Abang Johari thanks Bersatu, BN for staying out of Sarawak polls

Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg today thanked Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin for assuring that his party will not contest the Sarawak state election next month.Abang Johari, who is chairman of the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition said the pledge showed the good ties from having friendly parties like Bersatu and Barisan Nasional (BN).“I would also like to thank Annuar Musa for his announcement that BN, too, will not field candidates in the state election.“This shows that we have a good spirit, especially since we have our representatives in the federal government,” he said when asked to comment on Muhyiddin’s announcement yesterday.Muhyiddin had said that the decision was out of respect for the wishes of the GPS leadership.He also said Bersatu had chosen to stay out of the contest because it believed GPS had the ability to win, and that GPS had supported the PN-led federal government when he was the prime minister.Abang Johari said he believed both Bersatu and BN had chosen to stay out of the contest as they understand and respect the sentiment of the Sarawak people.“I am sure that they understand the politics of Sarawak,” he said.“Let the people of Sarawak decide what happens in Sarawak.”


Radzi remains Putrajaya MP as court throws out election petition

Radzi Jidin of Bersatu has retained his position as Putrajaya MP, after an election court rejected a petition filed against him.
High Court judge Faizah Jamaludin allowed a preliminary objection by Radzi to strike out the petition filed by Putrajaya Umno division vice chief Ahmad Faisal Abdul Karim.
The judge ruled that Faisal had failed to prove corrupt practices on the part of either Radzi or his agents.
"The deficiency in facts and particulars on alleged bribery to voters will make it impossible to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt if a trial is held.
"I find the petition has not complied with Rule 4 (1)(b) of the election petition rules and is therefore defective," Faizah said during the proceedings held online today.
She added that as an election judge, she was constrained by the powers expressly vested in her under the Election Offences Act. "The petitioner's failure to comply with the pleadings and procedures has resulted in a jurisdictional defect which deprived me of hearing the petition. Thus, this petition is struck out," she said.
The court also ordered Faisal to pay Radzi RM20,000 in costs.
Lawyers Hafarizam Harun, Norhazira Abu Hayan and Amin Othman represented Faisal while Radzi was represented by Yusfarizal Yussoff.
In the petition filed on Jan 26, Faisal sought a court order to declare that Radzi should not have been declared the winner of the Putrajaya seat at the 15th general election on Nov 19 last year as his alleged bribes of RM150 each had induced voters to vote for him and not for other candidates.
The bribes were allegedly discovered through a WhatsApp group on Nov 21 and Dec 21 last year, as well as on Jan 4 this year.
Radzi won the Putrajaya seat with 16,002 votes, beating four-term incumbent Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor of Barisan Nasional, who obtained 13,692 votes.


No forecast of unusual bad weather at end-October, says MetMalaysia

There is no forecast of unusual bad weather at end of this month, as has been made viral on social media platforms and WhatsApp, says the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).
MetMalaysia director-general Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said in a statement that the latest monitoring showed humid weather prevailing in most states due to the concentration of winds in the peninsula, northern Sarawak and western Sabah until the end of October.
At the same time, he said, a low-pressure system formed west of the Philippines is expected to move west and northwest away from the country's regions which will have a slight effect on sea conditions.
He said a first category warning of strong winds and rough seas had been issued yesterday with wind speeds of between 40 and 50 kph and wave heights of up to 3.5m expected to occur in Condore, Reef North and Layang-Layang waters from Oct 27 to 30.
Helmi said MetMalaysia would notify the public of any significant weather changes.
The public can obtain accurate information on weather forecasts and warnings through MetMalaysia's official website and official social media pages or through the hotline 1-300-22-1638, as well as the myCuaca application.


GPS reiterates support for Muhyiddin

The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government today reaffirmed its support of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration, saying the coalition would not shift its endorsement of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.Speaking at a press conference in Kuching, Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg said it was important to maintain political stability, especially as the country is still battling the Covid-19 pandemic.“We have discussed and arrived at a consensus view on what has been going on in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.“Our stand is, GPS supports the PN government under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.”Abang Johari, who is GPS chairman, also urged all politicians to join hands in facing the Covid-19 crisis.“This is not the time for politicking that will undermine stability. This is the time for all politicians to consolidate and unite, and bring the country out of this pandemic crisis.”


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Consider environmental pollution as organised crime under Sosma, say cops

The police have proposed to the Attorney-General’s Chambers that environmental pollution offences be categorised as organised crime and investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) 2012 or Sosma.Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said this would involve not only the Sungai Gong pollution in Rawang but all future cases involving environmental pollution.“The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has said that he views seriously issued which threaten the health of the people,” he said in a press conference in Cheras today.Adding that the offence was a serious and repeated crime, he said the police were looking into the best legislation to use in dealing with those found guilty.“As such, I am calling on the people to be calm and patient as police are still investigating the case.”He added that the investigation would be transparent, saying the police have no interest in closing the case or reducing the degree of offence.On the establishment of a special team to investigate environmental pollution, he said it would be up to the home ministry to decide.“No problem, we are prepared to accept this responsibility and are confident of assisting the environment ministry with the establishment of additional posts in the police force,” he said.


Muhyiddin slams Anwar for saying ready to negotiate with China over Malaysian territory

Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin today slammed remarks by Anwar Ibrahim stating Malaysia's willingness to negotiate with China over concerns about exploration activities by Petronas in the South China Sea, saying they undermine Malaysia's territorial claims.
"The statement is careless and should not come from a prime minister. The implication of this statement is that it indirectly recognises China's claim to an area that is already legally Malaysian territory that must be defended," the former prime minister said.
Anwar, in a speech briefing the Dewan Rakyat on his recent official trip to China, said while Petronas would continue its activities in the area, Malaysia was open to negotiations with Beijing over its concerns.
"I stressed... that Malaysia sees the area as Malaysian territory therefore Petronas will continue its exploration activities there," he said.
"But if China feels this is their right, Malaysia is open to negotiations."
Muhyiddin said Malaysia's territorial rights are not open to negotiation "even if it is claimed by China". He said there while there was no disputing that China was a global economic power, "it does not mean Malaysia's sovereignty can be compromised".
"Malaysia must firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and national security to protect the country's territorial rights and claims.
"The prime minister's statement about Malaysia's openness to negotiate over its territorial rights has exposed it to the risk of a threat to its national sovereignty," he said, adding that Anwar's statement was weak, irresponsible and amounted to "surrendering the dignity and sovereignty of the country to a foreign power".
Petronas has been operating within the exclusive economic zone, part of which is claimed by China as its territory based on the so-called "nine-dash line".
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague ruled that the nine-dash line had no legal basis.
Malaysia and China are among seven states surrounding the South China Sea which have laid territorial claims. The others are Brunei, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
China has been flexing its military muscle in the area in a move designed to shore up its territorial claim over the entire South China Sea.
Muhyiddin said Anwar had further undermined Malaysia's territorial sovereignty by repeating Chinese claims that its military presence was in "international waters".
He said Asean member states had yet to reach any consensus on conflicting claims in the South China Sea, but had rejected the nine-dash line claimed by Beijing.
"Regarding overlapping claims, any discussions must be held in accordance with the Asean Consensus and the South China Sea Code of Conduct," said Muhyiddin.


Daily cases hover just below 4,000

Another 3,997 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,754,513.Another 3,984 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,681,390.Meanwhile 281 are in the ICU, including 213 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 155 are in need of respiratory assistance including 77 confirmed Covid-19 cases.


Halal poser over ‘Merry Christmas’ greeting on cake

A man was surprised when told by a bakery that it could not write “Merry Christmas” on a cake he had ordered for delivery to a friend as the shop was in the process of getting halal certification from the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim).The cake was instead delivered to the recipient bearing the words “Happy Holidays”.“I had never encountered such a problem in all the years I dealt with that cake house, but this time, the management apologised to me saying it is part of the conditions during the audit process,” the man who declined to be named told MalaysiaNow.He also appealed for the identity of the cake house to be kept confidential, fearing it could otherwise give the business “unnecessary publicity”.“It could well be a genuine mistake by someone in Jakim,” he added.Jakim is legally empowered as the sole authority to issue halal certification on food and goods as well as eateries nationwide.A checklist on Jakim’s Halal Management System has an entry on the use of the halal logo “to promote non-Muslim religious celebrations”.The checklist is used during internal audits of a product covering all stages from the sourcing of its raw material to manufacturing, storage and retail.However, it is not clear whether a halal-certified shop is prohibited from writing greetings for non-Muslim occasions as requested by customers.MalaysiaNow has contacted Jakim’s Halal Management Division as well as the minister in charge of the federal department, Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri, for an explanation.In the past, critics had questioned several conditions imposed by Jakim on food manufacturers and franchises seeking halal certification, including prohibiting certain names from being used on the product.Popular pretzel chain Auntie Anne’s and fast food franchise A&W were forced to rename their popular products due to a requirement by Jakim that words such as “dog” and “beer” are not used on their menu.Auntie Anne’s renamed its “pretzel dog” as “pretzel sausage”, while A&W was forced to change the names of two popular dishes for which it is known worldwide: Coney Dog and Root Beer, which were renamed as Chicken (or Beef) Coney and RB.


Malaysia remains key Asian destination for high-value manufacturing, says global report

Knight Frank Malaysia expects the country to remain an attractive destination for high-value manufacturing and global services in Asia.In a statement today, the independent global property consultancy said the country recorded a total of RM80.6 billion worth of approved investments in the manufacturing, services and primary sectors in the first quarter of 2021, a surge of 95.6% from the same period last year.Its executive director of research and consultancy, Judy Ong, said the pandemic had accelerated the e-commerce boom and that it augurs well for the industrial property market.“The Covid-19 crisis has a silver lining for the logistics industry as the pandemic has created a need for warehouse space to cater to the surge in last-mile delivery and collection.“With lockdowns and restrictive movements, there is a structural shift towards omnichannel retailing,” she said.Moving forward, Ong said there had been a sustained interest in the logistics industry supported by strong demand for warehouse and distribution facilities.However, she expects the industrial growth momentum, which was initially expected to continue into the second half of 2021 and beyond, to be derailed as Malaysia grapples with the current spike of Covid-19 infections.Meanwhile, executive director of capital markets, Allan Sim, said in the manufacturing space, the company expects more interest surfacing in the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector driven by the global shortage of semiconductors as well as the 5G network rollout.“The E&E sector is among the top performers among key indices such as manufacturing output, export, as well as manufacturing sales.“We anticipate significant interest and growth potential in the E&E space moving forward, bolstered by the current global demand for sensors, semiconductor, solar, internet of things products, as well as further investments into artificial intelligence and smart machines, among others, of the future,” he said.


Israeli appeal court quashes ruling on Jewish prayer at Al Aqsa compound

An Israeli appeal court overturned on Wednesday a ruling by a lower magistrate who had stirred Palestinian anger by questioning the legality of barring Jewish prayer at a contested Jerusalem shrine.Al Aqsa mosque compound, which Jews revere as a vestige of their two ancient temples, is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Under a decades-old “status quo” arrangement with Muslim authorities, Israel allows Jews to visit only if they refrain from religious rites.Three Jewish youths who received a restraining order after praying at the site successfully challenged the police decision at Jerusalem Magistrates Court, which ruled on Sunday that their actions had not constituted a breach of the peace.That prompted protests from the Palestinian leadership, threats from Palestinian militants and a pledge from Israel that the status quo would be preserved.The state filed a counter-appeal on Wednesday with Jerusalem District Court, which found in favour after nightfall.“The special sensitivity of the Temple Mount cannot be overstated,” Judge Einat Avman-Moller said in her ruling, using the Hebrew name for a site Muslims know as the Noble Sanctuary.A right to freedom of Jewish worship there “is not absolute, and should be superseded by other interests, among them the safeguarding of public order,” she said.In a statement to Reuters before Wednesday’s ruling, Nati Rom, a lawyer for the defendants, said: “It is strange and regrettable that, in the 21st century, in a Jewish and democratic country, the basic human rights of Jews would be so harmed.”With Jewish visits increasing in number, including over the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan that coincided this year with the Jewish Passover festival, Palestinians have cried foul.Jordan, a US-backed Israeli security partner that serves as custodian of Al Aqsa, has also voiced concern.Tensions have been further stoked by a flag march due to be held by nationalist Jews in Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday, marking its capture by Israel in a 1967 war. The annual event is resented by Palestinians, who want the Old City and other parts of East Jerusalem as capital of their hoped-for future state.


Umno sacks leaders dropped from polls line-up

Umno has sacked the four leaders dropped from Barisan Nasional's (BN) election line-up who are contesting the Nov 19 polls as independents or under the banner of another coalition.
In a statement, Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan said Zahidi Zainul Abidin, Shahidan Kassim, Ismail Abd Muttalib and Azhar Ahmad had been sacked in line with Clause 20:11 of the party's constitution.
"This states that any member who contests and leaves the party, or contests as an independent or for a rival party at an election will lose his or her membership," he said.
He said their positions at the Umno division level would be assumed by their deputies.
"Umno also wishes to stress that several other members, including those who were seen escorting these four during the nomination process in what could be described as a show of support for the candidates of other parties, are currently being investigated ahead of further action to be taken," he said.
Zahidi is running as an independent candidate for Padang Besar while Shahidan is defending his Arau seat under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner.
Ismail, who is also standing under PN, recently announced that he had joined PAS, while Azhar is contesting the Kuala Perlis state seat.
Their names had been axed from the BN line-up in what was seen as a removal of leaders who were not aligned with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.


Govt drafting national recovery plan for Covid-19 battle, says Muhyiddin

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin says the government is drafting a National Recovery Plan in preparation for the country to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic at a reasonable point.He said the plan, based on data and science and all the preparations that had been done, including in terms of Covid-19 management, the economy, and the vaccination programme, would be presented to the National Security Council (NSC) within the next week.“Some of the key ministers involved have already sat down with me to present the draft. Basically good, but not yet refined.“It is time we want to set an exit strategy or National Recovery Plan for us to get out of this problem, but this is a big challenge depending on the cooperation and support of all parties,” he said to reporters after visiting the mobile vaccination centre at the Sri Johor People’s Housing Project in Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.He was accompanied by Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa.Muhyiddin said the plan was also to inform the people about current developments and the phases involving the management of Covid-19 in the country, among others.“This we will evaluate. It (the plan) will have phase one, phase two… based on the data, for example if (in cases of) Covid-19, we see there are already signs of a decline, but it cannot be a time to celebrate because the phase has not been completed. If possible we want cases to go down further.“This means we have to help the health ministry manage the healthcare to ensure that our healthcare system does not collapse… hospitals, bed facilities, ventilators, hospital staff must be enough. We are implementing all these,” he said.He said the government is also considering setting a deadline for registration for Covid-19 vaccination.However, he said the registration process is currently done openly, with no deadline set.“Let’s say (we set) the end of July, so whoever hasn’t registered yet, please register. If there are any left we will help them to register so that everyone is already in our system and we can plan the next phases until the vaccination programme is completed throughout country,” he said.Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said Kuala Lumpur is expected to achieve herd immunity earlier, in August.He said this expectation was based on the opening of more vaccination centres (PPVs) including mega PPVs and mobile vaccination programmes that would enable many people in the federal territory to receive the jab.Commenting on the mobile vaccination programme, Muhyiddin said the method was one of the ways to expedite the vaccination programme, adding that the government planned to add more mobile PPVs in certain areas.The mobile vaccination pilot project which began on June 7 at the Kampung Muhibbah PPR is the outcome of a strategic collaboration between the federal territories ministry, health ministry, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan.The programme is one of seven initiatives of the Wilayah Cakna 5.0 drive to ensure that 80% of residents of the federal capital are vaccinated by the end of August.


Slimline North Korean leader says to prepare for ‘dialogue and confrontation’ with the US

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said this week that his country needs to prepare for both “dialogue and confrontation” with the US.This marks the first time Kim has directly commented on President Joe Biden’s administration.Pyongyang had earlier ignored efforts by the Biden administration to establish diplomatic communications.The ruling Workers’ Party central committee meeting which started this week also saw Kim admitting the country was facing food shortages.Kim said his people need “to protect the dignity of our state and its interests for independent development”, according to state media outlet KCNA.He also said North Korea would “sharply and promptly” react to any developments and “concentrate efforts on taking stable control of the situation on the Korean peninsula”.Kim’s relationship with the Biden administration has so far been fraught with tension, says the BBC.Prior to the US election, Biden called Kim a “thug”, and days before Biden’s inauguration, North Korea put on a show of force with a massive military parade that showcased new weaponry.In April, Biden referred to North Korea as a “serious threat” to global security, prompting an angry response from Pyongyang which said the statement reflected Biden’s intent to “keep enforcing the hostile policy” towards the country.Washington also recently completed a review of its North Korea policy and said that the US would continue to aim for the eventual complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.US State Department spokesman Jen Psaki said that “our policy will not focus on achieving a grand bargain, nor will it rely on strategic patience”.The US would instead pursue a “calibrated practical approach that is open to and will explore diplomacy with” North Korea, she said, adding it would focus on making “practical progress”.Kim previously met Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump on three seemingly cordial occasions but talks on denuclearisation eventually stalled.Earlier in the week, the AP reported that Kim’s health is once again the subject of speculation as the 37-year-old recently appears much thinner.Kim’s health is important to Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo as he has not publicly approved a successor who would control his weapons program if he is incapacitated.In state media images released this week, Kim appears to have lost a lot of weight, noticeably in his face.Kim’s apparent weight loss is more likely an attempt to improve his health, rather than a sign of illness, according to Hong Min, a senior analyst at Seoul’s Korea Institute for National Unification.“If he was experiencing health problems, he wouldn’t have come out in public to the big plenary meeting,” Hong said.Kim, known for heavy drinking and smoking, comes from a family with a history of heart problems.His father and grandfather, who ruled North Korea before him, both died of heart issues. Experts have said his weight could increase the possibility of cardiovascular diseases.


Not just a joker, there's more to Peja than meets the eye, says close friend

Sitting at his eatery in Tambun, Perak, Hamid laughs as he recalls his years of friendship with Ahmad Faizal Azumu, the Perikatan Nasional candidate looking to defend his seat there in the Nov 19 polls.
His ties with Faizal began when they were both children in Kampung Manjoi.
About two decades ago, Faizal, who is known by his nickname Peja, became active in politics as part of the Umno Youth wing.
"He was in Ipoh Barat, I was in Gopeng," Hamid recalled. "We always went to Umno assemblies in Kuala Lumpur together."
But it was Faizal's sense of humour that made him stand out, even as he was carrying out his duties, his friend said.
Sometimes, this landed him in trouble with those who said that such a frivolous attitude showed a lack of leadership skills.
Hamid however brushed this aside, saying underneath his humour, Faizal was in fact a professional and capable leader.
"He's good at hiding his emotions," he said. "He always looks happy and calm. He fools around and laughs to hide his pressure and all of the emotions that other people don't know about.
"That's why he sings and does the joget. He's just naturally a happy and positive person."
Hamid said this was why it was unfair to judge his friend based solely on social media videos of him singing and dancing.
At work, he said, Faizal was actually very serious and focused, and would not move on to other matters until the task at hand was done.
Bringing down the temperature in Tambun
Faizal's campaign in Tambun so far has been characterised by creative posters with slogans that satirise the fight between him and his main competitor, Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar Ibrahim.
At one of his ceramahs, Faizal said he ran his campaign that way as a response to PH's campaigns which he said were often angry and heated.
"Why so angry?" he said. "Be cool. I put up funny posters to bring down the temperature in Tambun. Why stress?"
A youth named Ahmad who said he had been involved in several programmes with Faizal said he and his friends found it easy to work with the youth and sports minister.
He said Faizal had never looked down on them even though they were only "kampung boys".
"When he works, he isn't like a boss," Ahmad said. "He listens to our suggestions. Sometimes he rejects them too, but he always listens first.
"He doesn't treat us like kids, he treats us like friends. It's a bit funny to be friends with a minister, but he is really cool."  He, too, said that Faizal should not be judged by his cover.
"He has a lot of good points that he doesn't show in public," he said.


Ultra Kirana sponsored Zahid’s overseas trips, wife’s birthday party, ex-director tells court

The Shah Alam High Court was told yesterday that Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) sponsored former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s overseas trips as well as his wife’s birthday and their Hari Raya celebration.Former UKSB director Harry Lee Vui Khun said the sponsorships were on top of the monthly contributions from the company from 2014 to 2018.“There were also months that we did not make the monthly payment, but we doubled the payment for the next month, to cover the month that we missed.“I personally did not keep records of the delivery, but I do know that David Tan (administrative manager for UKSB from 2012 to 2018) kept a sort of a ledger on the monthly payments which he would show me from time to time.“I can confirm that I have seen Tan’s ledger, but I don’t think I would be able to explain the details in it,” he said, reading his witness statement during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob.Lee, the 15th prosecution witness, earlier told the court that UKSB delivered cash of between S$200,000 and S$520,000 on a monthly basis to Zahid from 2014 to 2018 in relation to the foreign visa system (VLN) contract.The third prosecution witness, former home ministry immigration affairs division deputy secretary Siti Jalilah Abd Manap, previously told the court that Zahid had extended the UKSB contract for the VLN project even though the existing contract was valid for three more years.Explaining how the contributions started, Lee said Zahid had indicated that he needed them for his political fund and that he had asked the witness to assist him in matters relating to Umno.“What I understood from this request was that Zahid wanted financial assistance from UKSB. He never mentioned the amount he wanted although he did say that the contribution should be made in cash and in Singapore dollars.“The cash money was prepared by Tan. Once ready, Tan would give me the envelope containing the money and I would make the delivery. Usually, the three of us – Wan Quoris (Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani, UKSB director), Tan and I – would go together to Zahid’s house, but the handing over of the money is done by one person only.”Lee said the delivery dates for the money were not set and that it would be done at Ahmad Zahid’s convenience.“The delivery could take place on any date of the month as decided by Zahid. The handing over of the money would be done at his residence at night, usually after 10pm, and we would ensure that there were no other visitors at his house before entering.“We would call him first before coming to his house. Both his private and official residences had security guards or policemen, but we would always be allowed to go in without the need to report at the guardhouse,” he said.He added that even though the payments were said to be political contributions, UKSB never made any payments into Umno’s account nor was the company issued receipts or any acknowledgment for the payments.Lee also said UKSB would never have given Zahid any money if he had not asked for it.“While it is true that Zahid did not explicitly ask us to give him money, he never questioned us about the money that we gave and not once did he ever ask us to take back the money,” he said.The 15th prosecution witness said the first time he met Zahid was in May 2013 at Tawakal Hospital when the Umno president’s son had met with an accident and was being treated there.“It was a short meeting. Wan Quoris and I spoke briefly about our contracts with the home ministry. Zahid didn’t say much but acknowledged what we told him.”Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million from UKSB for himself as home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of OSC service in China and the supply VLN system, as well as to maintain the contract agreement to supply the VLN integrated system to the same company by the home ministry.On another seven counts, he was charged with obtaining for himself S$1,150,000, RM3 million, 15,000 euros and US$15,000 from the same company which had official links with his official duty.He was charged with committing the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya and Country Heights Kajang between October 2014 and Mach 2018.The trial before judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa continues today.


Hong Kong leader says 8 overseas activists will be 'pursued for life'

Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said on Tuesday eight overseas-based Hong Kong activists who were issued with arrest warrants for alleged national security offences would be "pursued for life".
Hong Kong police issued arrest warrants for the eight overseas-based activists on Monday, accusing them of national security offences, including foreign collusion and incitement to secession, and offered rewards for information leading to their arrest.
The accused are activists Nathan Law, Anna Kwok and Finn Lau, former lawmakers Dennis Kwok and Ted Hui, lawyer and legal scholar Kevin Yam, unionist Christopher Mung, and online commentator Elmer Yuen.
"The only way to end their destiny of being an abscondee who will be pursued for life is to surrender," Lee told reporters.
The police also offered rewards of US$127,656 (about RM600,000) for information leading to each possible arrest.
The activists are based in several countries, including the US, Britain and Australia.
They are wanted under a national security law that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in 2020.
A spokesperson for global police agency Interpol said that as of Tuesday it had not received requests for a Red Notice or Wanted Persons Diffusion for the eight individuals mentioned.
The agency said member countries can ask Interpol to issue a Red Notice for an individual who is the subject of a valid national arrest warrant, but added requests are reviewed for compliance with Interpol rules and human rights, and assess whether the individual concerned is a refugee or political activist.
A US State Department spokesman said the Hong Kong move sets "a dangerous precedent that threatens the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people all over the world."
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said his government "will not tolerate any attempts by China to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK and overseas".
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the eight had been at the "vanguard of external anti-China forces' intervention in Hong Kong affairs" and that the moves were necessary to safeguard national security.
She also expressed "resolute opposition to individual countries' blatant denigration of Hong Kong's national security laws and interference in the legal system (of Hong Kong)."
Anna Kwok, one of the activists who is now based in Washington DC, told Reuters that she would continue highlighting China's crackdown on freedoms and the rule of law in Hong Kong.
"I believe the values we're fighting for are right. And that's why I'm never going to stop, and I'm never going to back down, even though there's a bounty on my head," she said.
Chinese authorities have repeatedly emphasized that the national security law has restored the stability necessary for preserving Hong Kong's economic success after protracted pro-democracy protests in 2019 that drew millions to the streets.
Lee said authorities would continue to "monitor" the actions and behaviour of the eight while overseas, without giving specifics on how authorities would do this.
"We want them to know that we will not sit and do nothing," Lee said, who also appealed to members of the public to provide information on the activists.


No talks yet on BN-PH pact for state polls, says Tok Mat

Barisan Nasional (BN) has yet to hold talks on collaborating with Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the six state elections to be held next year, says BN deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan.
Mohamad, who is also Umno deputy president, said the parties involved need to hold discussions before making any decision on collaboration.
"Let the parties involved hold talks because nothing has been discussed yet," he told reporters in Rembau today.
Next year, state elections will be held in Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
PH secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail was quoted as saying yesterday that PH had not decided yet if it would work with BN in the six state elections as it was now focused on strengthening its working relationship with BN in the unity government.


High Court frees ex-spy chief in RM50 million CBT case

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today acquitted and discharged former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) director-general Hasanah Abdul Hamid of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving US$12.1 million (RM50.4 million) belonging to the Malaysian government four years ago.
High Court judicial commissioner Roz Mawar Rozain made the ruling after allowing Hasanah’s application to free her of the charge, as there were no objections from deputy public prosecutor Mohd Fairuz Johari.
"Based on the fact that the prosecution has no desire to conduct the case, this court thus acquits and discharges Hasanah of the charge under Section 409 of the Penal Code.
"It is unfair, hanging her head over a year, and I don’t think justice is served that way," said Roz.
Earlier, Hasanah’s lawyer Suhaimi Ibrahim submitted that last year, High Court judge Ahmad Shahrir Mohd had granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) to his client. He said until now, the prosecution had been unable to proceed with the case against Hasanah. "They are not able to proceed anymore as the main ingredient collapsed. Subsequently, another issue is, they no longer have the main exhibit which is involved in the charge. The subject matter is no longer present. It is not wrong for the applicant in this case to submit that the prosecution’s case has collapsed," said Suhaimi.
On April 12, 2021, Shahrir granted Hasanah a DNAA after the prosecution applied not to continue with the case.
However, the prosecution indicated that Hasanah would be charged again in the future if there were new developments.
Shahrir said when the deputy public prosecutore exercised his powers under Section 254 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code not to prosecute the accused further, it was the duty of the court under Section 254 (3) of the same law to consider whether the accused should be granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal or acquitted and discharged.
The trial commenced on Oct 6, 2020, with a total of 10 prosecution witnesses testifying in the case. On Oct 25, 2018, Hasanah, 65, pleaded not guilty to a charge of committing CBT amounting to US$12.1 (RM50.4 million) in funds belonging to the government when serving as the director-general of the research division in the Prime Minister’s Department.
She was charged with committing the offence at the office of the research division at the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya between April 30 and May 9, 2018.
The charge, under Section 409 of the Penal Code, carried a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping as well as a fine upon conviction.


Bill Gates says world should be ‘back to normal’ by end-2022, thanks to vaccines

Microsoft founder Bill Gates predicted this week the world would be “back to normal” by the end of 2022 thanks to the coronavirus vaccines.Gates’ philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has donated US$1.75 billion to support vaccines and possible treatments to combat the worldwide pandemic.In December, Gates made a similar prediction regarding when life may get back to normal, telling CNN, “Certainly, by the summer we’ll be way closer to normal than we are now, but even through early 2022, unless we help other countries get rid of this disease and we get high vaccinations rates, the risk of reintroduction will be there.“We can see now that somewhere between 12 to 18 months, we have a chance, if we manage it well, to get back to normal.”Since the pandemic began a year ago, millions of conspiracies have spread over social media, fuelling misinformation about the pandemic, its origins and the motives of those working to fight it.Bill Gates has been at the centre of wild Covid-19 and vaccine conspiracy theories.Conspiracy theorists claim that Gates and Dr Anthony Fauci, the top adviser to the US president, created the pandemic to try and control people and they want to profit from the spread of the virus.Other theories claim that Fauci and Gates want to use vaccines to insert trackable microchips into people.Another claims Gates is seeking to kill 15% of the world’s population with the vaccines.Gates has called the claims “crazy” and “evil” and asked if people “really believe that stuff”.During a 2015 TED Talk, Gates issued a dire warning that, “if anything kills over 10 million people over the next decade, it is likely to be a highly infectious virus, rather than a war”.Conspiracy theorists claim his statement is proof that he had prior knowledge of the coronavirus.


Chief justice heads bench in Najib's bid to bring new evidence to SRC case

Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and four other judges are hearing Najib Razak’s application to adduce additional evidence in his SRC International case to nullify the trial that saw him sentenced to 12 years’ jail and fined RM210 million.
Tengku Maimun heads a five-member Federal Court bench in the proceedings which began at 9.48am today.
The other judges are Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Federal Court judges Nallini Pathmanathan, Mary Lim Thiam Suan and Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah.
Today, the court is scheduled to hear Najib’s application to adduce new evidence in the SRC International case in his bid to ultimately seek a retrial.
The additional evidence Najib is seeking to adduce relates to the recent discovery that the trial judge, Mohd Nazlan Ghazali, was in 2006 the general counsel and company secretary for Maybank Group, which had the ultimate overall responsibility for the management and administration of all legal departments within the entire group.
If Najib fails in his application, the Federal Court is expected to proceed with the hearing of his appeal against the conviction and sentence imposed on him by then High Court judge Nazlan on July 28, 2020.
Najib, 69, is represented by lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Zaid Ibrahim, Liew Teck Huat and M Rueben, while the prosecution is led by ad hoc prosecutor V Sithambaram, who is assisted by deputy public prosecutors Donald Joseph Franklin, Sulaiman Kho Kheng Fuei, Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul and Manjira Vasudevan.


Over 160 dead in Indonesia, East Timor floods

Rescuers were searching for dozens of people still missing Tuesday after floods and landslides swept away villages in Indonesia and East Timor, killing more than 160 people and leaving thousands more homeless.Torrential rains from tropical cyclone Seroja turned small communities into wastelands of mud, uprooted trees and sent around 10,000 people fleeing to shelters across the neighbouring Southeast Asian nations.Indonesia’s disaster management agency said it had recorded 130 deaths in a cluster of remote islands near East Timor, where another 34 have been officially listed as dead since the disaster struck on Sunday.Search and rescue teams in Indonesia were racing to find more than 70 people still missing and using diggers to clear mountains of debris.The storm swept buildings in some villages down a mountainside and to the shore of the ocean on Lembata island, where some small communities have been wiped off the map.“This area will never be inhabited again,” said Lembata district official Eliyaser Yentji Sunur, referring to a flattened part of Waimatan village.“We won’t let people live here. Like it or not, they’ll have to relocate.”Waimatan resident Onesimus Sili said floods early Sunday destroyed his community before anyone knew what happening.“Around midnight, we heard a very loud rumbling sound and we thought it was a nearby volcano erupting,” he told AFP.“By the time we realised that it was a flash flood, the houses were already gone.”Authorities in both nations were scrambling to shelter evacuees while trying to prevent any spread of Covid-19.On Tuesday, East Timor recorded its first virus death – a 44-year-old woman – since the pandemic broke out last year.The tiny half-island nation of 1.3 million sandwiched between Indonesia and Australia, officially known as Timor-Leste, quickly shut down its borders to avoid a widespread outbreak that threatened to overwhelm its creaky health care system.But the disaster has heightened fears of a spike in cases as thousands cram into shelters across Timor’s inundated capital Dili and elsewhere.‘Clothes on their back’Local officials in Lembata were bracing for its meagre health facilities to be overwhelmed as the number of injured coming from isolated villages soars.“These evacuees fled here with just wet clothes on their backs and nothing else,” said the area’s deputy mayor, Thomas Ola Longaday.“They need blankets, pillows, mattresses and tents.”There was also a dire shortage of trained doctors.“We don’t have enough anaesthesiologists and surgeons, but we’ve been promised that help will come,” Longaday said.“Many survivors have broken bones because they were hit by rocks, logs and debris.”Nearby in East Flores municipality, torrents of mud washed over homes, bridges and roads.Earlier images from Indonesia’s search and rescue agency showed workers digging up mud-covered corpses before placing them in body bags.Hospitals, bridges and thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed by the storm, which is now moving toward the west coast of Australia.But Indonesia “could still see extreme weather (from the cyclone) for the next few days,” said national disaster agency spokesman Raditya Jati.Authorities were still working to evacuate remote communities and provide shelter to those hit by the storm, he added.Fatal landslides and flash floods are common across the Indonesian archipelago during the rainy season.January saw flash floods hit the Indonesian town of Sumedang in West Java, killing 40 people.And last September, at least 11 people were killed in landslides on Borneo.The disaster agency has estimated that 125 million Indonesians – nearly half of the country’s population – live in areas at risk of landslides.The disasters are often caused by deforestation, according to environmentalists.


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No orders to give way to PH, says BN Padang Serai candidate

The Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate in Padang Serai, C Sivaraj, says he has not received any instructions from the party’s top leadership to give way to other contenders for the parliamentary seat.
As such, Sivaraj said he would continue campaigning although Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Mohamad Sofee Razak had suggested that BN make way for PH to reciprocate PH’s gesture in the Tioman election in Pahang.
"I have not been contacted by the leadership about this, and I will continue to campaign more aggressively until directed otherwise.
"By right they (PH) should be the ones giving way because I have been working the ground for three years and I already know most of the voters," he told reporters during his campaign rounds yesterday.
He was asked to comment on PH’s decision to give way to the BN candidate in Tioman and whether he had been asked to do the same for the PH candidate in Padang Serai. Meanwhile, Sofee said PH needed to work hard to retain the Padang Serai seat if BN refused to compromise and give way to PH.
"I have a big responsibility to ensure PH wins here to preserve the legacy of the late M Karupaiya (who won the seat in the last general election)," he said.
However, Sofee said he had not held any discussions with Sivaraj about BN giving way to PH, as this was a matter for the top leaders of both coalitions to decide.
On Tuesday, Amanah announced that its candidate contesting on the PH ticket in the Tioman state seat would make way for the BN candidate to increase the latter’s chances of winning.
Amanah secretary-general Mohd Hatta Md Ramli said the move was aimed at strengthening cooperation between the coalitions in the Pahang and federal unity governments.
The Tioman and Padang Serai contests in the 15th general election were postponed following the death of a candidate in each seat. Polling for both seats will be held on Dec 7.


Biden to nominate first native American woman to lead a federal agency

In a historic first, president-elect Joe Biden is expected to nominate congresswoman Deb Haaland to lead the Department of the Interior.This is the agency that upholds the federal government’s responsibilities to the country’s 574 federally recognised Indian tribes and Alaska native villages.If accepted, Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, would be the country’s first native American Cabinet secretary, heading the agency responsible for honouring America’s treaties with its indigenous people.“Growing up in my mother’s Pueblo household made me fierce,” she tweeted. “I’ll be fierce for all of us, our planet, and all of our protected land.”Aaron Weiss, of the Center for Western Priorities, told NPR, “She understands, in her case going back 30 generations, what it means to care for American lands.”It’s not the first time Haaland has made history. In 2018, she became one of the first two native American women in Congress, along with Sharice Davids a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation from Kansas.Haaland told NPR that, “Climate change is the challenge of our lifetime, and it’s imperative that we invest in an equitable, renewable energy economy.”This ambition echoes Biden who has said that a transition to renewable energy will be a job creator, which makes it a no-brainer during the economic uncertainty brought on by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.No-brainer or not, Biden’s policy is guaranteed to face heavy challenges from traditional energy companies.Mike Sommers, chief executive of the American Petroleum Institute, told NPR that, “Oil and gas resources will be critical to rebuilding our economy and maintaining America’s status as a global energy leader.”


Russia says its delegation is ready for new talks with Ukraine

Russian officials are ready to hold a second round of talks with Ukraine on Wednesday but it is unclear whether Ukrainian officials will turn up, the Kremlin said.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there was contradictory information about the talks, which would follow a meeting at the Belarusian border on Monday that failed to produce a breakthrough.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that Russia must stop bombing Ukrainian cities before more talks could take place on Russia’s invasion of his country.“First we can try to predict whether Ukrainian negotiators will show up or not. Let’s hope this happens. Our (negotiators) will be there and ready,” Peskov told reporters.He said Moscow needed to formulate a harsh, thought-out and clear response to measures imposed by Western countries to undermine the Russian economy.Asked whether the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project led by Russia’s Gazprom was dead, Peskov said the infrastructure was still there and common sense was for it to be launched.Berlin has said it will halt certification of the pipeline which runs from Russia to Germany but has yet to open.Peskov said Russia’s economy was experiencing a serious blow but that it was solid and the country had experience of getting through crises.


Majority of Orang Asli declining vaccination, says deputy minister

Only 15,307 out of 79,041 Orang Asli who have returned their registration forms for Covid-19 vaccination have agreed to be given a jab under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, Deputy Rural Development Minister I Abdul Rahman Mohamad was reported as saying today.“We can see that the number of people who agreed to be vaccinated is low,” Rahman told reporters after visiting the Sungai Berua Orang Asli village in Kuala Berang, according to Bernama.“Most of them rejected the vaccine for fear of dying within two to three years after vaccination.”He added that the forms were distributed to some 120,000 eligible recipients.“But we only got back 79,041 forms. So I agree that awareness (regarding vaccination) within the Orang Asli community is still low,” he said.He said a total of 3,018 Orang Asli have been vaccinated so far.He also said that the ministry together with the Department of Orang Asli Development and relevant authorities would continue to expand engagement sessions with the Orang Asli to explain the importance of getting vaccinated.“Maybe they did not get a clear explanation. So, the ministry will revise its strategy and programme to advise and explain so that every eligible Orang Asli agrees to be vaccinated,” he added.


Former banker tells court he 'cabut' after Najib signed forms to open account

A former AmBank non-executive director told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that he had "cabut" (left) right after Najib Razak finished signing the application forms for the opening of a bank account at the latter’s house at Bukit Tunku 11 years ago.
Cheah Tek Kuang, 75, said he went to the former prime minister's house in 2011 due to Najib's request to open a bank account at AmBank.
The 39th prosecution witness said this when re-examined by lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram at Najib’s trial for the alleged misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds.
Sri Ram: Previously, you said that you were quite nervous when you were there. You left after Najib signed the forms?
Cheah: Yes, I "cabut" already with the documents. Asked about fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low’s presence at Najib’s house, Cheah said that by the time he reached Najib’s house, Jho Low was in a different car.
"When I walked into the house, he was the one who introduced me to Najib," Cheah said.
Sri Ram: Where was Jho Low when you "cabut"?
Cheah: I don’t know.
Sri Ram: Did Jho Low accompany you?
Cheah: No.
The witness also said he had gone to a different part of Najib’s house from where Jho Low was although he noticed that Jho Low was accompanied by several other people.
During previous proceedings, Cheah said he had left about five minutes after Najib signed the documents as Najib was very busy.
He said they did not discuss anything except the account and an expected entry of US$100 million into the account.
Najib, 69, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion belonging to 1MDB and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.


Britain approves Merck’s Covid-19 pill in world first

Britain on Thursday became the first country in the world to approve a potentially game-changing Covid-19 antiviral pill jointly developed by US-based Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, in a boost to the fight against the pandemic.Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recommended the drug, molnupiravir, for use in people with mild to moderate Covid-19 and at least one risk factor for developing severe illness, such as obesity, older age diabetes, and heart disease.It will be administered as soon as possible following a positive Covid-19 test and within five days of the onset of symptoms, the regulator said, citing clinical data.The green light is the first for an oral antiviral treatment for Covid-19 and the first for a Covid-19 drug that will be administered widely in the community. US advisers will meet this month to vote on whether molnupiravir should be authorized.Treatments to tackle the pandemic, which has killed more than 5.2 million people worldwide, have so far focused mainly on vaccines. Other options, including Gilead’s infused antiviral remdesivir and generic steroid dexamethasone, are generally only given after a patient has been hospitalised.Merck’s molnupiravir has been closely watched since data last month showed it could halve the chances of dying or being hospitalised for those most at risk of developing severe Covid-19 when given early in the illness.Molnupiravir, which will be branded as Lagevrio in Britain, is designed to introduce errors into the genetic code of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 and is taken twice a day for five days.Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director for the National Health Service (NHS) in England, said the drug would be administered to patients at higher risk of complications as Britain heads into one of the most challenging winters ever.A wider rollout will follow if it is clinically and cost effective in reducing hospitalisations and death, he added.“We are now working across government and the NHS to urgently get this treatment to patients initially through a national study so we can collect more data on how antivirals work in a mostly vaccinated population,” UK vaccines minister Maggie Throup told parliament.PressureThe speedy approval in Britain, which was also the first Western country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine, comes as it struggles to tame soaring infections.Britain has about 40,000 daily cases of Covid-19, according to the latest seven-day average. That is second only to the roughly 74,000 a day in the US, which has five times more people, and has fuelled criticism of the government’s decision to abandon most pandemic-related restrictionsData released on Wednesday night showed Covid-19 prevalence in England hit its highest level on record last month, led by a high numbers of cases in children and a surge in the south-west of the country.Pressure is growing on the government to implement its “Plan B” aimed at protecting the NHS from unsustainable demands, involving mask mandates, vaccine passes and work-from-home orders.Many other big economies, including Germany, France and Israel, have either retained some basic Covid-19 measures like mask mandates or reintroduced them in response to rising cases.The UK government has said its focus remains on administering vaccine boosters and inoculating 12 to 15-year-olds.“With no compromises on quality, safety and effectiveness, the public can trust that the MHRA has conducted a robust and thorough assessment of the data (on molnupiravir),” MHRA chief June Raine said in a statement.Last month, Britain agreed a deal with Merck to secure 480,000 courses of molnupiravir.Professor Penny Ward, an independent pharmaceutical physician, welcomed the approval, but said the NHS needed to outline its plans for rollout and cautioned that supplies were likely to be tight given the strong global demand.“Comments made by Javid today suggest that it may be made available via a clinical trial, presumably to investigate its effectiveness in vaccinated patients with breakthrough infections, as the original study incorporated unvaccinated adults,” she said.If given to everyone becoming unwell, the nearly half a million courses would not last very long given the more than 40,000 current daily case rate, she said.Treatment raceIn a separate statement, Merck said it expected to produce 10 million courses of the treatment by the end of this year, with at least 20 million set to be manufactured in 2022.The US-based drugmaker’s shares were up 2.1% at $90.54 before the market open.Pfizer and Roche are also racing to develop easy-to-administer antiviral pills for Covid-19. Pfizer last month began a large study of its oral antiviral drug for the prevention of Covid-19 in people exposed to the coronavirus.Merck’s molnupiravir is also being studied in a late-stage trial for preventing infection.Viral sequencing done so far has shown molnupiravir is effective against all variants of the coronavirus, Merck has said, including the more infectious Delta, which is responsible for the worldwide surge in hospitalisations and deaths recently.While it is not yet clear when Merck will deliver doses to Britain, the company has said it is committed to providing timely access to its drug globally with plans for tiered pricing aligned with a country’s ability to pay.Merck is also in talks with generic drugmakers about expanding manufacturing licences to build supply of the treatment.Antibody cocktails like those from Regeneron and Eli Lilly have also been approved for non-hospitalised Covid-19 patients, but have to be given intravenously.


Saudi Arabia to reopen borders for vaccinated umrah pilgrims

Saudi Arabia will begin accepting vaccinated foreign pilgrims seeking to visit the Islamic holy city of Mecca, state media reported Sunday, around 18 months after a border closure prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.Authorities in the ministry responsible for coordinating foreign pilgrims will from Monday begin “gradually receiving umrah requests from various countries of the world,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.The umrah is a pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time – distinct from the haj, which takes place once annually – and usually draws millions from around the globe each year.The Covid-19 pandemic hugely disrupted both pilgrimages, which are usually key revenue earners for the kingdom – in normal times, they together rake in around US$12 billion annually.Before Sunday’s announcement, only immunised pilgrims resident in Saudi Arabia were eligible for umrah permits, though the haj has taken place in a scaled down form since the pandemic began.Any foreign pilgrims must be immunised with a Saudi-recognised vaccine and agree to undergo quarantine, the SPA report said, citing Saudi deputy minister Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman Mashat.Riyadh has spent billions trying to build a tourism industry from scratch, as part of efforts to diversify its oil-reliant economy.The once-reclusive kingdom began issuing tourist visas for the first time in 2019 as part of an ambitious push to revamp its global image and draw visitors.Between September 2019 and March 2020, it issued 400,000 of them – only for the pandemic to crush that momentum as borders were closed.The government has accelerated a nationwide vaccination drive as it moves to revive tourism and other pandemic-hit sectors, such as sport competitions and entertainment extravaganzas.Vaccination is mandatory for anyone seeking to enter government and private establishments, including education institutions and entertainment venues, as well as to use public transport.Saudi Arabia has registered nearly 532,000 coronavirus cases and more than 8,300 deaths.


G7 begins to press Russia on Ukraine with oil price cap

A Group of Seven (G7) price cap on Russian seaborne oil came into force on Monday as the West tries to limit Moscow's ability to finance its war in Ukraine, though Russia has said it will not abide by the measure even if it has to cut production.
The G7 nations and Australia on Friday agreed a US$60 (about RM263) per barrel price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil after European Union members overcame resistance from Poland. Russia is the world's second-largest oil exporter.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the world had shown weakness by setting the cap at that level while Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Sunday it was a gross interference that contradicted the rules of free trade.
"We are working on mechanisms to prohibit the use of a price cap instrument, regardless of what level is set, because such interference could further destabilise the market," said Novak, the Russian government official in charge of its oil, gas, atomic energy and coal.
"We will sell oil and petroleum products only to those countries that will work with us under market conditions, even if we have to reduce production a little," he said.
The G7 agreement allows Russian oil to be shipped to third-party countries using G7 and EU tankers, insurance companies and credit institutions, only if the cargo is bought at or below the US$60 per barrel cap.
Industry players and a US official said in October that Russia can access enough tankers to ship most of its oil beyond the reach of the cap, underscoring the limits of the most ambitious plan yet to curb Russia's wartime revenue.
According to Zelensky, the US$60 cap would do little to deter Russia from waging war in Ukraine. "You wouldn't call it a serious decision to set such a limit for Russian prices, which is quite comfortable for the budget of a terrorist state."
The US and its allies have imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia since it invaded Ukraine on Feb 24 and sent billions of dollars in aid to the Ukrainian government.
French President Emmanuel Macron, however, drew criticism from Ukraine and its Baltic allies over the weekend for suggesting the West should consider Russia's need for security guarantees if it agrees to talks to end the war.
Zelensky's aide, Mykhailo Podolyak, said the world needed security guarantees from Russia, not the other way around.
Planned blackouts
In Ukraine, Russia has been pounding power infrastructure since early October, causing blackouts and leaving millions without heating as temperatures plummet.
Russia says the assaults do not target civilians and are meant to reduce Ukraine's ability to fight.
Ukraine says the attacks are a war crime.
Zelensky, in a video address on Sunday, urged citizens to be patient and strong in resisting the rigours of winter.
"To get through this winter, we must be even more resilient and even more united than ever," he said.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said on Telegram that blackouts would be confined from Monday to planned "stabilisation" cutoffs to get the grid working again, but added the situation remained "difficult".
Ukraine's largest power supplier, DTEK, said blackouts were planned for three other regions - Odesa, Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk in Ukraine's south and east.
In Kherson, largely without power since Russian forces abandoned the southern city last month, the regional governor said 85% of customers had electricity.
Shelling along front lines
On the battlefront, Zelensky said Ukrainian forces were holding positions along the front line, including near Bakhmut, viewed as Russia's next target in their advance through Donetsk.
Ukraine's military said Russian forces pressed for improved tactical positions to advance on Bakhmut and on the town of Avdiivka, just inside Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Russia's defence ministry said its troops were conducting successful operations in the area of Bakhmut and had pushed back Ukrainian attacks in the Donetsk direction.
Russian forces also shelled 25 settlements along front lines in the south, including Kherson and Nikopol - on the Ukrainian-held side of the Kakhovka reservoir, opposite the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Anatoliy Kurtev, the secretary of the Zaporizhzhia city administration, said on Monday that Russian forces had overnight hit industrial and energy infrastructure with rockets.
Reuters could not independently verify battlefield reports.
The head of US intelligence said fighting in Ukraine was running at a "reduced tempo" and that militaries on both sides were looking to refit and resupply to prepare for a counter-offensive after the winter.


Firebrand cleric’s mask-free followers prompt police chiefs’ sacking

A recently returned firebrand cleric’s mass events in Indonesia have resulted in two of the country’s top police chiefs being sacked.The chiefs were reassigned on Monday for failing to stop hardline cleric Muhammad Rizieq Shihab from organising public events last week which were attended by thousands of followers who flouted Covid-19 restrictions, the national police said.National police spokesman Argo Yuwono told CNA on Tuesday that Jakarta’s police chief Nana Sudjana and West Java’s police chief Rudy Sufahriadi had failed to carry out orders to enforce health protocols.“The national police chief has ordered his subordinates not to hesitate in taking firm actions against those violating health protocols,” Yuwono said. “The national police also will not hesitate to take firm actions against those who do not follow orders.”Shihab is the firebrand leader of the hardline Islamic Defenders’ Front (FPI) and has millions of devout followers.He recently returned from a three-year self-imposed exile in Saudi Arabia, where he fled after police called him in for questioning about complaints that he sent lewd images to a woman and insulted Pancasila, the Indonesian state philosophy. He stayed in Saudi Arabia after police issued arrest warrants against him on these charges.Shihab is a fierce critic of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s government. Since his return, he has repeatedly called for a “moral revolution” in Indonesia.Last week, political analysts told BenarNews that his return could energise the opposition because its members would seek common cause with the cleric’s anti-government position.Additionally, the FPI leader who defends shariah law could cause upheaval in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, whose second-term president is largely viewed as being secular, they said.This week, Jokowi said security authorities need to take firm action against anyone who violates coronavirus health guidelines.Days after his return, the cleric led a mass gathering to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad in Jakarta.He then staged a crowded wedding reception in Bogor, West Java for his daughter last Saturday evening. The wedding is said to have been attended by 10,000 guests.Many at the gatherings did not wear masks or practise safe distancing.Shihab said on Sunday that he had intended wedding guests to sit apart from each other in accordance with pandemic guidelines, but the sheer numbers of people who turned up prevented that from happening.“We actually wanted our guests to sit one metre away from one another,” he said. “But this is what my supporters’ enthusiasm looks like. I hope we will be delivered from any diseases and that Allah will soon eradicate the coronavirus pandemic.”There are now nearly half a million Covid-19 cases in Indonesia. The virus-related death toll stands at 15,296.


Some sectors to be given flexibility in minimum wage, says minister

Several employment sectors, including the informal sector, will be given flexibility when the implementation of the RM1,500 minimum wage rate comes into effect on May 1, says Human Resources Minister M Saravanan.Affected workers include those who earn an income by doing odd jobs, as well as companies with fewer than five workers and those facing huge losses such as the hospitality and tourism sectors, he said.Saravanan said by emphasising a flexibility similar to that given when the minimum wage order was implemented in 2012, the government would also give a period of one year of flexibility for any party in need which could be extended according to the minister’s purview.“Odd-job workers are still earning RM500 to RM600. If I force companies to pay them RM1,500 they will soon be out of a job,” he told reporters at the launch of an event in Putrajaya yesterday.On March 19, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that Malaysia would implement the RM1,500 minimum wage nationwide starting May 1.Saravanan said implementing the minimum wage rate was in line with the National Wage Consultative Council Act 2011 (Act 732), which needs to be reviewed every two years.“If not now, when? The act (Act 732) stipulates that it needs to be reviewed once every two years. If I don’t do it, people will criticise me, that I violate the act,” he said.


Phase 4 not the same as election season, says Hishammuddin

Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein today said that the atmosphere in Melaka which is currently in Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan cannot be equated with that of an election such as the one scheduled to take place in the state next month.Speaking at a press conference at the Parliament building, he said the implementation of SOPs for the polls should not be politicised or turned into polemics.“Yes, wedding ceremonies, feasts and official ceremonies are allowed under Phase Four, but I want to remind everyone that we cannot equate the atmopshere of Phase Four with that of a state election,” he said.He also said the government must ensure that there are no double standards in the enforcement of SOPs until the Election Commission (EC) takes over on Nov 8, when the Melaka election will officially begin.He likewise defended the health ministry’s decision to ban any event or activity related to the election.“I believe the ministry made the decision based on what happened several days before, where we witnessed many gatherings and events that were social in nature but related to the election.“This led to many gathering… more than 50% than what is allowed under normal SOPs,” he said. “Many did not wear face masks and social distancing was not observed.“This is a trend that we cannot allow right now.”Hishammuddin also said that the government must ensure that nothing can give rise to public anger against members or political parties.The Sembrong MP said it would be awkward for the government if more relaxed SOPs are immplemented before the election but then changed once the EC takes over.“We have learnt from previous experience, so the SOPs we put forth during the Sabah state election were updated for Melaka.“If there is a need for a by-election or another state election, the National Security Council will help in terms of ensuring consistency and adjust what is available according to the situation,” he said.In the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan had raised objections to the SOPs for the Melaka election banning any polls-related activities.PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu also voiced their objections along with the Pontian MP.


Daily cases hover at 2,500 as 5 more deaths logged

Another 2,536 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,573,891.There were 3,123 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,508,322.There are now 29,793 active cases, of which 28,508 or 95.7% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 19 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,221 (4.1%) have been hospitalised.A total of 45 are in ICU with 26 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 61.1%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 10.1%.Five more deaths were reported, taking total deaths to 35,776.


New infections still hover at 1,700 as 4 more deaths logged

Another 1,794 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,850,108.
There were 1,227 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,790,116.
There are now 23,601 active cases, of which 948 (4%%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 36 are in ICU with 24 in need of respiratory assistance.
Four more deaths were reported, taking total deaths to 36,391.


Suspect in Paris stabbing ‘a migrant who arrived as an unaccompanied minor’

A young man arrested over the stabbing of two people in Paris on Friday is of Pakistani origin, French authorities have said.The knife attack occurred outside the former Paris offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.Witness Kader Alfa told The AP at the scene: “I saw a guy that was in his 30s or 40s with an axe in his hand who was walking behind a victim covered in blood.”Charlie Hebdo recently reproduced cartoons of the Muslim prophet that angered many Muslims when first published. Twelve people were killed in 2015 after the original publication.Several alleged accomplices of the 2015 attackers are currently being tried in Paris.“Manifestly it’s an act of Islamist terrorism,” Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said in an interview with public broadcaster France-2.“Obviously, there is little doubt. It’s a new bloody attack against our country, against journalists, against this society.”The minister said the alleged attacker arrived in France three years ago as an unaccompanied minor, apparently from Pakistan, but his identity is still being verified.The suspected assailant had been arrested a month ago for carrying a screwdriver but was not on police radar for Islamic radicalisation.Police say seven people have been arrested over the latest attack. Five of the arrests were made in an apartment “likely to have been used by the main suspect”, a source told CNN on Friday.In a tweet, Charlie Hebdo strongly condemned the stabbings. “This tragic episode shows us once again that fanaticism, intolerance, the origins of which will be revealed by the investigation, are still present in French society. There is no question of ceding anything,” the magazine said.French Prime Minister Jean Castex said the lives of the two wounded workers lives were not in danger. He offered the government’s solidarity with their families and colleagues.In 2015, two brothers, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, forced their way into the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine. Armed with rifles and other weapons, they killed 12 people and injured 11 others. The gunmen identified themselves as belonging to the terrorist group al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula, which took responsibility for the attack. The brothers were later killed in a shoot-out with police.


Police break up ‘fake vaccine network’ in China, South Africa

Police in China and South Africa have seized thousands of doses of counterfeit Covid-19 vaccine and made dozens of arrests, Interpol says.In China, police made 80 arrests at a factory allegedly making fake vaccine. At least 3,000 doses were found.Three Chinese nationals and a Zambian were detained at a warehouse in Gauteng, South Africa, where 2,400 fake doses were discovered at the end of December according to the country’s Sunday Times.In Wednesday’s statement, Interpol said it was also getting reports of other fake vaccine rings.Announcing the dismantling of the suspected fake vaccine network, Interpol stressed that no approved vaccines were “currently available for sale online”.“Any vaccine being advertised on websites or the dark web, will not be legitimate, will not have been tested and may be dangerous,” it saidA South African Police national spokesman said that cooperation with other Interpol member states was proving “very effective”, as seen by the “arrest of foreign nationals attempting to peddle fake vaccines to unsuspecting people within South Africa”.No location or further details were given for the counterfeit factory in China which was, Interpol said, investigated with the help of its Illicit Goods and Global Health Programme.A spokesperson for the Chinese ministry of public security said police there were conducting a “targeted campaign to prevent and crack down on crimes related to vaccines” and would step up constructive cooperation with Interpol and police in other countries to effectively prevent such crimes.Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock said that while the police operations in China and South Africa were welcome, this “is only the tip of the iceberg” when it comes to Covid-19 vaccine-related crime.


'RM2 million chocolate' in the spotlight in Guan Eng graft trial

The issue of "RM2 million chocolate for big boss" and "prime minister" has dominated the corruption trial of former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng on the construction of an undersea tunnel and a major road construction project in the state.
The matter was brought up again yesterday when prosecution witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Forensics Department investigating officer Wan Mohd Firdaus Wan Yusof, was being cross-examined by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, representing Lim.
Wan Mohd Firdaus said it was mentioned in a WhatsApp chat between Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB) director Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli and businessman G Gnanaraja on Aug 17, 2017 that the "chocolate" was for the "big boss". Gobind: Did "big boss" refer to the prime minister at that time?
Wan Mohd Firdaus: No.
The prime minister then was Najib Razak.
Wan Mohd Firdaus then agreed with Gobind that in a July 23, 2017 WhatsApp conversation involving the same individuals, a birthday cake-cutting ceremony for an individual known as "big boss" at a residence in Taman Duta was also mentioned.
Gobind said it was clear that "big boss" did not refer to Lim, as his client did not reside in Taman Duta nor was his birthday on July 23.
Meanwhile, Wan Mohd Firdaus agreed with deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin that the WhatsApp conversation did not mention that RM2 million was never paid to Lim.
Wan Shaharuddin: In the forensic chat transcript report, was it stated that RM2 million was paid to anyone else? Wan Mohd Firdaus: No.
Wan Shaharuddin: Was the word CM (chief minister) Lim Guan Eng not stated at all in the chat transcript report?
Wan Mohd Firdaus: The conversation involving Gnanaraja dated Aug 17, 2017 at 6.14pm mentioned "Penang CM", while the one from Zarul at 5.15pm read: "stay in Penang Sir, CM postpone my meeting with him, 7 petang (7pm)".
Gobind said as the prosecution was relying on the WhatsApp conversation for its case, the defence had applied for the full disclosure of its transcript report as evidence received by the defence indicated that Gnanaraja had received RM2 million from Zarul.
Judge Azura Alwi then ordered the defence to file the application before Feb 15. Hearing was fixed for March 15. Lim, 61, faces an amended charge of using his position as the chief minister of Penang to accept a bribe of RM3.3 million in helping a company owned by Zarul to obtain a construction project worth RM6,341,383,702 at the Office of the Chief Minister of Penang, 28th Floor, Komtar, George Town. between January 2011 and August 2017.
In the second amended charge, Lim is accused of soliciting a bribe from Zarul, namely 10% of the company’s profits, as an inducement for obtaining the project. He is accused of committing the act near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City in March 2011.
Lim also faces two charges of causing two plots of land worth RM208.8 million owned by the Penang government to be disposed of to two companies allegedly linked to the undersea tunnel project.


US$61 million, £9.46 million transferred into Najib’s personal accounts, bank officer tells court

A bank officer told the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday that Najib Razak received US$61 million and £9.46 million through overseas money transfers into two of his personal Ambank accounts from three companies allegedly linked to fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low.SWIFT unit division manager at Ambank (M) Bhd, Wedani Senen, 48, said all of the transactions involved the 2112022009694 account under code name AmPrivate Banking-MR and 2112022011880 code-named AmPrivate Banking-1MY, belonging to the former prime minister, between March 2013 and December 2014.Wedani, the 29th prosecution witness, said there was a transfer amounting to US$61 million into Najib’s account ending in 694 (AmPrivate Banking-MR) from Tanore Finance Corporation.Tanore was previously identified as one of the entities that received illegal money from 1MDB and which allegedly had links with Jho Low’s associate, Eric Tan Kim Loong.Wedani added that £750,000 was transferred into Najib’s AmPrivate Banking-1MY account by Blackrock Commodities (Global) Limited on June 23, 2014.“The same account also received money from Vista Equity International Partners Ltd (Barbados) through five transactions: £5,750,000 (Oct 19, 2014); £694,343.62 and £2,216.01 (Nov 24, 2014); £995,000.00 (Dec 5, 2014) and £1.26 million (Dec 18, 2014),” the witness told the court.Wedani said this when reading out her witness statement at Najib’s trial for the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds.The US Department of Justice had identified Vista Equity and Blackrock Commodities as shell companies or companies that only existed on paper, also alleged to have ties with Tan.When cross-examined by Najib’s lawyer, Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, the witness said she did not make any report to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) about the transactions into the Pekan MP’s accounts.“Our unit does not make any reports as other divisions are tasked with managing reports to BNM.“I am also not sure whether BNM issued any warnings and asked the bank to explain all of the transactions involving the large sum of money,” she said.The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues today.


Nadma denies claims of overcrowding at Serdang Covid-19 centre

Images shared on social media showing scores of people crowding the government’s low-risk Covid-19 treatment and quarantine centre in Serdang, Selangor are of patients being discharged, the National Disaster Management Agency, or Nadma, told MalaysiaNow.Pictures and videos of people queuing up next to beds at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS), which was reopened as a Covid-19 treatment centre last month amid a spike in the number of patients, had created alarm on social media, with many accusing the authorities of ignoring health SOPs.A spokesman for Nadma, which operates the centre, said the photos were taken just as those who had been confirmed negative for the virus were making their way to the exit.“There would be about 300 to 400 people discharged at any one time, so that was why it looked as if the place was crowded,” Nadma spokesman Nur Daliza Dohat told MalaysiaNow.She also dismissed claims by social media users that the centre, which can house up to 10,000 people at any one time, was full and that it had run out of beds.“There is still bed capacity,” she said, adding that there are presently about 3,000 people at the centre.


Nato upbeat on Sweden bid as US urges Turkey to say yes

Nato's chief voiced guarded optimism Tuesday on welcoming Sweden to the alliance as the US pressed holdout Turkey to drop its objections, two days after President Tayyip Recep Erdogan won re-election.
Sweden and Finland last year reversed decades of hesitation and formally applied to join Nato after Russia invaded Ukraine, which had unsuccessfully sought to enter the alliance whose members promise to defend one another.
But decisions must be unanimous and Turkey has used its leverage to push the two countries over the presence of Kurdish militants, letting Finland join Nato in April but still blocking Sweden.
Secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said it was "within reach" for Sweden to join in time for the July 11-12 Nato summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius.
"There are no guarantees but it's absolutely possible to reach a solution and enable the decision on full membership for Sweden by then," Stoltenberg told reporters in Oslo on the eve of a Nato foreign ministers' meeting to prepare for the summit.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, visiting Sweden on his way to Oslo, said the Swedish government had already addressed Turkish concerns.
"There is no reason for any further time. Sweden is ready now," Blinken told a news conference with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in the northern Swedish city of Lulea.
"We urge both Turkey and Hungary – which also has not yet ratified – to ratify the accession as quickly as possible," he said.
The State Department said Blinken pushed Sweden's case directly Tuesday in a telephone call with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who is not expected in Oslo.
Blinken said the US wants the process to be "completed in the weeks ahead" but stopped short of saying if he was certain it would be finished by the summit.
New Turkish anger
Erdogan, Turkey's leader for two decades, won another five-year term on Sunday after a campaign in which he vowed to stand up to the West.
He has accused Sweden, with its generous asylum policies, of being a haven for "terrorists", especially members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) that is outlawed by Ankara.
Despite the rising hopes of accession, Sweden once again drew Turkish ire on Tuesday over an "unacceptable" protest by activists in Sweden aimed at Ankara.
The pro-Kurdish Rojava Committee of Sweden posted an anti-Erdogan video on social networks on Monday showing a PKK flag being projected onto the Swedish parliament, the latest of several provocations by the group.
Stoltenberg said he was in "constant contact" with Turkish authorities to try to lift the final obstacles to Sweden's accession.
Blinken played down any connection between Sweden's membership and a potential US sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, after President Joe Biden appeared to draw a link in remarks to reporters after a congratulatory call to Erdogan on his election win.
"These are distinct issues. Both, though, are vital in our judgement to European security," Blinken said.
In Washington, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also walked back Biden's remarks and said support on Sweden was "not a condition" for the F-16s.
The Biden administration earlier this year indicated its support for a US$20 billion (RM92.03 billion) F-16 package for Turkey including 40 new jets and upgrades on 79 existing planes.
But Congress may block the sale, with Bob Menendez, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, voicing alarm that Erdogan would use the advanced war planes to intimidate or even attack fellow Nato ally Greece.
Sweden and Finland, while close defence partners of the West, had officially remained non-aligned militarily out of fear of angering their giant neighbour Russia.
Kristersson told Blinken that Lulea, where US and European officials will meet Wednesday on trade and technology issues, was a six-and-a-half-hour drive from the border with Russia.
"Filling the territorial gap in the North will be one of Sweden's many security contributions to Nato when we join the alliance," Kristersson said.
Hungary, whose hard-right government has tense relations with much of the European Union, has also refused to give its blessing to Sweden, though it is largely seen as following Turkey's lead.


22 more deaths as 3,973 new cases logged

Another 3,973 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 448,457.Selangor recorded 1,328 cases followed by Sarawak (512), Kuala Lumpur (483), Johor (384), Kelantan (321), Penang (187), Kedah (174), Perak (140) and Negeri Sembilan (126).Terengganu recorded 93 cases, Pahang 85, Melaka 79, Sabah 50, Putrajaya eight and Labuan three.Active cases stand at 38,499 with 453 in the ICU and 224 in need of respiratory assistance.Thirteen new clusters were detected:1. Jalan Haji Abdul Aziz (Klang, Selangor; 33 screened, seven positive)2. Pauh Lima (Bachok and Kota Bharu, Kelantan; 50 screened, 30 positive)3. Jalan Dato Setia (Johor Bahru, Johor; 203 screened, 17 positive)4. Dah Penghulu (Kuala Muda, Kedah; 42 screened, 27 positive)5. Jalan Utarid Lima (Petaling, Selangor; 367 screened, 64 positive)6. Jalan Sepuluh Industri Miel (Hulu Langat, Petaling and Gombak in Selangor; 190 screened, 12 positive)7. Jalan Serkam (Jasin, Melaka Tengah and Tangkak in Melaka and Johor; 157 screened, 20 positive)8. Kota Warisan (Sepang, Selangor; 493 screened, 14 positive)9. Jalan Lingkaran Ilmu (Kulai, Johor; 107 screened, 13 positive)10. Jalan Mempelam (Kuala Langat, Selangor; 105 screened, 31 positive)11. Bako Hilir (Kuching, Sarawak; 62 screened, 18 positive)12. Banggol Gajah Mati (Pasir Mas, Kelantan; 60 screend, 28 positive)13. Dah Amanjaya 2 (Kuala Muda, Sik, Yan and Kota Setar in Kedah; 102 screened, 28 positive)There are currently 454 active clusters across the country.Another 2,848 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 408,236.However, 22 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,722.


No nuclear negotiations ‘for negotiation’s sake’, says Iran president-elect

Iran’s president-elect Ebrahim Raisi said on Monday that he will not allow nuclear negotiations for the sake of negotiations, in his first news conference since his election last week.Raisi, 60, won Friday’s election in which more than half the voters stayed away after many political heavyweights had been barred from running and as an economic crisis driven by US sanctions has battered the country.Raisi, an ultraconservative cleric who heads Iran’s judiciary, will replace moderate President Hassan Rouhani – whose landmark achievement was a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers – in August.“Any negotiations that guarantee national interests will certainly be supported, but… we will not allow negotiations to be for negotiation’s sake,” Raisi said, adding that his election followed a “massive” voter turnout.The 2015 deal saw Iran accept limits on its nuclear capabilities in return for an easing of sanctions, but former US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew three years later and ramped up sanctions, prompting the Islamic republic to pull back from its nuclear commitments.Trump’s successor Joe Biden has signalled his readiness to return to the deal and state parties – also including China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany – have lately been negotiating its revival in Vienna.Raisi, who is subject to US sanctions imposed over the executions of political prisoners in 1988, has in the past denied he played a role in the killings.At the press conference on Monday, Raisi said he has “always” defended human rights.“All that I have done through my years of service has always been towards defending human rights,” said the Iranian president-elect, while accusing the west of violating human rights.Raisi also said he has no intentions of meeting Biden.“No,” was his flat response to a question from an American media outlet on whether he would meet his future counterpart in the event the talks lead to the US lifting sanctions on Iran, and to try and “fix” the issues between the two arch enemies.‘No obstacles’ on SaudiRaisi also said his administration would be open to restoring ties with Iran’s regional foe Saudi Arabia.“There are no obstacles from Iran’s side to re-establishing embassies… there are no obstacles to ties with Saudi Arabia,” he said, as discussions are under way to try and bring closer the two Middle East rival powers that have held no diplomatic ties since 2016.Ties between the two countries were cut that year after Iranian protestors attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following the kingdom’s execution of a revered Shiite cleric.They are reported to have been engaged in talks hosted by Baghdad since April to improve relations.Raisi, whose black turban signifies direct descent from Islam’s Prophet Mohammed, is seen as close to the 81-year-old supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate political power in Iran.His victory had been widely anticipated after the Guardian Council, made up of 12 clerics and jurists, had approved just seven candidates, all men, out of a field of almost 600 hopefuls.Three of those vetted candidates dropped out two days before the vote.


New SOPs for non-Muslim houses of worship under MCO

The national unity ministry has set new SOPs for non-Muslim houses of worship following the enforcement of the nationwide movement control order from today until June 7.In a statement, the ministry said amendments had been made to the existing SOPs for the opening of non-Muslim houses of worship, approved at a technical committee meeting with Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob.The number of worshippers now must not exceed 50 for premises that can accommodate more than 1,000 people while premises with a capacity of fewer than 1,000 worshippers are only allowed 20 people.“The prayer time for non-Muslim houses of worship is from 6am to 2pm and 4pm to 10pm,” the ministry added.Sanisation works must also be carried out for 30 minutes before and after activities are conducted.According to the statement, unity officers appointed as monitoring officers under Section 3 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases 1988 (Act 342) will monitor compliance with the SOPs.In the statement, National Unity Minister Halimah Mohamed Sadique also reminded all non-Muslim worshippers and management bodies to adhere to the SOPs and to wear face masks and maintain a safe distance to break the Covid-19 chain.


Hope for hepatitis C patients as new drug to be available at govt hospitals

The Ravida 200mg tablet is likely to be available at government hospitals and clinics to allow ready access to the the drug by hepatitis C patients, following the announcement that Malaysia had become the first country in the world to approve the use of the Ravidasvir medication.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the government was also in the process of decentralising the production of the drug from tertiary to primary care.“We are using the integrated access strategy where we build an ecosystem,” he said.“This is a public health measure for the treatment and prevention of liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure.”Speaking at a press conference today, he said it would cost US$300.“But with competitive market prices, we want to reduce this to US$100,” he added. “It can be done. In the years to come, hopefully it will become cheaper.”Noor Hisham said some 400,000 hepatitis C patients in the country are currently awaiting treatment through drugs that are cheaper than those already available on the market.He voiced hope that the condition could be eliminated by 2030, in line with the World Health Organization’s goal.Ravidasvir was created as an alternative direct action antivirus (DAA), given that the majority of currently available DAAs are relatively expensive.Clinical trials to assess the level of efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics were conducted in Malaysia and Thailand, sponsored by the health ministries of both countries.Clinical tests showed a 97% efficacy rate for hepatitis C patients, who should take the drug in combination with other medicinal products for the treatment of the disease, namely Sofosbuvir.Fauziyah Syed Mohthar, a spokesman for Pharmaniaga Bhd, said the company is collecting the necessary documents for registration before the drug can be made available at government hospitals.“Pharmaniaga is gearing up to engage with experts from the private sector and hospitals, as well as selected GPs.“We have the capacity to supply Ravidasvir in the short and medium term. We will continue working with stakeholders to focus on where we can place the medication at key hospitals.”


Saudi Arabia shock Messi's Argentina at World Cup

Saudi Arabia stunned Lionel Messi's Argentina on Tuesday, beating the two-time winners 2-1 in one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
Salem Al-Dawsari hit a stunning winner to sink the red-hot favourites, bringing the South American side's 36-match unbeaten run to a shuddering halt.
The win was fully deserved after Saudi Arabia came from behind after Saleh Al-Shehri cancelled out an early Lionel Messi penalty,
Playing a risky high defensive line, the athletic Saudis rode their luck in the first half when three times Argentina had the ball in the net only to be denied by an offside call.
But in a chaotic start to the second half, the Saudis swarmed all over Lionel Scaloni's team and scored twice as the Arab nation beat the South Americans for the first time in five attempts.
In a first half dominated by Argentina, it seemed only a matter of time before Saudi Arabia's risky defensive tactics would cost them.
That condensed the game into a sliver of green turf around the halfway line as the Asian side happily allowed Argentina's back four to pass the ball among themselves.
It seemed Saudi Arabia were facing a long afternoon after VAR intervened to award a penalty when Saud Abdulhamid wrestled Leandro Paredes to the ground in the box at a corner.
Messi waited for goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais to dive to his left before cooly rolling the ball into the opposite corner.
But if the Saudis felt aggrieved at the technology, it would later help keep them in the game.
Three times Argentina had the ball in the net only to be denied by razor-tight offside calls, the first given by VAR.
There was no controversy about the equaliser three minutes into the second half, though, as Al-Shehri ran onto a touch from Feras Al-Brikan, beat Cristian Romero on the outside and slotted the ball back across goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and into the far corner.
The sizeable Saudi contingent in the Lusail stadium – where the World Cup final will be held – exploded in joy.
Suddenly the Argentines were rattled and five minutes later the turnaround was complete.
Al-Dawsari's clever turn in the box beat two defenders before he shifted the ball past a third and rifled an unstoppable shot into the top far corner.
The crowd was going wild and Hassan Al-Tambakti punched the air in delight after his desperate sliding tackle denied Messi a clear shot at goal.
Every Al-Owais save, including a point-blank block from Nicolas Tagliafico's close-range prod, was greeted with rapturous cheers.
There was late drama after Al-Owais collided with Yasser Al-Shahrani and seemed to knock him out as his knee struck the defender's head.