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By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: The Electric Train Service (ETS) from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Baru has become the third most popular line on the ETS network just three months after its launch, trailing only the KL–Ipoh and KL–Butterworth routes. ETS ridership figures from the data.gov.my portal shows that the KL Sentral to JB Sentral route recorded a total of 69,628 passengers between December 12, 2025, which was when the route was launched, and April 8, 2026.  KL Sentral to Ipoh was first with 122,406 passengers, followed by KL Sentral to Butterworth (86,090). Despite being a relatively new addition, the KL-JB Sentral route has quickly entered the top tier of ETS services. JB Sentral is the only southern destination among the 10 busiest ETS routes from KL Sentral, as the others are in the north. Daily ETS ridership data for the KL Sentral-JB Sentral route also points to a sharp upward trend since the service began operations.  The ...

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Nearly 40% of landfill waste comprises materials with recycling potential, according to Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp). Data from SWCorp shows that plastics make up the largest portion, accounting for 20.55% of landfill waste, followed by paper at 10.17%, glass at 2.96%, and metal at 2.56%.  However, the agency noted that the actual volume of recyclables ending up in landfills cannot be determined, as contamination and limited recycling technology prevent some materials from being processed for recycling. According to SWCorp, Malaysia’s national recycling rate stood at 37.9% in 2024, up from 35.38% in 2023. In a previous report by The Star, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said solid waste generation in the country stood at 15.2 million tonnes in 2024 and is projected to increase to 15.38 million tonnes in 2025, before rising further to 17.03 million tonn...

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: More Malaysians are set to swap traditional green money packets for cashless transfers this Aidilfitri amid a growing adoption of e-money payments. Data from Bank Negara shows that the value of e-money transactions during the months of Ramadan and Aidilftri each year has shot up from RM4.08bil in 2021 to RM20.28bil in 2025. E-money refers to payment tools like mobile e-wallets and prepaid accounts that store and move monetary value electronically. The central bank’s latest payment statistics show that total e-money transactions reached RM272.55bil last year, involving 6.37 billion transactions. This marked a 66% jump in value from RM164.09bil recorded in 2024. Fintech company TnG Digital said users of its eWallet platform are increasingly turning to its “Money Packet” feature to send digital duit raya. The company said total Money Packet transaction value during Hari Raya Aidilfitri in 2025 grew by more tha...

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: With online money transfers now a staple of everyday life in Malaysia, e-Duit Raya is set to see its biggest season yet as families embrace digital gifting ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Data from Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) reflects the broader rise in digital payments across the country. The central bank’s latest payment statistics show that total e-money transactions reached RM272.55bil last year, involving 6.37 billion transactions. This marked a 66% jump in value from RM164.09bil recorded in 2024. E-money transactions hit a record high in December last year, with 622.4 million transactions valued at RM29.4bil. E-money refers to prepaid payment instruments that store monetary value electronically, including mobile e-wallets, card-based e-money and prepaid accounts. According to BNM’s Annual Report 2024, e-wallets accounted for 64% of total e-money transactions, with the remainder attributed to card-based...

PETALING JAYA: Weather stations at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Subang and Melaka recorded the highest numbers of lightning days in Malaysia over the past decade. Data from the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) show that the KLIA weather station recorded more than 300 days with lightning each year from 2015 to 2024 - the highest among 14 stations nationwide. According to MetMalaysia director general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip, the lightning that is recorded may originate from storms more than 10km away from an observation station. This means that storm systems in nearby areas can also contribute to a station’s lightning totals. Lightning occurrences at weather stations are recorded through direct visual observation by trained weather officers, and any visible lightning is counted as a lightning day. Subang ranked second after KLIA each year from 2015 to 2024 but rose to first place last year with 294 lightning days....

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Drive times from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Baru stretched to more than five hours at the peak of the Chinese New Year and Ramadan balik kampung exodus, according to checks on Google Maps. The KL-Penang stretch took nearly five hours, while KL-Kota Baru via the East Coast Expressway (ECE) took seven hours and 33 minutes. Travel times were recorded via Google Maps at two-hour intervals from Feb 13 to Feb 15 along four popular festive corridors — northbound to Penang, eastbound to Kota Baru via both the Central Spine Road and the ECE, and southbound to Johor Baru. The data showed a clear pattern: departures between 10am and 4pm consistently recorded the longest travel times across all routes, while those who left after 8pm enjoyed noticeably shorter journeys.  Motorists who departed at 10pm instead of 10am saved between 45 minutes and nearly two hours, depending on the route.   The KL–Johor Baru stretch saw ...