What Umno’s constitutional amendments mean for the party

The Umno special general assembly last week unanimously agreed to amend the party constitution in three areas: Clause 10.16, Clause 15.3 and Clause 18.2.The clause in the limelight was 10.16, which allowed the Supreme Council the power to postpone party elections at the council, division and branch levels for 18 months from the date that an election should be held.Post-amendment, the Supreme Council is empowered to further postpone party elections until up to six months after the general election is held, depending on which is later.Umno vice-president Mohamed Khaled had said that under the original clause, the Malay party would have to hold its elections no later than December 2022 – 18 months from the date the elections should have been held in June 2021.“However, if the general election is held in July 2023, for example, the party elections date can be postponed until January 2024 at the latest,” he said when tabling the motion for amendment at the special assembly.If the party elections are held in January 2024, the incumbents would have held their office for 66 months from the date of the last Umno polls in June 2018.Nevertheless, the amendment remains subject to the approval of the Registrar of Societies.Political analyst Kartini Aboo Talib said the amendments were meant to maintain the status quo for Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his allies.“In this case, many are still watching the fate of Zahid, who has been charged with criminal breach of trust and abuse of power, as well as Najib Razak who has been found guilty by the courts,” Kartini of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) said.Ahmad Atory Hussain of Universiti Sains Malaysia meanwhile said the amendments had reduced the space, freedom, time and options for the election of Umno leaders.“It’s as if certain leaders have been asked to be elected,” he said. “That is a long period, the same length of time as a general election term.”He added that the Umno leaders already knew that they would face opposition from party members, and that the most effective way of maintaining their hold on power was to amend the constitution.‘Better Anwar as PM?’Questions about the 15th general election (GE15) arose after the party’s last general assembly, where Zahid had pressured Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to dissolve Parliament as soon as possible.Kartini, who is deputy director of UKM’s Institute of Ethnic Studies, said the amendments would not affect GE15 directly as they also involved Umno’s members, structure and strategy.“There might be an indirect effect in that as long as corrupt leaders remain at the helm, the people will find it difficult to fully support the party’s leadership,” he said.“This should highlight the integrity of better leaders from before.”Atory meanwhile said that the pressure for GE15 to be held would decrease following the amendments, adding that this would suit Ismail who was against an early election.“Zahid’s faction in all likelihood will not support Ismail as the candidate for prime minister,” he said.“Instead, they will support Anwar Ibrahim or Najib.”Neither does the move indicate that Umno is ready to enter the election ring, given its outstanding issues including its cooperation with PAS, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.Nevertheless, Kartini said Barisan Nasional still appeared dominant given its comfortable victories in the Melaka and Johor state elections.Atory, on the other hand, said that while the amendments appeared to be part of Umno’s preparations for GE15, the party was in fact split between Ismail’s camp and Zahid’s.“The court cluster only make up about 20% but they are the ones in power,” he said.“The majority are with Ismail. Although they originally supported Zahid, they want the Umno elections to be sped up and for GE15 to be held after that.”As for the amendments themselves, Kartini said Umno would face both the pros and the cons of extending its terms of office from three to five years.“On one hand, it gives space and time for leaders to truly contribute and to effect meaningful change,” he said.“On the other hand, a longer period will open the door to corruption and abuse of power, bribery and the maintenance of the status quo, which will make it difficult for transformation to occur.”


5 detained over Sungai Gong pollution released on RM400,000 bail

Four board members and a manager of a heavy machinery repair company charged in connection with the dumping of hazardous materials into Sungai Gong, Rawang, were released by the High Court today on bail of RM400,000 and one surety each.Judicial commissioner Norsharidah Awang made the decision after allowing the review application of siblings Yip Kok Wai, 53; Yip Kok Mun, 58; Yip Kok Kuin, 50 and Yip Kok Wong, 60, as well as workshop manager Ho Voon Leong, 59.She also ordered them to hand over their passports, warning that the court would withdraw their bail if they committed any offences during the bail period.In her judgment, Norsharidah said she took into account factors such as the seriousness of the offence and the health factors of the accused as well as the dangers that would await if the offence was repeated.On Sept 17, the accused filed an application for a review of the decision by Selayang Sessions Court judge Syafeera Mohd Said.They previously pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.On the first count, they were charged with committing mischief by causing hazardous waste to flow from their workshop, Yip Chee Seng & Sons Sdn Bhd, into Sungai Gong knowing that it would cause a diminution of water supply for human consumption.They were charged with committing the offence at the workshop premises in Kampung Sungai Dua, Rawang between Sept 2 and 3. The offence under Section 430 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of between five and 30 years, a fine, or both, upon conviction.In the second charge, they were jointly accused of releasing waste containing harmful substances from the same workshop into a waterway which would flow into the same river, without a license, at the same place and time.


Decision on Sarawak-PN ties to be constitutional, not political, CM says

Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg today clarified that the decision to be made on the state’s ties with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government which he had mentioned yesterday was in the context of the proposal to amend Article 160 (2) of the Federal Constitution to restore the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the federation.Speaking to reporters after attending an event in Kuching, he said some media had portrayed the matter as being of a political nature rather than constitutional.“I just want to clarify that,” he said. “Yesterday when I was in Lubok Antu, I was talking about the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which the federal government agreed to relook to amend the provision under Article 160.“Then, a sort of decision will be made concerning MA63.”He also thanked Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin for agreeing to further discussions on the proposal, saying a decision would be made after that.The amendment to Article 160 sought by Sarawak would see the word “federation” defined in reference to MA63 instead of the Federation of Malaya Agreement 1957 as is currently the case.Speaking today, Abang Johari said the state government would give its full support to the federal government if the decision to amend the defintion of “federation” is made.“When Pakatan Harapan (PH) proposed that the provision be amended, we wanted it to be interpreted like this, but they refused.”Sarawak is governed by GPS, a coalition formed after the 2018 general election by Sarawak parties which left Barisan Nasional (BN).While GPS is not a part of the PN government, Muhyiddin came into power in 2020 with critical support from the coalition’s 18 MPs.Abang Johari, who is GPS chairman, said the proposed amendment has nothing to do with the coalition.“What we are talking about is Sarawak’s rights and autonomy, and when we talked about MA63, (Putrajaya) agreed.“I said to them, the federation now is based on the 1957 Malaya Agreement. We want it to be based on MA63. Only by doing this will the relationship between the federal and state government be realigned.”He added that Sarawak had been firm about amending the provision, saying PH’s foiled bid to amend Article 1(2) to change the status of Sabah and Sarawak in 2019 was due to a failure to address the constitution.“We want to change this as (the Federal Constitution) is based on the 1957 Malaya Agreement. If there is any problem legally, the judge would interpret it as such.”He was referring to PH’s failure in 2019 to obtain the two-thirds majority needed to amend Article 1(2) to restore the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners with the peninsula.PH had secured 138 of the 148 votes needed, although MPs from GPS and BN had abstained from voting.


Judges throw out rape case citing red underwear as evidence of consent

A court in Peru has thrown out a rape case saying that the alleged victim wore “lacy red underwear” to a party and that was a clear sign that she intended to have sex that night and so could not have been raped.The bench, two of whom were women, stated that the victim was not as shy as she claimed and acquitted the defendant.Judges Ronald Andia, Diana Espino and Lucy Chacaltana ruled on Oct 29 that the complainant had misrepresented herself, adding that women only wear red underwear on special occasions when they intend to have sex.Names have not been released to local media who reported that the 20-year-old woman said she was drunk and unconscious at a party when the accused, 22, told her they were going to collect some documents from his place and he would then take her home. However, she awoke naked in his bed the next morning.The accused man claimed that the allegations against him were just a form of “revenge” by the woman.Following the not guilty decision, there has been a national outcry across Peru.The country’s Ministry of Women said it “profoundly rejected” the court’s argument which it said contained stereotypes and “revictimised” the complainant.Protests erupted in the capital Lima, with women taking to the streets wearing red underwear around their legs to show solidarity with the alleged victim.“A Rapist in Your Path” – the song chanted by Peruvian protesters – is becoming a rallying cry for women’s rights protesters around the world.Activists across Latin America are urging their governments to do more to tackle endemic levels of violence against women.The case recalls an Irish court decision in a 2018 rape case in the southern city of Cork.Protests flared across Ireland when the 27-year-old defendant was acquitted after his lawyer showed the 17-year-old alleged victim’s G-string in court as “proof” of her consent. The court ruled that “the victim had been open to meeting someone because she was wearing a thong with a laced front”.In recent rape trials, particular “provocative” clothing, fake tan and contraceptives have all been used as alleged proof of consent.


Women, on the margins of election campaigns

As the clock ticks towards election day, politicians have been urged to take into account the views of a large but often silent and overlooked majority represented in nearly every household in the country: the mothers, housewives and working women.
While politics is often seen as a "men's only club", those calling for greater attention to women point out that it is in fact the mothers and housewives who most often have to deal with the results of government policies, from the first clinic appointment they have when they become pregnant to the day they register their children for school and beyond.
Nurul Diyana Adli, a nurse at a private hospital in Kelana Jaya, Selangor, said women regardless of educational or economic background are the key to political movement and community development.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, she said no group better understands the current issues and needs of society than mothers and housewives.
"Who cares more about maternal and paternal leave than the women themselves?" she said.
"Who cares about children's daycare fees and school expenses if not the mothers and housewives?
"I am confident that if the election candidates take the time to talk to people like us, they will become aware of many real issues that need to be tackled in addition to big problems like corruption that are often brought up but have no real solution."
Diyana, who has two daughters aged eight and 11, said issues such as the increase in price of goods and weaknesses in the education system would have gained no serious attention if not for the women, in particular the mothers, who had raised concerns.
"Not one of these issues was seen as a big thing before women began talking about them," she said.
"Because we are the ones who have to deal with them on a daily basis."
No women-friendly campaigns
Even during campaign periods, talks or ceramahs are often held at locations that exclude or do not generally involve women, such as mosques and coffee shops.
A night market trader who called herself Kak Yah Mahadi said she had been a voter in the Puchong parliamentary constituency for three terms now.
Nevertheless, she said, neither she nor any of her women friends had ever been approached by election candidates on their campaign trails.
"Just to tell them that the price of tomatoes has gone up is hard, what more actually meeting them face to face," she said.
"It used to be that three tomatoes could be bought for RM1. But now, just one tomato is already almost RM1.
"When people come to buy vegetables, they complain that everything is so expensive. But prices have gone up everywhere. And even though I sell vegetables for a living, I too have to buy them to take home and cook for my family.
"But no one listens to us," she added, speaking to MalaysiaNow at her stall in Putrajaya.
Nevertheless, the mother of four said it was not her intention to make women stand out when talking about politics.
All she wants is for politicians to attend to the needs of mothers and housewives as well.
She said such women are often homemakers and have no choice but to depend on their husbands to bring home the bacon.
"We don't want the government's money," she said.
"But it would be nice if the government could work to bring down prices so that we can save more to spend on our families."
Norizan, an assistant at a private kindergarten in Puchong, agreed.
She said when politicians and leaders pay no attention to women, the consequences are reflected in infrastructure weaknesses at government facilities.
"When we listen seriously to the views of the working mothers and housewives, there won't be any problems about no nursery space at officers, or diaper changing stations at hospitals and places to feed our babies in public spaces," she said.
"None of this would be an issue if the politicians would listen to what the mothers, housewives and working women have to say."


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Amanah to contest at least 8 seats in Selangor, says Mat Sabu

Amanah says it will contest at least eight seats in the Selangor state election, all of which the party won at the 14th general election (GE14).  Its president Mohamad Sabu however could not confirm how many seats Amanah would contest in total this time around.
"I am not sure how many (in total), but we will be defending all of our seats.
"The final number will be decided by the Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council in due time," he told reporters after an event in Klang yesterday.
At GE14, Amanah won in Taman Templer, Hulu Kelang, Pandah Indah, Sungai Ramal, Seri Serdang, Meru, Sabak and Morib.
However, two of those seats switched hands after Mohd Fakhrulrazi Mohd Mokhtar and  Ahmad Mustain Othman, the assemblymen for Meru and Sabak respectively, joined PKR two years ago.


Sweden passes pandemic law for broader shutdown powers

Sweden’s parliament on Friday passed a pandemic law giving the government new powers to curb the spread of Covid-19 in a country that has controversially relied on mostly non-coercive measures up to now.Sweden has made headlines around the world by never imposing the type of lockdown seen elsewhere in Europe but it has started tightening measures as in the face of a stronger than expected second wave over recent months.The new law, which comes into force on Sunday, will enable the government to close businesses, shopping malls or public transport.It will also be able to impose limits on the number of people allowed in specific public places, rather than general restrictions on public gatherings.Asked why the law was only put forward 10 months after the start of the epidemic, Health Minister Lena Hallengren said “it was not something we saw the need for in the spring”.Speaking to broadcaster SVT, Hallengren stressed that they had seen an effect from widespread changes in behaviour among Swedes.“Then we had a summer with a low level of infection and then the work started during the autumn,” Hallengren said.In most cases, breaches of the new restrictions will lead to a fine, which previously has not been possible.Unlike many other countries, Sweden does not have legislation that allows the government to shut down society in peacetime.Health authorities have also insisted that battling the pandemic is “a marathon, not a sprint”, and measures have to be sustainable for the long haul.Faced with a strong second wave, the country has already tightened preventative measures since November last year.As cases multiplied, authorities urged people to limit social interactions to immediate family or a few friends.A ban on public gatherings of more than eight people took effect in November and a recommendation on the use of face masks on public transport came into effect on Thursday.The special pandemic law, which is in force until September, was first planned to go into effect in March but this was moved forward to January.The country of some 10.3 million has been bit hit much harder than its Nordic neighbours and on Thursday reported a cumulative total of 482,284 cases of Covid-19 and 9,262 associated deaths.


Bank Negara slashes growth forecast after virus resurgence

The central bank slashed its economic growth forecast for this year today after authorities imposed a new lockdown to fight a coronavirus surge driven by the highly-contagious Delta variant.Like other parts of Southeast Asia, Malaysia is battling its worst Covid-19 wave yet, reporting tens of thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths a day.The new lockdown, imposed in June, has forced the closure of most businesses and dealt a heavy blow to an already teetering economy – but has so far had little success in blunting the virus surge.Citing the re-imposition of curbs, the central bank slashed its full-year growth forecast to between 3.0% and 4.0%, down from 6.0% to 7.5% previously.However, Bank Negara added it expected “a gradual recovery in the fourth quarter this year, with higher global growth and sustained policy support providing a further lift to economic growth”.Wellian Wiranto, an economist from OCBC Bank in Singapore, said the forecast downgrade increased the chances of the central bank cutting interest rates next month.The central bank also reported gross domestic product rose a better than expected 16.1% in the second quarter compared to the same period a year ago, when the economy suffered a pandemic-induced collapse.However, GDP shrank from the previous quarter.Malaysia, which largely avoided the pandemic’s initial wave last year, has now reported over 1.3 million virus cases and almost 12,000 deaths.But the country’s vaccination rollout has picked up speed, with about 30% of some 32 million inhabitants now fully inoculated.


Apple Malaysia joins other giants as best taxpayers in 2020

Apple Malaysia Sdn Bhd has joined seven other major cooperations in the country in a list of the country’s best taxpayers last year, indicating a trend of growth among computer companies in a year that saw a major shift to digitilisation.The company is placed at seventh spot in a list topped by KLCC (Holdings) Sdn Bhd, Petronas LNG Sdn Bhd and Aeon Co (M) Bhd.Others in the list are Nestle, Matric Concepts, Gas Malaysia and Nippon Paint.The list was announced by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz in a speech commemorating the 25th Tax Day, an annual time mark for the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).Also announced were five “Most Outstanding Hasilian 2020”, to recognise LHDN staff who excelled in their work.They are Harris Ahmad Rosli, Arbasiah Ankong, Rasyidah Che Rosli, Iqbal Abdollah and Norhayati Mat Nor – Cawangan Pembayar Cukai Besar.In his speech, Zafrul paid tribute to LHDN’s role during the pandemic, saying it was not only a revenue collector but also a critical part in ensuring the success of the government’s various rescue packages.LHDN has been the key agency tasked with distributing cash under the government’s Sara Hidup Rakyat (BSH), Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN), Geran Khas Prihatin (GKP) and Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR).“LHDN has shown that it is not only able to collect taxes from those eligible for taxation, but also ready to efficiently and effectively execute its responsibilities entrusted to it by the government,” said Zafrul.LHDN collected a total tax collection of RM123.092 billion last year – RM1.392 billion or 1.14% more than the revised target of RM121.7 billion.“This success proves that despite the Covid-19 situation, there are still industries that are not affected and which in fact even made a big profit from the effects of the pandemic,” Zafrul added.“We are grateful that they have played a positive role, contributing in the form of taxes paid in order to stablise the country’s economy.”LHDN has meanwhile set a target of RM143.9 billion for this year.


Post-pandemic Britons still spend more time working from home

British workers are spending more time working from home compared with pre-pandemic times despite the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, according to official data released on Tuesday that offered a glimpse of what the "new normal" looks like.
In March 2020 the global coronavirus outbreak triggered a radical redesign of swathes of the world economy, forcing many firms and their workers to give up on the office temporarily and adapt to working from home.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed some of those changes have become more permanent.
The ONS compared how people spent their time before the pandemic, in 2014/2015, with March 2021, when some Covid restrictions were in place, and with March 2022 when almost all restrictions across Britain were lifted.
The data showed paid British workers on average spent 101 minutes per day working from home in March this year, 79 minutes more than in 2014/2015. In March 2021, when a "stay at home" order was in place, the average was 110.
The data also showed how habits that Britons picked up during the pandemic - when many had more free time and less ability to socialise - were changing.
Time spent streaming or watching television in March 2022 was the lowest since the start of the pandemic, at an average 149 minutes per day. In March 2021, that figure was 176 minutes.
The amount of time spent doing gardening or DIY fell by nearly a third over that period, and less time was spent cleaning the house and reading books or newspapers.
And, while the amount of time spent exercising, an average of 25 minutes per day, was higher than the 19 minutes in 2014/15, it was below March 2021's 30 minutes.


Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony starts under Covid cloud

The opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics began on Friday in a nearly empty stadium after a year-long pandemic postponement and a build-up marred by scandal and controversy.A video showing athletes training at home during the coronavirus pandemic started the show, with pink fireworks bursting into the air after a countdown.The ceremony in the 68,000-capacity stadium is taking place before just a few hundred officials and dignitaries, including Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, French President Emmanuel Macron and US First Lady Jill Biden.The emperor will officially declare the Games open.The Olympics have faced opposition in Japan over fears the global gathering of 11,000 athletes could trigger a super-spreader event.Organisers have put strict virus measures in place, banning overseas fans for the first time ever, and keeping domestic spectators out of all but a handful of venues.Athletes, support staff and media are subject to strict Covid-19 protocols, including regular testing and daily health checks.Polls have consistently found a majority of Japanese are against the Games, with opinion ranging from weary indifference to outright hostility.But there was plenty of enthusiasm outside the Olympic Stadium in the hours before the ceremony, as hundreds of people gathered hoping to soak up the atmosphere and watch the fireworks expected during the extravaganza.Mako Fukuhara arrived six hours before the ceremony to grab a spot.“Until now it didn’t feel like the Olympics, but now we are by the stadium, it feels like the Olympics,” she told AFP as people snapped selfies nearby.‘Determined’Traditionally a highlight of any Summer Games, featuring the parade of nations and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, Tokyo’s opening ceremony has been drastically pared back.Fewer than 1,000 dignitaries and officials are present at the stadium, and in a sign of how divisive the Games remain, several top sponsors including Toyota and Panasonic are not attending.A few hundred protestors demonstrated against the Games outside the stadium as the ceremony began.Tokyo is battling a surge in virus cases, and is under emergency measures that means bars and restaurants must shut by 8pm and cannot sell alcohol.Dogged by controversyBut Olympic officials have put a brave face on the unusual circumstances, with IOC chief Thomas Bach insisting cancellation was never on the table.“Over the past 15 months we had to take many decisions on very uncertain grounds,” he said this week. “We had doubts every day. There were sleepless nights.“We can finally see at the end of the dark tunnel. Cancellation was never an option for us. The IOC never abandons the athletes… we did it for the athletes.”There are also hefty financial incentives in play. Insiders estimate the IOC would have been on the hook for around US$1.5 billion in lost broadcasting revenues if the Games had been cancelled.The pandemic has not been the only hiccup in preparations though, with scandals ranging from corruption during the bidding process to plagiarism allegations over the design of the Tokyo 2020 logo.The controversies kept coming right up to the eve of the Games, with the opening ceremony’s director sacked on Thursday for making a joke referencing the Holocaust in a video from 1998.Back in the sporting arenas, a new generation of Olympic stars are looking to shine after a decade dominated by the likes of Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps.US swimmer Caeleb Dressel could target seven gold medals, and in track and field, 400m hurdlers Karsten Warholm of Norway and the USA’s Sydney McLaughlin are among those hoping to emerge as household names.Gymnastics meanwhile will see Simone Biles attempt to crown her dazzling career by equalling Larisa Latynina’s record of nine Olympic gold medals.New Olympic sports will also be on display in Tokyo, with surfing, skateboarding, sport climbing and karate all making their debut.


PN ahead in Selangor, Azmin says citing intelligence feeds

Selangor Perikatan Nasional (PN) Selangor chairman Mohamed Azmin Ali today said the coalition is leading in seats numbers in Selangor ahead of the upcoming state elections.
Azmin, who is also Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman, said the data is based on a report submitted to Putrajaya by the police.
He added that the report has caused Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari to feel anxious and delay announcing the dissolution of the Selangor state assembly.
"As of last night, based on the report submitted to Putrajaya by the police, PN is ahead in terms of seat numbers in Selangor," he said at the Selangor Baharu Perikatan Nasional Gempur Kuala Langat event.
"That's why Amirudin finds it difficult to announce the dissolution date. That one day is crucial for him; it's a lifeline for him. But the date has been announced. We will work hard and record another success. God willing, PN will seize Selangor."
Yesterday, Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah consented to the dissolution of the Selangor state assembly on June 23 to pave the way for the state elections.
There are 56 seats in the Selangor state assembly, with 41 held by Pakatan Harapan, seven by PN, five by Barisan Nasional and three by Pejuang.
Azmin meanwhile described the announcement of the dissolution of the state assembly by the palace as peculiar, as it is usually announced by the menteri besar.
"Many people asked me why the palace is announcing it. It's because those in the office on the 21st floor are sluggish. They lack self-confidence. Others have already made the announcement, but you (the menteri besar) haven't. So let me make the announcement," Azmin said on his reason for announcing the dissolution date earlier.


Intel jittery as it realises too many vital computer chips made in Asia

In the light of current computer ship shortages causing slowdowns in car manufacturers, US chipmaker Intel is aiming to diversify its chip production, bringing the supply chain out of Asia.A massive shift in the manufacture of microchips occurred this week when Intel announced it will invest US$20 billion in building two new plants in Arizona and one in Ireland as part of a plan to ramp up production in the US and Europe and end reliance on Asian factories.The pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of having almost all production of vital semiconductors in one continent, Intel’s new chief executive Pat Gelsinger told BBC News.A current global chip shortage has countries and companies looking to reduce reliance on plants in Asia for semiconductors, which are vital components in high-tech products.Most processors are sourced from Asia, with Taiwan’s TSMC and South Korea’s Samsung the dominant players.Both chip giants face military threats. Taiwan has been a target of China’s for decades with Beijing becoming more aggressive recently; and South Korea’s northern neighbour has become even more belligerent and less predictable in recent months.“Having 80% of all computer chip supply in Asia simply isn’t palatable for the world to have its most critical technology,” Gelsinger said.The dependence on chips made in Asia poses a national security risk and bringing manufacturing operations to the US also means more high-end jobs for Americans, according to US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.“Intel’s investment will help to preserve US technology innovation and leadership, strengthen US economic and national security, and protect and grow thousands of high-tech, high-wage American jobs,” she said.Gelsinger’s predecessor was ousted amid falling Intel market share as AMD and Apple modernised their products. Intel has repeatedly missed manufacturing targets over recent years meaning its latest desktop processors use older transistor technology than rivals AMD and Apple.Simply put, the world needs more semiconductors and a more geographically balanced supply, Gelsinger told the BBC.“Every smartphone, every remote worker, every autonomous vehicle, every aspect of humanity is becoming more digital and when it becomes digital, it runs on semiconductors,” he said. “And the world needs a more balanced supply chain to accomplish that.”He added that Intel also intended to build a further chip-making foundry in one more European nation but would not be drawn on exactly where.Intel’s moves come too late to tackle an existing shortage of chips causing problems for carmakers and others but could help the West avert a future crisis.Moving away from Asia is the right thing for Western global supply chain requirements, for commercial, government and defence, Gelsinger said.Intel has a large chip plant in Dalian, China, but at this point, it has no expansion plans for China.


Macron says Australia submarine cooperation offer 'on the table'

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that an offer to cooperate with Australia on submarines still stood, after a bitter row over a cancelled contract last year threatened to torpedo relations.
Macron was left furious when Australia's previous prime minister Scott Morrison abruptly tore up a contract for France to build a dozen diesel-powered submarines and announced a deal to buy US or British nuclear-powered subs.
The row derailed relations and threatened to sink an EU-Australia trade agreement, but the two sides have made up since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took power in Canberra.
The delivery of the new nuclear submarines could take years, potentially leaving Australia short of capacity at a time when China is increasing its assertiveness in the region.
Speaking in Bangkok a day after meeting Albanese on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Indonesia, Macron said the French offer "remains on the table".
He said France would not supply nuclear submarines to foreign countries, so the offer related only to conventional vessels. He added it would guarantee Canberra's "freedom and sovereignty", noting that construction would be in Australia.
"We will now see how they adapt to the difficulties (they face)," Macron said.
"There is a fundamental choice, which is to know whether they produce submarines in their own country or rely on another – whether they go for nuclear or not."
China worries
Albanese hailed a new start in ties during a visit to Paris in July, stressing he would act with "trust, respect and honesty" in his dealings with Macron.
That meeting came after Australia agreed on a massive compensation deal with French submarine builder Naval Group to end the contract.
The settlement of €555 million (US$584 million, RM2.6 billion) drew a line under the spat and was hailed by Albanese as "fair and equitable". The original contract was worth an estimated €33 billion at the time.
The submarine row came as part of a new security pact between Australia, Britain and the US – dubbed Aukus – aimed at countering a rising China.
Sam Roggeveen, a defence analyst at Australia's Lowy Institute think tank, said it was sensible for Macron to pitch French conventional submarines as a stop-gap.
"Australia needs an interim conventional submarine to fill the gap between the improved Collins Class and the Aukus submarines," he told AFP.
"They could be French – why not?"
France considers itself to be a Pacific power, thanks to its overseas territories including New Caledonia and French Polynesia.
But while it shares Australia's concerns about China's assertiveness, it has been keen to craft its own strategy for the region.
Macron is attending an Apec summit in Bangkok and on Friday he will give a speech as he seeks to relaunch his Indo-Pacific policy after the Aukus humiliation.
"In this highly contested region, which is the theatre of a confrontation between the two major world powers, our strategy is to defend freedom and sovereignty," Macron said on Thursday.
The Apec meeting comes hard on the heels of a G20 summit in Bali where Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Joe Biden held landmark talks aimed at easing tensions between the world's two biggest economies.


Defence ministry needs to table military procurement plan, says PAC

The defence ministry is to present a substantive plan on military procurement to the parliamentary special select committee on defence and security from time to time by involving all stakeholders.
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Wong Kah Woh said the matter was among the recommendations made to the ministry following the PAC report on the acquisition of the Royal Malaysian Navy's (TLDM) littoral combat ship (LCS).
Wong said the administration of government contracts should be streamlined to minimise variation orders, to avoid an increase in project cost.
He said PAC also recommended that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) take action on all findings by PAC, the Special Committee on Governance Investigation, Government Procurement and Finance (JKSTUPKK) and the Forensic Audit Report, with prosecution to be expedited.
"The incident on the change in the design of the LCS ship from Sigma to (type) Gowind should be a lesson in making future procurements. "The procurement of national defence equipment and assets should prioritise the needs of the end user, which is TLDM in this case, and in general, for all projects and procurement in the future in line with the Defence White Paper 2020-2030," he told a press conference in Parliament today.
Another recommendation tabled by PAC is for the defence ministry to review all options and set the best direction for the LCS project to ensure that public money is spent responsibly, and for the ministry to present a progress report on the LCS every three months until the project is completed.
Wong said PAC held nine proceedings regarding the LCS issue, the first on Nov 18, 2020 and the last on March 8, where several witnesses were called to testify.
The witnesses included Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, ministry secretary-general Muez Abd Aziz, JKSTUPKK chairman Ambrin Buang and navy commander Mohd Reza Sany.
He said the result of the proceedings found that the LCS project was awarded to Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) through direct negotiations, with the government paying RM6.083 billion, but that not one LCS ship had been completed despite the original schedule stating that five ships would be ready to be handed over by August 2022.
"Due diligence by the government on BNS failed to detect the company's financial problems.
"This was proven when the government had to make advance payments of up to RM1.36 billion to BNS, contrary to Treasury Circular No. 5 of 2007 which was in effect at that time," he said.
He said PAC concluded that TLDM as the end user was ignored by the defence ministry and BNS in the implementation of the LCS project.
The original design of the LCS was Sigma, selected by TLDM and agreed upon by the defence minister, he said. However, this was changed to the Gowind design on July 11, 2011 at the suggestion of BNS which was brought to the defence minister on July 8, 2011.


New infections stay at 1,200 as another 7 deaths logged

Another 1,251 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,455,364.There were 2,599 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,393,689.There are now 26,099 active cases, of which 24,978 or 95.7% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 19 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,026 (3.9%) have been hospitalised.A total of 76 are in ICU with 39 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 54.2%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 10.2%.Another seven deaths were reported, including two who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,576.


Sabah to allow dine-ins, haircuts under Phase One of recovery plan

The Sabah government will implement Phase One of the movement control order under the National Recovery Plan from tomorrow onwards by maintaining most of the SOPs, says Chief Minister Hajiji Noor.He said several social and economic activities would be allowed, including dining in at restaurants and the operation of food stalls and outlets at hotel premises; roadside stalls selling vegetables, fish and fruits; as well as barber shops.“Details on the SOPs for Sabah will be released soon,” he said in a statement today.Hajiji said sports and recreational activities without physical contact such as exercise, golf, fishing and cycling would also be allowed.He said the list of factories that would be allowed to operate would be extended to include rubber, cement and paint, as well as wood-based factories and furniture factories.


Give Bernas allocation directly to rice farmers, industry players say

While the move to distribute RM10 million this year to padi farmers has been welcomed by those in the sector, industry players say a comprehensive view is needed of the problems at hand, in order to ensure the effective improvement of their welfare.
Nurfitri Amir Muhammad, coordinator of the Malaysian Food Security and Sovereignty Forum, said the allocation was in fact the long-delayed responsibility of Padiberas Nasional (Bernas), as the company still has social duties that have yet to be carried out, including the establishment of disaster funds, the supply of machinery and the development of a padi database in addition to ensuring funds for the supply of rice seed buffer stocks.
"Nevertheless, the farmers have not yet been told how the funds will be channelled, whether in direct cash aid or through development programmes," he said.
He was responding to the move by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim directing Bernas to pay RM10 million to farmers this year and RM50 million in the year to come.
Bernas, known as Lembaga Padi dan Beras Negara before it was privatised in 1994, controls the local rice industry and foreign rice imports.
Its largest shareholder is corporate tycoon Syed Mokhtar Albukhary.
Tey Yeong Shen, a senior researcher at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), said it was not yet clear how the RM10 million allocation would be used.
"If it is to be returned to the farmers, output-based incentives will present a greater likelihood of attaining productivity growth than input subsidies," Tey, of UPM's Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, told MalaysiaNow.
On the problems faced in the rice industry, he said that in terms of policy, proactive measures such as price controls and input subsidies contribute to unintended effects including stagnated yields, a drop in competition and innovation, and low added value in addition to stunted development for SMEs.
"Straight removal could be politically and socially infeasible," he said.
"A soft landing or transitional approach would be better for materialising progressive measures, such as output-based incentives."
Nurfitri meanwhile said that troubles in the rice industry could be seen from the aspects of market and production.
Over time, he said, farmers had lost more and more of their bargaining power due to a dip in the number of rice mills.
"Farmers looking to harvest their crops don't have a lot of choices when it comes to selling as there are only one or two mills in any given location," he said.
"So they are forced to accept whatever price is offered as well as the net weight deduction imposed by the mills."
He said farmers should also have the freedom to choose which seeds, fertiliser and cropping system to use, whether conventional or alternative.
"Subsidies should be given directly to the farmers, not the suppliers," he said.
"The agricultural input market must be opened up to allow for competition. Then the price and quality will be reasonable."


Fat Leonard, Malaysian contractor in US Navy bribery case, escapes house arrest

A Malaysian businessman at the centre of a major US Navy bribery scandal has escaped house arrest ahead of his impending sentencing by cutting off his monitoring anklet, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported on Monday.
Leonard Glenn Francis, popularly known as "Fat Leonard", cut off his GPS anklet some time Sunday morning, and when police went to his home they found it empty, the newspaper reported, citing Supervisory Deputy US Marshal Omar Castillo.
Prosecutors said that in exchange for contracts Francis plied Navy officers with cash, gourmet food, expensive cigars, rare cognac and wild sex parties in fancy hotels.
Reuters could not reach marshals to verify his escape.
Local law enforcement and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service are participating in the search, the Union-Tribune said.
"He was planning this out, that's for sure," Castillo was quoted as saying. Neighbours reported they had seen moving trucks going into and out of his home in recent days, Castillo said.
Francis, who had been cooperating with US investigators, was released on a medical furlough and had been under house arrest and was due to be sentenced on Sept 22, the Union-Tribune said.
In 2015 Francis pleaded guilty to bribing Navy officials as part of a wide-ranging bribery and fraud scheme involving his Singapore-based company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, which serviced ships in the Navy's Pacific Fleet.
The US Justice Department, which called the scheme a colossal fraud that cost the US Navy tens of millions of dollars, brought charges against more than 30 people, many of whom pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial.


UK MPs anger Beijing by declaring ‘genocide’ in Xinjiang

Beijing on Friday criticised British MPs after they approved a symbolic parliamentary motion declaring that Uighur Muslims in China were “suffering crimes against humanity and genocide”, calling the accusations a “big lie”.Although the motion, approved late Thursday, is non-binding and does not require the government to act, it is a further indication of the hardening stance of Britain’s parliament towards China over the treatment of Uighurs in the Xinjiang region.The Chinese government responded by saying that “the so-called genocide in Xinjiang is a big lie concocted by international anti-China forces.“The Chinese government and the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang firmly oppose and strongly condemn such allegations,” Zhao Lijian, spokesman of China’s foreign affairs ministry, told AFP in a statement.“UK’s own problems are already enough,” he added. “These British MPs should mind their own business and do more for their own constituents.”The motion was brought by Conservative former minister Nus Ghani, one of five MPs sanctioned by Beijing for criticising it over the treatment of the Uighurs.The British government has said it is “committed to taking robust action in respect of Xinjiang”, but has stopped short of invoking the term “genocide”, arguing only UK courts can make that legal definition.Former Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith, who has also been sanctioned by China, called it a “historic moment”.“Even though the government maintains that only a court can determine genocide, parliament has chosen to disregard that and vote itself.‘Clearly evil acts’“This puts the UK parliament in line with Holland, Canada and the US.”British junior foreign minister Nigel Adams in February said that a BBC report into the treatment of the Uighurs revealed “clearly evil acts”.In a lengthy investigation based on witness testimonies, the BBC reported allegations of systematic rape, sexual abuse and torture of women detainees by police and guards in the western region.Ghani said that colleagues had been “reluctant to use the word genocide” but added “there is a misunderstanding that genocide is just one act – mass killing. That is false.”Instead, genocide concerns intent to “destroy in whole or in part” a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, she said, arguing that the definition was applicable to China.“While we must never misuse the term genocide, we must not fail to use it when it’s warranted.”Up to one million Uighur Muslims are estimated by rights groups to have been detained in internment camps.The EU, US, Canada and Britain have all imposed sanctions on Chinese officials allegedly involved in rights abuses.The US has described the situation as genocide and banned all cotton from Xinjiang. Australia’s parliament is considering a similar move.


Over 1,800 prisoners blasted out of Nigerian prison by armed gang

More than 1,800 inmates have escaped from a prison in Nigeria after it was attacked by gunmen, the BBC is reporting.The attackers reportedly used explosives to blast their way into the prison in the south-eastern town of Owerri in Imo state.A police spokesman said heavily armed men stormed the Owerri Custodial Centre in the early hours of Monday, after arriving in pickup trucks and buses.They were carrying rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, explosives and rifles.The Nigerian Correctional Service has confirmed that 1,844 inmates escaped from the jail.Prison officials have reported that 35 inmates refused to escape, and six who did abscond have now voluntarily returned.Police have accused the banned separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, of carrying out the attack but they have reportedly denied involvement.President Muhammadu Buhari called the attack an “act of terrorism” carried out by “anarchists”. He called upon security forces to capture the attackers and the remaining escaped prisoners.A spokesman for the Indigenous People of Biafra separatist movement said that accusations it was behind Monday’s attack were “lies”.Imo state has long been a breeding ground for separatist groups, while relations between the central government and indigenous Igbo population are strained.Since January, several police stations across south-eastern Nigeria have been attacked and substantial amounts of ammunition stolen.No-one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.


China's Xi to secure third term as president, brush off crises

Xi Jinping will secure a third term as China's president at a rubber-stamp parliament that starts this weekend, enjoying unchallengeable status despite criticism over his handling of Covid and the economy.
Xi is certain to be reappointed as president after he locked in another five years as head of the Communist Party (CCP) and the military – the two more significant leadership positions in Chinese politics – in October.
Since then, 69-year-old Xi has faced unexpected challenges and scrutiny over his leadership, with mass protests over his zero-Covid policy and its subsequent abandonment that saw countless people die.
But those issues are almost certain to be avoided at the National People's Congress (NPC), a carefully choreographed event that will also see the unveiling of a Xi ally as the new premier.
Starting on Sunday, the NPC is expected to last around 10 days and culminate with Xi's presidency being endorsed by the 3,000 delegates casting votes in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.
"Public opinion is probably not very good about him – zero-Covid has damaged people's faith," said Alfred Muluan Wu, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
Yet Xi still enjoys a "pretty strong" position at the top of the party that makes him virtually unchallengeable, Wu said.
China maintained some of the world's strictest Covid curbs until late last year, pounding growth and social life under a constant barrage of testing mandates, quarantines and travel restrictions that Xi himself championed.
Public resentment exploded in November into the most widespread public demonstrations for decades, followed by the rapid dismantling of the policy and a maelstrom of infections and deaths that went mostly unreported by authorities.
The country is still tentatively emerging from the outbreak, after three years in which business, employment and even education were subjugated to the government's demand to shut out the virus at any cost.
And the gathered lawmakers will likely set some of China's lowest economic growth goals in decades on the opening day of the NPC, according to experts interviewed by AFP.
However, there is no sign that the position of Xi – who has stacked the party's top bodies with loyalists, and expunged rivals in last year's Congress reshuffle – is in any doubt.
Li Qiang, a Xi confidant and former Shanghai party chief, is set to be named premier.
Crisis? What crisis?
Instead of threatening Xi's rule, last year's protests actually "gave him just the out he was looking for", according to Christopher Johnson, president and CEO of China Strategies Group.
"If abandoning zero-Covid went well, he could... say he listened to the people. If it went poorly, he could blame the protesters and the 'hostile foreign forces' that his top security chief publicly suggested were behind them," he wrote in an article for Foreign Affairs magazine last week.
Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London, said Xi now had an opportunity to flaunt his response to pressure.
"He acted decisively when the protests included calls for him and the CCP to step down. He quashed them and removed the basic cause," Tsang told AFP.
"He can present himself as leading from the front, rather than being pushed to react."
But Oxford University professor emeritus Vivienne Shue suggested it was time for Chinese leaders to reflect on "what certainly looks like a cumulative record of failures" to respond to crises in recent years.
Drifting apart
Delegates to the NPC – and to the concurrent "political consultative conference" (CPPCC) – will also approve a slate of personnel changes and discuss a range of issues from the economic recovery to improved sex education in schools, according to state media reports.
The meetings serve as a forum for attendees to present pet projects, but they have little say in broader questions of how China is run.
This year's conclave will take place against the backdrop of increasingly fraught ties with Western countries.
A spat with the US over alleged surveillance balloons has added to dismay over Beijing's equivocal stance on its ally Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
As well as announcing China's GDP target for the coming year, outgoing Premier Li Keqiang is expected to use his speech at Sunday's opening ceremony to pledge a bump in military spending.


New cases dip below 12,000 as record 199 deaths logged

Another 11,985 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 951,884.Selangor recorded 5,550 cases, Kuala Lumpur 1,174, Kedah 800, Negeri Sembilan 745, Johor 644, Pahang 603, Sabah 474, Melaka 453, Kelantan 386, Penang 362, Perak 274, Sarawak 261 and Terengganu 171.Putrajaya recorded 51 cases, Labuan 35 and Perlis two.Active cases stand at 137,587 with 927 in the ICU and 459 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 7,902 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 806,857.However, 199 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 7,440.


1MDB reported directly to Najib, witness tells court

The former deputy secretary-general of the finance ministry told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that 1MDB reported directly to Najib Razak regarding the company’s operations and affairs.Siti Zauyah Mohd Desa, 63, said 1MDB CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi had informed the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MoF Inc) of this during the discussions and transfer of Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) shares to MoF Inc in 2009. TIA was officially converted to 1MDB in 2009.Siti Zauyah, the 26th prosecution witness, said this during cross-examination by Najib’s lawyer Muhamad Shafee Abdullah at the former prime minister’s trial on the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion from 1MDB.She said 1MDB’s management refused to cooperate and discuss the company’s memorandum and articles of association (M&A) which were not the same as the other companies under MoF Inc and also contained amendments that were made without permission.“They (1MDB) had the PM (prime minister) behind them, so they told me to only deal with the PM,” she told the court.Shafee: How did you get the idea that the PM was behind them? Who’s the culprit that told you this?Siti Zauyah: Shahrol told me… he refused to discuss matters regarding (M&A).She said she informed the second finance minister, Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, about the 1MDB M&A issue but that Husni told her that he did not want to get involved.Siti Zauyah said that former treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah also told her not to proceed with any actions when she discussed the matter with him.Previously, Husni told the court that he had been asked by Najib not to interfere in 1MDB’s plans to invest in oil services and production company PetroSaudi International Ltd (PSI).Husni also told the court about the concerns he had over the country’s situation and Najib following the establishment of 1MDB, which led him to send a personal letter to the Pekan MP in August 2010.In her previous testimony, Siti Zauyah said Article 117 of 1MDB’s M&A which states that the appointment and removal of any director of the company will not take effect without the written approval of the prime minister was not referred to her division during the process of discussions and transfer of TIA shares to MoF Inc.Article 117 also states that the prime minister’s prior written approval is required for any financial commitment (including investments) and restructuring likely to affect the guarantee given by the government for the benefit of the company, national interest as well as national security.Siti Zauyah said she did not know how Clause 117 was inserted as it was prepared earlier by 1MDB’s company secretary before it was transferred to MoF Inc.Najib, 68, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.


Toddler among dead in UK’s worst shooting for decade

Police said on Friday they were investigating the background of a troubled loner who obtained a firearms licence and shot dead five people including a three-year-old girl in Britain’s first mass shooting in 11 years.No motive has yet emerged for Thursday evening’s bloodshed at the hands of 22-year-old gunman Jake Davison, who killed himself after the six-minute spree in a quiet residential area of Plymouth, southwest England, not far from western Europe’s biggest naval base.But Devon and Cornwall Police ruled out terrorism, including with far-right groups, and said there was a “familial relationship” with Davison’s first victim aged 51, while declining to confirm local reports that she was his mother.After killing the woman at her house, Davison shot and killed the toddler and her male relative aged 43 on the road outside, before taking the lives of a man and woman nearby, the police said.Another two locals received “significant” but not life-threatening gunshot wounds, Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer told reporters, adding that as of 2020, Davison held a valid firearms licence.Local and national leaders expressed shock and grief. But as questions mounted over Davison’s past and the police response, Prime Minister Boris Johnson thanked the emergency services.“My thoughts are with the friends and family of those who lost their lives and with all those affected by the tragic incident in Plymouth last night,” he tweeted.Churches and schools opened their doors for locals to mourn and receive counselling if needed.“We weep with those who weep,” said Plymouth’s Anglican bishop, the Right Reverend Nick McKinnel.City leaders planned Friday evening to illuminate Smeaton’s Tower, a local landmark, as “a beacon of light on a very dark, dark day for Plymouth”.Tough gun lawsA single gun was recovered from the scene after Davison shot himself, but the police chief was unable to confirm witness accounts that it was a pump-action shotgun.Britain has some of the Western world’s toughest gun controls and police are not routinely armed.Private ownership of handguns was outlawed in nearly all cases after a school massacre in the Scottish town of Dunblane in 1996, which claimed the lives of 16 young pupils and their teacher in Britain’s worst mass shooting to date.But ownership of sporting rifles and shotguns is allowed, subject to strict licensing rules.Licences last five years, and are meant to be granted only after thorough police background checks, including for mental illness.Britain’s last mass shooting was in June 2010, when taxi driver Derrick Bird killed 12 people in Cumbria, northwest England.YouTube rantsBefore they were deleted by Facebook and YouTube, Davison’s social media channels indicated an interest in guns, right-wing libertarian politics and “shoot-em-up” video games.The content suggested a self-pitying loner, alienated from his family and hostile to women.Prior to being taken down, his YouTube content mostly showed him lifting weights in his home gym.One message featured a mysogynistic rant to camera. In the last upload, on July 28, he spoke of feeling “beaten down and defeated” by life.The last external video Davison “liked” on YouTube, this week, was of a series of shots fired from a World War II US rifle.Sawyer defended the police response, insisting that armed response units were quickly at the scene, but too late to engage with Davison before he killed himself.An “independent review” would look into how he obtained the licence, and whether the gunman had any mental health issues, he said.On Facebook, Davison listed his employer as Babcock International, a UK engineering company that is a major player in Plymouth’s historic naval docks.Davison was reportedly a trainee crane operator in the docks, after working as a scaffolder in his late teens.Babcock did not comment on the affiliation but chief executive David Lockwood expressed the company’s shock and sadness.“As one of the largest employers in Plymouth, we are providing support and help for any of our colleagues who feel affected by this incident,” he said.


UK Covid strain detected in at least 60 countries, says WHO

The UK coronavirus strain has been detected in at least 60 countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday, 10 more than a week ago.With the global death toll now well past two million, and new variants of the virus causing deep concern, countries across the world are grappling with how to slow infections until vaccines become widely available.The South African strain, which like the UK one is believed to be more infectious, has now been reported in 23 countries and territories, WHO also announced in its weekly update.It added that the number of new deaths climbed to a record high of 93,000 over the previous seven days, with 4.7 million new cases reported over the same period.The UK strain, first detected in mid-December, is thought by WHO to be between 50% and 70% more infectious than the original.While more transmissible, the two variants are not thought to be more deadly and Pfizer and German partner BioNTech have said their vaccines are effective against the mutation found on the British virus variant, known as B117.The arrival of mass vaccination campaigns in the US and Europe had brought hope that the end of the pandemic was in sight; the European Union said Tuesday it was aiming to inoculate 70% of its adult population before the end of August.But many EU countries – and other nations including India and Russia – have struggled to get their inoculation programmes off the ground.The US remains home to the world’s worst outbreak in overall numbers, and US president-elect Joe Biden made clear he would be taking no chances following his inauguration on Wednesday.Recent days have also seen a renewed focus on the initial outbreak a year ago, with China defending its handling of the virus on Tuesday after independent experts criticised the speed of its response.


Kuala Lumpur named best city for expats in 2022

Kuala Lumpur has been named the best city for expats to live and work in this year, according to a new study conducted by online language learning platform Preply.
Its Global Expat Index which ranked 60 destinations on 11 relocation metrics including cost of living, salary and income tax, gave Kuala Lumpur an expat relocation score of 6.62 out of 10.
Kuala Lumpur was followed by Tbilisi in Georgia (6.58), Lisbon in Portugal (6.51), Dubai (6.45) and Bangkok (6.35).
The study put monthly living costs for those relocating to Kuala Lumpur at about £903, while the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom property in the city was estimated at £363.
Other factors comprised the average internet speed, the number of attractions, the average cost of dining out, safety, visitor return rate, co-working costs, and the number of hours needed to learn the dominant language.
Prague was listed at sixth place (6.32), followed by Madrid (6.27), Barcelona (6.21), Alicante (6.18) and Montreal (6.18).


China deploys police, makes arrests after mosque clashes

China deployed hundreds of police and made arrests in a mostly Muslim southwestern town after clashes erupted over the planned partial demolition of a mosque, witnesses told AFP.
The town of Nagu, Yunnan province, recently pushed ahead with plans to raze four minarets and the dome roof of the Najiaying Mosque, a resident said on Monday, requesting anonymity.
The area is home to a sizable enclave of Hui, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group who have come under pressure in the face of a broad crackdown.
On Saturday, dozens of officers wielding truncheons and riot shields repelled a crowd outside the mosque that was hurling objects at them, videos circulating on social media and the witness said.
"They want to proceed with forced demolitions, so the people here went to stop them," a local woman who also asked not to be identified told AFP.
"The mosque is home for Muslims like us," she said. "If they try to knock it down, we certainly won't let them."
"Buildings are just buildings – they do no harm to people or society. Why do they have to destroy them?"
Police have made an unspecified number of arrests over the incident and several hundred officers remained in the town as of Monday, the two witnesses said.
People in areas around the mosque had struggled intermittently with internet outages and other connectivity issues since the clashes, they added.
A notice issued Sunday by the Tonghai government – which administers Nagu – said it had opened an investigation into "a case that severely disrupted social management and order".
The notice ordered those involved to "immediately stop all illegal and criminal acts", vowing to "severely punish" anyone who refuses to turn themselves in.
Those who voluntarily surrender before June 6 will be treated with leniency, the notice added.
Contacted by AFP on Tuesday, an official in Tonghai's publicity department denied the internet outages, but declined to comment further.
China has sought to more tightly control religion since President Xi Jinping came to power a decade ago, and in its crackdown on Muslims, Beijing claims it is working to combat terrorism and extremist thought.
An estimated one million Uyghurs, Hui and other Muslim minorities have been detained in the western Xinjiang region since 2017 under a government campaign that the US and rights groups have called a genocide.
And while the impact on communities outside Xinjiang has been milder, many have seen their mosques demolished or "coercively renovated" to match official notions of Chinese aesthetics, said David Stroup, an expert on the Hui at Britain's University of Manchester.


Melaka rep denies he’s the man in audio clip of ‘phone call with PM’

An Umno man in Melaka who was one of four assemblymen who recently revoked their support for the state government has denied that he was the man in a phone conversation purportedly with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.The seven-minute audio clip, sent anonymously to several news outlets including MalaysiaNow, is claimed to be a phone conversation between Ismail and Umno’s Sungai Udang assemblyman Idris Haron, one of the assemblymen whose move to revoke their support for Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali triggered the collapse of the Umno-led state government, leading to the dissolution of the state assembly to make way for a state election.MalaysiaNow could not independently confirm the identity of the callers.When asked whether he could confirm the validity of the clip, Idris denied it was him, saying: “Not that I know of.”In the audio clip, the voice said to be that of Ismail was heard saying that he had come under pressure to form a unity government with the opposition, while appealing to Idris to reconsider his decision to revoke his support for Sulaiman.The voice claimed to be that of Idris meanwhile said he would not budge from the decision, adding that it was impossible to work with the chief minister.The voice then claimed that he had the “numbers” to form a new government together with support from DAP assemblymen, following which the person on the other side of the call said he disagreed with such a move.“Yes, but in terms of our principles, we cannot be with DAP. Imagine you are with DAP, it’s not good. Would you want to be the chief minister with DAP’s support?” the caller said, adding that he had rejected a proposal for a unity government with the opposition despite facing pressure.“I refused, I said no. For the sake of Malay interests, I will not.”To this, the voice claimed to be that of Idris said his stand on DAP had changed after Ismail signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders.This was a reference to the Sept 13 MoU signed by Ismail and PH leaders, some three weeks after the former was sworn in as prime minister on the back of calls from Istana Negara for a political ceasefire to allow greater focus on the war against Covid-19.Meanwhile, the caller said that an offer by Sulaiman for a confidence-and-supply agreement had been rejected by the opposition in Melaka.On Oct 4, Idris and three other assemblymen – Umno’s Nor Azman Hassan, Bersatu’s Noor Effandi Ahmad and independent rep Norhizam Hassan Baktee, said they had lost confidence in Sulaiman.This was followed by state governor Mohd Ali Rustam agreeing to a request by Sulaiman to dissolve the state assembly, paving the way for statewide polls.


Syed Saddiq claims trial to 2 more charges

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman today claimed trial to two new charges amounting to RM100,000 under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.He claimed trial when the charges were read out to him before judge Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail at the Sessions Court in Johor Bahru today.Syed Saddiq, the former youth and sports minister, was accused of involvement in money laundering through two transfers of RM50,000 from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account to his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account, said to be the proceeds of illegal activities.He was accused of committing the offences at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling on June 16 and 19, 2018.The charges were made under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.If convicted, Syed Saddiq could face a maximum of 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the sum of proceeds of unlawful activities.Last month, he was charged with criminal breach of trust and misusing donations meant for the 2018 general election.He was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with misappropriating RM1 million belonging to his former party Bersatu and of misusing RM120,000 collected for Bersatu Youth for the 2018 polls.He claimed trial to the charges, brought under Sections 405 and 406 of the Penal Code.The judge today allowed Syed Saddiq the RM330,000 bail with one surety set by the Kuala Lumpur court and told him to surrender his passport until completion of the case and to report to the nearest Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office once a month.The prosecution was represented by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and MACC deputy public prosecutors Ahmad Akram Gharib and Mohd Afif Ali.Syed Saddiq was represented by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo.


Najib's bid for review of Federal Court ruling without merit, says prosecution

The prosecution in Najib Razak’s case on the embezzlement of RM42 million in funds from SRC International says the former prime minister was given a fair trial with no prejudgement in his final appeal at the Federal Court.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul said the review application on the Federal Court's decision requested by Najib under Rule 137 of the Federal Court Rules 1995 had no merit and was an abuse of the court process.
"The applicant's (Najib) opinion that this case is a suitable and proper case for the Federal Court to use the existing powers and jurisdiction under Rule 137 is wrong and without merit.
"The facts and circumstances of this case do not allow the use of Rule 137 since this case does not show exceptional circumstances for review," he said in the answering affidavit filed in response to Najib's affirmed supporting affidavit on Sept 6.
Ashrof, who filed the answering affidavit on Oct 7, said the existing jurisdiction of the court should not be used to review the Federal Court's decision based on merit, as it would otherwise result in there being no definitive litigation process. "This case (Najib's review) is not an unusual case where a review can be allowed. Therefore, this review application should be rejected by the court," he said.
He said there was no reason for the applicant to have been shocked or surprised when the Federal Court confirmed the conviction and sentence imposed by the High Court.
He said the Federal Court found that the sentence imposed on the applicant was not excessive and upheld the conviction and sentence.
"The respondent (deputy public prosecutor) also did not challenge the punishment imposed on the applicant. Therefore, I state that there is nothing illegal in the eyes of the law and in conflict with the Federal Constitution regarding the punishment imposed on the applicant by the Federal Court," he said.
Najib, 69, filed an application to review the Federal Court's decision upholding his conviction and sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in funds belonging to SRC International.
He also requested permission to review the decision of the Federal Court on Aug 23, which rejected his appeal and upheld his conviction and sentence to 12 years in prison and fine of RM210 million in default of another five years in prison.
As an alternative, Najib requested that the appeal be heard again by a new Federal Court quorum consisting of at least seven judges.
Najib, who is currently serving his sentence at Kajang Prison, also applied for a stay of execution of his conviction and sentence pending the hearing of the review application.
His affidavit filed in support of the application said he truly believed and had been advised by his solicitor that the decision of the Federal Court could be reviewed in accordance with Rule 137 of the Federal Court Rules 1995.


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UK launches probe into murderer’s hospital necrophilia

Britain on Monday announced an independent inquiry into the how a hospital electrician, who has admitted murdering two women in 1987, was able to sexually violate dozens of corpses in mortuaries.David Fuller admitted strangling 25-year-old Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce, 20, in two separate attacks months apart in Kent, southeast England, prosecutors said.During court proceedings last week, it was revealed Fuller, 67, went on to desecrate the corpses of at least 99 women and girls in hospital mortuaries where he was working as an electrician.Health Secretary Sajid Javid told MPs on Monday the he was replacing the local health trust probe with a national independent inquiry, calling the offences “shocking and depraved”.“It will help us understand how these offences took place without detection in the past, identify any areas where early action by this trust was necessary and then consider wider national issues, including for the NHS,” he said.“We have a responsibility to everyone affected by these shocking crimes to do right by those we’ve lost and those still left behind in their shock and their grief.”Jonathan Michael, an experienced chief executive in the state-run National Health Service (NHS) and fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, will lead the inquiry.Fuller’s victims included three children under the age of 18 and others older than 85, between 2008 and 2020.Police who searched his home last year found he had filmed himself carrying out the attacks at the two mortuaries where he had worked in electrical maintenance roles since 1989.Officers only discovered his crimes after Fuller was arrested for the 1987 murders following a DNA breakthrough.Ahead of trial for the twin killings, Fuller admitted 51 other offences, including 44 charges relating to 78 identified victims in mortuaries, according to the Crown Prosecution Service, which brings prosecutions in England and Wales.Investigators have so far detected 99 potential victims, of which they know the names of 78.The offences include the sexual penetration of a corpse, possessing an extreme pornographic image involving sexual interference with a corpse, and taking indecent images of children.The evidence found dates back to 2008 – when digital camera devices were becoming more widespread – but police believe the true scale of his offending may never be known.Senior CPS prosecutor Libby Clark said the extent of his necrophilia crimes appeared unprecedented.“I have never come across anything like it – the numbers, the nature of offending – and I don’t know anybody who has, be they police or other prosecutors,” she said.


PAS says working with PH out of the question

PAS has rejected any suggestion that it cooperate with opposition parties in the next election, welcoming a statement by the Islamist party’s offshoot Amanah that the latter would work with anyone except the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.In a statement, PAS called for the strengthening of the political coalitions which make up the present federal government, saying it would not work with other opposition parties, “especially Pakatan Harapan”.The party said it believed Barisan Nasional (BN), PN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, PBS and STAR should forge closer cooperation, calling this the best approach to maintaining political stability.“PAS is confident that the nation’s unity achieved through the collaboration of the country’s main parties based on the concept of Malay-Muslim and Bumiputera unity is the most effective formula and will be accepted by the majority of Malaysians,” PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said.This comes amid reports that PN could enter into some form of arrangement with PH to face BN at the next general election under the so-called “big tent” approach, and worries that the court cluster group in Umno is keen on returning to power if BN continues its winning streak at the polls.PAS, which had inked a charter of cooperation with Umno under Muafakat Nasional, decided to remain in PN together with Bersatu, and has been urging both Malay-based parties to put aside their quarrels.Takiyuddin today said that PAS was always ready to discuss and work with any party that prioritised unity and harmony in facing the general election.“What is important during this post-pandemic era is that the interests of the people and country are given precedence.”


Rolls-Royce launches nuclear reactor business

UK aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce launched plans Tuesday to build small low-cost nuclear reactors, backed with private and public cash, to help reduce the country’s carbon emissions.Rolls-Royce has created a new Small Modular Reactor (SMR) division after clinching a cash injection of £405 million (US$547 million), it said in a statement.SMR reactors are far cheaper to build than large-scale nuclear plants because the vast majority of manufacturing and assembly is done in a factory, before transporting to the site.“Today’s announcement is another step towards the delivery of the government’s net zero strategy,” Rolls added.The British government, which is currently hosting the UN climate change summit in Glasgow, aims to reach net zero carbon by 2050 with the help of nuclear.The London-listed engineering giant hopes that the new business could create up to 40,000 jobs by 2050.Rolls-Royce, BNF Resources and Exelon Generation will together invest £195 million over three years alongside a £210-million state grant, the group added in a statement.“The SMR programme is one of the ways that Rolls-Royce is meeting the need to ensure the UK continues to develop innovative ways to tackle the global threat of climate change,” said chief executive Warren East.“With the Rolls-Royce SMR technology, we have developed a clean energy solution.”Britain’s Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng described the news as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to “deploy more low carbon energy… and ensure greater energy independence”.The development would “bring clean electricity to people’s homes and cut our already-dwindling use of volatile fossil fuels even further”, he said.Britain’s nuclear power plants built in the last century have either closed or are coming to the end of their lifespan.But the country wants to maintain the 20% of electricity it generates from nuclear power to help meet its pledge to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by mid-century and tackle climate change.Rolls-Royce meanwhile suffered huge financial losses as the coronavirus pandemic hammered the aviation sector and air travel demand.


Cons outweigh the pros, health officials say on legalising pot for medical purposes

Government officials say concerns over possible addiction top the list of reservations over legalising marijuana in Malaysia, even for medical purposes, following the prime minister’s announcement earlier this year that the drug, also known as cannabis, would remain prohibited despite the move by a United Nations body to reclassify it as a less dangerous substance.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, representatives from the National Anti-Drugs Agency (Nada) and the health ministry also said the risks of marijuana outweigh its benefits.Nada said Malaysia’s drug laws and policies are guided by the obligations laid out in the International Drug Control Conventions, and that the government remains committed to controlling the substances listed in these conventions to prevent diversion and abuse.It added that data on the number of people detained by the police shows that almost 3% of arrests are related to marijuana.The 2019 National Health Morbidity Survey estimates that some 146,000 people have used the drug at least once in their life, lending credence to concerns of the marijuana becoming a gateway drug for other substance addictions.“Due to this gateway factor into addiction, it is paramount to prevent drug addiction among Malaysians by limiting access and abuse of marijuana,” Nada said.Marijuana is a psychoactive drug used for both medical and recreational purposes. It is known locally as ganja.The 2019 National Health Morbidity Survey estimates that some 146,000 people have used marijuana at least once in their life.In Malaysia, marijuana falls under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, the Poisons Act 1952, and the Sale of Drugs Act 1952 and is illegal regardless of purpose.In December last year, the UN’s Commission for Narcotic Drugs voted to remove cannabis for medicinal purposes from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, where it had been listed alongside substances such as heroin.Observers said then that the move could clear the way for an expansion of marijuana research and medical use.In Malaysia, debate over the topic was stirred in 2018 when a 29-year-old man was sentenced to death for selling cannabis oil to cancer and leukaemia patients.His death sentence was eventually revoked although he continued to serve time in jail.Xavier Jayakumar, who was water, land and natural resources minister at the time, said then that the Cabinet had “very briefly” discussed the medicinal value of marijuana and had started early and informal talks on amending the relevant laws.“My own personal view is that if it’s got medicinal value, then it can be a controlled item that can be used by health ministry for prescription purposes,” he said in a report by Bloomberg.However, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said in January this year that Malaysia would maintain its stand on cannabis and related drugs, adding that they bring harm to the community.Speaking to MalaysiaNow on the drug’s addictive properties, Dr Feisul Idzwan Mustapha from the health ministry’s Disease Control Division said the specific natural substance used for medical or recreational purposes in the plant are called cannabinoids. The two primary cannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahidrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).Both are used for medical purposes but THC has psychoactive effects which result in short-term side effects like dizziness, memory disturbance and a lack of concentration, balance and body coordination.“Cannabis usage at an earlier age exposes individuals to the risk of psychiatric illness such as schizophrenia and cognitive problems.”“THC is also used to treat nausea caused by chemotherapy and increase appetite in patients with extreme weight loss caused by AIDS, and CBD is used to treat some forms of epilepsy and other medical illness,” Feisul said.However, he said those who frequently use large amounts of marijuana are at high risk of developing drug dependence. Prolonged use also increases the chances of developing psychiatric problems such as psychosis, anxiety and depression.“Cannabis usage at an earlier age, especially during adolescence, exposes individuals to the risk of psychiatric illness such as schizophrenia and cognitive problems,” he said.He added that studies on the effectiveness of cannabis for medicinal purposes are ongoing, and that high-quality research is needed for an indication of the acceptance of the drug for such treatment.The psychoactive effects caused by THC are the primary concern for Nada in ensuring that the drug remains illegal in the country.It said in 2019, a total of 142,199 drug dependents were detected, indicating an increase of 8.7% from 2018. Some 649.58kg of marijuana was also seized.“We are continuously strengthening our efforts to eliminate and reduce the supply and demand for illicit drugs to reduce the negative consequences they bring to the society and nation,” Nada added.


Pakistani-American sentenced to death for beheading girlfriend

A Pakistan court sentenced the scion of a wealthy industrialist family to death Thursday, for raping and beheading his girlfriend in a murder that sparked an outcry over the brutalising of women in the deeply patriarchal nation.Pakistani-American Zahir Jaffer, 30, attacked Noor Mukadam at his Islamabad home in July last year after she refused his marriage proposal – torturing her with a knuckleduster and using a “sharp-edged weapon” to behead her.Mukadam, the 27-year-old daughter of a former ambassador, had made repeated attempts to escape the sprawling mansion but was blocked by two members of staff.“The main accused has been awarded the death sentence,” said judge Atta Rabbani at the Islamabad district court.Jaffer’s parents, Zakir Jaffer and Asmat Adamjee, were found not guilty of attempting to cover up the crime.The two staff members were sentenced to 10 years in prison for abetting murder.“I am happy that justice has been served,” said Shuakat Mukadam, Noor’s father, while pledging to challenge the acquittal of Jaffer’s parents.The case prompted an explosive reaction from women’s rights campaigners reckoning with the pervasion of violence against women.The shocking nature of the murder, involving a couple from the privileged elite of Pakistani society, led to pressure for the trial to conclude swiftly in a country where the justice system is notoriously sluggish and cases typically drag on for years.According to the Asma Jahangir Legal Aid Cell, a group providing legal assistance to vulnerable women, the conviction rate for cases of violence against women is lower than three percent.Victims of sexual and domestic abuse are often too afraid to speak out, and criminal complaints are frequently not investigated seriously.Jaffer, who will be able to challenge Thursday’s verdict, was thrown out of court several times during the trial for his behaviour.He was frequently carried into proceedings by stretcher or wheelchair, and his lawyers argued he should be found not “mentally sound” – a manoeuvre prosecutors said was designed to suspend the trial.At one hearing he claimed someone else had killed Mukadam during a “drug party” at his house.When questioning Mukadam’s father – a former ambassador to South Korea and Kazakhstan – Jaffer’s lawyer implied she was killed by her own family for conducting a relationship outside of marriage.Prosecutions for violence and sexual assault frequently see the female victim’s personal history picked over according to Pakistan’s patriarchal mores – another reason why justice is rare for women.


Malaysia to battle Covid-19 next year with new, ‘people-friendly’ MCO

Putrajaya may introduce a new variant of its movement control order (MCO) next year, aimed at implementing more “people-friendly” SOPs in the economic sector, MalaysiaNow has learnt.It is understood that the “new norm” MCO, a more relaxed form of the movement restrictions first introduced in March this year at the early stage of the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia, will take effect once the conditional MCO, or CMCO, ends on Dec 31.“The new norm MCO will see SOPs based on localities and districts, and no longer a one-size-fits-all method nationwide,” a source familiar with Putrajaya’s battle against Covid-19 told MalaysiaNow.This will also mean that any form of MCO, instead of being statewide, will be confined to the affected district.“This is unlike the present practice of authorities declaring CMCO across the whole state,” the source added.“The new norm MCO will see SOPs based on localities and districts, and no longer a one-size-fits-all method nationwide.”The MCO, first declared on March 18, was extended several times until May 4, when the CMCO came into place to allow select businesses to operate under strict SOPs. This was followed by the recovery MCO, which was discontinued after a fierce wave of new infections that saw daily cases reaching four-digit figures.Several variants of the MCO, such as the enhanced and targeted MCOs, were also declared, where areas with unusually high numbers of cases were completely cordoned off.The proposal for the “new norm” MCO has been welcomed by the agencies involved in streamlining the government’s response to the pandemic.SOPs easedThe source also told MalaysiaNow that eateries and other business premises could see SOPs eased in an effort to ensure a balance between livelihoods and health concerns.It is expected that starting Monday, there will be a major campaign to educate the public on the difference between the CMCO and “new norm” MCO.However, there is no change to the dates of new school semesters as announced by the education minister.Schools nationwide will start the new academic year on Jan 20, after several disruptions since March which left hundreds of thousands of students unable to complete their syllabus.However, pre-school centres and tertiary institutions will be allowed to open on Jan 1.“This is good news for many people especially parents and kindergarten operators,” the source added.Kindergarten and nursery operators have complained about a lack of guidance from the education ministry on how to go about running their centres, forcing many of them to shut down.Interstate travelMalaysiaNow has also been informed by sources that the ban on interstate travel, which came into force in the wake of the CMCO affecting almost all states early November, will be lifted in the coming days.“Police road blocks will however continue until the end of the year. But starting 2021, there will no longer be a need to apply for a permit for interstate travel. It will suffice for SOPs to be followed in vehicles,” the same source said.


Recoveries stay ahead as 1,275 new cases recorded

Another 1,275 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 339,443.Selangor reported 478 cases, Sarawak 213, Penang 137 and Johor 120.Kelantan and Kuala Lumpur recorded 86 cases each, Sabah 51, Perak 28, Kedah 27, Melaka 19, Negeri Sembilan 12, Pahang six, Labuan five, Terengganu three, and Putrajaya and Perlis two each.Active cases stand at 14,269 with 161 in the ICU and 70 in need of respiratory assistance.Thirteen new clusters were detected:1. Tapak Bina Jalan Atmosphere (Petaling in Selangor; 230 screened, 22 positive)2. Tapak Bina Sungai Emas (Kuala Langat in Selangor; 127 screened, 65 positive)3. Lebuhraya Kampung Jawa (Timur Laut, Barat Daya, Seberang Perai Tengah, Seberang Perai Utara and Seberang Perai Selatan in Penang; 2,239 screened, 92 positive)4. Persiaran Cassia Selatan (Seberang Perai Selatan in Penang and Kerian, Larut, Matang and Selama in Perak; 281 screened, 66 positive)5. Taman Brick (Johor Bahru and Pontian in Johor; 241 screened, 24 positive)6. Jalan Gemilang Sukan (Johor Bahru in Johor; 57 screened, 12 positive)7. Jalan Sungai Chat (Johor Bahru in Johor; 161 screened, nine positive)8. Paya Bemban (Kota Bharu, Tumpat and Bachok in Kelantan; 270 screened, 30 positive)9. Sawit Sebrang (Lahad Datu in Sabah; 496 screened, nine positive)10. Kolam Lintas (Penampang and Putatan in Sabah; 24 screened, seven positive)11. Lorong Desa Senadin (Miri and Mukah in Sarawak; 173 screened, 30 positive)12. Batu Gong (Serian in Sarawak; 496 screened, 50 positive)13. Pengkalan Nangka Tumpat (Tumpat in Kelantan; 91 screened, 20 positive)Fourteen others ended, leaving 393 active clusters across the country.Another 1,509 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 323,925.However, one more death was reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,249.


AstraZeneca vaccine effective in over-80s, study shows

The AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine appears to be more than 80% effective at preventing severe illness among elderly, at-risk individuals after a single dose, according to preliminary research published Wednesday.The results, which have yet to be peer-reviewed, added to the growing body of evidence that the vaccine – which several countries have advised against giving to over-65s – is both safe and effective in older people.Researchers at the University of Bristol analysed patients aged over 80 admitted to hospital in Britain with respiratory illness.All the patients were tested for Covid-19, and the positive and negative cases were separated into two data groups.The researchers then looked at how many people in each of the groups had received one dose of either the AstraZeneca vaccine, or one developed by Pfizer.They found that nine of the 36 (25%) Covid-19 positive patients had received the AstraZeneca jab.Among the Covid-19 negative patients, 53 out of 90 (58.9%) had received the jab.The difference between the proportion of positive and negative cases who had received a single vaccine dose represented an 80.4% efficacy in reducing severe Covid-19, the researchers said.For the Pfizer vaccine, 18 out of 245 Covid-19 positive patients had received a single dose, compared to 90 of the 269 Covid-19 negative patients.This corresponded to efficacy of 71.4%.“A single dose of either (Pfizer) or (AstraZeneca) vaccine resulted in substantial reductions in the risk of Covid-19-related hospitalisation in elderly, frail patients with extensive co-morbid disease,” the authors said.Stephen Evans, professor of Pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the results “provide further evidence that the vaccines are effective both in an older age group less studied in the trials”.Both vaccines were developed and clinically trialled to be administered in the form of two separate doses a few weeks apart.‘Both effective’Although developers AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford – as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) – have insisted since the results of Phase-III clinical trials that their vaccine is safe and effective among people aged over 65, several countries currently advise against administering it to that age group.The medicines agencies of both France and Germany limited the AstraZeneca jab to people aged under 65.Spain last month said it would not give the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged over 55.A host of other nations have said they will not give the jab to older people, including the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and Greece.French President Emmanuel Macron said in January that the AstraZeneca jab was “quasi-ineffective” among over-65s.Only around a quarter of the 1.7 million AstraZeneca doses received by France had been administered by the end of last month, according to health ministry figures.By comparison, in Britain, the vaccine has been a key pillar of the immunisation drive, even among the elderly.Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said the study showed that “a single dose of either the Oxford AstraZeneca or the Pfizer vaccine are both roughly equally effective at keeping elderly and frail people out of hospital and so reducing risk of death”.Official data released Monday showed that both the AstraZeneca/Oxford and the Pfizer vaccine were “highly effective” in reducing infections and severe illness among elderly people.France earlier this week advised that people aged between 65 and 75 receive the AstraZeneca jab if they were at an elevated risk of severe Covid-19.


Appeals court affirms Sabahan’s citizenship in blow to home ministry

The Court of Appeal today upheld a High Court ruling on the citizenship of a man from Sabah in a 2-1 majority decision, rejecting the government’s appeal in another blow to the home ministry.The panel was led by Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, who alongside M Gunalan dismissed the appeal. Judge Azizah Nawawi meanwhile dissented.Wong Kueng Hui’s lawyer Haijan Omar told MalaysiaNow that the court had found no merit in the government’s appeal in addition to rejecting the submission based on the “ouster clause”.“The court said Wong had taken all measures to determine the identity of his mother, and that therefore the burden was on the government to prove otherwise,” Haijan said.He said Wong had gone to the Indonesian embassy and provided the personal details of both himself and his mother as stated in his birth certificate.However the embassy’s search found no record of his mother as an Indonesian citizen.“As the parents were not married, the child had to follow his mother’s citizenship,” Haijan said.“If we knew that his mother was an Indonesian, we would have applied following her citizenship first.“But how could we apply for citizenship with another country if we are unclear about his mother’s citizenship?”The government through the home ministry had appealed against the High Court decision affirming the citizenship of Wong, 27.Wong was born at Hospital Keningau in Sabah on Jan 2, 1995.He had applied for citizenship twice before his application was rejected.