Turkey keeps Sweden waiting on Nato membership as key summit nears

Sweden's path to Nato membership remains blocked by Turkey and Hungary ahead of a July summit in Vilnius where it hopes to join Nordic neighbour Finland as a full member of the alliance.
Finland, which applied together with Sweden, joined Nato in April, but Turkey continues to block Swedish membership citing security concerns. Ankara has said Sweden must crack down on anti-Turkey protests before getting a green light to join Nato.
Sweden has set its sights on joining at the alliance's July 11-12 summit and while it has strong support from other members including the US and more talks with Turkey are expected, there have been few clear signs of a breakthrough.
Background
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year convinced Sweden and Finland to ditch long-held policies of military non-alignment.
Both countries see Nato, with its collective defence clause, as the best way to ensure their security.
The majority of Nato members quickly ratified the applications, arguing that Finland - which shares a 1,300km border with Russia - and Sweden would strengthen the alliance in the Baltic.
Turkey gave approval for Finnish membership after initial objections. But Ankara says Sweden does not take its security concerns seriously and has not lived up to a bargain, struck in Madrid last year, that laid out a number of issues Stockholm needed to address.
Turkey has not budged despite Sweden implementing new anti-terror legislation in June that it believes should pave the way for accession.
Hungary has followed Turkey's lead in delaying ratification, which must be unanimous.
Why does Turkey object?
Stockholm has criticised Turkey for human rights abuses and over democratic standards, irking politicians in Ankara.
Turkey says Sweden harbours members of what it considers terrorist groups - a charge Sweden denies - and has demanded their extradition as a step toward ratifying Swedish membership.
Swedish courts have blocked some expulsions to Turkey.
Demonstrations held in Sweden have also raised Turkish ire.
In recent months, demonstrators in Stockholm have hung an effigy of Erdogan from a lamp-post. At other events, demonstrators waved flags showing support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is deemed a terrorist group by Turkey and its Western allies, including Sweden.
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom has said the freedom to demonstrate is enshrined in the constitution while adding that "something that is legal is not always proper".
What is Hungary's beef with Sweden?
Hungary says Sweden has had a hostile attitude to Budapest for years. It is angry about Swedish criticism of Prime Minister Viktor Orban over the perceived erosion of rule of law. Orban denies such erosion. Unlike Turkey, Hungary does not have a list of demands, but says grievances need to be addressed before it can ratify Sweden's accession to Nato.
Swedish officials say they are perplexed by Hungary's stance and analysts have said the country is likely to follow Turkey's lead in the matter.
When will Turkey agree to Swedeish Nato membership?
Foreign minister Billstrom has been busy meeting a host of Nato allies in recent weeks to ensure Stockholm's membership bid remains top of the agenda, saying there is no "Plan B" beyond Sweden joining in Vilnius.
Sweden says it has implemented the Madrid agreement - including tougher anti-terrorism laws - and that some of Ankara's other demands are impossible to meet.
Erdogan has said the new laws are meaningless while supporters of the outlawed PKK are allowed to hold protests in Stockholm.
Yet Turkey has had previous run-ins with Nato allies and backed down. Elsewhere, support for Sweden is strong, with leaders from around Europe and the US calling on Ankara to move ahead with ratification.
Swedish and Turkish officials met on June 14 for what Sweden's chief negotiator characterised as good talks, are due to hold another high level meeting in Brussels before the Vilnius summit.
Is Sweden's security threatened by the delay?
Sweden has said its security position is better now than prior to its application to Nato. Sweden has received assurances of support from countries including the US, Britain and Germany.
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said it would be inconceivable that the alliance would not support Sweden if it were threatened.
Sweden already cooperates closely with Nato and integration measures are moving forward. Sweden has a strong air force and a submarine fleet tailored to Baltic Sea conditions - a boost for Nato in the region.


Bill to amend Mental Health Act tabled for first reading

A bill to amend the Mental Health Act 2001 (Act 615) was tabled for a first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.
The Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023, tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said, among others, allows crisis intervention officers to apprehend any person who attempts to commit suicide.
Through the bill, crisis intervention officers may also apprehend any person whom they have reason to believe is mentally disordered and can pose a danger to themselves, other persons, or property.
In addition, the crisis intervention officers may, when exercising their power under Subsection (2), break open any outer or inner door or window of any premises and enter into, or otherwise forcibly enter the premises and any part of the premises or remove by force any obstruction to such entry.
The bill also states that crisis intervention officers who apprehend individuals under Subsection (1) shall, as soon as practicable, but not later than 24 hours after the apprehension, bring the person to a medical officer at a government psychiatric hospital or a registered medical practitioner at a gazetted private psychiatric hospital for examination.
The crisis intervention officers include police officers, social welfare department officers and members of the Malaysian Civil Defence Force.
Azalina also tabled the Penal Code Bill (Amendment) (No.2) 2023 and the Criminal Procedure Code Bill (Amendment) (No.2) 2023 for first reading.
She said the three bills will be tabled for second reading at the next Parliament session.


Restoration of water supply to begin at 3pm

Water supply to 1,279 areas in the Klang Valley affected by an unscheduled disruption since 6pm yesterday is expected to be restored in stages from 3pm today.Air Selangor in a statement today said that operations at the Rantau Panjang and Sungai Selangor Phase (SSP) 1, 2 and 3 water treatment plants had resumed in stages since 2.40am, after readings of 0 TON or threshold odour number were recorded three times in a row.As of 7am, all four plants had completed cleaning and pumping activities at every stage of the treatment process to ensure the quality of water is clean and safe according to the standards set by the health ministry.“Air Selangor carried out water quality checks at every stage of the treatment process, and the National Water Services Commission has verified that there is no odour present,” Air Selangor added.Air Selangor is currently in the process of stabilising the distribution system before the water can be channelled to consumers. A schedule of supply restoration will be released soon.Alternative water supply assistance including 111 water tankers, 14 public taps and 17 local service centres as well as as the distribution of drinking water will continue to be provided.Yesterday, Air Selangor announced that operations at the water treatment plants had to be suspended due to pollution of raw water resources.The shutdown affected 1,139,008 accounts holders in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat.


North Korea’s missile tests cost up to US$650 million, report says

North Korea has spent up to US$650 million on missile tests this year – enough money to pay for a Covid-19 vaccination for the impoverished country’s entire population, a government-affiliated think tank in Seoul said Thursday.Pyongyang has conducted a record-breaking 18 weapons tests this year, and continued to launch missiles even after confirming its first Covid infections in May, with more than four million cases of what authorities term “fever” now reported.Kim Jong Un’s regime spent an estimated US$400 million to US$650 million on developing and testing the 33 missiles it fired this year, according to a report by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses.The money would “have made it possible to make up for this year’s food shortage, or provide a single dose of Covid-19 vaccination for all North Koreans”, said the report.North Korea struggles with chronic food shortages, which have been exacerbated by a years-long self-imposed coronavirus blockade, coupled with biting international sanctions over its weapons programmes.Despite state media reports claiming Covid is under control, the World Health Organization warned last week they “assume that situation is getting worse not better”.Experts have said the outbreak could trigger a major health crisis in the country, which has one of the world’s worst healthcare systems.North Korea reported its first Omicron cases on May 12 and the virus has since torn through its unvaccinated population of 25 million, with state media confirming Thursday more than 4.3 million cases of “fever” in total.“As required by the maximum emergency anti-epidemic system, we demand all staff strictly abide by anti-pandemic rules and regulations,” sanitation official Kim Hye Kyong told AFP in Pyongyang Thursday as hazmat-clad workers sprayed down trolley buses.Early in the pandemic, Pyongyang repeatedly rejected offers of Covid vaccines, including from the WHO, and more recently has ignored new offers of medical assistance and jabs from Seoul and Washington.Pyongyang’s state media – which typically reports on successful weapons tests 24 hours later – has not reported on any of the country’s recent missile launches.This means most North Koreans will know very little “about how many resources their government has been blasting into the sea”, Sokeel Park, South Korea country director at Liberty in North Korea, said on Twitter.North Koreans have been kept in the dark about military spending even as they deal “with the pandemic, shortages from two years of lockdown, and skyrocketing medicine prices”, he added.US and South Korean officials also have been warning for weeks that Kim’s regime is preparing to carry out a fresh nuclear test.Wendy Sherman, US deputy secretary of state, on Tuesday said there would be a “swift and forceful” response if Pyongyang goes ahead with its seventh nuclear test.


Over 200 staff at Shah Alam vaccination centre tested positive for Covid, says Khairy

A total of 204 staff at the Ideal Convention Centre vaccination centre (PPV) in Shah Alam tested positive for Covid-19 after a mass screening on July 10, National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.He said those who had gone to the centre for vaccination appointments from July 9 to 12 were advised to self-quarantine for 10 days and to be tested for Covid-19 if they exhibit symptoms.A total of 6,000 appointments have been rescheduled after the closure of the centre today for sanitation work by the fire and rescue department.Khairy said the results of the screening had shown a cycle threshold value of more than 35, which is a low viral load.“This is the first case of infections involving a PPV,” he said a press conference today.“Due to the high number of Covid-19 cases in the Klang Valley, it is difficult for us to determine whether an infection occurred at IDCC or elsewhere.”As a precautionary step to reduce the potential of infection, he added, all workers at the PPV would be replaced with new ones.“The CITF (Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force) will continue to boost efforts to ensure the IDCC PPV is safe,” he said, adding that the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health had been asked to monitor the air quality at the centre.


Over 82,800 HFMD cases reported as of June 4

A total of 82,846 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) were reported as of the last day of the epidemiological week (ME) 22/2022 (June 4), says health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.He said this showed a 32-fold increase from the 2,485 cases recorded in the same period last year and a 1.7-fold increase over the 30,489 cases reported in 2019.However, he said a total of 16,954 HFMD cases were reported nationwide during ME22/2022, a 9.3% decrease compared to the 18,688 cases recorded in ME21/2022.Noor Hisham said as of June 4, Selangor had contributed the most HFMD cases with 23,305 cases (28.13%), followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with 9,540 cases (11.52%), Perak with 8,032 cases (9.70%), Kelantan with 5,782 cases (6.98%) and Johor with 5,234 cases (6.32%).“Most of the HFMD cases occurred among children aged six and below, at 74,841 cases (90%), followed by those aged seven to 12, at 6,520 cases (8%) and those over the age of 12 with 1,485 cases (2%),” he said in a statement today.Noor Hisham said based on surveillance, the three main viruses causing the transmission of HFMD within the community this year were Enterovirus 71 (EV71), Coksackie A6 (CA6) and Coxsackie A16 (CA16).He said to date, three HFMD cases had been admitted to the ICU.The first and second cases were admitted to the ICU due inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and are still under close monitoring while the third case has recovered and was allowed to go home on May 31.Meanwhile, a total of 1,746 outbreaks were reported in Malaysia with three states recording the highest number: Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya at 562 (32.2%), followed by Selangor at 208 (11.9%) and Sarawak at 206 (11.8%).“The majority of the disease outbreaks occurred in nurseries, kindergartens and preschools with 1,059 outbreaks or 61% of the total cases, followed by private homes with 605 outbreaks or 35% and childcare centres with 56 outbreaks (3%),” he said.Outbreaks occur when two or more cases are reported in one locality and when cases have epidemiology relations and infections occur during the incubation period of HFMD.Noor Hisham said as of June 4, a total of 1,346 nurseries, kindergartens and preschools had been closed, 305 of which closed voluntarily and 1,041 of which were closed under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.


Malaysian badminton duo win marathon 211-shot rally at Masters

Thinaah Muralitharan threw her racket in the air and Pearly Tan got down on all fours to catch her breath after the women's doubles duo survived a 211-shot rally at the Malaysia Masters badminton tournament on Thursday.
The Malaysian pair were leading Japan's Rena Miyaura and Ayako Sakuramoto in the final set of their last-16 encounter when the rally began.
More than three minutes later, after a jaw-dropping showcase of athleticism and perseverance, Tan produced a well-disguised drop shot which Sakuramoto could not reach to seal the point, bringing an incredulous crowd to their feet.
"Winning the rally felt like winning the match. I also thought that we won after surviving the rally," said Thinaah.
"I was too excited that it was finally over because it was exhausting and we just wanted it to end fast. When it was over, I really needed a break and I threw the racket as collecting it from the ground gave me some time to rest."
Tan said mental strength was crucial in coming out on top of the "monumental" rally, which left Sakuramoto sprawled on the floor in exhaustion.
"We knew we were tired but the opponent was tired too," Tan said. "In our minds we wanted to win that shot, so we just mentally prepared ourselves very well and I'm so happy we won the point."
At the Korea Open in April last year, another women's doubles match produced a 195-shot rally, which the Badminton World Federation said at the time was a record breaker.


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First West African case of deadly Marburg virus detected, says WHO

Guinea confirmed a case of Marburg disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, the first recorded in West Africa of the lethal virus that’s related to Ebola and, like Covid-19, passed from animal hosts to humans.The virus, which is carried by bats and has a fatality rate of up to 88 percent, was found in samples taken from a patient who died on Aug 2 in southern Gueckedou prefecture, WHO said.“The potential for the Marburg virus to spread far and wide means we need to stop it in its tracks,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa.The discovery comes just two months after WHO declared an end to Guinea’s second outbreak of Ebola, which started last year and claimed 12 lives.In Geneva, WHO said it considered the threat “high” at the national and regional level, but “low” globally.“We are working with the health authorities to implement a swift response that builds on Guinea’s past experience and expertise in managing Ebola, which is transmitted in a similar way,” Moeti said.The Guinean government confirmed the Marburg case in a statement.Marburg virus is usually associated with exposure to caves or mines housing colonies of Rousettus bats. Once caught by a human, it is spread through contact with bodily fluids of infected people, or with contaminated surfaces and materials, according to WHO.Rapid response“We applaud the alertness and the quick investigative action by Guinea’s health workers,” Moeti said.The case was detected in a village in a forested region close to the borders of Sierra Leone and Liberia.The man’s symptoms date back to July 25, WHO said.After being initially treated at a local clinic and tested for malaria, the patient died “in the community”, WHO said.Post-mortem samples then tested negative for Ebola, but positive for Marburg.Ten WHO experts, including epidemiologists and socio-anthropologists, are already in the field to support national health authorities.The emergency response includes risk assessment, disease surveillance, community mobilisation and screening, clinical care, infection control and logistical support, WHO said.Cross-border surveillance has also been stepped up so that possible cases can be quickly detected, it said.Three family members of the deceased and a healthcare worker have been identified as high-risk close contacts and are being monitored, while investigations are under way to identify the source of the infection and any other possible contacts, WHO said.Previous outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in South Africa, Angola, Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.But this is the first time the virus has been detected in West Africa.The disease begins suddenly, with a high fever, severe headache and discomfort.Fatality rates have ranged from 24% to 88% in previous outbreaks, depending on the virus strain and case management, WHO says.Although there are no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments, oral or intravenous rehydration and treatment of specific symptoms improve survival rates, it says.


Malaysian athletes of mixed parentage from overseas may be considered for Paris Olympics

Malaysian athletes of mixed parentage from overseas with good performance track records may be considered to represent the national contingent in the hunt for medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 2024 Paris Gold Programme Monitoring Committee chairman, Mohamad Norza Zakaria, said this was one of the topics discussed at a meeting yesterday.
"The committee is open to the possibility of identifying athletes based overseas who have family ties and origins from Malaysia with a current performance level that matches those at the world level," he said in a statement.
For example, mixed-parentage footballers like Brendan Gan, Matthew Davies, Darren Lok and Corbin Ong have long featured for the Harimau Malaya while the likes of Gambia-born Mohamadou Sumareh, Brazil-born Guilherme de Paula and Kosovo-born Liridon Krasniqi have also starred for the national team as naturalised players.
Meanwhile, the committee also decided to tighten the selection criteria of athletes for the world’s biggest sporting arena by focusing specifically on the types of sports, events and athletes capable of realising Malaysia’s dream of winning an Olympic gold medal in Paris 2024.
"One of the selection criteria for the 2024 Paris Gold Programme that we discussed is that they must have won a medal in Tokyo 2020 and be ranked among the top 10 in the world.
"Their achievements in winning medals at the Commonwealth Games and Asiad will also be the basis of our selection, as well as having a convincing recent performance," he said.
Norza said the best support services like coaching, training programmes and international-level competition exposure as well as assistance in terms of science, technology and sports medicine would be provided to the athletes selected for the programme in their chase for the country’s first Olympic gold medal.
The National Sports Council (NSC) has also been asked to look at the possibility of using technical expertise that can mobilise the best training programmes and support services, including in terms of performance lifestyle, to ensure that athletes can perform to the best of their abilities and display a high fighting spirit.
"The committee will also give attention to the development and effectiveness of several research projects, especially those headed by the National Sports Institute (NSI) that are aimed at enhancing the performance of athletes under the 2024 Paris Gold Programme," he added.
He said the NSC would hold a 2024 Paris Gold Programme Planning Workshop on Oct 24 for representatives from associations, coaches and athletes, with the feedback to be presented at the second meeting of the Monitoring Committee in November.
The other members of the committee are NSC director-general Ahmad Shapawi Ismail, NSI CEO Ahmad Faedzal Md Ramli and national badminton legend Lee Chong Wei, with several more members expected to be appointed later.


Trump well behind on his taxes, says New York Times

The New York Times is alleging that US President Donald Trump paid zero income taxes in 10 of the last 15 years.Trump, who has fiercely guarded his tax filings and is the only president in modern times not to make them public, called the report “fake news”.“Actually, I paid tax. And you’ll see that as soon as my tax returns – it’s under audit, they’ve been under audit for a long time,” he told reporters after the story was published on Sunday.The Times claims to have obtained tax records for Trump and his companies going back 20 years. It said the information in its report was “provided by sources with legal access to it”.The records reveal “chronic losses and years of tax avoidance”, it says.The newspaper also claims Trump only paid US$750 (RM3,000) in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017, the years he won the election and entered the White House.Trump denied the story and claimed that he pays “a lot” in federal income taxes. “And I pay a lot in state income taxes,” he said.Trump insisted that he is willing to release his tax returns once he is no longer under audit by the Internal Revenue Service, which he said “treats me badly”.A lawyer for the Trump Organisation told the Times that “most, if not all, of the facts appear to be inaccurate”.The report comes at a crucial moment, just days before Trump’s first presidential debate with Democratic rival Joe Biden and only weeks before the November election.


Disappointed with Amanah, independent candidate optimistic about odds in PJ

Independent candidate KJ John is optimistic about his chances of winning the massive seat of Petaling Jaya, even though he faces a six-way battle for support including with candidates from the country's biggest political coalitions.
John, a former member of Amanah, said he decided to run in the PKR stronghold after losing faith in the struggle of Pakatan Harapan (PH) as well as all the rest of the political parties.
He said standing as an independent candidate would give him the edge in the sense that he was not bound by the instructions of any party leader.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said this would make it easier for him to speak on behalf of the people if he wins the seat in the upcoming election.
PH retained the Petaling Jaya seat in the 2018 general election through Maria Chin Abdullah, who contested on a PKR ticket.
She was replaced in the 15th general election with Lee Chean Chung, the assemblyman for Semambu in Pahang since 2013.
John, however, does not see Petaling Jaya as a PKR fortress as he attributes the massive 50,000 majority received by the party at the 14th general election to Maria's status as an activist.
"From what I have seen throughout the campaign period, sentiments are quite good," he said.
"There are those who support me, and they are happy when I say that I do not represent any political party."
John, who holds a PhD from the George Washington University in the US, decided to leave Amanah in December last year after concluding that the party was too quiet in PH.
"They would not have fielded me as a candidate for Amanah because PH's stand is that Petaling Jaya is a PKR seat," he said.
"How can they say that? If Parliament has been dissolved, then this seat belongs to the people of Malaysia. Anyone can contest."


More than 360 students, teachers quarantined at Shah Alam school

Some 300 students and 65 teachers at SMK Seksyen 11, a secondary boarding school in Shah Alam, Selangor, are quarantined in the school after eight students were tested positive while 100 others were reported to be symptomatic.The school is also appealing for donations to buy necessities for the quarantined students.A residents association of a Shah Alam suburb meanwhile has appealed to the public and corporate sector for donations.In a message, Fahmy Zakariah, chairman of the Section 6 Residents Association, said students currently quarantined at the school have no emergency funds.SMK Seksyen 11 is one of 11 schools in the Petaling Perdana district, which covers some of the most densely populated areas in Selangor, which will remain closed today.Ten other schools are SK Seksyen 19, SK Seri Selangor, SK Bandar Anggerik, SK Seksyen 1 Bandar Kinrara, SJKC Chee Wen, SMK Puchong, SMK Seksyen 7, SMK Pusat Bandar Puchong 1, SMK Bandar Puncak Jalil and SMK USJ 4.Yesterday, the education ministry said schools with confirmed Covid-19 cases would be closed for a minimum of two days.Within this period, classes or premises will undergo risk assessments by the district health office before they are allowed to re-open.


RMCO extended until end-March

The recovery movement control order (RMCO) throughout the country has been extended until March 31, Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced today.He said the decision was made following a risk assessment conducted by the health ministry, which found there was still a significant rise in Covid-19 cases nationwide, with a high infectivity rate.“This order has been gazetted in the Federal Government Gazette. The increase in number of cases has been contributed by the implementation of compulsory screening on foreign workers carried out on a large scale, as well as the spread of infection within the community, especially in the Klang Valley and several states,” he said in a statement.The RMCO was previously scheduled to end on Dec 31, 2020.Ismail said all SOPs under the RMCO will apply during the period, and will be subject to changes from time to time.He said activities at pubs and nightclubs except for restaurant businesses at these premises are still prohibited during this period, while activities involving large crowds which make it difficult to implement physical distancing are also not allowed.“Tourism activities will be based on the previous announcement by the tourism, arts and culture ministry, but they must comply with strict SOPs,” he added.


New DAP boss hints at ‘structural change’ in PH next GE

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has hinted at changes in the way that Pakatan Harapan (PH) will contest the next general election, including a possible break from more than two decades of the strategy of pushing Anwar Ibrahim as candidate for prime minister, in remarks that point to the opposition coalition struggling to stay relevant after its historic rise and fall since the last polls.Loke also underlined the need for parties to agree on the use of a common logo, weeks after PKR president Anwar’s decision to ditch the coalition’s logo during the Johor state election.“If we can’t even fulfil this condition, then PH’s structure definitely has to be changed,” Loke, who took over from DAP strongman Lim Guan Eng two weeks ago to helm PH’s most influential component, told Chinese-language daily Sin Chew.“I think that Anwar understands this very well,” he added. “You are facing a general election. You cannot, as the leader of PH, not use your own logo.”PKR had contested in the recent Johor election using its own oval-shaped logo, leaving fellow PH components DAP and Amanah alone in using the coalition’s banner which it adopted after winning the federal government in 2018.This followed the party’s dismal performance at the earlier elections in Melaka and Sarawak.PKR’s decision to contest under its own logo had sparked questions about unity and stability within the coalition, with DAP and Amanah saying that political allies and coalition partners should “stay together in good times, and in bad times”.“As a coalition, Amanah and DAP would prefer all PH allies to unite under the same symbol with a common purpose and a shared political agenda,” the parties had said.Loke said if PH could not even negotiate and come to a decision on the use of a common logo, its structure would “definitely have to change”.“Relationships will also be different, if that happens,” he said, adding however that he still has confidence in Anwar.“We hope we can settle this issue as much as possible and present a united front, where we are heading in the same direction and on the same mission together.“Not just our policies and ideologies. Our steps must be in unison, then only can we build up voters’ confidence in us.”PM candidateLoke said that PH’s strategy for the 15th general election, which must be called by May next year, should shift from emphasising who will become the prime minister.Loke said there was “great resentment towards political figures” among the voters.“If you only talk about who becomes prime minister, to the voters, politicians only want power.”He also said that PH’s politics should be based on agenda and not personality driven.“We should discuss what our agenda is, what is the power for, what is our agenda, and not just talk about who should be prime minister.“The question of who will be prime minister will be known when the time comes, with the election results.”Anwar has been the prime ministerial candidate for every opposition coalition since the 1999 general election, a year after he was sacked from the government by then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.Loke said that “so far”, Anwar was still the coalition’s nominee for prime minister.“But I say, the main thing is how we can win back the people’s confidence.“If we win their confidence and we win a majority of the seats in Parliament, then the problem of who will be prime minister can definitely be solved within 24 hours,” he added.


Malaysian assets at risk globally as late Sulu sultan's heirs claim US$15 billion award

The heirs of a 19th century sultanate are seeking to seize Malaysian government assets around the world in a bid to enforce a US$14.9 billion arbitration award they won against the Southeast Asian nation, despite a stay on the case handed by a French court, their lawyers told Reuters.
A French arbitration court in February ordered Malaysia to pay the sum to the descendents of the last sultan of Sulu to settle a dispute over a colonial-era land deal.
The government said last Wednesday the Paris Court of Appeal had stayed the ruling, after finding that enforcement of the award could infringe the country's sovereignty.
Law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the stay would prevent the award from being enforced as Malaysia works to set aside the ruling. Malaysia had not previously participated in the arbitration.
Lawyers for the claimants, however, say the February ruling remains legally enforceable outside France through the New York Convention, a UN treaty on international arbitration recognised in 170 countries.
"The 'stay' that seems to comfort the Malaysian government temporarily delays local enforcement in one country, France itself," said Paul Cohen, the heirs' lead co-counsel, of London-based law firm 4-5 Gray's Inn Square.
"It does not apply to the other 169."
With some exceptions, such as diplomatic premises, any Malaysian government-owned asset within nations party to the UN convention is eligible for the purposes of enforcing the award, said Elisabeth Mason, another lawyer for the heirs.
Wan Junaidi declined to comment when contacted.
Petronas assets held
The heirs claim to be successors-in-interest to the last sultan of Sulu, who entered a deal in 1878 with a British trading company for the exploitation of resources in territory under his control – including what is now the oil-rich state of Sabah.
Malaysia took over the arrangement after independence from Britain, annually paying a token sum to the heirs, who are Philippine nationals.
But the payments were stopped in 2013, with Malaysia arguing that no one else had a right over Sabah, which was part of its territory.
The claimants last week moved to seize two Luxembourg-based units of state oil firm Petronas as part of efforts to enforce the award.
Petronas, which has described the seizure as "baseless", has said it will defend its legal position, adding that the units have divested their assets.
Lawyers for the heirs said the units were now under the control of bailiffs in Luxembourg, pending any appeal by Petronas against the seizure.
"We note Petronas’ description of certain transactions, and we note their statement that those transactions are complete," Mason said.
"We will discover the full picture of all assets in due course."


New infections continue to hover at 4,800 as 10 more deaths logged

Another 4,831 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,724,225.
There were 3,362 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,642,078.
There are now 46,081 active cases, of which 44,404 or 96.4% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 33 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,584 (3.4%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 60 are in ICU with 40 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 63.2%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 16.1%.
Another 10 deaths were reported, including two who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,066.


Eiffel Tower to reopen after record 9-month closure

The Eiffel Tower is to reopen to visitors on Friday for the first time in nine months following its longest closure since World War II.The lifts of the “Iron Lady” are set to whir back into life, transporting tourists to its 300m summit, ending a long period of inactivity caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.Daily capacity is set to be restricted to 13,000 people, however, about half of the normal level, in order to respect social distancing.And from Wednesday next week, visitors will need to show either proof of vaccination or a negative test, in line with recent government-imposed requirements.“Obviously it’s an additional operational complication, but it’s manageable,” the head of the operating company, Jean-François Martins, told AFP.After a final round of safety checks by staff, he announced that the “lady is ready”.Early reservations for tickets during the summer holiday period underline how the tourism industry in Paris has changed due to travel restrictions.Martins said there was an “almost total absence” of British ticket holders, while only 15% were Americans and very few are from Asia.Half of visitors are expected to be French, while Italians and Spanish make up a higher proportion than usual.The long closure has caused havoc with the finances of the operating company, Sete, which runs the monument on behalf of Paris city authorities.It is set to seek additional government aid and a fresh €60-million cash injection to stay afloat, having seen its revenues fall by 75% to €25 million in 2020.The masterpiece by architect Gustave Eiffel has also been hit by problems linked to its latest paint job, the 20th time it has been repainted since its construction in 1889.Work was halted in February because of high levels of lead detected on the site, which poses a health risk to labourers.Tests are still underway and painting is set to resume only in the autumn, meaning a part of the facade is obscured by scaffolding and safety nets.


No more roadblocks in Klang Valley as Selangor joins KL in Phase 2

Selangor will join Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur in transitioning to Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan on Sept 10, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said just hours after it was announced that the two federal territories would progress to the next phase.In a statement, he said the Special Committee on Pandemic Management had decided at a meeting today that Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya would be considered a single area of infection in battling Covid-19.“Therefore, travel between these states will be allowed, with no roadblocks anymore,” he said.He said the same easing of restrictions for other states that have already made the transition would apply, including allowing cross-district travel for those who are fully vaccinated.The committee also agreed to further ease restrictions for the fully vaccinated in Phase One states for sports, leisure and recreational activities.Among others, indoor sports activities barring those at gymnasiums will be allowed, while indoor commercial sports and recreation facilities will be allowed to operate on an appointment basis.For the trade and distribution sector, flower shops and nurseries, shops selling outdoor equipment and housing galleries will be allowed to operate as well.For states in Phase Two and Three, additional flexibility will be given for barbers, hairdressers and beauty salons.


Maids, helpers or status symbols?

When she turned 33, Nabila Akashah was able, for the first time, to employ a 19-year-old domestic helper to manage the house while she and her husband were at work.
Now, 13 years later, she can hardly remember a time when she was without a maid.
In these years, she has had four helpers come and go due to a number of factors such as the expiry of their work permits and the passing of age limits.
Nevertheless, their steady stream of help means that it has been over a decade since the mother-of-three last had to do any housework on her own.
Nabila, who works as a financial manager at a branch of an international car dealership, said that having a maid leaves her feeling free and in control of herself.
"Since I was little, I dreamt about having a maid because I thought my life would be better," she said.
"I would only need to call her, and she would cook for me, take care of my parents, and follow me out when I go shopping.
"That is what I have wanted since I was small. Once my husband and I were able to afford it, we decided we would employ a maid to take care of things in the house."
In some countries such as those in the Middle East, maids are a symbol of status. Especially in urban cities, families are quick to employ domestic helpers once they reach the middle-income level, as a way of showing their newfound status on the social ladder.
Without maids, many women juggle full-time jobs, chores, and childcare, leaving them with little or no time for themselves.
Across the metaphorical fence, meanwhile, those in the upper class bracket might have a slew of domestic helpers including a personal driver and gardener.
Different employers
Nabila's current helper, an Indonesian woman who asked to be called Intan, has worked for her since 2018, earning RM1,700 a month.
Before coming to work for Nabila, Intan worked for two other employers, one for two years and the other for nine months.
She said both of these employers had different personalities and approaches to her as a maid as well as her scope of duties.
Her first employer was well educated and took good care of her as a worker. After that, though, she went to work for a couple whom she said treated her like a "modern-day slave".
"My first boss only asked me to work in the kitchen and to do normal household chores such as cleaning and laundry," she said.
"I never entered her room or those of her children. They would leave their laundry at the door, and I'd finish my work by dinner-time."
Her second employer, on the other hand, asked her to do a litany of tasks including to fix the toilet when it got clogged up.
"She didn't want to do it herself, so why did she think that I would?" Intan said.
"I'm not good at repair work, and anyway, it wasn't part of my job."
Eventually, she contacted her agent and asked to end her contract with the couple.
A maid agent in Petaling Jaya said most employers have very different mentalities which sometimes makes it difficult for agents and maids alike to fulfil their responsibilities.
Asyikin Hanafiah, who has been in the business for 11 years, said the difficulties usually lie in dealing with the middle class or urban M40.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, she said such groups often view maids as a symbol of ownership and authority.
"But maids are humans too, how can they be treated like slaves in this day and age?" she added.
She said she had also received requests from prospective employers who asked that the maids be barred from owning mobile phones or leaving the house.
"Whenever I get requests like this, I ask them if they have ever had a maid before.
"If they say no, I tell them to let me handle these matters myself. In any case, a lot of what they want is stuff and nonsense," she said.


Kudos for plan to further curb smoking, but devil is in the details

Two of my immediate family members died of lung cancer over the past five years, due to smoking. The misery they went through during treatment, especially during their final days, was horrific. On top of that, their family members were also subjected to emotional and physical distress. People like me watched helplessly as our loved ones slipped away.Smoking kills and that’s a scientific fact. In Malaysia, it is the third most common type of cancer, with about 95% of the patients diagnosed at stages three and four. Smoking is the primary reason for lung cancer in the country.According to the 2019 National Health and Morbidity survey, more than 27,200 of Malaysians deaths annually are related to smoking. The report found the smoking prevalence among Malaysians aged 15 and above to be 21.3%, with an estimated 4.8 million currently smoking. The prevalence of smokers in the 15- to 19-year-old age group was 12.3%.Statistically, lung cancer alone is more lethal than Covid-19, with the cumulative death toll for the latter over the past two years above 31,000.So, when Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin recently announced that the government plans to table a Tobacco and Smoking Control Act in the next session of the Dewan Rakyat, I was elated. We certainly need tougher regulations on these cancer sticks.Khairy has also said that he is in favour of Malaysia adopting the New Zealand model of banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2008. Kudos to the minister!But I also wish to caution Khairy against being overzealous in the drive to get Malaysians to kick the smoking habit. I’d go out on a limb and say that all adult smokers in Malaysia are aware of the health hazard of their habit. What they are struggling with is the addiction to the “high” cigarettes afford them.So, if the government cracks down too hard, too fast on smoking, it will drive the habit underground, making it almost impossible to regulate and monitor. So, a phased-out plan is more desirable. This includes giving leeway, or complementing with harm reduction products like nicotine patches, heated tobacco devices or vaping that does not contain highly toxic substances.At the end of the day, we want Malaysians to stay healthy and kicking the smoking habit is one sure way to achieve this. But let’s do this in a structured manner where we can mitigate the blowback. Otherwise, our best intentions will only end up in smoke.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


England to lift virus restrictions as Israel raises vaccine fears

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday revealed plans to lift most of England’s coronavirus restrictions, including face masks and social distancing from July 19, urging personal responsibility rather than government edict.His announcement came as experts in Israel, which led the way in vaccination, expressed concern that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine widely used there might be less effective against the dangerous Delta variant.Data collated by AFP meanwhile showed record numbers of cases across Africa, a continent struggling to get hold of vaccine doses.Last month, Johnson was forced to postpone plans for a full reopening on June 21 because of a surge in the highly contagious Delta variant, which now accounts for nearly all new British cases.But mass vaccinations have stopped that translating into surge in hospital admissions or deaths.“This pandemic is far from over,” said Johnson. “It certainly won’t be over by the 19th.“We must reconcile ourselves, sadly, to more deaths from Covid.”But the effectiveness of the vaccination campaign in the UK meant that they could go ahead with easing restrictions, he said.“We will move away from legal restrictions and allow people to make their own informed decisions.”Johnson’s announcement only applies to England, as health matters are devolved to the UK’s constituent nations. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are lifting their restrictions more slowly.‘Delta… running amok’Experts in Israel, which led the way in mass vaccination against the coronavirus, expressed concern Monday that rising cases there suggested the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine might be less effective in preventing mild illness.The Israeli health ministry said Monday that their analysis suggested the vaccine’s efficacy had dropped to 64% during the time the Delta variant had spread across the country.But it was still 93% effective in reducing serious Covid illness and hospitalisations, it added.Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned Sunday that “with the Delta variant running amok”, Israel might have to reintroduce some of the restrictions it lifted last month.While the richer countries have benefited from mass vaccination rollouts, other parts of the world are struggling.Africa has suffered a record number of coronavirus cases over the past week, registering over 36,000 new infections per day, according to an AFP count based on official figures.South Africa is the worst-hit country in Africa, with new daily infections hitting record highs of 26,000 cases over the weekend, fuelled by the Delta variant.Part of the problem is that African countries are suffering from a crippling shortage of Covid vaccines.According to the AFP count, just 3.66 vaccine doses have been administered for every 100 Africans. The corresponding figure in the US and Canada is 100.26, while in Europe it stands at 68.3.Lifting UK restrictions ‘reckless’In the UK, around 86% of adults have had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and 63% their second dose.But not everyone has welcomed Johnson’s announcement.England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty said he would still wear a mask indoors and in crowds.A snap YouGov poll suggested that 71% of Britons believe face masks should continue to be mandatory on public transport.And the leader of the Labour party, Keir Starmer, said the government’s decision “to throw off all protections” when infections were rising was “reckless”.In the US, President Joe Biden warned Americans during Sunday’s Independence Day celebrations that the battle against the virus there was far from over.“We’ve gained the upper hand against this virus,” he said.But, he added, “Don’t get me wrong: Covid-19 has not been vanquished. We all know powerful variants have emerged, like the Delta variant.”With more than 605,000 deaths, the US has lost more people to the virus than any other country.Travel still in doubtBritain has been gradually transitioning out of its third lockdown imposed in January.The government has already relaxed the ban on major events to allow 60,000 football fans to attend the semi-finals and final of the European Championship at London’s Wembley stadium – two-thirds of its capacity.The first semi-final is Tuesday and the England team play in the second one on Wednesday – although German Chancellor Angela Merkel last week told Johnson that he was risking too much by permitting so many fans.On Monday evening, a few hours after Johnson’s announcement, Germany announced it was lifting its ban on travellers from variant-hit countries such as the UK, Portugal and India.The UK government is meanwhile expected later this week to set out plans for fully vaccinated Britons to travel to “amber” countries, which includes most of Europe, without having to quarantine for 10 days on their return.


AirAsia’s Tony hits out at ‘fair-weather friends’

AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes has spoken out against what he describes as “fair-weather” friends from the corporate world who ditched the company as it goes through its worst financial crisis yet, brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.The budget airline tycoon however stopped short of naming who he meant, saying he preferred to reveal them in a “very very strong book” that he is currently working on.“The biggest learning for me is fair-weather friends and fair-weather corporations that made so much money from you over the 19 years,” Fernandes said in an online talk show hosted by Harith Iskander.“And then when you hit a spot of bother, they drop you like a hot potato. And that is a really, really good lesson for me,” he said.He said on the other hand, there were some companies which had stood beside AirAsia despite its current downturn.“Those are the companies that are visionary, that don’t look at today but look at the management. Was AirAsia a good airline before Covid? Yes. Was it profitable? Yes. Will it be a good airline again after Covid? Absolutely, probably better.”He added that he was ready to prove his critics wrong, saying he was confident AirAsia would be profitable again after having survived 16 months of being grounded.“There is nothing more exciting than a challenge of proving people wrong, and that’s what drives me every day – that I am going to have the last laugh, and I am going to be so proud of my staff,” he added.AirAsia, which had ventured into food and beverages even before the pandemic, recently expressed interest in other non-aviation sectors including ride-hailing and delivery services.


Saudi prince made personal mediation efforts for Griner release, says foreign minister

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman extended "personal mediation efforts" to facilitate the release of American basketball star Brittney Griner in a Russia-US prisoner swap, the kingdom's foreign minister said on Thursday.
Washington has denied any mediation, saying the talks were between the US and Russia, after a joint Saudi-UAE statement that said the president of the United Arab Emirates and Prince Mohammed led mediation efforts.
"I am aware of his highness's personal efforts in relation to the basketball player and his engagement and personal intervention to facilitate this release," Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told reporters in Riyadh.
"As for what others say, I cannot comment on that."
The swap involving Griner and Russian citizen Viktor Bout took place at an airport in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.
Saudi Arabia had scored a diplomatic victory in September by securing freedom for foreign fighters captured in Ukraine, at a time of tension between Riyadh and Washington whose ties have been strained over human rights, oil supplies and Russia.
Riyadh has resisted Western pressure to help isolate Russia, a fellow Opec+ oil producer.
Prince Faisal, at a news conference during a visit by China's president to the kingdom, said Saudi Arabia does not believe in choosing sides, and sought to cooperate with all economic powers including rivals the US and China.


Selangor’s self-paying vaccination for companies put on hold

Private companies in Selangor have yet to receive an appointment despite signing up for the state government’s Selgate Covid-19 vaccination programme, close to a month after the self-paying initiative was announced.MalaysiaNow understands that the programme, which aims to administer 2.5 million doses of vaccine under an initiative managed by state-owned company Selgate Corporation Sdn Bhd, is currently on hold pending approval from the state government.Several employers who signed up for the programme days after it was announced in May said they had only received an email response confirming the receipt of their details.When contacted, a spokesman said the programme had yet to be implemented.“I have been waiting for the promised quotation for about two weeks,” said a human resources officer at a private firm in Shah Alam.She added that the company would likely cancel the plan to vaccinate its staff under Selgate, as many had received their vaccination appointments for the coming days and weeks through MySejahtera.Last month, the Selangor government said it had procured 2.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine through Selgate Corporation.Corporate applicants were told to register their interest using the SELangkah Vax website with details of their employees.They were also to place a half deposit to confirm their booking, with the balance to be settled two weeks before the vaccination date.MalaysiaNow has contacted Selangor Public Health, Unity, Women and Family Development Committee chairman Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud but has yet to receive a response.


Ismail speaks up against backing Anwar as anti-Zahid rebellion grows

Caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has joined a growing number of Umno leaders in speaking out against Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the wake of the party leader's moves to get Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs to support Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister.
The Umno vice-president texted his stand to a WhatsApp group for party division leaders, saying he would oppose any move to cooperate with Pakatan Harapan (PH).
"I'm prepared to be sacked... still won't support PH," Ismail said, in a screenshot posted on Instagram by his daughter Nina Sabrina.
The message was sent by him at 1.32pm today, soon after he joined Zahid and other Umno leaders to meet Anwar and several top PH leaders at the Seri Pacific Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
Ismail's stand is similar to that of Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein, who also said he was prepared to be sacked if he does not toe the party line by opposing cooperation with PH.
Earlier today, a group of Umno divisional leaders also protested against any negotiations with Anwar, saying it would violate a resolution by Umno delegates last year not to cooperate with Anwar or DAP.
Zahid has come under intense pressure to step down as BN chairman and Umno president after the party was thrashed by Perikatan Nasional in the polls on Saturday.


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Aussie PM says former leader Morrison took on secret ministerial roles during Covid

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sought legal advice following reports that his predecessor Scott Morrison was secretly appointed to key ministerial roles during the Covid-19 pandemic, duplicating some portfolios.
Although ministers are traditionally sworn in at a ceremony by the governor-general, this did not occur in the case of Morrison's additional roles and Albanese said it appeared key cabinet members were not aware of the appointments.
"This was a centralisation of power by the former prime minister," Albanese, who has sought advice from the solicitor-general, Australia's second law officer, told reporters on Monday.
"This isn't some, you know, local footy club," he added. "This is a government of Australia where the people of Australia were kept in the dark as to what the ministerial arrangements were."
Morrison could not immediately be reached for comment.
In an emailed statement, the governor-general's office told Reuters the appointments were valid under the constitution, did not require a swearing-in ceremony, and added that publicising them was a matter for the government of the day.
"It is not uncommon for ministers to be appointed to administer departments other than their portfolio responsibility," the spokesman for the governor-general's secretary said.
The governor-general followed normal process and acted on the government's advice in appointing Morrison to administer portfolios besides his own department and the cabinet, the spokesman added.
The Australian newspaper said Morrison was appointed health minister in 2020, alongside Health Minister Greg Hunt, to avoid concentrating power in one person when biosecurity emergency powers were adopted to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
He was later also appointed finance minister, and in 2021 was made administrator of the resources ministry. He later blocked an offshore gas project, the paper said.
David Littleproud, the leader of the Nationals party, the coalition partner of Morrison's Liberal party, told ABC radio the news was "disappointing", and added that the cabinet should be trusted.


Dawn after Deepavali, Indians awake to choking smog in northern cities

Millions of Indians ignored bans on setting off firecrackers to celebrate Deepavali, the Hindu festival of lights, meaning that hundreds of millions across north India woke up on Sunday to toxic air blanketing their homes and towns.The capital New Delhi was covered in a thick haze, with the average pollution level over nine times that considered safe by the World Health Organization, reports Reuters.Also sitting under choking haze were cities in the states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Bihar, all of which typically suffer appallingly unhealthy air quality at this time of year.Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had banned the sale and use of firecrackers ahead of the festival but the policy proved impossible to implement and city skies blazed throughout the night.Angry residents complained on social media of breathing difficulties and stinging eyes.“Our gods must be so happy today, that their followers burst firecrackers and choked the young ones to despair and death,” said Vimlendu Jha, of environmental group Swechha.Some defended firecrackers as an essential part of the celebration.“Are you realizing how all of India stood up in defiance against the cracker ban? It’s like a form of Hindu freedom battle cry,” Tarun Vijay, a leader of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, tweeted.Northern India’s air pollution usually worsens in October and November due to windless days and farmers burning agricultural waste.India’s raging coronavirus epidemic, with more than 400,000 cases in New Delhi alone, has also heightened alarm over the smog. Doctors are warning of a sharp increase in respiratory illnesses in the weeks to come.It is a far cry from the months during lockdown when the air was so clear that the Taj Mahal became visible from kilometres away. However, as soon as the lockdown ended, the poisonous smog tentacles came drifting back almost immediately as air quality returned to normal and the Taj Mahal disappeared once more.


Cybersecurity audit needed to safeguard user data, says Fahmi

An audit of cybersecurity needs to be done to guarantee the data security of users in the country, says Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He said his ministry needed to identify the vulnerabilities or weaknesses in the existing ecosystem to prevent continued data theft.
"Data is a national treasure that needs to be kept safe," he said during his first monthly assembly with ministry staff in Putrajaya today, also attended by Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching, secretary-general Mohammad Mentek, as well as the heads and officers of the departments and agencies under the ministry.
Fahmi said the ministry would also play an important role in assessing and assisting other agencies and departments as well as ministries in ensuring that cybersecurity is a priority.
"My intention is for CyberSecurity Malaysia, which is under the ministry’s purview, to always play a very important role.
"I do not want any more incidents in any department of data being compromised, hacked, or stolen, whether or not these are related to the actions of scammers," he said.
Fahmi also advised members of the public who had been scammed to contact the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) by calling 997 to report the theft of money within 24 hours.
"If you are a victim (of scammers), do not be ashamed or afraid. Call (NSRC) within 24 hours of the incident so that Bank Negara can stop the outflow of funds from the system," he said.
He also expressed hope for closer cooperation with Bank Negara and the police to overcome online fraud.
He said the money stolen through online fraud was likely used on the black market to fund activities that threaten national security including drug trafficking and the purchase of illegal weapons.


Management of school construction projects inefficient and ineffective, audit report shows

The managing of school construction projects has been found to be inefficient and ineffective based on the scope and audit samples covering the construction of 19 new schools from 2016 to 2021 in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan.
According to the Auditor-General’s Report 2021 Series 1, this was due to weaknesses at the planning, pre-construction and implementation stages of the projects by the education ministry, consultants and contractors.
"There was also poor coordination with the state governments, local authorities and utility companies, besides the issue of the preparedness of the project sites which contributed to the delay in implementing the projects.
"This situation made the projects’ objectives of accommodating the surplus of students through the building of new schools and having one-session schools difficult to achieve," said the report.
The audit conducted was to evaluate if the management of school construction projects had been properly planned and implemented prudently, efficiently and effectively to achieve its two objectives.  To overcome the weaknesses raised and to ensure that the mistakes are not repeated in the future, the auditor-general proposed that the education ministry conduct engagement sessions with all parties involved at the federal and state levels.
It said the project sites should also be finalised before the projects are tabled for approval by the Economic Planning Unit, to reduce the risk of delays in implementing the projects.
The education ministry must also ensure that the land handed over as an education reserve by the developer is suitable for construction and does not require additional complex groundwork, it said.
The ministry must also streamline the school construction procedures and processes for more organised project management and comply with all current regulations, and conduct a review to identify the current requirements of the scope of school construction projects where the implementation is delayed, the report said.


No change in SOPs for foreign tourist arrivals

The SOPs for the entry of foreign tourists at international entry points will remain unchanged, says Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said any decision regarding new SOPs would only be made based on the latest Covid-19 data.
He added that the SOPs imposed on tourists arriving in Malaysia, including from China, were the same as those for arrivals from other countries.
"Of course, it’s not wise to be selective and I feel it’s not right for us to take that stance," he told reporters after observing the operations at KLIA in Sepang yesterday.
However, he said the government would not comprise on the importance of protecting the safety of the people from any health threats, including the Covid-19 pandemic. On Jan 4, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia would not discriminate against any country in conducting COvid-19 checks on travellers entering the country, as its priority was the people’s health and safety.
Anwar added that the immigration department had tightened controls at the country’s entry points to monitor the entry of foreigners into Malaysia.
Saifuddin said tourists found to be suffering from fever would be taken to a special corner to be examined by the doctor on duty.
"If the body temperature is 37 degrees Celcius, they will place (the tourists) at a specific point for observation. If they continue to show signs of being positive (for Covid-19)… they will be taken to Hospital Sungai Buloh," he said.


Polling stream temporarily closed after voter tests positive for Covid-19

A voting stream at a polling station in Alor Gajah was temporarily closed after an individual was confirmed positive for Covid-19 after voting in the Melaka state election today.Melaka health director Dr Rusdi Abd Rahman said the Covid-19 test results of the individual were received from a private laboratory after the voter had cast the ballot. The voter did not show any Covid-19 symptoms when voting.“Upon being notified by the Melekek Covid-19 Assessment Centre (CAC), the Alor Gajah District Health Office (PKD) directed Election Commission (EC) officials at the polling centre to temporarily close high-risk areas including the affected voting stream for a thorough disinfection process.“The disinfection process was carried out with the cooperation of the Fire and Rescue Department, and the Alor Gajah PKD surveillance team was deployed to the polling centre concerned to ensure infection-control work was conducted in an orderly manner,” he said in a statement.He said the EC had also taken immediate steps to open a new room to replace the affected voting stream with the use of new equipment.He said the Melaka Health Department viewed the incident seriously and that the Alor Gajah PKD was conducting further investigation, including tracing all close and social contacts of the patient.Rusdi urged the public to refer to official statements from the health ministry and Melaka Health Department regarding further developments.Any enquiries on the matter can be directed to the Melaka Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC) at 06-2345999 or email [email protected]


More tuition centres on the brink as strapped parents pull their kids out

The recently imposed conditional movement control order (CMCO) in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor is taking many tuition centres to the very brink of collapse as they can no longer operate without income.These centres, which teach extra classes for primary and secondary school students, have been badly hit since the CMCO was imposed throughout Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. Their situation is exacerbated by still being in the dark regarding new SOPs the education ministry promised them back in June.Despite introducing innovations such as bringing in online classrooms, splitting classes to reduce numbers, and offering greater flexibility in class times, many centres still cannot generate enough income to keep going and the future looks just as bleak.A Danau Kota tuition centre owner who only wanted to be known as Kana, told MalaysiaNow he has decided to bring the curtain down on the centre he has been running since 2012 because he can no longer pay his teachers or his utility bills.Kana, a former teacher himself, said that since March he has had extensive discussions with his teachers, trying to come up with innovative back-up plans such as offering online learning sessions to students.“Before the MCO, parents who had not recovered financially were already agonising over whether they could still afford to send their children to tuition classes,” he said.“Now so many of them are calling me, wanting to withdraw their children from my centre. We are losing more and more students all the time and now we can’t pay our teachers because we have no income.”He said that although he has had countless discussions with parents, trying to find ways to help them enrol their children in his classes, the financial difficulties plaguing so many families means little can really be done.“These parents told me frankly that they are still having big money problems and they just can’t afford to continue with their kids attending my school. That actually reassured me a little because it showed they like our classes but they just don’t have the money for fees.”A MalaysiaNow survey of online marketplaces found more than 10 tuition centres in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor for sale. Average prices start as low as RM7,000, rising to RM65,000 depending on classroom sizes and other facilities. Most centres listed are in the Cheras, Pudu, Damansara, Bandar Tun Razak, Subang Jaya and Shah Alam areas.“We are losing more and more students all the time and now we can’t pay our teachers because we have no income.”A centre owner in Subang Jaya, who wanted to be known only as Kenny, said he has decided to sell his 13-year-old business due to unreliable cash flows since the MCO was imposed in March.He told MalaysiaNow his tuition centre had 13 teachers and more than 200 enrolled students, and before Covid-19 struck, he was able to earn an income of RM60,000 to RM70,000 after paying staff salaries and utility bills. Now he makes less than RM10,000.“Since the MCO was imposed, we haven’t collected any tuition fees,” he said. He has offered to hold tuition classes online, but this was not welcomed by parents. He said he empathises with the parents’ dilemma.In Bandar Tun Razak, Sinar Tuition manager Kasthuri Tennarasan told MalaysiaNow that the centre he began nine years ago is now facing insurmountable difficulties, as in the MCO period between March and August he had no income at all from tuition fees.“We couldn’t charge anything because there were no classes during that period,” he said. “And we couldn’t conduct many online classes because a lot of students don’t have adequate internet access or equipment at home.”Classes that restarted in early September have now had to be suspended after the CMCO was reimposed. That looks to be the final straw for Kasthuri’s dream.He is selling his centre as a complete package, including all classroom facilities, furniture, teaching staff and 119 students.But as Kenny and so many other owners of doomed tuition centre are asking: “Now that everyone is in financial difficulties, who will want to buy my business?”


156 migrants detained in late-night Cyberjaya crackdown

The immigration department detained 156 immigrants during an integrated operation at an illegal settlement in Cyberjaya last night.Immigration director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud said 202 immigrants from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar and India, including 12 women and two children, were checked in the 11pm operation.He said those checked ranged in age from below four to 50 years old.Khairul said 156 of them were detained for not having valid travel and identification documents and taken to the immigration department’s screening centre in Putrajaya for further action.He said the raid on the settlement, which had access to water supply and electricity through illegal connections, was carried out in collaboration with several enforcement agencies including the police, the Civil Defence Force and the National Registration Department, after three months of intelligence.“This illegal settlement has the potential of spreading Covid-19 infections as it fails to comply with the stipulated SOPs under the movement control order,” he said when met by reporters after the operation today.Khairul also denied that the immigration department only takes action against illegal immigrants, but not their employers.“The claims are untrue because in 2019, a total of 1,052 employers were charged in court with various offences under the Immigration Act, involving a total fine of RM19.3 million,” he said.He said last year, 519 employers were brought to court, involving a total fine of more than RM10 million.As of last month, 130 employers had been slapped with fines amounting to RM3.2 million, he added.


Malaysia to integrate system with Indonesia, minister says on foreign worker freeze

Malaysia has agreed in principle to integrate its system with Indonesia regarding the recruitment of foreign workers into the country, Human Resources Minister M Saravanan said today.
He said this would enable both countries to possess information on the entry of Indonesian workers into Malaysia.
"During our discussions with Indonesia, they suggested using the existing One Channel System in Indonesia... for now, we, through the home ministry,use the Maid Online System which Indonesia claims does not provide information on workers from Indonesia entering Malaysia.
"With the One Channel System, they will be able to monitor and following discussions with the home ministry.
"We agreed in principle to integrate the existing system with the home ministry and the system by Indonesia so that both countries will have this information," he said during the ministers’ question time in the Dewan Rakyat.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Steven Choong Shiau Yoon (PBM-Tebrau) on the impact of the temporary freeze by Indonesia on its citizens coming to work in Malaysia, and measures to address the problem.
Saravanan said the ministry was aware of Malaysia's need for foreign workers and that the matter would be resolved soon.
To a supplementary question from Anthony Loke Siew Fook (PH-Seremban) on whether there was a condition in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Malaysia and Indonesia on the abolition of the Maid Online System, Saravanan said there was no such condition.
He said the MoU between Malaysia and Indonesia on the recruitment and placement of Indonesian domestic workers was signed on April 1.
The MoU paved the way for the entry of Indonesian workers for employment in other sectors in the country, including domestic maids, he said.
However, on July 12, the Indonesian government announced a temporary suspension of the entry of Indonesian workers into Malaysia due to confusion arising over the mechanism of hiring Indonesian domestic workers in the country.
Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin said discussions on the matter between the Malaysian and Indonesian governments started yesterday.


Lethal autonomous facial recognition drones finally used in combat, says UN

A United Nations investigation into March 2020 skirmishes in the military conflict in Libya says “autonomous” drones were used on the battlefield and in the city, reports NPR.Military-grade lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) are self-controlling drones that can fly themselves to a specific location, pick their own targets and kill them without the assistance of a remote human operator.Such weapons have long been in development, but until recently there were no reported cases of autonomous drones killing fighters on the battlefield or in the city.The assault came in Libya, during fighting between the UN-recognised Government of National Accord and forces aligned with General Khalifa Haftar.“Logistics convoys and retreating Haftar-affiliated forces were hunted down and remotely engaged by LAWS such as the Kargu-2 and other loitering munitions,” the UN report said.The Kargu-2 is an attack drone made by the Turkish company STM that can be operated both autonomously and manually and that purports to use “machine learning” and “real-time image processing” against its targets.“The weapons were programmed to attack targets without requiring data connectivity with an operator. In effect, a true fire and forget capability,” said the report.In the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, STM CEO Murat Ikinci said that his company’s kamikaze drones “all have artificial intelligence and face recognition systems”.Weighing less than 70kg each, they have a range of 15km and can stay in the air for 30 minutes carrying explosives. Kargu drones can also operate as a coordinated swarm of 30 units which cannot be stopped by advanced air defence systems.For years, military forces and rebel groups have used drones to kill combatants and destroy physical targets. Last month, the Israel Defense Forces reportedly used drones to drop tear gas on protesters in Gaza, while Hamas launched loitering munitions – so-called kamikaze drones – into Israel.What’s new about the deployment in Libya, if confirmed, is that the drones that were used had the capacity to operate autonomously, which means there was no human controlling them.These weapons are essentially “killer robots”, formerly the stuff of science fiction.In response to the new UN report, Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Max Tegmark tweeted, “Killer robot proliferation has begun. It’s not in humanity’s best interest that cheap #slaughterbots are mass-produced and widely available to anyone with an axe to grind. It’s high time for world leaders to step up and take a stand.”


Tourism industry excited about return of 'big spenders' from China

Tourism industry players are eager to receive visitors from China following the expected relaxation of the country’s zero-Covid policy early next year, says Malaysia Inbound Tourism Association (Mita) president Uzaidi Udanis.
He said Beijing’s decision to scrap quarantine for travellers and reopen its border is expected to bring in three million tourists to Malaysia which, in turn, will help boost the economy.
"China is very important because they have big volume and they are 'big spenders'. This will be able to contribute good numbers for Malaysia's economy," he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.
Uzaidi added that Mita is fully committed to the health ministry’s Covid-19 preventive measures to prevent another outbreak in the country.
"In our industry, we will comply even though were are very excited about bringing in tourists, because safety comes first.
"Tourism industry players were badly affected (when the country was hit by Covid-19), and we have learnt from that. Now our mantra is 'good health means good business', so it is important for the industry to comply with the SOPs," he said.
He said it would be best if tourists enter Malaysia under certified travel agents as this will help the government monitor their movements and reduce the risk of another Covid-19 outbreak, in addition to tackling other issues such as overstaying.


Britain rolls out first Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine jabs

Britain on Monday began rolling out the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, a possible game-changer in fighting the disease worldwide, while China raced to inoculate millions with a homegrown prophylactic.Britain started the new drive with 530,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, as it struggled to control a severe wave of infections that has threatened to overwhelm the public health system and prompted the government to warn tougher curbs can be expected.The vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, is seen as a game-changer by many experts because it does not require very cold temperatures for storage like the ones from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.That could mean greater access to the vaccine for less wealthy parts of the world in the fight against the coronavirus, which has infected nearly 85 million people with more than 1.8 million known deaths.Brian Pinker, an 82-year-old retired maintenance manager, received the first jab at Oxford’s Churchill Hospital, NHS England said.“I’m very pleased that I got the Oxford vaccine,” he said, adding that it was a “no-brainer” to get the shot.British Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted that he was “delighted that today we roll out the @UniofOxford / @AstraZeneca vaccine across the whole UK.”“It’s a vital step in our fight against this pandemic,” he said.“We can see the way ahead in terms of a route forward, we can see how we can get out of this. But we do have a tough period ahead,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday.Britain has already vaccinated around one million people after approving the Pfizer vaccine in early December and hopes to give shots to tens of millions in the next three months, Johnson said in a BBC interview.Vaccinations were also under way in Europe, while thousands lined up in Beijing to receive shots as Chinese authorities raced to inoculate millions ahead of the Lunar New Year mass travel season in February.Beijing has already administered around 4.5 million doses of largely unproven emergency vaccines this year – mostly to health workers and other state employees destined for overseas jobs, according to authorities.Stumbling US vaccine rolloutElsewhere, American officials on Sunday rejected claims by outgoing President Donald Trump that the country’s death toll of more than 350,000 was exaggerated, as they defended the stumbling rollout of vaccines in the world’s worst-hit nation.The United States has a known caseload of more than 20 million, and the Trump administration has faced intense criticism for its handling of the pandemic, which has hammered the US economy.It has started giving people the Pfizer and Moderna shots, but the 4.2 million people vaccinated so far are far below the official predictions of 20 million by the new year.More than 13 million vaccine doses have been distributed nationwide, but efforts to inoculate health workers and vulnerable people have been hampered by logistical problems and overstretched hospitals and clinics.“There have been a couple of glitches, that’s understandable,” top US expert Anthony Fauci said, adding it was a challenge “trying to get a massive vaccine program started and getting off on the right foot.”Troubling reports have emerged of vaccines going bad due to poor organisation, lack of healthcare professionals to administer them or, in one isolated case, sabotage.Moncef Slaoui, chief advisor to the US government’s military-led vaccine effort, said another alternative was being explored for the Moderna vaccine: administering half doses twice.“We know it induces identical immune response,” Slaoui said, adding that officials are in discussions with Moderna and the Food and Drug Administration about the proposal.Indian approvalsIndia, with the world’s second-largest number of known cases, approved the emergency use of two Covid-19 vaccines on Sunday, paving the way for one of the world’s biggest inoculation drives.The South Asian giant has set an ambitious target of inoculating 300 million of its 1.3 billion people by mid-2021, and it gave the green light to the AstraZeneca vaccine as well as one developed by local pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech.But Indian authorities, like many across the world, must overcome public skepticism about the vaccine, often promoted by social media campaigns and conspiracy theories that offer no credible evidence.A recent survey of 18,000 people across India found that 69% were in no rush to get vaccinated.Israel, however, has claimed the fastest start to vaccinations so far, saying on Sunday that two million people – around a fifth of its population – would have received both the required shots by the end of January.


China celebrates Communist Party’s 100th anniversary

China’s President Xi Jinping has said China does not oppress other countries, in a speech marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Communist Party.In comments seen as referring to the US, Xi also warned against anyone “oppressing China”, saying they would “have their heads bashed against a great wall of steel”.A specially vetted crowd of about 70,000 is in Beijing’s Tiananmen square for the celebration, many of them not wearing masks.Xi reiterated the role of the party in modern China, saying that it has been central to the country’s growth and that attempts to separate it from the people would fail.He added that “we will never allow anyone to bully, oppress or subjugate China”.The ceremonies on Thursday morning also saw military fly-bys, artillery salutes, and massed patriotic songs.The country has seen a media blitz in recent weeks promoting a party-approved version of China’s history.The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which was founded in 1921, came to power 72 years ago after a long civil war. In that time the country has undergone massive changes.On Monday, a performance entitled The Great Journey was staged at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, where performers put on extravagant set-pieces detailing the history of the party and country.For the celebrations, Chinese cinemas have been ordered to screen propaganda films known as “red films”. Over 100 television dramas celebrating the centenary have also been scheduled for broadcast, and a song called 100%, that praises China’s achievements and features 100 rappers has also been released.However, significant historical events such the Cultural Revolution purges, the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, and the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong have been missing, reported news agencies.“Red tourism” has also become popular, with travel companies launching 100 unique routes for “red pilgrims”. Several sites across the country deemed historically significant for the party have reported spikes in tourists.But not everyone is pleased with the saturation coverage of the celebrations.“Now when I turn on the TV, dozens of stations are airing dramas about revolutionary wars,” a Beijing resident told BBC Chinese service. “Every day, it’s all about building the party and building the nation – do you have any other choice?”With celebrations focusing on the intertwining histories of the party and country, the CCP appears keen to make itself synonymous with China’s rapid development, say experts.The centenary is “clearly an important moment for the party and has been planned meticulously,” Tom Rafferty from The Economist Intelligence Unit told the BBC.“The official message has been the emphasis on the current period as representing a new era distinct from the post-1978 reform period,” he said, adding that this “underscores the ambitions of the current leadership”.Thursday also marks the 24th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong by the British to Chinese rule.The city used to hold celebrations on the date but in recent years it has seen anti-Beijing protests instead, although a controversial national security law put in place last year is currently muting dissent.Hong Kong police have denied permission for a rally, citing coronavirus restrictions, organisers said.


MACC files police report, says claims against Azam false and unverified

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has urged the police to investigate an NGO activist for the publication of false news over articles accusing its chief commissioner Azam Baki of conflict of interest in the ownership of shares, MalaysiaNow has learnt.In the report sighted by MalaysiaNow, Mohan Munusamy, MACC’s senior assistant commissioner, said the allegations by Lalitha Kunaratnam were not only factually wrong, but also implied that senior enforcement officials are corrupt just because of their involvement in business.“I am aware that it is not an offence for a senior enforcement officer to own shares or be a company director, and it is not at all prohibited by the law in Malaysia,” he said.The report said the claims against Azam were “false, baseless and malicious”, and that the articles by Lalitha, who is linked to the group C4 Center headed by NGO activist Cynthia Gabriel, were written with the sole aim of tarnishing the country’s enforcement bodies and officers.“I find that the author of the articles made false statements without any attempt to verify, drawing her own conclusions that all senior enforcers would abuse power and are corrupt when they own stocks or are involved in business,” Mohan added.On Thursday, Azam sent a letter of demand to Lalitha, hours after threatening legal action over her claims.He also said he had done no wrong in allowing his brother, Nasir Baki, to conduct business using his account to buy shares on the open market.MACC’s advisory board meanwhile said it found no wrongdoing committed by Azam, with its chairman Abu Zahar Ujang saying they were satisfied with his explanation of the matter.Following this, Pakatan Harapan leaders attacked both Azam and Zahar, calling for the duo to be placed on leave as well as to be investigated alongside all previous MACC chief commissioners.Azam, who took over from Latheefa Koya in March 2020, has four decades of experience fighting graft including during his time in MACC’s precursor, the Anti-Corruption Agency.Trained in engineering and law, Azam is one of MACC’s most senior officers and has extensive experience on combating money laundering, as well as investigating high-profile businessmen and politicians.


Will Anwar sack Zahid if court delivers guilty verdict, asks Bersatu leader

Bersatu leader Dr Afif Bahardin today asked if Anwar Ibrahim would sack his deputy Ahmad Zahid Hamidi if the Umno president is found guilty of corruption, following the prime minister's remarks that ministers will be immediately dismissed if they are found to be involved in graft.
Afif, the Shah Alam Bersatu deputy division chief, also compared Anwar's appointment of Zahid to the second highest office to his stand on corruption, given the string of charges faced by Zahid in court.
"Anwar’s claim that he will sack ministers tainted with corruption appears to be an attempt to deflect public concern and outrage over Zahid’s shocking appointment as deputy prime minister," he added.
"If Zahid is convicted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court of the charges of corruption in the ongoing cases, will Anwar sack him immediately? Or will Anwar give the excuse that Zahid can stay as deputy prime minister pending appeals to Court of Appeal and Federal Court?"
Anwar had said in a speech on Dec 11 that anyone involved in bribery or the misuse of power would be immediately removed from his Cabinet.
"I have also informed all component party leaders that if any minister is involved in corruption, I will seek their mandate to sack them immediately," he was reported as saying.
Zahid, who was also given the rural and regional development portfolio in the Cabinet, was acquitted in October of 40 graft charges in the foreign visa system case.
However, he still faces 47 other charges related to the misuse of funds from charity foundation Yayasan Akalbudi.
In his statement today, Afif also asked if Anwar would sack any ministers who were likewise charged in court with corruption.
"If the answer to the above is affirmative, why is it that he appointed Zahid as deputy prime minister, who was already charged? If not, then Anwar’s claim that he will sack ministers with corruption cases is proven false," he added.
"Anwar must be precise and clear on this as he has already breached good governance by appointing Zahid who is facing multiple corruption charges."


Malaysian among 16 new Covid deaths in Singapore

A Malaysian man was among the 16 people who died from complications due to Covid-19 infection in Singapore on Oct 21.The man was a work permit holder, according to the republic’s health ministry in its nightly data update.Of the remaining cases, 11 were male Singaporeans and permanent residents and four were female Singaporeans.All 16 were between 61 and 93 years old.The health ministry said eight were unvaccinated, one was partially vaccinated, and seven were fully vaccinated.Fifteen had various underlying health conditions while the sixteenth, who had been fully vaccinated, had no known medical conditions.Yesterday’s reported deaths took Singapore’s cumulative death toll to 280.Singapore also reported 3,439 new cases of Covid-19 infection yesterday, bringing its total caseload to 162,026.Of these, 2,937 were detected in the community and 500 in migrant worker dormitories while two were imported cases.As of Oct 20, 84% of the population were fully vaccinated, and 85% had received at least one dose.In its latest update, the republic’s Multi-Ministerial Taskforce said the Stabilisation Phase would be extended for another month through Nov 21 as more time is needed to stabilise the continuing pressures on its healthcare system.


WHO calls for intensified measures over ‘alarming’ virus variant

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) European branch on Thursday said more needed to be done to deal with the alarming situation brought on by a recently discovered variant of the novel coronavirus.Speaking at a press conference, WHO’s regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, called the current situation “a tipping-point in the course of the pandemic”, as Europe was both challenged by surging cases and new strains of the virus causing Covid-19.“This is an alarming situation, which means that for a short period of time we need to do more than we have done and to intensify the public health and social measures to be certain we can flatten the steep vertical line in some countries,” Kluge said, referring primarily to the new variant first discovered in the UK.While it is natural for viruses to change over time and the variant is not believed to cause more severe symptoms, its “increased transmissibility,” means it is still raises concern, according to WHO Europe.“Without increased control to slow its spread, there will be an increased impact on already stressed and pressurised health facilities,” Kluge said.The measures proposed by Kluge were those “with which we are all familiar”, listing the adherence to generalised mask wearing, limiting social gatherings, maintaining physical distance and hand washing as prudent but in need of being intensified.These measures coupled with adequate testing, quarantine and isolation, and vaccination, “will work if we all get involved”, Kluge said.WHO’s European Region comprises 53 countries and includes Russia and several countries in Central Asia, and 22 countries in the region have recorded cases of the new variant.According to the organisation’s estimates, the new strain could replace others across the region.Europe has been hard hit by the Covid pandemic, with more than 27.6 million cases and 603,000 deaths, according to WHO’s monitoring.


Voter turnout to decide, analyst says on Sarawak DAP’s bid to unseat SUPP in Batu Kawah

Any chance of DAP’s Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii unseating SUPP’s incumbent in the hot seat of Batu Kawah at the Sarawak election this month will depend on the voter turnout, a political analyst says as parties begin announcing their candidates for the polls.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, James Chin of Australia’s University of Tasmania said Yii would stand a chance of toppling SUPP’s Dr Sim Kui Hian if the voter turnout on Dec 18 is high.“If there is a very high turnout rate then DAP would have a good chance as Yii is quite popular as the MP for Bandar Kuching,” he said.He also described DAP’s move to field Yii in Batu Kawah as a good strategy to attract young voters.“He can leverage his popularity in reaching out to Batu Kawah,” he said.But he cautioned against taking victory for granted as Sim, the president of SUPP, has strong ground support as well.Batu Kawah, one of seven Chinese-majority seats in Kuching, has traditionally been contested by SUPP.In 2011, it was won by DAP’s Christina Chiew before Sim wrested it back in 2016, winning a three-way fight with Chiew and independent candidate Liu Thian Leong.According to recent statistics by the Election Commission, a total of 20,681 people will be eligible to vote in Batu Kawah at the upcoming polls.Some 71% of these are between 30 and 59 years old while 22% are senior citizens above 59 and 9% are aged 20 to 29.In order to unseat Sim, Yii will have to depend on his popularity especially among voters in the 30 to 59 age bracket.Chin said Yii has the advantage in terms of age as he is the younger candidate.“He will likely appeal to the younger voters,” he said.However, he believes that competition will be stiff for the seat, predicting a multi-cornered fight involving as many as seven to eight candidates.“At a minimum, we might see a four or five-way fight, but I suspect there will be more,” Chin said.“It could turn out to be up to seven or eight candidates fighting for Batu Kawah.”For now, he said, it would be a game of wait-and-see as other parties announce their candidates for the polls.“We have to see how many will contest in Batu Kawah and what credibility they have because it will depend on whether they can draw voters away from the opposition,” he said.“If it is a straight fight between Sim and Yii, I would say that it would be very difficult to call. Until we know the full range of candidates, it is still too early to predict.”On Yii’s strategy for approaching the election, Chin said the DAP man had made it clear that the priority is tackling the Covid-19 situation in Sarawak.“That’s why there is a medical doctor going up against another medical doctor,” he added.The Sarawak state election will be held on Dec 18. Nomination day will be held on Dec 6, with 12 days of campaigning to follow.Apart from Batu Kawah, other hot seats include Batu Lintang, Pending, Kota Sentosa, Batu Kawah, Stakan and Batu Kitang, as well as Bawang Assan and Dudong in Sibu.