Joe Biden appoints Doctor Death to Covid-19 advisory board

On Monday, Joe Biden appointed Dr Ezekiel Emanuel as one of 10 Public Health Advisory Committee board members to his coronavirus task force, the group that is supposed to end the pandemic.Previously, Emanuel was a special advisor in the Obama White House, and a prominent shaper of Obamacare. He is a high-profile medical figure in the US and often on TV, appearing as an expert on medical matters. He is regarded as a leading expert on Covid-19.But does he really believe Joe Biden would be better off dead?In an infamous 2014 magazine article called “Why I hope to die at 75”, he declared that for most people “creativity, originality and productivity are pretty much gone by 75”.He blamed older people for trying to deny that living too long leaves many faltering and declining, robbing them of their creativity and the ability to contribute to society.This is potentially awkward for Biden, not least because at 78 on Inauguration Day, he will be more than a month or two past the age Emanuel believes people cease to be of use to anyone.Many observers say that age is indeed catching up with Biden and there are obvious signs of cognitive decline but does Emanuel stick by his opinion that the president-elect is now nothing more than a shell of his former self who should stop trying to prolong his life?If he does, then as he wrote six years ago, society as a whole would be improved if “nature took its course swiftly and promptly”.Modern medicine has extended life spans, but it has done little to make life worth living in old age, Emanuel argued back in 2014.He said that age changes how people see and relate to one another. They are no longer seen as energetic and useful but as feeble, weak, even pathetic.Those approaching Emanuel’s die-by date may worry in their more contemplative moments that the saddest inevitability of living too long is that their loved ones, and in Biden’s case, the whole world, will forget how full of life they were and remember them only as they will be before they finally slip away.This year Emanuel is 63, just 12 years away from having to make a final call on where he now stands regarding the issue most famously associated with him.


Freeze departure levy, passenger service charges to help tourism find its feet, think tank urges

A think tank has welcomed the provisions made for the tourism industry in the 2021 budget but urges the government to do more in terms of indirect measures for green zone travel bubbles, as efforts to cushion the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic continue.Jason Loh of EMIR Research said such measures could include an executive order to suspend the departure levy in an exemption under Section 31(1) of the Departure Levy Act 2019.He also suggested suspending the passenger service charge for six months, after which a review could be held to determine the need for an extension.“Substantially reduce the pick-up and drop-off charges for taxis, e-hailing cars, vans, and buses or coaches at KLIA and klia2 for three months, reviewable for the purpose of extending the suspension,” he added in a statement today.He acknowledged the steps taken by the government in the budget, including the three-month extension of the Wage Subsidy Programme at a rate of RM600 a month for employees earning RM4,000 and below, but said more could be done in the short, medium and long term.“Given that the tourism sector is indeed one of the most affected in terms of job security and losses, more could be done by the government under the purview of Budget 2021, that is in terms of implementation and adjustments to help preserve jobs, and even expand job opportunities both directly and indirectly.”He also noted that the tourism industry is the third largest contributor in terms of foreign exchange earnings after manufacturing and commodities.“It could be argued that the strategic focus of Budget 2021 for the tourism sector and related services is business resilience driven by capacity-building – which more or less mirrors that of previous stimulus packages underpinned by cushioning the business impact of Covid-19 and surviving to restart.”He also suggested a number of direct measures including the formation of a special purpose vehicle to provide financing services such as bridge financing, working capital loans, and invoice factoring services, and interest-free financing for SMEs in the tourism sector.


MACC fails in bid to forfeit RM2.7 million belonging to Selangor Umno

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today failed in its bid to forfeit RM2,738,525.08 allegedly linked to 1MDB funds sealed in the account of the Selangor Umno liaison committee.This followed the decision by High Court judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin to dismiss the prosecution’s application against the political body.In the judgment, Jamil said the applicant failed to prove that the money was proceeds from unlawful activities.The applicant also did not challenge the accounts and statements submitted in the affidavit by the respondent and the money, purportedly received by the political body from former prime minister Najib Razak, had been spent, he added.The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Nik Haslinie Hashim, while lawyers Hasnal Rezua Merican and Muzzammil Merican represented Selangor Umno.The forfeiture application was filed by MACC under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.Selangor Umno was among 41 entities comprising individuals, companies and political parties that the MACC had filed forfeiture suits against to recover about RM270 million in funds linked to 1MDB, transferred from Najib’s bank account.


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As deaths keep soaring, Swedish king says country failed to protect its people

Sweden’s king has said his country “failed” to save lives with its relaxed approach to the pandemic.Sweden has never imposed a full lockdown and has seen nearly 350,000 cases and more than 7,800 deaths – a lot more than its Scandinavian neighbours.King Carl Gustaf said on Swedish television, “We have a large number who have died and that is terrible. The people of Sweden have suffered tremendously.”When asked if he was afraid of being infected with Covid-19 himself, the 74-year-old said, “Lately, it has felt more obvious, it has crept closer and closer.”Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said he agreed with the king’s remarks. “The fact that so many have died can’t be considered as anything other than a failure,” he told reporters.He also said he felt many experts had underestimated the second wave.Throughout the pandemic, Sweden has never imposed a nationwide lockdown or the wearing of masks, and bars and restaurants have remained open.Instead of relying on specially passed new laws, Sweden has been appealing to its citizens’ sense of responsibility and civic duty by issuing only recommendations. There are no punishments if people ignore them.However, in response to rising Covid-19 cases, secondary schools across the Stockholm region were asked to switch to distance learning for the first time, earlier this week.And on Monday, new nationwide social-distancing recommendations for the Christmas period were introduced. Swedes are now advised to gather outdoors if possible and avoid travelling by train or bus.Sweden’s state epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell, told the BBC last month the relaxed approach relied on a combination of legal and voluntary measures, saying, “For Sweden, this is the combination that we really believe is the best one.”However, according to an official report released earlier this week, the strategy failed in its effort to protect the elderly in care homes. The government has admitted responsibility for this. Over 90% of Covid-related deaths have been among those aged 70 and over, and nearly half have been in care homes.Sweden has had more deaths than the rest of the Nordic countries combined. This has led to criticism from the country’s neighbours, Norway, Denmark and Finland, that its casual approach is putting their own populations at risk.


New Zealand shocked by first community case in months

New Zealand has reported its first case of Covid-19 infection discovered outside of a quarantine facility in more than two months.Health officials said a 56-year-old woman who had recently returned from Europe tested positive days after completing a compulsory two-week period of managed isolation.The health ministry said the woman had tested negative twice before leaving the isolation facility in Auckland on Jan 13.She visited a number of places in New Zealand’s Northland region at the top of the North Island after leaving isolation.The ministry published a list of the locations, including supermarkets, restaurants and a gallery. Contact tracing efforts are continuing urgently.She started developing mild symptoms two days later, which then got progressively worse. She tested positive on Saturday and has since been isolating at home.The ministry said anyone who was at the places she visited at the same time was considered a “casual contact” and asked them to stay at home and get tested “out of an abundance of caution”.Four close contacts of the women have also been tested and are isolating.In a press conference on Sunday, Health Minister Chris Hipkins said it was too soon to speculate on the “origin or the strain of the infection” but the ministry is “working on the assumption that any case might be a more transmissible variant”.New Zealand has been widely praised for its response to the pandemic.The country, with a population of five million, has recorded 1,927 confirmed cases and 25 deaths over the course of the pandemic.


Tian Chua sacked from PKR for contesting Batu as independent

PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim today said that long-time member Chua Tian Chang or Tian Chua had been sacked for his insistence on running in the Batu parliamentary constituency.
"We have sacked him (Tian Chua) as he had gone against party policy… he is standing as an independent," Anwar was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insight outside the Tambun nomination centre in Perak.
Tian Chua, who held the Batu seat from 2008 to 2018, was disqualified from running in the previous general election due to a RM2,000 fine from a court case.
He instead endorsed P Prabakaran, an independent running on a PKR ticket who went on to win the 14th general election and who joined the party shortly after.
Prabakaran was chosen by Pakatan Harapan (PH) to defend his seat at the Nov 19 polls, and will face nine other candidates including Tian Chua, who had said that he would contest the seat as an independent.
"It is unfortunate that Tian Chua has chosen this path," Anwar was reported as saying.
"I don’t think this is what a reformist should do. We have to take necessary action as normally, those who contest as independents or leave the party for whatever reason, will be sacked."
Others who will be contesting the Batu seat this time around include lawyer Siti Kasim (independent), Wan Azliana Wan Adnan (Pejuang), Azhar Yahya (Perikatan Nasional) and A Kohilan Pillay (Barisan Nasional).


Remembering 40 years since the Sabra and Shatila massacre

Sept 16 marks the 40th anniversary of the Sabra and Shatila massacre, the killing of around 3,000 Palestinians at the hands of Lebanon’s Phalangist militias operating under the command of the Israeli army.  Four decades have passed, yet no measure of justice has been received by the survivors of the massacre. Many of them have died, and others are aging while they carry the scars of physical and psychological wounds, in the hope that, perhaps, within their lifetime they will see their executioners behind bars.  However, many of the Israeli and Phalange commanders who had ordered the invasion of Lebanon, orchestrated or carried out the heinous massacres in the two Palestinian refugee camps in 1982, have already died. Ariel Sharon, who was implicated by the official Israeli Kahan Commission a year later for his “indirect responsibility” for the grisly mass killing and rape, later rose in rank to become, in 2001, Israel’s prime minister.  Even prior to the Sabra and Shatila massacre, Sharon’s name was always affiliated with mass murders and large-scale destruction. It was in the so-called "Operation Shoshana", in the Palestinian West Bank village of Qibya in 1953, that Sharon earned his infamous reputation. Following the Israeli occupation of Gaza in 1967, the Israeli general became known as "The Bulldozer", and following Sabra and Shatila, "The Butcher".  The Israeli prime minister at the time, Menachim Begin, also died, exhibiting no remorse for the killing of over 17,000 Lebanese, Palestinians and Syrians in the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. His nonchalant response to the killings in the West Beirut refugee camps epitomizes Israel’s attitude toward all the mass killings and all the massacres carried out against Palestinians in the last 75 years. “Goyim kill Goyim, and they blame the Jews,” he said.  Testimonies from those who arrived at the refugee camps after the days of slaughter depict a reality that requires deep reflection, not only among Palestinians, Arabs and especially Israelis, but also humanity as a whole.  The late American journalist Janet Lee Stevens described what she had witnessed:  “I saw dead women in their houses with their skirts up to their waists and their legs spread apart; dozens of young men shot after being lined up against an alley wall; children with their throats slit, a pregnant woman with her stomach chopped open, her eyes still wide open, her blackened face silently screaming in horror; countless babies and toddlers who had been stabbed or ripped apart and who had been thrown into garbage piles.” Dr Ang Swee Chai had just arrived in Lebanon as a volunteer surgeon, stationed at the Red Crescent Society in the Gaza Hospital in Sabra and Shatila. Her book, "From Beirut to Jerusalem: A Woman Surgeon with the Palestinians", remains one of the most critical readings on the subject. In a recent article, Ang wrote that following the release of photographs of the “heaps of dead bodies in the camp alleys”, a worldwide outrage followed, but it was all short-lived: “The victims’ families and survivors were soon left alone to plod on with their lives and to relive the memory of that double tragedy of the massacre, and the preceding ten weeks of intensive land, air and sea bombardment and blockade of Beirut during the invasion.” Lebanese and Palestinian losses in the Israeli war are devastating in terms of numbers. However, the war also changed Lebanon forever and, following the forced exile of thousands of Palestinian men along with the entire PLO leadership, Palestinian communities in Lebanon were left politically vulnerable, socially disadvantaged and economically isolated.  The story of Sabra and Shatila was not simply a dark chapter of a bygone era, but an ongoing moral crisis that continues to define Israel’s relationship with Palestinians, highlight the demographic and political trap in which numerous Palestinian communities in the Middle East live, and accentuate the hypocrisy of the West-dominated international community. The latter seems to only care for some kind of victims, and not others.  In the case of Palestinians, the victims are often depicted by western governments and media as the aggressors. Even during that horrific Israeli war on Lebanon 40 years ago, some western leaders repeated the tired mantra: “Israel has the right to defend itself.” It is this unwavering support of Israel that has made the Israeli occupation, apartheid and siege of the West Bank and Gaza politically possible and financially sustainable – in fact, profitable.  Would Israel have been able to invade and massacre at will if it were not for US-western military, financial and political backing? The answer is an affirmative "no". Those who are in doubt of such a conclusion need only to consider the attempt, in 2002, by the survivors of the Lebanon refugee camps massacre to hold Ariel Sharon accountable. They took their case to Belgium, taking advantage of a Belgian law which allowed for the prosecution of alleged international war criminals. After much haggling, delays and intense pressure from the US government, the Belgian court eventually dropped the case altogether. Ultimately, Brussels changed its own laws to ensure such diplomatic crises with Washington and Tel Aviv are not to be repeated.   For Palestinians, however, the case will never be dropped. In her essay, “Avenging Sabra and Shatila”, Kifah Sobhi Afifi’ described the joint Phalangist-Israeli attack on her refugee camp when she was only 12 years old.  “So we ran, trying to stay as close to the walls of the camp as possible,” she wrote. “That is when I saw the piles of the dead bodies all around. Children, women and men, mutilated or groaning in pain as they were dying. Bullets were flying everywhere. People were falling all around me. I saw a father using his body to protect his children but they were all shot and killed anyway.” Kifah has lost several members of her family. Years later, she joined a Palestinian resistance group and, following a raid at the Lebanon-Israel border, was arrested and tortured in Israel. Though Israeli massacres are meant to bring an end to Palestinian Resistance, unwittingly, they fuel it. While Israel continues to act with impunity, Palestinians also continue to resist. This is not just the lesson of Sabra and Shatila, but the bigger lesson of the Israeli occupation of Palestine as well. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and the editor of The Palestine Chronicle.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Nagaenthran denied due process from day one, group slams Singapore

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) today slammed the statement by the Singapore government that Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam was given “full due process”, saying he was in fact denied this from the start as the city-state at the time had no procedures to accommodate his disabilities.LFL adviser N Surendran, who is also representing Nagaenthran’s family, said due process in the case of a person like him must include accommodations and specific procedures in the criminal justice system that take into account his disabilities and makes crucial adjustments for it.“From the moment of arrest and investigation to the conclusion of the trial, these ‘procedural accommodations’ should have been made in Nagaenthran’s favour,” he said.“If treated like any other defendant with normal mental abilities, Nagaenthran would not have been accorded a fair process or fair trial.“But this is precisely what transpired: Nagaenthran was dealt with like any normal suspect or accused person.”Surendran was referring to the Singapore government’s response to the letters written by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah on behalf of Nagaenthran, whose execution on Nov 10 was delayed indefinitely after he was diagnosed with Covid-19.Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan had said in a statement that Nagaenthran, who was arrested in 2009 for smuggling 42.72g of diamorphine into the republic and sentenced to death in 2010, had been accorded “full due process under the law”.The request by his lawyer for a presidential clemency was rejected in June last year.Prominent human rights lawyer M Ravi had been due to launch a last-ditch appeal in an eleventh-hour bid to save his life.Rights groups and activists meanwhile held protests reminding the Singapore government of its obligation to abide by international treaties prohibiting capital punishment for mentally disabled persons.At the heart of the outrage over his scheduled execution was a diagnosis of his mental capability, which found among other that he has an IQ of 69 – below the threshold of 70 for declaring a person as intellectually disabled.But authorities have said Singapore courts were satisfied he knew what he was doing.Singapore has some of the world’s toughest laws against illegal drugs.Surendran today said that its response to the letters sent by the Malaysian leaders was “false, callous and untenable”.“It was this fact that a person with such mental disabilities was to be hanged that triggered the worldwide condemnation we have seen in recent weeks,” he added.“To say that ‘due process’ has been granted to a person with Nagaenthran’s mental disabilities means nothing at all.”Instead, he said, police interrogations and statements were recorded which would later be used against Nagaenthran in court.“In short, Nagaenthran was denied due process from day one.”Reminding Singapore again of its obligation as a state part to the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, he said there was only one response Singapore could make to Malaysia that would be consistent with this as well as its own constitution.“That response is to exercise clemency in favour of Nagaenthran and prioritise bringing Singapore’s criminal laws and procedures in accord with the rights of persons with disabilities.”


European leaders call for end to unchecked movement across borders after deadly attacks

In the wake of Islamist militants killing eight people in Paris, Nice and Vienna within a month, France and Germany are now calling for tighter controls at EU borders.The most recent attacks have all been carried out by terrorists who were able to move freely between the 26 Schengen Zone countries, which include most EU members plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.During a videoconference with other European leaders on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said, “The threat of terrorism weighs on all of Europe. We must respond.”German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who threw open European borders in 2015, allowing unrestricted and unmonitored entry to thousands of migrants from the Middle East and Africa now says the borders need fixing. “It is vitally important to know who comes in and who leaves the Schengen area,” she said.Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for a more coordinated plan for dealing with foreign militants while Dutch premier Rutte emphasised stopping “undesirable” foreign financing as a further way to tackle extremism.Other ideas put forward include imposing stricter requirements on social media to combat extremism, setting up a special European institute to train Muslim imams, and being able to effectively deport migrants with no legal claim to asylum in Europe as well as suspected extremists.The EU’s top migration official, Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, told the conference, “We need to manage migration, but migration by itself is not a security threat. There might be individuals who are dangerous among migrants but also among people who already live here.”


Australia’s biggest states ease more Covid-19 curbs ahead of border reopening

Singing and dancing will resume in nightclubs in Sydney and Melbourne from Friday, while most mandatory check-ins have been scrapped as officials lifted nearly all Covid-19 curbs in Australia’s biggest cities amid a steady fall in hospital cases.The relaxation in social distancing rules comes ahead of the full reopening of Australia’s international borders on Monday after nearly two years, boosting business confidence battered by stop-start lockdowns.“We don’t want restrictions in place for any longer than necessary and with hospitalisation and ICU rates trending downwards, now is the right time to make sensible changes,” New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said on Thursday.People admitted to hospitals due to the coronavirus in the country more than halved to around 2,600 after peaking at just under 5,400 more than three weeks ago.Like most countries, Australia has been tackling the fast-moving Omicron variant that pushed its infections and hospital cases to record levels. Numbers have been on a downtrend in recent days with a booster rollout gathering pace.New South Wales and Victoria, home to more than half of Australia’s 25 million people, have been the worst hit by the Omicron wave and had reintroduced several tough curbs last month.From Friday, indoor venues in Sydney and elsewhere in New South Wales can allow as many patrons as they want and QR check-ins will only be required for some higher risk venues. Masks will be needed only on public transport and indoors at airports and hospitals from Feb 25.Hotel quarantine for unvaccinated international travellers will be cut to seven days from two weeks in both states.More than 23,000 new cases and 38 deaths were reported in the country by midday on Friday, with two states due to report later. Most of Australia’s pandemic total of around 2.7 million confirmed cases have been detected since the emergence of the Omicron variant in late November. Total deaths stand at 4,836 since the pandemic began.


New infections top 2,200 as death toll up by 5

Another 2,231 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,863,457.
There were 1,473 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,803,485.
There are now 23,557 active cases, of which 22,547 or 95.7% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 976 (4.1%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 34 are in ICU with 21 in need of respiratory assistance.
Another five deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,415.


Najib's pardon 'in court of compassion' at king's discretion, says Azalina

Former prime minister Najib Razak’s royal pardon petition does not involve legal aspects but rests entirely on the discretion of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Umno information chief Azalina Othman Said says.
She said it was the power exercisable by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as enshrined in Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.
"No more legal aspects, no more legal procedures, it is now in a court of compassion, at the king’s discretion.
"We cannot do anything... let the king decide or study it first if he wants... we (Umno) are no longer involved," she said in Putrajaya today.
Azalina, who is also the minister in charge of law and institutional reform, said this in response to remarks by lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla that Umno could not file the royal pardon petition for Najib.
The lawyer said according to Regulation 113 of the Prison Regulations 2000, the petition can only be filed by Najib himself, his family members or the lawyer appointed by Najib and the Prisons Department.
Prior to this, it was reported that the Umno Supreme Council had agreed to seek an audience with the king to present a memorandum asking for Najib to be granted a full pardon.
On Aug 23, 2022, the Federal Court upheld Najib’s conviction, 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds.
On March 31, the court dismissed his application for a review of its decision. Najib is currently serving his sentence at Kajang Prison.
The former Pekan MP was reported to have filed a petition seeking a royal pardon for his conviction in the SRC International case in September last year.


US Covid-19 deaths exceed WWII military toll

The number of US Covid-19 deaths on Wednesday surpassed the country’s toll of military fatalities in World War II, according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University.As of the evening, the tracker showed that 405,400 people have died from the disease caused by the new coronavirus in the US.The total number of combat and non-combat deaths in World War II was 405,399, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.The figure is a stark reminder of the pandemic’s cost as newly-elected President Joe Biden begins his term.“We need all our strength to persevere through this dark winter. We’re entering what may be the toughest and deadliest period of the virus,” Biden said in his inaugural speech.The US accounts for 4% of the world’s population but around 20% of its Covid-19 deaths.Though the infection rate seems to have hit a new peak, modeling by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the B.1.1.7 variant, originally identified in Britain, will lead to a fresh surge in the coming months.Biden has said that his response to the pandemic will be rooted in evidence-based solutions, unlike his predecessor Donald Trump.He is seeking US$1.9 trillion for an emergency Covid and economic recovery package from Congress, and on Wednesday signed an executive order requiring masks on federal property.The administration also plans to rejoin the World Health Organization, which Trump derided as being manipulated by China.


AG objects to Bersatu's bid to challenge MACC freeze on bank accounts

The attorney-general has objected to the application for leave by Bersatu to challenge the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) decision to freeze its bank accounts for investigation purposes.
Senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan, on behalf of the attorney-general, told the High Court this was because the issuance of the freeze order was not amenable to judicial review.
"The power to issue freeze orders is one of the mechanisms for investigation, and law enforcement agencies are vested with the power to issue an order to freeze a person’s property upon the fulfilment of some conditions," he said before Judge Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid.
He said the leave application should be refused on grounds that Bersatu’s frozen bank accounts had become the subject matter of criminal charges, rendering any complaint relating to those bank accounts within the criminal court’s jurisdiction.
"The freeze order, which was issued on Bersatu’s bank accounts, is now the subject matter in the criminal charge against Muhyiddin Yassin.
"Therefore, we submit that allowing the leave for judicial review against the said freeze order would amount to interference by the civil court in its exercise of its supervisory power with the criminal court’s jurisdiction," he added.
Muhyiddin was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on March 10 with four counts of corruption to solicit bribes amounting to RM232.5 million and two counts of money laundering involving RM195 million.
On March 13, he was charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court with one count of receiving RM5 million in proceeds from unlawful activities.
On Muhyiddin's challenge to his travel ban, Shamsul argued that the application should be dismissed as the travel ban had already been lifted, rendering his challenge purely academic and hypothetical.
"Presently, a travel ban is still being imposed by the 19th respondent (immigration department) against Muhyiddin, but such imposition was made pursuant to a request from the Sessions Court, in a letter dated March 10.  "Therefore, Muhyiddin’s passport remains in the safekeeping of the Sessions Court and he will be required to obtain the criminal court’s permission in order to travel," he said.
Meanwhile, Bersatu's counsel Rosli Dahlan submitted that the application was not frivolous or vexatious, and warranted merit to be argued at the substantive stage.
Rosli said it was irrational for the immigration department to impose the travel ban against Muhyiddin merely at the behest of the MACC.
"The fact that the immigration department and MACC have admitted that the wrongful travel ban was issued before my client was charged and before the court's request on March 10 to impose a travel ban against him demonstrates the irrationality and warrants this application," he added.
Judge Kamal fixed May 17 for a decision.
On March 8, Muhammad Suhaimi, as a public officer of Bersatu, and Muhyiddin as the Bersatu president, filed the application naming MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki and 19 others.
The Bersatu leader, among others, sought for MACC to unfreeze a sum of RM4.354 million for the expenses, operations and management of the party, and a court order for a mandamus for the MACC officers to abide by the purpose and spirit of the law in investigative procedures and processes in a fair and just manner.


Bill to rename ‘chief minister’ as ‘premier’ gets two-thirds support in Sarawak assembly

A bill seeking among others to replace the title of “chief minister” in the state constitution with “premier” was passed with a two-thirds majority after its third reading in the Sarawak legislative assembly today.The Constitution of the State of Sarawak (Amendment) Bill 2022 received the support of 67 assemblymen after nearly five hours of debate.The amendment will see Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg becoming the first premier in the country.The passing of the bill will also see the designation of “assistant minister” changed to “deputy minister”.The bill was tabled by Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.Karim said the amendments would reflect the special status of Sarawak in the federation, following the recent changes to four articles in the Federal Constitution relating to the Malaysia Agreement 1963.“This puts Sarawak as one of three regions and not to be regarded as having the same status as the other component states in the Federation of Malaya,” he said.He said the move to replace “chief minister” with “premier” under Article 6(3) of the state constitution was similar to the practice in other commonwealth regions.“The head of the federation is called the prime minister, and heads of regions constituting the federation are called premiers while the other sub-regions or states are headed by chief ministers,” he said.


Over 1,300 vehicles attempting interstate travel told to turn back

A total of 1,333 vehicles attempting interstate travel nationwide were ordered to turn back on Sunday, says Bukit Aman Department of Internal Security and Public Order director Abd Rahim Jaafar.He said there were some who tried to go through the roadblocks with permission forms that did not have a signature and stamp from the police.“Some of them were trying their luck… perhaps thinking policemen would overlook and so on,” he told reporters yesterday after inspecting the roadblock in Tanjung Lumpur in Kuantan.He said 361 roadblocks had been implemented following the inter-district and interstate travel ban. The roadblocks involve more than 6,500 police personnel nationwide.He said police had detected various tactics used, including the use of work passes, to get past the roadblocks.Asked about the actions of those who set fire to the barriers and barbed wire erected by the police following their rage at the closure of “rat trails”, he said all parties should abide by the law.“Some are dissatisfied and take action on their own, so I urge them to please abide by the law. These steps are taken solely to break the Covid-19 chain, so people are asked to be patient,” he said.The media had reported that as a result of being angered over the closure of rat trails, some residents in Besut, Terengganu, had burnt police-erected barriers and barbed wire on Sunday.


MCO in Kelantan, 3 Sarawak districts

The entire state of Kelantan will be placed under movement control order (MCO) from tomorrow until Jan 26, while in Sarawak, the MCO will be implemented in the Sibu, Selangau and Kanowit districts from tomorrow until Jan 29.Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the decision was made on the advice of the health ministry following the increase in Covid-19 cases in Kelantan as well as in the three districts in Sarawak.“Since Jan 10, the average daily cases in Kelantan have increased from 80 to 100 cases and even active cases have increased dramatically within 14 days.“Kota Bharu, Bachok, Tumpat, Gua Musang, Machang, Kuala Krai and Tanah Merah districts are now in the red zone, while Pasir Puteh and Pasir Mas are now in the yellow zone and Jeli is in the orange zone,” he said at a press conference on MCO developments today.He said that all MCO SOPs previously announced will be applicable in Kelantan and the three districts in Sarawak, including the directive that only two individuals from the same household are allowed to go out to buy daily essentials.


North Korea hails progress in fight against drought despite Covid wave

North Korea has made progress in its fight against drought, and rice planting is under way nationwide even as the country ramps up efforts to tame its unprecedented coronavirus wave, state media said on Wednesday.The reclusive country has been waging a battle against its first-ever Covid-19 outbreak since declaring a state of emergency and imposing a nationwide lockdown last month.The outbreak triggered concerns over a potential food crisis amid an “all-out fight” against drought, in a country that lacks vaccines and medical supplies and has already been hit by international sanctions over its weapons programmes.The anti-drought efforts have made progress after the central and local government organs and even art groups mobilised “all capacities and means” to improve irrigation and helped with rice planting, the official KCNA news agency said.“All farmlands that could suffer drought were located without exception, and farmers were informed of reasonable watering methods according to soil humidity and lighting conditions in order to prevent crop damage,” KCNA said.Agriculture authorities have come up with “meticulous farming strategies”, including maximising the efficiency of rice planting machines and securing high-quality fertilisers, it added.Droughts and flooding have long posed seasonal threats to North Korea, and major natural disasters could further hurt its isolated economy. Leader Kim Jong Un has warned of a tense food situation due to the pandemic and last year’s typhoons.KCNA said 93,180 more people showed fever symptoms as of Tuesday evening, bringing the total to 3,738,810. It did not report any new deaths, and the toll was 70 a day before.State media has said the Covid wave has shown signs of abating, after the daily numbers of people with fever topped 390,000 about two weeks ago.North Korea has never confirmed how many people have tested positive for the virus. But experts have said the released figures could be underreported, which could make it difficult to assess the actual scale of the situation.


EU watchdog to rule on Pfizer for youths

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) will announce on Friday whether it has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus jab for 12- to 15-year-olds, the regulator said.If approved it will be the first vaccine to get the green light for young people in the 27-nation European Union. Pfizer is currently authorised for people aged 16 and older.The EMA will give a briefing on Friday to “cover the outcome of the extraordinary meeting of EMA’s human medicine committee… to discuss the paediatric indication for Comirnaty”, it said in an email on Wednesday.Comirnaty is the brand name for the vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and the German research firm BioNTech.The US Food and Drug Administration has already authorised Pfizer for 12- to 15-year-olds.EMA chief Emer Cooke said earlier this month that the Amsterdam-based watchdog was fast-tracking the approval for young people, which was originally expected in June.She told European newspapers on May 11 that the regulator had received Pfizer-BioNTech data and “we’ve been promised data from clinical trials and the study carried out in Canada within the next two weeks, and we are going to speed up our evaluation”.


Asian governments ban crowds to bid farewell to 2020

This New Year’s Eve is being celebrated like no other, with pandemic restrictions limiting crowds and many people bidding farewell to a year they’d prefer to forget.In the Asia-Pacific region, except for New Zealand and some nearby islands which are mostly Covid-free, celebrations will not be held as usual.Australia will be among the first nations to ring in 2021 because of its proximity to the International Date Line. Usually, over a million people crowd Sydney’s harbour to watch fireworks on Sydney Harbour Bridge.Authorities this year are advising revellers to watch on television. People are only allowed in downtown. People won’t be allowed in the city centre without a permit.Sydney is Australia’s most populous city and has had its most active community transmissions of Covid-19 in recent weeks.Melbourne, Australia’s second city, has cancelled its fireworks which usually attract half a million, this year.In Chinese societies, the Lunar New Year celebration that falls in February in 2021 generally takes precedence over solar New Year, on Jan 1. While celebrations of the Western holiday have been growing more common in recent decades, this year will be much more muted.Beijing will hold a countdown ceremony with just a few invited guests, while other planned events have been cancelled.Hong Kong, with its British colonial history and large expatriate population, has usually seen raucous celebrations along the waterfront and in bar districts. For the second year running, however, New Year’s Eve fireworks have been cancelled, this time over coronavirus rather than public security concerns as last year.Still roiled by its coronavirus outbreak, Hong Kong social distancing regulations restrict gatherings to only two people. Restaurants have to close by 6pm. Live performances and dancing are not allowed.In Japan, some people skipped what’s customarily a chance to return to ancestral homes for the holidays, hoping to lessen health risks for extended families amid the pandemic. Rural restaurants saw business drop, but home deliveries of traditional New Year’s “good luck” food called “osechi” boomed.Emperor Naruhito is delivering a video message for the new year, instead of waving from a window with the imperial family as cheering crowds throng the palace.In South Korea, Seoul’s city government has cancelled its annual New Year’s Eve bell-ringing ceremony in the Jongno neighborhood for the first time since it first held the event in 1953, months after the end of the Korean War.Authorities in eastern coastal areas say they’ll close beaches and other spots where hundreds of thousands of people typically gather on New Year’s Day to watch the sunrise.The southeastern city of Pohang says it instead plans to broadcast live the sunrise at several beaches under its jurisdiction on its YouTube channel.


Beijing criticises Pope over ‘poor Uighurs’ comments in new book

China criticised Pope Francis this week over a passage in his new book in which he discusses “suffering by China’s Uighur Muslim minority group”.Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian denied Francis’ remarks had any factual basis. “People of all ethnic groups enjoy the full rights of survival, development, and freedom of religious belief,” he said at a daily briefing reported by Reuters.Zhao made no mention of the camps holding more than one million Uighurs and members of other Chinese Muslim minority groups.The US and other governments, along with human rights groups, say the prison-like facilities are intended to divide Muslims from their religious and cultural heritage, forcing them to declare loyalty to China’s ruling Communist Party and its leader, Xi Jinping.China initially denied the existence of the facilities but now says they are centres intended to provide job training and prevent terrorism and religious extremism on a voluntary basis.In his new book “Let Us Dream” due out on Dec 1, Francis listed the “poor Uighurs” among examples of groups persecuted for their faith.“I think often of persecuted peoples: the Rohingya, the poor Uighurs, the Yazidi – what the IS did to them was truly cruel – or Christians in Egypt and Pakistan killed by bombs that went off while they prayed in church,” he wrote.Francis has declined to call out China for its crackdown on religious minorities, including Catholics, much to the dismay of human rights groups. Francis has been careful to not say or do anything to offend the Chinese government on the subject.China and the Vatican have had no formal relations since the Communist Party cut ties and arrested Catholic clerics soon after seizing power in 1949.


EPF makes RM46 million profit from retail property sales

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) made a profit of RM46 million from the sale of its six retail properties in Klang Valley and Johor.
Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan said that EPF was also planning to sell another retail outlet in Kelana Jaya to a government-linked company.
"The six retail properties sold are the Giant Bandar Kinrara building, Giant Putra Heights building, Giant USJ building, Giant Klang building, Giant Ulu Klang building and Giant Plentong building in Johor, with a profit of RM46 million.
"We are selling these assets to Sunway Real Estate Investment Trust Berhad or Sunway REIT, of which 15.24% is owned by EPF," he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (PN-Kuala Terengganu), who wanted to know the proceeds from the portfolio sales of six EPF retail units in Klang Valley and Johor, and whether EPF intends to dispose of another retail unit in Klang Valley as reported, apart from planning the next investment.
In his reply to a supplementary question from Ikmal, on whether EPF plans to invest in the field of financial technology or fintech, which has attained the status of a Unicorn, Maslan said that the investment committee will conduct a study on this proposal.
Meanwhile, Maslan also said that EPF's total assets thus far amount to RM1 trillion, involving domestic and foreign property investments.
In the country, the total investment is RM11 billion, including EPF buildings at its headquarters and in the states. EPF properties abroad meanwhile amount to RM30 billion, half of which are in the UK, with one of the largest, iconic projects in Battersea, amounting to a total of RM41 billion of property assets.
"Thus far, we have taken care of all these investments," he said in response to another supplementary question from Jimmy Puah Wee Tse (PH-Tebrau) who wanted to know what percentage of EPF's investments were in the Malaysian domestic market.


In Felda settlement, hope fades for young brothers as citizenship wait stretches on

In a tidy house in a Felda settlement in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, nine-year-old Wong Hao Xuan and his eight-year-old brother Wong Hao Chen hold up the medals and awards they have won so far at school and sporting events.
Lined up on the worn leather sofa in the living room, the medals, trophies and certificates stand testament to the boys' love of sports and their studies.
But the acknowledgement of their achievements pales in comparison to another form of recognition for which they have been waiting: the right to be called citizens of Malaysia.
For four generations, their family has lived in Kampung Felda LBJ, located in the state capital.

Wong Hao Xuan and Wong Hao Chen with their father, Wong Choo Kian.

The brothers were declared stateless due to the late registration of their parents' marriage – in May 2017, some three years after Hao Xuan was born.
Their father, Wong Choo Kian, tried applying for their citizenship several months later in November.
But every time he contacted the home ministry to ask about the applications, he was given the same response: "Still in process."
In March 2018, the family's circumstances took a turn for the worse when Choo Kian suffered a stroke and was forced to quit his job as a salesman.
Speaking in an interview with MalaysiaNow, he said they were nonetheless fortunate to still have a roof over their heads.
"This house belonged to my grandfather," he added. "We live here with my parents and my younger sister's family."
It was his sister, Wong Tsai Mei, who stepped up to help with the expenses after he lost his job – including the cost of the boys' education.

Nine-year-old Wong Hao Xuan smiles as he holds up some of his trophies while his grandfather watches.

While both Hao Xuan and Hao Chen are enrolled in school, they are not allowed access to other benefits such as free BCG immunisation, dental treatment, or even medical insurance.
They are also deprived of the government assistance normally given to Malaysian children.
Choo Kian worries about their future as he and his sister struggle to raise the boys and make ends meet. In this, they are alone as the boys' mother left home out of the blue early last year, saying she wished to find work elsewhere.
They have not seen her since, although she contacts him from time to time to ask about the children.
On the boys' application for citizenship, Tsai Mei said the last time they heard from the home ministry was in November. Again, the answer was the same: "Status unchanged."

Wong Tsai Mei recalls the process of applying for her nephews' citizenship.

She said all of the necessary documents, including the boys' birth certificates and their parents' marriage certificate, had been submitted to the ministry according to its own procedures.
"I don't understand why it must take so long," she said.
"I hope that the home ministry will pay attention to this, because the boys' future is at stake."


No need for EMCO in Tawau, Lahad Datu, says minister

Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob says there is no need to implement an enhanced movement control order (EMCO) in Tawau and Lahad Datu despite the surge in Covid-19 cases there.Speaking at an event in Kota Kinabalu today, he said any tightening of restrictions would be done through targeted EMCO in the locality concerned.“Before this, if there were several cases in Sabah, we closed the whole of Sabah. If cases happened in Tawau, we closed the whole district.“But now this is unfair because there are no Covid-19 cases in Kota Kinabalu and Sepanggar, so we won’t impose a lockdown.”Reiterating that the focus would be on affected areas, he said EMCOs would be imposed in those localities only.He said the health ministry was constantly monitoring developments in Tawau and Lahad Datu, and that targeted EMCO would be imposed if the situation deteriorated in several villages there.He said infections seemed rampant in the area as the ministry was conducting daily screenings with results available on a daily basis as well.“The ministry has identified individuals at risk, including close contacts of Covid-19 cases, and the localities for conducting screening.“Any individual found to test positive will be taken straight to a treatment centre,” he added.Based on the ministry’s advice, he said, green and yellow zones were regularly monitored. He said the appropriate action would be taken immediately if any zone turned red.There are currently four clusters in Sabah: the Benteng LD cluster which was announced on Sept 1 and the Laut, Pulau and Selamat clusters in Kunak and Semporna.


Indian minister's home set ablaze in violence-hit Manipur state

A federal Indian minister's house was set on fire by a mob in the remote northeastern state of Manipur, which has been hit by clashes between members of rival ethnic groups for over a month, officials said on Friday.
Junior foreign minister RK Ranjan Singh's office confirmed that a mob vandalised and set fire to his house in the Manipur capital Imphal.
"Fortunately none of the caretakers or family members were injured in the attack on the house," said an aide to Singh in New Delhi.
Singh is a federal minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Modi's ruling party also governs the state of Manipur.
The attack comes after weeks of violent clashes between members of the Kuki ethnic group, who mostly live in the hills, and Meiteis, the dominant community in the low lands of the state.
Clashes between the two communities erupted on May 3, sparked by resentment over economic benefits and quotas for easy access to government jobs and education reserved for the Kukis.
Meiteis account for half of Manipur's population and extending limited affirmative action quotas to them would mean they would get a greater share in education and government jobs reserved for Kukis and others.
Latest federal home ministry records showed 83 people have been killed and over 60,000 residents displaced since May in the violence.
Civil society organisations from the Meitei and Kuki communities said hundreds of people from their communities were injured and homeless.


Draconian laws must be repealed, not strengthened, govt told

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) today slammed the government’s intention as stated in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) to review and amend security laws in the name of improving national safety, saying these laws should instead be repealed.In a statement, LFL coordinator Zaid Malek said the laws include the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca), Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota), the Sedition Act 1948 and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (PPPA).“These laws have consistently proven to be oppressive and a mockery of our justice system. They allow for detention without trials, the disregard of natural justice and the arbitrary and excessive limitation of fundamental liberties guaranteed under the Federal Constitution.“Laws that are bad in substance cannot be improved, but must be unequivocally repealed. These laws are themselves prejudicial to public safety as they allow the unjust arrests and prosecutions of the people,” he said.He added that efforts should instead be directed at improving the accountability of enforcement authorities and upholding the rights guaranteed under the constitution.“If the aim of the 12MP is truly to build a more tolerant society and to achieve higher trust in our institutions, then the government must do away with laws that transgress protection of fundamental liberties,” he said.


Queen Elizabeth suffers ‘sprained back’

Queen Elizabeth II has a “sprained back”, Buckingham Palace said, and had to miss Sunday’s Remembrance service in London – her first planned public appearance since resting on medical advice.The ceremony honouring fallen troops is close to the monarch’s heart and her absence will deepen concerns over her health after she stepped back on medical advice at the end of last month and spent a night in hospital undergoing unspecified tests.She then resumed “light duties”, but pulled out of a scheduled attendance at the UN climate change summit in Glasgow after being advised to rest.“The queen, having sprained her back, has decided this morning with great regret that she will not be able to attend today’s Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph,” a palace statement said.“Her Majesty is disappointed that she will miss the service.”Her son Prince Charles placed a wreath on her behalf, as in previous years.It is only the seventh time she has missed the service in almost 70 years on the throne, with the previous six due to either pregnancy or foreign visits.A two-day trip to Northern Ireland was also shelved as was her appearance Tuesday at the General Synod, the national assembly of the Church of England which she heads.The 95-year-old was due to view Sunday’s annual service in London from a balcony, as she has done since 2017, when she handed over some duties to younger members of the family.Royal expert Penny Junor said it was “very sad for the queen because this is the one event in the year that she really, really likes to be at.“The public will be very sad and anxious to hear of yet another setback but clearly she must follow the advice and get herself well.”‘She’s alright’Queen Elizabeth II succeeded her father, King George VI, in 1952 and next year is her Platinum Jubilee, marking her 70th year on the throne.She returned to her Windsor Castle residence, west of London, on Tuesday, after a long-planned weekend away at her Sandringham estate in eastern England.The palace has previously said it was her “firm intention” to attend Sunday’s Remembrance event, which brought together veterans, their families and political leaders.The queen, who also pulled out of the separate Festival of Remembrance event on Saturday, is head of the Armed Forces and served as a mechanic during World War II.Royal Navy officer Ben Shread said: “It would be nice if the boss was here.“If there is a reason she is not here it must be a very serious one. We all wish her well.”Royal aides have blamed a busy recent schedule that had left her “exhausted” but she was recently seen driving in the grounds of Windsor.She took a step back from work on Oct 20, the day after a reception at Windsor Castle where she chatted with Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US billionaire Bill Gates.She spent the following night in hospital, her first since 2013, where Buckingham Palace said she underwent “preliminary examinations”.The monarch had appeared in strong form in public until recently, despite the loss of her 99-year-old husband Prince Philip in April.She had attended official engagements almost daily, similar to her pre-pandemic workload, since returning from her traditional summer holiday in Balmoral, Scotland.But she made the headlines recently after being seen walking with a cane, and The Sun tabloid reported she had stopped walking her corgis in recent days.The queen is reported to no longer ride her horses, a keen passion, although she plans to be back in the saddle again after resting. She is also believed to have given up drinking alcohol.At a public event in Brixton, south London, on Thursday, her eldest son and heir was asked by one onlooker: “Prince Charles, how is your mother?”


Education ministry launches first phase of lockers for 600 schools

The education ministry today launched the first phase of lockers as part of initiatives to tackle the issue of heavy school bags for students at the primary level, especially Standard One to Three.
Education Minister Radzi Jidin said the first phase implemented this year would only involve students at Level One, that is in Standard One and Two.
He said a total of 626 two-session schools were involved, with a total of 249,646 lockers and students benefitting from their installation.
"The initiative was announced in March, and today, we are launching one of the largest efforts by the ministry to supply lockers to these schools," he said at the launching ceremony at SK Gombak Setia in Kuala Lumpur.
Also present at the event was International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Radzi said the first phase of locker installation would cost RM37.3 million, with the second phase to commence next year for students in Standard Three to Six.
"We will complete the installations in October," he added.
"There are five schools with lockers that have been fully installed, and the remaining 33 schools will join them by the end of the month."
Radzi also said that the ministry had outlined six other regulations to address the problem at hand: the reorganisation of timetables, the number of exercise books needed, the use of activity and student workbooks, the introduction of digital textbooks, the implementation of teaching and learning, and collaboration with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia or Jakim.
When asked who would be responsible for ensuring that students are no longer burdened with heavy bags after the installation of lockers, Radzi said this would require the cooperation of all quarters, including parents who would have to monitor the contents of their children's bags.
He did not rule out the possibility that officals at state education offices would be called to monitor the use of lockers at schools as well, to ensure that all parties including teachers, parents and children can enjoy the optimum use of the locker facilities.


1,349 new cases as total infections top 350,000

Another 1,349 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 350,959.Sarawak recorded 419 cases followed by Selangor (343) and Penang (185).Johor recorded 95 cases, Kuala Lumpur 73, Sabah 68, Kedah 32, Perak 24, Labuan 22, Negeri Sembilan 20, Kelantan 18, Putrajaya 17, Melaka 15, Pahang 11, Terengganu six and Perlis one.Active cases stand at 14,509 with 186 in the ICU and 94 in need of respiratory assistance.Ten new clusters were detected:1. Jalan Maju Cemerlang (Johor Bahru in Johor; 134 screened, 11 positive)2. Jalan Murni Satu (Batu Pahat, Kluang and Mersing in Johor; 94 screened, 15 positive)3. Jalan Suasana (Hulu Langat in Selangor; 187 screened, 19 positive)4. Danan (Pasir Puteh in Kelantan; 236 screened, 17 positive)5. Jalan Alamanda (Putrajaya and Sepang in Selangor; 45 screened, 12 positive)6. Sungai Mupong (Sibu and Meradong in Sarawak; 30 screened, 17 positive)7. Sungai Rassau (Matu and Sibu in Sarawak; 338 screened, 11 positive)8. Rich Park (Tawau and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah; 55 screened, 17 positive)9. Kampung Batu Lapan Lekir (Manjung in Perak; 60 screened, 14 positive)10. Tembok Sri Aman (Sri Aman in Sarawak; 467 screened, 160 positive)Eight others ended, leaving 359 active clusters across the country.Another 1,270 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 335,162.However, two more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,288.


Age is just a number for senior citizen Grab food rider

Zakaria Abdul Wahab loves his job as a Grab delivery rider. Every day from 10am to 9pm, he makes his way through the capital city on his trusty motorcycle, delivering food to the doorsteps of waiting customers.It’s not until he gets off his motorcycle that his age becomes apparent.Zakaria is 65 but is still eager to hit the road each day.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said he used to work as a driver at a private company. After 21 years, though, he began wishing for a job that would allow him more flexibility.“The great thing about being a rider is that I determine my own work schedule,” he said. “This makes me feel very free.”Each day, he makes his way through Mont Kiara or the spots around the Pandan Jaya housing area. This has been his routine for three months now.His target for himself is to make a net income of at least RM100 per day which, according to him, is not that difficult at all.Zakaria Abdul Wahab arrives at a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur to pick up a customer’s order.Most days, the only thing that might stand in his way is the rainy weather.“That’s all,” he said.“I am thankful that I have had good customers,” he added. “If something happens to make me fall behind schedule, I just let them know and usually the response is very positive.”Zakaria recently made waves as a senior citizen food delivery rider when a customer who ordered a meal through Grab uploaded a video of him on TikTok.The clip of him slowly making his way to the gate made him an overnight internet sensation, garnering hundreds of thousands of views in just a few days.For him, the most heartwarming response has been from those who extend words of encouragement to him or offer him assistance in the form of cash aid.“I pray for the best for everyone who has offered me help,” he said.Enough to live onZakaria’s job as a food delivery rider allows him to cover his monthly expenses on top of his bills for electricity, water and Astro.Zakaria Abdul Wahab leaves a customer’s order at the guardhouse of a condominium, in line with Covid-19 SOPs.“My other commitments like the home and car loans have been settled, so I am not too burdened,” he said.While some have claimed on social media that he was forced to become a delivery rider because his children did not want to work, he said this was not true.He has two adult children aged 32 and 24 who still live with him, but they were retrenched due to the Covid-19 crisis which hit the country early last year.“My eldest child used to work in construction while the younger one worked in the hotel industry.“Both of them lost their jobs because of Covid-19,” he said.Zakaria Abdul Wahab poses for a snapshot with a young man looking to show some support and encouragement for the senior citizen.As a father who is himself enjoying life as a Grab rider, he said he would never force his children to take up jobs that they do not enjoy.“I encourage them to follow their hearts, only then can they truly enjoy doing the work they are given,” he said.For himself, he sees no reason why his age should get in the way of him making friends with other riders, most of whom are a good four decades younger than he is.“They see me as a friend as well,” he said with a laugh. “Since I am always with them, I too feel very young.”His advice to others is simple.“Find a job that you enjoy, and don’t let your age stop you from doing whatever it is that you want.”


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Head of French church child abuse probe says possibly 10,000 victims

The head of an independent enquiry investigating church child abuse in France said Tuesday that there might have been at least 10,000 victims since 1950.Jean-Marc Sauve, head of a commission set up by the Catholic Church, said that a previous estimate in June last year of 3,000 victims “is certainly an underestimate”.“It’s possible that the figure is at least 10,000,” he added at a press conference where he delivered an update on the commission’s work.A hotline set up in June 2019 for victims and witnesses to report abuse received 6,500 calls in the first 17 months of operation.“The big question for us is ‘how many victims came forward’? Is it 25%? 10%, 5% or less?” Sauve told reporters.The Bishops’ Conference of France agreed in November 2018 to set up the commission after huge and repeated child abuse scandals shook the Catholic Church at home and abroad.The move sparked mixed reactions from victims’ associations at the time, who applauded attempts to encourage survivors to speak out, but questioned French prosecutors’ willingness and ability to press charges.Reacting to the new estimate on Tuesday, several victims’ associations said they suspected that even 10,000 was an underestimate.“It’s the tip of the iceberg, it’s certainly even more,” said Veronique Garnier from the group Faith and Resilience.“10,000 is a lot but it’s the bottom of the scale. We’re far from the truth,” said Jean-Pierre Sautreau, who heads a victims’ group in the Vendee region in western France.Final reportThe commission, comprised of more than 20 figures drawn from legal, academic and medical backgrounds, was originally scheduled to deliver a final report by the end of 2020 but has set a new deadline of September this year.Sauve said the final report would present “broad conclusions” which would seek to answer the question of “how we got here, beyond the failings and individual crimes of priests and religious figures.”Allegations against priests and senior Catholic figures have led to pay-outs and prosecutions worldwide, as well as changes to church doctrine.In 2019, a French court gave the archbishop of Lyon, Philippe Barbarin, a six-month suspended jail sentence for covering up for a priest, Bernard Preynat, who was accused of assaulting around 70 scouts between 1986 and 1991.Barbarin’s conviction was overturned on appeal in 2020, but the Pope accepted his resignation.Preyant was given a five-year jail term in 2020.In May 2019, Pope Francis passed a landmark new measure obliging anyone in the Church who knew about sex abuse to report it to their superiors.


Don't neglect public welfare during election season, Muhyiddin says

National Recovery Council chairman Muhyiddin Yassin today urged politicians and leaders to remain mindful of the Covid-19 situation as well as the need for economic recovery to alleviate the burden of the people, even as preparations continue for the 15th general election (GE15).
He said leaders should be wise in managing their time and organise their priorities without neglecting the welfare of the people.
He said he had gone down to the ground to meet with the people and heard their frustrations about the political situation.
"I understand because I go down to the ground and we hear their complaints," he said at a press conference in Putrajaya.
GE15 is expected to be called in a matter of weeks following Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's move to dissolve Parliament on Oct 10.
When asked about his own state ahead of the election, Muhyiddin described himself as someone who could multitask in any given situation.
"I am always calm," he said. "I have never overreacted. Determined and confident."


The age of outbreaks: Experts warn of more animal disease threats

With the spread of monkeypox across the world coming hot on the heels of Covid-19, there are fears that increasing outbreaks of diseases that jump from animals to humans could spark another pandemic.While such diseases – called zoonoses – have been around for millennia, they have become more common in recent decades due to deforestation, mass livestock cultivation, climate change and other human-induced upheavals of the animal world, experts say.Other diseases to leap from animals to humans include HIV, Ebola, Zika, SARS, MERS, bird flu and the bubonic plague.The World Health Organization said on Thursday that it is still investigating the origins of Covid, but the “strongest evidence is still around zoonotic transmission”.And with more than 1,000 monkeypox cases recorded globally over the last month, the UN agency has warned there is a “real” risk the disease could become established in dozens of countries.WHO’s emergencies director Michael Ryan said last week that “it’s not just in monkeypox” – the way that humans and animals interact has become “unstable”.“The number of times that these diseases cross into humans is increasing and then our ability to amplify that disease and move it on within our communities is increasing,” he said.Monkeypox did not recently leap over to humans – the first human case was identified in DR Congo in 1970 and it has since been confined to areas in Central and Western Africa.Despite its name, “the latest monkeypox outbreak has nothing to do with monkeys,” said Olivier Restif, epidemiologist at the University of Cambridge.While it was first discovered in macaques, “zoonotic transmission is most often from rodents, and outbreaks spread by person-to-person contact,” he told AFP.Worse yet to come?Around 60% of all known human infections are zoonotic, as are 75% of all new and emerging infectious diseases, according to the UN Environment Programme.Restif said the number of zoonotic pathogens and outbreaks have increased in the past few decades due to “population growth, livestock growth and encroachment into wildlife habitats”.“Wild animals have drastically changed their behaviours in response to human activities, migrating from their depleted habitats,” he said.“Animals with weakened immune systems hanging around near people and domestic animals is a sure way of getting more pathogen transmission.”Benjamin Roche, a specialist in zoonoses at France’s Institute of Research for Development, said that deforestation has had a major effect.“Deforestation reduces biodiversity: we lose animals that naturally regulate viruses, which allows them to spread more easily,” he told AFP.And worse may be to come, with a major study published earlier this year warning that climate change is ramping the risk of another pandemic.As animals flee their warming natural habitats they will meet other species for the first time – potentially infecting them with some of the 10,000 zoonotic viruses believed to be “circulating silently” among wild mammals, mostly in tropical forests, the study said.Greg Albery, a disease ecologist at Georgetown University who co-authored the study, told AFP that “the host-pathogen network is about to change substantially”.‘We have to be ready’“We need improved surveillance both in urban and wild animals so that we can identify when a pathogen has jumped from one species to another – and if the receiving host is urban or in close proximity to humans, we should get particularly concerned,” he said.Eric Fevre, a specialist in infectious diseases at Britain’s University of Liverpool and the International Livestock Research Institute in Kenya, said that “a whole range of new, potentially dangerous diseases could emerge – we have to be ready”.This includes “focusing the public health of populations” in remote environments and “better studying the ecology of these natural areas to understand how different species interact”.Restif said that there is “no silver bullet – our best bet is to act at all levels to reduce the risk”.“We need huge investment in frontline healthcare provision and testing capacity for deprived communities around the world, so that outbreaks can be detected, identified and controlled without delays,” he said.On Thursday, a WHO scientific advisory group released a preliminary report outlining what needs to be done when a new zoonotic pathogen emerges.It lists a range of early investigations into how and where the pathogen jumped to humans, determining the potential risk, as well as longer-term environmental impacts.


Nagaenthran denied fair consideration, lawyer says after clemency rejected

Prominent Singapore human rights lawyer M Ravi today said that Malaysian death row inmate Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam had been denied fair consideration in his clemency appeal, after the city-state’s president rejected his petition for a pardon to avoid execution.Ravi said the latest decision to reject Nagaenthran’s clemency merely maintained the government’s stand in 2020, without taking into account developments since then.“It also does not appear to take into consideration the latest developments including various pleas made by the Agong and prime minister of Malaysia, and Nagaenthran’s latest psychiatric reports submitted in court,” Ravi told MalaysiaNow when asked to comment on the decision.Ravi also cited Singapore laws which state that in considering an appeal for pardon, the president is expected to act on the advice of the Cabinet but also take into account reports from the trial judge, as well as the opinion of the attorney‑general.The latest rejection of Nagaenthran’s clemency bid was made known in a letter dated March 31.“Please be informed that the position, as communicated in our letter dated June 1, 2020, remains unchanged,” said the letter from the presidential office to Nagaenthran’s mother, Panchalai Supermaniam.The letter came two days after the Court of Appeal dismissed Nagaenthran’s appeal against his death sentence.Nagaenthran, now 34, was arrested in 2009 for trafficking a small amount of heroin into Singapore, which has some of the world’s toughest drug laws.He was handed the death sentence the following year, and was scheduled to be hanged in November last year when his plight attracted international attention including from British aviation magnate Richard Branson.At the centre of the controversy is Nagaenthran’s IQ score of 69 – a level recognised as a disability – which makes his execution illegal under Singapore law as well as a violation of international treaties.Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob were among Malaysian government leaders who had also written to Singapore authorities asking for leniency on behalf of Nagaenthran.


Moves underway to strip ex-AG of ‘Tan Sri’ title over remarks on judicial officers

Public legal and judicial officers are planning a move to strip Tommy Thomas of his “Tan Sri” title, following the former attorney-general’s suggestions questioning his officers’ capability to handle high-profile criminal cases, MalaysiaNow has learnt.It is understood that moves to recommend this to the palace have already started through petitions as well as a resolution by the Judicial and Legal Services Officers’ Association, or Jalsoa.“The move is to defend the integrity of judicial officers after being insulted by the very boss they served under. It is time that a strong message is sent to public office holders,” a source told MalaysiaNow.Jalsoa, whose first president was the late Salleh Abas who passed away last month, brings together officers in the public legal profession.The association is among those who condemned Thomas’ book, “My Story: Justice in the Wilderness”, for remarks seen as derogatory to the government lawyers and officers at the Attorney-General’s Chambers, which Thomas headed under Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) administration.A PDF version of the complete book has also been making rounds, angering its Petaling Jaya-based publisher.Thomas, a private lawyer who was appointed as AG a month after PH’s election victory in 2018, was awarded the Darjah Panglima Setia Mahkota, which carries the title “Tan Sri”, by Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah in September 2019.The award was made on the recommendation of then-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has since joined several prominent names in disputing Thomas’ version of events during his brief administration.Checks on the LinkedIn professional social media page for Thomas’ law firm showed generous use of the title “Tan Sri” in addressing him.Tommy Thomas returned to his law firm as a consultant following his brief stint as the attorney-general.The revocation of royal awards is nothing new as many senior politicians have been stripped of their titles for being convicted of crimes as well as for making controversial remarks.In 2014, the sultan of Selangor stripped Anwar Ibrahim of a royal award carrying the “Datuk Seri” title for questioning the ruler’s decision not to appoint the PKR president’s wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the state menteri besar.Anwar, who was conferred similar titles from other rulers, continues to use the “Datuk Seri” honorific.Thomas, however, has no royal titles other than the one he received in 2019.Much of the protest against Thomas stems from his claim that his officers were not qualified to handle high-profile criminal and corruption cases such as those involving former prime minister Najib Razak.Thomas had said that he was forced to outsource such cases to private lawyers.Among others, Thomas said he wanted the prosecution in the Najib trial to deliver a “professional presentation” that was free from mistakes and errors.“In short, I could not find an AGC officer of sufficient experience, expertise, with the ability to work independently and to lead the preparation in my absence,” he wrote.He said he then turned to “experienced criminal lawyers in the Bar with whom I could work”.The remarks drew strong response from Thomas’ successor Idrus Harun, a former Court of Appeal judge with more than three decades of experience in the judicial service.“I would like to emphasise and give my assurance that I will not be influenced by the contents of the book that clearly show narrow thinking from the brief experience of a man who has no understanding of the public service institution, especially the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the very functions of the AG,” Idrus said yesterday, adding that government lawyers have won many high-profile cases.Earlier this week, the High Court found former Felda chairman Isa Samad guilty of nine counts of corruption and sentenced him to six years in jail and a fine of RM15.45 million.


Yemen war has killed or maimed over 11,000 children, says UN

More than 11,000 children are known to have been killed or maimed in Yemen's civil war since it escalated nearly eight years ago, the United Nations said Monday.
"The true toll of this conflict is likely to be far higher," said the children's agency Unicef about the casualties of the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
"Thousands of children have lost their lives, hundreds of thousands more remain at risk of death from preventable disease or starvation," said Unicef executive director Catherine Russell.
About 2.2 million Yemeni children are acutely malnourished, one quarter of them aged under five, and most are at extreme risk from cholera, measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, Unicef said.
Yemen's war broke out in 2014 and quickly saw Iran-backed Huthi rebels seize the capital Sanaa, prompting Saudi-led forces to intervene to prop up the government the following year.
Hundreds of thousands have died since, either as a result of fighting or indirectly through unsafe drinking water, disease outbreaks, hunger and other impacts.
The agency's latest numbers confirm 3,774 child deaths between March 2015 and September 2022.
A UN-brokered truce lasted for six months until Oct 2, but warring parties then failed to agree on an extension.
Since then at least 62 children have been killed or wounded, said Unicef.
"The urgent renewal of the truce would be a positive first step that would allow critical humanitarian access," Russell said.
"Ultimately, only a sustained peace will allow families to rebuild their shattered lives and begin to plan for the future."
The UN agency also said 3,904 boys had been recruited into the fighting over the years, and that more than 90 girls had been given roles including working at checkpoints.
Unicef appealed for US$484.4 million (RM2.13 billion) in funding to tackle the humanitarian crisis.
"If the children of Yemen are to have any chance of a decent future... all those with influence must ensure they are protected and supported," said Russell.


Singapore to put more police robots on the streets

Singapore will "progressively deploy" more patrol robots across the city-state, police said Thursday, after more than five years of small-scale trials.
Robots were deployed at Changi Airport's Terminal 4 starting in April "to augment frontline police officers in conducting premises patrol", the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said.
More deployments are expected across the city of 5.6 million people, whose small population and low birth rate mean it has to make use of technology to overcome a lack of manpower.
"The SPF plans to progressively deploy more patrol robots to augment police's operations across Singapore," the SPF said in a statement, without giving a timeline.
The robots are equipped with cameras, sensors, speakers, a display panel, blinkers and a siren.
An extendable mast with a 360-degree camera gives an on-the-ground view to officers in a situation room, and a two-way channel allows them to talk directly with the public.
"The patrol robot is the latest addition to SPF's technological arsenal, capable of autonomous patrol and providing the police with an enhanced situational picture to enable better decision and sense-making," the police said.
Using its blinkers, siren and speakers, the robot can "enforce a cordon or warn bystanders during an incident prior to the arrival" of human police, according to the statement.


Bersatu man slams Anwar over 'chaotic' EPF initiative

Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan has hit out at the government over an Employees Provident Fund (EPF) initiative for the use of members' savings balance as backup for bank financing, citing a conversation with a contributor whom he said was now RM35,000 in debt with his retirement funds put up as collateral.
In a Facebook post, the Bersatu man said the contributor was one of a group with whom he had met, who had received approval for the EPF's Account 2 Support Facility or FSA2.
"Interestingly, all of them were given approval despite being bankrupts," he said, adding that some were still unable to withdraw the total approved sum while others had received messages from MBSB Bank instructing them to obtain a letter of discharge from the insolvency department.
"Otherwise, their loan will be cancelled even though the funds have already entered their bank accounts.
"How can it be that loans have been approved and the funds deposited into personal accounts, but the borrower is not allowed to spend the money?
"If these people were ineligible due to their bankruptcy status, why were their applications approved? And not only were they approved, the funds went into their personal accounts."
Wan Saiful said the contributor in question had shared screenshots of his account showing a loan of RM18,000 from MBSB Bank with his EPF funds pledged as collateral.
"MBSB charged an interest rate of 4.5% across a loan period of nine years. The full amount he has to pay is RM35,601.12 – double the amount of RM18,000 that he borrowed," he added.
"I urge Anwar, as finance and prime minister, to explain why his administration is so chaotic, to the point where people who are already in difficulty are being mistreated like this.
"There has never been a prime minister who suggested that the solution for those who are bankrupt due to debt is to add on more debt."
He also called on Anwar to explain how individuals categorised as bankrupts could receive the green light for loans, and provide assurance that if their loan is cancelled, they will not be charged any fees or interest even if the money had been deposited into their personal accounts.
"He should also ensure that the borrowers who have taken loans are not unjustly forced to return the money, and explain the government's rationale for forcing contributors to increase their debts so that the repayment amounts become even more of a burden.
"If Anwar cannot accept the fact that his upside-down policies are burdening the people, it would be better for him to resign as finance minister and let someone more competent take over."


Melaka PN chief backs Mas Ermieyati as CM candidate

Melaka Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen today voiced his support for Mas Ermieyati Samsudin as the coalition’s candidate for chief minister in the event that it wins the Melaka state election tomorrow.He said Mas’ nomination did not jeopardise his stand towards Bersatu or the party’s leadership, and that he would continue with his campaign as PN’s candidate in Telok Mas.“As Melaka PN chairman, I give my full support for the decision and ask that PN’s machinery throughout the state work hard to ensure success for all of its candidates,” he said to reporters when met after Friday prayers at Masjid Al Khairiah in Telok Mas together with PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin.Rafiq, who is Bersatu vice-president, had been one of the names bandied about in talk on the position of chief minister.When asked if he was not nominated because Bersatu had rejected the suggestion, Rafiq said this was only speculation.He also disputed claims by DAP leader Lim Guan Eng that PN’s decision not to choose him as its candidate for chief minister was a sign that it would lose in the state seat.“That is his personal opinion,” he said. “I don’t want to respond to the claims he makes.“But I am confident that I have gone down to the ground and met with voters at mosques, suraus and eateries. Support for PN is strong and positive,” he said, adding that he believed this support would be made known on voting day tomorrow.


Revealed: Conflict of interest stares back at top SC officials

Questions of conflict of interest have been raised in the Securities Commission (SC) after documents from a source in the market regulator showed that several directors of the commission also sit on the boards of public-listed companies, MalaysiaNow can reveal.Although several names cropped up as non-executive directors in these companies, it could point to questions of integrity and conflict of interest as the SC is expected to regulate the same companies in which they have some interest.In one instance of conflict of interest, Gooi Hoe Soon, who is a director at the SC, also sits on the boards of Yinson Holdings Bhd, Red Ideas Holdings Bhd and Perusahaan Sadur Timah Malaysia Bhd.Yinson Holdings is an oil and gas company which had a brush with the SC over an insider trading case involving its former shareholder Yeow Kheng Chew.“Gooi was later appointed to the SC board of directors after the case was closed,” a source familiar with dealings in the commission told MalaysiaNow.Another concern that has been the subject of talk within the business community is one related to the SC chairman himself, Syed Zaid Albar.Zaid, the brother of former minister Syed Hamid Albar, was appointed as SC chairman in October 2018 under the Pakatan Harapan administration.Zaid was a director of Yinson Holdings when he was appointed to head the SC, but swapped places in the company with his daughter, Sharifah Munira Syed Zaid.Munira was named as a non-executive independent chairman of Yinson in January 2020.Meanwhile, another board member, Lynette Yeow Su-Yin, was found to be a non-executive committee member of CTOS Digital Bhd, a leading credit report company.“This also raises concerns, because just last year, the SC approved CTOS’ purchase of additional shares in a rating agency,” the source added.Last year, CTOS raised the company’s stake in RAM Holdings, a ratings agency, to 8.1%, spending an additional RM7.6 million for 350,000 shares.The Securities Commission rules over corporate bond issues, securities, futures, company mergers and stocks, and acts as the registrar of company prospectuses. Photo: SCThe SC was established in 1993 as a statutory body under the Securities Commission Act, with wide powers in regulating the capital market.Apart from ruling over corporate bond issues, securities, futures, company mergers and stocks, the SC also acts as the registrar of company prospectuses.The revelation of SC members being intertwined with business comes as the body is investigating the ownership of shares by Azam Baki, the head of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and his brother.Azam has denied the claims made in a series of online articles by Lalitha Kunaratnam, who is linked to C4 Center, a local NGO led by activist Cynthia Gabriel.The allegations were repeated by Cynthia’s fellow director in C4 Center, Edmund Terence Gomez, who also resigned from MACC’s consultative panel.Yesterday, Azam slapped Lalitha with a RM10 million defamation suit.While the involvement of SC directors in companies is not prohibited by law, it is likely to raise questions over the extent to which it can remain independent in its main job of capital market regulation.“The SC has the power to enforce laws related to the capital market, which will have repercussions on a public-listed company,” a prominent businessman said when shown the documents obtained by MalaysiaNow.“How does having members of the country’s regulatory board in a business not influence the SC’s decisions, even as non-executive directors?“Right now, what we are seeing is a potential conflict of interest in a probe into a conflict of interest case by a body helmed by individuals with conflicts of interest,” he quipped.On Monday, several individuals filed a report against the SC, citing three instances of misconduct and corruption by its directors as well as some senior politicians.They comprise a case of conflict of interest by a board member totalling RM28.2 million, another involving a family member of a top SC official, as well as another alleging that bribes were given to close an investigation on insider trading against a public-listed company.Additional reporting by Azzman Abdul Jamal.


When the food is good but rats abound

While much of the focus for the past two years or so has been on Covid-19, other health problems persist including the long-standing issue of hygiene at restaurants and eateries.Around the Petaling district alone, a number of eateries appear to have adopted a lax attitude towards maintaining the requisite level of cleanliness, leaving the window of opportunity wide open to the spread of infectious diseases among customers.Checks by MalaysiaNow found such eateries in Subang, Puchong and Shah Alam, where some premises were surrounded by garbage and the drains clogged with food waste.At some roadside eateries in Subang, mould was found growing in sinks and kitchen areas.Fatimatul Zahra, 24, has lived in Subang Jaya since she was a child and often eats with her friends at restaurants around the SS15 neighbourhood.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, she recalled seeing a rat nearly the size of a cat outside a restaurant on a recent outing.A food delivery motorcycle is parked behind a row of stalls at a food court in SS19.Calling it “normal sightseeing” around town, she said she had become used to such things.“As long as the rats are outside and don’t come near me, I am okay,” she said.“Plus the food is good and I have never suffered from food poisoning eating there, so I guess it’s fine.”She said people still eat at restaurants or food stalls even when they are not clean because the food is good and the atmosphere conducive to hanging out with friends.“The same goes for dirty mamak stalls,” she said. “No matter how much they make the news, people still go there just because it’s the best place to have a social meet-up.”Rajaselvam, who lives in USJ 18 and frequents restaurants around USJ and Shah Alam, agreed.However, he was more tactful in describing problematic eateries.“Not all restaurants in Petaling are dirty. I would classify some as ‘less hygienic’,” he said.“And even though some places are not very clean, people still go there to hang out.”The kitchen area of a restaurant in SS19, where the floor is thick with grime and the stove area is in need of a good scrubbing.Sometimes people are also willing to put up with the unhygienic situation just to be part of the latest craze.Rajaselvam gave the example of the recent bubble tea trend which saw a mushrooming of shops selling the popular Taiwanese drink around SS15.“It’s not uncommon to see people crowding the place, even with rats scattering near their feet.”Earlier this year, the Subang Jaya City Council health department caught and poisoned 161 rats in the back lanes of Jalan SS15/4D.MBSJ councillor Ken Chia posted pictures of the rats on his Facebook account, sparking a mix of reactions from the public to what he called the “rats extermination” programme.Such efforts have been ongoing since at least 2013, but the rat problem appears to persist.Fatimatul said the infestation might be due to improper management of food waste in the back lanes of restaurants and the grease of clogged-up drains.This continues to be an issue even though it has been made compulsory for restaurant operators to install grease traps in their kitchens.At the end of the day, though, Rajaselvam said it falls on everyone to do their bit in keeping public spots clean.“When it comes to cleanliness, everyone needs to take part and be aware of the long-term consequences,” Rajaselvam said.“Without strict regulations and cooperation from every party, dirty eateries will continue to be a problem and will lead to the spread of infectious diseases.”


Ismail appointed by Agong, no need Dewan vote, says AG

Attorney-General Idrus Harun today said there is no need to legitimise the appointment of Ismail Sabri Yaakob as prime minister or his government as it was established according to law, adding that any requirement for further validation would call into question the authority of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in the matter.In a statement, he said if Ismail’s appointment needed to be legitimised by any party other than the Agong, it would mean that the king’s absolute power could be superseded.“This move would not be in line with the provisions of the Federal Constitution and would deny the authority of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as enshrined in the constitution,” he said.Ismail was sworn in as Malaysia’s ninth prime minister on Aug 21, replacing Muhyiddin Yassin who lost his fragile majority after a group of Umno MPs aligned with their president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former leader Najib Razak withdrew their support for him.He took his oath of office with the support of 114 out of 220 MPs.Ismail was appointed to the country’s top office following a rigorous process by Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah to determine which of the MPs possessed the majority support.Idrus said the Agong had held audiences with the leaders of the country’s main political parties on Aug 17, adding that all 220 MPs had been asked to submit statutory declarations to the palace stating their candidate of choice for prime minister.“Following the receipt of the statutory declarations, His Majesty consented to audiences with 114 MPs on Aug 19 to confirm their support for Ismail as prime minister,” he said.“On Aug 21, the new prime minister was sworn in according to Article 43(6) of the Federal Constitution.“In line with the careful and transparent process undertaken by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to appoint the ninth prime minister as stated above, it is clear that the appointment of Ismail as prime minister was valid and in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Constitution.”


London’s Heathrow records lowest annual passenger numbers since 1972

London’s Heathrow airport, Britain’s busiest, saw its lowest number of passengers since 1972 last year and suffered wider losses as the coronavirus pandemic slashed demand for business travel and holidays.Passenger numbers fell to 19.4 million in 2021. Heathrow also recorded a pretax loss of 1.79 billion pounds (US$2.43 billion) for 2021, taking total loses during the pandemic to 3.8 billion pounds due to the drop in passengers and high fixed costs.Chief executive John Holland-Kaye said Heathrow expected to meet its target of more than doubling passengers to 45.5 million this year, although demand would be “quite peaky” and focused on British school holidays.Passenger numbers were currently 23% behind forecast, but he said there were signs of recovery, with the airport seeing some of its busiest days in two years as families went skiing during the school break last week.“Summer in particular we think will be quite busy,” he said in an interview. “After two years of staycations, people want to get some guaranteed sunshine.”He said Heathrow was working with airlines to scale up its operations and reopen Terminal 4 for the summer peak.But while outbound tourism had been boosted by the removal of restrictions in Britain, Holland-Kaye said inbound tourism and business travel remained suppressed, including transatlantic routes, because of testing requirements in other countries.He said he did not expect travel to return to pre-pandemic levels until all restrictions had been removed and passengers were confident they would not be reimposed.Heathrow is awaiting the aviation regulator’s final proposals on what it can charge passengers for the 2022-2027 period, after it criticised the airport’s plan to raise charges by nearly half. Airlines have also voiced their opposition.Holland-Kaye said if the regulator did not rectify “major mistakes” in its initial proposals, there could be a return to the “Heathrow hassle” of 15 years ago.“If we get it right, we can continue to have the seamless journeys that people have been used to, and the price for doing that is less than 2% on the ticket price,” he said.