KUALA LUMPUR: The Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (Petra) will introduce a digital platform called Pipeline Accountability Portal to provide the public with real-time data on pipeline disruptions, leakage rates and repair timelines, said Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

Fadillah who is also deputy prime minister said the initiative reflects the government’s shift from reactive to proactive regulation by enforcing higher standards for pipeline quality, mandating inspections and publishing outcomes transparently through the portal.

“Trust must be earned and maintained. We need to strengthen public confidence in our water systems. This platform will give the rakyat real-time reporting on disruptions, leakage rates and resolution timelines,” he said at the Malaysian Water Association’s Water Malaysia 2025 Specialised Conference and Exhibition today.

The move comes amid longstanding challenges in Malaysia’s water sector, including high non-revenue water (NRW) rates caused by leakages and aging pipelines.

Sabah’s NRW rate stands at 55.1%, the highest in the country, where more than half of treated water is lost before reaching consumers in the state, especially with Perlis (56.3%) and Pahang (52.8%) recording some of the highest levels in the country.

Fadillah said Petra, together with the SPAN, is committed to driving change through a comprehensive policy and regulatory framework anchored on four key pillars:

One: Efficiency First – Efficiency must be integrated from design to operation, considering not just initial costs but also full lifecycle value, environmental impact, and community benefit.

Two: Digital Transformation – Harness IoT sensors, AI driven analytics, and smart DMZs to create responsive, predictive systems that detect leaks early and optimise pressure in real time.

Three: Resilience Planning – Standardise durable materials and design networks that can adapt to climate change, urbanisation, and future needs.

Four: Stakeholder Engagement – Ensure policies and technologies serve people, with inclusive engagement involving communities, regulators, and utilities.

On financing transformation, Fadillah said policy shifts must be backed by funding models that reward innovation.

ISLAMABAD – Lebih 20 orang maut dalam hujan monsun terbaharu di Pakistan, ketika jabatan kaji cuaca meramalkan lebih banyak hujan sehingga Sabtu ini, kata agensi pengurusan bencana negara itu hari ini.

Hujan lebat di seluruh negara sejak minggu lalu telah menyebabkan banjir dan tanah runtuh yang menghanyutkan seluruh kampung serta menyebabkan beratus-ratus orang terbunuh dan berpuluh-puluh lagi hilang.

Pihak Berkuasa Pengurusan Bencana Kebangsaan berkata hari ini bahawa 10 orang  lagi maut di Karachi, ibu kota kewangan di selatan akibat banjir bandar yang menyebabkan rumah runtuh dan renjatan elektrik.

“Seramai 11 yang lain meninggal dunia di wilayah utara Gilgit-Baltistan,” tambahnya dalam satu kenyataan.

Karachi yang menempatkan sekurang-kurangnya 20 juta orang, lumpuh ketika jalan raya ditenggelami air, beberapa kawasan kejiranan terputus bekalan elektrik dan lalu lintas terhenti selama berjam-jam.

Sementara itu, lebih 400 orang terbunuh di wilayah pergunungan barat laut bersempadan dengan Afghanistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sejak Khamis minggu lalu.

Secara keseluruhan, pihak berkuasa menambah, hampir 750 penduduk maut sejak musim tengkujuh bermula pada Jun lalu. – AFP

AUGUST 20 — When Asean was established on August 8, 1967, its founding members envisioned a regional order built on dialogue, cooperation, and resilience. For South-east Asia, still emerging from the shadows of colonial rule and Cold War confrontation, Asean was a bold attempt to craft a zone of stability. 

Four years later, in 1971, Malaysia and Singapore joined hands with Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand to launch the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA). This pact was no accident of history; it was a deliberate complement to Asean’s vision of regional security.

The FPDA was born just a year after Asean declared the Zone of Peace, Freedom, and Neutrality (Zopfan) in Kuala Lumpur in 1970. 

Zopfan was a political statement of intent: South-east Asia must not become the playground of great power rivalry. But declarations alone could not guarantee safety. 

The Vietnam War was raging, and the withdrawal of British forces east of Suez left Malaysia and Singapore vulnerable. 

The FPDA filled this gap. While Zopfan embodied Asean’s diplomatic quest for neutrality, the FPDA offered a hard security safety net—anchored not in alliance obligations but in consultation and cooperation.

The importance of the FPDA for Malaysia cannot be overstated. Unlike Nato, it does not bind members to collective defence. Instead, it institutionalises regular consultations and joint military exercises, ensuring Malaysia and Singapore are never isolated in the face of aggression. 

Over the years, exercises such as Bersama Shield and Bersama Lima have done more than sharpen tactics; they have nurtured interoperability, exposed Malaysian forces to advanced operational practices, and prepared them for United Nations peacekeeping deployments. 

These engagements are Malaysia’s only consistent multinational military training opportunities—an invaluable supplement to its limited defense capacity.

At the same time, Asean and the FPDA should not be seen as competing pillars of security. They are symbiotic. Asean, with its emphasis on consensus and dialogue, creates the political environment that makes cooperative security possible. 

The FPDA, in turn, provides a practical mechanism for capacity-building, ensuring that Malaysia and Singapore remain confident participants in Asean’s broader vision of regional stability. Together, they reflect Malaysia’s dual strategy: embrace neutrality and diplomacy through Asean, while anchoring deterrence and preparedness through the FPDA.

Half a century on, both institutions face new tests. The rise of China, the resurgence of US strategic primacy, and tensions in the South China Sea demand careful balancing. 

Here, Asean continues to serve as the convenor of dialogue through the Asean Regional Forum, East Asia Summit, and the ongoing negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. The FPDA, meanwhile, has adapted to include non-traditional security threats—counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief—broadening its relevance in an era where security is no longer defined solely by state-to-state conflict.

Critics often argue that the FPDA is a relic of the Cold War. Yet its enduring value lies in flexibility. It reassures Malaysia and Singapore without constraining them in rigid treaty commitments. Similarly, Asean, though derided as slow-moving, has preserved South-east Asia as one of the least conflict-prone regions in the world. Neither is perfect, but both are indispensable.

For Malaysia, the lesson is clear. Asean and the FPDA are not parallel tracks but complementary ones. They represent two sides of the same coin: Asean provides the diplomatic shield, while the FPDA delivers the operational muscle. In a region where great powers jostle for influence, Malaysia’s security will continue to rest on the twin anchors laid down in 1967 and 1971.

* Phar Kim Beng is a professor of Asean Studies and Director of the Institute of Internationalization and Asean Studies at the International Islamic University of Malaysia.

PENDANG – Seorang wanita terselamat daripada ajal apabila tersedar rumahnya di Felda Sungai Tiang di sini terbakar ketika bangun menunaikan solat sunat tahajud awal pagi tadi.

Dalam kejadian pada pukul 2 pagi itu, Norhaslinda Jamaludin, 47, yang tinggal bersendirian di rumah pusaka keluarganya sempat keluar menyelamatkan diri.

Menurut bekas juruanalisis komputer itu, biasanya dia bangun pada pukul 2.30 pagi untuk solat tahajud, namun malam tadi mengakui dia sukar melelapkan mata.

“Disebabkan tidak dapat tidur, saya mengambil wuduk dan mula membaca al-Quran sementara menunaikan solat tahajud di bilik tingkat bawah.

“Tiba-tiba saya terdengar letupan dari atas dan api mula membakar dinding serta bumbung. Jadi saya segera berlari keluar untuk menyelamatkan diri,” katanya ketika dihubungi hari ini.

Cerita Norhaslinda, walaupun mengalami masalah penglihatan dan sukar bergerak kerana lumpuh di bahagian kiri badan akibat tumor otak sejak 15 tahun lalu, Allah masih memberikan kekuatan kepadanya untuk menyelamatkan diri.