DoJ says Trump papers included material on intelligence, sources

The US Justice Department on Friday disclosed that it was investigating former president Donald Trump for removing White House records because it believed he illegally held documents including some involving intelligence-gathering and clandestine human sources – among America's most closely held secrets.
The department released a heavily redacted affidavit that underpinned the FBI's extraordinary Aug 8 search of Trump's Florida residence in which agents seized 11 sets of classified records including some labelled "top secret" as documents that could gravely threaten national security if exposed.
In the affidavit, an unidentified FBI agent said the agency reviewed and identified 184 documents "bearing classification markings" containing "national defence information" after Trump in January returned 15 boxes of government records sought by the US National Archives. Other records in those boxes, according to the affidavit, bore handwritten notes by Trump.
The search was part of a federal investigation into whether Trump illegally removed and kept documents when he left office in January 2021 after losing the 2020 election to President Joe Biden and whether Trump tried to obstruct the probe.
Trump, a Republican who is considering another presidential run in 2024, has described the court-approved search at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach as politically motivated, and on Friday again described it as a "break-in."
Documents released with the affidavit revealed that "a significant number of civilian witnesses" knowledgeable about Trump's actions after leaving office were helping the probe, a rare disclosure.
The search was a significant escalation of one of several federal and state investigations Trump is facing involving his time in office and in private business.
'Evidence of obstruction'
The agent who drafted the affidavit wrote that after the FBI reviewed the materials Trump returned in January to the National Archives – the agency responsible for preserving government records – it had probable cause to believe more documents were still inside Mar-a-Lago.
"There is also probable cause to believe that evidence of obstruction will be found at the premises," the agent added.
Other defence-related records Trump had returned contained references to topics including "clandestine human sources" who help US intelligence-gathering, the affidavit showed, as well as details on how the nation conducts foreign surveillance and information it collected using a law that established the US domestic surveillance program.
The 32-page affidavit, a sworn statement outlining evidence that gave the Justice Department probable cause to ask a judge to approve a search warrant, was heavily redacted at the department's request. Most pages had at least some portions blacked out. Some completely blacked out. An additional six pages of documents were released with it.
The department had sought to keep the affidavit secret. But after media organisations sued to make it public US magistrate judge Bruce Reinhart, who approved the search warrant based on the affidavit, on Thursday ordered the release of a redacted version.
Trump complained on social media that the released affidavit was "heavily redacted" and demanded that Reinhart step aside from the case. Trump's legal team has not formally made such a request.
"Judge Bruce Reinhart should NEVER have allowed the break-in of my home," Trump wrote.
Biden weighs in
Asked by reporters if it is ever appropriate for a president to bring home classified material, Biden said: "It depends on the document and it depends on how secure" the location is.
Biden added that he has a "completely secure" site at his home and that he was taking home on Friday a copy of his daily intelligence briefing, but said those records would later be returned to the military.
The FBI agent said in the affidavit that a preliminary review in May of records the archives earlier received from Trump found 184 "unique documents" labelled as classified – 67 marked "confidential," 92 marked "secret" and 25 marked "top secret."
The newly released documents showed how Trump allies tried to claim he had declassified the records in question as a way to downplay the investigation. The affidavit mentioned an article published in May by Kash Patel, a former Trump administration official who called media reports about the National Archives identifying classified material at Mar-a-Lago "misleading."
Brandon Fox, a former federal prosecutor now with the law firm Jenner & Block, said the references to Trump's claims about declassifying the documents are significant, even though much of the material is redacted.
"They likely indicate the proof the DoJ (Department of Justice) believes it has showing that Trump had not declassified the documents," Fox told Reuters.
On social media, Patel said the fact his name was left unredacted was evidence of "politicisation by DoJ at its finest."
The newly released documents showed how Trump's attorneys tried to downplay the department's concerns about the records.
"Any attempt to impose criminal liability on a President or former president that involves his actions with respect to documents marked classified would implicate grave constitutional separation-of-powers issues," Trump's attorney Evan Corcoran wrote in a May 25 letter to a Justice Department official.
"Beyond that, the primary criminal statute that governs the unauthorised removal and retention of classified documents or material does not apply to the president," Corcoran added.


68% of adults fully vaccinated

Malaysia had fully vaccinated 68% of its adult population as of yesterday, with 15,926,601 people having completed their vaccine regimen.Meanwhile, 87.8% of adults or 20,543,016 people have received at least one dose.In terms of total population, 48.8% have been fully vaccinated while 62.9% have received at least one dose.A total of 289,958 doses of vaccine were administered yesterday, taking the cumulative number of shots given under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme so far to 36,431,562.


6 UPNM students found guilty of culpable homicide in 2017 death of cadet

The High Court today found six National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) students guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to the murder of UPNM marine cadet officer Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain four years ago.Justice Azman Abdullah made the decision on Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal, Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi, Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi, Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat, Mohamad Shobirin Sabri and Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali after finding that the defence had succeeded in proving that all of the accused had caused injuries to Zulfarhan without the intent to kill.“With this, the six of you with common intent and with the abetment of the sixth accused (Abdoul Hakeem) have been found guilty under Section 304 (a) of the Penal Code of causing injuries to the deceased (Zulfarhan) with no intent of murder,” Azman said.Five of the accused are facing a murder charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction, while Abdoul Hakeem is charged with abetting the murder under Section 109 of the same act, which carries a similar sentence.The six along with 12 others were also found guilty of injuring Zulfarhan under Section 330 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same code.They are Mohd Hafiz Fauzan Ismail, Mohamad Lukhmanul Hakim Mohd Zain, Ahmad Shafwan Berdal, Muhammad Amirul Asraff Mala, Luqman Hakim Shamsuri, Muhammad Sufi Mohd Mustapha, Noriznan Izzairi Noor Azhar, Muhamad Ashraf Abdullah, Muhammad Danial Firdaus Azmir, Muhammad Hasif, Muhammad Adib Iman and Mohamad Syazwan.All of them, now aged 25, committed the offence in two rooms at the Jebat dormitory block, UPNM, on May 21 and 22, 2017Zulfarhan succumbed to his injuries at the Serdang Hospital on June 1, 2017.


Civil servants to give up RM30 million in allowances as lockdown begins

More than 800,000 civil servants will give up about RM30 million in allowances to be chanelled to the National Disaster Relief Trust Fund in a show of solidarity with the people as the country enters a two-week lockdown to curb the spike in Covid-19 infections, the chief secretary to the government announced today.This comes a day after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he and his Cabinet members would go without a salary for three months, with the money to go to the trust fund as well.Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali said move would exclude frontliners and civil servants from Grade 1 to 28.In a statement, he said the money would come from the Fixed Entertainment Allowance for top management personnel and civil servants from Grade 44 to 56, as well as the Fixed Public Service Allowance for those in Grade 29 to 41.“Letters and details will be issued soon,” he added.“We understand that civil servants have always been the backbone of the government in efforts to balance lives and livelihoods.“This contribution is a token of the solidarity of civil servants in the government’s efforts to battle the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.”The nationwide lockdown to remain in effect until June 14 will see most businesses shuttered yet again with the exemption of essential services and those given the green light by the government.It was announced amid a steady increase in Covid-19 infections which hit a daily high of over 9,000 cases and 98 deaths last week.


Pfizer still the preferred vaccine for kids, Khairy says as Sinovac to roll out at some jab centres

The Sinovac vaccine for children will be made available at a limited number of vaccination centres, following the green light given by the Drug Control Authority for conditional registration approval yesterday.Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin however said that the Pfizer jab would remain the preferred vaccine for use under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids).“Per advice from our Covid-19 Technical Working Group, Pfizer will still be the preferred vaccine for #PICKids if your child has no history of allergies.“CITF-C will, however, make Sinovac available at limited PPVs for informed parental choice,” he said in a Twitter post today.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah announced yesterday that the Sinovac vaccine will be allowed for use in addition to the Pfizer jab for children aged five to 11.The vaccine was previously approved for conditional use for those aged 12 and above.A total of 952,411 children or 26.8% of those aged five to 11 had received a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine under PICKids as of yesterday.Khairy said on Feb 17 that there had been an increase in the number of paediatric Covid-19 cases including hospital admissions, with a 160% rise in the number of cases among children below 12 years old this year due to the highly contagious Omicron variant.Deputy Health Minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali meanwhile said on Feb 25 that many parents were adopting a wait-and-see attitude, with Sabah, Terengganu and Kelantan recording a child vaccination rate of less than 10% at the time.


Ismail mocks govt's RM500 EPF aid

Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today mocked the RM500 aid allocation for Employees Provident Fund (EPF) members announced in the new budget for 2023 tabled in the Dewan Rakyat last month.
Describing the effort as "noble", he nevertheless said that the effects of the aid would only be felt years later.
Speaking in his debate on the Supply Bill 2023, he said the people, especially those affected by the recent floods, were in need of assistance now.
"Their homes are about to be auctioned off, their children are going to university.
"They need money now, not 10 or 15 years down the line," he added.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who also holds the finance portfolio, said the RM500 would be added to the accounts of those who have savings of less than RM10,000.
The aid, involving a total allocation of RM1 billion, is expected to be given to nearly two million EPF members aged 40 to 54.
Ismail, the Bera MP, also reiterated the call for the government to allow targeted withdrawals from the EPF.
On the luxury tax introduced in the budget, he said it could affect tourism revenue.
"As much as 30% of the RM86.1 billion in national tourism income in 2019 came from the shopping activities of foreign tourists.
"Malaysia is a shopping haven for foreign tourists. Implementing this tax will drive them to other neighbouring countries," he said.


Stay focused on Covid battle, say PAS, GPS as political temperature heats up

PAS and the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition today said the focus now should be on handling the Covid-19 crisis in the country, as the political temperature appears set to rise following Umno’s decision to revoke support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.The two parties also welcomed the appointments of Umno’s Ismail Sabri Yaakob as deputy prime minister and Hishammuddin Hussein as senior minister.In a statement, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the Islamist party had consistently urged the leaders and people alike to treat the pandemic as the country’s main focus.“Full attention must be given to safeguarding lives and livelihoods,” he said, adding that help should be given without considering differences in religion or race.In a surprise move yesterday, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Ismail had been appointed as deputy prime minister while Hishammuddin had been made senior foreign affairs minister.It said Hishammuddin would also take over the security cluster previously held by Ismail in addition to helping with the implementation of the National Recovery Plan.GPS said the appointments were timely as the political situation in the country had been heated of late.“It is also hoped that the appointments will return the attention of all to more important matters such as the welfare, well-being and security of the people in addition to the country’s economic recovery as we continue to struggle with the Covid-19 pandemic,” GPS secretary-general Alexander Nanta Linggi said.“As leaders, we should be aware that the people are watching everything that happens, and most importantly, many do not agree with political games that could threaten the country’s stability at this time.”


Security tight in India as schools reopen after headscarf row

Schools reopened in southern India under tight security on Wednesday with public gatherings banned following protests over Muslim girls wearing the hijab in classrooms.Tensions have been high in Karnataka state since late last year when at least four schoolgirls were prevented from wearing the Muslim headscarf, sparking protests that have since spread across India.In an attempt to calm tensions, Karnataka’s state government temporarily closed schools last week.This came as the Karnataka High Court imposed a temporary ban on the wearing of all religious symbols in schools while it considers the headscarf ban.As classrooms reopened in the state on Tuesday and Wednesday, police with batons were deployed outside several schools.Authorities also imposed Section 144 – a law that prohibits gatherings of more than four people – in several districts.There were no reports of disturbances but local media on Monday said several Muslim girls chose not to attend classes or sit exams when asked to remove their headscarves.“We have grown up wearing the hijab since our childhood and we cannot give it up. I will not write the exam, I will go home,” the News Minute media outlet quoted a young girl as saying.“Hindu students wear vermilion… Christian students wear a rosary, what is wrong if our children wear the hijab?” a parent told broadcaster NDTV.Nasir Sharif, 43, said his 15-year-old daughter was told to take off her hijab at the school gates on Wednesday in Chikmagalur district. He persuaded school authorities to allow her to remove it only in class.“My daughter has been wearing the hijab since she was five years old. It is to protect her dignity. What they are asking us to do is humiliating,” Sharif told AFP.A video on social media that could not be independently verified showed around a dozen girls in burqas shouting, “We want justice! Allahu Akbar (God is most great)”, after being prevented from entering class.The row has heightened fears among Muslims in India, with many saying they feel under attack by the government of Hindu-nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Rashad Hussain, US ambassador at large for international religious freedom, tweeted last week that hijab bans in schools “violate religious freedom and stigmatise and marginalise women and girls”.The Indian government said in a statement that people “who know India well would have a proper appreciation of these realities”.“Motivated comments on our internal issues are not welcome,” it added.


Ministry mulls committee to study pre-marriage course for non-Muslims

The women, family and community development ministry is in the process of drafting a proposal paper for the establishment of a committee to study the feasibility of mandating pre-marriage courses for non-Muslim couples.
Deputy Minister Aiman Athirah Sabu said the committee would propose suitable programmes to be presented to the Cabinet in the near future.
She said this when winding up the debate session on the motion of thanks for the royal address in the Dewan Negara today.
She was replying to Aknan Ehtook, who proposed that non-Muslim couples undergo a pre-marriage course before tying the knot.
The Dewan Negara sitting continues tomorrow.


US proposes bill to combat Beijing’s censorship of American companies

Deeply divided Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress are finding common ground in confronting China over censorship of American companies.A bipartisan group of US senators will propose legislation as soon as Wednesday to hold Beijing accountable for its growing efforts to stifle criticism beyond its borders, Senator Jeff Merkley told Reuters.US officials have long complained that the Chinese government has increasingly sought to suppress opposition to the ruling Communist Party by coercing American companies to take pro-Beijing stances.Former attorney-general William Barr said last year that Hollywood companies routinely censor their films to appease China, which last year overtook the US as the world’s largest film market.National Basketball Association games were taken off the air in China for a year in 2019 following a tweet from the Houston Rockets manager backing Hong Kong democracy protests.In 2018, the Chinese government compelled global airlines and hotel chains to change their online references to Taiwan to imply the self-ruled democratic island is part of China.The new censorship bill would direct the president to set up an interagency task force to seek a solution to China’s bullying of US companies.“We must monitor and address the impacts of China’s censorship and intimidation of Americans and our companies, so we can create a strategy to safeguard our bedrock freedom of speech and hold those accountable who suppress and destroy it,” Merkley said.Some are calling for a stronger response, such as making it easier for American employees to sue if fired based on pressure from China, or requiring US universities to disclose financial ties to Confucius Institutes, which are Chinese government-backed cultural centres.President Joe Biden, who has voiced concern about China’s “coercive and unfair” trade practices and endorsed a Trump administration determination that China has committed genocide in its Xinjiang region, has signalled his administration will maintain pressure on Beijing.


US mandates Covid-19 shots for federal healthcare workers

The US health department said Thursday it will require all its public-facing healthcare workers to get vaccinated against Covid-19, amid a surge in hospitalisations driven by the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus.The policy will apply to around 25,000 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) employees who could come into contact with patients – just under a third of its total workforce.“Our number one goal is the health and safety of the American public, including our federal workforce. And vaccines are the best tool we have to protect people from Covid-19, prevent the spread of the Delta variant, and save lives,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.The HHS is the third federal department to introduce a vaccine mandate, following similar edicts from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Pentagon in recent weeks.President Joe Biden announced in July that all federal employees must attest to being vaccinated or face tough restrictions such as regular testing.The latest announcement also applies to healthcare and research staff at the Indian Health Service and National Institutes of Health who come into contact with patients, as well as contractors and volunteers.Covid-19 vaccines are free and widely available in the US, yet only half the population is fully vaccinated.Propelled by the highly-contagious Delta variant, coronavirus infections have soared to a daily average of more than 100,000, a level not seen since the winter surge.Average daily hospital admissions in the week to Aug 3 were 7,707 – a 40% jump in just one week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“As President Biden has said, we have to do all we can to increase vaccinations to keep more people safe,” Becerra added.“Instructing our HHS health care workforce to get vaccinated will protect our federal workers and the patients and people they serve.”The requirement is expected to go into effect by the end of September, US media outlets reported.


Sorry.


State-sponsored hackers in China targeting email services, Microsoft says

Microsoft has said a state-sponsored hacking group operating out of China is exploiting previously unknown security flaws in its Exchange email services to steal data from business users.The company said the hacking group, which it has named “Hafnium”, is a “highly skilled and sophisticated actor”.Hafnium has in the past targeted US-based companies including infectious disease researchers, law firms, universities, defense contractors, think tanks and NGOs.In a blog post on Tuesday, Microsoft executive Tom Burt said the company had released updates to fix the security flaws, which apply to on-premises versions of the software rather than cloud-based versions, and urged customers to apply them.“We know that many nation-state actors and criminal groups will move quickly to take advantage of any unpatched systems,” he added.“Promptly applying today’s patches is the best protection against this attack.”Microsoft said the group was based in China but operated through leased virtual private servers in the US, and that it had briefed the US government.Beijing has previously hit back at US accusations of state-sponsored cybertheft. Last year it accused Washington of smears following allegations that Chinese hackers were attempting to steal coronavirus research.In January, US intelligence and law enforcement agencies said Russia was probably behind a massive SolarWinds hack that shook the government and corporate security, contradicting then-president Donald Trump who had suggested China could be to blame.Microsoft said Tuesday the Hafnium attacks “were in no way connected to the separate SolarWinds-related attacks”.


Security situation under control, police say after Japan travel advisory

The police have not detected or received any information about security threats against any house of worship or public area in the country, said Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.Based on the current situation, he assured the public that the country’s security and public order were under control and urged them not to be concerned about or speculate on the advisory issued by the Japanese embassy to its citizens in Malaysia.“The police will always monitor the current security scenario and ensure the safety of the country. Checks will be stepped up to maintain public order.“Stern action will also be taken against any party who tries to threaten the security and harmony of the country,” he said in a statement.The Japanese embassy had confirmed issuing the advisory to Japanese nationals in Malaysia regarding the possibility of a terrorist threat in Southeast Asia.According to media reports, the Japanese foreign ministry had advised its citizens in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar to avoid places of worship and other crowded areas.The advisory quoted intelligence reports regarding the possibility of an attack on places of worship and public areas with large gatherings in the region.There are about 31,000 Japanese living in Malaysia.


Groups tick off Putrajaya over shroud of secrecy in amending citizenship laws

Some 50 organisations and dozens of individual activists involved in the fight for equal citizenship have voiced concern and warned Putrajaya against any attempt to quietly amend citizenship laws that could victimise tens of thousands of stateless children, despite the government's pledge to go ahead with a constitutional amendment to help those born abroad to Malaysian citizen mothers.
They said there have been mixed messages and little details on amendments being proposed by the government, adding that stakeholders were not fully engaged in discussions.
"It goes without saying that any proposal to restrict or abrogate fundamental liberties and rights, including citizenship rights, ought not to be done in a shroud of secrecy and without due consultation," said a joint statement issued by 49 NGOs and 67 activists, academicians and lawyers.
"We are disappointed by this lack of clarity and transparency, given the assurances of open engagement by this new government."
This comes even as Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution recently announced that the government would solve some 10,000 stateless cases this year.
The government also has agreed to amend laws to solve cases of children being denied citizenship because they were born abroad to their Malaysian mothers, with the word "mother" to be included in the Federal Constitution's provisions on citizenship rights.
But there have been worries that other categories of stateless people – children born out of wedlock, those adopted by Malaysians as well as abandoned children and those from generational undocumented families – could be effectively denied citizenship under plans being discussed to restrict current laws.
In their statement, the group warned that the government's move to solve the problems of one category of stateless people does not justify curtailing the rights of those in the other categories.
"No state should offer to make such amendments only in return for curtailing or restricting the citizenship rights and entitlements of another group," they said.
They reminded the government that only Malaysia and Barbados deny citizenship to children born to men outside legal marriage.
They also took the government to task for failing to abide by the Federal Court's landmark ruling in 2021, which granted citizenship to a teenager who was abandoned at birth by his unknown mother and adopted by a Malaysian couple.
"We, therefore, call upon the government, and in particular the home affairs ministry, to address this situation immediately by providing full disclosure regarding the extent and implications of the amendments to citizenship rights that it intends to propose and by holding a holistic and transparent consultation process with all relevant stakeholders," the statement added.
Among the groups who signed the statement are Yayasan Chow Kit, Association of Women Lawyers, Empower, Lawyers for Liberty, Malaysian Council for Child Welfare, North-South Initiative, Family Frontiers, Proham, Pusat Komas, Sisters in Islam, Suaram, Stateless Malaysians Citizenship Movement and Women's Centre for Change.
Others include lawyers and child rights activists, many of whom have been involved in the plight of some one million stateless children in the country.


A Perak-based enforcement officer was arrested early today for allegedly receiving payment of RM12,000 a month to protect bitcoin mining centres in the state.According to a source, a remand order was issued for the 34-year-old by the Magistrate’s Court in Ipoh.The suspect is in remand for five days until next Monday.The source said the suspect who is also believed to own a bitcoin mining centre, was detained following the arrest of a tycoon said to control 500 bitcoin mining premises nationwide.“Investigations also revealed ownership of bitcoin mining centres among senior officers of enforcement agencies, but the centres are run by syndicate members on behalf of the officers concerned,” the source told Bernama today.On Tuesday, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Azam Baki said electricity theft by a bitcoin mining syndicate from 2018 to 2021 had caused the government losses of over RM2.3 billion.This resulted in the arrest of 18 local men, including the syndicate’s mastermind, in a nationwide operation on Monday.Meanwhile, at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court today, a company director was remanded for four days for allegedly bribing a Tenaga Nasional officer in connection with electricity supply for bitcoin mining activities.The remand order was issued by magistrate Nur Farahain Roslan following an application by the MACC.According to an MACC source, the 33-year-old man was arrested at the MACC office in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.Perak enforcement officer remanded over bitcoin mining


MPs unanimously vote for constitutional amendments to empower Sabah, Sarawak

The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2021 was passed with a two-thirds majority after its second reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.This is the second time in the Dewan Rakyat’s history that MPs have voted unanimously in support of a bill to amend the constitution, after the Undi 18 bill in 2019.Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun said the bill received the support of 199 MPs after the debate which continued for nearly six hours with the participation of MPs from across the political divide.Twenty-one MPs were absent from today’s session.Law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar who presented the bill for debate by MPs said a big weakness was that the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) was not included in the constitution.“Meanwhile, with the establishment of the Federation of Malaya in 1948, all agreements between the Straits Settlements were included in the 1948 agreement,” he said.“The 1957 agreement refers to the 1948 agreement. Unfortunately when Malaysia was established in 1963, the constitutional amendments did not include MA63.”Among the matters amended is the interpretation of “federation” in Article 160(2) of the constitution which now takes into account the Federation of Malaya Agreement 1957, MA63 and the Singapore Agreement.“The proposed amendment to this interpretation is to provide a correct and accurate definition of the term ‘federation’ in the Federal Constitution,” Wan Junaidi said.To a question by Chong Chien Jen (PH-Stampin), he said the federal government together with the governments of Sabah and Sarawak could use Article 80 in the devolution of power for issues involving health and education without needing to amend the constitution.He said while there had been calls for Sabah and Sarawak to be given equal status with the Federation of Malaya, there were no provisions for this in either MA63, the constitution, the Malaysia Act or any other related laws.Matters related to the status and rights of Sabah and Sarawak had been championed by both sides of the political divide.In 2019, Pakatan Harapan sought to amend the constitution for the same purpose but did not obtain the two-thirds support needed in the Dewan Rakyat.


Chinese warming up to Najib, really?

We Chinese are deeply proud of our culture and heritage, which dates back 5,000 years ago. In national-type Chinese primary schools, where I was brought up, teachers taught us about how the Chinese were wearing fine silk and the emperors were living in sprawling palaces at a time when the Europeans were running around naked during the Dark Ages.But I am not here to boast about the traits of those who are so-called descendents of the Yellow Emperor, like myself. As one matures in life, one begins to appreciate diversity and respect those who are unlike us. Chest-thumping becomes frowned upon.I am still proud of my heritage but I was shocked beyond words when I recently came across assertions that the Chinese community is warming up to ex-PM Najib Razak.This message was amplified by Najib himself on his own social media, undoubtedly to gain mileage for the March 12 Johor election. Purportedly during his campaign trails, the Chinese who had previously abhorred his administration, rolled out the red carpet for Bossku.In Johor’s state constituency Perling, where MCA is fielding Nicole Tan as its candidate to wrest the seat from DAP, Najib has been described as MCA’s “secret weapon”.Seriously, MCA? You are banking on a man who’s been convicted of corruption and abuse of power and sentenced to 12 years in prison and a fine of RM210 million to draw voters in a predominantly Chinese seat?Do you think that the Chinese have no shame to be associated with a leader whom a respectable High Court judge described as a “national embarrassment”? How about the litany of criminal charges that hangs over his head?What about the revelations from the ongoing trial of Roger Ng in the US that Najib was one of the key leaders who needed to be “paid off”?Do you think we have forgotten how Najib failed to rein in the right-wing leaders from Umno who ran down the community during his administration?As a Chinese, I feel insulted that Barisan Nasional has even entertained the idea of using Najib to woo votes from the community. Do you think that we have no self-respect?I feel doubly insulted by whoever invited Najib to a Chinese school in Johor recently as part of his campaign trail in the state polls. Chinese schools are one of the three key pillars of the community, with the remaining being Chinese media and Chinese guilds and associations.I see no reason why we should desecrate the sanctity of Chinese schools by inviting a convict there. What kind of message do we want to send to our next generation? That it’s okay to steal and lie?This is not about partisan politics. Neither is this about the election in Johor. This is about the temerity of some to rely on a nationally disgraced convict to woo support, which, if given, may yet see his re-emergence as a future prime minister.I can’t speak for other communities. But as a Chinese, I am sick to my stomach just thinking about how some quarters are trying to control the narrative and desecrate a 5,000-year-old tradition by doing so. If our ancestors knew, they would be rolling in their graves now.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


EU disease agency predicts spike in Covid cases by Aug 1

The EU’s disease agency said Friday it was predicting a sharp increase in coronavirus cases, with nearly five times as many new infections by Aug 1.The expected rise in cases was linked to the highly-transmissible Delta variant, first identified in India, along with the relaxing of measures in European countries.In its coverage area – which includes the European Union, Norway and Iceland – the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) expected to see 420 cases per 100,000 inhabitants for the week ending on Aug 1, up from just under 90 last week, it said in a weekly report.By the week after, the number of new cases is expected to rise above 620 per 100,000 inhabitants.“The current continuing deterioration of the epidemiological situation in many countries is expected to continue given the rapid increase in the Delta variant,” the ECDC said in the report.Hospitalisations and deaths are also expected, although at a slower pace, according to the ECDC, thanks to the rollout of vaccination campaigns.Currently, hospitalisations remain stable in most countries but the number of deaths associated with Covid-19 is expected to exceed 10 per 1,000,000 inhabitants again, compared with 6.8 last week, the agency noted.The ECDC said it was forecasting increasing cases in 20 countries and increased deaths in nine: Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.“In the most affected countries, the steepest increases and highest notification rates were reported among 15 to 24-year-olds, with limited increases in persons aged over 65 years,” the ECDC said in a statement.While these figures are projection the level is in line with that seen during the peaks in the second half of 2020 and April 2021, according to the EU agency’s data.Between July 5 and 11, the number of new cases in the European Union jumped by over 60 percent, increasing for the second week in a row, according to the ECDC, due to “relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions and increasing spread of Delta variant” first detected in India.Last month, the Stockholm-based agency warned that the Delta variant was on track to account for 90% of new cases by the end of August.


Ukraine’s Zelensky eyes ‘inflection point’ in war as Russia tightens grip on key target

Russia tightened its grip on a key target in a battle for control of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region while President Volodymir Zelensky pleaded for more Western arms to help Ukraine reach an “inflection point” and prevail in the war.Zelensky told Luxembourg’s parliament via videolink on Thursday that Russian forces now occupied about a fifth Ukrainian territory, with battle lines stretching more than 1,000km (620 miles).As the invasion approaches its 100th day on Friday, Russia says Washington is adding “fuel to the fire” with a new US$700 million weapons package for Ukraine that will include advanced rocket systems with a range of up to 80km (50 miles).But separately addressing a forum in Slovakia, Zelensky said more weapons supplies would “ensure an inflection point in this confrontation,” in Ukraine’s favour.US President Joe Biden hopes extending Ukraine’s artillery reach will help push Moscow to negotiate an end to a war in which thousands have been killed, cities and towns flattened and more than 6 million people forced to flee the country.His administration said it had Ukraine’s assurances it would not use the rocket systems to hit targets inside Russia.“Ukraine is fighting an exclusively defensive war, and we always state this,” the country’s deputy defence minister Hanna Malyar told a briefing when asked whether Kyiv made such a promise.While Moscow denies targeting civilians it says it regards Ukrainian infrastructure used to bring in Western arms as a legitimate target. Still, it insisted those supplies would not change the course of what it calls a “special military operation” to disarm Ukraine and rid it of ultra-nationalists the Kremlin says threaten Russian security.“Pumping (Western) weapons into Ukraine does not change all the parameters of the special operation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.“Its goals will be achieved, but this will bring more suffering to Ukraine,” Peskov said when asked whether US plans to sell Ukraine drones that can be armed with missiles could change the nature of the conflict.Four Russian missiles hit railway infrastructure targets in two places in the western Lviv region bordering Poland late on Wednesday, injuring five people and causing significant damage, its governor said.Dobas city in focusRussian forces, backed by heavy artillery, control most of the eastern industrial city of Sievierodonetsk – now largely in ruins – after days of fierce fighting, Britain’s defence ministry said in its daily intelligence report.Ukraine’s armed forces general staff said that besides its assault on the city, Russian troops were also attacking other parts of the east and northeast.The capture of Sievierodonetsk and its smaller twin Lysychansk would give Russia control of all of Luhansk, one of two provinces along with Donetsk in the Donbas claimed by Moscow on behalf of separatists.Seizing Luhansk would accomplish one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s stated aims and shift battlefield momentum further in Russia’s favour after its forces were pushed back from the capital Kyiv and from northern Ukraine.Moscow’s forces were also attempting to advance south towards the Ukraine-held cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in Donetsk province, provincial governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said.Global impactThe war and Western sanctions imposed in response to it are taking a toll on the world economy. With its control of some of Ukraine’s biggest seaports and critical Black Sea shipping routes, Russia has been blocking Ukrainian farm exports and deepening a global food crisis.Russia and Ukraine together account for nearly a third of global wheat supplies, while Russia is also a key fertiliser exporter and Ukraine a major supplier of corn and sunflower oil.Interfax news agency quoted Russia’s defence ministry on Thursday as saying that vessels carrying grain could leave Ukraine’s Black Sea ports via “humanitarian corridors” with Moscow ready to guarantee their safety.Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesperson said earlier Kyiv was working with international partners on a United Nations-backed solution that would restore shipping routes there.In another sign of the economic stress, Ukraine’s central bank jacked up its benchmark interest rate to a seven-year high to tackle soaring inflation and shield the hryvnia currency, while its boss called for talks with the International Monetary fund about a new funding programme.As Washington blacklisted more individuals and entities with ties to the Kremlin, including a major steel producer and a cellist it called Putin’s middleman, the European Union gave final approval to a sanctions package that includes a 90% cut in Russian oil imports by the end of the year. Moscow called the move “self-destructive”, saying it could destabilise global energy markets.The conflict has also prompted Finland and Sweden to seek Nato membership, though alliance member Turkey has been blocking that move, accusing Stockholm and Helsinki of harbouring people linked to Kurdish militants.The issue will come up when Biden hosts Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House on Thursday.


Malaysia’s second Omicron case detected in 8-year-old arriving from Nigeria via Qatar

The health ministry today confirmed Malaysia’s second Omicron Covid-19 case in an eight-year-old girl who had been living with her family in Lagos, Nigeria.The girl, together with her mother and younger sister, arrived in the country on Dec 5 on a connecting flight through Doha, Qatar.She and her family took a RT-PCR Covid-19 test upon arrival at KLIA and were told to undergo mandatory quarantine at home.The results of the tests released on Dec 7 showed that the girl was positive for the virus. A PCR Genotyping Assay test confirmed on Dec 14 that she had the Omicron strain.The health ministry said in a statement that the girl was asymptomatic and self-isolating at home for a period of 14 days.Her family as well as the taxi driver who took them from the airport to their home have been classified as close contacts. Her family members have so far tested negative for the virus while the taxi driver is undergoing a RT-PCR test.Another 35 passengers who took the same flight have also been categorised as close contacts although their Covid-19 tests have so far returned negative results.The health ministry meanwhile said another 18 cases are awaiting the results of PCR Genotyping Assay tests to confirm whether they are of the Omicron variant.The results are expected to be out tomorrow.


Ali Biju’s unique challenge in Sarawak polls

Bersatu man Ali Biju faces a string of unique challenges in the upcoming Sarawak state election: whether or not to campaign, who to campaign with if he does, and how to convince voters not to vote for him.Ali, the Krian incumbent, had initially intended to defend his seat as an independent candidate following his party’s decision to sit out the polls on Dec 18 out of respect for the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition.But this caused unhappiness in GPS which accused Bersatu of going back on its agreement not to field candidates in the state election.Ali subsequently announced that he would withdraw from the race, and pledged his full support for the GPS candidate in Krian.But having submitted his nomination on Dec 6, pulling out is not as simple as that.Ali Biju.“His name remains on the paper because candidates are not allowed to withdraw,” Election Commission (EC) chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh told MalaysiaNow, citing Rule 9 of the Elections (Conduct of Elections) Regulations 1981.“The deadline for withdrawal ended at 10am on nomination day.”Ali won the Krian seat on a PKR ticket in 2011 and 2016, and had aimed to defend it against Friday Belik of GPS, Musa Dinggat of Parti Sarawak Bersatu and Danny Kuan from Parti Bumi Kenyalang.He retracted his decision following advice from Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, who had said on Nov 27 that his party would sit out the election out of respect for the wishes of the GPS leadership.Muhyiddin also said that Bersatu had chosen to stay out of the contest because it believed GPS had the ability to win and that GPS had supported the Perikatan Nasional-led federal government when he was the prime minister.Ali himself, at a press conference on his decision to withdraw, said it had been a strategic move, and voiced hope that the gesture would be reciprocated by GPS at the next general election.“A victory for GPS is also a victory for me. If GPS wins, I win,” he said.But not everyone in his constituency appears to agree.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, community leader or penghulu Anyum Anak Kinyeh said Ali was a responsible person.“When you request anything from Ali – whether it is to repair the roads or to repair the streetlights – he will try to get it done.”In Anyum’s opinion, Ali should continue to campaign despite no longer wishing to contest – perhaps together with the GPS candidate as a gesture of solidarity.Batang Kabo community leader Latan Ambau agreed.“Apart from a joint campaign, I think it would be appropriate for Ali to send an official letter to the EC,” he said.“Whether the EC will accept the letter or not is not the issue. The most important thing is the gesture, to show his sincerity.”He also agreed that GPS should return the gesture by helping Ali campaign at the next general election.“We should stay together and work together for the best interest of Sarawakians.”Other candidates from Bersatu who will be running in the Sarawak polls are Siki Balarik (Belaha), Ricky Enteri (Bawang Assan) and Ismawi Muhammad (Muara Tuang).Siki is Hulu Rajang Bersatu chief while Ricky is a youth activist from Bawang Assan.Ismawi meanwhile is Kota Samarahan Bersatu division chief.


Funeral homes and crematoriums busy in Covid-hit Beijing

Hearses bearing the dead lined the driveway to a designated Covid-19 crematorium in the Chinese capital on Saturday while workers at the city's dozen funeral homes were busier than normal, days after China reversed tight pandemic restrictions.
In recent days in Beijing the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant has hit services from catering to parcel deliveries. Funeral homes and crematoriums across the city of 22 million are also struggling to keep up with demand as more workers and drivers testing positive for coronavirus call in sick.
China is yet to officially report any Covid deaths since Dec 7 when the country abruptly ended many key tenets of its zero-Covid policy that had been championed by President Xi Jinping, following unprecedented public protests against the protocol.
A US-based research institute said this week that the country could see an explosion of cases and over a million people in China could die of Covid in 2023. A sharp surge in deaths would test authorities' efforts to move China away from endless testing, lockdowns and heavy travel restrictions, and realign with a world that has largely reopened to live with the disease.
On Saturday afternoon, a Reuters journalist saw about 30 stationary hearses stopped in the driveway leading to the Dongjiao funeral home, a Covid-designated crematoriusm in Beijing.
Parked among them were an ambulance and a wagon with a sheet-wrapped corpse in the open trunk that was later picked up by workers in hazmat suits and moved to a preparatory room to await cremation. Three of the numerous chimneys billowed smoked continuously.
A few metres away from the crematorium, in a funeral parlour, the Reuters journalist saw about 20 yellow body bags containing corpses on the floor. Reuters could not immediately establish if the deaths were due to Covid.
The parking security operator and the owner of an urn shop at the funeral home building, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the number of deaths was above average in this period and was more when compared to the period before lifting of most pandemic curbs on Dec 7.
Sick workers have also affected staffing at the roughly one dozen funeral parlours in Beijing.
"We've fewer cars and workers now," a staffer at Miyun Funeral Home told Reuters by phone, also speaking on condition of anonymity, adding that there was a mounting backlog of demand for cremation services. "We've many workers who tested positive."
It was not immediately clear if the struggle to meet the increased demand for cremation was also due to a rise in Covid-related deaths.
At Huairou Funeral Home, a body was kept for three days before it could be cremated, a staffer said.
"You can transport the body here yourself, it's been busy recently," the staffer said.
Tracking deaths and cases
China's health authority last reported Covid deaths on Dec 3. The Chinese capital last reported a fatality on Nov 23.
Yet respected Chinese news outlet Caixin reported on Friday that two veteran state media journalists had died after contracting Covid-19 in Beijing, among the first known deaths since China dismantled most of its zero-Covid policies.
On Saturday, Caixin reported a 23-year-old medical student in Sichuan died of Covid on Dec 14.
Still, the National Health Commission on Saturday reported no change to its official Covid death toll of 5,235 since the pandemic emerged in Wuhan province in late 2019.
Since lifting restrictions earlier this month, China has told its population of 1.4 billion to stay home if they have mild symptoms, as cities across China brace for their first waves of infections.
Had the strict containment policies been lifted earlier, say on Jan 3 this year, 250,000 people in China would have died, prominent Chinese epidemiologist Wu Zunyou said on Saturday.
As of Dec 5, the proportion of seriously or critically ill Covid patients had dropped to 0.18% of reported cases, Wu said, from 3.32% last year and 16.47% in 2020.
This shows China's fatality rate from the disease is gradually falling, he said, without elaborating.
Official figures on cases have become an unreliable guide as less testing is being done across the country following the easing of zero-Covid policies.
China stopped publishing the number of asymptomatic cases from Wednesday, citing a lack of PCR testing among people with no symptoms.
The lack of officially reported Covid deaths for the past 10 days has stirred debate on social media over data disclosure, fuelled also by a dearth of statistics over hospitalisations and the number of seriously ill.
"Why can't these statistics be found? What's going on? Did they not tally them or they just aren't announcing them?" one person on Chinese social media asked.
In Shanghai, more than 1,000km south of Beijing, local education authorities on Saturday told most schools to hold classes online starting on Monday, to cope with worsening Covid infections across China.
In a sign of staffing crunches to come, Shanghai Disney Resort said on Saturday that entertainment offerings may reduce due to a smaller workforce, although the theme park was still operating normally.
At one of Shanghai's Christmas markets, in the city centre, there were few visitors on Saturday.
"Everyone is too scared," said one staffer at the ticket booth.


Anwar calls off PH meeting after ‘scolding’ MP behind Mat Sabu-Guan Eng statement

A joint statement by top Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders – minus its chairman Anwar Ibrahim – has unsettled the PKR leader and led to the cancellation of a planned meeting of the coalition’s leaders yesterday, MalaysiaNow has learnt through sources in the opposition bloc.The statement by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu is seen as a veiled criticism of Anwar over several announcements that he had secured enough support to bring down the Perikatan Nasional government.It is learnt that Anwar had also berated a senior MP from PH over his purported role in drafting the joint statement.“After the statement made the news, Anwar berated him at the MPs’ lounge in Parliament for questioning his political strategy to work together with Umno MPs to topple Muhyiddin Yassin,” the source told MalaysiaNow.The source added that Anwar was incensed that the statement was issued without going through PH.“Due to that, Anwar decided to call off the PH meeting,” it added.Efforts by MalaysiaNow to contact the senior PH MP have been in vain.Yesterday, Lim and Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, warned PH leaders against placing trust in MPs from the ruling bloc to gain power.They also said the coalition should work on its current strengths, as Tuesday’s budget vote which saw the opposition obtain 108 against the government’s 111 showed that no one from the ruling bloc would back any move to topple Muhyiddin.“The budget vote… has taught us not to waste our energy seeking the mirage of more than 111 MPs based only on PH’s core of 92 MPs,” they said.The pair also called for greater cooperation between PH and other opposition parties to form “PH Plus”.Since September, Anwar and his supporters have claimed that he has a “strong and formidable” majority to form the government.“What hurt them the most is that Anwar had been in cahoots with Zahid and Najib without consulting PH leaders.”In October, MalaysiaNow revealed that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Najib Razak had written to the palace expressing support for the opposition leader.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, a source from Amanah said yesterday’s statement by Lim and Mat Sabu was just part of a growing criticism of Anwar by PH leaders.“But what hurt them the most is that Anwar had been in cahoots with Zahid and Najib without consulting PH leaders.“When questioned, Anwar said it was important that his efforts to return the people’s mandate be done discreetly,” the source added.Last weekend, MalaysiaNow published parts of a leaked private conversation between PKR leaders heaping scorn on their president.In one instance, two senior Youth leaders said the grassroots felt cheated and had been left squabbling among themselves while Anwar remained the “dewa” (god).


Philippines planning to re-open to vaccinated tourists

The Philippines will soon welcome back foreign tourists, the government said Friday, as it prepares a partial re-opening to vaccinated travellers 20 months after closing its borders to contain the coronavirus.Tourism operators across the archipelago nation famed for its beaches and dive spots have been devastated by a plunge in international visitors and restrictions on domestic travel since the start of the pandemic.The government’s Covid-19 taskforce has “approved in principle” the tourism department’s request to permit entry to vaccinated travellers from countries with a low infection rate, Tourism Secretary Berna Puyat said.Borders will reopen “soon”, according to the statement, without providing a date.“Allowing tourists from green countries or territories that have the majority of its population vaccinated and with low infection rate, will greatly help in our recovery efforts,” Puyat said.“This move will likewise aid in bolstering consumer confidence, which is a large contributor to our gross domestic product,” she added.More than 40 countries and territories are currently classified “green” – low risk and exempt from quarantine requirements – including China, Indonesia and Zimbabwe.Tourism is a major driver of the Southeast Asian country’s economy, accounting for nearly 13% of gross domestic product in 2019, when it attracted more than eight million visitors, official data show.That slumped to 5.4% last year as tourist arrivals plummeted 82% to 1.48 million.The government has eased virus restrictions in recent weeks as the daily infection rate hovers at the lowest level since the beginning of the year and the nationwide vaccination rate increases.Around one-third of the country’s 110 million people are fully vaccinated.The Philippines has recorded more than 2.8 million infections since the start of the pandemic, including around 45,000 fatalities.


Bangladesh lifts lockdown to celebrate Eid, alarming experts

This week the Bangladesh government is permitting a controversial eight-day pause in the country’s strict coronavirus lockdown so that millions of Bangladeshis can celebrate the Islamic festival Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice.The suspension has been condemned by health experts who are warning it could cause a catastrophic surge in infections of the highly contagious Delta variant, which has brought neighbour India so low.“Already there is a scarcity of beds, ICUs, while our health care providers are exhausted,” said Be-Nazir Ahmed, a public health expert and former chief of the government’s Health Directorate. “So if the situation worsens and more patients come to hospitals, it will be near impossible to deal with the crisis.”On July 1, with the spread of the virus rampant, most everything in Bangladesh was ordered shut, from markets to public transport. Soldiers patrolled the streets and thousands were arrested and jailed for violating the lockdown.Yet even with the new restrictions, virus deaths still averaged about 200 each day and daily infections were still around 11,000, both thought to be undercounts. On Sunday, 225 deaths and 11,758 infections were reported.With just slightly more than four million of the country’s 160 million people fully vaccinated, and despite dire warnings from experts, the government announced that from Jul 15 to 23, all restrictions would be lifted and everything would be reopened so people could celebrate the festival.“But, in all situations people must stay alert, use face masks and strictly follow health instructions,” a government policy statement said.A junior minister from the Ministry of Public Administration told local media on Saturday that the lockdown had to be eased as a lot of business revolves around the festival.The result in the capital Dhaka has been crowds of people jamming into malls and markets to do their holiday shopping and others jamming bus stations as they try to make their way to their rural hometowns.During the last major Islamic festival in May, Eid al-Fitr, an estimated 10 million of Dhaka’s 20 million residents left to celebrate with their families. A similar number could travel this week, especially since many may be looking to wait out the next lockdown in their villages.Health experts are warning that the main risks of suspending the lockdown are people from the city spreading the virus to their villages and people spreading the virus while they pack into markets for their shopping, especially cattle markets where millions of people will buy animals to sacrifice for the festival.According to expert estimates, 30 million to 40 million people will gather for prayers in mosques and open fields across the country for the festival on Wednesday, making the Eid congregations superspreader events.Mohammad Shahidullah, who heads a health committee that advises the government on how to manage the pandemic, said his group of experts opposed the easing of the lockdown.“The committee opines that this strict lockdown should be continued till there is a declining trend in infections,” Shahidullah told reporters.“There is an increasing trend of infections and fatalities. The infection level is still far too high.”The month after the festival will be a critical time for a country that has already tallied over a million infections and nearly 18,000 deaths from the pandemic.


Owners insist SOPs in place after Covid-19 cases risk emptying malls again

Major malls which recently reported Covid-19 cases could be deserted again, just four months after their doors re-opened to the public following their forced closure under the movement control order, the owner of one of the Klang Valley’s top shopping malls says.Teo Chiang Kok of the 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya said the infections happened despite retail owners strictly adhering to health SOPs to contain the pandemic.“Everyone is wearing a mask and has been practising social distancing,” Teo, who also heads the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association, told MalaysiaNow.Yesterday, Teo’s mall reported that a staff member at a computer outlet had been diagnosed with Covid-19.The case was one of several isolated infections among workers at major shopping centres whose owners wasted no time in calming an anxious public shocked at the sharp spike in new Covid-19 cases nationwide.Yesterday, the health ministry announced 432 new cases across the country, an all-time high since the pandemic was reported in Malaysia early this year.Besides 1 Utama, outlets at Paradigm Mall, Nu Sentral, Sunway Pyramid and KL Gateway Mall have also reported Covid-19 cases.Checks by MalaysiaNow at several malls in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya revealed that many were deserted as news about infections in retail outlets go viral on social media.Teo admitted that footfall had been on the decline following the revival in traffic.“Footfall had been seen increasing for the last two months and many malls were reporting around 80% to 90% of traffic,” he said.But he said the public was simply being cautious.“We hope that with all the precautions taken, confidence will return and we can get the desired footfall again,” Teo said.Richard Chan, whose company provides consultancy services to several large malls in the country, said the recent incidents of Covid-19 in shopping centres were isolated.“Everything is under control and business is as usual but with fewer customers,” Chan, of RCMC Sdn Bhd, told MalaysiaNow.Mall owners said that there have not been any infections in their buildings in the last six months.“Full sanitation, thorough disinfection and deep-cleaning of the areas visited by the Covid-19 patients have been carried out in full compliance with guidelines set by the Ministry of Health with close contacts being advised to self-quarantine,” the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association said yesterday.The association also said the sometimes asymptomatic nature of Covid-19 makes it difficult to prevent new infections, but added that malls are adhering to SOPs as well as hygiene measures.


Anwar loyalist made executive chairman of fintech company

Farhash Wafa Salvador, the former political secretary of Anwar Ibrahim, has been announced as the executive chairman of Excel Force MSC Bhd effective yesterday.
The company announced his appointment in a notification to Bursa Malaysia, followed by the announcement of Muhammad Rais Abdul Karim's resignation as independent non-executive chairman.
According to the company's annual financial report, as of March 31, 2022, the majority of Excel Force shares were held by Wong Thean Soon, the managing director of MyEG Services, another publicly listed company on Bursa Malaysia.
Earlier this year, Farhash, the former Perak PKR chairman, was appointed as non-executive, non-independent chairman of 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Bhd.
He replaced Robin Tan Yeong Ching, the son of entrepreneur Vincent Tan.
This was announced a week after his appointment as executive chairman of the Apex Equity Holdings Bhd Group, replacing Ahmad Redza Abdullah who resigned in September 2022.
In its filing to Bursa, Excel Force said Farhash had over a decade of experience in the fields of business, consulting and advice.
"Farhash is also and has been a director and/or shareholder in at least 10 private companies including Swag Technologies Sdn Bhd, Salvador & Sons Sdn Bhd and Pacific Samudera Sdn Bhd," it said.
In a separate notice, Excel Force said Rais had resigned "to pursue his own interests".


Aussie state says unvaccinated 16 times more likely to die from Covid-19

Unvaccinated people are 16 times more likely to end up in ICUs or die from Covid-19, Australia’s New South Wales state said in a report, with officials urging people to get inoculated as Australia begins to live with the coronavirus.The data from New South Wales (NSW) health department out late on Monday showed only 11% of people out of 412 who died from the Delta outbreak over four months through early October were fully vaccinated. The average age of those deaths was 82.Only around 3% of people in ICUs had two doses, while more than 63% of the 61,800 cases detected between June 16 and Oct 7 were unvaccinated.“Young people with two doses of a vaccine experienced lower rates of infection and almost no serious disease, while those unvaccinated in this age group were at greater risk of developing Covid-19 and needing hospitalisation,” NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said in a statement.The report’s findings were in line with data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which said in September that unvaccinated individuals were 11 times more likely to die from Covid-19 than those who were fully vaccinated.Australia had stayed largely virus-free this year until an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant that started in June led to months-long lockdown in Sydney, Melbourne, its largest cities, and the national capital of Canberra.The virus-hit cities have been easing tough restrictions after passing vaccination targets of 70% and 80%. The rollout in NSW, home to Sydney, appears to have plateaued after first-dose coverage reached almost 94% of the population above 16.More than half of Australia’s total deaths of 1,841 and about 87% of its nearly 183,000 infections in the pandemic is because of the Delta strain. However, the death rate is lower than last year thanks to a surge in vaccinations since July.


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Remaining Perak exco members depend on suitability, green light from sultan, says Saarani

Whether the five remaining Perak state executive councillors to be appointed will feature the same faces from the previous line-up will depend on suitability and the consent of Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah, Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad says.Saarani, who was sworn in as menteri besar yesterday, said he will propose the five names to Sultan Nazrin as soon as possible.“I can’t announce the proposed names now. We will fill up all the vacant positions but the appointments will still need the consent of His Highness the Sultan of Perak,” he said after clocking in for his first day at work at the Perak Darul Ridzuan building today.Yesterday, five assemblymen were sworn in as state executive councillors.Four of them were exco members from the previous administration, namely Zolkafly Harun (BN-Lintang), Shahrul Zaman Yahya (BN-Rungkup), Wan Norashikin Wan Noordin (BN-Kampung Gajah) and Khairul Shahril Mohamed (BN-Bota).The fifth assemblyman was Zainol Fadzi Paharudin (Bersatu-Sungai Manik).The previous Perak exco line-up was dissolved following the resignation of Ahmad Faizal Azumu as menteri Bbesar on Dec 5 after losing a vote of confidence during the state legislative assembly sitting.He garnered 10 votes while 48 assemblymen voted against him and one abstained.The motion was brought by Barisan Nasional assemblyman for Pengkalan Baru, Abd Manap Hashim.


Malaysia-Singapore travel lanes to continue despite detection of first Omicron case

The air and land Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) between Singapore and Malaysia will continue despite the country recording its first case of the Omicron variant of concern (VOC), Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.He said all travellers who arrive in Malaysia via the air and land VTLs are required to conduct Covid-19 self-tests on the third and seventh day after arrival.He said he had contacted his Singaporean counterpart, Ong Ye Kung, following the detection of the Omicron variant case.“We reaffirm that the VTLs will continue and we will continue to update each other on a daily basis and coordinate our responses accordingly,” he told a media conference on the development of Covid-19.Malaysia and Singapore launched the air and land VTLs on Monday to allow travellers who have completed their vaccinations to enter the country without having to undergo quarantine upon arrival in Malaysia and Singapore.Malaysia recorded its first Omicron variant case involving a student from South Africa studying at a private university in Ipoh who was confirmed positive for the VOC on Dec 2.Khairy said the temporary ban on travellers from eight countries – South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Malawi – would continue.For international tourists participating in the Langkawi tourism bubble, travellers arriving from all countries must undergo additional Covid-19 detection tests on the third and fifth day from the date of arrival, with professional RTK-Ag testing.As an additional preventive measure, Khairy said travellers arriving from high-risk countries at the international checkpoint at KLIA would be required to wear a digital tracking device during the order For supervision and observation or quarantine period.He said a list of high-risk countries would be provided by the health ministry through risk evaluations.Khairy said the people need not panic at the emergence of the Omicron variant in the country as current Covid-19 preventive measures have been seen as effective in curbing the spread of the pandemic.“The existing preventive measures, SOPs and guidelines provided are very, very stringent.“If we notice, other countries which are starting to tighten their measures due to Omicron are actually implementing what Malaysia has implemented.“I feel we are among the most careful countries in terms of prevention. We still have quarantine, wearing of face masks, and a contact tracing system which I feel is quite thorough,” he said, adding that the people are encouraged to continue practising TRIIS (test, report, isolate, inform and seek), and to get vaccinated against Covid-19.In the meantime, Khairy said the campaign on giving booster doses would be intensified, with the health ministry targeting booster jabs for at least 75% of the vaccinated population.


Lawyers accuse Singapore of harassment ahead of Malaysian’s appeal to quash death sentence

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has warned authorities in Singapore against harassing the lawyer of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam ahead of the hearing of his bid to set aside his death sentence, scheduled for Jan 24 after a last-minute stay granted in November.LFL adviser N Surendran said prominent rights lawyer M Ravi had been subjected to “concerted intimidation, oppression and undue pressure” by authorities in the city-state since Nagaenthran was granted a stay of execution following a diagnosis of Covid-19 just before a last-ditch attempt to stop his sentence on Nov 9, 2021.“This includes tens of thousands of dollars in personal cost orders made by the court against Ravi at the behest of the attorney-general arising from capital punishment cases argued vigorously by Ravi,” Surendran said.“Cost orders of this nature against a lawyer appearing in capital cases is oppressive and unheard of in commonwealth jurisdictions which adhere to the rule of law,” he said, adding that Ravi had also been threatened with professional disciplinary complaints and “baseless” police investigations.Nagaenthran was arrested in 2009 for carrying 43g of heroin into Singapore, which has some of the world’s toughest anti-drugs laws.A diagnosis of his mental capability found among other that he has an IQ of 69 – below the threshold of 70 for declaring a person as intellectually disabled.He was nonetheless sentenced to death the following year and was due to be hanged on Nov 10, 2021 after losing several appeals.The sentence drew public outrage and sparked pleas for leniency from Malaysian leaders including Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.The case also drew international attention with British tycoon Richard Branson among those urging the Singapore government to grant Nagaenthran a pardon.LFL said court directions for the filing of documents with short deadlines had been deliberately imposed on Ravi despite authorities knowing that the lawyer was on medical leave for a month.“The intention is clearly to discourage Ravi from further pursuing vigorous legal challenges in Nagaenthran’s as well as other cases,” it said.Adding that Ravi’s legal challenges over the years had “hugely embarrassed” Singapore by highlighting the “injustice and barbarity” of its use of the death penalty, LFL said the Singapore government must immediately cease all intimidation tactics, harassment and undue pressure against the lawyer.“We further urge the judiciary to retract unfair court directions issued to Ravi and ensure a free and fair hearing of the pending applications and appeals,” it said.


Messenger RNA Covid jabs 66% effective against Delta, US study shows

The effectiveness against infection of the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines dropped from 91% before the Delta variant became dominant to 66% afterwards, according to a large study of US health workers published Tuesday.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been examining the real-world performance of the two vaccines since they were first authorised among healthcare personnel, first responders and other frontline workers.Thousands of workers across six states were tested weekly and upon onset of Covid-19 symptoms, allowing researchers to estimate efficacy against symptomatic and asymptomatic infection.By looking at the rate of infections among vaccinated and unvaccinated people and the amount of time they were tracked, vaccine effectiveness was estimated at 91% in the initial study period of Dec 14, 2020 to April 10, 2021.But during weeks in the run-up to Aug 14, when the ultra-contagious Delta variant became dominant, effectiveness fell to 66%.The report’s authors said there were a number of caveats, including that the protection from vaccines could be waning over time anyway, and the 66% estimate was based on a relatively short study period with few infections.“Although these interim findings suggest a moderate reduction in the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines in preventing infection, the sustained two thirds reduction in infection risk underscores the continued importance and benefits of Covid-19 vaccination,” they said.A number of studies have now concluded vaccine efficacy has dropped against Delta, even though the precise level of that drop differs between papers.Protection against severe disease appears more stable, exceeding 90%, according to a recent CDC study of patients in New York.Another CDC study of Los Angeles patients released Tuesday that was carried out from May 1 to July 25 showed unvaccinated people were 29.2 times more likely to be hospitalised with Covid-19 than the vaccinated – corresponding to efficacy of about 97%.Delta became the dominant strain in the US in early July.According to a recent paper in the journal Virological, the amount of virus found in the first tests of patients with the Delta variant was 1,000 times higher than patients in the first wave of the virus in 2020, greatly increasing its contagiousness.


Cautious optimism at high-stakes WTO meet

The World Trade Organization chief voiced cautious optimism Sunday as global trade ministers gathered to tackle food security threatened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, overfishing and equitable access to Covid vaccines.Opening the WTO’s first ministerial meeting in nearly five years, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said to “expect a rocky, bumpy road with a few landmines along the way”.But she told journalists she was “cautiously optimistic” that the more than 100 attending ministers would manage to agree on at least one or two of a long line of pressing issues, and that would be “a success”.The WTO faces pressure to eke out long-sought trade deals on a range of issues and show unity amid the still raging pandemic and an impending global hunger crisis.But since the global trade body only makes decisions by consensus, it can be more than tricky to reach agreements.Top of the agenda at the four-day meeting is the toll Russia’s war in Ukraine, traditionally a breadbasket that feeds hundreds of millions of people, is having on food security.WalkoutTensions ran high during a closed-door session, where a number of delegates took the floor to condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine, including Kyiv’s envoy, who was met with a standing ovation, WTO spokesman Dan Pruzin told journalists.Then, right before Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov spoke, around three dozen delegates “walked out”, he said.Even before the conference began, the European Union gathered representatives from 57 countries for a show solidarity with Ukraine, with EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis slamming Russia’s “illegal and barbaric aggression”Despite the contentious atmosphere, ministers are expected to agree on a joint declaration on strengthening food security, in which they will “commit to take concrete steps to facilitate trade and improve the functioning and longterm resilience of global markets for food and agriculture”.According to the draft text, countries would vow that “particular consideration will be given to the specific needs and circumstances of developing country Members”.“I hope you will collectively do the right thing,” Ngozi told the delegates.Fisheries deal in sight?The WTO hopes to keep criticism of Russia’s war in Ukraine to the first day of talks, allowing ministers to focus in the following days on nailing down trade deals, after nearly a decade with no major agreements.There is some optimism that countries could finally agree on banning subsidies that contribute to illegal and unregulated fishing, after more than two decades of negotiations.“Will our children forgive us… if we allow our oceans to be depleted?” Okonjo-Iweala said.One of the main sticking points has been so-called special and differential treatment (SDT) for developing countries, including major fishing nation India, which can request exemptions.The duration of exemptions remains undefined, with environmental groups warning anything beyond 10 years would be catastrophic.India blockingIndia has demanded a 25-year exemption, and is so far refusing to budge.Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal insisted in a video address that most fishing in India is vital for survival, and that fishermen use “sustainable methods”.“Their right to life and livelihood cannot be curtailed in any manner.”Angered by lacking follow-through on promises made at a WTO ministerial meeting nearly a decade ago for food policy measures, India is proving intransigent on other issues as well, jeopardising the chances of locking down deals.“There is not a single issue that India is not blocking,” a Geneva-based ambassador said, singling out WTO reform and agriculture.Patent waiver?India has also struck a harsh tone on another key issue on the table: WTO response to the Covid crisis.“The rich countries need to introspect. We need to bow our heads in shame for our inability to respond to the pandemic in time,” he said.India and South Africa began in October 2020 pushing for the WTO to temporarily lift intellectual property rights on Covid-19 medical tools like vaccines to help ensure more equitable access in poorer nations.After multiple rounds of talks, the EU, the United States, India and South Africa hammered out a compromise.The text, which would allow most developing countries, although not China, to produce Covid vaccines without authorisation from patent holders, still faces opposition from both sides.The pharmaceutical industry insists the waiver would undermine investment in innovation, while public interest groups charge the text falls far short of what is needed, by limiting and complicating the vaccine waiver and not covering Covid treatments and diagnostics.


China's metal export curbs a 'warning' to US and its allies, reports say

China's move to restrict the exports of two metals crucial for making some types of semiconductors and electric vehicles is a warning that China will not be passively squeezed out of the global chips supply chain, the Global Times said.
In an editorial published late on Tuesday, the Chinese state media tabloid said the imposition of controls on exports of some gallium and germanium products was a "practical way" of telling the US and its allies that their efforts to curb China from procuring more advanced technology was a "miscalculation".
It also argued that China had for years exploited its own rare earth resources at the expense of the environment to supply the global semiconductor industry.
"Under such circumstances, why can't China make the necessary adjustments and be more cautious about consuming its limited rare-earth resources to support those that have been sided with the US-led "decoupling" push from China?," it said.
"There's no reason for China to continue exhausting its own mineral resources, only to be blocked from pursuing technological development...," it said.
The controls do not mean that China will ban exports of the metals but authorities will have the right to reject export applications if the products involve military use or are used in scenarios that may undermine China's national security and interests, the newspaper added.
China's abrupt announcement of controls from Aug 1 on exports of the metals has ramped up a trade war with the US and could potentially cause more disruption to global supply chains.
Analysts saw the move, which the Chinese commerce ministry said was to protect national security, as a response to escalating efforts by Washington to curb China's technological advances. It came on the eve of the US Independence Day and just before US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen visits Beijing.
China's commerce ministry did not respond to a request from Reuters for further comment.


Ex-Goldman banker Ng deserves 15 years in prison, US prosecutors say

US prosecutors on Friday urged a judge to sentence former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng to 15 years in prison after he was convicted of helping loot billions of dollars from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund.
A jury in Brooklyn federal court had last April found Ng, Goldman's former head of investment banking in Malaysia, guilty of helping his former boss Tim Leissner embezzle money from the fund, launder the proceeds and bribe government officials to win business.
Leissner had been Goldman's Southeast Asia chief.
US district judge Margo Brodie is expected to sentence Ng on March 9.
In his own sentencing request on Feb 25, Ng asked that he be given no prison time and be allowed to return to Malaysia.
He had spent six months in a Malaysian prison before waiving his right to contest extradition to the US in 2018. Ng has been free on bail but subject to a curfew since his conviction.
The charges stem from some US$6.5 billion in bonds that Goldman helped 1MDB, which was founded to finance development projects in Malaysia, sell in 2012 and 2013.
Prosecutors said US$4.5 billion of that sum was embezzled by officials, bankers and their associates, in one of the biggest scandals in Wall Street history.
In October 2020, Goldman agreed to pay US$2.9 billion and its Malaysian unit pleaded guilty to a corruption charge.
Ng had pleaded not guilty, and argued that US$35 million in kickback payments he was accused of receiving was actually a return on an investment his wife had made.
Leissner pleaded guilty and testified against Ng as part of a cooperation agreement. He has not yet been sentenced.


Australia raises permanent migration numbers amid labour squeeze

Australia will increase its permanent immigration numbers by 35,000 to 195,000 in the current financial year as it looks to shift its focus toward long-term migrants, bringing some relief for businesses battling widespread staff shortages.
Australia closed its borders for about two years during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic but those strict rules and an exodus of holiday workers and foreign students left businesses struggling to find staff and keep their businesses afloat.
"Covid is presenting us, on a platter, with a chance to reform our immigration system that we will never get back again. I want us to take that chance," Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil told a government jobs summit on Friday.
"Based on projections, this could mean thousands more nurses settling in the country this year, thousands more engineers."
Australia's unemployment rate is now at a near 50-year-low of 3.4% but soaring inflation means real wages are down.
Businesses have been urging the government to raise the cap on annual immigration from 160,000, prompting it to make temporary changes to fill the labour gap.
The recently elected centre-left Labor government convened the two-day summit in Canberra, the national capital, inviting business groups and unions to help find solutions to key economic challenges.
Australia has been competing with other developed economies to lure more skilled employees from overseas with many countries looking to ease immigration rules.
But a blowout in visa processing times in Australia has left about a million prospective workers stuck in limbo, worsening the staff shortage crisis.
"We understand that when people wait and wait, the uncertainty can become unmanageable," Immigration Minister Andrew Giles told the summit. "This is not good enough, and reflects a visa system that has been in crisis."
In a bid to speed up visa processing, Giles said the government will spend A$36.1 million (US$25 million) to beef up its staff capacity by 500 people for the next nine months.


Blogger remanded over RM1.3 million bribery claims in ministry project

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has remanded a blogger to assist in investigations into claims of bribery in a ministry project worth some RM41 million.
Magistrate Zulaikha Rohanuddin issued a two-day remand order until May 13 after MACC's application at the Magistrate's Court in Putrajaya today.
A source said the man was believed to have received about RM1.3 million in bribes from an IT company in 2020.
The source said the request and payment of the bribes was believed to be an incentive for the suspect to lobby so that the company in question obtained the related contracts.
It is understood that MACC will also look into the procurement procedure for the project.
When contacted, MACC senior director of investigation Hishamuddin Hashim confirmed the remand.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009.


PN eating into BN’s Malay vote bank, forum told

Political parties will need to take into account generational shifts in voting patterns ahead of the next polls, experts said today citing changes in the political landscape as talk continues of an impending election.Ibrahim Suffian from Merdeka Centre said such shifts could be seen in the recent election in Johor, where more young Malay voters supported Perikatan Nasional (PN) over Barisan Nasional (BN) while Pakatan Harapan (PH) trailed far behind.“There is a generational voting pattern and identity politics still plays a role.“PN has emerged as an alternative to BN for the Malay voters, particularly the youth,” he said during a webinar organised by Institut Masa Depan Malaysia today.At the March 12 election in Johor, BN lost about 8% of the Malay vote. At the Melaka election in November last year, BN saw a 1% decline in Malay support while PH lost some 55%.Hamidin Abd Hamid of Ilham Centre meanwhile said that judging by the pattern in Johor, the role of new voters had been overemphasised.“Depending on the area, in urban and semi-urban areas, the youth were very much independent in their votes,” he said.“In urban areas, we noticed that the young voters were very much influenced by their peers and families in terms of voting pattern.“But the big question mark is about whether they are going to vote in the first place,” he said, referring to the low turnout of young voters in Johor.He said this would be a cause for concern for BN as around 50% of the voters in the next general election would be under 39 years old.“Most of those in this age group who voted for PH in the last general election did not come back to BN. They went to PN,” he added.“BN’s votes were very much reduced in that sense.”The Johor election had seen voters as young as 18 head to polling centres for the first time as the Undi 18 bill came into effect on the back of support from both the government and the opposition.Political analyst Bridgette Welsh said although voters in the 18-21 age bracked were split, they could be a transformative power for change.At the Johor election, 38% of the Undi 18 vote went to BN, 26% went to PN and 33% went to PH and Muda.“PN’s strength, particularly that of Bersatu, comes from the support of young people – not Gen Z, but millennials,” she said.“We need to start moving away from seeing Malaysians just through ethnic lenses, to look at generational voting, class voting, gender dimensionas and regional issues.”She said even those in their 50s, an age group associated with the 1998 reformasi movement, were no longer connected to PH in the same way.Based on the pattern of previous state elections, she said, in terms of voter age groups, BN is projected to win 134 seats, PH 50 and PN 37.However, she cautioned against using state election parameters to predict the results of the next general election.“One of the things that is quite interesting is that while the numbers suggest that Umno is the favourite, at the same time their vote shares are not there.”PH, meanwhile, has much to do to overcome the shortcomings demonstrated in the recent state elections, particularly in terms of leadership, she said.


Zahid's conditions not Umno's decision, says PAS No. 2

PAS says the conditions set by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for political cooperation ahead of the 15th general election (GE15) are "unsuitable" and do not reflect the official stand of the Barisan Nasional (BN) lynchpin.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said Umno should prioritise common interests over the views of individuals who might cause trouble in the days to come.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said any talks between the parties should refer to the same issues.
"For now, PAS has its own rights," he said when asked about PAS' view of the conditions for strengthening the political understanding with Umno forged under the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact as part of preparations for GE15.
"We welcome Umno's desire to unite the ummah but for us, the conditions are not very suitable."
The conditions are for PAS to leave Perikatan Nasional (PN), cut ties with Bersatu, and announce in an official capacity the complete end of their relationship with both the coalition and its component party.
In a press conference at Parliament yesterday, Tuan Ibrahim said the conditions set by Zahid were his personal opinion and not the stand of Umno.
"If they are, they should be put in an official statement," he said.
"There has been no official statement mentioning these conditions."
Tuan Ibrahim also previously urged Umno against laying out "strange" and "cumbersome" conditions for any cooperation with PAS.
When asked if PAS had a time frame in mind for announcing its decision to work with either PN or MN, he declined to provide details.
He said the matter would continue to be discussed at PAS meetings, with a decision to be made known in time.
"Before this, Zahid talked a lot about going solo," he said.
"Now, he says he is ready to talk. For us, this is a positive development. Perhaps we should look at the mechanism for cooperation."


Singapore cops find gun smuggled from Malaysia in drug bust on gang member

A Singapore secret society member bought a gun in Malaysia for about S$1,400 and smuggled it back to Singapore to scare rival gang members.Food stall operator Muhammad Ikram Abdul Aziz hid the weapon and eight bullets in his flat and was caught only when Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers raided his place looking for drugs.The 26-year-old Singaporean was sentenced on Monday to nearly eight years jail with six strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to being in possession of a Shooters Seahawk semiautomatic .45 pistol, reports the Straits Times.The case involving his friend, Amirul Asyraff Muhammad Junus, also 26, whose love life had started the series of unfortunate events off, is still pending.Deputy public prosecutor Norine Tan said that the two men were close friends and members of the same secret society.In January 2019, Amirul discovered that a man known as “Faris” had beaten up his former wife outside Club Baliza, a nightspot in Marina Square. She later told Amirul that Faris belonged to a rival gang.“Amirul told Ikram about this incident to convey his unhappiness and asked him for his advice on how to solve the problem,” Tan said.“Amirul wanted to take revenge on her behalf but Ikram told Amirul not to act rashly and said that he would help him but did not want to get into a fight because Ikram had a young daughter.”Ikram then decided to buy a gun to scare the members of the rival gang and show them that Amirul could not be bullied.He went to a Johor Bahru shopping mall tattoo shop and met a man known only as “Boy JB” who told him that he would look for a gun for him. Ikram gave S$900 in advance to Boy JB and went back to Singapore to await the call.The call from Boy JB duly came and Ikram returned to Johor Baru with his parents in their car. He then deposited RM1,500, about S$500 into Boy JB’s bank account.Boy JB met him later that day to hand him the weapon and eight bullets.Ikram wrapped the gun and bullets in a towel which he put in his bag and spirited into Singapore the next day.Tan told the court: “Ikram decided to bring the gun back to Singapore while travelling with his parents as he had observed before that customs officers would seldom check his belongings if he was travelling with his parents.”Later that month, when Amirul came to his flat for dinner, Ikram showed him the gun which he then returned to its hiding place.In October two CNB officers detained Ikram for suspected drug consumption.After interviewing him, the CNB and the Singapore police force escorted him back to his home to search it for drugs. No drugs were found but the search uncovered the pistol and bullets.Further investigations revealed that Amirul had allegedly been in Ikram’s company despite knowing about the pistol. His case is still pending.For being in possession of a gun in Singapore, an offender can be jailed for between five and 10 years and receive at least six strokes of the cane.The Straits Times understands that this is the first case involving the illegal possession of a firearm since 2009.


Daily caseload tops 5,700

Another 5,736 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,882,060.Another 3,196 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,790,386.Meanwhile 112 are in the ICU, including 89 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 54 are in need of respiratory assistance including 41 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 5,736 cases reported today, 46 (0.8%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 5,690 (99.2%) are in Category One and Two.