Speed up approval for foreign workers to prevent further losses, recovery council tells govt

The National Recovery Council (MPN) today urged the government to expedite the approval of applications by foreign workers to tackle the country’s labour woes given Malaysia’s transition towards the endemic phase which began on April 1.MPN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said the council had noted a significant decline of more than 20% in the total workforce since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.As of Feb 15, he said, the government had allowed applications for the recruitment of foreign workers in all sectors.However, only 163 out of 4,561 applications have been processed so far.Muhyiddin said this had caused many sectors to incur losses, especially the agriculture and manufacturing industries which were experiencing labour constraints following the reopening of the economy.“MPN calls for the approval of applications to be expedited by reducing bureaucratic red tape and simplifying and improving the approval process to meet industries’ demand for labour.“If possible, consider and approve the recruitment of foreign workers by the end of the year,” he said after chairing an MPN meeting at the finance ministry in Putrajaya.As a short-term measure, he said, MPN recommended that conditional approval be given for applications under review to expedite the supply of foreign labour to the affected sectors.Human Resources Minister M Saravanan recently said that Malaysia was expected to receive 500,000 foreign workers from Bangladesh beginning this month.This followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the country in December last year regarding the recruitment of workers, effective for five years until December 2026.The move came under fire from unions such as the Malaysian Trades Union Congress which said a sudden influx of foreign workers would affect local workers.Muhyiddin meanwhile said that MPN was considering a review of MySejahtera as a tool for close contact tracing to help assess the effectiveness of the app in the endemic phase.He said the health ministry had, at a briefing by health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, voiced its opinion that the app should still be used.“The health ministry said it was still needed as the data is used to control the spread of Covid-19 in the country,” he said.“So we leave it to the health ministry to decide if MySejahtera should still be used.”


France face England at World Cup after Brazil crash out

Reigning champions France take on England in a World Cup knock-out match for the first time on Saturday, after favourites Brazil were dumped out in the quarter-finals to blow the tournament wide open.
Morocco will bid to become the first African or Arab nation to ever reach the semi-finals but face a Portugal side who put six goals past Switzerland in the last 16 after dropping Cristiano Ronaldo.
France have brushed aside a series of injuries to key players to reach the last eight in their title defence, inspired by Kylian Mbappe, the tournament's leading scorer with five goals.
"Kylian will always be Kylian, with the ability to be decisive at any moment," said coach Didier Deschamps, who is bidding to become the first coach to win back-to-back World Cups since World War II.
England are the joint-highest scorers in the tournament with 12 goals after cruising past African champions Senegal 3-0 in the previous round.
They are still waiting for a first major title since the 1966 World Cup, after losing to Croatia in the semi-finals four years ago before a penalty shoot-out loss to Italy in the European Championship final at Wembley last year.
"Those big matches are important reference points for the team," said England coach Gareth Southgate.
"There have been some defeats that hurt that prepare you for nights like tomorrow where you have to be the very best version of yourself. We are ready to fight France for that place in the semi-finals."
The winners of the France-England clash at Al Bayt Stadium will play either Morocco or Portugal in the last four.
Morocco have already gone further than ever before after stunning European heavyweights Spain and Belgium.
They are now one match from breaking new ground for African football and will enjoy the backing of the vast majority of the supporters at Al Thumama Stadium.
"We have a whole people behind us, a continent behind us and the Arab world behind us," said coach Walid Regragui.
"We can do it, we can make history again. It (the support) can push us, help us actually to play with this pressure, not to make any mistakes."
Portugal will likely line up without Ronaldo again after his replacement in the starting XI, Goncalo Ramos, scored a hat-trick against Switzerland.
"It's high time we stop with this conversation, stop the controversies (about Ronaldo)," said coach Fernando Santos, who will be leading Portugal in their third World Cup quarter-final and first since 2006.
"It's high time for you to leave Ronaldo alone, in acknowledgement for what he's done for Portuguese football."


Out-of-control Chinese rocket remains could crash to Earth this week

The booster of a large Chinese rocket could come crashing to Earth in the coming days, with no predetermined plan as to where it will land.The massive vehicle is part of the Long March 5B rocket that recently successfully launched China’s first module for its proposed space station.This comes roughly a year after another similar Chinese rocket fell to Earth, landing in the Atlantic Ocean but not before it reportedly left a trail of debris across the African nation of Cote D’Ivoire.The disposable booster and the rocket-propelled module reportedly parted ways after just over eight minutes of flying together, with the module headed into space and the 20-metric tonne booster – or whatever parts of it survive re-entry – falling back to Earth soon.According to Space News, if the nearly 100-foot-long object makes its way back into Earth’s atmosphere, it will be one of the “biggest human-made objects to perform an uncontrolled re-entry”.While it’s likely the rocket booster would burn up into fragments and fall into the sea there is no way of knowing what will land where as it does not seem that there were effective measures in place to manage its flight after releasing the module.Observations from ground-based trackers on Earth reportedly suggested the fast-moving booster is heading for an “uncontrolled re-entry” which means it’s out of control.Experts say it is impossible to predict exactly where the pieces that don’t burn up in the atmosphere might land.Given the object’s orbit, the possible landing points are anywhere in a band of latitudes “a little farther north than New York, Madrid and Beijing and as far south as southern Chile and Wellington, New Zealand”.Australia already holds the record for being hit by the biggest piece of space junk. In 1979, the 77-tonne US space station SkyLab disintegrated over Western Australia, peppering the area around the southern coastal town of Esperance with fragments.Esperance shire council flippantly issued Nasa with a fine for littering, and a US radio station later raised enough money to pay the debt.


Zafrul returns to finance portfolio as PM maintains most in Cabinet

Tengku Zafrul Aziz will retain his finance portfolio in Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Cabinet line-up, among many ministers from the previous government who were maintained.Khairy Jamaluddin meanwhile has been made health minister while his predecessor Dr Adham Baba will be science, technology and innovation minister.Saifuddin Abdullah has been appointed as foreign minister.However, the post of deputy prime minister has been left vacant.Several other names bandied about as possible members of the Cabinet did not make it on the list, including Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan and former deputy speaker Azalina Othman Said.Meanwhile, Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, who resigned as the energy and natural resources minister, toeing the line of his party boss in revoking support for former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, did not return to the Cabinet.The rest are as follows:International trade and industry: Mohamed Azmin AliWorks: Fadillah YusofEducation: Radzi JidinEconomic affairs: Mustapa MohamedSpecial functions: Abdul Latiff AhmadDefence: Hishammuddin HusseinParliament and law: Wan Junaidi Tuanku JaafarReligious affairs: Idris AhmadSabah and Sarawak: Maximus OngkiliTransport: Wee Ka SiongEnvironment and water: Tuan Ibrahim Tuan ManHuman resources: M SaravananFederal territories: Shahidan KassimWomen, family and community development: Rina HarunHigher education: Noraini AhmadEnergy and natural resources: Takiyuddin HassanHome affairs: Hamzah ZainudinAgriculture and food industries: Ronald KiandeeRural development: Mahdzir KhalidDomestic trade and consumer affairs: Alexander Nanta LinggiCommunications and multimedia: Annuar MusaHousing and local development: Reezal Merican Naina MericanEntrepreneur development and cooperatives: Noh OmarPlantation industries and commodities: Zuraida KamaruddinTourism, arts and culture: Nancy ShukriNational unity: Halimah Mohamed SadiqueYouth and sports: Ahmad Faizal Azumu


Singapore says 'premature' for any Asean talks with Myanmar

Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said Friday that conditions were not yet right for Asean to open high-level talks with Myanmar on the country's political situation.
"We believe it would be premature to reengage with the junta at a summit level or even at a foreign minister level," Balakrishnan said when asked about a news report that Thailand's military-controlled caretaker government had proposed talks.
Speaking in a joint press conference in Washington with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Balakrishnan said the leaders of Asean had recently reaffirmed their stance.
"We condemned the coup, and the ongoing violence against civilians, the instability in the country, the setback to national reconciliation, and the enormous impact on the economy," he said of the 2021 military takeover in Myanmar.
"Unfortunately, it's now more than two years. We haven't seen any signs of improvement," Balakrishnan said.
The Irrawaddy, a Myanmar-focused news website operated in Thailand, said that Thailand's foreign ministry proposed in a recent letter to host an informal ministerial meeting of some Asean members with Myanmar on Monday to relaunch engagement.
Balakrishnan did not reject all engagement with the Myanmar junta.
"The key point is this. You do need everyone ultimately to sit down and negotiate," the Singapore diplomat said.
"I don't know how long it will take. The last time it took 25 years for some form of democratic transition to occur in Myanmar. I hope it won't take that long," he said.
Blinken said the US backs Asean efforts to resolve the violence that has seen 6,000 civilians killed since the February 2021, according to the Peace Research Institute of Oslo.
"It's very important that we continue, all of us, to sustain the appropriate pressure on the junta and look for ways of course to engage the opposition" in Myanmar, Blinken said.


Total recoveries top 300,000 as new cases still under 2,000

Another 1,647 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 319,364.Selangor recorded 712 cases followed by Johor (170), Penang (169) and Sarawak (168).Kuala Lumpur recorded 86 cases, Negeri Sembilan 79, Melaka 71, Perak 69, Sabah 61, Kelantan 28, Kedah 18, Pahang seven, Terengganu four, Putrajaya and Perlis two each, and Labuan one.Active cases stand at 17,544 with 147 in the ICU and 61 in need of respiratory assistance.Five new clusters were detected:1. Tapak Bina Jalan Kenangan (Klang in Selangor; 121 screened, 31 positive)2. Teknologi Tenggara (Batu Pahat in Johor; 146 screened, 12 positive)3. Jalan Masyhur Enam (Johor Bahru in Johor; 173 screened, 52 positive)4. DTI Machap Umboo (Alor Gajah in Melaka; 530 screened, 83 positive)5. Jambatan Satu Bombalai (Kalabakan in Sabah; 41 screened, 15 positive)Fourteen others ended, leaving 440 active clusters across the country.Another 2,104 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 300,620.However, nine more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,200.


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Bali’s pickpocketing macaques know exactly what tourists value most, new study shows

Visitors to Bali’s Uluwatu temple need to keep their wits about them.The long-tailed macaques that live there are well-known thieves and hard-dealing hagglers.They make a living by relieving tourists of their valuables and then demanding food for their safe return.A new study by Canadian researchers shows that adult temple monkeys have a sophisticated knowledge of what tourists deem valuable, and which items can generate them the most in food ransom.A team from the University of Lethbridge, in Alberta, Canada, led by Jean-Baptiste Leca, investigated how well the macaques understand their victims’ value systems and how much different pickpocketed items can get them.Laboratory experiments in the past suggested such primates can indeed attach a value to something intrinsically worthless to them, like a coloured plastic counter. They learn by experience that such tokens can be exchanged for food, and that different tokens bring different rewards, a tasty grape instead of a bland piece of cucumber, for example.However, such experiments are in an artificial laboratory setting, with caged and cowed animals.The macaques of Uluwatu are wild and free, however comfortable they may be around people.Leca and his research team spent nearly 300 days in the temple grounds monitoring and recording over 2,000 interactions between tourists and monkeys.As they describe in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, every time they saw a monkey show interest in a tourist, they recorded what followed.In order to analyse their data, the team established the relative values of stealable objects to their owners and food rewards to monkeys.Temple staff keep three sorts of reward available for tourists to get their property back: raw eggs, bags of fruit and crackers.Individual monkeys have different preferences, and Leca and his colleagues determined these by offering them choices.To determine what visitors value most, the team divided the usual tourist paraphernalia into classes: from empty containers, to hats, to wallets and everything else vulnerable to nimble primate fingers.They then determined from their video recordings, how often victims bargained with the thief for the return of property of different classes or didn’t bother, and thus classified objects from low to high value.Then they got to work analysing their hours of recorded material.It turns out that light-fingered monkeys do indeed have a sophisticated sense of the value of the pilfered objects they are holding to ransom.They prefer to “liberate” high-value items, and when they have them will hold out for more rewards or ones they view as better, and they drive a hard bargain.However, this is something that they learn as they grow up. Youngsters make no such distinctions.It seems that in monkeys as in people, assessing value is a skill that comes with age and hard-won experience.


China probe aims to bring moon rocks to Earth

China plans to launch an unmanned spacecraft to the moon this week to bring back lunar rocks in the first attempt by any nation to retrieve samples from Earth’s natural satellite since the 1970s.The Chang’e-5 probe, named after the ancient Chinese goddess of the moon, will attempt to collect material that can help scientists understand more about the moon’s origins.If successful, the mission will make China only the third country to have retrieved lunar samples, following the US Apollo and the Soviet Union Luna expeditions decades ago.China’s mission will attempt to collect 2kg of samples in a previously unvisited area known as Ocean of Storms, Reuters reports.“The Apollo-Luna sample zone of the moon was in an area that covers less than half the lunar surface,” said James Head, a planetary scientist at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. “Lunar scientists have been advocating for robotic sample missions to these different areas to address fundamental questions remaining from earlier exploration.”The Chang’e-5 mission may help answer questions such as how long the moon remained volcanically active in its interior and when its magnetic field dissipated.Once in the moon’s orbit, the probe will deploy a pair of vehicles to the surface. A lander will drill into the ground then transfer its samples to an ascender that will take them to an orbiting module. They will then be transferred to a capsule for the journey to Earth.If Chang’e 5 does manage to bring moon rocks to Earth, it is uncertain which countries, if any, will be granted access to them. China is tight-lipped but America is likely to be last in the queue. For the past couple of decades US governments have been reluctant to co-operate with China in space-related matters, largely because of fears about giving away secrets useful for designing ballistic missiles.In July, China launched an unmanned probe to Mars in its first independent mission to another planet. China plans to retrieve rock samples from Mars by 2030.


Fewer rhinos poached in South African Covid-19 lockdown

South Africa has reported a drop in the number of rhinos killed by poachers, which officials say is one unexpected but welcome result of Covid-19 lockdowns which restricted the movements of poachers and horn smugglers.Environment Minister Barbara Creecy said strict measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections last year had led to “a significant reduction in poacher incursions” to the world-famous Kruger National Park.“However, that changed later in the year as the lockdown levels eased,” she said in a statement published on Monday and reported by the BBC.Last year, 394 rhinos were killed for their horns in the country, a fall of 33% from the 594 recorded in 2019, the environment ministry said.But conservationists warn that the rhino population in South Africa has plummeted in recent years and that poaching remains a big problem which will return.South Africa is home to about 80% of the world’s rhino population. Hundreds are killed every year for their horns, which are made of keratin, the same substance as fingernails.Rhino horn is worth more by weight than cocaine, and so traffickers go to great lengths to smuggle it out of Africa.Most illegally poached rhino horns are ground up and smuggled to Asia where it is an ingredient in medicine and herbal remedies.Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has eased some restrictions imposed due to coronavirus, including lifting an unpopular ban on alcohol sales.South Africans have faced three alcohol bans since the pandemic hit last March. The government argues they were necessary to alleviate the pressure on the healthcare system.The bans have been the least popular of the pandemic restrictions with the public.Announcing the latest changes, Ramaphosa said: “I want to call on all of us to drink responsibly so that we do not experience a spike in trauma cases or an increase in infections due to reckless behaviour.”The announcement came as he hailed the arrival of the first shipment of vaccines – one million AstraZeneca doses – as a chance to “turn the tide” on Covid-19.South Africa has had the most Covid infections and deaths on the continent. More than 1.4 million people have contracted the virus since the pandemic began, and 44,164 are known have lost their lives.Ramaphosa said the peak of the second wave of the virus has now passed, and that “the average rate of new infections has been steadily coming down over the last three weeks”.Many countries have banned travel from South Africa in an effort to stop the spread of the highly infectious variant, which is believed to have originated there and which is suspected to be more infectious and more resistant to vaccines.


Ampang school kids undergo swab tests after teacher contracts Covid-19

A total of 67 students from a school in Ampang have been called to undergo swab tests for Covid-19 after a teacher was confirmed to have the virus.The students from Year 5 and 6 of Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Tasik were told to go for the tests at the health clinics in Beranang and Hulu Langat.It is understood that the teacher contracted the virus from a housemate.“The friend had earlier travelled from Kedah,” said a source.Yesterday, Kedah topped the number of new infections nationwide in a series of daily spikes with 241 cases, overtaking Sabah where a cluster involving a police lock-up in Lahad Datu was blamed for the rise in new cases.The health ministry yesterday reported a record high of 432 cases, the most since the pandemic started in Malaysia early this year.Schools nationwide re-opened in phases in July after being shut down for more than three months under the movement control order.


China denies forcing birth control on Muslim Xinjiang women

Beijing denied on Monday it has imposed coercive birth control measures on Muslim minority women.The denial follows outcry over a tweet by the Chinese embassy in Washington claiming that Beijing’s polices had freed women of the Muslim Uighur ethnic group from being “baby-making machines”.Xu Guixiang, a spokesman for the Xinjiang regional government, told reporters on Monday that birth control decisions are made of the person’s own free will and that “no organisation or individual can interfere”, the AP reports.“The growth rate of the Uighur population is not only higher than that of the whole Xinjiang population, but also higher than that of the minority population, and more significantly higher than that of the Chinese majority Han population,” Xu said.Monday’s news conference was the latest attempt by Beijing to deflect rising international criticism over its policies in Xinjiang, particularly over alleged forced labour and the detention of more than one million Uighurs, Kazakhs and other minorities in prison-like centres for political indoctrination.Beijing says the centres are intended to combat extremism and teach job skills, but former inmates and rights groups say they target Islam.An Associated Press investigation in June found that the Chinese government was forcing birth control measures including IUD fittings, contraceptives, and even abortions and sterilisations on Uighurs, Kazakhs, and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang.The measures are backed by the threat of detention. Parents with three or more children are relocated to camps if they’re unable to pay large fines.As a result, the birth rate in Xinjiang’s minority regions plummeted by over 60% in just three years, just as Beijing eases birth restrictions on the Han Chinese population.Twitter took down the Chinese embassy’s tweet following protests by groups that accuse Beijing of seeking to eradicate Uighur culture. They complained the tweet was a violation of rules set by Twitter, which is blocked in China along with Facebook and other US social media platforms.Nihad Awad, executive director of The Council on American-Islamic Relations, said, “China’s fascist government is now openly admitting and celebrating its use of concentration camps, forced labour, forced sterilisations and abortions, and other forms of torture to eliminate an ethnic and religious minority.”


Minimal impact for Malaysia as ship remains stuck at Suez Canal

Industry sources expect only minimal impact for Malaysia as marine traffic came to a halt at one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes after a 400m cargo ship became wedged across a vital passage at the Suez Canal.Ever Given, a Japanese-owned ship carrying 200,000 containers of consumer goods bound for European markets, became stuck yesterday after it ran aground diagonally across the thin Suez Canal off Egypt following high winds and a dust storm.It is estimated that some 150 ships are waiting for the waterway to be cleared.The Suez Canal serves as a conduit between Africa and Asia, and handles about 10% of international maritime trade.According to shipping news journal Lloyd’s List, the deadlock caused by the incident could halt about US$9.6 billion worth of daily marine traffic in both directions.Much of the cargo plying the route consists of perishable consumer goods as well as crude oil from Asia heading to Europe.However, Malaysia’s trade volume in the region is not large.“We are not a big buyer from that region,” a maritime operator told MalaysiaNow on condition of anonymity.“If you have goods on board and if you need the goods to arrive at your buyer’s place and if it’s time-sensitive, then it will be affected.“But Malaysia is not a big exporter to that region because we don’t receive goods in large quantities from the Suez Canal.”Experts say the ship incident could have a global economic impact depending on how soon the waterway can be freed.“The longer it stays there, the more damage it will cause to the economy,” said economist Barjoyai Bardai of Universiti Tun Abdul Razak.Meanwhile, Yeah Kim Leng, an economics professor at Sunway University Business School, said the losses would mostly be faced by shipping companies.“Given that it will take a few days to dislodge the supertanker and allow normal traffic to resume, the economic impact is likely to be small,” he told MalaysiaNow.Meanwhile, a local maritime firm said its cargo ships would be affected in terms of estimated arrival time.Due to the blockage, cargo ships now have to take a different route through Africa towards Rotterdam, Netherlands.“It will take an additional 26 days,” said Jeyenderan Ramasamy, director of Maritime Network Sdn Bhd, a shipping company based in Klang.He said it would mean additional costs, due to the longer journey which requires more fuel.


Japan’s famous shinkansen trains desperate for a magic bullet

Airlines are not the only form of mass-transportation the coronavirus pandemic is laying low; Japan’s world-famous bullet trains are running nearly empty.A national campaign aimed at enlivening domestic travel is not delivering the hoped-for passenger boost for Japan’s shinkansen, or bullet trains. The campaign offers subsidies of up to 50% on transport, hotels and tourist attractions within Japan.Such steep discounts combined with the railway companies’ high fixed costs, means shinkansen operators will struggle to return to profitability even after the pandemic is over, Hiroshige Muraoka, an analyst at Nomura Research Institute told Bloomberg.Some politicians have already labelled the campaign a failure. Others are concerned that promoting tourism will only spread Covid-19 more widely.Coronavirus case numbers are still increasing, leaving people reluctant to take even short breaks for fear of infection, and many people who do want to travel prefer to drive in their own cars to avoid human contact.The Tokaido Shinkansen is the high-speed bullet train running between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. This is the fastest and most comfortable route for passengers travelling between Kyoto, an industrial city and tourist destination, and other major cities in Japan.In July, international tourists to Kyoto were down 99.8% from a year earlier, and numbers have hovered at close to zero for four consecutive months, while domestic travellers dropped 50%, according to the city’s tourism association.Yui Muranushi, a 24-year-old geisha who works in Kyoto’s high-end entertainment district, had been planning to visit Tokyo once a week in July by bullet train to perform at events as the nation prepared for the summer Olympics, which have now been delayed until next year.“Now, all my business in Tokyo has been cancelled,” Muranushi said. “Company executives are no longer visiting tea houses and I’m lucky if I have a single client.”Despite passengers disappearing, Japan is still introducing new bullet trains intended to roll out for the 2020 Tokyo games. The new trains can reach speeds of 360kph, but will be capped at “just” 285kph for passenger operations. The makers also claim the train is earthquake-proof.


Selangor state assembly to dissolve on June 23

Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has consented to the dissolution of the state legislative assembly to pave the way for elections in the state.
Bernama reported the ruler's private secretary Mohamad Munir Bani as saying that the assembly would be dissolved effective June 23.
Sultan Sharafuddin also signed the proclamation on the dissolution of the state assembly at a ceremony at Istana Alam Shah this morning.
Elections are due in six states this year: Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, Kedah, and Terengganu.
Kelantan has said that its state assembly will be dissolved on June 22, while the Penang government is seeking to dissolve its assembly on June 28.
The Terengganu government recently said it had yet to decide on a date for dissolution while in Kedah, the government plans to dissolve its assembly on June 28 as well.
Negeri Sembilan meanwhile has agreed to dissolve its state assembly on June 30.
The six states were previously reported to have reached an understanding to dissolve their state assemblies by the end of the month, to allow polling to be held simultaneously.
In Selangor, there are 56 seats in the legislative assembly. Of these, 40 are held by Pakatan Harapan (PH) and five by Barisan Nasional (BN), which are currently allies at the federal level.
Selangor, which has been under PH in various forms, is considered a frontline state due to its strategic economic and political position.
It was first wrested from the Umno-led BN by a loose coalition of PKR, DAP and PAS, which later formed Pakatan Rakyat.
In 2014, bickering over PKR's Kajang Move to replace the menteri besar led to a fallout between PAS and DAP, although the state administration continued until the 2018 general election.
PH then included Bersatu, its new ally which joined it in forming the federal government at the time.
But Bersatu soon broke ranks with PH, becoming the oppositon in the state alongside PAS and BN.
With BN and PH now part of the federal alliance, the election this time will tell whether Umno returns to form the state government for the first time since its downfall in 2008.
Umno failed to retain any of its federal seats in the state during last year's general election, with Perikatan Nasional (PN) making major inroads in BN's traditional strongholds.
With an electoral understanding in place to prevent clashes in seats, analysts are on the lookout for whether the outcome will favour PN or PH-BN.
Last week, former Umno leader Khairy Jamaluddin predicted that while PH supporters might vote for BN candidates, BN supporters would be more likely to choose candidates fielded by PN.


Border reopening in second quarter a ‘realistic target’, says Khairy

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says a “realistic target” for the reopening of Malaysia’s borders would be early in the second quarter of the year.He said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had given the health ministry two weeks to prepare guidelines for the border reopening.However, this did not mean the borders would be reopened in two weeks, he said, adding that the matter needs discussions at several levels.Khairy said the guidelines would first need to be presented to the Covid-19 Pandemic Management Committee, chaired by the prime minister, as well as the Covid-19 Quartet Ministers, before being brought to the Cabinet.“And that is why a huge decision like this cannot be made at the health ministry level as this is a major policy.“I expect early in the second quarter of the year as a realistic target, but let the prime minister decide on this,” he told reporters after an event in Batu Pahat yesterday.On US health regulators delaying the review of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for children under five after its two-dose regimen was found not to be working well against the Omicron variant, Khairy said technical working groups were regularly advising the health ministry on vaccine suitability.“We have two processes: one is approval by the regulatory body which is the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency, the other is views from expert groups.“The expert groups are now looking at data of the vaccine for children below five, and there are no recommendations to the health ministry so far,” he said.It was reported that the US Food and Drug Administration needed more data on the vaccine, delaying its decision for using it in children six months to four years of age for at least two months.


Vaccinated Singaporeans make up 75% of recent Covid-19 cases

Three quarters of Singapore’s Covid-19 infections in the last four weeks were among people already vaccinated, government data shows, as a rapid ramp-up in the city-state’s inoculations leaves fewer people unvaccinated, Reuters is reporting.Singapore has already inoculated nearly 75% of its 5.7 million people, the world’s second highest total after the UAE, a Reuters tracker shows, and half its population is fully vaccinated.The lion city reported 1,096 locally transmitted cases in the last 28 days, of which 484, or 44%, were fully vaccinated people, while 30% were partially vaccinated and the remaining 25% were unvaccinated.There were only seven severe cases requiring oxygen support and six of them were unvaccinated and one was partially vaccinated, the health ministry said.Experts say infections reported by vaccinated people do not mean vaccines are ineffective.“There is continuing evidence that vaccination helps to prevent serious disease if one gets infected,” the ministry said, adding all of the fully vaccinated infected people showed no symptoms or just mild symptoms.“As more and more people are vaccinated in Singapore, we will see more infections happening among vaccinated people,” said Teo Yik Ying, dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore (NUS).“It is important to always compare it against the proportion of people who remain unvaccinated. Suppose Singapore achieves a rate of 100% fully vaccinated – then all infections will stem from the vaccinated people and none from the unvaccinated.”The data also showed that infections in the last 14 days among vaccinated people aged over 61 were at about 88%, higher than the younger age group.Linfa Wang, a professor at Duke-NUS Medical School, said elderly people have been shown to have weaker immune responses upon vaccination.In Israel, which also has a high vaccination rate, about half of the 46 patients hospitalised as of early July in severe condition were vaccinated, and the majority were from higher risk groups, according to the health authorities.It was not immediately clear whether the data reflects reduced protection offered by vaccines against the more contagious Delta variant, which has been the most common version of the virus in Singapore in recent months.Singapore is using Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and Moderna for its national vaccination programme.It recorded 162 new locally-transmitted Covid-19 cases yesterday, close to an 11-month high from earlier this week.The rise in cases prompted authorities to tighten curbs on social gatherings, as they push to boost vaccination rates, especially among the elderly.


Covid jabs made compulsory for civil servants

The government has made it mandatory for all civil servants to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by Nov 1, failing which action can be taken against them.In a statement, the Public Service Department said this was to boost public confidence and to ensure the smooth delivery of services to the people.“It is also in line with efforts to restore government services to full operational levels based on the phases of the National Recovery Plan,” it said.It said nearly 98% of civil servants have been vaccinated so far with only 1.6% or 16,902 individuals who have yet to register for vaccination.“All civil servants must complete their vaccination by Nov 1,” it said. “During this period, unvaccinated officers must present themselves at the walk-in vaccination centres provided by the government.”It said those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons must submit their information, verified by government medical officers, to their heads of department.“If any civil servants have yet to be vaccinated after the period in question without obtaining an exemption from a government medical officer, they may be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with current regulations.“All civil servants are subject to the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993 [P.U. (A) 395/1993],” it said.


Italy’s virus death toll tops 100,000

Italy on Monday surpassed the grim milestone of 100,000 official coronavirus deaths, amid warnings the spread of new variants is fuelling a fresh wave of infections.Just over a year since it became the first European country to be overwhelmed by Covid-19, Italy’s health ministry recorded another 318 virus-related deaths, taking the total to 100,103.The figure is almost certainly an underestimate of the true toll, but is nevertheless shocking.When the pandemic started, “we could have never imagined that after a year… the official death toll would have neared the terrible threshold of 100,000,” said Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who took over last month.In a video message that represented his first public statement in three weeks, he added: “The pandemic has not yet been defeated, but with the acceleration of the vaccination plan, we can see a way out.”As in many other European countries, Italy’s vaccine programme has had a slow start, dogged in large part by a lack of jabs.It expects to have 50 million doses of coronavirus vaccines by the end of June, allowing for the vaccination of “at least half of our population” – some 30 million people – within the next four months, Health Minister Roberto Speranza said Sunday.Italy will start using the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine on people over the age of 65, while it also has high hopes for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which could win EU approval on March 11.So far, Italy has fully vaccinated only 1.65 million people.However, Speranza warned Monday that Italy faced difficult weeks as it needs “to flatten this [infection] curve at a time when variants make the virus even harder to handle”.New national lockdown?Weekly infection numbers rose by a third to more than 123,000 cases between Feb 24 and March 2, according to the Gimbe health think tank, the highest since early December.As hospital intensive care units are again coming under pressure, the government is considering new restrictions – including extending the current 10pm to 5am curfew and a national lockdown, according to media reports.“With these numbers we need stricter measures,” Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio wrote on Facebook, adding: “There is no alternative to stricter measures.”Tough new nationwide restrictions would be another blow for the economy, which was plunged into a historic recession by last year’s lockdown.But a poll published on the weekend by the Corriere della Sera newspaper suggested that 44% of Italians would back it, up from 30 per cent two weeks earlier.Tighter restrictions took effect Monday as southern Campania, which includes Naples, joined Basilicata and Molise in the list of “red” regions under lockdown.Lockdowns have also been enforced at more local level in dozens of provinces and cities – leading to the closure of bars, restaurants, museums and of all schools including nurseries.Face-to-face learning is now off for almost six million students, around two thirds of the total, according to specialised website Tuttoscuola.com.


PN candidate in Semarang pushes past language barriers to reach Chinese voters

Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) candidate for Semarang, Shazani Abdul Hamid, is proving a hit in the town of Ayer Hitam where her door-to-door campaign has been well received by the Chinese community in particular.Her secret? An ability to converse fluently in Mandarin, born of six years of education at a Chinese primary school.As she makes her way from one house to the next, she is greeted by smiles and friendly conversation.At 31, Shazani is a relatively young candidate but her fluency in Mandarin and soft-spoken demeanour just may be giving her an edge.She received her primary school education at SJK (C) Malayan in Ayer Hitam itself before continuing at SMK Datuk Menteri in the same district.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, she said the Chinese voters in Ayer Hitam appeared more trusting of her once they realised she could speak in Mandarin.Perikatan Nasional’s candidate for Semarang, Shazani Abdul Hamid.“In the village area here, there are some Chinese who cannot speak very well in Malay,” she said when met after the day’s campaign activities in Kampung Sawah Sagil.“When I speak to them in Mandarin, they become more comfortable in telling me about the issues they face.”Shazani, who also goes by her nickname of Nani, said the villagers would also speak of their dissatisfaction with corrupt leaders, especially those embroiled in court cases and who have already been found guilty of the charges against them.“Their concern so far is the economy,” she said. “They have been badly affected. They don’t want anymore greedy leaders who are incapable of taking care of the economy.”Many are also happy to see younger candidates in the field, she said.“They want young candidates, regardless of race,” she added.About 13% of the 27,000-odd voters in Semarang are from the Chinese community.Shazani is up against three other candidates from Pejuang, Barisan Nasional (BN) and PKR.BN’s candidate, Samsolbari Jamali, is the secretary of Johor Umno and has held the seat for four terms.When asked how she first became interested in politics, Shazani said her family members had registered to join Bersatu after Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) victory at the 14th general election.She said they had admired the leadership of Muhyiddin Yassin and Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who co-founded the party with him.It wasn’t just that it was a new party, she said. They also liked the fact that its leaders had clean records and were vocal in fighting corruption in the government.Her family was also close to former menteri besar Osman Sapian, whose death triggered the election in the state.“Osman supported my venture into politics,” she said. “He approved. He was my motivation to do all of this.”Her late father, meanwhile, had known Samsolbari.“So people here say that me competing with Samsolbari is like a grandchild going up against her grandfather,” she said.Shazani is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree through distance learning in marketing and business management at Universiti Teknologi Mara in Pasir Gudang.Nevertheless, she is also ready to serve and to give her focus to the issues if she is elected on polling day this Saturday.“My team and I have already made plans for this area,” she said. “We have Plan A, B and C – what to do and so on.”Even during the campaign period, she said, people had reached out to her on social media asking for help.“We quickly informed the party so that action could be taken,” she said.“We are the candidates, so we channel the requests to those who can take immediate steps. We know that Muhyiddin is always clear about this.”


Adelaide becomes latest Australian city to lock down

Adelaide will on Tuesday become the latest in a string of Australian cities to lock down, as the largely unvaccinated nation struggles to contain a rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak.The state of South Australia, of which Adelaide is the capital, said it would join Sydney and Melbourne in locking down after five local cases were detected.The decision means more than 14 million Australians are now under orders to stay at home.“From 6pm tonight, South Australia moves into lockdown,” state premier Steven Marshall said from Adelaide, indicating the measures would be in place for at least seven days.“We hate putting these restrictions in place, but we believe we have just one chance – one chance to get this right.”Only 11% of Australia’s 25 million people are currently vaccinated. But until now, widespread community transmission had been contained.For the past month, authorities have been fighting to quash an outbreak of the fast-spreading Delta variant, which started after an overseas flight crew infected a Sydney driver.The virus has since jumped state borders, creating around 100 new cases every day across the vast island nation.A Sydney lockdown, now in its fourth week, has slowed the spread of the virus there but has failed to eliminate new infections.The Sydney outbreak has now grown to 1,418 cases, with 78 new infections reported on Tuesday.Residents are only allowed to leave home for exercise, to buy food or for a handful of other closely defined reasons.At the same time, authorities in Melbourne on Tuesday said a snap five-day lockdown, which had been due to end, would be extended at least another seven days.In Queensland, authorities are also on high alert after a woman who visited several tourist sites tested positive for the virus.


Gig work for all as Covid crisis shakes up professional world?

Most of the time, the term “gig worker” conjures up visions of food delivery riders, couriers, and other positions that do not require an extensive resume.But as the Covid-19 crisis continues spawning other crises of financial and economic nature, more and more professionals who are both qualified and skilled are turning to short-term, contract work in their own fields.Sookie Ng, a writer in the creative industry who is currently working with a publishing firm in Kuala Lumpur, was holding a steady job but wanted to do other work on the side.The trouble was, most of the side jobs she found were completely unrelated to her field of expertise.“Everywhere I looked, it was just full-time jobs. If it was a part-time job, it was either a delivery job or a tech-related job.”Part-time work related to her industry was thin on the ground, it seemed. She was also mindful of the bad experiences she had heard of from others, about employers who were too demanding or who even skimped on pay.One day, she came across an ad on Facebook which sparked her interest. It was about a job portal that hooked applicants up with prospective employers looking for short-term help.“I sent in a few applications and didn’t think too much about it after that.“But to my surprise, I got a response from the employer and then I got hired, and I did the job and got paid,” she told MalaysiaNow.The term “gig worker” was popularised when demand began to build for delivery services. Many scrambled for a chance to earn a side income by delivering food or goods or ferrying passengers.While there is no official data on the number of gig workers in Malaysia, it is estimated at around 250,000 to 300,000.Shahryn Azmi, founder and executive director of portal MakeTimePay, said given the right opportunity many professionals were open to doing gig work related to their experience and qualifications.“These factors are why we have been rapidly gaining ground,” he said, adding that the portal currently has over 120,000 job opportunities to offer.Through the portal, he said, an accountant who wants to earn a bit more on the side has no need of becoming a food deliveryman.Instead, he can apply his experience and expertise to short-term tasks for companies in need of such professionals.“These gig workers are paid for their time based on their skills and qualifications,” he added.Algorithms are used to match applicants with the appropriate jobs although this method is not always entirely accurate as some tasks do not require academic or professional skills, only interest and experience.But on the whole, the concept has been welcomed by workers, employers and companies alike.“The traditional employment method has always been to hire full-time workers, or not to hire at all,” Shahryn said.“But now, it’s ‘hire as needed’. People could be hired for an hour, or for a day, a week or a month.”It’s not only professionals who have been sending in their applications. Students, too, have been looking for a way to earn some money on the side.Delson Ngan, who studies at the Asia Pacific Institute of Technology, enjoyed working part-time but could not always find a job that would fit. When his friend mentioned the portal and the concept on which it was based, he thought he would give it a shot.“I didn’t have much to do during my free time, even more so during the movement control order (MCO), so I thought why not just make a quick buck somewhere.”Ngan is in the tech industry but as he is not a programmer, finding a part-time job was tough.“But the selection on MakeTimePay seems broader, and I came across a few that are suitable for me,” he said.Shahryn said the MCO and Covid-19 crisis had brought about severe challenges for micro SMEs in particular, which are struggling to manage their overhead costs.“One moment, operations are closed and the next there is mad demand. The only way this can be made to work is by having access to an on-demand workforce.“This is the way to the future, work-wise,” he said.


Only half of SPM candidates plan to continue studying, survey shows

Only half of Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates plan to pursue their studies at the tertiary level, with 32% saying this option is not as beneficial as it once was, a recent study has revealed.
The study, conducted by the UCSI Poll Research Centre, saw the participation of 1,000 respondents who were asked about their plans after completing their SPM exam.
Just over half (51%) said they planned to continue studying, while 39% said they would look for a job and 10% had no plans.
When asked about the option of continuing their studies, 68% said that this was a "life changer" while 32% said it was not as beneficial as before.
When asked why they did not want to continue their studies, 34% said they needed to work to pay for their education.
Some 32% said they did not want to be burdened with a student loan, 32% said education fees were very high, and 22% said they did not do well at school.
Twenty-one percent said that education does not guarantee a better job, 20% said they could still get paid as much as those who had continued their studies, and 6% said they could not handle exam stress.
Asked what kind of job they were interested in, 34% of those who did not intend to further their studies said they wanted to become social media affiliates or influencers.
Some 26% referred to the e-hailing sector, and 22% said they would start their own business in the food and beverages sector.
When asked if they would be interested in the government's technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programme, 41% of the group said yes and 59% said no.
MalaysiaNow reported late last year that university was no longer the destination of choice for some school-leavers despite them doing well in their SPM.
Data from the statistics department showed that in 2019, some 390,000 or 72.1% of SPM graduates were not inclined to continue their studies.
These numbers were in line with the trend in other countries including the UK where, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, only two-thirds of school-leaving students said it was important to attend university.
Some students who spoke to MalaysiaNow said university classes were "old school" and not in line with developments in the digital era.
They also cited the cost of a university degree, which can run into tens of thousands of ringgit.


Another drop takes new cases to 17,500

Another 17,577 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,067,327.Sarawak recorded 3,480 cases, Selangor 2,646, Johor 2,334, Perak 1,596, Sabah 1,533, Penang 1,462 and Kedah 1,173.Kelantan recorded 869 cases, Pahang 832, Terengganu 719, Kuala Lumpur 366, Melaka 287 and Negeri Sembilan 198.Perlis recorded 41 cases, Putrajaya 31 and Labuan 10.Another 22,970 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 1,823,248.Meanwhile 1,223 are in the ICU, including 891 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 720 are in need of respiratory assistance including 410 confirmed Covid-19 cases.


Coalition govt may not be formed in all states, says Zahid

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday hinted that the formation of a coalition government expected in Melaka might not occur in other states, including Johor.
The deputy prime minister said this was because the political situation in Melaka differed from those in other states.
"I hope there is no speculation because the important thing is political stability, not only at the national level, but we believe that stability also needs to be established for the administration in each state," he told reporters in Muar.
Zahid also said that the most important thing for the people was political stability, which would translate into an influx of investments as well as economic opportunities based on better investor trust.
"Stability will also bring confidence to the people in the leadership of the state itself and I believe that what Prime Minister (Anwar Ibrahim) hopes for is political stability," said Zahid.
The political scene in Melaka has been in the spotlight since earlier this week, when Sulaiman Md Ali resigned as the 12th chief minister.
Melaka is currently fully governed by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government. Melaka BN holds 21 of the 28 seats in the state assembly, while Pakatan Harapan (PH) has five seats and Perikatan Nasional (PN) has two.
Zahid, the Umno president, said the party had proposed Melaka Umno chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh for the chief minister’s post.
When asked what political changes were expected in Melaka under the new state government, he expressed confidence that the spirit of the coalition government at the national level would be successfully translated at the state level, as well as in the next six state elections.
"We must allow good optics and narratives to widen the formation of this unity government at the state level. I was also informed that at the Johor state level, it is being implemented in its own way, where the state government has given appropriate allocations to all members of the Johor state assembly.
"And this certainly provides good optics for the Johor state government and it will provide a balance between the state government represented by Barisan Nasional assemblymen and assemblymen from other coalition parties, including those not aligned with the federal government," he said.
At the last Johor election, BN won more than two-thirds of the seats with 40 of the 56 contested seats, followed by PH with 13 seats and PN with three seats.


Royal wards or squatters in Johor?

Amid the hustle and bustle of Pasir Gudang town in Johor, a squatter settlement is slowly growing, becoming more densely populated and sparking concerns over safety among the residents in the area.At Kampung Pasir Putih, the houses are built close together, making it difficult for the water to flow down to the river each time heavy rain causes one of the area’s frequent flash floods.At nearly every alley stand old wooden jetties, constructed long ago and now rotting under the weight of the years. The very structure of the soil on which the houses were built has settled due to nearby land reclamation works.Some of the original villagers who spoke to MalaysiaNow said they were worried about the situation.They said the squatters whose issues have lingered for six decades now appear to have become too comfortable to change.One of them, who spoke on condition of anonymity, blamed the squatter settlement on seaside home owners who reclaim their own land along the shore and build houses there without the permission of the local government.A fisherman sits on the ground outside his house as he mends his nets on a wet day in Kampung Pasir Putih.Eventually, he said, such activities became widespread and uncontrollable.“Are they wilfully refusing to leave because they live here for free and are too comfortable in their squatter area?” he said.“Or are they truly forced to stay here because they cannot afford to buy a house or have other financial problems? There are many issues involved here.”Kampung Pasir Putih was one of three main villages established in the area around 1920. Today, it is the only one still standing.Located some 10 minutes away from the Pasir Gudang port, it is also home to a number of fishermen and factory workers.The villager who spoke to MalaysiaNow said the squatters were becoming bolder as no action had been taken against them.He said they were now reclaiming land of their own and building more squatter houses to be sold to fishermen and factory workers who wanted them.As the squatter settlement grows, so too does the discomfort of the original villagers.Family members prepare the dowry for a nephew who is soon to be wed while several small children look on at their squatter house in Kampung Pasir Putih.“If the squatter area were not so big, this village would be neater and cleaner.”Especially now, with the Covid-19 pandemic still raging, he said, the cramped homes and close proximity of the squatters could cause a spike in infections.The villagers are also worried about one of their few claims to fame: a seafood restaurant which draws customers from across the country including VIPs and even members of the royalty.Now, though, it is surrounded by squatter homes.‘Our village’MalaysiaNow’s visit to the village found the situation as described: cramped and dirty, with more houses under construction as the villager had said.At a store selling sundry goods, a group of men from the squatter community who were there after a day at sea said they were not angry about the situation. Nevertheless, they believe that whether legally or not, they are now part of the village area.“Don’t disturb our village,” they added.A group of men sit at a coffee shop in Kampung Pasir Putih.They also claimed that the village was under the watch of the Johor sultan, saying many of the squatters were of Bugis descent – a reference to the lineage of the Johor royal family.For this reason, they believe that they are under the protection of the Johor palace.“The sultan loved this village,” one of them said. “Before this, he used to come to visit. There were no problems.”MalaysiaNow understands that the squatters play strongly on such sentiments to avoid being evicted from the village.“They rely on Bugis sentiments as they are afraid they will be chased out,” another villager said to MalaysiaNow.“They themselves know that many of them are not Malaysian citizens. Nearly all of them come from other countries.”The villager said they had referred the matter to the village chief as well as the local authorities several times before, but have seen no change in the situation.“It’s not that we don’t like the squatters,” he added. “It’s not that. We understand that some of them are truly in dire straits.“But there are also some living there who have bought two or three houses in Masai,” he said, referring to the town in Pasir Gudang.“What then? The local government must be fair and ensure that only those who really deserve it are given land.”A narrow alleyway divides one row of houses from the next at the squatter settlement in Kampung Pasir Putih.Otherwise, he said, left to their own devices, the squatters paid no rent.“But their garbage still gets collected even though they don’t pay anything. That’s unfair.”‘Waiting to be kicked out’Nevertheless, MalaysiaNow understands that efforts to curry favour with the palace through Bugis sentiments may be fruitless as a project to set up a resort centre near the village is in the pipeline.A source said the project had been about to take off but was suspended due to resistance from Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his second tenure as prime minister after the 2018 general election.“There were some issues,” the source said. “The state government wanted to take all of the land by the sea. Next to the village, there’s the Puteri Resort, a golf club and an abandoned plot of bungalow land. They wanted to develop it under Forest City.“But after Pakatan Harapan won, Mahathir objected. Forest City wanted to invest there, and to build a resort with a theme park.“I have seen with my own eyes the blueprints of the project in Subang Jaya,” the source added. “They have put up advertisements already.”The source said this came as a surprise as the squatters were unlikely to know about the situation.“Every day, they say the village is under palace protection – but they are the ones who will be kicked out.”MalaysiaNow reached out to the Pasir Putih village chief for more details but he declined to respond.


Police fire tear gas, fine Paris protest convoy

Paris police fired teargas and issued hundreds of fines on Saturday to break up a convoy of vehicles that attempted to block traffic in a protest over Covid restrictions and rising living costs.Inspired by the truckers that shut down the Canadian capital Ottawa, thousands of demonstrators from across France made their way to Paris in a self-proclaimed “freedom convoy” of cars, trucks and vans.The police, which had banned the protest, moved quickly to try to clear the cars at entry points to the city, handing out 283 fines for participation in an unauthorised protest.But over 100 vehicles managed to converge on the famous Champs-Elysees avenue, where police used teargas to disperse protesters in scenes reminiscent of the “yellow vest” anti-government riots of 2018-2019.The demonstrators oppose the Covid vaccine pass required to access many public venues but some also took aim at rising energy and food prices, issues which ignited the “yellow vest” protests that shook France in late 2018 and early 2019.Aurelie M, a 42-year-old administrative assistant in a Parisian company, complained that the health pass meant she could no longer take a long-distance TGV train even if she tested negative for Covid in a home test.“There’s so much inconsistency and unfairness,” she told AFP, noting that commuters could still cram onto a crowded Paris metro without proof of vaccination.Sixty-five-year-old factory worker Jean-Paul Lavigne said he travelled across the country from the southwestern town of Albi to protest fuel, food and electricity price hikes as well as the pressure on people to get vaccinated.The demonstrations come two months ahead of presidential elections, in which President Emmanuel Macron is expected to seek re-election.On Friday, the centrist French leader, who is a figure of hate for the far left, said he understood the “fatigue” linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.‘Fatigue leads to anger’“This fatigue also leads to anger. I understand it and I respect it. But I call for the utmost calm,” he told the Ouest-France newspaper.Nearly 7,200 officers equipped with armoured vehicles and water cannon were deployed to keep the peace in Paris.Police showed off their arsenal on Twitter, publishing photographs of loader tractors for the removal of barricades.The convoys set out from Nice in the south, Lille and Vimy in the north, Strasbourg in the east and Chateaubourg in the west.‘It’s a betrayal’They are demanding the withdrawal of the government’s vaccine pass and more help with their energy bills.“People need to see us, and to listen to the people who just want to live a normal and free life,” said Lisa, a 62-year-old retired health worker travelling in the Chateaubourg convoy, who did not want to give her surname.Paris police banned the gathering saying it posed a threat to public order and said protesters who tried to block roads would face fines or arrest.The order prohibiting the assembly of convoys was upheld on Friday by the courts, which rejected two appeals.“It’s a betrayal. The basis of the order is not respectful of the law, of the freedom to demonstrate,” anti-vaccine and “yellow vest” activist Sophie Tissier told AFP.The prime minister defended the clampdown.“The right to demonstrate and to have an opinion are a constitutionally guaranteed right in our republic and in our democracy. The right to block others or to prevent coming and going is not,” he said.From Paris, some of the protesters plan to travel on to Brussels for a “European convergence” of protesters planned there for Monday.Phil, a 58-year-old on his way by truck from Brittany, said his refusal to get vaccinated had created “upheaval” in his family and work relations.“When you join a demonstration you feel less alone,” he told AFP.


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‘Surprise’ urban floods drive pleas for climate action

The damaged furniture and mud-caked walls left by floodwaters have now been replaced or cleaned in Elizabeth Chong’s family home, but lost forever are old photos and documents that gave a precious glimpse into her ancestors’ lives.On the street in Kuala Lumpur where Chong’s family have lived for almost a century residents have coped with regular flooding for decades – but nothing prepared them for the devastation caused by rising waters late last year.Chong, who lives in a two-storey house with her disabled aunt and retired mother, was among more than 120,000 people displaced by heavy rains and severe flooding in mid-December and early January across the country.“We knew that it was raining constantly and we expected a flood – but not to that extent,” the 22-year-old told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.“The doors burst open. Water came in like crazy. All of a sudden it was chest high,” said Chong, an administrator for a pharmaceutical company and a part-time student.Disasters in 2021 from extreme weather and natural phenomenon such as earthquakes resulted in a global economic loss of US$270 billion, according to a March report by the Swiss Re Institute.Floods alone accounted for 31% of those losses, it noted.Like many Southeast Asian nations, Malaysia suffers regular flooding during its annual monsoon season but such widespread destruction rarely occurs in the richest states, including the capital and neighbouring Selangor.Urban areas across the region – already struggling to cope with booming populations, rapid urbanisation and crumbling infrastructure – now face heightened threats from climate change-driven storms, heatwaves, floods and forest fires.Malaysia’s recent floods – some in areas once considered immune to such damage – caused nearly US$1.5 billion in losses and were described by government officials as a “once-every-100-years” weather event.But victims say the country’s response to the floods was often slow and inadequate, and green groups are now calling on the government to introduce laws to cut climate changing emissions and boost emergency response and adaptation efforts.“Floods occur every year somewhere, at some time in the country,” said Salleh Mohd Nor, a former president and senior adviser at the Malaysian Nature Society.“To say that this (flood) is one-in-100-years is something I doubt… with climate change the rains will be more frequent and torrential,” he added.Waiting for rescueThe last time deep floodwaters entered Chong’s terraced house – which sits near a river and in the shadow of a huge mall and fancy hotels – was in 2000. One of her earliest memories is of falling into floodwaters as an infant.Renovations to the house over the years have included adding an additional floor, raising the structure by two feet (0.6m), and installing a flood barrier.Authorities also completed construction of a key drainage and road tunnel in 2007, to guard against flash floods in the capital and help ease traffic congestion.But after more than three days of near-constant rain in late December, floodwaters rose in about three hours from a trickle in Chong’s home to touching the ceiling of the ground floor.She and her family were forced to seek safety on the dry upper floor where, in darkness after the electricity was cut, she began frantically calling emergency services on her mobile phone. Nobody answered.As trapped neighbours shouted questions and instructions to each other through windows, Chong phoned her local fire station and was told to call the national government helpline.A quick Google search showed that it only operated from 9am to 6pm, she said.Fire crews eventually used a boat to rescue Chong’s family from the balcony, dropping them off on higher ground – and in the rain – without additional help, she added.They temporarily moved in with family that lived elsewhere in the city, and the next day she returned home with her mother to salvage some belongings.“This house had a lot of photos,” Chong said. “Historical, valued things from my grandparent’s time were all ruined.”Vanished forestsMalaysia was once entirely covered in trees but nearly half have now vanished, according to green group WWF.The country has lost nearly a fifth of its primary forest since 2002, though deforestation rates have fallen in recent years, according to monitoring service Global Forest Watch (GFW).Analysts say forest losses may be contributing to the worsening floods, with many of the hardest-hit states also showing the highest deforestation rates, according to GFW data.As news reports emerged of rivers and flooded areas awash with logs, opposition politicians called on the government of Pahang, east of Kuala Lumpur, to check on illegal and uncontrolled logging.Damien Thanam Divean, vice-president of non-governmental organisation Peka Malaysia, said clear-cutting of forests, to plant crops such as palm oil and durian, had reduced the ability of land to absorb water, worsening floods.He called for a change in the national constitution to put forest management under federal control, with funds allocated to states to promote conservation efforts.The environment and water ministry and Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.Still, it is difficult to prove that deforestation upstream caused any specific flooding event, said John-Rob Pool, the implementation manager for Cities4Forests, led by the World Resources Institute, a US-based think tank.During heavy rains, however, forests and fallen vegetation slow runoff, allowing more water to enter the soil and reducing the amount flowing downstream.That means, “restoring forests is an absolute no-regret strategy” whether for biodiversity protection or lowering flood risk, Pool said.Typically, seasonal floods happen more along the eastern coast of the peninsula, said Renard Siew, a climate change advisor at think-tank the Centre for Governance and Political Studies – so the floods in December came as a shock to many urban residents.They “never thought the time would come when they would actually have to evacuate from their homes for safety,” he said. “That took them by surprise.”Climate change played a role in the severity of the rains and floods, he said, but other factors also contributed to the damage, from garbage-clogged city drains to construction on formerly green areas.He urged the government to better protect forests and mangroves, plant more urban trees and introduce a climate change act to help ministries and authorities work better together.“We saw in December that things were not as coordinated as they should be,” he said.Slow recoveryKuala Lumpur resident Chong’s salary barely covers the household bills and her flood-hit family received no clean-up or financial help from the federal government, she said.But local charities, non-government organisations and others stepped in to help – including Chong’s employer which set up a fund to replace damaged items while friends chipped in with plates, cups and a rice cooker.The house is now clean of mud but still needs major repairs on the electrics and toilets – and Chong’s wheelchair-bound aunt now lives in temporary accommodation provided by an NGO.Chong blames the loss of trees – and a lack of investment in flood prevention infrastructure – for her family’s losses.“One of the reasons why it floods so much is because they cut down too many trees or burn down trees to make way for developments and palm oil plantations,” she said.


Ukraine nuclear plant escapes meltdown, Zelensky says as Moscow, Kyiv trade blame

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the world narrowly avoided a radiation disaster as the last regular line supplying electricity to Ukraine's Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was restored hours after being cut.
Zelenskiy blamed shelling on Thursday by Russia's military for fires in the ash pits of a nearby coal power station that disconnected the reactor complex, Europe's largest such facility, from the power grid. He said back-up diesel generators ensured power supply and keep the plant safe.
"If our station staff had not reacted after the blackout, then we would have already been forced to overcome the consequences of a radiation accident," he said in an evening address. "Russia has put Ukraine and all Europeans in a situation one step away from a radiation disaster."
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials should be given access to the site within days, he said, "before the occupiers take the situation to the point of no return."
Ukrainian state nuclear company Energoatom said it had been the first complete disconnection in the plant's history. Electricity is used for cooling and safety systems.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February, captured the plant in March and has controlled it since, although Ukrainian technicians still operate it.
Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of shelling the site, fuelling fears of a nuclear disaster.
Writing on Telegram, Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-appointed official in the occupied town of Enerhodar near the plant, said satellite photos showed the local forest in flames. He said towns in the area lost power for several hours on Thursday.
"This was caused by the disconnection of power lines from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station as a result of provocations by Zelenskiy's fighters," Rogov wrote. "The disconnection itself was triggered by a fire and short circuit on the power lines."
Nuclear experts have warned of the risk of damage to the plant's spent nuclear fuel pools or its reactors. Cuts in power needed to cool the pools could cause a disastrous meltdown.
The United Nations is seeking access to the plant and has called for the area to be demilitarised. IAEA officials are "very, very close" to being able to visit Zaporizhzhia, agency director-general Rafael Grossi said on Thursday.
Ukraine's energy minister said agency officials could travel to the plant in the coming days.
"Definitely no later than the beginning of September," German Galushchenko told Reuters in Kyiv.
As the war entered its seventh month, Russia said its forces had struck a railway station in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, confirming an attack which Kyiv said killed 25 civilians as the nation marked its Independence Day.
The Russian defence ministry said an Iskander missile hit a military train at Chaplyne station that was to deliver arms to Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donbas region.
Ukrainian officials said 21 people were killed when the station was hit and five train carriages went up in flames, and that a boy died when a missile struck his home nearby. The death toll rose to 25 on Thursday after three more bodies were retrieved from rubble, the officials said.
The Russian defence ministry said 200 Ukrainian military personnel were killed in the attack. Moscow denies targeting civilians and has said rail infrastructure is a legitimate target since it serves to supply Ukraine with Western weapons.
Reuters was unable independently to verify the reports.
Nurlcear plant risk
The fighting in the area around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station has been a source of concern for weeks.
The complex supplied more than 20% of Ukraine's electricity needs and its loss would pile new strain on the government.
Russia's ground campaign has stalled in recent months after its troops were repelled from the capital Kyiv in the early weeks of the invasion.
Russian forces control a swathe of territory in the south along Ukraine's Black Sea and Sea of Azov coasts, while the conflict has settled into a war of attrition in the Donbas.
In its daily briefing, Russia's defence ministry said it had destroyed eight Ukrainian warplanes in strikes at air bases in Ukraine's Poltava and Dnipropetrovsk regions. That would be one of the heaviest losses for Ukraine's air force in recent weeks.
Kyiv has repeatedly called for more, high-grade Western military hardware it says it needs to repel Russian attacks.
Zelensky spoke on Thursday by phone with US President Joe Biden, who reiterated US support for Ukraine against Russia, the White House said.
In a move that might bolster Western estimates of heavy Russian losses during the war, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday increasing the size of Russia's armed forces to 2.04 million from 1.9 million.
The Kremlin says its aim is to "denazify" and demilitarise Ukraine and remove perceived security threats to Russia.
That is dismissed by Ukraine and the West as a baseless pretext for a war of conquest that has killed thousands of civilians, displaced millions and left cities in ruins. It has also shaken the global economy, creating shortages of essential foods and sending energy prices soaring.


Nora Anne inquest adjourned to Sept 14

The inquest at the Seremban Coroner’s Court into the death of Irish-French teenager Nora Anne Quoirin has been adjourned to Sept 14 after a two-week hearing.Coroner Maimoonah Aid said two witnesses would be called to testify at the hearing on Sept 14.Fourteen of the 64 witnesses lined up for the inquest have testified at the hearing since it began on Aug 24.Nora Anne, 15, went missing on Aug 4 last year, a day after she and her family arrived in Malaysia for a two-week holiday at a resort in Pantai, about 60km south of Kuala Lumpur.Her body was found on Aug 13 near a stream about 2.5km from the resort following a massive search conducted by the authorities.


Don't insult nation's heroes, Faizal slams Anwar over bribes for military personnel claim

Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu today slammed his rival Anwar Ibrahim after the PKR president claimed that vote-buying activities were ongoing among military personnel, saying this showed not only desperation but also a lack of respect for the over 140,000 servicemen and their family members voting at the coming polls.
"Military personnel risk their lives every day to protect Malaysia. These heroes deserve praise, and should not be insulted as bribe takers without any proof or evidence," Faizal said in a statement.
"It is clear that Anwar Ibrahim is getting more 'desperate' because it is apparent that Pakatan Harapan (PH) is getting less support from the people during this campaign period."
Speaking at a ceramah in Kuala Nerus on Friday, Anwar claimed that armed forces personnel had already started to vote although early voting is scheduled for Nov 15.
He also claimed that military voters were being paid RM300 each by Barisan Nasional, adding that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was working in cahoots with Perikatan Nasional "to ensure there is fraud in the electoral process".
In an immediate response, the Election Commission urged those with information on corruption to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Faizal said Anwar's claim was "the most irresponsible and malicious" statement made by any politician throughout the election campaign so far.
"Anwar has not shown any evidence to support this malicious accusation. It is a wild accusation, without basis or evidence.
"There are 146,737 military voters and their spouses who are eligible to vote in GE15. Anwar has insulted them and called them bribe takers.
"Accepting a bribe is a crime. Does Anwar think that our military personnel are all criminals?" he asked.
He said Anwar's statement appeared to be a ploy, to paint the election process as unfair in the event that PH is defeated at the polls.
"Is Anwar prepared to retract the insult to the country's armed forces personnel and their families and make a public apology?"


Zahid gives Noh Omar the sack after rejecting suspension

The Umno Supreme Council chaired by its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has sacked Noh Omar, the former Selangor Umno chief told reporters after walking out of the party's top leadership body meeting tonight.
It is learnt that Noh, one of five senior party members slated for suspension or expulsion for criticising Zahid, was initially given a six-year suspension alongside former information chief Shahril Hamdan.
Noh himself confirmed the matter after emerging from the meeting tonight.
"When it was announced that I was suspended, (I said) why suspend, might as well sack.
"Why remain in the struggle, in the party that I have fought for since 1976? I have sacrificed for the party, but it seems today that the party is being used for personal interests," Noh said.

Former Selangor Umno chief Noh Omar speaks to reporters after a meeting of the party's Supreme Council in Kuala Lumpur, Jan 27. Photo: Bernama

According to Noh, Zahid immediately agreed to his request to be sacked instead.
"I said, 'thank you'," he said, adding that he had yet to appear before the party's disciplinary board in an appointment scheduled for Monday.


Man filmed scolding nasi lemak seller charged in court

A man who was caught on video scolding and insulting a nasi lemak seller was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court today with the offence as well as for failing to wear a face mask.Businessman J Shyamalan, 33, however pleaded not guilty to both charges, which were read out separately before magistrate Wong Chai Sia.On the first charge of insulting the nasi lemak seller, Shyamalan, who has three children, was accused of intending to insult the modesty of the 23-year-old woman, which is an offence under Section 509 of the Penal Code.If found guilty, he could be jailed for up to five years, fined or both.Shyamalan was also charged with violating Regulation 17 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within Infected Local Areas) 2021 by not wearing face mask in a public area.The offences were allegedly committed in front of a shop at Jalan Desa Bakti, Taman Desa at 10.30am on July 18.Shyamalan, represented by lawyer John Das, was allowed bail of RM4,000 with one surety for both charges. The court set Aug 24 for mention.Deputy public prosecutor Wan Ahmad Hakimi Wan Ahmad Jaafar prosecuted.


Timah manufacturer to consider change of name for whiskey

The manufacturer behind homegrown whiskey brand Timah has agreed to consider a change of name and image for the alcoholic beverage following the controversy that broke early last month in which several quarters claimed that these might be confusing for Muslims.Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said a meeting had been held with representatives from the company and several other ministers.“The company Winepark Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd has asked for a week to discuss a change of name and image on the label with their shareholders and board of directors,” he said in a statement today.He added that the meeting which was held through a hybrid approach was held in a harmonious manner in line with the Malaysian Family concept to find a resolution for the good of the country.Named after the Malay word for “tin”, Timah is Malaysia’s first locally produced, award winning whiskey.Winepark had said in a Facebook post on Oct 16 that the label features Captain Tristram Speedy, an English officer who was in Malaya during the British colonial era.However, several quarters had objected to the name and image, with police reports lodged on the matter.


3 PN reps to discuss equal allocations for opposition MPs

Three Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs have been selected to represent the coalition in talks with Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof on allocations for opposition MPs, says PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
He said the three MPs were parliamentary opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin Hassan and Putrajaya MP Radzi Jidin.
"We have three representatives from the opposition to hold negotiations which are expected to be held in the near future," he told a press conference in Kota Bharu last night.
The Kubang Kerian MP also welcomed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s statement that he agreed in principle on giving equal allocation to opposition MPs.
"We hope it can be expedited and I expect there will only be one round of negotiations," he said. Meanwhile, Tuan Ibrahim said discussions among PN components on the allocation of seats for the elections in six states were going smoothly.
He said he had no information on rumours that former Ketereh MP Annuar Musa would join PAS.
"I don’t have information about it, maybe he discussed it directly with the PAS secretary-general (Takiyuddin).
"We heard rumours that he wants to join PAS, and if it’s true, we welcome him, not only him but anyone from Umno who has been suspended or sacked from the party," he said.


China announces nationwide loosening of Covid restrictions

China announced Wednesday a nationwide loosening of Covid restrictions following protests against the hardline strategy that grew into calls for greater political freedoms.
Anger over China's zero-Covid policy – which involved mass lockdowns, constant testing and quarantines even for people who are not infected – stoked unrest not seen since the 1989 pro-democracy protests.
Under the new guidelines announced by the National Health Commission, the frequency and scope of PCR testing – long a tedious mainstay of life in zero-Covid China – will be reduced.
Lockdowns will also be scaled down and people with non-severe Covid cases can isolate at home instead of centralised government facilities.
And people will no longer be required to show a green health code on their phone to enter public buildings and spaces, except for "nursing homes, medical institutions, kindergartens, middle and high schools".
The new rules scrap the forced quarantines for people with no symptoms or with mild cases.
"Asymptomatic infected persons and mild cases who are eligible for home isolation are generally isolated at home, or they can voluntarily choose centralised isolation for treatment," the new rules read.
"Mass PCR testing only carried out in schools, hospitals, nursing homes and high-risk work units; scope and frequency of PCR testing to be further reduced," they added.
"People travelling across provinces do not need to provide a 48h test result and do not need to test upon arrival."
China will also accelerate the vaccination of the elderly, the NHC said, long seen as a major obstacle to the relaxation of Beijing's no-tolerance approach to Covid.
Rare demonstrations against the ruling Communist Party's zero-Covid strategy broke out across China late last month.
They expanded into calls for more political freedoms, with some even calling for President Xi Jinping to resign.
Authorities cracked down on subsequent efforts to protest while easing a number of restrictions, with some Chinese cities tentatively rolling back mass testing and curbs on movement.
The capital Beijing, where many businesses have fully reopened, said this week that commuters were no longer required to show a negative virus test taken within 48 hours to use public transport.
Financial hub Shanghai – which underwent a brutal two-month lockdown this year – announced the same rules, with residents able to enter outdoor venues such as parks and tourist attractions without a recent test.
And once dominated by doom and gloom coverage of the dangers of the virus and scenes of pandemic chaos abroad, China's tightly controlled media dramatically shifted tone to support a tentative moving away from zero-Covid.
The prevalent Omicron strain is "not at all like last year's Delta variant", Guangzhou-based medicine professor Chong Yutian said in an article published by the Communist Party-run China Youth Daily.
"After infection with the Omicron variant, the vast majority will have no or light symptoms, and very few will go on to have severe symptoms, this is already widely known," he assured readers.
But analysts at Japanese firm Nomura on Monday calculated that 53 cities – home to nearly a third of China's population – still had some restrictions in place.
Wednesday's announcement came hours after the government released further data showing the crippling economic impacts of zero-Covid.
Imports and exports plunged in November to levels not seen since early 2020.
Imports in November fell 10.6% year-on-year, the biggest drop since May 2020, according to the General Administration of Customs. Exports fell 8.7% over the same period.


Idris Haron, boon or bane for PH?

While Pakatan Harapan (PH) has decided to field former chief minister Idris Haron in the contest for the Asahan state seat despite strong opposition from its component DAP, it remains to be seen if the man who helped spark the election to begin with will prove an asset or liability to the coalition come polling day on Nov 20.Tan Hock Guan, 51, owns a coffee shop in Asahan. He is opposed to party-hopping on the part of politicians who then trigger elections through their decision to jump ship.But he also says he is more likely to vote based on the party instead of the individual.“My vote will depend on the coalition’s leadership as a whole to determine the direction of development in the state and the locality,” Tan, who has been a voter in Asahan since 2004, told MalaysiaNow.Coffee shop owner Tan Hock Guan says he is more inclined to vote along party lines than based on individual candidates.Leo Kow Chai, 70, said voters in Asahan would choose Idris as he represents PH. But he said he would not agree if Idris were to be nominated as chief minister.“It would not be fair if he jumped parties only because he wanted to be chief minister,” Leo said.“Adly Zahari was chief minister before this, so he should lead PH, not Idris.”Adly, who was yesterday announced as PH’s candidate for chief minister, had been DAP’s choice as well with its secretary-general Lim Guan Eng urging PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim to name Adly for the post if the coalition emerges the victor in the polls.Asahan residents sit outside a coffee shop discussing the political situation ahead of the state election on Nov 20.Nevertheless, Tan and Leo both said that Idris’ chances in Asahan are slim as the seat has been held by BN for a long time.“So far, no one has been able to defeat Umno in Asahan,” Tan said.“It looks like Umno will continue to rule here as it is a Malay-majority area.”But Kamis Saad, who lives in Kampung Gunung Mas and has voted five times in the state constituency, is more optimistic about Idris’ odds.Kamis Saad believes Idris Haron has a fighting chance in the six-way contest for the Asahan state seat.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, the 70-year-old said Idris is a local and a familiar face to many.“We are less familiar with the other candidates including those from BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN),” he said.“Given that candidates are not allowed to campaign this time around, it’s possible that voters will choose Idris even though Asahan has long been held by Umno.”Idris, the incumbent for Sungai Udang, was chief minister under BN from 2013 to 2018. On Oct 4, he and three other assemblymen – Nor Azman Hassan (BN-Pantai Kundor), Norhizam Hassan Baktee (independent-Pengkalan Batu) and Noor Effandi Ahmad (Bersatu-Telok Mas) – withdrew their support for Melaka Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali, leading to the dissolution of the state legislative assembly.Idris and Nor Azman were subsequently sacked from Umno.Dollah Din says Idris Haron might win in Asahan although he will need to convince voters of his credibility.Dollah Din, who lives in Kampung Relau, said Idris might stand a chance of winning in Asahan as the people there remember his service.This includes the construction of a mosque, a post office and the Haji Haron bridge, named after his father.“He was also said to be close to the Asahan incumbent, Abdul Ghafaar Atan, during his time as chief minister,” Dollah, 78, said.Dollah and Kamis agreed that Idris could win, adding however that he would need to convince the voters of his credibility.“Then again, the Umno candidate might win. The question is whether he will be able to top Idris in terms of influence in this area,” Kamis said.“The Chinese and Indian voters here are more inclined towards PH, so is Umno confident of dominating the Malay vote, especially when faced with the candidate from PN and three other independents?”


Anti-party hopping bill finalised, to be tabled on July 18

The draft of the bill to amend the Federal Constitution to enable the prevention of party-hopping among MPs has been finalised and is scheduled to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on July 18.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this was decided by the parliamentary special select committee on the matter at a meeting today.
He said the committee also proposed that the bill be debated in the Dewan Rakyat on July 27 and 28, subject to the discretion of the speaker.
"The Constitution (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2022 and provisions prohibiting MPs from party-hopping, as well as the report by the parliamentary special select committee, will be placed on the tables of the MPs for their reference on July 18," he said in a statement. He said the meeting also proposed a timeline for engagement by the Legal Affairs Division and the Attorney-General's Chambers with government MPs on July 25 and with opposition MPs on July 26.
It also proposed that the engagement with members of the Senate be held on Aug 8 with the first reading in the Senate on Aug 9, followed by the second reading on Aug 10.
Wan Junaidi said after the bill had been passed by the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, it would be presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong between Aug 11 and 26 for consent before being gazetted between Aug 29 and Sept 2.


Nov 22 hearing for Rosmah's appeals to disqualify judge in money laundering case

Rosmah Mansor’s two appeals to remove High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan from presiding over her money laundering and tax evasion case will be heard on Nov 22 in the Court of Appeal.
Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, had appealed against two decisions by Zaini, who dismissed her first application on Dec 14, 2021 and her second application on April 25 this year.
Deputy public prosecutor Poh Yin Tinn, when contacted, said that Court of Appeal senior assistant registrar Tan Chai Wei fixed the hearing date after case management proceedings today.
"Both parties have to file their written submissions by Nov 8," he said.
Rosmah's lawyer Geethan Ram Vincent also confirmed the hearing date. In her recusal applications, Rosmah stated, among others, that she was seeking to avoid any possibility of Zaini being prejudiced and biased against her if he presided over the money laundering case, given that he had presided over her solar hybrid graft trial related to rural schools in Sarawak.
Rosmah, 70, faces 12 money laundering charges involving RM7,097,750, and five counts of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).
The offences were allegedly committed at Affin Bank, Bangunan Getah Asli branch, Jalan Ampang, between Dec 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017, and at LHDN at Kompleks Bangunan Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, between May 1, 2014 and May 1, 2018.
The money laundering and tax evasion case is set for mention on July 22.
Zaini is also set to deliver his decision on Rosmah’s RM1.25 billion solar hybrid graft trial on Sept 1.


Zuki reappointed as top civil servant for two more years

Mohd Zuki Ali has been reappointed as chief secretary to the government (KSN) on a contract basis for two years, effective today, the Prime Minister's Office announced.
The re-appointment of Zuki as KSN was consented to by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah on the recommendation of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob through the Public Service Commission.
"The reappointment of Mohd Zuki Ali is in the national interest because his service as the chief secretary to the government is still needed," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
Zuki, 60, who has extensive experience in public service, was appointed as KSN on Dec 31, 2019.
He holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Nanyang University, Singapore, and has served in the ministries of finance, education, rural and regional development, home affairs, and natural resources and environment.
He has also served at Istana Negara and the Prime Minister's Department and has held positions as the Sarawak federal secretary and secretary-general of the defence ministry.


Sumo fans outraged as wrestler dies from concussion suffered in fight

A sumo wrestler in Japan has died aged 28, one month after suffering a concussion during a bout. Those at the scene are facing criticism for taking more than five minutes to give him medical assistance.Mitsuki Amano, whose fighting name was Hibikiryu, died from acute respiratory failure, the Japan Sumo Association announced on Thursday.The sport has been criticised in the past for failing to protect its wrestlers from concussions.Video of the fight shows Hibikiryu being thrown and landing on his head. He then lies motionless on the floor as his opponent checks on him. At one point he manages to move his head.Hibikiryu was eventually carried out on a stretcher and taken to a hospital in Tokyo. During the journey, he complained of numbness, Japanese media report.The wrestler had started showing signs of improvement and eventually began to move, Yahoo Japan reports. But on Wednesday his health deteriorated and he died the same day.His death has raised questions on the treatment of sumo wrestlers, with many fans calling for reforms.On Twitter one user said: “It was disgusting to see him left lying face down unable to move as others continued around him. I truly hope sumo brings in major medical changes now.”Another wrote: “I hope this underscores the need for reform in ringside emergency medical care for rikishi [sumo wrestlers].”It is not the first time that there has been a controversial incident involving concussion in the sport.Last January, wrestler Shonannoumi clashed heads with his opponent and fell to the floor, showing signs of concussion. He took several attempts to get up on his feet as the judges all looked on.After managing to stand up, he told the judges that he wanted to carry on with the fight. The fact that he was allowed to continue brought criticism online and prompted many people to call for better protection of wrestlers.After the backlash, the Japan Sumo Association said it would look into rule changes.