Najib fails to remove Sri Ram from prosecution in 1MDB audit report trial

Former prime minister Najib Razak today failed in his attempt to remove former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram from leading the prosecution team in his ongoing 1MDB audit report trial.This was Najib’s third attempt to recuse Sri Ram from prosecuting in the 1MDB-linked criminal case. The first was filed in another 1MDB case before a different judge and the second was through a civil proceeding.High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, in dismissing the Pekan MP’s application, said the court found Najib’s allegation that Sri Ram had been involved in the investigation against him unmeritorious.“There is no cogent evidence to support the applicant’s allegation and it remains purely hypothetical. This issue had in any event been canvassed by the applicant’s application in the previous applications highlighted by the prosecution as respondent. It is a moot point.“It has been deliberated and decided. The decisions held by the other courts should remain and not be regurgitated again,” said the judge.Zaini, in his brief grounds, said Najib had, among others, relied on communications that took place between former attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali and Sri Ram as proof of the latter’s bias towards him and that the applicant’s apprehension of Sri Ram’s bias was without basis and misplaced.“Sri Ram, like any other person, is entitled to have his personal opinion. It remains just that. It would have been a different consideration if he had demonstrated bias when carrying out his duty as a senior public prosecutor. His personal opinion cannot be taken to mean that it will impinge on his duties as a senior public prosecutor.“The event nevertheless, as highlighted by the respondent, took place before Sri Ram was appointed as senior public prosecutor. More pertinent is the fact that the applicant had not made any complaints about Sri Ram’s conduct in the trials involving the applicant. This lends credence to the respondent’s contention that Sri Ram had been above board in his conduct as a senior public prosecutor,” he said.Zaini said it was ultimately the court’s duty to ensure that a trial is conducted fairly in the interest of justice.“The court will ultimately come to the aid of any party that was treated unfairly, if it ever comes to that. The applicant’s application is therefore dismissed,” he added.The 1MDB audit report trial will resume on Feb 22.At today’s proceeding, deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib prosecuted, while lawyer Nur Syahirah Hanapiah represented Najib.Najib, 67, and former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy, 45, are on trial for charges of tampering with the audit report.The Pekan MP is charged with using his position to order amendments to the final 1MDB audit report before it was presented to the Public Accounts Committee to prevent any action taken against him, while Arul Kanda is charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments to the report to protect Najib from being subjected to action.


Mouse-tastic news! Disneyland reopening highlights California’s Covid-19 recovery

Four months ago, America’s most populous state was struggling to combat a surge in coronavirus that packed hospital patients into outdoor tents and killed hundreds of people each day.On Friday, Disneyland, California’s world-famous theme park, will reopen to visitors after an unprecedented 13-month closure in what tourism officials hope is a sign of the state’s rebound from the pandemic, reports the Associated Press.The news comes as California boasts the country’s lowest rate of confirmed coronavirus infections and more than half of the population eligible for vaccination has received at least one dose of the shot.It’s a dramatic turnaround from December, when hospitals across the state were running out of ICU beds and treating patients at overflow locations.Now, children are returning to school, shops and restaurants are shifting up a gear, and Governor Gavin Newsom has set June 15 as a target date to further reopen the economy, albeit with some health-related restrictions.Theme parks were among the last businesses allowed to reopen in California. That’s a contrast to states with fewer restrictions such as Florida, where Disney World’s Magic Kingdom resort has been up and running, though at lower-than-usual capacity, since last July.While California continues to “strongly discourage” anyone from visiting the state as tourists, the travel industry is banking on pent-up demand from its own 40 million residents for a profitable comeback.The amusement park will reopen with capacity capped at 25% under state health rules. Reservations are required, hugs and handshakes with Mickey Mouse, Snow White and other famous characters are off limits, and the famous parades and fireworks shows have been shelved to limit crowding.California currently allows state only residents and fully vaccinated out-of-state visitors to attend theme parks. The state could open its economy more fully on June 15 provided vaccine supply is sufficient and hospitalisations remain stable and low.But in a state with so many people shut in for so long, even in-state tourism could be a huge boost.The reopening is also good news for theme park employees eager to get back to work and owners of hotels and shops in the surrounding city of Anaheim, which is running a deficit of over US$100 million due to pandemic-related closures.Earlier this week, Disneyland lit up its hallmark Sleeping Beauty castle for the first time in months.Ken Potrock, president of Disneyland Resort said, “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow ahead for all of us.”


Don’t pass the buck to the public, Hamzah told on citizenship issues

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) today hit out at Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin over his recent remarks on citizenship, saying it is the duty of the government to ensure that every qualified person is registered as a Malaysian.
Hamzah had said on July 15 that there were still some in the country who did not understand the importance of registering their marriage in order to ensure that their children would be given citizenship.
LFL however said it was unlawful to deny citizenship to any child born to at least one parent who is a Malaysian simply because the marriage was not registered.
In a statement, LFL director Zaid Malek described Hamzah’s comments as “an ignorant, callous and inhumane attempt” to “shift the burden of ensuring that those entitled get their citizenship to the public”.
“For every child who is entitled to citizenship but remains stateless, the fault lies with the home ministry, not the parents,” he said.
“It is the duty of the government to ensure that every qualified person is registered as a citizen and given the necessary identification papers. This is the reason we pay taxes and the home ministry is given such massive resources nationwide.”
He added that Article 14 of the constitution guarantees citizenship for those who meet the criteria under Part II of the Second Schedule.
“It is a right, not a privilege to be ‘awarded’ at the discretion of the government as claimed by Hamzah,” he said.
Describing the issues surrounding marriage registrations as “an administrative problem at most”, Zaid said these  should never be made a reason to deprive children of citizenship.
“Instead of blaming the public, the home minister should ensure that the registration of marriages is eased, and that any issues that arise be resolved swiftly.
“Proper guidelines should be in place so that the correct information can be accessed by members of the public,” he said.
“We urge the home minister to look at the SOPs and guidelines at the National Registration Department and ensure that they comply with the constitution and abide by the latest court decisions on issues of citizenship, and not just irresponsibly pass the buck to the public.”


Apple to sell Vision Pro AR headset for triple Meta's top-line price

Apple on Monday unveiled a costly augmented-reality headset called the Vision Pro in its riskiest bet since the introduction of the iPhone more than a decade ago, barging into a market dominated by Meta.
At its annual developer conference, Apple also introduced a raft of new products and features, including a 15-inch MacBook Air, a powerful chip called M2 Ultra, improvements to its iOS software and a long-awaited tweak to prevent its autocorrect from annoyingly changing a common expletive to "ducking".
The Vision Pro will start at US$3,499 (about RM16,000), more than three times the cost of the priciest headset in Meta's line of mixed and virtual reality devices.
The headset will test a market crowded with devices that have yet to gain traction with consumers and put it in direct competition with Facebook-owner Meta after years of clashes between the companies over issues like user privacy and control of developer platforms.
Apple emphasised the novelty of the headset's augmented reality features as well as the sports and entertainment partnerships it would offer. The device will use a new chip called R1 that will process information from its sensors in less time than the blink of an eye, Apple said.
But the announcements failed to excite Wall Street, which had bid up Apple shares to a record high ahead of the launch. The stock was largely flat in post-market trading.
"Wealthy, techie early adopters will buy the Vision Pro in droves, but still years to move the needle for the mammoth Apple," said David Rolfe, chief investment officer of Wedgewood Partners that has owned Apple stock since 2005.
Rolfe said there was not yet a mass market for the headset but lauded the product's technological chops. "Apples Vision Pro reminds me of the very early days of the personal computer revolution. It took many years for the PC to become a mainstream product. Same with VisionPro."
Users of the Vision Pro will be able to select content inside the goggles with their eyes, tap their fingers together to click and gently flick to scroll, while also using a three-dimensional camera and microphone system to capture videos and pictures than can be viewed in 3D later.
In its most visually striking difference from Meta's headsets, the device also has an exterior display that shows the user's eyes to people in the outside world.
The exterior screen goes dark when a user is fully immersed in a virtual world. When a person approaches a user who is in full virtual mode, the headset will show both the user and the outside person to each other, an augmented reality advancement over Meta's devices, which show a more basic video feed of the outside world.
"It's the first Apple product you look through, not at," Apple CEO Tim Cook said.
Apple's headset will be available early next year in the US with more countries coming later in 2024.
Head-to-head
Investors will want to know the overlap between Apple's view of the virtual reality market and that of Meta, which currently controls nearly 80% of the market for AR/VR devices, according to market research firm IDC.
Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has outlined his vision for using headsets to dip in and out of a "metaverse" where people can meet virtually to work, play and spend. Apple executives eschewed the term.
"The core difference to me is Zuckerberg is trying to create a virtual world that he wants us to be in, and it seems to me that Apple wants to keep us still anchored in our world and just augment it," said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies.
In addition to Meta, Sony Group Corp and ByteDance-owned Pico both produce virtual reality devices.
IDC said all these companies sold a total of 8.8 million headsets last year.
Apple said it has been working with Adobe and Microsoft to put their apps on the new headset, as well as Unity UN, a technology company that works with game developers. Unity shares surged 17% after the announcement.
Walt Disney's Disney+ streaming service will be available on the Vision Pro, as will the collection of movies and TV shows from Apple TV+.
Apple also showed how the headset can be used with a trackpad and keyboard to work like a traditional computer with multiple displays.
The Vision Pro has two hours of use with an external battery, which Apple said would reduce the weight on the user's head. However, the device must be plugged into the wall or battery pack and there is no standalone use.
Meta's top of the line Quest Pro mixed reality device, which blends virtual reality with the real world video feed, offers about two hours of battery life directly on the headset, without an external battery pack. Meta also offers Microsoft apps on its Quest devices.
Apple did not make any major announcements about generative AI products similar to ChatGPT or Google's Bard search engine, but quietly imbued several smaller features with AI, like live transcriptions of voice mails.
It introduced a new version of the Mac Pro, its highest-performing desktop, with a company-designed M2 Ultra chip.
Until Monday, the Mac Pro was the last computer in Apple's lineup that still used an Intel chip. Intel fell 4.6% after Apple dropped its chips from its most powerful desktop.


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Over 680 in ICU as new cases inch towards 7,000

Another 6,976 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 512,091.Selangor recorded 2,235 cases, Sarawak 663, Kelantan 626, Johor 549, Kuala Lumpur 447, Negeri Sembilan 434, Kedah 422, Penang 372, Perak 279, Terengganu 266, Pahang 263, Melaka 209 and Sabah 136.Labuan recorded 37 cases, Putrajaya 30 and Perlis eight.Active cases stand at 57,020 with 681 in the ICU and 361 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 3,587 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 452,821.However, 49 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 2,248.


Sarawak looks to set up sovereign wealth fund

Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Abang Openg says the state government will set up a sovereign state fund to ensure the future of younger generations.Speaking at a press conference yesterday, he said the fund would guarantee that the state maintained its financial position.“The proposal to set up a sovereign fund will be implemented after we appoint experts who will advise us on how to do this and to manage the wealth professionally,” he said.A sovereign wealth fund was among the pledges in the 34-point manifesto announced by Gabungan Parti Sarawak for the 12th state election.Abang Johari, who is Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president, said the party would also set up a new youth wing for those aged 18 to 28.He said this would facilitate the state’s economic development plan for 2030, specifically for the youth.“We will amend our constitution at the PBB convention so that we can form a new youth wing,” he said.“We need young people to help us manage society because we are facing an ageing population.”He added that the state government would assist Sarawakians in the peninsula affected by the recent floods, urging them to contact Rumah Sarawak.


Illicit cigarette market not an excuse to reject anti-smoking bill, says Khairy

MPs should not use the issue of the illicit market for cigarettes and vape as a reason not to support the Tobacco and Smoking Control Bill when it is tabled at the Dewan Rakyat next week, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says.
The bill has been agreed to by the main stakeholders, including NGOs and vape operators, he said at a press conference in Cyberjaya yesterday.
"We have to be on the right side of history. This bill has been 10 years in the making. Yes, there is (an) illicit market but don’t use the illicit market argument to vote against the law which is for public health. We will fight the illicit market," he said.
A media outlet had previously reported that the bill might be opposed by several MPs, who might cite the issue of the illicit market, and unclear methods of implementation and enforcement.
Khairy previously said that the suggested implementation of the Generation End Game (GEG) provision in the bill was to protect the younger generation born after 2005 from becoming involved in smoking habits and addiction, and to reduce the percentage of smokers in Malaysia to less than 5% by 2040.
He said if the bill was passed, Malaysia would be the first country in the world to have passed such a law, banning smoking and the ownership of smoking products, including vape, for those born after 2005.
Admitting that there was an illicit market for cigarettes and vape, Khairy said his ministry would fight such markets with the assistance of enforcement teams.


Petition launched to gather passengers in class action suit against AirAsia

A petition to gather passengers with grievances against budget airline AirAsia for a class action compensation suit has been gaining support online with customers citing flight cancellations and unscheduled disruptions as the main cause of unhappiness.The petition on change.org titled “AirAsia class action lawsuit for losses due to cancellations and changes of flights”, launched two weeks ago, had gained more than 700 signatures as of this afternoon.“With many having prepaid for their non-flight travel expenses, much money has been lost due to these cancellations and reschedules,” it said.“Most have not been refunded or have had to jump through many hurdles before they can even receive a portion of what they paid for their flight. When you factor in the losses from non-flight travel expenses together with flight expenses, it is only fair that AirAsia should be responsible for all these losses.”AirAsia said today that it was committed to resolving all refund requests caused by the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.It said it had already finalised over 99% of customer queries and would work towards progressively settling the remaining 0.8% in the coming months.AirAsia was one of several airlines that came under fire during the recent festive season for flight delays and rescheduling issues which wreaked havoc on the plans of many passengers.Disgruntled passengers have also been chasing the airline for refunds for flights cancelled due to pandemic restrictions as far back as two years ago.Responding to the petition, Syeikh Mohd Syamil Mansor said he had booked six flights with AirAsia since the start of the pandemic, two of which were cancelled while the other four were rescheduled.“[This caused] severe disruptions to my travel plans, costing me paid accommodations at my destination,” he said.“I didn’t receive cash refunds for my two cancelled flights, only credit in an account which was also recently forcefully converted into a travel voucher limited to a very specific flight.”Stacy Ng meanwhile said that nearly 80% of her itineraries had been changed, while Adam Mohd Ali said he was still waiting to be refunded for a flight cancelled in 2019.MalaysiaNow reported on June 8 that AirAsia passengers still waiting for their refunds were planning to hold a protest outside the airline’s headquarters in Sepang, Selangor, next week.“We have been left with no other choice as the airline company and authorities seem to be ignoring our complaints,” one of them, Teerathpal Singh, said.


Japan gets UN nuclear watchdog approval for Fukushima water release

Japan won approval from the UN's nuclear watchdog on Tuesday for its plan to release treated radioactive water from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima plant into the ocean, despite fierce resistance from Beijing and some local residents.
After a two-year review, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Japan's plans were consistent with global safety standards and that they would have a "negligible radiological impact to people and the environment".
"This is a very special night," IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told Prime Minister Fumio Kishida before handing him a thick blue folder containing the final report.
Grossi later told reporters at the Japan National Press Club, where he was met by a small group of protesters, that he would seek to allay lingering concerns and would station IAEA staff at the Fukushima plant to monitor the release.
"We have to recognise that such a thing has not happened before," he said, adding that Japan would have the final say on the release, which is due to span 30 to 40 years.
Japan's government maintains the process is safe as it has treated the water – enough to fill 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools – used to cool the fuel rods of the Fukushima plant after it was damaged by the earthquake and resulting tsunami.
Japan has not specified a date to start the water release pending official approval from the national nuclear regulatory body for Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), whose final word on the plan unveiled in 2021 could come as early as this week.
Japanese fishing unions have long opposed the plan, saying it would undo work to repair reputations after several countries banned some Japanese food products after the 2011 disaster.
A petition from the regions around the plant has garnered more than 250,000 signatures since the proposal was first made.
Some neighbouring countries have also complained over the years about the threat to the marine environment and public health, with Beijing emerging as the biggest critic.
"Japan will continue to provide explanations to the Japanese people and to the international community in a sincere manner based on scientific evidence and with high level of transparency," Kishida said as he met with Grossi.
Through its embassy in Japan, Beijing said the IAEA report cannot be a "pass" for the water release and called for the plan's suspension.
Treated water
Japan says the water has been filtered to remove most radioactive elements except for tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that is difficult to separate from water. The treated water will be diluted to well below internationally approved levels of tritium before being released into the Pacific.
In a presentation given to foreign journalists in China last month, Japanese officials said tritium levels in the treated water are lower than those found in waste water regularly released by nuclear plants around the world, including in China.
The officials said they had made multiple and repeated attempts to explain the science behind Tokyo's stance to Beijing, but their offers had been ignored.
China on Tuesday said Japan's comparison of the tritium levels in the treated water and waste water was "completely confusing concepts and misleading public opinion".
Grossi will visit the Fukushima plant on Wednesday. After his Japan trip, he will head to South Korea, where consumers have been snapping up sea salt and other items ahead of the water release.
He is also expected to visit New Zealand and the Cook Islands in a bid to ease concerns over the plan, according to media reports.


Indian Covid-19 variant found in at least 53 territories, says WHO

The coronavirus variant first detected in India has now been officially recorded in 53 territories, a World Health Organization (WHO) report showed Wednesday.Additionally, WHO has received information from unofficial sources that the B.1.617 variant has been found in seven other territories, figures in the UN health agency’s weekly epidemiological update showed, taking the total to 60.The report said B.1.617 had shown increased transmissibility, while disease severity and risk of infection were under investigation.Globally over the past week, the number of new cases and deaths continued to decrease, with around 4.1 million new cases and 84,000 new deaths reported – a 14% and 2% decrease respectively compared to the previous week.WHO’s European region reported the largest decline in new cases and deaths in the past seven days, followed by the Southeast Asia region.The numbers of cases reported by the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Africa, and the Western Pacific region were similar to those reported in the previous week.“Despite a declining global trend over the past four weeks, incidence of Covid-19 cases and deaths remain high, and substantial increases have been observed in many countries throughout the world,” the document said.The highest numbers of new cases in the past seven days were reported from India (1,846,055 – down 23%); Brazil (451,424 – up 3%); Argentina (213,046 – up 41%), the US (188,410 – down 20%), and Colombia (107,590 – down 7%).Variant detectionThe update gave information on the four mutations classed as variants of concern: those first reported in Britain (B.1.1.7), South Africa (B.1.351), Brazil (P.1) and India (B.1.617).When counting up the total number of territories reporting each variant, WHO added together those from which it had official and unofficial information.B.1.1.7 has now been reported in 149 territories; B.1.351 in 102 territories and P.1 in 59 territories.WHO split up figures for the B.1.617 variant into three lineages (B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3).The first has been reported in a total of 41 territories, the second in 54 and the third in six: Britain, Canada, Germany, India, Russia and the US.Together, lineages of the B.1.617 variant were officially recorded in 53 territories and unofficially in another seven.The update also listed six variants of interest that are being monitored.One was first discovered in multiple countries, two of them were first found in the US, while the three others were first discovered in Brazil, the Philippines and France.“Virus evolution is expected, and the more SARS-CoV-2 circulates, the more opportunities it has to evolve,” the report said.“Reducing transmission through established and proven disease-control methods… are crucial aspects of the global strategy to reduce the occurrence of mutations that have negative public health implications.”


Enforce quarantine to crush pandemic, says WHO

Contacts of people confirmed to have coronavirus should be properly quarantined, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, as the pandemic surges in Europe and North America.WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan linked soaring transmission rates in the northern hemisphere to the failure to implement the vital step rigorously.He said if he could have one wish, it would be to ensure “every contact of a confirmed case is in quarantine for the appropriate period”.“I do not believe that has occurred systematically, anywhere,” he told a virtual press conference from WHO’s headquarters in Geneva, saying it was “a good part of the reason why we’re seeing such high numbers”.Ryan said that about half of the 48 countries in the UN health agency’s European region had seen roughly 50% increases in cases within the past week – and hospitalisations and death rates were beginning to track those rises.However, there was hope that deaths and serious cases would not reach the levels seen earlier this year.Ryan said the average age of sufferers was now much younger, treatment had improved and those infected may have been exposed to lower doses of the virus because of physical distancing and mask wearing.‘Breakneck speed’The tally of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide passed 40 million on Monday, with more than 1.1 million deaths.WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned against people getting fed up with the pandemic and the measures imposed to control it.“We’re in this for the long haul, but there is hope that if we make smart choices together, we can keep cases down,” he said.“I know there is a fatigue but the virus has shown that when we let our guard down, it can surge back at breakneck speed and threaten hospitals and health systems.”WHO says 42 potential vaccines are now being tested on humans, of which 10 have reached the third and final stage.A further 156 are being worked on in laboratories with a view to human testing.Typically, only around one in 10 candidate drugs make it through the trials.WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said that while one or two trials may report data by the end of the year, most would start to do so in early 2021.High-risk groups across all countries would get the first doses, probably in mid-2021, she said.“There are some of the vaccines, certainly, that are showing promising results even among older people,” Swaminathan said, referring to drugs that have completed second-stage tests.Meanwhile, WHO teamed up with Kim Sledge from the US disco group Sister Sledge for a remake of their 1979 hit “We Are Family”, to stress the UN health agency’s call for global solidarity.


No sign of light at end of tunnel for Credit Suisse investors

Weary Credit Suisse investors fear a long wait for the bank to get back on piste after a string of scandals which have wiped billions off its market value and piled pressure on management.While Switzerland’s second-largest bank says that it can create value by serving its wealthy clients with “care and entrepreneurial spirit”, the market is not yet convinced and its share price has dropped by nearly a third in a year, knocking some 10 billion Swiss francs (US$11 billion) off its valuation.Meanwhile, other big European banks, buoyed by the prospect of rising interest rates, have gained almost 50% in stock market value over the same period and its cross-town Zurich rival UBS has left Credit Suisse for dust.“Credit Suisse has a long list of scandals and problems,” Stefan Sauerschell, a bond investor with Union Investment, said of the bank, which was founded in 1856 and says it has 48,770 employees and 3,510 relationship managers around the world.“We always thought the management process would be improved and then the next punch landed. If there was another billion-plus loss, it would be a catastrophe,” Sauerschell added.Things did not get any better this week, however, when Credit Suisse reported a worse-than-expected US$2.2 billion quarterly loss and warned of bleak prospects for 2022, when it said earnings would be hit by restructuring costs and pay.That outlook knocked its already battered shares further, after a year when the bank racked up a 1.6 billion franc loss as a result of the collapse of US$10 billion in supply chain finance funds linked to insolvent British finance firm Greensill and a US$5.5 billion hit from the implosion of investment fund Archegos.Proxy adviser Ethos was critical of Credit Suisse’s decision not to publish its investigation into the Greensill affair.“The bank should restore confidence with its shareholders and stakeholders by providing transparency on the roots and causes of the problems,” Ethos’s Vincent Kaufman said in an emailed response to Reuters.Thomas Gottstein, who became Credit Suisse chief executive in 2020, said after the results this week that he was confident it was well positioned to grow and that risk management was at “the very core of its DNA”.Credit Suisse declined further comment.Yet investors and analysts are not convinced, after hearing of a change in the way the bank pays its top staff, coupled with a tail-off in business and bleak prospects.“They are in a very difficult situation. We’ve seen the problems with Greensill and other cases filter down to the business, slowing it down,” Andreas Venditti, an analyst at Swiss bank Vontobel, said of Credit Suisse’s predicament.“At the same time, the bank has to pay up more cash to keep its staff. Although this might keep staff happy, the market does not like higher costs. And the outlook is subdued.”Although Credit Suisse pared back its bonus pool, it softened the blow for its own bankers by taking the unusual step of paying hundreds of millions in cash up front, while reducing the amount of shares it grants to them.Senior bankers, who the bank said had taken a higher proportion of the bonus cut, received 799 million Swiss francs in cash payouts, up from just 59 million francs in 2020.Moody’s this week flagged concerns over a tailing off in money flowing into Credit Suisse, warning that it could drag down revenue and pointing to pressures on wealth management, restructuring costs and higher payouts to staff.“We expect 2022 results to be weak,” the credit ratings agency said, while Citigroup analysts said it was “hard to find any positives” in the most recent results, although they do see long-term value in Credit Suisse’s shares.The bank’s past continues to haunt it, making it harder to repair an image which is critical to holding on to wealthy customers.Its reputation is once again being put through the mill in the first criminal trial of a major bank in Switzerland, in which Credit Suisse and a former employee face charges of allowing an alleged Bulgarian cocaine trafficking gang to launder millions of euros, some of it stuffed into suitcases.Credit Suisse has rejected all the allegations, while its employee denies wrongdoing.The trial has attracted huge interest in Switzerland and more Credit Suisse representatives are due to give testimony, with investors keenly watching.“They need to… make sure that they don’t have any skeletons in the closet anymore,” one analyst, who asked not to be named, said of what Credit Suisse must now do.“They have moved themselves into a position where you don’t give them the benefit of the doubt.”


Guan Eng asked me for 10% of profit from tunnel project, key witness tells court

The corruption trial of Lim Guan Eng today heard that the DAP leader had asked for 10% of the profits from the Penang undersea tunnel project during a car conversation in 2011.Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, the director of the project’s main contractor Consortium Zenith BUCG, said the request by Lim, who was the Penang chief minister at the time, shocked him.“At the time, I was quite shocked because the matter came from YB Lim Guan Eng’s mouth, and I thought about the request because I did not expect it would come from YB Lim Guan Eng’s mouth whom I thought all this while was a person who was against corruption,” he told the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today as reported by Malaysiakini.Zarul is the star witness in the trial, where Lim, as the former Penang chief minister, is charged with soliciting gratification to help a company be awarded the undersea tunnel project.The charge is linked to the four corruption charges against him related to the tunnel project.


UiTM to act against lecturer who berated B40 student

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) will take action against a contract lecturer at the university’s campus in Seri Iskandar, Perak, who insulted a B40 student in a clip that has gone viral on social media.Vice-chancellor Roziah Mohd Janor said the university was currently investigating the matter.“It is understood that the incident happened last semester (between September 2021 and January 2022) but it was only uploaded yesterday.“However, we have traced the student and provided him with the necessary equipment (a laptop),” she told reporters when met at an event in Shah Alam today.Roziah also said the professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying was an experienced lecturer and that there might have been a mistake.“All UiTM lecturers want the best for their students, maybe she (the contract lecturer) got carried away,” Roziah said, adding that she should be considerate of her students and staff.In a separate statement, she urged students who might be facing any problems to contact their faculties and the university to seek advice and obtain the appropriate assistance.She said the university had provided various funds such as the student trust fund and zakat assistance for underprivileged students.A video recording of a lecturer berating her student during an online class for not having a laptop went viral on social media this morning.In the video, the lecturer was also heard telling the student to ask his sister to sell her gold bracelet to buy a laptop for him.


Aussie TV anchor detained in China

Australia’s government is warning its citizens that they are at increased risk of being arrested by Chinese authorities.Two weeks ago, an Australian working as a high-profile anchorwoman for a Chinese broadcaster was detained in China, the BBC reports.Cheng Lei is currently being held under what the Chinese call “residential surveillance at a designated location”.Her employer, CGTN (China Global Television Network), is an international English-language news channel owned by China Central Television, a state-run broadcaster.She has worked for CGTN for eight years and presented a show on global business for the network.Beijing has not yet confirmed her official status, but the authorities can imprison any suspect for up to six months without charge.Cheng has two young children in Australia.Australian broadcaster ABC News said friends and family have not heard from her in recent weeks, and her profile has been removed from CGTN’s website.Relations between China and Australian have been deteriorating recently due to Australia calling for an official investigation into where and how the coronavirus pandemic began in China.In what is seen as retaliation, China announced on Monday a second investigation into imports of Australian wine.Anti-China sentiments have been rising in Australia, particularly after a deal was struck that gave China what some see as an unacceptable amount of influence over the port of Darwin.Another Chinese-Australian, writer Yang Hengjun, remains in detention after being held in January 2019 for allegedly endangering China’s national security.


Chinese immigrant attacked US church over ‘hatred of Taiwan’, probe finds

A Chinese immigrant who padlocked a church and opened fire on its Taiwanese-American congregation, killing one person and injuring five others, was motivated by hatred of the island and its people, US investigators said Monday.David Chou jammed the doors shut using chains and superglue as dozens of parishioners enjoyed a post-service banquet at the church in Laguna Woods, near Los Angeles.The 68-year-old, an American citizen who hails from China, also hid bags containing Molotov cocktails and spare ammunition around the building, before opening fire with two handguns, in what investigators say was a “methodical” attempt to inflict carnage.“We know that he formulated a strategy that he wanted to employ,” Orange County sheriff Don Barnes said.“It was very well thought out from how he had prepared, both being there, securing the location, placing things about the inside of the room to perpetuate additional victims if he had the opportunity.”Chou, who works as a security guard in Las Vegas, launched the attack out of “politically motivated hate… (and) was upset about political tensions between China and Taiwan.”Taiwan has been ruled independently since the end of a civil war in 1949. It has its own democratically elected government and a powerful military.Authoritarian China claims the island as its own, insisting it is a renegade province that will one day be brought to heel.Details emerged Monday of the heroism of one parishioner, who tackled Chou as he began shooting.John Cheng, a doctor, charged Chou in a bid to bring him to the ground, allowing others to hogtie him until police arrived.“Without the actions of Cheng there is no doubt that there would have been numerous additional victims in this crime,” said Barnes.“Unfortunately, after Cheng tackled the suspect he was hit by gunshots and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.”Five other people who were injured in the attack were taken to hospital. They ranged in age from 66 to 92.Sunday’s shooting came just 24 hours after a gunman killed ten people in Buffalo, in what is being investigated as a racist attack.Gun violence is shockingly common in the US, where deadly weapons are readily available and a powerful gun lobby works to prevent controls on their sale and distribution.More than 45,000 Americans died from guns – half by suicide – in 2021, up from just over 39,000 in 2019, according to the Gun Violence Archive website.Some 7,000 people have already died from homicide shootings or unintentional gunshots in the US this year, with shootings in public places an almost daily occurrence.There have been 202 mass shootings, defined as an incident in which four or more people are injured or killed, so far this year, according to the archive.


26.8% of children given first vaccine jab, 63.3% of adults boosted

A total of 952,411 children or 26.8% of those aged five to 11 had received a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow website, a total of 14,884,826 individuals or 63.3% of the adult population have received a booster dose while 22,952,385 or 97.6% have completed their vaccination.A total of 23,232,115 or 98.8% have received at least one dose of vaccine.For adolescents aged 12 to 17, a total of 2,802,856 or 90.1% have completed their vaccination while 2,899,581 or 93.2% have received at least one dose of vaccine.Daily vaccinations yesterday saw 96,621 doses dispensed, with 23,871 as first doses, 1,469 as second shots and 71,281 as booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) to 67,516,578.


UK health minister says will not negotiate on pay with nurses' union

Britain's health minister, Steve Barclay, said on Sunday that the government would not negotiate on pay with the nurses' union, as the threat of further strikes looms.
The government's offer, which includes a one-off payment equivalent to 2% of salaries in the 2022/23 financial year and a 5% pay rise for 2023/24, was rejected by the members of the Royal College of Nursing in April.
When asked by Sky News whether the government would resume talks with the union, Barclay said "Not on the amount of pay."
The union is already balloting its 300,000 members on further strike action over the next six months.
The union did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for a comment on Barclay's remarks on Sunday. It has said that the government must pay National Health Service (NHS) staff "fairly."
The relationship between the union, which has staged multiple strikes that have disrupted patient care, and the government became strained in late April when the health department limited the length of a strike after legal action against the RCN.


Trade and industry ministry assures no total lockdown if Covid cases spike

The international trade and industry ministry has assured that there will be no total lockdown of the economic and industrial sectors if Covid-19 cases in the country were to increase significantly.Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali said the previous closure of the economic sectors had had a huge impact on the economy, especially on the people, causing 826,000 people to lose their jobs in the first three months of the total lockdown in 2020.“When a person loses his job it involves one family and one family may involve four or five persons… and if the (total) lockdown were to continue it would leave about five million Malaysians without any income.“We can’t do it anymore (total lockdown)… yes, we need to manage this pandemic effectively, we will do our best in health matters but economic health is also important.“And we will now do it in a balanced way if there is a sudden spike,” he told reporters after attending a Chinese New Year dinner hosted by the Batu Pahat Chinese Chamber of Commerce last night.Azmin said his ministry would take a targeted approach by closing only the industries affected with the focus on getting employees vaccinated.He said that was why the Covid-19 Public-Private Partnership (Pikas) Industrial Immunisation Programme was implemented as the ministry did not want industries to close.“If the industries were to close, the country’s economy would continue to contract. Through Pikas, we have managed to vaccinate almost two million people,” he said.He said the initiatives were taken as the workers in the industrial and manufacturing sectors were at higher risk than those in other sectors, which could still embrace the work from home option.


Smoking endgame bill to be tabled in Dewan Rakyat

The health  ministry is scheduled to table the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill 2023 for a first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.
According to the order paper on the official Parliament website, the bill will be tabled by Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa after the question-and-answer session.
On May 26, Zaliha was quoted as saying that it was a success for the ministry to finally obtain the support of the Cabinet to table the bill.
At a media briefing on June 6, she was reported to have said that the ministry had incorporated all 23 proposed amendments and added five new suggestions to the bill, making it more comprehensive as it would cover not only conventional smoking products but also new ones, including electronic and combustible designs.
However, she said the bill would still retain the generational endgame or GEG provision affecting those born on Jan 1, 2007 onwards.
The GEG provision would curb the problem of smoking, especially among the youth, which is the main contributor to the country’s economy, and save 2.07 million lives, she said.
Also scheduled to be tabled for a first reading today is the Capital Markets and Services (Amendment) Bill 2023.
During the question-and-answer session, meanwhile, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PH-Bandar Tun Razak) will ask the education minister about the measures taken to deal with the issue of bullying, especially among secondary school students, and their effectiveness.
Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau) will ask the health minister about measures to promote health literacy among the people.
Wan Razali Wan Nor (PN-Kuantan) meanwhile will ask if the national unity ministry is involved in the process of monitoring and editing dramas and films to ensure that the values of harmony are portrayed and sensitive issues involving racial and religious matters are not touched on.
The Dewan Rakyat sitting will end this Thursday.


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Australia companies split: miners boom, airlines turn up, retailers slump

Australia's companies are split, as big miners and airlines expect higher profits on soaring commodities prices and a rebound from Covid-19, while supermarkets, banks and manufacturers are hurt by inflation and stagnant wages.
Annual business results and profit forecasts reveal a divide in the world's 13th-biggest economy between companies, largely international, that collect on rising prices and those, largely focussing on the domestic consumer, that are forced to absorb the higher costs.
"The dichotomy in performance and outlook is reflecting the surfacing reality that the world may never return to the pre-pandemic harmony," said Hebe Chen, market analyst at IG Australia. "The destructive power of inflation has been underestimated."
Australia, the world's top coal exporter, has benefited from sanctions and freight blockages linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which have driven up demand - and prices - for coal and other commodities.
Miner BHP Group Ltd, Australia's biggest company, recorded its highest profit since 2011, while Whitehaven Coal and South32 Ltd reported earnings jumps on Thursday.
"Coal prices are at record levels and customers are focussed on energy security now more than ever before," said Whitehaven chief executive Paul Flynn, adding that prices the miner received for a tonne of coal more than tripled in a year.
Qantas Airways Ltd, Australia's largest airline, posted a nearly A$2 billion (US$1.4 billion) annual loss as operational problems plague the industry but forecast record demand for flights, which it said was unaffected by fare increases after nearly two years of closed borders. Its shares rose 8%.
Matthew Simpson, senior market analyst at Stone X Financial, said inflation was "forcing central banks to hike interest rates at their most aggressive pace in decades and business sentiment is heading south as consumers get further squeezed."
The Reserve Bank of Australia has raised interest rates every month since May, with more hikes expected as the central bank tries to curb inflation forecast to peak late in the year at 7.75%, about three times the rate of wage growth.
Consumers hit by inflation, interest rates
Higher prices and interest rates are hitting consumers and the companies that supply their daily needs.
Number one grocer Woolworths Group, a standout stock during Covid restrictions, said customers were going without staples - like red meat, whose prices have surged as livestock numbers have been ravaged by extreme weather.
Higher shelf prices, along with rate rises, have encouraged "shopping to budgets rather than to items", Woolworths said. Its shares fell 4%.
"There comes a point where you can't pass it on to customers and you have to just take a low margin," Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci said on an analyst call.
Woolworths and smaller rival Coles Group Ltd ring up two-thirds of Australia's grocery sales.
Banks, which also face the full cross-section of people, now face intense competition as rising interest rates throttle demand for mortgages, their main earner. Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the biggest home lender, said it was seeing signs that cost-of-living pressure was eroding consumer confidence.
Discretionary retail is also being hit.
Electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi Ltd said sales rose 10% in July, the first month of its financial year, but did not say how that translated to profit, while analysts flagged softening demand.
The country's biggest standalone buy-now-pay-later company, Zip Co, said its annual loss nearly doubled to A$1 billion as it took an A$821 million impairment charge, citing "reduced forecast growth rates".
While higher interest rates hurt consumer-facing businesses, wholesale energy prices, up 141% since a year ago as the Ukraine war squeezes supply, have darkened the outlook for building materials makers, which also face weaker demand due to a property downturn.
The biggest, sheeting materials maker James Hardie Plc, raised its profit outlook four times last year as ultra-low rates spurred a homebuilding boom. It now expects its first annual profit decline in five years due to soaring raw materials and freight costs.


959 new cases, most in Selangor

Another 959 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 76,265.Selangor recorded the most cases (277) followed by Sabah (203), Kuala Lumpur (129), Pahang (119) and Johor (100).Perak and Negeri Sembilan recorded 33 new cases each followed by Penang (29), Kelantan (17), Kedah (16), Melaka (two) and Labuan (one).Active cases stand at 10,748 with 127 in the ICU and 61 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 1,068 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 65,124.However, five more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 393.


New high of 691 cases, 4 more deaths including one-year-old

A total of 691 new cases were reported today, taking total confirmed cases to 13,504.Of these, 688 were local transmissions.In a press conference, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said 397 cases were recorded in Kedah, and 219 in Sabah. Of the Kedah cases, 394 were reported at the Tembok prison cluster.The rest were recorded in Selangor (38), Perak (eight), Negeri Sembilan (seven), Kuala Lumpur (four), Johor (six), Sarawak (three), Penang (three), Putrajaya (one), Terengganu (one) and Labuan (one).The remaining imported cases were recorded in Kuala Lumpur (two) and Selangor (one).Covid-19 cases according to state, as of Oct 6, 12pm StateNumber of new cases *()Cumulative casesSabah2192,738Kuala Lumpur6 (2)2,707Selangor39 (1)2,451Kedah3971,447Negeri Sembilan71,062Johor6793Sarawak3721Pahang0382Perak8286Melaka0268Kelantan0170Penang3152Terengganu1140Putrajaya1110Perlis038Labuan139Cumulative total691 (3)13,504*() denotes imported casesAnother four deaths were also recorded over the past 24 hours, taking the virus toll to 141.The first death was a 60-year-old man who tested positive for Covid-19 on Sept 26. He died at the Duchess of Kent hospital in Sandakan at 6.50am on Oct 4.The second death was a 60-year-old man who tested positive on Sept 30. He died at the Semporna hospital at 5.05am on Oct 4.The third death was a one-year-old who was brought in for treatment at the emergency and trauma department at the Semporna hospital on Oct 1. The child tested positive for Covid-19 on Oct 5 and passed away at 4.25pm.The fourth death was an 85-year-old man with a history of high blood pressure and mental health issues. He passed away at the Penang hospital.Another 87 patients were discharged, taking total recoveries to 10,427 or 77.22% of all cases.2,936 cases remain active, with 31 in the ICU and eight in need of respiratory assistance.Another two clusters were also detected, one in Perak and the other in Sabah. Screening at the Batu cluster in Taiping, Perak found seven individuals who tested positive for Covid-19 while 20 tested positive in the Sabah cluster in Sandakan.There are now 39 active clusters in the country.


Businesses fight for life as SUKE road closures keep customers away

Businesses at Damai 23, a development in Alam Damai, Cheras, may soon be forced to close their shutters for good as the number of customers and clients is on the decline due to road closures caused by the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) project.Last month, Jalan Alam Damai and Jalan 1/44A near Taman Len Seng were closed in the wake of a fatal accident near Alam Damai which claimed the lives of three Chinese construction workers.Today, they are still closed and businesses are feeling the pinch. Despite an alternative route set up for those wishing to enter the area, customers are staying away.Several businesses have already closed down, unable to stay afloat.Kenny Lin, a spokesman for businesses there, said they had been severely affected by the road closures as the alternative route took drivers far from the Jalan Alam Damai area.“People from Taman Len Seng, which is a mere 500m away, have to go through Persiaran Alam Damai, about 4km away, before they can reach us.“Because of this, they prefer to shop elsewhere,” he said, adding that even navigation apps like Waze have a hard time locating Damai 23.Parking is now another problem, and desperate business owners have resorted to setting up their own signs to keep customers from losing their way around the area.With their employer no longer able to pay the rent, workers at a barbershop in Damai 23 pack up.During MalaysiaNow’s recent visit to Damai 23, workers at a barbershop could be seen packing up their goods. The barber, Waqas, said he could no longer afford to pay the rent of RM1,700 per month.“Before this, our customers had to wait outside for their turn. Now, we can get only two to three people per day,” he told MalaysiaNow.Similar complaints were heard from other business owners in the area.Dr Prashan-Gunaseharan, who has run a clinic there for six years now, said he had never faced such problems before construction of the highway began.He used to see 40 patients a day but now, he is fortunate to get five to 10.But moving his clinic elsewhere will be a lot of trouble as he will have to renew his licence, which takes anywhere from one to two months.He told MalaysiaNow that the convenience store beside his clinic had been forced to close down because no one was coming anymore.Philip Siow, who runs a pharmacy there, said his business had seen a 70% drop in sales due to the road closures.“The closures mean there are no new, walk-in customers. Even Grab drivers find it hard to get here. So we have to depend on regular customers,” he added.Shops stand shuttered in Damai 23, Cheras, access to which has been reduced due to road closures.Rental for an average shoplot in Damai 23 ranges from RM5,000 to RM7,000 a month.Many business owners are also upset with the lag in construction work following the closure of roads.“We were not informed of any date for reopening the roads, nor the timeline for the project to finish,” another business owner said.Tan Ooi Hock opened a second branch of his auto parts shop in Damai 23, hoping to increase his sales. Unfortunately for him, the day the shop opened was the day the roads were closed.“I chose to open a second branch because many of my customers come from this area. I thought it would be easier for them than to come to Sungai Besi. But since it opened, there have hardly been any customers at all,” he said.Lin said the business owners had asked SUKE for compensation to pay for their rent and salaries but were told to engage with lawyers.“We are considering increasing the amount as our losses keep increasing,” he added.


Anger after US police pepper-spray 9-year-old girl

Police officers who handcuffed and pepper-sprayed a nine-year-old girl in the US city of Rochester were suspended Monday at the mayor’s request.“What happened Friday was simply horrible, and has rightly outraged, all of our community,” said Mayor Lovely Warren. “Unfortunately, (New York) state law and union contract prevents me from taking more immediate and serious action.”Warren did not specify how many officers were suspended. The suspension will last at least until the conclusion of an internal investigation by the Rochester police.Footage released Sunday, which has sparked new outrage over excesses committed by the country’s law enforcement, showed at least seven officers were involved in the incident Friday.Deputy Police Chief Andre Anderson said Sunday the girl – who has not been named – had been suffering from a serious mental health emergency, reportedly threatening to take her own life and that of her mother.Officers called to the scene on Friday eventually responded by handcuffing her, before trying to force her into a car and pepper-spraying her when she resisted, body cam videos released by the city’s police force showed.Footage of police violence against African Americans, including the May 2020 killing of George Floyd, sparked a summer of protests across the US against racial injustice and police brutality last year.The ethnicity of the young girl in the Rochester incident has not been disclosed.Rochester police on Saturday said they were “required” to use handcuffs and the irritant against the girl for her own safety.‘I am a child!’Body cam footage initially shows officers attempting to provide assistance to the girl. When her mother arrives, the pair argue and the officers – after failing to deescalate the situation – decide to transport the increasingly distressed child to hospital.A struggle ensues to get the child into a police vehicle, that ends with her being pepper-sprayed.The video shows the girl crying out repeatedly for her father, while being physically restrained. At one point an officer can be heard saying, “You’re acting like a child” – to which she responds, “I am a child!”Warren condemned the use of force against a young girl, pledging an internal review of the city’s law enforcement practices.“It is clear from the video that we need to do more supporting our children and families,” she said at a press conference Sunday.“I have a 10-year-old child, so she’s a child, she’s a baby,” she added.“This video, as a mother, is not anything you want to see. We have to understand compassion, empathy.”The incident is the second time in a year that Rochester has come under national scrutiny for police violence, following the killing last March of Daniel Prude, who died after police hooded and forced him face down on the road.The death of Prude, an African-American man who was also undergoing a mental health crisis at the time of his detention, prompted a grand jury probe and sparked mass protests.Rochester city council members condemned the footage, accusing the police of excessive force in a situation where mental health professionals should have been involved.Local police chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan also acknowledged that the police had acted excessively.“I’m not going to stand here and tell you that for a nine-year-old to have to be pepper-sprayed is OK,” she said Sunday. “It’s not.”But the local police union president defended the officers’ actions, saying that “limited resources” had left them no choice but to use pepper-spray against the child.“This is not about lack of compassion or empathy,” Mike Mazzeo said Sunday. “We’re dealing with a very difficult situation.”


One vehicle stolen every 75 minutes in Malaysia, study shows

A vehicle is stolen in Malaysia every one hour 15 minutes, according to Vehicle Theft Reduction Council of Malaysia Bhd (VTREC) coordinator Mas Tina Abdul Hamid.She said a study conducted by VTREC last year found that 20 vehicles were stolen each day in 2020.“However, the number has dropped following close cooperation between VTREC, the police and other agencies,” she told reporters after the launch of the PDRM-VTREC Vehicle Theft Awareness Campaign in Kuala Lumpur today.Meanwhile, deputy director (intelligence/dperations) of the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department, Dev Kumar, said the number of reported vehicle thefts nationwide had shown a decline each year.“There were 21,578 vehicle thefts reported last year compared to 30,868 cases in 2019, showing an overall decline of 30%.“The number involved the theft of 4,596 cars, 16,057 motorcycles and 925 lorries, vans and heavy vehicles,” he added.Meanwhile, he said action had been taken under the Crime Prevention Act (Poca) 1959 against 1,215 members of vehicle theft syndicates since 2016, apart from those members who had been charged in court for the same offence.The number comprised 753 who stole motorcycles and 422 who stole cars while the rest stole other vehicles.On the Lanun Merah Black Maria 360 Gang, said to be involved in dumping garbage and toxic waste, drug trafficking and smuggling of illegal immigrants in Pandamaran, Klang, Dev said investigations are still at the early stage and that further information is being gathered.Deputy Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani previously said that an investigation paper had been opened on the alleged re-emergence of the gang, said to have at least 500 members and to be involved in various forms of organised crime in the Klang area since 2013.


Indonesia banks on dams to tackle water crisis - but at what cost?

Keen to store more irrigation water to shore up food security and protect itself from longer climate change-fuelled droughts and extreme rainfall, Indonesia has embarked on a dam-building project that aims see 57 new dams in place by 2024.
But for those in their path, the work has not always brought greater security.
In Indonesia's Central Java province, ongoing work on the 690-hectare (1,700-acre) Bener Dam has destroyed farmer Gunawan's small durian fruit plot, robbing him of his income.
The 33-year-old said his land in Purworejo district was bulldozed to make way for the dam despite not being earmarked for demolition when the government published its plans for the project.
The US$132 million (about RM590 million) dam is set to be finished in 2024.
"I'm sad and also... angry," Gunawan - who like many Indonesians goes by one name - said in the village of Guntur, adding that he used to make US$1,318 a year selling his durian harvest.
Now, he said, he has had little choice but to take on occasional work as a truck driver to make ends meet
"What can we do against the government?" asked Gunawan, one of thousands of small-scale farmers and other people in the area who say they have been uprooted by the dam project.
Facing worsening water security concerns, Indonesia is building more water retention dams, which it says are needed to supply irrigation, reduce the risk of flooding and provide a source of low-carbon hydroelectric power.
But dam building - as with the Bener Dam - is causing its own new challenges, from upending the lives of local people to new losses of forests and agricultural land, according to residents and campaigners.
Deforestation, in particular, can interfere with rainfall patterns and affect the ability of land to hold water, said Ully Artha Siagian, a forest and climate change campaign manager at the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI), a non-profit group.
The Bener dam "will actually add to the burden of the threat of a clean water crisis in the future," she said. "So, converting forest areas into dams does not answer the problem."
In response to concerns by campaigners, Dwi Purwantoro, an official at the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PUPR), said by phone that dam building was important not only for boosting water security but also for better controlling floods.
Competing needs
As climate change impacts strengthen, countries including Indonesia are attempting to be proactive in adapting to coming changes and looking for ways to curb climate-changing emissions, such as by installing renewable energy.
But many of the potential adaptations and emissions-cutting efforts put new pressure on limited land, with competing priorities such as protecting nature, boosting food security, mining minerals needed for the green transition and protecting land rights pitted against each other.
In some cases, the choices made threaten to lead to social unrest, especially if communities find themselves uprooted without consent or adequate compensation. They also raise crucial questions about how to strike a balance among competing "good" uses for land.
Indonesia in 2021 published a climate resilience development policy that outlined four priority areas for action as climate change worsens: agriculture, seas and coasts, health and water.
In the country's regions of Bali, Java and Nusa Tenggara, areas facing water scarcity are predicted to rise from 6% in 2000 to 9.6% in 2045, according to a 2019 study by Indonesia's National Development Planning Agency.
Eko Cahyono, a researcher for the Sajogyo Institute, which studies agrarian issues and the environment, said he understood why Indonesia's government wanted to improve water security, but said that should not come at the cost of people's livelihoods and rights.
"If this (Bener Dam project) is indeed part of climate change mitigation and adaptation (efforts), how can the government ensure social, economic and ecological justice, so that there are no more violations of people's rights?" he asked.
Land losses
According to a government land procurement plan and project map published in 2019, the Bener Dam would affect plots of land belonging to at least 3,480 people, covering a total of 600 hectares.
In addition, a quarry being built in the area to mine stone for the dam would impact the garden plots of 617 people and an area of 114 hectares, the document noted.
Some residents like Gunawan say their land was also destroyed despite not having been earmarked in the planning documents. They are now demanding compensation as a result.
Purwantoro, the public works official, said that "regarding several residents' land (being) outside the project map... now we are proposing changes to the map so it will be expanded".
Construction of the Bener Dam was temporarily halted in August 2022 following local protests, according to state-owned construction firm PT Waskita Karya, which is working on the project.
"We still hope that there will be the best solution for the residents," said company spokesperson Setyawan Nugroho, adding that discussions on compensation were ongoing.
The government has offered compensation ranging from about US$4 to US$14 per metre of land depending on area in question. Several residents said in interviews that they had refused to accept the terms.
Ully of WALHI said the project had led to "social conflict" in Purworejo because many people had lost their sources of food and lost green areas that had been in their families for generations.
There have been clashes between residents and police and soldiers doing land surveying, and authorities are seeking six suspects accused of vandalising a dam project office.
The Bener Dam is a national strategic project (NSP), making it a government priority, but critics say declaration of an NSP can result in land being seized or destroyed in the name of development and the public interest.
Dewi Kartika, secretary-general of the Consortium for Agrarian Reform (KPA), urged the government to review its development policy, saying it "has sparked agrarian conflicts in many places".
Last year, 212 such conflicts were recorded by KPA - up from 207 in 2021. They took place in 459 villages, affecting at least 346,00 people, she said.
Outlook for dams
The Indonesian government has cited building dams as a major solution to the country's water security worries but hydrology experts have concerns about its approach.
Gunawan Wibisono, a lecturer at Merdeka Malang University, said Indonesia's dam projects will result in forest losses and their effectiveness in improving water security could be limited as sediment carried downstream fills them and by a lack of focus on recharging groundwater in their design.
None of Indonesia's planned dam projects are intended to help boost groundwater reserves, according to Heru Hendrayana, a hydrologist at Gadjah Mada University (UGM).
"The problem is... most (dams) are mostly for the function of collecting, not absorbing, water," he said.
In the village of Guntur, residents such as Gunawan and Miftakhul Hafid are determined to keep protesting against the Bener Dam - a project they feel is bringing them more problems than benefits.
"The government must ensure... that residents' rights are fulfilled," said 28-year-old Hafid, a community leader.


Hope fades for AirAsia X passengers awaiting ticket refunds

The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) has urged all parties to respect and abide by the decision of the courts, in a statement which may dash the hopes of AirAsia X (AAX) passengers who have been waiting to be refunded for flights cancelled as far back as 2020.
AAX recently underwent a debt restructuring process in which the low-cost carrier said it had received the consent of 99% of its creditors on Nov 12, 2021 for the proposal approved by the High Court on Dec 16, 2021.
According to AAX CEO Benyamin Ismail, the process meant that under the law, the airline could not issue refunds in cash form.
AAX instead offered compensation in the form of credit or travel vouchers as well as 10% of the price of the flight ticket price.  The move sparked anger among passengers who have been urging the company to respect their rights as consumers and to give them their money back immediately.
A Mavcom spokesman said under the scheme of arrangement implemented by AAX and supervised by the High Court, all debts and liabilities including money owed to consumers were subject to terms and conditions.
However, he reiterated that AAX should reimburse the cost price of the airline tickets purchased by customers, whom he said should not be classified as creditors under the scheme.
"AAX will provide 100% compensation in the form of credit, in addition to other forms of compensation which consumers are eligible to receive under the scheme," he told MalaysiaNow.
"It is important for AAX to fulfil its responsibilities and reimburse all affected consumers as quickly as possible, to ensure that they are fairly compensated."
Nevertheless, checks by MalaysiaNow found a number of affected passengers who had managed to obtain refunds in cash despite the statement issued by Benyamin.
Among them is Sanjay Banerjee, an Indian national who spammed the airline's LinkedIn account, and Filipino passenger Rose Marie Jane Rementina.
Another, Nagendran, succeeded in receiving a refund after going to the Small Claims Court in Shah Alam.
When asked about these cases, Mavcom told MalaysiaNow to seek an explanation directly from AAX.
However, MalaysiaNow is still waiting for a response from the company.
Mavcom, which regulates economic and commercial matters relating to civil aviation, said all airlines must comply with the laws set in the destination country.
"This is likely to be a factor in any alternate payment modes," the spokesman added.
He also said that Mavcom would not hesitate to exercise its power under the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code if AAX did not fulfil its responsibilities.
He said Mavcom was monitoring the progress of the AAX debt restructuring, in line with the commission's duties and the protection of consumers' rights.
"Nevertheless, AAX may, at its discretion, offer special flight promotions to passengers according to the terms and conditions which it deems appropriate," he said, citing Paragraph 3 of the Sanction Order.
"On a discretionary basis, AAX offers consumers travel credit equal to the total value of unused flight tickets.
"This travel credit is valid for a period of five years and can be used immediately for any existing AAX flight."


Up to RM1 million compound for companies flouting SOPs after amendments to Act 342

Companies, factories and government agencies violating the SOPs set to control the spread of Covid-19 can be compounded up to RM1 million following amendments to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1998 (Act 342), says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.He said the increase in compound amount is among the amendments to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday.Khairy said the compound would be higher for repeated offences, based on assessments.Currently, the maximum amount that can be imposed on errant companies and factories is RM50,000, he said.“For individuals, the maximum amount of compound will remain at RM10,000 but based on the current situation involving home quarantine implementation and so on, amendments will also involve matters such as the installation of surveillance devices,” he said when appearing on a programme with RTM last night.Khairy said the amendments were also crucial in terms of enforcement as they would involve the delegation of power to allow enforcement to be carried out not only by officers from the health ministry but also by local authorities.He said it would involve clear guidelines so that there would be no issue of abuse of power, stressing that the move is for “future proofing” to affect behavioural changes among the communities.It is also to refine the implementation of infectious diseases control to be more effective and efficient, he added.Khairy stressed that the ministry is always committed and takes a firm stand to ensure the people’s safety by implementing efforts to control the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that the public should continue to comply with the prescribed SOPs.


Calls grow to evacuate loyal Afghan interpreters to Pacific island before US troops leave

The last US and Nato forces are set to finally quit Afghanistan by Sept 11, without being able to rescue thousands of loyal Afghan interpreters before then.The Biden administration is being urged to accelerate the rescue of thousands of Afghans who helped US and Nato military operations in the past two decades.“We have a moral obligation to protect our brave allies who put their lives on the line for us,” representative Peter Meijer said during a House hearing last week.Lawmakers are urging the administration to consider temporarily relocating imperilled Afghans to a safe overseas location while their US visas are processed.Some have suggested Guam, a remote US island in the Pacific. The tiny island is the westernmost point and territory of the US, nearer to Papua New Guinea than California.Covering an area of 540 sq km, Guam is an unincorporated territory of the US in Micronesia.It was used for a similar purpose after the Vietnam War. Kurdish refugees were also taken there in 1996 after the Gulf War.Guam’s governor recently wrote to President Joe Biden to say the territory was ready to help if needed.The Biden administration for now is focusing on accelerating a special visa programme for Afghans who helped US operations and pouring resources into relieving the backlog.“We are processing and getting people out at a record pace,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday.Representative Jason Crow recently introduced legislation that would nearly double the number of visas available this year, to 8,000, and ease eligibility requirements, but he said congressional action will not be quick enough to protect the vulnerable from Taliban reprisals.Even if the legislation passed immediately, the number of visas would fall far short of the estimated 18,000 Afghans waiting to be processed. That figure does not include their spouses and children, who would bring the total to about 70,000 people.The normal average wait for a visa interview is more than three years but the process has been further slowed by the Covid-19, which has led the US embassy in Kabul to suspend visa interviews.Crow, a former army ranger who served in Afghanistan, said he prefers the government “evacuate our Afghan partners to a temporary evacuation site where we can safely conduct robust visa processing without threat to applicants’ safety by the Taliban”.In a statement this month, the Taliban vowed not to attack those who worked for Western interests, urging Afghans to remain at home during the pandemic and warning their ranks against revenge killings.More than 300 interpreters have been killed in Afghanistan since 2016, according to No One Left Behind, an organisation that advocates on their behalf.Former army major Matt Zeller said a military evacuation is the only viable option for thousands of Afghans facing threats who have been protected by the presence of US troops.“I’m only alive because my Afghan, Muslim translator saved my life by killing two Taliban fighters who were about to kill me in a battle,” said Zeller, whose interpreter waited three years for a visa.


China offers cash for reporting ‘national security’ threats

China will offer citizens as much as US$15,000 in cash for reporting threats to “national security”, state media reported, in Beijing’s latest move to whip up fears of external foes.Citizens offering information that leads to the discovery of “acts endangering national security” could be rewarded as much as 100,000 yuan, depending on their role in preventing or solving a case, according to the guidelines.They may also be given “rewards in spirit”, the reports said Tuesday, including in the form of certificates.The Chinese government has for years offered monetary rewards for information on security breaches, but a new guideline issued this week by the Ministry of State Security seeks to standardise the practice, the state-owned Legal Daily reported.The measure is “conducive to fully mobilising the enthusiasm of the general public to support and assist in national security work, widely rallying the hearts, morale, wisdom and strength of the people,” a ministry representative told Legal Daily.Beijing has increasingly encouraged the public to be vigilant against perceived national security violations, including teaching children to be on the lookout for supposed threats to the country.State broadcaster CCTV in April published a series of infographics asking readers to be alert for spies in their midst, describing “eight faces of spying” including people posing as romantic partners and plant lovers.China has also used national security as a justification for detaining foreign nationals during times of diplomatic tension with the detainees’ home countries.Australian journalist Cheng Lei was detained in 2020 on suspicion of national security breaches, and could face life imprisonment if deemed to have committed serious violations.Weeks before Cheng disappeared, Australian authorities raided the homes of Chinese state media journalists as part of a foreign interference probe.The timing of her detention and the lack of clarity about the charges against her led to speculation that the case was politically motivated or a tit-for-tat retaliation.Months after Cheng’s disappearance, Chinese authorities also detained Bloomberg News employee Haze Fan – a Chinese citizen – on allegations of endangering national security.Another Chinese-born Australian, writer Yang Jun, has been accused by Beijing of espionage and is facing a trial that started last year behind closed doors.In semi-autonomous Hong Kong, a national security law imposed in 2020 was used to stamp out dissent after widespread and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests rocked the city the year before.


First vaccines arriving Sunday, PM to receive jab with frontliners on Feb 26

The first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine will arrive in the country on Sunday with the national vaccination programme to begin in phases from Feb 26.Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said he would receive the vaccine on the first day of the programme, together with frontliners.The first phase of the programme which will run until April will involve the frontliners while the second phase, from April until August, will involve the high-risk groups, he said when launching the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Handbook today.The third phase, which will run from May this year until February next year, is for those aged 18 and above.Muhyiddin said implementation of the comprehensive immunisation programme is to ensure that herd immunity can be formed within the community in order to break the chain of Covid-19 infections and finally end the Covid-19 pandemic.“In short, vaccination is very important for us to protect not only ourselves, but also our loved ones – our family members, co-workers, neighbours and the whole community.“This is also the meaning of the slogan of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme that I officially launched today, which is Protect Oneself, Protect Everyone,” he said.He added that the economic and tourism sectors would be able to reopen once everyone is protected and the immunisation programme is successfully implemented.Likewise, he said, visiting and sports activities can be allowed again albeit in accordance with the new norms.“This is what I mean when I say that the Covid-19 vaccine is one of our most important rays of hope for us to win the war against Covid-19.“Certainly, a new chapter will open with the start of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme at the end of this month,” he added.He advised the people not to delay in registering for vaccination, and to keep the given appointment for the first and second doses.He said the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Handbook launched today was to provide an explanation of the immunisation programme policy.“This is another step forward in realising the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, which is the largest vaccination programme to be implemented in the country,” he said, adding that the handbook can be downloaded from the website www.VaksinCovid.gov.my, which was also launched today.


Ban remains on mass ceramahs as EC issues more guidelines for Johor polls

The Election Commission (EC) today announced additional SOPs for the upcoming election in Johor, allowing ceramahs or talks to be held at the official premises of parties with attendance capped at 100 people or 50% of the venue’s capacity.The additional SOPs which are effective immediately were made on the views of the health ministry and National Security Council (NSC).Any ceramahs held must adhere to the SOPs requiring physical distancing and the use of face masks, while the 100-person limit includes the organisers and speakers.“Ceramahs are not allowed to continue past midnight,” the EC said in a statement, adding that outdoor ceramahs remain prohibited.At the three state elections before this, ceramahs at party premises and house-to-house campaigns were off limits.Parties were also told to utilise social media for their campaigns to prevent the gathering of crowds, as part of efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.National Recovery Council chairman Muhyiddin Yassin had several times suggested a review of the SOPs for the Johor election on March 12, describing them as “quite tight and not very practical”.“It’s quite strict as ceramahs can only be held at one place (such as) the operations room, so it’s not as if everyone in Johor can come there. For example, the (distance between) Bukit Permai constituency and this (Felda) village is quite far,” he had said.“It is not practical… when social gatherings, wedding receptions are allowed, what is the difference then… If a single constituency has 30,000 voters, how (are we) to get in touch with them?”


UK MPs approve report censuring ex-PM Johnson over 'Partygate'

British MPs on Monday voted overwhelmingly to remove ex-prime minister Boris Johnson's parliamentary pass as they approved a damning report that found he lied to Parliament about Covid lockdown-breaking parties.
Following hours of debate, held on Johnson's 59th birthday, MPs voted by 354 to seven in favour of the Privileges Committee's findings, with many Conservatives, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, abstaining.
During the debate, MPs and a former prime minister lined up to urge colleagues to censure Johnson, who quit Parliament when he was informed of the findings.
Johnson's predecessor Theresa May said the vote would be "a small but important step in restoring people's trust" in Parliament.
May urged her party to "show that we are prepared to act when one of our own, however senior, is found wanting", in an apparent jibe at Sunak and his decision to abstain.
Johnson and his dwindling supporters have portrayed the report by the committee as a "witch-hunt".
Former minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said the committee had made a "deliberate attempt to take the most unfavourable interpretation... of Johnson's activities".
But Sunak, who has promised to restore integrity to government, said its bipartisan members had "done their work thoroughly".
'No precedent'
However, Sunak declined to say how MPs should decide before the report was put to a vote.
"This is a matter for the House rather than the government. That's an important distinction and that is why I wouldn't want to influence anyone in advance of that vote," he told ITV.
Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer, however, tried to keep pressure on Sunak to avoid taking sides between the report's backers and Johnson's vocal supporters in the Conservative party at large.
"He should show leadership. Come along! Get in the (voting) lobby and show us where he stands on this," he said on ITV, accusing Johnson of "miserable misbehaviour".
In a 106-page report last week, the Privileges Committee found Johnson guilty of "repeated contempts (of parliament) and... seeking to undermine the parliamentary process".
There was "no precedent for a prime minister having been found to have deliberately misled the House", it added.
Even as Sunak looks to draw a line under the "Partygate" scandal, another video emerged on Sunday of Tory officials partying in December 2020 during one lockdown.
Government minister Michael Gove apologised for the Covid rule breach, at a time when the public was banned from socialising or meeting loved ones, even if they lay dying in hospitals or care homes.
He told the BBC the footage was "terrible" and "indefensible".
By-election peril
London's Metropolitan Police force confirmed it was looking into the footage from a 2020 Christmas gathering at Conservative headquarters.
Two of those at the party were recognised in Johnson's controversial resignation honours list, and faced calls to withdraw their names.
By pre-emptively resigning, Johnson thwarted the committee's recommendation to suspend him as an MP for 90 days – which could have led to him facing a daunting re-election battle.
Instead, the committee could only recommend that his parliamentary pass be withdrawn, denying him one privilege normally offered to ex-members.
The under-fire Sunak is now facing four potential by-elections – three linked to fallout from Johnson's honours list.
These promise to be punishing ordeals for Sunak and his party, with the country still in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis.


New cases continue to hover at 22,000 as another 92 deaths logged

Another 22,030 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 3,845,601.Of the total number of cases recorded, 226 were in Category Three and above.There were 33,872 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 3,502,760.A total of 1,521 cases were admitted to hospital yesterday, with 634 (41.7%) in Category Three and above and 887 (58.3%) in Category One and Two.Of the 226 cases in Category Three and above reported yesterday:* 52 (23.00%) were not vaccinated or had not completed their vaccination;* 111 (49.12%) had received two doses of vaccine;* 63 (27.88%) had received a booster jab;* 144 (63.72%) were aged 60 and above; and* 64 (28.32%) had comorbidities.There are now 308,942 active cases, of which 298,123 or 96.5% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 2,031 (0.7%) are at quarantine centres while 8,400 (2.7%) have been hospitalised.A total of 388 are in ICU with 215 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 59.0%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 44.3%.Another 92 deaths were reported, including 33 who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 33,899.The country’s infectivity rate as of March 14 was 0.96.


Second chances for death row prisoners

For years, film director Mohammad Alshatri has pondered the consequences of sentencing a person to death, only to find that a mistake had been made and that the person was actually innocent.
"What if the person actually didn't commit the crime, and new evidence emerged?
"How would the courts retract the sentence? Even worse, what if the person had already been hanged?"
Such questions eventually formed the basis of his latest film, "Peluang Kedua" or "Second Chance".
The movie tells the story of two prisoners sentenced to hang, one in Singapore and the other in Malaysia.
The first relates the emotional challenges and difficulties for the prisoner's family in travelling back and forth from the island republic to visit their loved one in jail.
The other shows the perspective of a former death row prisoner named Rizwan, who was sentenced to hang for murder.
Rizwan was pardoned by the sultan after spending more than a decade in jail.
"I also wanted to provide a perspective of the judicial system, whether in Malaysia or Singapore, which is too punitive," Alshatri said.
"There is no space given for rehabilitation."
There is also the stress of uncertainty for the families of prisoners who have been sentenced to death but not yet hanged.
"There's a lot of emotional pressure," Alshatri said. "They do everything they can, not just to secure a release, but to keep them safe even in jail."
This was the case for Rizwan, who agreed to be featured in the film in order to show that those who are given a second chance and who have the right support can change their lives.
"Peluang Kedua", published by the Freedom Film Network, was screened at the Freedom Film Fest on Sept 11.
It comes amid international criticism of the Singapore government for its use of the death penalty for drug-related offences, even as Malaysia moved to abolish the mandatory death sentence.
Alshatri said he had conducted research to obtain information about the death sentence, including through interviews with lawyers and activists, and discussions with NGOs such as the Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network.
For him, the death penalty should be abolished as a symbolic rejection of violence.
"Only then can Malaysia become a society that does not resort to violence," he said.
"There are still people who kill and sell drugs in Malaysia, even with the death sentence.
"There are other factors involved, like the economy. It's not all just about punishment."


10-babies claim by South African woman a lie, say authorities

A South African woman who claimed to have given birth to 10 babies this month lied to the world as she was not pregnant and had not given birth to any children in recent times, authorities said Wednesday, according to Anadolu.The Gauteng provincial government, which includes the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria, said in a statement that it launched investigations this month after a local publication claimed that Gosiame Sithole, 37, had delivered 10 babies on June 7.The publication claimed that Sithole delivered seven boys and three girls by caesarean section at an undisclosed hospital.“None of the hospitals in the province – both private and public – had any records of such births at their facility,” the statement said.Sithole’s alleged “miracle birth” excited the world, which believed she had set a new Guinness World Record after news of a Malian woman giving birth to nonuplets in Morocco last month.But the secrecy surrounding the whereabouts of the mother and babies created doubt among some South Africans, with many wondering if the 10 miracle babies indeed existed.Last week, the family of Tebogo Tsotetsi, Sithole’s boyfriend, said in a statement that he had confirmed to them that he had not seen the babies and had relied on his girlfriend, who called to inform him of their birth.The statement further claimed that Tsotetsi had made several attempts to visit Sithole and the babies at the hospital, but that she did not disclose her whereabouts to him or inform him of the condition of the babies.“The family has resolved and concluded that there are no decuplets born between Tebogo Tsotetsi and Gosiame Sithole, until proven otherwise,” it said.The provincial government said its social development department social workers had reached out to Sithole with concern about her state of heath and her babies.The statement further said they arranged for her to be admitted to Tembisa Hospital near Johannesburg for observation on June 18 and that it was established by doctors that she had not given birth to any babies in recent times. It was also established that she had not been pregnant in recent times.Independent Media Group, which first broke the story, stands by its version. The Gauteng provincial government said it was concerned by the conduct of Independent Media Group and had instructed the attorney-general to take legal action against the publication and its Pretoria news editor Piet Rampedi.


Serious injuries to student believed to have jumped off school building

A Form Five student at a school in Kulai suffered broken arms and severe injuries to the head and face after she allegedly jumped off the fourth floor of the school building two days ago.Kulai district police chief Supt Tok Beng Yeow said the incident was believed to have occurred at 1.26pm, after the girl and her classmates sat for a test.He said the police were immediately informed of the incident by a teacher at the school.“Right after sitting for the test, the student was said to have gone out to the corridor and jumped off from the fourth floor of the building,” he said in a statement today.He said the girl was initially rushed to Temenggong Seri Maharaja Tun Ibrahim Hospital in Kulai but was later transferred to Sultanah Aminah Hospital for further treatment.The case is being investigated under Section 309 of the Penal Code for attempt to commit suicide.


Finance minister's aide lodges report against Muhyiddin

The political secretary to the finance minister, Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim, yesterday made a police report against Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin on his statement of a planned prosecution against him using enforcement agencies to achieve the minister’s political ends.
Speaking to reporters after making the report at the Putrajaya district police headquarters, Kamil said the report was made after finding that Muhyiddin's statement was defamatory and could create a negative perception of the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the prime minister had stated that the government under his leadership would not interfere in any investigation or action decided by the authorities.
Kamil also said that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had the right to investigate any individual in line with its status as an independent body.
Putrajaya district police chief A Asmadi Abdul Aziz, when contacted, confirmed receiving the report and said the police would conduct an investigation. On March 10, Muhyiddin reportedly described the prosecution against him as a form of political intimidation that was planned using enforcement agencies as a tool to achieve political goals.
The former prime minister was earlier charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with six counts related to money in Bersatu's account.
He pleaded not guilty to four charges that as the prime minister of Malaysia and president of Bersatu, he had used his position to receive bribes amounting to RM232.5 million, and two charges of receiving money from illegal activities amounting to RM195 million, as Bersatu president.
Muhyiddin was also charged yesterday with one count of receiving money from illegal activities amounting to RM5 million, to which he pleaded not guilty.


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Canada extends shelf life of AstraZeneca jab by 1 month

Canadian health authorities announced Saturday they were pushing back the expiration date on nearly 50,000 doses of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine by one month.Health Canada said in a statement its approval to extend the shelf life of two lots of vaccine from May 31 to July 1 was supported by “scientific evidence”.“This change will ensure that provinces and territories are able to use up their existing inventory and provide Canadians access to much needed doses of the vaccine,” the agency said.A spokesman for Health Canada said that as of May 22, there were about 49,000 doses of AstraZeneca in the country with an expiration date of May 31. CBC reported that most were in Ontario province.Canadian health authorities had previously approved a six-month shelf life for AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine.But they said they received information from the company on May 27 including “product stability and mathematical modelling data” that showed the two lots could be safely and effectively used for an extra month.Several provinces announced this month their decision to suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for people receiving their first shot, due to rare instances of blood clots.But Canadians who had received a first AstraZeneca dose were able to get their scheduled second dose.Just over 55% of Canada’s 38 million people have received one dose of Covid-19 vaccine, and 5% have received two doses.In addition to AstraZeneca, vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are approved for use in Canada.