PKR MP slams Selangor govt for breaking GE14 promise after U-turn over highway project

A PKR MP has criticised the Selangor government for its decision to allow the construction of the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link), a four-lane expressway that will pass through several key neighbourhoods and is largely seen as a rebrand of a highway project scrapped due to public protest six years ago.Selayang MP William Leong warned that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) state government must review the decision or risk being punished at the next election.He referred to the recent revelation in the Selangor state assembly that the PH government had agreed in principle to the PJD Link with several conditions, saying it amounted to a breach of the coalition’s 2018 general election manifesto.“This conditional approval defeats the very purpose of the election promise. By voting in a PH government, this was to be a reassurance that the Selangor people would be spared the anxieties, efforts and expenditure required in raising objections to highways such as what they had to go through in Kidex,” said Leong, referring to the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway axed by then-menteri besar Mohamed Azmin Ali.“Now they are called upon to undertake a similar exercise for the PJD Link,” he added.In recent months, residents in areas affected by the project have voiced concern over the silence of their elected representatives despite protest by the people.The PJD Link will commence after the NKVE toll plaza on the Sprint Highway, ending at the Bukit Jalil Highway Interchange, linking Petaling Jaya North, Bandar Utama, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, the PJ city centre, Taman Dato Harun, Taman Medan Baru, Taman Sri Manja, Bandar Kinrara and Bukit Jalil Technology Park.Critics say the routes are almost identical to those of the Kidex project cancelled by Azmin in February 2015, some five months after he replaced Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as menteri besar.Leong described the condition that the concessionaire engage with residents as a “public relations exercise”.“Based on previous experience, the residents’ objections are not taken into serious consideration. The condition is deemed fulfilled in holding the meeting regardless of the objections raised in the meeting,” he added.


1,315 new cases, 476 in Sabah

Another 1,315 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 63,176.Of these, 476 or 36.2% were recorded in Sabah, 266 (20.2%) in Selangor and 191 (14.5%) in Kuala Lumpur.Perak reported 167 new cases, Penang 92, Johor 46, Negeri Sembilan 41, Kelantan 18, Kedah 17, and Melaka one.Active cases stand at 11,508 with 118 in the ICU and 43 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 1,110 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 51,314.However, four more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 354.


Kedah MB takes Covid-19 test after positive case at event

Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor and 55 others including two state executive councillors took a Covid-19 swab test today after confirmation of a positive case at an event they had attended on Monday.The executive councillors are state health and local government committee chairman Mohd Hayati Othman and information, communication and multimedia and domestic trade and consumer affairs committee chairman Wan Romani Wan Salim.A statement issued by the Kedah menteri besar’s office today said others who underwent the test included staff at the office and several state PAS leaders who were also present at the event, which took place in Kota Setar. The district is currently under administrative enhanced movement control order.State health director Dr Mohd Fikri Ujang said in the same statement that the test sample was sent to the laboratory at the Sultanah Bahiyah hospital, with results expected tomorrow.He added that Sanusi was not on the list of those who had come into close contact with the person who tested positive for Covid-19.He also said it should not be a problem for Sanusi to continue carrying out his duty as menteri besar, to help the residents in Kota Setar or Melur zone in Ambangan Heights, Sungai Petani.


Next govt must preserve current policies on battling Covid, Agong tells leaders

In a reminder to top political leaders that the people are tired of political squabbling, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong today voiced hope that any new government to be formed will preserve the current policies and plans to battle the Covid-19 pandemic.“The plans under existing policies such as the implementation of development projects, programmes to tackle Covid-19 including the vaccination programme to reach herd immunity, as well as the national recovery plan must be maintained,” Istana Negara said in a statement, summarising Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah’s advice to political party chiefs yesterday.The statement came ahead of a 4pm deadline for the country’s 220 MPs to submit their choice of prime minister to Istana Negara, to help the Agong decide who will fill the power vacuum left by Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation on Monday.Muhyiddin resigned following intense pressure from former leader Najib Razak and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who led a campaign among MPs in their party to revoke support for the Perikatan Nasional government.Yesterday, Sultan Abdullah and Deputy Agong Sultan Nazrin Shah met the top leaders of political parties from across the divide, urging them to bring down the political temperature as the country continues its 18-month battle with the Covid-19 pandemic.In the statement today, Istana Negara said the Agong also told MPs that the new prime minister would be selected based on the constitution.He said MPs should serve with honesty for the sake of the people’s welfare.“The majority of frontliners are exhausted dealing with thousands of new Covid-19 patients every day. Indeed, the country’s health facilities are in a dire situation,” the statement said.The palace statement further said that the political turmoil had deeply affected the economy, with the pandemic making it impossible to find a solution through a general election.Days after he was sworn in as prime minister, Muhyiddin announced a total lockdown due to the Covid-19 situation. The move forced the government to spend billions of ringgit in various stimulus packages to help businesses and workers survive the impact of measures to contain the pandemic.The former government had also undertaken a massive vaccination programme which has so far fully inoculated nearly 35% of the population, with its daily vaccines delivery rate earning global praise.Muhyiddin had also introduced the National Recovery Plan, with the goal of gradually reopening economic and social activities.


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Najib's 1MDB audit report trial postponed as last witness on MC

Najib Razak's 1MDB audit tampering trial has been postponed to next month as the last prosecution witness scheduled to testify today is suffering from intestinal bleeding.
Senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram told the High Court today that the witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Haniff Lami, had been given two days of medical leave.
"I have attempted to make arrangements to have his evidence taken via Zoom, but unfortunately we did not have sufficient time to alert the court to make the arrangements. Otherwise, we would have proceeded with his evidence electronically.
"I apologise for that because the communications came late to us, close to 7pm yesterday... his medical certificate is in court, he is excused for two days," Sri Ram said.
Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan then said the trial would resume on Aug 12 with Najib’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah to continue the cross-examination of the 15th prosecution witness, former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy, and with Haniff on standby to testify as the last prosecution witness. Arul Kanda, who was charged alongside Najib in the 1MDB audit tampering trial, was not present in court today although Najib was in the dock.
Najib’s lawyer Rahmat Hazlan informed the court that Arul Kanda’s lawyer Jasmine Cheong had apologised for their absence today, citing a miscommunication with the prosecution. Sri Ram similarly asked the court to excuse Arul Kanda from appearing today.
Sri Ram said the court had to make a formal order to excuse Arul Kanda as he was still an accused person until he is issued a certificate of indemnity, to which the judge replied, "His present is excused."
Najib, 68, 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 from being taken against him.
Arul Kanda is charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments to the report to protect Najib from being subjected to action.
The offence was allegedly committed at the Prime Minister's Department Complex, Federal Government Administrative Centre, Putrajaya between Feb 22 and 26, 2016.
Both Najib and Arul Kanda were charged under Section 23 (1) of the MACC Act 2009, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.


Pope says Satan taking advantage of coronavirus pandemic to sow discord

Pope Francis led Palm Sunday services in an almost empty St Peter’s Basilica because of coronavirus restrictions for the second consecutive year.He used the occasion to warn his global flock that the devil is taking advantage of the pandemic to spread evil.In pre-coronavirus times, Palm Sunday, which marks the start of Holy Week leading up to Easter, tens of thousands of people would pack St Peter’s Square holding olive branches and intricately woven palm fronds in a massive outdoor ceremony.Instead, only about 120 members of the faithful were permitted to take part in Sunday’s Mass, joining the pope and about 30 cardinals in a secondary wing of the huge basilica, reports the New York Post.“Last year we were shocked. This year we are more under pressure and the economic crisis has become heavy,” Francis said in his traditional Sunday noon address after the Mass.Italy is in the middle of another national lockdown, which is due to end after Easter. Last week, the pope ordered cardinals and other clerics to take pay cuts to save the jobs of other employees.“The devil is taking advantage of the crisis to sow distrust, desperation and discord,” he said, adding that the pandemic had brought physical, psychological and spiritual suffering.Since he was elected in 2013, Francis has made clear that he believes the devil is real, saying in a 2018 document that it is a mistake to consider him a myth.In both his homily during the Mass and his comments afterward, Francis said the pandemic made it more important than ever to look after those in difficulty, the poor and the suffering.Nearly everyone who took part in the Mass, except the pope and the choir, wore masks.Palm Sunday commemorates the day the gospels say Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was hailed by the people, only to be crucified five days later.During the Mass, the pope walked with a limp. He suffers from sciatica, which causes pain in his legs when it flares up.The remainder of the pope’s Holy Week services – Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Day this Sunday, will also take place with a limited number of participants.


Virus-hit Indonesia orders executions online

Indonesia has sentenced scores of prisoners to death over Zoom and other video apps during the pandemic in what critics say is an “inhumane” insult to those facing the firing squad.The Southeast Asian nation turned to virtual court hearings as Covid-19 restrictions shut down most in-person trials, including murder and drug trafficking cases, which can carry the death penalty.Since early last year, almost 100 inmates have been condemned to die in Indonesia by judges they could only see on a television monitor, according to Amnesty International.The Muslim-majority nation has some of the world’s toughest drug laws and both Indonesian and foreign traffickers have been executed, including the masterminds of Australia’s Bali Nine heroin gang.This month, 13 members of a trafficking ring, including three Iranians and a Pakistani, learned via video that they would be shot for smuggling 400kg of methamphetamine into Indonesia.And on Wednesday a Jakarta court sentenced six Islamist militants to death using a video app over their role in a 2018 prison riot that left five members of Indonesia’s counter-terror squad dead.“Virtual hearings degrade the rights of defendants facing death sentences – it’s about someone’s life and death,” said Amnesty International Indonesia director Usman Hamid.“The death penalty has always been a cruel punishment. But this online trend adds to the injustice and inhumanity,” he added.‘Clear disadvantage’Indonesia has pressed on with the virtual hearings even as the number of executions and death sentences dropped globally last year, with Covid-19 disrupting many criminal proceedings, Amnesty said in its annual capital punishment report this week.Virtual hearings leave defendants unable to fully participate in cases that are sometimes interrupted in countries with poor internet connections, including Indonesia, critics say.“Virtual platforms… can expose the defendant to significant violations of their fair trial rights and impinge on the quality of the defence,” NGO Harm Reduction International said in a recent report on the death penalty for drug offences.Lawyers have complained about being unable to consult with clients due to virus restrictions.And families of the accused have sometimes been barred from accessing hearings that would normally be open to the public.“These virtual hearings present a clear disadvantage for defendants,” said Indonesian lawyer Dedi Setiadi.Setiadi, who defended several men sentenced to die in the methamphetamine case this month, said he would appeal their case on the grounds that virtual hearings were unfair.Relatives of the defendants were not given full access, the lawyer said.Death penalty cases are often reduced to long jail terms in Indonesia and an in-person trial might have brought about a less severe verdict, according to Setiadi, who described his clients as low-level players in the smuggling ring.“The verdict could have been different if the judges had talked directly with the defendants and seen their expressions,” he said.“A Zoom hearing is less personal.”‘Heaviest sentence possible’Indonesia’s supreme court, which ordered online hearings during the pandemic, did not reply to requests for comment.But the country’s judicial commission told AFP that it has asked the top court to consider returning to in-person trials for serious offences, including capital cases.Indonesia appears to be an outlier in holding virtual trials for death penalty cases, although reliable data can be hard to come by in some nations that impose executions.Neighbouring Singapore, which executes convicted murderers and drug traffickers, has sentenced at least one person to hang via video since the global health crisis began.There are nearly 500 people, including scores of foreigners, awaiting execution in Indonesia, where condemned prisoners are marched to a jungle clearing, tied to a stake and shot.Indonesia has not carried out executions for several years. But its courts have continued to sentence defendants to death on the back of strong public backing for the ultimate punishment – support that may have been bolstered by the pandemic.“Advocates think that these criminals are continuing to commit crimes even during a time of crisis when everyone is suffering,” Amnesty’s Hamid said.“So they must be given the heaviest sentence possible.”


Bar questions controversial clause in govt's MoU

The Malaysian Bar today expressed concern over a clause in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) recently signed by government parties, saying it appears "directly averse" to the anti-hopping bill to prevent MPs from switching camps.
Referring to Clause 4 of the agreement, the Bar said it was premised on the respective constitution of each political party, as well as the party carrying out a party whip and/or taking internal disciplinary action should an individual member within its party not vote for the selected motion.
"This is where the problem lies," it added. "The deeming provision speaks of a 'resignation' or even a possible 'expulsion' in the event that the individual MP does not vote in favour of the confidence-related motions."
The MoU, signed on Dec 16, stated among others that all parties must support the prime minister in confidence motions or supply bills as well as in any other parliamentary procedure that could affect the continuity of the government.
It also said the onus was on the parties involved to ensure how their MPs vote, adding that MPs who vote outside party lines will be deemed as disqualified, and their seats declared vacant.
This came about three weeks after Anwar Ibrahim was named as prime minister, following days of political stalemate in the aftermath of the 15th general election, where none of the major coalitions secured the simple majority needed to form the government.
In its statement today, the Bar said the MoU appeared to be a "hybrid" between a confidence and supply agreement and a coalition agreement.
"A confidence and supply agreement is where a minority government is formed and other political parties form an arrangement with the chosen party to govern the country, where there is an assurance of support for confidence of the government of the day on motions relating to important motions such as a confidence vote and budget motions, in exchange for certain other policies pushed by the joining political parties.
"As the current MoU is made up of political parties that do not have a firm registered coalition party, the MoU therefore falls short of a full-blown formal coalition agreement to see through a five-year plan of common policies.
"From the legal perspective in situations faced by the growing political democracy in our nation, values such as loyalty, goodwill and political stability can be achieved without compromising compliance with the rule of law — ie. adherence to Article 49A of the Federal Constitution," it added, referring to the law barring MPs from switching parties.
Article 49A states, among others, that an MP will remain as a member of the Dewan Rakyat if he is expelled from his party.


UAE opens first Gulf Arab embassy in Israel

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday became the first Gulf state to open an embassy in Israel.At a flag-raising ceremony attended by Israel’s president, the new UAE envoy hailed the trade and investment opportunities that closer ties will bring, according to Reuters.Brought together by shared unease about Iran, the UAE and Bahrain normalised relations with Israel last year under the Abraham Accords crafted by the administration of then-US president Donald Trump. Sudan and Morocco have since also established ties with the Jewish state.The opening of the UAE embassy, which is temporarily situated in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, followed the inauguration of Israel’s embassy in Abu Dhabi last month.“Since the normalisation of ties, we have seen for the first time discussions on trade and investment opportunities,” UAE ambassador Mohamed Al Khaja said. “We signed major agreements across various fields, including economy, air travel, technology and culture.”Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the opening of the embassy, “an important milestone in our journey towards future peace, prosperity, and security for the Middle East”.He said, “Seeing the Emirati flag flying proudly in Tel Aviv might have seemed like a far-fetched dream a year ago, but in many ways nothing could be more natural and normal.”In the UAE last month to inaugurate Israel’s temporary embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said bilateral trade since normalisation exceeded US$675 million and he expected many more deals to come.The regional rapprochement has been deplored by the Palestinians, who want their demands for statehood free of Israeli occupation addressed first.The UAE has said last year’s US-brokered accords, which challenged a decades-old allegiance to Palestinian ambitions as a major driver of Arab policy, would ultimately benefit the Palestinians.


Consider private doctors as first phase frontliners, medical group tells govt

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) today urged authorities to include private healthcare workers such as GPs in the group of frontliners to receive Covid-19 jabs in the first phase of the national vaccination programme, saying all healthcare workers directly exposed to risk of Covid-19 should be inoculated in Phase 1.MMA president Dr Subramaniam Muniandy said private healthcare workers are among the first to be directly exposed to patients with symptoms of Covid-19.“A number of GPs and their staff have been infected with Covid-19 from exposure to patients with these symptoms who were later found to be Covid-19 positive.“Some clinics had to shut down for 14 days as a result because the GP and their staff had to be quarantined,” he said in a statement.The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme will be implemented in three phases starting Feb 24, with Phase 1 from Feb to April 2021 involving 500,000 frontliners.Phase 2, from April to August, will involve senior citizens aged 65 and above, high-risk groups and the disabled – about 9.4 million people – while Phase 3 from May this year to February 2022 will cover Malaysians and non-citizens aged 18 and above, targeting more than 13.7 million people.MMA said the special committee on Covid-19 vaccine supply should review its classification of frontliners to include GPs, staff at private specialist clinics and dentists in Category 1 instead of Category 2.“Placing GPs in Category 2 of the guidelines under the Covid-19 NIP (national immunisation programme) shows they are not being recognised as an integral part of the mainstream healthcare system and will only delay efforts to bring the pandemic under control,” Subramaniam said.He added that dentists and their staff are also exposed to risk of Covid-19 as patients need to remove their face masks in order to be examined and treated.He said including these frontliners in Category 1 would be in line with the World Health Organization’s call to accelerate vaccine equity for all healthcare workers.


Move by Sarawak MP to ditch PKR ‘a message to Anwar’, says analyst

A political analyst says the resignation of a Sarawak MP from PKR who has declared himself a government-friendly independent comes as no surprise in the wake of the announcement by Istana Negara that Parliament can be convened during the current state of emergency.James Chin from the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute also spoke of a “message” to PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim, who has been at the forefront of the push for a parliamentary session amid claims that the prime minister no longer possesses the majority support of MPs.He said the addition of Julau MP Larry Sng, who left PKR alongside fellow MP Steven Choong, would restore Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) slim majority of 111 MPs in the Dewan Rakyat.“Basically it is a message to Anwar that it is not easy to remove Muhyiddin Yassin from his position in Parliament,” Chin told MalaysiaNow, adding that it is “a signal to Umno as well”.Sng and Choong quit PKR on Sunday, ending weeks of speculation over their loyalty to Anwar. Their exit dealt the party its biggest blow since the 2020 exodus of several senior leaders including Mohamed Azmin Ali.“Basically it is a message to Anwar that it is not easy to remove Muhyiddin Yassin from his position in Parliament.”Chin said more could be expected to leave as Muhyiddin must cement his position before Parliament reconvenes.“There are also rumours that other politicians are about to jump,” he said. “Things are moving and it’s very chaotic right now.“I think MPs who are not strongly aligned with their party will look at which way the wind blows, with all the attention on Parliament now and lining up the numbers before it convenes.”Lack of development fundsSng, who won his seat as an independent in the 2018 general election, said after meeting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday to state his support for the government that he had been unable to effectively serve his constituents due to a lack of development funds.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said the funds given to opposition MPs only amounted to RM100,000, adding that it had been difficult for him to serve the people under such circumstances.“As someone who represents them, I should be able to help them but I couldn’t.”Sng joined PKR after Pakatan Harapan (PH) took over Putrajaya in the aftermath of the historic 2018 polls.He was previously with Parti Rakyat Sarawak, and was state assemblyman for Pelagus and assistant youth minister before being sacked from the party for insubordination.In 2012, he founded the Sarawak Workers Party which he left after four years.Sng, whose father Sng Chee Hua had also served as Julau MP for one term from 1995 to 1999, said the district had been left behind due to its previous representatives who had not done a good job.Given the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, he said, the only way to ensure development in Julau, a rural district in the Sarikei area, was for him to give his support to Muhyiddin’s PN government.‘Not the first time’Arnold Puyok, a political analyst at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, said this was not the first time that politicians had cited an inability to fulfil their electorate’s development needs as reason to leave their party.However, he questioned this line of reasoning, saying the federal government should mobilise the funds to assist constituencies held by the opposition based on the needs of the people, not political affiliations.“Why must an opposition assemblyman subscribe to the federal government’s partisan stance in order to benefit from the development funds contributed by non-partisan taxpayers’ money?” he said to MalaysiaNow.Meanwhile, veteran Sarawak political observer Jayum Jawan played down the effect of Sng’s exit on PKR, saying it would have no significant impact on the political scenario in the state.He also voiced doubt that it would weaken PKR, saying Sng’s presence was only important insofar as he holds the federal seat of Julau.“He is in the cool as far as the next election is concerned.”“Sng is not significant in the overall political scenario among the Dayaks and in Sarawak for the state election which will be held by June, or the federal election within the next 24 months,” the Universiti Putra Malaysia professor said.“Neither did his presence make PKR any more acceptable among the Chinese, his community, or the Dayaks who elected him from Julau.”He added that Gabungan Parti Sarawak might reject Sng as well.“For now, Sng is partyless. Other parties are not a viable option as they are worse off than PKR, DAP and even PSB.“So he is in the cool as far as the next election is concerned.”


Unemployment rate down in July, nearing pre-pandemic levels

The Malaysian labour market continued to strengthen, recording 3.7% in July 2022, nearing pre-pandemic levels according to the publication of the Labour Force Statistics.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economy) Mustapa Mohamed said the achievement was much better than the 4.5% recorded in 2021 and 4.2% in January 2022.
The number of unemployed people continued to decrease to 620,700 in July 2022 compared to 630,600 in the preceding month, while the number of employed people in July 2022 continued to record a positive growth of 0.3% to 15.98 million people, he said.
"According to the economic sector, the number of people working in the service sector is increasing, especially in food and beverage service activities, wholesale and retail trade, administrative activities, and support services.
"Employment in the manufacturing and construction sectors also showed an increase, except for the agriculture and mining and quarrying sectors which recorded a decrease in employment," he said in a statement today. Mustapa said the position of the labour force in July 2022 also improved following a continuous increase in the number of workers by 0.2% month-on-month, recording 16.60 million people.
A higher labour force participation rate was recorded that month, of 69.6%, he said.
He said the achievement of a stronger labour market was supported by an improved economic position for the second quarter of 2022 with economic growth strengthening at 8.9%.
For the first half of 2022, the national economy grew by 6.9%.
"Increased economic and social activities that have returned to normal, especially following the opening of national borders since April 1, 2022, have had a positive impact on the country's labour market, creating more job and business opportunities.
"The labour market recovery momentum is also in line with the implementation of government initiatives under the leadership of the prime minister, such as the JaminKerja-Wage Incentive and the creation of a national employment portal, MyFutureJobs," he said.
Mustapa also said the government would continue its efforts to increase employment opportunities and improve the well-being of Malaysians.
He predicted that the labour market would continue to strengthen during the third quarter of the year with better business performance expected.
"The confidence indicator recorded 4.7% for the third quarter of 2022 compared to 3.5% in the second quarter.
"This shows that the economic situation is expected to be better in the third quarter of this year," he said.


Battle for Man United heats up as Sheikh Jassim, Ratcliffe submit second bids

The battle to buy Manchester United heated up on Wednesday as Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani returned with a second bid for the English giants.
British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe is also expected to make a second offer for the 20-time English champions.
Raine, the merchant bank brought in to assist the sale of the club, had set a deadline of 2100GMT on Wednesday for interested parties to declare their offer.
But Sky Sports reported that the deadline has been pushed back to allow proposals to be fine-tuned.
United's owners, the Glazer family, have reportedly set a world record £6 billion (RM32.72 billion) valuation for a sports club.
Sheikh Jassim's bid for 100% control of the club promises to wipe United's US$620 million debt and invest in a new stadium and training ground, in addition to backing for the men's and women's teams.
A source close to Sheikh Jassim's bid told AFP he remains confident his bid is "the best for the club, fans and local community."
Ineos chemical company founder Ratcliffe, a boyhood United fan, has been more circumspect in his assessment, insisting he will not pay a "stupid" price in bidding war for one of football's most iconic clubs.
"How do you decide the price of a painting? How do you decide the price of a house? It's not related to how much it cost to build or how much it cost to paint," Ratcliffe told the Wall Street Journal this week.
"What you don't want to do is pay stupid prices for things because then you regret it subsequently."
Ratcliffe, who wants the 69% stake owned by the Glazer family, said his interest in United would be "purely in winning things", calling the club a "community asset".
Deeply unpopular with supporters since they saddled the club with debt in a £790 million leveraged takeover in 2005, the Glazers appeared ready to cash out at an enormous profit when they invited external investment in November.
However, they could yet shun the option of selling a controlling stake in the club with other parties interested in a minority shareholding.
The initial offers from the first round of bidding last month were believed to have been worth around £4.5 billion.
That would surpass the Premier League record of £2.5 billion paid for Chelsea last year by a consortium led by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital, with a further £1.75 billion promised in investment in infrastructure and players.
Bidders are expected to hear from United next week, with another round of bidding still in play.
If one bid is vastly ahead of the others, it could be chosen to enter into a period of exclusivity, which would allow further negotiation ahead of a final sale.
Qatar eyes Premier League status
Ratcliffe visited Old Trafford last Friday along with Ineos representatives, a day after a delegation from Sheikh Jassim's group toured the club's stadium and training ground to hold more talks as part of their due diligence.
Just months after hosting the 2022 World Cup, a successful Qatari bid would give the Gulf state pride of place in the Premier League – the world's most-watched domestic competition.
But it would also be controversial.
Sheikh Jassim is the son of former Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, and his close links to the gulf state's ruling elite would raise questions over another Premier League club becoming a state-backed project.
Premier League champions Manchester City's fortunes have been transformed since a takeover from Sheikh Mansour, a member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family in 2008.
In 2021, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund bought a controlling stake in Newcastle.
Amnesty International have called on the Premier League to tighten ownership rules to ensure they are "not an opportunity for more sportswashing."
United, three-time European champions, haven't won the Premier League since legendary boss Alex Ferguson led them to a 20th English title in his final season before retiring in 2013.
But they are enjoying a renaissance under Erik ten Hag's management this season and ended a six-year trophy drought by lifting the League Cup last month.


Former Tata Sons chair Cyrus Mistry dies in road accident

Cyrus Mistry, the 54-year-old former chairman of Indian conglomerate Tata Sons, died in a road accident near financial capital Mumbai on Sunday, Indian police said.
Mistry was ousted as chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the US$300-billion salt-to-software Tata conglomerate, in a boardroom coup in 2016, sparking a long-drawn-out legal tussle on which India's top court eventually ruled in Tata Group's favour.
The accident took place in Palghar, located about 100km (62 miles) north of Mumbai, on Sunday afternoon. Mistry was travelling to Mumbai from Gujarat with three others, B Patil, the top police official in Palghar district, said.
A senior Mumbai police official said the car in which Mistry was travelling had rammed into a divider, and that he had died at the accident site.
Several prominent politicians and industrialists tweeted their condolences after news of Mistry's passing was reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Mistry's demise untimely and shocking.
"He was a promising business leader who believed in India's economic prowess. His passing away is a big loss to the world of commerce and industry," Modi tweeted.
Mistry's family and Tata Sons did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.
Tata Consultancy Services, in which Tata Sons owns a majority stake, said it was mourning the untimely demise of its former chairman, adding that the company was offering its "deepest condolences and prayers" to his family and friends.
"He was a warm, friendly, and congenial person who built a strong relationship with the TCS family during his time as the chairman of the company," TCS said in a statement.
Mistry was the sixth chairman of the Tata group, a conglomerate started over 150 years ago, and the second not named Tata. He was the brother-in-law of Noel Tata, half-brother of Mistry's predecessor as chair Ratan Tata.
Mistry's grandfather first bought shares in Tata Sons in the 1930s. The Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group, founded by Mistry's father, currently holds a near 18% stake, making it the largest single shareholder in a firm mostly controlled by trusts.
The decades-long relationship between SP Group, one of the country's largest construction firms, and Tata Group was strained following his sacking, and SP Group has since been looking to "separate its interests" from Tata Sons.
Fund managers Reuters spoke to at the time of Mistry's appointment described him as little-known in business circles.
A graduate in civil engineering from London's Imperial College and in management from the London Business School, Mistry described himself as a voracious reader of business books and golfer, and shared his family's love of horses.
SP Group did not immediately respond to Reuters requests seeking comment on Mistry's death.


Man who accused MACC of offering Wan Saiful RM10 million arrested

A research officer who allegedly accused the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) of offering RM10 million to former Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan was arrested yesterday.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said the man was arrested when he presented himself at the MACC headquarters at 3.30pm.
The man was arrested for interfering with MACC's investigation under Section 48 of the MACC Act 2009, Azam told a press conference here today.
The man allegedly posted a video on social media, accusing MACC of offering RM10 million to Wan Saiful to implicate former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin in wrongdoing.
Azam said although the man had apologised to MACC on his social media platform, he personally could not forgive him for damaging the agency’s reputation with wild allegations. "His statement has led to a lot of speculation about MACC. These allegations will remain there (online) and can't be removed. Many will still believe it," Azam said.
He added that MACC performed its duties professionally depending on the complaints and information received.
"We are not a tool for any political party. We carry out investigations based on the information available. There is no selective investigation or prosecution in this matter," he said.


See the good from Sheraton Move, PH supporters told

A frequent critic of the government has called on opposition supporters to “get down off their moral high horse” and count the positive effects of the abrupt change of government a year ago which saw Muhyiddin Yassin appointed as prime minister following the collapse of Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) administration.Wong Chin Huat, a political scientist at Sunway University’s Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia, said the positive aspects include Umno being forced to embrace free speech and democracy, subjects which the party had snubbed in the past.At the same time, he said the aftermath of the Sheraton Move – a series of meetings which set the stage for a new Malay-dominated government – had brought about a new era of coalition politics that are not cast in stone with parties willing to make compromises.“Let me be useful in showing you what is not often told – because the world is complex, (and) even a bad event like the Sheraton Move may have positive unintended consequences,” Wong wrote on Malaysiakini, adding that he was giving his views at the risk of being condemned by the portal’s loyal readers.He said opposition supporters should look at the “unintended and unexpected gains”, and not indulge in “despair or self-righteousness” by constantly mocking Muhyiddin’s administration as a “backdoor government”.Wong listed six “gains” for Malaysia in the wake of the so-called Sheraton Move in February 2020.At the top of the list is that warring Malay politicians in the current ruling bloc have dispelled the assumption that the previous PH government was unstable due to tensions between its Malay and non-Malay components.“But Umno, Bersatu and PAS are bickering every day like three brothers after the same love interest, the Malay voters. They are anything but united,” Wong said, giving an analogy for Muhyiddin’s government as as “rehab programme on our addiction of communalism”.“Maybe the prime minister is after all a ‘Malaysian First’ undercover,” said Wong, referring to a statement by Muhyiddin years ago that his race takes precedence over his Malaysian nationality.He said Umno now has “no choice” but to talk about moderation, parliamentary democracy, press freedom and rule of law.He said the voices of dissenting Umno politicians within the PN government are also a good development for the Malay party.Wong also said the failure of PH to treat the opposition fairly when it was in power had now come back to haunt the coalition.He said among others, the PH government had failed to give equal constituency allocations to opposition MPs.However, he said PH has now been demanding equal allocations in return for a “ceasefire” amid coup attempts by PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim and Dr Mahathir Mohamad.He said this could be seen in Perak, Johor and Perlis, where the Umno-led state governments granted better financial allocations for opposition-held constituencies.He said political parties are also willing now to make compromises on policies in order to ensure power-sharing in the absence of absolute majorities.“If party A proposes a tax rate of 10% and party B only 5%, both parties can claim victory to their constituency if they form a coalition government that settles for 7.5%,” he added.He said the next election may see different sets of alliances in different states.“GE15 may also produce different post-election coalition governments at the federal level and also across different states, thus decentralising even political parties.”


Other health risks arise for kids from poor families as Covid-19 shuts schools

A senior dietician from the health ministry has warned that the closure of schools nationwide at the start of the movement control order in March, and again early this month, could cut off much needed nutritious meals for children from the lower income bracket.The latest restrictions have seen tens of thousands of children from poor families in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya again cut off from the government’s Supplementary Food Programme (RMT), which provides a menu of nutritious meals to deserving students each day.Zaiton Daud, deputy director of the health ministry’s nutrition division, said the preparation of meals under the RMT was crucial to ensuring that students from poor families can be more alert during lessons, as many do not eat a proper meal before coming to school.She said the closure of schools means that many children in low-come households now depend on food with limited nutritional value at an age when they should have a balanced and fully nutritional diet.“Of course you can fill up by eating instant noodles every day, but there is no nutrition, only carbohydrate,” Zaiton told MalaysiaNow.Ridzoni Sulaiman, chief dietitian at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, lists out other complications that could arise in the absence of a balanced meal for children.He said a lack of nutritious intake not only affects a child’s mental development but also contributes to a stunt in physical and emotional growth while also affecting their thinking skills.Children who lack proper nutrition could also be at risk of developing cancer and see slower cognitive development due to a deficiency of docosahexaenoic acid, a type of Omega-3 fatty acid better known as DHA, Ridzoni told MalaysiaNow.The closure of schools means that many children in low-come households now depend on food with limited nutritional value at an age when they should have a balanced and fully nutritional diet.Food rich in Omega-3 includes fish, anchovies, spinach, egg and nuts.“All these make a balanced and healthy meal,” he added.“DHA helps in the development of cells for better neurotransmission to the brain. Omega-3 helps control the receptors in the brain. Deficiency will lead to stunted brain development and a lower IQ,” he said.The previous government proposed a Free Breakfast Programme which it said would benefit some 2.7 million children in government primary schools nationwide.However, the plan failed to take off after the finance ministry reportedly cited a lack of funds for the project, which according to one estimate was about RM1.7 billion.It is understood that a pilot phase of the programme had been implemented in select schools in the Klang Valley with sponsorship from the private sector.Under the present government, the RMT was allowed to continue in schools nationwide, until the interruptions due to school closures.‘Vicious cycle’In 2017, the United Nations Children’s Fund, or Unicef, and the World Health Organization said in a report that Malaysian children faced health problems such as obesity, stunted growth and anaemia, a condition caused by a lack of red blood cells in the body.The report put Malaysia above 40 other countries facing nutrition problems.The report also found that Kelantan had the most cases of children facing critical growth problems, followed by Putrajaya, the nation’s administrative capital.But health risks for children from low-income families are just some of the many other problems they face as schools are closed to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.Economist Madeline Berma said not only are lessons interrupted, they are also denied interaction with their peers – a critical socialisation process.Madeline, who is part of Putrajaya’s human rights commission Suhakam, urged authorities and NGOs to help ensure the continuous supply of healthy meals to families who are most vulnerable during the pandemic season.


Covid fatality 20 times higher for the unvaccinated, says health DG

Covid-19 fatality is 20 times higher among the unvaccinated population compared to the vaccinated population, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said today.In a Twitter post, he said the Covid-19 death trend in Malaysia continues to show a downward pattern with the wide vaccination coverage.“Our (health ministry) data shows deaths among non-vaccinated and partially vaccinated is 3,200 persons/mortality per one million population. Among the fully vaccinated, breakthrough death is only 160 persons/mortality per one million population.“Meanwhile in the boosted population (individuals who have received a booster dose), death is four persons/mortality per one million population,” he said.Noor Hisham said based on the national Covid-19 mortality data from Jan 1 to Dec 4, 2021, the highest announced total mortality was on Sept 11 with 592 cases.The highest announced brought-in-dead figure was on Sept 13 with 176 cases. The data was based on the number of mortality reports received daily, he said.Noor Hisham said so far in 2021 a total of 24,014 have died in hospitals with 6,046 brought-in-dead cases.


Why do Chinese schools get double the funds of Islamic schools, asks Umno Youth

Umno Youth has questioned the government's recent announcement that it is allocating RM15.7 million to Chinese independent schools nationwide, saying each of the 63 schools would receive double the amount allocated to religious institutions.
Urging the government to explain how it arrived at the amount, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh also called for Chinese schools facing financial problems to be absorbed into the national education system.
He compared the RM15.7 million allocation recently announced by DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke with the RM150 million for Islamic tahfiz and pondok schools announced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the PKR congress last month.
He said the 1,276 religious institutions registered with the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) would each receive RM117,500, compared to the RM250,000 that each Chinese independent school would get.
"What are the criteria for determining the amount for religious educational institutions and private Chinese secondary schools?
"If it is based on the number of schools, Umno Youth urges the government to revise the average allocation rate for Chinese independent schools to standardise it with the allocation for religious educational institutions, and the balance should be given to national secondary schools that are for all races and based on the national syllabus," he said.
Akmal said if Chinese independent schools lacked funds, they should be absorbed into the national stream.
"I believe there are more national schools which are poor and in need of financial assistance than Chinese independent schools, which we all know are funded by the private sector without the need for government support," he added.


Nothing wrong with being ambitious, Khairy says on PM hopes

Khairy Jamaluddin today answered critics of his recent announcement that he wished to be prime minister one day, saying there was nothing wrong with being ambitious.
"There's nothing wrong with anyone having ambitions," he said at a press conference in Cyberjaya.
"I only signalled my desire to serve the country and the people.
"If given the opportunity, I would like to serve the country one day."
Khairy, Barisan Nasional's candidate in Sungai Buloh, had said at an election event this week that he wanted to lead Umno one day and to become the prime minister.
His announcement was compared by some to the ambition of Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim, who has been gunning for the top post for some two decades.
Khairy was fielded in Sungai Buloh to make way for Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan to contest his seat instead.
He had held the Rembau seat for three terms before being sent to contest in Sungai Buloh.
Khairy is seen as one of several Umno leaders opposed to their president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
In 2018, he stood against Zahid in the race for the Umno presidency. He lost to Zahid with 61 out of 191 divisional votes, but beat veteran leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who came in last.


Daily caseload at 2,100 as death toll up by 4

Another 2,144 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,780,284.
There were 2,549 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,712,915.
There are now 31,159 active cases, of which 29,784 or 95.6% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 15 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 1,288 (4.1%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 72 are in ICU with 50 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 63.5%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 19.3%.
Another four deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,210.


PN ready for 3-way fights in Melaka

Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin today said the coalition is ready to face three-cornered fights in the upcoming election in Melaka, adding that it can no longer wait for other parties to decide on cooperation in the state polls.Speaking at a press conference, he said the question was whether other parties were prepared or not, adding that PN had already begun planning.“Time is short,” he said. “The dates for nomination and voting have already been announced.“For PN as a coalition, this to me is important and we cannot delay. If there is no clear signal, we will proceed according to the decision made by PN.”He said Bersatu, PAS and Gerakan had also agreed that they were ready to face three-way fights if necessary.Muhyiddin’s announcement comes amid questions on Barisan Nasional’s stand, especially that of Umno regarding its strategy for the election.MalaysiaNow reported yesterday that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was having trouble convincing party leaders in Melaka to go solo in the election slated for Nov 20.At least 70% of the party’s state committee members had spoken out against Zahid’s recent announcement that Umno would contest the election singlehandedly without PAS and PN.Earlier today, though, Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan said the party had yet to decide whether to go solo or to work with other parties in the polls.He said Umno would wait for a decision by the Supreme Council.The Melaka state assembly was dissolved on Oct 4 after Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali lost the support of the majority following the move by four representatives to withdraw their backing for him.The four were former chief minister Idris Haron (Sungai Udang), Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor), Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu) and Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas).


Iran rejects US nuclear deal before it’s even offered

Iran has rejected US President Joe Biden’s reported compromise proposal for a partial nuclear deal before he has even offered it.Politico reported on Monday that Biden was preparing to offer Iran partial relief from sanctions in exchange for a partial suspension of nuclear activity.Biden administration officials planned to put forward a new proposal to jump-start the talks with Tehran as soon as this week, two people familiar with the situation told Politico.The proposal asks Iran to halt some of its nuclear activities, such as work on advanced centrifuges and the enrichment of uranium to 20% purity, in exchange for some relief from US economic sanctions, said one source, who stressed that the details are still being worked out.However, the Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday that Tehran has already ruled out Biden’s proposal, saying it will not stop its 20% uranium enrichment before the US lifts all sanctions, Iranian state TV quoted an unnamed official as saying.The Iranian rejection was the third time the Islamic republic had turned down a US offer to open talks about a new nuclear deal and the continuation of international sanctions against the regime.The Biden administration has been seeking to engage Iran in talks about both sides resuming compliance with the deal which would make it harder for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.Earlier this year, Washington suggested that it would give Iran access to a small amount of its billions of dollars in frozen assets in exchange for Tehran stopping its 20% enrichment of uranium, one source confirmed.Tehran refused what it saw as an unequal offer. It suggested that it would halt uranium enrichment for a month in exchange for Washington lifting all its sanctions.The American side saw that as just a cheeky rather than a real counterproposal, the source said.


Messi to leave PSG at end of season after two years at the club

Lionel Messi will leave Paris St Germain at the end of season after two years at the Ligue 1 club, Paris St Germain said on Saturday.
PSG host Clermont in the final round of Ligue 1 later on Saturday.
"After two seasons in the French capital, Leo Messi’s adventure with Paris St Germain will come to an end at the conclusion of the 2022–23 campaign," PSG said in a statement.
Messi's future at PSG had been the subject of much speculation recently, with a source close to the Argentina captain telling Reuters that he had received a formal offer to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal next season.
He has also been linked in the media with a move back to boyhood club Barcelona, with the US' Major League Soccer club Inter Miami also being touted as a possible destination.
"I would like to thank Leo Messi for his two seasons in Paris. To see a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner in the Rouge & Bleu and at Parc des Princes, winning back-to-back Ligue 1 titles and inspiring our younger players has been a pleasure," PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi said in the club's statement.
"His contribution to Paris Saint-Germain and Ligue 1 cannot be understated and we wish Leo and his family all the best for the future."
While he has 21 goals and 20 assists for PSG in all competitions this season, Messi failed to have a big impact at PSG and in his two seasons at the club, could not help them go past the last 16 in the Champions League.


Nepal reports first ‘black fungus’ death

Nepal has reported its first death from mucormycosis or “black fungus”, the highly deadly infection affecting thousands of coronavirus patients in neighbouring India.Health ministry spokesman Krishna Prasad Poudel told AFP that there are now at least 10 cases in Nepal, which like India has been hit by a huge Covid-19 surge.The 65-year-old man who died was being treated at the ICU at a hospital in western Nepal after being diagnosed with temporal lobe encephalitis.“He died on June 3… after a nasal swab test showed fungal hyphae and a biopsy test of nose and lips showed mucor,” said a statement by the Seti Provincial Hospital on Thursday.The man had however tested negative for coronavirus, the hospital said.Previously very rare, mucormycosis is highly aggressive and surgeons sometimes have to remove patients’ eyes, nose and jaw to stop it reaching the brain. The death rate is over 50%.Thousands in India have caught the fungus in recent weeks in a wave of infections blamed on excessive use of steroids to treat the country’s millions of Covid patients.Nepal began recording a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in early April that peaked in mid-May at more than 9,000 infections a day. The daily rises have declined slightly but the healthcare system remains under pressure.Over 7,000 people have died since the pandemic began.Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has appealed to the international community to supply vaccines to help fight the pandemic.


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Ku Nan holds son’s wedding at grand entrance of apex court

Eyebrows have been raised after authorities in Putrajaya allowed a private function to be held right at the grand entrance of the Palace of Justice, the complex housing the Federal Court and Court of Appeal.MalaysiaNow has learnt that Putrajaya Corporation, the local authority in charge of the admistrative capital, granted permission to former federal territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to hold the wedding of his son.This comes just two weeks after Tengku Adnan, the Putrajaya MP, was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the High Court over a bribery case involving RM1 million.The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had said that the politician was not yet off the hook, adding that it would re-submit investigation papers to the attorney-general after following up on a new development in the case.Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.A wedding invitation card sighted by MalaysiaNow reminded guests not to alight from their vehicles, as it is a “drive-thru” wedding.It is also learnt that guests have been reminded to remain in their vehicles, with no pedestrian entrance.The format is in keeping with the health ministry’s strict SOPs on social distancing, as Putrajaya is still under conditional movement control order or CMCO.A source told MalaysiaNow that permission was granted to Tengku Adnan as he is the MP of Putrajaya, and following assurance that SOPs would be followed.MalaysiaNow is awaiting a response from Putrajaya Corporation.


The effect of OPR hikes on small businesses

Malaysia recorded an 8.9% increase in GDP during the second quarter of the year, up from 5.0% in the previous quarter – among the highest rates in the region and a spot of good news for the country which is still working its way back from its Covid-related losses.
Overall, the economy grew 6.9% in the first six months of 2022.
But despite the encouraging numbers, SMEs throughout the country are still fighting for survival with poor sales even as pandemic restrictions are eased.
Mohamad Jamalee Bashah, for example, runs a local publishing company. His sales have dropped by 50% since December last year – a situation which he attributes to several factors.
"Some economists say there will be a major recession in 2023, causing consumers to put aside more for savings," he said.
"Job security has also been on the decline, which is another reason why people are trying to save more."
While SMEs involved in industries such as the supply of food and raw goods are doing well in terms of sales, he said, those that focus on non-essential products have been badly affected.
"Prices have also increased due to operating problems and the dramatic increase in production costs," he said.
And with Malaysians chafing at the bit from more than two years of border closures, he added, many consumers prefer to spend their money on tours and vacations now that restrictions have been lifted.
Bank Negara Malaysia has already raised the overnight policy rate (OPR) several times since lowering it by 124 basis points from 3% to 1.75% during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In May, it announced an increase of 25 basis points to 2%, which was raised again to 2.25% in July.
On Sept 8, it increased the OPR by a further 25 basis points to 2.5%.
With more OPR hikes expected to come, the central bank has defended its move as a bid to control Malaysia's inflation rate by reducing the flow of money in the market.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, though, Jamalee said this reasoning was open to debate.
He said the inflation rate had risen to 4.4% even with the OPR hikes.
"There is more demand than supply right now because the price of goods has gone up," he said.
"Raising the OPR does not help to reduce operating costs or supply problems. It only reduces the purchasing power of consumers."
Mohamad Abdullah from the Federal Territory Malay Hawkers and Petty Traders Association meanwhile said the impact from the increase in OPR was minimal for small-time hawkers who had no loans.
"Vendors, especially those who sell food and basic goods, will continue to receive customers," he added.
"Any impact will likely be felt by those involved in the sale of goods from the factories."
From his point of view, while the OPR hikes have reduced Malaysians' purchasing power and forced them to spend more thriftily, many continue to shop – just at less expensive places.
"The shopping centres and supermarkets frequented by those in the middle class will feel the effects," he said.
"But those in the lower income bracket will just switch to buying things from the night market, or from hawkers."
Mohamad also said he had noticed an increase in demand for licences, food trucks and trading spots which he said showed that more people were venturing into micro businesses.
Jamalee meanwhile said that aside from giving financial assistance, the government should encourage consumers to spend.
"When the government itself shows signs of saving and reducing allocations for its agencies, the cash flow will decrease because the vendors will, in turn, cut down on their projects.
"This has a big influence on consumer spending."


US combat forces to leave Iraq by end of year

President Joe Biden has announced that US combat forces will leave Iraq by the end of 2021, 18 years after US-led forces invaded the country to overthrow president Saddam Hussein and eliminate weapons of mass destruction that have still not been found.The announcement came after Biden held talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House.The move is being seen as an attempt to help the Iraqi PM and signals an official change in the US role in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.Political parties aligned to Iran have demanded the withdrawal of all forces from the US-led global coalition against IS, despite the continuing threat posed by the Sunni jihadist group.Iran-backed Shia militias have meanwhile been accused by the US of carrying out hundreds of rocket, mortar and drone attacks on Iraqi military bases that host coalition forces in an apparent attempt to pressure them to leave.For the US president, the announcement marks the end of another war that began under former president George W Bush. This year US troops will also finally leave Afghanistan after 20 years.Speaking at the White House, Biden told his Iraqi counterpart “our counter-terrorism cooperation will continue even as we shift to this new phase.”Kadhimi responded: “Today our relationship is stronger than ever. Our cooperation is for the economy, the environment, health, education, culture and more.” He has insisted no foreign combat troops are needed in Iraq.“Our role in Iraq will be dealing with being available to continue to train, to assist, to help and deal with IS as it arrives,” Biden said. “But we’re not going to be, by the end of the year, in a combat mission.”White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that when the US began the dialogue with Iraqi leaders, there were about 9,000 troops there.“We are now at about 2,500 US forces in Iraq,” she said. “We are there, of course, at Iraq’s invitation to improve the capacity of Iraqi Security Forces and help them in the fight against IS.”It’s unclear how many members of the US military will remain in Iraq and whether some military members currently in combat roles will shift to the new strategic roles.“The numbers will be driven by what is needed for the mission over time,” Psaki said. “It is more about moving to a more advising and training capacity from what we have had over the last several years – that is what the Iraqi leadership have conveyed they want to see on the ground.”The Hill points out that the distinction between “combat” troops and “noncombat” troops is muddy, as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin appeared to acknowledge over the weekend.“All of our troops are capable of doing multiple things. And certainly, we task our combat troops with training, advising and assisting,” Austin told reporters travelling with him in Alaska on Saturday when asked whether there are any US combat troops in Iraq.“And so I think trying to make that distinction is very difficult,” he said.


Is he a 'lame duck PM', asks Bersatu leader after minister claims Anwar has no say in Cabinet line-up

A Bersatu leader has asked if Anwar Ibrahim is a "lame duck PM" after newly appointed communications minister Fahmi Fadzil claimed the prime minister does not have the final say on who makes up his Cabinet, following public outrage over the inclusion of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as well as another defeated candidate from the party.
"For the first time in our history, the prime minister is not taking responsibility for the composition of his Cabinet. Do we then have a head of government or is this a government without an effective premier?" asked Shah Alam Bersatu's deputy chief Dr Afif Bahardin.
Fahmi had earlier responded to Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin, who said the Cabinet composition showed Anwar had sold the country’s honour in exchange for the position of prime minister.
Muhyiddin said the inclusion of Zahid, who is facing scores of corruption charges involving millions of ringgit in bribes, made Anwar's ministerial line-up a "Cabinet of kleptocrats", adding that it had "no legitimacy to function as the highest executive body of the country".
This came in the wake of outrage on social media over Zahid's appointment as well as moves contradicting earlier promises by Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Anwar, including not to have the prime minister controlling the finance portfolio, and a pledge by the coalition's chairman not to appoint Tengku Zafrul Aziz to the Cabinet.
In an attempt to douse criticism, Fahmi said the ministers named by Anwar on Friday were not his choice as the current administration is not a PH government, adding that the Cabinet line-up was decided by the various coalitions.
Afif said Fahmi's statement was a "stunning admission of the weakness of Anwar Ibrahim’s new government".
"If Anwar is too weak and helpless to even keep kleptocrats out of his Cabinet, how can his government bring meaningful change or reform for the people?
"More importantly, whose government is it? Who calls the shots or makes the decisions in this government? Is it Anwar or Zahid who faces 47 corruption charges?" he asked.
Afif said Fahmi not only failed to justify the appointment of Zahid, but also "pushed the blame to Umno".
"This is nothing short of an open admission by Fahmi and the new government that Zahid’s appointment was wrong, immoral and indefensible," he added.
Afif also slammed what he called a "desperate" attempt by Fahmi to invoke a "unity government" in justifying the composition of the Cabinet.
"Fahmi and other BN-PH government members must stop repeating the lie that we have a unity government in Malaysia. This new government is not a unity government.
"In a 'unity government' all the political parties must be represented. Here, PN with 73 MPs is not represented in the Cabinet or government.
"Hence, the Anwar administration is a coalition government, and not a unity government."
Anwar has insisted that his administration is a "unity government", although the phrase was not included in the official statement by Istana Negara on Nov 24 naming him as the 10th prime minister.
PN, made up chiefly of Bersatu and PAS, had declined an offer by Anwar to join his government, with the coalition saying it would not work with scandal-tainted Umno leaders or DAP.


US CDC backs use of redesigned Omicron Covid boosters

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday recommended the use of redesigned Covid-19 booster shots for people aged 12 years and older to target the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants of the coronavirus.
The green light for the use of redesigned Omicron Covid boosters will enable millions of the retooled shots to roll out by the end of the weekend as part of a nationwide revaccination campaign.
The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted 13-to-1 in favor of the updated boosters by Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna.
"The updated Covid-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating Covid-19 variant", CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration authorised the updated vaccinations, often called bivalent shots, that target the dominant BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants as well as the original virus.
FDA officials said on Wednesday they believe the updated shots should be available to a broader population than the previous boosters, as they may help younger people avoid long Covid, which can leave them suffering debilitating symptoms for months.
The FDA authorised the Pfizer/BioNTech shots for people aged 12 and older and the Moderna booster for those 18 and over, if they have received a primary vaccine series or a booster at least two months before. The previously authorised monovalent vaccine will no longer be available as a booster shot for those age groups.
Pfizer said on Thursday it hopes to ask the FDA for authorisation in five- to 11-year-olds in early October.
CDC and FDA officials have said they believe the shots will boost immunity against the virus ahead of the winter season, when infections tend to rise as people spend more time indoors, where the virus is more easily transmitted.
Second boosters are now restricted largely to people over age 50 and those who are immunocompromised or at high risk.
During Thursday's meeting, CDC officials suggested people who have had Covid should wait at least until they have completed their isolation to receive a booster and may consider waiting three months.
Vaccine makers have yet to complete human trials for the newly authorised boosters, and some advisory committee members expressed reservations over a lack of data. Most of the available data on the redesigned boosters comes from lab and animal studies.
"I understand we need better vaccines because obviously we're still having a lot of Covid despite vaccination," said committee member Dr. Pablo Sanchez, a professor of pediatrics at Ohio State University, who voted against the recommendation. "But I'm struggling with making a recommendation for a bivalent vaccine that has not been studied in humans."
The FDA in June said it would not require studies testing the shots in humans for authorisation, similar to how annual changes to flu vaccines are cleared.


It’s a cultural event, go see for yourself, Selangor sultan tells minister, Jais on Bon Odori

Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today said that the Bon Odori festival, celebrated in Malaysia for decades, was a cultural event that fosters goodwill between Malaysians and the Japanese community working and residing in the country.He said while any form of culture practised by a community would be linked to religion, with the passing of time, they would no longer highlight religious elements.“The Bon Odori celebration in Malaysia is more of a cultural festival that showcases Japanese traditions, mainly their folk dance, beating of the drums, lanterns, traditional costumes and food, and other produce.“It is also promoted as a special day to bring family members together and friends who have not met in a long time,” he said in a Facebook post today.Sultan Sharafuddin said the Bon Odori festival became popularised when Japanese companies invested and opened up manufacturing plants in Selangor, adding that it had become a platform to introduce traditional Japanese forms of entertainment.The sultan said he himself had attended the festival in 2016, accompanied by the then Japanese ambassador to Malaysia. From his observation, he said, it was not a religious event or ritual which could cause the religious beliefs of local attendees to deviate.He also commanded the Selangor Islamic Religious Department and representatives of the Shah Alam City Council to attend the festival to get the actual picture and ensure that it does not affect the religious faith of Muslims.He said he did not want certain parties, especially politicians, to use issues that touch on religious sensitivities to serve their personal agendas and to gain popularity.Sultan Sharafuddin also urged them not to label things negatively without prior study, and said they need to be fair in making public statements that could affect harmony within the community.The sultan also suggested that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Idris Ahmad attend the Bon Odori festival on July 16 at the National Sports Complex in Shah Alam to understand the difference between a religious and a cultural event.He said he did not want the minister to use the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) platform to make confusing and inaccurate statements which could tarnish its image and reputation.


In Indonesia, drone deliveries provide lifeline for isolating Covid-19 patients

A group of drone enthusiasts in Indonesia are using their aerial skills to help during the pandemic by providing a contactless medicine and food delivery service to Covid-19 patients isolating at home.Armed with five drones, the seven-member team has been working around the clock in Makassar, the capital of the South Sulawesi province, since early July to provide deliveries.Hartati, who along with her family, has been self-isolating since she tested positive for Covid-19 in mid-August, welcomed the innovative service.“I think the medicine received from a drone is more sterile,” said the 50-year-old housewife, who uses one name, noting how the system avoided the need for any direct contact when receiving goods.The family of four is living in an area where up to 80% of residents are Covid-19 positive, according to data from Makassar’s coronavirus task force. Indonesia is one of the countries worst affected by the pandemic in Asia.The “Makassar Recover Drone Medic” team is working with the local coronavirus task force to deliver medicine at least five times a day, said its founder and coordinator Muhammad Dasysyara Dahyar. During the peak of the latest outbreak in July, they made up to 25 rounds of deliveries in one day.Mobility restrictions remain in place in many Indonesian cities, including Makassar, in a bid to contain a devastating wave of Covid-19 infections driven by the Delta variant.Indonesia has reported more than four million cases and 131,000 fatalities since the pandemic started.Makassar’s mayor Mohammad Ramdhan Pomato said authorities planned to expand the use of drones to nearby islands and also provide deliveries to around 800 people staying in isolation in a ship docked off Makassar. “The range of (each) drone is around 7km, so it is possible to reach the islands,” said Pomato.The drones also help monitor traffic and the movement of people in the city and pinpoint areas to target with Covid-19 tests.“This mission is a matter of pride. It’s not every day that we are needed and participate in disaster management to tackle the spread of Covid-19,” said the drone team’s founder Dahyar.


Rise in e-commerce fraud with RM57.73 million losses this year

A total of 8,162 cases of e-commerce fraud with losses amounting to RM57.73 million had been reported nationwide this year as of Oct 31.Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) investigating officer ASP Mohd Sa’adon Sabirin said reported e-commerce fraud has continued to increase as in 2018, only 3,318 cases were logged involving losses of RM22.39 million.“The situation worsened in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, where 5,848 cases of e-commerce fraud were reported as more people started making purchases online.“These statistics involve those who are cheated and file reports, but I believe that out there, there are still those who do not lodge police reports,” he said during a webinar session on e-commerce fraud organised by Bank Negara Malaysia last night.Sa’adon said the total losses recorded under e-commerce fraud from 2018 until October this year was RM149 million.He urged victims of e-commerce scams to lodge police reports to enable the collection of information and data related to the scammers for further action.He said information such as telephone numbers and bank accounts received from fraud victim reports would be updated in the “Check Mule” application to enable the public to check on a seller’s information before making a transaction.Meanwhile, Penang Companies Commission of Malaysia director Sazuree Shuib advised e-commerce merchants to register their businesses under SSM BizTrust, a platform developed to protect consumers and curb fraudulent activities by merchants offering products or services online.He said as of Oct 31 this year, a total of 625,000 businesses had been registered under SSM BizTrust, but only 43,000 businesses are still active.He said the free promotion for registering with Biz Trust is still available until Dec 31 for those conducting online trading.


Bad teachers

We have probably all had our fair share of bad teachers. Some berated us for mistakes and traumatised us in front of the whole class; some marked us for a momentary weakness or an ideological difference, making hell out of life in school. In my case, one threw out my books and bag because I could not name the Arabic third person pronouns for the word “kitab”.Our experiences and definitions of bad educators will differ, but we know them as bad educators for the way they made us add the word “bad” in describing them. We will never be out of the woods on the tragic tales of bad teachers as we are not meant to. They will continue to exist and to stain our perception of the classroom. So it would be futile for me to write this piece with the intention of clearing their image.But out of these bad experiences arise individuals who raise the flag of hope over destroyed reputations and lost respect.Mai can still remember the name of the ustazah who gave her unjustifiably low marks in her exams and badmouthed her to the school’s muslimah posse because of ideological differences. These experiences became the reason for Mai not to do the same.Zam, on the other hand, was blessed with a nurturing school environment. He never had to experience bad teachers as others did. But he was keen on exploring the experiences of others.Both are my classmates, and future educators. They were stirred to restore the trust in educators by the experience of neglect and violation of respect.“Imagine a dirty river,” said Zam. “We can try to clean it, but it will still turn out dirty. The same goes for the system we are in. It will be difficult for us to fix it, not to mention the amount of time we will have to dedicate to it.“But there is a need for it.”He also knows that he will not be able to bring about change on his own. But there is no need for him to do it alone as his desire for change is shared by many other future educators.Mai highlights the human aspects of being an educator. When educators are understood as someone like us, it becomes easier for us to understand their vulnerability and the weaknesses they may project. Bad educators are made to uphold their reputation, even with the insecurities they may have about their capabilities. Some learn and grow from their mistakes, but some fail and spiral into a being they may have had no intention of becoming.All the more reason for them as future educators to become better than their predecessors. There is no need for them to beg the people they may teach to understand their personal weaknesses because they are building a way for them to manoeuvre their universal weaknesses as human beings from their own might.Apart from their willingness to understand the reasoning behind the behaviour of bad educators, they are adamant on not compromising the livelihood of the students they will have to face when the time calls for them to contribute.Their careers will be a constant teaching moment. The upcoming environment will be volatile and different from the classrooms in which they are readying themselves. For the sake of those who will depend on them, they are willing to reflect on their own doings and to learn in an endless journey of growing.For those who have been hurt by bad educators, no apology will ever be enough to unhurt you. But from the classroom injustices that occurred will come a drive to correct these and to change the way we allowed problems to settle and muddy the pedagogy. A new line-up of teachers will be readied and positioned at the classroom doors, and as they enter and face the tumultuous climate of learning and teaching, hope for this tarnished reputation will be renewed.For parents who read this with the fear of bad educators scarring their children, just as they themselves were scarred, fret not. Future educators will be there to take away the fear you have and restore the confidence you set over your hope for your children. Love and care will be the guaranteed classroom exchange.There will be outliers who might not live up to their potential as educators, but as long as there are teachers who strive to live up to their own hopes for themselves, there is still something worth cherishing: a title, reputation and service.And for future educators, while your reasons for entering this field may vary, the hope of your outcome is universal.


Malaysia outperforming developed countries in terms of daily vaccination rate

Based on a rolling seven-day average of vaccine doses administered per 100 people, Malaysia is currently outperforming the global rate and doing better than other developed countries, data from Our World in Data shows.As of Aug 1, Malaysia was administering 1.6 doses per 100 people, ahead of neighbouring Singapore (1.09, July 31), Japan (0.74) and South Korea (0.78, July 31).It was also ahead of the global average (0.51).Western countries UK and US, meanwhile, had averages of 0.31 (July 31) and 0.20 respectively.Canada meanwhile was administering 0.73 doses of Covid-19 vaccine per 100 people.Malaysia’s daily vaccination rate has been averaging about half a million doses, with 22% of the population fully vaccinated as of Aug 2.At least 21,668,999 vaccine doses have been administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation programme since its launch on Feb 24, with the government aiming to fully vaccinate 50% of the adult population by the end of the month and 100% by October.Some 31% of adults have completed both doses of vaccine while 62% have received a first shot.Malaysia is considered a late starter compared to developed countries which began their vaccination drives much earlier.Singapore began its immunisation campaign on Dec 30, 2020 while the US and Canada administered their first shots of vaccine on Dec 14.The UK began even earlier, on Dec 8.


66.6% of adults boosted, 37.1% of children given first jab

A total of 15,668,773 individuals or 66.6% of the adult population had received a Covid-19 booster dose as of yesterday.According to the CovidNow website, a total of 22,950,073 individuals or 97.5% of adults have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 while 23,226,244 or 98.7% have received at least one dose.A total of 2,849,642 teenagers or 91.6% of those aged 12 to 17 have completed their vaccination while 2,946,672 or 94.7% have received at least one dose of vaccine.As for children aged five to 11, a total of 1,315,497 or 37.1% have received a first dose of vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids).Yesterday, a total of 41,287 vaccine doses were dispensed with 4,360 as first doses, 1,684 as second shots and 35,243 as booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) to 68,745,333.


1,360 new cases with Selangor, Sarawak in lead

Another 1,360 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 338,168.Selangor recorded 356 cases followed by Sarawak (308), Johor (129) and Penang (113).Kuala Lumpur recorded 98 cases, Perak 71, Sabah 70, Kelantan 63, Negeri Sembilan 49, Kedah 44, Melaka 32, Pahang 10, Putrajaya eight, Terengganu six and Labuan three.Active cases stand at 14,504 with 157 in the ICU and 72 in need of respiratory assistance.Eight new clusters were detected:1. Persiaran Maktab (Klang, Hulu Langat and Gombak in Selangor; 45 screened, seven positive)2. Bandar Sri (Cheras in Kuala Lumpur; 46 screened, 12 positive)3. Tenegang (Kinabatangan in Sabah; 176 screened, 20 positive)4. Paloh Rambai (Kota Bharu and Bachok in Kelantan; 347 screened, 20 positive)5. Perusahaan LPK (Kuala Muda in Kedah; 847 screened, 41 positive)6. Merinding (Labuan; 1,010 screened, five positive)7. Putra Satu (Putrajaya, Sepang in Selangor and Seremban in Negeri Sembilan; 45 screened, nine positive)8. Siasai Tamu (Kota Belud in Sabah; 162 screened, 11 positive)Nine others ended, leaving 394 active clusters across the country.Another 1,491 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 322,416.However, two more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,248.


Anwar's Zahid dilemma: Between a liability and a critical ally for power

The string of political appointments at government agencies of Umno members loyal to their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is set to raise more questions on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's commitment to reforms, analysts say.
They said the appointments, which saw critical government-linked bodies such as Risda, Mara and Felcra helmed by Umno politicians, have only confirmed worries that Zahid and his party will become a liability to Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Anwar, who had used the "reformasi" brand over the last two decades in his bid for the top office.
Within the past month, Zahid announced Wanita Umno chief Noraini Ahmad as chairman of the Rubber Industry Smallholder Development Authority or Risda; former Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki as chairman of Majlis Amanah Rakyat or Mara; and Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub as chairman of Felcra.
Former minister Hasan Malek was meanwhile announced as a Mara councillor while former Baling MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim replaced Jamil Khir Baharom as chairman of the Kedah Regional Development Board.
The announcements came against a backdrop of other issues including the change of leadership in Melaka, the attempt to topple the Sabah chief minister, and Zahid's successful recovery of his passport despite still facing a slew of criminal charges in court.
Academic Jeniri Amir said the appointments announced by Zahid were tantamount to a breach of the government's promise not to appoint politicians to positions that could be linked to the administration.
He also warned of possible negative effects on agencies led by politicians who lack track records or who were defeated at elections.
"This will become a liability and a burden on the government," Jeniri, a senior fellow at the National Council of Professors, said.
"Chairmen and board members need to fulfil certain criteria – they need to be qualified, and persons of ability and integrity.
"Political support should never be part of the equation in appointments to government agencies or departments."
Jeniri also questioned if Anwar himself had agreed to the appointments announced by Zahid, given that they went against the values he had fought for during his time as the opposition leader.
If the appointments were made without Anwar's knowledge, he said, this too would give the impression that Zahid held absolute power to appoint politicians within his ministry.
"Such power in the hands of certain leaders to appoint their own people will add to the government's burden and make it difficult for the top leadership, giving rise to public controversies," he said.
Analyst Azmil Tayeb meanwhile said that Zahid was free to continue making such appointments, betting on the continued backing of PH supporters who would have no choice barring a shift in loyalties to Perikatan Nasional.
"The appointments also appear to be part of efforts to strengthen Zahid's position as Umno president, and to attract the support of his members for Anwar's government in the name of stability.
"Perhaps the strategy at the moment is to let Zahid fortify his position in Umno and to give him the freedom to do whatever he wants, including to make political appointments in order to boost his support," Azmil, of Universiti Sains Malaysia, added.
While PH could form the government without Umno, he said, the support of the Malay party was still important.
"PH needs a comfortable position in Parliament because the Borneo blocs are not fixed in their stance," he said.
"They could shift to PN at any time. Without Umno, there is a greater risk of the PH government collapsing."
Azmil said the only way for Anwar to regain public trust at the moment was to tackle the cost of living issue.
"But this will not be easy as many factors are involved," he added.


Sarawak's keringkam weavers keep golden tradition alive

The sun has barely sent its first rays over the horizon but in Puncak Borneo, Sarawak, Ros Salleh is already hard at work.
Sitting in her living room, she carefully counts out a precious handful of gold-plated threads which she uses to embroider a design into the cloth stretched over a wooden frame before her.
Ros is one of a handful of keringkam weavers in Sarawak, and spends long hours every day working on the traditional Malay headscarves.
A single piece of keringkam with its intricate embroidery can cost up to tens of thousands of ringgit, although the ones Ros makes are of a more affordable calibre, valued at about RM2,000.
The price depends on the complexity of the design, the quality of the thread used, and the size of the headscarf.
"The bigger the size, the higher the price will be," Ros said in a recent interview with MalaysiaNow.
Originally, keringkam was woven with high quality gold thread which ensured that the colour of the embroidery would last.

These days, just one skein of gold thread costs RM200.

A good keringkam can keep its quality for anywhere from 15 to 20 years. But producing one requires extensive skill and a lot of time.
The scarves that Ros makes take about two months each to complete.
"It's not easy as it takes a long time and a lot of patience and skills, especially in terms of the embroidery," she said.
"Each stitch needs to be made very carefully so that the gold-plated thread does not break, and the pattern is neatly arranged.
"Each strand of thread must also be counted to ensure that the motifs are balanced, otherwise the embroidery will not look good and the quality will drop."
Like most other keringkam weavers, Ros prefers to use thread imported from Turkey and India which are of better quality.
Every two months, she makes the 55km trip to Kuching to collect her orders at the Songket and Keringkam Gallery in Jalan Masjid.
Lately, though, deliveries have been slow and Ros has been forced to wait several weeks before new stock arrives.
And as with most other things, when supply dips, prices rise.
One roll of high quality gold thread used to cost about RM90. These days, a single reel can cost as much as RM200.
To make one keringkam requires at least 30 spools of gold thread.
Esmanani Jawari, a keringkam instructor, said prices were high as the materials needed were not widely available in the country.
"The thread is not available in Kuching, or in any other part of the country," she said.
"That is why we have to import it from other countries."

In the whole of Sarawak, there is only one fabric shop that sells the materials needed for keringkam: Salih Ahmad in India Street.
There, bundles of gold thread are imported from India and sold to keringkam weavers.
Shajahan Sayed Ahmad who runs the shop said it had been bringing in the precious commodity for the past seven decades.
He has noticed little if any disruptions to the delivery of fabric and materials to his shop. For him, the problem is the other way around.
"These past six months, the number of keringkam weavers coming to my shop has been significantly smaller," he said.
"Even my regular customers, the old weavers, I seldom see anymore."


Thailand nervous over neighbours’ rising Covid-19 numbers

Thailand is keeping a close watch on Myanmar towns near the Thai border after authorities in the capital city Naypyidaw reported 592 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, the Bangkok Post is reporting.The deteriorating situation has prompted the Myanmar government to lock down the largest city, Yangon, shutting schools and factories and ordering office workers to work from home.The Thai Department of Disease Control (DDC) said the coronavirus disease situation in Myanmar is a great concern, so business operators should stop hiring workers from there to help prevent a second wave of Covid-19 infections in Thailand.DDC director-general Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai said the increasing number of patients infected with Covid-19 in Myanmar appears to be following a similar trend in India where new cases have reached 100,000 every day.India and Myanmar share a common border which is not secure, so Thai public health and security officers are monitoring the situation closely.Suwannachai said, “Various agencies have been working together to prevent people from sneaking into Thailand illegally. Public health officers are scanning border areas.”He warned that tough legal action will be taken against those found to be involved in people-smuggling gangs.He also said Covid-19 infection numbers in Thailand’s other neighbours are being monitored.There is special concern over Malaysia where, he said, the number of new patients is climbing rapidly.


What #KerajaanGagal really means

Recently, Malaysian social media users were deluged with the #KerajaanGagal hashtag. “Kerajaan gagal” literally means a “failed government” in Malay.What does the hashtag mean and why did it trend? The popular narrative is that it’s a reflection of the pent-up feelings among Malaysians over the government’s failure to manage the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as its knock-on effect on the economy, especially when it comes to jobs and weak market sentiment.As for the timing, it coincided with a statement by Health Minister Dr Adham Baba that Malaysians may not be able to balik kampung during the Hari Raya festival to curb the spread of Covid-19. Their frustration comes from the fact that this is the second consecutive year the government has put a stop to the annual Hari Raya balik kampung exodus.The restlessness in certain segments of the community is understandable. But to accuse the government of having failed in discharging its fundamental duties is simply hyperbole, bordering on self-deception.Let me offer my two cents on what #KerajaanGagal actually means. It means the government lifting the barrier to interstate travel, allowing the coronavirus, with all its mutated variants, which could be more resilient against current vaccines, to spread far and wide.Have we not learnt from the Sabah election experience? Do we want the elderly in our home towns, who are in the high-risk category, to contract the coronavirus? Should the government dispense with sound medical advice and concede to the demands of the noisy few just to be popular in the short term?And if truly the government has failed, what do we make of the billions of ringgit dished out to the people via a slew of intervention programmes like Penjana, Pemerkasa and Prihatin?Didn’t the government put money in the pockets of the needy, like those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, the vulnerable groups like single parents and the B40 segment? Didn’t the government throw a lifeline to employers such as through the provision of wage subsidies, to the tune of billions of ringgit, who otherwise would have let go of their staff?Why would anyone describe as “#KerajaanGagal” a government which tabled its biggest budget ever this year and pulled out all the stops to keep the country afloat amid one of the toughest crises we have ever experienced?In fact, failure to fix the economy is what “#KerajaanGagal” really means, not one that has steered the economy to grow by 6% this year according to the World Bank’s projection, from a contraction of 5.6% last year.As for the rising number of Covid-19 cases following a brief respite, it should be pointed out that what’s happening in Malaysia is in line with the global trend. Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has said that even countries which started their vaccination programmes earlier, like the US, have seen a surge in cases recently.Those upset that Malaysia has not done enough to curb the spread of Covid-19 should realise that dealing with the coronavirus is a relatively new experience worldwide. Epidemiologically, research on the virus is in its early stages relative to other pathogens. Countries like South Korea and Thailand, which were initially lauded for handling the outbreak, are now struggling to keep the virus at bay.To blame our government for failing to tackle this problem and to perpetuate the use of “#KerajaanGagal” doesn’t do justice to its efforts. While there is room for improvement, all we need is a good dose of honesty to acknowledge that this is anything but a “failed” government.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


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