English To Teach Math and Science Abandoned
Wednesday, 8th July 2009
Malaysian education officials announced that they will abandon the use of English to teach math and science, bowing to protesters who demanded more use of the national Malay language. Science and Maths to be taught in Bahasa Malaysia (BM) again. Officially reversing the 6-year English policy in Science and Math education. The teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics in English will be scrapped in stages from 2012 starting with Year 1, Year 4, Form 1 and Form 4.
Young State Councilor Aide Died
Tuesday, 16th June 2009
Teoh Beng Hock, a young aide to a state councilor, fell from a window where Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officials had been questioning him. The MACC had been created earlier this year from the ashes of another agency.
Men Held By Moneylenders Freed
Wednesday, 27th May 2009
Malaysian police rescued three men shackled to the wall of a filthy room for two months by illegal moneylenders after failing to repay their debts.
PM Abdullah Badawi Resigned
Thursday, 2nd April 2009
Malaysia's PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, age 69, in office for 5½ lackluster years, resigned to make way for Deputy PM Najib Razak, who must now fix an economy close to recession, heal the country's deep racial divisions and revive a moribund ruling party.
Singapore Fugitive Caught In Johor
Wednesday, 1st April 2009
Mas Selamat, a fugitive on the run from the Singapore Police, was caught and put under interrogation by the Malaysian authorities. Mas Selamat used an improvised flotation device to escape from the north shore of Singapore to Johor. He then made is way north and stayed in a secluded house in Kampung Tawakal, an obscure village with the population of less than 100 in Skudai, 25 kilometres (16 mi) northwest of Johor Bahru. Warning: This is not an April Fool’s joke.
Mas Selamat Caught
Wednesday, 1st April 2009
Mas Selamat Kastari, an Islamic militant suspected of plotting a "September 11" style air attack, was arrested in Johor state, more than a year after his dramatic escape from a high-security jail in Singapore. He was arrested by Malaysian authorities with the cooperation of Singaporean and Indonesian intelligence agencies.
Tug Boats Attacked By Pirates
Thursday, 19th February 2009
About 12 pirates armed with guns attacked the tug and barge in the Malacca Strait and kidnapped two crew members as the vessel was en route to Singapore.
Muslims banned from practicing yoga
Saturday, 22nd November 2008
Malaysia's top Islamic body ruled against Muslims practicing yoga, saying it has elements of other religions that could corrupt Muslims. On Nov 25 Malaysia's leader assured Muslims they can perform yoga if they do not chant religious mantras, an apparent effort to assuage public anger over an Islamic body's ban of the ancient Indian exercise.
Anwar Ibrahim won by-election
Tuesday, 26th August 2008
Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim won a "landslide" victory in a by-election to return him to parliament, and said he was on track to oust a weakened government. The Malays National Organization (UMNO) and its allies had ruled since independence in 1957.
Anwar Arrested For Second Sodomy
Tuesday, 15th July 2008
Malaysian police issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in connection with a sodomy accusation by a male former aide. The next day, they arrested opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on suspicion that he sodomized a male aide, pre-empting his voluntary appearance at the police headquarters to answer the allegation. He was interrogated for more than eight hours and made to sleep on a "cold cement" floor in a holding cell before being released the next day.