Waiting for the water train in scorching India

Afroz misses school every day to spend hours waiting with a handcart full of containers for a special train bringing precious water to people suffering a heatwave in India’s desert state of Rajasthan.Temperatures often exceed 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) here, but this year the heat came early in what many experts say is more proof of climate change making life unbearable for India’s 1.4 billion people.“It’s always been very hot here and we have always struggled for water,” Afroz, 13, told AFP as he waited in Pali district for the second time that day for the special train.“But I don’t remember filling up containers in April.”For more than three weeks now, the 40-wagon train – carrying some 2 million litres – has been the only source of water for thousands of people in the district.UntreatedEvery day, dozens of people – mostly women and children – jostle with blue plastic jerry cans and metal pots to fill from hoses gushing water out of the army-green train into an underground tank.Water has been dispatched by train to Pali before, but according to local railway officials, the shortage this year was already critical in April so they started early.The wagons – filled in Jodhpur, around 65km (40 miles) away – are first emptied into cement storage tanks, from which the water is sent to a treatment plant for filtering and distribution.But for Afroz’s family and many others like them, life is easier if they fill directly from the storage tanks, despite the water being untreated.That their children skip school at times to ensure there is water in the house is what hits the families the most.“I can’t ask the breadwinner of the family to help me. Otherwise, we’ll be struggling for both food and water,” Afroz’s mother Noor Jahan said as she filled up an aluminium pot.“It is affecting my child’s education, but what do I do? I cannot carry all these containers on my own,” she told AFP.Cracked feetHundreds of millions of people in South Asia have been sweltering in an early summer heatwave in recent weeks, with India seeing its warmest March on record.In India and Pakistan, “more intense heat waves of longer durations and occurring at a higher frequency are projected”, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said in a recent landmark report.The “cascading impacts” of heatwaves on agricultural output, water, energy supplies and other sectors are already apparent, World Meteorological Organization chief Petteri Taalas said this month.On Friday, India banned wheat exports – needed to help fill a supply gap due to the Ukraine war – in part due to the heat wilting crops.Together, high humidity and heat can create “wet-bulb temperatures” so vicious that sweating no longer cools people down, potentially killing a healthy adult within hours.“I have already made three trips from my house in the last one hour. And I’m the only one who can do it,” said Laxmi, another woman collecting water, pointing to cracks on her feet.“We have no direct water to our homes and it is so hot. What are we supposed to do if something happens to us while we walk up and down to fetch water?”‘Extreme depletion’In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an ambitious Jal Jeevan (Water Life) Mission, promising a functional tap connection to all households in rural India by 2024.But less than 50% of the population has access to safely managed drinking water, according to UNICEF, with two-thirds of India’s 718 districts affected by “extreme water depletion”.A little further from Pali, 68-year-old Shivaram walked on the cracked bottom of a dried-out pond in Bandai village, his bright-pink turban protecting his head from the scorching sun.The pond – which was the main source of water for both residents and their animals – has been dry for almost two years because of low rainfall. The shells of dead turtles litter the cracked mud.“Farmers have been severely impacted,” Shivaram said. “Some of our animals have died too.”


Third French national lockdown on the cards as new Covid variants run amok

A third national lockdown will probably soon be needed to combat coronavirus in France, the country’s top medical adviser said on Sunday.Prof Jean-Francois Delfraissy, head of the scientific council that advises French leaders on Covid-19, said “there is an emergency” and this week will be critical.He called for swift government action, amid increasing concerns about the fast spread of new variants of the coronavirus despite a strict and unpopular curfew.Delfraissy said data showed a new more transmissible variant first detected in the UK now makes up around 9% of new cases in some French regions.He said the country was in a better situation than others in Europe but described the new variants as the “equivalent of a second pandemic”.“If we do not tighten regulations, we will find ourselves in an extremely difficult situation from mid-March,” he warned during an interview with BFM television.Officials have so far resisted implementing a third national lockdown, preferring the overnight curfew which allows schools to stay open.But daily infection numbers are rising and seem to be inexorable.French Prime Minister Jean Castex previously said restrictions would be imposed “without delay” if the situation deteriorated further.The country’s death toll topped 73,000 on Sunday, as arrivals into the country were further restricted.Under new rules anyone entering France from inside the EU by air or ferry must now present a negative Covid-19 test result taken within 72 hours of travel.Those entering France from the EU by road, including cross-border workers, will not be required to take a test.President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said last week that all non-essential travel “must be strongly advised against” but EU nations have so far agreed to keep borders open.The French government is expected to meet on Wednesday to decide if further measures are needed.


Philippine prisons chief denies digging escape tunnel for inmates

A Philippine corrections chief accused of ordering the killing of a journalist has claimed that a huge pit dug beside his home in a Manila prison complex was not an escape tunnel for inmates but for scuba diving.
Estimated to be 60m deep and 40m wide, the gaping hole was found at the official residence of Gerald Bantag after he was suspended as director general of the Bureau of Corrections.
Police have accused Bantag of ordering the murder of prominent radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa, who was shot dead outside his home in the capital last month.
He has denied involvement in the killing.
Bantag, who remains free while prosecutors decide if there is enough evidence to charge him, has admitted to local media that he ordered the excavation at his home.
Bantag said he is a scuba diver and wanted to create the "deepest swimming pool in Manila", according to an interview broadcast earlier this month.
But another swimming pool measuring about 25m long had already been built just several metres from the pit.
Bantag denied the hole was designed to be an escape tunnel for inmates locked up inside the overcrowded New Bilibid Prison, whose sprawling grounds contain Bantag's former home.
Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said last week that Bantag had told him he was searching for the fabled treasure stolen from around Southeast Asia by Japanese forces in World War II and rumoured to be buried in the Philippines.
"That was supposed to be a treasure hunt... I told him to stop it," Remulla said.
Bantag was appointed prisons chief in September 2019 by then president Rodrigo Duterte.
When AFP visited Bantag's former quarters on Wednesday, an armed security guard wearing a black T-shirt emblasoned with a marijuana plant leaf was part of a casually dressed team guarding the premises.
They said a yellow python, apparently a pet, was still slithering around the basement of the two-storey house located on the 400-hectare (988-acre) prison grounds.
Bantag also allegedly kept horses which he and detainees used to ride, said Sonny Del Rosario, chief of the Bureau of Corrections public information office.
That was "obviously not" part of the official rehabilitation programme for inmates, he told AFP on Wednesday.
"It's the first time that a director owns horses. I don't know the reason," Del Rosario said.
There were also fighting cocks found in the prison grounds, which are not allowed, but Del Rosario said they belonged to another corrections officer, not Bantag.
Del Rosario said the prisons authority had experienced "many controversies in the past" and staff would carry on.
He insisted "not all of us are corrupt".
"The majority of the employees of the Bureau of Corrections are very, very good," he said.


Aussie KFC patrons clucking mad over lettuce-cabbage switch

Fried chicken chain KFC said Tuesday that high lettuce prices in Australia have forced it to switch to a cabbage mix in burgers and other products, prompting customers to complain the result is less than “finger lickin’ good”.The local price of the verdant leaf has soared by as much as 300% in recent months, forcing the fast-food chain to tweak the Colonel’s recipe in some stores.“We’re currently experiencing a lettuce shortage. So, we’re using a lettuce and cabbage blend on all products containing lettuce until further notice,” the company told customers.The company blamed widespread flooding in the country’s east for the problem.But supply chain expert Flavio Macau of Edith Cowan University said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was also a factor, pushing up diesel and fertiliser prices.A single head of iceberg lettuce in Sydney or Melbourne that once sold for about US$2 now goes for close to US$8.The company told customers: “If that’s not your bag, simply click ‘customise’ on your chosen product and remove lettuce from the recipe :)”The change was certainly not the “bag” of some social media users.“The fact that you are replacing lettuce with cabbage makes me rethink my whole meal at KFC. There’s 4 or 5 other things I would eat before cabbage Its such a weird choice,” said one disgruntled tweeter.“Feels like a sign of the apocalypse,” said another.


Judge warns against social media comments on Zahid’s graft trial after daughter’s post

High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah today warned the public against making any comments on social media related to the ongoing corruption trial of former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.The warning was issued after deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran informed the court that Zahid’s daughter, Nurulhidayah, had made a post about her father’s case on Instagram.“This court has to issue a warning of sub judice nature about such comments. Such comments should not be made while the trial is ongoing,” Sequerah said.Earlier, Raja Rozela said the prosecution believed Nurulhidayah had made the post on the issue of immunity yesterday, on her Instagram page under the name “nurul.zahid”.“We believe that the author was Zahid’s daughter. The comment was baseless and prejudicial. It is not fair for the prosecution because the case is still ongoing.“I am not instructed to initiate a contempt proceeding but it is sufficient to inform the public not to make any comment on the proceedings,” Raja Rozela said, adding that the court should prohibit the author (Nurulhidayah) and general members of the public from making any comments on the case.Zahid’s counsel Hamidi Mohd Noh then told the court that he would ask the author (Nurulhidayah) to remove the comment.“We first apologise to the court. We will ask the author to delete the posting if the court wishes it to be removed,” Hamidi said.A check on Instagram found that Nurulhidayah had deleted the posting and posted a new one in which she apologised to the court over the matter.“I should not share or comment on what transpires during the proceedings. It will not happen again,” she said.Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges – 12 of criminal breach of trust, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering – involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.


5.8% of children given first Covid vaccine jab

A total of 206,748 children aged between five and 11, or 5.8% of the group, had received a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine as of yesterday, under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids).According to the CovidNow website, meanwhile, a total of 13,373,479 individuals or 56.8% of the adult population have received a booster dose.A total of 22,938,190 individuals or 97.5% of adults have completed their vaccination while 98.7% or 23,214,625 individuals have received at least one dose of vaccine.In terms of adolescents, a total of 2,796,021 or 89.9% have completed their vaccination while 2,875,825 or 92.5% have received at least one dose of vaccine.Yesterday, a total of 149,888 vaccine doses were given, with 38,738 as first doses, 1,489 as second shots and 109,661 as booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under PICK to 65,198,894.Meanwhile, according to the health ministry’s Github portal, 24 Covid-19 deaths were reported yesterday, with Johor and Sabah recording five cases each, Selangor four, Kedah three, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu two each and Perak one.


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Construction site fatalities the latest concern for KL residents

When Ooi Leong Seng bought a house at Taman Bukit Manda’rina in Kuala Lumpur nine years ago, he dreamt of a life of peace and serenity.But his dream was cut short after just four years, when a highway development project began less than 20m away from his front door.Now, he and his neighbours say they are haunted day and night by the Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) project which overlaps Persiaran Alam Damai just outside their locality.Residents had voiced their opposition to the project even before construction of the 24.4km highway began. Once the project was launched in 2012, their headaches began in earnest.Colin Stuart, chairman of the Residents Association of Second Enclave Bukit Manda’rina, said sometimes construction work continues into the night.“We have been complaining for years, but it’s like vomiting, eating the vomit and then vomiting again,” he told MalaysiaNow.As construction continued, the carriageway began looming over their homes, dominating the skyline. One column was put up directly in front of their guardhouse.Construction of the Sungai Besi–Ulu Klang Elevated Expressway takes place less than 20m from the nearest house in Taman Bukit Manda’rina, Kuala Lumpur.Stuart also voiced concern about safety, saying there have been cases of debris and pebbles falling on residents’ cars.“Last year, a construction worker had a narrow escape when a metal beam fell just inches away from him,” he said, adding that the incident had been caught on CCTV.The SUKE project made headlines this month after several fatal incidents at the construction site, the most recent of which claimed the lives of three Chinese workers.The workers died when a launcher crane gave way. The crane landed on a passing car, injuring the driver as well.Works Minister Fadillah Yusof later ordered an immediate stop to construction and maintainance work to allow an investigation into the cause of the incident.He said initial investigations found that the contractor had complied with the stipulated SOPs.The metal beam which fell near a construction worker just in front of the guard house last year.Earlier this month, two people were killed when the van in which they were travelling on the MRR2 Highway near Bandar Tasik Selatan was struck by a bridge which collapsed after being hit by a trailer.Commenting on the most recent fatalities, Stuart questioned the move to conduct overhead work at 8am.“They sent a notice stating that they would be conducting some work at night. So why did they continue to work during peak hour? Where was the flagman? How can you move heavy machinery overhead when there is traffic below?”He added that the construction work had caused damage to the drainage system at both sides of Persiaran Alam Damai.Business owners in the nearby Taman Len Seng and Damai 23 areas also said they had seen a dip in cash flow due to the construction work.Kenny Lin, a spokesman for businesses in Alam Damai, said much of the disruption over the past two years was due to road closures.“It is hard for businesses to operate when they close the roads,” he said to MalaysiaNow.“Customers avoid the area as it is hard for them to park, and the alternative roads are small and congested.“Now, with the recent fatalities, they are planning to close another road. This time, we are asking for compensation.”Screws and bolts from the construction site found near the Taman Bukit Manda’rina guard house.Activist Mak Khuin Weng questioned the frequency of accidents at the site, asking if anyone is being held accountable.“We don’t see the supervisor or the developer actually being held responsible,” he said. “The action starts and ends with the contractor in the form of fines.”Mak, a former Petaling Jaya City Council councillor, also cited the SUK environmental impact assessment report, saying no details were available on safety except for a request for the developer to hire a traffic management consultant.He said the reports identify the project issues in broad terms but that implementation of specific SOPs are left to the developer or contractor.MalaysiaNow is still attempting to get a response from Prolintas.The project developer yesterday appointed an independent auditor to study the cause of this week’s incident, apart from the probe by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health.“The appointment of this independent auditor is the SOP when something unforeseen happens at highway construction sites.“All highway project developer companies are responsible for ensuring that all contractors and sub-contractors comply with the work rules and procedures set,” the Malaysian Highway Authority said in a statement.


No more race-based formula in allocating funds for schools

Financial allocations for schools nationwide will no longer be race-based as Putrajaya introduces a new formula that focuses on public and other government-funded schools that need more attention.The education ministry, in announcing the details of how it will spend the RM50.36 billion budget allocated to it for 2021, said there will be a more transparent approach in the allocation funds for schools, based on the number of schools and not on the type.Its minister Radzi Jidin said a total of RM800 million will be allocated for the maintenance of schools, of which RM620 million will be for the 10,223 government and government-funded schools nationwide.He said this means an average of RM60,648 for each school.He added that the formula only applies to government schools and not those outside of the education ministry’s jurisdiction such as tahfiz and private religious schools.“However, it does not mean we will pay that amount to each school. They must apply and we will study their applications,” Radzi said at a press conference today.He said the 2021 budget did not specifically state the allocations, as the finance ministry has for the first time allowed the education ministry to decide how to distribute the allotments.The new formula will ensure that the maintenance of all public schools is the responsibility of the government, he added.Radzi said the new formula will also ensure more transparency and greater fairness in the distribution of funds.He said all schools whether big or small need to be given equal financial attention.Education Minister Radzi Jidin speaks at a press conference today in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.“For example, there will be some who question allocations for schools which do not have a large student population.“That’s not the issue. If the toilet in a school is in disrepair, it does not matter whether it has only 200 students, it is they who will be affected,” he said.However, he acknowledged that the RM620 million for the upkeep of schools would not be enough to cater to all applications.


National archer Haziq Kamaruddin dies aged 27

National archer Haziq Kamaruddin died this morning at age 27.A family member who wished to remain anonymous said the Olympian recurve archer had collapsed after performing the subuh prayer at his house in Kajang.“He suddenly collapsed as soon as he came out from the toilet after the prayer and lost consciousness,” she told Bernama when contacted.Haziq’s body is now at the Kajang hospital for post-mortem.The archer, who hailed from Johor, had competed in two Olympic Games: the London 2012 and Rio 2016 editions. He had been hunting for slots for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, scheduled to be held from July 23 until Aug 8.Haziq also represented Malaysia at various levels for a decade and won many medals, including a gold medal at the 2011 Asian Grand Prix in Laos and a bronze medal at the 2019 Asia Cup in the Philippines.He also won four gold and two silver medals in individual and team events throughout his participation in the SEA Games from 2011 until 2019.Haziq, together with diving queen Pandelela Rinong, were named the Bukit Jalil Sports School Sportsman and Sportswoman for 2012.His teammate Zulfadhli Ruslan was among the first to express his condolences over Haziq’s passing on his Facebook account.“Assalamualaikum, I regret to inform you that my friend Haziq Kamaruddin had returned to his creator this morning. May his soul be showered with blessings and placed among the pious. Let’s pray for him. Al-Fatihah,” he wrote.


PN runner-up for Malay votes as support for BN declines

Perikatan Nasional (PN) has emerged as the runner-up in terms of Malay votes as support for Barisan Nasional (BN) dips, the latest pre-election survey by independent pollster Merdeka Center shows.
The survey, conducted from Oct 19 to 28 among 1,209 voters aged 18 and above, found Malay support for BN at 32%, followed by PN (20%), Pakatan Harapan (PH) (13%), and Gerakatan Tanah Air (GTA) and other pacts (2%).
A total of 29% said they had no preference or were unsure, while 4% did not respond.
Merdeka Center said the findings appeared to indicate a decline in overt preference among Malay voters for BN and a small increase towards PH.
"Yet at the same time, there remained as many as 29% of Malay voters who remarked that they had no preference or were still undecided," it said.
"It is possible that some of these undecided voters may still vote in favour of the ruling party, but past experience tells us that the majority of them will likely go to either opposing party, i.e. PN and/or PH."
Among the Indian voters, 32% indicated support for BN, 1% for PN, and 51% for PH. Some 6% were unsure and 2% said they had no preference for any party while 8% did not respond.
Among the Chinese voters, meanwhile, support for BN was at 5%, PN 1%, PH 47% and GTA 1%. A total of 23% said they were unsure and 18% indicated no preference while 3% refused to answer.
Across age groups, voters in the 18 to 20 bracket indicated 28% support for BN, 24% for PN, and 30% for PH. A total of 10% said they had no preference.
Those aged 21 to 40 indicated 21% support for BN, 14% for PN and 26% for PH, while voters over the age of 40 marked 27% support for BN, 10% for PN and 24% for PH.
For both these age brackets, 16% said they had no preference for political party.
The majority of voters – 72% – said the country was headed in the wrong direction while 20% said Malaysia remained on the right track.
Concerns included the state of the economy, political uncertainty due to the upcoming election, and other issues such as corruption and race.
A total of 74% said the economy was the biggest problem at the moment while other concerns ranged from inflation (31%) to political instability (13%), corruption (12%) and economic growth (12%).
The approval rating for the federal government stood at 31% with 60% indicating dissatisfaction, while the approval rating for the caretaker prime minister was at 42%.
In terms of factors behind voting choices, 31% said they were focused on local candidates followed by party (21%) and national leadership (13%).
First time voters aged 18 to 20 were twice as likely to look at national leadership (24%) than the rest of the electorate.
Regarding candidate characteristics, the top desirable features were "someone with good ideas for the country" (27%), "clean and trustworthy" (24%) and "able to bring development to the area" (13%).
Younger voters placed more emphasis on "clean and trustworthy" (34%) and less on the candidate's ability to "bring development" (4%).
"In our opinion, the presence of three significant coalitions with large bases of support as well as uncertainties on likely turnout rates make it difficult to estimate the outcome in terms of projected number of parliamentary seats," Merdeka Center said.
"At this point in time, with the lower-than-expected level of Malay voter support for BN, it is possible to imagine that no single coalition will attain a large enough plurality to form a government with just one other party or coalition.
"Instead, there is a rising possibility that at least three or more parties/coalitions are needed to cooperate to form a government with a simple majority."
The racial demographics of the survey were Malay (52%), Chinese (29%), Indian (7%), Muslim Bumiputera (6%) and non-Muslim Bumiputera from Sabah and Sarawak (6%).
Respondents were selected randomly and from each of the country's 222 parliamentary constituencies.


Govt not ruling out return of GST, says deputy minister

The government has not ruled out the possibility of reintroducing the goods and services tax (GST), Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan said today.
He said the government was still studying the impact of implementing the GST in the current economic situation and assessing the appropriate time for it to be reintroduced to help raise the country's revenue.
“The government has not planned to bring back the GST as announced in the Budget 2023. However, we are not rejecting this (discussion) of the GST. It is just that it will not be implemented this year.
“The GST can be a progressive tax in the future, by having zero-rated goods and services used by the bottom (B40) group,” he said during the Dewan Rakyat’s question-and-answer session today.
He was responding to RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong) who asked whether the government would reintroduce the GST which he said had previously burdened the people.
Ahmad said about 90% of countries around the world, including those on the value-added tax regime, have implemented the GST.
“A total of 174 countries have implemented the GST. It is impossible that they made a mistake when they made that decision.
“Therefore, the GST can help (the country) raise more income in the future, which in turn can be used to help those who are in need and to eradicate poverty,” he said.


Are young voters really relevant or key to winning?

The recently concluded Johor state election last Saturday (March 12) has only served to confirm that mainstream coalitions such as Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) are still the dominant players on the scene. That said, budding new entrant Muda managed to win one state seat with the help of PH.Muda secretary-general Amira Aisya Abd Aziz, 27, won the Puteri Wangsa state seat with a majority of 7,114 votes in a six-cornered fight. She defeated BN’s Ng Yew Aik, Pejuang’s Khairil Anwar Razali, PN’s Loh Kah Yong, Parti Bangsa Malaysia’s (PBM) Steven Choong Shiau Yoon and independent Adzrin Adam.However, Muda did not manage to win the remaining six seats contested.Therefore, whether both the voters from the 21-29 age group and the new bloc of voters from the 18-20 (so-called Undi 18) age group will play a critical role in subsequent elections – or hold the key to decisive electoral victory – remains to be seen.Let us look at the proportion of young voters under the seven seats contested by Muda in Table 1:Of the remaining six seats contested by Muda, BN won five and PN one. Despite Parit Raja, Machap and Bukit Permai having over 30% of Johorean voters under 30, BN secured all three state seats comfortably.Let us also look at the other state constituencies with over 30% of Johorean voters under 30 in Table 2:When combining Table 1 and Table 2 to analyse how Muda as a youth-based political party and main coalitions such as BN, PN and PH performed, BN secured 13 out of 18 state seats with over 30% of young voters under 30, followed by PH with three. PN and Muda each secured one state seat.Nevertheless, let us further analyse state seats with over 30% of young voters under 30 based on the Malay, Chinese and Indian ethnic classifications in Table 3.Of these 15 state seats with over 30% of young voters under 30, BN secured 11 seats, followed by PH with three and Muda with one.State seats such as Kemelah, Bukit Pasir, Parit Yaani, Parti Raja, Machap, Panti, Pasir Raja, Tiram, Permas, Kota Iskandar and Bukit Permai with over 50% of Malay population and less than 45% of Chinese and Indian population were secured by BN. On the other hand, PH managed to win urban state seats such as Simpang Jeram and Johor Jaya with similar ethnic group compositions.The urban-rural divide is also a factor, with BN dominating the semi-urban and rural constituencies.Muda could win Puteri Wangsa mainly due to the over 60% of non-Malay population within this urban state constituency. With a slightly higher non-Malay population in semi-urban state seats such as Bukit Batu, PKR managed to secure only this one for the party in the election.With merely 53.6% of overall voter turnout during this Johor state election, potentially there could well be only 14% of young Johoreans under 30 (approximately 103,732 out of 740,945) who cast their votes.According to the Election Commission (EC), 28.53% out of 2,597,742 eligible Johorean voters are under 30 years old; 173,177 Johoreans (6.67%) are between 18-20 years old; and 567,768 voters (21.86%) are between 21 and 29 years old.Some NGOs such as Undi Johor and the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall Youth assisted voters living outside of Johor to fulfil their democratic duty and vote in the Johor state election. However, the outreach efforts were limited – either some Johoreans (including those staying in the city centre of Johor Bahru) were not aware of their eligibility to vote or had no clue about the voting process.In addition, many young Johoreans do not have a clear and distinct idea of the ideologies of the various parties, what concrete or fleshed-out policies they will bring to the table, and what initiatives they intend to implement to help young Johoreans overcome their economic woes.Moreover, some young Johoreans working or studying in other states or countries either chose not to go home to cast their votes on polling day or did not arrange postal voting before the deadline on Feb 18. Rising Covid-19 cases during recent weeks and financial barriers to travelling back to their respective home town constituencies were among the factors that deterred them from voting.As a result, only 7,824 Malaysians overseas registered as postal voters for the Johor state election. Some state constituencies near Singapore like Puteri Wangsa, Johor Jaya and Kota Iskandar (see Table 3) recorded the lowest voter turnout at 46.94%, 51.58% and 48.72% respectively.Therefore, to increase awareness about the importance of voting among eligible young voters under 30 nationwide, the EC could take the lead to educate urban and rural Malaysian youths on why votes matter by conducting roadshows, seminars and workshops.Although Undi 18 – as a Malaysian youth movement – advocated for the amendment of Article 119(1) of the Federal Constitution to reduce the minimum voting age in Malaysia from 21 to 18, many of the youths residing outside of the Klang Valley are oblivious to the current political climate in the country. They are unaware of how their votes could influence policymaking and the impact on the next generation(s) to come.In a nutshell, the government, political parties and civil societies have to think of creative ways to encourage, educate and mobilise more young voters under 30 to come out and vote in the subsequent elections, especially in relation to the soon-to-be-held 15th general election. Continuous efforts in spurring the young to be involved in the democratic process would motivate them to vote for a better future for Malaysia.Amanda Yeo is a research analyst at independent think tank Emir Research.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Yellen urges 'direct' talks, US-China climate collaboration

Washington and Beijing should communicate "directly" on concerns about specific economic practices, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Saturday, urging greater cooperation between the world's two biggest economies despite fraught ties.
Yellen is on a four-day trip to Beijing as the US seeks to cool tensions and stress areas of collaboration between the two countries.
In a meeting Saturday with Vice Premier He Lifeng, she pointed to record bilateral trade last year as proof of just how intertwined they are.
"There is ample room for our firms to engage in trade and investment," she told He at the Diaoyutai state guesthouse.
"Where we have concerns about specific economic practices, we should and will communicate them directly."
Vice Premier He said Beijing regretted that "unexpected incidents" had derailed efforts to improve ties following a meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in November.
"There were some problems in the implementation of the consensus reached by the two heads of state," he said.
But following Yellen's visit this week and her Friday meeting with Premier Li Qiang, he added, "China will earnestly implement the consensus reached between you and Premier Li Qiang and turn it into concrete actions".
Her bilateral meeting with He lasted around five hours and was followed by a dinner. A treasury statement said she raised issues of concern in the "candid" talks, while discussing the US approach of healthy economic competition.
China's official Xinhua news agency added that China "expressed concern" on US sanctions and restrictions but both sides agreed to boost cooperation on global challenges.
Yellen also met the party chief of China's central bank Pan Gongsheng on Friday, speaking on global macroeconomic and financial developments, the Treasury added in a separate statement.
While emphasising areas where the two powers need to work together, she has defended US moves to "de-risk" its economy from China, and tackle what Washington sees as unfair treatment of American businesses.
Yellen told a roundtable of experts in China on Saturday that collaboration between the two powers on climate financing was "critical".
"As the world's two largest emitters of greenhouse gases and the largest investors in renewable energy, we have both a joint responsibility – and ability – to lead the way," she said.
"The US and China must work together to address this existential threat," she added.
Saying that "climate finance should be targeted efficiently and effectively", she pressed China to support existing multilateral institutions such as the Green Climate Fund.
"Both our economies seek to support partners in emerging markets and developing countries as they strive to meet their climate goals, and I believe continued US-China cooperation on climate finance is critical."
China last year briefly said it was suspending talks on the climate after Nancy Pelosi, then speaker of the House of Representatives, visited Taiwan – the self-ruled democracy claimed by Beijing.
But there are signs talks could restart, with US envoy John Kerry due to travel to China to discuss cooperation on climate change.
Yellen also said in her meeting with Chinese Premier Li that it was key for both countries to closely communicate on global economic affairs, while making joint efforts on international challenges such as debt distress.
'Big ticket items'
The Treasury chief's high-level meeting with Li likely "set the tone" for the rest of her visit, said Lyu Xiang, a Sino-US relations expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
On Saturday, Yellen also spoke with women economists, stressing that the US-China relationship was "rooted in the solid ties" between the American and Chinese people.
"It is important that we keep nurturing and deepening these ties," especially as China reopens its economy after pandemic-related lockdowns, she said, adding that the US may have differences with the Chinese government, but not with its people.
Yellen likely aimed to drill down into more specific issues Saturday, ranging from the macroeconomy to trade and technology exports, Lyu told AFP.
But a key question is whether "big ticket items that are in the category of global challenges", like debt distress and climate cooperation, get bumped to the top of the agenda, said Lindsay Gorman, senior fellow for emerging technologies at the German Marshall Fund of the US.
Yellen's talks on Saturday followed meetings with US companies, which have expressed concerns ranging from level playing fields with the Chinese to reduced people-to-people exchanges and an uncertain business climate in the face of a national security crackdown.
"Anything that can help make the US-China relationship better, number one, will help the companies here, the investment sentiment, and two, just give us more opportunity to cooperate," Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, told AFP.


JanaWibawa projects worth RM7.2 billion cancelled

Some RM7.2 billion worth of projects awarded to JanaWibawa Programme contractors involving the rural and regional development ministry have been cancelled, says Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The deputy prime minister said the decision to cancel the tenders was made by the finance ministry, and that the projects would be re-tendered.
"We know that there is some disruption in terms of implementation. Rest assured that if the ethics and regulations are followed, it will be done immediately.
"God willing, the projects will be completed within the specified period," he said to reporters in Machang yesterday.


2020 ends with most new cases yet as death toll goes up by 8

Another 2,525 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 113,010.Selangor recorded 1,205 new cases, of which 995 or 82.6% were from clusters and close contact screening.Sabah meanwhile recorded 299, Melaka 239, Kuala Lumpur 222 and Johor 194.Penang recorded 92 cases, Negeri Sembilan 78, Labuan 63, Kelantan 37, Perak 33, Kedah 24, Terengganu 17, Pahang 15, Putrajaya five and Sarawak two.Active cases stand at 23,598 with 131 in the ICU and 60 in need of respiratory assistance.Five new clusters were detected: Jalan Galah (Klang in Selangor; 22 cases), Jalan Datuk (Titiwangsa, Kepong and Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur; 23 cases), Kampung Baharu (Johor Bahru and Pontian in Johor; 35 cases), Pekeliling (Johor Bahru in Johor; 27 cases) and Jalan Rasah (Seremban in Negeri Sembilan; 17 cases).Three others ended today, leaving 225 active clusters across the country.Another 1,481 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 88,941.However, eight more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 471.


Continue with Mara Digital project, Ismail urges

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has instructed Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) to continue with the Mara Digital project to open up more opportunities for Bumiputera youth as information technology (IT) entrepreneurs.
He said several Mara Digital centres had been established so far, in Shah Alam, Selangor; Kuantan, Pahang; and Ipoh, Perak, while other places had been identified like Larkin, Johor; Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu; Kota Bharu, Kelantan; Kuching, Sarawak and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Ismail said when Pakatan Harapan took over the government following the 14th general election in 2018, the Mara Digital initiative was shut down and new projects were discontinued.
"Mara Digital is very close to my heart. I came up with it to develop Bumiputera entrepreneurs in the field of IT and gadgets, whether in terms of selling products, repairing (equipment) and others," he said in a post on Facebook last night.
Earlier, the prime minister made a surprise visit to Mara Digital Kuala Lumpur, accompanied by Rural Development Minister Mahdzir Khalid.
"During the visit, the traders informed me that they were still able to continue business because sales were increasing, but (that they) needed support from Mara in terms of promotion, loan assistance, and a reduction of rental rates, among others," he said.
The opening of Mara Digital as a telecommunications and IT equipment sales centre in 2015 was spearheaded by Ismail, who was the rural and regional development minister at the time.


Court says Trump must face New York civil fraud claims, tosses case against Ivanka

A New York appeals court on Tuesday rejected Donald Trump's bid to end the state attorney general's lawsuit accusing him and his family business of "staggering" fraud, but dismissed all claims against his daughter Ivanka Trump and said the remaining case may be limited further.
Attorney General Letitia James' civil case filed last September accused Trump of lying from 2011 to 2021 about asset values, including for his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and Trump Tower penthouse in Manhattan, as well as his own net worth, to obtain better terms from lenders and insurers.
The lawsuit seeks at least US$250 million (about RM1.1 billion) in damages from Trump, his adult sons Donald Jr and Eric, the Trump Organization and others, and to stop the Trumps from running businesses in New York.
Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner for the 2024 presidential election, has denied wrongdoing. He has also called James' case and two unrelated criminal indictments, where he has pleaded not guilty, part of a Democratic "witch hunt."
In a 5-0 decision, the Appellate Division in Manhattan said state law gave James power to police alleged "repeated or persistent fraud or illegality," and conduct lengthy and complex investigations many years after suspected misconduct began.
But it said statutes of limitations prevented James, who had probed Trump's business dealings for three years, from suing over claims that arose before July 13, 2014, or Feb 6, 2016, depending on the defendant.
It also said all claims against Ivanka Trump should be dismissed because they were filed too late, and because she was no longer with the Trump Organization at the relevant time.
October trial
The court returned the case to Justice Arthur Engoron of the state Supreme Court in Manhattan to determine which parts could proceed.
An Oct 2 trial is scheduled. Trump was questioned under oath for the case in April.
"There is a mountain of evidence that shows Mr Trump and the Trump Organization falsely and fraudulently valued multiple assets and misrepresented those values to financial institutions for significant economic gain," a spokesman for James said. "This decision allows us to hold him accountable for that fraud, and we intend to do so."
During oral arguments on June 6, a lawyer for James said Trump's transactions didn't occur in a vacuum, and that letting him commit fraud hurts honest participants in banking, insurance and real estate markets.
Christopher Kise, a lawyer for Donald Trump and most of the other defendants, called the decision "the first step" toward ending a case that James should not have filed.
"The correct application of the law will now limit appropriately the previously unlimited reach of the attorney general," he said. "We remain confident that once all the real facts are known, there will be no doubt President Trump has built an extraordinarily successful business empire."
Ivanka Trump's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In the criminal cases, Trump faces a 34-count indictment obtained by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg over hush money payments to a porn star, and a 38-count US Department of Justice indictment saying he mishandled classified documents.
The New York civil case is New York v Trump et al, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 1st Department, number 2023-00717.


Up to parents to send their children to kindergarten, says minister

Private kindergartens were given the green light to continue operating to meet the needs of working parents and guardians as the movement control order (MCO) which comes into effect at midnight is more economically friendly than the lockdown imposed in March last year, says Education Minister Radzi Jidin.He said any decision to continue sending their children to such kindergartens would be the responsibility of parents although health and safety factors would also be taken into consideration.“In the context of what is needed, we have allowed kindergartens to remain open,” he said in a briefing session with members of the media in Kuala Lumpur today.In a statement last night, the education ministry said private kindergartens registered with the ministry could continue operating face-to-face.This sparked debate among parents on social media with many saying children should not be attending kindergarten during the upcoming MCO.But Radzi said his ministry would ensure that all parties including kindergarten operators and parents work together to follow the SOPs that had been in place since last year, before schools were closed down until the end of 2020.When asked if teachers who would begin work on Jan 20 are required to undergo swab tests before starting, Radzi said there was no need for such measures at the moment.He said it would be enough to comply with the SOPs in schools to reduce the rate of infection among teachers and students.“This is in light of the existing health system and capacity. With SOPs in place, we will ensure that teaching and learning can be carried out in a safe environment,” he said.On a separate matter, Radzi said private tuition centres in areas under MCO are not yet allowed to open although school teachers are advised to hold extra classes for exam candidates subject to health SOPs.“If they want to hold extra classes in school, we will allow it.“But tuition centres in states under conditional MCO and recovery MCO are allowed to operate.”


UK economy shrank record 11% in 2020, worst in over 300 years

Britain recorded its biggest fall in output in more than 300 years in 2020 when it faced the brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as a larger decline than any other major economy, updated official figures showed on Monday.
Gross domestic product fell by 11.0% in 2020, the Office for National Statistics said. This was a bigger drop than any of the ONS's previous estimates and the largest fall since 1709, according to historical data hosted by the Bank of England.
British statisticians regularly update GDP estimates as more data becomes available.
The ONS's initial estimates had already suggested that in 2020 Britain suffered its biggest fall in output since the "Great Frost" of 1709. But more recently the ONS had revised down the scale of the fall to 9.3%, the largest since just after World War I.
Even before the latest revisions Britain's economic slump was the largest in the Group of Seven, and the latest downward revision makes it greater than Spain's, which recorded a 10.8% fall in output.
However the ONS cautioned against direct comparisons with other countries as most – with the exception of the US – had not yet undertaken the same type of in-depth revisions as Britain had.
The downward revision in GDP reflected lower contributions from healthcare and retailers than previously thought.
"The health service faced higher costs than we initially estimated, meaning its overall contribution to the economy was lower," ONS statistician Craig McLaren said.
The ONS had already factored in a fall in routine care provided by Britain's National Health Service as it focused on treating Covid-19 patients and limiting the spread of the disease in hospitals.
A closer look at the increased costs faced by individual retailers also led to a downward revision of the sector's contribution, while factory output was revised up to take account of lower raw material costs.
Britain's economy bounced back sharply last year and recovered its pre-pandemic size in November 2021. But fast-rising inflation means the Bank of England expects the economy will slip back into recession later this year.
The ONS will publish updated growth figures for 2021 and the first half of 2022 on Sept 30.


Company behind failed agarwood investment scheme threatens legal action against MalaysiaNow

The company behind a purported agarwood investment scheme in Thailand, returns from which never materialised, has threatened legal action against MalaysiaNow over its coverage of the case, accusing the portal of defamation and the publication of false and misleading information.In a notice of demand sent to MalaysiaNow by its lawyers, Asia Plantation Capital (APC) also claimed that the article in question, “180 fleeced of RM22.6 million after failed agarwood investment in Thailand”, had been published with the intention to prejudice its right to a fair trial in the investors’ ongoing court action against it.“The publication of the said article has adversely and materially affected our client’s position in the ongoing court action,” the letter by the lawyers read.“Our client reserves all of its rights to commence contempt proceedings against you.”In the article published on March 3, MalaysiaNow reported that 180 individuals had suffered losses of more than RM22.6 million due to the project.The case is understood to have begun as far back as 2011 when APC began advertising about investments in an agarwood plantation on land obtained through lease in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand.MalaysiaNow obtained documents and reports showing that the investment promised lucrative returns, while some victims had made transactions of over RM500,000.Once the contract was signed, though, no updates were given and no word was heard from APC until it was contacted by the victims themselves.In 2020, a group of 60 to 70 victims lodged a police report against APC which was later classified as no further action.The victims then took the case to court, seeking an order for the police to re-investigate the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code. A suit was also filed against the company two years ago, case management of which will take place on March 31.In its letter of demand to MalaysiaNow, APC gave the portal seven days to cease and desist from publishing further reports about the company, delete the existing article from the site, and issue a public apology.“Take notice that in the event that you fail to comply with our client’s demands, we have our client’s instructions to take the necessary legal action against you without further reference to you and to hold you liable for the costs arising therefrom,” the letter said.Checks show that APC’s website has been shut down.


MOH wants public health allocation raised to 5% of GDP

The health ministry is seeking an increase in public health expenditure to 5% of the GDP to ensure that Malaysia has a world-standard public health system.
Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said in an upper middle-income country, the benchmark for public health expenditure is between 4% and 5% of the GDP.
Nonetheless, he said Malaysia is only allocating 2.59% of its GDP for public health expenditure, leading to complaints of long waits for services such as MRI or CT scans at government hospitals.
"I know that all ministries are also seeking allocations from the prime minister and all ministries are equally important, but some ministries are more important than other ministries.
"As George Orwell said in his book, ‘all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others', and in the same spirit the (health) ministry is created more equal than others as our core business is the life and death of the people. "Just one figure I need the prime minister to remember is five. Not RM5 billion, not RM5 million but 5% of our country’s GDP," he said at the opening of the 2022 Health Policy Summit in Kuala Lumpur today.
The conference themed "Future of Health Services Through the Development of Health White Paper" was officiated by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Meanwhile, Khairy said that the policies and programmes meant to benefit the people in the long run were not affected even though the government under the leadership of Ismail was facing speculation on the general election.
He said in one year of administration, much had been achieved including the successful control of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the formulation of several crucial legislations including the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill 2021 which was passed after more than 10 years in draft, as well as the Anti-Party Hopping Bill which he said would see stability and integrity in politics.
"In the field of health, the prime minister has also given his support to me to bring the Control of Tobacco Products and Smoking Control Bill 2022 and consented to table a white paper on health to transform the country’s health system.
"Even though we have not been in the government for a very long time, we have succeeded in bringing about long far-reaching reforms," he said.


330 mystery elephant deaths, probable cause discovered

Africa’s overall elephant population is declining due to poaching but Botswana, home to almost a third of the continent’s elephants, has seen numbers grow to about 130,000.Then this year, Botswana’s elephants started dying, huddled together and from no apparent cause. Poaching was quickly ruled out as the animals still had their tusks.The number of deaths rose to 330. And yet other animals appeared unharmed.Everyone was baffled and alarmed and several scientific probes were begun.Investigators now believe toxins produced by cyanobacteria in waterholes were poisoning the elephants, Business Day South Africa reports.Cyanobacteria are microscopic organisms common in water. Not all produce the deadly bacteria but scientists say this is occurring more frequently as climate change drives up global temperatures.Southern Africa’s temperatures are rising at twice the global average, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.The department of wildlife and national parks principal veterinary officer Mmadi Reuben told a news conference on Monday, “Our latest tests have detected cyanobacterial neurotoxins to be the cause of deaths. However, we have many questions still to be answered such as why the elephants only, and why that area only?”Speculation is that the poisonous bacteria live hear the bottom of the waterholes and elephants may be the only animals to have drunk the deadly brew as they used their trunks to suck up water from deeper down.In neighbouring Zimbabwe, about 25 elephant carcasses were found near the country’s biggest game park and authorities suspect they succumbed to the same bacterial infection. Wildlife authorities have sent samples to Britain for testing.The suspect water holes have now dried up, and the dying has stopped.But everyone is asking themselves the same question: What will happen when the rains return?


1,683 new cases as total tops 90,000

Another 1,683 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 90,816.Selangor reported the most cases with 692, followed by Sabah (260) and Kuala Lumpur (197).Negeri Sembilan reported 174 cases, Melaka 140, Johor 77 and Perak 65.This was followed by Penang (37), Labuan (19), Putrajaya and Pahang (six each), Terengganu and Kedah (four each), and Kelantan and Sarawak (one each).Active cases stand at 15,140 with 106 in the ICU and 51 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 1,214 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 75,244.No new deaths were reported, leaving the virus toll unchanged at 432.


Supply Bill 2023 set for first reading today

The Supply Bill 2023 is expected to be tabled for a first reading at the Dewan Rakyat today.
According to the order paper on the Parliament’s website, the bill will be tabled by the finance minister while the second reading is expected on Friday.
Today’s meeting will also continue the debate on the Trade Unions (Amendment) 2022 Bill.
The Dewan Rakyat is also expected to focus on the presentation of the Environment Quality (Amendment) 2022 Bill, the Road Transport (Amendment) 2022 Bill, the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (Amendment) 2022 Bill, and the Public Land Transport (Amendment) 2022 Bill for second reading. This will be followed by a question from Shamsul Anuar Nasarah (BN-Lenggong) to the women, family and community development minister on the government’s efforts to overcome the sexual exploitation of children in cyberspace. Also listed is a question from Mujahid Yusof Rawa (PH-Parit Buntar) to the finance minister on the finance ministry’s approach to ensuring that the environmental, social and governance model is applied in approving government contracts.
Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PAS-Pasir Mas) meanwhile will ask the youth and sports minister for an update on the development of e-sports facilities.
And Tengku Zulpuri Raja Puji (DAP-Raub) will ask the environment and water minister about the government’s preliminary plans and actions to deal with the possibility of major floods in light of the La Nina phenomenon, the northeast monsoon and unexpected rainfall.
The Dewan Rakyat sitting will continue until Nov 29.


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Teachers who refuse vaccination will be given other assignments, says education minister

A total of 2,500 teachers who have refused to be vaccinated will be given other assignments as they will not be allowed to conduct physical classes when schools reopen.Education Minister Radzi Jidin said there were other tasks that can be carried out by these teachers.“At the same time, we are also discussing with the Public Service Department on measures or ways to approach them… Insha Allah I will be contacting some of the teachers myself,” he told a press conference at Sekolah Kebangsaan Haji Nyak Gam in Yan today, after visiting the site of a water surge incident in Yan district which occurred on Aug 18.Yesterday, Radzi was reported as saying that the education ministry had decided that teachers who refuse to be vaccinated will not be allowed to interact with students face-to-face when schools reopen on Oct 3Radzi today said the school authorities are still conducting a survey to gauge parents’ acceptance in allowing their children to be given Covid-19 vaccines.“We are still waiting for parents’ feedback. This is not a directive, but a survey to get some idea because vaccine-related matters are being handled by the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee and Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force,” he added.


Philippines’ ex-president ‘Noynoy’ Aquino dies

Former Philippine president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, the reserved 61-year-old bachelor from one of Asia’s most famous political families, died Thursday, the country’s foreign minister and several officials said.Aquino, who ruled the archipelago nation from 2010 to 2016, was the only son of the late former president Corazon Aquino and her assassinated husband, senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, both revered for leading the struggle to restore democracy in the archipelago nation.Aquino was rushed to the Capitol Medical Center in Manila early Thursday, local media reported.His family was expected to issue a statement.“I’m out of Twitter from grief over the death of a sea-green incorruptible,” Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin tweeted.He said Aquino was “brave under armed attack, wounded in crossfire, indifferent to power and its trappings, and ruled our country with a puzzling coldness but only because he hid his feelings so well it was thought he had none”.Supreme Court Justice Marvic Leonen, who was Aquino’s former peace adviser, expressed his “profound sadness” over the former leader’s death.“I knew him to be a kind man, driven by his passion to serve our people, diligent in his duties, and with an avid and consuming curiosity about new knowledge and the world in general,” Leonen said.Aquino, who was succeeded by President Rodrigo Duterte, waged an anti-corruption agenda during his term and ushered in key economic reforms.


Tasik Chini conservation, breach of personal data on Dewan Rakyat agenda

The conservation of Tasik Chini in Pahang and the crime of personal data breaches will be among the topics of focus on the last day of the Second Meeting of the Fifth Term of the 14th Parliament today.
According to the order paper published on the Parliament website, questions regarding the government's measures to treat and restore the Tasik Chini area to prevent it from being stripped of its Unesco status will be raised by Fuziah Salleh (PH-Kuantan) to the energy and natural resources minister during the ministers’ question time.
There will also be a question from Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadir (PAS-Setiu) to the communications and multimedia minister about the ministry's plan to amend several clauses in the Personal Data Protection Act to deal with the crime that has caused nearly 100 million cases of personal data breach.
Meanwhile, during the question-and-answer session, Lukanisman Awang Sauni (GPS-Sibuti) will ask the communications and multimedia minister about the provision of tablets under the PerantiSiswa programme, and the number of tablets that will be distributed to students from the B40 group.
A question regarding the government's initiatives to help students who drop out and are unable to continue their studies, or had to postpone their studies due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will be raised by Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (PH-Johor Bahru) to the higher education minister.
The Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2022 will also be tabled for a first reading, followed by the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022, also for a first reading.


148 years waiting time for Malaysians to perform haj

The waiting time for Muslims in Malaysia to perform the haj has now reached 148 years, according to Tabung Haji (TH) executive director Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman.
He said currently more than 3.8 million TH depositors have registered and are waiting for their turn to fulfil the fifth pillar of Islam.
Therefore, Syed Saleh, who is also the head of the Malaysian haj delegation, reminded the selected pilgrims to take full advantage of the opportunity to be in the Holy Land by performing the act of worship as best as they can.
"We have to stick to two keywords, which are gratitude and patience. We should be grateful because we are finally in the Holy Land after waiting for so long and be patient with every test such as no compatibility with our roommates and the hot weather throughout this haj journey," he said when speaking at a get-together and the appointment of Sahabat Maktab (Malaysian pilgrims who act as volunteers to assist fellow pilgrims) in Mecca.
TH adopts an open haj registration system based on the concept of "first registered, first served" which has been implemented since 1995.
Through this open registration system, TH depositors can register to perform haj when savings reach RM1,300.
Each depositor who has registered will be given the turn of the allocation year to perform haj based on the date and time the registration is made.
Malaysia is allocated a haj quota of 31,600 pilgrims from the government of Saudi Arabia for this 1444 Hijrah haj season.


Earthquake in China's Sichuan kills more than 40, shakes provincial capital

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck China's Sichuan province on Monday, the strongest to hit the region since 2017, killing more than 40 people and shaking the provincial capital of Chengdu and more distant provinces.
Forty-six people were killed in the quake, Chinese state media Xinhua reported on Tuesday, citing local authorities at a press briefing.
Some roads and homes near the epicentre were damaged by landslides, while communications were down in at least one area, state television reported.
No damage to dams and hydropower stations within 50km (31 miles) of the epicentre was reported, although damage to the provincial grid had affected power to about 40,000 end-users.
The epicentre was at the town of Luding, the China Earthquake Networks Centre said, in the mountains about 226 km southwest of Chengdu.
Earthquakes are common in the southwestern province of Sichuan, especially in its mountains in the west, a tectonically active area along the eastern boundary of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau.
Laura Luo, who lives in Chengdu, a city of about 21 million people, was on her way to her apartment block when she saw people rushing out of their high-rise homes in panic after getting earthquake warnings on their phones.
"There were many people who were so terrified they started crying," Luo, a PR consultant, told Reuters.
"All the dogs started barking. It was really quite scary," she said, referring to when the quake began.
In Luding, the quake was so strong it was hard for some people to remain standing, while cracks appeared on some houses, the China News Service reported.
Video clips on social media showed lights swinging while people rushed out of buildings into the streets.
Sichuan's provincial government said more than 30 people had died. At least four of those were in Luding.
A total of 39,000 people live within 20 km of the epicentre and 1.55 million within 100 km, according to state television.
The quake was Sichuan's biggest since August 2017, when one of magnitude 7.0 hit the Aba prefecture.
The most powerful Sichuan earthquake on record was in May 2008, when a magnitude 8.0 quake centred in Wenchuan killed almost 70,000 people and caused extensive damage.
Monday's quake was also felt in the provinces of Yunnan, Shaanxi and Guizhou hundreds of kilometres away, according to state media.
Chengdu resident Samantha Yang, 23, was in bed about to take a nap when the quake struck.
"The building kept shaking, each time more severely than before," Yang said. "Truly, this was the scariest one since the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake."


Flood deaths rise to 48, five still missing

The death toll due to the floods in the country now stands at 48 while five people are still missing, says Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.He said Selangor remained the state with the highest number of deaths, with 25 victims, followed by Pahang (20) and Kelantan (three).“The victims in Selangor comprise 17 men and eight women and in Pahang, the victims were 14 men, four women and two boys,” he said in a statement today.In Kelantan, the victims were two men and a girl.


Court throws out Najib’s bid to postpone decision on SRC appeal

The Court of Appeal has rejected former prime minister Najib Razak’s bid to postpone the Dec 8 date for a decision on his appeal against his conviction and sentence for misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds.Najib had applied to vacate the date, citing his trip to Singapore from which he said he would only return on Dec 5.He said he would then need to undergo mandatory quarantine for seven days until Dec 12 and asked for the decision to be delivered on Dec 13 or later.According to the New Straits Times, though, Najib and his lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah were informed in a letter signed by Court of Appeal deputy registrar Mohd Khairi Haron that their application was rejected.The report said they were also told to be present in court on Dec 8, as originally scheduled.Najib was last month granted the temporary release of his passport for travel to Singapore to be with his daughter who was then expecting her second child, joining his wife Rosmah Mansor who was earlier granted permission as well despite their pending court cases.The Court of Appeal later allowed him to amend the dates for the temporary release and return of his passport to allow him to campaign in the Melaka state election on Nov 20.Najib was convicted in July last year of seven counts of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power involving RM42 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.He was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million by the Kuala Lumpur High Court but allowed a stay of execution pending his appeal.


Amendments to constitution show govt’s commitment to Sabah, Sarawak, says law minister

The amendments to the Federal Constitution to be in line with the government’s commitment to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) were made to strengthen the position of Sabah and Sarawak in the Federation of Malaysia, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.He said the amendments, as stated in the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2021, were also in line with the government’s transformation agenda to restore the confidence of the public as well as foreign investors in the government’s capability to ensure political stability and the smooth implementation of the country’s policies toward sustainable socio-economic development.“(Mutual) understanding, as well as political, economic and social stability, expected to be achieved through this bill, are vital to creating the solid foundation of the Malaysian Family,” he said when tabling the bill for second reading at the Dewan Rakyat today.The first reading of the bill was done on Nov 3.Wan Junaidi said the proposed amendments had been agreed to by the state governments of both Sabah and Sarawak before being approved by the Special Council on MA63 and the Cabinet in October.The bill proposes to amend Clause 2 of Article 1 of the Federal Constitution to say the states of the federation comprise:(a) the states of Malaya namely Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Selangor and Terengganu; and(b) the Borneo states, Sabah and Sarawak.It is also to amend Clause 2 of Article 160 to insert a new definition of “Malaysia Day” and to change the definition of “the federation” in line with the spirit of MA63 signed on July 9, 1963, and by virtue of the agreement relating to the separation of Singapore from Malaysia as an independent and sovereign state dated Aug 7, 1965.The bill also aims to amend Article 161A by replacing Clause 6(a) to say that with regards to Sarawak, the indigenous races of Sarawak are as stated in the state law; and also to remove Clause 7.


Power cuts, traffic snarls as India's tech hub endures second day of floods

Many parts of India's tech hub of Bengaluru were under water for a second day on Tuesday as more rain fell in an unusually wet monsoon season, bringing traffic chaos, power cuts and flooded properties.
The city, home to various global companies as well as home-grown startups, has received 162% more rainfall than average since the beginning of the wet season on June 1.
Many companies have asked staff to work from home while some residents struggled to empty out flooded basements and shops, Reuters partner ANI showed in video footage.
Bengaluru's water supply company said on Monday it would stop the supply of water to more than 50 areas in the city for two days after a pumping station that brings in water from 100km (60 miles) away was flooded.
The Bangalore Urban district, which is home to most of he city's offices, on Monday received 79.2mm (3.1 inches) of rain, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).


JPJ lost RM14.38 million in licence printing payment process, audit report says

Weaknesses in the payment process of Malaysian driving licence (LLM) card printing services resulted in waste and loss of public money amounting to RM14.38 million.
According to the Auditor-General’s Report 2021 Series 2, this occurred due to the inadequate supervision of the regulations and agreements by the Road Transport Department (JPJ).
"Some 1.83 million LLM cards worth RM14.23 million were unused and penalties totalling RM149,178 for the violations of the service level agreement (SLA) were not imposed," said the report, released today.
To overcome the weaknesses raised, the auditor-general proposed that JPJ ensure the usage of cards is frequently monitored to allow the efficient use of cards and avoid unnecessary wastage.
"Ensure that the contractor complies with the SLA and, in the event of non-compliance, that penalties are imposed immediately.
"It is also suggested that JPJ ensure a better monitoring strategy to facilitate an immediate and effective response when the problem arises," said the report.


Quarantine exemption for govt officials subject to prior application, risk assessment

The exemption of requirement for mandatory quarantine given to ministers and their delegates returning from official trips abroad is subject to strict conditions, including one requiring that the individuals had used a private jet during the trip.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the officials must submit an application for such an exemption before the trip to enable health officials to conduct a risk assessment of their trip before granting it.This follows the latest federal government gazette under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease (Exemption) Order 2021, exempting ministers who return from official visits abroad from being subjected to Section 15 of the act, which deals with the surveillance of contacts who could be ordered to undergo observation.The order was signed by Health Minister Dr Adham Baba and will be in effect until Aug 1.Meanwhile, Noor Hisham today said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had undergone a Covid-19 PCR test on Feb 3, one day before his trip to Indonesia.He said another test was conducted on Feb 4 upon the prime minister’s arrival in Jakarta.He said the following day, on the first day of his return to Malaysia, Muhyiddin was ordered to undergo home surveillance and to wear the mandatory wristband.He said the prime minister took another swab test today, the fifth day since his first test.“As such (Muhyiddin) is expected to complete the seven-day quarantine schedule,” he said, adding that Muhyiddin has another two days to go.


Proposal for new PN logo to avoid confusion with BN, says PAS

Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) proposal for the use of a new logo and colour in the 15th general election (GE15) is to avoid confusion between the coalition and Barisan Nasional (BN), PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said yesterday.
He said the top PN leadership had discussed the adoption of a new logo after the Melaka and Johor state elections showed that some of its supporters were confused between the PN and BN colours.
"PN will look into the possibility of changing to a colour different from those of BN and the other parties in the next general election," he told reporters after an event in Kota Bharu.
Tuan Ibrahim, who is Kubang Kerian MP, said this when asked to comment on PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement that PN was planning to introduce a new logo for GE15.


Brunei clamps down after first local virus cases in 15 months

Brunei imposed strict curbs to halt the spread of Covid-19, after finding its first locally transmitted cases in the country in over a year.Seven community infections were found, the health ministry said Saturday, leading the government to close all places of worship and postpone social events for two weeks.Mass events were also limited to groups of 30 people over this period as school classes were moved online and restaurants barred from serving dine-in.The tiny Islamic sultanate has largely remained coronavirus free, logging only three deaths since the pandemic began.More than half of its 347 infections so far were imported, with tight border controls and quarantine measures keeping the virus’s spread in check.Five of the oil-rich nation first local infections since May last year were linked to a government-run virus monitoring centre.“This cluster is believed to likely have been exposed to one of the imported cases in Brunei,” the ministry said in a statement.The source of infection for the other two could not be identified, the ministry added.An imported case was also announced Saturday: a man who arrived from the Middle East via Malaysia on July 30 before experiencing symptoms on Tuesday.Brunei has been spared the serious coronavirus outbreaks that currently overwhelm health systems in much of Southeast Asia today.It shares its only land border with Malaysia, which has so far recorded nearly 1.25 million infections and more than 10,000 deaths.The country has also been steadily ramping up its vaccination process, with nearly 32% of its 450,000 people getting at least one jab.


Funeral shelter collapse kills 23 at cremation in northern India

Twenty-three people, most of whom were attending a funeral, were killed and 15 injured when the roof of a shelter at a cremation ground in the city of Ghaziabad on the outskirts of New Delhi collapsed on Sunday, police said.Several of the casualties were not attending the funeral but taking shelter from heavy rain under the recently constructed structure.The dead, all of them men, were mostly relatives or neighbours of the man being cremated at that time of the collapse, officials said.A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) unit arrived at the scene and pulled out the dead and injured from the debris.Rescue workers then sifted through the building’s rubble for hours to ensure that more victims were not trapped there.Apart from the 23 dead, 15 others were admitted to different hospitals, Ghaziabad Superintendent of Police Iraj Raja said. “They took shelter under the newly constructed structure, which could not bear the rain and collapsed, leaving these persons dead.”At least 18 of the bodies had been identified by the evening.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the deaths.“I express my condolences to the near and dear ones of those who lost their lives in this accident, and also hope for a quick recovery of the injured,” Modi tweeted in Hindi.Local media reported that 38 people were rescued, while at least 15 were injured and taken to hospital, according to the Press Trust of India.Local police officer Mahipal Singh told AFP that the cremation had been for an elderly individual who was not a Covid-19 victim.Building collapses are frequent in India. Many firms use cheap materials and bribe officials to evade regulations, while on-site safety is lax.


Cholera tragedy in Indian village sheds light on power debts

Clean water had just started sputtering from newly installed taps in Pachdongri village in western India last month when the power supply to the hilly hamlet was cut off for unpaid bills.
Residents link this power outage to a cholera outbreak that followed, claiming five lives.
Pachdongri's outstanding power bill of 52,000 rupees (US$657), pending for about five months, accounts for a tiny part of the huge strain on India's stressed electricity supply chain, in which power distributors owe US$12.52 billion to largely thermal generating companies.
The utilities must pay coal firms upfront to buy the fossil fuel to produce electricity, but are struggling to do so as their cash flow is squeezed due to consumers failing to pay for their power, threatening supply.
As India tries to cut its power sector's losses with financial aid to utilities and promotion of solar energy in agriculture, the financial stress on the sector has tragically impacted Pachdongri, a village of fewer than 1,000 people.
"If water supply had continued, the deaths could have been avoided as people consumed contaminated water from a well," said Sanjay Bhuta Jamunkar, 32, the council head for five villages, including Pachdongri, in western Maharashtra state.
Following the cholera outbreak, the government issued orders to utilities not to disconnect the power supply to public water works, and the state is also now considering clearing the debts of village councils, utility officials said.
"This was our first power bill for operating the water pump. We weren't sure we had to pay it, as work on the water connections was still underway," said Jamunkar, noting that the council pays bills from the property and water taxes it levies on households.
"But collections are poor as this is a tribal area, people are either landless or small landowners. Many are unemployed. We try to manage," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.
Demand spike
Extreme heat in India this year pushed up electricity use to unprecedented highs, causing widespread power cuts as utilities scrambled to meet demand amid dwindling coal supplies.
Officials at power distribution companies say they are walking a tightrope in their day-to-day dealings with generation firms as they clear just about enough debts to keep the power supply online.
Pachdongri gets its power from the state-run Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co Ltd (MSEDCL), which warned its 30 million consumers last December it would disconnect supplies for those who did not pay their bills.
The utility cited "an unprecedented amount of arrears and increasing financial burden" as a threat to its very existence.
Vijay Singhal, MSEDCL chairman and managing director, said his company had to purchase power to provide it to consumers.
"I am asking people to pay up as I am not getting it for free," he added.
Data from MSEDCL shows rural consumers owe it more than 600 billion rupees (US$7.53 billion), ten times more than unpaid dues from urban consumers of 62 billion rupees.
Singhal said MSEDCL used hydro-power during this year's heat waves and is adding wind and solar energy to overcome coal shortages and cut costs.
Local officials who turned off the power supply to Pachdongri in Maharashtra's Amravati district said they had informed the village council about the impending cut if it failed to pay at least some of its dues.
The power was restored within a day, they added.
"If they have used power, they need to pay for it," said Dilip Khanande, superintending engineer for MSEDCL in Amravati.
Officials at Jal Jeevan Mission, a pan-India project to ensure every rural household gets 55 litres of water per capita per day, estimated that about 40% of village councils' power bills are linked to operating water pumps.
Khanande said he was able to recover only half of monthly bills of about 10 million rupees accrued for running about 2,000 rural water connections in his district.
Rural reality
Power availability in rural areas has gone up to about 22.5 hours daily from about 12.5 hours in 2015, with all villages now electrified, the central government said this year.
But as long-awaited electricity and water connections reach more rural areas, the cost of consuming the resources has risen.
"We are looking at solar-based water pumps so they don't require electricity connection to avoid these challenges," said Hrishikesh Yashod, Maharashtra director for Jal Jeevan Mission.
With water pumps running more to supply household taps, power consumption has gone up and so have councils' electricity bills, said Yusuf Kabir, a water and health specialist with the U.N children's agency, UNICEF, in Maharashtra.
Samit Mitra, programme head for Smart Power India, a Rockefeller Foundation subsidiary that works to boost electricity access in rural India, said poor collection is often rooted in infrequent billing and billing amounts that do not reflect consumption, denting consumer trust.
"We see the intention to pay is there. All they need is a certain level of service," Mitra said.
Unicef's Kabir suggested installing water meters so households pay taxes on their consumption, which would improve village councils' revenue collection to help cover power bills.
Contaminated water
Residents of Pachdongri village had hoped the completion of the tap water project in July would lead to a steady supply and end their dependence for drinking water on a well 2km away.
Farmer Akshay Amode, 24, saw clean water gush from his household tap the first time a day before power was cut.
The villagers then resorted to well water again - but it was contaminated with sewage due to runoff triggered by heavy rains, said health officials who tested the water.
About 200 people took ill after drinking it and five died, officials said.
Among them was Sahdev Ramaji Akhande's wife, who had yet to see a running tap in her home.
The 32-year-old farmer, a father of two, recalled the night his wife writhed in pain as he struggled to organise a private car to rush her to hospital.
Three days after she died, Akhande's home got a tap water connection. But the supply is still intermittent, so he drinks water from tankers serving the village since the cholera outbreak and buys water for his farm.
He knew nothing of another impending expense: the village council - yet to pay its outstanding power bill - is mulling a doubling of the monthly water tax from 100 rupees per household.
"Life has become difficult," said the widower, now left to bring up his children alone.


The flip side of Anwar's PR blitz

A communications expert has warned that the public relations blitz which began shortly after Anwar Ibrahim took his oath of office as prime minister may backfire on the Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman if he fails to live up to the image being promoted to the people.
Anwar's swearing-in ceremony, which took place on Nov 24 last year, was followed by pictures on social media showing piles of papers and files on his desk, and posts on how the new prime minister was keeping his nose to the grindstone, even on weekends.
The PH communications team, meanwhile, appears to have been working double time to promote its chairman to internet users.
Seasoned public relations expert Syed Arabi Syed Abdullah Idid said such efforts were needed as Anwar had for two decades been known as the opposition leader.
"Now that he has been made the prime minister, he has to project the image of a prime minister, which is very different from the image of an opposition chief," Syed Arabi, a communications professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia, added.
"He needs to show that he is a man of authority, who cares for the people and is at ease with the royals and the civil service."
But while such publicity efforts would bear fruit, he said, Anwar would need to show proof of his achievements within the next few months.
"The real test will come when he presents the budget," he said.
"Will it be better than the budget of Ismail Sabri Yaakob?"
Anwar, who also holds the finance portfolio, is slated to present the 2023 budget in February, after tabling a so-called mini budget last month.
Syed Arabi, who has studied political campaigns spanning several general elections, also said that the footage of Anwar hard at work could have been released to fend off the criticism of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who recently voiced doubts about the ability of the PKR president to lead the country.
He said many of Anwar's statements were geared towards grabbing attention, although in the long run, he would need to take care as a prime minister's remarks have implications for the country.
"Voters will look at his statements now and ask what the consequences of these are," he said.
"They want to see his programmes and the execution of these. We will have to wait and see."
On efforts by the PH communications team to emphasise even measures taken by previous prime ministers, Syed Arabi said Anwar's communications team appeared more proficient in social media use than that of his immediate predecessor, Ismail.
"Ismail did not appear to have support even from his own Cabinet," he added.
"He would make statements, but receive no support. His Cabinet did not look like it was working as a team."
He nonetheless reiterated that the build-up of expectations was a double-edged sword.
"If Anwar and his Cabinet do not live up to these expectations, it will backfire on them," he said.
"This is what happened to PH 1.0," he added, referring to the previous PH administration led by Mahathir which collapsed after 22 months in power.


Daily cases cross 5,500

Another 5,594 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,597,080.Another 4,908 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,498,345.Meanwhile 532 are in the ICU, including 424 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 266 are in need of respiratory assistance including 168 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 5,594 cases reported today, 85 (1.5%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 5,509 (98.5%) are in Category One and Two.


Sleeping rough and counting the days to some much-needed cash

Akau Rabi travelled to Kuching from his village in Sebuyau with a specific goal in mind: to collect his portion of the cash aid offered by the government to those in need.Like hundreds of thousands across the country, he had been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and was in need of the assistance.He did not know exactly when he would be able to collect the money, but came anyway.Now, the 73-year-old is sleeping rough on the city streets with a piece of cardboard for a blanket at night.“This is my third night in Kuching,” he told MalaysiaNow when met yesterday at the five-foot way in India Street, behind the Electra House building.“I was told by villagers that the cash aid could be collected by the end of this month. But because there is no specific date on when the cash will be available, I decided to just come to Kuching to check on it.”Akau made the 90km trip to the city armed only with a small hand luggage bag containing his wallet and some clothes – no mean feat for a man of his age.“I cannot go back home because I haven’t received the cash assistance.”But for him and many others in rural areas, the cash given to the B40 and M40 groups under the government’s Bantuan Prihatin Nasional 2.0 programme makes a difference.And in Akau’s eyes, it’s worth sleeping on the streets for.The money is usually credited directly into the bank accounts of registered applicants. But in the rural areas of Sarawak, many do not have access to ATM machines and cannot make withdrawals.Those who do not have a savings account must travel to Kuching to collect the cash aid from the Inland Revenue Board.Akau said the cheapest way to get from Sebuyau to Kuching is by unlicensed public vans, also known as van sapu. A trip this way costs about RM40.Now that he is in Kuching, he intends to stay there until he has collected the money – about RM350.“The only choice that’s left is to sleep in the streets.”“I cannot go back home because I haven’t received the cash assistance,” he said.“With only a little cash in hand, it would be difficult because I cannot afford to spend that much just on transportation to commute daily from Sebuyau to Kuching.”But he can’t afford to upgrade his accomodation in the city, either.“The only choice that’s left is to sleep in the streets.”And with that, he beds down on the road for a fourth night, waiting and hoping for the morning when he awakes to find that he can collect the cash aid.Then, finally, he can go home.


JPN to introduce birth certs with new security features

The National Registration Department (JPN) will be introducing a new version of birth certificates with the latest security features next year, Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin says.
Speaking at a press conference in Putrajaya today, Hamzah said the security features would include a watermark to prevent forgery, as well as different types of paper and ink for printing.
"So that when the document is presented before us, we will know whether it is authentic or not," he said.
However, Hamzah the new birth certificates would only be issued to children born from 2023 onwards, and that existing birth certificates can still be used without any need for change.
JPN in a statement said a total of 38 JPN documents, including birth and marriage certificates, will be upgraded starting next year, especially in terms of security features to maintain the authenticity of the documents.


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Asian hopes rise on vaccine news but ‘cold chain’ problems set to dash optimism for many

Asian shares rose on Wednesday as hopes for a successful coronavirus vaccine increased and boosted expectations of a swift reopening of the global economy.The region’s heavily trade-dependent markets would quickly benefit from any vaccine-related improvements.“Investors anticipate a lift in economic activity and a swing back to physical businesses, judging by their support for travel, consumer, financial, materials and energy stocks,” Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist for CMC Markets in Sydney, wrote on Wednesday.However, Asian countries are beginning to realise the problems inherent in transporting and storing the vaccine.With tropical heat, remote island communities and hardly any ultra-cold freezers, many Asian countries aren’t betting on Pfizer’s experimental vaccine solving their Covid-19 problems any time soon.The genetic material the virus is made from needs to be kept at temperatures of -70 degrees Celsius or below.“On the cold chain requirement of -70, that is a hefty one. We do not have such facilities,” Philippines’ Health Secretary Francisco Duque told Reuters.Freezer requirements will be hard for Asian, African and Latin American countries to meet.Intense heat and poor infrastructure will make it difficult or impossible to keep the “cold chain” unbroken during deliveries to remote areas and islands.Even wealthier nations like South Korea and Japan are worried.“Storage is going to be a big challenge for us,” Fumie Sakamoto, infection control manager at St Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo told Reuters. “I’m not sure how well prepared our government is with regards to maintaining the cold chain. Hospitals in Japan usually do not have ultra-cold freezers.”The World Health Organization estimates about 70% of the world’s population will need to be inoculated to end the pandemic.Asia alone is home to more than 60% of the global population, many of them living in remote areas.However effective the vaccine may turn out to be, it is going to be no quick fix for millions of them.


PAS maintains no need for deputy PM

PAS today maintained its stand that there is no need for a deputy prime minister in the Cabinet, saying this had been the situation since the present government was established following the ousting of Muhyiddin Yassin last year.
Speaking to reporters, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang also said there had been no agreement with Perikatan Nasional (PN) on the appointment of a deputy prime minister.
"We still hold to our position at the start of this government that there would be no deputy prime minister," he said.
"There have been talks, but no decisions. We are still busy tackling the people's problems, but we maintain that there should be no deputy prime minister. There is no need for one."
This comes days after Muhyiddin, the Bersatu president, said he had met with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to discuss several matters including the post of deputy prime minister.
Muhyiddin, who resigned from the top office after losing the support of the majority last August, said he had met with Ismail to consider what he said was the previous agreement between the coalition and the prime minister.
"We are not asking for more (than what has been agreed), only about the appointment of a deputy prime minister and ministers as well as those involving government-linked agencies and statutory bodies as well as the government’s allocations," he said.
Hadi however denied that there had been such an agreement, reiterating that talks had been held but no decision made.
When asked about the use of PN's logo at the 15th general election, he said PAS had discussed a change of symbol to one that would be "new and appropriate".
"We will keep talking," he said. "Not the flag from before. We are still discussing our own flag."
Adding that no date had been set for the election, he said he was made to understand that it would depend on the global economic situation.
"Until today, our stand is that the term should be finished," he said. "But in pressing situations, it can be held at any time.
"After the budget," he added. "Table the budget first."


French users sue Muslim prayer app over alleged US army links

French users of a Muslim prayer app accused of selling data that ended up with the US army are suing the company, their lawyers said Monday.Former subscribers to the Muslim Pro app, which claims to have 95 million users around the world, have filed the complaint after media reports accused the group of having shared its data with companies connected to the US army.The lawsuit, revealed by France’s RTL radio, accuses the company of data protection offences, abuse of trust, endangering other people’s lives and conspiracy to commit murder.The case is due to be filed on Tuesday.It follows a report by the Vice media group last week about how the US army bought up users’ geolocation data from a string of apps around the world.They include the Muslim Pro app, which has a geolocation option that enables users to determine the hour of prayer and the direction of Mecca.The company sold this data to a company called X-Mode, which sold it on to sub-contractors and by extension, the army, said Vice.US Special Forces could then use the data on overseas missions, the report said, speculating that they could be used for the extra-judicial executions of terror suspects by means of drone strikes.A day after the report came out, Muslim Pro said it was ending all sharing of its data with other companies.The company, which was founded by a French national who is based in Singapore, also said it has launched an internal investigation.


UK, EU poised to avoid no deal on the brink of deadline

Britain and the European Union appeared close to clinching a long-elusive trade agreement on Wednesday, Reuters is reporting.A senior British government source said Prime Minister Boris Johnson was poised to sign a trade deal with the EU, after media reports said the agreement had already been done, just over a week before Britain completes its final journey out of the bloc.However, there has been no official confirmation from either side that the months of negotiations have reached a conclusion.A British government source was cautious, saying: “Negotiations are ongoing.”One senior EU diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a provisional application of the deal with effect from Jan 1 would need to be approved by all member states because there was now not enough time for the European Parliament to ratify it.Much earlier in the day, British Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said two significant issues – fishing and competition – still remained to be resolved and that there had not been sufficient progress for a deal.However, a French official told Reuters that the British had made “huge concessions” in key negotiations over the past 48 hours, mostly on access to fishing in its waters.The pound sterling rose on news of the possible deal.