Fast, factual wire coverage from across Malaysia and the region.
The United States has reaffirmed its dedication to strengthening defence relations with Malaysia during discussions between US Ambassador Kevin Kim and Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin at the 37th MILOPS conference in Kuala Lumpur.
A Malaysia Airlines pilot arrested in Indonesia for allegedly attempting to smuggle more than 70,000 ecstasy pills has no prior criminal or drug-related history in Malaysia, police said.
Myanmar police have arrested 13 people in connection with gold shop robberies in the Mandalay region, recovering over 42 ticals of gold jewellery alongside cash and firearms.
The United States has advised its citizens in West Asia to consider departing the region amid escalating tensions with Iran, warning of potential flight disruptions and security threats to American interests.
Israeli artillery struck southern Syria's Quneitra province on Thursday, marking the latest in a series of incursions since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024.
Malaysia's Home Ministry has initiated a comprehensive identification and security screening programme for Rohingya refugees in preparation for repatriating 5,000 Myanmar nationals, following a bilateral agreement between Kuala Lumpur and Naypyidaw.
Malaysia and Thailand have committed to deepening defence ties during high-level talks at Subang Air Base, with both nations pledging closer cooperation on regional security and lasting peace.
Thailand has indefinitely postponed scheduled peace talks with southern insurgent groups following a deadly attack in Narathiwat that claimed five ranger lives. The suspension underscores ongoing tensions in the restive border region.
Thailand has postponed peace talks scheduled for September in Malaysia with southern insurgent groups after an attack in Narathiwat killed five rangers. Authorities say dialogue will resume once security assessments are complete.
Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has initiated an investigation into Saudi Arabia's assertion that Iranian-aligned groups operating from Iraqi territory were responsible for drone attacks targeting the kingdom, marking a shift in Baghdad's diplomatic posture.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has positioned ASEAN as his nation's steadfast anchor in an increasingly volatile global environment, highlighting concrete regional achievements in food security, digital integration, and energy cooperation.
ASEAN and China say they are making substantial headway in negotiating a code of conduct for the South China Sea, with both sides expressing commitment to finalising the agreement before 2024 ends.
Malaysia's upper house has approved legislation allowing authorities to prosecute child sexual abuse cases committed overseas, responding to a 117% surge in reported incidents involving foreign nationals over five years.
Indonesia has pressed Asean to move beyond rhetoric and achieve tangible outcomes on regional challenges, warning that the bloc's credibility hangs in the balance as geopolitical tensions intensify across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN has designated Malaysia as the country coordinator for relations with Turkey, following the regional bloc's approval of Turkey as a new Dialogue Partner at the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila.
China summoned the Philippine ambassador on Tuesday following a confrontation at a disputed South China Sea shoal. The incident drew condemnation from the United States and allied nations, amid ongoing territorial tensions in the strategically vital waterway.
A confrontation between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea has escalated regional tensions ahead of an ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Manila, with the United States warning of threats to regional sovereignty.
Malaysia's Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has arrived in Manila to lead the Malaysian delegation at the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting. The gathering will focus on regional challenges including the West Asia situation and Myanmar's ongoing crisis.
Southeast Asian governments tackle mounting challenges from classroom shortages to transnational crime, while digital adoption accelerates across the region. Key developments span education reform, military cooperation, and enforcement against illegal trade.
Bahrain's civil defence system activated air raid sirens Sunday as Iran continued conducting missile and drone operations targeting Gulf installations amid worsening US-Iran hostilities.
The US Central Command confirmed that two American service members were killed and one remains missing following Iranian ballistic missile and drone strikes against US positions in Jordan on July 17.
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has branded US President Donald Trump's commitment to a recently signed memorandum of understanding as hollow, citing repeated American violations. The June 18 agreement, signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, has unravelled amid military escalation.
Malaysia's Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan interrupts his Negri Sembilan election campaign to attend the Asean Ministers Meeting in Manila, where regional powers confront unresolved crises in Myanmar and South China Sea negotiations.
The United States has advised its citizens to avoid travelling to Lebanon and northern Israel, citing escalating security concerns and the potential for unforeseen conflict escalation in the volatile West Asian region.
Thailand and Cambodia are maintaining their commitment to resolve longstanding border disputes through dialogue, Philippine officials said Thursday, crediting mediation efforts at May's ASEAN summit in Cebu.
The Philippines has condemned China Daily for publishing an AI-generated video depicting Filipinos as monkeys, calling it racist propaganda. Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro demanded its removal and criticised Beijing's resort to dehumanising imagery.
Malaysia's Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled has committed to strengthening collaboration with Thanut Suvarnananda, Thailand's newly appointed peace dialogue chief, to advance peace initiatives in southern Thailand.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to resolving maritime boundary disputes through bilateral negotiations and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, rejecting unilateral actions despite complexities across multiple maritime boundaries.
Malaysia's Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin met Thailand's newly appointed Defence Minister Lieutenant General Adul Boonthumjaroen to reaffirm defence cooperation and regional security commitments.
Iran has rejected US President Donald Trump's proposal for continued peace talks without a ceasefire agreement, insisting Washington first meets Tehran's preconditions on maritime transit and oil sales through the Strait of Hormuz.
Vietnam has reaffirmed its commitment to working with ASEAN to support Myanmar's development and stability, emphasizing the importance of the Five-Point Consensus as the bloc's framework for assisting the country through dialogue and concrete measures.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned of potentially catastrophic consequences from escalating military tensions in the Gulf region, urging Iran and the United States to resume negotiations immediately.
Singapore's police and financial crime units joined a coordinated Interpol operation spanning 97 jurisdictions that resulted in 5,811 arrests and the recovery of US$293 million in illicit assets between January and April.
Thailand is hosting two informal ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meetings focused on Myanmar, as the regional bloc intensifies diplomatic efforts to address the escalating crisis and advance implementation of its Five-Point Consensus framework.
Iran's Health Ministry confirms 14 deaths and 78 injuries from US military attacks on July 8-9, 2026, across five provinces, with 47 wounded still hospitalized.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has stressed Malaysia's preference for dialogue-based solutions to Myanmar's political crisis, positioning Thailand as a pivotal mediator given its proximity and regional influence.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Thailand's Anutin Charnvirakul met at Perdana Putra to review bilateral relations and explore expanded cooperation across trade, security, agriculture, and ASEAN initiatives.
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Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with the United Arab Emirates, discussing strategic cooperation in defence, artificial intelligence, and regional security during a parliamentary meeting.
Malaysia pledges to intensify collaboration with ASEAN and UNHCR to address the Rohingya refugee crisis through strengthened responsibility-sharing and political dialogue, while acknowledging structural constraints limiting collective action.
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Law enforcement in Perak uncovered a significant cache of weapons and ammunition during operations targeting a suspected trafficking network, marking another step in combating illegal arms circulation in the region.
President Xi Jinping has appointed Zhang Shuguang as head of military anti-corruption efforts, replacing Zhang Shengmin, as China's largest armed forces purge in decades intensifies with dozens of senior officers removed.
Singapore police have launched investigations into 230 individuals, including a 16-year-old, suspected of involvement in scams totalling S$9 million in losses across over 700 cases.
A 31-year-old French woman living in Perth has been charged with attempting to import butanediol, a dangerous border-controlled drug, from Thailand. Officers discovered 50g of the substance hidden in a body wash container at the airport.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has dismissed predictions of inevitable conflict in the South China Sea, stressing that Malaysia's constructive engagement with China and ASEAN's diplomatic traditions offer pathways to peaceful resolution.
Japan's parliament has approved sweeping defence reforms, including renaming its Air Self-Defence Force to incorporate space operations and upgrading southwestern military units to counter regional security threats.
France and Italy have announced plans for a multinational coalition to maintain stability in Lebanon once the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL concludes its operations at year-end, seeking to prevent a security vacuum.
ASEAN is exploring fresh approaches to strengthen implementation of its Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar, with Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan signalling that regional leaders want foreign ministers to reassess the peace framework's effectiveness.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has firmly backed Iran's right to possess ballistic missiles, arguing the weapons were excluded from the recent US-Iran memorandum of understanding facilitated by Islamabad.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi encountered vocal opposition at a World War II commemorative event as protesters demonstrated against her government's accelerating military buildup and departure from Japan's postwar pacifist principles.