Responding to the challenges of online education

Online classes have become a necessity during the Covid-19 lockdowns as teachers, lecturers and students are required to study at home. It also appears that even after the lockdowns end, online classes will remain a major feature of teaching and learning in the future.There have been many teething problems to cope with including issues of access to hardware and connectivity as well as new processes in schools and universities. In Malaysia, from the beginning of MCO 1.0, lecturers and teachers have had to conduct online classes from home typically using free communication platforms with which they are often unfamiliar and many have faced a huge learning curve.Educators have had to quickly learn how to build and deliver engaging content, share screens, files and videos, record classes and share recorded video links with students that miss classes and while many continue to grope with technology, others have overcome the initial learning curve and begun to gain students attention in classes.But not all students actively engage during classes. Many still face access and connectivity issues. Sabahan student Veveonah Mosibin gained popularity after a video of her climbing a tree to sit for her online exams went viral. Additionally, eight students of secondary national school (SMK) narrowly escaped death after falling 18m when a bridge collapsed in Ulu Sugut in Sandakan, Sabah. They had congregated on the bridge to follow online classes.Far too often students log in to online classes using their mobile phones and many get disconnected several times during an online class even with proper equipment. The efficiency and quality of online classes is therefore questionable.From our engagement with students and parents, we have identified a number of challenges with online classes. Some say that they actively take part during classes while others revealed that they spend time during an online class reading and replying WhatsApp messages.Since attendance is a requisite, many log in, take attendance and then engage in other activities such as completing assignments for other classes or even simply not attending at all. Some have been known to sleep through an entire morning online class. In Singapore, a lecturer accidentally left the online lecture on mute and did not realise it until two hours later. Apparently none of his students realised this either or at least had no effective way of communicating with him that they could not hear his class.In our personal experience students do not answer questions from the lecturer because although they are logged in, they are not in attendance. Only when a message pings through their phones do they realise that the lecturer is trying to attract their attention. In other cases students remain logged in to a session for 20-30 minutes after it has ended, a sure indicator that they did not attend. Students increasingly rely on the recorded video of a lecture as a substitute for class attendance and engagement in their studies.With the introduction of MCO 2.0, universities and schools have prolonged the online mode of delivery for classes as the uncertainty of a full recovery threatens to make online learning a new norm. So it is useful to note a few tips for teachers and lecturers to gain student engagement during online learning and improve the learning experience for everyone concerned. These tips are useful for whatever level of learning whether at school, in universities or in professional development classes.First in order to maintain engagement it is essential to incorporate short activities into learning strategies perhaps around short videos or other material. Calling out student names to encourage them to reflect on what they learned after an activity helps keep them involved. If they don’t answer after three calls, tell them their attendance will be null and void for the class.Encouraging pre-reading before classes helps to create an environment of informed discussion rather than one-way lecturing. To discourage reliance on recordings simply tell the students that the class will not be recorded or that because the class will be based on discussion of pre-requisite material they will have to pre-read because the recording may not be useful out of context.Malaysian students tend to be passive during class, so it is important to allow and encourage questions by inviting students to stop the flow at any time if they have anything to ask or contribute. The stand-and-deliver, teacher-knows-best approaches of hierarchical pedagogies fail catastrophically in online contexts. Questions encourage class participation but if this is still slow, teaching students how to use the 5W-1H rule (what, why, when, where, who and how) helps them to prepare questions and structure their contributions.By far the most effective way to encourage participation is to prepare questions from the material for students to attempt to answer during the class. Linking the class questions to mid-term tests and final exams helps to focus their attention but the key to success is to understand that time together online is different to time together face-to-face and that active participation of class members makes the whole experience more valuable for them, for others and for the learning leader.Despite receiving assurances that the vaccination for Covid-19 may revert the current work and study from home practice back to traditional classrooms, the view in academic circles is that online teaching is here to stay. Mixed mode or blended-learning which combines face-to-face classes with online learning is already a feature of effective learning at schools. It has become the norm and academics need to review processes to make online learning more effective.Anthony Vaz and Geoffrey Williams are academics at the Malaysia University of Science and Technology in Kuala Lumpur.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Anwar denies sexual assault claims, says individuals out to stop his march to PM-ship

Anwar Ibrahim has denied an allegation of sexual assault brought against him by a former staff, saying he had never met Muhammed Yusoff Rawther at his Bukit Segambut home on Oct 2, 2019 as claimed in a suit filed in July.In a statement of defence filed by the PKR president today, Anwar said the allegations by Yusoff in the suit were fabricated in cahoots with “person or persons currently unknown” as part of a plan to smear his political image ahead of the PKR congress in December 2019 as well as the promised transition of power from Dr Mahathir Mohamad.He also cited his fallout with former PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali, saying there had been attempts to stop his “political advancement”.“Specifically, the rift between Anwar’s camp and Azmin Ali’s camp and/or persons opposed to Anwar’s political advancement and/or leadership progressively intensified and escalated in the lead-up to the congress, during the congress and thereafter,” he said.Anwar also questioned the timing of Yusoff’s allegations and the filing of the suit in July, saying it had been a time of political crisis during which there was a “likelihood” of him becoming the prime minister.He was referring to the resignation of Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister which triggered a political vacuum in August, with MPs from Pakatan Harapan naming Anwar as their candidate for the top post.Anwar however failed to muster enough support from MPs and Bera MP Ismail Sabri Yaakob was sworn on Aug 21.“In this respect, the timing of this suit in mid-July 2021 was calculated by Yusoff, and in connivance with person or persons currently unknown, to tarnish Anwar’s political image and to damage the likelihood of Anwar becoming prime minister of Malaysia,” the statement of defence read.Yusoff, 28, first made the allegation against Anwar in a statutory declaration in November 2019. A police report was subsequently lodged, followed by weeks of investigation by Bukit Aman under Section 354 of the Penal Code which deals with criminal force to outrage modesty.During investigations, the police subjected Yusoff to a four-hour polygraph test at Bukit Aman. Anwar meanwhile refused to take the test.On Jan 14, 2020, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, then under Tommy Thomas, said it would not press charges against Anwar due to “insufficient evidence” and “contradictions” of facts.On July 15 this year, Yusoff filed a suit containing shocking and explicit details of an incident at Anwar’s home in Bukit Segambut.He said the incident took place about 10 days before Anwar won the Port Dickson by-election on Oct 13, 2018.In his suit, Yusoff is seeking a court declaration that the PKR leader had committed the sexual assault, as well as general, exemplary and aggravated damages for suffering trauma as well as physical, psychological and sociological disturbances as a result of the alleged incident.Anwar meanwhile said he had offered Yusoff a job at his bungalow office in Petaling Jaya to oblige Yusoff’s grandfather, the late SM Idris, who was the founder of the Consumers Association of Penang.Anwar denied that Yusoff was a research assistant, saying he was a “junior volunteer” put under the supervision of senior staff and given tasks such as answering phone calls and greeting visitors.He also denied Yusoff’s claim that he was given accommodation at the bungalow office.“Rather, the office contained facilities that allowed staff and volunteers who inter alia worked later to freshen up or stay over (if required).”Adding that Yusoff was accused of making unauthorised purchases using credit cards belonging to an officer, Anwar said he was then transferred to Yayasan Aman, a foundation helmed by Anwar and his wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.Anwar further said that Yusoff was “pro-Israel” at that time, and that he had been showing disciplinary problems.He said Yusoff resigned about a month after a warning letter was issued by Yayasan Aman in May 2019.


Help wings its way to mum and daughters on bird farm

Help has been winging its way to a single mother and her two children who were forced to move to a building used to farm swiftlets in the heart of an oil palm plantation in Sitiawan after being evicted from their rented home several years ago.“People have been calling me and asking how they can help,” Hamidah told MalaysiaNow.The social welfare department has also paid her a visit to inquire about her situation.Hamidah, who has lived with her daughters on the ground floor of the grey concrete building for three years now, said most of the assistance had come from members of the public as well as the Perak Council of Islamic Religion and Malay Customs (MAIPk).“They gave me cash aid of RM500 and basic necessities for the children,” she said.“They also said they would help arrange rental payments for a new home for us.”She said her daughters had been overjoyed to learn that they would be able to move out from the “bird house”.“They are so excited and are dreaming about choosing their own rooms,” she added.“The help I have received has given me new encouragement and strength to look ahead to the future.”Help of a more long-term nature has also come in the form of a job offer for Hamidah at the canteen of one of her daughters’ schools.For Hamidah, who has been scraping together what she can by collecting scrap metal and picking vegetables at a nearby farm, this is one of the best pieces of news she has received in a long time.She currently makes RM30 a day picking vegetables and perhaps RM70 collecting scrap metal.MAIPk said in a statement to MalaysiaNow that it had also given school aid of RM400 to each of Hamidah’s daughters as well as monthly cash assistance of RM500.MAIPk had also given Hamidah school-related assistance of RM400 and Hari Raya aid of RM250 in 2020 and 2021.


Anwar loyalist made chairman of 7-Eleven

Convenience store company 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Bhd has announced the appointment of Farhash Wafa Salvador, a loyalist of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as its chairman effective yesterday.
In an announcement to Bursa Malaysia, the company said Farhash would replace Robin Tan Yeong Ching, the son of entrepreneur Vincent Tan, who was appointed as chairman on Nov 25, 2021 and owns a 41.8% stake.
In a separate announcement earlier, the company said Tan had resigned to pursue other interests.
Its statement to Bursa Malaysia said that Farhash, 40, has more than a decade of experience in business, consulting and advisory.
"Farhash is or has been a director and/or shareholder in at least 10 private companies, including Swag Technologies Sdn Bhd, Salvador & Sons Sdn Bhd and Pacific Samudera Sdn Bhd.
"He was also an independent non-executive director of Bluemont Group Limited (now known as Southern Archipelago Limited) from 2014 to 2016, a public-listed company listed on the mainboard of the Singapore Exchange," it said.
Farhash was also appointed as group executive chairman of Apex Equity Holdings Bhd last week, replacing Ahmad Redza Abdullah who stepped down in September 2022 after three months.
Farhash, Anwar's former political secretary and Perak PKR chairman, made headlines after his arrest as part of an investigation into an assault at a sports complex in Ampang on Aug 31, 2019.
He was arrested after presenting himself at the Ampang Jaya district police headquarters, and subsequently released on police bail.
He was also previously accused of assaulting Anwar's former assistant, Muhammed Yusoff Rawther. He later sued Yusoff for defamation.


PMO should clarify, did Anwar call for police probe against critics or not?

We refer to the statement issued on Dec 1 by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution denying that the Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had ordered a police probe against Baling MP Hassan Saad for allegedly calling him an Israeli agent.
LFL finds it surprising that Saifuddin denies that the prime minister ordered the police probe, while failing to address the fact that the probe came soon after Fahmi Fadzil’s statement that Anwar himself ordered the police to act against those who called him an Israeli agent.
In LFL’s statement on Nov 30, we had said that it was an abuse of power for the prime minister to order police investigations against persons who slander him or call him an Israeli agent, as he is an interested party. We firmly stand by that statement.
It was PKR information chief Fahmi who made the public statement on Nov 28 that Anwar had ordered the police to investigate those who slander him or call him an Israeli agent. Fahmi’s statement was never rebutted or denied by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) or Anwar himself.
We quote below Fahmi's exact words.
"Anwar has no intention to take action against those who criticise (him or Pakatan Harapan), but we draw the line at slander and accusations of being an Israeli agent. He has asked the police to take action."
Subsequent to the statement by Fahmi, the police announced that Hassan was being investigated for allegedly claiming that Anwar is an Israeli agent. Coming soon after Fahmi’s statement, this clearly raised questions and generated a negative public perception of the administration of justice.
It is thus false, misleading and ridiculous for Saifuddin to accuse us of making an allegation which actually arose directly from a statement made by Fahmi, who is his own party colleague.
Hence, Saifuddin's statement has created only further confusion.
It is in the public interest that this matter be promptly clarified. The PMO must now clarify as follows:
1. Did the new prime minister Anwar give an order for police to investigate slander against him as well as allegations that he is an Israeli agent, as stated by Fahmi?
2. If yes, does the prime minister stand by this order or retract it, as it involves a matter in which he is an interested party?
This knee-jerk reaction of resorting to the police is worrying and runs counter to their promise of reform. We reiterate that objectionable, false or even offensive statements, even if directed against the prime minister, do not warrant criminal investigation. That should only be reserved for statements which incite violence or injury to the public. The prime minister's reputation and image are not matters of "national interest and security", as alleged by Saifuddin.
Zaid Malek is director of Lawyers for Liberty.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Sosma detainee battles mental disorder post-release

Former police officer Mustaza Abdul Rahman spent six years in detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) before he was finally allowed to go home in time for Ramadan this year.
The last Ramadan and Aidilfitri he spent at home before that was in 2015.
He was arrested in June 2016, just a week before Aidilfitri, and charged with several offences including withholding information, consorting, and endorsing violence.
His family fought in court for his release which finally came in March this year.
However, the joy and excitement of welcoming him home was short-lived – just weeks later, he was found to be suffering from a mental disorder.
"We did not expect this to happen. When we met him in prison and talked on the phone, he seemed fine.
"After being released, he appeared normal when chatting," said one of his brothers, Mahathir Abdul Rahman.
However, when subjected to a little pressure, he would begin to lose focus and stray from the topic, Mahathir added.
They monitored his condition for several weeks before deciding to take him to see a specialist at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
There, they learnt that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the physical and mental tortures he endured while in detention.
Mahathir said the decision to seek treatment was agreed on by all his family members.
They also informed Mustaza of the plan, who agreed to receive treatment.
"Coincidentally, there was a counselling teacher detained under Sosma with Mustaza who knew about his mental health.
"We also obtained opinions from other detainees who knew Mustaza," he said.
Mustaza also faced pressure from outside of the detention centre when his wife asked him for a divorce.
He also desperately missed his son, who was just over a year old when he was detained.

Mahathir Abdul Rahman smiles as he holds up a family picture taken with his brother, Mustaza, during Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

"After being released, he met his son in Perak. But now his son is in Sarawak with his mother who is a teacher there," Mahathir said.
Mustaza's wife had asked for a divorce when she was turned down as an officer at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission due to her relationship to him.
Mustaza was serving as a mechanical police officer at the Sungai Petani district police headquarters in Kedah when he was arrested.
He also earned a side income by running a gym and selling bodybuilding supplements.
He even ran a mango business after being released to regain his footing.
But none of this lasted long given his mental condition.
Mustaza's family is now waiting for him to recover. In the meantime, their hope is that Sosma will be completely abolished.
They were left disappointed by Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail who said late last year that the government would not abolish Sosma despite Pakatan Harapan's stand against the act during its time in the opposition.
Mahathir said Saifuddin appeared more inclined to listen to the police, whom he said "naturally support" Sosma.
"He should have met with other stakeholders before making a decision," he said.
He also voiced hope that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim himself would fulfil his promise to repeal the act.
"We met him in Parliament when he was the opposition leader. He labelled this act as draconian.
"He is aware of Mustaza's case," Mahathir added.
Meanwhile, he and his family remain hopeful of good news from the doctor treating Mustaza.
At just 36, he said, Mustaza still has his whole life ahead of him.
And he has a child waiting to know the love of a father after six years of separation by a detention cell.


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New cases cross 3,000 mark, taking total past 400,000

Another 3,142 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 401,593.Selangor recorded 1,019 cases, Kelantan 523, Kuala Lumpur 440, Sarawak 416, Johor 194 and Kedah 120.Penang recorded 98 cases, Sabah 87, Perak 69, Negeri Sembilan 61, Melaka 42, Terengganu 40, Pahang 15, Putrajaya 13, Labuan four and Perlis one.Active cases stand at 26,719 with 306 in the ICU and 151 in need of respiratory assistance.Twelve new clusters were detected:1. Melugu (Sri Aman and Lubuk Antu in Sarawak; 582 screened, 13 positive)2. Madai (Lahad Datu and Kunak in Sabah; 45 screened, 30 positive)3. Layar Hujung (Kuala Muda in Kedah; 45 screened, 23 positive)4. Jalan Gombak Dua (Gombak and Hulu Langat in Selangor, Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya; 78 screened, 19 positive)5. Ulu Strass (Meradong in Sarawak; 47 screened, 25 positive)6. Jalan Maharajalela (Hilir Perak in Perak, Kuala Muda in Kedah, and Cheras in Kuala Lumpur; 41 screened, 12 positive)7. Taman Wira (Kluang, Batu Pahat and Kulai in Johor; 134 screened, 26 positive)8. Pintu Air Relau (Bandar Baharu and Kota Setar in Kedah; 83 screened, 31 positive)9. Jalan Rimbunan (Kepong in Kuala Lumpur and Gombak in Selangor; 88 screened, 22 positive)10. Jalan Bakariah (Muar in Johor; 40 screened, 10 positive)11. Jalan Sekinchan (Klang in Selangor; 38 screened, 23 positive)12. Leboh Gambus (Klang in Selangor; 123 screened, 61 positive)Nine others ended, leaving 370 active clusters across the country.Another 1,822 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 373,397.However, 15 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,477.


Wisma Putra to let police probe leak of diplomatic information

Wisma Putra today said it would allow the police to investigate an audio recording of a ministry official complaining about problems allegedly faced by Malaysian diplomats overseas, following revelations that the voice message had been leaked by an aide to a former foreign minister.In a statement, it said the individual suspected of making the recording had been identified and called in for questioning.“He has made a full confession that he was the one who made the recording, and that the individual with a ‘Datin’ title was the aide to a former foreign minister before the Pakatan Harapan or Perikatan Nasional administrations,” it said.“Given that a police report was made on the matter on April 11, and that the issue involves individuals outside of the foreign ministry, the internal investigation report will be handed over to the police for further study and appropriate action.”MalaysiaNow earlier reported that the Datin might find herself in trouble for leaking sensitive information that could affect Malaysia’s diplomatic presence abroad.The development follows Wisma Putra’s recent action against two of its diplomats in the UAE who failed to make arrangements for an official visit by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob late last month.Malaysia’s ambassador to the UAE, Tarid Sufian, and its consul-general in Dubai, Hasril Abdul Hamid, were stationed in Putrajaya after their communication blunder kept UAE officials in the dark about Ismail’s visit.It was learnt that the host was left embarrassed by the absence of protocol normally accorded to visiting heads of state, with UAE officials apologising to the Malaysian delegation.It is understood that Wisma Putra has in the past taken similar action against diplomats for failing in their duties.


Russian missiles hit Ukraine's Odesa region as war nears half-year mark

Artillery shells rained down on a city close to Europe's biggest nuclear plant overnight and Russian missiles hit targets near Odesa, a Ukrainian Black Sea port and a grain export hub, as the war headed for its six-month milestone on Wednesday.
Aug 24 will also mark 31 years of Ukraine's independence from Soviet rule and President Volodymyr Zelensky in a nightly video address called for vigilance, saying Moscow could try "something particularly ugly".
Russian authorities said on Sunday they were investigating a suspected car bomb attack outside Moscow which killed the daughter of Alexander Dugin, an ultra-nationalist Russian ideologue who advocates Russia absorbing Ukraine.
While the investigators said they were considering "all versions" when it came to working out who was responsible, the Russian Foreign Ministry speculated there could be a link to Ukraine, something Zelensky's adviser quickly dismissed.
"Ukraine, of course, had nothing to do with this because we are not a criminal state, like the Russian Federation, and moreover we are not a terrorist state," Mykhailo Podolyak said on Ukrainian television, suggesting the incident was a "Karmic" payback for supporters of Moscow's invasion.
As Ukraine prepared to mark its Independence Day embroiled in a war that has flattened towns and cities, killed thousands and forced millions to flee, military and regional officials reported more Russian strikes on targets in the east and south of the country.
Of particular concern was the shelling of Nikopol, a city which lies across the Dnipro river from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine's and Europe's biggest nuclear plant. It has been held by Russian forces since March.
Nikopol was shelled on five different occasions overnight, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko wrote on Telegram. He said 25 artillery shells hit the city, causing a fire at an industrial premises and cutting power to 3,000 residents.
The fighting in the proximity of Zaporizhzia and Saturday's missile strike on the southern Ukrainian town of Voznesensk, which is not far from Ukraine's second-largest atomic plant, has spurred fears of a nuclear accident.
Cruise missile strikes
Local authorities also reported overnight missile attacks in the Odesa region, home to Black Sea ports critical to a UN-brokered plan to help Ukrainian agricultural exports, key for global food supplies, reach world markets again.
Five Russian Kalibr cruise missiles were fired from the Black Sea at the region overnight, the regional administration spokesperson said, citing information from the southern military command. Two were shot down by Ukrainian air defences while three hit agricultural targets, but there were no casualties.
Russia said on Sunday the missiles had destroyed an ammunition depot containing missiles for US-made HIMARS rockets, while Kyiv said a granary had been hit.
There were no fresh reports of incidents in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, after a series of explosions made headlines in recent weeks.
In his speech, Zelensky referred obliquely to the blasts, for which Ukraine has not claimed responsibility, but analysts have said at least some have been made possible by new equipment used by its forces.
"You can literally feel Crimea in the air this year, that the occupation there is only temporary and that Ukraine is coming back," Zelensky said.
In the latest incident, a drone attack on the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea fleet was thwarted on Saturday morning, according to a Telegram post by Mikhail Razvozhayev, Crimea's Russian-appointed governor, who is not recognised by the West.
In a daily Facebook update, Ukraine's general staff also reported several attempted Russian assaults over the past 24 hours in Donbas, the eastern region partially controlled by pro-Moscow separatists that has been a key target of Russia's campaign in the past months.
In the south, Russian forces conducted a successful assault on the village of Blahodatne on the border between Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, it said. The city of Mykolaiv was hit with multiple S-300 missiles early on Sunday, regional governor Vitaliy Kim said on Telegram.
Russia's defence ministry said its forces had destroyed two M777 Howitzers in combat positions in the Kherson region, and a fuel depot in the Zaporizhzhia region.


Singapore health pros call for delay in vaccinating youths

A group of health professionals have penned an “urgent open letter” to Singapore’s Expert Committee on the Covid-19 vaccination programme, asking the country to stop vaccinating youths until the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clarifies the reasons why a teenage jab recipient has died.Signed by a number of Singaporean medical professionals, the letter was posted on Facebook on Saturday.Its authors urged the authorities to “consider a short delay” in vaccinating youths with messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) jabs such as Pfizer, in view of the recent incident in the US.The CDC is investigating the death of a 13-year-old from Michigan three days after he got his second shot of an unnamed coronavirus vaccine.Vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have received emergency approval in the US, and all three of them are also in use in Singapore.The medical professionals who signed the letter argued that that the CDC should be given “a few weeks to produce robust and convincing data” on the teen’s death and the possibility of its link to the inoculation.They insist the issue is an urgent one because Singapore pursues “one of the most aggressive” mRNA programmes in the world, in which at least 200,000 teenage boys are expected to be vaccinated.“Certainly, we do not want to see any more suspected vaccine-related deaths in any young persons in the prime of their life,” the letter said.As concerns spread, Singaporean parents have also launched a petition asking the authorities of the city-state to suspend the vaccination of those under 30, especially school pupils from 12 to 15 years of age, until the CDC probe is complete.On Sunday, the Expert Committee on Covid-19 vaccination said they are closely monitoring local and global data to keep their recommendations up to date. At the moment, their assessment is that the benefits of Covid-19 jabs outweigh the risks posed by the virus.The body has advised continuing with the vaccination of the local youths, but added that as a precaution they should avoid intensive physical activities for a week after the second shot and contact a doctor in case of any health complications.Vaccination is in full swing in Singapore, where over two million out of 5.7 million citizens have already received both shots of the jab.The city-state aims to fully vaccinate two-thirds of its population, while also saying it will radically change its strategy of coping with the virus.A group of Singaporean ministers have declared in the Straits Times that the plan is to lift the travel bans and to “live normally with Covid-19 in our midst” as the virus continues to mutate.“We can’t eradicate it, but we can turn the pandemic into something much less threatening, like influenza or chickenpox, and get on with our lives,” the officials said.


Australia prepares for further floods even as blue skies reappear

Australian authorities issued fresh flood evacuation orders for parts of the east coast on Wednesday even as Sydney woke up to blue skies for the first time in five days.An unusual weather system that dumped more than two-thirds of annual rainfall over just a week in several places in the most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) brought widespread destruction and led to evacuations.No deaths were reported but more than 40,000 people in the state have been evacuated so far, Reuters reports.6,000 more people were evacuated in the last 24 hours, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said, while new orders were issued for affected residents in Sydney’s western regions to move to safe zones.“We woke up to sunshine today in most parts of New South Wales which is a positive thing,” Berejiklian told reporters. “But we’re certainly not out of the woods in terms of the immediate flood danger, we have to turn our minds to how we start the clean-up and recovery.”Rains eased from late Tuesday, leaving thousands of people displaced and sweeping away houses, farms, livestock and roads.The swollen rivers will remain a flood risk for many days.“Large volumes of flood water are still making their way through the state’s river systems and some communities are yet to see their flood peaks,” the national weather agency said in a statement.Though the rain band has moved south, the weather bureau said the “flood situation remains a serious threat to life and property across NSW and will continue to cause significant disruption and isolation.”The weather system will shift to the island state of Tasmania on Wednesday, authorities said, bringing heavy rains and localised flooding in several places over the next few days.


Govt loses bid to forfeit RM114 million linked to Umno, Najib

The government today failed in its application to forfeit RM114 million, allegedly belonging to Umno and former prime minister Najib Razak, seized from a premise belonging to Obyu Holdings Sdn Bhd.This followed the decision by High Court judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin to dismiss the application by the prosecution to forfeit the money seized by the police at Pavilion Residence on May 17, 2018.In dismissing the application, Jamil said the applicant failed to prove that the money, amounting to RM114,164,393.44, was proceeds from money laundering.However, he made no order for the money, which is with Bank Negara Malaysia, to be returned to its owners.Umno and Najib are third-party claimants to the money. Any third party claiming to have an interest in property seized by the government is required to appear in court to present reasons why it should not be forfeited by the government.In 2019, the prosecution filed a forfeiture application against Obyu Holdings to forfeit the money, as well as 11,991 units of jewellery, 401 watches and 16 watch accessories, 234 pairs of spectacles and 306 handbags.The money and items of jewellery were seized by the authorities for their alleged links to the 1MDB fund scandal.In his decision, Jamil said the investigating officer in the money laundering case, ACP D Rajagopal, failed to show that the money seized was stolen property or the result of breach of trust or fraud.“ACP Rajagopal failed to disclose and identify the person/s who had been entrusted with 1MDB’s money, who had dominant control over the money and misused the funds, besides failing to explain that Najib was the 1MDB agent,” he added.He said the court found that the applicant had failed to prove the link between the money in Najib’s AmBank account and the money that was seized.The prosecution’s argument that Nazir Razak had cashed a check drawn from Najib’s account and returned RM20 million to Najib was not true, he added.“There was also no evidence that the RM20 million received by Najib was part of the money seized. True, the money seized was found in Pavilion Residences, along with the other assets that were seized.“Najib had also explained that he transferred RM160 million (actual amount) from Seri Perdana to Pavilion Residences.“On the balance of probability, the applicant failed to prove the seized money was linked to money laundering or proceeds from unlawful activities, involving criminal breach of trust and stolen property.“Therefore, the applicant’s application is dismissed,” the judge said.After Jamil delivered the verdict, deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi asked about the status of money and if there was an order for the money to be returned to Umno and Najib.He also applied for a stay of today’s decision, saying the prosecution would appeal against it at the Court of Appeal.However, Jamil rejected the prosecution’s request. On the status of the money, said, “To me, where the money was seized is where it should be returned.”Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, when met by reporters, said he would submit a letter to the prosecution within the next 24 hours for the money to be released to Najib and Umno.


Cops probing report on law minister’s ‘treasonous’ remark against king

The police have launched a probe into a report made against law minister Takiyuddin Hassan for allegedly making a “treasonous” remark against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin said each report received by the police would be thoroughly investigated regardless of the status of the individuals involved.Media had earlier reported that Amanah Youth chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin lodged a report at the Dang Wangi police station in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, demanding an investigation into Takiyuddin’s statement which he claimed had undermined the king’s view that Parliament should be reconvened as soon as possible.Takiyuddin was reported to have said that the king’s view on the reconvening of Parliament did not contain any details on when it should be implemented.“Let the police look into the report first… they need to identify the actual offence,” Hamzah said.On whether Takiyuddin would be called to give his statement, he said anyone who is mentioned in a police report will be investigated.“No double standards on that.”


Dozens of whales stranded, many dying off NZ’s South Island

More than a dozen pilot whales have died and many others remain stranded near a narrow sand spit at the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island despite efforts to move them out to sea, authorities said on Tuesday.After a mass stranding at Farewell Spit on Monday, the whales were walked out at high tide that night, only to be found at the remote beach again on Tuesday morning, Reuters is reporting.“Some of the stranded whales have started swimming away but others are milling around not far from shore,” a spokeswoman for New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC) said in a statement.“At this stage, it’s unclear whether the whales that are offshore from the Spit might re-strand in the outgoing tide or swim off. We should know in the next hour or so,” she said.Rescue workers were in the water trying to encourage the whales to swim back out to sea.Sky News is reporting that volunteers have successfully refloated 40 of the stranded whales, but rescuers are concerned the animals might beach themselves again overnight.Louisa Hawkes, a spokesman for whale rescue group Project Jonah, said volunteers helped keep the whales cool and comfortable throughout the day by drenching them with buckets of water, keeping them upright and making sure they did not put too much pressure on their fins until the evening high tide allowed them to refloat the whales.Last year, nearly 100 pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins died in a mass stranding on the remote Chatham Islands, about 800km off New Zealand’s east coast.Mass strandings are common in New Zealand and have occurred throughout recorded modern history. Why it happens is a question that has puzzled marine biologists for years.


Najib's pardon bid not discussed, board says

Former prime minister Najib Razak's application for a royal pardon was not discussed at the 59th meeting of the Pardons Board for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya, which convened on April 28 at Istana Negara, the board says.
The board’s secretary Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the application would be discussed at the appropriate time, according to applicable legislation and regulations.
Khairul, who is also the director-general of the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department, said at the meeting, the Pardons Board had considered a total of 10 pardon appeals under Regulation 54 and Regulation 113 of the Prisons Regulations 2000.
"According to Article 42 of the Federal Constitution, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has the authority to grant pardons, postponements and legal relief in relation to all offences which have been tried by military courts and all offences committed within the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.
"Rulers and Yang di-Pertua Negeri of states also have the power to grant pardons, postponement of the law and legal relief in relation to all other offences committed within those states," he said in a statement.


With 6 months to go, cancellation fears cloud Tokyo Olympics

When the Tokyo Olympics were postponed last year, officials promised they would open in 2021 as proof of mankind’s triumph over the coronavirus.But six months before the rescheduled start, victory over the virus remains distant, and fears are growing rapidly that the Games may not take place at all.Publicly, organisers are still adamant the Games can go ahead, and say they can be held safely even if the virus is not under control by the time the flame is lit on July 23.“It’s precisely because we’re in this situation that we need to remember the value of the Olympics – that humankind can coexist peacefully through sport,” Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto told AFP.However, with much of the world still paralysed by Covid-19, and Tokyo under a state of emergency, the doubting voices are growing louder.Former London 2012 deputy chairman Keith Mills this week said he thought the Games looked “unlikely” to happen, while British Olympics legend Matthew Pinsent said it was “ludicrous” to go ahead.The long path to Tokyo’s second Summer Games has been littered with obstacles, from bid bribery allegations to fears over the summer heat.But none has loomed as large as the pandemic, which last March forced the first peacetime postponement in modern Games history.Public disenchantmentIn Japan, whose emergency measures cover greater Tokyo and other parts of the country, public disenchantment is rising.A poll this month found 80% of respondents opposed hosting the event this year, with 35% favouring outright cancellation and 45% calling for further postponement.The Australian Open tennis Grand Slam has underlined the complexity of organising international sport in the pandemic, with major problems bringing in players and keeping them Covid-free.“It’s been really eye-opening here in Melbourne to see and hear the amount of logistical challenges and the scale of trying to organise just a tennis event in the current situation,” said Gordon Reid, the British wheelchair tennis player and Paralympic gold-medallist.“You’ve got to multiply that by a thousand when it comes to the Olympics and Paralympics because they are on another scale.”Tokyo 2020 chiefs say another postponement is “absolutely impossible”, meaning the Games will be cancelled if they cannot go ahead this year.They are pushing ahead with a raft of coronavirus countermeasures intended to ensure a safe Games, even without vaccines which remain non-mandatory for athletes.A 53-page interim report released in December outlines measures including a ban on supporters cheering, regular testing for athletes and limited stays at the Olympic village.Much is still undecided though, including a decision on how many spectators will be allowed – if any.Clock is tickingThe coronavirus has taken a considerable financial toll, with some studies rating Tokyo as the most expensive Summer Olympics yet.Anti-virus measures and other delay-related costs have added US$2.8 billion to the price tag, which has ballooned to at least US$15.8 billion.Efforts to reduce costs by cutting back on athlete welcome ceremonies and other trimmings have produced only minimal savings, though organisers say they have managed to keep all domestic sponsors on board.Meanwhile many athletes are still sweating on qualification, with several events outstanding. Disruption to training and competition schedules is also causing huge uncertainty.However, plans to start the nationwide torch relay in March remain on course, with social distancing measures set to be enforced.Japan is now desperately hoping it does not lose another Olympics – following the cancellation of the 1940 Summer and Winter Games because of war.Cancellation would deal a serious blow to the Olympic movement and Japan’s national pride, not to mention the huge financial impact on both Tokyo and the IOC.Tokyo 2020 chiefs are betting the public mood will begin to swing in the Games’ favour in the months ahead, when winter is over and vaccinations ramp up.But the clock is ticking. Japan has yet to approve a coronavirus vaccine, but Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said he hopes the first jabs can begin in late February, with health workers and the elderly expected to be first in line.Reports say the rest of the Japan will start receiving vaccines in May – just two months before the Games start.


MACC to probe recipients of cash named in Zahid trial

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today said that it would investigate the individuals named by a witness as having received millions of ringgit in cash during the ongoing corruption trial of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.“MACC can also confirm that it has received several complaints against the individuals who have been named in a ledger, as submitted to court in the trial,” the anti-graft body said in a statement tonight.This comes a day after former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who was among those named as receiving cash from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB), denied the claim made by the company’s former administrative manager David Tan Siong Sun.He also said he was ready to be investigated by MACC.Muhyiddin aside, Tan had named Khairy Jamaluddin, Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Hishammuddin Hussein, Shafie Apdal and Anifah Aman, saying they were mentioned in the UKSB ledger as well as in an MACC forensic report.Zahid himself was also included in the ledger under a series of code names such as “z”, “zh”, “yb”, “young boy”, “mon” and “monster”.Tan said he used code names because he was worried that the ledger might be exposed to other people.The ledger contains the details of payments made by UKSB to several individuals between 2014 and 2018.


Jho Low stole 1MDB funds before Najib’s bank account was opened, says defence

The defence in Najib Razak’s 1MDB trial today said that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low had misappropriated funds belonging to the strategic investment company through the profit from the issuance of RM5 billion Islamic medium-term notes (IMTN) without Najib’s knowledge.Najib’s counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah also contended at the High Court today that Najib had not received money originating from the bond issued in 2009 by 1MDB predecessor Terengganu Investment Authority as the former prime minister’s bank account in AmBank was only opened on Jan 13, 2011.Former 1MDB non-executive director Ismee Ismail, who is the 13th prosecution witness, agreed to the lawyer’s contention that no proceeds from the IMTN bond flipped by Jho Low ever went to Najib’s personal account.Shafee, referring to an article from an online blog Malaysia Today, also told the court that Jho Low had received money misappropriated from the issuance of the bond, which was transferred into two companies related to him – Country Group Securities PCL and Aktis Capital Singapore Pte Ltd – totalling RM74 million in 2009.“The two companies made an easy profit when they subscribed to 1MDB bonds at a discount before reselling them at face value (or value on paper) in 2009 to Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and an insurance company, Prudential.“We wish to establish that none of the IMTN profit went into Najib’s account. The money in Najib’s account was only because of the arrangement of the Arab donation. My client was under the impression it was a donation from the Saudi Ministry of Finance.“Najib’s Ambank account which allegedly received billions of ringgit in 1MDB funds was opened in 2011, so it had nothing to do with the IMTN,” said Shafee.The lawyer then asked the witness whether he was familiar with the term “working in a silo”, which had been repeated by three members of the 1MDB top management when they were called to the witness stand – former 1MDB CEOs Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman as well as its chief financial officer Azmi Tahir.To this, Ismee said yes.Shafee: Is it a good practice in the corporate field?Ismee: No.Shafee: Do you agree with me it is anathema, which is so opposite to good governance?Ismee: Yes.Shafee: And that is something completely discouraged because secrecy breeds corruption, breeds fraudulent behaviour in any corporation. Working in a silo, therefore, is the breeding ground for a corporation to be corrupted, to be full of fraudulent transactions such as what happened in 1MDB. Do you agree with me?Ismee: That explains why we failed.Najib, 68, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.The trial before justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.


MACC investigating individuals in Kuwait over misappropriation of 1MDB funds

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating several individuals in Kuwait over the misappropriation of 1MDB funds, the commission said in a statement yesterday.
MACC said it had had several discussions with enforcement agencies in Kuwait over the past two years.
"Currently, MACC is waiting for some evidence from the Kuwaiti authorities that was requested through mutual legal assistance, and the matter is still being studied by the Kuwaiti side.
"MACC, as one of the leading agencies in asset recovery efforts, is focusing on the recovery of assets and money lost as a result of the embezzlement at 1MDB and several other companies involved," is said.
It also said that the Attorney-General's Chambers had rejected the settlement offer made by wanted businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, to the Malaysian government on July 16.
"MACC asks all parties not to speculate on this issue to avoid confusion among the general public which may also affect the investigation," it added.


PN announces state chiefs as Umno hawks continue quit campaign

Perikatan Nasional (PN) today announced the appointment of its chiefs in 14 states, as the ruling coalition consolidates its strength in the face of hawks within Umno trying to engineer a withdrawal of the Malay party from the government.The list of state chiefs includes current menteris besar under the PN state governments, all of whom are Bersatu and PAS leaders.Among others, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will helm his home state of Johor, while senior minister Mohamed Azmin Ali will lead in Selangor, where he was once the MB.The announcement comes as Umno hawks gather division leaders today to convince them to quit the PN government, continuing their narrative that the party is being sidelined.Former president Najib Razak and his successor Ahmad Zahid Hamidi are leading the pack, ahead of a Supreme Council meeting tomorrow to decide on Umno’s future political alliance.With 39 MPs, Umno needs the combined strength of DAP, PKR and Amanah if it hopes to form the government, a move likely to fail amid signs of an implosion from Umno leaders who have rejected cooperation with Pakatan Harapan.Umno and PAS also appear to be heading for a breakup, amid incessant criticism of the Islamist party over its refusal to leave PN.PN, comprising Bersatu, PAS and several Sabah and Sarawak parties, was formed in February last year, bringing together political parties which lent their support to Muhyiddin to form the government following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan administration.Umno and Gabungan Parti Sarawak are not members of the coalition although they have expressed their support for the PN government.The full list of PN state chiefs is as follows:Johor: Muhyiddin YassinTerengganu: Ahmad Samsuri MokhtarSelangor: Azmin AliKelantan: Ahmad YakobPerak: Ahmad Faizal AzumuKedah: Muhammad Sanusi NorSabah: Hajiji NoorPahang: Saifuddin AbdullahNegeri Sembilan: Eddin Syazlee ShithPenang: Shabudin YahayaPerlis: Mohd Shukri RamliMelaka: Rafiq NaizamohideenSarawak: Jaziri Alkaf Abdillah SuffianFederal Territories: Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya


Govt told to address surge in laptop prices as online learning takes hold

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) today called for urgent measures to control the retail price of laptops and tablet computers amid reports of a surge in prices of up to 25% as home-based learning replaces face-to-face classes under tight restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19.Noting one case in which a branded affordable tablet that cost RM399 before the movement control order (MCO) now retails for RM599, it said the reason given of a shortage in stock and an increase in logistic costs from the producing country was unacceptable.“The manufacturers of these items, which are large corporations, should lower their profit margin as part of their social responsibility in these trying times,” CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said.“Retailers should not take advantage of the temporary shortage to hike up the prices to make unjustified profits. The authorities should have forseen the problem and taken proactive measures to ensure enough supply, as it has been almost a year since MCO 1.0 was implemented.”Tens of thousands of students returned to school on Jan 20 although only students in Form 5 and 6 were allowed to attend physical classes.The rest are following their lessons through home-based teaching and learning, otherwise known as PdPR.However, the online learning method still faces several problems, with lack of devices and adequate internet infrastructure cited as some of the biggest.CAP acknowledged the announcement by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz during the tabling of Budget 2021 in November last year that 150,000 students from 500 schools would be given laptops to aid in their studies.However, it said the allocation of the promised RM150 million for this purpose would not solve the difficulties at hand.A survey by the education ministry in March last year, involving 670,000 parents and some 900,000 students, found that 36.9% of the pupils polled had no devices at all.CAP said with some 4.9 million students in schools nationwide, the 150,000 devices would only cater for 3% of the student population.“This excludes those at tertiary levels whom we cannot assume are rich enough to afford such hardware,” it said.CAP also criticised the country’s internet access, saying there are places where connection is intermittent or slow.“If laptops and tablets are not easily available, then the government should not proceed with education online but consider alternative methods,” it said.“Children who are in the vulnerable category can have home schooling. Retired teachers who are fit to work can be mobilised for this purpose.”It also said that internet services must be improved and made available throughout the country.“Where this is not possible, for example in the interior region, other arrangements must be made to educate the children.”


Prosecutor urges ex-Goldman banker’s conviction over 1MDB as defence blasts witness

A US prosecutor on Monday urged jurors to convict a former senior Goldman Sachs banker for helping loot billions of dollars from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund, while the defence accused the government’s star witness of lying.In her closing argument in Brooklyn federal court, assistant US attorney Alixandra Smith said the defendant Roger Ng received more than US$35 million in kickbacks from the “brazen” bribery and money laundering scheme, and must be held accountable.Ng’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo countered that his client, who had been Goldman’s former top investment banker for Malaysia, was falsely implicated by his former boss Tim Leissner, the star witness.“He never stopped lying ever, and he didn’t stop lying in this courtroom,” Agnifilo said, referring to Leissner.Closing arguments are expected to end on Tuesday, followed by the judge instructing jurors on the law and the start of deliberations.The nearly two-month trial stemmed from one of the biggest financial scandals in history.Prosecutors have said Goldman helped 1MDB raise US$6.5 billion through three bond sales, but that US$4.5 billion was diverted to government officials, bankers and their associates through bribes and kickbacks.Goldman in 2020 paid a fine of nearly US$3 billion and its Malaysian unit agreed to plead guilty. The scheme’s suspected mastermind, businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, remains at large.Ng, 49, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to launder money and violating an anti-corruption law, and will likely be the only person tried in the US over 1MDB.Prosecutors said Ng helped Leissner embezzle hundreds of millions of dollars, launder the proceeds and bribe officials to win business for Goldman.“The harm to the people of Malaysia is immeasurable,” Smith told jurors. “It is deeply unfair to everyone else who plays by the rules.”Leissner, 52, pleaded guilty in 2018 to similar charges as Ng.Agnifilo focused his closing argument on Leissner’s credibility, after Leissner admitted during testimony that he “lied a lot.”While the defence acknowledged that Ng introduced Leissner to Low, Agnifilo said his client played no further role, and Leissner lied to get a lighter sentence.“Ng is basically the fall guy for this whole thing,” Agnifilo said.Smith acknowledged that Leissner was seeking leniency by testifying, but said other testimony backed up his story.“What he told you about the crimes he committed with the defendant and others is backed up by and consistent with other evidence,” Smith said. “You already know the defendant is guilty from the other evidence.”Ng has acknowledged receiving US$35 million from Leissner, but jurors will need to sort out what the money was for.Leissner said that money represented kickbacks from 1MDB, and that he agreed with Ng to tell banks processing the transfers a “cover story” that it came from a legitimate business venture between their wives.Ng’s wife, Lim Hwee Bin, testified for the defence that she invested US$6 million in the mid-2000s in a Chinese company owned by the family of Leissner’s then-wife, Judy Chan.She said the US$35 million was her return on that investment.Low was indicted in 2018 alongside Ng. Malaysian authorities say Low is in China, which Beijing denies.


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Taliban tell Afghan networks to stop airing shows with women actors

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities on Sunday issued a new “religious guideline” that called on the country’s television channels to stop showing dramas and soap operas featuring women actors.In the first such directive to Afghan media issued by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Taliban also called on women television journalists to wear Islamic hijabs while presenting their reports.And the ministry asked the channels not to air films or programmes in which the Prophet Muhammad or other revered figures are shown.It called for banning films or programmes that were against Islamic and Afghan values.“These are not rules but a religious guideline,” ministry spokesman Hakif Mohajir told AFP.The new directive was widely circulated late Sunday on social media networks.Despite insisting they will rule more moderately this time around, the Taliban have already introduced rules for what women can wear at university, and beaten and harassed several Afghan journalists despite promising to uphold press freedoms.The Taliban’s guideline for TV networks comes after two decades of explosive growth for independent Afghan media under the Western-backed governments that ruled the country until Aug 15, when the Islamists regained power.Dozens of television channels and radio stations were set up with Western assistance and private investment soon after the Taliban were toppled in 2001.During the past 20 years, Afghan television channels offered a wide range of programmes – from an “American Idol” style singing competition to music videos, along with several Turkish and Indian soap operas.When the Islamists previously ruled from 1996 to 2001, there was no Afghan media to speak of – they banned television, movies and most other forms of entertainment, deeming it immoral.People caught watching television faced punishment, including having their set smashed. Ownership of a video player could lead to a public lashing.There was only one radio station, Voice of Sharia, that broadcast propaganda and Islamic programming.


EU states set age limit for AstraZeneca vaccine amid concern over seniors

Greece on Friday joined other EU states in limiting use of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine to those under age 65, awaiting more data on its efficacy on the elderly.“In Greece, as in other European Union countries, the AstraZeneca vaccine will be used on ages 18-64,” health ministry general-secretary Marios Themistokleous told reporters.There is “insufficient evidence” regarding its use on older people, he said.France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and other countries have so far put age limits on the vaccine, which was developed by the British-Swedish firm with Oxford University.Nearly 6,000 deaths in Greece have been attributed to coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, including a 16-year-girl on Wednesday. Over 240 people are in intensive care.Fewer than 360,000 vaccinations have been carried out in the country of 11 million.Those aged 60 to 64 are expected to receive inoculation after Feb 12, Themistokleous said.Health safety officials on Friday again imposed some restrictions in an ongoing lockdown that had been relaxed over Christmas.A 6pm curfew was imposed this weekend in Athens and Thessaloniki, and high schools were closed until Feb 15, a week after reopening.Vana Papaevangelou, a member of the state coronavirus expert committee, said that average daily cases had increased to nearly 900 this week from 625 a week earlier nationwide.“The map is red again, in many areas,” she told reporters.


Lies, Bella was never splashed with hot water, Siti Bainun’s lawyer tells court

The defence in the neglect and abuse trial over a young girl with Down syndrome told the court today that the testimony of a prosecution witness who said Bella had been splashed with hot water was mere fabrication.The defence said the water filter in the home of the accused, Siti Bainun Ahd Razali, had been spoilt since March 2021 while Bella was allegedly abused between February and June of that year.Lawyer Nur A’minahtul Mardiah, when cross-examining Yasmin Nahar Mahmood, the fifth prosecution witness, said the latter’s statement that Bella had been tied down before being splashed with hot water was a lie to the court.“This is why Siti Bainun had to bring a Thermos back to her condonimium from Rumah Bonda, do you agree?” she said.Yasmin however disagreed.A’minahtul then said that the water filer had been out of order since March 11, 2021.“The doctor said there were only two scars on Bella’s head,” she added. “The first of these could have been caused by Bella scratching an itch.“The doctor said there was no evidence of dripping. So where did the story about being sprayed and splashed with hot water come from?”“I saw it,” Yasmin replied.The defence also questioned Yasmin’s statement that Bella had been forced to eat chilli nearly every day.A’minahtul said none of Bella’s five medical reports had stated that Bella had injuries in her stomach or on her tongue due to eating overly spicy food.She said Bella would have experienced significant side effects if she had really been forced to eat chillis.She also said that Yasmin’s testimony was not included in the report or statement given to the police.“This is a lie. Bella was never told to eat chillis because the medical report said that her tongue was not injured.”The defence also claimed Yasmin had lied about Bella being gagged in order to prevent the neighbours from realising what was going on.A’minahtul said the police had not confiscated any rope and that no statement to the effect had been made during the investigation, accusing Yasmin of attempting to mislead the court.“The doctor said there were no indications on Bella’s mouth and cheeks,” she said.“So this story about Bella being bound at her mouth was a lie and a fabrication, do you agree?”But Yasmin again disagreed.Siti Bainun, 30, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of neglecting and abusing the teenager to the point of the victim suffering injuries as well as emotional distress.The offences were allegedly committed at a condominium in Wangsa Maju between February and June 2021, under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 which carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years, a fine of RM50,000 or both, upon conviction.The trial continues this afternoon.


NGO boom, for charity or profit?

Questions have been raised about the mushrooming of NGOs throughout the country, with concerns that the rate at which such groups have grown could leave the door open for exploitation by those with vested interests.Fears of this sort are compounded by the fact that the Registrar of Societies allows any NGO that raises funds to pocket up to 30% of the total collection.Aliff Ahmad Ahmad Shariffuddin, co-founder of online database services provider SCRUT, said such flexibility made it very easy for NGOs to rake in a profit.“This is why so many people are forming NGOs now,” Aliff told MalaysiaNow.“It’s easy work. It’s not their money. People pay them to do good. They get money and they get to look good at the same time.”The question for him is whether well-intentioned people would still be willing to donate to such groups knowing that only 70% of their contribution might end up channelled towards the cause at hand.Aliff and SCRUT co-founder Nik Izwan Kamel are familiar with the issue, having prepared many inspection reports on NGOs and businesses including, most recently, the company of PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli.Given the fact that none of this is illegal, Aliff said, many were “obsessed” with starting their own NGOs despite lacking a solid foundation of goals or agenda, not to speak of aims for community development.“If you succeed in collecting RM100,000, you can use RM30,000 for administrative purposes. That’s how it works,” he said.Two decadesThe proliferation of activists and groups registering themselves as NGOs began some two decades ago, with the majority displaying an interest in charitable causes and campaigns on specific issues such as democracy.According to the Registrar of Societies, there are currently 72,444 NGOs registered throughout the country.There have even been joint ventures between NGOs and the government to monitor the policies put in place.Others, however, do not appear to go beyond issuing media statements whenever a relevant issue crops up.Activist William Cheah has spent years working with the urban poor. Cheah, of Kembara Kitchen, said the increase in the number of NGOs was a common trend, especially in the wake of the massive floods which hit the east coast in 2014.After the floods which slammed Selangor in December last year, he said, the number of NGOs grew even more.For him, this is not a problem as long as the groups in question have a main focus and work together to bring about good and help those who are truly in need.“Otherwise, their efforts might clash, resulting in a waste of resources and conflict among the NGOs,” he told MalaysiaNow.Even for matters of humanitarian and development assistance, though, problems of transparency often occur.Misuse of NGOsFor all their stated intentions, some NGOs wind up in the limelight for the wrong reasons.A case in point was welfare home Rumah Bonda, which made headlines after it was revealed that a young girl with Down syndrome known as Bella had been subject to physical abuse.A police report lodged at the time said that children in the care of the social welfare department had been placed at the home even though it was unlicensed.Rumah Bonda was founded by Puteri Umno member Siti Bainun Ahd Razali.Well-known activist Syed Azmi Alhabshi, meanwhile, was an adviser. To this day, Syed Azmi is still receiving flak for remaining quiet over the issue.The Rumah Bonda case meanwhile is ongoing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.Similarly, those who contributed to a fund for a humanitarian mission to Gaza operated by popular religious speaker Ebit Lew last year questioned the outcome of their donations after it was revealed that they had not been used in Palestine.Prominent activist Raja Shamri Raja Husin meanwhile said that pictures of him and his team helping those in need had been used by a third party to collect donations.He said the third party turned out to be an NGO which spread the photos without permission along with its bank account number.Raja Shamri fears that the presence of such groups will have a negative effect on the work of NGOs that truly wish to help the needy.“That NGO was based in Putrajaya,” he told MalaysiaNow. “The pictures on the other hand showed my team and I helping villagers in the interior of Kelantan.”Aliff said it often came as no surprise that the person behind a particular organisation lived a life of luxury and was even willing to quit his or her job to take care of the NGO on a full-time basis.In such cases, he said, operation expenditure, salaries and other costs were already covered by donations or collections.“Some of them are more traditional and collect donations from house to house,” he said.“Then they take their commission of 30% and divide it as they see fit. They are paid to do what they like,” he added. “And they look good while they’re doing it.”MalaysiaNow has contacted several NGOs and is awaiting their response.


Proposal to reopen borders not a personal decision, says Muhyiddin

The proposal by the National Recovery Council (MPN) on reopening the country’s border was not a personal decision, but one mutually agreed to by members of the council, said its chairman Muhyiddin Yassin.The former prime minister said the matter was discussed at a recent meeting chaired by him.Muhyiddin said the reopening of the border was important for reviving the country’s economy, especially the business and tourism sectors, and that he hoped Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob would agree to the council’s proposal to reopen the country’s borders by March 1.“Please PM (prime minister), it’s a proposal by MPN and not my own. In the meeting, the health minister was there and when asked whether there would be compulsory quarantine, he said no need.“Asked when the border could be opened, he said it can be opened on March 1,” Muhyiddin said in his speech at the Perikatan Nasional (PN) Chinese New Year reception in Pontian last night.Also present were Gerakan president Dominic Lau and International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali, who is also PN information chief.In early February, the MPN recommended that the government fully open the country’s borders as early as March 1, although the Cabinet has yet to discuss the proposal.


Youth involvement in TVET, reform agenda to be raised in Dewan Rakyat

The youth involvement in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes, as well as reforms to the country’s system and institution, are among the issues to be raised at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.
According to the order paper, these questions will be answered by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during the Minister’s Question Time.
Young Syefura Othman (PH-Bentong) will ask the prime minister about the government’s new strategy and policy to improve the effectiveness of TVET programmes, while Saifuddin Abdullah (PN-Indera Mahkota) will ask whether the government will propose an inclusive consultation process to implement the reform agenda.
Oscar Ling Chai Yew (PH-Sibu) will ask about measures to improve the quality of the country’s healthcare services in relation to overcrowding at government hospitals.
Richard Riot Jaem (GPS-Serian) meanwhile will ask the finance minister whether the goods and services tax will be reintroduced.
After the session concludes, the Dewan Rakyat will continue with the debate session on the Supply Bill 2023 at the policy level.


Electricity tariff adjustment for T20 to be announced soon, says minister

The government is expected to announce the electricity tariff adjustment for domestic consumers in the T20 income group soon, says Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
He said the government must take into account various factors including the trend of coal and gas prices which have stabilised over the past few years, before adjusting the electricity tariff.
"We have long kept the price (of coal and gas fuel) very low... that’s why the tariff increase is quite drastic. So that is a factor to consider.
"God willing, we will announce it in the near future. Give us time. I have not even discussed it with the Cabinet," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.
He said the adjustment would be made based on the imbalance cost pass-through mechanism for a period of six months, from July to December this year. Yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that those in the T20 group would not benefit from electricity subsidies and haj financial assistance.
Meanwhile, Nik Nazmi said the government had saved more than RM4 billion from the RM15 billion allocated for flood mitigation projects announced by the previous government.
He said the savings were the result of a better procurement method implemented by the government through open tenders.


Tehran imposes curbs as Iran’s Covid cases hit all-time high

Iran sought to contain a new record surge in Covid cases, with government offices, banks and many businesses shut in the capital Tehran on Tuesday.Already hit by the deadliest outbreak in the Middle East, the Islamic republic has been gripped by what authorities warned would be a “fifth wave” driven by the aggressive Delta variant.To contain it, the national virus task force ordered government offices and banks in the Tehran and neighbouring Alborz province to close for six days from Monday evening, the first time such a step has been taken.Most non-essential shops as well as malls and cinemas were also shut.The sprawling capital city’s streets had limited traffic with almost empty sidewalks on Tuesday morning, an AFP journalist reported.Iran has so far avoided imposing a full nationwide lockdown, employing instead limited measures such as temporary travel bans and business closures.Mehdi, an employee at a trade company, was sceptical the restrictions would curb infections.“It won’t be effective,” he told AFP. “If people stay at home and don’t go anywhere, it might – but as soon as there’s a holiday, everyone starts travelling.”Iran celebrates the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday on Wednesday, ahead of the weekend.State television showed traffic police blocking roads leading north to popular holiday destinations, but Iranian media reported heavy traffic as of Monday night as residents tried to leave the capital.Slow vaccine rolloutPresident Hassan Rouhani earlier this month warned of a “fifth wave” of infections, fuelled by the highly contagious Delta variant.On Saturday, he blamed the rising numbers on crowds that formed during a June presidential election, as well as “unnecessary travel” and citizens flouting health protocols.In the past 24 hours, the country of 83 million has registered a record 27,444 new infections, to bring its official total number of positive cases to 3,576,148.An additional 250 coronavirus-related deaths took the total toll to 87,624, the health ministry said.Authorities have previously admitted that the official figures do not account for all cases, but those numbers still make Iran the hardest-hit country in the Middle East.Iran’s previous daily infection record of 25,582 was reached on April 14. At the time Iran was battling a fourth wave that started in late March and was blamed on a surge in trips made during the Persian New Year holiday.The new restrictions include a ban on road travel to and from Tehran and Alborz provinces, and a new shutdown of high-risk businesses across Iran’s worst-hit areas.Iran has pinned its hopes on vaccinations to help combat the public health crisis, but its inoculation campaign since early February has progressed more slowly than planned.Iran, strangled by US sanctions that have made it difficult to transfer money to foreign firms, says it is struggling to import vaccines.Just over 6.9 million people have received a first dose, and only 2.3 million have received the necessary two jabs, the health ministry said on Tuesday.The authorities have approved the emergency use of two locally produced vaccines, with the only mass-produced one, COVIran Barekat, still in short supply.Car mechanic Moslem said he believed vaccinations are the only real solution, but he bemoaned that it “is not being done”.


India clamps down on festival fever as pandemic cases pass 12 million

Indian authorities clamped down on one of the country’s biggest Hindu festivals on Monday as the country passed 12 million coronavirus cases with financial hub Mumbai recording its highest-ever rise in daily infections.Public celebrations to mark Holi – a popular festival where people smear colour on each other – were banned in some states and territories, including the capital Delhi, over fears they could become “super-spreader” events, with police patrolling streets in Mumbai to prevent large gatherings.Despite the restrictions, revellers still gathered in neighbourhoods across the country, banging drums and hurling coloured powder at each other.“We are aware of the pandemic, but we can not ignore the wishes of the people who want to celebrate the festival of colour,” TV actor Debdut Ghosh, who is campaigning for an election in West Bengal state, told AFP in Kolkata.Many people also took to the streets in the northern city of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh state, the country’s Hindu heartland of 1.3 billion people.“Had it not been a festival, I would not have stepped out,” septuagenarian BK Tiwari told AFP as he carried his colour-smeared facemask.The muted celebrations went ahead despite a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases.India reported 68,020 new daily infections on Monday– a significant rise from below 9,000 in early February – taking the total number of cases to more than 12 million.“If the outbreak grows at that pace – about five times in five weeks – that’s worrisome,” virologist Shahid Jameel told AFP, adding that the lack of mask-wearing and social distancing was fuelling the surge.Mumbai reported more than 6,900 new cases – a record for the city of 20 million and more than double last year’s peak.The western state of Maharashtra, home to Mumbai, is mulling a full lockdown to tackle the spread of the disease after imposing a nightly curfew from Sunday.India – the third-most infected nation – has shied away from harsh restrictions to combat Covid-19, after gradually lifting one of the world’s strictest lockdowns last year to revive the devastated economy.Optimism that India’s vaccine drive would ease the impact of the virus has also faltered with sluggish inoculation rates.More than 60 million shots have been administered since mid-January, a far slower pace than needed to reach the ambitious target of vaccinating 300 million people by the end of July.India, home to the world’s biggest vaccine manufacturer, has meanwhile slowed its export of shots due to the spike.


Ex-Umno MP made Matrade chairman

Former Kepala Batas MP Reezal Merican Naina Merican has been made chairman of Matrade, the national trade promotion agency under the investment, trade and industry ministry.
He replaces Hazimah Zainuddin.
Reezal served as a minister under the two previous prime ministers, Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Muhyiddin Yassin,
At the general election last year, he lost his Kepala Batas parlimentary seat to Perikatan Nasional's Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad, ending almost five decades of Barisan Nasional's grip on the federal constituency.
His appointment is the latest in a series of politicians from ruling coalitions being named to helm government agencies and GLCs.
They include the appointment of PKR's Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh as the non-executive chairman of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, a GLC under the communications and digital ministry headed by Fahmi Fadzil, and two Umno men to head Malay economic empowerment agencies Majlis Amanah Rakyat and Felcra.
Meanwhile, PKR's Balik Pulau MP Bakhtiar Wan Chik was named to head finance ministry-owned investment arm MyCreative Ventures Sdn Bhd, and Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid was appointed to head Tekun Nasional.


Hundreds of thousands take shelter as new cyclone bears down on India

The second powerful cyclone to hit India in two weeks bore down on the east coast Wednesday, sending hundreds of thousands of people scrambling for emergency shelters ahead of the devastating winds and rain.Cyclone Yaas grew in the Bay of Bengal as rescuers on the opposite side of the country kept up the search for bodies from Cyclone Tauktae, which claimed at least 155 lives on May 14.Yaas turned into a “very severe” storm late Tuesday and the Indian Meteorological Department predicted gusts of up to 185km an hour when it hits the coast near the border between West Bengal and Odisha states on Wednesday.Amid fears that the cyclone could help spread the deadly coronavirus wave that has hit India in recent weeks, heavy rainfall lashed coastal villages and towns in the hours ahead of the arrival of Yaas.A tornado that preceded the storm left two dead by electrocution as it tore through West Bengal’s Hooghly district, authorities said.Kolkata, West Bengal’s main city, ordered its international airport to shut down for most of Wednesday because of the looming storm.With some experts blaming global warming for fuelling more intense cyclones in the oceans around India, authorities have increasingly relied on mass evacuations away from threatened coasts to keep down the loss of life from storms that in the past have left thousands dead.More than 1.2 million people have been moved to shelters in West Bengal and Odisha, which are hit by cyclones virtually every year.“Every life is precious,” said Odisha’s chief minister Naveen Patnaik as he appealed for the population not to “panic” and to move away from the coast.A record 4,800 disaster workers had been positioned in the two states, equipped with tree and wire cutters, emergency communications, inflatable boats and medical aid, the National Disaster Response Force said.‘Terrible blow’Both states are struggling with the coronavirus wave that has left more than 120,000 dead across India in the past six weeks.While masks have been distributed in emergency shelters and relief workers are trying to impose social distancing, many officials fear the new cyclone will only speed up the spread of the virus.“This cyclone spells double trouble for millions of people in India as there is no respite from Covid-19,” said Udaya Regmi, South Asia head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.The storm “is a terrible blow for many people in coastal districts whose families have been struck down by Covid-19 infections and deaths”, West Bengal state minister Bankim Chandra Hazra told AFP.Hazra added that it would be “a big challenge” to maintain social distancing in the emergency shelters.Some vaccination centres in threatened districts as well as Kolkata suspended operations because of the storm and a special operation had been launched to ensure the supply of oxygen and medicines to hospitals, officials said.Officials in Bangladesh, which lies to the east of West Bengal, said they did not expect the storm to hit the delta nation.The Bay of Bengal has conditions favourable to the development of cyclones, including high sea surface temperatures.Some of the deadliest storms in history have formed there, including one in 1970 that killed half a million people in what is modern-day Bangladesh.Odisha’s worst-ever cyclone, in 1999, killed 10,000 people.


US and Taiwan to launch trade talks after Biden excludes island from Indo-Pacific group

The US will launch new trade talks with Taiwan, US officials said on Wednesday, just days after President Joe Biden launched an economic plan for Asia intended to push back on China that excluded the Chinese-claimed island.Washington and Taipei will “move quickly to develop a roadmap” for the planned US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade in the coming weeks, which would be followed by in-person meetings in the US capital later in June, two senior US administration officials told reporters.The initiative would aim to “reach an agreement with high standard commitments that create inclusive and durable prosperity” on issues that include customs facilitation, fighting corruption, common standards on digital trade, labor rights, high environmental standards, and efforts to curb state-owned enterprises and non-market practices, one of the US officials said.The bilateral initiative largely parallels the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), an economic partnership with 13 Asian countries that he launched last week during a visit to Seoul and Tokyo. But the US did not invite democratically self-governed Taiwan to join the IPEF talks.Analysts had said other countries would be hesitant to join a grouping with the island for fear of angering Beijing, which regards Taiwan as its own territory. Over 200 members of the US Congress had urged Taiwan’s inclusion in IPEF.The announcement on Taiwan talks came after a virtual meeting on Wednesday between Deputy US Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi and Taiwan’s chief trade negotiator John Deng.Speaking in Taipei, Deng said they hoped there would be an opportunity soon to seal a free trade deal Taiwan has long sought with the US, adding the island was also still striving to participate in the IPEF.The talks with Taiwan, led for Washington by the US Trade Representative’s office, would supplement several existing dialogues with the island, including one led by the Commerce Department on export controls and other supply chain issues, the US official said.No tariff cuts, ‘market access’Like IPEF, the initiative with Taiwan would not need congressional approval because it will not include market access requirements or reduced tariffs, the official added. The so-called US “fast track” negotiating authority for major trade agreements expired in July 2021, and the Biden administration has not asked Congress to renew it.“We think there’s a lot of robust areas that we can cover, that would really deepen our economic engagement, our economic ties, without dealing with market access issues. But of course, obviously, we’re not ruling anything out for the future,” the official said.A second official said the new initiative added to other efforts to “highlight the US commitment to the region, specifically economically.”The US had lacked an economic pillar to its Indo-Pacific engagement since former president Donald Trump quit a multinational trans-Pacific trade agreement, in part out of concern over US jobs.But trade experts have questioned whether Washington could build momentum behind any framework that didn’t offer increased access to the US market.The US doesn’t have official relations with Taiwan, a major producer of semiconductors, but has been stepping up engagement with the island as China seeks to isolate it from global institutions.


US, Australia, UK sign key deal in nuclear sub alliance

Australia formally embarked Monday on a hotly-contested programme to equip its navy with nuclear-powered submarines in a new defence alliance with Britain and the US.Defence Minister Peter Dutton joined US and British diplomats in signing an agreement allowing the exchange of sensitive “naval nuclear propulsion information” between their nations.It is the first agreement on the technology to be publicly signed since the three countries announced in September the formation of a defence alliance, Aukus, to confront strategic tensions in the Pacific where China-US rivalry is growing.“The agreement will permit cooperation, which will further improve our mutual defence posture,” US President Joe Biden said in a statement on Friday ahead of Dutton’s signing ceremony in Canberra with US Charge d’Affaires Michael Goldman and British High Commissioner (ambassador) Victoria Treadell.Under the Aukus deal, Australia would obtain eight state-of-the-art, nuclear-powered submarines capable of stealthy, long-range missions. It also provides for sharing cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum and unspecified undersea capabilities.The agreement has angered China, which describes it as an “extremely irresponsible” threat to stability in the region.It has also infuriated France, which discovered at the last moment that its own diesel-electric submarine contract with Australia – recently estimated to be worth A$90 billion (US$65 billion) – had been scrapped.Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been unapologetic about his handling of the agreement, insisting it was in his country’s national interest and that he knew it would “ruffle some feathers”.


US urges Asean members to help restore democracy in Myanmar ‘immediately’

The US has “deep concerns” about the military coup in Myanmar and calls on Asean to take action to end the violence and restore democracy in the country, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.Asean has been leading the main diplomatic effort to find a solution to Myanmar’s deadly turmoil since the Feb 1 coup plunged fellow Asean member into violence that shows no signs of easing.During a video conference with Asean foreign ministers on Wednesday, Washington’s top diplomat urged Asean to take “immediate action” on a five-point consensus, agreed upon in April, to appoint a special envoy to Myanmar, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.The Asean plan calls for an end to the violence in Myanmar, the start of a dialogue between all parties, greater humanitarian access to conflict-affected areas as well as the appointment of a special envoy.The plan – which coup leader Ming Aung Hlaing agreed to – has also received the backing of Russia, a key supplier of arms and training to Myanmar’s military.The coup leaders, however, have since shown no intention of following through on the plan and have instead reiterated their own, entirely different plan to restore order and democracy in Myanmar.The military’s lack of action has frustrated Asean’s most outspoken members such as Indonesia and Singapore, which are also additionally demanding the release of detained civilian leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi.Myanmar descended into chaos after the coup, with hundreds of protesters killed by security forces and thousands jailed amid paralysing strikes and spreading conflict in border regions.Nearly 1,000 people have been killed, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, while tens of thousands of people have been displaced amid fighting between the security forces and newly formed armed and tribal groups across Myanmar.Blinken asked for the release of all those “unjustly detained” in the country, and the restoration of Myanmar’s democratic transition, Price said.Blinken also emphasised the US rejection of China’s “unlawful maritime claims” in the South China Sea and said Washington “stands with Southeast Asian claimants in the face of Beijing’s coercion”, Price said.The US secretary of state’s meeting with Asean was his first since President Joe Biden took office in January and came amid concerns among diplomats and others that Washington has not been paying sufficient attention to a region that is crucial to its regional strategy to counter an increasingly powerful China.The State Department said Blinken reaffirmed the US’s commitment to Asean centrality on Wednesday and underscored the group’s essential role in the Indo-Pacific regional architecture.


Islamists wield hidden hand in Sudan conflict, military sources say

Thousands of men who worked as intelligence operatives under former president Omar al-Bashir and have ties to his Islamist movement are fighting alongside the army in Sudan's war, three military sources and one intelligence source said, complicating efforts to end the bloodshed.
The army and a paramilitary force have been battling each other in Khartoum, Darfur and elsewhere for 10 weeks in Africa's third largest country by area, displacing 2.5 million people, causing a humanitarian crisis and threatening to destabilise the region. Reinforcements for either side could deepen the conflict.
The army has long denied accusations by its rivals in the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that it depends on discredited loyalists of Bashir, an Islamist long shunned by the West, who was toppled during a popular uprising in 2019.
In response to a question from Reuters for this article, an army official said: "The Sudanese army has no relation with any political party or ideologue. It is a professional institution."
Yet the three military sources and an intelligence source said thousands of Islamists were battling alongside the army.
"Around 6,000 members of the intelligence agency joined the army several weeks before the conflict," said a military official familiar with the army's operations, speaking on condition on anonymity.
"They are fighting to save the country."
Former officials of the country's now-disbanded National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), a powerful institution composed mainly of Islamists, confirmed these numbers.
An Islamist resurgence in Sudan could complicate how regional powers deal with the army, hamper any move towards civilian rule and ultimately set the country, which once hosted al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, on a path for more internal conflict and international isolation.
Reuters spoke to 10 sources for this article, including military and intelligence sources and several Islamists.
In a development indicative of Islamist involvement, an Islamist fighter named Mohammed al-Fadl was killed this month in clashes between RSF forces and the army, said family members and Islamists. He had been fighting alongside the army, they said.
Ali Karti, secretary general of Sudan's main Islamic organisation, sent a statement of condolences for al-Fadl.
'Our identity and our religion'
"We are fighting and supporting the army to protect our country from external intervention and keep our identity and our religion," said one Islamist fighting alongside the army.
Bashir's former ruling National Congress Party said in a statement it had no ties to the fighting and only backed the army politically.
The army accused the RSF of promoting Islamists and former regime loyalists in their top ranks, a charge the RSF denied. Army chief Abdel Fattah Burhan, who analysts see as a non-ideological army man, has publicly dismissed claims that Islamists are helping his forces. "Where are they?" he cried out to cheering troops in a video posted in May.
The military, which under Bashir had many Islamist officers, has been a dominant force in Sudan for decades, staging coups, fighting internal wars and amassing economic holdings.
But following the overthrow of Bashir, Burhan developed good ties with states that have worked against Islamists in the region, notably the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The Gulf states provided Khartoum with significant aid.
Nowadays, former NISS officers also help the military by collecting intelligence on its enemies in the latest conflict. The NISS was replaced by the General Intelligence Service (GIS) after Bashir was toppled, and stripped of its armed "operations" unit, according to a constitutional agreement.
Most of the men from that unit have sided with the army, but some former operations unit members and Islamists who served under Bashir entered the RSF, one army source and one intelligence source said.
"We are working in a very hard situation on the ground to back up the army, especially with information about RSF troops and their deployment," said a GIS official.
Bashir-era veterans
The army outnumbers the RSF nationally, but analysts say it has little capacity for street fighting because it outsourced previous wars in remote regions to militias. Those militias include the "Janjaweed" that helped crush an insurgency in Darfur and later developed into the RSF.
Nimble RSF units have occupied large areas of Khartoum and this week took control of the main base of the Central Reserve Police, a force that the army had deployed in ground combat in the capital. They seized large amounts of weaponry.
But the army, which has depended mainly on air strikes and heavy artillery, could benefit from GIS intelligence gathering skills honed over decades as it tries to root out the RSF.
On June 7, fire engulfed the intelligence headquarters in a disputed area in central Khartoum. Both sides accused the other of attacking the building.
After Burhan and RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, carried out a coup in 2021 which derailed a transition to democracy, Hemedti said the move was a mistake and warned it would encourage Islamists to seek power.
Regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia and the UAE had seen Sudan's transition towards democracy as a way to counter Islamist influence in the region, which they consider a threat.
Publicly, the army has asserted its loyalty to the uprising that ousted Bashir in 2019.
But after the military staged a coup in 2021 that provoked a resurgence of mass street protests, it leaned on Bashir-era veterans to keep the country running. A taskforce that had been working to dismantle the former ruling system was disbanded.
Before the outbreak of violence, Bashir supporters had been lobbying against a plan for a transition to elections under a civilian government. Disputes over the chain of command and the structure of the military under the plan triggered the fighting.
About a week after fighting broke out in April, a video on social media showed about a dozen former intelligence officials in army uniforms announcing themselves as reserve forces.
The footage could not be independently verified by Reuters.
Several senior Bashir loyalists walked free from prison in Bahri, across the Nile from central Khartoum, during a wider prison break amid fighting in late April. The circumstances of their release remain unclear. Bashir is in a military hospital.