Malaysian court orders ex-PM Najib to pay $400 mln tax bill

13 Sept 06:41 Key points summarised by AI

A Malaysian court ordered former Prime Minister Najib Razak to pay 1.69 billion ringgit ($397.41 million) in unpaid taxes accumulated between 2011 and 2017.
High Court judge Ahmad Bache ruled that ex-premiers are not exempt from tax obligations, compelling Najib to settle his "debt" to the government.
This tax order is distinct from the multiple corruption and abuse of power charges Najib faces, primarily linked to the multi-billion dollar 1MDB state fund scandal.
Najib is awaiting a verdict on July 28 in the first of several corruption trials connected to the 1MDB scandal.

Bai Lu meet-and-greet cancelled days after China’s safety warning

Today 15:28 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Tourism and Sports Minister announced the government will seek clarification from the Chinese Embassy regarding its recent travel advisory warning Chinese nationals about safety concerns in Thailand.
The travel advisory is anticipated to negatively impact the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand, despite recent increases in arrivals.
A meet-and-greet event featuring Chinese actress Bai Lu, a WeTV Global Ambassador, was abruptly cancelled just days after the Chinese Embassy issued its safety warning, though no official reason was provided.
The Chinese Embassy's advisory urged citizens to beware of job scams, fraudulent investments, suspicious travel arrangements, and the risk of illegal detention or being lured to the Thai-Myanmar border.
Chinese nationals were advised to verify job offers, use legitimate transport, avoid high-risk border areas, protect personal documents, and keep family informed of travel plans.