BTH: Tehran vs Tel Aviv, war in the Gulf, SST hikes & gun shooting [WATCH]
Hosts Amalina Kamal and Hazween Hassan delve into how this geopolitical flashpoint could affect global oil prices, shipping routes, and Malaysia's economic and national security vulnerabilities.
Joining the conversation are NST Op-ed and Foreign News Editor Azman Abdul Hamid and Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia analyst Maryam Ismail.
The discussion explores whether Malaysia's foreign policy can maintain neutrality, how prepared we are for ripple effects across the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea, and whether ASEAN can offer meaningful diplomatic intervention.
Maryam, whose research spans Jewish-Muslim relations and the influence of Islamist movements, offers a nuanced perspective on Malaysia's strategic calculus in engaging with both Iran and Israel.
Can Malaysia absorb another global supply shock? Is our national preparedness adequate in the face of a widening regional war?
Also in this episode:
• Growing concerns over gun violence in Kuala Lumpur, featuring Universiti Malaya criminologist Dr Haezreena Begum.
• A sharp look at the looming 8% SST expansion and its potential blow to SMEs, with reaction from SAMENTA chairman Datuk William Ng.
More in the latest episode of Beyond the Headlines. Watch on NST Online's YouTube.
*This episode was recorded on June 19.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Hindu pilgrimage begins from site of deadly Kashmir attack amid tight security
An Indian police officer standing guard as the fleet of cars carrying the first batch of pilgrims, en route to the Amarnath shrine, passes through the outskirts of Srinagar on July 2, 2025. - AP PAHALGAM, India: Hindus began a vast month-long pilgrimage in contested Indian Kashmir on Thursday (July 3), with many of the faithful starting from near the site where a deadly April attack triggered conflict with Pakistan. Last year, half a million devotees took part in the Amarnath pilgrimage to a sacred ice pillar located in a cave in the forested Himalayan hills above the town of Pahalgam. Pahalgam is the site of an April 22 militant attack during which gunmen killed 26 mostly Hindu tourists. New Delhi said the gunmen were backed by Pakistan, claims Islamabad rejected -- triggering a series of tit-for-tat diplomatic measures that escalated into a four-day conflict. It was the worst standoff by the nuclear-armed nations since 1999, with more than 70 people killed in missile, drone and artillery fire on both sides, before a May 10 ceasefire. But pilgrim Muneshwar Das Shashtri, who travelled from Uttar Pradesh state, told AFP "there is no fear of any kind". "Our army is standing guard everywhere. No one can raise a finger towards us," he said. India has ramped up security for the event, deploying 45,000 troops with high-tech surveillance tools overseeing the gruelling trek to reach the high-altitude cave dedicated to the Hindu deity of destruction Shiva. "We have multi-layered and in-depth security arrangements so that we can make the pilgrimage safe and smooth for the devotees," said VK Birdi, police chief for the Muslim-majority territory. At Pahalgam, soldiers have turned a tented base camp into a fortress encircled by razor wire. Troops in newly deployed armoured cars, or from gun positions behind sandbags, keep a close watch -- efforts boosted by facial recognition cameras. "High-quality surveillance cameras have been installed at all major points along the route," said Manoj Sinha, the Indian-appointed top administrator for Jammu and Kashmir. All pilgrims must be registered and travel in guarded vehicle convoys, until they start out to walk. Camouflaged bunkers have been erected in the forests along the route, where dozens of makeshift kitchens provide free food. Electronic radio cards pinpoint their location. Pilgrims can take several days to reach the cave, perched at 3,900 metres (12,800 feet) high, around 30km (18 miles) uphill from the last easily motorable track. "Whatever the attack that was carried out here, I am not afraid. I have come to get a glimpse of baba (the ice formation)" said Ujwal Yadav, 29, from India's Uttar Pradesh state, undertaking his first pilgrimage to the shrine. "Such are the security arrangements here that no one can be hurt." Sinha has said that "public confidence is returning", but admits that pilgrim registration had dipped by 10 per cent this year. - AFP
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
India Hindu pilgrimage begins in contested Kashmir
PAHALGAM: Hindus began a vast month-long pilgrimage in contested Indian Kashmir on Thursday, with many of the faithful starting from near the site where a deadly April attack triggered conflict with Pakistan. Last year, half a million devotees took part in the Amarnath pilgrimage to a sacred ice pillar located in a cave in the forested Himalayan hills above the town of Pahalgam. Pahalgam is the site of an April 22 militant attack during which gunmen killed 26 mostly Hindu tourists. New Delhi said the gunmen were backed by Pakistan, claims Islamabad rejected -- triggering a series of tit-for-tat diplomatic measures that escalated into a four-day conflict. It was the worst standoff by the nuclear-armed nations since 1999, with more than 70 people killed in missile, drone and artillery fire on both sides, before a May 10 ceasefire. But pilgrim Muneshwar Das Shashtri, who travelled from Uttar Pradesh state, told AFP 'there is no fear of any kind'. 'Our army is standing guard everywhere. No one can raise a finger towards us,' he said. India has ramped up security for the event, deploying 45,000 troops with high-tech surveillance tools overseeing the gruelling trek to reach the high-altitude cave dedicated to the Hindu deity of destruction Shiva. 'We have multi-layered and in-depth security arrangements so that we can make the pilgrimage safe and smooth for the devotees,' said VK Birdi, police chief for the Muslim-majority territory. At Pahalgam, soldiers have turned a tented base camp into a fortress encircled by razor wire. Troops in newly deployed armoured cars, or from gun positions behind sandbags, keep a close watch -- efforts boosted by facial recognition cameras. 'High-quality surveillance cameras have been installed at all major points along the route,' said Manoj Sinha, the Indian-appointed top administrator for Jammu and Kashmir. All pilgrims must be registered and travel in guarded vehicle convoys, until they start out to walk. Camouflaged bunkers have been erected in the forests along the route, where dozens of makeshift kitchens provide free food. Electronic radio cards pinpoint their location. Pilgrims can take several days to reach the cave, perched at 3,900 metres (12,800 feet) high, around 30 kilometres (18 miles) uphill from the last easily motorable track. 'Whatever the attack that was carried out here, I am not afraid. I have come to get a glimpse of baba (the ice formation)' said Ujwal Yadav, 29, from India's Uttar Pradesh state, undertaking his first pilgrimage to the shrine. 'Such are the security arrangements here that no one can be hurt.' Sinha has said that 'public confidence is returning', but admits that pilgrim registration had dipped by 10 percent this year.
Daily Express
2 hours ago
- Daily Express
Impractical to revive GST now, says Amir Hamzah
Published on: Thursday, July 03, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jul 03, 2025 By: Elill Easwaran, FMT Text Size: Finance minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan said reviving the GST would take at least two years and have a wider economic impact. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA: Finance Minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan says the government has ruled out reintroducing the goods and services tax (GST) for now, calling it 'impracticable' under current economic conditions. He said established and new businesses have 'moved on' to alternative tax structures since the GST was zero-rated in 2018. As a result, a full reinstatement of the GST would likely take at least two years, he added. Speaking as a guest on the Keluar Sekejap podcast, Amir said the government has never disputed the merits of the GST system. However, he said Putrajaya was of the view that it cannot be reintroduced as it 'not suitable for now'. 'The GST is broad-based. It will affect everyone,' he said. 'Companies like the GST because of the input-output tax mechanism: what they charge, they can claim back. But, in the end, the burden falls on the people.' Amir said the government was of the view that tax reform must be pragmatic and compatible with Malaysia's current economic structure. 'When we impose a tax, we need to ask: is the revenue we get worth the effort?' he added. Podcast co-host Khairy Jamaluddin said Amir's explanation was acceptable, noting that the minister was not making the case that the sales and service tax (SST) was inherently better that the GST regime. Last month, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Putrajaya would consider bringing back the tax scheme when the economy improves and the minimum wage reaches RM4,000 or more. For now, the government has expanded the SST to cover more items, with a 5% to 10% tax on non-essential goods and added service tax on rent, construction, financial services, and private healthcare and education. On the distribution of government aid, Amir drew comparisons between the unity government's Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) aid schemes and the 1Malaysia People's Aid or BR1M during Najib Razak's time. He said BR1M had reached RM1,200 at most, while the maximum amount of cash aid a household can receive under STR and SARA is RM4,600. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
