Hundreds hurt in new Jerusalem clashes between Israelis, Palestinians

Hundreds were wounded in new clashes Monday between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in Jerusalem as a planned march marking Israel’s 1967 takeover of the holy city threatened to further inflame tensions.Palestinians hurled projectiles at Israeli officers in riot gear who fired rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas, an AFP correspondent at the scene said, following a night of sporadic clashes.“There are hundreds of people injured from the clashes” and about 50 were hospitalised, the Palestinian Red Crescent said about the latest unrest since violence escalated following the last Friday prayers of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.The clashes were the latest in days of the worst such disturbances in Jerusalem since 2017, fuelled by a years-long bid by Jewish settlers to take over nearby Palestinian homes in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.A key court hearing scheduled for Monday on Sheikh Jarrah, the flashpoint east Jerusalem neighbourhood at the centre of the property dispute, has been postponed.There were fears of further violence in the city ahead of a planned march Monday by Israelis to commemorate Israel’s takeover of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War, an anniversary known as “Jerusalem Day” in the Jewish state.Israeli police had, as of Sunday, approved the march, which was scheduled to start around 4pm.The leader of the far-right Religious Zionism party, Bezalel Smotrich, has also announced a visit Monday to the tense Sheikh Jarrah district.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended Israel’s response to the protests and rioting.“We will uphold law and order – vigorously and responsibly,” Netanyahu said while vowing to “guard freedom of worship for all faiths”.‘Escalatory practices’But the Israeli role in the hostilities – especially Friday’s clashes at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam’s third holiest site – has met widespread criticism.All six Arab nations that have diplomatic ties with Israel – Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan – have condemned the Jewish state.In Jordan, the custodian of Jerusalem’s holy Islamic and Christian sites, King Abdullah II condemned “Israeli violations and escalatory practices at the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque”.Jordan and Egypt both summoned Israeli envoys on Sunday to lodge protests.Tunisia said the UN Security Council was to hold a closed-door meeting Monday, at its request, on the violence.The Middle East quartet of envoys from the European Union, Russia, the United States and the United Nations – and Pope Francis – have all called for calm.“Israeli authorities must exercise maximum restraint and respect the right to freedom of peaceful assembly,” UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said.The Red Crescent said a total of more than 300 Palestinians were wounded on Friday and Saturday nights.The UN children’s agency Unicef said that over two days, 29 Palestinian children had been injured in east Jerusalem, including a one-year-old.Court case delayedThe unrest of past weeks in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians claim as their future capital, has multiple causes.Much of the recent violence stems from a long-running legal effort by Jewish settler groups to evict several Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah.A lower court ruling earlier this year backing the settlers’ decades-old claim to the plots infuriated Palestinians.A Supreme Court hearing on a Palestinian appeal had been set for Monday, but the justice ministry said Sunday that in light of “all the circumstances” it would delay the hearing.Old City shopkeeper Mohammad said Israeli police told him he must close Monday afternoon, when Israeli Jews plan to march with Israeli flags to mark Jerusalem’s “reunification”.Israel annexed east Jerusalem following the 1967 takeover, a move not recognised by most of the international community.The unrest has spread across the Palestinian territories, including demonstrations and clashes in the occupied West Bank.Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas has expressed “full support for our heroes in Al-Aqsa”.Hamas Islamists who control the Gaza Strip have also voiced support for the Palestinian protesters and warned Israel of retribution if evictions proceed in Sheikh Jarrah.Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh called Sunday for a united Arab and Muslim response against Israel’s “provocative desecration of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque”.Four rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel on Sunday, the army said, as well as incendiary balloons that started 39 fires on Israeli territory, according to the fire services.The Israeli military said late Sunday that “tanks just struck Hamas terror targets in Gaza”, without giving further details.


Govt fails again to strike out suit over citizenship for children born to Malaysian women overseas

An originating summons filed by civil society and six mothers who are married to foreigners for their overseas-born children to have the right to become Malaysian citizens will go for full trial after the Court of Appeal dismissed the government’s bid to strike out the suit.Justice Azizah Nawawi, who led a three-member panel, in a unanimous decision said the court found that it could not be said that the amended originating summons was obviously unsustainable as it boiled down to the interpretation of Articles 14 and 8 of the Federal Constitution.“Therefore, the appeal is dismissed with no order as to costs,” said Azizah, who presided over the appeal with justices Abu Bakar Jais and Mariana Yahya in the proceedings conducted via Zoom.Article 8 states that all persons are equal before the law and entitled to equal protection, while Article 14 is on citizenship by operation of law.The government was appealing against the decision by the High Court on May 6, which dismissed an application by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to strike out the suit.The panel made the ruling after hearing submissions from senior federal counsel Ahmad Hanir Hambaly, who appeared for the government as an appellant, and Gurdial Singh Nijar, representing the respondents.The proper hearing of the suit has been set for Aug 24 before High Court judge Akhtar Tahir.On April 27 this year, the government through the AGC applied to strike out the lawsuit, citing several grounds including that the suit, which was filed by way of an originating summons, was scandalous, frivolous and vexatious, and an abuse of court process.The lawsuit was filed on Dec 18 last year by the Association of Family Support & Welfare Selangor & Kuala Lumpur (Family Frontiers) and the six Malaysian women.They sought six specific court orders, including a declaration that Section 1(b) and Section 1(c) of the Second Schedule, Part II of the Federal Constitution be read harmoniously with Article 8 (2) to include Malaysian mothers as a condition for children born abroad to be given automatic Malaysian citizenship.They are also seeking, among others, a court order for all relevant government agencies, including the National Registration Department, immigration department and Malaysian embassies, to issue all documents relating to citizenship – including passports and identity cards – to children born abroad to Malaysian mothers with foreign spouses.


Umno says open to working with anyone after GE

Umno is open to working with any party or coalition to form a government after the 15th general election (GE15), Umno election director Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said today.Tajuddin said for now, though, the party had decided not to discuss with PKR, DAP or Bersatu the possibility of cooperating to face GE15.“We will assess the situation after GE15. Whoever is interested in working together at that time, and if it benefits Umno, the people and the country, we are open to doing so to form a government.“Umno has never been greedy. When we formed the Barisan Nasional government we shared it with MCA, MIC and other parties, including indigenous parties of Sabah and Sarawak,” he said after a working visit to review the progress of the LRT 3 construction project in Johan Setia today.Asked if he was prepared to relinquish his position as Prasarana Malaysia Bhd chairman, Tajuddin said: “I will remain in the government until Parliament is dissolved because that is the stand of my party.“So, how long will I be in the government? It depends on how long it takes to dissolve Parliament. If it is dissolved tomorrow, I will be out of the government tomorrow. We don’t know when.”


Education ministry improving SOPs as more schools reopen

Students who return to full boarding schools will have to undergo three Covid-19 self-tests while those returning to day boarding schools will test themselves once upon registration with their respective centres, Education Minister Radzi Jidin said today.He said this was among the improvements to management and operational guidelines for schools following the reopening of educational institutions on Oct 3.He also said his ministry had provided the Guidelines for School Management and Operation 3.0 as a reference for state education departments.“Other improvements include making face masks mandatory for everyone including students, ensuring good ventilation in classrooms, and making sure that students eat in open spaces, under the supervision of teachers for air-conditioned classrooms,” he said in the question-and-answer session at the Dewan Negara today.He was responding to Bashir Alias who had asked about the studies and Covid-19 risk analysis on the part of the ministry and aspects taken into consideration for the reopening of schools.Radzi said the education ministry had held engagement sessions and conducted detailed analyses of the best practices of reopening schools in other countries.He said the details of the plan to reopen schools were also laid out together with the health ministry and National Security Council.These include allowing only fully vaccinated teachers to conduct face-to-face classes with students.Likewise, only personnel including support staff who have been fully vaccinated are allowed to enter and work in school premises.More than 300,000 students returned to school for physical classes in the first week of schools reopening in states under Phase Two, Three and Four of the National Recovery Plan.A rotation system was also enforced, meaning that classes are limited to 50% of student capacity.


Najib’s suit against govt an abuse of court process, says prosecution

The government claims that the RM1.9 million suit filed by former prime minister Najib Razak against the government and former attorney-general Tommy Thomas is an abuse of the court process and should be quashed.In the suit, Najib claimed that Thomas had committed misfeasance in public office by prosecuting him on charges involving 1MDB funds.The government, in an affidavit-in-reply by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib to quash Najib’s suit, said that the civil suit by Najib was a collateral attack on his trial in the criminal court.“I truly believe that the action by the plaintiff is an abuse of the court process and intended as a collateral attack on the criminal charges against him and done through a different jurisdiction,” said Akram.He also said that Najib’s claim of new developments in the 1MDB scandal should be raised in a criminal trial and not through a suit.Najib filed the suit against the Malasian government and Thomas on Oct 22 last year, claiming that he had been wrongly prosecuted in the case of 1MDB, International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC), and seeking RM1.9 million in damages.The Pekan MP claimed that the charges against him were part of a move planned in advance by Thomas and in line with the Pakatan Harapan government’s plan at the time.Najib claimed that in 2015, Thomas had met Dr Mahathir Mohamad to discuss wrongdoings and mismanagement allegedly over the 1MDB funds and advised Mahathir to take civil and criminal action against Najib over his involvement in 1MDB.Meanwhile, Thomas, in his affidavit-in-reply filed on Feb 3, said the 1MDB-related charges against Najib were made after he was convinced that there was a strong case.He said an investigation was also carried out by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and that the investigation papers were in accordance with existing laws and practices.“The allegation that I formed an opinion about Najib being guilty even before I took office as the attorney-general is not true,” he said, adding that his personal opinion was irrelevant as Najib had been found guilty in one of the cases by the High Court, in a ruling verified by the Court of Appeal.The High Court set April 15 for case management.


Sarawak DAP launches attack on GPS as it reveals partial candidate list for polls

Sarawak DAP today questioned the administration of the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition, as it revealed a number of candidates for the state election to come on Dec 18.Speaking at a press conference in Kuching, Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said he had been unable to find the state’s 2022 supplementary budget document at the legislative assembly.“Last week, I went to the state legislative assembly library to check if there were any budget documents for 2022,” he said.“I found none. So in other words, there was no formal tabling of the budget. There was no formal document, not only for members of the public but even for the assemblymen.“I think this is something very wrong and non-transparent,” he added.Chong also said the state reserve fund had declined in the two years under GPS, from RM30 billion in 2017 to RM23 billion in 2019.“The figure as of Dec 31, 2020 was not tabled in the state assembly.“The 2019 figure was in the budget document for 2021, which was tabled in the assembly at the end of 2020. That is the figure for 2019,” he said, adding that the final figure for 2020 for the should be in the budget document for 2022.“As you remember, there was a special sitting helmed by the state government announcing the budget not in the state legislative assembly but at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching.“In that announcement, there was no budget document given, only the speech by Abang Johari Openg.”Chong, the Kota Sentosa assemblyman, also questioned the state’s multi-billion projects and urged all opposition parties to work together against GPS.“Many multi-billion projects have been announced by Abang Johari,” he said.“RM1 billion for communication towers, RM5 billion for the second trunk road project – all projects are always in the billions.“Sarawak needs change, or at least a strong opposition, otherwise GPS will have a blank cheque to spend the public’s money.”He also revealed 18 of the party’s 26 candidates for the upcoming election, of which 11 would be new faces.He said the candidates for the remaining eight seats would be announced after GPS has made known its candidates.For the six seats in Kuching, he said DAP would wait until GPS component SUPP has announced its candidates while for the other two seats in Sibu, it was willing to cooperate with Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).“For the Dudong and Bawang Assan seats, there were previous negotiations with PSB but not very successful.“So we are willing to compromise and still open our door for final negotiations with PSB to show our sincerity in cooperating with them against GPS,” he said.


Nov 28 verdict for bid by Mais, Selangor govt, to reinstate woman's conversion to Islam

A three-man Court of Appeal bench has set Nov 28 to deliver its verdict on the appeal by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and the state government to reinstate a 35-year-old woman's conversion to Islam.
Mais and the Selangor government are appealing to the Court of Appeal against the High Court's decision on Dec 21 last year, nullifying the woman's conversion to Islam by her Muslim-convert mother when she was four years old.
Justice Yaacob Md Sam, who sat on the panel with justices P Ravinthran and Mohd Nazlan Ghazali, said they needed more time to deliberate the issues raised by counsels representing the parties in the appeal.
"It is a case of public interest which requires us to scrutinise the submissions and case laws. We defer our decision to Nov 28," said Yaacob, who chaired the panel.
The woman, born in Selangor to a Hindu father and a Buddhist mother who later converted to Islam, filed an originating summons in the Shah Alam High Court on May 10 last year, seeking a declaration that she was not a Muslim.
She also sought for the National Registration Department (JPN) to remove the word "Islam" from her identity card.  She claimed that her mother converted her to Islam in 1991 at the Selangor Islamic Religious Department. At that time, her parents were in the midst of a divorce. After the divorce, her mother married a Muslim man in 1993 while her father died in an accident in 1996.
The woman said despite her conversion to Islam, she continued to profess the Hindu religion and that her mother and stepfather had allowed her to practise Hinduism.
In 2013, the woman filed an application at the Kuala Lumpur Shariah High Court seeking to renounce Islam, but her application for renunciation was dismissed in 2017, and she was ordered to attend a series of counselling sessions. The SHariah Appeals Court also upheld the ruling.
The woman then filed the suit at a civil court, the Shah Alam High Court, in 2021 and succeeded in getting a declaration that she was not a Muslim.
In today’s court proceedings conducted online, lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla representing Mais argued that the High Court had erred in allowing the woman's declaratory application, saying it was a transgression of Article 121 (1A) of the Federal Constitution. Article 121 (1A) gives power to the Shariah Courts to hear and decide disputes relating to the Islamic religion.
Haniff said the woman had previously filed an application in the Shariah Court to leave Islam, adding that her civil suit was an attempt to re-litigate what was decided by the Shariah Court.
Selangor legal adviser Salim [email protected], representing the state government, adopted the submissions made by Haniff.
Lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, representing the woman, argued that the civil court had the jurisdiction to hear and decide on his client's claim as she had never professed the religion of Islam.
He said the High Court was correct to decide that his client was not validly converted to Islam and that her conversion was against the state’s law of conversion at the material time, which barred unilateral conversion.
He added that the woman's father was still alive when her mother converted her and that the father's consent was never sought.


Post-Aukus, France turns to Indonesia and fighter jet sale

France will try to cement deeper ties in the Indo-Pacific region when its foreign minister arrives in Indonesia on Tuesday as it counters the loss of a strategic defence deal with Australia in September.Paris accused its allies of stabbing it in the back when Australia opted for nuclear-powered submarines to be built with US and British technology instead of a multi-billion dollar French submarine programme.Canberra pressed ahead with a trilateral alliance (Aukus) excluding France, which it said was crucial to tackle the perceived Chinese threat in the region.France’s partnership with Australia dating back to 2016 was considered the cornerstone of its Indo-Pacific policy and since losing that deal, Paris has been on the offensive to strengthen its ties in the region with high-level meetings ranging from Japan to India and Vietnam.“This trip is about reaffirming France’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific… and to intensify the relationship with Indonesia,” a French diplomatic source told reporters in a briefing ahead of Jean-Yves Le Drian’s two-day visit.Key to developing that relationship will be closer military cooperation. Indonesia wants to boost its defence capabilities, including with the possible purchase of submarines, warplanes and warships, amid ongoing tensions with China in the disputed South China Sea.France has been negotiating with Jakarta for several months the sale of 36 Rafale fighter jets. It signed a letter of intent in June, although officials do not expect a deal to be agreed before the end of the year due to financing issues.“The French are doubling down on other Indo-Pacific relations, including Indonesia, in a sense to compensate for losing the Australians,” an Indo-Pacific diplomat said.Highlighting just how angry Paris is with Canberra, a two-minute video announcing Le Drian’s trip to Indonesia outlined its Indo-Pacific strategy naming numerous regional countries with the exemption of Australia.


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Iraqi PM decries ‘cowardly’ attack on his home by drones carrying explosives

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi escaped unharmed from an armed drone assassination attempt in Baghdad, officials said on Sunday, in an incident that raised tension in Iraq weeks after a general election disputed by Iran-backed militia groups.Kadhimi appeared in a video footage published by his office on Sunday chairing a meeting with top security commanders to discuss the drone attack.“The cowardly terrorist attack that targeted the home of the prime minister last night with the aim of assassinating him, is a serious targeting of the Iraqi state by criminal armed groups,” his office said in a statement after the meeting.Six of Kadhimi’s guards outside his residence in the fortified Green Zone were wounded, security sources told Reuters.Three drones were used in the attack, including two that were downed by security forces while a third drone hit the residence, state news agency INA quoted an interior ministry spokesperson as saying.A spokesperson for the armed forces commander in chief said that after the attack the security situation was stable in the Green Zone, which houses the residence, government buildings and foreign embassies.No group immediately claimed responsibility.The attack came two days after clashes in Baghdad between government forces and supporters of Iran-backed political parties that lost dozens of parliamentary seats after an Oct 10 general election. Most of the parties have armed wings.Kadhimi ordered a probe into the deaths and injuries of demonstrators and security forces in those clashes.President Barham Salih condemned the attack as a heinous crime against Iraq. “We cannot accept that Iraq will be dragged into chaos and a coup against its constitutional system,” he said in a tweet.Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose party was the biggest winner in last month’s election, called the attack a terrorist act against Iraq’s stability that aimed to “return Iraq to a state of chaos to be controlled by non-state forces”.The US, UN, Saudi Arabia and Iran condemned the attack.Damage to residenceVideo released by the prime minister’s office showed damage to parts of the residence, unexploded ordnance on the roof, and a damaged SUV vehicle parked in the garage.Security forces retrieved the remains of a small explosive-laden drone, a security official with knowledge of the attack told Reuters.“It’s premature now to say who carried out the attack,” the official said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to comment on security details.The Iraqi military said in a statement the attack targeted Kadhimi’s residence and that he was in “good health,” giving no further detail.Two government officials said Kadhimi’s residence was hit by at least one explosion.Western diplomats based nearby in the Green Zone said they heard explosions and gunfire.US condemnationThe US offered assistance with the investigation.“The perpetrators of this terrorist attack on the Iraqi state must be held accountable. I condemn in the strongest terms those using violence to undermine Iraq’s democratic process,” US President Joe Biden said in a statement, praising Kadhimi’s call for “calm, restraint and dialogue.”UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Iraqis “to exercise utmost restraint and reject all violence and any attempts to destabilise Iraq,” his spokesperson said, adding that Gutteres urged all sides to resolve differences through dialogue. Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said the attack was a “cowardly terrorist act”, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported. Iran’s top security official, Ali Shamkhani, condemned the attack, calling it “a new sedition” in a tweet.The groups leading protests about the Oct 10 vote are heavily armed Iran-backed militias that lost much of their parliamentary power in the election. They have alleged voting and vote-counting irregularities, allegations rejected by Iraqi election officials.Demonstrations by their supporters turned violent on Friday when protesters pelted police with stones near the Green Zone, injuring several officers.The police responded with tear gas and live gunfire, killing at least one demonstrator, according to security and hospital sources in Baghdad.Analysts say the election results reflected anger towards the Iran-backed armed groups, which are widely accused of involvement in the killing of nearly 600 protesters who took the street in separate, anti-government demonstrations in 2019.Heads of various political parties, most of which have armed wings and are aligned with Iran, denounced the drone attack and called on the government to investigate and hold the perpetrators to account.A security official from the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah group in Iraq dismissed suggestions on Sunday that Iraqi groups were behind the attack on Kadhimi.


Ministers agree to 20% pay cut, says Anwar

The new Cabinet has agreed to cut the monthly salary of ministers by 20%, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today.
He said the decision reflected the concern of the Cabinet members about the problems faced by the people.
Anwar also said the salary cut would remain in effect until the country’s economy had recovered.
"If the economy recovers in three years’ time, we will review… this salary cut is appropriate, but I would like to thank them (ministers) for their willingness to make a bit of sacrifice.
"Some people say Anwar is willing to forgo the prime minister’s salary because he is getting the finance minister’s pay. That is not correct… there is only one salary," he said at a press conference after chairing his first Cabinet meeting in Putrajaya today.


Philippine police probe death of curfew violator forced to do squats

Philippine police said Wednesday they are investigating the death of a coronavirus lockdown violator who was forced to do 100 squat-like exercises as a penalty for breaking curfew.Police have punished more than 10,000 people for breaching a 6pm to 5am curfew imposed on metro Manila and four provinces bordering the national capital region last week to curb soaring infections.Darren Penaredondo, 28, was detained Thursday night after going out to buy water in General Trias city, south of the capital, his wife told AFP.He was taken along with other curfew breakers to a police station and made to do the gruelling workout, national police spokesman Ildebrandi Usana said, citing two witness accounts.“They were made to exercise 100 times. It’s a knee-bender exercise,” Usana explained to AFP.“It’s painful. If that’s the requirement, you will really pass out especially if you’re not used to it. Even policemen themselves find it difficult.”Reichelyn Balce said her husband, who had a heart condition, could barely walk when he got home on Friday and was “in a lot of pain”.The next day he had a “convulsion” and died hours later.“He said they were made to do pumping exercises for 100 reps. If they’re not in sync, they have to start over,” Balce told AFP.Usana said the city’s police chief and two officers have been removed from their posts pending the results of an investigation into the incident.As of Tuesday police had fined nearly 10,000 people and ordered around 1,000 to do community service or other activities for breaking curfew, official data show.Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Monday local officials should consider using community service to punish people breaking lockdown rules, rather than jailing or fining them.Rights groups have previously raised concerns about excessive punishments for people caught breaching Covid-19 restrictions.During last year’s monthslong lockdown, police and officials held curfew violators in dog cages and forced them to sit in the midday sun as punishment, Human Rights Watch said.


Putrajaya again defends treaties with Indonesia, denies claim over oil-rich bloc

Putrajaya has again denied allegations surrounding the recent maritime boundary treaties it signed with Jakarta, saying the demarcation of the Strait of Melaka and the Sulawesi Sea has taken into the views of maritime experts from the foreign ministry as well as other relevant agencies.
It also said the agreed boundary does not include Ambalat, a 15,000 sq metre area rich with oil resources in the Sulawesi Sea.
"The demarcation of the (treaties of) Strait of Malacca and the Sulawesi Sea has been agreed upon, taking into consideration the elements of a mutually achievable resolution using principles of maritime boundary delimitation based on legal and technical justifications to address maritime boundary issues," Wisma Putra said in a statement, as questions linger over details of two treaties signed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Indonesian President Joko Widodo on June 8.
It said the treaty on the Sulawesi Sea, one of two documents signed by both leaders, establishes partial boundaries of the territorial sea between Malaysia and Indonesia and does not cover maritime boundary delimitation in the exclusive economic zone (EEC) and continental shelf between the two countries.
"In other words, the treaty does not cover the areas referred to by Malaysia as Block ND6 and Block ND7, or referred to by Indonesia as Ambalat.
Therefore, the claims made by certain parties are unfounded," it added.
Earlier reports quoted both countries as hailing the two treaties as putting an end to the 18-year maritime border dispute claimed by them.
But Anwar in his parliamentary reply on June 13 said the longstanding dispute was yet settled, adding that Malaysia remained adamant on its claims in the Sulawesi Sea as well as the southernmost part of the Strait of Melaka.
Anwar's response triggered more questions from opposition leaders, with many on social media pointing to Indonesia's celebratory mood over the treaties, including claims that the treaty could have denied Malaysia an area rich with unexplored oil reserves worth billions of dollars.
Wisma Putra said there have been "misconceptions and false allegations" regarding the treaties.
It said the last demarcation between Malaysia and Indonesia was 53 years ago, specifically with the "Agreement between the Republic of Indonesia and Malaysia concerning the Delimitation of the Territorial Sea of the Two Countries in the Strait of Malacca" (1970 Treaty).
It said the treaties will provide clarity in terms of sovereignty and jurisdiction, enabling both countries to carry out law enforcement activities in their respective maritime areas more effectively.
"The signing of these treaties is hoped to further enhance the confidence of both countries (Malaysia and Indonesia) to continue negotiations on unresolved maritime boundary delimitations, especially in the EEZ and continental shelf," it added.
It also said the treaties contain provisions concerning the territorial sea boundary between Malaysia and Indonesia.
"In general, the territorial sea is a part of the sea that is adjacent to the coastal areas and does not exceed twelve (12) nautical miles measured from the coastline.
"These straits do not cover Malaysia's EEZ and continental shelf, which are areas that extend beyond and adjacent to Malaysia's territorial sea, extending up to 200 nautical miles."
It said the treaty involving the Strait of Malacca dispute is an extension of "Point 8", the boundary line agreed upon in 1970, adding that it does not involve the area of Johor's Tanjung Pelepas Port.
A day before the signing of the treaties, MalaysiaNow reported that maritime experts had warned Putrajaya against signing any new agreements with Indonesia to settle the dispute, saying Malaysia could not afford to compromise on its claims.
"If Malaysia makes any compromises, not only will Johor stand to lose its sea territory, it will also face a negative impact on its maritime economic activities including those related to the Tanjong Pelepas Port," MalaysiaNow reported, quoting Wisma Putra and diplomatic sources.


Health ministry 'committed' to permanent appointment of 12,800 contract doctors

The appointment of 12,800 permanent doctors will take into account medical officers who have completed their graduate training and are fully registered with the Malaysian Medical Council and meet the requirements for permanent appointment.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the health ministry was committed and would follow up on the matter so that staffing and appointment matters can be managed in an orderly and effective manner.
"The health ministry is also fine-tuning other issues related to contract medical officers, including the feedback collected during the townhall session on Feb 22, 2023.
"This matter will be presented to the high-level committee which was established based on the government's decision on March 31," she said in a statement.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that 12,800 of the 20,330 contractually appointed doctors would be absorbed into permanent positions within three years with an additional allocation of RM1.7 billion.
Zaliha said the government was also studying the extension of the locum allowance to officers in the management and professional groups at the ministry, besides medical officers.
"The health ministry will also continue with contract appointments for the purpose of graduate training (housemanship) which has implications on the increase in the cost of the health ministry's emoluments every year," she said.


US senators announce limited deal on gun violence measures

A bipartisan group of US senators on Sunday proposed steps to curb gun violence following devastating mass shootings in Texas and New York, but the limited measures fall far short of the president’s calls for change.The shootings in May – one at a Texas elementary school that killed 19 young children and two teachers, and another at a New York supermarket that left 10 black people dead – have piled pressure on politicians to take action.Republicans lawmakers, who have repeatedly blocked tougher measures, are still resisting major changes to gun regulations, instead pointing to mental health issues as the root of the problem.But the new framework notably has backing from at least 10 Republicans, meaning it has a strong chance of earning the supermajority of 60 votes needed to advance in the 100-seat US Senate.The reforms include tougher background checks for gun buyers under 21, increasing resources for states to keep weapons out of the hands of people deemed a risk, and adding domestic violence convictions and restraining orders to the national background check database.“Today, we are announcing a commonsense, bipartisan proposal to protect America’s children, keep our schools safe, and reduce the threat of violence across our country,” the group of 20 lawmakers said in a statement.“Our plan increases needed mental health resources, improves school safety and support for students, and helps ensure dangerous criminals and those who are adjudicated as mentally ill can’t purchase weapons.”President Joe Biden praised the proposals and urged lawmakers to quickly turn them into legislation, while saying the measures do not go far enough.“Obviously, it does not do everything that I think is needed, but it reflects important steps in the right direction, and would be the most significant gun safety legislation to pass Congress in decades,” he said in a statement.“With bipartisan support, there are no excuses for delay, and no reason why it should not quickly move through the Senate and the House.”Both Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell – the top Democrat and Republican in the Senate – expressed support for the bipartisan effort, signalling that legislation based on the proposals could make it through the upper house.Frequent mass shootingsBiden had pushed for more substantive reforms, including a ban on assault rifles – which were used in both the Texas and New York shootings – or at least an increase in the age at which they can be purchased.He had also urged lawmakers to ban high-capacity magazines, mandate safe storage of firearms, and allow gun manufacturers to be held liable for crimes committed with their products.The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives passed a broad package of proposals this month that included raising the purchasing age for most semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21.But the party does not have the requisite 60 votes to advance it in the Senate, leaving the bipartisan deal as the only hope for federal legislation to address firearms violence.House speaker Nancy Pelosi welcomed the Senate agreement, saying that while more is needed, including universal background checks and bans on high-capacity magazines, “this package will take steps to save lives.”Frequent mass shootings have led to widespread outrage in the US, where a majority of people support tighter gun laws, but opposition from many Republican lawmakers and voters has long been a hurdle to major changes.A strong opponent of tougher measures is the National Rifle Association, which has been weakened by scandals and was hit by a lawsuit from New York state’s attorney-general, but still wields considerable influence.“The media, leftist politicians, and gun-hating activists are bullying NRA members and gun owners because they want us to give up. We won’t bend a knee,” the lobby tweeted on Saturday.That day, thousands of people took to the streets across America to push for action on gun violence, which has killed more than 19,400 people in the country so far this year, more than half of them suicides, according to the Gun Violence Archive.“The will of the American people is being subverted by a minority,” 63-year-old protester Cynthia Martins said during a demonstration Saturday in Washington.“Hand wringing is not going to do anything – you have to make your voice heard.”


Kelantan, Selangor spike as new cases rise to 2,875

Another 2,875 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 384,688.Kelantan recorded 662 cases followed by Selangor (633), Sarawak (474), Kuala Lumpur (332), Johor (169), Sabah (160) and Penang (144).Kedah recorded 91 cases, Negeri Sembilan 55, Perak 49, Melaka 42, Pahang 29, Terengganu 22, Putrajaya 10 and Labuan three.Active cases stand at 22,014 with 248 in the ICU and 115 in need of respiratory assistance.Thirteen more clusters were detected:1. Jalan Semtec (Hulu Langat in Selangor; 48 screened, 12 positive)2. Jalan Industri Mekanikal (Pontian in Johor; 119 screened, seven positive)3. Jalan Skin (Kota Tinggi and Kulai in Johor; 105 screened, 10 positive)4. Kota Sawit (Kinabatangan in Sabah; 194 screened, 14 positive)5. Jalan Salahuddin (Kepong and Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur; Petaling, Hulu Langat and Gombak in Selangor; and Putrajaya; 59 screened, 10 positive)6. Jalan Raji (Petaling, Sabak Bernam and Klang in Selangor; 110 screened, 42 positive)7. Sungai Banus (Selangau in Sarawak; 51 screened, 41 positive)8. Jalan Pokok Mangga (Melaka Tengah in Melaka; 43 screened, 19 positive)9. Taman Changkat (Hilir Perak in Perak; 41 screened, 10 positive)10. Jalan Shah Banting (Kuala Langat in Selangor; 913 screened, 58 positive)11. Mengkebang (Kuala Krai in Kelantan; 178 screened, 21 positive)12. Dinamik (Kota Setar in Kedah; 32 screened, 15 positive)13. Kampung Bangkahulu (Tampin and Seremban in Negeri Sembilan; 29 screened, 11 positive)Four others ended, leaving 352 active clusters across the country.Another 2,541 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 361,267.However, seven more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,407.


Biden orders release of 50 million barrels from US strategic oil reserves

President Joe Biden announced Tuesday he has ordered the release of 50 million barrels of oil from the US strategic reserves in a coordinated attempt with other countries to tamp down soaring fuel prices.“This release will be taken in parallel with other major energy consuming nations including China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea and the UK,” the White House said.A senior administration official told reporters this was “the first time we’ve done something like this in parallel with other” countries.As the world emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, oil production has not kept pace with rocketing demand, pushing prices up.In the US, an associated rise in gasoline prices is one of the main culprits in a surge of inflation.Biden’s announcement comes as Americans prepare for the holiday season, when travel ramps up.Average fuel prices at filling stations are US$3.41 a gallon, the highest level since 2014, according to latest figures from the AAA motorists’ association. This represents an increase of US$1.29 over gasoline prices a year ago.The US reserves, held in underground depots in Texas and Louisiana, are the largest emergency supply of oil in the world.A senior administration official said the releases would start in mid- to late December, and that further intervention was possible to steady the market, “responding to a once-in-a-century pandemic.”“As the president has said, consumers are facing pain at the pump right now,” the official said.“The president stands ready to take additional action if needed and is prepared to use his full authorities, working in coordination with the rest of the world, to maintain adequate supply as we exit the pandemic.”As output rises, oil prices are already down nearly 10% in the last few weeks. But officials echoed Biden’s repeatedly stated concerns that despite easing of crude values, prices of gasoline for drivers have only gone up.This has hurt ordinary Americans, while driving a sharp dive in Biden’s approval ratings.“There is mounting evidence that declines in oil prices and the cost of other inputs into gasoline are not translating into lower prices at the pump,” said the senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.The official said the government was looking into “anti-competitive practices” and will “examine whether illegal conduct is costing families at the pump.”The approach is “two-pronged. First, making sure that, you know, the price of oil is coming down, reflecting the fact that we have to have supply matching demand, but also making sure that those savings are passed through to consumers,” he said.“We expect the industry to be passing through the savings to consumers as quickly as possible.”


Contemptuous expressions and freedom of speech

I am as dismayed as Chandra Muzaffar at the “utter lack of appreciation for the ethical foundation of the right of free speech” following the Federal Court verdict of contempt against Malaysiakini.The comments by the readers of Malaysiakini were admitted by the online newspaper to be “offensive, inappropriate, disrespectful and contemptuous” and the online newspaper regretted the publication of them.The majority of the judges (6:1) was then satisfied that on the facts and evidence Malaysiakini had failed to establish that it had no knowledge of the publication. In law, knowledge could be inferred from surrounding facts and the court would be entitled to draw reasonable inferences “from a concrete situation disclosed in the evidence and how it affects the particular person whose knowledge is in issue”.According to the majority:“The facts as adduced by Malaysiakini… bear testimony to its knowledge. Ultimately, Malaysiakini is the owner of its website, publishes articles of public importance, [and] allows subscribers to post comments to generate discussions. It designs its online platform for such purpose and decides to filter usage of foul words and relies on all the three measures it has taken. It designs and controls its online platform in the way it chooses. It has full control of what is publishable and what is not. In doing so it must carry with it, the risks that follow from allowing the way its platform operates.”The majority may not have referred to a decision in June 2020 by the New South Wales Court of Appeal in Fairfax Media Publications; Nationwide News Pty Ltd; Australian News Channel Pty Ltd v Voller [2020] NSWCA 102. But their decision bears semblance.A news media, or any business for that matter, which maintains internet discussion forums, including social media pages on which third parties can engage in discussion, will need to become aware of and seek to guard against the risks of liability for comments by third parties.In the Australian case, the three appellate judges held that a party who participated and was instrumental in bringing about publication of defamatory matter was potentially liable for having done so notwithstanding that others may have participated in that publication in different degrees.The three media groups in that case were held to be publishers because they had:– subscribed for to a facility enabling them to have an “official” Facebook page for their newspapers;– encouraged and facilitated the making of comments by third parties which when posted on the page were made available to Facebook users generally; and– the control to monitor and delete user comments.It was immaterial that the comments were promptly removed because the three media groups had facilitated the publication of them in the first place.Following the Federal Court’s verdict, I sought out two friends who both teach cyberlaw. Both referred me to the case of Stem Life Bhd v Mead Johnson Nutrition (M) Sdn Bhd & Anor [2013] MLJU 1582. In this case, the High Court referred to the principle of law gleaned from decisions of the courts in the US, which is as follows:“The question of discussion forums came before the courts in the second US case, Stratton Oakmont v Prodigy [where] the complaint was about a message posted to a discussion forum, hosted by Prodigy. The plaintiff sued Prodigy. On a preliminary point, the court held that Prodigy was liable as a primary publisher, as it had exercised some editorial control over the content of postings. It had, for instance, screened postings for offensive material and also held itself out as controlling the content of its bulletin boards. Prodigy… contracted out management of the forum to a third party, but that was held not to prevent liability arising.”The High Court judge said that the principle ought to apply here in Malaysia but only to the defendant because “it edits, modifies and regulates the contents of its website and also assumes the responsibility of removing offensive or libelous publications from its website”.Likewise, the majority found that Malaysiakini has full control over what is publishable and what is not. Malaysiakini failed to rebut the presumption of publication on grounds that it had no knowledge of the impugned comments, and facilitated the publication of the impugned comments.Simply put, Malaysiakini is a publisher of third-party comments and is rightly held liable.Freedom of speech is a constitutional guarantee but not worded in absolutist terms. Even the much respected American jurist, Professor Archibald Cox, acknowledged 40 years ago that freedom of expression, “despite its primacy, can never be absolute. At any time unrestrained expression may conflict with important public and private interest”.In the Malaysiakini case, the unrestrained expressions were contemptuous of the courts. Lest it be forgotten, the Federal Court, the Court of Appeal and the High Court are each empowered by no less than the Federal Constitution itself to punish for contempt of itself.In the case of AG & Ors v Arthur Lee Meng Kuang [1987] 1 MLJ 207, then Supreme Court judge Mohamed Azmi said as follow:“In this country, the need to protect the dignity and integrity of the [Superior Courts] is recognised by art 126 of the Federal Constitution and also by s 13 of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964. A proper balance must therefore be struck between the right of speech and expression as provided for under art 10 of the Federal Constitution and the need to protect the dignity and integrity of the Superior Courts in the interest of maintaining public confidence in the judiciary.”The learned judge said further:“Whether a criticism is within the limits of reasonable courtesy and good faith must… depend on the facts of each particular case. In determining the limits of reasonable courtesy the court should not however lose sight of local conditions.”As such, the verdict should not be seen as a shot at freedom of expression or freedom of the press in Malaysia.It was a shot at unrestrained contemptuous comments which Malaysiakini was held liable for publishing.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Think outside of the box, EC challenged on outstation Sarawak voters

An observer of Sarawak politics has criticised the 70% voter turnout targeted by the Election Commission (EC) in the upcoming state polls, saying the commission should come up with ways to facilitate the return of the remaining 30% who are by and large expected to comprise outstation voters in Sabah and the peninsula.Sarawak political commentator Jayum Jawan said the EC should in fact be targeting a 100% voter turnout on Dec 18.“That is a low target set by the EC,” he said, referring to the figure of 70%.“After its experience of running elections for some 60 years or so, the commission should be targeting a 100% turnout.”The long anticipated Sarawak election was announced on Nov 24, with 12 days of campaigning following nomination day on Dec 6.Sarawak has the largest state legislative assembly in the country, with 82 seats to be contested come election day.Before the dissolution of the state assembly, Gabungan Parti Sarawak had held 68 seats – 47 belonging to PBB, 11 to PRS, seven to SUPP and three to PDP.A total of 1.2 million voters are eligible to vote, comprising 1,228,858 ordinary voters, 12,585 military personnel and their spouses, 10,458 police personnel and 113 absentee or overseas voters.Jayum said the EC should take a creative approach to diversifying voting methods, especially to address absentee voting.He said the pandemic situation had made it even more important to ensure that voters are able to exercise their right to cast their ballots.“The low turnout of less than 100% and the fact that there are those who are away and therefore cannot cast their votes are issues that the EC has to overcome,” he told MalaysiaNow.“The EC needs to find innovative ways to ensure that those who cannot return to vote can still cast their ballots from wherever they are.”While this might be challenging, he said it was “a new millennium”.“Members of the EC need to equip themselves with new ideas, new methods, so that all rightful voters can cast their votes, wherever they may be.”Analyst James Chin at the University of Tasmania meanwhile said the 70% target was doable.“I think 60% to 70% is achievable,” he said. “It should not be a problem for rural areas, particularly for voters from longhouses.”The issue for him will likely lie in urban areas.He said the election would likely see a lower voter turnout, especially in these locations.Noting the date of polling on Dec 18, he said it would be difficult or impossible for Sarawak voters residing in other states to cast their votes as they would need to extend their Christmas or year-end leave.“It’s quite clear that polling day is near Christmas,” he told MalaysiaNow. “Most people will come back to Sarawak one or two days before Christmas, and they will take a break until New Year’s Eve.“It is impossible for people to take extra leave or to spend on buying flight tickets twice to go back to Sarawak just to vote, and then come back again for Christmas. It is impossible,” he said.The Melaka state election on Nov 20 saw a 65.85% voter turnout, below the 70% target set by the EC.The Sabah election in September last year saw a voter turnout of 66.61%.


Rosmah proceeds with appeal to challenge Sri Ram's appointment as lead prosecutor

Rosmah Mansor has filed an appeal at the Federal Court against the decision of the Court of Appeal which dismissed her application to challenge the appointment of Gopal Sri Ram (now deceased) as the lead prosecutor in her corruption case involving a hybrid solar project worth RM1.25 billion.
The wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, who filed the appeal today through the legal firm of Messrs. Akberdin & Co, submitted several legal questions for the court to consider.
The questions included whether Attorney-General Idrus Harun has the right under the law to issue a retrospective letter of appointment, which was dated May 21, 2021, for the appointment of Sri Ram as senior deputy public prosecutor effective from Nov 15, 2018, being that, in fact, and law, Idrus was only appointed as attorney-general in 2021.
Last June 22, the Court of Appeal dismissed Rosmah's appeal for leave to initiate a judicial review to challenge Sri Ram's appointment as the lead prosecutor in her case.
Rosmah, 71, filed the application for leave to initiate a judicial review in the High Court on June 24 last year, naming the attorney-general/public prosecutor, the government of Malaysia and Sri Ram as respondents.
In the judicial review application, Rosmah sought a declaration that Sri Ram's appointment as senior deputy public prosecutor through three letters of appointment (fiat) dated July 8, 2020, May 11 and May 21, 2021, respectively was unlawful.
She also sought a declaration that the entire prosecution proceedings and full trial for her solar case which took place from Nov 15, 2018, until the defence closed the case were invalid and void and that she must be acquitted of all charges under Section 16 (a) (A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Act 2009.
Prior to the judicial review, Rosmah had applied to disqualify Sri Ram but it was dismissed by justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan who presided over her solar hybrid corruption trial. Her appeals to the Court of Appeal and Federal Court were also dismissed.
On Sept 1, 2022, justice Mohamed Zaini found Rosmah guilty of the corruption charges and sentenced her to 10 years in jail and a fine of RM970 million. She then filed an appeal against her conviction and sentence and the Court of Appeal set four days, from July 11 to 14 to hear her appeal.


New cases hover just over 13,000

Another 13,104 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,198,235.Sarawak reported 2,943 cases, Selangor 1,558, Johor 1,455, Kelantan 1,206 and Sabah 1,078.Perak recorded 994 cases, Penang 955, Kedah 721, Terengganu 685, Pahang 604, Melaka 362, Kuala Lumpur 270 and Negeri Sembilan 165.Perlis recorded 80 cases, Putrajaya 24 and Labuan four.


Over 900,000 fully vaccinated so far

A total of 937,756 people had completed both Covid-19 vaccine doses under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme as of yesterday, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba says.In a Twitter post, he said 1,667,280 had received a first dose, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine recipients in the country to 2,605,036.He said the five states with the highest number of people who have completed both doses of vaccine are Selangor at 126,615 people, followed by Sarawak (92,390), Kuala Lumpur (90,552), Johor (83,751) and Perak (79,241).As of yesterday, 46.6% or 11,314,494 individuals had registered to receive vaccine shots, with Selangor continuing to record the highest registration at 3,003,753 people.The first phase of the vaccination period, from February to April, involved 500,000 frontliners including healthcare workers.The second phase, from April until August, involves 9.4 million senior citizens, at-risk individuals and persons with disabilities.The third phase, scheduled for May until February 2022, will involve those aged 18 and above, both Malaysians and foreigners, with a target of 13.7 million or more.


Selangor assembly to sit in August if sultan grants consent, says speaker

Selangor state legislative assembly speaker Ng Suee Lim will seek the consent of the Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah to convene the assembly sitting in August.Ng said the assembly would send a letter to Sultan Sharafuddin, soon after holding a discussion on the opening of the assembly with Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari yesterday.“We discussed the matter with the menteri besar yesterday. The proposed date which we have set will be presented to the Sultan of Selangor soon.“If our proposal to hold the assembly sitting during the ongoing emergency receives the consent of the sultan, the menteri besar will send a letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to seek His Majesty’s consent for approval to hold a special state assembly session,” he said when contacted Bernama.Ng said among the main issues to be discussed if the Selangor state assembly is allowed to convene are that of infection and the fight against Covid-19 as well as the development of the state which will be highlighted by the menteri besar.The media reported that the Malay rulers who attended a meeting at Istana Negara on Wednesday supported and shared the view of Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah that Parliament reconvene at the earliest opportunity.The Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, said at the state level, the rulers also took the stand that state legislative assemblies be allowed to convene as soon as possible.


22 deaths, including 100-year-old, push virus toll past 1,000

Another 2,998 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 272,163.Selangor recorded 1,382 cases followed by Johor (436), Negeri Sembilan (233), Kuala Lumpur (226) and Sarawak (200).Perak recorded 99 cases, Sabah 94, Penang 92, Terengganu 91, Kelantan 72, Kedah 36, Melaka 20, Pahang 14, Putrajaya two and Labuan one.Active cases stand at 41,396 with 231 in the ICU and 115 in need of respiratory assistance.Thirteen new clusters were detected:1. Tapak Bina Jalan Emas (Petaling in Selangor; 359 screened, 49 positive)2. Jalan Rawang (Gombak in Selangor; 442 screened, 42 positive)3. Jalan DC (Kuala Selangor in Selangor; 37 screened, 13 positive)4. Jalan Subang (Petaling in Selangor; 151 screened, 28 positive)5. Tapak Bina Seksyen Satu (Hulu Langat in Selangor; 342 screened, 18 positive)6. Jalan Persiaran Cyber (Kota Tinggi in Johor; 852 screened, 121 positive)7. Jalan Payamanis (Johor Bahru in Johor; 254 screened, 39 positive)8. Senai Murni Empat (Kulai in Johor; 97 screened, 18 positive)9. Jalan Perindustrian Murni (Kulai, Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi in Johor; 457 screened, 18 positive)10. Industri Tekstil Nilai (Seremban and Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan; 413 screened, 64 positive)11. Tapak Bina Jalan Sultan (Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur; 285 screened, 120 positive)12. Jan Yong (Kapit in Sarawak; 46 screened, 15 positive)13. Pulau Rusa (Marang, Kuala Nerus, Kuala Terengganu and Dungun in Terengganu; 139 screened, 18 positive)Another 13 ended, leaving 499 active clusters across the country.Another 5,709 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 229,762.However, 22 more deaths were reported, including a 100-year-old man in Selangor, pushing the virus toll to 1,005.


Gerik fishermen flounder as logging activities spoil water

In a small corner of the interior in Gerik, Perak, a narrow, winding tarmac road ends at a water treatment plant.
To the right of the road, a concrete cliff ends at the water where a group of fishermen anchor their boats.
Tasik Bersia is the source of livelihood for about 30 fishermen in the area, whose modest catch each day allows them to make ends meet.
Unlike most fishermen who head out in the morning, they only start up their engines once the sun is on its way down.
The journey to the middle of the lake can take anywhere from 40 to 50 minutes. Sometimes, the fishermen remain in the jetty area, depending on the season.
Attached to their boats are powerful lights which they turn on to attract fish, similar to the method used for squid fishing in Terengganu.

Fishermen head out to the middle of the lake at Tasik Bersia in Hulu Perak.

For Wan Ikmal Izhar, 26, this is a full-time job.
"We can catch a lot of fish if there is no moon," he said.
"Once the fish begin to gather, we scoop them up from below."
Normally, the fishermen spend all night on the lake, returning to the shore at dawn.
Once upon a time, they could catch up to 600kg of fish per week. Now, though, it is difficult for them to get even 20kg.
The biggest problem for the fishermen is the quality of the water, which has been affected by logging activities in the area.
Their catch is also affected by factors such as the temperature of the water.
If their haul of minnows decreases, they will turn to other fish as an alternative.

Wan Ikmal Izhar connects the wires for the light which he uses to attract fish to his boat.

Ikmal became a fisherman in the footsteps of his father, Wan Mohd Yusof Wan Nik. Yusof himself no longer goes out to fish due to health problems.
Instead, he buys the fish caught by his friends, freezing them and selling them to others.
"Fish like this are in high demand from the Bangladeshis, who like to cook them in curry," he said.
Once, these fish were sold for RM4 to RM5 per kg. Now, they can fetch up to RM13.
"But the Bangladeshis who come here are surprised because they say it's so cheap. It seems that in Kuala Lumpur, the fish can go for as much as RM30 per kg," Yusof added.

Wan Ikmal Izhar holds up a handful of minnows caught after a night at Tasik Bersia.

Although he is no longer a fisherman, Yusof is aware of the difficulties his friends face making a living on the water.
For one, he said, a good jetty would help them land their catch.
"Right now, we don't have a proper jetty and this makes it difficult for them to bring the fish in," he said.
He also hopes that the authorities will issue fishing licences for those in the small community.


High Court to deliver verdict on Isa Samad’s RM3 million graft case

Former Felda chairman Isa Samad will know his fate on nine corruption charges involving RM3 million over the agency’s purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites (MPHS) in Kuching, Sarawak, on Feb 3.High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali will decide whether Isa, 71, who is also former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar, is guilty of the offence or not.According to the court cause list, Nazlan is expected to deliver his ruling at 9.30am.Isa was charged with nine counts of dishonestly receiving gratification for himself in cash totalling RM3,090,000 from Ikhwan Zaidel, who is a board member of Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd, through his former special political officer Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, as gratification for helping to approve the purchase of the hotel by Felda Investment Corporation Sdn Bhd (FICSB) for RM160 million.The offences were allegedly committed at Level 49, Menara Felda, Platinum Park, No. 11, Persiaran KLCC between July 21, 2014 and Dec 11, 2015.The charges were framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law which provides for a jail term of not exceeding 20 years and a fine of at least five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.Hearing of the case began on Oct 8, 2019 with the prosecution calling 22 witnesses, including former Felda director-general Hanapi Suhada, former CEO of FICSB Mohd Zaid Abdul Jalil, Ikhwan and Zahid.On June 16 2020, Nazlan ordered Isa to enter his defence on the nine corruption charges after finding that the prosecution had successfully adduced credible evidence proving each essential ingredient of the offence of accepting gratification under Section 16 (a)(A) of the MACC Act.The judge however discharged and acquitted Isa of one criminal breach of trust charge over the hotel purchase for RM160 million without the approval of the Felda Board of Directors after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against him.Isa chose to give his sworn statement from the witness stand, and his defence proceedings were held on Aug 17 last year.In his testimony, Isa denied receiving RM3 million in nine transactions from Zahid over the purchase of MPHS in 2014.“I never instructed Zahid to ask Haji Ikhwan (Ikhwan Zaidel) to reward me for helping to approve the purchase of MPHS,” he said.On Sept 3 last year, the defence closed its case after calling six witnesses, including Isa’s former secretary Zuraida Ariffin @ Shaari and former special officer Kamar Bashah Shariff, with Isa himself called as the first witness.On 24 Dec last year, during submissions at the end of the defence, counsel Salehuddin Saidin, representing Isa, said the RM3 million was for Zahid and his cronies and not for his client.Deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz argued that Zuraida’s testimony showed that Zahid had the freedom to enter Isa’s room without permission, and that his presence in the accused’s room was not recorded by Zuraida.“This is enough to prove that Zahid has easy access to the accused’s room, and he could have easily entered the accused’s room to hand over the money from Ikhwan as he had testified. This clearly shows that Zuraida did not see Zahid handing over the money to the accused,” he said.


Fashion giant H&M delays ordering new clothing from Myanmar suppliers

H&M, the world’s second-biggest fashion retailer, said on Monday it was shocked by the use of deadly force against protesters in Myanmar and that it had paused placing orders with its manufacturers in the country, Reuters is reporting.The fashion giant Hennes & Mauritz is a Swedish multinational clothing company known for its fast fashion. It has around 45 direct suppliers in Myanmar, it said on its website, and has sourced clothing in the country for seven years.“Although we refrain from taking any immediate action regarding our long-term presence in the country, we have at this point paused placing new orders with our suppliers,” Serkan Tanka, country manager Myanmar, said in an email.“This is due to practical difficulties and an unpredictable situation limiting our ability to operate in the country, including challenges related to manufacturing and infrastructure, raw material imports and transport of finished goods.”Tanka said H&M was extremely concerned about the situation in the country and that it was in dialogue with UN agencies, diplomatic representatives, human rights experts, trade unions and other multinational companies.“These consultations will guide us in any future decision in relation to how we as a company can best contribute to positive developments in accordance with the will of the people in Myanmar,” he said.Myanmar’s garment industry is smaller than that of neighbouring countries Bangladesh, China and Thailand. However, its around 600 clothing factories are significant employers, providing jobs for around 450,000 workers in 2020, according to the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association.Last October, H&M announced it would close 250 of its 5000 stores globally, after its profitability took a hit from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.According to industry insiders, the company is shifting customers towards its newly launched online business.


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Data withheld from team probing Covid-19 origins in China, says WHO

Data was withheld from a World Health Organization team who visited Wuhan to investigate the origins of the coronavirus epidemic, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday.Further investigation is needed to conclusively rule out a theory that Covid-19 emerged from a laboratory in China, he said, adding that although a laboratory leak is the least likely cause, more extensive research is needed.One of the team’s investigators has already said China refused to give raw data on early Covid-19 cases to the WHO-led team, potentially complicating efforts to understand how the global pandemic began.“In my discussions with the team, they expressed the difficulties they encountered in accessing raw data,” Tedros said. “I expect future collaborative studies to include more timely and comprehensive data sharing.”The US, the European Union and other Western countries immediately called for China to give “full access” to independent experts to all data about the original outbreak in late 2019, Reuters is reporting.In its final report, written jointly with Chinese scientists, the team said the virus had probably been transmitted from bats to humans through another animal, and that a lab leak was “extremely unlikely” as a cause.The inability of the WHO mission to conclude yet where or how the virus began spreading in people means that tensions will continue over how the pandemic started – and whether China has helped efforts to find out or, as the US has alleged, hindered them.“The international expert study on the source of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was significantly delayed and lacked access to complete, original data and samples,” Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Korea, Slovenia, Britain, the US and the EU said in a joint statement.Although the team concluded that a leak from a Wuhan laboratory was the least likely hypothesis for the virus that causes Covid-19, Tedros said the issue required further investigation, potentially with more missions to China.“I do not believe that this assessment was extensive enough,” he told member states in remarks released by WHO. “Further data and studies will be needed to reach more robust conclusions.”The WHO team’s leader, Peter Ben Embarek, told a press briefing it was “perfectly possible” the virus had been circulating in November or October 2019 around Wuhan, and so potentially spreading abroad earlier than documented so far.


Let MACC investigate issues involving HR minister, says Anwar

The government will leave it to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to carry out investigations involving Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar and his officials with regard to allegations over the recruitment of foreign workers, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
He also urged the public not to make any assumptions about the issue.
"We have to differentiate between the process of an investigation and being charged... so we leave the investigation to the MACC.
"Then, if there are no charges, it’s fine, and if there are, that would be another matter altogether," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.
When asked if Sivakumar would need to go on leave until the investigations are complete, Anwar said that at the moment, there were no charges against the minister.
"There are no charges yet... in an investigation, (for example) even myself as the prime minister would have to comply by providing an explanation. I wouldn’t have to resign (at that point), would I?" he said.
Anwar also said that his government remained firm on matters related to governance and fighting corruption.
"In this matter, we don't care if it offends anyone, no matter who the figure or which party it involves, that is our position," he said.
Yesterday MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki confirmed that Sivakumar was summoned to the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya to assist with investigations following the arrest of several of his officers, believed to be due to allegations of corruption over the recruitment of foreign workers.
MACC recently arrested two of Sivakumar's senior officers believed to be linked to the issue.


Sarawak’s bridge through time

Ninety-five years ago, the Satok Suspension Bridge in Sarawak played a vital role in the lives of nearby communities.Built during the time of Charles Brooke, it sagged precariously some 18m over the Sarawak River, providing a vital link between the hustle and bustle of Kuching and the sleepy town of Matang in PetraJaya.Given that some 65% of Sarawak’s population live in lowlands along the winding river, such bridges were key to social economy.The Satok bridge in particular was a catalyst for development among communities on either end.But at 79, Bujang Dollah’s memories of the bridge revolve around more sentimental matters.Sixty years ago, the bridge was the go-to meet-up point for him and his best friends, Dollah Umar and Mohd Razak.The trio would meet at the bridge every day before walking to school together. Razak, who lived near the Satok area, would wait for Bujang and Umar who had to cross over from the other side.The Satok Suspension Bridge is now frequented by visitors and cyclists, a very different crowd from several decades ago.“To get to the town at that time, you had to cross the bridge to the other side of the Sarawak River, then travel along a gravel road, turning some sharp bends before reaching your destination,” he told MalaysiaNow.The entire trip would involve navigating some 10 miles of rough road.“I still remember, in the 1950s, some of those who took the bus – which looked more like a tram – would have to get off and walk behind the bus when crossing the bridge,” Bujang said.“It could only take six passengers at a time.”In 1992, the suspension bridge was closed due to severe issues with its structure.Unable to withstand the strong winds, it finally collapse on Oct 7, 2004, 75 years after its construction.New bridgeNow, 17 years later, residents in the surrounding area still feel a sense of nostalgia over the loss of the old bridge.It was rebuilt in a project announced by Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg during his time as state tourism minister in 2017.Today, it is a towering structure of steel and cables, a symbol of modernity and of how far Sarawak has come in terms of development and infrastructure.It has also become a tourist attraction of sorts, drawing visitors from near and far who go to the bridge to cycle, take pictures or simply enjoy the view.Even the high number of Covid-19 cases in the state was not enough to discourage a group of visitors who came on Thursday to watch the sun set.Juliet Ono Junaidi (right) with her teenage son, Ahmed Amiruddin.“When I look at the view, it’s a reminder for me to calm down, to be more present and to relax,” said Magchrina, a 30-year-old Kenyah woman from Lawas.“The pandemic has really locked us out from social activity.”Juliet Ono Junaidi from Sibu meanwhile was there for a different reason.Dressed in a full Melanau traditional outfit, she said she had come to the bridge with her son to take pictures for the Melanau association.“But many people started asking to take photos with us,” she said. “I didn’t expect this!”She, too, said the peaceful scenery at the bridge had healed some of her stress.“We have been staying in the house for too long,” she said. “I miss our normal days.”As for old friends Bujang and Dollah, they are still waiting for a chance to visit the new bridge.“We are looking forward to it because the bridge looks beautiful, very sophisticated,” Bujang said.“I hear many have already visited it. I just feel a bit frustrated because we are not encouraged to go out right now.“But I hope to visit there one day. It holds so many stories and memories, especially for old folk like us.”


MA63 must be respected and fulfilled, says PM

The federal government’s stance is that all agreements signed with Sabah and Sarawak, including the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), must be respected and fulfilled, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said that as the country's number one leader, he was responsible for ensuring that the matter was resolved, and acknowledged that various efforts had been made by previous federal administrations in this regard over the past few years, including by amending the Federal Constitution.
"We need to try to resolve it (the MA63 issue) earnestly and not just make political statements or promises to get support from Sarawak or GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak).
"When we look at the state of development in Sabah and Sarawak, especially in the interior, I cannot deny that there are tasks that we have not completed well," he said in his speech at the state banquet in Kuching last night.
Meanwhile, Anwar said Malaysia was a federation and that the spirit of unity would not be achieved if the people’s feelings or sentiments were hurt.
"The leader's job is to heal and not to add salt to the wounds, that's why I see this effort as part of fulfilling a responsibility.
"I am touched when I hear the complaints from Sarawak and Sabah or the minorities who feel that they are left out of the mainstream of development. This is not right, so we must treat (this situation)," he said.
Anwar is on his first working visit to Sarawak since taking office in November last year.


Why some prefer to holiday overseas instead of staying local

Fadzil Faez and his family spent the long weekend in conjunction with Malaysia Day enjoying a much anticipated break from the hustle and bustle of work – but, despite the national nature of the holiday, nowhere within the country itself.
Instead, he and his wife took their two young children across the border to Hatyai in Thailand where they spent three days shopping and sampling the food.
It was the first time they had left the country since the reopening of the borders, and Fadzil said they enjoyed themselves tremendously.
"The buffet is cheaper there," he said, recalling the vacation.
"A steamboat buffet is only 300 baht per head while children below 90cm in height can eat for free."
And at tourist hotspots in the country, he said, they were even allowed to enter free of charge.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Fadzil said he had decided to go to Thailand as he did not want to get stuck in Malaysia's infamous traffic.
He added that getting to popular tourist spots in the country was not as easy as it used to be.
"In Langkawi, for instance, there are fewer ferry trips now," he said.
"Sometimes we buy tickets there but we can't get any to come back."
The prices at local tourist destinations were also enough to make him think twice.
"A trip on the Langkawi cable car costs RM50," he said. "And if you want to go on the Skybridge, you have to pay an additional fee."
For Fadzil, the trip to Thailand was still worth it even though the ringgit exchange rate was not as strong as it used to be.
He said it was also easy to avoid the crowds at the border by entering at a point other than Bukit Kayu Hitam.
The trend of travelling to Thailand recently made waves with some expressing annoyance about the ringgit value which they said had been affected by such decisions.
Norain Othman from Universiti Teknologi Mara's hotel and tourism management faculty said Thailand was more diverse in terms of tourist attractions.
"And in terms of hospitality services, they are more customer friendly, from the taxi drivers to the vendors, right down to the hotel workers," she said.
In any case, she added, Thai food had always been a hit with Malaysians.
"Prices there are cheap, and the food is very fresh, especially the seafood," she said.
Further south, Indonesia has also been working to advertise its secondary provinces and develop unique local attractions that reflect its identity as a country, putting out tourism campaigns for seasons and festivals.
From the domestic tourism point of view, Norain said, even Thai travellers were once mostly unaware of efforts to promote high-end tourism in their country.
She said it took campaigns such as the "Thais travel in Thailand" push to increase their awareness and perception of domestic vacations.
"The Thai government also recently implemented tax incentives to boost domestic tourism, and this has shown positive results," she said.
Referring to the local tourism sector, Norain said there appeared to be a lack of high-end theme park operators as well as facilities that cater to those with special needs.
"Tourists are also averse to unfriendly vendors and they don't like the lack of high-end products," she said.
The local tourism industry has also been struggling with issues such as expensive transportation fees and room prices, in addition to poor customer service and high service tax.
Norain said the attitude of travellers also differed according to generation.
She said the baby boomers preferred popular spots and sites of religious importance, as well as agro-tourism products.
Travellers from the so-called Generation X meanwhile appeared to have stronger local tastes and the desire to experience nature and the culture within their own country.
"They will choose places that are worth the price, and locations with good food and beverages," she said.
"Gen Y is more focused on escapism, cultural diversity and historical places," she said.
"They will visit national parks and wildlife refuges, and shop for branded products."
As for Gen Z, she said, their attitude to travel tends towards social status, new experiences and shopping.
"They focus on challenging places, health treatment and sports activities," she said.


Daily caseload rises past 11,000

Another 11,034 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,925,254.Another 6,036 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,818,650.Meanwhile 135 are in the ICU, including 84 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 81 are in need of respiratory assistance including 38 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 11,034 cases reported today, 58 (0.5%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 10,976 (99.5%) are in Category One and Two.


Imran Khan banned from airwaves by Pakistan media watchdog

Pakistan TV stations have been banned from broadcasting speeches by former prime minister Imran Khan, the state media watchdog said, the latest hurdle facing the politician as he campaigns for early elections.
Khan was routed from office in a no-confidence motion last year and has been pressuring the fragile coalition which replaced him with daily speeches, regular rallies and allegations of corruption.
Meanwhile the 70-year-old former cricketing superstar has been tangled in a slew of elaborate legal cases, a frequent fixture in Pakistan's mudslinging politics.
Late Sunday, as police attempted to arrest Khan in connection with a corruption case, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) banned his live speeches and reruns with immediate effect.
The order came after Khan addressed hundreds of supporters outside his house. "I am being summoned in fake cases and the nation should know about them," he said.
"It will be a bad omen for the country if the nation does not stand against the corrupt rulers."
PEMRA said he was "levelling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech... against state institutions and officers" which are "likely to disturb public peace".
Hours after the notice, PEMRA also suspended private TV station ARY News, which backs Khan.
Pakistan has stringent speech controls. The constitution allows free speech to be restricted in the interests of "public order, decency or morality", a provision rights groups say is designed to quash dissent.
TV channels are regularly ordered to modify their coverage for political reasons, and last month the Wikipedia website was briefly blocked for allegedly hosting "blasphemous content".
Islamabad police officers, who travelled to Khan's home in Lahore, were ultimately unsuccessful in their attempt to detain him on Sunday after he failed to appear in a corruption case late last month.
He is accused of failing to declare gifts received during his time in office or the profit made from selling them.
In 2018, Khan swept to power thanks to an electorate weary of the dynastic politics of Pakistan's two major parties.
He promised to do away with entrenched corruption and cronyism, but has become bogged down in like-for-like allegations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Nonetheless Khan remains hugely popular among the nation's youth, and his speeches draw huge viewer figures on television while the highlights trend on social media.


President Pacquiao? King of the ring mulls Philippines’ top job

A two-year break from boxing has left Philippine legend Manny Pacquiao “hungry” to get back in the ring for what could be the last fight of his storied career – and a warm-up for a presidential rumble.The eight-division world champion and beloved national hero will have tens of millions of fans from the boxing-mad archipelago in his corner when he faces American Errol Spence in Las Vegas on Aug 21.Pacquiao’s comeback fight is a chance to prove his mettle at 42 – an age when most boxers have already hung up their gloves – and score a lucrative payday before a widely expected tilt at the presidency next year.“I’m a politician, all politicians are dreaming for the higher position,” the elected senator told AFP in his southern hometown of General Santos, where he is training.“I’m going to announce (my decision) in the proper time, maybe after the fight.”Pacquiao’s star power in a country famed for its celebrity-obsessed politics would put him in a strong position in the presidential race.But it would not guarantee victory.A public skirmish between Pacquiao and President Rodrigo Duterte over the latter’s handling of the South China Sea dispute with Beijing and official graft could erode support for the boxer.Duterte – who is allowed to serve only one term as president – rivals Pacquiao for the affections of many Filipinos and has even flagged a possible run for the vice presidency in 2022.Until recently, Pacquiao was a high-profile backer of Duterte and his controversial drug war, which International Criminal Court prosecutors want to investigate for the alleged unlawful killing of possibly tens of thousands of people.Pacquiao told AFP he would continue the crackdown, but in a “proper way” that does not abuse “the rights of individuals”.Asked if he would protect the current president from criminal charges if he became leader, he said: “All of us are bound to the law.”Pacquiao would face a formidable opponent if Duterte’s daughter, Sara, were to run for the top job.A recent poll showed the Davao city mayor – the same position her father held before he took power in 2016 – with the most voter support, well ahead of Pacquiao and other potential contenders.But a lot can change between now and the October deadline for candidates to register.“Right now my expectation is that (Pacquiao) runs, but not as Duterte’s chosen successor,” said Eurasia Group analyst Peter Mumford.“But it’s the Philippines so it’s very unpredictable.”Decisions on whether to retire after the Spence fight or run for the highest office are in God’s hands, according to Pacquiao, a father of five.Religion looms large in the life of the boxer, who became a devout evangelical Christian about a decade ago after giving up his playboy lifestyle.He even relies on his faith – and vitamin C – to ward off Covid-19 while he considers getting vaccinated against the deadly disease.“I always keep in trusting God because he’s the one who give me the ability to accomplish all those things,” he said.‘Idol of everyone’Pacquiao is deeply admired in the Philippines for his generosity and hauling himself out of poverty to become one of the world’s greatest and wealthiest boxers.Dozens of locals wait outside his gym in downtown General Santos in the hope of catching a glimpse of the rags-to-riches hero – and receiving some money – before he climbs into an olive green Hummer to drive back to his manicured compound.“Pacquiao is the idol of everyone in this city,” said Meme Dipundato, a 40-year-old tricycle driver.“What I really like about Pacquiao is not his boxing but his act of helping the poor.”But the fighter has stirred controversy since entering politics in 2010 – first as a congressman and then a more high-profile position in the Senate – supporting the death penalty and describing gay couples as “worse than animals”.He promises to pull no punches if he were to become president – starting with sending “hundreds or thousands” of crooked politicians to a purpose-built “mega prison”.“There are so many problems in this country caused by corruption… there’s no economic growth and development, there’s no improvement,” he said.‘I feel so hungry again’For now, Pacquiao said his mind was focused on the looming showdown with fellow southpaw Spence, the 31-year-old unbeaten unified welterweight world champion.Pacquiao, who boasts a 62-7-2 win-loss-draw record, will be fighting for the first time since he beat Keith Thurman in July 2019 for the WBA welterweight title – which he lost during the coronavirus pandemic due to inactivity.He will fly to Los Angeles this month where he will be reunited with veteran trainer Freddie Roach.In the meantime, he shadow boxes and spars with long-time associate Buboy Fernandez at his Pacman Wild Card Gym.“I believe 110% that Manny is going to win. His stamina is still there,” Fernandez told AFP.Hanging above the ring, along with photos of his bloody fights, are biblical proverbs on the importance of “self-discipline” and faith.Despite his age and long absence from the ring, Pacquiao said he was undaunted.“It’s good for me to have (a) rest for almost two years,” he said.“I feel so hungry again and excited (for) the fight… I feel that same feeling that I had when I was at 22, 23 years old.”


Abide by top leadership's decision on seat allocations, says Asyraf

Coalition government secretariat head Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has urged grassroots leaders not to demand seats for the coming state polls after the top leaders of Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional (BN) have decided on the seat allocations.
"Everyone can ask but once we have decided at meetings, we leave it to the wisdom of the top leadership. Furthermore, 99.7 % (of seat allocations) have been settled," he said.
He was commenting on Hulu Selangor Amanah division Youth chief Abdul Mun'im Roslin's objection to Umno's desire to contest in the Hulu Bernam and Batang Kali state seats, which come under the Hulu Selangor parliamentary constituency.
"There is no issue actually. Maybe some people want to try their luck at the last minute by lobbying their respective party presidents," Asyraf Wajdi told reporters after the launch of the Mara Brew 23 programme at the Mara headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.
Abdul Mun'im, in a statement, had asked Umno to let Amanah contest one of the two seats.
Hulu Bernam is now held by Rosni Sohar of BN-Umno while Batang Kali used to be represented by BN-Umno but was taken over by Bersatu in the 14th general election.


Daily caseload at 142, no new deaths reported

Another 142 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 5,034,972.
There were 267 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,987,828.
There are now 10,212 active cases, of which 9,859 or 96.5% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 337 (3.3%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 16 are in ICU with 11 in need of respiratory assistance.
No new deaths were reported, leaving the death toll unchanged at 36,932.


Khairy sues Jamal Yunos for defamation, seeks RM1 million in damages

Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has filed a defamation suit against Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal Md Yunos regarding a statement made during a press conference at the 2022 Umno general assembly in January last year.
The press conference was on claims that Umno had imported delegates from outside to vote on the motion that the number one and two positions should not be contested.
Khairy, who filed the writ of summons on May 24 through law firm Tetuan Aizat Izuan Shakeel, is seeking special damages of RM1 million, general damages, an order for Jamal to publish an apology on his Facebook and TikTok accounts as well as in major Malay, English and Chinese newspapers.
In his statement of claim, Khairy said at the general assembly on Jan 14, Jamal held a press conference at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur which was attended by the media, several Umno delegates, members and leaders.
On the same day, Khairy claimed that Jamal, through his Facebook account under the name "DS Jamal Yunos (DS Jamal Yunos Official)", uploaded a video recording entitled "I hope the Umno disciplinary board takes action against Khairy Jamaluddin after his frivolous statements and embarrassing Umno #UmnoBeforeNowAndForever." Khairy also claimed that Jamal uploaded the same video recording on his TikTok account under the username "jamal_yunos".
Khairy claimed that the defamatory statement, among others, gave the impression that he was a leader with no integrity, has no credibility to lead and was involved in or has committed corrupt practices.
He claimed that the statement meant that he had resorted to bribery to create division among party members for personal gain and that he was unfit to be a leader and disloyal to the party and its leaders.
The High Court fixed tomorrow for the case management before senior assistant registrar Nik Nur Amalina Mat Zaidan.


MACC to investigate letter seeking support of Umno candidates for Zahid as PM

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has opened investigation papers on a letter that went viral on social media, alleging that Umno candidates contesting in the 15th general election (GE15) had to pledge their commitment to support party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the prime minister’s post.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki, who confirmed the process, said MACC had received reports regarding the spread of the letter on social media.
He said the case would be investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009, for misuse of power.
"We opened investigations into the matter because it is an offence due to the misuse of power. There are claims that candidates for GE15 were forced to sign a letter to pledge their support for the Umno president to be the prime minister," he told Bernama today.
The letter featured the Umno party letterhead and contained the signatures of Zahid and Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan.
Azam said MACC would be calling up the relevant parties to assist in the investigations.
Those to be called up would include Barisan Nasional communications director Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, whose name was stated in the letter.
Meanwhile, Shamsul's political secretary Azizan Md Zain lodged a police report at the Dang Wangi police station today, urging the police to carry out a thorough investigation into the spread of the letter, which he claimed was fake.
The BN communications legal team also lodged a report at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission as the letter had gone viral on social media.


Suspect charged after two men set on fire leaving UK mosques

British police said on Thursday they had charged a 28-year-old man with two counts of attempted murder following incidents where two men were set alight after leaving mosques.
West Midlands Police said Mohammed Abbkr was alleged to have sprayed a substance on two men and set it alight in separate incidents in west London on Feb 27 and Birmingham, central England, on March 20.
In the first incident, an 82-year-old man was engaged in conversation by a man as they both left the West London Islamic Centre before he was doused in a liquid and set alight. Police said the injured man suffered burns to his face and arms.
The second man, 70, was walking home from a mosque in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham on Monday evening when he was approached by a man who sprayed him with a substance and then set his jacket alight. Police had said the man was in hospital with severe injuries.
Earlier this week, British counter-terrorism officers were called to assist the investigation.
"This was a joint investigation between West Midlands Police, Counter Terrorism Policing and the Metropolitan Police," West Midlands Police said in a statement.


Mental health concerns continue despite shift towards endemic phase

The pressures on mental health which marked much of the pandemic period appear to live on despite the country's transition towards the endemic phase of Covid-19, with issues such as political squabbles and the rising cost of living singled out as some of the main factors.
Several psychologists and counsellors who spoke to MalaysiaNow said the people were still struggling to recover from the pandemic, when the country had faced a direct threat from Covid-19.
One of them, Hushim Salleh, said he had noticed an increase in the number of people coming to him for counselling – even more than had come during the pandemic itself.
His clients come from all manner of backgrounds but their troubles are mostly the same: job loss and the inability to earn a living.
"This in turn leads to other problems such as family fights and divorce," he said.
"Some have spoken of a desire to commit suicide. Others are teenagers who refuse to continue their studies because they want to find work and help their parents."
The rising cost of living and conflict among the country's leaders only make things worse, he added.
And the people are also upset over reports of raises in salary or allowance for ministers and the directors of GLCs.
In Sabah, for instance, the state legislative assembly approved on July 19 a motion to raise the salaries of the chief minister, assembly members and other members of the state administration.
The chief minister's salary increased from RM23,595 to RM33,033 while the deputy chief minister's salary was raised from RM20,872.50 to RM29,221.50.
The annual fees of the FGV Holdings board of directors were also reportedly increased when the company's shareholders approved 13 resolutions at the annual general meeting in June.
The allowance of the non-executive chairman increased from RM300,000 to RM480,000 while remuneration for the non-executive director rose from RM120,000 to RM150,000.
"Many, especially from the working class, feel that they are already under emotional pressure," said Hushim, who has 30 years of experience in counselling.
"When they hear of things like this, of course they get angry."
Psychology expert Awang Idris meanwhile said that reports of salary bumps and political squabbles might not have a direct effect on the people's mental health. However, he said it was bad news nonetheless as many were still trying to regain their footing.
"The issue is not why the ministers get a raise, but why they don't," Awang, of Universiti Malaya, told MalaysiaNow.
"Sometimes, the anger that we witness is also because of political sentiments. And of course, there will be those who use these issues as political weapons."
On the people's mental health in general, Awang said it appeared to be better than it had been during the pandemic.
"The people can now do as they please," he added.
However, he said the government should work to address issues such as the rising cost of goods and increase job opportunities for the people.
"And the people shouldn't be trapped in political games," he said. "They should communicate to the politicians and tell them to take a break from playing up sentiments."