All 5 on Titanic sub dead after 'catastrophic' implosion

All five people aboard a submersible missing near the wreck of the Titanic died – likely in an instant – after their vessel suffered what the US Coast Guard said Thursday was a "catastrophic implosion" in the ocean depths.
The somber announcement ended a multinational search-and-rescue operation that captivated the world since the tiny tourist craft went missing in the North Atlantic four days ago.
Rear Admiral John Mauger told reporters in Boston that analysis showed debris found on the seafloor, 1,600 feet (500m) from the bow of the Titanic, was consistent with the implosion of the sub's pressure chamber.
"On behalf of the US Coast Guard and the entire unified command, I offer my deepest condolences to the families," Mauger said.
On board were British explorer Hamish Harding, French submarine expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, Pakistani-British tycoon Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, and Stockton Rush, CEO of the sub's operator OceanGate Expeditions.
OceanGate said its "hearts are with these five souls and every member of their families during this tragic time."
"These men were true explorers who shared a distinct spirit of adventure, and a deep passion for exploring and protecting the world's oceans," it said in a statement.
"We grieve the loss of life and joy they brought to everyone they knew."
The Coast Guard announced earlier Thursday that an underwater robot had discovered a "debris field" in the search area.
'Unforgiving environment'
Authorities said they later learned the pieces included the sub's tail cone and front and back ends of its pressure hull.
Mauger said the Coast Guard could not be sure when or why the vessel imploded and declined to be drawn on whether remains of the men would be retrieved.
"This is an incredibly unforgiving environment down there on the seafloor," he said.
The process of demobilising personnel and vessels from the scene would soon begin but unmanned robots would continue operations on the seabed for now, Mauger added.
"We'll collect as much information as we can," he said.
The US military originally detected the likely implosion of the craft on secret underwater sound monitoring devices shortly after it went missing on Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
"The US Navy conducted an analysis of acoustic data and detected an anomaly consistent with an implosion or explosion in the general vicinity of where the Titan submersible was operating when communications were lost," a unnamed senior navy official told WSJ.
The small sub named Titan disappeared on Sunday as it descended to the Titanic, which sits nearly 4km below the ocean's surface and 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
OceanGate Expeditions charged US$250,000 for a seat on the sub. In a 2018 lawsuit, its former director of marine operations raised concerns about the "experimental and untested design" of Titan.
Harding was a billionaire and keen explorer with three Guinness Records to his name, while the Dawoods belonged to one of Pakistan's richest families. Nargeolet was nicknamed "Mr Titanic" for his frequent dives at the site.
The British and Pakistani governments expressed their "deepest condolences" to all the men's families.
Titanic's lure
The 21-foot (6.5m) Titan had been due to resurface seven hours after beginning its descent at 8am on Sunday.
But the craft lost communication with its mothership less than two hours in.
Ships and planes from the US and Canadian coast guards, as well as a robot sent from France, scoured 10,000 square miles (around 20,000 square km) of surface water – roughly the size of the US state of Massachusetts – for the vessel.
The search honed in on areas where underwater banging noises were detected late Tuesday and Wednesday. But Mauger said that ultimately the sounds did not appear to have any relation to the site of the debris.
The Titanic hit an iceberg and sank in 1912 during its maiden voyage from England to New York with 2,224 passengers and crew on board. More than 1,500 people died.
It was found in 1985 and remains a lure for nautical experts and underwater tourists.
The pressure at that depth as measured in atmospheres is 400 times what it is at sea level.
Marine scientist and oceanographer David Mearns, who specialises in deep water search and recovery operations, said earlier the debris discovery indicated a rapid breakup of the submersible.
"The only saving grace about that is that it would have been immediate, literally in milliseconds, and the men would have had no idea what was happening," Mearns, who was friends with two of those onboard, told Sky News.


Aussie man uses pocket knife to fight off crocodile

A 60-year-old Australian man escaped the jaws of a large crocodile by stabbing it repeatedly in the head with his pocket knife as it dragged him into a river, local authorities said Wednesday.After surviving the terrifying attack at a remote riverbank in Australia’s far northern Cape York Peninsula, the injured man drove himself to hospital, the Queensland state environment department said.The man had gone fishing on his property last week near Hope Vale, about five hours’ drive from Cairns, and shooed away a bull from the riverbank so he could take over the spot.Then, the crocodile struck.“He described seeing the crocodile seconds before it lunged at him, knocking him over as he was about to cast his fishing rod,” the department said in a statement.He grabbed onto the branch of a mangrove tree in a desperate attempt to stay out of the river as the crocodile’s jaws wrapped around his boots. But he quickly lost the tug-of-war and was pulled in.“The man said that as he entered the water, he managed to retrieve his knife from his belt and stabbed the crocodile in its head until it let him go.”The man then scrambled up the bank and drove to Cooktown Hospital for treatment. He was later flown to Cairns Hospital, where he is still recovering a week later.Wildlife officers who interviewed him Tuesday confirmed that his injuries were consistent with a crocodile attack.They would not attempt to capture the reptile – which was believed to be attracted to the area by the presence of the bull – because it is too remote.Saltwater crocodile numbers have exploded since they were declared a protected species in 1971, with recent attacks reigniting debate about controlling them.The “salties”, which can grow up to seven metres long and weigh more than a tonne, are a common feature of the vast continent’s tropical north.Known as “croc country”, the area sees attacks relatively frequently but they are rarely fatal, with locals and visitors warned to keep their distance from waterways.


Over half of Malaysians struggling to meet expenses with current income, survey shows

A recent poll reveals that more than half of respondents are struggling to cover expenses with their current income, with a reduction in allowance cited as the most common reason.The survey by the UCSI Poll Research Centre, conducted among 618 people across the country, showed that 50.3% of respondents are unable to meet their expenses.Of these, just under half (49.8%) cited a reduction in allowance while 47.9% cited a cut in overtime payment.Just over 42% said this was due to a reduction or loss of passive income such as dividends and rental, 40.5% cited a reduction or loss of active side income while 32.2% said they had suffered a pay cut.Again, just over half (50.2%) said they were dipping into their savings to deal with their financial situation while 48.9% said they were borrowing from family members and friends.Another 48.9% said they were making withdrawals through the EPF’s i-Sinar programme, 36.3% said they had taken out bank loans, and 9% said they had no solution.Survey participants were allowed to choose more than one reason.“This brought about the question of how long people can rely on savings to remedy their financial difficulties. This can be worrying as people may resort to borrowing when they run out of savings,” the centre said in a statement.“Besides, people will need time to re-accumulate their savings and the lack of disposable income might slow down economic recovery.”


Water restored in 62% of affected areas

Water supply had been restored to 811 locations (62.7%) of the 1,292 areas affected by the unscheduled disruption in seven regions in the Klang Valley as of 6.30pm yesterday.In a statement, Air Selangor said the remaining 481 areas were still in the process of having their water supply restored.Kuala Selangor recorded the highest rate of resumption at 99.2%, followed by Hulu Selangor (94.1%), Gombak (66.4%), Petaling (66.1%), Kuala Langat (50%), Kuala Lumpur (41.3%) and Klang/Shah Alam (24.2%).“Consumers who have received their supply are urged to use it prudently to ensure the restoration process for the affected areas runs smoothly and according to the recovery plan schedule.“Air Selangor assures that the quality of water supplied to consumers is safe and meets the standards of the health ministry,” it said.It also denied a message made viral on social media sites that rationing exercises would be carried out and that the water was not safe for consumption.


'Political indoctrination': PN slams Anwar movie screening for students

Perikatan Nasional (PN) today hit out at the invitation to Form 6 students at a school in Putrajaya to watch the propaganda film "Anwar: The Untold Story" together with Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, calling it a form of political indoctrination.
Indera Mahkota MP Saifuddin Abdullah said it is not wrong for any minister to invite anyone to a film screening.
"However, the choice of a film must be relevant. There should be a reason why it should be watched, and this does not include that film," he said at a press conference in the Parliament today.
Yesterday, a letter to Form 6 students of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Presint 5(1) in Putrajaya inviting them to watch the film together with the education minister went viral. "Anwar: The Untold Story" is an Indonesian film produced by cartoonist Zulkiflee Anwar Haque, better known as Zunar, about the political crisis between Anwar and Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1998.
The film, which reportedly collected RM1 million on its first day of screening, was shrouded in controversy when a flurry of free tickets was given out to those who wanted to watch it.
The film's producer had previously claimed that cinemas were sabotaging the biopic, an allegation which the Malaysian Association of Film Exhibitors has since disputed.
Saifuddin, who also heads PN's education committee, submitted a question to Fadhlina during the Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today regarding the film screening held for students.
The question, however, went unanswered, despite having been received by the house.
Saifuddin also questioned why only Form 6 students were invited to the screening.
"Is it because the storyline is suitable for a specific subject in Form 6, or is it because they are eligible to vote?"
Saifuddin then called out the Pakatan Harapan government for using education as a form of political indoctrination. He also raised reports on the Community Communication Department's activities at a school in Baling, Kedah.
"The question now is whether the government is using students to spread cheap propaganda. This goes against the harmony of schools, which are supposed to be politically neutral institutions," he said.


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Russia's ex-leader says arrest of Putin abroad would be 'declaration of war'

Russia's ex-president Dmitry Medvedev has warned that attempts to arrest Vladimir Putin abroad after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant against him would be seen by Moscow as a "declaration of war".
Medvedev, who served as president between 2008 and 2012, has made increasingly hawkish speeches since Putin sent troops to Ukraine, repeatedly issuing nuclear threats.
Late on Wednesday, he said Russian weapons would hit a country if it arrested Putin.
The ICC, based in The Hague, last week announced an arrest warrant for the Russian leader, accused of deporting Ukrainian children.
"Let's imagine – it's clear that this is a situation that will never happen – but nevertheless let's imagine it does," the Putin ally said.
"The current head of a nuclear state arrives on the territory of, say, Germany, and is arrested. What is this? A declaration of war against the Russian Federation."
Medvedev said that if this happened "all of our means, rockets and others, will fly on the Bundestag, in the Chancellor's Office and so on."
Medvedev – who is deputy chairman of Russia's security council – said the ICC's decision will make dire relations with the West plunge further.
His comments came two days after Russia opened a criminal investigation into ICC prosecutor Karim Khan and several other ICC judges, saying their decision was "unlawful".
The Hague-based court had also issued a warrant against Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's presidential commissioner for children's rights.
On Wednesday, the ICC's legislative body said it regretted "threats" against the tribunal over its warrant.
"The presidency of the assembly regrets these attempts to hinder international efforts to ensure accountability for acts that are prohibited under general international law," it said in a statement.


4 Sabah districts to be placed under TEMCO

Four districts in Sabah – Lahad Datu, Tawau, Kunak and Semporna – will be placed under administrative targeted enhanced movement control order (TEMCO) from midnight until Oct 12.Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the administrative TEMCO, covering 962,661 residents, would be implemented to curb the transmission of Covid-19 infections in the districts and to enable targeted case tracking activities over the next 14 days.“The health ministry has confirmed that there were 1,195 positive cases of Covid-19 infections in Lahad Datu, Tawau, Kunak and Semporna from Sept 1 to 27, with Lahad Datu recording 241 cases, Tawau 634, Kunak 65 and Semporna 255.“Taking into account the number of cases, the government, on the advice of the health minister, has decided to implement an administrative TEMCO in these areas,” he said in a statement today.During the administrative TEMCO, residents will be prohibited from leaving these areas while non-residents and visitors will not be allowed to enter.All business activities will be halted except for essential goods and services in the four districts, while medical bases will be opened in the TEMCO areas.Ismail said all entry points to and from the TEMCO areas would be closed.To ensure full compliance, the police, armed forces, Civil Defence Force, Rela, local authorities and authorised personnel will control all areas involved.“For the implementation of this order, all residents are asked to remain calm and give full cooperation to the staff from the ministry and comply with all directives issued by the authorities,” he said.Residents who need help or have questions can contact the district police headquarters at the given numbers: Lahad Datu (089-881255), Tawau (089-752222), Kunak (089-851222) and Semporna (089-782020).


University introduces free Covid-19 test dispensing machines for students

Lengthy waits for Covid-19 tests are a thing of the past at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), now that the university is distributing free test kits from on-campus vending machines.Last year, before the holiday season, UCSD controlled the spread of the virus by using proven methods such as enforcing mask-wearing, social distancing and frequent testing, Pradeep Khosla, UCSD’s chancellor, told ABC News.As a result, only 183 of the approximately 10,000 students who live on campus have tested positive since March 2020.But as the university prepared for an infection surge after the holidays, university authorities said they wanted to come up with an idea to make testing more widely available on campus.“The way to think about this is, we are removing the friction associated with testing,” Khosla said.Previously, an appointment with a nurse was required to get tested, but the new self-service scheme was already in place by the time students returned from their holiday break.University rules require tests for all students as they return to campus for the spring semester. The first test must be within 24 hours of arrival, then five and 10 days later, Dr Angela Scioscia, head of student health and well-being at UCSD explained. After that, students who live on campus are required to get tested weekly or face disciplinary action.She told ABC News that students collect the take-home kits from the vending machines, then returned them to a drop box. Results are uploaded to a student’s phone, usually the same day.“They can pick up the testing kit from a machine at their convenience and they can drop it off when they’re done,” Scioscia said. “It’s much more user-friendly.”In the first week, just a few hundred kits were distributed on Saturday, more than 1,000 on Sunday and more than 2,000 on Monday, Scioscia said.Student Andy Goodman told ABC San Diego station KGTV that he was uncomfortable with the new process at first, “but after doing it a bunch of times, I got used to it.”Khosla told ABC that the school has incentivised students to be diligent about testing. When a student gets tested 10 straight weeks, they receive a US$50 gift card.


Long road to success for Proton-Geely venture, say automotive experts

Five years after it sealed the deal with Chinese carmaker Geely, Proton appears to be doing well with sales on the rise even as the country continues to struggle with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.But several automotive experts say the joint venture with the national car company still has some way to go before it achieves its goal of turning Proton into a strong brand name, especially on the global stage.Hezeri Samsuri said the joint venture with Geely had succeeded in freeing Proton of the turmoil it faced prior to the deal. Nevertheless, he said it was still far from able to compete with established names in the international market such as Honda or Toyota.For him, the main issue is the apparent lack of technology transfer – a key part of Proton’s agreement with Geely.“In terms of saving Proton, yes, it succeeded. But it did not succeed 100% because when the joint venture was signed, we were promised the transfer of technology,” he said.“My question is, how many from Proton have been sent to China to learn from Geely or Volvo?”Hezeri, the editor of automotive news site Careta.my, said this was crucial to Proton’s ability to develop its own technology as is done by foreign companies.“Honda has Vtec and Toyota produces the VVTI system,” he said.“Proton still has no technology of its own, which is why it is important to move in that direction.”Hezeri said Proton was sitting comfortably in terms of company operations.“But for the long run, I don’t see anything yet.”The joint venture between Proton and Geely was inked in 2017, when Proton’s parent company DRB-Hicom sold a 49.9% stake to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.Automotive expert Chips Yap said the agreement should have been signed earlier as it is difficult for companies to have much of an impact when moving solo.“Proton still has no technology of its own, which is why it is important to move in that direction.”Speaking to MalaysiaNow, he pointed to Perodua as a good example of this.Perodua, widely known as Malaysia’s second national carmaker, maintained its joint venture with Daihatsu and succeeded in dominating over the local automotive market with a stake of about 25%.It marked its first breakthrough in 2006 with the highly popular Myvi model, which has since undergone several iterations and is now the best-selling vehicle in the country.“Perodua felt that it still needed to learn about developments in the automotive world, so it continued its relationship with its partner,” Yap, of PISTON.my, said.“This is the right kind of attitude. It listens to its partner, and although many say that Perodua is just rebranding, most of its models are in fact made by locals.”Acknowledging Perodua’s high cost of engineering due to its use of external expertise, Yap nevertheless said that this was not a problem as automotive giants such as Toyota do the same in order to develop new models.Both he and Hezeri agreed that Proton and Perodua should not be seen as competing as they have different customer targets.While Proton leans more towards the international market, they said, Perodua targets the local market and focuses on producing affordable cars.“Proton tried to do this but lost out in terms of affordability,” Hezeri said.“But the Proton brand is still strong in Malaysia. Geely could give it the opportunity to continue developing its products.”Yap meanwhile said the introduction of models such as the X50 and X70 had given Proton a new lease of life, noting the positive reception these cars had received among Malaysian customers.“Geely has also invested a lot in developing the Proton factory in Tanjung Malim,” he said.“It’s obvious that they are making plans to export.”He said this was a good move as Proton could not afford to rely solely on the domestic market.“It needs to focus on the export market in its efforts to boost its sales, in order to generate more revenue,” he said, adding that the joint venture with Geely had succeeded in achieving this target.


Behind the uproar over ‘discharge not amounting to acquittal’

While the phrase “discharge not amounting to an acquittal” or DNAA at court is enough to raise the hackles of some who equate it with freedom from the charges at hand, a legal expert says this is a common misperception among those without a background in law.Haidar Dziyauddin, the legal adviser of Universiti Teknologi Mara, said confusion often arises when the media covers the prosecution of a case in court before reporting the judge’s decision to issue a DNAA.Often, he said, the situation sparks speculation and gives rise to a negative perception of the authorities and the judiciary, which are seen as being in cahoots with the accused.Things become worse when the case involves high-profile individuals such as Riza Aziz, the stepson of former prime minister Najib Razak who was granted a DNAA in 2020 for charges of laundering some US$248 million (RM1.25 billion) linked to 1MDB funds.“When a decision of DNAA is announced, many automatically assume that the court or authorities like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) have cut a deal with so-called criminals,” Haidar said in an interview with MalaysiaNow.And frequently, public anger arises over these decisions because DNAA orders are confused with DNA – discharged and acquitted.These, Haidar said, are two different things.With a DNAA order, those accused of crimes are released from the charges against them but can be called back to court at any point to face the same charges again.Sometimes technical issues are at the heart of a DNAA order, he said, and many are unaware that it benefits both sides – the prosecution as well as the defence.“With a DNAA, the prosecution can restart with stronger evidence which cannot be challenged by the defendant,” he said.One of the biggest DNAA cases which eventually resulted in a conviction was that of Najib who, on Feb 7, 2019, was granted such an order by the High Court on three additional charges of money laundering amounting to RM47 million.The following day, however, the Pekan MP was re-prosecuted for the same charges at the Sessions Court.The case ended when he was convicted of four other charges at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 28, 2020.The four other charges comprised three of criminal breach of trust and one of power abuse involving funds from SRC International, a former 1MDB unit.Haidar said DNAAs aside, the prosecution also employs other strategies to crack down on corruption cases including issuing compounds.While this does not classify the accused as guilty, it does speed up the process of recovering money or assets gained through illegal means.“This allows the authorities to cripple crime syndicates on a larger scale,” Haidar said.“It is akin to releasing the small fry in order to catch the shark.”For Haidar, the public dissatisfaction over DNAA orders stems from an incomplete understanding of the complexity of investigations into cases involving corruption and money laundering.“Corruption cases involve at least two people,” he said.“If many people are involved and the case entails a great deal of money, MACC will of course need more time to investigate before making any arrests to bring down the syndicate.”In Malaysia, he said, there are no time constraints tied to DNAA orders, which means that suspects can be charged again with the same offence at any point.“This allows the authorities to take their time to conduct a truly detailed investigation.”


From crocodiles to WiFi: Sarawak’s rural students struggle with school closures

While Covid-19 has disrupted classroom sessions across the country for well over a year now, the side effects of the health measures put in place to curb the virus spread have been especially hard for students in rural Sarawak where a lack of internet and basic infrastructure is taking its toll on their education.In cities and urban centres, teachers and students have recourse to steady WiFi and the devices needed to conduct home-based teaching and learning, otherwise known as PdPR. Google Meet, Zoom and WhatsApp are familiar terms, and even those without reliable internet connection can keep up with their lessons through the various educational programmes broadcast on television.For many schools in Sarawak, though, the situation is very different.SK Nanga Oyan in Kapit, a small town on the bank of Sungai Rajang, does its best to cope with the announcements that trickle down from the top each time new measures are put in place.But the most recent order for schools to close came at very short notice.“We were shocked when we heard the announcement,” principal Mohammad Mobun told MalaysiaNow.“Close all schools in red zones for two weeks? Imagine how chaotic it was that day. We only had one day to prepare all the learning materials our students would need for those two weeks.”And settling lesson plans was far from the only problem.Many of the students at SK Nanga Oyan stay at the school’s hostel throughout the academic year. When the order was made for schools to close, one of the most immediate questions for teachers was: how would their students get home?“Who would send them back to their longhouse?” Mobun said.The solution in the end was for the teachers themselves to make the trip. They went willingly, Mobun said – but it was tough going for both teachers and students, some of whom were barely seven years old.“If the school cannot be accessed by road, how can you expect internet here?”His school is still waiting for upgrades but that comes as no surprise to him.“Many rural schools in Sarawak are left behind compared to our counterparts in West Malaysia and those in the town areas.“How can we expect the pupils to perform as well as those in Malaya and in the towns if the school’s facilities are in such a poor state?”But despite the challenges, Mobun’s hope is that his teachers and students will not give up.DropoutsEducationist Adam Prakash said while closing schools may help curb infections, the trade-off for children in rural areas leaves them all the more vulnerable.Prakash, from the Sarawak Teachers Union, said education is their best bet for leaving the cycle of poverty into which they are born.“We are not in favour of closing schools on a long-term basis,” he said, acknowledging however that closing schools would be the best move in the event that the situation turns “very bad”.If children stay away from school for too long and are unable to follow their lessons through the PdPR method, the fear is that they will become detached from the system and lose interest in their education.“It would need a lot of hard work to win them over again in the future,” Prakash told MalaysiaNow.In Sarawak, he said, the problem is the same as it has always been: inaccessible areas cut off from connecting roads.A logging path which serves as a connecting road to one of many villages in rural Sarawak.Over the years, education has come to be seen as something only accessible to those from the higher income bracket.“We hope that there are plans underway to help students in rural areas, to make sure that teaching and learning will continue,” Prakash said.“There are parents who will not be able to assist their children as they themselves are not very educated and are financially unable to provide gadgets for their classes.”He urged representatives to do their part to improve the lives of their constituents.“The government must prioritise rural development,” he said. “We have been independent for more than half a century but we are still so far behind in terms of facilities and amenities.”Lacking the funds to achieve anything concrete, his organisation can only highlight the problems faced by teachers and students in rural and underprivileged areas.“The time has come for everyone to walk the talk. Don’t let the future generations be robbed of their opportunity to improve their lives,” he said.


Malaysia has attracted RM16.52 billion in new investments from US, says Azmin

Malaysia has managed to attract new investments worth RM16.52 billion from the US through the recent trade and investment mission led by International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali.“We hope that all of these commitments to investments can be finalised in the third quarter of this year, creating employment opportunities for the locals,” Azmin said during a press conference on the trade and investment promotion mission to the US today.Companies that had committed to investing in Malaysia include Insulet, Ferrotec, Amazon Web Services Inc (AWS) and Cue Health. This is on top of investment projects by Texas Instruments and Boston Scientific.The 10-day trade and investment mission, which kicked off on May 9, focused on innovative and high value-added new sectors, especially the semiconductor industry, digital economy and medical devices, in line with the National Investment Aspirations which focuses on high quality investments and the latest technology.Azmin said the companies had also committed to creating a business ecosystem, ensuring technology transfers as well as the involvement of local industries, especially SMEs in their supply chain.“Their investments will also generate employment opportunities, provide skills training opportunities for local workers, establish collaborations with local universities and help to develop local vendors,” he said.The US is currently Malaysia’s third largest global trade partner and export destination, while Malaysia is the US’ 17th largest trade partner.Azmin said that total export potential to the US was RM1.44 billion.He added that despite the challenging global economy and economic uncertanties following the outbreak of Covid-19, total trade between the two countries increased by 21.4% year-on-year to RM217.10 billion (US$52.37 billion) in 2021.Malaysia’s exports to the US rose by 30.4% to RM142.20 billion (US$34.31 billion), with main exports comprising electrical and electronic (E&E) products and rubber-based products.Meanwhile, imports from the US rose by 7.4% to RM74.87 billion (US$18.06 billion), including E&E and steel products.


Bersatu appoints Segamat MP Edmund Santhara to head non-Bumi wing

Bersatu has appointed Segamat MP Edmund Santhara as the first leader of its associate members wing.Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said the decision was made unanimously by the party’s Supreme Council chaired by its president Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday.“The council believes his appointment will attract the membership of many more associate members and boost the support of the people from all walks of life for Bersatu,” he said in a statement.He also said that Bersatu’s annual general assembly will be held in December, running from Dec 18 to 19.“The assembly will be held in a physical capacity, virtually or in a hybrid setting, depending on the approval given and the SOPs set by the authorities,” he said.The setting up of the associate member wing was seen as a move to consolidate Bersatu’s parliamentary among non-Bumiputera MPs who quit PKR during the political crisis of 2020.


Malaysia declares move to endemic phase ahead of border reopening in April

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today announced the country’s long-awaited transition to the endemic phase, with borders to reopen to international travellers on April 1.In a nationwide address, he said the transition to the endemic phase was an exit strategy that would allow Malaysians to return to a near-normal life after nearly two years of battling the Covid-19 pandemic.“This is also a temporary phase before the country transitions to the endemic phase, which is dependent on an announcement that can only be made by the World Health Organization,” he said.Once borders reopen, he said, Malaysians with valid travel documents will be able to enter and leave the country as usual, and visit countries which have likewise opened their borders to international travellers.“At the same time, visitors with valid travel documents can also enter and leave the country without applying for a MyTravel pass.”Adding that use of the pass would be abolished, Ismail said travellers would only need to download and activate the MySejahtera application, and fill up the pre-departure form through the traveller function in the app.Nevertheless, he said, given the risks posed by Covid-19 and the Omicron varient, Malaysians and foreign visitors alike would have to continue adhering to several procedures.He said those who have been fully vaccinated with two doses will not have to undergo quarantine but will only need to take a PCR test two days before departure and a professional RTK test within 24 hours of arrival, whether in the airport or at an outside facility.The procedure for those who are not vaccinated, meanwhile, will be announced tomorrow.A detailed list of SOPs for the reopening of borders will also be announced in the near future.For countries that have yet to reopen to international travellers, Ismail said the Vaccinated Travel Lanes would remain in effect.While face masks will remain mandatory in public spaces, Ismail said there would no longer be any limit on the operating hours for businesses from April 1 onwards.“Premise owners can implement their own hours in accordance with their premise licence,” he said.The use of MySejahtera will also remain compulsory, while MYSJTrace will be made mandatory for enclosed and highly populated areas.Congregational prayer activities at mosques and suraus as well as houses of worship of religions other than Islam can also be carried out without physical distancing.However, the implementation and final SOPs will be subject to the ruling of the state religious authorities and the national unity ministry.Meanwhile, interstate travel will be allowed for all regardless of vaccination status, and the 50% limit for mass gatherings will be removed.Talk of a move to the endemic phase of Covid-19 began last year, with the original target date set in October.However, plans were scuppered by the fierce spike in cases fuelled by the Omicron variant, with the government saying in late November that precautionary measures would continue for the time being.Putrajaya previously set seven criteria that would need to be met before the health ministry could declare Malaysia as entering the endemic phase of living with the Covid-19 virus.These included the number of beds being utilised in hospitals and low-risk quarantine and treatment centres; testing capacity at laboratories; and the rate of positive cases.


New infections just above 3,000 as death toll up by 8

Another 3,024 Covid-19 cases were recorded yesterday, taking total confirmed infections in the country to 4,981,374.
There were 2,969 recoveries, taking total recoveries to 4,917,827.
There are now 26,903 active cases, of which 24,752 or 92% are undergoing home quarantine.
Meanwhile, 10 (0%) are at quarantine centres while 2,049 (7.6%) have been hospitalised.
A total of 92 are in ICU with 52 in need of respiratory assistance.
Another eight deaths were reported, including two who were brought in dead. Total deaths now stand at 36,644.


India bids to sell fighter jets to Malaysia, says 6 other countries interested

India has offered to sell 18 light-combat aircraft (LCA) "Tejas" to Malaysia, the defence ministry said on Friday, adding that Argentina, Australia, Egypt, the US, Indonesia, and the Philippines were also interested in the single-engine jet.
The Indian government last year gave a US$6 billion contract to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for 83 of the locally produced Tejas jets for delivery starting around 2023 – four decades after it was first approved in 1983.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, keen to reduce India's reliance on foreign defence equipment, has also been making diplomatic efforts to export the jets. The Tejas has been beset by design and other challenges, and was once rejected by the Indian Navy as too heavy.
The defence ministry told parliament that Hindustan Aeronautics in October last year responded to a request for proposal from the Royal Malaysian Air Force for 18 jets, offering to sell the two-seater variant of Tejas.
"Other countries which have evinced interest in the LCA aircraft are: Argentina, Australia, Egypt, the US, Indonesia, and Philippines," India's junior defence minister, Ajay Bhatt, told members of parliament in a written reply.
He said the country was also working on manufacturing a stealth fighter jet, but declined to given a timeline citing national security concerns.
Britain said in April it would support India’s goal of building its own fighter jets. India currently has a mix of Russian, British and French fighter jets.
India is looking to ground all its Soviet-era Russian fighter jets, the MiG-21, by 2025, following a number of fatal crashes, the Times of India daily reported last month.


China offers South Pacific nations security, free trade agreements

China has put forward plans to dramatically expand security and economic cooperation with South Pacific nations, with one regional leader calling it a thinly veiled effort to lock them into “Beijing’s orbit” and Washington warning against “shadowy” deals.The wide-ranging draft agreement and a five-year plan, both obtained by AFP Wednesday, will be the subject of discussion when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits Pacific nations from Thursday.It would offer 10 small island-states millions of dollars in Chinese assistance, the prospect of a China-Pacific Islands free trade agreement and access to China’s lucrative market of 1.4 billion people.China would in return train local police, become involved in local cybersecurity, expand political ties, conduct sensitive marine mapping and gain greater access to natural resources.The “comprehensive development vision” is believed to be up for approval when Wang meets regional foreign ministers on May 30 in Fiji.The South Pacific is increasingly a theatre for competition between China and the US – which has been the primary power in the region for the last century.Beijing has sought to develop a greater military, political and economic foothold, but until now has made only limited and uneven progress.The plan, if agreed, would represent a step change, facilitating everything from the deployment of Chinese police to visits by Chinese “art troupes.”Flights between China and the Pacific Islands would increase. Beijing would appoint a regional envoy, supply training for young Pacific diplomats and provide 2,500 government “scholarships”.But it is already raising alarm bells in regional capitals.‘Control of our region’In a stark letter to fellow Pacific leaders, Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo warned the agreement seems “attractive” at first glance, but would allow China to “acquire access and control of our region”.Calling the proposals “disingenuous,” Panuelo said they would “ensure Chinese influence in government”, Chinese “economic control” of key industries and allow “mass surveillance” of calls and email.It was, he said, “demonstrative of China’s intention to shift Pacific allegiances in their direction”.“The result,” he said, would be “the fracturing of regional peace, security and stability.”Micronesia has a compact of free association with the United States, making it one of the region’s closest US allies.But other Pacific leaders may see the Chinese proposal as possibly lucrative or beneficial.US State Department spokesman Ned Price warned the countries in question to be wary of “shadowy” agreements with China.“We are concerned that these reported agreements may be negotiated in a rushed, non-transparent process,” Price told reporters Wednesday, adding that Pacific nations would make their own sovereign choices.The Chinese plan is also certain to cause consternation in Canberra and Wellington, where policymakers are still reeling from revelations that the Solomon Islands secretly negotiated a security agreement with Beijing.A leaked draft of the agreement contained a provision allowing Chinese naval deployments to the island nation, which lies less than 2,000km (1,200 miles) from Australia.It also prohibited the Solomon Islands from speaking publicly about the deal’s contents without China’s permission.News of the Solomons deal – which the US and its allies fear could lead to a Chinese military presence in the region – sparked a frantic round of telephone and shuttle diplomacy to limit implementation.Beijing’s latest proposal would effectively expand key elements of the Solomon Islands agreement to nine other small Pacific nations.Regional fearsFor Washington and its allies, the presence of Chinese forces in the South Pacific would spell an end to decades of efforts to contain China inside the “first island chain”.It could also require a dramatic repositioning of US forces.In a sign of how seriously the South Pacific is now being treated, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong will visit Fiji on Thursday, her first solo foreign visit since taking office just days ago.New Zealand’s foreign minister on Wednesday held talks with her Solomon Islands counterpart, winning assurances “that the agreement will not lead to a Chinese military base”.But there is still widespread unease.US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink recently slammed the “complete lack of transparency” around the China-Solomon Islands agreement.For Beijing, a base or even port access would challenge US hegemony in the region and ease what it sees as encirclement by the West.Wang is expected to arrive in Solomon Island’s capital Honiara on Thursday, kicking off a lengthy, eight-nation regional tour.Travelling until June 4, Wang will also stop in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Kiribati and Samoa, as well as hold video calls with Micronesia and the Cook Islands – a self-governing part of New Zealand.In Honiara, the trip has already stirred local controversy.Solomon Islands journalists are threatening to boycott coverage after a “joint press conference” planned for Thursday evening was to feature only questions from state media.


Mukhriz tells Muhyiddin why Pejuang should be allowed in

Pejuang, the party formed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad after his split with Bersatu, is now hoping to be part of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition led by Muhyiddin Yassin.
This comes days after Mahathir joined another Malay-based party, Putra, led by former Umno man Ibrahim Ali, following his exit from Pejuang.
Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir said he had written to Muhyiddin as well as PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Gerakan president Dominic Lau, explaning why Pejuang should be accepted into their fold.
Mukhriz said that among others, Pejuang wanted to ensure that there would not be a split in Malay votes in the six state elections to come.
"It will be more beneficial to all parties if Pejuang joins PN and contests using the PN symbol.
"Of course, this means that Pejuang's cooperation with PN is not limited to the state elections that will take place in June 2023, but also for the long term," Mukhriz said.
At the last general election, Pejuang fielded some 60 candidates under the Gerakan Tanah Air coalition.
All of them lost their deposits including Mahathir, who failed to retain his Langkawi parliamentary seat.


Invasion by foreign species a fishy problem for Perak anglers

Every day at sunrise, fisherman Mohd Nazim Samsudin goes down to Sungai Perak to cast his nets. Normally, he brings in a good haul of fish and lobsters.Two weeks ago, though, he found something in his nets that he had never seen in the river before – a redtail catfish.“I was shocked,” he said. “Fishermen in this village had never caught such a species.”But his surprise that day didn’t end there. His friends from Kampung Sungai Buaya in Perak also reported similar findings with one discovering nine fish in a single catch.Two days before, the villagers had heard of hundreds of cages near Teluk Intan reportedly belonging to a fish farming company being washed away in the river. They fear this means that hordes of redtail catfish which were being illegally farmed are now roaming free.The redtail catfish can reach up to 1.8m in length and about 80kg in weight.This is a problem as the redtail catfish is a predatory species.The fishermen are now experiencing the effect of the escape on their catch. Before this, Nazim said he used to bring in two or three kg of fish and lobster every day.“Now, I can hardly get 1kg,” he told MalaysiaNow.Their concern is that the river’s ecosystem will be affected if nothing is done.The redtail catfish is native to the Amazon and other river basins in South America. It can reach up to 1.8m in length and about 80kg in weight.The Perak Fisheries Department had said that the species is prohibited from being reared in cages. But in the incident near Teluk Intan, 30 tonnes of fish were believed to have escaped into the river.Department director Zaki Mokri spoke of concerns that the fish might breed and become a threat to local freshwater species and resources.Redtail catfish from the Mekong River were also said to have been released into Sungai Perak following the first incident.Nazim said the fish were now being found not only at the main river body but also in smaller tribituaries and streams near the jetty.Another villager named Firdaus said the locals had known about the cages but did not know what species of fish were being reared.On April 2, he posted several photos of the redtail catfish on the Facebook page “Kg Sungai Buaya Kg Gajah”, which quickly went viral.“Villagers do not know what to do with the fish since not many people consume it,” he said. “Some of us just gave our catch to our friends and other villagers who wanted to taste it for the first time.”The fisheries department (DoF) acknowledged the problem of foreign invasive species in local ecosystems, adding however that local species still dominate in most areas with the exception of Puchong.One area which was invaded by foreign species was Tasik Temenggor in Perak where, in 2016, a growing population of Nile tilapia, originally bred in cages, was detected.The department said these fish were able to spread as far as 40km away from the location of the cages.A population of peacock bass was also discovered in Tasik Timah Tasoh in Perlis, where it was the third highest catch in a 2017 study done by the department.“When the species is released, the ecology and food chain will be disrupted since an additional predatory species has been introduced.”In a statement to MalaysiaNow, the department said foreign species are brought in for different purposes such as the breeding of ornamental fish and aquaculture.“The escapees go into the ecosystem, usually because the ponds (which host the species) do not adhere to the biosecurity SOPs.”Others are brought in as hobbies, such as the algae eater fish.“The DoF is giving serious attention to the issue of these invasive species,” it said, adding that some could even threaten human safety if allowed to breed near habitated areas.Universiti Malaysia Terengganu deputy vice-chancellor Mazlan Abd Ghaffar said a main concern is the effect on ecology.“When the species is released, the ecology and food chain will be disrupted since an additional predatory species has been introduced.”But he is even more concerned about the possibility of local species becoming “hybridised”.“The local species are considered our natural treasures,” he said.In the meantime, the DoF said several measures have been taken including the formation of a technical committee for the management of “dangerous alien species” and the gazettement of fisheries methods for inland aquaculture fisheries.There is also an updated list of prohibited fish available, and the department is working to enhance studies on the entry routes of foreign species as well as the impact of their entry, breeding and release into local waters.“Farmers who do not comply with the rules can be subject to action,” it said. “At the moment, Johor, Kelantan and Melaka are ready to implement these rules.”


WHO to help five nations yet to start jabs

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it was supporting the five remaining countries yet to start their Covid-19 immunisation campaigns, as the planet clocked up administering three billion vaccine doses on Tuesday.Vaccination has yet to get under way in Burundi, Eritrea, Haiti, North Korea and Tanzania – the only countries among WHO’s 194 member states yet to begin immunisation programmes in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.“WHO continues to support these countries in decision-making on the introduction of Covid-19 vaccines,” a spokesman told AFP.WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wanted every country to start vaccinating their health workers and those most vulnerable to Covid-19 disease within the first 100 days of 2021 – a date that passed in April.However, rich countries hogging the batches rolling off the production lines has left some countries waiting to administer their first doses.“We are facing a two-track pandemic, fuelled by inequity,” Tedros said Tuesday.The Covax facility, aimed at ensuring poorer countries get access to vaccines, has so far delivered 89 million doses to 133 participating territories.But supply lines have all but dried up this month, according to WHO, which co-runs the scheme.“The world is failing,” Tedros warned.


Israeli government minister makes historic UAE visit to open embassy

Israel’s new foreign minister inaugurated the Jewish state’s embassy in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and offered an olive branch to other former adversaries, saying: “We’re here to stay.”Yair Lapid’s two-day visit is the first to the Gulf state by an Israeli cabinet minister since the countries established ties last year under the president Trump-brokered Abraham Accords.Lapid is due to sign a bilateral agreement on economic cooperation and open an Israeli consulate in Dubai on Wednesday, Reuters is reporting.“Israel wants peace with its neighbours – with all its neighbours. We aren’t going anywhere. The Middle East is our home,” Lapid said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Abu Dhabi high-rise office serving as a temporary embassy.“We’re here to stay. We call on all the countries of the region to recognise that and to come to talk to us,” he said.Brought together by shared concerns about Iran and hopes for mutually profitable commercial deals, the UAE and Bahrain normalised relations with Israel last year. Sudan and Morocco have since also moved to establish ties with Tel Aviv.The regional rapprochement has been deplored by the Palestinians, who want their demands for their own state free of Israeli occupation settled first.According to a report by the official Palestinian news service Wafa, President Mahmoud Abbas insisted on Tuesday that “colonial powers implanted Israel as a foreign body in this region in order to fragment it and keep it weak”.The latest agreement will be the 12th between Israel and the UAE, Lior Haiat, spokesman for Israel’s foreign ministry, said. Deals signed include projects ranging from tourism to aviation and financial services.Lapid is also set to visit the site of Expo 2020 Dubai, a world fair opening in October where Israel has built a pavilion.Lapid’s plane transited through Saudi airspace. Riyadh, although not having normalised relations with Israel itself, last year opened its skies to Israel-UAE flights.The UAE formally opened its embassy in Israel, temporarily located in the Tel Aviv stock exchange, to little fanfare this month.Israel’s Abu Dhabi embassy still has only three diplomats and a head of mission, Eitan Na’eh, who has yet to be confirmed as full ambassador. The consulate in Dubai is similarly located in temporary premises.Lapid was conciliatory toward former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose attempts to organise a trip to the UAE while in office were scotched by Covid-19 restrictions.Thanking Netanyahu as “the architect of the Abraham Accords”, Lapid said: “This moment is his, no less than it is ours.”Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Haiat told reporters that the pace of bilateral cooperation between the two countries has been “unprecedented”.He told reporters, “There’s been years of under-the-radar relations between Israel and the UAE, and we are now enjoying the fruits of the infrastructure of peace that we’ve built in the last decades.”Bilateral trade is already expected to have exceeded US$354 million, according to the Israeli foreign ministry.


Taib Mahmud’s son steps aside to allow probe into Sarawak company

Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib, the son of former Sarawak chief minister Taib Mahmud, has taken voluntary leave of absence from his position as deputy group chairman of Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS) to allow an investigation into allegations of conflict of interest involving him and the company’s former chief information officer, Karl Vink @ Khalid Abdullah.CMS said in a statement yesterday that the allegations were received through the group’s whistleblower channel.“Upon receipt of the whistleblower complaints, before reporting to the authorities, the board acted immediately to carry out a full investigation to discharge its fiduciary duties to protect the best interest of the company and all stakeholders,” it said.“We request all stakeholders to allow the investigations to proceed and patiently await the final outcome. The board will cooperate fully with the authorities and has asked the management to also extend their fullest cooperation.”Mahmud Abu Bekir TaibMahmud Abu Bekir was made group executive director of CMS in 1995 and was redesignated as deputy group chairman in 2002.CMS in its statement assured stakeholders that the board adheres to the highest standards of corporate governance practise.“Moving forward, the board will continue steering the group in full compliance with the law and continue to put stakeholders’ interests at the forefront.“We thank Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib for graciously taking leave of absence from all his positions in the group, an exemplary conduct of good corporate governance.”


Apple update will check iPhones for images of child sexual abuse

Apple on Thursday said that iPhones and iPads will soon start detecting images containing child sexual abuse and reporting them as they are uploaded to the iCloud.The software tweak to Apple’s operating systems will monitor pictures, allowing Apple to report findings to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to a statement by the Silicon Valley-based tech giant.“We want to help protect children from predators who use communication tools to recruit and exploit them, and limit the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM),” Apple said.The new technology will allow the phones’ operating systems to match abusive photos on a user’s phone against a database of known CSAM images provided by child safety organisations, then flag the images as they are uploaded to iCloud, Apple said.The feature is part of a series of tools heading to Apple mobile devices, according to the company.Apple’s iPhone messaging app will additionally use machine learning to recognise and warn children and their parents when receiving or sending sexually explicit photos, the company said in the statement.And personal assistant Siri will be taught to “intervene” when users try to search topics related to child sex abuse, according to the company.


Inmate pens musical tribute to country from death row in Singapore

A Malaysian prisoner on death row in Singapore has composed a song paying tribute to those who fought and made sacrifices for the country, his second since being placed behind bars seven years ago.This is the second song composed by Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, who was handed the death sentence in 2017 for carrying drugs into the island republic.His first song, “Arah Tuju”, sung by Santesh Kumar, was released in April this year. His latest composition, “Bukan Sekadar Hikayat”, will be sung by local Indian rapper Samson Thomas, popularly known as Saint TFC.Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Pannir’s sister Angelia Pranthaman said this was his way of showing his appreciation for the country despite being in prison and awaiting execution.“Definitely we will have the ‘arah tuju’ on where he is heading,” she said on its continuation from the first song.Angelia Pranthaman speaks to MalaysiaNow about her brother and his latest song which comes from behind bars.Angelia, who is president of NGO Sebaran Kasih, said Pannir wrote the lyrics for “Bukan Sekadar Hikayat” in 2019.She then worked with him through phone calls and emails, in which he had asked for Thomas to provide the vocals for the song, saying he had “the right voice” to advocate the issue.Pannir was jailed in Singapore’s Changi prison for trafficking in 51.84g of diamorphine and sentenced to death by the city-state’s High Court.On May 16, 2019, the prison issued an execution notice for May 24. Pannir applied to defer his execution and the republic’s Court of Appeal suspended it at the eleventh hour to allow him time for a clemency challenge.Pannir’s first song had highlighted the plight of death row inmates and called for forgiveness and mercy.Angelia said “Arah Tuju” had succeeded in creating greater awareness about the issue.“We received messages from many people asking us to continue this good work, and we believe creating awareness and having these kinds of events will eventually lead to the abolishment of the death penalty in Malaysia,” she said, adding that “Arah Tuju” would be a benchmark for “Bukan Sekadar Hikayat” in Malaysia.“Arah Tuju” has so far gained more than 27,000 views on YouTube.Rapper Samson Thomas works on Pannir Selvam’s song, ‘Bukan Sekadar Hikayat’.Thomas, who composed the music and rhythm for “Bukan Sekadar Hikayat”, said it was an honour to work on the project.“I’ve always loved the country,” he said. “To see someone putting my thoughts and feelings on a piece of paper made me feel like I belonged. It made me feel like I was part of something bigger than myself.”It took him and another composer three weeks to complete the melody and music for “Bukan Sekadar Hikayat”.While the tone was dark, he said, it expressed Pannir’s emotions. He added that the lyrics, which he adjusted in the chorus and second verse, were “beautiful” and “came from a very real place”.“This song is not only about a saga that is Malaysia,” he said.“It is a representation of how people deserve a second chance. It is a representation of how correction is very important. When a child falls, you don’t punish the child, you tell the child to walk properly.”This will be the second song in Malay for Thomas, who has 43 songs to his name. His first, “Aku Tak Akan Lupa”, was released last year.“Bukan Sekadar Hikayat” will be released in a virtual event at 8pm on Sept 13, in collaboration with NGO Lawyers for Liberty and rights group Amnesty International.It will also be made available on Sebaran Kasih’s Facebook page on the launch date.A light moment in the studio with Angelia Pranthaman, Samson Thomas and Pastor Prince Jon.Sebaran Kasih vice-president Pastor Prince Jon urged Malaysians to listen to the song once it is released.“We do this not for fame or money. We have nothing to gain. What we want is to share about love and forgiveness,” he said, adding that the organisation is working on a third song, “Di Sebalik Pintu Besi”.Angelia, meanwhile, remains ever mindful of her brother on death row in Singapore.“Pannir loves Malaysia,” she said. “He wants to go back. He is still unsatisfied that he will be facing death in Singapore. He wants to die here.“He has told me how he always remembers the old times of waving flags and watching the Merdeka parade.”


‘Malu apa?’ Khairy blasts Najib over vaccines

Khairy Jamaluddin today took Najib Razak to task again after the former prime minister claimed the national vaccination drive would take longer than projected to complete.Khairy, the minister tasked with managing the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, said Najib was conveniently ignoring facts related to the immunisation drive.“I have said again and again and again, the rate at which we vaccinate people will increase, it will increase in June, in July and in August.“With the rate we are projecting, I’m confident we can get it done by the end of the year,” Khairy said at a press conference today.Khairy also said Najib was only relying on the current rate of vaccination, adding that he “conveniently ignores” the fact that the rate would increase in the months to come.“That’s what he continues to ignore. Tapi tak apa la, malu apa kan (But never mind, what’s there to be ashamed of),” Khairy added, referring to Najib’s tagline on social media.Khairy in March denied claims by Najib that Malaysia was lagging behind other countries in achieving herd immunity.He explained then that the slower rate for the first phase of the vaccination programme was because the bulk of those receiving the shots were frontliners.He also said the vaccination drive would accelerate in subsequent phases, alongside an increase in the number of vaccination centres, more deliveries of vaccines and approval by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency.Najib said in a Facebook post yesterday that Malaysia would need another 6.1 years to reach herd immunity based on the latest vaccination rate, which he said was among the slowest in Asean despite its launch three months ago.“The money in the KWAN tube has run out but the vaccine is still slow,” he said, referring to the National Trust Fund, from which RM5 billion was allocated for the national vaccination programme.“It is hoped that this programme will be expedited and will not be delayed repeatedly,” he said.


Four Malaysians still in Ukraine

Only four Malaysians are still in Ukraine, all of whom are registered with the Malaysian embassy in Kyiv, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said the embassy, through Malaysian embassies or representatives in countries near Ukraine especially in Warsaw, Poland, had maintained close contact with the Malaysians in Ukraine.“The embassy is always ready to help if they want to leave Ukraine. The assistance provided includes facilitating entry at the borders of neighbouring countries.“… also in the documentation process, such as the issuance of emergency certificates for those who may need it, as well as taking care of their well-being and other issues,” he said during question time today.Saifuddin was replying to M Kulasegaran (PH-Ipoh Barat) who wanted to know whether the government was aware of the number of Malaysians still stranded in Ukraine and the kind of assistance being provided for them.On a 45-second video which claimed that a group of Malaysian students was still stranded in Ukraine, Saifuddin said neither the allegation nor their Malaysian citizenship could be confirmed so far.However, he urged Malaysian citizens who were still in Ukraine but who had yet to register with the embassy to do so immediately.Meanwhile, he said Malaysia presently had no intention of imposing sanctions on Russia as unilateral sanctions are against Malaysian principles, adding that any sanctions should be made through the United Nations (UN).“As a member of UN Human Rights Council, we propose first a ceasefire and second, the continuance of negotiations. Sanctions can be imposed but we have not reached that stage. If it is necessary, it should be made through the UN.“Sometimes, if sanctions are imposed but not targeted, innocent people will suffer. So, we have to be careful about matters relating to sanctions even if they are among the powerful strategies that can be used,” he said in reply to Wong Chen (PH-Subang).


Federal Court to rehear Anwar’s case on legality of NSC Act

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim today succeeded in his application for a review of the Federal Court’s majority decision not to answer legal questions on the constitutionality of the National Security Council (NSA) Act 2016.In a unanimous decision, a seven-member bench led by Federal Court judge Abdul Rahman Sebli allowed Anwar’s application to set aside the majority verdict on Feb 11 and ordered for the case to be reheard.Rahman said the court’s jurisdiction under Rule 137 of the Rules of the Federal Court 1995 was limited and could only be exercised in exceptional circumstances.“However, after giving it the utmost consideration, we are of the view that this is a fit and proper case for the court to exercise its discretion in favour of allowing the application,” he said.The other judges on the bench were Federal Court judges Zaleha Yusof, Zabariah Mohd Yusof, Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, Mary Lim Thiam Suan, Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal and Rhodzariah Bujang.In his application filed in March, Anwar claimed that a grave injustice had occurred following the court’s decision not to answer his constitutional questions.He said the government, as a respondent in the case, had taken the position that his lawsuit in the High Court should be struck out without being heard.In his notice of motion, Anwar also said there had been a serious breach of natural justice as he was not given the right to be heard on the issue of whether the constitutional questions were abstract, academic and hypothetical.Anwar, who is Port Dickson MP, also said the majority had decided based on an issue that was never raised by the government.Federal Court judge Nallini Pathmanathan, who delivered the 5-2 majority verdict on Feb 11, said it was not shown that the NSC Act had interfered with Anwar’s personal life.She also ordered for the case to be remitted to the High Court to be struck out.Besides Nallini, the other judges who made the majority decision were Chief Judge of Malaya Azahar Mohamed, Federal Court judge Mohd Zawawi Salleh, and then-Federal Court judges Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim (now chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak) and Idrus Harun (now attorney-general).The minority decision by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and then-chief judge of Sabah and Sarawak David Wong Dak Wah (now retired) meanwhile held that the NSC Act was unconstitutional.Earlier today, Anwar’s counsel Gopal Sri Ram said there had been a breach of natural justice in the case which entitled the court to set aside the majority decision.“The applicant (Anwar) ought to be heard on the issue of whether the constitutional questions are academic or a live issue which ought to be determined by this court,” he said.Senior federal counsel Suzana Atan meanwhile submitted that Anwar had not made out any circumstances to allow a review of the decision under Rule 137 of the Rules of the Federal Court 1995.“This review application is clearly without merit and ought to be dismissed with costs. Clearly, from the grounds of judgment, the majority arrived at the decision based on their findings and the application of the law to the facts and circumstances of the case,” she said.


Myanmar forces trap protesters as generals brush off international condemnation of violence

Myanmar security forces cornered hundreds of young protesters overnight in Yangon and threatened to hunt them down door to door as the US and UN appealed for the police and army to allow them to leave, reports Reuters.Thousands of people defied an overnight curfew to take to the streets of Myanmar’s main city in support of the youths trapped in Sanchaung district.The army takeover and arrest of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi has plunged Myanmar into chaos. So far, security forces are reported to have killed over 60 protesters and detained more than 1,800 since then.In Sanchaung, police announced they would search houses for people from outside the district and would punish anyone caught hiding them.The UN office in Myanmar as well as the US and British embassies appealed to security forces to allow protesters to leave without violence or arrest but there was no sign of them withdrawing.On Facebook, residents and the local news service posted that as of the early hours of Tuesday, 20 people had been arrested in Sanchaung after police searched houses.Elsewhere in Yangon, thousands of people defied a curfew, chanting “Free the students in Sanchaung”, prompting security forces firing guns and throwing stun grenades to try to disperse them.State television MRTV earlier said: “The government’s patience has run out and while trying to minimise casualties in stopping riots, most people seek complete stability and are calling for more effective measures against riots.”Three protesters were killed in demonstrations in northern Myanmar and the Irrawaddy Delta on Monday, according to local media.The military has brushed off condemnation of its actions, as it has in past periods of army rule when outbreaks of protest were bloodily repressed.In a diplomatic blow to the junta, Myanmar’s ambassador to Britain followed its UN representative by calling on Monday for the release of Suu Kyi.Britain, the US and other Western countries have imposed limited sanctions on the junta.The European Union is preparing to widen its sanctions to target army-run businesses, according to diplomats and documents seen by Reuters.Thailand’s state broadcaster PBS said areas have been set aside along the border with Myanmar to house any refugees fleeing the unrest.


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Over 14 million vaccine jabs given so far

The number of vaccine doses administered under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) has breached the 14 million mark, with 14,002,324 doses given as of yesterday, says Health Minister Dr Adham Baba.In a Twitter post today, he said 9,570,974 individuals had received their first dose and 4,431,350 people had completed their second dose since the launch of PICK on Feb 24.Yesterday, 380,440 doses were administered, with 253,830 individuals receiving a first jab and 126,610 receiving their second.


Annuar moots ‘grand coalition’ beyond Umno, Bersatu and PAS

A Barisan Nasional (BN) leader has proposed a “grand coalition” to unite political affiliations beyond the three Malay-based parties of Umno, Bersatu and PAS, as long as they are not allies with Pakatan Harapan (PH).BN secretary-general Annuar Musa said such a coalition could comprise more than a dozen political parties including those in Sabah and Sarawak, as well as independent blocs which have not expressed support for PH.He named Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, as well as new blocs Muda led by former Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Pejuang led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.Others could include Berjasa, the Indian Progressive Front, Makkal Sakti and Parti Cinta Malaysia, he added.Annuar said such a coalition would be crucial to preparing the country for the post Covid-19 period.“Most important is that we do away with personality politics and promote politics based on unity that prioritises stability, national endurance and the people’s interest,” the Ketereh MP, also the federal territories minister, said on his Facebook.His call comes amid threats by several MPs that their blocs will not support the 2021 budget. Any success in shooting down the passing of the budget motion would lead to the collapse of the Perikatan Nasional government, causing snap polls, a scenario that senior health officers have repeatedly warned against.A unity government made up of MPs across political parties was proposed by Mahathir days after his resignation in February this year.A similar government was formed in the aftermath of the bloody riots of 1969, when opposition parties Gerakan and PAS accepted an invitation by then prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein to join BN.


No further tests required for Covid patients after quarantine period, says health DG

The health ministry has reiterated that those who test positive for Covid-19 and have completed their quarantine do not need to undergo further Covid-19 testing.Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said ultra-sensitive test methods such as RT-PCR would still be able to detect the presence of viral genetic material in respiratory tract samples up to two to three months after infection.“During the viral shedding period, for example. However, the virus is no longer able to reproduce and the individual is unlikely to be able to spread the infection,” he said in a statement.Noor Hisham also said that Covid-19 antigen rapid test kits (RTK-Ag), both the self-test and professional types, can detect infection from the third to the seventh day of exposure to those already infected with Covid-19.He said RT-PCR tests can also detect infection as early as the second to 14th day after infection, and as such, the accuracy of both types of tests depends on the duration of infection at the time the sample was taken.“The use of RTK-Ag is recommended for individuals who are symptomatic or are in a high-risk group and asymptomatic.“RTK-Ag helps facilitate the detection process and control of Covid-19 infection because the method is simple, easy, inexpensive, and can be done at point-of-care. The testing process is quick and test results can be obtained in about 20 to 30 minutes,” he said.Meanwhile, Noor Hisham said patients who test positive through RTK-Ag self-tests need to report their results through MySejahtera, update their health status via the Home Assessment Tool and undergo isolation as required by the health ministry.As for professional RT-PCR and RTK-Ag tests, laboratories or medical practitioners who carry out the tests must immediately report the results to the ministry through the Public Health Laboratory Information System (Simka), he said.“The health ministry recommends that all self or professional RTK Ag tests or RT-PCR conducted be reported to the ministry via MySejahtera or Simka, regardless of whether the results are positive or negative, to help the ministry get a clearer picture of the infection rate in the community,” he said.


The audacity of Malaysia’s ‘national embarrassment’

Just when you think that Malaysian politics could not get any more ludicrous, ex-prime minister Najib Razak has proven everyone wrong.On Saturday, the man who was described as a “national embarrassment” by a top judge after being sentenced to 12 years’ jail and a RM210 million fine for corruption had the gall to insinuate that others are corrupt.I can’t believe this. Has this man no shame? In a social media post, he questioned his successor Muhyiddin Yassin’s denial of having received RM1.3 million in alleged kickbacks from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd.Muhyiddin, an ex-home minister, had said he was getting treatment for cancer at the time that he was said to have received the payments, and that there was no way this could have happened.Let’s compare Muhyiddin’s reaction with the corruption allegation thrown at Najib when he was prime minister. In Muhyiddin’s case, he denied wrongdoing just hours after the allegation was made by a witness in the corruption trial of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Muhyiddin even furnished proof that he was overseas getting treatment at the time that the money was allegedly passed to him.And what did Najib, as the prime minister, do when the media reported that some US$681 million of 1MDB’s money went into his private account? He kept silent!Yes, a sitting PM, for the longest time did not respond to the damning allegations, which in no time had gone halfway around the world, tarnishing not just his image but that of the nation. The US attorney-general even described Malaysia as a “kleptocracy” and gave Najib the “Malaysian Official 1” moniker.And subsequent to that, what did Najib do? He unceremoniously got rid of the Malaysian attorney-general who was said to be preferring charges against Najib for wrongdoings related to 1MDB. He also installed a compliant person to head the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. And he shamelessly pulled all the levers of power to consolidate his position as PM.And now, Najib, the first ex-PM in Malaysia to be sentenced to jail for corruption, has the audacity to question Muhyiddin’s denial over alleged kickbacks amounting to RM1.3 million? I just cannot wrap my head around this shame-retardant idea.This is the same man behind grand larceny which dozens of countries around the world launched probes to get to the bottom of. In the US, where the trial of ex-Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng took place, reams of damning information surfaced about how Najib and those he was in cahoots with, were paid millions to to pull off this heinous heist.And this ex-PM6 and “PM10 wannabe” has the cheek to insinuate that others guilty of corruption. God save Malaysia if he ever makes a comeback as PM!The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of MalaysiaNow.


LHDN gets summary judgment in RM1.8 billion tax suit against Jho Low's dad

The Penang High Court has granted the Inland Revenue Board's (LHDN) application for a summary judgment to recover RM1.8 billion in tax arrears from Larry Low Hock Peng, the father of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low.
A summary judgment is when a court decides a case without hearing the testimony of witnesses.
Judge Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah, who delivered the decision on Feb 1, allowed the application and ordered Hock Peng to pay costs of RM3,000.
The court also rejected Hock Peng’s application to strike out the suit filed by the government through LHDN.
Senior revenue counsels Norhisham Ahmad Norhisham Ahmad, Al-Hummidallah Idrus and Muhammad Aiman Abdullah appeared for LHDN while Hock Peng was represented by lawyers Yatiswara Ramachandran, Francis Tan and Oh Chong Ghee. On March 24, 2021, the government as the plaintiff filed an application for a summary judgement to be entered against Hock Peng as the defendant in its suit to recover RM1,884,098,662.55 with interest at 5% per annum from the date of the judgment (Feb 1) to the date of full realisation.
The application was made on grounds that the tax arrears and tax increases imposed under the provisions of the Income Tax Act 1967 can be recovered as a tax due and payable.
Hock Peng filed an application to strike out the suit on March 22, 2021, saying, among others, that the assessment years 2011 and 2012, as well as the additional assessments for 2013 and 2014, were invalid because they were made more than five years from the year of assessment on the income claimed to have accrued without complying with Section 91(3) of the Income Tax Act 1967.
The government, which filed the suit on Jan 19, 2021, claimed that Hock Peng failed to pay the owed income tax for the assessment years 2011, 2012 and the additional assessment years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018, including the increases, amounting to RM1, 884,098,662.55.
On Oct 18 last year, the Penang High Court allowed LHDN's application for a summary judgment to recover RM1.05 billion in tax arrears from Jho Low.


Lewandowski off the mark as Poland close in on last 16

An emotional Robert Lewandowski scored his first World Cup goal as Poland brought Saudi Arabia back down to earth with a bump on Saturday with a 2-0 Group C victory that rejuvenated their tournament campaign.
Poland's record scorer, who missed a penalty in their opening stalemate with Mexico and drew a blank in Russia four years ago, was visibly moved after finally finding the net, wiping his eyes as teammates piled on top of him.
The striker had pounced on a mistake in the 82nd minute to double Poland's advantage after Piotr Zielinski had given them a first-half lead at the Education City Stadium.
After completing one of the tournament's greatest ever shocks when they cut Argentina down to size in their opener, the Saudis, who missed a first-half penalty, found Poland a tougher nut to crack.
The win moved Poland to four points, one more than Saudi Arabia, and left them needing a draw in their final game against Argentina next Wednesday to guarantee their spot in the knockouts.
The performance was also a great improvement from their opener against Mexico, when coach Czeslaw Michniewicz had faced scrutiny for an over-cautious approach.
"Only together we can succeed," he told reporters. "The result will sweeten everything, when you win everything hurts less."
Saudi Arabia, the second-lowest ranked team in the tournament, will head into their final match against Mexico with all still to play for, while Argentina play Mexico later on Saturday.
"We are still alive, we didn't lose because we weren't lucky, we lost because we weren't efficient," Saudi coach Herve Renard said.
It was effectively a home match for the Saudis with their raucous fans, who had made the short journey across the border, far outnumbering their Polish counterparts.
Their team gave them plenty to shout about too in the early stages as they were by far the more ambitious, pressing high against the Poles, who seemed lethargic in comparison.
The encounter was spiky. The Saudis frequently hit the deck, with the referee, who dished out four yellow cards in five first-half minutes, seeming willing to oblige a feisty crowd baying for punishment.
There were half-chances for both sides before the game sprang to life in the 39th minute when Poland shook themselves from their slumber to take the lead.
Matty Cash skipped down the right and crossed low for Lewandowski who lifted it over the keeper and pulled it back for Zielinski to fire into the roof of the net.
Their hopes of cruising through to halftime, however, were ended four minutes later when Krystian Bielik made minimal contact with the back of Saleh Al-Shehri's leg and he hit the turf.
The referee had initially waved away Saudi appeals but he was instructed to look at the VAR monitor and pointed to the spot.
Salem Al-Dawsari's low effort, however, was palmed away one-handed by Wojciech Szczesny, who was quickly on his feet to parry the follow up from Mohammed Al-Breik brilliantly over the bar.
The Saudis were almost level early in the second half when Al-Dawsari's shot was well saved by Szczesny's legs and a better chance was then spurned by Firas Al-Buraikan who wildly slashed his effort wide with only Szczesny to beat.
Poland could have extended their lead when Arkadiusz Milik's header rattled the crossbar while Lewandowski hit the post with an effort that deflected off his knee.
The prolific Lewandowski, who is unused to fallow periods in front of goal, had not scored in his four previous World Cup games, but did not have to wait too much longer.
Abdulelah Al-Malki slipped and Lewandowski pounced, robbing him of the ball before sliding a tidy finish beyond Mohamed Al-Owais and into the net for his 77th international goal.


Morocco roar past Canada into World Cup last 16

Morocco powered into the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time in 36 years on Thursday with a 2-1 victory over eliminated Canada.
Goals from Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri ensured the North Africans finished top of Group F ahead of 2018 World Cup runners-up Croatia.
Morocco, who last reached the knockout stages of the World Cup in 1986, will face the runners-up from Group E in the last 16, with the identity of their opponents decided later Thursday.
"It wasn't easy, but when you have an opportunity to make history, you remember it," Morocco coach Walid Regragui said.
"We've made lots of people happy this evening, but let's not stop here.
"Before the tournament we set an objective – we said we wanted to give everything we've got and get out of the group stages. We can tick that box now."
Canada's defeat capped a disappointing World Cup for the Concacaf side, who depart after losing all three of their group games on their long-awaited return to the finals.
But coach John Herdman said his team would leave Qatar with heads held high.
"It's been the first time in a long time we've been here. We'd liked to have been longer but we've enjoyed the ride," Herdman said.
"Our players turned up here to compete. We've been fearless in each of the three games and in each of the three games we've had something to celebrate.
"This isn't Canada walking away with our heads down – we leave with our heads held high."
Morocco put themselves firmly on course for the second round after upsetting Belgium 2-0 on Sunday, a result that left them needing only a point against Canada on Thursday to be sure of advancing.
Borjan blunder
Achieving that objective never looked in doubt after the Moroccans grabbed the lead after only four minutes in front of 43,102 fans at the Al-Thumama Stadium.
Canada captain and goalkeeper Milan Borjan raced off his line to clear an underhit backpass from Steven Vitoria but could only watch in horror as the ball fell to Morocco's Ziyech.
The Chelsea star seized the opportunity ruthlessly, coolly lifting a finish over the stranded Borjan into the empty net for 1-0.
That early setback winded Canada, who struggled to gain any sort of a foothold against a rampant Morocco who were soon 2-0 up.
Right-back Achraf Hakimi's long ball caught the Canadian defence napping and En-Nesyri darted in behind before smashing home a finish at the near post to beat Borjan.
Canada pulled a goal back on a rare foray forward five minutes from half-time when defender Sam Adekugbe skipped clear down the left and rifled in a low cross.
Defender Nayef Aguerd stuck a leg out and the ball deflected into the net past Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to make it 2-1.
Morocco thought they had restored their two-goal cushion in first-half stoppage time when En-Nesyri lashed home eight yards out only for the effort to be deemed offside.
Canada started the second half brightly, with Alphonso Davies jabbing a shot just wide after a promising attack.
But Morocco dropped deeper and Canada lacked the inventiveness to seriously threaten.
Their best chance of drawing level came from a set-piece on 71 minutes, when substitute Atiba Hutchinson's header from a corner crashed off the underside of the crossbar and bounced off the goal-line.
Full-back Alistair Johnston failed to control the rebound and Morocco's lead remained intact.
Canada captain Borjan almost got caught out again in another risky advance in injury time, but Davies was on hand to snuff out the danger before Morocco's raucous fans erupted in celebration at the whistle.


US weekly jobless claims rise, continuing claims lowest since 1969

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, reaching a four month-high, potentially hinting at some cooling in demand for labor amid tightening financial conditions.But the labor market remains tight, with the report from the Labor Department on Thursday showing the number of people on jobless rolls at its lowest since the end of 1969 in early May.The Federal Reserve’s aggressive monetary policy stance as it fights inflation has sparked a stock market sell-off and boosted US Treasury yields. Despite last week’s jump in claims, worker shortages could curb layoffs. There were a record 11.5 million job openings at the end of March.“Recent layoff announcements merit watching for a shift in business hiring decisions,” said Rubeela Farooqi, chief US economist at High Frequency Economics in White Plains, New York.“For now, demand for labor still appears to be strong and, combined with lagging supply, should limit the number of layoffs.”Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 21,000 to a seasonally adjusted 218,000 for the week ended May 14, the highest level since January. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 200,000 applications for the latest week.There was a jump of 6,728 in claims in Kentucky, while California reported an increase of 3,315. There were also notable gains in filings in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois.Claims have been largely treading water since hitting more than a 53-year low of 166,000 in March. The rapidly tightening labor market is generating strong wage gains that are helping to fan overall inflation in the economy.The US central bank has raised its policy interest rate by 75 basis points since March. The Fed is expected to hike the overnight rate by half a percentage point at each of its next meetings in June and July.Claims are down from an all-time high of 6.137 million in early April 2020. Last week’s data covered the period during which the government surveyed employers for the nonfarm payrolls portion of May’s employment report.Claims rose between the April and May survey period. Payrolls increased by 428,000 in April, the 12th straight month of employment gains in excess of 400,000.Data next week on the ranks of the unemployed in mid-May, will shed more light on the state of job growth this month.The number of people receiving benefits after an initial week of aid fell 25,000 to 1.317 million during the week ending May 7. That was the lowest level for the so-called continuing claims since December 1969.There are also signs that manufacturing is slowing. A separate report from the Philadelphia Fed on Thursday showed its business conditions index dropped to a reading of 2.6 in May from 17.6 in April.But there were increases in measures of new orders, unfilled orders and shipments at factories in the region that covers eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware. Inflation pressures at the factory gate also appeared to have peaked.The Philadelphia Fed survey’s six-month business conditions index slipped to a reading of 2.5 this month from 8.2 in April. Its six-month capital expenditures index fell to 9.6 from a reading of 19.9 in the prior month.


What big-headed? Lawyers hit out at Hamzah over anti-refugee xenophobia

Rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has hit out at Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin over his reaction to a video clip of Rohingya children begging from road users, accusing him of further stoking xenophobia against the group.Hamzah had said that United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cardholders should not be stubborn but should understand that their situation is that of a refugee.Adding that they hold only UNHCR cards, he said they should not view Malaysia as a “cemetery” country.“We only help on humanitarian grounds but don’t become big-headed as I do not like anyone to think they are above our laws.“We do not want any other problems to arise, like the incident at a traffic light in Kuala Lumpur where members of the public were insulted. This shouldn’t be happening in our country,” hs had said.LFL coordinator Zaid Malek questioned Hamzah’s choice of language, saying the minister had escalated the issue to the point of implying that all Rohingya refugees are “big-headed” or “problematic”.“What kind of ministerial criticism is ‘big-headed’? Are there no ‘big-headed’ Malaysians? Are we all angels that we chastise an entire race?”In a statement, he said to brand an entire race as Hamzah had done “amounts to racism by any defintion”.As home minister, Zaid said Hamzah should have been more discerning instead of further stoking xenophobia against the Rohingya.“He should have been more concerned about whether the children were being exploited, and about the underlying causes that led the children to resort to begging in the first place,” he said.Adding that there are no frameworks that safeguard the physical and economic well-being of refugees in Malaysia, he said they are “extremely vulnerable” to exploitation and resort to whatever means they can find to survive.As a person in a position of power in the government, he said, Hamzah should use his position to accord Rohingya refugees the necessary protection and assistance instead of giving “scathing comments” on an entire group based on a video showing the actions of two children.


Malaysian politics among subjects of Israeli firm's disinformation business to sway polls

Malaysia is among scores of countries whose elections may have been affected by an Israeli company operating to influence polls worldwide by spreading disinformation, a joint investigation by journalists from several Western media outlets has revealed.
This comes less than three months after Malaysians voted at the 15th general election, resulting in an unprecedented hung parliament in a political impasse which ended with Pakatan Harapan's Anwar Ibrahim being named as prime minister.
The report did not state if any role had been played to influence the polls last year, but it did point to the 1MDB scandal at the heart of the previous general election in 2018, when the services of the Israeli firm were sought to spread disinformation to discredit a whistleblower.
French daily Le Monde, one of 30 news organisations which participated in the investigation, said "Team Jorge" was engaged by "unknown clients" to run a disinformation campaign against Xavier Justo, the Swiss banker whose revelations in 2015 led to the uncovering of the 1MDB scandal.

Former Petrosaudi director Xavier Justo.

The corruption scandal was largely blamed for the election defeat of then prime minister Najib Razak in 2018.
According to Le Monde, the campaign to discredit Justo surfaced at the end of 2020, with his replication on a website and a YouTube channel where he was presented as an untrustworthy individual who was out to make money.
"The website and the YouTube channel were then widely distributed on social media, by the network of avatars of Team Jorge, as part of a larger operation of defamation, calling Justo a thief, a drug addict, a blackmailer," the paper said, adding that the real goal of the campaign was unclear.
Malaysia has historically been a strong opponent of Israel owing to its occupation of Palestine, with the Jewish state often thrust into domestic politics.
In the last election campaign, Anwar was challenged to state that PKR was not infiltrated by Israeli elements, following the arrest of a group of Malaysians said to have been hired by Israeli secret service Mossad to abduct a Palestinian computer programmer wanted by Israel in September.
PKR had then distanced itself from one of the kidnappers, Raibafie Amdan, who was spotted waving a party flag in a photo taken a few years earlier which was shared on social media.
Anwar's critics nonetheless pressed him to make known his stand on Israel, citing a past statement in support of "all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel".
The top editor of influential Israeli newspaper Haaretz said following Anwar's rise to the top office that it could signal a new chapter in the Jewish state's relationship with Malaysia, where every succeeding government had backed the Palestinian struggle.
"Israel would love closer ties with Kuala Lumpur. Could this be the opportunity?" chief editor Esther Solomon said in comments on Twitter, just days after Anwar was sworn in.
The revelations on "Team Jorge" are reminiscent of the scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, the British political consulting firm which was shut down following allegations of data leaks from Facebook users as well as the use of blackmail to run election campaigns in several countries.
In 2020, leaked files revealed that the company, through its parent firm SCL Group, had pitched a proposal to Umno in 2013 under then party chief Najib Razak to influence the voting pattern in 40 seats at the 2018 general election.
Leaked files also revealed that then Umno deputy president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was to have a breakfast meeting with SCL Group representatives in New York in 2016.
The Umno-led Barisan Nasional government however denied engaging Cambridge Analytica for its campaign.
Assortment of smear services
The investigation into "Team Jorge" was carried out by undercover journalists posing as potential clients who approached Tal Hanan, a former Israeli special forces operative heading the company, and secretly videotaped him.
"We are now involved in one election in Africa... We have a team in Greece and a team in [the] Emirates [UAE]... You follow the leads. [We have completed] 33 presidential-level campaigns, 27 of which were successful," Hanan was quoted as saying by The Guardian, another news outlet involved in the investigation.
Hanan's firm offers a range of services including "smear and misinformation campaigns" ranging from email hacking to spreading rumours using fake news sites as well as through fake profiles on social media networks.
Among its products is Advanced Impact Media Solutions or Aims, a software that can control more than 30,000 fake accounts on various social media platforms for the rapid spread of disinformation.