US justice chief authorises probes into claims of vote fraud

US Attorney-General William Barr gave federal prosecutors blanket authorisation Monday to open investigations into voting irregularities, as President Donald Trump repeated unfounded claims that he lost the presidential election due to fraud.Barr, long a close defender of Trump, stressed that his letter to US attorneys around the country was not an indication that the Department of Justice (DoJ) had evidence yet of genuine cases of fraud in the election won by Democratic challenger Joe Biden.But he unleashed the prosecutors from former restrictions on such probes, just as Republicans levelled claims of illegal voting and vote counting in several states, claims that still await solid evidence.“Given that voting in our current elections has now concluded, I authorise you to pursue substantial allegations of voting and vote tabulation irregularities prior to the certification of elections in your jurisdictions in certain cases,” Barr said in the letter.“Such inquiries and reviews may be conducted if there are clear and apparently credible allegations of irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome of a federal election in an individual state.”Voting fraud investigations are normally the purview of individual states, which establish and police their own election rules.DoJ policy has been to hold back any federal involvement until vote tallies are certified, recounts completed and races concluded.But Barr told the attorneys that “practice has never been a hard and fast rule”, and stressed that, if they see anything that could reverse the results of last Tuesday’s election, they should pursue it.“While serious allegations should be handled with great care, specious, speculative, fanciful or far-fetched claims should not be a basis for initiating federal inquiries,” he wrote.US media reported that the head of the DoJ’s Election Crimes Branch, which oversees investigations into voter fraud, resigned following Barr’s order.The branch director, Richard Pilger, reportedly handed in his resignation within hours of Barr’s authorisation.In an email to colleagues about Barr’s order, Pilger said, “Having familiarised myself with the new policy and its ramifications… I must regretfully resign from my role”, The New York Times reported.Barr’s order came as Trump battles to reverse Biden’s narrow wins in several key states – Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia and Arizona – that gave Barack Obama’s former vice president enough electoral votes to win the overall presidential election.The Trump campaign and the Republican party have filed or threatened lawsuits in several of the states, hoping to change the outcome with ballot disqualifications and recounts.But so far, their actions have gone nowhere, and state officials have challenged them to provide proof of allegations.Trump had reportedly pressured Barr to get involved on his behalf even weeks before the election.But the attorney general had disappeared from public view for several weeks, until Monday when he was seen meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.


Indian firm used toxic industrial-grade ingredient in syrup, sources say

The Indian manufacturer of cough syrups that Uzbekistan said last year had poisoned 19 children used a toxic industrial-grade ingredient rather than the legitimate pharmaceutical version, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
The company, Marion Biotech, bought the ingredient — propylene glycol (PG) — from trader Maya Chemtech India, as reported by Reuters. But Maya did not have a licence to sell pharmaceutical-grade materials and "dealt in industrial-grade only," according to a source at the firm with knowledge of the Marion investigation.
"We did not know Marion was going to use it to make cough syrups," said the person, who declined to be identified while the case is investigated. "We are not told where our material is used."
The two sources said the syrup was made with industrial-grade PG, a toxic material widely used in liquid detergents, antifreeze, paints or coatings, and to enhance the effectiveness of pesticides.
"Marion bought commercial-grade propylene glycol," said a second source, an investigator, who declined to be named while the inquiry is ongoing.
"They were supposed to take Indian Pharmacopoeia-grade," the source added, referring to national standards for the composition of pharmaceutical products.
Marion also did not test the ingredient before using it in the syrups it sold to Uzbekistan, the investigator said.
India's drugs and cosmetics rules say manufacturers are responsible to ensure the safety of ingredients they use.
Maya is not facing charges, according to the company source, but the investigation is ongoing. Deepak Sharma, an Assistant Drugs Controller for the national capital territory of Delhi, where Maya is based, declined to comment, saying the case was being investigated by federal drugs authorities.
Marion, which says it deals in pharmaceuticals, herbal and cosmetics products, has previously denied any wrongdoing. Neither the company, nor India's drug regulator or health ministry responded to requests for comment.
An analysis last year by Uzbekistan's health ministry showed the Marion-made cough syrups, Ambronol and DOK-1 Max, contained unacceptable amounts of toxins diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG), used in products that are not for human consumption.
Uzbekistan in January arrested four people in relation to the 19 deaths, including two executives at a company that imported the Marion drugs. Reuters could not establish the status of the case.
Uzbekistan's health ministry did not respond to a question on possible penalties there.
"Spurious and adulterated"
DEG and EG have been used by unscrupulous actors as a substitute for propylene glycol because they are cheaper, according to pharmaceutical manufacturing experts.
The World Health Organization told Reuters earlier this month its working theory is that in 2021, when prices of propylene glycol spiked, one or more suppliers mixed the cheaper toxic liquids with the legitimate chemical.
Asked to comment on the ingredients used by Marion, a WHO spokesperson said, "it is important that product manufacturers only use appropriately qualified suppliers."
Tests in January by an Indian government laboratory found 22 samples of Marion-made syrups were "adulterated and spurious," the country's drug controller said in March.
Authorities in the state of Uttar Pradesh, where Marion is based, cancelled Marion's licence in March. Police arrested three of its employees and issued warrants for the arrest of two directors. The three employees have since been released on bail, said Uttar Pradesh police officer Vijay Kumar.
One of them, operations head Tuhin Bhattacharya, said he had stopped working for Marion, which Reuters could not verify. Reuters could not contact the other two, chemists Mool Singh and Atul Rawat, or their lawyers.
A lawyer for the two Marion directors told the state's Allahabad High Court in April that the drugs had been found "not of standard quality" but not adulterated, adding that the directors had not committed any offence in India as the drugs were meant exclusively for export, according to a court order seen by Reuters.
The court barred police from arresting the directors, Jaya Jain and Sachin Jain, unless they had been convicted. Their lawyer, Rohan Gupta, did not respond; Reuters could not reach the directors.
India's drug regulator ordered the country's drugmakers not to buy PG from Maya in March, Reuters has reported.
Standards
Besides the deaths in Uzbekistan, at least 70 children died in Gambia last year after taking cough syrups made by another company in India that were found to be contaminated with the toxins, and tainted cough syrups made in Indonesia were linked to the deaths of more than 200 children there.
The deaths prompted an international inquiry into the pharmaceutical supply chain.
International standards allow only trace amounts of EG and DEG in pharmaceutical-grade propylene glycol. Limits for the industrial or commercial grade version are not as stringent, because they are not supposed to be ingested by humans.
The toxins were found in cough syrups exported to Gambia by the other Indian company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals. The WHO linked these syrups to the children's deaths; Maiden has denied any wrongdoing.
Gambia told India's drug regulator in June that from July 1 it would make it mandatory for all pharmaceutical products from India to be inspected and tested in India, at the cost of the Indian exporter, prior to shipment – the first known restrictions on national exports following the deaths linked to Indian-made syrups.
India made it mandatory for companies to have their cough syrups tested before export from June.


Govt wants Jakim's role expanded, says Anwar

The federal government wants to expand the role of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) in efforts to enhance the country's dignity and status, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said he had met with Jakim's leadership recently and wanted them to help draft a national development policy framework based on the Malaysia Madani concept.
"Previously, Jakim's work was to preach, provide training and organise Quran recitation and memorisation competitions with state governments, but Jakim played less of a role in drafting the 12th Malaysia Plan and Madani budget.
"I have instructed that the role of the muftis, scholars or figures in Jakim should be in line with this development so that their input can be beneficial and can raise the dignity and status of the country," he said in a speech at a national recitation and Quran memorisation competition in Butterworth last night.


Ukraine clings to Bakhmut, Russia says battling saboteurs in cross-border raid

Ukrainian forces hung on to positions in the ruined eastern city of Bakhmut on Thursday, while Moscow said its security forces had battled Ukrainian saboteurs who had taken hostages in a cross-border raid.
Russia's FSB security force said the situation was now "under control" in Bryansk province just north of the Ukrainian border. Earlier Moscow had said armed Ukrainians had crossed the frontier, fired on a car killing one person and wounding a child, and held hostages in a shop.
In a brief television address, President Vladimir Putin said the attackers had fired deliberately on the car, knowing it held civilians.
"They won't achieve anything. We will crush them," he said, saying Russia was fighting "terrorists and neo-Nazis".
An aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the reports a false provocation by Moscow, but also appeared to imply some form of incident had been carried out by partisans.
Near the front lines west of Bakhmut, in the Ukrainian-held town of Chasiv Yar, the thump of outgoing artillery fire could be heard.
In nearby towns and villages, new trenches had been dug on the roadside 20-40 metres (65-130 feet) apart, an apparent sign that Ukrainian forces were strengthening defensive positions west of the city.
Residents trickled out of the area, carrying bags.
"We remained until the very last. We wanted to stay. But we how can we? Our neighbour's flat has now been destroyed. It is time to go," said Svitalana, 47.
The boss of Russia's Wagner private army, Yevgeny Prigozhin, released video of his men waving a Wagner banner and musical instruments atop a ruined multi-storey building, which he said had been filmed near the centre of Bakhmut. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the location.
Bakhmut has been reduced to a blasted wasteland, with a few thousand of its 70,000 pre-war civilian population still inside as armies battle street-by-street.
Russian troops, bolstered by hundreds of thousands of reservists called up last year and thousands of convicts recruited by Wagner from prison, have been advancing north and south of the city to cut it off.
Moscow, which lost territory throughout the second half of 2022, says taking Bakhmut would be a step towards seizing the rest of the surrounding Donbas region. Kyiv says the city has limited strategic value but it is exhausting Russia's invasion force in what has become the bloodiest battle of the war.
"Sooner or later, we will probably have to leave Bakhmut. There is no sense in holding it at any cost," Ukrainian lawmaker Serhiy Rakhmanin said late on Wednesday. The aim was to "inflict as many Russian losses as possible."
Cross-border raid
The reported raid into the village of Lubechanye near the border in Russia's Bryansk province comes days after Moscow said Kyiv had attacked targets deep inside its territory with drones.
In videos circulating online, armed men calling themselves the "Russian Volunteer Corps" said they had crossed the border to fight "the bloody Putinite and Kremlin regime". Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the footage.
Zelensky aide Mykhailo Podolyak called the Russian reports of the incident "a classic deliberate provocation". Moscow "wants to scare its people to justify the attack on another country & the growing poverty after the year of war," he tweeted.
But he also implied an attack was under way, carried out by Russian partisans. "Fear your partisans," he wrote.
Russian missiles crashed into a five-story apartment block in the southern city of Zaporizhzia overnight, collapsing upper floors in the centre of the building.
As dawn broke, Reuters journalists saw rescue workers carry the body of a man out of the wreckage. Police said at least four people had been killed. Evacuated residents, in shock, were being kept warm aboard a bus while crews tried to clear the debris.
"The people were screaming from under the rubble," resident Yuliia Kharytenko, 36, told Reuters. "We ran out in whatever we were wearing. Our cat is left there, scared. We don't know if it is alive."
An international team of war crimes investigators said on Thursday the Russian state had funded and operated a network of at least 20 torture chambers during its eight-month occupation of Kherson, recaptured last year by Ukrainian forces.
Russia's aim was to "subjugate, re-educate or kill Ukrainian civic leaders and ordinary dissenters", the team said.
Moscow has denied abusing civilians in occupied areas. The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Russian forces are under pressure to secure advances now, before warmer weather brings the season of sucking black mud - "bezdorizhzhia" in Ukrainian, "raputitsa" in Russian - legendary in military history for destroying armies attempting to attack across Ukraine and western Russia.
Kyiv, for its part, is focusing on defence, planning a counteroffensive later this year with new weapons supplied by the West.
The war dominated a foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi of the G20 group of big economies, one of the last international forums involving top Western officials where Russia is still invited. Echoing wording from earlier meetings, host India said countries apart from Russia and China had condemned the war.
A senior US State Department official said Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke briefly to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines, telling him Washington would back Ukraine as long as necessary.
"Unfortunately, this meeting has again been marred by Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine, deliberate campaign of destruction against civilian targets, and its attack on the core principles of the UN Charter," Blinken told the meeting.


DAP rejected proposal to protect Malay sensitivities, says Muhyiddin

Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin last night said that his calls for the DAP political bureau to take a more moderate approach to sensitive issues involving the Malays was rejected during Pakatan Harapan's (PH) 22-month stint in government.
He said he had met with the deputy defence minister at the time, Liew Chin Tong, who was also a member of DAP's central committee, to discuss the matter.
He said Liew had agreed that DAP's position was too "extreme left" when it came to issues like the Federal Constitution, the Malay rulers and Islamic religious institutions.
"I said, can you consider this matter and bring it back to the political bureau, so that from the extreme left, the party can move towards the centre and be more moderate?
"He agreed," Muhyiddin said at a programme in Sepang, Selangor, last night.
Also present was PN information chief Mohamed Azmin Ali, women's chief Rina Harun and PAS information chief Khairil Nizam Khirudin.
According to Muhyiddin, he raised his concerns after realising that the Malays were still withholding their support for DAP even though it was part of the PH government in Putrajaya.
He said Liew later told him that DAP's political bureau had not agreed with this view.
"This meant that they wanted to continue with policies that we knew we were not suitable for us, as a basic struggle in DAP which conspired with Anwar Ibrahim in PH," he said.
He said it was no surprise that several decisions were made which were not in line with the agenda to empower the Malays, such as cuts to the special allocations for Bumiputera programmes like Teraju.
Azmin previously said that PH's finance minister, Lim Guan Eng, had blocked allocations for Teraju during the coalition's time in government.
He said the matter could be proven as it had been recorded in writing.


Brazil’s 24-hour Covid deaths surpass 3,000 for first time

Brazil’s daily Covid-19 death toll soared past 3,000 for the first time Tuesday as the hard-hit country struggled to contain a surge of cases that has pushed many hospitals to breaking point.The health ministry registered a record 3,251 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing Brazil’s overall death toll to nearly 299,000 – second only to the US.The latest bleak milestone came on the same day President Jair Bolsonaro installed his fourth health minister of the pandemic, facing pressure to change tack after downplaying the virus and flouting expert advice on containing it.Cardiologist Marcelo Queiroga, 55, took over the post from Eduardo Pazuello, an army general with no medical experience whose handling of Covid-19 was widely criticised.Pazuello is notably facing investigation for failing to ensure oxygen supplies to the northern city of Manaus, where there were horrific scenes in January of Covid-19 patients suffocating to death when hospitals ran out.Bolsonaro’s first two health ministers, doctors Luiz Henrique Mandetta and Nelson Teich, both fell out with the president over his defiance of expert advice on containing the virus.‘Very soon a normal life’?Speaking late Tuesday Bolsonaro said that Brazil would resume “very soon a normal life” thanks to the vaccination campaign that he had early criticised.“I want to reassure the Brazilian people and inform them that the vaccines are guaranteed. By the end of the year we will have more than 500 million doses of vaccine to vaccinate the whole population,” Bolsonaro said.Currently some 11.1 million Brazilians, or 5.2% of the population, have received at least one dose of vaccine and 3.5 million both doses, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Bolsonaro, who is up for re-election in 2022, has also gone from dismissing the pandemic to expressing solidarity “with all those who have lost a loved one”.His presentation however was met with a cacophony of pot banging in the country’s main cities such as Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia – a traditional sign of protest in Latin America.Hospitals overflowingBrazil’s average daily Covid-19 death toll has more than tripled since the start of the year to 2,364, currently the highest worldwide.Experts say the explosion is fuelled by a local variant of the virus that is believed to be more contagious.In a new warning sign, the prosecutor general’s office said Tuesday the health ministry had told it that medical oxygen supplies were at “worrying” levels in six of Brazil’s 27 states.One of Brazil’s main oxygen suppliers, the White Martins company, said it was racing to keep up with an “exponential increase” in demand of up to 300% in some regions, prosecutors said in a statement.Sao Paulo, Brazil’s most populous state and industrial hub, said Monday it would set up an emergency oxygen plant within 10 days in partnership with brewing company Ambev to supply overstretched hospitals.The state, population 46 million, has been hit hard by the new wave of Covid-19.Globo TV reported last week that at least 135 people had died in Sao Paulo with confirmed or suspected cases of the virus while waiting in line for intensive care unit beds.In the capital Brasilia, more than 400 people are currently waiting in line for ICU beds. Videos circulating online show bodies piled in hospital corridors awaiting transfer to the capital’s overflowing morgues.The six states whose oxygen supplies are the most critical are Acre and Rondonia in the northwest, Mato Grosso in the center-west, Amapa in the north, and Ceara and Rio Grande do Norte in the northeast, prosecutors said.Brazil has now registered 12.1 million confirmed Covid-19 infections, which is also the second-highest worldwide, after the US.


In South Africa as in Palestine: Why we must protect the legacy of Desmond Tutu

Long before intersectionality became a prevailing concept which helped delineate the relationship between various marginalized and oppressed groups, late South Africa’s archbishop Desmond Tutu said it all in a few words and in a most inimitable style. “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together,” he said.Like other freedom and justice icons, Tutu did not merely coin the kind of language that helped many around the world rise in solidarity with the oppressed people of South Africa, who fought a most inspiring and costly war against colonialism, racism and apartheid. He was a leader, a fighter and a true engaged intellectual.It is quite convenient for many in corporate media to forget all of this about Tutu, the same way they deliberately rewrote the story of Nelson Mandela, as if the leader of South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement was a pacifist, not a true warrior, in word and deed. Tutu is also depicted by some in the media as if he was merely a quotable man who helped in the “healing” of the nation after the formal end of apartheid.There is no use to preach to South Africans, and those who knew Tutu well, to understand the great man’s centrality in the anti-apartheid struggle and in the shaping of a powerful narrative, which exposed and, eventually, demolished apartheid.As a Palestinian, however, I think it is very important to emphasise the crucial role played by Tutu in linking the apartheid experience in his country with Israeli apartheid and military occupation in Palestine, and in influencing a generation of Palestinian intellectuals who have sagaciously tapped into the collective South African anti-apartheid experience and applied many of its valuable lessons to the Palestinian experience as well.“When you go to the Holy Land and see what’s being done to the Palestinians at checkpoints, for us, it’s the kind of thing we experienced in South Africa,” Tutu told The Washington Post in an interview in 2013.To be accepted into mainstream circles, activists of high calibre are often careful in the language they use and in the references they make. With weak and indecisive intellectual courage, they falter at the first challenge or in the face of abuse and attacks by their detractors. Not Tutu. When the man began making references to an Israeli apartheid in Palestine, Zionists and their friends were merciless in their accusations that the beloved spiritual leader, in the words of infamous American Zionist lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, was “evil”.Dershowitz, hardly known for his moral fortitude and well known for his undying love for Israel, was one of those who used the opportunity to cowardly pounce on the great South African spiritual leader almost immediately after the news of his death.“The world is mourning Bishop Tutu, who just died the other day,” Dershowitz said during an interview on Fox News on Dec 28, adding, “Can I remind the world that although he did some good things, a lot of good things on apartheid, the man was a rampant anti-Semite and bigot?”Dershowitz also described Tutu as “evil”. Indeed, Tutu was also “evil” in the eyes of the racist apartheid government of South Africa, as he was “evil” in the eyes of Israel. Mandela, Che Guevara, Yasser Arafat, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were also “evil” in the eyes of the racists, the colonialists, the Zionists and the imperialists.Expectedly, Tutu did not back down despite years of pressure and abuse. “I know, first-hand, that Israel has created an apartheid reality within its borders and through its occupation. The parallels to my own beloved South Africa are painfully stark, indeed,” Tutu wrote in 2014, calling on US Presbyterians to impose sanctions on Israel.In that same year, an interview with the South African news outlet News 24, Tutu said:“I have witnessed the systemic humiliation of Palestinian men, women and children by members of the Israeli security forces. Their humiliation is familiar to all black South Africans who were corralled and harassed and insulted and assaulted by the security forces of the apartheid government.”It is such support by such great men and women like Tutu that gave the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement the needed impetus to build the foundation of its current success around the world.Tutu went further. Instead of appealing to people’s consciousness, he also reminded them that making the wrong moral choice is a moral indictment of them as well. “Those who turn a blind eye to injustice actually perpetuate injustice. If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor,” he said.In South Africa, in Palestine and all around the world, we mourn the death of Archbishop Tutu but we also celebrate his life. Particularly, we celebrate the legacy that this formidable intellectual and spiritual leader left behind.Palestinians all over the world paid tribute to Tutu. Palestinian Archbishop Atallah Hanna, himself a great warrior for justice, said that Tutu “will always be remembered for his rejection of racism and apartheid, including in Palestine.”Because of Tutu and his comrades, we have a roadmap on how to fight against and end apartheid, how to confront the racists and how to defeat racism; how to embrace our moral responsibility and how to strive for a better, more equitable world. And, because of Tutu, we are constantly reminded that Israeli apartheid in Palestine must be fought with the same ferocity, will and moral fortitude as that of South Africa.Tutu will never die, because his words continue to lead the way, in Palestine as in South Africa. Equally important, we must never allow the honorable legacy of Desmond Tutu to be exploited, demonised or rewritten by his detractors or by those whose sensibilities cannot accommodate the courage of this black fighter, who will continue to lead the way, long after his passing.Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and editor of The Palestine Chronicle.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


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Permit-less wedding feasts blamed for increase in Kelantan Covid cases

The holding of wedding feasts without a police permit and non-compliance with SOPs, including by guests, are among the reasons for the rise in Covid-19 cases in Kelantan, authorities say.State Housing, Local Government and Health Committee chairman Izani Husin said the negligence and lackadaisical attitudes also resulted in new clusters emerging while cases had been increasing since a few days ago, despite the state previously experiencing a drop in numbers.“Perhaps the public chose to take it easy on the SOPs following the decline in number of cases,” he told reporters after an event in Kota Bharu today.Izani said there were also Covid-19 outbreaks due to teachers getting infected when attending a wedding feast and then spreading the virus to others.Kelantan deputy police chief Abdullah Muhammad Piah, who was also present, said police would intensify enforcement through monitoring all wedding ceremonies in the state, and would issue compounds of RM1,500 up to RM10,000 to those who fail to get a permit and adhere to the SOPs.“Many feasts have been held without a permit. From today, the state police will tighten enforcement of the SOPs and intensify monitoring at all wedding ceremonies regardless of whether the organisers have applied for a permit or not,” he added.


New cases inch lower to 1,555

Another 1,555 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 304,135.Selangor recorded 672 cases followed by Johor (163), Sarawak (159), Kuala Lumpur (145), Negeri Sembilan (115) and Penang (106).Perak recorded 63 cases, Sabah 53, Kelantan 46, Melaka and Kedah 11 each, Terengganu seven, Pahang three and Putrajaya one.Active cases stand at 24,563 with 204 in the ICU and 96 in need of respiratory assistance.Seven new clusters were detected:1. Taman Alam (Petaling in Selangor; 171 screened, 23 positive)2. Jalan Mawar (Hulu Langat in Selangor; 72 screened, 10 positive)3. Sementa 27 (Petaling, Klang, Kuala Selangor and Kuala Langat in Selangor; 86 screened, 13 positive)4. Jalan DPB Enam (Johor Bahru in Johor; 80 screened, 36 positive)5. Jalan Cyber Satu (Kulai and Kota Tinggi in Johor; 63 screened, nine positive)6. Persiaran Bayan Indah (Barat Daya, Timur Laut, Seberang Perai Utara and Seberang Perai Tengah in Penang; 83 screened, 25 positive)7. Jalan Bukit Blossoms (Seremban in Negeri Sembilan; 40 screened, 18 positive)Six others ended, leaving 489 active clusters across the country.Another 2,528 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 278,431.However, six more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,141.


First batch of LCS reduced from six vessels to five

The procurement for the first batch of the littoral combat ships (LCS) has been reduced from six to five vessels after the application to continue the project was discussed again by the government, navy chief Admiral Abdul Rahman Ayob said.
"Originally, it was six units of LCS, but when we re-applied and discussed the matter again, we agreed for the vessels to be reduced to five.
"The first batch has been set at five (units). This decision was made some time ago when the government decided to continue the LCS project (last year)," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.
Rahman said the sixth supplementary agreement on the LCS project would be signed soon, to enable the following process to take place and construction to be carried out as planned.
"It is okay now. There is nothing surprising, and we hope we can get these vessels according to schedule (because) we lack high-capacity assets like the LCS.
"The LCS can help us to strengthen (our capability) and carry out our tasks with excellence," he said.
In the meantime, Rahman said the procurement of the second batch of littoral mission ship (LMS) would be realised to safeguard the security and sovereignty of the country’s waters.
"We hope the application can be approved this year to enable us to carry out the procurement process, with every vessel to take at least three years to complete.
"This time, we need LMS with combat capability. That’s a significant difference from the four LMS we’ve acquired from China. For starters, we requested three units (for the second batch)," he said.


Guan Eng slams PAS as party with ‘outright hostility’ to non-Muslims

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today urged Ismail Sabri Yaakob to explain a bill on banning the propagation of non-Muslim religions to people of the Muslim faith, saying it was a “PAS proposal” that went against the “Malaysian Family” concept mooted by the prime minister.Lim also slammed PAS as a party hostile to non-Muslims after an explanation by the minister in charge of Islamic affairs that the proposed law would not affect religious freedom.“This is due to PAS’ dismal record of outright hostility or failing to respect the non-Muslim community with its leaders wanting to curtail the constitutional rights of non-Muslims or diminish the participation of non-Muslims in everyday life or in the government, not just in matters of religion,” said Lim, ahead of a memorandum of understanding to be signed with Ismail today pledging to ensure political stability to help the country recover from the pandemic.Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Idris Ahmad, a PAS leader, had explained that the bill to prevent the propagation of non-Muslim religions among Muslims only applied to the three federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya.Most states in Malaysia already have enactments banning the propagation of non-Muslim teachings to Muslims, with the exception of Penang, Sabah and Sarawak.Lim said such a law in the federal territories was unacceptable to many Malaysians, adding that Muslims too had “rejected the proposal from PAS” as it went against the religious freedom guaranteed by the constitution.“Malaysia, together with Sabah and Sarawak, is a multicultural and multi-religious state, and our diverse communities have lived in harmony and peace,” he said.Lim also took exception to the name of the bill, the Control on the Propagation of Non-Muslim Religions Bill, saying it was offensive to non-Muslims.“If the freedom of non-Muslims is respected and the shariah law only applies to adherents of Islam, then the title of the enactment should not be the Control on the Propagation of non-Muslim Religions Bill,” he said.


Veteran journalist tells of rumblings from the 'top', 'headache' at Putrajaya

A former senior journalist who left Utusan Malaysia after criticising the now defunct paper's support for Umno has questioned the recent "resignation" of a media officer in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), saying it came in the wake of dissatisfaction over the administration led by Anwar Ibrahim.
Zaini Hassan, who was Utusan Group's assistant editor-in-chief before the Umno-owned daily ceased publication in 2019, cast doubts on reports that Wan Nurzila Wan Abd Rahman, a strategic communications director at the PMO, had given a 24-hour notice to leave her position.
He said Nurzila had told him of her frustration due to "the many lies" that she had to face.
"I understand. There has been a lot of confusion in the PMX (Anwar) team," Zaini wrote on Bebasnews, a news portal which he set up in 2018.
"The media team faced difficulty due to the communications team led by a former UKM professor," he added, believed to be a reference to the Community Communications Department (J-KOM), the propaganda unit in the Prime Minister's Department headed by former lecturer Mohammad Agus Yusoff.
Zaini said he had been made to understand that Nurzila came under pressure from Anwar's cybertroopers, who were not convinced that she was loyal to Pakatan Harapan.
Yesterday, The Star quoted a source in the PMO as saying that Nurzila's resignation was linked to friction with J-KOM over the campaign to promote "Malaysia Madani", the phrase used by Anwar for his coalition government.
Zaini said he had heard rumblings from many individuals at the "top", quoting a "prominent" individual who told him that Anwar "was more talk than work".
"This prominent figure whom I met further said, 'His tenure as PMX won't be long'," wrote Zaini, using the popular nickname for Anwar as the 10th prime minister.
"'Let's wait,' he said," Zaini said, adding: "Is it true that the security force is also having a headache over him?"
Zaini said Anwar's communications team had been forced to fight off intense online mocking of his past speeches, including his infamous pledge to bring down fuel prices a day after becoming prime minister.
"Those words have become a common joke, so much so that there are emojis of his face with the words 'esok minyak turun'," he added.
Zaini said in the event that Anwar's government collapsed, his media team should not be surprised as it was now a common occurence in Malaysia.
"That's what happens when our political parties just get the bare minimum votes."
Yesterday, Anwar rubbished talk that his government, formed with support from Barisan Nasional and Sarawak's Gabungan Parti Sarawak following the hung parliament in the November election, had lost its majority.
"We, the unity government, will serve a full term until the next general election. I'm very confident or else I wouldn't say this," he told reporters when asked about the speculation.


Canada’s Hong Kong diaspora helps new arrivals adapt to life in exile

Hong Kongers in Canada are banding together to help the latest wave of immigrants fleeing Beijing’s tightening grip on their city.Networks across Canada, some descended from groups set up after the Tiananmen Square incident in China in 1989, are offering new arrivals everything from jobs and accommodation to legal and mental health services and even car rides to the grocery store.“We are in a battle. These are my comrades, people who share the same values,” one 38-year-old who asked to be identified only as Ho told Reuters. “Who is going to provide that helping hand if I’m not going to?”Ho runs a cooking school near Toronto, and recently took on a new kitchen assistant who played a leading role in the city’s 2019 protests and subsequently fled in fear of prison.Ho, who came to Canada as a teenager before Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997, is just one person active in the network of main support groups formed in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton in the past two years.Immigrants looking after each other is not unique, but Hong Kongers in Canada, which has one of the world’s biggest overseas concentrations of people from Hong Kong, told Reuters the situation is urgent.Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on what is now the Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, a year ago, under which many Beijing critics have been arrested.Large numbers of the people they are seeking to help fear they will be detained for taking part in past protests and may not know how to resettle overseas.Britain and Canada are two of the most popular destinations for people fleeing Hong Kong.About 34,000 people applied to live in Britain in the first two months after the country introduced a new fast-track to residency for Hong Kongers earlier this year.About a fifth of that number applied for temporary and permanent residency in Canada in the first four months of this year.Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers moved there in the 1980s and 1990s for fear they would lose wealth and property, or much of their freedom, after China took back control of the city from Britain.But the “fragrant harbour” prospered and kept vital freedoms unavailable in mainland China. Because of that, many Hong Kongers returned home but kept a foot in Canada.The latest wave of emigrants looks more likely to be permanent, as China stamps its authority on Hong Kong.Covid-19 has complicated matters for new arrivals. Under the latest travel restrictions, even those who have obtained permission to live and work in Canada through the new programme are only allowed to enter the country if they have a job offer.The Toronto group also has interpreters, lawyers and psychotherapists on hand to help new arrivals and has 10 rooms it can provide as free, temporary accommodation. The rooms are in the homes of group members or friends.Canada has long had one of the largest populations of overseas Hong Kongers, some of whom came together in 2019 to hold rallies in solidarity with the protests back home.The Calgary group has helped settle over 30 migrants since the clampdown began.Alison, a protester who left Hong Kong last year after many of her friends there were arrested for taking part in protests, was one of those helped by the Calgary group.Along with a few other new arrivals, she launched the Soteria Institute, named after the Greek goddess of safety and salvation, to offer free, weekly online English lessons, resume-writing workshops and emotional support.Now she has become one of the greeters herself.“We understand what they’re experiencing when they arrive,” she said. “We try to use our experience to help out as many Hong Kong exiles as we can.”


Spain weathers scorching temperatures as heatwaves become more frequent

Areas of southern Spain such as Seville and Cordoba registered scorching temperatures of up to 44 degrees Celsius on Monday as the first heatwave of the summer hit the Iberian country, sending people to seek shade from a blistering sun.
Heatwaves in June have become more frequent in recent years, part of a global pattern of rising temperatures, widely attributed by scientists to human activity.
"In the last 12 years the frequency of heatwaves in June has tripled," said Ruben del Campo, spokesman for national weather agency AEMET. Six heatwaves have been registered in June since 2011, up from just five in the 35 years before that, according to AEMET.
The weather phenomenon is expected to last until Wednesday, encompassing the southern region of Andalusia, but also Madrid, Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha, where thermometers could reach 40-42C.
"It's terrible. The kids have to come here to cool off because there's no way to stay at home," housewife Elvira Martinez, 27, told Reuters in Madrid, standing by splash fountains along the Manzanares river.
Unseasonal heat affected large parts of the Iberian Peninsula in March and April, a situation that Environment Minister Teresa Ribera called "terrifying".
A protocol that bans some outdoor work during extreme heat conditions is in place in some areas of the country.
"We already have a protocol for the heatwave. We only work seven hours, we start at 7am and finish at 2pm", working in the shade of trees as much as possible, 49-year-old gardener Reimundo Perez told Reuters in Madrid.


African elephants still endangered by ivory poaching and now by loss of habitat

The illegal ivory trade coupled with loss of vital habitat constitute a previously underestimated threat to Africa’s elephants.African forest and savanna elephants are now critically endangered, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is reporting.The number of forest elephants fell by more than 86% during the past three decades, and the number of savanna elephants fell by at least 60% over the past 50 years.The situation differs from country to country. In Botswana, for example, it has been argued that there are so many elephants that the ecosystem cannot naturally support them. But, on a continent-wide scale, the pachyderms are in serious decline.Ben Okita, who co-chairs the IUCN elephant specialist group, called the latest assessment an “alarm bell”.Poaching elephants for ivory remains a “significant driver” of the decline, he told BBC News. “But there’s another silent killer that requires a very high level of attention – that’s land degradation and fragmentation.”The conservationist said, “It’s a big challenge for species that require very large areas and that move long distances. Wild animals do not know international borders, and so to turn things around, we have to cooperate across those borders and to plan for better land use.”Where animals share that land with humans, he said, it is important to use it in a way that is compatible for them.“I know the will is there with African governments and with the communities that live alongside these animals.”Isla Duporge from the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at the University of Oxford, said, “While on the surface this looks bleak, the fact it’s being flagged is actually positive.”Wildlife conservationists say that clearing animals’ habitat, particularly to rear livestock, for example in the Brazilian Amazon, and to develop plantations, as in Borneo where huge areas are being deforested, is the biggest threat to already diminished animal populations in many areas of the world.


PM agrees in principle to bid for Sarawak state-owned airline

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has agreed in principle to a proposal from the Sarawak government for a state-owned boutique airline aimed at stabilising airfare prices for flights from the peninsula to the Borneo Island.
Anwar said the airline could ease the problem of expensive airfare rates between the peninsula and Sarawak and Sabah.
"Looking at the performance and capability of the Sarawak government, I have agreed in principle to the proposal of setting up another airline company by the Sarawak government," he said at an event in Kuching yesterday.
The prime minister added that the Sarawak government’s proposal would be brought to the weekly Cabinet meeting for further discussion.
"I agree to the proposal. In fact, at our Cabinet meeting last week and in Wednesday’s meeting, the details like expensive airfare and the setting up of a new boutique airline as suggested by the Sarawak government will be discussed," he said.
Earlier, in his speech at the same function, Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg expressed hope that the federal government would approve the proposal to set up the state-owned airline.
Abang Johari said that the setting up of a new airline would help stabilise airfare rates.
"We (Sarawak) are in the Borneo Island. If people want to come here, they need to take a flight because they cannot use any other mode of transportation, but the airfare is expensive.
"We do not want to compete with other airlines. We just want to stabilise the airfare to the state. The airfare from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching is the same as the airfare from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong. Therefore, the state government is ready to invest in an airline company," he said.
On Nov 13 last year, Abang Johari was reported as saying that the Sarawak government was still waiting for approval for a licence from the transport ministry, to enable the state to set up and operate its own airline.


8 killed in Silicon Valley area rail yard shooting

A gunman has killed eight people at a commuter train yard in the city of San Jose, California, in the latest US mass shooting.Police say the victims include multiple transit employees. The suspect, also an employee, is reported to be dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.Early on Wednesday morning, the gunman opened fire on a meeting of rail workers, according to a local CBS station.“Our officers arrived as shots were still being fired,” Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith told a press conference.Law enforcement officials told CBS News that the gunman was 57-year-old Samuel Cassidy.A spokesman for the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department, said “Deputies did not exchange gunfire with the suspect. Preliminarily, we’re going to go with the assumption it was a self-inflicted gunshot.”Just before the shooting, a fire broke out at a home belonging to the Santa Clara VTA employee, according to local media.Authorities say they are looking into whether the suspect may have set his home on fire before embarking on the rampage.San Jose Fire Department spokesman Erica Ray said that officials are investigating “multiple” crime scenes related to the shooting.Authorities said a bomb squad was sent to the scene, but there was no active threat to the public.Santa Clara is the largest county in California’s Bay Area and is home to Silicon Valley. It encompasses several cities in Northern California including Cupertino, San Jose and Mountain View.Adobe, PayPal, Apple and eBay are all based in the county of nearly two million residents, located about 50 miles south-east of San Francisco.Across the US, there have been 230 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. A mass shooting is defined by the group as a crime in which four or more people are fatally shot.Speaking from near the crime scene, California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the “rinse and repeat” cycle of US mass shootings.“What the hell is wrong with the United States of America?” he said.


No threat to Muhyiddin’s govt after budget passed

The Dewan Rakyat today voted to pass the 2021 budget at the policy stage following a winding-up speech by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz announcing a series of increases in allocations for various sectors.Earlier, there was an attempt by Amanah MP Mahfuz Omar to support a bloc vote, which would see all MPs participating in the vote.This would require the backing of at least 15 MPs. However, only 12 stood to support the move: Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Langkawi), Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun), Amiruddin Hamzah (Kubang Pasu) and Shahruddin Md Salleh (Sri Gading) from Pejuang, and Khalid Samad (Shah Alam), Hanipa Maidin (Sepang), Mujahid Yusof Rawa (Parit Buntar), Hatta Ramli (Lumut), Anuar Tahir (Temerloh), Dzulkefly Ahmad (Kuala Selangor), Hasanuddin Yunus (Hulu Langat) and Hasan Bahrom (Tampin) from Amanah.On Monday, the budget will resume debate at the committee stage.It will then be tabled for a third reading on Dec 15, where full approval will allow it to be brought for discussion and approval at the Dewan Negara.The 13 MPs who stood in support of a bloc vote.The 2021 budget encompassed a total of RM322.5 billion – the country’s largest ever at RM10 billion more than the revised budget for 2020.Today’s outcome put to rest talk that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s nine-month-old government would collapse following speculation that MPs would reject the budget.Opposition MPs had previously disputed Muhyiddin’s support in the Dewan Rakyat and repeatedly attempted to push a motion of no confidence against him.In October, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim announced that he had the majority support, but failed to show details of his claim during an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.The Agong subsequently reminded politicians not to indulge in “politicking”, with several other statements from the palace urging MPs to show unity during the time of the pandemic by supporting the 2021 budget.


Apec pledges to boost trade as geopolitical rifts hijack regional summits

Leaders of the 21-member Apec bloc pledged on Saturday to boost trade and do more to tackle other economic challenges, wrapping up the last of three summits in the region in a week that have been overshadowed by intense geopolitical rivalry.
The summits have been attended by global leaders, and the talks have often been disrupted by friction spilling over from the war in Ukraine as well as flashpoints such as the Taiwan strait and the Korean peninsula.
A Southeast Asian summit that included China, Japan and the United States was held in Cambodia, while the Group of 20 (G20) major economies met on the Indonesian island of Bali.
The Apec meeting was interrupted on Friday when Vice President Kamala Harris, who is heading the US delegation, called an emergency gathering of allies on the sidelines to condemn North Korea after it test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the US.
On Saturday, Thai Prime Minister and Apec chair Prayuth Chan-ocha sought to bring the focus back to economic issues and said Apec made "significant progress" by agreeing a multi-year work plan for a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP).
An Apec leaders' declaration said the group would uphold and further strengthen a rules-based multilateral trading system, but also recognised more intensive efforts were needed to address challenges like rising inflation, food security, climate change and natural disasters.
"This year, we have also witnessed the war in Ukraine further adversely impact the global economy," said the declaration, which said most members strongly condemned the war.
At the G20 meeting in Indonesia, members unanimously adopted a declaration that said most members condemned the Ukraine war but also acknowledged some countries saw the conflict differently.
The Apec leaders echoed the G20 declaration as they referred to UN resolutions that deplore Russia's aggression and demand its complete and unconditional withdrawal from Ukraine, but also noted a variety of opinions.
"There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions. Recognising that Apec is not the forum to resolve security issues, we acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy," the bloc said.
Russia is a member of both G20 and Apec but President Vladimir Putin has stayed away from the summits. First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov is representing him at APEC.
'Brazen violation'
The US city of San Francisco will host the next Apec summit and Prime Minister Prayuth handed over the chair to Vice President Harris at a ceremony.
"We are ready to conduct a seamless cooperation with them," he said, while presenting Harris with a "chalom", a woven bamboo basket used to carry goods and gifts in Thailand.
A day earlier, North Korea's missile test just an hour before the Apec forum was inaugurated prompted Harris to call an emergency meeting with leaders from Australia, Japan, South Korea, Canada and New Zealand.
"This conduct by North Korea most recently is a brazen violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions," Harris said.
Friday's launch came after US President Joe Biden met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday in Bali and said Beijing has an obligation to try to talk North Korea out of resuming nuclear testing, while adding that it was unclear whether China would be able to sway Pyongyang.
Harris briefly met Xi on Saturday, a White House official said, adding that she had emphasised the importance to "maintain open lines of communication to responsibly manage the competition between our countries."
Ties between the superpowers have been strained in recent years over issues like tariffs, Taiwan, intellectual property, the erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy and disputes over the South China Sea.
Xi attended both the G20 and Apec summits and held a flurry of bilateral meetings, marking a return of the leader to the main stage of global diplomacy after China's long spell of Covid isolation.
Warning against Cold War tensions in a region that is a focus for competition between Beijing and Washington, Xi said on Thursday that the Asia-Pacific was no one's backyard and should not become an arena of big-power rivalry,
"No attempt to wage a new Cold War will ever be allowed by the people or by our times," he told a business event linked to the Apec summit.
Set up to promote economic integration, Apec's members account for 38% of the global population, and 62% of gross domestic product and 48% of trade.
Campaigners are keen to see leaders address issues such as food insecurity, surging inflation, climate change and human rights.
A reminder of grassroots demands came as Thai pro-democracy protesters clashed with police on Friday who responded by firing rubber bullets about 10km (6 miles) from the central Bangkok summit venue.


Melaka state assembly dissolved

The Melaka state assembly has been dissolved with effect from yesterday, the office of the state assembly speaker announced today.It said Melaka Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali had written to the state governor informing him of the move by four assemblymen to withdraw their support for him.Sulaiman also asked Mohd Ali Rustam to dissolve the state legislative assembly, it said.“In this regard, Ali agreed after consideration to dissolve the 14th state legislative assembly of Melaka on Oct 1,” it said.The four assemblymen who withdrew their support for Sulaiman were 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).They announced at a press conference yesterday that they had lost confidence in Sulaiman’s leadership, triggering the collapse of the state government.The Melaka government, led by Barisan Nasional, had been represented by 17 assemblymen, comprising 14 from Umno, two from Bersatu and one BN-friendly independent, while the opposition had 11 seats: seven from DAP, and two each from PKR and Amanah, respectively.


Melaka, Johor polls might not have happened if PH had signed pact with Muhyiddin, says DAP man

DAP’s Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming today urged Pakatan Harapan (PH) to be flexibile in its campaign strategies and timeline heading towards the 15th general election (GE15) following its latest defeat in Johor, saying the recent state polls there and in Melaka might not have happened if the pact had signed an agreement with Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin to keep him in Putrajaya for a longer period of time.“The reality of politics post-GE14 and post-Sheraton Move is that each party and coalition must be open to exploring different options and configurations,” said Ong who is DAP’s assistant political education director.“We must avoid resorting to knee-jerk reactions and responding to immediate populist sentiment that may go against the longer term interests of the opposition and the country as a whole.“For example, if PH had signed some sort of MoU with Muhyiddin last year to keep him as prime minister until 2023, Umno may not have instigated the state elections in Melaka and Johor. We would definitely not have an Umno prime minister who is too weak to stand up to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, his president, and Najib Razak, his former president.”At the Johor state election on March 12, PH won 11 seats of which DAP claimed 10 and Amanah, one. PKR, which contested separately under its own logo, won one seat.PN meanwhile won three seats, two by Bersatu and one by PAS.This was BN’s second victory in a state election after Melaka, and seen as part of efforts by convicted former prime minister Najib and his ex-deputy Zahid to consolidate Umno’s position ahead of the 15th general election.MalaysiaNow previously reported that the Umno faction led by Zahid was planning at least three more state elections in the hope of returning Umno to stronger footing in legislative assemblies, before ending things with a “grand finale” in the form of a general election in July.In his statement today, Ong said PH should also adopt a flexible approach to negotiation strategies with other parties in the opposition, citing the vote splitting which had allowed BN to win a large percentage of seats in both Melaka and Johor.“There is little point ‘killing each other’ on the electoral battlefield to prove who is the strongest opposition party, only to end up making BN stronger than it actually is,” he said, acknowledging however the difficulties that this might entail given the mutual distrust and dislike among groups.Adding that PH had depended mostly on large-scale ceramahs and the anti-1MDB, anti-Najib and anti-GST platforms to win the 14th general election, he said the same strategy could no longer be used for any chance of pulling off a “surprise win” in GE15.“Many PH leaders have criticised the post-Sheraton Move governments under Muhyiddin and Ismail Sabri (Yaakob) for repeating the same policies of Covid-related lockdowns but expecting different results,” he said.“We should take note of our own criticism and realise that if we carry out the same strategies as before, we would be guilty of taking the same path of repeating the same moves and expecting different electoral outcomes.”In August last year, Ong and his fellow DAP MP Tony Pua had openly urged party leaders to consider an offer by Muhyiddin just before his resignation as prime minister, promising to undertake a list of reforms long championed by PH in exchange for their support to prevent the collapse of the PN government in the midst of the pandemic.Ong and Pua had said that this would also prevent the return of “kleptocrats”, a reference to Najib and Zahid, who between them are facing more than 80 corruption charges.


New cases hit 32,800 as 76 more deaths reported

Another 32,800 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 3,774,786.There were 24,444 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 3,418,443.There are now 322,700 active cases, of which 310,351 or 96.2% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 3,111 (1.0%) are at quarantine centres while 8,858 (2.7%) have been hospitalised.A total of 380 are in ICU with 231 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 58.2%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 43.4%.Another 76 deaths were reported, including 21 who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 33,643.


It’s all about the money, migrant rights activist says on poor housing compliance

A preoccupation with profits is the main reason behind the non-compliance of many employers and shareholders with the government’s rules on foreign worker accommodation, a rights activist says as workplace clusters continue to mushroom across the country amid a sharp spike in daily Covid-19 numbers.With daily cases hitting four-digit figures of late, concern has arisen over the foreign worker community as crowded dormitories obstruct efforts to curb the spread of infection.Earlier this month, the government revealed that the accommodation for some 91.1% or 1.4 million foreign workers in the country does not meet the provisions stipulated by law.Human Resources Minister M Saravanan said the government had received applications for certificates of accomodation for only 143,587 foreign workers as of Oct 31 – a fraction of the number registered in the country.But Adrian Pereira, executive director at North South Initiative, said non-compliance with labour laws is nothing new in Malaysia.“The welfare of foreign workers has never been on their agenda,” he told MalaysiaNow, referring to errant employers.“Migrant workers are supposed to fill the gaps in the labour market, not replace or displace locals,” he added.Basic requirementsThe basic requirements of accomodation for foreign workers are laid out in detail in the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990, also known as Act 446.Act 446 specifies, among others, a single bed measuring not less than 170 sq cm, a mattress at least four inches thick, a pillow and blanket, and a cupboard that can lock for the safekeeping of valuables such as passports and other identification documents.Other basic requirements include a cap on the number of workers allowed to share a space. For example, a maximum of six workers are allowed for an area measuring 1,500 sq feet. The maximum number of employees allowed to share a bathroom and toilet meanwhile is six for any accommodation other than a dormitory, in which case the number should be capped at 15.“Migrant workers are supposed to fill the gaps in the labour market, not replace or displace locals.”Checks by MalaysiaNow of online shopping platforms found that a single bed and mattress combined costs about RM170. A pillow and blanket costs about RM15 each while a lockable cupboard would cost roughly RM200. This means the total amount for these items would be about RM400 per worker.According to Saravanan, though, the government had only received applications for certificates of accommodation for 8.89% of foreign workers in the country.‘Justice’Pereira said employers had had ample time to comply with the regulations but failed to do so, showing that Malaysia is open to doing business “using the law of the jungle”.He said many reports of forced labour have arisen across almost all sectors of the economy, showing that the problem had become systematic.He also spoke of poor law enforcement, meaning minimal or no motivation at all for employers to comply with the regulations.“In the past, there were incidents of sudden death where migrants died in their sleep.“While research on the root cause is being done, one of the contributing factors could be poor accommodation where air circulation is not good and sleeping conditions are non-conducive for migrant workers to recuperate after 12 to 16 hours of work,” he said.Calling for justice to be done for these workers, he said Malaysia should not wait for “external actors” to intervene.“While the Americans try to discipline us through the TIP report, we should not wait for external actors to pressure us into treating our migrant workers with dignity,” he said, referring to the Trafficking in Persons report, part of Washington’s efforts to engage foreign governments on human trafficking.“We should do it because of our own principles and values.”


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Daily cases dip again to 5,671

Another 5,671 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 639,562.Selangor recorded 1,510 cases, Kuala Lumpur 769, Sarawak 631, Negeri Sembilan 593, Johor 524, Kedah 309, Kelantan 262, Sabah 233, Melaka 184, Penang 166, Perak 143, Pahang 112, Terengganu 108 and Labuan 106.Putrajaya recorded 18 cases and Perlis three.Active cases stand at 79,848 with 911 in the ICU and 462 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 7,325 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 556,030.However, 73 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 3,684.


Two months and counting for migrant workers unable to work

For seven years, Mamun woke up at 8am every day except Wednesday to get ready for work.For him, work meant a 10-hour shift at a car wash in Kuala Lumpur.He would walk to work and then walk home, day in and day out except for his off-days on Wednesdays.Two months ago, his routine came to an abrupt halt when the car wash was forced to close down due to the third instalment of movement control order (MCO 3.0).He and his three colleagues were left adrift with no other means of earning a living at hand.Since then, life has only gotten harder.“For two months, we have been unable to pay our rent, electricity bill or water bill because we have no money,” Mamun said when met by MalaysiaNow at their small, bare home in a shop lot area.The 35-year-old from Bangladesh said he and his friends now spend their days sitting at home, unable to do anything else.Fact aside that they have no work, they are also afraid that they will be detained by the police if they leave their home.Mamun smiles during a video call with one of his children back in Bangladesh. Cooped up in their sparsely furnished home, these migrant workers are grateful for this line of communication with their loved ones.They are among thousands of migrant workers have documents but still fear arrest after the announcement of a crackdown by the home ministry last month.Mamun has worked in Malaysia for 13 years now. Before this, he was employed at an electronics factory in Penang.He and his friends know nothing of the help available for those who have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.“Our boss asked how we were doing and gave us a little money,” he said.“But we understand that he cannot pay our wages since the car wash has been closed.”Gahid (second from right) and another housemate rinse out the rice before letting it cook for their only meal of the day.They live with two others who work for a local company, making it six in their modest home. The monthly rent of RM900 is shared out among them.But this is getting more and more difficult to pay as their friends, while still employed, have been placed on unpaid leave.Gahid, one of Mamun’s colleagues who shares the house, said they ration out their food so that they will have enough for the next day.“We used to eat normal meals but now we eat once a day,” the 26-year-old said. “We eat at around 3pm to stave off feeling hungry at night.”Their meals are simple: rice, vegetables and sometimes an egg.For four years, Gahid has worked to send home money but if the situation remains unchanged, he may soon have to ask for help from home instead.“I will wait until the end of the month to see if the MCO is extended. If nothing changes, I will have to ask my parents at home for help,” he said.They are all clinging to hope that the government will allow businesses to reopen so that they can continue to work as usual.The workers share a simple meal of rice and eggs which they eat sitting on the floor of their rented home.For this reason, too, they are eager to be vaccinated as quickly as possible.“Of course we would like to be vaccinated,” he told MalaysiaNow. “We have our documents and have registered, and we hope our turn will come so that we can go back to work.”Some of his friends are not documented but hope that they, too, will be able to get jabbed. But they also worry that they will be arrested and deported if they show up for their vaccinations.This follows the government’s announcement that walk-in vaccinations will be allowed from Aug 1 at any vaccination centre in the Klang Valley for those who do not yet have appointments, as well as those with no identification or travel documents.For now, Mamun and his friends have a more immediate concern at hand: a notice from their landlord warning them that they face eviction if they are unable to pay the rent next month.As each day under lockdown blends into the next, they can only wait and hope that the situation will somehow get better.


Doctors warn over dangerous viral milk crate challenge

Health experts warned Wednesday that people should not attempt the latest viral challenge – walking over a pyramid of precariously balanced milk crates.TikTok and other social media sites have been flooded in recent days by videos of people in the US and beyond trying – and mostly failing – the climb the crates.Most videos end with what looks like a painful fall onto the collapsing crates, or the ground, as onlookers film on their phones in what some dubbed an event in the “Hood Olympics”.“You’re at risk for… hitting your head and getting a head bleed,” said Dr Chad Cannon, an emergency room doctor at the University of Kansas Health System.If “you land on the milk crate, you will break your back and be paralysed.”Baltimore City Health pointed out that hospitals are already under strain from the pandemic.“With Covid-19 hospitalisations rising around the country, please check with your local hospital to see if they have a bed available for you, before attempting the #milkcratechallenge,” the official account tweeted.While the hashtag was readily searchable on Twitter and Instagram on Wednesday, searches on TikTok returned no results.“This phrase may be associated with behaviour or content that violates our guidelines. Promoting a safe and positive experience is TikTok’s top priority,” the search result page said.The videos – and photographs of some appalling injuries – were reminiscent of an earlier internet sensation that had doctors tearing their hair out.The 2018 Tide Pod Challenge saw young people biting into a liquid laundry detergent packets.Some social media users pointed out the likelihood that not all of those appearing in these videos in the US would get free medical treatment.“People doing this like they have the best health insurance,” tweeted @ogmike.Others contrasted the willingness of people to attempt something so patently dangerous with the attitude to getting a coronavirus jab that has proven safe and effective.“You’ll do the milk crate challenge but won’t get the vaccine. Got it,” quipped ‘Star Trek’ actor George Takei.Just over half of Americans are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, despite the shots being free and widely available.Opposition to the jabs is driven by politics, distrust of government and antipathy towards science, and is particularly acute in poorer, more conservative parts of the country.


Malaysian arrested in Singapore with enough drugs to supply 12,000 addicts for a week

A 22-year-old Malaysian was arrested in Singapore last Friday for suspected drug trafficking offences, with enough drugs confiscated from him to supply up to 12,000 drug abusers for a week.Singapore Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), in a statement on its website, said the youth was arrested in the vicinity of Choa Chu Kang Ave 4.The drugs recovered from the youth, weighing more than 40kg, were valued at S$2.3 million (RM7.1 million). They included 16,548g of heroin, 2,033g of “ice”, 23,687g of cannabis, and 110 ecstasy tablets.The youth was arrested with a total of four bundles of cannabis weighing 3,915g, while a search at his hideout – a residential unit in the same vicinity – uncovered more drugs in a black and yellow duffel bag and black and red backpack.A total of eight bundles containing about 3,782g of heroin and two bundles containing about 2,033g of “ice”, and 110 ecstasy tablets were seized from his bedroom. A total of 27 bundles containing about 12,766g of heroin and 20 bundles containing about 19,772g of cannabis were also seized from the storeroom.“Investigations into the drug-related activities of the suspect are ongoing,” CNB said.The total amount of drugs seized in the operation was sufficient to supply 7,880 heroin abusers, 1,160 “ice” abusers and 3,380 cannabis abusers for a week, it said.


Nestle fined RM90,000 for environmental pollution

Nestle Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Nestle Manufacturing) was fined RM90,000 by the Sessions Court in Shah Alam today on two counts of releasing industrial effluent in excess of the acceptable limit.Judge Rofiah Mohamad meted out the fine after the company, represented by its Nestle Manufacturing Safety and Health manager, K Arunan, 47, changed his plea to guilty to both charges.When meting out the fine, Rofiah said she took into account the gravity of environmental pollution, adding that this involves public interests.On the first count, the company was charged under Regulation 11 (1) (b) of the Environmental Quality (Industrial Effluent) Regulations 2009 with releasing five types of industrial effluent containing biochemical oxygen demand requirements exceeding the standard limit into inland waters.The second was for releasing concentrated chemical oxygen demand requirements in excess of the standard limits into inland waters.The offences were committed at its premises at Jalan Playar 15/1, Section 15 Shah Alam on May 21, 2019 between 10.10am and 1pm.The company was fined RM50,000 for the first charge and RM40,000 for the second count.Prosecuting officer from the Selangor Department of Environment Nor Faizura Mohd Ali prosecuted, while Nestle Manufacturing was represented by lawyer J Rao.


8 men remanded a week over Sungai Selangor pollution

Eight men, including a director of a company which repairs and sells construction machinery, were remanded for seven days from today in connection with the Sungai Selangor pollution which caused a disruption in water supply in the Klang Valley earlier this week.Magistrate Nik Mohd Fadli Nik Azlan issued the remand order against the men, aged 28 to 66, following an application by the police.The company director, 31, his 62-year-old father, and six employees comprising two locals and four foreigners from Nepal, Pakistan and Myanmar were remanded.They are being held for investigation in accordance with Section 430 of the Penal Code for allegedly committing mischief by causing a diminution in the supply of water for agricultural purposes, or for food or drink for human beings or for animals.The section provides for a jail term of between five and 30 years, a fine, or both upon conviction.The eight men were brought to the Selayang courts complex at 9am today. They were arrested in Rawang at 11.30am yesterday.Air Selangor detected an abnormal odour at the raw water source in Sungai Selangor at 12.38am on Monday, bringing operations at the Rantau Panjang water treatment plant to a halt.The shutdown disrupted piped water supply to 1,292 areas in several Klang Valley districts.


Food or fuel? Young singles work two jobs and watch every sen

At 29 years old, Jay Pillai is earning an annual income of RM41,000. By day, he is a data analyst at a private company in Putrajaya, and by night he is a food delivery rider, a part-time gig he has held down since October last year.
But even with two jobs, the money he makes is not enough for him to keep up with the cost of living.
Speaking in a recent interview with MalaysiaNow, Jay said he was initially embarrassed at having to work two jobs, as he had graduated with a degree from a prestigious university overseas.
Four years after returning to Malaysia, he is working more than 60 hours a week.
"At first, I was embarrassed. Now, I'm just thankful that I have a job so I can improve my financial situation," he said.
Apart from taking care of his own expenses, Jay also supports his parents and two younger siblings who are still studying.
The money he makes each month is not enough to cover all of the bills and daily expenses, including health insurance.
His part-time job has helped ease some of his financial burden but he still struggles to pay all of his bills and loans.
After paying his car loan, rental, insurance, petrol and toll bills, and other miscellaneous expenses, Jay has about RM370 left for money and emergencies.
"I've had just RM5 left in hand before," he said. "I had to think, should I buy food or petrol?
"That's when I decided, there was no other way. I had to find a second job in order to survive.
"It's better to trouble myself than to trouble other people."
The 2022 Remote Work Report recently found that 66% of knowledge workers have a second source of income due to the rising cost of living and current economic challenges.
Those in the single and working group meanwhile have reported doing extra work for the past five years.
In 2015, Ahmad Maslan who was the deputy minister of international trade and industry at the time, famously said that working two jobs was nothing out of the ordinary.
But even single people with a household income far above the poverty level say they have had to take on a second job in order to meet their expenses.
Tan Sheng Ang from Shah Alam works as a lab supervisor in the private sector. At night, he plays the guitar at a club, earning an extra RM3,000 or so per month.
"I have to juggle two jobs to make sure I don't drown in expenses," Tan said.
"I can't drive, so it's hard for me to look for another job. I can't do e-hailing or work as a runner.
"But I can play the guitar, and they pay me well at clubs, bars and restaurants."
Tan takes about two hours to get from his office to his gig location for the night.
He used to work 40 hours a week. Now, he works anywhere from 60 to 70.
"During the weekends, more customers hang out at the bar, so I can earn more pocket money jamming with the band," he said.
Nor Awein and her housemate Farah Dayana meanwhile work 12 hours every Saturday to save for unexpected expenses such as car repairs, medical treatment and kitchen expenses during the holiday season.
Awein is an assistant at a kindergarten while Farah works as a clerk. Both earn less than RM3,000 a month – not enough to cover the cost of living in a city like Johor Bahru.
In order to survive, they work part-time jobs babysitting or helping out at nursing homes.
"I began by helping a friend look after her children," Awien said.
"She helped me spread the word, and more people asked me to babysit their children as well.
"Most of them work in Singapore on Saturdays and have no one to look after their children when they are not at school. So I babysit and help with the house work."
After three months, the requests piled up and she asked Farah to take some of the jobs.
This way, they can earn an extra RM1,800 to RM2,000 a month.
Without a second job, they said, they would not be able to put food on the table.
"We don't have a choice," Awein said. "This is the only way we can help ourselves."


No problem for Najib to get his own supply of medicine, says Khairy

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says Najib Razak can buy his own medicine from other sources if he does not want to accept the medication provided by the health ministry.
He also said that the family members of the former prime minister had been informed of the matter.
"But I understand that even in prison, Najib brings his own medicine. So we do not have any problems if he wants to get his own supply of medicine, but I understand he had been brought to Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) and as such, he can only use the medicines prescribed to him," he said to reporters after an event in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
He was responding to media reports quoting lawyer Zaid Ibrahim urging the health ministry to give Najib the medicine that the former prime minister is used to taking for his high blood pressure condition. Khairy said he had reviewed the prison regulations under which the prison authorities would inspect the supply of medicines given by a prisoner’s family before giving it to the prisoner.
"At HKL, I have been informed by the director that we practise the same procedure. So if in prison, he can use his own medicine. We will not deny him (taking the necessary medicines).
"Today, before he is discharged, in the usual practice at government hospitals, we will provide him with the medicine issued by the hospital pharmacy. The medicines from our hospital in the ministry are generic medicines," he said.
On Sept 13, Khairy announced that Najib who had been warded in HKL on Monday was stable and would continue to receive treatment at the hospital.


PH to contest all 82 seats in Sarawak polls

Pakatan Harapan (PH) today announced that it will contest all 82 seats up for grabs in the 12th Sarawak state election.Sarawak PH chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the selection of candidates will be decided by the respective component parties.“For the candidates, we will leave it to respective component parties. We will be contesting in all 82 state seats,” he told a press conference in Kuching today.The Election Commission yesterday set Dec 18 as polling day for the state election.Nominations will be held on Dec 6 and early voting on Dec 14.


Ivory Coast records first Ebola case in nearly 3 decades

Ivory Coast has recorded a first case of Ebola, the health minister announced late Saturday, the first occurrence of the deadly disease in nearly three decades.Officials at the Institut Pasteur had confirmed the case after testing samples taken from an 18-year-old Guinean woman, Health Minister Pierre N’Gou Demba said on RTI state television.She had left the city of Labe in Guinea by road, arriving in Ivory Coast on Wednesday, he added.“This is an isolated and imported case,” he said, adding that the patient was currently being treated in intensive care in Abidjan.Ivory Coast already had doses of the vaccine against Ebola, which go to anyone who had been in contact with her, such as the medical staff treating her.Prime Minister Patrick Achi had chaired an emergency interministerial meeting earlier Saturday, the minister added.Appealing for calm, he said the authorities had already activated an emergency plan which included the identification and surveillance of anyone who had come into contact with the patient.According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), this is the first case of Ebola in Ivory Coast since 1994.‘Immense concern’On June 19, WHO declared an end to a four-month outbreak of Ebola in Guinea that claimed the lives of 12 people there.But a statement from WHO Africa on Saturday said: “There is no indication that the current case in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) is linked to the earlier outbreak in Guinea.“Further investigation and genomic sequencing will identify the strain and determine if there is a connection between the two outbreaks,” the statement added.“It is of immense concern that this outbreak has been declared in Abidjan, a metropolis of more than four million people,” Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO’s Africa regional director, said in the statement.“However, much of the world’s expertise in tackling Ebola is here on the continent and Cote d’Ivoire can tap into this experience and bring the response to full speed.”WHO said it was helping to coordinate a cross-border response, which included transferring 5,000 doses of Ebola vaccine from Guinea to Ivory Coast.Ebola causes severe fever and, in the worst cases, unstoppable bleeding.It is transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids, and people who live with or care for patients are most at risk.In four decades, periodic Ebola outbreaks have killed around 15,000 people, all in Africa.Its fatality rate in past outbreaks has varied between 25 and 90%.But as WHO pointed out: “There is now effective treatment available and if patients receive treatment early, as well as supportive care, their chances of survival improve significantly.”


On politics and sports and how they do mix

Israel’s war on Palestinian sports is as old as the Israeli state itself.For Palestinians, sports is a critical aspect of their popular culture, and since Palestinian culture itself is a target for the ongoing Israeli attack on Palestinian life in all of its manifestations, sports and athletes have been purposely targeted as well. Yet, the world’s main football governing body, FIFA, along with other international sports organisations, has done nothing to hold Israel accountable for its crimes against Palestinian sports.Now that FIFA, along with UEFA, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and others have swiftly joined the West’s anti-Russia measures as a result of the latter’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb 24, Palestinians and their supporters are puzzled. Years of relentless advocacy to sanction Israel at international sports competitions have paid little or no dividends. This has continued to be the case, despite the numerous documented facts of Israel’s intentional targeting of Palestinian stadiums, travel restrictions on athletes, the cancelation of sports events, the arrest and even killing of Palestinian footballers.Many Palestinians, Arabs and international activists have already highlighted the issue of western hypocrisy in the case of the Israeli military occupation of Palestine by apartheid Israel within hours of the start of the Russian military operations. Almost immediately, an unprecedented wave of boycotts and sanctions of everything Russian, including music, art, theater, literature and, of course, sports, kicked in. What took the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa decades to achieve was carried out against Russia in a matter of hours and days.Palestinians are justified to be baffled, since they have been informed by FIFA, time and again, that “sports and politics don’t mix”. Marvel at this hypocrisy to truly appreciate Palestinian frustration:“The FIFA Council acknowledges that the current situation (in Palestine and Israel) is, for reasons that have nothing to do with football, characterised by an exceptional complexity and sensitivity and by certain de facto circumstances that can neither be ignored nor changed unilaterally by non-governmental organisations such as FIFA.”That was, in part, the official FIFA position declared in October 2017, in response to a Palestinian request that the “six Israeli football clubs based in illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories should either relocate to Israel or be banned from FIFA-recognised competitions”.Two years later, Israel so callously cancelled the FIFA Palestine Cup that was meant to bring Gaza’s top football team, Khadamat Rafah Club, and the West Bank’s FC Balata together in a dramatic final.Palestinians perceive football as a respite from the hardship of life under siege and occupation. The highly anticipated event would have been a moment of precious unity among Palestinians and would have been followed by a large number of people, regardless of their political affiliation or geographic location. But, and “for no apparent reason”, as reported in the Nation, Israel decided to deny Palestinians that brief moment of joy.Even then, FIFA did nothing, despite the fact that the event itself carried the name “FIFA”. Meanwhile, outright racist Israeli football teams, the likes of Beitar Jerusalem Football Club, are allowed to play unhindered, to travel unrestricted and to echo their favourite racist cheers, “Death to the Arabs,” as if racism in sports is the accepted routine.FIFA’s double standards are abhorrent, to say the least. But FIFA is not the only hypocrite. On March 3, the International Paralympics Committee (IPC) went as far as denying athletes from Russia and Belarus the right to compete at this year’s Winter Paralympics held in Beijing. The decision was justified on the basis that having these athletes participate in the Games was “jeopardising the viability” of the events and, supposedly, making the safety of the athletes “untenable,” despite the fact that the Russian and Belarusian athletes were, due to the political context, set to take part as “neutrals”.Not only are Israeli athletes welcomed in all international sports events, the mere attempt by individual athletes to register a moral stance in support of Palestinians, by refusing to compete against Israelis, can be very costly. Algerian Judoka Fehi Nourine, for example, was suspended along with his coach for 10 years for withdrawing from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to avoid meeting an Israeli opponent. The same course of action was taken against other players and teams for displaying symbolic solidarity with Palestine, or even fans for merely raising Palestinian flags or chanting for Palestinian freedom.Mohammed Aboutrika, the former Captain of the Egyptian National Football Team, was censured by FIFA in 2009 for merely displaying a shirt that read, in both Arabic and English, “Sympathise with Gaza”. For that supposedly egregious act, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) – a branch of FIFA – warned him against “mixing politics with sports”.About the double standards of FIFA, Aboutrika recently said in a media interview that the “decision to suspend Russian clubs and teams from all competitions must be accompanied by a ban on those affiliated with Israel (because Israel) has been killing children and women in Palestine for years.”It must be stated that the hypocrisy here goes well beyond Palestine and Israel, into numerous situations where those demanding justice and accountability are often affiliated with poor nations from the Global South, or causes that challenge the status quo, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, among others.But there is much more that can be done aside from merely delineating the double standards or decrying the hypocrisy. True, it took the South African anti-apartheid movement many years to isolate the racist apartheid government in Pretoria at international sports platforms around the world, but that seemingly impossible task was eventually achieved.Palestinians, too, must now use these channels and platforms to continue pushing for justice and accountability. It will not take days, as is the case with Russia and Ukraine, but they will eventually succeed in isolating Israel, for, as it turned out, politics and sports do mix after all.Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and editor of The Palestine Chronicle.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Former MIC deputy president S Subramaniam dies

Former MIC deputy president S Subramaniam passed away at his home in Petaling Jaya, Selangor last night. He was 78.
MIC Supreme Council member L Sivasubramaniam, when contacted by Bernama, confirmed the matter, adding that Subramaniam who suffered a stroke in 2011 and had been bedridden ever since died in his sleep at about 8pm.
He said the funeral would be held on July 7.
Subramaniam leaves behind his wife Tina Subramaniam, 70, two sons and a daughter.
He served as MP for Damansara and Segamat between 1974 and 2004 and held several deputy minister posts at the Prime Minister’s Department, the local government and federal territories ministry, housing and local government ministry, agriculture ministry as well as domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry.
In the political arena, Subramaniam joined MIC in 1962 where he held the positions of secretary-general, vice-president and deputy president.
MIC secretary-general RT Rajasekaran said the party expressed its sympathy and condolences to Subramaniam’s family.
"Our sympathies to the family, and of course we have to remember the service of  Subramaniam to the country and also to the party," he said.


New restrictions as virus cases spread across Australia

New coronavirus cases popped up in cities across Australia on Monday, prompting local authorities to impose restrictions in areas not used to living under strict Covid-19 rules.Australia has been broadly successful in containing virus clusters, but is now battling flare-ups in at least four cities across the vast continent nation.Brisbane, Darwin, Perth and Sydney have all reported new cases of the highly contagious Delta variant, which first emerged in India and has spread in Australia after escaping from hotels used to quarantine returning travellers.The largest outbreak is in Sydney, where 130 people have tested positive for Covid-19 since a driver for an international flight crew was diagnosed in mid-June, with the city’s residents now under stay-at-home orders for two weeks.A 48-hour lockdown of Darwin and surrounding areas – due to end Tuesday – was extended to Friday after a cluster linked to an outback gold mine grew to seven cases.Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said that for the first time during the pandemic there were exposure sites in the city, which is home to a large indigenous population feared to be more vulnerable to Covid-19.“The risk to the community has grown in the past 24 hours. We are now in an extremely critical period. We must stay in lockdown while we keep this virus trapped,” he said, urging aboriginal people living in remote areas not to travel to Darwin.Authorities in the cities of Perth and Brisbane again tightened local restrictions Monday, with masks mandatory and limits on social gatherings imposed on more than two million people in Brisbane and surroundings.Other regions without confirmed cases have ramped up their rules protectively, with masks now required indoors in the nation’s capital Canberra and sweeping restrictions announced for South Australia.“We feel, given the nature of the rapid spread of the Delta virus, we have no alternative but to take pre-emptive action in South Australia to keep our state and our economy strong,” said state premier Steven Marshall.Australia has recorded a total of just over 30,000 cases and 910 deaths in a population of about 25 million since the pandemic began.Officials have been quick to implement restrictions when clusters emerge – almost always after the virus escapes the hotel quarantine system.But the latest measures are among the most widespread since a nationwide lockdown in the early stages of the pandemic.Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called a meeting of national leaders late Monday as his government faces a fresh round of criticism for a sluggish vaccine rollout and failing to improve the leaky hotel quarantine system.Almost 7.4 million vaccine doses have been administered to date, but only a small fraction of people have received both jabs.The government has refused to release data on how many Australians have been fully vaccinated, but the figure is reported to be around 5%.


Sweden declares pandemic over despite warnings from scientists

Sweden scrapped almost all of its few pandemic restrictions on Wednesday and stopped most testing for Covid-19, even as the pressure on the healthcare systems remained high and some scientists begged for more patience in fighting the disease.Sweden’s government, which throughout the pandemic has opted against lockdowns in favour of a voluntary approach, announced last week it would scrap the remaining restrictions – effectively declaring the pandemic over – as vaccines and the less severe Omicron variant have cushioned severe cases and deaths.“As we know this pandemic, I would say it’s over,” Minister of Health Lena Hallengren told Dagens Nyheter. “It’s not over, but as we know it in terms of quick changes and restrictions it is,” she said, adding that Covid would no longer be classified as a danger to society.As of Wednesday, bars and restaurants will be allowed to stay open after 11pm again, and with no limits on the number of guests. Attendance limits for larger indoor venues were also lifted, as was the use of vaccine passes.Swedish hospitals were still feeling the strain, however, with around 2,200 people with Covid requiring hospital care, about the same as during the third wave in the spring of 2021. As free testing was reduced earlier this month and effectively stopped from Wednesday, no one knows the exact number of cases.“We should have a little more patience, wait at least a couple of more weeks. And we are wealthy enough to keep testing,” Fredrik Elgh, professor of virology at Umea University and one of the staunchest critics of Sweden’s no-lockdown policy, told Reuters.“The disease is still a huge strain on society,” he said.Sweden’s Health Agency said this week that large-scale testing was too expensive in relation to the benefits. Sweden spent around 500 million Swedish crowns (US$55 million) per week on testing for the first five weeks of this year and around 24 billion crowns since the start of the pandemic.On Wednesday, Sweden registered 114 new deaths where the deceased was infected with the virus. In total, 16,182 people have died either of the virus or while infected by it. The number of deaths per capita is much higher than among Nordic neighbours but lower than in most European countries.


84.4% of adults, 60.6% of population fully jabbed

Some 84.4% of adults or 19,784,628 individuals were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as of yesterday.Meanwhile, 93.8% or 23,007,292 have received at least one jab, including of the single-dose CanSino vaccine.In terms of total population, 60.6% are now fully vaccinated while 70.5% have received at least one dose.A total of 323,335 doses of vaccine were administered yesterday, taking the cumulative number of jabs given under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 42,699,197.