Kuala Lumpur  - Thousands were left stranded and cut-off from communication after heavy rainfall destroyed one major bridge and caused roads to cave-in in Malaysia's eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo island, news reports said Friday.

Thousands of residents living in the interior areas of Sarawak's Miri district were left stranded in their homes due to rising river waters, while landslides and floods caused many others to be stuck in other parts of the state.

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia's opposition alliance lost control of the northern state of Perak Thursday after the state's royal ruler consented to a government takeover following the defection of three opposition lawmakers.

The three-party opposition alliance led by Anwar Ibrahim previously held 31 parliamentary seats in the state's 59-member legislature.

However, on Wednesday three opposition lawmakers announced their decision to leave the alliance and become independent lawmakers.

Kuala Lumpur, Feb 5 : A split has occurred within the Malaysian Associated Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MAICCI), with three key office bearers resigning en bloc.

The resignations of MAICCI secretary-general S. Rengasamy, his assistant Suresh Kumar J. Gorasia and treasurer S. Tamil Selvan, is believed to be over their dissatisfaction with president K. K. Eswaran.

In their resignation letter tendered to Eswaran's office, the trio said they took the decision as they were unable to discharge their responsibilities of representing MAICCI, the main body involved in preserving the business interests of the Malaysian Indian community.

Kuala Lumpur - A Malaysian farmer was gored by his neighbour's cow while he tried to free the animal's leg from a barbed-wire fence, news reports said Thursday.

Salleh Saamah, 89, suffered a broken rib and injuries to his head after the enraged cow, who had gotten itself entangled in the fence, attacked him Tuesday, the New Straits Times daily said.

Kuala Lumpur, Feb. 3 : The Thaipusam celebration at the Batu Caves temple of Malaysia may draw a record 1.3 million devotees and visitors this Sunday.

This year the devotees may outnumber last year's one million visitors, who attended the Thaipusam celebration. The Batu Caves temple committee is making all arrangements to cater to the expected massive crowd, The Star online reports.

The committee spent whopping 640,000 Ringgits to improve basic amenities like public toilets and water supply. There will also be more than 600 stalls selling food, drinks, trinkets, clothing and souvenirs.

As for the security arrangements, more than 1,000 policemen will be deployed at the temple grounds and its surrounding area on Sunday.

Kuala Lumpur  - A schoolbus plunged into a river in the northern Malaysian state of Penang early Monday, killing the driver and causing injuries to some of the 23 young passengers on board.

Bus driver Koe Joon Huat, aged in his 40's, was believed to have lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid hitting a car, and drove the bus into a river, the Star online news portal said.

The bus was filled with students aged between seven and 12 who were attending a primary school near the site of the accident.