Malaysia's year in review: Top news stories of 2013
As 2013 comes to a close, we review the year's top news stories through a series of Instagram pictures. #MY2013Review by Victoria Brown, Michelle Tam and The Star photographers.
January
Jan 12: The People's Uprising rally- Jan 12: Some of the participants of the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat (People's Uprising) rally walking towards the city centre from Merdeka Stadium.#MY2013Review
- Jan 12: The Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat (People's Uprising) rally participants cheering as PKR opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim delivers his speech at Merdeka Stadium. #MY2013Review
- Jan 16: 6-year-old William Yau goes missing at Putra Heights
- Jan 21: 1Malaysia Petaling Jaya Service Team members Sheah Kok Fah and Chew Hoong Ling holding up posters of missing boy William Yau (who went missing on Jan 16) to motorists in SS2 #MY2013Review
- Jan 25: The dead body of little William was found at the Klang River jetty near Port Klang
- Jan 28: William's parents Yau Kok Kang and Goh Ying Ying breaking down in tears during the cremation of their 6-year-old son William Yau. #MY2013Review
- Jan 28: William's paternal grandmother Chee Chau Moy wailed openly and called out William's name when the funeral undertaker was making arrangements for the coffin to be placed in the incinerator. #MY2013Review
February
Feb 11: South Korean singer Psy rocks the stage in Penang- Feb 11: South Korean singer Psy performs 'Gangnam Style' during BN's Chinese New Year celebrations in Penang. #MY2013Review
March
Mar 1: The Lahad Datu standoff occurred. Two Malaysian police commandos were killed and three police commandos were injured in a shootout between the Malaysian police and the Sulu intruders nicknamed "Royal Army" at the village of Tanduo near Lahad Datu, Sabah. Almost 14 Sulu intruders were killed in a shootout. An immediate curfew was imposed at Lahad Datu town.- Mar 1: Military personnel arrive at the village of Tanduo near Lahad Datu, Sabah.#MY2013Review
- Mar 10: Saadiah Sulaiman, 2, of Kampung Tanjung Labian, crying after transferred to the Embara Budi multipurpose hall, which is about 10 km from Felda Sahabat on the sixth day of 'Ops Daulat'. #MY2013Review
- Mar 10: Residents from Kampung Tanjung Labian fleeing their village barefoot on the sixth day of 'Op Daulat'. #MY2013Review
- Mar 12: Children playing at Embara Budi evacuation centre at Felda Sahabat in Lahad Datu. #MY2013Review
May
May 5: Polling day and election results for the 2013 Malaysian general elections. Barisan Nasional won a majority with 133 of the 222 parliamentary seats, while Pakatan Rakyat won 89 seats- May 5: A long queue of voters lining up outside SMK Methodist (ACS) Setiawan at about 7.30am on polling day #MY2013Review
- May 5: Voters running into Sekolah Kebangsaan Pandan Perdana, Ampang on polling day once the door opened at 8am. #MY2013Review
- May 5: Voters queuing up at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Sri Andalas, Klang.#MY2013Review
- May 5: Heavy rain did not stop Malaysians from queuing up to cast their vote at Sekolah Rendah Agma AL-Ridhwan polling centre at Bandar Tun Razak.#MY2013Review
- May 8: The first of 15 Himpunan Black Out (Malaysia's Post General Election Rally) organised by Pakatan Rakyat
- May 8: The crowd at Malaysia's Post General Election Rally or Himpunan Black Out organised by Pakatan Rakyat at MBPJ Stadium, Kelana Jaya.#MY2013Review
- May 8: Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim speaking during the Post General Election Rally (Himpunan Black Out). #MY2013Review
- May 12: Sir Richard Branson from Virgin group dressed as an air AirAsia stewardess after losing a bet with Tony Fernandes
- May 12: AirAsia chief Tony Fernandes, right, is served by British business magnate Richard Branson who is dressed as a female flight attendant, while flying from Perth, Australia to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Virgin Group founder had his legs shaved, put on lipstick and squeezed into the red skirt to honor a bet by serving as a flight attendant on an AirAsia trip from Perth to Kuala Lumpur. Branson lost a bet to Fernandes in 2010 after they both wagered their Formula One racing teams would finish ahead of each other. (Photo released by AirAsia) #MY2013Review
- May 12: British billionaire Richard Branson poses with a tray of drinks onboard an AirAsia flight bound for Kualu Lumpur. #MY2013Review
June
Jun 14: Freak storms hit Penang and caused Penang's UMNO building's lightning arrester to collapse- Jun 14: The fallen lightning arrester from Penang's UMNO building due to strong winds the night before caused massive destruction on Macalister Road.#MY2013Review
- Jun 16: More car parts were recovered by search and rescue from the crater on Macalister Road where a freak storm wrecked havoc on June 13.#MY2013Review
- Jun 15-26: The haze hits several parts of Peninsula Malaysia including Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor
- Jun 15-26: A mother putting on a face mask on her daughter to protect her from the haze in Johor. Several parts of Peninsula Malaysia including Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor was affected by haze due to the hot season and opened burning activities in Sumatera, Indonesia. #MY2013Review
- Jun 20: All schools in Muar District in Johor were ordered to close after the Air Pollutant Index (API) reached a hazardous level. #MY2013Review
- Jun 23: The government declared a haze emergency in Muar and Ledang District as it reached a hazardous level of 750, the highest API ever recorded in Malaysia since 1997. The haze emergency was lifted on 24 June.#MY2013Review
July
Jul 18: Minion Madness began as Malaysians crowd into McDonald's restaurants nationwide to buy a minion Happy Meal- Jul 18: Customers pushing the rolling shutter until it gave way at a McDonald's outlet in a shopping mall in George Town. Malaysians crowd to McDonald's restaurants nationwide for a chance to buy a minion Happy Meal to celebrate the release of Despicable Me 2, thus beginning the Minion Madness.#MY2013Review
- Jul 25: A massive crowd start their long queue at 12 midnight waiting for a minion toy at Greenlane McDonald's in George Town. #MY2013Review
- Jul 19: Alvivi charged at the Sessions Court
- Jul 19: Sex bloggers Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee (Alvivi) charged at the Sessions Court in Jalan Duta. #MY2013Review
- Jul 23: Viral pictures of SK Seri Pristana non-Muslims students eating in a changing room sparked controversy
- Jul 23: Pictures of Sekolah Kebangsaan Seri Pristana non-Muslim students eating in a changing room sparked controversy on social media.#MY2013Review
- Jul 24: Barisan Nasional candidate Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abd Rahman wins the Kuala Besut by-elections
- Jul 24: Barisan Nasional candidate Tengku Zaihan Che Ku Abd Rahman (pictured) cheering after winning the Kuala Besut by-elections with 8,288 votes, beating Pas candidate Azlan Yusof by a 2,592 vote majority. #MY2013Review
- Jul 27: Crime watchdog MyWatch chairman R Sri Sanjeevan was shot repeatedly
- Jul 27: Crime watchdog MyWatch chairman R Sri Sanjeevan was shot repeatedly by two men on a motorcycle. #MY2013Review
- Sept 17: Crime watchdog MyWatch chairman R Sri Sanjeevan showing his scars almost two months after he was shot. #MY2013Review
- Jul 29: AmBank founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi was shot dead
- Jul 29: Arab Malaysian Banking Group (AmBank) founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi was shot dead at a parking lot in Kuala Lumpur. His wife who was with him at the time of the murder survived. #MY2013Review
August
Aug 3: A spate of high profile shootings arrest the nation's attention- Aug 3: A spate of high profile shootings and violent crimes around the country from late July to early Aug captured the public's attention and caused widespread unease over gang-related activities. At one point, there were 8 shootings in as many days, where people were slain at home or while waiting in their cars at traffic light junctions. A subsequent police crackdown on gangs, termed Ops Cantas Khas, caused many to slow down or halt their operations in the Klang Valley. #MY2013Review
- Aug 13: Mrs Malaysia Universe Carol Lee crowned Mrs Universe 2013
- Aug 13: Mrs Malaysia Universe Carol Lee being crowned Mrs Universe 2013 by Mrs Universe 2012 Ysaura Wong of Aruba, becoming the first Asian to win the international pageant. #MY2013Review
- Aug 21: Genting bus crash - Malaysia's deadliest road disaster
- Aug 21: 37 people were killed and 16 others injured when the bus carrying 53 passengers crashed into ravine at kilometre 3.5 of the Genting Sempah-Genting Highlands Highway near Chin Swee Temple, Genting Highlands, Pahang. It was the worst road disasters in Malaysian history. #MY2013Review
- Aug 21: The scene of the bus crash at Genting Highlands. #MY2013Review
- Aug 22: JPJ, Puspakom and MIROS personnel checking the bus after being removed from the crash scene. #MY2013Review
- Aug 31: Malaysia's 56th Merdeka Day
- Aug 31: The biggest military parade for the 56th Merdeka Day was held in Dataran Merdeka. #MY2013Review
- Aug 31: VAT69 troops marching during the 56th National Day celebrations at Dataran Merdeka. #MY2013Review
- Aug 31: Students waving their national flags during the 56th National Day celebrations. #MY2013Review
September
Sep 2: Diesel and petrol price increase- Sep 2: Motorists rushed to fill up their tanks before the price of RON95 petrol and diesel increased by 20 sen per litre on Sep 3. Before the revision, RON95 was RM1.90 per litre and diesel RM1.80, and the move was one of several to rationalise subsidies by the Government to reduce the country's fiscal deficit.#MY2013Review
- Sep 3: A Bosnian national sues his ex-girlfriend for allegedly 'abusing' his sperm so she could bear a child with European genes
- Sep 3: Bosnian national Ervin Ahbabovic sued his Malaysian ex-girlfriend for allegedly abusing his sperm to produce "better offspring" with European genes. However, the 41-year-old Malaysian Permanent Resident has a long and colourful history here. Sources say several women previously involved with him have made at least 18 reports against him to the police and NGOs since 2006.#MY2013Review
- Sep 3: Ahbabovic with a picture of his family during a trip to Penang a few years ago. "Now I can't even look at this picture without feeling sad," he told@thestaronline. He filed a RM600,000 civil suit against his Malaysian former lover for alleged misuse of his sperm to bear a child with European genes. She kicked him out of her home in 2012 and prevents his access to their 3-year-old son, and has gone on the record to state that her genes are better, despite his claims that his were "superior". #MY2013Review
- Sep 16: Malaysia's 50th birthday
- Sep 16: Malaysia celebrates 50 years since the country's formation in 1963. Across the South China Sea, the Golden Jubilee was themed "Harmonious Sarawak, Prosperity Enjoyed" and "Sabah Progresses Within Malaysia".#MY2013Review
- Sep 16: Chin Peng passes away in Bangkok
- Sep 16: Chin Peng's relative weeps at his funeral in Bangkok, Thailand. At 89, the former secretary-general of the Malayan Communist Party died of old age. The Perak-born was once awarded the Order of the British Empire for his resistance movement during the Japanese occupation of Malaya from 1941-1945, but ceased being an independence hero when he continued to fight the forces of the newly independent Malaya. He had lived in Thailand for more than five decades, and was not permitted to return to Malaysia. Similarly, requests to return his ashes here have been refused. #MY2013Review
October
Oct 14: The Court of Appeal decides that the Catholic Church’s weekly newspaper, The Herald will not be allowed to use the word "Allah" in its Malay edition- Oct 14: Perched on the steps of the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, a young boy prays along with demonstrators defending the word "Allah" as exclusive to Muslims. The Court of Appeal would decide not to allow Catholic weekly The Herald to use the word 'Allah' its Malay edition. The 'Allah' row emerged in early 2009 when the Home Ministry threatened to revoke The Herald's permit for using the term, prompting the Church to sue the Government for violating its constitutional rights. #MY2013Review
- Oct 14: A demonstrator outside the Palace of Justice, Putrajaya ahead of the Court of Appeal's decision to disallow The Herald from using the word 'Allah'. Previously, the High Court's landmark decision on Dec 31, 2009 allowed the Church's application for a judicial review and lifted the Home Ministry's ban on its use of the word 'Allah'. However, this triggered protests nationwide by various Muslim groups. #MY2013Review
- Oct 22: 15-year old girl Ng Yuk Tim who was reported missing two days ago was found stuffed in a suitcase. The gruesome murder was dubbed the Cosplay Killing.
- Oct 22: Just one day after being reported missing, the body of 15-year-old Ng Yuk Tim was found stuffed in a suitcase on the side of the road along Jalan Kebun Nenas in Shah Alam. As she had gone to her killer's home in Kelana Jaya to work on cosplay costumes for an upcoming event, the gruesome murder was dubbed the 'Cosplay Killing'. #MY2013Review
- Oct 23: Ng Yuk Tim's grief-stricken mother, Sim Yee Leng, is comforted by a relative after learning that the body found stuffed in a suitcase is her daughter's. The cosplay-loving Ng died of severe head injuries due to three heavy blows to the head, as her 23-year-old assailant had attempted to rape her before striking her with a dumbbell. The teenager was killed on the spot. Building maintenance worker Poon Wai Hong, who confessed to the crime, was charged with her murder on Oct 31. #MY2013Review
- Oct 31: The 23-year-friend of cosplay fan Ng Yuk Tim was charged with her murder at a Magistrate's Court in Petaling Jaya on Oct 31. Poon Wai Hong, a building maintenance worker, was accused of murdering the 15-year-old at a house in Kampung Cempaka, Kelana Jaya between 3pm and 4pm on Oct 21. On Oct 22, he had confessed to Selangor Community Policing founder Kuan Chee Hong of his attempt to rape the teenager in his house and hitting her on the head with a dumbbell after facing resistance, which killed her on the spot.#MY2013Review
- Oct 23: The disastrous flood in Bertam Valley, Cameron Highlands
- Oct 23: Death and destruction swept through Bertam Valley in Ringlet, Cameron Highlands when water was released from the Sultan Abu Bakar hydroelectric dam. The siren was sounded about 20 minutes before the waters wrecked damage upon nearly 100 houses and over 100 vehicles, but it was either unheard or went unheeded. #MY2013Review
- Oct 23: The Fire and Rescue department's K-9 unit searches for flood victims after the Bertam Valley disaster at Cameron Highlands. The waters claimed three lives, and one 17-year-old Indonesian remains missing. It is feared that she is buried under the mud. #MY2013Review
- Oct 23: A rogue security guard shot dead an AmBank employee
- Oct 23: Malaysians were horrified by a CCTV recording on Youtube depicting the last moments of Ambank operations officer Norazita Abu Talib before she was shot point blank in the face by a rogue bank security guard . Her husband, Irwan Kamaruddin, pleaded with the public to stop sharing gruesome videos and photos of the shooting as spreading such footage was disrespectful to his late wife, their grieving children, and family members. #MY2013Review
- Oct 23: In late Oct, operations manager Norazita Abu Talib was shot dead by Indonesian security guard La Orde Ardi Rasil (centre) who escaped with RM450,000. The hunt ended after three weeks when an Ops Cantas Khas group managed to track him down in Kota Tinggi, Johor. He has been charged with the Ambank officer's murder, and faces the mandatory death sentence twice over. #MY2013Review
- Oct 24: A delivery boy ran amok in Gombak and killed two people
- Oct 24: A delivery boy ran amok, stabbing two people to death and injuring two others. The 26-year-old suspect was tasked with delivering cigarettes to a sundry shop at the Gombak Putra LRT Terminal, but stabbed the 60-year-old shop owner and her 40-year-old helper. He then sped off in a van towards Taman Melati, and collided with another van driven by an elderly man in front of the Taman Melati Putra LRT station. He killed the man, who had stepped out to inspect the vehicle, by stabbing him thrice. His van then rammed into another car driven by a teenage college student, whom he chased down, stabbed and killed. A crowd of onlookers then overpowered the suspect and detained him until the police arrived. #MY2013Review
- Oct 24: The bloody scene at the Gombak Putra LRT Terminal, which saw the start of a delivery man's 40-minute stabbing and killing spree with a rambo knife. #MY2013Review
- Oct 25: Budget 2014 is revealed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
- Oct 25: A man watches the live telecast of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at an eletrical appliance shop as the Budget 2014 is tabled in Parliament. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) - set to be introduced from April 1, 2015 at a rate of 6% - abolition of sugar subsidy and higher property taxes were the highlights. #MY2013Review
- Oct 24: A lady rejoices over BR1M 2.0 handouts at a PPR flat in the Kelana Jaya constituency. In the Budget 2014, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the cash aid would now be extended to households with a monthly income ranging from RM3,000 (increased from RM500 to RM650) to RM4,000. Single individuals aged 21 and above with an income not exceeding RM2,000 would see their BR1M payment increased from RM250 to RM300. #MY2013Review
November
Nov 3: Pahang wins the Malaysia Cup, beating defending champions Kelantan- Nov 3: Pahang wins the coveted Malaysia Cup for the first time in 21 years after beating defending champions and favourites Kelantan 1-0 in the greatly anticipated final match between the east coast sides. Argentine Matias Conti scored the 60th minute strike when his glancing header off Azamuddin Akil's cross sailed into the back of the net in the 59th minute. #MY2013Review
- Nov 7: Malaysia defense contractor Leonard Glenn Francis was charged in San Diego as part of a widening bribery scandal
- Nov 7: Malaysian defense contractor Leonard Glenn Francis was charged in San Diego along with two other US Navy commanders as part of a a widening bribery scandal. Also known as 'Fat Leonard', the 49-year-old was charged with bribing his way to US Navy secrets with prostitutes, tickets to Lady Gaga shows, luxury travel, and multi-million dollar government contracts. At 24, he was also jailed for 36 months by the High Court in Penang on two counts of firearms possession. #MY2013Review
- Nov 4: Sungai Limau by-election - PAS candidate Mohd Azam Abd Samad wins the by-election beating Barisan Nasional's candidate Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim with a reduced majority of 1,084 votes
- Nov 4: PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, Mohd Azam Mat Samad, Pokok Sena MP Datuk Mahfuz Omar and Anak Bukit assemblyman Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah celebrate after Mohd Azam was announced the winner of the Sungai Limau by-election in Kedah. PAS retained the state seat with a reduced 1,084-vote majority, as Mohd Azam won the closely contested polls by clinching 12,069 votes while Barisan Nasional candidate Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim took 10,985 votes. The seat had fell vacant after the passing of former Kedah Mentri Besar Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak on Sep 26. #MY2013Review
- Nov 8: Two-year-old Freddie Joseph was kidnapped
- Nov 8: The kidnapping of British toddler Freddie Joseph from his home in Bangsar is recorded in this combo screen grab from a CCTV recording. His mother, expatriate Sarah Joseph, is seen chasing down the male kidnapper and fighting him valiantly even as he slashes at her with a knife. Despite her struggles and assistance from onlookers, he speeds off in a white Camry with the child, and the vehicle drags her along the road for about five metres.#MY2013Review
- Nov 9: Just one day after his kidnapping, British toddler Freddie Joseph is found at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa by lorry driver Hamid Md Isa (right). The child was tired and hungry, but otherwise unharmed. News of the 20-month-old's abduction from his home in Jalan Terasek had gone viral on social media and drew much attention to the case. #MY2013Review
- Nov 9: Freddie is reunited with his mother, 39-year-old British expatriate Sarah Joseph, after his kidnapping ordeal the day before. #MY2013Review
- Nov 10: Wall graffiti by Lithuanian-born artist Ernest Zacharevic of a man holding a knife, waiting for a female victim around the corner, has attracted people to Taman Molek to snap photographs of the art
- Nov 10: Wall graffiti by Lithuanian-born artist Ernest Zacharevic, which depicts a man holding a knife while lying in wait for a female victim around the corner, led many to visit Taman Molek in Johor Baru to snap photographs and selfies with the art. Here, college student Sun Yik En poses with the popular piece.#MY2013Review
- Nov 13: Officials from the Johor Baru Municipal Council (MBJB) paint over the controversial graffiti art by Lithuanian-born artist Ernest Zacharevic on a wall in Taman Molek, Johor Baru. It had reportedly irked the authorities with its depiction of a knife-wielding man waiting for a female victim around the corner, as the area was known as the state's financial hub. Within hours of it being painted over, it was back on the wall in the form of paper cut-outs, though MBJB also tore those down. The art has now appeared as permanent installations in many other locations in Johor Baru and beyond the state.#MY2013Review
- Nov 15: A Taiwanese tourist was shot dead and his wife was kidnapped when gunmen raided a resort in Pom Pom island
- Nov 15: Police presence at Pom Pom island off Sabah following a murder-cum-kidnapping. A 57-year-old Taiwanese tourist, Hsu Li Min, was shot dead and his wife Chang An Wei Chang, 58, kidnapped when gunmen raided a resort in Semporna on Sabah's east coast. #MY2013Review
- Nov 27: Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed that the 69-year-old Malaysian victim in the Lambeth slavery case is Siti Aishah Abdul Wahab
- Nov 27: IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirms that the 69-year-old Malaysian woman in the Lambeth slavery case is Siti Aishah Abdul Wahab. She is one of three women allegedly enslaved by a Maoist group for 30 years. Here, she is believed to have appeared in 1997 ITV News documentary, saying "We don't want to talk to you," when British media attempted to speak to the alleged Maoist cult leader, Indian national Aravindan Balakrishnan. #MY2013Review
- Nov 28: Pip Ahmad Ibrahim, 73, said Siti Aishah was three years his junior during the 1963-64 college period at the Technical College of Kuala Lumpur. She was a quantity surveying student, and actively involved in many extracurricular activities. In late Nov, Siti Aishah - who was rescued after her captivity by a Maoist group for 30 years - met her 73-year-old sister Kamar Mahtum Abdul Wahab in a tearful reunion in London. Despite cutting off ties with her family decades ago, Siti Aishah promised she would go to Malaysia after the investigation was over. #MY2013Review
December
Dec 2: Heavy rainfall caused flash floods in several east coast states- Dec 2: Starting early December, heavy rainfall would cause severe flash floods in Pahang and other affected areas such as Johor, Terengganu and Kelantan. Here, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is seen waving to villagers from the Fire and Rescue Department's boat as he visits affected households in Kampung Lamir, Pahang. #MY2013Review
- Dec 3: Residents in flood-hit Kampung Belukar. Kuantan wait to be transported to the nearest flood relief centre via army trucks #MY2013Review
- Dec 3: Fatimah Abdul Bakar, 73, is surrounded by her ducks during a visit to her flood-struck home to feed the flock before returning to the Pekan shelter in Pahang. #MY2013Review
- Dec 3: A housing developer is said to have demolished an ancient tomb temple, or candi, in Lembah Bujang
- Dec 3: Rubber tapper Siti Zainab Kamih shows her family the site of the destroyed candi in Lembah Bujang, where she used to eat rice and relax with friends. A housing developer is said to have demolished the ancient tomb temple, or candi, in Lembah Bujang, Kedah after purportedly failing to inform the Sungai Petani Municipal Council about the structure within its development plan. #MY2013Review
- Dec 3: The historic candi at site number 11 before it was demolished in Lembah Bujang. After much hue and cry over the destruction of a precious heritage site, the developer allegedly responsible for its demolition, Bandar Saujana Sdn Bhd, has agreed to rebuild and locate the structure at its original site in Sungai Batu, Kedah. #MY2013Review
- Dec 21: Taiwanese tourist Chang An Wei is released by her captors in Southern Philippines after being abducted in the resort raid on Pom Pom island on Nov 15
- Dec 21: Taiwanese tourist Chang An Wei is released by her captors in Southern Philippines, and it is believed that a ransom was paid for her return. A day before this screen grab of her televised return to Taiwan, she was seen traumatized by her ordeal and weeping at a hospital in Jolo town on the southern island of Mindanao. On Nov 15, she was abducted after her husband was shot dead in a resort raid on Pom Pom island, off the east coast of Sabah. #MY2013Review
- Dec 21: In the MCA polls, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai wins presidency and Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong is deputy
- Dec 21: Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (second from left) celebrates after being elected as the MCA president. Joining him is Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong (right), who won the post of deputy president in the party elections. The 52-year-old Liow - a fourth-term Bentong MP and deputy president prior to the polls - won 1,186 votes to beat Gan Ping Sieu and Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, who garnered 1,000 and 160 votes respectively. #MY2013Review
- Dec 21: Malaysian athletes celebrate a final tally of 43 gold medals at the SEA Games in Myanmar
- Dec 21: Malaysian athletes celebrate a final tally of 43 gold medals at the SEA Games in Myanmar after Mohd Faizal Famli won the Muay 75kg category against his Myanmarese opponent Aung Myint Win with a close 2-1 win. Their achievement surpassed the 40-gold target. #MY2013Review
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