It’s Friday, October 23, and these are the updates for you.
Let’s begin with national news.
Firstly, Barisan Nasional and PAS will share the stage to unveil their candidates for the upcoming Melaka state election.
BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that both sides will announce their candidates together on Saturday, October 24, following the completion of negotiations over seat allocations.
Under the arrangement, BN will contest 21 state seats, while PAS and its allies will contest the remaining seven.
BN will use its own coalition logo, while the decision on which logo PAS and its allies will use will be left to their respective leadership.
The Melaka election is scheduled for November 14, with nomination day on October 31 and early voting on November 10.
The cooperation marks an important development in the parties’ preparations for the state polls, as they seek to avoid competing against one another in the same constituencies.
The joint candidate unveiling is expected to provide a clearer picture of how the parties intend to divide their electoral ground ahead of polling day.
Secondly, Malaysia’s homegrown navigation app TuJu is experiencing technical disruptions following a surge in users.
The Malaysian Highway Authority, or LLM, said it is working with the application’s developer, Prosignal Consortium, to identify the cause of the disruptions, restore system stability and increase the app’s capacity.
The surge in users followed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recommendation that Malaysians consider TuJu as an alternative to Waze, citing concerns about the security of location data and the fact that Waze operates under Israeli law.
The government subsequently prohibited civil servants from using Waze and encouraged the public to consider local alternatives.
Developed in collaboration with LLM, TuJu provides navigation services, traffic updates, information on highway facilities and emergency assistance.
However, the sudden increase in demand has exposed technical challenges that the developer now needs to address.
LLM has apologised for the inconvenience and said it is also reviewing user feedback on route accuracy and navigation functions.
The episode highlights the challenge of encouraging Malaysians to adopt a local digital service while ensuring that it can handle a rapid increase in users.
Thirdly, Malaysia recorded RM2.514 trillion in total trade between January and August this year, representing a 27 per cent increase compared with the same period last year.
The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, or MITI, said exports rose 31.2 per cent to RM1.356 trillion, while imports increased 22.4 per cent to RM1.158 trillion.
This resulted in a trade surplus of RM198.66 billion.
MITI said the performance remained encouraging despite global uncertainties, including changing tariff policies, international trade restrictions and disruptions to major shipping routes.
The ministry also highlighted efforts to strengthen export competitiveness through closer cooperation with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation and other industry stakeholders.
The figures indicate that Malaysia’s trade sector has continued to expand despite an uncertain international environment.
However, sustaining that growth will depend on how businesses adapt to changing trade policies, supply-chain pressures and demand in key export markets.
Fourthly, the government says 16 matters under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 implementation framework have been resolved, while 13 remain under discussion.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the outstanding matters would continue to be monitored through the MA63 Implementation Action Council and its technical committee, in consultation with federal authorities and the Sabah and Sarawak state governments.
The issues include federal financial obligations, the number of positions in Sabah and Sarawak’s public services, and the Borneonisation of the federal public service in both states.
The government has also acknowledged the justification for increasing the proportion of parliamentary seats allocated to Sabah and Sarawak, although further examination and discussions are still required.
Other unresolved matters include Sabah’s claims involving oil and gas resources, petroleum payments and maritime rights.
Some areas, including special grants, health and education, have seen interim or partial arrangements. However, further work remains before all outstanding matters can be considered fully settled.
The latest figures provide an update on the implementation of an agreement central to Malaysia’s formation in 1963 and the longstanding demands of Sabah and Sarawak for their constitutional rights and greater autonomy.
Fifthly, Bank Negara Malaysia says repayment deferments have been extended to families of victims affected by the floods along the Nepal-China border.
The central bank said relevant banks, insurance companies and takaful operators had engaged with the affected families following a meeting with the victims’ next of kin on October 12.
Repayment deferments have since been extended to all affected victims.
Financial institutions are also considering further assistance based on each family’s circumstances. This could include waivers of selected fees and charges, protection of customer assets and deposits, and assistance with insurance and takaful claims.
Bank Negara said the financial industry remained ready to provide appropriate assistance in accordance with existing laws and regulatory requirements.
Affected families have been encouraged to contact their respective financial institutions directly to discuss the support available to them.
The measures are intended to ease financial pressure on families dealing with the aftermath of the disaster and the loss of their loved ones.
Sixthly, Penang has been named Southeast Asia’s only destination on National Geographic’s list of the best places in the world to visit in 2027.
The publication’s annual list features 25 destinations and travel experiences around the world, selected by its travel experts and editorial teams.
Penang is the only destination from Malaysia and Southeast Asia to make the list.
National Geographic highlighted the state’s varied landscapes and cultural character, including George Town’s UNESCO-protected historic streets, rainforest-fringed beaches, traditional villages and mangrove-lined rivers.
The recognition also builds on Penang’s international reputation for its food and heritage, which featured in National Geographic’s previous coverage of Southeast Asian food destinations.
State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the recognition reflected the collective efforts of the state’s tourism industry and its stakeholders.
For Penang, the inclusion presents an opportunity to strengthen its international profile and attract more visitors in the coming year.
The challenge will be turning that global attention into sustained tourism spending while ensuring that the state’s heritage, natural environment and local communities benefit from increased interest.
Seventhly, Malaysia has added two more medals in swimming at the Asian Para Games, with Abd Halim Mohammad winning silver and Shahafiq Abdullah taking bronze.
Their performances bring Malaysia’s medal haul in the pool to four as the national contingent continues its campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games in Japan.
Abd Halim, an experienced para swimmer from Sabah, has previously enjoyed considerable success at regional competitions, including the ASEAN Para Games.
Shahafiq has also represented Malaysia in para swimming, competing against some of the region’s leading athletes.
The latest results underline the contribution of Malaysia’s para swimmers to the national medal tally as the contingent continues to compete across multiple sporting disciplines.
The Games provide a major platform for athletes with disabilities to demonstrate their abilities at the highest regional level, while giving Malaysia further opportunities to build on its para-sports achievements.
And finally, in international news.
The International Criminal Court has won the European Union’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought amid mounting pressure from United States President Donald Trump.
The European Parliament announced the award in recognition of the court and its officials’ work in upholding international law and justice.
The recognition comes after the Trump administration imposed sanctions targeting the ICC following its investigations involving the United States and Israel.
In 2024, the court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes connected to the war in Gaza. The warrants have been strongly criticised by Israel and the United States.
ICC President Tomoko Akane said the award was significant at a time when the court was facing unprecedented challenges.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola reaffirmed the European Union’s support for international institutions and the principles of multilateralism.
The Sakharov Prize is the European Parliament’s highest human rights award, named after Soviet dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Andrei Sakharov.
The award signals European support for the court’s role in international justice, even as political and diplomatic pressure continues to challenge its work.
And that’s your catch-up with Newsenz for today.
Stay informed, stay ahead.