Convicted Najib should be in jail, guilty until acquitted, says Dr M

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today repeated once again his attack on Najib Razak, saying the former prime minister should already be serving his jail sentence following his conviction last year of seven charges linked to the 1MDB scandal.“The court has found the sixth prime minister guilty. That’s the court’s decision.“As long as he is not acquitted, he is guilty. He should serve the sentence. There are Malaysians who have not yet been charged but were detained, so why are those who have been convicted not serving their sentence? They are even allowed to leave the country,” the former prime minister said while debating the 2022 budget in the Dewan Rakyat today.Najib, who was sentenced to 12 years’ jail and fined RM210 million over charges related to RM42 million in SRC International funds, had been granted a stay of execution pending his appeal in the Court of Appeal.Mahathir has several times questioned the delay in the appeal process, and criticised the recent decision by the courts allowing Najib and other VIPs facing corruption charges to travel out of the country, including Najib’s wife Rosmah Mansor.“It has been almost a year since the appeal was made, yet there has been no decision. Justice delayed is justice denied,” he added.Mahathir in his speech also questioned the government’s recent budget announcement totalling RM332 billion, saying some RM98 billion would be from debt.He said while he understood the need to increase spending in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, the government must be serious about recovering funds stolen from 1MDB, the troubled state firm set up by Najib which was later plunged into an multinational investigation involving billions of dollars.He said the authorities should not give the excuse that the money could not be recovered.“The excuse is that the government does not have enough evidence that the money was money from 1MDB.“But does the thief have proof of the origin of such huge sums of money as he received, supposedly a gift from the king of a foreign country?” he asked.The government says that it has recovered close to RM20 billion in money embezzled from 1MDB during Najib’s rule.Najib has meanwhile claimed that the billions found in his private account were a donation from the Saudi monarch.Mahathir also called for a review of the 2022 budget, saying it will only burden the country with more debt.“We should not take pride in having the largest budget in the country’s history. After all, it is huge because of the huge debt. Part of the money to be borrowed will be used to pay debts, not only by the current government but also by future governments because borrowing to pay back debts will not reduce the debt,” he added.


SC lays out conditions for credit rating agency independence

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) today reiterated that credit rating agencies (CRA) must comply with the guidelines laid out by the statutory body, to ensure that their independence and objectivity in terms of the credit assessment process and rating decisions remain uncompromised.In a statement, it said the CRA guidelines include subjecting the appointment of board members and CEOs to “fit and proper assessment” as well as the SC’s approval.Agencies are also required to form a rating committee comprising experienced, qualified and independent members to assign and decide on all credit ratings to avoid board members and shareholders becoming involved in rating discussions and decisions.“Additionally, the chair of the rating committee must be a qualified and independent member,” it said.The SC said it would continue to take proactive measures to strengthen rating independence and objectivity.Where required, it said, it would impose additional conditions to approval given to applicants.“Going forward, the SC intends to make it a requirement for the majority of board members at both the holding and rating companies, as well as the rating committee, to be independent, and for any decision to provide dividend to shareholders to require the SC’s prior approval, to ensure that the CRA continues to operate with sufficient resources to sustain its rating operations,” it said.The SC’s remarks come a day after RAM Holdings passed a proposal allowing it to come under the ownership of a single entity – CTOS Digital.More than 93% of the members at its annual general meeting yesterday voted in favour of a controversial amendment to the company’s constitution that would lift the ban on any single entity owning more than 20% of its shares.The proposal to amend the clause was put forth by CTOS Digital, another credit reporting agency linked to Brahmal Vasudevan through his equity firm Creador.The move first reported by MalaysiaNow last week is expected to ruffle feathers in the debt capital market, on the back of a plan by CTOS Digital to own a majority stake in the company.The SC however said today that any change of shareholdings that results in a person controlling 20% or more of a CRA’s paid-up capital will require the prior approval of the SC.“The SC’s prior approval is also required for any subsequent cumulative increase in shareholding of 10% or more of the paid-up capital of the CRA,” it said, adding that both these requirements are prescribed under the CRA guidelines.“To date, the SC has given approval to more than one applicant to hold more than 20% shareholding in a CRA.“Other than acquiring shareholding in an existing CRA, applications can also be made for the establishment and registration of a third rating agency, subject to the requirements stated in the CRA guidelines. Shareholders of CRAs can be companies, including public-listed companies, in line with similar practices in other jurisdictions,” it said.


Slight drop in new Covid-19 cases last week

A total of 13,627 new Covid-19 cases were recorded during the 37th epidemiological week (ME 37/2022) from Sept 11 to 17 compared to 14,072 in ME 36/2022, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today.
He said this marked a drop of 3.2%.
"The average daily active cases for ME 37/2022 was 26,378, a decrease of 4.1% compared to the week before," he said in a statement on the current Covid-19 situation.
He said 31 deaths were logged in ME 37/2022, a drop of 8.8% from 34 cases the week earlier.
Recoveries were also lower, by 16%, at 14,513 for ME 37/2022 compared to 17,286 the week earlier.
The admission of Covid-19 patients to public hospitals for every 100,000 population in ME 37/2022 dropped 6.7% for patients in Category One and Two. There was no change for patients in Category Three and above.
"The percentage of Covid-19 bed occupancy showed a fall of 1% for non-critical beds while beds usage at ICUs and low-risk treatment centres fell by 2%.
"There was no change to the percentage of Covid-19 patients on ventilators," he said adding that the number of positive cases being monitored by Covid-19 Assessment Centres nationwide was also lower.
On the RT or infectivity rate, Noor Hisham said this increased to 0.96 in ME 37/2022 compared to 0.92 the week before.


Zahid's appointment in the spotlight after graft probe involving HR minister

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said there is no need for Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar to take leave, although two of the latter's officers have been hauled up by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in a corruption scandal.
News reports quoted Anwar saying, "It is only a probe, and there have been no charges filed yet...
"So we need to make the distinction between an investigation that is currently ongoing, and if there is a charge, then that is a different question."
PMX has made a distinction between "under probe" and "charged in court." One can infer that, as far as Anwar is concerned, a minister who is under investigation can carry on with their duties, whereas a Cabinet member already charged needs to face the music, possibly take leave, or resign.
If that is the case, why did Anwar appoint Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as deputy prime minister last December? The Umno president faces a litany of corruption charges. Why was Zahid not just roped into the Cabinet but made the second most powerful man in the country?
Anwar's statement on Sivakumar oozes with double standards and hypocrisy, considering his appointment of Zahid as DPM. If PMX takes a strong stance on corruption, why did he appoint Zahid in the first place? And if Sivakumar is charged in court, does that mean he does not need to resign? Or will Sivakumar be given a more senior portfolio in the Cabinet, just like Zahid?
During the GE15 campaign, was Pakatan Harapan not riding on allegations of corruption and abuse of power by Barisan Nasional, of which Zahid is the chairman? Has Anwar forgotten the song, "Hoi hoi ya hoi", which had become the rallying call for PH during campaigning but has now been discarded into the political junkyard due to expediency?
Zahid aside, why did Anwar say that there was no need for Sivakumar to resign when two of his officers had been hauled up by the MACC over the foreign workers' permit scandal?
In the past, PH would vigorously ask any government officials, including ministers, who were caught even with a whiff of scandal to resign or take leave. But now that PH is in power, the coalition has made a 180-degree turn.
What happened to the dictum that "one must not only be clean but be seen to be clean," which PH had held so strongly to in the past? By the looks of it, Anwar will stop at nothing to hold onto power, including compromising on principles.
Alas, reformasi has now become reformati under the "unity government".
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Dr Mahathir asks Anwar to declare wealth, too

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today challenged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to declare his wealth, upping the ante in a saga that has so far seen the former leader suing his one-time mentee for RM150 million over remarks on the issue.
Mahathir said Anwar should declare his wealth as it stood during his time as deputy prime minister under his leadership in the 1990s, responding to a jibe made at a government open house that past leaders should share their wealth with the Malays.
"Supposedly, he wants to tell past leaders to declare their wealth and help the poor," he said.
"Anwar is one of these past leaders who are accused of helping cronies.
"Declare your wealth during your time as deputy prime minister, as you are now demanding. And help the people with your own money, not that of the government."
Anwar had said during the Malaysia Madani open house in Penang last weekend that previous leaders had been playing up the issue of "helping the Malays" but only enriched themselves and their family members during their time in power.
Naming Mahathir as one of the politicians who had benefitted from Barisan Nasional's six decades in power, he said half their wealth should be given to the Malays.
"Tun Daim or Tun Mahathir, I don’t care. No matter how much wealth you own, RM10 billion or RM15 billion, if you want to say long live the Malays and fight for their rights, whatever it is you hoarded, return it back to the Malay people," he was reported as saying.
Mahathir, who sued Anwar on May 3 for defamation over accusations of having amassed wealth for himself and his children, said the prime minister supposedly had information on the "billions stolen" by him and his family.
"There is no need for me to declare my wealth because supposedly Anwar already knows," he said in a statement.
"He has many boxes of documents that are supposedly full of information about my wealth. Show this proof that Anwat has of my wealth in court. Then, the declaration of my wealth will be known to the world. There will be no need for me to declare anything.
"But Anwar also needs to declare his."


Ali Biju keeps his word to campaign for GPS candidate in Krian

There were some awkward moments in the Krian constituency when Ali Biju, who had stated his withdrawal from the 12th Sarawak state election but whose name is still on the ballot paper, began campaigning for another candidate in the same seat yesterday.Ali, the Bersatu incumbent who withdrew from contesting as an independent, kept his word to help Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate Friday Belik by campaigning at four longhouses and asking the constituents not to mark his name on the ballot paper come polling day on Dec 18.Ali, Friday and Bersatu Sarawak chairman Jaziri Alkaf Abdillah Suffian were all present at the Chunggat Longhouse, Munggu Ubah, about 40 minutes from Pekan Saratok, where Ali delivered his message in Iban to the residents of the longhouse, which is his stronghold.Ali, who is also Bersatu Sarawak vice-chairman, ended his 40-minute speech by asking his supporters in Krian to support the GPS candidate, saying: “We must make the GPS candidate win, he cannot lose.”Most of the longhouse residents understood Ali’s purpose and seemed prepared to accept their elected representative’s decision to pull out from the four-cornered contest for the Krian seat.Asked whether he felt odd campaigning for another candidate in his stronghold, Ali replied: “Yes, but we have to look at the bigger picture for Krian, Saratok and Malaysia. It really felt odd at the start, and the supporters, too, had some difficulty accepting the fact that from being confident of a win, out of the blue, we have withdrawn (from contesting). Yes, it is strange.“But we have to get over this feeling. I do not feel anything now except the desire to ensure a GPS win. That’s our target, and if we win, we will all be happy and forget about this strange episode,” Ali said.Ali, who is also deputy energy and natural resources minister, on Monday pulled a shocker after filing his nomination papers as an independent candidate in Krian, going against Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s stand that the party would not contest the Sarawak election but would give its full support to GPS candidates instead.Ali later announced his intention to withdraw from contesting the seat to preserve and strengthen ties between Perikatan Nasional (PN) and GPS. Following this, several GPS leaders also urged Ali to explain his withdrawal to the Krian electorate.Although Ali’s name officially remains on the ballot paper, the real contest in Krian will now involve Friday, Musa Dinggat of Parti Sarawak Bersatu and Danny Kuan from Parti Bumi Kenyalang.Meanwhile, Friday said he appreciated Ali’s efforts to campaign for him in his own stronghold, adding that this was an indication of his sincerity.“Today, both of us explained what happened two or three days ago so as to gain the confidence of his supporters as well as mine in order for them to support GPS in this election,” he said.Jaziri said Ali’s action showed political maturity as GPS and Bersatu had joined forces to ensure victory for GPS, which is led by Abang Johari Openg.


Govt going overboard with political appointments?

In December last year, newly minted Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim sacked all chairmen and board members of government-linked companies (GLCs), statutory bodies and state-investment funds appointed politically.
The decision was made at a weekly Cabinet meeting and later cited in a letter by the chief secretary to the government.
The move was made to follow through with Pakatan Harapan's (PH) election campaign promise to dismantle political patronage.
Directorship and chairmanship posts were often used to buy and reward loyalty, a culture long nurtured under the rule of ousted Barisan Nasional (BN).
So, has this BN culture now seeped deep into the blood of PH leaders as well, considering the slew of political appointments taking place recently?
These appointments have once again drawn allegations of conflict of interest, abuse of power and corruption, which has overall led to distrust and doubt among the voters against the administration.
Malaysia lacks an adequate framework that clearly defines the criteria, parameters and procedures that must be complied with when appointing individuals to government agencies and GLCs.
As a result, "political appointment" has become a catch-all phrase that lacks a clear definition and hence, opens up the potential for misuse.
There is no clear, transparent recruitment and appointment process, and this has led to abuse as a form of reward to certain "loyalists".
Sadly, in the current administration, such appointments are similar to the case of "the pot calling the kettle black".
Anwar was so critical of such appointments but now due to pressure and the hunger to stay in power, he is bending all rules.
The list is practically endless
The list now seems endless with assignment of people like Abdul Azeez Rahim, Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, Noraini Ahmad, Shaik Hussein Mydin, Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali, Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid, etc.
This latest slew of appointments is by Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu, who has since defended the political appointments of the five PH figures, claiming these did not violate the coalition's principles.
In March, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reportedly said that the government will not appoint any person who is unable to contribute to the organisation or agency they are meant to lead.
So, is the current administration trying to pull the wool over our eyes (voters) by lying to us that all these recent appointments are justified and that those concerned are experts who can help turn things around in their respective organisations?
Even the coalition for clean and fair elections (Bersih) has urged the federal government to end "old practices" of funding political parties and rewarding their leaders through lucrative appointments in GLCs and statutory bodies.
Such appointments should not be made unless they are shown to have relevant qualifications and experience.
This is what, we, the voters, want – transparency and justification for the appointments. Not to return favours.
Bersih said the wanton appointment of party leaders to such positions could be construed as an abuse of public trust and office and bordered on corruption.
It is sad, but as a voter, I feel I am being taken for a ride and treated as a fool. The government must admit that it has changed its stance regarding political appointments in GLCs.
Also, the government must reveal to the voters just how much these appointees are going to be paid. After all, it is coming from our (taxpayers') pockets.
At the end of the day, there is no point in PH or the "unity government" trying to clean the backyard of others when there is already so much dirt in their own backyards.
And sadly, this dirt is piling up each day and when it overflows, voters will be pushed to a corner, and it may well be another short-lived stint in Putrajaya for PH.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


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Police officer killed in shootout with smugglers

A General Operations Force (GOF) personnel was killed and another critically injured in a shootout with smugglers at the Malaysia-Thailand border in Perlis today, says Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin.He said Corporal Baharuddin Ramli died on the spot while Corporal Norihan a/l Tari, who was badly injured, was sent to the Tuanku Fauziah Hospital in Kangar.He said an initial investigation found that the two GOF personnel were engaged in intelligence work at the location when they were set upon by two groups of smugglers believed to comprise locals and foreigners.Hamzah said he was informed that the shootout occurred at about 3am along Border Wall TS9 in Padang Besar, Perlis.He said he had instructed the police to carry out a thorough investigation to identify the smugglers involved.“The government takes a serious view of the incident and will not compromise in the matter of people committing cross-border crimes,” he said.He also conveyed his condolences along with that of his ministry staff to Baharuddin’s family.Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador, when contacted by Bernama, said he was on his way to Perlis.


Defence says missile theory unproven as MH17 trial wraps

Dutch lawyers for a suspect accused of downing Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 said prosecutors failed to prove a Russian-made missile brought down the jetliner, as they wrapped up their case on Thursday.The passenger jet was shot down while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014 killing all 298 on board, as Kyiv’s forces battled pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine’s war-torn east.The trial of four men, which started in March 2020, has taken on a new significance since Russia’s late February invasion of its neighbour, in which a slew of new war crimes are being alleged.“To conclude, the prosecution failed to prove from tapped (mobile) conversations, images and witness statements that this was the missile that downed MH17,” said Sabine ten Doesschate, who represents suspect Oleg Pulatov.“And even if a missile was launched, it cannot be proven conclusively this was the missile that hit MH17.”Prosecutors in December called for life sentences for the four men allegedly involved: Russian nationals Pulatov, Igor Girkin and Sergei Dubinsky as well as Ukrainian national Leonid Kharchenko.Only Pulatov has legal representation and none of the men have appeared in court.Pulatov’s lawyers told judges that there were “holes” in the prosecution’s case because they were too focused only on proving separatists used a Russian-supplied BUK missile.“Telling the story to them was more important than finding conclusive evidence,” Ten Doesschate said at hearing, held at a courthouse close to Schiphol airport where flight MH17 took off.For instance, it could not be proven that a smoke trail – which prosecutors said was seen shortly after the missile was fired – was in fact that belonging to a BUK missile.Judges could not come to “any other conclusion than an acquittal” for her client, she said.Defence lawyers said they will discuss “alternative scenarios” for the downing of MH17 on Friday, after which the judges are set to retire to deliberate.The court has said a verdict is not expected until November 2022 at the earliest.All four men deny any involvement in the downing of the plane.The hearings come as fighting continues in eastern Ukraine and the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor called the whole of the country a “crime scene” following Russia’s invasion.


Funds channelled to Khairy’s Rembau Umno division, ex-UKSB director tells Zahid visa trial

A former director of Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) told the Shah Alam High Court today that former youth and sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin had received contributions from his company although the funds were not directly given.Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani, 42, said that amounts of between RM50,000 and RM200,000 were given to Khairy for political aid, humanitarian and disaster assistance.He said the contributions were not given to Khairy directly, but channelled through the Rembau Umno division as Khairy, the former Umno Youth chief, had been the division’s deputy chief at the time.Another former UKSB director, Harry Lee Vui Khun, previously told the court that the initials “KJ” had appeared in the company’s ledger book along with the word “bomoh”.Lee was the 15th prosecution witness in the corruption trial of former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.The UKSB ledger, also known in the trial as Book 555, contained records of the payments made by the company to several individuals between 2014 and 2018.When asked by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin during examination-in-chief about how he had helped Khairy, Wan Quoris said political assistance was not given only at the division level.“It was also given at the national level because he was a national politician,” he said.“For example, if a disaster struck and so on, I would help in humanitarian aid programmes. If there was a by-election, I would help too,” Wan Quoris, known as a close friend of Khairy, added.The 16th prosecution witness also said he had given Khairy financial aid according to need, and not on a monthly basis.“I did not give the contributions directly,” he said. “I managed it myself, meaning that if there was a programme that needed aid, I could control in terms of financial use.“Of course, he (Khairy) had nothing to do with this (overseas visa contract), and there was no big allocation for him.“But the VLN was related to the home ministry, and Zahid was the minister in charge at the time. He was also the Umno deputy president, so I think his responsibilities were bigger,” he said.Zahid, 69, faces 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM42 million) from UKSB as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant and then home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the one-stop centre in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain the agreement to supply VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the home ministry.On another seven counts, Zahid was charged as home minister with obtaining for himself S$1,150,000, RM3 million, €15,000 and US$15,000 in cash from the same company in connection with his official work.He is charged with committing all of the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.The trial continues before judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa.


US' Yellen begins China visit with both sides locked in confrontation

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Thursday began a four-day visit to China that was expected to focus on easing ties between the world's two largest economies, despite low expectations on both sides.
Shortly after arriving in the Chinese capital, Yellen said she was glad to be in Beijing and looked forward to advancing President Joe Biden's goal of deepening communication between the two countries.
"We seek a healthy economic competition that benefits American workers and firms and to collaborate on global challenges," Yellen wrote on Twitter.
"We will take action to protect our national security when needed, and this trip presents an opportunity to communicate and avoid miscommunication or misunderstanding."
Yellen received a low-key welcome from a Chinese finance ministry official and the US envoy to China, Nicholas Burns, as she stepped off a government plane just after a rainstorm brought some relief to an otherwise sweltering Beijing.
Both sides are sceptical that Yellen's visit will be able to take much heat out of US-China ties, however, with officials accepting that both countries have placed safeguarding national security above economic ties.
"Especially if there are things that we may disagree about, it's even more important that we are talking," said a US official travelling with Yellen, speaking on arrival in Beijing.
"I don't think it's fruitless, I will say that definitively."
Yellen will address unfair practices by China, including recent punitive actions against US firms and market access barriers, the official added.
On Friday she will meet China's Premier Li Qiang and former economy tsar Liu He, who is widely seen as a close confidant of President Xi Jinping.
Chinese commentators cry hypocrisy about US concerns over the country's trade practices, however.
"I wouldn't regard it as Janet Yellen is not welcome, but China cannot just swallow all the poison pills and continue to show a smile," said Wang Huiyao, the president of a think tank, the Center for China and Globalization, referring to US sanctions on a growing number of Chinese firms.
Before Yellen's visit, Chinese analysts told state media that her April speech, which ranked securing the national security interests of the US and its allies as the key plank of economic policy with China, did not inspire optimism.
Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University, told the Global Times newspaper that Yellen's emphasis on national security meant the US was unlikely to stop the "economic and technological suppression" of China.
Yellen will emphasise that the US does not support decoupling and call for greater transparency by China on its new espionage law, as well as progress in resolving international debt distress, the US official added.
Even though no major breakthroughs are expected, US officials say Yellen will push to open new lines of communication and coordination on economic matters, and stress the consequences of supplying lethal aid to Russia, an assertion China has adamantly rejected.
When Chinese ambassador Xie Feng met Yellen in Washington on Monday, he urged the US to "pay great attention" and move to tackle China's main concerns on the economy and trade.
Trade tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and sanctions against Chinese firms are the country's chief concerns, said Wu Xinbo, an American studies specialist at Fudan University, who is familiar with Beijing's thinking.
Yellen's long-anticipated trip comes weeks after a visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping that the mutual rivalry should not veer into conflict, amid a freeze in talks between their militaries.
Both visits are seen as critical to improving communication after the US military shot down a Chinese balloon over the US.
They come ahead of a possible meeting between Biden and Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering scheduled for November in San Francisco.


China Telecom’s bid to continue US operations meets opposition

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday asked a federal appeals court to reject China Telecom Corp’s bid to continue providing services in the US, after the telecommunications regulator revoked its authorisation to operate last month.The US arm of China’s largest Chinese telecommunications company asked the US Appeals Court for the District of Columbia this month to block the order.“China Telecom has no likelihood of succeeding on its claims,” lawyers for the Justice Department and FCC wrote in a court filing Wednesday.China Telecom Americas, which declined to comment Wednesday, was ordered on Oct 26 by the FCC to discontinue US services by early January over national security concerns.The FCC said China Telecom “is subject to exploitation, influence, and control by the Chinese government and is highly likely to be forced to comply with Chinese government requests without sufficient legal procedures subject to independent judicial oversight.”The FCC added, “It is undisputed that China Telecom is wholly owned by a Chinese entity, which is in turn majority-owned and controlled by a Chinese state-owned enterprise.”China Telecom, which has been authorised for the past 20 years to provide telecommunications services in the US, had more than 335 million subscribers worldwide in 2019. It also provides services to Chinese government facilities in the US and has warned that FCC action would force it “to end its entire resold mobile resale service in the US”The FCC said China Telecom’s resold mobile phone service “gives the company access to sensitive customer information, including call detail records and metadata about communications.”China Telecom said it must notify customers of the decision by Dec 4 and said that without a temporary halt to the FCC action it “will be forced to cease significant operations, irreparably harming its business, reputation, and relationships.”The FCC rejected the arguments saying there is “little basis” to speculate China Telecom’s “reputation for reliable service is fatally undermined by a government order requiring it to cease providing services.”In March, the FCC began efforts to revoke the authorisation for China Unicom Americas, Pacific Networks and its wholly owned subsidiary ComNet to provide US telecommunications services.In May 2019, the FCC voted unanimously to deny state-owned Chinese telecom firm China Mobile Ltd the right to provide US services.Last year, the FCC designated Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp as national security threats to communications networks.


Only rulers can revoke titles, DAP man told after remarks on Mahathir

Jelutong MP RSN Rayer has come under criticism by some over his call for the "Tun" title bestowed on Dr Mahathir Mohamad to be withdrawn following the former leader's comments on the royal institution.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh said it was not Rayer's place to make such a suggestion.
"What right do we have to deny the titles bestowed by the Malay rulers?" he added.
Mahathir, who led the country twice for a total of 24 years, was awarded the Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara which carries the "Tun" title in 2003 after retiring as prime minister for the first time.
It is an exclusive honour reserved for just 25 people at any given time.
Lawyer Rafique Rashid agreed with Akmal, saying titles can only be revoked by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or by the Malay ruler who bestowed it.
He also noted that Mahathir was being investigated by the police, and had promised his full cooperation in the matter of having allegedly insulted the Malay rulers.
"Rayer should allow justice to take its course until Mahathir is proven guilty in court.
"If titles and facilities are to be withdrawn, it must go through the judicial system," he added, recalling the legal principle of "innocent until proven guilty".
Rayer had also brought up Mahathir's "Malay Proclamation" and the possibility of the veteran leader working together once again with Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin – the subject of speculation since he told MalaysiaNow in an exclusive interview that he was open to cooperating with the Pagoh MP.
Muhyiddin himself responded by saying that he, too, was ready to work with Mahathir for the future of the Malays.
Rafique said the two leaders had only stated a desire to work together in order to unite the Malays, questioning Rayer's remark that they wanted to "destroy the country".
"Will bringing the Malays together destroy the country?" he said.
"Look what we achieved in history when the Malays united – we were able to defeat even the British and the Malayan Union.
"When the Malays united, we also gained independence. What destruction is there when the Malays unite?"
He said their calls for unity were also a call for the Malays to respect the Federal Constitution.
"The constitution lays out the rights of the Malays. That is all that Mahathir is defending," he said.
"Nothing that will lead to the country's destruction."


Looking back at the pandemic

What will we remember when we look back on this pandemic? How will we tell our children and our grandchildren about the experience of living through a disaster that hit nearly every aspect of life on a global scale?Will we remember the early days, reading the news about a mysterious virus that had surfaced somewhere in China and thinking perhaps we should postpone our trip to Beijing for a few more months?Will we remember the growing concern as the virus spread in leaps and bounds, moving from country to country until it finally reached the shores of Malaysia as well?Will we remember the days of single-digit cases and the first death reported in the country? Will we remember the day the government announced that no one would be allowed to leave their homes except in emergencies and to access essential services?Will we remember the silence on the streets and the absence of Malaysia’s famous rush-hour traffic as police put up roadblocks and soldiers stood by with their guns?Will we remember the stifling feeling of breathing through a mask, or sanitising our hands every 10 minutes and checking our temperatures 20 times throughout the day?Will we remember spending day after day at home, afraid to leave the perceived safety of the four walls around us, wiping down everything that we brought in with disinfectant and scrubbing ourselves down in hot water and anti-bacterial soap after returning from our forays into the outside world?We might remember the growing frustration with having to work from home, or the fear that the longer the pandemic continued, the closer we would come to losing our jobs. We might remember the numbers in our bank accounts shrinking as the number of infections grew.Perhaps we’ll remember the worry of learning that someone we knew had tested positive for the virus. Perhaps we’ll remember the pain of losing a loved one, or the joy of hearing that someone had made a safe recovery.Perhaps we’ll remember what it was like to fall sick ourselves, and our road back to health whether painful or smooth.We might recall the relief of finally being able to venture out again, and of seeing the faces of people who for months we had seen only online. (On the other hand, we might recall the sigh we heaved at the thought of having to be polite again to poky relatives whom we would really prefer to continue seeing in a purely digital capacity.)Maybe we’ll remember the day we heard that somewhere out there, a vaccine had been created. Maybe we’ll remember the agonising wait for it to be cleared by safety regulators, and for supplies of it to finally land on the hot tarmac at KLIA.We might remember how it felt to stand in line with thousands of others, all of us waiting for our turn to receive a dose of vaccine in one of the biggest concerted efforts our country has ever seen.We might remember the freedom of being able to move about again, of being able to cross state lines and greet family and friends on special occasions.We might remember the way we felt when we heard that there were more variants on the rise, and that we would probably be learning far more of the Greek alphabet than we ever thought we would.Will we remember the people we lost, the businesses that folded, the lives that changed forever? Will we remember the good-byes and the hellos, and how every moment was more important because we never knew what would happen next?We might look back on the pandemic with all of this or none of it, or a combination of everything in between. How we remember it will depend on our personal experiences and the way that this ongoing event has shaped the immediate world around us.But even as cases continue to climb and the virus hits closer and closer to home, amid the chaos and uncertainty that continues despite the best efforts of all and a vaccination rate of close to 100%, we can be sure of this: that we will look back on it.


Europe heading for recession as cost of living crisis deepens

The euro zone is almost certainly entering a recession, with surveys on Monday showing a deepening cost of living crisis and a gloomy outlook that is keeping consumers wary of spending.
While there was some easing of price pressures, according to the surveys, they remained high and the European Central Bank is under pressure as inflation is running at more than four times its 2% target, reaching a record 9.1% last month.
It faces the prospect of raising interest rates aggressively just as the economy enters a downturn.
A rise in borrowing costs would add to the woes of indebted consumers, yet in a Reuters poll last week almost half of the economists surveyed said they expect an unprecedented 75 basis-point rate hike from the ECB this week, while almost as many forecast a 50 bps hike.
Despite those expectations the euro dropped below 99 US cents for the first time in 20 years on Monday after Russia said gas supply down its main pipeline to Europe would stay shut indefinitely.
Gas prices on the continent soared as much as 30% on Monday, stoking fears of shortages and reinforcing expectations for a recession and a bitter winter as businesses and households are battered by sky-high energy prices.
S&P Global's final composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), seen as a guide to economic health, fell to an 18-month low of 48.9 in August from July's 49.9, below a preliminary 49.2 estimate. Anything below 50 indicates contraction.
"The PMI surveys signal that the euro area is entering recession earlier than we previously thought, led by its largest economy Germany, and we now see the euro area 'enjoying' a longer, three quarter recession," said Peter Schaffrik at the Royal Bank of Canada.
"The revision is mainly due to developments in energy prices which, even after retreating over recent days, remain elevated and which mean that the impact on household spending will be larger than we hitherto anticipated."
That prospect of recession whacked investor morale in the currency union and it slumped in September to its lowest since May 2020, another survey showed.
Services activity in Germany, Europe's largest economy, contracted for a second month running in August as domestic demand came under pressure from soaring inflation and faltering confidence, earlier figures showed.
Its economy is on track to contract for three consecutive quarters starting from this one, a Reuters poll suggested last week.
In France, the euro zone's second-largest economy, the services sector lost more steam and only managed to eke out modest growth with purchasing managers saying the outlook was bleak.
The Italian services industry returned to modest growth but in Spain activity expanded at the slowest rate since January, with companies concerned inflation would weigh on their profits and on customers' demand.
In Britain, the economy ended August on a much weaker footing than previously thought as overall business activity contracted for the first time since February 2021 in a clear signal of recession, its PMI showed.
Later on Monday the country will learn who will become its next prime minister, tasked with trying to manage an economy facing a long recession alongside eye-watering inflation and industrial unrest.
In Asia, surveys showed a strong rebound in China's services sector eased slightly amid fresh Covid-19 flare-ups, while in Japan the sector contracted for the first time in five months.
However, India's dominant services industry grew faster than expected last month thanks to a solid expansion in demand and a continued easing in cost pressures.


Facing Russia threat, Ukraine calls up reservists

Ukraine on Wednesday began calling up reservists into the armed forces and urged its citizens to leave Russia immediately as the pro-Western country braced for a possible invasion.The call was issued a day after Russia’s upper house of parliament gave President Vladimir Putin permission to send “peacekeepers” into two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine.Ukraine’s armed forces said in a statement on Facebook that reservists between the ages of 18 and 60 would be called up for a period of up to one year.Ukraine has a reserve force of more than 200,000 that is comprised mostly of military personnel who served in the first years of the country’s eight-year war with Russian-backed separatists.The decree signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky says former officers and non-commissioned personnel “will serve in military units and according to the specialisation” that they had in the past.“If the reservist, for one reason or another prescribed by law, cannot be called up, they must personally present an explanatory document,” it added.“Failure to appear or disregard for the call-up can lead to administrative and criminal penalties,” it warned.The foreign ministry said the growing threat of Russian “aggression” meant that it would be increasingly difficult to provide consular services for Ukrainian citizens in Russia.Between two and three million Ukrainians are believed to be living in Russia today.“The foreign ministry urges the citizens of Ukraine to refrain from travel to Russia, and for those in that country to leave its territory immediately,” the ministry said.Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also reaffirmed his call for world powers to stiffen their sanctions on Russia.Western powers began to announce new penalties on Tuesday directed mostly against Russian banks.“To stop Putin from further aggression, we call on partners to impose more sanctions on Russia now,” Kuleba said in a tweet.


Works ministry prepared for possibility of major floods

The works ministry is prepared for the possibility of floods following the warning issued by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) that major floods are expected to hit several states in the peninsular this November.
Works Minister Fadillah Yusof said the ministry's disaster operations room at the headquarters and in the districts involved would be immediately activated to monitor the situation.
"At the department and ministry levels, we need to take care of the infrastructure system so that roads are not cut off, especially in the event of a major flood. We want to ensure that there is a route that rescue and emergency teams can use to provide assistance and so on," he told reporters in Kepala Batas yesterday.
MetMalaysia had warned that the country would experience continuous heavy rain from mid-November onwards, leading to major floods at the end of the month.
Fadillah said his ministry would continuously monitor flood-affected roads to update road users of the latest situation and ensure that they avoid these routes.
"In addition, we will monitor to find out what form of assistance is needed and provide vehicles and other tools for the rescue teams at the district and state levels," he said.


Monsoon thunderbolts kill 76 in India

Several tourists reportedly taking selfies near a historical fort in northern India were among 76 killed by lightning strikes during the early stages of the annual monsoon season, officials said on Monday.Deadly lightning strikes are common during the June-September deluge, which brings much needed respite from the summer heat across the northern Indian plains, CBS News reports.Of the 76 killed, at least 23 people died in the mostly desert state of Rajasthan, including a dozen who were watching the storm cross Jaipur city from watch towers near the famous 12th-century Amer Fort late Sunday, a state disaster department official said.“It was already raining when the people were there. They huddled in the towers as the rainfall intensified,” a senior Jaipur police officer, Saurabh Tiwari, said.He said up to 30 people were on the towers when the lightning struck. Emergency teams were checking if any victims had fallen into a deep moat on one side of the towers.“Some of the injured were left unconscious by the strikes. Others ran out in panic and extreme pain,” he added.Officials told local media many of those killed were taking selfies and videoing the storm when they were hit.Every year, tens of thousands of tourists visit the Amer Fort, a medieval complex on a hilltop outside Jaipur also known as the Amber Fort.People had been flocking to the fort, which gives a panoramic view of the tourist city of Jaipur, after several weeks of intense heat in the state.BBC News reports the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced compensation for the victims’ families.In the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, at least 42 people were killed in lightning strikes on Saturday and Sunday, officials said. They did not give further details about where they had been killed.Another 11 people died in the central state of Madhya Pradesh over the weekend, an official at the state’s disaster control room told AFP.Two of them had taken their camels and sheep for grazing and were sheltering under a tree when they were hit by lightning, the official said.Last month, 27 people were killed and four passengers on a flight were hospitalised after severe turbulence during monsoon storms hit the eastern state of West Bengal.More than 100 people died in two states in June last year in lightning-related incidents, BBC News reported.Nearly 2,900 people were killed by lightning in India in 2019, according to the National Crime Records Bureau – the most recent figures available.The monsoon is crucial to replenishing water supplies in South Asia, but also causes widespread death and destruction across the region each year.


Illegal wildlife trade could trigger another pandemic, activists warn

Environmentalists have called for an end to the illegal wildlife trade, warning that the sale and consumption of animal parts could lead to further outbreaks even as the world struggles to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, the virus behind which health experts recently said had probably jumped from bats to humans via an intermediary animal.Their call also follows the release of a report by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services which states that some 1.7 million undiscovered viruses are thought to exist in animals and birds, of which up to 827,000 could infect humans through close contact.According to the report, more than 70% of emerging diseases such as Ebola, Zika and Nipah are caused by microbes found in animals which “spill over” due to contact among wildlife, livestock and humans.Activist Andrew Sebastian said the illegal wildlife trade is “a big problem”.“Firstly, it drives animals to extinction. Secondly, there is the threat of opening us up to new viruses that have been dormant in the wildlife kingdom for all these years,” he told MalaysiaNow.Calls for a ban on wildlife trade are nothing new. Malaysia’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks or Perhilitan has also been working to catch and prosecute those involved in trafficking animals or their body parts.But Sebastian said wildlife trade continues to thrive, in large part due to demand from China.“There is the threat of opening us up to new viruses that have been dormant in the wildlife kingdom for all these years.”“China is the number one exporter and user of wildlife and many from the Chinese community around the world still stick to old, traditional ways of consuming the body parts of wild animals for health reasons,” he said, adding that this needs to be dealt with.Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil, president of the Association for the Protection of the Natural Heritage of Malaysia or Peka, said the destruction of animals’ natural habitats also increases the risk of unknown diseases spreading to humans as it forces wildlife closer to livestock, plantaions and inhabited areas.“The clearing of virgin forests may release pathogens and bacteria that have never been seen before,” she added.She and Sebastian agreed on the need for a total ban on the local wildlife trade, saying it poses a threat to public safety.Sebastian also warned against the exotic pet trade which he said has a role to play in Malaysia’s illegal wildlife trade as well.“Start by banning the exotic pet trade which fuels the need for wildlife in captivity, whether local wildlife or wildlife from other parts of the world.“It’s no longer something that we should accept as a norm in terms of doing business,” he said.But an end to the illegal wildlife trade is not likely without stricter enforcement of laws and regulations and the implementation of stiffer penalties, they said.“It’s no longer something that we should accept as a norm in terms of doing business.”At the moment, Shariffa said, many poachers and traffickers still roam free and get away without any real punishment if they are caught. Seizures of captive animals at destination ports often occur too late to save them, she added.And while Perhilitan may work hard to put an end to the illegal wildlife trade, it is too big a task for one department alone, she said, suggesting a collaboration with other departments, local communities and even the armed forces.A vocal critic of logging activities in the country, she also called on the state forestry departments to stop degazetting areas and issuing fresh logging permits.Sebastian meanwhile said the government could do more to deter poachers and traffickers by putting an end to the distribution of hunting licences and the sale of exotic pets.“Rewards for whistleblowers should be increased,” he said, adding that more people including nature guides and those from local communities should be empowered to monitor the capture or trade of wildlife.“This would help the long arm of the law reach even further.”


Govt still has majority support, says DPM as Zahid, Anwar step up ‘derhaka’ calls

Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob says the government remains in power with the support of 110 MPs despite incessant calls from opposition MPs for Muhyiddin Yassin to vacate his post following a royal rebuke today.“The country’s political situation is unstable and could undermine efforts to solve economic problems and combat the Covid-19 pandemic,” Ismail, the chief whip for the backbenchers, said in a statement following the decision to postpone the special sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.“I would like to stress that the government still has the support of more than 110 MPs who remain with the government today.”Ismail’s statement came as his party boss, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, urged MPs to revoke support for Muhyiddin in keeping with an earlier decision by the party.Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim called for the same, saying Muhyiddin, law minister Takiyuddin Hassan and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun should resign for committing “derhaka” or treachery against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.This followed a statement from the palace today, expressing disappointment with the government for announcing the annulment of emergency ordinances without first getting royal consent.Anwar at a press conference later slammed Ismail for his statement, saying it was disrespectful of the Agong.“He is a minister. He is a son of Pahang. Does he know what is derhaka? Does he know what is a royal statement? Does he understand the role of Parliament?” the PKR president said.Separately, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man reiterated his party’s support for Muhyiddin and the Perikatan Nasional government.“PAS stands firmly with the prime minister in supporting all decisions made by the Cabinet,” he said in a statement.“PAS calls upon all quarters to remain united and to stop politicking in managing the country during the Covid-19 pandemic.“Political stability and the people’s unity are critical in facing the threat of the pandemic,” said Tuan Ibrahim.