Fly national flag as a sign of solidarity in Covid battle, says PM

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today called on Malaysians to show solidarity and unite in the country’s battle against Covid-19 by flying the Jalur Gemilang or national flag.Launching the National Month celebration and Fly the Jalur Gemilang Campaign 2021 in Kuala Lumpur, Muhyiddin said he hoped the public would respond to the call and fly the flag with pride and respect in their residences and on their vehicles.“The Jalur Gemilang is a national symbol that is able to evoke the spirit of patriotism in the heart of every Malaysian and to show solidarity in facing challenges that come our way.“Let us all do this together for the sake of our love for the country, accompanied by hopes and prayers that the nation will immediately recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, return to normal life and enjoy prosperity together,” he said.The launch, aired by Radio Televisyen Malaysia, was also attended by Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, who chairs the National Day and Malaysia Day 2021 Celebrations Main Committee.Terengganu is hosting the National Month and Fly the Jalur Gemilang campaign this year, but because the country is under the National Recovery Plan to control the spread of Covid-19, there will be no physical celebrations.Muhyiddin said the theme of this year’s celebration remained the same as last year, that is “Malaysia Prihatin” (Malaysia Cares), in line with the commitment and continuous aspirations of the Perikatan Nasional government to instil love for the country and the spirit of togetherness among the people as Malaysia battles the Covid-19 pandemic.“I am confident that you have a strong spirit of love for the country, and can take lessons and aspirations from the importance of celebrating this historic month that saw our country achieve independence,” he said.He said through the spirit of love for the country that is constantly being strengthened, Malaysians would be able to maintain a harmonious life, love each other and remain united despite being of different races, religions and backgrounds.He said the strong fighting spirit of past leaders and ancestors in demanding the country’s independence should be used as a lesson and inspiration for Malaysians who are now at war with a difficult and more dangerous enemy in the form of Covid-19.“I pray that you will continue to persevere and be given strength in our efforts to end this Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.


Ex-Goldman bankers ‘consulted feng shui master on 1MDB probe’

Two former Goldman Sachs bankers sought advice from a feng shui master in 2016 on how to handle a US investigation into the looting of funds from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund, one of the bankers, Tim Leissner, testified on Tuesday.Leissner is the prosecutors’ star witness at the Brooklyn federal court trial of Roger Ng, 49, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to launder money and violate an anti-bribery law. Leissner, 52, pleaded guilty to similar charges in 2018 and agreed to cooperate with the government.Leissner testified that after the FBI served him with a subpoena in February 2016, Ng and his wife, Hwee Bin Lim, suggested he consult a feng shui master they trusted to ask whether they “would be in trouble.”Ng had left Goldman in 2014, Leissner said.The charges stem from one of the biggest financial scandals in history. Prosecutors say Goldman from 2009 to 2014 raised US$6.5 billion for 1MDB through bond sales and earned US$600 million in fees, but that US$4.5 billion was diverted to officials, bankers and their associates through bribes and kickbacks.Leissner testified that he and Ng played a key role in that scheme and that he personally transferred US$35 million in kickbacks to Ng, Goldman’s top banker for Malaysia. Leissner oversaw the firm’s Southeast Asia team.He said on Tuesday that Ng and Lim attended his meeting with the feng shui master at a Hong Kong hotel, where the master said he would have trouble with authorities over the next five years but that the problems would later resolve themselves.“I was in a panic,” Leissner said. “They felt this would give me comfort and they wanted to show their support.”At the end of the meeting, Leissner said he, Ng and Lim concocted a “cover story” involving Lim and Leissner’s then-wife, Judy Chan, to justify the US$35 million in funds.The testimony could prove problematic for Ng, who argued that the money prosecutors call ill-gotten gains was actually derived from a legitimate business venture between the two men’s wives.Ng’s lawyer has said he played no role in the scheme beyond introducing Leissner to an intermediary close to the Malaysian government, and says Ng later warned Goldman not to trust the intermediary.Lawyers for Ng are expected to call Lim to testify in her husband’s defense. They began cross examining Leissner, who has already testified for five full days, on Thursday morning.Goldman in 2020 paid a nearly US$3 billion fine and arranged for its Malaysian unit to plead guilty in US court.


Sarawak to issue temporary documents for stateless children

The Sarawak government will issue temporary documents for state-born individuals without citizenship below the age of 21.
State Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Fatimah Abdullah said the documents were important, especially for children, to gain access to education and health services.
"The right to education is a basic right for every child. This is also another effort by the state government to identify the number of stateless individuals," she told a press conference after the state assembly sitting in Kuching yesterday.
Fatimah said from Dec 2 onwards, the state ministry, with the cooperation of the National Registration Department, district offices and the Customs Department, would be at selected locations to conduct registration.
"In Kuching, we know in the Desa Wira area, there are children who do not have documents and their citizenship status is not yet known," she said, adding that the team would head to other locations such as Sibu, Sepupok, Miri and Lawas as well.
"Through the issuance of temporary documents for Sarawak-born stateless individuals, we will be able to know the number of people who are applying and also those waiting for approval," she said.
She also said the state ministry had received a total of 60 applications since Nov 1, adding that applications can be made directly through the ministry or at district offices.
Applicants must have a birth certificate registered in Sarawak and undetermined citizenship status. They must also have applied for Malaysian citizenship under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution, she said.


Freezing Ukraine tries to restore power after Russian strikes on grid

Millions of Ukrainians were still without heat or power on Friday after the most devastating Russian air strikes on its energy grid so far, with residents warned to brace for further attacks and stock up on water, food and warm clothing.
Moscow says the attacks on Ukraine's basic infrastructure are militarily legitimate, and that Kyiv can end the suffering of its people if it yields to Russian demands. Ukraine says attacks intended to cause civilian misery are a war crime.
"Together we endured nine months of full-scale war and Russia has not found a way to break us, and will not find one," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address overnight.
Russia has been striking Ukrainian energy network far from the frontlines of the nine-month old war with barrages of long-range missiles around once a week since early October.
Attacks on Wednesday caused the worst damage so far, leaving millions of people with no light, water or heat even as temperatures around the country have fallen below zero.
Nearly 48 hours after the strikes, national grid operator Ukrenergo said the power system was still 30% short of meeting demand.
"Priority was given to critical infrastructure facilities in all regions: boiler houses, gas distribution stations, water supply, sewage treatment facilities, public electric transport operates in some regions," it said.
The three nuclear power stations on Ukrainian-held territory were now working, it said, two days after the attacks had forced Ukraine to shut them all down for the first time in 40 years, creating what Kyiv had called a risk of atomic catastrophe.
Zelensky also accused Russia of incessantly shelling Kherson, the southern Ukrainian city that it abandoned earlier this month. Seven people were killed and 21 wounded in a Russian attack on Thursday, local authorities said.
Dark patch
Viewed from space, Ukraine has become a dark patch on the globe at night.
Russia insists it does not target civilians in the "special military operation" it launched in late February. International human rights officials say that is difficult to reconcile with the countrywide attacks on civil infrastructure.
"Millions are being plunged into extreme hardship and appalling conditions of life by these strikes," UN human rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement.
"Taken as a whole, this raises serious problems under international humanitarian law, which requires a concrete and direct military advantage for each object attacked."
Nigel Povoas, lead prosecutor with a team of international experts assisting Ukrainian war crimes investigators, said the strikes were "focused on eliminating infrastructure crucial to means of civilian survival such as heat, water, power and medical facilities".
"Each wave of attacks tends to reinforce the strength of the allegations of grave criminality being levelled against the Kremlin. That these attacks have very little, if anything, to do with military objectives," he told Reuters.
"Rather, that they reflect a criminal intent to inflict widespread terror, large-scale humanitarian suffering and death, particularly on the vulnerable, so as to coerce the Ukrainian people into submission."
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered the invasion and has called up hundreds of thousands of reservists in Russia's first mobilisation since World War Two, held a televised meeting with mothers of soldiers on Friday, praising them for the sacrifices of their sons.
"I would like you to know that, that I personally, and the whole leadership of the country - we share your pain," Putin said in the pre-recorded meeting, sitting with the mothers around a table with tea, cakes and bowls of fresh berries.
British Foreign Minister James Cleverly visited Ukraine and pledged millions of pounds in further support, his office said on Friday. Cleverly, who met Zelensky on the trip, condemned Russia for its "brutal attacks" on civilians, hospitals and energy infrastructure.
More than 15,000 people have gone missing during the war, an official in the Kyiv office of the Hague-based International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) said.
The ICMP's programme director for Europe, Matthew Holliday, said it was unclear how many people had been forcibly transferred, were being held in detention in Russia, were alive and separated from family members, or had died and been buried in makeshift graves.
In Kherson, recaptured from Russian forces this month, Anna Voskoboinik, a one-legged woman in a wheelchair, was clutching aid she received at a crowded humanitarian distribution point. She has been searching for three months for her son, Oleksii, 38, who vanished after being arrested at a Russian checkpoint.
"Where is he now? I don't know. I would go to the end of the world to find out. He's my only son. He was always nearby. Now..." she said.
Russia says it launched its operation in Ukraine to protect Russian speakers in what Putin has called an artificial country carved from Russian territory. Kyiv calls it an unprovoked war of aggression, reflecting what it sees as malice towards Ukrainians dating back to Soviet and imperial days.
This week, Ukrainians will observe the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, a man-made famine in which millions of Ukrainians starved to death while the Soviet Union was exporting food.
Germany's Bundestag parliament is expected to vote overwhelmingly to recognise it as a genocide, following similar moves this week by Romania, Moldova and Ireland. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba praised the move, thanking Germany "for honoring the Ukrainian people".
In November 1932, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin dispatched police to seize all grain and livestock from newly collectivised Ukrainian farms, including the seed needed to plant the next crop. Yale University historian Timothy Snyder described the death by starvation of millions of Ukrainians that followed as "clearly premeditated mass murder".


Peru's troubled president names fifth PM in 16 months

Peru's President Pedro Castillo on Friday appointed the culture minister as the country's new prime minister after her predecessor resigned over a row with parliament.
Bettsy Chavez, a 33-year-old lawyer who also did a stint as labour minister, was sworn in as the fifth prime minister since the beleaguered Castillo took office 16 months ago.
The pair will reshuffle the Cabinet after former premier Anibal Torres quit on Thursday amid an ongoing clash between the leftist Castillo and the conservative-controlled parliament.
Castillo, in power since July 2021, has already faced two impeachment attempts in parliament and is under investigation in six corruption cases, including accusations against his family and political entourage.
Earlier this month, thousands marched in the capital to demand the removal of the former rural school teacher who unexpectedly took power from Peru's traditional political elite.
Castillo has denounced the charges as politically motivated, and enjoys immunity until the end of his term in July 2026.
Chavez, an MP with the leftist bloc which backs Castillo, has 30 days to request a vote of confidence from parliament to be able to assume office.


US police officer shoots dead wheelchair-bound shoplifter

A US policeman shot and killed a wheelchair-bound shoplifter, hitting him nine times in the back and side as he rolled away from the officer, media reported Wednesday.The shooting is the latest in a country where law enforcement readily resorts to deadly force when confronting criminal suspects.Police in Tucson, Arizona said off-duty officer Ryan Remington was working as a security guard in a retail area when 61-year-old Richard Lee Richards was believed to have stolen a toolbox from a Walmart.Footage released by the department shows Remington several feet (a couple of meters) behind Richards, asking him to stop.When Richards continues to move his motorised wheelchair away, Remington opens fire with nine bullets, hitting the suspected shoplifter in the back and the side.Tucson police chief Chris Magnus said Remington had been called to help by a Walmart employee.“According to the employee, he caught up with Mr. Richards outside as he fled the store and asked to see a receipt for the toolbox,” CNN quoted Magnus as saying.“Instead of providing the receipt, Mr. Richards brandished a knife and said, ‘Here’s your receipt.'”Magnus told a press conference he was “deeply disturbed” by his officer’s actions.“His use of deadly force in this incident is a clear violation of department policy and directly contradicts multiple aspects of our use of force and training.“As a result, the department moved earlier today to terminate Officer Remington.”CNN quoted an attorney for Remington saying the video did not tell the whole story of Monday’s shooting.Michael Storie said Remington “attempted to de-escalate the situation” but Richards’s actions left him “no choice but to use deadly force.”There is no official national record of fatal shootings by US police officers, and reporting of incidents by police departments is voluntary.A tally by the Washington Post published Wednesday shows more than 900 people have been shot and killed by police in the last year.


PM doesn't need to consult Cabinet on Parliament dissolution, court rules

The High Court today ruled that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob did not need to consult Cabinet members in making a request for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament.
Judge Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid said the prime minister was entitled to make his own decision as it was his absolute power as premier.
He said since the dissolution of Parliament was made by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the prime minister's request under Article 42 (b) of the Federal Constitution, the need for Cabinet advice under Article 40 (1) and Article 40(1A) of the Federal Constitution was not required.
"I am of the view that since the ultimate power to request for the resolution of Parliament lies solely in the hands of the prime minister, the contention of the applicant challenging the validity of the request to dissolve Parliament is of no merit.
"The prime minister can make a request for the dissolution without the advice of his Cabinet and, ultimately, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has the discretion on whether to accept or reject the request," he said.
He said this in allowing the application by Ismail, the Government and the Election Commission (EC) to strike out the lawsuit by incumbent Klang MP Charles Santiago, filed on Oct 11.
Kamal said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong was a constitutional monarch and the head of the state while the prime minister was the head of the government, adding that executive power resides in the hands of the prime minister.
He said Article 40 (1) and (1A) of the Federal Constitution provides that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong be bound by the advice of the Cabinet in carrying out his functions, except for a few matters as provided for under Article 40 (2) of the Federal Constitution.
"The prime minister also, as the head of the government, has the sole power to appoint the Cabinet of his choice. The power that a prime minister possesses would include promoting, dismissing and appointing a minister of his choice, at any time, for reasons he thinks fit," he said.
Kamal said the prime minister was also entitled to say what issues should be reported to him personally or for decisions outside of the Cabinet.
"As the prime minister, he is not bound by the Cabinet's advice. He may, by his own initiative, confront his colleagues and consult one or two ministers in the 'inner Cabinet' to make decisions.
"He does not need to consult the Cabinet in budget proposals, in foreign policy initiatives or in advising the monarch to dissolve Parliament," he said.
The judge said the court was of the view that the plaintiff, Santiago, had no reasonable cause of action against the defendants on the grounds that the proclamation and dissolution of Parliament are non-justiciable subjects.
Describing the suit as scandalous, frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of the court process, the court ordered the plaintiff to pay RM20,000 in costs to the defendants.
Santiago, in his suit, sought among others a declaration that Ismail's request to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in October to dissolve the 14th Parliament was in violation of Article 40(1) and (1A) of the Federal Constitution as it was not made on the advice of the Cabinet and was therefore null and void.
He also sought to stop the EC from conducting the 15th general election due to the flood season.
Lawyer Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin, a former chief judge of Malaya, and Mohd Hafarizam Harun, together with senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan from the Attorney-General’s Chambers represented the defendants while Malik Imtiaz Sarwar acted for the plaintiff.
Meanwhile, Kamal also dismissed a Pandan voter’s leave application for a judicial review to challenge the dissolution of Parliament and the holding of GE15 during the monsoon season.
Syed Iskandar Syed Jaafar Al Mahdzar, who is also a lawyer, had filed the application naming the EC chairman, Ismail and the government as respondents.
The judge ruled that the dissolution of Parliament was non-justiciable and an issue to be considered within the executive and legislative sphere that should not be entertained by the judiciary with caution.
"The issue is a non-justiciable issue and this subject matter is therefore not amenable to judicial review," he said.
Shamsul Bolhassan represented the respondents while senior lawyer Gopal Sri Ram appeared for Syed Iskandar.


Ailing tourism spells hairy times for cat hotels, too

The Covid-19 pandemic has continued to wreak havoc on Malaysia’s hotel industry, and not just establishments normally frequented by tourists eager for a change of scenery.For months, border closures have meant an absence of visitors, both international and domestic, whose travels under normal circumstances would bring in a tidy sum of revenue.With globetrotting, or even trips to the next district or state, now out of the question, hotels have been suffering badly with knock-on effects on other areas of the hospitality sector as well.For two years, Izzroy Isahak had taken care of cats whose owners were away on trips or vacations.For RM25 a night, her cat hotel in Kuala Lumpur would provide air-conditioned units with room service thrown in.A cat prowls around its unit at the Izzlisha Majesty Cattery.Every unit would be cleaned on a daily basis with any waste disposed of twice a day to ensure maximum comfort for its feline guests.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Izzroy said the Izzlisha Majesty Cattery was once the go-to boarding house for pet owners in search of a place to leave their furry companions during their time out of town.“But not anymore,” she added.With Covid-19 restrictions still in place across most industries, her business is now fighting tooth and nail to survive.Apart from the cat hotel, Izzroy also runs a cat spa and provides grooming services to keep felines’ bad hair days at bay.“We also sell cat litter products in the shape of tofu,” she said. “Thankfully the sales have helped us stay afloat. At least we can make a little to cover the declining hotel business.”When the Covid-19 crisis first hit, she said, the cat hotel had been able to limp along.“We would still get maybe five or six cats sent to us,” she said.But with the lockdown came a host of restrictions that all but put paid to the struggling business.With revenue on a downward spiral, Izzroy tries to remain positive.“I hope the pandemic ends soon,” she said. The survival of her business, like that of countless others, depends on it.


‘World’s leading bank robbers’: North Korea’s hacker army

Nuclear-armed North Korea is advancing on the front lines of cyberwarfare, analysts say, stealing billions of dollars and presenting a clearer and more present danger than its banned weapons programmes.Pyongyang is under multiple international sanctions over its atomic bomb and ballistic missile programmes, which have seen rapid progress under North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.But while the world’s diplomatic focus has been on its nuclear ambitions, the North has been quietly and steadily building up its cyber capabilities, and analysts say its army of thousands of well-trained hackers are proving to be just as dangerous.“North Korea’s nuclear and military programmes are long-term threats, but its cyber threats are immediate, realistic threats,” said Oh Il-seok, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Strategy in Seoul.Pyongyang’s cyberwarfare abilities first came to global prominence in 2014 when it was accused of hacking into Sony Pictures Entertainment as revenge for “The Interview”, a satirical film that mocked leader Kim.The attack resulted in the posting of several unreleased movies online as well as a vast trove of confidential documents.Since then the North has been blamed for a number of high-profile cyberattacks, including a US$81 million heist from the Bangladesh Central Bank as well as the 2017 WannaCry global ransomware attack, which infected some 300,000 computers in 150 nations.Pyongyang has denied any involvement, describing US allegations over WannaCry as “absurd” and a foreign ministry spokesman declaring: “We have nothing to do with cyberattacks”.But the US Department of Justice in February indicted three North Koreans on charges of “participating in a wide-ranging criminal conspiracy to conduct a series of destructive cyberattacks”.In its 2021 Annual Threat Assessment Report, Washington acknowledged that Pyongyang “probably possesses the expertise to cause temporary, limited disruptions of some critical infrastructure networks” across the United States.The North’s cyber programme “poses a growing espionage, theft, and attack threat,” said the document from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.It accused Pyongyang of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges, “probably to fund government priorities, such as its nuclear and missile programmes”.‘The best defence’North Korea’s cyber-programme dates back to at least the mid-1990s, when then-leader Kim Jong Il reportedly said “all wars in future years will be computer wars”.Today Pyongyang’s 6,000-strong cyberwarfare unit, known as Bureau 121, operates from several countries including Belarus, China, India, Malaysia and Russia, according to a US military report published in July 2020.Scott Jarkoff of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike rates them highly: “They are extremely sophisticated, dedicated, and capable of conducting advanced attacks.”Bureau 121 recruits are trained in different coding languages and operating systems at special establishments such as Mirim University, said former student Jang Se-yul, who defected in 2007.Now known as the University of Automation, it takes in only 100 students a year from among the North’s highest-scoring schoolchildren.“We were taught that we had to be prepared against America’s cyberwarfare capabilities,” Jang told AFP.“Ultimately, we were taught that we had to develop our own hacking programmes since attacking the enemy’s operating system is the best defence.”Cyberwarfare is particularly appealing for small, poor countries like the North that are “outgunned in terms of equipment such as planes, tanks and other modern weapons systems”, said Stimson Center researcher Martyn Williams.“Hacking just requires a computer and internet connection.”Keyboards over gunsMost state-sponsored hacking groups are mainly used for espionage purposes, but experts say North Korea is unusual in also deploying its cyber capabilities for financial gain.Pyongyang has blockaded itself to protect against the coronavirus pandemic, adding to the pressure on its economy, and has for years sought to earn foreign currency by multiple means.And Williams added: “Stealing it is a lot faster and potentially more lucrative than doing business, especially if you have skilled hackers.”The February US indictment accused the three North Koreans of stealing more than US$1.3 billion worth of money and cryptocurrency from financial institutions and companies.When it was issued Assistant Attorney-General John Demers called North Korea’s operatives “the world’s leading bank robbers”, adding they were “using keyboards rather than guns, stealing digital wallets of cryptocurrency instead of sacks of cash”.The rise of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have presented hackers globally with a whole new range of increasingly lucrative targets.In addition, said Jarkoff, their decentralised networks were a particular bonus for the North, offering a way to circumvent financial sanctions.“This allows North Korea to easily launder money back into the country, outside the control of the global banking system,” he said.“Cryptocurrency is attractive because it is uncontrolled, borderless, and relatively anonymous.”


Taiwan’s Covid infections jump following Taipei market outbreak

Taiwan reported 98 new domestic Covid-19 infections on Friday, as the government raced to contain an outbreak at a Taipei food wholesale market.Mass testing and quarantines have been rushed into action at the site, reports Reuters.Taiwan has been dealing with a cluster of community infections since mid-May, but numbers had begun stabilising in recent weeks and are still comparatively low despite the outbreak at the market.Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told reporters the market has been closed for at least three days, and there were likely to be more infections confirmed as the results of tests came through.Chen announced 57 new domestic cases, but said 41 cases at the market had yet to be included in the official tally. Taipei’s city government only confirmed those cases early Friday morning.The market is in Taipei’s Wanhua district, a hot spot where many of the initial infections in May were first reported.Most of Taiwan’s infections have been of the Alpha variant but a small outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant in southern Taiwan has so far been brought under control, with Chen describing that outbreak as “stable”.Taiwan’s tally of infections stands at nearly 15,000 since the pandemic began, including 676 deaths.The Taiwanese inoculation campaign received another boost this week after a further 410,000 shots were delivered from Moderna, the third such delivery from the US drugmaker.In a tweet on Wednesday, Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen said, “These will go a long way to ensuring those most in need are protected, as we continue our nationwide vaccination drive.”Despite slow progress with regard to vaccinations, Tsai’s government has been unwilling to accept Chinese offers of assistance, although Chinese media has reported that many Taiwanese citizens have been vaccinated on the mainland.The largest vaccine deliveries to date have both been donations. On June 4, Taiwan received 1.23 million AstraZeneca shots from Japan, with a further 2.5 million Moderna jabs delivered from the US on June 20.The country also plans to roll out a domestically developed vaccine but no dates have been proposed.To date, only around 8% of the Taiwanese population have received at least their first vaccine shot.


Jeff Bezos to step down as Amazon CEO

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said Tuesday he would stand aside later this year as chief executive of the company he built from a startup into one of the world’s most valuable firms.The world’s richest person based on his Amazon stake, Bezos said he will transition to the role of executive chair in the third quarter, handing over the CEO role to Andy Jassy, who heads Amazon Web Services.The news came as Amazon reported a blowout holiday quarter with profits more than doubling to US$7.2 billion and revenue jumping 44% to US$125.6 billion – as pandemic lockdowns caused online sales to explode around the globe.In a letter to Amazon employees, Bezos said he would “stay engaged in important Amazon initiatives” but would pivot towards philanthropic initiatives, including his Day One Fund and Bezos Earth Fund, and other business ventures in space exploration and journalism.“I’ve never had more energy, and this isn’t about retiring,” Bezos wrote.“I’m super passionate about the impact I think these organisations can have.”Bezos, 57, founded Amazon in his garage in 1994 and went on to grow it into a colossus that dominates online retail, with operations in streaming music and television, groceries, cloud computing, robotics, artificial intelligence and more.His other businesses include The Washington Post newspaper and the private space firm Blue Origin.His successor Jassy joined Amazon as a marketing manager in 1997 and in 2003 founded AWS, the cloud services division of the company which has been one of the most profitable but least-known units of the tech giant.“Andy is well known inside the company and has been at Amazon almost as long as I have,” Bezos said in a statement. “He will be an outstanding leader, and he has my full confidence.”“Right now I see Amazon at its most inventive ever, making it an optimal time for this transition,” he said.Vast expansionBezos’s tenure at Amazon has been marked by a stunning success over the past few years that has seen a vast expansion globally and surges in profitability.The company based in Seattle, Washington, and is developing a second headquarters outside the US capital.Amazon’s market value was some US$1.69 trillion as of Tuesday, a tenfold increase from a decade ago, making it one of the world’s most valuable.Bezos’s stake gives him a personal fortune worth an estimated US$196 billion, slightly more than Elon Musk who had briefly captured the title of world’s wealthiest person.Amazon has faced criticism over workplace conditions at its extensive warehouse operations but has also led other businesses by guaranteeing a minimum US$15 per hour wage and has invested billions in Covid-19 mitigation.The company employs more than one million people worldwide including 800,000 in the US.The transition comes with Amazon and other large tech firms under heightened scrutiny from antitrust enforcers in the US and elsewhere for their dominance of key economic sectors, which has become even more pronounced during the Covid-19 pandemic.While Amazon has become the leading force in online commerce, Bezos has brushed aside criticism over its dominance of the sector.He told a congressional hearing last year that Amazon accounts for less than 4% of retail spending in the US and has a “range of retail competitors”.The latest quarterly results showed growth across all business segments including its cloud computing as Amazon has expanded its streaming media offerings and grocery operations.Neil Saunders of the research firm GlobalData said Amazon has boosted sales during the pandemic “off the back of its superior logistics network”, but also faces growing competition.“Looking ahead, we maintain our view that Amazon will emerge from the pandemic as a bigger and stronger business,” Saunders said.“We welcome the leadership change, if only because it will allow Jeff Bezos to focus more on innovation and new ideas, which will provide the fuel to power the engine of future growth.”


Malaysia's trade peaks at RM270 billion in two-year marathon growth

Malaysia's trade recorded a double-digit growth of 43.3% year-on-year in June 2022, even as the country battled the worst Covid-19 infections, according to figures released by the Department of Statistics.
Its total trade reached an all-time high of RM270.39 billion.
Exports increased 38.8% while imports increased 49.3% to RM124.23 billion, in a marathon growth over 22 months since September 2020.
The figures also show that total exports reached some RM146 billion last month.
International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali welcomed the development, saying it reflects a thriving domestic performance.
"With united determination and shared responsibility, I am confident Miti and Matrade (the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation) will maintain a positive momentum in facing the tide of boosting economic growth," he said.


Goldman Sachs freed of 1MDB bond sale charges

The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today acquitted and discharged UK-based Goldman Sachs International Ltd and its two Asian entities, Goldman Sachs (Asia) LLC and Goldman Sachs (Singapore), of charges relating to the sale of RM27.2 billion in 1MDB bonds.Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan made the decision after deputy public prosecutor Masri Mohd Daud told the court that the prosecution did not intend to pursue the charges against the accused and was therefore applying to withdraw all charges against Goldman Sachs.“Goldman Sachs International Ltd, Goldman Sachs (Asia) LLC and Goldman Sachs (Singapore) are therefore discharged amounting to an acquittal from all four charges made against them,” Zaini said.In December 2018, Malaysia filed four charges against the three entities for allegedly leaving out material facts on the sale of bonds between a subsidiary of 1MDB and Aabar Investment PJS Ltd (Aabar).The offences were allegedly committed at 1MDB, Level 8, Menara IMC, No. 8, Jalan Sultan Ismail between March 19, 2012 and Nov 11, 2013.The company was charged under Section 179 (c) of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007, punishable under Section 182 of the same act which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of not less than RM1 million upon conviction.The US Department of Justice estimated that about US$4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB between 2009 and 2014.On July 4, the finance ministry was reported as saying that Goldman Sachs had agreed to a total settlement of US$3.9 billion (RM16.6 billion) to resolve outstanding charges and claims related to the three bond transactions that the company had structured and arranged for 1MDB.The ministry said the settlement included a cash payment of US$2.5 billion and a guarantee of a full recovery value of at least US$1.4 billion in assets traceable to the diverted proceeds from the three bond transactions.


Prison department rejects Najib's bid to attend Dewan Rakyat

The prison department has rejected Najib Razak’s request to attend the Dewan Rakyat sitting, says his lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
Shafee told reporters that Najib’s request to attend was turned down by the department on grounds of safety.
"We wrote to the prison department director-general on Sept 19 and they replied to us that they won’t allow on grounds of safety. "I find it a bit off, surely the Parliament is safer than the court… because we have received the rejection, we have written an appeal to Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin," he said.
The lawyer also said that they would file a judicial review application on the prisons department’s decision if they did not receive a response from Hamzah and his ministry by noon tomorrow or in the event that their appeal is rejected.
Shafee said most importantly, they had also written a letter to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun on Najib’s eligibility as an MP.
"He (the speaker) himself has said that there are two documents: one is the pardon that has gone in within 14 days and the other one is the application for a review – Rule 137 of the Rules of the Federal Court 1995 – which is also within 14 days.
"Once Najib has done this within 14 days, either of these two, then he is automatically not disqualified. He remains an MP until these two matters are decided by the appropriate authorities – one by the court and the other by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or until the next general election," he said.
Shafee said his client also wanted the prison department to consider allowing him to visit his constituency in Pekan, Pahang.
"We have asked... once in a while he should be able, as long as he is an MP, to be escorted to his constituency. This is in order for him to hear the grouses of his people and then to delegate the work to his aides... and after that, he can come back to the prison," he said.
Earlier today, Azhar said the presence of the Pekan MP at the Dewan Rakyat would depend on the prisons department.
"This is not under my jurisdiction because he is not in my custody. Who has his custody? The prison department. So, it is up to them," he said at the Dewan Rakyat sitting.


Afghan families bury schoolchildren killed in blasts

Dozens of Afghan families have been burying their children who were killed in explosions outside a secondary school in the capital Kabul, on Saturday.More than 60 people died, mostly girls leaving their school in an area often hit by Sunni Islamist militants.The explosions are believed to have been caused by a car bomb and two improvised explosive devices.One survivor, Zahra, told reporters she was leaving the school as the blasts happened.“My classmate was killed. A few minutes later there was another explosion, and then another. Everyone was screaming and there was blood everywhere,” she said.No-one has admitted carrying out the attack. The Afghan government blamed the Taliban, but the group denied involvement.More than 150 people were injured in the attack. The area was busy with shoppers ahead of celebrations for Eid al-Fitr.Najiba Arian, ministry of education spokeswoman, told Reuters news agency the government-run school was open to boys and girls. Most of the those hurt were girls, who study in the second of three sessions.The neighbourhood in western Kabul where the blasts occurred is home to many from the Hazara minority community, who are of Mongolian and Central Asian descent and are mainly Shia Muslims. The Islamic State group (IS) views them as heretics and dozens have been killed in bombings at sports halls, cultural centres, and places of education.Almost exactly a year ago, a maternity unit at the local hospital was attacked, leaving 24 women, children and babies dead.Last year, and in 2018, IS suicide bombers struck tuition centres in the area killing more than 70 people.Nobel Prize winner and activist Malala Yousafzai – who was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 – posted about the “horrendous attack” on Twitter.“My heart is with the Kabul school victims’ families,” she wrote.Afghanistan is seeing increasing violence as the US and Nato prepare to pull out all remaining forces from the country on Sept 11.


Thais protest outside parliament after PM survives no-confidence vote

Over 1,000 protesters gathered outside Thailand’s parliament after Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and nine ministers survived a parliamentary no-confidence motion on Saturday.The vote followed a four-day censure debate, Reuters is reporting.“It was a disappointment, but expected,” protest leader Attapon Buapat said.Organisers gave assurances the protest would not turn violent.Another protest leader, Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul, told reporters after speaking to the police, “There is no reason for police to break up this demonstration.”Lawmakers had voted in favour of Prayuth and other ministers, as had been widely expected due to his coalition government’s majority in the lower house.Prayuth, a former chief of the armed forces, overthrew an elected prime minister in 2014 and stayed in office after a 2019 election that his rivals said was badly flawed.The government has said the elections were free and fair.“The debate went well, but the government must continue its work,” Prayuth said in a podcast after the vote. “I would like to ask all Thais to work together to bring the country forward.”The no-confidence motion came as pro-democracy protests returned after a lull brought on by a second outbreak of Covid-19. Opposition lawmakers are also condemning what they say is a slow government roll-out of the coronavirus vaccine.“We’ve opened a wound and now will pour salt on it,” Pita Limjaroenrat, head of the Move Forward Party told reporters after the vote.“4,000 officers have been prepared,” police deputy spokesman Kissana Pattanacharoen said, adding that the rallies were violating an emergency decree to control the coronavirus outbreak. “Police duty is to maintain order,” he said when asked if there would be use of force.Massive youth-led protests last year occupied streets in Bangkok, in demonstrations which spread to university campuses across the country.“It’s a critical moment in Thailand. We cannot wait, we don’t want people to think this is just on Twitter or Facebook,” 20-year-old student Ngamluk Montim told Reuters. “We are coming out to raise our voice. This is just the start.”


Thai economy slumps, households struggle with record debt

The current level of household debt in Thailand is the highest since the central bank began keeping records in 2003, and families are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with payments, Reuters reports.Thai households are among the biggest borrowers in Asia, racking up a debt mountain of 14 trillion baht, or 89.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of December, a sharp rise from 78.1% in 2017.High debt also poses a risk to financial stability and restrains consumer spending in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, impeding a recovery from the coronavirus crisis.The economy suffered its deepest slump in over two decades last year as exports shrank and the vital tourism sector was devastated by the absence of foreign visitors.New Covid-19 outbreaks have added to the pressure on some businesses and households, the central bank said last month, when it cut its 2021 GDP growth outlook to 3% from 3.2%, noting the economy would not return to pre-pandemic levels until mid-2022.While the latest flareup in infections has been largely contained, it has reinforced fears that an economic rebound will be slow and patchy.The government has promised one trillion baht in relief to ease the impact of the outbreak, but some say relief is not being rolled out fast enough for many Thais.Last year, a woman took rat poison outside the finance ministry to protest the slow response. She survived and was promised her payment days later.The growing debt burden is likely to curb private consumption, which accounts for half of Thailand’s US$502 billion GDP, and will hurt lenders’ earnings if more loans turn sour.The pandemic slowed down loan demand last year, but the slumping economy also made it more difficult for people to repay their loans.For years, easy credit for consumers and businesses has prompted many warnings about the dangers of rising household debt in Thailand, and now the pandemic has left millions of people out of work.About 4.7 million workers are at risk of being affected by the outbreak, of which 1.2 million workers might become unemployed or underemployed, the central bank said in January.Even after the economy has recovered and more jobs are available, the debt will take a long time to bring down.“We may earn more but that will go to debt servicing, not much left to spend,” said Aree Onkloi, 22, a worker from the northern province of Phitsanulok, whose family owes nearly a million baht. “We will have to keep borrowing and never get out of it.”Growing pressure is on the Thai government, which is already grappling with mounting pro-democracy demonstrations and struggling to revive the pandemic-hit economy.


More roadblocks to come in Selangor, KL, says home minister

More roadblocks will be mounted, especially in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, following an increase in the number of vehicles on the road, says Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin.He said this could take the number up to 1,000 roadblocks per day compared to the current 930.“Yesterday, I noticed that there were still many vehicles plying the roads and I have discussed with the inspector-general of police (Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani) to increase the number of roadblocks in certain areas, especially in the two states (Kuala Lumpur and Selangor).“I also made inspections in Penang and found the same situation happening in certain areas,” he told a press conference after a surprise visit to check on SOP compliance at a shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur today.Hamzah said he was not satisfied with the number of vehicles on the road despite the total lockdown enforced nationwide on June 1.On SOP compliance at shopping centres, he said he wants more SOP compliance teams at premises to ensure the Covid-19 infection curve is flattened.“As we are well aware, Malaysians tend to frequent shopping centres during the weekends as a leisure activity.“I want to tell the people to just stay home unless they really need essential items, but if they are visiting these premises just to meet and gather then I want the SOP teams to beef up their monitoring,” he said.Hamzah also apologised to the people if there had been rough treatment on the part of SOP compliance team members, saying they had been under a lot of stress lately due to many cases of SOP violations.“They (SOP teams) only act that way to ensure the people strictly adhere to the SOPs,” he said.


US accuses China of massive Microsoft hack

The US on Monday accused Beijing of carrying out a massive hack of Microsoft and charged four Chinese nationals as it rallied allies in rare joint condemnation of “malicious” cyber activity from China.In comments likely to further strain worsening relations between Washington and Beijing, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the March hack of Microsoft Exchange, a top email server for corporations around the world, was part of a “pattern of irresponsible, disruptive and destabilising behaviour in cyberspace, which poses a major threat to our economic and national security”.China’s Ministry of State Security, or MSS, “has fostered an ecosystem of criminal contract hackers who carry out both state-sponsored activities and cybercrime for their own financial gain”, Blinken said in a statement.In a simultaneous announcement, the US Department of Justice said four Chinese nationals had been charged with hacking the computers of dozens of companies, universities and government bodies in the US and abroad between 2011 and 2018.Pointing to the indictment, Blinken said the US “will impose consequences on (Chinese) malicious cyber actors for their irresponsible behaviour in cyberspace”.President Joe Biden told reporters the US was still completing an investigation before taking any countermeasures and drew parallels with the murky but prolific cybercrime attributed by Western officials to Russia.“The Chinese government, not unlike the Russian government, is not doing this themselves, but are protecting those who are doing it, and maybe even accommodating them being able to do it,” Biden told reporters.Nato solidarityBiden, like his predecessor Donald Trump, has ramped up pressure on China, seeing the rising Asian power’s increasingly assertive moves at home and abroad as the main long-term threat to the US.In a step that the Biden administration hailed as unprecedented, the US coordinated its statement Monday with allies – the European Union, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and Nato.“The cyberattack on Microsoft Exchange Server by Chinese state-backed groups was a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour,” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.Nato issued a statement condemning malicious cyber activity and offering “solidarity” over the Microsoft hacking without directly assigning blame, while noting that allies US, Britain and Canada found China to be responsible.State Department spokesman Ned Price said it was the first time that Nato – the Western military alliance whose members include Hungary and Turkey, which have comparatively cordial relations with Beijing – has condemned cyber activity from China.It comes weeks after Nato took up China at a summit attended by Biden.“We know we’ll be stronger, we know we’ll be more effective when we act collectively,” Price said, saying the US was not ruling out further action.Biden has promised a strategy driven by alliances to face Beijing, drawing a contrast with Trump’s predilection for harsh rhetoric.Billions seen lostFrank Cilluffo, director of Auburn University’s McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security, praised the “breadth and depth of international cooperation” in clearly attributing responsibility to China.“In addition to the indictments, we need to follow through to ensure there are consequences to induce changes in the Chinese government’s behaviour and hopefully move toward levelling the cyber playing field,” he said.The Microsoft hack, which exploited flaws in the Microsoft Exchange service, affected at least 30,000 US organisations including local governments as well as organisations worldwide.“Responsible states do not indiscriminately compromise global network security nor knowingly harbour cyber criminals – let alone sponsor or collaborate with them,” Blinken said in his statement.“These contract hackers cost governments and businesses billions of dollars in stolen intellectual property, ransom payments, and cybersecurity mitigation efforts, all while the MSS had them on its payroll.”Accusations of cyberattacks against the United States have recently focused on Russia, rather than China.US officials say that many of the attacks originate in Russia, although they have debated to what extent there is state involvement. Russia denies responsibility.This year has seen a slew of prominent ransomware strikes that have disrupted a major US pipeline, a meat processor and the software firm Kaseya, which affected 1,500 businesses.Last week, Washington offered US$10 million for information about foreign online extortionists.


AstraZeneca hails trial results for Covid treatment

Drug firm AstraZeneca on Friday announced positive results from a trial of a treatment for Covid-19 symptoms.The drug, made from a combination of two antibodies, was initially developed as a treatment for those who had already been exposed to the disease.A new trial of 5,197 participants who had not been exposed showed a 77% reduced risk of developing symptomatic disease, with no severe cases recorded, Astra said in a statement.A previous trial of the AZD7442 drug had shown it only reduced the risk of developing symptoms by 33%, which it concluded in June was not statistically significant.The data shows that one dose could “quickly and effectively prevent symptomatic Covid-19”, said Myron Levin, principal trial investigator.“With these exciting results, AZD7442 could be an important tool in our arsenal to help people who may need more than a vaccine to return to their normal lives.”It is hoped that the drug could be used alongside vaccines for those who need more protection, affording up to 12 months of defence.Participants in the trial were adults who were poor responders or intolerant to vaccines, or who had increased risk of infection because of their locations or circumstances.The US government has funded the development of AZD7442 and has agreements to receive 700,000 doses.The company will now send the data to health authorities for potential emergency use authorisation or conditional approval.AstraZeneca already makes the most widely offered vaccine in the UK, although those under 40 are offered Pfizer or Moderna instead because of concerns over possible side effects.


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Pressed for details, Zahid says prosecution trying to 'trap' him

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is making his defence on corruption charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds, told the court today that the prosecution was trying to trap him by repeating questions on the same issue.
Zahid, 69, said this after deputy public prosecutor Harris Ong Mohd Jeffery Ong pushed him for details on donations given to the foundation.
The former deputy prime minister had replied that it sufficed for him to see the monthly bank statements and the ledger which recorded the transfer of the foundation's funds into the client's account at the law firm of Messrs Lewis & Co, which was entrusted with managing the fund.
"The donation was not made in my name, but to a foundation, and if the foundation is managed by a law firm and it is clear the donation had been credited, it is immoral to ask who the giver is or whether the money has been credited… putting this question to me repeatedly, is to trap me," he said.
Harris Ong however told the court that the prosecution was only trying to seek justice, adding that the facts needed to be presented so that the court could make a decision.
Lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, representing Zahid, was not satisfied with the explanation, and said that the prosecution could bring the matter up during submissions.
High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah however later asked the deputy public prosecutor to continue with his questions.
When asked a similar question by the deputy public prosecutor, the Bagan Datuk MP told the court that there were three different dates and that it was impossible for him to remember.
"I was not shown the original cheques, but there was a monthly statement that matched the ledger," he said.
Earlier, Harris Ong referred Zahid to 11 cheques amounting to RM3.8 million from various individuals and corporate bodies for donations to Yayasan Akalbudi. The money was credited into a customer's account at Lewis & Co. Zahid said he did not know who the owner of the cheques were as he had never seen the cheques physically.
On Jan 24, the court ordered Zahid to enter his defence on 47 charges: 12 of breach of trust, eight charges of corruption and 27 of money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit of funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
The trial before judge Sequerah continues.


UN sees emergency aid needs exploding due to pandemic

The UN said Tuesday that US$35 billion would be needed for aid in 2021, as the pandemic leaves tens of millions more people in crisis, and with the risk of multiple famines looming.The world body’s annual Global Humanitarian Overview estimated that 235 million people worldwide will need some form of emergency assistance next year – a staggering 40% increase in the past year.“The increase arises almost entirely because of Covid-19,” United Nations emergency relief coordinator Mark Lowcock told reporters.Next year, one in 33 people worldwide will be in need of aid, the report found, stressing that if all of them lived in one country, it would be the world’s fifth largest nation.The annual appeal by UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations usually presents a depressing picture of soaring needs brought on by conflicts, displacement, natural disasters and climate change.But now, it warned, the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1.45 million people worldwide, has disproportionately hit those “already living on a knife’s edge”.“The picture we are presenting is the bleakest and darkest perspective on humanitarian need in the period ahead that we have ever set out,” Lowcock said.The money requested in the appeal would be enough to help 160 million of the most vulnerable people across 56 countries, the UN said.‘Alarm bells are ringing’For the first time since the 1990s, extreme poverty is set to rise, life expectancy will fall and the annual death toll from HIV, tuberculosis and malaria could potentially double.“Possibly the most alarming thing… is the threat of the return of famines, potentially in multiple locations,” Lowcock said.With only one true famine so far in the 21st century – in Somalia nearly a decade ago – mass starvation had appeared to have been “assigned to the dustbin of history”, he said.But now, he warned, “the red lights are flashing and the alarm bells are ringing”.By the end of 2020, the number of acutely food-insecure people worldwide could swell to as much as 270 million – an 82% increase over the pre-Covid-19 number.Conditions in Yemen, Burkina Faso, South Sudan and northeastern Nigeria indicated they are already on the brink of famine, while a range of other countries and regions, including Afghanistan and the Sahel, were also “potentially very vulnerable”, he said.“If we get through 2021 without major famines, that will be a significant achievement.”Tuesday’s appeal shows that war-ravaged Syria and Yemen top the list of the countries most in need of humanitarian assistance.The UN is seeking close to US$6 billion to help millions of Syrians inside and outside the country wracked by a decade of conflict.And it is asking for nearly US$3.5 billion to help nearly 20 million Yemenis caught up in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.‘Darkest hour’Other major crises requiring substantial funds include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan and Ethiopia.Raising the full US$35 billion needed at a time of global economic crisis could meanwhile be a daunting task – the amount is more than double the US$17 billion raised so far this year.That amount is already a record, but still falls far short of the nearly US$29 billion asked for during last year’s appeal, even before the pandemic reared its head.“The crisis is far from over. Humanitarian aid budgets face dire shortfalls as the impact of the global pandemic continues to worsen,” UN chief Antonio Guterres said in a statement.“Together we must mobilise resources and stand in solidarity with people in their darkest hour of need.”Lowcock meanwhile insisted that while the total dollar amount asked for seemed high, it was actually tiny compared to the amounts wealthy countries are pumping in to rescue their tanking economies.“What is at stake is the lives of huge numbers of vulnerable people, and the cost of safeguarding their lives is actually very small in relation to all of the other challenges we face.”


Packed off to jail, can Najib manage a comeback?

Political analysts say Najib Razak might still have hope of a comeback after being sent to prison by the Federal Court to serve time for charges linked to the misappropriation of tens of millions, although the extent of his influence would remain to be seen.
Those who spoke to MalaysiaNow said Najib could still rise again if he succeeds in obtaining a pardon from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
But whether he would still hold the same sway is anyone's guess, they said, citing the example of PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim who was jailed in 1999 on charges of abusing power.
In that case, Anwar was sentenced to six years in jail. The following year, he was handed an imprisonment of another nine years for charges of committing sodomy. In 2004, however, this conviction was overturned by the Federal Court.
But despite still wielding popular support as well as support from foreign countries, coupled with the continued momentum of the reform movement and mass protests, he was unable to overthrow the Barisan Nasional (BN) government on his own and instal himself as prime minister in Putrajaya.
Pakatan Harapan only succeeded in toppling BN with the added strength of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his party at the time, Bersatu.
Political analyst Mujibu Abd Muis said Najib still had hope of staging a comeback given his loyal support base which had remained behind him even after he was ousted as prime minister at the 2018 general election.
Mujibu, of Universiti Teknologi Mara, said Najib's political aura was rooted in a strong dynastic history, particularly from his father Abdul Razak Hussein who was Malaysia's second prime minister.
This, along with his "Bossku" tagline which he had used to rebrand himself after his fall from power, had kept him relevant among his supporters, especially in terms of helping BN gain support in rural areas.
"If he wants to return to the political arena, this is strong proof that he still has hope," Mujibu said.
He said Najib's biggest hurdle would be his ineligibility to contest an election, as the Federal Court's ruling yesterday meant that the former prime minister's Pekan seat was automatically vacated.
"That's why his final option is to get a pardon," he said.
"If Najib manages to pull that off, he will have no problem at all because his influence and background are still strong, and his personality and service to the people are hard to forget."
Opposition chief Anwar, for instance, had received an unconditional pardon on May 16, 2018 from Sultan Muhammad V, who was the Agong at the time.
This allowed him to leave prison and clear his name after being sentenced to five years in jail for a sodomy offence, and to run for the Port Dickson parliamentary seat.
Analyst Oh Ei Sun from the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said Najib would certainly attempt to return to politics by getting a pardon like Anwar.
"For sure, this is not the end," he added.
He said Najib would try to rally sympathy by portraying his prosecution as politically motivated.
"He can return to the political arena," he said. "He will try for the same solution as Anwar."
In the event that he does manage to pull off a return, Mujibu said Najib would have other opportunities as the former Umno president had entered the political world through different means than Anwar.
While Najib could be seen as Anwar's equal, he said, he had a different aura thanks to his father.
"Anwar came from the people while Najib came from an elite family," he said.
"Their situations are different but their scopes of influence are both strong. This gives them their individual strengths."


MH17 crash investigators to reveal new findings

International investigators said they will next month unveil the result of a probe into "other parties" involved in downing Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, after three people were found guilty last year.
The findings are expected to deal with their research into who actually fired the missile that shot down the plane over eastern Ukraine in 2014, and who originally supplied the Russian-made projectile.
The two Russians and a Ukrainian sentenced to life in absentia for murder by a Dutch court in November were not found to have fired the trigger, but only to have helped bring the missile into Ukraine.
But now at a press conference in The Hague on Feb 8, investigators will reveal the "results of the ongoing investigation into other parties involved in the downing of flight MH17", the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) said in a statement.
Relatives of the victims would be informed first, it said.
"In addition to the involvement of the DPR (Donetsk People's Republic), the JIT also investigated the crew of the Buk-Telar and those responsible for supplying this Russian weapon system that downed MH17."
Dutch judges found that Russians Igor Girkin and Sergei Dubinsky and Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko were members of the separatist DPR, and that the group was controlled by Moscow.
Judges however said it was not clear who had actually operated the BUK missile system when the plane was shot down.
All 298 people on board the plane were killed when it was shot down over separatist-held eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014.
Russia has denied any involvement in the shooting down of the plane, or in controlling the separatists.
The JIT comprises members from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, the countries worst affected by the crash of the doomed Boeing 777.
European rights judges in Strasbourg on Monday separately ruled that most of the complaints lodged by the Netherlands over MH17 were admissible.


New cases stay above 1,000 mark

Another 1,294 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 347,972.Selangor recorded 455 cases, Sarawak 217, Penang 139 and Johor 103.Kuala Lumpur recorded 88 cases, Kelantan 66, Sabah 63, Pahang 57, Negeri Sembilan 31, Melaka 22, Kedah 21, Perak 14, Terengganu eight, Putrajaya five, Labuan four and Perlis one.Ten new clusters were detected:1. Banjaran Gading (Kota Kinabalu in Sabah; 20 screened, eight positive)2. Simpang Empat (Kunak in Saba; 100 screened, 11 positive)3. Industri Bukit Angkat (Hulu Langat in Selangor; 59 screened, 38 positive)4. Jalan Taat (Johor Bahru in Johor; 30 screened, nine positive)5. Jalan Bukit Nanas (Cheras, Titiwangsa and Kepong in Kuala Lumpur; 60 screened, nine positive)6. Jalan Padang (Tampin, Rembau, Kuala Pilah and Jempol in Negeri Sembilan, and Alor Gajah in Melaka; 101 screened, 14 positive)7. Wakaf Chagak (Kuala Nerus and Kuala Terengganu in Terengganu; 167 screened, nine positive)8. Kalindukan (Nabawan in Sabah; 149 screened, 13 positive)9. Permatang Pasir (Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan; 27 screened, 11 positive)10. Pekan Batu (Hulu Langat in Selangor; 30 screened, 15 positive)Nine others ended, leaving 363 active clusters across the country.Another 1,442 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 332,443.However, five more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,283.


Death rate far higher among unvaccinated patients than those with booster jabs

The death rate of unvaccinated Covid-19 patients is significantly higher than those who have completed their vaccination and received booster shots, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin says.According to data showing deaths per 100 thousand population according to vaccination status from Jan 1 until Feb 19 shared by Khairy on Twitter, the death rate of unvaccinated patients between the ages 40 and 49 was 92.09 for every 100,000 people.This is far higher than the death rate of 3.08 for patients who had completed their vaccination and 3.18 for those who had taken their booster shots for the same age category.For patients aged 80 and above, the death rate was 167.06 among unvaccinated patients, compared to 119.34 for those who had completed their vaccination and 42.00 for those with booster shots.Meanwhile, the death rate of unvaccinated patients aged 18 to 29 was 8.14 compared to 0.98 for patients who had completed their vaccination and 0 for those with booster shots.For those aged 30 to 39, the death rate was 14.00 for every 100,000 people for unvaccinated patients compared to 1.90 for those who completed their vaccination and 4.18 for those with booster shots.For patients aged 50 to 59, the death rate was 49.46 for unvaccinated patients, 6.62 for those who had completed their vaccination, and 4.41 for those who had taken a booster shot.For those aged 60 to 69, the death rate was 116.20 for unvaccinated patients, 14.58 for those who had completed their vaccination, and 5.60 for those who had received a booster shot.For those aged 70 to 79, the death rate was 74.97 for unvaccinated patients, 44.29 for those who had completed their vaccination, and 8.16 for those who took a booster shot.Khairy said the data showed the effectiveness of booster shots against the Omicron wave.“Boosters offer the best protection against Covid-19 fatalities and serious symptoms.“Stop reading nonsense conspiracy theories on FB. Protect yourselves. Get your booster shots,” he said.


Kedah authorities refute fake news on girl’s death after Covid jab

The Kedah health department today denied that a female student in Baling had recently died due to her Covid-19 vaccination.Its director Dr Othman Warijo said the department had investigated the matter and found that the allegation was not true.“The investigation found that the girl was an SPM graduate and no longer a student. She received a single dose of Covid-19 vaccine on Sept 5, 2021 at the Dewan Tun Abdul Razak vaccination centre, Baling.“She complained of stomach pain on Sept 19, 2021 and was given treatment at Hospital Baling. However, 20 days after she was vaccinated, which was on Sept 25, 2021, she was taken to Hospital Baling after becoming unconscious.“Her health condition deteriorated and she was later pronounced dead,” Othman said in a statement today.He said the body was taken to Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah for an autopsy which found that she had died due to a ruptured thoracic aneurysm and that her death had nothing to do with the vaccine injection.He extended the department’s condolences to the student’s family and advised the public not to believe unconfirmed news about Covid-19 and Covid-19 vaccines.


Not happy? Take it to court, Saifuddin says on exemption for Umno

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail yesterday defended his decision to grant Umno exemption in accordance with Section 70 of the Societies Act 1966 (Act 832) regarding the party's election, describing it as applicable.
He said if Umno members who had previously brought the issue to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) were not satisfied with the decision, they could take it to court.
"Party members, after taking the case to RoS, and the RoS gives a decision or the minister has given a decision and they are still not satisfied, can take it to court.
"The process is that he has to give the basis of his statement, prepare an affidavit, then name who is the defendant," he told reporters when met in the lobby of the Parliament building.
Earlier, when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2023 for the home ministry, Saifuddin said the exemption given to Umno was based on Section 70 of Act 832.
"Section 70 of the act specifically allows the minister to make some exceptions and the decision I made was directed to the exception of compliance with Section 13 of the same act," he said.
Saifuddin previously said he had granted Umno an exemption from compliance with Section 13(1)(c)(iv) of Act 832, regarding its additional motion not to contest the positions of president and deputy president in its election this year.
The exemption was given in accordance with Section 70 of the act which provides that the minister may use his discretion to exempt any registered organisation from all or any of the provisions in Act 832.


Foreign labour, Malay reserve land on the agenda at Dewan Rakyat

Issues on foreign labour and the original extent of Malay reserve land in the peninsula are expected to be the focus of the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.
According to the order paper, Chow Kon Yeow (PH-Batu Kawan) will ask the human resources minister about ongoing negotiations, completed ones and those still in the process, as well as potential countries for the supply of labour to the country.
The question will be raised during the oral question-and-answer session. Chow will also ask about the number of workers expected to be brought in and the length of time needed to overcome the current labour shortage.
Another question to the human resources minister will be raised by Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Semporna) on whether the government will formulate a clear, concrete and consistent policy in tackling the problem of labour shortage, while ensuring the availability of jobs for Malaysians and preventing an influx of foreigners, especially illegal immigrants.
There will also be a question to the natural resources, environment and climate change minister by Ismail Abd Muttalib (PN-Maran) regarding Malay reserve land.
Ismail will ask about the original size of Malay reserve land in states where the area is decreasing and the government’s plans to overcome the problem.
Meanwhile, Hasni Mohammad (BN-Simpang Renggam) will also ask the natural resources, environment and climate change minister about the country’s progress in becoming a carbon neutral country by 2050, which is also contained in the 12th Malaysia Plan.
The question-and-answer session will be followed by the tabling of the Sexual Offences Against Children (Amendment) Bill 2023 for a second reading.


Daily caseload at 269, no new deaths reported

Another 269 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 5,036,140.
There were 285 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,989,720.
There are now 9,480 active cases, of which 9,088 or 95.9% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 0 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 371 (3.9%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 21 are in ICU with 14 in need of respiratory assistance.
No new deaths were reported, leaving the death toll unchanged at 36,940.


Education ministry happy with online classes during MCO

The education ministry says it is satisfied with the online teaching and learning activities implemented during the movement control order period to curb the spread of Covid-19.Deputy Education Minister I Muslimin Yahaya said a study conducted by the ministry showed that only 36% of students had no access to the internet or the necessary devices.“The ministry is aware of the problem,” he told Bernama. “To overcome it, education TV will be promoted to ensure the best level of education for the country.“Students and teachers are advised to proceed with online learning and to conduct face-to-face learning as we need to have both.“E-learning will not only help produce more creative teachers, but will also produce students who are able to think critically, take information, analyse, draw conclusions and master the digital world.”


Anti-hopping law should apply only to MPs who leave their parties, says Muhyiddin

Pagoh MP Muhyiddin Yassin today said that the anti-party hopping act to be passed in Parliament should only apply to MPs seeking to leave their parties of their own accord.“The amendment to Article 10 of the Federal Constitution must be clear in its meaning, which is to restrict only MPs who are members of a political party from leaving the party in question,” he said when debating the second reading of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill at a special session of the Dewan Rakyat today.“This amendment should not cover other matters,” he said, adding that an overly broad definition in the draft law could lead to misuse by the government to deny the rights of elected representatives.“It could be considered as restricting the freedom of association of MPs and state assemblymen,” the Perikatan Nasional chairman said.He also disagreed with the inclusion of MPs who are sacked from their parties under the definition of party hopping.“There is no room for such MPs to challenge their parties’ decision in court because of the ouster clause in Section 18C of the Societies Act 1966,” he said.“Appeals can only be made to the Supreme Councils which are controlled by the party leaders. Is this fair?”Law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar earlier said that a meeting between the prime minister and Pakatan Harapan (PH) today had determined that the amendment would be subject to it specifically addressing MPs who switch parties, the proposal to repeal Article 48(6) of the constitution, and the enactment of legislation related to the ban on MPs jumping ship.This follows the government’s agreement yesterday to establish a special committee comprising representatives from the government, the opposition and academics to work on and draft the anti-party hopping bill.Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Pejuang-Langkawi) meanwhile said that certain situations would require a jump, for example when no single party is able to obtain a simple majority at an election.“This would not be a jumping event if the decision is made by the party and not the individual who is likely to be appointed as a minister,” he said.“All of this needs to be studied by the special committee so that the right of Malaysians to association is not disturbed by the government.”Anthony Loke (PH-Seremban) said the opposition had agreed to refer the draft law to the special committee to allow MPs who resign from their parties to contest again at elections.“We feel that, in the spirit of the amendment this time, freedom needs to be returned to the people,” he said.“Let MPs who have resigned contest again.”MPs who resign from their parties are currently prohibited from contesting elections for a period of five years.


Cities outside KL see better property demand in 2020

Demand for secondhand property for the year 2020 was better for cities outside Kuala Lumpur, an overview of subsale property demand by property site iProperty.com shows.According to iProperty’s 2020 Property Demand Analytics, the cities of Shah Alam and Seremban recorded positive demand of +1.7% and +0.9% respectively while demand for subsale property in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre contracted by -8.9% with an 11% decline in capital growth.“The property demand for Kuala Lumpur dropped by -1.3% with apartment and flat user visits declining as well, as one of the groups hardest hit during the Covid-19 pandemic is the B40,” REA Group Asia general manager of customer data solutions Premendran Pathmanathan said in a presentation today.He added that the suburban areas in Selangor had benefitted from the population outflow brought on by the pandemic.On the higher demand for subsale units outside Kuala Lumpur, he said several factors are involved including an increase in population migration and the new trend of working from home.This has seen people moving to affordable housing areas in the suburbs of Selangor and other states, leaving Kuala Lumpur’s property market muted.“These residential suburbs offer larger properties with better value for money and have seen some of the fastest growths in demand,” he said, listing districts such as Puncak Alam, Dengkil and Semenyih.Selangor has been the only major state to record a positive demand in subsale property since the start of the pandemic, with Serendah chalking up the biggest growth in demand in 2020 due mainly to apartments and flats priced below RM100,000 and with built-up spaces of below 750 square feet.Meanwhile, cities like Kepala Batas and Balik Pulau in Penang and Muar, Batu Pahat, Iskandar Puteri and Kluang in Johor have also attracted buyers, contributing to the overall trend of subsale property demand in 2020.Premendran said the decline in property demand in Kuala Lumpur was expected sooner, when the movement control order was implemented.“The Covid-19 pandemic has shifted the way everyone lives and works, and 2021 will be a challenging year as the property market is dependent on the economy of the country,” he said, adding however that the property market would likely recover once vaccines have been rolled out.He also spoke of government efforts such as the extension of stamp duty exemptions to the secondary market under Budget 2021, the progressive reduction of the overnight policy rate and the reduction in EPF contribution which he said is expected to provide opportunities for property seekers to explore subsale residential properties and ease home loan repayments which have sparked interest in property purchase among middle and upper-income households.


Take criticism along with praise, lawyer tells PM

A senior lawyer has drawn comparisons between Anwar Ibrahim's use of the police against his detractors after his appointment as prime minister and the behaviour of former leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad in this regard.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Rafique Rashid said Mahathir, who was dubbed "Maha Firaun" during his first tenure as prime minister from 1981 to 2003, had asked the police not to arrest those who hurled insults at him after he was appointed to the top office for a second time in 2018.
The veteran leader had said this after several police reports were made against a man accused of "excessively insulting Mahathir and the religion of Islam".
Rafique, a member of Mahathir's Pejuang bloc, said politicians as public figures should be ready to receive criticism alongside praise, slamming the government's request for the police to act against Anwar's detractors.
"There is a clear difference between these two figures," he said.
"Anwar hasn't been in power a week yet and he's already made a police report."
If the PKR president truly felt that his reputation had been damaged by the criticism against him, Rafique added, he should report the matter to the police himself without going through a third party.
"If he really wants to make a police report, why doesn't he do it himself?" he said.
"Why should he have to use flunkeys or his party in order to act?"
Lawyers group Lawyers for Liberty had also criticised Anwar, saying the PH chairman should file a defamation suit in a civil court if he felt aggrieved.
Rafique agreed with the suggestion, calling it a more orderly method in terms of the law.
He gave the example of the defamation suit brought by former deputy minister Chew Mei Fun against DAP leaders Tony Pua and Yeo Bee Yin over the alleged approval of the sale of land at a low price to MCA.
Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob meanwhile had sued Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Adam for defamation with malicious intent regarding a video uploaded to social media.
"This is proof that the civil process can also allow us justice in court," Rafique said.
"Using the police is like saying that the prime minister or anyone in the government cannot be criticised at all."
Adding that everyone had the right to defend themselves and their reputations, Rafique nevertheless said that this should not cause the police or the courts to postpone more important cases in order to handle the reports and defamation suits of certain politicians.
"Keep a low profile and do your work," he said. "In the end, the people will judge you based on your work.
"If you're a politician today, will you spend every day suing people or going to the police station? Surely not. Just ignore criticism like this."
PH communications director Fahmi Fadzil said on Nov 28 that Anwar had directed the police to act against those who spread slander against him.
"Anwar does not intend to take action against public criticism of him such as wearing ‘capal’ (sandals) (when clocking into the Prime Minister's Office).
"But we draw the line against elements of slander such as accusing Anwar of being an agent of Israel and so on... he (the prime minister) has asked the police to take action," he said.
The police later said that an investigation had been launched into Baling MP Hassan Saad for allegedly labelling Anwar as an agent of Israel.
They had earlier said that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang was being investigated for remarks against the prime minister, under laws pertaining to criminal insult as well as online content.


Selangor to consider house-to-house screening for Covid-19

The Selangor government will consider a proposal for Covid-19 screening tests to be conducted from house to house, says Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.He said this would also depend on the availability of manpower, including volunteers.“To do the screening test from house to house will require a huge team,” he told reporters after launching the Selangor Prihatin Humanitarian Fund for Palestinians in Shah Alam today.On the Selangor Prihatin Humanitarian Fund, he said it was one of the state government’s efforts to express solidarity with the Palestinian people.It aims to collect RM1 million for medical equipment and ambulances, he said, adding that RM223,957.77 was raised for the fund today.


Indonesia judicial body to question judges over election delay ruling

Indonesia's judicial oversight body on Friday said it would summon judges from a district court to explain what it called a "controversial" ruling that effectively ordered a delay in 2024 presidential and general elections.
Handling a lawsuit from an obscure party whose election registration was denied, the Central Jakarta district court on Thursday ruled the election commission must halt all of its election preparations for more than two years.
The decision, which would push back national polls until 2025 at the earliest, has drawn widespread criticism and questions about the court's authority and why it deemed all election processes must be stopped.
"If there are strong suspicions that there was a foul play from the part of the judges, then the commission will probe said judges," said Miko Ginting, a spokesperson for Indonesia's Judicial Commission.
The court has yet to publish its full ruling and excerpts made available on its website did not provide an explanation. Zulkifli Atjo, a court spokesperson, said the decision was the prerogative of the judges.
The election commission, or KPU, on Thursday said it would appeal the decision and forge ahead with organising the polls.
The ruling has revived a debate regarding President Joko Widodo's tenure, where some senior political figures openly back the idea of him staying beyond his second term, which ends next year, while others warn that would roll back two decades of hard-won democratic reforms.
Indonesia's constitution limits a president to two terms and the Constitutional Court made clear in a ruling on another case on Tuesday that there could be no extension beyond that.
"If the discourse comes back to surface, it will create more uncertainties around the elections," said Arya Fernandes, an analyst at Indonesia's Centre for Strategic and International Studies, adding it would also create an unstable investment climate.
Jokowi, as the incumbent is popularly known, has previously said he rejects the idea of extending his time in office.
Jaleswari Pramodhawardani, a senior official at the office of Jokowi's chief of staff, on Friday called for calm and said the government "is still committed" to hold elections in February next year.
Multiple surveys have showed most Indonesians are against extending Jokowi's term.
Jokowi's ruling party and the country's chief security minister have opposed Thursday's decision, saying a district court has no authority to decide election issues, echoing concerns from law experts.
Said Iqbal, chairman of the Labour Party, said workers would protest the decision as it goes against the Constitutional Court's ruling that a sitting president's tenure could not be extended beyond the existing limit.


Rights group slams call for private hospitals to offer Covid-19 jabs

A rights group has spoken against calls for Putrajaya to allow private hospitals to administer Covid-19 vaccines, saying this will give rise to another form of queue-cutting in favour of the rich.Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) warned that any proposal to commercialise the vaccines on the pretext of helping authorities speed up the inoculation drive would only undermine the vaccination programme.It said letting the private sector procure vaccines to run its own vaccination programme would contradict the principles of equality in the vaccination programme.“Allowing private hospitals to make money by vaccinating queue jumpers is not an option,” said Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy.This comes in the wake of a call by a private hospitals association for private hospitals to be allowed to participate in the Covid-19 vaccination.But Suaram hit out at the view, saying private hospitals had not responded well to helping the government fight the pandemic in the early stage.“The private hospitals’ involvement in battling Covid-19 was confined to providing limited private beds for a small number of Covid-19 patients.“Moreover, even the Covid-19 testing provided by private hospitals came at an exorbitant cost and the private hospitals are most likely to shift their patients who are tested positive to their public counterparts,” it said.On Monday, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin revealed that there had been cases of individuals jumping the vaccine queue by registering to receive the jabs despite not being considered as frontliners.This prompted the government’s Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Committee to issue guidelines to clearly spell out who will receive the vaccines under the different phases.Suaram said allowing the vaccines to be commercially available would only serve to widen the gap between the rich and poor in terms of access to the vaccines.“Thus, the rich and the privileged should banish any idea that they can use their wealth to buy privilege by jumping the vaccination queue. The vaccine is in short supply and most poor countries do not even have access to any.”It said the short supply of Covid-19 vaccines worldwide meant that vaccine prices could be raised, making them even more inaccessible to the poor or vulnerable.Suaram said the government’s current vaccination drive was designed to address the shortage by having several categories of people who will receive the jabs under different phases.“We should not disregard the fact that the phases of the vaccination programme were explicitly designed to prioritise high-risk individuals and to ensure that almost all Malaysians are guaranteed a shot of vaccination with no cost incurred.“Private hospitals should instead volunteer their premises as additional vaccination points to speed up the government’s free vaccination programme.”The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, which began on Feb 24, will be implemented in three phases with its first phase, from February to April, involving 500,000 frontliners.Phase 2, from April to August, will involve senior citizens aged 65 and above, high-risk groups and the disabled – about 9.4 million people – while Phase 3 from May this year to February 2022 will cover Malaysians and non-citizens aged 18 and above, targeting more than 13.7 million people.


In urban Malay township of Bandar Tun Razak, tough fight for wife of PKR boss

For over a week, the Bandar Tun Razak seat in Kuala Lumpur has witnessed a three-way fight for support among candidates from the country's biggest political coalitions.
Now, with just days to go before polling on Nov 19, the race appears to have boiled down to Pakatan Harapan's (PH) candidate, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and the incumbent, Kamarudin Jaffar of Perikatan Nasional (PN) who won the seat on a PKR ticket in 2018.
Conversations with voters however indicated that Wan Azizah, the deputy prime minister in PH's 22-month government, may find it difficult to wrest the seat from her one-time party colleague.
Jamaliah Jali, who has lived at the Sri Kota flats for decades, said many voters in the area rejected Barisan Nasional's candidate, MCA man Chew Yee Kin, due to issues of race.
"The contest is between Wan Azizah and Kamarudin," she said.
"Wan Azizah came to campaign the other day and met me at my shop. But it wasn't very exciting," she added.
About 10,000 residents live at the low-cost flats – a valuable vote bank for anyone looking to win the election race.
Jamaliah said although Wan Azizah had been the deputy prime minister from 2018 to 2020, this did not count for much when compared to the track record of Kamarudin as the incumbent.
"The makciks really like him because he always comes around to meet with the residents association," she said.
"We got a lot of aid during the Covid-19 pandemic."
Kamarudin won the Bandar Tun Razak seat in 2018 with a majority of nearly 20,000. The question ahead of the upcoming election is whether he will be able to maintain such a lead after switching camps to join Bersatu.
MalaysiaNow previously reported that PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim himself had been eyeing the seat, although he eventually chose to contest in Tambun, Perak.
While many petty traders in Bandar Tun Razak are inclined towards BN as a coalition due to the factor of stability, those living in low-cost housing areas appear to prefer Kamarudin due to his track record of service as their MP.
Wan Azizah, meanwhile, may be struggling with legacy issues from PH's time in government.
In the town of Sungai Besi, Wan Zulkarnain Wan Bantli said he would choose BN, in the interest of stability.
"When I talk to my friends, they say that PH's 22 months in power were detrimental to the Malays," he said.
The bones of contention during the PH administration include the government's efforts to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination or ICERD, Tabung Haji, and the Rome Statute, all of which were opposed by the Malay political bloc.
Nordin, who has worked as a chicken trader at the Sungai Besi market for 20 years, said he, too, placed stability as his top priority in choosing a candidate.
"It will be difficult if it ends up being a coalition government," he said.
"They will not agree. I have no issues with other races, but let the government be stable."
While Wan Azizah had hit the ground running, visiting the Bandar Tun Razak area even before nomination day on Nov 5, he said PH did not appear ready to rule the country just yet despite its stint in Putrajaya.


US and Asian allies impose new sanctions on North Korea after ICBM test

The US, South Korea, and Japan have imposed sanctions on North Korean officials connected to the country's weapons programs after Pyongyang's latest and largest intercontinental ballistic missile test last month.
The US Treasury Department on Thursday named the individuals as Jon Il Ho, Yu Jin, and Kim Su Gil, all of whom the European Union designated for sanctions in April.
South Korea's foreign ministry announced sanctions on seven other individuals, including a Singaporean and a Taiwanese, and eight entities. All are already under sanctions by the US imposed between January 2018 and October 2022, the ministry said.
Japan also designated three entities and an individual for new sanctions, Japan's foreign ministry said, including the Lazarus Group suspected of carrying out cyberattacks.
China and Russia have blocked recent efforts to impose more United Nations sanctions, saying they should instead be eased to jumpstart talks and avoid humanitarian harm. That has left Washington to focus on trilateral efforts with South Korea and Japan, as well as European partners.
The latest sanctions follow a Nov 18 ICBM test by North Korea, part of a record-breaking spate of more than 60 missile launches this year, and amid concerns that it may be about to resume nuclear weapons testing, which has been suspended since 2017.
A Treasury statement said Jon Il Ho and Yu Jin played major roles in the development of weapons of mass destruction while serving as vice director and director, respectively, of the North Korea's Munitions Industry Department.
It said Kim Su Gil served as director of the Korean People's Army General Political Bureau from 2018 to 2021 and oversaw implementation of decisions related to the WMD program.
"Treasury is taking action in close trilateral coordination with the Republic of Korea and Japan against officials who have had leading roles in the DPRK's unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs," Treasury Under Secretary For Terrorism And Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in the statement, using the initials of North Korea's official name.
"Recent launches demonstrate the need for all countries to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions, which are intended to prevent the DPRK from acquiring the technologies, materials, and revenue Pyongyang needs to develop its prohibited WMD and ballistic missile capabilities."
The sanctions freeze any US-based assets of the individuals and bar dealings with them, but appear largely symbolic.
South Korea's foreign ministry said the latest move was part of its efforts to sternly respond to North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats.
Decades of US-led sanctions have failed to halt North Korea's increasingly sophisticated missile and nuclear weapon programs.
"Targeting senior officials inside North Korea responsible for WMD and missile activities and working with South Korea and Japan are important, but it is an inadequate and symbolic response to 60+ missile tests, including 8 ICBM tests," said Anthony Ruggiero, who headed North Korea sanctions efforts under former President Donald Trump.
"The Biden administration should sanction Pyongyang's revenue and force Kim Jong Un to make difficult decisions about his strategic priorities," he said.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said earlier Washington was committed to using pressure and diplomacy to entice North Korea into giving up its nuclear arsenal.
He said the administration had no illusions about the challenges, but remained committed to holding Pyongyang accountable.
A spokesperson at the White House National Security Council said sanctions had been successful in "slowing down the development" of the weapons programs and Pyongyang had turned to "increasingly desperate ways to generate revenue like virtual currency heists and other cybercrime to fund its weapons programs."
"The DPRK's decision to continue ignoring our outreach is not in their best interest, or in the interest of the people of the DPRK."