Dropping appeal in 'Allah' case may give govt pull in Sabah and Sarawak, says lawyer

A lawyer says the government's decision to withdraw its appeal against a High Court ruling allowing the use of "Allah" in Christian publications may give it leverage in the event that political support is needed from Sabah and Sarawak.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Rafique Rashid also noted that Gereja Sidang Injil Borneo had withdrawn its application for a judicial review of the matter in the same week as the notice of termination in the case of Sarawakian Christian Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill.
"The way I see it, these groups wish to uphold their rights in terms of practising Christianity in the states of Sabah and Sarawak and to use words in the Malay language related to their practices there," he said.
"When the government needs support from Sabah and Sarawak to remain in power in Putrajaya, I think there will be give and take in terms of the rights of Christians to practise their faith in those states."
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said earlier this week that the government's decision to withdraw its appeal was in line with the advice of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the decision of the Conference of Rulers.
He did not say whether the meeting with the Agong was held before or after the appeal was withdrawn.
Rafique also questioned the government's initial silence on the matter as the Attorney-General's Office had filed the notice on April 18.
"The issue only arose in May," he added. "The home minister was not very clear in his explanation."
As for Anwar's remark on May 16 that the ruling only applied in Sarawak, he said this did not appear to be stated in the court judgment, noting that while Jill was a Sarawakian, the confiscation of her CDs had taken place in LCCT, Sepang.
Rafique also referred to cases that had occurred in 1986, when Anwar was a member of a committee tasked with deciding on terms that cannot be used in other religious publications.
He said Anwar, alongside the late Ghafar Baba and James Peter Ongkili, had decided that the words "Allah", "kaabah", "baitullah", and "solat" could not be used unless the words "for Christians" were stated on the cover.
"Was it not his decision as well?" he added.
He also questioned the affidavit submitted by Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan, Tebing Tinggi assemblyman Abdul Aziz Bari and former academic Azmi Sharom, stating that they were not confused by the use of the word by Christians.
"I don't think that they alone are enough to represent the voice of Muslims in Malaysia," he said.
"In the Jill Ireland case, the main stakeholders were the state religious councils and the sultans who have jurisdiction over Islam."
He added that it would be better to hold a public poll or referendum to determine who among the public did not understand the issue, and who supported the government's decision to withdraw its appeal.
"The most important party in this case who should speak up is the attorney-general as he is the government's lawyer, the individual who filed the appeal, and the individual who withdrew it," he said.
"The attorney-general needs to answer and provide an explanation."


Najib should go to jail, says Tok Mat

Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan has laid the blame for the 1MDB scandal squarely on Najib Razak, saying the former prime minister must “pay his dues” if he loses his final appeal at the Federal Court.Speaking in an interview with Asia Times, Mohamad, who joined hands with Najib and party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to bring down the Perikatan Nasional government last year, said Najib had been unable to prove his innocence, and attributed the country’s problems to Umno’s failure to “tell the truth” about the 1MDB scandal.“There was only one issue: 1MDB,” he said, referring to Barisan Nasional’s historic loss at the 2018 general election.“The party and the government were too tolerant. We didn’t manage to explain, we didn’t manage to tell the truth.“We thought that it was a very simple issue,” Mohamad, popularly known as Tok Mat, added.“We never realised that this was a bushfire that would spread very far. People are well informed, so you cannot hide and sweep everything under the carpet anymore, so we have to address the issues… The country has gone down the drain because of this one bloody 1MDB case.”When contacted, Mohamad said his comments were made in the context of plans to get a pardon for the former leader.“What I said was, Najib must be given a fair trial. If he is found to be guilty, then he is guilty. But he must be tried fairly.“Any process for a pardon is normally only conducted after the sentence has been carried out.”Najib was convicted in 2020 of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering in the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.He was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million, a verdict unanimously upheld by a three-man Court of Appeal bench in December last year.The appeals court, in throwing out Najib’s appeal, described the RM42 million transfers from SRC International as a “national embarrassment”.“There was no national interest when RM42 million was transferred into Najib’s accounts, only national embarrassment,” said panel judge Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil.Najib is currently appealing his case at the Federal Court.Mohamad said Najib should not expect special treatment if he is eventually jailed.“Everybody has to pay their dues. But if we want to pardon, he (Najib) has to go through the process. He’ll have to go inside first,” he was quoted as saying.“You cannot pardon him before he goes through the process. That is wrong, that is absolutely wrong.”Referring to the 1MDB scandal, he said things were done “off-balance sheet” and “by one person: the prime minister”.“And he was also finance minister,” Mohamad added. “He also took charge of 1MDB. That’s how the problem started.”Nevertheless, he admitted that Najib was still a popular figure, attributing his sway over parts of the population to the perception that he had been subject to “selective prosecution”.“Whether Najib is wrong or right, people are very clear about what he’s done. People know. I know. We know what’s happened from what we read,” he told Asia Times.


How Nato's defence obligations could be triggered by Ukraine conflict

A deadly explosion occurred in Nato member Poland's territory near its border with Ukraine on Tuesday, and the US and its allies said they were investigating unconfirmed reports the blast was caused by stray Russian missiles.
The explosion, which firefighters said killed two people, raised concerns of Russia's war in Ukraine becoming a wider conflict. Russia's defence ministry denied any involvement.
If it is determined that Moscow was to blame for the blast, it could trigger Nato’s principle of collective defence known as Article 5, in which an attack on one of the Western alliance’s members is deemed an attack on all, starting deliberations on a potential military response.
The following is an explanation of Article 5:
What is Article 5?
Article 5 is the cornerstone of the founding treaty of Nato, which was created in 1949 with the US military as its powerful mainstay essentially to counter the Soviet Union and its Eastern bloc satellites during the Cold War.
The charter stipulates that “the Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all.”
“They agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area,” it says.
How could the Ukraine war trigger it?
Since Ukraine is not part of Nato, Russia’s invasion in February did not trigger Article 5, though the US and other member states rushed to provide military and diplomatic assistance to Kyiv.
However, experts have long warned of the potential for a spillover to neighboring countries on Nato’s eastern flank that could force the alliance to respond militarily.
Such action by Russia, either intentional or accidental, has raised the risk of widening the war by drawing other countries directly into the conflict.
Is invoking Article 5 automatic?
No. Following an attack on a member state, the others come together to determine whether they agree to regard it as an Article 5 situation.
There is no time limit on how long such consultations could take, and experts say the language is flexible enough to allow each member to decide how far to go in responding to armed aggression against another.
Has article 5 been invoked before?
Yes. Article 5 has been activated once before – on behalf of the US, in response to the Sept 11, 2001, hijacked-plane attacks on New York and Washington.
Whas has Biden said about Article 5 commitments?
While insisting that the US has no interest in going to war against Russia, President Joe Biden has said from the start of Moscow’s invasion that Washington would meet its Article 5 commitments to defend Nato partners.
"America’s fully prepared with our Nato allies to defend every single inch of Nato territory. Every single inch,” Biden said at the White House in September.
He had declared earlier that there was "no doubt" that his administration would uphold Article 5.


We remain in govt, 31 BN MPs break ranks with Zahid

Thirty-one MPs from Barisan Nasional (BN) today broke ranks with the coalition’s chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, even as they were given an ultimatum to state whether they would heed the call to revoke support for the current government.“Our focus is to help the government overcome the Covid-19 crisis. It would be irresponsible to the people if we rushed to quit the government as instructed by the party.“The party’s objective is to serve the people. We will continue to remain with the government until its legitimacy is determined in Parliament,” they said at a press conference attended by 20 of them, led by Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.The group questioned incessant calls by Zahid for them to quit the government, as well as a claim that more statutory declarations (SDs) revoking support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had been submitted.Ten other MPs, including ministers Dr Adham Baba, Hishammuddin Hussein, Khairy Jamaluddin and Reezal Merican Naina Merican were not present but had stated their support for the group.A list showing the names and signatures of Barisan Nasional MPs who broke ranks with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over their support for Perikatan Nasional.Ismail said Zahid’s call was a decision by the Umno Supreme Council, and as such had no effect on MPs from Umno who represent BN.He said the 31 MPs acknowledged the prime minister’s royal audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, where it was agreed that a confidence vote would be tabled at the Dewan Rakyat next month.“We the MPs are loyal to the Agong in his decree that anything to do with the government should be done in Parliament.“We are of the view that all other matters are not in keeping with the Agong’s call, whether it is about submitting SDs, or taking actions that could topple the government before Parliament convenes,” said Ismail.Umno had given its MPs until Aug 7 to state in writing whether they would continue to support the Perikatan Nasional administration or withdraw their support and resign from their positions in government.This came after Zahid said on Tuesday that he had enough SDs from Umno MPs to topple Muhyiddin as prime minister.However Muhyiddin said following an audience with the Agong the next day that he still commands the majority support in Parliament.He also said that his position as prime minister would be determined through a vote of confidence at the Dewan Rakyat sitting in September.


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Mercedes drivers can soon turn to ChatGPT for voice control

ChatGPT will soon hit the road.
Mercedes-Benz on Thursday said US drivers could power some of their luxury vehicles with ChatGPT in a test program starting June 16.
Compatible with some 900,000 vehicles that have the automaker's "MBUX" systems, ChatGPT will download over the air after drivers opt in via a Mercedes app or by voice command, the company said. The test will last three months during which Mercedes will see how drivers use the technology.
Mercedes said ChatGPT would make its car system's answers sound more natural and would let drivers ask for destination information or address other queries, like what to cook for dinner.
The automaker had previously let drivers and passengers issue a range of requests by voice, such as turning on seat heaters.
The ChatGPT deal spells business for Microsoft, which is providing a version of the popular chatbot through its cloud.
Rival Amazon.com has long worked to install its voice aide Alexa in more cars, and now Microsoft has an answer through its investment in ChatGPT's creator, OpenAI.
In a press release, the German automaker said drivers not only will be able to utter commands via the phrase "Hey Mercedes," but they would also be able to hold conversations with their cars.
In a separate blog post, Microsoft said ongoing integrations known as plug-ins one day could let drivers make restaurant reservations, book movie tickets and carry out other tasks from behind the wheel.
Findings from the test program will inform Mercedes' plans for adding such artificial intelligence to other countries and in other languages, the company said. Voice data is stored, anonymized and analysed in the Mercedes cloud, it added.
Rival General Motors said in March it was exploring uses for ChatGPT in vehicles as part of its broader collaboration with Microsoft.


Down but not out, Musa may be eyeing bigger prize in Sabah

The possibility of former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman becoming the state’s next Yang di-Pertua, or governor, remains a theory for now but one that is being taken seriously by his political enemies.If true, it would prove disastrous for Shafie Apdal even if he makes a comeback, although it might be welcomed as sweet revenge for Musa’s supporters.Speculation grew in intensity after nominations closed on Sept 12 with Musa’s name nowhere in sight.But the 69-year-old, who was chief minister for 15 years before Sabah’s familiar story of party-hopping kept him from forming the government again after the 2018 polls, is known as a political fighter.“He is not someone who is willing to go down without a fight, especially as he has been acquitted of the corruption charges which were earlier seen as a stumbling block in his quest to return to power,” a former confidante told MalaysiaNow on the campaign trail in Kota Kinabalu.The position of the governor is similar to that of the Malay rulers. He too sits with the Conference of Rulers, but he cannot be in the running to become the Agong.According to the Sabah constitution, the governor is appointed for a term of four years but may be removed from office with a two-third majority in the state assembly and the consent of the Agong.Short-lived victoryMusa, who is of Pakistani, Malay and Dusun heritage, was a businessman before entering the political arena, and was already heading large companies in the Borneo state in his 20s. His ascent of the political ladder was swift following Barisan Nasional’s (BN) capture of Sabah in 1995.He was also one of only three BN state chiefs who managed to fend off Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) onslaught in the 2018 election, gaining the support of 31 of the 60 state assemblymen at the time and clinging on to power despite the formidable charge of the Warisan-led coalition.But Musa would soon find himself booted out following defections from five Upko representatives, just 48 hours after he was sworn in by governor Juhar Mahiruddin.Juhar declared at the time that Shafie had the majority to form the government.The move sparked constitutional questions, with Musa taking Juhar and Shafie to court. What followed weeks after, though, would change his political fortunes.Musa left the country to seek medical attention, even as authorities declared him a wanted person in a series of corruption investigations.Upon his return in late 2018, he was charged with 46 counts of corruption and money-laundering, allegedly committed about a decade ago.His acquittal of all 46 charges in June this year led to speculation of his return along with that of Umno in the state, where assemblymen are known for their short-lived party loyalties.His absence from the nomination list, far from spelling doom for his political career, has sparked talk that he is being groomed for something bigger.“Musa, in many ways, is a strongman that Sabah has not had for a long time,” a former Umno assemblyman said.“The rotation of chief ministers in the past to sooth various ethnic groups failed to bring about such a leader, but Musa managed to remain for 15 years.”CMs who become governorsBut does Musa’s strongman image mean that Sabah will tread the same path as Sarawak where Abdul Taib Mahmud, the state’s longest serving chief minister, was also proclaimed governor?Even in Sabah, there is no need to look far for precedents – four of Sabah’s 10 governors once served as chief ministers: Mustapha Harun, Fuad Stephens, Mohammad Said Keruak and Sakaran Dandai.Given these examples, the prospect of Musa becoming governor as well seems likely, especially since he has been acquitted of the graft charges against him.This would mean sweet revenge against Juhar, who has been governor for almost two decades.The bad blood between the two is a matter of public knowledge. Juhar has twice blocked Musa’s political ambitions: once after the 2018 polls when he appointed Shafie as chief minister, and again when he agreed to dissolve the state assembly despite Musa’s claim of possessing the majority support.For now, Musa’s rise to the throne of Sabah is only speculation.“But it’s a believable one,” said a Sabah leader aligned with Perikatan Nasional, “not only in the context of Sabah’s colourful partisan politics, but also in the new normal of the national political landscape.”


Ukraine says Russia pulls back forces from river towns opposite Kherson

Ukraine's military said on Thursday Russia had pulled some troops from towns on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River from Kherson city, the first official Ukrainian report of a Russian withdrawal on what is now the main front line in the south.
The statement gave only limited details and made no mention of any Ukrainian forces having crossed the Dnipro. Ukrainian officials also stressed that Russia had intensified shelling across the river, knocking out power again in Kherson where electricity had only begun to be restored nearly three weeks after Russian troops vacated the city and fled across the river.
Since Russia abandoned Kherson last month, nine months into its invasion of Ukraine, the river now forms the entire southern stretch of the front.
Russia has already told civilians to leave towns within 15km of the river and withdrawn its civilian administration from the city of Nova Kakhovka on the bank. Ukrainian officials have previously said Russia pulled back some artillery near the river to safer positions further away, but until now had stopped short of saying Russian forces were quitting towns.
"A decrease in the number of Russian soldiers and military equipment is observed in the settlement of Oleshky," the military said, referring to the town opposite Kherson city, on the far side of a destroyed bridge over the Dnipro.
"Enemy troops were withdrawn from certain settlements of the Kherson oblast and dispersed in forest strips along the section of the Oleshky - Hola Prystan highway," it said, referring to a 25km (15 mile) stretch of road through riverside towns scattered in woods on the bank opposite Kherson city.
It said most of the Russian troops in the area are recently mobilised reservists, suggesting that Moscow's best-trained professional troops had already left.
Reuters could not independently confirm the report.
Separately, Ukraine tightened security at its diplomatic missions around the world on Thursday after a mail bomb exploded at its embassy in Madrid, one of several devices sent to targets in Spain, including to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Ambassador Serhii Pohoreltsev told the Ukrainian news site European Pravda that the suspicious package addressed to him had been opened outside the building by the embassy's Ukrainian commandant, who was injured in the blast.
"After opening the box and hearing a click that followed, he tossed it and then heard the explosion," he said. "Despite not holding the box at the time of the explosion, the commandant hurt his hands and received a concussion."
New air raid sirens wailed again across Ukraine on Thursday and residents took to shelters, but there were no immediate reports of major missile strikes and the warning was lifted.
Since early October, Russia has also launched near weekly massive missile and drone attacks across Ukraine to knock out its power supply, water and heat, which Kyiv and the West say is intended to harm civilians, a war crime.
The last huge volley of strikes last week knocked out heat and power for millions, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned Ukrainians to expect another wave soon.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended those strikes on Thursday, saying Moscow was targeting Ukraine's civil infrastructure to prevent Kyiv from importing Western arms. He did not explain how such attacks could achieve that aim.
"We disable energy facilities (in Ukraine) that allow you (the West) to pump lethal weapons into Ukraine to kill Russians," Lavrov said.
Kyiv said on Thursday recent volleys had included dud Russian missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, fired with no payload apparently to distract Ukrainian air defences.
Battleground
The Ukraine war is entering a relentless new phase with the onset of the first winter since Russia's Feb 24 invasion.
After pulling back in the south in November, Moscow has focused its firepower on a section of the front line in the east near the city of Bakhmut, where hundreds of soldiers are thought to be dying each day in fighting in cold and muddy trenches, yielding scant reported gains of territory on either side.
Ukraine's armed forces reported heavy shelling of a number of frontline villages in the area.
Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine had handed over 50 prisoners in the latest exchange between the two countries. Moscow is expected to release a similar number.
There are no political talks under way to end the war, which Russia launched as a "special military operation" claiming its aim was to disarm its neighbour and root out leaders it characterises as dangerous nationalists. Kyiv and the West call it an imperialist land grab. The war has killed tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers on both sides.
The European Union called this week for a special tribunal to prosecute Russian officials accused of aggression, the war crime of attacking another state without justification.
"As for attempts to establish some kind of tribunal: they will have no legitimacy, will not be accepted by us and we will condemn them," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a briefing call with reporters on Thursday.
Ukraine's nuclear power company said it had sacked a senior engineer at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant for collaborating with Russia, a day after Moscow said the engineer, Yuriy Chernichuk, was promoted to become the plant's new boss.
In October, Russia said it was taking control of the plant, which is located in Russian-held territory along the Dnipro but still operated by Ukrainian engineers. Kyiv says the plant still belongs to Ukraine and Russia's seizure is illegal.


PH rejects Mahathir’s call for Mageran council

Opposition bloc Pakatan Harapan (PH) today rejected the proposal by former leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad for a council similar to the National Operations Council (Mageran) during the virus emergency.In a statement signed by its top leaders, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, it said the suggestion was against PH’s stand that the emergency should end with immediate effect and Parliament be allowed to reconvene.“The solutions to the people’s troubles related to Covid-19 and the economy as well as politics requires a functioning democracy, and the best place to hear the voice of the people and find such solutions is Parliament,” they said.Yesterday, Mahathir said he had suggested a Mageran such as the one formed in the aftermath of the 1969 riots during his audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.He said this would be better than holding an election during the pandemic, adding that it would also empower opposition leaders to be part of the administration.Mahathir said he had also offered to lead any Mageran if one is formed.“Since I was there, I offered my services,” he added.However, he said the idea was shot down by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.The state of emergency, declared by Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah in January, suspended Parliament and state assembly sittings.The move followed threats by several Umno politicians to revoke support for the Perikatan Nasional government led by Muhyiddin.


Without cross-border flood alerts, disaster risk grows in Nepal

Two years ago, as he arrived to check a mountain trout fishing centre he owned near the Tibetan border, Gyanendra Kachhapati noticed the Melamchi river flooding, despite a clear sky.
He quickly sent his son racing home on a motorcycle to warn his wife and others living downstream. They survived the rapidly growing deluge - but Kachhapati was not so lucky.
"I came home to save mom at my father's direction, because our home was on the Melamchi riverbank," his 29-year-old son Upendra Kachhapati remembers.
But as father and son spoke via mobile phone, Gyanendra "was swept away while talking," his son said - one of five people killed near the riverside centre that day.
Altogether the flood, sparked by a glacial lake collapse near the Tibetan border, claimed 24 lives and damaged about US$905 million (about RM4 billion) in infrastructure, including 570 homes, according to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.
As climate change heats the planet, making rainfall more extreme and accelerating the melting of glaciers, Himalayan nations such as Nepal are facing growing risks from floods, often driven by glacial lake outbursts.
Greater volumes of glacial meltwater are gradually building up in mountain lakes, putting growing pressure on the earth and rock holding them in place. Those can suddenly collapse, spurring huge downstream floods.
While some monitoring equipment and early warning systems are in place to alert downstream communities, a lack of cross-border information sharing among Himalayan nations - among them China, India and Nepal - is handicapping protection efforts, analysts warn.
"Many dangerous glacial lakes are in Tibet. If they burst, it will directly impact Nepal and the damage will be much larger than the Melamchi disaster,” warned Narendra Khanal, a former head of geography at Nepal's Tribhuvan University.
Dangerous lakes
Northern Nepal borders China for almost 1,400km (860 miles) and the country's main rivers - the Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali - flow in from Tibet.
Maps published by the intergovernmental International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) show 3,624 glacial lakes along the three river basins in 2020, 2,070 of them in Nepal, 1,509 in China and 45 in India.
Of those, 47 are considered at particular risk of outburst, 25 of them in Tibet, the agencies said.
But little real-time information is shared across international borders on the state of the lakes, even as they grow in size, because formal data sharing mechanisms are largely still not in place, analysts said.
That is raising fears in downstream communities, which are themselves growing in size, that killer floods could arrive with little warning.
“We are not serious regarding the disaster of glacial lake outbursts," said Deepak KC, a climate change resilience expert with UNDP in Kathmandu.
The 2016 collapse of a one-hectare glacial lake in Tibet caused US$200 million in damage along the Bhote Koshi river system in Nepal, he said, sweeping away 125 homes and a hydropower plant, though not causing any deaths.
But "other lakes are 200 times larger than that one and can explode at any time. What will be our situation when that happens?" he asked.
Asking for data
As the danger from Himalayan glacial lakes grows, researchers and officials have sought more formal sharing of lake data and early warnings among Nepal, China and India, they said.
Kamal Ram Joshi, director general of Nepal's Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, said his agency had requested real-time data on the status of glacial lakes on shared river systems from China and India but had so far not had a positive response.
“We are in a difficult position with the lack of data about the glacial lakes," he said, noting that the agency had not sought historical data, only real-time readings.
"We are always sounding out China and India to provide real-time data in different forums, such as the World Meteorology Forum," he said.
Rishi Ram Sharma, a former director of the hydrology and meteorology department until 2019, said the agency had made requests to China as far back as his time in office.
One challenge appears to be the political sensitivity of data from Tibet, researchers said.
China has provided some help, alerting by email the chief of Nepal's Dolakha district in June 2021 about a blockage on China's Tamakoshi river due to large-scale landslides, said Ranjan Kumar Dahal, an associate geography professor at Tribhuvan University.
That warning, passed on to downstream communities, saved lives, he said.
Khanal, of Tribhuvan University, said Nepal should work harder to try to secure a regular stream of such needed information.
"Chinese scientists have said to us the Nepal government should take initiatives. I think the Nepal government is also not serious about it," he said.
Money may be part of the problem, with provider countries sometimes requiring payment for data, Khanal said.
Downstream risk
Residents along cross-borders rivers say better data sharing cannot come too soon.
Nima Gyalzen Sherpa, chairperson of the Helambu rural municipality, which has asked Nepal's government to push for more international information sharing, said warnings that came even a half hour before a flood could substantially cut losses.
“We could inform residents of the Melamchi riverbank. At least human life would be safe,” he said.
Upendra Kachhapati, the son of the man killed at the fishing centre during the Melamchi flood, said for now residents remain in the dark.
“What time a flood comes from the Himalayan region, we cannot predict," he said. What is happening in the high Himalayas? We need information.”


Traumatised relatives await news of missing in quake-hit Indonesia

Traumatised relatives awaited news on Wednesday of the fate of loved ones missing after an earthquake shattered a town in Indonesia's West Java on Monday, with more heavy machinery deployed to clear landslides that have buried villages.
The death toll from Monday's 5.6-magnitude quake in Cianjur has continued to rise as the full extent of the disaster has emerged. Authorities say 268 are now confirmed dead, up from about 160 on Tuesday, and more than 150 are missing.
Recovery efforts on Wednesday will focus on one of Cianjur's worst-hit districts, Cugenang, where it is believed at least one village was buried by a landslide.
Footage from the area shows residents digging in brown earth with their bare hands, or using hoes, sticks, crowbars and other tools.
"If it was just an earthquake, only the houses would collapse, but this is worse because of the landslide," said Zainuddin, who was searching for six missing relatives.
"In this residential area there were eight houses, all of which were buried and swept away."
More than 1,000 police officers have been deployed to bolster search and rescue teams.
Indonesia is one of the most earthquake-prone nations on earth and regularly records stronger offshore earthquakes. But Monday's 5.6-magnitude quake was particularly deadly as it struck in a densely populated area at shallow depth of just 10km (6 miles).
Officials also said poor building standards led to many deaths.
During a visit on Tuesday to Cianjur, about 75km (45 miles) south of the capital Jakarta, President Joko Widodo called for reconstruction efforts to include earthquake-proof housing.
There was an urgent need to ensure surgery could take place immediately as hospitals had limited capacity due to damage from the earthquake, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said.
"My priority is no more deaths," he said during a visit to the disaster zone.
"The first priority is to make sure that badly injured patients are being taken care of so they can survive."


Govt to review policy on foreigners in the country, says home minister

The home ministry will review and issue a policy involving foreigners to resolve problems that arise which have an impact on local communities, says minister Hamzah Zainudin.He said the ministry will hold discussions with all relevant parties including the immigration department, police and National Registration Department on what should be highlighted in the policy.“There are many complaints from the community here related to foreigners. For example, a housing unit has three rooms that accommodate three families. This causes noise problems.“Besides, there are also complaints from locals saying that these foreigners are involved with drugs,” he told reporters after a visit to two locations in Bukit Mertajam yesterday, where the immigration department inspected nearly 100 foreigners including UNHCR cardholders.Commenting on UNHCR’s willingness to share the details of its cardholders only on the assurance that the refugees would not be arrested, Hamzah said: “It’s good that they want to share. But if you (UNHCR) set a condition, you are actually not sincere.“UNHCR issued the card to them but there is no enforcement. If the card has expired and they (refugees) are still residing here, we do not know how to locate them because UNHCR did not share any details with us.”Hamzah said the matter could be resolved in a more orderly manner if there is a policy, adding that disagreements could be avoided.When asked if the government was ready to consider the use of refugee camps, Hamzah said: “That is one of the suggestions, but I am not so sure what kind of refugee camps because we need to look at the reality, location, infrastructure. All these need to be taken into account (before announcing any policy).”Last week, the home ministry had asked UNHCR for data on its cardholders so that they could be included in the Covid-19 vaccination programme.At present, there are 178,715 UNHCR cardholders but no information on where they are.


Chinese daily makes amendments to Guan Eng's 'green wave' speech

Chinese-language daily China Press said it had amended a quote by Lim Guan Eng during the DAP chairman's controversial speech, in which he raised the spectre of religious freedoms and rights of non-Muslims being trampled upon should there be a change of government in Penang after the coming state polls.
In a statement published today, the paper said that after "re-listening" to the recording of Lim's speech, it had amended a passage, saying Lim had referred to "Indian temples" and not "Buddhist temples".
A check on the amended report showed that the words "temples" were amended to mean "Indian temples".
Meanwhile, the paper also published verbatim Lim's speech, which retained much of his attacks against the "green wave" and accusations relating to the trampling of non-Muslim rights and the destruction of houses of worship.
The published speech also retained parts where Lim likened Penang to China of the Ming Dynasty era facing the onslaught of the Manchu soldiers.
The amendments came after Lim attracted condemnations for his speech, which, among others, warned Penang voters of the "green wave", a euphemism by DAP leaders for Perikatan Nasional's gains in the last general election.
A string of police reports has also been lodged against the DAP leader, urging action for stirring racial and religious sentiments.
The following is a verbatim translation of Lim's speech according to China Press:
"In Penang, we can enjoy the freedom for religious ceremonies, which is very valuable, especially now with the Green Wave. The Green Wave is very dangerous. If you're not careful, not only can the Green Wave exploit your rights but also deprive you of basic rights.
"Simply put, now according to their methods, we want to attend concerts, but young people aren't allowed to attend concerts.
"Jacky Cheung wants to come to Kuala Lumpur. Fortunately, there is a unity government, otherwise, you'll have to go to Singapore to watch (the concert). But if Penang is still there, the concerts can proceed as usual.
"Here, there are many handsome men and beautiful women, whether it's a male or female hairstylist helping you with your haircut. But with this Green Wave, men can't cut women's hair, and women can't cut men's hair. But in Penang, haircuts can still be done as usual.
"We young people want to be healthy and maintain our physique, so when we want to exercise, we wear shorts. But the Green Wave says we can't wear shorts, even in our own shops. I see that, in the future, you'll also need to wear clothes when taking a shower. But in Penang, you can still wear as usual.
"There are also some people... I don't gamble... but some people want to gamble, and they want to buy lottery tickets. This is your freedom. They say you can't. But in Penang, you can still come as usual.
"Also, I have to admit, if you want to relieve stress and relax by having a couple of drinks, is that wrong? Over there, they say you can't drink. But if Penang is still there, you can still drink as usual.
"More importantly, in this Green Wave, they look at your temples with displeasure, especially the Indian temples, 'kuil'. If they don't like what they see, they will demolish it, not allowing you to worship.
"But, remember, if Penang is still there, you can still worship as usual.
"So should we protect Penang? Don't forget, the Green Wave resentfully looks at our development. They want to take Penang back, they want to annihilate Penang, they want you to be Penang people, they want you to be what kind of people, they want you to be Kedah people. Do you want that?
"Because we're people of Penang, we want to tell the Green Wave that the people of Penang don't allow the Green soldiers to enter because we're righteous people of Penang; we're not Wu Sangui. Those who're ready to support the Green Wave are traitors; those who support the Green Wave are rebels; those who support the Green Wave will be cursed for betraying their ancestors, and their reputations will stink for centuries. Isn't that right? Because we're people from Penang."
------
The verbatim speech by Lim Guan Eng in Chinese script as published by China Press:
“在槟城能享有自由空间，进行宗教仪式，这是非常珍贵的，尤其是现在有青色浪潮，青色浪潮很危险，如果你不小心的话，青色浪潮不是单单可以剥削你的权力，也可以把基本权力剥夺。
简单来说，现在根据他们方式，我们要听演唱会，年轻人要听演唱会不准许，张学友要来吉隆坡，幸亏是团结政府，如果不是的话，你们还是要跑去新加坡听。可是如果槟州还在的话，演唱会照常。
这里有很多俊哥美女，叫男理发师还是女理发师帮你们剪，可这些青色浪潮，男的不能剪女的，女的不能剪男的，在槟城照样剪。
我们年轻人要健康，保持我们的身材，要健康身材，所以要运动的时候穿短裤，这些青色浪潮不可穿短裤自己店也不可穿，我看以后冲凉你也要穿衣服。可是有在槟城，照样穿。
还有一些人，我不赌的，但有一些人要赌要买万字，这是你们自由权力，他们说不可以，在槟城照样来呀。
还有，小弟要承认，如果要减压、轻松一下，喝两杯，有错吗?那边说不可以喝，但是如果槟城还在，照样喝。
更重要的是，在这青色浪潮，看你的庙不顺眼，尤其是对付我们那些印度庙，kuil呀，看不顺眼，就跟你拆，不让你拜，记得，槟城还在，照样拜…
所以我们要不要保护槟城？不要忘记，这些青色浪潮看我们的发展不甘愿，要把槟城拿回来，要把槟城灭掉，你们要做槟城人，要你们做什么人，要你们做吉打人，你要不要？
因为我们是槟城人，我们要跟青色浪潮讲，槟城人不允许引青兵入关啊，因为我们是有正义的槟城人，我们不是吴三桂啊，那些准备支持绿色浪潮，汉奸一个；那些支持绿色浪潮，反骨仔；那些支持绿色浪潮，会被咒，出卖祖先，遗臭万年。对不对？因为我们是槟城人。”


People can go to the supermarket, why not the polls, says Sarawak minister

Sarawak Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu vice-president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah today said he believed a general election could be held this year, even amid the Covid-19 pandemic.“If people can go to the supermarket, dine in, and drive around with SOPs such as monitoring and checking temperatures, then why not hold an election?” he said at a press conference in Kuching when asked whether snap polls should be called.However, he said this would only be doable if the Election Commission (EC) introduces an improved voting mechanism and SOPs to ensure the public’s safety.“Everything rests on the EC,” he said, adding that such guidelines should be laid out as soon as possible.He said if there are any concerns about staff who have yet to be vaccinated, for example, these should be brought up to the government.Stressing that he was not calling for a premature election to be held at once, he said an election was nonetheless necessary to ensure the mandate of the people.“It is not good to postpone elections,” he added. “When there is a dissolution, my own personal observation is, our role as state assemblymen is no longer valid because our tenure has ended.”Karim, who is state tourism, arts and culture minister, also said that state polls must be held within 60 days once the emergency period ends on Aug 1.However, he said he believed it unlikely that a state election would be held in August itself.“My guess is, it will not be in August because when there is a dissolution, the speaker will have to inform the EC that the state assembly has been dissolved.“They will have to meet with the EC to decide on the date for the polls,” he said, adding that preparations for an election could take more than a month.He also urged the EC to take proactive measures to facilitate voter turnout during the pandemic.“The EC must already be well informed as to whether they have enough personnel on the ground to facilitate the polls,” he said.“Sarawak is a big state, so they will have to get feedback from all the returning district officers. It will take some time to get everything prepared, and it can’t be done within a month.“So the high likelihood in the event that the election will be held is that it will be in September. And even in September, it cannot be early September. It will have to be later in the month. That is my own personal view.”


Zafrul alone not enough for BN to retake Selangor, analysts say

Fourteen years ago, the opposition made history by toppling Barisan Nasional (BN) in Selangor, the richest state in Malaysia.
Its victory at the 2008 general election, clinched under the Pakatan Rakyat banner, was repeated at the 2013 polls and again in 2018, by which time the coalition had morphed into its present iteration of Pakatan Harapan (PH).
But after three terms in the opposition camp, and buoyed by a string of by-election victories over PH in Melaka, Johor and Sarawak, BN is looking to retake the state – a prospect which political observers had dismissed as unlikely.
Rebranding efforts also appear to be underway in Selangor, where Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz was recently appointed as state BN treasurer.
Zafrul, who was previously a member of the Lembah Pantai Umno chapter, is expected to be fielded in Kuala Selangor, a constituency currently held by Amanah's Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Political analyst Oh Ei Sun said BN could be expected to politicise the issues of floods and electricity supply to win over voters, in addition to exploiting PKR's weaknesses in the absence of Mohamed Azmin Ali, who left the party in 2020.
Oh, of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said Umno had brought Zafrul to Selangor to instil a fresher and more professional image in the state, where it is targeting the urban and educated voters.
"I think Umno's senior leadership is still half-hearted as to whether to tout him as the menteri besar candidate, as he obviously does not belong to its mainstream faction," he added.
He also said that Zafrul, as finance minister, would need to defend 1MDB and former prime minister Najib Razak if he wished to be accepted by the Umno court cluster.
On BN's leadership in the state, he said Selangor chief Noh Omar appeared "a bit defiant" towards the Umno top brass.
"But ultimately, the decisions on Umno's state electoral line-ups would still have to be approved by the top party leadership," he said.
New look for BN
Analyst Ahmad Atory Hussain said Zafrul, although a political newcomer, could be seen as a "heavyweight" candidate who might even replace Noh in Selangor.
"The consideration is that if Zafrul is capable of managing the country's finances as a federal government minister, is he not capable of managing a state like Selangor?
"With the less-than-encouraging atmosphere of PKR, BN has a chance to rise up and retake Selangor this time around," he said.
Nevertheless, he said a BN victory in Selangor would be contingent on cooperation with Islamist party PAS.
"If BN contests alone, it will be difficult for it to win, let alone recapture Selangor, barring a miracle," he said.
But chances of a collaboration with PAS appear remote given the party's decision to stick with Bersatu under the Perikatan Nasional pact in facing the 15th general election.


Doctor in charge of treating Navalny for poisoning dies suddenly at 55

A top doctor at the Russian hospital where opposition leader Alexey Navalny was treated immediately after his poisoning last summer has died unexpectedly.Sergey Maximishin, who was the deputy chief physician of the Omsk emergency hospital, died “suddenly” at the age of 55, according to a statement released by the hospital.“With regret, we inform you that the deputy chief physician for anesthesiology and resuscitation of the Emergency Hospital No. 1, Maksimishin Sergey Valentinovich suddenly passed away,” the hospital said in a statement, without mentioning a cause of death.Navalny was initially admitted to the acute poisoning unit of Omsk emergency hospital No. 1 on Aug 20, after falling ill from exposure to military-grade Novichok on a plane heading from Siberia to Moscow. The plane made an emergency landing in Omsk where he was rushed to the hospital.Maximishin, one of the most senior doctors at the hospital, did not give any press briefings at the time Navalny was under his care.Navalny was put into a medically induced coma and eventually evacuated to the German capital of Berlin, where he spent five months recovering from the poisoning.Leonid Volkov, Navalny’s chief of staff, confirmed Maximishin was in charge of treating the poisoned opposition leader.“Sergey Maximishin was the head of the department that treated Alexey Navalny and was in charge of his treatment – specifically his medically induced coma,” Volkov told CNN. “Maximishim knew more than anyone else about Alexey’s condition so I can’t dismiss possibility of foul play.”Volkov continued, “However Russia’s health care system is very poor and it’s not uncommon for doctors of his age to suddenly die. I doubt there will any investigation into his death.”Volkov is not the only one with suspicions of foul play, media sources say. However, deaths of Russian frontline medical workers, including whistleblowers, are a politically charged topic in the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic.The health minister of the Omsk region said in statement that Maximishin worked at the hospital for 28 years and saved thousands of lives.


Ex-Labuan MP to know whether to enter defence on May 30

The decision on whether former Labuan MP Rozman Isli will be called to enter his defence or acquitted on a charge of using his position to obtain an employment contract for Labuan Liberty Port Management Sdn Bhd (LLPM), will be known tomorrow at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
Judge Rozina Ayob is scheduled to announce her decision at 3pm.
If the court's decision is in favour of the prosecution, that there is a prima facie case against Rozman, 59, he will be called to defend himself, otherwise, he will be acquitted and discharged.
On March 6, the prosecution closed its case after calling 24 witnesses to testify in the trial which began on Aug 11 last year.
Among the prosecution witnesses called were former Labuan Port Authority board member Zulkurnain Ayub, former transport ministry deputy secretary-general (management) Chua Kok Ching and LPL development and investment committee secretary Hida Jerman.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Feisal Mohd Azmi prosecuted while counsel Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali represented Rozman.
Rozman was charged as an official of a public body, the deputy chairman of the Labuan Port Authority, to have used his position to obtain gratification, namely an employment contract as the operator for Dermaga Merdeka Pelabuhan Labuan for LLPM, in which his father and younger brother have an interest in.
The offence was allegedly committed at the transport ministry in Putrajaya, between 2.30pm and 5.30pm on March 21, 2018.
He was charged under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act and can be punished under Section 24(1) of the same act, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.


US says second highest official at Moscow embassy expelled by Russia

Russia has expelled the US deputy chief of mission to Russia, Bart Gorman, a State Department spokesman said on Thursday, warning of a US response amid heightened fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.“Russia’s action against our DCM was unprovoked and we consider this an escalatory step and are considering our response,” the spokesman said.It was not immediately clear what justification Moscow gave for the expulsion, but it comes during a months-long standoff over a Russian buildup of more than 150,000 troops near its border with Ukraine.US officials warned the risk of a Russian invasion remained high and that Russia may attempt to fabricate a pretext for a conflict, despite Moscow saying it was moving some of its troops away from the border.Alongside the border tensions, the US and Russia have been engaged in a tussle over their respective diplomatic presences in each others’ capitals and Moscow said in December that US Embassy staff who have been in the post for more than three years should return home.The spokesman said Gorman, the second most senior US official at the US Embassy in Moscow, had a valid visa and had been in Russia for less than three years.“We call on Russia to end its baseless expulsions of US diplomats and staff and to work productively to rebuild our missions,” the State Department spokesman said. “Now more than ever, it is critical that our countries have the necessary diplomatic personnel in place to facilitate communication between our governments. ”


CNN fires staff for coming to work unvaccinated against Covid-19

CNN has fired three employees who violated company policy by coming to work unvaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.Company chief Jeff Zucker told staff of the firing in a memo sent on Thursday that reminded them that vaccines were mandatory if they report to the office or out in the field where they come into contact with other employees, the AP is reporting.“Let me be clear: we have a zero tolerance policy on this,” wrote Zucker, chairman of news and sports for WarnerMedia.CNN offered no details on the firings, or where the employees were based.Most of CNN’s offices are already open on a voluntary basis, and Zucker said more than a third of news staff members have returned. Proof of vaccination has been left to the honour system, he said, but that may change in coming weeks.The CNN chief said masks will be required in workplaces when people aren’t eating, drinking or in an enclosed private space. Even in offices where mask-wearing is not mandated, people should do what feels comfortable to them “without any fear of retaliation or judgment from co-workers,” he said.The CNN memo also said a planned Sept 7 company-wide return to the office will be delayed until at least early to mid-October because of the rise in Covid-19 casesOther companies have been making similar decisions.After previously announcing it expected corporate employees to return to the office on Sept 7 this year, Amazon has announced a further delay until Jan 3, 2022.“As we continue to closely watch local conditions related to Covid-19, we are adjusting our guidance for corporate employees,” the company said in a statement.Google and Microsoft also recently announced that they are delaying office returns until October 2021. Both companies will require that all employees returning to the office at that time be vaccinated.Amazon is now encouraging a hybrid work structure, unlike in March this year, when it seemed eager to get everyone back to the office.“Our plan is to return to an office-centric culture as our baseline. We believe it enables us to invent, collaborate, and learn together most effectively,” the company said.Now, that return will be delayed for at least another five months.“As organisations push return dates out further, there will be a greater need for flexibility on return-to-office requirements,” George Penn, vice president of Gartner HR told CNBC.“If the company is performing well and individual employees are performing well remotely, many will ask the question: ‘Why are you mandating a return?’”


New high of 317 cases, one more death

317 cases were reported today, a new high with all of them local transmissions.The majority were reported in Sabah (155), with others in Kedah (102), Selangor (32), Terengganu (nine), Kuala Lumpur (four), Johor (four), Penang (three), Sarawak (three), Kelantan (two), Putrajaya (two) and Negeri Sembilan (one).This takes total confirmed cases in the country to 12,088.One new death was also reported, bringing the virus toll to 137. The latest fatality was a 57-year-old man with a history of diabetes, high blood pressure and lipid/cholesterol disorder. He died in Hospital Semporna.According to a health ministry infographic, there are now 1,735 active cases with 29 receiving treatment in the ICU and four in need of respiratory assistance.Meanwhile, 121 patients were discharged, taking total recoveries to 10,216 or 84.52% of all cases.Today’s numbers are the highest since the movement control order (MCO) was eased in June.On June 10, when the MCO was replaced by the recovery MCO, only two new cases were reported.Numbers remained relatively low until Sept 8, when 100 new cases were reported. Spikes in new cases followed, with 182 recorded on Sept 11, the majority of which were in Sabah.Yesterday, 287 cases were recorded, 113 of which were in Sabah. Kedah, which has also been seeing a spike in new cases, recorded 129.


US to add heart inflammation warning for Covid mRNA jabs for teens

US health authorities plan to update official guidance about administering mRNA Covid vaccines to adolescents and young adults after finding a likely link to rare cases of heart inflammation, but say the overall benefits still “clearly” outweigh the risks.The decision was announced during a meeting of experts convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday that reviewed 323 confirmed instances of myocarditis and of pericarditis, inflammation of the lining surrounding the heart, among people under 30 following vaccination.“Fortunately it’s an extraordinarily rare event, and when the event happens it’s generally quite mild,” Henry Bernstein, a paediatrician at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York and member of the expert panel, told AFP after the meeting.He added he would continue to strongly advise parents to vaccinate their adolescents.Of the 323 cases, 309 were hospitalised, 295 were discharged, nine remain hospitalised with two in intensive care, and there is no outcome data for five cases.The cases are predominantly among males, most occur after the second dose, and there are no confirmed deaths.The data is current as of June 11, when more than 50 million doses of both the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines had been administered to people aged 12-29 in the US.While the case numbers are low, they are still higher than what would be expected in these age groups and researchers are studying possible biological triggers.“Myocarditis is a rare disease but it’s not a new disease, it’s been around for a while,” Matthew Oster, a member of the CDC’s Covid vaccine task force told the meeting, noting the estimated background rate of myocarditis is about 0.8 per 100,000 children per year.Oster said the illness was thought to be caused by viruses in some cases, although there could be other triggers.“It does appear that mRNA vaccine may be a new trigger for myocarditis,” he said.According to the CDC, for every million second doses given to 12-to-17 year old boys, 5,700 Covid cases, 215 hospitalisations, 71 ICU admissions and two deaths across 120 days would be prevented by vaccination.Between 56 to 69 cases of myocarditis would be expected as a result of the vaccines.“Currently, the benefits still clearly outweigh the risks for Covid-19 vaccination in adolescents and young adults,” CDC scientists said in a presentation.The CDC and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plan to update their advice and warning labels to reflect the potential risks.If a person develops pericarditis after their first dose, they should wait until their symptoms clear and consult their doctor before getting a second dose, according to the draft guidance which will soon be finalised.If a person develops myocarditis after their first dose, they will be advised to defer their second dose until more information is known.Unvaccinated at riskWhile children are less affected by Covid than adults, the virus has still hospitalised more than 3,000 under-18s in the US and led to more than 300 deaths, according to official data. Some 2,700 people under 30 have died from Covid.Messenger RNA vaccines have been proven to be extraordinarily protective against the disease. Pfizer’s Covid vaccine is currently authorised for ages 12 and up while Moderna’s is authorised for those 18 and over.Beyond protecting children from the immediate risks of Covid, paediatricians also want to shield them from possible long term impacts such as long Covid and a rare but very serious post-viral complication called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).There are also worries the new variant Delta might be more harmful to children than past strains.Ahead of the meeting, Monica Gandhi, an infectious diseases and public health expert at the University of California San Francisco, pointed out that the US has gone beyond some other countries’ recommendations on vaccinating teens.These include Germany and Israel, which only recommend vaccinating adolescents who are at high risk, while Britain is still examining the data and hasn’t yet reached a decision.


Covid-19 spreads at UiTM campus after positive case following BN-linked programme

Covid-19 been spreading throughout the UiTM Lendu campus in Alor Gajah since a student tested positive for the virus after attending an event linked to Barisan Nasional (BN) ahead of the Melaka polls.MalaysiaNow understands that 20 more students have tested positive for the highly contagious virus since the first case was reported on Nov 10.However a source said that the university management has given no instructions for the campus to be closed.It said only the residential colleges of students who have been diagnosed with Covid-19 were told to close.Staff and lecturers meanwhile have been asked to monitor students with Covid-19 symptoms for referral to the health unit.The mother of one of the students who have been infected said her child had missed the Malaysian University English Test or MUET due to quarantine, and has had to repay the examination fee.When contacted, Melaka health director Dr Rusdi Abd Rahman confirmed the matter.“A cluster was detected last night, that is the Jalan Lubuk Redan cluster,” he told MalaysiaNow.On Nov 11, MalaysiaNow reported that some 40 UiTM students had attended a programme organised by an NGO related to politics from Nov 4 to 7 at a villa owned by Melaka BN chief Ab Rauf Yusoh.Rauf, BN’s candidate for the Tanjung Bidara seat, later denied that the programme was related to the coalition or the state election presently underway in Melaka.This followed the spread of social media posts claiming that seven UiTM students had tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from an event organised by Melaka BN.


RM3.47 million to upkeep grounded police helicopters, audit report finds

Police paid a total of RM3.47 million for the maintenance of two helicopters despite both being grounded for more than three years, the latest series of the Auditor-General’s Report reveals.Series 1 of the 2019 report released today said the maintenance cost covers the year 2018 up to September last year.The two police helicopters, 9M-PHA and 9M-PHF, had been grounded for more than three years between 2017 and 2019.A maintenance report on the helicopters stated that six out of 10 had been classified as “inactive” for not clocking in the required flight hours.The audit report said under the maintenance contract, a 25% discount on the monthly maintenance cost is given if a helicopter has been inactive for more than six months.However, only three helicopters are allowed the discount at any one time, resulting in the wastage, the report noted.The cost of maintaining each helicopter is RM38,500 a month, and RM28,875 after discount.The audit report said the contract agreement should be amended to remove the limit on the number of helicopters allowed a discount on maintenance due to being grounded.


BN, PN still enjoy good ties at govt level, says Annuar Musa

Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) share good ties in the government although both coalitions have their own strategies to face the 15th general election (GE15), Communications and Multimedia Minister Annuar Musa says.He also said that the relationship between BN and PN component party, Bersatu, was not strained as both were still working well together in the government led by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.Annuar, who is also Ketereh Umno division chief, said the current PN-BN government was running smoothly although the situation would change once the coalitions were involved in elections as both wanted to test their mettle, contesting on their own.“What is happening is normal in politics. Each of us (BN and PN) is making our own adjustments, so let that process run harmoniously as this is something unavoidable.“In the run-up to GE15, every political party wants to adopt its own strategy and make its own decisions through various committee levels.“I do not see it as a relationship that can no longer be fixed. Just accept the political reality that there are many possibilities and nothing is permanent in politics,” he told reporters after an event in Papar yesterday when asked to comment on BN and Bersatu’s relationship at the federal level as well as in Sabah.Annuar said party policy decisions must not be seen as permanently binding, as in politics there must be pragmatism, especially when changes occur.“For now, policy decisions have been made at the (recent) Umno general assembly, so those policies are to be firmly adopted.“But in moving forward, the respective leaderships could face different situations and there is always room for discussion,” he said.


Sorry.


Nothing wrong with dreaming, analysts say on BN retaking Penang

Political analysts appear sceptical of Barisan Nasional's (BN) chances in Penang despite the recent optimism shown by Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan about the coalition's odds in the state when the 15th general election (GE15) is called.
Penang has been under Pakatan Harapan (PH) rule for three terms since 2008 when the pact was known as Pakatan Rakyat.
Lim Guan Eng, who was DAP secretary-general at the time, was appointed as chief minister, replacing Gerakan's Koh Tsu Koon.
Mohamad, who is BN's election director, had said on July 24 that the coalition's machinery in the state was 50% ready.
He added that while it would be difficult to defeat DAP in Penang, it was not impossible given that BN had won in seats traditionally held by the party in the Melaka, Sarawak and Johor state elections.
But former Penang BN secretary Azizi Safar said that politics in the state, popularly known as the Pearl of the Orient, could not be equated with that of Johor and Melaka where BN had swept to victory at the recent polls.
"BN did not lose in Melaka, Johor and Sarawak in 2008," he said.
While there was nothing wrong with dreaming about the political situation in Penang, he added, it would be next to impossible for BN to topple DAP, PH's main pillar in the state.
He said even the top Umno and BN leadership in Kuala Lumpur had never dreamed of retaking Penang.
This was despite the huge amounts from 1MDB spent by NGOs in Penang because Najib Razak, the prime minister at the time, was convinced that BN could sweep to victory once more if it used the services of those groups.
"DAP and PH are still strong," Azizi said. "Even if they have lost a bit of support, it is not enough for BN to topple DAP in Penang."
BN won two state seats in Penang at the 14th general election while PAS won one. The remaining seats were won by PH which contested under the PKR banner.
The latest division of seats shows 33 under PH, five under Perikatan Nasional and two under BN.
Of the 33 held by PH, DAP has the most at 19, followed by PKR (12) and Amanah (two).
Hisommudin Bakar of electoral think tank Ilham Centre agreed that it would be difficult for BN to retake Penang.
Responding to Mohamad's remarks about BN's achievements in the recent state elections, he said general elections were a completely different ball game.
"Election machineries can focus on gaining control in smaller constituencies," he said of state elections.
"But in general elections, everyone is focused on their own areas."
Wong Chin Huat of the Jeffrey Cheah Institute said a BN victory would only be possible if the voter turnout was below 60%, as had occurred in Johor where only 55% went out to vote.
"A turnout that low would mean that parties and coalitions are left only with their loyal supporters as voters who are on the fence will be too lazy to cast their ballots," he said.
In such an event, he said, BN would have the edge as its vote value was more than that of the opposition.
"This is the result of the one-sided demarcation of electoral areas we have had this entire time," he added.
Wong expects DAP to successfully defend the majority of its seats even if the voter turnout is low, although it might be difficult for the party to maintain its hold on all 19 state constituencies.
"Penang's water supply and the reclamation efforts will be the focus of voters at GE15," he said.
Hisommudin meanwhile said the state government would be under more pressure this time around due to the rising price of goods, the drop in palm oil prices, and the shortage of food supplies.
"The level of dissatisfaction with the government is likely to increase given the worsening economic outlook around the world," he added.
"This will have a direct impact on the popularity of BN, which is currently leading the federal administration."


Putin ready to help overcome food crisis if West lifts sanctions

Moscow is ready to make a “significant contribution” to averting a looming food crisis if the West lifts sanctions over Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin told Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Thursday.Russia was slapped with unprecedented sanctions after Putin ordered troops into neighbouring Ukraine on Feb 24.The sanctions and military action have disrupted supplies of fertiliser, wheat and other commodities from both Russia and Ukraine. The two countries produce 30% of the global wheat supply.“Putin emphasises that the Russian Federation is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertiliser, subject to the lifting of politically motivated restrictions by the West,” the Kremlin said in a statement following the call.It added that Putin also spoke about the “steps taken to ensure safety of navigation, including the daily opening of humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilian ships from the ports of the Azov and Black Sea, which is impeded by the Ukrainian side”.Putin also described as “unfounded” accusations that Russia was to blame for the problems with food supplies on the global market.The US scoffed at Putin’s offer.“Now they’re using economic tools, as weapons. They’re weaponising food. They’re weaponising economic assistance. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised by that, since they’ve weaponised everything else, including lies and information,” Pentagon spokesman Jihn Kirby said.“The administration is in discussions with our international partners and allies about how best to address this,” he said.Draghi told a press conference that “the purpose of this telephone call was to ask if something could be done to unblock the wheat that is now in the depots in Ukraine”.He suggested “collaboration between Russia and Ukraine on the unblocking of the Black Sea ports” where the wheat, which is at risk of rotting, is located – “on the one hand to clear these ports and on the other hand to ensure that there are no clashes during the clearing”.Draghi said there was “a readiness to continue in this direction” on the Russian side, and that he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “to see if there is a similar readiness”.But “when asked if I have seen any glimmer of hope for peace, the answer is no,” the Italian prime minister said.


Bersatu not informed of RM1 million withdrawal, court told in Syed Saddiq trial

The High Court was today told that Bersatu was not notified of the RM1 million withdrawal by its youth wing.
Bersatu finance officer I, Muhammad Zulhelmi Zaulkafly, 30, who had worked at the Bersatu treasurer's office since 2016, said his party never received any application from the youth wing regarding the withdrawal of the money.
The 20th prosecution witness said this during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Shahrom Idris at the trial of Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who faces four charges of criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
Asked by Shahrom whether he knew about the withdrawal of RM1 million, Zulhelmi said no.
Zulhelmi, who regulates, administers and manages the party's financial affairs, said according to Clause 24 of the Bersatu constitution, expenditure in excess of RM500,000 must be approved by the party's Supreme Council, and if withdrawal are made, they must be recorded to check the balance in the account.
Shahrom: What will happen if it is not recorded? Zulhelmi: A violation of Regulation 24, as we want to prevent financial leakage. To a question from deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, the witness said that the trustees for the youth wing's account were Syed Saddiq, who was then the youth chief; Ahmad Redzuan Mohamed Shafi, who was then the wing's assistant secretary; and Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was the wing's assistant treasurer.
In his testimony earlier, Rafiq Hakim told the court that the withdrawal of RM1 million from the account on Syed Saddiq's instructions had not followed procedure, and that it was wrong as no paperwork was submitted for the money to be withdrawn from the bank on March 6, 2020.
Syed Saddiq, 29, was charged as the then youth chief, entrusted with the control of Armada funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim with criminal breach of trust of RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing.
He was also charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018.
He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering activities through two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.
He is accused of committing the offence at a bank at Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru on June 16 and 19, 2018.
The trial before judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid continues tomorrow.


Azmin: Amirudin told me PKR sending him to Gombak 'to be slaughtered'

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari called Mohamed Azmin Ali to express fear over a party decision to field him in Gombak at the coming polls, the Bersatu man said in a recent speech.
Azmin, a three-term Gombak MP, said Amirudin had called him last month to inform him of what he thought was the real agenda behind the move.
"He said, 'I have been asked to stand in Gombak. I know, this is to slaughter me in Gombak'," Azmin said at a Perikatan Nasional event hosted by PAS in Taman Melewar, Gombak, referring to a conversation with Amiruddin last month.
MalaysiaNow is still waiting for a response from Amirudin.
This follows the strongest indication yet from PKR president Anwar Ibrahim that Amirudin will be fielded in Gombak to take on Azmin at the 15th general election.
"We will send Selangor's main commander to Gombak... but this is not an official announcement… officially, it will be on Oct 28," Anwar said yesterday.
Amirudin was widely seen as Azmin's protege during the latter's time as the PKR deputy president.
He was also chosen by Azmin to replace him as Selangor menteri besar following Azmin's move to the federal Cabinet in 2018 under Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Azmin was among a dozen PKR MPs who were sacked from the party after their fallout with Anwar, in the wake of the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in early 2020. He went on join Bersatu, and will be defending Gombak on a PN ticket.
The predominantly Malay constituency, with a mix of urban and semi-urban areas spread across Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, was considered an Umno fort until Azmin won it for PKR in 2008.
In 2018, he retained the seat, beating candidates from PAS and Umno with a majority of 48,721 votes.
Last month, Azmin responded to suggestions that Anwar challenge him in Gombak, as the PKR supremo eyed several options in moving out of Port Dickson.
"Whoever wants to come to Gombak, please do," he said. "If you want to send your wife or your children, too, go ahead."
Anwar has since said that he will contest in Tambun, Perak, against the incumbent from Bersatu, Ahmad Faizal Azumu.


Entire country expected to move to Phase 2 in early August, says Ismail Sabri

The entire country is expected to move into Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) in early August, Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.He said this was based on the performance of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK), which indicated that the rate of individuals completing two doses of vaccine had exceeded the 10% threshold for the country to move from Phase One to Phase Two of the NRP.He said this development was an indication that the country was on the right track to achieving herd immunity.“This indicator is in line with the NRP which expected the vaccination rate to reach 10% of the population by the end of July.“If this positive development continues, the whole country will be able to move into Phase Two in early August, just like the states announced before this,” Ismail said in a statement on the NRP and the enhanced movement control order (EMCO).According to PICK data, 11.8% had completed two doses of vaccine as of yesterday.Perlis, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang moved into Phase Two of the NRP on July 5, followed by Penang (July 7), Sabah (July 10) and Sarawak today.Under the NRP, transition between phases occurs after the threshold values for the three main indicators are met.The three key threshold value indicators for transition into Phase Two are that the number of daily Covid-19 cases drops to below 4,000, the rate of bed usage in ICUs reaches a moderate level, and 10% of the population receives two doses of vaccine.


Anwar hints at opposition’s support for Ismail in confidence vote

Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim has hinted that the opposition will not vote against Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in the event that a vote of confidence is tabled to confirm his support for the top post.“We have informed that if this is the atmosphere, and the programmes are pro-people, we will not make it difficult,” he told reporters after meeting Ismail at the Prime Minister’s Office today.Anwar, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu were earlier called by Ismail for a discussion, seen as in keeping with palace advice that the new government work together with the opposition in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.Anwar said Ismail’s invitation to them today showed that Umno was shedding its “No Anwar, No DAP” rule.“Ismail represents Umno, but he met with Anwar and DAP. So I joked to him that this ‘No Anwar, No DAP’ stand has changed,” he said.Anwar added that the meeting had not touched on the opposition’s involvement in Putrajaya’s National Recovery Council, but that the PH leaders had raised several issues related to the economy.Anwar was Ismail’s closest contender for the prime minister’s post, following the power vacuum caused by the resignation of Muhyiddin Yassin.Following a count by Istana Negara, it was announced that Ismail had received the support of 114 MPs.However, there is dispute over the number of MPs who backed Anwar, with some saying only 92 stated their support for the Port Dickson MP.The palace had earlier said that the new prime minister should reaffirm his support through a vote of confidence in the Dewan Rakyat.


Daily cases drop below 9,000

Another 8,743 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,332,221.Another 14,422 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,184,711.Meanwhile 770 are in the ICU, including 714 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 419 are in need of respiratory assistance including 304 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 8,743 cases reported today, 122 (1.4%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 8,621 (98.6%) are in Category One and Two.


Zahid again warns BN MPs to toe the line, wants palace deadline extended

Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has reminded BN MPs again that they would violate their undertakings signed with the coalition if they do not follow the top leadership's decision on who to back as prime minister.
Zahid said that BN had yet to enter into any negotiations with any bloc, and that it needed more time before submitting statutory declarations to the Dewan Rakyat speaker, as instructed by Istana Negara yesterday.
"Any individual who signs a document or SD to nominate anyone as a candidate for prime minister will be in violation of the party's ruling as well as the SD signed by every BN candidate before, and as such it would be deemed invalid," he said.
Zahid's statement comes even as he and several BN leaders are believed to have started negotiations with Pakatan Harapan leaders, all of whom are gathered at the Seri Pacific Hotel next to the Umno headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
Yesterday, Zahid denied that BN MPs had agreed to join forces with GPS and GRS to back Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister, and issued a stern reminder that only he has the mandate to decide who BN MPs support.
This came after Sarawak's GPS declared that all 22 of its MPs would back Muhyiddin, alongside those from Sabah's GRS.
Zahid has come under intense pressure to step down as Umno president and BN chairman after the coalition was trashed by PN in the recent election.
This was followed by reports from Utusan Malaysia that a majority of BN MPs were defying Zahid, and had already signed SDs in support of Muhyiddin.


Let MACC investigate Rafizi's assets first, says home minister

The home ministry will only launch an investigation into the assets of PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli if the need arises, says Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin.
Hamzah said at the moment, the investigation will only be carried out by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
"If one agency takes action, then let them do it first. We will only take action when necessary," he said when asked by reporters if the police would investigate Rafizi over the declaration of his assets.
Yesterday, the media reported that MACC would open an investigation paper on the asset declaration submitted by Rafizi.
Prior to that, NGO Pertubuhan Jalinan Perpaduan Negara had urged MACC to investigate assets worth over RM18 million declared by Rafizi, who is also Pakatan Harapan's candidate for the Pandan parliamentary seat. Meanwhile, Hamzah said a total of 92 cases of election offences were reported nationwide as of yesterday, including under the Election Offences Act 1954, as well as the misuse of social media.
"We are investigating and will also look into offences under other acts. We don’t want anything untoward to happen," he said.


US judge orders Trump lawyers not to share evidence ahead of trial

A US judge in Florida on Monday ordered defence lawyers for former president Donald Trump not to release evidence in the classified documents case with the news media or the public ahead of trial, according to a court filing.
The order from US Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart also put strict conditions on Trump's access to the materials.
"Discovery materials, along with any information derived therefrom, shall not be disclosed to the public or the news media, or disseminated on any news or social media platform, without prior notice to and consent of the US or approval of the Court," the order filed on Monday said.
It also specified that Trump "shall not retain copies" and that he may only review case materials "under the direct supervision of defence counsel or a member of defense counsel's staff."
The order granted a motion filed last week by prosecutors who had asked the court to put conditions on how the defence stores and uses the documents.


In rural India, fear of testing and vaccines hampers Covid-19 fight

When health worker Neelam Kumari knocks on doors in Indian villages the occupants sometimes run out the back, terrified that she wants to vaccinate them against Covid-19.With India’s devastating recent virus surge easing in cities, the deadly pandemic is ravaging the vast poverty-stricken rural hinterland. But here, ignorance and fear rule.“A lot of people in my village don’t want to take the vaccine. They fear that they will die if they take it,” Kumari told AFP in Dhatrath, a collection of two-storey buildings in Haryana state with buffaloes wandering the streets.“One of the villagers was so angry that he beat up a (health) worker who was trying to convince him to take the vaccine.”Just 15% of people in rural areas, compared with 30% in towns and cities, have received at least one vaccine dose so far – even though two-thirds of cases are being reported in the countryside, according to an analysis by The Hindu daily.Rumours are shared online or spread through messaging apps like WhatsApp. Fears that 5G causes Covid-19 led to mobile towers being attacked in Haryana.“People do not even step forward for testing as they think the government will declare them Covid-positive even if they are not,” Shoeb Ali, a doctor in Miyaganj village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, told AFP.‘Deaths after shots’This fear pervades despite the sight of bodies dumped in rivers and hundreds of shallow graves suggesting that Covid-19 is raging in India’s hinterland where 70% of the 1.3-billion population lives.In Nuran Khera village in Haryana, residents are reluctant to get inoculated even though they said many households reported having fever – and dozens of people dying.“Even after opening up a vaccine centre here, nobody is ready to take it,” villager Rajesh Kumar, 45, told AFP.“I won’t take the vaccine because it has many side effects. People get sick after getting vaccines.”In other states, reports have emerged of people jumping into rivers or fleeing into forests just to escape mobile health teams.Hom Kumari, a health worker at Bhatau Jamalpur village in Uttar Pradesh, said some locals seemed impossible to convince.“What do we tell someone who says, ‘If I’m destined to live, I will, even without the vaccine’?,” she asked.Health facilities are also few and far between and some people believe that going to a public hospital is more dangerous than staying away.“People who went to hospital never came back,” another villager in Nuran Khera, who gave his first name as Kuldip, told AFP.Kumar said that when his wife fell sick, a private clinic wanted 50,000 rupees (US$700) in advance to treat her. A doctor at a public hospital said to take her home.“My neighbours started saying she has corona. They were frightened,” he added. “I took care of her and on the third day she was back on her feet.”Communication keyCoronavirus has also dealt the Indian economy a heavy blow, and villagers are often more worried about making ends meet, said community health specialist Rajib Dasgupta.“It’s extremely difficult to communicate why vaccination is important until some of those distressed conditions are alleviated,” Dasgupta told AFP.Experts say that India needs to apply the lessons learnt in its polio vaccination campaign in the 2000s of children under five.The programme succeeded after trusted community leaders were involved to spread the message to parents that inoculation was safe.Using a similar approach, religious leaders in Uttar Pradesh were recently called in to encourage their followers to get vaccinated for coronavirus.Navneet Singh, who oversees immunisation efforts in Haryana’s Jind district, says that face-to-face communication had helped ensure that nearly 70 percent of over-45s in Kalwa and neighbouring villages have received at least one shot.Kalwa health worker Sheela Devi said her “heart was pounding” when her name was included in the vaccination list, but she was reassured when she saw the local doctor getting the shot.Now she works every day in the village, going door-to-door trying to talk people round, with some success.“Gradually they were convinced that even if they get corona after getting vaccinated, they won’t need hospitalisation. They can take medicines and recover at home,” the 45-year-old told AFP.


Former top judge warns Umno against embracing ‘Bossku’, says Zahid must go

Former chief justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad has warned Umno supporters against embracing scandal-tainted leaders in the wake of the party’s victory in the Melaka election.Hamid, who retired as chief justice in 2008 after more than 50 years of service in the judiciary, criticised Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and supporters who had shouted “Long Live Bossku” to celebrate the party’s victory last Saturday.The term “Bossku” is a reference to Najib Razak as part of his image makeover after his fall from power in 2018 and the subsequent corruption charges slapped against him.“It is counter-productive. We must think about the consequences before doing something, and not according to emotions,” Hamid wrote in an analysis penned on the newly concluded election.Former chief justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad.Barisan Nasional dominated by Umno won 21 of the 28 seats in the election.Hamid warned Umno of liabilities in its ranks, adding that the party must carry out reforms which include purging leaders such as Zahid, who is also facing multiple corruption charges.“The Malays still want Umno but they want Umno to change.“To change, Zahid needs to step down or be removed as Umno president. The same goes for Umno leaders who are a liability to the party,” he added.He said the Malays support Umno because they are prepared to close an eye to the party’s “dark history” in the hope of seeing it cleansed of corruption and power abuse.“The most important lesson for Umno is that it must realise that the Malays have given it another chance.“Its leaders and members should not be arrogant and repeat the cancerous practice of money politics.”Hamid said the election showed that the Malays not only reject Pakatan Harapan, but are also fed up with its chairman Anwar Ibrahim.“It would be good for him to forget his ambition to become prime minister and retire from politics,” he said.


India trims tax on fuel, essential commodities to fight inflation

India on Saturday announced a series of changes to the tax structure levied on crucial commodities in a bid to insulate consumers from rising prices amid high inflation.Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a cut in excise duty on petrol by eight rupees (US$0.1028) per litre, and six rupees per litre on diesel.The new tax regime on petrol and diesel could result in a loss of about one trillion Indian rupees to the government in annual revenue due to the lower collection, she said in a series of tweets.The government also removed the import duty on anthracite, PCI coal and coking coal in a bid to reduce raw material costs for local market demand.The latest measures will be effective from May 22, the government said in a notification after the announcement by Sitharaman, who also urged state governments to follow suit with similar reductions on fuel prices keeping in line with federal plans.A litre of petrol currently costs 105.41 rupees, while diesel is at 96.67 rupees in New Delhi.The government will also provide a fresh subsidy of 200 rupees per cooking gas cylinder to over 90 million beneficiaries under a welfare scheme introduced for women below the poverty line.The subsidy will have an annual revenue implication of nearly 61 billion Indian rupees, Sitharaman said.“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has specifically asked all arms of the government to work with sensitivity and give relief to the common man,” she said.The government was also working to reduce taxes on raw materials for plastic products to lower down the cost of final products.Experts said the latest moves will likely increase fiscal concerns and raise doubts about government meeting its deficit target of 6.4% of GDP for 2022-23.But inflation has become a major headache for Modi’s government ahead of elections to several Indian state assemblies this year.A sharp jump in inflation meant input costs escalated for businesses.The rise prompted the central bank to hike interest rates at an unscheduled policy meeting this month.“Today’s decisions, especially the one relating to a significant drop in petrol and diesel prices, will positively impact various sectors, provide relief to our citizens,” Modi wrote on Twitter. “It is always people first for us!”


Fire-fighter Casemiro provides spark to put Brazil through to last 16

Brazil defensive midfielder Casemiro took a break from putting out fires to score a scorching goal that sent his side into the last 16 of the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Switzerland in their Group G clash at the 974 Stadium on Monday.
Casemiro's late goal won him the man of the match award and spared Brazil's blushes after a scrappy performance that saw them hit plenty of loose passes before he struck his brilliant finish seven minutes from the end of normal time.
"It is very clear that my very first objective is to support the team... to put out fires wherever they may be. But nevertheless, if there is an opportunity to take a little shot on goal, I think that's very important," the 30-year-old told a news conference.
Casemiro smiled as he spoke about the win and the goal but he was in no hurry to take all the credit for himself, despite scoring the match-winner.
"Regardless of the goal scored, I think it's very important to have helped the team, when we win, we all win together, when we lose, we all lose together," he said.
Just before the new conference, injured teammate Neymar tweeted: "Casemiro has been the best midfielder in the world for a long time". Coach Tite made an exception when asked if he agreed with that sentiment.
"I always respect other opinions and I usually don't comment on them, but I'll allow myself to do so today – I agree," the coach, who played as a midfielder himself, told reporters.
Brazil top the group on six points, three ahead of the Swiss and five ahead of Cameroon and Serbia, who they face in their final group game.
"We have to reassess the physical condition (of the players) with physicians and medical staff and then yes, we'll think about what will happen, but today we must enjoy the win," Tite said.


Daily caseload tops 14,900 as another 31 deaths reported

Another 14,944 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,307,529.There were 14,045 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,113,831.There are now 158,439 active cases, of which 154,880 or 97.8% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 341 (0.2%) are at quarantine centres while 3,012 (1.9%) have been hospitalised.A total of 206 are in ICU with 109 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 54.6%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 23.7%.Another 31 deaths were reported, including six who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,259.


Australia's visa overhaul leaves Chinese millionaires in limbo

In 2018 Paul Wang left his home in Beijing to start a new life in Australia, investing US$680,000 (about RM3.1 million) in a food processing business in the hopes of qualifying for permanent residency under the country's investment visa scheme.
Five years on, his hopes for his family of three remain on hold as the government has put the controversial "Golden Visa" programme on the back burner, causing processing times to blow out, leaving wealthy migrants like Wang in limbo.
"We were not expecting it would take this long," said Wang, 44. "And our life is a mess because of that. We simply cannot plan ahead with all of the uncertainty."
When Australia introduced the Business Innovation and Investment Programme (BIIP) in 2012, the hope was that wealthy business owners, investors and entrepreneurs would boost the economy by bringing in capital and driving innovation.
The results, though, have been underwhelming. A government review published in March found BIIP migrants contributed less to the economy than the average Australian, as the cohort, despite their wealth, tended to be older and earned lower incomes through capital returns on passive investments.
The review estimated the lifetime economic contribution of BIIP holders at A$600,000, less than half the US$1.6 million of Australians.
After coming to power 13 months ago, Australia's Labor government shifted priority to easing shortages of critical skilled workers. Partly as a result, most BIIP permanent visas are taking nearly three years to process, up from a previous average around 12 months, and in addition to an investment cycle of four to five years.
Wang has been waiting 21 months.
Similar investment visa schemes have been scrapped in Canada, Britain and Singapore as governments conclude they do not create jobs and could be a means to park speculative money.
Every category of Australian visas experienced a backlog during Covid-19. As the pandemic has eased, the government has cut processing times overall, but the wait for more than 3,000 BIIP holders and their families - many Chinese - has only lengthened.
'People won't sympathise'
Some BIIP applicants plan to protest in Sydney on Friday against the government's policy shift, a rarity as Chinese migrants largely avoid public dissent.
Asked about the visa delays, the Department of Home Affairs said in an emailed statement the government would process all visas in line with priority and planning levels, declining to comment on the complaints from BIIP holders.
It said a new migration strategy would be released later this year, which would include "radically reshaping" the BIIP programme.
The delays have raised concern that the government might scrap the BIIP programme, said Tony Le Nevez, managing director at residence and citizenship planners Henley & Partners Australia, whose clients have invested at least A$5 million each in the country.
"I just don't think the investor programme is on their radar at the moment - they might overhaul it down the track. In the meantime, I think they might just keep a small window open.”
The government plans to shrink its BIIP allocation from 5,000 visas last financial year to 1,900 this year - less than 20% of the level of earlier years.
BIIP holders say they are curtailing business investment given the uncertainty, postponing life decisions and in some cases selling properties in Australia. Some say they must hold on to loss-making businesses to keep their visa prospects alive, missing out on investments with greater returns.
"The forever wait means that even if I'm running my business at a loss, I cannot just close shop and move on," said Tan, a Chinese investor who owns a furniture shop in Melbourne and asked to be identified only by his surname due to privacy concerns. He has been waiting for 33 months.
Wang, who gave up on plans last year to buy more land for his factory because of the uncertainty of his visa status, said he was prepared to offload his assets in Australia and move to the US for his daughter's education next year.
"I know a lot of people won't sympathise with us - we're a small group of people," Wang said. "But we're not being treated fairly."