No ceremony if skater Valieva wins Beijing Olympic medal

There will be no medal ceremony for the women’s singles figure skating at the Beijing Olympics if Russia’s Kamila Valieva finishes in the top three, the IOC said on Monday.There will also be no ceremony for the team event, won by Russia last week with 15-year-old Valieva playing a starring role.The International Olympic Committee made the announcement after the Court of Arbitration for Sport said earlier Monday that the teenager could continue competing at the Games despite testing positive in December for a banned substance.The Russian is favourite to win the singles event when it starts on Tuesday, but she has not been cleared of doping and could still face punishment at a later date.“The IOC has to follow the rule of law and will therefore have to allow her to compete in the women’s single skating competition,” the IOC said in a statement.“In the interest of fairness to all athletes… it would not be appropriate to hold the medal ceremony for the figure skating team event during the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022,” the IOC added, noting Valieva’s failed doping test.“Should Valieva finish amongst the top three competitors in the women’s single skating competition, no flower ceremony and no medal ceremony will take place during the Olympic Winter Games.”


Line of AirAsia X passengers seeking refunds continues

More passengers have come forward to openly express their dissatisfaction with low-cost airline AirAsia X after months or even years of waiting to be refunded for cancelled flights.One of them, Lui Thiam Fah, said he had yet to receive any refund for 11 flight tickets purchased between June 7 and Oct 14, 2020.Lui, who described himself as a loyal AirAsia customer, said he had often flown with the airline to visit his family members in Sydney, Australia.He said AirAsia X had always been his airline of choice for international travel.“Before all this trouble with the refunds, I would book flight tickets with AirAsia twice a week,” he told MalaysiaNow.“You could say that I had flown with AirAsia X to nearly all of its destinations. I was a loyal customer.”But today, Lui feels that his loyalty has not been repaid.He estimates that he spent about RM2,500 on the tickets, not a sen of which he has seen returned to him.For him, money is not the problem. His main bone of contention is AirAsia’s integrity and its treatment of its passengers – both of which he now questions.Like many other disgruntled customers, he tried to communicate through AirAsia’s AVA chat bot, but found it useless in helping him resolve his problem.“It’s not that I don’t have money,” he said. “I just feel as if my rights have been thrown aside.“I would take any form of compensation they give me, including credit. But as of today, I have yet to receive anything.”While Lui would gladly settle for a credit account, other passengers have been urging the airline to explain what is so difficult about refunding them in cash.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, they also voiced confusion about a recent statement by AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail that the company could not provide cash refunds to passengers because of the law.At the press conference on June 15, Benyamin said that AirAsia X had just undergone a court restructuring process.Under the law, he said, the company could not give cash refunds to anyone including creditors.He added that AirAsia X would instead provide credit refunds through travel vouchers as well as a 10% cash payment.Having received neither cash nor credit, though, Lui has turned to other airlines for his trips abroad.“This issue has been very upsetting,” he said. “These days, I fly with Scoot Airline or Singapore Airlines.“I have to stop in Singapore before continuing to Sydney, which is troublesome, but I would rather go through that process.”Lui said he would only go back to using AirAsia X if the company is true to its word and apologises to the public, especially the passengers who have been troubled by this situation.Checks on social media found that several AirAsia X passengers in Western Australia had succeeded in obtaining a refund for their cancelled flights.They said in their posts that they had filed complaints through the Western Australia (WA) Consumer Protection.When contacted by MalaysiaNow, though, WA Consumer Protection would neither confirm nor deny the claims.“Consumer Protection in Western Australia took note of the claims related to AirAsia refunds on Facebook,” it said.“These allegations were not from us, and we will continue looking into this matter while keeping in touch with the company.”MalaysiaNow is also awaiting a response from the Malaysian Aviation Commission and AirAsia on the statement made by the AirAsia X CEO.


UN pleads for rescue of dehydrated Rohingya adrift in Andaman sea

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) called on Monday for the immediate rescue of a group of Rohingya refugees adrift in a boat in the Andaman Sea without food or water, many of them ill and suffering from extreme dehydration.The agency said it understood that the boat left southern Bangladesh about 10 days ago and experienced engine failure but it did not know the exact location of the vessel now.It is understood some of those aboard have already died, it said.A senior Indian coast guard official confirmed to Reuters that the boat has been tracked to an area off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.At least eight people have died on the boat, according to Chris Lewa, director of the Arakan Project, a group that monitors the Rohingya crisis. He said Indian navy vessels that were close by had provided food and water to those on the boat, adding, “But we still don’t know what they will do afterwards.”According to UNHCR, the boat set out from the Bangladesh coastal district of Cox’s Bazar, where about a million Rohingya live in sprawling refugee camps.Authorities in Bangladesh said on Monday they were unaware of any boats leaving the camps. “If we had had such information, we would have stopped them,” said Rafiqul Islam, a police superintendent in Cox’s Bazar.Amnesty International said in a statement that too many lives had already been lost because of countries refusing to assist Rohingya people at sea.“Another repeat of those shameful incidents must be avoided here,” said Amnesty South Asia campaigner Saad Hammadi.“After years of limbo in Bangladesh and following the recent coup in Myanmar, Rohingya people feel they have no option but to undertake these perilous journeys.”


Death toll hits 700 as recoveries still outstrip new cases

Another 3,585 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 190,434.Selangor recorded 1,295 cases, of which 948 or 73.2% were from clusters and close contact screening.This was followed by Kuala Lumpur (610), Johor (516), Sabah (303) and Sarawak (205).Negeri Sembilan recorded 129 cases, Penang 104, Melaka 92, Kedah 88, Kelantan and Terengganu 76 each, Perak 58, Pahang and Putrajaya 15 each, Perlis two and Labuan one.Active cases stand at 40,574 with 280 in the ICU and 111 in need of respiratory assistance.Seven new clusters were detected:1. Jalan Cochrane (Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur; 26 cases)2. Jalan Platinum (Johor Bahru in Johor; 33 cases)3. Jalan Padi Mahsuri (Kulai in Johor; 25 cases)4. Intan Delima (Kuala Pilah in Negeri Sembilan; 25 cases)5. Keladi Saga (Kulim in Kedah; 34 cases)6. Tembok Bukit Besi (Dungun in Terengganu; 99 cases)7. Kampung Bukit Putera (Setiu in Terengganu; 25 cases)Two others ended, leaving 356 active clusters throughout the country.Another 4,076 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 149,160.However, 11 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 700.


Education sector gets lion’s share of budget with over RM67 billion

The education sector received the largest allocation of more than RM67 billion in the 2022 budget tabled by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz in the Dewan Rakyat today.Of this, RM52.6 billion was allocated for the education ministry while RM14.5 billion was set aside for the higher education ministry.Provisions have also been made for some 600,000 undergraduates from poor families to receive tablets. A total of RM450 million has been set aside for this, in addition to pledges by telecommunication companies for a further RM65 million.Meanwhile, RM450 million has been set aside for early school aid of RM150 – an increase from the RM100 allocations given before. This is expected to benefit some three million eligible students.RM1 billion has been channelled for school maintenance and repair work, including RM140 million for Jakim to maintain tahfiz schools and other religious centres – an increase from RM100 million set aside for 2021.Another RM120 million has been allocated for the maintenance of more than 10,000 schools under the education ministry. This is expected to benefit some 1,800 Chinese and Tamil national-type schools.Another RM746 million has been set aside for the upgrading of dilapidated schools, a large number of which are in Sabah (122) and Sarawak (165).Meanwhile, RM50 million will go towards the government’s special education programme, among others to fund the purchase of teaching equipment and improve facilities for special needs schools.RM400 million has been allocated for the provision of milk each day under the government’s food scheme for students from low-income families.More than 400,000 teachers meanwhile will receive RM100 as tokens of appreciation for their service during the home-based teaching and learning period necessitated by the pandemic.The government also intends to extend the special individual income tax relief of up to RM2,500 for the purchase of mobile phones, computers and tablets until Dec 31, 2022.Zafrul also announced discounts for the repayment of National Higher Education Fund Corporation or PTPTN loans from Nov 1 to April 31, 2022.Those who repay their loans in full will be given a 15% discount, while those who repay more than 50% of their loans in a single payment will receive a 12% discount.Meanwhile, those who repay their loans through scheduled salary deductions or debit will receive a 10% discount.Another RM6.6 billion has been set aside to strengthen the TVET sector, with an additional allocation of RM200 million for joint venture programmes with industries including the National Dual Training Scheme and industry certification programmes.


Long jump athlete bags Malaysia’s third gold medal at Tokyo Paralympics

Long jump athlete Abdul Latif Romly bagged his second Paralympic gold medal in the men’s long jump T20 (intellectual impairment) category at the Tokyo Paralympics today, taking Malaysia’s total gold medal tally at the 2020 Games to three.The athlete, who hails from Perlis and who also won gold at the 2016 Rio edition, confirmed Malaysia’s third gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics with his very first jump, leaping a distance of 7.26m.He leapt even further – 7.45m – in his second attempt, leaving his rivals trailing behind him.Latif, who holds the world record of 7.64m that he set at the 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia, cleared 7.24m in his third attempt before his fourth attempt was cancelled.The 24-year-old, who also holds the Paralympic record of 7.60m set in Rio 2016, only managed 5.56m in his fifth attempt due to an injury.He was forced to forgo the sixth and final attempt and left the field in a wheelchair accompanied by medical personnel.Athanasios Prodromou of Greece took silver with a leap of 7.17m while Australian Nicholas Hum settled for bronze with 7.12m.Latif’s success means Malaysia has achieved its three-gold medal target for the Tokyo Paralympics.Earlier today, Cheah Liek Hou created history by becoming the first player to win gold in the men’s singles SU5 (physical impairment) category as badminton made its debut in the Tokyo Paralympics.The world number two defeated Anrimusthi Dheva of Indonesia 21-17, 21-15 in the final at the Yoyogi National Stadium.Malaysia’s first gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics came from powerlifter Bonnie Bunyau Gustin in the men’s 72kg category on Aug 28.The national contingent also won two silver medals through Bonnie’s teammate, Jong Yee Khie, in the men’s 107kg category on Aug 30 and boccia player Chew Wei Lun in the mixed individual BC1 (physical impairment) category on Sept 1.


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Woman cheats death after part of tower crane falls on car

A woman had a close shave with death yesterday when part of a tower crane fell off a trailer and hit her car at SS2/24 in Petaling Jaya.Petaling Jaya district police chief ACP Nik Ezanee Mohd Faisal said the 25-year-old woman had been on her way home in her Perodua Myvi when the incident occurred at 5.45pm.“Suddenly a part of tower crane fell off the trailer and hit her car.“The roof, windscreen and several other parts of the car were damaged but the victim escaped with no injuries,” he said in a statement.Nik Ezanee said initial investigations found that the accident occurred after part of the crane knocked into two telephone poles, causing them to collapse on the road.The woman has since lodged a police report although the driver of the trailer has yet to do so.“Members of the public rushed to the location to provide first aid to the victim and help control the traffic situation,” he said, adding that the investigation paper was opened under Rule 19 of the Road Traffic Rules 166/59.


Fanfare for first flight from Israel to Qatar for World Cup

Balloons festooned the departure gate for the first commercial flight between Israel and Qatar on Sunday, permitted by Doha for World Cup fans despite a lack of formal bilateral relations.
While the excitement was mainly at being able to attend the football tournament, for which Israel did not qualify, with such surprising ease several passengers voiced hope that the non-stop flights would clear the way to fuller detente with Qatar.
They were issued contact cards for a discreet Israeli consular delegation sent ahead to provide emergency support, a reminder of their current semi-recognised status in Qatar, which is close to Iran and has hosted leaders of Palestinian Hamas.
"There were a few concerns, I cannot deny that," said Sagi Ashkevitz, flying with three friends to his second World Cup.
"But in the end, the idea of watching (Lionel) Messi for the last time, together with the idea that we are actually making history, overcame all of the concerns," Ashkevitz added.
At least 10,000 Israelis are expected at the month-long matches, most of them coming through third countries. Those boarding the TUS Airways plane at Ben Gurion Airport were originally told they would have a brief stopover in Cyprus.
But they got a non-stop connection of two hours and twenty minutes instead, thanks to a deal announced by Fifa last week which it described as allowing Palestinians as well as Israelis to fly direct.
While Sunday's passengers included both Israeli Jews and Arabs, there was no one from the Palestinian territories.
Gabriel Mizrahi, CEO of ticketing agent Tiktik, said this was due to having booked the flight in May, when his Palestinian clients preferred indirect routes through neighbouring Jordan.
Six more Tel Aviv-Doha flights for the World Cup have been approved so far, Mizrahi said. Return tickets cannot be bought separately, he said – a means of ensuring that those who fly back are the same passengers cleared by Ben Gurion security.
The last scheduled direct flight out of Doha to Israel is Dec 15. The football tournament ends with a final on Dec 18.
Cyprus-based TUS Airways said it had requested an additional three round trip flights due to demand from football supporters.
"TUS Airways is honoured to operate such a historic flight and showcase the importance the Republic of Cyprus has on the world stage in connecting and fostering closer ties in the region," the airline said.
At least two of the fans said they would attend matches in which Israel's arch-foes Iran were playing.
"I'm going to sit on the Iranian side of the stadium," said Shlomi Lakash, wearing a baseball cap whose colour – Islamic green – he joked would help him blend in. "God is with me."
Raki Ziadna held a football ball as he stood in the check-in line. He said he believed the World Cup would be "the starter's pistol for coexistence all over the Middle East".


Canada okays Pfizer Covid jab for children 5-11

Canada on Friday became the latest country to authorise the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children aged between five and 11 years old.“After a thorough and independent scientific review of the evidence, the department has determined that the benefits of this vaccine for children between five and 11 years of age outweigh the risks,” said an official statement from Health Canada.The decision follows an application by the companies submitted on Oct 18 after carrying out a clinical trial among thousands of children in this age group.The vaccine was found to be more than 90% effective at preventing Covid-19, and no serious side-effects were identified.It is dosed at 10 micrograms rather than the 30 micrograms used in older ages, and administered as two shots, three weeks apart.A handful of countries including Israel and the US have so far green lighted Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine for children.China, the United Arab Emirates, Cambodia and Colombia have also started vaccinating children under 12 but with Chinese vaccines.


PN needs to study cooperation with Mahathir's GTA, says Muhyiddin

Perikatan Nasional (PN) today said it would study the matter of cooperation with Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) movement ahead of the 15th general election (GE15).
PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said the matter would be given in depth consideration, adding that he could make no decision on his own without involving the leaders of other PN components.
"Right now, there is no decision to be made," he said. "Each of them has their own experience.
"PAS and Gerakan both have experience. And we, Bersatu, do as well," he said at a press conference when asked about forming ties with the Pejuang chairman.
He added that the issue would be discussed by the PN Supreme Council.
This way, he said, all parties concerned could ascertain whether such cooperation would benefit PN at the election.
"Don't benefit one side and drag down the other," he said.
"What about the views of the voters, whether they will approve or not? This, too, must be taken into consideration."
Muhyiddin, who is Bersatu president, previously said that his party was ready to consider working with Pejuang at GE15 if the latter was serious about cooperating.
However, he said Pejuang had yet to initiate contact to discuss the possibility.
Muhyiddin and Mahathir joined hands to form Bersatu in 2016, at the height of the 1MDB saga.
The party joined Pakatan Harapan (PH) in December that year but exited the coalition after the collapse of the PH administration in February 2020.
Mahathir and Muhyiddin fell out, and Mahathir was removed as Bersatu chairman.
He went on to form Pejuang with his son Mukhriz Mahathir as president.


US lawmakers advance bill on banning TikTok

A panel of US lawmakers voted Wednesday to advance a bill that would make it easier to ban Chinese-owned video sharing app TikTok, amid criticism that the proposal threatens free speech.
The Deterring America's Technological Adversaries (DATA) Act passed the Republican-led House Foreign Affairs Committee on a party-line vote but faces opposition from free speech campaigners and Democrats when it comes up for votes in the full House and Senate.
"My bill mandates the administration to ban TikTok or any software applications that threaten US national security," said the committee's chairman Michael McCaul.
"And make no mistake – TikTok is a security threat. It allows (China) to manipulate and monitor its users while it gobbles up Americans' data to be used for their malign activities."
TikTok is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, which is being scrutinised in multiple countries over privacy and surveillance concerns.
The legislation aims to counter a 1980s amendment barring the government from restricting the free flow of visual entertainment between foreign countries by making an exception for "sensitive personal data."
It requires the administration to impose penalties – up to and including bans – on companies determined to have knowingly given TikTok's user data to "any foreign person" with links to the Chinese Communist Party.
A TikTok official said the company was "disappointed to see this rushed piece of legislation move forward" in Congress.
"A US ban on TikTok is a ban on the export of American culture and values to the billion-plus people who use our service worldwide," spokesman Brooke Oberwetter said in a statement.
In a letter sent to the committee on Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union said the legislation would violate the First Amendment free speech rights of millions of Americans.
Gregory Meeks, the panel's top Democrat, bemoaned the "Republican instinct to ban things it fears, from books to speech."
"Before we take the unprecedented step of banning an app used by over 100 million Americans, harming our national security and infringing on their freedom of expression and speech, Congress must first adequately consult with the administration and other stakeholders," he said.


Economic fallouts from hung parliament

Despite Malaysia's early success in the overall turnout for the 15th general election (GE15) last Saturday, with the inclusion of Undi 18 which saw the voter turnout surpassing that of GE14 at 73.89%, our country has yet to form a stable government.
No party was able to win a simple majority despite the anticipation of the people. Parliament remains hung five days after voting day.
The economic stability of Malaysia is thought to be in jeopardy because of the hung parliament. The state of uncertainties on government policy and functions may lead to fluctuations in the bond and stock markets, resulting in financial volatility.
The ringgit dropped as much as 0.7% to 4.59 against the greenback and Malaysia’s stock index dropped 1.22% on Nov 21. The ringgit is also predicted to return to the 4.75 level, according to technicals. The ringgit’s depreciation was most likely a response to the hung parliament situation. Fortunately, the local note increased slightly against the dollar, to 4.57 on Wednesday.
Malaysia’s hung parliament, in addition to China's Covid-19 restrictions and high cases, global oil prices, the weaker German producer price index and rampant inflation, were further factors in the heavy blow against the ringgit. In fact, there is a direct link between political unrest and capital outflows, which will dampen economic growth and cause higher unemployment, uncertainty in the bond market, and currency depreciation.
In light of the ringgit drop, a swift decision should be made on the formation of a stable government to stabilise the economy against any further threats. Although economic activities have proceeded as usual throughout the absence of a stable government, the situation has deteriorated investors’ confidence, leading to them withdrawing their planned investments in Malaysia as they are unable to make informed predictions.
This has had a significant impact on the ringgit and foreign capital inflow. RM 7.32 billion was wiped off from the market capitalisation of Bursa Malaysia stocks on Monday, due to the conclusion of an unresolved government.
Following the situation, with the recent meetings in hearing coalitions' stands on forming a simple majority, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's proposal of a unity government may provide the means of ensuring that all parties' views are heard. In fact, every coalition manifesto pledged to weather the impending recession, which Malaysia will experience given that we have a small, open economy. Given the shared concerns of all parties, building this government should not be a problem.
Indeed, there should be enough stress for the formation of a new government before the end of this week to ensure the stability of the economy moving forward. This is to push ahead with recovery and allow the exchange rate to rebound.
For Malaysia's future in the next five years, there should be a clear vision and direction, leaving behind pride and self-interest, with the emphasis on bolstering the economy and the agenda of the people. The future government should keep the best interests of the people in mind as we emerge from the pandemic, assisting us in getting better and protecting us from the predicted severe economic turbulence.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Agong welcomes politicians’ spirit of consensus ahead of budget

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has welcomed the “spirit of bipartisanship and consensus” shown by political parties across the divide, in yet another statement by Istana Negara today to remind MPs of the importance of passing the 2021 Budget to be tabled this week.A statement released by the palace said Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah also hoped Putrajaya would further refine every proposal submitted to the government on the budget so that it becomes “inclusive and comprehensive” and centred on the people’s welfare and economic recovery.The Agong earlier heard a briefing on the budget by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz and treasury secretary-general Asri Hamidon, in an audience which lasted more than an hour.“His Majesty was also briefed on the finance ministry’s efforts on the 2021 Budget since July 2020, involving 40 sessions and the participation of 2,000 individuals and business representatives,” said the statement released by the palace.Sultan Abdullah’s statement today is his third in less than two weeks on the importance of ignoring political rivalries to ensure that the budget this Friday, the first since Covid-19 ravaged Malaysia’s economy, will be passed with the support of all blocs.There have been fears that any move to derail the budget would see the collapse of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s government and trigger snap polls, a scenario that heath ministry officials have warned could spark Covid-19 clusters nationwide.Last month, the king announced that he would not use his powers to declare an emergency to stop elections, but warned MPs in the Dewan Rakyat against any attempt to scuttle the budget bill.“His Majesty would like to remind politicians to immediately cease all politicking that will disrupt the stability of the nation’s administration,” said a royal statement on Oct 25.Three days later, the Agong again warned MPs against politicking ahead of the budget, saying the financial allocations were crucial to restoring the economy.“His Majesty reminds MPs that political quarrels for the sake of personal interests will only harm the country and lead to the people falling victim at a time when the entire nation is battling the Covid-19 pandemic.”


PM Ismail to make first official visit to Singapore amid outcry over Nagaenthran

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will make his first official visit to Singapore on Nov 29, amid protests over the looming execution of Malaysian Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam and appeals by the government for the authorities in the city-state to spare his life.Wisma Putra said in a statement that Ismail’s visit is at the invitation of his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong, in conjunction with the launch of the air and land Vaccinated Travel Lane between Malaysia and Singapore.He is also expected to call on Singapore President Halimah Yacob, who has been urged to grant Nagaenthran a pardon.MalaysiaNow previously reported that Wisma Putra has been doubling its diplomatic efforts with Singapore in the hope that authorities there will spare the life of Nagaenthran, whose final appeal will be heard on Nov 30.Nagaenthran was initially scheduled to be executed on Nov 10 after losing several earlier appeals, but tested positive for Covid-19 as his lawyers were rushing to meet a tight deadline for a stay of execution.Ismail and Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah have personally pleaded for Nagaenthran’s life, while an online petition for a pardon has gathered tens of thousands of signatures.Nagaenthran, who was arrested in April 2009, had been on death row for more than a decade for trafficking 42.72g of heroin into the city-state which has some of the world’s toughest laws against illegal drugs.His case was pushed into the international spotlight after details emerged about his mental state.A diagnosis of his mental capability presented during his trial found that Nagaenthran has an IQ of 69 – below the threshold of 70 for declaring a person as intellectually disabled.International treaties, whose signatories include Singapore, prohibit capital punishment for mentally disabled persons.Wisma Putra said Ismail and Lee would discuss bilateral cooperation between the two nations, including new opportunities for effective recovery from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.“Both prime ministers will also be exchanging views on regional and international issues of mutual concern,” it said.


East coast states to get continuous heavy rain until Dec 21

Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang are expected to receive continuous heavy rain until Wednesday, according to the Meteorological Department of Malaysia (MetMalaysia). MetMalaysia in a statement last night said the danger-level weather warning was being issued for the whole of Kelantan and Terengganu while in Pahang, the areas involved are Jerantut and Kuantan.
According to the statement, severe-level continuous heavy rain is expected to occur in Perlis as well as Langkawi, Kubang Pasu, Kota Setar, Pokok Sena, Padang Terap, Yan, Pendang, Sik and Baling in Kedah, throughout the same period.
The danger-level weather warning has also been issued for Hulu Perak in Perak as well as Cameron Highlands, Lipis, Maran, Pekan and Rompin in Pahang.
MetMalaysia also said that alert-level rainy weather will continue in Kuala Muda, Kulim and Bandar Baharu in Kedah and throughout Penang until Dec 21.
An alert-level warning has also been given for Perak (Kerian, Larut, Matang and Selama and Kuala Kangsar); Pahang (Raub, Bentong, Temerloh and Bera); and Johor (Segamat, Kluang, Mersing, Kulai, Kota Tinggi and Johor Bahru).


Nearly 62% of adults, 45% of population fully vaccinated

A total of 14,487,972 individuals or 61.9% of the adult population in Malaysia had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as of Aug 28, according to the Special Committee on Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply.A total of 19,241,946 individuals or 82.2% had received their first dose, bringing the cumulative figure for vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 33,724,744 as of yesterday.Meanwhile 58.9% of the country’s overall population have received a first jab while 44.4% have completed both doses.In terms of daily vaccination rate, 336,642 doses were administered yesterday, 190,010 to second-dose recipients and 146,632 as first-dose jabs.


Court to hear Ku Nan’s appeal in RM2 million bribery case tomorrow

The Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear tomorrow the appeal of former federal territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor against his conviction and sentence for accepting a bribe of RM2 million from a businessman.The court has also fixed April 23 and 26 to hear the appeal.Tengku Adnan, 70, better known as Ku Nan, filed the appeal on Dec 21 last year after the Kuala Lumpur High Court on the same day sentenced the Putrajaya MP to 12 months’ jail and fined him RM2 million after finding him guilty of the charge.However, the court allowed Tengku Adnan’s application for a stay of execution of the jail sentence and fine pending his appeal.Tengku Adnan was charged in his capacity as a public servant with receiving for himself a total of RM2 million from businessman Chai Kin Kong, who is Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd (AKSB) director, through a Hong Leong Islamic Bank cheque belonging to the company which was deposited into a CIMB account owned by Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd (THSB), in which Tengku Adnan has an interest and is known to AKSB as being related to his official duties.He was accused of committing the offence at the Pusat Bandar Damansara branch of CIMB Bank Bhd on June 14, 2016.The charge was framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code which provides for imprisonment of up to two years, a fine or both upon conviction.


From playing the guitar in church to playing the sape to the world

Professional sape player Anderson Kalang recalls the day more than 20 years ago when his young cousin came to stay with his family during the school break.
At that point, Anderson, a guitarist, was a regular member of his church music team. His cousin, who loved to watch him perform, asked Anderson to teach him how to play the guitar as well.
"Sure, but you must have your own guitar," Anderson told him.
"Can't I use yours?" his cousin asked.
"No. My guitar is my guitar, your guitar is your guitar," Anderson said.
Anderson's cousin, Hezekiah Asim, proved to be an able student and quickly mastered what he was taught. After a while, though, Anderson realised that it had been a while since Hezekiah last sat down to practise.
"What's up?" he asked. "Why aren't you playing your guitar anymore?"
"It's okay," Hezekiah replied. "I think I prefer to play the sape now. I find it more interesting."
Two decades later, Anderson was still regularly playing the guitar at church and giving performances on the side.
But he had also long been interested in cultural arts, including the ulu dance – a traditional dance for certain ethnic groups in the Sarawak interior.
"When we dance, we dance to the music of the sape," Anderson explained.
Intrigued, it became his turn to go to his cousin and ask for music lessons.
That was seven years ago. Today, Anderson is a professional player, known within the sape community.
"Meanwhile, my guitar has been sitting here gathering dust," he joked in a recent interview with MalaysiaNow.
First steps
The sape is a traditional lute played by the Kenyah and Kayan communities in Sarawak. Carved from a single piece of wood, some of them can reach over a metre in length.
Anderson, who was born and raised in Miri, had been playing the sape for six months when he was asked to perform for the first time alongside his cousin at the Borneo Christian Music Festival.
For Anderson, this was the start of his journey to explore his potential in mastering this new instrument.
After the performance, he returned to his home in Kuala Lumpur where he began meeting with other sape players throughout the Klang Valley.
"We started to develop a community, and we built up a network with one another," he said.
This was what set the sape community in Kuala Lumpur apart from the rest, he said.
"The Malaysian sape community as a whole was very quiet," he said. "Everyone did their own thing and worked alone, trying to showcase their individuality.
"But we in Kuala Lumpur wanted to work together, and to make the sape more than just an instrument – we wanted to make it an art, to raise awareness about our culture in Borneo."
Since taking up the sape, Anderson has participated in various performances at the national and even international level, including auditioning in 2016 for the "Asia's Got Talent" programme alongside his friend, Saufi Aiman, who died last year.
He was also one of the musicians for the "Keluarga Malaysia" theme song during the administration of former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
In March, he became one of 257 musicians who set a new record in the Malaysia Book of Records for the largest gathering of sape players, in conjunction with the closing of the Citrawarna Keluarga Malaysia 2022 programme.
In his studio at home, he edits sape music, incorporating it into other genres like jazz, rock and electronic dance music.
He owns six sapes in total, four of which have strong sentimental value including his "workhorse" sape which he uses in performances and competitions.  There is also his first sape ever, custom-made for him by renowned sape maker Mat Linggi.
When asked for the backstory of this sape, Anderson threw back his head and laughed.
"I asked Hezekiah to teach me how to play the sape. He said, 'Sure, but you must have your own sape.'
"And I thought to myself – 'I've heard this phrase before.'"


Indonesia releases on parole Bali bomb maker Umar Patek

Indonesia has released on parole Umar Patek, a bomb maker in deadly 2002 Bali attacks, the ministry of law and human rights said on Wednesday.
Patek, a member of the Al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah, was jailed for 20 years in 2012 after he was found guilty of mixing bombs that ripped through two Bali nightclubs, killing 202 people, including 88 Australians.
After his release on Wednesday, Patek is required to join a "mentoring programme" until April 2030, according to the ministry statement. If any violation is discovered during that time, his parole will be revoked, the ministry added.
In August, Indonesia's government said that Patek was eligible for parole after his sentence was reduced, a decision that sparked criticism from the victims' families.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also criticised the announcement at the time, saying he planned to raise the issue with Indonesia.
Patek, who was also convicted for his role in deadly church bombings in 2000, was granted a series of small reductions to his sentence as part of remissions regularly given to inmates to mark Indonesia's Aug 17 independence day.


OECD sees lower world growth due to Ukraine war’s ‘hefty price’

The OECD warned Wednesday that the world economy will pay a “hefty price” for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as it slashed its 2022 growth forecast and projected higher inflation.The Paris-based organisation, which represents 38 mostly developed countries, is the latest institution to predict lower GDP growth due to the conflict, which has sent food and energy prices soaring.In its latest economic outlook, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said global gross domestic product would grow by three percent in 2022 – down sharply from the 4.5% estimated in December.The OECD also doubled its forecast for inflation among its members – which range from the United States to Australia, Japan, and Latin American and European nations – to 8.5%, its highest level since 1988.“The world is set to pay a hefty price for Russia’s war against Ukraine,” wrote the OECD’s chief economist and deputy secretary-general, Laurence Boone, adding that a “humanitarian crisis is unfolding before our eyes”.“The extent to which growth will be lower and inflation higher will depend on how the war evolves, but it is clear the poorest will be hit hardest,” Boone said.“The price of this war is high and will need to be shared.”Before the war broke out, the outlook had appeared “broadly favourable” for 2022-23, with growth and inflation expected to return to normal after the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, said the OECD.However, “the invasion of Ukraine, along with shutdowns in major cities and ports in China due to the zero-Covid policy, has generated a new set of adverse shocks,” it said.Food shortage riskThe OECD was supposed to publish its outlook in March, but it delayed its detailed assessment until now due to uncertainty over the war. At the time, it said the conflict could cut global GDP growth by “over 1% point”.The World Bank revised its own figures on Tuesday, lowering its global growth forecast from 4.1% to 2.9%. The IMF cut its forecast by nearly one point to 3.6% in April.The OECD cut its growth forecast for the US from 3.7% to 2.5% and that of China, the world’s second biggest economy, from 5.1% to 4.4%. The eurozone’s GPD is now seen growing by 2.6% instead of 4.3% while Britain’s outlook was lowered to 3.6% from 4.7%.The OECD noted that commodity prices had risen, hitting real income and spending, “particularly for the most vulnerable households”.“In many emerging-market economies the risks of food shortages are high given the reliance on agricultural exports from Russia and Ukraine,” it said.The report warned that the “effects of the war in Ukraine may be even greater than assumed”, raising as an example a scenario of Russia cutting gas supplies to Europe.As central banks tighten their monetary policies to counter inflation, the report said sharp increases of interest rates could also hit growth more than anticipated.Covid riskThe Covid pandemic, meanwhile, could take another turn for the worse.“New more aggressive or contagious variants may emerge, while the application of zero-Covid policies in large economies like China has the potential to sap global demand and disrupt supply for some time to come,” the OECD said.Faced with these challenges, governments needed to protect the most vulnerable from the economic shockwaves, it added.In the short term, “temporary, timely and well-targeted” fiscal measures would help the poorest households, the OECD said.Over the medium- and long-term, governments would have to invest more in clean energy and defence spending.“The world is already paying the price for Russia’s aggression,” wrote Boone.“The choices made by policymakers and citizens will be crucial to determining how that price will be distributed across people and countries.”


Mas Ermieyati remains Masjid Tanah MP as court dismisses election petition

The Melaka High Court today dismissed the preliminary objection of the election petition filed by Barisan Nasional candidate Abdul Hakim Abdul Wahid to nullify the results of the Masjid Tanah parliamentary seat, which was won by Mas Ermieyati Samsudin at the 15th general election (GE15).
Judge Anselm Charles Fernandis delivered the decision after finding that two of the four grounds of initial objection submitted had the merit to be dismissed, according to Section 36 (1) of the Election Offences Act 1954.
He said two basic points of the objection were filed out of time as prescribed under the law and that the content of the petition, related to the appointment of an election agent by the candidate who contested, was not clear.
"The court declares that Mas Ermieyati’s election as Masjid Tanah MP in GE15 is valid, and orders the petitioner to pay costs of RM20,000," he said.
Lawyer Rosfinah Rahmat, representing Hakim, said they would file an appeal to the Federal Court within 14 days. Hakim filed the petition on Jan 3, alleging that bribery in the form of money and banquets was used to woo voters at GE15.
In the initial objection application for the petition to be rejected by the court, Mas Ermieyati, as a respondent, claimed among others that the petition was filed out of time as prescribed under Section 38 of the Election Offences Act 1954.
Hakim, as the petitioner, was also alleged to have erred because he did not name the returning officer and the Election Commission officer in the petition.
Mas Ermieyati (PN-Bersatu) won the seat with a majority of 4,411 votes in a four-cornered clash against Hakim, Mutalib Uthman (Muda) and Handrawirawan Abu Bakar (GTA-Pejuang).


No audience until Melaka governor ends quarantine, says aide

Representatives from political parties will not be able to have an audience with Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Mohd Ali Rustam until this Thursday, the governor’s special secretary Nur Azmi Ahmad says.He said this was because Ali had been in self-quarantine since Sept 30 after coming into close contact with Covid-19 positive individuals, and the quarantine period would end by then.“The date for an audience will depend on him when he comes into office.“If he comes in on Friday, he will probably decide to have a meeting that day. It all depends on him,” Nur Azmi told Bernama when contacted today.Nur Azmi also confirmed that he had received a letter from Melaka Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Adly Zahari yesterday, seeking an audience with Ali to discuss the political crisis in the state.Yesterday, former Melaka chief minister Idris Haron (BN-Sungai Udang), Nor Azman Hassan (BN-Pantai Kundor), Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Independent-Pengkalan Batu) and Noor Effandi Ahmad (Bersatu-Telok Mas) declared that they were withdrawing their support for Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali, saying they had lost confidence in his leadership.With this development, the state government has technically collapsed.The Barisan Nasional-led Melaka government is represented by 17 assemblymen, comprising 14 from Umno, two from Bersatu and one BN-friendly independent, while the opposition has 11 seats: seven from DAP, and two each from PKR and Amanah, respectively.


Foreigners struggle to get vaccinated in Kuwait, as reluctant citizens hesitate

Compared to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, among the world’s fastest vaccinators per capita, Kuwait’s drive has lagged, reports The Associated Press.Medical authorities say Kuwaiti citizens remain reluctant to have the jab because of vaccine conspiracy theories shared widely on social media.Infections are now soaring, prompting the government to impose a strict nightly curfew last month.However, locals are still not coming forward while foreign workers are keen to get vaccinated but cannot.With pressure mounting on the health ministry, barriers eased in recent weeks, with a growing number of foreign residents 65 years of age and older reporting they are now able to get vaccinated.Still, most expats insist the inequality in vaccine access remains obvious.“We are waiting and waiting for the call,” said a 55-year-old house cleaner from Sri Lanka. “The moment I get the call, I will go. I need the vaccine to be safe.”Even as the bulk of frontline workers in grocery stores and cafes remain unvaccinated, Kuwait is making plans to reopen society for the inoculated.The government has announced that those who can prove they have had the jab will be able to attend schools in the autumn, go to cinemas in the spring and avoid quarantine after flying into the country.When the pandemic first struck, many Kuwaitis blamed foreign workers for the spread of the virus and as it rampaged through the crowded districts and dormitories where many foreigners live, authorities imposed targeted lockdowns and published virus counts with a breakdown of nationalities.When infections among Kuwaitis rose, the government stopped releasing demographic data.“It’s easy for migrants to be seen as the root of all problems in Kuwait,” said Rohan Advani, a researcher of sociology at the University of California. “Citizens don’t have political or economic power, so when they don’t like what’s happening in their country, blaming foreigners becomes the main outlet.”Despite having an outspoken parliament, final power in Kuwait rests with the ruling emir. Kuwaiti citizens, who are guaranteed spots on the public payroll and reap the benefits of a cradle-to-grave welfare state, have increasingly called for stricter limits to the flow of migrants.Earlier this year, the government banned the renewal of visas for expats over 60 without college degrees, effectively expelling an estimated 70,000 people, including many who had lived in Kuwait for decades.“This discrimination is not new for us. The pandemic has just highlighted the worst of it,” said a 30-year-old Lebanese woman who grew up in Kuwait and whose older relatives are still waiting for vaccines.“But now it’s life and death,” she said. “I never really thought it would reach this point.”


Dine-in allowed subject to table size, SOPs

Customers will be allowed to dine in at restaurants beginning tomorrow, subject to table size and physical distancing of one metre.Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this will apply to all states regardless of whether they are under movement control order (MCO), conditional MCO or recovery MCO.The two-person limit for cars will also be lifted in all zones, with number of passengers dependent on vehicle capacity.“Taking into consideration the requests from various quarters, we (the government) decided to relax the rules.“However, I would like to remind the public to practise self-control… it is also not advisable for children and senior citizens to be taken outside,” he said at a press conference on the MCO situation today.Marriage solemnisation ceremonies will be allowed at mosques in MCO zones with a limit of 10 guests excluding the marriage official and witnesses.Tourism-related establishments such as zoos, theme parks and recreational parks in CMCO and RMCO zones will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity.Seminars, workshops, courses, conferences and talks will be allowed at 50% of the premise capacity, but not in MCO zones.Officia and non-official government functions and social events will also be allowed in areas under RMCO. For areas under CMCO, such events are allowed but limited to 50% of premise capacity.


Cybersecurity giant Cloudflare says all OK on its end, as Fahmi stays tight-lipped over news portal's block

Global cybersecurity firm Cloudflare has ruled out any problems on its end during the 48-hour denial of access suffered by the MalaysiaNow website last week, fuelling suspicion of an illegal attempt at blocking the news portal.
A Cloudflare technician, responding to a query by MalaysiaNow, said they were "unable to replicate" the issue, adding that internal logs did not show "any specific error codes".
The finding is likely to add fuel to the suspicion that authorities had a hand in the episode, which saw MalaysiaNow's website blocked for the users of several major local internet service providers (ISPs) at the same time.
"The blocking was confirmed as a block page was served, providing evidence through network measurement data by the Open Observatory of Network Interference and Cloudflare," said an internet expert, adding that the nature of the block indicated a deliberate act to make MalaysiaNow "unavailable on several networks at the same time".
The block was lifted on June 29 following condemnation from opposition politicians, journalist groups and activists, who urged Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil to come clean on the matter.
Fahmi, whose ministry is in charge of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), has yet to provide an explanation other than to say that he never instructed the block of "any news portal".
As of 3pm today, MalaysiaNow's repeated attempts to reach Fahmi had failed, with no response on WhatsApp. One of his aides instead said that the matter should be referred to MCMC.
MalaysiaNow has contacted the regulator which has promised a response.
MCMC is empowered to instruct ISPs to block "undesirable" websites. In the past, such blocks were extended to news portals and websites critical of the government.
Last week's episode was the first time in many years that a news portal with official media accreditation had been blocked, after MCMC restricted access to news portal The Malaysian Insider in 2016, believed to be over its coverage of the 1MDB scandal.
But while The Malaysian Insider was served with a notice by MCMC, no such warning was given to MalaysiaNow or Malaysia Today, a political website run by UK-based Malaysian blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin.
Raja Petra said his visitors had dropped by 70% following restrictions on the users of several ISPs, including Maxis.
The blocks came amid a series of threats by Fahmi against social media platforms as well as members of the public, warning them of action over their online content.
Fahmi was recently criticised after making a similar threat to viewers who had tuned in to a Tik Tok Live section, telling his critics to "behave yourselves" or prepare for a police car outside their homes.


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Over 2.75 million teens fully vaccinated

A total of 2,756,810 individuals or 87.6% of teenagers had completed their Covid-19 vaccination as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow portal, a total of 2,848,312 individuals or 90.5% have received at least one dose of vaccine.In terms of the adult population, a total of 22,860,910 individuals or 97.7% have completed their vaccination while 23,152,917 individuals or 98.9% have received at least one dose of vaccine.A total of 94,040 vaccine doses were dispensed yesterday, 1,264 as first doses, 1,340 as second shots and 91,436 as booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 57,841,435 including 6,422,084 booster shots.Meanwhile, the health ministry’s GitHub portal reported 19 deaths yesterday, five of them in Selangor, followed by Terengganu (four), Johor (three), Sabah (two) and one each in Kuala Lumpur, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan.


UK economy falters on cost-of-living crisis

UK private-sector growth has slowed to a three-month low as soaring interest rates and stubbornly high inflation fuelled by rising food prices worsens a cost-of-living crisis, data showed Friday.
It comes as the UK government announced help for homeowners after seeing mortgage costs surge in the wake of rising interest rates.
Figures on Friday highlighted Britain's economic struggles, heaping more pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The closely-followed S&P Global/CIPS flash UK purchasing managers' index declined to 52.8 in June from 54 in May. A reading above 50 indicates growth.
"June's flash PMI survey indicates that the UK economy has lost momentum again after a brief growth spurt in the spring and looks set to weaken further in the months ahead," Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said in a statement.
"Most notably, consumer spending on services, which was a core growth driver in the spring, is now showing signs of faltering."
Williamson said this was "as the reality of higher interest rates, the increased cost-of-living and gloom about the outlook sets in and overrides the brief boost to spending".
Official data this week showed UK annual inflation at 8.7% in May, unchanged from April, causing the Bank of England (BoE) on Thursday to hike its key interest rate by a larger-than-expected amount.
The half-point lift to a 15-year peak of 5% was the 13th increase in a row.
Economists are predicting rates could hit 6% this year, which could see the UK follow the eurozone into recession.
Retail slowdown
Separate data Friday showed UK retail sales growth slowed in May as soaring food prices hit shoppers hard.
Total retail sales by volume rose 0.3% after climbing 0.5% in April, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement.
Food stores sales dropped 0.5% in May, with retailers indicating "that increased cost-of-living and food prices continued to affect sales volumes", the ONS added.
Shops were impacted also by "some anecdotal evidence of increased spending on takeaways and fast food" owing to an extra public holiday last month for the coronation of King Charles III.
Overall sales climbed thanks to cheaper fuel and demand for summer clothing and outdoor goods, the ONS noted.
Annual food price inflation was close to a record-high of 18.4% in May, official UK data showed this week.
Mortgage help
The UK housing market was also in sharp focus.
Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt on Friday agreed support measures with major UK mortgage lenders for struggling customers, including those in arrears.
This included a 12-month minimum period before repossessing homes.
Millions of Britons who have home loans are particularly affected by the BoE rate hikes, which tend to be mirrored by commercial lenders.
On food, Sunak Thursday acknowledged that households' weekly shopping bills had "gone up far too much in the past few months".
"We're looking at the supermarkets, making sure that they're behaving responsibly and fairly when it comes to pricing all those products, to make sure that we're easing the burdens," he added.


Daily cases surge past 20,000 as total deaths top 10,000

Another 20,596 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 1,203,706.Selangor recorded 8,549 cases, Kuala Lumpur 2,163, Kedah 1,446, Johor 1,300, Sabah 1,062 and Penang 1,022.Negeri Sembilan recorded 989 cases, Perak 916, Kelantan 772, Sarawak 759, Melaka 622, Terengganu 501 and Pahang 426.Putrajaya recorded 50 cases, Labuan 15 and Perlis four.Active cases stand at 217,061 with 1,078 in the ICU and 549 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 13,893 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 976,626.However, 164 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 10,019.


Hong Kong, Singapore to revive travel bubble

Hong Kong and Singapore on Monday announced plans to resurrect their scrapped coronavirus travel bubble with dedicated flights between the two cities starting on May 26.The two business hubs had to abandon a highly anticipated quarantine-free travel corridor late last year after Hong Kong was hit with a fourth wave of infections.From May 26, one flight per day carrying up to 200 passengers will shuttle between the two cities. Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines will share the route with two daily flights planned from June 10 onwards.Hong Kongers heading to Singapore will have to have received two doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Sinovac vaccines – an attempt to encourage inoculation in a city where take-up so far has remained a tepid 11% despite ample supplies.Travellers from Singapore – where the vaccination rate is around 20% – will not be required to have been inoculated but must test negative before departure and on arrival.Both Hong Kong and Singapore maintain strict quarantine rules for all arrivals, a measure that has kept infections comparatively low. But the restrictions have battered tourism and the wider economy.While countries are desperate to restart global travel, quarantine-free bubbles have had limited successes.Taiwan and Palau set up a dedicated travel bubble last month followed by Australia and New Zealand.On Friday, New Zealand paused arrivals from Western Australia after an outbreak there.The European Union is keen to allow American tourists who are vaccinated to be able to visit without restriction come the summer.But with global infections still rising and only a tiny minority of the world’s population vaccinated, widespread travel corridors remain a distant hope.Hong Kong and Singapore’s bubble is dependent on both sides remaining relatively coronavirus-free in the coming months.Both sides have agreed that the bubble will be suspended for two weeks if the daily average of untraceable infections in one week reaches more than five in either city.


EV charging station congestion: Time for Putrajaya to embrace hydrogen

Putrajaya is the city that serves as the administrative capital of Malaysia. Putrajaya is a city that is well known for its contemporary infrastructure as well as its efforts to promote sustainable development.
It is time for Putrajaya to examine hydrogen fuel cells as an alternate mode of transportation, given the issues posed by traffic congestion generated by electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the nation.
The issue of traffic congestion brought on by EV charging stations is one of the primary reasons for this situation throughout the recent Chinese New Year vacation. This was because a large number of drivers were required to wait in lengthy queues in order to charge their vehicles.
This illustrates the limitations of electric transportation, as it can add to traffic congestion and is dependent on a limited number of charging stations.
In addition, the national power company, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, faces a formidable challenge in modernising its infrastructure to accommodate the growing number of EVs, particularly in terms of ensuring that sufficient current is available for charging stations in high-rise buildings, highly populated areas, and crowded shopping malls.
The technology known as hydrogen fuel cells provides a solution to these problems. Buses and cars that employ hydrogen fuel cells can get their power from hydrogen fuel, which can be manufactured and stored locally, doing away with the requirement for charging stations.
In addition, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have a far longer range than battery EVs, which means they can operate for longer stretches of time without needing to be refuelled. This advantage gives them a competitive advantage over battery EVs.
Traditional automobiles run on gasoline or diesel, while hydrogen fuel cell vehicles produce only water vapour as a byproduct of their operation. This makes hydrogen fuel cell vehicles a significantly cleaner and more ecologically friendly alternative to these other types of vehicles.
This is of utmost significance for Putrajaya, as the city has made a commitment to lessening its impact on the environment and fostering sustainable growth.
Additionally, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are more efficient than conventional vehicles and have the potential to dramatically lower the amount of fuel used as well as the expenses associated with their operation.
This will help Putrajaya reduce its carbon footprint, contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and also supporting the country's endeavour to achieve the targets established by the Paris Agreement.
Instead of depending solely on EVs, the government of Sarawak has already shown support for hydrogen transportation as an additional option to consider.
It is now time for the federal government to follow in the footsteps of the state governments and permit the importation of hydrogen-powered vehicles into the Malaysian market. This will not only make more options available to consumers, but it will also provide new job opportunities and encourage the expansion of the hydrogen industry throughout the country.
In conclusion, making the switch to vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells would be an astute step for the Putrajaya government to make.
The recent Chinese New Year holiday highlighted the limitations of electric transportation, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles offer several advantages over traditional vehicles, including the ability to be powered on-site, a longer range, and zero emissions.
The recent traffic congestion caused by EV charging stations during the holiday highlights the limitations of electric transportation.
In addition, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have a higher efficiency, which results in a decreased need for fuel and lower overall operating expenses.
By implementing this change, Putrajaya will be able to continue to be a pioneer in environmentally friendly transportation while simultaneously lowering the influence that it has on the surrounding environment.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


UK must do more to recoup billions of pounds of Covid fraud, lawmakers say

Britain’s government is failing to put enough effort into finding fraud in some of its Covid-19 support programmes as taxpayers face losing at least 4 billion pounds (US$5.43 billion) to criminals and mistakes, a parliamentary report said.The Public Accounts Committee, which scrutinises state spending, said the lenient approach will encourage future criminal activity because the government risks “rewarding the unscrupulous” and officials seen to be “soft on fraud”.After coronavirus shut much of the British economy in early 2020, the government provided hundreds of billions of pounds to businesses, hoping to keep them and their staff afloat. At the time, the government described the support as one of the most significant economic interventions in British history.The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, widely known as furlough, cost 70 billion pounds – the most expensive single piece of UK economic support during the pandemic. At its peak, the programme paid a third of British workers’ wages.The government also spent 28.1 billion pounds on a parallel scheme for the self-employed and 840 million pounds offering discounted meals at restaurants, cafes, and pubs.But the government has since found that some employers claimed money for workers who did not exist, and others took cash while their staff continued to work.The committee criticised the government’s “unambitious” plans to only recover about 2 billion pounds of the estimated 6 billion pounds lost to criminals or given out incorrectly.“Every taxpayers’ pound lost to a fraudster will lead to honest ordinary people feeling the post-pandemic pinch harder and harder,” said Meg Hillier, chair of the committee. “With the current parlous state of the public finances we can ill-afford to be so cavalier over so much taxpayers’ money.”A government spokesperson rejected many of committee’s statements and said the support was created quickly to support people in desperate need. He said no fraudulent payments have been written off and the government was taking action to recover over-payments.“The vast majority of payments in the schemes were made correctly to employers, and most error and fraud was legitimate claimants making mistakes or inflating their claims, often small per case,” the spokesperson said.“The cost of inaction would have been far greater than the cost of fraud and error in the support schemes.”But Theodore Agnew, a junior minister who was responsible for government efforts to counter fraud, resigned in protest last month. He said the oversight of a separate business loan programme was “nothing less than woeful” and accused the government of making “schoolboy errors”.Britain’s public spending chief last month urged those who swindled billions of dollars of Covid support money from the state to give the cash back.“We will now pursue anybody who has taken this money fraudulently,” Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke said. “And I would urge anyone who’s taken that money and didn’t really need it to make contact.”


121 landslides nationwide during northeast monsoon 2021/2022

A total of 121 landslide incidents were reported nationwide during the northeast monsoon 2021/2022 based on the latest report by the Department of Mineral and Geosciences (JMG),The National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) said JMG, in collaboration with the Public Works Department (PWD) and Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM), has and is taking appropriate action on the matter.“JMG and PWD have been asked to coordinate landslide reporting so that it is more comprehensive and also involves slope areas under the supervision of local authorities,” Nadma said in a statement.In the meantime, the agency said the Selangor state disaster management committee (JPBN) and the housing and local government ministry had been instructed to identify the best solution to accommodate residents who need to vacate their houses due to landslides where the building structure is unsafe to live in.On the yellow alert of continuous rain issued by the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) on Tuesday, it said JPBN and district state disaster management committees have been ordered to increase their preparedness level to ensure smooth disaster management operations.It said police as the commanders of on-scene command posts (PKTK) must coordinate preparations for the floods that are expected to occur with all responding agencies involved.Following the flash floods reported in Sipitang, Sabah, all responding agencies in the state have instructed to be prepared to act and to set up PKTK.Residents, especially in flood-prone areas, are urged to be alert to instructions from the authorities, and to obtain current information and warnings from publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my or on Facebook (PubliclnfoBanjir) or Twitter (@JPS InfoBanjir).


Daily caseload tops 4,000 as 3 more deaths reported

Another 4,020 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,586,322.
There were 1,718 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,516,688.
There are now 33,839 active cases, of which 32,617 or 96.4% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 21 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,156 (3.4%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 45 are in ICU with 23 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 60.5%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 10.9%.
Another three deaths were reported, including two who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,795.


Don't 'torture' opposition states, Arau MP tells Anwar

Arau MP Shahidan Kassim today urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim not to be calculative in helping states ruled by the opposition.
Speaking during the debate on the Supply Bill 2023, Shahidan said that states like Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis were being "tortured".
"Now that he is the prime minister, is he the prime minister for Pakatan Harapan (PH)?" he said.
"He is the prime minister of Malaysia, the ministers and people of Malaysia. We are paid in order to help the people."
Shahidan said if the government wished to be fair, the allocations for development for these four states should be equal to those given to Sabah and Sarawak.
He meanwhile welcomed Anwar's announcement of RM700 in allowance to be given to government officials but said this should be increased to RM1,000.
"If we were in charge, we would give RM2,000," he quipped before suggesting that the allowance for Kafa teachers likewise be raised from RM1,000 to RM1,500.
His proposal was questioned by Gombak MP Amirudin Shari, who asked why Shahidan, during his time in the government, had not done any of this himself.
Shahidan replied that the Madai government should change its mentality and not practise the politics of revenge.
"This is Madani," he said. "There must be a new way of thinking.
"A year ago, we gave allocations to everyone including DAP. This year, we have not received even a single sen.
"The allowance that we get, we give to the people. Why are we being tortured?" he said.


PM warned on misleading Parliament over royal pardon for sodomy conviction

Bersatu's Padang Serai MP Azman Nasrudin today urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to clarify his recent statement in the Dewan Rakyat that he had never asked for a royal pardon, adding that misleading Parliament is a "serious matter".
"A statement solemnly made by the prime minister to the Dewan Rakyat is a very serious matter involving public and national interest," he said.
Noting that Anwar had asked for his statement to be put on record in the Hansard, he said it had been "deliberate and calculated".
"It should be noted that misleading Parliament is a serious matter and is deemed a contempt of the Dewan under Standing Order 36(12)," he said.
"Anwar must immediately explain the contradiction between his claim of never seeking a royal pardon in the Dewan yesterday and the fact stated under royal seal that Anwar had sought pardon on two separate occasions."
Azman was referring to a document said to be Anwar's order for immediate pardon and release, signed by then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, showing that the PKR president had applied for a pardon twice, in 2015 and 2017.
"Yet, Anwar categorically stated to Parliament that he never sought a royal pardon, which is clearly opposite to what the King’s order of Pardon states," Azman said.
"Silence is not an option for the prime minister, as the matter involves an official pardons document under royal seal as well as a statement solemnly  made in the Dewan Rakyat."
Anwar said yesterday that he had never applied for a pardon, and that he had received one on the initiative of Sultan Muhammad V.
He said Sultan Muhammad, who had actively followed the developments of his case, called him to tell him personally that he would grant him a full pardon.
"I did not ask for a pardon because I was punished, let this be clear on the record," he said.
"It was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the time who took the initiative."
The document was later shared by lawyer Rafique Rashid, who said it showed that Anwar had applied for a pardon before, and that his request had been rejected.


Yearly Covid booster jabs likely needed in future, says UK

A Covid-19 booster jab in the autumn and then annual vaccinations are very probable, Nadhim Zahawi, Britain’s vaccine deployment minister, said on Sunday.The UK has already given over 12 million Britons their first doses and is on track to meet the target of vaccinating everyone in the most vulnerable groups by mid-February.“We see an annual or a booster in the autumn and then an annual shot, in the way we do with flu vaccinations where you look at what variant of virus is spreading around the world,” Zahawi told the BBC.The coronavirus variants currently most concerning for scientists and public health experts are the British, South African and Brazilian types, which appear to spread more swiftly than others, reports Reuters.AstraZeneca said on Saturday that its vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, appears to offer only limited protection against a mild disease caused by the South African variant of Covid-19, based on early trial data. This would indicate that a booster shot specifically aimed at that variant could be designed as a booster shot.The success of the UK’s vaccine rollout, however, is prompting much debate about how soon the government can ease broader lockdown restrictions, as plans to reopen schools in England in March take shape.As some nations consider requiring a vaccine passport to enable the easing of travel restrictions, the minister insisted the British government was not considering such documents to allow those who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel internationally.‘Vaccines are not mandated in the UK, that’s not how we do things: we do them by consent,” he said. “We don’t yet know what the impact of vaccines on transmission is, and it would be discriminatory.”He told the BBC that inoculated people could seek proof from their doctor if needed.


No festive processions for Thaipusam, CNY, minister says amid Omicron concerns

Festive processions including the kavadi procession for Thaipusam and Chingay for Chinese New Year next year will be prohibited in light of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19, National Unity Minister Halimah Mohamed Sadique said today.“In the application for Thaipusam, the procession is not allowed as we are facing the new (Covid-19) variant.“Secondly on Chingay, as I have already mentioned, the procession is not allowed for Thaipusam, so whatever forms of procession will also not be allowed and the decision depends on three committees,” she said during the minister’s question time at the Dewan Rakyat.Halimah was replying to a supplementary question by Steven Choong Shiau Yoon (independent-Tebrau) who wanted to know whether the SOPs for the coming Chinese New Year would allow the Chingay procession.When replying to the original question by Sivakumar Varatharaju Naidu (PH-Batu Gajah) who wanted to know the SOPs formulated for the Thaipusam celebration on Jan 18, 2022, Halimah said the proposed SOPs for the festivals including Christmas this year would be tabled to three committees for approval in the middle of December.She said they will be presented to the Pandemic Management Technical Working Group on Dec 13, and later brought to the Quartet Ministers Meeting on Dec 14 before being taken to the Special Committee on Pandemic Management meeting chaired by the prime minister scheduled on Dec 15.“After receiving the decision of the meetings, a circular on the approved SOPs will be sent to religious leaders and a media statement will be prepared,” she said.Halimah said for the provision of the Thaipusam SOPs, her ministry had held an engagement session with 10 Hindu religious leaders and representatives of the National Security Council as well as the health ministry on Dec 2.She said the engagement session was aimed at obtaining detailed information on activities and religious ceremonies suitable for the festival and that through the engagement session, seven matters or religious activities were identified including the operation of stalls subject to the approval of the local authorities.She said the ministry would hold engagement sessions with the relevant parties for the SOPs of each festival celebrated in the country two months in advance.“All SOP proposals after the engagement session will be brought to each of the committee meetings stated earlier. As such, there is no problem with providing SOPs for whatever festivals for the Malaysian Family,” she said.


Total vaccine jabs given tops 8 million

A total of 8,083,685 doses of vaccine had been administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme as of yesterday.Of these, 5,774,667 were first doses and 2,309,018 were second doses, bringing the percentage of population who are fully vaccinated to 7.1%.The five states with the highest number of fully vaccinated people are Selangor (303,050), Sarawak (250,011), Johor (244,400), Perak (209,174) and Kuala Lumpur (198,655).Yesterday, 258,773 vaccine jabs were administered comprising 163,756 first doses and 95,017 second doses.


In Christmas message, Iranian leaders praise Jesus Christ

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has paid tribute to Jesus Christ in a Christmas message, continuing a tradition of leaders of the Islamic republic touching on the commonalities of Islam and Christianity during the season.In a message to Pope Francis, Rouhani said humanity should emulate Jesus as a role model.“Jesus Christ was the harbinger of monotheism and a messenger of kindness, altruism, freedom and salvation,” he said.“Reflecting upon the characteristics and virtues of Jesus Christ, and looking up to his demeanor and lifestyle, which was always associated with kindness and tolerance, can help tackle the social and cultural challenges facing humanity today, serve as balm for its sufferings, save man from problems and be a path to human perfection,” he added.Rouhani also said he prayed that “the blessings associated with the birthday of Jesus Christ” would be followed with a better new year in which the “evil Covid-19 virus will be controlled and contained”.“I ask God Almighty to bestow health and success on Your Excellency and I wish all people around the world prosperity and dignity,” he added.Earlier, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif sent a similar Christmas message, describing Jesus as the “Spirit of God” revered by Muslims.“I wish all a very Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy and peaceful holiday season,” he said.Christians make up just about 1% of Iran’s population of 82 million, with around 600 churches nationwide.


MetMalaysia warns of storms, floods until November

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) today said that heavy rain and thunderstorms could be expected from October to November as the country moves through the monsoon transition phase following the end of the southwest monsoon period.
In a statement, it said the transition phase was expected to begin on Oct 3 and continue until the following month.
"During the monsoon transition phase, the country will experience weak winds from all directions, conducive to thunderstorms that usually bring heavy rain and strong winds within a short period of time.
"Such incidents occur mainly in the evening and early night in most areas of states on the west coast, the interior of the peninsula, west Sabah and central Sarawak," it said, adding that these weather conditions could cause flash floods and damage to unsound structures.
MetMalaysia also cautioned the public to remain vigilant during this period, and to keep updated on weather forecasts and warnings.
It said this information would be available on its official website, its myCuaca application, and its social media platforms.
The authorities are on flood alert this year following the massive floods which swept across several states including Selangor last December.
The Department of Statistics said in a special report on the impact of the floods that they had caused an estimated RM6.1 billion in overall losses.
Meanwhile, dozens died while more than 120,000 were displaced from their homes.
Selangor was the worst hit overall, with about half of the country's losses recorded in the state, the report said.


Russian missile barrage forces Ukraine to shut nuclear power plants

Russia unleashed a missile barrage across Ukraine on Wednesday, forcing shutdowns of nuclear power plants and killing at least six civilians as Moscow pursued a campaign to pitch Ukrainian cities into darkness and cold as winter sets in.
All of the Kyiv capital region, where over three million people live, lost electricity and running water, Kyiv's governor said, as were many other regions where emergency blackouts were necessary to help conserve energy and carry out repairs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was expected to brief a special session of the UN Security Council shortly by video link about Russia's assault on civilian infrastructure.
"The murder of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure are acts of terror," Zelensky said in a tweet. "Ukraine will continue to demand a decisive response from the world to these crimes."
Officials across the border in Moldova said electricity was also lost to more than half of their country, the first time a neighbouring state has reported such extensive damage from the war in Ukraine triggered by Russia's invasion nine months ago.
Blackouts forced the shutdown of reactors at Ukraine's Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear power plant in the south and the Rivne and Khmelnitskyi plants in the west, all in government-held territory, the state-run nuclear energy firm Energoatom said.
"Currently, they (power units) work in project mode, without generation into the domestic energy system," Energoatom said.
Ukraine's largest nuclear complex, at Zaporizhzhia near the front lines in the south, is Russian-controlled and was previously switched off because of shelling that both sides blame on each other.
Sirens, explosions, darkness
Air raid sirens blared across Ukraine in a nationwide alert.
Explosions reverberated throughout Kyiv on Wednesday afternoon as Russian missiles bore down and Ukrainian air defence rockets were fired in efforts to intercept them.
Four civilians had been killed and 34 injured, five of them children, in Kyiv, regional governor Oleksiy Kuleba said in a statement posted on Telegram. Ukraine's defence ministry said two people were killed by missile strikes elsewhere.
"Our little one was sleeping. Two years old. She was sleeping, she got covered. She is alive, thanks be to God," said Fyodr, a Kyiv resident walking away from a smouldering apartment building that was hit in Kyiv, dragging a suitcase.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Wednesday evening at least 80% of people in the capital remained without power and water, but Kuleba said repair crews were working hard and "electricity will begin to appear in the coming hours. Don't panic!"
By 6pm, electricity in half of the western city of Lviv had been restored following repairs, its mayor said.
Most thermal and hydro-electric power plants were forced to shut down as well, Ukraine's energy ministry said earlier. As a result, it said, the great majority of electricity consumers in areas of the country under Ukrainian control were cut off.
Earlier, Russian missiles hit a maternity hospital in the Zaporizhzhia region overnight, killing a baby, the regional governor said on the Telegram messaging service.
Blasts were also reported in other cities, where further information about casualties was not immediately available.
Ukraine's top military commander, General Valeriy Zaluzhniy, said air defences had shot down 51 of 67 Russian cruise missiles launched, including 20 of the 30 that targeted Kyiv.
Since October, Russia has acknowledged targeting Ukraine's civilian energy grid far from front lines with long-range missiles and drones as a Ukrainian counter-offensive has wrested back territory from Russian occupiers in the east and south.
Moscow says the aim of its missile strikes is to weaken Kyiv's ability to fight and push it to negotiate; Ukraine says the attacks on infrastructure amount to war crimes, deliberately intended to harm civilians to break the national will.
That will not happen, Zelensky vowed in an earlier video address posted on the Telegram messaging app.
"We'll renew everything and get through all of this because we are an unbreakable people," he said.
Spillover blackout in Moldova
Moldova, like Ukraine a former Soviet republic once dominated by Moscow but now pro-Western, has long worried about the prospect of fighting spreading across its borders.
"Massive blackout in Moldova after today's Russian attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure," Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spinu said on Twitter, adding the grid operator was trying to reconnect "more than 50% of the country to electricity".
With the first snow of Ukraine's generally frigid winter falling, authorities worry about the impact of power cuts affecting millions of people.
Zelensky on Tuesday announced special "invincibility centres" would be set up around Ukraine to provide electricity, heat, water, internet, mobile phone links and a pharmacy, free of charge and around the clock.
In addition, Europe's biggest cities will donate power generators and transformers to help Ukrainians get through the harsh winter ahead.
A series of Russian battlefield setbacks in the east and south included a Russian retreat earlier this month from the key southern city of Kherson to the east bank of the Dnipro River that bisects the country.
Ground battles continue to rage in the east, where Russia is pressing an offensive along a stretch of front line west of the city of Donetsk, which has been held by its proxies since 2014.
For their part, Ukrainian forces killed about 50 Russian soldiers in an attack on an ammunition depot in the eastern Luhansk region, and up to 15 Russians in a separate attack in the Zaporizhzhia region, Kyiv's military said on Wednesday.
No further details were given and Reuters was unable to independently verify the reports.
Moscow says it is carrying out a "special military operation" to protect Russian speakers in what President Vladimir Putin calls an artificial state carved from Russia. Ukraine and the West call the invasion an unprovoked land grab.
Western responses have included billions of dollars worth of financial aid and state-of-the-art military hardware for Kyiv and waves of punitive sanctions on Russia.


Swedish prisoners take guards hostage, demand pizza as ransom

Two Swedish prison guards were held hostage for nine hours on Wednesday by two inmates demanding pizza as ransom, and were released when the food was delivered, a spokesman for the penitentiary told AFP.Neither guard “was hurt and were able to return safely to their family”, prison spokesman Stina Lyles said.The inmates, both doing time for murder at the Hallby high security prison near the town of Eskilstuna, managed to force themselves into an area reserved only for guards at about 12.30pm (1030 GMT), said another prison official, Torkel Omnell.There, they took two guards hostage who were in the area at the time.“We quickly sent in a mediator” and called the police, Omnell said.According to Swedish media reports, the hostage-takers made two demands – a helicopter to escape and 20 pizzas for the other inmates.“Yes, the pizzas were delivered,” jail spokesman Lyles said.The two inmates were taken to the police station for questioning for “kidnapping”, police said.


China expresses 'serious concern' over Ukraine dam destruction

China expressed "serious concern" Wednesday over the destruction of a major Russian-held dam in Ukraine, with Beijing saying it feared the "humanitarian, economic and ecological impacts" of the incident.
"We express serious concern over the damage to the dam at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
Beijing is "deeply concerned about the resulting humanitarian, economic and ecological impacts", he said.
"We call on all parties to the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law and do their best to protect the safety of civilians and civilian facilities," Wang said.
Ukraine is evacuating thousands of people after the dam's destruction on Tuesday unleashed a torrent of water, with Moscow and Kyiv trading blame for the explosion.
Washington has warned there would be "likely many deaths" from the destruction of the dam, which is located on the frontline and provides cooling water for Europe's largest nuclear plant.
While China says it is a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, it has been criticised for refusing to condemn Moscow for its offensive.
Beijing's "position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear", Wang said.
"It is hoped that all parties will be committed to a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis and will jointly promote the alleviation of the situation," he said.
China and Russia's strategic partnership has only grown closer since the invasion of Ukraine, with data Wednesday showing trade between the two has soared to levels not seen since the beginning of Moscow's war in February 2022.


Dewan Rakyat passes anti-sexual harassment bill

The Dewan Rakyat today passed the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill 2021 after years of formulating and holding engagement sessions.
The bill, which has four sections, four chapters and 27 clauses, is intended to address sexual harassment in Malaysia which had lacked dedicated laws on sexual harassment.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun when winding the bill said the legislation was an important manifestation and proved the commitment of the government to eradicating discrimination based on gender.
She said an evaluation committee comprising academics and individuals from the relevant NGOs and agencies would be set up to monitor the effectiveness of the law and to issue reports on it.
Rina also assured that tribunal members would be appointed from among individuals with credibility, experience and expertise in sexual harassment cases including police officers, counsellors, health officers NGOs and academics.
Rina said the tribunal, which would be set up in the Klang Valley, could sit at any time and place according to need, to facilitate the people before the tribunal is established and expanded to all states.
She said the operation of the tribunal would take into consideration the views of all stakeholders and intensify efforts to educate and create awareness among the target groups.
She said the development of policy and issuance of guidelines on prevention and awareness creation on sexual harassment would be carried out.
"This includes encouraging activities or providing notices relating to the prevention or awareness about sexual harassment. The application of notice will not be punitive but more towards providing awareness on sexual harassment, its implications as well as ways to prevent it," she said.


China's Xi handed historic third term as president

Xi Jinping was handed a third term as Chinese president on Friday, capping a rise that has seen him become the country's most powerful leader in generations.
The appointment by China's rubber-stamp parliament comes after Xi locked in another five years as head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in October.
Since then, the 69 year old Xi has weathered widespread protests over his zero-Covid policy and the deaths of countless people after its abandonment.
Those issues have been avoided at this week's National People's Congress (NPC), a carefully choreographed event that is also set to appoint Xi ally Li Qiang as the new premier.
On Friday, delegates handed Xi a third term as China's president and re-elected him as head of the country's Central Military Commission in a unanimous vote.
Xi's re-election is the culmination of a remarkable rise in which he has gone from a relatively little-known party apparatchik to the leader of a rising global power.
His coronation sets him up to become communist China's longest-serving president, and means Xi could rule well into his seventies – if no challenger emerges.
Adrian Geiges, co-author of "Xi Jinping: The Most Powerful Man in the World", told AFP he did not think Xi was motivated by a desire for personal enrichment, despite international media investigations having revealed his family's amassed wealth.
"That's not his interest," Geiges said.
"He really has a vision about China, he wants to see China as the most powerful country in the world."
Tearing up the rulebook
For decades, China – scarred by the dictatorial reign and cult of personality of founding leader Mao Zedong – eschewed one-man rule in favour of a more consensus-based, but still autocratic, leadership.
That model imposed term limits on the largely ceremonial role of the presidency, with Xi's predecessors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao relinquishing power after 10 years in office.
Xi has torn up that rulebook, abolishing term limits in 2018 and allowing a cult of personality to foster his all-powerful leadership.
But the beginning of his unprecedented third term comes as the world's second-largest economy faces major headwinds, from slowing growth and a troubled real estate sector to a declining birth rate.
Relations with the US are also at a low not seen in decades, with the powers sparring over everything from human rights to trade and technology.
"We will see a China more assertive on the global stage, insisting its narrative to be accepted," Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute, told AFP.
"But it is also one that will focus on domestically making it less dependent on the rest of the world, and making the Communist Party the centrepiece of governance, rather than the Chinese government," he said.
"It is not a return to the Maoist era, but one that Maoists will feel comfortable in," Tsang added.
"Not a direction of travel that is good for the rest of the world."