Author: Jonathan James Tan

Railway enthusiasts are a nostalgic bunch, and now that Keretapi Tanah Melayu‘s (KTM) Electric Train Service (ETS) goes all the way in which right down to Johor Bahru, come January 1, we’ll bid farewell to the diesel-hauled Ekspres Selatan (Southern Express), which has ferried passengers between Gemas and Johor Bahru for nine years. Yup, one other passenger train pulled by a locomotive bites the dust. The service was called Shuttle Selatan (Southern Shuttle), going between Gemas and Singapore’s Woodlands. Subsequently, Shuttle Tebrau became the one KTM train to Woodlands (and even its days are numbered – as ETS put Ekspres…

TNB Automatic Fuel Adjustment rate for January 2026; click to enlarge Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has stated that the Automatic Fuel Adjustment (AFA) rate for the month of January 2026 is -4.99 sen/kWh from -6.42 sen/kWh in December 2025. The AFA, which is ready by the Energy Commission (ST), replaces the previous Imbalance Cost Pass-Through (ICPT) and is robotically calculated as either a surcharge or discount of as much as 3 sen/kWh depending on fuel prices – that is revised monthly, with any larger changes (beyond 3 sen) requiring cabinet approval. Introduced as a part of TNB’s Electricity Tariff Restructuring…

The Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV and iCaur V23, two SUVs under the Chery Group umbrella that were launched in Malaysia in October and November respectively, have each secured a full five-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating. Each were crash-tested on the China Automotive Engineering Research Institute (CAERI) in Chongqing last month. The Tiggo 7 PHEV achieved the complete 40 points for adults, 17.18 out of 20 for kids, the complete 20 points for safety assist and 17.5 out of 20 for motorcyclists, leading to a 94.68-point total rating, while the iCaur V23 managed 39.71 out of 40 points for adults, 16.67…

The 2026 Proton Saga MC3 can have been launched in Malaysia for nearly per week now, but that is the primary time we’re clapping eyes on the RM37,990 (after the RM1k early-bird rebate) Standard variant. Feast your eyes on this full showroom gallery as we take you on a tour. But first, we must note that each one showroom display cars within the Klang Valley are of the Premium and Executive variants only, so we intercepted this customer automobile before delivery, courtesy of the Proton Sianghin Auto showroom in Taman Melawati. Let’s start with the outside – you continue to…

Go to TQ Wuling’s website and also you’ll find preliminary specs of the upcoming TQ Wuling Bingo, said to be gearing up for a December launch in Malaysia. There’ll be Pro (31.9 kWh LFP battery, 333 km CLTC range) and Max (37.9 kWh LFP battery, 410 km CLTC range) variants – each could be DC-charged at as much as 50 kW (30-80% in under 35 minutes). WLTP ranges must be barely higher than the eMas 5’s 225 km and 325 km. Kit shared between the 2 variants include LED head and hind lights, DRLs, glossy ceramic with soft leatherette panel…

In keeping with the Malaysian finance ministry‘s ‘Fiscal Outlook and Federal Government Revenue Estimates‘ report, total government revenue from vehicle import duties, excise duties and sales tax this yr is estimated to be RM11.1 billion, and this is anticipated to rise 4.5% to RM11.6 billion next yr. The 2025 estimates may be broken down into RM630 million in import duties, RM3.97 billion in CKD excise duties (cars plus motorcycles), RM3.27 billion in CBU excise duties (cars), RM2.11 billion in CKD sales tax (passenger vehicles plus industrial vehicles) and RM1.13 billion in CBU sales tax (also passenger vehicles plus industrial vehicles).…

Over two million vehicles are expected to take to the roads this Deepavali, reports The Star, with Ops Lancar, geared toward keeping traffic flow smooth, to be conducted from October 17-21. Bukit Aman traffic investigation and enforcement department director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri told the English-language day by day that Ops Lancar will see some 500 personnel deployed across hotspots and black spots nationwide. “We’re also waiting on further instructions whether there shall be a selected period for industrial vehicles to be on the road. We’re still waiting for announcements from the transport ministry on that matter.…

Launched in July, the 2025 Proton X50 facelift has wasted no time finding buyers. With sales now well over the 5,000-unit mark, the heavily-facelifted model is Malaysia’s hottest SUV at present. And why wouldn’t it’s? Attractively priced between RM86k and RM109k (inclusive of a RM4,000 early-bird rebate), the brand new automotive looks set to emulate its predecessor‘s runaway success, with a brand new BHE15TD i-GT 1.5 litre turbo four-cylinder engine, latest front and rear ends, an all-new and unique interior, and latest technology. Proton calls it ‘all-new’, and so they’re really not incorrect there. Same platform, yes, but many improvements…

Hot on the heels of the third-gen Audi Q3, which was revealed in June, is the version with the sportier roofline – the Audi Q3 Sportback. Technically in its second generation, the ‘coupe SUV’ offers the identical petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains as its more upright sibling. Which means a 150 PS/250 Nm 1.5 litre TFSI mild-hybrid with cylinder deactivation, a 2.0 litre TFSI in 204 PS/350 Nm and 265 PS/400 Nm states of tune (each with quattro all-wheel drive), a 150 PS/360 Nm 2.0 litre TDI and a PHEV (branded ‘e-hybrid’) that brings together a 130 PS/250 Nm…

The transport ministry has directed Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to constantly monitor and maintain Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s (KLIA) aerotrain following a couple of disruptions shortly after its July 1 relaunch, reports Bernama. “Any technical disruption will directly impact passengers. As a critical service at KLIA, the aerotrain must maintain a high level of reliability to make sure uninterrupted passenger movement. The rail system can sometimes face technical issues involving mechanical, electrical and software components. “Due to this fact, we’ve got instructed MAHB to perform each day monitoring and ensure proper maintenance,” transport minister Anthony Loke said today, adding…