Grab to cut more costs amid economic chill

Grab Holdings, Southeast Asia's biggest ride-hailing and food delivery firm, is cutting more costs to cope with an uncertain economic backdrop, the Singapore-based company's CEO told staff in a memo.
The measures include a freeze on most hiring, salary freezes for senior managers and cuts in travel and expense budgets, co-founder and CEO Anthony Tan said in the memo which was issued on Wednesday and viewed by Reuters.
The contents of the memo were confirmed by a company spokesman.
While Grab has already been trying to stem losses by shutting some business units this year and reducing spending on incentives, the latest moves underscore the extent to which it is bracing for tougher conditions in 2023.
Decade-old Grab, a household name across the eight Southeast Asian countries it operates in, had about 8,800 staff at the end of last year.
Last month, Grab raised its 2022 revenue forecast, reported a narrower adjusted operating loss and said its food and grocery delivery business broke even three quarters ahead of its expectations.
Grab and rivals such as Indonesia's PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia Tbk benefited from a boom in food delivery services during the Covid-19 pandemic, but growth is slowing and ride-hailing businesses have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
Companies are also being affected by sharp increases in costs and muted growth in key markets.
GoTo announced layoffs of 1,300 workers, or 12% of its workforce in November, joining a wave of tech firms retrenching globally. Southeast Asia's largest e-commerce firm Shopee has also cut jobs in various countries and shut some overseas operations as its parent Sea struggles with losses.
Grab's share price has halved this year, while GoTo has slumped by 75% amid a global sell-off in the tech sector and investor concerns about profitability and slower growth.
In September, Grab's chief operating officer, Alex Hungate, told Reuters the company did not expect to have to make mass layoffs. Instead, he said, Grab would selectively hire, while reining in its financial services ambitions.
Tan said in the memo that Southeast Asia had not, and would not, be spared from rising prices and interest rates, and the consequent effects on growth.
Grab would also "freeze the majority of current open job requisitions which are not in offer stage," he said, adding requests to fill critical roles would need to be approved.
He said senior managers would not be eligible for raises in their upcoming reviews, while the travel and expense budget would be reduced by another 20% from the last guidance.
"None of these decisions were easy, but are meant to help us get leaner and fitter, as we accelerate even faster towards sustainable, profitable growth," Tan said, adding that "more so than ever," Grab's employees "need to adopt a frugal and prudent mindset as we prepare for 2023."


The real challenge in Melaka

There is an unusual election happening in Melaka. It is an election without any of the conventional features of an election campaign. There are no organised house-to-house visits; no small-group meetings; no large-scale public gatherings. Walkabouts are prohibited. Campaigning in public spaces is not allowed.However, candidates can put across their messages online. They can use both the print and electronic media to campaign to their heart’s content. WhatsApp and Twitter and other such channels including the telephone have all become popular means of communication.The people have accepted the restrictions imposed upon them because they are aware of the risks and dangers associated with the coronavirus pandemic. No one – least of all the candidates – wants to see another surge of serious infections or contend with an alarming escalation of Covid deaths. So everyone is prepared to put up with an election shorn of the central elements of a democratic contest.But at the same time people do not want what is happening in Melaka now to become the new “normal” Full-scale campaigning should be allowed in the 15th general election expected to be held next year. The assumption is that we would have overcome the pandemic by the time the general election is called.Malaysians should realise that active interaction between voters and candidates is essential to a maturing democracy. The voters and the public in general should subject the candidates to full scrutiny. If among the latter are individuals who had served preciously, their track record should be examined thoroughly. New candidates should have a clear idea of their roles in the legislature.While the scope for positive interaction between voters and candidates should be expanded, any negative interplay between them should be curbed immediately. An example would be money politics, the bane of Malaysian politics for decades.The public is not sure if with all the restrictions imposed upon campaigning, money politics has also gone on leave. From the stories emerging from Melaka there is nothing to suggest that this scourge has been curtailed. In fact, its practitioners appear to have invented new ways to keep the vice alive.We are told that money politics and other such wrongdoings are being monitored. Is that true? Has effective action been taken? Let us not forget that it is the failure to take decisive action when it comes to corrupt practices in electoral politics and in other areas of life that is partly responsible for the erosion of trust in political elites.If money politics is still alive and kicking in the Melaka polls, it should not surprise us at all. After all, the ouster of the Melaka state government itself as a result of the withdrawal of support for the Barisan Nasional chief minister by four assembly members had raised an ethical question or two. It is alleged that the ouster cannot be separated from the political ambitions of certain politicians within and without Melaka.This is why the real challenge before the people of Melaka and the rest of Malaysia is cleaning up politics of unsavoury practices and personalities.This is not an easy task.Chandra Muzaffar is president of the International Movement for a Just World.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Sunken Philippine tanker leaks industrial fuel oil into sea

A sunken Philippine tanker carrying 800,000 litres (210,000 gallons) of industrial fuel oil has leaked some of its cargo into the sea, authorities said Thursday, as they raced to find the vessel and contain the spill.
The Princess Empress was travelling from Bataan province, near the capital Manila, to the central province of Iloilo on Tuesday when it had engine trouble and sank in rough seas off Oriental Mindoro province.
The Philippine Coast Guard initially reported the spillage was diesel fuel, which had been powering the vessel, and not industrial fuel oil from the ship's cargo.
But water sample test results showed some of the cargo had also leaked into waters off Naujan municipality, the coast guard said Thursday, sparking concern for the region's rich marine life and coral reefs.
The spill had spread over 24 square kilometres (9 square miles) of water by Wednesday, coast guard said previously.
It is not known how much diesel fuel and industrial fuel oil is in the water.
Provincial governor Humerlito Dolor said a search was still underway for the stricken tanker, estimated to be 460 metres (1,500 feet) below sea level, and stop it leaking.
"The coast guard made assurances to us that they are ready to syphon off the oil once they identify (the location)," Dolor told local media.
"Unfortunately, after two aerial surveillance (flights) we still can't find the exact location of the ship."
In the meantime, the coast guard has deployed oil spill booms to try to contain the material and sprayed chemicals to break down the oil.
Fishermen and tourism operators along the coast depend heavily on the waters for their livelihoods and there are concerns these could be at risk.
Oil has been spotted along a roughly 60km stretch of water between Naujan and Bongabong municipality, said Ram Temena, Oriental Mindoro disaster operations chief.
"We have many fish sanctuaries along the coast," Temena said.
"It could have a huge impact due to the possibility that the oil could attach to the coral reefs, affecting the marine biodiversity."
Some spillage has washed up on the shores of at least two villages in Naujan and one in Pola municipality.
Resort worker Andrea Riva said she and her colleagues were "keeping our fingers crossed" that the waves did not bring the spillage to the waters off Pinamalayan municipality, south of Pola.
Bongabong municipal disaster officer Michael Fanoga said fishermen had complained of a "foul smell" about 2km offshore.
"If it spreads in the shoreline, our beaches will be destroyed as well as the remaining coral," Fanoga said.


97.5% of adults, 86.9% of teens fully jabbed

A total of 22,813,571 individuals or 97.5% of adults had completed their Covid-19 vaccination as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow portal, a total of 23,119,998 individuals or 98.8% of adults have received at least one dose of vaccine.Meanwhile 86.9% of teenagers or 2,734,970 individuals have completed their vaccination, while 2,833,424 individuals or 90% have received at least one dose.A total of 78,205 vaccine jabs were administered yesterday, 1,325 as first doses, 1,971 as second shots, and 74,909 as booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 55,882,568, including 4,575,798 booster shots.


Address the real issues, Bersatu man throws 8 questions at ex-AG Thomas in Sulu saga

A Bersatu leader has posed several questions to Tommy Thomas over his handling of a demand by a group claiming to be the heirs of the Sulu sultanate, after the former attorney-general's lengthy explanation yesterday defending his 2019 letter as legally correct.
Seberang Jaya assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin said Thomas had failed to address the main questions surrounding the letter, including why he made it available to arbitrator Gonzalo Stampa despite Malaysia's objection to the Spanish counsel's appointment to judge the case.
"Why place such a potent weapon in the hands of our enemies, which they gleefully used against us?" asked Afif, listing out eight questions for Thomas.
Thomas, who served as the top government lawyer during Pakatan Harapan's rule, came under fire from various quarters over a 2019 letter he wrote to the lawyers of eight Sulu individuals, in which he expressed regret that the Malaysian government had stopped an annual compensation to them in the wake of the Sulu incursion in 2013.
Thomas then offered to resume the payments as well as some RM48,000 in backdated payments plus interest, in exchange for the Sulu claimants putting a halt to the arbitration process.
The contents of the letter were cited repeatedly in the massive award handed out by Stampa to the Sulu group early this year, sparking accusations that Thomas' action would put billions of dollars in Malaysian assets at risk if the arbitration outcome is allowed to be implemented abroad.
'Long and turgid response'
Afif said Thomas had avoided the real issues in his "long and turgid response".
Among others, he asked why Thomas had ommitted the mention of "without prejudice" in the letter, thus allowing it to be admissible in the arbitration hearing to back the Sulus' demands.
He also questioned the decision not to participate in the proceedings in order for Malaysia to challenge Stampa's jurisdiction.
"Thomas digs up a precedent in which Pakistan did not contest an arbitration in 2011. This is a poor and unreasonable excuse for not fighting for Malaysia in the Stampa arbitration from day one," Afif added.

Seberang Jaya assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin.

He also said that Thomas' regret over Malaysia's non-payment to the Sulus amounted to "conceding liability or wrongful conduct by Malaysia".
"Why didn’t Thomas state that the Sulu claimants’ arbitration in Spain is a grievous infringement of Malaysia’s sovereignty?
"Why did Thomas in his letter state facts which supported the conclusion that the Sulu sultanate had never divested itself of sovereignty over Sabah?" Afif asked.
He said Thomas should also have stated whether he had consulted the prime minister or the Cabinet before issuing the letter.
"The Stampa award is massive, and Malaysia now has to work hard to prevent its enforcement against its assets worldwide. Thomas cannot remain silent or issue anymore statements that avoid the real questions. These burning questions beg for answers," said Afif.
The eight Sulu individuals had cited a 1878 agreement between the now-defunct Sulu sultanate and the British colonial government, where the sultan surrendered sovereignty over some territories located in North Borneo, or what is now Sabah, in return for an annual compensation.
In February, Stampa, in his arbitration decision announced in a French court, awarded the Sulu claimants US$14.92 billion (RM60 billion) plus interest and costs.
Earlier this month, their lawyers sought to implement the award by serving an asset seizure notice on two subsidiaries of Malaysian oil firm Petronas in Luxembourg.
Putrajaya subsequently secured a stay order from a Paris court to stop the execution of the award, with the Sulus' lawyers threatening to set their eyes on Malaysia's other assets around the world.


Deaths hit new high of 16, pushing virus toll to 537

Another 2,643 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 131,108.Selangor recorded the most cases at 1,086, of which 904 or 83.2% were from clusters and close contact screening.This was followed by Sabah (401), Johor (298) and Kuala Lumpur (282).Kedah recorded 107 cases, Negeri Sembilan 88, Perak 80, Penang 75, Melaka 70, Kelantan 49, Terengganu 34, Pahang 28, Putrajaya 20, Sarawak 16, Labuan six and Perlis three.Active cases stand at 25,140 with 170 in the ICU and 82 in need of respiratory assistance.Six new clusters were detected:1. Jalan Klinik (Klang in Selangor; 123 cases)2. Tapak Bina Hevea (Petaling in Selangor; 30 cases)3. Bukit Belimbing (Petaling and Klang in Selangor; 33 cases)4. Kauran (Keningau in Sabah; 55 cases)5. Kapital (Lembah Pantai in Kuala Lumpur; 72 cases)6. Setapak Indah (Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur; 16 cases)Another three ended, leaving 257 active clusters throughout the country.Another 2,708 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 105,431.However, 16 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 537.


95.6% of adults, 82.1% of teenagers fully jabbed

A total of 22,379,626 individuals or 95.6% of adults had completed their Covid-19 vaccination as of yesterday.Based on the CovidNow website, a total of 22,906,258 individuals or 97.8% of adults have received at least one dose.Meanwhile, 2,751,092 individuals or 87.4% of teenagers had received at least one dose while 82.1% or 2,584,612 individuals are fully vaccinated.A total of 105,103 doses of vaccine were administered yesterday involving 16,848 as second doses, 6,549 as first doses and 81,706 as booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccines administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 51,842,386.In terms of booster shots, 1,407,762 jabs have been given so far.


Anwar defends lack of salary increments for civil servants in budget

The government did not propose salary increments for civil servants in the 2023 budget as this could lead to a large budget deficit, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said a high budget deficit could dampen investors' confidence in the country.
"Our problem now is, (we have) debt of RM1.5 trillion with (a current) deficit of 5.6%.
"If we increase salaries, our budget deficit may rise to 6.5% – nobody will come and invest in our country because they will have no confidence that we have a strong political will to manage the country well," he said in Putrajaya today in response to Cuepacs' reaction to the budget.
Cuepacs president Adnan Mat said the government had shown no commitment to reevaluating the new public service remuneration system in order to increase salaries in Budget 2023.
Anwar urged Cuepacs to be patient, saying the government’s priority now was to help the poorer groups. "Just be patient for a while. Is it not important to try to help the hardcore poor who suffer more that the regular workers?
"Life is also hard for the padi farmers, fishermen and the hardcore poor... they are also struggling to make ends meet," he said.
Anwar tabled the national budget for 2023 last Friday with a total allocation of RM388.1 billion, comprising RM289.1 billion for operating expenditure and RM99 billion for development expenditure, including RM2 billion as contingency savings.
Under the budget, the government also agreed to give special Aidilfitri assistance of RM700 to all civil servants of Grade 56 and below including those on a contract basis, and RM350 to pensioners.


How the prison department helps inmates return to the outside world

Wan (not his real name) spends most of his time playing with clay in a ceramic workshop near his sister's house in Kuantan, Pahang.
At the age of 16, he was sentenced to death for his involvement in a murder case.
In 2009, however, he was pardoned by the sultan and spent more than a decade behind bars at several prisons in the country before being freed at 31.
His sister says he no longer spends time in the company of others, preferring instead to hide away in the workshop.
Wan himself says he is in good health and enjoys a life of solitude.
Even today, he finds it difficult to believe that he is truly free after his years as a prisoner on death row.
Sometimes, he says, he misses the prison environment.
There, he says, he picked up many skills such as cooking and carpentry, in addition to his love for pottery.
The prison also did much to help him, both mentally and spiritually, he adds.
"I was looked after by the police and lawyers until my trial concluded," he said in a recent interview with MalaysiaNow.
"At that point, I was still a teenager. After I was sentenced, the prison officers took care of me instead. I am very grateful to have met with good officers while I was there."
Prison in Malaysia
Questions often arise over the effectiveness of prison programmes and the extent to which they can help rehabilitate those convicted of criminal offences.
Some are released from prison only to end up behind bars once more.
But Kausalya Devi Sathoo of the Prison Policy Division says the majority of offenders successfully undergo their punishments without returning to jail.
"The rate of prisoners returning to prison after release is 15.8%, which means that for every 100 people released from jail, 85 are successful," she said in an interview at the prison headquarters in Kajang where MalaysiaNow was granted exclusive access to the prison premises.
"This is the problem: we only focus on the 15 who return, when in fact 96.6% of those freed on parole are success stories."
Prisons are often described by activists and NGOs as places capable of inducing madness due to the associated pressure and physical and emotional discomfort.
But Kausalya said prison officers and staff are professionally trained to look after and help inmates return to a better life.
She said the prison department prioritises three main elements in its human development programmes for the rehabilitation of inmates: attitudes, skills and knowledge.
"The modules formed by the prison department are also done in collaboration with academics at public universities," she said.
"They are theoretically recognised by academics and implemented by the prison officers according to the categories of crime and offence."  Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Kausalya said prisoners come from all walks of life. Some have secondary school exam qualifications while others have never set foot in a classroom.
Every offender who is sent to prison undergoes a screening process to determine their level of knowledge, skills and health.
This will decide which programme they will follow during their time in prison.
"So far, the prisoners don't give much trouble," she said. "They go along with the programmes because they know that prison is not a place of punishment but a place of rehabilitation. If it's already good, it can get better."
High demand
Kausalya said the rehabilitation programmes are implemented to the best of the department's ability.
But how well they succeed also depends on the efforts of the inmates themselves.
"It's their choice," she said. "Some people might have come in 10 years ago but are still doing the same things while others need only 10 days to fully repent."
The programmes also focus on skills and knowledge, so that prisoners might have a chance of finding work once they are released.  Some well-known companies in fact actively seek such people to work at their factories, Kausalya added.
"It used to be that families could not accept former convicts because they thought their children were bad people," she said.
"But these days, people who go to jail can work and earn a salary to help their families back home.
"Even before they are released, their families are waiting for them. This is part of what we do to help them live a good and successful life in the future."


Suspend entry of tourists from China, tourism body tells govt

The Malaysia Tourism Agency Association (Mata) has urged the government to suspend the entry of tourists from China until the daily Covid-19 caseload in the country decreases.
Mata president Mohd Khalid Harun said the recent surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in China had increased the potential for new variants to emerge, causing concern to Malaysians, especially tourism industry players.
"We are all aware that hospitals across China are facing explosions of Covid-19 cases following Beijing's decision to withdraw their strict regulations.
"The trauma faced by players in the tourism industry due to the Covid-19 outbreak has yet to be resolved. In fact, many travel agencies and hotels have been closed due to the virus incurring billions of ringgit in losses in the past two years," he said in a statement.
Khalid said he hoped that this would not recur as tourism industry players were still in the process of recovery. He said that many foreign countries had tightened the entry requirements for tourists or businessmen from China for the time being to curb the spread of Covid-19 in their countries.
He also advised industry players to shift their focus to tourists from the Middle East and Europe without relying on tourists from China for now.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook previously said Malaysia would see a surge in flight demand following the reopening of China’s borders, which will be implemented by its government on Jan 8 after nearly three years.


Delhi to enforce mask mandate again after spurt in Covid cases

New Delhi will enforce a mask mandate again after Covid-19 infections rose in the past fortnight, a government order showed on Thursday, though a similar order in April failed to improve compliance.
People caught without masks in public in the Indian capital will have to pay a fine of 500 rupees (US$6), the order dated Aug 8 and shared with reporters on Thursday, said. Presently, mask-wearing is uncommon even in shopping malls and crowded markets.
New Delhi reported 2,146 new infections in the past 24 hours and eight deaths, the worst figures among Indian states and federal territories.
The country reported 16,299 new infections during the period, taking the cumulative total to 44.2 million, while deaths rose by 53 to 526,879. The actual numbers are believed to be multiple times higher.


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Finland announces ‘historic’ Nato bid as Sweden holds key meet

The Finnish government officially announced its intention to join Nato on Sunday, as Sweden’s ruling party held a decisive meeting that could pave the way for a joint application.Less than three months after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb 24, the move is a stunning reversal of Finland’s policy on military non-alignment dating back more than 75 years.Sweden, which has been militarily non-aligned for more than two centuries, is expected to follow suit with a similar announcement, possibly on Monday.“This is a historic day. A new era is opening”, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto told reporters at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Sunday.Nato membership needs to be approved and ratified by all 30 members of the alliance.Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed last-minute objections, but Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said Sunday that Ankara was not opposed to the two countries’ bids.“Turkey made it clear that its intention is not to block membership,” Stoltenberg told reporters virtually after alliance foreign ministers met in Berlin.“I am confident we’ll be able to find common ground, consensus on how to move on membership issues,” Stoltenberg said, adding that he was in touch with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.Cavusoglu meanwhile lauded Finland’s conciliatory approach in their talks, but criticised Sweden’s foreign minister for “provocative” statements.Turkey’s objections, directed in particular at Stockholm, focus on what it considers to be the countries’ leniency towards the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is on the EU’s list of terrorist organisations.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken nonetheless insisted he was “very confident that we will reach consensus” on the two countries’ Nato bids.Niinisto said he was “prepared to have a new discussion with President Erdogan about the problems he has raised”.Overwhelming Finnish supportFinland’s parliament will convene to debate the membership proposal on Monday.“We hope the parliament will confirm the decision to apply for Nato membership during the coming days. It will be based on a strong mandate”, premier Marin said.A vast majority of Finnish MPs back the decision after Marin’s Social Democratic Party on Saturday said it was in favour of joining.“Hopefully, we can send our applications next week together with Sweden,” Marin had said on Saturday.The two Nordic countries broke their strict neutralities after the end of the Cold War by joining the EU and becoming partners to Nato in the 1990s, solidifying their affiliation with the West.But the concept of full Nato membership was a non-starter in the countries until the war in Ukraine saw public and political support for joining the alliance soar.Finland, which shares a 1,300km border with Russia, has been leading the charge, while Sweden appears anxious at being the only non-Nato country around the Baltic Sea.Finland is also Sweden’s closest defence cooperation partner.Many Swedish politicians have said their support is conditional on Finland joining.On Saturday, the Finnish head of state phoned his Russian counterpart President Vladimir Putin to inform him of his country’s desire to join Nato, in a conversation described as “direct and straightforward”.Moscow has repeatedly warned both countries of consequences if they join the alliance.Putin warned Niinisto that joining “would be a mistake since there is no threat to Finland’s security”, according to a Kremlin statement.Niinisto said Sunday that while Helsinki is prepared for a Russian response, “little by little, I’m beginning to think that we’re not going to face actual military operations.”“After the phone call with Putin, I think so even more.”No other choiceFormer Finnish prime minister Alexander Stubb told the BBC on Sunday that Putin was “the reason we’re joining” Nato.“We could easily call it Vladimir Putin’s Nato enlargement”, he said.According to recent polls, the number of Finns who want to join the alliance has risen to over three-quarters, almost triple the level seen before the war in Ukraine.In Sweden, support has also risen dramatically, to around 50% – with about 20% against.Sweden’s Social Democrats, led by Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, were meeting Sunday to decide whether the party should abandon its historic stance against joining, last reaffirmed at the party’s annual congress in November.A green light from the party would secure a firm parliamentary majority in favour of joining.Stoltenberg meanwhile reiterated on Sunday that Nato would look at providing security guarantees for Finland and Sweden during the interim period from their application for membership to accession.


Not my voice, says Johari Ghani as viral clip claims Umno offered key ministries, agencies

A five-minute audio clip purportedly of Johari Ghani claiming that Umno has been offered at least four critical portfolios in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's Cabinet has been making the rounds on social media, although the Supreme Council member denies that it is his voice in the recording.
"Yesterday, the offer that was put to Umno was that the finance minister will be from Umno, the home minister will be from Umno, the rural development minister will be from Umno, the education minister will be from Umno," a voice identical to Johari's was heard saying in the clip.
It added that Umno would also helm government agencies such as Tabung Haji, Felda and Risda.
The clip is believed to have been recorded a day after Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah met Anwar and Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, where the latter rejected a proposal for a "unity government".
When contacted, however, Johari denied that it was him.
"Not my voice," he said in a short response to MalaysiaNow.
The voice in the clip further dismissed those who questioned Umno for "surrendering" to DAP.
"It is DAP which is surrendering to us, we are not so desperate to surrender to DAP. If they talk too much, we will pull the handbrake, and this government will collapse," it said.
A statement signed by Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan in the wee hours of Nov 24 said the party's Supreme Council members had unanimously agreed to join a unity government as long as it was not helmed by Muhyiddin, a move seen as fulfilling Zahid's demand to join forces with Anwar.
This was met with silence by almost all of the Umno leaders who had said they would oppose any form of cooperation with Anwar or PH, with former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein saying they were prepared to be sacked.
Anwar was sworn into the top office on Nov 24, ending four days of impasse over the appointment of a prime minister after none of the major coalitions won the numbers needed to form a government.
The palace had given a 24-hour deadline for political leaders to submit statutory declarations to convince the Agong that they had a majority.
Muhyiddin submitted 115 names before the deadline on Nov 22. However, they were ignored by the palace, with the Agong proposing that Muhyiddin and Anwar find a solution through the formation of a unity government – an idea rejected by PN.
The recent election saw BN thrashed by Bersatu and PAS candidates including in Malay constituencies considered as Umno strongholds.
The coalition won only 30 seats, fewer than half of the 79 it won in 2018 when it was ejected from power.


Pressure grows in Amanah over ‘one man’s decision’ on budget vote

Pressure is growing from Amanah members incensed over a last-minute instruction to the opposition bloc to stand down from rejecting the 2021 budget last week, with the party’s women’s wing today urging its top leaders to explain.Raj Munni Sabu, an Amanah senator who heads the women’s wing, also warned the party’s president and deputy president that they must not cave in to a single individual’s decision on a serious issue such as the budget.“We do not want repetitive excuses seen to protect or place the decision of one man regarding a huge and crucial matter higher than the collective decision of the organisation.“We’ve never been taught to fight for the interest of any individuals, not even for our own,” she said in a statement.Several Amanah MPs were among 13 who stood up in support of a bloc vote on the budget which would have seen individual MPs voting without allowing it an easy pass through voice vote.Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and his deputy Salahuddin Ayub were among senior leaders who did not stand up.The budget approval last week saw Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin surviving what was tantamount to a confidence vote for him after weeks of threats from Pakatan Harapan leaders to block the budget.MalaysiaNow reported last week that PH MPs were told at the last minute by the coalition’s chairman Anwar Ibrahim not to call for a bloc vote.The move sparked strong reactions among PH supporters, with many taking to social media to vent their anger against the coalition.Some PH leaders have since defended their action, saying it was part of the coalition’s strategy.But Raj Munni, better known as Aiman Athirah, said such an excuse was not acceptable.She also called for a return to “equal partnership and smart leadership”.“Repetitive failures must not be masked with words such as ‘strategy’ and ‘tactics’,” she added.It is learnt that several Amanah Youth leaders at the divisional level have been warned by the party against criticising Anwar’s instruction to MPs.Aiman said the criticism of PH supporters should be taken seriously, adding that the failure of PH MPs to oppose the budget last week was “shocking and should never have happened”.“Therefore, we want to state our solidarity with the people from all walks of life who are also rocked with questions, criticisms and doubts – is PH truly a ‘Coalition of Hope’ worth hoping for,” she said.


Use of tracking device among new provisions under emergency ordinance

The order to wear a tracking device is among five new provisions under the Emergency (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 which will come into force on March 11, says Health Minister Dr Adham Baba.He said the high-tech device in the form of a wristband, aimed at controlling movement, will be mandatory for those three categories, namely individuals who test positive for Covid-19, persons under investigation (PUI) or close contacts of Covid-19 patients; and persons under surveillance (PUS).“The device is to be worn for 10 days,” he told a press conference with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Takiyuddin Hassan, at the health ministry today.He said a penalty would be imposed if the tracking device is destroyed, damaged, lost or altered.Another new provision is Section 21A, which allows the health director-general to issue general or specific instructions to any individual for the prevention of infection and implementation of control measures.Still another is Part IV A on enforcement which enables powers of investigation to provide information in relation to the prevention and control of infectious diseases, he said.Section 22A of the new provision meanwhile will enable corporate bodies to be charged with offences under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).A new section, Section 31, empowers the authorities to impose penalties under Act 342 for “any offence not stated in it”.This new subsection will determine any action which is a violation as an offence, punishable by a maximum fine of RM50,000, imprisonment of not more than six months, or both.“Legal action is not merely a form of punishment but also a preventive measure to end the spread of Covid-19 in the country,” said Adham.Meanwhile, Takiyuddin said some 4,000 personnel from the local authorities (PBT) and the Road Transport Department (JPJ) would be mobilised to assist the police to monitor compliance with the SOPs set out by the National Security Council and health ministry.“The PBT and JPJ staff have the authority to issue compounds as well as to advise those who do not adhere to the SOPs. Guidelines on the issuance of compounds will be given to the authorities,” he said.


Most Covid-19 patients have at least one symptom 6 months on, study shows

More than three quarters of people hospitalised with Covid-19 still suffered from at least one symptom after six months, according to a study published Saturday that scientists said shows the need for further investigation into lingering coronavirus effects.The research, which was published in the Lancet medical journal and involved hundreds of patients in the Chinese city of Wuhan, is among the few to trace the long-term symptoms of Covid-19 infection.It found that fatigue or muscle weakness were the most common symptoms, while people also reported sleeping difficulties.“Because Covid-19 is such a new disease, we are only beginning to understand some of its long-term effects on patients’ health,” said lead author Bin Cao, of the National Center for Respiratory Medicine.The professor said the research highlighted the need for ongoing care for patients after they have been discharged from hospital, particularly those who have had severe infections.“Our work also underscores the importance of conducting longer follow-up studies in larger populations in order to understand the full spectrum of effects that Covid-19 can have on people,” he added.The World Health Organization has said the virus poses a risk for some people of serious ongoing effects – even among young, otherwise healthy people who were not hospitalised.The new study included 1,733 Covid-19 patients discharged from Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan between January and May last year.Patients, who had an average age of 57, were visited between June and September and answered questions on their symptoms and health-related quality of life.Researchers also conducted physical examinations and lab tests.The study found that 76% of patients who participated in the follow-up (1,265 of 1,655) said they still had symptoms.Fatigue or muscle weakness was reported by 63%, while 26% had sleep problems.The study also looked at 94 patients whose blood antibody levels were recorded at the height of the infection as part of another trial.When these patients were retested after six month, their levels of neutralising antibodies were 52.5% lower.The authors said this raises concerns about the possibility of Covid-19 re-infection, although they said larger samples would be needed to clarify how immunity to the virus changes over time.In a comment article also published in the Lancet, Monica Cortinovis, Norberto Perico, and Giuseppe Remuzzi, from Italy’s Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, said there was uncertainty over the long-term health consequences of the pandemic.“Unfortunately, there are few reports on the clinical picture of the aftermath of Covid-19,” they said, adding the latest study was therefore “relevant and timely”.They said longer term multidisciplinary research being conducted in the US and Britain would help improve understanding and help develop therapies to “mitigate the long-term consequences of Covid-19 on multiple organs and tissues”.


Ukraine offensive 'slower than desired', Zelensky says as Putin sees 'lull'

President Volodymyr Zelensky was quoted on Wednesday as saying progress in Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russian forces was "slower than desired", but that Kyiv would not be pressured into speeding it up.
"Some people believe this is a Hollywood movie and expect results now. It's not," Britain's BBC quoted him as saying in an interview to be broadcast later in the day. "What's at stake is people's lives."
His adversary, Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Moscow had observed a "lull" in Ukraine's counteroffensive, which began early this month. Although Ukraine still had some offensive potential, Kyiv understood it had "no chance", Putin said in televised remarks.
Ukraine says it has reclaimed eight villages so far in its long-awaited counter-offensive, its first substantial gains on the battlefield for seven months.
But Ukrainian forces so far have yet to push their way to the main defensive lines that Russia has had months to prepare. Kyiv is believed to have set aside 12 brigades of thousands of troops each, most of which have yet to join the fight.
Reuters has visited some villages recaptured by Ukrainian forces and confirmed an advance of several kilometres. Moscow says it has been resisting the Ukrainian advances since early June.
Mines
The BBC quoted Zelensky as saying the military push was not going easily because 200,000 square km of Ukrainian territory had been mined by Russian forces.
"Whatever some might want, including attempts to pressure us, with all due respect, we will advance on the battlefield the way we deem best," he added.
After a flurry of early gains, Kyiv has claimed to have captured only one additional village over the past week, the hamlet of Pyatikhatky. Officials said on Wednesday forces in the south were mostly consolidating earlier gains, while troops in the east were holding off Russian attacks.
"They had partial success over the past day, they have consolidated at the boundaries that were reached and they have evened up the front line," Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said.
Zelensky's interview with Britain's public broadcaster was timed to coincide with a conference in London where allies were due to pledge billions of dollars in economic and reconstruction aid.
Washington offered US$1.3 billion (about RM6 billion). Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told the conference Kyiv was hoping for more than US$6 billion from the event.
The West has already given Ukraine tens of billions of dollars worth of military equipment, including hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles that form the core of the force it is set to unleash in its counteroffensive.
Some of Ukraine's supporters worry that Kyiv will have to show impressive results on the battlefield in coming weeks or risk political support waning in the West.
Both sides have stepped up longer range attacks with missiles and drones in preparation for the fighting at the front. Russia said on Wednesday it had shot down drones that had reached the region surrounding Moscow. Kyiv never comments on reports of attacks inside Russia.


Shot teenager's grandmother urges end to French overnight riots

The grandmother of the teenager shot dead by police during a traffic stop in a Paris suburb said on Sunday she wanted the nationwide rioting triggered by his killing to end, as France braced for a potential sixth night of unrest.
Some 45,000 police were deployed again on Sunday night, according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmnin, to deter rioters who have torched cars, looted stores and targeted town halls and police stations – including the home of the mayor of a Paris suburb, which was attacked while his wife and children were asleep inside.
President Emmanuel Macron postponed a state visit to Germany to deal with the crisis. He was due to meet with leaders of parliament on Monday and with more than 220 mayors of towns and cities that have been affected by riots on Tuesday.
The interior ministry reported 719 arrests following Saturday's funeral for Nahel in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, down from 1,311 on Friday night and 875 on Thursday night.
But officials cautioned it was too early to say the unrest was over.
"There was evidently less damage but we will remain mobilised in the coming days. We are very focused, nobody is claiming victory," Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said.
'Telling them to stop'
Nahel's grandmother, identified as Nadia by French media, said the rioters were using the 17-year-old's death last Tuesday as an excuse to cause havoc and that the family wanted calm.
"I'm telling them to stop," she told BFM TV.
"Nahel is dead."
Asked about a crowdfunding campaign that had received pledges of more than €670,000 (RM3.41 million) for the police officer charged with voluntary homicide over the shooting, Nadia said: "My heart aches."
The riots amount to the worst crisis for Macron since the "Yellow Vest" protests gripped much of France in late 2018.
In mid-April, Macron gave himself 100 days to bring reconciliation and unity to a divided country after rolling strikes and sometimes-violent protests over his raising of the retirement age, which he had promised in his election campaign.
Instead, Nahel's death has fed longstanding complaints of discrimination, police violence and systemic racism inside law enforcement agencies – denied by authorities – from rights groups and within the low-income, racially mixed suburbs that ring major French cities.
The officer involved has acknowledged firing a lethal shot, the state prosecutor says, telling investigators he wanted to prevent a dangerous police chase. His lawyer Laurent-Franck Lienard has said he did not intend to kill the teenager.
Teargas
The biggest overnight flashpoint was Marseille, where police fired teargas and fought street battles with youths around the city centre late into the night. There was also unrest in Paris, in the Riviera city of Nice and in Strasbourg in the east.
The unrest delivers a blow to France's image a year before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
China, along with some Western nations, has warned its citizens to be vigilant due to the unrest, which could pose a significant challenge for France in the peak summer tourism season if it were to envelop prominent attractions.
China's consulate lodged a formal complaint after a bus carrying a Chinese tour group had its windows smashed in on Thursday, leading to minor injuries.
In Paris, shop facades on the popular Avenue des Champs-Elysees were boarded up overnight, and there were sporadic clashes elsewhere. Police said six public buildings were damaged and five officers wounded.
In the Paris region, the home of the conservative mayor of L'Hay-les-Roses, Vincent Jeanbrun, was rammed with a vehicle, and his wife and children were attacked with fireworks as they escaped.
Borne visited the area on Sunday with the conservative Paris region president, Valerie Pecresse, who blamed the violence on small, well-trained groups. "The Republic will not yield, and we will fight back," she said.
As the mayor was greeted by well-wishers, a resident who gave her name as Marie-Christine said: "They're smashing things up just to smash things up, they want to spread terror, attack elected officials and try to put the Republic in danger."
The far-right Rassemblement National party of Marine Le Pen, Macron's main challenger in last year's presidential vote, has doubled down in its portrayal of Macron as weak on immigration.


New cases dip to 26,250 as another 77 deaths logged

Another 26,250 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 3,801,036.There were 25,089 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 3,443,532.There are now 323,784 active cases, of which 311,946 or 96.3% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 2,780 (0.9%) are at quarantine centres while 8,691 (2.7%) have been hospitalised.A total of 367 are in ICU with 211 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 56.7%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 41.9%.Another 77 deaths were reported, including 23 who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 33,720.


Guan Eng to face 2 new charges related to undersea tunnel project

Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng will face two new charges of dishonest misappropriation of property at the Butterworth Sessions Court this Friday.The matter was brought up during mention of Lim’s corruption case, in which he is accused of using his position as chief minister of Penang at the time to solicit gratification in order to help a company secure the RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharudin Wan Ladin said the prosecution served Lim the notice this morning to inform him of the charges under Section 403 of the Penal Code.Wan Shaharudin also told judge Azura Alwi that the charges would be the last in connection with the undersea tunnel project.Section 403 of the Penal Code states that whoever dishonestly misappropriates, or converts to his own use, or causes any other person to dispose of, any property, shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than six months and not more than five years and a whipping. The person will also be liable to a fine.Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, representing Lim, 60, confirmed that his client had received the notice but said they had not seen the two new charges.On Aug 7, Lim was charged in the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur with soliciting gratification to help a company secure the Penang undersea tunnel project. On Aug 10, he was charged with using his position as the Penang chief minister to obtani gratification amounting RM3.3 million as an inducement for helping a company owned by Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli secure the project.Zarul is a director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd.On Aug 11, Lim was charged again, in his capacity as chief minister of Penang and chairman of the Penang Development Corporation Procurement Board at the time, with using his position to obtain gratification involving RM372,009 for his wife through a company, Excel Property Management & Consultancy Sdn Bhd.Lim pleaded not guilty to all three charges.


Umno political bureau meets in KL

Umno’s political bureau held a meeting at the party's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur last night.
Chaired by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the meeting was attended by the party’s top leaders, including Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Ismail, who is Umno vice-president, arrived at 8pm.
Others seen arriving at the lobby of Menara Dato Onn in the World Trade Centre included Umno vice-president Mahdzir Khalid and Supreme Council member Noh Omar.
It is understood that the meeting was to discuss current developments including the Federal Court's decision to uphold the conviction, 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine of former prime minister Najib Razak.
Zahid in a statement on Facebook had stressed that Umno would act rationally and continue to comply with the party’s wishes, and that the party’s political bureau would meet soon.
"Let us continue to stand in solidarity. We will stay together through Najib’s ups and downs.
"There is no betrayal among us. We know who is the real enemy and who is the real friend," he said.
Zahid is also expected to deliver a special address to Umno division committee members and leaders at the World Trade Centre this Saturday.


Syria’s Assad scraps top Muslim cleric post

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree eliminating the post of top Muslim cleric for the country and expanding the powers of a government ministry overseeing religious affairs.The new decree, which state media said came into effect on Monday, effectively forces Ahmed Badreddin Hassoun, appointed as grand mufti by Assad in 2004, into retirement.His prerogatives will be folded into a council that falls under the ministry of religious endowments, or waqf, which already oversees Islamic affairs in Syria, the official Sana news agency said.The Council on Islamic Jurisprudence will from now on determine the lunar calendar and make rulings on matters relating to religious rituals and rites, Sana said.The news agency did not elaborate on the reasons behind the move but it comes after years of government efforts to expand state oversight of religious affairs.In 2018, Assad issued a decree limiting the mufti’s term, previously unlimited, to a renewable period of three years.It also expanded the power of the waqf minister, allowing him to name the mufti, who had previously been appointed by the president.The legislation sparked controversy, with many on social media saying it was state interference in religious affairs.Others said it was a way to regulate religious discourse in order to “fight extremism”.


Anwar vows to facilitate peace talks in restive southern Thailand

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pledged to "do whatever is required" to facilitate a peaceful solution to a long-simmering insurgency in southern Thailand, during an official visit to Bangkok yesterday.
More than 7,300 people have been killed since 2004 in fighting between Thai forces and shadowy groups seeking independence for the predominantly Muslim and ethnically Malay provinces of Narathiwat, Yala, Pattani and parts of Songkhla, which border Malaysia.
The area was part of the Patani sultanate that Thailand annexed in a 1909 treaty with Britain.
Anwar stressed the insurgency is an internal issue for Thailand but said Malaysia will do whatever it can to help find a peaceful solution to the conflict, starting with appointing Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, 65, a former head of Malaysia's armed forces as facilitator to the process.
"It is our duty as a good neighbour and family to do whatever is required and necessary to facilitate the process," Anwar said.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said cooperation will help address the problems in the restive provinces, specifically greater economic development and improved connectivity between the two countries.
Barisan Revolusi Nasional, the main insurgent group involved in talks with the Thai government did not comment when contacted by Reuters.
Since 2013, Malaysia has helped facilitate peace talks between the separatists groups and Thai government but the process been disrupted disrupted. The latest round of talks resumed last year after a two-year suspension due to the pandemic.


African swine fever spreads to southwest Penang

The African swine fever (ASF) has spread to Penang's southwest district, resulting in the closure of three more pig farms.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that as of yesterday, 27 pig farms in Penang and 62,197 pigs had been affected by the ASF disease.
"Currently, the number of pig farms affected by ASF comprises 18 in the South Seberang Perai district, two in Central Seberang Perai, four in North Seberang Perai, and three in Barat Daya," he told reporters in George Town today.
He said transportation was among the factors behind the spread of the disease, and that 11,943 pigs from farms with confirmed cases had been culled so far.
He said culling was still being carried out to contain the spread of the disease, with the pig carcasses buried in an area far from public settlements and without causing a public nuisance.
"The Penang Veterinary Services Department (JPV) also sent an application for compensation for 10 pig farms that have completed the disposal process, to the Veterinary Services headquarters in Putrajaya to be taken to the next level of action (federal government)," he said.
However, Chow said Penang would not face any shortages of pork as the state is an exporter of the meat to other states.
He said based on a 2022 census by the Penang JPV, there are 124 pig farms in four districts in Penang with a pig population of 267,348.
"Penang still has more than 90 pig farms that have not been affected by ASF, and a shortage of pork in the market will not occur," he said.
Chow said Penang has 170 officers from various agencies to manage the spread of the disease, and asked farmers and the public to immediately report any death of wild boars, village pigs or commercial pigs to the nearest district JPV or Penang Veterinary Services Office, or through the Penang JPV Disease Crisis Management Room hotline at 04-5041047.


Nearly 63% of adults, 45% of population double-jabbed

A total of 14,648,590 individuals or 62.6% of the adult population in the country had completed their Covid-19 vaccination as of yesterday, according to the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV).A total of 19,389,392 individuals, or 82.8%, have received a first dose, bringing the total number of doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 34,027,548 as of yesterday.According to JKJAV, 59.4% of the country’s population have received at least a first dose of vaccine while 44.9% have completed both doses.In terms of daily vaccination rate, 302,804 doses were administered yesterday, 142,186 as first doses and 160,618 as second shots.


Myanmar security forces fire on anti-coup protesters

Three protesters were critically injured when security forces fired live rounds at anti-coup protesters in northwestern Myanmar on Tuesday, medics said, as regional powers met to pressure the junta over its deadly crackdown.Myanmar has endured mass protests demanding the military release civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was detained on Feb 1 at the start of the coup.Authorities have in response steadily stepped up their use of force, with tear gas, water cannon, rubber bullets and, increasingly, live rounds.Sunday was the bloodiest day since the Feb 1 coup, with the UN saying that at least 18 protesters were killed across the country. AFP independently confirmed 11 deaths.In the northwestern town of Kale on Tuesday, another rally turned violent when security forces opened fire on protesters, according to medics who witnessed events and treated those wounded.“About 20 people were injured in a morning crackdown by police and soldiers in Kale,” said a rescue worker, on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions.“Three… were hit by live rounds and are in critical condition,” he said, adding that police had initially deployed tear gas and rubber bullets, before doubling back with live rounds.A doctor who treated the patients in a local hospital confirmed the number of people in critical condition.“One was hit in his thigh and he’s now under operation. Another one got hit in the abdomen and he requires blood transfusions… Another one got hit in the chest,” he told AFP.“His condition is a concern – we do not like it.”The bloodshed came the same day as the funeral was held in Yangon, the commercial capital, for a 23-year-old student who died Sunday.The mourners sang a revolutionary song as the coffin carrying Nyi Nyi Aung Htet Naing was taken to an altar.“No mercy, just bullies – dead bodies are here and there,” the mourners sang in unison as they flashed a three-finger salute. “Oh the brave heroes who died for democracy.”Protests also continued in several different neighbourhoods of Yangon on Tuesday, with demonstrators wearing hard hats and wielding improvised home-made shields.In San Chaung township – which saw crackdowns in recent days – hundreds of police came out in force.“They used tear gas and shooting as well,” said one resident who could not tell if the security forces had deployed rubber bullets or stun grenades.‘Appalled’The continued unrest as foreign ministers from 10-member Asean bloc were due to meet virtually, including a Myanmar representative.Ahead of the meeting, some regional powers broke with diplomatic traditions and issued unusually harsh rebukes to Myanmar’s junta.“We are appalled by the use of lethal force against civilians,” Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told the city-state’s parliament Monday.“We call on the Myanmar military authorities to exercise utmost restraint,” he added, while urging a “return to the path of democratic transition”.As Myanmar’s biggest foreign investor, the prosperous city-state is seen has having some leverage over the generals.One diplomat told AFP the ministers will likely “ask the Myanmar military to stop the violence and attacks against the people”.But observers are sceptical about what difference the bloc can make – pointing to its policies of non-interference and making decisions based on consensus.Since the putsch, the junta has tightened its chokehold on communications, imposing nightly internet shutdowns and blocking certain social media websites.More than 1,200 people have been arrested, charged and sentenced, according to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group, of which some 900 are still behind bars.


545 from Selangor Amanah leave for Bersatu

A total of 545 Amanah members from the Kota Raja division today announced their departure from the party to join Bersatu.The group, led by division vice-chairman 3, Jaafar Samsuddin, submitted their membership forms to Selangor Bersatu chairman Abdul Rashid Asari in Shah Alam.Jaafar, a former Selangor Amanah committee member, said that of late, the party’s leadership had not brought about any change in the Kota Raja area.He said the group was also attracted to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s style of leadership which he described as moderate, as well as his ability to manage public welfare during the Covid-19 outbreak.Rashid meanwhile denied that some 3,000 Selangor Bersatu members had quit the party, saying only 122 have left so far.They include the assemblymen for Kuang, Jeram and Batang Kali, who said they would join Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s party, Pejuang.Rashid also said Selangor Bersatu has more than 50,000 members, 5,000 of whom are non-Malays.


China to ban food imports from Japan citing safety reasons

China will ban the import of food from about one-fifth of Japanese prefectures for safety reasons, Chinese customs said on Friday, citing Japan's move to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea.
China, the biggest buyer of Japan's seafood exports, said it would also strictly review the documents for food, especially aquatic products, from other parts of Japan, customs said in a statement.
China customs said it would continuously strengthen the detection and monitoring of radioactive substances to ensure the safety of food imported from Japan in banning food from 10 prefectures.
The move was to prevent the export of radioactive contaminated Japanese food to China and protect the food safety of Chinese consumers' imports, China said.
For weeks China had publicly voiced strong opposition to Japan's move to discharge treated radioactive water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea.
The U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, this week gave Japan the greenlight to begin discharging more than a million metric tons of water used to cool the plant's fuel rods after it was wrecked by a 2011 tsunami.
China customs said the report did not fully reflect the views of all the experts involved in the assessment process, and the conclusions were not unanimously endorsed by the experts.


Afghans cling to plane in desperate dash for exit

Frantic Afghans trying to flee the Taliban takeover clung to an American plane as it prepared to take off from Kabul airport, as thousands of people desperately searched for a flight out of the country on Monday.US troops fired shots into the air and all commercial flights were cancelled as chaos broke out on the tarmac.Dramatic footage posted on social media shows hundreds of men running alongside a US Air Force plane as it rolls down the runway, with some clinging to the side of it.In other videos, civilians frantically clamber up an already overcrowded and buckling set of airstairs.Crowds watched on, as those who successfully climbed the stairs helped others up, while some hung from the stair railings by their hands.Panicked families with frightened children in tow and laden with luggage were trying to escape the incoming Taliban regime, two decades after the group’s harsh rule was toppled by a US-led invasion.“I feel very scared here. They are firing lots of shots into the air,” the witness said, asking not to be named in case it jeopardised his chances of leaving.The US State Department said American troops had secured the perimeter of the airport as they evacuate embassy employees and thousands of Afghans who worked for Washington’s interests since they toppled the Taliban in the wake of the Sept 11 attacks.The scenes at the airport were reminiscent of the chaos that enveloped Washington’s earlier bungled escape from Vietnam in 1975, even as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken rejected the comparison.‘We are afraid’The US embassy in Kabul tweeted to tell American nationals and Afghans to “not travel to the airport”.But thousands more Afghans – even some with no links to the US-led coalition – showed up in the hope of getting out, without tickets or visas for foreign destinations.The bedlam at the airport came just hours after Taliban leaders ordered their fighters into Kabul to maintain order as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.“We are afraid to live in this city and we are trying to flee Kabul,” said a 25-year old man who also asked to be identified only as Ahmed.Many of the arrivals were fuelled by rumours spread on social media.“I read on Facebook that Canada is accepting asylum from Afghanistan,” said Ahmed.“Since I served in the army… there is danger. The Taliban would definitely target me.”The US said it had evacuated its entire embassy staff to the airport, but they were being kept separate from those without permission to travel.Other videos posted on social media also showed desperate scenes overnight of people fighting to cram into the back of a cargo plane.Outside of the airport, an uneasy calm held over Kabul as armed Taliban insurgents patrolled the streets and set up checkpoints.In a message posted to social media, Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar called on his fighters to remain disciplined after taking control of the city.“Now it’s time to test and prove, now we have to show that we can serve our nation and ensure security and comfort of life,” he said.The scenes at the airport were reminiscent of the chaos that enveloped Washington’s earlier bungled escape from Vietnam in 1975, even as Washington swatted away the comparison.“This is not Saigon,” Blinken told a broadcaster on Sunday.


Johor crown prince hints at posts for Khairy after Umno axe

Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has hinted at the possibility of offering the posts of JDT FC CEO and Johor youth adviser to Khairy Jamaluddin.
The JDT football club owner said this in a post on the official HRH Crown Prince of Johor Facebook page last night.
Tunku Ismail uploaded a photo of him with the former Rembau MP with the caption "Future JDT FC CEO and Johor Youth Adviser".
"Experienced, proven, why not," Tunku Ismail said.
Meanwhile, Khairy responded to an official Instagram post of Tunku Ismail, which was accompanied by the same photo, saying: "One door closes, others will open. Rezeki ditangan Allah (Our livelihood is in the hand of Allah)."
The former health minister and science, technology and innovation minister also held the post of youth and sports minister from May 2013 to May 2018.
Former Umno Youth chief Khairy and Supreme Council member Noh Omar were sacked by the party on Jan 27 for offences allegedly committed during the 15th general election last November.


Protesters tear-gassed in riots over new French Covid ‘health pass’ rules

Police in Paris clashed with protesters outraged by President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to require a Covid-19 vaccine certificate or negative PCR test result to gain entry to bars, restaurants and cinemas from next month.Macron this week announced sweeping measures to fight a recent surge in new coronavirus infections, including the mandatory vaccination of health workers and new health pass rules for the wider public.In doing so, he went further than most other European nations have done.Other governments are watching to see how the French public responds to the innovation as the highly contagious Delta variant rampages through the country.Protests began in the French capital on Wednesday morning as the annual military parade for Bastille Day was taking place along the famous Champs-Élysées watched by Macron.Every year, July 14 celebrations mark the anniversary of the 1789 storming of the fortress in Paris which marked the turning point in the French Revolution.This year, many protesters wore badges saying, “No to the health pass”.The police fired tear gas as protesters overturned garbage cans and street furniture, and torched several vehicles.Some critics of Macron’s plan – which will require shopping malls, cafes, bars and restaurants to check the health passes of all patrons from August – accuse the president of trampling on freedoms and discriminating against those who do not want a Covid jab.“It’s totally arbitrary and wholly undemocratic,” said one protester who identified himself only as Jean-Louis.Among other proposals in the government’s draft bill is the mandatory isolation for 10 days of anyone who tests positive, with police making random checks, French media reported.Macron says the vaccine is the best way to put France back on the path to normalcy and that he is encouraging as many people as possible to get inoculated.There were protests in many other cities across the country Reuters reports, with marchers chanting, “Down with dictatorship! Down with the health pass!”Since the announcement a record number of French people have booked appointments for Covid-19 jabs.One of the protesters, Yann Fontaine, a 29-year-old from central France, told The Guardian he had come to demonstrate in Paris because the imposition of a health pass is tantamount to segregation.“Macron plays on fears, it’s revolting. I know people who will now get vaccinated just so they can take their children to the movies, not to protect others from serious forms of Covid,” he said.According to an Elabe opinion poll published on Tuesday, the new safety measures have a large majority of approval among the French people.Around 35.5 million people – almost half of France’s population – have received at least one vaccine dose so far.At the start of the pandemic, France had some of the highest levels of vaccine scepticism in the developed world.


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Chinese cities ease curbs but full zero-Covid exit seen some way off

More Chinese cities including Urumqi in the far west announced an easing of coronavirus curbs on Sunday as China tries to make its zero-Covid policy more targeted and less onerous after unprecedented protests against restrictions last weekend.
Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang region and where the protests first erupted, will reopen malls, markets, restaurants and other venues from Monday, authorities said, ending strict lockdowns after months.
There was no sign of any significant unrest this weekend, although police were out in force in the Liangmaqiao area of Beijing and in Shanghai around Wulumuqi Road, which is named after Urumqi. Both sites saw protests a week ago.
A deadly fire last month in Urumqi sparked dozens of protests against Covid curbs in over 20 cities after some social media users said victims had been unable to escape the blaze because their apartment building was locked down. Authorities denied that.
The protests were an unprecedented show of civil disobedience in mainland China since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012.
In the days since, numerous cities have announced the easing of lockdowns, testing requirements, and quarantine rules.
Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, who oversees Covid efforts, said last week the ability of the virus to cause disease was weakening - a change in messaging that aligns with what many health authorities around the world have said for more than a year.
China is set to further announce a nationwide easing of testing requirements as well as allowing positive cases and close contacts to isolate at home under certain conditions, people familiar with the matter told Reuters last week.
Rules lifted
For the time being, steps to ease restrictions have varied across the country.
People in Zhengzhou, the central city home to the world's largest iPhone plant which was last month rocked by violent unrest, will no longer have to show Covid test results to take public transport, taxis and to visit "public areas", authorities said on Sunday.
Karaoke bars, beauty salons, internet cafes and other indoor venues can reopen but must check for a negative 48-hour Covid test result.
In Shanghai from Monday a negative Covid test will no longer be required to take public transport and visit parks, authorities announced on Sunday.
Elsewhere both Nanning, capital of the southern region of Guangxi and Wuhan, the central city where the pandemic began in 2019, on Sunday cancelled a requirement for a negative Covid test to take the subway.
Guangzhou's Haizhu district, which experienced violent clashes last month, said Sunday that henceforth it advises people with no Covid symptoms not to get tested for the virus unless they belong to certain special groups such as frontline workers, or those with a red or yellow code.
On Saturday in Beijing, authorities said the purchase of fever, cough and sore throat medicines no longer required registration. The restriction had been imposed because authorities believed people were using the medication to hide Covid infections.
Authorities in various districts in the capital have in recent days announced that people who test positive for the virus can quarantine at home.
Some inconsistencies as the restrictions are eased have angered people, including a requirement in some places for a negative Covid test even though mass testing centres were closing.
In Beijing and Wuhan that caused lengthy queues at the few remaining testing booths.
"Are they stupid or just plain mean?" one social media user asked. "We shouldn't shut down Covid testing stations until we get rid of the Covid test pass."
New daily case numbers dropped nationwide to 31,824, authorities said on Sunday, which may be due in part to fewer people being tested. Authorities also reported two new Covid deaths.
'Preparing to exit zero-Covid'
Xi's zero-Covid policy has had a devastating impact on the world's second-largest economy and roiled global supply chains.
China argues the policy, which has all-but-shut its borders to travel, is necessary to save lives and prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed.
Despite the easing of restrictions, many experts said China was unlikely to begin significant reopening before March at the earliest, given the need to ramp up vaccinations, especially among its vast elderly population.
"Although there have been quite a few local changes to Covid policies lately, we do not interpret them as China abandoning zero-Covid policy just yet," Goldman Sachs said in a note on Sunday.
"Rather, we see them as clear evidence of the Chinese government preparing for an exit, and trying to minimise the economic and social cost of Covid control in the meantime. The preparations may last a few months and there are likely to be challenges along the way."
Estimates for how many deaths China could see if it pivots to a full reopening have ranged from 1.3 million to more than 2 million, though some researchers said the death toll could be reduced sharply if there was a focus on vaccination.
Authorities recently announced they would speed up Covid vaccinations for elderly people but many remain reluctant to get the jab.
"Some people have doubts about the safety and effectiveness of the country's new coronavirus vaccine," an article in the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily said on Sunday.
"Experts say this perception is wrong," it said, adding that domestically made vaccines were safe.
Foreign Covid vaccines are not approved in China and Xi is unwilling to change that, US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said on Saturday.


Najib and son allowed to defer payment of over RM1.7 billion tax arrears

Former prime minister Najib Razak and his son Nazifuddin were today allowed to defer the payment of tax arrears amounting to RM1.69 billion and RM37.6 million respectively to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) after the Court of Appeal granted their applications for a stay of execution pending the hearing of their bid for leave to appeal.A three-man bench led by Azizah Nawawi made a unanimous decision after ruling that special circumstances existed for the postponement, Utusan Malaysia reported.The other two judges on the bench were justices M Gunalan and Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali.“This is our unanimous decision. We find that there are special circumstances that warrant us to exercise our discretion to allow an interim stay of the execution of summary judgment in both applications until the hearing of the leave application in the Federal Court,” Azizah was reported as saying by Bernama.Najib and Nazifuddin had filed the stay of execution applications on the summary judgment obtained against them by LHDN, allowed by the High Court and affirmed by the Court of Appeal on Sept 9.On the same day, a three-member Court of Appeal panel allowed an interim stay application brought by Najib and Nazifuddin on condition that they file their notice of motion and stay application by that week.A summary judgment is when the court decides a particular case summarily, without calling witnesses to testify in a trial.The duo had appealed to the Court of Appeal against two previous High Court rulings.On July 22 last year, High Court judge Ahmad Bache allowed LHDN’s application for a summary judgment to be entered against Najib in its suit to recover the RM1.69 billion in taxes from the latter for the period between 2011 and 2017.As for Nazifuddin, High Court judge Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim on July 6 last year ordered him to pay LHDN RM37.6 million in unpaid taxes after allowing the board’s application to enter a summary judgment against him in its tax arrears suit seeking to recover the unpaid amount from between 2011 and 2017.On Feb 4 this year, LHDN issued a bankruptcy notice against Najib for his failure to pay the amount as the summary judgment was not stayed. Nazifuddin was also served with a bankruptcy notice on April 30 this year over failure to pay the amount as ordered by the High Court.Najib and Nazifuddin subsequently filed separate notices of motion on Sept 14 this year to the Federal Court seeking leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision in dismissing their appeals and asking the Federal Court to determine nine legal questions.


Bomb blasts, flash protests as Myanmar enters fourth month under junta

Explosions blasted off throughout Myanmar’s largest city Yangon on Saturday as protesters held flash marches for democracy, defying a brutal junta that has held onto power for three blood-drenched months.The country has been in an uproar since the military ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb 1, bringing an abrupt end to Myanmar’s short-lived experiment with democracy.The power grab triggered a massive uprising, which authorities have tried to quell by deploying lethal force and live ammunition.As Myanmar entered its fourth month under military rule on Saturday, protesters in commercial hub Yangon – an epicentre of unrest with a heavy security presence – staged flash demonstrations, marks marching rapidly through the streets to avoid confrontation with police and soldiers.“We have the truth. Only the truth will prevail,” read a banner that protesters hoisted up as they marched quickly through a neighbourhood, flashing the three-finger salute of defiance.In Yangon’s Insein township, a bomb blast went off around 10am near a local school, said a resident staying nearby.“Some security forces came to check the blast area, but I only watched from a distance from my home because I was worried they would arrest me,” he told AFP, adding that he saw smoke rising.By afternoon, another two blasts went off in Yankin, further south, according to locals living in the leafy residential township.“I heard it from my place, I thought it was thunder,” a resident told AFP, adding that the explosions left the security forces nervous.It remains unclear if anyone was injured by the blasts.No one has claimed responsibility for the bombs – which are exploding with increasing frequency in Yangon.“They (the junta) have made people live in fear and it is good to have them on edge as well,” the Yankin resident said.He also praised the flash protesters for their ingenuity to evade arrest and crackdowns.“Any show of defiance without getting captured or killed is great for the resistance.”Nearly 760 civilians have been killed in the anti-coup unrest, according to a local monitoring group, though the junta has recorded a far lower death toll.Deposed leader Suu Kyi has been under house arrest since the military detained her on Feb 1.The junta has hit her with a barrage of charges, including sedition and Myanmar’s state secrets law.Coup-maker Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has continuously justified the putsch as necessary to protect democracy, alleging fraud in November’s election, which Suu Kyi’s party won in a landslide.


Speed up Undi 18, automatic voter registration, says minister

Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah today called for the lowering of voting age and implementation of automatic voter registration to be expedited given that both matters have been approved in the Dewan Rakyat.“The definitions of youth, maturity and the like are subjective. (For a person) to make a national policy, he must first reach the accepted age (of maturity). This is what happened in #Undi18. The age of 18 has been accepted as mature enough,” he said in a post on Twitter.The voting age for Malaysians was lowered from 21 to 18 after the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on July 16, 2019, and by the Senate on July 25 the same year.Yesterday, the Election Commission in a statement said that Undi 18 and automatic voter registration could only be implemented after Sept 1 next year due to various constraints and issues.


Thousands in Germany may have received saline instead of Covid-19 vaccine

Almost 9,000 people in the municipality of Schortens in northern Germany could have received saline instead of a Covid-19 vaccine, the county of Friesland said on Tuesday.At the end of April, it was revealed that an employee at a vaccination centre had filled at least six syringes with saline solution instead of the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine, Xinhua said.Further investigations by police suggested “that these are not isolated cases”, Friesland district administrator Sven Ambrosy said. “Unfortunately, we have to consider the possibility that many more people are affected.”Police said that the suspect, who was subsequently dismissed, had shared conspiracy content on social media and openly criticised measures taken by the government to tackle Covid-19.“In this unclear situation, it is important that all those who may have been affected are offered catch-up vaccinations in a timely manner,” said Matthias Pulz, president of the Lower Saxony State Health Office.“This is the only way to safely ensure complete vaccination protection.”As of Tuesday, more than 45.8 million people in Germany were fully vaccinated, bringing the country’s vaccination rate to 55.1%, according to the Robert Koch Institute, the federal government agency for disease control and prevention.


Female astronaut exploring the moon by 2024, says Nasa

The US is going back to the moon for the first time since 1972, and Nasa plans to include a female astronaut among the moon walkers in 2024.The new lunar programme, named Artemis, has several phases, the first of which will see an uncrewed flight around the moon in late 2021 to test critical systems.In the early days of space exploration space probes without humans on board were referred to as “unmanned” but from now on will be called the more gender-neutral “uncrewed”.The complete Artemis programme will cost US$28 billion, US$3.2 billion of which still needs to be approved by Congress.But it seems that all systems are go.Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine said, “We’re going back to the moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for a new generation of explorers.”He also indicated Nasa has a longer-term aim of carrying out crewed landings on Mars.“As we build up a sustainable presence, we’re also building momentum toward those first human steps on the red planet,” he said.In preparation for Artemis, new probes will be sent to the moon by Nasa – with two a year planned from next year.In 2024, Artemis-3 will take astronauts to the south pole of the moon.They will wear modern spacesuits which will give them much more flexibility than the bulky old suits we saw in photos of earlier lunar astronauts as they jumped around weighing only 17% of their Earth weight.The modern-day astronauts will spend seven days on the lunar surface collecting samples and carrying out various experiments before returning to Earth.Nasa plans to build a base camp on the lunar surface before 2030 to enable longer expeditions with larger crews.The Artemis programme also hopes to extract resources from the lunar surface to create other usable resources such as oxygen and fuel.Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon, the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals and chastity. Her Roman equivalent was Diana.


Vaccine doses pass 1 billion mark as global cases top new record

The number of Covid-19 jabs administered globally surpassed the one billion mark on Saturday, offering hope even as the number of virus cases worldwide hit a new daily record mainly due to an explosion of infections in India.At least 1,002,938,540 vaccine doses have been administered in 207 countries and territories, according to an AFP tally.Nevertheless, the number of new infections topped 893,000 worldwide on Friday, a new daily record.India accounted for more than a third of these, with authorities there announcing 346,786 new cases on Saturday, a record for a single country since the start of the pandemic.Thailand, which had long avoided the worst of the virus, was also grappling with a spiralling caseload.Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha said Saturday that more than 1,400 Covid-19 patients were waiting to be admitted to hospital.The pandemic has now killed more than three million people worldwide since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019.Hard-hit Brazil has seen its deadliest month yet of the virus with nearly 68,000 reported fatalities in April, even though there is still a week to go.India reported 2,624 deaths, a daily record, on Saturday as a surge of cases has pushed the government to organise special trains to get oxygen supplies to worst-hit cities.One “oxygen express” carrying 30,000 litres of oxygen arrived in northern Lucknow at dawn on Saturday, where armed guards were waiting to escort trucks to hospitals.The Indian air force is also being used to transport oxygen tankers and other supplies around the country and to bring oxygen equipment from Singapore.Tragically, oxygen cylinders were implicated in a fire that tore through a virus intensive care unit in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, leaving at least 23 people dead.Accelerating rolloutsWith the pandemic still showing no sign of slowing, governments around the world are placing their hopes in vaccines.And worldwide, the number of vaccine doses administered has doubled in less than a month.Nevertheless, while the majority of poor countries have also started to vaccinate – mainly thanks to the Covax programme – inoculation is still largely a privilege of high-income countries, home to 16 percent of the world’s population, administering 47% of vaccine doses.By contrast, low-income countries account for just 0.2% of shots so far.In the US, regulators have approved the re-start of a rollout of Johnson & Johnson vaccines halted over blood clotting concerns.In Europe, Belgium said Saturday it would authorise the Johnson & Johnson shot for all adults, having already received 36,000 doses and expecting a total of 1.4 million between April and June.The European Union as a whole said it would have enough vaccines to immunise 70% of its adult population by the end of July.A 91-year-old British grandmother, Margaret Keenan, who on Dec 8 became the first person in the Western world to get an approved coronavirus vaccine, urged people to get inoculated.“It really is the best thing I’ve ever done,” she said.“I’m telling everyone to go and get it… I hope everyone comes forward,” she said.Lockdown protestsBut despite the optimism, the threat of the virus remains ever-present, with Germany implementing tougher new lockdown rules, including night curfews and school closures, after the government passed a disputed new law designed to slow infections.The controversial new rules – passed this week amid huge protests in Berlin – will apply in all regions with incidence rates of more than 100 new infections per 100,000 people over the last seven days.And in Britain, ongoing restrictions are continuing to fuel anger.Police in London said they arrested five people, and eight officers were injured, after disorder at large-scale protests against England’s remaining coronavirus restrictions, the mandatory use of masks and possible introduction of so-called vaccine passports.Britain began to gradually lift Covid-19 restrictions last month after months of curbs and a successful mass vaccination campaign. Pubs were allowed to serve customers outdoors this month and non-essential shops reopened.The demonstrators marched along several major arteries, including the main shopping district Oxford Street, with videos and photos showing thousands in attendance.Hundreds then rallied in Hyde Park late afternoon following the march.Organisers used various websites and online platform pages to encourage turnout, despite curbs which limit outdoor gatherings to 30 people.


25 days to herd immunity for adults in Malaysia?

Malaysia’s Covid-19 immunisation drive is set to achieve herd immunity for the country’s adult population by Sept 23, according to the forecast of a tracker website using data from the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force.The website at vax.tehcpeng.net, developed by Penang-based data analytics software engineer Lim Sheng Han, compiles data on the number of jabs administered as well as the fully inoculated to predict when the country will reach herd immunity.It is possibly the first such website to provide a comprehensive view of Malaysia’s vaccination progress, which has earned global praise over its high rate of daily jabs despite a late start as well as issues on the supply of critical vaccines.Based on the current progress of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK), the site estimates that it will take 25 days for 80% of adults to be fully vaccinated, and 73 days for 80% of the population to be double-jabbed.This would mean that 80% of adults will have completed their vaccination regime by Sept 23, and 80% of the population by Nov 10.Apart from tracking how many individuals have been fully or partially vaccinated, the site also shows according to percentage how many have registered for the immunisation programme and how many are still unregistered.It also tracks the number of jabs administered per day and provides a breakdown of figures according to vaccine brand.According to the site, the top five states racing to achieve herd immunity for their adult population are Negeri Sembilan (four days, by Sept 2), Perlis (17 days, by Sept 15), Terengganu (23 days, by Sept 21), Melaka (29 days, by Sept 27) and Penang (29 days, by Sept 27).This excludes Labuan, the Klang Valley and Sarawak which have already fully vaccinated at least 80% of their adult population.PICK was launched on Feb 24. Since then, more than 14 million doses of vaccine have been administered across the country, with over 61% of adults and nearly 44% of the population double-jabbed as of Aug 28.


Rafizi slams Amanah for wanting to take in ‘frogs’ ahead of Melaka election

Former Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli today slammed Amanah and its president Mohamad Sabu for wanting to accept a handful of assemblymen who recently withdrew their support for the Melaka chief minister into the coalition ahead of the state polls this month.In a Facebook post, Rafizi said the same thing had occurred in 2016, when Bersatu was in talks to enter into Pakatan Harapan (PH).“My colleagues and I who represented PKR in the Presidential Council were firm that Bersatu should only be accepted as an election ally (not a PH component) so that the coalition’s decisions would not be thrown into confusion.“Those who insisted on having Bersatu as a PH member were the leaders from Amanah and DAP, who said that PKR was weak and divided,” he said.But eventually, he said, Bersatu had jumped ship, taking with it the touted strategy of the surge of support it was expected to bring.“Now the same excuse is being given by Amanah leaders, apparently Idris Haron and the others will bring a surge of support in Melaka.”Idris, a former Melaka chief minister, was among four state assemblymen who withdrew their support for Sulaiman Md Ali last month, leading to the dissolution of the state assembly on Oct 4.The others were Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor), Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas) and Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu).Rafizi said Amanah leaders would crow during PH meetings as each component party had the same votes regardless of size.“Outside, they are quiet because it is now a practice that PKR will be held accountable,” he added.“The time has come for the Amanah president and Melaka Amanah chairman to convince PH supporters how the entry of political frogs will provide the numbers needed for PH to win in Melaka.”


Is Malaysia really a failed state?

As a result of corruption and economic mismanagement, Sri Lanka is now on the brink of bankruptcy, affecting millions of citizens in the island nation.They are now facing fuel and food shortages, rampant inflation and endless political turmoil.Taking advantage of what is happening in Sri Lanka, a supposedly retired political figure, Lim Kit Siang, has made a statement that Malaysia might follow Sri Lanka’s footsteps by the year 2057.This unwarranted statement is not his first.On May 29, 2010, Lim, who was then DAP adviser was adamant that Malaysians needed to replace the government of the day otherwise the nation would face bankruptcy like that of Greece.He also made a similar statement in 2016 that Malaysia was failing. During the peak of the war against Covid-19 in July 2021, he made yet another statement that Malaysia was stumbling down the road of a failed state.This “failed state” extravaganza was also propagated by his son, Lim Guan Eng, who was once Malaysia’s finance minister for 22 months. Ironically, their prayers were answered as the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) thereafter miserably failed.Notwithstanding these nasty remarks, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself claimed that Malaysia had savings amounting to RM2 trillion before he resigned voluntarily in early 2020.Let us analyse whether or not Malaysia is in fact a failed state.A failed state is a nation in anarchy with a dysfunctional healthcare system, extremely corrupt government agencies, dilapidated public infrastructure and a very low rank on the human development index (HDI). Malaysia has none of these qualities.If Malaysia really is failing, the majority of its citizens would have plunged into poverty like that of Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.In contrast, the United Nations Development Program reported in 2021 that Malaysia has a very high HDI, on par with other developed states. Malaysia is acknowledged as a “stable” nation according to the 2021 Fragile State Index published by Foreign Policy.In addition, the 2021 Global Peace Index placed Malaysia as the 23rd most peaceful nation on Earth, outdoing other developed European nations like Spain, the UK and Italy.Unlike Sri Lankans, Malaysians do not face frequent power cuts. Malaysians can also refuel their vehicles and buy groceries without having to wait in long queues.According to WION, food prices have skyrocketed in Sri Lanka. For instance, the price of rice, Sri Lanka’s staple food, has gone up 93% while the price of chicken has soared 55%. Foodstuffs are no longer affordable for most Sri Lankans.Due to the incredibly high inflation rate, the huge pile of debts, bleeding foreign reserves and tanking currency, Sri Lanka is now facing its worst economic crisis since independence.By March 2022, Sri Lanka only had offical reserves of about US$1.94 billion, a little over the net worth of Kylie Jenner, the 24-year-old American model. While Jenner’s wealth is totally at her disposal, Sri Lanka has to feed its 20 million people, provide security and repay its loans.In comparison, Malaysia’s official reserves stood at US$111.06 billion as reported by The Star in August 2021.In April, Fitch Ratings affirmed Malaysia’s long-term foreign currency issuer default rating (IDR) at “BBB+” with a stable outlook. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, was rated “C” which means that it has very high credit risks.Ultimately, Sri Lanka announced that it has failed to service its debt totalling US$51 billion. Colombo needs US$20 billion to import necessities for its people.In contrast, Malaysia’s economic stability can be seen in the way Malaysians have been spending. During the recent Hari Raya festivities, Malaysians of all races were freely travelling, causing massive traffic congestion on major highways.Immigration departments nationwide were swarmed by millions of Malaysians applying for passports – if not for work, obviously for the purpose of travelling overseas.Citizens of a failed state would certainly not be able to enjoy all these privileges.Based on these facts, it is not too simplistic to say that these political figures are just capitalising on the sufferings of Sri Lankans to obtain political mileage to badmouth the nation.Malaysians have given them the opportunity to administer the nation but they screwed it over after 22 months in power.Let us move forward to build a better nation from the ruins of Covid-19.Enough with the failed state propaganda.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


22.7% of children fully vaxxed, 42.8% given first jab

A total of 806,532 children or 22.7% of those aged five to 11 had been fully vaccinated under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow website, 1,518,923 children or 42.8% have received at least one dose of vaccine.For teenagers aged 12 to 17, a total of 2,892,051 or 93% have completed their vaccination, while 2,990,315 or 96.2% have received at least one jab.Among the adult population, 16,029,483 individuals or 68.1% have received a booster dose while 22,966,486 or 97.6% have completed two shots. A total of 23,242,789 or 98.8% have received at least one dose.A total of 32,106 doses were administered yesterday, comprising 7,973 as first doses, 19,923 as second shots and 4,210 as boosters.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine jabs given under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) to 70,233,232.