The opposition’s longest PM candidate may have overstayed his welcome

Some 20 years ago, there was a debate within the opposition over who would lead the government if it came to power, a scenario seen as impossible at that time given the conflicting ideologies of the two biggest opposition parties, PAS and DAP.It was only after the late 1990s, with the emergence of Anwar Ibrahim as a unifying force for the disparate opposition, that the concept of a shadow prime minister found its place in Malaysian politics.It was thought that having a prime ministerial candidate was a boost for the opposition, and showed that it was serious about taking over the government from Barisan Nasional, the undisputed victor at the time which won by a landslide at every general election.Two decades later, there is a debate over whether that strength has become a weakness.Is the opposition fixated on the same individual for the job of prime minister?Anwar had been the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate from the days of Barisan Alternatif, a loose alliance of PAS, DAP and pro-Anwar candidates, to the more solid Pakatan Rakyat of 2013.In 2018, there was a slight change. Anwar was not really the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate, but was named to take over at a later date.“Pakatan Harapan (PH) had to bring in Mahathir to secure the Malay vote,” said Ahmad Atory Hussain, who has studied Malay politics for decades, referring to Dr Mahathir Mohamad who became the prime minister for a second term before his government collapsed after a group of leaders from his party opted out of PH, in a move designed to deny Anwar the top seat.Hard questions for oppositionWith Anwar’s failure this month to gather enough support for the top job, debate on whether he is still relevant has reignited.That debate poses hard questions for the opposition, including why there has been no other leader, unlike their political enemies who have managed to find successors.In 2003, after Mahathir stepped down from 22 years of power, the Umno leadership changed hands to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, followed by Najib Razak.Similarly, a smooth succession was shown when Bersatu quickly named Muhyiddin Yassin as its prime ministerial candidate to fill the 2020 power vacuum after Mahathir’s reluctance to continue leading the party.So too when Ismail Sabri Yaakob was confirmed as a successor of sorts to Muhyiddin, thanks to the latter’s support for him.Ismail Sualman, a political scientist who has authored dozens of works on Malay politics, agreed that there was no such flexibility in finding successors in the PH camp.He said one reason was a lack of choice, citing a familiar argument by PH leaders that Anwar could keep the coalition intact.“DAP for example, is in the ‘second layer’ in the coalition. They need someone that they can trust to lead, and to cooperate with them. They may find it hard to work together with others if it is not because of Anwar,” said Ismail, a UiTM academic.For Azmil Tayeb, who specialises in Southeast Asian political movements, the situation shows a failure to groom young leaders to lead the opposition.“There is a strong reluctance to relinquish power to young and female leaders,” Azmil, of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, told MalaysiaNow.He said while the problem is not unique to opposition parties, the truth is that “veterans” have been at the top echelons of parties in PH for the decades.“If they don’t have the trust to give the reins of leadership to a crop of young leaders, we will keep seeing the likes of Anwar, Lim Kit Siang, Mahathir and many others dominating current politics in Malaysia.”Ismail, meanwhile, warned opposition party leaders that the public might not share their sentiments about their choice of Anwar to lead the government.“The preferences of the voters are not the same as those of political parties,” he said, adding that ultimately, the people may have this in mind during elections.He agreed with Ahmad Atory’s view on the lack of popular Malay support in the PH camp, further complicating Anwar’s road to Putrajaya.“PH’s strength comes from the Chinese vote bank but to lead the country, you will have to win over the Malay voters. This is what he lacks,” said Ismail.Ahmad Atory said the defection of former PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali and those aligned with him had contributed to the dearth of Malay leaders in PH.“He (Anwar) is the only one left. In this aspect, he is still relevant.“He is also still relevant in terms of being an opposition leader,” he quickly added.


New cases hover at 3,500

Another 3,504 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,695,143.Another 4,401 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,606,309.Meanwhile 408 are in the ICU, including 325 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 206 are in need of respiratory assistance including 137 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 3,504 cases reported today, 76 (2.2%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 3,428 (97.8%) are in Category One and Two.


Malaysia on track to have 50% of adults fully vaccinated this month, says Khairy

Malaysia is on track to achieving its target of getting 50% of its adult population fully vaccinated this month, says the coordinating minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK), Khairy Jamaluddin.Khairy said PICK had started to show early positive results with the programme administering 12 million doses of vaccines in July alone, more than the eight million cumulative doses administered from February to June.“Our average daily vaccination rate for July was almost 400,000, surpassing our target of 300,000. We started the month behind advanced countries like Australia, Japan and South Korea, but finished the month considerably ahead.“Our ramp-up has been internationally recognised and we have been recording daily vaccinations in excess of half a million doses.“This shows what we have always known, what was holding us back was not the lack of capacity, resources or competency, but rather not having a consistent supply of vaccines due to global vaccine inequity and the hoarding of vaccines by certain countries which has been condemned by the World Health Organization,” he said in a video on Twitter today.According to Khairy, PICK has also achieved its goal of ensuring that 100% of adults in the Klang Valley receive at least a single dose, in an exercise called Operation Surge Capacity which involved administering an average of 235,000 doses each day.He thanked all parties involved and said he hoped to see an inflection point for hospitalisations and deaths in the Klang Valley in the next few weeks as people get their second dose.Khairy said Malaysia had now seen more than 40% of its adult population receiving two doses and more than 50% of its total population receiving at least a single dose, while 81% of all registered adults had received at least a single dose of vaccine.He also mentioned the effectiveness of PICK in Labuan with 60% of its total population having been fully vaccinated and 56% in Sarawak.Since the start of July, he said, the number of Covid-19 patients in the ICU has dropped by 60% in Sarawak and close to 100% in Labuan, while other key data like deaths and serious hospitalisation were also on a downtrend.“We know that the Delta variant is prevalent in both Sarawak and Labuan, yet Alhamdulillah, the vaccines are having their intended effect of reducing the severity of Covid-19,” he said.Khairy also encouraged more foreign workers and migrants to get vaccinated, saying PICK would be working with NGOs to get the refugee community vaccinated soon, while people in prisons and detention centres would also be inoculated in the coming weeks.“We had a very good July and we are on track for our August targets. We need to work hard to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible so that our economy can open, our people can recover and our nation can heal.“I will not stop until every adult is fully vaccinated by the end of October. That has been my promise to you. I hope I can see this through,” he said.


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More than 30 arrested in latest Italy raid against 'Ndrangheta mafia

Dozens of people have been arrested in a new police raid against the 'Ndrangheta mafia that has revealed how its multiple illegal activities have spread as far as Austria and Germany, Italian authorities said on Tuesday.
Suspects, including politicians from the 'Ndrangheta home region of Calabria, face charges including mafia association, murder, extortion, fraud, rigging of public contracts, bribery and vote buying, police said in a statement.
Catanzaro Prosecutor Nicola Gratteri, one of Italy's best-known anti-Mafia investigators, said in a press conference that regional politicians and public administrators had been "subjugated" by mobsters during 2014-2020.
Police said 22 people have been jailed, 12 put under house arrest, four suspended from office and three given orders not to leave their home town, and a total of 123 people are under investigation, including a former governor of Calabria.
Prosecutors from the German town of Stuttgart and the German federal police cooperated with the investigation, they added.
The alleged 'Ndrangheta network ran illegal trades from the south to the north of Italy in real estate, catering, fruit and vegetable and livestock trading, security services and video-poker, Italian police said.
Mobsters also did business with Austrian fruit and vegetable traders and used German hackers to carry out fraudulent banking and financial transactions on clandestine trading platforms, according to the police.
Tuesday's sting follows two other major anti-'Ndrangheta raids in May, which led to more than 100 arrests across Europe and to the discovery of a drug smuggling ring that relied on shadow networks of Chinese money brokers.
The 'Ndrangheta, which has its roots in the southern Italian region of Calabria, has surpassed Sicily's Cosa Nostra as Italy's most powerful mafia group, and is considered one of the largest criminal networks in the world.


149 Covid cases detected through screening at Langkawi entry points

A total of 149 Covid-19 cases were detected as a result of screenings at air and sea entry points to Langkawi since the domestic tourism bubble pilot project began on Sept 16.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the total was recorded as of noon yesterday involving the screening of 40,458 people, of whom 34,038 were screened at seven airport entry points and 6,420 others at the entry points of ferry services in Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah.“A total of 36,842 people underwent screening using the RTK Antigen test and, of the total, 149 positive cases were detected and 186 other individuals were close contacts of the 149 cases.“They have been isolated and put under home surveillance order (HSO),” he said in a statement.He said 641 people had undergone the RT-PCR self-test before leaving for Langkawi with all results coming back negative, while 2,975 children aged below six did not undergo any Covid-19 tests and were allowed to be with their respective families.On the Dah Teluk Nibung cluster, which was reported in Langkawi on Oct 1, Noor Hisham said a total of 249 people had been screened as of yesterday, with 59 testing positive for Covid-19, 187 returning negative and three more still awaiting their results.“This cluster has been categorised as workplace-linked involving locals, namely workers and close contact of family members.“Initial investigations have found that it began as a community infection before spreading to workplaces due to non-compliance with SOPs at work places and hostels,” he said, adding that all close contacts had been identified, screened and placed under HSO for 10 days.Adding that the infection was under control so far, he said all cases in this cluster were in Category One and Two only, with all of the workers fully vaccinated against Covid-19.Noor Hisham said the health ministry, Kedah health department and Langkawi district health office would continue to monitor the situation.


France implements state of emergency, curfew to stem virus

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday announced that nightly curfews will be imposed in Paris and other cities, as a state of emergency has been declared in the country to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.In an interview broadcast on national television, Macron said the curfew, effective from Saturday, will be imposed from 9pm to 6am in Ile-de-France region, where the capital Paris is located, and eight other cities, Anadolu Agency reported.The report said in addition to Paris and the region surrounding it, the new measures also targeted the cities of Lille, Grenoble, Lyon, Aix-Marseille, Montpellier, Rouen, Saint-Etienne, and Toulouse.The measures are the latest imposed by the president to help stem the spread of the coronavirus, in what has been deemed by health officials as a second wave.France’s health ministry on Wednesday reported 22,591 new Covid-19 infections, with cases now totalling 779,063. The death toll in the country reached 33,037 as 104 new fatalities were reported over the past 24 hours.Macron also called for limiting gatherings to no more than six people.He said those receiving work welfare benefits and housing aid would receive €100 to €150 per child over the next six weeks.


Record virus cases in Tokyo as more regions weigh emergency

Daily virus cases in Tokyo topped 3,000 for the first time on Wednesday, as several neighbouring regions weighed emergency restrictions to tackle a surge in infections.Tokyo, which is already under a virus state of emergency as it hosts the Olympics, reported 3,117 cases, and Governor Yuriko Koike called on people to avoid “unnecessary, non-urgent outings”.Japan’s vaccination programme started slowly, and only just over 25% of the population has had two jabs.“I want young people to get vaccinated. Young people’s behaviour is the key. I’m asking them please for their cooperation,” Koike said.Japan has seen a comparatively small coronavirus outbreak, with around 15,000 deaths despite avoiding harsh lockdowns.The state of emergency in place in Tokyo mostly limits bar and restaurant opening hours and bans them from selling alcohol, though experts have warned compliance is dropping and cases are surging among young people.Cases are also rising elsewhere, and three regions surrounding Tokyo – Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa – are now considering seeking a virus emergency from the national government.The spike in cases is likely to increase scrutiny of the Olympic Games, with persistent concerns over whether the event could drive infections.Olympic participants face various restrictions, including regular testing and limits on their movement.And 124,358 tests of Olympic athletes and team officials this month revealed just 22 confirmed positive cases, according to Tokyo 2020 organisers. The figure does not include tests at airports.Government spokesman Katsunobu Kato called on Japanese to avoid meeting and drinking in groups, suggesting people “watch the Olympic Games at home”.Fans are barred from almost all Olympic venues, though people have been showing up at competitions on public roads.But Tokyo resident Takahiko Nimomoya said he was worried about the rising cases.“I think the government isn’t feeling the seriousness of the situation,” the 55-year-old told AFP.“They are just focusing on the Olympics.”


Proposal to be made for more inclusive definition of Sarawak natives

Law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar today said a proposal would be made for an amendment to the definition of “natives” under Article 161A of the Federal Constitution.Speaking at a press conference in Kuching, he said this was important as the current definition is limited and does not accurately reflect the different native groups in Sarawak.“The definition of natives needs be updated to reflect the numerous different races,” he said, adding that the present list of Sarawak natives only includes 23 ethnicities.An update in the defition would allow the rest of the groups to be clearly recognised, he said.“It is not convenient to categorise as ‘others’ or ‘lain-lain’ in this country as is usually found under the race category in official documents.“By stating their races clearly, it will make these (native) people (who are usually categorised as ‘others’) feel respected,” he added.Wan Junaidi said the bill would also seek to define Malaysia Day as Sept 16, 1963.He said redefining the word “federation” as one established under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) would acknowledge Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the formation of Malaysia.If passed, he said, it would be the first time that MA63 is acknowledged in the Federal Constitution.“The constitution in its current form defines ‘Merdeka Day’, but not ‘Malaysia Day’. The definition of ‘federation’ in the constitution merely refers to the Federation of the Malaya Agreement 1957.”


Bobby Kennedy's assassin denied parole again

The man convicted of shooting dead Robert Kennedy in 1968 was denied parole in California on Wednesday, thwarting his latest effort to leave prison.
Sirhan Sirhan, now 78, has been behind bars for more than five decades – despite doubts that he fired the shots that likely changed the course of US politics.
Kennedy, the younger brother of slain president John F Kennedy, was campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination himself when he was gunned down in a Los Angeles hotel.
Sirhan's latest request for parole – he became eligible in 1972 – was denied by a California board on Wednesday.
A different board had greenlit his release in August 2021, but California governor Gavin Newsom reversed that decision in January of the following year.
Newsom, who is also a Democrat, said at the time that Sirhan "poses an unreasonable threat to public safety."
He said the decision was based on several factors "including Sirhan's refusal to accept responsibility for his crime."
Sirhan was convicted and sentenced to death in 1969 after pleading guilty, but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment several years later.
Doubts around Sirhan's culpability have swirled since his trial, when it was revealed that Kennedy was shot at point-blank range from behind, but witnesses said Sirhan was standing in front of him.
Later, evidence emerged that as many as 13 shots were fired, yet Sirhan's gun could only hold eight bullets.
Suspicion over the verdict led Kennedy's son, Robert F Kennedy Jr, to visit Sirhan in prison.
"I went there because I was curious and disturbed by what I had seen in the evidence," he told the Washington Post in 2018.
"I was disturbed that the wrong person might have been convicted of killing my father."
He and his youngest brother, Douglas, supported Sirhan's 2021 attempt at release.
A Palestinian immigrant, Sirhan said at the time of the assassination that his actions were motivated by Kennedy's support for military sales to Israel.
During a 2016 parole hearing, he said he had drunk too much the night of the shooting, and that his prior confession was the result of bad legal advice from his lawyer.


Najib’s EPF withdrawal campaign will see many forced to work longer, economists warn

Economists have panned the call by former prime minister Najib Razak for the government to allow more withdrawals from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to help flood victims, saying among others that this might see contributors forced to continue working past their retirement age.Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff of Universiti Putra Malaysia said based on EPF figures, 6.1 million or 50% of those under 55 have savings of under RM10,000 for their retirement.“If, for example, contributors withdraw RM6,000 under i-Lestari, RM10,000 under i-Sinar, and RM5,000 under i-Citra for a total of RM21,000, they will have to work four to five years past retirement age to make back the money they withdrew,” he said to MalaysiaNow.“The issue of EPF members not having enough money for retirement is a very serious problem and it will become worse with each passing year as more and more stop working.”Ahmed was referring to the various withdrawal programmes introduced over the past two years to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.Some RM101 billion has been withdrawn by EPF contributors so far through these three schemes.The EPF recently warned that many members do not have enough savings to see them through their retirement years.Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz meanwhile said EPF withdrawals were not the solution to the people’s financial woes.He also said that such withdrawals would burden the generations to come.Economist Muhammed Abdul Khalid said the situation came as no surprise as experts had already warned against withdrawing from the EPF in order to tackle the effects of Covid-19.“Don’t allow the withdrawal of retirement funds to help those who have been affected by crisis,” he told MalaysiaNow.“That is not a solution. It will only add to future problems,” he said, describing Najib’s call as “jadong” – an expression used by prominent thinker Syed Hussein Alatas which means evil, stupid and arrogant.Troubles in old ageMuhammed also warned that the EPF and its contributors alike would have difficulty boosting their savings.“Such irresponsible policies will have negative implications over the long term,” he added.He said EPF data showed that one out of every two Malays has very little savings as it is and will end up below the poverty line upon retirement.“The poor will be the people, not the narrow-minded leaders at the top,” he said.Muhammed also said that any help should come from the government, and criticised Putrajaya’s claims of having insufficient funds to assist those affected by the Covid-19 crisis.Economist Yeah Kim Leng meanwhile said there is a difference between retirement savings and savings for emergency purposes.Yeah, who lectures at Sunway University, said the situation is exacerbated by the fact that many do not have emergency savings.“Actually, in emergency situations like the current floods, the government should handle it by giving cash aid or soft loans so that retirement funds are not jeopardised and the people will not have to face a financial crisis when they retire,” he said.Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in his New Year’s address had announced additional aid for those affected by the massive floods which hit areas in several states, displacing tens of thousands.Depending on their situation, flood victims are entitled to receive aid of up to RM61,000.Afzanizam Abdul Rashid, chief economist at Bank Islam Malaysia, said the interest-free loans provided in addition to the cash aid could help ease the burdens of the flood victims.He suggested that the government also step up attempts to help in other ways such as by gathering volunteer mechanics and centralising their efforts.“The government could also work with NGOs to give more focused aid, prioritising basic assistance,” he told MalaysiaNow.He added that the government should have no problem increasing its spending as it has the fiscal space to help the people.


Kiev crematorium doubles cremations as Ukraine virus deaths soar

The Kiev crematorium has been carrying out up to double the number of cremations compared to the summer months, its spokesman told AFP, as Ukraine battles a devastating new wave of coronavirus infections and low vaccination rates.One of Europe’s poorest countries, Ukraine recently reported record numbers of daily Covid-19 deaths and cases, resulting in a significant increase in burials and, in particular, cremations.“To date, compared to the summer period, the number of processions has doubled,” Andriy Yashchenko, a spokesman for the Kiev crematorium, told AFP.“If during the summer there was on average 60 processions per day, now there are between 100 and 120,” he said.Ukraine reported 442 daily coronavirus fatalities on Monday, the second-highest number in the world after Russia.Ukrainian authorities initially struggled to source vaccine doses and have since fought to convince vaccine-sceptic Ukrainians to get inoculated.But new restrictions requiring vaccinations have seen people across the country flock to vaccine centres.The crematorium – one of three such facilities in the ex-Soviet country – is part of one of the oldest and largest cemeteries in Kiev.Yashchenko said the facility has stayed open for hours more than usual in recent weeks, and has sometimes been operating until midnight.He added that the cremation of coronavirus victims is different as indoor services and open caskets are prohibited.On Monday, an AFP correspondent saw two processions that followed the cremations of coronavirus victims.Relatives of the victims distributed candles outside the building, and a priest read a prayer before the closed coffins were taken away for cremation.Yashchenko said that in October the facility cremated over 2,800 people, compared to 1,400 in August.Since the start of the pandemic, Ukraine has recorded more than three million coronavirus cases and 77,000 deaths.


Inquiry in France over ‘clandestine’ Covid-defying dinners

A report by a French television channel alleging “clandestine” luxury dinners in Paris despite the pandemic has sparked an investigation and public furore over claims the nation’s political elite were brazenly ignoring rules they themselves had set.The M6 private channel on Friday broadcast a reportage based on footage recorded with a hidden camera purportedly from a clandestine restaurant in a high-end area of Paris where neither the staff nor the diners were wearing masks.All restaurants and cafes have been closed in France for eating in for the last five months. The country this week began a new limited nationwide lockdown to deal with surging Covid-19 infections.The hashtag #OnVeutLesNoms (We Want the Names) went viral on Twitter, as speculation swirled over who may have attended such dinners.Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said Sunday that a criminal probe had been opened into putting the lives of others at risk.The investigation would assess “if these evenings were organised in defiance of health rules and to determine who were the possible organisers and participants.”The report showed staff at the venue proposing an evening menu from €160 (US$189) per head but said that the most expensive option went for €490 (US$578), including a bottle of champagne.Removing the face mask was not just possible but obligatory, it said.“We don’t wear a mask here. Once you pass through the doors, Covid no longer exists. We want people to feel at ease,” a staff member told the undercover team.‘Without exception’One source interviewed by M6, whose identity was not revealed and whose voice was distorted, told the channel that such evenings had taken place and guests present had even included ministers.The source was later identified by media and bloggers as Pierre-Jean Chalencon, who runs the luxury Palais Vivienne event venue in the centre of Paris.In statement sent to AFP through his lawyer late Sunday, Chalencon implicitly acknowledged he was the source but also appeared to retract the claim ministers were involved, saying he was only showing “humour” and the “sense of the absurd”.He added by phone that there had been “no kitchen since Dec 2” at the Palais Vivienne.M6 later broadcast its full interview identifying Chalencon as the source and without distorting his voice, noting that his tone had been “far from humorous”.“We are still in a democracy, we can do what we like,” he said.The report was no laughing matter for members of the government, days after President Emmanuel Macron ordered new restrictions including a brief closure of schools to keep cases down before the effects of the vaccine drive kick in.Chalencon had been recorded saying in February that government spokesman Gabriel Attal, a rising cabinet star, would be attending such a dinner. Attal vehemently denied the claim.But deputy interior minister Marlene Schiappa told French TV that if ministers or lawmakers were involved “they should be fined and penalised like any other citizen”.Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire insisted: “All the ministers, without exception, respect the rules.”Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said those involved in such dinners should be prosecuted if the allegations in the report were true.“There are not two types of citizens – those who have the right to party and those who do not,” he said.Insinuations that politicians and officials have not followed the very restriction measures they themselves set have proved hugely damaging to governments across Europe throughout the pandemic.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson last year came under immense pressure after allegations his former top aide Dominic Cummings broke lockdown rules by travelling across the country while displaying Covid-19 symptoms.


World’s fastest vaccination campaign in numbers

The Covid-19 global vaccination campaign – the largest in history – began a year ago with Britain launching its drive on Dec 8, 2020.Now half the world’s population has had at least one shot.But with richer countries now administering third booster doses, many in poorer ones are still waiting for their first jab.These glaring inequities have come to dog the campaign with the emergence of the Omicron variant, as have controversies over rare side effects and opposition to mandatory vaccines.Here is an overview of the year, based on an AFP vaccine database.One in twoWhile the UK led the way in mass vaccination, Russia and China had already started vaccinations, targeting specific cities and regions.In the early days of its roll-out, the UK mainly used the AstraZeneca/Oxford jab.Many other richer countries followed suit in December – the US, Canada and the United Arab Emirates on Dec 14, Saudi Arabia and Israel in the days that followed and the European Union at the end of the month.They mainly used the US-German mRNA messenger Pfizer-BioNTech jab.One year on, 55% of the world’s population – 4.3 billion people – has received at least one dose.At least 44%, or 3.4 billion, are completely vaccinated, according to an AFP count based on official sources. In all, 8.1 billion doses have been administered around the world.The 20 or so vaccines which are available have been developed in a record time after the “novel coronavirus” first emerged in China in late 2019.Apart from AstraZeneca and Pfizer, the most widely used are those developed by the US giants Johnson & Johnson and Moderna, China’s Sinopharm and Sinovac, and Sputnik V from Russia’s Gamaleya Institute.Poor lag behindAlthough vaccination campaigns were under way in most countries by June 2021, they are going at snail’s pace in most poorer countries and in some cases have been suspended altogether because they can’t get doses.The Covax mechanism, run by the World Health Organization, the Gavi alliance and Cepi coalition, was aimed at guaranteeing an equitable access to vaccines.It made its first delivery in late February to Ghana.But struggling to compete with rich countries which are prepared to pay high prices, Covax has so far delivered just 591 million doses to 144 countries or territories, far short of its initial objective of two billion doses in 2021.To date, nine doses have been given per 100 inhabitants in countries classified as low income by the World Bank.The global average is 104 per 100 inhabitants and high-income countries have managed 149.Africa is the least vaccinated continent with 18 doses per 100 inhabitants.UAE leads the raceThirty-nine of the 50 most jabbed countries are rich, with the United Arab Emirates leading the way.It has already completely vaccinated nine out of 10 of its people.Close behind are Portugal (87%), Singapore (86%), Qatar (85%), Chile and Malta (84%), Cuba (81%), South Korea and Cambodia (80%).The countries which fired the starting gun on the vaccination campaigns due to their privileged access to vaccines are now lagging behind.Britain has jabbed just 68%, Israel 67% and the US 60%.Eritrea and N.Korea lastBurundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the least vaccinated countries in the world, having jabbed less than 0.1% of their populations.Eritrea and North Korea are the only two who have not vaccinated at all.Boosters and shots for kidsHigh income countries are way ahead among the some 80 nations which have started to administer booster doses. These include almost all countries in Europe, North America and the Gulf.Most also vaccinate children aged from 12 to 17.Some, like the US, Canada, Israel, Chile, the UAE, Cuba, Cambodia and Venezuela are also vaccinating children under 12.


Talks only valid when decided on by Umno leadership, says Ismail

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said that any negotiations involving Umno are considered valid when they are decided by the party leadership.
The Umno vice-president said all negotiations should be carried out in accordance with the party's policy.
"The party must decide who is eligible to represent the party to negotiate and so on. If you go as an individual, you cannot be considered as representing the party.
"Whatever negotiations are carried out must be done officially and decided on by Umno... negotiations made at informal meetings will not be regarded as a decision for Umno," he said after an event in Kuala Lumpur.
Ismail said this when asked about a claim by a PAS leader of secret talks between the party and Umno to ensure straight fights with Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the 15th general election (GE15).
PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin was reported to have said that the party was trying to make Umno realise that the real enemy in GE15 was PH, not Bersatu.
On PAS' proposal to hold negotiations over 27 critical parliamentary seats in GE15, Ismail said it could be brought for discussion at the Umno Supreme Council meeting.
PAS, at its recent general assembly in Kedah, expressed hope of negotiations with Barisan Nasional on the 27 seats in question.


Agong concerned over rising case numbers, school closures

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong today voiced concern over the rising number of Covid-19 cases which have been hovering over 3,000 for the past two days, urging the public to continue adhering to health SOPs at places like Ramadan bazaars, schools and buka puasa events.“The Agong urges the people to continue being disciplined in following the instructions and SOPs set by the government to prevent the country from experiencing a tsunami of Covid-19 such as the case in several South Asian and European countries,” Comptroller of the Royal Household of Istana Negara, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, said in a statement.He said Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah was also concerned over reports that several schools in the country have been forced to close due to Covid-19 outbreaks, and the fact that SOP compliance at celebrations and Ramadan bazaars in several states remains at an unsatisfactory level.“Also worrying is the report that private hospitals in the Klang Valley are facing a shortage of beds for Covid-19 patients following the increase in infections over the past two weeks,” he said.He said the health ministry was expecting daily numbers to surpass 3,000 after Hari Raya Aidilfitri if a lack of strict compliance with SOPs causes a spike in infectivity rate.“His Majesty hopes the people will fulfil their social responsibilities by immediately getting checked and seeking treatment if they have symptoms, and by separating themselves if they have test positive or are categorised as a close contact even if they have no symptoms,” he said.“The people must be honest with themselves and with society by following quarantine orders and SOPs to prevent hardships for themselves and the country.”


Only new, non-priority projects to be put off under austerity measures, says minister

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mustapa Mohamed today clarified which projects would be postponed under the government's cost-saving drive, saying the austerity measures will apply to new projects and those which have yet to undergo the procurement process.
The measures will also apply to non-priority projects and those with no immediate impact, in addition to new projects facing problems.
"Projects in the midst of implementation, and which have issued tender advertisements, letters of intent and letters of acceptance will continue," he said in the Dewan Rakyat.
"Projects funded by the Infra Fund as well as all important maintenance projects that have already been approved will also continue.
"This is important to support the government's efforts to boost economic recovery post Covid-19," he said in response to Ahmad Fahmi Mohamed Fadzil (PH-Lembah Pantai), who asked the government to explain its plans regarding the postponement and cancellation of projects.
The government recently announced a series of cost-cutting measures to help tackle economic issues including inflation.
Mustapa, who is the Jeli MP, said an inter-ministry engagement session had identified 30 projects with a cost of RM100 million for postponement.
Replying to an additional question from Fahmi, Mustapa said the Mass Transit Transit (MRT) 3 project, the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, and the Pan-Borneo Highway would continue.
The MRT 3 tender was opened in April at an estimated cost of RM31 billion. Progress on the ECRL project meanwhile was estimated at 29%.
The Pan-Borneo Highway is about 80% built and is expected to be completed in five years' time.


Finance ministry forms SPV to take over BNS as subsidiary

The finance ministry has established a special purpose vehicle to take over the company responsible for the littoral combat ship (LCS) construction project, Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS), as a subsidiary.
Defence Minister Mohamad Hasan said the LCS project would still be monitored by the project monitoring committee jointly chaired by the treasury secretary-general and the defence ministry secretary-general.
"In addition, periodic reports to the Cabinet will be prepared in accordance with the conditions set by the auditor-general, and periodic reporting to the Parliament through the Public Accounts Committe (PAC) will be done at least once every three months to ensure that the project can be monitored by all parties.
"This is necessary for us to achieve our intentions to continue the construction of the LCS as required by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and the Malaysian Armed Forces," he told reporters after the signing of the sixth additional contract between the defence ministry and BNS today.
The LCS project became embroiled in controversy after PAC revealed that not a single ship had been completed even though the government had paid BNS RM6.083 billion.
Mohamad added that PAC was welcome to monitor the progress of the ship construction. He said the committee would receive reports based on their schedule and they could make a report to Parliament if they were unsatisfied.
PAC previously suggested the holding of new proceedings on the project’s progress, to begin as soon as the Dewan Rakyat approved the appointment of PAC members at the second parliamentary session which began on May 22.
Mohamad said the government had also agreed to continue with the second-generation patrol vessel procurement for the navy and that the navy, along with the defence ministry and BNS, would focus on ensuring that the LCS project was successful.
"The procurement is vital to boost our armada’s capabilities in line with the RMN 15 to 5 Transformation Plan to preserve the sovereignty of our country’s waters," he said.


This was the worst Umno general assembly, Ismail Sabri tells members

It’s the season for open rebellion in Umno, with clips making the rounds showing party leaders stepping up their criticism of their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s handling of the recent general assembly, where delegates endorsed his persistent calls to cut ties with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.In one such clip believed to have been recorded just days after the Umno assembly, its vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob attacked Zahid over the way he had concluded the assembly.“This recent general assembly is the worst. It’s the worst. The closing speech should have provided guidance to members on preparing for elections, as they go back to their respective states,” Ismail told a recent state-level Bangkit 15, a pre-election motivation event organised by Umno’s Training and Cadre Bureau which he chairs.He also questioned Zahid for attacking Umno Cabinet members in the wake of the president’s call to cut ties with Bersatu.“Not once, DAP was attacked. Not once, PKR was attacked. The main target was the ministers,” he said, adding that Umno ministers had considered quitting their posts in the face of labels thrown at them during speeches at the general assembly.Meanwhile, fellow party member and Cabinet colleague Annuar Musa said he agreed with Ismail’s description of the Umno general assembly as the worst.“And why not, because hardly 24 hours later a recording of a conversation surfaced to show that there is a teacher coaching the general assembly,” Annuar said, referring to a four-minute phone call between Zahid and his PKR counterpart Anwar Ibrahim, which was leaked on social media.Annuar further said that the motion approved by Umno to cut ties with PN would now come under question, based on the revelations in the audio recording.He said delegates had supported the motion based on facts available to them.“Now, it is clear that the facts were misleading, their support is null and void,” said Annuar.In the four-minute clip revealed by MalaysiaNow, Anwar is heard congratulating and giving instructions to Zahid in the aftermath of the Umno general assembly which accepted his proposal to cut ties with the PN government.Zahid in return thanked Anwar for his moral support.MalaysiaNow has been able to verify that the clip is authentic, and that the voices are those of Anwar and Zahid.


Recalibration plan for undocumented migrants extended

The Cabinet has agreed to extend the recalibration plan for undocumented migrants to support the implementation of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) until Dec 31, or until the vaccination programme ends.In a statement today, home ministry chief secretary Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz said the matter was agreed on in a Cabinet meeting on June 23.According to him, the meeting also agreed to expand the recalibration plan to Sabah and Sarawak, subject to the approval of the respective state governments.The plan for the management and regularisation of undocumented immigrants in the country as legitimate foreign workers comprises two main components, namely the Return Recalibration Programme and Labour Recalibration Programme.The plan was initially implemented from Nov 16, 2020, to June 30 this year.Wan Ahmad said as of July 1, a total of 248,083 immigrants had registered under the plan.Of the total, he said 97,892 individuals had registered to return to their country of origin under the Return Recalibration Programme while 149,889 individuals registered under the Labour Recalibration Programme.


Myanmar's Suu Kyi could return home after verdicts, junta chief says

Myanmar's junta chief said on Friday he would consider allowing deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to be moved to house arrest from prison but only after verdicts in a litany of cases against her have been reached.
Suu Kyi, ousted in a widely condemned military coup last year, was moved to a jail in the capital Naypyitaw in June where she is being held in solitary confinement, the army said. The Nobel laureate and democracy champion, 77, has spent around half of the last three decades under house arrest.
Since the coup, Suu Kyi has been charged with at least 18 offences ranging from graft to election violations, and has already been sentenced to several years' jail. She has called the accusations absurd and denies all charges against her.
Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing's written remarks, read out on state television, came in response to a request made by a top UN official who visited Myanmar this week and asked for Suu Kyi to be allowed to return home.
"I will consider the matter... after the verdict is done," he said in the statement. "We did not impose strong charges on her and showed mercy even though we were able to do more."
Suu Kyi, the daughter of Myanmar's independence hero, was first put under house arrest in 1989 after huge protests against decades of military rule. In 1991, she won the Nobel Peace Prize for campaigning for democracy but was only fully released from house arrest in 2010.


No double standards in SOP compounds, says PM

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said that the government does not differentiate between individuals who commit an offence, including those who violate Covid-19 SOPs.“There is no concept that people in high places are not compounded and only ordinary folk are compounded.“Anyone who violates the SOPs will be compounded, including the minister of defence and others, no matter who they are,” he told the media after an event in Shah Alam.He was commenting on the compounds issued by the health ministry to the organisers of the recent MIC Brigade Launching Ceremony as well as several senior government leaders including Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein for violating Covid-19 SOPs at the event in Iskandar Puteri, Johor.On calls by DAP leaders for Hishammuddin to resign, the prime minister said there was no need for him to do so.“Violating the SOPs is not a crime, nothing to do with crime, and the health ministry has issued compounds.“If everyone issued a compound had to resign, I think no one could work,” he said, acknowledging nevertheless that SOPs were an important matter.“Government officers, many government employees have been compounded, so do they all have to resign? There is no need. The important thing is that action is taken, which means that the government does not differentiate between individuals who commit offences. It can be a minister, deputy minister, head of department… it can be anyone,” he said.


Klang Valley taps may run dry again

Taps in key parts of the Klang Valley could run dry again, after pollution was detected at the Rantau Panjang and Sungai Selangor water treatment plants today.The Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS) which supervises water resources in the state said the plants were shut down for 25 minutes after odour from the pollution was detected.It said an investigation is being carried out together with Pengurusan Air Selangor, the sole water supply concessionaire.The plants supply water to the districts of Petaling, Klang, Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, Hulu Selangor, Kuala Langat and Kuala Selangor.Since September, there have been at least two major disruptions to water supply affecting millions in the Klang Valley.


Over 26% of children fully vaxxed, nearly 44% given first dose

A total of 929,427 children or 26.2% of those aged five to 11 had completed their vaccination under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme For Children (PICKids) as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow website, a total of 1,553,175 children or 43.8% have received at least one dose of vaccine.For adolescents aged 12 to 17, a total of 2,897,493 or 93.1% have completed their vaccination, while 2,994,981 or 96.2% have received at least one dose of vaccine.In terms of the adult population, a total of 16,043,079 individuals or 68.2% have received a booster dose while 22,968,088 or 97.6% have completed two doses.A total of 23,244,086 individuals or 98.8% have received at least one dose of vaccine.Yesterday, 26,584 vaccine doses were dispensed, comprising 7,266 first doses, 17,896 as second shots and 1,422 as booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) to 70,416,939.


Indonesia reports record 57,000 daily Covid cases

Indonesia reported a record number of new coronavirus cases on Tuesday as the Omicron variant spreads across the Southeast Asian archipelago.The number of daily infections topped 57,000, according to the government’s Covid-19 taskforce, surpassing the previous peak of 56,757 cases recorded in July last year during the country’s Delta wave.“The national figure for positive cases in this third wave increased sharply and faster compared to the second wave,” taskforce spokesman Wiku Adisasmito told a press briefing.But the death rate is far lower than during the Delta surge when Indonesia reported around 2,000 fatalities a day.The country was severely impacted by the pandemic last year, with hospitals running out of beds and medical oxygen to treat patients.Indonesia reported 134 new deaths from Covid on Tuesday, while the hospital bed occupancy rate is around 33%, compared to more than 77% during the Delta explosion.The government this month imposed stricter restrictions on public facilities, offices, malls and restaurants in several cities but has progressively shortened the quarantine period for vaccinated travellers coming in from abroad.To date Indonesia has recorded 4.9 million infections with more than 145,000 deaths.The rollout of vaccines remains slow with only half of the 270 million population inoculated with two doses as authorities struggle to procure enough shots.


Who advises the Agong? PKR MP questions royal invites to ‘graft convict’ Najib

A PKR MP has welcomed recent warnings by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at an event at UiTM about the “cancer” of corruption, but says the monarch’s strong stand appears to be inconsistent with the palace’s act of inviting former leader Najib Razak despite the latter’s conviction of corruption.Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim said he was not blaming the Agong for the invitations, adding that there appeared to be a failure by those tasked with advising the palace in discharging their duties.“The government and the state have provided the Yang di-Pertuan Agong with various palace advisers and assistants. These palace officials carry great titles such as Datuk Bijaya Diraja, Datuk Bentara Diraja and others.“The Yang di-Pertuan Agong also has access to the attorney-general who acts as a lawyer for the government. Is there no one who dares to come forward to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong not to invite former prime minister Najib Razak (a corruption offender) to Istana Negara?” Hassan wrote on his Facebook page.Najib, the Pekan MP, was convicted by the High Court in July 2020 of seven charges related to the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.He was sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined RM210 million in a judgment upheld by the Court of Appeal in December last year. He is currently appealing his case at the Federal Court.He was invited to an Aidilfitri event at Istana Abdulaziz in Kuantan, Pahang, on May 4, and also attended a breaking of fast event with the king, members of the Cabinet and foreign diplomats at Istana Negara on April 18.Hassan said it was a mistake on the part of the palace to extend invitations to Najib where he would join the Agong for meals.He said the UiTM undergraduates who had heard the Agong’s strong remarks against corruption would also have seen pictures shared on social media of Najib being welcomed at the palace.He added that Najib’s close friendship with the Agong should not be an issue.“They are both from Pahang. But that’s on a personal level. It cannot be mixed with official matters.“Najib Razak as a former prime minister and senior politician should have realised and taken the initiave to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong not to invite him to the palace, based on his conviction by the court.”


Hundreds of sexual assault cases among children due to online exploitation, say police

Police today said 993 cases of physical sexual assault involving children below the age of 18 were reported in 2020, an increase from 732 and 591 reported in 2019 and 2018 respectively.Assistant commissioner Siti Kamsiah Hassan, the principal assistant director of the Sexual, Women and Child Investigations Division (D11), said most victims of physical sexual assault are cases of statutory rape among underaged children.She said 20% of such cases occur without consent, a number she attributed to the trend of children being unaware of the risks of social media.“These cases happen due to them being overexposed on social media and unlimited internet access,” she said at a seminar on child online protection organised by Unicef and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.“These victims meet strangers whom they befriend on social media such as Facebook. They meet and they have sex. They are not aware of the dangers of social media.”Police data also showed an increase in non-physical sexual assault cases among underage victims, a jump from 13 cases in 2019 to 51 in 2020.Siti Kamsiah described these cases as the unconsented distribition of online sexual abuse material.“All these youngsters like to record their sexual acts and share it with their friends or on private chats,” she said. “We notice this has become a trend in Malaysia recently.”Meanwhile Noor Aziah Mohd Awal, the children’s commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), raised concerns about the Sugarbook application.She claimed the controversy surrounding the app had attracted the attention of minors who might join the platform.“There is a concern that some of these users are under 18 years of age,” she said.“This is why I urged the government last month to take action against Sugarbook and its activities before they spiral out of control, as I have received information that children are also involved,” she said during the seminar.She said Suhakam had also revealed that minors are being exposed to online pornography, raising concerns about their vulnerability to becoming victims of sexual exploitation online.“At an online meeting hosted by the children’s commissioner of Suhakam in April 2020, child representatives highlighted the frightening reality that the increasing use of the internet during the lockdown period may have exposed children to online child predation and abuse.“Children have admitted that they are viewing pornographic content on the internet,” she said. “What is worrying is that they may also be victims of online child sexual exploitation.”


Ringgit facing prospect of hitting RM5 to US dollar?

An economist says it is possible for the ringgit to depreciate to even RM5 against the US dollar, adding however that the recent slump in exchange rate will likely be short-term in nature as concern continues to swirl around the national currency which dipped close to its lowest level ever earlier this week.
The ringgit stood at 4.6110/6165 on June 1 after four consecutive days of decline before bouncing back to close slightly firmer at 4.5745/5785 against the US dollar the next day.
Its all-time low was recorded on Nov 4 last year when it stood at RM4.7465, below the RM4.7250 level seen on Jan 7, 1998, when the country was embroiled in the Asian financial crisis.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said that the strengthening and weakening of the local currency was determined by market forces driven by demand.
Afzanizam, who is head of economics and social finance at Bank Muamalat, said it was thus possible for the ringgit to exceed RM5 against the US dollar if spurred by market forces.
"If the market forces decide this, it is definitely something that could happen," he said.
"We are only worried about the impact. If the ringgit weakens, then imported inflation will be even higher."
Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli recently said that the drop in ringgit value was due to economic and financial uncertainties in the US.
Bank Negara Malaysia meanwhile said that the depreciation of the ringgit against the US dollar was not unique to Malaysia, and that the currency should improve as global uncertainties subside.
Afzanizam said the ringgit decline would likely be short-term in nature, attributing the situation to external factors.
He said the main factor in its drop in value was the recent discussions on the US' debt ceiling limit, where a decision is due on June 5.
"This has invited anxiety in the market," he added.
"When there are issues of uncertainty, market participants will tend to hold the US dollar, thus driving high demand for the currency."
Afzanizam said the ringgit had bounced back on June 2, when the US House of Representatives voted to pass the debt ceiling bill, indicating positive developments in the matter.
He said this would boost confidence and increase the risk appetite of investors for other currencies, including the ringgit.
He also said that these developments would only affect the ringgit performance in the short term, while its long-term performance would depend on the government's policies and commitment towards the country's financial position.
"To ensure that the value of the ringgit continues to strengthen, the government needs to show its commitment to economic reforms that will yield more dynamic results and push the profits of public companies to a higher level," he said.
He added that the government would need to ensure that the positive narrative is continued and translated into the implementation of policies that help increase investors' confidence in holding assets in Malaysia.


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Daily caseload shoots past 20,000 as severe infections remain low

Another 20,939 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,996,361.Another 5,807 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,841,271.Meanwhile 155 are in the ICU, including 86 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 80 are in need of respiratory assistance including 37 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 20,939 cases reported today, 118 (0.56%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 20,821 (99.44%) are in Category One and Two.A total of 5,181 cases (24.74%) are in Category One, 5,640 (74.7%) in Category Two, 95 (0.45%) in Category Three, 13 (0.06%) in Category Four and 10 (0.05%) in Category Five.


Khairy gives detailed breakdown of RM5 billion vaccine bill

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today issued a detailed breakdown of the RM5 billion allocation from the National Trust Fund (KWAN) for the country’s massive immunisation programme against Covid-19 or PICK.In a statement, he said the amount included rental fees for canopies, tables and chairs, as well as computers, generators and even portable toilets in addition to major components such as vaccine procurement.Khairy, who is in charge of PICK, also said the increase from RM3 billion to RM5 billion was to take into account the cost of implementing the nationwide programme in addition to vaccine procurement.Initially, he said, the government had obtained vaccine access for 82.8% of the population at a total cost of RM2.05 billion, as announced in December last year.“Taking into consideration interruptions to supplies like export restrictions, raw materials, factory capacities and regulatory approval, the 82.8% total was raised to 110%, announced in the PICK guidebook launched on Feb 16.”Khairy said the cost of obtaining enough vaccine for 110% of the population was RM3.16 billion.Noting the recent announcements by several vaccine producers that clinical tests are being run on teenagers, he said the government had also made early arrangements to increase the supply of jabs for administration to this group once the green light is given.“The government also decided to procure more vaccines as buffer stock in case additional booster doses are needed.“So while for the time being the estimated procurement cost is RM3.16 billion, it depends on the additional supplies for teenagers and buffer stock, up to the ceiling of RM3.5 billion set by the finance ministry.”Adding that this estimation of procurement cost was not final, he referred to the government’s agreements with suppliers like Gamaleya for the Sputnik V jabs and China’s CanSino which cannot yet be fulfilled as the vaccines are still under review by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).“If these vaccines are not approved or take too long, the government can choose to discontinue the agreements without any financial implications,” he said.Other financial commitments related to PICK include rental and utilities for vaccination centres, equipment, cleaning and sanitisation expenses, gratuity for volunteers, community outreach programmes and the outsourcing of private medical practitioners.Breakdown of RM5 billion allocation for the implementation of the national vaccination programmeNo.ItemCeiling allocation (RM)1.Vaccine procurement and logistics(For Covid-19 vaccine portfolio)3,500,000,0002.Rental and utilities(Halls, canopies, tables, chairs, electricity, water, WiFi, thermometers, generators, fuel)333,000,0003.Hardware, consumable supplies and vaccination implementation(Computers, ICT supplies, PA systems, medical consumables and diluents, etc)260,000,0004.Cleaning and sanitation(Non-clinical waste disposal, mobile toilets, building sanitation)100,000,0005.Gratuity for non-medical volunteers(Allowance for MyVac, Rela, Armed Forces)200,000,0006.Data integration and appointment system(Reporting dashboard, call centre, volunteer system)70,000,0007.Community outreach programmes and vaccination advocacy55,000,0008.Gratuity for medical volunteers147,000,0009.Post-immunisation surveillance and system upgrading15,000,00010.Outsourcing of private medical practitioners210,000,00011.Contingencies*110,000,000Total5,000,000,000*Use of contingency items is subject to approval by the finance ministry


No more UPSR exam from this year, says education minister

The Primary School Achievement Test for Standard Six pupils, also known as Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah or UPSR, will be abolished from this year, Education Minister Radzi Jidin announced today.Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, he also announced that the Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 or PT3 exam for this year would be cancelled.He said the decision was presented at a Cabinet meeting this morning.“Since the cancellation of UPSR last year, the education ministry has been researching the assessment methods used in primary schools in other countries, especially countries with the best educational practices,” he said.“We will strengthen school-based assessments (PBS) and classroom assessments (PBD) from 2021. Admission of Standard Six students to boarding schools next year will be made based on the specific school admission assessment (PKSK).”Radzi also said no replacement exam would be given to Standard Six pupils.In line with the abolishment of UPSR, he said, the Primary School Alternative Assessment (PASR) for special needs students would also be scrapped.He said the move to abolish UPSR was made after taking into account the views of stakeholders including principals, teachers, parents, associations and the students themselves.He said the feedback given to the ministry was, among others, that UPSR had forced teachers to “steal” time from other non-exam subjects for exam preparation.“A lot of time in school is spent on exam subjects,” he said. “What happens is that teachers will normally try to finish the syllabus as quickly as possible in order to do revision.“Teachers also want space to use their creativity to teach a variety of subjects so that students will have an enjoyable learning experience.”Students meanwhile had said that they felt stressed preparing for UPSR as they were sent to tuition centres even from as early as Standard One.“When we asked why they want to take UPSR, they said they wanted to go to full boarding schools,” he said.“But when we implemented PKSK for Standard Six pupils going to special schools, we saw that only one out of four took PKSK.”For PT3, he said, the ministry had made the same considerations as the year before.“One of the main grounds that we considered in making the decision to cancel PT3 was the time for students to make face-to-face preparations with their teachers in school.“But the Covid-19 outbreak still cannot be brought completely under control,” he said.He said student assessment could still be done through PBD, physical assessments and psychometric assessments.He added that Form Three students could also sit for PKSK for entrance into boarding school.


Federal Court declares Selangor’s Islamic enactment unconstitutional

The Federal Court today declared that the Selangor state legislative assembly has no authority to make an enactment which confers on the state shariah court the power to hear a judicial review relating to the decision by the state religious authorities.A nine-member panel led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat in a unanimous decision said the court found Section 66A of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003 unconstitutional and void as it was a provision which the Selangor state legislative assembly had no power to make.“Therefore, the petition by SIS Forum (Malaysia) is allowed with no order as to costs,” said Tengku Maimun.The other judges on the bench were Court of Appeal president Rohana Yusuf, Chief Judge of Malaya Azahar Mohamed, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Federal Court judges Mohd Zawawi Salleh, Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, Zaleha Yusof, Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal and Rhodzariah Bujang.On Sept 22 last year, the apex court allowed an application by SIS to obtain leave to pursue its legal challenge in the Federal Court through Article 4(4) of the Federal Constitution.Tengku Maimun said she wished to clarify at the outset of the judgment that the court was not concerned with the procedural or substantive validity of the fatwa nor was it asked to consider whether the courts were in the first place generally disempowered to undertake such evaluation under Clause (1A) of Article 121 of the Federal Constitution.She said the petition concerned only the question of whether the Selangor state legislative assembly was empowered to enact Section 66A of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003.“I therefore make no comment or ruling on the substantive or procedural validity of the fatwa,” she said.Tengku Maimun further said the court had consecutively and consistently held in its decisions in the Semenyih Jaya case and others, including that of Indira Gandhi, that the judicial power of the federation reposed solely in the civil courts.She said the counsel for the petitioner (SIS Forum) had argued that a judicial review was a unique and exclusive aspect of judicial power vested in the civil superior courts.“The learned counsel also argued that the shariah courts, as a matter of constitutional policy, are incapable of exercising judicial power for the reason that they do not share the same constitutional guarantees of judicial independence as the civil superior courts.“That judicial review is a feature unique to the civil courts is confirmed by this court where it was held in the Semenyih Jaya and Indira Gandhi cases,” she said.Tengku Maimun further said it was not apparent on the record that Section 66A of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003 was intended to cover matters of Islamic law only and not matters within the realm of public law and/or public law powers.“When the provision is cast in general terms, and without limitations, it is not permissible for the court either to mend or remake the statute. Its only duty is to strike it down and leave it to the Selangor state assembly, if it so desires, to re-enact it consonant with Item 1 of the State List, Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.“In the circumstances of the present petition, the doctrine of ‘reading down’ cannot blow life into the section,” she added.Tengku Maimun said it would suffice to state that the interpretation of the phrase “persons professing the religion of Islam” and reading the purpose of Item 1 suggest that Item 1 could not have contemplated, and was never intended, to confer judicial review powers on the shariah courts simply by defining the intervener as a “Muslim”.“Judicial review, by its very nature, involves supervising administrative bodies by reference to public law powers vested in them. There is no regard to religion.“The attempt to confer jurisdiction of judicial review on the shariah courts by purporting to define the ‘majlis’ as a ‘Muslim’ is therefore beside the point notwithstanding Section 2 of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003, and Section 66A of the same, therefore stands unconstitutional,” she said when delivering the decision at the virtual proceedings today.SIS Forum had sought leave to commence the challenge, seeking to declare as invalid Section 66A of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003 which states that the Shariah High Court may, in the interest of justice, on the application of any person, have the jurisdiction to grant permission and hear the application for judicial review on the decision made by the council or committees carrying out the functions under the Enactment.SIS Forum filed the application in the Federal Court on Jan 21, 2020, naming the Selangor government as the respondent after the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 27, 2020 dismissed its judicial review application against a Selangor religious authority’s fatwa labelling the group as deviant in 2019.Then High Court judge Nordin Hassan, now a Court of Appeal judge, held that the civil court had no jurisdiction pertaining to shariah law, adding that the fatwa issue was related to shariah law and it was under the exclusive jurisdiction of the shariah court.The judge said Section 66A was an avenue to seek a judicial review against the fatwa committee in the Shariah High Court.Lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar appeared for SIS Forum, while Selangor state legal adviser Salim Soib @ Hamid acted for the Selangor government and lawyers Zainur Zakaria and Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla represented the Selangor Islamic Religious Council, an intervener in the case.


New cases pass 800 mark for third day as death toll increases

Over 800 new cases were recorded for the third consecutive day today, with 862 taking total confirmed infections to 22,225.Of the 860 local transmissions, 673 or 78.1% were reported in Sabah.In Selangor, 132 cases were recorded, followed by Kedah (17), Perak (nine), Penang (eight), Labuan (six), Negeri Sembilan (six), Kuala Lumpur (six), Putrajaya (one), Johor (one) and Kelantan (one).The remaining two imported cases were recorded in Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur.Active cases stand at 7,681 with 95 in the ICU and 29 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 634 patients were discharged, taking total recoveries to 14,351 or 64.6%.However, three new deaths were also recorded, all in Sabah. This takes the virus death toll to 193.StateNumber of cases *()Cumulative casesSabah6738,755Selangor1323,489Kuala Lumpur7 (1)2,860Kedah171,957Negeri Sembilan61,110Johor1840Sarawak1 (1)769Penang8670Perak9424Pahang0388Melaka0299Kelantan1174Terengganu0163Labuan6160Putrajaya1129Perlis038Cumulative total862 (2)22,225


More flood evacuees in Johor, Pahang

The number of flood evacuees at relief centres rose in Johor and Pahang last night compared to earlier in the evening although it declined in Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Sabah, while numbers in Selangor and Terengganu remained the same.In Johor, state health and environment committee chairman R Vidyananthan said there were 5,923 evacuees from 1,585 families at 81 relief centres in seven districts, compared to 5,888 people earlier.“Segamat still holds the highest number of evacuees with 4,311 people, followed by Tangkak (601), Mersing (540), Kota Tinggi (131), Kluang (120), Muar (118) and Batu Pahat (102).“Currently only Batu Pahat is experiencing rain, while it is cloudy in Segamat, Kluang, Kota Tinggi and Mersing. There is fair weather in Tangkak and Muar,” he said in a statement last night.In Pahang, the number of evacuees rose slightly to 2,308 people compared to 2,265 people earlier in the evening with 37 centres operating in the districts of Raub, Jerantut, Temerloh, Bera, Maran, Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin.The publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my website meanwhile reported that the water levels of Sungai Pahang in Kuala Sungai Chini, Pekan and Sungai Serting in Padang Gudang, Bera were still above danger levels but had shown downward trends.In Negeri Sembilan, the number of evacuees dropped to 1,628 people from 448 families at 15 centres last night compared to 1,666 people (462 families) at 16 centres earlier.The number of evacuees also dropped in Melaka, with 1,771 people from 472 families at 8pm compared to 2,155 people from 565 families at 4pm. The floods caused evacuations in 14 areas in Alor Gajah, nine areas in Melaka Tengah, and 11 areas in Jasin.A total of 318 people from 92 families were being housed at six relief centres in Alor Gajah, 1,154 people from 300 families were at nine centres in Melaka Tengah, while 299 people from 80 families were at three centres in Jasin.The situation was the same in Sabah, with evacuees dropping to 3,365 people from 1,331 families last night compared to 3,377 people from 1,330 families earlier, according to the Sabah state disaster management secretariat.The secretariat said a centre at Dewan Kampung Kiabau in Telupid was closed while 30 more remained open in six flood-affected districts.Kota Marudu district still had the highest number of evacuees with 2,659 people from 1,115 families at 14 centres, followed by Pitas (307 people, 127 families, four centres), Telupid (216 people, 49 families, seven centres), Sandakan (46 people, seven families, one centre) Beluran (38 people, 10 families, one centre) and Paitan sub-district (99 people, 23 families and three centres).Three landslides occurred in the Ranau district, affecting Jalan Bongkud, Jalan Stadium Ranau and Jalan Timbau-Melinsau. Another three incidents were detected in Kinabatangan, in Ladang SLDB Sukau, Kampung Sagaliud Seberang and Kampung Wariasan.In Selangor, the number of evacuees remained unchanged at 40 people in Kuala Langat district, being housed at Dewan Orang Ramai Kampung Kelanang (25 people) and Balai Raya Majlis Pengurusan Komuniti Kampung Banting (15 people).The publicinfobanjir.water.gov.my website showed that water levels at Sungai Bernam in Rimba KDR, Sabak Bernam remained above the danger level while Sungai Langat in Bukit Changgang, Kuala Langat, which was at warning level earlier in the evening had dropped to alert level as of 8pm.In Terengganu, the number of evacuees remained at 19 people from five families at two centres in Kemaman.Nine people from three families were being housed at the centre in SK Lembah Jabor while 10 people from two families were housed at the centre in SMK Geliga.


Sydney Airport poised to sell for US$17 billion

Sydney Airport announced Monday it had agreed to a US$17 billion takeover bid by an Australian investor consortium, just days after reopening to international travel.The airport’s board unanimously approved the sale to the Sydney Aviation Alliance – a consortium of infrastructure investors and Australian pension funds – and recommended shareholders vote in favour.The alliance offered Aus$8.75 per share, or Aus$23.6 billion (US$17.5 billion), after its earlier offers in recent months were rejected as too low.“Today’s announcement is the culmination of months of engagement between all parties,” Sydney Airport chairman David Gonski said in a statement.“The Sydney Airport Boards believe the outcome reflects appropriate long-term value for the airport.”The announcement comes in the wake of Australia’s international border partially reopening, almost 600 days after one of the world’s toughest pandemic border closures began.Vaccinated Australians travelling via Sydney and Melbourne may now come and go without quarantine or obtaining an official exemption – with the move seen as the country’s first step in the gradual resumption of travel.The airport sale remains subject to conditions, including an independent expert evaluation.Shareholders are expected to consider the deal at a meeting in the first quarter of 2022, with a 75% majority required for it to gain approval.


Ex-Felda boss Shahrir bought Honda Civic worth over RM100,000 with just one cheque, court told

The Kuala Lumpur High Court was today told that former Felda chairman Shahrir Samad bought a Honda Civic hybrid car worth RM118,485 nine years ago, and completed the payment with just one cheque.
Sutera Auto Sdn Bhd account executive Rozana Khalid, 43, who was involved in the process of closing the account for the purchase of the vehicle, said Shahrir made full payment for the white car using a cheque, on Dec 21, 2013.
Rozana said this while reading her witness statement at the trial of the former Johor Bahru MP, who is charged with failing to declare RM1 million which he received from Najib Razak to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).
The seventh prosecution witness also confirmed a copy of the cheque for RM118,485 and the payment receipt, shown by deputy public prosecutor Rasyidah Murni Azmi.
During examination-in-chief by Rasyidah Murni about the meaning of cash payment, she said there were three ways of making cash payments: cash, credit card and cheque. However, Rozana said the probability of a person paying for a car in cash was low, at only 1% or 2%.
"Normally, car buyers will take out a bank loan. For example, out of 50 units of cars sold, maybe two or three people will buy in cash and the payment will be made either in the form of cash or credit card," said Rohana, who has been with the company for 13 years.
Earlier, the court also heard testimony from the company's administrative executive, Nurrul Hafizah Md Roslan, 40, who was the prosecution's sixth witness, regarding the invoices prepared after the payment and vehicle registration was completed.
Shahrir, 72, is charged with money laundering by not stating his real income in the income tax return form for assessment year 2013, which is a violation of Section 113 (1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967, regarding the RM1 million, believed to be from unlawful activities, which he received from Najib through a cheque.
He was charged with committing the offence at the LHDN Duta branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim on April 25, 2014.
The charge, framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, provides for a maximum fine of RM5 million, imprisonment of up to five years, or both upon conviction.
The trial before judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin continues tomorrow.


France deploys 45,000 police, armoured vehicles amid riots

France deployed 45,000 police officers and some armoured vehicles on the streets on Saturday as riots rocked French cities for a fourth night over a teenager's fatal shooting by an officer during a traffic stop.
Buildings and vehicles have been torched and stores looted, and the violence has plunged President Emmanuel Macron into the gravest crisis of his leadership since the Yellow Vest protests that started in 2018.
Unrest has flared nationwide, including in cities such as Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Strasbourg and Lille as well as Paris where Nahel M, a 17-year-old of Algerian and Moroccan descent, was shot on Tuesday in the Nanterre suburb.
His death, caught on video, has reignited longstanding complaints by poor and racially mixed urban communities of police violence and racism.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said early on Saturday that 270 people had been arrested on Friday night, bringing the total to more than 1,100 since unrest ignited.
Friday night's arrests included 80 people in the southern city of Marseille, France's second-largest.
Social media images showed an explosion rocking Marseille's old port area. City authorities said they were investigating the cause but did not believe there were any casualties.
Rioters in central Marseille looted a gun store and stole some hunting rifles but no ammunition, police said. One individual was arrested with a rifle likely from the store, police said. The store was now being guarded by police.
Call for more troops
Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan called on the national government to immediately send additional troops. "The scenes of pillaging and violence are unacceptable," he said in a tweet late on Friday.
Three police officers were slightly wounded early on Saturday. A police helicopter flew overhead.
In Lyon, France's third-largest city, the gendarmes police force deployed armoured personnel carriers and a helicopter to quell the unrest.
Darmanin asked local authorities across France to halt bus and tram traffic from 9pm (1900 GMT) and said 45,000 officers were being deployed, 5,000 more than on Thursday.
"The next hours will be decisive and I know I can count on your flawless efforts," he wrote to firefighters and police officers.
Asked on TF1's main evening television news programme whether the government could declare a state of emergency, Darmanin said: "Quite simply, we're not ruling out any hypothesis and we'll see after tonight what the president of the Republic chooses."
In Paris, police cleared protesters from the iconic central Place de la Concorde square on Friday night after an impromptu demonstration.
More than 200 police officers have been injured since the unrest erupted and hundreds of rioters and have been arrested, Darmanin said, adding their average age was 17.
Players from the national French soccer team issued a rare statement calling for calm. "Violence must stop to leave way for mourning, dialogue and reconstruction," they said, in a statement posted on star Kylian Mbappe's Instagram account.
Looters have ransacked dozens of shops and torched some 2,000 vehicles since the riots started.
Events including two concerts at the Stade de France on the outskirts of the capital were cancelled. Tour de France organisers said they were ready to adapt to any situation when the bicycle race enters the country on Monday after starting in the Spanish city of Bilbao.
Crisis meeting
Macron left a European Union summit in Brussels early to attend a second Cabinet crisis meeting in two days.
He has asked social media to remove "the most sensitive" footage of rioting and to disclose identities of users fomenting violence.
Darmanin met representatives from Meta, Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok. Snapchat said it had zero tolerance for content that promoted violence.
A friend of the victim's family, Mohamed Jakoubi, who watched Nahel grow up, said the rage was fuelled by a sense of injustice after incidents of police violence against minority ethnic communities, many from former French colonies.
"We are fed up, we are French too. We are against violence, we are not scum," he said.
Macron denies there is systemic racism inside law enforcement agencies.
Videos on social media showed urban landscapes ablaze. A tram was set alight in the eastern city of Lyon and 12 buses gutted in a depot in Aubervilliers, northern Paris.
Some tourists were worried, others supportive of protesters.
"Racism and problems with the police and minorities is an important topic going on and it's important to address it," US tourist Enzo Santo Domingo said in Paris.
Some Western governments warned citizens to be cautious.
In Geneva, the UN rights office emphasised the importance of peaceful assembly and urged French authorities to ensure that use of force by police was non-discriminatory.
"This is a moment for the country to seriously address the deep issues of racism and racial discrimination in law enforcement," spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said.
The policeman whom prosecutors say acknowledged firing a lethal shot at the teenager is in preventive custody under formal investigation for voluntary homicide – equivalent to being charged under Anglo-Saxon jurisdictions.
His lawyer, Laurent-Franck Lienard, said his client had aimed at the driver's leg but was bumped when the car took off, causing him to shoot towards his chest. "Obviously (the officer) didn't want to kill the driver," Lienard said on BFM TV.
The unrest has revived memories of three weeks of nationwide riots in 2005 that forced then President Jacques Chirac to declare a state of emergency following the death of two young men electrocuted in a power substation as they hid from police.


Children at immigration depot will be shifted soon, says home minister

The home ministry says it intends to shift the children detained at the Immigration Detention Depot and place them in the care of NGOs that specialise in the welfare of children.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said he had identified the profile of the children, their numbers and where they are being detained. "Very soon, I will bring them out. I have been dealing with NGOs that are involved in providing welfare services to children," he told reporters in Putrajaya last night.
On the matter of a Bangladeshi child who was found in a container at West Port, Port Klang, on Jan 17, Saifuddin said the child would be sent home next week.
The eight-year-old from Chittagong, Bangladesh, had wandered into a container and was locked inside for six days before being spotted by Malaysian authorities. The child was treated at Hospital Tuanku Ampuan Rahimah in Klang and is currently under the care of an NGO.
"The home ministry has managed to locate the child's family and I have informed my counterpart in Bangladesh that the child will be sent back. All of the documentation proceses at the embassy have also been done," he said.
Asked about Malaysia’s Tier 3 ranking in the Trafficking in Persons Report released by the US State Department (US Tip Report) 2021 for not fully meeting the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking and not making significant efforts to do so, Saifuddin said he had contacted the US embassy to explain the steps and initiatives taken by Malaysia.
He said the government had amended its anti-trafficking law and the Employment Act to include a more detailed definition of forced labour.
"There was an opportunity to engage with the US ambassador, and I explained the initiatives that Malaysia has taken because it involves a number of elements that are very clear, like detention, investigation and prosecution.                 "Our efforts to overcome human trafficking are measured through the three components. We give serious attention because the position has disadvantages to the country, especially when products from our country are barred from entering the US," he said.


PAS’ use of PN logo won’t hurt ties, says Melaka Umno

PAS’ move to use the logo of Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the Melaka election on Nov 20 will not affect its ties with Umno in Muafakat Nasional, the state Umno says.Melaka Umno deputy chairman Mohamad Ali Mohamad said Umno would continue finding ways and means to collaborate with PAS for the benefit of Muslims in the country.“Umno will not sever its ties with PAS. We may not know why they decided to take that move but we believe all members of PAS were also hoping to find a good meeting point between PAS and Umno in ensuring the well-being of Muslims, especially the Malays in the country,” he said when met after an event yesterday.PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had announced that his party would use the PN logo in the Melaka polls after the matter was approved during the PAS central working committee’s meeting.


Behind the veil of child marriage

Activists working for change in the issue of child marriage in the country say more needs to be done on the ground in order to effect any lasting transformation as social norms entrenched in communities play a major role in perpetuating the practice.While change is slowly taking place in some pockets of society, they say the journey is far from over.Anne Lasimbang is the founder and executive director of Pacos Trust, a community-based NGO which supports indigenous people in Sabah.She told MalaysiaNow that within indigenous groups, marriage between two children is sometimes arranged even before they are born. In these cases, families come to mutual agreements to betroth their children, usually in order to maintain good ties.Another norm prevalent in Sabah is seen when girls get pregnant out of wedlock. They are then forced to marry the men who impregnated them to avoid shame or the social censure of giving birth to a child without a father.“Some girls are also taken advantage of by experienced men who get them pregnant,” Lasimbang said.When this happens, they are often forced into marriage even if they are underage.Yet families from indigenous communities are more open to discussing child marriage than they used to be, Lasimbang said.She said awareness and sensitivity among these groups has increased thanks to media reports over the years, highlighting the negative impact of child marriage.Still, work needs to be done and in some cases the mountains are hard to scale.For example, families may resort to child marriage as a way out of poverty – a recurrent theme in the lives of many in indigenous communities.“There is still a lot of work needed to uplift the situation of poverty among indigenous communities,” Lasimbang said, referring to education and awareness programmes.Another issue is the lack of a standardised minimum age for marriage.Under customary laws for non-Muslim indigenous people, there is no age limit for marriage.Lasimbang said her organisation is working to change native customary laws to make 18 the minimum age for marriage. To achieve this, they talk to parents about the legal age of marriage and the importance of education and keeping their children in school.“If their daughter gets pregnant, they don’t have to worry about the child’s surname. They can register the baby as a single mum or have adoption as an option. They don’t have to marry them off.”Thammy Chong, international commissioner at the Girl Guides Association Malaysia, agreed that there had been progress over the years in terms of changing the social norms surrounding child marriage.However, she said these norms are still bolstered by a lack of understanding and support as well as weak legislation and mistaken beliefs.“Many people still believe child marriage only happens in a certain race or community, and that it happens when an underage girl is married to an older man.”But in many cases, she said, both the bride and groom are children, sometimes because of puppy love affairs and teenage pregnancies.“I don’t think teenagers know where to seek help if they are forced to be married at a young age,” she said.“Even if they ran to the police station, the officer might tell them that it’s a family affair and ask them to go home.”She said schools and non-formal education groups have an important role to play in educating and changing mindsets.“Guiding organisations like Girl Guides and Scouts encourage peer education where children learn, listen and take care of each other. That’s one of the best ways to support them,” she told MalaysiaNowChong also urged other NGOs and civil society groups in Malaysia to come together and work collectively to end child marriage, saying many are currently working in silos.“We need more conversations with the authorities to follow up on the law-changing process, to demand that the government make changes with the voices and facts from the ground.”


Anwar's image to take a hit if Najib is freed, say analysts

The image of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his administration which has long championed the reformasi cause will take a hit if it bows to pressure from Umno for the release of jailed former leader Najib Razak, analysts say.
James Chin, of Australia's University of Tasmania, said questions had already been raised about Anwar's apparent silence in the face of Umno's efforts to obtain a royal pardon for Najib.
Nevertheless, he said the attempts to secure a release for Najib, who is serving a 12-year jail term at Kajang Prison, appeared to be merely an exercise in public relations.
"I don't think this pardon is for real because of his outstanding court cases," he said.
"Unless the attorney-general drops all of the cases related to Najib, I don't think this pardon request will go anywhere.
"(But) it has already damaged Anwar's reputation because many are asking why he didn't intervene when he knew that Umno was trying to do these kinds of things."
Najib, the former Pekan MP, began his jail term on Aug 23 last year after the Federal Court upheld his conviction and sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.
On March 31, he lost his final legal bid for a review of his case, following which efforts turned towards getting him a royal pardon instead.
The former prime minister still faces a number of other corruption trials.
Recently, Anwar acknowledged that he would be part of the Pardons Board, the body tasked with advising the Agong on applications for pardons for convicted persons.
Nevertheless, he assured that there would be no conflict of interest as any decision would be made by the Agong as laid out in Articles 42(1) and 42(2) of the Federal Constitution.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Chin said Najib's odds of release through a royal pardon were slim, adding that it would take "a miracle" for the former leader to get out of jail.
Azmil Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia meanwhile said a Najib release would reflect badly on Anwar as the champion of the reformasi movement, especially as he would be on the Pardons Board.
He said it could also affect public confidence in the judiciary as it would be seen as political interference even though the decision is made by the king.
"Of course, Pakatan Harapan supporters will be the most disappointed as they have long wanted change through Anwar's administration," he said.
Azmil said it was also possible that Najib would return to lead Umno and Barisan Nasional in the event that he is released from jail, as his support within the party remains strong.
"In the meantime, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is also facing 47 charges in court," he said.
"He, too, faces the possibility of time behind bars. If this happens, there will be a vacancy in Umno which could be filled by Najib or other party leaders."
At the moment, Azmil said, the best way for Anwar to save his reputation would be to step down from the Pardons Board and to place in his stead an individual with no political interests who could assess the application in an objective manner.
"Perhaps a former judge, lawyer or civil society activist," he said.
"But not a politician, especially not one from Umno, as this could give rise to a conflict of interest."


Daily cases shoot closer to 8,000 mark

Another 7,857 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 541,224.Selangor recorded 2,675 cases, Sarawak 772, Kelantan 754, Kuala Lumpur 561, Johor 549, Kedah 441, Penang 365, Negeri Sembilan 353, Terengganu 282, Pahang 238, Melaka 234, Perak 228, Sabah 217 and Labuan 170.Putrajaya recorded 12 cases and Perlis, six.Active cases stand at 69,408 with 771 in the ICU and 392 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 4,598 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 469,325.However, 59 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 2,491.


11 deaths as Covid-19 cases bounce up to 1,075

Another 1,075 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 69,095.Of these, 459 were reported in Selangor, 307 of which came from clusters including five from a new cluster known as the Monsoon cluster.Another 54 cases were from close contact screening, one imported and 97 from other Covid-19 screenings.Sabah recorded 310 new cases: 59 from clusters, 156 from close contact screening and 95 from other Covid-10 screenings.Johor meanwhile recorded 78 cases and Negeri Sembilan 52.Kuala Lumpur recorded 49 cases, followed by Penang (43), Kedah (32), Perak (26), Kelantan and Labuan (nine each), Pahang (four), Melaka (two) and Terengganu and Sarawak (one each).Active cases stand at 10,802 with 116 in the ICU and 46 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 948 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 57,917.However, 11 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 376.


Australia to hold wide-ranging inquiry into automated debt recovery scheme

Australia's Labor government said on Thursday it will hold a wide-ranging inquiry into an automated debt recovery scheme set up by the former conservative coalition which wrongly calculated thousands of welfare recipients owed money to the government.
The Robodebt programme, which was in place between July 2015 and November 2019, was introduced to ensure welfare recipients were not under-reporting their income and over-receiving government payments. It used computer algorithms to recover money with little to no human oversight.
"We know that almost 400,000 Australians fell victim to this cruel system. A human tragedy with very real consequences for its victims," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said during a televised media briefing.
The Royal Commission, the most powerful type of government inquiry, will check the requirement for such a scheme, who held the responsibilities, the financial costs to the government and will look at measures to prevent similar events from happening again. The final report will be delivered by April 18, 2023.
Catherine Holmes, former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland state, has been appointed the commissioner and will have the power to compel witnesses and recommend criminal charges.
"Robodebt was a shameful chapter in the history of public administration in this country. It was a massive failure of policy and law," said Government Services Minister Bill Shorten.
About A$1.76 billion (US$1.2 billion) was "unlawfully raised" from 433,000 Australians because of the programme, Shorten said. Last year, a federal court approved a A$1.8 billion settlement after the Liberal-National coalition late in 2020 agreed to settle a class action brought by the victims.
Then Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologised in Parliament for the distress but did not admit any legal liability. Labor, who returned to power after a May federal election, had promised the inquiry during the campaign.


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66.8% of adults boosted, 37.2% of children given first vaccine jab

A total of 15,711,005 individuals or 66.8% of adults had received a Covid-19 booster dose as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow website, a total of 22,951,201 individuals or 97.5% of adults have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 while 23,227,197 or 98.7% have received at least one dose of vaccine.A total of 2,850,360 teenagers or 91.6% of those aged 12 to 17 have completed their vaccination while 2,947,122 or 94.7% have received at least one dose.As for children aged five to 11, a total of 1,319,899 or 37.2% have received a first dose under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids).Yesterday, a total of 47,608 vaccine doses were dispensed comprising 40,718 booster shots, 1,594 second doses and 5,296 first jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) to 68,795,057.