We obey the Agong, says GPS

Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) today said it would comply with the decree of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah for the formation of a unity government to resolve the recent political turmoil.
GPS chairman Abang Johari Openg, who is also Sarawak premier, said that the appointment of the federal Cabinet, however, would be up to Anwar Ibrahim who was sworn in as the country's 10th prime minister today.
He said the king's decree was received after the audience with a delegation from GPS led by Fadilah Yusof at Istana Negara last night.
"His Majesty advised that a unity government be formed to resolve the political turmoil," he said at a press conference in Kuching today.
"GPS will comply with the king's decree, according to the authority given to him under the Federal Constitution."
Abang Johari also said that GPS accepted DAP's apology, tendered by its secretary-general Anthony Loke and chairman Lim Guan Eng earlier today.
"We accept it with an open heart," he added, urging DAP to continue respecting the GPS component parties.
When asked about ties between GPS and DAP in Sarawak, he said things were as usual.
"They are not with the government here, they are still the opposition," he said.


Japan to release treated Fukushima water into sea, reports say

Japan will release more than a million tonnes of treated water from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea in a decades-long operation, reports said Friday, despite strong opposition from local fishermen.The release of the water, which has been filtered to reduce radioactivity, is likely to start in 2022 at the earliest, said national dailies the Nikkei, the Yomiuri, and other local media.The decision ends years of debate over how to dispose of the liquid that includes water used to cool the power station hit by a massive tsunami in 2011.A government panel said earlier this year that releasing the water into the sea or evaporating it were both “realistic options”.As of last month, there were 1.23 million tonnes of waste water at the facility, the Nikkei reported.Environmental activists have expressed strong opposition to the proposals, and fishermen and farmers have voiced fear that consumers will shun seafood and produce from the region.South Korea, which bans imports of seafood from the area, has also repeatedly voiced concern about the environmental impact.Japan’s government has been deliberating the issue for more than three years, but a decision is becoming urgent as space to store the water – which also includes groundwater and rain that seeps daily into the plant – is running out.Most of the radioactive isotopes have been removed by an extensive filtration process – but one remains, called tritium, which cannot be removed with existing technology.The expert panel advised in January that discarding the water into the sea was a viable option because the method is also used at normal nuclear reactors.Tritium is only harmful to humans in very large doses, experts say. The International Atomic Energy Agency argues that properly filtered water could be diluted with seawater and then safely released into the ocean.The Yomiuri reported that the water would be diluted inside the facility before its release so it is 40 times less concentrated, with the whole process taking 30 years.The treated water is currently kept in a thousand huge tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi site, where reactors went into meltdown nearly a decade ago after the earthquake-triggered tsunami.Plant operator Tepco is building more tanks, but all will be full by mid-2022.


Britain in talks with Taliban over safe passage of remaining nationals

Britain has opened talks with the Taliban over the “safe passage” of its remaining nationals and allies out of Afghanistan after the hardline Islamist group’s quickfire takeover of the country last month.The British government confirmed to AFP it has dispatched senior civil servant Simon Gass to meet with Taliban representatives in Doha.Much of the group’s senior leadership lived in exile in the Qatari capital until the overthrow of Afghanistan’s Western-backed government after 20 years of war.Prime Minister Boris Johnson has come under fire after many Afghans who helped Nato – and are eligible to move to Britain – were believed to have been left stranded in Afghanistan, where they are at the mercy of the Taliban.Gass is “meeting with senior Taliban representatives to underline the importance of safe passage out of Afghanistan for British nationals, and those Afghans who have worked with us,” a government spokesperson told AFP on Wednesday.It is the first publicly disclosed diplomacy between London and the Taliban since Britain joined the US in the mammoth airlift of more than 100,000 people out of the country after the Afghan military’s capitulation.The Taliban has pledged to allow Afghans to come and go in the face of calls from the international community to honour that commitment in the days after the US withdrawal on Tuesday.More than 8,000 Afghans who helped Nato forces made it out of Afghanistan and the British government said they would be given indefinite leave to remain.But criticism was levelled at the government for not evacuating hundreds more stuck in the war-torn country as the Taliban took control.British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab was also condemned by the opposition Labour party for not immediately leaving a beach holiday when the Taliban took control.An unnamed British minister told the Sunday Times that he believed the UK could have evacuated “800-1,000 more people” in the chaotic airlift.Johnson’s government sought to extend the US withdrawal deadline of Aug 31 but ultimately failed to persuade President Joe Biden.After the Taliban swept into Kabul in mid-August, the British premier said the Taliban must be judged on its “actions rather than by its words” and insisted Britain could not have remained in Afghanistan without American support.


Corruption among enforcement personnel 'chronic and worrisome', says MACC

The level of corruption involving enforcement personnel at the country’s frontlines is becoming chronic and worrisome, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy chief commissioner (operations) Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya said yesterday. Khusairi said the influx of illegal immigrants, workers and students in the country was viewed as a big opportunity for a minority of unethical enforcement personnel to secure bribes.
He said it did not matter if the foreigner had a work permit or student visa, what more those without documents, they were still targeted by enforcement personnel.
"This is what is happening, and gives a very bad image to Malaysia," he said in a statement, adding that the slogan "Malaysia Boleh" was often used as a cynical criticism implying that everything is possible with a bribe.
"So it’s not surprising that Malaysia has become a focus for foreign workers looking for work, a drug transit in the Southeast Asian region, an international scam and fake investment centre, as well as a haven for online gambling, Macau scams and international prostitution. "We often deny and ignore reality, looking for excuses," he said.
Khusairi said the most common comment about corruption among enforcement personnel was that it was "an isolated incident".
However, he said this could no longer be used as an excuse to deny the reality of how rampant it was among enforcement personnel.
He added that corruption had permeated every inch of foreign workers’ lives in the country, including the process of applying for foreign worker quotas by companies.
"To secure this quota, companies are forced to pay bribes to ensure their approval in terms of the number of foreign workers allowed to be brought in," he said.
Besides this, he said bribing enforcement personnel occurred at the country’s entry points to speed up the entry and exit of foreign workers who overstayed, or were involved in crime, blacklisted, or did not fulfil entry requirements.
He added that corruption also occurred in the misuse of foreign student visas for work and business, as well as unsavoury activities such as prostitution, massage parlours, gambling and Macau scams, most of which rely on foreign workers, and the act of protecting such operations.
"These are among the offences linked to foreign workers in the country. Indirectly, it also creates opportunity and room for enforcement personnel to receive bribes on a small scale, monthly basis or as part of a syndicate," he said.


China’s ‘Single’s Day’ shopping fest subdued by tech crackdown

China on Thursday held a subdued version of its annual “Single’s Day” shopping spree, shorn of the usual boasting on sales volume as the country’s chastened e-commerce sector reels under a government crackdown on platforms like Alibaba.The world’s biggest shopping festival has for years been accompanied by aggressive promotions and breathless hourly updates by Alibaba from midnight onwards detailing ever-rising sales figures that dwarf the annual GDP of many nations.But there were no rolling tallies or triumphant comments by executives from major platforms as of Thursday morning, and state media have described a quieter event this year in the wake of Beijing’s campaign to rein in Big Tech.“Single’s Day” – so-called for its 11.11 date – began more than a decade ago and for years was a one-day, 24-hour event.But Alibaba and its rivals have expanded that out to an 11-day promotion culminating on November 11, while some retailers and platforms have started offering discounts, special offers and pre-sales as early as October.Thanks to the Chinese consumer’s predilection for smartphone-enabled bargain-hunting, “Single’s Day” now dwarfs the pre-Christmas “Black Friday” promotion in the US.Platforms operated by Alibaba and its closest competitor JD.com reported combined sales of US$115 billion during last year’s promotion.The festival has gradually become a closely watched gauge of consumer sentiment in the world’s second-largest economy, but it was unclear on Thursday when any sales figures might be released.Less ‘gunpowder’E-commerce platforms are keeping their heads down due to the government scrutiny, which targets alleged abuse of user data and monopolistic business practices, but also appears motivated in part by wider concerns the Big Tech had become too powerful and unregulated.Some early indicators, however, had pointed to continued robust spending, with Alibaba saying hundreds of brands had gotten off to a stronger start from Nov 1 compared to the previous year, while providing no figures.The government scrutiny has rattled big players like Alibaba, Tencent, and JD, slicing billions of dollars of their equity values, but experts say the ruling Communist Party is not about to significantly hobble e-commerce.The party is waging a long-term campaign to diversify China’s economy away from an over-dependence on manufacturing, exports and government investment, toward a more market-based, consumer-driven model.E-commerce has aided greatly in this effort, and Chinese e-commerce executives have said the pandemic has boosted online purchases further, partly by discouraging in-person shopping in crowded stores.Alibaba fell out of favour late last year after billionaire co-founder Jack Ma issued an unprecedented criticism of Chinese government regulators.The company was fined US$2.75 billion, authorities postponed a record-breaking IPO by its financial affiliate Ant Group, and other tech giants were hit with fines and business restrictions.The government has targeted practices by e-commerce leaders that are seen as abusing their dominant market positions, such as banning merchants from selling their products on rival platforms or using algorithms to bombard consumers with recommendations for further purchases.Last weekend, the government issued special “Single’s Day” guidelines reminding platforms that misleading claims on discounts or on the efficacy of products, manipulating sales figures, and selling counterfeit products, were all strictly forbidden.Chinese state media have reported less aggressive promotional activity this year.“Although the excitement remains, the smell of gunpowder among the e-commerce giants is significantly weakened,” respected financial-news website Jiemian.com said in a recent report.


Advice for Rafizi from minister who made chicken faux pas a decade ago

Nearly a decade ago, a minister came under fire for advising the people to avoid eating chicken in the event that it became too expensive.
Now, Hasan Malek has some advice for Rafizi Ramli, the economy minister in Anwar Ibrahim's Cabinet who courted controversy by making similar remarks last week.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Hasan, who was the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister under Najib Razak, urged Rafizi not to take the criticism against him to heart.
Instead, he said, the PKR deputy president should focus on his duties and resolve the difficulties faced by the people.
"Back then, Rafizi was in the opposition and he did not know or appreciate the responsibilities of the minister in charge of consumer affairs," Hasan said.
"So it doesn't matter. He knows now."
Rafizi was among those who slammed Hasan, the former MP for Kuala Pilah, for saying in 2013 that the people should switch to other protein sources amid an increase in the price of chicken.
His advice to "avoid eating chicken when the price goes up" is still quoted today to satirise ministers who issue statements or make decisions that appear against the interests of consumers.
Rafizi sparked a similar reaction after saying at a press conference on Dec 23 that consumers appeared willing to pay the prices set by suppliers even though these continued to rise.
"By right, when the price of chicken increases, people should avoid buying chicken," he said.
He later said on Twitter that he had been referring to "the need to address the supply and demand side so that a more elastic consumer demand becomes a force to reckon with in influencing the price of goods".
His statement also drew comparisons with that of Hasan, who nonetheless said that he held no grudges against those who had criticised him.
"So Rafizi needs to accept the people's criticism as well," he added.
"This is all part and parcel of being a minister. He needs to find solutions. Don't just talk, because anyone can talk and everyone can give their opinion, but reality is often a different matter."
The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) meanwhile said that Rafizi should not merely comment on the cause of the increase in chicken price.
Fomca CEO Saravanan Thambirajah said the minister should instead focus on finding solutions as this was what the people wanted.
He praised Rafizi for trying to explain the increase in chicken price from a supply and demand perspective but said the priority should be to ensure enough of the former.
"This is why we elected 222 MPs to help resolve the problems that we face," he said.
"If there is no chicken in Malaysia, we the people cannot import chicken from other countries. Only the government can make that decision."


NZ virus cases spike as anti-vaccine protesters claim win

New Zealand Covid-19 infections reached a record high Wednesday as anti-vaccine protesters claimed victory after police failed to clear vehicles blocking the streets around parliament.Health authorities reported 1,160 new coronavirus cases, the most since the pandemic began, as the Omicron variant continues to spread in a country that was largely virus-free until August.While there have only been 53 virus deaths in the nation of five million, some protesters have taken to the streets railing against Covid-related restrictions and a government vaccination drive.Demonstrators inspired by Canada’s “Freedom Convoy” jammed roads with cars, trucks and campervans last week, then set up camp on the lawns of parliament in the capital Wellington.A tense stand-off in the city centre has stretched for nine days, with police largely taking a hand-off approach, aside from violent clashes last Thursday that led to the arrest of 122 protesters.But law enforcement officials ramped up the rhetoric late Tuesday, describing the protests as “untenable” and saying tow trucks would be used to clear the streets.Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said he had asked for the military’s help, warning anyone who obstructed the “imminent” operation that they faced arrest.However, no tow trucks were deployed Wednesday, and when a line of police tried to take control of an area near the parked vehicles, they were met by massed demonstrators chanting “whose streets, our streets”.The protesters cheered when police withdrew behind barricades a short time later.Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers defended the cautious approach taken by police.“This remains an incredibly challenging and complex situation to manage, and police are taking care not to escalate matters unnecessarily,” he said.Police have previously expressed concern about the large number of children in the protest camp, accusing demonstrators of trying to use them as human shields to avoid arrest.Parliamentary speaker Trevor Mallard, who is responsible for running the legislature, took matters into his own hands over the weekend, blasting pop music at the demonstrators on a loop.Mallard subjected the protesters to “Baby Shark” and Barry Manilow’s “Mandy”, also activating the lawn’s sprinkler system to soak the camp.Police said they did not condone the tactics.


Indonesia sees single-day high with over 4,000 new virus cases

Indonesia has reported 4,168 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours, its highest since the pandemic virus was detected in the republic on March 2.Based on the data published in the official Indonesian government website for Covid-19 today, the overall total number of positive cases rose to 240,687 while 107,863 more patients are still being monitored for the virus.In the past 24 hours since 12 noon yesterday, 112 more deaths were recorded, bringing the toll for the disease to 9,448 people.Jakarta province, which came under a two-week large-scale social restriction on Monday, still has the most overall infections in the country with 60,828 cases, an addition of 988 cases.In terms of fatalities, East Java has the highest with 2,942 people followed by Jakarta (1,527), Central Java (1,243), South Kalimantan (396), North Sumatra (394), South Sulawesi (389). The remaining cases are in other provinces in Indonesia.


Health ministry ready to roll out Phase 1 of national immunisation plan

The health ministry is prepared to implement the first phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Plan once the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines reach in Malaysia on Feb 26, says minister Dr Adham Baba.He said the vaccine delivery dry runs to Belaga Health Clinic in Sarawak on Jan 29 and Bintulu Hospital on Jan 30 had gone smoothly without any problems.He also said the test runs were to ensure that the supply of vaccines from the US pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, in Puurs, Belgium could be kept at ultra-low temperatures throughout the journey to Malaysia.“The dry run is important and the input data logger which monitors the delivery process showed satisfactory results,” he told reporters after introducing the online teaching application on Covid-19 yesterday.Adham said Covid-19 vaccine storage for the first phase, equipped with facilities such as the ultra-low temperature freezer (ULTF), was to ensure that the vaccines are maintained at the correct temperature before being removed and distributed to vaccination sites.


Daily infections at 1,600, no new deaths reported

Another 1,626 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,842,505.
There were 2,386 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,781,122.
There are now 25,009 active cases, of which 24,014 or 96.0% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 953 (3.8%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 42 are in ICU with 27 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 60.2%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 11.4%.
No new deaths were reported, leaving the death toll unchanged at 36,374.


The Robozeta superheroes giving a boost to Malaysia’s animation scene

In a studio in Kajang, Selangor, a group of animators are hard at work building a world in which five pint-sized superheroes join forces to protect a city and keep evil forces at bay.“We need to keep going!” Ely, Jango, Riko, Bepop and Rexx cry as the giant robot suit which they operate as a team comes under enemy fire.Reminiscent of childhood icons like the highly popular “Power Rangers” series, “Robozeta”, the brainchild of animation firm Red Circle, is designed for the youngest members of the population.But while its bright colours and comic book style speak volumes about its target audience, they also demonstrate just how far the country has come in terms of its animation industry.With local hits like “Upin dan Ipin” long established in other countries like China and Indonesia, Malaysia has made rapid progress throughout the years, landing a spot as the main driver of the regional animation industry.Yet with its advancements have arisen concerns about originality, with some locally produced series seen as mere copies of other programmes that came before.At the Red Circle studio, though, the aim of the team was to produce their own animated series.That was the start of “Robozeta”, a series based on the evergreen theme of good versus evil.The initial idea made its debut in 2016 as a proposal to the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation.“We managed to get first place at that session,” chief animator Muhamad Hafiz Abd Samad recalled in an interview with MalaysiaNow.“After that, we came up with a teaser clip which we further expanded into 13 episodes.”Within a year, the studio had succeeded in finishing the first season of “Robozeta”.In 2020, it experienced a breakthrough when Singapore’s Media Corp bought the series and began screening it in the city-state.“Robozeta” was produced with the company’s earnings from its core business.“We did apply for a grant in 2017, but the amount we received was not as much as we had asked for,” Hafiz said.But despite its financial constraints, Red Circle pushed on. Today, it has completed a second season and is in talks for a spot on local television stations.Company director Dzahiruddin Ahmad Zabidi said they were optimistic that the series would be able to penetrate the local market and compete with other established shows.“The series already available in Malaysia are mostly focused on children,” he said.“Not many are targeted at teenagers and adults. For ‘Robozeta’, we went with the superhero theme.”He added that it was important to have variety in genres and not to simply copy and paste from existing animation series.For the second season of “Robozeta”, the company plans to further solidify the relevant data before exporting the series to other countries.Even now, though, Hafiz said efforts to promote the series on social media have received a good response, with increasing numbers of followers.The team is also looking for business partners to produce “Robozeta” toys and souvenirs.Dzahiruddin sees the second season as proof of what Malaysians can accomplish, even in a short period of time and with limited resources.“Normally, animation companies in the country are not sustainable,” he said.“Once one season ends, the company closes shop. The business cycle of animation in Malaysia is not too stable yet, even though the audience is increasing.”


Over 15,000 evacuees at flood relief centres

Over 15,000 flood evacuees remained at 188 relief shelters in Johor, Pahang, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Sabah and Terengganu as of last night.In Johor, the number of evacuees rose to 4,737 people as of 8pm compared to 4,278 people in the evening, state health and environment committee chairman R Vidyananthan said.He added that seven districts in the state were still affected by floods compared to eight earlier in the evening following the closure of the relief centre at Dewan Raya Sungai Tiram, Johor Bahru at 7pm.“There are 71 relief centres open in seven districts, with Segamat recording the highst number of evacuees at 3,554 people, followed by Mersing (476), Kota Tinggi (210), Tangkak (297), Muar (52) and Batu Pahat (77), while in Kluang the number remained at 71 people,” he said.In Pahang, the number of evacuees dropped slightly tonight to 2,438 people from 713 families at 46 centres compared to 2,572 people at 55 centres earlier in the evening. They were being housed at centres in the districts of Temerloh, Kuantan, Maran, Rompin, Jerantut, Lipis, Raub, Bera and Pekan.Eleven roads were closed as of 8pm, including Jalan Air Hitam in Kuantan, Jalan Kampung Wau-Kertau (Maran), Jalan Kuala Lipis-Jerantut (Jerantut), Jalan Temerloh-Jerantut (Temerloh), Jalan Ulu Dong (Raub) and Jalan Southern Loop (Bentong).The publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my website meanwhile reported that water levels at Sungai Pahang at Kuala Sungai Chini in Pekan, Sungai Serting in Jambatan Padang Gudang (Bera) and Paya Gintong (Jerantut) still exceeded danger levels, but were showing downward trends.In Melaka, the number of evacuees declined slightly to 2,591 people from 667 families as of 8pm compared to 2,621 people from 674 families at 4pm. The evacuees were from 14 areas in Alor Gajah, nine areas in Melaka Tengah and 10 areas in Jasin.Of the total, 1,007 people from 264 families were housed at nine centres in Alor Gajah, 1,391 people from 358 families were at centres in Melaka Tengah, and 193 people from 45 families were at four centres in Jasin.Melaka works, transport, public facilities, infrastructure and flood management committee chairman Rahmad Mariman said heavy rain outside Melaka, especially upstream of rivers flowing into the state, had contributed to the floods that hit the state since Saturday.“Sungai Lubok China and Sungai Melaka both received heavy rain upstream in Negeri Sembilan, causing the water to overflow in low-lying areas and affect the areas around Lubok China as well as Krubong, Taman Merdeka and Peringgit in the Melaka Tengah district.“In Jasin, Sungai Kesang from Tangkak, Johor, overflowed and affected several areas in Sungai Rambai, Semujuk and Lanchang,” he told Bernama.In Negeri Sembilan, the number of flood evacuees dropped to 1,967 people from 540 families with 21 relief centres open as of 8pm compared to 2,073 people from 568 families in the evening.In Selangor, the number of evacuees remained the same at 40 people, 25 of whom were being housed at Dewan Orang Ramai Kampung Kelanang and 15 at Balai Raya Majlis Pengurusan Komuniti Kampung Banting in Kuala Langat district.The water level of Sungai Langat in Bukit Changgang, Kuala Langat, which had been at the danger level in the evening, had dropped to an alert level of 4.12m as of 8pm.In Sabah, the number of evacuees remained at 3,329 people at 26 centres in six districts. Kota Marudu still had the highest number of evacuees, with 2,766 people at 14 centres, followed by Pitas (234 people at four centres), Telupid (159 people at six centres), Paitan (83 people at three centres), Sandakan (46 people at one centre) and Beluran (41 people at two centres).In Terengganu, a second wave of floods resulted in the opening of one relief centre in Kemaman at 9pm to house 10 evacuees from two families.The state disaster management committee secretariat said in a statement that the relief centre at SMK Geliga was opened after the houses were flooded as a result of tidal surges last night.The situation is being monitored to ensure the safety of residents in the affected area, who have been ordered to evacuate to relief centres if need be.


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Court warns Najib against social media attacks on Zeti

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today issued a stern warning to former prime minister Najib Razak to stop attacking former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz on his Facebook.Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah while there was no necessity to impose a gag order on Najib, who is Pekan MP, he must not make statements relating to the 1MDB trial as if the trial is in the public domain.“The court therefore issues a stern warning to the accused not to repeat the action. The court will take any action necessary to protect its integrity,” he said.The court made the ruling after the prosecution urged it to issue a strict warning to Najib for attacking Zeti, who is a witness in the 1MDB case, on his Facebook.Senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram brought up the matter on Tuesday following an online comment made by Najib on Dec 29 regarding Zeti who allegedly received money from 1MDB.Sequerah said the statements Zeti had made in her interviews did not justify Najib’s response on Facebook.“What the accused stated in his post can be viewed, as a whole, as an attack on the witness,” the judge added.Earlier, Najib’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah submitted that Najib’s Facebook post was a response to Zeti’s statements made in two articles that were published online.“One of the interviews, namely the one with news portal theedgemarkets.com, was published on July 3, 2018, in which she continued to attack my client one day before he was charged over SRC International Sdn Bhd’s funds (July 4).“Zeti’s statements (during the investigation of both SRC International and 1MDB case) were recorded because she was a part of the 1MDB special task force which investigated the scandal involving the sovereign wealth fund.“She knew she was a potential witness. My client wouldn’t know but she (Zeti) would know,” said Shafee.Wrapping up his submissions, Shafee said the court needed to be conscious of citizens’ right to freedom of speech under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution and whether this was contempt of court.Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib argued that another article which carried Zeti’s interview was euromoney.com, which focused on economic issues.“Nothing in this whole article amounts to a personal attack on Najib, and the second article published on theedgemarkets.com was Zeti’s response to a claim by Najib made in a recent interview.“Zeti was responding to a statement made about her. She was not even listed as a witness at the material time. This is a clear case of contempt. We move the court to give a warning so this does not happen again,” he added.Najib, in his Facebook post, has urged Zeti to respond to a blog post claiming that her family had received RM100 million from fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, which included 1MDB funds.Najib, 67, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.The trial continues on Feb 8.


Model Vietnam reports 2 locally transmitted Covid-19 cases after 55 clear days

Vietnam’s health ministry on Thursday confirmed its first two locally transmitted Covid-19 cases in nearly two months.Though an infinitesimal number compared with new coronavirus infections in many countries, the two cases are a shock and a blow for Vietnam.They come at a bad time, just weeks before the country’s Tet Lunar New Year holiday period, the biggest and most popular festival of the year in Vietnam when big gatherings indoors are expected. This year Tet runs from Feb 10 to 16.One of the patients is a worker at Van Don international airport who was responsible for taking infected passengers arriving from abroad to quarantine facilities.The other is a factory worker who came into contact with a Vietnamese national who later travelled to Japan and tested positive there.“The airport staff worker has been to several public places, including hospital,” the health ministry said in its statement.Following the announcement, Vietnam’s health ministry ordered provinces and state agencies to tighten screening and controls.Contact tracing efforts were launched in the two northern provinces where the new infections were detected.One case was linked to the new rapid-spreading UK variant of the virus, so a village in Hai Duong was locked down, according to state media.“We have to make all efforts to locate the infected areas within 10 days to put down the outbreak,” Vu Duc Dam, head of the national Covid-19 task force said.In awkward timing for the country’s government, the two new cases also came as the ruling Communist Party gathers in Hanoi for its five-yearly congress to pick new leadership, with 1,600 delegates from across Vietnam in attendance.As soon as the new cases were announced, the wearing of face masks was made compulsory at the congress venue for the first time.Vietnam’s stringent anti-coronavirus steps helped quickly contain its earlier coronavirus outbreaks, allowing it to resume its economic activities before much of Asia, although the country remained effectively sealed off from the rest of the world.Thanks to strict quarantine, testing and tracing measures, the country had reported only 1,551 cases and 35 deaths before Thursday, earning it a place in the top three in a survey of countries which serve as models for how to handle the pandemic.


Rich and poor vaccine divide worsening, warns WHO

The Covid-19 vaccine divide between rich and poor nations is worsening by the day, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Monday, insisting the failure to distribute doses fairly could cost the global economy trillions of dollars.WHO said it needed US$26 billion this year for its programme aimed at speeding up the development, procurement and equitable delivery of vaccines, treatments and tests to beat the coronavirus pandemic.“Rich countries are rolling out vaccines, while the world’s least-developed countries watch and wait,” lamented WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.“Every day that passes, the divide grows larger between the world’s haves and have nots,” he told a press conference.“Vaccine nationalism might serve short-term political goals. But it’s in every nation’s own medium and long-term economic interest to support vaccine equity.”Tedros cited a study commissioned by the Research Foundation of the International Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 45 million companies in over 100 countries.“Vaccine nationalism could cost the global economy up to US$9.2 trillion, and almost half of that – US$4.5 trillion – would be incurred in the wealthiest economies,” he said.The report said that the financial damage of the pandemic in wealthy countries could not be fixed unless the impact of the crisis in developing nations was also addressed, due to the inter-connectivity of economies around the globe.Tedros said investing in the so-called ACT Accelerator programme, to try to curtail the pandemic on a pooled and equitable basis, was therefore not charity, but simply “economic common sense”.100 million reported cases landmarkTedros said that exactly a year ago, fewer than 1,500 cases of Covid-19 had been reported to WHO, including just 23 outside of China, where the first clusters of infections were discovered.More than 2.1 million deaths have been recorded since then.“This week, we expect to reach 100 million reported cases,” said Tedros.“Numbers can make us numb to what they represent: every death is someone’s parent, someone’s partner, someone’s child, someone’s friend.“Vaccines are giving us hope, which is why every life we lose now is even more tragic. We must take heart, take hope and take action.”He urged people to stick to the basics of physical distancing, hand washing, avoiding crowds and wearing masks while waiting their turn to get immunised.Michael Ryan, WHO’s emergencies director, said only one disease, smallpox, had ever been eradicated, so the availability of vaccines against Covid-19 did not mean the disease could be wiped off the face of the Earth.“The bar for success is reducing the capacity of this virus to kill, put people in hospital and destroy our economic and social lives,” he said.Meanwhile Bruce Aylward, WHO’s ACT Accelerator hub chief, said the goal of vaccination was merely to take the heat out of the pandemic by the end of 2021.“But it is going to take making some tough choices about how we equitably use and allocate what is, right now, a scarce product – and will be for some months to come.”


Khairy still eyeing top office, keeping all options open

Former Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin says he is open to all options, days after being sacked from Umno on grounds of violating party discipline during the campaign period for the recent general election.
Khairy, a former health minister, was given the boot alongside ex-Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar.
Others including Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein were slapped with a six-year suspension of membership as Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi made good on his vow to purge the party of those critical of top leadership decisions.
Speaking in an interview with radio station BFM this morning, Khairy said he was still holding to his ambition of becoming prime minister – a goal first announced during his campaign for the Sungai Buloh constituency.
"I do still want to lead this country one day. How do I get there? I don't know.
"But I want to make sure that the decision I make is based on the vision of the country that I am happy and comfortable with," he said.
Khairy was among several senior Umno leaders who called for Zahid's resignation following the party's worst electoral performance ever, the aftermath of which saw the Umno chief taking 30 MPs from Barisan Nasional to back PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister.
He himself was transferred out of his Rembau seat to make way for Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan, eventually losing the Sungai Buloh race as well as his seat in the Dewan Rakyat.
While campaigning in Sungai Buloh, Khairy openly declared his intention to contest the Umno presidency, adding that the party had lost its way and should be "fixed".
Speaking this morning, the former Umno Youth chief said he would take his time to decide on his next move, adding that he had received offers in a wide range of fields, from politics and the academia to business.
"Opportunity present themselves. The state election is a possibility," Khairy said, referring to the polls in six states to be held this year.
On joining another party, he said he would consider joining one that aligns with his vision for the country, emphasising inclusivity, good governance, and progressiveness.
On his prospects of rejoining Umno, he said the Malay party might have reached a point of no return.
"If I contemplate returning to Umno, it must be a different entity than it is today," he said.


‘Rust’ script never called for Baldwin gun to be fired, lawsuit alleges

A crew member working on the Western movie “Rust” said in a lawsuit on Wednesday that the script never called for a gun to be fired during a scene that Alec Baldwin was rehearsing when he killed a cinematographer last month.Script supervisor Mamie Mitchell alleges Baldwin should have checked the gun himself for live ammunition rather than relying on the assistant director’s assertion that the Colt .45 revolver was safe to use.“In our opinion, Baldwin chose to play Russian Roulette when he fired a gun without checking it and without having the armorer do so in his presence,” Mitchell’s attorney Gloria Allred told a news conference.Mitchell, who said she was in the line of fire, alleges assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and deliberate infliction of harm and is seeking unspecified damages in the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.“I relive the shooting and the sound of the explosion from the gun over and over again,” said Mitchell, who made the emergency call to authorities immediately after the Oct 21 incident.The lawsuit, the second to be lodged over the incident, names Baldwin, the movie’s producers, assistant director Dave Halls and Hannah Gutierrez, the armorer who was in charge of the weapons used in the movie.Representatives for Baldwin, the producers, and Halls did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A lawyer for Gutierrez said he had yet to see the lawsuit.Baldwin has said he is heartbroken and is cooperating with the law enforcement investigation. Production company Rust Movie Productions is conducting its own probe.Authorities in New Mexico have said they are investigating how a live bullet ended up in a gun Baldwin was using as he rehearsed a scene inside a church on Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe. No criminal charges have been filed.Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded when a gun Baldwin had been told was safe fired off a live bullet, investigators have said.Other live rounds have also been found on the set.The lawsuit said the “Rust” script called for three tight camera shots for the scene – one of Baldwin’s eyes, another of a bloodstain, and a third on Baldwin’s torso “as he reached his hand down to the holster and removed the gun.”Baldwin “intentionally, without just cause or excuse, cocked and fired the loaded gun even though the upcoming scene did not call for the cocking and firing of a firearm,” the lawsuit asserts.Allred said she believed Baldwin’s behavior on the set was “reckless” and alleged that other safety protocols had been flouted or ignored.Last week, chief electrician Serge Svetnoy filed a negligence lawsuit against the producers.


Another rubber glove maker hit by US ban over forced labour claims

The US has barred imports from rubber glove maker Supermax over alleged labour abuses, the latest firm from Malaysia to face such a ban.Malaysia is home to millions of migrant workers employed in manufacturing and agriculture, but critics say they are often mistreated.US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the ban on Supermax gloves on Wednesday, after a probe found indications of forced labour in the firm’s manufacturing operations.“CBP has ample evidence to conclude that Supermax… and its subsidiaries produce gloves in violation of US trade law,” said agency official AnnMarie R Highsmith.“Until Supermax and its subsidiaries can prove their manufacturing processes are free of forced labour, their goods are not welcome here.”The agency did not give details about the alleged labour abuse at the company, which exports to over 160 countries and can produce up to 24 billion gloves a year.But migrant rights activist Andy Hall, who investigated Supermax, said workers’ complaints ranged from being unable to leave factory compounds, to cramped living conditions and unlawful salary deductions.Hall said he hoped “this trade enforcement action against the company will lead to a swift change in the abusive living and work conditions faced by the company’s workers in Malaysia”.Supermax did not respond to a request for comment.Its shares were down more than 10% in afternoon trade on the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange.Malaysia’s glove makers, whose business has boomed during the coronavirus pandemic, typically employ workers from South Asia.The US barred imports from the world’s top latex glove manufacturer, Top Glove, earlier this year over alleged labour abuses, but the ban was lifted in September.Two palm oil companies, Sime Darby Plantation and FGV Holdings, were also hit with US import bans in 2020 over similar concerns.


Health ministry calls for volunteers to help battle Covid-19

The health ministry has called for more medical personnel to volunteer their services to help contain the increase in Covid-19 cases in the country.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, in a Facebook post, said volunteers are needed to ease the burden of ministry healthcare personnel nationwide.The ministry requires volunteers, including medical officers and medical assistant officers, dental officers, nurses, environmental health officers and assistant environmental health officers as well as medical laboratory technologists, he said.Noor Hisham said interested individuals between 18 and 60 years of age must be physically and mentally healthy and fit, and not pregnant. Those who are working must also obtain permission from their employers.“Another condition is that the applicant is not part of the ministry workforce, willing to work at any given location, and has not been in close contact with a Covid-19 case in the last 14 days.”He added that the ministry would not provide transportation, accommodation, food or allowances for volunteers.Those interested can fill in a form at https://forms.gle/ktiuH2mjRePBCZLm9. Further inquiries can be submitted via email at [email protected]


Several PJ neighbourhoods placed under EMCO

Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said that several neighbourhoods in Petaling Jaya would be placed under enhanced movement control order (EMCO), the strictest form of lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19.He said Mentari Court in PJS 8, the SS 91A housing area in Sungai Way, and the Westlite Apartments would come under EMCO from July 1 to 14.He said the health ministry had recorded 137 cases at Mentari Court, 64 cases in SS 91A and 215 cases at the Westlite flats, with high transmissibility levels at all three locations.“Having conducted a risk assessment with the agencies in the MCO technical committee and on the advice of the health ministry, the government has agreed to implement EMCO at these three locations,” he said in a statement.He said Kampung Kubang Jela in Manir, Terengganu, would also be placed under EMCO until July 14, adding that 18 residents there had tested positive for Covid-19 with a positivity rate of 54.3%.Likewise, Kampung Balung Cocos in Tawau, Sabah, which recorded nine positive cases with a positivity rate of 33.33% will come under EMCO from July 1 to 14, as well as the Pantai Ria People’s Housing Project and Taman Bukit Angkasa in Kuala Lumpur.Ismail said 171 Covid-19 cases had been recorded at the Pantai Ria flats while 153 tested positive at Taman Bukit Angkasa.


Germany moves to eradicate lingering Nazi laws

Germany is moving to rid itself of a cluster of laws introduced by the Nazis, still lingering on its books 75 years after World War II.There are 29 German legal or regulatory texts that still use wording introduced when Hitler was in power, according to Felix Klein, the government’s point man for fighting anti-Semitism.Some of them have “a very clear anti-Semitic background”, Klein told AFP.Now, with the support of several parties in the Bundestag lower house of parliament as well as Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, Klein wants to wipe the slate clean – preferably before the end of the current term in September.But the question remains whether to introduce a single law to reform all the texts at once, or to approach them one by one.Germany has already reformed several Nazi-era laws over the years, including the infamous Paragraph 175 that criminalised sex between men and was repealed in 1994.More recently, a 1933 ban on medical practitioners “advertising” that they carry out pregnancy terminations was partially scrapped in 2019.But some pertinent examples remain, including a law on altering names introduced by Nazi interior minister Wilhelm Frick in 1938.From January 1939, a change to the law forced Jewish people to add the names “Sara” or “Israel” to their first names if they did not have a name that was considered typically Jewish.The law “played a huge role in the exclusion and disenfranchisement of Jews”, said Thorsten Frei, deputy leader of the conservative CDU party’s parliamentary group.The section on Jewish names was scrapped by the Allies immediately after World War II, but the remaining text from 1938 was incorporated into federal law in 1954.‘German Reich’The remaining parts of the law, which deal with issues such as the right to change one’s name, are still “written as though the Third Reich still existed”, Klein points out.Terms such as “German Reich”, “Reich government” and “Reich interior minister” are used, he said.“It is absolutely unacceptable that Nazi language should continue to shape our federal law in 2021,” Social Democratic Party politician Helge Lindh told AFP.“It is high time to send a clear signal with this long overdue form of denazification.”The law should also be cleaned up so it applies to all foreign nationals living in Germany, not just Germans, Lindh urged.The law on names may be the most prominent, but there are at least 28 other German legal texts dating from the Nazi era – and possibly as many as 40, he added.“Other laws and regulations deal with very technical issues, such as the upkeep of the river Elbe in the Hamburg region,” explains Frei.Further texts include regulations on alternative medical practitioners, casinos and mutual legal assistance between Germany and Greece.‘Race’ debateAlthough it was adopted four years after World War II ended on May 8, 1945, aspects of Germany’s Basic Law, which charted a clear course away from Nazi ideology, have also come under fire – particularly from the political left.Critics are calling for a revision of Article 3 of the constitution, which contains the term “race”. In June 2020, Chancellor Angela Merkel declared herself open to the idea.But any changes to the Basic Law require a two-thirds majority in parliament.Germany is also planning to scrap alphabet tables – phonetic aids with phrases like “F for Friedrich” – that have remained largely unchanged since the Nazis removed all names with Jewish associations in 1934.Although the tables were revised in 1950, most of the old names were not reinstated.A temporary return to pre-Nazi era tables is planned from autumn 2021, with a new version using mainly city names to be rolled out from autumn 2022.The tables are not laid down in law, but overseen by the German Institute for Standardisation.


Nomination ends, campaign period to begin

The nomination of candidates for the 15th general election (GE15), which began at 222 nomination centres across the country at 9am today, ended with the centres closing at 10am.
The general election for the 222 parliamentary seats will be held simultaneously with the state elections for Perak, Pahang and Perlis, as well as the by-election for the state seat of Bugaya in Sabah.
The 14-day campaign period will begin after the official announcement of candidates is made by the returning officer, and will run until 11.59pm on Nov 18.
Election Commission chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh is expected to hold a press conference on the nomination process at noon today.
Polling is set on Nov 19 and early voting is on Nov 15.


Mydin boss tells why he’s no believer in online shopping

The owner of one of the country’s leading retailers does not believe that e-commerce is the way forward for doing business in the face of restrictions due to the pandemic, saying it does not offer alternatives for economic activities as do brick and mortar stores.Ameer Ali Mydin, who owns the Mydin hypermarket chain, said not only does e-commerce constitute a small part of economic activity, it does not benefit local players.“What goes with e-commerce is not the same as what goes with the brick and mortar retail business. When you go shopping, you walk around, you go for a drink, you take a cab. The whole supply chains move,” Ameer, who is also the vice-president of the Malaysia Retail Association, told business radio BFM today.He said e-commerce in Malaysia at the moment only benefits “two multinational foreign suppliers”.“I don’t like to mention them, but they are the only ones who are making money out of everybody else. They charge 30% for food and beverage delivery. Minting money!“What are we doing? Support and support. We are supporting the wrong people. The locals are dying,” he added.Ameer also suggested that there is a great deal of hype about e-commerce bringing down costs for end customers.“Consumers might not be aware, but they are paying for everything anyway. They think if you get this coin and that coin, you are getting it for much cheaper but seriously you’re not,” he said, adding that online promotions are misleading.“Brick and mortar is always the cheapest. In the long term, it is definitely better for the economy.”Meanwhile, Ameer, who heads the Bumiputera Retailers Organisation, flatly dismissed any notion that Bumiputera businessmen could survive the current business climate.“Dying is the wrong word. I think they are all dead,” he said.He scoffed at stories of individuals who had lost jobs during the pandemic moving to new businesses.“Remember when a pilot sells burgers, he is taking business away from another burger seller.”Ameer also called for more clarity from the government on the do’s and don’ts for businesses during the movement control order.He said it would be better for the government to list businesses that are prohibited from operating instead of the other way around.“The government should only come up with a negative list.“There’s no way the government can come out and say what can open. There’s so many types of businesses out there.“Just say,what cannot (open). That will be easier. And let everything else open, but with very strict SOPs,” said Ameer.


Thailand to offer long-stay work permits to undocumented migrants to curb new Covid-19 surge

Thailand on Tuesday said it would allow undocumented migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar to work in the country legally for two years to curb the spread of Covid-19.Migrants will have to sign up online and be registered with an employer in order to receive a work permit until February 2023, Reuters is reporting.The announcement comes as Thailand deals with its worst coronavirus outbreak to-date, with more than 1,500 cases reported since mid-December.Most cases have been linked to predominantly Myanmar migrant workers at a seafood market in central Samut Sakhon province.“The government has been screening migrants in areas at risk, resulting in some employers moving illegal migrant workers out of certain areas to avoid breaking the law,” deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul told reporters.“Also, illegal workers are panicking and moving out of certain areas, which risks spreading Covid-19,” she said.Once the registration period ends in mid-February, authorities will “check, crack down on, arrest and prosecute” undocumented migrant workers, according to the cabinet resolution.Thailand has an estimated 2.2 million registered migrant workers – mainly from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos – but many others work informally in sectors from fishing to farming, say activists.The Migrant Working Group (MWG) estimates that up to 800,000 migrants would be eligible to register under the new measures.Adisorn Kerdmongkol of MWG, said the government should also allow about 100,000 would-be migrants who have already secured work permits to enter Thailand despite the closure of its borders to contain the spread of coronavirus.“Some of these migrants who are waiting to enter the country to work are in debt, having paid brokers or employers various fees to secure jobs,” he said.The Thai labour ministry last month announced that about 130,000 migrants from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos who had entered the country legally and whose permits were expiring could stay in Thailand to work for another two years.Though low in comparison to many countries, Thailand’s average of 142 new daily cases is a setback for its efforts to keep the virus at bay, having recorded just 6,440 infections and 61 deaths since its first case in January.The government said on Tuesday that more intensive measures might be necessary and urged the public to cooperate to contain a spread that has seen cases in most regions of the country.


Apple’s iPhone development schedule delayed by China lockdowns, report says

Apple Inc has told its suppliers to speed up iPhone development after China’s strict Covid-19 lockdowns hampered schedule for at least one of the new phones, Nikkei reported on Wednesday, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.Lockdowns due to China’s zero-Covid policy led iPhone assembler Pegatron Corp to suspend operations at its Shanghai and Kunshan plants last month.Financial hub Shanghai remains largely paralysed by a city-wide lockdown, which is now in its seventh week, while Beijing has ramped up quarantine efforts.Apple last month forecast bigger problems as Covid-19 lockdowns snarled production and demand in China, with the war in Ukraine adding to the iPhone maker’s woes.In the worst-case scenario, Apple expects the manufacturing schedule and initial production volumes of the new phones to be hurt, the Nikkei business daily reported.Apple and its suppliers Foxconn and Pegatron did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters.


The 11-year-old looking for funds to play football in Spain

At just 11 years old, Azzad Athary Rafzan has received an offer to play football at an international tournament in Spain.
Azzad's talent was discovered by the tournament organisers, who offered him a spot at the TAR11 U11 Promises Football Tournament with a team in Bangkok, Thailand.
The problem for Azzad and his family, though, is how he will get there and finance his stay throughout the tournament.
His father, Rafzan Ramli, said his son would need to find the funds to cover the cost of his trip, meals and accommodation upon his arrival in Spain.
Rafzan had taken Azzad to train in the Thai capital, where he was seen by the PFA Bangkok team.
"My wife and I contacted an academy in Bangkok last September for a try-out session in order to give our son more exposure," he said.
"The club trainer offered Azzad a spot at a tournament with his academy in December.
"Early this year, the club contacted us and gave us an invitation for Azzad to play with them in Spain."
Azzad, who is currently part of the National Football Development Programme (NFDP), is confident of the skills needed to perform at the tournament.
The problem is that the club only sponsors fees and jerseys for players.
Everything else, Azzad's parents will need to cover.
Rafzan, who works as a technician at RapidKL, said the estimated cost for his son's trip with a guardian is about RM35,000.
The tournament will continue over the course of two days, but the players need to be there a week ahead of time for training sessions and friendly games.
The academies of leading clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are also expected to attend.
Rafzan said Azzad, the youngest of five children, had been playing football since he was six years old.
When he was just one, Rafzan took him to a stadium to watch his very first live match.
Azzad, who attends SK Taman Samudera Batu Caves, began participating in local tournaments when he was eight.
He now plays in the Suparimau League under the management of the Football Federation of Malaysia.
Rafzan said he had been working part-time as a carpenter in order to raise funds for his son and help him achieve his dream of becoming a football player.
"I have a small workshop at home, but I don't make very much," he said.
"Most of the time, I have to use our savings."
Rafzan has also approached the youth and sports ministry, which voiced support for the family's initiative.
"Some individuals and friends have also contributed," he said.
"They understand what grassroots football really is."


Palace expresses condolences over death of Queen Elizabeth

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah today expressed their deepest condolences to the British royal family over the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
In a statement, the king and queen said Queen Elizabeth would be remembered by their Majesties, the government and the people of Malaysia for her unwavering commitment to the Commonwealth of which Malaysia was a proud member, and her efforts to promote stronger ties between the UK and Malaysia.
"Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will also be remembered for her dedication to the people and the government of the UK as well as for her deep concern for the welfare and well-being of the people.
"Their Majesties’ thoughts are with the bereaved members of the royal family and the British people in this moment of sadness and sorrow as they come together to mourn the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. May God bless Her Majesty's soul," the statement said.
Recalling a meeting with Queen Elizabeth, they said they had had the pleasure of paying a courtesy visit and attending a luncheon with her at Buckingham Palace in London on Dec 13, 2019. The courtesy visit and the luncheon were in conjunction with a special seven-day visit to England, which began on Dec 9, 2019.
Queen Elizabeth, during her reign, visited Malaysia three times: in 1972 (special visit), 1989 (11th Commonwealth heads of government meeting) and 1998 (16th Commonwealth Games).
Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-serving monarch, died at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland yesterday.


Umno digging its grave deeper, says ex-deputy division chief

Umno appears to be digging its own grave, although the depth of that grave has not yet been determined, says former Putrajaya deputy division leader Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz.
Speaking in an interview with members of the media, he said Umno had not learnt its lesson from the last general election in 2018, when it lost for the first time to Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Instead, he said, it had continued making mistakes in the run-up to the 15th general election (GE15) on Nov 19.
Faisal said the main rejection of Umno was due to the background of leaders with liabilities, which had affected the party's reputation in GE15.
As a result, he said, voters including Umno supporters and members had jumped ship to Perikatan Nasional (PN) out of dissatisfaction with the stance of their president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
"They didn't just lose in terms of Barisan Nasional (BN), which dropped from 79 chairs in Parliament to 30," he said.
"Umno itself was reduced from the 54 seats it won at GE14 to just 26."
He said the shift in support to PN had also caused Umno to lose Perlis, leaving it gravely injured in Perak and Pahang and nearly buried in the federal territories.
Worse, he said, BN MPs in Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Melaka lost their footing with Zahid himself winning in Bagan Datuk by only a narrow margin of 348 votes.
Faisal said Umno's self-defeating behaviour continued even after the election, when Zahid refused to step down as president as his predecessor Najib Razak had done after GE14.
"After that, it dug its grave even deeper by agreeing to work with Pakatan Harapan (PH)," he said.
"Voters and supporters feel betrayed. They voted for Umno because of its 'No Anwar, no DAP' tagline, but in the end, cooperation was forged."
He said many had chosen to support Bersatu instead, as it was seen as an alternative party with the same direction and struggle, and was also working with PAS.
On Umno's performance following its election defeat in 2018, Faisal said the party had managed to make headway in terms of its reputation during its time in the opposition.
He said Umno had been well received, especially after forming the Muafakat Nasional pact with PAS, citing the series of by-elections in which the BN lynchpin had claimed victory.
He said Umno had also been welcomed upon its return to the government after the collapse of the PH administration, although the situation began to change after July 2020, when Najib was convicted and sentenced by the High Court to 12 years in prison on top of a RM210 million fine.
"Things became tense with PN, and talk began about the signing of statutory declarations to make Anwar Ibrahim the prime minister," he said.
Political analyst Azmi Hassan said there might have been wisdom in BN's decision to work with PH, adding however that drastic change was needed within Umno itself.
He said that in order to restore its standing in the public eye, MPs appointed to Cabinet portfolios would need to perform well.
"They must prove that they can work well even though the majority support for this government is for PH, not BN," he said.
"This is difficult to say as BN has only 30 seats. But if they take the right approach, the interests of this unity government will also depend on the support for BN, thus proving that they can remain relevant."


Daily caseload tops 9,000 again

Another 9,380 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,303,837.Sarawak recorded 1,503 cases, Kelantan 1,170, Selangor 1,116 and Johor 1,105.Sabah recorded 790 cases, Terengganu 704, Perak 629, Penang 623, Kedah 556, Pahang 511, Kuala Lumpur 214, Melaka 200 and Negeri Sembilan 191.Perlis recorded 42 cases, Putrajaya 18 and Labuan eight.Another 13,045 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,144,681.Meanwhile 851 are in the ICU, including 800 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 447 are in need of respiratory assistance including 348 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 9,380 cases reported today, 181 (1.9%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 9,199 (98.1%) are in Category One and Two.


Mat Sabu says no to BN, PN for ‘big tent’ approach

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu today said that any cooperation among political parties under the “big tent” approach ahead of the 15th general election (GE15) should not take into consideration those from Barisan Nasional (BN) or Perikatan Nasional (PN).In a statement, he said Amanah respected and welcomed differences in opinion regarding the approach but that clarity was needed before any meaningful discussions could be held.“Amanah wishes to reiterate that the ‘big tent’ approach is a matter of unity and cooperation among opposition parties in facing GE15,” he said.“It does not include alliances or cooperation with parties in the government, whether Umno, Bersatu or PAS. There is no way that Pakatan Harapan (PH) will work with traitors who have clearly betrayed the trust and mandate of the people.”Mohamad said the “traitors” were those who had jumped ship to Bersatu and PN due to offers which he claimed had been made at the time.“It doesn’t make sense for us to put those who have jumped alongside those who did not.“Just as we do not see PKR as a party of traitors because of its deputy president and the handful of MPs who switched camps, it is also irrational for us to label Pejuang, Warisan and Muda as traitors because of the betrayals of Mahiaddin and Bersatu,” he said, referring to PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin and the coalition’s lynchpin party.Bersatu had been part of PH at its historic victory in the 2018 general election which saw the pact toppling BN after six decades of power.However, it withdrew from the coalition in February 2020 after the resignation of its then-chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister.Muhyiddin was declared Mahathir’s successor but likewise resigned in August last year after a group of MPs aligned with former prime minister Najib Razak and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi withdrew their support for him in the Dewan Rakyat.Muhyiddin was succeeded by Umno’s Ismail Sabri Yaakob, whose majority hinged on the support of Muhyiddin and the MPs from Bersatu.Mohamad said Amanah would continue its efforts to shore up its “friends” in order to face the common enemies of BN and PN.“For those who have already decided that GE15 cannot be won, such efforts would not be needed,” he said.“Striving to lose is far easier than fighting to win.”


‘Malaysian but not’: home ministry told to speed up citizenship requests for stateless kids in Sarawak

A Sarawak minister has urged the home ministry to expedite the process for citizenship applications for stateless children in Sarawak, warning that the “prolonged denials” will have a negative impact on society.Fatimah Abdullah, the state welfare, community wellbeing, women, family and childhood development minister, said the majority of such children had at least one Malaysian parent while others were abandoned with no way of tracking down their parents.“Each day of waiting means the children are growing,” she said.“Without citizenship, they are unable to go to school and are deprived of education. No education means their future will be affected.”Even those who can attend school must often deal with the higher fees imposed on foreign students, which Fatimah said would affect those from the lower income bracket.“For school leavers, they are unable to apply for jobs or to learn a skill at training institutions,” she added. “This affects their future well-being, and when a child does not have any form of legal identification, this will lead to social issues.“The prolonged denial will have an adverse impact because you don’t know where you belong. You feel that you are Malaysian, but you are not Malaysian.”Fatimah’s remarks follow the announcement by Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin of a special card to be issued to foreign nationals and their children who have lived in Sabah for a long time.He said this would enable the authorities to determine the number of foreigners residing in the state.Fatimah said there were thousands of stateless children in Sarawak who had no proper papers and were left vulnerable to exploitation.The Sarawak Special Committee on Citizenship has received just over 800 applications since its inception in 2016.“You feel that you are Malaysian, but you are not Malaysian.”But Fatimah said this number does not include the applications submitted directly to the home ministry before the establishment of the special committee.“There could be more,” she added.And the vast size of the state, compounded by its rugged terrain and rivers, makes it difficult for many to make the journey to submit their applications. This is especially the case for those living in rural areas where proper roads are few and far in between, and residents are unfamiliar with the administrative requirements involved.“We have seen cases of women forced into prostitution to make ends meet, who leave their infant children with their aged parents in longhouses and villages,” Fatimah said.“We are very concerned about the length of time taken to inform the applicants about their applications, whether they have been approved or not.”In the meantime, she said, the problems faced by stateless children only increase as they grow older.Fatimah said the federal policy on stateless children often overlooks the circumstances of those in Sarawak. She also urged the education ministry to empathise with the situations of these children, whom she said had not asked to be born this way in the first place.“The new policy under the education ministry requiring stateless children to produce passports to enrol in government schools will definitely affect many in Sarawak,” she said.There is also the problem of constant shifts in policy depending on political developments, she said.She said some Malaysian parents submitted applications for citizenship on behalf of their adopted foreign children, or children who had been abandoned and placed in welfare homes.Others had children whose adoptions were not properly registered, or children born out of wedlock or to parents who were not married and whose mothers were foreigners.She cited a recent study by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak which found that one of the major reasons for the late registration of children was a lack of awareness among parents about the importance of having identification documents.She said since 2017, her ministry through the Sarawak Social Development Council had conducted awareness and advocacy programmes as part of attempts to address the issue of statelessness as well as the problems of personal documents among the vulnerable and at-risk communities, particularly those living in villages along foreign borders.She said efforts in the state would continue, with the interagency Randau programme to inform the public about the importance of citizenship, among others.Plans for talks with skills training centres in the state are also underway, to allow stateless children to further their studies provided that they can show that they have applied for citizenship and are still awaiting a response from the home ministry.“The state government understands that we cannot depend on the administrative machinery of the home ministry and the National Registration Department,” she said.


Anger over French police brutality forces Macron to change course

Four French policemen are under criminal investigation over the beating of black music producer Michel Zecler in Paris, after a video of the incident surfaced causing national outrage.The assault happened at Zecler’s studio earlier this month and the video came to light last week. Zecler, who needed stitches, says he was also racially abused during the beating.The police attack, together with rising anger over a new law proposing to penalise the sharing of video or photos of police, has forced French politicians to agree to rethink and rewrite controversial parts of the security bill aimed at protecting police officers.There were huge protests across France at the weekend against Article 24 of the bill, which has raised fears the new law could stop people exposing police brutality.Demonstrators were calling attention to the so-called “global security law” which also includes controversial provisions that critics say would expand the state’s right to monitor its citizens.Following the protests against infringing on free speech and limiting police accountability, French President Emmanuel Macron’s ruling party on Monday promised to change the proposed security law designed to restrict the filming of police officers.“We are resolved to protect our police forces but to remove doubts and misunderstandings we are therefore going to propose a complete new wording of Article 24,” the leader of Macron’s party, told a press conference.Critics say media freedom and citizens’ right to film any kind of police action must not be impeded, as the French police are now under intense scrutiny for alleged racism.In the Zecler case, in addition to the “intentional violence” charge, four officers are accused of forgery. That charge relates to the police report filed after the incident, which said “a strong smell of cannabis” had emanated from Zecler and that he resisted a search.At the weekend, prosecutors said the officers had admitted that their violence against Zecler was unjustified but said they acted out of panic after he resisted them in the cramped surroundings of the studio.Prosecutors argued that three of the police officers should be remanded in custody to stop any attempt to co-ordinate their stories. But the judge said only two would remain in detention.Tensions on the street remain as agitators with their smartphones ready and set on video record take the opportunity to try to provoke police officers into racist or abusive reactions.


Najib still eyeing re-election despite conviction

Former prime minister Najib Razak has not ruled out seeking re-election to Parliament within the next two years, he told Reuters in an interview, despite a corruption conviction that would block him from running.Najib’s graft-tainted party Umno clinched the prime-ministership last month after it was ousted from power three years ago over a multi-billion dollar scandal. Opponents had expressed fears that party leaders facing criminal charges could secure leniency once back in control.Najib, who served as prime minister for nine years until 2018, was found guilty of corruption last year and sentenced to 12 years in jail over one of many cases over the misappropriation of money from now-defunct state fund 1MDB. He has denied wrongdoing and has appealed the verdict, while calling for a probe of his prosecution which he says was politically motivated.He is still an MP but the constitution bars him from contesting elections unless he gets a pardon or a reprieve from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.Speaking to Reuters on Saturday, Najib challenged his disqualification, saying: “It is subject to interpretation.”“It depends on interpretation in terms of the law, the constitution and whatever happens in court proceedings,” Najib said.Asked if he would contest the next elections due by 2023, he said: “Any politician who would want to play a role would want a seat in parliament.”He declined to specify, however, how he could get around the constitutional barriers.Public trustUmno, which held power for more than 60 years until outrage over the 1MDB scandal and the opulence displayed by Najib’s family helped to dislodge it, is eager to regain public trust under Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s nascent government, which must also address factional infighting.Najib has pursued a public relations campaign to shed his image as an elite and to portray himself as a man of the people. He remains a popular figure on social media, where his critique of past governments has earned him praise.Najib said in the interview that he has discussed with Ismail a possible role for him in government. Media reports have said he could be made an economic adviser.The former prime minister would not say if he would accept a position, saying his priority was on clearing his name.He also said Umno’s return to power guarantees “temporary political stability” and that he would not call for early elections, like he had with Ismail’s predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin. Muhyiddin’s government collapsed when Najib and some Umno lawmakers withdrew their support.Malaysia has seen political instability since the 2018 polls, with two coalitions collapsing because of infighting.Constitutional barriersA future Najib candidacy would face a constitutional provision that any person sentenced to imprisonment for more than one year or fined more than RM2,000 is disqualified from contesting a parliamentary election.Constitutional lawyer New Sin Yew said Najib can run only if he succeeds in his appeal, receives a royal pardon, or if the king uses his discretion to remove the disqualification despite the conviction remaining in place.Malaysian and US authorities say more than US$4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB, some of which went into Najib’s bank accounts. The US Department of Justice has described the scandal as “kleptocracy at its worst”.Najib, who faces more than 40 charges of abuse of power, money laundering and other offences mostly linked to 1MDB, said he can prove his innocence even as many entities and individuals around the world have admitted guilt or paid hefty penalties and settlements over the scandal.Malaysian prosecutors have said Najib, who co-founded 1MDB in 2009, played a central role.Since his election defeat, the US has returned to Malaysia more than US$1 billion in funds it recouped from assets bought with stolen 1MDB money.Najib said the charges against him were politically motivated and he is pushing for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into former attorney-general Tommy Thomas of the post-Umno government, who first brought the cases against him in 2018.“I’ve been insisting on it. The RCI is to establish that it will be a fair and just trial for everyone, not just for me,” he said.Thomas did not respond to an emailed request for comment.Najib said he had discussed the proposal with Ismail, who has so far not agreed to it, and he had also discussed it with Muhyiddin, who rejected it.Spokesmen for Ismail and Muhyiddin did not immediately respond to requests for comment.


Muhyiddin demands apology, RM10 million compensation over quarantine claims

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has sent a legal letter to Umno Supreme Council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi demanding a public apology and compensation of RM10 million for allegedly defaming him through a Facebook post last week.In the letter of demand dated Feb 16, issued by Muhyiddin’s lawyers Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership, the prime minister, among others, demanded that Puad unequivocally remove his posting on Feb 9 over quarantine statements from his Facebook page under the name of “Dr Puad Zarkashi”.“We are instructed that the impugned post contained plainly untrue, unwarranted, unsubstantiated and mischievous statements against our client.“These statements against our client are patently untrue, incongruous, baseless, malicious and thus are categorically denied,” said the letter.The letter signed by Muhyiddin’s lawyers said the law firm had been instructed to demand that Puad provide an unequivocal public apology in respect of the post on terms to be dictated by the firm to be published prominently and immediately on his Facebook page.It is also to demand all news portals and social media that had posted the allegedly defamatory statements to publish the apology as well, and to provide a written undertaking to not repeat the publishing of similar or identical statements or those of a similar nature to the post in any manner whatsoever.“We are instructed to demand that you agree to pay compensation to our client a sum of RM10 million.“Take notice that in the event you fail to comply with the foregoing demands within seven days from the date of this letter, we have our client’s instructions to proceed with legal action against you.“Take note also that your statements in the impugned post which are untrue, defamatory and malicious which have harmed our client’s reputation constitute an offence of criminal defamatory under Section 500 of the Penal Code, that upon conviction may be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or both,” said the letter.The letter said each of the defamatory statements, by way of natural and ordinary meaning, was understood to mean that among others, Muhyiddin and his entourage refused to be quarantined for 10 days upon their return from their official trip to Jakarta and that Cabinet members, including Muhyiddin, are subject to different rules from the public under Act 342 or the current movement control order without justification.It is understood that the law firm served the letter to Puad via email and by hand yesterday.On Feb 9, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a statement strongly denied claims made by Puad that the three-day quarantine order had been gazetted for ministers returning from official trips abroad solely because the prime minister did not want to be quarantined after his official visit to Indonesia.The PMO said Muhyiddin had been handed a home surveillance order and given the observation wristband to wear as soon as he arrived from Jakarta on Feb 5 and that he was undergoing quarantine at home.“The slander hurled by Puad is malicious and aimed at tarnishing the good name of the prime minister,” the statement had read.The PMO also said that legal action would be taken against Puad if he failed to make a public apology over the matter.


SpaceX aims to launch ‘all-civilian’ trip into orbit

SpaceX announced Monday it’s aiming to launch this year the first all-civilian mission into Earth’s orbit, led by a tech billionaire who plans to raffle off one of the spots aboard the craft.Entrepreneur Jared Isaacman is to be joined by three other novice astronauts for a multi-day journey into space, including one lucky winner of a drawing.“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime adventure: a journey into outer space on the first all-civilian space flight,” according to a website dedicated to the mission.SpaceX, the company started by Elon Musk, said Isaacman is “donating the three seats alongside him… to individuals from the general public who will be announced in the weeks ahead.”Launch of the Dragon spacecraft is being targeted for “no earlier than the fourth quarter of this year”, the firm said.One seat will go to a worker from St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which treats childhood cancers and paediatric diseases, and the second is to be drawn from those who enter the raffle and are encouraged to donate to the hospital.A third will be picked by a panel of judges from entrepreneurs who use an ecommerce tool from Isaacman’s company, Shift4 Payments.All three crew members “will receive commercial astronaut training by SpaceX on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft”, as well as orbital mechanics and stress testing, including operating in micro- or zero gravity, the statement said.SpaceX says that during the multi-day mission, the astronauts will orbit Earth every 90 minutes.After the mission, the spacecraft will reenter the atmosphere for a water landing off the Florida coast.In mid-November 2020, four astronauts were successfully carried into orbit by a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and boarded the International Space Station.The Dragon capsule had just a week prior become the first spacecraft to be certified by Nasa since the Space Shuttle nearly 40 years ago. Its launch vehicle is the reusable SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.At the end of its missions, the Crew Dragon deploys parachutes and then splashes down in water, just as in the Apollo era.Nasa turned to SpaceX and Boeing after shuttering the checkered Space Shuttle programme in 2011, which failed in its main objectives of making space travel affordable and safe.The agency will have spent more than US$8 billion on the Commercial Crew programme by 2024, with the hope that the private sector can take care of Nasa’s needs in “low Earth orbit” so it is freed up to focus on return missions to the Moon and then on to Mars.In addition to the first commercial mission, SpaceX is scheduled to launch two more crewed flights for Nasa in 2021, including one in the spring, and four cargo refuelling missions over the next 15 months.


Huge jump in FDI in first half 2021 with record RM107.5 billion total investments

Malaysia’s foreign direct investments (FDI) increased by more than 220% in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year, in a boost for Putrajaya’s strategy to attract capital-intensive projects to help the country’s economic recovery.“Malaysia continues to attract high-value and high-tech investments, bolstered by our capacity and capability in providing high-skilled talents and firm readiness in adopting advanced technology for value-added industries,” senior minister Mohamed Azmin Ali said in a statement.He said Malaysia recorded RM107.5 billion in foreign and domestic direct investments in the first half of 2021, a jump of 69.8% compared to the same period last year.The investments involved more than 2,000 projects and are expected to create some 45,000 jobs.Kedah, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak and Johor contributed RM85 billion or 79% to the total approved investments with the potential of creating 31,395 jobs.FDI comprised more than 58.1% of approved investments, with Singapore, South Korea and the Netherlands the top three foreign investment sources accounting for nearly 90% or RM54.9 billion of total approved FDI.Domestic investments meanwhile totalled RM45 billion, mostly in the services and primary sectors.The manufacturing sector accounted for the largest share of total investments during the first half of 2021, amounting to RM66.9 billion (62.2%), followed by the services sector (RM34.1 billion, 31.7%) and the primary sector (RM6.5 billion, 6.1%).A total of 367 manufacturing projects worth RM66.9 billion were approved in the first six months of 2021 compared to RM36.4 billion in the same period last year.Azmin said the jump in investments was recorded “amid a very challenging global economic landscape”.In April, the Cabinet approved the National Investment Aspirations (NIA), a growth framework aimed at attracting high-quality investments and creating high-income jobs.The NIA consists of five key outcomes for the country, namely to increase economic complexity, create high-value job opportunities, extend domestic linkages, develop new and existing clusters, and improve inclusivity.“Going forward, from the strategic vantage point of the NIA, we will continue to pursue high quality investments to bring value to the nation and people, not just in preserving jobs but in creating new high value-added employment,” said Azmin.


Lessons from Afghanistan

The mainstream Western media is full of news these days about people fleeing Kabul in the wake of the Taliban victory. Dramatic pictures of young and old scrambling to get on to jam-packed aeroplanes do make a huge impact. The message they convey is that a collective fear has gripped the Afghan people as they seek to escape the iron grip of an “oppressive and brutal regime”. The images also suggest that freedom and security await these fleeing refugees in Western capitals.Many do not realise that these visuals serve to divert attention from another daunting reality: the humiliating defeat suffered by the US and its allies after a 20-year occupation of Afghanistan. It was an occupation which according to Brown University’s Costs of War project devoured US$2.26 trillion. At its height it employed 775,000 US service personnel.The US and its Nato allies had at their command some of the world’s most lethal and sophisticated weapons. Still, some 2.322 million US military deaths occurred. As a result of US and Nato military operations in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, 240,000 deaths were recorded. Afghan civilian deaths were estimated at 47,245 while Pakistani civilian deaths hit 24.099. Some 3.5 million Afghans were internally displaced and there were 2.5 million Afghan refugees at the end of 2020.In contrast, the Taliban had limited fire power. As Pepe Escobar put it, “They relied only on Kalashnikovs, rocket-propelled grenades and Toyota pick-ups – before they captured American hardware these past few days, including drones and helicopters.”Except for a core, their guerrillas had only basic military training. It is estimated that the Taliban had 78,000 fighters, 60,000 of them active. There were also some fighters in Pakistan; otherwise, international support for the Taliban was modest. And yet, by the middle of August 2021, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan led by Taliban co-founder, Mullah Baradur Akhund, was at the driving wheel.What explains the Taliban’s success? A number of analysts regard their staunch faith in Islam as an overwhelmingly important factor. This faith is deeply integrated with their love for their land. This is why no foreign power has ever been able to sustain their conquest of Afghanistan.The British discovered this in the middle of the 19th century. The Soviet Union came to terms with this truth when it was defeated by the Afghan people in 1989, after a 10-year occupation and a loss of 60,000 soldiers. Now the Americans know why Afghanistan has been rightly described as “the graveyard of empires”.Apart from faith, the Taliban also pursued a clever strategy of forging links with local chieftains and grass root communities. These links proved to be the bastion of local-level resistance to the American presence. The Taliban, a largely Pashtun group that resonated with the majority community, also reached out to the ethnic minorities such as the Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras. This networking enhanced the standing of the resistance movement as a whole.If we compare the Taliban with the US-backed government and the US-sponsored Afghan army, we begin to understand why public perceptions of the former and the latter were so different. Both the civilian and military elite linked to the US were seen as “puppets” and “stooges” of a foreign power. They had hardly any credibility.To make matters worse, some of the elite further undermined the ruling class through rampant indulgence in corruption and abuse of power. It is alleged that a substantial portion of external aid given to the Afghan people was siphoned off by the corrupt elite for their own indulgence. Such malpractices widened the trust gap between the elite and their foreign backers on the one hand and the Afghan masses on the other.There have also been occasions when the occupiers displayed an utter lack of sensitivity to the norms and values that govern Afghan society especially its rural population. In their search for “terrorists”, US and other Nato troops have at times barged into rural homes in the middle of the night violating unwittingly the sense of propriety of women folk who may not be in their purdah at that time. Reports indicate that such instances have incensed both women and men and led invariably to an escalation of anger against the foreign intruder.If a tragic chapter in Afghanistan’s history characterised by occupation and its concomitant woes such as cultural insensitivity and corruption has come to an end, can we hope for a new chapter to begin? Before we can even contemplate the contours of a new Afghanistan, it is important to emphasise over and over again that military conquest and occupation is not the solution to any problem.It has not eradicated terrorism in Afghanistan or elsewhere. It has not brought development or meaningful progress to the Afghan people. How can it benefit people when it is obvious that often the occupier itself sponsors, finances, trains and protects terrorists in pursuit of its own agenda – its own agenda of hegemonic dominance and control?This is why if there is any one lesson that we can all learn from the debacle in Afghanistan, it is the evil of dominance and hegemony and its disastrous consequences. Through mass action – demonstrations, assemblies and media mobilisation – the American people in particular should drive this message to the heads and hearts of their elites.Do not oust other regimes through force and violence. Do not occupy other people’s lands. It is such a shame that since the end of World War II, US elites have done this over and over again – in Vietnam, in Iraq, in Libya. They tried and failed in Syria. They do not seem to learn.It is only the people’s will – democratically expressed – that can stop the insanity of these elites.Chandra Muzaffar is the president of the International Movement for a Just World.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


New infections dip below 4,300 as death toll up by 4

Another 4,271 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,677,270.
There were 5,553 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,594,296.
There are now 47,014 active cases, of which 45,487 or 96.8% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 19 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 1,446 (3.1%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 62 are in ICU with 34 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 64.2%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 16.6%.
Another four deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,960.


Singapore police probe karaoke bars after virus outbreak

Singapore police are investigating several karaoke bars for breaching coronavirus restrictions and have arrested 20 foreign women for alleged “vice-related activities” after an outbreak linked to the nightspots, authorities said.The city-state reported 56 local transmissions Wednesday – including 42 connected to the bars – its highest number of daily domestic infections since September.A staple of Singapore nightlife, the karaoke bars typically have blacked-out windows and are frequented by foreign female “hostesses”.Police said in a statement late Wednesday they were investigating three nightspots for breaching virus measures by allegedly providing “hostessing services”.Under current virus restrictions, the bars were only supposed to be operating in a limited fashion, providing food and drinks.Twenty women, aged 20 to 34, from South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, have been arrested for “suspected involvement in vice-related activities” at the bars, police said.The karaoke bar cluster has been growing this week, and 54 cases are now linked to it.This number includes an infected passenger on a cruise, which was forced to return to Singapore earlier than scheduled Wednesday after the case was detected.The first reported infection in the cluster was a Vietnamese hostess on a short-term visitor pass to Singapore who had been to many of the bars, officials said.Singapore has so far suffered only a mild outbreak, but Health Minister Ong Ye Kung warned there was “potentially a very big cluster” emerging from the bars.“We knew about cases like these happening in Korea’s and Hong Kong’s nightlife scene where people come very close together, some with hostesses, which led to big clusters,” he told a press conference.“We have never allowed such activities for more than one year. So for this to happen has been troubling and disappointing.”The government is encouraging people who have visited certain karaoke bars since June 29 to get virus tests, which they have promised will be confidential.


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‘World failing’ on Covid, WHO chief says at delayed Tokyo Olympics

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) told Olympic chiefs “the world is failing” to stop Covid-19 as the pandemic-delayed Tokyo 2020 sports programme got underway on Wednesday.WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said an uneven vaccine rollout risked worsening the crisis, but hoped the Olympics could be a “message of hope” to a pandemic-weary world.“The pandemic is a test the world is failing. More than four million people have died and more continue to die. Already this year the number of deaths is more than double last year’s total,” Tedros said.“The threat is not over anywhere until it’s over everywhere. Anyone who thinks the pandemic is over is living in a fool’s paradise,” he added.Tedros spoke without wearing a mask at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session, held at a luxury hotel in Tokyo with masked delegates sitting at socially distanced desks.Separately, the sports programme of the delayed 2020 Games started with a softball game in Fukushima, which was ravaged by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.The Tokyo Olympics, which formally open with Friday’s opening ceremony, will be held largely behind closed doors with the Japanese capital under a state of emergency following a surge in cases.Tedros was symbolically handed an Olympic torch by IOC chief Thomas Bach at the end of his keynote address.He said 75% of vaccines had been administered in just 10 countries.“The haves are opening up, the have-nots are locking down,” he said, adding: “This is the thing about an inferno, if you hose only one part of it the rest will continue to burn.”Organisers announced eight more infections connected with the Games on Wednesday, taking the total to 79.“The celebrations may be more muted this year, but the message of hope is all the more important,” Tedros said, repeating his call to have 70% of the population vaccinated in each country by mid-2022.“May these Games be the moment that unites the world, and ignites the solidarity and determination we need to end the pandemic together,” he said.