IPOH, May 9 — There are absolutely no commercial elements in the agreement between Taiping Zoo & Night Safari and Japan’s Tennoji Zoo in Osaka involving the three Malaysian elephants known as Dara, Amoi and Kelat.

Taiping Municipal Council (MPT) president Mohamed Akmal Dahalan clarified that the agreement is strictly zoo-to-zoo and not a business transaction, contrary to allegations by some parties.

“The term ‘B2B’ (business to business) does not reflect the true spirit of this agreement,” he said in a statement today.

He clarified that the international cooperation programme complies with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Malaysian Zoo Standard Guidelines, countering viral accusations on social media, including claims of payments to the zoo and local council, and alleged non-compliance with existing laws.

He also highlighted that the agreement has undergone approval processes in accordance with the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.

“Before the elephants were sent, MPT, Taiping Zoo and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) visited Osaka from Oct 6 to 10, 2022, to assess the existing facilities and identify the improvements needed by Tennoji Zoo,” he said.

He added that all relevant documentation, such as special permits, export applications, and responses to Japanese authorities, had been properly approved before the elephants were transported.

“MPT also wants to make it clear that animal welfare and well-being have always been our top priority in this programme. The Taiping Zoo will remain in regular contact with Tennoji Zoo and other relevant agencies to obtain the latest updates,” he said.

He added that the council is ready to cooperate with authorities, including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), should any further review or investigation into the programme be required.

The elephants are currently housed at Tennoji Zoo under a 25-year international cooperation agreement between the two zoos, with MPT acting as the representative for Taiping Zoo.

Local media previously reported that a group of activists and non-governmental organisations had urged the government to bring the elephants back to Malaysia, alleging the animals are suffering and ill-suited to the zoo’s environment. — Bernama

austindodgephotography posted a photo:

In April, the 70th month since Beijing imposed the national security law, the Hong Kong government applied to the court to seize assets belonging to Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence.

On National Education Day, a top Chinese official delivered a warning about those who “politicised” the deadly Tai Po fire and tried to “stir up chaos” in the city.

Gov’t seeks to seize Jimmy Lai’s assets

The Hong Kong government filed an application with the High Court on April 2 to seize “offence-related” properties owned by jailed pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai on national security grounds.

In a statement issued the same day, the government mentioned Lai’s earlier convictions under the Beijing-imposed national security law. It said the High Court had found that he was the “mastermind and driving force behind the case, consciously using Apple Daily and his personal influence” to undermine local and Beijing authorities.

In a writ dated April 2, the secretary for justice listed HK$127 million in assets to be “forfeited” to the authorities.

The assets include credit balances in bank accounts belonging to or linked to the Apple Daily founder.

Fifteen bank accounts under Lai’s name – 10 with HSBC, two with Hang Seng Bank and three with Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank – have over HK$32 million.

The government is also seeking to seize bank accounts belonging to 17 companies linked to Lai. It is also demanding that Lai give up shares in 17 companies, some of which overlap with the 17 firms whose assets the government is seeking to seize.

Among the companies whose assets and shares the government wants to seize are Dico Consultants Ltd, which has over HK$404,302 in its HSBC account, and Lai’s Hotel Properties Ltd, which has over HK$3.1 million in its four HSBC accounts.

Lai has been summoned to the High Court on July 8 to hear the government’s application. The case will be presided over by Esther Toh, one of the three judges who heard his national security trial.

The move to seize Lai’s assets came after the government designated three companies linked to Lai’s now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid “prohibited organisations” in late March and removed them from the corporate registry. Police cordoned off the Apple Daily building in Tseung Kwan O a day later.

The three firms were tried and convicted alongside the Apple Daily founder in his high-profile national security case. Lai was sentenced to 20 years behind bars in early February, while the companies were each fined over HK$3 million.

Political commentator appears in court

A Hong Kong political commentator charged with disclosing details of a national security investigation appeared at the District Court on April 28.

Wong Kwok-ngon, known by his pen name Wong On-yin, has been detained since his arrest in December for allegedly divulging in a YouTube video details of enquiries made by police during a national security investigation.

Judge Stanley Chan said the pre-trial review would take place behind closed doors on August 11, and the trial would begin on October 9.

Wong’s offence falls under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, a homegrown security law known as Article 23. It was added to the ordinance in May as part of subsidiary legislation, and Wong is the first to be charged under the new law.

He is also charged with sedition over videos posted on YouTube between January 3 and December 6 last year. He plans to plead not guilty to both charges.

The defendant, who continues to represent himself, told the court he had dropped his legal aid application.

Asked by the judge whether he had legal knowledge for self-defence, Wong said he had “three law degrees” and was confident of handling the case.

Nat. security clauses for restaurant licences

Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said in early April that all Hong Kong restaurant licences would include national security clauses from September.

Tse made the remarks on April 7, nearly a year after the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) introduced the provisions for restaurant licence renewals in May.

“With restaurants renewing their licences gradually, we expect that by September this year, all restaurant licences will contain the clauses,” Tse told reporters, according to RTHK.

Retiree jailed over seditious Facebook posts

A Hong Kong man was jailed for a year under the city’s homegrown national security law after pleading guilty to making seditious remarks on Facebook, including comments supporting Hong Kong’s and Taiwan’s independence.

Raymond Chong pleaded guilty before national security judge Victor So at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on April 14 to one count of knowingly publishing publications with a seditious intention – an offence under the city’s local security law, also known as Article 23.

The magistrate handed Chong, a retiree in his early 60s, an 18-month sentence but discounted it by six months after considering his guilty plea.

Chong was accused of making 53 seditious social media posts between March 2024 and November 2025, local media reported.

The posts had wording such as “dissolving the Chinese Communist Party is the most important thing” and “Hong Kong independence is within sight.”

The defendant posted on a public Facebook page called “Holy Raymond,” which features the Chinese phrase “Heaven will destroy the Chinese Communist Party, God bless Hong Kong” as its profile picture.

During mitigation ahead of sentencing, his lawyer argued that Chong was a Falun Gong believer who had come to hate the Chinese Communist Party because of false information that the CCP engaged in live organ harvesting.

Beijing official warned of ‘politicising’ Tai Po fire

China’s top official in charge of Hong Kong affairs warned of some people who “politicised” the deadly Tai Po fire and tried to use the disaster to “stir up chaos” in Hong Kong.

Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, delivered his remarks on April 15 via a recorded video shown at a National Security Education Day ceremony.

In his speech, Xia mentioned the massive fire that broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a government-subsidised housing estate in Tai Po, on November 26, killing 168 people.

“After the Tai Po fire, some malicious people politicised the tragedy, attempting to use the disaster as a means to disrupt Hong Kong,” Xia said in Mandarin, without giving further details.

“Once again, it reminds us that along Hong Kong’s path toward prosperity under good governance, there will be various risks and challenges.”

Speaking at the same event, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee also warned that some people were “using the disaster to stir up chaos” and “to incite hatred” in Hong Kong.

“Only through the government’s swift action and decisive law enforcement has the situation been able to return to normal,” Lee said in Mandarin.

French journalist denied entry to city

A French journalist was denied entry to Hong Kong in November, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in late April, accusing the city’s authorities of “weaponising visas” against foreign media workers.

Antoine Vedeilhe, who was shooting a documentary for French public broadcaster France Télévisions, was questioned upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport on November 2 last year, RSF said in a statement on April 24.

He was detained for three hours before being deported without being given a reason, it added.

The press freedom NGO said Vedeilhe was the 13th foreign media worker who had been denied entry or a visa by the city’s authorities following Beijing’s imposition of the national security law in 2020.

“In the journalist’s view, his detention was a reprisal for his work on a documentary examining Beijing’s grip on Hong Kong,” RSF said.

Another cameraman for the documentary was able to enter the city, RSF said, but he was followed by “unidentified individuals that he suspects were Hong Kong’s national security police.”

“In the following days, there was a hacking attempt on Vedeilhe’s private email account and his sources in the documentary were harassed by the national security police,” the NGO said.

In an emailed reply to HKFP’s enquiries, the Hong Kong government said it “strongly condemns the smearing remarks and distorted narratives by” RSF.

Prosecution and arrests figures

As of April 1, a total of 394 people have been arrested for “cases involving suspected acts or activities that endanger national security” since Beijing’s national security law came into effect, according to the Security Bureau. That figure includes those arrested under Article 23 and for other offences.

Of the 208 people and five companies that have so far been charged, 180 people and four companies have been convicted or are awaiting sentencing.

In total, 100 people and four companies have been charged under Beijing’s national security law, with 79 persons and three companies convicted. Thirteen people have been charged under Article 23, 10 of whom have been convicted.

GUA MUSANG, May 9 — An elderly lorry driver was killed after he was believed to have been hit by a motorcycle ridden by a 17-year-old while crossing a road in Gua Musang on Friday night, Sinar Harian reported.

In the 8.30pm incident at Kilometre 41 of the Gua Musang–Kuala Krai road, the victim, Mat Zaki Jusoh, 62, died at the scene.

Gua Musang police chief Superintendent Sik Choon Foo said preliminary investigations found that the accident occurred when the teenage motorcyclist was travelling from Paloh towards Gua Musang.

“Upon reaching the location, the lorry driver was crossing the road to get to his vehicle which was parked on the opposite side,” he was quoted as saying. 

“Upon reaching the location, the motorcycle is believed to have collided with the elderly man. As a result of the impact, he was flung and died at the scene,” he told the Malay daily. 

Sik said the victim’s body was sent to the Forensic Unit at Gua Musang Hospital for post-mortem.

He said the case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

Investigations are ongoing, and witnesses or anyone with information have been urged to contact police at 09-9121222 to assist in the probe.

IPOH, May 8 — A 28-year-old fireman was charged at the Sessions Court here today with seven counts of sexual offences involving a 14-year-old boarding school student in Parit, Perak.

Muhammad Aidilafifi Muhammad claimed trial before judge Jean Sharmila Jesudason, several local news outlets including The Star and the New Straits Times reported.

He is also accused of committing the offences at multiple locations between February and May 1.

The charges are framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, punishable with a maximum jail term of up to 20 years and whipping.

Muhammad Aidilafifi is also facing a separate charge for possessing an obscene image of the teenage girl.

The court set bail at RM9,000 for all charges with additional conditions, including monthly police reporting and a prohibition on contacting the victim or witnesses.

PUTRAJAYA, May 8 — Claims for compensation involving an Indian woman tourist who died after falling into a sinkhole at Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur, will be left to the court to decide, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh.

She said the victim’s family could submit their claim through the courts as Kuala Lumpur had never faced such a case before.

“What I can say here is, firstly, we sympathise with the family over the incident, and I am sure they are relieved now that the death certificate has been issued.

“For compensation claims, I believe they need to settle the matter through court proceedings and for this, their lawyers can file a claim in court and we leave it to the court to decide the amount of compensation required. We have never had a case like this in Kuala Lumpur,” she told reporters here today.

She said discussions had been held with Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Fadlun Mak Ujud on the matter and it was understood that the victim’s family would first return to India before meeting her.

The media previously reported that the family of the woman tourist, G Vijaya Lakshmi, 48, was seeking appropriate compensation and planning to meet Hannah and Fadlun within two weeks to one month after Vijaya’s death certificate was issued yesterday.

On August 23, 2024, Vijaya fell into a sinkhole that suddenly formed while she was walking along Jalan Masjid India.

Although a large-scale search and rescue operation involving various agencies was carried out, the victim was never found.

On February 27 this year, the victim’s family urged the government to issue a death certificate to enable compensation claims to proceed.

Previously, Vijaya had still been classified as a missing person and for that reason, a death certificate could not be issued. — Bernama

IPOH, May 8 — An elderly man was killed while his wife was injured after they were allegedly assaulted with a hard object during a robbery at a house along Jalan Melayu, Ayer Tawar near Sitiawan, yesterday.

Manjung police chief ACP Hasbullah Abd Rahman said police received a call from a member of the public at about 5.30am informing them of the robbery.

“The elderly couple were attacked by a man, causing both victims to suffer serious injuries after being struck with a hard object.

“The suspect fled after taking two mobile phones and the victims’ wallets. Neighbours who heard the commotion came to assist the victims and took them to Seri Manjung Hospital for treatment,” he said in a statement today.

Hasbullah said the 84-year-old male victim was later pronounced dead while receiving treatment, and a post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

He said police intelligence and investigations led to the arrest of a 27-year-old male suspect, who has seven previous criminal records, at about 7.45pm yesterday.

He said the suspect has been remanded for seven days, from today, to assist investigations under Sections 302 and 394 of the Penal Code.

“Witnesses or members of the public with any information related to the incident are urged to contact the Manjung district police headquarters operations room at 05-688 6222 or WhatsApp at 017-682 8005 to assist in investigations,” he said. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — The Kuala Lumpur Festival (KL Festival) is now a permanent fixture in the city’s yearly calendar in a bid to transform the city centre into a thriving cultural hub.

Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh, who announced it last night, said that the KL Festival will be held annually starting from May next year, adding that it is also in support of the Visit Malaysia 2027 campaign and to further strengthen its status as a Unesco Creative City. 

“For far too long, many people experienced Kuala Lumpur only as a city to work in, drive through, and rush home from. We want to change that. 

“We want Kuala Lumpur to be a city people slow down to enjoy. A city that feels alive beyond office hours. A city where public spaces are activated with culture, creativity, and community. 

“Because a city should not only feel alive inside shopping malls. Our streets, our heritage buildings, and public spaces must feel alive too,” Yeoh said during the launch.

Returning for its second edition this year, the KL Festival 2026 will run from May 6 to May 31 with over 80 programmes across 26 venues transforming heritage buildings, streets, and public spaces in Downtown KL into a network of cultural experiences.

This includes traditional arts like the wayang kulit reimagined, contemporary dance, immersive installations, outdoor cinema and theatre as well as community programmes. 

Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh speaks before the official launch of the Kuala Lumpur Festival on May 7, 2026. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

As part of the Warisan KL national initiative, KL Festival is also focusing on heritage-led urban rejuvenation by encouraging people to rediscover urban spaces while fostering a deeper sense of belonging, collective pride and national identity. 

“KL Festival is part of a long-term effort to strengthen Downtown Kuala Lumpur as a place people actively choose to spend time in — where culture, community and commerce come together to bring the city to life.

“It demonstrates how heritage and public spaces can be activated through curated programming, storytelling and partnerships, creating experiences that are meaningful and sustained over time. 

“This is something we are building deliberately and systematically – working across the public, private and creative sectors to shape a more vibrant, liveable and culturally confident Kuala Lumpur,” said Think City’s managing director Datuk Hamdan Abdul Majeed. 

KL Festival 2026 is organised by Think City along with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) with support from the Ministry of Finance and Federal Territories Department while Maxis is one of their main sponsors. 

The festival, also held in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia Year 2026, opened yesterday evening with a gala performance coined as ‘Irama Pusaka – Akar Tradisi, Nadi Baharu’ at the DBKL Auditorium in Jalan Raja Laut. 

Guests were treated to an evening musical feast featuring Orkestra Kuala Lumpur alongside leading ensembles including Gangsapura (gamelan), Lee Rubber Chinese Orchestra, EKAM Ensemble, and sape virtuoso Leslie Eli. 

Communication Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, and KL Mayor Datuk Fadlun Mak Ujud were also present at the KL Festival 2026 opening night. 

The evening was also graced by the appearance of several other prominent Malaysians such as former national squash player Datuk Nicol David, singer and musician Loque as well as theatre doyenne Jo Kukathas. 

More information on the KL Festival 2026 is available here.

KLANG, May 7 — The family of the Indian national who perished in the 2024 Jalan Masjid India sinkhole tragedy officially received her death certificate yesterday, enabling their legal team to begin the process of claiming compensation from the authorities.

The family’s lawyer, M. Partiben, said the document was handed over by the National Registration Department in Putrajaya to Surya Madhaiha, 28, the daughter of G. Vijaya Lakshmi, 48.

“The focus has now shifted fully to claiming the family’s rights, and we hope the authorities will expedite the compensation process to reduce the family’s expenses while they remain in Malaysia,” he said at a press conference here today.

“The next step is to arrange meetings with the special officer to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), Hannah Yeoh, as well as Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Dr. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, in the near future to discuss the compensation amount,” he added.

Partiben said the compensation claim covers multiple elements, including damages for bereavement, funeral costs, special damages and exemplary damages following the incident, allegedly due to negligence in maintenance by the local authorities.

He also suggested that the government refer to a Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court decision on March 24, which ordered the Kuala Lumpur Mayor to pay RM824,180 in damages to the family of a victim killed by a falling tree due to maintenance negligence near the Selayang Market on March 22, 2023.

“A comparison should be made because in this sinkhole tragedy, the cause has also been linked to underground utility negligence and geological factors. We hope the ministry and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will make a reasonable assessment,” he said.

Meanwhile, another lawyer, Muhamad Saifullah Muhamad Azmi, said the issuance of the death certificate has brought some relief to the family, who are now facing financial pressure as the deceased was the main breadwinner.

He said the document was urgently needed to settle the deceased’s outstanding debts with Indian banks and prevent any further action against the family.

On August 23, 2024, Vijaya Lakshmi, originally from Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India, was reported missing after falling into an eight-metre-deep sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India.

Extensive search and rescue operations were conducted for nine days before being called off due to safety concerns for the rescue team. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — For Taman Segar resident Swee Len, 80, happiness at her age can be found in the simplest pleasure — a daily morning walk at a playground near her house.

So when Minister in the Prime Minister Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh announced that a park smaller than half a football pitch is now safe from development, Swee Len breathed a sigh of relief.

“To us seniors, this is all we want. Almost daily, in the morning, the senior community will have this part to walk,” the octogenarian said.

“It’s a relief to know this little playground will not be taken away for yet another high-rise development. I’m sure the rest of the community feels the same,” she added.

The modest playground at Persiaran Lemak in Taman Segar, Cheras, is among four newly gazetted sites under a broader push to protect green and open spaces in the capital city, which often become flashpoints between residents and developers. 

The other three consists of a community hall right next to the playground on Persiaran Lemak and two open spaces at Jalan Damai Puspa in Alam Damai. All these locations are in Cheras. 

Swee Len, a proud member of the local Rukun Tetangga, said both the sites have long been used by local residents. 

“The centre is almost like home for us seniors. We always meet and hang out here,” she said while offering a tour and some tea.

Swee Len, 80, finds happiness in her daily morning walks at the pocket park near her house in Taman Segar, Cheras. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Yeoh, speaking to the press as she announced the playground’s new protected status, said public spaces like the the playground in Taman Segar can signify more than just recreation – often it can be the beating heart of the local community, especially for older persons.

“This is why these green spaces are so important,” the minister said today. 

“This is the reason we have a task force and we are running against time to gazette as many parks as possible, so that our senior citizens can have a breathing space where they can walk in the morning, meet their friends and exercise,” she added.

“As long as people support us this is what we’ll do.”

Yeoh announced the push to protect the city’s green spaces upon becoming FT minister.

By February, 494 areas were already given protected status before an additional 45 areas she announced on April 15.

The four additional areas designated as public space means the total number of green and open spaces successfully gazetted has increased to 543 areas.