Over 200 teachers failed to report or rejected Sarawak placements, says education ministry

A total of 222 of the 3,227 one-off, specially recruited teachers given placements in Sarawak had failed to report or rejected the offer as of Sept 30 last year, the education ministry says.
The ministry, in response to an oral question on the Parliament website, said the 3,227 one-off teachers included 2,621 permanent teachers and 606 others appointed on a contract basis for placement in Sarawak.
"The recruitment of teachers will be carried out continuously depending on vacancies available and the need for subject choices," it said.
It was responding to a question from Ahmad Johnie Zawawi (GPS-Igan) on the the number of one-off and contract teachers who did not report for work or had rejected the offer to teach in Sarawak, and the steps taken by the education ministry to fill the vacancies.
According to the ministry, Sarawak-born teachers are given priority for placement in the state based on the vacancies available and subject options requirements.
For the professional development of new teachers, the ministry said it had implemented the New Teacher Development Programme to enable them to adapt to the school environment, culture and community.
"New teachers also receive continuous guidance from mentor teachers to improve their professional competence, especially skills and expertise to ensure that learning and teaching can be delivered more effectively," the ministry said.


No open cracks on road affected by landslide, says minister

There are no open cracks on the paved surface of the B66 Jalan Batang Kali-Genting Hulu Selangor route involved in the landslide incident early this morning, says Works Minister Alexandar Nanta Linggi.
He said the landslide, which happened at 2.42am, covered an area of 300m from a height of 70m.
"Checks and visual inspection found that the affected area involved a part of the state road, which is under the purview of the Selangor Public Works Department (JKR), about 5m," he said in a statement today.
Nanta added that JKR and various agencies are actively involved in the search and rescue mission.
"The department’s slope engineering branch forensics team is on-site to conduct further investigation.
"Improvement works will be carried out according to the distribution of funds received. The public works ministry and JKR are always concerned about the safety and comfort of road users," he said.
Nanta also said that Jalan B66 Batang Kali-Genting Hulu Selangor had been closed due to security reasons on the instruction of the Hulu Selangor district police headquarters. He said the public could use the alternative route that goes to Gombak via Jalan Ulu-Yam Batu Caves to reach Genting.
Meanwhile, Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said he had ordered a rescue team and volunteers from the state to the scene to assist in the search and rescue operation.
"I advise the public to be more careful when camping in the highlands or near rivers, especially during the monsoon season," he said on Facebook today.


Cyberattack detected on armed forces data network

The armed forces today confirmed a cyberattack against its data network although it said only certain segments were involved.In a statement today, armed forces chief Affendi Buang said the attack had not affected portal operations.“The incident was detected by the Cyber and Electromagnetic Defence Division (BSEP) and the Cyber Defence Operation Center (CDOC),” he said.Once the attack began, he said, the BSEP and CDOC isolated the data traffic to obscure the actual location of the classified data and to protect the targeted network.“The cyberattack failed to jeopardise the portal’s true operations and only managed to hack certain segments that were placed outside the network from the beginning,” he said.He said the armed forces was also aware of attempted cyberattacks on its networks as well as that of the defence ministry.“So we are always monitoring and improving our cybersecurity, in which the BSEP and CDOC play a vital role not only in strengthening and protecting the armed forces’ communications, but also the strategic communications network for national defence.”


Undi 18 to benefit PN at GE15, say analysts

The inclusion of younger voters through Undi 18 will likely benefit Perikatan Nasional (PN) at the next general election by levelling the playing field with more established coalitions like Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN), analysts say.Mohamad Hisommudin Bakar, executive director of think tank Ilham Centre, said the younger generation are not like older voters who follow family or traditional views on politics.Instead, they prioritise current affairs and will likely lend their support to whoever puts their welfare first, he said.“This group puts more focus on their rice bowls and their future,” he told MalaysiaNow.“So whoever appears able to offer them a solution to their problems – this is the party that will win their vote.“Their inclusion will have an equalising effect that will benefit PN and allow it to compete fairly with PH and BN.”“Whoever appears able to offer them a solution to their problems – this is the party that will win their vote.”Bridget Welsh, an analyst from the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute Malaysia, said the effect could be seen during the recent state election in Melaka, at which a number of young voters shifted their support from BN and PH to PN.“The numbers that shifted were significant,” she said. “It was clear that they wanted change and reforms.“PN is a new political coalition, so they might have wanted to give it a chance to prove itself.”Both Welsh and Hisommudin agreed that the youth to be included in the electorate through Undi 18 or the lowering of the minimum voting age from 21 to 18 would be the game-changer at the 15th general election.They said the presence of these new voters would bring life to the election atmosphere as it would be difficult to predict which way they would swing.Welsh said this was because the youth had no partisan loyalties and would focus on bread-and-butter issues.“The youth are tired of politics,” she said. “They are looking for reforms and are focused on their livelihoods. This will have an impact on the general election to come.”She referred to the 1MDB issue, saying many youth were reacting differently to it now than in 2018.“This was part of what carried PH to victory,” she added. “But now the situation has changed.”Hisommudin said whichever group won the support of the youth would be on the brink of victory.“Young voters make up more than half of the electorate in the entire country, so their vote is crucial,” he said.He said political parties would need to employ new approaches and could no longer rely on traditional means of campaigning in order to win their vote.“They cannot just use old campaign materials – they need to explore new trends,” he said.


Mahathir’s 'face-saving' formula for Anwar? 'Real story' joins fray against 'Untold Story'

The recently launched movie on Anwar Ibrahim which sparked controversy over claims of his supporters artificially propping up its ratings has also led to a flurry of narratives challenging the version of events depicted in the film.
According to the makers of "Anwar: The Untold Story", the movie tells what happened in the years running up to Anwar's fall from grace in 1998, when he was sacked from the Cabinet by then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad over allegations of immorality.
Anwar's supporters gave rave reviews of the film although some dismissed it as a crude propaganda attempt ahead of critical elections in six states while film critics described it as filled with "cringey" dialogue and poor acting.
The movie also attracted attention after revelations of free screenings for civil servants and students, and pictures of empty cinema halls despite claims of sold-out shows.
In recent days, however, exchanges on social media have shifted focus to narratives challenging the film's depiction of Anwar as a leader who paid a high price for opposing corruption in Mahathir's government.
They include a clip of a speech by a former associate of Anwar, detailing the events in the weeks and days leading up to Sept 2, 1998 – the day Mahathir sacked his one-time successor from all government posts.
The clip, widely circulated on WhatsApp as well as TikTok, shows Ibrahim Ali giving his version of behind-the-scenes incidents which took place before Anwar's dismissal.
Ibrahim, a former Kelantan Umno strongman, was close to Anwar during their involvement in the student protests of the 1970s which resulted in two years for both under the Internal Security Act at the Kamunting detention centre.
Middleman for Mahathir and Anwar
In the nine-minute clip, Ibrahim recalls a meeting with Mahathir at a horse-riding club in Kuala Lumpur six months before Anwar's sacking on Sept 2, 1998, where the then prime minister confronted him with questions on the allegations of sexual misconduct against his deputy.
"I said, why is Dato (Mahathir) asking me? (He replied) You have known him a long time, and you were in Kamunting for two years," Ibrahim said in the undated clip.
Ibrahim said during their meeting, Mahathir also shared details about Anwar as furnished by intelligence sources and others, including Hanif Omar, who had then retired as the police inspector-general.
Ibrahim said following his meeting with Mahathir, he kept a distance from Anwar, but received a rare call from him just two days before Sept 2, asking for an urgent meeting.

Ibrahim Ali in an undated clip making the rounds on social media.

When he arrived at Anwar's house, Ibrahim said the deputy prime minister broke down and hugged him, and apologised for ignoring him.
"I said, what's going on? (He said) Don't you know, Dr Mahathir wants to sack me within the next few days."
Ibrahim said Anwar asked him to meet Mahathir with the aim of convincing the prime minister to change his mind, adding that Anwar was hopeful that Mahathir would give him "another chance".
Ibrahim said he made way to Sri Perdana, the official residence of the prime minister then in Kuala Lumpur.
He said he was refused entry by the police, but that he told them to call the house.
He said when the phone was answered by Mahathir's wife, Dr Siti Hasmah Ali, he pleaded with her to allow him to meet her husband.
Later in the house, Ibrahim said he broke down when Mahathir appeared, hugging the prime minister and pleading with him to "give Anwar another chance".
Ibrahim said Mahathir then asked him whether Anwar had requested him to come.
'Face-saving' for Anwar
Ibrahim said the prime minister then proposed a way out for Anwar which would save face, to prevent the allegations from becoming public knowledge.
"It's like this, Ibrahim: you go back and meet with Anwar, and tell him to write his resignation letter.
"(Write in this letter) that he resigned because he did not agree with the economic policies and financial matters at the time, because our country was being attacked by rogue currency speculators," Ibrahim quoted Mahathir as saying, referring to the Asian financial crisis which saw the ringgit plunging against the US dollar from about RM2.40 in 1997 to an all-time low of RM4.88 by January 1998.
A day before sacking Anwar, Mahathir announced that the ringgit would be pegged to 3.80 to the dollar, a move he said would shield it from currency speculators.
The move was criticised by economists as well as the International Monetary Fund, although the body in 2002 praised Mahathir's handling of the economic crisis.
During his meeting, Ibrahim said Mahathir told him that Anwar could cite economic disagreements instead of allegations of immorality as a reason for his resignation.
"No problem. Of course, people will be angry with me. I will take responsibility," he further quoted Mahathir as saying.
Ibrahim said Mahathir then told him that he had interviewed many people before being convinced that his deputy was not morally fit to take over the top office.
Ibrahim said he made one final appeal on behalf of Anwar, which Mahathir flatly rejected.
"No, Ibrahim!" he recalled Mahathir as saying. "Let me be destroyed. I will not ruin the country to give him the position of prime minister."
In 2000, Anwar was sentenced to nine years in prison for sodomising his adopted brother Sukma Darmawan. He was released in 2004 after winning a Federal Court appeal, although the bench maintained in its judgment that the homosexual act did occur, remarks which Anwar failed to expunge.


US set to allow GE to make engines in India for New Delhi's military jets

The Biden administration is poised to sign off on a deal that would allow General Electric Co to produce jet engines powering Indian military aircraft in that country, according to three people briefed on the decision.
A deal finalising the joint production of the engines is expected to be inked and announced by the time President Joe Biden hosts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an official state visit on June 22, the people said on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been made public.
The White House, which said in January that it had received the application to jointly produce the engines in India, declined to comment. GE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Washington is working to deepen ties with the world's largest democracy and sees deeper military-to-military and technology ties with the South Asian country as a key counterweight to China's dominance in the region.
India, the world's largest arm importer, depends on Russia for nearly half its military supplies, and has bought fighter jets, tanks, nuclear submarines and an aircraft carrier over the decades.
New Delhi has frustrated Washington by participating in military exercises with Russia and increasing purchases of the country's crude oil, a key source of funding for Moscow's war in Ukraine.
India's state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) had previously said it planned to use the GE-manufactured 414 engine on a second generation of light-combat aircraft and that it was in talks over domestic production of those engines.
The deal is not finalised and also requires notification to the US Congress, according to two of the people briefed on the arrangement.
Washington maintains strict controls over what domestic military technology can be shared or sold to other countries.
A broader joint partnership between the US and India announced earlier this year is designed to encourage companies from both countries to collaborate, especially on military equipment and cutting-edge technology.
While GE has offered some transfer of technology to HAL, which will produce the engines as a licensed manufacturer, India is pushing for more technology to be shared, according to one of the people with knowledge of the conversations.
India is keen to get the know-how to make aircraft engines. Though it can manufacture fighter jets domestically, it lacks the ability to produce engines to power them.
HAL is using a lighter GE engine for the 83 light combat aircraft it is manufacturing for the Indian air force. However, India intends to produce more than 350 fighter jets for its air force and navy over the next two decades, which could be powered by the GE 414.


Female TV workers shot dead in Afghanistan, Taliban denies responsibility

Three women who worked for a TV station in the Afghan city of Jalalabad have been shot dead, in what appears to be the latest in a wave of targeted killings.Media sources say the women, aged 18 to 20, were killed in two separate but coordinated attacks. A fourth was critically injured.Police say they have arrested the lead gunman and have linked him to the Taliban.The local police chief said, “We arrested him as he was trying to escape. He has admitted that he carried out the attack. He is a Taliban member.”They say they are still looking for other attackersThe Taliban has denied any involvement in these murders but it has stepped up its attacks as the US withdraws from the country after signing a deal with them a year ago.A wave of killings is rocking the country with journalists, activists and political figures being targeted.The three women killed had recently finished high school and were working in the dubbing department of the privately owned Enikas TV station, said its head, Zalmai Latifi.According to the Associated Press, Mursal Wahidi was attacked by gunmen as she was walking home. The two others – who were identified only as Shahnaz and Sadia – were killed in a separate incident, also while returning home.“They are all dead. They were going home from the office on foot when they were shot,” Latifi said.The injured woman was taken to hospital where she was fighting for her life, a spokesperson was quoted by Reuters as saying.Enikas TV station says of 10 women it employed, four have now been killed including a presenter who was gunned down in December. The Islamic State claimed it was behind that attack.Last month, two female Supreme Court judges were shot dead in the capital, Kabul.Afghan President Ashraf Ghani recently told the BBC that he did not fear a Taliban military takeover of the country, saying: “This is not a government that is collapsing.”In February, Nato said it had not yet decided whether its troops will leave the war-ravaged country by May as agreed under the deal with the Taliban. Around 9,000 Nato soldiers remain, of whom about 2,500 are US troops.One of US President Joe Biden’s tasks is to decide if his government will keep to the terms of the deal signed under his predecessor Donald Trump.


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Teenager fined RM5,000 for removing quarantine wristband

A 17-year-old girl was slapped with a RM5,000 compound for removing her red Covid-19 wristband to go out while under quarantine.Taiping district police chief ACP Osman Mamat said the compound was issued under Regulation 17 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Regulations 2021 (Act 342).“The police detected a video that went viral on social media yesterday showing a girl believed to have removed her red quarantine wristband without permission from the health ministry.“Police managed to locate her and investigations revealed that the incident occurred in Kamunting, Taiping,” he said in a statement today.Osman said action would be taken under Act 342 against individuals found to have deliberately violated the rules.The video had shown the girl, who was wearing a crash helmet, removing her red wristband to leave her house.


Floods leave farmers drowning in losses

Sitting on a chair at his chilli farm in Kampung Sri Tanjung, Ahmad Irham Mohd Noor gazes out over the rows of plants.Once, the sight brought joy and satisfaction but now it brings only despair and gloom.The green plants that flourished in his small farm are now withered and brown, covered in mud from the massive floods that hit several areas in Dengkil two weeks ago.Two weeks was all it took to completely destroy his crop which had been due for harvest at the end of the month.Now, Irham can only sit and ponder his losses before heading out to clean up what has been left behind by the receding waters.Ahmad Irham Mohd Noor pushes a wheelbarrow as he cleans up the mud left behind by the floods which hit his farm two weeks ago.“I come to the farm every day and I’m at a loss for a moment as I don’t know where to start or what to do first,” he said in an interview with MalaysiaNow. “Everything is still in the cleaning and recovery process.”But there is only so long that he can remain lost in thought. For now, his focus is on salvaging what he can of the polybags that once held his plants.Polybags are thin containers made out of plastic which are more breathable than traditional plant pots.Before the floods, Irham had 2,500 polybags containing a total of 5,000 chilli plants. While some were able to stay put due to the protective nets around them, most were washed away by the strong currents, leaving debris littered about in the mud.After gathering what he can of the remaining polybags, Irham turns his attention to preserving the coco peat which he hopes to use for the next season. He will need to use 500 sacks of coco peat for the new plants.“Buying more will cost me a lot of money, so I’m trying to preserve what I have by throwing away the slime that has stuck to the polybags and the top of the coco peat,” he said.Then, he lays everything out to dry in the sun. If this doesn’t work, he will have no choice but to dip into his savings and start anew.Mud covers once-thriving chilli plants that would have been ready for harvest soon if the floods had not arrived.It will be more than a month before he can begin operations again. After that, he estimates that he will need another four months to rebuild his farm and grow his next crop.Looking at what remains of his ruined plants, he says they could have been saved if they had been waterlogged for just two days. But the heavy rain that came pounding down left his crop underwater for nearly six – far too long for any hope of recovery.Irham is one of many farmers who were badly hit by the devastating floods which began on Dec 18.On Dec 31, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said up to RM10,000 would be given to heads of households affected by the floods.He said compassionate aid of RM1,000 would also be given to affected households while other forms of assistance would be made available including vouchers for electrical appliances and cash aid for essential goods.Victims whose homes were completely destroyed meanwhile are eligible for assistance of up to RM61,000 while allocations were also made for the repair of private vehicles damaged in the floods.But no provisions have been made so far for farmers like Irham.Ahmad Irham Mohd Noor tries to salvage some of the plants that were not washed away by the floods.Irham said he would need at least RM15,000 as capital to start afresh, for the purchase of fertiliser, seeds and farming equipment.“For now, I have to use my own savings to cover the losses,” he said. “Luckily I have some. I don’t know what I would do if I had no savings.”He has also received assistance from friends and others who heard of his experience, while representatives from the Sepang Agriculture Department have visited to help estimate his losses and check the quality of his coco peat.“I asked if I could get monetary aid for farming, but they said for now there is no agricultural assistance being given to farmers affected by the floods,” he said.With losses piling up far above his initial calculation of RM100,000, Irham must soldier on by himself.He had worked hard to build his farm and the little house which had everything a household needs including a washing machine, refrigerator and bed. During the weekends and school holidays, his wife and two children would come and stay with him, and they would enjoy their time together as a family.Now, though, everything is gone.Ahmad Irham Mohd Noor wades through stagnant water as he retrieves some of the polybags which floated into a nearby palm oil plantation.Irham is not even eligible for the government’s cash aid as his home was considered a farm house.“When I first saw the condition of the farm, I was on the brink of tears,” he said. “But I kept my heart strong. I had a discussion with my wife, and we agreed to take this recovery slowly.”But financial recovery aside, Irham must also deal with his mental recovery from the floods.Each time it rains, his heart drops as he fears a second wave of floods which would cause further damage to his small farm.Several days ago, it rained so heavily that the water in the nearby river began to rise again and Irham had no peace until the downpour ended and the water level receded once more.“It would crush me if it floods again when I have cleaned everything,” he said.While Irham was once a photographer, his chilli farm is now his only source of income.“I have to cover all of the losses by myself,” he said. “I just hope that the government can see our suffering and give farmers affected by the floods the assistance that they need.”


Anwar says Asean must be tougher in bid to resolve Myanmar crisis

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said during a visit to the Philippines that Asean must prove it is "relevant" in helping to resolve the crisis in Myanmar.
In a pre-recorded interview with Philippine news channel ANC aired on Friday, Anwar said that Asean, which is leading diplomatic efforts to bring peace, needed to be more assertive and noted that his country was shouldering 200,000 displaced people from Myanmar.
"We can't see this as a purely internal issue, so I have appealed to friends in Asean to say, look we have to be tougher," Anwar said.
"If necessary engage with the armed forces of this country because sometimes the military junta do not understand the civilian narrative."
Myanmar has been beset by social, political and economic chaos since its military overthrew an elected government in 2021.
Human rights groups and the United Nations have accused Myanmar's military of carrying out atrocities as part of a crackdown on its opponents. The junta labels its opponents "terrorists" seeking to destroy the country.
"The atrocities, we cannot condone," Anwar said. "We have to find an amicable solution which is difficult. We have tried all. Asean has to prove it is relevant and able to ease some of problems."
Some members of Asean, which has a long-held principle of staying out of its members' sovereign affairs, have grown increasingly frustrated at the junta's failure to honour a peace plan agreed with the generals shortly after the coup.
While the 10-member bloc has barred Myanmar's generals from attending its high-level meetings, Malaysia, a vocal critic of the junta, has called for tougher action. Myanmar's military rulers have reacted angrily to what they call interference by Asean members.


Umno Youth slams Mat Sabu over political appointments at agro agencies

Umno Youth has criticised the assignment of politicians from Pakatan Harapan (PH) to head five main agencies under the agriculture and food security ministry, urging Mohamad Sabu, the minister in charge, to revoke the appointments in question.
Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh said the appointments were against the principles of the coalition government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
He said they were also against the reformasi stance championed by Anwar, who had opposed the practice of political appointments to statutory bodies and government-linked companies.
"Even though we know that this is the minister's prerogative, the principles to which the government holds must also be taken into account," he said in an interview with Sinar Harian.
Mohamad had named three leaders from his party to helm key agencies under his ministry, with two other chairmen each picked from PKR and DAP.
The three Amanah men include Faiz Fadzil, who was appointed to chair the Fisheries Development Authority, and Mahfuz Omar, who was named chairman of the Farmers' Organisation Authority.
Meanwhile, a former Amanah assemblyman from Perak, Aminuddin Zulkipli, was appointed as chairman of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority.
Two others, PKR's Azman Ismail and DAP's Sheikh Umar Bagharid Ali, were put in charge of the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute and the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board respectively.
Akmal urged Anwar to reconsider the principles at play, to continue holding to them, and to fulfil what had been promised.
"Otherwise, I am afraid that the people will get fed up and will lose interest in national politics," he said.
He added that Umno Youth had made the reprimand after finding that the move was wrong and in need of correction.
He said all parties regardless of political stand should make good on their word to prevent the people from becoming frustrated.
"If the people begin feeling like this towards the government, it means that this is a serious and dangerous issue," he added.


Why the RCI on Tommy Thomas' memoir?

It is not clear why Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (law and institutional reform) Azlina Othman Said wants a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on former attorney-general Tommy Thomas’ memoir.
She said the RCI would be more comprehensive than the task force set up by the former government.
Thomas’ memoir "My Story: Justice in Wilderness", published after he left office, raised questions about judicial appointments, selective prosecution and the interference of the executive in the judiciary.
Azlina agreed that the earlier task force was narrow in scope and focused too much on Thomas to the neglect of broader legal and constitutional issues.
She added that the RCI was not a form of revenge against Thomas but could lead to the examination of broader legal and constitutional matters pertaining to the separation of powers between the attorney-general and the public prosecutor.
Well, if the RCI is not intended to probe the allegations contained in Thomas’ memoir, what is the real reason for the RCI?
Why the need for the RCI to zero in on Thomas’ memoir unless the contents are objectionable?
In this respect, are there differences between the present government and the former except in the nature of the probe itself?
The task force was more vindictive in nature but I am not sure whether this is the real intention of the present government.
Azalina might be well-meaning but to use  Thomas’ memoir as a launchpad stands the chance of giving a political slant to the RCI.
The former government wanted to punish Thomas for bringing up some unpalatable matters on the judiciary and the executive.
This is the reason why Thomas challenged the constitutionality of the task force.
Anyway, the matter is before the court for judicial adjudication.
It is not that the RCI is not important – it is far better than setting up ad hoc mechanisms to probe controversial issues.
My question is: why the RCI on Thomas’ memoir when there are many other outstanding issues that need national scrutiny?
The state of race relations is one area that needs an RCI. There are many others.
It is not that Thomas' memoir, if it contains serious allegations, cannot be probed. Probe by all means, without being guided by other considerations.
However, if these allegations have basis then there is a need to accept these truths and move forward.
I am not saying that Thomas is infallible. There is no need to agree with Thomas’ allegations, but these allegations can be countered in a proper manner without resorting to government-sanctioned probes.
If the purpose of the RCI is to focus on broader legal and constitutional matters with the objective of institutional reforms, then why the need to probe Thomas’ memoir? An RCI can be initiated without the need to go through Thomas’ memoir.
Whatever else can be said about Thomas, he and his team in the Attorney-General's Chambers should be credited for bringing charges against those who were involved in massive corruption.
It would be ironic to have a state-sanctioned probe against Thomas for pointing out what ails the present legal system in the government.
P Ramasamy is Penang deputy chief minister II and the assemblyman for Perai.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Chinese capital prepares for 'life again' as lockdowns lift across country

China's capital Beijing dropped the need for people to show negative Covid tests to enter supermarkets and offices on Tuesday, the latest in an easing of curbs across the country following last month's historic protests.
"Beijing readies itself for life again" read a headline in the government-owned China Daily newspaper, adding that people were "gradually embracing" the slow return to normality.
Further loosening beckons after a string of demonstrations last month that marked the biggest show of public discontent in mainland China since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012.
"This might be the first step towards reopening from this pandemic," Beijing resident Hu Dongxu, 27, told Reuters as he swiped his travel card to enter a train station in the capital, which has also dropped the need for tests to ride the subway.
The shift comes as top officials softened their tone on the severity of the virus, bringing China closer to what other countries have been saying for more than a year as they dropped restrictions and opted to live with the virus.
China may announce 10 new nationwide easing measures as early as Wednesday, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as cities across the country have been lifting localised lockdowns.
That has sparked optimism among investors for a broader reopening of the world's second biggest economy that could boost global growth.
But despite reassurances from authorities, commuter traffic in major cities such as Beijing and Chongqing remains at a fraction of previous levels.
Some people remain wary of catching the virus, especially the elderly, many of whom remain unvaccinated, while there is also concern about the strain the loosening could put on China's fragile health system.
Next phase
China has reported 5,235 Covid-related deaths so far as of Monday, but some experts have warned that toll could rise above 1 million if the exit is too hasty.
Analysts at Nomura estimate that areas now under lockdown equate to around to be 19.3% of China’s total GDP, down from 25.1% last Monday.
This marks the first decline in Nomura's closely-watched China Covid lockdown index since the start of October, nearly two months ago.
Meanwhile, officials continue to downplay the dangers posed by the virus.
Tong Zhaohui, director of the Beijing Institute of Respiratory Diseases, said on Monday that the latest Omicron variant of the disease had caused fewer cases of severe illness than the 2009 global influenza outbreak, according to Chinese state television.
China's management of the disease may be downgraded as soon as January, to the less strict Category B from the current top-level Category A of infectious disease, Reuters reported exclusively on Monday.
"The most difficult period has passed," the official Xinhua news agency said in a commentary published late on Monday, citing the weakening pathogenicity of the virus and efforts to vaccinate 90% of the population.
Analysts now predict China may re-open the economy and drop border controls sooner than expected next year, with some seeing it fully open in spring.
But more than half of Chinese say they will put off travel abroad, for periods from several months to more than a year, even if borders re-opened tomorrow, a study showed on Tuesday
Fear of infection with the disease was the top concern of those saying they would postpone travel in a survey of 4,000 consumers in China by consultancy Oliver Wyman.


Sugarbook founder charged with inciting mischief

The founder of the Sugarbook application was charged in the Magistrate’s Court today with publishing statements conducive to public mischief on social media on Feb 10.Chan Eu Boon, 34, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read out to him before magistrate Sabreena Bakar @ Bahari.According to the charge sheet, Chan was accused of committing the offence on Feb 10, at about 10am, by using a website to publish an article entitled “Top 10 Sugar Baby University in Malaysia”. The post was seen at a public university in Shah Alam on the same day, at about 6.26pm.Chan, an information technology entrepreneur, was charged with intent to cause fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public, that any person might be induced to commit an offence against public order through such publication.He was charged under Section 505 (b) of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum jail term of two years, a fine, or both upon conviction.Deputy public prosecutor Aliff Asraf Anuar Sharuddin prosecuted while Chan was represented by lawyers T Shashi Devan and Pauling Hee.The court set RM10,000 bail with one local surety and ordered Chan to surrender his passport until disposal of the case. The court also set March 26 for mention.


Daily caseload drops to 1,500 as 2 more deaths reported

Another 1,544 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,492,864.There were 2,905 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,432,071.There are now 25,148 active cases, of which 24,009 or 95.5% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 22 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,078 (4.3%) have been hospitalised.A total of 39 are in ICU with 25 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 60.7%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 7.1%.Another two deaths were reported. Total deaths now stand at 35,645.


Single mum with disabled children worries about keeping a roof overhead

Ten years ago, K Goomathi went through a painful divorce from her husband, a separation that left her family in shambles.But while the dust has long settled on the court proceedings, her problems are as alive today as they were at the start.She lives in a small house in Sungai Petani, Kedah, with her three children, two of whom have special needs.Her 13-year-old son, K Thiviyan, has cerebral palsy, while her 18-year-old daughter, K Daarshini, is developmentally delayed.At 20, her eldest daughter, K Kirrosni, is pursuing her studies at a local community college in Lenggong, Perak. This leaves Goomathi alone in taking care of her other two children.With her hands full at home, Goomathi has no time to hold down an outside job. She depends largely on the RM500 assistance that she receives from the welfare department each month.Sometimes, her neighbours also drop by with food and basic necessities.Goomathi tends to Thiviyan herself as she cannot afford treatment for him at the clinic.His hands and legs are permanently curled up, his movements are stiff and jerky, and he cannot hold his head up on his own.“He cannot eat, sleep or bathe on his own. I have to help him with everything,” Goomathi said in an interview with MalaysiaNow.Daarshini, meanwhile, is still learning her ABCs. In other matters such as gardening, though, she is more knowledgeable.“Daarshini is a good sister,” Goomathi said. “She helps take care of Thiviyan. If I have to go out to run some errands, she keeps an eye on him, tidies up the house and does whatever needs to be done.”K Goomathi smiles through her tears as she speaks of her children and her fear that one day, their home will be taken away from them.Even so, each day is a struggle for Goomathi – a struggle that she nonetheless embraces due to her love for her children.The family has very little to spare, but Goomathi says they are not in want.“All the children ask for is the love and attention of their mother,” she said.Nevertheless, at the back of her mind lurks the fear that one day, they will be turned out of their home which belongs to her ex-husband.During the divorce proceedings, the court ruled that Goomathi and the children could continue living there although her former husband would retain the right to reclaim it if he desired.“I am just waiting for the day,” Goomathi said. “If he wants the house back, we will have to give it up.”If they lose the house, they have nowhere else to go. They will have to find somewhere else to rent, but this will put a huge strain on the family’s finances.“It’s not just the two of them. The money I get from the welfare department has to stretch to cover their sister’s education fees as well,” Goomathi said.Still, Goomathi counts the small family fortunate despite their challenges in life.“I thank God because we have enough to eat. Our health, whether good or bad, I accept.”As a mother, her hopes are few and simple.“I just want to see my children healthy and safe,” she said. “As long as they have enough to eat and clothes to wear, and are not burdened with too many troubles.”


New cases dip to 26,800 as 77 more deaths reported

Another 26,856 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 3,649,463.Of the total number of cases recorded, 188 were in Category Three and above.There were 30,726 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 3,311,854.A total of 1,869 cases were admitted to hospital yesterday, with 725 (38.8%) in Category Three and above and 1,144 (61.2%) in Category One and Two.Of the 188 cases in Category Three and above reported:* 63 (33.51%) were not vaccinated or had not completed their vaccination;* 80 (42.55%) had received two doses of vaccine;* 45 (23.94%) had received a booster jab;* 103 (54.79%) were aged 60 and above;* 83 (44.15%) had comorbidities; and* 3 (1.60%) were pregnant women.There are now 304,304 active cases, of which 291,827 or 95.9% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 3,373 (1.1%) are at quarantine centres while 8,736 (2.9%) have been hospitalised.A total of 368 are in ICU with 223 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 58.8%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 41.6%.Another 77 deaths were reported, including 26 who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 33,305.The country’s infectivity rate as of March 7 was 1.05.


Malaysia scores landmark victory against Sulu claim at Paris court

The Paris Court of Appeal upheld Malaysia’s challenge against the partial award rendered on May 25, 2020 by Dr Gonzalo Stampa in the case filed by eight citizens of the Philippines, who are the purported heirs of the long-defunct sultan of Sulu.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said said the decision meant that the claimants could not rely on the "sham award" in France for any purpose.
"The Paris Court of Appeal found that the arbitrator (Stampa) wrongly upheld his jurisdiction.
"This decision, which is final and binding, is a decisive victory for Malaysia in its ongoing pursuit of legal remedies, which Malaysia is confident will result in comprehensive defeat for the claimants and their funders," she said in a statement. Azalina said Malaysia trusted that yesterday's decision of the Paris court would put an end to the efforts of the claimants and their funder, Therium, to enforce the awards and thereby extract windfall damages from Malaysia.
Azalina said as part of their strategy, the claimants had targeted Malaysia’s diplomatic assets in France, including part of its embassy, on the basis of this partial award.
However, she said that Malaysia had been fighting these measures on the grounds of diplomatic immunity.
"They must now be withdrawn following this decision that refuses to give any effect to the partial award in France," she said.
Importantly, she added, the decision implied that the Paris Court of Appeal would annul the purported final award, in which Stampa awarded the claimants close to US$15 billion.
The minister said Malaysia was seeking to have the annulment recorded in a court decision as soon as possible, which should lead to the collapse of the claimants’ global enforcement efforts to date. "Stampa issued the final award despite his appointment having been annulled by the same Spanish court that previously appointed him, on the basis that Malaysia had not been properly served ahead of that appointment process.
"In defiance of Spanish court orders instructing him to cease acting as arbitrator, in an unprecedented move, Stampa transferred the arbitration proceeding to France and issued his final award. Stampa’s sustained actions in defiance of Spanish court orders have resulted in a significant abuse of the international arbitration process," she said.
Azalina also expressed appreciation to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for his support and trust in their ongoing efforts to uphold Malaysia’s position.
"We would also like to express our gratitude to Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil, the attorney-general, the state government of Sabah, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Malaysian embassy in France, the relevant ministries and agencies, and all other parties involved," she said.
She said the government of Malaysia would continue to take all necessary action including legal action to put an end to the claims and to ensure that Malaysia’s interests, sovereign immunity and sovereignty are protected at all times.
The group claiming to be the heirs of the Sulu sultanate was reported to have taken legal action in the Spanish court to seek compensation for land in Sabah, which was allegedly leased by their ancestors to a British trading company in 1878.
They took the matter to the Spanish arbitrator in 2019 and the purported arbitrator, Stampa, who was appointed by the group of individuals, decided in their favour.
Stampa issued a final award of US$14.9 billion (RM62.59 billion) against Malaysia and Malaysia had used all legal remedies to annul the award given by Stampa to claimants in courts in Spain, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
On March 14, the Paris Court of Appeal upheld the stay order obtained by the Malaysian government in France on July 12, 2022 against the enforcement of the award.
The suspension order obtained by Malaysia on the enforcement of the award is thus maintained.


We'll talk about it, Anwar says on former Umno leaders joining PKR

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim says the party will discuss any entry of former Umno leaders before a decision is made on whether to open the door to them.
"Several former Umno leaders have expressed interest in joining (PKR)," the prime minister said at a press conference today.
"We will discuss this with the Umno leadership in due course."
Anwar's remarks echoed those of PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, who recently said that any move to allow former Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin into the party would be discussed first.
Khairy, the former health minister, had said in several interviews that he was keeping his options open after being sacked from Umno on grounds of breaching party discipline.
He also said that he would focus his efforts in Selangor after being sent to contest the Sungai Buloh seat in order to allow Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan to run in Rembau.
Former Umno Supreme Council member Zahidi Zainul Abidin, who was also subjected to disciplinary action, had meanwhile said that he wanted to join PKR before joining Amanah instead.
Khairy and Zahidi were among a string of Umno leaders who were sacked or suspended in what was seen as a move by their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to purge the party of those critical of the top leadership.
Former Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar was sacked alongside Khairy, while Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein was suspended for six months.


Govt mulls agreement with UNHCR on refugees, asylum seekers in Malaysia

The government is considering entering into an agreement with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) regarding the commission's role and responsibilities towards refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said in a statement after chairing a meeting of the high-level committee on the management of refugees and asylum seekers in Putrajaya yesterday that the agreement with UNHCR over the matter was in line with Resolution 428 (V) UN General Assembly (1950).
"UNHCR needs to carry out its responsibilities towards refugees and asylum seekers who are in the country in accordance with the mandate and functions of its establishment and not place the burden of refugee management solely on the government or the local community," he said.
While acknowledging that Malaysia was not a member country of the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees or the 1967 Protocol on the Status of Refugees, Zahid said the government respected the mandate of the establishment, functions and roles of UNHCR as provided under Resolution 319 (IV) of the UN General Assembly (1949) and Resolution 428 (V) UN General Assembly (1950).
"Based on the principles of humanity, the government has allowed this group (refugees and asylum seekers) to stay temporarily in the country before being resettled in another country or returned to their country of origin," he said.
Zahid said the government was concerned over the presence of a few groups of refugees and asylum seekers who carried out activities that were contrary to local norms, sensitivities and culture, causing uneasiness among the locals.
He said the government was also very concerned about the increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers holding UNHCR cards in Malaysia, from 75,617 people in 2009 to 185,760 in March this year.
A total of 160,332 people or 86.3% of all refugees and asylum seekers are from Myanmar, of which 107,433 are from the Rohingya ethnic group.
Refugees from other countries with significant numbers are Pakistan with 7,109 people, Yemen (3,466), Afghanistan (3,444), Somalia (3,161) and Syria (3,161).
Zahid said the meeting also took note of UNHCR's act of registering 948 people who claimed to be refugees from Indonesia, with the reasons given including that they had married other refugees in Malaysia, even though it Indonesia was not experiencing any humanitarian crisis. Zahid said the government would emphasise planning and efforts to strengthen the management of refugees and asylum seekers through four main improvement clusters.
Among them is a mechanism for managing refugees and asylum seekers through the establishment of committees and special task forces, as well as an increase in the capacity and involvement of government agencies in determining the status of refugees.
He said the government would not compromise but take strict action against citizens or non-citizens found to be conspiring with human trafficking agents to smuggle refugees and asylum seekers into Malaysia.


US surpasses 18 million reported Covid-19 cases

The US surpassed 18 million reported Covid-19 cases on Monday, figures from Johns Hopkins University showed, as the virus surges nationwide.The US has the world’s highest absolute number of cases as well as the most deaths related to the virus, according to the figures.It had a total of 18,006,061 reported cases on Monday evening and more than 319,000 deaths.The country began administering vaccines a week ago and has given approval to immunizations developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.States and cities have imposed varying levels of restrictions in a bid to slow the virus spread, but outgoing President Donald Trump has repeatedly downplayed its seriousness and urged reopenings.Trump’s behaviour has come despite having been hospitalised with the virus himself.President-elect Joe Biden, who defeated Trump in the Nov 3 election, has been far more cautious, urging mask-wearing and abiding by social-distancing rules.Earlier Monday, Biden received a Covid-19 vaccine live on television in a campaign to boost Americans’ confidence in the jabs.


Russia, North Korea to expand bilateral relations, says Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un the two countries will "expand the comprehensive and constructive bilateral relations with common efforts," Pyongyang's state media reported on Monday.
In a letter to Kim for Korea's liberation day, Putin said closer ties would be in both countries' interests, and would help strengthen the security and stability of the Korean peninsula and the Northeastern Asian region, North Korea's KCNA news agency said.
Kim also sent a letter to Putin saying Russian-North Korean friendship had been forged in World War II with victory over Japan, which had occupied the Korean peninsula.
The "strategic and tactical cooperation, support and solidarity" between the two countries has since reached a new level is their common efforts to frustrate threats and provocations from hostile military forces, Kim said in the letter. KCNA did not identify the hostile forces, but it has typically used that term to refer to the US and its allies.
Kim predicted cooperation between Russia and North Korea would grow based on an agreement signed in 2019 when he met with Putin.
North Korea in July recognised two Russian-backed breakaway "people's republics" in eastern Ukraine as independent states, and officials raised the prospect of North Korean workers being sent to the areas to help in construction and other labour.
Ukraine, which is resisting a Russian invasion described by Moscow as a "special military operation", immediately severed relations with Pyongyang over the move.


Suga voted in as new Japan PM

Yoshihide Suga has been formally voted in as Japan’s 99th prime minister.At an extraordinary Diet session on Sept 16, he succeeded Shinzo Abe who set the record for longest consecutive tenure at seven years and eight months but resigned in August over health problems.Asahi Shimbun reports that Suga, 71, was backed by an overwhelming majority in both chambers of the Diet.The self-made and strong-willed Suga has said that he will carry on Abe’s policies, and is set to retain a number of ministers, including Finance Minister Taro Aso, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.He will move on to form his first Cabinet immediately, says The Japan Times.Suga has embraced the label of being Abe’s heir for the sake of continuity, something he believes will be a key element in navigating the country through the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic downturn.Despite his dour demeanour, Suga is immensely sociable. He spends his nights attending dinners and drinking sessions with journalists, politicians, academics, and influential power brokers.They may get boozy but the new prime minister never does as he doesn’t touch alcohol.There are also rumours that he orchestrated the administration’s control of the press and helped cover up alleged corruption scandals that forced Abe to resign.


Singapore quarantines migrant workers after virus cases among those thought to have recovered

Singapore has quarantined about 1,200 migrant workers from a dormitory after coronavirus cases were discovered among men thought to have already recovered from infections, officials said.Vast dormitories housing mostly South Asian workers were at the centre of Singapore’s initial outbreak last year, with the majority of the city-state’s cases in the self-contained complexes.The country’s outbreak has largely been brought under control with just a handful of infections detected daily, but the discovery of new cases among foreign workers has prompted fears the dorms could be hit again.Earlier this week, a virus case was discovered in the Westlite Woodlands Dormitory in a worker who had already received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.Authorities conducted further tests at the site and another 17 workers, thought to have already recovered from earlier infections, have tested positive for Covid-19, health officials said.“To prevent and contain the possible spread of infection in the dormitory, we imposed quarantine orders on workers at the affected block,” Tan See Leng, minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, said late Thursday.Officials are investigating whether the workers were re-infected, or if they are still shedding the virus from earlier infections.Singapore last month started vaccinating foreign workers, who do low-paying jobs in industries ranging from construction to maintenance.Tens of thousands of the migrants were placed in quarantine in their dorms last year during the initial outbreak. While the curbs have been eased, they are mostly only allowed out of their accommodation for work.Singapore authorities were caught off guard when the virus hit the crowded dormitories, raising uncomfortable questions about how the prosperous city-state treats its migrant workforce.The country of 5.7 million has escaped relatively lightly from the pandemic, reporting more than 60,000 cases and 30 deaths.


Agong bound by Cabinet’s advice, apex court rules in dismissing Anwar’s challenge

The Federal Court today said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is bound by the Cabinet’s advice, in a judgment dismissing a suit brought by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim seeking to declare the National Security Council Act as unconstitutional.Anwar had sought the declaration on the argument that the NSC Act became law pursuant to an “unconstitutional amendment”, and that its enactment violated Article 149 of the constitution as well as Article 9 (2) on the freedom of movement.Anwar had referred to a 1994 amendment to Article 66 under the Barisan Nasional government where he was the deputy prime minister, which states that a bill passed in Parliament shall automatically become law 30 days after it is presented to the Agong, even if it receives no royal assent.In the judgment, the five members of the bench said the Agong was still bound by constitutional limits.“The YDPA is no doubt the supreme head of the federation by virtue of Article 32 of the Federal Constitution (FC).“However, Articles 39 and 40 of the FC provide that the YDPA shall act in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or any minister authorised by the Cabinet except for matters under the YDPA’s discretion as stated in Clause (2) of Article 40 of the FC,” said the judgment written by Zaleha Yusof, Zabariah Mohd Yusof, Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, Mary Lim Thiam Suan and Rhodzariah Bujang.The court further held that royal assent is never part of the executive acts of the Agong.“It is the final step of the legislative process before a bill becomes law,” it said.The ruling comes amid renewed debate on the powers of the Agong in the wake of a call by Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah in June to convene Parliament, as well as the recent move by the government to repeal the emergency ordinances.Opposition MPs subsequently accused Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin of committing “derhaka” (treason) against the king.The NSC Act was tabled during the Najib Razak administration in 2015. Among others, it provides for the establishment of the National Security Council chaired by the prime minister.The bill did not obtain express royal assent, but became law in line with the expiry of the 30-day period after it was submitted to the Agong.


Umno election chief Tajuddin down with virus, too

Umno election director Tajuddin Abdul Rahman has tested positive for Covid-19, just a week after joining Padang Rengas MP Nazri Aziz in a press conference.Tajuddin told MalaysiaNow that he had not experienced any symptoms related to the virus, and as such is under home quarantine.It is believed that both he and Nazri contracted the virus from Umno blogger Zaharin Mohd Yasin, who revealed he had tested positive after attending the press conference.Several senior politicians are currently being treated for the virus, including Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mustapa Mohamad, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun, National Unity Minister Halimah Sadique, and Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin.


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Indonesia to buy French warplanes as Paris boosts Asia alliances

Indonesia on Thursday ordered 42 Rafale fighter jets from France and may acquire two French submarines, as Paris and Jakarta seek to strengthen military ties in the face of growing tensions in the Asia-Pacific.The Rafale agreement was announced as Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto met his French counterpart Florence Parly in Jakarta.Subianto confirmed a deal had been struck for the purchase of the jets, with a contract signed Thursday relating to the first six.France’s defence ministry said the contract for the 42 aircraft and their weapons was worth US$8.1 billion (7.1 billion euros).Spokesman Herve Grandjean said the two countries also signed a letter of intent for research and development with a view to Indonesia ordering two Scorpene submarines.It is the latest sign of warming ties between Jakarta and Paris, as France rethinks its alliances in the region following the collapse in September of a multibillion-dollar Australian submarine deal.Paris was left furious by the debacle, saying it had been given no warning that Canberra was negotiating a new defence pact with the US and Britain.Australia is now obtaining nuclear-powered submarines as part of the new defence alliance, named Aukus, which brings together Canberra, Washington and London to counter a rising China.French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Indonesia’s decision to choose “French industrial excellence”, writing on Twitter that the Rafale deal would “strengthen our partnerships”.In November, France and Indonesia strengthened a strategic partnership agreement during a two-day visit by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to the vast Southeast Asian archipelago.Indonesia’s first order for French warplanes comes as Jakarta replaces an ageing fleet – consisting mainly of American F-16s and Russian Sukhois – as concerns grow about rising US-China tensions in Asia.‘Technical excellence’In Jakarta, Parly told reporters that Indonesia had chosen a warplane known for its “technical excellence”, which had demonstrated its “operational capabilities on numerous occasions”.Eric Trappier, CEO of manufacturer Dassault Aviation, said the contract “marks the start of a long-term partnership that will see Dassault Aviation rapidly step up its presence in the country.“It also demonstrates the strong bond between Indonesia and France and reinforces the position of the world’s largest archipelago as a key power on the international stage.”The president of ship and submarine manufacturer Naval Group, Pierre-Eric Pommellet, accompanied Parly in Jakarta and signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia’s PT Pal, according to a source within the French company.The agreement included technology transfer, but “everything remains up for negotiation” regarding the Scorpene submarines, the source added.Scorpenes are conventional diesel-electric attack submarines. They are capable of carrying 18 torpedoes and Exocet anti-ship missiles and navigating to a depth of 350m (1,148 feet), according to Naval Group.Indonesia is also reportedly in negotiations to buy about 30 American F-15s, and is participating in a South Korean programme to develop a warplane.Arms race fearsSince the Australian submarine deal collapsed, France has been bolstering ties with long-time partners including Japan and India, as well as turning to Southeast Asian nations such as Indonesia.Indonesia is one of several Asian countries that expressed concerns about the Aukus pact, with Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi warning it could trigger a nuclear arms race in the region.The Dassault Aviation Rafale aircraft, which entered service in 2004, has proved popular in the international market despite competition from American and other European manufacturers.The United Arab Emirates signed the biggest ever order for the jets in December, with a deal to buy 80 for 14 billion euros.Other foreign clients include Qatar, India, Egypt, Greece and Croatia.


Argentina VP unharmed after man points gun at her in a crowd

Argentina's Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was threatened by a man with a gun late on Thursday, in what one government colleague described as an assassination attempt, but she was not harmed and no shots were fired.
The incident took place at the entrance of Fernandez de Kirchner's Buenos Aires home, where hundreds of protesters have gathered in recent days to support the former president, who is in the midst of a corruption trial.
The economy minister, Sergio Massa, called the incident an "attempted assassination".
"When hate and violence prevail over debate, societies are destroyed and situations like these arise: attempted assassination," he said on Twitter.
A police spokesman told Reuters that an armed man had been arrested near the residence and "a weapon was found a few metres from the scene". He said the man could be of Brazilian origin.
Television footage had shown that no shots were fired after the man pointed a gun at Fernandez in the middle of a crowd. Media noted that the man appeared middle-aged.
The Clarin newspaper reported that the gun was loaded, citing official sources. Reuters could not independently confirm this.
Government and opposition leaders, as well as politicians from other Latin American countries, expressed solidarity with Fernandez de Kirchner, who has been a divisive political figure and served as president for two terms between 2007 and 2015.
Her successor, Mauricio Macri, said the incident required "immediate and profound clarification by justice system and security forces."
"Cristina is the victim of a criminal fascist who does not know how to respect differences," added Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the frontrunner in next month's presidential election. "Thank God she escaped unharmed."
But some politicians dismissed the severity of the incident: "This seems to be the clumsy action of an unbalanced person with no connection to politics," said lawmaker Martin Tetaz.
Current president Alberto Fernandez is expected to address the country on television later on Thursday.


Zelensky says Nato membership 'impossible' before end of Russia war

President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged on Friday that Ukraine would not be able to join Nato before the end of the Russian invasion.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year has galvanised the Western military alliance, set up almost 75 years ago, to face off against the Soviet Union.
But members of the military bloc are split over Ukraine, with Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg saying all members agree to stick by a 2008 pledge that Ukraine will become a member at some undefined point.
"We are reasonable people and we understand that we are not going to drag a single Nato country into a war," Zelensky said during a briefing along Estonian President Alar Karis.
"Therefore, we understand that we will not be members of Nato while this war is going on. Not because we don't want to, but because it's impossible," Zelensky added.
Ukraine is a candidate to join both Nato and the European Union but some European capitals are wary of setting a formal timeline for membership as Russia's invasion continues.
Joining Nato would mean Ukraine would be covered by the alliance's Article 5 collective defence clause that obliges all members to help defend it if attacked.
Friday's comments were a rare admission by the Ukrainian president, who has stepped up pressure on Nato and the European Union to open their doors to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's invasion in February, 2022.
On Thursday, Zelensky told a summit in Moldova that any doubts European leaders show before admitting Kyiv into the Nato alliance will embolden Russia to attack more countries.
An option being weighed is major powers offering Ukraine bilateral security assurances in the years before it becomes a full Nato member.


Dr M scoffs at Melaka polls

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today questioned the point of state polls in Melaka, calling the upcoming election part of a political game.Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, the Pejuang chairman said the political situation in the country was now filled with confusion.“All sorts of rules are being made. Those who do wrong are not punished and those who do nothing wrong are.“The problem we face now is that the administration in Malaysia, whether at the federal or state level, is no longer focused on the country’s well-being,” he said.On the contrary, he said, it was to raise up certain people and to bring down others with no reason.“There is no point holding this election because the people will benefit nothing from it,” he said.Adding that his Pejuang bloc would not contest the Melaka election on Nov 20, Mahathir also questioned the extent to which SOPs would be able to contain any further spread of the virus.“I believe even if we have given instructions not to go to Melaka and so on, people won’t listen especially when it comes to elections,” he said, citing the example of the Sabah election in September last year, after which Covid-19 cases began to spike.He also questioned how campaigning would be done as this normally requires talking to people on the ground.“This could cause many more problems, and Covid-19 issues will increase,” he said.


Trump nominated for 2020 Nobel Peace Prize – twice

The Nobel Prize season kicked off on Monday with the first award, the prize for medicine, going to Americans Harvey Alter and Charles Rice, and British scientist Michael Houghton for their discovery of the Hepatitis C virus.The medicine prize has taken on a special significance in this year of Covid-19, as the pandemic and the hunt for a vaccine highlight the importance of medical research.The discovery of the hepatitis virus has been described as a landmark breakthrough in the fight against viruses. The World Health Organization estimates there are over 70 million cases of hepatitis worldwide and 400,000 deaths each year.Thomas Perlmann (far right), secretary of the Nobel Assembly, announces the 2020 Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine in a news conference at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden on Oct 5. The prize has been awarded jointly to Harvey Alter (left on screen), Michael Houghton (centre), and Charles Rice for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus. Photo: APThe medicine award is the first of six prizes being announced until Oct 12. The other prizes are for outstanding work in the fields of physics, chemistry, literature, peace and economics.The prestigious awards come with prize money of over US$1,000,000 (RM4 million) courtesy of a bequest left 124 years ago by the prize’s creator, Swedish inventor of dynamite, Alfred Nobel.US President Donald Trump has been nominated for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for a second time. This nomination was for brokering a historic peace deal between Serbia and breakaway republic Kosovo, signed at the White House on Sept 4.In a Friday tweet, Magnus Jacobsson, a member of the Swedish Parliament, announced he was nominating Trump and the two European nations for their “joint work for peace through the cooperation agreement signed at the White House”.On Wednesday, the president was nominated for brokering the peace deal between Israel and the UAE, signed on Aug 13. The Norwegian MP who nominated him said, “I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees.”


Ex-MACC boss joins hands with singer Santesh for song written by death row inmate

Former top graft buster Latheefa Koya has joined hands with Santesh Kumar – best known for his 2014 Malay single “Amalina” which raked in 33 million views on YouTube – in a new song decrying the death penalty.The song is written by Pannir Selvam Pranthanam, a Malaysian in Singapore who has been fighting to quash the death sentence passed down on him three years ago. It is part of a campaign by his family members and human rights activists to abolish the death penalty.In 2017, a Singapore court found Pannir, who is a musician himself, guilty of being a drug courier and sentenced him to death. Pannir, 33, has been in prison since then.He was convicted on June 27, 2017 by the Singapore High Court of trafficking in 51.84g of diamorphine at the Woodlands Checkpoint in 2014.Last year, he got a stay of execution just hours before he was scheduled to be put to death on May 24, enabling him to dispute the Singapore president’s refusal to challenge the clemency process.Pannir’s plight is shared by scores of prisoners awaiting execution at Changi Prison, the city-state’s sole jail complex.In Malaysia, his case is closely followed by Lawyers for Liberty (LFL), a rights group which has been campaigning to abolish the death penalty in Malaysia.Latheefa, who co-founded LFL prior to her appointment to head the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, said she was excited when told that Pannir himself had written a song to help in the campaign.“I felt it was a very good opportunity,” she told MalaysiaNow when met at Santesh’s studio in Shah Alam.Pannir’s plight is shared by scores of prisoners awaiting execution at Changi Prison, the city-state’s sole jail complex.Amnesty International reports that 400 executions have been performed in Singapore since 1991, with 13 taking place in 2018.“There is no evidence to show that the death penalty is a deterrent to committing crime,” Latheefa said. “This is our chance to promote the campaign to abolish the death penalty.”Written in jailSantesh’s song, “Arah Tuju”, is a mix of pop and rap. Pannir wrote the lyrics to highlight the challenges faced by prisoners and what they experience while awaiting their execution.In July last year, Pannir passed the handwritten lyrics to his sister Angelia Pranthaman, who wasted no time finding the resources to produce the current album.Pannir Selvam Pranthanam’s sister, Angelia.Angelia is confident that “Hala Tuju” and the seven other songs in the special album will be a hit.“I think it will attract attention from the public. I feel it will be well received because firstly, we are releasing a music album with lyrics written by a death row prisoner,” she said.“And without doubt, we have the top fan base singer to sing this song.”For Santesh, his involvement in the project may come across as controversial.“I am not bothered by what people want to say. This comes from my heart,” he said.Angelia meanwhile welcomes contributions to help fund her family’s campaign for her brother’s release, as well as to highlight the plight of prisoners on death row.Those interested can contact her at 010-5605087, or visit savepannir.info or the “Save Pannir” Facebook page.


Rosmah ordered to enter defence on graft charges over solar hybrid project

The High Court today ordered Rosmah Mansor to enter her defence on three graft charges over a solar hybrid project worth RM1.25 billion for rural schools in Sarawak.Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan made the ruling, saying the prosecution had proven a prima facie case against Rosmah, 69, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak.“On maximum evaluation of the evidence, I find the prosecution has proven a prima facie case against the accused on all charges,” he said.He also said the prosecution had adduced credible evidence to prove the elements of the charges which, if unrebutted or unexplained, would warrant a conviction.“I therefore call for the accused to enter her defence,” he added.Rosmah chose to testify under oath from the witness stand, and the court fixed nine days from June 9 to hear her defence.Rosmah had been slapped with one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from former Jepak Holdings managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.The bribes were allegedly received through her former special officer, Rizal Mansor, as a reward for helping Jepak Holdings secure the Hybrid Photovoltaic Solar System Integrated Project, as well as the maintenance and operation of diesel gen-sets, for 369 Sarawak rural schools worth RM1.25 billion from the education ministry through direct negotiation.The acts were said to have been committed between January 2016 and September 2017The charges, framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act, provide for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.The prosecution is led by senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram while lawyer Jagjit Singh is leading the defence team.


Big Brother watching: Publishers slam presence of home ministry officers at KL book fair

Authors and publishers have questioned the presence of enforcement teams from the home ministry at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (PBAKL), calling it proof of a lack of reforms on the part of the government on the local publishing scene.
They said enforcement personnel were present at the booths without any explanation to visitors since the first day of the book fair last Friday.
Writer Zin Mahmud said this showed that there had been no reforms in the home ministry in this respect.
Zin, a former senior editor at Utusan Malaysia, also said that the presence of government enforcement officers was a continuation of the policy enacted in the days without the internet or social media.
"I greatly regret their visit to the book festival as it shows that the government wants to clamp down on writing freedom," he said.
"It is a form of intimidation against the writers and publishers, and shows that the government does not trust the people."
This year's PBAKL, the 40th edition, features 815 booths with exhibitors from both Malaysia and abroad.
Scheduled to continue until June 4, it is being run in hybrid mode for a second year in collaboration with e-commerce platform Shopee.
Zin said visits by enforcement teams had been a common feature of the book fair for a long time.
Another producer and exhibitor who called himself Benz Ali meanwhile shared photos of the enforcement team at PBAKL on his Facebook page.
When contacted by MalaysiaNow, he confirmed that the officers had been present.
However, he said it was normal procedure, and that no books or reading material had been confiscated.
"But PBAKL hasn't ended yet," he added. "There are still a few more days. We don't know what might happen."
In the comment section of his Facebook post, some social media users criticised the home ministry's move.
They said there was nothing to be feared in books, and that the government should be more concerned about videos and online material which could influence people more quickly.
"Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan rule the same way," said user Abdul Razak Endot.
"The home ministry is hardworking enough to visit my shop," user Syedshahriman Jamalullayl added.
Benz meanwhile agreed with Zin that little appeared to have changed in terms of the home ministry's approach to local publications.
"It looks like things are still the same as they were under previous governments," he said.
"At the Kuala Lumpur Alternative Bookfest 2023 in February, personnel from the home ministry were there too," he said, referring to the festival in Pasar Seni, Kuala Lumpur.


Israel’s ruling coalition becomes minority after MP quits

Israel’s ruling coalition became a minority in parliament on Thursday when an Arab lawmaker from a left-wing party quit, leaving Prime Minister Naftali Bennett with a more precarious grip on power.The defection by Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi leaves Bennett controlling 59 of the 120 seats in the Knesset. In a letter to the prime minister, she cited ideological differences.The opposition could seek to exploit her walkout by submitting a motion on Wednesday to dissolve the government and hold an early election. In a possible reprieve for Bennett, Zoabi stopped short of saying she would vote in favour.In her letter Zoabi, a legislator from the Meretz party, referenced an escalation in violence at a Jerusalem holy site as well as tactics by Israeli police at the funeral last week of a Palestinian journalist.“I cannot keep supporting the existence of a coalition that shamefully harasses the society I came from,” she said in the letter circulated in Israeli media.She acknowledged that voting to dissolve the government may not be in the interest of the Arab public who make up about 21% of the Israeli population.“I’m not under any illusions. I know that this coalition may be the sanest possible option – including for the Arab public,” she told Channel 12 TV. “I’m not going to blow it up automatically.”Bennett heads a collection of left-wing, centrist, right-wing and Arab parties that was sworn in a year ago, ending Benjamin Netanyahu’s record 12-year run as prime minister.It lost its slight majority last month when a lawmaker from Bennett’s own right-wing party quit the coalition.The government is now more vulnerable and may seek external support to buttress itself against no-confidence votes in parliament.


Families flee as Taliban seize key Afghanistan district

The Taliban have captured a key district in their former bastion of Kandahar after fierce night-time fighting with Afghan government forces, officials said Sunday, sending scores of families fleeing from the area.The insurgents have pressed on with their campaign to capture territory across Afghanistan’s rural areas since early May when the US military began its final pullout of troops from the violence-wracked country.The fall of Panjwai district in the southern province of Kandahar comes just two days after US and Nato forces vacated their main Bagram Air Base near Kabul, from where they led operations for two decades against the Taliban and their Al-Qaeda allies.Over the years, the Taliban and Afghan forces have regularly clashed in and around Panjwai, with the insurgents aiming to seize it given its proximity to Kandahar city, the provincial capital.The leader of the Taliban, Hibatullah Akhundzada, hails from Panjwai.The province of Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban, who went on to rule Afghanistan with a harsh version of Islamic shariah law until being overthrown by a US-led invasion in 2001.Panjwai district governor Hasti Mohammad said Afghan forces and the Taliban clashed during the night, resulting in government forces retreating from the area.“The Taliban have captured the district police headquarters and governor’s office building,” he told AFP.Kandahar provincial council head Sayed Jan Khakriwal confirmed the fall of Panjwai, but accused government forces of “intentionally withdrawing”.‘Taliban don’t want peace’Scores of families of Panjwai fled their homes after the Taliban captured the district, an AFP correspondent reported.“The Taliban fired on our car as I was fleeing with my family. At least five bullets hit my car,” Giran, a resident of Panjwai told AFP as he took refuge in Kandahar city.“The Taliban are on top of the mountains and firing at any moving vehicles. The Taliban don’t want peace.”Assadullah, a commander of border police in the area, said it was only the police force that was fighting against the insurgents.“The army and the commandos who have better military equipment are not fighting at all,” he said.Panjwai is the fifth district in Kandahar province to fall to the insurgents in recent weeks.Fighting has raged across several provinces of Afghanistan and the Taliban claim to have seized more than 100 out of nearly 400 districts in the country.Afghan officials dispute the claims but acknowledge that government troops have retreated from some districts. It is difficult to independently verify the situation.The exit of foreign troops from Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, has fuelled concerns the insurgents will ramp up their campaign to capture new territory.Bagram Air Base has great military and symbolic significance, with foreign forces previously stationed there offering vital air support in the fight against the insurgents.Experts say that one of the main reasons for government forces to lose dozens of districts is the lack of US air support in recent weeks.Afghan authorities who have taken control of Bagram Air Base say they will use it to fight terrorism, and have already re-activated its radar system.


Give Sarawak autonomy over education, state minister tells federal govt

Sarawak Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Michael Manyin Jawong today urged the federal government to give the state full autonomy over education, saying the planned mass recruitment drive for teachers would not be able to adequately address the shortage of educators in Sarawak.Manyin, who was a teacher for 25 years before entering politics, acknowledged the importance of national integration but said autonomy in this area would allow Sarawak to produce its own teachers who would understand the cultural diversity in the community.“We are fully aware of all the issues and problems pertaining to education in Sarawak.“We can produce our own teachers provided that we are given the authority and better still given full autonomy over education,” he said in a statement.Education Minister Radzi Jidin recently said that a mass recruitment drive would be held to engage some 18,000 educators to address the shortage of teachers in the country.He said it was also to ensure a sufficient number of teachers, especially in Sarawak and Sabah.But Manyin said it would be difficult for new teachers, especially those not from the state, to adjust to the environment in Sarawak, citing the poor condition of school infrastructure in the rural areas and cultural barriers which he said had led to a high turnover of teachers.“This has been a major issue faced by rural schools for quite some time because teachers from outside the areas, especially non-Sarawakians, do not prefer to stay long in the particular school.“For that reason, Sarawak introduced the 90:10 policy which means 90% of the total population of teachers in Sarawak must be Sarawakians and 10% non-Sarawakians,” he said.As of April, he said, Sarawak was short of 3,385 teachers, 1,545 of whom were needed in secondary schools and 1,840 in primary schools.He also noted statistics showing that 1,020 schools were at one point categorised as dilapidated, 415 of them critically so.He said the poor condition of such schools had affected students’ academic performance, citing unsatisfactory results in the UPSR, SPM and STPM public examinations.


Petronas to fight seizure of Luxembourg assets

State oil company Petronas said on Tuesday it would defend its legal position after two of its subsidiaries were seized in Luxembourg.
The units were seized by the descendants of a late sultan, escalating a US$15 billion legal dispute linked to an agreement signed 144 years ago, the Financial Times reported earlier, citing lawyers.
The company said its Petronas Azerbaijan (Shah Deniz) and Petronas South Caucasus units were on Monday served with "Saisie-arret", essentially a seize order by court bailiffs in Luxembourg.
Petronas said the action taken against it was "baseless". It added that the units had previously divested their assets in Azerbajian with the proceeds already repatriated.
The seizure follows a French arbitration court ruling in February ordering Malaysia to pay US$14.9 billion to the heirs of the last sultan of Sulu, to honour a deal he signed in 1848 with a British trading company over the use of his territory, now known as Sabah.
Malaysia took over the arrangement after independence from Britain, paying a token sum to the heirs annually.
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.
Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in March vowed to fight the French court ruling, saying his government would not entertain anyone else's claim over the state.


Smog tower to help Delhi breathe but experts sceptical

A new attempt at purifying New Delhi’s notoriously polluted air will see 40 giant fans push out filtered air in the heart of the Indian capital’s posh downtown shopping district.But the US$2 million “smog tower” has no shortage of doubters who say it will not help a city notorious for some of the world’s dirtiest air.The 25m high tower is meant to filter air over a one square kilometre radius around the swanky shops and cafes in Connaught Place.The neighbourhood’s British colonial-era buildings are hit by a grey-yellow smog every winter.“Smog is an annual phenomenon because of particulate matter. So we are (trying) to contain this,” said Anwar Ali Khan, who is in charge of the project.The engineer added the objective is to eliminate up to 50% of the most deadly PM2.5 particles from the air.The city has said more towers could be built if this experiment works.Delhi’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal once called the Indian capital a “gas chamber” because of its intense pollution.Experts say that while smog towers may work they are just a pinprick against the relentless foe of car and truck fumes, construction dirt, industrial emissions and the agricultural stubble burning that engulf the city of more than 20 million.“Installing smog towers has never been, and will never be a solution,” Sunil Dahiya, an analyst with the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, told AFP.“If we really, really want to address pollution, it has to be addressed at the source.”Dahiya added the tower will be powered by regular grid-based electricity with more than 70% of India’s electricity coming from coal.“So we will only be adding to pollution elsewhere in the country.”China built a 60m high smog tower in the badly polluted city of Xian, but the experiment has not spread to other cities.Delhi’s attempts to halve the number of cars allowed on the city’s roads have not had much success.“Every government claims that they’re working to reduce pollution but we don’t see the results,” Delhi resident Pradeep Kumar told AFP.Engineers hope to complete the smog tower by Aug 15, when India celebrates its independence day.More mega purifiers are already in the works in Delhi and Bangalore.“The objective is not to clear entire Delhi’s air, it is to create special zones where people can breathe,” Ali, the engineer, said.


Australia, NZ say no issues with meat exports to China

Australia and New Zealand said on Tuesday they were aware of Chinese media reports of a ban on meat imports from both countries by Beijing but said they had not received any official notice and shipments had been clearing as normal.
The Australian Financial Review newspaper said one Chinese media outlet had reported that agricultural imports, particularly meat, from Australia and New Zealand may be suspended due to concerns about foot and mouth disease.
"We are aware of rumours. The Australian Embassy in Beijing has been in contact with China Customs and no formal notification has been issued," a spokesperson at the Australian agricultural department said in an emailed statement.
Steve Ainsworth, Market Access director at the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries, said exports were continuing as normal.
"We've made enquiries with Chinese authorities, including through our Embassy staff in China. These enquiries confirm that New Zealand products are continuing to be cleared through the border," he said in a statement.
Neither Australia nor New Zealand has reported a case of foot and mouth disease among livestock. But both nations are taking extra biosecurity precautions after the animal virus was found in the popular Indonesian holiday destination of Bali.
Foot and mouth disease is a highly contagious animal disease that affects cattle, sheep, goats and pigs but does not pose a threat to humans. Australian government modelling projects a widespread foot and mouth outbreak in the country could have an estimated direct economic impact of around A$80 billion (US$56 billion).


Govt-opposition deal will neutralise court cluster, say analysts

The historic memorandum of understanding (MoU) inked by the government and the opposition this week could neutralise the Umno “court cluster”, denying any attempt at disrupting stability ahead of the 15th general election (GE15), political observers say.Ahmad Marthada Mohamed of Universiti Utara Malaysia said through the agreement, the opposition would commit to and thus indirectly provide strong support for the government even without the backing of the court cluster.“Previously, it was the court cluster that foiled that government’s attempts at bringing about transformation,” Marthada told MalaysiaNow.“Meanwhile, the opposition did not support the government as it had no incentive to do so.“With the MoU, any efforts by the court cluster to destabilise the government will be fruitless.”The MoU was signed by MPs from Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) on Monday in a move described by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob as “consultative democracy”.The agreement was signed by Ismail and top PH leaders Anwar Ibrahim, Mohamad Sabu, Lim Guan Eng and Upko’s Wilfred Madius Tangau.“With the MoU, any efforts by the court cluster to destabilise the government will be fruitless.”The court cluster refers to a group of Umno MPs led by former prime minister Najib Razak and party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who are facing charges in court for corruption, abuse of power and criminal breach of trust.The group was behind the resignation of Ismail’s predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin, who lost his fragile majority after some 15 MPs withdrew their support for him.Prior to his resignation, Muhyiddin had offered to implement a list of reforms similar to those recently presented by Ismail in exchange for support from the opposition. However, PH rejected the offer, calling it a form of open bribery.The MoU on Monday had covered six aspects, namely the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) on the rights of Sabah and Sarawak, the empowerment of the Covid-19 plan, administrative transformation, parliamentary reforms, freedom of the judiciary and the formation of a steering committee.Marthada said the ideas brought by Muhyiddin had been forward-looking but were hampered by “kleptocrats” who had sabotaged his administration.“With this offer of cooperation, we have a win-win situation,” he said. “It is also important in terms of the government’s legitimacy. This MoU shows that the government of the day is also supported by the opposition, albeit indirectly.“I believe the budget for 2022 will be passed, and that there will be no vote of confidence.”However, he warned that the success of the agreement hinges on those who signed it.Sarawak political observer Jeniri Amir said as far as MA63 is concerned, efforts to restore the rights of the East Malaysian states would move more quickly with the support of all sides.“The MoU will strengthen the efforts of the previous government,” he said.“During PH’s administration, parties outside of the coalition did not agree with its decisions.“With this agreement, all obstacles can be overcome,” he told MalaysiaNow.Even though Pejuang and Warisan had not signed the MoU on Monday, he added, they should support efforts to restore the rights of Sabah and Sarawak.“Many of the transformation initiatives were also part of PH’s election manifesto for GE14,” he said.“So they should support it without playing games or giving excuses.”Jeniri said the bigger issue would be the formation of a more level political playing field where the government would no longer suppress the opposition or dissenting voices.“We don’t want any discrimination against the opposition or its supporters to the point where there are delays in terms of physical development and the economy in opposition-held areas,” he said.“This would be in line with a mature and progressive democracy,” he added. “Every voter should be treated fairly.”


Zahid in bid to pressure PM to dissolve Parliament as Umno meets post-Johor

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will use the 2021 Umno general assembly which begins today to pressure Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to dissolve Parliament in order to pave the way for the 15th general election (GE15), analysts say days after Barisan Nasional’s (BN) victory at the most recent in a string of state polls.They also predict that the calls by Zahid, the Umno president, will gain momentum among the representatives of the country’s largest Malay party.The general assembly which runs from March 16 to 19 was pushed forward from last year.Umno also chose to postpone its party election, scheduled to be held in November this year.Analyst Mujibu Abd Muis said that Ismail, who previously dismissed what he called calls from “one small group”, would be left in a dilemma.“This is the trouble with Umno people – they’re too used to the party president being the prime minister,” Mujibu, of Universiti Teknologi Mara, told MalaysiaNow.“In this context, the party hierarchy is the core so the post of prime minister is pushed aside.”He added that Ismail appeared more friendly towards Perikatan Nasional (PN) than towards Umno, which believes that it should be in the position of leadership.If Ismail gives in to calls for the dissolution of Parliament, it would make him the shortest serving prime minister in the history of Malaysia.And should BN emerge victorious at GE15, chances are slim that he will be named for the top post once more.Zahid himself has said that BN’s “poster boy” will be determined by the party at a later point.The Umno president previously said that GE15 should be held before or by July this year.Observers believe that he is looking to shore up his position before the party elections in November.The Bagan Datuk MP is also facing 47 criminal charges.If both GE15 and the Umno elections are held while his trials are ongoing, Zahid may not be able to defend his position.Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan at a press conference on Monday did not deny the possibility that a proposal on GE15 would be brought up at the general assembly.A total of 5,571 delegates are expected to attend the assembly: 959 from the women’s wing, 971 from the youth wing and 961 from the Puteri wing.Mujibu said Zahid, who is BN chairman, has the authority to sign letters confirming election candidates.He said there was a possibility that Zahid would not nominate Ismail in his seat of Bera if calls for the dissolution of Parliament go unheeded.“I see no efforts from Umno to suggest him as prime minister,” he added.He said this comes against a backdrop of the Umno leadership appearing to prefer a solo approach, without working with any other coalition whether PN or Muafakat Nasional.Ministers from the party who are seen as friendly with PN, meanwhile, might also be affected by the general assembly, he said.Mujibu sees this edition of the assembly as a lobbying field for those who wish to contest GE15.The previous general assembly had witnessed an open rebellion between Zahid and Umno ministers.Ismail, who was defence minister at the time, described it as “the worst”. He also attacked Zahid’s closing speech, and questioned Zahid for attacking Umno Cabinet members in the wake of the president’s call to cut ties with Bersatu.Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaysia however said that both sides would keep quiet or seek to ease the conflict following the Johor menteri besar issue.“Not just the president, but the prime minister also needs to settle this issue,” he told MalaysiaNow.“If the prime minister aids in this matter, the clash between Zahid and Ismail will not be too bad.”Machap assemblyman Onn Hafiz Ghazi was sworn in as menteri besar yesterday, replacing Hasni Mohammad who was previously chosen by Zahid for the position.Hasni, who is Johor BN chairman, however said that a young candidate should be chosen to lead.Azman said the Umno general assembly could also be expected to debate cooperation with PAS ahead of GE15, as the opposition itself would likely form a wider pact in order to face BN.“If there is a need for this, it must be based on the sentiments and voice of the majority of delegates,” he said.“If not, it must still have the support of the delegates.”Mujibu meanwhile said that the developments in Johor would to some extent influence the direction of the assembly.“Umno was forced to face internal conflict in Johor which could affect the integrity of its leaders, especially from the aspect of the old guard against the new faces.“The menteri besar issue will also have an effect.”


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