Oct 15 case management for Najib’s appeal against SRC conviction

The Court of Appeal has fixed Oct 15 for the case management of Najib Razak’s appeal against his conviction, jail term and fine for seven charges involving RM42 million in SRC International funds.His lawyer Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee confirmed the matter when contacted.The 67-year-old former prime minister filed the appeal against the conviction, 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine imposed by the High Court on July 28.High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali had found Najib guilty of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of power involving the SRC International funds.The Pekan MP was sentenced to 12 years’ jail for the abuse of power charge and 10 years’ jail each for three criminal breach of trust offences.He was likewise sentenced to 10 years’ jail for each of the three counts of money laundering. The High Court ordered that all sentences run concurrently.Najib is out on RM2 million bail pending his appeal. The prosecution has also filed an appeal to increase his jail sentence and fine.


PAS says no need for elections in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah

PAS today reiterated that there is no need yet to hold state elections in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said at the central level, the party had also decided not to dissolve the state legislative assemblies in these three states, even if dissolution occurs at the parliamentary level to pave the way for the 15th general election (GE15).“According the constitution, an assembly has a five-year term starting from the first day of the assembly meeting. If we look at the term from the last general election, it hasn’t even been four years.“In fact, considering that the country is still battling Covid-19, we feel there is no need for the three states to hold state elections. This was our decision even before the issue of dissolution came up lately,” he told reporters when met at the Kota Bharu parliamentary constituency service centre today.Takiyuddin, who is also energy and natural resources minister, meanwhile rejected the allegation by Kuala Nerus MP Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali that he was not given the opportunity to air his views on the party.He said Article 16 of the party’s constitution states that each member has the right to give his opinions and views on the party, including the PAS president.“It is not true that a PAS member, what’s more a member of the top leadership working committee, was not allowed to give his views on the party as it is assured in the constitution.“The issue is if we did not attend meetings, how would we give our views? If we attended meetings but did not speak up, how can we say we were not given the space to talk?”


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New deaths shoot to 44 as cases stay above 4,000 level

Another 4,140 Covid-19 cases were recorded today, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 466,330.Selangor recorded 1,507 cases, Johor 433, Kuala Lumpur 398, Penang 338, Sarawak 324, Kedah 239, Negeri Sembilan 190, Perak 182, Terengganu 119, Pahang 116 and Kelantan 109.Melaka recorded 97 cases, Sabah 60, Putrajaya 23, Labuan three and Perlis two.Active cases stand at 42,135 with 482 in the ICU and 250 in need of respiratory assistance.Another 3,432 patients were discharged, bringing total recoveries to 422,329.However, 44 more deaths were reported, pushing the virus toll to 1,866.


Reaching for the stars: A mother’s fight to get citizenship for her son

More than anything else in the world, nine-year-old Alias Daniel wants to become an astronaut one day and explore the vast unknown regions of space.It is a fitting dream for the boy who not long ago won a prize for being the best student in his school.Out in space lies the promise of endless possibilities and discoveries waiting to be found.And out in space, where the universe is untouched by territories and borders, his own origins will be of little consequence to anyone.Daniel was abandoned by his biological parents when he was only a baby. The locals who found him lying cold and hungry on the boot of a car took him to the welfare department where he was placed under an adoption care system.When he was two months old, he was adopted by Nur (not her real name) and her husband, who live in Johor Bahru.Nine-year-old Alias Daniel watches a show on television in his house in Johor Bahru. Although he is a bright child, his future will always be uncertain without citizenship.It was a long and tedious process which required Nur to pass two interviews with officials from the department and take an oath before a magistrate in court.For Nur and her husband who had wanted a child for years, no wait was too long. But when they went to the welfare department to collect his documents, they were shocked to discover more blank spaces than words on his birth certificate.The document contained his name and his date and place of birth. Apart from that, it was empty. Daniel was, for all intents and purposes, stateless.“I was shocked at first when I learnt about Daniel’s condition since I assumed I wouldn’t have to deal with documentation concerns if I adopted a child legitimately through government bodies,” Nur told MalaysiaNow.The official in charge told the couple to go to the National Registration Department (JPN) in two years’ time to complete the paperwork for Daniel’s adoption as well as his citizenship.But while they were given his certificate of adoption, his citizenship status remained unchanged. Unknown, it read.The document issued by the National Registration Department allowing Nur and her husband to take Alias Daniel home as their son.Nur and her husband were determined to keep trying. They returned to JPN to apply for citizenship for Daniel but were told that it would take a long time – at least three years – although his chances were better as he was considered an adopted child of the government.For years, the couple continued to contact JPN to ask about the progress of their application, but today, they are still waiting.“Now I understand why so many adoptive parents choose to return their adopted child to the department,” Nur said.“The issue isn’t the child or the parents, but the lack of documentation. It burdens the parents.”Returning Daniel to the government would have been an easy way out for Nur, but she was adamant that she would not abandon her son.“He is a bright child,” she said. He consistently scores A’s in his exams and he was the lead actor in his school drama when he was only in Standard One.Nur treasures every trophy and medal he brings home from school, and keeps them carefully in a glass-faced cabinet in their house.But she knows that eventually, he will have to face the hardships in life brought about by his status as a stateless individual.Nur and her husband go through piles of documents in their home, determined to do whatever it takes to get citizenship for their son.“We have provided a good education for him, but we don’t know what his future will be like,” she said.“Without citizenship, he has nowhere to go. He will always be considered stateless and without meaning.”For as long as she can, though, she is determined to do everything within her power to make sure that Daniel will one day be able to live a normal life as a lawful citizen.“As a mother, I will keep voicing out about this issue and I will keep fighting for him,” she said.“If I was told to turn in all of my possessions and my own citizenship in exchange for his, I would gladly give it up because I know he has a bright future ahead of him.”She is all too aware that she herself may be reaching for the stars in her efforts to help Daniel gain citizenship. But as his mother, she is unwavering in her belief that this is something he deserves.“All I want is for my son to be given a chance,” she said. “He is not at fault, so please stop punishing him.”


Inflation, a problem in Malaysia?

The latest data on the consumer price index (CPI) from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) confirms what we have been saying for some time, that despite the noise and chatter about rising prices, Malaysia does not face an imminent inflation problem.On the contrary, the data shows that annual inflation moderated in December 2021 to 3.2% compared to 3.3% in November. For the year as a whole, inflation in the final month had fallen from the peak of 4.7% seen in April 2021 and is clearly on a downward trend.On a monthly basis, prices rose by only 0.4% in December compared to November of which 0.3% came from higher prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages which increased by 1.0% in one month, the highest increase since 2015. Food accounts for almost 30% of the CPI basket and is the highest weight in the index.It is also likely that the food shortage pushed up, at least partially, the restaurant and hotels component of the CPI, which rose 0.4% in one month, the highest since September 2018.The causes of price increases in other components of the CPI are also well understood. The first is the increase in the global oil price, over which Malaysia has no control. The effect can be seen in the difference between headline inflation and inflation excluding fuel. The second is the effect of the removal of utilities subsidies to reduce electricity bills introduced during 2021 to cushion the effect of the lockdown policies.The third are supply-side constraints due to the impact of the lockdowns on production and transportation of food and higher costs including feed for livestock. This was also made worse by labour shortages due to restrictions on foreign workers and most recently the impact of devastating floods in parts of the country which also hit production and transportation very severely.Against these known real, mostly policy-induced effects, the claims that an increase in the money supply or the Covid-19 stimulus packages have caused or will cause inflation are simply incorrect in our view. The rise in the price of chicken is not a monetary phenomenon.The good news is that, based on the data there are no new factors pushing up prices as a whole and following a period of deflation in 2020 prices across the board are normalising toward levels consistent with longer term-price stability.According to our forecasts, core inflation will be around 1.6% on average in 2022, rising slowly but remaining below 2.0% by the end of the year. We forecast headline inflation to stay around 2.0% on average in 2022 but there will be a bumpy path, as you can see from the graph.We see three main factors that will keep inflation relatively low. First the cap on petrol prices, especially RON95, will help control any further oil price effects. Second, wages and salaries are still low and stagnant and have yet to see any real recovery, so wage-push inflation will not be a factor. Third price controls across key components of the CPI particularly some categories of food will mitigate the supply-side pressures which have caused prices to rise.These factors will help to prevent possible increases in international oil prices from spreading to prices as a whole, the so-called pass-through effect.While price controls are useful in the short-term, they are not sustainable or advisable in the long-term and an immediate removal of all remaining Covid-19 restrictions is necessary to free up supply-side constraints.To ensure that headline inflation remains decisively under control we recommend that the temporary subsidy on utilities to reduce domestic and commercial electricity bills should be reintroduced immediately,This subsidy was very effective during 2021 and reduced the housing cost component of the CPI by 2.5% month-on-month in July last year, contributing a 0.6% monthly reduction in the overall index in the same month. This reduced headline inflation in a temporary but significant way and would help to eradicate inflation expectations and ward off dangerous calls for increases in interest rates or cuts in government spending.If this was introduced immediately, we estimate that the annual headline inflation figure for January would drop to between 1.6% and 1.7%, and remain below 1.5% each month until June. Tapering out the subsidy in two steps during October and November would see headline inflation raise again, stabilizing around the 2.0% at the end of the year. This is shown by the red line in the graph.This initiative should encourage price stability, with the three measures of headline inflation, core inflation and inflation excluding fuel, converging to the long-term trend around 1.9% toward the end of the year.It has other advantages in that the costs are not paid by the government but carried by energy providers that enjoy high profits anyway. They should welcome this idea as an extension of their corporate social responsibility programmes which have significant social benefits.Whilst reintroducing the utilities subsidy is a temporary risk management measure, which provides some insurance to protect the economy from bad surprises coming from international oil costs, the price stability that will be achieved will give an important advantage to Malaysia in recovering its growth path and catching up with respect to the other Asean countries.It will also keep inflation expectations under control and avoid the siren voices of misguided calls for higher interest rates or reduced government spending which could be disastrous at this stage of Malaysia’s fragile recovery.Paolo Casadio is an economist at HELP University and Geoffrey Williams is an economist at Malaysia University of Science and Technology.The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


Thousands of messages sent as hackers compromise FBI email system

Hackers compromised a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) email system on Saturday and sent tens of thousands of messages warning of a possible cyberattack, according to the agency and security specialists.Fake emails appeared to come from a legitimate FBI email address ending in @ic.fbi.gov, the FBI said in a statement.Although the hardware impacted by the incident “was taken offline quickly upon discovery of the issue,” the FBI said, “This is an ongoing situation.”The hackers sent tens of thousands of emails warning of a possible cyberattack, threat-tracking organisation Spamhaus Project said on its Twitter account.A copy of an email posted by Spamhaus on Twitter showed a subject line of “Urgent: Threat actor in systems” and appeared to end with a sign-off from the Department of Homeland Security.The FBI is part of the Department of Justice.Bloomberg News reported the incident on Saturday.Both the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are aware of the incident, the FBI statement said.


WHO team to visit Wuhan in search of Covid-19 source

A team of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing to travel to China to investigate the original source of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.The team of 10 expects to start its four-to-five-week mission next month in Wuhan, the city where the outbreak was first reported, reports the Associated Press.They will examine samples and medical data to try and determine how and where the virus was transmitted from animals to humans for the first time.“It’s really not about finding a guilty country,” said team member Fabian Leendertz, a biologist at Germany’s Robert Koch Institute who specialises in emerging diseases. “It’s about trying to understand what happened and then see if we can try to reduce the risk in the future.”Leendertz told Euronews that one of the lines of inquiry for his team would be into the seafood market in Wuhan, which has been repeatedly highlighted as a potential origin.Discussions on the origins of the virus have sparked political disputes and claims of cover-ups and corruption between a number of countries, most notably between China and US President Donald Trump.“It may be that it was just the first mega spreading event or one of the first,” Leendertz said. “We’ll see where the Wuhan track leads us, if it’s another city or if it stays in Wuhan or where that goes.”The German researcher, who was previously part of a mission to find the original source of an Ebola outbreak in West Africa, said that while he would love the Covid-19 search to be “an Indiana Jones mission”, it was more of “a team effort with Chinese colleagues to help identify the necessary next steps and how to continue.”The search for the new coronavirus is expected to be complex as, unlike Ebola, symptoms of Covid-19 can sometimes share many similarities with other common illnesses.


Clinics, security firms among over 120 companies not paying RM1,500 minimum wage

More than 120 companies and employment agencies were found to have violated the minimum wage order of RM1,500 since it came into effect on May 1.
According to a list issued by the Government Contract Workers Network (JPKK) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), security companies are the worst offenders among the 127 businesses which also include clinics and cleaning companies.
"These are all security companies given tenders by ministries," a PSM spokesman told MalaysiaNow on the sidelines of a press conference in Putrajaya today.
The spokesman said many employees of such companies had been affected by their bosses' failure to pay them the minimum wage, adding that for schools alone, at least four security guards are normally assigned.
"One company takes care of one school," he said.
He said the most common excuse given was that they were old contractors whose tenders were issued before the minimum wage was gazetted.
"They say if workers want to be paid the minimum wage of RM1,500, they will have to wait for a new contractor to enter the picture."
The implementation of the RM1,500 minimum wage was gazetted on April 27 and posted on the official website of the Attorney-General's Office.
It states that employees must be paid a minimum wage of RM1,500 or based on the number of days worked in a week.
For example, employees should be paid RM57.69 a day if they work for six days in a week, RM69.23 a day if they work five days a week, and RM86.54 a day for four days, with payment per hour equivalent to RM7.21.
For employees who are not given a basic salary but paid wages based on work, tonnage, assignments, travel or commission, the monthly salary rate to be paid must not be less than RM1,500, either.
However, the minimum wage rate of RM1,500 for employers who have fewer than five workers will only come into effect next January.
The PSM spokesman said there had been a meeting between ministry representatives, JPKK and PSM after the submission of the list.
"Everything went smoothly, and the workers' representatives have also met with the ministry's representatives for discussions and suggestions," he said.


Ex-GE15 candidate embroiled in Taiping property scam?

A group of teachers claim to have fallen victim to a scheme amounting to hundreds of thousands of ringgit involving land and houses around Taiping, perpetrated by a woman who ran for election at the countrywide polls last year.
Capitalising on donations of food and cash, the woman was said to have attracted teachers who wished to buy houses and land for their old age.
One of them said that the woman, who once led the parent-teacher association in her school, had offered her a plot of land.
"She assured me that there really was a plot of land in Asam Kumbang, and sent me pictures of the grant," she said.
"She said that she could get the land through her political quota."
The teacher added that the woman, who went by the title "Datuk Dr", had claimed that the land belonged to the customs department which wanted to auction it off to the public.
Believing the woman, the teacher made her first payment in 2021.
After that, she said, two other teachers whom she knew became involved in the scheme which also involved residential units.
Together, they spent nearly RM400,000 on their business deals with the woman.
"I never suspected anything because she made frequent donations to the school," the teacher said.
"And she always said that she knew major political leaders like the Taiping Umno chief, Ahmad Shalimin Ahmad Shaffie, Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad, and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi."
MalaysiaNow is withholding the woman's identity pending her response.
The teacher said that before the 15th general election in November last year, the woman had hosted an event together with Saarani and invited representatives from the school to attend.
"At the event, the menteri besar praised her for doing so much to help the people without depending on money from the government.
"As it turns out, the donations that supposedly came from her own pocket all this time were actually the money that she got from fraud victims like us," she added.
She said they began to suspect something amiss when they failed to receive the keys, grants or any form of documentation related to their property purchases.
She said the woman also began avoiding them on the pretext of needing to undergo chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
The scheme came to light when the teacher decided to see for herself the house she had wanted to buy.
"I saw someone living there, so I asked about the owner.
"Apparently it was owned by my colleague's mother-in-law, and they were in the dark about any sale of the house to me," she said.
She said the woman had also asked the victims to make their payments in cash deposits to various accounts.
Another teacher said she had been scammed through the offer of a plot of land for about RM5,000.
The woman then coaxed the teacher to add on a second lot.
"I paid around RM10,000 for both plots of land," the teacher said.
"She said the grant would be ready in two months' time. It was then that I knew I had been had. My previous experience had taught me that these things take anywhere from six to seven months to settle."
She said the woman continued to offer her lots, but that she rejected all of them.
This teacher too said she had not suspected anything as she trusted in the woman's image as a public figure.
The lawyer in charge of the case, Mohammad Na'im Samsul Hairi, said all of the cases were being reviewed.
"There is, of course, legal action that can be taken against this woman," he said.
"There are many victims and this case can be said to have both prima facie and locus standi."


First virus case hits Tokyo Olympics Village

Tokyo Olympics organisers revealed the first Covid-19 case in the Games Village on Saturday as they sought to reassure competitors that the pandemic-delayed event would be safe.Six days before the opening ceremony, organisers said an unnamed person had tested positive for coronavirus in the Village, where thousands of athletes and officials will stay during the Games.“There was one person in the Village. That was the very first case in the Village that was reported during the screening test,” Masa Takaya, spokesman for the Tokyo organising committee, told a press conference.“Right now this person is confined to a hotel,” Takaya said.Japanese media reported that the person who had tested positive was a foreign national. The Games are facing opposition from the Japanese public, who fear a fresh wave of infections.Seiko Hashimoto, the chief organiser of the Tokyo 2020 Games, said organisers were ready to respond swiftly if there was a wider outbreak.“We are doing everything to prevent any Covid outbreaks. If we end up with an outbreak we will make sure we have a plan in place to respond,” she said.Hashimoto conceded that competitors at the Games, which were postponed for a year because of the pandemic, would be anxious about the virus situation – and she vowed that organisers would not hide cases.“Athletes who are coming to Japan are probably very worried. I understand that,” she said.“That is the reason why we need to make full disclosure.”Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto said it was not yet known if the person had been vaccinated against Covid-19.“We don’t have any information on whether this person was vaccinated or not,” Muto said.He said competitors at the Games would be tested every day “so if someone tests positive, that person will be isolated immediately whether there are any close contacts or not”.


Beating the odds in the first pandemic-season SPM

Like thousands of other Form Five students across the country, Nurul Syafiza Wan Shariman faced a slew of challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, from an academic year fraught with disruptions to delays in the SPM examination schedule.On top of that, she had to help take care of her father who was diagnosed with meningitis in May.When SPM results were released yesterday, she and her family waited in trepidation while the website loaded.“I tried to check the education ministry’s website but it had technical problems and crashed for about 20 minutes,” she told MalaysiaNow.“Then I tried checking through the SMS system.”When they finally came through, the results spoke for themselves: against the odds, Syafiza had scored 9A’s.“I was shocked beyond words,” she said.“It’s definitely hard to learn online, but my good friend helped me a lot.”Syafiza said the long periods of school closure made it difficult to keep up with her lessons but added that she was grateful for the support she received from her friends.“It’s definitely hard to learn online, especially Additional Mathematics. But my good friend helped me a lot. Any time I had trouble understanding something, I asked her,” she said.She and her friends were only able to attend school until March last year. After that, the first MCO was declared and schools were closed until June. After they reopened, she and her classmates went back for face-to-face classes until October.“After October, we didn’t go back to school at all until early this year,” she said.“So we were rushing to finish the syllabus. For example, 70% of our Chemistry subject was taught only online.”During the periods of school closure, her class had their lessons through Google Meet, Google Classroom and Zoom.Two months before SPM, she buckled down to begin studying in earnest.“My daily routine would begin at 7.30am,” she said. “I’d study together with my friends until noon, then I’d take a break before continuing until evening.“At night, I would study until 11pm or midnight.”She said one of the challenges of sitting for an exam during the pandemic was communicating with her friends before taking the test.Take notes and stay focused: Nurul Syafiza Wan Shariman’s advice for everyone else taking SPM during the pandemic.Physical distancing measures meant they would often have to raise their voices in order to be heard by one another.“It was like we had to shout just to discuss things with each other,” she said.With 9A’s under her belt, she is now ready to move on towards her goal of becoming an architect one day.Her advice for students who will be taking SPM in the days to come is to jot down their own notes during classes to help them stay focused, especially if lessons are held online.She also cautions against getting distracted by mobile phones or the internet.“I only looked at my phone for 10 minutes every few hours as a treat for myself,” she said.


Preacher Ebit Lew claims trial to 11 charges of sexual harassment

Independent preacher Ebit Irawan Ibrahim Lew, better known as Ebit Lew, was charged in the Tenom Magistrate’s Court today with 11 charges in connection with sexual harassment.Ebit Irawan, 38, pleaded not guilty to all 11 charges which were read to him before magistrate Nur Asyraf Zolhani.He was charged with sending obscene pictures and words with the intention of insulting a person’s modesty through WhatsApp in the Tenom district between March and June last year.The charges were framed under Section 509 of the Penal Code which provides for a jail term of up to five years, a fine, or both, upon conviction.Nur Asyraf set bail at RM1,000 for each charge with two sureties and set April 20 for mention.Ebit Irawan posted the bail.Sabah prosecution director Muhammad Ilmami Ahmad prosecuted, while the preacher was represented by lawyer Mohamed Zairi Zainal Abidin.Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Abdul Jalil Hassan told a media conference today that on Aug 7 last year, the police received three reports against the preacher for alleged sexual harassment.He advised the public against making any speculations or provocation regarding the case and urged those with information to come forward to facilitate the police investigation.


Beijing hopes Biden will end Trump’s Cold War, restore ties

As Joe Biden prepares to take the reins of US power this month, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday he hoped that the US president-elect would end the incumbent Donald Trump’s “Cold War” policy towards Beijing and return to a “sensible approach” by restoring normal ties.The Trump administration has been keeping up a broadside against China on trade, Tibet, Taiwan and the South China Sea, as well as criticism of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) under President Xi Jinping.The Chinese authorities hope the Biden administration will resume dialogue with China, restore normalcy to the bilateral relations and restart cooperation, Wang told the state-run Xinhua news agency.He said that in recent years, US-China relations have run into unprecedented difficulties which all boiled down to the “serious misconceptions” of US policymakers about China.“We are ready to develop with the US a relationship based on coordination, cooperation and stability. We know that some in the US are uneasy about China’s rapid development. However, the best way to keep one’s lead is through constant self-improvement, not by blocking others’ development,” he said.He also struck a positive note on China’s ties with the European Union (EU).Last week, Xi along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron announced that they have completed investment agreement negotiations as scheduled.“The agreement will provide greater market access, stronger institutional guarantees and brighter cooperation prospects for mutual investment,” Xi said in a statement.US Deputy National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger blasted the EU for reaching the deal with China despite Beijing’s “human rights record”.China’s state-run Global Times reported that White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro also called it “a bad deal” which will pose a geopolitical challenge to the US.Wang, in his interview, said that “China and the EU are comprehensive strategic partners, not rivals.”Wang also hailed China’s strengthening ties with Russia, which Chinese experts say could get stronger if Biden pursues former US president Barack Obama’s policy of identifying Moscow as the prime enemy of Washington rather than Beijing.China and Russia will continue to be examples of good-neighbourly relations between major countries, which would underpin global strategic stability, Wang said.“The year 2021 is a year of special importance for China-Russia relations, as both countries will enter a new development stage. In developing China-Russia strategic cooperation, we see no limit, no forbidden zone and no ceiling to how far this cooperation can go.”


Europe reels from worst floods in years as death toll nears 130

Devastating floods have torn through entire villages and killed at least 128 people in Europe, most of them in western Germany where stunned emergency services were still combing the wreckage on Friday.Unsuspecting residents were caught completely off guard by the torrent dubbed the “flood of death” by German newspaper Bild.Streets and houses were submerged by water in some areas, while cars were left overturned on soaked streets after flood waters passed. Some districts were completely cut off.“Everything was under water within 15 minutes,” Agron Berischa, a 21-year-old decorator from Bad Neuenahr in Rhineland-Palatinate state, told AFP.“Our flat, our office, our neighbours’ houses, everywhere was under water.”In nearby Schuld, Hans-Dieter Vrancken, 65, said “caravans, cars were washed away, trees were uprooted, houses were knocked down”.“We have lived here in Schuld for over 20 years and we have never experienced anything like it. It’s like a war zone,” he said.Roger Lewentz, interior minister for Rheinland-Palatinate, told Bild the death toll was likely to rise as emergency services continued to search the affected areas over the coming days.“When emptying cellars or pumping out cellars, we keep coming across people who have lost their lives in these floods,” he said.With five more dead found in the state by Friday evening, the nationwide death toll mounted to 108.Adding to the devastation, several more people were feared dead in a landslide in the town of Erftstadt in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) triggered by the floods.In neighbouring Belgium, the government confirmed the death toll had jumped to 20 – earlier reports had said 23 dead – with more than 21,000 people left without electricity in one region.Calling the floods “possibly the most catastrophic our country has ever seen,” Prime Minister Alexander De Croo declared Tuesday a day of national mourning.Luxembourg and the Netherlands were also hammered by heavy rains, inundating many areas and forcing thousands to be evacuated in the city of Maastricht.Fearing the worstIn Germany’s hard-hit Ahrweiler district in Rhineland-Palatinate, several houses collapsed completely, drawing comparisons to the aftermath of a tsunami.At least 24 people were confirmed dead in Euskirchen, one of the worst-affected towns.“I fear that we will only see the full extent of the disaster in the coming days,” Chancellor Angela Merkel said late Thursday from Washington, where she met with President Joe Biden.“My empathy and my heart go out to all of those who in this catastrophe lost their loved ones, or who are still worrying about the fate of people still missing.”In Ahrweiler, around 1,300 people were unaccounted for, although local authorities told Bild the high number was likely due to damaged phone networks.Lewentz told local media that up to 60 people were believed to be missing, “and when you haven’t heard from people for such a long time… you have to fear the worst”.Billions in damageGerd Landsberg, head of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, said the cost of the damage was likely to run into “billions of euros”.In Belgium, the army has been sent to four of the country’s 10 provinces to help with rescue and evacuations.The swollen Meuse river “is going to look very dangerous for Liege”, a nearby city of 200,000 people, warned Wallonia regional president Elio Di Rupo.In Switzerland, lakes and rivers were also swelling after heavy overnight rainfall. In Lucerne in particular, Lake Lucerne had begun to flood the city centre.Some parts of western Europe received up to two months’ worth of rainfall in two days on soil that was already near saturation, according to the World Meteorological Organization.But there was some improvement Friday as the water level began to fall back.Climate change?The severe storms have put climate change back at the centre of Germany’s election campaign ahead of a Sept 26 poll marking the end of Merkel’s 16 years in power.Speaking in Berlin, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Germany would “only be able to curb extreme weather situations if we engage in a determined fight against climate change”.The country “must prepare much better” in future, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said, adding that “this extreme weather is a consequence of climate change”.Because a warmer atmosphere holds more water, climate change increases the risk and intensity of flooding from extreme rainfall.In urban areas with poor drainage and buildings located in flood zones, the damage can be severe.North Rhine-Westphalia premier Armin Laschet, the conservative running to succeed Merkel, called for “speeding up” global efforts to fight climate change, underlining the link between global warming and extreme weather.


Take Societies Act to Parliament if you want it amended, says Zahid

The Societies Act 1966 (Act 832) is a law approved in Parliament, and if there are parties who want it amended, the matter should be brought up in Parliament, says Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
"If there is disagreement, you have to look back at the Societies Act 1966. It is an act that was approved by Parliament. Hence, we should hand it back to Parliament if we want the law to be amended," he told reporters in Shah Alam last night.
Zahid was responding to a video clip of former Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin, who was not satisfied with Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail's decision to grant Umno an exemption in accordance with Section 70 of Act 832, regarding the party's election.
On Umno's direction, Zahid said the party's new leadership line-up would work with him on the matter.
Zahid said the direction, which has 21 steps, would be announced and realised after the party's election on March 18.
"We hope that Umno will have no more thorns in its flesh. Hopefully, everyone will stand united as one team," he said.
Regarding cooperation with other parties to face the upcoming state elections, the deputy prime minister said Umno will hold internal discussions for three days in each state involved.
The six states that will hold elections this year are Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Selangor, Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah.


UK PM urges caution as virus cases fall for 7 days

Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for caution Tuesday as Britain registered lower coronavirus case numbers for seven days in a row – a decline that has surprised officials and experts.Recorded infection rates across the UK have dropped for seven consecutive days with 23,511 new cases announced on Tuesday compared to 46,558 a week earlier – a fall of nearly 50%.The reversal after weeks of rising rates has coincided with the removal on July 19 of nearly all pandemic rules in England, including legal requirements for social distancing and wearing a mask in public indoors.It has confounded the government and scientists, who had previously warned cases would likely surge to 100,000 a day in the weeks ahead after the restrictions were eased.Despite the turnaround, which comes after the start of summer school holidays in England and Wales, ministers are warning the long-term situation remains uncertain.While daily case numbers have fallen, official data also showed 131 deaths from Covid within 28 days of a positive test were registered on Tuesday, the highest daily death toll since March.The overall death toll in Britain since the start of the pandemic currently stands at 129,303.“I have noticed that obviously we have six days of some better figures but it’s very, very important that we don’t allow ourselves to run away with premature conclusions about this,” Johnson said before Tuesday’s figures were published.“People have got to remain very cautious and that remains the approach of the government,” he added.‘Mortality to morbidity’Johnson himself ended 10 days in self-isolation late Monday after being in close contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month.The prime minister argued that Britain’s successful vaccination campaign – which has seen 70% of adults receive both jabs – allowed for the relaxation of legal curbs last week.But the move attracted widespread criticism, with fears the state-run National Health Service could again come under severe strain from rising caseloads, even if far fewer people are now dying of Covid.Experts have struggled to explain why infections appear to have declined so dramatically since early last week.The end of the Euro 2020 football tournament – which was blamed for a spike in cases among younger men gathering to watch games – as well as the school holidays and a mini-heatwave have all been mooted as factors.Stephen Griffin, from Leeds University School of Medicine, said the requirement for individuals to isolate under Covid-19 tracing rules – in what has been dubbed a “pingdemic” in Britain – could have had a “direct impact upon transmission” and lowered case numbers.Professor Karl Friston, from University College London, said it remained a “key question” whether Britain would “prepare effectively for a winter resurgence”.This would be crucial, he explained, as attention shifts from “mortality to morbidity, such as long Covid and post-Covid syndrome, and the secondary effects on healthcare beyond Covid-19”.


Zelensky urges Russians to 'go home' as Ukraine presses offensive in south

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Russian troops to flee from an offensive launched by his forces near the southern city of Kherson saying Ukraine's military were taking back their territory, though Russia said the assault had failed.
Ukraine's assault comes after weeks of a stalemate in a war that has killed thousands, displaced millions, destroyed cities and caused a global energy and food crisis amid unprecedented economic sanctions.
It has also fuelled worries of a radiation disaster being triggered by shelling near the south Ukraine Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
Zelensky, in his nightly address late on Monday, vowed that Ukrainian troops would chase the Russian army "to the border".
"If they want to survive - it's time for the Russian military to run away. Go home," he said.
"Ukraine is taking back its own," Zelensky said.
Oleksiy Arestovych, a senior adviser to Zelensky, said Russian defences had been "broken through in a few hours".
Ukrainian forces were shelling ferries that Russia was using to supply a pocket of territory on the west bank of the Dnipro river in the Kherson region, he added.
Russia's defence ministry said Ukrainian troops had attempted an offensive in the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions but sustained significant casualties, RIA news agency reported.
The "enemy's offensive attempt failed miserably", it said.
But a Ukrainian barrage of rockets left the Russian-occupied town of Nova Kakhovka without water or power, officials at the Russian-appointed authority told RIA news agency.
Reuters could not verify the battlefield reports.
Russian shelling of the port city of Mykolaiv, which has remained in Ukrainian hands despite repeated Russian bombardments, killed at least two people, wounded some 24 and wiped out homes, city officials and witnesses said on Monday.
A Reuters correspondent reported a strike hit a family home directly next to a school, killing one woman.
The owner of the property, Olexandr Shulga, said he had lived there his entire life and that his wife died when she was buried in debris. "It hit and the shockwave came. It destroyed everything," he said.
Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb 24 to wage what it says is a "special military operation" to rid Ukraine of nationalists and protect Russian-speaking communities. Ukraine and its allies describe it as an unprovoked war of aggression.
The conflict, the biggest attack on a European state since 1945, has largely settled into a war of attrition, mainly in the south and east, marked by artillery bombardments and air strikes. Russia captured swathes of the south early on.
Ukraine's southern command said its troops had launched offensive actions in several directions, including in the Kherson region north of the Crimean peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
Ukraine had struck more than 10 sites in the past week and "unquestionably weakened the enemy", according to a spokeswoman who declined to give details of the offensive, saying Russian forces in the south remained "quite powerful".
IAEA nuclear mission
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine's south, captured by Russian troops in March but still manned by Ukrainian staff, has been a hotspot in the conflict with both sides trading blame for shelling in the vicinity.
A mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is headed to the facility, Europe's largest nuclear plant, and is due later this week to inspect and assess any damage.
Led by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, the mission will evaluate working conditions and check safety and security systems, the Vienna-based organisation said.
It will also "perform urgent safeguards activities", a reference to keeping track of nuclear material.
A top Russian diplomat said Moscow hoped the mission would dispel misconceptions about the plant's allegedly poor state.
The Kremlin said the IAEA mission was "necessary" and urged the international community to pressure Ukraine to reduce military tensions at the plant. The mission must do its work in a politically neutral manner, Russia's foreign ministry said.
The United Nations, US and Ukraine have called for the withdrawal of military equipment and personnel from the complex to ensure it is not a target.
"We continue to believe that a controlled shutdown of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactors would be the safest and least risky option in the near term," White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.
But the Kremlin again ruled out vacating the site.


Iran says ‘significant progress’ made in Vienna nuclear talks

Talks in Vienna on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers have made “significant progress”, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday.Separately, Iran’s top security official Ali Shamkhani said talks with European negotiators were ongoing and would continue while negotiations with the United States were not on the agenda because they would not be the source of “any breakthroughs”.Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington have been held in Vienna since April amid fears about Tehran’s nuclear advances, seen by Western powers as irreversible unless agreement is struck soon.While Khatibzadeh said significant progress was made, he also noted that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed” in the Vienna talks. “The remaining issues are the hardest,” he told a weekly press briefing.Khatibzadeh said that Iran’s top security body, the Supreme National Security Council, handles the Vienna talks. It reports directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s top authority.Reuters reported last week that a US-Iranian deal is taking shape in Vienna after months of indirect talks to revive the nuclear pact, which Washington abandoned in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump.The draft text of the agreement also alluded to other issues, including unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian funds in South Korean banks, and the release of Western prisoners held in Iran.Iran is ready to swap prisoners with the US, Iran’s foreign minister said on Saturday, adding that talks to revive the nuclear deal could succeed “at the earliest possible time” if the United States made the necessary political decisions.The 2015 deal between Iran and major powers limited Iran’s enrichment of uranium to make it harder for Tehran to develop material for nuclear weapons, in return for a lifting of international sanctions against Tehran.Speaking from Doha on the sidelines of a gas conference, Iranian oil minister Javad Owji called the sanctions a violation of international law and a threat to global energy security, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.Iran has violated some of the deal’s nuclear limits since the United States withdrew from it and reimposed sanctions under Trump.


No business talk, witness tells court on lunch at 5-star hotel attended by Jho Low

A witness told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low attended a luncheon at a five-star hotel with a few bankers and Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) representatives, 13 years ago.
Former AmInvestment Bank managing director Kok Tuck Cheong, 67, said he was also introduced to Jho Low by AmBank's director of relationship banking, Chan Wan Seong, during the luncheon at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in 2009.
"There were about five or seven other people around. There was never any formal introduction," he said, adding that Jho Low did not say much.
The 40th prosecution witness said this during cross-examination by Najib Razak’s lead counsel, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, at the former prime minister's corruption and money laundering trial on RM2.3 billion belonging to 1MDB.
When Shafee asked if only members of the bank were present, Kok replied that there were also some members of TIA present. TIA was later renamed as 1MDB. When asked if former 1MDB CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi was there, the witness said no.
Shafee: This luncheon had to do with the issuance of the Islamic medium-term notes (IMTN) (for TIA)?
Kok: You know, there were no serious business discussions… it was just a casual lunch.
The witness also said that he did not remember who paid the bill for the luncheon.
"Could be the bank or the other side (TIA), but certainly not me," he added.
To another question on whether he knew that Jho Low at one time was regarded as adviser of TIA, Kok said his name had surfaced but that there was never a concrete statement of fact.
Shafee: Officially he was on board as TIA adviser?
Kok: Not when I met him.
Najib, 69, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion belonging to 1MDB and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.


The idea behind social health insurance schemes

Health experts and economists have welcomed the government’s proposal to introduce a social health insurance system in place of the existing free system.Malaysia has long invested in its public health sector to ensure adequate healthcare for its citizens, who only need to pay RM1 in order to access treatment and medication from government hospitals and clinics.These investments have also made Malaysia’s healthcare system one of the best in the world.Nevertheless, maintaining this requires high costs and subsidies from the government.Under the free health system, the budget comes from the government’s annual budget like that of any other service, from government revenue and taxes.Public health expert Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said the cost of healthcare was rising with every passing year, and questioned how long it could continue to be covered by the government’s budget.“The government needs a new mechanism that can accommodate both current and future health budgets,” he said.“The present system is divided into the government system and the private system, where the private costs are much higher.”Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin previously said that using government taxes to fund health costs was “unsustainable”.He also said it was difficult for the government to increase the budget for the health ministry, and that the government would give full subsidies to families in the low-income bracket.Last year, the government allocated RM32.4 billion for health ministry management and development, from a total of RM322.5 billion in the 2021 budget.Zainal said under the social health insurance system, the government would create special agencies with its financial resources as well as from the people through compulsory insurance according to ability and economic status.“Expenses for treatment and facilities accredited by the agency will be paid for through the fund,” he said.“Government and individual costs can be reduced, and individual access to quality services can be universally guaranteed.”Economist Barjoyai Bardai meanwhile agreed that the government might not be able to continue covering the expenses for the health sector.He said the insurance system could ensure that the people receive full coverage for specialist medication, surgery and the treatment of major diseases.“The question is whether it will increase the level of service and reduce government costs,” he said.“This depends on many things.”Barjoyai suggested a hybrid system that combines regular hospitals and specialised treatments where insurance can be used for chronic diseases, while common illnesses are referred to large hospitals.If the system is implemented, he added, the quality of existing hospitals should be upgraded to match that of private facilities.According to him, such a system would combine financial aspects and medical services, as insurance companies see medical services as a business.He said the insurance method uses the principle of probability where each policyholder is covered but a person’s chances of getting sick might be low.“Because the probability is low, the costs incurred are also low,” he added.Zainal meanwhile said the models and implementations of health insurance systems would vary depending on a country’s economy.He cited Turkey, the Philippines, Thailand, France and the UK as good examples.


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Nigeria has 18.5 million children out of school, Unicef says

More than 18.5 million children in Nigeria have no access to education, with girls accounting for more than half the number, the UN Children’s Fund has said.This is a staggering surge in cases of out-of-school children in Africa’s most populous country, which Unicef put at 10.5 million last year.“In Nigeria there are 18.5 million out-of-school children, 60% of these… are girls,” Rahama Farah, the head of Unicef’s office in the northern city of Kano, told local reporters on Wednesday.He said attacks on schools across the north by jihadists and criminal gangs who kidnap for ransom had contributed to the increase.Since Boko Haram jihadists kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls from the northeastern town of Chibok in 2014, dozens of schools have been targeted in similar mass abductions.Last year, gunmen abducted around 1,500 schoolchildren, with 16 students losing their lives, Unicef says.Most of the young hostages have been released after negotiations but some are still in captivity in forest hideouts.More than 11,000 schools have closed in Nigeria due to insecurity since December 2020, Unicef said last month.But parents are also scared to send their children to learn in those still open, Farah said.“These attacks have created an insecure learning environment, discouraged parents and caregivers from sending their children to schools,” said Farah, adding that pupils too were afraid.Following the shutdown of schools across northern Nigeria, Unicef has warned against a rise in reported cases of child marriages and early pregnancies.In the predominantly Muslim north, Farah said that only one in four girls from “poor, rural families” completed junior high school even before the mass abductions.Now the insecurity further “heightens gender inequity”, he said.


Japan to spend US$1.8 million on Abe's funeral despite opposition

Japan will spend US$1.83 million on a state funeral for slain former leader Shinzo Abe, the government said on Friday, despite growing opposition from a public angered by revelations of the ruling party's ties to the Unification Church.
Abe, Japan's longest-serving but divisive premier, was shot and killed at an election rally on July 8, and although funeral services were held soon after, Japan has decided to hold a state funeral at Tokyo's Nippon Budokan arena on Sept 27.
The government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, an Abe protege, decided the state funeral would be paid for solely with state funds.
But opinion polls show persistent opposition to the idea. In the latest, published on Sunday, 53% of respondents were against a state funeral.
The public has been angered by revelations of ties between the ruling party and the Unification Church, which a vast majority of respondents in opinion polls feel have not been fully explained and have become a major headache for Kishida, dragging down his support.
The church, founded in South Korea in the 1950s and famous for its mass weddings, has over the years faced questions over how its solicits donations.
Abe's suspected assassin, arrested at the scene moments after the shooting, bore a grudge against the church, alleging it bankrupted his mother, and he blamed Abe for promoting it, according to his social media posts and news reports.
The man is undergoing psychiatric evaluation, media has reported.
"Abe was highly regarded both within Japan and internationally, and there have been many messages of condolence (since his death)," chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a news conference.
"We believe it is necessary for Japan as a country to respond to that as international etiquette, and so we decided that it is best to conduct this funeral as an official event hosted by the government and have international visitors attend," he said.
Japan's last fully state-funded funeral for a prime minister was for Shigeru Yoshida in 1967. Subsequent ones have been paid for by both the state and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), of which Abe was an influential member.
Several current and former world leaders are expected to attend, with news reports saying arrangements were being made for former US President Barack Obama to take part.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend, the Kremlin said in July.


Finland’s president informs Putin of Nato membership bid

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Saturday about the Nordic country’s application for Nato membership, expected to be announced this weekend, his office said.The phone call, which was “initiated by Finland… was direct and straightforward and it was conducted without aggravations. Avoiding tensions was considered important,” Niinisto was quoted as saying in a statement by his office.But the Kremlin responded by saying that Putin viewed any end to Finland’s military neutrality as a “mistake.”“Putin stressed that the end of the traditional policy of military neutrality would be a mistake since there is no threat to Finland’s security,” it said in a statement.“Such a change in the country’s political orientation can have a negative impact on Russian-Finnish relations developed over years in a spirit of good neighbourliness and cooperation between partners,” the Kremlin added.Finland is expected to officially announce its Nato membership bid on Sunday.Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto underlined that it was “very important that we communicate with our neighbour”, even if “we don’t ask any permission for our political steps”.The minister was speaking from Berlin, where he was seeking to remove a potential barrier to his country’s accession plans – Turkey.Ukraine invasion swung opinionAccusing Finland and Sweden of harbouring “terrorist organisations”, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said he did “not have a positive opinion” on their membership bids.Arriving for talks in Berlin with Nato counterparts as well as Haavisto and Sweden’s foreign minister, Turkey’s Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated the accusations against the Nordic countries.But he did signal readiness for discussions.“A big majority of the Turkish people are against the membership of those countries who are supporting PKK terrorist organisation… but these are the issues that we need to talk of course with our Nato allies as well as these countries,” he said.The PKK is the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which has been outlawed in Turkey and designated a terrorist organisation in the UK, European Union and the US.Haavisto meanwhile said he was “confident that in the end we will find a solution and Finland (and) Sweden will become members of Nato”.Moscow’s Feb 24 invasion of Ukraine has swung political and public opinion in Finland and neighbouring Sweden in favour of Nato membership as a deterrent against Russian aggression.Both countries have long cooperated with the Western military alliance and are expected to be able to join it quickly.Sweden, like Finland traditionally non-aligned, is also expected to announce its own Nato membership bid in the coming days.Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly said they would be welcomed “with open arms”.Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said Saturday that her country was “prepared for different types of action” from Moscow.“But there is no information indicating Russia will initiate military action against Finland,” she said.Electricity supply suspendedMarin and Niinisto had said on Thursday that they wanted the country to join Nato “without delay”.Moscow responded by saying it would “definitely” see Finnish membership as a threat, warning that it would be “forced to take reciprocal steps, military-technical and other, to address the resulting threats”.On Saturday, the Finnish grid operator said that Russia suspended electricity supplies to Finland overnight after its energy firm RAO Nordic threatened to cut off supplies over payment arrears.“It is at zero at the moment, and that started from midnight as planned,” Timo Kaukonen, manager for operational planning at Fingrid, said.Nevertheless, Finland – which only imports about 10% of its power from Russia – said the shortfall was being made up by imports from Sweden.According to Helsinki, Niinisto told Putin “how fundamentally the Russian demands in late 2021 aiming at preventing countries from joining Nato and Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have altered the security environment of Finland”.Already on Thursday, Niinisto had told Russia: “You caused this. Look in the mirror.”


Police tracking down documents, witnesses abroad to assist in case involving Zeti’s husband

The police are tracking and identifying several documents as well as witnesses who are abroad to assist in the investigation involving Tawfiq Ayman, the husband of the former Bank Negara Malaysia governor, on allegations of receiving funds linked to 1MDB.Bukit Aman Commercial CID Department director Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said the police had contacted the countries involved but had yet to receive a response.“The investigation paper has been wrapped up and will be submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action, but we have received orders to obtain the documents and witnesses involved,” he said at a media conference in Kuala Lumpur today.He said the police could not arbitrarily obtain the statements of witnesses and related documents, but would have to wait for the green light from the countries involved.Earlier, the media reported that Tawfiq, via legal firm Tetuan Jagjit, Ariff & Co, had issued a statement to clarify that he had not received any form of bribes from anybody.The statement was made when former Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner was testifying in the trial against his former officer Roger Ng at the High Court in Brooklyn, New York recently.Leissner was reported to have mentioned the involvement of Tawfiq during the trial.The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission earlier reported that at least RM65 million linked to 1MDB funds was withdrawn from Singapore and kept in a company owned by Tawfiq.


Court throws out Zahid’s injunction bid against Mahathir in defamation suit

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today dismissed Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s application to prevent the republication and dissemination of Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statements which the former deputy prime minister claims are defamatory against him.When contacted, Zahid’s lawyer Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman said judge Rozana Ali Yusoff dismissed the application by the Umno president to obtain an interim injunction on the grounds that the issues raised by the plaintiff and defendant needed to be decided through trial.Mahathir’s lawyer, Mior Nor Haidir Suhaimi, meanwhile, said the court dismissed the plaintiff’s application after ruling that this was not the stage for the parties to argue the merits of the case.“The court is of the opinion that the plaintiff (Zahid) needs to prove that the statements made by Mahathir are not true. Therefore, the interim application was dismissed with costs of RM5,000 and case management set for Aug 23,” Mior said.On April 20, Zahid, 69, filed a defamation suit against Mahathir over allegations that he had sought to use his position to influence the latter to interfere in his ongoing court proceedings.In his statement of claim, Zahid said that on Oct 19, 2018, he was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with 12 charges of breach of trust, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering with all of the charges tried in the High Court.Zahid claimed that Mahathir had issued defamatory statements with malicious intent against him at the Pejuang Aspirasi launch event in conjunction with the 15th Johor state election at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya on Feb 23.The Bagan Datuk MP claimed the statements meant that he was a person who used shortcuts to resolve and postpone the trial of his ongoing criminal case, and had used his position to influence Mahathir to interfere in the criminal trial and investigations conducted by law enforcement agencies against him.Zahid also filed an interim injunction application for the defendant, either personally or through his officers and representatives, to retract the statements and prevent them from publishing, distributing or disseminating the statements or similar defamatory statements on any social media platform.He also sought an order for the defendant to delete, edit and stop the publication of parts of a video recording of the event on YouTube and Astro Awani’s Facebook account, as well as the TikTok account of MalaysiaGazette TV.Zahid also applied for an interim injunction order directing the defendant to write to the publishers, editors, operators and owners of online news portals or social media platforms to stop publishing the statements in question.


No race quota for armed forces recruitment, says defence minister

The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) have never set any racial quota for personnel recruitment, Defence Minister Mohamad Hasan said today.
He said recruitment was carried out twice a year, involving the intake of 6,000 to 7,000 personnel.
"We have never imposed a quota based on race. The percentage (of non-Bumiputera) is very low in MAF.
"They see that there are other jobs like going into business that offer better returns… so it is not only because there are no retirement plans," he said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.
He also said that MAF had many plans to prepare its personnel for retirement, including transition courses organised by the Armed Forces Veterans’ Affairs Department.
On the low percentage of non-Bumiputeras joining the armed forces, he said plans were made to attract them, including online applications and roadshows throughout the country. "It does seem that the response is not encouraging and low. So we don’t want this to continue and hope that a career in the armed forces will be more attractive to all races," Mohamad said.
On the procurement of a 155mm self-propelled howitzer to boost the army’s firepower, he said the procurement process was cancelled but that the weapon would be bought through open tender.
"The cannon is needed by the army, especially the Artillery Corps, but we cancelled the procurement process as it was done through direct negotiation, so we need to use open tender.
"The procurement will be done to ensure that it really follows the specifications needed by the MAF," he added.


Use all vaccine options to beat Covid, EMA tells EU

EU states must use all the vaccine options available to fight the coronavirus pandemic, and it is too early to tell if a particular type is best, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Thursday.The comments come as several countries limit the use of so-called viral vector jabs like AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson due to a link with rare blood clots, and opt instead for messenger RNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna.“We are still in a pandemic, and it’s very important that in this fight against this pandemic we use all the options we have available,” Marco Cavaleri, EMA head of vaccines strategy, told a news conference.Cavaleri said it was then “up to member states how they use them in the best interest of public health”.The EMA earlier this week denied that Cavaleri had suggested in an interview with an Italian newspaper dropping the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, even for people over 60 to whom it’s currently limited in a number of states.Cavaleri said Thursday the episode was “rather unfortunate and essentially was a misunderstanding on many aspects”.The EMA expert added it was “very difficult to say” which type of vaccine technology might prove the most dominant in future, and that all existing jabs had “already been saving thousands and millions of lives”.“Whether in the future there will be a certain type of vaccine like the messenger RNA that will remain the main one or not, whether other platform technologies… will remain as ancillary vaccine that could play an important role in controlling this coronavirus, is difficult to say right now,” he said.“We are just glad to have so many options.”The EMA has currently authorised four vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.One of another four under review – Germany’s CureVac – suffered a blow when interim trial results Wednesday showed it was just 47% effective.That falls below the EMA’s threshold of 50% efficacy but Cavaleri said that “this does not mean that we will not look into the entirety of the evidence” before reaching a decision.Meanwhile the regulator revealed that the number of Johnson & Johnson doses held back in the EU as a precaution after a batch in the US, made at the same time, was contaminated with material from another vaccine was 17 million.


Bersatu ministers to propose that govt revoke appeal against landmark citizenship ruling

Several ministers from Bersatu have agreed to propose to the Cabinet that the attorney-general be advised to withdraw the government’s appeal against a landmark High Court decision last week in defence of the right of Malaysian mothers to automatic citizenship for their children born abroad.It is understood that Saifuddin Abdullah, Zuraida Kamaruddin and Rina Harun have agreed to make such a recommendation tomorrow following a discussion involving the three ministers today.The matter will be brought to the Cabinet by Rina, who is the women, family and community development minister.“Good outcome tomorrow hopefully,” Saifuddin said on Twitter today.A source in the foreign ministry said there are concerns that keeping the current practice of not recognising the citizenship of children born overseas to Malaysian mothers would be a hurdle in Putrajaya’s bid to become a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).In 2019, Saifuddin, who was also the foreign minister then, stated Putrajaya’s intention to be elected to UNHRC, a move formalised late last year by Hishammuddin Hussein when he announced Malaysia’s bid for the 2022-2024 term.Dreams put on hold as govt appeals citizenship rulingListen to the voice of Malaysian mums, says AnnuarZuraida hopes home ministry, JPN act fast to implement court ruling on citizenshipPutrajaya had then given its commitment to attend to the plight of the Rohingya refugees, a move seen as an effort to convince UN members of its human rights credibility.“This case threatens to become another hurdle to Malaysia’s bid for a seat in UNHRC. So it will be a welcome relief for Wisma Putra if the government backs down from the appeal,” the source told MalaysiaNow.Malaysia was first elected to the council in 2006 but its membership was discontinued after 2013.Pressure has been growing on Putrajaya after the home minister and the director-general of the National Registration Department filed a notice of appeal against the Sept 9 decision by High Court judge Akhtar Tahir, who ruled that Malaysian women married to foreign men have the same right as Malaysian men married to foreign women in this regard.A suit was filed on Dec 18 last year by the Association of Family Support & Welfare Selangor & Kuala Lumpur (Family Frontiers) and six Malaysian women married to foreigners.While the constitution gives Malaysian men married to foreign women the automatic right to confer citizenship on children born abroad, the same has not been the case with Malaysian women who marry foreigners and have children overseas, with many facing restrictions in bringing those children home.Apart from the Bersatu trio, two other ministers have also spoken in support of equal rights for Malaysian women in matters of citizenship for their children.Umno’s Annuar Musa in a brief comment yesterday urged authorities “to heed the voice of Malaysian mothers”, while GPS’ Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who is also the minister in charge of law, lauded the court ruling, saying it was in line with the constitution’s guarantee of non-discrimination.


Schools in Sarawak red zones to close for 14 days

Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg today instructed all schools in red zones to close for two weeks beginning tomorrow, as the state continues to grapple with a surge of Covid-19 infections.Speaking at a press conference in Kuching, he said the state government had also decided to tighten the SOPs for inter-zone movement, with those seeking to travel from one zone to another required to obtain a police permit.“Inter-zone travel has resulted in 506 positive cases and eight Covid-19 clusters since January this year.“Therefore, we have decided to tighten SOPs for inter-zone travel,” he said.He added that police have been directed to issue permits only to those involved in essential services.The new SOPs will take effect from today.Sarawak is under conditional movement control order until April 26.Abang Johari also said the state disaster management committee would continue to adopt a full containment policy in the event of a positive case through the “trace, test, quarantine and isolate” measures.He said Sarawak would not be placed under movement control order (MCO) due to concerns about the state’s economy and the well-being of the people who have already been affected by the pandemic.“We do not want to impose MCO because our economy could be affected. We need to balance health and economy, lives and livelihoods.“Based on our experience, implementing CMCO with clear SOPs and strict enforcement is more effective in curbing the spread of Covid-19.”He added that enhanced MCO would continue to be imposed in high-risk areas.Urging the people to comply with all SOPs, he said the state government under Gabungan Parti Sarawak would not waver in its efforts to battle the pandemic.He also said Sarawak had shown that it was able to flatten the curve.“I believe we can win and are able to resolve this challenge,” he said.


Delta variant, asymptomatic people behind spike in Klang Valley cases, says task force leader

The emergence of the Delta variant and the presence of many asymptomatic individuals who are unaware of their infection status and are spreading the virus have been identified as part of the cause for the spike in Covid-19 cases in the Greater Klang Valley (GKV).GKV Special Task Force commander Dr Chong Chee Kheong said despite the ramp-up in vaccinations, the number of daily cases was still rising because the protection offered by the vaccine takes time to build.“The vaccine effectiveness is best two weeks after the second dose, so this takes time. The Delta variant that has a high infectivity rate is also an important contributor to the spike in cases.“In addition, we recognise from the experience and data of nations with high vaccination rates that infections can still occur due to the Delta variant although hospitalisations and severe infections are significantly reduced,” he said in a statement today.In order to stem the spread of the virus in the GKV, Chong who is also deputy director of health (public health), said the GKV Special Task Force had put in place a number of strategic measures to optimise care services, reduce virus transmission and support the community and health staff.Some of the key initiatives are increasing the capacity of beds, ICU care, oxygen supply, manpower deployment and use of volunteers, as well as strengthening Covid-19 assessment centres (CACs) by offering a virtual CAC for asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients and enhanced home monitoring management.“We hope to offer more RTK-Ag tests to health clinics and general practitioners via the sale of Medical Device Authority-approved test kits to allow for wider testing,” Chong said.He also advised individuals in the GKV showing any symptoms of Covid-19 to get tested, and once confirmed positive, to isolate themselves at home and conduct frequent self-monitoring through the MySejahtera application.“We don’t want to congest hospitals with mild cases so that treatment for severe patients can be prioritised. Our staff will contact those who are red-flagged as high risk and request them to come to the nearest CAC or hospital,” he said.He said the number of cases was expected to continue rising in the next few days as they were encouraging more self-testing and RTK-Ag use.“But do not be alarmed by this. We need to identify as many cases as possible to reduce transmission in the community. As more of these positive cases and their contacts are isolated and quarantined, cases will start to gradually come down in the weeks to come,” he said.Once that happens, he said, testing will be re-strategised to ensure the effective detection of cases for isolation and monitoring.


High Court rules questions of law in judge Nazlan probe can be referred to apex court

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today granted an application by two lawyers and an activist to refer two questions of law regarding the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) investigation against Court of Appeal judge, Mohd Nazlan Ghazali, to the Federal Court. The questions are on whether criminal investigation bodies including the MACC are only legally permitted to investigate High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court judges who have been suspended under Article 125 (5) of the Federal Constitution, and whether the public prosecutor is empowered to institute or conduct any proceedings for an offence against serving judges pursuant to Article 145 (3) of the Federal Constitution.
Judge Noorin Badaruddin ruled that the Federal Court was the correct and appropriate forum to hear matters that affect the judiciary as a whole, as the questions arising in this matter relate to provisions of the Federal Constitution concerning the independence of the judiciary vis-à-vis the doctrine of separation of powers.
"It is apparent that the investigation by the MACC on a serving judge of the Superior Court is viewed by the applicants and undeniably by many quarters among the public as an encroachment of the separation of powers. The investigation is reasonably viewed as having given rise to the impression that the judiciary is under attack which has a bearing on the public perception and confidence in the judiciary.
"As the present matter is going on, this court takes cognisance of the fact of the differences of opinions and views given on this issue and this court cannot disagree that this is a matter of fundamental importance because it affects the judiciary as a whole. All these underscore the urgency of the matter.  "It cannot be denied that this court is empowered to determine the questions but it becomes a question of concern of having to go through the appellate process on a matter that is important to the judiciary as a whole," she said.
The judge said a definitive and final pronouncement by the Federal Court as the highest court in the land on the questions arising herein which have a direct bearing on public confidence in the independence of the judiciary was therefore essential.
"The court is of the considered view that a definitive and final pronouncement by the Federal Court on the questions posed by the applicants will benefit both parties in a speedy and economic final determination of the proceedings. Thus, the application is allowed with no order as to costs," she said, fixing Oct 19 for further case management.
Nur Ain Mustapa and Sreekant Pillai, as well as activist Haris Fathillah Mohamed Ibrahim filed an originating summons, among others to refer the two questions to the Federal Court and to seek a declaration that the investigation conducted by the MACC against judge Nazlan is unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, the three plaintiffs through a supporting affidavit filed with the originating summons said the media had reported that the commission had commenced a probe against Nazlan over allegations of unexplained money in his account following official reports lodged with it on the matter.
They claimed that the investigation was a violation by the executive branch of the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers.
Nazlan himself, who heard and convicted former prime minister Najib Razak of misappropriating SRC International funds, has lodged a police report over news articles alleging that he was being investigated over unexplained money in his bank account.


US says immunity for crown prince 'nothing to do' with Saudi ties

The White House denied Friday it was seeking to smooth over frayed bilateral ties with Riyadh when a recent US government court filing granted immunity to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 murder.
"This legal determination has absolutely nothing to do with the merits of the case itself," said White House national security spokesman John Kirby, referring to the civil lawsuit against the crown prince and other Saudis by Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz.
Moreover, the determination "has absolutely nothing to do with the bilateral relationship with Saudi Arabia, which as you know, is tense right now," he said, pointing to Riyadh's recent support for the Opec cartel's decreased oil output, which angered Washington.
President Joe Biden "has been very, very clear, very vocally so, about the brutal and barbaric murder of Khashoggi," Kirby said.
The White House reaction comes as Amnesty International blasted the Biden administration over granting immunity to the prince, calling the act "a deep betrayal."
The rights group also criticised Riyadh for naming Prince Mohammed prime minister in a royal decree, in a move that sparked suggestions he was looking to skirt exposure in the civil action filed by Khashoggi's fiancee.
"The US government should hang its head in shame. This is nothing more than a sickening, total, deep betrayal, Amnesty's Secretary General Agnes Callamard said in a statement.
"First the evidence of the Crown Prince's involvement in Jamal Khashoggi's murder was disregarded by president Trump, then President Biden's fist bump – it all suggests shady deals made throughout."
Callamard added that it was "beyond cynical" for the Saudi government to seek to extend immunity to Prince Salman by declaring him prime minister.
"It is disappointing that the US government has given effect to this legal ruse," she said, adding it "sends a deplorable message that those in power... are free to operate above the law with total impunity."
The publisher of the Washington Post, the US paper Khashoggi had contributed to, also slammed the decision.
Fred Ryan, the paper's publisher and CEO, said in a statement that Biden was "granting a licence to kill to one of the world's most egregious human-rights abusers who is responsible for the cold-blooded murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post Columnist."
But White House spokesman Kirby said Biden "has worked to hold the regime accountable."
Kirby also pointed to Biden's order for a review of the US-Saudi relationship, which has been extremely close for decades.
Biden wants to make sure the relationship "is serving the interests of our national security and the American people," he said.
The killing four years ago of Khashoggi, a Saudi insider-turned-critic, in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate temporarily turned Prince Mohammed into a pariah in the West.
His lawyers previously argued he qualifies for the kind of immunity US courts afford foreign heads of state and other high-ranking officials.
The US government had until Thursday to offer an opinion on that matter, if it chose to offer one at all. Its recommendation is not binding on the court.


Food stall owner recalls explosions followed by fire after RMAF jet accident

A witness of the accident involving a Royal Malaysian Air Force fighter jet at the RMAF Butterworth Air Base says she heard two loud explosions moments before seeing flames shoot up into the air at the runway of the base.“When the accident occurred around 10pm, I heard loud explosions… twice followed by a blaze after the plane crashed,” Mastura Mohammad Nordin, 44, who owns an eatery at Kampung Benggali, Sungai Puyu, told reporters.She said after witnessing the incident, she and three of her workers along with several customers rushed from her stall, located some 100m away from the base, to the perimeter fence to get a clearer view of the incident and saw what looked like a fire on the base runway.“After the crash, we rushed to the fence and saw a blaze. We hoped that nothing serious had befallen the pilot or any bystanders,” she added.An RMAF pilot was killed while another was injured when their Hawk fighter jet was involved in an accident at around 10.07pm while on night flight training.RMAF issued a statement identifying the pilots as Capt Mohamad Affendi Bustamy and Major Mohd Fareez Omar.According to the statement, Affendi was killed in the accident while Fareez, who sustained injuries, is reported to be in stable condition and is being treated at the Seberang Jaya Hospital.Checks by Bernama at the Seberang Jaya Hospital showed that RMAF personnel and the police had arrived at 1am at the hospital grounds to manage the funeral arrangements of the pilot killed in the accident.Deputy Chief of Air Force Lt Gen Asghar Khan Goriman Khan was among those at the Forensics Department waiting for the body of Affendi, which arrived at around 2am.It is understood that the hospital will be conducting a post-mortem on the pilot’s remains this morning.


FBI opening Cambodian office ‘to track down American criminals’

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plans to set up an office at Cambodia’s national police headquarters in Phnom Penh to help track down American criminals.This comes at a time when Washington is seeking to repair strained relations with a close ally of China.The office will serve to support Cambodian police in efforts to arrest American fugitives and to fight terrorism, police spokesman Chhay Kim Khoeun told Reuters on Tuesday.“Before, we cooperated on a case-by-case basis and now we are having an office to work with the objective to work fast,” he said.The US embassy told Reuters, “A joint FBI-Cambodian National Police task force established to fight crimes against children, money laundering, and financial crime is now operational. Our law enforcement cooperation makes both our countries safer.”Ties between the US and Cambodia have been polite but distant in recent years, with Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government angered by Washington criticism of the dissolution of the main opposition party and arrest of rival politicians and activists.Last week, the Pentagon expressed concern about the demolition of a US-funded navy facility at Ream, Cambodia’s largest naval base. Cambodia has repeatedly denied reports there was a secret deal with China, its biggest economic and diplomatic ally, to place forces at the base.One of the world’s longest-serving leaders, Hun Sen has in recent years looked more to Beijing than Washington due to US criticism of his government’s alleged human rights abuses. The opening of the FBI office may be a step towards renewing a productive working relationship between the US and Cambodia.


It was so bad I hoped I wouldn’t recover, says Dr Mahathir

Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said he had hoped that he would not recover from his recent health condition, giving the public a glimpse of how serious his situation was when he was admitted to the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur.In his second public appearance since doctors allowed him to go home, the former veteran leader who was prime minister twice said his condition was “very bad”.“I have recovered from an illness that I felt was very bad, to the extent that there were times that I hoped I would not recover.“But praise to God, with the treatment at IJN, I have recovered,” Mahathir, who turns 97 in July, said in a video message.Pictures of him taking a walk at the Putrajaya lake accompanied by his wife Dr Siti Hasmah Ali were also shared on his social media accounts.Dr Mahathir Mohamad sits with his wife Dr Siti Hasmah Ali at the Putrajaya lake. Photo: TwitterMahathir was readmitted to IJN last month after undergoing an elective procedure on Jan 7.He was previously admitted to IJN in December, when doctors said they were conducting a series of tests on him.News of his health had drawn nationwide interest, with special prayers held for his recovery.On Feb 4, his office said he had been allowed to go home although he would have to return to IJN for follow-up treatment.Mahathir today said he was now able to carry out daily activities although his movements were weaker.“I can walk, eat, sleep, sit. It is almost like normal,” he said.


New infections at 2,340 as 6 more deaths logged

Another 2,340 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,782,624.
There were 2,502 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,715,417.
There are now 30,991 active cases, of which 29,604 or 95.5% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 17 (0.1%) are at quarantine centres while 1,301 (4.2%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 69 are in ICU with 42 in need of respiratory assistance. ICU utilisation throughout the country stands at 62.1%, with Covid ICU utilisation at 18.5%.
Another six deaths were reported, including one who was brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,216.


Knife attack on toddlers in lakeside park stuns tranquil French town

Anthony Le Tallec was jogging around the pristine waters of Lake Annecy in the foothills of the Alps when a wave of panicked bystanders rushed past in the opposite direction.
One mother urged him to turn and run.
"There's someone stabbing everyone along the lakeshore. He's knifed children," Le Tallec, a former professional football player with Liverpool FC, quoted her as telling him in a video account of what he saw that he posted on Instagram.
Confused, Le Tallec said he kept jogging through the park in the town of Annecy but soon saw a man heading his way with police officers in pursuit but struggling to catch up.
"I see that he's heading straight for a group of elderly men and women. He attacks one grandpa, stabs him once, the cops can't catch him, so I tell the cops, 'Shoot him'," Le Tallec continued.
"Then they start shooting, they shoot at the person, right in front of me, and he falls to the ground."
The suspect was a 31-year-old Syrian refugee granted asylum in Sweden 10 years ago and in France legally, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said.
A woman identified as the suspect's former wife told BFM TV her former partner was a Christian.
One eyewitness' video of the attack, verified by Reuters, shows the assailant jump a low wall into a children's playground and repeatedly lunge at a child's stroller, pushing aside a woman who tries to fend him off.
Belgian national Laurent Syryn told Flemmish broadcaster VRT's Radio 2 that he saw two small children in a single pushchair with knife wounds.
"One had a knife wound in the neck, another in the abdomen," he said. "I applied pressure to the wounds and waited for the emergency services."
Playground
The children were wounded in the attack were aged between 22 months and three years.
Le Paquier park where the attack took place is popular with local people and tourists who swarm to Annecy in summer to boat on the lake's turquoise waters and hike in the nearby forested mountains.
At least one of the wounded children was in a stroller, eyewitnesses said. One person who saw the attack, who gave his name as Ferdinand, told BFM TV: "(He) went towards the strollers, repeatedly hitting the little ones with a knife."
Dominique Griziaux said he was at the nearby "Pop Beach" when the wail of sirens filled the air. The attack had left him feeling sick inside.
"You put yourself in the place of parents and grandparents put through this drama," said Griziaux, an Annecy resident, adding that an attack on such young children was "just unthinkable".
"You'd never think this could be possible in such a peaceful, bucolic environment as Annecy."
As the afternoon faded and life returned to the re-opened park, Pierre, 39, pushed his son on a swing in the playground where the attack occurred.
"I thought 'maybe it's better to go to another park'. But he likes it here," Pierre said.


Agong names Anwar as 10th PM with reminder against politicking

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has named Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister, ending days of uncertainty following the results of the Nov 19 election which gave rise to a hung parliament.
This followed a meeting of the Malay rulers this morning, to allow Sultan Abdullah to choose an MP who, in his opinion, might hold the support of the majority in the Dewan Rakyat as prime minister in accordance with Article 40(2)(1) and Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution.
Istana Negara said the next process would be the ceremony of appointment and the swearing in of the prime minister at the palace at 5pm.
"His Majesty reminds all parties that those who won did not win everything and those who lost did not lose everything," it said.
"The fact is, the people should not be burdened with endless political turmoil when the country is in need of a stable government to restore the economic landscape and national development.
"The MPs who have been chosen by the people are also reminded to show solidarity by giving priority and the highest commitment as well as their best service to the people."
Anwar and Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin had been neck-to-neck in the race for support following the 15th general election which saw no single coalition winning enough seats to form the government on its own.
Days of negotiations and talks followed among the leaders of PH, PN and Barisan Nasional (BN), with the focus on BN and its 30 MPs amid conflicting statements by individual lawmakers and the coalition itself.
BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who had faced pressure to step down following the pact's worst ever election performance, had also come under fire for a letter sent to the palace expressing the support of all 30 MPs for Anwar.
While MPs then accused him of making "arbitrary decisions" and deceiving the palace, the Umno Supreme Council said the following day that it would back the proposal for a unity government although not with PN at the head.


Australia eyes vaccination entry requirement

Australia will likely require international arrivals to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or face a prolonged quarantine, as officials sketch out what “new normal” virus restrictions may look like.Although “no final decision” had been made on how to proceed when a vaccine becomes available, Australia’s Health Minister Greg Hunt suggested Tuesday that a vaccination or a strict two-week quarantine would be a condition for entry.The comments came as Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said international travellers would need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to fly with the Australian flag carrier.“We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travellers that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft,” he told Channel Nine television.“Whether you need that domestically, we will have to see what happens.”Health minister Hunt said: “We would expect that people coming to Australia while Covid-19 is a significant disease in the world will either be vaccinated or they will isolate.”For eight months, Australia has had virtually closed off from the rest of the world, with a blanket ban on non-residents entering the country and citizens strongly advised against all foreign travel.But with promising results in vaccine trials, Hunt suggested Australians may start receiving doses as early as March.Joyce predicted the airline rule would likely become standard practice around the world.Other major regional airlines, however, said it was too early to comment on what travel requirements might be when a vaccine becomes widely available.“We don’t have any concrete plans to announce at this point on the vaccine as it is still in development and will take time to distribute,” a Korean Air representative told AFP.Japan Airlines similarly said it had “no plans to require international travellers to have a vaccination”.Digital health passVaccination entry requirements are already widely used around the world, with many countries demanding travellers show they have been inoculated against yellow fever if they are coming from regions where the disease is endemic.The International Air Transport Association (Iata) announced late Monday it was in the “final stages” of developing a digital health pass that it says can be used to record Covid-19 tests or vaccinations and will “support the safe reopening of borders”.The global airline industry has come under huge pressure from restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus.Qantas has grounded more than 200 planes and laid off 8,500 staff as it attempts to offset a US$1.9 billion loss caused by the collapse in demand for air travel.A slew of other carriers have collapsed because of the pandemic, including Virgin Australia, Chilean-Brazilian airline LATAM and Britain’s Flybe.Iata said in October that after a predicted 66% drop in global air traffic this year, airlines’ revenues are expected to be down by 46% in 2021 compared to 2019.