Malaysia’s ex-leader Najib Razak’s first trial linked to the 1MDB scandal will proceed after a judge ruled Monday prosecutors had made a sufficient case, boosting efforts to bring him to justice over the mammoth fraud.Vast sums were plundered from sovereign wealth fund 1MDB in a multi-billion-dollar scam allegedly involving former prime minister Najib and his cronies, which has triggered investigations around the world.His coalition was ousted at the polls last year after six decades in power

The annual 11.11 Singles’ Day Sale has become an event for both shoppers and e-commerce merchants across Southeast Asia, recording online sales that exceed all expectations. Singles’ Day came to be after students at the Nanjing University in China, started celebrating their singledom, in what was known as anti-Valentine’s Day back in the 1990s. Singles’ Day was then adopted by e-commerce giant, Alibaba, in 2009.

An offer by the United States (US) to host a Pacific rim summit in America in 2020 after Chile abruptly cancelled this year’s event was “not a good idea”, Malaysia’s foreign minister said Thursday.The sharp retort comes days after most southeast Asian leaders snubbed a meeting with US officials in Thailand when President Donald Trump failed to show.The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit had been scheduled for November 16-17 in Chile, but President Sebastian Pinera pulled out of h

The Malaysian financier at the heart of the massive 1MDB graft scandal has struck a settlement to forfeit assets worth US$700 million including a Beverly Hills hotel and a private jet, the US Justice Department said Wednesday.Jho Low will relinquish the assets under the largest ever US civil forfeiture, intended to recover cash allegedly stolen in the 1MDB scandal which helped topple Malaysia's corruption-plagued former regime."A staggering amount of money embezzled from 1MDB at the

Malaysia's mammoth palm oil sector faces a new threat after Indian traders were asked to halt purchases amid a diplomatic row over Kashmir, piling further pressure on the industry as Europe also plans cutbacks.The Southeast Asian nation is the second-biggest producer after Indonesia of the oil, used in everything from food to cosmetics, in a sector long vilified by environmentalists who blame it for fuelling deforestation.With Western companies reducing use of the commodity as green grou

Will the end of Chinese involvement in ASEAN’s online gambling sector see a spiral in property prices?A stark example of this is playing out in Cambodia, where there have been reports of the property bubble bursting in Sihanoukville – a beach town now known for its casinos – after Prime Minister Hun Sen announced that the country would stop issuing online gambling permits on 18 August.In the Philippines, though, President Rodrigo Duterte has remained steadfast in his support for online gambli

E-cigarettes and vaping devices (EVC) have dominated the public and academic debate on tobacco control since its introduction into the market. Now, Malaysia is looking to introduce stricter regulations on the sale and use of EVC, placing it together with tobacco products under a single law that would prohibit promotions and advertising, usage in public areas and use by minors. E-cigarettes and vapes are different.

The start-up ecosystem in Southeast Asia is improving and nurturing more homegrown start-ups. Based on data from a report by e27, Asia's largest tech media platform, titled ‘Southeast Asia’s start-up ecosystem report 2018’, at least 5,828 active start-ups are operating across six ASEAN countries (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines).

Malaysia held talks with Goldman Sachs about dropping charges against three units of the Wall Street bank that prosecutors brought over the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal, a report said Thursday.Huge sums were stolen from Malaysian state fund 1MDB in a fraud allegedly involving former leader Najib Razak and his cronies, and spent on everything from high-end real estate to a luxury super-yacht.Goldman's role has been under scrutiny as it helped arrange bond issues worth US$6.5 billion

Recently in Malaysia, a husband and wife were arrested after a four-year-old girl under their care died. A post-mortem on the girl’s remains found that she died after sustaining injuries to her abdomen due to blunt force trauma. Meanwhile, the couple are also suspected of having abused two other children aged five and eight.This is only one of many cases where children have been killed after being abused by their babysitters.