Why PAS Says It Doesn't Need a Manifesto Promise to Ban Gambling

Ask Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor whether PAS will formally promise to crack down on gambling in its next election manifesto, and his answer is essentially: why would we need to? According to him, the party's opposition to gambling is already baked into Clause 5 of the PAS constitution, which commits the party to upholding Islamic values including bans on gambling premises and restrictions on alcohol sales. Putting it in a manifesto, he argues, would just be stating the obvious.

It's a stance that says a lot about how PAS positions itself heading toward the next general election. The party currently governs Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis, and its religious commitments aren't really up for negotiation the way ordinary policy pledges might be. That certainty is also exactly what can make things tricky for its more multiracial coalition partners within Perikatan Nasional, who have to court non-Muslim and moderate voters that may not be fully on board with sweeping gaming restrictions.

Malaysia's existing gambling laws, including the Common Gaming Houses Act and the Betting Act, both date back to 1953, so this entire debate is really about enforcement philosophy and political messaging rather than brand-new legislation.

Can Malaysia Protect Its Reefs While Chasing Tourism Records?

Malaysia's coastlines and coral reefs are one of the country's biggest tourism selling points, and with the extended Visit Malaysia campaign pushing hard for record visitor numbers, that natural asset is under more pressure than ever. The question a growing number of conservation voices are asking is whether the legal protections in place are actually strong enough to keep up.

Marine parks in Malaysia currently sit under a framework established through the Fisheries Act 1985, which gives the federal government authority to designate and manage protected coastal zones. On the ground, that legal backbone is being supported by a handful of hands-on conservation efforts: coral cleanup dives that have pulled out marine debris and abandoned fishing nets, island-wide coastal cleanup days that double as data collection exercises, and training programmes that teach volunteers to identify and safely remove Crown-of-Thorns starfish, a coral-eating species that can devastate reefs if left unchecked.

These programmes, often run in partnership with dive operators and conservation groups, are a good start. But as more tourists arrive chasing the campaign's promise of unforgettable natural experiences, the argument for tightening statutory protections around Malaysia's marine parks is only getting louder.

Get Ready: Malaysia's Northeast Monsoon Could Arrive Early This Year

Malaysians on the east coast and in flood-prone parts of the peninsula might want to start their monsoon preparations a little earlier than usual this year. While the Northeast Monsoon typically settles in during early November, forecasts suggest it could arrive as soon as the fourth week of October, a shift authorities are linking to changing weather patterns.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who also oversees disaster management matters, has been urging the public to stay alert and start preparing now rather than waiting for the first heavy rains to hit. The National Disaster Management Agency has a track record of mobilising heavily for this season, in past years deploying more than 100,000 personnel, tens of thousands of equipment assets, and identifying well over 3,000 flood hotspots nationwide, concentrated mostly in Pahang, Kelantan, Sabah and Terengganu.

An earlier start doesn't automatically mean a worse season, but it does compress the preparation window for state agencies, local councils and residents in high-risk zones. If you live in an area that's flooded before, this is probably a good week to check your emergency kit and figure out your evacuation route before the rains actually arrive.

Harimau Malaya Gear Up for a Historic First FIFA ASEAN Cup

Malaysia's national football team is about to write a small piece of regional football history. The newly created FIFA ASEAN Cup kicks off later this month, and Harimau Malaya have been drawn into Group A alongside host nation Indonesia, Singapore and Bangladesh, with the opening match against Bangladesh set for September 25.

The 23-man squad, currently under interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe, departs for Jakarta on September 22 to begin preparations on the ground. There's fresh depth to work with too — FIFA recently confirmed the eligibility of Johor Darul Ta'zim winger Manuel Hidalgo to represent Malaysia, joining previously cleared players Bergson da Silva and Brad Tapp as new options for the national setup.

Off the pitch, the team is also settling into a permanent home for the first time. The Football Association of Malaysia's new National Training Centre in Putrajaya, built at a cost of RM69 million with support from a FIFA development grant, has just completed its first phase and is ready for the squad to use heading into the tournament. Since the competition runs during an official FIFA international window, every participating country is expected to field its strongest available squad, meaning Malaysia's group stage won't be easy from the very first whistle.

Malaysia's Badminton Squad Begins Its Toughest Asian Games Campaign Yet

The team badminton events at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games kicked off today, running through September 24 before individual competition takes over from the 25th to the 29th at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Japan. For Malaysia, the draw hasn't been kind.

The women's team, led by world number five doubles pair Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan, opens against Hong Kong, a match Malaysia will be favoured to win. The real trouble starts after that, though, with a likely quarterfinal against third seed South Korea waiting on the other side, and Japan potentially lurking beyond that. Malaysia's women have only reached an Asian Games team podium once in history, a silver back in 1962.

The men's side faces its own uphill battle, and notably won't have Lee Zii Jia in the lineup. The Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist has had a rough go of it in 2026, battling injuries and a slide down the world rankings, though a strong Thomas Cup showing suggested he's finding form again. Malaysia's last Asian Games team medal in badminton came all the way back in 2014, a men's bronze under Lee Chong Wei's leadership. Breaking that drought will take a near-flawless run through a genuinely stacked field.