EU not backing Covid vaccine patent suspension at WTO

The EU on Friday submitted a proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for a multilateral pact aimed at boosting production of Covid-19 vaccines, but which calls for compulsory licensing deals rather than suspending patents.The European Commission reiterated the reservations that it holds about the temporary lifting of patents, as requested by India and South Africa, and now backed by Washington.“In reality, the main problem at this moment relates to the lack of sufficient manufacturing capacity to rapidly produce the required quantities,” commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis said in a statement.“The objective must be to ensure that any available and adequate manufacturing capacity anywhere in the world is used for the Covid-19 vaccines production.”Brussels urged members of the WTO to “ensure that Covid-19 vaccines, treatments and their components can cross borders freely”.It also called for an increase in vaccine production and making sure “those countries most in need of vaccines receive them at an affordable price” and facilitating “the use of compulsory licensing” within a WTO framework protecting intellectual property.The EU has come out strongly against the US position on patents, repeatedly emphasising that the European bloc has exported as many Covid vaccine doses as it has kept for itself, while the US has sent abroad very little, prioritising its own population instead.“Vaccine-producing countries should be ready to export a fair share of their domestic production,” it said, in its statement.


Najib withdraws suit against govt, to continue action against ex-AG Thomas

Najib Razak today withdrew his suit against the Malaysian government over charges of abuse of power in prosecuting him in several cases, including the 1MDB scandal.
However, he is continuing his suit against former attorney-general Tommy Thomas as the first defendant.
Earlier, Najib’s lawyer Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin informed High Court judge Ahmad Bache that his client had decided to withdraw the suit against the government as the second defendant.
"The suit against the government discontinued," Firoz said.
Thomas meanwhile is represented by lawyer Alan Adrian Gomez. Najib, 69, appeared in court wearing a grey suit and sat in the public gallery surrounded by six guards from Kajang Prison. Also present was his wife, Rosmah Mansor.
According to the notice of termination of the suit filed by Messrs Raj, Ong & Yudistra yesterday, the former prime minister has discontinued his action against the government with no order regarding costs.
Najib filed the suit on Oct 22, 2021, claiming that the charges against him were part of a move planned in advance by Thomas and in line with the Pakatan Harapan government’s plan at the time.
Najib claimed that he had been wrongly accused in court in the case of 1MDB, International Petroleum Investment Company, abuse of power under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
He is seeking a declaration that Thomas committed misfeasance in public office as well as RM1.9 million in damages including negotiation fees for the audit team to review the documentation for the preparation of facts to deal with the prosecution against him.


In Kelantan, flood evacuees to vote at dual-function relief centre

With their village of Kampung Kubang Kual in Kelantan still flooded, more than 100 evacuees at the temporary relief centre (PPS) at SK Kubang Kual in Rantau Panjang will be able to cast their votes at the same venue come polling day tomorrow.
SK Kubang Kual will now have an "overlapping function" as a PPS as well as a voting centre for the Rantau Panjang parliamentary seat.
Fazilah Othman, whose family decided to remain at the PPS as their house was still inundated, said all they had to do in the morning was simply wake up.
"We are lucky here because this school is being used as a PPS and also delegated as a polling centre. This makes it easy for all of us.
"It feels a bit strange but what can we do, we still can't go home," she told Bernama in Pasir Mas today.
Her three children, who are first-time voters and arrived from Kuala Lumpur early this morning, have joined the family at the PPS, she said.
Selamah Isa, 93, said she was grateful to have been evacuated to the PPS by the authorities as her house is in a low-lying area.
"For voting tomorrow, I will be helped by the children or someone else as I can no longer walk.
"When you get this old, you need help to move anywhere," said Selamah, who has faithfully fulfilled her responsibility as a voter since the 1960s.


Oceans warmed steadily over 12,000 years, study says

Earth’s oceans have been warming consistently throughout the last 12,000 years, according to research published Wednesday that authors said showed clearly humanity’s profound effect on the climate.Previous estimates of sea temperatures stretching back millennia have traditionally been based on analysis of preserved rock, and concluded that oceans hit their temperature peak around 6,000 years ago before gradually cooling.This is at odds with global air temperature records, which tell the tale of a consistent warming trend, accelerating at the onset of the industrial era.Researchers in the US and China reassessed sea temperature models and found that they usually represented seasonal temperature variations rather than the annual average.Adjusting for these seasonal discrepancies, they found that sea temperatures have in fact risen more or less in lock step with global air temperatures over the last 12,000 years.Lead author Samantha Bova from Rutgers Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences said the results further emphasised how the build up of greenhouse gases contributed to rising sea as well as air temperatures during the geological period known as the Holocene.“The apparent discrepancy between cooling global temperature, as suggested in recent research, and rising atmospheric greenhouse gases across the late Holocene has cast doubts among sceptics about the role of greenhouse gases in climate change during the Holocene and possibly in the future,” she told AFP.She said their calculations showed how mean annual sea temperatures rose steadily between 12,000-6,500 years ago due to retreating ice sheets.From around 6,000 years ago, however, the temperatures track with rising air temperatures and increasing greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere.Bova said that the study, published in the journal Nature, “eliminates any doubts about the key role of carbon dioxide in global warming”.‘Major step’The newly adjusted sea temperature models suggested that oceans are currently roughly as warm as they were during the last interglacial period, around 125,000 years ago.Oceans have absorbed as much as 90% of the excess heat produced by industrial activity since the mid-17th century, as well as around quarter of all carbon pollution.Warming seas pose a challenge for marine species, as evidenced by several pieces of recent research showing how creatures struggle to adapt to higher temperatures.They can also increase the severity of tropical storms and the flooding and devastation these phenomena can bring.Writing in a linked comment article, Jennifer Hertzberg, from Texas A&M University’s International Ocean Discovery Program, said Wednesday’s study was “a major step forward” for climate research.She said Bova and her colleague’s method of correcting seasonal temperature bias in historic reconstruction “can now be applied to other temperature records on different timescales”.


Singapore baby born with Covid-19 antibodies

A Singaporean woman, who was infected with Covid-19 in March when she was 10 weeks pregnant, has given birth to a baby with antibodies against the virus.The baby, a healthy boy named Aldrin, was born this month without the illness but with the virus antibodies, the Straits Times newspaper reported on Sunday. His mother had no antibodies herself by the time Aldrin was born.“My doctor suspects I transferred my antibodies to him during my pregnancy,” Celine Ng-Chan told the paper.Private tutor Ng-Chan, 31, fell ill with Covid-19, along with her mother, 58-year-old Choy Wai Chee, and two-year-old daughter, while on holiday in Europe in March. The infection nearly killed her mother, who spent 29 days on life support.Ng-Chan and her daughter, Aldrina, had mild cases and were discharged from hospital after two-and-a-half weeks.The World Health Organization says it is not yet known whether a pregnant woman with Covid-19 can pass the virus to her baby during pregnancy or delivery. Until now, the active virus has not been found in samples of fluid around the baby in the womb or in breast milk.Doctors in China have reported the detection and decline over time of Covid-19 antibodies in babies born to women with the coronavirus, according to an article published in October in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.Ng-Chan and the National University Hospital, where she gave birth, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The Straits Times said that while their case did provide some potential clues about mother-to-child transmission, the answers still are not definitive. What does seem certain is that current evidence indicates that delivery method, breastfeeding or sharing a room after delivery do not appear to affect whether a baby gets the virus from his or her mother.


Immediate closure of premises if bosses keep staff from observing quarantine

Employers who do not allow employees to self-quarantine while waiting for Covid-19 screening test results will have their premises shut down immediately, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba says.He said the action comes under the conditions of the General Standard Operation Procedures and the General Guidelines on the Approval of Operations Movement of Company Employees during the Movement Control Order issued by the international trade and industry ministry.He said the condition also applies to employees who voluntarily quarantine themselves after receiving negative Covid-19 results.“If employers do not allow quarantines, the condition states that the police and the health ministry, based on the authority given, can order the immediate closure of their premises.“Non-compliance by employers must be reported to the police,” he said at a media conference together with National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on the development of the vaccination programme yesterday.Article 34 of the condition states that any employee under the health ministry’s observation or placed under home observation is not allowed to come to work and is required to undergo a quarantine period set by the ministry.The condition also states that the company must help and cooperate fully with the ministry in implementing contact tracing of employees infected with Covid-19 and contact management, while the employee under observation by the ministry or under home observation is not allowed to work and is required to be quarantined.Adham said the reminder was timely following the recent rise in workplace-linked Covid-19 clusters, with 44 clusters recorded between May 2 and May 8, compared to 24 clusters for the period of April 25 to May 1.According to him, the situation is worrying as it represents an 83.3% increase during that period.He said there also was a rise in Covid-19 deaths recorded in six weeks, with 22 fatalities recorded from March 21 to 27; 35 cases each from March 28 to April 3 and April 4 to 10; 49 cases from April 11 to 17; 56 cases from April 18 to 24 and 95 cases from April 25 to May 1.Adham said 9.98 million individuals had undergone Covid-19 RT-PCR tests as of May 8.He added that 498,193 tests were done from May 2 to 8 compared to 480,688 tests from April 25 to May 1, with the rate of individuals testing positive from May 2 to 8 at 5.1%.


Get ready for multiple Covid-19 surges, WHO warns govts

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned governments of countries in the Western Pacific region, which includes Malaysia, to prepare for multiple surges of Covid-19 before a vaccine is ready – estimated to be available by the end of 2021.Dr Babatunde Olowokure, WHO regional emergency director for the Western Pacific, said although countries in the region had done better than others, behavioural and policy lapses were leading to surges.“This is mainly due to breaches, exemptions or relaxations, such as allowing the congregation of people in settings that are high-risk,” he said at the virtual press conference of the 71st session of the Regional Committee today.He said lockdowns would not work unless they came with “measures to suppress the virus” such as social distancing, the wearing of masks, and the practice of good hygiene.“There must be a number of control measures which are all implemented together,” he said.Dr Takeshi Kasai, regional director for the WHO-Western Pacific, told the press that governments would have to find a sustainable strategy when this happens as people tire of following pandemic protocols.“As long as the virus is circulating in the world, no country is safe. And there is no sign that the virus is going away quickly,” he said.Such steps include increasing vigilance to quickly detect, test and isolate cases, improving the public health system, and protecting the vulnerable.He said businesses needed to find a way to operate while minimising risk, while the public needed to adopt preventative measures.The onus, he added, was on governments to engage businesses and the public to work together and reduce transmission.“I know it is not easy to do. But the more we actively create the new normal, I think we can bring up those economies and people’s (livelihoods),” he said.WHO-Western Pacific has recorded the lowest number of infections and fatalities so far, with some Pacific islands recording no cases at all.Covid-19 has infected over 633,000 and killed more than 13,000 in the region.


Saudi announces billions in investment deals at Arab-China summit

Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday billions of dollars in investment deals between China and the Arab world, on the first day of the China-Arab business conference in Riyadh.
The meeting comes amid growing commercial and diplomatic ties between Beijing and Middle Eastern countries, including a recent landmark Chinese-brokered rapprochement between powerhouses Iran and Saudi Arabia that has shifted regional relations.
The oil-rich kingdom is hosting the conference, now in its 10th edition, for the first time. Over two days, it brings together more than 3,500 government and business officials from China and Arab countries, the Saudi investment ministry said in a statement.
The event "marked its first day with the signing of US$10 billion (RM46.17 billion) in investment agreements", the statement said – the vast majority of which are for projects in Saudi Arabia or by Saudi firms and government entities.
This figure includes a US$5.6 billion memorandum of understanding between the Saudi investment ministry and Human Horizons, a Chinese maker of electric and self-driving cars.
More than half of the total sum is in the memorandum of understanding, as well as a separate "cooperation agreement" and a "framework agreement" involving other companies, according to the statement.
It detailed agreements in various fields, including technology, agriculture, renewable energy, real estate, natural resources and tourism.
At the launch of the conference, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan highlighted the potential in increased trade and economic ties between China and Arab countries.
"(This) meeting is an opportunity... to build a shared future towards a new, beneficial era for our peoples," he said.
According to the Saudi statement, a US$533 million deal was concluded between AMR ALuwlaa Company and Zhonghuan International Group (Hong Kong) for the establishment of an iron factory in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi ASK Group and the China National Geological & Mining Corp inked a US$500 million cooperation agreement on copper mining in the kingdom, the statement added.
Chinese President Xi Jinping in December visited Saudi Arabia – the world's largest crude exporter – prompting criticism from Riyadh's longtime ally the United States.
Asked about the US criticism, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said: "I actually ignore it."
He added that business people "will go where opportunity comes your way".
During a trip to Riyadh last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was "not asking anyone to choose between the US and China".


Why the UN General Assembly's move to take Israel to World Court matters

The United Nations General Assembly voted last week to refer Israel to the International Court of Justice (World Court) for its ongoing violation of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza, and for adopting measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the holy city of Jerusalem.
Before we analyse the significance of the vote, let us probe the actual voting pattern. Eighty-seven states voted to refer Israel to the World Court. This represents almost all of the Muslim majority states including those that had recently established diplomatic relations with Israel.
It shows that on this issue, at least, the diplomatic manoeuvres of Israel and its backers have not helped the Zionist state. Other largely non-Muslim majority states in Latin America, Africa and Asia also endorsed the resolution.
It is notable that both China and Russia supported the move to haul Israel before the World Court. Twenty-six countries voted against the General Assembly resolution. Among them were, of course, the US, Britain and a number of other Western states. A huge number – 53 – also abstained. India, which at the time of the creation of Israel in 1948, was at the forefront of the struggle to defend the rights of the Palestinians, was one of the abstentions. Its growing ties with Israel, especially in the military sphere, have often been cited as the main reason for this change in attitude.       The Indian stance does not in any way nullify the significance of the vote for the resolution. The General Assembly is asking the highest jurisdictional authority in the world to state its stand on Israel’s conduct as the occupying power over lands it has held in its grip for the last 55 years.
Right from 1967, the General Assembly has viewed Israel not only as an occupying power but has also demanded that Israel withdraw from the West Bank and Gaza. Needless to say, Israel has ignored this plea. It is worth observing that this time the General Assembly's request is being made when Israel is led by perhaps its most extreme right-wing government, which has pledged to pursue policies that will undermine even further what little is left of the rights of the Palestinian people and demolish even more the Christian and Muslim features of Jerusalem.
By asking the World Court to examine Israeli behaviour in the occupied territories, the General Assembly is telling Israel that it is under scrutiny. It is holding Israel accountable. It is forcing a rogue state to behave properly – a state that since 1948 has refused to abide by the norms and standards of conduct that all states are expected to uphold.
If the World Court concurs in essence with the General Assembly resolution that Israel has violated the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and has attempted to alter the character of Jerusalem, how would the Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu respond?
Going on the basis of his past and present conduct, it is almost certain that he will ignore the World Court’s position and even rail against the body just as he has condemned the General Assembly for its recent resolution. In other words, there will be no change in Israeli behaviour in the occupied territories or in Jerusalem.
After all, in 2004 the World Court already ruled that Israeli settlements in the occupied territories were in breach of international law but Israel continued to expand the settlements which today house about 700,000 Jewish settlers.
But this should not in any way diminish the usefulness of going to the World Court or working through the General Assembly. These are important routes to take for at least two reasons. One, they reveal that Israel is the real problem and that it is this problem that has to be resolved in the interest of genuine peace. Two, by harnessing support from UN member states and UN agencies, the Palestinian cause is enhanced. It strengthens the Palestinian position as it confronts not just Israel but its principal backer, the US and a number of European states, sometimes joined by Japan and South Korea.
It is perhaps at this juncture that we should examine briefly Palestine’s relationship with the UN. It has been ambivalent at best. It was the UN under the influence of the US and other Western powers that presided over the unjust partition of historical Palestine in 1948 giving the less than 30% Jewish population two-thirds of the land while the 70% Palestinian majority comprising Muslims and Christians was awarded the remaining one-third.
There was no plebiscite to determine how the people – the entire population – felt about the proposed partition. By ignoring the people’s feelings, the UN in effect transgressed its own charter.
But after Israel seized Gaza and the West Bank including East Jerusalem in 1967, UN resolutions – as we have seen – clearly recognise Palestinians living in those territories as victims of occupation. It should also be emphasised that through various resolutions the UN continues to recognise the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty. Besides, since November 2012, Palestine has been a non-member observer state of the UN General Assembly.
The UN also looks after Palestinian refugees. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency provides education, health relief and social services for over five million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria. Gaza and West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Palestine’s relationship with the UN is one wrapped in obligations, responsibilities, rights and aspirations. It has had its ups and downs. But it should continue to be viewed as one of the many channels through which the Palestinian people seek to secure their justice, freedom and dignity.
Chandra Muzaffar is president of the International Movement for a Just World.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Free education, equal rights for unmarried women among proposals to boost China's fertility

Free college education and equal rights for unmarried women are among proposals being urged by members of China’s top political advisory body to boost the country's birth rate after its population fell last year for the first time in six decades.
The proposals come ahead of the upcoming Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which kicks off on March 4. The once-a-year gathering mostly overlaps with the National People's Congress (NPC), where a new leadership team under President Xi Jinping will be endorsed.
China should remove restrictions on marital status used to register newborns, allowing unmarried women to enjoy fertility services like married women do, Xie Wenmin, a member of China's top political advisory body, told the state-backed Global Times this week.
Current government rules dictate only married women are legally allowed to give birth but some provinces such as China's southwestern province of Sichuan started allowing singles to have children in February.
China's shrinking population is pushing authorities to roll out incentives and measures to boost the population including expanding maternity leave, financial and tax benefits for having children as well as housing subsidies.
Paternity leave should also be increased to make men share parenting responsibilities, said CPPCC member Gan Huatian on Wednesday.
Families who have a third child born after 2024 should get free college education, CPPCC delegate Zhao Dongling said on Thursday, a proposal that was one of the top trending topics on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
Much of China's demographic downturn is the result of its one-child policy imposed between 1980 and 2015. Even after authorities scrapped the rule, high childcare and education costs are cited as a key reason for having fewer children.
Last year, China recorded its lowest ever birth rate, of 6.77 births per 1,000 people.
Jilin in northeastern China, which has one of the lowest birth rates in the country, modified its rules in 2002 to permit single women to access in vitro fertilisation (IVF) but it has had little impact as it is still banned nationally under the country's National Health Commission.
Lu Weiying, a member of China's top political advisory body, told the Global Times this week she would propose allowing unmarried women to access egg freezing to preserve their fertility and include infertility treatments in the public health insurance system.
Currently IVF and egg freezing in China are banned for unmarried women.


PN swallowed up PH’s Malay votes at Melaka polls, say analysts

While Perikatan Nasional (PN) emerged last among the three main political blocs in the race for seats at the Melaka state election, it obtained enough votes to jeopardise Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) performance especially among the Malay voters, analysts say.When contacted by MalaysiaNow, they said Barisan Nasional’s (BN) victory in the polls was a foregone conclusion given that Melaka is seen as an Umno stronghold.But among the Malay electorate who did not support BN, they said, Bersatu had “swallowed up” more voters than PH.Oh Ei Sun, a political analyst with the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said PN had succeeded in splitting the vote, detracting from both PH and BN but having a bigger impact on the coalition led by PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim.“Not only did PH votes go to PN, they also failed to attract the votes of the Malays who were unhappy with BN,” he told MalaysiaNow.“Instead, those votes went to PN as voters were not satisfied with what PH had to offer and disappointed with their performance since 2018.”A motorcyclist pauses at a junction decked out with the flags of Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional in Bukit Beruang, Melaka, ahead of the state election on Nov 20.Amanah president Mohamad Sabu previously said that PH’s loss was due to Bersatu, which had helped capture the Malay vote at the 2018 general election.“If (the votes gained by Bersatu) were combined with the popular vote achieved by PH of 114,457, it would mean a total of 147,457 compared to BN which only received 122,741,” he said in a statement on Sunday.Ahmad Martadha Mohamed, an anlayst with Universiti Utara Malaysia, said Umno had had the advantage as 19 of the state constituencies in Melaka are Malay-majority seats.“Umno’s grassroots support is strong, so PH and PN were left to fight over the support of the Malays who rejected BN,” he said.Chinese voters unhappy with DAP?James Chin of the University of Tasmania meanwhile said PN’s success in winning votes was not the only factor in PH’s defeat.He said Chinese voters were unhappy about the memorandum of understanding (MoU) inked between PH and the government over which DAP had remained silent.Voters wait their turn to cast their ballots at the polling centre in SMK Katholik in Kenanga Seksyen 2.“I believe the Chinese voters were dissatisfied with DAP,” he said. “This, combined with the low voter turnout, gave BN the edge.”BN returned to form the state government in Melaka after winning 21 of the 28 seats it contested. PH meanwhile won five seats and PN, two.The results came as a surprise especially for PH whose component PKR lost all 11 seats it contested while Amanah only won the Bukit Katil seat.BN won 38.39% (122,741) of the popular vote while PH and PN obtained 35.65% (113,968) and 24.47% (78,220) respectively.Oh said while the Melaka election showed BN’s success in making a comeback there, PN’s achievements, although small, were enough to split the votes for BN and PH.“BN’s success in Melaka will boost Umno’s confidence,” he said, adding that some believed it would be able to leave PN.“But this might have a negative effect seeing as PN won a significant number of votes in Melaka and could be a vote-breaker in the next general election.”Martadha meanwhile said the results in Melaka could not be made a benchmark for BN’s performance in the future, adding that the coalition would still need help from parties like PAS and Bersatu in order to win the next election.Barisan Nasional supporters celebrate the coalition’s victory at its command centre in the Melaka Botanical Garden.“Umno needs to learn some lessons from the Melaka polls, such as PH’s decision to take in the assemblymen who jumped ship, as well as the unexpected shift in Chinese votes,” he said.“Umno cannot afford to be arrogant. The help of both PAS and Bersatu at the next general election will still be relevant.”But the biggest surprise for Chin was the performance of BN components MCA and MIC.“This looks like a rebirth for BN,” he said. “But I also think that support for these parties may be limited to Melaka.”He said the expected increase of some eight to nine million voters aged 18 to 19 at the next general election would also mean a different playing field.He also said the Melaka election had been an anomaly as political parties were not allowed to campaign face-to-face.“This will test all parties in new ways of campaigning ahead of the Sarawak state election to come,” he said.“It is also important for us to see if Malay parties like Umno and Bersatu will continue to attract the Malay vote.”


Putrajaya says no compromise in fight against graft after drop in global corruption index

Putrajaya says it is committed to the war against corruption in the wake of the 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International which ranked Malaysia six spots lower than the previous year.A statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office also said its anti-corruption resolve would be guided by the National Anti-Corruption Plan, an integrated approach launched in 2019 that aims to make the country graft-free by 2023.“The government has not, and will not, compromise with those guilty of corruption, and stern action will be taken according to the rule of law,” the statement said.The latest CPI ranking puts Malaysia at the 57th spot in a list of 180 countries, and lowered its score to 51 out of 100 points.A series of high-profile corruption cases are still being heard in the courts despite the change of government early last year.In July, former prime minister Najib Razak was convicted of seven charges related to RM42 million in his private bank account.


Famous Indian singer Bala dead from Covid-19

The renowned Indian film singer SP Balasubrahmanyam has died of Covid-19.His death came following hospitalization in Chennai, India, and weeks spent on life support for pneumonia. He was 74.On Friday, his hospital said, “This morning, despite maximal life support measures and the best efforts of the clinical team, his condition deteriorated further and he suffered a cardio-respiratory arrest.”Tributes have been pouring in from celebrities and fans around the world.The singer recorded for more than 50 years and was a Guinness World Record holder for his more than 40,000 songs.His catalogue covers everything from romantic numbers to dance tracks. He sang some of Indian cinema’s best-known songs, in 16 languages. He was most famous as a playback singer where actors lip-sync to his voice.Popularly known as SPB, he was born in 1946 into a middle-class family from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. He moved to Chennai after he was spotted at a music talent competition.He said: “I planned to be an engineer but then music turned the course of my life. I realised not to plan and let things play out for me.”He began his playback career in Tamil and Telgu cinema in southern India and his first major breakthrough came when he sang for Tamil superstar MG Ramachandran in the 1969 film Adimai Penn.“Singing for a superstar like him changed how the Tamil film world looked at me,” he said.He went on to become the first singer to crossover into Bollywood and achieve fame there too. His first big Bollywood hit was in 1981 when he sang for the film Ek Duuje Ke Liye (We Are Made For Each Other).Bala was the highest paid singer in southern India and was kept busy working in the national film industry from the 1970s up to the present day.At the height of his fame fans would write to him using their own blood for ink.He was awarded two of India’s top civilian honours, Padma Shri in 2001 and Padma Bhushan in 2011.Critic VAK Ranga Rao once said, ”Balasubrahmanyam is a phenomenon. He has a fine voice which always sings true. He has a deep awareness and a basic feel for the aesthetics of film music and a raging enthusiasm and respect for the art.”According to figures from Johns Hopkins University, India has recorded more than 5.8 million coronavirus cases, including 92,290 deaths, since the start of the pandemic.


710 new cases, death toll up by 10

A total of 710 new cases were recorded today, pushing the total to 24,514.Of these, 528 were recorded in Sabah while 62 were recorded in Selangor and 39 in Penang.Negeri Sembilan saw 37 new cases while Labuan had 19.Kuala Lumpur recorded 11 new cases, followed by Perak and Johor (four each), Terengganu (two) and Kedah (one).No new cases were reported in Putrajaya, Perlis and Kelantan.Active cases now stand at 8,416 or 34.33% with 90 in the ICU and 28 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 467 patients were discharged from hospital, taking recoveries to 15,884 or 64.80%.However, 10 more deaths were recorded – the most since the pandemic was detected in the country – pushing the virus toll to 214.


Prasarana pledges RM1,000 aid for all LRT collision victims

Prasarana Malaysia Bhd says it will provide appropriate aid to all passengers involved in the collision of two of its LRT trains in the tunnel between the Kampung Baru and KLCC stations last night.Prasarana Group chairman Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said a total of 213 passengers were involved in the incident, 64 of whom were rushed to hospital with six currently in critical condition and three requiring respiratory support.“Prasarana will give special aid of RM1,000 each to the 213 passengers irrespective of their condition, whether serious or not serious.“Other than that, we will also provide special assistance for the 64 passengers who were admitted to hospital, including the cost of medication and treatment until they are fully recovered.“InshaAllah we’ll give them medical support. They will also get financial assistance but the amount will depend on individual cases,” he said at a press conference today after visiting the location of the incident.It was reported that the 8.45pm collision had caused severe injuries to 47 passengers, while 166 escaped with minor injuries.Tajuddin said Prasarana would also provide livelihood assistance for victims who had lost their income as a result of the incident until they could return to work as usual.He also assured that the train service would run as usual using unaffected trains while the two trains involved are being repaired.He added that SOPs would be improved.“We (Prasarana) are deeply saddened. This is a tragedy, an incident beyond our control. We are also ready to accept responsibility and apologise for what happened, but we’ll try our best to take care of everything, what is needed for the passengers and the public,” he said.Prasarana in a statement asked passengers to contact the company as soon as possible at 014-737 1330 or [email protected] to expedite the payment of the special assistance.It also assured of its full cooperation with the special task force led by transport ministry secretary-general Isham Ishak and his team who are investigating the incident.“Prasarana will also cooperate with the police in their investigation into the case under Section 201 of the Land Transport Act 2010,” the statement said.Yesterday, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said the ministry would set up a special task force to investigate the cause of the crash. He said the results of the investigation were expected to be presented to the ministry in two weeks’ time.Wee also said this was the first such incident involving LRT trains throughout their 23 years of operation in the country.


Ransomware gang websites vanish after Biden pressures Putin

Russian-linked ransomware gang websites blamed for attacks on hundreds of businesses worldwide have simply vanished from the internet.Monitors say a payment website and a blog run by the REvil group became suddenly unreachable on Tuesday.The reason behind the disappearance is unknown, but has sparked speculation that the group may have been targeted deliberately by authorities in Moscow after growing pressure from the US, the BBC is reporting.US President Joe Biden said he raised the issue of cybercrime and ransom attacks with Russian President Vlamidir Putin during a phone call on Friday, after discussing the subject during a summit with him in Geneva last month.Biden told reporters that he had made it very clear to Putin that the US expected him to act and also hinted the US could take direct digital retaliation on servers used for intrusions.The timing of Tuesday’s outage has sparked speculation that either the US or Russian authorities may have taken action against REvil.Officials have so far declined to comment and cyber experts say sudden disappearances of such groups are not uncommon.The development comes after a series of high-profile ransomware attacks which have hit major US businesses this year.The FBI accused REvil – also known as Sodinokibi – of being behind a ransomware attack on JBS, the world’s largest meat processing company, last month.The group is considered prolific and last week demanded a huge bitcoin ransom for an attack which targeted IT firm Kaseya and hundreds more businesses worldwide.One unidentified hacker who claims to be an affiliate of the gang talked to the BBC and  claimed that the US “Feds took down” elements of their websites and so the gang pulled the plug on the rest of their operation.He also said there was pressure from the Kremlin too, saying: “Russia is tired of the US and other countries crying to them.”The BBC comments that if this scenario proves to be accurate, it shows a dramatic shift in policy from the Kremlin which has so far been happy to sit back and let gangs like REvil operate without fear of intervention and collect their enormous ransoms.


The case against holding separate state elections

Analysts warn that holding separate elections at the state level could backfire on coalitions, as a number of state governments under Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) maintain the decision not to dissolve their legislative assemblies to allow polls in tandem with the 15th general election (GE15).
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, they said this could also risk a loss of power for the coalitions at the state level.
Ismail Sualman of Universiti Teknologi Mara said holding state elections at the same time as GE15 would allow the synchronisation of strategies, tactics and propaganda to woo the support of voters.
He said voters tend to choose whichever party they want at both levels without any reservations.
"It's easier for voters to choose according to their voting pattern if the elections are held simultaneously," he said.
"Political parties meanwhile will have equal opportunities and space on the same playing field.
"If a party loses in GE15, the danger of postponing state elections is that the same pattern will repeat itself."
So far, only a handful of states – Pahang, Perlis and Perak – have decided to hold elections if they obtain the consent of their respective rulers.
Melaka, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak are not involved as they recently held polls at the state level.
The three states under PAS – Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu – will not dissolve their legislative assemblies.
PH, meanwhile, which rules Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang, had said that it would not dissolve its assemblies either, although PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said this week that the states had been told to hold detailed discussions with their component party leaderships to find common ground on the matter.
The decision not to dissolve the assemblies in these states came as a form of protest against Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's move on Oct 10 to dissolve Parliament, paving the way for GE15 this year despite strong objections due to concerns over the annual monsoon floods.
Ismail had announced the dissolution of Parliament after coming under strong pressure from Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, although he later denied any influence in his decision.
Analyst Hisommudin Bakar said PH and PN should hold state elections at the same time as GE15 in order to save time and money – issues the coalitions had raised when Barisan Nasional (BN) moved to hold polls in Melaka and Johor.
Hisommudin, of electoral think tank Ilham Centre, added that the legislative assemblies in these states were approaching the due date for expiry.
"Voters might consider it annoying to have to go out to vote twice," he said.
"And they will be influenced by the decisions they made at the Parliament level."
If these states persisted in holding separate elections, he said, Umno would have the edge.
"It might turn out badly for PH if BN-Umno wins at the federal level."
Ahmad Atory Hussain, who has studied Malay politics for decades, agreed.
He said if BN succeeded in taking Putrajaya, PH and PAS would be shooting themselves in the foot if they did not dissolve their state assemblies.
"BN would channel all of its strength and assets to topple the state governments under PH and PAS," he said.
Kartini Aboo Talib of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia meanwhile said that states currently under opposition rule would be influenced if BN took over the central government.
"The nature of federal-state administrative affairs would give the states incentive to win together with Umno and BN," she said.
"This would be vis-a-vis with any coalition that succeeds in forming the federal government."
Ismail said it would be difficult for those living away from their home towns or outside of the country to return again next year to vote at the state level.
This could cause a low voter turnout which in turn would benefit BN, he said.
Hisommudin meanwhile said PH and PN should be confident in the strength of support for their administrations.
"If support is strong, and the people have benefited from their rule for the past four years, they should have nothing to fear in dissolving their state assemblies," he said.


Najib files petition for pardon

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun today confirmed that former prime minister Najib Razak, who recently began serving a 12-year jail term for charges of corruption, has filed an application for a pardon under Article 42 of the Federal Constitution.
In a statement, Azhar said he had received a copy of the pardon application dated Sept 1, as well as a copy of a letter from Najib's lawyers at Messrs Shafee & Co confirming the receipt of the application by the director-general of the legal affairs department at the Prime Minister's Office on Sept 2.
"According to Article 48(1)(e) of the Federal Constitution, MPs who are convicted of wrongdoing and jailed for a minimum of one year or fined a minimum of RM2,000 will lose their eligibility as MPs," he said.
"The enforcement of this is subject to the provisions of Article 48(4) and 53(2) of the constitution.
"In this matter, Article 48(4)(c) states that if a petition for a pardon is filed by the MP within 14 days of the date the appeal was decided, he or she will only lose his or her eligibility as an MP once the petition is settled (if the petition is rejected)."
Given that Najib had filed the petition on Sept 2, Azhar said he would remain as MP for Pekan.
"His status as an MP will only be determined after the petition process for the pardon is complete."
On Aug 23, the Federal Court rejected Najib's final appeal against his conviction and sentence in the SRC International case, which saw him charged with seven counts of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and abuse of power over the misapprioriation of RM42 million.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court found him guilty on July 28, 2020, sentencing him to 12 years in jail with a fine of RM210 million.
The ruling was upheld by the Court of Appeal on Dec 8, 2021.
Najib still faces four other cases related to graft at state fund 1MDB and other government agencies.


Nine Malaysians, two dependents arrive safely in Poland from Ukraine

Nine Malaysians together with two dependents and a Singaporean have been evacuated from Kyiv in Ukraine and arrived safely in Poland early today, says Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.He said the convoy, led by Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Fadhilah Daud, was received by two officials from the Malaysian embassy in Poland and is now heading to the country’s capital.“They are heading to Warsaw at the moment and are expected to return to Kuala Lumpur soon,” he said in a Twitter post.Meanwhile, Wisma Putra said on Twitter that the convoy arrived safely at the Korczowa-Krakovets border of Ukraine and Poland at 5.45am Malaysian time (Feb 26, 10.45pm local time).“Wisma Putra is in constant contact with the officials of the embassies on their location, safety as well as of the accompanying convoy,” it said.


WHO urges Covid vaccine makers to keep prices down

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday urged Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers to keep their prices low and affordable, after reports that two producers will raise the cost they are charging the EU.Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are upping the prices for their messenger RNA vaccines because they have adapted them to the new virus variants, according to reports.The Pfizer vaccine will jump from €15.5 to €19.5 (US$18.35 to US$23) and Moderna from €19 to €21.5 (US$22.5 to US$25.45), British newspaper the Financial Times revealed Sunday, citing the contract concluded with the European Union.Mariangela Simao, the WHO assistant director general for access to medicines, vaccines and pharmaceuticals, told a press conference on Wednesday: “It’s very important that we have companies state policies of affordable prices.”She said both Pfizer and Moderna had increased their manufacturing capacities, diversified their plants and increased production line efficiency.“In a normal market situation, this would lead to a decreased price, not an increasing price.“We have a market where the demand is very high in comparison with production.“WHO urges companies to keep prices down and affordable prices.”Half of the EU population has now been fully vaccinated, according to an AFP tally from official sources.


Almost 17% of population fully vaccinated

A total of 17,317,553 vaccine doses have been administered nationwide under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme from its launch on Feb 24 until yesterday.Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said in a Twitter post that as of yesterday, 5,519,845 recipients or 16.9% of the population had completed both doses of vaccine.“Some 36.1%, or 11,797,708 recipients, had received a first dose,” he said.He said 399,135 vaccine doses were administered yesterday, 281,481 of them to first-dose recipients and 117,654 to second-dose recipients.


Melaka MACC questions ex-CM over claims of project monopoly

The Melaka Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has met former chief minister Idris Haron to obtain information about his allegations regarding the issue of economic project monopoly and sand royalty payments in the state.Its director Mohd Shahril Che Saad said the meeting which was held yesterday started at 3pm and lasted for about two hours.“We have obtained some information related to the allegations and received good cooperation (from Idris).“It’s more about gathering preliminary information related to the allegations. The information has also been sent to the MACC headquarters to be analysed and for further action,” he told reporters after the Melaka state-level MACC’s 54th anniversary celebration today.Idris recently claimed that there were several Umno leaders in the state who had been monopolising economic projects and cheating the federal government on sand royalties, causing him to withdraw his support for the Melaka government.


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Draft anti-party hopping bill finalised

The draft Bill Prohibiting Members of Parliament from Switching Parties (Amendment) (No. 3) 2022 has been finalised and recommended to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob for tabling at the special parliamentary sitting in the first week of July.Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the matter was unanimously agreed on at the special select committee meeting on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill (No.3) 2022 and the provision involving the Prohibition of Members of Dewan Rakyat from Changing Parties Number 6 Year 2022 on June 7.According to Wan Junaidi, who is also the committee chairman, the meeting had finalised the draft bill to be tabled and debated in the Dewan Rakyat.He said in that regard, five fundamental issues raised by the Cabinet during the June 1 meeting were answered by the parliamentary special select committee at yesterday’s meeting.“The parliamentary special select committee’s feedback on the matter will be brought to the next Cabinet meeting as a Cabinet note,” he said in a statement today.Wan Junaidi also said that a final meeting on the matter would be held soon to confirm the parliamentary special select committee statement.He said in general, the parliamentary special select committee had successfully implemented the terms of reference as per the motion approved on April 11.“This is the result of the joint commitment by all committee members and the strong support of the Malaysian Parliament, the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department and the Attorney-General’s Chambers,” he said.It was previously reported that the bill was expected to be tabled as early as mid-July, when the Second Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 14th Parliament begins on July 18.If the bill is tabled and passed at the July sitting, it could be gazetted as early as January next year.


PAS regrets Zahid’s move to revoke support for PM

PAS voiced disappointment today with the recent move by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to instruct the withdrawal of support from party MPs for the Perikatan Nasional government led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.In a statement, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said this was at odds with the spirit of unity among Muslims spelt out in the Muafakat Nasional charter.“It will also indirectly undermine the National Recovery Plan as well as efforts to tackle the spread of Covid-19, as well as to help those who have been badly affected,” he said.Zahid had openly urged MPs from his party to revoke their support for Muhyiddin in the wake of a Supreme Council meeting on July 29.This followed a rebuke by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who said he had not consented to the revocation of emergency ordinances announced by the government several days earlier.Zahid had said that Umno MPs must carry out the decision made by the Supreme Council on July 7 to withdraw their support for Muhyiddin.On July 7, Zahid had announced an immediate revocation of the party’s support for Muhyiddin, saying the prime minister had failed to fulfil several conditions as the basis of Umno’s support for the Perikatan Nasional government.On Aug 3, he said he had enough statutory declarations from MPs who had withdrawn their support for Muhyiddin, adding that these and others would be submitted to the Agong.However Muhyiddin maintains that he commands the support of the majority, saying after an audience with the king on Aug 4 that his position as prime minister will be determined through a vote of confidence in the Dewan Rakyat next month.


Govt not controlling Covid-19 vaccine prices at private health facilities

The government does not control the price of the Covid-19 vaccines administered by private health facilities following the end of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) yesterday, Deputy Health Minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said.He said the cost of vaccination, including consultancy charges, vaccine price and consumables, depended entirely on the private health facilities offering the service.“The price of vaccine will follow the ceiling price, this depends on the private sector because they have to buy the vaccine and charge for consultancy, consumables and so on.“It depends on each facility, and the price will vary,” he said after officiating an event in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.Noor Azmi was recently reported as saying that the health ministry did not intend to extend the PICKids programme as it had given enough time to parents to bring their children to get vaccinated for free.He said after this, parents would have to take their children to get vaccinated at private clinics for a fee.He also said the health ministry is now focused on fully vaccinating children who turn five on or after May 31.“Children who have yet to turn five years old will continue to be given the opportunity to register and make an appointment through the link provided until Jan 31, 2023.“For children who have registered for PICKids but are infected with Covid-19, they are asked to defer until they recover for at least six weeks, after which they can go to a health clinic to get an appointment to get the vaccine, which ends on Aug 31,” he said.


Covid-19 paving the way for a welfare state?

The numerous support plans rolled out by the government to cushion the impact of Covid-19 on the people, while perhaps necessary, have paved the way for the country to become a welfare state, a political sociologist says as Malaysians look to close the book on a year of crisis which has left many mired in financial uncertainty due to job losses, pay cuts and the closure of companies.Initiatives to help the hardcore poor have been in place for decades, but this year saw an unprecedented number of schemes and economic stimulus packages unveiled in the wake of the initial movement control order, which saw all sectors except for essential services shut down in a bid to curb the spread of infection.One by one, measures such as the moratorium on loan repayments, Bantuan Prihatin Nasional payments and EPF withdrawals were implemented as the pandemic continued to wreak havoc on an already shaky economy.Sivamurugan Pandian, a professor at Universiti Sains Malaysia, told MalaysiaNow that such assistance, especially given to people in dire need, had made the country a welfare state “in fact”.“During a crisis, people normally look for assistance and want the government to address their problems. They want the government to understand their needs, demands and mindset,” he said.But he warned that government efforts to this effect would soon engender a financial burden as the people’s dependency for money increased, forcing the government to provide continuous aid.In addition to the expenses involved in its Covid-19 rescue plans, the government is juggling a national debt of RM874.27 billion. It has also been urged to do more for the people as the pandemic maintains its momentum, both in the country and around the globe.“During a crisis, people normally look for assistance and want the government to address their problems.”Experts including the World Health Organization have cautioned that the pandemic will not disappear any time soon, even with the vaccination programmes unfolding across the world, including in neighbouring Singapore.The people likely to be most affected by a prolonged state of economic uncertainty brought on by public health concerns are those in the M40 and B40 groups.Sivamurugan said efforts to provide financial support for those in need would probably continue. However, he said people should also take the initiative and look for other ways to stablise their finances.“Intervention given should be seen as a temporary measure rather than permanent,” he told MalaysiaNow.But economist Lee Hwok Aun, a senior fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, said there is presently nothing to worry about with regards to the government’s financial aid.He said the assistance is a matter of survival and preserving the basic livelihoods of the people.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he said the government must increasingly take responsibility for safeguarding the welfare of its citizens and residents as part of global social protection.He added that wage growth has not risen in tandem with the cost of living, while change in the industry and job market makes workers more vulnerable.“In some respects, Malaysia still under-provides social welfare,” he said.“The pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of many households to this type of shock, and the lack of private resources to cope. It is in the national interest, not to mention a moral obligation, for society to protect the vulnerable.”However, he added that social assistance should be well-designed, suitably targeted and effectively implemented.Sivamurugan agreed on the need to protect the underprivileged during a crisis such as the one brought on by Covid-19, as long as the delivery system for financial aid can help reach them.


Over 62,000 children given first Covid vaccine jab

A total of 62,809 children aged five to 11, or 1.7% of their population in the country, had received a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine as of yesterday.They were given the vaccine under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for Children (PICKids) which was launched on Feb 3, and will receive their second dose within eight weeks.According to the CovidNow portal, a total of 12,769,610 individuals or 54.5% of the adult population had received a booster dose as of yesterday.A total of 22,933,328 individuals or 98.0% have completed their vaccination and 99.2% or 23,208,714 individuals have received at least one dose of vaccine.In terms of teenagers, a total of 2,793,710 individuals or 88.8% have completed their vaccimation while 2,871,310 or 91.3% have received at least one dose of vaccine.Yesterday, 165,653 vaccine doses were administered with 14,195 as first doses, 2,097 as second shots and 149,361 as booster jabs.This brings the cumulative number of vaccine doses given under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 64,434,353.Meanwhile, according to the health ministry’s GitHub portal, a total of nine deaths due to Covid-19 were reported yesterday – two cases each in Perak and Sabah, and one case each in Johor, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Selangor.


UK PM launches new ‘partygate’ defence as rebels mobilise

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday denied breaching the UK government’s ministerial code of conduct, as he bids to head off a growing Conservative revolt over the “partygate” scandal.Former Conservative leader William Hague said Johnson could face a no-confidence vote among his own MPs as soon as next week, following numerous lockdown-breaching parties held in Downing Street.Johnson became the first serving UK prime minister found to have broken the law while in office when he was fined by police for attending a birthday party in June 2020.Although he has apologised, he has repeatedly refused to resign, and doubled down on his defence in a letter to his independent adviser on ministerial interests, Christopher Geidt.Geidt issued an annual report laying out the need for Johnson to explain why he had not breached the ministerial code, in light of the police fine.Under previous governments, violations of the code were considered a resigning offence, but Johnson has already stood by others in his ministerial team found to have been in breach.Responding to Geidt, Johnson said “I did not breach the code”.There was “no intent to break the law”, he said, insisting he had been “fully accountable” to parliament “and rightly apologised for the mistake”.However, dozens of Tory MPs have now publicly criticised their embattled leader over the parties under his watch, which happened when the government was ordering the public to respect Covid lockdowns.If 54 of them write a letter of no confidence in Johnson to a powerful backbench committee of Tory MPs, that will trigger a vote of all 359 Conservatives lawmakers on whether he should continue as leader and thereby prime minister.Nearly 30 MPs are publicly known to have submitted such a letter but the process is shrouded in secrecy and the real tally is impossible to gauge.Parliament is not sitting this week and with four days of celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee beginning on Thursday, any announcement about a possible vote would not come until next week at the earliest.The latest heavyweight Tories to express doubts about Johnson include former attorney general Jeremy Wright, who on Monday urged him to resign, and ex-Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom.Hague said the intervention of Leadsom – a prominent “Brexiteer” who campaigned alongside Johnson in Britain’s 2016 EU referendum – had lit a “slow fuse” on a no-confidence vote.“The fuse is getting closer to the dynamite here and it’s speeding up,” Hague told Times Radio, adding it was “just another indication the Conservative Party is moving faster towards a vote”.Elections pressureSupport for Johnson among Conservatives has ebbed further away following last week’s publication of an internal inquiry.The probe by senior civil servant Sue Gray found that he presided over a culture of parties that ran late into the night and even featured a drunken fight among staff.Johnson secured an 80-seat majority at the last general election in December 2019, on a promise to take the UK out of the European Union.But despite that, an increasing number of Tory MPs have come forward to say they do not believe the party can win the next election, which is due by 2024, under his leadership.Opinion polls have shown deep public disapproval over the scandal, with large majorities of people saying Johnson knowingly lied about “partygate” and that he should resign.The Tories have suffered several electoral setbacks during his tenure, including losing traditionally safe seats to the Liberal Democrats in by-elections and hundreds of councillors in local elections in early May.The party is also predicted to lose two more by-elections in June, in southwest and northern England.


‘Fry-tening’: McDonald’s hit by shortages

McDonald’s Malaysia has been forced to ration fries due to supply chain problems, adding the country to a list of places in Asia where the fast-food chain is facing shortages.Large portions of french fries, as well as one type of large meal set, have been taken off menus at outlets until further notice.“We are facing a fry-tening supply crunch,” McDonald’s Malaysia said in a social media post this week.McDonald’s confirmed in a statement to AFP its Malaysian branches are “currently experiencing supply challenges”, with large servings of fries unavailable since Monday.The chain, which has hundreds of outlets in Malaysia, said it would “closely monitor” supplies, and that large portions would be offered as soon as possible.Global supply chains have faced major disruptions due to the coronavirus pandemic, causing shortages of goods ranging from food to electronics.Earlier this month, McDonald’s Taiwan said “unstable” shipping supplies had caused some of its stores to run out of hash browns imported from the US.McDonald’s Japan has limited French fry orders to small sizes on two occasions since December, blaming the pandemic and Canadian floods that squeezed potato imports.


Public unis turn to special plate numbers in bid to shore up coffers

With virus-related restrictions robbing public universities of a big chunk of the income they would normally receive from commercial activities, many have resorted to creative ways of finding money.For one, they have exploited an expensive craze among Malaysians: special vehicle registration numbers.Several universities are trying to cash in on this craze by offering special plates bearing their initials, in the hope of replacing some of the income lost to the Covid-19 crisis.Universiti Malaya, the country’s oldest tertiary institution, has opened bidding to its staff including administration officers, lecturers and alumni to acquire vehicle registration numbers bearing the initials “UM”.It is understood that the e-bidding system is already in place and awaiting the green light from the university’s top management.According to UM’s e-bidding website, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) has approved the prefix “UM” for registration plates.“Proceeds from the sale of these special vehicle registration numbers will be used for research, development and student affairs.“In addition, this initiative will encourage more UM alumni to contribute to the university and strengthen ties between the alumni and the university,” it said.A Universiti Malaya poster showing special vehicle registration numbers with the initials ‘UM’.A spokesman for the university told MalaysiaNow that a dedicated team has been tasked with managing the new business.The spokesman said the move would help alleviate the university’s financial problems.For now, though, the special plates are only available for the UM community.“Our focus is the staff and alumni,” the spokesman said.MalaysiaNow reported this week that public universities will face a serious financial crisis as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, as the suspension of physical classes and the closure of campuses have led to a drop in collection of fees for postgraduate and doctoral courses, as well as revenue from residential colleges and other joint activities with corporate bodies.There are 20 public universities and 47 private universities in Malaysia, in addition to more than 30 university colleges and at least 10 foreign branch campuses.Checks show that other local universities in addition to UM have set up online bidding websites for the sale of special number plates. These include Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi Mara.Johor-based Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, meanwhile, is offering 9,999 number plates bearing the initials “UTHM” to both the campus community and the public.Lucrative crazeThere is big money in the sale of special vehicle registration plates.In June, Sabah JPJ collected RM3.4 million from over 3,000 people who were after registration numbers bearing the initials “SYG”, the short-form of the Malay word “sayang” (affection).The highest bid for the series was for “SYG 1”. It fetched RM115,000, an all-time high for JPJ’s Online Vehicle Registration Number Bidding System, or JPJeBid.The previous Pakatan Harapan government had approved the sale of special registration numbers by public universities to help them boost revenue.Former transport minister Anthony Loke said the policy would help universities carry out their programmes.“I hope the policy will be continued,” the senior DAP leader told MalaysiaNow.Higher Education Minister Noraini Ahmad meanwhile expects “extraordinary” proceeds from the sale of the special numbers to be channelled to public universities.“It would help with research grants as well as the universities’ development every year,” she told MalaysiaNow.


Public Service Department denies abuse of immigration officer at KLIA

The Public Service Department (PSD) has denied allegations that Director-General of Public Service (KPPA) Mohd Shafiq Abdullah uttered abusive words against an immigration officer at KLIA yesterday.
In a statement today, the PSD said the allegation was baseless and malicious, and intended to tarnish the KPPA’s image as a high-ranking government officer.
The department viewed the allegation as serious and recommended that a proper investigation be conducted by the relevant quarters, it said.
According to the statement, the KPPA had berated an immigration officer at KLIA for not adhering to the stipulated practices and procedures on travellers leaving the country.
It claimed the immigration officer did not check the KPPA’s travel documents, or those of the other members of the delegation, and instead told them to proceed to the customs counter. "The PSD is of the view that non-compliance in checking immigration documents such as passports is a serious offence under the law. In fact, officers who do not comply with immigration rules for going abroad may be subject to disciplinary action," it said.
The department also denied that the immigration officer was berated in public.
"The KPPA only advised the officer to abide by the rules... He also recommended that the immigration at KLIA increase its compliance with the SOPs," it said.
In the incident which went viral on social media yesterday, a KLIA immigration operations head was said to have been scolded in public because no officer was stationed at the VIP room counter.
Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin later instructed the immigration department to investigate the matter.


584 Covid-19 cases due to new variants

A total of 584 Covid-19 cases in Malaysia have been found to be due to new variants involving more widespread and faster as well as airborne transmission, says Health Minister Dr Adham Baba.He said the new variants were detected through several precautionary measures for the threat of the Delta variant (B1617.2) including genome sequencing following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) statement that certain countries were threatened by the new variant.“We found that there are threats of new variants in our country,” he said at a media conference on the development of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) with PICK coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin today.Of the 584 cases recorded, 40 cases were of the Delta variant which is said to be more aggressive, while 136 were linked to the Beta (B.1.351) variant, 10 Alpha (B117), two B1525, four B161.7.14 and variants of concern amounting to 392 cases.Adham said the health ministry would be carrying out continuous preventive and control activities based on the high incident rate in an area, with cases spreading quickly and involving deaths.“We will create a genome sequence and from there we will know whether an individual got an infection from a new variant,” he said.“It is also related to the vaccine administered. We have been informed that two doses are basic which should be implemented in the country so that immunisation and resistance against the new variants can be achieved.”


Pandemic heaps more money woes on vulnerable poor

The global pandemic continues to upend the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable among the urban poor in the country’s capital.Covid-19, and government efforts to contain it, has intensified existing challenges of poverty, particularly in already disadvantaged groups such as single mothers and families with disabled members.DM Analytics surveyed the socio-economic status and well-being of a group of 500 families with children in Kuala Lumpur’s low-cost flats over three weeks in September.Its findings are reported in “Families on the Edge Part 2” released last week.The report shows that among low-income households, female-headed households and families affected by disability are recovering at a slower rate and remain significantly more susceptible to future shocks. Nearly 70% of such households have no savings and no EPF or Socso coverage, increasing their vulnerability if they are unemployed.Muhammed Abdul Khalid, who heads DM Analytics, told MalaysiaNow that the disabled are more often than not self-employed, and making self-contributions to EPF or Socso is optional.“Shockingly, when we asked respondents why they were not registered they said that they didn’t know about it,” said Muhammed, who was the economic adviser to former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.“Lack of awareness remains an obstacle to providing protection for this group.”The report is the second in a series under the Families on the Edge project commissioned by United Nations agencies Unicef and the Fund for Population Activities. Future reports are expected to monitor the extent to which these families recover and offer critical insights for policymakers as Malaysia aims to “build-back-better”.Financial hardship resulting from pay cuts, job losses or loss of business income during the initial movement control order from mid-March to early June, presented in the first Families on the Edge report, showed some improvement by September.“Despite the slight recovery in income and employment in the survey group, this recovery is partial. For the majority of households, the outlook remains pessimistic,” said Muhammed.“The fortunes of most urban poor are worse now than pre-pandemic levels and during the same period last year.”“Lack of awareness remains an obstacle to providing protection for this group.”He added that this is particularly true for single mothers.The report says that government assistance is still required, and coverage needs to be improved as only 2% applied for the Prihatin grant.What the poor need most is cash and food, but due to their inability to find work or other ways of generating cash during the pandemic, they also welcome job opportunities.Some policymakers feel that more cash aid to the poor simply increases their dependence on government handouts and that job creation is more helpful.Izlin Ismail, associate professor at Universiti Malaya’s faculty of business and accountancy, believes that from an economics perspective, it is better to give handouts to the poor rather than tax breaks to the rich.“The poor would spend most of it and this generates more economic activity,” she tells MalaysiaNow.“The rich are less likely to spend it in the same manner.”Malaysia Unicef social policy head Stephen Barrett said, “The information collected in the report will support national Covid-19 mitigation efforts and a deeper examination of social protection policies. This will be critical if governments are serious about fulfilling the ‘leave no-one behind’ national agenda.”However, as Barrett pointed out, the study does not take into account any recent circumstances since new movement restrictions were imposed in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya earlier this month.The upcoming Budget 2021 and 12th Malaysia Plan present critical opportunities for policymakers to implement more effective social policies as part of efforts to achieve goals set out in the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030.However, as the report says, “It will also help achieve the less lofty but no less important aim that all parents have, which is to give their children a good start in life.”


New cases drop to 10,710 as death toll tops 7,000

Another 10,710 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 916,561.Selangor recorded 4,828 cases, Kuala Lumpur 945, Johor 808, Negeri Sembilan 771, Kedah 696, Sabah 666, Perak 407, Pahang 369, Penang 295, Melaka 289, Sarawak 261, Kelantan 146 and Terengganu 123.Putrajaya recorded 51 cases, Labuan 50 and Perlis five.Active cases stand at 124,593 with 909 in the ICU and 445 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 5,778 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 784,949.However, 153 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 7,019.


89.1% of adults fully vaccinated

More than 21 million people had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as of yesterday.A total of 21,004,275 people or 89.1% of the adult population have been fully vaccinated while 24,309,648 people or 94.6% have received at least one shot, including of the single-dose CanSino vaccine.In terms of total population, 64.3% are fully vaccinated while 74.4% have received at least one dose.A total of 196,647 vaccine shots were administered yesterday, taking the cumulative number of doses given under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 45,204,479.


Lifting of face mask mandate based on data and studies, says recovery council

National Recovery Council chairman Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday said that the decision to make the use of face masks indoors optional was based on data and scientific studies from a public health point of view.
He said everyone should accept the decision as many countries including the UK have allowed their citizens to do away with face masks when in public vehicles or in crowded places.
"I think this is a good development. We can't force (people to wear face masks) if the (Covid-19) situation has improved, and we also need to think about comfort. We just have to be careful.
"If we feel uncomfortable and want to wear it, then wear it, but if it feels safe even if the situation is not necessarily safe, that's up to you because it (the wearing of face masks) is no longer a thing like it used to be," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur. Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced earlier that the use of face masks indoors was now optional, although premise owners could still determine whether visitors were required to wear one.
He said wearing face masks was still mandatory for positive cases who need to go to the Covid-19 Assessment Centre to undergo health assessment, and when using public transportation services or at health facilities.


Bill to amend constitution in line with MA63 to be tabled end-October

A bill to amend the Federal Constitution to bring it in line with the relevant provisions of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) is expected to be tabled in Parliament by the end of this month, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.Wan Junaidi said the legislative amendments to the Federal Constitution were crucial as they would provide clarity on the position of Sabah and Sarawak as well as the people, particularly the natives of both states.“Over the years there has been an erosion of the rights of Sabah and Sarawak as stated in MA63. We hope to rectify this by amending some critical provisions in the Federal Constitution,” he said in a statement today.On Saturday, Wan Junaidi said the government, with assistance from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), would be looking at amending several critical legal provisions in MA63 to reinstate the rights of the people in Sabah and Sarawak as per the agreement upon the formation of Malaysia.Based on the estimated timeline, Wan Junaidi said the first reading of the bill could take place on Oct 26, followed by the second reading on Oct 28.The AGC is scheduled to come up with a blue bill on this, which will be presented to MPs, hopefully on Oct 25, he said.“While the AGC is reviewing the legal provisions, we have already started an engagement exercise to explain the matters to key stakeholders including MPs, Sabah and Sarawak leaders as well as the attorney-generals in the two states,” he said.Wan Junaidi said to date, the initiative had received the support of Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, and that he would soon be meeting with Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg to officially discuss the matter.Depending on the success of the engagement exercise, Wan Junaidi said he was aiming to have a special meeting on MA63 to be chaired by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Oct 21.Subsequently, he said a special paper on MA63 would be presented by the prime minister to the members of the Cabinet the next day (Oct 22).


1MDB gets nod to serve writ of summons on Jho Low's siblings abroad

1MDB was yesterday allowed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court to serve a writ of summons amounting to US$3.7837 billion on the sister and younger brother of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho who are currently abroad.
Lawyer Siva Kumar Kanagasabai, representing 1MDB, said that based on their last known addresses, Low May Lin was in Singapore while her younger brother, Taek Szen, was in Hong Kong.
"Therefore, the court gives permission to serve the writ of summons outside Malaysia," he said when contacted after the online proceedings before judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz.
According to Siva Kumar, case management has been fixed for Aug 23 before High Court senior assistant registrar Haslinda A Raof. On Dec 29, 2021, Jho Low, his father Larry Low Hock Peng and his mother Goh Gaik Ewe as defendants, entered an appearance in the suit. The writ of summons has yet to be served on another defendant, Jho Low’s associate Eric Tan Kim Loong. On May 7, 2021, 1MDB and its four subsidiaries – Global Diversified, 1MDB Energy Holdings Limited, 1MDB Energy Limited and 1MDB Energy (Langat) Limited – filed the suit against the six defendants.
It is seeking to claim US$661 million from Jho Low and US$41 million, US$397 million, US$608 million and US$1.9 billion from Jho Low and Tan respectively as well as US$325 million from Jho Low and his father Hock Peng.
1MDB Global Investments Limited is also seeking US$630 million from Hock Peng, Jho Low and Tan and US$2 million from Taek Szen, Jho Low and Tan.
The plaintiffs are also seeking US$3.5 million from May Lin and Jho Low and US$1.695 million from Goh Jho Low and Tan in connection with the purchase of jewellery and secret profits, in addition to US$25.5 million from Jho Low, Tan, Hock Peng and Taek Szen.


Russian military says has control of southern Ukrainian city

The Russian army claimed on Wednesday it had taken control of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson as Moscow’s invasion of the pro-Western country entered its seventh day.“The Russian divisions of the armed forces have taken the regional centre of Kherson under full control,” defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in televised remarks.He claimed that public services and transport were operating as usual.“The city is not experiencing shortages of food and essential goods,” he added.He said talks were under way between the Russian army and local authorities on maintaining order, protecting the population and keeping public services functioning.Kherson’s mayor Igor Kolykhaiev said in a post on Facebook: “We are still Ukraine. Still firm.”Apparently contradicting the Russian army’s claims, he said he needed to find a way to “collect the (bodies of the) dead” and “restore electricity, gas, water and heating where they are damaged.”“But I warn you right away: to complete these tasks today means to perform a miracle,” he added.Russian President Vladimir Putin last Thursday ordered troops to invade pro-Western Ukraine to “de-militarise” and “denazify” the country.All in all, the Russian military damaged more than 1,500 military facilities in Ukraine, Konashenkov said on Wednesday, adding that 58 planes, 46 drones and 472 tanks and other armoured vehicles had been destroyed.


Italy declares state of emergency after deadly island landslide

Italy declared a state of emergency on the southern island of Ischia on Sunday after a landslide killed at least seven people and left several others missing.
A wave of mud and debris crashed through the small town of Casamicciola Terme on Saturday morning, engulfing at least one house and sweeping cars down to the sea, local media and emergency services said.
"The toll of victims from the landslide in Casamicciola has risen to seven dead, while five are missing," Naples city prefect Claudio Palomba announced late Sunday.
A first tranche of €2 million (US$2 million, RM9.29 million) of relief funds was released at the end of an emergency cabinet meeting, which declared the state of emergency, said Minister for Civil Protection Nello Musumeci.
Italian media had earlier reported that four bodies had been found by Sunday afternoon.
More than 200 rescuers were still searching for missing people, while hundreds of volunteers, up to their knees in mud, were busy cleaning the town's streets.
The rescue effort had been hampered by rain and high winds, which also delayed ferries bringing reinforcements from the mainland.
"It's a situation that hurts us, if only for the people who disappeared under the mountain. Here it's an island and even if we don't really know everyone, it's almost that," Salvatore Lorini, 45, told AFP.
"The mountain came down, there was devastation of shops, cars, hotels and that was already happening nine years ago. Now I am cleaning my mother-in-law's shop," he said.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi had earlier warned there were people trapped in the mud, saying it was a "very serious" situation.
Complex rescue operation
Heavy rain sent torrents of mud through the streets of Casamicciola Terme, a spa resort of 8,000 inhabitants on the north of Ischia, a lush island near Capri that is thronged with tourists in summer.
Trees were upturned and cars left battered on the side of the road or in the water, according to AFP journalists.
Boulders were scattered around as excavators sought to free up access to homes, cars and shops.
"If I could, I would leave Casamicciola because I now struggle to live there, even if my house survived the tremor, the flooding," 64-year-old Iacono Maria told AFP.
Pope Francis said he was praying for the victims, "those who suffer and all those who have contributed to the rescue" in his Angelus prayer on Sunday.
The fire service said earlier one house had been swamped by the mud and two people had been rescued from a car swept into the sea.
In the worst-affected area of the town, at least 30 families were trapped in their homes without water or electricity, with mud and debris blocking the road, Ansa news agency reported.
Officials had said they expected to evacuate and find temporary homes for between 150 and 200 people.
Local authorities called on Ischia residents to stay inside to avoid hindering the rescue operation.
An "exponential" growth of infrastructure sparked by mass tourism ended up "stifling all the natural elements of the land and covering everything with cement", geologist Mario Tozzi wrote in La Stampa newspaper.
Casamicciola Terme was hit by an earthquake in 2017, in which two people died. It was completely destroyed by a much more powerful tremor at the end of the 19th century.
The devastation in Ischia comes just weeks after 11 people died in heavy rain and flooding in the central Italian region of Marche.


Singapore to vaccinate schoolchildren against Covid

Singapore will start vaccinating schoolchildren against the coronavirus soon, the prime minister said Monday, after officials warned that new strains were affecting youngsters more.The city-state recently tightened curbs following a slight uptick in cases, after months of reporting barely any local transmissions.This included closing schools amid signs that new variants, such as the one first detected in India, were affecting children in greater numbers.In a televised speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced school students aged 12 and over will be the next group to be inoculated.Health regulators approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds this month. It was previously only allowed for those aged 16 and above.“In this latest outbreak, we have seen more cases of children getting infected, in schools and tuition centres,” Lee said.“The children were not seriously ill, but parents are naturally worried. Therefore, we will take advantage of the June holidays to vaccinate students.”The city’s more than 400,000 students can start booking vaccinations from Tuesday, with the first slots available Thursday, officials said.After schoolchildren, officials will inoculate adults 39 years and younger – the final group that needs to be vaccinated in the prosperous city-state of 5.7 million.Lee also said Singapore looked on track to be able to ease its latest restrictions after June 13, as planned, as local transmissions steadily fall. The curbs include a two-person limit on gatherings and ban on dine-ins.By global standards, Singapore’s overall outbreak has been mild – officials have reported just over 62,000 cases so far and 33 deaths since the start of the pandemic.


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Omicron variant no more severe than original strain, says WHO

The BA.2 variant of the Omicron coronavirus strain is not more severe than the original, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.Based on a sample of people from various countries, “we are not seeing a difference in severity of BA.1 compared to BA.2,” Maria Van Kerkhove, a senior WHO official, said in an online question and answer session.“So this is a similar level of severity as it relates to risk of hospitalisation. And this is really important, because in many countries, they’ve had a substantial amount of circulation, both of BA.1 and BA.2,” she said.Van Kerkhove, who leads the technical side of the WHO’s Covid-19 response team, was reporting the findings of a committee of experts tracking the evolution of the virus.Their conclusions will come as a relief to countries such as Denmark, where the BA.2 variant of Omicron has circulated widely.


‘i-Sinar’ tops the search charts in 2021 for Google Malaysia

“i-Sinar”, Putrajaya’s initiative allowing Malaysians to withdraw part of their EPF savings in order to cushion the financial blow of the Covid-19 pandemic, was the most frequently searched term for Malaysians this year, followed by “Euro 2021” and “Popcat”, Google Malaysia revealed today.From a list of 10 trending search terms released by the internet platform, five were related to various aid packages introduced by the government during the pandemic crisis.This is in contrast with the most highly searched terms in Malaysia last year which were linked to the US presidential election contest between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.Google Malaysia spokesman Nadia Khan said the search terms painted a picture of the financial problems faced by the people due to the pandemic.i-Sinar was introduced by the EPF towards the end of last year to allow eligible contributors to withdraw a total of RM10,000 from their Account 1.A similar programme, “i-Citra”, came in fourth followed by “Bantuan Malaysia Prihatin”.“EPL” or the English Premier League, and “Google Meet” took sixth and seventh place while “i-Akaun”, “Bantuan Prihatin Nasional” and “Squid Game” rounded off the list.Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said in March that a total of RM52.48 billion in i-Sinar withdrawals had been approved so far for 5.94 million applicants.For search terms related to Covid-19, the international trade and industry ministry’s “CIMS 3.0” platform for the registration of business oeprations during the lockdown period took first place.Five of the top 10 search terms had to do with vaccination, while the remaining four were related to the movement control order or MCO.Malaysia has gone through three such lockdowns since March last year as part of efforts to battle the spread of the highly contagious virus.The MCOs saw the closure of borders, a ban on interstate travel, and the shutting down of most social and economic sectors.The closure of schools due to the MCOs and the implementation of home-based teaching and learning meanwhile made education a hot search topic as well.In this category, “Google Classroom” took first place followed by “Blooket”, “DeLIMa KPM” and “Liveworksheets”.According to Google Malaysia, other hot topics included current affairs and sports.But while Malaysia experienced its share of political turmoil this year, including the resignation of Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister, an interest in such matters was not reflected in the Google search terms.“If there was anything on politics, we would have included it,” Nadia said. “We don’t filter the search terms at all.“But the focus has been on Covid, news, sports and learning.”Google Malaysia’s search data was collected from January to November.In terms of topical news, popular Netflix series “Squid Games” took first place followed by “Palestine”, “Sugarbook”, “ivermectin” and “PKPD”, the abbreviation for enhanced movement control order.


Have confidence in ringgit, tourism ministry says after group moots payments in US dollar

The tourism, arts and culture ministry has called on players in the tourism industry to continue using the Malaysian currency when charging tourists for accommodation and services.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing said if they used the US dollar, this would not guarantee that it would continue to be strong to benefit the industry.
"We must have confidence in our own country and must remember that the US dollar is strong now, but we don’t know how long the value of this currency will last.
"Who knows, one day everyone will no longer want to use this currency... what will happen (then)?
"We know that in some countries, the US dollar is no longer strong because some banks have collapsed. We understand this situation (the value of the ringgit has decreased against the US dollar) and that is why Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is doing his best to resolve this issue," he said at an event in Subang Jaya yesterday.
He was responding to a request from the Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners (Maho) which had proposed charging room rates in the US dollar. He alo called on the people to work with the government to promote Malaysia and woo investors to the country.
On June 20, Maho president Teo Chiang Hong had called for hotels to raise room rates for more revenue and consider charging tourists in US dollars to mitigate the higher costs from minimum wage increases, overtime pay and electricity charges.


Malaysian death row inmate gets stay of execution after appearing in court without lawyers

Malaysian Datchinamurthy Kataiah, who represented himself at the Singapore High Court this morning in his bid to halt his appointment with the gallows, has been granted a stay of execution.This means that his execution initially scheduled to take place tomorrow has been suspended, lawyer N Surendran said in a Twitter post.Prominent rights lawyer M Ravi meanwhile said the stay of execution was granted pending the outcome of the hearing of Datchinamurthy’s legal challenge on May 20.“There won’t be an execution tomorrow morning,” he said on Facebook.“This underscores the importance of exhausting the legal process and trying until the end and not giving up.”Datchinamurthy was convicted of trafficking 45g of diamorphine into the city-state, which has attracted international criticism over claims that it fails to discriminate between drug couriers from poor families and the drug barons who hire them.Datchinamurthy’s case had sparked comparison with that of Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam, another death row inmate who was executed early yesterday morning.Nagaenthran’s mother Panchalai Supermaniam had appeared in court during her final attempt to save her son, as she could not find a lawyer willing to represent him.Nagaenthran’s execution had caused international outrage due to his mental disability. He had an IQ of 69, a level recognised as a disability, and was reportedly coerced into trafficking a small amount of heroin into the island republic.The Singapore Attorney-General’s Chambers later said it would not hesitate to cite critics who repeated what it described as “false allegations” contained in Panchalai’s affidavit for contempt.“The AGC takes a serious view of any act that may constitute contempt, and will not hesitate to take appropriate action to protect the administration of justice,” it said.


Rafizi grilled after listing RM16.7 million from Invoke shares as his own

A Perikatan Nasional (PN) leader today took Rafizi Ramli to task after the PKR number two's latest asset declaration showed a whopping jump of RM17 million compared to just seven years ago.
Rashid Hasnon, who is an exco member for Johor PN, also questioned the RM16.7 million in shares from Rafizi's Invoke Solutions, saying the PKR deputy president himself had stated that the company was set up in the name of public interest.
"Invoke appealed for and received public support by way of various fundraising methods," Rashid said.
"Rafizi cannot deny this as the details of this can be found in his own website. It is indisputable that Invoke was built on the back of public support.
"The public who supported it did so because they were assured by Rafizi that Invoke existed to ensure fair elections. They supported it for a good cause, and not to enrich anyone," he added.
Earlier this week, Rafizi included RM16.7 million in shares as part of a total of RM19.67 million in assets owned.
Besides the RM16.7 million declared as "investments", Rafizi listed RM1.1 million in his Employees Provident Fund account as of Oct 31, as well as RM1.6 million in two properties under his name including a three-storey house in Bukit Antarabangsa, Kuala Lumpur.
He also detailed his monthly commitments, bank repayments and expenditures. These included internet and utility costs of RM800, about the same amount he said he was paying when was staying in a condominium in 2015.
'Not-for-profit' Invoke
Rashid said even if Rafizi did not sell or dispose of the Invoke shares, the fact remained that they amounted to "millions in wealth" that the latter now owned.
"The source of the wealth is the public-interest initiative, Invoke. He has profited, and the profit is massive," he added.
He also referred to Rafizi's public statement on Sept 28, 2017 that Invoke was a "not for profit organisation".
"He also said that even if there is profit, Invoke cannot use the profit for personal gain, including for shareholders like himself," he said. "These statements can also be found in his own website.
"Crucially, nowhere does Rafizi state that the shares are held in trust for utilisation through public programmes or other initiatives that benefit the public.
"They are declared as his own assets, belonging to him and part of his personal wealth. He is not stated as the nominal owner. Rafizi is the absolute beneficial owner."


You’ll get your refunds, says AirAsia boss as airline faces ‘deep, deep’ money problems

AirAsia has assured some 450,000 customers waiting for refunds from the budget airline that it will pay them back despite facing cash problems due to the grounding of its flights caused by the Covid-19 crisis.“What we are trying to do now is to pay everyone back… and ensure that AirAsia will survive,” AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said in a video address posted on Facebook.The company said since January last year, some 1.5 million people have received their refunds, while 2.9 million accepted credit accounts in exchange for money.“Every week, we are processing through 450,000 outstanding refunds. You will get yours, please be patient,” the company posted alongside Tony’s video message.Meanwhile, Tony said sister airline AirAsia X would undergo corporate restructuring.“AirAsia X is in deep, deep financial difficulty because it just hasn’t been able to fly anywhere. Plus it has had to deal with very unfair competition over the many years,” he added.