Sarawak to gazette protected forest area in Kuching suburb

The Sarawak government says it will gazetta an area in Petra Jaya, Kuching, as a totally protected area by next year as part of its conservation efforts.Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg said in doing this, it would adopt a concept similar to the Stutong Forest Park, known as the Samajaya Nature Reserve.“The state government has targeted this area for a gazetted natural reserve,” he said, adding that he had held discussions with his deputy Awang Tengah Ali Hasan on transforming the area based on a “forest-in-the-city” concept.“We had one in Stutong and this Taman Tasik, Bukit Siol area is for Petra Jaya. Here, it is suitable for the concept as there is a lake.“We can see that this place can be turned into a nature reserve with various tree species,” he said when officiating the state-level celebration of International Forest Day in Kuching today.He also said the area could rival the best parks in the peninsula.“We have a vast land, we don’t have as many people and we are introducing new initiatives (to preserve the environment) with new technologies.“I think if we plant the trees properly, this place can be better than what they have in Kuala Lumpur. The parks there were also restored. But this one can be better – we can view the hills and the trees,” he said, adding that it could also be a good filming location.


March 15 hearing for Mat Sabu’s ex-aide

The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur has set March 15 to 17 to hear the case of the ex-political secretary to former defence minister Mohamad Sabu who was charged with five counts of accepting and soliciting bribes amounting to RM6.35 million to help a company to secure projects by the ministry.Deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), said the court has also set March 12 for management of Mohd Azhar Che Mat Dali’s case.“The prosecution has also informed the court that they will be calling 37 witnesses,” he told reporters after the case came up for mention today before judge Rozina Ayob.Lawyer Ariff Azami Hussein, representing Azhar, said the prosecution had submitted documents on the case to the defence in accordance with Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code.Azhar was alleged to have solicited RM5 million from FEHM Entity Sdn Bhd managing director Elias Jemadi Tajudin as gratification to help the company be selected as a strategic partner and contractor for a project by the defence ministry.He was charged with committing the offence at a hotel in Jalan Ampang, Kampung Baru, on July 22, 2019.On the four other charges, Azhar was charged with accepting RM1.35 million from Elias Jemadi through a director of Syarikat Ikaira Resources, Zainudin Abdul Majid, and Aqsa Solutions Sdn Bhd director Ahmad Hisham Mohd Tajuddin for the same purpose.The offences were allegedly committed at several locations in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, including at the parking area of the official residence of the defence minister, between September 2019 and February 2020.All the charges were framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.


Royal tussle over king of fruits

Durian farmers in Raub, Pahang, are locked in a struggle with a company owned by the state’s royal family for control over the popular Musang King variant, named by their ancestors who first began planting the trees in the area several decades ago.According to Singapore daily The Straits Times (ST), the farmers who are unlicensed had been trying to legitimise their farms for 20 years now. In March, though, the state government granted the land rights to the Royal Pahang Durian Produce (RPD) and Pahang Agriculture Development Authority (PKPP).The firms are now offering the farmers a legislation scheme which they call a “win-win” situation but which the farmers say will leave them with the short end of the stick.Under the scheme, the farmers will be allowed to grow their durians which will be bought by RPD at a fixed price of RM30 per kg.RPD says this will give the farmers an expected profit margin of over 200% as the cost of planting is only RM8 per kg.The farmers, though, say otherwise.For one, they say the RM8 estimate does not take into account the time durian trees need to mature.They also prefer the fluctuating market prices which they say are more in line with produce rates which are sometimes unpredictable.“A durian tree’s produce only lasts three weeks, and they expect the three weeks’ effort to cover the cost of the whole year’s effort,” Save Musang King Alliance chairman Chang Yee Chin said in the report.He also told ST that the terms of the scheme would land the farmers with most of the liabilities while limiting their profit and setting unrealistic expectations on produce volume.The scheme will also see the farmers, who number about 1,000, paying an annual RM6,000 for each acre of land used for planting before it kicks in next year.According to the report, the RPD-PKPP joint venture was given land rights for 2,168ha, about half of which is occupied by the farmers who were told to vacate by Aug 24.But the farmers are fighting the case in court, with the hearing set for Oct 28.The ST estimates that 60% of all Musang King exports come from the area in question.The Pahang royal family are the biggest shareholders of RPD, with the sultan’s daughter Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan listed as its chair, the report added.


PAS man remains Kemaman MP as court throws out BN election petition

The Terengganu Election Court in Kuala Terengganu yesterday dismissed a petition filed by Barisan Nasional (BN) against Kemaman MP Che Alias Hamid, retaining the victory of the PAS representative in the 15th general election  last year.
PAS law and human rights bureau secretary Ahmad Lufti Awang, in a statement, said judge Mohamad Abazafree Mohd Abbas also ordered petitioner Wan Mohamad Hisham Wan Abdul Jalil to pay Che Alias RM30,000 in costs.
He said in the online proceedings, Abazafree agreed with one of the four preliminary objection issues presented by the defence, related to facts contained in the petition to support the allegations of bribery and corruption in the election, as defective and invalid.
He said this was because the seven official programmes organised by the Terengganu government - Bantuan i-Belia, i-Siswa and donation programmes for the disabled and asnaf groups – showed no evidence of bribery or kickbacks.
The court allowed Wan Mohamad Hisham to file an appeal to the Federal Court within 14 days.
Che Alias was represented by lawyers Saifuddin Othman, Wan Rohimi Wan Daud and Mohd Nasir Embong.
Lawyers Hafarizam Harun, Abu Bakar Isa Ramat, Amin Othman, Mohamed Baharudeen and Norhazira Abu Haiyan, meanwhile, acted for Wan Mohamad Hisham.


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AirAsia X stays in the red in Q2 FY2022 with RM11.9 million net loss

AirAsia X Bhd (AAX) posted a net loss of RM11.94 million for the second quarter ended Dec 31, 2021 (Q2 FY2022) on the back of revenue of RM119.31 million.There is no comparative financial information available for the preceding year’s corresponding period as the group’s financial year has been changed from Dec 31, 2020 to June 30, 2021.No dividends were declared, approved or paid during the quarter under review, the long haul, low-cost airline said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia.“In the three months to December 2021, the company earned RM119.4 million in revenue from cargo and charter operations, an increase of RM48.5 million or 68% over the previous quarter, and an increase of RM112.0 million over the same quarter of 2020, when only RM7.4 million of revenue was earned.“This substantial increase in revenue is reflective of a new focus on growing the cargo business of the company, a strategy which will be combined with the carriage of passengers to ensure that all routes operated are profitable on an ongoing basis,” it said.AAX said a total of three aircraft had operated during the quarter.“As more aircraft are progressively brought back into service, cargo and charter revenues are expected to continue growing, and will be supplemented by revenue from passenger sales when markets reopen,” it said.On matters relating to the debt restructuring and corporate restructuring of the company, it said significant progress had been made in the quarter.It noted that the High Court had approved its proposed debt restructuring on Dec 16, 2021.“The proposed debt restructuring will take effect upon lodgment of the sanction order with the Registrar of Companies, expected to take place in the coming weeks,” it said.AAX, which reported a group net loss of RM33.69 million for the 18-month financial period to June 30, 2021, became a Practice Note 17 issuer in October last year after its external auditors expressed a disclaimer of opinion in the company’s audited financial statements for the 18-month period.The airline continued to be in the red in the first financial quarter ended Sept 30, 2021, reporting a net loss of RM149.14 million.At the close yesterday, AAX shares rose 3.88% to 54 sen with 865,900 shares changing hands.


How does Merck’s Covid-19 pill compare to Pfizer’s?

Pfizer Inc and Merck & Co Inc have developed experimental antiviral pills that have shown promising efficacy in trials of adults with Covid-19 who are at high risk of serious illness. Both drugs also are being studied to see if they can prevent infection in people exposed to the virus.Here is an explanation of the differences in the two pills.Which of the new pills works better?Trial figures provided by the two companies suggest that Pfizer has the more effective pill, but they have not yet offered full data.Pfizer said on Friday trial results showed that its pill reduced the chance of hospitalisation or death by 89% in Covid-19 patients at risk for severe illness given the treatment within three days of the onset of symptoms and by 85% when given within five days of onset.Merck on Oct 1 said its pill lowered the chance of hospitalisation or death by about 50% in patients at risk for severe illness given the treatment within five days of onset. It did not provide figures regarding patients getting the pill within three days of onset.Pfizer’s drug has the brand name Paxlovid. Merck’s drug has the brand name Lavgevrio in Britain, where it has won regulatory approval.Why are these drugs important?While a number of vaccines are available worldwide to prevent infection including one made by Pfizer, there are limited treatment options for people infected with Covid-19.Currently, Covid-19 patients who are not sick enough to be hospitalised but are at risk of serious illness can be treated with antibody drugs, though they have to be given intravenously at hospitals or infusion centres.How do they work?Both drugs are given for five days. Pfizer’s regimen is three pills in the morning and three pills at night. Merck’s drug is taken as four pills in the morning and four at night.Pfizer’s drug is part of a class known as protease inhibitors designed to block an enzyme that the coronavirus needs to multiply. Pfizer said that because the drug targets a part of the virus essential to replication, the pathogen cannot become resistant to the treatment.Pfizer’s drug is given in combination with ritonavir, an older antiviral that boosts the activity of protease inhibitors but can cause gastrointestinal side effects and interfere with other medications.Merck’s pill, developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is a nucleoside analogue with a mechanism of action that aims to introduce errors into the genetic code of the virus. Because the drug generates random mutations into the virus, it is difficult for the coronavirus to evolve and become resistant.What do we know about safety?Both companies have released only limited data on the treatments, but expressed confidence in their safety.Pfizer said about 20% of patients who received either the pill or a placebo experienced adverse events, mostly mild. Serious side effects were reported by 1.7% of patients receiving the drug and 6.6% of placebo patients.Merck said 12% of patients receiving its drug and 11% of placebo patients experienced drug-related adverse events.Drugs in the same class as Merck’s pill have been linked to birth defects in animal studies. Merck has said similar studies of its drug – for longer and at higher doses than used in humans – show that it does not cause birth defects or cancer.What do we know about supplies?Pfizer and Merck have said they are making efforts to expand global access to the drugs. Pfizer said it expects to produce more than 180,000 courses of its therapy by the end of this year, with production of at least 50 million planned for 2022. Merck has said it expects to produce 10 million courses of its drug by the end of this year, with at least 20 million set to be manufactured in 2022.Which costs more?The US government provides vaccines and treatments for Covid-19 for free to US residents. Countries around the world are negotiating prices with Pfizer and Merck.President Joe Biden on Friday said the US government has secured millions of doses of Pfizer’s treatment. Merck has a US$1.2 billion contract to supply the US with 1.7 million courses of its drug – or about US$700 per course.Britain has secured 250,000 courses of Pfizer’s drug, but prices for the British contracts have not been made public.


Indonesia starts reparations programme for victims of its bloody past

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday launched an unprecedented reparation programme for victims of past human rights abuses by the state, a project critics fear will compensate only a small fraction of those who suffered.
Jokowi, as the president is known, in January expressed deep regret over 12 deadly events from 1965-2003 which include a purge by the military of suspected communists and their sympathisers, during which at least 500,000 people were killed and more than a million jailed, according to historians and activists.
It also included human rights violations by security forces during separatist conflicts in the Aceh and Papua regions, and the killing and abduction of students in 1998 after protests against the three-decade rule of autocratic former President Suharto. About 1,200 people were killed in subsequent riots, activists say.
The government has not disclosed the number of people who will be eligible for reparations, or any targets and it is unclear how victims can apply for compensation.
"Today we can start restoring the victims' rights," said Jokowi, who came to office in 2014 promising to take up the issue.
"This signals the government's commitment to prevent similar abuses in the future."
The compensation will range from educational and health incentives to house renovations, and visas for victims in exile.
However, Sri Winarso, a coordinator of a group of survivors of the 1965 crackdown, said only victims counted by government bodies had been included.
"They have to expand the coverage," he added.
Research by Indonesia's human rights commission, in cooperation with civil society groups, has estimated there are between 500,000 and 3 million victims and survivors of the 1965 bloodshed.
Commissioner Anis Hidayah said so far only 6,400 victims of the 12 bloody events had been verified, adding it was difficult to track those involved in incidents so long ago.
"We will try our best to reach more victims," Anis said.
Maria Catarina Sumarsih, the mother of a student killed in a 1998 protest, said compensation meant nothing if those responsible go unpunished.
"The president said the government will not negate legal resolution but there have been no concrete measures taken," she said.


Emirates, Singapore Airlines now operating flights with fully vaccinated crews

The Dubai-based airline Emirates has operated its first flight with a fully vaccinated frontline team servicing customers at every touchpoint of the travel journey, reports Breaking Travel News.The flight departed Dubai for Los Angeles, having been safely supported by check-in, security, business and first-class lounge and boarding gate employees, as well as engineers, pilots and cabin crew who had all made the choice to be fully vaccinated.Also supporting the operation were fully vaccinated aircraft appearance, loading and special handling teams, as well as Emirates SkyCargo teams working on the cargo and logistics requirements for the flight.In short, every single person who comes into contact with aircraft and passengers has been vaccinated.The Emirates Group rolled out its vaccination drive just over a month ago, and since then, close to 26,000, or 44% of the UAE-based frontline aviation workforce have received both doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Sinopharm vaccines.Adel Al Redha, chief operating officer of Emirates said: “Our operational workforce is at the aviation frontline, helping people get to where they need to be, and moving essential goods to global communities.“Protecting our people with vaccinations is important for the smooth running of our operations, and also for our customers as it introduces an additional layer of protection when they travel with us.”Nearly 5,000 cabin and flight deck crew have opted to receive both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.Abu Dhabi-based Etihad and Singapore Airlines have both also seen early successes in their vaccination efforts.Within the SIA Group, all three passenger airlines are among the first carriers in the world to operate flights with a full complement of vaccinated pilots and cabin crew.The first fully immunised services onboard Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Scoot took to the air on Feb 12.The Singapore government has prioritised the aviation sector in the country’s vaccination schedule.Operating crew within the SIA Group have responded very positively, reports Reuters, with more than 90% of cabin crew and pilots signing up for the vaccine to date.Goh Choon Phong, chief executive of Singapore Airlines, said: “We are very encouraged by the strong take-up rate for the vaccine from our colleagues.“Vaccinations will be key to the reopening of borders and to enhancing travel confidence, in tandem with robust testing regimes and the wide-ranging safe management measures that are in place on the ground and in the air.“They offer greater protection for our people and provide an added layer of assurance to our customers.”


Malaysia defends extradition after North Korea cuts ties

Putrajaya today defended its move to extradite a North Korean national to the US, an act that saw Pyongyang cutting diplomatic ties with Malaysia in retaliation.In a statement, Wisma Putra said the government had ensured that the extradition of Mun Chol Myong was done in accordance with the principles of justice, rule of law and independence of judiciary.“The extradition was only carried out after the due legal process had been exhausted.“The rights of Mun Chol Myong while in custody in Malaysia were also guaranteed and fulfilled, including his access to his own defence counsel, as well as to consular assistance and visits by his family.”Mun, who had lived in Malaysia for a decade with his family, was arrested in 2019 following the extradition request from Washington.On March 9, he lost his final appeal in the country’s top court against extradition to the US to face money laundering charges.He had denied claims of leading a criminal group that violated sanctions by supplying prohibited items to the North and laundered funds through front companies, according to his lawyers.Mun faces four charges of money laundering and two of conspiracy to launder money. The allegations relate mainly to his work in Singapore.Wisma Putra said Mun was detained on May 14, 2019 under Section 13 (1)(b) of the Extradition Act 1992.It said he appeared before the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Dec 13 that year where the court allowed committal against him.“His application for a writ of habeas corpus at the High Court of Kuala Lumpur on Dec 29, 2019, and his appeal at the Federal Court on Oct 8, 2020, were dismissed as the courts found that his application and appeal were unjustified and failed to meet the requirements under the aforementioned Extradition Act.”It said Malaysia was now compelled by North Korea’s decision to close its embassy in Pyongyang, where operations had been suspended since 2017 following the assassination of Kim Jong Un’s half-brother, Kim Jong Nam.“Malaysia had always considered DPRK as a close partner since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973.“Malaysia had been persistent in pursuing concrete efforts to strengthen our relations with the DPRK even after the deplorable assassination of Kim Jong Nam in 2017.“In this respect, the DPRK’s unilateral decision is clearly unwarranted, disproportionate and certainly disruptive towards the promotion of peace, stability and prosperity in our region.”


Melaka fireman dies after losing consciousness during flood operation

A firefighter from the Melaka Tengah Fire and Rescue Department who lost consciousness during a flood rescue operation at Kampung Sungai Putat, Ayer Keroh, died early today.Melaka Fire and Rescue Department director Asst Comm Abu Bakar Katain said Mohd Diya Che Jusoh, 46, breathed his last at 3.11am at the Emergency and Trauma Department of the Melaka Hospital.“His remains will be buried at the Masjid An-Nur Cemetery, Krubong, at 10am today.“The staff of the Melaka Fire and Rescue Department convey their condolences and are saddened by the incident,” he said in a statement today.In the incident which occurred at about 5.30pm yesterday, Diya was believed to have been securing a line in a flood area to help evacuate Kampung Sungai Putat residents from their homes when he suddenly lost consciousness and fell into the swift, chest-high flood waters.Other firefighters who witnessed the incident took about 10 minutes to rescue him and get him to safety.


Woman turns to apex court in battle over religious status

A 37-year-old woman embroiled in a legal battle over her religious status has turned to the Federal Court in an attempt to set aside a Court of Appeal decision reinstating her as a Muslim.
Her counsel A Surendra Ananth, when contacted, confirmed that his client had filed a notice of motion yesterday, seeking leave to pursue her appeal to the Federal Court.
On Jan 13 this year, the Court of Appeal, in a 2-1 majority decision, allowed the appeals by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and the state government to reinstate the woman as a Muslim.
This followed a decision by the Shah Alam High Court on Dec 21, 2021, nullifyng her conversion to Islam.
In civil cases, litigants must get leave from the court before they can file their appeal to the Federal Court. In her application, the woman asked the Federal Court to determine four questions of law, including whether in a situation where a shariah court order is invalid, that order can be challenged collaterally in the Civil High Court and whether Article 121 (1A) of the Federal Constitution is applicable.
She also asked whether Section 74(3) of the Administration of Islamic Law Enactment 1989 (Selangor) ousts the jurisdiction of the High Court to determine the validity of a minor's conversion to Islam.
In her originating summons, the woman, who was born a Hindu to a Hindu father and a Buddhist mother in 1986, sought a declaration that she was not a person professing the religion of Islam.
She said her mother converted to Islam in 1991 and unilaterally converted her, who was then turning five years old, at the Selangor Islamic Religious Department's (Jais) office.
The woman claimed that despite her conversion to Islam, her mother and stepfather allowed her to continue practising the Hindu faith. She claimed that she never professed the religion of Islam. On Dec 12, 2013, the woman filed a summons at the Kuala Lumpur Shariah High Court seeking a declaration that she was no longer a Muslim. On July 20, 2017, the court dismissed her summons. The Shariah Court of Appeal dismissed her appeal on Aug 1, 2017.
The woman then filed a suit at the Shah Alam High Court, which granted her a declaration that she was not a Muslim.
Surendra said the Federal Court had fixed March 2 for case management of his client's application for leave to appeal.


Sri Lankan factory manager lynched and set on fire in Pakistan

A Sri Lankan factory manager in Pakistan was on Friday beaten to death and set ablaze by a mob, police confirmed, in an incident local media reported was linked to alleged blasphemy.Few issues are as galvanising in Pakistan as blasphemy, and even the slightest suggestion of an insult to Islam can supercharge protests and incite lynchings.Rights groups say accusations can often be wielded to settle personal vendettas, with minorities largely the target.Police told AFP that Friday’s incident took place in Sialkot, about 200km southeast of the capital Islamabad.Several gruesome video clips shared on social media showed a mob beating the prone victim while chanting slogans against blasphemy.Other clips showed his body set ablaze, as well as the overturned wreckage of what was said to be his car.Many in the mob made no attempt to hide their identity and some took selfies in front of the burning corpse.“I am extremely shocked at the horrific Sialkot incident,” Punjab provincial chief minister Usman Buzdar tweeted.“No one is allowed to take law in their hands. Rest assured, individuals involved in this inhumane act will not be spared!!”Punjab police said they would investigate “all aspects” of the incident.The slogans chanted in the social media videos were the same used by supporters of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) – an anti-blasphemy party.The TLP has in the past paralysed the country with protests, including an anti-France campaign after Paris-based satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo last year republished cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad.On Sunday thousands of people torched a police station in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after demanding officers hand over a man accused of burning the Quran.In April 2017 an angry mob lynched university student Mashal Khan when he was accused of posting blasphemous content online.A Christian couple was lynched then burnt in a kiln in Punjab in 2014 after being falsely accused of desecrating the Quran.


China absent from key online climate change meeting of 35 countries

A critical meeting on climate change, organised by the UK, appears to be the latest victim of an ongoing row with China.The online meeting of ministers from around 35 countries takes place on Wednesday, but while the US, EU, India and others are taking part, China is not.London says that China was invited to the event but has decided not to participate.Relations between the UK and China have deteriorated in recent weeks after angry exchanges about human rights.Beijing recently imposed sanctions on nine British citizens, including five MPs, for spreading what it called “lies and disinformation” about China in retaliation for measures taken by the UK government and others over human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslim minority group.A list of invitees was published two weeks ago including China. But when the final list of participants was circulated, there was no China.With major emitters such as the US, EU and India taking part, it would be expected that China would play a leading role in this type of event.Not only is it the world’s biggest carbon emitter but it also likes to portray itself as a key ally for developing countries.Today’s climate and development summit is being described by the UK as a “key moment” in the run up to the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, in November.Analysts say the UK, as COP26 hosts, has a very tricky diplomatic path to steer with Beijing.Today’s meeting is seen as an important platform for the countries that are most vulnerable to rising temperatures.Ministers from several threatened island states and poor countries will take part in the meeting, and they will likely make the point that while they contribute little to the causes of climate change they are already feeling the effects.Britain will highlight how the poorest who have done the least to cause climate change are suffering the worst of its impacts, and urge rich countries to offer more support.The virtual meeting will bring together governments, development banks and others to work on solutions to the floods, droughts and extreme heat faced by many developing countries, as well as ways to boost energy access, clean air and smart cities.A report published recently by African finance ministers indicated that some countries are now spending up to 10% of their GDP adapting to the impacts of rising temperatures.In November, COP26 will bring together heads of state, climate experts and campaigners to agree coordinated action to tackle climate change.A COP26 spokesman said China has been invited, adding: “We look forward to working with them on climate change issues.”


From Down Under, a way to keep children safe online?

An expert has hailed Australia’s plan to require parental consent for the use of social media by minors, suggesting that Malaysia take a similar step in this direction and pointing to the country’s child trafficking monitoring system which she described as one of the best in the world.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Shafizan Mohamed, a communications expert from International Islamic University Malaysia, said Australia could be expected to have done its homework on the issue based on its data on the use of social media by minors.She said Malaysia, too, should take more serious measures to tackle the negative effects of social media on children.Last month, reports said Australia was planning to make social media companies obtain parental consent for users under the age of 16.It also threatened fines of up to A$10 million (US$7.5 million) for internet platforms which failed to comply.A similar plan was implemented in California in July.While Shafizan welcomed the proposed rules, she said parental permission is only the first step in handling the issue.“There is also the question of children who are manipulated by their parents on social media,” she said.“If parents give their permission, will the children be monitored? For me, it is a good initiative but not a bottom-line effort.”In recent years, cases have cropped up showing the potential dangers of children using social media without supervision.In 2016, a 13-year-old student was raped by a man whom she had gotten to know through the WeChat app.Meanwhile, Unicef recently warned of an increase in risk for children using the internet, with exposure to sexual content identified as the biggest danger.Concerns have also been raised over cyberbullying and addiction to online games among minors.Shafizan spoke of several challenges to the implementation of plans such as Australia’s, including in defining social media.“YouTube, WhatsApp and Google Classroom are social media platforms as well,” she said. “Are we going to cut off access for our children to those?”She also said that social media companies, the government and other parties might wash their hands of the matter in such a plan, leaving parents fully accountable after giving consent to their children.The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said Australia’s plan was a good initiative to boost the level of control.“The question of whether Malaysia should follow in Australia’s footsteps needs to be studied in detail by the government, taking into consideration input and feedback from stakeholders and its feasibility as well as legal and technical contraints,” it said in a statement to MalaysiaNow.Citing a study on internet users in 2020, it said there had been a 155% increase in the number of children using the internet but a drop of 9% from 2018 in parents’ awareness about parental control.Only 34.4% of parents used parental control to protect their children on the internet.According to data from MCMC, 9.7% of all internet users in the country are made up of those aged 19 and below.Popular platforms include Twitter (13.3%), Instagram (12.4%) and YouTube (10.9%) while in terms of social messaging apps, KakaoTalk topped the list at 17.5% followed by WeChat (14.3%) and Line (13.5%).MCMC advised parents and guardians to cultivate the use of the parental control tools available on such platforms.Shafizan meanwhile said that while the use of social media among children in Malaysia is similar to the trend in other countries, differences remain in terms of socio-economic and educational factors.“Children who are more affordable will have a better digital literacy rate,” she said.“They will tend to use social media in order to create content whereas less affordable children, even if exposed to the internet, will be viewers and recipients of content.”While parental permission would act as a filter for children’s activities, it is not a foolproof method of keeping them safe, she said.“The best way is for parents to learn how to be ‘digital parents’,” she added. “They need to know how to monitor and educate their children to become more digitally resilient.“We cannot fully monitor their use of social media, but if they are equipped with values and principles, they will know how to best use these platforms.”


Philippines president taunts international court, vows to kill more drug dealers

Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte said today his country’s battle against narcotics is far from over more than five years after he began a brutal war on drugs that has killed thousands and prompted accusations of crimes against humanity.Duterte, in his last State of the Nation address, defended the campaign, saying it has brought down crime and improved peace and order, Reuters is reporting.“We still have a long way to go in our fight against the proliferation of drugs,” Duterte said in his nearly three-hour address, which many had expected would focus on the Covid-19 pandemic.Duterte, 76, is not eligible for re-election, but has hinted he may run for vice-president, which critics see as a possible backdoor to a return to power.Before his address, hundreds of activists took to the streets of Manila despite the threat of the more contagious Delta variant, carrying banners criticising Duterte’s rights record and his handling of the Covid-19 crisis.Last month, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) sought the go-ahead to launch a formal investigation into the drug war killings, saying crimes against humanity could have been committed.Duterte, who has dared the ICC to put him on trial, taunted the court again.“I have never denied, and the ICC can record it: those who destroy my country, I will kill you,” he said. “And those who destroy the young people of our country, I will kill you. I will really finish you, because I love my country.”Human rights groups accused Duterte of inciting deadly violence and say police have murdered unarmed drug suspects and staged crime scenes on a massive scale.Police deny this and Duterte has always insisted the police are under orders to kill only in self-defence.“Duterte has nothing to show for his promise years ago to eliminate illegal drugs – nothing to show but dead bodies killed by the police,” said Carlos Conde, Philippines researcher for Human Rights Watch.Duterte, who won the presidency in 2016 on a promise to fight corruption, crime and illegal drugs, remains highly popular despite the criticism of the killings and his pandemic response.With more than 1.5 million coronavirus cases and more than 27,000 deaths, the Philippines has the second worst outbreak in Southeast Asia after Indonesia.“We had hoped the president would present a clear roadmap to economic recovery, and how the government is building up healthcare capacity to handle any surges and future pandemics,” said Rizalina Mantaring, of the Management Association of the Philippines.While saying the country could no longer afford more lockdowns, Duterte said he could not completely rule out stricter curbs if the spread of the Delta variant gets worse.He called on all Filipinos to get vaccinated.The Philippines has so far fully immunised only 5.5% of its 110 million population.


Ukrainian cyber resistance group targets Russian power grid, railways

A Ukrainian cyber guerrilla warfare group plans to launch digital sabotage attacks against critical Russian infrastructure such as railways and the electricity grid, to strike back at Moscow over its invasion, a hacker team coordinator told Reuters.Officials from Ukraine’s defence ministry last week approached Ukrainian businessman and local cybersecurity expert Yegor Aushev to help organise a unit of hackers to defend against Russia, Reuters previously reported.On Monday, Aushev said he planned to organise hacking attacks that would disrupt any infrastructure that helps bring Russian troops and weapons to his country.“Everything that might stop war,” he told Reuters. “The goal is to make it impossible to bring these weapons to our country.”Aushev said his group has already downed or defaced dozens of Russian government and banking websites, sometimes replacing content with violent images from the war. He declined to provide specific examples, saying it would make tracking his group easier for the Russians.Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbor’s military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.A Ukrainian defence attache in Washington declined to comment on Aushev’s group or its relationship with the defence ministry. Aushev said his group has so far grown to more than 1,000 Ukrainian and foreign volunteers.The group has already coordinated with a foreign hacktivist organisation that carried out an attack on a railway system.After word spread of the formation of Aushev’s team, the Belarusian Cyber Partisans, a Belarus-focused hacking team, volunteered to attack Belarusian Railways because they said it was used to transport Russian soldiers.The Cyber Partisans disabled the railway’s traffic systems and brought down its ticketing website, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday.On Monday, a Cyber Partisans spokeswoman told Reuters the group carried out those attacks and confirmed her organisation was now working with Aushev’s group.The spokeswoman said because her group had brought down the reservation system, passengers could only travel by purchasing paper tickets in person. She sent Reuters a photo of a paper, handwritten ticket issued on Monday.“We fully side with Ukrainians,” she said. “They are now fighting for not only their own freedom but ours too. Without an independent Ukraine, Belarus doesn’t stand a chance.”Reuters could not confirm attacks against the Belarus railway’s traffic system. The company’s reservation website was down on Tuesday afternoon. A railway spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.Officials at the Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a Russian news outlet on Tuesday that Russian embassies were under cyberattack by “cyber terrorists from Ukraine.”Beyond striking back at Moscow, Aushev said his team would help Ukraine’s military hunt down undercover Russian units invading cities and towns.He said his group had discovered a way to use cellphone tracking technology to identify and locate undercover Russian military units moving through the country, but declined to provide details.Russian troops are reportedly using commercial cell phones in Ukraine to communicate, multiple media outlets reported.Over the last week, numerous Russian government websites have been publicly interrupted by reported distributed denial of service (DDoS) style attacks, including one for the office of President Vladimir Putin.


Germans divided over barring unvaccinated from certain venues

German politicians were deeply divided on Sunday over a warning by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff that restrictions for unvaccinated people may be necessary if Covid-19 infection numbers reach new heights in the coming months.Chief of staff Helge Braun told the newspaper Bild am Sonntag that he doesn’t expect another coronavirus-related lockdown in Germany. But he said that unvaccinated people may be barred from entering venues like restaurants, cinemas or sports stadiums “because the residual risk is too high”.Braun said getting vaccinated is important to protect against severe disease and because “vaccinated people will definitely have more freedoms than unvaccinated people”.He said such policies would be legal because “the state has the responsibility to protect the health of its citizens”.The issue has proven divisive, even within Merkel’s own Christian Democrats party.The party’s candidate to replace Merkel as Germany’s leader, Armin Laschet, told the German broadcaster ZDF on Sunday, “I don’t believe in compulsory vaccinations and I don’t believe we should put indirect pressure on people to get vaccinated. In a free country there are rights to freedom, not just for specific groups.”If Germany’s vaccination rates remain too low this autumn, other options could be considered, Laschet said, adding “but not now.”More than 60% of the German population have received at least one dose while nearly 50% are fully vaccinated, but vaccine efforts have slowed in recent weeks and that has led to discussions about how best to encourage those who haven’t yet received a vaccine to do so.With the highly transmissible delta variant spreading in Germany, politicians are debating the possibility of compulsory vaccinations for specific professions, including medical workers.Merkel has ruled out new vaccine requirements “at the moment”, but added, “I’m not ruling out that this might be talked about differently in a few months.”Karl Lauterbach, a health expert from the centre-left Social Democrats, spoke in favour of possible restrictions. He told the Süddeutsche Zeitung that soon one of the only remaining options to fight new variants will be “to restrict access to spaces where many people come together” to those who have either been vaccinated or recovered from the virus.Others immediately pushed back against Braun’s comments on Sunday. Some expressed scepticism about the effectiveness of such restrictions, while others warned against having rights based on one’s vaccination status.“Of course, we need incentives to reach the highest possible vaccination rate,” Marco Buschmann, parliamentary group leader for the pro-business Free Democrats, told RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland.Still, he said, if unvaccinated people who have been tested or recovered from the virus pose no greater danger than vaccinated people, to impose such restrictions on the unvaccinated “would be a violation of their basic rights”.Rolf Mützenich, head of the Social Democrats’ parliamentary group, said politicians should be focusing more on getting willing citizens vaccinated than penalising the unvaccinated.“We’re not going to sustainably change the vaccination behaviour of individuals with threats,” he told RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland.


AirAsia threatens suit, gives MalaysiaNow 48 hours to retract report on half-a-billion ringgit govt loan

Budget airline AirAsia has threatened a defamation suit against MalaysiaNow over a report surrounding a loan of some half a billion ringgit received under a government loan scheme.AirAsia Group Bhd, which recently changed its name to Capital A Bhd, claimed the article “Questions raised over half-a-billion ringgit govt loan for troubled AirAsia” was “bereft of the truth, vexatious, spurious and completely unwarranted”.The article published on Jan 24 concerns the approval of a RM500 million loan from Danajamin Nasional Bhd, a financial guarantee insurer under the finance ministry-owned Bank Pembangunan Malaysia.“Our client takes the position that the impugned publication had been made in bad faith and is calcultaed to cause damage and/or to injure the trading reputation and/or goodwill of our client and further exposes our client to public odium, ridicule and scandal,” the legal firm representing the airline, Steven Thiru & Sudhar, said in the letter delivered to MalaysiaNow’s office in Petaling Jaya.The letter, addressed to MalaysiaNow editor Abdar Rahman Koya and writer Azzman Abdul Jamal, gave the portal 48 hours to remove the article, issue an “unequivocal apology” and offer monetary compensation for “loss and damage” to the airline’s reputation.Questions raised over half-a-billion ringgit govt loan for troubled AirAsiaYou’ll get your refunds, says AirAsia boss as airline faces ‘deep, deep’ money problemsThe man who stood his ground against AirAsiaFrustrated customers chase AirAsia for refundsTony brushes aside AirAsia’s troubled status as he launches new nameThe report had highlighted concerns over the approval of the half-a-billion ringgit facility for AirAsia in view of its PN17 company status by Bursa Malaysia over its financial health.But AirAsia said the PN17 status was “immaterial” and “irrelevant” in allowing it to obtain financial loans and assistance.“Notwithstanding our client’s PN17 status, our client was still able to fulfil the eligibility criteria for the Danajamin Scheme loan and was successful in its application,” said AirAsia’s lawyers.The letter said AirAsia has “strong fundamentals”, adding that its “Super App” is recognised by Credit Suisse as “one of three Asean Unicorns based in Malaysia”.It further said MalaysiaNow had failed to consider that AirAsia has been a “key driver and catalyst for economic growth in Malaysia”.“Therefore, it is reasonable and appropriate for the government of Malaysia to step in, if it wishes to, to assist our client in light of the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused to our client’s business,” it said, adding that the Danajamin loan was obtained “purely on merit”.Announcing its name change to Capital A late last month, AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes had brushed aside the PN17 status, describing it as an “accounting issue”.“PN17 was caused by a lease which we never paid, so it shouldn’t be in the profits and losses.“It’s related to accounting and structuring, which mentions the consolidation of a RM5 billion deficit. If you remove these two factors, we would not be classified as PN17,” Fernandes had said.AirAsia’s expansion plans come as the airline faces criticism from customers for its decision not to refund them over flights cancelled due to the pandemic.Instead, the company said it would dish out credit to tens of thousands of affected passengers.Last year, Fernandes assured passengers that they would be refunded despite the company’s cash problems.“You will get yours, please be patient,” the company had said in a post alongside Fernandes’ video message in April last year.“AirAsia X is in deep, deep financial difficulty because it just hasn’t been able to fly anywhere. Plus it has had to deal with very unfair competition over the many years,” he added.


On island paradise, teachers work to stop stateless children from sniffing glue

In a modest classroom in the island paradise of Semporna in Sabah, Siti Syamaika Abdullatif welcomes a new batch of students at the start of a school session.Groups of pupils, some of them as young as six, trickle in, excited to open their books and start learning.These are no ordinary students, and Sekolah Pemulihan Gam is no ordinary school.Launched under a student activist initiative known as Sekolah Alternatif, it caters to stateless children in Sabah who would otherwise go their entire lives without any formal education.In Semporna alone, famous for its marine life and crystal clear water, there are thousands of stateless children, many of whom were abandoned by their parents. A large number of them are from the Bajau Laut community or rural villages far from towns.In small towns especially, they sit in groups, wearing worn-out clothes and begging for money.Across Sabah as a whole, there are an estimated 50,000 stateless children of Indonesian and Filipino descent. The numbers bear testimony to the problem of statelessness in Sabah and the social issues that arise because of this.Speaking in an interview with MalaysiaNow, Syamaika said it was common to see children sniffing glue – a practice normalised by friends, neighbours and even family members.“It’s as big as any drug issue,” she said. “People are selling glue to children for 20 to 50 sen a bag. They also provide huts for these children to sniff the glue in.”And it appears to be a lucrative business. Sellers can buy more than a litre of glue for a few ringgit and make a killing by peddling it among children.At Sekolah Pemulihan Gam, one of the aims is to keep stateless children off the streets and away from such people.This is no easy task as the habit is also fuelled by deep-rooted issues like poverty and hunger.Many of the children who fall into the practice are from poor families whose parents cannot afford to put food on the table. For them, sniffing plastic glue is a way to get high and forget their hunger for just a few hours.“Some children who cannot go to school are paid RM5 by glue sellers to monitor the roads and alert them if there are police about,” Syamaika added.At Sekolah Pemulihan Gam, children are also taught the importance of basic hygiene practices such as brushing their teeth. Photo: FacebookThese problems and more are linked to the fundamental issue of statelessness – without official documents or proof of citizenship, none of these children will ever be able to attend a public school.Speaking in an interview with MalaysiaNow, Sekolah Pemulihan Gam co-founder Mukmin Nantang said the teachers, many of whom were once students of Sekolah Alternatif themselves, do the best they can.In addition to academic subjects, they teach the children the importance of basic hygiene like washing their hands, brushing their teeth and cutting their nails.“We also have acting and music classes to make things exciting and enjoyable for them,” he said.But for all of their effort, the school can only take in a maximum of 70 students out of the thousands roaming the streets with bags of glue in their hands.Mukmin said there had been little initiative on the part of the state government to help tackle the issue.“Statelessness is not in politicians’ best interest,” he said. “This issue is still in the dark because there is a lack of public pressure.”Still, the teachers continue to do what they can with the resources they have at hand. The biggest challenge for them is ending the children’s addiction to glue – a tricky business as many are likely to relapse.But for them, any amount of effort would be worth the cost if it helps keep children safe in the classroom and away from social ills.


YouTube to roll out parent-approved accounts for tweens

YouTube on Wednesday said it will roll out new accounts that let tweens or young teens explore the streaming video service within boundaries set by their parents.An early version of the offering will be released in coming months, letting parents use Google accounts to provide children YouTube access that comes with content and feature constraints, according to kids and family product management director James Beser.The move responds to concerns about violence and other inappropriate content which may be viewed by minors on the massive video-sharing platform.“We’ve heard from parents and older children that tweens and teens have different needs, which weren’t being fully met by our products,” Beser said in a blog post.“We are announcing a new choice for parents who have decided their tweens and teens are ready to explore YouTube with a supervised account.”An “explore” option for parental control settings will feature videos considered suitable for children ages nine and older, such as tutorials, gaming videos, music clips, news and educational content.A second setting will allow children to access videos deemed appropriate for people ages 13 and older, and include live streams.A “most of YouTube” setting will open viewing to a gamut of content on the global video sharing platform except for content that is age-restricted or involving sensitive topics only appropriate for older audiences.“We know that every parent has a different parenting style and that every child is unique and reaches different developmental stages at different times,” Beser said.The options are designed for parents who are ready to give their children a bit more freedom on YouTube, but with limits, according to Beser.“We will use a mix of user input, machine learning and human review to determine which videos are included,” Beser said.“We know that our systems will make mistakes and will continue to evolve over time.”Google-owned YouTube started out as a video-sharing platform for people at least 13 years of age but added a YouTube Kids option in 2015 with parental controls on content.The platform has worked to address concerns and complaints about content accessible to children as well as the types of ads paired with what they view.


China’s zero-Covid policy to hit Asia aviation recovery, says airline industry group

China’s zero-Covid policy will hold back a full air travel recovery in the Asia-Pacific region, a top airline industry group warned Tuesday, adding to calls for Beijing to ease its hardline stance.The world’s second-biggest economy is seeking to stamp out the coronavirus entirely, with rapid lockdowns and mass testing, and the measures have hammered both domestic and international air travel.The aviation sector’s recovery in Asia was already relatively slow, and Willie Walsh, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) chief, warned Beijing’s approach made the picture bleaker.“It has been a brutal two years for airlines. But we are seeing signs of recovery now,” he told an aviation conference in Singapore.“Unfortunately, (the) Asia-Pacific region will lag this recovery as China continues to pursue zero-Covid.”In 2021 in Asia, international travel was only 7% of what it was in 2019, compared with a worldwide figure of 25%, he said.While the picture had improved at the start of this year, there was still a “long way to go”, he added.China’s decision to stick with zero-Covid has put it at odds with many Asian governments, which have started reopening borders and dropping quarantine and testing requirements in recent months.“The science supports these initiatives,” Walsh told the Changi Aviation Summit, attended by top industry officials.IATA is “convinced that this science supports the removal of testing and quarantine for unvaccinated travellers from areas of high population immunity, including many parts of this region,” he said.China, the last major economy still closed off to the world, is facing mounting calls to drop the zero-Covid policy which has left millions in Shanghai locked down for weeks.Last week, the World Health Organization said the approach was unsustainable.


Now, India backtracks on support for Rohingya refugees, says will deport them

India's home ministry said on Wednesday that Rohingya refugees in the capital New Delhi would be held at a detention centre and then deported, contradicting a minister's earlier statement promising flats and security to members of the Muslim minority.
Hardeep Singh Puri, federal minister for housing and urban affairs, had earlier on Wednesday outlined new provisions for the Rohingya, signalling a potential change in the government's critical stance towards the refugee group from Myanmar.
Rohingya refugees would be allotted flats in western Delhi's Bakkarwala area, provided basic amenities and round-the-clock police protection, Puri had said on Twitter.
But, just hours after Puri's tweets, the federal home ministry said in a statement that "Rohingya illegal foreigners" would remain at a locality in the city's southern reaches as authorities worked to deport them.
"Illegal foreigners are to be kept in the detention centre till their deportation as per law," the home ministry said in a statement.
"The government of Delhi has not declared the present location as a detention centre. They have been directed to do the same immediately."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has previously tried to repatriate members of the Rohingya, who are a minority community in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled from persecution and waves of violence in their homeland over the years, mainly to Bangladesh.
As of early this year, around 1,100 Rohingya lived in Delhi and another 17,000 elsewhere in India, working mainly as manual labourers, hawkers and rickshaw pullers, according to estimates from Rohingya rights activist Ali Johar.
He said some 2,000 Rohingya had left for Bangladesh this year, amid fears of being deported.
"Most of the Rohingya in Delhi now live in rented accommodation, where they feel safe, or in settlements," said Johar, 27, who moved to India a decade ago and lives with his family.
Speaking to Reuters before the home ministry's statement, Johar underlined fears among the community, which has faced the ire of some Indian right-wing Hindu groups, that the new facilities could be used to corral the Rohingya.
"If it turns out to be a detention camp, that will be a nightmare for us," he said.


Pandemic could mean millions more child marriages, Unicef warns

The outsized impact Covid-19 has had on women in some countries could result in an additional 10 million child marriages in this decade, according to a new analysis released Monday by Unicef.“School closures, economic stress, service disruptions, pregnancy and parental deaths due to the pandemic are putting the most vulnerable girls at increased risk of child marriage,” said a study titled “Covid-19: A threat to progress against child marriage”.That trend, if confirmed, would represent a serious retreat from recent years of progress against child marriage.In the last 10 years, according to the study, the proportion of young women globally who were married as children had declined by 15%, from nearly one in four to one in five.That progress “is now under threat”, said the study, released on International Women’s Day.“Covid-19 has made an already difficult situation for millions of girls even worse,” said Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore.“Shuttered schools, isolation from friends and support networks, and rising poverty have added fuel to a fire the world was already struggling to put out.”Girls who marry in childhood, the study said, are more likely to experience domestic violence and less likely to remain in school. They face an increased risk of early and unplanned pregnancy, and maternal complications and mortality.Isolation from family and friends can take “a heavy toll on their mental health.”Meantime, pandemic-related travel restrictions and physical distancing have made it harder for girls “to access the health care, social services and community support that protect them from child marriage, unwanted pregnancy and gender-based violence”, while making it more likely that they drop out of school.In addition, families facing economic hardship may seek to marry off their daughters to ease financial burdens.The report estimates that 650 million girls and women alive today were married in childhood, about half of them in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, India or Nigeria.Fore called for countries to reopen schools, implement legal reforms, ensure access to health and social services while providing measures to protect families.By doing so, she said, “we can significantly reduce a girl’s risk of having her childhood stolen through child marriage.”


Cases of highly infectious Omicron variants detected in Sarawak

Cases of the highly infectious Covid-19 Omicron variants BA.2.12.1 and BA.5 have been detected in Sarawak recently, according to the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Institute of Health and Community Medicine (IHCM).Unimas IHCM director Dr David Perera said this in his report to state disaster management committee (SDMC) chairman Amar Douglas Uggah Embas in Kuching today.Perera said 1,229 samples of positive cases were successfully sequenced from March 1 to June 16 this year.“All were detected as the Omicron variant of concern (VoC). These samples represented positive cases obtained state-wide,” he said in a statement.Perera said BA.2 continued to be the dominant circulating sub-variant, with multiple minor sub-lineages detected.“However, in the last week of May, we detected the first incidences of the highly infectious BA.2.12.1 from a case in Kuching and BA.5 from a case in Sibu.“Subsequently, an additional case of BA.2.12.1 and three cases of BA.5 were detected in Kuching through the second and third weeks of June. The World Health Organization had previously flagged both these sub-lineages as highly infectious with faster transmission rates than the parent Omicron VoC,” he said.Perera said that in light of this development, the general public was strongly advised to be aware of the heightened risk of an increase in infection rates in the state.“They are strongly advised, as well, to get their booster shots if they have not done so, particularly for individuals with comorbidities and those above 60 years old,” he said.


Malaysia taking positive steps, Singapore continuing with ‘execution barrage’, rights group says

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) today hit out at news of Singapore’s latest scheduled execution, comparing the situation in the city-state to that of Malaysia which recently moved to abolish the mandatory death penalty.In a statement, LFL director Zaid Malek said the imposition of the death penalty for drug crimes had been declared by the United Nations as a violation of international law amounting to unlawful killing.“Malaysia has taken positive steps towards its eventual abolition, with the long-standing moratorium and now the government’s undertaking to abolish the mandatory death penalty,” he said.“Singapore, however, in contradiction to prevailing international norms, continues with its execution barrage.”Kalwant was convicted and sentenced to death on Oct 24, 2013 for trafficking just over 60g of diamorphine into the island republic, which has some of the toughest drugs laws in the world.He was convicted mainly on the testimony of his co-accused, and maintains that he did not know he was carrying drugs.He is scheduled to hang at Changi prison on July 7.Zaid said Kalwant was next on a long list of Malaysians whom Singapore had scheduled for an appointment with the gallows.“The death penalty is an archaic and brutal form of punishment that does not deter serious crime,” he said.“It is irreversible and the ultimate denial of human rights. Continuing to hang drug mules while knowing full well that drug mules are easily replaceable by drug kingpins shows that Singapore prefers the illusion of taking action instead of actually resolving illicit drug trade in the region.”Urging Singapore to halt Kalwant’s execution, he said Putrajaya should also make urgent representations to the republic to save its citizen from the noose.


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The dark side of working from home

While working from home has brought with it a slew of benefits including less time spent in traffic and more money saved on parking and lunch, other side effects have followed as well, including a higher workload as the Covid-19 pandemic forces professionals in many fields to rethink the way things used to be done.This is especially apparent in the education sector where face-to-face classes for much of the year were replaced by online lectures as spikes in infections kept students and teachers alike at home.One lecturer with whom MalaysiaNow spoke said prep time for classes had doubled since sessions were moved online early this year.Zailani, who teaches at a public university, said moving lectures online takes much more time and planning than conducting in-hall lectures.Depending on the subject, it could take up to four hours just to prepare the content whereas a normal class would usually take between 30 minutes and two hours.“For us to create a video, we had a one-day workshop on how to edit videos but not all of us could master that in just one day!”Even after the lessons are uploaded, it is not always smooth sailing.Hisham, who also lectures at a public university, said online classes depend heavily on good internet connection.“There always seem to be internet problems which affect the running of classes,” he told MalaysiaNow. “This causes classes to start late, and some parts are repeated due to audio problems.“It’s also difficult to get 100% attendance because some students can’t access the classes due to internet issues.”There is also the stress for some of being technologically challenged.“For us to create a video, we had a one-day workshop on how to edit videos but not all of us could master that in just one day!” Hisham said.Not all material is conveyed through video or conference call-styled sessions. Some is delivered through the Learning Management System or LMS. But even this can cause lecturers a lot of trouble.“There always seem to be internet problems which affect the running of classes.”“Traditionally, lecturers print out quizzes and hand them out to students,” Hisham said.“But using the LMS, questions and answers have to be individually programmed into the system based on criteria such as the type of question.”This takes a long time, especially for lecturers who are not familiar with the system.Lecturers at private universities do not face the same constraints in terms of which software or system is used for online classes. But for them, too, the workload has soared since the shift online.One issue is the need for supporting infrastructure. While classes and assignments must be moved online, figuring out how to make the shift can be time-consuming.Some course components like discussions, quizzes and exams are by nature difficult to conduct online which forces lecturers to come up with online-based solutions and alternatives, Chris who teaches at a private university told MalaysiaNow.This is an even bigger problem for medical lecturers as a key part of training for doctors and other healthworkers is normally hands-on.Dr Farouk Musa, who lectures at Monash University, gave the example of anatomy classes.“Teaching this is challenging as students don’t have the specimens in front of them,” he told MalaysiaNow.“So there is no sense of touch. Everything must be based on reconstructed images and imagination, which poses a real challenge to appreciating anatomy as it is.”Farouk, who described the 2020 academic year as “annus horribilis”, added that lecturers have had to be content with merely meeting students online.At the end of the day, this, for lecturers, might be the most difficult part of working from home.“The face-to-face element is important in lectures, and in online lectures with class sizes of 100 to 200 students, interactions become very impersonal,” Chris said.Zailani put it more bluntly. “I’m not sure if students pay attention in online classes or not. Teaching is not the same when students are not in front of you.”


University students juggle work and studies amid cost-of-living dilemma

University student Ahmad Ameer is no stranger to the balancing act between studies and work.
He began working part-time when he was in Form Four, holding down a job at a clothing store in the afternoons after school.
Now a third-year student at Universiti Malaya, he is still working on the side, earning between RM900 and RM1,500 a month.
Ahmad's family is not well-to-do, and he is familiar with the need to go the extra mile in order to manage all the bills.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, though, he said his observation was that more and more of his friends were also doing the same thing.
Some of them spend more time at work than they do at lectures, he added.
"Some work more than 30 hours a week," he said. "We could consider ourselves more workers than we are students.
"But we need to work to earn enough money to eat. If we don't work, we don't eat."
R Rootra began working part-time after discovering that his mother was always in debt to other family members from whom she borrowed to give him pocket money at university.
Rootra, from Segamat, Johor, said the money he receives from his student loan each semester is not enough to cover his expenses living on campus in the capital city.  Most of the time, he is left with about RM1,000 for food and transportation costs after deducting the cost of fees, rental, internet and study-related necessities.
"I bring food back from work because my employer pays for our lunch," he said.
On social media, many others spoke about their financial struggles amid the rising cost of living.
Some also shared their feelings of emotional pressure, saying they did not wish to put further financial strain on their families back home.
Razali, whose son is a humanities student at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang, said these were the struggles associated with becoming an adult in a rapidly developing city.
"I get upset when people say don't spoil your children and give them too much money," he said.
"They don't have any money of their own, surely you don't want them to starve."
For Razali and his friends, the fasting month allows them to save up and collect donations for the students on campus.
"They can also break fast at the university mosque and bring back the leftovers for their pre-dawn meal," he said.
Razali said the cost of living situation was a good lesson for his children on the reality of being an adult and building up a life for themselves.
But he is also worried that the hardships of life will drive them to despair.
"I don't want them to feel like life is too hard, to the point where they forget the ambitions they once had."


Flood situation in Selangor under control, says Shah Alam city council

The Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) says the heavy rains which occurred in several areas in the state yesterday evening caused no drastic rise in water levels at rivers, with the areas affected by flash floods on March 7 under control.JBPM director Norazam Khamis said the water levels in the affected areas of Hulu Langat, Gombak and Petaling were now showing a downward trend with no new evacuations to flood relief centres (PPS) recorded.However, Norazam said an embankment had eroded at Bukit Changgang yesterday evening following rain due to water pressure from the fast-flowing Sungai Langat.He said the Drainage and Irrigation Department was carrying out repair work on the embankment and the situation was under control.“We have stationed four boats in the area and our personnel are ready in the event of an emergency. We are also still monitoring the area,” he said when contacted by Bernama yesterday.Earlier, a check at the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) Dewan Kenangan PPS found that flood victims were there on their own initiative after being told by the authorities that Sungai Klang was at a dangerous level yesterday.A married couple from Kampung Lanchong Jaya, Edison Ali, 41, and Fatonah Abdul Ghoni, 46, said although their house area was not inundated, they chose to take their three children to the PPS, including Muhammad Qhaleef Shah, nine, who had just been circumcised a day earlier.“My son was able to rest for only a few hours after returning from the mass circumcision programme yesterday.“The village management informed after Asar prayers that the level of Sungai Klang, located about 200m from our house, was at the danger level. There was only one foot left before the river would break its bank.“Worried that the flood on Dec 18 last year would repeat itself, my wife and I decided to evacuate although the water had not overflowed and entered the house,” Edison said.Another victim, Norliza Hussein, 54, said she and her three children immediately packed up to go to the PPS after being informed by the village management about the situation of Sungai Klang behind her house which was about to overflow.“The water had not entered the house. But half of the evacuees at the PPS are from Kampung Lanchong Jaya which experienced an ugly situation during the previous flood.“Fearful of that situation, we followed all directives to save ourselves,” she said.Meanwhile, MBSA Zone 10 councillor Saribanon Saibon, who is in charge of Sections 26, 27, 28 and 33 in Shah Alam, said to date, 144 victims from 44 families had been advised to remain at the PPS until the forecast of rainstorms ends.The National Disaster Management Agency through Twitter said that as of 4pm, seven PPS were still operational involving 1,030 individuals from 264 families from the districts of Gombak, Hulu Langat and Petaling.


Marital lessons or just sex talk? Critics question two-day course for Muslim couples

The compulsory marriage course for Muslim couples planning to tie the knot has been described as little more than a session for “sex talk”, according to random observations of several sessions over a period of several months.Speakers would frequently crack sex jokes, leaving some shocked and others in stitches.The trend worries activists and academics who say the marriage course, a pre-requisite for Muslims who intend to get married, has deviated from its original objective of educating the Muslim public on their rights and responsibilities in marriage.Sociologist Syarifah Fatimah Al Zahrah Al Attas warned that the marriage course had failed to live up to its original aim.She said the problem usually lies at the execution stage as speakers ignore the the module and syllabus.“So we hear of participants complaining about inappropriate talk in these courses,” she told MalaysiaNow.The pre-marriage course, first introduced in the 1990s to address a worrying trend of Muslim marriages ending in divorce, consists of two days filled with lectures.Many who attend the pre-marriage course do so merely to get the certificate, fulfilling the condition set by religious authorities before their big day.Participants sit through talks given by speakers licensed by the relevant state religious authority based on what is known as the Integrated Module for Islamic Pre-Marriage Course.The module covers Islamic fundamentals, morals, family health, conflict management, spousal communication, as well as information on counselling and divorce procedures.Many who attend the pre-marriage course do so merely to get the certificate, fulfilling the condition set by religious authorities before their big day.But Syarifah thinks the duration of the course is too short if the aim is to prepare couples for married life.Muslim women’s rights activist Majidah Hashim went a step further, saying the pre-marriage course has failed to solve the very problems for which it was introduced.She pointed to a spike in domestic abuse, polygamy and divorce even after the pre-marriage course became compulsory.Last year, close to 57,000 marriages in Malaysia – the bulk of which were by Muslims – ended in divorce, an increase from the previous year.Majidah, formerly with Sisters in Islam, agreed that the course has deviated from its objectives.“It has lost track of realities,” she said, adding that many couples are not aware of what they are going into when they decide to tie the knot.She said there is a tendency to stereotype the female role in marriage, with speakers depicting them as the weaker sex who should stay at home and manage the household, instead of accepting the current reality in which both husband and wife might have to venture out of the home.But for Fairuz Al Jengkawi, a consultant who specialises in family issues and sex education, the greatest problem of the pre-marriage course lies in its mandatory nature.He said as a result, people attend the pre-marriage course merely to fulfil a procedure.“If you don’t attend the course, you can’t get married,” he said.


3 more Thai islands open to vaccinated travellers

Three more Thai islands opened to vaccinated foreign tourists on Thursday despite a nationwide surge in Covid-19 cases propelled by the Delta variant.The islands – Samui, Tao and Phangan – welcomed visitors as part of the kingdom’s push to revive its battered tourism industry.Thailand launched its “sandbox” scheme on July 1, allowing vaccinated travellers to visit Phuket island. Tourists do not have to quarantine in a hotel but cannot leave Phuket for two weeks.Under Thursday’s expansion, tourists must stay at an approved hotel on Samui for a week and can leave their accommodation on day four.They will have to produce a negative Covid-19 test before being allowed to venture to Tao or Phangan after their first week.The rest of the country is struggling to rein in infections from the Delta variant, which authorities say now makes up nearly 80% of its caseload.Virus hotspot Bangkok and nine provinces are under tightened restrictions, including a night-time curfew and a ban on gatherings of more than five people.Thailand recorded almost 9,200 new infections and a record daily high of 98 deaths on Thursday.‘Don’t want to rush’Phuket has received 5,000 foreign tourists since its reopening, 10 of whom have tested positive for Covid-19.Authorities are not expecting a big influx of tourists immediately to Samui and the other two islands.Tourism Association of Koh Samui president Ratchaporn Poolsawadee described Thursday’s start of the “Samui Plus” scheme as a soft opening.He said 75% of residents on the three islands were vaccinated.“It is expected that arrivals will improve after tourists learn the rules and regulations. And then some rules and regulations could be tweaked,” Ratchaporn told AFP.“We don’t want to rush (Samui Plus).”Tourism makes up one fifth of Thailand’s national income and the economy is suffering its worst performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis.Ratchaporn said tourism was worth US$918 million to Samui before the pandemic but the virus had cut turnover to US$88 million last year.


Discreet social activities, unapproved travel behind Terengganu’s Covid spike

Social events held discretely are among the factors for the sharp increase in Covid-19 cases in Terengganu yesterday.Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said the increase was also due to recent Aidiladha activities that failed to comply with SOPs.“This includes unpermitted interstate and inter-district travel during the celebration,” he said in a video on Facebook.Terengganu recorded a sharp increase in new Covid-19 cases yesterday with 883 infections, including 860 local transmissions. It was the highest number since the pandemic hit.Samsuri said the spike in numbers was also due to targeted screenings and tests done on close contacts in several localities.“There has also been an influx of foreign contract workers from outside Terengganu who are not screened and who have triggered clusters among them,” he said.As such, he added, the authorities will ramp up screenings in identified high-risk localities.“Due to the increase in screenings, we expect an increase in cases in the next two weeks,” he said.Terengganu will also request for more vaccine supplies so that vaccinations can be accelerated in critical areas, especially in Kemaman and Dungun, he said, while urging the public to strictly adhere to all SOPs.


Go ahead and use English, Abang Johari tells Sarawak civil servants

The Sarawak civil service will continue to use English as its official language along with Bahasa Malaysia, Premier Abang Johari Openg said yesterday.He said this stand was in accordance with the Sarawak constitution, under which both languages could be used in official matters.“I hope this will be free from polemics. Sarawak, we got our own stand. Go ahead and use English. We will not be penalised for using English. Sarawak civil servants, you can use English. Federal officers, I don’t know lah because your master is different,” he said.Speaking at a dinner to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sarawak Foundation in Kuching, Abang Johari said although some quarters attributed Japan’s success to their people speaking the local language, students from that country would still have to learn English when they studied in Europe or the US.“Whether you like it or not, to acquire new technology or new knowledge you must have (a good command of) English to understand what is going on throughout the world,” he said.On May 24, Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali said the Public Service Department needed to look into corrective and punitive actions that could be imposed on those who deliberately take lightly Service Circular No. 1 2020 on empowering the use of the national language in public service.He said this was because in the civil service, the move to strengthen the Malay language as the main language among agencies and civil servants had always been the top priority.


Putrajaya in good books of Petra Jaya, now for PM to do more, say analysts

The resolution of outstanding issues that have become a bone of contention between Sarawak and successive governments in Putrajaya is still the key to achieving more durable support from people in the state, analysts say.They said Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) agreement to pay billions of dollars of petroleum tax to Sarawak, just months after coming to power, had had a huge impact in restoring ties that had soured for decades, on the back of growing unhappiness that the federal government has not held up its end of the bargain as stated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).Sarawak has been demanding more power as spelt out under MA63, the document through which it became part of the Malaysian federation alongside Sabah.Seasoned Sarawak academic Jeniri Amir, who has written extensively on the state’s current affairs and history, said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin should ride on the good vibes he currently enjoys with Petra Jaya, the seat of the Sarawak government.He said beyond the settlement of oil taxes, Muhyiddin must move quickly to remove other hurdles in the way of better ties – which translates into political support for the federal government.“The move to appeal against the court decision allowing non-Muslims to use the word ‘Allah’ may affect support, especially from the Christians.”These include a clear stand by the prime minister on the “Allah” case, as well as outstanding issues linked to MA63.Putrajaya is appealing a court ruling allowing Christians to use the word “Allah” in religious texts.“The move to appeal against the court decision allowing non-Muslims to use the word ‘Allah’ may affect support, especially from the Christians,” Jeniri told MalaysiaNow.During his recent visit, Muhyiddin declined to comment on the issue, saying his government would leave it to the court.Sarawak is the only state in Malaysia with a Christian majority, with the community comprising some 40% of the population.Jeniri said the federal stand on the “Allah” issue, which is in line with various state Islamic enactments banning non-Muslims from using the term, could paint the picture that Putrajaya is not sincere in acknowledging Sarawak’s rights.Jeniri also said it is important for Muhyiddin to show he is fulfilling Sarawak’s demands before the election, and not after.So far, Muhyiddin has done well, he added.“To be fair to Muhyiddin, he has been trying to show his commitment by fulfilling the demand from the Sarawak government on the SST payment of the oil and gas revenue from Petronas,” he added.“If they (PN) want to contest, that’s their decision but of course, this will show that there is no spirit of unity in the government.”But he said Muhyiddin must do more, especially in the wake of attacks by Umno, the party with which GPS components were once together in the now-defunct Sarawak Barisan Nasional.Muhyiddin’s recent visit is seen by analysts as a boost to his image in Sarawak, with Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg stating his support for the prime minister and his PN government.On its part, the PN coalition vowed to back GPS in the impending Sarawak state election.That pledge by PN has given rise to questions on whether Bersatu and PAS, the coalition’s two component parties, will still contest in the Sarawak state election.A leader of PBB, the party led by the chief minister and seen as the backbone of the GPS coalition, said not contesting in Sarawak would further cement the ties between PN and GPS.PBB’s Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who is part of the party’s Supreme Council, thanked Muhyiddin for his pledge to mobilise PN’s machinery in the upcoming polls.But he pointed out that during PBB’s alliance with Umno under BN, Umno had never contested in Sarawak.He said there are expectations that such an arrangement will remain.“If they (PN) want to contest, that’s their decision but of course, this will show that there is no spirit of unity in the government,” he said.“So, it is good if PAS and Bersatu don’t contest in Sarawak so that our relations are not only at the federal level but also at the state level.”When contacted, a spokesman for Sarawak PAS said it was open to working with anyone, adding that it is for the central leadership to decide.“The priority now is together ensuring political stability in Sarawak which will also ensure political stability at the national level,” Sarawak PAS information chief Zharudin Narudin told MalaysiaNow.


RM72.32 million in vehicle import duty not collected by customs, audit report shows

The Auditor-General’s 2021 Series 2 released today disclosed that vehicle import duty on duty-free islands (PCB) totalling RM72.32 million was not collected by customs department in 2021.
The report said the weaknesses in duty collection were due to the declaration form not being supported by complete and correct documentation of residency status as well as calculation errors by the assessment officers.
"To ensure full compliance, it is suggested that the Royal Malaysian Customs Department make improvements and take measures such as revising the terms and conditions of vehicle purchase on PBC.
"The Technical Services Department and the heads of department must ensure that the issued guidelines are followed, especially in the assessment process, while the customs division must conduct audits after the release of imported goods," the report said.
The report also recommended that the heads of department ensure that the officials under their supervision perform their duties in accordance with the applicable regulations to ensure that customs duties are paid correctly.
"In addition, the relevant regulations should be improved to ensure uniformity in carrying out assessments on pre-assembled motor vehicles brought out of the PBC to the main customs area to prevent revenue leakages," it said.


Delhi lifts ban on construction as air quality improves marginally

New Delhi has lifted a ban on construction activities as air quality improved marginally, but schools and offices will remain closed until at least Wednesday, its environment minister said on Monday.Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to 303 on a scale of 500, down from 499 nearly a week ago, when a thick haze hung over the city of more than 200 million people. The current AQI levels still indicate “very poor” conditions, according to government monitoring agencies.“Air quality is slowly improving,” Gopal Rai, the capital’s Minister for Environment, Forest and Wildlife Development, told a news conference. “Labourers were facing difficulties, and that is why we have decided to resume construction activities.”He said the authorities would monitor construction sites to ensure that builders follow dust-control measures set out by the government.In an interview with Reuters late last week, Rai said the city would consider restricting private vehicles to driving on alternate days if severe air pollution continued to plague India’s capital.Apart from banning construction, the city government had also shut schools and offices, allowing people to work from home.Rai told the news conference the authorities would review the city’s air quality on Nov 24 and then decide whether to reopen schools and offices.“We are closely monitoring,” the minister said. He also urged residents to use public transport.Vehicular emissions contributed to more than half of Delhi’s air pollution between Oct 24-Nov 8, the Centre for Science and Environment think tank said earlier this month.Delhi’s choking air put more children in hospital with breathing problems, doctors said last week, and the government shut five power stations and extended school closures to contain the crisis.Air quality deteriorates sharply in the winter months in Delhi, often ranked the world’s most polluted capital. Pollutants emanating from crop residue burning, transport, industries and coal-fired plants outside the city tend to get trapped as temperatures fall during winter.


Johnny Depp grabbed Amber Heard by hair, hit her repeatedly, sister says

Johnny Depp grabbed his then-wife Amber Heard by the hair and repeatedly struck her in the face during a heated argument about a month after their marriage, her sister said Wednesday.Heard also punched Depp during the March 2015 fight at their Los Angeles penthouse, Whitney Henriquez testified at the high-profile defamation case between the celebrity couple.Henriquez, Heard’s 34-year-old younger sister, said the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star sought to have her sign a non-disclosure agreement after the incident, but she declined to do so.The 58-year-old Depp filed suit against Heard over an op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in December 2018 in which she described herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.”Heard, who had a starring role in “Aquaman,” did not name Depp in the op-ed, but he sued her for implying he was a domestic abuser and is seeking US$50 million in damages.The Texas-born Heard countersued, asking for US$100 million and claiming she suffered “rampant physical violence and abuse” at his hands.Depp, during his four days on the witness stand, denied ever striking Heard and claimed that she was the one who was frequently violent.Henriquez testified on behalf of her sister on Wednesday – day 18 of the trial being heard by a seven-person jury in Virginia.Henriquez, who lived for a time in the same penthouse complex as Depp and Heard, said the couple had a volatile relationship.“When he was sober things were wonderful,” she said. “When he wasn’t sober they were terrible.”“If he was using or if he was drinking there was almost always a fight,” she said.‘Saying really nasty things’Henriquez recounted in detail the March 2015 incident at the Los Angeles penthouse complex owned by Depp.She said Heard woke her up in the middle of the night to tell her that Depp had been cheating on her and that the newly married couple then got into a fight.“They were saying really nasty things to one another,” Henriquez said.“Johnny runs up the stairs,” she said. “He comes up behind me, strikes me in the back kind of.”“I hear Amber shout ‘Don’t hit my f****** sister,'” she said. “She smacks him, lands one.”Henriquez said Depp’s bodyguard moved to intervene, “but by that time Johnny had already grabbed Amber by the hair with one hand and was whacking her repeatedly in the face with the other.”The bodyguard pulled them apart, she said, and Depp then proceeded to trash the penthouse, breaking numerous items in the kitchen and emptying racks of Heard’s clothes on the ground.Depp’s lawyers have put experts on the stand who testified that he has lost millions because of the abuse accusations, including a US$22.5-million payday for a sixth installment of “Pirates.”Depp filed the defamation complaint in the United States after losing a separate libel case in London in November 2020 that he brought against The Sun for calling him a “wife-beater.”Depp, a three-time Oscar nominee, and Heard met in 2009 on the set of “The Rum Diary” and were married in February 2015. Their divorce was finalised two years later.Judge Penney Azcarate has scheduled closing arguments in the case for May 27, after which it will go to the jury.


Facing graft charges and passport in hand, Zahid set to 'embarrass' Malaysia abroad, says veteran diplomat

A veteran Malaysian diplomat has warned that the decision to return Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's international passport will undermine Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's efforts to project his administration as graft-free.
Dennis Ignatius, who last served as the Malaysian ambassador to Canada, said the deputy prime minister appeared to be pursuing his own agenda instead of working for the success of Anwar's four-month-old government.
Given the multiple corruption charges against Zahid in court, he said the Umno president would be an embarrassment if he travelled to represent the Anwar administration abroad.
"What message will it convey to the world when the deputy prime minister of a government that is supposedly committed to good governance and fighting corruption is himself facing multiple charges of corruption, money laundering and abuse of power?" said Ignatius, writing in his blog.
Last week, Zahid, who is facing 47 counts of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving a charitable foundation, succeeded in his bid for the permanent return of his passport after the Court of Appeal allowed his request for the purpose of carrying out his official duties abroad.
In the aftermath of the general election last year which resulted in a hung parliament, Zahid played a vital role in pushing through the support of Barisan Nasional MPs for Anwar, despite strong resistance from senior leaders who referred to Umno's stand against cooperation with Anwar and Pakatan Harapan component DAP.
Ignatius said Anwar would soon find himself in trouble as Zahid had proven to be behind efforts to destabilise state governments in order to tighten his grip in Umno.
He cited the role played by Zahid when "his henchman" in Sabah tried to overthrow the state government, as well as the recent replacement of the Melaka chief minister with his own man.
"What does it say about Zahid’s priorities when he continues to undermine the political stability that his boss the prime minister is working so hard to consolidate?" asked Ignatius.
He also criticised DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke for justifying a series of political appointments to government bodies, which saw Zahid's allies placed at important agencies such as Mara and Felcra.
"Loke and others might jump through hoops to justify Zahid’s appalling appointments but the people are not so easily fooled. All they see are conniving and unprincipled politicians who can’t be trusted to honour their promises and live up to their own ideals," he added.
He said Anwar needed to rein in Zahid, but warned of problems.
"Of course, Anwar needs Zahid and Umno to maintain a stable majority in parliament. To keep Zahid onside, the prime minister might feel he has to allow Zahid a free hand and give him some free passes, too, including the suspicious decision by the RoS to help Zahid avoid an internal leadership challenge and the surprising move by the AGC not to object to Zahid’s request for the return of his passport," wrote Ignatius, referring to Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail's decision to veto the Registrar of Societies' instruction to Umno to hold polls for its top two positions.


Gombak clinic owner, 6 others nabbed over fake vaccination certs

Police have arrested six workers and the owner of a polyclinic in Gombak which allegedly issued fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates for a fee.Selangor police chief Arjunaidi Mohamed said clients were initially charged up to RM3,000 each for the service but that the fee was subsequently reduced to RM500.The scam had been going on for two to three months, he told a press conference in Shah Alam today.He said the suspects, who include three women, were aged between 20 and 35.Arjunaidi said police also seized computer equipment believed to have been used to update the MySejahtera status of clients to show that they had been vaccinated.Although the polyclinic received a supply of Covid-19 vaccine from the health ministry, the vaccine was thrown away and the empty bottles returned to the ministry to justify the issuance of vaccination certificates, he added.Arjunaidi said the polyclinic catered to individuals wanted to obtain vaccination certificates without being injected.He said police raided the polyclinic after WhatsApp messages on its illegal service went viral.He did not rule out the possibility that the charges for the fake certificates had dropped because there were other groups offering similar services.“Based on information gathered from a seized laptop, 5,601 patients were registered as vaccine recipients in the MySejahtera system, and we are conducting further investigations to determine the number of people who were registered without getting the jab,” he said.He said investigations are being conducted under Section 269 of the Penal Code and Section 22 (d) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.