Twin suicide blasts in Baghdad leave nearly 30 dead

A rare twin suicide bombing killed nearly 30 in central Baghdad on Thursday, Iraqi state media said, the deadliest attack in the city in three years.At least 28 people were killed and another 73 wounded in the attack on a huge open-air market for second-hand clothes in the Iraqi capital’s Tayaran Square.The market had been teeming with people following nearly a year of restrictions imposed across the country in a bid to halt the spread of Covid-19.According to an interior ministry statement, the first suicide bomber rushed into the market, claiming to feel sick.Once a crowd of people had gathered around him, he detonated his explosives.As people then flocked around the victims, a second attacker detonated his bomb, the ministry said.An AFP photographer at the scene said security forces had cordoned off the area, where blood-stained clothes were strewn about the muddy streets.Paramedics were working to remove casualties, and Iraq’s health ministry said it had mobilised medics across the capital.Thursday’s attack was the bloodiest incident in Baghdad since January 2018, when a suicide bomber also in Tayaran Square killed more than 30 people.Suicide bombings had been commonplace in Baghdad during the sectarian bloodletting that followed the US-led invasion of 2003.Later on, as the Islamic State (IS) group swept across much of Iraq, its jihadists also targeted the capital.But with the group’s territorial defeat in late 2017, suicide bombings in the city became rare.Baghdad’s notorious concrete blast walls were dismantled and checkpoints across the city removed.Bloody lead-up to voteThursday’s attack comes as Iraqis prepare for an election, events which are often preceded by bombings and assassinations.The 2018 attack took place just a few months before Iraq’s last round of parliamentary elections.Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi had originally set this year’s general election for June, nearly a year ahead of schedule, in response to widespread protests in 2019.But authorities are in talks over rescheduling them to October in order to give electoral authorities more time to register voters and new parties.Thursday’s twin attack was not immediately claimed but suicide bombings have been used by ultra-conservative Islamist groups, most recently IS.The jihadist factions seized a third of Iraq in 2014 and was dangerously close to the capital, but a ferocious three-year fight by Iraqi troops pushed them back.Still, the group’s sleeper cells have continued to operate in desert and mountain areas, typically targeting security forces or state infrastructure with low casualty attacks.Still, the US-led coalition that had been supporting Iraq’s campaign against IS has significantly drawn down its troop levels over the past year, citing the increased capabilities of Iraqi troops.The US, which provides the bulk of the force, has 2,500 troops left in Iraq – down from 5,200 a year ago.They are mainly in charge of training, providing drone surveillance and carrying out air strikes while Iraqi security forces handle security in urban areas.


US to evacuate some Afghan interpreters ahead of withdrawal

The US plans to evacuate at least some Afghan interpreters who have worked with US forces before the full withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, a senior official said Thursday.The move would keep the interpreters, facing violent reprisal from Taliban forces, safe as their special immigrant visas (SIVs) are processed, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.“We have identified a group of SIV applicants who have served as interpreters and translators to be relocated to another location outside of Afghanistan before we complete our military drawdown by September, in order to complete the visa application process,” the official said.The official did not specify the number of interpreters or their destinations, but said their visa applications were “already in the pipeline”.Even after the military withdrawal, visa processing will continue, “including for those who remain in Afghanistan”, the official said, adding: “Should it become necessary, we will consider additional relocation or evacuation options.”US President Joe Biden said later Thursday: “Those who helped us are not going to be left behind.”When asked where the interpreters could be sent on a temporary basis, Biden said he did not know.Some 18,000 Afghans who have worked with US forces, including as interpreters, are hoping to move to the US, fearing they could be the victim of revenge attacks by Taliban militants if they return to power.But the process is extremely lengthy and they risk being stranded without a visa if the Afghan government collapses soon after foreign troops leave.Many congressional representatives and human rights organisations are urging the Biden administration to evacuate Afghans with pending cases to the Pacific island of Guam, a US territory.Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Thursday that planning for an evacuation is well underway, though he said some specifics were not yet finalised and would not offer details due to security concerns.Kirby said it was an “enormous responsibility” to take care of people who were crucial to the two-decade US mission in Afghanistan.“We are taking this seriously. We know we have an obligation to these men and women and their families,” he told reporters.“Planning is ongoing, lots of options are available.”Kirby declined to say how many people could be taken out; he said a widely speculated figure of 100,000 is too high.In April, Biden ordered the departure of the 2,500 remaining troops in Afghanistan by Sept 11, 2021, the anniversary of the 2001 attacks that triggered the US invasion.But many are concerned pulling US troops out before all the Afghan support staff are evacuated could leave the vulnerable to violence from the Taliban.


For Umno’s Ahmad Maslan, party boss Zahid a ‘victim of injustice’

Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan has mounted a strong defence of his party boss Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from recent allegations of collusion with PKR to shape sentiments at the recent Umno general assembly, as well as the flurry of criminal allegations he faces.Ahmad, who was a deputy minister when Zahid was deputy prime minister in the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government, said the Umno president had been unjustly treated since the first term of Dr Mahathir Mohamad.“Zahid was unfairly treated, not once, but he has twice faced injustice,” Ahmad told MalaysiaNow’s current affairs programme Talk, Now.“First, if you look at his personal history, he is the only Umno president who was detained under ISA,” he said, referring to Zahid’s arrest in 1998 under the Internal Security Act over his links to Anwar’s reformasi movement.Ahmad said the 47 charges of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption that Zahid faces are another example of how he has been victimised.“Zahid was unfairly treated, not once, but he has twice faced injustice.”He claimed that Zahid was brought to court because he refused to dissolve Umno and join Bersatu.“When the request was not met, he was dragged to court over his own foundation.”Ahmad also said Zahid deserved to be given the post of deputy prime minister “or higher than that”.In October last year, MalaysiaNow released the contents of a letter jointly signed by Zahid and former prime minister Najib Razak, supporting Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to topple the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.It was later revealed that Zahid had approached Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in the hope of being acquitted of his criminal charges.Zahid entered the spotlight again with his recent calls alongside Najib for Umno to cut ties with Bersatu and the PN government.The suggestion received endorsement from delegates at the Umno general assembly in March, in what was touted as Zahid’s success in silencing dissenting leaders who disagreed with the plan for Umno to go it alone.However, just days after the general assembly, Zahid was embroiled in controversy following the revelation of a telephone conversation he had with Anwar, where he was heard being congratulated by the PKR leader over the endorsement from Umno delegates.Ahmad refuses to believe that it was Zahid’s voice in the audio clip, although several politicians including Umno’s Annuar Musa and Bersatu’s Mohamed Azmin Ali identified Zahid and Anwar as the duo in the conversation.Ahmad said Zahid had been made the victim of voice-cloning technology, adding that such resources were already available two years ago.“I was heavily condemned, but I knew I was doing the right thing.”“With technology, they can make it seem like we said it. That was two years ago, digital voice cloning is more sophisticated now,” Ahmad told Talk, Now.In the interview, Ahmad, who had taken to social media to defend the BN government’s decision to introduce the goods and services tax (GST), also spoke about how he copes with critics on social media, and shared his insight into his political survival over the years.“I was heavily condemned, but I knew I was doing the right thing.“At one point, I knew people would eventually appreciate the GST, so I didn’t really mind what they said to me,” he added.


Sorry.


Govt offers 4,000 vocational licences to B40 group

The government is offering 4,000 vocational Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licences for free to the B40 group through the MyPSV programme, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said of that number, 3,500 PSV licences were for e-hailing and taxi drivers, while the remaining 500 were for PSV bus drivers and involved an allocation of RM2 million.
Loke said the initiative, besides helping the B40 group, who have to bear the cost of RM2,590 to obtain a PSV bus license, was also introduced to meet the needs of the transport industry which is experiencing a chronic shortage of bus drivers.
"The country needs thousands of bus drivers, not only by Prasarana (Malaysia Berhad) but also express bus and stage bus companies in the country.
"I am made to understand that some express bus companies are experiencing a shortage of drivers and one of the factors that do not attract people to become bus drivers is because of the low salary," he said after launching the national-level MyPSV Programme 2023 in Batang Kali today.
Loke said the initiative was part of the government's responsibility and commitment to open up opportunities and space for the people to improve their socioeconomic status and household income through job opportunities in the public transport service sector.
"This programme will also directly support and improve the survival of the public transport and tourism sectors in the country," he added.
He said the MyPSV programme could help to produce competent and safe bus, taxi and e-hailing drivers as the eligible applicants would be required to undergo training and tests to ensure their competence before being issued the PSV Vocational Licence and allowed to drive public service vehicles.
Candidates under the MyPSV bus programme are required to attend the vocational theory course, training and practical test (covering circuits and roads) equivalent to the existing regulations, while candidates under the MyPSV e-hailing programme only need to attend the e-hailing theory course, he added.
Meanwhile, when asked about a commotion that involved a minister at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) recently, Loke said the entry process for foreign tourists, especially at KLIA, will be improved because it involves security issues.
This is because the government also wants to make Malaysia a tourist-friendly country, he added.


DAP drops Wong Tack from Bentong after deadlock over seat switch

DAP has dropped environmental activist Wong Tack as its candidate for the Bentong seat in the upcoming election, announcing Young Syefura Othman as the party's choice come Nov 19.
Wong won the Bentong seat in the May 2018 general election, defeating MCA's Liow Tiong Lai by just over 2,000 votes.
Young Syefura, meanwhile, is DAP's deputy youth chief and assemblyman for Ketari.
Wong and his Himpunan Hijau movement had been at the forefront of protests against the Lynas rare earth processing plant in Gebeng, Kuantan.
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook said while the subject of Lynas might be used against the party and Pakatan Harapan, there were also other environmental issues at hand.
Speaking in a press conference to announce DAP's candidates in Pahang today, Loke said this was one of the reasons the party had suggested that Wong contest the Cameron Highlands seat instead.
He said he and Wong had met on Sunday for a three-hour discussion during which he proposed that Wong be fielded in Cameron Highlands.
However, he said, Wong declined to accept the offer.
"After the meet-up, Wong was given 24 hours to respond, but he decided to refuse the suggestion," he said.
"The party had to make a decision and move on."
Loke said fielding Young Syefura, popularly known as Rara, in Bentong instead was a "bold and strategic move" as she had been serving in that constituency.
"We encourage candidates who have a presence in the constituency," he said.
"This was a decision with months of deliberation and observation."
Loke added that DAP national vice-chairman Teresa Kok would act as a central executive committee mentor in Bentong, to advise and assist Young Syefura throughout the campaign period.
He also announced the party's candidates for the seats of Lipis, Cameron Highlands and Raub, which will be contested by Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji, Chiong Yoke Kong and Chow Yu Hui.
Tengku Zulpuri is a former Raub MP while Chiong was DAP's assemblyman in Tanah Rata and Chow, its representative in Tras.
Loke also said that DAP would be contesting eight state assembly seats in Pahang.


Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon through July hits fresh record

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest reached a record high for the first seven months of the year, preliminary government data showed on Friday, as the region approaches the traditional peak of the annual burning season.
Government satellite data showed 5,474 sq km were cleared in the region from January to July, up 7.3% from the same period of last year, equal to an area seven times the size of New York City. Exceeding last year's record, it was the heaviest deforestation for the period tracking began in 2015, according to national space research agency Inpe, which collects the data.
In July alone, deforestation totalled 1,487 sq km, roughly in line with the same month of 2021.
Environmentalists and experts blame President Jair Bolsonaro for rolling back environmental protections, opening room for loggers and ranchers to illegally clear more of the Amazon.
"The figures shock, but don't surprise," said Marcio Astrini, head of local environmental group Climate Observatory, adding that "out of control" deforestation in the Amazon was a consequence of government policies reducing protection.
Bolsonaro's office forwarded a request for comment to the environment ministry, which said that in the 12 months through July there was a 2.16% drop in deforestation over the previous year.
The latest figures come as Brazil approaches the worst of the annual burning season in the Amazon, when ranchers and farmers often set fire to areas deforested earlier in the year. Inpe data show that fires in the region tend to spike in August and September.
In July, Inpe fire alerts increased 8% from the previous year to a total 5,373, though remaining below an average 6,213.
Last month, Brazil's environmental authority granted an initial permit that will allow a major highway to be paved through the centre of the rainforest, a move that threatens to further increase deforestation.


Rosmah applies for stay of proceedings in money laundering case

Rosmah Mansor has applied for a stay of proceedings in her money laundering and tax evasion trial scheduled to begin on Wednesday.Rosmah, 70, filed the notice of motion through Messrs Geethan Ram in the Kuala Lumpur High Court, naming the public prosecutor as the respondent. Lawyer Geethan Ram Vincent when contacted by reporters confirmed the matter.According to the court’s e-filing system, the application is set for case management before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan on Wednesday.In the notice of motion, Rosmah sought an order for a stay of proceedings pending an appeal in the Court of Appeal against Zaini’s decision dismissing Rosmah’s application for the judge to recuse himself from hearing the case.The appeal is set for case management before the deputy registrar of the Court of Appeal on March 23.In the affidavit filed with the notice of motion, Rosmah claimed among others that if the Court of Appeal ruled that Zaini was not a suitable judge to hear the case against her, the trial of the case would be futile.Rosmah claimed that if the trial continued, it would violate her fundamental rights, where she would suffer irreparable harm if the trial was later declared null and void.On Dec 14, Zaini rejected Rosmah’s application for him to recuse himself from hearing the trial against her over money laundering and failure to declare income tax, and set the trial to begin on Jan 12.On Nov 2, Rosmah filed the application for Zaini to recuse himself from the case on the grounds that evidence and exhibits had been presented in court in the solar case trial before the same judge, which could directly or indirectly influence the judge in the money laundering case.Rosmah faces 12 money laundering charges involving RM7,097,750 and five counts of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).The offences were allegedly committed at Affin Bank, Bangunan Getah Asli branch, Jalan Ampang between Dec 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017, and at LHDN at Kompleks Bangunan Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim between May 1, 2014 and May 1, 2018.


Party polls the best way for Umno to move forward, says Annuar Musa

Former Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa today said holding a party election would be the best way to chart its course ahead of the 15th general election (GE15).“This is because the leadership must receive the grassroots’ mandate before any election,” he said on a talk show today.“As for now, the president has come up with an idea to go solo in GE15. The best way is for not just the state liaison chairman to decide, but also the members.“If the grassroots support his suggestion, maybe he will receive a new mandate. If they don’t, there will be a new leadership.“Anyhow, the election would solve all rumours,” he added, in response to a member of the audience who asked if there was a need for an urgent motion to hold an election.Annuar, who is the Ketereh MP, said according to the party’s constitution, the Umno election must be held before June this year.“Any suggestion to postpone the election must come from the Supreme Council and be approved by the Registrar of Societies.“For me, there is no excuse not to hold the election,” he added.When asked to comment on Zahid’s speech, he said it had focused only on dissatisfaction with Bersatu.“It was different from the speeches of previous presidents,” he said. “During Dr Mahathir’s time, he painted a bigger picture with the global scenario before pointing to how Umno could position itself to handle the issues at hand.”He also said Zahid had sung a different tune in denying talks with PKR and DAP.“Don’t deny there are attempt to negotiate with PKR and DAP. But it is now official. No DAP, No PKR. Now there is an addition to that: No Bersatu.“But whether ‘No PAS’ or ‘Yes PAS’, it is still unclear,” he added.Annuar said he would support the decision to go solo if it would mean victory for Umno in the election.He also apologised to PAS for any hurtful remarks that might have been made against the party during the general assembly.


New cases dip to 26,832 with 37 more deaths logged

Another 26,832 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 3,221,680.Of the total number of cases recorded yesterday, 133 (0.5%) were in Category Three and above. The remaining 26,699 (99.5%) were in Category One and Two.There were 18,459 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 2,937,655.A total of 1,438 cases were admitted to hospital yesterday, with 485 (33.7%) in Category Three and above and 953 (66.3%) in Category One and Two.Of the 133 cases in Category Three and above reported yesterday:* 29 (21.80%) were not vaccinated or had not completed their vaccination;* 75 (56.39%) had received two doses of vaccine;* 29 (21.80%) had received a booster jab;* 62 (46.62%) were aged 60 and above;* 47 (35.34%) had comorbidities;* 6 (4.51%) were pregnant women; and* 11 had died, including 6 who were brought in dead.There are now 251,678 active cases, of which 238,620 or 94.8% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 5,287 (2.1%) are at quarantine centres while 7,524 (3.0%) have been hospitalised.A total of 261 are in ICU with 139 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 57.2%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 29.7%.Another 37 deaths were reported, including 10 who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 32,347.According to health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the country’s infectivity rate as of Feb 20 was 1.19.


Chinese authorities move fast to quell new spike by testing whole city

Qingdao city authorities are going to test the city’s entire population of nearly 10 million people for Covid-19, they said on Monday.The testing will be carried out in the east coast city over the next five days, CNN reports.On Oct 11, city health authorities reported 12 new cases, six of which were asymptomatic.All the new cases appeared to be linked to a hospital treating people who were confirmed to have the disease after returning from overseas.Health chiefs moved fast and locked down the hospitals where they were treated as well as the buildings where they live.More than 140,000 people who could be connected to the patients were tested and found to be negative.Now the whole population is to be tested, in a massive military-style operation.China has largely kept Covid-19 at bay since August, with only imported cases reported.Tourism recently resumed in Qingdao, known for its beautiful beaches, with countless visitors arriving earlier this month for Golden Week, a national holiday around the Mid-Autumn Festival.Now the new cases have raised concerns of a potential spike related to the holiday.


Former A-G should have decided what to include or exclude from 1MDB audit report, court told

The Kuala Lumpur High Court was today told that former auditor-general Ambrin Buang should have decided what information to be included and excluded from the final 1MDB audit report as ultimate authority lay with him at that point of time.Madinah Mohamad, who took over the role from Ambrin in 2017, said it was still the prerogative of Ambrin then to decide whether or not to accept suggestions made by the auditee.The 66-year-old witness said this during cross-examination by counsel N Sivananthan, representing former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy in his trial with former prime minister Najib Razak for allegedly tampering with the final audit report.Madinah, the 12th prosecution witness who was not involved in the audit process in 2015 and 2016, however agreed that an auditee could not instruct an auditor to remove certain facts or findings from audit reports.Sivananthan: Do you agree with me that the auditee, however, may make suggestions as to what information to be included in the audit report based on the document?Madinah: I agree.Sivananthan: Ultimately, it is the auditor-general (Ambrin) who should decide what should be in and not be in (in the audit report)?Madinah: Yes, correct.Madinah also agreed with Sivananthan that Ambrin would be the correct person to explain what had happened during the 1MDB audit process and what was done or not.She further agreed that the auditor-general had a lot of discretion to decide what should or should not be done.Najib, 68, is charged with using his position to order amendments to the final 1MDB audit report before it was presented to the Public Accounts Committee to prevent any action from being taken against him.Arul Kanda, 45, is charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments to the report, to protect Najib from being subjected to action.The offences were allegedly committed at the Prime Minister’s Department Complex, Federal Government Administrative Centre, Putrajaya between Feb 22 and 26, 2016.Najib and Arul Kanda were charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.The trial before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues on April 20.


Delta variant ‘40% more transmissible’, says UK health minister

The Delta variant of the coronavirus is estimated to be 40% more transmissible than the Alpha variant that caused the last wave of infections in the UK, Britain’s health minister said Sunday.But people who have received two doses of vaccine, should be equally protected against either variant, he added.“That figure, around 40% more transmissible, is indeed the latest advice I have,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News.The Delta variant, also known as the Indian variant, is now the dominant strain in the UK, according to Public Health England figures.It was the Alpha variant, previously known as the Kent variant, that forced the UK into lockdown in January.Hancock said the 40% figure came from the government body of scientific advisers, SAGE.Concerns are mounting over whether the emergence of the Delta variant threatens the government’s provisional June 21 deadline for lifting virus restrictions.Hancock acknowledged that the Delta variant “does make the calculation more difficult for June 21”.“We’ll look at the data for another week and then make a judgement,” he told the BBC on Sunday, stressing that the government was “absolutely open” to delaying the lifting of restrictions.Double vaccinations effectiveThe minister nevertheless stressed that those who have had two doses of vaccine should be protected against illness from the Delta variant.Public Health England said last month that research showed double vaccination was similarly effective against both the Kent and Delta variants.“The best scientific advice I have at this stage is that, after one jab, it’s not quite as effective against the new Delta variant, but after both jabs, it is,” Hancock told the BBC.So far hospitalisations are “broadly flat”, with very few hospitalised after receiving both vaccine doses, he added.The UK has so far given more than 27 million people two doses – more than 50% of adults – while more than 40 million have had one dose.Hancock said the government was “taking clinical advice” on whether to extend the vaccination programme to children over 12, who are believed to be playing a major role in spreading the virus. But this would not be mandatory, he added.


High Court to decide if Syed Saddiq walks free or enters defence

The Kuala Lumpur High Court will deliver its decision tomorrow on whether incumbent Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman will be acquitted or ordered to enter his defence against charges of abetting in criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of assets and money laundering.
Judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid is scheduled to deliver the decision at 9.30am.
If the decision favours the prosecution in that it is able to prove a prima facie case against Syed Saddiq, the court will order the former youth and sports minister to enter his defence. Otherwise, Syed Saddiq will walk free.
On Sept 27, the prosecution closed its case after calling 30 witnesses in the trial which began on May 21.
The witnesses included Syed Saddiq’s parents – Shariffah Mahani Syed Abdul Aziz and Syed Abdul Rahman Abdullah Asagoff – and Rafiq Hakim, the former assistant treasurer of the Bersatu Youth wing, as well as Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officers Nurul Hidayah Kamarudin, Syahmeizy Sulong and Asbi Munip. Deputy public prosecutors Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and Mohd ‘Afif Ali prosecuted, while lawyers Gobind Singh Deo and Haijan Omar represented Syed Saddiq.
Syed Saddiq, 29, was charged as the then Bersatu Youth chief, entrusted with tge control of its funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim in CBT involving RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing at CIMB Bank Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020.
The charge, framed under Section 406 of the Penal Code, provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years with whipping, with the possibility of a fine, upon conviction.
Syed Saddiq was also charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code with misusing RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise for himself by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking Bhd, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya, between April 8 and 21, 2018.
If convicted, he faces imprisonment of up to five years, a whipping and the possibility of a fine.
He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering activities through two transactions of RM50,000 each, believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputra account at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Baru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.
The charge was framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which provides for imprisonment of up to 15 years with the possibility of a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of the unlawful activity.


Trump declares: I won the election

Donald Trump has declared himself the winner of the US presidential election, saying the announcement that his opponent Joe Biden won was based on assumptions by the “fake news media”.“I WON THE ELECTION!” the president tweeted today, in his clearest indication yet that he might not easily give up his controversial claim to victory.The post was accompanied by a Twitter label reminding users of potentially misleading claims by Trump: “Official sources called this election differently.”Just yesterday, Trump made a rare public acknowledgement that Biden had won the election, before quickly saying he was not conceding defeat.“He (Biden) won because the Election was Rigged,” Trump had posted, before saying that he conceded “NOTHING”, with a statement in capital letters: “WE WILL WIN!”Major US news outlets called in Trump’s defeat after Biden obtained the 270 electoral votes needed to win.Trump has argued that the election was rigged against him, with his supporters staging protests in his support.With the vote count nearing completion, NBC News is projecting that Biden will get 306 electoral votes compared to Trump’s 232.


MP's view on nurses' dress doesn't represent the 'new PAS', says Khairy

Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the recent remark by a PAS MP on the dress code of female nurses were not only uncalled for but also a disservice to the Islamist party, saying he believed the view is not representative of its senior leadership.
Khairy was referring to Kuantan MP Wan Razali Wan Nor's complaint in Parliament recently that nurses' uniform is too tight and not Shariah-compliant, a remark which drew strong criticism on social media.
The former Umno leader said while he agreed that the topic of nurses' dress code was a non-issue, he felt that Wan Razali has undone efforts put in by PAS leaders over the years in fighting stereotypes perpetrated by its detractors.
"What infuriates me is that this statement confirms the stereotype about PAS. That's the problem," he said in the latest edition of 'Keluar Sekejap', a podcast he co-hosts with former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan.
Khairy said PAS has already emerged out of its conservative label, adding that the party's top tiers are no longer dominated by theologians but represented by a wide spectrum of expertise.
"Many of them are professionals, engineers, lawyers, bankers and so on. As a former minister who has been in the government, including being a PAS minister in the Cabinet, I see those at the highest level are very practical," said Khairy, who served in two federal governments which included PAS as a coalition partner.
He described senior PAS leaders such as its deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan and vice-president Idris Ahmad as "practical" individuals who "do not portray the stereotypes such as this Kuantan MP".
"It only takes one statement to remind the public that behind this new professional face, PAS is still the old PAS," he added.
Khairy meanwhile disagreed with a suggestion by Shahril that the image of PAS leaders, including its president Abdul Hadi Awang, might have reinforced the perception of the party as conservative, as opposed to the "moderate" image of Umno leaders which drown out conservative voices.
Khairy said while Hadi was regarded as an authority on religion and may be seen as conservative, the next line of the current PAS leadership is made up of people "who wouldn't have made remarks like this".
He said at a time when PAS was faced with a huge challenge in efforts to come out of its past image, an ordinary MP's statement such as from Wan Razali has done the damage.
"But, personally, I think he does not represent the new PAS that it (the party) is trying to present," said Khairy.
Touching on a related topic, Khairy said the constant use of the phrase "green wave" to describe Perikatan Nasional's (PN) gains in the polls last year is an attempt at painting the coalition's partner PAS as religious extremists.
"The 'green wave', as popularised by among others, Lim Kit Siang, carries a negative connotation as it shows the green wave that is used to describe the rise of PN is an extremist wave. This is actually the implied meaning of green wave.
"In modern political science, it's called 'dog whistle', a term to describe a threat to another group. The 'green wave' is not about the colour of the PAS flag, but a term used to scare non-Malays and moderate Malays alike against the wave of Islamic extremism," said Khairy.


AGC won't appeal against court ruling to return luxury items to Najib-Rosmah

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has confirmed that it is not appealing against the High Court ruling to return RM80 million worth of jewellery, luxury watches and designer handbags confiscated from Pavilion Residences on May 17, 2018 to Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor.
Attorney-General Idrus Harun, when contacted by Bernama, said the AGC was not appealing against the decision of judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin on Nov 14.
"The AGC is not appealing against the decision of the learned judge as we agree with His Lordship’s decision," he said in a WhatsApp message.
On Nov 14, Jamil ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove that the items confiscated by the police at Pavilion Residence were obtained through the misappropriation of 1MDB funds.
The judge also rejected the prosecution's request to stay the execution of the decision pending an appeal to be filed and decided by the Court of Appeal.
The former prime minister and his wife were third parties in the prosecution's application as the plaintiff to forfeit the right to the items.
Any third party who claims to have an interest in the confiscated goods can appear in court to argue why they should not be forfeited to the government.
In 2019, the prosecution filed a forfeiture application against Obyu Holdings to forfeit the 2,435 pieces of jewellery, seven luxury watches and 29 designer handbags and cash amounting to RM114,164,393.44 allegedly belonging to Umno and Najib. However, the government failed to forfeit the money.
The items, alleged to be proceeds of illegal activities linked to the 1MDB fund scandal, were confiscated under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The jewellery and handbags allegedly belonged to Rosmah and the watches to Najib.


Govt to table anti-hopping law as PM repeats Muhyiddin’s reform offer

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today laid out an offer for a series of transformations in Parliament and government administration similar to that made by his predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin, including the tabling of an anti-party hopping law.Other offers were to ensure a balanced representation of MPs from the government and opposition in the Special Parliamentary Select Committee, the implementation of Undi 18, consultation with MPs before the tabling of bills, an upgrade of the status of opposition leader to that of a minister, a 10-year limit to the prime minister’s term and the involvement of opposition members in the National Recovery Council to present their views and suggestions for improvements.“This offer aims to create a new political landscape by carrying out transformations and reforms in government administration, especially in strengthening the role of the institution of Parliament.“At the same time, the government is committed to introducing more transformations over time,” said Ismail.Six of the offers by Ismail today were identical to those listed by Muhyiddin last month, as he attempted to obtain the support of opposition MPs to prevent the collapse of his government following the withdrawal of support from Umno MPs aligned with former leader Najib Razak.Muhyiddin’s offer to allocate equal funds for all MPs, however, was not among the seven items listed by Ismail today.PM reaches out to all parties to prevent pandemic power vacuum, kleptocrats’ returnPH rejects Muhyiddin’s offer of reforms in exchange for supportPakatan Harapan’s top leaders had rejected Muhyiddin’s offer, describing it as a bribe and saying they would be able to offer a better deal.The offer was likewise dismissed by Umno and Pejuang.DAP’s Tony Pua was among the few from the opposition who had urged fellow MPs to consider Muhyiddin’s offer, saying they could achieve some of what they had been fighting for while also preventing Umno leaders from returning to power.“Let us now count the potential benefits to the rakyat – we end the political turmoil and impasse; we block the return of the kleptocrats; we prevent a general election in the middle of the pandemic; we get the PN govt to institute priceless reforms; we get an equal say in passing all bills; and finally, we’ll get to kick PN out in a GE to be held about 10 months away,” he said in a statement which he added would “make many unhappy”.


Sri Lanka declares food emergency as forex crisis worsens

Sri Lanka on Tuesday declared a state of emergency over food shortages as private banks ran out of foreign exchange to finance imports.With the country suffering a hard-hitting economic crisis, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he ordered emergency regulations to counter the hoarding of sugar, rice and other essential foods.Rajapaksa has named a top army officer as “commissioner general of essential services to coordinate the supply of paddy, rice, sugar and other consumer goods”.The move followed sharp price rises for sugar, rice, onions and potatoes, while long queues have formed outside stores because of shortages of milk powder, kerosene oil and cooking gas.The government has increased penalties for food hoarding, but the shortages come as the country of 21 million battles a fierce coronavirus wave that is claiming more than 200 lives a day.The economy shrank by a record 3.6% in 2020 because of the pandemic and in March last year the government banned imports of vehicles and other items, including edible oils and turmeric, an essential spice in local cooking, in a bid to save foreign exchange.Importers still say they have been unable to source dollars to pay for the food and medicines they are allowed to buy.Two weeks ago, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka increased interest rates in a bid to shore up the local currency.Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves fell to US$2.8 billion at the end of July, from US$7.5 billion in November 2019 when the government took office and the rupee has lost more than 20% of its value against the US dollar in that time, according to bank data.Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila has appealed to motorists to use fuel sparingly so that the country can use its foreign exchange to buy essential medicines and vaccines.A presidential aide has warned that fuel rationing may be introduced by the end of the year unless consumption was reduced.


Euthanasia only answer for exhausted whales

Surviving pilot whales stranded on the coast of Tasmania, Australia, will be euthanised as they cannot be saved, officials have said.Around 380 whales have already died in Australia’s worst stranding on record, says the BBC.Rescuers have refloated 70 of the animals and say and there is hope that another 20 can, with help, make it back out to deep waters.But four surviving whales are too exhausted from their struggles to be saved.“These are animals we’ve given a chance to, we’ve tried to release them, but they haven’t done well,” Kris Carlyon with the Marine Conservation Project explained.He said there was no real chance of successfully releasing them again.“In this case the best, most humane course of action is to euthanise,” he said.The four whales were  assessed several times by vets before the decision to kill them humanely was taken, “based purely on animal welfare grounds”.


Sorry.


Scientists successfully grow plants in soil from the Moon

That’s one small pot of soil, one giant leap for man’s knowledge of space agriculture: scientists have for the first time grown plants in lunar soil brought back by astronauts in the Apollo program.The ground-breaking experiment, detailed in the journal Communications Biology on Thursday, has given researchers hope that it may be possible to one day grow plants directly on the Moon.That would save future space missions much hassle and expense, facilitating longer and farther trips.However, according to the study’s University of Florida authors, much remains to be studied on the topic, and they intend to leave no stone unturned.“This research is critical to Nasa’s long-term human exploration goals,” said Bill Nelson, the head of the US space agency. “We’ll need to use resources found on the Moon and Mars to develop food sources for future astronauts living and operating in deep space.”For their experiment, the researchers used just 12g (a few teaspoons) of lunar soil collected from various spots on the Moon during the Apollo 11, 12, and 17 missions.In tiny thimble-sized pots, they placed about a gram of soil (called “regolith”) and added water, then the seeds. They also fed the plants a nutrient solution every day.The researchers chose to plant arabidopsis thaliana, a relative of mustard greens, because it grows easily and, most importantly, has been studied extensively. Its genetic code and responses to hostile environments – even in space – are well known.As a control group, seeds were also planted in soil from Earth as well as samples imitating lunar and Martian soil.The result: after two days, everything sprouted, including the lunar samples.“Every plant – whether in a lunar sample or in a control – looked the same up until about day six,” Anna-Lisa Paul, lead author of the paper, said in a statement.But after that, differences started to appear: the plants in the lunar samples grew more slowly and had stunted roots.After 20 days, the scientists harvested all the plants, and ran studies on their DNA.Their analysis showed that the lunar plants had reacted similarly to those grown in hostile environments, such as soil with too much salt, or heavy metals.In the future, scientists want to understand how this environment could be made more hospitable.Nasa is preparing to return to the Moon as part of the Artemis program, with a long-term goal of establishing a lasting human presence on its surface.


Prosecution to file preliminary objection against Rosmah’s bid to disqualify Sri Ram

The prosecution will file a preliminary objection against Rosmah Mansor’s bid to disqualify former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram from acting as the lead prosecutor in her money laundering and tax evasion trial.Sri Ram informed High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan that the prosecution would file a formal objection and serve the court papers to the defence team today.“My Lord, the legal team was only served a copy on the prosecution on Monday, just before the two-day Chinese New Year public holiday. Thus we need time to prepare submissions for the preliminary objection (PO) against the disqualification,” he said.Sri Ram added that Rosmah had filed a criminal motion but wanted an order that his appointment as ad hoc prosecutor was illegal and must be quashed.“The order sought could only be given by way of a judicial review. This criminal High Court has no jurisdiction to provide the relief asked. This is really an abuse of process of court,” said Sri Ram.Zaini then postponed today’s proceedings and fixed Feb 17 and 18 to hear the preliminary objection and disqualification application.The court will also hear Rosmah’s second application to recuse judge Mohamed Zaini and stay the trial pending the outcome of her application in the Court of Appeal to disqualify the judge.This is the second time Rosmah has filed an application after Zaini – who also presided over her solar hybrid trial – rejected her application to recuse himself from hearing the trial on Dec 14.Rosmah, in her supporting affidavit filed with a notice of motion to disqualify Sri Ram from leading the prosecution team in her money laundering and tax evasion trial, claimed that Attorney-General Idrus Harun had acted beyond his jurisdiction when he appointed Sri Ram as senior deputy public prosecutor to lead the investigations into the 1MDB scandal and the prosecution of those involved.Rosmah said after examining the former Federal Court judge’s letter of appointment as the senior deputy public prosecutor, dated May 21, 2021, under Section 376 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code, she had found that the appointment did not refer to her case.She said if the court was of the view that Idrus had acted in an orderly manner in line with his statutory powers, then Sri Ram was still not a “fit and proper” individual to prosecute the case.Rosmah, 70, is facing 12 money laundering charges involving RM7,097,750 and five counts of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board.The offences were allegedly committed at Affin Bank, Bangunan Getah Asli branch, Jalan Ampang between Dec 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017, and at LHDN at Kompleks Bangunan Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim between May 1, 2014 and May 1, 2018.


Nominee for next US ambassador to Malaysia sees rare earths potential

The nominee to be the next US ambassador to Malaysia said on Tuesday he saw the potential for the US to expand cooperation with the Southeast Asian country in diversifying supply chains for rare earths and other critical minerals.
Edgard Kagan, a career diplomat who is currently the senior official for East Asia at the White House National Security Council, told his Senate confirmation hearing that developing new sources for critical minerals to ensure reliable supply chains was a very high priority for the Biden administration.
"The importance of working on these arrangements with countries where we have good relationship ... is absolutely critical," he said, adding: "I think that we have real potential to do that in countries like Malaysia."
"I would want to work closely with the American private sector, with different parts of the US government, and with the Malaysian government to ensure that we're able to continue expanding the areas of cooperation in this, support development of resources," he said.
Kagan said this would be done in partnership with Malaysia "in ways that are sustainable and promote our values," but did not elaborate on exactly what form the cooperation might take.
He was responding to a question from US senator Chris Van Hollen, who described Malaysia as being home to the largest rare-earths processing plant outside of China. Van Hollen said recent reports showed Malaysia was also home to deposits of strategic and critical minerals including tin.
China is the dominant global producer of rare earths needed to fuel the green revolution of electric cars and wind turbines as well in as defense applications such as missile production. The US and its allies have been seeking to diversify sources of supply amid mounting strategic competition with Beijing.
Australia's Lynas Rare Earths Ltd has facility in Malaysia that it describes as one of the largest and most modern rare earths separation plants in the world.
The government has raised concerns about radiation levels from the process of cracking and leaching at the plant, but agreed last month to extend its operating license to import and process rare earths until Jan 1 next year.


Charles Santiago reappointed as SPAN boss

Former Klang MP Charles Santiago has been appointed as chairman of the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) effective March 20.
SPAN in a statement today said Santiago's appointment completed the leadership line-up of its new commission members for the 2023-2025 term.
Santiago was previously appointed as SPAN chairman for a two-year period from Nov 1, 2018 to Oct 31, 2020.
His services was terminated earlier on April 10, 2020.


Germany cracks down on unjabbed to tackle Covid surge

Germany will impose sweeping curbs on people not vaccinated against Covid-19 to combat the latest surge in cases, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday after meeting regional leaders.“Culture and leisure nationwide will be open only to those who have been vaccinated or recovered,” Merkel said, adding that the same rule would also apply to non-essential shops.The outgoing chancellor also spoke out in favour of compulsory vaccinations, which parliament is due to vote on soon.“Given the situation, I think it is appropriate to adopt compulsory vaccination,” she said.Merkel, her designated successor Olaf Scholz and the leaders of 16 states tightened Covid restrictions just two weeks ago, but met again on Thursday to discuss tougher measures.The plans include a blanket ban on entering venues including bars, restaurants and cinemas for anyone who has not been vaccinated or recovered from Covid, according to a document signed off by the leaders.The unimmunised will also be banned from Christmas markets, as well as being hit by contact restrictions limiting the number of people they can socialise with.The agreement also includes new restrictions on large gatherings, which would affect events such as Bundesliga football matches, and the closure of nightclubs in areas with a weekly incidence rate above 350 infections per 100,000 people.Fireworks will be banned on New Year’s Eve to stop large crowds from gathering, according to North Rhine-Westphalia state premier Hendrik Wuest.Health Minister Jens Spahn, in a caretaker role ahead of the planned swearing in of a new government next week, told the ZDF broadcaster that Germany needed “a lockdown, so to speak, for the unvaccinated”.‘Never been as threatening’“You can see from the decisions that we have understood the situation is very serious,” Merkel said, adding that the measures should be seen as “minimum standards” and different regions could also impose their own tougher curbs.Infections have smashed German records in recent weeks and hospitals are sounding the alarm, with many over capacity and forced to dispatch patients elsewhere in the country for treatment.Though Germany’s seven-day incidence rate has fallen slightly this week, it still stood at 439.2 on Thursday, with 73,209 new cases recorded in the past 24 hours.“From the point of view of intensive and emergency medicine, the pandemic situation has never been as threatening and serious as it is today,” the Divi intensive care association warned on Wednesday, calling for a drastic tightening of restrictions.Several hard-hit German regions have already cancelled Christmas markets and barred the unvaccinated from public spaces like gyms and leisure facilities to slow the pandemic spread.But critics say the patchwork of rules is confusing, and Thursday’s emergency talks were aimed at coming up with nationwide rules.Compulsory vaccinationsSome experts have blamed Germany’s fourth wave on its relatively low vaccination rate of around 68%, compared with fellow EU countries such as Spain at 79% and Portugal at 86%.Merkel’s outgoing government had always ruled out mandatory vaccination, but the measure is now backed by politicians from across the spectrum.Germany already announced plans earlier this month to require health workers and soldiers to get inoculated against Covid-19.Expanding that to the general public would see the country follow the example of neighbouring Austria, which is planning mandatory vaccinations from February.Greece has announced mandatory jabs for over 60s, with unvaccinated people facing fines if they don’t comply.EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday it was time for the bloc to “think about mandatory vaccination” against Covid, though she also stressed it was up to individual states to make the decision.


India blocks internet near Delhi as protesting farmers start hunger strike

India’s interior ministry cut mobile internet services in several areas around New Delhi over the weekend to “maintain public safety”.This came as protesting farmers began a one-day hunger strike after a week of clashes with authorities that left one dead and hundreds injured.Angry at new agricultural laws that they say benefit large private food buyers at the expense of producers, tens of thousands of farmers have been camped at protest sites on the outskirts of the capital for more than two months.Indian authorities often block local internet services when they believe there will be unrest, although the move is unusual in the capital.At the main protest site near the village of Singhu on the northern outskirts of the city, there was a heightened police presence on Saturday as hundreds of tractors arrived from Haryana, one of two states at the centre of the protests.“Many farmers’ groups have joined the protest site since last night,” Mahesh Singh, a 65-year-old farmer from Haryana told Reuters. “They have come to show their support and more farmers are expected to come in the next two days.”Farm leaders said the hunger strike by hundreds of protesters, primarily at Singhu, was planned to coincide with the anniversary of the death of Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, in order to show Indians that the demonstrations were non-violent.“The farmers’ movement was peaceful and will be peaceful,” said Darshan Pal, a leader of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha group of farm unions organising the protests.”Sporadic clashes between protesters, police and groups shouting anti-farmer slogans have broken out on multiple occasions since then.


DAP founding chairman dies

DAP founding chairman Dr Chen Man Hin who helped establish the party in Seremban died early this morning. He was 97.
Chen, who was born in China and studied medicine at Singapore's King Edward VII Medical College, worked as a doctor in the city-state and at Hospital Seremban until 1956, after which he opened his own clinic.
He contested and won his first election as an independent in the 1965 by-election for the Rahang state seat in Negeri Sembilan.
His political career also saw him holding the parliamentary seats of Seremban Timor and Seremban.
In his description of himself on his blog, Chen said his medical practice among the community gave him the opportunity to meet people and to understand their social and political problems.
"It provided the rational and impetus for venturing into the political arena," he said.
"Thereafter my life and soul was devoted to the party."


Hush in South Korea as students sit for gruelling exam

A hush fell over South Korea Thursday as more than half a million students sat for the gruelling, high-stakes national university entrance exam, with authorities taking extraordinary measures to minimise distractions.The nine-hour test is crucial not only for securing spots in top universities, but is also considered key for elevated social status, lucrative careers and even marriage prospects.The enormous pressure on students in South Korea’s ultra-competitive education system has been blamed for teenage depression and suicide rates that are among the highest in the world.One parent was keen to ease the stress ahead of the 2021 exam, locally known as “Suneung”.“I just want to tell my daughter that I’m proud of her for working so hard up until this point, and that this test, regardless of the result, doesn’t define who she is as a person,” Koh Min-soon, the mother of a test-taker, told AFP on Wednesday.Since last year, Covid-19 has added to the pressure on students, parents and education authorities.All classes became online for exam takers in the two weeks leading up to the test, while the students and their families were advised to stay at home as much as possible in that time.More than 509,000 students are taking the test this year, the education ministry said.At the Ewha Girls’ Foreign Language High School in central Seoul, some test-takers arrived holding hands with their visibly nervous parents.Outside the school gate, some people were seen praying while others took selfies with friends and family.Throughout the exam, which started at 8.40am, students were required to wear face masks.South Korea has seen a surge in cases in the run-up to the exam, reporting nearly 3,300 infections Thursday – its highest-ever daily case count.Students arriving for the test were checked, and those showing Covid symptoms had to take it in separate designated spaces.Some 70 students will sit the exam despite recently testing positive for the coronavirus, at medical facilities with desks and chairs specially prepared for them.Extraordinary measuresThe national importance of the exam is reflected in the extraordinary measures South Korean authorities take to remove any disturbance for test-takers.Public offices, banks and the stock market open an hour later than usual to help ease traffic and ensure students arrive on time for the exam.All take-offs and landings at the country’s airports are suspended for 35 minutes during an English listening test. All planes in the air must maintain an altitude higher than 3,000m.The South Korean transport ministry said 79 flights – 16 of them international – have been rescheduled because of the exam.Police car and motorbike escorts were available in school areas for any students stuck in traffic or running late.At Ewha high school, one student arrived in a police car and got pats of support from officers as she headed inside.“It’s a very important day for the test takers, and the past year has been very tough for them,” an official at the National Police Agency told AFP before the exam.“So we are just trying to do what we can to show support.”


South Korea gets aggressive with third wave ‘in full swing’

Seoul and its surroundings will close bars and nightclubs, limit religious gatherings, and restrict service at restaurants, in a bid to contain a mushrooming third wave of infections, the South Korean health minister said on Sunday.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 330 new daily coronavirus cases as of midnight on Saturday, a drop from 386 reported the day before but the fifth straight day of more than 300 new cases, reports Reuters.“The third wave of outbreaks is increasingly in full swing,” Health Minister Park Neung-hoo told a briefing. “The situation is extremely serious and grave.”Clusters of infections in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area are driving a nationwide outbreak, he said.From Tuesday, coffee shops in the Seoul area will only be able to offer takeaway and delivery service, while restaurants must close to dining after 9pm. Other restrictions will be placed on gyms, with attendance caps on religious gatherings and sporting events.The tighter restrictions are aimed partly at allowing students to go ahead with highly competitive annual college entrance exams scheduled for December.Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun told a government meeting that pre-emptive distancing regulations might be needed to head off a wider outbreak, Yonhap news agency reported.“We’re at a critical juncture of facing a large number of infections nationwide,” Chung said.On Saturday, a KDCA official said the country could be facing an outbreak that will overtake the two earlier waves of infections if it fails to block the current spread.South Korea has been using an aggressive tracing, testing, and quarantine effort to stamp out outbreaks without imposing lockdowns. But the country has been plagued by a persistent number of small infections, bringing the total number of cases to 30,733 with 505 deaths.Covid-19 resurgences are currently sweeping around the globe with Portugal and Algeria being two of the latest countries to reimpose strict countermeasures.


PKR, still relevant to PH?

PKR’s lacklustre performance at the four state-level polls since the 14th general election in 2018 may eventually force the remaining Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties to look for a new comrade in arms to replace it, analysts say.At the Sabah election in September 2020, PKR won only two seats, and it clinched just one at the recent election in Johor.It was completely wiped out in the Sarawak election last December as well as the Melaka election in November.Its losing streak has given rise to questions over its relevance in PH, despite its role in creating history as part of the federal government in 2018 alongside DAP, Amanah and Bersatu.A number of factors appear to be standing in its way, including its failure to wrest the Malay vote from Barisan Nasional (BN).Political analyst Mazlan Ali said PKR should realise that it lacks a hardcore support base like that of Umno.Mazlan, who is attached to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, described PKR as an urban party, adding that it is capable of drawing only one group of voters: urbanites.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said DAP and Amanah are also after this same group.“PKR depends on the Chinese vote, which makes up 90% of this segment,” he said.“In Melaka, when very few Chinese turned out to vote, PKR lost badly.”Several PKR leaders had previously urged the party to go solo, when the leadership of their president Anwar Ibrahim was questioned.But Mazlan said there was no way that PKR could do so, whereas DAP and Amanah had the option of forming a new coalition without its current lynchpin.For him, the party best able to replace PKR is Muda, the youth-based group which won one seat at the March 12 election in Johor.“Muda is also an urban party, with much the same pattern of doing things,” he said.“PKR doesn’t care much for Muda which it views as its opponent.”Political observer Mak Khuin Weng said PKR’s “niche” was the pro-opposition Chinese segment who did not like DAP.“For the short term, if they need to break up to ensure that they consolidate their own base, it might be a viable strategy to reestablish who the real opposition leader is,” the former journalist told MalaysiaNow, referring to views that Anwar has been unable to maintain unity among the various parties.He also cautioned that PH risked losing Selangor if it did break up.Mazlan meanwhile said that PKR could not take on the role of “Big Brother” in PH as Umno had in BN.“They won the last general election on the back of issues such as corruption, integrity and 1MDB,” he said.“But in my opinion, Anwar is out of gas.”Mak said that within PH itself, DAP and PKR were a liability to each other.“The key in politics is to find the sweet spot where they can get things done in spite of their differences,” he said.“Trying to switch up PKR with Muda and Warisan is no different from the number of times that DAP and PAS got together and broke up over the course of our political history.”Mak, who contested as an independent at the 13th general election, said Muda and Warison were however untested in “thorny” issues involving the Malays and Islam.“Where exactly they stand will also determine how welcomed they are by voters,” he added.“It is too difficult to tell what sort of future these parties have until they give an opinion on these issues.”


Over 22,400 children fully vaxxed, 1.3 million given first jab

A total of 22,476 children aged five to 11 had completed two doses of Covid-19 vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme For Children (PICKids) as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow website, a total of 1,351,441 children or 38% have received at least one dose of vaccine.In terms of adults, a total of 15,862,983 individuals or 67.4% have received a booster shot while 22,955,496 individuals or 97.6% have completed both doses.A total of 23,231,190 or 98.8% have received one dose of vaccine.A total of 2,854,727 adolescents or 91.8% of those aged 12 to 17 have completed their vaccination while 2,949,995 or 94.9% have received a first dose.A total of vaccine 22,081 doses were given yesterday, with 2,630 as first doses, 8,155 as second shots and 11,296 as booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) to 69,016,063.


Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble date pushed back again

Singapore and Hong Kong have delayed the start of their bilateral “travel bubble” again, pushing the start into 2021, authorities from both cities said on Tuesday.The bubble meant travellers from each country could skip quarantine on arrival in the other. The scheme was initially planned to start on Nov 22.Unlike other Asian destinations, neither city has a domestic air travel market, and their tourism and aviation industries are totally reliant on international travel. This essentially grounded their flag carriers, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines.The latest postponement followed an earlier decision to postpone the launch of the air travel bubble by two weeks, after Hong Kong reported a resurgence in new Covid-19 cases.“Singapore and Hong Kong have further reviewed the Covid-19 situation in Hong Kong, and given that local unlinked cases are still high, both parties have decided to defer the commencement of the Singapore–Hong Kong Air Travel Bubble to beyond December 2020,” the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said in a statement.Both the Singapore aviation authority and the Hong Kong government said they will review the arrangement again in late December to decide on a new start date, reports CNBC.Since the first postponement of the travel bubble, new Covid-19 infections in Hong Kong have continued to climb. The city reported 76 additional cases on Monday – taking its cumulative infections since the outbreak to 6,315, official data showed.Meanwhile, Singapore appears to have kept its domestic outbreak under control, reporting mostly imported cases in the last few weeks. Cumulative cases in the city reached 58,218 on Monday, data by its health ministry showed.The Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble was first announced in October as the two major Asian business hubs sought to repair some of the economic damage that the coronavirus pandemic inflicted on their tourism and aviation industries.Last year, Hong Kong recorded more than 453,000 visitor arrivals from Singapore, while Singapore received 489,000 visitors from Hong Kong, according to official statistics from both sides.The bilateral travel bubble won’t bring back as many visitors, but Singapore’s Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung had hailed the arrangement as a “first of its kind” that could go some way in reinstating international travel.


Above the rule of law?

It is said that there are individuals who are above the law. Okay. Let us assume that there are such individuals. But these individuals cannot do things on their own. They need others to take the necessary action.
These others are not privileged to be above the law. If they carry out instructions that are against the law, they should be charged. It does not matter if they are government officials. There is nothing to say that government officials can do things that are against the law. They cannot.
Supposing they are instructed by an individual who is said to be above the law and the instruction is to commit a crime, like to steal or murder someone, they should refuse to do it. If they do it, then they will be committing a crime. And they should be charged with committing the crime, tried in a court of law and sentenced.
But I believe that there have been officials who carried out orders by a person who is said to be above the law, and the officials have not been charged with committing a crime.
This is wrong. If these individuals are treated as if they, too, are above the law, then no one is safe who may have offended a person who is said to be above the law.
Incidentally the Malaysian constitution or Malaysian law has no provisions for anyone being above the law. But we do know that those in authority behave as if there are such persons. Certain actions taken by persons in authority indicate that they subscribe to the idea that there are individuals who are above the law and that if they carry out their instructions, it is not illegal.
We need to have this perception clarified. We have to know who they are and what laws they are said to be above. In the first place, are there individuals who are above the law? If there are, what is the limit of their privilege? Is it total, meaning they are free to commit even murder or robbery? Or is it limited? If it is limited, what is the limit?
If they commit the action through another individual who is not above the law, is he or she immune to the law as is the person who instructed them?
We need to be clear about these things. The attorney-general needs to explain the content of this law, which is not written but is apparently subscribed to by those in authority.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the former prime minister of Malaysia.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Pakistan PM Khan desires peace with arch-rival India

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday replied to a letter written by his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, and said Islamabad desires peaceful relations with New Delhi, an official source told Reuters.Modi had written to Khan on the occasion of Pakistan’s Republic Day on March 23, calling for peaceful relations between the two nuclear-armed rivals.“The people of Pakistan also desire peaceful, cooperative relations with all neighbours, including India,” Khan wrote back.India and Pakistan have fought three wars and have shared a fractious relationship since the two gained independence from Britain in 1947.In 2019 tensions rose dramatically as they sent combat planes into each other’s territory and for a while a fourth war looked possible.Pakistan’s powerful army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has called on both nations to bury the hatchet after the militaries of both countries released a rare joint statement last month announcing a ceasefire along their disputed border in Kashmir.However, he stressed that the burden was on India to create a “conducive environment, particularly in Indian-occupied Kashmir”, and said the US had a role to play in ending regional conflicts like this.Unsettled disputes between the two South Asian nuclear rivals are “dragging this region back to the swamp of poverty and underdevelopment,” said Bajwa.Pakistan’s army has ruled the country for nearly half of its 73-year existence, and the military has long controlled foreign and security policies.


New infections top 1,600 as death toll up by one

Another 1,628 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,859,136.
There were 1,345 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,800,584.
There are now 22,145 active cases, of which 21,199 or 95.7% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 905 (4.1%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 41 are in ICU with 20 in need of respiratory assistance.
One more death was reported, taking total deaths to 36,407.


HK regulator fines Goldman Sachs US$350 million over 1MDB

Global financial titan Goldman Sachs was fined US$350 million by Hong Kong’s securities watchdog on Thursday for its role in the massive 1MDB scandal, the latest in a growing list of global punishments the firm faces.Goldman Sachs Asia – the Hong Kong-based compliance and control hub of the company – showed “serious lapses and deficiencies in its management supervisory, risk, compliance and anti-money laundering controls”, Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) said.The regulator added that Goldman had accepted the SFC’s findings, leading to an early resolution of the disciplinary action.The SFC said Goldman’s failures contributed to the misappropriation of US$2.6 billion from the US$6.5 billion that 1MDB raised in three bond offerings in 2012 and 2013.“Goldman Sachs Asia fell far short of the standards expected of a licensed intermediary in the 1MDB case and suffered not only reputational damage from its own failures, but also brought the securities industry into disrepute,” Thomas Atkinson, the SFC’s executive director of enforcement, said.Goldman Sachs Asia received US$210 million – or 37% of the total revenue – from the 1MDB bond offerings, which was the largest share among the various Goldman Sachs entities.The SFC investigation concluded that Goldman Sachs Asia allowed the offerings to proceed despite numerous red flags not being properly scrutinised and answered.The fraud involved former prime minister Najib Razak and his cronies, and the cash plundered from state coffers bankrolled a global spending spree.It was used to buy everything from artwork to real estate to a superyacht.The Hong Kong announcement comes two days after the Wall Street Journal reported that Goldman is preparing to admit wrongdoing in the 1MDB scandal and pay the US government US$2.8 billion.The deal would end the criminal probe into the corruption case involving the government’s investment fund, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the matter.The Department of Justice has said more than US$4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB by high-level officials at the fund and their associates between 2009 and 2015.Two ex-Goldman bankers are accused of misappropriating billions, bribing officials and giving false statements in relation to bond issues they arranged for the fund.The government dropped the charges against Goldman in July after reaching a US$3.9 billion settlement with the financial giant.The firm, which posted profits of US$3.5 billion in the latest quarter, had set aside more than US$3.1 billion as of Sept 30 “for litigation and regulatory proceedings”.


Over 1,000 affected by severe floods in northern Sarawak

Heavy rain in the interior of the northern part of Sarawak has left hundreds of villagers in Lawas and Limbang stranded after their homes were carried away by flood waters.In its hourly flood updates, the Sarawak fire department said 341 flood victims in Lawas and 60 in Limbang had been evacuated to six temporary flood shelters.In Lawas, 77 families from 29 villages were evacuated to four centres while 17 families from seven longhouses in Limbang were evacuated to two other centres.Several areas in Miri including Mulu and Baram have also been badly affected by the rain which has been pouring steadily since Wednesday night.In Mulu, three longhouses, home to more than 690 people, were affected while in Baram, flood waters carried away the only bridge connecting Long Kawa to Long Bedian on the Tutoh river.A member of the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department wades towards a man through water over waist-high. Photo: Sarawak Fire and Rescue DepartmentThree schools in Baram – SK Long Luteng, SK Long Atip and SK Long Moh – have also been affected by the floods.Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau said the rain had caused massive damage to property and dirupted power at Long Lama.“We have never experienced this kind of flood,” he told MalaysiaNow. “Sarawak Energy had to shut down its generator, so now Long Lama is completely in darkness.”While residents in Limbang and Lawas had been evacuated, he said many in Baram had had to do the best they can by themselves as there was inadequate place to be converted into evacuation centres.“Many flood victims in my area have had to move up to the first floor of their longhouse,” he said.“The problem here is, we don’t have a community hall because the building is being temporarily used by the public clinic. The public clinic had to use the building because there was erosion last year at its old building.“But then again, this community hall is also unusable because it has been submerged by flood waters.”


Malaysians take to humour after Anwar says ready with numbers

Shock and excitement over the possibility of yet another government collapse quickly turned into an explosion of online sarcasm and humour, just hours after Anwar Ibrahim’s stunning announcement that he had support from enough MPs to topple the six-month-old Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration.Social media users were quick with their creativity as statements of both derision and support for the PKR strongman trickled in, with many recalling a similar claim made by Anwar 12 years ago.Former prime minister Najib Razak was among the first to pour cold water on Anwar’s claim, posting on Facebook a picture of a trolley filled with packets of the Super Ring snack.“It is times like this that we must keep enough stock,” he wrote.A screenshot of Najib Razak’s Facebook post following Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement today.The Super Ring brand found a place in the country’s stockpile of political humour this year after a pro-Pakatan Harapan protester said some Malaysians were so indifferent to local politics that they would munch on the snack while watching developments unfold.At noon today, Anwar, accompanied by his wife and several PKR leaders, announced that he had a “strong, formidable and convincing” majority to form the federal government.He also claimed that an audience with Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah yesterday for him to show proof of the MPs’ support for him had to be cancelled as the Agong was seeking treatment at the National Heart Institute.Internet users were quick to poke fun at this, circulating several doctored pictures of Anwar taking his oath before a framed portrait of the Agong.A statement from Istana Negara confirmed that a planned audience was cancelled.But internet users were quick to poke fun at this, circulating several doctored pictures of Anwar taking his oath before a framed portrait of the Agong.Another picture showed Anwar, his head covered with a white cloth, apparently wiping the monarch’s portrait.The image was extracted from a Facebook photo Anwar had posted, showing him helping with household chores ahead of the Hari Raya celebration during the lockdown in May.Tentera Troll Kebangsaan Malaysia, a satire site which usually targets PH politicians, also altered another of Anwar’s Facebook photos.“Keep calm. I am arranging the Cabinet to form the government,” read the caption of a poster showing Anwar browsing through the books in his private library.Others recalled the mammoth gathering on the eve of Sept 16, 2008 – the deadline which Anwar had fixed for a change of government through massive defections from the then-ruling Barisan Nasional administration.Anwar later said that many of the MPs had backed out at the last minute despite earlier giving him their support to become the prime minister.Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who also recalled the episode, was today quoted as saying that Anwar’s announcement was not the first time he had made such a claim.“We will have to wait to see if this is another episode of making claims that cannot be substantiated,” the two-time prime minister told The Edge Singapore.Anwar today said a future government under his leadership would be dominated by Malay and Bumiputera MPs but with “fair representation of all races”, seen as his response to criticism that he would not get enough Malay support.While Amanah and DAP expressed support for him, ruling MPs from Bersatu, Umno, PAS scoffed at his claims, questioning the number of Malay MPs in his bloc.Greater Malay representation is often seen as critical to the survival of any government, with some attributing the downfall of the PH government in February to a lack of such support.At that time, Muhyiddin’s bid to lure more Malay MPs from Umno drew protests from Mahathir.Ambiga Sreenevasan, the former chairman of Bersih 2.0 which was behind several mammoth protests for electoral reforms, today questioned if the same principle still applied following Anwar’s announcement.“So DAP and Amanah willing to work with Zahid? Najib?” she asked in a tweet, referring to the former leaders. “Just need clarity. Or is everyone playing games?”


In Sarawak, calls for leadership by example as cases surge ahead of Raya, Gawai celebrations

A health expert in Sarawak has called for renewed efforts by community leaders to ensure SOP compliance among the people, warning that any lapse in adherence to health measures could prove disastrous for the state’s battle against Covid-19, especially in light of major upcoming celebrations.Dr Bernard Ting from Hospital Sentosa said the spikes in Covid-19 cases in the state have been largely confined to local transmissions where infections are mostly linked to clusters involving social gatherings.“This month, we have two festive celebrations one after another: Hari Raya and the Gawai Dayak celebration.“It is very important for everyone to think about the price to be paid if they get infected. Do not take safety measures lightly,” he said to MalaysiaNow.Sarawak has of late been recording daily Covid-19 cases in the hundreds, together with states such as Selangor, Kelantan and Kuala Lumpur which are all under movement control order.Ting said it was important for community leaders to encourage the people to continue observing health SOPs.“Most villagers follow their community leaders, and the leaders probably know best about their communities’ needs.“If they lead by example, I am sure most would follow.”But even for such leaders, changing the mindset of people who place great importance on social and cultural events is difficult.“If they lead by example, I am sure most would follow.”Henry Bujang Sadok Sendan, a Bidayuh community leader from Serian, cited the example of clusters involving funeral ceremonies at longhouses.“The longhouse clusters are because of our culture of respecting others,” he said. “As it is, deaths and birthday parties are the two main causes of the aggressive transmission of the virus.“When death occurs, many people come to pay their respects to the deceased. The crowds are usually big because it is not only the relatives who come, but also the friends and others who knew the person.“This is our Bidayuh culture,” he added. “If we do not come to pay our respects to the dead, we are considered egoistic.”When death is concerned, he said, the entire village would be involved in one way or another.“They crowd at the home of the deceased, day and night.”Sometimes, he said, drinking and gambling sessions would also begin. “In this situation, there is no way the SOPs can be observed.”With Hari Raya and Hari Gawai around the corner, he fervently hopes that community leaders will enforce the necessary health measures throughout their villages.ProblemsPart of the problem, according to Henry, is the fact that travel restrictions have been eased for those commuting to work and back.“The movement of people going to town in the morning and then back to their village in the evening is beyond control,” he told MalaysiaNow.“When they are at work, we do not know who they mix with, whether those people have Covid-19 or are healthy.”Pinky Sandom from the town of Bintangor, the capital of Meradong in Sarikei, said in the city fewer and fewer people are avoiding crowded public spaces and social gatherings.“I was surprised to see the scale of the crowds,” she said.Ting agreed that the people themselves have to play a role in embracing the new norm.“The whole nation needs policing and constant engagement,” he said.“If you see someone in your community not following the rules, you should remind them. Tell them it is important, don’t just let it be.“All of us must be aware of our responsibility and play our part to curb the disease. Our attitude towards complying with the rules and regulations will make a difference in saving our families and communities.”He also advised conducting a root analysis of clusters to tackle the underlying issues.“We have to look at how we can help nuture safety measures in daily life,” he said. “If they do not get in touch with high-risk people, they will probably remain in their comfort zones. It only takes one irresponsible person to affect these vulnerable groups.”“All of us must be aware of our responsibility and play our part to curb the disease.”Ting likewise cautioned against complacency after having been vaccinated against Covid-19.“The health ministry has emphasised many times that being vaccinated may reduce the risk of developing severe complications but may not prevent infection.“Safety measures should still apply after vaccination,” he said.Still, he sees some measure of hope even among those who test positive for the virus.“Most of them were asymptomatic,” he said. “This could well mean that many people are adequately aware to test themselves when they are in doubt.“I believe by now, most people are used to wearing masks when they go out, using hand sanitiser and maintaining a safe distance.”But while leadership within the community is important, so too is leadership at the higher levels.Pinky said inconsistent and vague SOPs had caused much confusion among the people.“The policies keep changing,” she said. “One minute they say we need to apply for permits, then tomorrow they retract, saying that was not necessary. So which one do we follow?“It is very confusing when they say that the situation in Sarawak is still under control,” she added. “I cannot see how the situation now is manageable.”


Sorry.


Noraini succumbs to Zahid’s pressure, quits ministerial post

Noraini Ahmad today became the second minister from Umno to resign from the Cabinet, following pressure from party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.The higher education minister said she would abide by the Umno Supreme Council directive to revoke her support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.“The decision of the party will be implemented when Parliament convenes. I believe we have done our best to manage the country in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic which has affected lives around the world.“I will continue with such efforts even though I am no longer a federal minister,” said the Parit Sulong MP.Noraini’s resignation follows that of Shamsul Anuar Nasarah who stepped down as the energy and natural resources minister, citing his loyalty to Umno.Earlier, MalaysiaNow reported that Zahid had issued an ultimatum to Noraini, who is also the party’s women’s chief, to quit the Cabinet or be sacked from Umno.“Noraini cried when she was given the ultimatum. She loves the party but at the same time, as a member of the government administration, she knows that now is not the right time to continue politicking.“She might accede to Zahid,” the source said.Even before the ultimatum, Noraini was believed to be among the 11 MPs from Umno whom Zahid said had agreed to revoke their support for Muhyiddin.Thirty-one from Barisan Nasional, led by Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, had earlier said they would remain with the government until its legitimacy is decided in Parliament.They included ministers Dr Adham Baba, Hishammuddin Hussein, Khairy Jamaluddin and Reezal Merican Naina Merican, who were not present at the press conference but had stated their support for the group.Umno had given its MPs until Aug 7 to state in writing whether they would continue to support the Perikatan Nasional administration or withdraw their support and resign from their positions in government.This came after Zahid said on Tuesday that he had enough SDs from Umno MPs to topple Muhyiddin as prime minister.However Muhyiddin said following an audience with the Agong the next day that he still commands the majority support in Parliament.He also said that his position as prime minister would be determined through a vote of confidence at the Dewan Rakyat sitting in September.


A public transport agenda for Malaysia

With the country’s vaccination rate picking up, the reopening of more economic sectors will inevitably result in more people moving about.Public transportation may not be as packed as it was pre-pandemic but this is only temporary. Because of this, we should not waste time in carrying out much needed improvements and maintenance to our system.Many things can be done to ensure Malaysia’s public transport can not only facilitate social distancing while Covid-19 is still with us, but also to make it greener and more accessible to the public.This, naturally, should start with the rail system.As a public transport user, I would argue that the government should not only focus on building newer LRT and MRT connecting lines, but also ensure that frequent and best-in-class maintenance is carried out on crucial infrastructure to ensure passengers are safe and comfortable.I believe that the top guns in Prasarana or even MRT Corp do not commute daily, unless for PR opportunities. They might not be aware that repair or maintenance is needed for broken lifts, leaking stations, and noise pollution due to friction along the lines, especially in the Petaling Jaya area. I wonder if we ever lubricate our tracks with top-of-the-line rail lubrication systems as used in certain countries to minimise noise pollution. They should also look into the signalling and other technical issues that have been plaguing the MRT and LRT systems of late.At the same time, our nation is constantly distraught by repeated incidents of collapsed scaffolding, including those at rail system construction sites, that have injured or even killed local and foreign workers over the years. A total of four incidents have been recorded this year alone. How many lives must be sacrificed like this?Nonetheless, KTMB did a very good job with the ETS service that connects Padang Besar to the southern states of Malaysia. The train service has been very convenient to the public, especially in avoiding the “balik kampung” traffic along the PLUS Highway. Unfortunately, the previous government decided to terminate the proposed Singapore-KL High-Speed rail. Had it been spared, travel to the Lion City would have been made much more convenient.I also hope the new government will look into bus services, especially those in the Klang Valley. Although 80% of the residents in the Klang Valley own a car or motorcycle, buses still remain relevant, particularly for the elderly, young adults as well as foreign workers. The Rapid buses should be punctual and have a time allocated to them on when they will move as per what the MRT feeder buses have. I do hope the new heads of Prasarana will look into this matter, as both joined the public transport group with sterling track records.At the same time, it is disappointing that the works ministry and the local authorities did not take up the opportunity to repair potholes on the roads during the MCO lockdown. They had a golden opportunity to do so with fewer cars on the road. The return of traffic will delay the repair work.Meanwhile, we should not forget our brothers and sisters in Sabah and Sarawak. Better transportation across the board is very much needed over there.I do hope that this new government, especially the reappointed transport minister, redoubles efforts to ensure our nation’s transport systems are functioning well and are competitive regionally.Thailand launched a new suburban rail line called “the Red Line” in early August. The Thais also plan to build a high-speed rail connecting Bangkok to Pattaya, which could eventually be connected to other provinces, including their south. They were able to carry all of this despite grappling with a severe outbreak of Covid-19!That is why we need to reconsider our high-speed rail agenda, especially on the domestic front so we will be able to connect to other parts of Asean via rail line, which is a safer, faster, and cleaner option for travel.The government must be open to this option and act fast on this so that we are not left out of the potential upside of greater Asean connectivity. If government funding is a potential issue given the need for government to focus on the national economic recovery, perhaps funding models which involve a stronger public and private partnership should be considered as shared by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz during his recent interview with Singapore’s The Straits Times. This infrastructure financing model would be good for projects of this scale which are critical to jump-start the flagging economy due to the pandemic.In conclusion, a good, integrated transport system will be crucial for Malaysia’s recovery. This is our chance to secure the future and we should not squander it.Ling TK is a public transport advocate.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


India outraged as caste-linked gang-rape victim dies in hospital

Once again India is in the international news for its abysmal record on sexual violence, especially gang rape, and its general rape culture.The country has been scandalised by the case of a 19-year-old woman who died at the weekend after she was gang raped, suffering extreme violence at the hands of her attackers.Police told local media that four men dragged the victim into a field in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where they allegedly gang raped her. She was grievously injured in the attack, suffering broken bones and her tongue was slashed and mutilated.She was taken to hospital in Delhi two weeks ago but has now died.The woman was a Dalit, the lowest of all the castes, formerly known as untouchables, and her alleged rapists were four upper-caste men.Her brother confirmed her death to BBC Hindi, saying that no arrests were made in the first 10 days after the incident took place. “She was left for dead. She fought for her life for 14 days,” he said.Dalit politician and activist, Chandrashekhar Azad, visited the victim over the weekend. His party has now called for nationwide protests over her death.Dalits are India’s most downtrodden citizens because of the Hindu caste system which condemns them at birth to the lowest rung on the ladder of Indian society, from which it is impossible to ever escape.They are usually darker and so are treated with impunity by the lighter, higher castes.The woman’s family has told the Indian Express that the principal man accused in this rape was known for harassing local Dalits.34,000 rapes were reported to police in India in 2018. This is widely accepted as falling far short of the actual numbers. In rural areas victims rarely report sexual attacks because of the shame it brings on the family.Also, it can take many years to get justice if at all because of religious and caste issues.In this case, with the accused being of a high caste, it remains to be seen what will happen if the case ever gets to court.Yet again, India is outraged.


Italians must now wear masks outside as emergency extended till Jan 31

Italians must now wear masks when outdoors as case numbers surge across the country.In addition, everyone has to wear masks everywhere indoors, except in their own homes.This beefed up rule was already in force in parts of the country but from now on is nationwide.Although Covid-19 cases are much lower in Italy than in many other European countries, the nation is seeing a steady rise in infections which some are describing as a second wave.In the last 24 hours, registered infections have surged past 3,000 for the first time since April, reaching 3,678 new cases, data from the health ministry showsThe number of cases is still far below numbers seen in some other European countries such as France, Spain and Britain. Due to this, the government has also announced compulsory testing for everyone arriving from the UK, Netherlands, Belgium and the Czech RepublicThe Cabinet also approved a decree to extend the Covid-19 state of emergency until Jan 31, a Cabinet source told Reuters.Italy was one of the first countries in Europe to be hit with the virus and for a while became infamous as the epicentre of infections in Europe.


'Extreme' weather warning in force in Britain as new heatwave hits

A four-day "extreme heat" warning came into force in parts of England and Wales on Thursday, with temperatures poised to exceed 35 degrees Celsius in another heatwave that could pressure water supplies and transport services.
The Met Office said its amber warning, its second-most severe after red, will last until the end of Sunday, and cautioned that people vulnerable to extreme heat could face adverse health effects.
Temperatures are expected to peak at 35C on Friday and may hit 36C in some places on Saturday.
Much of England and Wales, plus eastern parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland, are forecast to be "sunny and hot or very hot" on Thursday, the Met Office's website showed.
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.
During July's heatwave, Britain, which is less used to such high temperatures, faced power outages, damage to airport runways and rail tracks and dozens of blazes in London, where the fire brigade faced its busiest week since World War Two.
Britain's environment minister George Eustice on Wednesday urged water companies to take precautions to protect water supplies and tackle the effects of the prolonged dry weather.
Several water companies have already imposed restrictions on water usage and supermarkets have limited sales of disposable barbecues that firefighters warn can set light to tinder-dry grass.
This week's amber warning follows Britain's first-ever red "extreme heat" warning in July.