2026 in Malaysia
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| See also: | Other events of 2026 History of Malaysia • Timeline • Years | ||||
Events in the year 2026 in Malaysia.
Federal level
[edit]- Yang di-Pertuan Agong: Ibrahim Iskandar
- Raja Permaisuri Agong: Raja Zarith Sofiah
- Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong: Nazrin Shah
- Prime Minister: Anwar Ibrahim
- Deputy Prime Ministers: Ahmad Zahid Hamidi & Fadillah Yusof
- President of the Dewan Negara: Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah
- Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat: Johari Abdul
- Chief Justice:
State level
[edit]
Johor :
Kedah :
Kelantan :
Perlis :
Perak :
Pahang :
Selangor :
Terengganu :
Negeri Sembilan :
Penang :
Malacca :
Sarawak :
Sabah :
Events
[edit]January
[edit]- 1 January — The Online Safety Act 2025 passes into law, extending the reach of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) over platforms with over 8 million users in Malaysia.[1]
- 11 January — The government blocks access to Grok AI over its usage in generating sexualised images of women and children.[2]
- 12 January — An air conditioning unit under maintenance explodes inside a cafeteria at HELP University, killing one person and injuring nine others.[3][4]
- 14 January — A late-night fire engulfs four factories at the Olak Lempit Industrial Area in Banting, Kuala Langat, killing three people.[5]
- 22 January — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission charges two former generals including former Chief of Army Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan and former Chief of Defence Force Mohd Nizam Jaffar with money laundering, abuse of power and criminal breach of trust following an investigation into alleged irregularities in defence procurement deals.[6]
- 24 January — 2026 Kinabatangan & Lamag by-election.[7]
- 28 January — The executive committee of the Football Association of Malaysia resigns amid accusations by FIFA that the former had forged citizenship documents to enable seven foreign-born athletes to play for the Malaysia national football team.[8]
- 29 January — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency seizes 512 million ringgit ($129.9 million) in crude oil from two tankers conducting an illegal ship-to-ship transfer off the coast of Penang.[9]
February
[edit]- 4 February — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission issues a ban on the importation of electronic waste.[10]
- 16 February — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) formally withdraws a defamation case it filed in a Thai court against Australian journalist and Thai resident Murray Hunter over articles published on his Substack newsletter after reaching a settlement.[11]
- 23 February — A magnitude 7.1 earthquake hits off the coast of Sabah.[12]
- 25 February — The MCMC blocks the social media apps Grindr and Blued as part of a government crackdown on LGBTQ activities.[13]
March
[edit]- 27 March — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirms that Iran has allowed Malaysian oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing 2026 Iran war.[14]
April
[edit]- 1 April — The Malaysian government withdraws its appeal against the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision to grant Pastor Raymond Koh's family access to a classified report.[15]
- 16 April — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sign a mutual energy agreement with Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas agreeing to supply fuel to Australia in return for Australia prioritising its liquefied natural gas exports to Malaysia.[16]
- 17 April – The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency intercepts a boat carrying 25 migrants from Myanmar in Penang.[17]
- 19 April –
- A farmer opens fire in front of a restaurant in Kota Tinggi, Johor, killing three people.[18][19]
- A fire at a coastal kampung in Sandakan District, Sabah, destroys around 1,000 houses and displaces 9,000 people.[20]
May
[edit]- 11 May – A boat carrying migrants from Indonesia capsizes off Pangkor Island in Perak, leaving 14 passengers missing and 23 rescued.[21]
- 15 May – Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announces that the Malaysian Cabinet will create a new pathway for graduates from Chinese independent high schools to enrol in Malaysian public universities. Students will still be required to pass the Malay language and history subjects at the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) level.[22]
- 24 May – Police arrest 51 men (including 28 foreigners) in connection with a drug-fuelled "gay party" held at a Kuala Lumpur hotel. They also seize RM 103,070 (US$ 26,021) worth of illicit drugs including MDMA, ectasy and ketamine.[23]
June
[edit]- 1 June:
- The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission gives social media users under the age of 16 six months to download or transfer their social media data before the Online Safety Act 2025's age verification comes into effect in December 2026.[24]
- The Johor State Legislative Assembly is dissolved in anticipation of the 2026 Johor state election.[25]
- A car collides with five other vehicles in Simpang Renggam near Kluang, killing five people.[26]
- 7 June : A SUV collides with lorry in Sungai Petani killing six people including a baby.[27]
- 12 June:
- More than 1,000 Orang Asli from 19 tribes and communities joined a rally in Putrajaya with the protesters demanded for the recognition of their ancestral land and an end of evictions of the Orang Asli for land development.[28]
Predicted and scheduled
[edit]- 2026 Sarawak state election
- 2026 Malacca state election
- 2026 Johor state election
- 2026 Negeri Sembilan election
Deaths
[edit]January
[edit]- 9 January – Wang Choon Wing, former Member of Parliament (MP) for Lipis.[29]
- 26 January – Tan Yee Khan, badminton player.[30]
February
[edit]- 2 February – Koon Yew Yin, co-founder of Gamuda Bhd and IJM Corp Bhd.[31]
- 8 February – Along Eyzendy, actor.[32]
- 19 February – Abdul Hamid Mohamad, former Chief Justice of Malaysia.[33]
March
[edit]- 11 March – Marina Yusof, politician.[34]
- 13 March – Siti Norma Yaakob, former Chief Justice of Malaya.[35]
- 28 March – Yu Chin Liik, Sarawakian politician.[36]
- 30 March – Lim Guan Teik, founder of Muda Holdings and a pioneering figure in Malaysia's paper industry.[37]
April
[edit]- 4 April – Ling Liong Sik, former President of the Malaysian Chinese Association and Minister of Transport[38]
- 10 April – Mohd Hashim Abdullah, former chairman of the Election Commission.[39]
- 19 April – Lau Cheng Kiong, President of the Sibu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and prominent businessman.[40]
- 23 April – Tajang Laing, Orang Ulu politician, former Member of the Cobbold Commission, Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Belaga.[41]
May
[edit]- 13 May – Teh Kew San, 91, badminton Champion.[42]
- 31 May – Yazid Baba, former Member of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Terentang.[43]
June
[edit]- 7 June – Mohd Jamil Md Idross, former Member of the Kedah State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Pengkalan Kundor.[44]
References
[edit]- ^ Yusof, Iman Muttaqin (1 January 2026). "Malaysia tightens trip on major social media platforms - will it make the Internet safer?". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
- ^ "Malaysia suspends access to Musk's Grok AI: regulator". France 24. 11 January 2026. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
- ^ Tee, Kenneth (2026-01-12). "HELP University cafeteria blast leaves one dead, nine injured; LPG leak suspected". Malay Mail. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
- ^ Ram, Sadho (2026-01-13). "One Dead, 9 Injured: Everything You Should Know About The Bukit Damansara University Explosion". SAYS. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
- ^ "3 dead in Banting factory blaze". Free Malaysia Today. 2026-01-15. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
- ^ "Malaysia to charge 2 former generals in high-profile military corruption case". ABC News. Associated Press. 22 January 2026. Archived from the original on 23 January 2026. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "Official: BN sweeps Kinabatangan and Lamag by-elections with big majorities". Malay Mail. 24 January 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
- ^ "Malaysia football officials quit over foreign-born players scandal". BBC. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
- ^ "Malaysia seizes $129.9 million in crude oil from suspected illegal ship-to-ship transfer". The Nation. 1 February 2026. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
- ^ "Malaysia bans e-waste imports, vows to end illegal dumping". Associated Press. 5 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
- ^ "A writer is cleared by Thai court after Malaysian agency withdraws defamation case". Associated Press. 17 February 2026. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
- ^ "Strong 7.1-magnitude quake hits off Malaysia's Sabah state; some in S'pore say they felt tremors". The Straits Times. 23 February 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
- ^ "Malaysia blocks Grindr, Blued amid rising LGBTQ restrictions". South China Morning Post. Bloomberg News. 25 February 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ^ Power, John (27 March 2026). "Malaysia's ships allowed to pass Strait of Hormuz, PM Anwar says". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 27 March 2026. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
- ^ "Government withdraws appeal over Pastor Koh's classified report". The Edge. 1 April 2026. Archived from the original on 4 April 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ^ "Malaysia's Petronas to supply excess fuel to Australia as leaders vow closer cooperation". Reuters. 16 April 2026. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
- ^ "Malaysia stops illegal sea entry of 25 Myanmar migrants, including teens". AP News. 2026-04-17. Retrieved 2026-05-04.
- ^ "Man arrested over fatal Kota Tinggi shooting". The Straits Times. 19 April 2026. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ^ "Farmer remanded for seven days over fatal shooting that killed three in Johor". The Straits Times. 20 April 2026. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
- ^ "Fire destroys 1,000 homes in a Malaysian coastal village on Borneo Island". AP News. 21 April 2026. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
- ^ "Malaysia searches for 14 missing Indonesians after a migrant boat sinks". AP News. 2026-05-12. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
- ^ "Must pass SPM BM and History first: Anwar confirms UEC students can enter public universities". Malay Mail. 15 May 2026. Archived from the original on 15 May 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
- ^ "Malaysian police arrest 51 men, seize drugs in raids linked to 'gay party'". Reuters. 26 May 2026. Retrieved 28 May 2026.
- ^ "Under-16 social media users given one month to save data as age verification rollout begins". The Star. 1 June 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- ^ Yusof, Amir (1 June 2026). "Johor state assembly dissolved, paving way for snap polls within 60 days". Channel News Asia. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
- ^ "Johor police arrest 19‑year‑old, seize Mercedes after deadly five‑vehicle crash near Renggam". Malay Mail. 2026-06-02. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
- ^ "Six, including baby, killed in Sungai Petani crash [WATCH]". NST. 2026-06-07. Retrieved 2026-06-14.
- ^ Yusof, Iman Muttaqin (12 June 2026). "In Malaysia, over 1,000 Orang Asli rally for land rights: 'we're not going anywhere'". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ^ Jalaluddin, Julianna (2026-01-09). "MCA mourns passing of party veteran Wang Choon Wing". NST Online. Retrieved 2026-02-05.
- ^ "Malaysian badminton great, Thomas Cup winner Tan Yee Khan dies aged 86". Malay Mail. 26 January 2026. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
- ^ "Koon Yew Yin, co-founder of Gamuda and IJM Corp, dies at 93". Malay Mail. 2026-02-03. Retrieved 2026-02-05.
- ^ "Malaysian actor Along Eyzendy dies after three days in ICU". The Star. 8 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
- ^ Kaur, Minderjeet (2026-02-19). "Ex-chief justice Abdul Hamid dies". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
- ^ "Marina Yusoff Passes Away". Business News Malaysia. 2026-03-12. Retrieved 2026-03-14.
- ^ "First female Chief Judge of Malaya, Siti Norma Yaakob, dies at 85". Malay Mail. 2026-03-13. Retrieved 2026-03-15.
- ^ "毕生献身社会工作 余清禄辞世享年79岁 - 地方 - 南砂". 星洲网 Sin Chew Daily Malaysia Latest News and Headlines (in Chinese (China)). 2026-03-28. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
- ^ "Paper industry giant Lim Guan Teik passes away at 91 - News". MySinchew 星洲网 Sin Chew Daily Malaysia Latest News and Headlines (in Chinese (China)). 2026-03-31. Retrieved 2026-04-01.
- ^ "Ex-MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik dies". Free Malaysia Today. 2026-04-04. Retrieved 2026-04-04.
- ^ "Bekas Pengerusi SPR meninggal dunia". Berita Harian. BERNAMA. 2026-04-10. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
- ^ "Prominent Sibu businessman Datuk Lau Cheng Kiong passes away at 75". Borneo Post Online. 2026-04-20. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
- ^ "Orang Ulu statesman Bo' Tajang Laing passes away at 100". DayakDaily. 2026-04-24. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- ^ "Former Malaysian Thomas Cup captain Kew San dies at 91". Buletin Mutiara. 2026-05-13. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
- ^ "Bekas ADUN Terentang, Tan Sri Mohd Yazid Baba meninggal dunia". Sinar Harian (in Malay). 2026-05-31. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
- ^ rusyaidi.shahid (2026-06-07). "Bekas ADUN Pengkalan Kundor ditemui lemas, dipercayai terjatuh ketika alih kenderaan". Buletin TV3. Retrieved 2026-06-07.