With its practical value and long-term vision, VIETLEAD 2026 is expected to become an important platform for connecting and developing the next generation of young Vietnamese leaders in Europe.

GEORGE TOWN, May 11 — The Kampung Kolam DAP branch has passed a resolution to welcome and support party secretary-general Anthony Loke to contest in Penang, marking the first time a branch in the state has openly made such a call.

According to The Star, the resolution was passed unanimously during the branch’s annual general meeting yesterday. It was proposed by former Komtar assemblyman and Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik, who was elected as the branch’s new chairman, and seconded by branch secretary Khoo Yeong Ming.

Ng said the resolution was made with the aspiration of leading Penang towards greater progress. He noted that while Penang has always been a frontline state for DAP, which has never abandoned its goal of making the state a political fortress, the current state leadership is increasingly plagued by issues such as uneven leadership quality, factional infighting, and money-driven political campaigns.

Ng believes the time has come to invite Loke to lead the state chapter, which he said would strengthen the party’s electoral prospects and drive Penang’s development to greater heights.

At the AGM, other resolutions were also passed such as prioritising party members with a Tanjong background as candidates for parliamentary and state seats in the area, urging the party leadership to contest at least 21 state seats in the state polls, as well as a new policy limiting party members from contesting any elected position for more than three terms consecutively.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 — A lorry driver pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of attempting to murder a man during a shooting incident outside an entertainment centre in Bangsar last month.

A. Lekeswaran, 27, was charged with attempting to kill scrap metal business owner B. Yoga Sundram, 41, in front of an entertainment outlet along Jalan Telawi, Bangsar, at about 3.15 am on April 22.

The charge, framed under Section 307 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and a fine upon conviction. If the act causes injury, the accused may face up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

Deputy public prosecutor J. Banusha objected to bail, arguing that the offence was serious and noting that the victim remains in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre.

“Granting bail is inappropriate because it may allow the accused to flee, and there is also the possibility of interference with the victim and prosecution witnesses.

“It is also understood that the accused is expected to face firearms-related charges in the Klang Court. Therefore, I object to the bail application and request the court not to grant bail,” he said.

Counsel Muhammad Izz Khan Mohd Nor Khan, representing the accused, appealed for bail and informed the court that his client was willing to comply with any additional conditions imposed.

However, Judge Mazuliana Abdul Rashid denied bail and fixed June 10 for mention. — Bernama

In the digital era, the line between opportunity and risk is becoming increasingly blurred. For SMEs, digital transformation is an inevitable path, but building a strong “digital shield” will be essential for sustainable growth and stronger contributions to the national digital economy.

PARIS, May 11 — Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Top Gun have all premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in the last decade. But in 2026, not a single Hollywood blockbuster is programmed there, raising questions about why US studios are ghosting the event.

The world’s biggest film festival, which kicks off on Tuesday, has long relied on Hollywood to provide a dose of mass-market entertainment alongside the sometimes edgy independent cinema that forms the core of its programme.

Mega-stars such as Tom Cruise or Harrison Ford help draw attention to the same red carpets walked by auteur directors and the casts of obscure art-house productions — all in the name of supporting the fragile cinema industry.

Although Cannes director Thierry Fremaux made platforming American productions a priority when he took over 25 years ago, he was left having to explain their absence when he unveiled the line-up of films in April.

“Outside of studio filmmaking, independent cinema — cinema made somewhere other than Los Angeles — continues to exist,” Fremaux said.

There are two independent American films in the main competition: Paper Tiger by James Gray, starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, as well as The Man I Love by Ira Sachs featuring Rami Malek.

But Hollywood big beasts Universal, Disney, Warner, Sony and Paramount, as well as streaming giants Netflix and Amazon, have decided to pass.

It was a similar story at the Berlin film festival in February where director Tricia Tuttle was left with a blockbuster-free schedule.

‘Nervousness’

Tuttle blamed low risk-appetite and commercial pressures — rather than another sign of America’s estrangement from Europe under US President Donald Trump.

“There’s a nervousness in a very difficult marketplace: nervousness about reviews coming out long before release and about controlling the way films of that scale are launched because there’s so much at stake,” she told The Hollywood Reporter in January.

She cited the dreadful critical reception for Joker: Folie a Deux which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2024 before bombing at the box office.

“We’ve seen more reticence since,” Tuttle told the publication.

In a more confident, profitable environment, or when Hollywood is churning out films more regularly, a commercial dud might be easily absorbed.

Nowadays, it spells major trouble for budget-conscious executives.

Tough critics

J. Sperling Reich, a Los Angeles-based film critic and Cannes veteran, said Hollywood studios make fewer Cannes-compatible films. They prefer to control their launch schedules, rather than having them dictated by a festival.

“They’re essentially flying in talent, trying to figure out a publicity narrative... two, three, sometimes four months early (before launch), and then they expose that film to the world’s toughest critics,” he told AFP.

“If it doesn’t fly in Cannes, it’s going to be tough to recover from that,” he explained.

The most recent blockbusters, Michael Jackson biopic Michael and the The Devil Wears Prada 2, organised their own tightly controlled promotional events, boosted by influencers and social media.

Reich cited Christopher Nolan’s upcoming ancient Greek action movie Odyssey and Steven Spielberg’s science-fiction thriller Disclosure Day as possible Cannes films.

“But the reality is those films don’t need Cannes,” he said.

Coming together

Others are sceptical that 2026 signals a permanent rupture between Hollywood and European festivals.

Indeed, if the bad reviews for the Joker: Folie a Deux in Venice in 2024 are to blame, then why was the Italian festival so packed with big-budget American films just last September?

Eric Marti, who heads the box office specialist Comscore in France, said studios have always had a transactional approach to Cannes.

“It’s a tremendous showcase, as it’s one of the most watched events, but they also have a very well-oiled promotional machine. If the Cannes dates and their launches line up, the two come together,” he said.

Hollywood was not “totally absent”, he added.

The festival has added a Fast and Furious special screening in the first days to mark the 25th year of the Universal-owned franchise, with the original stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster flying in.

Hollywood may simply be sitting out Cannes in 2026, only to rev back into action next year. — AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 —Thirteen members of the Senate, including six new appointees, took their oath of office today before the Senate president, Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah.

The six new appointees are acting Bentong Umno chief Datuk Seri Mohamad Zaini Salleh, Wanita MCA chief Datuk Wong You Fong, Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, Johor DAP vice-chairman Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali, Sarawak DAP assistant secretary Larry Asap and R.Thiagarajah.

Meanwhile, six senators were reappointed, namely Tan Sri Low Kian Chuan, Datuk Seri Profesor Dr Awang Sariyan, Datuk Dr Mohd Hatta Md Ramli, Isaiah D. Jacob, Mohd Hasbie Muda and Abun Sui Anyitm.

Abdul Nasir Idris was re-elected by the Kedah State Legislative Assembly.

All six new appointments by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong are for a three-year term from today until May 10, 2029, while the reappointments run from March 20, 2026, to March 19, 2029.

In his speech, Awang Bemee congratulated the 13 senators and urged them to make the Senate a platform for mature and constructive debate in representing the voices of the states and federal territories.

The Senate president also noted that the world is currently facing challenging geopolitical and economic conditions, including global supply chain disruptions, energy market uncertainty, rising logistics costs and inflationary pressures affecting the cost of living.

"Malaysia’s Parliament is entering an important phase through the enforcement of the Parliamentary Services Act 2025 to strengthen the separation of powers.

"The Senate also approved amendments to its standing orders on March 9, including the establishment of five new select committees covering public administration and governance; trade, industry and international relations; food security and the economy; social services, minorities, culture and indigenous affairs; as well as defence and security,” he said.

As such, Awang Bemee urged senators to play an active role in the committees to strengthen the Senate institution and champion public interests.

He said that in today’s digital communication era, senators’ responsibilities extend beyond the chamber and include fostering public understanding of constitutional supremacy, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law.

"Use social media and various communication platforms responsibly to assist the public, strengthen unity and preserve national harmony,” he added. — Bernama

GEORGE TOWN, May 11 – Penang Opposition Leader Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff has alleged that the accounts of government-linked corporations, Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI), was not fully audited.

He said CMI had failed to present its complete and audited accounts.

“The accounts were also not tabled in the state legislative assembly even though CMI manages the state revenue and multi-million ringgit projects,” he said when debating the Penang Yang DiPertua Negri’s speech at the state legislative assembly today.

The Sungai Dua assemblyman questioned the transparency of the state’s revenue management under CMI.

“How can an entity managing millions in state revenue operate without proper financial transparency? This is not about perception, this is about basic governance principles,” he said.

He said CMI which oversees various projects, should have a clear and audited financial reporting mechanism.

“CMI managed 71 projects in 2024 and 2025 and recorded rental and lease income through CMI and State Secretary Incorporated (SSI) amounting to RM8.43 million as of September 30 last year,” he said.

He also questioned delays in the tabling of CMI’s financial statements, despite requirements under amendments to the Chief Minister Incorporated Enactment, which stipulate that accounts and records must be properly prepared and tabled in the State Assembly every financial year.

Fauzi raised concerns over CMI’s management structure.

He said it lacked transparency especially in relation to state land management, strategic leases, and collaborations through various special purpose vehicles (SPVs).

“The public still does not have a clear picture of all companies under CMI’s management, their shareholding structures, and the actual ownership links,” he said.

He added that this raises questions over who is managing state assets and what benefits are derived from the projects, while also limiting public scrutiny over financial flows.

He urged the state government to explain the issues he raised.

“I hope the state government ensure all CMI-related accounts are properly prepared, audited, and presented openly to the state assembly and the public,” he said.

GEORGE TOWN, May 11 — Penang has strengthened health security at its international entry points at both the port and international airport to prevent the spread of hantavirus here.

State exco for health, youth and sports Daniel Gooi Zi Sen said steps have been taken to tighten international entry screening measures.

“These steps include increasing the capacity of existing laboratories to assist in detecting potential hantavirus infections,” he said in a press conference at the state legislative assembly today.

He reiterated a statement by the Ministry of Health that at present hantavirus cases occurred mainly in European countries so the likelihood of transmission in Malaysia is considered relatively low.

However the state health department has continued to implement health security protocols.

“We have health officers stationed at international entry points including at the ports,” he said.

He said ships arriving at Penang’s ports are subject to specific protocols to inspect their cleanliness and related health conditions.

“For the information of the media, according to the, from January 1 to May 2 this year, a total of 22,367 ships and boats were inspected at international entry points nationwide across major ports,” he said.

During the same period, Gooi said 2,421 sanitary certificates and 1,146 Ship Sanitation Certificates (SSC) were issued to ensure vessels entering the country comply with public health requirements, sanitation standards, and pest control measures in line with international health regulations.

“These are existing public health protocols already in place, implemented under the Ministry of Health to prevent the spread of infectious diseases,” he said.

He said these protocols have been in place for a long time.

Among the common measures include the use of infrared cameras to detect if a person has a fever or related symptoms.

“This is part of the established protocol to prevent disease transmission,” he said.

He said health officers at all international entry points have been reminded to remain alert to symptoms associated with the virus.

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