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INTERACTIVE: Kota Marudu tops Malaysia heat alert list

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By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI   PETALING JAYA: Kota Marudu in Sabah has become Malaysia’s hottest location with the biggest number of high temperature alerts so far this year. The district located 130km north of the state capital Kota Kinabalu has received nine alerts since January. They comprise eight Level 1 Alerts and one Level 2 Alert, according to figures from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia). Limbang in Sarawak received the second highest number of alerts (8) and followed by Machang in Kelantan (6). Six locations each recorded five heat alerts, namely Baling (Kedah), Kampar (Perak), Marudi and Sibu (Sarawak), and Sandakan and Telupid (Sabah). A Level 1 (Yellow) alert is issued when the temperature in a particular location hits between 35 to 37 degrees Celsius for at least three consecutive days. A Level 2 (Orange) alert means a location is in a heatwave with temperatures going above 37 but remaining below 40 degrees Ce...
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INTERACTIVE: Heat alerts fall but dry spell still bites

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By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Kota Marudu recorded the highest number of heat alerts in the country this year, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia). The district in Sabah logged a total of nine heat alerts as of Aug 3, followed closely by Limbang in Sarawak (8) and Machang in Kelantan (6). Nationwide, a total of 121 heat alerts were issued so far this year. This marks a dramatic drop from the 1,597 alerts recorded during the same period in 2024. MetMalaysia’s data also showed that Sabah topped the list of states with the highest number of alerts in 2025, recording 35 alerts.  This was followed by Sarawak with 29 alerts and Kedah with 17. Last year, Kedah led the heat alert chart with 472 alerts, followed by Kelantan (274) and Pahang (188). The majority of alerts issued this year were Level 1 at 120 alerts. Level 1 alert indicates a maximum daily temperature between 35°C and 37°C for at least thre...
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INTERACTIVE: EV boom highlights charging bay shortage

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By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI   PETALING JAYA: A surge in electric vehicle (EV) sales is outpacing the growth in the number of charging stations being built. Malaysia’s vehicle-to-charger ratio currently stands at 13 EVs per charger nationwide, an increase of 18% compared to 11 a year ago. As of June 30, figures from the Malaysia Electric Vehicle Charging Network (MEVnet) dashboard show that there were 4,161 public EV charging bays across 1,374 locations nationwide. This is a 61% increase from The Star’s previous analysis in July 2024 when 2,585 bays were installed. Despite the increasing number of charging stations being built, EV registrations have been rising at an even faster pace. There are currently 52,418 EVs on the roads as of June 30 this year, with a sharp increase recorded since January. The first six months of this year saw 17,143 electrical vehicles registered, a 60.8% year-on-year jump from 10,663 units in ...
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INTERACTIVE: EV boom puts pressure on charging bay rollout

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By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: The growth of electric vehicles (EVs) in Malaysia is outpacing charging infrastructure development, with the ratio now standing at 13 EVs for every charger. The vehicle-to-charger ratio has gone up by 18% from 11 EVs per charger just a year ago. According to data from the Malaysia Electric Vehicle Charging Network (MEVnet) dashboard, there are now 4,161 public EV charging bays across 1,374 locations nationwide as of June 30.  This is a 61% increase from The Star’s previous analysis in July 2024 when 2,585 bays were installed. Despite the jump, EV registrations are rising faster. Cumulative EV registrations reached 52,418 units between January 2015 and June 2025, with a sharp increase recorded in the first half of this year alone. A total of 17,143 electrical vehicles registered from January to June, marking a 60.8% year-on-year surge from 10,663 units in the same period last year. May 2025 recorded the highest-ever...
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INTERACTIVE: Fewer Malaysian students heading to the US

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By DIYANA PFORDTEN & SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI    PETALING JAYA: Malaysian student arrivals to the United States of America have fallen this year amid uncertainties over US foreign student policies. According to figures from the US National Travel and Tourism Office website, the number of Malaysians arriving in the United States on student visas from January to April this year dropped by 7% to 1,754 compared to 1,887 in the same period last year.  Education consultants said the uncertainties, added with rising costs due to a stronger US dollar as well as shifting preferences, are contributing to the decline. They say that these factors have led some students to consider alternative countries, or study programmes that offer shorter stints in the US. Malaysia's 7% drop is the largest among Asean countries.  Thailand had the second biggest decline at -3.1%, followed by Indonesia at -2.3%. All Asean countries recorded a drop in studen...
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INTERACTIVE: Fewer Malaysians heading to US for study

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By DIYANA PFORDTEN & SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI   PETALING JAYA: Malaysian student arrivals to the US have taken a recent hit, with experts attributing the decline to rising costs, political uncertainty, and shifting global preferences. Educational consultants said students are now looking closer to home or to countries offering shorter, cheaper, and more secure options. According to US National Travel and Tourism Office, Malaysians arriving to US with student visa from January to April this year dropped by 7% compared to same period last year. Malaysia's 7% drop is the biggest among Asean countries. This was followed by Thailand with a 3.1% decrease and Indonesia with a 2.3% decline over the same period. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, annual Malaysian student arrivals to the US typically averaged around 8,000.  However, the number has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, as it stood at just 5,223 last year.  When approached for c...
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[PRINT] No extreme dry conditions expected despite hot 2024

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By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Last year turned out to be the fourth hottest year on record for Malaysia, but no extreme dry conditions are expected this year, says the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia). Although Malaysia is currently experiencing more dry days than rainy days due to the South-West Monsoon, heavy rains with thunderstorms and strong winds may still occur occasionally. “The majority of forecasts produced by the latest international weather models do not expect extreme dry weather phenomena to occur throughout this Southwest monsoon season,” said MetMalaysia director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip. Mohd Hisham said current ENSO (El Nino-Southern Oscillation) conditions, which affects global weather patterns, are neutral and are expected to remain so throughout the year.  “Therefore, the country is also expected to experienc...
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