Analysts: Teoh's case may dent Harapan's image, but not overall support
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political analyst Mazlan Ali said Beng Hock's case has a sentimental connection to the Chinese community, given how DAP and Harapan used it as political mileage when criticising the previous BN administration.
'This issue holds significant sentimental value to the...
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Ramssol forges landmark AI, cloud computing collaboration with Tencent, Equinix
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is set to accelerate its digital transformation by tapping Chinese expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, following a landmark collaboration spearheaded by Ramssol Group Bhd with Tencent Cloud and supported by Equinix. The Malaysia-China Tech & Trade Cooperation Exchange Conference 2025, held in Sheraton Petaling Jaya today, underscored the nation's ambitions to become a regional hub for next-generation technologies while deepening bilateral ties with China. The initiative will introduce Tencent Cloud's advanced AI and cloud solutions to the Malaysian market through Ramssol's subsidiary, Rams Solutions, targeting retail and service industries seeking to automate operations, enhance customer engagement and adopt data-driven strategies for greater competitiveness across Asean markets. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, who officiated the event, said Malaysia's leadership as Asean Chair in 2025 positioned it uniquely to drive regional innovation and stability. She highlighted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's role in brokering peace between Thailand and Cambodia over a border dispute as an example of Malaysia's diplomatic and technological leadership. 'Technologies such as AI, smart communication, and cloud computing are redefining how economies grow, connect and innovate,' Teo said. 'Malaysia is proud to play a pivotal role in this journey. With our strategic position in Southeast Asia, a growing digital economy, and a future-ready talent pool, we remain committed to driving innovation that benefits all.' She stressed the need for alliances 'anchored on trust, mutual respect and shared ambitions' to build an open, secure and future-focused digital ecosystem that supports investment and long-term growth. Teo also outlined ongoing initiatives under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, including technical standards by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to ensure communications equipment and services meet safety, interoperability and reliability benchmarks. Malaysia's broader digital push includes the Online Safety Act 2025, which mandates platforms to curb harmful content such as scams, cyberbullying and child exploitation, while maintaining innovation and free expression. She cited campaigns like Kempen Internet Selamat reaching over 43,000 participants in 348 schools and cashless adoption drives at Nadi Centres benefiting 1.8 million users as examples of initiatives fostering safer and more inclusive digital participation. Broadband penetration currently stands at 130.8% for mobile and 48.4% for fixed lines. Ramssol Group chairman Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah said the collaboration reflects the group's long-term strategy to position Malaysia as a bridge for cross-border technology exchange and innovation in Asean. 'These collaborative events are more than just knowledge-sharing platforms; they are strategic gateways to future growth,' he said. 'By aligning Malaysia's digital ambitions with China's tech expertise, we are paving the way for sustained innovation, enhanced bilateral trade and scalable transformation across Asean.' The conference also showcased Tencent Cloud's real-time communication platforms, unmanned retail solutions, automated parking systems and intelligent media processing tools, technologies that have transformed consumer experiences in China and are now being introduced to Malaysian enterprises. Equinix's participation ensures scalable, secure digital infrastructure for cross-border solutions, with analysts noting robust infrastructure as vital for seamless technology integration. Teo described the initiative as a model for international cooperation where the Malaysia–China relationship continues to stand as a model where innovation drives value and collaboration leads to mutual prosperity. 'Let us move forward with confidence and a shared commitment to shaping a better, smarter future for Asia through innovation and cooperation,' she said.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
US, China resume talks in Stockholm to ease tariff hostilities
Analysts said the US-China negotiations are far more complex than those with other Asian countries and will require more time. (AP pic) STOCKHOLM : US and Chinese officials began a second day of talks in Stockholm today to resolve longstanding economic disputes and step back from an escalating trade war between the world's two biggest economies. The meetings may not yield immediate large breakthroughs, but the two sides could agree to another 90-day extension of a tariff truce struck in mid-May. It may also pave the way for a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later in the year, though Trump today denied going out of his way to seek one. The delegations met for more than five hours yesterday at Rosenbad, the Swedish prime minister's office in central Stockholm. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent was seen arriving at Rosenbad this morning after a separate meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. China's vice premier He Lifeng also arrived at the venue. Neither side made statements after the first day of talks. China is facing an Aug 12 deadline to reach a durable tariff agreement with Trump's administration, after reaching preliminary deals in May and June to end weeks of escalating tit-for-tat tariffs and a cut-off of rare earth minerals. Without an agreement, global supply chains could face renewed turmoil from US duties snapping back to triple-digit levels that would amount to a bilateral trade embargo. The Stockholm talks follow Trump's biggest trade deal yet with the EU on Sunday for a 15% tariff on most EU goods exports to the US, and a deal with Japan. The Financial Times reported yesterday that the US had paused curbs on tech exports to China to avoid disrupting trade talks with Beijing and support Trump's efforts to secure a meeting with Xi this year. Trump pushed back against suggestions he was seeking a meeting with Xi. 'This is not correct, I am not SEEKING anything! I may go to China, but it would only be at the invitation of President Xi, which has been extended. Otherwise, no interest!' he wrote on Truth Social. Complex talks Meanwhile, in Washington, US senators from both major parties plan to introduce bills this week targeting China over its treatment of minority groups, dissidents, and Taiwan, emphasising security and human rights, which could complicate the talks in Stockholm. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te is also set to delay an August trip his team had floated to the Trump administration that would have included stops in the US, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters yesterday. The potential visit would have infuriated Beijing, possibly derailing the trade talks. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, a position Taiwan rejects, and denounces any show of support for Taipei from Washington. Previous US-China trade talks in Geneva and London in May and June focused on bringing US and Chinese retaliatory tariffs down from triple-digit levels and restoring the flow of rare earth minerals halted by China and Nvidia's H20 AI chips, and other goods halted by the US. Among broader economic issues, Washington complains that China's state-led, export-driven model is flooding world markets with cheap goods, while Beijing says US national security export controls on tech goods seek to stunt Chinese growth. Bessent has already flagged a deadline extension and has said he wants China to rebalance its economy away from exports to more domestic consumption – a decades-long goal for US policymakers. Analysts say the US-China negotiations are far more complex than those with other Asian countries and will require more time. China's grip on the global market for rare earth minerals and magnets, used in everything from military hardware to car windshield wiper motors, has proved to be an effective leverage point on US industries.
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Twins fail in civil court bid to exit Islam
SHAH ALAM: The High Court here has dismissed a suit filed by 26-year-old twin sisters seeking to renounce Islam. Judicial Commissioner Rozi Bainon ruled that the matter falls exclusively under the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court, as it involves questions of faith, conversion, and Islamic legal status. The plaintiffs claimed they were forced to recite the syahadah and convert to Islam at the age of 14 by their mother, who had embraced the religion several years earlier. They argued that the conversion was done without their consent or understanding and maintained that they had never lived as Muslims nor professed the faith. Their mother, who embraced Islam in 2007, admitted in court via affidavit that she had forced the children to convert, and now regretted the decision. The plaintiffs also stated that they continued to practise Chinese religious customs and identified with their ancestral beliefs. The plaintiffs filed an originating summons in December last year by naming the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and the Selangor state government as defendants. The defendants argued that the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs fell squarely within the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court as provided under Article 121(1A) of the Federal Constitution. The defendants submitted that any claim challenging the validity of conversion to Islam, particularly involving the syahadah recitation and questions of faith, must be addressed according to Islamic law and determined by the Syariah Court. Mais said the plaintiffs had already acknowledged the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court when they previously filed two suits there in 2023, seeking declarations that they were no longer Muslims. The suits, however, were later withdrawn without explanation. Mais viewed the subsequent filing of the present civil action as an abuse of court process and a form of "court shopping." The defendants stressed that the plaintiffs remained Muslims in the eyes of the law unless and until a valid renunciation is recognised through the proper Syariah legal process. The court, agreeing with the defendants' submissions, ruled that although the plaintiffs now claimed they never embraced Islam voluntarily, the validity of their conversion must be determined under Islamic law. The court said that civil courts cannot usurp the role of the Syariah Court in determining issues related to aqidah (faith) and religious identity, especially where there is no constitutional challenge or judicial review involved. Rozi stressed that the absence of a Syariah Court declaration meant their status as Muslims remained intact. "The civil court is not the proper forum for such a declaration. The matter of religious status must be brought before the Syariah Court. "The subject matter of this suit touches directly on questions of faith and religious identity, matters which the Federal Constitution places squarely within the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court. "Plaintiffs cannot simply abandon one court and turn to another in search of a more favourable outcome. "This amounts to court shopping and is a misuse of judicial process," she said in her ground of judgment dated yesterday. Lawyers Muhammad Firdaus Danial Tan and Crystal Jan Wong Mae appeared for the plaintiffs. Mais was represented by Majdah Muda while State assistant legal advisor Nurul Izzah Abdul Mutalib appeared for the state government.
