Husband-wife van drivers can’t wait for schools to open again

While children may be having mixed emotions about returning to school next week, for one couple in Taman Melawati, Kuala Lumpur, news that students would be allowed to go back to the classroom under strict health SOPs was the best they had heard in months.Ismail Raja Mat and his wife Norhayati Muda had been driving school vans for more than 30 years when their routine came to an abrupt halt in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.With almost no other way of earning a living, and with bills piling up for the repayment of one of their vans, they were forced to live hand to mouth throughout the movement control order (MCO) period.“I’m so grateful that the long wait is over,” Norhayati, 48, told MalaysiaNow.“I’m speechless. I finally get to go back to work again.”Pupils across the country who have been following their lessons from home due to health measures under the government’s MCO will begin returning to school in stages from Monday.Standard 1 and 2 pupils will return to school on March 1, while other primary students will start school the week after. Secondary students meanwhile will start attending school on April 4, except for those in Form 5 who will start classes on March 8.“I’m speechless. I finally get to go back to work again.”Norhayati struggled to hold back tears as she spoke to MalaysiaNow about her family’s situation after the MCO was implemented last year.Although they managed to survive thanks to the help of family members and neighbours, it was not easy.Their eldest son, who works at a government hospital, was able to chip in about RM800 a month but this was not enough to cover the cost of living.Ismail, 59, said his school van alone requires monthly repayments of RM1,200. He also has an outstanding electricity bill of RM500, and three of their five children are still dependents.“My third child who is currently studying at the German-Malaysian Institute wants to postpone his studies due to our financial situation.“I can’t let him do that. So I’m looking for ways to earn money to continue supporting his education,” he said.His fourth child, though, will have no choice but to postpone going to college as there is simply not enough money.For now, the former Form 6 student is working at a bakery to help his family earn some money. He also hopes to put aside a little for his tuition fees in the future.“It’s hard for me to say, but I’m thankful that our children can understand the family’s situation,” Ismail said.Strict SOPsIn order to go back to work, Ismail and Norhayati are ready to comply with the health ministry’s SOPs requiring students to wear face masks at all times and to use hand sanitiser.“Students are not allowed to stand in the vehicle, especially for those taking the bus,” Norhayati said. “I was also told that the passenger limit will depend on the number of seats available.Their hope is that the school year will go smoothly without another closure in a few weeks’ time.“This new normal should be put into practice by students who travel in school vans, especially those in Standard 1.”At full capacity, Ismail’s van can take 18 students while Norhayati’s can fit 14.Norhayati said they would need to provide a list of names to the school management before picking up the students after school. This will be used for crowd control, especially at the school entrance.Looking ahead, their hope is that the school year will go smoothly without another closure in a few weeks’ time.“The current situation is hard to predict,” Norhayati said. “It’s possible that this will happen since the number of daily cases is still relatively high.”Another problem is that fewer parents are still sending their children to school by van.“Since many of them work from home now, they make their own arrangements for transportation. Now, we only get requests from the parents of Standard 1 kids.”There is also no word on whether some parents who used to send their children to school by Ismail and Norhayati’s vans intend to continue doing so.But things could be worse.The couple had planned to return their home town in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, if there was no change in their situation. The cost of living in Kuala Lumpur is high, and they cannot afford to continue staying there if neither of them is earning a living.“Luckily, schools are reopening,” Ismail said.If all else fails and they are forced to stop driving their vans, they say farming will be their next choice.


Sorry.


How Canada, Australia, UK changed laws after mass shootings

A shooting at a Texas elementary school that killed 19 children and two teachers has revived a push for new gun safety laws in the US, which has more firearms than people and more permissive gun laws than many other high-income countries.Over 200 mass shootings have been reported in the US in 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit research group. More than 45,000 people died from gun-related injuries, including suicides, in the US in 2020, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Stricter gun laws have been introduced in the US Congress after past mass shootings, but they have been defeated by Republicans, independents and some moderate Democrats.Here’s how other nations have reacted after similar shootings.CanadaAfter the 1989 Ecole Polytechnique massacre, in which 14 women engineering students were killed in their Montreal classroom, new legislation required safety courses, background checks and increased penalties for some gun crimes.In 2020, shortly after a gunman shot and killed 13 people in Portapique, Nova Scotia, Canada banned more than 1,500 models of “assault-style” firearms and components, and set limits on how destructive bullets could be.Canada’s rate of firearm homicides is 0.5 per 100,000 people, versus the US’ rate of 4.12, the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) said in a 2021 analysis.AustraliaAfter a gunman killed 35 people at a cafe and tourist site in 1996, Australia banned all semi-automatic rifles and all semi-automatic and pump-action shotguns. Thousands of unlicensed firearms were surrendered under a gun amnesty program, and licensed gun owners required to take a safety course.The chances of being murdered by a gun in Australia plunged to 0.15 per 100,000 people in 2014 from 0.54 per 100,000 people in 1996, a decline of 72%, a Reuters analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed.United KingdomA gunman killed 16 children and their teacher in Dunblane, Scotland, in 1996, prompting a public campaign that led to Britain adopting some of the strictest gun controls in the world. Within two years, new laws effectively banned civilians from owning handguns.The United Kingdom’s rate of gun homicides is 0.04 per 100,000 people, the IHME calculates.New ZealandAfter the Christchurch mosques shooting that killed 50 people in March 2019, New Zealand’s prime minister banned the sale of assault weapons within days. Parliament later voted to bar the circulation and use of most semi-automatic firearms, parts that convert firearms into semi-automatic firearms, magazines over a certain capacity, and some shotguns.Firearm-related murders were rare in New Zealand and remain so; the country had 12 in 2018 and 11 in 2021.


Oct 5 for LHDN appeal hearing against Najib's daughter in income tax case

The Court of Appeal has fixed Oct 5 to hear the Inland Revenue Board's (LHDN) appeal against a High Court's dismissal of its application for a summary judgment against former prime minister Najib Razak's daughter, Nooryana Najwa, over allegations of unpaid income tax.
Lawyer Wee Yeong Kang, representing Nooryana, confirmed the hearing date following case management before Court of Appeal deputy registrar Norshakinah Ahmad Kamarudin yesterday.
On Aug 26, 2020, Shah Alam High Court judge Faizah Jamaludin dismissed LHDN's application to obtain a summary judgment against Nooryana to recover RM10.3 million in unpaid income tax.
On July 24, 2019, the government as the plaintiff filed a writ of summons through LHDN in the High Court, naming Nooryana as the defendant.
According to the statement of claim, LHDN alleged that Nooryana had failed to submit individual income tax return forms to the agency, under Section 77 of the Income Tax Act 1967, for the years of assessment from 2011 to 2017.
LHDN contended that to date, she had not paid income tax owed, including increases, worth a total of RM10,335,292.36.
Meanwhile, the Federal Court set July 15 for another case management in the appeal of Najib and his son, Nazifuddin, over the summary judgment entered against them regarding the payment of income tax amounting to RM1.69 billion and RM37.6 million respectively, to LHDN.
They were given leave to proceed with their appeals in the Federal Court in May this year on nine questions of law for the Federal Court to decide.
Wee, who also represents Najib and Nazifuddin, confirmed the date following case management before Federal Court deputy registrar Norhafizah Zainal Abidin today.
Two separate High Courts had allowed LHDN's applications to enter the summary judgment for the recovery of tax arrears worth RM1.69 billion from Najib and RM37.6 million from Nazifuddin, for the period of between 2011 and 2017.
A summary judgment is obtained when the court decides on a case through written submissions, without a full trial or calling witnesses.
Najib and Nazifuddin lost their appeals to set aside the summary judgment in the Court of Appeal in September last year.


Ismail to decide on polls after talks with ministers, Umno leaders

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today assured that he would hold discussions with Umno’s “Top Five” on the dissolution of Parliament to pave the way for the 15th general election (GE15).The “Top Five” refers to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, deputy president Mohamad Hasan and the party’s three vice-presidents: Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Mahdzir Khalid and Ismail himself.Ismail said after the talks with the other four party leaders, he would bring the matter up for discussion in the Umno Supreme Council and the Cabinet before it is presented to the Agong.“If we (Umno) are confident of victory, we will not wait, not even a second to dissolve Parliament for GE15,” he said to applause from Umno delegates at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.The prime minister said this in his winding-up speech at the Umno general assembly 2021 which ended today.The dissolution of Parliament for GE15 was one of the issues raised by Umno delegates, including the three wings of the party, during the debates at the general assembly.“I listened to the suggestions of the debaters on the dissolution of Parliament. I guarantee this big decision will be discussed with the party’s ‘Top Five’,” said Ismail.He added that to win GE15, Umno must be united.“I announced on April 1 at a mosque that we will close ranks and in Umno, we must also join forces together with the party leadership.“If we are united, Insha Allah, GE15 victory will be in the hands of Umno,” he said.The current Parliament term expires in June 2023. GE15 must be held by July of that year.


Personnel ‘acted a little out of bounds’, probe ongoing, says Armed Forces chief

An investigation into reports of a man in uniform ordering a foreign worker to roll on the grass, video clips of which have gone viral on social media, remains ongoing, the Armed Forces said today.Armed Forces chief Affendi Buang said preliminary action had already been taken, and that no member of the Armed Forces involved in any duty would act out of bounds.“On the contrary, they will perform their assigned duties to protect the safety of the country as well as the public.“We ask that members of the community as well as those under quarantine cooperate with the authorities,” he said at a press conference.Affendi Buang. Photo: BernamaYesterday, MalaysiaNow reported that footage had surfaced of men in uniform employing brutal and inhumane tactics on migrant workers believed to be under quarantine for Covid-19.One clip shows a man forcing a worker to roll on the grass while brandishing what looks like a rubber hose.Another video shows two men beating a worker using a rubber hose and a stick.Andy Hall, a migrant worker rights activist based in Nepal who has knowledge about the clips, told MalaysiaNow that both incidents happened in Meru, Klang.Affendi said the personnel in question had acted “a little beyond bounds”.“I know this member acted a little beyond bounds and I apologise about the matter.“But at the same time, members of the Armed Forces do not behave as they please. If they did, surely many cases of assault would have taken place,” he said.


Fair weather expected in some states on polling day morning

Several states are expected to experience good weather on the morning of polling day tomorrow, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).
MetMalaysia said on its website that no rain is forecast in the morning in Kuala Lumpur and Perlis.
Putrajaya is expected to experience good weather in the morning and afternoon, while Melaka and Labuan are to experience good weather in the afternoon.
Thunderstorms and rain are expected to occur in most states in the afternoon, especially the east coast states of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan, as well as the northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak.
Good weather is prediected in Sarawak in the morning, but rain is expected in some areas across the state in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, in Sabah, four areas are expected to experience rain and thunderstorms in the morning and afternoon, namely Papar, Kimanis, Beaufort and Sipitang.
The temperature nationwide tomorrow is expected to be around 23 degrees Celsius with a maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius.


To jab or not, still a question for many, say experts

Nearly two years after the arrival of Covid-19 in the country, many remain hesitant about coming forward for vaccination in a tendency which experts say could affect Malaysia’s efforts to reach herd immunity from the virus which has so far killed more than 17,000.Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, an expert in public health at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said their concerns have been compounded by the propaganda spread by what is popularly known as the anti-vaxxer community.“The main problem is confronting those who are afraid because they frequently make false claims about the vaccines,” she told MalaysiaNow.“It is more dangerous when they use half-truths because these make their claims easier to believe.”She said those who are sceptical about the vaccines are less of a problem as they only reject the jabs out of a lack of understanding about their effectiveness.“If someone explains it to them and gives them further information, they usually end up agreeing to get jabbed.”Putrajaya is aiming to achieve herd immunity against Covid-19 by fully vaccinating at least 80% of the population.The health ministry has been ramping up its efforts on multiple platforms to raise awareness about the importance of being vaccinated against the highly contagious virus.As of Sept 2, 47.2% of the population had been double-jabbed, taking the country closer to the halfway point.However, the activities of anti-vaxxers, especially on social media, could pose a threat to the herd immunity goal.Sharifa said examples of the half-truths spread by anti-vaxxers include claims that the side effects of vaccines on the heart can cause death.“It’s true that vaccines can have an effect on the heart but they do not cause mass deaths,” she said. “The ratio for this is perhaps one in 1,000.”She suggested that the health ministry enlist a variety of ways to convince anti-vaxxers of the vaccines’ safety and efficacy.“For example, they could reach out in more creative ways such as by employing influencers on social media,” she said.She also referred to the approach by Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who had met with teachers in the state who rejected vaccination.“This is a good example,” she said. “Meet them on good terms, listen to their comments, and then explain about the vaccines.”Sharifa said the health ministry might also consider changing the wording of vaccine consent forms which state, among others, that recipients agree to take responsibility for any risks that might arise following their vaccination.“This sentence could be changed to something that won’t scare off potential vaccine recipients,” she said.“Maybe that the recipient understands the possible side effects, not that he or she must be responsible for the risks.“As I understand it, in the event of adverse effects such as hospitalisation or deaths, the government will give compensation and patients will be given hospital treatment for free,” she added.Meanwhile, Dr Muhammad Amir Yunus, a virologist at Universiti Sains Malaysia, said many anti-vaxxers have ingrained trust issues.“Or, for example, religion – they believe that vaccines are not permissible and should be avoided at all costs. They truly believe that the cons of vaccines outweigh the pros.”He said others also believe conspiracy theories linking the vaccines to microchips or 5G signals.He said sceptics should not be considered as anti-vaxxers as they are only cautious about the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines.“They believe in the vaccines developed before this, just that with Covid-19, the vaccines are new and have never been used before.“So they think that the evidence from current data is not very strong.”He said others might hesitate due to widespread reports on the side effects of the vaccines.“For instance, the risk of blood clots – even though the percentage of those affected by this is very low compared to the effects of being infected by the virus itself,” he said.


5.8 million aged 18 and above now listed as new voters

Some 5.8 million prospective voters aged 18 and above have until the end of the month to verify their details with the Election Commission (EC) through the automatic voter pre-registration check (SPPA).This means that those aged 18 and above will be able to vote for the first time in any upcoming election, including the state election in Melaka which must be held by early December.This comes more than a month after the Kuching High Court ordered the EC and the government to implement Undi 18 by Dec 31, following an application brought by five youths seeking the immediate enforcement of a constitutional amendment to lower the minimum voting age from 21 to 18.Putrajaya has decided not to appeal the decision.The voting age for Malaysians was lowered from 21 to 18 after the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 was passed unanimously in a historic show of unity by MPs in the Dewan Rakyat on July 16, 2019.The EC had previously said the move could not be implemented due to various constraints and issues.Two ways to checkAccording to the EC website, checks can be done through two methods:1. Through the MySPR SPAA app at https://mysprsppa.spr.gov.my; or2. By visiting any of 604 SPPA checkpoints nationwide and scanning the QR code for the parliamentary constituency in question.The EC said those who no longer live at the address given should update their MyKad details at the National Registration Department by Oct 31.For inquiries or further information on the SPPA, members of the public can contact their state election office or the EC hotline at 03-8892 7018.


New infections dip to 2,300 as death toll up by 3

Another 2,345 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,600,736.
There were 2,384 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,529,201.
There are now 35,716 active cases, of which 34,411 or 96.3% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 21 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,232 (3.4%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 52 are in ICU with 31 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 61.3%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 12.6%.
Another three deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,819.


From diapers to cereal, price increases loom in US

Just as life shows signs of returning to normal after a year of upheaval due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Americans will feel the pain in their wallets as major companies announce price increases on a wide array of household goods.Citing the pandemic, logistics costs and bad winter weather, the 3M Company on Tuesday was the latest to warn of coming price hikes on its full line of products ranging from Post-it Notes to bandages.Cleaning and beauty supply giant Procter & Gamble has warned that Pampers diapers and its Always and Tampax feminine hygiene products will see prices rise 5% to 10% in the US as the company faces rising raw material costs.And consumers are unlikely to find better deals by shopping around: Kimberly-Clark said it will increase prices for its Scott toilet paper and Huggies diapers.The price surges are the result of a “combination of supply chain disruptions”, among other factors, economist Diane Swonk of Grant Thornton told AFP.Factories shut down as the pandemic began, and restarting production is no simple task, she said.“It’s easier to turn the lights out on a plant than to ramp it back up again, especially amid a pandemic where you have to do safety protocols and run workers’ shifts more spaced out,” Swonk added.Expensive breakfastConsumers worldwide also stepped up ordering goods, many of which are made in Asia, creating bottlenecks in factories and ports. Ships then stayed at sea for longer periods of time, causing a global shortage of containers.US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell has warned the constraints could last for a year, but also said price spikes are likely to be temporary.The Labor Department reported wholesale inflation spiked to its highest yearly rate in nearly a decade last month, while the consumer price index rose 2.6% compared to its level in March 2020, when the pandemic began.Analysts generally believe the increases are temporary as the global economy rebounds from the ravages of the pandemic, which have radiated far and wide.Among products in short supply are semiconductors, a market already squeezed by the trade war between the US and China that saw additional stress when homebound consumers rushed to buy computers and gaming consoles.The shortages have caused slowdowns in production of automobiles and consumer electronics.Breakfast is set to get more expensive, as prices have risen for the popular Cheerios cereal, while food giant JM Smucker has raised prices on peanut butter since August.“Inflation is very broad-based and it’s actually global,” Jeffrey Harmening, chairman and CEO of Cheerios maker General Mills, said during a recent earnings call.The same is true on the other side of the Atlantic, where Mark Schneider, head of Swiss giant Nestle, spoke of “broad-based inflation across our various commodities, packaging materials and transportation costs”.Bad weatherIn addition to the market’s volatility, bad weather has blown through the economy, exacerbating the supply snarls.The price of corn has risen more than 40% since the start of the year, reaching a level more than double where it was at the same time last year.Brian Hoops of the brokerage firm Midwest Market Solutions said a drought in Brazil has hurt its corn crop, preventing it from meeting global demand.“The door is wide open for the US to export a lot of corn into the world market, particularly to China where they’re trying to rebuild their hog inventory,” he told AFP.But that means less corn for American consumers, driving up prices in the country, where cold weather has already delayed planting.


Australia has assured US its technology is safe in submarine deal, envoy says

Australia has assured Washington that US technology will be safe under a plan to supply it with nuclear-powered submarines in a tripartite deal also including Britain, Canberra's ambassador to the US said on Thursday.
Speaking to a US think tank, Arthur Sinodinos also said that when details of the so-called Aukus submarine deal are announced in mid-March, people would see there had been a "genuine trilateral solution."
Under the Aukus deal announced in 2021 the US and Britain agreed to provide Australia with the technology and capability to deploy nuclear-powered submarines as part of joint efforts to counter the increasing threat posed by China in the Indo-Pacific region.
However, both have closely guarded nuclear submarine programs and the three allies have yet to say exactly how the capability will be transferred to Australia, which does not have a domestic nuclear propulsion industry.
Asked about strict controls on exports of technology under US International Traffic in Arms Regulations that have hampered past US defence cooperation deals and whether there would be exemptions for Australia, Sinodinos said the Biden administration had done a lot of work aimed at "a seamless transfer of technology."
"That work is underway; it's not finished, but compared with say six months ago, the work is getting done," he told Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.
"We've assured Americans and shown them the sort of protection of information measures that we take to make sure they understand that their technology is safe in terms of leakage to third parties and all the rest of it. So we're getting there," he said.
Sinodinos said he would "not prejudge the outcome," but added: "The very fact that the Americans are prepared to share their crown jewels with us implies that there will have to be progress on the seamless transfer of technology. None of us want this to be bogged down. And I think that state of mind has now permeated through various levels of the (US) administration."
Leaders from Australia and Britain are expected to travel to Washington this month to announce the way forward on Aukus after an 18-month consultation period.
On Wednesday, British and Australian defence officials said more work was needed to break down bureaucratic barriers to technology sharing in the second pillar of the Aukus agreement dealing with advanced technology programs such as artificial intelligence and hypersonic weapons.


High Court rules one-day Parliament sitting valid

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today ruled that the one-day Parliament sitting on May 18 was valid and in accordance with the law as it was to prevent the spread of Covid-19.Judge Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid made the ruling after dismissing the originating summons filed by lawyer R Kengadharan and social activist D Arumugam against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and former Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof.“I have no doubt the one-day sitting was unusual and unprecedented, but to me, it was not something illegal but legal in the face of the law,” he said.He also said the two letters from the leader of the house, that is the prime minister, dated April 17 and May 12 giving May 18 as the only day for the Parliament sitting were fair and reasonable.He added that the government had the right to protect the lives of MPs from the risk of Covid-19.Kengadharan and Arumugam filed the suit on May 15, naming Muhyiddin and Ariff as the first and second defendants, seeking a declaration that the May 18 Parliament sitting was null and void as it only heard the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s speech and therefore contravened Article 55 (1) of the Federal Constitution.They claimed the first sitting was illusory as no other important events took place as stated under Standing Order 14 of the Dewan Rakyat.Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin, in his affidavit filed on behalf of Muhyiddin and Ariff, said the May 18 sitting was in accordance with the Federal Constitution and the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders.He said the application by Kengadharan and Arumugam had no merit as the validity of Dewan Rakyat proceedings could not be challenged in any court as stipulated under Article 63 (1) of the Federal Constitution.On May 13, Ariff, in a statement, said he had received a notification letter signed by the prime minister stating the government’s decision to amend the agenda for the first meeting of the third session of the 14th Parliament to focus only on the royal address.He said this was due to the fact that the Covid-19 outbreak in the country was still ongoing.Kamal, in his 16-page judgment, said the court also found that the leader of the house, being the prime minister of the country, must have taken into consideration all relevant information including reports, documents and the status of the pandemic before issuing the letters in question.“The plaintiffs submitted that the legislature in the UK, Singapore and Canada have convened to pass legislation necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic.“I am of the opinion that each country in the world is facing its own unique circumstances and challenges in dealing with the pandemic, thus each government has its own practices, strategies and solutions to deal with these unprecedented circumstances.“I am also of the considered view that the one-day sitting did not violate the doctrine of separation of powers or prevent Parliament from carrying out its exclusive constitutional duties,” Kamal said.He added that the government’s justification concerning the pandemic was reasonable as it was to prevent the risk of spreading Covid-19 and to avoid creating another cluster.“To me, as long as the government has given a reasonable justification and explanation as to why the one-day sitting was held, this court will not interfere with the reasons or findings of the government,” he said.Kamal also said the one-day sitting had met the criteria in Article 55(1) of the Federal Constitution, which states that Parliament must reconvene not more than six months from the date of the last sitting.“In this case, Parliament did reconvene within six months from the last sitting, for example on Dec 19 last year.“I am also of the view that is is within the constitutional right of the government to meet even for a day as long as it is within six months of the last sitting,” he added.“I am also of the view that even if the one-day sitting is not in accordance with the Standing Orders, it will not amount to a non-abiding with the Orders of Business, nor can it be declared invalid for violating the constitution,” he said, adding that the plaintiffs’ application for a declaration had no merit in law.When met outside the court, Kengadharan and Arumugam, represented by lawyer Bastian Vendargon, said they would file an appeal against the decision.Senior federal counsel Suzana Atan and S Narkunavathy acted for the defendants.


US state offers ‘joints for jabs’ to boost Covid vaccine use

The US state of Washington is offering “joints for jabs”, in the latest innovative bid to get more Americans vaccinated against Covid-19 as inoculation rates continue to slow.Cannabis dispensaries in the northwestern state – where recreational marijuana sales were legalised in 2012 – will be allowed to offer one free, pre-rolled joint to anyone aged 21 or above who gets vaccinated at an in-store clinic.The move follows a decision last month to allow bars and other liquor licensees to provide one free alcoholic drink to adults in Washington state who receive their jabs within a six-week “window”.Just over half of Washington state adults (54%) have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine so far, according to recent health department figures.But the pace of inoculations has slowed down across much of the country in recent weeks, leading to a flurry of measures to encourage more uptake.Several states including California and Ohio have operated vaccine “lotteries” offering cash prizes or college scholarships to randomly selected vaccine recipients.Other inducements have included free sports tickets, airline flights and beers, while an Arizona cannabis dispensary has already experimented with giving free products to those receiving jabs.Washington state’s temporary “joints for jabs” exemption – which was requested by cannabis retailers, with participation optional for each vendor – will run until July 12.President Joe Biden has set a target of getting at least one vaccine shot into the arms of 70% of American adults by July 4 – the nation’s Independence Day.According to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, the current figure stands at 63.7%.


F1 safety systems praised as Frenchman survives fireball in ‘miracle’

Race officials and drivers praised the modern safety systems developed for Formula One on Sunday after Romain Grosjean said he was “okay” after surviving a high-speed crash and fireball blaze on the opening lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix.The Frenchman’s car rammed into the barriers as he braked hard from around 250kph during the opening lap, the front part hammering into the steel guardrails which buckled.Grosjean, 34, trapped in his cockpit, flew under the barrier as it gave way and as his car burst into flames, splitting in two on impact, but managed to escape with only “light burns” to his hands and ankles.“Hello everyone, just wanted to say I’m okay, well, sort of okay,” said Grosjean from his hospital bed in a video posted on social media.“Thank you very much for all the messages.”Safety and official medical car driver Alan van der Merwe was on the scene within seconds as he followed the field after the start of the race and along with chief medical officer Dr Ian Roberts they battled the blaze to save Grosjean’s life.“It’s a miracle that he’s alive,” said 1996 world champion Damon Hill, who was Ayrton Senna’s teammate at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix when the Brazilian was killed.Van der Merwe said: “It was a big surprise for us as well, we’ve never seen that much fire in 12 years.“Romain started to get out of the car himself which was pretty amazing after an accident like that. It was a relief to see he was okay. It just goes to show all the systems we’ve developed worked hand in hand – the halos, the barriers, the seatbelts, everything all worked as it should.“Without just one of those things, it could have been a very different outcome.”Grosjean lost control of his Haas car after clipping the front left wheel of Daniil Kvyat’s Alpha Tauri, having skewed right in the intense battle for position at Turn Three on the opening lap.His Haas team boss Guenther Steiner said: “When you see something like this the only thing you think is ‘I hope we get lucky’ – you don’t think how it happened or whatever.“I would like to thank all the marshals. They did a fantastic job to get him away as quick as possible from the fire. It was amazing what they did.”Grosjean said the once controversial “halo” safety device had saved his life.“I wasn’t for the halo some years ago but I think it’s the greatest thing we brought to Formula 1 and without it I wouldn’t be able to speak to you today,” he added.Grosjean ‘conscious at all times’Steiner added that Grosjean, who is set to leave F1 at the end of the season, had suffered “light burns on his hands and ankles”.Grosjean was taken to hospital, with reports suggesting he had also suffered a suspected broken rib.“The driver self-extricated, and was conscious at all times,” the FIA said in a statement. “He was taken to the medical centre before being transferred to Bahrain Defence Force Hospital by helicopter where he is undergoing further evaluation.”The race restarted after a lengthy delay, with newly-crowned world champion Lewis Hamilton going on to take victory.“I’m so grateful Romain is safe,” Hamilton wrote on Twitter.“Wow… the risk we take is no joke, for those of you out there that forget that we put our life on the line for this sport and for what we love to do.“Thankful to the FIA for the massive strides we’ve taken for Romain to walk away from that safely.”The safety car was quickly back in action following the restart as Lance Stroll’s car flipped over.The Canadian’s Racing Point made contact with Kvyat’s Alpha Tauri at Turn 8, his car coming to a halt upside down.Stroll was uninjured and stayed cool inside his car.“I’m okay, just hanging upside down,” he told his team before climbing out.


Body of third victim still trapped at highway construction site

Rescue teams are still attempting to recover the body of the third victim at the construction site of the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE), more than 30 hours after a crane collapsed yesterday, killing three and injuring another.The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department said in a statement that the teams are working to stabilise the structure before removing the launcher crane which had given way, pinning the victim beneath.The victim was one of three Chinese workers killed in the incident near Alam Damai, the second such episode at the highway project this month.The driver of a Perodua Bezza car was also seriously injured.Earlier this month, two people were killed when the van in which they were travelling on the MRR2 Highway near Bandar Tasik Selatan was struck by a bridge which collapsed after being hit by a trailer.


Loss of traditional seats could signal change for ‘bullied’ SUPP, analysts say

Analysts have questioned the future of the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) under the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition following unhappiness over the distribution of seats for the upcoming state election.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, they said the party had been experiencing difficulty over the loss of its traditional seats of Mambong and Dudong which were instead given to the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).The move was said to have been a last-minute decision, with the initial candidates from SUPP swapped out for Tiong King Sing of PDP in Dudong and Dr Jerip Susil of PBB in Mambung.Jayum Jawan of Universiti Putra Malaysia said while the list of SUPP candidates came from party president Dr Sim Kui Hian, it was GPS chairman Abang Johari Openg who would have the final say in the matter.“It is a dilemma for SUPP,” he added. “They are being pushed and are not retaliating.”Sim himself had expressed disappointment, saying he was shocked by the move.But Jayum said this was not the best response by the SUPP leader.“His expression of surprise backfired,” he said. “It indicates that he is not in full command of SUPP like his predecessors were.”He also warned that Sim’s reaction could hamper the party’s efforts to retain its remaining traditional seats.The Sarawak election will be held on Dec 18, with multi-cornered fights to feature for all 82 seats in the state legislative assembly.The biggest clash will take place in the Dudong constituency, where eight candidates including Tiong will be contesting for the seat.Despite the setback for SUPP, Sim had pledged his support for all 82 candidates fielded by GPS.But political observer James Chin of the University of Tasmania in Australia said it was possible that the SUPP machinery in Mambong and Dudong would not back the candidates from the other GPS component parties.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said he does not expect the grassroots workers to willingly work with the PDP candidates.“There’s nothing much that SUPP can do now,” he said. “But at the local level, when things like this happen, the party’s branch can ‘take revenge’ by ‘sabotaging’ the candidate.”Chin said such things had happened in an “underground” manner for other seats in previous elections.This, though, would require caution on the part of the party machinery, he added.“If they get caught, they could be expelled from the party,” he said.SUPP was once the second biggest party in Sarawak after PBB.But Jayum said the loss of two of its traditional seats was a signal that Sim’s leadership was being challenged.As a figurehead in SUPP, he said, Sim would have to speak up on the matter. He also said that Sim might be in for “more surprises”.“If Tiong wins and enters the state legislative assembly, he will compete with SUPP for the traditional Chinese share as deputy chief minister,” he said.Chin meanwhile said SUPP’s loss of the two seats could herald more change for the party in the days ahead.“Losing its traditional seats means that the party could be further bullied in the days to come after the 12th Sarawak election,” he said.


Umno, PAS to make it official with Muafakat Nasional

The Umno and PAS leaderships have agreed to officially register Muafakat Nasional with the Registrar of Societies.This was announced in a joint statement by the pact’s secretary-generals Annuar Musa and Takiyuddin Hassan, shared by Annuar on Twitter.They said the Muafakat Nasional leadership had agreed to fully commit to strengthening unity and cooperation between the two parties to face the 15th general election.It also said that the Muafakat Nasional consultative committee meeting initially scheduled for yesterday was postponed in light of the conditional movement control order to curb the spread of Covid-19.In a separate tweet, Annuar said Muafakat Nasional’s first anniversary celebration would be held on Nov 1.“The anniversary celebration secretariat has been instructed to arrange the event in accordance with the new norms and in full compliance with SOPs. There will only be a virtual celebration and no mass gathering,” he added.


Water supply fully restored in all areas

The unscheduled disruption in water supply in seven regions in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur due to the forced closure of the Sungai Selangor Phase 1, 2, 3 and Rantau Panjang water treatment plants came to an end today with water fully restored to all areas.Air Selangor said the seven regions were Klang/Shah Alam, Petaling, Kuala Langat, Hulu Selangor, Kuala Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Lumpur.“Air Selangor would like to thank consumers for their patience during this unscheduled water supply disruption. Always use water prudently,” it added in a statement today.It advised consumers to download the Air Selangor smartphone app to keep updated on matters, or refer to Air Selangor’s website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for inquiries or assistance.


'More tickets sold than at Hari Raya': KL transport hub packed ahead of election

With under 24 hours left until polling day, Kuala Lumpur’s main public transport hub, Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS), has been flooded with travellers eager to make it home to vote in the 15th general election (GE15) tomorrow.
There were long queues at ticket counters, with travellers sitting on the floor waiting for their buses due to a lack of seats to accommodate their numbers.
TBS managing director Roslan Sahriff said they expected over 25,000 passengers to depart from the terminal today on over 1,000 buses to various destinations in the east coast, as well as the north and south regions.
He said the peak period would be between 5pm and 10pm.
"I think there have been more tickets sold compared to Hari Raya Aidilfitri, if I were to make a guess. The last time we sold this many tickets was during Raya 2019, as we were hit by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021," he added.
As many as 20 companies had prepared additional buses to meet last-minute demand.
Badrul Amin Mohd Ramizu, 25, a traveller waiting to go back to Kuala Lipis, Pahang, to vote, said he had travelled to Kuala Lumpur from Penang to return home together with his younger sibling.
First-time voter Alis Nur An-Nis’sa Samsul Bahari said she bought her ticket back to Terengganu a month earlier, adding that it had been the last ticket available online at that time.
Meanwhile, travellers began pouring into the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang at around 10.30am with many choosing to fly at midday.
Batik Air and Firefly, two airlines offering flights out of the airport, opened more counters to handle passenger check-ins, besides encouraging the use of kiosk machines.
A Firefly spokesman told Bernama that the airline had sent reminders to travellers to check in earlier to avoid congestion at the airport.
Contractor Fad Mus, 42, said he was willing to take an earlier flight this morning from Johor Bahru, Johor, to transit at the airport before continuing on to Kota Bahru, Kelantan, in order to vote there tomorrow.
"I bought my ticket at the end of last month as I didn’t want to have a headache being stuck in traffic if I drove.
"This election is important because there are too many parties and coalitions contesting, so I want to do my part to help form a government," he added.


Najib, Hannah Yeoh welcome PM’s resignation using rain and shine analogy

Amid the avalanche of sympathy messages which greeted Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation speech today, two politicians who had been pressing for his removal appeared to have struck similar chords in welcoming the collapse of the Perikatan Nasional government.Former prime minister Najib Razak and DAP’s Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh both turned to weather analogies as news spread that Muhyiddin had informed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of his decision to resign.Najib, who alongside Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was said to have engineered the withdrawal of support from 15 MPs for Muhyiddin, posted several lines expressing confidence that the country’s situation would improve.“Rain pours down on the earth; After the rain, there will be a rainbow; After darkness, there must be a ray of light.“After hardship, there will be happiness; May God bless Malaysia and the people,” Najib said in an Instagram post about an hour after it emerged that the Agong had accepted Muhyiddin’s resignation.Yeoh meanwhile took to Twitter with a similar theme in expressing optimism of better days to come.“After the rain, comes the blue sky. Declaring peace, healing and prosperity over you Malaysia,” she said on Twitter.Muhyiddin’s resignation came days after opposition parties dismissed his offer of a cross-party consensus in exchange for their support in an upcoming confidence vote.In a speech later, Muhyiddin said it was clear that he no longer commanded the majority support following the rejection of his offer, as well as the withdrawal of support from the 15 Umno MPs.“I will never conspire with a kleptocratic group,” he said, in an apparent reference to Najib, who was convicted last year of seven charges related to the misappropriation of RM42 million from a company linked to 1MDB.In 2017, the US attorney-general described the 1MDB scandal as “kleptocracy at its worst”, after the Department of Justice filed lawsuits to seize more than US$1.7 billion in assets believed to have been stolen from 1MDB, which was set up by Najib as a sovereign fund.


Sorry.


Hearing of Anwar’s bid to strike out suit on legality of pardon pushed to March 18

The hearing of Anwar Ibrahim’s appeal against a High Court’s dismissal of his application to strike out a lawsuit on the legality of his royal pardon for his sodomy conviction has been brought forward to March 18.This was confirmed by his lawyer J Leela. The hearing was initially set for July 28.The appeal came up for case management today. Lawyer Mohamad Farhan Kamarudin appeared for Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz, also a lawyer, who filed the lawsuit against Anwar.Anwar’s appeal will be heard together with that of the Pardons Board.On Sept 21 last year, the High Court dismissed the applications by Anwar and the Pardons Board to strike out the lawsuit after finding that Khairul had locus standi to initiate the legal suit as he is a member of the public and a qualified person as lawyer.Anwar filed the striking-out application on grounds that Khairul had no locus standi to file the originating summons and that it was frivolous, an embarrassment and an abuse of the court process.Khairul, who filed the originating summons on Feb 26 last year naming the Pardons Board and Anwar as respondents, claimed that several unconstitutional actions were taken to ensure that Anwar received a pardon which released him from prison following the 14th general election in 2018.He claimed that the pardon granted to Anwar by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was in contravention of Articles 42 (4) and (5) of the Federal Constitution in view of the fact that pardons granted by the Agong should be based on the advice of the Pardons Board, which Khairul argued had not yet been formally established following the election on May 9, 2018, and the formation of the new government.Anwar had been sentenced to five years’ jail for sodomising his aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, with the conviction and sentence affirmed by the Federal Court on Feb 10, 2015.


Consider targeted EPF withdrawals, moratoriums, Muhyiddin tells govt

Pagoh MP Muhyiddin Yassin today voiced hope that the government would focus on efforts to develop the national economy and to protect the welfare of the people.
He said this included considering the withdrawal of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) savings and a moratorium on bank loans.
"This should be the government’s real duty, to listen to the people who want remedies.
"For example, there is nothing wrong if the government considers targeted EPF withdrawals, if that is what the people want in order to reduce their burdens during these tough times," he said when debating the motion of thanks on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s royal address in the Dewan Rakyat today.
The Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman said that banks continued to make profits even when the country is facing a crisis, therefore it was only fair for these financial institutions to help the people by providing loan moratoriums to cope with the effects of inflation and overnight policy rate hikes. Muhyiddin said that Bumiputera polices was another important matter that must be given priority by the government.
The former prime minister said that in today’s context, a large number of those who had slid from the B40 group to the B60 were Bumiputeras.
"A multiracial country will not be stable and prosperous if the majority race is in the poor and low-income group with the gap between the rich and poor widening."
Muhyiddin, who is also Bersatu president, said PN would be an effective opposition by ensuring constructive checks and balances.
"PN MPs will continue to play our role with integrity and uphold our 'caring, clean and stable' principles. Good policies we will support, but not policies that harm the people," he said.


Post-pandemic world will send carbon emissions through the roof, say experts

Environmental experts are saying that global carbon emissions will rise significantly in the post-pandemic world so they are encouraging people to adopt a more eco-friendly lifestyle during the lockdown period.Renard Siew is a climate change adviser at the Centre for Governance and Political Studies, a political science and social behavioural research firm in Kuala Lumpur.He says the air quality index improved during the lockdown as transportation activities were drastically reduced, but he adds that improvement in air quality may have looked and felt good at a local level but did not amount to massive change globally, as only a 6% drop in carbon emissions was achieved.“This is testimony to the scale of the climate challenge and how economies must now embark on a ‘great reset’ rather than a mere recovery,” he tells MalaysiaNow.He expects that post-pandemic carbon emissions may deteriorate further than before Covid-19 struck, because industrial and economic activities will start picking up and people will be eager to start travelling again.“We expect carbon emissions to double or triple our previous rates as people start working overtime to make up for productivity lost during lockdown,” he says.Andrew Sebastian, who heads the Ecotourism and Conservation Society Malaysia, an NGO focusing on sustainable ecotourism, agrees there needs to be a lifestyle change among the public to reduce carbon emissions in the post-pandemic world.“Economies must now embark on a ‘great reset’ rather than a mere recovery.”Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Sebastian says that the post-pandemic world will witness a dramatic increase in carbon emissions.He says that while people are confined to their homes during the lockdown period, they are living a carbon-intensive lifestyle as they opt to shop online more than before.He encourages people to adopt eco-friendly habits such as reducing online shopping as the delivery process increases carbon emissions.However, he said online shopping can be more eco-friendly if e-commerce companies opt for electric or carbon friendly vehicles for delivery.“If it’s done properly by using carbon friendly vehicles, it won’t be as carbon intensive. I think using electric vehicles would be good enough,” he adds.“We need to change our lifestyle, aiming for a more minimalistic style.”Going vegetarian a few days a week will also help as growing meat requires extensive land clearing to raise livestock and feed and water the animals.“There is a lot of usage of natural resources needed to produce beef cattle and livestock in terms of the food chain. So, yes, going vegetarian a few days a week will help.“We need to change our lifestyle, aiming for a more minimalistic style,” he says. “In that sense, it will really reduce emissions.”He also says that the developed world contributed more to increasing global carbon emissions than developing countries because a stronger economy leads to a faster track to tackle industries that do not practice sustainability.“There must be a shift back towards investing in industries, long-term and sustainable industries that are continuously trying to improve greenhouse gas emissions.“The richer you are, the more you will purchase luxury items. And unfortunately, this luxury lifestyle comes with a lot of carbon footprints.”Siew says carbon footprints produced by wealthy countries will leave long-term impacts on marginalised, lower-income communities.As the global temperature is expected to increase by 1.5 degrees Celsius, catastrophic events such as floods and droughts will continue to intensify.This is when lower-income communities will be the most impacted group by climate change.“Sure, there is the ‘common but differentiated principle’ where you contribute to the best of your abilities,” he says. “But the harsh reality is that we simply don’t have time and unfortunately it is often the most marginalised communities that suffer the most from the impacts of climate change.“All stakeholders regardless of which income groups you are from should and must be involved in the green agenda,” he adds.


Umno man apologises to Yeo in settlement of defamation suit

Sungai Besar Umno division head Jamal Yunos today apologised to former energy, science, technology, environment and climate change minister Yeo Bee Yin as part of the settlement of a defamation suit in relation to Yayasan Warisan Anak Selangor (Yawas) funds.Jamal, 50, read out his statement of apology at the Kuala Lumpur court complex compound.The hearing of the suit had been scheduled at the High Court for today and Thursday before judge Rozana Ali Yusoff, but Jamal and Yeo agreed to settle the matter through a consent judgment.“I now acknowledge that YB Yeo Bee Yin is an honest and transparent person in managing Skim Mesra Usia Emas money.“I would like to apologise to YB Yeo Bee Yin for my mistake. I’m sorry, YB Yeo Bee Yin,” Jamal said.Earlier, Rozana recorded the consent judgment and thanked the parties involved for agreeing to settle out of court.Based on the draft judgment, Jamal, as the defendant represented by lawyer Mohammed Nasser Yusof, had to apologise to Yeo as the plaintiff in front of all journalists and photographers in the compound of the Kuala Lumpur court complex today.The defendant, his agents or workers are also barred from further uttering, writing, publishing or disseminating the said defamatory speech.Jamal is also prohibited from uttering, writing, publishing or disseminating words that are said to be defamatory as in the amended statement of claims on June 16, 2017 or words that have the same effect on the plaintiff or statements that can be considered defamatory.The consent judgment cannot be binding and applied to the defendant by any other party having a similar suit against Jamal and is also without order as to costs.Yeo filed the suit on June 14, 2017 demanding damages of RM5 million from Jamal for his allegedly defamatory statement regarding the issue of misappropriation of Yawas funds.The statement of claim by Yeo, who is also the Bakri MP, claimed that Jamal had issued the statement on March 21, 2017 and that it was published by several newspapers, news portals and on the defendant’s Facebook.Yeo claimed that the statement, among others, gave the impression that she had misused public funds and was unethical and untrustworthy.When met outside the court, lawyer Sankara N Nair, representing Yeo who did not attend the proceedings, said there is a general imputation in law that all persons are of good repute until otherwise proven, and that reputation is therefore a valuable commodity to all.He said the public apology by Jamal meant that the episode which had tainted his client’s reputation had now been removed.“It is irrefutable that my client’s character and reputation are impeccable. She is fully vindicated,” he said.


Keep your mouth shut, Loke warns DAP members unhappy about working with Umno

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has slammed the party's former national spokesman Tony Pua for urging voters to reject Barisan Nasional (BN), telling those who are not happy with the current alliance between Umno and Pakatan Harapan (PH) to stop speaking on behalf of DAP.
"Anyone in DAP who cannot keep their mouth shut on this matter is not welcome at all to speak on the DAP stage," Loke said in response to Pua's speech during a fundraising event yesterday, where the former Damansara MP described BN as a "corrupt coalition".
Pua also warned that the current government under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was fragile and expressed hope that PH could form the government on its own.
Loke, in his response, said attacking a coalition partner was uncalled for and said Pua no longer represents DAP.

Former DAP national spokesman Tony Pua. Photo: Bernama

"Tony Pua no longer holds any position in DAP. As such, he was speaking in a personal capacity and not representing the party leadership at all," he added.
Loke also defended DAP's decision to work together with Umno, saying it was a move to ensure "political stability".
"Any provocative statement against coalition partners in the unity government goes against the party's current stance and direction," he said.
Pua alongside former Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming were sidelined in the party after they questioned PH's rejection of an offer by then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin to work together to stop any return of Umno "kleptocrats" to power, a term which refers to those facing corruption charges, including party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Muhyiddin had made the offer after Zahid alongside former leader Najib Razak hatched a plot to topple the government in a bid to force a general election in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pua and Ong had said Muhyiddin's offer of a cross-party consensus should have been considered as it would not only benefit PH in demanding reforms but also keep corrupt Umno leaders from returning to power.


Amount under negotiation with MySJ ‘much lower’ than RM300 million, says Khairy

The government is still negotiating the terms and subscription of MySejahtera with MySJ Sdn Bhd as the licence holder of the application, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.He said the discussion with MySJ included the way forward on the subscription and maintenance of the application.He also said that the amount MySJ had agreed on with Entomo Malaysia Sdn Bhd (formerly KPISoft Malaysia Sdn Bhd) had nothing to do with the government’s latest negotiations.“We have not concluded the negotiations (with MySJ). We are still in negotiations and once the negotiations are done, we will inform on what the basis of the contract… is but I have to regularise the services that they provide.“I can tell you for a fact that the amount that we are negotiating with MySJ is much, much lower than RM300 million. Far lower,” he told reporters after an event in Kuala Lumpur.The media today reported that court documents showed the MySejahtera developer, Entomo Malaysia, had agreed to transfer the Covid-19 app’s intellectual property and software licence to MySJ for RM338.6 million in a deal good until the end of 2025.Khairy said he hoped the negotiations would succeed so that it would be easier for the platform to be used.“I have informed the vendor (MySJ) that if we find the agreement is not fair to the government, we can choose other vendors as the data (MySejahtera) is still kept by the government.“The only thing is that the company is new and has to make a new agreement in terms of the maintenance. We are also in the process of looking at the services required in the long term,” he said.Khairy also reiterated that the MySejahtera application including its data usage was safe and that the government would not compromise on the security of the data.


9-0 as Miti budget scrapes through bloc vote

The allocation for the international trade and industry ministry was passed by bloc vote following the debate at the committee level in the Dewan Rakyat today, marking the ninth budget victory for the Perikatan Nasional government.The RM1.2 billion budget received the support of 110 MPs while 104 opposed it and six were absent.Yesterday, the budgets for the energy and natural resources ministry, the agriculture and food industries ministry, and the rural development ministry were passed by voice vote.Allocations for five other portfolios were also previously passed: the plantation industries and commodities ministry, the foreign ministry, the national unity ministry, the finance ministry and the Prime Minister’s Department.The budgets for the Prime Minister’s Department and the finance and plantation ministries were passed by bloc vote while the two others were passed by voice vote.The budget for 2021 – RM322.5 billion, the country’s largest ever – was passed at the policy stage on Nov 26 in what was seen as a crucial test of support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.It was passed by voice vote after the opposition failed to garner enough support to force a bloc vote.


Agong consents to RCI on Tabung Haji

The government has obtained the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah to set up a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to investigate Lembaga Tabung Haji’s (TH) management and operational issues from 2014 to 2020.Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the setting up of the RCI was in accordance with the Commission of Inquiry Act 1950 (Act 119).Wan Junaidi said the king had also consented to the appointment of six RCI members, including former chief justice Md Raus Sharif as its chairman.The other five are former chief secretary to the government Samsudin Osman, RHB Group founder Abdul Rashid Hussain, former Bank Muamalat Malaysia chairman Mohd Munir Abdul Majid, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah vice-chancellor Asmadi Mohamed Naim and Malay Chambers of Commerce Malaysia deputy president Norsyahrin Hamidon.Wan Junaidi said the RCI members were those with calibre as well as vast expertise and experience in their respective fields: the judiciary, civil service, administration, economics, finance, investment, capital markets, banking, Islamic finance and accounting.“Those appointed have been ensured to be independent and do not have any direct links to TH.“This is to ensure that the investigation can be conducted transparently and fairly and to avoid any issues involving conflict of interest with the relevant parties,” he said in a statement today.Wan Junaidi said the appointments will be effective from Jan 20 to July 19, with the commission given six months to carry out an investigation and prepare a report to be presented to Sultan Abdullah.


Grades and careers in a post-pandemic world

More than two years after Covid-19 swept across the world, Malaysia’s education system is still struggling to recover with inconsistent sessions and some students forced to attend classes on a rotational basis in order to curb the spread of the virus, amid a new wave of infections brought on by the Omicron variant.The long months of enforced lockdowns and home-based teaching and learning have left their mark on many students, some of whom say they have lost interest in continuing their studies.Some have dropped out of school, choosing to enter the workforce instead of struggling to cope with classroom disruptions.Yet most parents still take a conventional approach to education, preferring their children to seek careers in fields that require academic qualifications even as the pandemic wreaks havoc on their studies.Some who spoke to MalaysiaNow said their children’s academic performance took a turn for the worse when the rising number of Covid-19 infections forced schools to retreat to the digital classroom.They said their children were unable to concentrate during online classes in the same way that they had in physical school settings.Nevertheless, they believe there is still time to fix this before their children sit for the SPM school-leaving examination.Ally Sabari, 39, has two children aged 12 and 13. Her goal is to ensure that both of them can further their studies to the university level.Despite the pandemic-induced setbacks over the past two years, she is confident that they will be able to achieve this.“I still have a few more years to make sure that my children are on the right track,” she told MalaysiaNow.“They can still improve their studies, for example by attending additional classes.”Nevertheless, Ally is also open to alternative plans if her children in the end require careers that do not depend on academic achievements.She herself owns a plot of land in her village in Kuantan, Pahang, and believes that modern agriculture is a field worth exploring. But this is only as a last resort, if her children are unable to enter college or university.“Actually, we have already planned to return to our village when we retire,” she said. “And the cost of living is so high now.“So I think this field might be able to guarantee a better income if it’s tackled in the right way.”Abd Razid Borhan, 42, has three children aged eight to 17. He, too, encourages them to take their studies as far as they can although he will not force them against their will.As long as they choose a career that is good and long-lasting, he said, he will support any decision they make.“If they are not good in their studies, maybe they have other skills,” he added.‘Wake-up call’Educationist Anuar Ahmad said the pandemic should serve as a wake-up call for parents and students alike in considering careers other than those determined by academic qualifications.“Education is not just about academic performance,” said Anuar who is attached to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.“It also encompasses a wide range of talent and potential. This is why technical education and vocational skills must be developed for students who are not academically inclined.”In Malaysia, though, vocational training is not a preferred option as it does not lead to high-paying jobs, he said.“The same goes for sports, arts, culture and entrepreneurship which are still seen as below the academic stream.”Anuar said many parents hold to the traditional belief that academic achievements alone will lead to better job opportunities.This is despite the high rate of unemployment today among graduates who majored in academic fields whereas those who attend vocational schools are able to find jobs, he said.“This old way of thinking needs to change,” he added. “The reality today is that many who majored in academic fields are unemployed while 90% of graduates from vocational training centres are able to find work.”


Slow Covid vaccination to cost global economy US$2.3 trillion, study says

The slow rollout of coronavirus vaccines will cost the global economy US$2.3 trillion in lost output, a report released Wednesday found.The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) study found that emerging and developing economies, whose vaccine rollouts are far behind those of wealthier countries, will bear the brunt of those losses.The report comes as advanced nations move towards providing booster shots to their populations while the international effort to provide vaccines for poorer nations remains inadequate.The study calculated that countries which fail to vaccinate 60% of their populations by mid-2022 will suffer the losses, equivalent to €2 trillion, over the 2022-2025 period.“Emerging countries will shoulder around two-thirds of these losses, further delaying their economic convergence with more developed countries,” the EIU said.It warned the delayed rollout of vaccines could fuel resentment, increasing the risk of social unrest in developing economies.The Asia-Pacific Region will be the worst hit in absolute terms, accounting for nearly three-quarters of the losses.But as a percentage of GDP, sub-Saharan Africa will suffer the worst losses.Around 60% of the population of higher-income countries received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine as of late August, compared to just 1% in poorer nations, according to the study. Two doses are required to be fully vaccinated for most shots.“Vaccination campaigns are progressing at a glacial pace in lower-income economies,” it said.The report’s author, Agathe Demarais, said the international effort to provide coronavirus vaccines to poor nations, Covax, has failed to live up to its even modest expectations.“There is little chance that the divide over access to vaccines will ever be bridged” with rich countries providing only a fraction of what is needed, she said in a statement.“Finally, the focus in developed economies is shifting towards administering booster doses of coronavirus vaccines, which will compound shortages of raw materials and production bottlenecks,” she added.The EIU said its study was conducted by combining its in-house forecasts for vaccination timelines in around 200 countries with GDP growth forecasts.


Thunderstorm warning issued for 9 states

Thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds are expected in Kedah, Penang, Perak, Terengganu, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak until 5pm today.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), in a statement issued at 1.10pm, said the areas in Kedah expected to experience heavy rain and thunderstorms are Padang Terap, Sik, Baling, Kulim and Bandar Baharu, while in Penang the affected areas are likely to be in Seberang Perai Utara, Seberang Perai Tengah and Seberang Perai Selatan.
In Perak, similar weather conditions are likely in Kerian; Larut, Matang and Selama; Hulu Perak; Kuala Kangsar; Kinta; Kampar; and Batang Padang.
In the south, adverse weather conditions are forecast in Seremban, Port Dickson, Kuala Pilah and Rembau in Negeri Sembilan, as well as Segamat, Kluang, Mersing and Kota Tinggi in Johor.
On the east coast, MetMalaysia expects similar weather conditions in Terengganu, in Hulu Terengganu, Dungun and Kemaman; and in Pahang, in Cameron Highlands, Jerantut, Kuantan, Bera, Pekan and Rompin.
In East Malaysia, the areas likely to be hit are Kuching, Sri Aman, Betong, Sarikei, Sibu and Mukah (Tanjung Manis and Daro) in Sarawak; and Kudat in Sabah.
MetMalaysia also issued a warning for continuous rain in eight states from tomorrow until Dec 4.
Continuous rain is expected from tomorrow until Dec 3 in Perak (Hulu Perak); Kelantan (Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Bharu, Jeli, Tanah Merah, Bachok, Machang, Pasir Puteh and Kuala Krai); Pahang (Jerantut, Kuantan and Pekan); and the whole of Terengganu.
Similar weather conditions are forecast to begin tomorrow in Sabah, involving areas in Sandakan (Telupid, Kinabatangan and Beluran) and Kudat while Perlis, Kedah and Penang are expected to experience two days of continuous rain from Dec 3.


No Europe deaths directly tied to Covid jabs, experts say

Despite dozens of deaths of people shortly after they were vaccinated against coronavirus, scientists say the evidence available so far does not incriminate the new anti-Covid vaccines.Health agencies stress however that the vast majority of post-vaccination fatalities were elderly, already vulnerable and often sick.Here’s a review of the situation:Elderly, vulnerableNorway sparked alarm last week when it reported the deaths of 33 of some 20,000 retirement home residents who had received a first shot of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.At least 13 of the fatalities were not only very elderly but also considered frail with serious ailments, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health said.While it noted that no analysis had yet been carried out on the causes of the deaths, it suggested that with the aged and vulnerable the normal side effects of vaccination such as fever or nausea could have contributed.Outside Norway the news raised widespread concern and fed anti-vaccine scepticism, prompting the authorities to stress that no link had been established between the vaccine and post-jab deaths.In France, of 800,000 people vaccinated, nine deaths of chronically ill residents of care and retirement homes were recorded by Friday.The national medicines agency ANSM said that based on available evidence, “Nothing leads to the conclusion that the reported deaths were linked to vaccination.”Other examples include 13 deaths of elderly people recorded in Sweden and seven in Iceland, all with no link established.In Portugal, a care worker died two days after being inoculated but the justice ministry said a post-mortem found no direct link.France’s interior ministry on Jan 18 listed 71 “observations of death” in Europe of people who had the inoculation, but offered no further details.Continued monitoringThe European Medicines Agency (EMA) said that despite the deaths, “to date no specific concerns have been identified with Comirnaty”, the commercial name for the Pfizer shot.The EMA noted that the authorities investigate fatalities to determine whether the vaccine was responsible.National and European agencies check any problems with vaccinations reported by health professionals, pharmaceutical firms and patients themselves.For the moment, the number and type of deaths among those vaccinated are not considered abnormal, with no cause-and-effect relationship identified.In many countries – such as France, Norway, Britain and Spain – the frail and elderly are first in line for vaccinations.“It is not unexpected that some of these people may naturally fall ill due to their age or underlying conditions shortly after being vaccinated, without the vaccine playing any role in that,” the UK medicines regulator MHRA said.Transparency, reassuranceThe deaths are a highly sensitive issue, and approaches to informing the public vary.France and some Nordic countries have reported post-vaccination deaths and detailed the potential side effects of the jabs even if no link has been established.But Britain’s MHRA said it would make a statement at a later date, possibly seeking to avoid spreading alarm.“We will publish details of all suspected reactions reported in association with approved Covid-19 vaccines, along with our assessment of the data on a regular basis in the future,” it said.In any event, European health officials say the deaths do not call into question the safety of the vaccines.Norway has not changed its vaccination rollout, even if it has recommended doctors consider the overall health of the most frail before giving them the jab, the policy of numerous other countries.Globally, more than 60 million doses have been received in at least 64 countries or territories, according to an AFP tally on Saturday.


MACC confirms freeze on Bersatu bank accounts

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Azam Baki today confirmed that several bank accounts belonging to Bersatu had been frozen to assist in an investigation.
"An investigation is being conducted under the MACC Act 2009 and the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act," he told Bernama when contacted.
It is understood that this is related to MACC's investigation into the alleged misappropriation of RM600 billion in funds used by the government when the country was dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.
On Dec 6, 2022, Azam said MACC had opened an investigation paper into the alleged misappropriation of funds by the previous government.


Water woes plague village in Hulu Langat

For the villagers of Kampung Padang in Hulu Langat, the lack of clean water supply is nothing new.
For over five years, the villagers have struggled with this problem.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, several residents said that the situation stems from low water pressure, making it difficult for water to be distributed to households located in higher areas.
They said the situation worsens during the day when the villagers simultaneously open their taps, resulting in slow water flow to their homes.
Among those affected is Muhammad Mukhriz Muhammad Zubir, who lives in the highest area where the water pressure is not strong enough for water to be supplied to his house.
According to the 24-year-old factory worker, the water supply to his house will be cut off as early as 6am, and only restored after 10.30pm.
"Consequently, all water-related activities such as washing clothes and dishes have to be done late at night," he told MalaysiaNow.
"We also collect water for bathing or emergency purposes."
Mukhriz is however grateful that his house is adjacent to Sungai Congkak, which allows him to bathe when there is no water supply at his house, especially on weekends.
Meanwhile, Anuar Mohd Akhir, who has lived in the village his whole life, said the settlement area did not always have this problem.
He said it was believed to have started more than five years ago, although the exact cause was unknown.
He said the residents had reported the issue to Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) – before it was taken over by Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) – but were informed that there was no solution.
"At that time, we were only told that it was a low-pressure problem and that there was no solution," he said.
Anuar hopes that the Selangor government will be more responsive to the issues faced by residents in the village and take initiatives to resolve the problem.
He said the water shortage would be one of the villagers' criteria in choosing a candidate for the upcoming state polls.
Kampung Padang falls under Dusun Tua, a Malay-majority state constituency which has been contested since 1974.
"Selangor is a wealthy state. I don't understand why this issue still cannot be resolved," Anuar added.


For disabled young man, old folks' home is where the heart is

Growing up with divorced parents, Ahmad Zahrin Anas experienced his share of uncertainty and was eventually thrown out of the house due to family problems.
Today, at 31, he has finally found a measure of peace and stability and can count on having a roof over his head – at an old folks' home in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
When he was in Form Five, Zahrin, who goes by the nickname Anas, was involved in a car accident which caused him to lose his left leg.
His parents had, by then, long since split up. Anas was taken in by his grandfather, who did what he could to raise him in their stead.
In 2017, though, his grandfather passed away and Anas was left to fend for himself.
He went to stay with his mother, but did not feel comfortable there.
Not knowing what else to do, he asked for help from the welfare department, which placed him at the old folk's home.
But while living with residents more than twice his age might appear strange to some, Anas is happy to be there.
"I like it here," he told MalaysiaNow during a visit at Rumah Qaseh Ayah.
"I can learn and help the uncles who live here. There are many things for me to do."

Ahmad Zahrin Anas rides his motorcycle through the rain to get to his work place at a clothing boutique in town.

Nearly every day, he rides his three-wheeled motorcycle to Sungai Petani town to help out at a clothing boutique which operates in tandem with the nursing home management.
It takes him almost 40 minutes to get there as he moves at a slower pace than normal motorcycles.
Sometimes, he also runs errands for the supervisors and wardens who ask him to help pick up kitchen items and daily necessities at the nearby grocery store.
Anas himself is glad to do whatever he can and is happy in the knowledge that he, too, can contribute to his society.
'Do better'
Speaking to MalaysiaNow as heavy rain pounded the roof overhead, Anas said he still planned to head out to the store even though he had been advised to wait until the storm passed.
On Fridays, he said, the store closed early and come afternoon, he would be busy at the boutique.
Words of praise from the warden brought only a shy smile to his face.
While the help he provides now is much appreciated, he is aware of his physical limitations.
Having made do without one of his legs for nearly half his life, he also weighs a hefty 140kg.
He has tried for many years to lose weight, but cannot seem to shed the pounds despite following a number of diet techniques.
A new wheelchair would give him better mobility, and he would like to undergo bariatric surgery to help him slim down.
If he manages to lose weight, he will be able to move about with a prosthetic leg which would allow him to do more around the home.
"Right now, I use a wheelchair to get about, including to take my bath," he said. "But it's starting to creak a lot."

Ahmad Zahrin Anas and another resident examine his remaining leg, which is swollen far beyond the normal size.

When asked about the biggest change in his life after entering the old folks' home, Anas recalled his first day there.
At that point, he said, his mind was still in a frenzy and he had no clue what to expect from his new life.
"I couldn't think of anything," he said. "The welfare department told me that this was a home for senior citizens, and I didn't know anybody there."
But after a while, he settled down and became accustomed to living with "the uncles".
"I like to tease them now," he added.
'A bright spot'
Akmat Milaham, a 66-year-old from Sabah, was one of the first to welcome Anas to the home upon the young man's arrival.
Looking back on the years that had since passed, he said Anas had become a bright spot in many of the residents' lives.
"Anas helps us a lot, even by collecting our medication for us from the hospital and clinic," he said.
"He also helps us in other ways. I always ask him about my phone, how to use WhatsApp, how to call my siblings in Sabah. He always shows me how."
Anas himself has dreams like any young man of finding a job and earning a steady income.
But he is also open to the idea of remaining at the home to help the residents.
His status as a special needs person makes it difficult for him to find work and make enough to rent a place of his own.
"That's why I want to undergo that surgery," he said, referring to the bariatric procedure.
"If I were thinner, I could use a prosthesis and do more to help out around the home."
He is also worried about his remaining leg, which is swollen far beyond any normal size.
"People tell me it's elephantiasis," he said. "But the doctors have not confirmed anything."
While he went for a check-up a year or so ago, the doctors were only able to take a urine and blood sample.
"The hospital was full because of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said. "And with the road blocks due to the movement control order, I wasn't able to go back to the hospital after that."
For now, he hopes to be able to get his leg looked at again for a proper diagnosis.
"I hope the doctors can do something to help me," he said.


Nothing to change, leave CBN as it is, say parents on plan for full govt aid

Parents of students at Sekolah Menengah Convent Bukit Nanas (CBN) say they are satisfied with the way the school is currently run, in the wake of an announcement that the land on which CBN is located will be reverted to the authorities so that it can receive full government aid.The school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) told MalaysiaNow that they see no need to change the status quo.“They have already asked if the high standard of CBN can be maintained if it becomes a fully funded government school,” its chairman Alice Suriati said.Adding that CBN is “already at the top” in terms of academic and co-curricular activities, she said parents presently have nothing to worry about.“We send our kids there because we want the best.”News that CBN’s land lease would not be renewed had led to fears that the school, established in 1899, would be demolished.Federal Territory Land and Mines director Muhammad Yasir Yahya later assured that this would not take place, adding that the land would be reverted to the government so that CBN could be gazetted as a fully funded school.However, Alice said the PIBG had always helped with funding for school programmes.“We also have our alumni body which has been helping us in terms of fund-raising activities,” she said.This had continued even throughout the economic downturn brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, with gadgets provided for students for online home-based learning in addition to data for internet connection, she added.She also said that any decision or initiative taken in the immediate future would be made by the board of directors and the entity that operates the school, The Lady Superior of the Society of Saint Maur.CBN was one of the first schools in the country to be named a cluster school by the education ministry.In 2010, it was one of the top performing schools in Kuala Lumpur in terms of SPM results.


Sorry.


Ex-diplomat, son charged with drug trafficking

A former diplomat and his son were charged at the Bentong Magistrate’s Court today with trafficking ganja or cannabis and possessing cannabis oil two weeks ago.Zainal Abidin Alia, 78, and Mohamed Rizal, 53, were jointly charged with trafficking 1,020g of cannabis at a house in Kampung Sum Sum Hilir, Janda Baik, Bentong, Pahang at about 6.10pm on May 21.The charge was framed under Section 39B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries the mandatory death sentence.No plea was recorded as the case entered the jurisdiction of the High Court after the charges against them were read before magistrate Shahrul Ekhsan Hasim.Father and son claimed trial after they were also jointly charged under Section 9 (1)(b) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 with having in their possession 60 millilitres of cannabis oil, an offence punishable under Section 9(2) of the same act, at the same place and time.They face imprisonment of up to five years, a maximum fine of RM20,000 or both, upon conviction.Rizal also faced a third charge of misusing tetrahydrocannabinol at the narcotics office of the Bentong district police headquarters at 8.40pm on May 23.He pleaded not guilty to the charge under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 15 (1) of the same act.If convicted, Rizal faces a maximum fine of RM5,000, jail of up to two years and supervision for up to three years.Pahang prosecution director Mohammad Khalid Ab Karim and deputy public prosecutors Hayda Faridzal Abu Hassan and S Punitha prosecuted the case while lawyers Rahmad Hazlan, Tania Scivetti and Kamil Azman represented the accused.The prosecution offered no bail as the charge under Section 39B is a non-bailable offence.The court fixed June 13 for mention.


Rosmah to take the stand in graft trial after court throws out bid for stay

Rosmah Mansor will have to take the witness stand in defence at her corruption trial tomorrow over the solar hybrid project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.This follows a decision today by a three-member Court of Appeal bench led by justice Kamaludin Md Said refusing to grant her a stay of the court proceeding tomorrow pending the disposal of her related appeal.Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, was ordered by the High Court on Feb 18 to enter her defence on three corruption charges.In the unanimous decision to dismiss the stay application, Kamaludin said the court was of the view that the proceeding in the High Court should be continued.“In Najib’s case, it has been decided that the nullity of trial is not a special circumstances case. We are bound by the Federal Court’s decision of stare decisis,” he added.Kamaludin however said Rosmah could still proceed with her appeal at the Court of Appeal against the High Court’s dismissal of her application to nullify her corruption trial and to remove Gopal Sri Ram as lead prosecutor.Kamaludin said this would not prejudice Rosmah. However, he said the court hoped that the date of the appeal proper could be expedited.The other two judges were justices Nordin Hassan and Hashim Hamzah.Rosmah sought the stay order pending the disposal of her appeal against the High Court decision on Sept 24 dismissing her application to nullify her corruption trial and to remove Sri Ram as lead prosecutor.She filed the two applications at the High Court on May 6, seeking to nullify her entire trial in a bid to be acquitted of all three charges and to remove Sri Ram as lead prosecutor.Rosmah was charged with soliciting RM187.5 million as well as two counts of receiving bribes of RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd’s former managing director, Saidi Abang Samsuddin, through her former special officer, Rizal Mansor.These were said to be an inducement to help the company (Jepak Holdings) secure the hybrid photovoltaic solar system integrated project and the maintenance and operation of genset/diesel for 369 rural schools in Sarawak worth RM1.25 billion through direct negotiation from the education ministry.She is accused of dishonestly soliciting for herself, through Rizal at Lygon Cafe, Sunway Putra Mall, Jalan Putra, Kuala Lumpur between March and April 2016.For the second charge, Rosmah was alleged to have dishonestly received for herself RM1.5 million from Saidi for the same purpose at her residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta on Sept 7, 2017.Rosmah is also facing a third charge of accepting gratification of RM5 million from Saidi through Rizal for helping Jepak Holdings secure the same project on Dec 20, 2016, at the Seri Perdana residence in Putrajaya between January 2016 and September 2017.Rosmah filed a fresh application for a stay in the Court of Appeal after the High Court refused to grant her the stay order.In today’s proceeding conducted online, Rosmah’s lead counsel Jagjit Singh argued that a stay should be granted as the matter is an exceptional circumstances case.However, Sri Ram, citing a case law, argued that the fact that the proceeding might be rendered a nullity was not a special circumstance to be granted a stay order.When contacted, lawyer Akberdin Abdul Kader who is also representing Rosmah said they filed an appeal to the Federal Court today.


North Korea confirms first Covid-19 death in ‘explosive’ outbreak

North Korea confirmed its first ever Covid-19 death on Friday, saying fever was spreading “explosively” nationwide and tens of thousands of people were being isolated and treated after falling sick.The nuclear-armed country only reported its first Covid cases Thursday, saying it was moving into “maximum emergency epidemic prevention system” after sick patients in the capital Pyongyang tested positive for Omicron.North Korea has been under a rigid coronavirus blockade since the start of the pandemic in 2020, but with massive Omicron outbreaks in all neighbouring countries, experts said it was only a matter of time before Covid snuck in.“A fever whose cause couldn’t be identified explosively spread nationwide from late April,” the official Korean Central News Agency said.“Six persons died (one of them tested positive for the BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron,)” it added.With its 25 million people not vaccinated against Covid, North Korea’s crumbling health infrastructure would struggle to deal with a major outbreak, experts say.“On May 12 alone, some 18,000 persons with fever occurred nationwide and as of now up to 187,800 people are being isolated and treated,” KCNA said.Leader Kim Jong Un – seen wearing a mask on state TV for the first time – oversaw an emergency meeting of the Politburo on Thursday and ordered nationwide lockdowns in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.On Friday, KCNA said Kim visited the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters and “learned about the nationwide spread of Covid-19”.“It is the most important challenge and supreme tasks facing our Party to reverse the immediate public health crisis situation at an early date,” KCNA added.Military paradeIt is likely that the massive nationwide outbreak is linked to a huge military parade held in Pyongyang on April 25, said Cheong Seong-chang of the Sejong Institute.“Holding a military parade attended by a large crowd, when Omicron was raging in neighboring China, shows Pyongyang was overconfident in their capabilities to fight and prevent the virus,” he told AFP.North Korea was likely to see “major chaos” due to the rapid spread of Omicron, he said, given that the country is currently reporting nearly 20,000 cases in a single day.“If the death toll from Omicron spikes, Pyongyang may have to ask for China’s support,” he added.Beijing, Pyongyang’s sole major ally and benefactor, said Thursday that it was ready to assist North Korea with its Covid-19 outbreak.But China, the world’s only major economy to still maintain a zero-Covid policy, is itself battling multiple Omicron outbreaks – with some major cities, including financial hub Shanghai, under strict stay-at-home orders.North Korea previously turned down offers of Covid vaccines from China, as well as from the World Health Organization’s Covax scheme.Kim said Friday that the outbreak of fever “shows that there is a vulnerable point in the epidemic prevention system” and called for more lockdowns.Kim “said that it is the top priority to block the virus spread by actively locking down areas and isolating and treating persons with fever in a responsible manner,” KCNA reported.Analysts said that China’s experience with Omicron indicated lockdowns might not be successful, but with no antiviral treatment or vaccines, North Korea has few other options.Nuclear distractionNorth Korea test-fired three short range ballistic missiles, Seoul said Thursday – shortly after confirming their first cases of Covid.New South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s administration slammed the North’s “continuing provocations with a ballistic missile launch despite the outbreak of coronavirus,” his security office said after a meeting.After high-profile talks collapsed in 2019, North Korea has doubled down on weapons testing, conducting a blitz of launches so far this year, including intercontinental ballistic missiles.Satellite imagery indicates North Korea is preparing to conduct a nuclear test, and the US has warned this could come as soon as this month.If Pyongyang needs aid – vaccines and medicine – they might need to delay the test, some analysts said, but others warned the Covid-19 outbreak could hasten things along.“A nuclear test would be a good way to distract the public from the pandemic,” Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, told AFP.


Parisiennes ‘love to drink’ but bars and cafes must close for 2 weeks anyway

Paris bars and cafes will have to close for two weeks from Tuesday in an effort to combat the latest surge in Covid-19 infections.The French government confirmed on Sunday night that the alert level will be raised to maximum in the capital, but restaurants will not be forced to close.Prime Minister Jean Castex’s office said there had been no improvement in the rate of infection transmission in the Paris region.However, the government has said it is doing everything it can to avoid declaring a new state of emergency that would require a general lockdown.Interior minister Gerald Darmanin acknowledged that the enforced closure of bars and cafes would be tough for everyone.“We are French, we love to drink, to eat, to live, to smile and to kiss each other,” he told broadcaster Europe 1 on Sunday.However, a poll published on Sunday reports that 61% of Parisiennes disagree and are in favour of a complete closure of bars.Other large French cities including Lyon, Grenoble and Toulouse are near the maximum alert level and could be subject to similar measures as Paris.


Thousands evacuated as floods hit Johor

Batu Pahat has become the latest district in Johor to be hit by floods, as the total number of evacuees in the state rose to 3,612 as of 8am today, compared to 2,912 last night.
The state disaster management committee said five more relief centres had been opened, bringing the total number to 35 in the districts of Kota Tinggi, Kluang, Mersing, Segamat and Batu Pahat.
"Segamat is the worst-affected district, with 1,392 people from 393 families evacuated to 13 relief centres, followed by Kluang with 1,139 people from 325 families at four centres.
"In Kota Tinggi, 557 people from 136 families are housed at six relief centres, while in Mersing, 403 people from 130 families are seeking shelter at four centres," the committee said in a statement today.
In Batu Pahat, 121 people from 30 families were placed at one relief centre.
Meanwhile, Jalan Senai-Gemas (FT001), Segamat, which was closed yesterday has been reopened to all vehicles, while Jalan Sungai Tiram-Ulu Tebrau has been closed to traffic following a landslide.
Three rivers in Johor are reported to have exceeded their danger levels, namely Sungai Muar (the river mouth of Sungai Gemas) at 19.13m, Sungai Segamat (Segamat Kecil) at 37.55m and Sungai Kahang (Kampung Contoh) at 15.7m.