Don’t build castles in the sand, more MPs hit out at Anwar’s plan

More MPs have thrown their weight behind a growing opposition against PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim’s plan to work with Umno in toppling the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.They also hit out at constant talk of wresting the prime minister’s seat as well as of having the “numbers” to change the government, a claim repeated by Anwar since the fall of the Pakatan Harapan administration last year.“A year has passed by after the painful betrayal in the Sheraton Move. We want to move forward. We do not have a shortage of talent among opposition MPs,” said a joint statement signed by DAP’s Ramkarpal Singh and Hannah Yeoh, Warisan’s Darell Leiking, PKR’s Maria Chin Abdullah, and Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, the Muar MP who has formed his own bloc.“We want the opposition leadership to be focused on policies that will win the trust and hearts of Malaysians and lead us into victory in the coming elections,” they said.This comes days after Anwar’s admission that his party had met with Umno leaders in attempts to forge an alliance against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.The five MPs warned against working with the Malay party, saying the experience of the current PN government in joining hands with Umno should serve as a lesson.“We need to learn from the sandcastles built by this Perikatan Nasional government that have no strong foundation and are being held at ransom with constant threats and double-minded resolutions of withdrawal of support from Umno. We shall not be like them,” they said.“The road to Putrajaya must not be obtained at all costs.”A group of Umno leaders led by party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Najib Razak have lately stepped up their criticism of PN despite supporting the coalition to form the government last year.Zahid and Najib, in October last year, had backed Anwar’s bid to topple Muhyiddin through the defections of MPs.The five MPs today join several others as well as a DAP senator who voiced their objection yesterday to any political alliance with Umno.Pulai MP Salahuddin Ayub (Amanah), Sepanggar MP Azis Jamman (Warisan) and Selangau MP Baru Bian (PSB) together with DAP’s Liew Chin Tong said the main focus at the moment should be to strengthen the opposition bloc.In a statement also signed by Syed Saddiq, they urged Anwar to reject any cooperation with “kleptocrats”.


Malaysian who dodged death for drugs in Singapore walks free

A 38-year-old Malaysian man who escaped the noose on Oct 13, 2020, after the Singapore Court of Appeal cleared him of a capital drug charge, finally walked out a free man yesterday.The Straits Times reported that Beh Chew Boo was released after the same panel of judges dismissed a bid by prosecutors to proceed with the trial of four other non-capital charges against him.The judges – Sundaresh Menon, Tay Yong Kwang and Steven Chong – came in with a 2-1 decision, the daily reported.Beh, who was arrested in October 2016 at the Woodlands checkpoint, faced five charges of unauthorised import of controlled drugs on the same occasion to the republic.The prosecution however proceeded with only the first charge which involved the death penalty while the other four charges were stood down.Beh claimed trial and was convicted by the High Court on the charge of importing into Singapore not less than 499.97g of methamphetamine.He was sentenced to death in early 2020.At the time of the incident, Beh, who was 34 then, entered Singapore from Malaysia on a Malaysian-registered motorcycle.The registered owner of the motorcycle was his friend and ex-colleague while his girlfriend, Ting Swee Ling, was riding pillion.The seized drugs contained not less than 742.82g of crystalline substance, which was analysed and found to contain not less than 499.97g of methamphetamine.


Zahid clocks in for work on first day back as DPM

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi began his official duties as deputy prime minister at Perdana Putra in Putrajaya today.
Dressed in a black suit, he arrived at the Perdana Putra compound at 8am and was greeted by Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali.
He then clocked in at his office, which is on Level 4. This was followed by a prayer recitation led by assistant Islamic affairs officer of the Prime Minister’s Department, Kamruzaman Abdul Aziz, after which the Bagan Datuk MP signed the welcome book.
Zahid, 69, was announced as deputy prime minister and rural and regional development minister by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim last Friday.
Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional chairman, was among 27 members of the Cabinet who took their oaths of office before Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at Istana Negara on Saturday.
Zahid is also scheduled to attend a special Cabinet meeting chaired by the prime minister later today.
Perdana Putra houses the main offices of the country’s administration such as the Prime Minister’s Office, the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office and the Office of the Chief Secretary.


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Air cargo traffic recovers to pre-pandemic levels

Air freight traffic has returned to pre-pandemic levels, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said Tuesday, but passenger traffic slumped further in January.IATA global demand as measured in tonnes of cargo shipped per kilometre was up 1.1% compared to January 2019 and rose by 3% from December 2020.Capacity is down nearly 20% from January 2019 and fell 5% from December 2020, however, as airlines have taken out of service passenger jets that also transport cargo.But for passenger traffic, which generates some 85% of revenues for airlines, the situation has gone “from bad to worse”, said IATA, which represents most airlines.Passenger traffic, measured as revenue per passenger kilometre, was down by 72% in January from the same month last year.That is worse than the 69.7% annual drop registered in December.Airlines lost out on US$510 billion in revenue in 2020, IATA said last month, but it hopes for a strong recovery in traffic in the second half of this year as countries roll out their vaccination campaigns.


Cabinet to decide on entry of foreign travellers, says health minister

Any decision related to the arrival of foreign travellers, especially from China, will be discussed comprehensively at the Cabinet level, says Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
"It will be a joint decision after taking into account views from the various ministries, not just from the health ministry since this involves tourism and economic growth as well as public safety," she said.
Speaking at a press conference after visiting KLIA and klia2 in Sepang yesterday, Zaliha said she had met Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim earlier for a briefing on foreign travellers which would be raised in the Cabinet meeting the next day.
"Tomorrow, we will present the facts that we have gathered and the related possibilities. God willing, we hope to come up with the best solution, a balanced decision based on science and data as well as community perception," she said.
Her remarks come amid concern over the increase in number of Covid-19 cases in China. Zaliha said the arrival of foreign tourists at the two airports was being monitored without any discrimination. If travellers were found to be unwell, she said, they would be sent to the nearest health facility.
She also said she was satisfied with the Covid-19 prevention measures currently in place.
She advised Malaysians to take protective measures as recommended by the ministry, by wearing face masks and getting a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine.


Blasts, fresh drone attacks rock Russian-held areas far from Ukraine war front

Russia reported fresh Ukrainian drone attacks on Friday evening, a day after explosions erupted near military bases in Russian-held areas of Ukraine and Russia itself, apparent displays of Kyiv's growing ability to pummel Moscow's assets far from front lines.
The latest incidents followed huge blasts last week at an air base in Russian-annexed Crimea. In a new assessment, a Western official said that incident had rendered half of Russia's Black Sea naval aviation force useless in a stroke.
Russia's RIA and Tass news agencies, citing a local official in Crimea, said it appeared Russian anti-aircraft forces had been in action near the western Crimean port of Yevpatoriya on Friday night. Video posted by a Russian website showed what appeared to be a ground-to-air missile hitting a target. Reuters was unable immediately to confirm the video's veracity.
Tass cited a local official as saying Russian anti-aircraft forces knocked down six Ukrainian drones sent to attack the town of Nova Kakhovka, east of the city of Kherson. Ukraine says retaking Kherson is one of its main priorities. Separately, an official in Crimea said defences there had downed an unspecified number of drones over the city of Sevastopol.
"The Ukrainian armed forces treated the Russians to a magical evening," said Seriy Khlan, a member of Kherson's regional council disbanded by Russian occupation forces.
The night before, multiple explosions had been reported in Crimea – which Moscow seized in 2014 – including near Sevastopol, headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, as well as at Kerch near a huge bridge to Russia.
Inside Russia, two villages had been evacuated after explosions at an ammunition dump in Belgorod province, more than 100km from territory controlled by Ukrainian forces.
Kyiv coy
Kyiv has been withholding official comment on incidents in Crimea or inside Russia while hinting that it is behind them using long-range weapons or sabotage.
A Western official indicated on Friday that at least some of the incidents were Ukrainian attacks, saying Kyiv was consistently achieving "kinetic effects" deep behind Russia's lines.
Huge explosions on Aug 9 at Russia's Saky air base on the Crimean coast had put more than half of the Black Sea Fleet's combat jets out of use, the official said, in what would be one of the costliest attacks of the war.
Russia has denied aircraft were damaged in what it called an accident, although satellite pictures showed at least eight burnt-out warplanes and several huge craters.
Moscow dismissed the head of the Black Sea Fleet this week.
Ukraine hopes its apparent new-found ability to hit Russian targets behind the front line can turn the tide in the conflict, disrupting supply lines Moscow needs to support its occupation.
A senior US defence official said on Friday that US President Joe Biden's administration was preparing another security assistance package for Ukraine valued at US$775 million and containing surveillance drones and for the first time mine-resistant vehicles.
Since last month, Ukraine has been fielding Western-supplied rockets to strike behind Russian lines. Some explosions reported in Crimea and Belgorod were beyond the range of ammunition Western countries have acknowledged sending so far.
A senior Ukrainian official said around half of incidents in Crimea were Ukrainian attacks of some kind, and half accidents caused by Russia's poor operations. He emphasised that attacks were carried out by saboteurs rather than long-range weapons, though he would not say whether Kyiv now had ATACMS, a longer range version of the US Himars rockets it began using in June.
The official, who declined to be named, said Ukraine had hoped its strikes would have a bigger impact in reducing Russian artillery power but Moscow was adapting.
Concern about nuclear plant
Ukraine also issued dire warnings about a frontline nuclear power station, the Zaporizhzhia complex, where it said it believed Moscow was planning a "large-scale provocation" as justification to decouple the plant from the Ukrainian power grid and connect it to Russia's.
"If the Russian blackmail with radiation continues, this summer may go down in the history of various European nations as one of the most tragic of all time. Because no nuclear power station anywhere in the world has a procedure for a terrorist state turning a nuclear power plant into a target," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address Friday evening.
Continuing the mutual blame game, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of shelling the complex, risking a nuclear catastrophe.
Ukraine's nuclear power operator said on Friday it suspected Moscow was planning to switch over the Zaporizhzhia plant to Russia's power grid, a complex operation Kyiv says could cause a disaster.
The power station is held by Russian troops on the bank of a reservoir. Ukrainian forces control the opposite bank.
Moscow has rejected international calls to demilitarise the plant and Putin on Friday renewed his accusation that Kyiv was shelling it in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to the Kremlin's readout.
Macron's office said Putin agreed to a mission to Zaporizhzhia by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Thousands of people have been killed and millions forced to flee since Russia launched its invasion on Feb 24, saying it aimed to demilitarise Ukraine and protect Russian speakers on what Putin called historical Russian land.
Ukraine and Western countries view it as a war of conquest aimed at wiping out Ukraine's national identity.


New cases top 2,800

Another 2,842 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,769,886.Another 2,862 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,698,613.Meanwhile 252 are in the ICU, including 196 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 134 are in need of respiratory assistance including 82 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 2,842 cases reported today, 47 (1.7%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 2,795 (98.3%) are in Category One and Two.


Two million Sinovac recipients risk losing fully vaxxed status

An estimated two million people who received the Sinovac vaccine could lose their fully vaccinated status if they fail to get a booster jab within the next seven days.Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said some 2.09 million people have yet to receive a booster shot ahead of the March 31 deadline.“According to our projections for the next week, there might be two million Sinovac recipients who are at risk of losing their fully vaccinated status,” he said at a press conference today.Khairy had previously given numerous reminders for Sinovac recipients and senior citizens to get boosted by March 31, failing which their vaccination status would change to incomplete.The health ministry initially said that those in these categories would be given until the end of February to receive a booster shot.However, Khairy announced early this month that the timeframe to obtain a booster dose for both groups had been extended until March 31.Speaking today, he said he did not expect the uptake of booster jabs to slow during the fasting month.“I don’t foresee any slowdown during Ramadan as I don’t think anything could be slower than it is now.“At the moment, the rate is very, very low.”


Websites back up after brief global glitch

Many popular websites briefly became unreachable to internet users on Thursday in a widespread global outage of service.Visitors attempting to reach many sites received DNS errors, meaning their computer or phone could not connect to the websites.At first many worried that the World Wide Web was under cyber attack from unknown hackers.The disruption lasted up to an hour and was actually caused by a bug in the domain name system (DNS) service, which turns the word-based web addresses we use into numerical addresses that point to the required computer server somewhere online.DNS provider, Akamai Technologies Inc said the outage was triggered during one of its software updates.“We have implemented a fix for this issue, and based on current observations, the service is resuming normal operations,” Akamai said in a tweet. “We are reviewing our software update process to prevent future disruptions.”Internet outage monitoring platform DownDetector had reported millions of problems across dozens of platforms.As some websites began to appear again for users in Europe and the US, others in Asian nations continued to report problems.This was the second such widespread outage in two months. In June, cloud computing provider Fastly had a hiccup which took down a large number of high-profile websites around the world, including many international newspapers and government websites.In that case, it later emerged that a settings change by one customer had inadvertently affected the entire infrastructure.


China to revamp science, tech in face of foreign 'suppression'

China will conduct a sweeping revamp of its science ministry and tech capabilities, pouring more resources into manufacturing and research as Beijing pushes for self-reliance in the face of foreign attempts at "containment and suppression".
A broad restructuring document announced by China's cabinet on Tuesday and set to be approved by the country's parliament this week will refocus the Ministry of Science and Technology's resources on coordinating scientific and technological breakthroughs.
Beijing will "optimise its management of the whole chain of science and technology innovation", the document said, as well as set up a national data administration responsible for overseeing the digital economy.
China faced "a severe situation of international scientific and technological competition alongside external containment and suppression", said Xiao Jie, a member of China's State Council, as he introduced the plan at a meeting of the national parliament on Tuesday.
Beijing must "better coordinate scientific and technological capabilities to overcome difficulties in key core technologies", while also accelerating "high-level scientific and technological self-reliance", Xiao said, according to an official readout.
The rubber-stamp parliament is expected to approve the plan at its annual national meeting – known as the "lianghui" or "Two Sessions" – which wraps up on Monday.
The plan will slash staffing at the country's central state institutions by 5%, with the freed-up headcount reallocated toward "key areas and important work".
It will also replace China's existing banking and insurance regulator with a new body incorporating some functions from its central bank and securities watchdog, strengthening oversight over the financial sector, already subject to a sweeping crackdown.
Self-reliance
President Xi Jinping vowed earlier this month to boost the country's manufacturing capacity, telling Two Sessions delegates "we must rely on ourselves".
Faced with an increasingly hostile international environment and lagging growth at home, Beijing is also grappling with a shift by global corporations away from Chinese factories to manufacturers in countries such as India and Vietnam.
Xi told Two Sessions delegates on Sunday that China must develop high-quality manufacturing that is "innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared".
This year's parliamentary meeting follows a key Communist Party conclave last year that secured Xi another five years as head of the party and the military. The Chinese leader is expected to be reappointed as president this week.
Changhao Wei, a fellow at Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center, told AFP that Tuesday's restructuring followed "practically an unwritten rule that this must happen at the start of each government's five-year term".
An even broader plan is expected after the Two Sessions close next week, with Wei adding that "it's certainly possible, and even likely, that the Party (and Xi personally) would assert more control as part of this round of restructuring".


Mongolia pins hopes on vaccine after first virus death

Mongolia reported its first Covid-19 death over the weekend, illustrating that even in one of Asia’s best-performing countries, when it comes to pandemic control the coronavirus shows no signs of abating.Before the death of a 76-year-old woman from Covid-19 on Saturday, the country of 3.4 million had reported no fatalities since its first case was discovered in March, reports the South China Morning Post.The woman was said to have prior health complications, including high blood pressure, diabetes and hepatitis C, according to national news agency Montsame.On Monday, the country reported 16 new cases, bringing the total number to 1,098, with 711 recoveries. But as recently as early November, there had been no local transmissions and only 346 imported cases before a surge occurred.Some analysts attribute the low infection rates to the fact that Mongolia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. However, many also credited the government for closing its border to China in January, and to the rest of the world in March.In a November report, the World Health Organization (WHO) praised Mongolia’s emergency preparedness system, but the November surge included the first locally transmitted case, prompting authorities to announce strict new measures including a curfew in the capital, Ulaanbaatar.The first case of community spread was said to be connected to a truck driver who entered from Russia, leading to further outbreaks among employees of the Trans-Mongolian Railroad, which connects Mongolia with Russia, said Marissa Smith of the American Centre for Mongolian Studies“The Mongolian government is now taking even stronger measures,” Smith told This Week in Asia on Monday, “It is remarkable there was no community spread earlier.”In mid-November, Mongolia announced that it had applied to purchase vaccines with funding it received from the World Bank when it joined the Covax Facility, a global initiative that brings together governments and manufacturers to ensure that vaccines will reach developing countries in need.Anandsaikhan Nyamdavaa, an independent consultant based in the capital said Russia and China – Mongolia’s two closest neighbours – have officially expressed willingness to supply their vaccines to Mongolia.“Both the countries could supply their vaccines in a short period if we request them today,” he said. “But there is some reluctance to accept vaccines from China.”In an online poll conducted by Anandsaikhan over the weekend, 298 Mongolians said they would rather not receive any Chinese vaccines, versus only 15 who said they would.“Even though this is not a scientific poll, in my opinion it accurately portrays people’s opinion on the vaccines,” he said.In August, China’s ambassador to Mongolia said his country would send its vaccines to Mongolia once WHO gives its approval.


Muhyiddin given mandate to discuss Bersatu’s GE strategy with other parties

Bersatu’s highest decision making body has agreed to give full authority to the political bureau chaired by its president Muhyiddin Yassin to discuss the party’s strategy for the general election to come with other political parties.Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said the decision was made at a Supreme Council meeting on April 5, chaired by Muhyiddin.“The Bersatu Supreme Council discussed, among others, issues related to the party’s administration, political developments in the country, and the results of the Johor state election held on March 12,” he said in a statement.At the Johor polls, Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition of which Bersatu is the lynchpin won three of the 56 seats in the legislative assembly.Muhyiddin had subsequently urged Bersatu to begin preparing for the election straight away instead of waiting until nomination day to campaign.Despite PN’s defeat at the Johor election and the earlier state polls in Melaka, he said support for the coalition had been encouraging and showed the potential for the pact to continue growing.


Myanmar junta releases thousands of jailed anti-coup protesters

Myanmar authorities released more than 2,000 anti-coup protesters from prisons across the country on Wednesday, including local journalists jailed after reporting critically on the junta’s bloody crackdown.Myanmar has been rocked by massive protests and a brutal military response since the February coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and her government.More than 880 civilians have been killed in a crackdown by the State Administration Council – as the junta calls itself – and almost 6,500 arrested, according to a local monitoring group.After authorities announced the release, a crowd of at least 200 people gathered outside the colonial-era Insein Prison in Yangon hoping a loved one might be released, an AFP reporter said.Pressing up against the barricades, many held umbrellas to shelter from light rain, footage on local media showed, with one woman holding a flower.One man waiting outside the prison for his daughter, a protester, said he was “very proud of her”.“I will encourage her to fight until they win,” he told AFP.By the evening a total of 2,296 protesters had been released from prisons around the country, the junta’s information team said in a statement.As buses pulled out of Insein to take detainees to local police stations where they were due to be released, those onboard flashed the three-finger salute – a popular protest symbol – through the windows.Local media published images it said showed trucks pulling out of the northern town of Myitkyina, also carrying detainees.Journalist Kay Zon Nway of Myanmar Now was among those freed from Insein, the news outlet said in a statement.She said she had experienced “many things” in the notorious jail, but added that she would explain later.US journalist Danny Fenster is being held at the same prison after being detained on May 24.There were no foreigners among those released from Insein on Wednesday, a prison official told AFP on condition of anonymity.Ye Myo Khant, a 20-year-old photojournalist for the Myanmar Press Agency, was freed Wednesday after a 120-day detention.“I was reporting when they unjustly arrested me,” he said.While the release will be welcomed by individuals and reunited families, it “will do nothing to blunt popular resistance to military rule”, Richard Horsey, senior adviser on Myanmar to the International Crisis Group, told AFP.“They should never have been detained. We should also remember that some of these people have faced brutal interrogations and torture that will leave lasting damage, visible and invisible.”In February, the junta released around 23,000 prisoners, with some rights groups at the time fearing the move was to free up space for opponents of the military as well as to cause chaos in communities.Ousted leader Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since the coup, asked the people of Myanmar to stay “united” in the face of military rule, her lawyers relayed Tuesday as she reappeared in a junta court.The Nobel laureate, and daughter of independence hero General Aung San, has been invisible to the outside world bar a handful of courtroom appearances.Suu Kyi, 76, has been hit with an eclectic raft of charges. She could face more than a decade in prison if convicted on all counts.


New study reveals types of place with highest risk of spreading Covid-19

Most Covid-19 infections in cities stem from visits to just a few types of place, a new study suggests.Restaurants, gyms, hotels and houses of worship are among the 10% of locations that seem to supply 80% of infections, according to research published in the journal Nature this week.“These are places that are smaller, more crowded, and people stay there longer,” said study co-author and Stanford University professor Jure Leskovec at a media briefing on the research.“Reducing capacity to 20% in these places instead of shutting them down entirely, could curb transmissions by 80%,” he said. “Our work highlights that it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.”The US study analysed mobile phone data from 98 million Americans in 10 major cities including New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston.Researchers tracked people’s movements to different types of location while looking at the coronavirus counts in their areas, the New York Post reported.“On average, restaurants, gyms, hotels, cafes, and places of worship produced the largest increases in infections when reopened after lockdowns,” the study said.Leskovec added that based on the research, infections are happening very unevenly.“About 10% of points-of-interest account for over 80% of all infections,’’ he said, according to CNN.Residents of low-income areas suffer the worst, the study indicated. That’s at least partly because residents have fewer of these locations available to them, so the sites become more crowded. For example, nearly 150 Covid-19 cases were linked to a single Massachusetts church.“Our model predicts that one visit to a grocery store is twice as dangerous for a lower-income individual than a higher-income individual,” Leskovec said. “This is because grocery stores in lower-income areas have on average 60% more visitors who stay there 17% longer.”CNN noted that the study did not track people to locations with potentially large populations such as schools, prisons and nursing homes.


Indonesian ex-minister jailed 12 years in virus graft case

Indonesia’s ex-social affairs minister was jailed for 12 years on Monday after being convicted of taking US$1.2 million in bribes linked to food aid for poor families hit by the coronavirus pandemic.A Jakarta court handed out the stiff sentence to Juliari Batubara following his December arrest and a sting operation that turned up suitcases, backpacks and envelopes stuffed with cash.“The court sentences the defendant to 12 years in prison and orders him to pay 500 million rupiah (US$35,000) in fines or serve six more months in prison,” presiding judge Muhammad Damis told the hearing, which was held virtually for virus safety reasons.The former politician was also ordered to pay the equivalent of about US$1 million in restitution, or face an additional two years in prison, the court said.Batubara would take cash from two contractors hired to supply basic food packages for Indonesians hit hard by the health crisis, the court heard earlier.President Joko Widodo vowed not to protect corrupt officials in the wake of Batubara’s arrest and described the stolen funds as “the people’s money”.Graft remains a big problem in Indonesia, where politicians are widely seen as among the most corrupt.The country’s anti-corruption agency has arrested scores of public officials in recent years, including ex-fisheries minister Edhy Prabowo who last month was jailed for five years in a graft case linked to baby lobster exports.The Southeast Asian nation is among countries worst hit by Covid-19 with nearly four million confirmed infections and more than 126,000 deaths, although the official tally is widely thought to be a severe undercount due to low testing and patchy data collection.


Report names dozens of Singapore firms involved in arms supply to Myanmar military

Singapore companies have been involved in the business of supplying weapons to the Myanmar military even as the junta carries out its genocidal campaign against the Rohingya as well as its violent crushing of democratic activism since the coup last year, a new detailed report released by an organisation detailing atrocities in the Asean nation has revealed.
Justice for Myanmar (JFM) said it had identified 116 companies which brokered the supply of millions of dollars worth of weapons and other equipment to the Myanmar military, including since the coup d'etat of February 2021 that toppled the democratically elected government.
It said 27 of them had been involved since 2017, the year when the junta undertook a systematic campaign against the Rohingya where villages were burnt, triggering one of the biggest refugee crises in the world.
"They have been complicit in the military’s atrocious crimes and must be prevented from pursuing further business with the military," said JFM, which has in the past exposed governments and businesses in Southeast Asia which it said "financed the Rohingya genocide and the junta’s current campaign of terror against the Myanmar people".
It its detailed findings which it said were based on information leaked from official procurement documents, JFM said 38 companies in Singapore were linked to 78 Myanmar-based companies brokering for the military, adding that this was further proof of the city-state's "complicity in the junta’s international crimes".
"Singapore has long been a known financial and trade hub for the Myanmar military junta and this poses an imminent threat to the lives of millions of Myanmar people. As a member of Asean, Singapore has an important role to play in resolving the Myanmar crisis," it said.
The United Nations and global rights groups have accused Myanmar's military of systematic ethnic cleansing campaigns targeted at minority groups, especially the Rohingya  community.
Since 2017, more than a million Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh and other Asean nations, resulting in one of the biggest refugee crises in the world. Tens of thousands of Rohingya were also estimated to have been killed as the army took part in a campaign of violence by extremist groups to drive out the Muslim minority.
Since last year's coup which restored army generals to political power, air strikes and a systematic destruction of villages have led to the displacement of more than 800,000 people, according to JFM.
Last month, Washington criticised Asean governments for failing to take a harder stand in response to the situation in Myanmar, saying its approach to dialogue had not worked as repression continued.
"I think it’s unfortunately safe to say that we’ve seen no positive movement. On the contrary, we continue to see the repression of the Burmese people who continue to see violence perpetrated by the regime," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during his recent visit to Thailand.
In its latest report, JFM divided the companies involved in arms trade with the junta into three categories: whose who have had business with the Myanmar military since the 2021 coup; those involved following the Rohingya genocide from 2017 or later; and those who conducted business from 2015 to 2016.
Many of the companies named by the group also had links to Israel, Russia, Belarus and Germany.
It said one of them, Singapore-based Venture Sky International Ltd, had directly supplied aircraft spare parts to the Myanmar military.
"The company had at least 12 contracts with the Myanmar Air Force to provide aircraft spare parts in 2016 alone.
"Notably, this is the same year the company was established, indicating that the company was likely to have been set up as an intermediary for the Myanmar military amid the sanctions that were in place at the time," it added.


US accuses rapper of illegal lobbying with Jho Low

A federal prosecutor on Thursday accused Grammy Award-winning rapper Prakazrel "Pras" Michel of The Fugees hip hop group of illegally taking tens of millions of dollars to lobby the US government on behalf of businessman Low Taek Jho and the Chinese government.
The accusations were made at the start of a trial that prosecutor Nicole Lockhart said will link Michel to financier Jho Low, who is suspected of embezzling US$4.5 billion (RM19.90 billion) from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund, and a Chinese government influence campaign aimed at repatriating dissident Guo Wengui.
Michel is being tried on 11 criminal counts including various conspiracy charges for what prosecutors said were three separate lobbying schemes to influence the administrations of former presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Michel has denied the allegations.
"This is a case about foreign money, influence and concealment," Lockhart said during her opening statement in Washington on Thursday.
Lockhart told jurors the case will highlight "political intrigue, backroom dealings... burner phones and lies."
The Fugees won two Grammy Awards for their best-selling 1996 album "The Score". But by 2012, prosecutors said, Michel was in dire need of cash, and he found a solution to his problem through Low, who was known to pay Hollywood celebrities to party with him.
In the first alleged scheme, prosecutors said Michel agreed to funnel about US$2 million from Low into Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.
Because federal election law prohibits foreigners from donating to US campaigns, prosecutors said Michel masked the source of the funds by using straw donors. In exchange for helping Low, the government said Michel pocketed US$18 million.
"Through this scheme, the defendant duped the Obama campaign," Lockhart told the jury.
A few years later, prosecutors said the focus of Michel's foreign lobbying campaign shifted, as the US Justice Department intensified its investigation into Low over his suspected embezzlement of more than US$4.5 billion from 1MDB.
Low "needed a different kind of help," Lockhart said, saying that he paid Michel millions of dollars more to try to "secure influence at the highest levels of the US government" that would quash the investigation.
Michel and Elliott Broidy, the former finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, and other co-conspirators are accused of waging an "illegal back-channel" influence campaign to convince the Trump administration to back off on its investigation into Low.
Prosecutors said they also tried to lobby the Trump administration at China's behest to return exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui to China.
For his work on these two lobbying campaigns on behalf of Low and China, prosecutors said Michel was paid US$70 million.
Prosecutors also said Michel failed to register as a foreign agent as required by law.
Later, after learning he was under criminal investigation, prosecutors said Michel tried to obstruct the probe by contacting witnesses and sending demand letters to straw donors from the 2012 campaign that threatened them with a lawsuit if they did not repay the funds.
Guo has since been indicted on unrelated US fraud charges.
Low remains a fugitive in the Michel case. He is also facing separate US criminal charges for conspiring to launder billions from 1MDB.
In 2019, the Justice Department secured a civil settlement separate from the criminal action with Low, and Low agreed to return about US$1 billion in assets.
Broidy pleaded guilty for his role in October 2020, but Trump granted him a full pardon before leaving the White House.
Michel's defence team on Thursday opted to delay their opening statement until after prosecutors complete making their case. His lawyers are expected to argue that Michel did not know he was acting as a foreign agent and believed he was furthering American interests.
The case is expected to feature testimony from prominent witnesses that could include actor Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as former top Trump administration officials.


Trump on the way out but right-wing nationalism here to stay, say experts

President Donald Trump may be on the way out of the world’s most powerful office, but his short stint in the White House has had an impact on right-wing sentiments worldwide, a discussion session on the post-Trump era heard recently.Rashila Ramli of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) said Trump’s era has boosted right-wing groups as well as those seeking greater protectionism through nationalist sentiments.Malaysia has not been spared the impact of Trump’s nationalistic flavour, either, she added.“It’s a matter of knowing the groups that do exist even within your own society. This is something we really need to watch out for as it is very dangerous,” Rashila, from UKM’s Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, told a recent dialogue hosted by Kuala Lumpur-based Islamic Renaissance Front.But social critic Chandra Muzaffar said right-wing nationalism had existed for a long time in the West even before Trump’s rise.“So it should not be attributed entirely to Trump,” he said.“For instance, the negativity towards the other kind – immigrants, Jews and Muslims – is so much a part of the European psyche.”Multi-billionaire Trump emerged victorious in the 2016 presidential election on the back of the “America First” slogan, promising to prioritise the domestic workforce and create jobs for locals.Trump’s presidency was also characterised by a more draconian immigration policy.But Chandra cautioned against lumping the right wing and nationalism in the same category, saying it is natural for nation-states to protect their own interests.“I don’t see this as right-wing, narrow, or bigoted. They have very good reasons to protect their own interests. But the types of interests they want to protect matter.“Is it the interest of the poor and the marginalised? If it is, then, it’s praiseworthy,” he added.But Chandra agreed that Trump’s rise had to a great extent encouraged the right-wings in other parts of the world.Another speaker, former Iranian ambassador to the United Nations Gholam Ali Khosroo, said Trump had been influential in supporting the resurgence of nationalism in the West, and that the trend would continue in the US and Europe.Khosroo, whose country was targeted by Trump’s hardline policy on the Middle East, expects no major changes when Joe Biden takes over the job.Chandra agreed, saying: “While we may not have to deal with the unpredictability of the Trump regime, the US will continue to maintain its global dominance under Biden.”He added that while Washington could return to multilateral agreements snubbed by Trump such as the Paris Agreement, it would retain its control of international affairs.After becoming president, Trump announced the US’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, an international treaty aimed at reducing global warming, and declared that the US no longer supports the historic nuclear deal on Iran inked by President Barack Obama.But it was the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal which became the first casualty under Trump, when he signed an executive order removing the US from the global trade pact on his first day in office.The TPP was to be a 12-nation trade deal which Malaysia was a part of, aimed at removing trade barriers and tariffs between member-states.Following the collapse of the treaty, countries negotiated a new agreement called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.Rashila said whether the Biden administration rejoins the agreement would depend heavily on domestic politics.Chandra meanwhile said the US could take a leaf from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, when it comes to addressing concerns over sovereignty and national interests.


Cradle Fund CEO was dead before the fire, forensic consultant tells court

A forensic consultant told the Shah Alam High Court today that Cradle Fund CEO Nazrin Hassan was already dead before the fire which broke out at his home.Hospital Kuala Lumpur forensic medicine consultant Dr Siew Sheue Feng said there were no soot injuries or soot inflation, which showed that Nazrin had not breathed in hot air.“It looked like he already died before the onset of the fire,” Siew, the 46th prosecution witness, said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Asnawi Abu Hanifah.Reading from his witness statement, Siew, who conducted the post-mortem on Nazin at 5pm on June 14, 2018 at the HKL Department of Forensic Medicine, said there was no evidence of laryngeal inhalation injury or soot in the trachea and deeper air passage.Siew was testifying in the trial of Nazrin’s widow Samirah Muzaffar, 46, and two teenagers, now aged 19 and 16, as well as an Indonesian woman still at large, Eka Wahyu Lestari, who are all charged with murdering Nazrin at his house in Mutiara Damansara, between 11.30pm on June 13, 2018 and 4am the following day.Siew, who has performed more than 2,000 post-mortems, also listed 16 marks of injury found on Nazrin’s body including a penetrating wound measuring 5cmx4cm at the left parietal region, another penetrating wound measuring 2cmx1cm at the right side of the central forehead, and another measuring 2cmx1.5cm at the upper half of the front of neck.He also showed and explained more than 100 photographs taken during the post-mortem. As he did, Nazrin’s sister who was in the courtroom could be heard crying.The trial continues tomorrow before judge Ab Karim Ab Rahman.


Bomb clearers blown up in their own office

A Briton and an Australian have been killed by a World War 2 bomb they had apparently found and taken to their office in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands.The Norwegian People’s Aid agency identified the men as staff members Stephen Atkinson from Britain and Australian Trent Lee. They were working with the government to develop a database of unexploded bombs from the war.The city is located on Guadalcanal island, the site of savage battles between Japanese and American troops. It remains littered with unexploded bombs.Authorities have been clearing unexploded ordnance in preparation for the 2023 Pacific Games, which the Solomon Islands is hosting.The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force said the men were killed on Sunday when the bomb exploded in their office in a residential part of Honiara.Police said they are still investigating but believe the men had several unexploded bombs in their office and may have been trying to disarm them, ABC news reported.“We are concerned that they decided to conduct explosive ordnance disposal operations within a residential area,” Inspector Clifford Tunuki said in a statement, adding that police later removed other bombs from the office.


Outsourcing AES project implementation was inappropriate, says PAC

The implementation of the Automated Enforcement System (AES) through outsourcing was inappropriate as it should have been conducted by the Road Transport Department, according to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh said this was among the conclusions made by PAC in its proceedings regarding the AES project under the transport ministry, which started on Nov 16, 2020.He said the view of the AES project committee, chaired by the chief secretary to the government at the time, for the project to be implemented by the government itself, had not been taken into consideration.In addition, he said the government’s directive in 2014 for Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) to take over the concession companies, namely ATES Sdn Bhd and Beta Tegap Sdn Bhd, was an indirect bailout action by the government.“The takeover cost by LTAT, amounting to RM555 million, was overvalued and exorbitant. The value did not follow the results of due diligence carried out by KPMG (audit company), where the maximum value is only RM251 million,” he said in a statement today.PAC also concluded that the terms of the contract, especially related to the service fee to be paid to the concession companies, were not in favour of, and in fact, detrimental to the government, while the total compensation paid by the government to LTAT in 2019 was RM668.9 million.As such, PAC recommended that the government ensure that all the terms in any concession agreement are not detrimental to them.Wong also said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission needs to review and investigate the issues raised in the Governance, Procurement and Finance Investigation Committee investigation report and the PAC report, to see if there were individuals involved in accepting kickbacks in the acquisition process of the AES by LTAT.


Rosmah in bid to have money laundering charges dropped

Rosmah Mansor's money laundering and tax evasion trial at the High Court today has been vacated following her representation to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) to drop the charges.
Judge K Muniandy adjourned the first day of the trial after Rosmah's counsel Geethan Ram Vincent told the court that the defence filed a letter of representation on May 3 to the AGC.
"In the letter, we have raised certain facts from Rosmah's previous trial involving the solar project where she was convicted. Therefore, the defence seeks for the adjournment of today's trial," the lawyer said.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib told the court that they received the letter on the said date.
He said the prosecution needed at least two months to decide on the matter as the defence had raised serious legal issues in the representation. "I have yet to set an appointment with the attorney-general for my superiors to brief him about the content of the representation.
"The defence had raised several new facts and issues ... I need to do research and prepare a new write-up to properly brief my superior.
"Due to the complexity of the issue in the letter, I need at least two months to get everything done," he said, adding that the prosecution had no objection to vacating the trial.
Judge Muniandy fixed Aug 24 for the next hearing and vacated the previous dates on June 28 and 30, July 6, 7, 28, and 31 and Aug 1, 2 and 11.
"If the representation is accepted, please inform the court," he said.
Rosmah, 71, is facing 12 money laundering charges, involving RM7,097,750, and five counts of failure to declare her income to the inland revenue board. The wife of former prime minister Najib Razak allegedly committed the offences at Affin Bank Berhad, Bangunan Getah Asli branch, Jalan Ampang between Dec 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017, and at LHDN Kompleks Bangunan Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim between May 1, 2014 and May 1, 2018.
On Sept 1, 2022, the High Court sentenced Rosmah to 10 years in prison and a fine of RM970 million after convicting her of three charges of corruption related to the solar hybrid project worth RM1.25 billion for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
The court also ordered Rosmah to be imprisoned for 30 years if she failed to pay the fine.
The High Court, however, granted her a stay of execution for the imprisonment term and fine pending her appeal to the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal set four days, from July 11 to 14 to hear Rosmah's appeal.


Daily caseload dips below 2,800 as 8 more deaths reported

Another 2,799 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,592,710.
There were 2,666 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,521,578.
There are now 35,323 active cases, of which 34,107 or 96.6% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 19 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,156 (3.3%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 41 are in ICU with 26 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 60.7%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 10.0%.
Eight more deaths were reported, taking total deaths to 35,809.


Weather office warns of severe damage as India, Pakistan brace for cyclone

Roads will be inundated along parts of India's western coast and thatched houses were likely to be destroyed, the country's weather department said on Wednesday, a day before a fierce cyclone was expected to make landfall in the state of Gujarat and southern parts of Pakistan.
Classified as a very severe cyclonic storm, Biparjoy was situated about 280km from Jakhau Port in Gujarat and was expected to make landfall around Thursday evening.
"It will touch Kutch-Saurashtra coast (in Gujarat) adjoining the Pakistan coast between Mandvi and Karachi and near Jakhau port on June 15 from 4pm to 8pm in India (1030-1430 GMT)," Manorama Mohanty, the Gujarat director of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), told reporters.
"As of now, our forecast is it will cross as a very severe cyclonic storm. After crossing, its intensity will fall and become a cyclonic storm and depression."
Meteorologists said the cyclone packed winds with maximum sustained speeds of 125-135km per hour, gusting up to 150km per hour, and warned high tides in the Arabian Sea could inundate low-lying areas along the coasts during the landfall.
Temporary thatched houses could be completely destroyed while standing crops, plantations and roads were expected to face major damage, the IMD said in a statement, adding that railways could also face disruption.
"Coastal districts of Gujarat have started receiving heavy rainfall," a senior official with the state-run IMD said. "From Wednesday evening, the intensity of rainfall and wind speed would increase. On Thursday, extremely heavy rainfall is expected. Some districts could get more than 200mm rainfall on Thursday."
Eight districts in coastal Gujarat are expected to be affected, the state government said. Fishing has been suspended until Friday and schools have declared holidays.
Many offshore oil installations and major ports, which line up the coasts in Gujarat have been forced to suspend operations.
"We have evacuated more than 45,000 people so far. The evacuation operations will continue till today (Wednesday) evening, mainly in Kutch," said Kamal Dayani, a senior official in the Gujarat state government.
Auditorium halls in schools and other government buildings were converted into relief camps to provide shelter to displaced people in neighbouring Pakistan.
Ships and boats have been moved from some areas of Pakistan's coast while hospitals in the region were put on high alert as part of preparations for the cyclone. About 100,000 people will be evacuated by Wednesday morning, Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority has said.


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Rosmah seen as PM’s fierce wife, ex-aide tells court

Rosmah Mansor’s former special officer Rizal Mansor told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today that members of the civil service were afraid of her as she was seen as a fierce woman capable of influencing the decisions and actions of her husband, then-prime minister Najib Razak.Rizal, 46, said this view of Rosmah was based on his experience working with members of the civil service as a contract employee in 2009.“In the eyes of members of the civil service, Rosmah was capable of influencing the (then) prime minister to transfer or demote government officers who opposed or did not follow her requests – or, the term normally used by civil servants, to put them in cold storage.“Apart from that, I also found Rosmah to be very influential in the government administration, as agencies and government officers were hesitant to deny the requests of the FLOM (First Lady of Malaysia) division and Rosmah.“The government officers always tried to satisfy and please Rosmah. They would try to fulfil all her requests and demands,” he said, reading from his witness statement during the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib.Rizal is testifying in the trial of Rosmah, who faces one charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving bribes totalling RM6.5 million from Jepak Holdings ex-managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin.Rizal, who is the 21st prosecution witness, said he regarded the negative descriptions of Rosmah at the time as inaccurate and rumours intended to paint her in a bad light among civil servants.“As the special officer to Rosmah, I always defended her,” he said, adding that he always saw how Rosmah communicated with Najib and how Najib respected her views.Earlier, Rizal told the court that between May 1, 2009 and May 2018, he was attached to the FLOM division, which was set up after Najib took his oath of office as the sixth prime minister in April 2009.He said the FLOM division was later renamed as Special Division and he was tasked with managing Rosmah’s official and unofficial activities.


New cases dip to 27,435 as 55 more deaths logged

Another 27,435 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 3,622,607.Of the total number of cases recorded, 184 were in Category Three and above. The remaining 27,251 were in Category One and Two.There were 30,335 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 3,281,128.A total of 1,756 cases were admitted to hospital yesterday, with 724 (41.2%) in Category Three and above and 1,032 (58.8%) in Category One and Two.Of the 184 cases in Category Three and above reported yesterday:* 55 (29.89%) were not vaccinated or had not completed their vaccination;* 85 (46.20%) had received two doses of vaccine;* 44 (23.91%) had received a booster jab;* 98 (53.26%) were aged 60 and above;* 64 (34.78%) had comorbidities; and* 3 (1.63%) were pregnant women.There are now 308,251 active cases, of which 295,704 or 95.9% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 3,510 (1.1%) are at quarantine centres while 8,658 (2.8%) have been hospitalised.A total of 379 are in ICU with 216 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 59.2%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 42.8%.Another 55 deaths were reported, including 16 who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 33,228.The country’s infectivity rate as of March 6 was 1.05.


EU chief says vaccinated US tourists to be able to visit

US tourists vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to visit the European Union in the coming months, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in an interview on Sunday with The New York Times.Signalling a major change in EU policy as vaccinations step up worldwide, von der Leyen gave no timetable, but the Times said that the new rules could be in place by this summer.“The Americans, as far as I can see, use European Medicines Agency-approved vaccines,” she said. “This will enable free movement and the travel to the European Union.“Because one thing is clear: All 27 member states will accept, unconditionally, all those who are vaccinated with vaccines that are approved by EMA.”The EMA, the bloc’s drug regulator, has approved the three vaccines being used in the US – Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.The Times said the US’s rapid vaccination programme, and progress in talks over how to use vaccine certificates, were behind the plan to allow the return of leisure travel from the US to EU.Von der Leyen said that the US was making “huge progress” and noted it was on track to vaccinate 70% of adults by the middle of June.Resumption of travel would depend “on the epidemiological situation, but the situation is improving in the US, as it is, hopefully, also improving in the European Union,” she added.The pandemic has ravaged tourism on the continent, with many nations shutting borders for non-essential travel.Greece said last week that travellers from the EU and five other countries who are vaccinated or have a recent negative Covid test will no longer have to quarantine on arrival.The country is eager to reopen its badly hit tourism sector and has ramped up its vaccine rollout in the hopes of building up immunity among residents.The European Union has said it wants to launch a vaccine passport for travellers, though plans have not yet been formalised.


Youth volunteers do their bit in fight against Covid-19

With daily Covid-19 cases still riding a high streak of more than 6,000 recorded every 24 hours, more young people are coming forward as volunteers in hopes of giving the government’s massive immunisation drive a boost.They, like many others, are keenly aware that the best shot at a return to normal life is for the country to achieve herd immunity against the virus which has so far claimed more than 5,600 lives.From all across the country, they have flocked to answer the call for volunteers under the Malaysia Vaccine Support Volunteer (MyVac) initiative, a joint effort by the ministries of health; science, technology and innovation; youth and sports; and higher education, as well as the Red Crescent Society.For their services as a volunteer, they receive an allowance of RM50 a day – but it isn’t the money that they are after.Hasni Ibrahim said he was glad to be able to help lighten the load on frontliners while also gaining a little knowledge about the world of health.“The allowance they give is not much, but I can help by registering those who come to be vaccinated and making sure the vaccination process goes smoothly,” the 31-year-old told MalaysiaNow at one of the vaccination centres dotted around the Klang Valley.“Giving assistance is a very noble task.”Hasni has a degree from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak but, like others who finished their studies during the pandemic crisis, he has been having trouble finding a job.Volunteering with MyVac allows him to do something constructive with his time while also contributing to society.“For me, this initiative has benefited many and helped speed up the process of vaccination,” he said.“I am being paid to help people – giving assistance is a very noble task.”For Yuan Leong, pitching in was a way of helping in the fight against Covid-19.“It’s actually not a big sacrifice but at least I can help eradicate this virus,” he said.“It might not be much but I do what I can to help,” he told MalaysiaNow at the mega vaccination centre at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.Leong used to work as a graphic artist before he lost his job due to the pandemic’s effect on the economy.Since April, he has been stationed at the counter for senior citizens and special needs people.The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme or PICK, launched on Feb 24, is the country’s largest vaccination programme to date and a crucial part of efforts to bring the pandemic under control.As of June 23, a total of 4,500 volunteers had been stationed at 332 vaccination centres with more waiting for other centres to open.On June 19, Youth and Sports Minister Reezal Merican said more volunteers were needed in the push to achieve herd immunity, as more mega vaccination centres were being opened including outside of city centres and in Orang Asli settlements.More than 300,000 doses of vaccine were administered on July 5, the most jabs given in a single day since the start of PICK, taking the total number of doses given to 9,320,476.


Kyiv in talks with Western weapons makers about setting up production in Ukraine

Ukraine is in negotiations with Western arms manufacturers to boost production of weapons, including drones, and could sign contracts in coming months, a Ukrainian minister told Reuters.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year Ukraine has been scrambling to secure weapons ranging from munitions to rocket launchers to missiles. It has received support from countries such as the US, Germany and Britain and Sergiy Boyev, deputy minister for Strategic Industries in Ukraine, said Kyiv was in talks with manufacturers from Germany, Italy, France and eastern Europe about them producing weapons in Ukraine itself.
"We are in very detailed discussions with them. And we are certain that we will have the contracts agreements signed within the next few months," Boyev told Reuters on the sidelines of the Paris Airshow.
In May, Ukraine's President Volodomyr Zelensky said the country was working with British defence company BAE Systems to set up a Ukrainian base to both produce and repair weapons from tanks to artillery.
No deal has been signed yet.
In encouraging foreign defence firms to produce arms in Ukraine, Kyiv could more efficiently meet its own needs while also building up its defence industry to target global customers at a time when it's looking to create jobs for Ukrainians.
"The future deterrence of aggression will require a strong defence industry in Ukraine, a strong Ukrainian armed forces," Boyev said.
"That's why we think international partners coming to Ukraine, setting up production and making Ukraine part of the security framework for the free world is so essential."
Drones
At the Paris Airshow on Monday, Boyev was courting dronemakers in particular, ranging from major international defence firms to small suppliers. He declined to say which companies he met with.
"We are discussing different levels of cooperation. And some of the companies say that they are willing to come and invest and produce drones," he said.
Turkish defence company Baykar said late last year that it still planned to complete construction of a manufacturing plant in Ukraine in two years.
Baykar had announced plans to build the plant shortly before the Feb 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Drones have been used extensively by both Moscow and Kyiv's forces during the war. Kyiv says it is expanding its drone programme for both reconnaissance and attacking enemy targets over an increasing range.
Turkey, Norway and the US are among the countries that have been supplying Ukraine with drones, but as the war intensifies more are needed.
Negotiations on producing drones could take longer, but Boyev said production in Ukraine could be an effective way to capitalise on the country's existing drone expertise and create jobs in western and central Ukraine.
A senior European defence industry source, who did not wish to be identified, said that European rules and standards around drone testing could make it hard for companies to agree to produce and test drones in Ukraine.
But Boyev is hopeful that the country can attract foreign drone makers and said the Ukraine government could offer substantial support.
"We think that it's just a matter of actually getting things done," he said.


Floods forecast in Kelantan, Terengganu

The Meteorological Department of Malaysia has issued a danger level weather warning of continuous heavy rain in the east coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang until tomorrow.The warning issued at 1.25pm said the areas involved in the three states are Jeli (Kelantan), Kemaman (Terengganu) and Kuantan (Pahang).An orange bad weather alert for continuous heavy rain was issued for areas including Tanah Merah, Machang, Kuala Krai and Gua Musang in Kelantan; Besut Hulu Terengganu and Dungun in Terengganu; as well as Jerantut, Maran and Pekan in Pahang until Jan 1.The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) is also forecasting floods in stages at several areas in Kelantan and Terengganu tonight.According to a statement issued by the DID National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, the risk of floods is forecast in Kelantan at 8pm in the districts of Jeli, Kuala Krai, Tanah Merah, Machang, Gua Musang and Pasir Mas.Floods are forecast in Terengganu in stages at 8pm tonight in several districts including Setiu, Dungun, Hulu Terengganu and Besut, while the risk of floods is forecast in Pahang tomorrow in the districts of Lipis, Raub, Maran, Temerloh and Jerantut as well as the surrounding low-lying areas.“Other areas in Pahang are around Sungai Kuantan, Sungai Rompin, Sungai Pontian and Sungai Endau involving areas around Kuantan and Rompin,” the statement said.In Johor, floods are expected at 2pm tomorrow involving the areas around Sungai Mersing, Sungai Endau, Sungai Johor, Sungai Skudai and Sungai Tebrau in the districts of Mersing, Kluang, Kota Tinggi, and Johor Bahru.An alert level warning of continuous rain until Jan 1 is forecast in Perlis; Kedah (Kubang Pasu, Pokok Sena, Padang Terap, Pendang, Sik and Baling); Perak (Hulu Perak); Kelantan (Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Bharu, Bachok and Pasir Putih); Terengganu (Setiu, Kuala Nerus, Kuala Terengganu and Marang); Pahang (Cameron Highlands, Lipis, Raub, Bentong, Temerloh, Bera and Rompin); and Johor.Continuous rain is also expected in Sabah in the west coast (Ranau); Tawau (Lahad Datu); Sandakan (Telupid, Kinabatangan, Beluran and Sandakan); as well as Kudat until Jan 2.The National Disaster Control Centre (NDCC) of the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) in a statement announced that the disaster management committees at state and district levels should heighten their preparedness to face potential calamities, especially in high-risk areas.State and district disaster management committees have also been told to ensure that temporary relief centres have the required basic necessities and on-scene command posts have the operational assets for use.Nadma via the NDCC will be monitoring the technical parameters with the cooperation of various technical agencies.


Long haul for single mum as two children hit with degenerative disease

For three years, Aliya Darwisyah was like any other little girl who loved running around and playing.One day, though, everything changed.She was sitting in the car with her mother, Zaitul Akma Muhd Zin, when it happened.“She choked on something in her mouth and her face grew pale. We rushed her to hospital where the doctor said she had suffered a seizure.”The problem was they did not know what had caused it.“It broke my heart when the doctor told me.”Aliya was referred back and forth between Hospital Kajang and Hospital Kuala Lumpur until a blood sample was eventually taken and sent to Germany for screening.The results came back: Aliya was suffering from neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the nervous system. Symptoms include a combination of dementia, epilepsy and loss of vision.“It broke my heart when the doctor told me,” Zaitul said. “She had never shown any symptoms of the illness before.”From that day onwards, though, the signs were clear. When she was four, Aliya began to fall down while walking. Her speech gradually declined, along with her ability to chew and eat her food.By the time she was five, she was completely bedridden.She now drinks milk through a tube that connects to her nose. Her medication is administered the same way. Her doctor had suggested that a tube be implanted in her stomach, but Zaitul was reluctant to do this.“I am just too scared for her.”“He has not received his medication for two months now.”She wants to find a proper job but taking care of Aliya and Adib is a full-time job on its own. The best she can do at the moment is to help her sister sell tapai and pulut panggang at a roadside stall in the area.But this, too, is far from a sure thing. Sales were good during the first MCO as many had spent the Raya period in the city, which meant a lot of orders.“However, sales have been on the decline,” she said.Of late, things have been so bad that her sister has been forced to give up the house. This will be the last month that they stay there as they can no longer afford the rent.“We are moving to a nearby apartment with a cheaper monthly rent,” Zaitul said.Fitting the entire family there will be a challenge but they have no choice.They receive some aid from a charity organisation, MyHeart Association, which has given them items such as diapers amd milk and helped covered some of the cost of hospital transportation and treatment.Such assistance helps Zaitul soldier on, but even so, she knows that the road ahead will be long and winding.


First post-Covid budget sees tighter allocation of RM372.3 billion

The government today tabled its first post-pandemic budget of RM372.3 billion, in what is also the final budget before the 15th general election (GE15), widely expected to be called in the near future.
This is less than the RM385.3 billion allocated for 2022, revised upwards from the RM332.1 billion initially tabled.
Themed "Strengthening recovery, facilitating reforms towards the sustainable socio-economic resilience of the Malaysian Family", the budget for next year is aimed at continuing Malaysia's economic recovery with emphasis on structural reforms and the strengthening of economic resilience.
This is the second budget tabled under the government of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and likewise the second since the 12th Malaysia Plan was launched on Sept 27 last year.
The following are some of the major points from the 2023 budget, presented in the Dewan Rakyat by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz.

The top three recipients of next year's budget are the finance ministry (RM67.2 billion), education ministry (RM55.6 billion) and health ministry (RM36.1 billion).
Taken together, they comprise 43.3% of total expenditure.
RM272.3 billion has been set aside for management spending, RM95 billion for development, RM5 billion for the Covid-19 Fund and RM2 billion as contingency savings.
The permanent resident individual income tax rate meanwhile will be reduced by two percentage points.
Zafrul also announced tax savings of up to RM1,000 for the middle-income group and RM250 for the high-income group.
He said the RM250,000-RM400,000 tax income range along with the RM400,000-RM600,000 range would be subject to a 25% tax rate, with a tax cut from 13% to 11% for those in the taxable income bracket of RM50,000-RM70,000.
Those in the taxable income bracket of RM70,000-RM100,000 meanwhile will see a tax cut from 21% to 19%.
Zafrul also said that the EPF voluntary contribution limit would be increased to RM100,000 per year compared to RM60,000 previously.
He likewise announced a tax exemption for women returning to work for the assessment years of 2023-2028.

The government will also make Socso's Self-Employment Social Security Scheme contributions mandatory for all self-employed sectors in stages.
The total holding limit for Amanah Saham Bumiputera and Amanah Saham Bumiputera 2 meanwhile will be increased to RM300,000 compared to RM200,000 previously.
Zafrul also announced one-off cash aid of RM500 for mothers from Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia households who give birth in 2023, and said the government would bear the cost for B40 youth to obtain taxi, bus and e-hailing licences under the MyPSV programme.
Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia aid meanwhile will be improved with an allocation of RM7.8 billion, to benefit 8.7 million recipients.
Here, a new category of households will be included for those with five or more children and a monthly income of below RM2,500. Households in this group will receive RM2,500.
Over RM55 billion meanwhile will be set aside for subsidies, aid and incentives to alleviate the cost of living.
A total of RM200 million will be provided for incentives, promotions and marketing to strengthen the recovery of the tourism sector.
RM305 million meanwhile will be allocated for the Orang Asli, including for social aid and the uplifting of living standards, RM1 billion for the welfare of senior citizens, and RM1.2 billion for persons with disabilities.
Incentives of RM600 to RM750 will be provided for three months to employers who hire persons with disabilities, Orang Asli, ex-convicts, and women who return to work.
Zafrul also announced e-wallet credit worth RM100 for the M40 group with an annual income of below RM100,000 under the e-Pemula M40 initiative, and said tax relief for childcare fees valued at RM3,000 would be extended until assessment year 2024.
A 15%-20% discount meanwhile will be given for PTPTN loan repayments from Nov 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023.
Zafrul said federal government revenue is expected to decrease by 4.4% in 2023 to RM272.57 billion from a growth of 22.0% (RM285.22 billion) in 2022.
He said fiscal deficit is expected to reduce to 5.5% of GDP in 2023 from 5.8% in 2022.
Fiscal deficit is expected to be consolidated at a gradual pace with the overall balance averaging at 4.4% of GDP in the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework 2023-2025.
Zafrul also said that the government might extend the statutory debt limit of 65% of GDP in the medium term after the expiry of Act 830 on Dec 31, 2022.
In economic and fiscal outlook reports released ahead of Zafrul's budget speech in the Dewan Rakyat, the government had said it was taking a cautious approach to a "challenging" 2023 due to geopolitical tensions, rising global inflation, tightening financial conditions, and supply chain disruptions.
"The 2023 budget aims to provide favourable conditions and ensure a balance between economic needs and fiscal consolidation," Zafrul said in the fiscal outlook report as quoted by Reuters.


MACC nabs 4 over smuggling of frozen meat

The Johor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested four individuals – the director and employees of a frozen meat importing company – on suspicion of involvement in corrupt activities in the smuggling of frozen raw materials into the country.According to a source, the detainees, aged between 39 and 50, were arrested at the Johor MACC office last night to assist in the investigation.The source said MACC took a serious view of the issue as it involved public interest, especially of Muslims in the country. The investigation is being conducted under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.“The cooperation of several agencies such as the domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry, the Department of Veterinary Services, the Department of Malaysian Quarantine Inspection Services and the Customs Department has been obtained and meat importing companies have also been identified,” the source added.When contacted, Johor MACC director Azmi Alias confirmed the arrests. The detainees will be brought to the Magistrate’s Court for a remand application today.


Thunderstorm warning for 8 states

Eight states – Kedah, Penang, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Sarawak and Sabah –are expected to experience thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds until 5pm today.
The Meteorological Department of Malaysia (MetMalaysia) said in a statement that in Kedah, these conditions are expected in Kubang Pasu, Kota Setar, Pokok Sena, Padang Terap, Sik and Baling while in Perak, the areas involved are Kerian, Larut, Matang and Selama, Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar, Kinta and Kampar.
In Kelantan, these conditions are expected in Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Bharu, Tanah Merah, Bachok, Machang, Pasir Puteh and Kuala Krai while in Pahang, Cameron Highlands, Lipis, Raub, Jerantut and Kuantan will likely experience such weather.
In Sarawak, the areas named are Serian, Samarahan, Betong, Sarikei (Pakan, Sarikei and Meradong) and Mukah (Tanjung Manis and Daro) while Sandakan (Beluran) and Kudat in Sabah.


New Russian offensive expected as West extends aid to Ukraine

Ukrainian defence chiefs predicted Russia will launch a new offensive early next year that could include a second attempt to take the capital Kyiv, as Western allies stepped up their support with additional funding and military training.
Moscow's new offensive could happen as soon as January, President Volodymyr Zelensky, General Valery Zaluzhniy and General Oleksandr Syrskiy were quoted as saying in interviews with The Economist magazine on Thursday.
The push could be launched from the eastern Donbas area, the south or neighbouring Belarus, and could include another ground assault on Kyiv, which Moscow failed to capture early in the invasion, the officials said.
"The Russians are preparing some 200,000 fresh troops. I have no doubt they will have another go at Kyiv," Zaluzhniy was quoted as saying.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov also said in remarks published in The Guardian on Thursday that evidence was mounting that Russia planned a broad new offensive.
He speculated this could occur in February when half of the 300,000 troops conscripted by Russia in October to support the war would complete training.
“The second part of the mobilisation, 150,000 approximately... do a minimum of three months to prepare. It means they are trying to start the next wave of the offensive probably in February, like last year. That’s their plan,” Reznikov told The Guardian.
Both sides have ruled out a Christmas truce and there are currently no talks aimed at ending the conflict, Europe's largest since World War Two.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed, millions more displaced and cities reduced to rubble since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb 24 in a "special military operation," saying it needed to protect Russian speakers from Ukrainian nationalists. Ukraine and its allies call it an unprovoked war of aggression.
With Russia's invasion in its 10th month, European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to provide €18 billion (about RM84.8 billion) in financing to Ukraine next year and hit Moscow with a ninth package of sanctions. The measures designate nearly 200 more people and bar investment in Russia's mining industry, among other steps.
"Our joint determination to support Ukraine politically, financially, militarily and in the humanitarian area for as long as necessary remains unbroken," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after talks among the 27 national EU leaders in Brussels.
In Washington, the US military announced it will expand training in Germany of Ukrainian military personnel. Starting in January, 500 troops a month will be trained, building on more than 15,000 Ukrainians trained by the US and its allies since April.
The programme is on top of those to teach Ukrainians to operate billions of dollars worth of specialised Western military equipment that the US and its Nato allies have provided.
The US Senate passed a bill for a record US$858 billion defence budget next year, authorising US$45 billion more than proposed by President Joe Biden. The bill, which Biden is expected to quickly sign into law, provides Ukraine at least US$800 million in additional security assistance in 2023.
Shelling in Kherson
Ukraine has repeatedly urged its allies to send more air defences to counter Russian missile bombardment including against its energy infrastructure.
Russia has fired barrages of missiles on Ukraine's energy infrastructure since October, disrupting power supplies and leaving people without heating in freezing winter conditions.
Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian troops repelled Russian infantry attacks in a number of locations in the Donetsk region including Bakhmut and Soledar, Ukraine's general staff said on Friday.
Russian military carried out 23 air strikes and four missile strikes as well as 78 bombardments using multiple rocket launchers, it said.
Ukraine's military General Staff said Russia's main focus remained on the eastern cities of Bakhmut and Avdiivka, but that it was also trying to get a stronger foothold in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia.
It said that on Dec 14, Ukrainian forces destroyed a quantity of military equipment in the town of Tokmak, the Zaporizhzhia region, wounding about 180 Russian troops.
Russia's state Tass news agency reported on Friday that at least eight people were killed and 23 injured by Ukrainian shelling in the village of Lantrativka in the Russia-controlled Luhansk region of Ukraine.
Reuters was unable to immediately verify the battlefield accounts.
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the US is finalising plans to offer Ukraine the Patriot missile defence system - one of the most advanced systems, and one which could require months of training.
The Kremlin said the United States was getting "deeper and deeper into the conflict" and that Patriot systems would be legitimate targets. Russia's foreign ministry said on Thursday this applied to all weapons supplied by the West.


Virus lockdown in Australia’s second-largest city extended a week

A coronavirus lockdown of Australia’s second-biggest city will be extended by another seven days, authorities announced Wednesday, as they attempt to stamp out a cluster of cases in Melbourne.Five million Melbourne residents were due to exit a seven-day lockdown just before midnight Thursday, but were ordered to remain at home because of concerns about the spread of the virus.“We’ve got to run this thing to ground otherwise people will die,” Victoria’s acting state premier James Merlino said, adding they were dealing with a virus variant “quicker and more contagious than we have ever seen before”.The outbreak is believed to have begun when a traveller infected with the Kappa variant, which originated in India, returned to Australia.Thousands of close contacts have been identified and the list of venues visited by the 60 confirmed cases has grown to about 350.Merlino said stay-at-home orders were expected to be lifted for Victorians living outside Melbourne as planned, though a swathe of restrictions would remain, including caps on wedding guests and mourners at funerals.In Melbourne, senior school students preparing for their final exams will return to classrooms while some outdoor workers can return to their jobs, he added.Australia’s international border remains closed to most travellers – with the exception of New Zealand – and authorities are quick to impose restrictions when Covid-19 cases are detected.But outbreaks in Taiwan and Japan have underscored how initial success containing the virus can quickly be eroded without widespread vaccination, and only about 2% of Australians have been fully jabbed to date.The conservative federal government is facing criticism for the slow rollout, which threatens to reverse Australia’s early virus success.Brett Sutton, Victoria’s chief health officer, said the extension of most restrictions was required to quash community transmission, describing the variant as an “absolute beast”.“There are a dozen countries that had no community transmission going into 2021 that have now lost control, that have community transmission and will probably not bring it back to a point where they’ve got no community transmission again,” he said.The lockdown is the fourth in Melbourne since the pandemic began, and many residents are weary of renewed restrictions.It is believed to be the 17th time in six months that the virus has leaked out of Australia’s makeshift hotel quarantine facilities, which are now facing tough scrutiny.In recent months, Australians had largely been enjoying few restrictions after the country successfully contained the spread of coronavirus.Australia has recorded 30,000 Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began – with a large portion in hotel quarantine – in a country of 25 million people.


Trump raises US$7 million for 2024 campaign since federal charges

Former president Donald Trump's 2024 White House campaign said on Wednesday he had raised US$7 million (RM32.40 million) since being indicted on federal charges last week, as his message of political persecution continues to resonate with die-hard supporters.
"President Trump Raises Over US$6.6 Million and Counting Since Deranged Jack Smith Announced Political Prosecution," Trump's campaign wrote in an email to supporters on Wednesday, referring to the US special counsel investigating him.
Over US$4.5 million came from digital fundraising while US$2.1 million was raised from a donor event on Tuesday at Trump's Bedminster Club in New Jersey.
A spokesman for Trump, who is the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, later emailed Reuters stating that fundraising had passed the bar of US$7 million since the indictment was announced on Thursday.
In the indictment, Trump was accused of illegally retaining classified government documents after leaving the White House and then conspiring to obstruct a federal probe of the matter.
Trump was arraigned on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to all 37 counts in court.
He has sought to frame the charges as a Democratic-led attack to knock him out of the 2024 race – and one ultimately designed to hurt Republicans, 30% of whom are considered unwavering Trump supporters.
"They're not coming after me, they're coming after YOU," Trump wrote in one of a flurry of fundraising emails on Wednesday.
Polling suggests Trump's strategy is working: A vast majority of Republicans – some 81% – believe the charges are politically motivated, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday.
Trump also enjoyed a fundraising bump from charges in New York as part of a case involving hush money paid to a porn star. After word emerged in March that Trump was going to be charged, his campaign raised US$7 million in three days, according to senior adviser Jason Miller.
A group allied with Trump's bid for the Republican nomination is setting records for outside political spending early in a US presidential campaign as he looks to outrun his nearest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, according to recent Reuters reporting.


Court rejects mum's bid to quash unilateral conversion of children

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today rejected the bid by single mother Loh Siew Hong to challenge the unilateral conversion to Islam of her three children without her consent by her ex-husband.
Judge Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh made the decision after ruling that there was no evidence that the three children had stopped professing the religion of Islam when they were under the care of their mother.
The judge said Loh, as the applicant, did not deny that her children had continued professing the religion of Islam in performing the daily subuh prayers when they were in her custody.
"So even if the certificates of conversion are not conclusive proof, in view of its unilateral nature, the force of the evidence would suggest that the three children continued professing the religion of Islam," he said.
The judge also said there was no evidence that the three children had reverted to Hinduism.
On the conversion issue, Wan Ahmad Farid found no dispute that the certificates of conversion were issued for the children.
He said the certificates were issued after the first respondent, the Perlis State Registrar of Converts, was satisfied that the legal requirements under Section 107(1) of the Perlis 2006 Enactment were adhered to when the children professed the syahadah proclamation willingly.
"The certificates of conversion issued by the first respondent in the case were conclusive proof of the facts stated in the certificate," he added.
The judge said that an affidavit by Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs) CEO Mohd Nazim Mohd Noor stated that the children had shown intent through their actions to continue in Islam even when they were under the custody of Loh last year.
Wan Ahmad Farid said the affidavit also implied that the children on Feb 22 last year were still practising Islam, performing the dawn prayer, and that one of them even wanted to be a syarie lawyer.
The judge also cited an aspect in another unilateral conversion case, the M Indira Gandhi case, concerning the children's welfare.
"Having regard to all the circumstances of the case, there is no evidence before me that the three children are not happy staying with the applicant. Therefore, the welfare of the children, within the meaning of Indira Ghandi, dictates that the status quo should remain.
"For the aforesaid reasons, this application for judicial review is dismissed," the judge said, making no order for costs as the case was a matter of public interest.
On Aug 1, 2022, Loh, 36, obtained leave from the High Court to initiate a judicial review application.
She filed the application on March 25 last year, naming the Perlis State Registrar of Converts, MAIPs, Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin and the Perlis state government as the first to the fourth respondents. The single mother sought a declaration that her three children are Hindus and that her ex-husband, M Nagahswaran, did not have the legal capacity to allow the Perlis State Registrar of Converts to register their children as converts without her consent.
She also sought a declaration that her three children, as children, did not have the legal capacity to convert to Islam without her consent.
She likewise sought a certiorari order to revoke the declaration of conversion to Islam, dated July 7, 2020, issued by the Registrar of Converts of Perlis in the name of her three children, and also other cards on their conversion to Islam issued by other parties, and to prevent any party from issuing such cards.
The three children, a pair of 15-year-old twin girls and an 11-year-old boy who were placed under the care of the Social Welfare Department, were released to Loh on Feb 21, 2022, after the High Court allowed her habeas corpus application.


No investigation papers yet on 101 projects, says MACC

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) says it has yet to open investigation papers on the 101 projects allegedly awarded through direct negotiation under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration.MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said the agency was still analysing the projects for elements of corruption.“Under treasury practice, there are three methods for issuing tenders for projects, one of which is through direct negotiation.“We are now studying the list of companies which received the projects to evaluate if there were elements of corruption in the negotiations,” he said in a question-and-answer session at an anti-corruption programme in Melaka today.On Aug 24, Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz told the Dewan Rakyat that PH, during its 22-month administration, approved 101 government projects or procurements valued at RM6.61 billion through direct negotiation.In another development, Azam said Melaka MACC received 1,196 tip-offs on corruption and abuse of power from members of the public from 2015 to August this year.He said 427 files were opened and 119 civil servants arrested and charged in court for abusing their positions to seek gratification.


New PM could fall if opposition gangs up, says Sarawak minister

A minister from Sarawak today said that MPs' confidence in the prime minister was more important than the formation of a unity government, seen as the ending point of the political deadlock that arose following the results of the 15th general election last weekend.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu vice-president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah also said that any prime minister appointed to lead the government must have the support and confidence of all MPs.
"If the opposition gangs up together, they might have the support of more than 112," he said at a press conference in Sarawak.
"This means they would have obtained the confidence of MPs."
He was responding to questions on the proposal for a unity government to end the impasse resulting from the hung parliament.
Nevertheless, he agreed with the suggestion for a unity government, saying it was a good idea to ensure that leaders are rational in administering the country.
Earlier today, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah consented to the appointment of Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim as the country's 10th prime minister.
But the statement issued by the palace made no mention of the formation of a unity government.
If the matter continues to Parliament, Anwar could be put to the test through a motion of no confidence by MPs.
Karim said this was why the new prime minister would need to ensure that he has the support and trust of MPs.
"If they still hold to the principle of non-cooperation, the Agong might need to appoint someone who has the confidence of the most number of MPs, even if it is fewer than 112," he added.
He also voiced hope that the welfare and interests of Sarawak would still be protected regardless of who is appointed to the Cabinet.
He said Sarawak, too, was a main contributor to Malaysia's development.
"I hope Sarawak will not be left behind," he said.


Malaysia first for foreign investment in emerging Southeast Asia, index shows

Malaysia ranks No. 1 in emerging Southeast Asia as the country with the most potential to attract foreign investors, according to the 2022 Milken Institute Global Opportunity Index.The annual assessment, created to help inform investors and policymakers in global investment decisions, evaluates an economy’s investment landscape using variables such as macroeconomic outlook, access to financial services, and the potential for future innovation and development.“In this year’s report, we identify several policies that will help emerging Southeast Asia remain competitive when it comes to investment opportunities,” said head of the Research Department at the Milken Institute, Claude Lopez.“Governments in the region must strengthen their institutional frameworks, deepen regional integration to take advantage of each country’s unique resources and opportunities, and maximise social impact by leveraging global capital flows to advance development.”The 2022 Global Opportunity Index includes a report focusing on emerging Southeast Asia, a region where an influx of capital could lead to increased innovation, job creation, and competitiveness, a statement said.Emerging Southeast Asia scores well compared to other emerging and developing economies in three key areas: 1) having a strong economic performance, 2) offering a highly qualified workforce, and 3) being firmly integrated with the global economy.Key findings from the 2022 Global Opportunity Index include Sweden maintaining its No. 1 rank from 2021 as the country with the most potential to attract foreign investment, followed by the UK at No. 2 and Denmark at No. 3.Meanwhile, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia took the top spots in emerging Southeast Asia. Malaysia received the highest ranking in the region due to its strong performance across all categories measured. Vietnam and the Philippines rounded out the top five countries in emerging Southeast Asia.To create the index, the Milken Institute evaluates investment opportunities through 100 variables organised into five categories and 14 sub-categories. The five major categories are: business perception, financial services, international standards and policy, economic fundamentals, and institutional frameworks.


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Kinabalu National Geopark declared Unesco Global Geopark

Sabah is now the third location in the world to have a Unesco triple crown site following the declaration of the Kinabalu National Geopark as the Kinabalu Unesco Global Geopark.
Chief Minister Hajiji Noor said the decision was made by Unesco's executive board in Paris on May 24, putting Sabah alongside Jeju Island in South Korea and Shennongjia in China in the distinction of having three Unesco sites.
Kinabalu Park's two other Unesco "crowns" are the World Heritage Site and the Unesco Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve, which were declared on Dec 2, 2000 and June 12, 2014 respectively.
"This is a great achievement for the state government under its Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya initiatives through the tourism, culture and environment ministry and Sabah parks," he said in a statement today.
The Kinabalu Unesco Global Geopark, covering an area of 4,750 square km, is now officially a global geotourism destination adding significant value to Sabah's existing eco-tourism products, he added.
"The geopark is home to many endemic plants and animals, including 90 orchid species found only on Mount Kinabalu.
"This includes the crimson-headed partridge bird not found anywhere else on earth which will bring direct and indirect benefit to Sabah’s socio-economy, particularly to more than 290,000 local communities within the district of Kota Belud, Kota Marudu and Ranau," he said.
With the declaration of Kinabalu National Geopark as a Unesco Global Geopark, there are now 195 geoparks in the world located in 48 countries.
The Unesco Global Geopark label recognises the geological heritage of international significance.
Geoparks serve local communities by combining the conservation of their significant geological heritage with public outreach and a sustainable approach to development.