China jails Canadian for 11 years for spying

A Chinese court has convicted a Beijing-based Canadian businessman of espionage and sentenced him to 11 years in prison after his second trial, reports the BBC.At Michael Spavor’s first trial in March, Canadian diplomats including the charge d’affaires to China were denied entry to the court. That trial ended in no verdict.Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has condemned his conviction as “absolutely unacceptable and unjust”.The Dandong court said in a statement published on Wednesday: “For the crime of spying and illegal provision of state secrets abroad [Spavor] has been sentenced to 11 years in jail, confiscation of 50,000 yuan (US$7715) worth of personal property and deportation.”China customarily deports foreigners once they have completed their sentence.Trudeau released a statement saying: “The verdict comes after more than two-and-a-half years of arbitrary detention, a lack of transparency in the legal process, and a trial that did not satisfy even the minimum standards required by international law.”Spavor and Canadian ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig have been in custody since 2018. Kovrig faced the same charges and was tried in March, with no verdict yet announced.China has been accused of treating both Spavor and Kovrig as political bargaining chips, to be used in “hostage diplomacy” as their arrests followed quickly after the detention at Vancouver International Airport of Chinese citizen Meng Wanzhou in December 2018 on a US warrant.Meng, chief financial officer for Huawei, is currently under house arrest in Vancouver fighting extradition to the US, where she is accused of fraud and misrepresenting the tech giant’s business dealings in Iran.The Canadian and Chinese governments are engaged in an extradition battle over Meng, and Spavor was first arrested in 2018, just days after Meng and later charged with espionage.Trudeau called the closed-door proceedings “completely unacceptable”.Spavor is a founding member of the Paektu Cultural Exchange, an organisation which facilitates international business and cultural ties with North Korea.Canadian ambassador to China Dominic Barton said he condemned the conviction but noted that there is the opportunity for an appeal.


Umno set to meet as party struggles to accept its fate with power

Umno remains in a state of upheaval, a far cry from its days of dominating the federal government, as delegates nationwide gather in Kuala Lumpur this week for its third general assembly since its fall from power three years ago.Even its return to federal power last year, after a brief stint in the opposition, failed to bring the party together.Instead, analysts see more infighting, as top leaders publicly clash over the party’s future direction.This comes amid a split at the top between those who welcome cooperation with Anwar Ibrahim – a former Umno poster boy who recently admitted to having had talks with the Malay party – and those who feel the party must join hands with PAS and Bersatu in the next polls.Political observer Kartini Aboo Talib expects the coming general assembly to see a battle between party grassroots and the top leadership.The Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia academic said it would also be marked by calls for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to step down as president, on the back of his secret letter to the palace in support of Anwar’s bid to topple Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional government, of which Umno is a part.“Many Umno members feel that the back-door partnership with PKR without going through the Supreme Council is like having an affair,” she told MalaysiaNow.Anwar had recently aired views similar to those of Zahid and former prime minister Najib Razak, two Umno leaders who have been at the forefront of calls for the party to abandon Bersatu at the next polls.Bersatu was formed by Muhyiddin in the wake of his sacking from Umno in 2015, after he criticised Najib’s handling of the 1MDB scandal.Both Zahid and Najib claim that Muhyiddin sidelined Umno despite the party giving him the numbers needed to form the government last year.“Umno has not realised that real strength is about the acceptance of the ‘silent majority’ towards the party leadership.”Najib himself has stepped up his criticism of Muhyiddin ever since he was convicted of corruption linked to SRC International in July last year.The coming together of Anwar and the two Umno leaders received further confirmation recently, when the PKR leader admitted to having held “informal talks” about forming cooperation with Umno.Kartini said there is a growing resentment among the Umno grassroots towards their top leadership.Sabah-based analyst Musli Oli meanwhile said Umno members had yet to come to terms with the reasons for their party’s historic defeat in 2018.“Umno has not realised that real strength is not in the scope of the party or in loyalty to leaders and the party, but about the acceptance of the ‘silent majority’ towards the party leadership,” Musli told MalaysiaNow.He said the 2018 election should have been a life lesson for the party.“Unfortunately, some of them are still in denial.”Musli cited as an example how some Umno leaders still talk about how voters had been influenced by “opposition lies” during the 2018 general election.“They claim the loss was due to slander, but the leader who was the subject of that slander has now been found guilty.“Yet, they are still thumping their chests, defending leaders who are facing criminal charges. How are they going to do political marketing for civil society?” he asked.He was referring to Najib and Zahid, who between them have been slapped with more than 80 charges including for breach of trust, corruption, abuse of power and money laundering.Najib was found guilty of seven charges last year, and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. His appeal is pending.


Govt to distribute RM200 cash credit for 18-to-20-year-olds

The government will be launching the eBeliaRahmah programme on June 26 to foster cashless payment and ease the financial burden of eligible youth and full-time students at institutes of higher learning (IPTs).
According to the finance ministry, youths aged 18-to-20-year-olds or full-time IPT students who qualify will receive a one-time RM200 eWallet credit.
"Eligible recipients can apply to redeem the credit from June 26, 2023, to Aug 22, 2023.
"The one-off RM200 eWallet credit can be redeemed via one of the three participating eWallet service providers, namely Boost, Setel and Touch 'n Go eWallet," the ministry said in a statement on Facebook.
The eBeliaRahmah programme is a government initiative announced under Budget 2023 by the finance ministry. The redeemed RM200 credit can be spent through offline channels and is expected to benefit two million youths in the country.


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No decision yet on PT3 exam for 2022 session, says education minister

The education ministry has yet to decide on the implementation of the Form Three Assessment (PT3) examination for the 2022 session, says Education Minister Radzi Jidin.He said the ministry was looking into the most suitable approach to PT3 by taking into account the level of mastery of students and indications from the ongoing 2021 school session.“There has been no official decision by the education ministry related to PT3,” he told reporters after an event in Putrajaya today.A statement posted on the Malaysian Examination Board (LPM) Facebook account had claimed that the PT3 examination for the 2022 session would be held from October to November. The post was subsequently deleted.Radzi meanwhile said the education ministry would hold discussions with the Election Commission (EC) tomorrow on the use of secondary schools in Johor as polling centres in the Johor state election, to ensure the smooth running of the SPM examination.A total of 151 secondary schools will be used as polling centres for the Johor state election on March 12, while the SPM examination is scheduled to be held from March 2 to 29.“Prior to this, preliminary discussions were held as we are working closely with the EC to ensure that the SPM examination runs smoothly,” he said.“If we have to use the schools, we have an approach (to how to go about it), but we will try to avoid it because there is not much time, only Sundays are available (to rearrange tables and chairs).”On the issue of heavy school bags which has been a hot topic of late, Radzi said the education ministry was studying the matter and had identified several causes, including the number of subjects, thick textbooks, and students bringing extra books.“We at the education ministry are formulating the best approach (because) it has been dragging on for so long, so that this issue will be resolved once and for all by detailing several approaches,” he said.


Rights group slams detention of hundreds of children at immigration centres as pandemic rages on

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) today slammed government figures showing that 756 children were being detained at immigration detention centres as of last month, calling this “inhumane” especially given the ongoing pandemic and overcrowded conditions at these centres.In a statement, LFL coordinator Zaid Malek urged the government to immediately release the children into the care of their parents, guardian, or the appropriate welfare authorities.“It is unfathomable as to why the authorities deem it fit and proper to detain hundreds of migrant and refugee children, most of whom are detained without guardians, in overcrowded detention centres during a worldwide health pandemic,” he said.“These children must not be treated as criminals as they could not have entered the country on their own volition and are entirely victims of circumstance.”Adding that Malaysia is a party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), he said it is incumbent on the government to ensure that the children’s interests are the primary consideration.As things stand, he said, the government was “wilfully putting these vulnerable children at increased risk of Covid-19 infection, breaching its obligation under the CRC”.The numbers, revealed in a written parliamentary reply by the home ministry on Wednesday, also showed that 326 or just under half of the children are of Myanmar nationality.Zaid said it could be “reasonably presumed” that most, if not all, of them were thus Rohingya, which would mean that the authorities had detained child refugees and asylum seekers.“The continued detention of these children in immigration detention centres is inhumane,” he said.“We further reiterate our earlier calls for the authorities to halt any and all action against migrants while Covid-19 remains a viable threat and release all refugees and asylum seekers currently in detention.”


Waiting for a sign in Sarawak: When the rural deaf need medical care

Growing up with deaf twin sisters but being of normal hearing herself, Lorraine Mitchelle Jores naturally grew into the role of sign language interpreter almost before she could speak.Learning Malaysian Sign Language, or Bahasa Isyarat Malaysia, was necessary not only to communicate with her older sisters but to help them deal with the world of non-signers outside their home.Aside from helping them navigate the necessities of their everyday life, she became particularly invaluable when they needed to accomplish something more complex such as dealing with bank clerks or registering at hospitals.At the Sarawak Society for the Deaf (SSD) building in Kuching, Lorraine, now 29, said that the first thing she thought of when she heard about Covid-19 was: what will happen when deaf people catch it?“I communicate with the officer through writing, but the thing is, not all rural deaf people can read and write.”Being deaf himself, SSD manager Ernest Ting can recall many incidents of miscommunication at hospitals and clinics.He knows first-hand how daunting even registering for treatment can be.“It’s always difficult because somehow I have to explain what I need to the staff. So, I communicate with the officer through writing, but the thing is, not all rural deaf people can read and write.”Although writing notes does help the deaf to communicate with a hearing person, emotions like anxiety and panic are hard to express in writing, said Lorraine.Abdul Shafig Saperi, 34, who is also deaf, explained that often the lack of sign language interpreters at government and private hospitals can cause all sorts of confusion and frustration for everyone.Abdul Shafig Saperi.The GrabFood delivery rider has had to call on Lorraine several times to explain what he needed at clinics. “I was alone there trying to get treatment. It was quite difficult because I had a hard time communicating with the staff.”Despite a growing demand for sign language interpreter services, Malaysia has less than 100 interpreters to serve the needs of some 2,000 deaf individuals registered with the Sarawak Welfare Department.For hearing people, getting the latest information on Covid-19 and the pandemic is easily done just by turning on the radio or television.However, deaf people do not have that option as very few programmes on television have sign language interpreters.Lorraine explained this is because of the limited financial resources available to deliver Covid-19 information in sign language.She feels it’s a sign of the prevailing official incompetence in dealing with Sarawak’s deaf community.“When I’m interpreting for someone, a big part of the task is that I have to explain to others who this person is and what their rights are,” she said. “I am the intermediary for the deaf. My role as interpreter is to bridge communication gaps between them and the hearing.“The only way forward to create a more inclusive society is to provide more interpreters, particularly in rural healthcare facilities.”At the moment, deaf people like Shafig and Wan Arif would opt for video calls with an interpreter included during consultations with medical staff, says Lorraine.“Interpreters like me don’t speak for the deaf,” she says. “We only interpret.”


Bangladesh set to import 500,000 tonnes of wheat from Russia, sources say

Bangladesh is set import 500,000 tonnes of wheat at US$430 a tonne from Russia in a government-to-government deal as it battles to secure supplies amid surging prices, two government officials with the direct knowledge of matter said on Sunday.
The South Asian country, among importers hit by disruption to Ukrainian and Russian grain exports, has been exploring ways to import the grain since its biggest supplier India banned export of the grain in May.
The deal with Russia will be signed in a few days and the shipment will take place in phases by January, one of the officials said.
Bangladesh will pay in US dollars for the import, the other official said, adding the cost included freight, insurance and unloading.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to talk to media.
Salman Fazlur Rahman, the prime minister's private industry and investment adviser, told Reuters that Bangladesh is buying grain and fertiliser from Russia but did not elaborate.
"We can make payments in dollars for imports of food grains and fertilisers from Russia through 24 global banks, with no restriction on such imports," he said.
After India's export ban, Bangladesh tried via international tenders to shore up government stock that hit its lowest in three years earlier this year, but had to cancel some tenders because of the extremely high prices in a turbulent global market.
Bangladesh is a major importer of black sea wheat but no supplies have reached the country since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February.
The country imported 5.4 million tonnes of wheat in year to June 2021, with 24% of its supplies coming from India, 21% from Russia and 17% from Ukraine.
The government, which has already been struggling to contain the impact of soaring commodity prices, could face further trouble as it raised prices of oil it imports and resells domestically by as much as 51.7% early this month.
Bangladesh is also reviewing a Russian proposal to import cheaper fuel though paying for oil will be a challenge for Dhaka given Western sanctions on Moscow, officials have said.


Be politician for the people, restaurateurs tell Rafizi on price hikes

Industry players and restaurant operators have expressed disappointment with recent remarks by Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli about the cost of living and price of goods.
Rafizi had urged the public to boycott businesses that do not lower the price of goods and food.
But Ameer Ali Mydin, the managing director of Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd, said there had been no let-up in the price of basic items used in cooking.
Instead, he said, there had been a price increase of between 5% and 15% over the past year, including for goods such as cooking oil, sugar, flour, rice and Milo packet drinks.
As for the price of fresh produce like vegetables and fish, he said, this fluctuates based on weather and season.
"If the minister says the price of goods has gone down, I leave it to him because he knows more than we do," Ameer said.
"So he can tell us which raw goods have gone down in price. Then Malaysians can go and check for themselves."
Meanwhile, Syed Jamarul Khan, the managing director of the Syed Bistro Restaurant chain, described Rafizi's call for customers to boycott expensive restaurants as irrelevant.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said consumers had the right to choose for themselves.
"If a customer feels that the prices at a restaurant are too high, they are free to choose a cheaper option," he said.
"The goods for cooking aren't the same either," he added. "Each restaurant will have different costs and portion sizes.
"You can't make a blanket comparison."
Rafizi was criticised last week for saying that the government was unable to intervene in the increase in food prices at restaurants and eateries, and asking for the public's cooperation in "reprimanding" premises which fail to lower their prices.
Syed Jamarul said it would be better for consumers to choose offers that they consider worthwhile than for them to be told to boycott restaurants.
He added that cheaper goods are not necessarily better.
"Which is more worth it? This is the important factor," he said.
In fact, he said, Malaysia's food prices are far lower than anywhere else in the world.
"Don't even talk about Singapore," he said. "And in Indonesia, a plate of rice and a cup of coffee is already RM20 and above.
"Of course restaurants will be more expensive. You can't compare restaurant food to street food.
"The fact is, if you want food that tastes good and is worth it, you will have to pay a bit more. If you want something cheaper, there are options for this as well."
Syed Jamarul said operating costs had also increased following the spike in rental after the Covid-19 situation.
Salary payments for workers likewise went up with the implementation of the new minimum wage order of RM1,500 per month.
"Even if our workers received RM1,500 to begin with, we had to give them a raise in order to make things fair," Syed Jamarul said.
"The management had to give the same raise to everyone."
Ameer meanwhile said he was facing the same issues of rental and salary increases.
"Don't be corporate politicians," he said. "Be politicians for the people."


Case management of Sam Ke Ting's appeal in basikal lajak case pushed to Oct 13

Another case management has been fixed for clerk Sam Ke Ting's appeal against her conviction and sentence for reckless driving resulting in the death of eight teen cyclists in 2017, as the High Court's grounds of judgment are still not ready.
When contacted, Harvinderjit Singh, one of Sam's lawyers, said the new date for case management was Oct 13.
Sam's appeal had been set for case management today before Court of Appeal deputy registrar Norkamilah Aziz.
On Oct 28, 2018, the Johor Bahru Magistrate's Court freed Sam without ordering her to enter her defence against the charge of driving recklessly and causing the death of the teenagers at Jalan Lingkaran Dalam, Johor Bahru, Johor, at 3.20am on Feb 18, 2017.
The eight teenagers killed in the incident were Mohamad Azrie Danish Zulkefli, 14; Muhamad Shahrul Izzwan Azzuraimie, 14; Muhammad Firdauz Danish Mohd Azhar, 16; Fauzan Halmijan, 13; Mohamad Azhar Amir, 16; Muhammad Harith Iskandar Abdullah, 14; Muhammad Shahrul Nizam Marudin, 14 and Haizad Kasrin, 16.  In 2019, High Court judge Shahnaz Sulaiman allowed the prosecution's appeal and remitted the case back to the Magistrate's Court for Sam to enter her defence against the reckless driving charge.
Magistrate Siti Hajar Ali, who heard the case in 2019, again discharged and acquitted Sam at the end of the defence's case, prompting the prosecution to file a second appeal to the High Court.
On April 13 this year, High Court judge Abu Bakar Katar allowed the prosecution’s appeal and convicted Sam of reckless driving, sentencing her to six years in jail and a RM6,000 fine.
Sam obtained leave from the Court of Appeal on April 18 to appeal against her conviction and sentence.
The Court of Appeal allowed Sam’s application to stay the execution of the sentence and released her on bail of RM10,000 with one surety pending the hearing of her appeal.


Anwar's Malay dilemma

Anwar Ibrahim may have won his long-fought battle to be prime minister of Malaysia but his most immediate battle is far from victorious. His old foe Dr Mahathir Mohamad could not do anything to prevent Anwar from becoming prime minister, but his old book "The Malay Dilemma" just might give Anwar some real headaches.
For a prime minister to have the solid backing of the people, the support of the Malays cannot be discounted. Pakatan Harapan (PH) only managed to get an estimated 11% of the Malay votes. That means, he was rejected by the majority of the Malays. With only about 38% of support, he was also rejected by 62% of the total voters.
He was lucky because the powers that be extended him an olive branch, garnering politicians to agree to a unity government that led to Anwar becoming prime minister. But those voters who did not choose him or PH will remember that their voices were sidelined.
The Malays will respect the rulers' decision, but whether they will sit idle as Anwar leads the country is far from certain. From recent history, we saw how the Malays gathered, putting aside their political differences to protest against PH's 22 months in the administration. With PAS and Bersatu’s increased support among the Malays, Anwar’s time as prime minister will be a rollercoaster ride for sure.
The 54% of Malay votes that went to Perikatan Nasional (PN) also showed that more than half the Malays rejected PH and BN. And yet, PH and BN were given the mantle to lead the nation.
Anwar’s first test will be the formation of the Cabinet. DAP will not want to see the court cluster from BN given seats in the Cabinet, what more if it involves positions like the deputy prime minister, defence or finance minister.
On the hand, some Umno leaders have warned that if Zahid is not given a deputy prime minister position, they might pull back their support for Anwar. Anwar’s delay tactic in the Cabinet formation is clearly a sign that he fears a backlash from either party, although DAP may let Anwar do his thing just to remain in the governing coalition.
Aside from the court cluster, giving important portfolios to DAP MPs would incur the wrath of the Malays. So expect Anwar to sideline DAP by giving them less important ministries – though DAP may accept this arrangement as they must have learnt some lessons from their 22 months in Putrajaya.
The next challenge will be ensuring that the Malays are really taken care of in Anwar’s budget. The budget must be very Malay-centric, probably even at the expense of the non-Malays. Anwar’s "anak Cina anak saya, anak India anak saya" rhetoric may not be given priority in the budget, for if he gives more to the non-Malays, he will lose more Malay support.
Anwar’s future Cabinet will also have to make sure that they don’t upset the Malays even more, which also means that the non-Malays will have to back down and accept less than what they want in everything Anwar’s administration wants to do.
With Umno's internal struggles and the shift to PN, unless Anwar gives them a lifeline with many important Cabinet portfolios, Umno will cease to exist, leaving the Malays with only one strong choice to represent their voice in the future: PN.
Mujahidin Zulkiffli is a former political secretary to the foreign minister.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Two clusters linked to Raya visits detected in Sarawak

The Sarawak state health department identified four new clusters yesterday, two of which were linked to recent Aidilfitri gatherings.The Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said both the Raya-linked clusters were reported in the Kuching district while the other two community clusters involved longhouses in Kanowit and Pakan.In the Taman Sourabaya Indah cluster in Kuching, a total of 34 people from five close families gathered at the home of the index case to celebrate Aidilfitri on May 13.The SDMC said nine of them tested positive while three more are awaiting their laboratory results.The Jalan Jambatan Gantung cluster in Kuching, meanwhile, was detected when the index case who lives there visited several houses in the city during Aidilfitri.“Following the screening of close contacts, nine tested positive while one is still waiting for results,” the SDMC said in a statement.It said the Sungai Majau community cluster in Kanowit involved a longhouse in Nanga Setapang, Sungai Majau, where 51 individuals were tested, with 26 returning positive and one more still awaiting results.Meanwhile, the Bukit Temedak community cluster in Pakan also involved a longhouse in Merampu, Bukit Temedak, where 88 individuals were screened, 20 of whom tested positive and 10 of whom are still waiting for their results.Sarawak yesterday recorded 663 new cases, taking its total infections to 42,283 while three fatalities were reported, pushing the death toll to 252.


India launches first privately made rocket into space

India successfully launched its first privately developed rocket, the Vikram-S, on Friday, a milestone in the country's effort to create a commercial space industry and to compete on cost.
The 545kg rocket, developed by space startup Skyroot, took off from the Indian space agency's launch site near Chennai and hit a peak altitude of 89.5km.
The rocket has the capability of reaching Mach 5 - five times the speed of sound - and carrying a payload of 83kg to an altitude of 100km, the company said.
The Skyroot team had set a target of 80km for its first launch, a benchmark some agencies define as the frontier of space. The Karman line - set by an international aeronautics body as defining the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and space - is at 100km altitude.
Video footage showed the rocket taking off from the space centre, leaving a plume of smoke and fire in its trail. It splashed down in the Bay of Bengal about 5 minutes after launch, officials said.
"I'm happy to announce the successful completion of Mission Prarambh, the beginning," said Pawan Goenka, who chairs the Indian government agency that coordinates private-sector space activities.
Skyroot, which was started by Pawan Chandana and Bharath Daka, has set a target of cutting development costs by up to 90% versus existing platforms to launch small satellites.
It expects to achieve that cost savings by using a rocket architecture that can be assembled in less than 72 hours with composite materials. It plans launches capable of delivering satellites starting next year.
"Innovation and cost efficiency should be the two drivers for the industry. Cost efficiency has already been achieved, and now we should look at cutting edge technology," Chandana said.
The Indian government has been pushing to develop a private space industry to complement its state-run space programme known for its affordable launches and missions.
India's unmanned Mars mission in 2014 cost only US$74 million (about RM337 million), and made headlines for costing less than the Academy Award winnning film "Gravity".
Until now, the state-run ISRO has had a monopoly on launching rockets in India.
The Skyroot rockets are named after Vikram Sarabhai, the Indian physicist and astronomer considered the father of India's space programme.
Hyderabad-based Skyroot, founded in 2018 and backed by Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, was the first space startup to sign an agreement to use Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launch and test facilities after the government opened the door to private companies in 2020.
It has raised ₹5.26 billion (US$64.42 million) so far and employs about 200 people. Close to 100 people have been involved in its maiden launch project, the company said.


Selangor approves mosque congregations without physical distancing

Religious authorities in Selangor have given the green light for the holding of congregational prayers at mosques and suraus without physical distancing from April 1 onwards, in line with the country’s transition towards the endemic phase of Covid-19. The Selangor Islamic Development Department (Jais) today said that this would be subject to conditions including entry only for those who have been fully vaccinated. In a statement, it said only individuals who have been fully vaccinated according to the health ministry’s regulations would be allowed to enter mosques and suraus.For those aged 18 and below, meanwhile, only those who have completed two doses of vaccine will be allowed to attend. Worshippers must bring their own prayer mats and wear face masks at all times. The move to lift the requirement for physical distancing at mosques, suraus and houses of worship of religions other than Islam was announced on March 8 as part of the country’s move towards the endemic phase which will begin in April. Maintaining a safe distance from others had been part of the SOPs since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country in early 2020.


Blinken begins rare Beijing visit in bid to lower temperature

Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in China on Sunday on the highest-level trip by a US official in nearly five years, with the rival powers looking to lower the temperature after soaring tensions.
Neither side expects breakthroughs during Blinken's two-day visit, with the world's two largest economies at odds on an array of issues from trade to technology to regional security.
But the two countries have increasingly voiced an interest in seeking greater stability and see a narrow window before elections next year both in the US and Taiwan, the self-ruling democracy which Beijing has not ruled out seizing by force.
In a sign of the fragility of the effort, Blinken had been due to visit four months ago, the fruit of a cordial summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in Bali in November.
But Blinken abruptly postponed the trip after the US said it detected a Chinese spy balloon over US soil, leading to furious calls for a response by hardliners in Washington.
Speaking in the US capital before his departure, Blinken said he would seek to "responsibly manage our relationship" by finding ways to avoid "miscalculations" between the countries.
"Intense competition requires sustained diplomacy to ensure that competition does not veer into confrontation or conflict," he said.
Keeping allies close
Blinken was speaking alongside Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who said that the region wanted the United States both to stay as a power and to find ways to coexist with a rising China.
Blinken's "trip is essential, but not sufficient", Balakrishnan said.
"There are fundamental differences in outlook, in values. And it takes time for mutual respect and strategic trust to be built in."
As part of the Biden administration's focus on keeping allies close, Blinken spoke by telephone with his counterparts from both Japan and South Korea during his 20-hour trans-Pacific journey.
Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, travelled separately to Tokyo for separate three-way meetings involving Japan and both South Korea and the Philippines.
In recent months the US has reached deals on troop deployments in southern Japan and the northern Philippines, both strategically close to Taiwan.
Beijing carried out major military drills around Taiwan in August, seen as practice for an invasion, after Nancy Pelosi, then speaker of the US House of Representatives, visited.
And in April, China launched three days of war games after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen visited the US and met the current speaker, Kevin McCarthy.
China's 'core concerns'
Ahead of Blinken's visit, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the US needed to "respect China's core concerns" and work together with Beijing.
"The US needs to give up the illusion of dealing with China 'from a position of strength'. China and the US must develop relations on the basis of mutual respect and equality, respect their difference in history, culture, social system and development path," he said, a nod to frequent US criticism of China's rights record.
Blinken is the first top US diplomat to visit Beijing since a brief stop in 2018 by his predecessor Mike Pompeo, who later championed all-out confrontation with China in the final years of Donald Trump's presidency.
The Biden administration has kept in place Trump's hard line in practice if not tone and has gone further in areas, including working to ban exports to China of high-end semiconductors that have military uses.
But unlike Trump, who is running again for president, the Biden administration has said it is willing to work with China on narrow areas of cooperation such as climate – as Beijing sweats in record mid-June temperatures.
Danny Russel, who was the top diplomat on East Asia during Barack Obama's second term, said that each side had priorities – with China seeking to forestall additional US restrictions on technology or support for Taiwan, and the US eager to prevent an incident that could spiral into a military confrontation.
"Blinken's brief visit will not bring resolution to any of the big issues in the US-China relationship or even necessarily to the small ones. Neither will it stop either side from continuing with their competitive agendas," said Russel, now a vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute.
"But his visit may well restart badly needed face-to-face dialogue and send a signal that both countries are moving from angry rhetoric at the press podium to sober discussions behind closed doors."


Supporters of Brazil's defeated Bolsonaro attack police headquarters

Supporters of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday attempted to invade the federal police headquarters in the capital Brasilia, in a flash of post-election violence on the day the president's electoral defeat was certified.
Reuters witnesses saw Bolsonaro supporters, many in their trademark yellow national soccer jerseys or draped in Brazilian flags, confronting security forces at police headquarters. Police fired stun grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Nearby buses and cars were set on fire.
Federal police said "disturbances" near the headquarters were being handled with support from capital security forces.
The violence unfolded after a Bolsonaro supporter was detained for allegedly organising violent "anti-democratic acts," according to the judge who ordered his arrest.
Earlier on Monday, the federal electoral court (TSE) certified the Oct 30 election victory of Bolsonaro's leftist rival, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as president. After months of baseless suggestions that Brazil's voting system is vulnerable to fraud, Bolsonaro has neither conceded defeat to Lula nor has he formally blocked the handover of power.
But some of the president's most diehard supporters have blocked highways in protest and camped out in front of army barracks, calling for a military coup to bar Lula from office.
Hundreds of Bolsonaro supporters gathered outside the presidential residence on Monday afternoon with banners calling for "military intervention." The president joined them for a public prayer but did not address the crowd.
"There's not going to be an inauguration," said Jose Trindade, 58, one of the Bolsonaro supporters in the crowd. "Bolsonaro was re-elected, but they stole it. So only the army can put things in order."
The conspiracy theories and subsequent violence have rekindled memories of the January 2021 invasion of the US Capitol by supporters of former US President Donald Trump. It also raises security concerns about Jan 1, when Lula takes office in a public ceremony in Brasilia.
Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, a key Lula aide, said there were concerns about the physical safety of Lula and Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin, as protesters had surrounded the hotel where he is staying in Brasilia. Lula's team denied reports that Lula would be removed from the hotel by helicopter.
Brasilia's public security officials said they had secured the area around Lula's hotel, and urged motorists to avoid the center of the city where many roads had been closed.
Sparked by arrest
The violence in Brasilia came after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has led probes into Bolsonaro and his allies, on Monday ordered the temporary arrest of José Acácio Serere Xavante for allegedly carrying out anti-democratic acts.
Xavante, an indigenous leader, is among the Bolsonaro supporters who have protested in defiance of the Oct 30 election result.
"I cannot accept criminals reigning in Brasil," Xavante tweeted last month. "Lula cannot be certified."
Last week, Bolsonaro broke weeks of post-election silence to say that his situation "hurts my soul."
"Who decides where I go are you. Who decides which way the armed forces go are you," Bolsonaro told his supporters at the gates of the presidential residence on Friday.
In a statement, the Supreme Court said Moraes "decreed the temporary arrest, for 10 days, of the indigenous José Acácio Serere Xavante, due to evidence of the commission of crimes of threat, persecution and violent abolition of the Democratic State of Law."
It said Xavante had led protests across Brasilia and had used "his position as chief of the Xavante people to enlist indigenous and non-indigenous people to commit crimes," threatening Lula and Supreme Court justices.
Xavante had "expressly summoned armed people to prevent the certification of elected" politicians, the statement added.


Govt studying call to lift export ban on chicken

The government is looking into a proposal to lift the ban on the export of chicken, says Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said poultry breeders had made an application to the government to review the ban on chicken exports.
"We will discuss it, and if we feel that exports can be allowed without affecting local supplies, maybe we can consider reviewing it.
"This is being discussed and (Agriculture and Food Industries Minister) Ronald (Kiandee) will provide the details on the amount of chicken output for next month. Will there be an effect if we allow exports?
"We fear that by allowing 3.6 million birds to be exported a month, the supply in the country will be affected. When the supply drops, prices will rise because demand exceeds supply. That’s why I asked Mafi (minister) to look into detail the chicken output projection for next month," he told reporters in Serdang yesterday.
The prime minister said the government would consider the interests of all parties and ensure that the people would not be adversely affected by its decision.
He said Mafi was expected to table its report on the projected chicken production next week.
The prime minister has also instructed the domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry to prepare a list of goods which have become cheaper and those which have yet to see a drop in price.
"This is to enable the government to focus on reducing the prices of goods for the comfort of the people," he added.
On another matter, Ismail said the issue of the data breach which affected online payment gateway provider iPay88 Sdn Bhd would be discussed by the Cabinet.
"There are several proposals calling for an RCI (royal commission of inquiry) and so on. We will bring it to the Cabinet because it is a major issue," he said.


51 adults, 30 children registered at Batang Kali campsite

A total of 51 adults and 30 children had been registered for overnight stay at the Father’s Organic Farm campsite in Batang Kali, which was hit by a landslide early this morning.
"The number comprises those who had registered with the campsite," a supervisor who gave her name as Chang, told Bernama when contacted.
However, Chang said she was unsure if there were any children below four years of age at the campsite as they were not required to register. Only children between four and 12 years old need to register.
Chang said the campers were mostly families with no groups of school or university students.
It was initially reported that about 100 people were feared to be trapped at the campsite following the landslide which fell from a height of 30m.
As of 11am, 53 victims had been brought out, while nine had died.
The search and rescue operation remains ongoing.


Thai king does not need visa to return to Germany, says Berlin

As a head of state, Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn can return to Germany at any time without a visa, the Berlin foreign ministry said on Wednesday.The monarch, 68, has spent much of his time in Bavaria since assuming the throne in 2016.He returned to Thailand in October amid mass student-led protests demanding curbs to new powers he has taken.Demonstrators also demanded the resignation of the ultra-royalist prime minister, who first seized power in a military coup.King Maha also drew criticism within Germany as he and his entourage lived in a hotel during the country’s first lockdown even though hotels were supposed to have closed.Answering a parliamentary question from the opposition, the foreign ministry said the king has not needed a visa to visit Germany since he became head of state.Sevim Dagdelen, an opposition MP, said if the king needed no visa then the German government could not influence how long he stayed, but if necessary and as a last resort could declare him persona non grata or an undesirable person.In response, a foreign ministry source said on Wednesday: “Even if a foreign head of state does not need a visa to enter the country, Germany is free to tolerate the stay or not due to its territorial sovereignty.”The German government has said it would be unacceptable for the king to conduct Thai politics from Germany and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in October the authorities were monitoring his behaviour while there.The source at the foreign ministry said it has no evidence that the king has conducted Thai state business during his previous sojourns in Germany.Thai protesters have complained about their king’s prolonged absences from his country, as well as the high cost of his lengthy stays in Europe.In late October protesters marched to the German embassy in Bangkok to present a letter asking Berlin to look into whether the king had conducted state business while on German soil.The Thai palace has a policy of not commenting to media and has never said anything about the king’s time in Europe.Since Maha ascended the throne following the death of his father King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the role of the monarchy in Thai politics has become a central issue for many protesters, who argue that accusations of disloyalty to the king have been used repeatedly to put down pro-democracy movements.


82.7% of teens, 95.8% of adults fully jabbed

A total of a 2,603,148 individuals or 82.7% of teenagers had completed their Covid-19 vaccination as of yesterday.Based on the CovidNow portal, a total of 2,760,656 individuals or 87.7% of teenagers have received at least one dose of vaccine.In terms of the adult population, 22,425,264 individuals or 95.8% have completed their vaccination, while 98% or 22,936,203 individuals have received at least one dose of vaccine.A total of 135,631 vaccine doses were administered yesterday, with 10,473 given as second doses, 5,233 to first-dose recipients and 119,925 as booster shots.This brings the total number of vaccine shots given under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 52,232,576.


AGC files appeal against acquittal of Najib, Arul Kanda

The Attorney-General’s Chambers has filed a notice of appeal to reverse the High Court's decision to acquit and discharge Najib Razak and former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy in the 1MDB audit report tampering case.
A source from the prosecution who confirmed the matter said the notice was filed today.
The prosecution had 14 days to file a notice of appeal for the Court of Appeal to overturn the High Court’s verdict.
On March 3, judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan who is currently a Court of Appeal judge ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the duo at the end of its case.
Zaini said Arul Kanda, who was called as a prosecution witness, had made a truthful and full discovery during the trial.
Najib, who is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence at Kajang Prison for misappropriating SRC International funds, was charged with using his position to order amendments to the final 1MDB audit report before it was presented to the Public Accounts Committee, to avoid any action against him.
Arul Kanda was charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments to the report, to protect Najib from being subjected to action.
The offence was allegedly committed at the Prime Minister's Department Complex, Federal Government Administrative Centre, Putrajaya, between Feb 22 and 26, 2016.
They were charged under Section 23 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.


Sorry.


PH, PN MPs in heated exchange over name of Anwar's coalition govt

The first day of the Parliament sitting under the government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today was marked by a heated debate triggered by Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng's use of the phrase "unity government".
The term was disputed by Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee from Perikatan Nasional (PN) who stood up to interrupt during the debate by the former finance minister.
"The official government right now is the unity government decreed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong," Lim had said while debating the motion for a vote of confidence in Anwar's leadership.
"Accept the reality that you are the opposition."
Ronald however said the term had never been used by Istana Negara in the letter issued by Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
"Don't use the Agong's name," he added. "This was never mentioned in the Tambun MP's appointment letter."
The term "unity government" has been used by government leaders, especially those in Pakatan Harapan (PH), to explain the move to join hands with long-time foe Barisan Nasional (BN) in the wake of the 15th general election.
The Nov 19 polls resulted in a hung Parliament, with no single party or coalition winning enough support to form the government on its own.
PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin however had claimed to possess the required numbers in the form of statutory declarations which he later said were rejected by the palace.
The motion of confidence in Anwar was brought in the Dewan Rakyat today to determine the level of support for the prime minister.
Lim defended the use of the term by referring to the motion, tabled by Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof (GPS-Petrajaya).
Pendang MP Awang Solahuddin Hashim meanwhile said that there was no opposition in a unity government.
"Tell me which country with a unity government has an opposition?" he added.
A war of words then ensued between Awang and Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat), with name calling on both sides.
BN MPs, in contrast, appeared to stay out of the fray, with the bulk of the action between PH and PN.
Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu) said the memorandum of understanding signed among government parties last week clearly stated that it was a "coalition government".
"It said the coalition government, known as the unity government of Malaysia," he added.
He also said there was no need for a vote of confidence in Anwar.
"This is a cheerleading competition brought by the prime minister in which I agree with Bukit Gelugor that there is no need for a vote of confidence," he said.


Negative labels on children just may end up coming true

From the day he started school, Malik was labelled a problem child.His elder brother had a reputation at the school for being a bit of a tearaway.Malik was like his big brother in many ways, but he was no tearaway. In fact, he had been looking forward to starting school.However, his teachers didn’t know that.“When we label someone, we create our expectations for them that will guide how we treat them.”They expected him to be a handful like his brother, when all he wanted to do was go to school and study just enough to be an engineer when he grew up.He wasn’t a swot or a goody-goody, just a normal boy. But his brother’s reputation preceded him, and his teachers knew how to deal with problem children and proceeded to do so.Before long, he had become a problem child.Social psychologist Elaine Fernandez told MalaysiaNow that teachers treat students who arrive with labels differently to other children.“When we label someone, we create our expectations for them that will guide how we treat them,” she said.“The label shapes the way teachers interact with a child regardless of the child’s actual behaviour.”In the case of children labelled problematic, “Teachers may approach these students more cautiously and with less trust, and therefore interpret even ambiguous actions on the student’s part as being hostile, thus reinforcing the ‘problematic’ label,” she said.This gives those “problematic” children more negative experiences than positive and as they internalise these experiences their character will develop accordingly.Fernandez asked, “How often do we find ourselves acting based on a label rather than who someone is as an individual?”In other words, labels often turn out to be self-fulfilling prophecies where mistaken expectations lead to their own confirmation.In the same way, a child exhibiting stereotypically “nerdish” tendencies such as a liking for science subjects and a lack of interest or ability at sport, may be labelled a “nerd” and, while not liking the label at first and perhaps even bucking against it, may actually turn into one – for life.“How often do we find ourselves acting based on a label rather than who someone is as an individual?”Fernandez, who is also a senior lecturer at the Department of Psychology at HELP University, said, “By labelling children, we may be arbitrarily directing them along very different life-paths to their true nature, because we deal with them based on our understanding of the label and the stereotypes attached, and not with the children as individuals with their own unique sets of strengths, interests, and areas of potential development.”She described how labels act as limiting factors, preventing children from fulfilling their potential to become successful adults in the future as they are constantly subjected to the judgment of others based on perceived stereotypes.Although it is possible for some children to have positive outcomes as a result of a label, the possibilities of negative consequences are always there, Fernandez said.Growing up, children should be allowed to experiment with life without being subjected to judgmental labels as doing so will give them a sense of self-worth and confidence that will make them better adults.“They will be less likely to fear failure, which means they will be more likely to seize opportunities, even when they don’t neatly fall into a comfortable category,” said Fernandez.When adults become aware how they may be boxing children into acting a certain way, even without intending to do so, everyone gains.“Listening to children and being genuinely curious about them as individuals can help to support their growth in specific and relevant ways,” she said.Her conclusion is that children who are given support are more likely to grow up to be secure, confident adults and have more satisfactory relationships.And perhaps the world may see more children who grow up to fulfil their ambitions.


Daily cases dip to 3,500

Another 3,573 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,758,086.Another 3,988 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,685,378.Meanwhile 269 are in the ICU, including 217 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 163 are in need of respiratory assistance including 83 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 3,573 cases reported today, 52 (1.5%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 3,521 (98.5%) are in Category One and Two.


Next few weeks will tell, virologist says on impact of Omicron subvariants in Malaysia

The next few weeks will be a crucial period for the health ministry to determine the impact of the BA.5.2 and BF.7 Omicron variants recently detected in the country, a virologist says.
Dr Muhammad Amir Yunus, of USM's Advanced Medical & Dental Institute, said it was still too early to label the situation as a matter of concern.
However, he urged the health ministry to focus on the issue to prevent a spike in Covid-19 infections in the country.
BA.5.2 and BF.7 are the dominant variants in China, accounting for some 80% of the cases in the republic.
Their presence in the country triggered concern ahead of China's move to end the travel restrictions imposed at the onset of the pandemic three years ago.
Amir said Malaysia's concerns were in line with those of other countries which feared a resurgence of Covid-19 cases.
"It's understandable," he added, citing a recent report which said that half of the passengers on two flights from China to Italy had tested positive for the virus.
China's abrupt U-turn on its strict "zero-Covid" policy was followed by a surge of infections, leading to calls in Malaysia for the government to restrict the entry of tourists from the republic amid fears of a similar virus spike in the country.
Many also said that they could not face the prospect of another lockdown such as the movement control orders imposed throughout the first two years of the pandemic.
Amir said while it was unreasonable to implement restrictions on movements at this juncture, such measures could not be entirely ruled out.
He said this would depend on the spread of Covid-19 in Malaysia as well as the stability of the healthcare system.
"I am confident that the health ministry has threshold indicators with which to monitor the situation," he said.
"Only if large numbers of patients are admitted to ICU with breathing difficulties will we have cause for concern. Then we can begin to talk about whether to impose a lockdown or not."
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa had encouraged Malaysians to go for a second booster shot of Covid-19 vaccine following the spread of Covid-19 in China.
She said only 1.9% of Malaysians had received a second booster jab while 49.8% had been given one.
Amir said it was possible that many did not view the current vaccines as effective in the fight against the Omicron variant.
"Basically, these two variants are of the Omicron subvariant, and cause more or less the same reactions.
"Research has shown that the present vaccines are not as effective against this variant. This may be why not many are keen on getting another booster jab," he said.
Nevertheless, he said the government should continue to take advantage of the remaining vaccine supply so that it does not go to waste.
"It will be difficult to control the epidemic itself or the movement of infectious disease agents," he said.
"We need to take proactive steps such as screening, to prevent any sudden increase in Covid-19 infections over the next few months."


Snap polls, the last thing we need now

I am no political analyst, just an ordinary Malaysian who goes through the rigour of putting bread on the table. But I am flabbergasted that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over the weekend called for a general election to be held soon.In media reports, he said this reflected the sentiments of the grassroots who were against the party’s pact with Bersatu, and therefore snap polls ought to be called soon.Is this man, who faces multiple corruption charges and the prospect of years behind bars, out of his mind? Why do we need a general election when daily new Covid-19 cases are still in the four-digit range? Of late, it has been breaching the 2,000 mark quite often.Have we not learnt from the Sabah election? Due to our lackadaisical attitude, there was an explosion of Covid-19 cases following the state polls, and this was not confined to the state. Sabah-linked cases spread throughout the country and led to the third wave of Covid-19 cases.Why would any sane person want to risk lives and limbs for his own selfish political means? Whether we should hold an election now or not is not a political decision. It should be one based on health risk assessments. And our beloved health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has given an unequivocal NO to this question.Zahid cited examples of countries that have held their elections during the pandemic, including the US and Singapore. Does he not know that the contexts and social settings in those countries were different?In the US, many localities conducted postal voting, a facility not yet in place in Malaysia for the masses. And cases in the US have shot through the roof, crippling the healthcare system of many states, with the Covid-19 bodycount spiking.Singapore is a tiny nation-state, its people used to a regimented lifestyle. With a much smaller population, it would be easier to enforce SOPs.Malaysians, as we know, are known for being laidback. On the one hand, we complain about the worrying number of new daily cases, but on the other hand, the same people think nothing of gathering in crowds in malls and parks because “Covid-19 will only affect others, not me”.Most legislatures in Malaysia, including the Dewan Rakyat, which held elections in May 2018, are only halfway through their respective terms. Why Zahid finds it necessary to dissolve the legislatures with the Covid-19 pandemic raging is beyond me.While I am not very familiar with politics, if elections were held now, on account of Zahid wanting early polls, I’d make sure I vote against his party or the pact his party is in. Maybe that would knock some sense into this man.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Show your numbers in Parliament, Muhyiddin tells Anwar

Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin today urged Anwar Ibrahim to prove he has the support of the majority in the Dewan Rakyat, hours after the Tambun MP was named as prime minister by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Speaking at a press conference today, he said this would put to rest any doubts about Anwar's eligibility as prime minister.
"Today, the palace issued a statement that Anwar Ibrahim is said to have the support of the majority of MPs to be appointed as prime minister.
"For the sake of the people's confidence and Anwar's legitimacy as prime minister, it would be appropriate for him to prove that he has the support of the majority.
"This should be proven through the process set out by the Dewan Rakyat speaker, that is through the submission of statutory declarations (SDs)," he said at the press conference in Kuala Lumpur.
Muhyiddin was referring to a letter sent by speaker Azhar Harun, asking coalition leaders to submit SDs naming their prime minister of choice.
The letters were to be sent to the palace by 2pm on Nov 21, a deadline later extended by 24 hours.
Anwar, the Pakatan Harapan chairman, was sworn in as prime minister today following a special meeting of the Malay rulers with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
When asked if PN would bring a motion of no confidence in Parliament, Muhyiddin said the coalition would wait and see.
"Give him a chance," he said. "We were told that there must be SDs."
The Pagoh MP added that support for the prime minister candidate must be proven through SDs and not through "letters out of thin air".
He was believed to be referring to a letter brought by Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to the palace, stating the support of all 30 BN MPs for Anwar despite contradictory statements from individual MPs.


Mystery still shrouds Covid-19 origin

While many scientists are racing to find vaccines to tame the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, other researchers are probing the past, trying to unravel one of the greatest mysteries of the virus: exactly where it came from.The World Health Organization (WHO) has assembled an international team of 10 scientists to trace the origins of the virus.They will have to investigate both the suspect animals and how the first patients may have been infected.“We want to know the origin and we will do everything to know the origin,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters on Monday.But success is by no means assured.Source of the spreadThe first cases were reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan a year ago, before countries across the world began to record growing infections.WHO said the first cases in Wuhan are believed to date from the beginning of December.But “where an epidemic is first detected does not necessarily reflect where it started”, it added in a November report.In recent months, researchers in various countries have suggested that cases may have gone unnoticed long before December 2019, based on analysis of wastewater or blood samples.But there is a lack of “clear evidence” to back up these claims, said Etienne Simon-Loriere, of the virology department at the Institut Pasteur in Paris.To establish a virus family tree, researchers rely on genetic analysis.This can help “better understand transmission dynamics, particularly how the virus may have evolved over time and how clusters might be related in time and place”, WHO said.Leap to humansScientists agree that the disease has an animal origin.“The big question is what led it to jump into humans,” Etienne Simon-Loriere told AFP.Suspicions have fallen on bats, which are “a major reservoir for coronaviruses”, he adds.But there would likely have been an intermediary animal to shepherd SARS-CoV-2 into people.The pangolin – a mammal subject to rampant regional wildlife smuggling – was identified as a likely carrier early on based on genetic analysis. But the case is not settled.WHO investigators will need to clarify this point by probing the wet market in Wuhan, which sold live and wild animals and has been linked to many of the early cases.The team will be armed with clues we did not have at the start of the pandemic.Simon-Loriere said they could look out for an animal with a virus receptor, a protein called ACE2, similar to the one found in humans.It is through this receptor that the virus latches onto cells.Some animals such as mink and ferrets have been found to have a very similar receptor to humans, while others are quite different.Another origin theory that swirled in conspiracy rumours for months was that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was involved in the outbreak.Against the backdrop of diplomatic tensions, US President Donald Trump touted the idea, claiming the virus could have leaked from the biosafety lab.China has rejected the accusations.While Simon-Loriere said it was not yet possible to completely rule out the idea that the virus escaped accidentally, he stressed that there was “no indication it was manmade”.“All the elements of its genome have already been observed in nature, mainly in bat coronaviruses,” he said.Unravelling the ‘riddle’WHO says understanding how an epidemic began is “essential to preventing further introductions to the human population”.But it has warned that the process of tracing how a disease jumped from animals “is a riddle that can take years to solve”.“The introduction of a new virus to the human population is one of the greatest mysteries an epidemiologist can hope to unravel,” it said.The goal is to “understand the mechanism and put in place measures to avoid the emergence of a new SARS-CoV-3, 4, etc.”, said Simon-Loriere.For example, during the 2002 SARS epidemic, a ban on the consumption of civet cats – identified as an intermediary host of that coronavirus – is credited with having helped prevent the reintroduction of the virus into humans.The UN health agency sent an advance team to Beijing in July to lay the groundwork for the probe.But it has remained unclear when the larger team will be able to travel to China to start its work.In late November WHO said it hoped to have a larger team of scientists on the ground “as soon as possible”.The US has accused Beijing of not being transparent, while it says the WHO kowtowed to China and dragged its feet in investigating how the outbreak first started.Others have voiced concern that the agency may have allowed China to dictate the terms of an international investigation into the origins of the virus.Tedros told critics to stop “politicising” the issue on Monday.


Daily caseload just below 4,000 as 9 more deaths logged

Another 3,934 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,604,670.
There were 2,747 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,531,948.
There are now 36,894 active cases, of which 35,547 or 96.3% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 26 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,268 (3.4%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 53 are in ICUs with 30 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 60.6%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 12.9%.
Another nine deaths were reported, including two who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,828.


Poser over support for Khalid’s petition to Agong on ending emergency

Questions have surfaced about the extent of support that Amanah’s Khalid Samad has received from his Pakatan Harapan (PH) comrades for a committee he had formed to press for an end to the state of emergency.This is after MalaysiaNow learnt from a reliable source that not only had most MPs from the coalition failed to turn up at the gates of Istana Negara on April 20 to show support for Khalid’s Committee for Ending the Emergency Declaration, a petition handed over to the Agong’s private secretary had only carried the signature of the Shah Alam MP.A source close to the inner circle of the Amanah leadership said the memorandum delivered by the committee to Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah was short and signed by Khalid alone.“Many questions are being asked about why a letter whose strength would depend on the number of MPs as its signatories only bears Khalid’s signature,” the source added.Days before the gathering on April 20 to hand over the memorandum, the committee, also known as “Tamat Darurat”, had been promoting PH heavyweights including PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim as among those who would be present at the palace.A key attraction awaited by the media was the organisers’ claim that both Anwar and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad would be attending, the first time the long-time foes would have been seen in public since falling out after the collapse of the PH government.However Anwar, who was supposed to be part of a three-member delegation entering the palace gates to hand over the memorandum, was a no-show, as he was attending an event in Port Dickson.Those who did turn up included Langkawi MP Mahathir, his son Mukhriz Mahathir, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, DAP deputy secretary-general Teresa Kok and PKR vice-president Tian Chua, alongside a small group of PH MPs from the Klang Valley.Khalid later announced that the palace had agreed to grant an audience to Tamat Darurat, although no date was given.This was his second attempt at seeking a royal audience, in the hope of the Agong eventually cutting short the state of emergency which is due to expire in August.The emergency was declared in January amid a sharp spike in Covid-19 infections across the country.It coincided with the second declaration of movement control order, known as MCO 2.0.Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had assured that the civilian government would continue to function despite the suspension of Dewan Rakyat debates.He also said a general election would be called at the end of the emergency subject to improvements in the Covid-19 situation.Throughout the emergency period, a 19-member special committee comprising prominent individuals and politicians from both sides of the divide will advise the Agong, including on any recommends to lift the declaration.They include three from the opposition, one each from PH’s three coalition partners who agreed to join in spite of earlier calls by leaders to boycott the committee.Khalid set up Tamat Darurat as a civil society pressure group, getting on board several individuals and MPs, and obtaining the endorsement of about 100 local welfare and religious groups, from Buddhist spiritual associations and politician fan clubs to Bumiputera car traders.“If we take into account all of these groups alongside the opposition MPs who have been vocal against the emergency, at the gathering on April 20, there should have been a big show of force outside the palace gates.“But that did not happen, leading to questions on whether MPs are really committed to ending the emergency,” the same Amanah source told MalaysiaNow.


Sanctions, food shortages raise fears of North Korean famine

North Korea is under “mounting economic pressure” as food shortages and sanctions bludgeon the secretive dictatorship, ratings agency Fitch is warning.The totalitarian state’s supreme leader Kim Jong-un has said the country is facing its “worst ever situation”, raising the spectre of the nineties famine which killed almost three million people.North Korea does not publish statistics but researchers at Fitch Solutions – one of the few outlets to monitor North Korea’s economy – estimate the country suffered its worst year in decades during 2020.The lingering effect of Kim’s Covid-19 shutdown and the tougher economic sanctions in place since a series of nuclear tests and rocket launches in 2017 will limit any growth recovery this year, Fitch said.Russia is one of the few countries to maintain diplomatic relations with Pyongyang and the scale of the crisis facing the country was highlighted by the recent exit of Russian embassy staff as diplomats complained of “unprecedented” restrictions of movement as well as shortages of basic goods and medicines.Kim, who has ruled the state for 10 years, called for another “arduous march” earlier this month in a speech to party officials, echoing the phrase used to describe the nineties famine when starving citizens were forced to eat tree bark to stay alive.Although North Korea is currently not facing a famine on such a scale, shortages are “acute” according to local reports. Pork prices have jumped almost 60% in the past six months and corn prices have hit the highest level since 2009, Fitch said.A UN report warned last year that more than 10 million people in North Korea were in “urgent need of food assistance” but the UN now has just a handful of staff on the ground due to the pandemic.Progressively tightening sanctions have meanwhile cut the country’s trade with the rest of the world by almost 90% over the past 20 years.Anwita Basu, head of Asia at Fitch Solutions, said: “Overall, we do not expect to see a relaxation of international sanctions on North Korea any time soon, as the Biden administration is unwilling to reward Pyongyang without the latter making a tangible gesture in relation to abandoning its nuclear weapons programme.”The country’s biggest trade partner, China, is set to resume a cargo train service with North Korea next month after both countries closed their border due to the pandemic.Basu commented, “Even if trade with China recovers in a substantial way, we believe that on balance this will not add positively to growth in North Korea as the country imports more than it exports.”


Ringgit expected to stabilise against US dollar in second half of 2022

HSBC expects the ringgit to stabilise against the US dollar in the second half of 2022 (2H 2022), strengthening to 4.28 by the end of the year.HSBC global private banking and wealth chief investment officer for Southeast Asia, James Cheo, said the ringgit will strengthen when global market sentiment improves.“The beginning of the first half of this year was volatile, and we believe the ringgit will stabilise to move towards 4.28 by the end of the year when the market sentiment globally improves,” he said during the HSBC 2H 2022 Investment Outlook online press conference today.Today, the ringgit opened at 4.39 versus the US dollar. It hit 4.40 against the US dollar on May 19, marking the lowest rate since March 2020.Cheo said HSBC observed that equity inflows from foreign investors have continued to trickle in year-to-date, in view of Malaysia’s growth recovery and reopening for tourism.On another note, Cheo said he expects Bank Negara Malaysia to increase the policy rate by another 50 basis points (bp), ending the year at a 2.5% overnight policy rate (OPR) after lifting its policy rate by 25bp recently.He also said Malaysia is on a solid growth path and expects the country’s gross domestic product growth to be at 5.5% this year, attributed to good manufacturing and higher commodity prices.Cheo said the Malaysian economy expanded by 5% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2022 to pre-pandemic levels, and that with the impact of pandemic restrictions receding, private consumption had bounced back and investment stabilised, although this led to import growth outpacing exports.“Domestic demand should accelerate further this quarter and next, supported by a tightening labour market,” he added.Meanwhile, HSBC global private banking chief investment officer for Asia, Fan Cheuk Wan, expects the global economic cycle to continue but at a slower rate while inflation gradually eases.The US rate hike expectations will be moderating in 2H 2022 despite lingering energy shock and supply chain disruptions, she said.“We forecast global GDP growth to decelerate to 3.4% in 2022 and 2.9% in 2023, down from 5.8% in 2021.“We expect global energy shock and supply chain challenges to push up global inflation to 7.5% in 2022 before moderating to 5.1% in 2023,” Fan said.She added that the world has faced several structural shocks and investors need to reposition their portfolios to adapt to these challenges.“The Covid-19 crisis, Russia-Ukraine war and sustainability revolution are disrupting supply chains, labour markets, energy sources and infrastructure.“These structural changes will require significant investments that will ultimately help boost growth, but this will also push up costs and cause inflation to become stickier than witnessed in the past decade.“Therefore, we expect the investment outlook for risk assets to gradually improve in 2H 2022 with the support of a soft landing for the global economy and easing stagflation fears,” she added.


1,012 new cases, 417 in Selangor

Another 1,012 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 75,306.Selangor reported the most cases at 417 or 41.2%, followed by Sabah (271 or 26.8%) and Johor (108 cases or 10.7%).Kuala Lumpur recorded 98 cases, Pahang 33, Perak 29, Negeri Sembilan 23, Penang 18, Kedah 10, Sarawak and Kelantan two each, and Putrajaya one.In Selangor, 115 cases were from clusters, 116 from close contact screening, 185 from other screenings and one from overseas.In Sabah meanwhile 70 cases were from clusters, 121 from close contact screening and 80 from other screenings.In Johor, 63 cases were from clusters, 22 from close contact screening and 23 from other screenings.In Kuala Lumpur, 48 cases were from clusters, 12 from close contact screening, five from overseas and 33 from other screenings.Active cases stand at 10,862 with 126 in the ICU and 62 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 1,750 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 64,056.However, four more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 388.


Court to deliver verdict in Rosmah’s graft trial

Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, will hear today whether a court has found her guilty of seeking bribes from firms coveting government contracts, just days after her husband was jailed for corruption.
Najib and his wife, who has faced criticism for her lavish lifestyle, are at the centre of a wide-ranging crackdown on corruption mounted after his administration was voted out in a historic 2018 election.
Last week, Najib began serving a 12-year jail sentence after the Federal Court upheld his conviction in a case linked to a multibillion-dollar graft scandal at 1MDB. He remains on trial in four other corruption cases.
Rosmah, 70, has pleaded not guilty to three charges of soliciting and receiving bribes between 2016 and 2017 to help a company secure a US$279 million solar power supply project from the government when her husband was in power.
Prosecutors say Rosmah sought a bribe of RM187.5 million, and received RM6.5 million from an official of the company that won the project.
The charges carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of at least five times the amount, though Rosmah could seek a stay on sentencing by the Kuala Lumpur High Court pending appeals to higher courts.
Rosmah has argued that she was framed by her former aide as well as several government and company officials involved in the project.
In a last-minute bid to postpone the verdict, Rosmah filed an application in court to recuse the judge overseeing her trial. The High Court will likely hear the application before delivering its decision, a prosecutor told Reuters.
She also faces 17 charges of money laundering and tax evasion for illegally receiving RM7.1 million between 2013 and 2017 in a separate case. That trial has not yet commenced pending efforts by Rosmah to recuse the presiding judge.
Najib's election defeat came amid public outrage over the 1MDB scandal, which is the subject of corruption and money laundering investigations in at least six countries.
The US Department of Justice alleges that US$4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB, about US$1 billion of which made its way into Najib's personal bank accounts.
Some of the funds stolen from 1MDB were used to buy jewellery, including a US$27 million rare pink diamond necklace for Rosmah, US lawsuits say. Najib and Rosmah have said they never demanded, requested, or intended to purchase the necklace.
Police seized around US$275 million in cash and jewellery, handbags, watches and other luxury goods in raids on homes linked to the couple in 2018.


New cases drop to 8,574 as 102 more deaths reported

Another 8,574 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 844,870.Selangor recorded 4,308 cases, Negeri Sembilan 794, Kuala Lumpur 609, Kedah 415, Melaka 411, Johor 407, Pahang 314, Sabah 298, Sarawak 235, Penang 231, Perak 168, Terengganu 140 and Kelantan 133.Labuan recorded 77 cases and Putrajaya 45.Active cases stand at 91,272 with 964 in the ICU and 452 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 5,041 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 747,338.However, 102 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 6,260.


Thailand extends emergency for 45 days until mid-January

The Thai cabinet of ministers on Monday approved a proposal from the government-run Centre for the Covid-19 Situation Administration for the extension of the emergency decree to be enforced nationwide for a further one-month-and-a-half period, beginning from Dec 1 until Jan 15, 2021, according to officials attached to Government House.It will be the eighth time Thailand’s emergency rule has been extended to contain the pandemic throughout the country.Anti-pandemic and health safety measures will be strictly enforced in January when three world badminton tournaments are scheduled to be held in Bangkok, the officials said.The approval was a formality after a meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, approved it last week and submitted the proposal to the cabinet for final approval, reports the Bangkok Post.Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the centre, said the 45-day extension was longer than the previous 30-day periods, so that it covered the New Year holidays where many people travel and the risk of an outbreak was high.Thailand’s international borders will remain closed to casual travellers.The Covid-19 state of emergency, first declared on March 26, will have been in place for nine months and 21 days when the latest extension ends next year.


India's August monsoon rains 3.4% above average, weather department says

India received 3.4% more rainfall than average in August as central and southern parts of the country received heavy rains, the state-run weather office said on Wednesday.
The monsoon, which accounts for about 75% of India's annual rainfall, is vital as nearly half of the country's farmland doesn't have irrigation.
In August soybean and cotton growing regions received heavy rainfall, although rice growing regions in the north-east received lower rainfall, according to data compiled by the state-run India Meteorological Department (IMD).
India is the world's biggest exporter of rice, a staple for Asia, and monsoon rains determine the size of the country's rice crop.
Good output would help India maintain its preeminent position in the global rice market, but a prolonged spell of lower or uneven rains could hit the crop.
India, the world's biggest rice exporter, is considering whether to restrict exports of 100% broken rice, government and industry officials told Reuters on Friday, after the paddy area has been reduced by a lack of rainfall.
In the first three months of June-September monsoon season India has received 6% more rainfall than average as the country received 16.8% more rainfall in July, which wiped out June's deficit of 8%.
The IMD defines average, or normal, rainfall as between 96% and 104% of a 50-year average of 89 cm (34 inches) for the season.


1MDB still has RM32.3 billion outstanding debt

1MDB still has RM32.3 billion in outstanding debt with four more bonds/sukuk maturing between 2022 and 2039, bringing the total coupon/profit to be paid till maturity to RM40.51 billion.The two US dollar-denominated bonds are valued at US$3.5 billion (RM14.7 billion) with coupon rates of 5.75% and 5.99% per annum which will mature in 2022.Another with a value of US$3 billion (RM12.6 billion) with a coupon rate of 4.4% per annum matures in 2023 and the last remaining debt, a RM5 billion sukuk with a 5.75% per annum profit rate, matures in 2039, 1MDB said in a statement today.“Total of bonds/sukuk principal and coupon/profit to be paid till maturity is RM40.51 billion. 1MDB will continue its recovery efforts to enable it to pay the bondholders and sukukholders upon maturity of these debt instruments.”As previously announced by the finance ministry, Malaysia has received a cash settlement of US$2.5 billion from Goldman Sachs which was deposited into the Asset Recovery Trust Account (trust account) under the custody of the Accountant General’s Department of Malaysia.1MDB also recently succeeded in reaching a settlement with AMMB Holdings Bhd for RM2.83 billion and Deloitte for RM324 million. All proceeds from 1MDB’s asset recovery efforts including any future settlements have been or will be deposited into the trust account.The recovery of 1MDB assets remains a key priority for the 1MDB board, it siad.As part of this process, a special taskforce has been established by the finance ministry including representatives from 1MDB, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Securities Commission Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia, the police, the National Anti-Financial Crime Centre, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption.The recovery process also involves the appointment of legal counsel to assist in 1MDB’s civil action and asset recovery efforts. These legal counsel are remunerated based on a pre-agreed time cost, and not based on commission or a percentage of the value of settlements or assets recovered.


No touching please – just hover your palm

We’re all now used to buying online with credit cards but sometimes we just can’t avoid getting up and struggling out to a traditional brick’n’mortar store for an emergency treat.In these hyper hygienic times, street-based retailers are reluctant to accept cash, or anything that involves hand-to-hand contact with their staff.Now, Amazon is touting a new payment system called Amazon One, for use in the physical world. It’s a digital device which allows customers to pay by hovering their palm over a scanner.Amazon say the system could be used for entering a location like a sports stadium, or scanning yourself into work instead of using an ID card, punching a keypad or nodding at the duty security officer.“Palm-based identification is based on capturing the vein patterns of the palm,” Basel Halak of the Electronics and Computer Science School at the University of Southampton told the BBC. “The level of security is roughly similar to a fingerprint scan, but can be used at a distance of a few inches, making it much more practical.“This form of biometric authentication is based on physical characteristics that stay constant throughout one’s lifetime and are difficult to fake, change or steal,” he said.Facial recognition systems are rapidly falling out of favour because unlike palms faces are recognisable, and they have practical limitations in a time of mandatory masks. Also there have been recent concerns about potential racial bias.Privacy group Big Brother Watch is not convinced by any of it.“No one should have to provide biometric data in order to buy goods or services. Amazon’s attempt to normalise biometric payment risks building a world in which we’re easily tracked and recorded,” its director Silkie Carlo said.Amazon promises that your palm print will not be stored on site but encrypted and kept securely in the Cloud.


Najib, 4 others told to respond to SRC suit on RM4 billion KWAP loan

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today ordered Najib Razak and four other defendants to respond to a suit filed by SRC International Sdn Bhd for alleged breach of trust and breach of statutory duty in relation to the RM4 billion Retirement Fund Inc (KWAP) loan to SRC by Aug 30.The four were former SRC directors Suboh Md Yassin, Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, Mohammed Azhar Osman and Che Abdullah @ Rashidi Che Omar.Lawyer Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee who appeared for the former prime minister said the court had ordered the defendants to file their statements of defence by the end of the month.“The court also ordered the plaintiff (SRC) to file its reply to their defence by Sept 30.“Oct 4 was set for next case management,” he told reporters after case management today, which was conducted online before judge Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin.He said in the meantime, SRC was preparing a substituted service application to serve the writ of summons against Nik Faisal since he is unreachable and out of jurisdiction, that is out of the country.On May 7, SRC under its new management filed legal action against Najib and its former directors Suboh, Mohammed Azhar, Nik Faisal, Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, Ismee Ismail and Che Abdullah.However, on July 22 it removed Ismee and Shahrol from the suit, retaining the others as defendants.SRC, which is a subsidiary of 1MDB, in the writ of summons alleged that the defendants had conspired and committed breach of trust. It also claimed that the former prime minister had abused his power and obtained personal benefits from SRC funds in addition to misappropriating the funds.Najib was the adviser emeritus of SRC from May 1, 2012 to March 4, 2019.SRC, which is now wholly owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MoF Inc), is seeking a declaration that the defendants are liable for the loss of investment funds as a result of the use of the loan amount. It is also claiming general damages, exemplary, additional and interest, costs and other appropriate relief provided by the court.SRC, in its writ of summons, said that in January 2019, the company was placed under the care of officials from the finance ministry (new management) and, after scrutinising and reviewing SRC records, found that SRC’s previous directors had not taken reasonable steps to ensure KWAP’s loans amounting to RM4 billion to SRC in 2011 and 2012 were used properly to finance the company’s general investment activities and general working capital requirements.The company claimed that the previous directors did not monitor the disposal of RM3.6 billion to SRC BVI (proposed investment fund) allegedly for SRC to undertake investment activities in the energy resource sector overseas, and had failed to monitor the government’s exposure to guarantees given to SRC or to inquire about the misappropriation of SRC funds.“The new management also found that a large number of withdrawals, transfers and use of KWAP loans were fraudulent or wrong,” the company said in its writ of summons.


Approved permits still needed for rice imports

Approved permits (APs) are still needed for the import of rice, the agriculture and food industries ministry said today in the wake of the prime minister’s announcement that the government had agreed to do away with AP requirements for food imports.In a statement, it said APs would no longer be needed for agro-food commodities such as cabbages, coconuts, chicken and milk.“However, APs for the import of rice are still in force,” it said.And while APs for other foodstuffs would no longer be needed, it said, import permits (IPs) are still needed for biosecurity control purposes at the country’s entry points.“This is to ensure that imported products are free from disease and pests, and are obtained from government-recognised plants,” it said.Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said yesterday that the importation of food was now open to all quarters to ensure an adequate supply of food in the country.“Previously, there were APs to import beef and cattle but from today, these are no longer required and anyone can import whatever food items to ensure sufficient supply,” he said.The agriculture and food industries ministry said the move to do away with APs left all companies free to import agro-food commodities subject to the IPs issued by the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services and other conditions laid out in Malaysian law.“The ministry will continue to play an important role in ensuring the sustainability of the agro-food sector at every level of the food chain, so that the people will continue to have enough food supply of a safe and nutritious nature,” it said.It added that the welfare of local food producers would continue to be preserved.


'Nowhere to hide' if war comes to Taiwan's front-line islands

On Taiwan's windswept Matsu islands, close to China's coast, one topic has been driving conversations in recent days: prospects of an invasion by China since it began military exercises in response to visits to Taiwan by US lawmakers.
Held by Taiwan since the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taipei in 1949 after losing a Chinese civil war, the archipelago of small islands, less than 10km (6.2 miles) from China's coast at the closest point, would probably be an early target for Beijing in the event of conflict.
China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has carried out extensive military exercises this month after a visit by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was followed by five US lawmakers on Sunday and Monday.
Taiwanese forces have closely monitored China's moves, scrambling fighter jets and deploying warships to keep guard against the Chinese navy.
While there has been no heightened sense of alarm among the people of Taiwan, the tension has highlighted the Matsu islands' vulnerability.
"I don't feel particularly safe - after all this island, Dongyin, would be the front line of the battlefield," said Dora Liu, 27, from Dongyin island, the northernmost territory Taiwan controls and home to a major military base.
"A small island like ours could be taken down in a moment," she said. "If there is a war, there would be no place to hide. No matter how many tunnels we have, if they really occupied us, there would be no use in having tunnels."
The rocky Matsu islands, like the rest of Taiwan, have lived with the threat of Chinese invasion since 1949.
The islands were regularly bombarded by China at the height of the Cold War.
Today, they are a fashionable tourist destination, with hip coffee shops and boutique hotels, visitors being drawn by the islets' stark natural beauty and wartime past.
Hope for communication
Though the military presence is much more low-key than it was at its height in the 1950s and 1960s, signs of conflict are all around, from old bomb shelters to propaganda signs hewn out of the rock with messages like "save our mainland compatriots".
Chien Chun-te, 40, who runs a breakfast stall outside a market on the main island of Nangan, said the new crisis was more worrying than previous tension.
"I think a war is possible," Chien said. "But I hope people in the two countries, and also both the governments, can communicate more. Having no communication would only lead to hatred."
Despite the recent tension, the islands are brimming with tourists from Taiwan's cities, an important plank for the local economy, and flights are hard to book.
Huang Tzu-chuan, 30, who works in communications in Taiwan's Taoyuan city, opted to spend a month this summer working at a guesthouse in a village on Nangan overlooking a scenic bay.
Like most Taiwanese, Huang has followed the Chinese military drills closely and considered what his response would be in the event of war.
"If one day it really happens, I will of course fight for my country," said Huang.
He drew a parallel between Taiwan's challenges and the war in Ukraine after Russia invaded.
"We feel our relationship between Taiwan and China is just the same as theirs."


Muhyiddin's arrest looms as political temperature looks set to rise

Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin is believed to be next on the list of opposition leaders to be charged, with MalaysiaNow reliably learning that the former prime minister could be arrested and brought to court as early as tomorrow.
It was not immediately clear the nature of the charge to be brought against the Bersatu president, who headed the government during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But this comes after weeks of accusations by government leaders against Bersatu, followed by the questioning of party leaders over alleged abuses linked to JanaWibawa, a post-Covid programme to help Bumiputera contractors.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has also frozen the bank accounts of Bersatu, resulting in the party being unable to pay for its day-to-day operations.
Wan Saiful Wan Jan, Bersatu's former information chief and the MP for Tasek Gelugor, as well as another party leader were later arrested and charged by MACC.
Any move to arrest Muhyiddin is likely to raise the political temperature, with PN leaders warning of a major crackdown by the Anwar Ibrahim administration ahead of polls in six states, five with critical Malay electorates whose support the ruling coalitions Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional lost to PN in the general election last year.
MalaysiaNow is awaiting a response from MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki on the latest speculation.


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3 dead, 3 missing in Kedah flood

Three victims were found dead in several locations around the Gunung Jerai area in Yan, which was hit by a flood following an upstream rush of water on Wednesday.Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said as of 1am today, three more victims were believed to be missing in an area in Titi Hayun.“All three found dead were males, with one of them identified as having died in the landslide while on the way up to Gunung Jerai,” he said, adding that the victim was one Shahruzi Mohamad, aged 53.“His body has been brought down and the (search and rescue) operation will be continued,” he said on WhatsApp early today.He said the search and rescue operation would resume at 7am today.In the incident which occurred at about 5pm yesterday, the locations which were inundated following the upstream rush of water included areas at the foot of the mountain and those near rivers, namely Perigi, Teroi Bukit, Singkir, Kampung Permatang Keramat, Kampung Lubuk Boi, Pekan Yan Besar, Titi Teras, Kampung Acheh and Kampung Setoi.


Continuous rain warning for 3 states

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a warning of continuous rain in three northern states from today until Wednesday (Nov 23).
According to a MetMalaysia statement, continuous rain at the alert level is expected in Perlis, Kedah and Penang.
This warning is issued when there are signs that rain and thunderstorms are happening or expected to happen for more than six hours during the period in the said areas.


Crowds flood London’s Chinatown for no-questions-asked Covid-19 jabs

People flooded the streets of London’s large Chinatown on Thursday afternoon after an online message board for Chinese speakers advertised free Covid-19 jabs.It promised people would not have to present any documents.The jabs were not bookable by appointment, instead people were urged to just turn up, for one day only.However, nobody had anticipated the huge numbers who did turn up.The advert, posted on the Chinese Information and Advice Centre website, said people would not need to have a National Health Service (NHS) number or any other ID.News footage showed crowds of people gathered around the “vaccine bus”, most of them not social distancing.Similar strategies are being used around the UK in areas where vaccine take-up has been low and communities have high levels of vaccine hesitancy.Undocumented migrants also have problems registering for NHS-administered jabs.“A vaccine bus is available in London Chinatown to offer free vaccine jab to the Community without appointment,” the advert said.“You DO NOT need to have an NHS number, or any proof of address or personal identification. Undocumented migrants also welcomed! Stay safe! Get vaccinated!”The bus is run by the central London borough of Westminster council and is an official service offered by the government and the NHS.Currently, coronavirus vaccinations can only be booked via the NHS website or at a local GP surgery at which patients should be registered.