Fat Leonard, the Penang boy who dodged death sentence and held US missile secrets

For decades, spies and intelligence agents have been working around the clock trying all sorts of high-tech ways to steal the private, top-secret military information of countries seen as potential enemies.But for one young man from Malaysia, gaining access to top US military secrets was a simple matter of illicit gifts and sex parties.By infiltrating the circle of top officers, 300-pound Leonard Glenn Francis, famously known as Fat Leonard, was able to “move carriers like paper ships in the water”, to use his words in a recent podcast with Wall Street Journal reporter Tom Wright.Francis began his career of corrupting US military officers when he was invited to a July 4 celebration held by the US embassy in Malaysia where he met with officers and attaches. Soon after, he received his first contract to supply food for the USS San Bernardino, a tank landing ship which had seen action in the Vietnam War.But prior to his involvement with the US Navy, he had led a troubled life as a young adult.In the podcast, he detailed how the lack of guidance from his parents landed him in trouble when the police found a gun, foreign currency, and a bullet-proof vest in his house.He was thrown into jail, where he said he saw other prisoners being tortured. After two weeks he was brought to trial where he faced the death sentence. His mother came all the way from England to appeal before the judge.He also spoke of how, growing up in Penang in the 1960s, he learnt the dirty secrets of the port business, paying bribes to the captains of merchant ships.He would go on to hone these skills to entice navy officers and win himself husbandry contracts through his Singapore-based company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia.Now under house arrest in San Diego, Francis pled guilty in 2015 to charges of bribery and fraud. Scores of other navy officials were also investigated and likewise pled guilty to their involvement in bribery as well as giving classified information to Leonard including ship movements, submarine details and ballistic missile plans.His fortune came on the back of America’s “Forever War” and the war against terrorism, as military spending shot up, allowing for even bigger leaks from the corrupt ecosystem.“You don’t need to overcharge them, they’ll just give you money for free. If anybody has a defence contract, you’re good for life.“The military overall, whether the navy, the marine corps, air force, every branch – there’s no one that does due diligence fiscally because it’s not their money. It’s Uncle Sam’s money,” he said in the podcast with Wright.The US Navy, particularly the Seventh Fleet which operates in the Pacific had relied on his company to supply food, fuel and security. His relationship and networking with authorities in Southeast Asia was key to his business success with the US Navy.The Seventh Fleet oversees the movement of 60 ships and submarines, 150 aircraft and 20,000 sailors.Francis partnered with an Indonesian firm to provide supplies to the US Navy which started to visit Bali as Subic Bay in the Philippines closed down.“When the ships came back in those days, we made a very good profit out of the port visits. We did everything for them, from the food to the fuel, to the transportation, to the force protection,” he said, adding that he had had to bribe local politicians and authorities.Between 2006 and 2013, officers of one particular aircraft, the USS Blue Ridge, were enticed with meals, feasts, liquors, cash, vacations, Cuban cigars, furniture and luxury watches in addition to prostitutes.Francis, who is currently awaiting his sentence, admitted that he had the commanding officers “in his pocket”, as well as a network of informants. The top-ranking officials involved included former lieutenant commander Edmond A Aruffo and former navy director of intelligence operations, Rear Admiral Bruce Franklin Loveless, the latter of whom has admitted to overcharging the navy by up to US$2.5 million for port services in Japan.


Warisan vice-president quits party

Melalap assemblyman Peter Anthony who is also Warisan vice-president today announced that he has quit the party.Peter, 50, also announced that he would form a new party that will forge close cooperation with the state government led by Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.He said he made the decision to quit Warisan after finding that the party had gone astray in its struggle for the rights and well-being of the people of Sabah when it spread its wings to the peninsula.“It’s high time for us leaders in Sabah to set our political differences aside to develop our beloved state.“The people of Sabah need a party that really fights for the rights of Sabahans. That’s the most important for us. There’s no use of having such a party outside Sabah,” he told reporters today.Also present was Limbahau assemblyman Juil Nuatim.Warisan is now left with 18 seats in the state assembly. Three of its assemblymen – Hassan A Gani Pg Amir (Sebatik), Yusof Yacob (Sindumin) and Mohammadin Ketapi (Segama) who is also Lahad Datu MP – quit the party and became independent representatives earlier this year.The party also lost its Bugaya seat following the death of Manis Muka Mohd Darah.In the 16th state election last year, Peter contested on a Warisan ticket and won the Melalap seat with a 1,719-vote majority in a six-cornered fight.He said the recently concluded Sarawak election which saw Gabungan Parti Sarawak win big was the best example of people preferring their own local leaders to develop their state.“Let Sarawak be led by Sarawak leaders, Kuala Lumpur by Kuala Lumpur leaders, Negeri Sembilan by Negeri Sembilan leaders, Penang by Penang leaders. As for us in Sabah, we, as leaders must stay focused and develop Sabah together,” he said.Peter also denied that he made the decision because of his ongoing document forgery trial, saying that it was out of respect for the people’s voice.


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Trump to begin quarantine after trips with ‘maskless’ aides

US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania have decided to undergo quarantine as they await the results of their Covid-19 tests after his top aide Hope Hicks tested positive for the virus.“Terrible!” Trump tweeted. “The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process!”Hicks had earlier travelled with Trump including to the presidential debate on Tuesday.CNN reported that she also took the official Marine One helicopter to a campaign rally in Minnesota along with several close aides including Jared Kushner, Dan Scavino and Nicholas Luna, none of whom wore masks.Trump, who has publicly ridiculed the face mask rule, insists that Hicks had worn a mask at all times.“Lot of masks, she wears masks a lot but she tested positive,” he told Fox News.“I just went for a test and we’ll see what happens, I mean, who knows… I spent a lot of time with Hope and so does the first lady, and she’s tremendous.”


Eyebrows raised over ‘democracy forum’ featuring Najib and Anwar

Civil society circles have raised questions about an upcoming forum this month in which PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and former prime minister Najib Razak have agreed to participate, alongside a list of speakers who include Umno as well as Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders.Their concern is not so much about the fact that Najib – who has been convicted of the illegal transaction of millions of dollars in public funds into his private bank accounts – has been given the important job of delivering the keynote address at the close of the one-day programme.Neither does Anwar’s participation in the event come as a surprise. The two politicians have in recent times been taking a common stand in their criticism of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, on the back of informal talks between their parties to join hands at the next general election.“What is of equal concern is the person behind the organisation of the forum,” a civil society activist told MalaysiaNow on condition of strict anonymity.He said many in his circles are aware that the head of the think tank behind the forum featuring Anwar and Najib is a person who has been charged with extortion from a prominent tycoon.The person was acquitted after the complainant, who was also the main prosecution witness, failed to show up in court to testify at the trial.MalaysiaNow has decided not to name the forum or its organiser.But a conversation with a spokesman for the think tank confirmed that he is the same man.The spokesman however dismissed concerns about the organiser’s background, as well as the decision to allow Najib to have the last say in a forum to discuss democracy.“He is an MP similar to everybody else. There is Anwar who has been given a spot as well,” the spokesman said, denying that the forum is seeking to promote any particular politician.Najib’s nine-year rule was tainted by the 1MDB scandal, which saw him accused of channelling over US$700 million (about RM2.6 billion) from the strategic development company to his personal bank accounts.In 2015, Najib’s administration cut short a multi-agency investigation into the scandal, followed by the removal of the attorney-general.Investigations were reopened by Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s government in 2018, with authorities confiscating close to RM1 billion worth of cash and luxury items kept at several properties linked to Najib.Last year, the High Court found Najib guilty of seven charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power related to SRC International, and sentenced him to 12 years in jail. He is appealing against the conviction.Meanwhile, publicity material for the forum sighted by MalaysiaNow shows a line-up of speakers and panellists including the speakers of the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara, as well as Umno leaders and former ministers in the PH government.A state energy firm and a digital data company, meanwhile, are named as sponsors.It is learnt that the think tank behind the forum is no stranger to organising similar programmes on the theme of fighting corruption and democracy, which in the past featured prominent politicians and civil servants.


6-month exemption for rental of canteens, premises in govt schools

The education ministry has granted an exemption for the rental of canteens and premises or space at schools under its administration for a period of six months from July.In a statement today, it said the premises include book shops, cooperatives, launderettes and vending machines whose operations have been affected by the implementation of Phase One of the movement control under the National Recovery Plan.An automatic contract extension will also be given to those renting canteens and premises or space at schools under the education ministry for a period of one year upon expiry of the original contract.The ministry also agreed to extend the contracts of contractors involved in the supply of cooked food programme by taking into account the period in which their services had been affected.“For building and area cleanliness services, payment to the contractors will be made in full as stated in their contract. As such, the issue of contractors having to cut their employees’ salary should not arise,” it said.The education sector will only be reopened in stages in Phase Three of the National Recovery Plan which is expected to be implemented in September.


Nearly a million employment quota bids for foreign workers approved as of mid-March

The Dewan Rakyat was today told that the human resources ministry had approved a total of 995,396 employment quota applications for foreign workers as of March 14.
Deputy Human Resources Minister Mustapha Sakmud said of the total, the levy for 84.7% of them had been paid by employers.
"Employers are given up to 18 months to bring in foreign workers to Malaysia after paying the levy," he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat.
He was responding to a question from Chow Kon Yeow (PH-Batu Kawan) who asked for a list of all ongoing negotiations, completed negotiations, and those still in process, with potential countries to supply labour to the country, as well as the number of workers expected to be brought in and the length of time needed to overcome the current labour shortage.
Mustapha said most of the approved quota applications were for workers in the manufacturing sector, followed by construction, services, plantations, agriculture, mining and quarrying.
He said so far, Malaysia has established labour cooperation for the recruitment and employment of foreign workers through memorandums of understanding (MoU) with 10 source countries.
However, only eight MoUs are still in force with Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan, Vietnam, Nepal and Cambodia, he said, adding that the MoUs with India and Sri Lanka had expired.
He said the MoU with the government of India was finalised on March 13 and expected to be signed before the end of the first quarter.


2021 ending but political turmoil set to continue, say experts

The turmoil that marked the bulk of Malaysia’s political developments this year will likely continue into the next, experts say, as internal power struggles continue in Umno and prominent figures dig in amid their ongoing court battles.At the government level, arguably the biggest turn of events was the resignation of Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister in August following pressure from a group of Umno MPs led by their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former leader Najib Razak.Muhyiddin was replaced by Ismail Sabri Yaakob who, armed with his “Keluarga Malaysia” tagline, enjoyed a relatively uneventful first 100 days on the job with Parliament passing the 2022 budget as well as the 12th Malaysia Plan despite his razor-thin majority of just four seats.He also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the opposition, covering six key aspects including the rights of Sabah and Sarawak, the empowerment of the government’s Covid-19 plan, and parliamentary reforms.But the recent massive floods which hit eight states, Selangor and Pahang in particular, sparked widespread discontent towards Ismail’s government with critics accusing it of a late response and a lack of preparedness among the relevant agencies.A man carries furniture out to sun in front of his house in Taman Sri Nanding, one of the areas in Selangor to be hit by the massive floods two weeks ago.Nevertheless, political analyst Oh Ei Sun said Ismail’s survival as prime minister would depend less on popular perception of his administrative capabilities than on the internal power struggle in his party Umno.“While the mainstream faction led by Zahid and Najib sees him more as a holdover or seat-warmer to usher in their eventual return to power, he is struggling to form an albeit loose faction to counter the derisive positioning of him by his own party,” Oh told MalaysiaNow.He said it was understandable that Najib, whose application to quash his 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine for charges related to SRC International was thrown out by the appeals court earlier this month, would attempt to cling to his position in Umno after the party election.The polls, which Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan had said could take place next November, would likely see Ismail trying to make the best of his position as prime minister to take over the party presidency from Zahid, Oh said.“It remains to be seen if this political shadow play will erupt into the open with the crossing of swords next year,” Oh, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, added.He said the court cluster would meanwhile employ every trick at their disposal to free themselves from their legal woes.Najib, who is among those battling criminal charges, has been left with no choice but to turn to the Federal Court for his final appeal against his SRC International conviction and sentence.If these are upheld by the apex court and the rest of the cluster found guilty as well, they will not be eligible to run in future elections.Supporters of former prime minister Najib Razak wait outside the Palace of Justice for the Court of Appeal’s decision on his appeal against his conviction and sentence in the SRC International case on Dec 8.Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia expects no further attempts from the opposition to get government MPs to cross the floor, noting the failure of at least two such efforts.However, he said Ismail could nonetheless suffer the same fate as his predecessor Muhyiddin.“If there is any move, it would be from Umno itself because Ismail doesn’t seem to be on the same page with the Umno leadership when it comes to the next general election,” he said.On the opposition side, meanwhile, the two state elections held after the virus emergency was lifted this year saw a near total wipe-out of Pakatan Harapan (PH) in Melaka and Sarawak.In Melaka, Barisan Nasional formed the state administration after winning 21 of the 28 state seats while in Sarawak, Gabungan Parti Sarawak aligned with the government enjoyed a landslide victory, winning 76 out of 82 seats.Residents of Pulau Salak queue for their turn to cast their ballots at the Sarawak state election on Dec 18, which saw Gabungan Parti Sarawak winning by a landslide.Oh said PH as the largest opposition bloc had been rendered “essentially impotent” by the signing of the MoU with the government.“This was reflected in the voters’ disgust or at least disdain in Melaka and Sarawak, engendering renewed hope in many ambitious politicians and parties of trying to replace PH or at least chipping away at PH’s support base,” he said.While the 15th general election must be held before July 2023, Mazlan does not expect it to take place next year – a scenario pushed by Zahid’s camp.“The view of the prime minister on the election date must be in line with that of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah,” he said.“Even if the Agong is advised to dissolve Parliament, it is within the Agong’s power to disagree.”He added that recovery from the recent floods would require some months while the Covid-19 situation might lead Ismail to postpone the election date.Regardless, Oh expects the scene to be even more politically colourful next year, “above all, because of the fragmented political landscape which gives opportunities for all”, he said.Mazlan agreed, saying Ismail does not seem to have full support from his Cabinet ministers.Adding that there are “too many Gordian knots” between groups and individuals in political parties, he said the clashing views in Umno and PH’s dissatisfaction with the government “are the seeds of instability that could have an effect for years to come.”


New cases dip to 2,192 as recoveries stay ahead

Another 2,192 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 285,761.Selangor recorded 910 cases followed by Kuala Lumpur (303), Sarawak (221), Johor (211), Perak (148), Penang (135) and Sabah (110).Negeri Sembilan recorded 64 cases, Kelantan 28, Kedah 26, Melaka 14, Putrajaya and Pahang seven each and Terengganu and Perlis four each.Active cases stand at 32,076 with 199 in the ICU and 91 in need of respiratory assistance.Eight new clusters were detected:1. Tapak Bina Lombong Timah (Kuala Langat, Petaling and Klang in Selangor; 566 screened, 45 positive)2. Tapak Bina Jalan Kota (Gombak in Selangor; 121 screened, 11 positive)3. Pasar Jalan Putra (Petaling in Selangor; 115 screened, nine positive)4. Tapak Bina Sungai Batu (Kepong in Kuala Lumpur; 385 screened, 25 positive)5. Emperoh Jambu (Kuching and Samarahan in Sarawak; 337 screened, 60 positive)6. Sungai Bakong (Meradong in Sarawak; 593 screened, 22 positive)7. Hilir Sungai Kluang (Seberang Perai Utara, Seberang Perai Tengah, Barat Daya and Timur Laut in Penang; 327 screened, 41 positive)8. Industri Sungai Gadut (Seremban, Rembau and Tampin in Negeri Sembilan; 2,044 screened, 65 positive)Fourteen others ended, leaving 504 active clusters across the country.Another 3,414 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 252,623.However, six more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,062.


Amanah lodges police report against politicians, citing inflammatory statements

Amanah along with leaders of Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Muda have filed a police report against several politicians over inflammatory statements that could incite hatred among the community.
Amanah’s mobilisation director Mohd Sany Hamzan said he had made four separate reports against several politicians following their statements that could also incite hatred against PH.
"I urge Malaysians, in particular, to reject any form of racism, the politics of hate, the politics of religion, the politics of pitting against one another.
"We want political parties in this country to have integrity and a sense of responsibility, to be academic, and we have to show this attitude to the community," he told reporters after making a police report at the Dang Wangi police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.
Sany, who is the Hulu Langat MP, also proposed that a royal commission of inquiry be established to investigate the alleged embezzlement of allocations amounting to RM500 billion during the Covid-19 pandemic, two years ago.
Last Saturday, Sany also filed a police report and urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to take firm and immediate action against individuals who play up religious sentiments and raised racial issues in the 15th general election.


More than 1,300 migrants brought ashore in Italy after multiple rescues

More than 1,300 migrants have been rescued in three separate operations off the southern tip of Italy, the coastguard said on Saturday, two weeks after at least 74 people died when their boat hit rocks near the coast.
Growing numbers of migrant arrivals have piled pressure on Italy's conservative government, which took office last October promising to reduce the flow only to see a sharp increase in such landings this year from both North Africa and Turkey.
The coastguard said one of its vessels had taken 500 migrants off one boat more than 160km out to sea, and subsequently took them to the city of Reggio Calabria.
A further 379 migrants were removed from a separate vessel in the same vicinity and will be brought to land shortly.
"The rescues (were) complex due to the boats being overloaded with migrants and the unfavourable sea conditions," the coastguard said in a statement.
Another packed fishing boat carrying 487 migrants was escorted into the Calabrian port of Crotone, lashed to a tug to help give it stability.
Local officials said a further 200 people had been picked up off the coast of Sicily and would be ferried to Catania later in the day, while the airforce was flying migrants out of a packed reception centre on the island of Lampedusa.
More than 17,000 people have reached Italy so far this year, including around 4,000 this week, compared to 6,000 in the first 2-1/2 months of 2022. Hundreds have also died trying to cross the Mediterranean and reach Europe.
Investigation
The body of a young girl was recovered on Saturday close to where a migrant boat broke apart on Feb 26, bringing the death toll from that one disaster to 74. Seventy-nine people survived the shipwreck, but around 30 are still missing, presumed dead.
In all, the United Nations estimates 300 migrants have died in the central Mediterranean so far this year.
Prosecutors are investigating whether Italian authorities should have done more to prevent the disaster. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has rejected the suggestion and looked to pin the blame entirely on human traffickers.
Her cabinet on Thursday introduced tougher jail terms for people smugglers and promised to open up more channels for legal migration. Late last year, it cracked down on charity rescue boats, accusing them of acting as a taxi service for migrants.
The charities denied this was the case. The measure has led to a sharp reduction in the number of rescue ships patrolling the Mediterranean, without apparently dissuading migrants from putting to sea.
Enrico Borghi, a senator with the centre-left Democratic Party, accused the government of bungling the crisis.
"(It) thinks it can solve such a profound problem through media posturing, the criminal code and fake efforts at appearing tough," he wrote on Twitter. "The result: landings have tripled with the Meloni government."
Meloni herself issued a statement on Saturday, saying the only solution lay with a joint European effort to strengthen the EU's borders and enhance cooperation with expulsions.


International help rolls in to fight persistent Canadian wildfires

Allies around the world have promised to increase their help to Canada in its fight against hundreds of blazes that have swept through the country in its worst-ever start to wildfire season.
Forest fires that have gathered strength over the last month have forced tens of thousands of people from their homes and sent a smoky haze billowing over a large swath of the US.
About 4.3 million hectares (10.6 million acres) have already burned, roughly 15 times the annual average of the past decade. Warm, dry conditions are expected to persist in the months ahead.
The fires have impacted mining operations in Canada and disrupted flights in the US. On Thursday the Toronto District School Board, Canada's largest, rescheduled or moved indoors all outside activities, including field trips and local school events.
Although wildfires are common in Canada, it is unusual for blazes to be burning simultaneously in the east and west, stretching firefighting resources, forcing the government to send in the military to help, and fueling concerns about the worsening consequences of climate change.
The US has sent hundreds of firefighters to Canada over the past few weeks and has said more help is on its way. President Joe Biden, in a statement on Thursday, said he has directed his administration to respond promptly to requests for additional firefighters and fire suppression assets.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who thanked Biden for US help in a call on Wednesday, has blamed climate change for the unprecedented early season wildfires. Trudeau and Biden discussed the need to "work together to address the devastating impacts of climate change," according to a statement from the prime minister's office.
Democratic US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed the concerns about the effects of climate change on Thursday and called for the doubling of US help for Canada.
"The climate crisis is real and it is here to stay. We must take action against the climate crisis, both short-term and long-term," Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor.
Help has also come in from South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday that France, Portugal and Spain were also sending more than 280 firefighters to Canada.
Some of the worst fires have sprung up in the eastern province of Quebec, where some 12,600 people have had to evacuate their homes, provincial Public Safety Minister Francois Bonnardel told a briefing on Thursday.
"We're not happy about the situation; though some fires are under control, some (are) not," Bonnardel told reporters. About 132 fires are currently active in the province, down from nearly 150 on Wednesday.
Wildfire season started unseasonably early in Alberta last month and burned a record area, and Nova Scotia continues to battle its largest-ever blaze. Flames have eased in Alberta, the center of Canada's oil and gas industry, but more than 3,000 people remain under evacuation orders and heat warnings are in effect in the south of the province.
In parts of the Pacific province of British Columbia, which is battling the second-biggest wildfire on record, temperatures were forecast to hit 33 Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) on Thursday, before thunderstorms and heavy rains arrive on Friday.


Wagner merch soars in price after abortive mutiny

Online prices for merchandise bearing the insignia of Russia's Wagner group - a human skull against a black and red backdrop - have shot up since its abortive armed mutiny, with buyers posting five-star reviews and support for the mercenaries.
Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin sent an armed convoy on a 1,200km charge towards Moscow in protest over what he said was the incompetence and corruption of Russia's military leadership. A deal brokered by the leader of Belarus abruptly halted the mutiny late on Saturday.
E-commerce leader Wildberries' weekly price breakdowns showed how costs have risen. A patch depicting the skull that can be sewn onto clothes fetched US$6 (about RM28) in the period June 25-29, up sharply from 294 roubles during June 18-25.
"Due to the situation in the country, the purchase was spontaneous," wrote one buyer, Tatiana.
Prices for a black T-shirt emblazoned with a picture of a Wagner fighter holding a violin jumped this week to 1,650 roubles from 1,236 roubles.
On a review of a Wagner flag on Wildberries, one buyer, Vladimir, said: "The Wagner Private Military Company is the best. Good luck to you guys. The flag is excellent."
The Wagner fighters - who have spearheaded some of Russia's military actions in Ukraine - were cheered enthusiastically by residents in Rostov-on-Don on Saturday when they briefly took control of the southern Russian city. President Vladimir Putin described their actions as "treason" and "a stab in the back".
People have also been purchasing other regalia, such as keyrings, on Wildberries' rival Ozon.
"Very beautiful and original keyring," wrote one five-star reviewer. "In memory of all those in Wagner's ranks who died."
Large numbers of Wagner fighters - including many former convicts granted their freedom in exchange for serving in Ukraine - have been killed on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Wildberries and Ozon declined to comment on Thursday on the surge in merchandise prices.
Elsewhere, Prigozhin face masks were on sale in St Petersburg, alongside those of Putin, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and jailed opposition politician Alexey Navalny.
Under Saturday's deal that ended the mutiny, fighters of the Wagner group were allowed to join their leader Prigozhin in exile in Belarus, to be integrated into Russia's regular armed forces or to return to their families.


India announces US$6.7 billion to help vaccine, health firms boost pandemic battle

India released US$6.7 billion in cheap financing for vaccine makers, hospitals and other health firms on Wednesday, to counter the devastating coronavirus surge gripping the country.Reserve Bank of India governor Shaktikanta Das also vowed to deploy “unconventional” measures if the crisis worsens.He spoke as India announced a record 3,780 deaths in 24 hours as well as 382,000 new cases.This week it became the second country after the US to pass 20 million cases and hospitals across the country of 1.3 billion people have complained of chronic shortages of beds, oxygen, vaccines and key drugs.“The devastating speed with which the virus affects different regions of the country has to be matched by swift and wide-ranging actions,” Das said.The new measures – making it easier for banks to give cheap loans to hospitals, oxygen manufacturers and even patients – aim to improve access to emergency healthcare, he said.The central bank will also give some general business borrowers more time to repay loans to help underpin the economy, Das said.“The immediate objective is to preserve human life and restore livelihoods through all means possible,” he added.India’s underfunded healthcare system has struggled to cope with the latest Covid-19 onslaught, with patients dying in hospital parking lots due to a lack of beds and oxygen.Experts have warned that case numbers will keep rising until the end of May and could reach 500,000 new infections a day.While New Delhi and other major cities have imposed curfews and other restrictions, the government has resisted opposition calls for a nationwide lockdown.Even the Supreme Court has called on the government to consider tougher measures.The Indian Premier League – the world’s richest cricket tournament – shut down this week because of the spread of the virus among players. Many foreign stars are now struggling to get flights out.Two more players, Delhi Capitals spinner Amit Mishra and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Wriddhiman Saha, were recently infected.The country has tried to claw back lost ground after a stringent, months-long lockdown caused the labour market to collapse and the economy to contract by nearly a quarter between April and June last year.Asia’s third-largest economy was in the throes of a prolonged slowdown even before the pandemic, and the hit to global activity from the virus and one of the world’s strictest lockdowns combined to deal the country a severe blow.Fearing a repeat of last year’s economic devastation, authorities have so far imposed limited restrictions, trying to strike a balance between keeping the economy going and targeting outbreaks in the hardest-hit regions.New Delhi is hoping the economy will get a further boost from a massive vaccination drive that kicked off in January, with 160 million shots administered so far.


China to keep border restrictions for another year due to Covid-19

Beijing plans to keep pandemic border restrictions in place for at least another year amid fears over the emergence of new variants and a calendar of sensitive events, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.The provisional timeline for the second half of 2022 was set during a meeting of China’s cabinet, or State Council, in mid-May, the WSJ said.China sharply reduced transport links with other countries as Covid-19, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019, spread around the world last year.Beijing, is due to host the Winter Olympics and the Winter Paralympics in February 2022, bringing thousands of participating athletes to the country.Travellers to mainland China, regardless of nationality, face tough requirements prior to travel including multiple medical tests and stringent quarantine rules upon entry.Airlines, both Chinese and non-Chinese, also face the risk of their flight routes being suspended temporarily if a certain number of infected passengers are detected on arrival in China.Reported daily cases in China are currently far lower than in other major countries but the Chinese government is acutely aware of potential wider transmissions due to its dense urban populations and highly developed transport network.China reported 25 new confirmed Covid-19 cases in the mainland for June 21, of which 23 were imported infections, the National Health Commission said on Tuesday.CNN reports that Beijing is the first city ever to host both the summer and winter Olympic Games. The 2008 Summer Olympics were also held in Beijing.Next year, 13 venues, split between the zones of Beijing, Zhangjiakou and Yanqing, will be used during the 17 days of the Games.A total of 109 events will be held, in 15 disciplines across seven sports: biathlon, bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, luge, skating and skiing.The entire Games will feature artificial snow for the outdoor events since snow is not common there.The Games have been heavily criticised amid allegations of China’s human rights abuses, notably towards the minority Uyghur population.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) states on its website that it is committed to improving the promotion and respect of human rights.The IOC says that its objective is to strengthen the human rights approach in the organisation and delivery of the Olympic Games, in close collaboration with local and national Organising Committees for the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games organisers and support them further in developing and implementing their human rights approaches.


Merkel defends Russia legacy, says ‘nothing to apologise for’

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday defended her years-long policy of detente towards Moscow, saying she had “nothing to apologise for” even as the Ukraine war casts a pall on her legacy.In her first major interview since stepping down six months ago, Merkel insisted she had not been naive in her dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.“Diplomacy isn’t wrong just because it hasn’t worked,” the 67-year-old said on stage in a Berlin theatre, in an interview broadcast on the Phoenix news channel.She recalled her support for economic sanctions against Russia over its 2014 annexation of Crimea, and the German-French efforts to keep the Minsk peace process for Ukraine alive.“I don’t have to blame myself for not trying hard enough,” the conservative ex-chancellor said.“I don’t see that I have to say ‘that was wrong’ and that’s why I have nothing to apologise for.”The veteran leader, who frequently met with Putin during her 16 years in power and championed a commerce-driven, pragmatic approach towards Moscow, said the Feb 24 invasion of Ukraine had marked a “turning point”.‘Wants to destroy Europe’There was “no justification whatsoever” for the “brutal” and illegal war of aggression, she said, adding that Putin had made “a big mistake”.“He wants to destroy Europe,” she warned. “It’s very important for the European Union to stick together now.”But she batted away criticism that she had been wrong to block Ukraine from joining Nato in 2008, saying it was not ready then and she wanted to avoid “further escalation” with Putin, who was already seething about the military alliance’s perceived eastward expansion.She also insisted that the 2014-2015 Minsk peace pacts, which now lie in tatters, were at the time seen as the best bet to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian soldiers.The peace process “brought some calm” that gave Ukraine an extra seven years to develop as a democracy and strengthen its military, she said, in a nod to Kyiv’s much praised resistance against the invading Russian troops.“The courage and passion with which they are fighting for their country is very impressive,” Merkel said, adding she had “the highest respect” for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.But Merkel insisted there was no way to avoid dealing with Putin because Russia, like China, was too big to ignore.“We have to find a way to co-exist despite all our differences,” she said.‘Language of strength’Confronted with criticism of the “change through trade” policy pushed by successive German governments, Merkel said she was never under the illusion that closer trade links would spur democratic reforms in Russia.“I never thought Putin would change through trade,” she said. But in the absence of a political rapprochement, “having some economic ties makes sense”.Germany became hugely reliant on Russian energy imports on Merkel’s watch, and she long irked Western allies with her backing for the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was to double Russian gas deliveries to Germany.The project was shelved by current Chancellor Olaf Scholz in late February over Russia’s aggression, and Europe’s top economy is now joining EU partners in a race to wean itself off Russian oil, gas and coal.In another major reversal, Scholz has pledged to invest 100 billion euros (US$107 billion) in modernising Germany’s military, seen as chronically underfunded during the Merkel era.Scholz, a Social Democrat who served as finance minister in Merkel’s last coalition government, has also vowed to spend more than two percent of annual gross domestic product on defence, surpassing Nato’s target.Merkel voiced support for her successor’s decisions, saying strength was “the only language Putin understands”.During the interview, Merkel – who remains hugely popular in Germany – also offered a rare glimpse into her private life since retiring, spending time on her own on the Baltic Sea coast, taking walks and catching up on her reading.After 30 years in politics, Merkel said she was enjoying not having to rush from appointment to appointment.“Personally, I’m doing well,” she told the audience, even if she felt sombre about the war in Ukraine, “like so many people”.“I had imagined my time after leaving office a bit differently,” Merkel said.


Musk says Twitter will launch blue check subscription next week

Twitter will tentatively launch its blue check subscription feature next Friday, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said in a tweet, after holding off on the launch earlier this week.
The social media platform will use different color checks for organisations and individuals, Musk said.
"Gold check for companies, grey check for governments, blue for individuals (celebrities or not). Painful, but necessary," Musk said in a tweet.
All verified accounts will be manually authenticated before the check is activated, Musk said.
The company had paused its recently announced $8 blue check subscription service as fake accounts mushroomed, and had said the sought-after blue check subscription service will be relaunched on Nov 29.
The coveted blue check mark was previously reserved for verified accounts of politicians, famous personalities, journalists and other public figures.


Russian troops to get bonuses for destroying Western tanks

Russian troops who have destroyed German-made Leopard tanks and US-supplied armoured vehicles being used by Ukraine will receive bonus payments, the Defence Ministry said on Friday.
The ministry said this was part of a wider reward scheme under which more than 10,000 Russian servicemen had received individual bonuses since the start of the war nearly 16 months ago.
On the basis of reports from Russian field commanders, "payments are currently being made to servicemen of the Russian Federation Armed Forces who in the course of military operations destroyed Leopard tanks, as well as armoured fighting vehicles made in the USA and other Nato countries", the ministry said.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Sunday awarded the "Hero of Russia gold star" medal to soldiers who Moscow said had destroyed Leopard tanks and US-made Bradley fighting vehicles being used by Ukraine, which has launched a long-anticipated counteroffensive.
The ministry said that up to May 31, a total of 10,257 servicemen had been rewarded for destroying 16,001 items of Ukrainian and Western military equipment.
An enemy armoured vehicle was worth US$596 (about RM2,750) and a tank 100,000 roubles, it said.
Military pilots and air defence operators received 300,000 roubles for every destroyed Ukrainian plane or helicopter. Hits on Tochka-U and US-supplied HIMARS rocket launch systems were rewarded by the same amount.


AirAsia pledges to fulfil refund requests

AirAsia Aviation Group Ltd (AAAGL), the aviation arm of Capital A Group, today reaffirmed its commitment to resolve all refund requests caused by the ongoing effects of the pandemic as quickly as possible.AAAGL, in a statement today, said it had already finalised over 99% of customer queries and would work towards progressively settling the remaining 0.8% in the coming months.It said medium- to long-haul affiliate airlines, AirAsia X (AAX) and Thai AirAsia X (TAAX), also had firm plans to compensate within the coming months all passengers affected by the flight disruptions over the past two years due to Covid-19.Capital A Group CEO Tony Fernandes said AirAsia airlines had already paid back nearly everyone affected.“Now that travel restrictions have been removed substantially in our major markets, we see that many of our guests have already utilised their credit shells to start travelling again.“AAX was in a much more difficult situation with international borders closed, so they were completely grounded for over two years with limited cash flow.“However, now that they are flying again, they are also paying their guests with outstanding credit back, with travel vouchers equivalent to the amount owed,” he said.The statement said TAAX was similarly affected by the pandemic and is also working hard to settle all outstanding passenger entitlements in the near future through refunds and credits.To date, it said, the majority of affected passengers had received their travel vouchers, totalling over 155,000 individuals. It said AAAGL aims to complete the issuance of all remaining travel vouchers within the coming weeks.


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Pentagon chief visits Iraq nearly 20 years after US-led invasion

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Iraq on Tuesday on an unannounced visit barely two weeks before the 20th anniversary of the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.
"I'm here to reaffirm the US-Iraq strategic partnership as we move toward a more secure, stable and sovereign Iraq," Austin tweeted as he landed in Baghdad.
His visit comes ahead of the March 20 anniversary of the ground invasion which ushered in two decades of bloodshed that Iraq is only now beginning to exit.
In the run-up, Iraq has hosted a raft of foreign officials, including UN chief Antonio Guterres and the Iranian, Russian and Saudi foreign ministers.
Since US-led coalition troops ousted Saddam's Sunni Arab-dominated regime, Iraq's Shiite majority has led Iraq under a confessional power-sharing system.
Successive governments have forged close ties with Iraq's Shiite-led neighbour Iran, while Iraq also maintains relations with the US, Iran's arch foe, in a delicate balancing act.
Both Washington and Tehran provided extensive support during Iraq's fightback against the Sunni extremists of the Islamic State group, who overran swathes of northern and western Iraq in 2014.
The jihadists were ousted from Iraqi territory in 2017 but retain sleeper cells in desert and mountain hideouts in both Iraq and neighbouring Syria.
Iraq announced the end of combat operations by US-led coalition troops at the end of 2021 but some units remain deployed to provide advice and training.
Austin's visit comes after he held talks in neighbouring Jordan with King Abdullah II, a staunch US ally in the region.
"Secretary Austin shared his concerns on a range of shared challenges, including... maintaining focus on security and stability in Iraq, and countering other destabilising activities in the region," a Pentagon statement said.
Despite its vast oil and gas reserves, Iraq suffers from decades of underinvestment in its infrastructure and public services that have sparked repeated waves of protests.
October 2021 elections were followed by a whole year of political vacuum before Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani was sworn in at the head of a government led by pro-Iran factions.
The political arm of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) paramilitary force, made up heavily of Tehran-trained groups, has long demanded the departure of all remaining coalition troops, although its calls have been less shrill since it entered government.
US ambassador Alina L Romanowski holds regular talks with Iraqi officials and this week again hailed the "strong" relationship between the two countries.
There had been a sharp deterioration in ties under the Donald Trump administration after the then US president authorised the assassination of Iran's foreign operations chief General Qassem Soleimani along with his Iraqi lieutenant, Hashed number two Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in a drone strike at Baghdad airport in January 2020.


Saudi Arabia to lift umrah travel ban in stages

Saudi Arabia will gradually lift a coronavirus-related travel ban for the umrah pilgrimage starting early next month, reports Anadolu Agency.According to Saudi Arabia’s official news agency early Wednesday, the decision to allow the resumption of umrah, or the minor pilgrimage undertaken by Muslims, came after a nearly six-month hiatus.As of Oct 4, Saudis and foreign residents of the kingdom will be allowed to perform the umrah at Masjid al-Haram, or the Grand Mosque in Mecca, at 30% capacity or 6,000 people per day, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported, citing a source in the interior ministry.Meanwhile, as of Oct 18, the kingdom will allow 15,000 pilgrims per day to perform the umrah and prayers at Al-Masjid al-Nabawi, or the Prophet’s Mosque, in Medina.The agency said both local and international worshippers coming for umrah and worship will be accepted as of Nov 1, while Masjid al-Haram and Al-Masjid al-Nabawi will be opened for worship at full capacity with protective measures in place.“An official source at the Ministry of Interior affirms the kingdom’s keenness to enable pilgrims from inside and outside the kingdom to perform rituals in a safe and healthy manner, fulfilling the preventative requirements and spatial distancing in order to ensure safety,” SPA said on Twitter.Due to the pandemic, the haj pilgrimage this year was limited to those living in Saudi Arabia, and pilgrims from abroad were not accepted.The novel coronavirus has spread to 188 countries and regions since emerging in Wuhan, China in December, with the US, India and Brazil being the hardest-hit areas in the world.More than 31.45 million cases have been reported worldwide. The death toll has exceeded 967,300, while recoveries have surpassed 21.58 million, according to data compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.


Special task force to investigate claims by ex-AG Thomas

The government has agreed to form a task force to investigate the claims made by former attorney-general Tommy Thomas in his autobiography, “My Story: Justice in the Wilderness”.Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this was one of several decisions made at the Cabinet meeting yesterday.He said the purpose of the task force, among others, would be to investigate Thomas’ claims of abuse of power in the appointment of judges, excessive interference by the executive in the judiciary, political and selective prosecution, and breach of oath of confidentiality.“The Cabinet has agreed to establish a special task force to conduct a preliminary study before any further action is taken regarding the claims,” he said in a statement today.He said the task force would be chaired by a former chief judge who would be appointed as soon as possible.“Meanwhile, the legal affairs division and the Attorney-General’s Chambers will act as the secretariat,” he said.Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had previously called for a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into Thomas’ claims about political interference in matters concerning the judiciary.He said the request for an RCI into the revelations by Thomas was one of several matters discussed and agreed on during a meeting of the Umno Supreme Council in late August attended by Ismail, who is Umno vice-president.“Umno must be a pioneer in efforts for institutional reform in the various branches of government,” he had said.His call was questioned by opposition leaders who asked if it was a ploy by Zahid and the so-called court cluster to escape legal repercussions.Ismail today also announced an investigation into the 2018 death of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, who had suffered serious injuries during a riot at a temple in Subang Jaya, and a review of the laws related to the Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh affair.


Umno, the next 'backdoor govt'?

When my family and I went to the polls recently, we had great hope and belief that once and for all, we would be able to get rid of all those who had court cases hanging above their heads.
We had hopes of a clean and fair government, one that would be free of any baggage and only have the people's interests at heart.
However, after the results, we feel like the entire electoral process was absolutely pointless as those we were out to get rid of are back in the picture.
And the party which had been promising everyone a better tomorrow has finally revealed its true colours and is now more than willing to sleep with the enemy.
Is this being done for the good of the nation or to fulfil an individual's undying quest for power and another's endless attempt to stay clear of doing jail time?
Once again, the people are made the fools and left wondering and waiting.
We voted for change and for a government that could help steer the nation back on track following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Back then, when the premiership was held by Bersatu, Umno was only too eager to oust the administration and return to power.
The reason for that was as clear then as it is today. It was simply to help keep certain individuals free from jail, nothing else.
And now, shamelessly, Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders who swore against Umno are willing to turn their backs just so they can enter into power again.
We, the people, are being treated like fools. We do not want criminals back in the administration.
Are PH leaders so low that they are willing to do anything and sell out the electorate just so they can get back in Putrajaya?
This is really upsetting and humiliating. After all, in reality Perikatan Nasional (PN) clearly won more seats and this is the choice of the electorate.
BN was sidelined and, using a backdoor, it is now trying to crawl back into the corridors of power.
Why call the previous administration a backdoor government when Umno is doing just that now?
And PH is welcoming them with open arms, forgetting everything that was once said and done between them.
It is clear and obvious why voters rejected BN and opted for PN instead. If Anwar Ibrahim is going to bed with Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, then it is best that the premiership be given to Muhyiddin Yassin.
After all, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Muhyiddin proved himself and was able to handle the situation well enough.
For us, the electorate, we would rather a leader who is tested and proven, than one who is willing to sleep with the enemy and one who is ridden with charges in court.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Military joins rescue efforts in flood-devastated western Canada

Canada’s military on Thursday joined rescue efforts for flood devastated communities in westernmost British Columbia province, with thousands evacuated from their homes and a number of motorists missing after powerful mudslides.The Canadian Armed Forces deployed a Hercules transport aircraft, several search helicopters and hundreds of troops to the region, while putting thousands more on standby.Defense Minister Anita Anand said three Air Force helicopters “rescued more than 300 stranded motorists and nearly 30 family pets” during the day.Troops were tasked with “providing assistance with evacuations, transport of emergency response personnel and equipment,” a military spokesman said.More than 1,000 travellers were stranded by mudslides, rocks and debris between Sunday and Monday in the town of Hope, about 150km east of Vancouver.In the early morning, an emergency passenger train carrying about 200 people from the town arrived in Vancouver, Via Rail told AFP.Many motorists also got through on Highway 7 connecting to Canada’s third-largest city after it was temporarily reopened by emergency crews clearing rocks and debris overnight, the British Columbia transportation agency said.A video shared by the agency on Twitter showed a stream of vehicles driving westbound along a breakdown lane illuminated by floodlights, past road crews.A search, meanwhile, continues for more possible victims swept away in a mudslide near Lillooet, 250km northeast of Vancouver, after a woman’s body was recovered this week.Federal police say at least four people are still missing in that mudslide – one of several that has effectively cut off Vancouver and its sea port, which handles some 3.5 million containers each year.In Abbotsford, on the outskirts of Vancouver, hundreds were evacuated from the Sumas Prairie overnight as a pump station risked being overwhelmed by a surge of water carried north from the Nooksack River in the United States, Mayor Henry Braun told a news conference.But some 40 farmers who “love their cattle” refused to leave in order to care for livestock, he said.“We are not out of this by a long shot yet,” he said.Sleeping in barnA man who gave only his first name, Bill, told AFP a friend with a small sheep farm insisted on “staying in the barn for the night. The rest of his family is gone but he doesn’t want to leave the animals.”British Columbia Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said thousands of farm animals have died and many more were in “difficult situations,” trapped and facing shortages of food and drinking water.Most of the area is farmland created by draining Sumas Lake in the 1920s.The mayor said flood waters in parts of the region had receded over the past 24 hours, but rose elsewhere. He also estimated rebuilding costs in this area alone could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.“It’s just the worst flooding that I’ve ever seen,” Abbotsford resident Steve Gosselin told AFP.Tyler Richard, who lives near the US border, said he rushed home after getting an evacuation notice on Monday in order to grab whatever he could take with him.He said hasn’t been allowed to return to assess the damage as the evacuation order remains in effect.Richard described an “absolutely chaotic” scene. From a distance, he said he could see that “everything was underwater. The street was flooded out. There were motorboats flying around in the park. It was just completely unreal.”Across the border in Washington State, Dan Tilton said he awoke at 3am “with water coming up though the floor” in his house in the town of Everson on the Nooksack River.He told AFP he and his family “started getting everything we could upstairs until the water came into the house then we got out of here.”As more rain has started to fall after a break in precipitation late Tuesday through Wednesday, Mayor Braun said: “I am not concerned about today’s rain. What I’m concerned about is next week, and what’s coming.”He pointed to 80mm to 100mm of rain forecast for next week, starting on Tuesday.


Minister to visit Saudi Arabia for details on haj SOPs

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri is scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia soon to get details on the SOPs for this coming season’s haj pilgrimage.He said the government would decide on the sending of Malaysians for the haj pilgrimage after getting details on the SOPs.“I’ll be going there in about a week or two to find out details on the SOPs for the haj pilgrimage,” he told reporters after launching a fund by the Kedah Islamic Foundation in Alor Setar today.Last year, the Saudi Arabian government announced various conditions for pilgrims to perform the haj, including a cap of 10,000 people who must all be screened before their arrival in Mecca and Madinah.The country’s health minister, Dr Tawfiq al-Rabiah, was also reported to have said that Covid-19 vaccination would be mandatory, and that this was part of the main conditions for all pilgrims who would perform the haj pilgrimage in July.On Covid-19 vaccinations for those going for the haj pilgrimage this year, Zulkifli said the matter would be worked out with the ministries of health and science, technology and innovation.


Batang Kali landslide toll rises to 26

Search and rescue workers found another body at the site of the Batang Kali landslide today, taking the death toll from the tragedy to 26.
The fire and rescue department said the body of an adult male was found at 11.16am.
A total of 61 victims have been rescued so far from the 94 reportedly staying at the campsite on the night of the landslide which occurred last Friday.
Seven are still missing.
The fire and rescue department said the search and rescue team would continue its efforts to find those unaccounted for.
In a press conference at the scene, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director Hafisham Mohd Noor said the man was found buried under 1m to 5m of debris in the sector, hugging a dog.
The rescue team also found the remains of another dog not far from the victim.
"Most probably he was camping at Sector A (Hillview) and was washed away by the landslide to Sector B (Farmview).
"I believe that there are no more victims in Sector B, so we will focus our search on Sector C and A," he said.
Meanwhile, Hulu Selangor police district chief Suffian Abdullah said the man's body had been taken to Hospital Sungai Buloh for post-mortem.
The remains of the dogs meanwhile have been handed over to the Veterinary Services Department.


New Delhi fog disrupts air and rail travel

Low temperatures and fog in New Delhi hit air and rail movement on Tuesday morning as a cold wave gripped the Indian capital with minimum temperatures dipping as low as 5.6 degrees Celsius.
With visibility of just 50m in some areas, Delhi Airport took to Twitter to alert passengers that flights not equipped to operate in such conditions "may get affected".
Local media reported that 15 trains to Delhi were also running late because of fog.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin that "dense and very dense fog" was likely to continue over some parts of the city over the next 24 hours due to light wind and high moisture levels.
"Its intensity and spread (is) likely to reduce thereafter," the IMD said.
The IMD also forecast cold wave conditions in some areas over the northwest states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi during the next two days.
A cold wave is declared in the plains of India when the minimum temperature dips to 4 degrees Celsius or falls 4.5 degrees Celsius below normal to 10 degrees Celsius or below.


Perak PAS man apologises to Anwar in defamation suit

The defamation suit filed by Anwar Ibrahim against Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria was resolved amicably today with the latter making a public apology to the prime minister in the Taiping High Court.
Anwar filed the suit against Razman over a speech allegedly linking the prime minister, who is also the Pakatan Harapan chairman, with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) culture.
Razman, reading out his statement of apology before judicial commissioner Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin, said his speech had offended and slandered Anwar.
"The speech had morally tarnished and affected the good reputation of Yang Amat Berhomat (Anwar) as well as caused him embarrassment and distress.
"I take this opportunity to retract all the slander and accusations thrown at Yang Amat Berhomat and express my deepest regret and apology. I promise not to repeat the words in any form in the future," he said.
The court then recorded the settlements agreed on by both parties. Anwar was represented by lawyers SN Nair, Jaden Phoon Wai Ken and Wong Guo Jin, while lawyer Naran Singh represented Razman.
Nair, when contacted by Bernama, confirmed the matter, adding that his client had accepted the apology.
Anwar filed the suit on Dec 5 last year, claiming that on Nov 6, the defendant had made a speech while campaigning for the 15th general election at the Tebuk Pancur night market.
He claimed the speech was broadcast live on the defendant’s Facebook under the user name "Haji Razman Zakaria" and viewed over 94,400 times with over 5,100 reactions, 429 shares and over 2,600 comments. The Facebook video was then published in an article, with the title "Razman dakwa Anwar bawa agenda LGBT, bimbang kerjasama PH-BN" dated Nov 6 in both Malay and English in a news portal.
The Tambun MP claimed that the statements and article meant that he was a liar, practised and supported communist ideology, and encouraged same-sex marriage.
Anwar also claimed that the statements were made to ruin his reputation and that the allegations in the article were untrue as he had always championed Islamic values and a wider reformation agenda for administration.
He said the speech was intended to tarnish his name by inciting the public and creating hatred towards him and the party during the GE15 campaign period.
He sought general, compensatory, aggravated and exemplary damages as well as an injunction to stop the defendant or his agents from repeating or causing the publication of the article in addition to costs, interest and other relief deemed fit by the court.


What AirAsia and Mavcom mean by ‘refunds’ and ‘reimbursement’

I refer to the news dated June 10 titled “AirAsia pledges to fulfil refund requests” and “Petition launched to gather passengers in class action suit against AirAsia”.Capital A Group CEO Tony Fernandes said in a statement that “AirAsia airlines have already paid back nearly everyone. AirAsia has opened the world to so many people and the majority of our guests decided to take a credit shell to help us which we thank them for.”Meanwhile, AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said they understand guests’ frustrations and will ensure they get back what they paid for future use, in the form of full credits for such amounts paid, by way of travel vouchers.Two years ago, I booked an AirAsia flight to Australia. However, the flight was cancelled by AirAsia due to the Covid-19 pandemic. AirAsia then decided to issue credit accounts without offering other refund options. The truth is that all passengers like me want a refund and not by way of credit account or travel voucher. By holding back passengers’ money, can AirAsia clarify what it meant by saying that it has already paid back almost all passengers?According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “refund” means an amount of money that is given back to you, especially because you are not happy with a product or service that you have bought, and “reimbursement” means the act of paying back money to someone who has spent it for you or lost it because of you, or the amount that is paid back.AirAsia’s stand on refund by way of issuing credit account or travel voucher is grossly unfair to air travel consumers as follows: –(1) it is not only neither a refund nor a reimbursement but also in violation of Mavcom’s refund procedure;(2) it is issued solely in the interest and benefit of AirAsia;(3) flights were cancelled by AirAsia;(4) the Covid-19 pandemic affected all parties including passengers like me;(5) AirAsia has no legal right to retain passengers’ money after failing to deliver services as promised;(6) AirAsia denied air travel consumers’ right to a refund;(7) refund is merely for tickets purchased and not compensation for other travelling expenses and accommodation bookings;(8) the use of credit account is subjected to the biased terms and conditions of AirAsia;(9) passengers were forced to receive credit accounts without other refund options; and(10) passengers are forced to fly again at higher fares as the original offer and acceptance has expired.Obviously, AirAsia’s stand on refunds is misleading and needs clarification as there are many local and international passengers like me whose cases were also considered resolved by AirAsia and who are still waiting for a refund from AirAsia.I then lodged a complaint with Mavcom regarding AirAsia’s rejection of my request for a refund. I was surprised and disappointed that Mavcom also rejected and closed my case without giving any valid reasons and asked me to deal directly with AirAsia myself.However, what puzzled me the most is that Mavcom, on Nov 12, 2021, published an announcement on its official website as follows: –Mavcom To Exercise Its Statutory Powers If AirAsia X Berhad Does Not Reimburse Air Travel Consumers for Tickets PurchasedIn line with the Malaysian Aviation Commission mandate to regulate economic and commercial matters relating to civil aviation in Malaysia and its commitment to protecting air travel consumer rights, Mavcom, on Nov 11, 2021, had issued a letter to AirAsia X Bhd (AAX) in response to its ongoing debt restructuring exercise. This letter follows from Mavcom’s earlier correspondence with AAX.In this letter, Mavcom clearly and unequivocally urged AAX to reassess its proposal to treat air travel consumers as creditors and to pay only 0.5% of the value of tickets purchased as announced on Oct 18, 2021. Mavcom takes the view that air travel consumers ought not to be classified as “creditors” as the air travel consumers did not, inter alia, sell any products, provide services or make loans to AAX but instead have paid monies for the purchase of tickets in advance of their flights. Accordingly, Mavcom reiterates its position that AAX should reimburse air travel consumers for the tickets purchased.If AAX fails to reimburse the affected air travel consumers accordingly, Mavcom will not hesitate to exercise its powers under the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015 (Act 771).AAX has repeatedly in its correspondence with Mavcom and in its statements made to the public, given the assurance that AAX is committed to reimburse air travel consumers who were not able to fly due to flight cancellations.Mavcom is committed to discharging its duties under Act 771 and the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code in ensuring that air travel consumer rights are safeguarded.Obviously, Mavcom’s stand on AirAsia’s refund policy is also misleading and needs clarification as there are many local and international passengers like me whose cases were also considered resolved by AirAsia and who are still waiting for a refund from AirAsia.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


'Slaughter' comment just a joke, Amirudin says after aide's denial

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari today admitted to having spoken with his predecessor Mohamed Azmin Ali about his concerns on being fielded against him in the latter's constituency of Gombak, a day after his aide denied that such a conversation had taken place.  Speaking at a press conference in Klang, however, Amirudin sought to pass off the remark as a joke.
He said he had called Azmin about work matters and made "small talk" with the international trade and industry minister before getting to the point.
"(By no means did) I reveal party secrets. It was only a joke, nothing personal about it. His life must be boring for him to say this in public," he was quoted as saying by The Star.
He also claimed that Azmin was "running out of political subject matter" in making the allegation.
Earlier this week, Azmin, a three-term Gombak MP, said Amirudin had called him last month to inform him of what he thought was the real agenda behind the move to field him in Gombak at the general election in November.
This followed indications by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim that Amirudin would be sent to contest against Azmin despite previously hinting that he would do so himself.
"He said, 'I have been asked to stand in Gombak. I know, this is to slaughter me in Gombak'," Azmin told a Perikatan Nasional event hosted by PAS in Taman Melewar, Gombak, referring to the conversation with Amirudin.
Amirudin subsequently remained mum on the topic although his aide, Jay Jay Denis, dismissed Azmin's claim as "another in his series of lies since February 2020".
"Azmin should begin to repent because the people are judging and will reject dishonourable leaders who are unable to speak the truth," he told MalaysiaNow in a brief statement.
Azmin was among a dozen PKR MPs who were sacked from the party after their fallout with Anwar, in the wake of the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in early 2020. He went on join Bersatu, and will be defending Gombak on a PN ticket.
Amirudin meanwhile was widely seen as Azmin's protege during the latter's time as the PKR deputy president.


Aussie writer accused of spying sends Christmas message from Beijing jail

An Australian writer detained in Beijing on spying allegations has told his readers to “pursue democracy, rule of law and freedom” in a Christmas message from prison that said 300 interrogations had not made him crack.Reuters reports that pro-democracy blogger Yang Hengjun, who is facing trial on espionage charges, has not been allowed visits from his wife or family since he was arrested in January 2019 after he arrived at Guangzhou airport from New York.Yang said in his message that after “torture and a lot of verbal abuse, I am now in a place of deeper retrospective and introspective meditation”, according to his former teacher, Feng Chongyi, who is based in Sydney.Feng also confirmed the authenticity of the message to Reuters.Yang, 55, had revealed in a 2011 letter to Feng that he had previously worked for China’s state security agency for a decade in Hong Kong and Washington, and left the service before moving to Australia in 1999.He later wrote spy novels that were published in Taiwan and amassed a large online following in China as a democracy blogger, before moving to New York.Australian diplomats visited Yang on Dec 17, one of the few visits permitted by Chinese authorities this year.Yang’s trial, which had been due to proceed by January, has been delayed by three months.In his Christmas message, Yang said he was “waiting for court”, and still had “some confidence in the court. Whether or not they judge me guilty will say a lot about whether the court is governed by rule of law or by pure absolute power.”China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said it is “absolutely untrue” Yang had been a spy for Australia.Diplomatic relations between major trading partners Australia and China have worsened this year after Canberra called for an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, and Beijing imposed a series of trade reprisals.


Home ministry to retable motion to extend Sosma clause allowing detention of up to 28 days

The Dewan Rakyat today approved a motion to quash the House's previous decision on March 23 rejecting the extension of the enforcement of Subsection 4 (5) of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 or Sosma.
The motion tabled in accordance with Standing Order 36 (3) was approved after a vote which saw 105 MPs agree. A total of 83 disagreed and 32 were not present.
Following the decision, the home ministry will resubmit the motion to extend the enforcement of Subsection 4 (5) of the act which allows the 28-day detention period to be maintained for another five years beginning July 31, during this Parliament session.
Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin, when winding up the debate on the motion, said the revocation of the decision on the previous motion would allow him to table a new motion to maintain the enforcement of Subsection 4 (5) of Sosma.
In tabling the motion, he said criminal offences under the First Schedule of Sosma were serious and complex and could threaten public safety and order, adding that they required a long investigation period. "For example, on May 24, the police made arrests under Sosma against 14 individuals involved in a syndicate carrying out illegal drug trafficking and firearms smuggling activities to neighbouring countries.
"... there were several arrests in mid-July, including 17 people in the case of migrant smuggling. If this motion is not extended, it will cause the police's efforts in terms of its investigations to stagnate, and the suspects will be let loose," he said.
Hamzah said if the 28-day detention period was not extended, the home ministry was worried that efforts to tackle organised crime groups and terrorist threats would be affected.
"I believe that if these suspects are released, these suspects could disrupt the chain of evidence and as a result, these serious crimes will become more widespread," he said.
The motion to extend the enforcement of Subsection 4 (5) of Sosma was not approved when tabled at the First Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 14th Parliament earlier this year after a vote which saw 85 MPs agree and 86 disagree.
Earlier, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun said according to Standing Order 36 (3), matters that had been decided in one session could not be reconsidered by the House within the same session, and would have to wait until the next one.
"But if we want to reconsider the matter for which the resolution has been made, the resolution must be revoked first, only then can the motion can be retabled within the same session," he said.
Meeting Rule 36 (3) states: "It shall be out of order to attempt to reconsider any specific question upon which the House has come to a conclusion during the current session except upon a substantive motion for rescission."


‘Communist supporter’ claims a lot of ‘organised fuss’ about nothing

Recently I had the honour of being invited to speak on “Maintaining National Unity” to global leaders including local Malaysian opposition leaders who participated in an event organised by the Communist Party of China (CPC).The focus of my speech was to share the Malaysian success story of maintaining our national unity and harmony. In fact, PKR had also sent their leader who spoke before me at the same forum.Regrettably, politically sponsored individuals and organisations have intentionally dragged up racial rhetoric to accuse MCA of being a “communist supporter” for participating in a forum attended by all parties which included Pakatan Harapan and Umno.They were referring to my speech at a virtual thematic briefing organised by the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee (IDCPC) on Feb 22.The talk was part of our diplomatic engagement of a four-decade long effort to foster strong business and diplomatic ties between Malaysia and China, an important task started by the late Abdul Razak Hussein when he first initiated the relationship by visiting China in 1974.Other Malaysian leaders also participated in the IDCPC briefing, including participants from PKR who appeared in a session the day before alongside representatives from Spain, Turkey and South Korea.In fact, there were even leaders from DAP, PKR, Umno and other Malaysian political parties who participated in past programmes held by the Chinese government, with little or no uproar.It is obvious that the “organised fuss” was a toxic attempt to incite hatred against the Perikatan Nasional government and MCA by linking it with the 71st anniversary of the tragic and senseless violence at Bukit Kepong as another political stunt by irresponsible parties.During the briefing I discussed the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic last year and how it has basically tested the economic landscape of the country, which was severely affected by closures, suspension of trade, and heavy job losses.The speech is out there for the whole world to see; the theme is about unity and we are selling Malaysia’s brand of unity abroad as well as promoting diplomacy. This discourse was not about communist political ideology, but an attempt to sell the Malaysian success story of tolerance and understanding towards maintaining national unity in a multiracial country.Ti Lian Ker is vice-president of MCA and deputy minister of national unity.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Over 150 staff at US hospital fired or quit over vaccine ruling

More than 150 employees at the Houston Methodist hospital in Texas were fired or resigned after failing to comply with orders to get a Covid-19 vaccination to continue working there, a hospital spokesman said Tuesday.Officials at Houston Methodist told its staff they needed to have received a Covid vaccination by June 7 or be suspended for two weeks.Hospital spokesman Gale Smith told AFP that 153 employees either resigned in the two-week suspension period or were terminated today.“The employees who became compliant during the suspension period returned to work the day after they became compliant,” she said.Nearly 200 staff had been suspended, the New York Times reported, and protests were staged against the mandatory vaccine rule.Last month, 117 staff members filed a lawsuit against the hospital, accusing it of “forcing its employees to be human ‘guinea pigs’ as a condition for continued employment”.The lawsuit was dismissed by a judge who said the vaccines’ safety was not at issue, and that Texas law only protects employees from refusing to commit a crime.“Receiving a Covid-19 vaccination is not an illegal act, and it carries no criminal penalties,” judge Lynn Hughes wrote.The judge also reprimanded one of the main plaintiffs behind the lawsuit, nurse Jennifer Bridges, for the analogy that the threat of being fired for not getting vaccinated was like “forced medical experimentation during the Holocaust”.“Equating the injection requirement to medical experimentation in concentration camps is reprehensible,” Hughes wrote.But Bridges, who was one of the staff to have lost their job in the protest, told AFP Tuesday their legal push was receiving more support.“117 people joined us initially. Now we’re about to add another 70. We want Methodist to be held accountable for their actions. We want the public to see that we should not have lost our jobs and that Methodist is not properly giving people informed consent or talking about adverse reactions,” the 39-year-old said.“I chose not to get this shot because the risks for me are too great. I’ve personally seen adverse reactions within employees and patients. Everything from severe headaches to blood clots, to paralysis, to even death,” she said.“At my age, my benefits from getting this vaccine aren’t much at all because I only have a 1% chance of dying from the virus anyways.”Houston houses the world’s largest medical complex, the Texas Medical Center, a sprawling district that includes hospitals and research universities.The Medical Center employs more than 106,000 healthcare workers in all, and sees some 10 million patients a year.As of Tuesday, 65.4% of adults in the US had received one or more doses of the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson shots.And yet, surveys show that healthcare workers have been among the greatest vaccine sceptics.


Beijing ramps up Covid quarantine, Shanghai residents decry uneven rules

Beijing stepped up quarantine efforts to end its month-old Covid outbreak as fresh signs of frustration emerged in Shanghai, where some bemoaned unfair curbs with the city of 25 million preparing to lift a prolonged lockdown in just over a week.Even as China’s drastic attempts to eradicate Covid entirely – its “zero-Covid” approach – bite into prospects for the world’s second-biggest economy, new reported infection numbers remain well below levels seen in many Western cities. The capital reported 48 new cases for Monday among its population of 22 million, with Shanghai reporting fewer than 500.Still, Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan called for more thorough measures to cut virus transmission and adhere to the nation’s zero-Covid policy during an inspection tour in Beijing, state agency Xinhua reported on Tuesday.The situation in Beijing was manageable, but containment efforts cannot ease, she said, according to Xinhua.In one example of the stringency of Beijing’s approach, around 1,800 people in one city neighbourhood were relocated to Zhangjiakou city in the nearby Hebei province for quarantine, the state-backed Beijing Daily reported.Still in place are instructions for residents in six of the capital’s 16 districts to work from home, while a further three districts encouraged people to follow such measures, with each district responsible for implementing its own guidelines.Beijing had already reduced public transport, requesting some shopping malls and other venues to close and sealing buildings where new cases were detected.In Shanghai, authorities plan to keep most restrictions in place this month, before a more complete lifting of the two-month-old lockdown from June 1. Even then, public venues will have to cap people flows at 75% of capacity.‘Let’s strike’With Shanghai officially declared to be a zero-Covid city, some authorities allowed more people to leave their homes for brief periods over the past week, and more supermarkets and pharmacies were authorised to reopen and provide deliveries.But other lower-level officials separately tightened restrictions in some neighbourhoods, ordering residents back indoors to cement progress achieved so far during the city’s final lap towards exiting the lockdown.That has led to frustration and complaints of uneven treatment among some residents.While the zero-Covid status describes the entire city, and residents in some compounds have been allowed to move in and out of their homes freely, others have been told they can only go out for a few hours, and many of those stuck indoors were told nothing.Videos circulating on social media this week showed residents arguing with officials to be let out of their residential compounds.The Shanghai government did not immediately respond to a request to comment.One resident told Reuters people in his compound decided on the WeChat social media platform to go out in groups.“Let’s strike at our gate tonight to demand that we be allowed to go out like many of other compounds in the neighbourhood,” he quoted one of his neighbours as saying in the group chat.A video he shared then showed a group of people arguing at the entrance of the compound with a man who described himself as a sub-district official, who asked the residents to go back inside and discuss the situation.“Don’t bother with him,” one person said as some people were socialising outside the compound.People in at least two other compounds were planning to try going outside despite not being told they were allowed to do so, residents said.Economic respite?At a time when most other countries are moving to models of living with the virus, China’s Covid measures are inflicting damage on its economy, as well as disrupting global supply chains.Many analysts expect the economy to shrink in the second quarter, even if the overall Covid situation across China and economic activity has improved this month when compared with April.To support the economy, China will broaden tax credit rebates, postpone social security payments by small firms and loan repayments and roll out new investment projects among other steps, state television quoted the cabinet as saying.In one positive signal for Shanghai, electric vehicle giant Tesla plans to reach on Tuesday production levels similar to those before the lockdown at its plant in the city, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters.Nomura analysts estimate 26 Chinese cities were implementing full or partial lockdowns or other Covid measures as of May 23, accounting for 208 million people and 20.5% of China’s economic output. That would be down from 271 million the week before and 27% of output.“But to us, this is merely a respite instead of a turning point,” the analysts wrote in a note. They said passing a turning point would depend exclusively on an exit from the zero-Covid strategy, and not so much on daily case numbers and monthly activity data.


45 deaths, over 500 in ICU

Another 4,446 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 474,556.Selangor recorded 1,650 cases, Sarawak 433, Johor 391, Kelantan 343, Kuala Lumpur 297, Negeri Sembilan 243, Kedah 236, Perak 203, Terengganu 201, Penang 159 and Pahang 139.Melaka recorded 80 cases, Sabah 60 and Putrajaya 11.Active cases stand at 43,506 with 522 in the ICU and 273 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 2,784 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 429,103.However, 45 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,947.


Chile limits use of AstraZeneca after blood clot case

Chile on Thursday became the latest country to limit use of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, linked to rare blood clots, when a 31-year-old man developed thrombosis after being immunised.Pending further investigation and as a “preventative and proactive measure”, the shot will in future be administered only to people 45 and over, the health ministry of the South American country said.It did not give details on the condition of the man who fell ill after receiving a first shot of the vaccine.Chile has already administered 326,560 doses of AstraZeneca, mainly but not exclusively to people over the age of 55 to limit the risk of blood clots reported in other countries.Besides AstraZeneca, of which it has ordered six million doses, Chile also uses the Pfizer/BioNTech shot and China’s Coronavac.To date, the country has given at least one vaccine dose to 10.8 million people out of a 15.2 million target population – one of the highest rates in the world.The European Medicines Agency said in April that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine increases with age and outweighs the risks for adults.However, after a few hundred cases of blood clots, several countries have suspended or stopped the jab’s use altogether, or limited it to older people.Clots are also being listed as a side effect of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which uses the same adenovirus vector technology as AstraZeneca.


UK signed current trade deals with countries abusing workers, report finds

Five of the 10 countries rated as the “worst in the world for workers” have been given trade deals by the UK government in the past two years, according to a global rights report.Of the 67 countries outside the EU with which the UK formed deals in 2019, 14 have been ranked as having a “systematic violation of worker’s rights” and 11 have “no guarantee of workers’ rights”.The findings came from the annual Global Rights Index, published by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), which tracks the abuse of workers’ rights around the world, covering everything from restrictions on strikes to the killing of union organisers.According to the report, a further 14 countries with alarming workers’ rights records are currently in trade negotiations with the UK, including Brazil, which is listed in the lowest 10 for global rights.“In total, more than a third of the non-EU countries with whom the UK has negotiated post-Brexit trade deals since 2019 are systematically abusing or denying workers’ rights, as are 14 of the 24 countries with whom the government is currently in active negotiations over new trade deals,” the ITUC said.The report also highlights specific violations made by UK trading partners.In Colombia, 22 trade unionists were murdered in the past year, while 13 nurses were arrested in Zimbabwe for requesting PPE as they battled coronavirus, according to the index.It also found that restrictions on the right to strike, the right to unionise, and the right to free speech and assembly are at an eight-year high around the world.Shadow International trade secretary Emily Thornberry said the report showed that the government had missed a “golden opportunity” to stand up for workplace rights and had instead proved it “couldn’t care less”.“When these trade negotiations began in the run up to Brexit, the government had a moral obligation to make clear to other countries around the world that if they wanted preferential trade deals with the UK, they had to uphold the rights of their workers,” she said.“We needed to do that not just to show solidarity with working people overseas, but to protect businesses and workers in Britain from a global race to the bottom, where unscrupulous governments and corporations routinely cut production costs on the backs of their employees.“Instead of taking that stand, the government has done the opposite, handing out trade deals to dozens of governments with the worst track records in the world for abusing and exploiting their workers, and actively launching negotiations with several more.”ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow said the report exposed a “shameful roll call of governments and companies that have pursued an anti-union agenda in the face of workers who have stood on the front line providing essential work to keep economies and communities functioning. When Covid-19 hit, we learned who the heroes are.”She said, “Workers everywhere cared for the sick, put food on our tables and kept the economy moving. But despite all that, workers are under attack like never before. Governments and employers exploited the pandemic to exploit the people the world depends on by increasing surveillance, breaking agreements, laying off workers, blocking and intimidating unions and resorting to violence and murder.”A spokesman for the Department of International Trade said: “It is completely untrue to say this government does not stand up for workers’ rights. The government has made it clear that increased global trade will not come at the expense of labour standards, and we will continue to stand up for workers’ rights worldwide.”


SPRINT highway road closures to see traffic diversions until March

Motorists using the SPRINT highway are advised to use alternative routes in several areas from tomorrow until early next March due to the closure of roads for the construction of a multi-level flyover by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
SPRINT highway communications department head Shah Rizal Mohamed Fawzi said the situation would involve road users from Petaling Jaya using the right lane to Jalan Maarof towards Bangsar at the Maarof intersection.
Also involved are motorists from Petaling Jaya heading towards Kuala Lumpur via Pusat Bandar Damansara, which involves Jalan Johar, Jalan Beringin and Jalan Semantan.
"The right lane for vehicles from Petaling Jaya to Jalan Maarof towards Bangsar at the Maarof intersection will be closed and vehicles will need to take a detour to the left via Jalan Johar-Jalan Beringin-Jalan Damanlela-Jalan Damansuria-SPRINT headed to Petaling Jaya and then to the right to the new flyover in front of the Pavilion project.
"This traffic diversion is expected to ease traffic congestion during peak hours for vehicles from Petaling Jaya or the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) to Kuala Lumpur from the Maarof intersection to the Semantan intersection," he said in a statement today. He advised highway users to use four alternatives routes to ease congestion in the area due to the road closure.
The four alternative routes are the Damansara Link-Damansara Puchong Highway (LDP)-Penchala Link-Jalan Duta-Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim-Jalan Kuching; Damansara Link-Kerinchi Link-Jalan Duta-Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim-Jalan Kuching; Damansara Link-Kerinchi Link-Federal Highway Route 2 (FHR2)-Jalan Syed Putra-Jalan Kinabalu; and Damansara Link-Jalan Dato Abu Bakar-Jalan Universiti-FHR2-Jalan Syed Putra-Jalan Kinabalu.
Motorists are also asked to cooperate and follow the instructions of the traffic diversion signs and use the suggested alternative routes.


3 immigration officers remanded over bribery

Three immigration officers were remanded for five days from today to assist in investigations into a corruption case.Magistrate Shah Wira Abdul Halim issued the remand orders for the officers in Putrajaya today.According to a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) source, the officers, aged between 33 and 35, were detained between noon and 5.50pm at the MACC headquarters yesterday.They are suspected to have received bribes to expedite the process of issuing passes to foreigners to return to their country of origin without going through the online appointment system.According to the source, the officers had been dealing with a middleman since implementation of the recovery movement control order to manage the issuance of passes to foreigners who have overstayed in the country to return to their country of origin.The source said the three suspects were said to have received bribes of between RM300 and RM500 for each pass issued without going through the system.Yesterday, according to the MACC source, two individuals, including an immigration officer, were also remanded for five days to assist in investigations into the same case.Putrajaya MACC director Hasbilah Mohamad Salleh confirmed the arrests.