DUNGUN, June 6 — A woman who suffered a severed left leg in an accident at Kilometre 341.5 of the East Coast Expressway 2 (LPT2) near the Paka Rest and Service Area (R&R) here yesterday died while receiving treatment at Dungun Hospital last night.

Dungun Acting Police Chief DSP Jumaidy Bah Chong Weh said police received a report that Maziah Che Hassan, 57, died at 7.15pm.

She was travelling in a Proton X70 sport utility vehicle (SUV) with four other individuals when the accident occurred at 5.15pm while they were heading towards Kuantan, Pahang, after attending a wedding ceremony in Kuala Berang, Hulu Terengganu.

“The driver is believed to have fallen asleep at the wheel, causing the vehicle to lose control while negotiating a bend before crashing into a road barrier.

“As a result of the impact, the vehicle spun several times and became lodged on the road barrier,” he said in a statement today.

He said the driver and three other passengers, who were also injured, were taken to Dungun Hospital for treatment and the case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. — Bernama

JOHOR BAHRU, June 1 — Johor Pakatan Harapan (PH) is prepared to face the upcoming state election following the dissolution of the state legislative assembly.

In a joint statement, Johor PH said the coalition had expected that Johor Barisan Nasional (BN) would dissolve the assembly soon to pave way for an election.

“From the start, PH expected BN to dissolve the state assembly in the near future.

“In the spirit of democracy, PH will continue with existing preparations to face this election,” read the statement that was released tonight.

The statement was co-signed by Johor PH chairman and Johor Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) chief Aminolhuda Hassan; Johor PKR chief Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa; and Johor DAP chief Teo Nie Ching.

PH Johor also announced that it will hold discussions at the coalition’s Presidential Council level at the national level to plan its next steps.

“For us, there is no easy election. PH is prepared to make the best effort possible to win this state election,” read the statement.

In a related note, the coalition also criticised the June 22 special one-day state legislative assembly sitting, describing it as illogical.

The notice for the June 22 state legislative assembly sitting was widely expected to announce the dissolution of the Johor state assembly.

Earlier, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced the dissolution of the state legislative assembly.

This effectively paves the way for the state’s upcoming election.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — Police have warned that individuals who access or possess online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) may escalate to more serious offences, including grooming, sextortion and sexual crimes against children.

Bukit Aman Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division (D11) principal assistant director SAC Siti Kamsiah Hassan said the trend had been identified through investigations conducted by the division and the Malaysia Internet Crimes Against Children (MICAC) Centre into CSAM-related cases.

She said repeated exposure to CSAM could lead to behavioural addiction, a condition in which individuals are compelled to seek more content and spend longer periods accessing such material.

“Like other forms of addiction, individuals who are continuously exposed to CSAM may require increasingly extreme content to achieve the same level of satisfaction,” she told Bernama.

Siti Kamsiah said investigations had found that online communities sharing the material typically operated within closed groups, whose members often did not know one another personally.

“They are connected by a shared interest in such content. Over time, these groups form extensive networks, as each group develops its own connections and exchanges material with others,” she said.

She said demand for such content also fuelled exploitation, with some individuals selling the material to others for financial gain.

Siti Kamsiah said individuals involved in the possession, storage or distribution of CSAM came from diverse occupational backgrounds, age groups and social strata.

Previously, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said CSAM cases recorded by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) increased from 68 in 2024 to 152 last year, while 100 cases had been recorded so far this year.

She said the figures could represent only a fraction of the actual situation, as greater internet connectivity and the growing availability of content-generation tools had made such material easier to produce and disseminate.

To address the threat, Siti Kamsiah said the PDRM continued to intensify enforcement operations to detect individuals involved in CSAM-related offences, while also carrying out victim identification processes involving images or videos seized so that rescue operations could be undertaken as quickly as possible.

At the same time, she said the introduction of the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) was seen as an important step in strengthening the country’s ability to tackle online sexual crimes, including those involving CSAM.

She added that previously, cooperation between digital platforms and the authorities had largely depended on voluntary basis, resulting in longer delays in obtaining information and removing criminal sexual content, including CSAM.

She said ONSA places clearer responsibilities on digital platforms to comply with Malaysian laws, thereby facilitating the process of obtaining account-holder information, tracking suspects, identifying victims and removing harmful content more swiftly. — Bernama

JOHOR BAHRU, June 15 — Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) aims to regain several Johor state seats it previously held, including Parit Yaani and Kota Iskandar, in the upcoming state election.

Johor Amanah chairman Aminolhuda Hassan said the constituencies are among the 19 seats the party will contest, alongside Simpang Jeram, the only seat won by Amanah in the 2022 state election. 

“Amanah will also field candidates in Permas, Kemelah, Tenang, Serom, Maharani and Bukit Pasir,” he told Bernama.

Aminolhuda, who won Parit Yaani under PAS in 2013 and Pakatan Harapan (PH)-Amanah in 2018, said the party remained determined to mount a strong challenge despite some constituencies being regarded as Barisan Nasional (BN) strongholds.

He added that Amanah was also optimistic about its prospects in suburban constituencies.

Meanwhile, Aminolhuda, who is also Johor PH chairman, said the coalition had agreed to allocate the Endau, Pulai Sebatang and Senggarang state seats to PKR.

On Puteri Wangsa and Larkin, which have been linked to ongoing discussions among PH component parties, he said no final decision had been reached on the allocation of the two seats.

In the 2022 Johor state election, Puteri Wangsa was won by MUDA's Puteri Amira Aisya Abd Aziz with a majority of 7,114 votes in a six-cornered contest, while BN's Mohd Hairi Mad Shah won Larkin with a majority of 6,178 votes.

DAP will contest 17 seats while PKR will field candidates in 20 constituencies in the upcoming election. — Bernama 

JUNE 13 — In the case of Haris Fatillah bin Mohd Ibrahim v Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia [2017], Haris Fatillah (Appellant) had made an application to the Election Commission of Malaysia (Respondent) for the relevant information (Information) pertaining to the proposed delimitation of Parliamentary and State Constituencies (Delimitation Exercise) to be supplied to the Appellant. The respondent had failed and or neglected to supply the Information to the Appellant.

Consequently, the Appellant commenced an action in the High Court by way of Originating Summons (OS) against the Respondent. In the OS, the Appellant averred that he was a registered voter in the parliamentary constituency of Petaling Jaya Selatan (P105) and the state constituency of the State Legislative Assembly of Bukit Gasing.

By the OS, the Appellant sought for declaratory reliefs or declarations, among others:

(a) that all affected persons had the right to all information in relation to changes made to parliamentary and state constituencies where these people were registered voters;

(b) that the Information included the recommendations or proposed recommendations, map or maps of the constituency, voting areas and the reasons for the proposed changes including all relevant documents used in support and/or justification of the proposed changes;

(c) that all the affected persons be conferred with the right to the Information in the form which would enable all the affected persons to make effective representations pertaining to the recommendations under Section 5 of the Thirteenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution; and

(d) that the Information, including the publication of the information in digital form available via the Respondent’s web page or copies of the same, be made available to the affected persons, whether living in Malaysia or outside Malaysia at nominal costs, to enable the affected persons to make effective representations within the time provided by Section 4(b) of the Thirteenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

The author argues that the doctrine of ‘locus standi’ remains a critical threshold in Malaysian public interest litigation. — Pexels pic

The OS was filed by the Appellant pursuant to Order 15 rule 16 of the Rules of Court 2012 (ROC). The High Court had dismissed the OS on the ground that the Appellant had no locus standi and that the reliefs sought in the OS, if granted, would have the effect of declaring the Respondent to do something which the Respondent was not required to do under the Federal Constitution.

Dissatisfied with the High Court’s decision, the Appellant appealed to the Court of Appeal. The issues for determination were whether the Appellant had the requisite locus standi to bring the proceedings and whether the application for the declarations sought in the OS ought to be granted.

In dismissing the appeal and affirming the High Court’s decision, the Court of Appeal ruled, among others, that in the OS, the Appellant had merely identified himself as a registered voter of the respective parliamentary and state constituencies. The Appellant had not pleaded that there was any interference with his public right such that it also interfered with his private right or that he had suffered some special damage peculiar to himself from such interference.

Nowhere in his cause papers did the Appellant identify a controversy or a ripe issue between himself and the Respondent or that his constitutional right had been infringed.

Clearly, there was no controversy between the Appellant and the Respondent, whether of the facts or in law.

The Appellant’s action was flawed and without merit. It was seeking a ‘clocked declaration’ – that is, a declaration for a collateral purpose or with improper motive.

Central to the decision was whether the Appellant had the requisite locus standi to bring the action against the Respondent.

Judge of Court of Appeal Zamani A Rahim (as he then was) said:

“The issue of locus standi is a threshold issue to be decided as to whether the Appellant can institute and maintain any action, be it a private matter or a public interest litigation.

“The Appellant seeks a series of declarations in relation to the review of the division of the Federation and the States into constituencies (delimitation of parliamentary/state constituencies) to be undertaken by the Respondent.

“The Respondent contends that the Appellant lacks locus standi to come to court for the reliefs prayed for as there is no controversy between the Appellant and the Respondent as the Appellant’s right has not been affected.

 “The most important feature of a declaratory judgment is that it is a discretionary remedy and as such, the court must carefully consider the circumstances and terms upon which the relief is sought.”

According to the learned judge, the discretion should be exercised ‘sparingly’, ‘with care and jealousy’ and ‘with extreme caution’. The expressions themselves may give little guidance, but what has been established in a long line of decisions is that the party seeking declaratory reliefs must first show to the court that he has the necessary locus standi or standing in that he has a proper or tangible interest to seek the declarations.

In other words, a real or genuine interest.

The above explains why the High Court on Friday (June 12) dismissed a challenge by Ipoh mother M. Indira Gandhi and 13 others against state laws that allow children under age 18 to be converted to Islam without both parents’ consent.

Court of Appeal Judge Aliza Sulaiman, who was a High Court Judge when this case was heard, said that all 14 of them had failed to show they have locus standi, meaning the legal standing, to pursue their court challenge.

The learned judge also said they had failed to show that they have a “real or genuine interest” in the matter.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.

CAIRO, June 7 — France’s David Trezeguet and Brazil’s Zico and Dunga all left their mark on World Cup history decades ago.

In 2026, their names will return to football’s biggest stage but this time on the backs of Egyptian players.

When the Pharaohs walk onto the tournament pitch this month, several squad members will carry monikers drawn from some of the game’s most iconic figures — names first picked up years ago on dusty training grounds, in youth academies and across local leagues.

The tradition is rooted in similarities of playing style or appearance and in a football culture that has long embraced legendary names.

One standout is Mahmoud Hassan, popularly called “Trezeguet”, who plays for Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

The 31-year-old winger, who previously had a spell in the Premier League with Aston Villa, made his World Cup debut at Russia 2018 and is now preparing for his second appearance.

His nickname was given by youth coach Badr Ragab, who saw in Hassan’s style and aerial prowess shades of the French striker who helped France lift the 1998 World Cup and later featured in the 2002 and 2006 tournaments.

“From his first days... I noticed (Hassan’s) resemblance to Trezeguet, both in appearance and playing style,” Ragab told AFP.

“He was strong in the air and scored goals in a similar way, so I gave him the name. I never imagined it would stay with him for so long.”

The original Trezeguet earned 71 caps for France before ending his international career in 2014.

Now, Egypt’s own Trezeguet is edging towards a milestone of his own, sitting just short of 100 caps, a mark he could reach should Egypt progress beyond the group stage at the World Cup.

The team will face Belgium, Iran and New Zealand in Group G.

‘Little Zico’

Brazil’s influence is also visible within the Egyptian squad.

Mostafa Abdel-Raouf, a midfielder for Pyramids FC, has been known as “Little Zico” since his early days in the game, a reference to one of Brazil’s most gifted playmakers.

Unlike Hassan’s nickname, the origin was more personal than tactical.

Abdel-Raouf’s older brother, who also played football, was nicknamed Zico because his full name included “Zaki”.

“When Mostafa started playing, coaches called him ‘little Zico’ because he was my younger brother,” he told AFP.

The name stayed with him as he moved through different clubs, he added.

The original Zico made 71 appearances for Brazil and played in three World Cups before retiring in 1994.

Egypt’s 29-year-old Zico is only just beginning his international journey.

Called up for the first time ahead of the tournament, he made an immediate impact, scoring on his debut in a friendly against Russia in May.

Another Brazilian-inspired nickname belongs to Nabil Emad, known as “Dunga”, after the midfielder who captained Brazil to World Cup glory in 1994.

The 27-year-old, now playing as a defensive midfielder for Saudi Pro League club Al-Najma, is competing in his second major international tournament after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

His nickname dates back to his early career, when he was spotted playing in Egypt’s second division.

“I admired the Brazilian player, and Nabil played in the same position with a very similar style,” said Wael Habib, a former official at Al Assiouty, now Pyramids FC, who signed him in 2014.

Emad went on to establish himself at Pyramids, later joining Egyptian giants Zamalek before moving abroad.

In Egypt, such naming traditions are far from unusual.

Ragab, who coined the nickname Trezeguet, also handed out other European-inspired names in his youth teams, including “Nedved” for ex-Al Ahly winger Karim Walid, after Czech legend Pavel Nedved.

Other players have carried names borrowed from well-known figures, from Al Ahly’s Ahmed Ramadan, known as “Beckham”, to former Zamalek player Youssef Ibrahim, whose nickname “Obama” set him apart beyond the pitch. — AFP

KLANG, June 3 — A laboratory assistant who was previously charged with killing a motorcyclist in a road crash changed his plea to not guilty on one drug-related charge in the Magistrate’s Court here today.

R. Saktygaanapathy, 28, changed his plea after the amended charge was read out again before Magistrate Nor Azilah Mat.

According to the amended charge, he allegedly administered tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) into his own body at the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Division Office, South Klang District Police Headquarters (IPD) at 3.30 pm on March 29, 2026.

On April 1, he pleaded guilty to a charge of administering to himself the drugs benzo and THC at the same time and location.

The charge under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, as well as supervision for no more than three years, if convicted.

His lawyer Aravind Raj told reporters outside the court that his client did not understand the implications and consequences of the guilty plea made previously because he was not represented by a lawyer when he was brought to court two months ago.

Nor Azilah set July 22 for case mention to obtain the chemical report.

The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Sulfie Abu Hassan.

Meanwhile, in another court, Magistrate A. Karthiyayini also set July 22 for the mention of the murder case involving Saktygaanapathy to allow the prosecution to complete the post-mortem report.

Saktygaanapathy is charged with the murder of delivery rider Amirul Hafiz Omar, 33, on Jalan Raya Barat here at 11.47 am on March 29 while allegedly driving under the influence of drugs.

The charge is under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years and, if not sentenced to death, may be subject to a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane, if convicted.

However, no plea was recorded from the accused regarding the murder case as it falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court.

Meanwhile, the lawyer representing the victim’s family, Mohd Faizi Che Abu, said they will file a claim for compensation exceeding RM1 million against the individual who caused Amirul Hafiz’s death, no later than next month.

According to him, they are completing related documents, including assessing the victim’s actual income to determine the appropriate amount of the claim. — Bernama