logo
Brunei sultan discharged from IJN, to continue resting

Brunei sultan discharged from IJN, to continue resting

The sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur after being discharged from the National Heart Institute. (Instagram pic)
PETALING JAYA : Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei has been discharged from the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur after spending five days at the hospital.
In an Instagram post, the Prime Minister's Office of Brunei said the sultan was advised to spend several days resting in Kuala Lumpur before flying home.
Sultan Hassanal, who was in the federal capital for the Asean Summit and related meetings, occupies several key posts in Brunei such as that of prime minister, finance minister, and defence minister, among others.
He was admitted to IJN on Tuesday, with AFP reporting that it was due to fatigue. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim who later visited the sultan said he was in good condition.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Anwar's unity coalition faces ‘ultimate test' of coalition unity
Anwar's unity coalition faces ‘ultimate test' of coalition unity

Free Malaysia Today

time16 minutes ago

  • Free Malaysia Today

Anwar's unity coalition faces ‘ultimate test' of coalition unity

Anwar Ibrahim's unity coalition could face its biggest test following the controversies involving Rafizi Ramli and Tengku Zafrul Aziz. PETALING JAYA : With two ministers quitting and one exiting Umno with the hope of joining PKR, an analyst believes that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces his biggest test yet to keep the peace in his unity government. Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid of Universiti Sains Malaysia said Cabinet changes are certainly in order, especially for the economy and environment portfolios relinquished by PKR's Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. However, he said Tengku Zafrul's resignation from Umno and application to join Anwar's own party could trigger ill will between Umno and PKR, which are among the major component parties of the unity government. He said Anwar must be bold in tackling grouses head-on and ensure that the fundamental understanding of the unity coalition must not be harmed just because of one leader defecting to an allied party. 'If the prime minister thinks it's appropriate to go for a major reshuffle, then so be it. But he must act boldly, even if he needs to switch portfolios between parties, such that not one party can claim a ministerial position as its absolute right. 'This may be the prime minister's ultimate test as the leader of a government that foregrounds unity as its main trait,' he told FMT. On the other hand, political analyst Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani of ADA Southeast Asia said Anwar's major challenge was looking for suitable candidates to fill the minister posts under PKR's quota. He said Tengku Zafrul risked becoming a mere 'placeholder minister' if he was not dropped in a Cabinet reshuffle, since his tenure as senator ends at the end of the year. 'Anwar is currently facing difficulties finding suitable candidates for the vacant ministerial positions from the available pool of PKR leaders,' he said. Fauzi said a by-election in a comfortable mixed seat could be easily called to allow Tengku Zafrul to be elected an MP and retain his ministership. While some may deem such a move unethical, it is not illegal, he pointed out. 'The only issue with this is Anwar's flagging popularity among the PKR rank and file due to the Rafizi saga, and Tengku Zafrul's own weak grassroots politics, which may lead people to question why sacrifices should be made for him.' Rafizi and Nik Nazmi quit their Cabinet posts on Wednesday following their defeats in the PKR central leadership elections, where they lost their posts of party deputy president and vice-president respectively. Two days later, Tengku Zafrul announced his resignation from Umno while voicing his intention to join PKR, saying he had conveyed this to Anwar, the PKR president. This led to multiple Umno leaders warning PKR against accepting the senator as a member, as well as calls for Tengku Zafrul to step down as the investment, trade and industry minister. Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also a deputy prime minister, also urged Anwar to ensure Umno retains its quota of seven ministers in the Cabinet. Fauzi believed the matter could be resolved at the unity government secretariat council, adding that Anwar and Zahid's 'mentor-mentee' relationship was almost the bedrock of the unity government. While the prime minister will need to manage the optics in the eyes of Umno members, Fauzi said Anwar might have a tougher time pacifying members of his own party discontent over Rafizi's ousting, due to the perception that the PKR president had a hand in it. However, Asrul did not expect Umno members to be particularly antagonised about Tengku Zafrul's departure, saying the ministerial post was a bigger factor to the party. 'His departure is unlikely to cause much pain for Umno, as Tengku Zafrul was not very popular among the party's grassroots and local leaders,' he said.

Zahid to strengthen bilateral ties during UK visit
Zahid to strengthen bilateral ties during UK visit

The Star

time25 minutes ago

  • The Star

Zahid to strengthen bilateral ties during UK visit

LONDON: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ( pic ) is undertaking a four-day working visit to Britain from June 1 to 4, in a move aimed at further strengthening Malaysia-UK bilateral ties. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, will be accompanied by senior government officials from the Foreign Ministry, Rural and Regional Development Ministry, and Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry. The visit comes on the heels of recent high-level engagements between Malaysia and the UK, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's official visit in January and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof's visit in April, signalling Malaysia's commitment to enhancing multilateral and bilateral cooperation. High Commissioner of Malaysia to the United Kingdom Datuk Zakri Jaafar said Malaysia, as the Asean Chair for 2025, would use this opportunity to share the progress achieved under the theme 'Inclusivity and Sustai­na­bility' and to discuss future regional strategies and programmes. Among the key highlights of the visit is a bilateral meeting scheduled for today with UK Secretary of State for Environ­ment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed, Zakri told reporters at the Malaysian High Com­mission. 'The discussion will focus not only on enhancing Malaysia-UK cooperation but also delve into disaster risk management, aligning with Ahmad Zahid's role as Chair of the Central Disaster Manage­ment Com­mit­tee.' On the­ same day, the Deputy Prime Minister is also slated to deliver a keynote address at the Technical and Vocational Edu­cation and Training (TVET) Forum titled 'Malaysia's TVET Leadership in Asean Building Skills for a Shared Future' at University College London, Zakri said. 'The forum will gather representatives from Asean missions in the UK, students, university officials, academics and researchers. 'Later that evening, Ahmad Zahid will host a special gathering with approximately 120 Malay­sian students based in the UK, reinforcing the government's engagement with the Malaysian diaspora,' he said. Zakri added that tomorrow, Ahmad Zahid would chair two roundtable meetings – one with UK-based franchise industry players and another with tourism sector agencies. 'He is also scheduled to officiate the UK launch of Visit Malaysia Year 2026, aimed at promoting Malaysia as a premier travel destination for the UK and broader European markets,' Zakri said. To support this promotional drive, the Deputy Prime Minister would participate in exclusive media interviews with prominent travel publications TTG Media and Wanderlust, he added. 'The visit will conclude with Ahmad Zahid's departure to Geneva on June 4 to continue his overseas engagements,' Zakri added.

ISF is potential tool for advancing economic justice in Malaysia — Ahmad Ibrahim
ISF is potential tool for advancing economic justice in Malaysia — Ahmad Ibrahim

Malay Mail

time27 minutes ago

  • Malay Mail

ISF is potential tool for advancing economic justice in Malaysia — Ahmad Ibrahim

JUNE 2 — Economic justice is a contentious issue in the world. Many view tariffs which discriminate between countries as stoking economic injustice. They give rise to unfair trade. There are many examples of this. The latest is the unilateral move by the US to unilaterally reconstitute their import tariffs which saw different rates for different countries on the rather illogical basis of trade deficits. The irony of it all is that US importers end up paying for the tariff hikes. Economists confirm this fact. The establishment of the WTO years ago aimed to create more fairness in trade. Initially agreements were amicably reached to zerorise tariffs. When eventually the negotiations proceeded into agriculture, the progress stalled. Most countries subsidise agriculture, especially EU and Japan. Rooted in the principles of equity, risk-sharing, and social welfare, Islamic Social Finance (ISF) mechanisms like zakat, waqf, sadaqah, and Islamic microfinance align closely with the goals of reducing inequality. They empower marginalized communities, and foster inclusive growth. Malaysia, with its robust Islamic finance ecosystem and majority-Muslim population, is uniquely positioned to harness ISF as a catalyst for systemic economic reform. However, structural inefficiencies, fragmented governance, and a lack of innovation have limited its transformative potential. New strategies are needed to realise full potential. Malaysia has already made strides in institutionalizing ISF. Managed by state religious authorities, zakat collection reached RM4.5 billion (US$1 billion) in 2022, primarily redistributed to the poor. In Waqf, Malaysia has over 11,000 hectares of waqf land, though much remains underdeveloped. On Sukuk, socially responsible sukuk, like the World's First Sustainable and Responsible Investment (SRI) Sukuk (2015), fund green projects and affordable housing. Despite these efforts, challenges persist. Fragmented governance is one. Zakat and waqf are managed separately by state-level entities, leading to inefficiencies and uneven impact. Only 15 per cent of waqf land is productively developed, often due to bureaucratic hurdles or lack of expertise. Many ISF tools remain siloed in traditional models, with minimal integration of fintech or cross-sector partnerships. Awareness gaps are real. Rural and non-Muslim communities often lack understanding of ISF's benefits, perpetuating exclusion. How to transform ISF into a true "engine" for economic justice? The popular view is that Malaysia must adopt a holistic strategy. One is to centralize and modernize governance. Establish a National Islamic Social Finance Authority to harmonize zakat/waqf management across states, setting transparent accountability standards, and streamlining redistribution. Next is to digitize collection and distribution through platforms and blockchain instruments to enhance transparency, reduce leakage, and expand donor participation. Many call to innovate the waqf models. Ideas include to develop cash waqf and corporate waqf to diversify funding. Partner with private developers to transform idle waqf land into affordable housing, agro-industrial hubs, or renewable solar energy projects. Replicate success stories like Waqaf An-Nur Hospital, a crowdfunded healthcare facility serving low-income communities. Integrate ISF with national development agendas including SDGs. Increase the use of zakat to fund scholarships, vocational training, and grants for asnaf youth. Issue social impact sukuk to finance climate-resilient infrastructure in flood-prone states like Kelantan. Leverage ISF to address urban-rural divides by funding microfinance for rural entrepreneurs, particularly women. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) should be promoted. Encourage banks like Maybank Islamic and CIMB Islamic to design ISF-linked products such as zakat-based insurance for low-income families. Partner with NGOs to target hard-to-reach communities and address also non-Muslim poverty by channeling sadaqah to multicultural education programs. Promote financial literacy and inclusivity. Launch nationwide campaigns to educate Malaysians, muslims and non-muslims, on ISF's role in economic justice. Develop mobile apps gamifying sadaqah contributions or linking zakat payments to tangible outcomes. For example, adopt a Student via zakat for education. Position Malaysia as a global ISF hub by sharing best practices with OIC countries. Host an annual Global Islamic Social Finance Summit to attract investments and foster innovations like AI-driven zakat allocation systems. By framing ISF as part of Malaysia's broader commitment to social welfare, for example using waqf to build schools serving all ethnicities, ISF can transcend religious boundaries. That is a powerful dakwah instrument to promote unity. Conventional welfare programs often face funding shortfalls and bureaucratic delays. ISF's faith-based nature can mobilize additional resources and foster community ownership. There is no denying that ISF is not merely a religious obligation but a pragmatic, ethical, and scalable solution to Malaysia's entrenched inequalities. By modernizing governance, innovating financial instruments, and prioritizing inclusivity, Malaysia under the MADANI administration can effectively unlock ISF's potential to become a global model for economic justice. The path forward requires political will, cross-sector collaboration, and a reimagining of finance as a force for collective dignity, not just profit. Malaysia can ignite this potential. * Professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Ibrahim is affiliated with the Tan Sri Omar Centre for STI Policy Studies at UCSI University and is an associate fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya. He can be reached at [email protected]. ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store