No pain, no gain? The dangers behind picture-perfect posts

A psychologist has warned of a mounting pressure in society to look good on social media, to the point where many are willing to endanger their health for the sake of appearing flawless in the public eye.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, they said the desire to impress others is often driven by the effect of influencers on social media.This ties in with the belief that the more followers one has, the more socially accepted he or she will be.Mohd Suhaimi Mohamad, a psychologist from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said such acts are a way of reducing fears and boosting self-esteem.“It is possible that they are aware of the consequences if they choose the quick and easy way, but their desperation and the pressure around them indirectly becomes an encouragement to do whatever it takes to be beautiful,” he said.His comments follow the circulation of a video on Twitter showing a group of women being injected with vitamin C in a car. The procedure was said to be for the purpose of whitening their skin.The clip sparked a mixed reaction on social media, including criticism from medical experts who condemned the act as dangerous.“Their desperation and the pressure around them indirectly becomes an encouragement to do whatever it takes to be beautiful.”But Suhaimi said such a mentality would not change if individuals do not receive the right treatment. He also warned of a possible deterioration in their emotional levels.He said the correct way to boost one’s self-confidence is to be knowledgeable about product ingredients and to seek medical consultation from experts.“Don’t fall into the marketing traps you see in advertisements saying you will get the intended results,” he added.“The ingredients used in the product could have long-term negative effects.”‘Consult certified experts’Dr Wan Syazli Rodzaian Wan Ahmad, a consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon, said there exist many beauty products with vague and questionable ingredients.“Use the internet wisely to find information on the ingredients used by certain brands,” he said.“There is a lot to be understood about the ingredients that can bring about harmful side effects.”He also advised consultation with medical experts who have received professional training.“Look for experts with letters of credentialing and privileging (LCP) certificates who are qualified to perform aesthetic procedures and treatments,” he said, adding that these certificates are approved by the health ministry as well.While the cost of uncertified procedures is much lower, he said, these could leave long-term effects.“Don’t make decisions blindly to the point where it brings harm to yourself.”“I had a patient who came to the hospital after experiencing severe complications and side effects after getting a cosmetic procedure done by a doctor with no LCP certification,” he said.“Even if the patients think they are informed about the aesthetic field, I would still encourage them to get detailed information from experts before coming to a decision.“It is important for them to have this knowledge.”He added that while women aged 20 to 60 comprise the bulk of those seeking cosmetic procedures, there is also interest in such operations from men.Qathrunnada Mahmud, a beauty consultant at Mary Kay, said many women become victims of counterfeit beauty products.“We understand that every woman wants to look beautiful, but this has to be balanced with knowledge.“Don’t make decisions blindly to the point where it brings harm to yourself,” she said. “This will only become an unhealthy habit which could grow into an extreme obsession.”


Support from 148 MPs for coalition govt still strong, says Umno man

The support of the 148 MPs who signed the cooperation agreement to establish the coalition government is still intact, said Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
The head of the coalition government secretariat also denied claims that the government is not strong, saying that discussions or negotiations between all parties are held every week.
“The support from all 148 MPs who signed the unity government MoU (memorandum of understanding) is intact. This is not a one-man show (and) no single party dominates the others. We always have room to communicate.
“It’s normal for some to feel uneasy with our strength. They are jealous because they did not get to form the government first,” he said at a press conference on the unity government national convention at Menara Dato Onn today.
Local media previously reported that Bersatu Supreme Council member Muhammad Faiz Na’aman had hinted at a movement to overthrow the coalition government when he wrote "126" in a Facebook post. Meanwhile, Asyraf Wajdi, who is also Umno secretary-general, said negotiations for seat distributions for the six state elections had been very positive despite overlapping claims.
“So far, the cooperation between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) seems to be very good. There are overlapping claims because BN used to contest against PH and vice versa.
“However, discussions and negotiations are ongoing, and based on the report we received just now, I can say they have been very positive and constructive,” he said.
On Feb 22, the menteris besar and chief ministers of the six states – Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan – agreed to consider dissolving their respective state assemblies in the last two weeks of June to make way for state elections.


Of dogs and our perceptions of others

A conversation I had with a friend of mine about dogs ended in a fight. We both have a habit of sharing memes and social media posts on cute animals, particularly dogs. But for him, being a Muslim makes the connection he has with dogs a bizarre relationship where he both appreciates the animal and perceives them as “najis”.The fight started when I invited him to go to a dog sanctuary, since he had been sharing many videos of dogs. However, he refused the offer, saying the need to “sertu” discouraged him from being around the animals.His reply was casual but my acceptance of his answer was not. I implored for further explanations of his stand, souring the whole conversation and leading me to think about the notion of describing a creature as “najis”.This brought to mind the tale of Persian Sufi Abu Yazid Al-Bistami and his conversation with a dog. It began when the dog miraculously began talking to him after he pulled up his clothes for fear of touching the impure animal. In a human voice, the dog said: “If my fur is dry and accidentally touches your clothes, there is no need for you to have your clothes cleansed. If my fur happens to be wet, all you need to do is wash your clothes the way God has prescribed. However, the impurity within your heart towards me will never be cleansed even with all the water of the Seven Seas.”I believe that for many who have been raised as Muslim, we are taught the different concepts of “najis” and their classifications. This is taught with much excitement to young Muslim minds, yet with little awareness of the effect it has on their perception of beings associated with “najis”.Dogs are classified as “najis mughallazah” or major impurities which require a thorough cleansing with water and soil after contact.Given how Muslims have been taught about dogs, it is no surprise that while the teachings are about purity and cleanliness, they result in the perception of dogs as impure creatures. Muslims must keep themselves pure by distancing themselves from the animals.But is this perception limited to our prescribed behaviour in relation to the deemed “najis”, or will it culminate in a mindset in which prejudice rises as one sees the world through the frame of pure and impure?There is a problem with the worldview that is limited to the lens of acts forbidden and those allowed. The perception of “najis” from a Muslim who has an absolutist stand on viewing dogs as such will not be limited to dogs alone. It will encroach into his or her perception towards other humans who may not be aligned with their concept of goodness.I have met sexual minorities who have internalised the perception that they are bad and unworthy of God’s love because the people who surround them told them so. I have also met drug addicts who neglect the need to recover because they do not see the point when people will only notice the acts they did.I have to mention as well the people who cannot move on from the fact that someone was once a drug addict or a sex worker. They would rather lose the bond they have with the underbellies than continue being associated with what they perceive as impure.The world will never be short of kindness, but I wonder if kindness as a behaviour which we exhibit in our relationships with other people will suffice when the perception we have of them remains skewed.Many Muslims I have come across know that Islam does not forbid people from helping. But this notion is worthless when the struggles of the underbellies are caused by the perception that people have of them, putting them in a position where they depend on help and pity from the same people who place them there.A video recently went viral showcasing a man in a sarong holding a rifle which he then used to shoot a dog. The dog was not shown, but it could be heard whimpering after the shot. The whimper then slowly died down as the dog remained unseen in the dark.Over the past few weeks, the world witnessed incidents of beheading and murder after a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad was shown in a classroom. The initial act of beheading was preceded by the word “Allahuakbar”. Panic then ensued although the news coverage has since died down.In 2004, photographs were taken of men with shrouds over their heads in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. They were the victims of torture by the American soldiers who had been tasked as prison guards. They were subjected to humiliating acts while the prison guards smiled in every photo taken.Would it be as easy for the man in the sarong to pull the trigger on the dog if he had seen it differently, without the association of “najis”? For the beheader and murderers, were the victims impure and in need of an immediate death? For the prison guards, did the shroud make it easier for them to perceive their victims as their kind, the blank cloth hiding the humanity in their faces?Can kind acts compensate for the cruelty that comes from the perception of differences? Humanity has fallen apart due to the perceptions that men hold towards each other. Prior acts that strayed from absolute virtue becomes justification for the cruelty against those who do not have the power to liberate themselves from their own conditions.There is always hope for true kindness, but this will not be realised as long as we refuse to extend a sense of belonging to those we see as different.


PN offers over 200 initiatives for economy, well-being in election manifesto

Perikatan Nasional (PN) today launched its manifesto for the 15th general election, themed “Prihatin, Bersih, Stabil”, promising a stable, caring and corruption-free government for the people’s well-being and towards the building of an inclusive society.
PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said the manifesto contained 12 core issues and 30 approaches with 234 offers designed to achieve the goal of “Malaysia Gemilang”.
“PN’s offers are to defend the constitution, uphold Islam as the religion of the federation, and protect the rights of all races,” he said in his speech at Shah Alam tonight.
Also present at the event were Gerakan president Dominic Lau and PN information chief Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Muhyiddin also said that a commission would be formed, comprising the related experts, to monitor and ensure the implementation of PN’s election vows.
Among the 12 core issues in the manifesto are the establishment of a competitive economy, an increase in the people’s quality of life, clean politics and administrations.
Also included are efforts to uplift the Bumputera, Orang Asli and all other races, drive regional development, preserve the environment and encourage tourism, empower the youth, optimise the potential of women, build up and prosper the elderly, empower the disabled community, boost the well-being of Felda settlers, and transform farmers, livestock breeders and fishermen.


PM seeks to calm anxious public as Covid-19 spike revives talk of lockdown

Faced with growing anxiety over the sharp rise in Covid-19 cases, the government is seeking to calm the public, especially amid strong speculation of a reinstated lockdown.This comes as the Klang Valley is abuzz with rumours that the movement control order (MCO), which shut down daily life for almost three months, could be declared again.MalaysiaNow has learnt from sources close to discussions among top health officials and government leaders that authorities will announce several measures to arrest the huge spike in new cases in recent days.The measures include the closure of schools in areas identified as red zones, as well as a suspension of classes at public universities.“But the government will stop short of declaring an MCO-style lockdown,” the source said.“They felt that not only would it be disastrous for the authorities to lock down businesses and close schools again, it is also not necessary from a public health point of view,” it added.Muhyiddin out to calm publicDespite repeated denials from government leaders, rumours have been swirling of an imminent lockdown, including a ban on interstate travel.These come as daily new Covid-19 cases breach even the highest number at the peak of the MCO period.Today’s Covid-19 numbers were the highest since the pandemic was detected in Malaysia, with 691 new patients identified.Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to address the nation again this evening.“But this time, we feel he will be facing the public not to announce bad news, but to calm their fears,” the same source told MalaysiaNow.At the heart of the issue is confusion on the nature of the spike and new clusters.It is learnt that Putrajaya has thrown questions at the health ministry, with “frustrated queries” being sent over the “lack of specific details surrounding the spike”, according to one official.“The fact that these spikes were originating from detention centres and prisons is worrying, but it does not amount to an uncontrolled spread among the public,” it added.


New cases drop to 4,200

Another 4,239 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 2,623,816.Another 5,007 patients recovered, bringing total recoveries to 2,527,052.Meanwhile 511 are in the ICU, including 418 confirmed Covid-19 patients.A total of 261 are in need of respiratory assistance including 173 confirmed Covid-19 cases.Of the 4,239 cases reported today, 73 (1.7%) are in Category Three and above. The remaining 4,166 (98.3%) are in Category One and Two.


Zahid in quarantine, trial postponed again

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today allowed Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s application to postpone his trial, fixed for today until Wednesday, as he remains under quarantine due to Covid-19.Lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh, representing the former deputy prime minister, said Zahid would need to remain quarantined until Sept 28.“My client did a swab test after a surprise visit by officers from the health ministry at his house yesterday, and the result was negative.“Today he will be undergoing the mandatory health ministry test at his residence for RT-PCR to determine whether the result is negative or positive. I was made to understand that the test can only be done at the end of the day today.“As such, the defence wishes to apply for postponement of the trial for today, tomorrow and Wednesday,” he said.Hamidi said he was also made to understand that Zahid might be at risk as on Sept 19, he was with Barisan Nasional’s candidate for the Sabah state seat of Pitas, Sufian Abd Karim, who tested positive for Covid-19.He said Zahid and Sufian had taken pictures together.Deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran said the prosecution did not object to the postponement.Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah then allowed the application by the defence and vacated the trial dates for today until Wednesday.He said trial would resume on Oct 12.During the hearing on Sept 21, the court granted Zahid’s application to have his trial, which was set for Sept 21 and 22, postponed as he had to go for a Covid-19 screening.Zahid faces 47 charges, 12 of them involving criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption, and 27 for money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit in funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.


Sri Lanka gives public workers extra day off to grow food

Sri Lanka has approved a four-day work week for public sector workers to help them cope with a chronic fuel shortage and encourage them to grow food, the government said on Tuesday, as it struggles with its worst financial crisis in decades.The island nation, which employs about one million people in its public sector, has been hit by a severe foreign exchange shortage, which has left it struggling to pay for critical imports of fuel, food and medicine.Many of the country’s 22 million people have to queue up at petrol stations for hours and have been enduring long power cuts for months.Sri Lanka’s Cabinet late on Monday approved a proposal for public sector workers to be given leave every Friday for the next three months, partly because the fuel shortage made commuting difficult and also to encourage them to farm.“It seems appropriate to grant government officials leave of one working day… to engage in agricultural activities in their backyards or elsewhere as a solution to the food shortage that is expected,” the government information office said in a statement.The United Nations last week warned of a looming humanitarian crisis and it plans to provide US$47 million to help more than a million vulnerable people.Currency depreciation, rising global commodity prices and a now-reversed policy to ban chemical fertiliser pushed food inflation to 57% in April.The government is in talks for a bailout package with the International Monetary Fund and a delegation is expected in Colombo on June 20.The US is also ready to help, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after a phone call with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe late on Monday.“During these economically and politically challenging times, the US stands ready to work with Sri Lanka, in close coordination with the International Monetary Fund and the international community,” Blinken said on Twitter.Wickremesinghe said this month Sri Lanka needed at least US$5 billion to meet essential imports for the rest of the year.


Health ministry records 39 heat-related cases

The health ministry recorded a total of 39 cases of heat-related illness from the 16th epidemiological week (ME) (April 16-22) to the 23rd ME (June 4 to 10).
Its minister, Dr Zaliha Mustafa, said 23 of the cases were heat exhaustion, 11 were heat cramps and five were heat strokes.
"Kelantan had 10 cases, Sabah (nine), Sarawak (eight), Melaka (four), Terengganu (three), Kedah (two) while Pahang, Kuala Lumpur and Perak reported one case each," she said in a statement today.
She added that in terms of age breakdown, 25 cases involved adults, teenagers (nine), children (three) and senior citizens (two).
She said no new deaths due to heat stroke were reported in ME 23/2023, with the only fatality being the one reported on April 25, adding that all other patients who sought treatment had been discharged.
Meanwhile, Zaliha said the country is facing the southwest monsoon and weak El Nino conditions until September 2023, which has the potential to make the weather in the country drier than the southwest monsoon seasons from 2020 to 2022.
She said the prolonged hot weather can also cause water levels in dams to drop, disrupting clean water supplies and causing open fires and haze that can affect public health.
"As such, the health ministry advises the public to limit outdoor activities and reduce excessive physical activities during hot weather.
"People are also encouraged to stay hydrated by consuming water regularly and avoiding open burning to prevent haze. If you feel unwell, seek immediate treatment at a nearby clinic," she added.


More flood victims evacuated in Sabah, Sarawak

The situation in flood-hit areas in Sarawak and Sabah worsened this morning, forcing 5,148 victims from the two states to be evacuated.In Sabah, the number of evacuees rose to 4,722 people compared to 2,834 victims yesterday evening.According to a statement by the Sabah State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), Tenom remains the worst affected district with 4,147 evacuees sheltering at 35 relief centres.The number of flood victims evacuated to three relief centres in Beaufort rose to 575 this morning compared to 471 yesterday evening.In Tenom, 484 people were evacuated to Dewan Sri Ontoros while 339 were evacuated to Rumah Kebudayaan Belumbung Seberang and 288 to Rumah Kebudayaan Angalor, while 238 flood victims in Beaufort were placed at Dewan DSP Mohd Dun Banir.In Sarawak, the number of flood victims in the Limbang and Lawas districts increased to 426 people from 98 families this morning compared to 373 people from 89 families yesterday evening.According to the Sarawak SDMC Secretariat, two more relief centres were opened yesterday, at Dewan Masyarakat Ukong and Dewan Masyarakat Buloh Baloi, bringing the total number of evacuation points in the state to seven.


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Three voters die at polling centres

The police today confirmed that three voters died while waiting for their turn to cast their ballots in the 15th general election (GE15).
Without providing further details, Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said two deaths were reported in Johor and one in Kelantan.
"These incidents are quite upsetting because these voters had health problems and died while queuing to vote," he told a press conference at the Gombak district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
He also mentioned an incident where a 23-year-old man grabbed a bottle of indelible ink and pushed down a ballot box at the polling centre in SK Ulu Yam Lama, Batang Kali, Selangor.
However, he said it was an isolated incident involving a man suspected to be mentally ill. On the death of two voters in Johor, the state Election Commission said in a statement that both of them were senior citizens aged 85, who died at their respective polling centres in the Sembrong and Pulai parliamentary constituencies this morning.
It said Sh Juhara Syed Mohamad died at 9.30am at SMK Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru.
"The voter died suddenly after voting and suffering from shortness of breath. She was found to be unwell when she came to the voting stream but still wanted to cast her vote," it said.
According to the statement, the other voter, Tuminah Ambiah, died at SJKC Lit Terk, Kluang, at 10.21am.
"She died suddenly before voting and was pronounced dead by health ministry personnel on the scene," it added.
Meanwhile, Kelantan police chief Muhamad Zaki Harun said a polling agent died at the polling centre in Sekolah Kebangsaan Agama Lati in Pasir Mas this morning.
He said Mohd Jailani Alias, 53, collapsed after arriving at the school at about 8am and was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was taken to Hospital Pasir Mas for post-mortem.
"So far, the case is classified as sudden death pending the post-mortem report.
"The deceased hails from Kampung Pondok Lati, and this is the first case of a death at a polling centre in Kelantan," he told reporters.


Bangladesh promises no forced return of Rohingya refugees

Bangladesh has promised that no Rohingya refugee will be returned to Myanmar against their will in a controversial proposed repatriation process, a top United Nations official has said.
"Refugees who wish to return should have access to clear, factual information to be able to make free and informed decisions," Kelly T Clements, the UN deputy high commissioner for refugees, said in a statement late Monday after a four-day visit to Bangladesh.
"Under no condition should refugees be forced or coerced to return, which the government assured us would not happen," added Clements, who met both government officials and refugees.
Bangladesh is home to around a million Rohingya, most of whom fled a 2017 military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar that is now subject to a UN genocide investigation.
The Rohingya are widely viewed in Myanmar as interlopers from Bangladesh, despite roots in the country stretching back centuries, and are stateless after Myanmar ceased recognising their citizenship in 2015.
Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed to a pilot repatriation of 1,176 refugees, despite concerns raised by refugees and rights groups such as Human Rights Watch, who last month warned it poses "grave risks".
Bangladesh has repeatedly said any repatriation would be voluntary.
However, several Rohingya earmarked for the return programme told AFP they had been threatened to join.
One Rohingya man, who asked for anonymity, said refugee camp leaders had called him every day. "They said: 'If you don't go, you can't stay here, we will beat you.'"
Another Rohingya refugee, also speaking on the understanding his name would not be used, said he had been told to leave – but would do so only if Myanmar gave him back his land.
"They said: 'You have to go, you can't stay here,'" he said.
"But why should we go if we don't get our land back? If they (Myanmar) give us citizenship, we will return. If they give us our land, we will go."


North Korea fires 2 short-range missiles after warning of response to allied drills

North Korea fired two short-range missiles off its east coast on Thursday, the South Korean military said, less than an hour after Pyongyang warned of an "inevitable" response to military drills staged earlier in the day by South Korean and US troops.
The latest action by North Korea came as US President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, was in Tokyo for meetings with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts.
In a meeting with South Korea's national security adviser, Cho Tae-yong, and Japan's National Security Advisor Takeo Akiba on Thursday, the three discussed North Korea's missile programme and confirmed that they would work closely together to get Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons, according to a readout of the meeting released by Japan.
Japan's defence ministry said the two ballistic missiles landed within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), possibly having flown in an irregular trajectory.
The two missiles landed in the Sea of Japan about 250km north-northwest of Hegura island, part of Ishikawa prefecture, Japan said. It was the 13th time that North Korea's missiles landed within Japan's EEZ, Japanese vice minister of defence Kimi Onoda said.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the launches.
"The latest missile launch is a violation of Security Council resolutions and an escalation of provocations against the international community as a whole. We lodged a strong protest against North Korea," he told reporters.
The government was due to hold a National Security Council meeting, Kyodo news reported separately.
Representatives for the White House and the US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the launch
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol watched as several thousand South Korean and US troops took part in joint live-fire exercises on Thursday, in the latest show of force that the allies say is necessary to deter North Korea.
A spokesperson for North Korea's Ministry of National Defence said the drills were escalating the military tension in the region and its forces would sternly respond to "any kind of protests or provocations by enemies".
Pyongyang unsuccessfully tried to launch a spy satellite late last month, in its first satellite launch since 2016, with the rocket booster and payload plunging into the sea.
North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programmes are banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions that have sanctioned the country.
Diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions or persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear arsenal have been stalled.
South Korea sued North Korea on Wednesday for US$35 million (about RM162 million) in compensation for a liaison office that North Korea blew up in 2020, in a case highlighting the breakdown of ties between the neighbours as the North presses on with its weapons programmes.


Bright outlook for fresh grads in job hunt next year

The job market for fresh graduates appears set to pick up in 2021 following a year of dismal unemployment rates and financial uncertainty as the Covid-19 pandemic battered economies around the world, a survey by recruitment firm Talentbank reveals.The survey titled “Employers’ Top University Choice”, conducted in October among to assess job market conditions for fresh graduates in the new normal, showed that 73.41% of respondents intend to hire graduates from both public and private universities in the year to come.Meanwhile, 21.97% of respondents were unsure and 4.62% said they were disinclined to hire.The survey saw the participation of respondents in mainly senior positions in mid-sized to large organisations (80.35%), of which 33.53% comprised public-listed companies.Job prospects appeared promising for fresh graduates with backgrounds in accounting, business management, marketing, computing and IT, human resource management, mechanical engineering and electronics and electrical engineering, among others.Monthly salaries offered to fresh graduates from all fields average between RM2,501 and RM3,000, while internship allowances average RM1,000 per month.Talentbank CEO Ben Ho said this was good news amid the volatility and uncertainty caused by the pandemic and also meant that universities were producing graduates “with the right set of skill sets needed by the industry”.“We asked employers if they placed a greater emphasis on attitude or academic results when hiring fresh graduates and the responses came as no surprise.“A majority of 91.91% of the respondents chose good attitude over academic results while the remaining 8.09% stressed on academic results over good attitude. These results point to a growing demand for talents who are versatile, able to pick up new skills and to take on new responsibilities thrown at them,” he added.Earlier this month, Deputy Human Resources Minister Awang Hashim said nearly 100,000 workers had been laid off since January including highly skilled workers comprising managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals.But Talentbank’s survey showed an optimistic future for fresh graduate employment as far as 2022, with 76.3% of respondents saying they would be hiring then as well.The survey revealed that employers’ top five hiring sources for fresh graduates are from job sites, company career pages, university career fairs, social media channels and career fairs at the Sunway Pyramid Convention Center.The top 10 recruitment metrics used when hiring fresh graduates are career readiness, extra-curricular activities, university reputation, recruitment processes, cumulative grade point average, salary range, time to hire, cost to course applications, employee retention and students’ international exposure.


Assassinated Iranian general’s daughter rebukes Trump as he leaves White House

Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian general killed in a US airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump at Baghdad International Airport last year, was hailed as a hero in Iran: brave, charismatic and beloved by his troops.Then-president Trump had authorised the strike because Soleimani was “plotting imminent and sinister attacks” on Americans.As Trump left the White House for the final time as president yesterday, the general’s youngest daughter rebuked him in a savage tweet, saying he was ending his term in disgrace. She condemned him for ordering her father’s assassination.“Mr. Trump, you murdered my father, the General who led the victorious war against ISIS/Al-Qaeda, with the perverse hope that you will be seen as some sort of hero. But instead you are defeated, isolated & broken – viewed not as a hero, but one who lives in fear of foes. The irony.”Her tweet, which was accompanied by an image showing a poster of Trump’s face and the words “American terrorist”, came just hours after the swearing-in of President Joe Biden, who won the highest office on the heels of a tumultuous Trump presidency that saw a dramatic spike in hostilities with the Islamic Republic.US-Iranian tensions peaked last January after Soleimani’s assassination which came amid a US sanctions campaign aimed at crippling Tehran’s vital oil exports.Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who shared Zeinab’s post on Twitter, gave a similarly harsh verdict following Trump’s official departure from the White House.“Trump, Pompeo & Co. are relegated to the dustbin of history in disgrace. But the memories of Gen Soleimani & the 1000s murdered, maimed & starved of food & meds by Trump’s state – & economic – terrorism & crimes against humanity, will shine on. Perhaps new folks in DC have learned.”Zeinab said in a recent English-language interview, broadcast on RT: “Al Queda and ISIS are terrorist groups that America made and we have many proofs of that. My father was the only person standing against these terrorist groups.”She also made it clear that she is unimpressed with President Joe Biden.“There is no difference between Biden and Trump. They are the same guy and they are following the same policy. Biden agreed with Obama when they made ISIS. What’s the difference between Trump and Biden? What will change?”


RNA breakthrough inspires high-yield, drought-tolerant rice crops

Thanks to a breakthrough in RNA manipulation, crop scientists have developed new rice varieties with higher yields and increased drought tolerance.By inserting a gene responsible for production of a protein called FTO, scientists produced bigger rice plants with more expansive root systems which improve their drought resistance.Test results presented on Thursday in the journal Nature Biotechnology showed the RNA-manipulated plants also improved their rate of photosynthesis, boosting crop yields by as much as 50%.“The change really is dramatic,” study co-author Chuan He, professor of chemical biology at the University of Chicago, said in a press release. “What’s more, it worked with almost every type of plant we tried it with so far, and it’s a very simple modification to make.”With climate change predicted to expose many agricultural regions to higher temperatures and more frequent droughts, scientists hope their breakthrough will help buffer vulnerable agriculture systems – and the communities that rely on them – against climate stress.According to the study’s authors, yield increases can help prevent the need for forests to be cleared for food production.“This really provides the possibility of engineering plants to potentially improve the ecosystem as global warming proceeds,” said He. “We rely on plants for many things – everything from wood, food and medicine, to flowers and oil – and this potentially offers a way to increase the stock material we can get from most plants.”Gene manipulation in plants and animals typically involves DNA, the primary blueprint for an organisms’ many biological processes. RNA works like a messenger, translating and delivering instructions inside a cell.For the new study, He and Guifang Jia, a former University of Chicago postdoctoral researcher who is now an associate professor at Peking University, turned their attention to FTO, a protein that can remove chemical tags from RNA.When researchers spliced the gene for FTO into rice plants, the plants almost immediately started growing at an accelerated rate.“I think right then was when all of us realised we were doing something special,” He said.In the lab, the manipulated rice plants grew at three times their normal rate. In the field, the rice plants increased their mass by 50%. They also sprouted longer roots, increased their photosynthesis rate and produced larger yields.When they repeated the experiments with potato plants, the researchers got similar results, suggesting the new gene manipulation method could be used to boost a variety of crops.Scientists suspect FTO boosts an RNA modification pathway which effectively deletes chemical markers that would otherwise direct a plant to slow its growth. The breakthrough effectively takes the governor off of crop growth.“It seems that plants already have this layer of regulation, and all we did is tap into it,” He said.“So the next step will be to discover how to do it using the plant’s existing genetics.”


Contraband cigarettes worth RM10 million seized at Johor port

The Johor Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) seized cigarettes worth RM10 million believed to have been smuggled from China at the Tanjung Pelepas Port (PTP) Customs Inspection Bay, Gelang Patah, in Iskandar Puteri, on Sept 22.
JKDM director Sazali Mohamad said the container was seized by the Gelang Patah Customs Enforcement Division at 11.20am after a scan revealed a suspicious-looking image that was different from that declared in the manifest.
He said according to the manifest, the items included computer accessories, bakery equipment and electric barbecue grills.
"Our inspection, however, found 9.18 million sticks of imported cigarettes believed to be from China that were not taxed. The final destination as declared in the manifest was Kota Kinabalu Port, Sabah before transiting at PTP," he said at a press conference in Johor Bahru yesterday.
He said while the contraband was worth RM3.67 million, the total value was RM10 million inclusive of tax.
Sazali said the syndicate's modus operandi was to make false declarations in their manifestos and to use the PTP as an unloading location before the contraband was sent to another place.
The case is being investigated under Regulation 18 of the Free Zone Regulations (Amendment) 2019 and Section 135 (1) (a) of the Customs Act 1967.
Meanwhile, Sazali said the Sungai Pulai Enforcement Division had foiled an attempt to smuggle 69 tyres valued at RM41,400 following the arrest of two local men at Taman Cemerlang Lancar in Senai at 11pm on Sept 26.
He said the men, aged 36 and 41, who were in Toyota Alphard vehicles, were trailed by an enforcement team from the entry point at Sultan Abu Bakar Complex, Gelang Patah.
"Upon inspection, the vehicles were found carrying 69 new tyres of various brands and sizes, believed to be imported and which had not been taxed," he said, adding that the men were detained for further investigation under the Customs Act 1967.
Sazali said they also seized various undeclared items including 2,335 pieces of laminated sheets estimated to be worth RM89,000 after confiscating an eight-tonne lorry at Austin Perdana road on Sept 12.


Hong Kong transport operators, supermarkets cut services as Covid cases surge

Hong Kong’s subway operator, bus companies and one of the city’s biggest supermarket chains said they were reducing services this week due to a worsening Covid-19 outbreak that has seen daily infections explode since early February.The latest strains came as Hong Kong authorities clung firmly to their “dynamic zero” coronavirus strategy which, like mainland China’s seeks to curb all outbreaks at any cost.The global financial hub’s Transport Department said 98 bus routes would be suspended with operators facing critical manpower shortages.A rise of infected people coupled with a drop in customers due to stringent social distancing measures made it hard to maintain operations, it said in a statement late on Wednesday.The city’s subway operator, known for its efficiency, said on Thursday it would cut services on eight lines because of staff shortages and a sharp drop in customers.“We have been striving to maintain train service despite the worsening Covid-19 situation. However, the latest development of the pandemic is affecting the manpower for daily operations,” it said on its website.ParknShop, one of the city’s largest supermarket chains, said it was shortening opening hours for more than 200 outlets to protect its staff and customers. Some stores would close as early as 3 pm, it said.Since the pandemic began in 2020, the tally of infections in the Chinese-ruled city stands at more than 290,000, with a death toll of about 1,100.About 700 of those deaths have been in the past week, with the majority unvaccinated people.Health experts from the University of Hong Kong estimated about 1.7 million people were already infected by Monday, with the coming week expected to bring a peak of about 183,000 daily infections.There has been widespread confusion and chaos among many residents this week due to the government’s mixed messaging over whether a city-wide lockdown would take place and the almost daily tweaking of coronavirus rules.Hong Kong’s international reputation had been “very damaged” by the confusing messages, creating alarm, said prominent businessman and government adviser Allan Zeman.


Muhyiddin moots electoral pact, not coalition against BN in GE15

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin today floated the suggestion of an electoral pact instead of another political coalition among the disparate parties to face Barisan Nasional (BN) ahead of the 15th general election (GE15).He said he had held a series of talks with the leaders of parties other than BN components to pilot an understanding following unofficial discussions with several opposition politicians after the Johor state election in March, which saw BN sweeping to its second victory at the state level.“Bersatu’s formula for straight fights would be characterised by cooperation or an electoral pact which does not involve the formation of a new political coalition,” he said.“The purpose of this understanding would be to avoid multi-cornered fights that only benefit BN, as was seen at the Melaka and Johor elections.”Muhyiddin, the Perikatan Nasional chairman, said in April that he had taken the initiative to meet with the main leaders of political parties in the government as well as the opposition to pioneer a cooperation for GE15.He said the leaders had understood that while the majority of the people did not support BN due to its kleptocratic image, the “anti-BN” vote was split due to multi-way fights among the other political parties.In a statement today, he said the proposed electoral pact must be based on a common agenda to ensure that Malaysia does not return to the rule of what he described as the “kleptocrats currently controlling BN parties”.“I believe that the majority of the people reject kleptocracy, and efforts must be made to stop BN from fully returning to power in this country,” he said.He also rejected claims that he had told the leaders of a political party that he had the support of the majority of MPs to be appointed as prime minister once more.“I would like to stress that I never told or confirmed to anyone that I have the support of the majority,” he said.“What was discussed in the meetings I had with several leaders of parties other than BN was to spearhead an understanding to face GE15.”Muhyiddin, who was prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021. He resigned after losing his majority due to a group of Umno MPs aligned with their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Najib Razak who withdrew their support for him in Parliament.


Biden may protect migrants who fled from natural disasters to the US

The incoming Biden administration is considering a plan to protect more than a million immigrants who fled Central American countries Honduras and Guatemala to the US after they were battered by hurricanes in November.US president-elect Joe Biden’s transition team is considering whether to grant them temporary protected status (TPS) which would save them from being deported.The TPS programme allows people already in the US to stay and work legally if their home countries have been affected by natural disasters, armed conflicts or other events that prevent their safe return.TPS covers immigrants in the US both illegally and those on visas.If Biden’s administration does grant TPS to Hondurans and Guatemalans, it would represent a major expansion of the programme and the biggest use of that authority in decades.This would be a sharp departure from the administration of President Donald Trump who attempted to phase out use of TPS and similar schemes.Biden’s campaign called Trump’s attempts to roll back TPS “politically motivated” and said Biden would not return people to unsafe countries.The two hurricanes that devastated Honduras forced more than 300,000 to be evacuated from their homes. More than 125,000 are still displaced in shelters, according to the Honduran government.In Guatemala, the storms killed dozens of people, destroyed roads, bridges, and other infrastructure, and inundated farmland exacerbating a growing hunger crisis.The governments of both Honduras and Guatemala have called on the incoming administration to issue new TPS designations for their nationals already in the US.In Texas, 42-year-old Margarita Rivera, a Honduran immigrant living illegally and working at a cake shop, told Reuters flooding was so devastating in her hometown along the northern coast that many of her neighbours lost their homes and had to be rescued by boat.“I would love if TPS were approved,” she said, explaining that it would be extremely difficult for her to survive and make ends meet in Honduras if she were deported from the US.However, US immigration and border officials are concerned about the effects of a possible major surge in migration from Central America in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.


Under fire, ex-AG Thomas says his offer of compensation to Sulus legally correct

Former attorney-general Tommy Thomas has defended his response to a group of individuals claiming to be the heirs of the defunct Sulu sultanate, saying the amount he offered to pay them was compensation to which they were entitled by law.
Thomas, who came under fire over the 2019 letter he sent to the lawyers of the claimants who were recently awarded billions of dollars by an arbitration court in Paris, also said the Malaysian government had never questioned the annual compensation of RM5,300 given to the Sulu descendants until 2013, when Putrajaya terminated the payments in the wake of the armed Sulu incursion in Lahad Datu, Sabah.
Thomas in his letter had offered to resume the payments as well as some RM48,000 in backdated payments plus interest, in exchange for the Sulu claimants putting a halt to the arbitration process.
"That represented in law the loss they suffered in the seven-year period," he said in a lengthy statement today, breaking weeks of silence over the contents of his letter which were repeatedly cited by the arbitrator in justifying the unusual award to the Sulus.
Thomas argued that the Malaysian government was wrong in not officially explaining its 2013 decision to stop the colonial-era payments.
He said if the move was to punish them for the Sulu attacks on Sabah, there was no evidence that the recipients of the annual payments were involved.
He also said that the government should have first furnished evidence of the Sulus' involvement and sought a court order for the payments to be stopped.
"However, there appears to be no evidence linking the Sulu claimants who were receiving the annual compensation from Malaysia with the armed invaders of Lahad Datu," Thomas added.
He said upon the formation of Malaysia, the government should have ended the payments as they were a form of compensation agreed on between the British colonial power and the Sulu sultan, and not binding on the Malaysian government.
Adding that Malaysia had continued the payments "without hesitation or protest", Thomas said this showed the country's admission to its "legal obligation".
"The continuous payment by Malaysia for 50 years is strong – indeed indisputable – evidence that Malaysia stepped into the shoes of the British government as successor-in-title, and is estopped from contending otherwise.
"Hence in that half a century, Malaysia’s legal obligation to pay annual compensation to the Sulu claimants was never questioned by the Malaysian government," he added.
Thomas came under attack from various parties over his letter, which appeared to be the backbone of the arbitration decision now threatening the forfeiture of billions in Malaysian assets abroad.
The eight Sulu individuals had cited a 1878 agreement between the then Sulu sultan and the British colonial government, where the ruler surrendered sovereignty over some territories located in North Borneo, or what is now Sabah.
In the arbitration decision announced in a French court in February this year, the claimants were awarded US$14.92 billion (RM60 billion) plus interest and costs.
Earlier this month, lawyers for the claimants sought to implement the award by serving an asset seizure notice on two subsidiaries of Malaysian oil firm Petronas in Luxembourg.
Putrajaya subsequently secured a stay order from a Paris court to stop the execution of the award, with the Sulus' lawyers threatening to set their eyes on Malaysia's other assets around the world.


FT ministry studying proposal for speed limit in some KL zones

The federal territories ministry is studying a proposal by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) on the implementation of a speed limit of 30kmh in selected zones around the federal capital and 50kmh in other zones.Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim said the study on the proposal would take into account the interests of all parties before a decision is finalised and announced.“We will also look into its appropriateness… what is important is that the people are happy with its implementation,” he said at a press conference after launching an event in Kuala Lumpur today.Miros board of directors chairman Suret Singh had said in a Twitter post that the institute and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) would work together towards implementing a 30kmh speed limit in selected zones in the federal capital and 50kmh for other zones.Miros had proposed a 30kmh speed limit for residential areas, towns and villages as part of the National Road Safety Plan for 2021 to 2030.The proposal is also part of the Street for Life campaign under the 6th UN Global Road Safety Week which aims to empower communities across Southeast Asia to implement a 30kmh limit in areas where pedestrians mix with motorised traffic.


After Zahid-Najib expose, better deal for Umno but Cabinet reshuffle unlikely

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin may give some form of concession to Umno in his power-sharing deal, although short of increasing the Malay party’s share of the Cabinet as demanded by a faction of MPs led by its president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.A source privy to private conversations between Umno leaders said while the decision will not weaken Muhyiddin’s position, it will neutralise the faction of veteran Umno leaders eager for a “better deal” in return for agreeing to be part of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.This follows the failure of Zahid’s plan to galvanise fellow Umno MPs into quitting the PN government in the wake of the revelation that he had unilaterally expressed support for Anwar Ibrahim, who has been ratcheting up his claim of possessing the numbers needed to topple Muhyiddin.But Anwar is still viewed with suspicion within Umno circles.“His long alliance with DAP means that any support for the PKR leader, even for some hidden agenda, will be frowned on by the party,” said the same high-level source in Umno who told MalaysiaNow about the joint letter to the palace written by Zahid and his predecessor Najib Razak.On Friday, MalaysiaNow reported that Zahid and Najib in their letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had not only expressed support for Anwar, but claimed that “a number of Umno MPs” would back the PKR leader’s plan to topple Muhyiddin as well.“That move has angered many senior party leaders,” the source told MalaysiaNow.One concern is that Umno is split between a faction led by Zahid, and another larger faction that wants the current Cabinet composition to remain until the time is ripe for a general election.“There are worries that any backdoor negotiations by leaders embroiled in corruption cases could lead to Umno losing everything they currently have,” the source added, using a Malay expression “yang dikejar tak dapat, yang dikendong berciciran” (losing everything while in pursuit of something more).Old guardLeaders who have been campaigning for a greater share of powerful posts for Umno are mostly from the “old guard”.While their numbers might not be many, they have been enough to warrant media attention.One of them, Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, said Umno could “find new friends” if it quits Muhyiddin’s PN alliance.“If Umno quits PN, we have two choices: to find new friends to rebuild our political strength, or to go it alone outside the government as an opposition party,” Tajuddin told MalaysiaNow’s Fazreen Kamal in an interview on Saturday.“Muhyiddin must remember, we came with great numbers to form the government.”Tajuddin, however, is clear about the golden rule: no cooperation with DAP.That means that Umno must find an alternative to DAP’s 42-seat share in the Dewan Rakyat, something no other party currently has.At the heart of complaints from MPs such as Tajuddin is that Umno has been “sidelined”.To them, a deputy prime minister’s post would redeem the Malay party’s image, or at least give it some semblance of what it was when it dominated the government for six decades.“Muhyiddin must remember, we came with great numbers to form the government,” Tajuddin told MalaysiaNow, referring to Umno’s 39 MPs who joined hands with Bersatu, PAS and GPS to convince the Agong to swear in Muhyiddin as prime minister in March this year.“If he had known long ago the right thing to do, that is to give the deputy PM’s post to Umno, all this won’t happen,” he added.Muhyiddin’s Cabinet structure has no allocation for deputy prime minister.The number two seat has been a point of contention since the 80s, even triggering major political crises.The current Cabinet has, instead, a second-line quartet of senior ministers, seen as representing different factions in the PN government, to deputise in Muhyiddin’s absence.Business as usual?For now, it could be business as usual although with some concessions to Umno.For one, the prime minister could agree to some form of a deal where greater consultation will be made with Umno in making key government decisions.“That could mean stopping short of a Cabinet reshuffle which would be very unpopular at a time when the nation’s focus is on the fresh wave of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the Umno source said.And with anger growing within Umno against Zahid and Najib over their letter to the Agong in support of Anwar, keeping the status quo appears to be a win-win situation.Meanwhile, the Umno Supreme Council will meet tomorrow, the first time since MalaysiaNow’s revelation of the Zahid-Najib letter to the Agong.There are signs that the duo may have to explain their action before senior leaders, especially those who are already in the Cabinet.The pair have yet to deny the claim, although several denials were issued to the press by their officers and supporters.


SPM, STPM students to be given Pfizer jab from July

Candidates for the 2021 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) examinations will be vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech jab starting from next month, says National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin.The vaccine shots will be administered at schools which will be used as vaccination centres, he said.“We will start giving the vaccine to them in July, in preparation before they return to school later,” he said at a press conference after attending the Pahang-level Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) meeting in Kuantan today.Also present were Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and state secretary Sallehuddin Ishak.Yesterday, Education Minister Radzi Jidin said the CITF has agreed to the education ministry’s proposal that students sitting for major examinations this year be given priority for vaccination.Radzi said this was due to the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency’s approval of the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged 12 and above.


Stateless youth dreams of making Malaysia a better place

Since he was a child, Edward Tan dreamed of becoming a police officer to fight crime and make Malaysia a better place.
But with his citizenship status in limbo, he may never be able to call himself a Malaysian, let alone contribute anything to the country.
Tan was born in Klang in 2008. But he was never granted citizenship as his father's marriage to his birth mother, an Indonesian, was not officially registered.
Two weeks after he was born, his mother returned to her home country and cut off all ties.
Now 16, he lives with his father and his stepmother, Laddawan Caisaran.
His father, Tan Thian Leng, raised him with the help of his grandmother, Lee Lay Wah, who is 76 this year.

Edward Tan's grandmother, Lee Lay Wah, gestures as she recalls the family's efforts to obtain citizenship for her grandson.

Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Lee said they were initially confused as they had never heard of an individual being stateless.
"We didn't know where to go or which authority to refer to," she said.
"We just took his birth details from the clinic and registered him at the National Registration Department (JPN). We filled out the forms. That's all."
When she saw that her grandchild had been declared stateless, she was shocked.
"I had never heard of that until then," she said.
Not knowing what to do next, the family found themselves dependent on what little information they could glean from their friends.
At first, they were told to appeal to the home ministry. But their application was rejected.
Four years later, Lee hired a lawyer who advised them to apply for citizenship by registering Tan as her son's adopted child.
"We petitioned to adopt him and got approval as well as a green birth certificate," she said.
"But still, he was not considered a citizen."

Edward Tan holds up his uniform as a probationary prefect.

Then, the lawyer recommended that they register Tan under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution for citizenship applications.
"In 2013, we were informed that our application had been rejected," Lee said.
By then, Lee had given up hope of her grandson ever being declared a Malaysian. In 2016, though, she read about a boy named Navin Moorthy who had succeeded in obtaining citizenship.
Encouraged, she decided to try again. She managed to meet with the lawyers who had handled Navin's case, who told her to try applying to the home ministry once more.
"We waited until 2019 when we were able to meed with a ministry officer," she said.
"But we were shocked to learn that the application we had made in August 2016 was only received in January 2018.
"Are there no clear SOPs between the home ministry and JPN? In the end, it is the stateless children who end up as the victims."

Edward Tan sits in the kitchen with his grandmother and parents at their home in Klang.

Despite the bureaucratic challenges, Lee remained thankful that Tan was able to attend school like any other child.
But Tan is in Form Four this year and should be sitting for the Form Five SPM examination next year.
Lee fears that he will be barred from taking the exam due to his lack of citizenship.
Tan himself hopes that the matter will be settled as quickly as possible so that he can live a normal life.
The first thing he plans to do if he is declared a citizen is to find a part-time job so that he can help support his family.
"Without citizenship, there will always be a limit to what I can do," he said.
"I don't even dare to go too far with my friends because I'm afraid that I will be arrested."


Industry leaders tell how to improve Miti’s CIMS

Industry leaders have urged Putrajaya to improve the Covid-19 Intelligent Management System (CIMS) 3.0, the portal responsible for the SOPs for businesses throughout the total lockdown period to prevent confusion and ensure the transparency of companies seeking the government’s green light to remain open.Soh Thian Lai, president of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, said the suggestion came in the wake of reports on companies and manufacturers manipulating the letters of permission issued by the international trade and industry ministry (Miti) through CIMS 3.0, which is powered by Miti’s Malaysia Automotive Robotics and IoT Institute.“Miti holds this system for the other 17 ministries and agencies. However, Miti is only responsible for manufacturing and manufacturing-related services. The other ministries and agencies will approve their applications using CIMS 3.0.”He suggested that to prevent confusion, CIMS 3.0 be renamed as CIMS 3.0 MKN, referring to the National Security Council, with every letter of approval issued through a common platform acceptable to all.“The reason is because MKN under the Prime Minister’s Office is the authority managing the SOPs in this health crisis.”Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he further proposed that the system be linked with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) for confirmation of the nature of business of the company applying for permission to operate.He added that manufacturers could be obliged to attach their manufacturing licences when submitting their applications.It was recently reported that a factory making helmets was issued a compound of RM10,000 after claiming to produce personal protective equipment.There were also reports of a photography company being given the green light to remain open despite not falling in the category of essential services.Ahmad Aliff A S Ahmad Shariffuddin, co-founder of SCRUT and Interepo which offers online database services, said it would not be difficult to integrate data from SSM in CIMS 3.0.“They would only need to request for the application programming interface from SSM to be included in the CIMS 3.0 system,” he said.Syed Hussain Syed Husman, president of the Malaysian Employers Federation, said one suggestion was for the penalty to be revised to a rate higher than the RM10,000 compound handed to the helmet manufacturing company.“But this needs to take into account the size of the company and whether it had committed similar offences earlier,” he added.“To prevent such incidents from recurring, Miti may wish to obtain details on the company’s nature of business and the products it makes when it submits its application through CIMS 3.0,” he told MalaysiaNow.But Federation of Malaysian Business Associations adviser Ameer Ali Mydin said the bigger issue with CIMS 3.0 was the long waiting time for approval.He said business owners should not be made a victim of long waiting times just because of a few who are dishonest.“You cannot stop the industry just because there are a few bad apples,” he said. “We have to think of the majority of companies which are honest and only want to run their business.”He suggested that the government give approval first, according to its criteria, before beefing up its enforcement later on.He added that many companies that are not categorised as essential services are waiting for permission to operate online.More than 120,000 companies have been given the green light to continue running throughout the lockdown period, involving 1.57 million workers of the 10.2 million who applied through CIMS 3.0.Miti had also set up a special operations centre to ensure the coordination of CIMS 3.0 and the smooth processing of applications in line with the SOPs set out under the movement control order.


Predicting victory in seats a game of perceptions, analysts say

Analysts have played down announcements by coalitions of the number of seats they expect to win, as political groups battle it out for the minimum needed to form a new government after the Nov 19 polls.
And while opposition pact Pakatan Harapan (PH) has already forecast victory in at least 80 seats, they say that achieving this would require a high turnout of voters on election day.
Veteran observer Azizi Safar also noted inconsistencies between this number, given by PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, and the even higher figure of 100 estimated by party president Anwar Ibrahim.
"Which is correct, and which is more accurate?" Azizi, a former Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) secretary, said.
Anwar, the PH chairman, had voiced confidence that the coalition could win 100 seats, pulling off a repeat of the previous general election in 2018.
He said PH would need only another 12 seats to meet the minimum of 112 required for a simple majority to form the federal government.
Rafizi's estimate, meanwhile, was based on research by his organisation, Invoke.
Azizi said it was a given that parties contesting an election would predict their own victory.
"This is a game of perceptions by PH to gain the support of the people, with the aim of establishing the government after the polls," he added.
"It is a common method used by politicians at general elections."
PH, together with youth-based party Muda, is contesting a total of 212 seats, with DAP fielding eight candidates in Sarawak under the party's rocket logo.
BN, meanwhile, is contesting 178 seats while Perikatan Nasional (PN) is standing in 149. In Kelantan and Terengganu, 22 of these will be contested on a PAS ticket.
Pejuang, led by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, is contesting 116 seats; Gabungan Parti Sarawak, 31; Warisan, 52; Parti Rakyat Malaysia, 16; Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, 13; Parti Sarawak Bersatu, 10; and Putra, nine.
Political analyst Ahmad Marthada Mohamed agreed that seat predictions were aimed at swinging votes and convincing voters to choose the coalition in question.
Marthada, of Universiti Utara Malaysia, also questioned Rafizi's estimate of victory in 80 seats, calling it "extreme".
Nevertheless, he said PH might continue to perform in Kuala Lumpur due to its support base of non-Malay and urban Malay voters.
"They are still inclined to support PH, so it would be no surprise for PH to hope for a majority victory in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor," he said.
Marthada himself estimates that PH might win 51 seats in the peninsula, in Selangor (13), Perak (11), Kuala Lumpur (10), Johor (eight), Negeri Sembilan (four), Melaka (three) and Pahang (two).
Liew Wui Chern of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman meanwhile said PH had a chance of winning the 80 seats forecast by Rafizi, although he expressed reservations about Anwar's prediction of 100.
But he said that victory in those 80 seats would depend heavily on voter turnout.
"Rafizi's prediction of 80 seats can be achieved if the voting rate is higher than 75%," he said.
"But a 50% to 60% voting rate won't help PH bag more than that."
Liew also said that PH had a slight advantage over BN and PN, at least for the moment.
"PN is causing a split in votes from BN, hence Rafizi's optimism on PH's ability to win more seats."


Controversial Gaza travel rules to be reviewed

Hamas Islamists who control the Gaza Strip said Wednesday judicial authorities would review a controversial edict giving parents and guardians power to block adult children or dependants from travelling.The ruling, circulated Sunday from the Supreme Sharia (Islamic law) Council in Gaza, allows “males over the age of 18 to be banned from travelling by court order, based on the wishes of the father or grandfather”.It also bans “virgin, widowed or divorced women from travelling without permission from a guardian”.On Wednesday, Hamas said it was “happy” the shariah council had decided to rephrase the edict “to avoid confusion”.It said provisions regarding single women had “been misunderstood as a total travel ban” and will be “amended”.Israel has maintained a tight blockade on Gaza since Hamas took power in the enclave in 2007, while Egypt restricts movement through the Rafah crossing that connects it to the strip.The edict was widely condemned by rights groups and diplomats.“It’s bad enough that Israeli and Egyptian policies have trapped Palestinians in Gaza for far too many years,” Human Rights Watch said.


Most graft probes in Selangor against civil servants, says MACC

The Selangor branch of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today revealed that civil servants formed the biggest group detained by the commission for investigations into corruption, irregularities and abuse of power between 2018 and 2022.
Director Alias Salim said that based on its records, 170 civil servants were arrested during that period, followed by 84 private workers, 50 civilians, five politicians and five individuals from government-linked companies (GLCs).
"The highest number of arrests was in 2022 (73), followed by 2018 (66) and 2021 (63).
"From the total 314 arrests, we opened 269 investigation papers related to corruption cases with 135 cases charged in court," he said in a statement today.
Alias said during the same period, Selangor MACC received 1,764 pieces of information related to corruption, irregularities and abuse of power. "Selangor MACC also recorded a seizure amounting to RM366,845 in addition to forfeited assets worth RM1,768,554.89," he said.
Alias said apart from conducting investigations into corruption cases in Selangor, the commission had also implemented corruption prevention measures by examining public and private sector practices, systems and procedures to identify weaknesses that could open up space and opportunities for corruption.
He said that during this period, 406 lectures specifically for target groups with 721 programmes based on the prevention of corruption were organised for government and private agencies, GLCs, NGOs, and students at schools and higher education institutions.


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'Fully adult and Malay' form overwhelming majority of 6.9 million new voters at next polls

A careful study of some seven million people who have been automatically registered as voters shows that only a minority are under 21 years of age, giving rise to questions of whether the Undi 18 movement, whose goal is to get the younger generation to take part in the next polls, has only managed to further strengthen the traditional clout of much older voters.
A demographic breakdown made available to MalaysiaNow shows that only 16% of some 6.9 million new voters represent those in the 18-20 age bracket, the main target group of some political parties ahead of the next general election.
This is less than those aged 31 to 50, who represent about 23% of new voters, according to the figures studied by MalaysiaNow.
The majority of new voters are in the 21-50 age group.

Perhaps more interestingly, 60% of the new voters are Malays, followed by the Chinese (25%) and Indians (7.5%), while Sabah and Sarawak communities represent about 7%.
"What this essentially means is that Malay politics and issues for the community will continue to be the most crucial factor at the election, and this is going to be a challenge for some parties which have branded themselves as parties for the youth," said a source who studied the latest electorate data cited by MalaysiaNow.
The automatic registration of voters came into effect late last year, following the unanimous passing of a bill to lower the minimum voting age from 21 to 18, a move linked to political parties hoping to ride on support from younger Malaysians by championing issues close to the group.
Where individuals previously had to sign up to vote, automatic registration now ensures that every citizen over the age of 18 can automatically cast their ballots.
Some critics had said that this would not necessarily increase the number of voters at the coming polls, as the additional six million people were involuntarily included in the electoral roll.
The so-called Undi 18 bill was among others strongly promoted by former youth minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who went on to set up the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance, or Muda, which has branded itself as a party for the youth.
The demographics of the new voters – overwhelmingly Malay and not the "young voters" targeted by Undi 18 – are also likely to complicate ongoing negotiations between Muda and Pakatan Harapan (PH), the coalition which is already facing a crisis of confidence with the Malay electorate, according to recent surveys.

Last week, MalaysiaNow reported that several think tanks had presented the results of their surveys on voter sentiments to the PH leadership, showing that the coalition enjoys less than 15% of Malay support.
The outcome of the surveys is said to have rattled PKR, whose candidates are almost all being fielded in Malay majority seats.
"It does seem to suggest that political parties and coalitions, like in all previous general elections, have no choice but to return to the Malay electorate if they are to secure victory. Their future has little to do with the age of voters," said the same source.
A total of 21.1 million Malaysians, representing an almost equal number of men and women, are eligible to vote at the 15th general election.


Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Manchester United 'with immediate effect'

Cristiano Ronaldo has parted with Manchester United "with immediate effect," the Premier League club confirmed Tuesday.
The 37-year-old's future with United was in question after an interview in which said the club had made "zero progress" since the departure of Alex Ferguson in 2013 and that he "doesn't respect" ten Hag.
His contract wasn't due to expire until June, but the club is not paying Ronaldo to leave early, according to multiple reports.
"Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect," United said in a statement.
"The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future.
"Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team's progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch."
Ronaldo is in Qatar preparing for Portugal's opening game against Ghana on Thursday.
"Following conversations with Manchester United we have mutually agreed to end our contract early," Ronaldo said in his own statement.
"I love Manchester United and I love the fans, that will never ever change. However, it feels like the right time for me to seek a new challenge.
"I wish the team every success for the remainder of the season and for the future."
Ronaldo rejoined United from Juventus in 2021, but had made it clear that he wanted to transfer with his role being greatly reduced this season. He was ordered to train on his own last month after refusing to come on as a substitute and walking off the pitch during United's win over Tottenham.
However, he said during an interview with Piers Morgan last week that he felt "betrayed," while also criticising younger players on the club.
Ronaldo is now a free agent and able to sign with any club.
Meanwhile, Manchester United also confirmed on Tuesday that the Glazer family is exploring a potential sale of the club.
"The company's board of directors is commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives for the club," the statement read.
"The process is designed to enhance the club's future growth, with the ultimate goal of positioning the club to capitalize on opportunities both on the pitch and commercially.
"As part of this process, the board will consider all strategic alternatives, including new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions involving the Company."
"This will include an assessment of several initiatives to strengthen the club, including stadium and infrastructure redevelopment, and expansion of the club's commercial operations on a global scale, each in the context of enhancing the long-term success of the club's men's, women's and academy teams, and bringing benefits to fans and other stakeholders."


Vietnam says it will buy AstraZeneca vaccine while still developing own jab

Vietnam has agreed to buy 30 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, the government said on Monday, adding that authorities are also seeking to purchase vaccines from other sources.Hanoi previously agreed to buy a Russian vaccine though it also said it would not rush to secure vaccine deals, citing the potential for high financial costs and after successfully managing to contain its coronavirus outbreaks to below 1,500 cases, with 35 deaths.The AstraZeneca vaccine is cheaper than some others and can be stored at domestic fridge temperature, which makes it easier to transport and use, particularly in developing countries.“We’ve already signed an agreement to guarantee the AstraZeneca vaccine for 15 million people, which is equivalent to 30 million doses,” Deputy Health Minister Truong Quoc Cuong told a government meeting, reported by Reuters.Vietnam is also in talks to purchase vaccines from America’s Pfizer, Russia’s Sputnik V and China, the deputy minister said, without naming the Chinese vaccine candidate.Hanoi in August said it had signed up for 50 million-150 million doses of the Russian vaccine, though delivery remains unclear.Cuong also said Vietnam would be eligible to buy vaccines from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Covax programme to cover 16%, or 15.6 million of its almost 100 million population, but said more information would be available soon.The Hanoi government has yet to give formal regulatory approval to any international vaccine and is also developing vaccines domestically.The country is one of 42 countries worldwide that can produce vaccines and among 38 with vaccine management agencies that follow WHO standards. Vietnam has a track record of producing diphtheria vaccines.Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology are proceeding with clinical trials of a Covid-19 vaccine, giving a shot in the arm to the Ho Chi Minh City-based company’s efforts to roll out a “made in Vietnam” vaccine this year.The country has conducted human trials of its “Nano Covax” vaccine and a second home-grown vaccine is expected to start undergoing human trials this month.Hanoi is prioritising domestic production of a vaccine as a way to ensure it has enough inoculations for its whole population, saying manufacturing for export is a secondary motive.


Govt begins restricted tenders to stop direct negotiations

The government has started restricted tender negotiations for several projects for the benefit of the people in an effort to stop direct negotiations or approval of procurement without tender.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said flexibility has been given to district offices to implement restricted tender negotiations for projects such as renovations for dilapidated schools and clinics.
"We give space to district officers, for example, at certain levels in the ministries. For example, for dilapidated schools and clinics, if the project is up to RM1 million, then the district office is given the flexibility to open a restricted tender negotiation.
"In the case of defective lifts, if we open a tender, it may take three months to repair. Therefore, for lifts that need to be replaced or repaired (costing) between RM500,000 and RM1.2 million, the procurement price is also processed faster through restricted tender negotiations or pre-qualification," he said.
He said this during the Minister's Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today, in response to a question from Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) who wanted to know whether the government's reforms in awarding tenders resulted in delays in the implementation of projects for the people.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said that all projects under RM50 million in Sabah and Sarawak are fully handed over to the Public Works Department or the technical department of Sabah or Sarawak to be expedited without consulting the finance ministry or federal agencies.
Thus, he said the services of district engineers need to be increased to give them room to perform tasks in repairing damaged roads, schools, clinics and small infrastructure projects.
The prime minister said taking commissions and misappropriating people's money in dozens of cases of direct negotiations must be stopped.
"I strongly object to direct negotiation because there is no monitoring and it is just between the company and the person concerned," he said.
Meanwhile, Anwar also stressed that he had never issued flip-flop statements on the issue of egg and chicken subsidies as well as Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships in the fields of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy.
He said the PSD's decision to review the sponsorship was an old decision, but after he chaired the PSD meeting, the government decided to continue providing the scholarship.
The prime minister said the same thing happened with the issue of providing egg and chicken subsidies for this month as the decision announced by the ministry was an old decision, but after conducting research, the government decided to continue providing the subsidies according to procedures.
He said if flip-flopping was involved in those decisions that would benefit the people, then he would be willing to do so.


Poverty, Malaysia’s million-dollar problem

Ahead of Budget 2021, and amid Covid-19’s destructive effects on lives and livelihoods, the disproportionate hardships suffered by the poorest in Malaysia are unearthing more questions than answers.The key question is: why do we still have poverty despite the country’s growth?Some experts argue that a nation which focuses on helping its poor will experience growth as a result. Others say that emptying government coffers for cash payments to the poor means future generations will have to pay for such financial crutches.Yet another view is that more cash for the poor would mean that the country will avoid future socio-economic instability, and the rich should be taxed more to pay for it.The country is still growing but the growth rate is declining. In the 1980s Malaysia grew at an average rate of 9%, falling to 8% in the 90s, and now around 7%.Economist Barjoyai Bardai tells MalaysiaNow, “You cannot grow at a high rate and have equitable distribution at the same time. Poverty is inevitable if you are aiming for high growth. That is true even in developed, high-income countries: high growth means the less advantaged will be left behind.”Barjoyai, a professor at Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, says it is an illusion that increased taxation helps to redistribute income more equitably.“Taxes are firstly to raise revenue,” he explains. “And taxes should be based on what taxpayers can afford, which means richer people should pay more tax. But trying to redistribute income and wealth through that method is not a workable proposition.”“Poverty is inevitable if you are aiming for high growth.”He says the problem lies in tax collection, not wealth distribution.Malaysia’s progressive tax system is designed so that the wealthy should pay more than the poor but the reality, according to Barjoyai, is that mechanisms and loopholes in the system allow high-income individuals and organisations to pay less tax than they should.Barjoyai explains that some high-earning organisations also enjoy a monopoly that shifts the tax burden to consumers, most of whom are lower income earners.There is also the danger that higher taxation of wealthy individuals and organisations will drive capital abroad, as Sunway University’s senior economics fellow Yeah Kim Leng tells MalaysiaNow.“Countries compete for wealth, and so governments are reluctant to impose too high a tax on the rich, as that may result in increased migration of capital across borders,” he says. “Plus, low taxes are more attractive to international investors.”He adds that for an upper-middle income nation such as Malaysia, poverty is simply due to the issue of income inequality and wealth disparity.“It should be the role of the government to uplift both the incomes and the economic opportunities of disadvantaged groups. The causes of those disadvantages for the urban poor include low wage levels, few income-generating opportunities, and poor education.”He adds that low levels of skills-training mean the poor are only able to work at low-skilled jobs, often in competition with cheap foreign labour.“The challenge here is to move lower-income groups to higher-skilled jobs with higher wages,” he says. “It doesn’t help that in labour-intensive industries, job creation is focused on low and medium-skilled jobs.“As the country’s industries fail to move up the value chain, we will continue to see a large section of the workforce stuck in low-paying semi-skilled jobs because depressed wages combined with a rising cost of living, simply perpetuates poverty.”He proposes as a solution, the creation of more well-paying jobs and more skills training and education for low-income groups.


Hundreds of Ugandans given fake Covid jabs, say health officials

At least 800 people in Uganda were given fake coronavirus vaccines – some injected with water – in a scam that involved “unscrupulous” doctors and health workers, government officials said Wednesday.The counterfeit jabs were administered over May and June during a deadly surge of the coronavirus in the East African nation, when new infections soared to record highs of about 1,700 cases per day.The fraudsters targeted people looking to pay for immunisation, including corporate employees, at a time when vaccines were in short supply, said Dr Warren Naamara, the director of a health services monitoring unit under the presidency.“Some unscrupulous individuals with intentions of making money, duped members of the public into a fake Covid-19 vaccine exercise,” Naamara told AFP.“We have arrested two medical workers in the scam, and one medical doctor is on the run.”He said those conned into getting a fake vaccine – around 800 people – should not be alarmed as tests indicated the vials contained nothing dangerous.“Some had water in them,” he added.The scammers charged recipients between 80,000 and 500,000 Ugandan shillings (around US$25-US$120) for a fake shot, officials said.The health ministry said Wednesday that the government was providing free and approved Covid-19 jabs at designated vaccination sites.On June 18, as coronavirus cases and deaths in Uganda surged to record highs, President Yoweri Museveni announced a freeze on all public and private transport for 42 days, and imposed a strict dusk-to-dawn curfew to try and drive numbers down.The veteran president warned that hospitals were full and not coping with the outbreak.Since then, infection numbers have dipped, with 252 cases reported on Wednesday.Uganda has overall recorded 91,162 infections, of which 2,425 have been fatal, since the pandemic began, according to the health ministry’s latest tally Wednesday.


Brazil’s president hospitalised with chronic hiccups

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, 66, may need emergency surgery after suffering persistent hiccups for 10 days.He has been transferred to a hospital in Sao Paulo to undergo tests for an obstructed intestine. In a tweet, Bolsonaro said he would be “back soon, God willing”.His unrelenting hiccups have interrupted recent public appearances. On social media last Thursday, he said he’d had the hiccups for over a week and might not be able to speak properly.On Friday, a local outlet reported he’d had to leave a dinner due to illness. Then, on Tuesday, he told supporters he was “voiceless” and that if he talks too much, the hiccups return.It’s unclear what’s causing the hiccups, but CNN said Bolsonaro has tied it to a medication he took after dental implant surgery. The outlet also said the president has an abdominal hernia that doctors are considering surgically removing.There have been concerns about the far-right leader’s health since he was stabbed in the intestines while campaigning in 2018. He was seriously wounded in the attack and lost 40% of his blood. He has had several operations since the stabbing.The president was taken to the military hospital in Brasilia early on Wednesday, and doctors said then that he would be under observation for 24 to 48 hours.But later the same day, the president’s office said Antonio Luiz Macedo, the surgeon who operated on Bolsonaro in 2018, had recommended the president be transferred to Sao Paolo for additional tests and possible surgery.Fabio Faria, Brazil’s communication’s manager, told reporters Bolsonaro had been sedated in the morning ahead of being taken to Sao Paolo.The president’s son Flavio told CNN Brasil that his father had undergone a procedure to remove liquid from his stomach as a precaution.Flavio added that his father had had trouble speaking, but that if surgery were needed it should not be a serious procedure.Bolsonaro earlier tweeted a photo of himself lying in a hospital bed, fitted with sensors and cables, with someone who appears to be a priest standing by his bedside.After two-and-a-half years of a controversial presidency, Bolsonaro is under growing pressure over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.At the beginning of the month, tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest over allegations of corruption involving the purchase of vaccines.The Brazilian leader has been heavily criticised for a lack of a national response to the crisis and his scepticism toward vaccines, lockdowns and mask-wearing requirements.Last month, deaths with the virus in Brazil passed 500,000 – the second-highest in the world after the US.Bolsonaro himself caught Covid-19 a year ago but has fully recovered.


Shenzhen districts locked down as China battles Covid outbreaks

Most residents of the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen went into a weekend lockdown on Saturday as mass Covid-19 testing kicked off in much of the city of 18 million people.
The lockdown, and the suspension of bus and subway services, came into effect two days after city authorities said rumours about a lockdown were based on a "misinterpretation" of the latest Covid-19 prevention and control measures.
Residents in six districts that account for the majority of the city's population will be tested twice over the weekend, helping to "minimise the impact on people's working life," the city government said in a statement published on Saturday on its official WeChat account.
"Internet users agreed, leaving comments that strengthening the prevention and control of the epidemic on weekends in some districts of Shenzhen is the fastest and most effective way to break the chain of virus transmission."
Those areas in the six major districts that have been classified as "high-risk areas" will remain in lockdown for seven days, with an extension possible if more positive cases are found, according to a Reuters review of district authority announcements published between Thursday and Saturday.
Lin Hancheng, a Shenzhen public health official, told a news conference on Saturday that residents should remain at home as much as possible and avoid gatherings. He did not say how many people were affected by the restrictions.
One person from each household will be allowed out from their compound once over the two days to buy food, medicines and necessities, the six districts said.
The curbs followed state media reports on Thursday quoting city health authorities as saying announcements of new Covid-19 measures had been "misinterpreted" as meaning a lockdown, calling on residents to "work and live without worry".
In the city's Futian district, Candice, a 28-year-old who works with a headhunting business, expressed dismay over the latest lockdown measures.
"The fear of going places, the constant disruption to work, has to be worse than the virus itself," she said, declining to give her full name.
Officials reported 87 new locally transmitted Covid infections in Shenzhen for Friday, the same as a day earlier. Seven of the new cases were outside quarantine areas.
'Covid zero'
Shenzhen's new measures reflect China's strict adherence to a "dynamic Covid zero" policy of quashing every flare-up.
In the southwestern metropolis of Chengdu, which put its 21 million people under lockdown on Thursday, officials announced the suspension of in-person teaching for primary and secondary schools from Monday.
A Foxconn plant in the city that makes Apple iPads was operating normally as of Friday evening, according to a statement sent to Reuters on Saturday.
US chipmaker Intel Corp has taken "preventative measures" at a chip factory it operates in Chengdu in response to the outbreak, a spokesperson told Reuters.
Meanwhile, social media platforms like Weibo were flooded with angry comments late on Friday as Chengdu residents undergoing compulsory Covid testing complained about long queues and waiting times due to a malfunction in the city's IT system.
Chengdu city authorities on Saturday announced a slight easing of the city's current lockdown regime, which involves working from home and daily mass testing until Sunday.
Residents with a negative Covid test in the past 48 hours can now leave their compounds, use public transport and enter hospitals.
The city reported 155 new local cases for Friday, compared with 150 a day earlier.
Covid curbs have taken a heavy toll on the city's residents.
Sophia Li, who runs a homestay business, said she previously had a monthly income of 12,000-20,000 yuan (US$1,700-US$2,900) during peak tourism season, but her earnings have since slumped.
"With the current lockdown, there's literally no income," she said. "And I'm not alone, lots of self-employed people have been under mounting financial pressure."


Zahid's VLN case a clear example of selective prosecution, defence tells court

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's defence team told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that the former deputy prime minister's 40 charges of receiving bribes in connection with the foreign visa system (VLN) were a clear case of selective prosecution with no prima facie.
Zahid’s lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said the court and law could not condone selective prosecution which is inherently discriminatory.
"It is the prosecution’s version that the accused received money as he was a home minister (then), therefore providing a nexus between the money and the extension of the VLN contract.
"It is also the prosecution’s version that the accused received political donations with no strings attached (the receipts of political donations)," he said in his submission at the end of the prosecution's case.
Hisyam said the prosecution also failed to act fairly, resulting in the infringement of Zahid’s rights under Articles 5 and 8 of the Federal Constitution.
"In short, the accused did not have a fair trial, occasioned by the prosecution’s failure to act fairly, and the receipts of political donations are not unlawful," he said.
He also claimed that Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Muhyiddin Yassin, Khairy Jamaluddin, Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Hishammuddin Hussein, Shafie Apdal, Anifah Aman, Sharil Sufian Hamdan, Chan Kong Choy and Ong Ka Chuan had also received funds from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB), directly or through proxies.
Hisyam asked the prosecution why "these politicians" were not called as witnesses or offered as witnesses to the defence.
"Why were ‘these politicians’ not charged? Why did the public prosecutor charge only the accused when all of the above were similarly circumstanced, in that they all received political donations?" he said.
He also said that three witnesses – UKSB administrative manager David Tan Siong Sun and two former UKSB directors, namely Harry Lee Vui Khiun and Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani – the 15th, 16th and 18th prosecution witness respectively, were untrustworthy and dishonest with zero credibility.
"The combined evidence of these three witnesses is that money was also paid to ‘these politicians’... On the issue of the source of the funds, the evidence from the prosecution is that the funds did not come from UKSB. Among the gang of three (Lee, Tan and Wan Quoris Shah) there are also material contradictions or material omissions," he said.
Zahid, 69, faces 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million from UKSB for himself as home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the OSC service in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain the contract agreement to supply the VLN integrated system to the same company by the home ministry.
On the other seven counts, he was charged with obtaining for himself S$1,150,000, RM3 million, 15,000 Swiss francs and US$15,000 from the same company which had official links with his official duty.
He was charged with committing the offences at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights Kajang between October 2014 and March 2018.
The prosecution will start its submissions before judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa on Sept 5.