Meja Bulat
Stories by this author
Schools in five states reopen on 19 October with masks, and civil servants may work hybrid in haze
Education Ministry schools in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Pahang and Penang reopen on 19 October with haze measures. Civil servants may work hybrid.
Claude Marketplace opens, and developers can now submit plugins with skills
Anthropic opened Claude Marketplace with over 2,000 plugins and connectors, then a portal where paid users submit skill-based plugins. How review works.
Malaysia news this week, Tuanku Muhriz's rebuke, Najib's failed 1MDB stay and haze closures
Tuanku Muhriz rebuked Negeri Sembilan's MB, Najib failed to stay his 1MDB sentence and haze shut schools. Every saksama story from 12 to 17 October.
Johor schools stay closed until 23 October, with 30,648 asthma and URTI cases
All Johor schools stay closed for five more days, 19 to 23 October, because of haze. What parents need to know about home learning and exams.
Google Labs launches Playground, an AI game maker
Playground turns a typed description into a browser game you can play, share and publish, no code needed. US adults only for now. What Malaysians can use.
Bersama suspends Nik Nazmi for three months, Mais denies Jais framed him
Bersama suspends Nik Nazmi for three months from 20 October after he admitted a Jais khalwat case. Mais denies a frame-up; Amirudin denies a PKR plot.
Tuanku Muhriz rebukes Negeri Sembilan MB
Tuanku Muhriz publicly rebuked Menteri Besar Ismail Lasim in Kuala Pilah on 16 October. How the Negeri Sembilan crisis got here, and what is unresolved.
PeKa B40 becomes PeKa Sihat as Cabinet approves changes to ease clinic crowding
PeKa B40 is being renamed PeKa Sihat after the Cabinet agreed to changes. The Health Ministry will use clinics already in the scheme to ease crowding.
Claude Code now brings your claude.ai skills to the terminal
Skills you create or enable at claude.ai now download into Claude Code when you sign in with the same account. How it works, its limits and how to stop it.
PKR confirms nine Melaka seats, Pakatan to name candidates on 24 October
PKR will contest nine seats in the Melaka election under PH, says Fuziah Salleh. Anwar will announce PH's candidates on 24 October at Hang Jebat Stadium.
Haze masks: MOH advises N95, and says three-ply masks give only limited protection
MOH advises N95 masks if you must go outside when the API passes 100. Three-ply masks give only limited protection. Here is the ministry's other advice.
Schools in eight Selangor districts close on Friday 16 October because of haze, UASA postponed
Schools in Klang, Petaling, Gombak, Hulu Langat and four more Selangor districts are closed today because of haze. Next week's UASA is postponed.
What DevDay 2026 changed for OpenAI Codex users
DevDay brought cloud Codex, a voice CLI, code review in the ChatGPT app and a US$500 Pro plan. What each plan gets, plus a 29 October change for Pro 200.
School closures in haze, KPM goes back to the API 200 rule, what applies now
KPM is back to the National Haze Action Plan: schools close when the API exceeds 200, outdoor activities stop above 100. What applies to your child today.
RON97 and unsubsidised RON95 fall 5 sen, diesel down 10 sen from 15 October
RON97 falls to RM5.10, unsubsidised RON95 to RM4.62 and diesel to RM5.17 a litre from 15 to 21 October. BUDI95 stays at RM1.99.
Johari, Malaysia's chip exports still free of US tariffs, EU trade deal targeted for June 2027
Malaysia's chip exports to the US remain free of tariffs, and Malaysia aims to sign its free trade agreement with the EU by June 2027, Johari says.
202,829 new-generation MyKads issued, and old cards still work for STR
202,829 new-generation MyKads have been issued since 17 September. Holders of old cards need not rush to replace them, the JPN director-general says.
Saifuddin, marrying a Malay does not change a foreigner's ethnicity or confer Bumiputera status
A foreigner who marries a Malay does not change ethnicity or automatically qualify for Bumiputera status, the Home Minister says. Children can choose.
Superpowers 7.0 rebuilds brainstorming, a year after the skills framework launched
Superpowers, the open-source skills framework for Claude Code and other agents, shipped 7.0 on 10 October with rebuilt brainstorming and Windows fixes.
Najib fails to stay 15-year jail term and RM11.38 billion fine in 1MDB case
The High Court dismissed Najib Razak's bid to stay his 15-year 1MDB jail term and RM11.38 billion fine. The sentence is due to start in August 2028.
Pisa 2025 maths score of 397 puts SPM grading under question in the Dewan Rakyat
Wee Ka Siong asks why students shine in SPM but lag in Pisa. Wong Kah Woh says SPM grading is fair and the two tests serve different purposes.
Police open two probes into claim a senior MACC officer took RM350,000
Police opened two investigation papers into a claim that a senior MACC officer took a RM350,000 bribe in 2017. MACC closed the case in 2018. What we know.
Vibe-coded clones of Photoshop and Word are free on GitHub
Free open-source rebuilds of Photoshop, six other Adobe apps, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, crediting Claude Opus 5.5. What you get, and why it's alpha.
Loke: No reason to delay new Negeri Sembilan excos
Loke says the Negeri Sembilan government has no reason to delay naming new excos, after the appointments of all 10 exco members were revoked.
PAS-BN talks for Melaka polls at final stage
PAS's cooperation talks with BN for the Melaka election are at the final stage, says Annuar Musa. UMNO says 90% of the seat talks are done.
PN gets leave to challenge RoS suspension, activities stay frozen
The High Court let PN challenge the RoS order suspending its activities but refused an interim stay. Gerakan's secretary-general is an applicant.
Shafie and Leiking returned unopposed as Warisan's top two
Shafie Apdal and Darell Leiking were returned unopposed as Warisan president and deputy. The party's AGM is in Sandakan on 24 and 25 October.
Azalina: The Prime Minister is not the Public Prosecutor
UMNO information chief Azalina Othman Said says prosecutorial independence cannot be compromised, replying to Jelutong MP RSN Rayer.
MIC to campaign across Melaka despite contesting one seat
MIC will campaign throughout Melaka for BN in the 14 November election even though it is contesting only one seat, president Vigneswaran says.
Hamzah: Don't burden Petronas, TNB and KWAP with political decisions
Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin told the government not to burden Petronas, TNB and KWAP with political decisions in the Budget 2027 debate.
PKR eyes eight to nine seats in Melaka state election
PKR wants to contest eight to nine seats in the Melaka election, including Machap, Ayer Keroh and Rembia. PH names its candidates on 18 October.
Sarawak Budget 2027 tabled, assembly may be dissolved in November
GPS tabled a RM14.845 billion Sarawak Budget 2027 on 12 October at the assembly's last sitting, which Abdul Karim says may be dissolved in November.
Bersatu's 11 Selangor reps to sign CSA-style pact with state
Bersatu's Selangor assemblymen will sign a CSA-style pact with the state government before the state budget is tabled, says Amirudin Shari.
Mat Sabu tells Melaka voters to learn from Negeri Sembilan crisis
Mat Sabu urged Melaka voters to back PH on 14 November, pointing to the Negeri Sembilan crisis he says BN started in April.
Wee Ka Siong says BN should bring back GST if it wins GE16
MCA president Wee Ka Siong says BN should reintroduce GST if it wins GE16, calling it a coalition priority under the Agenda Malaysia Biru.
GRS targets more than 15 Sabah parliamentary seats in GE16
GRS is aiming for more than 15 of Sabah's 25 parliamentary seats at GE16, says Armizan Mohd Ali. The GRS convention is in Kudat on 18 October.
PSM wants a fixed procedure to act on audit report findings
PSM wants a standard procedure after every Auditor-General's Report so its findings are investigated and acted on, not forgotten after the headlines.
One story from every party, Melaka polls take centre stage
PAS and BN are close to a Melaka polls deal while the Negeri Sembilan exco crisis drags on. Here is one story from each Malaysian political party.
Mufti Menk's reminders this week, helping others and praying for one another
Mufti Menk's clips from 6 to 12 October 2026, from helping others for Allah's sake to praying for other Muslims' hearts to soften, not for their ruin.
Banks agree in principle to a loan moratorium for families of 54 Malaysians missing in Nepal
Banks agreed in principle to pause loan repayments for the 54 Malaysians still missing after the Nepal floods, and will contact families by 16 October.
Government aims to register 26,000 refugees by end-2027, DPP only for those who arrived before March 2023
The Home Ministry aims to register 6,000 refugees this year and 20,000 next under the Refugee Registration Document. Post-March 2023 arrivals are excluded.
MACC and police to investigate MyEG and Zetrix AI over RM314 million in JPJ revenue
MACC got a complaint on 7 October over RM314 million in JPJ revenue MyEG and Zetrix AI did not hand over. The background, and how to renew road tax now.
Workers laid off over the RM2,000 minimum wage can claim EIS allowance for up to six months
Workers who lose jobs as firms restructure after the RM2,000 minimum wage can claim the EIS Job Search Allowance for up to six months, the minister says.
Malaysia's palm oil stocks hit a record 3.51 million tonnes in September
Malaysia's palm oil stocks rose 24.54 per cent to 3.51 million tonnes in September, the highest ever recorded, as output jumped and exports fell.
Ustaz Khalid Basalamah's message this week, Prophet Ayyub's patience and halal income
Ustaz Khalid Basalamah's talks from 5 to 12 October 2026, from Prophet Ayyub's patience to cheating in trade and his advice on halal wealth.
Bar's challenge to Zahid NFA on hold until Federal Court rules
The High Court set 14 June 2027 for case management while the Federal Court hears appeals by the AGC and Ahmad Zahid in the Yayasan Akalbudi dispute.
Genting shares fall 17% to lowest since 2007 after RM1.25 billion rights issue
Genting Bhd shares fell as much as 17% on Monday to their lowest since April 2007, after the group proposed its first rights issue to cut debt.
Passport-size foldables, iPhone Duo and Galaxy Z Fold 8 compared
Folded, the iPhone Duo and Galaxy Z Fold 8 are about the size of a Malaysian passport. Real dimensions, Malaysian prices from RM7,299 and which suits you.
Apple Welcome Home event on 13 October, Malaysia time and what to expect
Apple's Welcome Home event on Tuesday, 13 October should start at 9pm Malaysia time. Expect a smart home hub and a new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini.
AI in Budget 2027, sovereign AI cloud, RM30 million via MDEC and a scam-checking app
A sovereign AI cloud, RM30 million via MDEC for 4,000 MSMEs, an AI scam checker and 100,000 free AI subscriptions. All the budget's AI and digital moves.
Free AI subscriptions 2027 including ChatGPT, who qualifies and how to apply
Budget 2027 adds 100,000 free AI subscriptions for young people, now including ChatGPT. The current AI Untuk Rakyat rules, and what hasn't been announced.
Johor schools closed until 16 October due to haze
Johor schools are closed from 12 to 16 October due to haze, and exams are postponed. The API readings, KPM's closure rules and when closures are announced.
When BKK 2027 is paid, RM1,500 for civil servants and RM750 for pensioners
BKK 2027: RM1,500 for civil servants and RM750 for pensioners, paid twice. Here is who qualifies, when it is paid and whether you need to apply.
Tax relief 2027, the RM12,000 limit and the list of new claims
Individual tax relief for 2027 rises to RM12,000, two tax rates come down, and sports shoes, AI subscriptions and pet vaccines can now be claimed.
EPF automatic registration at 18, what changes
Budget 2027: every citizen becomes an EPF member automatically at 18. Registration is not savings. Here is what changes and what doesn't.
BAP 2027 rises to RM200, Form Six allowance set at RM2,500
BAP 2027 rises to RM200 per pupil and will be distributed through schools. Form Six students get a RM2,500 living allowance, the same as matriculation students.
Apadilangit Space Academy, bringing Malaysian children closer to space
From Space Camp Artemis to online astronomy classes, Apadilangit brings space science to children, and with MEASAT is sending students' postcards to space.
AEROS Malaysia, the society bringing together Malaysia's aerospace community
Aerospace Society Malaysia connects academics, industry and students in aerospace, from conferences and a journal to programmes for schoolchildren.
Willow Project, the Alaska oil project that divided America
Why is this billion-dollar oil project in Alaska backed by politicians but opposed by nature lovers? An explainer by Ahmad Faezal of The Patriots.
The Malay Reservation Enactment 1913 and the padi farmers trapped in poverty
Ahmad Faezal uses AI to bring to life the story of Malay padi farmers in 1934, and argues that British policy made sure they stayed poor.
Why the Singapore and Brunei dollars are worth the same, and why Malaysia left
RM1 was once worth SGD1. Ahmad Faezal of The Patriots explains the currency agreement Malaysia left in 1973, and why Brunei and Singapore still share it.
Mohammad Hasif Afiq, the first Malaysian in Apple Developer Recognition
The Grab senior software engineer is listed with 49 other developers from around the world. His journey, from big local apps to Bantu App and Hidayah App.
Valtteri Bottas cycles from Sepang towards Singapore, riding through oil palm plantations at night
F1 driver Valtteri Bottas went viral after sharing a night ride from the KLIA area to Port Dickson, day one of his cycling trip from Malaysia to Singapore.
New Muslims Community plans Open Day, everyone invited
New Muslims Community is planning an Open Day for everyone: new Muslims, their families, and anyone who wants to get to know Islam. The date will be announced.
Lows Peak, handmade leather goods from Kota Kinabalu
A handmade leather goods brand from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, now well known on Threads, especially for its leather journals.
Tafsir class on Surah Al-'Ankabut with Sheikh Dr. Ibrahim Nuhu at Yayasan Ta'alim tomorrow
The 35th session of Tafsir and Tadabbur of Surah Al-'Ankabut with Sheikh Dr. Ibrahim Nuhu is on Sunday morning, 11 October 2026. Free and open to all.
Haze shuts schools in four states, KL and Putrajaya. Here are the new API rules
Schools in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, KL, Putrajaya and Rompin closed on Friday. KPM now closes schools when the API goes above 180.
Egyptian President El-Sisi praises Malaysia's aid to injured Gazans, reaffirms support for Palestinian state
At a joint press conference with the Prime Minister in Putrajaya, Egypt's President backed a two-state solution and praised Malaysia's humanitarian aid.
STR and SARA 2027, who gets how much
All STR recipients will get up to RM150 a month in SARA in 2027, while other adult Malaysians get RM100 twice. Here is what was announced.
Budget 2027, what changes for your wallet
A RM2,000 minimum wage, RM12,000 individual tax relief and over RM80 billion for subsidies. The Budget 2027 measures closest to ordinary Malaysians.
Four things the DeTA community shared this week: kev, k8sgames, dnsrecords.io and WardRun
Small decision models you can run yourself, Kubernetes as a game, a terminal-style DNS lookup, and a Malaysian housemanship survival game.
Claude Max and Team plans now include monthly API credits: who gets what and how to claim
Max and Team subscribers can now claim monthly credits for the Claude API. Here's how much each plan gets, what the credits cover, and how to link them.
Google announces Gemini 4 Argon, rolling out first to cyber defenders
Google's new frontier model targets long, complex coding, legal, finance and security work. Cyber defenders get it first, then developers and API users.
GNOME 52 is codenamed "Terengganu", after GNOME.Asia Summit 2026
The next GNOME desktop is named Terengganu and is due on 17 March 2027. Here is the full schedule and the Malaysian connection.
AKYC 2026 "Inner Code", Islamic youth camp in Terengganu opens registration
Al Khaadem Youth Camp returns from 21 to 26 December 2026 in Terengganu, themed Inner Code, for ages 10 to 18. The programme, the fees and how to register.
Can journaling rewire your brain? One writer's case for daily reflection
A Medium essay argues a few minutes of reflective writing a day eased the writer's decision fatigue. The method, and what the science does and doesn't say.
Kelang Leather: from Klang tannery to a leather crafting hub in PJ
A 43-year-old family tannery from Pandamaran has reinvented itself as a shop, workshop and community for leather crafters, now based in Petaling Jaya.
NMC Conference 2026 at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur invites Malaysians to talk again
The New Muslims Community Conference 2026 was scheduled for 13 September at Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, with four panels and an OpenMic session after each one.
Building a fast Next.js blog, notes from this project
How this blog is built: written in Obsidian, published with git push, static pages on Vercel, and Neon for the parts that need a database.
Valentine's Day, love and the case for easier marriage
Mohammad Zahid's essay on Ink of Faith says Islam honours love all year, questions the roots of Valentine's Day, and asks families to make nikah easier.
How the Qur'an reached English, and where translations went wrong
A rediscovered 2003 study, now translated on Ink of Faith, surveys English renderings of the Qur'an and argues many carried their translators' biases.
Ahlan Ahlan Ya Ramadan and the art of remembering the Qur'an
Sameera Hameed's essay on Ink of Faith turns one forgotten surah into four practical lessons for staying close to the Qur'an, before Ramadan and long after it.