Aseans neutrality in the Iran conflict is key to granting access to the coveted Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran likely seeking to win global opinion amid its war with the United States and Israel. Amid boiling tensions in the Gulf, Iran has wielded its control of the strategic channel to choke global oil supplies, especially to the US and its allies. Many countries including those from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have turned to diplomatic efforts to secure safe passage for...

A parking dispute in Kuala Lumpur has expanded into a wider debate over entitlement, public humiliation and online bullying in Malaysia, after a woman who damaged a car blocking her own issued a public apology that many said looked coerced. The row began on Tuesday in Wangsa Maju, a densely populated suburb of the Malaysian capital, where videos shared on Threads showed a woman unable to reverse out of her parking spot after a red Perodua Ativa was left double-parked behind her car for about ..

A former teacher was charged in Singapore court on Thursday with multiple charges over sexual acts with an underage student. The 34-year-old Singaporean was handed nine charges in total six of committing indecent acts with a young person and three charges of sexual penetration of a minor. A gag order imposed by the court prevents the publication of anything that might identify the accused and the victim. Court records indicate that the pair have a former teacher and student...

Perched on top of a shoe shelf at the entrance of Veriffs headquarters in Tallinn, Estonia, is a sign of a cartoon unicorn that reads Welcome to Unicorn Land!, serving as a reminder of the identity verification companys rise from a local start-up to a valuation of US$1.5 billion in seven years. Veriff, which boasts clients including PayPal, Bumble and Visa, was founded by Kaarel Kotkas in 2015. It is one of at least 10 unicorn companies privately held start-ups valued at more than US$1...

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called on enforcement agencies to step up action against what his government sees as false claims about fuel and electricity prices as it seeks to shore up public confidence amid a global energy crunch. The communications regulator has identified 96 posts of misleading content circulating on social media, he said. Anwar urged authorities, including police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, to take action against those spreading ..

An earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck the Northern Maluku Sea off Indonesias historic spice island of Ternate on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey said, triggering a tsunami warning for neighbouring Southeast Asian nations. There were no immediate reports of injuries, though the agency reported aftershocks of magnitude as high as 5, and Indonesia called tsunami warnings for areas in its provinces of North Maluku and North Sulawesi. Regional governments in some cities, such as...

Manila is following its Southeast Asian neighbours lead by seeking talks with Iran to secure safe passage for Philippine-bound tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a move observers have called a matter of survival. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro posted on social media that she and energy secretary Sharon Garin had met Irans envoy Yousef Esmaeilzadeh on Wednesday to discuss energy cooperation and the advancement of bilateral ties. Pleased to meet Iranian Ambassador to...

The killing of three Indonesian peacekeepers in southern Lebanon is a stern test of Jakartas Middle East policy, with analysts saying the incident has raised questions over the risks of overseas deployment in Gaza and the region, as well as limits to global accountability. Several Indonesian lawmakers and observers said the deaths had exposed how little protection diplomatic positions could offer during a spiralling conflict, arguing that Jakarta should reassess its role in Lebanon and...

The Myanmar juntas attempts to place its top man in the countrys highest civilian position have been described by analysts as a constitutional repackaging of continued military rule. On Monday, Min Aung Hlaing, who led the military in the 2021 coup and has headed the junta since then, resigned from the armed forces, moving one step closer to becoming president. He stepped down after Myanmars parliament had cleared the way for his nomination. He handed over the role of commander-in-chief of...

Malaysias government has said it strongly denies a claim made in a news report that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sought to delay the release of findings from an investigation into the countrys anti-corruption chief, and will take legal action over the allegation. The latest claim has sharpened scrutiny of Anwar, whose reformist image and anti-corruption credentials have come under strain amid a series of allegations involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its chief...

Malaysias anti-corruption agency on Wednesday offered to pay for the flight of a London-based key witness to help with its investigation into possible corruption linked to a US$250 million deal signed last year between the government and British chip design firm Arm Holdings. The Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission (MACC) has for the past month been on the hunt for former government aide James Chai, whom it said was a key witness in its probe on possible abuse of power, fraud and governance...

The Malaysian government has entered crisis mode in response to the ongoing global energy supply disruption, its transport minister has warned. This is not a laughing or joking matter. It is a very, very serious matter, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on Tuesday, as quoted by the New Straits Times newspaper. For the past month, energy costs have risen by more than 100 per cent. According to news website Free Malaysia Today, Loke said: Even though at this moment our lights are still...

A Scottish man, described as a senior figure in an international crime syndicate, was arrested shortly after landing on the resort island of Bali, according to authorities in Indonesia. The 45-year-old, identified as Steven Lyons, was taken into custody by immigration officers at Ngurah Rai International Airport on Saturday on arrival from Singapore, Untung Widiyatmoko, head of Indonesias branch of Interpol, said on Tuesday. The immigration system had flagged him as the subject of an Interpol...

The Philippines said on Tuesday it will rename more than 100 island features in a bid to reinforce its sovereignty in the disputed South China Sea, including areas claimed by China. The features to be renamed under President Ferdinand Marcos Jnrs executive order belong to the Spratly archipelago, site of repeated confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels. Beijing claims the South China Sea in nearly its entirety despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal...

The Iran war could provide an impetus for the Philippines and China to reach an agreement on disputed energy resources in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said recently. Marcos, the rotational chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, emphasised the need for a reset in relations with China given that regional states are confronting very serious economic and foreign policy restructuring. Marcos statements came shortly after the Philippine...

A Malaysian court on Tuesday ordered jailed former prime minister Najib Razak to pay US$1.3 billion to a former unit of scandal-tainted state fund 1MDB, state media reported. The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that Najib was liable for losses incurred by SRC International, a former subsidiary of sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, state news agency Bernama reported. High Court judge Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin ruled that Najib breached his fiduciary duties, abused his position...

The firing of an Indonesian immigration officer at a Batam seaport, following reports of extortion of foreign tourists, has raised questions about the prevalence of such practices across the countrys entry points. Batam, in Indonesias Riau Islands province, is a popular destination for visitors from nearby Singapore as it boasts scenic beaches an hours ferry ride from the city state. The islands appeal has recently been marred by allegations of extortion by immigration officers at Batam...

Malaysias central bank has raised its 2026 growth outlook, saying the economy is on track to expand between 4 and 5 per cent despite mounting risks from the Iran war. The revised forecast from Bank Negara Malaysia marks an upgrade from the governments earlier target of 4 to 4.5 per cent, reflecting stronger-than- expected momentum in the second half of last year and resilient domestic demand. Malaysia enters 2026 from a position of strength to navigate the challenges, BNM Governor Abdul...

Singaporeans are not flocking to Malaysias Johor just for groceries these days fuel is the obsession for the moment. Petrol prices have spiked sharply in the city state due to the Middle East conflict, with RON95 at almost three times the price in Malaysia at S$3.41 (US$2.64) per litre. Singapore vehicles are only allowed to pump the unsubsidised RON97 fuel in Malaysia, which is being retailed in Johor Bahru at 5.15 ringgit (US$1.27) per litre. A Singaporean who wanted to be known only as...

For years, Malaysians watched singer-actress Bella Astillahs heartbreak unfold in public. Her tribulations a troubled marriage, cheating scandal and very public split struck a chord with many, underscoring the stigma that divorced women face in a conservative Muslim-majority society. When lawmaker Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, 33, proposed to her first on Mount Kinabalu and later at a formal engagement ceremony in Kuala Lumpur it resonated with many Malaysians who felt Bella was...

As Japanese combat troops prepare to join war games in the Philippines next month their first return to Philippine soil since 1945 some Filipinos say the real issue is not only what Japan is doing now, but what it still has not fully reckoned with from the past. For survivors, activists and historians, Tokyos expanding security role in the Philippines has revived what one campaigner called the elephant in the room the absence, in their view, of a formal state apology and official...

After a seven-hour drive to a trading post in northern Philippines, 35-year- old farmer Elmer Ullani took home nothing but an empty petrol tank even after selling 10 tonnes of cabbage. Ullani, who hails from the northern town of Tinoc in Ifugao province, said he only managed to sell his produce yielded over three harvest rounds at a paltry rate of 8 to 9 pesos (15 US cents) per kilogram, earning him a total of 90,000 pesos (US$1,482). All of his earnings went towards covering his fuel...

The energy crisis caused by the Iran war could push food prices up by as much as 50 per cent in Malaysia, trade associations have warned, as soaring fuel costs threaten to wipe out already narrow margins for roadside stalls and restaurants feeding the countrys outsize appetite for eating out. Malaysias government coffers have already taken a hit due to fallout from the conflict, with local fuel subsidy costs estimated to spike by more than fourfold to about 3.2 billion ringgit (US$795 ..

Myanmar cleared the way on Monday for coup-leading General Min Aung Hlaing to become president and maintain his rule in civilian garb, with lawmakers nominating him as a vice-presidential candidate and the junta replacing him as military commander. Min Aung Hlaing has ruled Myanmar since 2021 when he ordered a coup toppling the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi detaining the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, dissolving her party and triggering civil war. After five years of hardline rule, he...

A horrific road crash in Malaysias port city of Klang that left a motorcyclist dead on Sunday has spiralled into yet another bout of race-baiting, after what began as a fatal drink-driving investigation. Police said the crash happened at about 11.40am on Jalan Raya Barat, when an allegedly speeding Honda City driven by a local man in his twenties overtook several vehicles, crossed into the opposite lane and struck a motorcycle coming from the other direction. The rider, a local man in his...

A Thai undertakers extreme mission to prove he was not hoarding fuel went viral over the weekend after he brought a coffin containing a body to a petrol station to convince attendants the extra fuel he needed was for cremation, not black market resale. Thais have been pressed into energy-saving mode by the US-Israel war on Iran, which has throttled oil and gas supplies to much of Asia. Thailands Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul insists there is enough fuel for over three months, while the...

A former babysitter has been sentenced to one year in jail and fined 15,000 ringgit (US$3,800) by a court in Malaysia for negligence resulting in a toddlers death. Judge N. Kanageswari on Monday also ordered Khairunnisa Ahmad Damamhuri, 41, to serve an additional four months if she fails to pay the fine, and to complete 48 hours of community service within six months of her release. She was also placed on a one-year good behaviour bond of 5,000 ringgit without collateral. Khairunnisa was...

The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said a peacekeeper was killed when a projectile exploded at one of its positions near the southern Lebanese village of Adchit al-Qusayr on Sunday. Another peacekeeper was critically injured, it said in a statement early on Monday. Indonesias foreign ministry said on Monday the deceased peacekeeper was one of its citizens and that three others were injured by indirect artillery fire in the vicinity of the Indonesian UNIFIL contingents position...

Petron Corp., the Philippines only refiner, has procured 2.48 million barrels of crude oil from Russia as the Southeast Asian nation scours the world for alternative suppliers to support domestic energy needs with the war in Iran raging. If the current crisis persists and alternative crude sources remain unavailable or insufficient, Petron may again be compelled to consider purchases of Russian crude oil to augment the national fuel supply, parent San Miguel Corp. said in a statement to...

Authorities in Vietnam have arrested more than 70 people, including government officials, accused of falsifying data from air and waste water monitors at power plants and other major emitters, state media said Sunday. The state-run Peoples Police newspaper said police had identified nearly 160 environmental monitoring stations that had been tampered with, altered and had their data falsified accounting for more than half of the total number of stations nationwide. Police arrested 74 people,...

Indonesia is looking to save up to 40 trillion rupiah (US$2.3 billion) by cutting back on its free meal programme, an official said on Sunday, in a first austerity measure taken in response to price pressures from the Mideast war. The meals, primarily intended for schoolchildren across the country, will be distributed for five days a week instead of six starting March 31 in a move that is expected to save around 40 trillion rupiah, National Nutrition Agency deputy head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang...

From a law lecture hall to Barbie and later the glitzy ballroom of Bridgerton, Malaysian-born actor Yong Zheng Xi is quietly carving out a place for himself on the international stage. He appeared in the period drama as Lord Barnaby, a role that marks another milestone in a journey shaped as much by persistence as by talent. Yong, 32, began as a singer but it was only after moving to London to pursue a law degree that his career trajectory shifted. When I came to London to pursue my...

Young, naive and now sleeping rough on a plastic sheet outside their embassy in Phnom Penh, Indonesians Abdul* and Hafiz* are among the expendable human resources of Southeast Asias scam trade. After a year-long tumble through Cambodias vortex of scams, they were cast out onto a pavement penniless and without passports waiting for the embassy to issue new travel documents and a plane ticket home. Our Chinese boss stole all of our passports, said Abdul, 20, gesturing to a dozen or so of...

Singapore has seized over 830kg (1,800 lbs) of Asian pangolin scales hidden in a shipment bound for Cambodia, authorities said on Saturday, calling it the largest haul of its kind discovered in the city state. Falsely declared as dried fish skin, the scales estimated to be from more than 2,200 pangolins were found in 30 bags on December 29 after officials intercepted an inbound truck carrying sea cargo, Singapores National Parks Board said in a statement. The announcement came as...

Indonesia on Saturday began implementing a new government regulation approved earlier this month that bans children younger than 16 from access to digital platforms that could expose them to pornography, cyberbullying, online scams and addiction. With the move, Indonesia became the first country in Southeast Asia to ban children from having accounts on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox. It follows measures that Australia took last year in a world-first ..

Southeast Asian countries are racing to assert control over their data flows, driven by a potent mix of nationalist sentiment and security anxieties. But analysts warn that while certain measures may deliver domestic economic benefits, the broader push risks undermining innovation, deterring foreign investment and even cutting the region off from the global digital economy. On March 1, Vietnam became the first Southeast Asian nation to have in force a comprehensive law on artificial...

Myanmars ageing railway stations are bustling with life, crowded with passengers as surging fuel prices due to the Middle East war drive commuters to choose trains over costly planes and cars. On a journey from the countrys largest city Yangon to the capital Naypyidaw, Agence France-Presse journalists sat in air-conditioned carriages full of travellers napping and sharing tea, fried rice and instant noodles. First class adult train tickets cost 19,000 kyats (US$9), while the cheapest bus ..

Sabah is not a commodity to solve issues faced by other countries, a politician from the Malaysian state said on Friday. Azrul Ibrahim of Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah Youth said Sabah is part of a sovereign nation and its position within the federation cannot be questioned by any party. Attempts to link Sabah to current oil and gas issues as an excuse to revive outdated claims are unwarranted and are meant to divert the internal crisis suffered by certain parties, he said in a statement on...

For a few weeks after the bombs started falling on Iran, Southeast Asian governments told their people not to worry. Emergency funds would cushion the blow. Subsidies would hold. Prices would stabilise. A month on, with oil well above US$100 a barrel, long queues for fuel forming at petrol stations across the region and Thailand restarting coal plants it had mothballed years ago, the reassurances have worn thin. Against this backdrop, an old question has resurfaced with fresh urgency: why does ..

The Philippines is seeking broader defence cooperation with Natos European members, even as US President Donald Trump remains critical of the transatlantic security alliances lack of involvement over the Middle East war. While some observers say the move dovetails with the long-standing security partnership between the Philippines and the United States, Natos dominant member, others argue that Manila could face a strategic dilemma if its ties with the 32-member alliance are contrary to...