Afghan leader Ghani says Taliban have won as militants enter Kabul

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said Sunday after fleeing the country that the Taliban had won, as the militants entered Kabul – nearly 20 years after they were ousted from power by a US-led invasion.Ghani left as the insurgents closed in on the capital, before ultimately entering the city and taking over the presidential palace, sealing a nationwide military victory in just 10 days.The Taliban have carried out a lightning sweep of the country, with government forces collapsing without the support of the US military, which is finalising its withdrawal in alignment with an Aug 31 deadline set by President Joe Biden.The insurgents’ imminent takeover triggered fear and panic in Kabul among residents fearful of the group’s hardline brand of Islam, which it imposed during its 1996-2001 rule.“The Taliban have won with the judgement of their swords and guns, and are now responsible for the honour, property and self-preservation of their countrymen,” Ghani said in a statement posted to Facebook, his first since fleeing.“They are now facing a new historical test. Either they will preserve the name and honour of Afghanistan or they will give priority to other places and networks,” he added, saying he left to prevent a “flood of bloodshed”.Ghani did not say where he had travelled to, but leading Afghan media group Tolo news suggested he had gone to Tajikistan.‘Ensure security’After initially ordering fighters not to enter the capital, a Taliban spokesman confirmed the Islamist insurgents had entered several districts in Kabul to “ensure security”.Three senior Taliban sources also told AFP that their fighters had taken control of the presidential palace and were holding a meeting on security in the capital.Fighters inside the palace said they had been “victorious,” in footage aired on Al-Jazeera.“The former Afghan president has left the nation, leaving the people to this situation,” Abdullah Abdullah, who heads the peace process, said in a video on his Facebook page.Ghani’s departure from office was one of the key demands of the Taliban in months of peace talks with the government, but he had stubbornly clung to power.The insurgents said they want a “peaceful transfer” within the next few days.UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres urged the Taliban and all parties to “exercise restraint” and said that the rights of women and girls, who suffered under the previous Taliban regime, be protected.The UN also said the Security Council would meet over Afghanistan on Monday.Mass evacuation effortThere are fears of a security vacuum in Kabul as thousands of police and other armed services members have abandoned their posts, uniforms, and even weapons.The US began moving its citizens and Afghan staff to Kabul airport, with the help of thousands of troops deployed to the capital to assist with the evacuation.A US defence official said several hundred embassy employees had already been evacuated from Afghanistan, and that the airport remained open to commercial flights.The US embassy said there had been “reports of the airport taking fire” but those were not immediately confirmed.Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said the Western alliance was working to keep the airport running “to facilitate and coordinate evacuations”, as foreign nationals and Afghans converged on the facility to attempt to leave the country.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken nevertheless dismissed comparisons with the chaotic American departure from Saigon in 1975.“The fact of the matter is this: We went to Afghanistan 20 years ago with one mission in mind,” he said Sunday.“That was to deal with the people that attacked us on 9/11. That mission has been successful.”


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Anwar turns to ‘unity govt’, ‘new consensus’ sound bites to push for approval to work with Zahid

Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar Ibrahim is pushing for a so-called “unity government” and “new consensus” in the hope of soothing growing anger from within his bloc on working together with a group of MPs aligned with former leader Najib Razak, a key PKR leader told MalaysiaNow.It is learnt that publicists in PKR have been urged to step up a media campaign to underline the need to look beyond “scandals and power abuse” in forging cooperation with politicians long regarded as enemies of the PH coalition.Emerging from Istana Negara today where he and other top political leaders were called for an audience, Anwar said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong had urged for a “new consensus” so that all parties could work together in the critical battle against Covid-19.The source said the emphasis by the PKR leader on one part of the Agong’s speech was not surprising.“The ultimate goal is to convince those up in arms against the kleptocrat group that this is part of the way forward, using phrases such as ‘unity government’ and ‘new consensus’,” the source who is an office bearer in PKR told MalaysiaNow.The term “kleptocrats” refers to a group of Umno leaders who are facing multiple corruption charges, led by Najib, who alongside Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi played a key role in forcing Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin out of office this week.Najib and Zahid, who between them are facing hundreds of corruption charges including those related to the 1MDB scandal, had gathered about a dozen MPs from their party to revoke support for Muhyiddin.Besides the pair, others in the group are MPs who have been slapped with charges of criminal breach of trust, bribery, money laundering and tax dodging.Muhyiddin had said that he was forced to resign due to efforts by a group of “kleptocrats” to destabilise his administration and return to power.It was reported that 15 MPs aligned with Najib and Zahid might agree to back Anwar to provide him with the majority needed to form the government.“That appears to be the kiss of death for PH, as many DAP MPs have put to notice that working with Najib, the central figure in the 1MDB scandal, is not going to be an option,” said the PKR source.“They told us they will remain the opposition until the next polls rather than risk the support of their vote bank,” it added.DAP’s Damansara MP Tony Pua has publicly warned against any cooperation with Umno MPs, drawing criticism from his colleagues in PH.Pua had also responded positively to the cross-party consensus offered by Muhyiddin in which the Perikatan Nasional government pledged to undertake several key reforms in return for the support of opposition MPs in the planned confidence vote.The PKR source said given Anwar’s failed bid to obtain the backing of MPs from outside the PH fold, he would have to convince “recalcitrant MPs”.“His much needed majority can only be formed with the help of Zahid and gang. But the package must be beautifully presented to recalcitrant MPs in PH, to show that it is all part of a ‘unity government’ and ‘new consensus’ to fight the pandemic,” the source added.


Tajuddin questioned on lack of face mask at LRT media conference

Former Prasarana Malaysia Bhd chairman Tajuddin Abdul Rahman today gave his statement to the police on the flouting of Covid-19 SOPs.Tajuddin arrived at the Dang Wangi district police headquarters in a silver Mercedes Benz at about 4.45pm and completed giving his statement an hour later.Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Mohamad Zainal Abdullah, when contacted by Bernama, confirmed this.Tajuddin, at a media conference at the KLCC LRT station on the collision of two LRT trains on Tuesday, had worn only a face shield without a face mask as required under the movement control order SOPS.The Pasir Salak MP is being investigated under Section 21A of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 and Regulation 17 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2021.Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman had earlier turned up at the police headquarters at about 12.30pm.He was called to have his statement taken over his tweet which questioned Tajuddin who only wore a face shield without a face mask at the media conference.Zainal confirmed that Syed Saddiq was present to give his statement, for about two hours, as a witness in the case involving Tajuddin.Three Prasarana staff were also present to give their statements in the investigation.


Communications ministry in talks with telcos on lower prices

The communications and digital ministry is looking at the possibility of reducing the prices of services offered by local telecommunications companies.
Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said he had asked the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the telcos to conduct a study to fulfil the people’s aspiration for cheaper telecommunications services.
"I am holding talks with MCMC and telcos to explore ways to reduce costs. Many young people are hoping that the prices for internet and lines can be reduced. So I have asked them to look into what we can do now.
"Maybe in the coming weeks, I will have a special announcement to make," he said in a programme streamed on Facebook today.
Fahmi also said he was studying the best ways to improve the quality of services and resolve issues concerning 4G and 5G network reach in certain areas of the country.
"We are talking about 5G, (but) some countries have started discussing 6G. So we have to move faster, and as the minister responsible, I need to explore ways to help this process," he added.
On a separate matter, Fahmi told content creators on the various social media platforms to always respect the law when doing their work.
"There are limits. We respect the right to freedom of expression but we also need to uphold the law, as spelt out in the Rukun Negara… supremacy of the constitution, rule of law," he added.


Nicol David voted World Games greatest athlete of all time

Squash queen Nicol David has been crowned “The World Games Greatest Athlete of All Time” with a huge win in a global online poll that ended at 9pm yesterday.The only Asian candidate, the eight-time squash world champion, who had been the frontrunner since day one, garnered 318,943 votes to secure the win with an over 200,000-vote majority, according to The World Games’ official website.The 37-year-old Penangite, who had an unprecedented record nine-year reign as the world’s number one, outclassed 23 other athletes representing their respective sports from all editions of the World Games’ 40-year history in the poll.“It came as a surprise to see me among these other top athletes and I’m grateful for this… hopefully it can elevate attention for the future of squash, and it’s a proud moment to represent my country and Asia,” Nicol said on her win.Her closest rival was Ireland’s James Kehoe, who represented his country in tug-of-war in nine World Games with 113,120 votes, followed by women’s powerlifting athlete Larysa Soloviova from Ukraine with 80,790 votes and German Marcel Hassemeier (lifesaving) with 79,760 votes.The winners will receive an Athlete of the Year trophy and a branded gift from the official sponsor.International World Games Association president Jose Perurena congratulated the candidates, adding that Nicol was an inspiration and a role model for younger athletes.“The race was incredible, and it was good to see how athletes got support not only from their own sport, but also from their respective countries and the highest sports authorities there.“Sports really unite people in a special way. This vote was a celebration of that,” he said.World Squash Federation president Zena Wooldridge meanwhile said Nicol’s victory was recognition of a wonderful career that saw her break numerous records and win everything there was to be won in the sport.The Greatest Athlete of All Time poll was held in conjunction with the World Games 40th anniversary after the first edition was held in 1981 at Santa Clara, California.The poll started on Jan 8, with only the top 10 candidates continuing the race after Jan 20.


Major US highway collapses after tanker truck fire

An overpass on one of America's busiest highways collapsed early Sunday, caused by a tanker truck bursting into flames underneath it, authorities said.
The collapse took out four traffic lanes along an elevated section of the heavily travelled Interstate 95, though no injuries were immediately reported.
"Companies arrived on location and they found... heavy fire," battalion chief Derek Bowmer of the Philadelphia Fire Department told reporters Sunday morning.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the vehicle on fire under the bridge was a tanker truck, after the fire department had already declared the situation a hazmat incident earlier in the day amid reports it might have been a tanker.
The north-south highway – one of the busiest in the US, connecting major cities along the East Coast from Maine to Florida – remains closed in both directions in the Philadelphia area, officials said.
Rebuilding the section of destroyed highway could take weeks, authorities said, a nightmare scenario for commuters as well as for road travellers at the start of the summer holiday season.
"This is a major artery for people and goods, and the closure will have significant impacts on the city and region," Buttigieg said on Twitter, adding that his office is offering "any assistance that (the US Department of Transportation) can provide to help with recovery and reconstruction."
"We expect significant regional traffic impact," he added.
Local media reported that Philadelphia police as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were looking for the driver of the vehicle associated with the fire, whose whereabouts are unknown.
An ATF spokesman told AFP that its Philadelphia field division "is supporting the investigation" and referred additional inquiries to the fire department. The fire department declined to comment.
'Heat and heavy fire'
The White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the situation and been in touch with local authorities to offer assistance.
Television images showed flames and billowing smoke coming from the crumbled section of I-95 in the northeastern city's Tacony neighborhood, with parts of the elevated roadway having fallen onto the lanes below.
Local media reported the fire started around 6.20am (0220 GMT), when Sunday traffic is typically light, though videos showed drivers on the highway trying to navigate the unfolding disaster in real time.
"I will always be grateful to our first responders for the dangerous, life-saving work they do to keep residents and visitors safe," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said on Twitter.
The southbound lanes of the highway, while still standing, are "compromised," Bowmer said. "They got a lot of heat and heavy fire."
"I-95 will be impacted for a long time, for a long time," city managing director Tumar Alexander told a news conference, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Residents told local media outlets that they heard several explosions, which Bowmer said were coming from underground, caused by runoff from the truck.


Selangor govt asked to explain RM10 million investment in struggling company

The Selangor government has been urged to explain an investment into a local company facing accumulated losses of RM4.7 million for the e-wallet project in the state.
Gombak Setia assemblyman Hilman Idham said the company in question, WavPay System Sdn Bhd, had a cash capital of RM200,000.
"What reasonable justification could there be for the state government to inject RM10 million into a company that has no assets and no income?
"Even more surprising is that despite such a large investment, the state government only received a 49% stake and maybe some golden shares," he said during the debate at the Selangor legislative assembly today.
The state government through Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated made the purchase of RM10 million for a 49% equity holding.
It was part of efforts for the development of digital infrastructure, an agenda on the One Selangor Plan recently introduced by Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.
The One Selangor Plan is a five-year roadmap for the state government, modelled after the Malaysia Plan.
Hilman's review showed that the company had recorded losses of RM1.9 million for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2021, while accumulated losses since 2017 had topped RM4.7 million.
The company was expected to develop an e-wallet service as a payment gateway for state government affairs, departments and agencies.
But despite the size of the investment, Hilman said, the state government would not have control over the management, assets or data of the company without a majority stake.
"The due diligence report by consultants and state government officials shows a significant value gap between the amount of investment and the company's financial position," he said.
"Does the state government doubt the ability and capacity of subsidiaries such as Selgate Corporation, the owner of the Selangkah application, to lead the Selangor e-wallet project?"


Hong Kong budget proposals offer Covid relief with tax breaks, handouts

Hong Kong will offer tax breaks, handouts and subsidies to small businesses and residents, to mitigate the impact of a new wave of social restrictions to curb Covid-19 infections, Finance Secretary Paul Chan said in his 2022/23 budget speech.The measures were announced as hundreds of bars, restaurants and small retailers warned they were months away from closure, following the imposition of the strictest restrictions since the pandemic began in 2020.“Our economy and people’s livelihoods have been under immense pressure in recent months,” Chan told legislators via videoconference on Wednesday. “Economic performance in the first quarter is not optimistic.”Chan said “countercyclical measures” in the budget to support the economy totalled more than HK$170 billion (US$21.79 billion), with spending on anti-epidemic measures put at more than HK$54 billion.The global financial hub has doubled down on its “dynamic zero Covid” strategy, which aims to eradicate all outbreaks, following mainland China’s lead even as the rest of the world adjusts towards “living with the virus.”Given the city is facing thousands of infections a day and the numbers are growing, some analysts predict at least one or two quarters of economic contraction after recovering last year from the city’s most prolonged recession in 2019-2020.Bars, gyms, beauty parlours and 12 other types of venues are closed, while restaurants cannot operate beyond 6pm. Apart from grocery stores, most shops are deserted as residents are back working from home. The border is virtually shut with the finance sector complaining this has caused an exodus of talent and made operating a regional hub out of Hong Kong difficult.The restrictions are the most draconian yet to be implemented, and are expected to last until at least April 20.The budget measures announced on Wednesday include a 100% reduction in salaries tax, capped at HK$10,000, handouts of HK$10,000 consumption vouchers, financial aid for the unemployed, and subsidies for directly impacted businesses.Residents will also be given tax deductions related to their rent payments, as well as subsidies for transport and utilities.A 100% reduction in profits tax capped at HK$10,000 is expected to benefit 151,000 firms, Chan said. In addition, the government will help small firms with loan guarantees, export financing, and debt repayment holidays.Hong Kong’s economy is expected to grow 2.0% to 3.5% this year after expanding 6.4% in 2021, Chan said, adding the forecast takes into account a recovery in the second part of the year once the epidemic is brought under control.“The successful control of the epidemic is the key to safeguarding our economy and people’s livelihood,” Chan said.


Did Najib commit offence after another golfing picture controversy?

Lawyers and legal experts disagree on whether former prime minister Najib Razak had committed an offence when he was seen playing golf in Singapore after the court temporarily lifted a travel ban to allow him visit his daughter and her newborn child.The former prime minister has defended himself against social media comments lambasting him for allegedly misleading the court, after a photograph of him playing golf with a prominent businessman in the city-state went viral.“Am I expected to be with my grandkid 24 hours a day during the six days I was in Singapore?” he said, reacting to comments over a picture of him with entrepreneur Sam Goi Seng Hui.Najib claimed that he had met Goi as the latter was interested in investing in Malaysia, adding that he was using his “personal time” for matters of investments “even though I am no longer a PM or minister”.But a lawyer in Kuala Lumpur said Najib need not explain how he spent his time during the brief respite granted by the court.“Unless of course there was a strict condition on what he should be doing. But in this case, his passport was returned in order for him to travel to Singapore.“Technically, he didn’t commit an offence although it could look bad on him,” the senior lawyer said.He added that it was impossible for the court to check how Najib had spent his time in Singapore, saying there was also no taxpayers’ money involved.“This is unlike his application to be gifted a RM100 million home, which is legally okay but ethically wrong,” he added.Another lawyer said that from a legal point of view, the Singapore golfing pictures were no different from those of him golfing with former US president Barack Obama in late 2014, just as Malaysia was facing its worst floods in more than a decade which displaced more than 200,000 people.“He is just twice unlucky in the court of public opinion but legally, he might not get into trouble for this,” she said.In October, the High Court granted the temporary release of Najib’s passport in order for him to join his wife Rosmah Mansor in visiting their daughter who was expected to give birth to her second child.Rosmah, who is also under a travel ban while facing corruption charges, was likewise granted similar permission.Najib was convicted in July last year of seven counts of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power involving RM42 million in SRC International funds, a judgment recently upheld by the Court of Appeal.Najib’s bail under threat?Outspoken lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla, however, said Najib must face the consequences, adding that this depends on the terms he had set out in seeking permission to travel to Singapore.He said Najib must specify the itinerary of his Singapore tour in the affidavit he submitted when applying for his passport, including attending any business meetings as he had claimed.“If playing golf and other activities such as meeting with the businessman are stated in the affidavit, then it is not an offence. Yet, if you think logically, would the court return the passport for such things?”Haniff said if Najib had indeed breached his terms of travel, the prosecution could file for him to explain why his bail should not be revoked.He said another option would be for prosecutors to request that his bail amount be doubled, from the present RM2 million to RM4 million.Meantime, a former deputy public prosecutor when contacted said Najib’s action showed disrespect to the court.“He misled the court into letting him go to Singapore to see his daughter. This could amount to contempt,” he told MalaysiaNow on condition of anonymity.MalaysiaNow has contacted Najib’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah for a response.Additional reporting by Azzman Abdul Jamal.


Anwar announces public holiday on Nov 28

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced that Nov 28 will be a public holiday in conjunction with the formation of a unity government and his appointment as the country’s 10th prime minister.
The public holiday was initially proposed for Nov 25 but later moved to Monday, to allow Bursa Malaysia’s upward trend to continue.
"I am thankful because today and even before, the confidence of investors has returned, the ringgit has strengthened and the Bursa has seen a revival.
"I therefore decided to not announce tomorrow as a public holiday but Monday instead," he told reporters during his first official press conference after being sworn in as prime minister.
The ringgit rose 1.8% against the US dollar yesterday, the highest in two months. As of 6pm, the ringgit had appreciated to 4.4910/5000 compared to Wednesday’s closing of 4.5725/5775.
Bursa Malaysia also rose to its highest index in three months as the main index rose 4.04% following the market sentiment which appreciated due to the positive political development.
When asked about his decision to not take a salary as prime minister, Anwar who is also the Tambun MP said that his decision would not change.
The decision was an effort to instil the people's confidence in the government, ministers and party leadership, he said.
"No (no salary)… I have announced it before and this is the first step towards regaining the confidence of the people. I do not want the people to think that all ministers and leaders, no matter which party or religion are only thinking of a salary as minister, self interest, contracts and shares.
"I have therefore decided to not accept any salary as prime minister," he said.
However, he did not specify the duration for which he would forgo the prime minister's salary.


PH warns DG Noor Hisham after Parliament closed over Covid cases

The top three leaders of Pakatan Harapan (PH) have issued a warning to health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, questioning his directive which led to the adjournment of the Dewan Rakyat sitting in the wake of Covid-19 cases reported in the Parliament vicinity.“We strongly warn Mahiaddin Md Yassin not to use agencies and ministries, including the director-general of health, to close Parliament this Monday,” PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim, DAP’s Lim Guan Eng and Amanah’s Mohamad Sabu said in a statement.“The director-general of health is also reminded not to allow himself to be manipulated in order to close Parliament and prevent the special sitting as ordered by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.”They also warned health ministry officials against “colluding with the Perikatan Nasional government in their ploy to deliberately stop the Parliament sitting”.Dewan Rakyat secretary Nizam Mydin Bacha Mydin had earlier informed MPs that the special sitting which was to continue tomorrow had to be postponed to another date, in line with Noor Hisham’s suggestion as well as risk assessments by the health ministry.On Thursday, Noor Hisham issued a directive that the Parliament building be placed under quarantine following the detection of Covid-19 cases.The move drew protest from opposition MPs who had been waiting for the government’s explanation following a rare rebuke by Istana Negara over the move to revoke the emergency ordinances.PH said the rate of positive cases in Parliament was 0.9%, below the 5% threshold set by the World Health Organization.“This means the number of positive Covid-19 cases in Parliament over the past week is not significant.“Therefore, Covid-19 cannot and should not be used as an excuse to close or adjourn the sitting of Parliament which was to have continued on Monday, Aug 2, 2021,” the coalition leaders said.


Biden says Putin has decided to invade Ukraine

President Joe Biden said Friday he is “convinced” that Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine within the week, an event that would trigger Western sanctions set to turn Russia into what a US official called a “pariah.”“As of this moment I’m convinced he’s made the decision,” Biden said in televised remarks at the White House.Biden said the attack could come in the next “week” or “days” and that targets would include the capital Kyiv, “a city of 2.8 million innocent people.”The US leader insisted it was “not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table,” but warned that if an attack comes, the Russian president will have “slammed the door shut on diplomacy.”The Kremlin insists it has no plans to attack its neighbor, which has angered Russia by seeking long-term integration with Nato and the European Union.However, the US says that with an estimated 149,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders – as many as 190,000, when including the Russian-backed separatist forces in the east – it’s only a matter of when.Adding to jitters, Russia’s defence ministry announced that Putin would personally oversee previously scheduled drills involving nuclear-capable missiles on Saturday.And on the ground in Ukraine’s disputed east, sporadic clashes fed a growing sense of dread.An AFP reporter near the front between Ukrainian government forces and the pro-Russian territory in the Lugansk region heard explosions and saw damaged civilian buildings on Kyiv’s side of the line.There were growing fears that only a spark – which Washington warns could be a deliberate “false flag” incident created by the Russians – might now be needed to set off the largest military confrontation in Europe since World War II.A US defence official said that more than 40% of the troops surrounding Ukraine were now “uncoiled” in a position to go on the offensive.‘Pariah’Biden spoke on Friday with fellow Nato allies in a conference call to cement plans for Western economic sanctions against Russia should its troops attack Ukraine.“We continue to remain in lockstep,” Biden said afterward.According to a senior official, the sanctions package will be devastating.“If Russia invades Ukraine, it would become a pariah to the international community,” the deputy US national security adviser for international economics Daleep Singh told reporters. “It will become isolated from global financial markets and be deprived of the most sophisticated technological inputs.”Singh predicted “intense capital outflows, mounting pressure on its currency, surging inflation, higher borrowing costs, economic contraction, and the erosion of its productive capacity.”‘False flags?In the eastern separatist areas of Donetsk and Lugansk, Moscow-backed leaders sought to flip the narrative of Russia being the aggressor.Accusing Kyiv of planning its own offensive to retake the eastern territories, they said the government’s forces were carrying out sabotage missions. Civilians were ordered to evacuate.But US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused the Kremlin of mounting a propaganda campaign to create an excuse for war.Blinken told the Munich conference what has happened “in the last 24 to 48 hours is part of a scenario that is already in place of creating false provocations, of then having to respond to those provocations and then ultimately committing new aggression against Ukraine.”Ukraine’s foreign minister said “Russian disinformation” about a supposed Ukrainian attack was being spread to fuel the war fever.Biden praised Ukraine’s military for showing “restraint” and “great judgement,” saying the allegation that they were the ones preparing aggression “defies basic logic.”Putin sees ‘deterioration’Both sides in the east of Ukraine claimed the other was stepping up the violence amid low-level exchanges of fire.Videos circulating on Russian-language social media showed sirens sounding in Donetsk as Moscow-backed separatist militia leaders ordered the civilian evacuation over the border to Russia.Denis Pushilin, head of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would order “soldiers to go on the offensive.”In Moscow, Putin met with the authoritarian leader of Belarus, which is hosting tens of thousands of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border, and said he saw a “deterioration of the situation.”But the Ukrainian command said the Russian-backed separatist forces had violated a ceasefire 53 times between midnight and 5pm Friday.Twenty children and 18 adults at a kindergarten in the government-held village of Stanytsia Luganska were lucky to escape almost completely unharmed on Thursday when an artillery shell struck the building.Russian ‘strategic’ forcesThe Russian defence ministry sent a chilling reminder of the stakes in any East-West confrontation when it announced that Putin would oversee Saturday’s “exercise of strategic deterrence forces… during which ballistic and cruise missiles will be launched.”The air force, units of the southern military district, as well as the Northern and Black Sea fleets would be involved in the nuclear-capable missile tests.Russia says that it will not back away from Ukraine unless Western countries agree never to allow Ukraine into Nato and to pull US forces back from eastern Europe, effectively creating a new version of the continent’s Cold War-era spheres of influence.The conflict between the heavily armed pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian government forces in the country’s east has already rumbled on for eight years, claiming the lives of more than 14,000 people and forcing more than 1.5 million from their homes.


Anti-vax or just hesitant? Why booster jab uptake among Malays is low

Many Malays appear to be adopting a wait-and-see approach to receiving a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine despite the drastic increase in cases due to the ongoing Omicron wave, experts say following the health minister’s recent revelation that the community is lagging behind others in this regard.Khairy Jamaluddin said last week that less than 50% of Malays had received a booster jab, while the Chinese led with 81.3% followed by the Indians (56.4%), Orang Asli and other Bumiputeras (49.6%) and other communities (50.6%).Fauziah Mohd Sa’ad, a psychologist at the Sultan Idris Education University, said the Malays wanted to observe the effects of the booster shot before deciding whether to receive one or not.“They will only want to take it if there are no side effects,” she told MalaysiaNow.The same scepticism towards vaccine booster doses is evident among Malay social media users, even as campaigns promoting booster jabs and vaccination for children gains momentum online.Khairy himself has been targeted by those who dispute his vaccination status despite numerous statements refuting such claims, while his son was recently subject to similar speculation after a video alleging that he had been injected with air instead of the vaccine went viral on social media.Online discussions or reports related to booster jabs are also frequently hijacked by users who interject with sarcastic comments.The government began administering booster shots for fully vaccinated people on Oct 13 last year.In December, Khairy announced that senior citizens and those who had received two shots of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine would need to take a booster jab by March 1 in order to maintain their fully vaccinated status.He said earlier this month that some 3.5 million individuals initially inoculated with Sinovac had yet to receive a booster shot, along with 32% or about a million senior citizens.But public health expert Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said there was a difference between anti-vaxxers and those who were hesitant to receive a booster jab.“The majority of them were initially administered vaccines of a different brand,” he told MalaysiaNow.“At first, these doubts occurred on an individual basis. But because they were amplified by a number of factors, they began shaping the beliefs of the group as a whole, especially among the Malays who have a high level of community trust.”Zainal said the situation could be traced back to socioeconomic status and education.He added that the Malays were mostly confident in the primary vaccine they had received, and did not believe that the wave of infections this time around was as severe as it was in the initial stages of the pandemic.Fauziah meanwhile said the Malays were influenced by issues that go viral on social media.“For example, the effects of the vaccines are said to be harmful even though the individual in question might already have had a certain disease or illness,” she said.“The Malays also talk about all kinds of ideologies and views on social media.”Based on feedback received from frontliners, she said, the Malays appeared to be lacking in knowledge and awareness about Covid-19 and its variants even when the government offered explanations.Zainal, who leads a group of community volunteers against Covid-19, agreed. He spoke of negative reports about booster shots on both the local and international levels, adding that the Malays have a trust deficit in the authorities.When asked why scepticism exists even among those who have been fully vaccinated, Fauziah said this might be due to the fact that the government had made two doses compulsory for all, but not a third.She said the Malays were also wary of the vaccine’s effects on their children.“They only think about the effects of the vaccine. They don’t think about the long-term effects if their children are infected with Covid-19,” she said.“Out of 1,000 cases perhaps only one will experience any side effects at all. Even this depends on the child’s resistance and whether he or she has any other health conditions.”As of Feb 17, 289,912 children or 8.2% of those aged five to 11 had received a first dose of Covid-19 vaccine.Fauziah said the authorities must continue to conduct awareness programmes targeting the Malay community.“There are some among the Malays who will easily accept anything without thinking about it, what more if they are told so by influential leaders,” she said.“This can be addressed by educating them. Explain to them about the Covid-19 variants, about mutations and the effectiveness of a booster dose in protecting against these.”Zainal meanwhile said that the government should not intimidate, adding that people should be given a choice.He said it was also important to involve those without any vested interests.“Cut down on the use of politicians, artistes and others who don’t really understand the issue,” he said.“And share information about side effects on a frequent and transparent basis.”


Iraq issues arrest warrants in 'heist of the century'

Iraq's judiciary issued arrest warrants on Saturday for four former officials who are accused of facilitating the theft of US$2.5 billion (RM11.19 billion) in public funds in one of the country's biggest-ever corruption scandals.
An investigating judge in Baghdad has "issued arrest warrants for four senior officials of the former government", the government's anti-corruption agency said in a statement.
The four men, who include a former finance minister and relatives of former prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi, are all living outside the country, according to an official at the agency who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The warrants do not name any of the officials, but according to the official, they are former finance minister Ali Allawi, the director of Cabinet Raed Jouhi, personal secretary Ahmed Najati, and adviser Mushrik Abbas.
Allawi, a respected politician and academic, resigned in August last year when the scandal broke.
The case, which has been dubbed "the heist of the century", sparked outrage in oil-rich Iraq, which critics say is plagued with corruption.
At least US$2.5 billion was stolen between September 2021 and August 2022 through 247 cheques that were cashed by five companies. The money was then withdrawn in cash from the accounts of these companies, most of whose owners are on the run.
The four men are accused of "facilitating the embezzlement of sums belonging to the tax authorities," the statement said, adding that they would also be subject to an asset freeze.
The country's current Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has vowed to crack down on corruption since his appointment in late October.


Taiwan fishing community casting for fresh markets after China ban

Even before last week's visit to Taiwan by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, fish farmer Chen Sheng-You was on the lookout for new business, with trade curbs cutting him off from his major source of revenue - China.
Amid simmering tension between China and self-ruled Taiwan, Beijing suspended purchases of grouper fish, Chen's main product, in June after repeatedly detecting banned chemicals.
But the geopolitical storm that followed Pelosi's visit on Aug 2 is likely to put the livelihoods of Chen and other farmers and fishermen in the island's southern Pingtung county at further risk.
"Our job is to do fish farming," Chen told Reuters. "We only hope that once the fish grow bigger, we will sell them."
"Because of political issues and our government not having a communication channel, the Chinese government is blocking our economy," he said.
Beijing extended its ban on Taiwan's seafood a day after Pelosi's arrival, blocking shipments of chilled white striped hairtail and frozen horse mackerel, saying it had found traces of the coronavirus on the packaging of some products.
The bans were widely seen as retaliation against Taiwan for allowing the visit, which prompted China to launch unprecedented military exercises around the island. China described Pelosi's visit as a provocation that undermines its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Taiwan rejects China's sovereignty claims and says only its 23.5 million people can decide their future.
"I personally don't think it helped Taiwan whatsoever," Chen said of Pelosi's visit. "It creates some economic loss for the Taiwanese people instead. I don't know why she came."
China also banned imports of sand - used to make concrete - and suspended shipments from 35 Taiwanese exporters of biscuits and pastries.
In the first half of this year, China's imports from Taiwan reached a value of US$122.5 billion, up 7.3% from a year earlier, Chinese customs data showed. Taiwan's sales of fish and other aquatic invertebrates to China amounted to 399 million yuan (US$59 million).
According to Goldman Sachs, food exports to China accounted for just 0.4% of China-bound Taiwan exports, which are dominated by high-tech products, and sanctions have mostly affected farmers and fishermen.
Taiwan's fishermen have been looking for other options. Zheng Rui-Long, the owner of a fish processing factory in Pingtung, told Reuters he was trying to supply fish for bento boxes for Taiwan's railway network.
"Fishermen here indeed are worried that they don't know where to sell groupers," he said.
"People need to live. We don't understand too much about politics but we only need a kind and peaceful relationship between China and Taiwan and also to co-exist."


Hyundai supplier accused of child labour violations by US authorities

The US Department of u on Monday accused a Korean-owned auto parts maker and supplier of Hyundai Motor Co of violating federal child labour laws at an Alabama factory, federal court filings reviewed by Reuters show.
The Department of Labor (DOL) said that SL Alabama LLC, a subsidiary of South Korea's SL Corp, employed underage workers at its Alexander City, Alabama factory, according to filings on Monday with the US District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.
Since last November, SL Alabama "repeatedly violated" labour regulations by "employing oppressive child labour" and "minors under the age of 16," the DOL said in a six-page complaint.
In a statement to Reuters, SL Alabama admitted children had worked at the plant, which makes headlights, rear lights and other components for companies including Hyundai and its Kia affiliate. SL said the minors had been hired by an outside labour recruitment firm, which it didn't identify.
The revelations come one month after Reuters reported the use of child labour at another Alabama auto parts plant operated by Hyundai subsidiary Smart Alabama LLC. The Alabama Department of Labor at the time said it would coordinate with federal authorities to probe labour practices at that plant.
The discovery of child workers at a second Hyundai supplier signals widening scrutiny of labour practices in the automaker's US supply chain. In an emailed statement late Monday, Hyundai said "it does not tolerate illegal employment practices in any Hyundai entity."
"We have policies and procedures in place that require compliance with all local, state, and federal laws," it added.
Along with the complaint against SL Alabama, a proposed settlement agreement between the government and the parts manufacturer was filed with the court. Under the terms of that agreement, SL Alabama agreed to stop hiring minors, punish any managers aware of the use of underage employees, and suspend any relationship with any recruiters who supply child workers.
The proposed agreement was signed Aug 18 by an SL Alabama attorney and a Department of Labor lawyer. It hasn't yet been signed by a judge.
The filings didn't detail how many minors worked at SL Alabama or what type of jobs they performed. It isn't clear whether the company or the labour contractors it works with face any fines or other penalties.
The DOL didn't respond to requests for comment.
In its statement to Reuters, SL Alabama said "we fully cooperated with the investigation by the Department of Labor, and we are in the process of complementing our verification system so that minors will not work going forward."
Both federal and Alabama law prohibit teens and children under the age of sixteen from working in most industrial factory settings because they can be dangerous for minors.
SL Alabama employs about 650 people at the Alabama facility, according to its website. Parent company SL Corp also operates a factory in Tennessee and research facility in Michigan.
Previous Reuters reporting has shown how some minors, often immigrants, get hired for Alabama factory jobs through recruitment agencies.
Although staffing firms help fill industrial jobs nationwide, they have been criticised by labour advocates because they enable employers to outsource responsibility for vetting employees and their eligibility to work.


Europeans to start rubbish collections – in space

The European Space Agency (ESA) says it is signing a contract worth US$102 million (RM415 million) with a Swiss start-up company to bring a large piece of orbiting trash back to Earth in five years’ time.The agency said on Thursday that the deal with ClearSpace SA will lead to the “first active debris removal mission” in 2025, in which a custom-made spacecraft will capture and bring down part of a rocket once used to deliver a satellite into orbit, reports the Associated Press.The object which will be removed from orbit is a Vespa payload adapter that was used to hold and then release a satellite in 2013 and has been orbiting with no function ever since. It weighs about 112kg.The ESA hopes the mission to bring it back to Earth will be the first of many space rubbish collections.Experts have long warned that hundreds of thousands of pieces of space debris circling the planet pose a threat to functioning satellites and even the International Space Station.If satellites which control and deliver the internet, GPS systems and most of the technology the world relies on are damaged by wandering space scrap the results could be catastrophic.Moriba Jah, professor of aerospace engineering at The University of Texas, commented in USA Today that when it comes to space, the moon and Mars are already littered with human-made equipment left behind from previous missions. Some see these obsolete objects as monuments to humanity’s ingenuity, but in reality, they are simply junk.The current tally of so-called resident space objects that are being tracked in orbit above Earth is heading for about 30,000 and, of these, only about 2,000 are working satellites. Everything else is defunct rubbish.And more is being blasted into orbit every year. US companies alone intend to launch an additional 15,000 satellites within the next five years.This makes predicting the motion of 30,000 objects difficult and thus a hazard to space safety and sustainability.Teams from several countries are working on ways to tackle the problem.


Omicron fears not enough to shake SOP fatigue?

SOP compliance appears on the wane in many public areas despite the detection of the ultra contagious Omicron variant in the country, with experts giving renewed warnings of so-called SOP fatigue after more than two years of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.Checks by MalaysiaNow at locations such as shopping malls, petrol stations, sundry shops, restaurants, rest stops and cinemas found that many are no longer adhering to health measures especially physical distancing, although the majority continue to comply with the face mask mandate and the requirement to scan QR codes or register manually before entering public premises.The situation is markedly different from that seen at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, when most people were careful to keep a safe distance from each other and to avoid crowded places.Then, too, entry requirements were carefully monitored at premises with security guards checking temperatures and inspecting the MySejahtera status of those who wished to enter.Now, though, many appear to be entering premises freely without bothering to undergo checks at the entrance.Similar scenarios were observed even at clinics administering booster jabs, with crowds of people crammed into small rooms to await their turn for a third vaccine dose.Public health expert Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh described the situation as an onset of SOP fatigue, where members of the public grow weary of complying with preventive measures.Sharifa, who is attached to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said contributing factors include the belief that SOP compliance is no longer effective as Covid-19 infections have continued until today.“People are fed-up after having gone through the movement control orders,” she said, adding that deaths had continued despite the various health measures.Sharifa said many were also angry about the issue of double standards, where VIPs appear to escape punitive action while ordinary people are punished for breaching SOPs.Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin recently raised the possibility of an Omicron wave in Malaysia as is being seen in other countries.In the US, for example, the daily caseload hit a global record of more than one million on Monday with 1,080,211 new infections detected. According to government modelling, Omicron accounted for around 59% of national cases in the week ending Dec 25 although the rates of death and hospitalisation have been far lower than during previous waves of infection.In the UK, daily caseloads have also been hitting pandemic highs with 189,213 infections recorded on the last day of 2021.Khairy said several measures need to be taken to slow the spread of the strain, classified by the World Health Organization as a variant of concern.So far, a total of 122 Omicron cases have been detected in Malaysia. Of these, 117 were imported while the rest were local transmissions.Sharifa said the current events in the country also played a role in causing many to disregard the SOPs.Giving the example of those affected by the floods which recently swept through areas in a number of states, displacing tens of thousands, she said the priority for them would be food and the safety of their family.Lee Lam Thye, chairman of the Alliance for Safe Community, said the government should take a psychological approach to the issue rather than coming down hard on those who do not comply with SOPs.He said the health ministry’s plan to introduce stricter punishments through the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2021 ran the risk of further infuriating the people.“What can the government do?” he said. “The government can only enforce the law.“But it should continue taking a psychological approach as the issue of SOP fatigue is a psychological issue.”He added that the government could resort to legal action if it had no other choice.Lee did not rule out the possibility of a steep increase in infections if the situation is allowed to continue.“SOP fatigue is a real thing,” he said, adding that the Covid-19 situation had stretched on for some two years now.“If this continues, SOP compliance will probably slide even more.”


101 new cases, majority in Sabah

The number of Covid-19 cases in the country today rose by 101, of which 97 were local transmissions.The health ministry said 17 of those with local transmissions had travelled to Sabah. Of these, nine cases were reported in Selangor, one in Kuala Lumpur, one in Kelantan, one in Kedah, one in Melaka, one in Perak, one in Penang, one in Perlis and one in Putrajaya.Of the 97 local transmissions, 70 were reported in Sabah with the rest in Selangor (13), Johor (two), Penang (one), Kelantan (one), Perak (one), Melaka (one), Perlis (one), Kedah (one), Kuala Lumpur (one) and Putrajaya (one).The other four, involving foreigners, were reported in Sabah (three) and Selangor (one).As for the remaining four cases which were imported, one was reported in Sarawak and the rest, involving foreigners, in Sarawak (two) and Selangor (one).This brings the total number of active cases to 1,062 – 9.54% of the 11,135 confirmed cases reported so far.According to a health ministry infographic, 13 are receiving treatment in the ICU with five in need of respiratory assistance.No new deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, leaving the virus toll unchanged at 134 or 1.2% of total cases.Fifty patients were also discharged, taking total recoveries to 9,939 or 89.26%.The ministry also noted four new clusters at Jalan Bomba, Sandakan (three cases); Jalan Utara, Sandakan (two cases); Benteng PK, Selangor (one case) and Bakawali, Johor (two cases).


Khairy answers Anwar’s queries on vaccination programme

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today responded to queries raised by opposition chief Anwar Ibrahim over the rollout of the national vaccination programme, saying many of the PKR leader’s questions, including on the incomplete registration applications of some 1.4 million people, have already been addressed.In a statement, Khairy who is in charge of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme said he had responded to the matter of incomplete registrations at a press conference yesterday, at which he had assured that applicants would be reminded through SMS to resubmit their requests with the missing details.“Regarding the issue of having to register multiple times, as I have said, MySejahtera records when the first registration is made, so applicants actually don’t need to register again and again,” he said.“This is proven through the new interface released last Saturday which shows the date that users registered the first time.”Anwar had said yesterday that the registration process for the vaccine could have been better organised and managed.“Pertinent issues need to be addressed, such as ‘Why aren’t more Malaysians registering for the vaccine?’ and ‘Is it due to the complexities of the MySejahtera app?'”In a statement posted on social media, he asked what the government was doing about anti-vaxxers and questioned the parameters used in the decision-making process to secure the country’s supply of vaccines.“For instance, why did we not consider the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, which is marginally cheaper and according to reports much more effective, much earlier?”He likewise questioned the lack of local universities and medical research institutions in the development of vaccines, saying Malaysia has the capacity to research and develop vaccines as proven through the production of antidotes for the Nipah virus.Khairy said programmes to raise awareness about the importance of vaccines among anti-vaxxers and the general public had been conducted many times, by himself as well as other agencies like the health ministry, religious affairs department and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia or Jakim.As for the matter of vaccine procurement, he said the government remains bound by the non-disclosure agreements signed with the manufacturing companies.“However, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and I presented information on the matter as well as further details to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Jan 5.“Details as well as the agreements were shown to PAC as well. PAC in a statement by its chairman, DAP’s Ipoh Timor MP, has said that it is satisfied with the presentation and procurement procedures,” he said, adding that there are also representatives from PKR in the committee.Khairy also said the Sputnik V vaccine was already in the country’s portfolio for vaccine procurements and is currently being assessed by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency or NPRA for approval and registration.Regarding Anwar’s question about the involvement of local researchers in the development of vaccines, he said his ministry had already funded the research and revelopment of local vaccines for Covid-19 through the Mosti Combating Covid-19 Fund or MCCOF for two groups of researchers from Universiti Malaya and Universiti Putra Malaysia.Acknowledging that Malaysia lacks the full facilities for the development of vaccines, he said this was why the government had, in its negotiations with suppliers, included “value-added elements” to allow Malaysia to grow its capacity for such developments in the future.


Health ministry mulling equal study facility for contract doctors to get specialist training

The health ministry is considering allowing contract medical officers to pursue a specialist or master’s degree with a study facility equivalent to the Federal Training Prize made available to permanent medical officers, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said this was one measure to ensure the future of contract medical officers.“Prior to this, the Federal Training Prize was only offered to permanent medical officers, while contract medical officers could only apply through the Parallel Pathway Specialist Training Programme.“So, we want to provide a similar facility for the contract medical officers so that they too can pursue specialist training at any public university in the country,” he said in reply to Rosnah Aluai (PH-Tangga Batu) during question-time today.Rosnah had wanted to know the ministry’s plan to ensure the future of contract doctors to prevent a brain drain.Khairy said Malaysia has no shortage of medical graduates but a shortage of specialist doctors.At present, he said, there are only 13,000 specialist doctors in the country, far behind the need for 28,000 specialist doctors by 2023.He also said there had been a steep increase in the number of medical graduates, ranging from between 5,000 and 6,000 each year since 2016, compared to only around 3,000 each year from 2009 to 2015.“This has caused tremendous pressure for them to be appointed to a permanent post upon completion of their housemanship and compulsory service… so, from October 2016, the government decided to offer medical graduates contract-based posts.“This was also due to the public service size control policy and wise-spending approach by the government, so not all will be appointed to permanent posts,” he said.However, he said those contract medical officers were given the same emolument as their permanent counterparts, including other perks such as vehicle and computer loans, living quarters and annual leave based on circulars in force.“On Aug 20, the government also set up a special committee to tackle the issues of contract doctors which focuses, among others, on scrutinising and filing applications for additional permanent posts according to facility requirement, formulating a strategy to increase job opportunities for them in other ministries, government agencies and the private sector, and discussing with the Public Service Department (PSD) on a possible amendment to the Pension Act 1980 or introducing an equivalent act,” he said.Khairy said the committee would comprise representatives from the PSD, treasury, Economic Planning Unit, higher education ministry and health ministry agencies.On July 23, the government announced that medical, dental and pharmacy officers with contract appointments would be offered a two-year contract of service upon completion of their compulsory service period to ensure the continuity of service and also as preparation for young doctors to pursue specialist training.


UK starting talks to join ‘glittering prize’ Asia-Pacific free trade group

Britain is starting negotiations on Tuesday to join a free trade area which could grant businesses access to “some of the biggest economies of the present and future”, the UK government has said.The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) covers a market of around 500 million people.The group was established in 2018 and the UK is the first non-founding country to apply to join. If successful, it will be the group’s second biggest economy after Japan.It is made up of 11 nations: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam are the founding members.The UK applied to join the bloc in January following Brexit.“The trade area is the part of the world where Britain’s greatest opportunities lie,” said International Trade Secretary Liz Truss. “Being granted membership would be a glittering post-Brexit prize.”Truss said membership would help British “farmers, manufacturers and innovators sell to some of the biggest economies of the present and future, but without ceding control over our laws, borders or money”.The free trade agreement aims to reduce trade tariffs between member countries and includes a promise to eliminate or reduce 95% of charges on traded goods.In return, countries must cooperate on regulations, such as food standards. However, these standards and regulations do not have to be identical, and member countries can strike their own trade deals.However, with deals already in place with eight of the CPTPP members, joining may add as little as 0.1% to the size of the UK economy, and it’s not clear yet what the UK will have to concede to get the deal, nor how quickly it will happen.The real boost will come if others sign up to this pact. So far, America under President Joe Biden hasn’t expressed an interest in doing so, neither has it set a date to resume talks on a UK-US bilateral deal, paused earlier this year.As trading partners go, the US is twice as important to the UK as all the CPTPP nations put together.However, the CPTPP is likely to keep expanding.The Department for International Trade said, “Benefits would increase over time, with the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan and the Republic of Korea all having expressed interest in joining.”


'Don't expect too little of us': comic artist pushes past autism barrier

Luqman Hakim begins each day by hitting the gym, usually as early as 6am, to prepare himself physically and mentally for the next 12 hours which he will spend working, although not in the conventional sense.
After he finishes his workout, he walks to a cafe about 300m away from his apartment where he sets up shop at a small table.
There, he spends the day drawing the comics ordered by his clients.
As he draws, he listens to music through his headphones. Forehead wrinkled in concentration, he is unaware of the curious looks he receives from passersby. All he thinks about is his work.
Luqman, who turned 29 this year, was born with mild autism. But despite his condition, he is well able to live on his own, in his small home in Cyberjaya, Selangor.
He also works for a living and takes care of himself like any other person.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Luqman said he was uneasy about the way society views autistic people.
He said many look down on them, causing them to doubt their own abilities.
"We expect too little of people with autism," he said. "We think, 'they can't do this, they can't do that'. So they are stuck there."
Luqman, however, is living proof that such beliefs are not always true.

He began drawing comics and caricatures at the age of four. At that point, he only knew how to draw the cartoon heroes that he saw on television.
"Wherever I went, my parents would bring pencils and paper for me to draw with, to keep me from becoming hyperactive," he said.
Unlike many individuals with autism, Luqman prefers to be outside his home, although he does keep to himself.
Normally, he can spend two days at the cafe, drawing his comics.
He decided to take comic drawing seriously at the age of 17, telling himself that it would be his path to a career.
His parents were supportive of his decision, and allowed him the freedom to choose for himself.
"Parents can't do much to comfort autistic children," he said. "They need to be given skills and training.
"When parents find out that their children are autistic, they don't take them anywhere outside – this isn't right.
"They can be controlled, if they know the correct methods and strategies. It's hard, but they have to help their children get used to it, so that they understand."
Now, Luqman has been a comic artist since 2020. Before that, he did freelance work drawing portraits and other types of artwork.
Today, he focuses on comics.
Much of his passion for drawing is based on his love for Japanese animation, better known as anime or manga.

He also watches documentaries on Western comics such as the Marvel comic series and DC Studio in the US.
"At that time, I knew I wanted to become a part of that culture," he said.
Honing talent
Where Luqman was once actively involved in drawing competitions and exhibitions, he is now focused on the production of comics and commissioned drawings.
He receives orders even from famous people and corporate bodies.
This is largely due to a simple sketch that he did of health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah on the side of his cardboard coffee cup two years ago, which propelled him to fame.
He even met with Noor Hisham himself, after pictures of his drawing went viral on social media.
"He was very tall and good," he said, recalling the meeting.
Luqman also won second place in a competition organised by the French embassy, while several of his drawings were exhibited at a shopping centre in the capital city in conjunction with autism awareness month.
Even today, his desire to continue learning has never flagged. Sometimes, he watches videos on the internet in order to pick up new skills. He also reads up on drawing theories and practises the techniques that he finds in his books.
"Drawing doesn't only depend on talent," he said.
"You need to keep practising yourself. Keep learning and keep practising."


Musk puts US$44 billion deal for Twitter on hold

Elon Musk on Friday put his US$44-billion deal for Twitter Inc temporarily on hold, citing pending details in support of calculation that spam and fake accounts indeed represent less than 5% of users.Shares of the social media company fell 17.7% to US$37.10 in premarket trading, their lowest level since Musk disclosed his stake in the company in early April and subsequently made a “best and final” offer to take it private for US$54.20 per share.The implied probability of the deal closing at the agreed price fell below 50% for the first time on Tuesday, when Twitter shares dropped below US$46.75.Twitter had earlier this month estimated that false or spam accounts represented fewer than 5% of its monetisable daily active users during the first quarter, when it recorded 229 million users who were served advertising.“Twitter deal temporarily on hold pending details supporting calculation that spam/fake accounts do indeed represent less than 5% of users,” Musk tweeted on Friday.Musk, the world’s richest man and a self-proclaimed free speech absolutist, had said that one of his priorities would be to remove “spam bots” from the platform.Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Musk’s representatives or his company Tesla Inc were not immediately available for a comment.The social media company had said it faced several risks until the deal with Musk is closed, including whether advertisers would continue to spend on Twitter amid “potential uncertainty regarding future plans and strategy.”Musk has been critical of Twitter’s moderation policy. He has said he wants Twitter’s algorithm to prioritise tweets to be public and was against too much power on the service to corporations that advertise.Earlier this week, he said he would reverse Twitter’s ban on former US president Donald Trump when he buys the social media platform, signaling his intention to cut moderation of the site.


Samsung SDI breaks ground for US$1.3 billion battery factory in Seremban

Samsung SDI Co Ltd has broken ground on a new 1.7 trillion won (US$1.3 billion) battery factory in Negeri Sembilan to make cylindrical batteries, the company said today.
The battery maker said it would invest the 1.7 trillion won in stages in the factory in Seremban until its completion in 2025.
The factory is expected to begin producing cylindrical batteries starting 2024, Samsung SDI said in a statement.
The batteries are expected to be used for various applications ranging from power tools and micro-mobility to electric vehicles (EVs), it said.
The factory will be Samsung SDI's second in Malaysia, with the first making cylindrical batteries for EV customers.
In addition to Malaysia, Samsung SDI has production sites in South Korea, China, Hungary, and the US. Samsung SDI's clients include BMW, Ford Motor and Volkswagen.


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Najib's son among 25 new faces fielded by BN for Pahang state seats

Former prime minister Najib Razak’s eldest son, Mohamad Nizar, was today announced as one of 25 new faces for the Pahang state legislative assembly in the upcoming general election (GE15).
Pahang BN chairman Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail announced the candidacy of Nizar, who is Pekan Umno Youth head, for Peramu Jaya, one of four state legislative assembly seats under the Pekan parliamentary constituency.
The incumbent assemblyman for Peramu Jaya, Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali, was meanwhile announced as the BN candidate for the Pekan parliamentary seat previously held by Najib.
Selected as BN’s new face for the Dong state seat was the Pahang menteri besar’s press secretary, Fadzli Mohamad Kamal, who was once the press secretary for Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.
Also present at the announcement of the candidates was Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who will be defending the Bera parliamentary seat held by him since 2004.
Other new faces announced for state seats include Wong Yah Wah (Tanah Rata), Lim Teck Hoe (Tras), Faezah Ishak (Tahan), Muhammad Fasal Jamlus (Damak), Datuk Mustaffar Kamal (Beserah), Khairul Hisham Omar (Semambu), Tee Choon Ser (Teruntum), Nara @ Nikmat Nordin (Tanjung Lumpur) and Umar Arbain Dollah (Sungai Lembing).
Also being fielded for the first time are Fauziah Abd Wahab (Panching), Jamaluddin Md Marzuki (Luit), Mohd Khairudin Mohd Ali Hanafiah (Kuala Sentul), Saiful Anuar Mokhtar (Chenor), Rodzuan Zaaba (Jenderak), Ramzi Sudin (Lanchang) and Wong Siew Mun (Bilut).
The others are Amizar Abu Adam (Ketari), Johari Harun (Pelangai), Sabariah Saidin (Guai), Yee Cheng Hwa (Triang), Khaizulnizam Mohamad Zuldin (Kemayan), Norhasmimi Abdul Ghani (Jengka) and Wong Tze Shiang (Mentakab).
Of the 42 state seats, Umno so far will be vying for 34, and MCA, six. The candidates for Cheka and Sabai were not announced today.
Based on the announcement of candidates, state executive councillor and Guai incumbent assemblyman Norolazali Sulaiman, who is also the state public works, transportation and health committee chairman, has been dropped from contesting in GE15.
Meanwhile, state tourism, culture, environment, plantations and commodities committee chairman Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin, who is also the incumbent Lanchang assemblyman, will be contesting the Temerloh parliamentary seat.
State unity, social welfare, and women and family development committee chairman Shahaniza Shamsuddin will be contesting the Maran parliamentary seat after three terms of being the state assemblyman for Kuala Sentul.


94% of adults, 70% of population fully jabbed

A total of 22,934,377 people or 94% of the adult population had been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as of yesterday.Meanwhile 25,240,631 or 97.2% have received at least one shot, including of the single-dose CanSino vaccine.In terms of total population, 70.2% have been fully vaccinated while 77.3% have received at least one dose of vaccine.Kelantan and Sabah remain below the 80% full vaccination level for adults at 76.8% and 70.8% respectively.A total of 207,541 doses of vaccine were administered yesterday, taking the cumulative number of vaccine shots given under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 48,046,427.


Villagers turn to Selangor MB following eviction orders

A total of 12 families who have been living in a village in Serendah, Selangor for over 40 years are still awaiting their fate following an eviction order, and are hoping for the intervention of the menteri besar.
A court officer assigned to enforce the eviction order in Kampung Koskan Tambahan failed to appear as scheduled this morning even as residents came prepared with banners to express their dissatisfaction.
Maszahar Hashim, the acting committee chairman of the village said that the residents wanted Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari to provide documentation on the low-cost homes promised in exchange for their land.
"So far, he has only made announcements in the media, but there has been no letter to us. We have no problem accepting the promised houses," he said during a press conference today.
Maszahar said they have no other place to seek shelter if their homes are demolished in the near future. He added that the residents requested land grants as early as 2006 but were informed that the land is a river reserve.
However, a few years later, the residents discovered that their village land had become the property of a private company.
They also sent a memorandum to Amirudin during a recent Aidilfitri programme.
Mohamad Hanafe Basri, the land administrator of Hulu Selangor, said in a statement that the land the residents applied for is private land that has been owned since 133 years ago (June 1890).
"The original owner subsequently sold the land to Panca Resmi Sdn Bhd in 1991," the statement said.


'Govt getting stronger', Loke pans talk of change at the top

The coalition government is getting stronger and any attempts to topple it will only increase the determination of parties under the administration to improve their cooperation, said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
Loke, who is transport minister, reiterated DAP’s full support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and said fellow Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties remain united in their support for Anwar, the PKR president.
“PH’s strength of 82 MPs and the commitment shown by Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Gabungan Parti Sarawak is already sufficient to prove that the government today is very strong and stable.
“So whatever statements from our rivals claiming there would be a change of government are just a political game. These statements lack factual support,” he told reporters after opening the Johor DAP annual convention in Muar yesterday.
He said leaders in the federal government were focused on maintaining a smooth administration because they did not want the country to be affected by political instability again.
Loke said this when commenting on DAP’s assurance of continued support for Anwar’s government and whether rumours of efforts by certain quarters to oust the coalition government would weaken the administration.
The Seremban MP believed that talk of toppling the government was part of the opposition’s strategy to give false hope to people in six states who are going to the polls this year.
“We want to prove that this team formed by parties which previously fought each other can cooperate well,” he added.


In blow to Najib, Umno top body rejects PKR, DAP

Umno top leaders today renewed the party’s commitment to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance, in what is seen as a blow to the party’s former president Najib Razak who had called for cooperation with PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.The Umno Supreme Council which met today also reiterated the party’s rejection of any cooperation with PKR and DAP.“Umno MPs will continue to support the Perikatan Nasional government. Umno urges for the principles of such cooperation to be strengthened in line with respect and political consensus,” said a statement by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.The decision comes just hours after Najib openly called on Umno to consider backing Anwar in his bid to bring down the PN government.In a Facebook post, Najib said such cooperation would have to ensure that Umno is given a greater role determining in the financial and economic direction of the country.His post drew strong comments from his followers, many of whom expressed shock at Najib’s admission, weeks after it emerged that he and Zahid had written to the Agong to back Anwar for the post of prime minister.Meanwhile, the Umno Supreme Council also called for a national reconciliation plan to bring together both ruling and opposition parties.“(We) propose that the government take a more inclusive approach which transcends party ideologies in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and the negative economic impact faced by the people,” it added.


New infections top 3,500 as death toll up by 5

Another 3,561 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,582,302.
There were 2,035 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,514,970.
There are now 31,540 active cases, of which 30,290 or 96.0% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 26 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,184 (3.8%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 40 are in ICU with 23 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 60.3%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 9.7%.
Another five deaths were reported, including two who were brought in dead. Total deaths stand at 35,792.


TikTok on 'high alert' in Malaysia as tensions rise over election wrangle

Short video platform TikTok said on today it was on high alert for content that violates its guidelines in Malaysia after authorities warned of a rise in ethnic tension on social media following an inconclusive general election.
Saturday's election ended in an unprecedented hung parliament with neither of two rival alliances able to secure enough seats in parliament to form a government.
"We continue to be on high alert and will aggressively remove any violative content," TikTok, which is owned by the China-based firm ByteDance, said in a statement.
TikTok said it had been in contact with Malaysian authorities on severe and repeat violations of its community guidelines since the lead-up to the election.
Social media users have reported numerous TikTok posts since the election that mentioned a riot in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, on May 13, 1969, in which about 200 people were killed, days after opposition parties supported by ethnic Chinese voters made inroads in an election.
TikTok said it had removed videos with May 13-related content that violated its community guidelines, saying it had "zero tolerance" for hate speech and violent extremism.
TikTok declined to reveal the number of posts it removed or the number of complaints it had received.
It told Reuters it would remove any accounts operated by users under the age of 13 after some parents complained that their children had been exposed to offensive content.
Reuters reviewed about 100 videos on TikTok, some of which featured people displaying weapons such as knives and machetes. Some addressed "young Malay warriors" and said Anwar's supporters should "remember the May 13 incident".
In response, a flood of videos explaining the history of the May 13 violence have surfaced with many ethnic Malay users calling for unity and criticising those inciting violence.
Police told social media users to refrain from posting "provocative" content, saying they had detected posts that touched on race and religion, and insulted the monarchy.


Tourism budget passed in another victory for PN

The allocation for the tourism, arts and culture ministry was passed by bloc vote after the committee-level debate in the Dewan Rakyat today, marking the 15th victory for the Perikatan Nasional government.The budget of RM1.14 billion was supported by 109 MPs while 96 voted against it and 15 were absent.This is the sixth ministerial allocation to be passed by bloc vote, following the budgets for the Prime Minister’s Department, finance ministry, plantation industries and commodities ministry, international trade and industry ministry and transport ministry.The budgets for the ministries of national unity, foreign affairs, agriculture and food industries, rural development, energy and natural resources, domestic trade and consumer affairs, entrepreneur development and cooperative and science, technology and innovation have also been passed.The budget for 2021 – RM322.5 billion, the country’s largest ever – was passed at the policy stage on Nov 26 in what was seen as a crucial test of support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.It was passed by voice vote after the opposition failed to garner enough support to force a bloc vote.


4 nabbed over RM2 million fraud in foreign worker programme

Three foreign men and a local have been arrested for allegedly operating a fraudulent outsourcing syndicate to make a profit of RM2 million from the government’s Labour Recalibration Programme (RTK).Immigration Department director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud said the four aged between 20 and 47 were detained at a tourism office in Kuala Lumpur last Friday.A total of 264 passports from countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia and India were also seized, along with RM7,270 in cash believed to be part of the daily transaction proceeds from the fraudulent activities.“The syndicate was found to be carrying out activities similar to outsourcing companies which have been abolished by using some inactive (dormant) companies to obtain a quota of foreign workers under the RTK programme,” he said in a statement.According to him, the syndicate had operated from the tourism company which was used as a base for registration, the collection of passports and receipt of payments from foreigners duped into signing up under the RTK programme.Khairul said the services of successfully registered foreign workers would then be offered to an employer or a company for a fee.“The syndicate was believed to have charged between RM6,500 and RM8,000 per person (migrant worker) to obtain a temporary working visit pass (PLKS) for various sectors through the programme,” he said.He said based on the number of passports and the operating period, the syndicate was believed to have been able to rake in a profit of RM2 million through charges imposed on foreign workers, companies or individuals who became their customers.Khairul said the four detainees were taken to the Putrajaya Immigration Department for further investigation and action under the Immigration Act 1959/63, Passport Act 1966 and Immigration Regulations 1963.


No rocket science needed to save our hotels

Since March 18 last year, various forms of movement control have been imposed in Malaysia starting with the movement control order (MCO), which was later loosened to conditional MCO (CMCO) and further relaxed to recovery MCO (RMCO).For Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, CMCO was introduced in May and RMCO in June. Due to a spike of infections, CMCO had to be reimposed from Nov 9 but was rendered ineffective after inter-district and interstate travel restrictions were lifted from Dec 7.It did not take long for infections to hit the roof with a record of 2,525 cases on the last day of 2020. After another 28,251 cases were recorded during the first 12 days of this year, MCO had to be imposed on five states and three federal territories from Jan 13.From last Jan 25 until Dec 31, Malaysia recorded a total of 113,010 Covid-19 infections. But this January alone, 101,947 were recorded in just one month, an average of 3,289 daily. It dropped to 3,064 daily in February and 1,780 daily in the first eight days of March.The authorities would not want to make the same fatal mistake of lifting the ban on interstate travel and are equally determined not to have a repeat the shockingly high daily cases recorded on the last three days of January, which were 5,725, 5,728 and 5,298, respectively.Recently, Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said if the current downward trend continues, it is possible that interstate travel will be allowed and people can return to their hometowns and villages to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which falls on May 13 this year.But for hotels still in operations, most cannot wait any longer and need immediate help. Many hotels, large and small, have ceased operations or closed permanently. Langkawi budget hoteliers are again pleading with the authorities to throw them a lifeline or they will go under.Malaysia Budget Hotel Association (MyBHA) Langkawi chapter president Noorazly Rosly said hotels are in dire straits and that a rescue plan is urgently needed. Here, I wish to put forward a practical solution which does not require government funding or expenditure.I propose that interstate travel be allowed for those who can show proof that they have booked and prepaid for accommodation at any licensed hotel in the country, but under the strictest conditions. Their travel must tally with the dates checking in and out of hotels.To facilitate inspection by enforcement officers, a standard template could be designed and used by all hotels so that relevant information such as passenger names and identity numbers, and mode of transport such as flight or vehicle number, are contained in the same page.Maximum penalties should be imposed to deter or penalise those collaborating to deceive the authorities, such as by issuing fake receipts or obtaining refunds after cancelling bookings. The MySejahtera app must be used daily at the hotel to confirm the guests’ presence.Such an arrangement could trigger cash flow into many hotels immediately, which is much needed to pay for staff salaries, suppliers and maintenance. Guests can pay for the first night’s stay in advance to secure reservations, and for the entire duration just before travelling.The National Security Council (NSC) has been issuing various forms of movement control and determining whether travel restrictions should be imposed or lifted. All this was done across the board. It is time the NSC adopt a more targeted and strategic approach.As reported in the 2019 Domestic Tourism Survey, visiting relatives and friends were the top main purposes for domestic visitors in making their trips, accounting for 42.3%, whereas only 9% of 332 million trips were for holiday, leisure or relaxation.About 71% of domestic tourists stayed at unpaid accommodations provided by relatives or friends while the rest stayed at hotels, homestays, vacation homes, apartments, rest houses or chalets.When interstate travel restrictions were lifted from Dec 7 until Jan 13, an overwhelming number of infections must have occurred at homes where unpaid accommodations were provided for visiting relatives and friends, but least for those staying at paid accommodations.In any case, travel restrictions should not be switched fully from one mode to another overnight, just as our borders should not be suddenly opened to welcome visitors or allow Malaysians to leave the country. Doing so will keep us in a constant state of flux.Well-planned actions must be taken step by step to lead to desired outcomes, not try-and-see measures. Allowing interstate travel for those with hotel bookings would be a small but significant step in the right direction, and might well turn out to be a giant leap for our suffering hotels.For this scheme to succeed, it should be limited to licensed hotels that have been operating in full compliance with the law. If unlicensed operators such as those offering private accommodation through Airbnb are allowed, it would throw a spanner in the works.The Malaysian Association of Hotels, Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners and MyBHA could easily work out and agree to a foolproof mechanism to ensure only legitimate hotel guests get to travel interstate while restrictions remain in force for others.Saving our hotels is no rocket science used for space explorations that requires special expertise and prohibitive funding from the government. One of the conditions for CMCO should be allowing those who can travel safely to do so.The NSC can send domestic tourists planning to stay at licensed hotels, hoteliers on the verge of drowning, hotel suppliers facing a cash flow crunch and thousands of nervous hotel workers over the moon. It must be executed immediately before the window of opportunity closes.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


North Korean leader praises military medics for frontline Covid fight in capital

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a ceremony to thank and praise military medics for spearheading the country's fight against the coronavirus in the capital Pyongyang, state media said on Friday.
Thousands of medics of the Korean People's Army, who had been dispatched to the "emergency anti-epidemic front", were discharged after Kim declared victory over Covid-19 and eased restrictions last week.
Kim held the event at the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang on Thursday to celebrate the medics' "heroic feats" on the frontline of the Covid battle in the country's most populated city.
"Noting that the army medics took the greatest trouble to defuse the anti-epidemic crisis in the capital city, he gave warm thanks... to them who displayed the indefatigable spirit and the invincible combat strength of our army," the official KCNA news agency said.
"He specially called and congratulated medics who performed distinguished feats in the capital's anti-epidemic struggle."
KCNA said this week that the medics had returned to their units on Sunday without a sending-off ceremony, but Kim said he had felt "empty and sorry" that he had not done enough to publicly recognise their sacrifice, the report said.
North Korea has never confirmed how many people caught Covid, apparently lacking the tools to conduct widespread testing.
Infectious disease experts have cast doubts on North Korea's claims of progress, and the World Health Organization said the Covid situation there could be getting worse, not better, citing an absence of independent data.


Looming crisis sees Sabah’s health facilities under strain, but everyone can help

The pandemic in Sabah is approaching crisis levels with truly alarming numbers.It’s now three weeks since the Sabah election, and the number of Covid-19 infections in the state is still climbing.On Sept 26, Sabah election day, Malaysian cases totalled just below 11,000. Sabah cases were rising towards 2,000.Since then, the nationwide total has almost doubled, but Sabah’s total has more than quadrupled.This brings the total number of cases in Sabah to more than 6,700, outpacing any other state.On Sunday, Malaysia recorded 871 new cases nationwide, an all-time high. A record 702 of these cases were in Sabah, amounting to over 80% of the day’s national tally of new infections.The state death toll is shocking. Between Oct 8 and 16, out of 35 country-wide deaths all but one were in Sabah.The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) reports that ward beds and ICU beds in the nine Covid-19 hospitals in Sabah are already over 70% occupied. Currently, only Covid-19 patients are being admitted.Last week, the federal government agreed to spend RM50 million on Sabah state pandemic mitigation efforts.However, MMA maintains much more is needed and it is organising a fund strictly limited to Covid-19 relief efforts.A statement released on Sunday said, “We believe it is possible that more can be done to meet the needs of the state of Sabah in fighting the pandemic.Between Oct 8 and 16, out of 35 country-wide deaths all but one were in Sabah.“MMA’s Sabah branch together with the Malaysian Medical Association Foundation has launched a Sabah Covid-19 fund where all proceeds will be used for healthcare equipment, medical supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE) and other related relief.”The public is being urged to donate.Meanwhile, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah is calling for healthcare volunteers to assist fatigued medical frontliners in Sabah.“As was the case during the second wave, a joint effort by every member of society can help fight this crisis,” he told MalaysiaNow. “The nation was grateful to everyone who donated to the Ministry of Health’s efforts during the first wave.”He praised MMA’s current Covid-19 relief fund, saying, “We will accept all help with open arms and mobilise to fight this crisis.”Those who wish to donate to the relief fund can do so at: the Malaysian Medical Association Foundation, United Overseas Bank, account number 1063057741 (Recipient reference: Sabah Covid).


Rohingya protest in Bangladesh, demand repatriation to Myanmar

Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh protested on Thursday, demanding to be repatriated to Myanmar, so that they could leave the squalid camps they have lived in since fleeing a brutal military crackdown in their homeland in 2017.
More than a million Rohingya have been crammed into the camps in southeastern Bangladesh, the world's largest refugee settlement. Most fled the crackdown by Myanmar's military almost six years ago, although some have been there for longer.
During Thursday's demonstrations across the sprawling camps, refugees, young and old, waved placards and chanted slogans.
"No more refugee life. No verification. No scrutiny. No interview. We want quick repatriation through UNHCR data card. We want to go back to our motherland," the placards read. "Let's go back to Myanmar. Don't try to stop repatriation."
Surging crime, harsh living conditions and bleak prospects for returning to Myanmar are driving more Rohingya refugees to leave Bangladesh by boat for countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, putting their lives at risk. UN data shows 348 Rohingya are thought to have died at sea last year.
Rohingya community leader Mohammad Jashim said he was keen to return to Myanmar but wanted his citizenship rights guaranteed.
“We are the citizens of Myanmar by birth. We want to go back home with all our rights, including citizenship, free movement, livelihood, safety, and security," he told Reuters, saying the refugees hoped for United Nations' help in this regard.
Myanmar's military had until recently shown little inclination to take back any Rohingya, who have for years been regarded as foreign interlopers in Myanmar and denied citizenship and subjected to abuse.
Attempts to begin repatriation in 2018 and 2019 failed as the refugees, fearing prosecution, refused to go back.
A group of 20 Rohingya Muslims told Reuters they would not return to Myanmar to "be confined in camps" after visiting their homeland as part of a pilot scheme aimed at encouraging voluntary repatriation.
A Bangladesh official said the pilot scheme envisaged about 1,100 refugees returning to Myanmar, but no date had been set.
Densely populated Bangladesh says refugees' repatriation to Myanmar is the only solution to the crisis. Local communities have been increasingly hostile towards the Rohingya as international aid agencies' funding for the refugees has dwindled.
The World Food Programme recently cut the monthly food allocation to US$8 per person from US$10 earlier.
"Our situation is only deteriorating. What future do we have here?" asked refugee Mohammed Taher, as he stood with other protesters.
"In the name of verification and scrutiny, they (Myanmar) are only killing time."


37% of population double-jabbed against Covid-19

Some 37% of the country’s population, or 12,079,978 people, had completed both doses of Covid-19 vaccine as of yesterday, according to the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee.A total of 17,806,570 individuals had received a first dose, taking the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme to 29,886,548.In terms of daily vaccination, 517,692 doses were dispensed yesterday, with 180,810 as first doses and 336,882 to second-dose recipients.


Najib and son get stay order for summary judgment over RM1.7 billion unpaid income tax

Former prime minister Najib Razak and his son, Mohd Nazifuddin, today obtained an order to stay the execution of a summary judgment against them over unpaid income tax amounting to more than RM1.7 billion pending the disposal of their appeals in the Federal Court.
The order was granted by a three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Federal Court judges Mary Lim Thiam Suan and Rhodzariah Bujang.
"The order to stay the execution of the summary judgment is allowed pending the disposal of the appeals by both of the appellants at the Federal Court," Tengku Maimun said in the proceeding conducted through video conference today.
Earlier, lawyer Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee, representing Najib and Nazifuddin, told the bench that the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), as the respondent, had raised no objections to the applications by his clients.
This was confirmed by senior revenue counsel Al-Hummidallah Idrus, representing LHDN. In 2020, two separate High Courts allowed LHDN's applications to enter a summary judgment to recover tax arrears of RM1.69 billion from Najib and RM37.6 million from Nazifuddin for the period of between 2011 and 2017.
On May 10, Najib and Nazifuddin were given the nod by the Federal Court to proceed with their appeals against the decisions of the two High Courts.
Both Najib and Nazifuddin lost their appeals in the Court of Appeal last September to set aside the summary judgment.
A summary judgment is obtained when the court decides on a case through written submissions without a full trial and without calling witnesses.