Education ministry repeats call for schools to avoid outdoor activities during hot spell

The education ministry has once again advised all schools to not organise any activities outside the classroom, such as cross-country runs and sports activities, for the safety of students, given that the weather condition is still hot at the moment.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the ministry held a session with all education departments in the state to provide guidance to ensure that schools do not conduct outdoor activities at this time.
“The education ministry has advised schools not to organise activities outside the classroom at this time due to the hot weather, but the postponement is temporary and depends on the (prevailing) weather conditions.
“However, there are some states where the weather is improving, so we will monitor from time to time and give guidance and advice accordingly.
“Just for the time being, I ask all schools to temporarily postpone (activities outside the classroom) until the weather really returns to normal and students can do outdoor activities safely as we need to take precautions,” she said in Nibong Tebal yesterday.
Fadhlina, who is also the MP for Nibong Tebal, was met at the parliamentary constituency’s Aidilfitri open house at Dewan Dato' Haji Ahmad Salleh in Kampung Permatang Keling, which was also attended by Education director-general Pkharuddin Ghazali and Penang education director Abdul Rashid Abdul Samad.
She said this when asked to comment on parental concerns about the health of school children who are at risk of heat stroke if schools conduct outdoor activities such as cross-country runs and sports activities in the current heatwave.
Meanwhile, Fadhlina said that so far no school has been closed due to the hot weather, but her ministry was taking various approaches and remains on alert for any eventuality.
“The health ministry is always vigilant, and strictly carries out management related to guidelines and monitoring with the natural resources, environment and climate change ministry to ensure the situation is under control,” she said.
Previously, the education ministry issued a statement allowing administrators to close schools if the daily temperature status for hot weather is at warning Level 2 with the highest temperature exceeding 37°C for three consecutive days.


Indonesia's Widodo hosts Japanese emperor

Japanese Emperor Naruhito met Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday during his first state trip since ascending the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019.
Naruhito and Empress Masako's June 17-23 visit to Southeast Asia's biggest economy came after Widodo invited the emperor during a trip to Tokyo last year.
The royal couple arrived at a presidential palace south of the capital Jakarta, flanked by dozens of well-wishers shouting "Welcome to Indonesia!" and a marching band that played the Japanese national anthem.
"The visit of the Emperor and Empress to Indonesia has further strengthened the friendship between our people," Widodo told reporters before a formal lunch meeting.
"Such a solid foundation is necessary for the development of a strategic partnership between our two countries, especially in the economic field."
Widodo and first lady Iriana, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, walked with the royal couple around the palace gardens and held a tree-planting welcome ceremony.
Tokyo and Jakarta have moved to boost ties in recent years, with Japanese officials citing the importance of Indonesia's emerging economy and its strategic location close to global shipping lanes.
Japan ruled Indonesia from 1942 for more than three years. Tokyo's surrender in World War II was followed by an armed uprising against Dutch rule and Indonesia's independence.
On Tuesday, the royal couple will visit a military cemetery in Jakarta where 28 former Japanese soldiers who stayed and fought in the Indonesian War of Independence (1945-1949) are buried.
They will also pay a visit to a new mass rapid transit (MRT) train depot in Jakarta that was built with Japanese help and a Tokyo-funded pumping station that prevents flooding.
Naruhito is also scheduled to visit the central Javan city of Yogyakarta to meet the provincial monarch, and will also go to Borobudur, the world's largest Buddhist temple.
The Japanese royal couple have gradually resumed public duties after limiting them during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year, they made their first trip abroad since the enthronement to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in London.
Previous Japanese monarchs visited Indonesia in 1962 and 1991.


The two friends who closed shop for a month to help Selangor flood victims

Silence fills the space at the Bandar Bukit Raja Mosque in Klang, Selangor.Even before it was opened to the public for religious activities, the building provided shelter to hundreds of flood victims following the deluge that hit many areas in the state last month, leaving widespread destruction in its wake.Now, though, the flood victims have returned home to deal with the aftermath of the torrents and to salvage what they can of their waterlogged belongings.Of the many that came, only two remain.Muhammad Saiful Bahari and Syarul Nizam Wahab have been staying in the mosque compound since late December. But unlike the others who came seeking shelter, they came to do what they could to help.Saiful hangs car carpets out to dry on folding tables in the mosque compound.Back in their home town in Ipoh, Perak, the two friends ran a car wash centre. When they heard of the floods that had left many areas in Selangor inundated, they decided to head across the border to see what they could do.“We have been living in the mosque compound since Dec 28,” Saiful told MalaysiaNow. “From here, we have been helping flood victims wash their cars in the parking lot.”When they first came to Selangor, they considered a number of locations when deciding where to set up camp.“We received a lot of suggestions, but we ended up here because the mosque has a lot of space and its management agreed to let us do this,” Saiful said.The huge floods that hit the peninsula in December left Selangor and the Klang Valley particularly affected, with tens of thousands forced to evacuate their homes.The severity of the floods caught many off guard, including the authorities who were accused of being slow in sending aid.Saiful blows air through a hose to dry the components of a car that he and Syarul have just finished cleaning.But it was also the gravity of the situation which saw volunteers like Saiful and Syarul leaving the comfort of their own homes to offer their assistance wherever possible.Saiful said his wife had made no protest when he told her that he was going to Selangor for a month to help flood victims. On the contrary, she travels from Ipoh every weekend to help him.“She understands that this was beyond anyone’s expectations,” he said. “And so many were affected by the floods.”He said many flood victims were having a hard time finding a workshop as too many vehicles had sustained damage. Some workshops also provide only full restoration services which makes things difficult for those who cannot afford it.Saiful, who turns 31 this year, did not think twice about his decision to close his car wash centre in Ipoh for a month in order to help in Selangor.Upon his arrival in Selangor, he sourced four large tents which he set up in the parking lot of the mosque. The cleaning equipment he brought himself from Ipoh.Syarul and Saiful use vacuum cleaners and other equipment to clean out the car parts of waterlogged vehicles.So far, he has cleaned more than 30 cars for free. He initially intended to offer full restoration services as well, but due to the surge in demand and a lack of staff, he was forced to concentrate only on internal and external cleaning.He chooses car owners who are not affordable and who need to use their vehicles again as quickly as possible.“We ask the owners what the main problem is, then we check and dismantle whatever is damaged.“After we clean it out, we dry it. We check everything again and reassemble the parts before returning the car to the owner,” he said.For Syarul, who has worked with Saiful for four years, the trickiest part is dealing with dashboards which are filled with wires.“Fabric cushions are also difficult to get completely clean,” he said.Like Saiful, Syarul is also in Selangor with his family’s blessings.While they have lost a month’s worth of revenue from their car wash centre back home, they are satisfied that they have done their part to help those affected by the floods.“I have been in business for five years now,” Saiful said. “During that entire time, I never once did anything out of charity.“Now we have been helping people for a month, and for me, there have been no problems,” he added, thanking those who have helped them by donating money and food.


No mending fences with Muhyiddin, Dr M says

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has ruled out any possibility of reconciliation with his one-time ally Muhyiddin Yassin, accusing the Bersatu president and his successor as prime minister of embracing the same brand of politics that saw them tackle Najib Razak’s administration in the 2018 polls, including political appointments to government agencies.“How can I accept Muhyiddin like that?” he said in an interview with Singapore’s Straits Times on Friday, adding that Muhyiddin had “adopted the kind of strategy that Najib had, undermining all those who are against him”.Muhyiddin co-founded Bersatu together with Mahathir after he was sacked by Umno in 2016. Najib said at the time that Muhyiddin, who had been the party’s deputy president, had committed disciplinary offences by sharing a stage with the opposition and attacking Umno’s leadership.Bersatu later joined forces with PKR, DAP and Amanah under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition which ousted Najib’s Barisan Nasional government in the historic May 9 polls.However, it exited PH earlier this year along with a group of MPs led by former PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali, causing the coalition to lose its majority in Parliament.Mahathir resigned as prime minister and was replaced by Muhyiddin who received the support of MPs from Bersatu, Umno, PAS, GPS and other parties from Sabah.In the interview, Mahathir said Muhyiddin was now willing to work with Najib as “politics is more important than principles”.On allegations that he himself has been involved in cronyism and nepotism, he said: “We helped a lot of people whether we know or don’t know them.“Hundreds and thousands of them were helped. Some of them actually took advantage and are doing well. But the moment somebody succeeds (the accusation is) that is my crony.”


TNB looking into July 27 mass power outage

Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has held several discussions and meetings regarding its investigation into the power outage in several states in the peninsula on July 27.
Chief distribution network officer Wan Nazmy Wan Mahmood said the meetings involved the Energy Commission as an independent body, a team from the energy and natural resources ministry, and TNB itself.
"We are extending our full cooperation to the investigation team so that all relevant facts and information can be shared," he said when met at an event in Putrajaya today.
On July 31, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Takiyuddin Hassan was reported as saying that the investigation into the incident, which affected about a million consumers, would be completed in a month.
He said apart from ascertaining the cause and effect of the disruption, the investigation would also examine and determine whether the incident was acceptable under TNB’s guaranteed service level, and whether the affected customers might receive a rebate.
According to TNB, electricity supply disruptions were reported in several areas in Peninsular Malaysia from 12.39pm on July 27, including Petaling Jaya, Cheras, Bangi (Klang Valley); Bayan Lepas and Seberang Jaya (Penang); Panchor, Johor and Bandar Indera Mahkota, Pahang.


Rosmah gets passport back to visit daughter in Singapore

The Court of Appeal in Kuala Lumpur today allowed Rosmah Mansor's application for the temporary release of her passport to enable her to travel to Singapore to visit her daughter, Nooryana Najwa Mohd Najib and her family.
A three-judge panel led by justice P Ravinthran said since there was no objection by deputy public prosecutor Poh Yih Tinn against the application, the court unanimously grant the order sought by the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak.
"In view of there being no objection from the prosecution, this application is allowed," said justice Ravinthran who sat on the panel with justices Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and Azman Abdullah.
Earlier, Rosmah's lawyer, Jagjit Singh said his client sought leave of the court for the release of her international passport to enable her to visit her daughter who now resides in Singapore after marrying a Kazakh, Daniyar Kessikbaye.
"We will give an undertaking to return her passport (to the court) within one week upon her return on July 7," said Jagjit.
The lawyer also said Rosmah will return to the country before her solar hybrid case appeal which is scheduled to be heard in the Court of Appeal on July 11.
Rosmah filed the notice of motion on June 2 through Messrs Akberdin & Co to enable her to travel abroad for four weeks from June 6 to July 7. Her passport is currently held by the court as part of her bail conditions in the solar hybrid case.
This is the third time Rosmah has been granted temporary custody of her international passport to go to Singapore, the first time being on Oct 15, 2021, to visit Nooryana who gave birth to her second child as well on March 21, to visit her daughter and her unwell grandson.
On Sept 1, the Kuala Lumpur High Court found Rosmah guilty of three corruption charges involving RM1.25 billion in connection with a hybrid solar project for schools in Sarawak.
Rosmah, 71, was sentenced to 10 years in jail on each charge to be served concurrently, which means she will only serve 10 years in jail. She was also fined RM970 million, in default 30 years in jail.
The High Court, however, granted Rosmah a stay of execution of the prison sentence and fine pending her appeal at the Court of Appeal.
Rosmah's appeal against her conviction, 10 years imprisonment and RM970 million fine for corruption involving the hybrid solar project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak is fixed for hearing at the Court of Appeal for four days beginning July 11.


State polls will tell, analysts say on support for PH-BN

Analysts say the six state elections to come this year will be an important indicator of the support for the coalition government helmed by Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN), which joined hands in the wake of the political impasse after the 15th general election last November.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, they said the spotlight would likely be on Umno, and whether the Malay party will be able to regain the support of its traditional vote bank after its controversial decision to work with its old foe.
James Chin of Australia's University of Tasmania said a key factor to watch would be the number of Malay votes for Umno, given that the state polls would be the first since the Nov 19, 2022 election.
"Umno has been against PH for so long, it will be interesting to see how the supporters of both camps react," he said.
"Before this, they were enemies but now, PH supporters might be willing to lend their support to Umno."
BN and its lynchpin party Umno were trounced at the general election last year, winning just 30 seats overall – a sharp drop from the 74 seats it obtained at GE14 under the administration of Najib Razak.
Of these, 26 were won by Umno in the party's worst election performance ever.
Ignoring calls for his resignation, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi went on to ensure the support of his coalition for the government led by PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim.
The decision to cooperate with its long-time foe was opposed by some, leading to internal conflict which resulted in a purge of those seen as critical of the top leadership.
Those who were sacked included former youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and ex-Selangor chief Noh Omar, while others such as Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein were suspended.
Chin said that negotiations between PH and BN might end in a deadlock if both sides were asked to give way in their strongholds in order to guarantee victory.
"This would mean a free-for-all which would reflect badly on Anwar's government," he added.
Ahmad Atory Hussain of Universiti Sains Malaysia meanwhile said that Perikatan Nasional (PN) might breeze through, especially in rural areas where voters are still upset about the political alignments at the federal level.
He said this would make things more difficult for BN and PH, citing PN's unexpected gains at GE15.
"It's clear that Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah will fall to PN," he said.
"The question is whether BN and PH will be able to defend the other three states – Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan."
Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said Umno would have no choice but to contest the rural areas while DAP and PKR would likely remain in their urban strongholds.
"Umno has the best chance of taking on PN in the rural areas," he said.
"But they will need all the help they can get."


Indian action hero Rajinikanth enters political fray

Indian film superstar Rajinikanth on Thursday became the latest in a long line of big-name actors to enter politics, vowing to bring in “corruption-free” government to his home state.The action hero, one of Asia’s best-paid actors, said on Twitter that with “huge support from people” he would be launching a political party in January that is expected to contest elections scheduled in Tamil Nadu state next year.The 69-year-old former bus conductor said the public wanted “honest, transparent, corruption-free, caste-less, secular and spiritual politics” in the state.“Wonderful and amazing things will happen!” he added without stating explicitly that he would stand himself.The actor enjoys a cult-like following across India where he is called “The Superstar” or “Thalaivar” (leader).Every new film sends Tamil Nadu into a frenzy, with fans getting haircuts like his most recent character or having his face tattooed on their bodies.Rajinikanth, who worked on buses in the southern city of Bangalore before moving into acting in 1973, proved his political muscle in 1996 when he called on fans to oppose the Tamil Nadu government, which was then voted out of power.Rajinikanth said in 2017 that he wanted to enter politics to bring “change in Tamil Nadu”. His fans set off fireworks in celebration but have been waiting since for the formal moves.He launched his own movement, Rajini Makkal Mandram, which has since been putting in place the political launchpad for the film hero.He has carried on making films and had health scares which led some to believe that he would give up his political ambitions.Rajinikanth is following a well-worn path from the cinema into Indian politics.Hindi star Sunny Deol is a member of parliament and another Tamil star, Kamal Haasan, formed his own party in 2018 but failed to win a seat in a national election last year.Jaya Bachchan, the actor wife of Bollywood’s best-known star Amitabh Bachchan, has served four terms as a member of the Rjya Sabha upper house.Comedy actor Govinda was an MP from 2004 to 2009 and actress Rekha was a member of the Rajya Sabha parliament but stood down in 2018 following criticism of her attendance record.


Portuguese police burn 6 tonnes of drugs as illicit trade surges

Portuguese police on Monday burned six tonnes of cocaine, hashish and other substances to mark the United Nations' international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking at a time the illegal trade is booming worldwide.
"There are more drugs circulating, there is more supply from producing countries and also more drugs being seized," Rui Sousa, the head of the anti-drug trafficking unit at Portugal's criminal investigation agency (PJ), told reporters in Lisbon.
Sousa said 11 tonnes of cocaine, 30 tonnes of hashish and smaller amount of other types of drugs have been seized in Portugal so far in 2023, already above the amounts seized last year as a whole.
He said most of the cocaine was trafficked from Latin America and the Caribbean, while the hashish came from Morocco.
On Monday, officers loaded a large number of white cloth sacks full of drugs onto several vans and took them to a nearby incineration facility in Lisbon, where the 6 tonnes of substances were burned and destroyed.
Sousa did not say how much the drugs were worth. The number of drug traffickers who have been detained has also increased, he said.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said in its annual World Drug Report on Sunday that cocaine demand and supply were increasing across the world and methamphetamine trafficking was expanding beyond established markets.
Another report by the Lisbon-based EU drugs agency this month said both the scale and complexity of illicit drug output within Europe were growing and that users were now exposed to a wider range of psychoactive substances.
Sousa said Portuguese authorities needed more resources to tackle the surge as the southern European nation, facing the Atlantic Ocean, was a key entry point of drugs into the European continent.


Daily caseload tops 2,200 as 1 death reported

Another 2,246 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,461,135.There were 2,433 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,403,183.There are now 22,368 active cases, of which 21,230 or 94.9% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, four (0.0%) are at quarantine centres while 1,065 (4.8%) have been hospitalised.A total of 69 are in ICU with 39 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 55.1%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 9.3%.One more death was reported. Total deaths now stand at 35,584.


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Trump floats idea of 2024 White House run

Still irate one month after his election defeat to Joe Biden, Donald Trump is openly musing about a second run at the US presidency in 2024.Refusing to accept defeat, Trump’s lawyers and supporters continued Wednesday to file lawsuits and even call for extraordinary intervention, such as martial law, to force a new vote.And Trump released an extraordinary 46-minute video in which he again claimed that he was robbed of victory in a “rigged” election.But at a White House Christmas party on Tuesday, the president suggested he might have lost this battle, but would not retire quietly as a one-term president.“It’s been an amazing four years. We are trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I’ll see you in four years,” he told guests.The comment was perhaps the closest the 74-year-old Trump has come to admitting his quixotic, month-long quest to reverse Biden’s win has failed.All six contested states have now certified their tallies, and the national count gives Biden nearly seven million more votes than Trump, an insurmountable four percentage-point margin.On Tuesday, Attorney-General Bill Barr declared that the Department of Justice had found no significant evidence of fraud in the election.Biden meanwhile continued to prepared for taking office on Jan 20, telling The New York Times in an interview how he plans to revive the economy.“I want to make sure we’re going to fight like hell by investing in America first,” Biden said.‘So much evidence’Trump still refuses to publicly concede his defeat on Nov 3, forcing him from office after one term.He has remained shuttered in the White House, limiting his public appearances, and apparently holding few official meetings, while issuing furious tweets about alleged election fraud.But according to media reports he is preparing his exit, holding discussions about issuing preemptive pardons for his three adult children – Don Jr, Eric and Ivanka – for Ivanka’s husband Jared Kushner, and his own personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.On Wednesday he released on Twitter a formal address on the election.“This may be the most important speech I’ve ever made,” he began.He recited a litany of complaints about the election, saying the Democrats used the Covid-19 crisis to force widespread use of mailed ballots, which he said were fraudulently manipulated to support Biden.“This election was rigged, everybody knows it,” he said.“It is statistically impossible that the person, me, who led the charge, lost.”“We have so much evidence,” Trump said.Supporters continued to fight against the results. Giuliani appeared before Michigan’s state legislature Wednesday to present his claims of irregularities.In Georgia, another lawyer tied to the Trump campaign, Sidney Powell, spoke to a rally of supporters claiming their votes were not counted.But Barr’s statement, in a break with the president, Tuesday went far to undermine their claims.“To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election,” he said.Someone’s going to get shot’The campaign to delay and litigate the election results, though, was turning in discomfiting directions.In Georgia, which still faces another vote on two hotly-contested US Senate seats in early January, officials said Trump’s rhetoric was dangerous, stoking potential violence against officials.“Someone’s going to get hurt. Someone’s going to get shot. Someone’s going to get killed. It’s not right,” voting system manager Gabriel Sterling said Tuesday.And two prominent retired three-star generals, including Trump’s former national security advisor Michael Flynn, chillingly called for Trump to declare martial law and have the military supervise a new election.Trump headed to GeorgiaTrump’s immediate plans were to head to Georgia on Saturday to campaign beside the two Republican Senate candidates, key to the party retaining control of the US Senate.But beyond that, when he might openly accept his loss, or map out his post-presidency plans, remained unknown.According to NBC News, Trump has discussed the possibility with his close aides of launching his 2024 campaign on Jan 20, the day Biden is to be inaugurated as president.In theory, nothing prevents another run. The US Constitution restricts presidents to two four-year terms, but does not require they be consecutive.But only one president did so: Grover Cleveland, in the late 19th century.The real estate tycoon faces the challenge of losing the center of attention, and his grip on the Republican Party, as Washington turns to the Biden administration.Yet he retains strong support among voters, who could continue to rally behind him and make him a continuing force in Republican politics.


New cases rise to 3,788, highest in two months

Another 3,788 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 408,713.Selangor recorded 1,265 cases followed by Sarawak (760), Kelantan (464), Kuala Lumpur (255), Penang (250), Johor (160), Negeri Sembilan and Kedah (136 each) and Perak (118).Sabah recorded 89 cases, Melaka 55, Pahang 54, Terengganu 37, Perlis five, and Labuan and Putrajaya two each.Active cases stand at 29,227 with 328 in the ICU and 161 in need of respiratory assistance.Seventeen more clusters were detected today:1. Nanga Tajam (Selangau and Sibu in Sarawak; 104 screened, 34 positive)2. Sungai Ranan (Kanowit in Sarawak; 191 screened, 31 positive)3. Sungai Ngungun (Kanowit in Sarawak; 65 screened, 27 positive)4. Kampung Bergosong (Tawau in Sabah; 32 screened, 21 positive)5. Kampung Hilir Alor Gajah (Alor Gajah in Melaka; 528 screened, 18 positive)6. Kemayang (Bachok, Tumpat and Kota Bharu in Kelantan; 17 screened, 15 positive)7. Jalan Taming Dua (Hulu Langat in Selangor; 264 screened, 12 positive)8. Air Padang (Miri and Kuching in Sarawak; 203 screened, 19 positive)9. Perusahaan Baru Dua (Seberang Perai Utara, Seberang Perai Tengah, Seberang Perai Selatan and Timur Laut in Penang; 3,453 screened, 113 positive)10. Tapak Bina Jalan Todak Satu (Seberang Perai Tengah in Penang; 61 screened, 23 positive)11. Jalan Wau (Petaling and Sepang in Selangor; 356 screened, 37 positive)12. Chersonese (Kerian in Perak; 212 screened, 17 positive)13. Jalan Agama (Miri in Sarawak; 95 screened, 38 positive)14. Jalan Dataran (Seremban, Port Dickson; 151 screened, 96 positive)15. Taman Bukit Hijau (Cheras in Kuala Lumpur; 28 screened, 11 positive)16. Pagar Rimba (Johor Bahru in Johor; 36 screened, 12 positive)17. Jalan Sultanah (Kluang in Johor; 106 screened, 22 positive)Five others ended, leaving 390 active clusters across the country.Another 2,640 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 377,980.However, 14 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,506.


Cross-party parliamentary group calls for RCIs, climate change commission amid floods

A group comprising MPs from across the political divide, academics and NGOs has urged the government to implement a number of measures in moving towards a more united and holistic flood management system, including the formation of a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into aspects such as readiness levels and communication between governments at the federal, state and local levels.The All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM-SDG) said an RCI should also be established to conduct an in-depth study of all affected areas to ascertain the local factors contributing to the risk of floods.In a statement, it also called for a review of land use and the strengthening of the National Forestry Act 1984 to mandate public involvemenet on the degazettement of permanent forest reserves.It likewise urged the expedition of the myNap national adaptation plan which it said had been in the works since 2015.“This plan is critical to boost the durability of crucial sectors at risk of extreme weather and the effects of climate change like water sources, food security, infrastructure, public health, community and biology,” it said.APPGM-SDG said the authorities should also strengthen the use of nature-based solutions in the management of flood risks and climate change, and review and put a stop to development in sensitive and vulnerable environmental areas, especially in locations with high population densities such as Bukit Nenas.“There is a risk of landslides occurring if development continues, where the cost of repairs will be borne by the people through tax dollars,” APPGM-SDG, chaired by Batang Lupar MP Rohani Abdul Karim, added.It also suggested the implementation of programmes across the country to improve water management in urban areas such as through the “sponge city” concept which it said could help address the problems of flash floods, lack of water supply, air quality and declining ecosystems.Likewise, it said community-based disaster risk management programmes should be conducted nationwide to improve the people’s level of readiness for such disasters.“For example, communications under an emergency response plan with communities and the agencies involved including Nadma, the police and the fire department,” it said.It also called for the formation of a climate change commission to regulate matters related to climate change.


Top PN leaders gather at Muhyiddin's house

Vehicles carrying several top leaders of Perikatan Nasional (PN) were seen entering the residence of their chairman Muhyiddin Yassin in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, since 9.50am today.
Among those seen were PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, PN secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin and Perak PN chairman Ahmad Faizal Azumu.
They are believed to be there to discuss the formation of the federal government following the extension given by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah yesterday for political parties to prove their majority for the formation of a new government and nominate a prime minister candidate by 2pm today.
The country's political turmoil following the general election entered its third day today after the election results showed that no political party was able to obtain a simple majority of 112 parliamentary seats to form a new government.
Hamzah in a statement yesterday said PN had submitted more than 112 statutory declarations from members of the Dewan Rakyat who support Muhyiddin, the MP for Pagoh, as the 10th prime minister.


Tokyo Olympics organisers report first virus case from torch relay

Tokyo Olympics organisers reported the first infection from the nationwide torch relay on Thursday, as the pandemic continues to play havoc with the massive event.Organisers said an unnamed man in his 30s who had taken part in the relay in the western island of Shikoku had tested positive for the virus, without specifying his exact role.They pledged to work with medical authorities to “take the precautions needed to put on a safe and secure torch relay”.It was the first reported case related to the relay, which has been forced off public roads in some areas over fears it will spread the virus.The historic city of Kyoto is the latest to express doubts, with local media reporting that the city’s government will ask to hold the event away from public roads.The Asahi daily reported that Kyoto may suggest holding the relay inside the city’s Nijo Castle – a Unesco world heritage site.The torch was carried around a closed course at a park in nearby Osaka last week, with the general public kept away.Okinawa in southern Japan and Matsuyama city in the west of the country have also scrapped the public torch relay over rising Covid-19 cases.Organisers insist the relay, which involves around 10,000 runners passing through all 47 prefectures, can be held safely under strict antivirus guidelines.They have warned that parts of the relay could be suspended if too many spectators gather in one place.The relay got underway on March 25, with spectators barred from the departure ceremony and first leg.


Zuraida to spill ‘previously unseen’ evidence against Anwar

Former Wanita PKR chief Zuraida Kamaruddin will reveal alleged evidence of sexual misconduct by party president Anwar Ibrahim at the hearing of the suit against her by PKR over a breach of agreement.In her defence filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, Zuraida, who was among the PKR leaders who quit the party in the wake of the political crisis in February, said she would also produce in court electronic evidence that had never been made public before.“The defendant (Zuraida) affirms that the continuous allegations of sexual misconduct against Anwar, as well as the status of the full pardon given to him, not only caused discomfort in PKR (when the defendant was still a member), but caused many members including the defendant to lose trust in Anwar and the real direction of PKR,” Zuraida, a former PKR vice-president said in the statement.She also said that two men – Mohammed Yusoff Rawther and Aidil Azim Abu Adam – would be called to testify for the defence.The duo had lodged separate police reports accusing Anwar of sexually attacking them.Zuraida said while Yusoff had spent four hours at the Bukit Aman police headquarters undertaking a polygraph test due to his allegations, Anwar had refused to do the same.She said Anwar also refused to make good on his threat to sue Yusoff for defamation.Zuraida said Aidil Azim had lodged a police report against Anwar, in addition to shocking details of sexual misconduct in a sworn affidavit which was shared on social media.Meanwhile, Zuraida in her defence statement also questioned the royal pardon granted to Anwar in 2018 allowing him to be released from prison, where he was serving a five-year sentence for the crime of sodomy.She said the pardon was defective as the Pardons Board did not meet the quorum before making its recommendation to the Agong.In her 21-page statement, Zuraida said she had quit PKR as she felt Anwar was not qualified to lead the party or the nation.Anwar was named by the Pakatan Harapan coalition to replace Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister, but the transition never took place. In February, the PH government collapsed following Mahathir’s resignation, with Zuraida and 10 other PKR MPs quitting the party.Zuraida, a three-term MP who joined PKR when it was founded in 1999, said the party had strayed from its values and objectives, adding that she only began to see “the true face of PKR” after Anwar took over as its president in 2018.Among others, Zuraida accused Anwar of nepotism in the selection of state chiefs, bypassing the divisional leaders.“With such a clear practice of nepotisme, Anwar appointed his own daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar, as the Penang PKR chief. Not long after, Nurul Izzah resigned from the post.“The appointments for other critical posts were done without consultation with the newly elected deputy president Azmin Ali or the new office bearers,” she said.PKR is suing Zuraida, who is also the Ampang MP, for leaving the party, saying she was bound by a RM10 million bond she signed with the party.Zuraida, the housing and local government minister who has since joined Bersatu, however said the bond was unconstitutional, adding that the party’s demand for RM10 million in compensation from defecting MPs could lead to abuse of the democratic process, especially by wealthy politicians.“It is clear that the suit has been filed with the objective to damage the defendant’s reputation in the eyes of the Malaysian public and also to secure funds to finance PKR,” she added.


With another ex-PM charged, further turmoil a risk, analysts say

Malaysia could face further political polarisation and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim risks a backlash as his administration prosecutes his opponent and predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin just three months after a divisive election, analysts say.
Muhyiddin, who was prime minister for 17 months between 2020 and 2021, was charged on Friday with abuse of power and money laundering over projects launched under his premiership. He has pleaded not guilty and said the charges were politically motivated.
Anwar has dismissed that and said the matter was entirely up to the law enforcement agencies.
But the case could make the Anwar government even more unpopular among the country's conservative, Malay majority for targeting the opposition even as it has senior leaders in its fold facing criminal graft charges, observers told Reuters.
That in turn could bring more political uncertainty in a country that has seen five prime ministers in six years. Anwar's alliance is expected to face a formidable challenge from Muhyiddin's coalition at elections in six states, which are due by June.
"It's a big test for Anwar, who has people in his government who are facing corruption cases," Bridget Welsh, political analyst at the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute, told Reuters.
"His administration will face a broad crisis of credibility unless there is an effort to undertake more meaningful reforms... This narrative of persecution feeds into the polarised dynamic of Malaysian politics," she said.
Muhyiddin is the second prime minister in Malaysia's history to be charged for corruption soon after losing an election, and his case has thrown a spotlight on the various fissures in the country's politics.
In a multi-ethnic, multi-faith country, Muslim ethnic Malays form a majority, while the ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian minorities are mostly Hindu, Buddhist or Christian.
Anwar runs a progressive, multi-ethnic bloc but has faced criticism for joining hands with the corruption-tainted Umno to form a government after he failed to win a majority in last year's election.
Anwar appointed Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as his deputy despite multiple criminal graft charges.
Muhyiddin leads a conservative ethnic-Malay, Muslim alliance that has portrayed itself to be clean of corruption, and that made huge inroads in the Malay heartlands in the election. Anwar does not enjoy popularity in that base, surveys have shown.
In another possible political fall-out, the charges against Muhyiddin could potentially weaken his party and strengthen the role of the Islamist party PAS within the opposition bloc, said Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with Singapore's Institute of International Affairs.
"A PAS-dominated Perikatan Nasional will be heavy on religious sentiment. That can echo with an increasing conservative cohort in Malaysian electorate," Oh said, referring to the opposition bloc.
Revenge politics?
Anwar maintains that the case against Muhyiddin was not politically motivated. For stability, it is important for his government to signal that it was not targeting the opposition, said political analyst Wong Chin Huat.
"As long as Anwar can hold and expand the middle ground by demonstrating state impartiality, instead of revenge politics, his government would be safe and the international community needs not worry about political instability," Wong said.
Unlike recent prime ministers, Anwar has not made any changes to the leadership of the country's law enforcement agencies upon winning power.
In fact, Muhyiddin appointed the top civil servants who were instrumental in the investigations into his alleged graft: the chief of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the attorney-general.
The MACC on Friday denied interference in its investigation process.
Muhyiddin is not the first prime minister to blame political motivations for the accusations against him.
Anwar himself served jail time for corruption and sodomy before becoming prime minister, charges he insists were designed to keep him from power. He was pardoned in 2018.
Malaysian politics has been in a flux since Najib Razak lost the election in 2018, bringing to an end an uninterrupted rule by the Umno party that had governed for more than 60 years since independence.
Najib, who has also claimed political persecution, is now serving a jail term for graft related to the multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB.


Sabah, Sarawak to continue receiving up to 18% of total development allocation

Sabah and Sarawak will each continue receiving between 15% and 18% annually of the total basic development allocation in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).According to the 12MP document released by the Economic Planning Unit, a significant portion of this allocation will be channelled to the economic sectors in both states to contribute towards improving infrastructure and basic facilities in Sabah and Sarawak.In addition, in the 12MP period, five Native Courts will be constructed in Sabah, while 10 Sarawak Bumiputera Courts will be upgraded to provide better services to the communities in the respective states.“The government has also set a target for the mapping of 65,000 hectares of native customary rights (NCR) land in Sabah and 397,000 in Sarawak over the five years of the 12MP,” the document said.Also noteworthy in the 12MP is the Malaysia Agreement 1963 where the process of handing over regulatory power for gas and electricity under the agreement will be continued with a number of provisions in the existing law amended and a regulatory body established.The document said a committee will be established comprising key federal and state agencies responsible for regional planning, coordination and evaluation in bridging development gaps across regions and states.A total of seven projects involving 3,202 low-cost houses under the People’s Housing Programme in Sabah and Sarawak will be completed during the 12MP period to ensure the provision of affordable houses is more sustainable in the long run.“Other than that, more affordable houses will be constructed for targeted groups in Sabah and Sarawak including 2,400 for each state under Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad,” the document said.The government will also enhance border security by increasing the number of security posts along the international border of Sabah and Sarawak to prevent the entry of undocumented migrants and to combat unlawful activities.A holistic plan will be implemented to manage undocumented migrants that covers a comprehensive strategy in enforcement with the involvement of related agencies, state government and the public.Recognising the potential of the Pan Borneo as a game-changer for Sabah and Sarawak, consolidation hubs will be established along the route to ensure cargo handling efficiency.Other than that, business registration regulations will be reviewed and reformed to improve the ease of doing business to attract higher investments and further intensify business growth in Sabah and Sarawak.


Foxconn's Covid-hit China plant lifts 'closed-loop' management curbs

Apple supplier Foxconn's Covid-hit Zhengzhou facility in China has lifted its "closed-loop" management curbs on Thursday, it said in a statement posted on its WeChat account.
The Zhengzhou industrial park where Foxconn's plant locates has been under a so-called closed-loop system that isolated the plant from the wider world for 56 days, the statement said.
The world's largest contract electronics maker, which has been trying to replenish depleted staff numbers at the site after thousands left over the past month, expects the Zhengzhou plant to resume full production around late December to early January, a company source told Reuters on Monday.
Its Zhengzhou plant was in October hit by a Covid-19 outbreak that prompted it to impose tough restrictions that involved isolating many staff.
This in turn fueled fear and discontent among workers and caused many to have to isolate or flee. Later in November, it was hit by a fresh bout of worker unrest that saw staff clash with security personnel over bonus payment issues.
Foxconn could have seen more than 30% of the Zhengzhou site's November production affected, Reuters reported last month citing a source familiar with the matter.
Foxconn hasn't disclosed details of the impact of the disruption on its production plans or finances, which took place during a traditionally busy period for Apple ahead of Christmas and January's Lunar New Year holidays.
The company's November revenue fell 11.4% year on year reflecting production problems related to Covid controls at the major iPhone factory.


California temperatures soar to new records, adding strain to power grid

Record high temperatures were expected in California's Central Valley from Sacramento to outside of Los Angeles on Sunday, with officials warning that the dangerous heat wave could afflict the state through the end of the week and test the limits of the electric grid.
State officials on Sunday were urging residents to limit their power usage for the fifth day in a row as energy demand spiked and temperatures were still on the rise.
The worst of the heat was concentrated in the Central Valley on Sunday, where temperatures could climb to 109 degrees Fahrenheit. The thermometer could hit 115 degrees by midweek, the National Weather Service said, warning residents to stay indoors to avoid heat-related illness.
"The heat wave begins in earnest today with dangerous temperatures now forecast to extend through the end of the week," National Weather Service Sacramento wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
The Southern California city of San Diego, which set a record temperature on Saturday of 95 degrees, could set another record on Sunday, National Weather Service forecaster Tony Fracasso said, although a chance of afternoon thunderstorms could offer some relief.
The California Independent System Operator (ISO), which oversees the state's electric grid, extended a "flex alert" to a fifth day, asking state residents to set their thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, avoid using major appliances, and turn off lights in order to conserve energy.
"Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday in particular are shaping up to be the most difficult of this heat wave," the agency said in a news release.
It added that the state's ongoing wildfires and potential new blazes could further strain the power grid by crippling lines and generators. More than two decades of drought and rising temperatures, exacerbated by climate change, have made California more vulnerable than ever to wildfires.
In Northern California's Siskiyou County, where firefighters were battling the fast-moving Mill Fire that prompted thousands to evacuate their homes, the high temperature forecast for Sunday was 95 degrees.
Temperatures were expected to top 100 degrees in the coming days. The fire had burned more than 4,000 acres and was 25% contained as of Sunday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.


2020 Peace Nobel goes to UN World Food Programme

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the United Nations World Food Programme for its efforts to fight hunger and to prevent the use of starvation as a weapon of war.“With this year’s award, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to turn the eyes of the world towards the millions of people who suffer from or face the threat of hunger,” Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said from Stockholm.“The World Food Programme plays a key role in multilateral cooperation on making food security an instrument of peace and has made a strong contribution toward mobilising UN member states to combat the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.”The World Food Programme is one of the largest aid organisations in the world.Its head, David Beasley said, “Holy mackerel. It’s the first time in my life I’ve been without words.”


On DAP, the civil service and reforms

DAP seems to have lost the plot regarding reforms in Malaysia. Its deputy chief minister in Penang, P Ramasamy, said our civil service needs reforms, especially in terms of its ethnic composition. After an outcry from DAP's partners in the coalition overnment, the DAP secretary-general did not back him but tried to placate his partners in the government by saying he would deal with Ramasamy the "DAP way".
This is all reminiscent of the bad old days when the role of trying to justify the racial discrimination in the administration was played by MCA and Gerakan, and DAP, especially its secretary-general, would flay them relentlessly. The refrain at the time was that MCA and Gerakan had lost their gall just because they had been rewarded with ministerships.
So the roles have changed, but what is the country left with? Is DAP no longer committed to reforming the Malaysian civil service? Is Ramasamy’s statement any different from all of the statements by DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang during the bad old days when Barisan Nasional had complete power?
Even Noor Farida Ariffin, a spokesman for the G25 group of former senior civil servants, has come out to say that low salaries are not the only factor discouraging the Chinese community in Sabah, Sarawak, and the peninsula from joining the civil service: "The main reason other races are not keen to join the civil service is the lack of opportunities for advancement and the discrimination most of them face."
She said this was evident from the many instances where capable non-Bumiputeras were passed over for promotion by "less capable and non-performing Bumiputeras".
World Bank Report on Malaysia’s civil service, 2019
A World Bank report in 2019 highlighted the fact that the performance of Malaysia’s civil service had been declining since 2014:
"If you look at the indicator for government effectiveness, Malaysia is still above in the region but in 2018, the performance is below that of between 1991 and 2014… If you take the average of that period between 1991 and 2014, it was higher than that in 2018, which means the performance is declining."
There were also some indicators in which Malaysia ranked even below regionally, including accountability, impartiality, and the openness of its public sector.
"There is a strong perception... that recruitment of the civil service is not fair and neutral (with) Malaysia scoring very poorly on the indicators for impartiality in the government… It’s the lowest ranked, even below the region and way below the OECD," the report said.
We have a bloated civil service
Malaysia’s bureaucracy is one of the biggest in the world, with 1.7 million civil servants to a population of 32 million, a ratio of 4.5% compared with Singapore’s ratio of 1.5% civil servants to total population, Hong Kong’s 2.3% and Taiwan’s ratio of 2.3%. We are spending more than RM41 billion a year to upkeep our civil servants.
While it is the growing trend of many countries to reduce their civil service, Malaysia’s Prime Minister’s Department, in particular, has done the opposite. It more than doubled its number of civil servants from 21,000 to 43,554 in 2019. In stark contrast, the White House employs fewer than 2,000 staff.
To date, there are so many "ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department" alone, on top of other important agencies or governmental bodies that fall within the purview of the Prime Minister's Department. The Pakatan Harapan government in 2018 even invented a new post, "special advisers to ministers", for their unemployed politicians.
The oversized bureaucracy has, in turn, created massive leakage in the economy. In 2010, Cuepacs president Omar Osman revealed that a total of 418,200 or 41% of the total number of civil servants in the country were suspected of being involved in corruption. The 2009 Global Corruption Barometer report revealed that Malaysians generally consider political parties and the civil service to be the most corrupt groups, and the government’s anti-corruption drive to be ineffective.
The public sector is not fair, neutral or impartial.
The Malay dominance in the military and police has served as the ultimate deterrent to any challenge to the status quo, and is intended to demonstrate to the Malay community that political power lies firmly in the hands of "the Malays". The highest stratum of the military-bureaucracy is part of the traditional Malay ruling class.
Within the armed forces and police, there is a preponderance of recruitment of Malays as well as restricted mobility for the non-Malay ranks, especially after 1969. In contrast, the figures for 1968 show a considerable proportion of non-Malay representation (55%) in the police force.  After the launch of the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1971, the expanding state sector provided civil servants not only with opportunities for attractive salaries and "perks", but also scope for private accumulation in the many business opportunities open to Bumiputeras. Thus, the proportion of Malays in administrative and managerial occupations rose from 24% in 1970 to 32% in 1980. According to the 1980 census, more than 80% of all government executive officers were Malays while 96% of Felda settlers were Malay.
The gross disparity in the ethnic make-up of the civil service up to March 31, 2011 was revealed in a reply to a parliamentary question in August 2011. The second largest ethnic group in the country, namely the Chinese community, made up less than 2% of Malaysian government service employees. There is thus a gross under-representation of the non-Malay communities and the East Malaysian indigenous communities in the civil service at all levels, which is of concern for national integration and equality, apart from the bloated public sector.
A striking case of racial discrimination is seen in the total absence of any non-Bumiputera vice-chancellors at any of the public sector universities in the country, when this was not the case in the early years of independence. This surely has consequences not only for justice and the civil rights of non-Malays, but also for the pursuit of meritocracy in the Malaysian civil service.
The sharp decline in the ethnic composition of non-Malays in the Malaysian civil service perhaps reflects the World Bank report’s conclusion that "... recruitment of the civil service is not fair and neutral (with) Malaysia scoring very poorly on the indicators for impartiality in the government". This surely has consequences for "accountability, impartiality and the openness of its public sector".
In a "Malaysia Madani" expecting to join the community of high-income nations, one would expect our national leaders, civil servants, and union officials to value criticism as a gift – an opportunity to objectively check the validity of the evidence-based analysis of organisations such as the World Bank, and listen to their stakeholders, namely, the tax paying public in whose service they are employed.
Our civil service should represent all the people.
The Malaysian civil service should represent all of the ethnic communities in the country because civil servants affect both public policy and its implementation. The NEP expired long ago and it is high time that a fuller merit system is introduced to attract more non-Malays and to enhance the capacity and performance of our civil service. There must be equal opportunities in recruitment and career advancement.
Since the NEP was introduced in 1971 to abolish the identification of sector with race, isn’t it time that the predominantly Malay civil service be restructured to reflect such egalitarian aims?
Kua Kia Soong is a human rights activist.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


New infections drop to 1,300 as 2 more deaths logged

Another 1,358 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,514,989.There were 1,620 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,457,118.There are now 22,183 active cases, of which 21,232 or 95.7% are undergoing home quarantine.Meanwhile, 21 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 904 (4.1%) have been hospitalised.A total of 26 are in ICU with 12 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 58.8%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 5.7%.Another two deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 35,688.


Supplies disrupted after world’s largest meat company hit by ransom cyber-attack

The world’s largest meat processing company has been targeted by a sophisticated cyber-attack.Computer networks at JBS were hacked, causing some operations in Australia, Canada, and the US to temporarily shut down, affecting thousands of workers, says the BBC.The company believes the ransomware attack originated from a criminal group likely based in Russia. The White House says the FBI is investigating the attack.In a ransomware attack, hackers get into a computer network and threaten to cause disruption or delete files unless a ransom is paid.The latest attack follows a similar one last month on the largest fuel pipeline in the US in which a US$4.4 million ransom was paid by the company to the hackers.White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday, “”The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbour ransomware criminals.”JBS said it suspended all affected IT systems as soon as the attack was detected, and that its backup servers were not hacked. However, many affected plants are still unable to operate.“Resolution of the incident will take time, which may delay certain transactions with customers and suppliers,” JBS said in a statement.According to the trade group Beef Central, “supermarkets and other large end-users like the McDonald’s burger supply network will be some of the most immediately impacted customers, due to their need for consistent supply”.JBS is a Brazilian company and the world’s biggest supplier of chicken, beef and pork. The company’s five biggest beef plants are in the US, and the shutdowns have halted 20% of meat production there, according to Bloomberg.JBS is also Australia’s largest meat processor, with 47 facilities in several states. The Australian Federal Police have launched an investigation into the attack.The company’s Canadian plant in Alberta was also affected, according to a JBS Canada Facebook page.A spokesman said the company’s South American operations have not been disrupted.CBS News reports that this is not the first time a ransomware attack has targeted a food company.Last November, Italian company Campari Group said it was the victim of a ransomware attack that caused a temporary technology outage and compromised some business and personal data.In March, Molson Coors announced a cyber-attack that affected its production and shipping in Canada.Ransomware expert Brett Callow, a threat analyst at the security firm Emsisoft, said food companies like JBS make ideal targets.“They play a critical role in the food supply chain and threat actors likely believe this increases their chances of getting a speedy payout,” he said.The US government has recommended that companies do not pay criminals ransoms to avoid inviting future attacks.


Death toll at campsite landslide rises to 24, nine still missing

Rescue teams searching for survivors from a landslide that tore though a campsite near Genting Highlands recovered the bodies of a woman and two children today, officials said, raising the death toll to 24.
The landslide in Batang Kali, a popular hilly area about 50km north of Kuala Lumpur, flattened the unlicensed campsite early on Friday while people slept in their tents. Those killed included seven children.
Of the 94 people caught in the slide, 61 were safe and nine still missing, according to the Selangor state fire and rescue department.
State fire and rescue chief Norazam Khamis said chances of more survivors being found were slim, given the weight of mud pressing down on the site.
Search and rescue operations resumed for a second day earlier today, after a halt overnight due to heavy rains.
A total of 135 responders and seven rescue dogs resumed scouring through thick mud and downed trees around 8.30am with the assistance of excavators, Norazam told reporters.
An initial investigation showed an embankment of about 450,000 cubic metres of earth had collapsed. The earth fell from an estimated height of 30m (100 feet) and covered an area of about an acre (0.4 hectares).
Survivors are in stable condition and will also receive trauma counselling, said Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday the government would provide RM10,000 in aid to families of every person killed, while survivors would receive RM1,000 per household.
Following the disaster, the forestry department in several states ordered the closure of campsites and hiking and off-road trails considered as high risk.
Landslides are common in Malaysia, but typically only after heavy rains. Flooding occurs often, with about 21,000 people displaced last year by torrential rain in seven states.


Troubled Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt confirms cancer diagnosis

Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt, whose life has been so colourful and tragic that it became the subject of a biopic, confirmed he has cancer following weeks of media speculation.“This is a recent scar of my life, but I’ll beat it. I’ll be out of this cancer soon,” 61-year-old Dutt said, pointing to a scar running from his left eyebrow across the side of his head in an Instagram video posted by Bollywood hairstylist Aalim Hakim late Wednesday.Dutt also confirmed he would start shooting his next movie “K.G.F: Chapter 2” in November.In August, Dutt had issued a statement on social media saying he was “taking a short break for some medical treatment”.The Hindi-language actor, nicknamed “Deadly Dutt”, served time in prison for possessing guns supplied by gangsters responsible for bombings in Mumbai in 1993 and has also battled drug addiction.Dutt shot to fame in the mid-1980s in a string of action movies in which he performed his own stunts, earning him his nickname.But the star was also struggling with substance abuse, including heroin and cocaine, that was said to have been sparked by the pain of losing his mother, Indian screen icon Nargis Dutt, to cancer.After a break he returned with a string of hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s including “Jeete Hain Shaan Se” (“We Live with Style”), “Saajan” (“Beloved”) and “Khal Nayak” (“Villain”).But his life took a dramatic turn when he was arrested following the orchestrated bombings in Mumbai, then called Bombay, in March 1993 that killed 257 people.Dutt was eventually convicted in 2006 of holding guns supplied by mafia bosses who carried out the blasts.The attacks were believed to have been staged by Muslim underworld figures in retaliation for religious riots in which mainly Muslims died, following the razing of an ancient mosque in north India.He was originally given a six-year term and spent 18 months in prison before being released on bail in 2007, pending an appeal.In 2013, his conviction was upheld but his prison term was cut to five years, and he was sent back to jail before being released early in 2016.Dutt has also been married three times. His first wife Richa was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 1987 and died in 1996.In 2018 a film about his life, “Sanju”, was released covering the period from just before Dutt’s Bollywood debut with romantic drama “Rocky” in 1981 to his release from jail in 2016.


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Vocal disability rights activist dies

Vocal disability rights activist Anthony Siva Balan Thanasayan died of a lung infection at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre today.
The former Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) member had been disabled since birth and confined to a wheelchair since he was 10 years old.
He actively championed the rights of the disabled, especially in terms of public facilities, and founded Reaching Out to Educate the Able-bodied and Care for the Handicapped and Petpositive, an NGO involved in animal therapy for the disabled and elderly.
He also criticised several quarters, including politician Ibrahim Ali, who asked former DAP chairman Karpal Singh to stand in Parliament despite being disabled.
In 2019, he also hit out at Ruziah Ghazali, a member of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, who said that some parents were ashamed of registering their disabled children.
MBPJ councillor Derek Fernandez said Anthony was a fighter who had always worked to improve the lot of those with disabilities.
"He taught me to look at things differently, for which I am eternally grateful.
"He made me realise that every one of us will be disabled one day, some more so than others. But all of us will be disabled one day. Ageing is a disability, and disabled people should not be hidden away but deserve their days in the sun like everyone else."
Adding that Anthony had sometimes "crossed swords" with other activists, Fernandez nevertheless said that he had done so "with honesty and integrity".


‘It’s genuine’: Annuar convinced of Anwar-Zahid phone call, suggests mosque oath to clear names

Former Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa says he is convinced that the voices of two individuals in an audio recording of a phone conversation are those of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Anwar Ibrahim.“I am 100% sure that the voices are genuine,” he said, adding that he had listened to the audio repeatedly, and that he was familiar with the two leaders.He urged Zahid, the Umno president, to be forthright and to come clean on the matter, adding that he should not shift the blame to others.Annuar said it had also vindicated him in his earlier claims that Zahid had gone against the party’s policy of not working with PKR and DAP.“Alhamdulillah, there is now clear proof of what I have been saying.“I believe more Umno members understand what really is happening,” he said.In the four-minute clip revealed by MalaysiaNow yesterday, Anwar, the PKR president, is heard congratulating and giving instructions to Zahid in the aftermath of the Umno general assembly which accepted his proposal to cut ties with the Perikatan Nasional government.Zahid in return thanked Anwar for his moral support.MalaysiaNow has been able to verify that the clip is authentic, and that the voices are those of Anwar and Zahid.But both leaders have denied speaking to each other, saying they will send their representatives to lodge police reports.Annuar said the duo could put to rest suspicions by coming clean on the matter themselves.He proposed that Anwar and Zahid even emulate former prime minister Najib Razak’s move to take an Islamic oath to deny allegations against him.He said this was because there would be claims of conspiracy if the outcome of the police investigation does not favour them.“Only they are witnesses to what they spoke, apart from God.“So they could both go to the Kampung Baru mosque,” he quipped.In December 2019, Najib took a so-called “sumpah laknat”, an Islamic oath to clear one’s name, over accusations that he was involved in the 2006 murder of Mongolian citizen Altantuya Shaariibuu, at Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru.Annuar said Zahid should emulate Najib and his predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, both of whom had stepped down in the interest of the party’s survival.Abdullah resigned as prime minister and Umno president months after Umno suffered general election setbacks in 2008, while Najib resigned following the party’s fall from power in 2018.“Politicians should be honest and brave, and not blame others,” Annuar said.Adding that he was no longer part of the Umno Supreme Council, Annuar voiced hope that the top party leaders would “take responsibility” in putting the party’s interests first.He also said that the contents of the phone conversation were disappointing to Umno members.“I feel I have been betrayed as a delegate.”Annuar was among Umno leaders who had called for party polls to be held before the next general election, saying the leadership must receive the grassroots’ mandate ahead of time.The Umno Supreme Council had proposed that the party delay elections in order to focus on the impending general election.But others including Khairy Jamaluddin, Mohamed Nazri Aziz and Reezal Merican Naina Merican subsequently questioned the move.


Apex court to begin hearing Najib's final SRC appeal

The country’s highest court will begin hearing former prime minister Najib Razak’s appeal against his conviction and sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International funds today.
It is Najib’s final appeal after a three-man Court of Appeal bench on Dec 8 last year upheld his conviction, 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine imposed on him by then High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Ghazali on July 28, 2020.
It is understood that the Federal Court will first hear Najib’s application to adduce new evidence in the SRC International case in his bid to ultimately seek a retrial.
If Najib fails in this application, the Federal Court is expected to proceed with the hearing of his appeal against his conviction and sentence. The court has fixed Aug 15 to 19 and 23 to 26 to hear the appeal.
The 69-year-old politician changed his legal team just 21 days before the appeal, appointing criminal lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik as his lead counsel and law firm Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners’ (ZIST) partners Liew Teck Huat and M Rueben as his new solicitors for the appeal.
Messrs Shafee & Co, led by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, had represented Najib in the SRC International case from the day he was charged. However, on July 26, Najib discharged with immediate effect the firm and lawyers from representing him in his final appeal.
On July 26, Najib’s new lawyers asked the Federal Court to postpone the appeal hearing as a "wholly new team" had taken over the SRC International case.
However, on July 28, the Federal Court rejected the postponement bid and directed that the appeal hearing start on Aug 15 as scheduled. Najib has submitted 94 grounds in his petition of appeal for why he should be freed of the charges. Among others, he says that both the Court of Appeal and the High Court erred in fact and/or law by failing to properly evaluate evidence and failing to recognise the differences between proven and unproven facts, and between inferences that might permissibly be drawn and mere conjecture based on suggestion, unsubstantiated allegations, conjecture, suspicion and hearsay.
Najib was charged on July 4, 2018, an unprecedented case in the nation’s judicial history.
On July 28, 2020, Nazlan, who is now a Court of Appeal judge, sentenced Najib to 10 years' jail for each of the three counts of criminal breach of trust and each of the three counts of money laundering, and 12 years' jail and a RM210 million fine in default of five years' jail in the case of abuse of position.
However, Najib would have to serve only 12 years in jail as the judge ordered for all the jail sentences to run concurrently.
Najib is currently out on bail of RM2 million with two sureties pending his appeal.
Ad hoc prosecutor V Sithambaram will appear for the respondent (the public prosecutor) while counsel Hisyam, Liew and Rueben will represent Najib as the appellant.


Wan Junaidi elected Dewan Negara president

Former minister in the Prime Minister's Department (parliament and law), Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar was elected as the 19th Dewan Negara president today.
His appointment, effective June 18, is to replace Rais Yatim, whose tenure ended on June 16.
The appointment was made after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim nominated Wan Junaidi, who is also the sole candidate proposed for the post.
"According to Standing Order 2 (1), I have ensured that he agrees to serve if elected," he said.
The motion was seconded by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Standing Order 2 (1) states that every senator who wishes to propose a senator for election as Tuan Yang di-Pertua shall ascertain previously that the senator is willing to serve if elected, and shall notify the setiausaha of his proposal at least two days before the meeting.
Meanwhile, Jazlan Mohamed has been elected as the Dewan Negara deputy president.
The decision to appoint Nur Jazlan was made through a secret ballot since there was more than one candidate proposed for the post.
Wan Junaidi announced Nur Jazlan's election after the candidate from the government received more votes than another candidate.
"Yang Berhormat Senator Jazlan Mohamed obtained 43 votes, while Yang Berhormat Razali Idris received 11 votes, and eight members were absent. "Therefore, in accordance with Standing Order 5 (2), I hereby announce that Yang Berhormat Senator Nur Jazlan has been elected as the Deputy Speaker of Dewan Negara," he said.
According to Standing Order 5 (2), the procedure for the election of Timbalan Tuan Yang di-Pertua shall be as nearly as may be the same as that for the election of Tuan Yang diPertua, save that the election shall be conducted by Tuan Yang di-Pertua.
The motion for Nur Jazlan's nomination was brought forth by Anwar before being seconded by Dominic Lau Hoe Chai.


The year when the Agong played by the book as the nation’s boss

A change of government from Pakatan Harapan (PH) to Perikatan Nasional (PN) and a failed plot by the opposition leader to topple the government with a fragile majority are among the key events in Malaysia’s colourful politics this year, even as the country took the brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic.Amid all this, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, long seen as a ceremonial head with all the pomp of a royal figure, played a crucial role which did far more to educate Malaysians on the true role of a constitutional monarch than any school textbook would have.It all began in February, when a stunned nation watched as Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigned as prime minister after 22 months of leading the PH coalition that brought down six decades of Barisan Nasional (BN) rule in the 2018 polls.A political crisis ensued, and the country was left without a government.This volatile state of politics saw Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah making full use of his constitutional position, evident in the way he helped fill the power vacuum left by Mahathir’s exit.For days in February, the Agong went to great lengths to interview MPs and political leaders before concluding that Muhyiddin Yassin had the majority support to be appointed as prime minister.Analyst Kartini Aboo Talib noted the crucial role played by the constitutional monarch at a time of great upheaval in the executive branch.She said the role played by the Agong, aided by the Conference of Rulers throughout the crisis, served to drive home a key point to politicians and political parties that the constitutional monarch is ultimately the head of state in Malaysia.“Political parties will always compete for power and their interests, but the presence of the Agong has given rise to the realisation that the people’s interest is the only thing that matters,” Kartini, who is from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Institute of Ethnic Studies, told MalaysiaNow.She said Malaysia’s system of constitutional monarchy had been renewed in relevance, thanks to the public role played by the Agong, adding that this was something to be proud of.“The Agong as the constitutional monarch is a reminder to politicians to ‘stop politicking’ and to carry out the trust given to them by the people to be their representatives.”Fragile majorityMahathir’s resignation paved the way for Muhyiddin’s appointment to the top post, leading the PN government comprising Bersatu, BN, PAS, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and a host of other parties.“Political parties will always compete for power and their interests, but the presence of the Agong has given rise to the realisation that the people’s interest is the only thing that matters.”The change in Putrajaya also affected state governments under PH, with Johor, Perak, Melaka, Kedah and Sabah replicating the shift in federal government. The former ruling coalition, back to its opposition role, still controls Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan.With its thin majority in the Dewan Rakyat, PN won its first parliamentary test of support when it succeeded in replacing the PH-appointed speaker, Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, with Azhar Harun.On Sept 22, at the height of the Sabah election campaign, PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim, claiming to have a strong and formidable support among MPs to back him as prime minister, declared that Muhyiddin’s PN government had collapsed.Here, Sultan Abdullah played his constitutional role again, granting Anwar an audience to show his numbers despite his warning to politicians months earlier against triggering another political crisis.After his failure to prove his claim, Anwar and his supporters turned the 2021 budget into a confidence motion on Muhyiddin, where any failure to pass allocations would mean the collapse of the government, paving the way for a pandemic-season general election.The possibility of polls at a time when Covid-19 was still on the rampage created public anxiety, especially after the fierce spike in infections following the Sabah state election, with numbers topping 100,000 by December.The constitutional way out of this was for a declaration of emergency to put all elections on hold.Again, the Agong became the focus of the nation.Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has been praised for mingling with the people despite his royal status. Photo: Istana Negara InstagramOn Oct 25, after consulting fellow rulers, he decided there was no need to declare a state of emergency.But instead of showing this as a snub of Muhyiddin’s government which had made the recommendation, the Agong was diplomatic, praising the prime minister for a job well done in battling the deadly pandemic.“That being the case, His Majesty would like to remind politicians to immediately cease all politicking that will disrupt the stability of the nation’s administration,” a palace statement had said.This was not the first time he had issued such a reminder.In carefully scripted statements, the Agong made repeated appeals to MPs across the divide to set aside their differences and make certain the budget was passed to ensure enough allocations for the battle against Covid-19.On Nov 26, a much-expected showdown over the budget failed to materialise when PH MPs stood down from calling for a bloc vote, leading to the budget being passed by voice vote.It later emerged that Anwar had issued an eleventh hour directive to PH MPs not to oppose the budget at the policy stage.But the days to come would see PN on a winning streak, as every ministerial allocation was passed despite many of them being put to vote.Kartini said the whole episode showed Muhyiddin’s ability to remain in power despite facing concerted attempts from different political blocs to bring him down.She attributes this to Muhyiddin’s wide political experience.“It was crucial that Muhyiddin, with his vast experience in the government as well as in various ministries since 1986, has been able to gain trust and respect,” she told MalaysiaNow.Fazreen Kamal contributed to this report.


LTAT declares 5% dividend for 2022

The Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) has declared a dividend rate of 5% for 2022 involving a total payout worth RM476.45 million.
Defence Minister Mohamad Hasan, in announcing this today, said the dividend rate had increased by 0.9% from 2021.
"This takes into account the state of the market and the country's financial system which have yet to recover after nearly three years of being in a slump due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"But due to the efficient management of LTAT, they have received good returns from investors," he told reporters at the ceremony to announce the dividend rate in Kuala Lumpur.
Mohamad also advised the LTAT management not to expose the fund to high-risk investments and to maintain the principle of safe savings for contributors. "LTAT is a body established under the Parliament Act for the armed forces to make contributions for their future. So LTAT has a big role which is first, to make sure that their contributions are safe, and secondly to make sure that they bring returns.
"Don't expose our savings to high risk (investments) because if we invest for high returns then the risks will be high. Then the principle will not be guaranteed. So, manage it well," he said.
LTAT recorded RM652.36 million in gross income for the year under review, an increase of 27.4% compared to the previous year, driven by public and private equity investment income.
It also recorded RM499.64 million in retained earnings, an increase of 72.8% compared to RM289.15 million in 2021.
The dividend payouts were made to 122,935 contributors on March 10.


As profits dive, HSBC heads home to Asia to revive fortunes

UK bank HSBC has signalled its “pivot to Asia”, outlining plans to invest about US$6 billion in the region.It is targeting wealth management and commercial banking to drive “double-digit growth” and has singled out Asian markets such as Singapore, China and Hong Kong, the BBC reports.The strategy swerve comes as HSBC reported a 34% drop in profits for 2020 partly due to the impact from Covid-19.The London-based bank already generates the bulk of its revenues from Asia.During its results announcement, Europe’s biggest bank said it would resume paying a dividend of US$0.15 a share in cash, the first payout announced since October 2019.HSBC’s pre-tax profit fell to US$8.8 billion for the year ending Dec 31, down from US$13.35 billion a year earlier.While annual profits slumped by slightly more than one third, they are marginally better than analysts expected.HSBC chief executive Noel Quinn said in a statement that the bank has had a “solid financial performance in the context of the pandemic – particularly in Asia, which lays firm foundations for our future growth”.Sticking to cost-cutting plans that will reduce its workforce by about 35,000, HSBC is pushing ahead with one of the banking industry’s most drastic responses to the pandemic.Analysts had predicted the Hong Kong-founded bank to give more details on plans to scale back its US retail banking operations where HSBC has a 150-branch network.HSBC chairman Mark Tucker told the Asian Financial Forum conference in January that there were “real opportunities to grow our wealth business and expand across South Asia”.Hong Kong-based Bruce Pang, head of research at China Renaissance Securities told the BBC, “While the economic backdrop is still uncertain, we think Asia – especially China – will act as the primary engine and vital stabiliser of the global economy. A strategy shift to this region, which is the largest contributor to the world’s economic momentum, may be welcomed and favoured by markets.”HSBC has been gradually shifting its focus towards Asia, although the transition has had to weather some choppy waters. In September, HSBC came under fire for its endorsement of a controversial national security law that China has imposed on Hong Kong. And earlier this month, HSBC was severely criticised by British MPs and US politicians for closing the accounts of pro-democracy Hong Kong activists.Founded in 1865 as the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, HSBC moved its base to London in 1993 after buying Midland Bank in the run-up to the colony’s 1997 return to China.


Anwar takes aim at PM-ship once more

After two decades as opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim was poised to finally become prime minister in 2020. But his alliance collapsed from infighting, leaving him as far away as ever from the top job.
Now, Anwar, 75, is hitting the national campaign trail again, trying to convince Malaysians to vote for him in the Nov 19 election as he looks to finally fulfil his long-held dream of becoming prime minister.
He was in his element on the stump: joking with supporters as he peppered his speech with Quranic verses and Malay folklore to condemn his rivals and burnish his leadership credentials.
"I'm optimistic," Anwar told Reuters late on Friday after a packed day of campaigning at his constituency Tambun, referring to his coalition's chances of victory and changing the political landscape in multi-ethnic, Muslim-majority Malaysia.
"We are here to emphasise governance and anti-corruption, and rid this country of racism and religious bigotry," he said.
Anwar's alliance faces two other coalitions in the election – one led by incumbent Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and the other by former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
There are several other parties in the running, including one founded by another former prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a factor that is expected to split the votes more than ever before.
Opinion polls predict a tight race with no single party or coalition being able to win a simple majority needed to form the government.
Anwar has support from the ethnic-Chinese and Indian minorities, who form a third of the electorate, and from voters in urban areas. In Tambun town, he attracted hundreds at a campaign stop, with crowds spilling onto the road and the driver of a passing ambulance flashing Anwar a thumbs-up sign.
But he lacks widespread appeal among majority Malays due to his opposition to affirmative action favouring them and past allegations of sodomy, a crime in Malaysia. Anwar has spent around a decade in jail on sodomy and corruption charges.
A survey by independent pollster Merdeka Center showed that Anwar lags behind his two rivals in popularity by 8 to 12 percentage points despite a recent uptick.
However, his multi-ethnic coalition was the most favoured by voters at 26%, although nearly 31% were yet to decide who to vote for, Merdeka said. Ismail's Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition came in second at 24%.
No alliance
Anwar said he will not work with Ismail's or Muhyiddin's coalitions due to "fundamental differences", despite polls saying that alliances would be necessary to form the next government.
"Any form of coalition will be a major setback because you are having a coalition with essentially racist or Muslim fanatics," said Anwar. He also ruled out working with friend-turned-foe Mahathir.
BN is led by a Malay nationalist party. Muhyiddin's coalition also prioritises ethnic Malay interests and includes an Islamist party that has touted shariah law.
Anwar, who was deputy to Mahathir when he was prime minister in his first term, came close to the premiership after the opposition defeated BN for the first time in Malaysia's history in the 2018 election.
His party had joined hands with Mahathir amid widespread anger against the government over the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB corruption scandal.
Anwar was in prison during the 2018 election on what he says were politically motivated sodomy charges, and later pardoned.
Mahathir became prime minister and promised to hand over power to Anwar in two years. Anwar's wife took over as deputy prime minister, but the coalition collapsed in 22 months due to infighting over the transition.
Muhyiddin briefly became prime minister but BN came back to power in 2021 with Ismail at the helm as part of another alliance.
Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with Singapore's Institute of International Affairs, said Anwar was not likely to get enough Malay support to reach the finish line.
"More of the rural Malay voters will flow back to (BN) in particular and Malay parties in general," he said.
Anwar is also facing pressure from some in his own coalition to step down and make way for new leadership after over two decades at the helm.
Asked if this election would be his last, Anwar said he knew his limits.
"Whether I am considered relevant or not in the next few years, that's for the people to decide," he said.


Ex-AG Thomas, govt apply to strike out Najib’s suit

Former attorney-general Tommy Thomas and the government have applied to quash a suit filed by former prime minister Najib Razak against them for abuse of power in prosecuting him in several cases, including the 1MDB case.They claimed that Najib’s act of suing them was a collateral attack to prevent criminal proceedings against him.Najib filed the suit on Oct 22 seeking more than RM1.9 million in damages.Thomas and the government, through a notice of application to quash the suit filed Nov 18 said among others that if Najib’s suit was continued and tried, it would disrupt the trial in the High Court of the criminal case against him.Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib, in a supporting affidavit filed with the notice of the application, stated that in any case, the prosecution could present evidence and proof for allegations of misconduct and malicious abuse of process by Najib in the criminal trial against him.Citing Article 145 of the Federal Constitution and Subsection 376 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, Akram said the attorney-general, as the public prosecutor, had the power to exercise at his discretion to initiate, conduct or discontinue any proceedings for a criminal offence.He said Najib’s act of filing the suit was an attempt to prevent the public prosecutor from carrying out his duties under the Federal Constitution.“All this clearly makes the plaintiff’s action an indefensible action in court and the plaintiff failed to submit sufficient facts and details on alleged misconduct in public office, abuse of process and negligence.“The cause of action for abuse of process is not a cause of action recognised by law. Therefore, the plaintiff’s action is an embarrassment, frivolous, inconvenience and an abuse of the court process,” he said.Lawyer Yudistra Darma Dorai, representing Najib, said during the online case management before High Court deputy registrar Nurliana Ismail today, that the court had set Jan 19 for further case management.In his statement of claim, Najib said he had been wrongly accused in court in the case of 1MDB, International Petroleum Investment Company, abuse of power under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.The Pekan MP claimed that the charges against him were part of a move planned in advance by Thomas and in line with the Pakatan Harapan government’s plan at the time.Najib claimed that in 2015, Thomas had met Dr Mahathir Mohamad to discuss wrongdoings and mismanagement allegedly over the 1MDB funds and advised Mahathir to take civil and criminal action against Najib over his involvement in 1MDB.He is seeking RM1.9 million in damages and a declaration that Thomas had committed misfeasance in public office, including consultation fees for the audit team to review documentation for preparation of facts to address prosecution against him.


Let court decide fate of Bersatu reps, says Penang CM as Guan Eng calls for speedy removal

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow says the state government will wait for the High Court to decide on the status of assemblymen who are no longer with Pakatan Harapan (PH), even as his predecessor Lim Guan Eng calls for the quick removal of two PKR representatives expelled from the party.
Chow said the state would seek an early date from the Penang High Court to decide on a suit brought by four Bersatu assemblymen challenging a motion in the state assembly in 2020 for them to vacate their seats for not remaining as PH representatives.
That suit was dependant on a separate decision by the Federal Court on the constitutionality of Article 14A of the Penang constitution, which requires elected representatives to vacate their seats if they switch parties.
On Wednesday, the Federal Court ruled that Article 14A was consistent with the Federal Constitution.
Chow said given the apex court's decision, the state executive council had decided to wait for the High Court to rule on the case.
"Any decision made by the High Court shall be part of the process in declaring the affected seats vacant, as the case may be," he said.
Lim, the DAP chairman who was chief minister before the 2018 election, had earlier called for a special state assembly sitting to decide on the fate of Zulkifli Ibrahim and Dr Afif Bahardin, who were among those sacked from PKR when the party became embroiled in a crisis in the aftermath of the collapse of the PH government in 2020.
Zulkifli and Afif subsequently become Bersatu members, joining two other Bersatu reps in the state assembly – Khaliq Mehtab and Zolkifly Md Lazim.
Yesterday, they warned that any move to expel them would be a departure from the anti-hopping law recently passed in the Dewan Rakyat.
Unlike the Penang constitution, the newly passed federal anti-hopping law does not affect those who are sacked from their party.
Lim however said that the federal anti-hopping law had yet to be gazetted, and as such insisted that the state law should be applied against the two PKR men who were expelled.


Sarawak thanks Putrajaya for RM4.6 billion development funds in Budget 2022

Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg today thanked the federal government for the RM4.6 billion allocation for infrastructure development announced in the 2022 budget.While he said this was not enough for Sarawak to match the development in the peninsula, he added that it would be able to develop the state with the additional allocation of RM7 billion from the state government.“This means that next year, in 2022, we will have an allocation of RM11 billion for development in Sarawak.“Not that we want to show off on our allocation for development, but the state government has given a higher allocation for the development of the state. We gave RM7 billion while the federal government gave RM4 billion,” he added at a groundbreaking ceremony in Lawas.“But this does not mean we want to fight (in terms of numbers),” he said. “This means, with the cooperation between the state and the federal government.”On a separate note, Abang Johari said his Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) bloc supported both former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his successor Ismail Sabri Yaakob.“The GPS government continues to maintain the peace in the state and subsequently continue development,” he said.“I think both leaders have been able to bridge the leadership gap between Sabah, Sarawak and the peninsula.“That is why GPS wants a stable prime minister who can help us. GPS supports Muhyiddin and Ismail because of the family spirit to develop our state.”


Moderna vaccine 96% effective in teens 12-17, study shows

Moderna said Thursday its Covid-19 vaccine is 96% effective among youths aged 12 to 17, according to the results of its first clinical trials.Two-thirds of the 3,235 participants in trials in the US received the vaccine and one-third were given a placebo.The study “showed vaccine efficacy against Covid-19 of 96%; mRNA-1273 was generally well tolerated with no serious safety concerns identified to date”, the company said.Tests detected 12 cases of coronavirus 14 days after the first shot. For these intermediate results, participants were followed up on average 35 days after the second injection.The pharmaceutical company said that any side effects had been “mild or moderate in severity”, most commonly pain at the injection site. With the second shot, side effects included “headache, fatigue, myalgia and chills”, similar to those observed in adults who had received the vaccine.“No serious safety concerns have been identified to date,” it said.Moderna said it is currently “in discussions with regulators about a potential amendment to its regulatory filings” to authorise the vaccine for this age group. It is currently only certified for people aged 18 and over in countries where it has already been approved.Pfizer and BioNTech have already applied for authorisation of their own vaccine for 12-15 year olds in the US and Europe. On Wednesday, Canada became the first country to authorise the Pfizer shot for this age group.The vaccination of teens is the next step in the campaign to eventually contain the epidemic. Moderna also began trials of its vaccine in children aged six months to 11 years in March.Pfizer and BioNTech announced on Tuesday that they hope to file an emergency authorisation request for their vaccine for children aged two to 11 in September in the US.Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the company could apply for authorisation to inoculate children aged between from six months and two years “in the fourth quarter”.


Correct signals need to be given to PM about GE15, says Tok Mat

The right signals need to be conveyed to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to find a suitable time to hold the 15th general election (GE15), Barisan Nasional (BN) election director Mohamad Hasan says.
"The prime minister is considering and waiting for the right time, so we need to send the right signals.
"I will be touring the country with my colleagues and the results of the work visits will be presented and discussed at the management committee and party political bureau levels. We will wrap it up before mid-August," he told reporters after launching the Penang BN voting district centre machinery in Tasek Gelugor yesterday.
Mohamad, who is also BN deputy president, said the BN election machinery in Penang had reached 50% readiness and that he wanted to ensure uniformity of strategy in every division.
"We have not discussed the number of seats to be contested and the candidates. This will be determined by the party leadership. "We need to put our house in order first, only then can we face the GE as a team and BN family," he said.
Admitting that it would not be easy to defeat DAP in Penang, he nonetheless said it was not impossible as BN had snatched seats traditionally held by DAP in the Melaka, Sarawak and Johor state elections.
"BN has regained the trust of the people in those areas," he added.