Programme organisers for Najib, Muhyiddin in Melaka compounded over SOP breach

There was no gathering or social event related to the Melaka state election held with the involvement of former prime ministers Muhyiddin Yassin and Najib Razak, the health ministry said today.In a statement, it said an investigation by the Melaka health department found that the recent programmes in Melaka involving Muhyiddin, who is Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman, and Najib as Barisan Nasional (BN) advisory board chairman, were more of a walkabout.However, the organisers of the programmes have been compounded in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 for failing to ensure physical distancing among attendees.“A compound of RM20,000 was issued to Melaka PN as the organiser of the programme involving Muhyiddin, while the organiser of the programme involving Najib was issued with a compound of RM4,000.“The compounds were issued under Regulation 16 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations (National Recovery Plan) 2021,” it said.According to the act, organisers who fail to comply with the SOPs such as ensuring physical distancing, the wearing of face masks and providing the MySejahtera QR code for check-in, can be compounded.The ministry issued the statement in response to the viral issue of SOP violations related to the Melaka polls involving Muhyiddin and Najib.The ministry said it would not hesitate to issue a compound to any individual or organisation violating the SOPs set by the National Security Council.“The health ministry, Melaka health department and the police will continue monitoring SOP compliance to prevent the spread of Covid-19 during the Melaka polls.“The ministry also advises the public to continue complying with the SOPs and playing their roles to fight Covid-19 in Malaysia,” it said.On Oct 24, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin was reported as saying that all activities, gatherings and social events related to the Melaka polls are not allowed from Oct 25 to Nov 27 to reduce the risk of another spike of Covid-19 cases.


More than 54% of adults double-jabbed

A total of 54.3% of the country’s adult population, or 12,718,701 individuals, had completed both doses of Covid-19 vaccine as of yesterday, according to the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee.Some 77.4% or 18,121,392 individuals had received a first dose, taking the cumulative total of vaccine shots administered through the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 30,840,093.In terms of daily vaccination, 469,690 doses were administered yesterday, 159,792 as first doses and 309,898 as second doses.


Experts split on whether everyone should get a Covid booster jab

The US is set to become the latest country to widen Covid booster eligibility beyond the immunocompromised, elderly and high risk.Many scientists tracking the data believe it’s the right time for the move – though some have expressed misgivings, since the original vaccines are still holding up well against severe disease and death among the general population.Why now?Boosters have been a contentious issue for medical experts.An independent panel advising the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September initially voted against having boosters available for everyone, demanding narrower criteria.This time around, US media has reported the FDA is set to broaden eligibility without convening the outside experts. So what changed?For Vincent Rajkumar, an oncologist and professor at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota who closely follows the latest Covid research, one of the strongest lines of evidence comes from a clinical trial carried out by Pfizer.The company said vaccine efficacy against symptomatic disease was restored to 95.6% when a booster was administered in a study involving 10,000 people over the age of 16.Then there was the example of Israel, which fought back its Delta wave with a nationwide booster campaign, said Rajkumar.Most recently, data released this week by the UK Health Security Agency about over-50s appears to show vaccine efficacy after a booster rose to beyond the level of protection by first two doses at their peak.“So I think the answer to the pure science question ‘Does the booster work?’ Yes, there’s no question it works,” he said.Rajkumar is also worried about the impact of breakthrough cases.While people who get infected while fully vaccinated are much less likely to get sick enough to go to hospital or to die, new data out of Minnesota shows “deaths among the vaccinated are not zero.”Currently, they are around one per 100,000 per week, compared to around 14 per 100,000 among unvaccinated. Those most at risk of dying from Covid after vaccination are the elderly and immunocompromised, such as people with cancer or organ transplants.“Me getting a breakthrough is putting them at risk – and that’s why if I don’t get an infection it’s good,” said Rajkumar, about his decision to get a booster.Notes of caution Not all scientists are as enthusiastic.Celine Gounder, a leading infectious disease specialist and professor at New York University, wants more evidence about long term immunity before advocating boosters for all, and hasn’t gotten one herself yet.For her, the controversy stems from a lack of agreement about what society is aiming to achieve.“Are you trying to prevent severe disease, hospitalization and death? Or are you trying to prevent infections and transmission?”Either way, boosters aren’t necessarily the answer, she says.The best way to reduce severe disease and death is to bring down community transmission by reaching those who aren’t yet vaccinated.The vast majority of hospitalised cases and deaths are currently unvaccinated people.Vaccinated people who end up with a severe case are overwhelmingly elderly and immunocompromised, who everyone already agrees should receive a booster.Gounder also thinks it’s unrealistic to believe boosters will block transmission.The coronavirus’ rapid incubation period in the body, and the fact that current vaccines induce greater immunity in internal organs than they do in the mucus of the upper airway, mean boosters will never eliminate all infections.The potential downsides of a booster bonanza, critics say, is that vaccine holdouts might conclude the shots are ineffective.Another risk is a greater number of cases of vaccine-linked heart inflammation (myocarditis), especially among younger males.Gounder doesn’t rule out eventually supporting a three-dose series, two-doses spaced further apart, regular boosters or another combination – but says these need to be studied more thoroughly.Global equityExperts are in broad agreement that boosters alone can’t resolve the pandemic while the poorest countries, especially in Africa, remain stuck in the single digit percentages for people covered by their primary vaccination series.Last week, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus decried the fact that rich countries are administering six times more vaccine doses everyday than low-income countries are delivering primary doses.“It would really be unfortunate if we do all this hard work of vaccinating, and then find ourselves set back yet again, because of an emerging variant in some other part of the world,” said Gounder.


A year after first death in China, Covid-19 source still a puzzle

It is the world’s most pressing scientific puzzle, but experts warn there may never be conclusive answers over the source of the coronavirus, after an investigative effort marked from the start by disarray, Chinese secrecy and international rancour.Jan 11 marks the anniversary of China confirming its first death from Covid-19, a 61-year-old man who was a regular at the now-notorious Wuhan wet market.Nearly two million deaths later, the pandemic is out of control across much of the world, leaving tens of millions ill, a pulverised global economy and recriminations flying between nations.Yet China, which has broadly controlled the pandemic on its soil, is still frustrating independent attempts to trace the virus’ origins and the central question of how it jumped from animals to humans.There is little dispute that the virus which brought the world to its knees sparked its first known outbreak in late 2019 at a wet market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan where wildlife was sold as food, and the pathogen is believed to have originated in an undetermined bat species.But the trail ends there, clouded by a mishmash of subsequent clues that suggest its origins may predate Wuhan as well as conspiracy theories – amplified by US President Donald Trump – that it leaked from a Wuhan lab.Establishing the source is vital for extinguishing future outbreaks early, leading virologists say, providing clues that can guide policy decisions on whether to cull animal populations, quarantine affected persons, or limit wildlife hunting and other human-animal interactions.“If we can identify why they (viruses) keep emerging, we can reduce those underlying drivers,” said Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, a global NGO focused on infectious disease prevention.Doubts about Wuhan marketChina won early kudos for reporting the virus and releasing its gene sequence in a timely manner, compared with its cover-up of the 2002-03 SARS outbreak.But there has also been secrecy and shifting stories.Wuhan authorities initially tried to cover up the outbreak and later spent precious weeks denying human-to-human transmission.Early on, Chinese officials declared flatly that the outbreak began at the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan.But Chinese data in January 2020 showed that several of the first cases had no known links to the now-shuttered market, suggesting a source elsewhere.China’s story morphed again last March when top Chinese disease control official Gao Fu said the market was not the source, but a “victim”, a place where the pathogen was merely amplified.But China has since failed to publicly connect any dots, releasing scant information on animal and environmental samples taken at the market that could aid investigators, experts say.And it has kept foreign experts at arm’s length, with a planned mission by World Health Organization virus sleuths now in limbo after China denied them entry.On Saturday, a top Chinese health official said the country was now “ready” for the 10-strong team and opened the door to a visit to Wuhan.Yet “the specific time is being determined”, National Health Commission vice minister Zeng Yixin told reporters.Cold caseWhat the scientists will be allowed to see or may expect to find a year on is also in doubt. Experts say authorities may have destroyed or scrubbed away crucial evidence in a panicked initial response.“Every outbreak goes the same way. It’s chaotic and dysfunctional,” said Daszak.“They didn’t do a great job on the animal investigation early on,” he added.“In some ways, they were quite open, in others they were less than open.”The reasons for China’s secrecy are unclear, but the ruling Communist Party has a history of suppressing politically damaging information.Whistleblowers and citizen reporters who shared details of the terrifying early weeks of the virus on the internet have since been muzzled or jailed.Beijing may want to hide regulatory or investigative lapses to avoid domestic embarrassment or global “blowback”, said Daniel Lucey, a Georgetown University epidemiologist who closely tracks global outbreaks.The Wuhan market might not even be the issue, Lucey adds.He notes that the virus was already spreading rapidly in Wuhan by December 2019, indicating that it was in circulation much earlier.That’s because it may take months or even years for a virus to develop the necessary mutations to become highly contagious among humans.The market-origin theory is “just not plausible whatsoever”, Lucey said.“It occurred naturally and it had to have been many months earlier, perhaps a year, perhaps more than a year.”Augmenting the doubt, in December China said the number of coronavirus cases circulating in Wuhan may have been 10 times higher early in the epidemic than revealed by official figures at the time.The trail has now gone cold, with the drip of subsequent clues only adding to the confusion, including findings that the virus may have existed in Europe and Brazil before Wuhan’s outbreak, unconfirmed suggestions which China has seized upon to deflect blame.‘We’ll never know for sure’Daszak remains hopeful the source can be found, especially after US President Donald Trump’s re-election loss.He blames Trump for killing cooperation with China by politicising the virus – typified by his “China virus” label – and his administration’s promotion of the conspiracy theory that China created it in a lab, which scientists reject.“I’m confident we will eventually find out the bat species it came from and the likely pathway,” Daszak said.Others are less certain.Diana Bell, a wildlife disease expert at the University of East Anglia who has studied the SARS virus, Ebola and other pathogens, said focusing on a particular origin species is misguided.She says the overarching threat has already been exposed: a global wildlife trade that fosters a “combustible mix” of trafficked species, a known breeding ground for disease outbreaks.“(The species) actually doesn’t matter. We don’t need to know the source, we just need to stop that sodding mixing of animals in markets,” she said.“We need to stop the wildlife trade for human consumption.”


The role of water in the pandemic era

Just about a week ago, we marked the first anniversary of the movement control order being enforced in Malaysia. Over the past year, one of the most frequent messages that we have heard is for our hands to be washed regularly to ensure personal hygiene is upheld during this Covid-19 pandemic season.By and large, we have been blessed with water supply thanks to the location of our country as it means that we benefit from plenty of rainfall. However, within Malaysia, there are areas that are suffering from access to clean water supply. The repeated water cut-offs in the Klang Valley due to the illegal dumping of industrial waste in rivers have also led to disturbed life in the past few years.It has been estimated that over two billion of the global population live in countries with high water stress. Realising the need for global unified action, the UN Sustainable Development Goal, which was launched in 2015, has included this issue in Goal 6 with the theme of “Clean Water and Sanitation for All”.Engineers have also taken this global issue in stride making “provide an access to clean water” one of the 14 National Academy of Engineers (NAE) Grand Challenges for Engineering in the 21st Century. This has allowed for a focused approach to develop solutions that will enable clean water access in nations with high water stress.Food and water security has also been identified as part of the Malaysia Grand Challenge by the science, technology and innovation ministry which was launched by minister Khairy Jamaluddin in January 2021. Concurrently, the recently launched 10-10 Malaysian Science, Technology Innovation and Economy Framework (MySTIE) by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) has also identified “water and food” as one of 10 social economy drivers.Last December, UN-Water held its 31st Special Session of the General Assembly, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The body reiterated the urgent need for access to clean water and soap to ensure that the world population is able to come out of this pandemic safely as water is the first line of defence in a pandemic. However, about three billion of world’s population lack basic handwashing facilities at home, and better water and sanitation systems must be built in order for nations to be safeguarded from being susceptible to other pandemics in the future. Countries need to establish efficient water management systems to cope with water scarcity and food insecurity issues.During the session, the Global Acceleration Framework was launched in order to align efforts, optimise financing and transform capacity and governance to ensure that access to clean water is available to the people of the world. This will help meet some of the goals in the UN SDG 6 by 2030, such as improving water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimising the release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally; substantially increasing water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensuring sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity; and implementing integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate.Within the context of Malaysia, we have been taking steps to address this issue. The National Integrated Water Resources Management Plan published by ASM in 2016 serves as a good guide for transforming the water sector in the country. It outlines various strategies and plans to be taken at national and state levels.Some important recommendations include the formalisation of governing policy to ensure balanced development in meeting water, food, and energy security targets, green growth through the application of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle), etc. It is worth noting that the Water Sector Transformation (WST) 2040 project by the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department is at its halfway mark, and is due to be completed by the end of this year. The National Agenda for WST 2040 aims to transform the national water sector so that water will be seen as a new economic sector that will boost national employment as well as forge Malaysia’s science, technology and innovation development and contribute to our gross domestic product.Besides policymakers, each of us can play a part in addressing this global water issue. In 2019, statistics from the National Water Services Commission showed that consumption per capita in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan has spiked to 230 litres per capita per day (LCD), which is 40% higher than the UN benchmark of 165 litres per person every day. This LCD value has been on the rise in recent years, i.e. up from 226 litres (LCD) in 2018 and 222 LCD in 2017. It has been reported that a single Malaysian wastes up to 50,000 litres of water yearly. We can reduce this by practising some simple habits in our daily lives like reducing time in the shower, turning off the water while brushing teeth, checking for leaks in pipes and toilets, and much more.This World Water Day, let us all take a moment to reflect on our water habits and improve on our actions in order to ensure that there is access to clean water for the future generations. Through this, we can play a part to ensure they will have the same access to clean water that we have had the privilege of having during this last year, which has allowed us to stay healthy.Dominic Foo does research on water minimisation and C02 reductions for the process industry.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Israel tightens restrictions as virus cases leap

New restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of Covid took effect in Israel on Wednesday, after the largely vaccinated country saw the highest daily infection rate since January.The measures, announced Sunday, require vaccination certificates or negative coronavirus tests to enter a range of public spaces, including restaurants and bars, cultural and sports venues, hotels and gyms, the health ministry said.The same applies to worshippers wishing to enter synagogues, mosques or churches with more than 50 people in attendance.In addition, the capacity of stores, shopping malls and industrial parks will be limited to one person per seven square metres.After its launch last December, Israel’s widely praised vaccination drive helped to drastically bring down infections.But that trend has since reversed, driven by the spread of the more contagious Delta variant of the virus, with restrictions that were lifted in June reimposed since July.In recent weeks, the state has begun administering booster shots to Israelis aged 50 and over, while urging anyone aged 12 and older to get vaccinated.About one million Israelis have not been vaccinated even though they are eligible.According to the health ministry, more than 8,700 people tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, the highest number for a single day since January.Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has been imploring Israelis to get vaccinated, warning of a possible lockdown that could affect the Jewish high holidays next month unless inoculation numbers rise.


UK, Hong Kong clash over special British passport

Britain on Thursday said the Hong Kong government has no authority to dictate which passports foreign governments recognise as valid.The Hong Kong government had told 14 countries to stop accepting the special British passport that many young Hong Kong people use to apply for working holiday visas in Europe, North America and parts of Asia.In a move many see as prompted by Beijing, Hong Kong informed the foreign consulates in a letter that it no longer considers the British National Overseas (BNO) passport a valid travel document and demanded that its Hong Kong passport should be used instead.“The Hong Kong government has no authority to dictate which passports foreign governments recognise as valid,” a spokesman for the British Foreign Office told Reuters.“The UK will continue to issue British Nationals (Overseas) passports which remain valid travel documents.”Almost three million Hong Kong residents hold or are eligible for the BNO document that was created ahead of Britain handing the city back to Chinese rule in 1997.“Most countries are going to ignore this,” said one senior Western diplomat.Another envoy described the move as “bordering on belligerent” and said it was not the way the Hong Kong government, generally protective of the city’s standing as an international financial hub, has traditionally behaved.Officials in Japan, South Korea, Italy, Sweden and New Zealand confirmed to Reuters that they still recognised the BNO passport for visas. South Korea’s foreign ministry added that it had not received the letter, while Hungary said it had and had started talks to change the working holiday programme.Other nations, including the United States, Finland and Norway, also offer similar arrangements for Hongkongers, and have accepted BNOs from applicants.Hong Kong has also started to mirror mainland China by not recognising dual nationality, preventing for the first time foreign diplomats from visiting locals with foreign passports in detention.


Terengganu has highest infectivity rate in the country, says health DG

Terengganu had recorded the highest daily estimated infectivity rate (Rt) or R-naught (R0) at 1.36 among all states as of Jan 25, says health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.According to an infographics shared on his Twitter account, Melaka has the second highest Rt value at 1.28, followed by Sarawak (1.25), Putrajaya (1.19), Perak (1.17), Kedah (1.15), Perlis (1.15), Kuala Lumpur (1.12), Labuan (1.11) Pahang (1.1), Selangor (1.1) and Kelantan (1.09).Johor, Sabah, Negeri Sembilan and Penang are the four lowest at 1.04, 1.03, 1.01 and 1.0 respectively.The Rt for the whole nation meanwhile stands at 1.04.Noor Hisham said the R-value for states is estimated with a 14-day moving window while the R-value for the whole nation is estimated with a seven-day moving window.


Facts vs agenda in assault on MACC

Here we go again. It looks like the knives are out to tarnish the reputation of MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki in another round of what many would argue are unscrupulous attacks and a smear campaign.One reads with intrigue and confusion in the same vein of how it seems that certain parties will stop at nothing to remove the incumbent chief commissioner from the hot seat that is in many aspects both the envy and a thorn in the flesh of those who have a hidden agenda.Based on the incessant propaganda, especially on social media and some news portals, it could be argued that those who fall under that category are on the prowl to save their own skins, even if it means that principles are compromised and thrown out the window for the sake of their survival.But then again, principles, decorum and sense of fair play are not qualities one can expect from those who are compromised and tainted with issues of integrity. What is most saddening is the length to which those on both sides of the political divide will go in attacking the chair of the chief commissioner, and by extension, the institution of MACC itself.Maybe we should step back for a moment and try to dissect what the motives here might be.I have written on how some have taken potshots at the MACC and I do not wish to highlight those points again. In summary, I explained that we are witnessing enormous pressure from politicians and others calling for the chief commissioner to take a leave of absence or so-called “garden leave”, and most currently demanding his arrest.The argument is that the chief commissioner must take overall responsibility and be accountable for any alleged wrongdoings or criminalities committed by him or officers of the commission. What is laughable is that some politicians and a number of commentators are clamouring for this when they or those under them are under investigation or facing charges themselves. We do not see DAP or Amanah even the Muda leadership going on garden leave while their cases are being investigated by the authorities.The hypocrisy is glaring. It is interesting, thought-provoking and almost comical too that many supposed civil society movements that champion and fight for transparency, justice and so on seem to withdraw into their shells when the personalities above are being incriminated. Their silence is deafening. But when a civil servant is investigated based on flimsy allegations, all weapons are out to attack, condemn and take down the institution he or she represents. So much for the platform of fighting cronyism and corruption for which they profess to fight.One needs to question why the allegations against Azam surfaced at this critical point in time. What seems to be the agenda here? It could be that the ongoing cases against various “personalities” in the political arena are leading to a crescendo. MPs and others of the same ilk and cluster who are under investigation are on tenterhooks, petrified that their political careers will be enter into destruction mode once the courts decide on their fate.One may argue that the timing is eerily coincidental. By launching a concerted onslaught on the credibility of the chief commissioner with accusations of corruption and personal interests in business and utilising whatever arsenal they can, one could argue that by using a number of personalities who seems to have some semblance of credibility, they are out for blood in a do-or-die mission.What many may not have realised or refuse to acknowledge either by design, ignorance or inanity is that the two million shares or so under the chief commissioner’s name were held way back in 2015. What is more dubious is the focus on the number of shares but not the value of those shares. Omitting this fundamental point is mala fide, to say the least.It is making it seem as if the chief commissioner had at least RM2 million worth of shares. In fact, as revealed by law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, when the shares were first purchased in 2016, they were only valued at RM330,000– approximately priced between 30 sen and 33 sen per share – which is not unaffordable for many.The omission of the value is deliberate, maybe to instigate the imagination of uninitiated readers concerning the value. As one commentator stressed, “the shares held are low in value and do not represent a suspicious store of hidden wealth”. Half-truths disseminated in the public domain are very dangerous – as the adage goes, “Half a truth is even more dangerous than a lie. A lie can be detected at some stage, but half a truth is sure to mislead anyone for a long time.”Another farcical comment that stokes the fire in the allegations is that Azam is in possession of hundreds of million of ringgit in shares. What is laughable is that this comment came from a very learned MP.My question is whether it is unlawful for close family members of senior government officials to have companies or to be actively involved in business. Are the brothers, sisters, sons and daughters of government servants not allowed to be involved in business? Obviously, they can as long as there is no misuse of position or undue influence by their relatives in government service.Fundamentally, one needs to ask whether those companies and businesses related to the present chief commissioner’s family members managed to get MACC contracts or those of other agencies, or were even under investigation by the MACC at the material time. Is there any evidence implying that Azam had misused his position to procure contracts or projects for those companies? Are there any allegations from ministers or anyone that there was undue influence to persuade, convince or force anyone with regard to any contracts or project-related issues? If there were not, one should be very sceptical about all the accusations of corruption being hurled at Azam.What many fail to explain or even understand, more importantly, is that the chief commissioner may have declared the details of all transactions and purchase as well, and the eventual transfer of the shares to his younger brother, with his superiors back in 2016. Again, these allegations are about what happened in 2015/2016 when Azam was not even the chief commissioner.As we now know, the inquiry held by the Securities Commission (SC) is complete. As the allegation involved trading in securities, the SC is the one entity with the mandate to investigate such matters, however baseless. What the masses need to understand, too, is the authority of the SC. The Securities Industry (Central Depositories) Act 1991 (Sicda) is administered by the SC, which is the highest authority to administer the provision. It is not Bursa or any other body.According to the SC, Azam did not commit any infringement of Sicda Section 25(4). In fact, it has released two statements to clarify. There have been some reports in the media that Azam is the beneficiary owner of the trading account, but the SC did not indicate this and neither did Azam. The SC actually cleared Azam and closed its file because there was no offence committed. Even the prime minister affirmed that the SC had cleared him, and the Parliament speaker rejected two motions to discuss the matter in Parliament.Some commentators say that this is a case of revenge. The argument is that those with interests in saving their own necks or that of their family members are trying to shift the focus from their own more dire situation, by way of deflecting and questioning the integrity of the chief commissioner and by proxy attacking the MACC.What the public needs to understand is that the deception and lies by those still at large and the apparent slander must not be tolerated and go unpunished. The chief commissioner and MACC will have no choice but to take the necessary legal action to clear their reputations as we all know that those who are intimidated by the integrity of MACC will use whatever means to tarnish its reputation with the hope that others will not find MACC appealing.What we are also seeing here, worryingly, is that the assault has shifted to other regulatory institutions, the SC being the latest target, when decisions are not in the favour of the detractors.Kassim Noor Mohamed is a criminologist at Nottingham Trent University.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Speaker rubbishes Kit Siang claim of 'delays' in combat ship report

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun today denied efforts to deliberately hold up the presentation of a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on the delay in the construction of a littoral combat ship (LCS) for the Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM).
He was responding to Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang, who had questioned the presentation date of the report.
Lim said the last time PAC met on the matter was on March 8, and that the committee had 16 days to table its report during the Dewan Rakyat sitting which ended last week.
"Somebody seems to be purposely procrastinating so that the PAC report on the LCS scandal did not get the public scrutiny and attention it deserves," he said.
"Who is this somebody? An explanation is owed to Malaysians for the delay in tabling the LCS PAC report. Can the speaker of the Dewan Rakyat shine a light on the matter?"
But Azhar said neither he nor the Dewan Rakyat secretary had delayed the presentation in their management of the House.
"We tabled the report as soon as it was given to us and we were told to do so by PAC," he said.
"We don't interfere in the workings of PAC, or that of any committee in the Dewan Rakyat."
PAC's report on the LCS was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on the last day of the sitting on Aug 4.
It revealed that RM9 billion had been allocated for the procurement of LCS but that none of the ships had been completed.
PAC was slated to meet on the LCS on July 18, but this was postponed to July 27 after its chairman, Ipoh Timur MP Wong Kah Wong, contracted Covid-19.
Azhar said Lim should have contacted Wong, his DAP colleague, and asked him directly why the report was not tabled earlier.
"I find it odd that Lim is utterly in the dark about it. After all, the PAC chairman is from DAP. All he should have done was to call his party mate and ask him why the report was not presented at anytime earlier rather than spewing allegations."
MalaysiaNow has reached out to Wong but received no response on the matter.
Azhar also reiterated that he had never interfered in the affairs of PAC or any other parliamentary body.
"These committees are now functioning with meaningful checks and balance proceedings," he said.
"It is thus regrettable that a senior MP would make baseless allegations and insinuate that either I or the Dewan Rakyat management was 'procrastinating' or complicit in trying to engineer a delay in the tabling of the PAC report on the combat ship to avoid scrutiny of the said report."


Sorry.


No 'war of the poster boys' ahead of polling day

In Malaysia, general elections are often preceded by what is known as the "war of the flags" – a period of time in which parties strive to put up the most campaign material, including flags, banners and posters.
This election, though, while flags and billboards have gone up, one key aspect appears to be missing: the faces of coalition chairmen usually featured on candidate posters.
Such pictures have become common practice, to the point where it is implied that the leader in question will become the prime minister if his party wins the polls.
But ahead of the 15th general election (GE15) on Nov 19, these "poster boy" images appear to be only infrequently used by Malaysia's main political coalitions: Barisan Nasional (BN), Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Here and there, pictures of PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim can be seen, while PN for its part has put up images of its chairman Muhyiddin Yassin in some areas.
Generally speaking, however, the "war of the poster boys" appears much subdued.
Political analyst Oh Ei Sun said each coalition might have its own reasons for taking such an approach.
Oh, of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said BN, for example, might only drive prospective voters away if it featured the face of its chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi alongside those of its candidates.
"And if the Umno candidate in question is young and charismatic and projects an image based on reforms, of course he would not want to be linked to Zahid," he added, describing such a move as a potential "vote killer".
BN is currently struggling with internal polemics, with some claiming that Zahid will be chosen as prime minister over Ismail Sabri Yaakob if the coalition wins GE15.
Zahid himself has denied this, maintaining that Ismail is BN's "poster boy" and candidate for prime minister.
He is also known for his role of leadership in the Umno court cluster, and is facing 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering linked to funds from charity foundation Yayasan Akalbudi.
Oh said the decision not to feature the face of the chairman or president on campaign posters was also an attempt to win the support of younger voters who have been described as lacking in party loyalty.
These voters, especially those in the 18 to 20 age bracket, have been described as a "wild card" with analysts and political observers saying it will be difficult to predict which way they will swing.
"The young voters will evaluate the candidate's qualifications and abilities over the party's performance," he said.
"They have no loyalty to any party in particular."
At the PN operations room in Sepang, election workers said they were concerned that young voters would not recognise the party's logo when they saw it on the ballot paper.
"They might know Muhyiddin's face but not the logo," one of them said.
"It's better for us to put up more flags and posters showing the party's logo. That's our approach to attracting the votes of those who will be casting their ballots for the first time."
At a BN operations centre in Ampang, meanwhile, election workers said the candidates' faces should be given more prominence than those of the coalition's leaders.
One of them said they would need permission at the central level if they wanted to use the face of the president or chairman in their campaign material.
"It's quicker and easier to just use the BN logo," he said. "Then we don't need to wait for approval from the top."
Nevertheless, Oh said that Sabah-based Warisan had maintained the tradition of featuring the president's face on campaign posters.
He said Warisan might have decided to keep the practice as its leader Shafie Apdal was still popular among the people in Sabah.
"It's up to each party whether to use the president's picture or not," he said.
"But one thing is for sure: the strategy used at all of the elections before isn't as popular this time."


Prosecution in 1MDB trial told to find other witnesses as ex-CFO calls in sick

The judge presiding over Najib Razak’s 1MDB trial today ordered the prosecution team to get other witnesses to testify as the 12th prosecution witness, who was supposed to continue testifying today, was down with a fever.Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah made the order after deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib informed the court that he had received a message from former 1MDB chief financial officer Azmi Tahir at 8.30am saying that he was unable to testify today as he was on medical leave.Akram said he then told the witness to come to court and explain the matter to the court.“My Lord, he came to court and his eyes were red and his body was hot,” said the prosecutor.Questioned by Sequerah on whether the witness was running a fever, Akram replied, “Yes, but not Covid-19, although he looks weak.”He said he had tried to call other witnesses to replace Azmi on the stand, naming Johan Idris, Wan Ahmad Shihab Wan Ismail, Ismee Ismail, Lim Poh Seng as well as Goh Gaik Kim.“Johan is in London, Wan Ahmad Shihab has been down with diarrhea for the past three days, Ismee is under self-quarantine as he just returned from umrah, Lim is having a Covid-19 booster shot today, while Goh has to attend two company meetings.“I asked her to cancel the meetings, but she said they are important,” said Akram.Sequerah said he appreciated the prosecution’s attempt to call the five witnesses at the eleventh hour, but also asked for at least one of some 50 other witnesses to attend the proceeding this afternoon.“I will stand down this proceeding until 2.30pm,” he said. “Do your best to get someone else.“There are over 50 witnesses in the list. The trial will resume at 2.30pm.”Najib, the Pekan MP, is facing 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.


Cases in Sarawak shoot up as 1,854 new infections recorded

Another 1,854 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 357,607.Sarawak recorded 555 cases followed by Selangor (403), Penang (176), Kelantan (143), Sabah (139), Kuala Lumpur (135) and Johor (103).Negeri Sembilan and Kedah recorded 40 cases each, Melaka 34, Perak and Terengganu 29 each, Pahang 19, Putrajaya six and Labuan three.The increase in cases in Sarawak was due to the addition of community clusters including at long houses. Contributing factors included large events and social activities including funerals, weddings and other celebrations.Active cases stand at 14,805 with 169 in the ICU and 79 in need of respiratory assistance.Seven new clusters were detected:1. Sungai Kluang Satu (Barat Daya, Timur Laut, Seberang Perai Utara, Seberang Perai Tengah and Seberang Perai Selatan in Penang; 1,769 screened, 79 positive)2. Jalan Ismail Sultan (Johor Bahru in Johor; 138 screened, 36 positive)3. Batu Lima Jalan Sibuga (Sandakan in Sabah; 144 screened, eight positive)4. Taman Bukit Pantai (Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling in Selangor; 74 screened, 20 positive)5. Sungai Gemuan (Meradong in Sarawak; 260 screened, 39 positive)6. Disso (Saratok in Sarawak; 208 screened, 24 positive)7. Sim-Sim (Sandakan in Sabah; 21 screened, 15 positive)Thirteen others ended, leaving 342 active clusters across the country.Another 1,247 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 341,489.However, five more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,313.


Anwar insists his govt has the support of the Malays

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim today insisted that his coalition government had the support of the Malays at last year's general election, refuting previous data showing only a small percentage of the community behind his pact, Pakatan Harapan (PH).
"It's not true that PH only has the support of 19% of the Malays," he said, citing the results of a survey conducted by a PKR research team.
"There is no way that we could have won as many seats as we did if it were," he added at a press conference today.
Analyst Bridget Welsh had said that PH only had the support of 11% of the Malay community.
Perikatan Nasional (PN) meanwhile was said to have received 54% of the Malay vote, while the rest were won by Barisan Nasional (BN).
PH won 82 seats at the Nov 19 polls last year, making it the biggest bloc in the Dewan Rakyat.
PN won 74, while BN won 30.
The current coalition government was formed on the back of cooperation between PH and BN, in addition to the major blocs in Sabah and Sarawak.
Anwar said the findings of the PKR research team had come from their own data scientists, adding that they would be further refined.
The PKR president said that overall, the coalition had won the support of 31% of the Malay community.
He said Malay support for PH was low in states like Kelantan and Terengganu, but stood at over 50% in Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan.
He added that Malay support for PH was the highest in the federal territories.
"If taken together with the rest of the coalitions in the government like BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, it would be more than two-thirds of the votes at the 15th general election," he said.


Egypt shuts Suez Canal amid struggle to refloat grounded ship

The owners of a giant container vessel blocking the Suez Canal said Thursday they faced “extreme difficulty” refloating it, as Egypt temporarily closed one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s adviser on seaports, Mohab Mamish, told AFP late Thursday that “maritime navigation will resume again within 48-72 hours, maximum”.“I have experience with several rescue operations of this kind and as the former chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, I know every centimetre of the canal,” said Mamish, who oversaw the recent expansion of the waterway.However, salvage experts had warned earlier on Thursday the shut-down could last days or even weeks, potentially forcing businesses to re-route cargo ships around the southern tip of Africa in a blow to global supply networks.On the third day of the crisis, global shipping giant Maersk and Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd both said they were looking into going around Africa.The Suez drastically shortens travel between Asia and Europe. The Singapore-Rotterdam route, for example, is 6,000km and up to two weeks shorter via the canal than going around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said it was doing all it could to refloat the MV Ever Given, a 400m long and 200,000 tonne vessel that veered off course and ran aground in a sandstorm on Tuesday.Tug boats, dredgers and heavy earth-moving equipment have been deployed, but so far the ship has not budged.“It’s really a heavy whale on the beach, so to speak,” said Peter Berdowski, head of Dutch firm Smit Salvage, which previously worked on the stranded Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia and the sunken Russian nuclear submarine Kursk.The salvage company was deploying a team to the site Thursday to assess what it would take to dislodge the Panama-flagged ship, said Berdowski, CEO of its parent company Boskalis.“I don’t want to speculate, but it can take days or weeks,” he told Dutch TV news programme Nieuwsuur on Wednesday.‘Great deal of worry’Satellite pictures released by Planet Labs Inc show the so-called “megaship”, which is longer than four football fields, wedged diagonally across the entire canal.With ships waiting in both the Mediterranean and Red Sea and in the canal, the SCA announced it was “temporarily suspending navigation” along the waterway.Japanese ship-leasing firm Shoei Kisen Kaisha, the owner of the giant vessel, said it was facing “extreme difficulty” trying to refloat it.“We sincerely apologise for causing a great deal of worry to ships in the Suez Canal and those planning to go through the canal,” it said in a statement.A MarineTraffic map showed large clusters of vessels circling as they waited in both the Mediterranean to the north and the Red Sea to the south.Oil prices had jumped by almost 6% on Wednesday in response to the Suez Canal accident, before dropping again on Thursday.“What a single vessel can do to the global oil market is remarkable,” said Rystad Energy analyst Bjornar Tonhaugen.“The stuck vessel in the Suez Canal created the visual definition of a supply route bottleneck, effectively disrupting one of the world’s busiest routes for all commodities.”“We’ve never seen anything like it before,” said Ranjith Raja, Middle East oil and shipping researcher at financial data firm Refinitiv.“It is likely that the congestion… will take several days or weeks to sort out as it will have a knock-on effect on other convoys.”‘Critical’ routeThe vessel’s managers, Singapore-based Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, said the 25 crew aboard were unhurt and the hull and cargo undamaged.“The ultimate responsibility for the ship’s safety lies with the captain,” former SCA chairman Mamish noted.Historic sections of the canal were reopened Wednesday in a bid to ease the congestion.The Suez is an “absolutely critical” route, said Camille Egloff, a maritime transport specialist at Boston Consulting Group.Nearly 19,000 ships passed through the canal last year carrying more than one billion tonnes of cargo, according to the SCA.Egypt earned US$5.61 billion in revenues.Canal traffic has been disrupted several times in the past, notably during the Arab-Israeli wars of the second half of the 20th century.It was closed for six months after Egypt nationalised the canal operating company in 1956, prompting an abortive invasion by Britain, France and Israel.More recently, in 2018, the canal was temporarily closed after a Greek-owned bulk carrier suffered engine failure, triggering a five-ship collision.


School to resume as scheduled in flood-hit states

There will be no postponement in flood-hit states of the 2023/2024 academic school session scheduled to begin on March 19 and 20, says Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
She said if works to repair the schools affected by the floods could not be carried out before those dates, students would be given the choice to attend classes via home-based teaching and learning (PdPR).
"There are 17 schools affected by the severe flooding situation in Johor, with Segamat the worst hit with 14 schools affected while there are three affected schools in other districts. I think we will do our best to repair the damage immediately within these two weeks.
"We will not postpone the school session but we will give the option of PdPR so that the learning process continues," she told reporters after visiting the temporary relief centre at SK Seri Bali, in Chaah, Segamat today. The school session for the 2023/2024 academic calendar will start on March 19 for Group A states (Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Johor) and March 20 for Group B states (Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya).
As of this morning, the number of flood victims in three states stood at 53,040 people, with Johor recording a total of 49,410.
Fadhlina said the education ministry would also give affected students the flexibility to attend school in normal clothes.
"They can come to school in normal clothes as long as they still attend school and start the school session as usual," she added.


PJ residents question go-ahead for controversial highway’s progress

Residents in Petaling Jaya have hit out at news that the developer of a controversial highway has been given the green light to proceed with the next stage of planning, saying they were told that no submissions had been made at either the state or federal level.In a statement, they referred to a report by The Star Metro dated July 31 which they said stated that PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd had received approval from the Malaysian Highway Authority and the Highway Planning Unit under the works ministry.“Residents of Petaling Jaya and Puchong have been in the dark about the status of this highway,” they said.“The PJD Link highway (which is understood to be almost 85% similar to the Kidex Highway) has made residents wonder why a highway that was cancelled in 2015 is now back in the form of the PJD Dispersal Link.”The PJD Link is being planned as a four-lane dual expressway that will commence after the NKVE toll plaza on the Sprint Highway, ending at the Bukit Jalil Highway Interchange.It will link Petaling Jaya North, Bandar Utama, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, the Petaling Jaya city centre, Taman Dato Harun, Taman Medan Baru, Taman Sri Manja, Bandar Kinrara and Bukit Jalil Technology Park.The state constituencies that will be affected include Bukit Gasing, Bandar Utama and Kinrara.The residents said they had raised their concerns numerous times to Bandar Utama assemblyman Jamaliah Jamaluddin and Bukit Gasing rep Rajiv Rishyakaran but were still waiting for action to be taken regarding the highway project.They said a petition campaign signed by hundreds was also submitted to the assemblymen on July 30.They said they had requested that their demands be raised at the Selangor state assembly sitting, slated to run from Aug 23 to Sept 6, in light of the most recent report about the highway’s status.“Residents affected want the Selangor menteri besar and Selangor state government to commit to carrying out a transparent process, including holding extensive and detailed public hearings to gather feedback and objections to the project before any decisions are considered regarding the highway,” they said.


8 feared dead as Russia tourist helicopter crashes into lake

A helicopter carrying 16 tourists and crew on a volcano sightseeing trip in Russia’s far east crashed into a lake on Thursday, leaving eight people feared dead and two others in serious condition, local officials said.The Mi-8 helicopter crash-landed into Kuril Lake in the mountainous Kamchatka peninsula amid poor visibility and sank, governor Vladimir Solodov said. Staff of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve saved half of the people onboard, he added.“They approached the scene in a boat and saved eight people,” Solodov said in a statement. Two of the survivors were now in intensive care with various injuries.The other eight were feared dead, but their fate was not immediately confirmed.“We don’t have any information about the rest,” the spokesman for the governor, Alla Golovan, told AFP.The helicopter was now lying at a depth of more than 130m, some 800m from the shore, the governor said.More than 60 rescuers and divers were dispatched to the scene but they did not have the necessary equipment to begin work, authorities said.“The divers of the emergencies ministry cannot work at such depth. So we turned to the defence ministry for help,” governor Solodov said.“Robots will be studying the bottom of Kuril Lake at the site of the crash.”The Investigation Committee said it was looking into a potential violation of air safety rules.The tourists were from Saint Petersburg, Russia’s second city.The helicopter was carrying them to Khodutka, a volcano near the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The aircraft belongs to a firm called Vityaz-Aero, co-owned by a local lawmaker, Igor Redkin.Earlier this week, Redkin made headlines in Russia when he admitted to killing a man he mistook for a bear.Kamchatka is a vast peninsula popular with adventure tourists for its abundant wildlife, live volcanoes and black sand beaches.In July, an aircraft from a small local company crashed in the peninsula, killing 19 people.Russia has historically had a poor reputation for air safety but has significantly improved its record since the 2000s.The country’s major airlines have shifted from ageing Soviet aircraft to modern planes.But maintenance issues and lax compliance with safety rules have remained a problem.In May 2019, an Aeroflot flight caught fire while making an emergency landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, killing 41 people.


New infections top 4,600 as death toll up by one

Another 4,621 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,923,538.
There were 3,577 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,850,474.
There are now 36,582 active cases, of which 34,907 or 95.4% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 1,605 (4.4%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 70 are in ICU with 50 in need of respiratory assistance.
One more death was reported, taking total deaths to 36,482.


KTMB says problems with Komuter due to 'degraded mode', pledges to do better

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) today explained the low frequency of train arrivals at its KTM Komuter service, a recurrent target of complaint by passengers using the rail system in the Klang Valley.
In a statement, it said its KTM Komuter services had been operating in a "degraded mode" due to ongoing repair and upgrading works.
It said when such works are being carried out, sections of the service line or access to station platforms must be closed which subsequently affects the train service intervals.
"A single rail track operation removes all the flexibility of being able to manoeuvre trains with shorter headways, thus the longer waiting time for passengers between trains," it added.
KTMB was responding to MalaysiaNow's report on the KTM Komuter and its role as part of the public transportation network in the Klang Valley.
MalaysiaNow had looked at some of the complaints brought up by commuters as well as the KTM Komuter's advantages over other rail systems such as the MRT and LRT.
The main complaint of passengers is usually the long wait between trains and the lack of facilities at stations, although the KTM Komuter offers a wide range of destinations for a cheaper fare.
KTMB said trains must also wait for the all-clear signal from the control centre before continuing on their way, which results in a delay in movement for both the train in question and the others behind.
"Currently, the frequency of our KTM Komuter service is limited to every 30 minutes during peak hours and every 60 minutes during off-peak hours," it said.
"When the KVDT 1 and KVDT 2 projects are completed, the train frequency will be upgraded to 7.5 minutes per interval."
As for the facilities at KTM Komuter stations, it acknowledged that these were a "mix of old and new".
While the new facilities were usually well planned and equipped with up-to-date and user-friendly amenities, it said, the older stations lacked such considerations.
However, it assured that it was working "aggressively" with its asset owner, Railway Assets Corporation, to build these amenities, especially to assist people with disabilities.
"KTMB will continue to improve all of its services in supporting Malaysia's upward socioeconomic mobility objectives," it said.


Mocking science teacher on DidikTV an act of cyberbullying, says minister

Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah today said that the criticism and mocking of a teacher’s recent science lesson in English on educational television channel DidikTV constitutes cyberbullying.He said the people should take into account that the teacher was not a professional actor and might not have undergone training before the recording was made.“She should not be criticised for doing her job as an educator… I also think that the education ministry should not be treated (criticised) like that because this is a new thing and of course there are weaknesses here and there.“These weaknesses need to be addressed to ensure the content will be improved from time to time,” he said at a press conference today.Saifuddin said his ministry was ready to offer assistance to the education ministry in the preparation of DidikTV content, as the ministry through the National Film Development Corporation had expertise in filming.


‘Highly unlikely’ 91-year-old woman died due to vaccine jab, say Swiss authorities

There is no indication the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 was responsible for the death of an elderly person in Switzerland just days after she received the jab, Swiss authorities said Wednesday.The Swissmedic regulatory authority and regional authorities in the central canton of Lucerne confirmed reports that a 91-year-old person who was among the first to receive the vaccine in Switzerland last week had died.But a Swissmedic spokesman insisted to AFP that the timing of the death on Tuesday in a Lucerne nursing home, just five days after receiving the vaccine, “was a coincidence”.“Investigations by the cantonal health authorities and by Swissmedic have shown that, based on the medical history and disease development, a connection between the death and the Covid-19 vaccination is highly unlikely,” Swissmedic said in a statement.The deceased had already been suffering from several diseases, the agency pointed out.“Neither the medical history nor the acute course of disease suggest a direct causal link between the Covid-19 vaccine and the death,” it said.“Pre-existing diseases” had been listed as the natural cause of death on the death certificate, it pointed out.Swissmedic, which approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Dec 20, stressed that no unknown side effects had occurred since vaccinations had begun in the country a week ago.Millions of people have already received the vaccine across a number of countries, and no deaths have been connected to the jabs so far.Pfizer and BioNTech said they were aware of the death, and said their “thoughts are with the bereaved family”.The two companies also stressed in a statement that “serious adverse events, including deaths that are unrelated to the vaccine, are unfortunately likely to occur at a similar rate as they would in the general population of elderly and at-risk individuals who are currently being prioritised for vaccination”.


Dr M tells why forex losses different from 1MDB scandal

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said the foreign exchange losses by Bank Negara Malaysia during his first term as prime minister and the 1MDB scandal under Najib Razak were handled differently, as a public spat over who had mismanaged the country’s finances continues between the two former leaders.Mahathir’s latest response follows Najib’s recent reference to the forex losses in the 1990s, estimated at about RM30 billion, hours after he lost his appeal to overturn his conviction for charges related to RM42 million in funds linked to 1MDB found in his private bank accounts.Mahathir said the difference between the 1MDB scandal and the forex losses was that the latter was “purely verbal”.“A bank officer stated that Bank Negara lost RM30 billion through currency trading. The bank hid the loss and allegedly I also hid the loss.“I was not involved in the actual operation of the bank. If indeed the money was lost, the investigation should be with regard to the operation of the bank,” he wrote on his blog, adding that he had allowed the matter to be debated in Parliament unlike the revelations surrounding the 1MDB scandal.On Dec 8, the Court of Appeal maintained Najib’s conviction and 12-year prison sentence, saying the RM42 million found in his private bank accounts was a “national embarrassment”.In his response, Najib had referred to the foreign exchange losses.“Isn’t that a much more colossal national embarrassment?” he asked.During his rule, Najib established a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on the forex losses which took place between 1987 and 1992, with Mahathir summoned as one of the witnesses.The move in 2017 was seen as Najib’s response to Mahathir’s attacks on him at the height of the 1MDB saga.The RCI was however abandoned following Najib’s fall from power.Mahathir today said he was not responsible for the forex losses, adding that this was confirmed by top central bank officials at the time.He further said that unlike the 1MDB scandal, no money had ended up in his private bank accounts.“However, in the 1MDB and SRC International cases, millions ended up into Najib’s accounts and he happily spent the money for his personal benefit.”


Agong hopes no more new PMs before end of his tenure

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong today voiced hope that Anwar Ibrahim would be the last prime minister appointed under his rule.
Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said he had had the heavy mandate of ruling over four prime minister since being sworn in as king on Jan 31, 2019 – Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Muhyiddin Yassin, Ismail Sabri Yaakob and, most recently, Anwar.
"I have occupied the throne of the Malaysian government since Jan 31, 2019," he said.
"I have gone through events and experiences that will be difficult for me to forget. It is engraved in the country's history that I am the only Agong who was given the good health to rule with four prime ministers and four different Cabinets.
"I hope that this 10th prime minister will be the last for me before I return to the state of Pahang," Sultan Abdullah added at the opening ceremony of the second term of the 15th Parliament in Kuala Lumpur today.
"Nevertheless, this is God's will. Man plans, but God is the best of planners."
The Agong said he had no intention of interfering in the country's political affairs, or having a hand in the political landscape.
Nevertheless, he said if the events that led to the resignation of Mahathir, the seventh prime minister, had not occurred, the political turmoil which continued until the Nov 19 election last year could have been avoided.
"More importantly, the political turmoil that has plagued the country for almost four years can be avoided if the honourable MPs and politicians are prepared to put aside their differences, and unite solely on the basis of safeguarding the interests of the people and our beloved country," he said.
"At the age of 66 years now, we should have matured enough to make these unique differences the main pillar in the formation of a nation with love and respect for each other, one that is tolerant and lives in unity."
If diversity, pluralism and political entanglements continue leading to strife and division, he said, the much desired peace and progress would never become a reality.
Sultan Abdullah also urged the MPs to protect the good name and honour of Parliament, and to serve wholeheartedly by prioritising the people and the future of the country.
He said that MPs should put aside narrow political agendas and come together in the name of unity, adding that political stability should be used as a space to shape the nation and usher in a new era for Malaysia.
Sultan Abdullah appointed Muhyiddin to replace Mahathir after interviewing MPs individually to determine who possessed the majority of support in the Dewan Rakyat.
Mahathir had stepped down in February 2020 after 22 months of leading the government, triggering the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan administration.
Muhyiddin was sworn in on March 1, and led the country until August 2021 when he resigned after losing his majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
He was replaced by Ismail, who went on to become Malaysia's shortest serving prime minister, dissolving Parliament in October 2022 to pave the way for the 15th general election.
The election itself resulted in a hung Parliament, with no single coalition winning enough support to form the government on its own.
Sultan Abdullah eventually appointed Anwar as prime minister after the PKR leader gained the backing of Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.


Investors sniff spicy prospects as ‘halo’ crops harvest pandemic profits

A familiar gnarled brown root is one of several foods to turn to gold in the worldwide pandemic.Ginger has long had a reputation as a magical root and it is now being conscripted to fight against Covid-19.As the pandemic continues to rage, people around the world have sought to guard against illness by turning to so-called “halo” foods. These are foods which have gained reputations on social media as having a “health halo” which may fend off viruses.Although scientists dismiss many of these claims, it’s great business for halo food growers as prices for their crops surge.Prices for ginger in Nigeria and acai berries in Brazil have leapt while exports of Indian turmeric and Chinese garlic soared in the past year as people boiled ginger with turmeric and garlic as a potion to take in the fight against Covid-19.Increasingly health-conscious consumers have given an already buoyant global spice market a further boost during the pandemic, heightening investor interest in the sector, Reuters is reporting.Singapore’s Olam International bought major US spice manufacturer Olde Thompson last month while Norway’s Orkla took a controlling stake in Indian spice exporter Eastern Condiments in March.In Nigeria, a 50kg bag of ginger now sells for 15,000 naira (US$39), up from 4,000 naira two years ago.Prices began rising last year but since January they have taken off due to pandemic-related demand, said Florence Edwards, national president of the Ginger Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria.She said there has been demand from all over the world, citing India, China, and Europe among popular markets.“However many tonnes you have, they will buy it,” she said. “People want it and they cannot get it.”There has also been a surge in demand for acai, a fruit rich in antioxidants hyped as a halo food. The Amazonian state of Para in Brazil is the world’s largest producing region.Paulo Lobato, a 52-year-old producer of acai told Reuters that supplies were unable to keep pace with demand as prices soared by over 50% in April.“In the past 32 years, I’ve never seen anything like this,” Lobato said. “During the pandemic people are just going nuts.”As export demand has risen, however, the staple fruit has become harder to find at local markets.“The local consumers are the first to be hit,” said Florence Serra, from Brazil’s food supply agency Conab. “These days, people go to the street market and find none.”Like ginger, garlic has components that can help the body fend off bugs and it too is in demand. China exported over two million tonnes of garlic bulbs in 2020, up 30% on 2019.Indian exports of turmeric, which can help in the treatment of conditions involving pain and inflammation, also received a near 40% pandemic boost in 2020.“The concept of immunity boosters is very much influential these days not only in India but across the globe, and turmeric is a natural immunity booster,” said Abhijeet Banerjee, a spices analyst at Indian financial services company Religare.“The government and Ayurveda practitioners recommend consuming turmeric daily for better post-Covid management,” he said.Farmers such as Ravindra Dere, who cultivates turmeric on two acres in the western state of Maharashtra, are happy.“After many years, we are making decent profit,” he said. “I hope prices will remain firm.”As long as turmeric retains its halo in the time of Covid-19, that shouldn’t be a problem.


TikTok to be banned in US from this Sunday

People in the US will not be able to download the popular video-sharing app TikTok from Sunday.The US commerce department has said the ban will also cover the messaging app WeChat.“The Chinese Communist Party has demonstrated the means and motives to use these apps to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and the economy of the US,” the department said.TikTok currently has 100 million users in the US and the White House is not happy that their data is secure in the hands of the Chinese.US technology giant Oracle and TikTok’s Chinese owners ByteDance are negotiating to create a new company, TikTok Global, that could address Trump’s concerns about the security of its users’ data.If they can strike a deal before Sunday, President Donald Trump could call the ban off.


Govt considering shorter interval between AstraZeneca shots

The health ministry is looking into whether the time interval for the second AstraZeneca vaccine dose can be shortened from 12 weeks to six, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba says.He said this will depend on expert reports on the Covid-19 situation in the country, whether the vaccine recipients require maximum protection from the second dose more quickly.“We still have to conduct continuous genome sequencing activity to detect if there is a new, more violent Covid-19 variant that could affect the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine.“The decision will be made by the JKJAV (Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee) if the second dose must be given sooner,” he said in a news conference at his office today.Currently, the interval between doses for the AstraZeneca vaccine is 12 weeks or three months.Adham said the government would study reports from the country’s health experts and health authorities in Australia where AstraZeneca is no longer administered to those under the age of 60 due to concerns over blood clots.He said this was especially on the supply of AstraZeneca vaccine produced by suppliers from Thailand which will arrive in July.“Our experts will re-evaluate whether the AstraZeneca vaccine is suitable for those aged 60 and below,” he said.Malaysia procured the Covid-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca through the Covax facility and directly from the manufacturer.Adham said so far, the overall data shows that the AstraZeneca vaccine has not caused serious harm to recipients in Malaysia.He also said the government does not plan to implement the first-dose strategy as the supply of vaccine ordered is enough.Through the first-dose strategy, a first dose of vaccine is given to more people by extending the interval between it and the second dose. This strategy has been implemented in countries such as the UK and Germany.However, Adham said the government was implementing the “vaccinate first, register later” method for those facing difficulty in registering for vaccination, especially in rural areas.A mobile team will be sent to track down target groups that were supposed to be vaccinated in the second phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.“We are targeting to inoculate 9.4 million people in the second phase but so far, only 4.4 million have registered via the MySejahtera application. So we are going all out to deploy the team to cover all recipients, before we can proceed with the third phase,” he said.The second phase of the immunisation programme focuses on senior citizens, persons with disabilities and those with chronic illnesses.


Loke is new DAP sec-gen, Guan Eng made chairman

Seremban MP Loke Siew Fook is the new DAP secretary-general, replacing Lim Guan Eng who was elected as the party’s national chairman at the 17th DAP National Congress in Shah Alam.Loke, who was previously the party’s national organising secretary, replaces Guan Eng who could not be re-elected to the post as the party’s constitution only allows a person to be secretary-general for a maximum of three terms.The former transport minister was elected to the central executive committee (CEC) after gaining 1,625 votes, while Guan Eng got 1,311 votes.The decision was announced by congress speaker, Chiew Chiu Sing, at a press conference following the meeting.A total of 2,179 delegates attended the one-day congress at the Ideal Convention Center (IDCC) in Shah Alam, voting in 30 CEC members for the 2022-2025 term.The CEC members then elected party office bearers, including for the post of secretary-general.Loke and Guan Eng were among 92 candidates who contested 30 CEC posts for the 2022-2025 term.DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, 81, withdrew from contesting the party’s election this time after announcing his retirement from politics after 56 years.Meanwhile, Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, who garnered the highest number of votes with 1,782 votes, remained as the national deputy chairman.The national vice-chairmen posts went to former Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Nga Kor Ming, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok Suh Sim.Chiew also announced the appointment of Kit Siang as the party’s mentor, former chairman Tan Kok Wai as an adviser, and Nga as the DAP parliamentary leader.Loke, at the same press conference, conveyed his appreciation to all CEC members who had expressed their confidence in him to lead the party for the next three years.“As the new secretary-general, I want to bring an inclusive approach so that every leader plays a role in strengthening and uniting the party towards a new era of glory.“This is the beginning of the ‘3G ’or third generation. The first generation was of Lim Kit Siang, the second generation Lim Guan Eng, who is still at the CEC to lead us and has given room to 3G leaders like me, Gobind, Steven Sim and others to jointly lead the party through the challenges that lie ahead,” he said.He said the new committee would hold a meeting in the near future to appoint other leaders who did not have the opportunity to be members of the CEC into positions at various party bureaus.


Concerns swirl over hike in electricity bills

Questions have been raised about the hike in electricity bills over the past few months, as Malaysians struggle to deal with a warm spell which the government recently said could continue until August, and amid economic uncertainties as well as cost of living concerns.
Arif Hilmi from Alor Setar, Kedah, said his electricity bill had gone up even though his use of home appliances was still the same.
"The strangest thing is, my family and I went on vacation for nearly 10 days in May, but we were still billed for the same amount of use," he added.
Arif, who is self-employed, has just one air conditioner in his house and used to pay RM60 to RM80 for electricity. Now, though, his bill has hit between RM160 and RM190.
In March, he was billed RM70. The following month, his bill went up nearly two-fold to RM139.
Arif is one of many who have complained of late about an increase in their electricity bills.
Social media users have even taken to uploading screenshots of their bills on their TNB apps.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently said that those in the T20 or Top 20 income group would not benefit from electricity subsidies.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat on May 22, he said the government would not raise electricity rates except for those in this group.
Earlier on May 15, meanwhile, he said that households with high electricity consumption would no longer enjoy government subsidies.
This led to questions about the mechanism to determine the financial status of domestic consumers, as even low- or middle-income households with large families might use high amounts of electricity.
In March, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad told the Dewan Rakyat that some RM10.76 billion had been allocated by the government to cover electricity bill subsidies for domestic and non-domestic users from Jan 1 to June 30.
Subsidies were also given to micro, small and medium businesses (PMKS), and users in the agricultural category such as farmers and livestock breeders.
Khairulfikri Saad, from Bandar Tasik Puteri in Rawang, Selangor, said he too had experienced a spike in electricity bill despite using only one air conditioner at night.
"My bill used to be RM60 to RM80, but since last month, it has gone up even though my air conditioner use is still the same," he said.
Khairulfikri lives alone and only returns home at night.
In May, though, he was billed RM127.70. This month, his electricity bill topped RM213.
The Energy Commission said on Dec 16 last year that the electricity tariff adjustment under the implementation of the imbalanced cost relief mechanism (ICPT) from Jan 1 to June 30 would only affect users in the industrial and commercial categories, where a surcharge of 20 sen/kWh would be imposed.
It said domestic tariff categories involving home users would not experience an increase in electricity tariffs, with the rebate of 2 sen/kWh to be maintained.
"Tariff users consisting of PMKS as well as certain agricultural tariff categories will not experience an increase in electricity tariffs either, as the surcharge of 3.7 sen/kWh will be maintained," it said.
Referring to this announcement, TNB said the government was still allocating RM8.74 billion in subsidies for the PMKS consumer category and RM90 million in subsidies for the agricultural category.
"For medium and high voltage users from industries including multinational corporations, the government is still covering a subsidy of RM1.93 billion so that the surcharge will not be suddenly imposed," it said on the official TNB website.
MalaysiaNow understands that ICPT adjustments are made every six months, taking into account the fluctuations in market price of fuel generation.
On June 23, the government said that some 83,000 users who record more than 1,500 kWh or RM708 worth of electricity per month would see an increase in their bills of at least RM187 or 25% once the ICPT mechanism comes into force in July.
Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad however assured that the adjustments would not affect those who use below 1,500 kWh – approximately 99% of users in the peninsula.


Retired judges sue govt, PM over lack of pension increment

A total of 35 individuals comprising former members of the judiciary and seven widows of former judges have filed a suit against the Malaysian government and three others over the failure to fix an appropriate increase in the pension and benefits received since 2015.The retired judges included former Court of Appeal president Alauddin Mohd Sheriff, former chief judges of Malaya Siti Norma Yaakob and Haidar Mohamed Nor, and former Court of Appeal judge Mohamad Ariff Md Yunos, who is also former Dewan Rakyat speaker.They filed the originating summons last week at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, naming the government, prime minister, Cabinet and director-general of public service as the first to fourth defendants.They are seeking a declaration that the failure to fix through a government gazette an appropriate increment of more than 2% in their pension and other benefits pursuant to Section 15B (2) of the Judges’ Remuneration Act 1971 (Act 45) violates Articles 125 (7) and 125 (9) of the Federal Constitution.They are also seeking an order that the second or third defendant – the prime minister and Cabinet, respectively) advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to fix a higher increment of more than 2% annually for the pension and other benefits given to them, effective July 1, 2015 pursuant to Section 15B (2) of Act 45.They also said that pursuant to Section 15B of the Judges’ Remuneration Act 1971, the pensions of retired judges and the dependents of deceased judges were adjusted automatically based on the current salaries of serving judges which were reviewed in stages from time to time, as required under Articles 125 (7) and 125 (9) of the Federal Constitution.They said the method of calculating the adjustment was stated in the Third and Fourth Schedules of the act, but that it had been deleted from the act, causing their rights to be affected when the salary of the serving judges was increased with effect from July 1, 2015.“Under the provisions of Section 15B of the Judges’ Remuneration Act 1971 (before it was amended), the plaintiffs’ pension would be automatically adjusted in line with the salary increment of the serving judges.“However, in accordance with the provisions of Section 15B (1) (after the amendment and calculated retrospectively), the pension of retired judges was adjusted every year with a 2% increase and no longer took into account the salary increment received by the serving judges,” they said.They said the situation resulted in judges appointed before Jan 1, 2014 receiving a lower pension.They also said that Article 125 (7), read together with Article 125 (9) of the Federal Constitution, states that the pension rights of a judge shall not be altered to his disadvantage after his appointment.


Trump says indicted for mishandling US documents

Former US president Donald Trump wrote on social media on Thursday that he has been indicted by the US Department of Justice, apparently for mishandling sensitive government documents.
"The corrupt Biden administration has informed my attorneys that I have been indicted, seemingly over the boxes hoax," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Several media outlets said Trump has been indicted on seven counts related to his handling of classified documents and obstruction of justice.
Trump wrote that he had been summoned to appear at the federal courthouse in Miami on Tuesday.
Trump's attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for special counsel Jack Smith, who is handling the investigation, declined to comment.
Reuters could not immediately learn what charges Trump is facing. In a sworn statement to a federal court last year, an FBI agent said there was probable cause to believe several crimes were committed, including obstruction and the illegal retention of sensitive defence records.
The US Justice Department has been investigating whether Trump mishandled classified documents he retained after leaving the White House in 2021.
Investigators seized roughly 13,000 documents from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, nearly a year ago. One hundred were marked as classified, even though one of Trump's lawyers had previously said all records with classified markings had been returned to the government.
Trump has previously defended his retention of documents, suggesting he declassified them while president. However, Trump has not provided evidence of this and his attorneys have declined to make that argument in court filings.


Indonesia jails hardline cleric for flouting pandemic curbs with mass events

An Indonesian court on Thursday sentenced hardline Muslim cleric Rizieq Shihab to eight months in prison and fined him 20 million rupiah for breaching coronavirus curbs after his return last year from self-imposed exile in Saudi Arabia.A live stream of the court hearing showed Rizieq, the spiritual leader of outlawed Islamist vigilante group the Islamic Defender’s Front (FPI) dressed in a white tunic, turban and face mask, clutching prayer beads, Reuters reports.Judge Suparman Nyompa handed Rizieq the prison term for violating the health quarantine law in relation to several mass events, including his daughter’s wedding, which was attended by thousands of his followers.Prosecutors had sought a two-year prison sentence for inciting his followers to attend mass gatherings, though he was cleared of this charge.Some 3,000 police officers were deployed to guard the courthouse in East Jakarta ahead of the verdict, but there were no big protests by his supporters.Rizieq returned to Indonesia in November after three years in Saudi Arabia, where he had fled while facing charges concerning pornography and insulting the state ideology of Pancasila which promises a multifaith democracy. Both charges were later dropped.Thousands of his followers had inundated the airport to celebrate his return, and then joined mass events in the days that followed despite rules to limit gatherings as Indonesia grappled with the worst coronavirus outbreak in Southeast Asia.His legal team had claimed the charges were politically motivated and part of efforts to silence him because of his large and vocal following in the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country.The FPI was politically influential in Indonesia, and was among several Islamic groups that staged rallies in 2016 to bring down Jakarta’s then Christian governor on charges of blasphemy.The mass protests against the governor caused deep anxiety within the government of President Joko Widodo about an Islamist threat.The government then sought to crackdown on some Islamist groups, including FPI and Hizb-ut Tahrir Indonesia or Party of Liberation, which was banned in 2017.In December, police killed six of Rizieq’s supporters in a shootout, saying they acted in self-defence after weapons were pointed at them but the FPI accused them of carrying out extrajudicial killings.


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Populous Chinese cities including Shenzhen ramp up Covid curbs

Several big Chinese cities escalated Covid-19 restrictions on Tuesday, with Shenzhen closing more businesses and Dalian locking down millions, renewing economic uncertainty and delaying the start of the school year for some.
The fresh measures, scheduled to last just a few days for now, reflect China's insistence on its so-called "dynamic Covid zero" policy that aims to quash every outbreak as and when they happen.
The stakes are higher for China's already wobbly national economy compared to earlier this month, when the lockdowns were mostly in smaller cities. Further major escalation or prolongation of curbs in big metropolises, such as Chengdu in southwest China, risks hurting tepid economic growth.
"Markets could once again be hit in the next couple of weeks, likely triggering another round of cuts by economists on the street," Nomura warned in a note on Tuesday, highlighting the significance of cities such as the southern technology hub of Shenzhen.
Longhua, a Shenzhen district with 2.5 million residents, on Tuesday closed various entertainment venues and wholesale market-places, and suspended large events.
People must show proof of negative test results within 24 hours to enter residential compounds, and restaurants must limit the number of customers at no more than 50% of their capacity, Longhua's district authority said. The new curbs are expected to expire on Saturday.
The moves followed similar measures announced on Monday covering three other districts that affected over 6 million in Shenzhen, which has fought multiple outbreaks of Omicron sub-variants this year.
While city officials have not announced a blanket delay to the new school year, six parents with children in primary and middle schools said their schools had notified them of postponements, with many parents expressing anxiety over the uncertainty in parent chat groups.
In Dalian, a major port in northeastern China important for soybeans and iron ore imports, the main urban areas with around 3 million residents on Tuesday entered a lockdown that is to last until Sunday. Households are allowed to send only one person out per day to shop for daily necessities.
During the lockdown, non-essential workers must work from home, while manufacturing companies are to cut on-site staff and maintain basic and urgent operations only.
In the southwestern city of Chengdu, the districts of Wuhou and Qingyang on Tuesday suspended many venues and tour groups and planned to delay the start of the fall semester for schools, after the district of Jinniu on Monday tightened curbs. The three districts have around 3.5 million residents in total.
The northern municipality of Tianjin of 13.7 million on Tuesday started a new citywide Covid testing to identify community infections, the fourth such testing since Saturday.
In the northern city of Shijiazhuang, about 3.5-hours drive from the capital Beijing, four big districts have ordered more than 3 million residents to work from home, excluding essential workers, until Wednesday afternoon.
Mainland China reported 1,717 domestically transmitted COVID infections for Aug 29, including 349 symptomatic ones and 1,368 asymptomatic infections, official data showed on Tuesday.
Among over 20 provinces, regions and municipalities that reported cases, the region of Tibet, the province of Sichuan, of which Chengdu is the capital, and the province of Qinghai contributed the most daily cases for Monday.
Qinghai's provincial capital, Xining, with 2.5 million residents, has ordered a lockdown for its main urban areas, halting public transport and restricting movement outside residential compounds. The lockdown, which started on Monday, was scheduled to be lifted on Thursday morning.
In Hong Kong, cases have been rising and government advisers expect infections to hit 10,000 per day this week, triggering concerns that authorities will tighten restrictions which have only just been relaxed.


RM400 million funds pour into local stocks, bucking trend since 2019

After almost two years of foreign investors pulling out of Malaysian equities, more than US$97 million (RM400 million) has flowed into local stocks in the last three weeks, according to Bloomberg’s market analysis.The report contrasts the inflow of the funds this month with a combined withdrawal of US$1 billion from four other Southeast Asian markets, according to Bloomberg.It also comes as the valuation of Malaysia’s main equity gauge, the FBM KLCI, is among the cheapest in the region with a dividend yield of 3% seen as the highest among major Asia Pacific indexes behind Singapore.The report said that foreigners turning into net buyers is significant for Malaysia as billions of dollars were pulled out of funds last year, when Malaysia faced a double crisis of politics and public health caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.“There’s a thematic play for Malaysia in a sense that it has underperformed,” Geoffrey Ng of Fortress Capital Asset Management told Bloomberg.“Part of why there was so much foreign selling earlier was because of political uncertainty, which is fading now,” Ng said, cautioning however that this was based only on data for a month.In January, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin declared a state of emergency to tackle the surging infections, amid threats from several Umno leaders to withdraw support for his Perikatan Nasional coalition which had been ruling with a thin majority ever since the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government last year.The emergency was primarily seen as a move to suspend parliament in order to prevent snap polls caused by the fall of the government in the midst of its battle to contain the pandemic.Experts had advised the government that any election during the pandemic would trigger a fresh and major outbreak of new cases that would break down Malaysia’s health system.Bloomberg said as of last month, foreign shareholding in Malaysian companies was near the lowest in more than a decade, citing figures from CGS CIMB Research.“Ending March with a positive number would snap the longest run of foreign monthly withdrawals since at least 2009,” the report added.The Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index was up 1.1% in March. Bluechips such as Genting Bhd, as well as banks and utility companies, led the gains as new Covid-19 infections slowed and vaccines were rolled out, the Bloomberg report said.Meanwhile, a survey by Standard Chartered (SC) ranked Malaysia as the second most favourable Southeast Asian country for foreign investments, in a list topped by Japan, China and Australia.Respondents made up of business leaders in Europe and the US in SC’s Borderless Business report placed Malaysia second after Singapore among Asian markets with the most promising growth, above Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.


Japan detects more Moderna vaccine contamination

Japan’s Okinawa region suspended the use of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine on Sunday after another contamination was spotted, the local government said.It comes a day after the Japanese health ministry said it was investigating the death of two men who received shots from tainted Moderna batches – though the cause of their death is unknown.The Okinawa prefecture, in southern Japan, said Sunday’s vaccination programme was partially postponed.“We are suspending the use of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccines as foreign substances were spotted in some of them,” it said in a statement.The lots affected by the contamination spotted in Okinawa on Saturday are different from the 1.63 million doses suspended after the two deaths, according to local media reports.That suspension came after the health ministry said two men, aged 30 and 38, died in early August after getting their second Moderna doses.Those doses were drawn from one of three batches suspended by the government on Thursday after several vials were found to be contaminated.The ministry said however that it was investigating the cause of death and it is unknown currently if there is a causal link with the vaccine.“At this time, we do not have any evidence that these deaths are caused by the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, and it is important to conduct a formal investigation to determine whether there is any connection,” Moderna and its Japanese distributor Takeda said in a joint statement on Saturday.The nature of the particles found in the vials, which were manufactured by a Moderna contractor in Europe, is also not known yet.“The vials have been sent to a qualified lab for analysis and initial findings will be available early next week,” Moderna and Takeda said.The contractor, Spanish pharmaceutical firm Rovi, said in a statement Thursday that it was investigating the cause of the contamination in the batch, which was only distributed in Japan.It added that the issue may have originated on one of its manufacturing lines.Around 44% of Japan’s population has been fully vaccinated, as the country battles a record surge of coronavirus cases driven by the more contagious Delta variant.More than 15,800 people have died from Covid-19 in Japan, and large parts of the country are under strict virus restrictions.


Market activities in Jerantut barred for 14 days

All night market and market activities as well as large-scale events including feasts in Jerantut have been postponed for 14 days starting today, as a measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19.The Jerantut disaster management committee also said in a statement that all leisure and recreation centres that could not guarantee physical distancing were not allowed to operate during that period.This includes hiking activities at Bukit Seladang, Bukit Panau and Bukit Merah as well as Taman Tasik Teratai and Via-Ferratta Paya Gunung which are famous for their rock climbing activities.“This action is taken following the detection of four new positive cases on Sept 25 and 27 in the district.“Masjid Tengku Ahmad Jerantut and Surau Al-Muflihin at the low-cost public housing (PAKR) Level 3 and 4 as well as kindergartens and nurseries at the same PAKR and PAKR Bandar Baru Jerantut are also ordered to close for 14 days,” the statement said.Food premises at PAKR Bandar Baru Jerantut as well as PAKR 3 and 4 are only allowed to serve takeout food for now.The briefing on the Population and Housing Census 2020 scheduled for five days beginning this Thursday has also been postponed.Residents with enquiries can contact the disaster operations control centre at 09-2661641 or the operations room of the district health office at 09-2662744.