Economists see 2021 EPF dividend rate at 5.2% to 6.0%

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) is expected to declare a handsome dividend payout for 2021, ranging between 5.2% and 6.0%, on the back of the fund’s higher gross investments and better capital market performance, economists say.Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said EPF’s gross investments for the first nine months of 2021 were already 7.7% higher year-on-year at RM48.02 billion, compared with the same period in 2020.“In that sense, there could be a chance that the dividend rate could be better than in 2020. I think it should at least match the 2020 level, if not better,” he told Bernama, estimating that the dividend would likely be between 5.20% and 5.40% for 2021.In 2020, the pension fund manager declared a dividend of 5.2% with a payout amounting to RM42.88 billion for conventional savings and 4.9% for shariah savings, with a payout totalling RM4.76 billion.Afzanizam said the odds for a better dividend rate in 2021 would be higher if corporate earnings in the fourth quarter turn out better.He also noted that the EPF has been diversifying its portfolios into overseas markets while income from foreign equities have made a significant contribution to its total income.“So their portfolio diversification strategy has really paid off and it could be translated into a sustainable dividend rate going forward,” he added.On special withdrawals under the EPF’s i-Sinar, i-Lestari and i-Citra facilities, he said these would likely not have a severe impact on the dividend performance.He said the economy had been able to grow in 2021 while the unemployment rate had trended down to 4.2% in December 2021 from as high as 5.3% in the middle of 2020.Fresh contributions from EPF members, along with maturing investment assets, would help to offset the withdrawal trend, he said.Professor of economics at i-CATS University College Kuching, Shazali Abu Mansor, expects the EPF dividend rate to be between 5.5% and 6.0% in view of the better investment performance.“Dividends should increase in tandem with income. It should be more than 5.2% for 2021. If it is less than that, then it is not justified,” he said.Ambank Group chief economist and research head Anthony Dass said despite some domestic challenges, the overall performance of the local capital market was favourable. He expects the dividend payout to hover between 5.45% and 6.0%.“With the economy starting to rebuild, more people will be employed and at the same time more jobs will be created from new lines of businesses that will rebuild EPF savings,” he said.“However, for the savings level to reach 2019 levels, it will depend on how much of the future contributions they can place in the EPF.“At the same time, the coverage and adequacy of social protection, particularly towards the self-employed and those in the informal sector, must be strengthened,” Dass said.On the outlook for 2022, Afzanizam said a rising interest rate environment would help EPF’s revenue in the fixed income and money market instruments as the issuance of the new bonds would be pegged at a higher rate which translates into a higher coupon rate.“Perhaps the EPF’s strategic asset allocation will help guide the fund to navigate these turbulent times,” he said.


Penang police warn against provocation in azan issue

Penang police will take strict action against anyone who continues to spread provocation regarding the issue of the azan or Islamic call to prayer using loudspeakers at a condominium in Tanjong Tokong, as the issue has already been resolved.
Penang police chief Khaw Kok Chin said police also warned parties against sensationalising or speculating on the issue or matters involving religious sensitivities.
"There is no longer any conflict between the surau and the joint management body (JMB) of the condominium in relation to the case. In fact, Deputy Chief Minister I Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman who is also president of the Penang State Islamic Religious Council himself went to the ground to mediate and resolve the confusion that arose related to the issue yesterday," he said.
He added that the issues raised through social media platforms such as TikTok were untrue and could cause public annoyance and trigger racial issues.
"As the Penang chief of police, I would like to emphasise that we will not hesitate to take action against any party that tries to make matters viral on any social media platform to instigate, provoke anger and cause racial issues or public annoyance with regard to this case," he said.
Khaw said Penang police had received 21 police reports from various parties regarding the case to date, and investigations were conducted by Bukit Aman.
"We received 21 police reports and the investigations were carried out thoroughly, I urge all parties, especially the community in Penang, to continue living in peace because the issue has been resolved harmoniously," he said.
Earlier, a video regarding a dialogue session between the JMB of a condominium in Tanjung Tokong and residents over current issues including the prayer call at the residence went viral on social media.
However, the JMB has since publicly apologised to Muslim residents and Muslims at large regarding the issue.
Tri Pinnacle Condominium JMB chairman Alex Low reportedly said that his management had no intention of banning the public prayer call at the surau as had been claimed on social media and that the issue had been resolved through discussions between the JMB and the surau committee along with the northeast district Islamic religious department.


Agong to chair rulers’ meeting on pandemic

A special meeting of the Malay rulers will be held on June 16, Istana Negara announced today as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong continues to meet with the leaders of political parties throughout the country.“This special discussion of the Malay rulers is on the initiative of His Majesty and will be chaired by His Majesty,” said a statement by the Comptroller of the Royal Household, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin.He said the meeting would be the second by the rulers to discuss the Covid-19 pandemic, after a similar discussion in October last year.Earlier today, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah met Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in separate audiences.DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu also met with the Agong today.Other political leaders who have so far confirmed audiences with the king include former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and GPS leader Abang Johari Openg.Abang Johari, who is Sarawak chief minister, said today that other GPS component leaders had been granted audiences with the Agong as well.A source familiar with meetings between the palace and political leaders during the emergency previously told MalaysiaNow that the planned meetings were nothing out of the ordinary.“This is just a routine audience. Claims that it is to discuss the formation of the government are just fake news,” the source said.


Efforts to end forced labour underway, HR minister says

Efforts to eradicate forced labour in the country will be comprehensively increased through the amendment of the Labour Act 1955 (Amendment 2022) which came into force on Jan 1 this year, says Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar.
In a statement today, he said this was in particular through the addition of Section 90B related to forced labour which provides for penalties against employers who commit forced labor offences under the act.
He said this was among the measures taken to combat issues related to forced labour as well as those stated in the assessment by the US Department of State in its Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report for 2023 released yesterday.
Sivakumar said Malaysia welcomed the report which placed the country on the Tier 2 Watch List for 2023, which was an improvement after two consecutive years of being at Tier 3.
He said the role of the labour department would be strengthened through the increased capacity of labour inspectors to ensure that more prosecutions were initiated against employers who committed forced labour offences.
Sivakumar said cooperation with the US would be strengthened through the establishment of a joint working group to improve the country's image, while also ensuring that local products would not be subjected to restrictions, namely a withhold release order by the US Customs and Border Protection Department due to forced labour issues.
He said the government was also cooperating with representatives of trade unions, employers' federations and industries to implement the National Action Plan on Forced Labour (NAPFL) 2021-2025.
This, he said, was in line with the commitment of the country which had ratified the 2014 Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention 1930 (P29) as well as in better dealing with issues related to the management of foreign workers, including establishing strategic cooperation with source countries.


Scientists back Brazil over Russian Covid vaccine import ban

Scientists have backed Brazil’s drug regulator’s decision to stop the import of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine on the basis that batches they tested carried a live version of a common cold-causing virus.Top virologist Angela Rasmussen told AFP the finding “raises questions about the integrity of the manufacturing processes” and could be a safety issue for people with weaker immune systems, if the problem were found to be widespread.Russia’s Gamaleya Institute, which developed the vaccine, has denied the reports.The issue centres around an “adenovirus vector” – a virus that normally causes mild respiratory illness but in vaccines is genetically modified so that it cannot replicate, and edited to carry the DNA instructions for human cells to develop the spike protein of the coronavirus.This in turn trains the human system to be prepared in case it then encounters the real coronavirus.The Sputnik V vaccine uses two different adenovirus vectors to accomplish this task: adenovirus type 26 (Ad26) for the first shot, and adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) for the second shot.According to a slideshow uploaded online, scientists at Anvisa, Brazil’s regulator, said they tested samples of the booster shot and found it was “replication competent” – meaning that once inside the body, the adenovirus can continue to multiply.They added that this had likely occurred because of a manufacturing problem called “recombination”, in which the modified adenovirus had gained back the genes it needed to replicate while it was being grown inside engineered human cells in a lab.Brazilian regulators did not evaluate the first shot.But on Monday they denied a request from several states in the northeast of the country to acquire more than 30 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine. The federal government has additionally ordered 10 million.Quality control issueRasmussen, a research scientist at Canada’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, described the problem as a quality control issue, rather than a problem inherent to the vaccine technology.If batches used in the real world were tainted, then “for most people this probably won’t be a big deal because adenoviruses are generally not thought of as really important human pathogens”, she said.“But in people who are immune compromised… there could be a higher rate of adverse effects because of it, including potentially serious ones.”The bigger problem, she added, was the unfortunate impact on confidence over a vaccine that a study in The Lancet journal showed was safe and more than 90% effective.If people aren’t sure that the vaccine they are receiving is the same that was studied in trials, then “I can imagine that some people might have their reservations about getting that vaccine at all,” said Rasmussen.Another unknown is whether the manufacturing problem that led to the adenovirus vector being able to replicate also knocks out the DNA code for the spike protein – rendering the shot ineffective as a coronavirus vaccine.Denis Logunov, deputy director of the Gamaleya Institute, has responded by saying, “The statements I have read in the press have nothing to do with reality”, and that the adenovirus vector was not able to replicate.But it is not the first time such an issue has occurred.Earlier this month, Slovakia also said it had concerns over the composition of Sputnik V vaccines it had imported, saying they did not match the samples that were used in clinical studies.In a blog post for Science Magazine, American chemist Derek Lowe wrote: “This sort of thing calls into question the entire manufacturing and quality control process, and I can see why the Brazilian regulators are concerned.”He added that the response from Sputnik V’s makers was not adequate.“Step up and act like responsible drug developers: address the issues directly, with transparency, and work to find a solution,” said Lowe.


Hiking OPR again won't stop inflation, experts say

A former banker has warned that any move to further increase the overnight policy rate (OPR), which the central bank raised several times already last year, will not resolve the country's inflation.
Muhammad Zahid Abdul Aziz, formerly with Bank Islam, said that Bank Negara's manipulation of the OPR rate for this purpose would be pointless.
"We are operating in a naturally inflationary monetary and banking system," he told MalaysiaNow.
"Secondly, we must recognise that banks are not neutral entities that move money from surplus units to deficient units in the economy."
Inflation in general refers to an increase in the price level of goods or services in an economy.
Malaysia's inflation rate stood at 4% as of November 2022, with Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli saying efforts should be made to prevent it from rising in the near future.
Bank Negara lowered the OPR rate in January 2020, to help borrowers in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The OPR rate hit its lowest level of 1.75% in July of that year, although it was subsequently raised several times, on the grounds of controlling inflation and the ringgit value.
It was last raised in November 2022, bringing it to 2.75%.
Bank Negara is expected to increase the OPR twice in the year ahead.
On Jan 4, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Bank Negara had full authority to determine the OPR rate, despite his previous criticism of former finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz during the earlier OPR hikes.
Zahid, the vice-chairman of the Movement for Monetary Justice, said the idea of raising the OPR rate to curb inflation would cause companies to stop borrowing and to lay off their workers.
He said people would also cut down on their spending, leading to a drop in the price of goods.
"Is that not like moving the house around to change the lightbulb, or moving the dog to wag its tail?" he added.
Economist Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff meanwhile said that Malaysia's inflation rate was influenced by the bulk subsidies given by the government.
Razman, of the Putra Business School, said inflation could be reduced by toning down reliance on imported goods and empowering local goods instead.
"The inflation rate can be reduced and the ringgit will be strong," he said.
He also suggested curbing inflation by asking banks to change their loan rates.
Banks currently lend very little to the real economy, with most given towards loans and the private sector.
"Reverse the ratio to 65% loans to the real sector and 35% loans to the personal sector," he said.
"Don't just tweak interest rates to hope, rightly or wrongly, for an elongated chain of reaction to deliver the hoped-for results."


'Pocket Rocketman' Azizulhasni reclaims Asian sprint gold

National ace Mohd Azizulhasni Awang got his hands back on the Asian sprint title after emerging victorious in the Asian Track Cycling Championship (ACC) 2023 at the National Velodrome in Nilai last night.
The 35-year-old, who had won the sprint title six times – in 2008, 2009, 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2020 – before skipping last year’s edition to recover from open heart surgery, beat Jakarta Nations Cup silver medallist Kaiya Ota of Japan 2-0 (9.924s, 9.828s) in the men’s elite sprint final for a record 11th gold medal overall in the championship.
Earlier in the semi-finals, the Pocket Rocketman knocked out defending champion Kento Yamasaki of Japan 2-0.
After a day’s rest, Azizulhasni will begin his quest for his first Asian keirin title in eight years, having last triumphed in his pet event at the 2015 edition in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
A victory would see him repeat the two-gold feat in sprint and keirin that he achieved at the 2008 edition in Nara, Japan, where he also claimed the team sprint silver medal.
A tearful Azizulhasni, who had to be comforted by national head coach John Beasley, said he had to overcome huge challenges on and off the track to win the title.
"Overcoming the two Japanese riders in the semi-finals and final today was definitely a huge challenge, especially Kaya, who is a world-class sprint rider. I had to be prepared and adopt the right tactic to overcome him.
"In the first race, I chose to stay behind him and then power away. For the second race, I started in front of him and went full throttle until he ran out of gas at the last bend.
"I am very happy to win my 11th gold medal in the ACC and reach 'legendary status'... even the Japanese riders have not done this in this championships. I can’t control my emotions right now because I have been dreaming of this gold since taking part in Hong Kong (in the International Track Cup) last month," he told reporters.
Yamasaki took third place after beating compatriot Kohei Terasaki 2-0 in the bronze-medal decider.
In the women’s elite sprint final, Japan’s Riyu Ohta defended her crown by beating compatriot Mina Sato 2-0.


Questions on GPS-PH partnership ahead of Sarawak polls

Political analysts are split over the dynamics in Sarawak, with no formal cooperation yet inked between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) for the upcoming state election despite collaboration through a coalition government at the federal level.
James Chin of Australia's University of Tasmania said DAP and PKR, PH's main components, would become "part opposition" and take on the task of monitoring government affairs.
"They will not close their Sarawak chapter because the election is coming," he said.
"PH hopes to form the Sarawak government one day. If you close shop, then you don't have machinery and you can't fight GPS at the next election."
GPS comprises Barisan Nasional's (BN) former components in Sarawak: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, Parti Demokratik Progresif, Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak and Parti Rakyat Sarawak.
Their 23 MPs joined hands to form the federal government with PH, BN and other political parties in the aftermath of the Nov 19 polls.
According to Chin, one of GPS' unofficial conditions of support for Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister was that no Cabinet position be given to Sarawak DAP.
This was despite DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook flying to Sarawak and meeting with premier Abang Johari Openg to apologise on behalf of his party for any hurtful remarks.
GPS had initially supported Perikatan Nasional (PN) but switched to PH after the inconclusive election results which saw no single party winning enough seats to form the government on its own.
Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen previously said that his party would take on the role of providing checks and balances at the state level. His remarks were seen as a signal that PH would not be accepted as the Sarawak government.
GPS won the December 2021 state election by a landslide, sweeping 76 of the 82 seats it contested. The remaining seats were won by Parti Sarawak Bersatu (four) and DAP (two).
PKR meanwhile failed to win a single seat.
In Melaka, meanwhile, PH assemblymen have officially joined the government bloc.
But question marks remain over the position of BN representatives in PH-held states, and whether they are part of the government or opposition.
Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said PH and GPS could be expected to agree on a formula to ensure political cooperation at the state level, including on the matter of seat allocations.
While both coalitions are expected to retain their present seats, he said, others like Saratok which was won by Ali Biju would depend on other factors.
"There is no issue of PH giving way to GPS at either the state or federal level," he said.
"On the contrary, it will use a more convincing formula for long-term cooperation to eliminate any conflict over seats."
But in the run-up to the state election, he said, DAP and PKR should play the role of opposition in Sarawak to ensure checks and balances.
Chin meanwhile said that cooperation between GPS and PH would depend on the integrity of the central government.
He said there would be nothing strange about PH remaining in the opposition at the state level as this had happened before.
"In the late 1980s, Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak was the opposition at the state level but part of the federal government," he said.
"There would be nothing strange about PH in Sarawak acting as a semi-opposition while GPS is the ruling party."
In the event that PH and GPS agree to cooperate at the upcoming election, the question then becomes who will play the role of the opposition.
Chin said parties in favour of Sarawak's secession from Malaysia, such as Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK), had no strong support.
"PBK is a spent force," he said. "It will be very difficult to build up its support unless GPS messes up its participation in the government.
"So far, the people of Sarawak are quite happy," he added. "They have five full ministers and six deputy ministers – a remarkable number for a party with 23 MPs."


Isa’s former aide given RM2 million, court told

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur was told today that a former special political officer to Isa Samad was given RM2 million as a token of gratitude for being the link in the sale and purchase of Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites (MPHS) in Kuching, Sarawak.Mohamad Jani Ismail, 58, said he learnt about the matter from Muhammad Zahid Md Arip himself, who told him about it before a meeting with Japanese investors at a hotel in Putrajaya on June 8, 2018.“Before the investors from Japan arrived at about 10pm, Zahid said he wanted to go to the smoking area to smoke and I, who was then accompanying Dahalan Tunggal (who was also there to attend the meeting), went to accompany him.“While we were smoking, I said to Zahid that he must be rich, having been appointed as the prime minister’s political secretary.”Zahid was the political secretary to Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the time.Jani said Zahid responded, saying he had “some” from being the link in the sale and purchase of Merdeka Palace and that he was given RM2 million as a token of gratitude.Jani, a retired army officer and the fourth defence witness, said this when reading his witness statement on the third day of Isa’s defence trial for corruption charges.He added that Zahid had then told him that Isa did not know about the RM2 million.When asked during cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz whether he told Isa about it, he said he had.When asked if Isa had been charged in court yet at the time, Jani said he did not know.However, he said Isa, the former Felda chairman, did not ask him to report the matter to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).He disagreed with Afzainizam who suggested that Zahid had never confessed to receiving the money, and differed again when Afzainizam said the confession should have been reported to MACC as it was important.He also disagreed with the suggestion that Zahid’s confession was made to save Isa.When re-examined by Isa’s lawyer Salehuddin Saidin about why he did not lodge a police report, Jani said he regarded the money given to Zahid as a token of thanks. He added that Zahid had admitted to receiving the money, saying he did not know if that could be seen as corruption.Isa is facing nine counts of dishonestly receiving gratification for himself in cash totalling RM3,090,000 from Gegasan Abadi Properties Sdn Bhd board member Ikhwan Zaidel through Zahid as gratification for helping to get approval for the purchase of the hotel by FICSB for RM160 million.The offences were allegedly committed at Level 49, Menara Felda, Platinum Park, No. 11, Persiaran KLCC near here between July 21, 2014 and Dec 11, 2015.Each charge, framed under Section 16 a(A) of the MACC Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law, provides for a jail term of not exceeding 20 years and a fine of at least five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.The defence closed its case yesterday after calling six witnesses. Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali set Nov 4 to hear submissions by both parties.


Big surprise! 4-day working week proves to be an ‘overwhelming success’ yet again

Trials of a four-day week in several countries have been an “overwhelming success” and led to many workers moving to permanently shorter hours.The trials, in which workers were paid the same amount for shorter hours, saw productivity remain the same or improve in the majority of workplaces, researchers said.A number of further trials are now being run across the world, including in Spain and by Unilever in New Zealand.Large-scale trials in Iceland, run by the capital Reykjavík’s city council and the national government eventually included more than 2,500 workers, many of whom moved from a 40-hour week to a 35-hour week, researchers from UK think tank Autonomy and the Association for Sustainable Democracy (Alda) in Iceland said.A wide variety of workplaces took part, including offices, preschools, social service providers, and hospitals. Not all participants worked traditional nine-to-five jobs, with workers on non-traditional shift times also included.Perceived stress and burnout went down, while health and work-life balance went up, as employees were given more time for housekeeping, hobbies, and their families. Both managers and staff considered the trials a major success.The trials led unions to renegotiate working patterns, and now 86% of Iceland’s workforce have either moved to shorter hours for the same pay, or will shortly gain the right to.Will Stronge, director of research at Autonomy, said: “This study shows that the world’s largest ever trial of a shorter working week in the public sector was by all measures an overwhelming success.“It shows that the public sector is ripe for being a pioneer of shorter working weeks – and lessons can be learned for other governments.”Gudmundur D Haraldsson, a researcher at Alda, said: “The Icelandic shorter working week journey tells us that not only is it possible to work less in modern times, but that progressive change is possible too.”Spain is piloting a four-day working week for companies, in part due to the challenges of coronavirus.And Unilever in New Zealand is also giving staff a chance to cut their hours by 20% without hurting their pay in a trial.This is far from the first time the benefits of a shorter work week have made themselves known. When Microsoft Japan trialled a four-day work week in 2019, productivity increased by almost 40%.New Zealand firm Perpetual Guardian permanently switched to a four-day work week in 2018 after their own trial saw productivity increase 20%.Companies around the world have tried shorter work weeks again and again, continually confirming the International Labour Organisation’s 2018 report that shorter work hours typically produce happier, more productive workers.“We should continue on this journey, and I believe the next step is to reduce working hours to 30 hours per week,” said Icelandic parliament member Bjarkey Olsen Gunnarsdóttir.Across the board, shorter work weeks have proved better for employees, employers, and society in general.“For me it is like a gift from the heavens,” said one manager in Reykjavík, according to the report. “And I like it a lot.”


Outcry at home forces Biden to raise Trump refugee limit

President Joe Biden has lifted the US annual refugee limit following outrage from his party after he initially decided to stick by Donald Trump’s number of 15,000.The president is raising the limit to 62,500. However, the US will not actually admit 62,500 refugees this year, he said, claiming that his administration had first to “undo the damage” of Trump’s policies.On Monday, he said his administration will raise this number next year to 125,000 refugees.Reports say Biden is concerned about letting in more migrants amid a record influx at the US-Mexico border.Figures for unaccompanied children in particular have spiked, straining shelters and available resources. Photos from inside a migrant border facility showed minors huddled together in makeshift rooms.The Biden administration has consistently directed blame for the current problems at the border on the Trump administration.However, World Relief, a humanitarian organisation, last month said White House claims that the US refugee resettlement programme needed to be rebuilt after the Trump years was “a completely false narrative” and “a purely political calculation”.Biden’s change of mind on Monday came as a survey from the Pew Research Center found the majority of American adults were critical of the current US government’s handling of the border situation.Last week a member of the president’s own party, Senator Mark Kelly, from the border state of Arizona, expressed frustration with Biden’s handling of the “crisis” – a word that the White House has so far resisted using.Trump gradually slashed the refugee cap, bringing the number from 110,000 in president Barack Obama’s last year in office to the record low of 15,000.This “did not reflect America’s values as a nation that welcomes and supports refugees”, Biden said.A White House official told Reuters news agency that the president chose to raise the ceiling in order to “send a very clear message that refugee processing is a critical part of America’s place in the world”.Biden lifted restrictions on resettlements from Somalia, Syria and Yemen and provided more slots to arrivals from Africa, the Middle East, and Central America.However, his hesitation in raising the cap has already forced hundreds of refugees already cleared for travel to cancel their plans and flights, according to Reuters.The country’s refugee programme is distinct from the asylum system. Refugee status applies to those who apply for protection while still overseas, while asylum seekers do so at a port of entry or from inside the US.


Ahead of 99-style 'election budget', PH in desperate bid to avert polls

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob looks set to finally accede to demands from his party not to further delay the dissolution of Parliament and call for the 15th general election (GE15), a move that has triggered the panic button in Pakatan Harapan (PH).
The opposition coalition almost instantly went into "campaign mode" - but not for the purpose of winning any impending elections.
A PKR MP told MalaysiaNow that the coalition was now in a losing battle to "fight off elections at all costs at this point".
"It's a losing battle, and it is very likely that polling day less than two months from now is unstoppable," the MP said.
Since the announcement that Budget 2023 was brought forward to Oct 7, PH supporters have taken to social media in a last-ditch effort to convince Ismail not to dissolve Parliament.
They have cited everything from the weather to suggestions that Umno is betraying Ismail by gunning for polls.
They include Ambiga Sreenevesan, who has switched to praising Ismail in the hope that he would not "succumb to Umno warlords".
"At this point, there is a level of calm and stability," Ambiga, who only a year ago slammed the appointment of Ismail as prime minister and launched a petition to oust him, told Malaysiakini.
"Some commendable pieces of legislation have been passed. There is no reason for there to be elections," she said.
Others cited the coming monsoon season and expected floods, accusing the government of making it difficult for the people to cast their ballots.
"This time, if they really want to hold GE15 in November, which is usually the start of the rainy season, Umno will continue to make things difficult for the people," said one PH supporter in a tweet promoted by DAP's Syahredzan Johan.
The concerns of an election in the PH camp underlie a common perception that polls held at this time would be disastrous for PH, whose government collapsed in 2020 following internal bickering over the choice of leadership successor.
The coalition has never recovered from its loss of power, with efforts now underway to introduce a new common logo for the polls which are expected to see collisions between multiple opposition parties.
A memorandum of understanding, signed between PH and Ismail last year, ensured that the general election would be pushed back, allowing the coalition to buy time as it struggled to regain its strength.
But the recent jailing of former prime minister Najib Razak has only lowered PH's chances, especially in getting the crucial Malay votes which swung in PH's favour in 2018.
The budget re-schedule is confirmation that Ismail can no longer stall the election, something that the so-called court cluster led by Najib and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi have been pressing for.
Speedy '99-style’ polls
Several Umno sources who spoke to MalaysiaNow said the plan was for a "quick and swift mandate", taking a leaf from the course of action by an embattled Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1999.
Facing the greatest threat to his leadership, Mahathir decided to call for snap polls in late November 1999, a month after the 2000 budget was presented under the cloud of rare street protests following the dramatic sacking of Anwar Ibrahim as finance minister a year earlier.
Parties were then given just nine days to campaign, as Mahathir sought to put to rest claims that his government had lost support in order to focus on tackling the impact of the Asian economic crisis.
His BN government went on to claim a two-thirds majority on the back of strong non-Malay support, although it suffered setbacks in Malay heartlands with PAS making its biggest parliamentary inroads.
"This time, polling day in mid-November is the most likely scenario, in fact the only practical scenario, even if the campaign period may not be as short as nine days as in 1999. Plus, more delay would risk elections too near or within the monsoon season," said one source.
The bringing forward of the budget presentation by three weeks to Oct 7 means that polls can be held just a little more than a  month after that.
"So by mid-November, all questions will be answered," said an Umno branch leader representing a division leader attending a party meeting today.
"Clearly, the 2023 budget will be the manifesto for Barisan Nasional to wrest back power, just like the 2000 budget was tabled and Parliament dissolved less than two weeks later," said the source.
"All that has to be done is to announce the budget, and dissolve Parliament few days later."


Cambodia produces first drop of oil 15 years after discovery

In a long-awaited milestone for one of Southeast Asia’s poorest nations, Cambodian premier Hun Sen announced on Tuesday that the kingdom has extracted its first drop of crude oil from its waters.Hun Sen hailed the first extraction of crude. “The first drop of oil has been produced in a new achievement for Cambodia’s economy. The year 2021 is coming and we have received a huge gift for our nation: the first oil production in our territory,” he said in a Facebook post.The crude was produced from an area off the southwestern coast of Sihanoukville.The Gulf of Thailand has significant oil deposits, with Chevron first finding proven reserves off Cambodia in 2005 but production stalled as the government and the US giant failed to reach a revenue-sharing agreement, leading the firm to sell its stake to Singapore’s KrisEnergy in 2014.Chevron’s discovery of the oil led the kingdom to be acclaimed as the region’s next potential petro-state. The government announced that hundreds of millions of barrels of crude were beneath its waters.KrisEnergy currently holds a 95% stake of the block where the oil was taken from, while the government holds the remaining 5%.The company expects a peak production rate of 7,500 barrels a day from an initial phase – a modest amount compared with Cambodia’s oil-producing neighbours Vietnam and Thailand.Small though those production numbers are compared to other oil producing countries, the revenues could be significant for the government, which estimated in 2017 that it would make at least US$500 million in royalties and taxes from the first phase of the project.The discovery also raised concerns of how Cambodia – a country long ranked poorly in terms of transparency – would use its new-found wealth but Hun Sen, Asia’s longest-serving leader, dismissed the worries.“It is a blessing for Cambodians,” he insisted. “It is not a curse like it has been called by some ill-willed people.”


Will Anwar's govt step up the hunt for Jho Low?

The two journalists who broke the news on the 1MDB money trail involving jailed former leader Najib Razak have questioned whether the new government headed by Anwar Ibrahim will step up efforts to locate and arrest Low Taek Jho, the man believed to have masterminded the multi-billion dollar scandal.
Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, the authors of "Billion Dollar Whale" who detailed in the Asia Wall Street Journal how billions of ringgit from 1MDB ended up in Najib's private bank accounts, expressed concern that the Malaysian government would put its ties with China above the hunt for Low, better known as Jho Low.
Appearing in the latest episode of an online series on the Malaysian fugitive, they said Low was not brought home more than four years after the fall of Najib's government in 2018.
The duo voiced their belief that Malaysia would be actively looking for Low under the new government.
"But there is a big obstacle. How does Malaysia handle this delicate negotiation with China, the behemoth of the region?
"Ultimately, Malaysia's strategic concerns trump justice in this case," said Hope.
This comes against the backdrop of a fragile coalition led by Anwar, dependent on the support of Umno led by the faction close to Najib and Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was controversially appointed as deputy prime minister despite facing multiple corruption charges.
Hope and Wright previously revealed that Jho Low could be in China, sharing a picture of the fugitive in Shanghai Disneyland.
They alleged that Low ran to China on Najib's orders, making friends and patrons among leaders of the Chinese Communist Party.
Hope said Low came up with a plan to "bail out" Najib after the 1MDB scandal made headlines around the world.
"In exchange, Najib will essentially mortgage the country's sovereignty to China.
"China will make a lot of money in the process, because Malaysia will agree to overpay for assets. Some of this can be used to bail Najib and the rest of it is profit for Chinese companies."
The former prime minister is now serving a 12-year jail term for the misappropriation of tens of millions in SRC International funds.
Wright meanwhile said he possessed the minutes of a meeting between Low and Chinese officials, detailing how Low and China could profit from money meant for the East Coast Rail Line project.
He said this was why Low had been able to walk free despite being wanted in several countries including Singapore and the US.
The two American journalists said China would not let Low go as he could spill details on its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to other developing countries.
The BRI is a Chinese effort to work on infrastructure projects spanning Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Africa.
"BRI is the biggest investor in developing countries. If those countries knew about the hidden deals, they would be loath to take those deals because they would be afraid that they would lose their sovereignty, just like Malaysia almost become a puppet state to China," Hope said.
Nevertheless, Hope said China and Malaysia could benefit from Low's extradition.
"China has a lot to gain because they can restore trust, and Malaysia has a lot to gain because they can close the door on the case and they can recover more of the money," he said.
As of January this year, the Malaysian government said it had recovered RM19.14 billion in 1MDB funds.


No doctors on strike in Johor, says exco

There were no rallies or demonstrations at public health facilities in Johor today, following the announcement by a group of contract doctors who said they would go on strike until April 5.
State health and unity committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said monitoring at government health facilities since this morning found that patient care services at health clinics and hospitals, and all scheduled elective procedures, were running smoothly as usual.
He said there was no unusual congestion at state public health facilities, and that the number of medical officers absent from duty or on vacation was under control.
"Continuous monitoring is carried out by all heads of responsibility centres to ensure that the delivery of health services to patients, whether at clinics or hospitals in the state, runs smoothly.
"All problems must have a solution, but going on strike is not the answer.
"I would like to thank the contract doctors in Johor for not getting involved in the planned strike for three days, and continuing to offer the best service to all patients," he said in a statement.
He said as a representative of the state government, he was open to hearing the complaints of contract doctors so that he could convey the wishes of the group to the ministry, even though the matter was not under the purview of the state government.
Ling also proposed that the Cabinet establish a high-level committee, combining several ministries and agencies, including the chief secretary to the government, to address the issue.


Another record for daily jabs takes cumulative total past 18 million

A total of 553,871 vaccine doses were administered nationwide under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme yesterday, the highest number of daily doses recorded so far, says Health Minister Dr Adham Baba.He said 356,112 shots were administered as first doses and 197,759 to second-dose recipients.The highest number of daily doses recorded before yesterday was on July 26, when 521,923 doses were administered.A total of 18,393,347 doses of vaccine had been administered across the country as of yesterday.


After two months, a scarred Shanghai’s Covid-19 lockdown ends

Following two months of frustration, despair and economic loss, Shanghai’s draconian Covid-19 lockdown ended at midnight on Wednesday morning, prompting celebrations tempered with fear that an outbreak could return.Most of Shanghai’s 25 million residents can now freely leave home, return to work, use public transport and drive their cars – a moment that for many in China’s largest and most cosmopolitan city felt like it would never arrive.At midnight, small groups gathered in the city’s former French Concession neighbourhood whistled, shouted “ban lifted” and clinked glasses of champagne.Earlier, streets were lively as residents picnicked on grassy patches and children rode bikes down carless roads. Dancing retirees, a common evening sight in Chinese cities, strutted their stuff for the first time in months in open air plazas and along the Huangpu river.Shanghai Disneyland, which has yet to announce a reopening date, livestreamed a lightshow to “celebrate the lifting of Shanghai’s lockdown”. They used a Chinese expression that also means “ban” that city officials have avoided.Under streetlamps, barbers gave haircuts to residents who had grown shaggy under lockdown. On the WeChat social media platform, shops announced their reopening plans.“I walked the dog and the dog is pretty excited, because it has been a really long time for it to come outside,” said Melody Dong, who was looking forward to eating hot pot and barbecue – foods that are difficult to make at home.Shanghai’s ordeal has come to symbolise what critics say is the unsustainability of China’s adherence to a zero-Covid policy that aims to cut off every infection chain, at any cost, even as much of the world tries to return to normal despite ongoing infections.The lack of a roadmap to exit from an approach that is increasingly challenged by the highly contagious Omicron variant has rattled investors and frustrated businesses.Covid curbs in Shanghai and numerous other Chinese cities have battered the world’s second-largest economy and tangled global supply chains, although case numbers have improved and curbs have eased from the depths of April’s lockdowns.China says its approach, a signature policy of President Xi Jinping, is needed to save lives and prevent its healthcare system from being swamped. The uncertainty and discontent caused by China’s Covid management has created unwanted turbulence in a sensitive political year, with Xi poised to secure a third leadership term in the autumn.“The mood tonight is a bit like high school days. On the eve of the school year I was full of expectations for the new semester but I feel a little uneasy in my heart,” wrote one user of the Twitter-like Weibo.A city scarredDuring two months, numerous residents of the country’s most important financial and economic hub struggled to get enough food or medical care. Families were separated and hundreds of thousands were forced into centralised quarantine facilities.At the factories and offices that remained open – including those of Shanghai government officials – workers lived on-site in “closed-loops”, bunking on makeshift beds, with many of them only now able to return home.Curbs were lifted for about 22.5 million people in low-risk areas. Residents must still wear masks in public and avoid gatherings. Restaurant dining remains banned. Shops can operate at 75% capacity. Gyms will reopen later.Residents will have to test every 72 hours to take public transport and enter public venues, heralding what may become a “new normal” in many Chinese cities. Those testing positive, and their close contacts, face onerous quarantines.During lockdown, Shanghai residents staged rare protests, banging on pots and pans from their windows and evading censors to vent on China’s heavily policed social media. Frustrations stemmed from the lockdown itself as well as heavy-handed and often uneven enforcement and unclear communication.“The Shanghai government needs to make a public apology in order to obtain the understanding and support of the people of Shanghai and repair the damaged relationship between the government and the people,” Qu Weiguo, a professor at Fudan University’s school of foreign languages, posted on WeChat.On Tuesday, the city’s largest quarantine facility – a 50,000-bed section of the National Exhibition & Convention Center – discharged the last two of the 174,308 Covid-postive cases who had been housed there. It declared itself shut.


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OpenAI CEO has no IPO plan due to 'strange' company structure

Microsoft-backed OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has no plans to go public any time soon, chief executive Sam Altman said at a conference in Abu Dhabi.
"When we develop super intelligence, we are likely to make some decisions that most investors would look at very strangely," Altman said.
"I don't want to be sued by... public market, Wall Street etc, so no, not that interested," he said in response to a question on whether he will take OpenAI public.
OpenAI has so far raised US$10 billion (about RM45.7 billion) from Microsoft at a valuation of almost US$30 billion as it invests more on building computing capacity.
"We have a very strange structure. We have this cap to profiting," he said.
OpenAI started off as a non-profit organisation but later created a hybrid "capped-profit" company, that allowed it to raise external funds with a promise that the original non-profit operation still benefits.
While building their artificial intelligence capacities, Altman and many prominent scientists involved with creating and marketing the technology have warned of the threat it poses, particularly content-creating generative AI such as ChatGPT, with some equating it to extinction-level risk. They have demanded regulation.
Altman is on a whirlwind tour across the world, meeting heads of states of several countries, and was in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. He plans to travel next to Qatar, India and South Korea.
EU controversy
While in Europe he got into controversy for saying OpenAI may leave the region if it becomes too hard to comply with planned laws on AI, inviting criticism from several lawmakers, including EU industry chief Thierry Breton. OpenAI later reversed the stance.
"We did not threaten to leave the EU," Altman said on Tuesday. "We expect to be able to comply. There's still more clarity we are waiting for on the EU AI Act, but we are very excited to operate in Europe."
The EU is working on a set of laws to govern AI, including proposals that would force any company using tools like ChatGPT to disclose copyrighted material used to train its systems.
OpenAI does not disclose that data on its latest AI model, GPT 4.
Altman, however, found support from EU tech chief Margrethe Vestager, who said she did not perceive Altman's comments as a threat but as a promise to do his best.
"The number one thing about this technology that people don't understand is that in a few years GPT 4 is going to look like a little toy that was not that impressive," Altman said referring to the growth of AI.
"There will be images, audio, video, text, computer programming, all together."
Many experts have cited a potential threat to jobs being replaced by AI including in sectors such as transport and logistics, office support and administration, production, services and retail.
The jobs of the future would look "super different than many of the jobs of today", Altman said, adding that there would be opportunities too.


Pulau Tioman, Genting tourism bubble put on hold

The tourism bubble at Pulau Tioman and Genting Highlands, scheduled to begin on Oct 1, has been suspended indefinitely, says Tourism Pahang general manager Kamaruddin Ibrahim.He said the move followed the statement by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob that the reopening of island resorts and tourism centres or destinations and interstate travel would only be allowed when the vaccination rate of the country’s adult population reaches 90%.“Following this, only those in Pahang are allowed to travel to tourist destinations in the state while adhering to strict SOPs.“For out-of-state tourists who have already made reservations, we ask that they contact the tourism operators for advice, either to postpone their trip or otherwise,” he told reporters today after reviewing the implementation of SOPs at the Teluk Gading ferry jetty in Pulau Tioman.The tourism, arts and culture ministry had reportedly proposed that after Langkawi in Kedah, three other destinations, namely Genting Highlands, Tioman and Melaka, be reopened to tourists under the domestic tourism bubble.Kamaruddin said among the SOPs imposed in Tioman were that visitors must be fully vaccinated and submit the results of their Covid-19 screening tests before boarding the ferry.He said if visitors choose to conduct their own Covid-19 test, they can buy the kit at the jetty or elsewhere but the test must be done at the jetty terminal.“Individuals who have the test done at a clinic must produce the test results for verification before they are allowed to board the ferry.“Visitors having undergone the test will give tour operators the confidence to receive tourists,” he said.In line with Pahang’s transition to Phase Three of the National Recovery Plan, he voiced hope that the state’s residents would in turn help boost the sector which had been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.“After moving to Phase Three, many activities have been relaxed and inter-district travel is allowed. So I hope more people will visit the many interesting places in the state like Janda Baik, Rompin State Park and many others,” he added.


After losing millions, tycoon sues UK casino for not stopping his marathon gambling

A non-executive director of energy and infrastructure company Yinson is suing one of Britain’s largest casinos for £3.9 million (RM21.9 million), accusing it of causing him to lose in a 72-hour card game.The Daily Mail reports that the suit by Lim Han Joeh, whose fellow board members in Yinson include Securities Commission director Gooi Hoe Soon and Sharifah Munira Syed Zaid, the daughter of the current SC chairman, pertains to credit of close to £4 million provided to him by the Mayfair-owned Aspinalls Casino during the 72-hour session of a card game in 2015.Lim, who lost the game, failed to return the amount, and four years later the casino sued him.But in his suit, Lim claimed that the casino had breached the UK’s Gambling Act 2005, which states that “vulnerable people should be protected from being harmed or exploited by gambling”.“Rather than forcing the claimant to stop and rest, Aspinalls increased his credit to £2 million,” the Mail quoted from a court filing by Lim.“The claimant had a losing streak and was visibly desperate and panicked,” it said, adding that the casino “took advantage of the claimant’s distressed attempts to claw back the losses by allowing further funds and more time to gamble”.


Saudis approve Sinovac vaccine

Saudi Arabia has given the green light for the Sinovac jab, allowing millions of Muslims who have been administered with the Chinese vaccine to perform the haj or umrah to Mecca.The decision was announced by the minister in charge of Islamic affairs Zulkifli Al Bakri in a Twitter post this evening.He shared a set of guidelines by the Saudi health ministry, which among others listed the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines as among six brands of Covid-19 jabs recognised by the kingdom.The others are Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen.Sinovac is one of three vaccines administered by Malaysia under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.


Malaysia just 2.2% away from full adult vaccination

A total of 22,886,013 individuals or 97.8% of adults had completed their Covid-19 vaccination as of yesterday, with just 2.2 percentage points to go to achieving a 100% rate.According to the CovidNow portal, a total of 23,170,208 individuals or 99% have received at least one dose of vaccine.In terms of teenagers, a total of 2,767,385 individuals or 87.9% have completed their vaccination while 2,857,194 or 90.8% have received at least one dose of vaccine.A total of 223,463 vaccine doses were administered yesterday – 3,273 as first doses, 2,114 as second shots and 218,076 as booster jabs.This brings the total number of vaccine shots administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 59,511,395 including 8,032,484 booster jabs.Meanwhile, according to the health ministry’s GitHub portal, a total of 18 deaths were recorded yesterday, two of them outside hospital facilities.Four deaths were recorded in Johor; three in Kedah; two each in Pahang, Terengganu, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur; and one each in Kelantan, Melaka and Perak.


Dewan Negara approves final bill on decriminalising attempted suicide

The parliamentary process to decriminalise attempted suicide was completed with the passing of the third and final bill on the matter in the Dewan Negara yesterday.
The Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023 passed yesterday is aimed at empowering crisis intervention officers to undertake the apprehension of individuals who try to commit suicide.
The day before, two other related bills – the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill (No. 2) 2023 and Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill (No. 2) 2023 – were also approved by the Dewan Negara.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Ramkarpal Singh wound up the debate on the three bills related to the decriminalisation of suicide attempts.
The bills were tabled for a first reading in the Dewan Rakyat by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said on April 4 and approved on May 22. In a statement, Ramkarpal said the three bills needed the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in accordance with Article 66 of the Federal Constitution.
"They will then be gazetted in the government gazette before coming into force," he added.
He said pending the completion of this process, a moratorium on the implementation of Section 309 of the Penal Code would remain in force, and that no prosecution could be conducted under this section for attempted suicide.
Ramkarpal expressed his appreciation to all quarters including the MPs who had given their full support to this effort, which he said would change the approach towards suicide attempts from punitive to one that is treatment-based.


Former police officer recalls struggle for Merdeka

More than 60 years after the first shouts of “Merdeka!” rang out, the memory of the country’s struggle for independence is still fresh in the mind of former police officer Krishnan Nair Raman Nair.Krishnan, who is now 85 years old, was among the first to join the police force which at the time – 1953 – was known as the Federation of Malaya Police Force.“When I was young, one of my relatives told me to work at the Central Electricity Board,” he reminisced, referring to what would later become utilities giant Tenaga Nasional Bhd.“But I refused,” he added in a recent interview with MalaysiaNow at his home in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.After making up his mind to join the police force, Krishnan who was born in Sungai Kasap in Segamat, Johor, went for an interview in Muar.After passing the interview, he was sent to Tanjung Kling in Melaka for three months of training.A young Krishnan Nair Raman Nair grins at the camera as he eats his simple lunch with a friend.“After I finished my training, they sent me to the Tangkak police station, and then to Sagil in Muar to carry out an anti-communist operation. That was around 1954,” he said.“We got our intelligence from spies in Tangkak and were straight away asked to go there to surround the town of Sagil.“We succeeded in shooting dead two communists, and we brought their bodies to the Tangkak assistant superintendent, Gurchan Singh.”Gurchan, nicknamed “the Lion of Malaya”, was known for his resolve in the struggle against the Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945.Krishnan was stationed at Unit PSG 4 which had a total of 400 members.He said although the majority of them were Malays with only a handful of Chinese and Indians, they worked together in harmony and never experienced any discord.Krishnan Nair Raman Nair (right) in full uniform alongside other members of the police force.After that, Krishnan was transferred to Durian Condong, near Bukit Kepong which is known for the communist attack on the police station on Feb 23, 1950 where more than 25 members died.The events at Bukit Kepong were later made into a movie screened in 1981, starring Jins Shamsuddin.But even without the movie, Krishnan remembers vividly what it was like at that historic spot.“Many villagers came and went carrying milk tins filled with rice and covered with layers of newspaper,” he said.“They sent goods out of the village, then brought them back again. They mostly planted vegetables and other crops around the village.”It was not until later that they discovered this was how the villagers brought supplies to the communists.“Not just food, either,” Krishnan said. “They gave the communists information, too.“Most of the time, they did it because they were threatened. They had to, otherwise they would be killed.”Krishnan Nair Raman Nair holds up a letter of recognition for his service and a medal presented to him by Queen Elizabeth II.Next, Krishnan was transferred to the Hulu Langat police station where he underwent leadership training for two months before being sent back to Durian Condong.“At that time, we received information that Bukit Kepong would be attacked again, and we were asked to prepare,” he said.“We were not instructed to go there, but I saw fires burning. Maybe there had been an attack or a fire. I saw smoke rising into the air.”Krishnan himself was an expert in mapping and the use of the compass, and could handle a wide range of weapons. Throughout his years of service from 1953 to 1960, he was never ambushed by communists.Krishnan Nair Raman Nair’s police badge which he has kept until today.“Each time we moved to carry out our duties or patrol the area, I would make sure we moved in the opposite direction,” he said.“If the communists went left, we would go right.”In the event of conflict, it was his job to collect and carry the bodies of the communists.“This might sound like a menial job, but extra care was needed as the communists were full of tricks,” he said.“Some of them had time to place a bomb at their chest before they died, so when we turned the body over, the bomb would explode.”A portrait of Krishnan Nair Raman Nair and his family. He and his wife had four children and nine grandchildren.After leaving the police force, Krishnan led a much quieter life as a security guard at the Merlin Hotel, now known as the Concorde Hotel in Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.He continued working there until the mid-80s.His wife, who had diabetes, died four years ago. Together, they had four children and nine grandchildren.For his years of service, Krishnan was awarded the General Service Medal by Queen Elizabeth II in 1964.Today, he will receive the Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara.


Anwar says Myanmar crisis affecting regional security

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Wednesday the ongoing crisis in Myanmar was affecting the region's security and welfare and new ways must be found to persuade its military rulers to work with Asean to achieve peace.
After meeting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in Manila, Anwar said he appreciated his counterpart's reiteration that a five-point peace plan agreed between Asean and Myanmar's junta must be implemented.
"... but I would certainly suggest to explore new areas how the Myanmar junta can be persuaded to work within Asean and resolve the outstanding issue which cannot be considered as purely internal because it is affecting the security and welfare of the region," Anwar said.
Myanmar has been beset by social, political and economic chaos since its military overthrew an elected government in 2021.
Human rights groups and the United Nations have accused the military of carrying out atrocities as part of a crackdown on its opponents, which it says are "terrorists" seeking to destroy the country.
Asean, which has a long-held principle of staying out of its members' sovereign affairs, has grown frustrated at the junta's lack of progress on a peace plan agreed with the generals shortly after the coup.
While the 10-member bloc has barred Myanmar's generals from attending its high-level meetings, Malaysia, a vocal critic of the junta, has called for more stringent action.
The generals have reacted angrily to what it calls interference by Asean members.


Welfare officer says Bella was thin, scared when met at KL hospital

A Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Social Welfare Department assistant officer told the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today that Bella was thin and in a state of fear when he met the girl for the first time at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) last year.Mohamad Imran Mohamed Zanyuin, 35, said when he visited the teenager with Down syndrome on July 4, 2021, she appeared to be sad, walking with her head bowed, not looking at anyone with her hands bandaged.“I met Bella when she was in the Covid ward and she had scars on her face. She never smiled and she looked scared,” he said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Fazeedah Faik at the trial of Rumah Bonda founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali before judge Izralizam Sanusi.Imran, the 12th prosecution witness, said that on June 24, 2021, Siti Bainun messaged him on WhatsApp to inform him that Bella had fallen and was scalded.“Siti Bainun sent the message at 3.03pm and included several photographs of Bella’s injuries on her hands and head. Siti Bainun said she had gone to the hospital and bought a disinfectant spray.“In the WhatsApp message, Siti Bainun also stated that Bella was Covid-19 positive but said she did not take her for a swab test because she was afraid that she would be questioned about Bella’s physical condition.”He said Siti Bainun told him that the hot water had accidentally spilled on Bella two days before Hari Raya.To Fazeedah’s question on what action was taken after Siti Bainun informed him about the hot water scalding, Imran replied: “I urged Siti Bainun to take Bella to the hospital and she said she would do so after the teenager’s quarantine ended on June 29, 2021.“On June 24, 2021, I discussed with the other shelter workers to take Bella to the hospital and I talked to the JKM Children Unit chief the next day (June 25) and tried to get an ambulance to take Bella to the hospital.“Siti Bainun then informed me that she has been warded at Hospital Sungai Buloh as she had tested positive for Covid-19.“I asked Siti Bainun about Bella’s condition at home, but Siti Bainun only informed me that the other children in the house were taking care of Bella,” said Imran.He said the first time he met Bella after she was taken care of by Siti Bainun was on Feb 17, 2021 at the Kuala Lumpur Court for Children. He said Bella looked cheerful and was seen hugging Siti Bainun.Imran said he had never agreed to Bella being placed under Siti Bainun’s care because he did not know the woman personally and was unsure about her background.However, Imran said the Magistrate’s Court for Children allowed Siti Bainun temporary custody from July 14 to Sept 20, 2020 while permanent custody was to begin from Sept 24, 2020.Earlier, he said Siti Bainun had conveyed her wish to take care of the teenager to a child welfare officer known as Siti Sarah, and that based on discussions with Siti Bainun, the child was to be placed at Siti Bainun’s family residence in Ampang.“Bella is a child with disabilities who needs to be supervised by others besides Siti Bainun and family support is important in ensuring that her safety is always maintained,” he said.He said Bella was placed at Taman Sinar Harapan Tuanku Ampuan Najihah Seremban from 2011 to 2020 before Siti Bainun took care of her, adding that Bella stopped schooling when she was under Siti Bainun’s care.Siti Bainun, 30, faces two charges of neglecting and abusing the 13-year-old girl, causing her to suffer physical and emotional injuries.She is charged with committing the offences at a condominium in Wangsa Maju between February and June 2021. The charge, framed under Section 31 (1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, provides for a maximum fine of RM50,000, imprisonment of up to 20 years, or both, upon conviction.The trial before judge Izralizam continues.


In first, Russia fines WhatsApp for not deleting banned content

A Russian court on Thursday fined messenger service WhatsApp US$37,080 (about RM170,644) for not deleting banned content, its first fine in Russia for that offence.
WhatsApp's parent company Meta Platforms Inc was branded an "extremist" organisation by Moscow last year, but the messenger app - which is widely popular in Russia - has not previously faced penalties for failing to remove prohibited information.
Other Meta services, Facebook and Instagram - now banned in Russia - have been fined over content, as have the likes of Twitter and Alphabet's Google.
WhatsApp, however, has previously been fined for its alleged refusal to comply with Russian data law and store Russian users' data on servers in the country.
The RIA news agency reported that Thursday's fine was due to WhatsApp's refusal to remove information about the drug Lyrica, whose sale and manufacture are prohibited in Russia.
Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside US business hours.
The court also fined Wikimedia Foundation, which owns Wikipedia, three million roubles, for not removing what Russia considers "false information" about Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine.
Wikimedia did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It has previously said information that Russian authorities complained about was well-sourced and in line with Wikipedia standards.
Moscow has for years clashed with Big Tech over content, censorship, data and local representation in disputes that escalated after Russia sent its armed forces into Ukraine on Feb 24, 2022.


Saifuddin calls for rethink of Asean’s non-interference policy amid Myanmar crisis

Asean should rethink its decades-long policy of non-interference in the affairs of member states, amid a worsening human rights crisis in Myanmar, Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said today.The 10-member bloc on Friday made an unprecedented move to exclude the leader of Myanmar’s junta from an upcoming regional summit, over a lack of progress on a peace plan it agreed to with Asean in April. A non-political figure from Myanmar will be invited instead.The decision – which sources said was pushed by Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines – was a rare bold step for Asean, which has traditionally favoured consensus and engagement over criticism of member nations.Saifuddin said Asean should do some “soul-searching” on its non-interference policy, given deteriorating conditions in Myanmar, where more than 1,000 civilians have been killed in a crackdown on strikes and demonstrations since a Feb 1 coup.“I reminded the meeting (on Friday) that Asean is about 10 member states. As much as the issue in Myanmar is local and national, it has an impact on the region, and we should also recognise the concerns of the other nine member states,” he told a virtual dialogue on human rights in Myanmar.“And I also stated the fact that we cannot use the principle of non-interference as a shield to avoid issues being addressed,” he said, in a rare critique by an Asean foreign minister of one of the most valued parts of the bloc’s code.Saifuddin said non-interference had contributed to Asean’s inability to make effective decisions quickly, and suggested a move towards a new policy of constructive engagement or non-indifference.A junta spokesman has blamed Asean’s decision on “foreign intervention”, including by the US and European Union.


Rolls-Royce going cap in hand to Singapore’s GIC

Britain’s Rolls-Royce desperately needs to raise cash. The aircraft-engine maker is suffering huge financial losses following air travel restrictions caused by the pandemic.The company said on Saturday it was looking to raise up to £2.5 billion (US$3.2 billion) to strengthen its balance sheet.The aviation giant said it was considering a variety of options, including a rights issue, as well as debt and equity issuances.A Financial Times report said the company was in talks with sovereign wealth funds, including Singapore’s GIC, as part of its efforts to raise funds.GIC did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Rolls-Royce declined to comment beyond its statement.The normally solid Derby-based company laid off at least 9,000 workers in May, due to the slump in air travel.


Indonesia rescuers await reinforcements in hunt for landslide survivors

Rescuers on a remote Indonesia island searched for signs of life on Tuesday after a landslide that killed 15 people, awaiting equipment and reinforcements to boost efforts to find 42 people still missing, the disaster agency said.
The landslide on Monday followed six days of torrential rain and buried houses on a village on the island of Searasan in the Natuna region, about 80km off the island of Borneo.
Disaster agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said the landslide was estimated to have been 100-200m long and there were just 42 people involved in a rescue mission complicated by the remote location.
Heavy equipment such as excavators had yet to arrive, he said, with those helping in the operation required to travel by boat, vehicles then on foot.
"The number of fatalities might change at any time. Of 15 fatalities, 10 bodies have been retrieved," Abdul said by phone, adding 1,216 residents had been moved to temporary shelters in mosques and community health centres.
A video seen by Reuters showed rescuers in helmets working with flashlights in darkness to try to free victims, with houses destroyed and roads blanketed in mud.
Two helicopters would be sent from the capital Jakarta on Tuesday to help the rescue effort, as well as a plane carrying tents, food and blankets for evacuees, said Abdul.
Natuna's rescue agency head told Antara News Agency that military would be deployed to help the rescue and some equipment had been dispatched, including extraction tools and lighting equipment.


UK issues new 'extreme heat' warning for England and Wales

Britain's weather service on Tuesday issued an amber "Extreme Heat" warning for parts of England and Wales, with no respite in sight from hot dry conditions that have sparked fires, broken temperature records and strained the nation's infrastructure.
The amber warning — the second-most severe after red — will be in place from Thursday through to the end of Sunday and means that people vulnerable to extreme heat could face adverse health effects, the UK Met Office said.
Temperatures are expected to peak at 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) on Friday and may hit 36C in some places on Saturday.
The warning follows the driest July for England since 1935, when temperatures rose above 40C for the first time, turning a renewed spotlight to the impacts of climate change.
Other European nations have also faced a scorching heatwave in recent weeks with temperatures often exceeding 40C.
Britain, which is less used to such high temperatures, has struggled to cope.
July's heatwave caused power outages, damaged airport runways, buckled rail tracks and ignited dozens of blazes in London, where the fire brigade faced its busiest week since World War Two.
Britain's largest water company, Thames Water, which serves 15 million customers across London and south east England, said on Tuesday it was planning to announce temporary usage restrictions in the coming weeks due to the hot temperatures this week and long term forecasts of dry weather.
Several other water companies have already imposed restrictions and supermarkets have limited sales of disposable BBQs that firefighters warn can set light to tinder-dry grass. Ambulance services have received hundreds of calls from patients facing breathing difficulties, dizziness and fainting.
The amber warning, which follows Britain's first-ever red "Extreme Heat" warning in July, covers much of the southern half of England and parts of eastern Wales.
Scientists have said the July heatwave was made at least 10 times more likely because of climate change.


Interest in Langkawi surges 13-fold as tourism gradually reopens

Searches for Langkawi on online platform Airbnb have surged 13-fold month-on-month since the launch of the domestic tourism bubble in mid-September, indicating a growing interest in travel amid the gradual easing of Covid-19 restrictions.Airbnb said new data also showed a spike in domestic demand for accommodation across the country, with searches for Port Dickson increasing by over 360% and searches for Melaka up by 270%.“Malaysians are raring to travel again and reconnect with family and friends,” it said, adding that trending destinations include Subang Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Penang.In a statement, it said more Malaysians were searching for getaways lasting a week or longer, with interest in family-friendly villas also on the rise, increasing by nearly 2.5-fold in the week of Sept 13 compared to six months ago.“The end of the long lockdown has also spurred Malaysians to quickly plan for upcoming trips with their loved ones,” it said.The Langkawi tourism bubble was launched on Sept 16, with MalaysiaNow previously reporting that hotels and resorts had received thousands of bookings following the government’s announcement that the island would reopen to visitors as part of plans to restart the tourism industry.However, similar tourism bubbles planned for Pulau Tioman and Genting Highlands were put on hold until 90% of the adult population is fully vaccinated.This was in line with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s announcement that the reopening of island resorts and tourism centres or destinations and interstate travel would only be allowed when the vaccination rate of the country’s adult population reaches 90%.


Nasi lemak vending machines a lifeline for the young and busy

Vending machines selling packets of nasi lemak for RM2 each at several public transportation stations in Kuala Lumpur have been a go-to for the youth working in the capital city.
Launched in early March, the sale of nasi lemak in vending machines is a scheme under the People's Income Initiative programme helmed by the economy ministry.
The process begins with chilli planters giving a portion of their harvest to other B40 entrepreneurs to make sambal, the essential hot and spicy condiment to any serving of nasi lemak.
The nasi lemak is then sold for as low as RM2 at vending machines in public places.
Long queues seen at several LRT stations around the Klang Valley are an indication that the nasi lemak is well-received by the public.
At the Cempaka LRT station, for instance, a line of men and women can be seen waiting for their turn at a vending machine selling packets of nasi lemak.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Ruziana Azhar said she buys a total of four nasi lemak packets a day; two packets before and after work.
"I have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's cheap and filling, so I don't need to go out at night to find other food. I only need to heat it up," she added.
The 22-year-old who is currently undergoing industrial training at a private company said buying nasi lemak at vending machines is the right choice for her as she needs to save money, adding that she relies on educational loans and a meagre allowance to stay afloat in the city.
"It's quick; I line up, put my money in, collect my nasi lemak and leave."
Ruziana said she has noticed several public service users buying nasi lemak from the vending machines before taking the LRT to their workplace, adding that this shows that it's not just her who likes to bring packed meals bought from vending machines.
"It's the same even when returning from work. I've seen many people buying nasi lemak in the evenings. Sometimes, it sells out, and I suppose that's when they go looking for other food," she said.
A recent survey by MalaysiaNow found that the RM2 nasi lemak is well-received among various groups, including foreign workers.
Meanwhile, a middle-aged woman known as Hajar hopes that the initiative will be expanded to other locations, including outside the Klang Valley.
The 57-year-old said she has only seen the vending machines at certain places like LRT stations that seem to attract a lot of people.
"It could be because nasi lemak holds a special place in the lives and hearts of Malaysians.
"It would be good if they also installed nasi lemak vending machines at universities or bus stations. Other people would also get to taste it," she added.


Court allows Najib to attend proceedings in civil suit against ex-AG Thomas

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today allowed Najib Razak’s application to attend the court proceedings on his RM1.9 million civil lawsuit against former attorney-general Tommy Thomas on Oct 21.
Judge Ahmad Bache ruled that Najib, as the plaintiff, had a right to hear his civil case.
"If in a criminal trial, an order to produce may be made. It (the striking-out application) may be interlocutory in nature. This court agrees with your application and allows the order as applied," Ahmad said during the online proceedings today.
On Oct 21, the court is scheduled to continue hearing Thomas’ application to strike out Najib's suit.
At the outset, Najib’s counsel Yudistra Darma Dorai submitted that the court had the power to grant an ex-parte application by his client, who is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence in Kajang Prison, to attend court proceedings under Section 30 of the Prisons Act.
Section 30 states that whenever the presence of a prisoner is required in a court having civil or criminal jurisdiction, the court may issue an order in the prescribed form addressed to the officer-in-charge, requiring the production of that prisoner at the time and place to be named in the order. Najib filed the suit on Oct 22 last year, claiming that the charges against him were part of a move planned in advance by Thomas and in line with the Pakatan Harapan government’s plan at the time.
Najib, 69, claimed that he had been wrongly accused in court in the case of 1MDB, International Petroleum Investment Company , abuse of power under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
He is seeking a declaration that Thomas committed misfeasance in public office as well as RM1.9 million in damages including negotiation fees for an audit team to review documentation for the preparation of facts to deal with the prosecution against him.


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US says deal reached with India on digital tax

The US on Wednesday said it had reached a deal to lift never-implemented levies on India in exchange for the easing of its tax targeting international tech firms.India is among countries that had imposed a tax on foreign digital services, which earned Washington’s ire since it considers such levies an unfair attack on US tech giants.In a statement, the US Treasury said India would instead follow a minimum tax deal reached last month by 140 countries under the auspices of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).That agreement would see the imposition of a 15% minimum corporate tax worldwide and is expected to come into effect in 2023.Treasury in a statement said “this compromise represents a pragmatic solution,” and “allows for the termination of trade measures adopted in response to the Indian equalisation levy,” as New Delhi’s digital tax is known.The US earlier this week reached a similar deal with Turkey to lift its digital services levy in favor of the OECD global minimum tax.The historic agreement aims to put an end to corporations sheltering profits in low-tax haven countries, and would resolve issues the digital services taxes were intended to address.


45 at Kuantan restaurant fined for breaching SOPs

Forty-five customers at a restaurant in Jalan Teluk Sisek, Kuantan, were fined between RM1,500 and RM2,000 for failing to adhere to SOPs under the recovery movement control order.Kuantan district police chief ACP Mohamad Noor Yusof Ali said the compounds were issued after an inspection at 11.55pm yesterday which found, among others, that the customers had not practised physical distancing.“Two of the customers were also fined for not scanning their entry using the MySejahtera application. One of them, when asked, showed us a backdated registration which was on April 21.“We found they were crowding tables although there were many empty tables available and the excuse given was that they were not aware of the one-metre rule,” he said in a statement today.Noor Yusof said the restaurant’s management was issued a compound fine of RM10,000 for failing to ensure that customers comply with the SOPs.“The management told us that they had advised the customers but they refused to listen. To us, the restaurant should have called the police or the city council enforcement (division) under that situation,” he said.Noor Yusof added that he hoped this would be a lesson to the public and management of eateries in Kuantan to comply with the SOPs in curbing the spread of Covid-19.


India’s richest state has half of all new Covid-19 cases

The state of Maharashtra, India’s richest, now accounts for more than half of both new and total coronavirus infections, health ministry data showed on Monday.The state accounts for over 11,000 of the 18,600 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, and 52% of the 188,747 people still infected.Experts say the state’s current wave might be “less virulent”, reports Reuters.India’s relatively low hospitalisation and fatality rates suggest the pandemic is approaching its next phase of largely manageable local outbreaks.India’s tally of over 11 million infections is the world’s highest after the US, but as a proportion of its population, India’s virus deaths rank among the lowest in the world, rising by 97 on Monday to 157,853.The health ministry said it had sent expert teams to a quarter of Indian states and federal territories showing a rise in cases so as to understand the challenges and issues they face.One team said the spurt in Maharashtra, which has a population of more than 114 million, could be due to pandemic fatigue, village elections, weddings, the reopening of schools and crowded public transport.“The virus is spreading to hitherto unaffected areas and most cases are asymptomatic,” it said in a report on Saturday. “People are not strictly following quarantine or getting testing done. The sense is that the current wave is less virulent.”The report did not say how the current surge was determined to be less infectious, but the Indian government earlier ruled out new variants as the cause of the rise.Hundreds of thousands travel to work each day in Maharashtra’s many cities home to industries such as garments, chemicals, cars and metal factories.The federal government has asked states to prioritise vaccination in the worst affected areas.Since its drive began in mid-January, India has inoculated 17.3 million people, 20% of them receiving the two doses required.The government aims to cover 300 million of a population of 1.35 billion by August.


Selangor govt bypassed state-owned firm to award lucrative mining contract to private company

Eyebrows have been raised over a decision by the Selangor government to award a 10-year sand mining lease to a private company, breaching its own rules on granting mining licences and leases on government land, while at the same time bypassing a state-owned company, MalaysiaNow has discovered.The mining lease of KL Larut Sdn Bhd expired in March this year but was renewed for another 10 years, allowing it to carry out mining activities on two plots of government land in Kuala Selangor.It is learnt that the decision to renew KL Larut’s lease was made by the Selangor executive council in August this year.Meanwhile, an application by Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB), a company formed by the Selangor government to develop and consolidate mining activities in the state, was summarily rejected, according to a letter from the state’s Land and Mineral Office sighted by MalaysiaNow.In the letter, the land office informed KSSB’s CEO Abdul Rahman Ishak that its application to carry out mining activities on the two sites in Kuala Selangor, with a combined land area of more than 1,000 acres, had been rejected.“As such, this administration would like to inform you of the summary rejection of your application,” said the letter dated Sept 3, 2020, sighted by MalaysiaNow.Checks revealed that one of the four directors of KL Larut is P Thiagarajan Pavadai, a Klang-based businessman better known as Oms Thiagarajan.The 66-year-old is known for his close ties with PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, and has often been in the news related to Indian community issues.In 2018, barely a month after his release from prison, Anwar gave a speech at Thiagarajan’s birthday party held at a prominent hotel in Subang Jaya.MalaysiaNow has reached out to Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, who is also the exco in charge of land development and natural resources management, but received no response as of press time.Breaching own rulesInvestigations by MalaysiaNow further revealed that the decision to grant the additional 10-year lease for KL Larut breached a 2015 circular issued by the state’s director of land and minerals, which stated that all mining licences on state land must be done through open tender.The renewal means KL Larut can carry out sand mining on the said land until 2030.An industry source told MalaysiaNow that both plots of land, measuring about 300 and 748 acres each, could rake in as much as 300,000 metric tonnes of sand and minerals every month with a market price of over RM5 million.It is understood that the company submitted a renewal application in March 2019, followed by an appeal in September, ahead of the expiry of its lease in March this year.A source close to the state PKR leadership told MalaysiaNow that the renewal was only approved following executive intervention.“After 11 months, the Selangor executive council stepped in to approve the renewal, giving KL Larut mining rights up to 2030, and throwing out state firm KSSB from the two sites,” it added.Based on details obtained from the Companies Commission of Malaysia, KL Larut’s activities include mining of tin ore, metal, clay, sand and other minerals, including their import, export, wholesale and retail.In April 2011, KSSB lodged a police report against Thiagarajan in relation to an incident at a sand mining site in Kuala Selangor, one of the spots where KL Larut has now been granted the 10-year lease.Thiagarajan later sued KSSB over the allegations, but the court threw out the suit.Sand mining in Selangor is a multi-million ringgit business. However, a mushrooming of illegal mining sites, resulting in losses of millions of ringgit in revenue every month, had forced authorities to consolidate the activities under KSSB, a company under Menteri Besar Selangor Inc headed by the MB himself.


More orderly Ramadan bazaars in 5 to 6 days, says Zuraida

Activities at Ramadan bazaars will be more orderly and better organised with stricter compliance with SOPs in five or six days with the involvement of local authority enforcement, says Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.She said local authorities only need to apply the existing SOPs, that is physical distancing and wearing face masks, as issued by the health ministry.“These are the basic requirements for them (visitors and traders) to adhere to as regulations at Ramadan bazaars,” she said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.She admitted there had been viral pictures of SOP non-compliance at Ramadan bazaars, especially in terms of physical distancing.“This is the first and second day and the people have just returned to Ramadan bazaars, so some are just enthusiastic. I believe the situation will improve in five to six days.“With enforcement at the local authorities level, there will be more effective control,” she said.


Govt tables RM322.5 billion budget with focus on Covid-19, jump-starting economy

The government has announced a total of RM322.5 billion in the 2021 budget tabled today by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz.The amount is RM10 billion more than the revised budget for 2020, divided into operating expenditure (RM236.5 billion), development (RM69 billion) and RM17 billion for the Covid-19 Money Group, a new category to address the impact of the pandemic.The budget, themed “Teguh Kita Menang Bersama” (Stand Firm, Together We Win) had attracted unprecedented attention from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the back of concerns that it could be defeated at the voting stage.The palace issued three reminders to MPs to set aside their political differences and support the budget to ensure that critical financial allocations can be made available in the battle against Covid-19.


UN warns 'vampiric overconsumption' is draining world's water

The United Nations opened its first conference on water security in almost half a century on Wednesday with a plea to governments to better manage one of humanity's shared resources.
A quarter of the world's population relies on unsafe drinking water while half lacks basic sanitation, the UN said. Meanwhile, nearly three quarters of recent disasters have been related to water.
"We are draining humanity's lifeblood through vampiric overconsumption and unsustainable use, and evaporating it through global heating," said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Ensuring access to clean drinking water and sanitation is part of the 17-point to-do list the UN has set for sustainable development, alongside ending hunger and poverty, achieving gender equality, and taking action on climate change.
The three-day conference beginning on Wednesday in New York is not intended to produce the kind of binding accord that emerged from climate meetings in Paris in 2015, or on nature protection in Montreal in 2022. But Guterres said it must "result in a bold Water Action Agenda that gives our world's lifeblood the commitment it deserves".
That agenda aims to establish voluntary commitments from countries and sector representatives, and create "political momentum."
Guterres said governments needed plans that would "ensure equitable water access for all people while conserving this precious resource," and work with their neighbors to manage it.
The US quickly responded to Guterres' call.
"I am proud to announce that the US is committing US$49 billion (about RM218 billion) toward equitable, climate-resilient, water and sanitation investments at home and around the world," US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.
This money would "help create jobs, prevent conflicts, safeguard public health, reduce the risk of famine and hunger, and enable us to respond to climate change and natural disasters," she said, without giving a timeline for the investments or details on how much money would be spent where.
Scientists, economists and policy experts grouped together by the government of the Netherlands in the Global Commission on the Economics of Water has recommended phasing out some US$700 billion in agricultural and water subsidies it says are environmentally damaging.
It also endorses partnerships between development finance institutions and private investors to improve water systems.