's tariff-induced chaos lying down. The regional grouping's members can instead close ranks and accelerate progress towards the long-stated goal of economic integration – which would boost intra-regional flow of goods, services and investments and create new jobs. An Asean that is a more homogenised market can then become a global production base, with strong trade and investment links with other major economies worldwide. This is the desired response that Asean can make, said Mr Kok Ping Soon, chief executive of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), the Republic's apex business association with more than 32,000 companies under its fold. It would not only enable the grouping's members to mitigate any medium-term loss in economic growth, trade and investment potential, but also further strengthen the region's economy. He said Asean can boost economic integration by removing non-tariff barriers to trade, leveraging its fast-growing digital and green economy, and intensifying its trade and investment engagements with other trading blocs. 'I think the question is whether in the current climate, are we able to do more to strengthen the Asean regional economic integration. The answer must be absolutely yes. If not now, then when? The impetus (now) is even stronger,' Mr Kok told The Straits Times in an interview. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDR 2025 a rallying cry amid significant challenges facing Singapore, say analysts Opinion A 'we first' Singapore is the hardest policy for PM Lawrence Wong to deliver Singapore NDR 2025: The case for growing old at home in super-ageing Singapore Business Singapore key exports fall worse than expected in July as shipments to US plunge 42.7% Singapore N(T) students more likely to finish school, do as well in job market as N(A) peers: Study Singapore Singapore-developed device for diabetics measures long-term average blood sugar levels within 6 mins World Trump, tech and Texas: What's next for the US? World Ukraine weighs Trump's offer of security guarantees with caution Asean is a grouping of diverse economies, with some highly exposed to global trade while others remain mainly dependent on natural resources and labour-intensive industries. But put together, Asean in 2024 had an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) of US$4.13 trillion (S$5.31 trillion), accounting for 8 per cent of global trade, 5 per cent of manufacturing value-added, and in 2023 attracted 17 per cent of foreign direct investment, according to the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia. The bloc has become China's top trading partner, Japan's second largest, the European Union's and South Korea's third largest, and the fourth biggest for the United States. Asean's diversity is part of its appeal, as it offers investment opportunities at various stages of the value chain and allows trade in a wide assortment of goods and services . But when it comes to intra-regional trade, the disparity between the economies becomes a source of inertia. Trade within Asean has been stagnant in the past decade at about 22 per cent of the region's total. That compares with 62 per cent for the EU and about 40 per cent for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) members. And the reason for this is that while the bloc has over the years successfully eliminated most levies that are paid at the border, non-tariff barriers remain a hindrance. In 2019, the European Union-Asean Business Council estimated that there are about 6,000 non-tariff measures across the region – with many being potential barriers to trade. And this number continues to grow. Hinrich Foundation, a Singapore-based think-tank , found that Asean economies between 2015 and 2025 have put in place 9,873 non-tariff measures that have undercut the regional value chains and created obstacles to regional trade in a host of products. Mr Kok noted that licensing bottlenecks, inconsistent standards and customs procedures that require excessive documentation continue to weigh down intra-regional trade. He said pacts such as the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement – which is part of the Asean Economic Community Blueprint 2025 – can help, but not before they are rectified by member states. 'We really need to make a greater effort to remove some of these non-tariff barriers,' Mr Kok said. The same is true for the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), which holds the key to unlock the region's true potential in trading digital services. 'A lot of attention is focused on trade in goods, because of the US tariffs,' he said. 'But it is the trade in services that is more exciting and multiplefold and for that, what businesses are looking for is the free flow of data, digital payment and digital identity.' Asean has already risen to become the world's third-largest digital services exporter, behind only the US and the UK. The World Economic Forum estimates that Asean's digital economy is on track to hit US$600 billion in gross merchandise value by 2030. Mr Kok said DEFA can help Asean economies claim an even larger share of global digital services exports and reinvigorate the region's start-up ecosystems. The region is already home to some of the fastest-growing unicorns, including Singapore's Grab, Sea Group and Lazada, Indonesia's GoTo, Bukalapak and Traveloka, Thailand's Ascend Money, Vietnam's VNG Corp's messaging app Zalo, and Malaysia's car marketplace Carsome. But to boost the competitive advantage of existing and upcoming unicorns and digital services exporters, Asean will have to address the regulatory fragmentation and non-tariff barriers, and push for interoperability of digital identities. Mr Kok said companies are looking for consistent standards for cross-border data flow, and digital payments as well. In 1998, the World Trade Organisation declared a moratorium on customs duties related to e-commerce transactions. That moratorium is set to expire in 2026. Trade experts fear that expiry of the moratorium would send a wave of protectionist measures worldwide, undermining Asean's digital value chains by increasing the costs of doing business. Hence, a speedy conclusion and ratification of DEFA by Asean members becomes even more critical. Related to digitalisation is also the transition to a green economy, which includes carbon trading and the Asean power grid for renewable energy transmission. Mr Kok said with the world economy fragmenting amid geopolitical and trade conflicts, the urgency and opportunity for collective action has never been greater. 'There is opportunity... but whether we can live up to it is a big question,' he said.
Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Independent Singapore
Almost 3,000 Malaysian government employees caught taking bribes from 2015-2025
MALAYSIA: Nearly 3,000 government employees in Malaysia were caught taking bribes over the past 10 years, the country's Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, told the country's lawmakers on Friday (Aug 15). The Minister said in a written parliamentary reply that, based on data from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), between 2015 and June 30, 2025, there were 4,896 arrests recorded for accepting bribes and 1,689 for giving bribes, for a total of 6,585 cases. 'Of the cases involving the acceptance of bribes, 2,965 involved public servants, followed by 1,101 private sector employees, 119 government-linked company (GLC) workers, 680 members of the public, and 31 politicians. For cases involving the giving of bribes, 47 involved public servants, followed by 511 private sector employees, 64 GLC workers, 1,061 members of the public, and six politicians,' she said. As the question asked involved a breakdown of bribe givers and recipients by race and age, as well as by career, she provided the following information. By far, Malays had the most cases of receiving bribes, 3,690, while the Chinese had 494 cases, the Indians had 263 cases, and other ethnic groups had 449 cases. When it came to giving bribes, the Chinese topped the list with 630 cases, followed by Malays with 390 cases, and Indians with 151 cases. Other ethnic groups had a total of 518 cases. Among the cases of receiving bribes over the past decade, 2,603 cases involved persons aged 40 years and younger, 2,097 were aged between 41 and 60, and 196 were aged 61 and older. As for cases of giving bribes, 981 were 40 years old and below, 622 were aged between 41 to 60, and 86 were 61 years old and above. In the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Malaysia ranks 57th out of 180 countries. Singapore, meanwhile, is third on the Index. Interestingly, while Singapore is first on the list among countries in Southeast Asia, Malaysia comes in second despite the large gap in their rankings. Last November, Azam Baki, the chief of MACC, said that 44 per cent of the arrests made by the anti-corruption agency involved civil servants. According to a report in Free Malaysia Today , Cuepacs, an umbrella group for civil service unions, said that there have been civil servants who were 'forced' to receive bribes due to pressure from certain parties. Abdul Rahman Nordin, Cuepacs' secretary-general, had made this remark when he commented on Malaysia's rank in the Corruption Perceptions Index. /TISG Read also: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission under scrutiny over decision to let DBKL investigate Afdlin Shauki corruption allegations
CNA
3 days ago
- CNA
Black Hawk out: Malaysia's king orders halt of chopper deal, warns officials not to 'fool' him
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has ordered the government to scrap its plan to procure Black Hawk helicopters that are over 30 years old, likening them to 'flying coffins'. In hard-hitting comments on Saturday (Aug 16), the monarch also spoke out against 'agents and salesmen' in the Defence Ministry, warning them not to 'fool' him. Speaking at a parade in Mersing marking the 60th Anniversary of Malaysia's Special Service Regiment, the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces reminded the defence ministry to 'not repeat past mistakes' in procurement. He cited the country's purchase of SkyHawk aircraft in the 1980s as an example. Malaysia had reportedly bought 88 such Vietnam War-era jets from the United States, of which only 40 were refurbished and put into service. State news agency Bernama reported that the jets were later retired due to a high accident rate. 'Are we going to put our pilots in 'flying coffins'? Think for yourselves,' said Sultan Ibrahim. 'I believe that all of this happens because the defence ministry is full of agents or former generals who have become salesmen. We even have textile firms wanting to sell us drones. 'If we have to follow the middleman's (inflated) price in every procurement, then the existing allocation won't be sufficient. So don't try to fool me. If you don't want to listen to me, I won't reprimand you anymore after this,' he said, in comments that were posted on his official Facebook page. Johor's Regent Tunku Ismail – the king's son – as well as Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Malaysian Armed Forces chief Mohd Nizam Jaffar and army chief Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan were also present at Saturday's event, Bernama reported. Media reports said that Malaysia had signed a deal in May 2023 to lease four Black Hawk helicopters from a local firm called Aerotree Defence and Services for RM187 million (US$44.4 million) over five years. Some reports said that Malaysia's Ministry of Defence cancelled the contract in November last year after the company failed to deliver the aircraft despite three revisions in dates. In March this year, Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari was reported as saying that his ministry is reassessing the best procurement approach for Black Hawk helicopters. He added that the evaluation would look at the previous leasing model or a government-to-government agreement, with a decision to be made this year. "We need to review the current process, especially in terms of pricing, as we recognise this as a necessity for the ministry. Several steps must be taken before determining the best acquisition method and expediting the process," he was quoted as saying by news outlet New Straits Times. On Saturday, the king said that those involved in military procurement must ensure that evaluations are done transparently, and not merely on the suggestions of agents or those with vested interests. 'Don't waste time purchasing nonsense that does not fit the military's needs. If you don't know what the actual (market) price is, ask me first,' he said. He added that five years ago, he had questioned the purchase of rigid raiding craft for commandos at RM5 million when he could have sourced a better boat for under RM2 million. 'Recently, I heard there was a proposal to buy a similar boat but in a larger size, at nearly RM10 million. This makes no sense and must be carefully reviewed,' Sultan Ibrahim said. Following the king's remarks, defence minister Khaled said that his ministry will ensure that the modernisation of Malaysia's defence assets will be in line with the needs of its armed forces. This also applies to the Special Service Regiment. "Honouring the decree of His Majesty, the Defence Ministry will continue to place emphasis on the readiness of the armed forces," he said, as quoted by New Straits Times.
