Joseph Sipalan

1 week ago | scmp.com | Joseph Sipalan

An indigenous minority group in Malaysia is experiencing profound grief and seeking answers after the death of an 18-year-old from leprosy after receiving public healthcare, highlighting the ongoing mistrust between the Orang Asli community and the government.

1 week ago | scmp.com | Hadi Azmi |Joseph Sipalan |Aidan Jones

Malaysian luxury watchmaker Ming has carved out a niche following with its minimalist designs and Swiss craftsmanship. But a third of its customers are in the United States and now stuck on the wrong side of a tariff barrier thrown up by President Donald Trump, casting a long shadow over future sales. “It doesn’t matter whether we export as Malaysian or Swiss – for the US customer, the landed cost has effectively gone up by 30 per cent,” said Ming Thein, the brand’s co-founder.

1 week ago | scmp.com | Joseph Sipalan

Drinks seller Zaki Che Zuber says he has raised prices for coffee and tea again this year, while food trader Murni Adlis has increased the cost of her beef rendang – signs that Malaysians are paying more for everyday meals than official inflation data would suggest. Malaysia’s headline inflation rate stood at 1.8 per cent in 2024, according to the Department of Statistics. But new data from the same agency show that the price of many essential foods has risen far more sharply.

1 week ago | flipboard.com | Joseph Sipalan

1 hour agoCalcutta’s location on the banks of the River Hooghly, a tributary of the mighty River Ganges, means it has always been a city to which traders came from around the world with goods, and in which some stayed behind. This gave the city a tradition of diverse food. This dish, however, is purely …

1 week ago | scmp.com | Joseph Sipalan

Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency is pushing for sweeping new powers to strike deals with suspects and recover illicit funds before they can vanish overseas – a move officials say could help plug billions of dollars lost to money laundering and organised crime. Criminal syndicates are increasingly using Malaysia to launder money, authorities warn, while the country is also a key transshipment hub for drugs, illegal cigarettes, protected wildlife and other contraband.