🇲🇾Week of October 26

A Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Maritim Malaysia) patrol boat struck a concrete block left over from an old jetty while chasing a boat suspected of carrying undocumented migrants, throwing five officers on board into the water. The collision happened at Sungai Padang, near Kangar in Perlis. One officer, Roshaimi, was killed and two others were injured.123

The Home Minister recorded his condolences over the death. Kosmo Online carried the family's parting words from the officer before he left for the operation: "Pray for Papa, Papa is going to war."45

The officer killed in the migrant operation was buried on Thursday. The Perlis state government said it will review the position of the concrete block that caused the tragedy.67

Maritim Malaysia is investigating its standard operating procedures over the fatal operation. Eleven foreign nationals are being investigated in connection with the case.89

Police raided two online fraud syndicates operating from a luxury condominium and a bungalow, detaining 64 foreign nationals and seizing RM6 million in a joint operation across Seri Kembangan, Selangor, and Jalan Kerinchi, Kuala Lumpur.123

The syndicates are believed to have supplied forged passports from the United States, Japan and South Korea, along with flight tickets, as a means of escape if authorities detected their activities.42

The raids targeted the syndicates' bases in upscale residential properties, with the condominium and bungalow serving as operating hubs for the online scam networks.13

The operation was carried out on Thursday, with the detention of the 64 foreign nationals marking one of the larger recent crackdowns on cross-border online fraud operations based in Malaysia.51

Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional signed a political understanding agreement on Wednesday to face the 16th Melaka state election next month. The pact was sealed in Kuala Lumpur, Berita Harian reported.123

All parties in Perikatan Nasional agreed to the seat allocation arrangement with Barisan Nasional, according to Tuan Ibrahim. Harian Metro carried his statement the same day the agreement was signed.45

Bersatu is expected to contest eight seats in the Melaka contest, a source said, listing them as Kelebang, Lendu, Gadek, Sungai Udang, Pantai Kundor, Pengkalan Batu, Ayer Keroh and Bemban. The same account said Bersatu would face Pakatan Harapan in four state constituencies.6

Pakatan Harapan will keep contesting 21 seats in the Melaka state election, Berita Harian reported. Barisan Nasional in Melaka has demanded 21 state seats, and the 21 seats it takes will determine its coalition partners.7

Malaysia's Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) has established a special committee to investigate financial crime, involving six enforcement agencies. The AGC said investigations into financial crime will be carried out thoroughly and will not be limited to any particular individual or company.123

The AGC said its report on the financial crime investigation will be taken to the Cabinet before it is made public. The statement followed reports that police seized and froze RM409 million in assets belonging to a "corporate mafia".451

The Home Ministry (KDN) said no Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (SPRM) officer has been called to assist the investigation. Under Operation Viking, no witnesses from the SPRM have come forward so far.5

The Malaysian government is preparing a civil suit against MyEG Sdn Bhd and Zetrix AI Bhd after the two companies failed to settle the full amount of government revenue arrears owed, together with penalties, within the deadline set. Berita Harian reported that the legal action is now in process. Transport Minister Anthony Loke is named in connection with the case.123

Malaysiakini put the unpaid sum at RM230.9 million, the figure carried in its headline on the case. The same amount appears in the lede summaries circulated with the reports. The government's action is a civil claim rather than a criminal prosecution, according to the reports.45

Attributed claim: On Thursday, Berita Harian reported that Zetrix AI has still not paid the government's revenue arrears, which Loke put at RM314 million. That figure is larger than the RM230.9 million reported two days earlier, and the two accounts differ on the amount at issue.46

The suit was announced on Tuesday and confirmed in later reports through Thursday, with state and pro-government outlets carrying the same core account of a civil claim over unsettled revenue collection and penalties.5789

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is proposing a Government-Owned Entities Bill to tighten governance at government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLICs) and to prevent abuse of power, Sinar Harian reported. The bill is intended to stop scandals from recurring, Kosmo Online reported.12

Anwar said the governance of GLCs and GLICs must be tightened to prevent abuse of power, Portal Berita RTM reported. Utusan Malaysia reported that there is no interference by politicians in GLIC and GLC projects.34

Anwar said the GEAR-uP programme remains on schedule and that investment is expected to rise by the end of the year, Bernama reported.5

On Thursday, Sinar Harian reported that the government is considering a new bill to tighten governance of GLCs.6

The death of Noorizwan Zulkefly, who died while in custody at the Cheras district police headquarters (IPD Cheras), has been taken over by the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ). Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution said there was no attempt to close the case.12

Noorizwan's family is demanding justice and pressing for the immediate establishment of the IPCMC, the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission.3

Attributed claim: MalaysiaGazette reported that the IPCC is investigating Noorizwan's death in police custody. Malaysiakini reported a death involving 21 injuries, saying the minister defended the police investigation and declined to intervene.45

Environmental group Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) alleges that 21 companies with links and affiliations to Malaysian business groups were involved in forest and land fires in Indonesia between January and September this year.12

The allegation places the fires and the resulting cross-border smoke on the agenda of the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting, where the haze issue is to be raised.34

Malaysia said it will continue to help Indonesia respond to the fires. In East Lampung, the Way Kambas forest fire is threatening Sumatran elephants.54

A minimum deposit of RM15,000 in Lembaga Tabung Haji has cut deferrals of hajj offers to 18 percent, according to accounts carried by state outlets. The savings requirement is in line with a recommendation from a Royal Commission of Inquiry, Zulkifli said.123

The rule has drawn criticism from the opposition, which argues that Tabung Haji is not a bank and has questioned the RM15,000 savings condition. The Minister of Religion said the requirement does not turn Tabung Haji into a commercial bank.45

Depositors were given assurances that their savings are safe, Sinar Harian reported.6

Attributed claim: The dispute is over the savings condition itself: state-aligned outlets present the RM15,000 threshold as a measure that reduced hajj offer deferrals to 18 percent, while the opposition camp questions why a pilgrim fund should impose a bank-style deposit requirement.14

A post-mortem on Dr Wong, who died in the Paya Terubong landslide, found injuries from blunt-object trauma and difficulty breathing as the cause of death. Police said the death was caused by being crushed by blunt objects.12

Fire and rescue personnel removed the victim's body from the landslide site in Paya Terubong.3

SAM warned about the disaster risk of development on hillsides and slopes 10 years ago, according to Berita Harian.4